[FRIAM] Graal VM

[glen ep ropella]

I've recently used the Graal VM <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GraalVM> for its inclusion of FastR <https://github.com/oracle/fastr>. As always, this provoked a lot of churning amongst my Homunculi. I keep my Stay-Liberated Homunculi at bay by pointing out the GPL of the community edition. But they launched a mild riot this morning when I read this:

Oracle employees plan to walk off the job after boss holds pro-Trump fundraiser
https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/2/13/21136577/larry-ellison-fundraiser-donald-trump-oracle-employees

Ordinarily (pre-Citizens United <https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/citizens-united-v-federal-election-commission/>), I give corporate charters the benefit of the doubt that their officers and owners are somewhat separated from the company. But with the continuing trend toward the Unitary Executive <https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/01/william-barr-donald-trump-mueller-report-1295273> and Celebrity-King <https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/16/opinion/beyonce-coachella-blackness.html> (or Queen, but gender is fluid), it seems naive of me to *continue* giving them that benefit of the doubt.

Just as Trump has rerouted all pardoning/commutation from "the deep state" to his personal Celebrity-Self, corporate smoky-back-room players like Ellison (or Thiel, or Musk, or whichever celebrity executive/advisor/loan-shark/Great-Man you may want to cite) are flexing their unitary executive muscles in a variety of ways. I doubt that this is anything new. But with our [dis]information-freeflow culture, along with the surge of conspiracy theories, we also have a bit more visibility on their exercising of their powers ... there are more windows into the smoky back rooms.

If your officers/owners do something, then your employees are also *doing* that thing. The question is whether the employees are unaware of their complicity. So, some of my Homunculi are arguing: See! The contributers to Graal are *not* useful idiots! It doesn't matter whether they like Trump or not. What matters is they *know* Oracle supports Trump.

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glen ep ropella 971-599-3737