Analysis
All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr
The sky over Saint-Brieuc was heavy with clouds, the kind that hung low and pressed against the roofs like a threat. Though the war had quieted in the north, its whispers still roamed the air—through radio static, cracked windows, and the wary glances of strangers.
By Jawad Khan8 months ago in History
Manufacturing a Myth: Why There Is No White Genocide in South Africa
South Africa is not at war with its white citizens. But if you were to scroll through certain corners of the internet—or listen to foreign political debates in places like the United States—you might be convinced otherwise. Claims that white Afrikaner farmers are being “exterminated” in a so-called genocide have gained traction in right-wing media, drawing attention from figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk. But these claims are not only misleading—they are dangerous. They manipulate pain, obscure real challenges, and weaponize race in ways that deepen global divisions. As a South African who has walked through rural villages and urban centers, spoken to farm workers and farm owners, stood in township queues and corporate foyers—I can tell you firsthand: this narrative is not just false. It’s a distraction from the real work we need to do.
By David Thusi8 months ago in History
Gerrymandering the Presidency: Why Trump could lose the popular vote in 2020 by 6 percent and still win a second term.
Donald Trump was the clear Electoral College winner in the 2016 election, despite losing the popular vote by a wide margin to Hillary Clinton. Anthony J. McGann, Charles Anthony Smith, Michael Latner and Alex Keena write that, unless the Supreme Court stops congressional gerrymandering, President Trump can guarantee re-election in 2020 – even if he loses by 6 percent. When the US Supreme Court takes up the issue of partisan gerrymandering this year, they will decide not only the fate of popular control in the House of Representatives and many state legislatures, but quite possibly the Presidency as well. If four Republican controlled state governments (Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Florida) change the way they allocate Electoral College votes, President Trump could be re-elected in 2020, even if he loses the popular vote by 6 percentage points. All the states need do is to allocate Electoral College votes by congressional district (like Nebraska and Maine), instead of giving all of the state’s electors to the statewide winner. Of course, this strategy only works to the benefit of the Republicans because the congressional districts in these states are heavily gerrymandered. As we argue in our book Gerrymandering in America, the congressional districts in many states are drawn to advantage the Republican Party. For example, in Pennsylvania in 2012 the Republicans took 13 out of 18 House districts even though the Democrats received more votes. If this partisan gerrymandering were outlawed, then allocating Electoral College votes by congressional district in the four states would actually disadvantage the Republican candidate for President. However, if the Supreme Court continues to allow partisan gerrymandering – as it has since its decision Vieth v. Jubelirer in 2004 – then the plan is highly effective and there is nothing that can stop the four states adopting it. Allocating Electors by congressional district is clearly legal – Nebraska and Maine already do it this way. Furthermore, the Republicans control the state legislature and the governor’s mansion in all four states. How allocating Electors by congressional districts could benefit the Republican candidate Surprisingly, the strategy that is most effective for the Republicans is to change how Presidential Electors are allocated in certain states that voted for Trump in 2016. Of course, the Republicans would get an advantage by allocating Electors more proportionally in states that Clinton won. The problem is that this would require the support of Democrats. For example, Republican legislators in Virginia and Minnesota have already proposed such measures, and Stephen Wolf describes this as an attempt to “gerrymander the electoral college”. The problem is that both these states have Democratic governors, who would surely veto such proposals. Similarly Harry Enten at fivethirtyeight.com shows that if all states allocated Electors by Congressional districts, the Republicans could win the Presidency despite a 5 percent popular vote deficit. Again the problem is that this would require Democratic controlled states to agree to such a system. However, in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan and Florida, Republicans control both the state legislature and the
By Silas Blackwood8 months ago in History
🤢The Great Stink of London, Summer 1858: How the Thames River's Filth Nearly Shut Down Parliament and Sparked Sewer Reforms
The Summer That Stank to High Heaven In the sweltering summer of 1858, London became the setting for one of the foulest crises in urban history. For several weeks, an unbearable stench rose from the River Thames, the city's main waterway and open sewer, engulfing the metropolis in a nauseating miasma that no one - not even the powerful lawmakers in the Palace of Westminster - could escape. The event, which became known as "The Great Stink," was more than just a sensory nightmare; it was a pivotal moment in the evolution of public health and urban infrastructure.
By Kek Viktor8 months ago in History
🧻 The Toilet Paper Panic Buying During Various Pandemics: How a Mundane Household Item Became a Symbol of Global Anxiety
Part I: A Curious Phenomenon — Panic in the Aisles In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, a peculiar sight became common across the globe: barren supermarket shelves where once stood neat stacks of toilet paper. This wasn’t an isolated event. From Tokyo to Toronto, from Milan to Melbourne, scenes emerged of people rushing into stores, carts overflowing with bulky packs of toilet rolls, sometimes wrestling them away from fellow shoppers in desperate attempts to “stock up.” The rush on toilet paper became one of the most vivid, surreal images of the global health crisis, replayed in countless news reports and social media posts. As viral as the virus itself, these panic-buying frenzies turned toilet paper — a soft, white, everyday necessity — into a symbol of a world unmoored by fear.
By Kek Viktor8 months ago in History
Endless Struggle: The Israel-Palestine Conflict and the Human Cost of Power Politics
Introduction In the heart of the Middle East lies a conflict that has withstood the test of time, politics, and countless peace talks — the struggle between Israel and Palestine. What began as a territorial dispute in the early 20th century has spiraled into one of the most emotionally charged and politically complex crises in modern history. Today, it’s no longer just a battle over land, but a fight for identity, dignity, and survival. The Israel-Palestine conflict continues to claim lives, displace families, and divide nations, with its impact felt far beyond the borders of Gaza and Jerusalem.
By Umar Khattak8 months ago in History
Trump's Speech about Jerusalem: An Analysis on Persuasive Strategies. AI-Generated.
INTRODUCTION Jerusalem is a holy place where several beliefs and faiths live together. Islam, Christianity and Jews live and do worship in that city (BBC, 2017). Its territory surrounds Palestine and Israel. Both countries have been being a great rivalry in an old-world war since 1948 (Margolick, 2008). Donald Trump as the president of USA showed his sympathy toward both a long-world war and it was stated through his political speech. Stobbs (2012) considered that political speeches are written with a very great plan and purpose. As the president of USA, Trump is the most influential person in the world. His word will always provoke great responses from all people over the world. He showed his remark on his speech about Jerusalem on 23rd May 2017. Through his speech, he expected the three religions in Jerusalem, such as Jews, Islam and Christianity can build peace together. On 6th December 2017, Trump declared Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel. It provoked pros and cons from several leaders of nations over the world. He stated that his claim was to stop the war between Israel and Palestine, and to achieve peace. Through his speech, Trump intended to show his power and communicate what he wanted to. Speech is one the ways of having communication (Soedjarwo, 2020). In having communication, the speaker influences hearer to believe in what he says or doing something that he wants to. Alfian, Santi, and Sari (2019) stated that a good communication depends on how speaker can achieve the goal of what he says. Speaker absolutely persuades hearers to achieve the goals of communication. In Persuading hearers, speaker can uses persuasive strategies. Speaker uses persuasive strategies to influence other people through utterance without doing compulsion. Gass and Seiter (2010) stated that persuasion is an attempt to influence hearers motives and attitudes.
By Silas Blackwood8 months ago in History
NASA Confirms Evidence of Alien Life? Latest Findings from Europa Mission
Introduction: The Europa Enigma For decades, Jupiter’s icy moon Europa has captivated scientists as one of the solar system’s most promising candidates for extraterrestrial life. In 2025, NASA’s Europa Clipper mission delivered its most compelling data yet—potential biosignatures beneath the moon’s frozen crust. While NASA has stopped short of declaring definitive proof of life, the evidence has ignited a scientific and philosophical firestorm. This article examines: The shocking findings from Europa’s subsurface ocean How NASA’s instruments detected potential alien biosignatures The scientific debate over what constitutes "proof" of life The ethical and societal implications of confirming extraterrestrial organisms What comes next in humanity’s search for life beyond Earth
By Silas Blackwood8 months ago in History
A Historical Account of Difference: A Comparative History of the Literary Cultures of Lat- in America
Abstract: In his article "A Historical Account of Difference: A Comparative History of the Literary Cultures of Latin America," Mario J. Valdés addresses the well-recognized limitations of literary history as historical research. Valdés outlines the theoretical thinking that has guided the editors of The Oxford Comparative History of Latin American Literary Cultures to plan, organize, and com- plete the first history of literary culture of Latin America. The project is comparative, recognizing the radical diversity of the continent while at the same time it is an open-ended history that in- forms but does not attempt to provide a totalizing account of more than five hundred years of cul- tural development among the heterogeneous entities that make up Latin America. Valdés begins by considering the paradox of literary history, he then suggests ways that literary history can be shaped by the work of Michel Foucault, and he proposes a framework for a hermeneutics of literary history. Valdés also considers the challenges that face the literary historian whose work now in- cludes cultural history. All of these considerations are then placed within the context of an effort to create a literary and cultural history of Latin America.
By Silas Blackwood8 months ago in History
Beneath the Surface: The Kolar Gold Fields Story
The Gold Mine That Yielded 800 Tons: Discovered by a British East India Company Officer Just 90 kilometers away from the bustling city of Bengaluru lies Kolar, home to India’s largest gold mine—an underground marvel that has fascinated historians, geologists, filmmakers, and economists alike. Known as the Kolar Gold Fields (KGF), this mine has not only played a significant role in India's mining history but has also become a symbol of ambition, struggle, and forgotten glory.
By Ikram Ullah8 months ago in History
Coins of Time
It was in the crumbling attic of his grandfather’s house that Julian first found the coin. Dust covered everything—trunks of forgotten war medals, moth-eaten coats, faded letters tied with ribbon—but the coin lay on a small velvet cloth as though it had been waiting.
By ibrahimkhan8 months ago in History
