Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in The Swamp.
Where the Heart Is
In a perfect world, everyone is equal, everyone is worth the time to invest in and show kindness towards. However, in spite of this vision, the application of such a notion in daily life proves arduous—especially when it makes people uncomfortable. As the hourglass of our lives rapidly moves through the sieve of “now,” each moment beckons minor decisions, which are seemingly innocuous. Nevertheless, these decisions are the ones that produce the big picture of our lives. To be effectively kind, we must ritualistically participate in the art of introspection handling each moment with grace and foresight. Metaphorically, each grain of sand in the hourglass of our lives builds on the other. Every frown, smile, and nod is a choice we make, as it slips through the bottleneck of present to past collected together as our individual stories. By all means then, are we not the sum of our attributes in their most diminutive occurrences?
By Sam Sapien8 years ago in The Swamp
Sharks on the Brink
Most people wouldn't think of sharks unless reminded by Shark Week on Discovery Channel or reading the rare news of a shark attack. People are scared of sharks and often want to put them out of their mind—especially when vacationing on beaches—but they risk extinction if we don't think of them. Recently, more people have become aware of the shark finning industry and realizing the repercussions that this practice has had on the global populations of sharks.
By Cameron Ellis8 years ago in The Swamp
Review of 'The Americans' 6.2
I thought The Americans 6.2 was rather pro forma, even lackluster, until the very end, which was...brutal. That's the latest chapter in the eduction of Paige. The brains of an American general all over her mother's face. And Paige doesn't know the worst of it. The coming attractions confirm that the general didn't take his own life. Elizabeth pulled the trigger.
By Paul Levinson8 years ago in The Swamp
Brexit and Cambridge Analytica Could Cost Scotland Independence
Distrust of Politicians Hardens Attitudes Hardly anyone under 60 trusts politicians or the mainstream media anymore, thus leaving them open to populist manipulation—for example using the techniques used by Cambridge Analytica, with its top Tory dominated board, in the EU referendum to confirm their biases and make them impervious to argument.
By Axel P Kulit8 years ago in The Swamp
The State of the Welfare State
The UK welfare system has a lot of problems at the moment. The reasons behind those problems differ depending on one’s political outlook, but there are issues that need addressing whatever your views. It’s worth looking back at the history of welfare in the UK, in order to understand how we have arrived at this point. First, we need to define “the welfare state.” In general terms it is:
By Katy Preen8 years ago in The Swamp
Why Gun Control Is a Fraud
One of my best friends taught me how to load a shotgun about a month back. He placed the giant, heavy firearm in my hands and guided me through each step, placing my fingers on the safety, the trigger, and the belt. Once he walked me through the motions a few times, he stepped back and let me try it myself. I placed the bullet into the shotgun and cocked it. Each time I did it correctly, he would smile at me and say, "Now, you have a loaded firearm."
By something wilde8 years ago in The Swamp
10 Things Trump Has Undone
Donald Trump is a brutal reminder of just how much ugliness exists beneath America’s shiny veneer. Behind all the culture, technology, and inspirational tales that the US exports to the rest of the world is a spring of misogyny and White resentment that allowed the least qualified presidential candidate in American history to become the most powerful man in the world. The things Trump has undone will echo in eternity as a testament to humanity's ignorant viciousness toward itself.
By Ben Kharakh8 years ago in The Swamp
Why Veganism Sounds Like a Bad Idea
I will always be an interested advocate for the well-being of animals. Today in this world there is an unnecessary slaughtering of animals which, upon inspection, is overwhelmingly unethical when you look into it. Farm animals such as chickens, pigs, and cows to name a few are bred for slaughter; from being beaten and tortured to injections of hormones and in a dairy cow’s case, forced pregnancy. These are only but few of my many concerns of helpless animals. Every year, over 56 billion land animals alone are subject to slaughter. This is not just an animal welfare issue, this is also an environmental and world hunger issue. California is currently in a drought, yet somehow, they find a way to feed all livestock. Kip Anderson Howard, director and producer of the movie Cowspiracy, states that “you can produce 37,000 lbs. of vegetables on 1.5 acres of land but only 375 lbs. of beef on the same [amount] of land.” The main point of his film was based on the theory that we can solve world hunger if all farmers across the world use that plot of land used for farm animals and instead apply it to producing foods that we can feed to the hungry From the environmental perspective, our precious rainforest which statistics conclude, "If we continue on this path, as much as 55 percent of the amazon rainforest could disappear by the year 2030” (Bennet).
By Kenya Carpenter8 years ago in The Swamp
Ways Donald Trump Is Making Himself Richer as the President
Donald Trump is a bigot who's been accused of sexual misconduct by 19 women. It's important to keep that information in the public's consciousness to balance out all the privilege afforded to him by America's classist, racist, sexist society. How much privilege? Enough that there are many ways Donald Trump is making himself richer in the White House through a mix of conflicts of interest and nepotism with seemingly no oversight to stop him. He might as well be printing money in the treasury and putting it straight into his pockets, right where he keeps his Big Macs and his tattered copy of The Turner Diaries. JK. Trump doesn't read anything that isn't full of his own name. So maybe he's reading this list of some of the ways he's getting richer in DC!
By Ben Kharakh8 years ago in The Swamp
