controversies
It seems every time one racially-charged incident ends, a gender or religious controversy takes its place; Ruminate on the issues dividing our nation and world.
Donald and Jared Don't F*** with the Russians or the CIA
Rauri Chisholm who with his wife Janet Chisholm, two of my family’s closest friends when I was growing up, were top agents in MI6 and ran the star British agent Oleg Penkovsky in Moscow in the early 1960s. Penkovsky was the spy whose disclosures sparked the Cuban missile crisis. In fact it was Rauri who recruited me for the Foreign Office, where I served for two years in Iran.
By Felicity Harley9 years ago in The Swamp
A Good Humbling
The general election is making me laugh, only because we have a saying in Scotland "if ye did'nae laugh ye wid grete" translation from Scots, if you didn't laugh you would cry. The tears of happiness are far more appealing than tears of sadness. Chin up and smile though your heart is breaking tends to be main attitude in Scotland when the shit is hitting the fan.
By Harmony Flower9 years ago in The Swamp
Money and the Individualist–Collectivist Divide
Politics, in large measure, deals with the art of reconciling individual and collective interests. The overwhelming majority of humanity (with the possible exception of abandoned children who grew up as hermits) inhabits both spheres. The hardiest individuals generally use money and tools and roads and water supplies, perhaps listen to radio and television, read and frequently form parts of families. The most dedicated collectivist does some things alone and usually, at least at times, values privacy.
By Guillermo Calvo9 years ago in The Swamp
Collaborative Affairs
A group of murderers, rapists, robbers, embezzlers and their attorneys and publicists sit around a huge rectangle of tables set with linen and silver and crystal discussing what to do about the violence perpetrated against them by law enforcement authorities, noting how harmful it was to their aspirations and goals, not to mention their persons and goods.
By Guillermo Calvo9 years ago in The Swamp
Laura Kuenssberg
A few years ago I wrote a Blog where I questioned the so called 'impartiality' of the BBC. It wasn't the first time I had noticed a stream of blatant propaganda which could only benefit the Conservative Party, aired by the BBC in the guise of unbiased news. Usually it would be a tabloid style report, that tried to pour scorn on anyone who opposed the Tory stances. After a while I started to see a pattern of deceit appearing that was then impossible to be unseen once gazed upon. A channel that I trusted because of their supposed impartiality, were starting to take on some of the traits normally seen on a state media channel in a far flung eastern realm. In that time there has been one member of the BBC political team who has left me flabbergasted by the rhetoric and her complete disregard for impartiality. I got so angry recently by her behaviour that I decided I needed to investigate who Laura Kuenssberg actually is? Why does she seem to support the UK Conservatives? But most of all what made her like this? A public stooge with a separate agenda than the one dictated to her by the BBC charter. My investigation led me back through her family history to try and discover the seeds of potential influence. To search for the root of influence I started to regard those who obviously have had influence over Kuenssberg through her life, her parents and grandparents. Recently David Cameron became offended when people questioned his father's offshore banking. I understand people being protective over their family, but this isn't name calling in the school yard and defensive reactions just increases suspicion. I'm sure Laura Kuenssberg may be offended by me including her family in this Blog, but people will ask questions when she is appearing to use a public platform with a hidden agenda.
By Johnny Vedmore9 years ago in The Swamp
Reflections on Political Insults and Incoherence
Perhaps my writing and my sharing of information that I find relevant during this Orwellian period (hopefully not an epoch) in United States history is proving somewhat meaningful, at least as gauged by the reactions of those who oppose my perspectives. This morning an Obama - Clinton supporter called me a fascist for opposing Clinton’s efforts to intervene in Syria and yesterday several somewhat more intellectually inclined opponents of anything Trump tried to convince me that the intelligence community driven Russia-gate soft coup attempt was fully validated. The latter with cogent arguments, which I respect, the former with the traditional insult driven, factually deficient drivel that is all too common among internet trolls. Actually, I do not react as negatively to trolls as do many others. If they are reading what I publish then perhaps over the long term some of it will sink in, and they do give me insights into the tactics favored by those on behalf of whom they troll; valuable data.
By Guillermo Calvo9 years ago in The Swamp
It’s Not as Painful as It’s Made Out to Be
Headlines concerning the Congressional Budget Office’s scoring of the proposed GOP replacement for Obamacare scream that 23 million Americans will be deprived of health care if it passes. As too often happens now, on a quotidian basis, the headlines are distortive, deceptive and hypocritical. They are designed to create emotional responses based on generating fear and insecurity and hate. They are designed to increase the divisiveness that so pervades us and in the end, to further lead us down the path to civil strife.
By Guillermo Calvo9 years ago in The Swamp
How Close Are You to Being a Terrorist?
After 9/11, most people in the industrialized modern world asked ourselves an important question. How could anyone do such a thing? For most of us the question was merely rhetorical. But for social scientists the last twenty years have seen a great deal of research attempting to determine what factors, conditions, and mindsets contribute to the radicalized mind. What makes a person a terrorist? In an article for MONITER, the journal for the American Phycological Association, Tori DeAngelis wrote about the work of John Horgan, PhD who interviewed 60 former terrorists. He found that people vulnerable to racialized beliefs have several things in common. Let’s start with the most obvious:
By David Bulley9 years ago in The Swamp
Rich or Russia
While the Rich family, for its own reasons, has succeeded in shutting down Fox News’ explorations concerning the murder of their son Seth, the issue is transcendental. It affects both international relations and constitutional governance. It impacts war and peace. It impacts liberty or liberty’s suppression. It requires resolution, whatever that resolution is, free from false reports but also free from suppression of relevant information.
By Guillermo Calvo9 years ago in The Swamp
Conversation with Robert Kennedy Jr.. Top Story - May 2017.
It is no secret that we are currently in an unprecedented environmental tailspin. Carbon levels are rising dangerously, the polar ice caps are melting, and species are rapidly disappearing etc. While the rest of the world has taken steps to mitigate the damage humans cause the planet, The United States has taken a cynical and irresponsible path towards climate change.
By Michael Lee Nirenberg9 years ago in The Swamp
