Select Page ::

Letter: Confederate monuments, the fake news of the time – Mountain Xpress

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

[In response to Confederate Monuments Remind Us of Our History, June 24, Xpress:] When this controversy over people wanting to remove Confederate statues in the South first crossed my radar, I really knew nothing about it. Up until that point, I didnt even realize our country had many hundreds of these statues of Confederate generals and the like.

Hearing protesters wanting them removed, claiming they glorify not only racism, but the slavery of Black people, I could very much see where they were coming from. I can understand how these statues could be offensive to people, but why do we have hundreds of Confederate monuments throughout the Southern United States in the first place? As far as I can tell, the Civil War was about the Southern states, the Confederacy, wanting to keep slavery in place, whereas the rest of the country had come to terms with the fact that slaverys f**ked up and, like, we should probably stop doing that. The Confederacy was trying to secede from the United States of America and keep slavery alive. Fortunately, the Confederacy lost the Civil War, the states were reabsorbed back into the Union, and slavery was outlawed throughout the land.

So given the history, why the bleep are there people upset that these statues are coming down, and why were they even erected in the first place?

You got to love the internet I was able to look up a video by Vox on YouTube that breaks this part of the history down really well. Turns out there was this effort about 30 years after the war by a group of wealthy Southern elites under the name of the United Daughters of the Confederacy to propagandize to the youth in schools and erect all of these Confederate statues and monuments to sort of rewrite history, painting the South as fallen victims of big government oppression. Unbelievable stuff really, but these are the facts. I highly recommend checking out the Vox video on this called How Southern Socialites Rewrote Civil War History or look up the Wikipedia page on the United Daughters of the Confederacy or the Lost Cause of the Confederacy.

So, the next time someone says that removing these statues is erasing their history, ask them what history theyre talking about, because the history the statues and monuments are meant to represent pretends that the Civil War wasnt about slavery (kind of like denying the Holocaust) and by leaving the statues up, theyre promoting this falsified propagandized version of history, or as I loathe to refer to it: Fake news!#doyourresearch.

David AylwardAsheville

Read the original post:

Letter: Confederate monuments, the fake news of the time - Mountain Xpress

Myanmar urged to drop criminal complaint against HR defend… – United News of Bangladesh

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

Fortify Rights on Thursday said Myanmar authorities should immediately drop criminal complaints against Maung Saungkhapoet and co-founder of human rights group Athanfor urging the government to lift internet restrictions in Rakhine and Chin states.The Kyauktada Township Court in Yangon opened the trial on July 7 and held its second hearing on July 14.At the 44th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva this week, the new U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Thomas Andrews, expressed concern that freedom of expression in Myanmar appeared to be shrinking ahead of national elections scheduled for November 8.Special Rapporteur Andrews called on Myanmar to amend laws that have been used to violate freedoms of expression and assembly.The Government cut the internet in conflict-affected areas of Rakhine and Chin states and continues to prosecute human rights defenders who have called for lifting internet restrictions, which is a double violation of human rights, Maung Saungkha told Fortify Rights by phone.On July 14, Kyauktada Township Police Captain Myo Thet testified to the court that 27-year-old Maung Saungkha organized a protest and displayed a banner with others in Yangon in violation of Section 19 of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law (PAPPL), which requires advanced notice to hold a protest.The charge carries a sentence of up to three months imprisonment and/or 30,000 Myanmar Kyat (US$20) in fines.During the first court hearing on July 7, the prosecutor submitted a list of six witnesses to the court. The court hearings are set to continue on July 21.On June 21, on the one-year anniversary of the internet shutdown in Rakhine and Chin states, activists unfurled a Burmese-language banner over the Sule overpass bridge in downtown Yangon, reading, Is the internet being shut down to hide war crimes and killing people?Citing the banner, on June 22, Police Captain Myo Thet filed a complaint alleging violations of Section 19 of PAPPL against Maung Saungkha.The complaint, which Fortify Rights has seen, alleges four other people were involved in unfurling the banner but only identifies Maung Saungkha.The Kyaukdata Township police apprehended Maung Saungkha on July 3 and brought him to the Kyauktada Township Court, which granted him bail. Criticizing government policies is protected under human rights law, said Matthew Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Fortify Rights.The internet blackout is wholly disproportionate. The government should immediately drop this and similar cases, amend the peaceful assembly law, and lift the internet ban, especially ahead of national elections in November.In recent weeks, Myanmar authorities have brought similar criminal complaints against other human rights defenders involved in protesting the internet blackout in Rakhine and Chin states.On June 21, Ramree Township Police Major Zaw Win filed a case against Myo Min Tun, a youth leader with the Ramree Township Youth Network, for allegedly holding a protest without informing the authorities beforehand in which he called on the Myanmar government to lift the internet shutdown.Police officers apprehended Myo Min Tun at his home on June 25 and brought him to the police station. On the same day, the Ramree Township Court charged him with violating Section 19 of PAPPL.On June 25, the Court sentenced him to 15 days imprisonment and/or a fine of Myanmar Kyat 20,000 (about US$14). Myo Min Tun chose to pay the fine.On June 21, in Kyaukphyu Township, a police officer brought a criminal complaint against Min Za Aung, 32, and Nay Soe Khaing, 31ethnic Rakhine/Arakanese human rights defenders involved in the Arakan National Partys Youth Affairs Committee and the Coral Child New Generation Youth Groupfor posting photos of themselves on social media wearing T-shirts that read End Internet Oppression.

Link:

Myanmar urged to drop criminal complaint against HR defend... - United News of Bangladesh

Letters To The Editor: July 16, 2020 – The Rhino TImes

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

What Will You Do?

Dear Editor,

I already know Im going to be called a wild eyed, tin foil hat wearing, Area 51 has aliens, whack job conspiracy theorist. So go ahead and get it out of your system Ill wait. (Jeopardy music plays.)

Ok, now on to my point. If and/or when the civilized society we used to have in this country, when they get their way and law enforcement becomes history and some organization made up of social justice warriors responds to whatever replaces the 911 system, what will you do? What will you do when socialist/communist/leftist/progressive community block captains patrol your neighborhood with the authority to dictate what you can and cannot do and how you must think? What will you do when your own children are recruited into junior socialist/communist/leftist/progressive social clubs and organizations created and run by government officials? And their first lesson will be how to watch, listen and report anyone speaking or acting contrary to what the government says is the proper words or deeds?

What action will you take? Will you roll over, cave in and become a drone? Will you hunker down and do whatever Big Brother says is the right thing? Or will you join with likeminded people and stand against the transformation of America, fighting to keep it from becoming a third world dump?

Ilhan Omar, a member of the witchs coven known as The Squad, has declared she wants to dismantle our social and economic system because of oppression. Think about this for a minute. This is a women who is being investigated for possibly entering this country illegally by marrying her own brother. She fled Somalia, a quintessential third world slum and cesspool where armed militias working for dictatorial warlords who prop up a farcical puppet government run things. She manages to BS her way into the Congress and almost immediately begins advocating for turning our nation into a clone of the garbage heap laughingly called a country she ran from. The only difference would be she would now be one of the warlords.

Im fearing the day that the transformation happens and what used to be called the United States of America could be renamed the Nation of Black Lives Matters (NBLM). The Stars and Stripes replaced by a clinched fist superimposed over a yellow star on a red field NBLM emblazoned on it.

I have a favorite saying: Planning doesnt cost you anything.

Alan Marshall

This 7-Year Old Just Delivered a Trailer Full of COVID-19 Supplies to the Oglala Sioux Tribe – Global Citizen

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

Why Global Citizens Should Care

When Cavanaugh Bell went on a road trip to Mount Rushmore with his mom two years ago, they passed the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, home to the Oglala Sioux Tribe, on the way.

Bell asked his mom some questions about the Indigenous people who lived there, and when his mom described the widespread poverty and lack of basic resources on the reservation, he knew he wanted to help out.

Bell, now 7, delivered a 53-foot trailer full of essential supplies to Pine Ridge Reservation on Tuesday to help the community get through the COVID-19 pandemic. He also started a crowdfunding campaign for the tribe that has raised $1,075 toward its goal of $6,500.

With my community pantry and the great people that donate to it, I knew it was the best time to help Pine Ridge right now, especially as they try to stop the spread of COVID on the reservation, Bell told Global Citizen.

The trailer, which Bells parents drove from Maryland to South Dakota, was filled with cleaning supplies, non-perishable food items, and gently worn clothes and shoes that people donated.

The supplies could prove essential to a community that has little access to essential goods stores.

Cavanaugh Bell carrying supplies to the trailer; Cool & Dope

When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, it soon became clear that Indigenous people in the United States and the world were being disproportionately impacted by the virus.

The Oglala Sioux tribe has ordered multiple lockdowns over the past several weeks to contain the spread of the virus. So far, around 100 people out of a population of 25,000 have contracted COVID-19.

Medical facilities throughout the reservation are understaffed and under-resourced, and the main hospital is contaminated with black mold, according to the publication Argus Leader. In fact, black mold pervades the entire community roughly 60% of homes on the reservation are contaminated with the toxic mold creating a chronic health crisis.

Related Stories May 22, 2020 The Navajo Nation's Lack of Clean Water Has Fueled a COVID-19 Crisis

The evidence of structural neglect by the federal government runs deeper.

A lot of their houses, 33% exactly, don't have running water or electricity, Bell told Global Citizen over email. They also only have one store they can go to, which is really far for a lot of the people who don't have cars.

While Bell is only 7, he figured he could play a part in supporting the tribe through his nonprofit,Cool & Dope.

The young activist started his advocacy career after being bullied in school. In 2019, Bell and his parents started Cool & Dope to help raise awareness of the prevalence of bullying and call for laws against the issue.

Cavanaugh Bell standing in front of the trailer; Cool & Dope

He has the ambitious goal of ending bullying worldwide by 2030.

So far, hes met with lawmakers throughout Maryland and won a few local victories. In Montgomery County, October is designated as Bullying Prevention month because of Bells advocacy.

Related Stories May 21, 2020 COVID-19 Is Devastating Worlds Indigenous Communities Beyond the Immediate Health Threat

Cool & Dope is helping other kids find their inner activist, too, by creating volunteering opportunities and allowing them to start their own anti-bullying initiatives.

I always say that people can have an impact, no matter their age, he said. And, I really know that when kids put their mind to it, we can accomplish anything. I would tell other kids to find things that they can do to make the world a better place and go for it.

Bells decision to help the Pine Ridge Reservation grew out of this passion for helping those who are mistreated. In the case of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, that mistreatment takes place on the structural level and takes the form of systemic oppression.

But he hopes that by bringing attention to the injustices facing the Pine Ridge Reservation, it can help generate momentum for long-lasting change.

Related Stories July 9, 2020 These Gorgeous Photos of Indigenous Life Are Helping Communities Fight COVID-19

Visit link:

This 7-Year Old Just Delivered a Trailer Full of COVID-19 Supplies to the Oglala Sioux Tribe - Global Citizen

Gordon frustrated by ‘cavalier’ coronavirus attitudes – The Torrington Telegram

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

GILLETTE As some vocal Wyoming residents continue to lose patience with and push back against any and all coronavirus-related public health measures, its clear Gov. Mark Gordon also is frustrated.

Gordons frustration comes from that resistance and what he calls a cavalier and irresponsible attitude toward COVID-19 and preventing its spread.

As an example, during a Wednesday afternoon press briefing, he cited a number of emails he received recently after an older Sweetwater County resident was named as the states 22nd confirmed virus-related death.

I got some email I really dont appreciate, the governor said. When somebody sends me a note that says, Well, these people were going to die anyway, theyre just dying earlier, Im sick and tired of that.

Gordon said he has gotten a number of very strange emails from people that I think if I met them on the street probably wouldnt feel that way.

He said one email went so far as to insinuate those whove died from COVID-19 were lucky because theyre now meeting the Lord.

The governor bristled that some would use that as an excuse to not wear a face mask when prudent or discount the danger of the virus for vulnerable populations like older people.

Assisting you meeting the Lord isnt part of the deal, he said.

That the spread of the coronavirus has picked up again in Wyoming also is concerning, Gordon said. But in many cases he believes people letting down their guard or just getting tired of following public health recommendations is contributing to the increase.

As of Thursday, the Wyoming Department of Health is reporting 1,605 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 along with 380 probable cases. Of those lab-confirmed cases, 1,211 have recovered and there are 394 active cases.

In Campbell County, the WDH is reporting 74 lab-confirmed cases and 19 probables. Of those combined 93 cases, 70 have recovered and 23 are active.

Our numbers are ticking up, he said. What was concerning to me is we started July right around 150-260 (active) cases and that bounced up close to 400.

Its concerning. Its not dire at this point, but its very concerning.

Along those lines of being vigilant and responsible, Gordon reiterated his plea for residents to wear face coverings when out in public and social distancing cant be maintained. He also urges people to respect the decisions of private businesses that require customers to wear face masks.

Gordon said he doesnt understand the uproar over large big-box retailers like Menards and Walmart instituting policies that shoppers must wear masks in their stores.

While many of those opposed cite oppression of their rights and the U.S. Constitution, those who do are just plain wrong and off-base, the governor said.

Rights imply responsibility and people need to take responsibility, he said. There is no constitutional right to go infect somebody else. There is no constitutional right to go and put somebody else in harms way.

Along with public safety, he said the anger and vitriol aimed at those businesses is contrary to one of the most basic of Republican tenants: private property rights.

We are seeing (these policies) from private employers, and its their constitutional right, Gordon said. If I have a private business and I make a decision, thats my constitutional right. If you have a problem with that, go somewhere else.

While he urges people to respect the decisions of private businesses (even if they disagree), the governor also said he is not particularly inclined to order people wear masks in public as other states have done.

There have been some obnoxious individuals about wearing masks, he said. You have to understand what the damn constitution says. Those Republican principles we count on are ones we ought to be respecting.

The governor also said he and the Legislature have a lot of work to do to make deep cuts in the next biennium state budget, which is expected to be at least $750 million and as much as $1.5 billion short.

Hes already tasked departments to identify 10% they can cut from their budgets, but that wont be nearly enough to cover an expected 30% drop in revenues, Gordon said.

Put simple, we dont have enough income, he said. We lost roughly a third of what we count on to pay our bills for every program in the state. One third is gone.

Coal continues to be under enormous pressure and the oil and gas industries also are nearly at a halt with only one rig operating in the state now. Last year at this time there were 33 active rigs working.

He said using the states rainy day fund is only a Band-Aid approach and would only buy the state one year before making severe cuts.

Besides, Gordon said, its his job to balance the budget even if its difficult and means cutting programs and jobs.

I have to reduce what our expenditures are, he said. I have to cut the budget to make sure that we have a balanced budget.

There is no part of government that isnt feeling the pain.

He said that in 1998, the state had a little over 10,000 full-time-equivalent employees. Now thats down to 7,000, a testament to the kind of lean government Wyoming has done.

Thats not enough anymore.

Gordon said programs will have to be cut, which means jobs. He also said a program of furloughs will be happen. One hes already announced is state workers making more than $55,000 a year will have to take on unpaid day off a month.

I dont particularly like it but thats our state of affairs, he said.

He also addressed recent criticism he and state officials have taken for Wyoming bidding to buy land and other assets from Occidental Petroleum. While the amount of the bid hasnt been made public, Gordon said the money to buy those assets are part of the states investment portfolio and is only for use to advance investments for Wyoming.

View post:

Gordon frustrated by 'cavalier' coronavirus attitudes - The Torrington Telegram

Free Speech and Due Process | 106.3 WORD – 106.3 WORD

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

Released by SC AG Wilson.

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilsontoday joined a 15-state legal brief filed with the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, urging the court to allow the Department of Education to reaffirm Title IXs commitment to protecting students from actual harassment while respecting free speech and fair process.

The Department of Educations Final Rule bolsters the anti-discrimination purposes of Title IX without infringing free speech or due process rights.

We think that some colleges and the U.S. Department of Education have been so intent on getting rid of anything offensive from campus that theyve trampled on the rights of students to free speech and due process, Attorney General Wilson said. Schools dont have to make a choice between fighting sexual harassment and protecting constitutional rights; we think they can do both.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton led the 15-state effort and said, Academic institutions cannot deprive students of their constitutional rights to free speech, due process, or fair trial. The Final Rule provides robust protection for individual rights where previous regulations and guidance failed. The Supreme Court has long recognized that students subject to disciplinary proceedings are entitled to due process, as is every American citizen.

Without safeguards, academic institutions can and have eschewed due process and imposed life-altering consequences on students without affording them the opportunity to defend themselves.

The vast majority of colleges and universities currently deny students the right to present evidence or cross-examine witnesses, and less than half require that fact-finders be impartial during investigations.

Send your story idea tonews@1063WORD.com.

Like 106.3 WORD onFacebookand follow@1063WORDon Twitterto engage in conversation about this article and others.

Get news headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing uphere.

[RECAP] Free Speech and Black Lives on Campus – PEN America

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

NEW YORKOn June 17, PEN America hosted Free Speech and Black Lives on Campus, a roundtable webinar organized in response to the recent protests that have galvanized a national call to conscience regarding the persistent challenges of racism and anti-Black violence in the United States. Panelists discussed how these events have reverberated throughout college and university communities, surfacing a series of urgent issues pertaining to racism in higher education and the actions university administrators must take to address these issues.

Moderated by PEN America Director of Campus Free Speech Jonathan Friedman, panelists included Neijma Celestine-Donnor (Director of Bias Incident Support Services, University of Maryland), Shard M. Davis (professor at the University of Connecticut, and cofounder of #BlackintheIvory), Jael Kerandi (Undergraduate Student Body President, University of Minnesota), Dinaw Mengestu (award-winning author and Professor of Written Arts, Bard College, and PEN America Trustee), and Joy Melody Woods (Ph.D. student, University of Texas at Austin, and cofounder of #BlackintheIvory). These excerpts from the conversation have been edited for clarity.

JONATHAN FRIEDMAN: The hashtag #BlackInTheIvory has released a floodgate of information. Can you talk us through some of the stories that youre hearingis it surprising? Is it not surprising? Is it what you expected?

SHARD M. DAVIS: The stories really run the gamut from physical assault against Black graduate studentsinvasion of their space, touching their hair without permissionto racial microaggressions, which are unfortunately very covert in nature. So, its really difficult for you to be able to identify and then articulate those microaggressions to an aggressor that what they are doing and saying is problematic. To be honest, Im not surprised. Just like many other #BlackInTheIvory truth-tellers, I see myself in almost every story.

JOY MELODY WOODS: My own experiences with higher education have not lived up to the expectations of an equitable, inclusive community. I think the equitable and inclusive things have been anomalies. This didnt go against my expectations. Ive been to multiple institutions, and Im not walking through the world with rose-colored glasses. I come into places with the thought process that this is possible; it could happen; it has happened before.

The stories really run the gamut from physical assault against Black graduate studentsinvasion of their space, touching their hair without permissionto racial microaggressions, which are unfortunately very covert in nature. . . Just like many other #BlackInTheIvory truth-tellers, I see myself in almost every story.Shard M. Davis

FRIEDMAN: People have conceived of higher education as a place that is apart from societya place for progress, openness, equity, offering an opportunity for people to get ahead in life. Have these institutions or schools in general gotten better at fighting racism since you were a child?

DINAW MENGESTU: I would say that the idea that these institutions are these seemingly idyllic bastions of liberal good values has been an idea that a lot of people are skeptical of if you were ever a minority college student. I dont think you ever forget those experiences. Faculty members arent able to convince you that the world is significantly better or has changed. So, Ive never had that delusional idea that entering academia would somehow wash away any racial problems. What is interesting, though, is how academic institutions see themselves as being forces for good or on the forefront of social change. However, this idea of what they are makes it that much harder for academic institutions to realize how far they fall short of living up to those ideals. So when youre inside of these institutions, to be able to sort of say, I know you may believe youre as good as you think you are, but in fact, theres this yawning or extremely wide gap between those ideas and whats actually practiced by the part of the faculty, the students, and all the people going into the maintenance of the institution.

Its my everyday life. Its walking down the street. Its going to the store. . . It is those instances that perpetuate this idea that everything is okay, or that we are operating in this normative that is appropriate or fair to Black students.Jael Kerandi

FRIEDMAN: One of the biggest issues is the way speech and hateful speech can have significant harms. Overtly racist and hateful acts really do disrupt and destabilize Black students lives. Could you speak to your own views of that and how youve tried to address it?

NEIJMA CELESTINE-DONNOR: My literal job is to respond to hate/bias incidents on campus. What I see that a lot of people dont always see is the impact, and the significant harm that it causes to students of color and other marginalized folks. We see that even in instances where something may happen to the person who did the particular action or caused the particular harm, theres lifelong harm that continues to sit with the people who have been impacted. Harm from slurs, harm from all of these microaggressions. . . and what were doing is trying to support folks putting their lives back together. One of the things we try to preach and emphasize is that the legality of an action has nothing to do with its harm.

JAEL KERANDI: Its my everyday life. Its walking down the street. Its going to the store. Its taking a walk. Its going on a run. Its making sure my brother gets home. Its making sure that when my dad leaves in the middle of the night, that he makes it back home. It is those instances that perpetuate this idea that everything is okay, or that we are operating in this normative that is appropriate or fair to Black students. At the end of the day, we are tuition-paying students. Education is a service. We are paying money into these institutions, and we deserve to hold them accountable to the values that they say on their websites.

Until we look at the foundations of these institutions that kept us out, and we had to fight to be here to get an education, we are going to keep having these conversations.Joy Melody Woods

FRIEDMAN: When we rewind the clock and we think about how society visualizes discrimination in, lets say, the 1950s, its very clear there is discriminationthe horrific videos and efforts to desegregate schools was very visceral and visible. However, racism that manifests today can be more invisible, so theres a disconnect between what we think of as racismsomething left in the pastand everyday racism now.

WOODS: Thinking of the 1950sand for some reason, people have this disconnect in thinking that it was so long agosome of these people who have these visceral, vile reactions to desegregation are parents and professors. Sure, we arent blocking Black and Brown bodies from coming into the institution, but those people are still in power and have created these systems. Until we look at the foundations of these institutions that kept us out, and we had to fight to be here to get an education, we are going to keep having these conversations. We need to look at the names of thingsbuildings, stadiums, benches, scholarshipsnames mean things. Until we look at that, we are going to continue around that mountain of how this invisibility is happening. Its very visible, but the system is set up to make it seem invisible.

KERANDI: I think people have thought that the blatant segregation has lost its effect or our schools are integrated and now were okay. In reality, when we look back at the 1930s when redlining was birthed by President Roosevelt and look at how it put students into different neighborhoods, we see that those families stayed in those neighborhoods and built communities, but the schools that were built around these communities were not ready to prepare these students for college or not given the resources to provide a good education. This perpetuates, and those students go to these high schools and middle schools that are underfunded, under-resourced weve been defunding education for yearsand they go on to college and dont feel as career-ready. Its cyclical. Segregation and redlining, we still see them having an effect on our communities todaytheyre still present. That impact is still very heavy today. Theyre very systemic things in our cities and states and local officials are still doing to perpetuate this forward. I think we also have to recognize that its still very inherent in our systems. You can still find deeds that still say white-only. People need to recognize that its everywhere, and it moves and it pushes unless we say right now that were going to pivot history. It cannot just be Black people saying, This is what we feel. Weve gone far beyond acknowledgements. If you refuse to acknowledge, you are simply choosing to ignore facts at this point. And thats when telling institutions that acknowledgement statements are not actions. . . We need to move beyond that. Action has to be made.

You cannot have a discussion on free speech without a discussion about power. The way free speech works on campus is that those that hold power have more access to free speech and more resources to engage in free speech.Neijma Celestine-Donnor

FRIEDMAN: What does it mean in even the ivory towers of forethought and social progress that these vestiges of racism could be so deeply visible?

WOODS: I think of the names of some of the buildings on campus here. Theyre there because someone gave them money, and if we change that name, are we losing money? Were looking at people afraid to lose money, which they have shown us that they are more afraid to lose money than they do our bodies. That was seen with the Ohio State football players today signing theyre accepting any risk of getting COVID so they can play. I dont know those players, but its really scary that were asking people to even sign something like that, and it all goes down to money. Until we have an ethical and moral repositioning which goes to getting people out of power, we will still be looking at these things that are so visible.

CELESTINE-DONNOR: I feel like these folks putting out statements and changing their products are very performative. I dont know if these people care about our lives and our bodies. Weve been talking about these things being problematic for years and for months, so for people to be doing it at this timein this moment where all eyes are on youmakes me think that this is very performative. I wonder what is going to happen moving forward, when the eyes are no longer on you.

DAVIS: It is absolutely performative. In this day and age, in the era of cancel culture, no one wants to be deemed as the racist or to lose dollars or endorsements or sponsors by having racist symbols that are attached to their company. No president wants their university in the national news because they didnt make a statement or acknowledge anti-Blackness rhetoric or they didnt acknowledge some racist event that happened on campus, so it is performative. I think that it is a performance because people want to make sure that they keep their pockets lined. They can still move forward in whatever business that they have.

Oftentimes, when youre being critical of the way that free speech is employed. . . that isnt because youre trying to necessarily take away free speech, but youre acknowledging an inherent power difference. Were not coming to free speech with a level playing field. We need a representation of values on campusthe values of Black academics and Black studentsand ensure that those ideas and those experiences are valued to the same degree.Dinaw Mengestu

FRIEDMAN: As Black members of academic communities on campus, do you feel that free speech as a concept has been something that has been an ally to this cause? Has it been equitably upheld?

CELESTINE-DONNOR: You cannot have a discussion on free speech without a discussion about power. The way free speech works on campus is that those that hold power have more access to free speech and more resources to engage in free speech. I think that, while free speech can be an ally to marginalized folks, when marginalized folks engage in counter-speech, they arent seen as exercising their own free speech. Instead, they are seen as attacking free speech. I think the ways we see free speech are deeply rooted in anti-Blackness and white supremacy. If it wasnt, free speech could be an ally, and when marginalized folks use their voices, it would not be seen as an attack on free speech. When the First Amendment was created, it was not created for people who look like us.

MENGESTU: Oftentimes, when youre being critical of the way that free speech is employed or say that youre using free speech in order to attack or threaten or minimize somebodys existence, is to acknowledge that isnt because youre trying to necessarily take away from free speech, but youre acknowledging an inherent power difference. Were not coming to free speech with a level playing field. We need a representation of values on campusthe values of Black academics and Black studentsand ensure that those ideas and those experiences are valued to the same degree. When we get to that point, then we can argue more about what free speech can actually look like.

FRIEDMAN: When so much hateful and denigrating expression is protected speech by the First Amendment, particularly at a public university, how can universities confront it in ways that dont infringe on peoples right to free speech but also acknowledge the harm that speech has on other students?

CELESTINE-DONNOR: You can acknowledge someone has the right to free speech but engage in moral leadership and denounce the concepts. What I see happening is that there is this fear that if I speak out against this hateful action, then Im speaking out against this persons right of free speech, and I actually think that is sort of cowardly. I want leaders of our institutions to engage in moral leadership and stop acting as though there are two sides. When we consider both sides, we are saying that these ideas can be equal on their merits. But theres no two sides when it comes to murder, or anti-Black racism.

MENGESTU: One of the challenges to how we respond to hateful speech is that it constantly evolves. Sometimes, hate speech announces itself very clearly, but other times it will happen in quiet ways. The question isnt to restrict speech, but how you make sure that people that are actually affected by it actually can acknowledge it and address it and speak to it in a way that doesnt actually leave them silent. My recognition and anger at hateful speech should not be seen as a threat to speech, but as a rightful and righteous response to that type of language. Im exercising my same right.

Continued here:

[RECAP] Free Speech and Black Lives on Campus - PEN America

No, Cancel Culture Isn’t a Threat to Civilization – Bloomberg

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

Pankaj Mishra is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. His books include Age of Anger: A History of the Present, From the Ruins of Empire: The Intellectuals Who Remade Asia, and Temptations of the West: How to Be Modern in India, Pakistan, Tibet and Beyond.

Trump is the foremost proponent of silencinghis critics.

Photographer: Scott Olson/Getty Images

A specter is haunting Western democracies. No, it is not the surging pandemic, mass death or catastrophic unemployment. It is, if you believe Donald Trump and some of his critics, the end of free speech and the advent of cancel culture.

Trump defined the new menace to civilization in his speech at Mount Rushmore, claiming that far-left fascists were driving people from their jobs, shaming dissenters and demandingtotal submission from anyone who disagrees.

Days later,a group of well-known writers including Salman Rushdie and J.K. Rowlingpublished an open letter in Harpers magazine agreeing that the forces of illiberalism were rampant on the left as well as the right, and that the free exchange of information and ideas, the lifeblood of a liberal society, is daily becoming more constricted.

Given the bizarre timing and nature of the complaint, it does not feel rude to ask: What are they on about?

Was Trump Campaigning In The Rose Garden? – Free Speech TV

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

In this clip, Randi discusses Trump's latest "press conference" from the Rose Garden.

The Randi Rhodes Show delivers smart, forward, free-thinking, entertaining, liberal news and opinion that challenge the status quo and amplifies free speech.

Dedicated to social justice, Randi puts her reputation on the line for the truth. Committed to the journalistic standards that corporate media often ignores, The Randi Rhodes Show takes enormous pride in bringing the power of knowledge to her viewers.

Watch The Randi Rhodes Show every weekday at 3 pm ET on Free Speech TV & catch up with clips from the program down below!

Missed an episode? Check out The Randi Rhodes Show on FSTV VOD anytime or visit the show page for the latest clips.

#FSTV is available on Dish, DirectTV, AppleTV, Roku, Sling and online at freespeech.org

Randi Rhodes Rose garden Social Justice The Randi Rhodes Show Trump press conference

See the original post:

Was Trump Campaigning In The Rose Garden? - Free Speech TV

Here are Thursday’s biggest analyst calls of the day: Amazon, Nikola, Apple, Tesla, Peloton & more – CNBC

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

Zoom CEO Eric Yuan speaks before the Nasdaq opening bell ceremony in New York on April 18, 2019.

Kena Betancur | Getty Images

(This story is for CNBC PRO subscribers only.)

Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Thursday:

JPMorgan said in its downgrade of Cisco that it sees "limited" investor enthusiasm and earnings per share growth.

"We are downgrading CSCO shares to Neutral led by our expectation for limited investor enthusiasm for the shares in the absence of visibility into a return to revenue growth amidst continuing headwinds to Enterprise spending in the backdrop of an uncertain macro, although latest checks indicated Enterprise IT spending remaining more resilient than expected."

Deutsche Bank said in its upgrade of the food companies that they were "too compelling to stay sidelined."

"We are reinforcing our constructive view on Staples, and highlighting incremental preference for the Food subsector (upgrading MDLZ and KHC to Buy). Recent COVID-driven events should allow Food companies an opportunity to accelerate self-improvement efforts; reduce their leverage ratios faster (enhancing strategic optionality); increase much needed reinvestments in capabilities, marketing, and innovation; and in turn improve go-forward fundamental prospects, especially relative to smaller, less well-financed competitiona proven formula for success in other CPG subsectors over the past 5+ years."

The rest is here:

Here are Thursday's biggest analyst calls of the day: Amazon, Nikola, Apple, Tesla, Peloton & more - CNBC

Tesla and NIO Investors Beware: The IPO of Another EV Maker Is Coming Down the Pike – The Motley Fool

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

Many investors who have hit the gas on investing in electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers recently have enjoyed massive gains. Other investors, however, have been sitting on the side of the road for the right time to pick up shares -- eating the dust of EV stocks, like Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), NIO (NYSE:NIO), and Nikola (NASDAQ:NKLA) that have passed them by. But investors will soon have a new opportunity to consider as the IPO of another EV maker is on its way.

Founded in 2015, Li Auto is a China-based manufacturer that filed paperwork with the SEC last week to debut on the American market with a $100 million offering. The company began production of its first model, Li ONE, in November 2019, and it has delivered more than 10,400 vehicles as of June 30. In the first quarter of 2020, Li Auto reported revenue of $120.3 million and a net loss of $10.9 million. At present, the company is solely focused on delivering its vehicles to the Chinese market.

Image source: Li Auto.

Unlike Tesla and NIO, whose lineups include a variety of models, Li Auto is focused on the SUV market. The company's only model in production, the Li ONE, is a six-seat, large electric SUV, and it plans on launching a full-size, electric SUV in 2022. Beyond that, the company says it intends to grow by "developing new vehicles including mid-size and compact SUV models."

Further distinguishing itself from Tesla and NIO, Li Auto's EVs rely on both batteries and gasoline. The company's extended-range electric vehicles are powered by a battery pack and a range extension system, which generates electricity with the help of an internal combustion engine.

View original post here:

Tesla and NIO Investors Beware: The IPO of Another EV Maker Is Coming Down the Pike - The Motley Fool

Instead of Criticizing Tech Valuations, Embrace Them – Bloomberg

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

Saku Panditharatne is a consultant for the technology industry. She was formerly an analyst at venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and specializes in 3-D graphics and augmented reality.

Elon MusksTesla has led technology stocks to record highs.

Photographer: Saul Martinez/Getty Images

The Covid-19 pandemic may have hurt the economy, but for technology stocks it feels like 1999 again. The Nasdaq Composite Index just reached a record high having rebounded about 50% from its low of the year in March. The stock market is not the economy, but it does feelstrange for stocks to be soaring in the middle of a deep recession.

The difference is timescale: stock prices represent revenue and earnings very far out into the future, not today. If plans for new technology are sound, the outlook can still look bright even though the present seems gloomy. The rationale for sky-high valuations for tech stocks in the late 1990s also came from projected profits in the decades to come. These so-called concept stocks won investors through a compelling story about future potential, even though the company in the near term would generate little-to-nothing in terms of real revenue.

Maybe concept stocks were a crazy phenomenon from a more exuberant time, such as Beanie Babies or jelly shoes. But take Tesla Inc. True fans are buying the stock because they believe in a vision of a technologically advanced electric car and other products, while grouchy short-sellers write long, critical blog posts about the companys weak balance sheet and high debt. Is it better to price the stock on the concept, or on the fundamentals alone? Neither seems like the perfectly accurate way to value the company.

Valuations that are too high can lead to vaporware and waste, but a valuation that is too low can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. In other words, if Tesla were valued only on its balance sheet, the company might not be able to raise enough cash to keep building and developing electric cars. It seems a fairly safe bet that Tesla is innovative enough to keep coming up with new inventions, above and beyond their existing revenue lines, but when new products are involved, the expected future profit and revenue over the long term is difficult to predict.

Many people would put a high probability on Apple Inc. coming out with a new product, such as virtual reality glasses, but the companys shares were trading at around a relatively paltry 20 times earnings through much of 2019, which amounted to not much more than future iPhone revenue. Although the ratio has moved up to about 30, that still seems low for a company like Apple and may be a sign investors are shifting away from valuing it just on iPhone revenue. Experienced venture capitalists are happy to take the risk on hypothetical products for early-stage startups, but the stock market hasnt figured out how to price in products that are yet to be created by established public companies.

20 Boy Names With Meanings Any Parent Would Love – CafeMom

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

'+(null!=(i=n.lambda(null!=(i=null!=a?a.post:a)?i.intro_photo_credit:i,a))?i:"")+"

n '+(null!=(i=typeof(s=null!=(s=l.caption||(null!=a?a.caption:a))?s:d)===p?s.call(r,{name:"caption",hash:{},data:t}):s)?i:"")+'n

n '+(null!=(i=typeof(s=null!=(s=l.description||(null!=a?a.description:a))?s:d)===p?s.call(r,{name:"description",hash:{},data:t}):s)?i:"")+"n

n'+(null!=(i=l.each.call(null!=a?a:{},null!=(i=null!=a?a.post:a)?i.tags:i,{name:"each",hash:{},fn:n.program(46,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t}))?i:"")+"

n '+(null!=(i=o(null!=(i=null!=a?a.post:a)?i.body:i,a))?i:"")+"n "+(null!=(i=o(null!=(i=null!=a?a.post:a)?i.body2:i,a))?i:"")+"n

n'+(null!=(i=l.each.call(r,null!=(i=null!=a?a.slideshow:a)?i.slides:i,{name:"each",hash:{},fn:n.program(16,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t}))?i:"")+"

n '+n.escapeExpression("function"==typeof(i=null!=(i=l.num_slides||(null!=a?a.num_slides:a))?i:l.helperMissing)?i.call(null!=a?a:{},{name:"num_slides",hash:{},data:t}):i)+" Photosn

n'},44:function(n,a,l,e,t){var i;return null!=(i=l.if.call(null!=a?a:{},null!=a?a.has_berry:a,{name:"if",hash:{},fn:n.program(45,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t}))?i:""},45:function(n,a,l,e,t){return'

n n'+(null!=(i=l.if.call(null!=a?a:{},null!=a?a.youtube:a,{name:"if",hash:{},fn:n.program(50,t,0),inverse:n.program(52,t,0),data:t}))?i:"")+"n n

Visit link:

20 Boy Names With Meanings Any Parent Would Love - CafeMom

How the Western Sydney Wanderers gave voice to artist Khaled Sabsabi – Sydney Morning Herald

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

Containing 70,000 photoshop layers stripped from 10,000 photographsthat were then reconstructed to form 1000 3D video sequences across 96 monitors, the installation is a form of meditation and reflection, what Sabsabi calls the spiritual component of the process.

It was inspired by the Prophet Muhammads statement that there are 70,000 veils of light and darkness separating an individual from the Divine veils which Sufis understand to mean layers of enlightenment. For Sabsabi, the works third dimension symbolises crossing a threshold into the metaphysical.

Using a decades worth of images, the installation is always morphing, always changing but the movement is also subtle, symbolic of life, says Sabsabi, who describes the work as being concerned with memory its worth, how it is shaped, how it determines the self, how it is lost, distorted and reconstructed.

The screens in 70,000 Veils are installed around a corner, like a beckoning hand or an arm around the shoulder. Corners are a foundational element of Sabsabis practice, where simple geometry allows for complex symmetries to play out. They are also employed in A Promise to facilitate pauses and transitions between works.

Another work, Sanjak (2002-2012), is also about transition and marking time, with a Sufi ceremonial banner decorated with holy names and the artists genealogical lineage. I have a personal connection to the object [and] the community, he says. On my return to Lebanon in 2002 after migration to Australia in 1978, I walked into my first reconnection with tasawwuf [Sufism] and this Sanjak was being made. When I left in 2011 to complete the work Corner [of which Sanjak forms a part] this was gifted to me and was my friend in this journey."

He adds: Sharing it in this exhibition is a way to greet people and share this Baraka - blessing - with the audience. To share the knowledge, wisdom and goodwill of this piece [with the] community is part of the conversations that we need to have.

A Promise: Khaled Sabsabi is at the AGNSW from July 18.

How the Western Sydney Wanderers gave voice to artist Khaled Sabsabi - Sydney Morning Herald

Ashraf Karayath Re-invents the Meaning of Life with his Debut Fiction Novel ‘Janaka and Ashtavakra- A Journey Beyond’ – India Education Diary

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

Mumbai: As the current world is grappled by the Covid-19 pandemic, Ashraf Karayaths debut novel Janaka and Ashtavakra- A Journey Beyond, published by Rupa Publications, sets a new meaning of life. For most of the population across the world, the key characteristics of life has come out to be anxiety, stress, fear and uncertainty. However, the mythological novel sets the journey in search of knowledge, liberation, enlightenment, consciousness and answers some of the questions pertaining to the absolute realities of life. The author believes that this is the most important time to keep the negative emotions at bay and strengthen our quest required to elevate our immunity and fight with the pandemic.

Janaka and Ashtavakra: A Journey Beyond is a novel that narrates the story of an ancient Indian king, of his turbulent life, of impending war in his kingdom, and of treachery and conspiracy within the secretive world of his palace. Although dramatic, the work is an allegorical tale meant to appeal to modern people caught up in and torn by the difficulties of their lives. The novel is written on the premise of the vibrant storytelling tradition of the epic Ramayana and renews and deepens beloved characters for modern readers. The subtitle of the book, A Journey Beyond, derives from the kings search for self-realization: for enlightenment that comes in a flash of second, in the blink of an eye.

This book is allegorically written, with strong messages and insights, for the modern reader who is caught in the rat race and has forgotten the meaning and charm of life. Although the story is set a few thousand years ago in India, it throws light on the modern readers questions about existence, and one can easily relate himself to the king and his struggles.

Ashraf Karayath, hailing with twenty-five years of business experience coupled with a background in management philosophy, authored the book to unravel the timeless knowledge of ancient Indian culture and spirituality.. As an individual, Ashraf was always intrigued about the influence of subjectivity in our lives, and how the world evolves out of our consciousness. As he found the profound message of Ashtavakra Gita, he was planted with an idea to read and write more about it which is now turned into his first novel.

The author says, This is the time where we all need to calibrate ourselves to the strength of our inner wellbeing, which is dominant and inherent in us. For me, spirituality is nothing but untapping those innate strengths we have within us.

About the AuthorBorn in Nadapuram, a village in Kerala, India, Ashraf moved to Dubai after finishing his MA in English Literature in the early nineties. He holds more than twenty-five years of strong and impressive business experience. He is a visionary and innovator who has launched global brands in cloud computing in the Middle East. He is a cloud evangelist, with hands-on experience in Enterprise Software Solutions, and has specialization in Salesforce.com solutions in the Middle East and Africa. He has driven Agile business transformation for Saleforce.com clients by simplifying technology discussions and implementing the most targeted, innovative, and cost-effective technology solutions. He is an extremely spiritual person with a deep passion for philosophy and existentialism.

The book is now available on AmazonAmazon: https://www.amazon.in/Janaka-Ashtavakra-Journey-Beyond-Karayath/dp/9389967058

View post:

Ashraf Karayath Re-invents the Meaning of Life with his Debut Fiction Novel 'Janaka and Ashtavakra- A Journey Beyond' - India Education Diary

How Breath of the Wild Pays Tribute To A Deceased Nintendo President – Screen Rant

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

A beautiful memorial to Nintendo's late President and most accomplished contributor can be found in The Legend of Zelda's Breath of the Wild.

TheLegend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a spectacular incarnation of the widely adored franchise with a vast open world concept, and if players are keen enough they may have spotted an homage to the late President of Nintendo. InBreath of the Wild, Link wakes from a hundred year sleep and is charged with exploring a mostly-demolished Hyrule in order toreclaim Hyrule Castle from the vicious Calamity Ganon. It isThe Legend of Zelda's first truly open-world game, and gives players little direction for how to play. Released in 2017,Breath of the Wild received several awards including The Game Award for Game of the Year, and despite being released over three years ago, players are still finding exciting new ways to play the game.

Satoru Iwata reigned as CEO and President of Nintendo from 2002 until his death in 2015. He oversaw the release of several landmark consoles like the Nintendo DS and the Nintendo Wii and he was responsible forthe company's huge resurgence in the video game world. A self-identifying gamer at heart, Iwata had his hands in countless Nintendo favorites likeSuper Smash Brothers,Mario Kart,severalPokemon titles, and many more staples to the industry. In fact, Nintendo released an interview series in whichIwata would speak with othercreators behind the Nintendo logo for fans to enjoy.He was a champion among gamers, and helped shaped an entire generation with his contributions. President Iwatawas heavily involved with Breath of the Wild before his tragic death,and the developersthought he deserved to be appropriately immortalized for his massive contribution.

Related:The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Easter Egg Guide

Inverse points out that as players explore the massive map of Hyrule, it would be easy to miss a seemingly ordinary NPC by the name of Botrick. If fans know what Iwata looked like, it is interesting that Botrick wears his hair and glasses in a near-identical fashion. He can be found roaming the area of Hyrule Field near Outskirt Stable, and if Link strikes up a conversation, Botrick will tell him of the fabled Lord of the Mountain that frequents a spot on the map known as Satori Mountain to call the souls of animals to gather. "Satori" is a Buddhist term meaning a sudden enlightenment, but it surely is not a coincidence that the word immediately calls out a resemblance to Iwata's first name.

If players aren't yet convinced, visiting Satori Mountain at the right time proves Botrick right as a magnificent celestial mount grazes underneath a Cherry Blossom tree surrounded by smaller creatures known as Blupees. It is worth mentioning that in Japanese culture, Cherry Blossom trees represent the fleeting nature of life, and a fallen petal is likened to the early passing of a loved one. If Link is stealthy enough to snap a picture of the spiritual steed, the information added to the Hyrule Compendium reads as such:

This noble creature watches over all animals that make their homes in the forest. Legends say this holy creature is a reincarnation of a sage that died on the lands it now protects. It has an acute awareness of its surroundings, so it seldom appears before people. Its sometimes known by its other name, Satori.

The beauty of Satori Mountain inThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,and of its residents, is awe-inspiring. The glow of the spirits in their peaceful habitat under the Cherry Blossom Tree will stop even the busiest of players to marvel at its brilliance. If players desire, they can tame The Lord of the Mountain and traverse Hyrule at superb speeds, but it is not possible to register themount at a stable. Once Link dismounts, it dissipates away as nothing but abeautiful memory. The memory of Satoru Iwata is just as poignant. It is near impossible to steer clear of his contributions to the gaming world, and thanks tothe developers ofBreath of the Wild, players can play side by side with Iwata, memorializing him forever.

Next:Why The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Is Getting A Sequel

Source: Nintendo,Inverse

Star Wars: Squadrons Pilot Briefing Details Different Ships

Based in NYC, Ross is a well-rounded, experienced gamer with a Bachelor's in Theater and an expertise in Zelda. Ross has spent the last ten years working in theater and traveling the country with his wife and dog.

How Breath of the Wild Pays Tribute To A Deceased Nintendo President - Screen Rant

Why intellectuals are scared of cancel culture – The Verge

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

There used to be something called the public intellectual.

A class of thinkers mostly writers with prestigious degrees and academics with a knack for writing set the Discourse. They told other people what to think, or rather, they told the unwashed masses what was going through their own heads lately. These disclosures were taken with great seriousness, even if they tended toward rambling, incoherent, or obvious. From there, the educated and those who wanted to be seen as educated would pick and choose the opinions they wished to align themselves with. It is through this process that politics were created, refined, and rehashed. (Indeed, the phrase Overton window was popularized by them.) This was part of what it meant to participate in the public sphere.

I explain this, partly out of facetiousness, but partly because I belong to the last generation to remember the age of the opinionators. I used to be told, in all seriousness, to read the opinion sections of major newspapers as an edifying activity. But by the time I was in my mid-20s, words like think piece were already jokes at the expense of the opinionating class.

Part of this had to do with the rise of blogs. It was cheaper and faster to write opinion pieces than to do reporting, and anyone could create a blog. It became a broader trend in media, thanks to the economic pressures exerted first by Craigslist and later Google and Facebook, which ate up the market for advertisements. Writing up facts takes work, and work must be paid for. On the other hand, opinions are cheap. Everyones got one.

It was a tidy solution to generating content, especially as social media took off. Social media and opinion writing fed off each other. Editors sought out writers based on tweets they liked. (My own career began this way.) Opinions were written quickly about whatever the writer had seen on social media the other day. And social media descended en masse on whatever opinion writing caught its imagination. Occasionally, the reaction was laudatory, but the loudest reactions were that of outrage.

The size of the opinionating class was once constrained by the physical size of a newspaper page. Now, anyone with a cellphone and a nice turn of phrase can roast an anointed opinionator into a corncob.

In some ways, the fall of the opinion class mirrors the rise of the democratized, secular press at the expense of the church. After the Enlightenment, Western public life moved toward a set of secular institutions that included a class of public intellectuals and away from the pulpit.

When societies remake themselves, it doesnt happen because of a handful of pamphlets (or a hashtag or two). Just like the opinionating class first used social media for its own ends, Johannes Gutenbergs printing press existed for centuries printing religious pamphlets, sermons, and Bibles before it began to undermine religions monopoly on public life. And the printing press is only one piece of a picture that includes a scientific revolution, religious strife, industrialization, and economic exploitation. Similarly, our current cultural moment is happening against a background that can be best described by that cartoon dog sipping coffee amid a house in flames.

Still, the production of the French libelles vitriolic political pamphlets that frequently sought to cancel various public figures, especially royal family members would not have been possible without movable type, and the libelles themselves played an undeniable role in the French Revolution. Likewise, the protests of 2020 and the sudden shift in public opinion around policing and race would not have happened without social media and the mass adoption of smartphones.

To be clear, the opinionators are not in danger of an actual guillotining except maybe metaphorically, which is not at all the same. They will continue to publish. Some of them will continue to make very good money! But theyll be less important not least because theyll no longer be setting the Overton window.

Indeed, there might not even be an Overton window. Engaging in political life may even become indistinguishable from being part of an internet fandom. I dont mean to say facts or logic will disappear. But we will no longer pretend that they persuade others in a free marketplace of ideas. We have long conflated civic life with engaging with ideas or participating in debate or entertaining a broad political spectrum. But with the fall of the opinion class, the mask rips off, revealing politics as little but clashes between competing cults of information that primarily convey values in terms of emotionality, rather than rationality. No thin veneer of fair and unbiased will cover these bastions of information dissemination.

This is not as dire as it sounds; most internet fandoms behave more responsibly than at least one (or maybe even both) of Americas major political parties.

This week, Harpers Magazine published an open missive that I have since taken to referring to as The Letter. Signed by a number of opinionators, and then also J.K. Rowling for some reason (just kidding, I know exactly why), The Letter decries the censoriousness that is taking over the culture, describing it as an intolerance of opposing views, a vogue for public shaming and ostracism, and the tendency to dissolve complex policy issues in a blinding moral certainty.

This is not a particularly clear formulation of the cultural phenomenon they condemn, and so the meaning and intent behind The Letter are subject to multiple interpretations. This is evidenced by the near-instantaneous backpedaling on Twitter by a number of signatories who were unaware of the identities of all their fellow signatories. Censoriousness in the abstract is bad, and free speech in the abstract is good. But without further elaboration, its very easy to talk at cross-purposes about both.

To the extent that The Letter has a point at all, it appears to be about opposing illiberalism. Here, the liberalism referred to is the general philosophy that society ought to be based on free and equal discussion from a plurality of viewpoints. Illiberalism, therefore, is a fancy stand-in for what opinionators have alternately called campus culture, cancel culture, and wokeness.

This very vague illiberal force is called a successor ideology by Wesley Yang, with his coinage being immediately taken up by a number of conservative commentators like Ross Douthat (whose name does not appear on The Letter) and Andrew Sullivan (whose name does). But this term seems to only muddy the waters since the thing that they are concerned about isnt actually a concrete ideology but an inchoate social force with the hallmarks of religious revival.

It is perhaps no surprise that Douthat, a devout Catholic, is able to put his finger on the aspect of spiritual renewal sought by Americans in this moment, though he seems to be unable to go further with that observation. But I suspect he also senses what I sense, as someone raised in an evangelical Christian family: the feeling of charismatic spirituality that pervades the marches and rallies of 2020, the fervor of the newly converted, the unsettling hunger for moral righteousness.

Matthew Yglesias (a signatory of The Letter) has referred to this cultural moment as The Great Awokening, comparing it somewhat cursorily to the 19th century religious revival that fed into the fire of the movement to abolish slavery. He does not mention the other Awakenings of American history, like the 18th century precursor to the American Revolution or the more recent 20th century big tent revivals that paved the way for the evangelical Christian politics that marked the Bush era. Our current era has been mostly defined by the pretense that religious fervor and emotional sentiment are incidental to politics, and that all can and should be grappled with through rational discourse. This was never true, but we at least pretended.

This Fifth Great Awakening is what Thomas Kuhn called a paradigm-shift and what Martin Heidegger called world-collapse. In the words of St. Paul, We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. What is happening right now cannot be adequately described in the language of the old paradigm and for that reason, we all sound like absolute morons trying to talk about it.

Part of this has to do with the various fallacies deployed by people who decry cancel culture.

First, there is the ongoing conflation of wokeness roughly defined as the idea that white supremacy and patriarchy permeate our society with illiberalism. As my friend Ezekiel Kweku, an editor at New York Magazine, has observed, neither springs from nor necessitates the other. There are plenty of public intellectuals who champion wokeness while using the language of so-called civil debate, with all the rigmarole of I concur, with all due respect, and to play devils advocate for a moment.

Then theres the motte-and-bailey fallacy around what canceling even means. Is someone canceled because they have been vigorously criticized? Or is someone canceled because they received death threats? Or is someone only canceled because they lost their job? Presumably, politicians should lose their jobs if they stoke sufficient outrage. Does this rule also apply to prominent figures who have been either formally or informally designated as representatives of public opinion? Where should one draw the line between the truly outrage-inducing and the undeserving victims of an internet mob?

But this general incoherence about the problem of cancel culture isnt entirely the fault of the anti-woke commentariat. They are working with old tools that are crumbling in their hands and in an old workspace that is disappearing into thin air.

Despite the talk about illiberalism and the threat to free speech, the real fear that motivates The Letter becomes obvious in the text itself, right around where its writers are spinning in circles about the obvious contradiction that a pro-speech coalition has come together to ask its critics to shut the fuck up: It is now all too common to hear calls for swift and severe retribution in response to perceived transgressions of speech and thought. The opinionators are not actually afraid of being silenced. They wish to take up column inches without a pack of nobodies telling them how wrong they are.

For all its pretense to logic and debate above all else, the old paradigm bred an irrational and incomprehensibly unjust society. The opinionators frequently circulated debunked or faulty science, and they kept alive a debate around climate change that has not existed among scientists for decades. They tolerated the intolerant and treated dehumanization as a difference of opinion. They were despite being held as the paragons of rational discourse never particularly rational. One only needs to point to the war in Iraq as proof of that.

I am nonetheless uneasy about the days to come. I admit this is partly because I am a professional opinion writer who has been aggressively canceled online, but really, mostly because I am past the age of 30 while staring down the barrel of mass societal change. But chaos is not the same thing as evil. And although the Reign of Terror may have followed the French Revolution, the terrors wrought by the system that preceded it were far greater. In Mark Twains words:

There were two Reigns of Terror, if we would but remember it and consider it; the one wrought murder in hot passion, the other in heartless cold blood; the one lasted mere months, the other had lasted a thousand years; the one inflicted death upon ten thousand persons, the other upon a hundred millions.

To my fellow uneasy olds, I ask you to remember that chaos is not evil, change is not wrong, conflict is not violence, and relevance is not a human right. All things change. And while you have a right to have hurt feelings about it, dont be surprised when your feelings lose out in the new marketplace of emotion.

View original post here:

Why intellectuals are scared of cancel culture - The Verge

US Wellness Report – Gateway to COVID-19 Data and Alternative Medicine – PR.com

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

The Wellness Report offers collected alternative and ayurvedic data and other modes of alternative health being widely used to replace or augment general (allopathic) medicine. Presenting headlines and links to source data, the Wellness website enables easy review of the latest information on COVID-19. Interest in wellness is a rapidly growing trend as people begin to understand that wellness is a journey, healthcare is an event.

Created by Nashville lawyer and technology researcher Tom Brannon, the Wellness Report offers daily updated data on COVID-19 as well as collected alternative and ayurvedic data and other modes of alternative health available to defend against health risks like COVID-19. The Wellness Report also follows the trending direction in replacing or augmenting general (allopathic) medicine.

Using the headline aggregation design used by The Drudge Report, the Wellness website enables easy review of the latest information and communications on alternative remedies along with links to the source of the information. Today, the U.S. healthcare industry treats symptoms with science-based pills and surgery to suppress symptoms while alternative treatments are used for avoiding the need for prescription medicines or surgery the main two approaches of most U.S. physicians.

Top stories, news and websites are grouped by category, then listed with a headline or brief comment and the related hyperlink. The COVID-19 pandemic is covered extensively along with the emerging treatments (such as hydroxychloroquine + Zinc, and the Texas Silver Bullet). Multiple sources cover the growing agreement among physicians that a strong immune system not only guards against contracting the virus but hastens recovery without severe damage.

The launch includes such enhancements as:

- Links and Sources for COVID-19 that are not readily in public view, including the most important fact during this pandemic - fatality figures for all states and counties. The death rate is vital because case numbers are often rising while fatalities may be decreasing. COVID-19 seems ready to be retired.- A top navigation menu that limits the search to all the stories/links in the category you choose- Details on vaccines and their unlikely importance given the rate of mutations- Updates are made daily to catch and present the very latest information relating to wellness

Although the audience is targeted to be U.S. citizens presently, global news is identified and presented. A new cure in Germany? Such events will be reviewed and published by US Wellness Report.

Interest in wellness is a rapidly growing trend as the public begin to understand that wellness is a journey, healthcare is an event. Also better understood is that attention to each persons immune system is the best strategy against COVID-19. Avoiding this virus is aided by use of supplements and attention to alternative medicine.

U.S. Wellness Report will build alliances with alternative medicine experts. Access to all parts of the site are presented at no charge. Future expectations include offering the viewer access to vendor-type information from the alternative medicine industry.

Visit link:

US Wellness Report - Gateway to COVID-19 Data and Alternative Medicine - PR.com

Here’s What Skin Experts Really Think About Using Tea Tree Oil For Acne – Yahoo News UK

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

While I'm a big advocate for the skin acceptance movement, I think we can all agree that acne sucks. No matter what stage of life you're at when you're experiencing it, it's never that easy to manage, and often the only way to get rid of it (or reduce its appearance) is to do a lot of trial and error. If you're anything like me, this usually means making your way through Dr. Google's list of recommendations for treatment. The solution most often found at the top of the list? Tea tree oil.

So on behalf of acne sufferers everywhere, I've consulted NYC board-certified dermatologist Dr. Hadley King , Dr. Ross Perry, medical director of London's Cosmedics Skin Clinics, and Dr. Rekha Tailor, medical director of Health & Aesthetics, who's also based in London, to find out what all the fuss is about. And, more importantly, if it actually works for acne.

"Tea tree oil is an essential oil that comes from the leaves of the melaleuca alternifolia, a small tree native to Queensland and New South Wales in Australia," Dr. Tailor tells POPSUGAR. It has been used in herbal and alternative medicine for years. Boasting antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it remains popular in skin care today, sold as a pure oil or incorporated into products like moisturizer and face cream.

According to Dr. Perry, tea tree oil is a natural astringent. "It works to remove excess oil from the skin and lessen bacteria growth on the skin while speeding up the healing of scars, scabs, and infection due to antiseptic properties," making it perfect for oily and acne-prone skin, as well as a quick-fix treatment for breakouts. Basically, tea tree oil kills bacteria to ensure your skin is squeaky clean (in a good way).

While Dr. King favors ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, retinoids, dapsone, and sodium sulfacetamide for treating acne, she believes that tea tree oil is a great natural alternative. In addition to being antibacterial and having anti-inflammatory properties, she claims that tea tree oil also boasts antifungal and antiviral properties.

Pointing to a study featured in The Medical Journal of Australia, which compares tea tree oil to benzoyl peroxide, Dr. King also notes that the two work to combat acne similarly; however, though tea tree oil is less irritating, it doesn't work as quickly.

Dr. Perry, on the other hand, believes the effectiveness of tea tree oil all comes down to the severity of the acne. "Tea tree oil alone isn't going to get rid of severe acne," he admits, adding, "It would be generally recommended to help keep skin clean and aid the healing process of acne alongside other treatments and products."

"Depending on the severity of the acne, I'd recommend using it after a double cleanse," advises Dr Perry. He continues, "You can mix a few drops of tea tree oil with witch hazel and apply using a cotton swab, and let it sink in before applying a light non-greasy moisturizer. Or you can mix a few drops in with your normal moisturizer and apply that way." In other words, try to avoid using it on your face in pure form.

The main downside of tea tree oil is that it's an irritant. "Tea tree oil can be incredibly drying on some people's skin, especially if used undiluted or if you have sensitive skin," warns Dr Tailor. Dr Perry agrees, advising that you patch test on first use to see how your skin reacts to it. If there's any sort of irritation or burning, it's not for you.

Beyond this, Dr. King tells POPSUGAR that the only other downside is that data regarding the efficacy of tea tree oil is quite limited. While it's definitely worth trialling, you may be better off opting for an alternative that's been scientifically and medically proven to fight acne.

View post:

Here's What Skin Experts Really Think About Using Tea Tree Oil For Acne - Yahoo News UK

Aromatherapy, Alternative Medicine that does your Body Good – Foreign Policy 2018

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Danzig

Many people regularly use alternative medicine to treat some diseases. These medical practices are very successful, driven by the wave of so-called alternative medicines that are presented in addition to traditional medicine.

Alternative medicine practices are very numerous, such as aromatherapy involving the use of essential oils, acupuncture, herbal medicine, hypnosis, mesotherapy Some have been known for a long time and are commonly practiced in certain countries. This is, for example, the case of acupuncture or herbal medicine and aromatherapy in China and Japan.

The purpose of these practices is essential to prevent disease and keep the body healthy. It is also a way to reduce medication intake and prevent possible unwanted side effects. One of the most used alternative therapies is undoubtedly aromatherapy since it can be practiced at home and without complications, just follow the instructions to the letter and consult an expert on the type of essential oil to use, this will depend on the purpose for which you want to use essential oil.

Essential oils are extracted from plants and seeds. In the case of palo santo essential oil, its extraction is made from palo santo trees or branches that have died naturally in the forest and have rested in their habitat for at least 2 years after their death, in this way this wood sacred manifests its many healing properties that we can use for our benefit. Within aromatherapy, we find incenses, essential oils, soaps, and even candles. For more information about Palo Santo products visit >> EcuadorianHands

One way of caring for the skin of your body is based on natural soaps with medicinal properties, thus maintaining good hygiene, beauty, and good quality of life. For the skin it is ideal to use soaps made from essential oils, within the market, there are a wide variety of natural soaps made with essential oils such as palo santo, lemon, lavender soaps, among others.

One of the soaps that I consider to be favorite is Palo Santo since it has great properties, including its high amounts of limonene, a strong antibacterial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory agent. Washing every day with this soap is an essential hygiene practice for health and comfort, this allows us to:

There are essential oils that can help clean the air and prevent the spread of germs in our homes.

For the purification and disinfection of our home, we can do it with essential oils by diffusion, the following essential oils can be diffused in a suitable aroma diffuser to clean the air: Palo Santo, organic lemon, radiated eucalyptus, Scots pine

Diffusion is ideally practiced for 30 minutes, 1 to 3 times a day, depending on your lifestyle. We practice it in a well-ventilated room and never sleep. There are many essential oil blends to spread. They are very practical for directed action. There are also many natural scented candles, made without harmful ingredients, and based on vegetable wax and essential oils, which can be used to flavor the home.

We can also increase the cleaning power of certain household detergents by adding disinfecting essential oils: true lavender, Palo Santo, tea tree, lemon essence the choice is wide!

With a neutral dishwashing product: add a maximum of 10 drops of essential oil per 100 ml of product.

With black surface soap: add a maximum of 20 drops of essential oil for every 100 grams of black soap.

With vinegar: Pleasantly perfumes your cleaning vinegar (white vinegar for windows or chrome). Simply add 5 drops of essential oil for every 100 ml of white vinegar. Then use this diluted vinegar in your preparations, or for your chrome or glass surfaces.

Calm down: to calm down in case of stress or argument, you breathe 3 times deeply an essential oil that decreases the production of adrenaline. Choose between Palo Santo, mandarin, or lavender.

Wake up: to give yourself a little energy and energy, you breathe 3 times deeply an essential oil that stimulates the activity of the adrenal glands. Choose from Scots Pine, Lemon, and Palo Santo. The noble laurel works, too, but on a more energetic level.

Lose weight: Breathing 3 times the grapefruit essence can suppress hunger and, in particular, the desire for sweetness.

Repellent: Ants, flies, and mice hate mint! It doesnt work all the time, but you can rub a little peppermint or even Palo Santo essential oil that has a similar scent over the complaints and corners of an infested room to prevent intruders and even repel mosquitoes.

Disinfect your fruits and vegetables: When shopping or at the market, it is normal for our fruits and vegetables to have a little dust since they are exposed to the open air. If when you buy it they tell you that they are already washed, it is recommended that you wash them again to avoid any type of contagion, you can use a little water with a few drops of essential oil of lemon, mint or palo santo and wash your fruits and vegetables, this It will not only disinfect it, it will also help maintain them.

As an extra recommendation: You can purify the air in your home by eliminating bad energy with the famous Palo Santo incense, burn a cone of incense and let the smoke clean your home, remember to do it in ventilated places if your home is not Ventilated try to do it when nobody is in the room since smoke can be bad for your health.

I hope this information has been of great help to you and you can put these aromatherapy and essential oil use options into practice in your daily life. Remember each essential oil has different properties, consult an expert before using essential oil.

See the article here:

Aromatherapy, Alternative Medicine that does your Body Good - Foreign Policy 2018

Select Page ::