Georgian fiction – in translation at last

Avelum by Otar Chiladze Journey to Karabakh by Aka Morchiladze Adibas by Zaza Burchuladze When a small but strategic country with a rich literary history receives its first credible contemporary translations, one feels a new level of international companionship has been reached. The last couple of years have finally allowed us to say this safely …

Arnold Schwarzenegger Has Brilliant Plan To Fix Trump White House

President Trump is now literally the most powerful person in the world but he’s still seemingly obsessed with settling scores in the world of reality television. While attending the National Prayer Breakfast, one of the more serious and beloved institutions in Washington, DC the commander-in-chief used his opening remarks not to heal our nation or …

The Netherlands' disgrace: racism and police brutality

A man wearing a t-shirt commemorating Mitch Henriquez. Demotix/Jaap Arriens. All rights reserved.Despite the murder of Aruban-born Mitch Henriquez by police late last June in The Hague, the Netherlands has largely been ignored by the international press. Nonetheless, the event is important because it is symptomatic of a broader international trend towards an ever-increasing level …

The Dakota Access Pipeline Battle Isn’t Over. Here’s What’s Coming Next

On December 4, 2016, the Army Corps of Engineers stunned the world when they announced they would prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), a proposed 1,172-mile oil pipeline crossing four states. The pipeline would bulldoze sacred sites at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannon Ball, North Dakota. …

NPT: nuclear colonialism versus democratic disarmament

An unusual counting game is underway as the NPT undergoes its periodic review at the United Nations in New York.  Five nuclear-armed states – China, France, Russia, the UK and USA – are doing their best to dominate the NPT and uphold the nuclear status quo that enables them to modernize their nuclear arsenals, while …

Two Computers Just Had The Most Bizarre Conversation

Meet Vladimir and Estragon. The two Google Home units (named after the “Waiting for Guffman” characters) are engaged in a bizarre, sometimes profound and occasionally very-human discussion that is being streamed on Twitch.tv to the delight of many. In a “conversation” that is more often boring and nonsensical, the two voice-activated AI devices have managed …

American intelligence and national defense 2.0

The Pentagon, 1980's. Wikicommons/ "DoD photo by Master Sgt. Ken Hammond, U.S. Air Force.". Public domain. On 06/17/11, I wrote the first instalment of National intelligence and national defense, published at the Campaign for Liberty, suggesting that we could both cut the secret intelligence budget by three quarters, and radically increase the amount of open …

Water Protectors Invite All To Join At Standing Rock For ‘Give Thanks' Migration

The water protectors and their allies, those who have been peacefully protesting to protect the Missouri river and their water supply from the Dakota Access Pipeline, are sending out an invitation to all living beings around the world. They invite all to stand with them on the front lines of the protest over the Thanksgiving …

More religion?

Muslim and Christian texts. Demotix/ Lynda Bowyer. All rights reserved.The threat of violent extremism by young, radicalized Muslims has left European leaders fumbling for a solution. But it would be a grave mistake to maintain the policy of the last decade and a half that addresses radicalization by communicating with British Muslims as Muslims rather …