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The Internet Thinks Emmanuel Macron Is James Bond — And There's a Photoshop War to Prove It
Ever woken up and found out that your nation's leader is now an international spy? This is what happened to the nation of France when it woke up Tuesday morning to find photos of President Emmanuel Macron being received onto a French nuclear sub named Le Terrible from a helicopter. With the image splashed across the internet, people are now comparing Macron to 007, a.k.a James Bond.
By Dustin Murphy8 years ago in The Swamp
Black Robes, White Justice Part 1:
As you are reading this article from the palm of your hand or on the screen of your computer, take a trip with me down memory lane. Think back to when you were in college, or younger, or not as socially refined as you are now and may have broken the law. Whether the crime was in the benign class of a misdemeanor or a felony, think about how the entire trajectory of your life would’ve been altered if you were caught in the act of say, joy-riding in a stolen car, or purchasing drugs, or having a bar fight. Imagine how much more impacted your life would have been if the car you were in was chased and accidentally struck and killed a pedestrian; someone overdosed on the drugs you shared, or if that fight accidentally ended someone’s life. Imagine what it would be like if the entire sum of your life was evaluated, scrutinized, and discriminated against because you were convicted.
By Louis L Reed8 years ago in The Swamp
4 Political Podcasts to Get You Through 2018
Slate's Political Gabfest: Three more delightful hosts couldn't be found in David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson. Their podcast features intelligent banter and at times heated debates over the politics of today. Even better than the chemistry between these three is their credibility. Plotz is the current CEO of Atlas Obscura, which produces a guidebook to bizarre and unusual sites all over the world. He previously was an editor for Slate and has years of experience covering politics. Bazelon is a staff writer for the The New York Times Magazine when she is not appearing on the podcast; she also served as a law clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit. Her presence on Gabfest allows for some of the muddy waters regarding the legality of certain government actions to be parted. Dickerson is renowned for his utterly professional and statesman-like qualities when interviewing guests on CBS' program Face the Nation. In addition to Gabfest, Dickerson conducts his own podcast Whistlestop, which revives presidential campaigns of the past with fresh rhetoric and imbues American history with a new sense of vitality. A formidable trio indeed, but the beauty of Gabfest lies in its hosts' ability to dissect tumultuous and even boring political events in a way that a listener, who has never dived into these waters, can obtain knowledge of what is happening in the White House and understand why it is so. NPR Politics Podcast: A platfrom that is inviting yet still devoid of any political siding and allows its listeners to gather information without feeling swayed towards one way or another of the political aisle has been perfected in NPR's Politics Podcast. The show is manned by NPR's political reporters, congressional reporter Scott Detrow, White House correspondent Tamara Keith, and congressional correspondent Susan Davis. These hosts do what they do best: report. Mind that these are no dry or monotone accounts of America's twisting, surprising, and complex inner workings. Detrow, Keith, and Davis share a camaraderie that alleviates any dead weight off the subject at hand; they grant their listeners the opportunity to truly engage in national debates by drawing them in with their lively discussions that serve as conduits for political facts. Their clear explanations and upbeat energy transform political minutia into easily digestible pieces of knowledge for the average listener. KCRW's Left Right and Center: Diversity is what makes America great; the same can be said for this podcast hosted by Josh Barro, senior editor for Business Insider. Moderates, liberals, and conservatives are all welcome and encouraged to share their opinions on a show that strives for polite, in depth, and illuminating discussions regarding the American political theater. Like Slate's Gabfest, heated arguments can be heard from time to time, but Barro is an excellent moderator and the guests always treat their ideological opposites with respect. The result of such communication is a window for listeners to view a dazzling spectrum of political attitudes. Regular guests on the show include Keli Goff, an excellent writer for the Daily Beast, Rich Lowry, the editor for the National Review, and Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor and publisher of The Nation. Their repartee is essential to any and all who wish to fully indulge themselves in the wide expanse of American politics. The Editors: Rich Lowry appears once again in this article in the role of host for the National Review's podcast. He is joined regularly by Reihan Salam, Charles C. W. Cooke, and Michael Brendan Dougherty, all accomplished writers with a long history of political commentary. Well-spoken and precise, the four hosts are less shocked by the many strange events occurring in Washington on a daily basis than their compatriots and take them in stride. While not quaking in their boots over every political misstep, the show's hosts are unafraid to critique the blunders of the Republican party. Listeners who enjoy more left leaning shows will benefit from adding this podcast to their diet. The fact that these hosts do not lose their composure over every new Trump tweet or wild development of some sort is to their credit. The listener can then truly appreciate the moments when these hosts do concede concern or alarm over particular actions.
By Laura DiNovis Berry8 years ago in The Swamp
Democracy and Regime Changes
Between 1917 and 1991, Russia was a single-party state led by the Bolsheviks, later to be known as the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) (Service 2009, 62). From the beginning, the CPSU had authoritarian tendencies that were built into the communist institutions of the Soviet regime. They held a monopoly of political and economic power in the Soviet Union in terms of having a “Leninist party dictatorship, a transformative ideology, central planning, and state ownership of the means of production.” (Bunce 1999, 22). By the time Gorbachev took the office of General Secretary in 1985, the Soviet centralized economy required major reforms in order to increase the quantity and quality of industrial output that would meet the levels of the United States and Western European states (Service 2009, 441). In 1987, Gorbachev introduced two reforms: perestroika (reconstruction) and glasnost (openness). Glasnost opened the space for the airing of grievances, for more information to be available, and for media to be freer. While the Soviet Union was once capable of repressing nationalism, Gorbachev’s social reforms led many ethnic groups of the Soviet Union and the Soviet Bloc into nationalist mobilization (Service 2009, 456-458). On December 26th, 1991, the Belavezha Accords effectively ended the Soviet Union and were signed by the Russian President Yeltsin, Ukrainian president Kravchuk, and Belarusian parliament chairman Shushkevich (Service 2009, 506-507). Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia experienced a triple transition, meaning a political and economic transition and a transition in statehood, in which Russia was recognized as a sole state. While Yeltsin played an essential role in the development of an embryonic Russian democracy, his later years were marked by a partial retreat from the development of a truly democratic political system. The difficulties of the economic transition and the political complications that ensued convoluted the task of creating a solid foundation for a democratic society in the Western sense (Service 2009, 529-534). The results were perverse, as there was a rise in oligarchs, this term “refers to a small group of leaders in the largest financial and industrial structures who are closely tied to the regime” (Zudin 2000, 5).
By Kayla Charles8 years ago in The Swamp
The World's Food Dilemma
Mother always says "Eat your vegetables!" and will spend countless days bargaining and begging her kid(s) to eat food that will keep them healthy. Children spend years avoiding many veggies because they don't taste yummy or sweet. Well, children in developed countries, that is. It's nothing new. Too many children in impoverished and undeveloped countries don't have this luxury. These children lack proper food, clean water, and sanitation. This needs to end.
By Holly Leatherman8 years ago in The Swamp
The U.S. Presidency
1. Understanding Obama David Remnick’s article provides stimulating insight on the many reasons as to why Barack Obama is regarded as a weak executive with attitudes that influence his sense of power, as well as dictate his motives and outcomes he has pursued as the 44th president of the United States. The body of text provided an opportunity to understand the varied perspectives within the United States. We are presented with many examples throughout his years as president which showcase the opportunity for individuals to continuously criticize all that he has done, or what he has failed to accomplish. Coming to terms with it all, some concerns become apparent with Obama, who at the beginning of his run for president was typified as an individual who would finally ignite change in the States. However, there are aspects within this paper that would lead to disagreeing with Remnick. In terms of the claim in which it is said that Obama does not understand power, I disagree.
By Kayla Charles8 years ago in The Swamp
5 Reasons Why 'The West Wing' Will Never Grow Old
The West Wing debuted in September 1999 and gave us seven wonderful seasons of gripping television. Of course there were times when, unless you were a political junkie, you might not have understood exactly what was happening, but the acting was so compelling you couldn't take your eyes off the screen.
By Rachel Carrington8 years ago in The Swamp
Someone, Get Trump Out of the White House
Enough is absolutely enough. I no longer really care about whether Trump colluded with the Russians to win the White House, or what missteps either Ivanka Trump or Kellyanne Conway have made that further demonstrate what a gong show the Trump administration is. We all know that both Donald Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner, Trump's oldest son and son-in-law respectively, see no issue with their behaviors and are unconcerned with details such as national security. We can dance around those issues for days without focusing on the real issue itself.
By Christina St-Jean8 years ago in The Swamp
Democrats Are No Longer the Party of FDR and LBJ
The Democratic Party often times reminds voters and republicans that the GOP is no longer the party of Abraham Lincoln, as the Republican Party have begun to use dog whistle racism as a tactic to energize their base. I have no problem with reminding the Republicans of this fact, it's true that if Abraham Lincoln ran today he'd have been called a RINO and would not have had a shot in the primaries. He would've been lucky to win a nomination for a local race, much less the Presidency. But Democrats also need to remember that they are no longer the party of Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson.
By Ryan Golden8 years ago in The Swamp
It's the Most RARFLARGLE Time of the Year
Sleighbells ring, are you listenin'? In the air ... snow isn't quite glistening yet. Already we're seeing the memes on Facebook, hearing the ranting on TV and radio programs, seeing the "protests," and even hearing directly from held-at-arm's-length "friends" and family about it.
By Grizzly Matthews8 years ago in The Swamp
Can This Government Last Another 12 Months? 5 Reasons Why It Won't
Tended to firstly, in order of current importance, the Irish border issue is one of utmost urgency to the current government. Liam Fox, serial liar and renowned buffoon, has in recent days indicated that the UK government won’t discuss the Irish border until Brexit talks move towards trade.
By Will Leyland8 years ago in The Swamp
