fact or fiction

Is it a fact or is it merely fiction? Exploring and debunking conspiracies and the lesser known truths in the world of politics.

From Maryland With No Love
NOTE: The assertions in this article have not been conclusively accepted as proven. They should, however, be thoroughly investigated.
By Steve McManus5 years ago in The Swamp
The Last Faberge's: Midnight In Moscow
The turbulence during the first World War coinciding with the rise of the Bolsheviks led to the intrigue surrounding the Last Tsar of Russia. The last Tsar who had amassed a treasure beyond imagination was still waiting to be found. A treasure that vanished just as the storming Bolsheviks seized power and brought down the House of Romanoff. It was 1917 a period of discontent in Moscow. The cries of the populace spurring open revolt in violent overthrow of the ruling class. It was during this time that Nicholas hid his vast fortune hoping to retrieve it and restore his rightful place as ruler of all of Russia. A treasure so vast was lost to history.
By Dr. Williams5 years ago in The Swamp
Why We Need To Kill Cats.
I love cats, and I’m assuming most of you do too. They’re playful, mysterious, overwhelmingly cute and even sometimes cuddly. Compared to a dog they’re the ideal pet; they walk themselves, remind us when its feeding time and don’t strain us like our other furry friends. In most senses of the word, cats are perfect. They even domesticated themselves. They saw humans as a resource for rounding up food, and we saw them as both a new companion and a possible pest control.
By Chloe Martin5 years ago in The Swamp
The Social Inequalities of Pandemic Rules
I realize that every country has different rules and regulations concerning the way they deal with the pandemic. We can't base one countries methods based on another. This story popped into my head when I noticed an innocent new rule taken place in my hometown.
By Brian Anonymous5 years ago in The Swamp
Are Mandatory Vaccinations Unconstitutional?
Pew Research Center just released an alarming statistic: “About four-in-ten (39%) say they definitely or probably would not get a coronavirus vaccine.” Participants in this study said their refusal was based on mistrust of science, mistrust of government, and the belief that they are an exception, due to their personal health and hygiene practices.
By The Happy Neuron5 years ago in The Swamp
The Vote
The last thing on his mind was voting. There was a pandemic on and rioting in the streets, he had no desire to risk his life for something that he clearly had no control over, let alone any impact on. November 3rd got closer and closer and he just walled himself off from the political process. He was invisible as far as the politicians were concerned.
By Alex Arbios5 years ago in The Swamp
Pasteurising Humans
I was visiting a good friend today. A person who in another age was called a ‘shut in’. She has dark hair, belying her age, this despite an absence of dye. The usual calm, warm shape to her face was distended: “Its on every channel!”
By Budsy Huggys5 years ago in The Swamp
Isaac Asimov Was Dead Right About Our Cult of Ignorance
Asimov said this in his rarely published 1980 Newsweek piece “The Cult of Ignorance.” Although it was a relatively short essay, it was meant as a warning against the dangers of a growing anti-intellectualism tide in the US, and in the post-Trump era, his words are more poignant today than when he wrote them.
By The Happy Neuron5 years ago in The Swamp
It’s Time to Tune Out
Just shy of twenty-five years ago, The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror VI aired. The Halloween special featured several short horror parodies, including one called “Attack of the 50-Foot Eyesores”. In this segment, a freak lightning storm causes giant advertising mascots to come to life.
By Leigh Wynter (she/her)5 years ago in The Swamp
The Ballad of Cyrus Bridges
Cyrus awoke to a sharp banging sound that he immediately assumed was the neighbor's dog. "That's it, I'm shootin' that sumbitch..." he grumbled to himself, rising from the mattress on the floor that served as his bed. He reached under a nearby pile of soiled clothes and felt around till his hand closed around the grip of a .22 caliber pistol. Checking to make sure it was loaded, he unclicked the safety and rose to his feet. Last night's drunken reverie still swam in his head as he steadied himself. Narrowing his eyes, he stalked over to the window, pulling aside the dirty old towel that covered it. There was the old lab his neighbor called Poncho, chained to the front porch steps of the trailer next to his, just as always, but the dog didn't appear to be awake. Frowning, Cyrus wondered momentarily if this was some kind of trick (that dog was very tricky, as he'd told the police and the manager of the trailer park more than once), but was interrupted by the same persistent banging sound as before. The dog jerked awake, raising it's head up just as Cyrus turned away from the window.
By John Nix5 years ago in The Swamp
Bitcoin Revolution
Kuo knew he shouldn't have joined the group on the dark web that he did. He was bored one night though and so started perusing the online communities looking for something that caught his interest. He happened on a chat about banks. He lived in China. Communist and oppressive. They watched everything that everyone did. The government had complete control over every part of the Chinese person's life. Their money, financial security, food, prosperity, thoughts. The news was full of propaganda and no one had the freedom to do anything. Everything that wasn't approved of by the state was done in secrecy. So Kuo knew he could get into deep shit. A hole he could never dig himself out of. Perhaps it was the excitement of getting caught is what led him back to the online group over and over again. There they would have open discussions about politics, how things would be so different without the heavy boot of the state. There were other members from different countries of course. Some from the United States, Canada, Mozambique, France, Poland. Many different nationalities but with all the same like minded thoughts. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. He had started to talk to 3 other people regularly. All he knew about their identities were their screen names. LagunaSnizzard289, Yolomarken156, Frakenbrake856. The four of them would have their own chat sessions. Lately they would talk about how it would be great to have a way to make money that no one could trace. They started to punt ideas around. All their backgrounds were in coding and networks. Kuo was the one who came up with the idea of "mining". LagunaSnizzard289 came up with the idea of peer-to-peer networking. Yolomarken156 came up with block-chains. Kuo was the one who started to play around with the code.
By Patricia Krzystek5 years ago in The Swamp
FACELESS
“Totalitarians will hate it,” he said. “Traditionalists will probably hate it too.” “Of course, I don’t doubt that authoritarians will attack, and sooner or later, attempt to destroy what I’ve worked so hard to create. Bitcoin is an opportunity to build a new world—not one that is ruled by force, by autocrats and militarized police. But I know that people who are stuck in the past will fear it.”
By ANTICHRIST SUPERSTAR5 years ago in The Swamp