opinion
Opinion pieces from the left, right, and everyone in between.
Ding Dong the Welfare Queen is Dead
For nearly a century, Queen Elizabeth II mooched off the people of the UK and dozens of territories around the globe. She worked no jobs, she produced no enterprises, scientific or literary discoveries; she did not practice medicine. The idea of a monarchy is such an affront to liberty and freedom that America somehow still embraces, ironically. Whenever a woman attains a great stature, we are quick to reach for the crowning title of “queen.” Why is this? Why do we say that the lady who puts in the work is a queen when in fact she earned her distinction. Yes, it’s fine to use in art but for actual people, we should embrace the idea that in 1776, the United States of America vociferously rejected George III.
By Skyler Saunders3 years ago in The Swamp
Laws that lack definition can be undemocratic
Laws that lack definitions make money for lawyers Politicians and law makers must be precise. In Britain the law courts interpret the written laws passed by Parliament, they also create “laws of tort” which is where a decision made in one court enables a later court judgment, to use that decision as a precedent.
By Peter Rose3 years ago in The Swamp
A New Round of Satanic Panic: Book Banning Throughout the United States
I honestly think people who are interested in getting books banned from libraries have too much free time on their hands. I’ve been getting updates from various people about book bans across the United States. Some of these book bans are coming from school boards and others are coming from state legislators.
By Andrea Lawrence3 years ago in The Swamp
Donald Trump Indicted on Criminal Charges
It should come as no surprise to almost anyone with an average to high IQ that Donald Trump is in deep fucking shit. Only the segment of society with a double-digit IQ of varying degrees would debate how serious things are looking for Trump. Or deny that he’s done anything worth prosecuting.
By The Mouthy Renegade Writer3 years ago in The Swamp
Back to School Conversations
There are only a few days left of the month of August 2022 as I take on the "back to school" topic. For all I know, there are students and teachers in a classroom right at this moment as I'm typing this article. I pray they are safe and well. They don't have time to write this article, but I do - and as a retired teacher I feel it is my duty to "talk" about the subjects concerning public school, the business and politics of the institution, and some "controversies" that still exist and will probably always exist as long as there are people who believe in the continuum of Public Education.
By Shanon Angermeyer Norman4 years ago in The Swamp
The Downsides of Data Driven Decision Making
In life, and especially in business it is quite fashionable these days to hear people claim that they make "data driven decisions." Making data driven decision sounds like a very smart thing to do. Certainly much smarter than its regular language translation, "using the facts to determine a course of action" which sounds awfully obvious and boring. Definitely not something one would see published in the Harvard Business Review. Despite its obviousness it would seem hard to argue with the sagacity of making "data driven decisions", after all who would not want to use all of the information at one's disposal (data) in deciding which to select of the many possible alternative options that are available (decision making) for doing whatever it is one is trying to do? Usually that thing one is trying to do is make money or some derivative thereof. Nothing gets me more fired up for an argument than a thing which is hard to argue with. Therefore, below I present to you two arguments against data driven decision making. Of course I am in general a big supporter of data driven decision making and in no way mean to suggest that it is not (most of the time) the smartest way to go about making decisions in just about any aspect of one's life or career. However, that said, it is by no means guaranteed to be the best way to make decisions or even the smartest way to make decisions in every case. As you will see if you continue on, data driven decision making has at least two highly relevant downsides that can make it the less than optimal mechanism for deciding things. Even if less than optimal in some specific instances, it is still likely never a bad way to make a decision, it just won't guarantee that you always come out on top. Nothing ever does though does it?
By Everyday Junglist4 years ago in The Swamp
Why Do We Always Cancel The Wrong People?. Top Story - August 2022.
I have a lot of regrets in my life. I am a former alcoholic who lived with many undiagnosed issues for the first thirty years of my life. I never did anything truly abhorrent, but there were plenty of friends and partners I treated like absolute shit.
By Alex Mell-Taylor4 years ago in The Swamp
Time for the Party to Be Over?
The signs are on the corners. The ads are on television. Yes, it is that time of year again- campaign season. It is the time when a bunch of people you have never heard of, and a few you have, tell you everything you want to hear as well as some things you don’t. Promises and big plans of how they as a sole individual will swoop into our political system and make everything right.
By Traci E. Langston4 years ago in The Swamp
American Society Wants The Sick And Tired To Die
I am sick a lot. Simple colds will knock me out for days or weeks, forcing me to pick up the pieces afterward. I have gotten into the habit of expecting gaps of fatigue and illness. I have had trouble being a "productive" member of society for years, and truthfully only exist right now because I have a robust support system.
By Alex Mell-Taylor4 years ago in The Swamp
