Category Archives: Politically Incorrect

Outside the political sphere, much of Australias China panic centres on university campuses. This is hardly surprising, given the deep connections of the Australian higher-education sector to China.

In 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, higher education brought in some A$12bn in export revenue, most of it from China. With more than 150,000 Chinese international students enrolled, some institutions relied on that single revenue stream to make up a quarter of their total budget before the current drop-off. Mandarin is the second language of campus life in most universities these days; Confucius Institutes have been established at 13 universities; partnerships and MOUs with Chinese universities proliferate in many fields. Australian academics now collaborate more with colleagues in China than in any other foreign country: one report found that an incredible 16.2% of scientific papers by Australian researchers almost one in six were co-authored with researchers in China, with papers in the fields of materials science, chemical engineering and energy topping the list.

Having been among the most enthusiastic participants in the China boom, universities are now bearing the brunt of the political backlash. The public has been presented with a grim picture of the consequences of all of this China engagement. Financial dependency, it is claimed, has engendered political subservience. Critical discussion of China is falling silent, while administrations subcontract their core business to Peoples Republic of China state agencies and pursue partnerships that put Australias national security at risk. Its a picture replete with martial imagery. Andrew Hastie talks of universities as modern battlegrounds of covert influence and interference. Journalist Rowan Callick warns of a war being waged by Chinese international students against politically incorrect lecturers. A military-academic onslaught is how Alex Joske describes Chinas approach to international scientific collaboration.

How accurate is this picture? As a critic of Australian universities, Id never argue that all is healthy within the sector, including in its dealings with China. But as universities have become a microcosm for the wider China debate, its important that we characterise that debate correctly.

In many ways, we face the same choice here as we do in the political sphere: to remedy the erosion of Australian institutions, or to join in a campaign to isolate and exclude Chinese actors from them. At the same time, there are ethical and political questions specific to the university context that administrators and academics alike face. In tackling them, though, we have to remain conscious of the various ways in which university autonomy and academic freedom can be compromised, including of course by the intrusion of domestic political influences.

The language of war that now envelops campuses has, in my opinion, laid the basis for domestic government interventions that present more of a risk to universities autonomy and independence than anything China is doing.

As they do in the political sphere, openings for undue influence exist in universities. However, China is far from the only actor taking advantage of what are self-inflicted wounds. The basic crisis is the inexorable decline in public funding. At 0.7% of GDP, public investment in Australian higher education already sits well below the OECD average and will continue its downward slide thanks to recent reforms. This long-term transformation has put universities at risk from private philanthropists and foreign lobbying ventures alike, wheeling all sorts of ideological barrows into the halls of learning. As governing bodies reshape themselves along corporate lines and restrict the participation of academics in decision-making, transparency is eroded, and the attraction of get-rich-quick schemes only increases.

Universities have been put on the back foot in the current political climate. On the one hand, as public institutions they can hardly avoid the impact of the changing winds of political opinion on China. Yet at the same time, universities have in practice been all but privatised, with many vice-chancellors enriching themselves to the tune of more than $1m annually. Any effort to criticise the direction of Australian policy can easily be met with accusations that they have a pecuniary interest in the question. Its a simple fact that they do. In August 2020, when the Senate announced it would be conducting an inquiry into national security risks affecting the Australian higher-education and research sector, federal MP Bob Katter railed against universities that had their snouts ... well and truly in the trough and had gone from selling visas to selling their souls. Having long encouraged universities to find funding elsewhere, politicians now home in on their ties to China to argue that theyve lost their way, engendering a hostile public mood that blunts criticism of ongoing funding cuts.

What this highlights, I think, is the need for a perspective thats independent of both the government and the corporate university, one thats able to make the necessary criticisms of universities as institutions and international actors, without falling into uncritical subservience to the governments foreign-policy objectives. This is not the first time that universities have had to face this challenge. During the first cold war, through both enticements and pressure, western universities were encouraged to align their work with the states diplomatic and military interests. The conditions then were not conducive to free, critical inquiry, and theyre not likely to be a second time around either.

This is an edited extract from China Panic: Australias Alternative to Paranoia and Pandering by David Brophy, out now through La Trobe University Press

Original post:
China is far from alone in taking advantage of Australian universities self-inflicted wounds - The Guardian

MY father once told me you only find things offensive if you wish to be offended. It is in that spirit I write in answer to all those who think Scotssports fans should be above the Anybody but England mantra.

The history of Scots finding pleasure in English defeats is not a recent one, there is a long history of this sentiment which predates Bannockburn in 1314.

It is the reality of sharing an island with a nation which has long held predatory designs on Scotland and been seen as a blowhard and a bully lang syne.

READ MORE:Italy's victory over England sparks wild celebrations in Scotland

In the past the retribution Scots sought to contain our larger, bullying neighbour was often in raiding the English north as far south as York and on one occasion, with London at our mercy, we turned back at Derby.

These days we Scots no longer raid, kill, rape and pillage to keep our still-bullying neighbour in check. We do this, instead, through the safer prism of sport, where there may still be the odd injury on and off the field yet in the main it passes peaceably in comparison to earlier years.

So it is deep in the Scots psyche where the enjoyment of Englands failings as a nation are embedded. It is a vicarious pleasure but serves the same purpose as seeing any bully and blowhard being taken down a peg or two. It is not and never has been about the people of England but the self-proclaimed image of their nation state and arrogance of their ruling class.

Some may think the Anyone but England mantra is politically incorrect or outdated and should be done away with, they are welcome to their view yet I do not see many Scots will be in agreement as we yet again suffer under a bullying, blowhard Tory government which epitomises the Flanders and Swan view of the English national sense of superiority, reflected in one of their satirical songs, The English, the English, the English are best. I wouldnt give tuppence for all of the rest.

Peter ThomsonKirkcudbright

IT was with total disbelief that I read the letters page today. The rivalry between Scotland and England over any kind of sport has been legendary, if usually only one-sided. I have NEVER heard 1966 mentioned so much as I have this past week. The hype placed on this one game has been totally out of proportion.

Of course, as is usual, the Scots will favour Italy, Denmark, or whoever over the auld enemy, but had it been Scotland against Italy, would we expect the England supporters to rally around us? I think not.

READ MORE:Spectator's Rod Liddle claims 'performing geese' are better than Scotland

Would we also expect the BBC to cover up the destruction in Leicester Square, and Wembley, Italy supporters being attacked, England supporters fighting each other, AND the totally disgusting and offensive racial abuse of the players had this been perpetrated by Scotland fans? I wonder.

We Scots are well prepared to laugh at ourselves, THAT is what gives us the right to laugh at others.

Jim Mc GregorKirkintilloch

INrecent days I have seen and heard several people on the TV and radio complaining that many Scots will not be supporting the English football team. They seem to believe that we have a duty to do so because we are British.

I was interested to see that only 30 million people in Britain actually did tune in for the final. That suggests to me that at least half of the English population were not interested in the game.

Why then should non-English people be more supportive of the English team than the English themselves?

Harry KeyLargoward, Fife

I THINK that letter-writers Lewis Waugh and Pete Rowberry missed the point completely about Saturdays front page. We Scots have a strong sense of humour and it was against a sometimes wildly imbalanced media arrogance that The National chose the cheeky front page.

They should also recognise that we can be equally cheeky and critical about the Scotland team. Whether or not the best result was achieved in the final, theres nothing wrong with many Scots feeling pleased, even amused.

KHW CampbellTroon

WHY did the breakfast programme deliberately keep quiet about the dark side of the English fans and media?

The complete indiscipline with regards to Covid, the break-in at Wembley by hundreds of so-called supporters, the injury to 19 police officers, the incredible amount of rubbish and litter thrown on to the streets, the fans attacking and fighting on the streets, the booing of opponents national anthems, the disrespect of taking off their runner-up medals immediately and so on. And finally the racial hatred meted out to the black players, which is possibly the most repugnant.

D GillKinross

IT is of course very sad that Englands 55 years of hurt must continue, but as a large percentage of the population north of Hadrians Wall have apparently discovered Italian branches on their family trees, does Italys win mean that Scotland can have a bank holiday?

Ruth MarrStirling

ITS not surprising that Gary Neville attacks Boris Johnson after the racial abuse of England stars, as Boris Johnson has no concept of what is acceptable given his history of dubious comments based on race, ethnicity and nationality. His attitude and obvious contempt for Scottish MPs and Scotland at PMQs every week is ample proof that this English leopard has not changed his spots.

John JamiesonSouth Queensferry

I WOULD like to thank with all my heart your support to the Italian team in the final against England. Since ever I admire Scottish people, and I hope that one day your dream of independence can become true. Im sincerely grateful.

Marco Castellivia email

I WOULD just like to say, Saturday and Mondays front pages were without doubt the best front pages on a newspaper I have ever seen.

I live in England but buy The National regularly on my regular trips north. I only hope the front pages can be made into T-shirts.

Well done, absolutely brilliant.

Andy Drummondvia email

Original post:
No need to get offended at Scots adopting 'anyone but England' position - The National

The scholars working on the English Standard Version of the Bible were fiercely committed to producing a strictly literal translation. So whenever the ancient writers used the Hebrew or Greek words denoting slave, the ESV translators used that English word.

The problem, though, is that the connotations of that word for a 21st-century American reader would be very different than they would have been for a Bronze Age or first-century writer. For contemporary English-language readers, the word slave had acquired a monstrous host of additional meaning from centuries of American-style slavery meaning that would not have been intended by the ancient writers or understood by their intended readers. A strictly literal translation could therefore be misleading. Contemporary readers might see the word slave and think of someone like Levar Burton in Roots even though the passage was meant to describe someone more like Zero Mostel in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Thats not to say that the form of slavery in the Roman Empire was a funny thing. It was oppressive, cruel, dehumanizing, and unjust. But it was also not as oppressive, cruel, dehumanizing, and unjust as the race-based, brutal, lifelong chattel slavery practiced in America. Its injustice was different in both form and degree. That difference matters to any reader who hopes to understand the ancient texts of scripture that address the various forms of slavery practiced in the ancient world.

The ESV translators thus were confronted with the same situation described by Leonard Bacon and a host of other 19th-century abolitionist Christians who as we discussed in the previous post argued, repeatedly, that it was inaccurate and immoral to equate American-style slavery with whatever the biblical writers had in mind when they used the word we translate into slave.

Initially, the ESV attempted to address this with a footnote warning readers not to project the connotations of American-style slavery to passages about slavery in the ancient world. The footnote suggested thinking of these ancient slaves, perhaps, as bondservants an odd, archaic word that I suppose attempts to convey that slaves in the ancient world were a bit more servant-like in their status than the people enslaved by white Americans, but were still in bondage, and not free, hired servants.

But a lot of readers dont read the footnotes. They stick to the holy writ of the main text the part that the ESVs intended audience of American evangelicals regards as inspired, inerrant, and authoritative. So eventually the ESV shifted to using the word bondservant in the text of the translation, with the footnote explaining the translators choice. And then, a few years later, they got rid of the footnote entirely.

Samuel Perry describes this change, emphasizing that its a major departure from the ESVs commitment to a strictly verbatim literalism. Thats worth emphasizing because, as he says, the ESV translators have, for years, condemned other translations for what theyve characterized as a dangerously liberal accommodation to worldly culture for straying from such absolute literalism:

They have marketed themselves as an essentially literal translation that resists the PC push. The general editor, Wayne Grudem, had for years denounced contemporary Bible translations, like theNew International Version, for doing those kinds of things: becoming [politically correct], changing the language to conform to modern sensibilities, that kind of thing, especially with regard to gender.

So for years they have said, Hey, were not going to translate certain things in a gender-neutral fashion, because we want to be as literal as possible, and if you like that its capitulating to the feminist PC culture. So ESV has marketed themselves as a very popular evangelical translation that is used most faithfully by complementarian Protestant Christians for that reason: because its conservative and because its supposed to be literal.

But at the same time, the fact that that the slave language in the New Testament is so obvious creates a real apologetics problem, because of all this talk about slaves obeying your masters, and how slaves should subject themselves not only to good masters but bad masters, and how slaves should stay in the station of life where they were called. It creates this really ugly impression of the New Testament, and especially Paul advocating for slavery.

So what you can see in the English Standard Version is that with each successive wave, from the 2001 revision of the Revised Standard Version to the 2011 revision and then finally in 2016, our most recent revision, was that they started by introducing a footnote in 2001 to the slave word, and then in 2011 they replace the slave word and put it in a footnote, and then they said, Were going to call this a bondservant. So its different from a slave.

By 2016 they didnt use slave language at all. If you read that translation you would have no idea that the original translation and I think the most appropriate translation would be slave. All you see is this kind of Christian-used churchy word bondservant, which you never hear outside of a biblical reference. Nobody knows what that means, but its a way that the English Standard Version and other Bibles like it can kind of say, Hey, these are slaves, but theyre not real,realslaves. Theyre not really bad slaves like we think of in the antebellum South, like chattel slavery. Its something different.

In Perrys description, the change in the ESV was less concerned with clarifying the meaning of the text than it was with defending the perception of the text. Perry calls this an apologetics problem, which is a nice way of saying a public relations problem.*

It would be one thing if Leonard Bacon had produced an antebellum bondservant translation to combat Christian appeals to biblical support for slavery. That might have been understood as unambiguously intended to prevent the use of the Bible as a tool of oppression. But after more than 150 years of reluctant, begrudging white Christian resistance to legal equality, and from vocal proponents of a partisan faith committed to rejecting the Reconstruction Amendments, it seems clear that Perry is correct to view this belated shutting of the barn door as less concerned with opposing injustice than with defending the reputation and alleged innocent righteousness of self-proclaimed biblical Christians.

It seems less like an effort to clarify the meaning of the Bible and more like an effort to defend its reputation and thereby to defend our own.

*That may seem uncharitable, but Perry has receipts to back up his skeptical take. The ESV translators, for one thing, werent bound by any strict commitment to literalism when they altered the language of the Revised Standard Version to make it more conservative in terms of gender roles. They actually made gender language more complementarian, more about mens and womens roles, he notes.

And then, more conclusively, theres the ESV projects abiding concern with political correctness. What does that mean? The only thing it ever means, which is nothing, substantially. The phrase politically correct (or, more recently, woke) is not used to convey meaning, or to name or describe a particular thing, or to articulate and communicate any specific idea. It is, rather, a tribal signifier. That is its only meaning and function. It is a secret handshake indicating ones proud membership in the international brotherhood of disingenuous assholes.

When someone unironically uses the words politically correct or PC, or speaks menacingly of the threat of wokeness, there is no reason to merely suspect that they might be acting in bad faith. They have confirmed that they are. Youre not being uncharitable or unduly suspicious when youre holding their signed confession.

This is also why Im not a fan of Paul Rosenbergs ironic appropriation of this language in his title and introduction to this interview with Perry:When evangelical snowflakes censor the Bible: The English Standard Version goes PC. Thats intended to highlight the apparent hypocrisy of the defiantly politically incorrect ESV marketers, but Im not sure hypocrisy is an applicable category. Its less a matter of a double-standard than it is of a lack of any good-faith standards at all. (See also: McConnell, Mitch.)

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'For you were [redacted] in Egypt' (part 2) - Patheos

When Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen declined to reprise their role of Michelle Tanner for "Fuller House," some fans speculated that the past comments alleging sexual misconduct from Saget were true (via HITC). But in a 2016 interview with "People Magazine," "Fuller House" producer Bob Boyett reported that when he had approached the twins about returning to the role of Michelle, "Ashley said, 'I have not been in front of a camera since I was 17, and I don't feel comfortable acting,' [and] Mary-Kate said, 'It would have to be me because Ash doesn't want to do it. But the timing is so bad for us'" (via Newsweek).

It's also hard to believe that "Fuller House" would have allowed Saget onto the show without looking into the actor's past. "Fuller House" premiered in February 2016 two years after the actor's memoir was published and eight years after the Comedy Central Roast first aired. "Fuller House" also had to shake up its showrunners in the middle of production after it came out that Jeff Franklin allegedly established a pattern of giving small roles to women with whom he was romantically or sexually involved. If that was reason enough to get fired, "Fuller House" producers would not have allowed Saget onto the show.

For Saget's part, despite the comedian's disturbing past gestures, he recently stated that he had a positive relationship with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. In a 2021 interview with Michael Rosenbaum for the podcast "Inside of You," Saget said, "Ashley and Mary-Kate... I love so much. When I'm in New York or when they're here, when we can, we see each other."

Ultimately, there is no evidence of any actual assaults, just (wholly unfunny) jokes. But, as Devon Godhe noted in his article for The Ramapo News, these jokes and gestures will definitely become more important if serious allegations of sexual misconduct ever do arise.

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The Bob Saget Controversy You Never Knew Existed - Looper

Ananya Pandey broke down into tears when she bid her final goodbye to her grandmother. Her tear-struck face became viral within moments. The renowned actress became inconsolable by the death of her grandmother Snehlata Pandey. Not only she, but even Chunky Pandeys wife Bhavana Pandey bid her farewell to her mother-in-law and shared old photographs from their family album where we see her daughters Ananya Pandey and Rysa Pandey as kids.

In memoriam of her grandmother, Ananya Pandey shared various memories of her childhood on her Instagram handle by addressing he grand-mom as the life of her family. Her heart-wrenching yet mighty post mentioned, Rest in power, my angel. When she was born the doctors said she wouldnt live beyond a few years because of a defective heart value, but my Dadi lived and how. She worked every day up until the age of 85, going to work at 7 am in her black heels and red-streaked hair. She inspired me every single day to do what I love and Im so grateful to have grown up basking in her energy and light.

She further added on a special note, She had the softest hands to hold, gave the best leg messages, she was a self-proclaimed (and very politically incorrect) palm reader and never failed to make me laugh. The life of our family. Youre too loved to ever be forgotten Dadi I love you so much

On Ananyas Instagram handle, she shared some beautiful posts of her grandmother, while on the occasion of Womens Day, she shared, The epitome of grace, beauty, perseverance, humor, badass energy and boss woman vibes. My Dadi and Nani Happy Womens day to my best and happy Womens Day to all the lovely ladies out there you are so very special and everything you need is right inside of you. I love you guys, you rock.

These posts of Ananya received a lot of heart reactions including respectively from Karishma Kapoor, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Navya Naveli Nanda, Neelam Kothari Soni, and few others. Numerous stars, inclusive of Bhavana and Chunkys friends attended the funeral and consoled the family.

We also in the same way extend our well-wishes and consolation towards the whole family and hope that Ananya will be able to fight back to this baffling condition and will not be plunging into it.

We wish her more power, stability, and steadiness. May the family get out of this situation comfortably.

Primary Excerpt Taken From Hindustan Times (Hindustantimes.com)

See more here:
Ananya Pandey Mourns Upon Her Late Grandmother, And Shares A Heart - Woman's Era

Last week, Cape Town announced that it will host a round of the FIA Formula E World Championship in February next year. It will be the first official World Championship single-seater race in Mzansi since the 1993 South African Grand Prix. Motorsport followers in general have a somewhat jaundiced view of electrically powered motorsport. The reasons are simple. Conventional motorsport involves really noisy cars or motorcycles charging around circuits while dispersing eye-watering, noxious petrol, methanol or Castrol oil fumes. The smell of racing fuel is intoxicating and the sound of a bellowing V8 dragster, a shrieking V12 Ferrari F1 or...

Last week, Cape Town announced that it will host a round of the FIA Formula E World Championship in February next year. It will be the first official World Championship single-seater race in Mzansi since the 1993 South African Grand Prix.

Motorsport followers in general have a somewhat jaundiced view of electrically powered motorsport. The reasons are simple. Conventional motorsport involves really noisy cars or motorcycles charging around circuits while dispersing eye-watering, noxious petrol, methanol or Castrol oil fumes. The smell of racing fuel is intoxicating and the sound of a bellowing V8 dragster, a shrieking V12 Ferrari F1 or an eardrum-ripping, stratospherically high revving two-stroke motorcycle orgasmic.

All very politically incorrect and socially irresponsible, yet adored by millions the world over. The mere thought of race cars with hardly any sound seemed like heresy when it arrived in 2011.

From the beginning, Formula E played out in front of large crowds, and motor manufacturers knowing electrical cars are the future grabbed the opportunity to showcase their latest technology to their next generation of customers.

If you havent been following the world of electric racing, here is what you need to know:

Formula E continues to grow apace as the only single-seater race series outside of Formula One to boast world championship status. And, its organisers could not care less what dyed in the wool old enthusiasts think of their car format.

Their show is meant for younger people cell phone addicts and computer junkies. They do not want to travel to a racetrack far from home, pay for admission, endure eardrum-punishing noises and try to keep track of long races.

ALSO READ: Cape Town gets the nod as host for Formula E in 2022

Hence, in 2011 FIA President Jean Todt and Spanish business mogul Alejandro Agag came up with the concept of city-based electric car racing. It was a compelling idea with zero carbon emissions, the cars would be welcome in city centres.

Thus, Formula E attracts many incidental spectators, who happen to be in the city, wander across to see what the fuss is about, and get to witness live motorsport for the first time. Conventional circuit racing would have zero chance of attracting those people.

The South African round will be one of 12, held in a wide variety of countries between the end of January and the middle of August. Cape Town apart, host cities for next years title chase will include Rome, Berlin, London, New York, Monaco, Vancouver, Mexico City and Seoul.

Temporary tracks are erected with the assistance of the involved city. How long are the races? Races are be short today, with the series latest Generation 2 cars, drivers tackle a 45-minute plus one lap format.

Involved car makers currently include Porsche, BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Mahindra and Nissan.

The current Spark-Dallara SRT05e car has an electric motor power output of 250 kW, weighs in at 800 kg, including the driver, and boasts a theoretical top speed of 280 km/h. We say theoretical because inner city race tracks are designed with utmost spectator safety in mind, which precludes long straights and high top speeds.

The Spark-Dallara has a Hewland sequential gearbox, runs on 18-inch Michelin all-weather treaded tyres and the chassis has the same halo, plus T-shaped safety cage as found in Formula One, Two and Three cars.

Next years third-generation Formula E car will have 300 kW of power. The chassis will be built by Spark Racing Technology, Williams Advanced Engineering will supply the battery and Hankook will bring all-weather tyres to the party.

To keep the new attendees happy, Formula E has added computer game aspects to the show like Attack Mode where drivers can receive an additional 25 kW of power by driving through a designated area of the circuit off the racing line. It worked.

As to be expected, the pace car also has zero emissions and is none other than an electric Mini.

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Formula E is heading to Cape Town: What you need to know - The Citizen

Real Time with Bill Maherhas been on an unexpected hiatus following Bill Mahers COVID-19 diagnosis. Will the HBO late night show return tonight?

Prior to the May 14 episode ofReal Time, it was announced that Maher tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The comedian had been fully vaccinated and reported no symptoms. Still, that weeks episode was canceled as was the show on May 21. It ended Mahers impressive streak of never missing a show, dating back to hisPolitically Incorrectdays.

Thankfully, a new streak can start. There will be a brand new episode ofReal Time with Bill Mahertonight on HBO.

Expect Maher to recap his experience at the top of the show. Its then likely that Maher will want to move on and catch up on some of the stories he missed over the past two weeks. Topics like Marjorie Taylor Greenes controversial comments, states reopening, and more are on the table.

First up, Bill Maher will interview sports broadcaster Bob Costas. The journalist has covered everything from boxing and NASCAR to the NFL and the Olympics.

Hell be onReal Timeto promote his new showBack on the Record with Bob Costas.The HBO and HBO Max series will be driven by in-depth interviews with the biggest names in sports, entertainment, and popular culture.

Journalist and political commentator Nicholas Kristof will be on the panel. Hes aNew York Timescolumnist known for his coverage of human rights issues around the world. Kristofs most recent book isTightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope, which looks at the challenges facing working-class Americans.

Political consultant and strategist James Carville will also join the panel. He currently co-hosts the podcast Politics War Room. Expect him to share his thoughts on the state of the Republican Party and discuss what Democrats need to do to retain power.

Real Time with Bill Maherairs tonight at 10:00 p.m. ET on HBO. You can also watch Real Time onHBO Max.

Are you excited for the return ofReal Time with Bill Maher? Let us know in the comment section below and be sure to check back with Last Night On for all the highlights.

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Is Real Time with Bill Maher new tonight, May 28? - Last Night On

So let's set the scene.

I was selected to take a pack of Cubs Scouts to summer camp many years ago.

My wife was the den mother, but she elected to stay home in the air conditioning (it gets hotter n' heck in July even in Ohio) and appointed me to lead a group of nine boys for a week. My older son was a part of the group.

We arrived on Sunday afternoon, and by Monday, well, things were not going well. Here's what I wrote in a postcard to my wife and younger son:

"I got sick after taking the swimming test (thank goodness I made it to a tree outside the pool before I threw up). I had to scare a bunch of raccoons out of my tent. They walk right in scavenging for food. And then I had to console a boy who was crying and homesick. He had been added to our campsite to give us an even 10.

"But today (Tuesday), things seem to be much better."

The whole camp experience reminded me of Allan Sherman's song from the '60s. It might be politically incorrect today, but it's hard to forget:

"Hello Muddah, hello Faddah

Here I am at Camp Grenada . . .

I went hiking with Joe Spivey

He developed poison ivy . . .

Take me home, oh Muddah, Faddah

Wait a minute, it's stopped hailing

Guys are swimming, guys are sailing . . .

Muddah, Faddah kindly disregard this letter."

Well, what's summer camp without a little drama. Whether it's summer dance camp, 4-H camp at Rock Eagle, Scout camp or a sports camp, it's all part of a learning experience.

Have fun this summer!

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER

My favorite tweets after 50-year-old Phil Mickelson won the PGA Championship this past Sunday at Kiawah Island to become the oldest player to win a major:

"Something strikes me: 50 is older than 46 . . . well done my friend." -- Jack Nicklaus, who won the Masters at age 46

"Chalk one up for the old boys." -- John Daly

"That's my quarterback." -- Tom Brady

LET THEM EAT

It was great to see that Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said he's planning 100% capacity for Bulldogs' home opener this fall. That was expected.

What really caught my attention: Brooks told the UGA Athletic Board of Directors this week that the price of five concession items will be reduced by almost 50 percent.

The cost of the concessions -- at least for this season -- will be $2 for bottled water, $2.50 for bottled soft drinks, $2.50 for hot dogs, $2 for candy, and $2 for a small popcorn. A bucket of popcorn will still cost you $5.

That's the way fans should always be treated.

MOVIN' IN

You'll have to forgive me, because we have spent most of this week selling our house in South Carolina and getting everything packed and moved here.

Of course, we'd been living here in Milledgeville and helping my Dad before he passed away in February but had never sold our house.

So we'll soon be official Georgia residents again!

I'll do better next week.

Rick Millians, a 1970 Baldwin High graduate, worked at newspapers in Georgia, Ohio and South Carolina before retiring. Reach him at rdmillians@aol.com.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

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MILLIANS: Braveheart goes to summer camp | Opinion | unionrecorder.com - The Union-Recorder

But you dont have a duty of moralising where you think they should and shouldnt invest. If theyve found an investment and its legal then that should be where it finishes.

He said if an investment was legal, prudent and makes money then its a good investment. But he declined to say how he and other Nationals MPs would vote on the legislation, noting hed been looking through the bill and how to decipher it.

We are looking for better comfort brought forward by the minister as to why this [power] cannot be exploited. Were very aware of the fact that when the time comes were not in government and someone else is we can hardly argue against something the other side does when you brought in the laws for them to do it, he said.

But if you start saying well I dont like coal, I dont like gas [and] fracking, I dont like the live cattle trade and all this as inevitably would [happen] because the Greens would put pressure on Labor ... then were in trouble, he said.

The legislation also faces a battle over its stapling measures, which attaches workers to their super accounts when they change jobs unless they choose to switch, as some MPs are concerned employees might be stuck to an underperforming fund. The legislation was introduced in last years budget in a bid to improve fund performance and reduce the number of unnecessary multiple funds eroding balances through excess fees.

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Superannuation Minister Jane Hume has previously said the additional powers provided to the Treasurer would be used when there are grey areas that leave the regulator unable to intervene. Labor superannuation spokesman Stephen Jones, who is supported by the super industry, has criticised the powers as an overreach and previously wrote to Colition MPs warning them of its potential use by future governments.

Mr Jones letter warned Mr Joyce the extra powers would unite miners and greenies in their concerns.

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Barnaby Joyce against Treasurers power to block superannuation investments - The Sydney Morning Herald

I set up my Twitter account way back in 2008. Sounds almost primitive now.

When I joined Twitter, it felt like a multi-theme cultural festival. There were people discussing music, cinema, food, costumes, poetry, creativity, philosophy, science, et cetera and sometimes politics, too. Sounds primitive.

But what really attracted me was the uncensored humour. A typical day on Twitter would start with motivation, discussions on headlines, some satirical trolling, food, fashion, movies in the evening, and, after a few drinks, a typical Twitter day would end with a satirical trend where everyone participated.

#DrunkTweets would often flash up in trending topics. People from all spectrums interacted freely. Also, the limit was only 140 characters. An idea, when restricted to fewer words, becomes sharper.

Every tweet, in 140 characters, was the essence of a central idea on which people elaborated. Blocking or muting was a rare phenomenon.

Of course, this was typical first world behaviour. Exactly like when the Jaipur Literature Festival used to be an elitist event.

Twitter then attracted the elite of Lutyens. Wherever elites go, media follows. Soon, media started reporting from Twitter. Not the news but the creative tweets.

The media would quote tweets of famous, but anonymous, trolls which summed up a major debating topic, in novel satire.

There was an informal competition between Twitterati as to who would write better to be quoted by the media.

Of course, there were opinions but the opinions didnt concern the common man: the common man wasnt concerned about Twitter. It was the test-marketing of the attention economy.

This created Twitter celebs or influencers. Racism, sexism, casteism, genderism and almost all kinds of bigotry, misogyny, insults and politically incorrect expressions were freely flowing, disguised as jokes. Whoever questioned them was labelled downmarket.

This is when a celebrated, has-been journalist coined the label Internet Hindoo for such downmarket people. This wasnt Hinduphobia. It was an elitist way of reminding Hindus that they were slaves.

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I had not heard the term Hinduphobic on Twitter till 2014. Instead of the Left or the Right wings, there was only the Who-Gets-More-Validation wing.

Shashi Tharoor was an undisputed star of Twitter as he could write well in English, flirt openly with famous lady journalists in India as well as in Pakistan. Since Aman ki Asha was a favourite theme on Twitter, he was kind of their brand ambassador.

But all complex English comes with an expiry date. One day, some conscientious journalist reported his most infamous tweet where he disparagingly referred to economy class as cattle class.

It became the first official political outrage where Sonia Gandhi had to intervene and he was forced to resign as a minister. This also marked the first instance of loss of power and destruction of credibility. By one tweet.

The media had tasted blood. They learnt two things: the power of Twitter in influencing domestic politics and that they could save money on grounds reporting by taking feed directly from Twitter.

Almost all media followed, including the regional media. Wherever the media goes, politicians follow. And vice versa.

Arvind Kejriwal used both very successfully to fulfil his political ambition in disguise of a social revolution against corruption.

The Congress became sceptic of Twitter as they had burnt their hands with Shashi Tharoors adventures with Twitter and saw Twitter a one of their opponents.

But social media visionary Narendra Modi, who was victimised by the media, saw it as a big opportunity. He understood that Twitter is nothing but a broadcaster of ideas. He used it to his advantage. Rest is history.

The platform not only empowered nationalistic leaders like Modi but also played a decisive role in Brexit vote and Donald Trumps victory. These victories empowered political slums -

the silent majority of small town, vernacular, middle class people, especially the young.

To be able to directly speak to a Shah Rukh Khan or a Cabinet minister or your favourite journalist or even criticise, troll or abuse them in full public display is a powerful experience. With the political slum questioning the political skyscrapers, elites of Twitter started getting rattled.

The accentuated left-liberal world was now shown a mirror by the vernacular right. Thus began a war. A real war where people started losing their reputations, jobs, fame, status. And political power.

Twitter power became political currency.

On the Twitter of 2008, strangers used to become friends; but in todays Twitter, friends are becoming enemies. In the pre-2014 world, there used to be tweet-ups, a social gathering of strangers who met on Twitter. I have been to many tweet-ups in many cities. Now even thinking about it is a nightmare.

A well-structured, systematic division was in place. The hunger for winning this war of words, insults, trolling and destruction of credibility, became the staple diet. Political narratives were dictated on Twitter. Everyone took their feed here. News channels started running debates on Twitter trends.

Today, there is no exchange of ideas, no dialogue, no appreciation. Only narratives. Political wars are won by narratives. Narratives are created by ecosystems. Its a war of ecosystems. Twitter loves this war. History has revealed that Wars only help the powerful. In this case, the Big Tech. Let me explain.

In a globalised world, governments dont create ecosystems. Ecosystems control governments. The United States is the best example. In a digital world, whoever controls the algorithm, controls power. Algorithms give them the power to influence minds, politics and policies. And hence, commerce.

In a globalised world, Big Tech is fighting for global control. This is evident in their vision for the future. At the World Economic Forum last year in Davos, Switzerland, the agenda was focussed on The Big Reset.

What is this Big Reset? Its nothing but to give more control and power to globalisation against local, nationalistic interests who want to preserve and protect their national culture and economy from global invasion.

The Big Reset wants to reform capitalism because the current form of capitalism is broken as its not sustainable, it creates inequality and requires infinite growth with finite resources.

It is believed that the market and local governments cannot be trusted to behave in order to make this world a better place. If the world does not move towards global rights (as dictated by Big Tech) and global control of useful ideas, it will lead to a catastrophe. Therefore, the world should be controlled by uniform vision and policies, even at the cost of local concerns, aspirations and visions.

The Big Reset wants to control the way we think and behave, for a larger good. Which means it must be allowed to dictate policies of nations for the global good. Globalisation does not anymore mean the interconnected nature of the world economy, it simply means more centralised global thinking and decision-making.

We are moving towards a world where The Big Reset shareholders will control how a nation should grow food, distribute and consume it. How their resources should be used for global good. They want uniform consumer behaviour. For which consumers have to discard their current beliefs, tastes and choices.

A global reengineering project is in place. This is possible by creating doubt and stimulating fear and anger towards everything local with the help of algorithms controlled by Big Tech.

Twitter holds this power of influencing minds. Its algorithms are designed in such a way that they subvert all the goodness and greatness that exists in societies and trend any flaw to prove that the local system is rotten and must be torn down. (some references taken from @gummibear737)

Ideology, culture and consumer behaviour are also a matter of habit. The algorithms are created to change such habits and get more people to get addicted to their global agenda and, eventually, become true believers of their manifesto.

Anyone who doesnt subscribe must be shadow banned or suspended. If you think this is a fantasy, please listen to a 3-hour, 25-minute-long Joe Rogan podcast with Jack Dorsey, co-founder and CEO of Twitter, Vijaya Gadde, global lead for legal, policy, trust and safety at Twitter, along with an independent free-speech activist and independent journalist Tim Pool.

Here you can hear Jack confessing that Twitter is indeed tilted towards the left-liberal ideology and Vijaya Gadde informing that they do not have any clear-cut mechanism of censoring posts. She says that only a few hundred people screen millions of reports for Twitter abuse every day: an impossible task.

According to her, to understand what is abusive in a local society, they hire a team of local experts. All these local experts are only from one spectrum of political ideology the left-liberals. I wont be surprised if these so-called local experts are disguised as fact checkers and free speech activists.

Free speech is being weaponised and used against the opponents of this Big Reset.

The current clash between the Government of India and Twitter is the manifestation of the same politics. For the GoI to ask social media platforms to comply with regulations is how things should be done in the age of cyber/info and a possible bio-warfare. Its common sense.

But Twitter is trying to convert a legal issue into a political battle which is nothing but a reflection of the current political reality. The fight is about who is going to have more control.

Instead of compliance, Twitter is trying to use its algorithms to propagate this as an 'attack on free speech' and flag contrarian views as manipulated media. This strategy had worked successfully in influencing American presidential elections. Trump lost. Both the presidency as well as his Twitter account, forever.

Twitter thought that this would work in India too. Twitter assumes that by manipulating public outrage in their favour they can corner the Modi government which is firefighting its fast plummeting ratings amidst the COVID crisis.

Obviously, when Modis image is at its lowest, an attack on free speech narrative would sink it further.

But India is not the USA and Modi is not Trump. For India is not a believer of objective truth like the Christian world. India is a profounder of subjective reality.

This is manifested beautifully in a 70s classic movie Deewar. In this Amitabh Bachchan movie, written by the genius duo of Salim-Javed, Amitabh Bachchan, playing a smuggler asks his younger brother, Shashi Kapoor, a police inspector, Who is listening to me a brother or a police inspector? To which Shashi Kapoor replies: As long as a brother is speaking, a brother is listening. When a thief speaks, a police officer will listen.

So far, the government of India used to behave like a forgiving elder brother. For the first time, by issuing a befitting public reply to Twitters falsehood, in the same Twitterati language, the Government of India has shown spine and has taken Twitter on. For a change, like the Deewar scene, its clear who is a cop and who a thief.

If you want to understand who is the thief here, please ponder upon why Twitter algorithms promoted Capitol Hill siege as an act of domestic terrorism, but when exactly the same kind of siege took place at the Red Fort on Republic Day, it was promoted as a 'democratic dissent'.

Every other opinion is flagged as manipulated media. Because the manipulated media has the power to flag everything else as manipulated media which is not part of The Big Reset.

Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri is a national award winner filmmaker, bestselling author and a public intellectual.

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