Ticks responsible for giving people a “meat allergy” are spreading further and wider because the planet is warming. That’s the story, anyway. The disease is called Alpha-Gal Syndrome, it is a condition where your body produces an immune response to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, a carbohydrate found in mammalian meat. It was first […]
“Have you ever wondered who’s pulling the strings? … Anything we touch is a weapon. We can deceive, persuade, change, influence, inspire. We come in many forms. We are everywhere.”US Army Psychological Operations recruitment video From viral memes to military-grade influence operations, the government is waging a full-spectrum psychological war—not against […]
It looks like we can add another to the growing mountain of problems that digital IDs are going to solve for all of us. We already know that digital IDs will help counter populism, and illegal immigration, and crime, and benefit fraud, and terrorism, and pandemics. But they’ll help tackle […]
The US Navy is sending at least three destroyers and various other craft to the Caribbean coast of Venezuela, allegedly on a mission to combat drug cartel activity. In response, Maduro has mobilized 4 million members of the national militia. Trump “hasn’t ruled out” boots on the ground, but in fairness, he […]
Alot has been written on the global food system—its industrialisation, ecological consequences and the erosion of cultural, economic and food sovereignty. Despite this onslaught, however, traditional rhythms and communal resilience persist in the countryside, especially in countries like India. Cultural practices continue to foster a sense of rootedness. What’s more, […]
“The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them imaginary.” H.L. Mencken Let’s not mince words: every American should be alarmed by President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tactics, theatrics and threats. What is […]
As India celebrates its 78th Independence Day on 15 August, the tricolour will flutter proudly across the nation. Speeches will echo the triumphs of freedom, resilience and progress. But beneath the patriotic fervour will lie an uncomfortable truth: independence means little if the nation’s food, land and farmers are being […]
My personal experiences seem to lag a bit behind the general population. I have not, until recently, noticed too many people succumbing to strange cancers. Now, quite a few have come up in my personal life, as well as in my professional life (experiences of my psychotherapy patients). We have, […]
Based on the original article I published in 2022, in light of the subsequent shift away from “representative democracy,” we need to be clear about what democracy really is. Otherwise, how can we know what we want or what we are willing to defend? Let’s start by discussing what democracy is […]
Six days ago, the Canadian province of Nova Scotia announced a total ban on hiking, camping, hunting or other human activity in the forest. A breach of this new rule is punishable by a fine up to 28,000 Canadian dollars. Then, yesterday, New Brunswick decided to enforce a similar ban in their forests. The aim, […]