Boncompagno Da Signa Against His Rivals, Critics And Plagiarists

By Author Douglas Galbi: In contrast to our intolerant and repressive age, robust and vibrant public discourse existed in the relatively liberal medieval world. Medieval intellectuals, like unlearned children today, were intellectually capable of distinguishing between sticks and stones in some persons’ hands, and words in the mouths of others. Inquisitions and tribunals didn’t strive, with administrative torture, expulsions, and other vicious punishments, to make everyone safe from offensive communication. No pervasive codes of conduct promoted tyranny. Persons could vigorously disagree with each other, strongly dissent from prevailing orthodoxy, and deliver harsh criticism. No one had to fear being mobbed and destroyed because someone said that he made her feel uncomfortable. The great thirteenth-century rhetorician Boncompagno da Signa provides an inspiring example of the robust and vibrant public discourse so lacking today.
Boncompagno targeted his rivals with harsh invective that figured them as a monstrous beast. He allegorized his rivals as sin. They were the beast of jealousy, whose mother is pride:

The Yellow Vests Of France: Six Months Of Struggle

'Their uprising has unmasked the lies and violence of republican government, as well as the duplicity of representative institutions like political parties, bureaucratic unions and the mainstream media.'

By Richard Greeman: I am writing you from Montpellier, France, where I am a participant-observer in the Yellow Vest movement, which is still going strong after six months, despite a dearth of information in the international media.
But why should you take the time to learn more about the Yellow Vests?  The answer is that France has for more than two centuries been the classic model for social innovation, and this unique, original social movement has enormous international significance. The Yellow Vests have already succeeded in shattering the capitalist myth of “representative democracy” in the age of neo-liberalism.

"Wake Up, Turn Off Your TV, Join Us"

The Equality Myth

By Mark Dent: According to the Cambridge Dictionary, equality means:

The right of different groups of people to have a similar social position and receive the same treatment.

My interest in discovering the actual dictionary definition of the word was piqued by a recent exchange I heard between two football commentators on Melbourne radio a week ago. The men were discussing the physical shape and conditioning of an AFL player. They were quite harsh in their observations and one of the men paused and said:
“You know we could never talk like this about female footballers in the new women’s league.”
His co-host laughed and agreed: “No way! It would never happen.”
These mature ex footballers were fully aware of the consequences any honest observations about the physical condition of a female footballer would bring. The wrath of hell would descend upon their heads and they would be branded women haters, misogynists and body shamers. Then they would most likely be suspended or sacked from their jobs.

Xi (China) Sends Trump (USA) A Message: Rare-Earth Export Ban Is Coming

By Tyler Durden: Back in April of 2018, when the trade war with China was still in its early stages, we explained that among the five "nuclear" options Beijing has to retaliate against the US, one was the block of rare-earth exports to the US, potentially crippling countless US supply chains that rely on these rare commodities, and forcing painful and costly delays in US production as alternative supply pathways had to be implemented.
As a result, for many months China watchers expected Beijing to respond to Trump's tariff hikes by blocking the exports of one or more rare-earths, although fast forwarding one year later this still hasn't happened. But that doesn't mean it won't happen, and overnight President Xi Jinping’s visit to a rare earths facility fueled speculation that the strategic materials will soon be weaponized in China’s tit-for-tat war the US.
As Bloomberg reported overnight, shares in JL MAG Rare-Earth surged by the daily limit on Monday after Xinhua said the Chinese president had stopped by the company in Jiangxi, a scripted move designed to telegraph what China could do next.
The reason for the dramatic market response is that the presidential visit flags policy priorities, and "rare earths have featured in the escalating trade spat between the U.S. and China."

Game Of Flames - 'Feminists Are Never Placated'

By Robert Brockway: SPOILER WARNING. It is strongly recommended to only read this article after having completed watching the HBO series Game of Thrones. This article contains spoilers and also presumes knowledge of the Game of Thrones storyline.
Daenerys Targaryen, first of her name, Breaker of Chains, Mother of Dragons and… Destroyer of King’s Landing. Viewers of Game of Thrones should know by now that Daenerys Targaryen chose to have her last remaining dragon destroy King’s Landing even after it had effectively fallen to her forces. All that was left were a few remnants of the armies defending the city. Most opposition had capitulated and it was just a matter of mopping up any remaining pockets of resistance. But that wasn’t enough. Daenerys Targaryen destroyed a defenceless city, killing countless civilians – ostensibly her own subjects.
Like father like daughter. In fact, it’s better than that. Her father Aerys Targaryen, second of his name, famously said:

“The traitors want my city, but I’ll give them naught but ashes. Let Robert be king over charred bones and cooked meat.”

Truth About Brexit + Make America Suck Again ...Some More

Deek Jackson.