User Profile

One - Create a Movement

Populist leaders identify or create grievances of real people whose views and problems are not being respected by the elite. Movements differ from political parties in the that they are outside of above the corrupt system, A driving factor is often fear of others - immigrants, the undeserving poor, the international elite, and real people need a strong leader to deal with these fears. Any criticism of the leader is taken as an act of oppression by the establishment, even if Donald Trump, Nigel Farage, Boris Johnston and other populist leaders are, rationally, from the ranks of the establishment, rather than real people

Like Chris Atkins in the non-fiction A Bit of a Stretch the protagonist is a white collar educated inmate, but Malcolm Bannister finds a different way to get out of jail. In both cases there is a mixture of prisoners who fell afoul of the law once, and those who have been, and are likely to continue to be repeat offenders. Rehabilitation is not mentioned (It would not fit the plot in this case,but in a wider context I am wondering if there are other possible upbeat ways to exit the prison system)

Reading this in the context of Democracy for Sale, Corruptible and others on the ways the democratic political process can be undermined, I would hope some whistle-blower or other oversight system of the CIA would prevent this from happening in reality, but ...

Another book on the challenges to Democracy, having some resonances (I suspect) with Corruptible:Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us.

Ishak is poet and companion to the Caliph of Baghdad, and is leaving the city in the company of Hassan and other members of the caravan.

The chapter on The Visible Cell features the observation of 'cells' in cork by Robert Hooke, published in Micrographia, in 1665. This was shortly before the Great Fire of London, and shortly after that Ashes of London has a scene set in the laboratory of Charles II as well as giving some historical context to the science.

Interesting view from the other side of the Justice System, agreeing with Nothing but the Truth on percentage of prisoners with mental health issues, and how Justice is a complex problem.