Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in The Swamp.
Look Both Ways
I remember when I was a kid and it was time to learn how to cross the street so I could get back and forth to school without either of my parents walking or driving me there, my dad's first words were "remember to look both ways, son." And every day from that point—that point where I had earned my "walking to school" freedom—before he'd leave the house to go "serve and protect" the rest of the folks in our city, he'd say, "Billy, look both ways." And I always did. The prospect of being hit by an oncoming car whose driver couldn't see a four foot kid walking out into the middle of the street simply terrified me. Hey, we ALL know it happens.
- Top Story - January 2018
30 Curious and Obscure Words, Phrases, & Insults (Which Are Totally Not All About One Specific Tremendously Stable Genius)
Lexicography is a wonderful thing. The study of words and language, the strange and fascinating ways in which these words came to be, and how they have linguistically evolved over time, is a subject ripe for intellectual curiosity.
Jack Anderson KeanePublished 6 years ago in The Swamp Why It's Not Possible to 'Drain the Swamp'
To understand why it's not possible to "drain the swamp," you first have to go back and understand how the swamp came to be in the first place.
Richard Van SteenbergPublished 6 years ago in The SwampDelisting of the Yellowstone Grizzly Bear Population From the Endangered Species List and the Trump Administration's Vital Mistake
In August of 2017, twin orphaned grizzly bears were admitted to the Riverside Discovery Center and Zoo in Scottsbluff, Nebraska by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The bears’ mother was illegally shot and killed by a black bear hunter in June. Wildlife officials thought that the two yearling brothers would survive on their own, but as they became used to using humans to feed them, they were captured and transported to the Riverside Discovery Center where they will serve as an educational experience for visitors from around the country. In July of 2017, the grizzly bears of Yellowstone National Park were delisted from the endangered species list that they had been protected by for 42 years. The species has been protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1975 and have grown back from fewer than 150 bears to an estimated 700 whom have led the US Fish and Wildlife Service to believe the population has met the requirements to be considered recovered. Recently, the Trump Administration has changed some of the requirements regarding animals listed as an Endangered Species. Nowadays, it appears that bears that wander away from protective boundaries such as National Parks can be hunted and killed. Although their numbers have improved, conservation groups such as The Humane Society and Native American tribes greatly oppose and are lining up to sue to stop the delisting since they believe that the bears need to continue to be protected under the Endangered Species Act as climate change has left the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in uncertainty. The Center for Biological Diversity, the Sierra Club, the National Parks Conservation Association, and the Northern Cheyenne tribe filed a lawsuit in August challenging the US Fish and Wildlife Service's June Yellowstone grizzly delisting. By looking at the grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park, one can see that delisting the grizzly bears from the Endangered Species list will be dangerous for the species itself due to hunting, climate change, and a lack of adequate food sources.
Sierra SpearsPublished 6 years ago in The SwampSee You Later, President Obama
This past weekend, I followed the changing of our Nation’s leaders on YouTube. Barack Obama and family leaving the White House, while Trump and family moved into the White House. I watched sadly, as Obama waved and then turned to walk into the plane. I shed a few tears. Then I went out, and got a little drunk as well. He had made history. I had loved him as our President. I didn't feel as though it was just President Barack Obama, but First Lady Michelle Obama, a poised and beautiful black woman, who was intelligent and possessed a sense of humor, and their family, had represented our country perfectly.
Lady SundayPublished 6 years ago in The SwampCarillion’s Collapse – What Does It Mean?
So, it has happened – a lot quicker than I thought it would. Although I should really have been keeping abreast of the news, I didn't actually hear last year's profit warnings or know that Carillion had been awarded a contract by Chris Grayling for HS2 in what turned out to be their dying days. Because of this, I didn't know that they were in trouble, and so their collapse did come as a surprise to me – apparently many other people saw it coming. In the end, the UK government decided not to bail them out, resulting in Carillion's liquidation. I hope that this was for sound economic reasons, rather than purely ideological ones, although we may never know as what matters now is the consequences. No point poring over what might have been; there's quite enough to put right whatever decision they might have reached. It is worth exploring the type of work that Carillion was employed for: this will allow us to see just how many pieces there are to pick up.
Katy PreenPublished 6 years ago in The SwampFamous Political Scandals of the 1970s
With such controversies as Monica Lewinsky, Benghazi, and John McCain's inclusion among the "Keating Five," we come upon a slippery slope in American self-interests when realizing that America isn't the best place in the world. Suffice it to say, America has had more internal issues than most other countries, besides the UK or Russia, for that matter. Over the past 50 years, in themselves, have shown a good quantity of sex scandals, money laundering, and plain old political tyranny, most of which we might have never know even existed.
Donald GrayPublished 6 years ago in The Swamp- Top Story - January 2018
Tim Hortons Helps Canadians Cut Down on Coffee Consumption by Being Total D*cks to Their Staff
COBOURG, ON—Ontario's Liberal government made a lot of plans to improve the lives of Canadians for 2018, and Tim Hortons franchisees were not interested in being left out.
Is It Fear or Hate?
I believe that I was brought up with an open mind. My parents are two polar opposites in terms of opinion, politics, likes and dislikes, meaning I could always see the other persons point of view, though empathy came when I grew and experienced the world for myself. And one thing I noticed about the inhabitants of our little ball of dirt; why are we always angry about something?
Courtney J WilkiePublished 6 years ago in The SwampMovie Review: 'The Post' (2017)
Ben Bradlee: So, can I ask you a hypothetical question? Kay Graham: Oh, dear. I don't like hypothetical questions. Ben Bradlee: Well, I don't think you're gonna like the real one, either.
Carlos GonzalezPublished 6 years ago in The SwampThe Truth about Donald Trump’s Racist “Shithole” Comment
It was one hell of a week for Trump, but nothing new other than the gross fanning-of-the-flames caused by the shit-show called the legacy media losing their integrity faster than their ratings. For those who are living under a rock, Business Insider writes:
Liberty Against TyrannyPublished 6 years ago in The SwampWe Gave Him a Chance
The United States has, throughout its history, experienced some grueling hardships: wars, economic depressions, shootings, etc. In spite of these events, we have always been able to recover and continue to be a strong nation. But what happens when we reach uncharted waters in that our own president is the direct cause of our turmoil? President Donald Trump, a title that sounded ludicrous up until his improbable victory over the heavily favored and experienced Hillary Clinton, has taken the reigns and led us down a turbulent and chaotic road. When the election results were in there was an overwhelming sense of shock, fear, and uncertainty; but optimists like myself were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and chance to lead and maybe prove the critics wrong. But now, as his presidency nears its one-year anniversary, it has been enough of a sample size to prove his critics right.
Nicolas De CastroPublished 6 years ago in The Swamp