Patrick Cockburn explains the recent up-welling of religious warfare occurring in the Middle East in his book, The Jihadis Return: ISIS and the New Sunni Uprising. The situation in the Middle East could be the defining crisis of my generation and Cockburn does a good job reporting the details.
In No One Would Listen: A True Financial Thriller, Harry Markopolos, the financial fraud detective who studied Bernie Madoff’s questionable returns in early 2000, narrates the entire history and investigation of Bernie Madoff’s ponzi scheme — starting in 1998. I was shocked, as was Markopolos, on learning about the negligence and failure of the SEC on numerous occasions. The book provides a good summary account of the Madoff fraud and the people involved. It also provides important insight into financial fraud, reform, and regulations.
I ran across an article, Maya Murals: Stunning Images of King & Calendar, which talked about a discovery in Xultún, Guatemala. It was of a dwelling which contained numerous murals painted by the Maya. Thought to be 1,200 years old, it contains some interesting depictions. Especially a picture of three black men, who are apparently wearing white medallions and black headdresses. When I first saw this, I thought: “Why does a Mayan mural have three African men with ivory medallions wearing “Pharaoh” type headdresses?” I am not sure; could it be that the Maya had a special desire to paint themselves black, perhaps like a panther? Or is this evidence of a connection with Africa?
Top Documentary Films posts links to numerous free films. It has been one of my favorite places to visit when I am bored; I especially like the coverage of controversial and radical subjects — films which are unlikely to be found on sites like Netflix and Hulu. One such documentary is Counter Intelligence, an investigation and history of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. Through declassified public documents and former CIA officers, the film reveals how the CIA has operated in the past. Studying the history of the CIA, one can speculate as to how the agency may be influencing current world events.
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