an inconvenient truth

The always captivating Kottke re-acquaints us with an important and resounding contribution that Bertrand Russell made to the New York Times magazine (subscription required) in 1951 called “The Best Answer to Fanaticism – Liberalism: Its calm search for truth, viewed as dangerous in many places, remains the hope of humanity.” The eminent British philosopher, mathematician and political activist concluded his article with ten succinct and lucid points of advice (the probable namesake of Al Gore’s PowerPoint presentation) to uphold his civic antidote:

• Do not feel absolutely certain of anything. 
• Do not think it worthwhile to produce belief by concealing evidence, for the evidence is sure to come to light. 
• Never try to discourage thinking, for you are sure to succeed. 
• When you meet with opposition, even if it should be from your husband or your children, endeavor to overcome it by argument and not by authority, for a victory dependent upon authority is unreal and illusory. 
• Have no respect for the authority of others, for there are always contrary authorities to be found.
• Do not use power to suppress opinions you think pernicious, for if you do the opinions will suppress you. 
• Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric. 
• Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent than in passive agreement, for, if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement than the latter. 
• Be scrupulously truthful, even when the truth is inconvenient, for it is more inconvenient when you try to conceal it. 
• Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool’s paradise, for only a fool will think that it is happiness.

außenpolitische beziehungen

Stoking further incredulity by granting an interview to a far-right news outlet and expressing rather undiplomatically his ambitions to empower conservatives across Europe and the announcement inviting the conservative Austrian prime-minster for a luncheon, there are increasingly vocal calls for the expulsion of the newly-credentialed US ambassador to Germany.
Describing such outreach and partisanship as further undermining already strained trans-Atlantic relationship, Germany knows that harbouring such political sentiments would not be tolerated in Washington and should neither be suffered kindly in Berlin. Embassies are diplomatic missions, whereas consulates—in the traditional sense, were outposts to promote the sending country’s business interests and while consular services have become an extension of the diplomatic mission itself, corporate and ideological concerns were generally kept at a distance from statecraft. Now compromise and conciliation have been removed briskly from the hands of master negotiators and deal-makers and thrust into the hamfisted realm of senseless and destructive barriers to trade—to which the rest of the world is responding with targeted, retaliatory tariffs that are designed to punish constituencies allied with the Trump regime, possibly influencing the course of elections over jobs-security.

brother what a fight it really was

Though far more grim and gallowsy than another Prohibition Era map, we found this 1931 chart of Chicago’s gangland in terms of its breadth and detail to be a rather outstanding cartographical feat. Each grid and call-out is chocked full of information on violent clashes between authorities and the syndicate, heists and turf-battles—plus well-known haunts and infamous speakeasies. Be sure to visit Atlas Obscura at the link above to see the panels in full detail and context and to learn about the composition’s antecedents.

la repubblica popolare democratica di corea

Hyperallegic directs our attention to a modest gallery owner and art broker in a small Tuscan village who is responsible for the vast majority of North Korean art—inspiration, motivation placards, ephemera, propaganda posters and fine art—that enters into Western markets. The article also discusses the thousand-strong studio that produces much of what the gallery resells and that has executed monumental consignments for various institutions and world leaders at steeply discounted prices.

hang in there, baby!

Via Kottke, we discover this cache of recently declassified US National Security Agency/Central Security Services “motivational” posters produced from the 1950s through the 1970s meant to ensure employees remained mindful of operational security and secrecy. Learn more about the freedom of information act (FOIA) filing and the work of Government Attic whose persistence unearthed this veritable trove at the link above.