http://social.settimi.org/BLOG RSSWed, 12 Oct 2022 21:14:21 GMTWed, 12 Oct 2022 21:14:21 GMThttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/more-liberal-arts-for-west-virginia-and-beyondWest Virginia has always understood work.From coal seams and timber stands to small businesses on Main Street, our state was built by people who solve practical problems with skill and endurance. Today, the problems look different. Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries. Automation is transforming logistics and manufacturing. Remote platforms are altering education, health care, and finance. International trade has changedSat, 28 Feb 2026 17:57:25http://social.settimi.org/blogged/more-liberal-arts-for-west-virginia-and-beyondhttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/gnp-a-self-defeating-and-deceptive-disqualifier-to-measure-national-wealthAbstractFor nearly a century, nations have measured their wealth by the volume of capital their economies generate. Gross Domestic Product and its variants have served as the universal shorthand for national prosperity, shaping how governments allocate resources, how international institutions rank development, and how sovereign success is defined in both domestic politics and global markets. This paper argues that GDP is not merely an imperfect proxy for national welfare but an activeSat, 28 Feb 2026 17:57:37http://social.settimi.org/blogged/gnp-a-self-defeating-and-deceptive-disqualifier-to-measure-national-wealthhttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/politics-just-another-sportSports are like Politics. Politics is like Sports.In sports, a league can suspend a team. It can vacate wins. It can cancel a season. But long before any commissioner acts, something quieter happens: the crowd makes up its mind.Fans know what match fixing looks like. They recognize salary cap fraud and understand doping conspiracies. They sense when a franchise is collapsing under financial mismanagement. Once that recognition settles in, the scoreboard stops mattering. The statistics stillSat, 28 Feb 2026 17:57:40http://social.settimi.org/blogged/politics-just-another-sporthttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/criminall-conspiracya YouTube VideoU.S. Constitution gives presidents a very broad pardon power under Article II.Donald Trump used that authority in unusually personal and politically charged ways—often for allies or figures tied to his own agenda, like Joe Arpaio, Michael Flynn, Roger Stone, and Steve Bannon, but also convicted narco-traffikers and other neerdowells.Many presidents have issued controversial pardons, but Trump’s pattern raised sharper questions about whether clemencySat, 28 Feb 2026 17:32:49http://social.settimi.org/blogged/criminall-conspiracyhttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/missives of sj settimiParallel Nationalisms — Zionism and MAGA/Christian NationalismToward a Comparative Understanding of Two Sacralized State ProjectsI. IntroductionThis paper examines the parallels between Zionism and MAGA/Christian nationalism, two nationalist movements separated by geography and history yet sharing strikingly similar structures. Each movement is driven by theology, trauma, and authoritarian currents, and each aims to reshape the state into a sacred vessel of destiny.While ZionismFri, 05 Dec 2025 18:12:49http://social.settimi.org/blogged/missives of sj settimihttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/from-nuremberg-to-today-a-cautionary-note-on-authoritarian-drift-in-the-united-statesThe atrocities of Nazi Germany were not the product of a single man or party, but the mobilization of an entire society. Every segment — military, judiciary, industry, clergy, propaganda, and even ordinary citizens — contributed to the creation and maintenance of a regime that carried out genocide and war on an unprecedented scale. The postwar trials, most famously Nuremberg, exposed this total societal complicity, and distributed responsibility across multiple sectors.Today, the United StatesFri, 05 Dec 2025 18:12:43http://social.settimi.org/blogged/from-nuremberg-to-today-a-cautionary-note-on-authoritarian-drift-in-the-united-stateshttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/the-war-tariffThe War Tariff: America’s Cut of the CarnageThe U.S. calls it defense spending, but let’s be honest—it’s really a war tariff, a levy collected on human suffering. Every new shipment of missiles and tanks becomes another payday for the military-industrial complex.Trump’s latest plan takes this to another level. He wants Ukraine to “purchase” $90 billion in U.S. weapons—not as aid, but as a transaction. And he wants Europe to cover the bill. In this scheme, America sells, Ukraine bleeds, andThu, 04 Dec 2025 13:43:17http://social.settimi.org/blogged/the-war-tariffhttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/un-special-reportFrom  United Nations Human Rights Office of High Commissioner Report A/79/384;Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Francesca Albanese - Genocide as colonial erasureGaza: Key FindingsMassive destruction described as “scorched-earth” assault lasting nearly a year.Over 42,000 reported killed, including at least 13,000 children.Over 90% of Gaza’s population forcibly displaced, many multiple times.Aid sites,Thu, 04 Dec 2025 13:43:21http://social.settimi.org/blogged/un-special-reporthttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/the-silent-wave-it-s-a-tsunamiMost people never see a tsunami coming.The WaveNot at first.It begins with a quiet pull.The water doesn’t roar—it recedes.The shore is exposed.The tide goes out farther than it should.People stand still.Confused. Watching.Some take pictures. Some ignore it.Most don’t move.That was 2024.A political tide pulled away.Tens of millions didn’t vote.Others cast their ballots and hoped for stability—or revenge.But underneath, pressure was building.The sea was silent. But not still.Thu, 04 Dec 2025 13:43:35http://social.settimi.org/blogged/the-silent-wave-it-s-a-tsunamihttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/doublespeaking-truthThe Truth on the War on TruthLet’s stop pretending facts are enough. They’re not. In a world saturated with bad-faith arguments, weaponized narratives, and algorithmic echo chambers, facts are the floor—not the ceiling. And the floor is collapsing.We’re told we live in a “post-truth” era, but that’s just another euphemism for surrender. We haven’t lost the truth. We’ve let it be drowned out—by pundit spin, corporate messaging, and political doublespeak so shameless it would make Orwell reachThu, 04 Dec 2025 13:43:34http://social.settimi.org/blogged/doublespeaking-truthhttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/chaos-is-the-point-trumpism-explained-through-chaos-theoryTrumpism’s Hostile Takeover, Explained Through Chaos TheoryIn the turbulence of Donald Trump’s return to power—whether through the courts, campaign rallies, or cable news—one might be tempted to see nothing but noise. Bombast. Culture war bait. Legal theater. But beneath the noise, a quieter and far more dangerous pattern is emerging.It’s not dysfunction. It’s design.This new iteration of Trumpism isn’t just about deregulation or tax breaks. It’s about deliberate systemicThu, 04 Dec 2025 13:43:32http://social.settimi.org/blogged/chaos-is-the-point-trumpism-explained-through-chaos-theoryhttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/the-upcomming-washington-trialsSpoiler alret: Nuremburg in Washington DCJune 14, 2025 will be a very special day. A very special day indeed. It will mark the first Reichsparteitag on American soil—a grand military parade in Washington, D.C., staged to honor Donald Trump’s birthday.On that day, Mein Führer will preside over what he will no doubt call the greatest, most glorious, and most spectacular military celebration the world has ever seen. All in his name.Someday, when this dark chapter in the story of AmericanThu, 04 Dec 2025 13:43:37http://social.settimi.org/blogged/the-upcomming-washington-trialshttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/impact-of-state-level-trumpismWEST VIRGINIA: A CASE STUDY IN STATE-LEVEL TRUMPISMWest Virginia illustrates how right-wing nationalist policies have taken root at the state level—turning theory into lived experience. The state has become a testing ground for policies that mirror and, in some cases, extend the dismantling efforts once driven by the Trump administration at the federal level. These changes are not abstract—they are reshaping institutions, curtailing civil rights, and undermining economic stability for everydayThu, 04 Dec 2025 13:42:46http://social.settimi.org/blogged/impact-of-state-level-trumpismhttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/the-supreme-court-reaffirms-the-rule-of-law-por-finENCORE!A Flicker of Hope: The Supreme Court Reaffirms the Rule of LawThe recent Supreme Court ruling, compelling the return of an individual illegally deported to one of the world’s most brutal prison systems in El Salvador, is more than a legal correction. It’s a vital, if fragile, affirmation of the rule of law — and the enduring supremacy of the judiciary as a co-equal branch of government.In a political climate thick with the fumes of executive overreach and contempt for constitutionalThu, 04 Dec 2025 13:42:44http://social.settimi.org/blogged/the-supreme-court-reaffirms-the-rule-of-law-por-finhttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/trump-says-he-has-a-mandate-but-only-a-third-of-americans-voted-for-himAn Illegitimate LeaderIn the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris by just 1.5 percentage points. Since then, he and his allies have claimed the win represents a broad mandate to reshape the country according to his agenda. But the numbers don’t support that claim—at least not if we care about what the majority of Americans actually did on Election Day.Out of roughly 245 million eligible voters in the United States, about 156 million cast ballots. Trump receivedThu, 04 Dec 2025 13:42:43http://social.settimi.org/blogged/trump-says-he-has-a-mandate-but-only-a-third-of-americans-voted-for-himhttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/trump-hydra-taking-shape-in-red-statesThe right-wing nationalists of the Trump administration have launched a concerted effort to dismantle key institutions of governance. This includes abolishing entire federal departments, consolidating agencies with divergent missions, firing essential public servants, and slashing life-saving safety net programs both domestically and abroad. These actions not only undermine public trust and institutional integrity but also threaten national and local economies, public health, and security.AsThu, 04 Dec 2025 13:43:41http://social.settimi.org/blogged/trump-hydra-taking-shape-in-red-stateshttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/no-empathy-hereWhen Christians Are Taught Not to CareBy any moral compass—especially the one forged by the teachings of Jesus—apathy toward human suffering should be unconscionable. Yet today, many right-wing Christians are not only turning a blind eye to suffering, they’re being taught to see empathy itself as dangerous. Preachers in certain circles now claim that empathy is a “devil’s trick”—a means by which secular values sneak in to replace so-called “biblical truth.” But what could be more biblical thanThu, 04 Dec 2025 13:43:43http://social.settimi.org/blogged/no-empathy-herehttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/false-promises-of-tariffs-and-autarkyThe False Promise of Economic Isolation: Why Tariffs and Autarky Are a Dangerous DelusionIn a globalized world where economies are inextricably linked, the resurgence of autarkic rhetoric in American policy is a perilous throwback to outdated economic fantasies. The Trump administration’s imposition of tariffs on steel, aluminum, and a wide range of consumer goods was heralded as a bold move to reclaim American manufacturing might and economic independence. Yet, far from invigorating theThu, 04 Dec 2025 13:42:35http://social.settimi.org/blogged/false-promises-of-tariffs-and-autarkyhttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/when-you-throw-rocks-you-get-stungGemini offers a Parable In a bustling city, there lived two boys named Donald and Elon. Donald was known for his boisterous nature and Elon for his quiet curiosity. One sunny day, they ventured into a park, where they stumbled upon a towering tree with a large hornet nest hanging precariously from its branches.Impulsively, Donald, with his usual exuberance, hurled a rock at the nest. The hornets, startled and enraged, swarmed out in a furious cloud. Elon, startled by the commotion,Thu, 04 Dec 2025 13:42:29http://social.settimi.org/blogged/when-you-throw-rocks-you-get-stunghttp://social.settimi.org/blogged/the-enemy-within-and-domestic-terrorismThe Enemy WithinIt has been over 70 days since Donald Trump took office—an administration that began not with an oath to unite, but with a war cry against dissent, decency, and democratic norms. In just over two months, the Trump White House has struck fear not only into the hearts of millions of Americans, but into the conscience of the international community. Not through bombs or bullets—though those too have come—but through calculated policy, reckless rhetoric, andThu, 04 Dec 2025 13:42:27http://social.settimi.org/blogged/the-enemy-within-and-domestic-terrorism