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Books > Reference & Interdisciplinary > Controversial knowledge
Misogyny is a hot topic, yet it's often misunderstood. What is
misogyny, exactly? Who deserves to be called a misogynist? How does
misogyny contrast with sexism, and why is it prone to persist - or
increase - even when sexist gender roles are waning? This book is
an exploration of misogyny in public life and politics, by the
moral philosopher and writer Kate Manne. It argues that misogyny
should not be understood primarily in terms of the hatred or
hostility some men feel toward all or most women. Rather, it's
primarily about controlling, policing, punishing, and exiling the
"bad" women who challenge male dominance. And it's compatible with
rewarding "the good ones," and singling out other women to serve as
warnings to those who are out of order. It's also common for women
to serve as scapegoats, be burned as witches, and treated as
pariahs. Manne examines recent and current events such as the Isla
Vista killings by Elliot Rodger, the case of the convicted serial
rapist Daniel Holtzclaw, who preyed on African-American women as a
police officer in Oklahoma City, Rush Limbaugh's diatribe against
Sandra Fluke, and the "misogyny speech" of Julia Gillard, then
Prime Minister of Australia, which went viral on YouTube. The book
shows how these events, among others, set the stage for the 2016 US
presidential election. Not only was the misogyny leveled against
Hillary Clinton predictable in both quantity and quality, Manne
argues it was predictable that many people would be prepared to
forgive and forget regarding Donald Trump's history of sexual
assault and harassment. For this, Manne argues, is misogyny's
oft-overlooked and equally pernicious underbelly: exonerating or
showing "himpathy" for the comparatively privileged men who
dominate, threaten, and silence women.
Thoroughly investigated by a former Army officer and taken from his
review of hundreds of historical and government documents and
inperson interviews, this book chronicles more than 100 sightings,
events, and discoveries of alien encounters, government conspiracy,
and the influence of extraterrestrials on human events throughout
history. From prehistoric UFO sightings, cave paintings, and
ancient astronauts to modern sightings around the world, this book
investigates claims of aliens living among us, abductions of humans
to alien spacecraft, and accounts of interstellar cooperation since
the UFO crash in Roswell, along with evidence of what the
government knows and what it has covered up. This discussion of the
government secrets, theories, and mysteries surrounding aliens is
packed with thoughtprovoking stories and shocking revelations of
alien involvement in the lives of Earthlings.
In 1795 three boys discovered the top of an ancient shaft on
uninhabited Oak Island in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. The boys began
to dig, and what they uncovered started the world's greatest and
strangest treasure hunt but nobody knows what the treasure is. Two
hundred years of courage, back-breaking effort, ingenuity, and
engineering skills have failed to retrieve what is concealed
there.
Theories of what the treasure could be include Captain Kidd's
bloodstained pirate gold, an army payroll left by the French or
British military engineers, priceless ancient manuscripts, the body
of an Arif or other religious refugee leader, or the lost treasure
of the Templars. The Oak Island curse prophesies that the treasure
will not be found until seven men are dead and the last oak has
fallen. That last oak has already gone, and six treasure hunters
have been killed.
After years of research, the authors have finally solved the
sinister riddle of Oak Island, but their answer is challenging,
controversial, and disturbing. Something beyond price still lies
waiting in the labyrinth.
Through a series of specific questions that cut to the core of
conspiracism as a global social and cultural phenomenon this book
deconstructs the logic and rhetoric of conspiracy theories and
analyses the broader social and psychological factors that
contribute to their persistence in modern society.
Ebenezer Scrooge's cry of 'Humbug!' is well known throughout the
English-speaking world. But what did he mean? In this entertaining
book, P. T. Barnum (1810-91), defines 'humbug' as 'glittering
appearances by which to suddenly arrest public attention, and
attract the public eye and ear'. A showman himself and the creator
of 'The Greatest Show on Earth', Barnum was famous for his own
tricks, and describes here some of the most fascinating and
outrageous examples perpetrated in his time. He explores the cases
of Mr Warren, who wrote an advertisement in enormous letters on the
pyramids of Giza, and the Fox daughters, who caused a stir among
spiritualists in New York when they held seances with tapping
spirits - in fact their own cracking knee joints. First published
in 1866, this tour of Victorian humbug, fraud, superstition and
quackery will appeal to social historians and readers interested in
nineteenth-century popular culture.
This book is a joy to read and remains relevant in the current era
of financial boom and bust. Mackay examines animal magnetism,
money-mania, tulip-mania, the history of hair and facial hair,
haunted houses, and much more. Throughout history, the most
extraordinary fashions and trends have been followed unthinkingly,
and occasionally this crowd fever has overtaken not only a town but
a whole country; in some cases much of western Europe was engulfed
simultaneously. The ability of some manias to be so far-reaching,
and for common sense and intelligence to abandon such large
populations seem incredible, though the book is as
thought-provoking now as it was when first published in 1852.
Volume 2 examines the fervour of the crusades and of witch trials,
both of which engulfed Europe at different times. Explored on a
lighter note are haunted houses and a fashion for lady poisoners.
This book is a joy to read and remains relevant in the current era
of financial boom and bust. Mackay examines animal magnetism,
money-mania, tulip-mania, the history of hair and facial hair, the
crusades, haunted houses, and much more. Throughout history, the
most extraordinary fashions and trends have been followed
unthinkingly, and occasionally this crowd fever has overtaken not
only a town but a whole country; in some cases much of western
Europe was engulfed simultaneously. The ability of some manias to
be so far-reaching, and for common sense and intelligence to
abandon such large populations seem incredible, though the book is
as thought-provoking now as it was when first published in 1852.
Brought to life with exquisite engravings and witty commentary, the
first volume focusses on the financial bubbles in Europe and the
wide-ranging consequences of fashions in hair, prophecies and
alchemy.
The long-hidden story of a family we thought we knew--and of a
power-making apparatus that we have barely begun to comprehend.
After eight disastrous years, George W. Bush leaves office as
one of the most unpopular presidents in American history. Russ
Baker asks the question that lingers even as this benighted
administration winds down: Who really wanted this man at the helm
of the country, and why did his backers promote him despite his
obvious liabilities and limitations? This book goes deep behind the
scenes to deliver an arresting new look at George W. Bush, his
father George H. W. Bush, their family, and the network of figures
in intelligence, the military, finance, and oil who enabled the
family's rise to power. Baker's exhaustive investigation reveals a
remarkable clan whose hermetic secrecy and code of absolute loyalty
have concealed a far-reaching role in recent history that
transcends the Bush presidencies. Baker offers new insights into
lingering mysteries--from the death of John F. Kennedy to Richard
Nixon's downfall in Watergate. Here, too, are insider accounts of
the backroom strategizing, and outright deception, that resulted in
George W. Bush's electoral success. Throughout, Baker helps us
understand why we have not known these things before. "Family of
Secrets "combines compelling narrative with eye-opening
revelations. It offers the untold history of the machinations that
have shaped American politics over much of the last century.
"Carl Sagan once spoke of the need to balance the scientific method
with pure, unadulterated wonder. Scott Alan Roberts picks up that
mantle by examining the Nephilim, the hybrid offspring of the
intercourse between human women and ancient extraterrestrials. If
only for just a moment, kick out the props of science and religion
and let Scott take you to that place where sometimes the questions
tell us far more than the answers."
--George Noory, Coast to Coast AM
"If you've gone to Sunday school and read Genesis, you've no doubt
encountered the mystery of the
Nephilim, the strange giants whose offspring mated with the
offspring of Adam and Eve. Who were these creatures and how did
they get here? The Rise and Fall of the Nephilim... is sure to
challenge your beliefs and get you to look at the other side of
Creation."
--Bill Birnes, publisher, UFO magazine; The History Channel's
"Ancient Aliens"
The ancient books of Genesis and Enoch tell us that sprit beings
known as the Watchers descended to the Earth, had sex with women,
and begat a hybrid race of offspring known as the Nephilim.
Such tales are as old as humanity itself. These histories and
accounts of visitations and subsequent mixed-blood, alien-human
races comprise the bulk of the world's myths, legends, religions,
and superstitions.
The Rise and Fall of the Nephilim examines:
Elohim and the Bene Ha Elohim--God and the Sons of God
The Watchers: UFOs, extraterrestrials, angels, infiltrators, and
impregnators
Biblical and apocryphal sources from Enoch to Moses
The role of the Fae, Elves, Elementals, and ancient gods
What if the old spiritualities and religions weren't just legends?
What if there was something living and breathing beneath the
surface, a tangible interlinking of religious thought and
spirituality, science and myth, inter-dimensionality and cold, hard
fact?
The Nephilim walked among us... and still do today.
Why are there so few Muslim terrorists? With more than a billion
Muslims in the world-many of whom supposedly hate the West and
ardently desire martyrdom-why don't we see terrorist attacks every
day? Where are the missing martyrs? These questions may seem
counterintuitive, in light of the death and devastation that
terrorists have wrought around the world. But the scale of
violence, outside of civil war zones, has been far lower than the
waves of attacks that the world feared in the wake of 9/11.
Terrorists' own publications complain about Muslims' failure to
join their cause. The Missing Martyrs draws on government sources
and revolutionary publications, public opinion surveys and election
results, historical documents and in-depth interviews with Muslims
in the Middle East and around the world to examine barriers to
terrorist recruitment, including liberal Islam, revolutionary
rivalries, and an inelastic demand for U.S. foreign policy. This
revised edition, updated to include the self-proclaimed "Islamic
State," concludes that fear of terrorism should be brought into
alignment with the actual level of threat, and that government
policies and public opinion should be based on evidence rather than
alarmist hyperbole.
We live in times of increasing inscrutability. Our news feeds are
filled with unverified, unverifiable speculation, much of it
automatically generated by anonymous software. As a result, we no
longer understand what is happening around us. Underlying all of
these trends is a single idea: the belief that quantitative data
can provide a coherent model of the world, and the efficacy of
computable information to provide us with ways of acting within it.
Yet the sheer volume of information available to us today reveals
less than we hope. Rather, it heralds a new Dark Age: a world of
ever-increasing incomprehension. In his brilliant new work, leading
artist and writer James Bridle offers us a warning against the
future in which the contemporary promise of a new technologically
assisted Enlightenment may just deliver its opposite: an age of
complex uncertainty, predictive algorithms, surveillance, and the
hollowing out of empathy. Surveying the history of art, technology
and information systems he reveals the dark clouds that gather over
discussions of the digital sublime.
The infamous literary hoax that fooled the art world On January 8
1960, artist Nat Tate set out to burn his entire life's work. Four
days later he jumped off a Staten Island ferry, killing himself.
His body was never found. When William Boyd published his biography
of Abstract Expressionist Nat Tate, tributes poured in from a whole
host of artists and critics in the New York art world. They toasted
the troubled genius in a Manhattan launch party attended by David
Bowie and Gore Vidal. But Nat Tate never existed. The book was a
hoax. Will Boyd's biography of a fake artist is a brilliant probe
into the politics of authenticity and reputation in the modern art
scene. It is a playful and intelligent insight into the
fascinating, often cryptic world of modern art.
The myth of Bigfoot has captured the popular imagination since the
creature's first public debut in 1958-numerous citations of
'evidence,' newspaper articles, books, hysterical personal
accounts, and even Hollywood movies illustrate the American
public's enduring romance with the Sasquatch. The scientific
community on the whole, however, has stubbornly refused to comment
on what it views as a very tall tale, though Bigfoot's existence
continues to be hotly argued between proponents of the beast and
its skeptics. Now, biological anthropologist and primate physiology
specialist David J. Daegling enters the fray to offer both sides of
the dispute benefit of objective scientific study. A well-crafted
read, Bigfoot Exposed will prove to be as much a model of
scientific method for anthropologists and researchers as it is an
engaging and persuasive debunking of the myth of Bigfoot.
How to Make a Movie on a Tight BudgetToday's indie film market is
growing by leaps and bounds and filmmaker Rickey Bird and
screenwriter and novelist Al Guevara are on a mission to help indie
moviemakers everywhere. Bird and Guevara want to show aspiring
filmmakers how to overcome common movie and video production
problems: Not enough money for crews Over budget and likely making
the wrong movie Can't get the attention of an indie studio Should
have started with a short film to gain attention Amateur Movie
& Video Production. Thousands of aspiring filmmakers are
learning how to use cheaper, widely available filmmaking
technology, and the craft of making movies from books pulled from
bookstore and library shelves. Their work is totally DIY and they
are the most creative people you will ever meet. Rickey Bird's
Hectic Films is a Southern California enterprise building a
filmmaking empire on a budget. His short films, feature films,
micro docs and tutorials have landed in some of the biggest
American film festivals and been seen online worldwide. The result?
Millions of views worth of exposure from films online, in festivals
and creative marketing literally on the street. His many projects
have seen leading B actors like Hulk Hogan and Vernon Wells (Mad
Max Road Warrior), make-up artists from the TV show Grimm, and
stuntmen from the Call of Duty games. What you'll learn in this
book: How planning and shooting a short film today can lead to a
feature-length project tomorrow Everything you need to know about
writing a movie project on a burger budget Tips on how to find
locations and not get arrested Shooting tips galore for building
exciting scenes Sound and film editing tips and all kinds of
special effects wizardry, including puppetry Screenings,
promotions, and juicy tips on film festival strategy If you liked
books such as How to Shoot Video That Doesn't Suck, The Filmmaker's
Handbook, or Rebel Without a Crew, you'll love Cheap Movie Tricks.
The Assassination of JFK, 9/11, the Da Vinci Code, The Death of
Diana, Men in Black, Pearl Harbor, The Illuminati, Protocols of
Zion,Hess, The Bilderberg Group, New World Order,
ElvisFluoridization, Martin Luther King's murder, Opus Dei, The
Gemstone Files, John Paul I, Dead Sea Scrolls, Lockerbie bombing,
Black helicopters... In other words everything 'they' never wanted
you to know and were afraid you might ask! Jon E. Lewis explores
the 100 most terrifying cover-ups of all time, from the invention
of Jesus' divinity (pace the Da Vinci Code) to Bush's and Blair's
real agenda in invading Iraq. Entertainingly written and closely
documented, the book provides each cover-up with a plausibility
rating. Uncover why the Titanic sank, ponder the sinister
Vatican/Mafia network that plotted the assassination of liberal
John Paul, find out why NASA 'lost' its files on Mars, read why
no-one enters Area 51, and consider why medical supplies were
already on site at Edgware Road before the 7/7 bombs detonated.
Just because you are paranoid, it doesn't mean that they aren't out
to conspire against you.
An enthralling exploration of the most audacious and underhanded
deceptions in the history of mankind, from sacred relics to
financial schemes to fake art, music, and identities. World history
is littered with tall tales and those who have fallen for them. Ian
Tattersall, a curator emeritus at the American Museum of Natural
History, and Peter Nevraumont, an award-winning book producer, have
teamed up to create this anti-history of the world, in which
Michelangelo fakes a cupid; the holy foreskin is venerated; arctic
explorers search for an entrance into a hollow Earth; a woman is
elected Pope; and people can survive on only air and sunshine. Told
chronologically, HOAX begins with the first documented announcement
of the end of the world from 365 AD and winds its way through
controversial tales such as the Loch Ness Monster and the Shroud of
Turin, past proven fakes such as the Thomas Jefferson's ancient
wine and the Davenport Tablets built by a lost race, and explores
bald-faced lies in the art world, journalism, and archeology.
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