Category: human rights

The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith

On By Rick McIn books, ethics, human rights, TVLeave a comment

Robert Galbraith is J.K. Rowling. I’m still reading her books — though disgusted with how she has made trans people miserable, driving some to suicide.

This is her legacy.

I haven’t cancelled J.K. Rowling as she’s not ALL bad. She’s donated much to charity. And may even be a good person who somehow stumbled into this issue, getting it way wrong.

She’s caused a lot of harm.

The Hallmarked Man (2025) is the 8th novel in the Cormoran Strike detective series, and a return to form.

Themes explored in the plot involve Freemasonry, human trafficking, the silver antiques trade, corruption in the media, secrecy surrounding the military and intelligence services, mental health issues …

That said, the book is too long, as are most of her books in this series.

The relationship between Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott is agonizing and stupid. I can’t believe so little has progressed over 8 books.

I used to be sympathetic for Robin, as Strike is such an asshole. But she’s just as bad.

The only person to cheer for is Office Manager Pat. 😀

Worse — perhaps — is the plot. WHY did they take on a case to identify a mutilated corpse? WHY spend so much time and manpower on this case?

Who cares?

Story line convoluted and hard to follow. At the end, I read some explainers ➙ and still can’t be bothered to understand the plot.

IF you can get past those flaws, I actually enjoyed this book.

It’s skillful, without question.

I actually like the pretentious epigraphs at the start of each chapter.

Worst in the series was Ink Black Heart (2022). I couldn’t finish that one. This one I can recommend.

BUT — for me — the Strike (TV series) is better than the books.

Ultramodern Singapore

On By Rick McIn economics, food, government, human rights, travelLeave a comment

Clean, efficient, safe. An ideal tourist destination for me after chaotic Indonesia.

Almost everyone speaks English. They are very welcoming of visitors.

Yes, some things are very expensive. But you can have a great time spending very little money.

For example, Shimano Cycling World will rent you a high end road bike for $150. Or you can take one of their mountain bikes for free. Nice.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. Drone footage I shot of myself was done in one of the parks dedicated to drone pilots. Singapore thinks of everything. 😀

Changi Airport (always ranked in the world) provides free city tours if you have a layover of enough hours at the right time of day.

Singapore’s diversity of cuisine is touted as a reason to visit the country, due to its combination of convenience, variety, quality, and price.

I find it a very green city.

Singapore is an economic success story. This tiny island nation has the highest PPP-adjusted GDP per capita in the world. 

Singapore ranks highly in key social indicators: education, healthcare, quality of life, personal safety, infrastructure, and housing, with a home-ownership rate of 88 percent. 

Singaporeans enjoy one of the longest life expectancies, fastest Internet connection speeds, lowest infant mortality rates, and lowest levels of corruption in the world.

This is the kind of nation fiscal conservatives should study.

Personally, it’s not democratic enough for me.

The laws too strict. Singapore still has the death penalty.

Male homosexual relations were not decriminalized until 2022.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Apple in China by Patrick McGee

On By Rick McIn Apple, books, economics, education, ethics, government, human rightsLeave a comment

I thought I knew the story of Apple. BUT what I really knew was the story of Steve Jobs.

Looking back in 2025 at what made the company thrive, it was 2 other men.

Market chain guru Tim Cook, of course.

But even more so, Terry Gou, who, in 1974, founded FoxConn in Taiwan.

Incredibly ambitious, by 2012 Foxconn made up approximately 40% of worldwide consumer electronics production.

Just one of his many huge factories in China produces the bulk of Apple’s iPhone line and is sometimes referred to as “iPhone City”.

Needless to say, there are many abused workers in those plants. They don’t last many months on the gruelling production line.

Over the years, Gou and others steadily wooed Tim Cook and Apple to move manufacturing to China.

Today over 90% of Apple products are made in China. A huge risk for the company if authoritarian dictator-for-life Xi decides to invade Taiwan. Or shut down exports.

Attempts to move production to other nations have been mostly experiments. Or motivated by politics, not business.

In the meantime, Chinese engineers — many trained by Apple — are building cheaper, better Chinese phones in China. They no longer need Apple.

It’s a precarious situation.

Apple in China is a 2025 book uniquely looking at the company from the viewpoint of China.

In her May 15, 2025 review for The New York Times, Hannah Beech called Apple in China “smart and comprehensive,” praising Patrick McGee’s clever and chronologically organized timeline of how Apple’s expansion to China manufacturing facilities under then COO Tim Cook created a global success but also an “existential vulnerability” for the United States. 

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Surprisingly, he doesn’t talk about the future.

SOME DAY robots will do much of the assembly.

Happy Canada Day 2025

On By Rick McIn government, human rightsLeave a comment

With that idiot Trump again in office — I’ve never been happier to be a citizen of Canada.

As per the U.S. News Best Countries rankings, Canada is in terms of quality of life, behind Sweden and Denmark.

If you don’t like Canada, you are free to leave. 😀

We don’t restrict personal freedoms as the ReTrumplican governments do in the USA.

Trump declares MARTIAL LAW. “Postpones” Elections.

On By Rick McIn bad news, economics, GOP USA, government, human rights, Islam, things getting worseLeave a comment

An international crisis. Trump uses the excuse to declare martial law in the USA.

He suspends civilian legal processes. Commander in Chief Trump and the U.S. Military are in charge.

It could happen.

The martial law concept in the United States is closely tied with the right of habeas corpus, which is in essence the right to a hearing on lawful imprisonment, or more broadly, the supervision of law enforcement by the judiciary.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday lent some support to calls to suspend habeas corpus as part of the administration’s immigration crackdown after aide Stephen Miller said the White House was considering the idea.

The Hill – May 14, 2025

We know Trump wants to be a Royal like murdering dictator-for-life MBS in Saudi Arabia.

Trump’s first international visit?

To the nation of bin Laden. 15 of the 19 terrorists in 911 were from Saudi Arabia.

Is this really America First? It looks like Trump First.

You know Elon Musk would be 100% supportive of declaring martial law. He’s already openly emulating Hitler who did exactly this in Germany ➙ February 28, 1933, effectively suspended many constitutional rights, creating a state of emergency and giving the Nazis significant control.

Here’s the best discussion on this issue, I’ve seen. Timothy Snyder is an American historian who’s an expert in Tyranny.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Tony Retrosi on Compassionate Governance

On By Rick McIn education, ethics, GOP USA, government, gymnastics, human rightsLeave a comment

Tony Retrosi is a highly respected Gymnastics coach, educator, and leader.

He’s one of the Americans dismayed with the turn of Republican politicians to ReTrumplicanism. Angry, hateful, intolerant, near totalitarianism.

In 2025 you must parrot the low IQ Trump’s lies, or be banished from the GOP.

I was impressed with Tony summing up in this post:

  • a country should take care of its weakest members … children, disabled, sick, and elderly
  • healthcare is a right, not a privilege
  • higher education should be affordable
  • massive moral problem with a society where a handful of people can possess the majority of the wealth while there are people literally starving to death, freezing to death, or dying
  • companies should be required to pay their employees a decent, livable wage
  • don’t force religion on me or mine
  • LGBT people should have the SAME rights as everyone else
  • we NEED regulations to prevent cut corners, environmental destruction, tainted food/water, unsafe materials in consumable goods or medical equipment, etc. 
  • systemic racism and misogyny in our society is much worse than many people think
  • enforcement of present firearms laws and enacting new, common sense gun regulations
  • I believe in so-called political correctness … social politeness
  • funding sustainable energy
  • women should be paid the same as men who do the same work, should have the same rights as men and should be free from abuse

Read more …

The Value of Compassionate Governance

Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari

On By Rick McIn Artificial Intelligence AI, bad news, books, climate change, economics, education, ethics, GOP USA, government, happiness, health & fitness, human rights, internet, things getting worseLeave a comment

Any panel put together to save the world, would certainly include Professor Yuval Noah Harari. 

He’s a BIG thinker. 

Some feel he overstates the risks to mankind. I’d rather we err on the side of caution.

His 2024 book is …

Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI

I’m not smart enough to explain his thinking — but here’s a ChatGPT summary of the non-fiction tomb.

Main Focus: Nexus explores the intersection of technology, human evolution, and the future of societies, emphasizing the merging of biological and digital realms.

Technological Convergence: Harari examines how advancements in genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology are changing humanity’s relationship with itself and the world.

Human Enhancement: A central theme is the idea that humans may soon be able to enhance their biological and mental capacities through technology, leading to “post-human” forms of existence.

Ethical Implications: The book raises questions about the ethics of altering human biology, creating artificial life, and the consequences of tampering with the essence of what it means to be human.

Social and Economic Impact: Harari discusses how these technological advancements could lead to social divides, with some individuals or groups gaining access to powerful enhancements while others are left behind.

Surveillance and Control: A significant concern is the potential for increased surveillance and control over individuals’ minds and bodies, both by governments and corporations.

Evolution of Consciousness: Harari reflects on how human consciousness may evolve or change in response to these new technologies, as well as the philosophical questions surrounding free will and identity.

End of Homo Sapiens: The book suggests that humanity might be on the verge of an epochal shift, where Homo sapiens could be replaced by a new, technologically-enhanced species—either through natural evolution or deliberate engineering.

Uncertainty of the Future: Harari emphasizes the unpredictability of the future, acknowledging that the developments discussed could lead to both utopian and dystopian outcomes.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Other booksSapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (2011)
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (2015)
21 Lessons for the 21st Century (2018)

USA is a ‘Flawed Democracy’

On By Rick McIn economics, GOP USA, government, happiness, human rights, things getting worseLeave a comment

The American economy might never have been stronger relative to the rest of the world than in 2024.

BUT more and more of that money is going to the very rich. If that continues, you can project the States will be come some kind of oligarchy. Perhaps even a totalitarian state.

Government power in an oligarchy rests with a small number of people; nobility, fame, wealth, education, or corporate, religious, political, or military control. Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Iran are all oligarchies.

The Economist still ranks the USA as a ‘flawed democracy‘ in their annual Democracy Index. Only 29th on the list of democracies.

The full democracies 2023:

  1. Norway
  2. New Zealand
  3. Iceland
  4. Sweden
  5. Finland
  6. Denmark
  7. Ireland
  8. Switzerland
  9. Netherlands
  10. Taiwan
  11. Luxembourg
  12. Germany
  13. Canada
  14. Australia
  15. Uruguay
  16. Japan
  17. Costa Rica
  18. United Kingdom


I want to live in a full democracy where it’s easiest to get rid of leaders the majority don’t want. As Churchill said: “democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried.”

The full democracies tend to have a smaller gap between rich and poor.

Russians can’t get rid of Putin. Ali Hosseini Khamenei has been the leader of Iran since 1989. Iranians can’t get rid of him.

Americans should be wondering whether they can get rid of Musk or Trump.

It’s obvious that the top 1% buy American politicians who vote in their interest. This chart is from 2014. Things are much worse in 2024.


At its heart, this is a problem of corruption – caused by money in our political system. 

THE U.S. IS AN OLIGARCHY? THE RESEARCH, EXPLAINED

Thanks Tony.

BEST Social Networks 2025

On By Rick McIn blogs, ethics, Facebook, friends, gymnastics, hiking, human rights, internet, media, things getting worse, TwitterLeave a comment

For most people, Instagram and TikTok are the most entertaining. I don’t much look at either.

If you want to avoid POLITICS, Meta (Instagram, Facebook, Threads) has definitely reduced the emphasis on political arguments. In Canada, a bonus for using Facebook is that news links are banned.

I haven’t quit Twitter — surprisingly — as my own feeds focused on Gymnastics and Hiking are still good. If I click on Following and avoid For You, the stream is valuable. Of course I quickly block anything I don’t like.

I post today as many of the people online I trust and respect are migrating to Bluesky.

Looking more for VIDEO than anything else, these are the sites I use most:

I hate advertising. Facebook doesn’t offer paid ad-free feeds, so I use ad blockers.

I hate Elon Musk and refuse to send him even one penny. So use ad blockers.

I use WhatsApp only for small group communication. It’s excellent. Messenger, as well, only for communication with very few people.

I’ll check Reddit once in a while if I’m looking for something specific.

Mastodon could be my favourite, but it’s not caught on with the people I want to follow.

LinkedIn should be best of all. But I’ve never seen much value for my purposes.

I never signed up for Snapchat. Hikers are mostly on Instagram. Gymnastics coaches mostly on Twitter.

I’ll try Bluesky. But I’m worried it will never grow big enough.

If desperate, I’ll create a browser bookmark folder and open all these social media sites simultaneously to check the latest news in Gymnastics and Hiking. OR … could I use an A.I. client to do that for me?

Brainstorming … 😀

Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions

On By Rick McIn books, ethics, GOP USA, government, human rightsLeave a comment

I’m against Capital Punishment. I still recall the moment I decided — in Ms. Dalton’s class. She was my favourite High School teacher.

If it was wrong for people to kill, it was wrong for the government to kill.

ONE reason is the risk of wrongful conviction. Wrongful death penalty.

Check this new non-fiction publication.

In ‘Framed,’ John Grisham teams with an activist to spotlight real-life injustice

Grisham and Jim McCloskey tell 10 gripping and galling tales of the wrongly convicted.

One of the worst cops wrongfully putting people in jail was Norfolk, Virginia Police Detective Robert Glenn Ford. In February 2011, Mr. Ford was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison for other crimes. Ford served his sentence and been released — though some are calling for further investigation into his past extorting confessions from innocent people.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.