By Matthew Hayward In the shadows of history lie countless forgotten scandals, complex webs of deceit, corruption, and power that once sent shockwaves through societies around the globe. From the Panama Papers to Operation Fast and Furious to the 1MDB Scandal and the DC Madam scandal to the Battle of Athens, this blog post delves into the details of these remarkable events that, despite their implications, have slipped from public consciousness. Join us as we peel back the layers of time and bring these once earth-shattering scandals back into the spotlight. LIBOR Scandal (2012):  The London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) is a benchmark interest rate used in global financial markets. In 2012, it was revealed that banks had been manipulating LIBOR for profit. This scandal had massive implications, affecting trillions of dollars worth of financial contracts globally. Barclays, the bank at the center of the scandal, was fined hundreds of millions of dollars, and several other banks we...

 By Matthew Hayward As Americans, we often take our country's financial system for granted, assuming that institutions like the Federal Reserve, our nation's third central bank, are foundational fixtures meant to stabilize and strengthen our economy. Yet, this perception overlooks a critical aspect of American history—that the concept of a central bank has been a subject of contention since the inception of our republic. Our founding fathers, including figures like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, harbored deep suspicions about central banking, viewing it as a potential menace to our liberty and democratic principles. The truth is that the debate over the establishment of a central bank is as old as our nation itself. In fact, one of the earliest controversies in our country's history centered around this very issue . In the late 18th century, Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, pushed for the creation of a central bank to help stabilize the young na...

 By Matthew Hayward Throughout history, countless examples of governments and other entities have attempted to exert control over populations. The results have often been disastrous, whether through gun control laws, censorship, or other means. Here are just a few historical examples that demonstrate control's dangers. The Armenian Genocide: During World War I, the Ottoman Empire carried out a genocide against its Armenian population. The government disarmed Armenians and other minority groups before the massacre, making it easier for the government to carry out the genocide. Black Slavery: For centuries, slave owners in the United States and other countries used force and control to maintain their power over enslaved people. Slaves were often denied the right to bear arms or any other means of defending themselves, making it easier for their oppressors to maintain control. Soviet Terror Famine: In the 1930s, the Soviet government carried out a famine, (in a country I cannot mentio...

By Matthew Hayward Story #1 In the late 1800s, the town of Port Townsend, Washington, was plagued by corrupt officials who abused their power and stole from the people they were supposed to serve. Frustrated and outraged, a group of citizens known as the Port Townsend Regulators decided to take matters into their own hands. They saw themselves as defenders of justice and the common good, standing up to a corrupt government that had lost its way. Too many people in Port Townsend and beyond, the Regulators were heroes who stood up to tyranny and fought for what was right. They were seen as fearless defenders of the people willing to risk their own safety to stand up to government corruption and abuse. The Regulators were praised for their courage, sense of justice, and willingness to take action when others would not. The Regulators' most famous act was the burning down of the Jefferson County Courthouse and Jail in 1889. This dramatic action was a symbol of the Regulators' deter...

While listening to Chris Hedges, author of Death of the Liberal Class, I could not help but agree that education in America is "vocational training for drones." As I read through the comment section, I came across a person talking about the innateness of human greed: The comments were from user: @bapyou and read as follows: ““"human beings are naturally selfish" There is no evidence that this is the case. Our capitalist economy teaches selfishness as a virtue -- the main component of the 3rd rate philosopher Ayn Rand, a woman whom every conservative nutcase on the planet worships as a goddess. In fact, there is far more evidence that the opposite is true. Human beings are not naturally selfish: capitalists wish we were, & so spend ungodly amounts of money convincing us that it is the case.” I agree that human beings are not entirely innately selfish. Once we have attained what we need to survive, the rest is dependent on our environment and intellectual and...