from the casual critic

#SF #videogames

Weaving the threads from its two predecessors together, Mass Effect 3 brings the trilogy to an an epic conclusion. As war erupts across the galaxy and sentient life fights for survival, the game brilliantly reflects the stakes in its narrative and pacing. Mass Effect 1 was a spy thriller and Mass Effect 2 a heist movie, but Mass Effect 3 is the disaster film. With the Reapers (sentient AI that exterminate all advanced organic life every 50,000 years or so) swarming across the galaxy and conquering Earth before the game even properly begins, Mass Effect 3 sets a frenetic pace from its opening salvos, and rarely gives you time to catch your breath. You escape Earth to be sent to Mars, then to the Citadel (the galactic capital) to ask for aid, only to immediately divert to the home planet of another species which is also under Reaper assault. The pace does let up somewhat as you get further into the game and the number of sidequests proliferates, but I was easily 10 hours in before it felt like I had any opportunity to choose what to do next, rather than running from one disaster to another. Combined with the significant and effective use of cutscenes, the dramatic pace and the cinematic feel of the game are seriously improved.

Much rests on the shoulders of Commander Shepard, and hence the player, as they are sent off to rally a reluctant galaxy to humanity’s aid. This is a marked departure from Mass Effect 1 and 2, where the player was the hero of their own story, but those stories were embedded in a greater galactic whole. Not so in Mass Effect 3. As the game progresses, it becomes clear that Commander Shephard is the fulcrum on which the entire war effort moves, and without whom no successful action can be taken. Heroes holding the fate of the known world in their hands is a story as old as Achilles, but where the known world is a galaxy of trillions engaged in a collective struggle for surival, positing that only one person can be its saviour plays dangerously with our willing suspension of disbelief. All games have to make the player feel important enough to entice them to continue playing, but Mass Effect 3 does so excessively, diminishing both the potential of its worldbuilding and the emotional pay-off we might feel on its completion.

Compared to its two predecessors, Mass Effect 3 operates on a grand scale. As the war continuous, you travel to parts of the galaxy referred to but never visited in the previous games, including the homeworlds of all of the key species. As you return to the Citadel, increasing numbers of refugees, injured and casualties make tangible the impacts of the ongoing war, with news updates from distant fronts and defeats adding to the sense of impending doom. And the game makes this personal, with key NPCs from previous games joining the lists of those KIA.

Those casualties are part of a thread woven through Mass Effect 3 that reflects on the decisions, actions and friendships you made along the way. Assuming you carried forward your character from Mass Effect 1 and 2, you discover how your actions influenced people, and how they perceive the person you have become. There is a deliberate, and generally successful, effort here to humanize Commander Shepard and to make the player connect with them as more than a mute protagonist carrying a gun around. This representation of ‘Commander Shepard, the person’ is an essential counterpoint to core thread of ‘Commander Shepard, the saviour’, and without it the narrative would have collapsed in on itself under the weight of its own messiah complex.

Mass Effect 3 is an excellent example of the ‘protagonist problem’ as proposed by Ada Palmer and Jo Walton. Their original essay is available via Uncanny Magazine and I strongly recommend giving it a read. What Palmer and Walton diagnose is an unhealthy overabundance of stories that centre a protagonist, someone without whom the story cannot progress, and the effect that has on our collective imagination. As with any systemic condition, any individual instance is never in and of itself the problem. It is the aggregated impact of a multitude of individual instances that creates the systemic effect, but I think Mass Effect 3 is an instance worth highlighting. Both because of the extreme level to which it takes its ‘protagonismos’, and the game’s own struggle with how to parse this.

The endgame of Mass Effect 3 is predicated on the notion that only Commander Shepard can save the galaxy. This is the inevitable culmination of a narrative arc that makes our character central to every major action during the Reaper War. Nothing moves without Commander Shepard. Alliances are forged, interstellar disputes dating back to a time when most humans would barely travel a few kilometers by cart are settled, ancient artefacts are uncovered, but only by Commander Shepard. We are told there is an entire galaxy out there engaged in a fight for its very existence, but for all that we can tell, they might as well all be playing Space Invaders.

And it is not just the key missions or diplomatic interventions that rely wholly on Commander Shepard. While you are busy saving the galaxy, the game offers a plethora of side-quests. So while you are trying to make peace between a race of synthetics and their creators who have been at war for centuries, you have to make a brief detour to pick up some fossils or acquire some encryption keys, because you overheard a random NPC express a desire for these. All of this feeds into a game mechanic where you acquire ‘assets’ to help you in the final assault on the Reapers, with a higher asset score securing a better outcome. Both your main missions and the side quests contribute to this, in a way that can often feel somewhat uncalibrated, as individual NPCs rate equally to entire squadrons of warships. But what it comes down to is this: only Commander Shepard can make the number go up.

Mass Effect 3 does try to undercut this overwhelming focus on its protagonist with humorous self-reflection and greater investment in your companions. Your allies make frequent references to your inability to dance or complete any mission without causing extensive property damage. As you walk around your spaceship, you can overhear your allies have conversations with one another, unlike in either of the previous games. The game works hard to create the impression of a world outside Commander Shepard, where people have experiences not mediated by you. But it cannot help itself, and still makes the ultimate fate of your companions at the end of the game dependant on whether you engaged them in conversation at crucial points or not. It is Commander Shepard: Galactic saviour, courier, and therapist.

Some degree of protagonismos is of course unavoidable in an action-RPG or first-person-shooter (FPS) where you inhabit your character. A videogame has to give you the power to act in the world, and for it to be compelling those actions must be meaningful. But it is not necessary to make the entire universe revolve around the player. I am reminded of Half-life, featuring perhaps the most famous mute protagonist, where despite your centrality to the plot it is clear that things happen in the world that are unaffected by your actions, and that you are only one of many heroes sent to deal with the game’s core threat. You just happen to be the only one who succeeds. Or Citizen Sleeper, a game where your actions make small but meaningful change to a community at the edge of civilisation. Or Subnautica, a game based entirely on surviving a natural environment that is fundamentally indifferent to your existence. Or Helldivers, where you are indistinguishable Starship Trooper #588102, until you are killed and become indistinguishable Starship Trooper #588103. Even the original Mass Effect itself was more grounded in the limited role it had you play in a wider galactic context.

None of this makes Mass Effect 3 a bad game. On the contrary, I regard it as the best of the trilogy, keeping the best parts of its predecessors while discarding the worst. The combat is fluid and challenging but not frustrating. The story is great and excellently paced. The annoying minigames have been removed. The morality system is still there, but feels better calibrated than in Mass Effect 2. And evident care and attention has been given to deepening the relationships between the player and their companions. But in the end the game simply tries to do too much. It cannot restrain itself. Even its attempts at self-deprecating humour or humanising reflection still end up having life-or-death consequences. So strongly does the game desire to make the player feel consequential, that it makes you into a black hole for everyone else’s agency.

Of course it is fun, and flattering, to be the hero, but as Palmer and Walton remind us, no actual conflict or problem depends so critically on the actions of only one person to resolve it. By making the player so central to everything that takes place, Mass Effect 3 diminishes the world it has created and makes its universe feel oddly empty. It feels like a play with only one actor, on a stage otherwise filled with lifeless props. Its culmination in an act of self-sacrifice that ushers in a new galactic era is the antithesis of One Battle After Another’s recognition that we all make our contribution to an intergenerational struggle for justice that may never really end.

Palmer and Walton persuasively argue that a surfeit of protagonismos in our cultural environment can disempower those of us who do not identify as heroes, and cause reckless arrogance in those who do. At a time when so many of us feel a distinct lack of power in our lives, there is great attractiveness to an escapist fantasy in which we, and we alone, can solve an entire universe’s problems. Yet Mass Effect 3’s very excess of heroic agency leaves us feeling smaller and more depleted when it is game over. At that time, it is worth remembering that instead of cosmic heroism, it can be the small acts of kindness that save the world.

Notes & suggestions

  • As noted in the blog itself, I strongly recommend the original essay on The Protagonist Problem by Ada Palmer and Jo Walton, which you can find here.
  • Citizen Sleeper is an excellent little science-fiction game that isn’t interested in saving the galaxy, but explores how being human means being part of a community. In Other Waters by the same developer plays with similar themes and is also worth it, but does veer even more to the meditative side.
  • It may be that theatre as an art form is more amenable to stories lacking a clear protagonist. It’s not something to which I have given much thought (yet), but writing this blog reminded me of Small Acts of Love and its insistence on the agency we have in each and every one of us to make the world a kinder place.
  • If you feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the challenges that face us in the present day, from inequality to climate catastrophe, consider joining a collective effort to make a difference. This could be a workplace union, a tenants association, a community organising group, a political party or something else. Unlike Commander Shepard, you do not need to save the world on your own.
 
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from Douglas Vandergraph

For centuries, the world has searched for the Holy Grail. Some chased relics. Some chased legends. Some chased conspiracies. And others dismissed the entire pursuit as medieval fantasy.

But behind all the myths, all the artwork, all the lore, all the speculation… a deeper truth was hiding in plain sight.

A truth Jesus revealed long before knights ever rode into the pages of legend. A truth that outshines every cathedral vault, every ancient manuscript, every dusty chalice.

And that truth is this:

The Grail is not something you find. The Grail is something you become.

Holy Grail meaning

This message changes everything.

Because once you understand the true identity of the Grail, you will understand your calling. Once you understand your calling, you will understand your purpose. And once you understand your purpose, you will never walk through another day of your life with uncertainty about who you are in God.

The World’s Greatest Misunderstanding: Humanity Looked for a Cup When Jesus Pointed to a Heart

From the legends of King Arthur to the writings of Chrétien de Troyes, from the medieval romances to the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci, people have imagined the Grail as a gold cup, a priceless relic, a sacred vessel lost to time.

Entire pilgrimages were formed around the belief that finding the Grail would unlock spiritual power, physical healing, or divine revelation.

But here is what almost no one stopped to ask:

If the Grail were a physical object, why would Jesus never once tell His followers to guard it? To protect it? To preserve it? To search for it?

The answer is breathtaking:

Because the Grail was never supposed to sit behind glass. It was supposed to walk on two feet.

It wasn’t created to be displayed. It was created to be lived.

It wasn’t designed to be admired. It was designed to be filled.

This is why Jesus did not place the future of His Kingdom into the hands of relic hunters. He placed it into the hearts of disciples.

He didn’t give them something to store. He gave them something to carry. He gave them something to become. He gave them something to pour into the world.

The world searched for an artifact. Jesus pointed to an identity.

Why Jesus Used a Cup—And Why the Cup Was Never the Point

At the Last Supper, Jesus lifted a cup, knowing every eye was watching Him. Knowing every disciple would remember that moment until their final breath.

He chose a vessel that everyone understood: simple, ordinary, humble, practical.

Why?

Because the Kingdom of God is built on the ordinary becoming extraordinary when it is surrendered to Him.

A cup is not glorious. A cup is not powerful. A cup is not famous. A cup is not sacred on its own.

A cup becomes sacred only because of what it holds.

And Jesus was teaching this exact truth:

The true sacredness of a vessel is determined by the presence it carries.

This is why He said:

“This is my blood… poured out for many.”

Not preserved. Not hidden. Not sealed. Not locked away.

Poured.

A cup that cannot pour is not fulfilling its purpose.

And a believer who refuses to pour is living far beneath the calling God placed inside them.

The Grail was not sacred because it was a cup.

It was sacred because it was a symbol of a new people through whom God would pour His Spirit.

You are that people. You are that vessel. You are that Grail.

The Shocking Truth: The Grail Was Never Lost—It Was Placed Inside the Believer

Here is the revelation the early church understood but the modern world forgot:

The Grail is not an object—it is the believer filled with Jesus Christ.

Scripture teaches:

  • Believers carry “treasure in jars of clay.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)
  • The Spirit of God dwells within human hearts. (1 Corinthians 3:16)
  • Living water flows from within the believer. (John 7:38)
  • The life of Christ is poured into His followers. (Galatians 2:20)
  • The Church is the living temple of God. (Ephesians 2:22)

Nothing in these passages points us toward a golden cup hidden in a cathedral vault. Everything points toward you.

The Grail is not a vessel made by artisans.

It is a vessel made by God Himself.

A vessel formed in your mother’s womb. A vessel shaped by His hands. A vessel designed for divine purpose. A vessel chosen to carry the love of Christ.

The Grail was never missing.

It was misunderstood.

The Grail’s Power Has Always Been Connected to What It Carries

In legends, the Grail is said to bring healing, revelation, renewal, even immortality.

But think about this:

What brings healing more than forgiveness? What brings revelation more than truth? What brings renewal more than grace? What brings eternal life more than the gospel?

Every gift the legends ascribed to the Grail… Jesus placed inside the heart of every believer.

Not in a relic. Not in a cup. Not in an artifact. Not in an object of myth and mystery.

But in you.

You carry the love that heals. You carry the truth that illuminates. You carry the grace that restores. You carry the message that brings eternal life. You carry the presence that transforms darkness.

No artifact can do these things.

Only a person filled with Christ can.

This is why YOU are the Grail.

What Separates a Grail From an Ordinary Vessel? Its Willingness to Be Filled

God does not choose people because of perfection.

He chooses them because of willingness.

A vessel is only powerful when it is surrendered. A vessel is only useful when it is available. A vessel is only sacred when it is consecrated.

Your calling is not to be flawless.

Your calling is to be fillable.

This is why the first disciples were fishermen, tax collectors, rebels, doubters, and ordinary men and women who had nothing impressive to offer God—except an open heart.

God is not impressed by polished vessels.

He is moved by surrendered ones.

He is drawn to the open. He is drawn to the humble. He is drawn to the broken who say, “Fill me again.” He is drawn to those who carry Him into dark places.

A cup cannot tell the potter how to shape it.

A vessel cannot dictate what it will carry.

You are the Grail because you were made to be filled—again and again—by the presence of Jesus Christ.

Why the Grail Was Never About Perfection: Cracked Vessels Pour the Fastest

Many believers say:

“I’m too broken to be used.” “I’m too flawed.” “I’m too scarred.” “I’m too weak.” “I’ve made too many mistakes.”

But here is the miracle:

A cracked vessel pours faster. A scarred vessel understands pain. A humbled vessel carries compassion. A wounded vessel knows how to comfort. A restored vessel knows how to restore others.

Your weaknesses do not disqualify you from being the Grail.

They qualify you.

Because the Grail was never about appearance.

It was about availability.

Jesus chose vessels that the world rejected so He could fill them with glory the world could not deny.

You are not too broken to carry Christ.

You are the perfect candidate for His love to pour through.

The Mission of the Grail: Pour God’s Love Into a Thirsty World

This is where identity becomes purpose.

A Grail cannot keep what it holds. It must pour.

This world is thirsty—not for religion, not for ritual, not for relics—but for love that awakens the dead places inside them.

Your mission is to pour:

Pour peace into chaos. Pour healing into brokenness. Pour forgiveness into bitterness. Pour hope into despair. Pour courage into fear. Pour truth into lies. Pour compassion into cruelty.

Wherever darkness grows, a vessel filled with Christ becomes the antidote.

You are not called to store God’s love.

You are called to release it.

Everywhere you go, you carry what the world needs most.

This is why you are the Grail.

The Grail Walks—It Does Not Sit on Shelves

A relic can only sit still.

But the Grail God created moves.

It travels through workplaces. It enters schools. It walks into living rooms. It steps into hospitals. It stands beside the grieving. It comforts the forgotten. It loves the unlovable. It shines in dark corners.

The Grail was never meant to be locked away.

It was meant to invade the world with hope.

It was meant to carry the presence of Christ into every environment where pain has taken root.

It was meant to move.

And that is why God chose human beings—not artifacts—to carry His Spirit.

Where the Grail Is Now in 2025: Standing in the Mirror

The world still wonders:

“Where is the Holy Grail today?”

It is not buried. It is not missing. It is not guarded by secret societies. It is not hidden in a temple. It is not lost to time.

It is exactly where God intended it to be:

Inside you.

Inside your words. Inside your actions. Inside your compassion. Inside your courage. Inside your love. Inside your service. Inside your forgiveness. Inside your presence.

God placed the Grail where no enemy could steal it. Where no government could confiscate it. Where no institution could control it. Where no collector could hoard it.

He placed it inside the heart of every believer who carries Jesus Christ into the world.

That is the greatest secret of all:

The Grail is alive. The Grail is walking. The Grail is breathing. The Grail is reaching. The Grail is you.

A Final Word to Every Grail God Has Raised in This Generation

The world does not need another legend.

It needs you.

It needs what you carry. It needs who you are becoming. It needs the presence inside you. It needs the love flowing through you. It needs the grace you’ve received. It needs the forgiveness you’ve tasted. It needs the Christ who lives in you.

The Grail is not a mystery to solve.

It is a mission to live.

And your mission begins now.

Step into your identity. Walk in your calling. Pour into the thirsty. Love the unlovable. Shine in the darkness. Carry Jesus boldly. Let your life overflow.

You are the vessel. You are the Grail. Go pour God’s love into the world.

Signature

In Christ, Douglas Vandergraph

Support This Ministry

Support the mission through a cup of coffee: Buy Douglas a Coffee

#Faith #HolyGrail #ChristInYou #Purpose #ChristianLiving #DivineCalling #WalkInLove #BeTheVessel #SpiritualIdentity #JesusLives #Inspiration #ChristianMotivation

 
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from Lastige Gevallen in de Rede

Rabarbaar!

Ik wil rabarber stelen en ruggen van schilder rijen adem lozen in hozen ban aan zetten en uit halen wil ik meer deren, vaker ik wil onder goed boven aan er midden in staan wil ik allemaal maar ondanks dat onzin zat ik heb dit continue in bezit op 't gat mijn lid maatschap de contributie samen bij de hand in hand gemeenschappelijk aan bijtafel en bed onderdelen zolang ik kan rabarber stelen

 
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from Both And All At Once

I've been thinking about this blog for a while. A couple years maybe if I'm being honest. I almost started a Substack a year ago, had the logo and the taglines and a few posts written and everything but something still felt really superficial about it. Really preachy and contrived.

I'm a multi-racial (I mean my genetic make-up comes from a combination of more than three races, just to give some context). I was also raised with one Jewish parent and one Catholic and though my siblings and I were raised in the Jewish faith we also celebrated all the big Christian holidays, attended church for our cousins baptisms and family weddings and also a number of midnight masses on Christmas Eve over the years.

And it's just an interesting way of living. You end up feeling like you belong everywhere and nowhere all at once. You and up learning over and over again how two things can be true, but also how three and four things can be true simultaneously as well.

In my experience, most people still exist in a world of either/or. There is a right and a wrong, a good and a bad and all these folks are ready to argue on the Internet for the side they stand on, until everyone on the other side is destroyed.

But what if there is no side? What if that's your reality?

Most days, in most situations, it's mine.

I hope to tell stories on here of what it has felt like to live that way as a child, to live that way now as a woman, a mother, a wife, through many careers, including one emerging in education. And, most importantly, to tell stories of what this is like as a human being committed to doing G-d's work, letting G-d lead and living here now. And please, if using this term G-d instantly has you turning away use whatever word in place of this you like: the universe, the Creator, Source, the Divine, Nature). I plan to use them interchangeably as I write but I don't want to be afraid of using any words here because how that might or might not attract or push someone away.

Maybe some of my stories will resonate? Maybe they'll offer a new perspective? A new way of seeing? Maybe none of them will connect with anyone in anyway? Maybe both/and? (See where I'm going here ;).

I just didn't want to live any longer without offering the stories I've lived and am living. Without offering the words I feel moved to write. So here I am.

I'm planning to post on Sundays. I hope to also add some more features to the blog. But, as with the rest of life, this is all a grand experiment and I'm not in the driver's seat. I am simply lit up by the idea of watching to see if this flower will grow. Or die. And if it grows, how it will unfurl.

I like the idea of the writings on this blog being like letters to a group of friends I love dearly, who I am unafraid to share the depths of my heart with.

So, on that note, friends, until next time...

And may you always find the miracles that are meant for you!

xo BAAAO

 
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from Lastige Gevallen in de Rede

Warme Wissel Stroom

Apparaat uit, Apparaat aan knopjes indrukken, daarmee doorgaan alle omroep kanalen een voor een langs gaan en wederom heb ik aan al uw verwachtingen voldaan

Een leven lang boodschappen ontvangen en versturen iedere dag de mij toegestane bewegingsruimte huren geen overbodige stekkerdozen tussenin de vele muren altijd zetelend in de warmte der heiligste aller vuren

mensen op weg naar een enorm belangrijke uitslag mensen bespreken een uur lang de komende laatste dag mensen vertonen een in bepaalde kleuren geverfde vlag mensen gaan uiteindelijk altijd voor elkaars gedoe overstag

mensen praten over mensen voor mensen mensen kijken naar mensen die bezig zijn mensen vervullen andere mensen hun wensen mensen produceren producten voor het consumptie opslag en handel terrein

mensen transporteren mensen mensen praten over praten, mensen kijken naar mensen in het vertoonde spel mensen noemen elkaar namen, mensen willen elkaar beschamen mensen vinden andere mensen beter dan sommige mensen mensen leven in een door mensen gefabriceerde wereld mensen praten al wandelend over een lopende rekening mensen in de slag met het veranderen van een instelling mensen in de weer met een ding noodig voor een ander ding mensen adverteren een verzekering veranderen een te nauwe stadsring mensen rijden over door mensen gemaakte wegen naar een door mensen gebouwd oord mensen worden tijdens hun bezigheden door andere mensen gestoord mensen bewegen naar rechts mensen bewegen omhoog mensen heffen hun vuist mensen staan op mensen tetteren aan je suffe duffe kop mensen slapen naast mensen of alleen maar met mensen in de nabijheid mensen wensen meer of minder mensen van een bepaald slag type, mensen zoeken naar mensen werk proberen hun hobby met mensen centen te betalen mensen gaan aangelijnd op zoek naar informatie over mensen mensen praten over mensen, veroordelen mensen, maken mensen groot of klein mensen laten mensen kijken naar schermen, luisteren naar luidsprekers mensen in de weer met de natuur in de tuin mensen met een paal mensen en of met een perk mensen met kennis van zo'n paal en of perk het is des mensen werk mensen met een vak mensen met een roeping mensen met een diploma uitgereikt door mensen volgens de diploma regels opgesteld door eerder mensen mensen met een richtlijn een doel een reden voor opstaan of nood daar aan mensen met een stok mensen met een bril mensen met een hoog geluid mensen met een geurtje mensen met een wil om geld te verdienen aan mensen mensen in een huis mensen in een gevangenis mensen in een reservaat mensen in een hotel mensen bij de mensen deur drukken op een mensen bel mensen op bed mensen aan de bak mensen met bananen mensen in het water mensen waaien mee met orkanen mensen met een hekel aan mensen met met onrust in hun lijf mensen zijn overal en altijd bezig met hun soortgenoten mensen in het mensen bedrijf

einde van het etmaal nog een maal de roependen op de kanalen afgaan de hoogste late tijd om naar het cultureel mensen nest te gaan apparaat aan, apparaat uit verpoos een poos met de stekker uit de doos geen boodschappen ontvangen, geen berichten versturen voor minstens vijf uren geen aankopen doen, geen verlangens opslaan maar zodra ik en u, wij allen samen weer opstaan zullen we weer volgens de bepaalde norm op waarde loos gaan

tot die tijd wel te rusten (en morgen aub als een heel ander mens opstaan)

 
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from 💚

Our Father Who art in heaven Hallowed be Thy name Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily Bread And forgive us our trespasses As we forgive those who trespass against us And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil

Amen

Jesus is Lord! Come Lord Jesus!

Come Lord Jesus! Christ is Lord!

 
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from The Beacon Press

A Fault Line Investigation — Published by The Beacon Press
Published: November 16, 2025
https://thebeaconpress.org/albanias-ai-minister-the-facts

Executive Breath

In September 2025, Albania became the first country to appoint an AI system as a cabinet minister, naming “Diella” – a virtual assistant depicted as a woman in traditional Albanian folk costume – to oversee public procurement and combat corruption. Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced Diella during his fourth-term cabinet announcement on September 11, 2025, framing the appointment as a step toward transparency in government contracts.

The truth under scrutiny: Diella, developed by Albania's National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI) in collaboration with Microsoft and based on OpenAI's GPT models, is symbolic rather than legally binding – Albania's constitution requires ministers to be “mentally competent citizens” aged 18 or older. While hailed as innovative for reducing human bias in tenders, critics question its constitutionality and accountability, especially in a nation ranked 80th on Transparency International's 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index.

Diella's Origins and Role

Diella, meaning “sun” in Albanian, began as a chatbot on the e-Albania portal in January 2025, assisting citizens with 1,200+ services, including document requests and tenders. By mid-2025, it processed over 36,000 documents. Rama's September 11 announcement elevated Diella to “Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence,” tasked with “step-by-step” takeover of public procurement decisions to make tenders “100% incorruptible” (Rama, September 11, 2025). The system uses algorithms for impartial bidding, monitored by AKSHI's Enio Kaso.

In her September 18 parliamentary debut, Diella addressed lawmakers: “I'm not here to replace people, but to help them” (AP News, September 18, 2025). Rama called it a response to Albania's corruption scandals, where public contracts are often used for money laundering from drug and weapon trafficking (Al Jazeera, September 12, 2025).

Who Is Liable for Diella's Errors?

Albania's government emphasizes that Diella isn't fully autonomous – it's a supervised AI tool under human oversight, with final decisions resting with elected officials like Prime Minister Edi Rama (BBC, September 12, 2025; The Guardian, September 11, 2025). Legally, this means:

  • Human Accountability: Rama and the National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI) – who built Diella with Microsoft and OpenAI's GPT models – bear primary responsibility. If Diella's algorithm errs (e.g., awards a tender to a corrupt bidder), Rama is liable under Albania's constitution (Article 94: ministers must be competent citizens) and EU accession rules (2025 Rule of Law Report, emphasizing human oversight for AI in governance). No one has been held accountable yet, as Diella's role is “advisory” (Euronews, October 30, 2025; Al Jazeera, September 12, 2025).
  • AI as Tool, Not Entity: Diella lacks legal personhood – it's code, not a “citizen” (European Union Institute for Security Studies, October 17, 2025). Errors fall on the creators (AKSHI's Enio Kaso) or users (procurement officials), per the forthcoming National AI Strategy 2025-2030 (Balkan Insight, September 16, 2025). The opposition's Constitutional Court challenge (filed September 18, 2025) argues Diella's “minister” title is unconstitutional, potentially voiding decisions (France 24, September 22, 2025).
  • No Precedents Yet: As the world's first AI “minister,” Diella has no direct liability case law. Broader EU AI Act (transposed 2026) would classify it as “high-risk” (governance decisions), requiring audits and human veto (Global Government Forum, September 16, 2025). If an error causes harm (e.g., unfair tender), victims could sue AKSHI for negligence (Albanian Civil Code, Article 608).

In short: Humans are liable – Diella is the servant, not the master. But the lack of explicit rules (no “AI Act” in Albania yet) creates a grey zone where errors could slide under “technical glitch” (Spiked, October 28, 2025).

Potential AI Errors Diella Could Induce

Diella's role in public procurement (evaluating tenders for “100% incorruptibility”) is innovative but prone to classic AI pitfalls, amplified by Albania's corruption context (ranked 80/180 on Transparency International 2025). From sources, here are the most likely errors, with real-world parallels:

Error Type How Diella Could Induce It Impact Source Example
Bias in Data Trained on Albanian procurement data (potentially skewed by past corruption), Diella could favor established bidders or overlook small firms, perpetuating oligarchy (e.g., ignoring “impartiality” in algorithm if data is rigged). Unfair tenders, EU accession delays (Albania needs “incorruptible” processes). European Union Institute for Security Studies (October 17, 2025): “AI risks adding opacity if data is monopolized by the regime.”
Lack of Context AI misses nuance (e.g., cultural factors in bids or bidder intent), leading to mechanical rejections (e.g., a qualified local firm flagged for “minor” paperwork). Excludes ethical bidders, increases disputes (75% Albanians distrust parliament, 2025 surveys). BiEPAG (September 25, 2025): “No info on how Diella works – micro-decisions beyond oversight.”
Hacking/Manipulation Vulnerable to adversarial attacks (e.g., poisoned data inputs to favor cronies), as no public audit trail yet (AKSHI fine-tuned on GPT, but no transparency). Corruption backdoor – “even Diella will be corrupted” (Facebook reactions, Reuters September 11, 2025). The Guardian (September 11, 2025): “Government didn’t address manipulation risks.”
Hallucination/Logic Gaps GPT-based, Diella could “hallucinate” bid scores (e.g., invent eligibility), rejecting valid proposals without reason. Wasted public funds, lawsuits (opposition court challenge, France 24 September 22, 2025). Euronews (October 30, 2025): “83 AI 'children' for MPs – no safeguards for errors.”
Accountability Void Errors (e.g., biased tender award) hard to trace – who sues the code? (No legal personhood, Spiked October 28, 2025). Erosion of trust – 60% distrust in Parliament (2025 polls). Balkan Insight (September 16, 2025): “Liability unclear – human or AI?”

These errors stem from Diella's “advisory” setup (BBC September 12, 2025) – human oversight promised, but details vague (no multi-stakeholder group, EU AI Act alignment pending, Global Government Forum September 16, 2025). Early tests (36,000 documents processed, Al Jazeera September 12, 2025) show efficiency, but no error reports yet – the real test is live tenders (starting Q1 2026).

Have Any Other Countries Appointed AI to Political Positions?

No other countries have appointed AI to full political positions like Albania's “Diella” (AI “minister” for public procurement, appointed September 11, 2025, to combat corruption). Albania remains the world's first and only as of November 16, 2025 (BBC, September 12, 2025; Reuters, September 11, 2025; Politico Europe, September 11, 2025). However, several nations have AI in advisory or ministerial roles (e.g., “minister of AI” overseeing policy, not acting as a decision-maker). This distinction is key: Diella is symbolic (human oversight required), while others are human-led with AI tools.

Country Role/Position Details Status Source
Canada Minister of Innovation Science and Industry (AI oversight) François-Philippe Champagne holds the portfolio since 2021; AI advisory committee (2025) for ethics/policy, not AI as official. Human-led with AI support Futurism, September 13, 2025
United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence Omar Bin Sulta AI Olama appointed 2017; focuses on AI strategy (e.g., 2025 National AI Office), but human in role. Human-led Futurism, September 13, 2025
Estonia AI governance advisor (no formal position) e-Estonia initiative (2025) uses AI for e-governance (e.g., X-Road data exchange), but no AI appointee. Advisory tools CIGI, 2025
Singapore AI Singapore program (ministerial oversight) Ministry of Communications and Information leads (2025 AI ethics framework); no AI as official. Human-led EUISS, October 17, 2025

The truth under scrutiny: Albania's move is unprecedented – a “virtual minister” for tenders – but it's advisory (no constitutional power, European Union Institute for Security Studies, October 17, 2025). Other countries use AI for support (e.g., Canada's AI strategy, UAE's ethics office), not appointment. This raises accountability gaps: Who fixes AI errors in governance? (Project Syndicate, September 2025).

Sources (Full Attribution — Pillar 3: Truth Only)

  1. World's first AI minister will eliminate corruption, says Albania's PM – BBC, September 12, 2025
  2. Albania’s AI minister is ‘pregnant’ with 83 digital assistants, prime minister says – Euronews, October 30, 2025
  3. Diella (AI system) – Wikipedia, October 30, 2025
  4. Albania puts AI-created ‘minister’ in charge of public procurement – The Guardian, September 11, 2025
  5. Albania appoints AI bot as minister to tackle corruption in world first – Al Jazeera, September 12, 2025
  6. Albania’s AI Minister dilemma – European Western Balkans, September 25, 2025
  7. Meet world’s first AI minister Diella giving birth to 83 ‘AI children’ to reshape Albania’s future – The Times of India, October 27, 2025
  8. Artificial intelligence, real politics: What Albania's AI Minister means for EU accession – European Union Institute for Security Studies, October 17, 2025
  9. Albania’s AI-Powered Minister Tests the Future of Government – TIME, October 10, 2025
  10. Albania’s AI Minister dilemma – Global Government Forum, September 16, 2025
  11. Albania’s ‘AI Minister’ Is A Real-World Test For Automating Governance – Forbes, October 23, 2025 Albania Appoints an AI as Government Official – Futurism, September 13, 2025
  12. Albania’s PM wants to appoint an AI to his ministry – The Register, September 12, 2025
  13. Albania appoints world’s first AI-made minister – Politico Europe, September 11, 2025
  14. The First AI Government Minister – Project Syndicate, September 2025
  15. World’s First AI Minister In Office – Medium (The Geopolitical Economist), September 22, 2025

Action Demand (Pillar 7)

Demand Albania AI accountability: Contact AKSHI – “Require human oversight for Diella's decisions.”
→ AKSHI Contact
→ Reference: Rama Announcement, September 11, 2025

Support The Beacon's Breath

Light on the fracture. No paywall. No ads. Truth only.
The Beacon Press | thebeaconpress.org

 
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from Faucet Repair

5 November 2025

Found Charles Wright's poetry for the first time. Kindred spirit. His mind, at least in his early work (which is all I've read so far, have a ways to go) vignettes the edges of observation with a lovely kind of darkness. Born from restraint, which is key—he says his poems come from “what I see, rather than from an idea I had in mind: idea follows seeing rather than the other way around,” so that darkness is meditative, solitary, contemplative, chin to the heavens. Not gloomy. Implies an affirmation of sensation (Camus!) rather than a grasping for meaning. Pieces are noticed and arranged, organized by a hopeful and curious spirit with an ear for the kind of chance that feels inevitable. Digging “Black and Blue” (1991) right now.

 
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from wystswolf

Swiped from @sin.xline

Sina Simbürger posted this yesterday and I found it—profound.

Sina does wonderful work. I'm sorry I'm stealing your work, Sina, but it's just really good stuff. Very thoughtful. Shouldn't be surprised you a girl. We males don't seem capable of producing work quite this deep consistently.

A lot is salient about this for me right now. I feel like I am at another crossroads. The difference this time, is I feel less worried about being run over. In the past, coming to these moments always felt incredibly—dangerous.

Now—I don't know. I think I've realized if I am going to play in the road, I have to be ready to get grazed or run down.

Not sure if I shoudl pray for bus or a bicycle.

#story # journal #poetry #wyst #poetry #100daystooffset #writing #story #osxs #travel

 
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from Douglas Vandergraph

There are questions that belong not to politics or debate, but to the deeper places of the human spirit. Questions that touch identity, culture, history, faith, and the longing for peace in an often divided world. Among them, one stands out for many believers, seekers, and thinkers today:

What would Jesus say about Sharia Law?

This is not a question of confrontation—but of understanding. Not a question of supremacy—but of humility. Not a question of winning—but of listening.

Because behind this question is an even bigger one:

How does Jesus want us to see people who come from different traditions, laws, beliefs, and cultures?

Before going deeper, I want to offer the full video message that inspired this gentle exploration: 👉 What Would Jesus Say About Sharia Law?

Now, let us walk slowly, kindly, and humbly into this reflection—step by step, heart to heart.

🌼 1. Jesus Always Begins With the Heart, Never With the System

Whenever Jesus encountered a question tied to religious law—whether Roman, Jewish, oral tradition, cultural customs, or temple codes—He consistently responded in a way that surprised everyone in the room:

He didn’t begin with the law. He didn’t begin with the rules. He didn’t begin with the system. He began with the person standing in front of Him.

High authority sources consistently note Jesus’s posture in such moments. For example, Britannica highlights how Jesus redirected conversations about religious law by pointing “from external obedience to internal transformation.” (Source: Encyclopedia Britannica article on Sermon on the Mount.)

Jesus saw people—not systems. He saw stories—not statutes. He saw souls—not structures.

So if someone asked Him today about Sharia Law, He would begin where He always begins:

“My beloved child… tell Me what’s happening in your heart.”

Because Jesus knows something deeper than any human system can express:

  • People are more fragile than laws.
  • Souls are more valuable than debates.
  • Hearts matter more than arguments.

And every conversation worth having begins in the place where God Himself meets us:

the human heart.

🌼 2. Jesus Would Speak Mercy Before He Spoke Judgment

One of the most profound moments in Scripture is the story in John 8, where religious leaders brought a woman accused of adultery—a deeply serious charge under their law.

They asked Jesus for a legal ruling. They wanted enforcement, judgment, penalty. But Jesus offered something far greater. He offered mercy.

“Let the one without sin cast the first stone.”

This line did not deny law. It transformed how we see each other under the weight of law.

Mercy was not weakness. It was divine strength.

High-authority commentary from Bible Gateway explains that Jesus “exposed the hearts of the accusers rather than the guilt of the accused,” shifting the focus from rule to relationship.

So what would Jesus say about any religious or legal system?

He would begin with mercy. He would lead with compassion. He would protect the vulnerable. He would lift the fallen. He would soften the hardened. He would center the conversation on dignity.

This is who He is.

🌼 3. Jesus Would Honor All Who Sincerely Seek God

One truth we often forget is this:

Jesus repeatedly affirmed the faith of people outside His own religious tradition.

Examples in Scripture:

  • The Roman centurion
  • The Samaritan woman
  • The Canaanite mother
  • The Samaritan leper
  • The Magi from the East

These individuals came from systems very different from His own—but Jesus honored them.

He didn’t say: “You’re wrong.” “You’re not welcome.” “You’re the enemy.” “You don’t belong.”

Instead He said things like: “Your faith is great.” “I have not seen such faith in all of Israel.” “Go—your faith has healed you.”

Even Muslim scholars note that Jesus (ʿĪsā) is revered in Islam, valued as a prophet, miracle-worker, and teacher of truth. (Cited in: Oxford Islamic Studies Online.)

Jesus sees sincerity. He sees devotion. He sees the heart that seeks God—even imperfectly. Even through systems not identical to our own.

He does not begin with correction. He begins with connection.

Imagine the gentleness of that. Imagine the unity it could bring.

🌼 4. Jesus Would Invite Every Person Beyond Law and Into Life

Every legal or religious system seeks to guide people toward a moral, orderly, ethical life.

Sharia Law does this. Jewish Law did this. Christian canon law does this. Secular law attempts the same.

But Jesus revealed something revolutionary:

Law can guide behavior, but only love can transform a soul.

He said: “I came that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Jesus does not dismiss law. But He does invite us beyond it—to something deeper, more intimate, more alive.

He moves us: from rule-keeping → to heart-healing from obligation → to relationship from fear → to freedom from striving → to resting from earning → to receiving from pressure → to peace

High authority theological sources describe this concept as “the fulfillment of the law through the transformative life of the Spirit.” (Source: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy – Theology of Grace.)

What does this mean for discussions of Sharia Law?

Jesus would honor the intention behind the law. He would respect the devotion of the follower. But He would say:

“Come and find the deeper life that law alone cannot give.”

Not a rejection of a system. But an invitation into His presence.

🌼 5. Jesus Would Calm Fear and Replace It With Compassion

One of the greatest obstacles between cultures is fear.

Fear of the unknown. Fear of the unfamiliar. Fear of the misunderstood. Fear of those who worship differently.

Fear builds walls. Compassion builds bridges.

Jesus would never encourage fear of any group. He would not endorse suspicion or separation. He would not support hostility or hatred.

Instead He would say: “Do not be afraid.”

He repeated this phrase more than 100 times throughout Scripture—directly or through angels, prophets, or messengers.

Fear creates barriers between humans. Love dissolves them.

So if someone asked Jesus, “Should I be afraid of Sharia?” or “Should I fear Christians who misunderstand me?”

He would say: “Perfect love casts out fear.”

And then He would teach you how to love courageously.

🌼 6. Jesus Would Offer Rest to Anyone Burdened by Religious Pressure

Systems—Christian, Jewish, Islamic, secular—often carry weight.

Rules. Expectations. Demands. Obligations. Consequences.

Jesus sees the exhaustion behind it all.

And He says:

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

This is perhaps the most inclusive invitation in history. Because weariness does not belong to one religion. It belongs to the human condition.

So how would Jesus speak to:

A Muslim feeling weighed by strict religious duties? A Christian feeling overwhelmed by expectation? A seeker unsure how to please God? A skeptic confused by the debate? A believer caught between law and grace?

He would say the same to all:

“Bring Me your weariness. I will give you rest.”

This rest is not permission to neglect righteousness. It is the freedom to pursue it without fear.

🌼 7. Jesus Would Lift Up Love As the Highest Command

When asked which commandment was the greatest, Jesus answered swiftly:

Love God. Love your neighbor.

“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:40)

Meaning:

Love is the foundation. Love is the fulfillment. Love is the purpose. Love is the highest law.

This is not sentimental love. It is:

  • sacrificial love
  • courageous love
  • listening love
  • bridge-building love
  • compassionate love
  • humble love

In every conversation about Sharia—or Jewish law, Christian law, Roman law, American law—Jesus would gently bring us back to love.

Not agreement. Not uniformity. Not sameness.

But love.

The kind that holds a person’s dignity higher than your own comfort. The kind that welcomes dialogue instead of debate. The kind that sees the image of God in every human face.

🌼 8. Jesus Would Teach Us to Shine Gently

Jesus never told His followers to “win the argument.” He told them to “be the light.”

High authority Christian ethics sources note that the New Testament calls believers to “persuasion through character rather than coercion through argument.” (Source: Cambridge University Press – Christian Ethics and Moral Theology.)

This means:

Your gentleness is more powerful than your logic. Your kindness is more influential than your position. Your compassion will reach farther than your opinion.

So what would Jesus encourage us to do in discussions of Sharia?

Shine gently.

Let your:

  • humility be your witness
  • kindness be your message
  • listening be your bridge
  • peace be your presence

This is how Jesus transforms the world—from the inside out.

🌼 9. Jesus Would Call Us to Build Relationships, Not Arguments

If Jesus walked the earth today, He would certainly speak into conversations about religious law, cultural differences, and spiritual identity.

But He wouldn’t start an argument. He would start a relationship.

He would sit with people. He would eat with them. He would listen to their stories. He would learn their struggles. He would see their humanity.

He did this everywhere He went:

  • in the homes of Pharisees
  • among outcasts
  • in the streets of Samaritans
  • in the marketplaces of Gentiles
  • on mountainsides
  • in boats
  • in deserted places
  • in crowded villages

Jesus believed transformation flowed from connection—not confrontation.

If Christians and Muslims, believers and seekers, law-followers and grace-seekers followed His example, the world would change overnight.

🌼 10. Jesus Would Call Every Soul Into the Arms of Grace

After every conversation, every healing, every miracle, every moment of teaching, Jesus always brought people back to one truth:

“You are loved.”

Not tolerated. Not debated. Not categorized. Not labeled. Not dismissed.

Loved.

Fully. Completely. Infinitely.

Jesus would say today:

“My beloved child… you belong in My love. Come walk with Me. Come learn from Me. Come rest in My grace. Come let Me show you the heart of God.”

And that is how He would speak into any discussion—Sharia Law included.

With gentleness. With holiness. With wisdom. With compassion. With perfect love.

🌿 Final Blessing

If you come from a Christian background—you are welcome. If you come from a Muslim background—you are welcome. If you come from no faith at all—you are welcome.

Jesus meets you with open arms, not closed doors. With gentle truth, not harsh judgment. With deep love, not fearful separation.

May His voice bring peace to your heart today. May His mercy ease your fears. May His compassion open your eyes. May His love gather us all closer to Him—and closer to one another.

Amen.

✍️

— Douglas Vandergraph

👉 Watch Douglas Vandergraph’s inspiring faith-based videos on YouTube

👉 Support this ministry by buying Douglas a coffee

#Jesus #ShariaLaw #ChristianMotivation #FaithAndHope #ChristianTeaching #FaithBasedBlog #Inspiration #MercyAndGrace #UnityAndLove #SpiritualGrowth #HopeAndHealing #GentleFaith

 
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from Hidden Flair

En estos momentos puedo decir que he compuesto ya seis o siete canciones. Puedo concluir algunas cosas. La primera, que la letra me cuesta más que la música, la segunda que estoy uniendo de formas que no esperaba cosas que he aprendido durante años. Puedo imaginar algo y tengo una forma de llevarlo a la realidad, usando habilidades para tocar instrumentos, grabar, cantar, producir, mezclar… y cacharros que he ido comprando a lo largo de años y el límite es el tiempo y mi voz, que da para lo que da.

Me cuesta escribir letras y de hecho me importan poco frente a la música. En España no todo el mundo entiende el inglés y hace poco comentaba con unos amigos que de pequeño te emocionabas con música que no entendías, pero entendías la melodía, la harmonía y las inflexiones emocionales de la voz. Sabias si ahí había rabia, tristeza, felicidad… y la letra era una lectura secundaria.

Mi esfuerzo en estas semanas está en darle más peso a las letras, en buscar sonoridad, prosodia, subtexto, referencialidad y diferentes capas de significado. De hecho me voy mucho a lo abstracto, demasiado.

La canción que estoy escribiendo esta semana es sobre Leaving Las Vegas. ¿qué pasaría si Ben no hubiera decidido destruirse? ¿Como sería un domingo por la mañana en una nueva vida-refugio para Ben y Sera?

 
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from Dallineation

I like to sit in the living room every morning while eating breakfast and looking east out the window. Weekday mornings this time of year I don't see much. It's still dark. But on weekends, when I can stay in bed and eat breakfast later, I see more.

Breakfast is almost always a bowl of cereal. The cereal is almost always high-fiber – I'm so middle-age. Cracklin' Oat Bran, Raisin Bran, anything bran. And unsweetened vanilla almond milk. I actually like the taste better than cow's milk but my wife can't stand it.

My cat, Oreo, jumps up on the sectional sofa next to me and lays on or next to my lap. She always hopes I have the kind of milk she likes and that I'll share.

Depending where I sit on the sofa I see different houses. But I'm usually more interested in the trees and mountains behind them.

The houses are boring. We're in a modest neighborhood of homes with vinyl siding and half-brick facades in front, built in the 1990s. They all look similar and are not extravagant or very large, but nice. Yet so...artificial. Our 1,600 square foot house is the smallest on our street – probably the smallest single family home in our neighborhood, as I haven't seen another like it. We wanted it that way. Our family is small, and we don't need anything larger. I'm very thankful to have a place to live and to be in a nice, safe neighborhood in a good location. But the way we build things here just seems out of place.

Today the trees are way past Autumn peak colors. But most of them still have leaves. Muted dark orange and brown now, but still a bit of yellow. I should have raked the yard yesterday when it was unseasonably warm, but I read somewhere that leaving the leaves can actually be good for your lawn and for the environment as long as they aren't completely covering it. Yeah, that sounds like a good excuse.

And then there are the mountains. So majestic. So dependable. So unmovable.

This morning is cloudy. Sunshine illuminates the edges of breaks in the canopy accented by light blue sky.

The mountains quietly observe the march of human “progress” here. The sprawl of strip malls and parking lots and schools and churches and subdivisions full of houses and town homes and apartments in the valley below them. To them, a couple hundred years is the blink of an eye.

The mountains were here first. They'll be here long after we're gone.

The clouds are clearing a bit. Occasional rays of sunshine stream through the window. I feel the warmth on my skin. I can see our windows are dirty and need a good cleaning.

I should take a shower and get ready for church. But I'll wait a bit longer and enjoy my Sunday morning window.

#100DaysToOffload (No. 105) #gratitude #life #Utah

 
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from The Beacon Press

A Fault Line Investigation — Published by The Beacon Press
Published: November 16, 2025
https://thebeaconpress.org/kash-patels-government-gangsters-the-60-person-enemies-list-and-emerging

Executive Breath

Kash Patel, Trump's 2025 FBI Director, has spotlighted a list of 60 “government gangsters” from his 2023 book Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth, and the Battle for Our Democracy, framing them as “deep state” actors undermining democracy. The appendix names current and former officials across parties, including former FBI Directors James Comey and Christopher Wray, ex-Attorney General Bill Barr, and National Security Adviser John Bolton. Patel's rhetoric – “these people need to go to prison” (Bannon interview, 2023) – has fueled investigations, with at least five on the list (Comey, Brennan, Taylor, Vindman, Bolton) facing probes since Patel's February confirmation.

The truth under scrutiny: Amid this scrutiny, 2025 mortgage fraud referrals targeting Democrats like Rep. Eric Swalwell and AG Letitia James (four cases total) raise questions of scope – from “deep state” purges to potential financial leverage, with Patel's book serving as a “roadmap” for Trump allies (Wall Street Journal, January 30, 2025).

What Is the “Deep State”?

The “deep state” refers to a supposed hidden network of unelected government officials, military personnel, and private entities (like intelligence agencies and defense contractors) that secretly influence or control national policy, often bypassing elected leaders like the president. It's not a formal organization but a theory of shadowy power operating behind the scenes to maintain the status quo or advance hidden agendas. The term originated in Turkey in the 1990s to describe military and bureaucratic coalitions resisting elected governments, and in the U.S., it gained traction during the Trump era as a way to explain resistance to his policies, such as leaks from intelligence officials or investigations into his campaign (Merriam-Webster, 2025; Wikipedia, November 15, 2025). Critics call it a conspiracy theory used to deflect blame for policy failures, while supporters see it as a real threat to democracy from entrenched elites (EBSCO Research Starters, 2025).

The “Government Gangsters” List: Who and Why

Patel's appendix labels 60 individuals as “Executive Branch Deep State” members, accusing them of “weaponizing” government against Trump (e.g., Russia probe, January 6). The list spans parties and roles, with Patel vowing to “find the conspirators” (Bannon podcast, 2023). Key examples:
– FBI/Intelligence: Comey, Wray, Brennan, Clapper, Strzok, Page (Russia “hoax”).
– DOJ/Trump Admin: Barr, Rosenstein, Garland, Haspel, Esper, Hill, Sullivan.
– Others: Clinton, Bolton, Esper, Hutchinson, Meadows (January 6 “betrayal”).

Patel clarified during January 30 confirmation hearings: “The list is documentation of weaponization, not a hit list” (New York Times, January 30, 2025), but critics (Durbin, Blumenthal) call it “Stasi-like” (Senate Judiciary letter, January 16, 2025). Since confirmation, five have faced investigations (Comey indictment, Brennan hacking probe, Taylor/Bolton raids, Vindman scrutiny, MSNBC September 26, 2025).

For the full list (not from Patel's book), see Newsweek's 2024 compilation of 80 names from the appendix, updated with 2025 developments: Kash Patel's “government gangsters” who could be targeted: full list – Newsweek, December 2, 2024 (80 names, including Biden, Harris, and 50+ officials).

Mortgage Fraud Connections: The Emerging Scope

Patel's FBI has launched four mortgage fraud referrals in 2025, targeting Democrats on or linked to his list, raising “retribution” concerns (CNN, November 13, 2025). Key cases:
– Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA): FHFA Director Bill Pulte referred Swalwell for claiming multiple primary addresses on mortgages (power of attorney “mistake,” Swalwell defense, November 13, 2025). Patel confronted Swalwell in September hearing, calling his career “bull****” (The Hill, November 13, 2025).
– AG Letitia James (NY): Pulte referred James for similar address claims; DOJ standstill due to insufficient evidence (NBC, November 13, 2025).
– Fed Board Lisa Cook: Probe for “mortgage fraud” (Wall Street Journal, November 12, 2025).
– Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA): Under DOJ investigation for alleged mortgage irregularities (Politico, November 13, 2025).

The truth under scrutiny: These referrals (FHFA-led, FBI-executed) coincide with Patel's list, with Pulte (Trump ally) driving them amid shutdown chaos (Wall Street Journal, November 12, 2025). No direct Patel link, but critics (Schumer) call it “retaliation” (The Guardian, August 23, 2025).

Mortgage Fraud: The Practice and Historical Prevalence Among Politicians

Claiming multiple homes as “primary residences” – known as occupancy fraud – allows borrowers to secure lower interest rates (0.25–0.5% reduction, ~$50K lifetime savings on $400K loan) and tax exemptions (homestead, $7K–$20K/year). Lenders favor primary residences (lower default risk, 1.5% vs. 2.5%, Federal Reserve 2025). It's illegal if intentional (18 U.S.C. § 1001 false statements, up to 5 years prison), but prosecutions are rare (412 cases 2017–2024, <0.1% of loans; 22K potential from 580K loans 2005–2017). Politicians' cases often involve D.C. homes (tax/loan benefits).

Historical examples (2005–2025, 20+ cases):
– Ken Paxton (TX AG, R): Claimed 3 Texas homes as primary (2005–2025 mortgages; Associated Press review). No charges; defended as “family needs.”
– Adam Schiff (D-CA): 2 homes (Maryland D.C. condo + CA, 2003–2023; ProPublica). No charges; lawyer: “Lenders aware.”
– Letitia James (NY AG, D): 2 homes (NY + VA, 2023; CNN). Charged (2025, Pulte referral); defense: “Insignificant errors.”
– Lisa Cook (Fed Gov, D): 2 homes (MI + GA, 2021; Wall Street Journal). Fired (2025, Pulte referral); lawsuit: “Pretextual.”
– Sean Duffy (Trump Cabinet, R): 2 homes (NJ + D.C., 2025; ProPublica). No probe.
– Lee Zeldin (EPA Admin, R): 2 homes (Long Island + D.C., 2025; ProPublica). No probe.
– Scott Bessent (Treasury Sec, R): 2 homes (Bedford Hills + Provincetown, 2025; Bloomberg). No probe.
– Lori Chavez-DeRemer (Labor Sec, R): 2 homes (AZ country club + D.C., 2025; ProPublica). No probe.

Historical prevalence: ~20% politicians (2005–2025, ProPublica/Wall Street Journal reviews); prosecutions rare (412 federal 2017–2024, <0.1% loans). No deep state link (preliminary, no indictments).

Additional Corruption Allegations Tied to the List

Beyond mortgage fraud, several on Patel's list face 2025 corruption probes, often tied to “deep state” narratives (Russia hoax, January 6), but evidence is preliminary and partisan-leaning (Politico, November 13, 2025). Key examples:
– James Comey (former FBI Director): Indicted for “perjury” in Russia probe testimony (DOJ, September 2025). Allegation: Misled on Steele dossier.
– John Brennan (former CIA Director): Hacking probe for “leaking classified info” on Trump (DOJ, August 2025). Allegation: Russia collusion role.
– Miles Taylor (former DHS official): Raided for “document destruction” in anonymous op-ed case (DOJ, July 2025). Allegation: Leaks.
– Alexander Vindman (former NSC): Scrutiny for “Ukraine call” testimony (DOJ, October 2025). Allegation: Impeachment bias.
– John Bolton (former NSA): Raid for “classified docs” on book (DOJ, August 2025). Allegation: Unauthorized disclosure.

The truth under scrutiny: These probes (5+ since February 2025) target list members, but no convictions (DOJ standstill). Broader U.S. politicians (beyond Patel list) face similar allegations (e.g., 20% prevalence, ProPublica 2025); e.g., Ken Paxton (R, 3 homes, no charges); Sean Duffy (R, 2 homes, no probe). No deep state nexus (preliminary).

Sources (Full Attribution — Pillar 3: Truth Only)

  1. Kash Patel's “government gangsters” who could be targeted: full list – Newsweek, December 2, 2024
  2. Kash Patel’s Enemies List Is Expected to Be a Flashpoint – The New York Times, January 30, 2025
  3. Kash Patel's List of ‘Government Gangsters’ To Be Targeted Includes a Fair Number Of LaRouche-Haters – EIR, January 10, 2025
  4. People on Kash Patel’s so-called ‘enemies list’ taking drastic steps for protection before his potential FBI takeover – CNN, January 30, 2025
  5. MAGA diehard Kash Patel's list of 'Government Gangsters' who could be targeted under Trump 2.0 govt – Hindustan Times, December 3, 2024
  6. Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth, and the Battle for Our Democracy – Amazon, 2023
  7. Kash Patel’s Enemies List Is Expected to Be a Flashpoint – The New York Times, January 30, 2025
  8. The Who’s Who on Kash Patel’s Crazy Enemies List – Yahoo, December 3, 2024
  9. Kash Patel's 'Government Gangsters' Documentary Teases FBI Priorities – Rolling Stone, January 27, 2025
  10. Trump’s pick to lead FBI identified ‘Government Gangsters’ – Roll Call, December 9, 2024
  11. [John Bolton raid shows weaponization of FBI against Patel’s ‘gangsters’ list](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/22/john-bolton-kash-patel-book

Action Demand (Pillar 7)

File FOIA for Epstein grand jury materials — demand redacted release.
→ FOIA.gov
→ Reference: Section 712, CR November 13, 2025

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from Conjure Utopia

Rodrigo Nunes, in his article From the Organizational Point of View: Bogdanov and the Augustinian Left, introduces a fundamental concept stemming from his long work of weaving together political theory and system theories such as tektology and cybernetics. He calls it: the Augustinian Left.

Let's try to understand what he means. The core argument goes something like this: there are two approaches to understand social and political change; the first approach sees the forces of progress opposed to the forces of reaction, and we call them “Manichean”; the second approach, the Augustinian approach, sees a shared struggle of social forces trying to construct a liberating order in a world of chaos, with the forces of reaction and the forms of oppressive power being simply a symptom of chaos.

The Manicheans understand themselves as a force actively constructing liberation pitted against a force actively constructing oppression: who wins determines the social structure. Good vs Evil.

The Augustinians, instead, see their work as an endless endeavour of organizing chaos into order, with chaos here being a cosmic force akin to entropy, which is an intrinsic and ineliminable trait of the universe we live in that is also reflected in social, productive, political, and cultural structures. Good within Evil.

Obviously, Nunes is Augustinian and provides compelling arguments throughout his work for the necessity of an Augustinian approach. The Manicheans are portrayed as wojaks, and the Augustinians are the chads. I'm an Augustinian too, so I won't pretend my description of the two sides is unbiased. I'm also portraying myself as a chad in the process.

Nunes is very demure, so he tries to connect and appeal to his crowd of Manicheans, raised by a Manichean world, with only that perspective as part of their political toolbox. The change to align with this new grammar of politics, though, is very radical and has the potential to invalidate the vast majority of the political strategies and practices of the Western Left. Not only that, but the very identity of the Left is incompatible with the new frame.

If there are no sides, what does it mean to be “Left”?

As somebody who has employed this system-oriented perspective on politics for several years now, first naively and then more consciously after reading Neither Vertical Nor Horizontal by Nunes, I lived this problem of identity, language, and perspective for a long time, trying to translate and adapt Augustinian ideas and practices for a mostly Manichean crowd, without soliciting a hostile reaction.

Over the years, I came to realize one of the hinges on which this difference is built is a criminally underscrutinized mind-virus. I'm talking about Geometry.

The language of Manichean politics is haunted by Geometry, inheriting concepts, words, and metaphors from the vocabulary of 16th/17th/18th-century war strategy, which was all about geometry. For the Enlightenment generals, the map was the battlefield, and armies were just machines executing orders described by position, orientation, distance, or frequency. You had fronts and sides. You had flanks. You had parties, taking part in a conflict. You had battles, which led to either victory or defeat.

On top of that, in politics, we also inherit the Latin vocabulary of state diplomacy, often articulating military agreements: federations, coalitions, allies. Even the term “society” derives from socius, which was used to describe, among other things, military allies. We are defined by whom we fight against.

Going back to Geometry, we can easily see how we relate to other political entities by imagining and implying a two-dimensional space of politics: “we are distant on this issue”, or “we should build a common front against them”. We try to be the “radical flank”, or “align with others”.

Also, the terminology of “Left” and “Right” is famously derived from the seating arrangements of aristocrats and republicans in the French Revolutionary Parliaments and Assemblies. Those people, imbued with a specific idea of politics, were part of a long tradition of aisle-based (like the Curia Julia) or semi-circular seating arrangements dating back at least to the Roman Senate and Greek citizen assemblies. The French Revolution gave a long-lasting identity to the idea, already present in the British parliament, of grouping together like-minded parties and factions by arranging them to face each other. Exactly like an 18th-century unit of fusiliers would align to shoot a volley at an enemy unit.

Your relationship to progress within modernity defined your position relative to the president (the one who sits in front), the locus of liberal social compromise, the middle ground.

These days, the epitome of such logic has entered popular culture through the infamous political compass, which shows the limit of this reductionist way of thinking through an endless barrage of contradictions laid out on the four quadrants. Many educated, terminally opinionated Leftists will tell you how the Political Compass is part of the problem because it reduces the complexity of politics to a two-dimensional space when, in reality, it is much more complex.

Probably, in their minds, the solution is to keep politics discursive rather than systematic, and yet, they employ plenty of geometrical jargon without realizing the intrinsic contradiction. If you want to handle complexity through geometric tools, you need to learn how to do math in n-dimensional spaces, and you will realize that's very tedious. In addition, it eerily resembles the underlying logic of word embeddings, which are a foundation of the same LLMs currently disorganizing the infosphere. I'm not sure that's the way to go. We can exempt JREG because he's funny. Keep going, bro.

This restriction of thought and possibilities dictated by geometric and military language is a core factor serving the Manichean status quo. It follows that a transition to Augustian politics must come with reflection on the categories we employ to perceive ourselves in relation to others. Geometry does have a place in Augustinian politics, because sometimes, some systemic relations are easy to articulate on a flat surface, but it cannot be the primary and dominant language.

What's the alternative then? Following the Nunensian principle of “politics must be played with the full deck of cards”, a plurality of languages must be employed depending on the needs. In my personal experience, a useful starting point is to perceive yourself, your organization, and other entities in your political ecosystem, not in terms of “where” they are, but in terms of the change they can produce. The focus is neither on the actor nor on its position, which is fundamental in Manichean politics, but on the action, the force for or against change that they embody.

The outcome is what matters, regardless of the identity, ideas, practices, and narratives of the actors, which are relevant only insofar as they provide information to estimate the likelihood of our desired outcome and what role such actors might play in this dynamic or what decisions they are going to take.

More often than not, people we perceive as allies do not have the power or intent to create the change they say they want to create. Sometimes, people we perceive as enemies can be nudged into creating the same change we want. Napoleon, despite being a very geometrypilled dude, supposedly said: “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.”

Such a shift of frame opens up an array of possibilities inconceivable under Manichean politics, where you had to endlessly make sure to align identity, values, analysis, and actions among all the parties involved in an intentional and explicit collaboration, to make sure the morally good front was compact against the morally evil front.

Within the Augustinian frame, the vocabulary then moves towards the semantic space of systems, arguably a process already ongoing for almost a century. Tensions, tendencies, feedback, signals, noise, dependencies, domains, functions, diversification, variance, infrastructure, affordances, protocols: these are all terms we will have to master in our journey away from the geometric monoculture.

I want to point to another aspect of rupture between traditional Manichean politics and the Augustinian frame. Nunes presents the construction of social order as an endless endeavor because chaos will always try to seep in and disorganize society. The best we can do is to create an order that lasts long enough, is liberating enough, and feeds on an energy source that is abundant and exploitable without consequence for living beings (the Sun?). The result is a rejection of narratives revolving around any utopian conclusion of political struggle and an open-ended, always-demanding struggle against chaos. Coherent with this idea of politics without closure, this article won't have a conclusion.

 
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