This article is republished here with permission from The Associated Press. This content is shared here because the topic may interest Snopes readers; it does not, however, represent the work of Snopes fact-checkers or editors.

By Robinson Ariyo

Our attention has been drawn to the well-orchestrated and brilliant looking design, the handiwork of a few powerful, politically influential and wealthy Itsekiri leaders of Warri North Local Government origin to cede Warri North Local Government Chairmanship seat to the Ijaws of the LGA in exchange for the 2023 Delta South Senatorial seat, for a yet to be named member of the Itsekiri leadership cartel.

We have also painstakingly and carefully perused the key arguments which the said group of oligarchic leaders has advanced for this purpose; even though in conceiving, designing and planning to execute this scheme, they sheepishly and arrogantly arrogated to themselves the stature of the Alpha and Omega of the entire Itsekiri people and therefore saw no reason to properly confer and even seek the opinion of the overwhelming majority of our people, hence the current acrimonious and discordant tunes vibrating from the ranks and files of the Itsekiri people today on this subject matter.

It is against the background of the above development, that we have elected to embark on this intellectual voyage of examining the merits or otherwise of the said scheme which without wasting time, we have already described as a fallacy; a description we owe the intellectual and moral duties to justify in this publication. We shall endeavour to live up to the task as we commence this journey with first presenting the arguments of the said leaders and then placing them side by side our own arguments for the judgment of reasonable members of the society; as it is now a settled proposition, that; “Justice must be rooted in confidence; and confidence is destroyed when right-minded people go away thinking; ‘The judge is biased’ Per Lord Denning in; The Discipline of Law, (1982) p 87.

The rationale behind this approach is to make available to the general public particularly the right-thinking members, and then of course, the overzealous loyalists of the said leaders who have begun issuing threats of assault and physical attacks on persons like us, who disagree with their bosses. One principal endowment that keeps humans on top of animals is the ability to reason; the development of that ability is in our view the prime purpose of life. According to H.G Wells, “The first man to raise a fist is the man who has run out of ideas”. We subscribe to this great line of intellect. Afterall, there must have been a reason why logic and philosophy are made compulsory courses of study in our higher institutions at the General Studies level; it appears to be a potent weapon for those fortunate to attend a higher institution to engage in healthy intellectual intercourses. However, it must be quickly said that native intelligence in appropriate circumstances, conveniently substitutes the weapon for those who are not so fortunate to attend a higher institution. Consequently, the ability to utilize this weapon to engage in civilized debates in accordance with the dictates of a situation like the current one, is not the repository of those who attended school.

Be that as it may, the point must be made that once a man becomes too indolent to make use of his brain, he may then have no other option than resort to his fist; as the recourse to fist is always a symptom of a defective intellect; except when it is required for self defence.

Their agruments for ceding the chairmanship seat

It first came as a rumour that the named Itsekiri leaders of Warri North LGA had decided to sacrifice the Warri North Local Government Chairmanship seat for the Senatorial ambition of one of their associates. Be that as it may, as an organization that is essentially driven by the value of social justice, equity and good conscience; particularly by the principle of audi alteram partem which is a latin phrase meaning “listen to the other side”, or “let the other side be heard as well, we decided to wait patiently to hear the other side before engaging in this mandatory intellectual gymnastic. Having confirmed and heard the other side in the current debate, we may now procced.

The proponents of ceding the chairmanship seat have now in the open declared that they cannot deny knowledge of the possibility of allowing Ijaws who have 4 out of 10 wards in an LGA taste Chairmanship seat; even though they claim that they don’t have a particular Ijaw candidate in mind yet. They maintain that their position on the rotation of the Chairmanship seat in Warri South-West and specifically Warri North LGAs with the Ijaws is well known to all political players in the area.

They also insist that it is not due to cowardice but it is only fair that we let them taste the chairmanship because they are very active voters in every election. Responding on behalf of the proponents of this view, Honourable Godwin Ebosa said; “Did you know the the Ijaws and the Ilajes live with us in Eghoro, Ogheye and our Oboghoro and other communities?”. He further stated; “This Christmas carnival that we are planning, just come and take a headcount of the people there, you will discover a lot of Ijaws and Ilajes”

In concluding their position, Honourable Godwin Ebosa said: “We have been going round pleading with our fellow Itsekiri leaders that now that the Ijaws are pleading to be given a shot at the chairmanship, let us give them with some conditions because some of us have vantage position in this government”. They also made allusion to the Senatorial Seat in 2023 which is an attractive proposition in their opinion.

As well coated as this proposition, we do not only vehemently disagree with it, but we are in our disagreement, heavily fortified with superior logic with which we herewith advance a win/win way forward in the interest of justice which is never a one-way traffic. Come with us and see.

Our argument against the ceding of the chairman seat

While we have considered the arguments of those in support of ceding the seat, we have decided not to resort to fist, but engage in a series of peaceful protests across the Federal Constituency; prepared to subject these arguments to the test of logic by advancing what we perceive are superior arguments for not ceding.

This does not make us enemies of these leaders; we are only persons who vehemently disagree with their views and they must be mature enough to know that we have a right to do so; that right is God given and no one including any of them can take it from us. We invite them to meet us in the field of logic.

Without proper context, we cannot make sense of a lot of situations; hence it may be imperative to briefly provide the context for this intellectual gymnastic.

Let us begin on a very painful note of recollection; which today, still traumatizes our people, to the point of occasionally questioning the existence of a Nigerian nation-state; with Federal, State and Local government administrative structures.

Until 1997 when the violent process occurred, of assigning the entire Itsekiri Nation into a lawless state; which is aptly reminiscent of the Hobbesian State of Nature; this area stretching from the huge cluster of communities from Koko to Ogheye, all in the Warri North Local government Area was an area that hoisted some of the most bustling and densely populated towns and villages in Delta State. For a few years, the whole of the said Benin River axis was profoundly depleted in terms of human habitation; courtesy of the destruction wrecked on us during the attack by the Ijaws.

When the destruction started in 1997, we appealed to the then Military Government of late General Sanni Abacha for direct military presence in the three Itsekiri Local Government Areas of Warri North, Warri South and Warri South West. Our request in this direction was not given any attention for reasons unknown. Yet in 1999 when the then Civilian Administration came on board, Itsekiris made a similar request; but nothing happened except in Warri and Koko towns which had scanty military presence. By mid-March 2003 when the crisis again mercilessly wrecked another round of havoc on us such that was unimaginable, the whole of this Odo Okun was unprotected. The result of the invasion was swift and disastrous for us as almost all Itsekiri families still mourn the destruction of their towns and the killings including beheading of thousands of their loved ones. Even, Koko town that had a detachment of Nigerian soldiers was on the 12th of April, 2003 attacked and destroyed with flagrant disregard for the military barracks there as the soldiers refused to put up even minimal resistance when the invaders arrived at about 4.10 pm.

The soldiers in fact decided to do nothing citing lack of order from their central command leaving the armless Itsekiris to their fate.  Aja-gbodundun, which is the boundary town between Ethiope West and Warri North was at the same time attacked and destroyed.

Till date however, the rehabilitation and settlement of the people remains an unattended issue; while the issue of the perpetrators occupying Chairmanship position is now being peddled by leaders who ought to know better. Is this a design to reward lawlessness and discourage obedience to the rule of law?

Between 1997 and now, nearly all Itsekiri towns in the present Warri North and Warri South-West LGAs were either partially or completely destroyed in the crisis. It was indeed a war of extermination that we were subjected to. In Warri South Local Government Area, only about twenty communities were not touched. Indeed, at a point only Koko, Abe-Ugborodo, Aja-Etie, Aja-Gbodundun, Korobe, Akpakoka and Ibeilegbe had considerable human presence in the whole of Warri North LGA.  We cried to the Federal and State Governments to come to our rescue, all to no avail.

Sometime around that period, two Americans who were workers of an oil company, including some Nigerians were brutally murdered.

Warri North LGA had about 70 Itsekiri towns and villages (excluding hamlets). Majority of those towns were burnt down to knowledge of the so called Warri North leaders at that time, it was only about 10 of these towns and villages that had significant human habitation including Koko and Ajagbodundun. Towns like Arun-Ologbo, Beresibi, Ureju, Eghoro, Aja Nanna, Obaghoro, Olobe, Aja-Okotie, Orugun Obonteeghareda, Ebohimi, Aja-Edun, Obaghoro, Ureju-Sinsin, and a host of others have remained dilapidated.

Some of these towns are yet under siege as indigenes of these communities are itching to go back to their towns and villages, but there are still visible threats that all these towns have been captured and no Itsekiri dares come back to again occupy them. In fact the names of some of the towns have either been or are currently being change from “ Aja” prefix in Itsekiri language, to “ Gbene” prefix in Ijaw language.

What we must first begin discussing are ways to ensure that there is the rule of law and people are allowed to live without threat to their lives and property. Thereafter, we can begin relocating and restoring the destroyed communities as this is the standard global practice anywhere there has been a crisis of this proportion. If these Itsekiri leaders are truly more concerned about development of Itsekiri than their respective personal and political investments in the area, they should take this global protocol step by step.

We cannot close our eyes to the set back that was occasioned by the attacks on our communities as if nothing happened and we are now discussing how the culprit will occupy such a political position as the Chairman of the LGA and as a matter of fact sit in the very town which he probably superintended or burnt during the crisis. Even God does not forgive without confession, repentance, reparation and restitution.

After crisis there has to be Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatment for the victims, resettlement, reconciliation before you contemplate negotiation and unification. It is a huge shame and gross disregard for humanity to neglect these critical stages of recovery of a wounded people and begin power sharing negotiations; inhumanly sweeping the wrongs done to us under the carpet. Like the lawyers would say; “ubi jus ibi remedium” meaning, whenever there is a wrong, there must be a remedy!

Let us also remember that as we speak, in towns like Burutu and Bomadi and other Ijaw LGAs where Itsekiris had significant estates prior to the crisis, they have been displaced and same forcefully taken over; and we are here talking about being fair? Is the part of the formular to displace us in their area and occupy spaces in our area? Is that not double jeopardy? Please allow us ask these Itsekiri leaders advancing the ceding of the Chairmanship seat if they have influenced the government and the international community to look at any of the above post war treatment for their people.

Not too long ago, there was the establishment of CDCs to cater for the different tribes in some LGAs. Again, the LGAs where Itsekiri are correspondingly present, like Sapele and Uwvie were left out. What else can be more conspiring against a people. Where have these influential leaders been? Should these critical areas of potential intervention not occur to the leaders? Could there be something more to their proposal than we can see?

The situation that our leaders are attempting to exploit suspectedly for their personal gains was created not by the victims ( the Itsekiris) but by the assailants ( the Ijaws) who now seek to be the beneficiaries.

Our respect for the rule of law should not be misconstrued as a lack of ability for violence and terrorism. Afterall, when we decided to evoke the law of self-survival to defend ourselves in Warri Urban during the crisis, even the then Governor was amazed at the outcome for a people known to always be peaceful.

Let it be known that our respect for the rule of law, peace and tranquility is a product of nurture as no human when push to the wall will remain human.

Our leaders are influencing the Government to gradually push us to that stage when we shall begin to protect ourselves as we cannot have lighting strike our own home place twice.

Our leaders should engage their influence in the direction of igniting the process of assisting our people to go back home and focus on how they will be treated by way of PTSD attention. Please leaders of Warri North, we appeal to you in the name of God and humanity to bring our plight and predicament to the State and Federal Governments in the reasonable order of priority. The Government can and should redress the wrong done to us by restoring us back to the pre-crisis state; after that, we may then begin having the kind of discussions as being proposed by the leaders.

However, if the leaders elect to wield their influence and succeed in silencing the voice of the people with their wealth and political influence, we would have spoken for God to hear and whatever follows no man should complain; because Vox Populi, Vox Dei (‘the voice of the people is the voice of God’).

Those who are rejoicing today about the potency of their wealth and their political influence and electing to wield it in this manner should recall; the immortal words of the late journalist, Dele Giwa: ‘No evil deed will go unpunished; any evil done by man to man will be redressed; if not now then certainly later; if not by man, then by God for the victory of evil over good is temporary’.

The precondition for a proper engagement cannot be without the above demands being first met and such decision being both people driven and people centered. It should be about the people principally not about the said leaders perse.

We are not averse to living in peace with our neighbours but we must adopt the Rotarian noble guide in doing so:

The 4-Way Test of the things we think, say or do: Is it the TRUTH?. Is it FAIR to all concerned?

. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? . Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

As a final word, charity should begin at home and not outside please. Our arguments above constitute our justification for describing the planned sacrifice of Warri North Local Government Chairmanship seat for Itsekiri Senatorial ambition as a fallacy; for it is indeed a fallacy.
​

Related

The fact is, human nature often gets in the way of planning effectively for retirement. Even when people take the time to learn about various retirement strategies and financial products and services, for various reasons, sometimes they just don’t get around to taking the steps they need to take to prepare for a potentially long retirement. 

One reason is that many people don’t like to plan very far ahead, often living paycheck to paycheck instead of thinking even six months down the line. The trouble is with this strategy is that it just won’t work when you retire and your regular paychecks from working stop coming in. If you’re approaching your retirement years or have recently retired, you could live for another 25 to 30 years, and you need a serious plan for your health, financial security, and fulfillment that will last for the rest of your long life. 

Cultivating good habits so you have a successful retirement is a critical part of your planning.

To find out just what habits are most essential, I turned to three financial experts who are household names: Jean Chatsky, Jane Bryant Quinn, and Robert Powell. They are all are seasoned, prolific writers on the topic of financial acuity. 

One of Chatsky’s popular books, The Difference, examines the character traits of people who’ve thrived financially in any environment, which could be particularly helpful in today’s challenging times. 

Jean Chatzky – Making money make senseJean Chatzky – Making Money Make Sense

Quinn’s most recent book is How to Make Your Money Last: The Indispensable Retirement Guide. This book focuses on how to generate enough money to last all your life and covers your living expenses, as well as the steps you should take to protect against the financial risks that most retirees will face.

JbquinnJane Bryant Quinn

Robert Powell is the editor of Retirement Daily, a comprehensive website that helps you finance a long retirement.

Retirement Daily on TheStreet: Finance and Retirement Advice, Analysis, and MoreRetirement Daily on TheStreet: Finance and Retirement Advice, Analysis, and More

Let’s see what these experts have to say about planning for a successful retirement.

Build healthy financial habits

Both Chatsky and Quinn emphasize the importance of building habits that will lead to successful financial management over the long term. This means saving a sufficient portion of every paycheck; Chatsky specifically recommends saving at least 5% of every paycheck. 

Another helpful habit is to set goals and then periodically check in with yourself to see how you’re doing. If you find that you’re not making the progress you’d like to make, you can reassess and make changes in order to get back on track. Good advice for today, since chances are good you might need to readjust your plans due to the pandemic.

Paying your credit card bills in full each month is another great habit these experts recommend you develop. This is particularly important if you need to live within a retirement income that might be less than the income you enjoyed while you were working.

MORE FROM FORBESThe Question Many Pre-Retirees And Retirees Will Need To AnswerBy Steve Vernon

Keep it simple

Quinn believes that “the simpler your financial arrangements, the more likely you are to succeed.” This means investing in index funds that research shows have outperformed investments in actively managed funds and individual stocks and bonds. It also means you should avoid buying complicated annuity products with high fees. 

Develop successful personality traits

Chatsky advises cultivating the following personality traits for success: optimism, resilience, connectedness, gratitude. The good news, she says, is that we can develop these personality traits—it’s not the case that we’re stuck with the traits we’re born with.

In today’s challenging times, Chatsky emphasizes that resilience—the ability to adapt and rise above difficult times—is a particularly important trait to cultivate. Chatsky suggests “…controlling those things that you can control (typically your actions and not the actions of other people) and letting go of the others.”

Powell agrees with Chatsky, and adds “it’s important to be able to absorb and recover from shocks.” Sound advice for today, as we’ve all been hit with the shock of the pandemic.

Chatsky’s and Powell’s advice and suggested personality traits to develop are consistent with the secrets I recently shared from successful retirees whose insights are based on their life experience.  

MORE FROM FORBES6 Retirement Secrets From Successful RetireesBy Steve Vernon

Trust your plan 

Once you’ve developed a careful plan to guide you through a long retirement, Quinn recommends that you trust that carefully designed plan. She adds, “Let it run, while you get on with the rest of your life.” This is particularly sound advice today, when the pandemic is testing our patience and possibly casting doubts on our well-made plans. 

While developing and implementing your plans will take hard work, you can do it! Since you’ve read to this point, you’ve demonstrated that you are a curious and serious student of retirement. Your perseverance and optimism will help you enjoy your retirement years, and you’ll be grateful that you took the time to plan for the best possible life in retirement.

★年末は注目新刊が目白押しでとても追いきれませんが、その一部を列記します。

『崇高の分析論――カント『判断力批判』についての講義録』ジャン=フランソワ・リオタール著、星野太訳、法政大学出版局、2020年12月、本体3,600円、四六判上製376頁、
ISBN978-4-588-01125-2
『暴力――手すりなき思考』リチャード・J・バーンスタイン著、齋藤元紀監訳、梅田孝太／大久保歩／大森一三／川口茂雄／渡辺和典訳、法政大学出版局、2020年12月、本体4,200円、四六判上製380頁、ISBN978-4-588-01126-9
『レペルトワール　I　1960』ミシェル・ビュトール著、石橋正孝監訳、鈴木創士／三ツ堀広一郎／福田桃子／ほか訳、幻戯書房、2020年12月、本体4,500円、A5判上製352頁、ISBN978-4-86488-212-5
『ロボット　ＲＵＲ』カレル・チャペック著、阿部賢一訳、中公文庫、2020年12月、本体840円、文庫判240頁、ISBN978-4-12-207011-0
『和辻哲郎座談』和辻哲郎著、中公文庫、2020年12月、本体1,200円、文庫判416頁、ISBN978-4-12-207010-3

★『崇高の分析論』は、フランスの哲学者リオタール（Jean-François Lyotard, 1924-1998）の『Leçons sur l’analytique du sublime : Kant, Critique de la faculté de juger, §23-29』（Galilée, 1991; Klincksiek, 2015）の全訳。カントが『判断力批判』第23～29節で論じた「崇高なるものの分析論」を、リオタールが精読する講義がもととなっています。訳者の星野太さんが『崇高の修辞学』（月曜社、2017年）の著者であることは周知の通りです。

★リオタールは「はじめに」でこう書いています。「もしも本書の目的を簡潔に示さねばならないとしたら、次のように言うことができるだろう。この講義録は、カントのテクストから感情の抗争――それはまた抗争の感情である――をめぐる分析を抽出し、その感情のモティーフを（批判も含めた）あらゆる思考をその限界へと導く恍惚へと結びつけることをめざしている」（2頁）。

★「あらゆる思考活動は、思考にその「状態」を告げ知らせる感情をともなっている。しかしこの状態とは、それを告げ知らせる感情以外の何ものでもない。みずからの状態について知らされること、それは思考にとってみずからの状態を感じとることであり、触発されることである。感覚（ないし感情）というのは、思考の状態であると同時に、その状態によって、その状態についてなされた、思考に対する告知である」（21頁）。「思考の主観的状態、およびそのあらゆる活動において思考にともなう感情を指針として進むような反省〔…〕この思考活動が主観に関わる場合、その主観という観念を批判しうるのも、やはりこの反省を通じてなのである」（41頁）。

★『暴力』は、米国の哲学者バーンスタイン（Richard J. Bernstein, 1932-）の『Violence: Thinking without Banisters』（Polity Press, 2013）の訳書。副題にある「手すりなき思考」（Denken ohne Geländer）というのはアーレントの言葉（『カント政治哲学講義録』など）で、バーンスタインの既訳書名『手すりなき思考』（産業図書、1997年）にも使われていますが、こちらの原題は『The new constellation』です。

★「階段を上り下りするときにいつも手すりにつかまっていれば転ばないけれども、人はもはや手すりを失っている」とアーレントは1972年11月のカンファレンスで語りました（「Hannah Arendt on Hannah Arendt」, ジェローム・コーン編『Thinking Without a Banister: Essays in Understanding, 1953-1975』所収, Schocken Books, 2018, p.473）。バーンスタインは『暴力』の前書きでこう書いています。「伝統が破壊された状況にあってなお、私たちが思考の活動に従事しようとするなら、いかなる手すりも不動点も当てにできない。私たちは、新しい考え方や新しい概念を鍛え上げるよう迫られているのである。〔…〕思考を生き生きと保つために絶えず繰り返し遂行されねばならない活動、それが思考なのである」（5頁）。

★「手すりなき思考は、基礎づけ主義とニヒリズムの両者に対する代案である。しかもこれこそ、暴力を理解するために、今何としても必要な思考なのである」（6頁）。「現実ないし想像上の暴力のイメージを避けられない以上、私たちの時代を「暴力の時代」と呼んでいいだろう。しかし、暴力のイメージや言説があちこちに氾濫しているため、思考は鈍くなるばかりでなく、妨げられてすらいる。暴力ということで私たちは何を言おうとしているのか。〔…〕暴力は、戦争よりもはるかに広いカテゴリーである」（7頁）。

★『レペルトワール　I　1960』は、フランスの作家ビュトール（Michel Butor, 1926-2016）の評論集『Répertoire』全5巻（原著1960～1982年刊）の第1巻。以後年1回ずつの配本予定とのことです。版元紹介文に曰く「『レペルトワール』は、全5巻各21篇にわたって文芸批評、創作技法、演劇、美術、音楽、読書と書物、旅と都市をめぐる文学的地理批評など、広汎な諸領域を縦横無尽に横断しながら展開された、類稀な批評集」。カタカナ英語でいうと「レパートリー」。全巻購入者特典冊子「ビュトールの旅学」については版元さんのブログ「幻戯書房NEWS」の11月9日付エントリーをご覧ください。第Ⅰ巻の収録作品は以下の通りです。

探求としての長編小説｜石橋正孝訳
錬金術と言語｜上杉誠訳
ジョン・ダン『魂の遍歴』について｜倉方健作訳
ラシーヌと神々｜三ツ堀広一郎訳
妖精たちの天秤｜福田桃子訳
『クレーヴの奥方』について｜上杉誠訳
バルザックと現実｜塩谷祐人訳
『反復』｜三枝大修訳
《一つの可能性》｜三枝大修訳
『人口楽園』｜倉方健作訳
『賭博者』｜福田桃子訳
至高点と黄金時代――ジュール・ヴェルヌのいくつかの作品を通して｜石橋正孝訳
マルセル・プルーストの「瞬間」｜荒原邦博訳
レーモン・ルーセルの手法について｜新島進訳
サイエンス・フィクションの成長とその危機｜新島進訳
ジョイス群島探査にあたっての事前の小周航｜鈴木創士訳
フィネガンのためのある敷居の素描｜鈴木創士訳
エズラ・パウンドの詩的実験｜倉方健作訳
ウィリアム・フォークナー「熊」にける親族関係｜福田桃子訳
弁証法的自伝｜新島進訳
ロワイヨーモンでの発言｜福田桃子訳
註
初出一覧〔既訳併記〕
解題｜石橋正孝

★なお本書の刊行を記念して、2021年1月31日18時より、誠品生活日本橋にて訳者の石橋さん、三ツ堀さんがゲストに堀江敏幸さんを迎え、鼎談「今、『レペルトワール』を語る」を開催されるとのことです。参加料無料で、Zoomでもオンライン配信されます。詳しくはリンク先をご覧ください。

★中公文庫の12月新刊から2点。チャペックの戯曲『ロボット　ＲＵＲ』は、文庫では千野栄一訳（『ロボット（R.U.R.）』岩波文庫、1989年）以来の新訳。訳者の阿部賢一（あべ・けんいち, 1972-）さんは、今年はコロナ禍のさなかにやはりチャペックの戯曲『白い病』を岩波文庫より9月に上梓されており、チャペック作品の驚くべきアクチュアリティを立て続けに掘り起こしておられます。

★「ロボット」第一幕より、アルクイストとヘレナのやりとり。「ロボット」はとても身近に感じる寓話です。読んでいる自分がまるでその世界に生きているかのようです。81頁と85頁から引用します。

ヘレナ：アルクイスト、何か怖ろしいことが起きているのは、私もわかっている。とても不安なの――建築士さん！　あなたは不安を感じると、何をするの？
アルクイスト：レンガを積みます。建築主任の上着を脱いで、足場にのぼります――
ヘレナ：あなた、もう何年も、足場のところにばかりいるじゃない。
アルクイスト：何年も、不安を感じないことはなかったからです。
ヘレナ：何が不安なの？
アルクイスト：この進歩というものすべてです。目眩がするほどに。
ヘレナ：足場では目眩はしないの？
アルクイスト：いえ。レンガの重さを計ったり、並べたり、トントンと叩いたりすると、手のひらが喜ぶのです――
ヘレナ：手のひらだけ？
アルクイスト：うむ、心もです。あまりにも壮大な図面を描くよりも、レンガを一個ずつ積み重ねるほうが理にかなっていると思います。ヘレナさん、私はもう年老いていますから。趣味のようなものです。
ヘレナ：趣味ではありません、アルクイスト。
アルクイスト：その通り。私は時代遅れなのです。ヘレナさん、こういう進歩をまったく好んでいないのですから。

＊＊＊

アルクイスト：ソドムになったんだ！　なったんだ！　世界という世界が、大陸という大陸が、全人類が、ありとあらゆるものが、発狂して狂乱する狂宴に絡め取られたのだ！　もはや食べ物に手を伸ばすことすらない。直接口に運んでくれるから、立ち上がる必要もない――ハハッ、ドミンのロボットは何でも世話してくれる！　われわれ人間、創造の極致をきわめた我々は、労働で老いることもなければ、子供の世話で老いることもなく、貧しさで老いることもない！　さあ、さあ、快楽という快楽をもってくるがいい！　それなのに、あなたは、あいつらの子供が欲しい？　余計な男に、女は子供を産まないんだよ、ヘレナ！
ヘレナ：では、人類は滅びるの？
アルクイスト：滅びる。滅びなければならない。実を結ばない花のように散るはず〔…〕

★『和辻哲郎座談』は版元紹介文に曰く「オリジナル編集による初座談集、全十篇」。いずれも時代を感じさせる内容ですが、先人の生々しい息遣いに接することのできる貴重な一冊です。以下に目次を列記します。

Ｉ
春宵対談｜谷崎潤一郎（司会：後藤末雄）
旧友対談｜谷崎潤一郎
戦争と平和｜志賀直哉
世界史における日本の運命｜高坂正顕
緑蔭対談――若い女性に望むこと｜柳田國男
Ⅱ
幸田露伴先生を囲んで｜幸田露伴、末弘嚴太郎、辰野隆、谷崎潤一郎、徳田秋声（鈴木利貞、室伏高信）
日本文学に於ける和歌俳句の不滅性｜安倍能成、幸田露伴、斎藤茂吉、茅野蕭々、寺田寅彦、野上豊一郎（西尾実、藤森朋夫）
日本文化の検討｜今井登志喜、大西克禮、長谷川如是閑、柳田國男
漱石をめぐって｜安倍能成、内田百閒、小宮豊隆
文学と宗教｜高坂正顕、竹山道雄、長與善郎
解説　対話する和辻哲郎｜苅部直

Welcome to the Secjuice Squeeze, a curated selection of interesting security articles and infosec news that you may have missed, lovingly curated for you every week. This week’s volume was curated by Secjuice writers Prasanna, Muhammad Luqman, Thunder-Son, Sinwindie, and Miguel Calles.

Articles

Unsecured Azure blob exposed 500,000+ highly confidential docs from UK firm’s CRM customers

Medical records, insurance claim docs, promotion process feedback… you name it, Probase bared it.

Source & Link: theregister.com
Curator: Prasanna

“If it Hadn’t Been for the Prompt Work of the Medics”: FSB Officer Inadvertently Confesses Murder Plot to Navalny

Bellingcat and its partners reported that Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) was implicated in the near-fatal nerve-agent poisoning of Alexey Navalny on 20 August 2020.

Source & Link: bellingcat.com
Curator: Prasanna

CoderWare Ransomware Masks Itself As Cyberpunk 2077 Mobile Game

CoderWare ransomware is under distribution as Cyberpunk 2077 mobile game app via fake websites mimicking Google Play Store.

Source & Link: latesthackingnews.com
Curator: Muhammad Luqman

New SUPERNOVA backdoor found in SolarWinds cyberattack analysis

While analyzing artifacts from the SolarWinds Orion supply-chain attack, security researchers discovered another backdoor that is likely from a second threat actor.

Source & Link: bleepingcomputer.com
Curator: Muhammad Luqman

17:35 GMT 27.12.2020Get short URL

Federal unemployment benefits expired Saturday night for millions of Americans after President Donald Trump refused to sign the coronavirus relief bill into law.

Trump objected to the bill last week after it passed through Congress with bipartisan majorities. The president demanded that it include $2,000 direct cash payments instead of the $600 payments that it provides. The lapse in benefits could force 12 million Americans into a financial crisis, according to an estimate from The Century Foundation.

Trump’s refusal to sign the bill has left its status in limbo. While Democrats have supported his call for $2,000 payments, congressional Republican leaders blocked their attempt to pass it Thursday.

Additionally, since Trump has not actually vetoed the bill, Congress is unable to vote to override it.

Trump reaffirmed his opposition to any bill omitting $2,000 payments just hours before the benefits expired, tweeting “$2,000 + $2,000 plus other family members.”

“Remember, it was China’s fault!” he added.

Members of the Problem Solvers Caucus praise the forthcoming passage of the bipartisan emergency coronavirus relief bill during a press conference Monday in Washington, D.C. (Cheriss May/Getty Images)

Trump has also criticized the government funding bill attached to the relief package, railing against the tens of millions of dollars allocated for foreign nations and American museums. Despite his objections, however, many of the allocations match his administration’s proposed budget from earlier this year. (RELATED: Congress Finally Agreed On A Massive Stimulus Package. Here’s What’s In It)

The U.S. also faces a government shutdown if Trump fails to sign the bill before Tuesday, when funding runs out.

Many politicians on both sides of the aisle have urged Trump to sign the bill, warning that millions of Americans could face irreparable financial hardship if he does not.

“Millions of families don’t know if they’ll be able to make ends meet because of President Donald Trump’s refusal to sign an economic relief bill approved by Congress with an overwhelming and bipartisan majority,” President-elect Joe Biden said Saturday, adding that his inaction could have “devastating consequences” for the U.S. economy.

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.