In August 2019 an ambitious project was undertaken where six young talents ofIndia were to train under the 14th World Champion Vladimir Kramnik.Kramnik, who retired from chess in January 2019, had been quite busy with his post-retirement projects both in chess and beyond. However,seeing the talent crop of India and thepotential these youngsters possessed, he decided tofree up ten days in his schedule for the training camp.It was Frederic Friedel, the founder of ChessBase, who had conceived this idea just a few days after Kramnik retired from professional chess.

There was no question of talent in Indian chess. Kramnik was ready. What was now required was a sponsor, who would fund this entire project. After several months of searching, it was Microsense Networks Private Limited that came forward. Mr. Kailasanathan, the Managing Director of Microsense Private Limited and a former Tamil Nadu Chess State Champion in 1972,found this project in sync with the mission of Microsense. The company wants to create world class chess players in the years to come and training with Kramnik was sure to help them in their vision.

Participants of the August camp: Vladimir Kramnik withGM R. Praggnanandhaa, GM D. Gukesh, GMP. Iniyan, GM Prithu Gupta, IM Raunak Sadhwani (who was not a GM back then), IM Leon Mendonca and ChessBase India founders Sagar and Amruta | Photo: Amruta Mokal

Ten days of training with Kramnik proved to be immensely useful | Photo: Amruta Mokal

But the camp was not the end of it all. After its completion Vladimir was in touch withthe games of the students. He would regularly communicate with me about howa youngster had got it all wrong in the opening, oranother youngster had to simply get his act together in endgame technique. It was Kramnik'shigh level ofinvolvement in the projectand subsequent results of the students that convinced Kailasanathan and Microsense of the need to continue these camps.

Praggnanandhaa went on to become the World Youth Champion in the under-18 section and also won the London Chess Classic FIDE Open. Raunak Sadhwani scored his final GM norm with a tremendous performance at theGrand Swiss 2019 in Isle of Man and became India's 65th GM.

After becoming a GM, and speaking to ChessBase India Raunak mentioned:

I can say that Kramnik sir's camp was a life changing thing for me. In a few days he taught so many practical things:

All these were encouraging signs and Microsense decided to take things up anotch. The second camp was planned in January, but this time instead of eight Indians travelling toEurope, it was decided that Kramnik should come down to India. The last time Vladimir Kramnik was in the country was back inthe 90s when heplayed a match in Sanghi Nagar against Boris Gelfand. Vladimir agreed to the proposal. As the camp had beenvery useful to the youngsters, it was decided that the number of studentsshould be increased from 6 to 14. The logisticalarrangements wouldbe much less and it made sense to have more talents working with thelegend. Butof course, it would be too much for Kramnik to work with 14youngsters alone. Anotherworld-class player was required and the naturalchoice was India's five-time World Champion Vishy Anand.

Vishy Anand withKailasanathan (right), CEO of MicrosensePrivate Limited

At a felicitation ceremony held in Chennai in October 2019, Anand showed his keenness in joining the programas a trainer in the monthsto come. But in January,it wasn't really feasible for Vishy as he was participating in theTata Steel Chess tournament 2020 in Wijk AanZee.It is quite probable that Vishy would join in for the next camp. The search for a world-class player / trainer continued.

Boris Gelfand needs no introduction. He has been one of the greatest chess players ever tohave graced the game of chess. He fought against Vishy Anand in the World Championships 2012 and after the Classicalgames the score was tied at 6-6! Anand eventually won the rapidtiebreakers, but it was clear that Boris had been a worthy opponent for the four-time World Champion back then. Over the years, Gelfand has continued to fight at the highest leveland it is this very experience ofhis that made him a worthy partnerfor Vladimir Kramnik in the training camp.

Kramnik and Gelfand: Rivals on the chess board, and friends off it!| Photo: Amruta Mokal

Master Class Vol.11: Vladimir Kramnik

This DVD allows you to learn from the example of one of the best players in the history of chess and from the explanations of the authors (Pelletier, Marin, Mller and Reeh) how to successfully organise your games strategically, consequently how to keep y

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The trainers weredecided,it was now time to select the students. The list of the top players in the country between the age of 12-16 was created. Some players above the age of 16 were also considered. However, the main aim was to have the best and youngest players of India attend the camp. This list of probable candidates was submitted to Kramnik and Gelfand, who went over the names with great care and selected the 8 players in addition to the six who already were in the first camp.

2602 at the age of 14! Pragg is one of the finest young talents, not just in India but also all over the world.

Praggnanandhaa | Photo:Lennart Ootes

Arjun Erigaisi has raced to an Elo of 2575. The 16-year-oldhas been extremely consistent andwe have seen his Elo climb upwards for quite some timenow. He was part of the first camp as well, but a last minute injury meant that he had to miss it. It's wonderful to have Arjun in the second training camp.

Arjun Erigaisi | Photo:Lennart Ootes

The second youngest GM in thehistory of chess and a tremendous talent.

D. Gukesh | Photo:Lennart Ootes

India'slatest GM.His performance at the FIDE Grand Swiss 2019 where he was unbeaten for seven rounds against some of the best players in the world including Sergey Karjakin drew attention from all corners of the world.

Raunak Sadhwani | Photo: Amruta Mokal

GM P. Iniyan hails from Erode, a place with absolutely no chess culture. For a GM to emerge from such a town, at such a tender age, shows Iniyan's talent.

P. Iniyan | Photo:Lennart Ootes

Arjun Kalyan has already scored3 GM norms and is on the brink of becoming India's next GM.

Arjun Kalyan | Photo: Sagar Shah

India's 64th GM isclearly the one who plays the least number of tournaments amongall of these youngsters. The fact that he could become a GM by playingsuch few events, shows what a consistent player he is.

Sreeshwan Maralakshikari is a talentto watch out for. Just 13 years old, he is already an IM. Financial difficulties and lack of structured training have proved to be impediments in this youngster's progress, but with this camp, he should be able to make headway towards his GM title pretty soon.

Sreeshwan Maralakshikari | Photo: Amruta Mokal

A gutsy youngster who has never let anyoff the boardobstacles come in between his journey towardschess excellence. Aditya had an accident before the event and hence will be joining in the camp remotely.

Aditya Mittal | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Gaining in strength every day, thisyoungster from Goa is sure to become a GM soon. Check outLeon's symphonyon the board which he created at the World Juniors 2019.

Leon Mendonca| Photo: Amruta Mokal

He became an IMjust at the age of 11 years and 8 months. BharatSubramaniyamknows no fear andin the next few months will be looking forward to breaking Karjakin's youngest GM world record.

BharatSubramaniyam | Photo:Lennart Ootes

When it comes to women's chess in India, R. Vaishali is one of the best. She already is a WGM, has two IM norms, but more importantly she has alsoscored a GM norm recently.

R. Vaishali | Photo:Lennart Ootes

You only need to seeRaahil Mullick's couple of wins at the Abu Dhabi Masters 2019 against 2600 rated opponentsto know how talented he is!

Learn from the Classics

Sagar Shah shows you on this DVD how you can use typical patterns used by the Master of the past in your own games. From opening play to middlegame themes.

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Raahil Mullick shows Sagar two sparkling wins

Rakshitta Ravi is just 14, is already a WIM and has twoWGM norms.

Rakshitta Ravi | Photo:Lennart Ootes

Note:WIM Divya Deshmukh was invited to the camp. However, due to other commitments, shewill not be able tobe a part of the camp. She was replaced byR. Vaishali in the camp.

When is it held:The first session will begin onJanuary8thand the last day of the camp will beJanuary17th, 2020.

How many hours each day:Each day the training camp will have six hours of training divided into twothree-hour sessions

Whereis it held:The camp is held in a villa on the East Coast Road in Chennai and no parents are allowed to be a part of the camp. It's a residential training program.

How will the students be taught:There will be two groups created and trainingthat will happen in two separate rooms. Each group willget time with both Kramnik and Gelfand for training.

Innovations:There are several innovations that will be seen at the training camp:Firstly a Michelin Starred chef will be preparing food for the youngsters throughout the event. Secondly a yoga expert will train the youngsters.

ChessBase India founders Sagar Shah and Amruta Mokal will bepresent at the venue as the managers of this entire camp and also to bring you further updates.Initiator of the training camps, Frederic Friedel fromChessBase International, will also be visiting.

"Our vision and mission are to build India as a powerful chess-playing nation" The man with thevision the MD of MicrosenseNetworks Private Limited S. Kailasanathan

Read more:

Kramnik and Gelfand train top juniors - Chessbase News

Fahad Rahman in action against Puranik Abhimanyu at the Intl GM Chess in Mumbai BCF

Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman is in joint second place with 14 other players, on 4.5 points, while Tahsin Tajwar Zia has one point

International Master Mohammad Fahad Rahman is in joint-first in the EKA IIFL Investment Managers 5th International Grandmaster Chess Tournament with four other players, with all of them on five points after the sixth round.

The tournament is being held in Mumbai, India

Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman is in joint second place with 14 other players, on 4.5 points, while Tahsin Tajwar Zia has one point.

In the sixth round, IM Fahad beat Indian 2580 rated GM Puranik Abhimanyu, GM Zia beat IM Srijit PAul of India and Tahsin lost to Gaikwad Siddhant of India.

Meanwhile, Marzouq Chowdhury earned 4.5 points and Azher Hossain earned 3.5 points after the 7th round games in the EKA IIFL Investment Managers 5th Mumbai Junior Under-13 FIDE Rating Chess Tournament.

Original post:

Fahad in five-way lead at 5th International GM Chess - Dhaka Tribune

Kasparov tweeted that there isnt any doubt today that Stalin joined Hitler in invading Poland. Ryan Kelly/PAP/EPA

Russian chess legend and political activist Garry Kasparov has entered the fray surrounding controversial comments made by Vladimir Putin that suggested Poland was in part responsible for the start of the Second World War.

Taking to Twitter, Kasparov tweeted a picture of a newspaper from September 1939 carrying the headline Russia Enters War: Invades Poland.

Above it Kasparov, who is a fierce critic of Putin and his polices, wrote: There wasnt any doubt on 17 Sep 1939 that Stalin invaded Poland as Hitlers partner, and there isnt any doubt today.

Morawiecki accused Putin of repeatedly lying about Poland.Marcin Obara/PAP

His words will add to the maelstrom of controversy surrounding Putins comments, in which he also called the man who was Polands pre-war ambassador to Berlin as an anti-Semitic pig, and increase fears that Russia is trying to whitewash over the Soviet invasion of eastern Poland in September 1939, an act of war carried out in accordance with the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

Putins statement prompted Mateusz Morawiecki, the prime minister, to dispense with diplomatic niceties and issue a stinging response in which he accused the Russian leader of "repeatedly lying" about Poland.

Putins words have increased fears Russia is determine to re-write history.MIKHAEL KLIMENTYEV / SPUTNIK / KREMLIN POOL/PAP/EPA

The statement reflected widespread anger with Putin that was not just confined to Poland.

Georgette Mosbacher, the US ambassador to Warsaw, tweeted: Dear President Putin, Hitler and Stalin colluded to start WWII. That is a fact. Poland is a victim of this horrible conflict.

Original post:

Chess legend Kasparov says there is no doubt Stalin invaded Poland as Hitler's partner - The First News

If playing chess is something that takes your fancy then why not take part in the Isle of Wight Chess Club which is spread over 4 towns.

There are currently 4 places to play chess on the island, these include Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin & Freshwater.

Coaching is available for anyone wishing to take part, they currently have beginners, social, club and country players among their current groups.

Ryde Lawn Tennis and CroquetClub(clubhouse)

Playstreet Lane Ryde PO33 3LJ

Mondays 12:00 to 14:00

Shanklin Age Concern Cafe

106 Regent Street Shanklin PO37 7AP

Tuesdays 14:00 to 16:00

FreshwaterConservativeClub(upstairs room)

Queens Road Freshwater PO40 9ES

Tuesdays from 19:00

Sandown ConservativeClub (main room/bar)

92 Station Ave Sandown PO36 8HD

Thursdays from 19:00

For more information, you can contact John Wrench on 01983 852829 or 07913 227402.

Read more:

ISLE OF WIGHT CHESS CLUBS SPREAD OVER 4 LOCATIONS - Island Echo

The New Year presents the prospect of another beginning and all the anticipation and hope for a bright future.

In the movie Pawn Sacrifice, the possibilities at the beginning of each new chess game are explored in the story of Bobby Fischer, the World Chess Champion from 1972-1975. Fischer was a brilliant, somewhat disturbed, young man who beat Russian player Boris Spassky during the Cold War and transformed the game by inventing a new variant of chess which randomized starting positions, compelling players to rely on their talent and creativity rather than memorization.

One of the quotes in the movie which both affirms the possibilities in each beginning as well as the wonder of Gods expanding creation was an observation made by Father Lombardy, a Roman Catholic priest who was Fischers confidant and coach. He said. After the first four moves, there are 300 million options before a chess player. Thats more than the stars in the sky.

As we move into another beginning and consider the options before us as well as the stars above us, let us find hope in the premises of our faith and the character of our Creator implicit in the biblical story of creation. Here we find the retelling of a well-known fable in antiquity about the beginning; however, this author tells the story with a different emphasis to affirm the Hebrew peoples belief in the goodness of God and Gods creation.

If we can trust that life began in goodness, we can go forward into life with courage and expectation. The evil in the world is not due to some relentless fate; it is a contradiction of the Creators purpose. God does not secretly wish ill for creation or delight in punishing us for some known or unknown wrong committed along the way. Quite the contrary, my friends, God is delighted in our well-being and peaceful coexistence and glorified when our lives are creative, loving, and shining brightly.

When Gods abiding presence came into the world to partake in the human experience, the light of an eastern star announced Christs arrival and another beginning. This light of Epiphany, which led strangers to the Christ child, symbolizes another belief at the heart of our faith. Namely, that Gods redeeming presence is intended for all whom God created and not limited to a chosen few. No human being is excluded from Gods justice and mercy.

Our faith affirms the God who was in the beginning, the God who makes all our beginnings possible and the God who will see our beginnings through to the end. In this New Year as we consider the options and strategies that outnumber the stars in the sky, may this chess analogy offered by American statesman and scientist Benjamin Franklin be a source of inspiration in the way we live our lives.

Chess teaches foresight, by having to plan ahead; vigilance, by having to keep watch over the whole chess board; caution, by having to restrain ourselves from making hasty moves; and finally, we learn from chess the greatest maxim in life that even when everything seems to be going badly for us we should not lose heart, but always hoping for a change for the better, steadfastly continue searching for the solution to our problems.

As it was in the beginning, is now and evermore shall be. Thanks be to God.

Rev. Dr. Blythe Denham Kieffer is pastor and head of staff at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Springfield.

See the rest here:

Kieffer: Finding hope in another beginning - The State Journal-Register

It is ironical that despite shattering many chess records and being the strongest and the highest-rated women chess player (Judit Polgar is the highest-rated player ever but played only in Open section) for many years, a World title proved elusive for 32-year-old Koneru Humpy. Incredibly, it came her way at Moscow when she triumphed in the Womens World Rapid Chess Championship last week after starting as the 13th seed.

The youngest ever to win a World junior title at 14 years, the youngest woman in the world to earn the GM title at that time, Asian Champion, British Womens Champion and numerous titles in Age Categories, none doubted that winning the Womens World Championship would be a natural transgression for Humpy. One of her best performances was at the North Urals Cup, Russia which featured the top ten women players of that time.

Her troubled equation with AICF (Indian chess federation) resulted in her missing a few prestigious events. In fact, in 2015 AICF moved the FIDE Ethics Commission to ban Humpy and take necessary action against her and strip her of the GM and other titles after she withdrew midway through the Commonwealth Championship. It was the Association of Chess Professionals which stood strongly behind Humpy and asked FIDE for a fair enquiry.

Always calm, shy and soft spoken, Humpy always keeps a low profile off-board but once at the chequered board, her personality undergoes a dramatic transformation.

Her brand of fighting chess, dislike for any short draws, made her a feared opponent. Returningbackto chess after two years, after the birth of her daughter, her recent triumph might just spur her on to settle some unfinished business -- that of winning the Womens World Chess Championship. Excerpts...

Your thoughts on this Womans World Rapid chess title?

To be honest, I didnt think that a gold medal and title would come my way when I started the event. I had modest expectations of a medal of any hue. It is no secret that I am more a classical player and the shorter time control formats have never really been my cup of tea. After glancing at the final 12thround pairings, I realised that I had an opportunity to secure silver if I beat Tan Zhongyi. I had the advantage of the White pieces and refused a draw offer and went on to win the game to force a tie for top place. At this point I realised that I had a golden opportunity though it would not be too easy. Adapting to the Blitz format was not easy and I ended up losing the first tie-break because of slow play, that too with the White pieces. I opted for the Modern Defence and tried to complicate as the pressure was high to score a win and stay in the hunt for the title. This was literally a game where I gambled! After winning the game and forcing a tie, the Armageddon too was taxing but by then I was comfortable with the time and position both! It was just my day. After so many years of hard work, finally a World Champion title as a reward. I was so happy and relieved to finally, finally have the tag of World Champion.

Did you make any specific preparation for the World Championship?

I hardly had time as I played the Grand Prix at Monaco where I finished second. There was a 10-day break in between but I played the European Club Cup. With so manybacktobackevents, it was difficult to specifically prepare for this event.

Your father Ashok has been your only coach. Does he still continue to be so?

It has been a while since we stopped working at the board as for the last few years I am preparing on my own. He is more of a mentor and guide now. We discuss strategy for the tournament and things like which opening to play and other things. The fundamentals ingrained by my father have been very strong and have stood the test of time.

From 2007 you were practically the highest rated woman player for a few years, yet the World title eluded you. Do you wonder why?

Yes, I do think it really appears strange. On hindsight, I feel like I played my best chess ever in World championships but the title never came my way and the best I managed was a bronze. I kept getting knocked out. Maybe I was unlucky. We dont know what life will throw at us in the future. We can only focus on doing our job to the best of our ability and see what comes our way.

How much time do you devote to chess?

It used to be a tough, disciplined grind of 8 to 10 hours every day without a break -- even on Sunday. I would spend half a day working on chess. Now I spend about three to four hours every day. After the arrival of my daughter, things have changed. I no longer work on festivals and few other days. I have to do a balancing act but I never miss any opportunity that I can spend working on chess.

How much had chess changed after your comeback?

There are a lot of changes. I realised that most of the preparation I had done a couple of yearsbackor earlier was not at all useful or had become redundant. With powerful engines, chess has changed. Younger generation play the best possible opening. When I became a GM, we did not have such exposure to technology. These days if you dont become a GM by 12 or 13 years then there is virtually no future for you as a chess player.

How do you look at the current crop of youngsters?

When I made a comeback at Gibraltar, I met a few of them, most of them just 15 or 16 years old and already enjoying an Elo 2500 to 2600 rating. Frankly, I am overawed and sometimes I feel that I am already a veteran!

Which are your next events and are you expecting invitations to niche events?

Nothing is planned yet but maybe February or March. I have received a few invitations but I have become a bit choosy now. I cannot play all events but play in all official FIDE events. This title has sort of rekindled my hunger for winning a World Womens title.

More here:

Koneru Humpy: Back to the forefront - Deccan Herald

When Doug Pederson and Pete Carroll meet at midfield on Sunday, itll be a meeting of two outstanding, Super Bowl winning head coaches. And thats about all they have in common. Their resumes contrast each other, Pederson is a comparatively young (Pederson played against Carroll when Carroll coached the Patriots) and offensive coach, Carroll is a hugely experienced defensive coach, one can even take note of their most famous plays in the Super Bowl. But the differences extend beyond the bios.

Doug Pederson treats his team to ice cream and beats other coaches in games of golf. Hes The Dad of the NFL.

Pete Carroll is... well, to put it charitably... a weird guy.

First and foremost, he is a 9/11 truther or at least just a guy asking questions.

In particular, Carroll wanted to know whether the attack on the Pentagon had really happened. Chiarelliwho was the top-ranking Army official inside the Pentagon when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into its western sideexplained that it had. He said he had lost many colleagues. But Carroll didnt stop there. He ran through the whole 9/11 truther litany.

Every 9/11 conspiracy theory you can think of, Pete asked about, said Riki Ellison, the former NFL linebacker who now runs the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance and introduced Carroll to Chiarelli.

When they show shots of Pete Carroll on the sideline, he looks like a crazy guy hanging around a bus stop.

Turns out he shares some of the same opinions too.

He once had Jordan Peterson speak to the Seahawks. If you dont know who Jordan Peterson is (youre better off not knowing), all you need to know is that Pete Carroll had to apologize for it.

And then there are his music tastes. To each his own, but he listens to the kind of stuff that a man half his age (or in one case, a girl a quarter his age) does. Such as Macklemore. On loop.

Haggerty, 30, has become friends with Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll, 62, who reached out to him last year after falling in love with Macklemores music. Carroll bought an album and spent much of last season playing it on an endless loop in his Seahawks office. Typically, the coach has his sound system cranked so loud his secretary has to turn it down when he steps out of his corner office.

He immediately resonated with the music, Haggerty said. Hes somebody whos 62 years old, but looks like hes 45, and acts like hes 30. Hes just a cool coach and down-to-earth person.

Maybe they also bonded over their theories on 9/11.

Carrolls musical tastes go further down the rabbit hole. He follows Tiesto and One Direction on Twitter. Why does a 68 year old man do this.

Speaking of his Twitter account, he has favorited just five tweets, one of which is his own. He follows Pete Carrolls Gum (which cant even punctuate correctly) and the Bronx Zoo cobra, which is really lame. But worst of all, and I hope youre sitting down for this:

He follows Bill Cosby.

And hes done it for a while, hes pretty far down on his list of follows.

More recently, at the 2019 combine he took his shirt off to meet DK Metcalf.

To be fair to Carroll, Metcalf caught 7 TDs and had a 15.5 yards per catch, and he was drafted seven picks after JJ Arcega-Whiteside, who has 10 catches.

Pete Carroll is a great coach. One who very well might be coaching next weekend while Doug Pederson refines his golf game. But hes also one hell of a weird dude.

Read more here:

Pete Carroll is weird - Bleeding Green Nation

The self-styled intellectual class is growing excitable. Under the onslaught of Trump, Brexit, Europe-wide populism, and Jordan Peterson, can we be certain, they ask, that the open society will continue? The only way on from liberalism, they believe, is backward into the darkness whence we allegedly emerged. Even those who are not enthusiastic about liberalisms tender mercies are required to moderate their hopes for its demise, lest the new nurse turn out to be worse than the serving one. A lot of people, including people who call themselves conservatives, appear to be concerned about the future of liberalism, and this concern is causing the age to be misread.

For the discussion is bogus to begin with. What is called liberalism here is not liberalism at all, but its direct opposite. It is liberalism only in name, and therefore offers no guarantee of an open society at all. By corrupting the meanings of terms like equality, tolerance, and human rights, the liberal ascendancy of the past three decades has overburdened the skeleton of our civilization, leaving it weakened and susceptible to collapse.

We should stop using words like liberalism as though they were not already subsumed in irony, as though the sense of virtue and good intention that they are supposed to connote remained valid. I believe it has become necessary to prefix certain words in our political lexicon to alert bystanders to their hidden corruption. For three decades I have referred to pseudo-liberalism. What we call liberalism is no longer to be thought upright. If it dies, it will be a cause of celebration, not dismay.

This pseudo-liberalism is founded on a lie: the idea that freedom resides in getting whatever you demand and doing whatever you desire. In the words of the diabolical occultist Aleister Crowley: Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law. A moments thought reveals such ideas as civilization-threatening. By definition, what one person demands must be taken from someplace where it already benefits others, and doing exactly what you want will invariably be a cost to someone else or, ultimatelybecause of the complexity of the human instrumentto yourself. There are libraries of philosophy and theology on these topics, but as far as contemporary conversations are concerned, it is as though not a word of this is relevant.

The Sixties generation, which introduced these incoherencies into the bloodstream of modern societies, has not been honest about its own experience of these much-vaunted freedoms, which have left a trail of devastation behind them. One symptom of this is that there is virtually no lucid witness to the errors of pseudo-liberalism, not just in the intimate areas of human relations, but in relation to economics and the movements of people in the modern world. For half a century, these converging strands of insipid thinking have dominated Western societies, steamrolling everything and everyone with the help of corporate money and devious propaganda, their incoherencies protected from scrutiny by the influence and dollars of Big This and Big That, by corrupted media and the force field of political correctness. Self-styled liberals have hijacked the idealism of the young, enlisting them for a project that has the outward appearance of virtue but is rotten to the core. They have convinced even our own children that globalism is an unequivocal good and that human safety and well-being can be maintained without the assistance of the civilization that made all these qualities possible in the first place.

Thus, pseudo-liberalism seeks to turn upside-down the value system of the civilization that once was Christendom, attacking its core institutions and mocking and censoring its history. It justifies genocide in the form of abortion and is clearly intentsometimes unwittinglyupon engineering the cultural and moral demolition of the West itself, by dint of godless relativism, induced migration, the elimination of distinct nations, and the destruction of the nuclear family.

And although this is quite clearly the most intolerant ideology to have emerged in the West since World War II, signs of the demise of this liberalism are met with handwringing from people who ought to know better. All right-thinking people must agree that populism is a bad thing. We must, while admitting its minor blemishes, still accept that what is called liberalism offers the one best way forward for Western societies.

Liberal-progressivismto give it its most informative nameis actually an advanced form of colonialism, imposing itself not just on territories but also claiming dominion over all future time, brooking no dissent and remorselessly punishing recalcitrant doubters. In this sense it is deeply totalitarian, insisting on one best way that cannot be questioned.

In his 1987 essayStories and Totalitarianism, Vclav Havel defined the mechanism of totalitarianism as the assassination of history to achieve both nihilisation of the past and mastery over the future. The instrument of this process he identified as the removal from history of the possibilities of human choice, mystery, and autonomy: History becomes a fixed sequence of unfolding inevitabilities, and the role of human beings is merely to acquiesce and embrace what is pressed upon them.

To put this another way, under the new colonialism the future is a city already constructed, waiting to be moved into. There is no space for human discussion or disagreement. It is already decidedand not, we are archly informed, by some arbitrary human authority but by the mechanistic mind of time, which ordains the course of history according to immutable and unchallengeable laws.

We are now, it is certain, seeing the early stages of the disintegration of this pseudo-liberalism. This liberalism has promised untrammeled economic growth, itself an example of its incoherence: Increasing growth never delivers increasing happiness. Moreover, in ignoring the inevitability of boom-bust, this promise provides an example of pseudo-liberal dishonesty.There is no final glorious destination.

This pseudo-liberalism also promises free speech, while curtailing it in the name of civilityemploying sophisticated abuses of language to impose censorship so as to protect its own incoherence, and arrogating to itself the right to stifle anything that offers a significant threat to itself.It also promises increasingly purer forms of democracy but in reality is pushing us ever closer to mob rule.

Pseudo-liberalism lays claim to the universalization of human rights, but it requires just a moments reflection to realize that what is meant by this is not universal in the least, but a highly ideological recalibration of the balance of power between establishments and minorities, which provide human shields for the prosecution of an undeclared war on what is.

Moreover, it is precisely the pseudo-liberal insistence on a selective understanding of human rights that lies at the heart of the current threat to Europes future. For if universal rights are to trump rights of culture, history, place, locality, home and hearth, the outcome will be the destruction of all culture, loyalty, and trust, creating an intercontinental incontinence that will sweep all order and coherence before it.

What is called liberalism attacks what is most precious in our tradition of community solidarity, opposing those values we have held dearestlove of God, nation, and familyin favor of an empty and faithless materialism and the pseudo-laws of the new ideologies. The flaws of this pseudo-liberalism amount to an indictment that far outweighs even the sum of the promised benefits, for it amounts, in truth, to the negation of democracy, free speech, and meaningful liberty.

It is true that there are actors waiting in the wings who represent something even more illiberal than the present dispensation. But we should not cling to a nurse for fear of something worse.Perhaps somewhere about the precincts of this paradox lies the explanation of why liberals have so far supported the influx of Muslims into Europe: This is part of the liberal program of disintegrating the culture, traditions, and civilization of the West. Often one is forced to wonder if liberals know anything about the nature of Islam and its ambitions, whether they are aware that the Islamic concept of the infidel disqualifies all such peoples from what they think their entitlements. No sane person could ever have accused these pseudo-liberals of being far-sighted. Still, here they have surely surpassed themselves with their willful myopia and stupidity. If they wish to imagine how it will end, I recommend they have a quiet read of Michel HouellebecqsSubmission, which tells of the capitulation of a future French establishment to the blandishments of Islam.

But the problem does not lie merely with pseudo-liberalism. Paradoxically, a dangerous tendency of thought has arisen in late times among conservatives: the idea that any flaws of liberalismsuch as, one presumes, its blind utopian globalism and politically correct excessespale compared to the barbarism to be observed elsewhere in the world. They take this to mean that we should not raise a fuss about what is happening in the West, but rather express gratitude for the openness we enjoy and the tolerance liberals extend to their opponents. This, too, is bogus. Tolerance here, like equality, means something different than it used to. Once, tolerance meant not interfering with, or attempting to suppress, beliefs that contradicted ones own, but this response has given way to a dictatorship of intolerance wherein everything is tolerated except the views of those who do not subscribe to the tenets of pseudo-liberalism.

Liberals speak of what they call the liberal order as though its virtues were self-evident. This allows them to adopt a tone of moral sanctimony. Those who disagree, therefore, mustipso factosuffer from some kind of pathological perverseness: They oppose the good out of fear, vexatiousness, or worse. But the pseudo-liberal sense of the good is selective and self-serving, and has no good plans for those who dissent from it. We have seen this, again and again, and what we have seenat the hands of social justice warriors, LGBT activists, #MeTooers, and the likeprovides evidence of what the liberal end of history would actually look like.

So let us not be frightened into shoring up that which is finally disintegrating. Pseudo-liberalism is finally disintegrating under belated retaliation from those it treats with contempt, as well as the weight of its own senselessness. The liberal state of affairs is a bit like the current state of rock n roll: Though on its last legs, no one can imagine what, if anything, comes next.This for a time appeared to be the strongest card of the self-proclaimed liberals: that they did indeed represent the end of history.Now, what is (often pejoratively) calledpopulismhas arisen to put paid to that idea.

This populism may represent the future, in one form or another, or simply the precursor to something we are not yet able to imagine.Butwhatever it is, it seems our only hope. The choice we face is not between left and right, orstill lessliberal and far right. Certainly, the choice is not between a continuation of the present pseudo-liberalism or a descent into Islamismthe first willinevitably give way to the second. Rather, the choice is between civilization and its antithesis. It could hardly be more serious.The time has come tolet the delusions of the Sixties finally die in their dilapidated beds.

John Watersis an Irish writer and commentator, the author of ten books, and a playwright.

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The End of Pseudo-Liberalism | John Waters - First Things

George R.R. Martin holding Privilege by first-time novelist Jason Rothery.

Courtesy of manufacturer

In 2012, after 15 years as a professional theatre artist, I returned to graduate school at York University in Toronto, where unlike my undergrad experience no one was reading No Logo and Adbusters and railing against capitalism. Instead, debates focused on identity and gender, safe spaces and trigger warnings. Halloween costumes provoked protests, Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein were revealed as predators and Jordan Peterson was making waves on YouTube.

Then the Steven Galloway scandal hit. Then-chair of UBCs creative-writing program my alma mater Galloway was suspended.

Inspiration struck. I abandoned my dissertation, flew to Belize, found a hammock and pounded out a draft of a novel called Privilege, about a young university professor navigating a charged campus climate.

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After months of rewrites and revisions, I googled Canadian publishers, drew up a list of houses that accepted unsolicited submissions and sent off my manuscript.

Rather than eating my fingernails awaiting responses, I volunteered at an elephant sanctuary in Cambodia. I was lodging in a tree house when the first rejection arrived: This is not for us.

The first of many rejections to come.

Eight months later, back in Calgary, I bought a condo. In the midst of moving house, my phone rang. Did I know anyone in Winnipeg?

Hi, the gravelly voice intoned. Did you submit a book to Great Plains Publications?

A year into the publishing process, I finally admitted my social-media allergy to Great Plains lone publicist. My Facebook profile had been dormant since 2012, I abhorred Twitter and didnt even have a data plan. The publicist began coaxing me into the 21st century and as Privileges release date approached, I joined Instagram. (Have I mentioned my handle is @jasonpatrickrothery?)

On Oct. 24, six days before Privilege would launch at a Calgary-area Bavarian-style sausage and beer haus called Wurst, I received a text from my good friend Clayton McKee. Clayton had read an early draft of Privilege, consulted on an especially tricky section and championed the book ever since.

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His message read, Guess whos going to spend Halloween in Santa Fe with George R.R. Martin?

Like most of the planet, Im a huge Game of Thrones fan, and awed by Martins success. Clayton had won an all-expenses paid trip to an event hosted by the beloved fantasy fiction icon.

A few bewildered exchanges later, Clayton wrote: Get me a copy of your book so I can give it to him.

Despite Claytons enthusiasm, I did not think hed meet Martin in person. Rather, I imagined an auditorium full of adoring contest winners, their liege lord seated in an Iron Throne replica, doling out nuggets of wisdom before absconding to his secret lair to put the finishing touches on The Winds of Winter.

Nonetheless, at Claytons insistence, I nervously scribbled out an inscription to one of the most famous authors in the world, and popped Privilege in the post, certain that George Hold the Door Martin would never lay eyes, much less hands, on my book.

Busily preparing for the launch, I forgot about Claytons forthcoming adventure. On Oct. 30, Privilege debuted to a lively crowd of 50-odd family, friends and strangers. Halloween morning, I dragged myself out of bed, got the coffee gurgling, walked my dog around the block and checked my phone for messages. There was the photo: A grinning George R.R. Martin, holding up, and pointing at, Privilege.

The accompanying text read: Boom!!!!!

I called Clayton immediately. My similarly groggy friend recounted spending an hour hanging out with Martin one-on-one, personally handing Martin my book, watching Martin flip through the first few pages and smile as he read the inscription.

Hes a voracious reader, Clayton said, suggesting that Martin might actually read Privilege.

I was shocked and instantly anxious. I suspected I was standing on a PR gold mine, but by what means, and with which tools, was I supposed to tap the vein?

I e-mailed the photo to some friends. The first response Wait, WHAT?! was followed by, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!!

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Now what should I do?

Posted the pic front and centre on my website. Now what?

Sent it to the publicist at Great Plains. (Wow!) Now what?

Instagram. Now what?

Messaged a business consultant buddy: Any idea how I can leverage this for, like, publicity?

More hashtags, he told me.

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I added ample hashtags.

Now what?

Now what? has become my new mantra.

After Privilege launched, I thought the heavy lifting was over with. This is like thinking youve finished raising your child the day you give birth. Books can live long lives and travel far and wide. Publicity efforts are not only continuing but shared.

Great Plains has been wonderful to work with, but its publicist is only one person with limited resources. In consulting with various writers, Ive realized the size of the publisher is irrelevant. With such a monumental amount of stuff out there, every writer is locked in a perpetual arms race for eyeballs.

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No natural-born huckster I doubt many artists are Im doing whatever I can to grab attention: spamming 400 e-mail contacts, promotional Instagram posts, pestering people for Goodreads reviews. Ive called in every favour I can think of and sent copies of Privilege to every media outlet that might be interested.

Will Martin read Privilege? Has the photo boosted interest? Affected sales? As Ygritte tells Jon Snow, I know nothing.

What I do know is that the fate of my book is largely in my hands. Im proud of Privilege and want people to read it, but no one can read a book they arent aware exists.

The photo of Martin holding Privilege is a talisman of sorts. It reminds me that success is at least partly luck, that stars align in magical ways and most importantly we must be prepared to capitalize on that luck, and those unlikely alignments.

To which end, care to follow me on Instagram?

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How first-time novelist Jason Rothery landed an endorsement from George R.R. Martin - The Globe and Mail

The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends

A new year means a new opportunity to put down Netflix and get back into reading.

Luckily, there are plenty of new books to look forward to in 2020 - from a new Marian Keyes novel, to Dolly Alderton's fictional debut and a Booker winner Graham Swift's latest page-turner.

Whether you're aiming to read one book per month, smash out a novel a week or simply bump up your summer holiday reading list, below is our pick of what to devour this year.

Uncanny Valley: A Memoir by Anna Wiener

Release date: January 23, 2020

After leaving New York and her job in publishing for a tech start-up in San Francisco, Anna Wiener's rose-tinted glasses soon dull as she discovers a world of casual sexism and technology addiction.

You can buy it here.

Grown Ups by Marian Keyes

Release date: February 6, 2020

The latest novel from the beloved Irish author, Grown Ups delves into the Casey family whose secrets start to spill after one member gets concussed.

You can buy it here.

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women White Feminists Forgot by Mikki Kendall

Release date: February 25, 2020

Required reading for any feminist, Kendall explores why mainstream feminism neglects to see how race, class, sexual orientation and disability intersects with gender with a clear-eyed assessment of how to fix it.

You can buy it here.

Here We Are by Graham Swift

Release date: February 27, 2020

Set in Brighton in 1959 this end-of-the-pier story from the Booker winner tells of the off-stage drama between a magician, his assistant and compre.

You can buy it here.

The Mirror & the Light by Hilary Mantel

Release date: March 5, 2020

The long-awaited conclusion to the Wolf Hall trilogy comes in at a whopping 912 pages, tracing the final years of Thomas Cromwell.

You can buy it here.

Our House is on Fire by Malena and Beata Ernman, Svante and Greta Thunberg

Release date: March 5, 2020

After the Swedish teenage climate change activist captivated the world in 2019, Greta Thunberg along with her sister, opera singer mother and actor father write about the story of a family led to confront a crisis.

You can buy it here.

Capital and Ideology by Thomas Picketty

Release date: March 10, 2020

Arguments for participatory socialism from this revolutionary thinker the book is described as 'a retelling of global history, a scathing critique of contemporary politics, and a bold proposal for a new and fairer economic system'.

You can buy it here.

This Lovely City by Louise Hare

Release date: March 12, 2020

A post-war novel that transports readers to Brixtons Windrush community in the 1950s following jazz musician Lawrie Matthews as he tours Sohos music halls and rallies with his local community.

You can buy it here.

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Release date: March 31, 2020

The protagonist reflects on her relationship with her English teacher 17 years later when he's accused of sexual assault by another former student.

You can buy it here.

The Better Half by Sharon Moalem

Release date: April 7, 2020

Physician explains why women are genetically superior and makes a case that, genetically, females are stronger than males at every stage of life.

You can buy it here.

If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha

Release date: April 23, 2020

A debut novel about four young women struggling to survive in Seoul, where extreme plastic surgery is as commonplace as routine as getting a haircut.

You can buy it here.

Clothes and Other Things That Matter by Alexandra Shulman

Release date: April 23, 2020

The former British Vogue editor on the meaning of clothes and why we wear them, a must-read memoir for even those beyond the fashion set.

You can buy it here.

Death in her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh

Release date: April 23, 2020

An elderly widow is caught up in a murder mystery when she finds a note in the woods that says: "Her name was Magda. Nobody will ever know who killed her. It wasn't me. Here is her dead body."

You can buy it here.

The Ratline by Philippe Sands

Release date: April 23, 2020

Love, lies and justice following the trail of Nazi fugitive SS Brigadesfhrer Otto Freiherr von Wchter, who was indicted for mass murder at the end of WWII in 1945 and spent three years hiding in the Austrian Alps.

You can buy it here.

Skincare by Caroline Hirons

Release date: April 30, 2020

The internet's authority on skincare, Caroline Hiron's debut non-fiction book is a no nonsense guide to skincare - and getting the nation off face wipes for good.

You can buy it here.

What Have I Done? An honest memoir about surviving post-natal mental illness by Laura Dockrill

Release date: May 7, 2020

Children's author and Adele's best friend recounts her period of post-partum psychosis and the recovery that came with it.

You can buy it here.

The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante

Release date: June 9, 2020

A new novel, again set in Naples, from the best-selling author of My Brilliant Friend.

You can buy it here.

Olive by Emma Gannon

Release date: June 11, 2020

Host of the acclaimed Ctrl Alt Delete podcast, Emma Gannon will release her debut novel, Olive, this June which sees the titular character navigate life when her best friends start to branch away into marriage and motherhood.

You can buy it here.

Beyond Mere Order by Jordan Peterson

(Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd)

Release date: June 2020

More lore about how to live life from the controversial Canadian.

Summer by Ali Smith

Release date: July 2, 2020

The finale to her seasonal quartet, written as it happens. Smiths fourth and final instalment is separate to the former three but interconnected, just as the seasons are.

You can buy it here.

The Hungover Games by Sophie Heawood

Release date: July 2, 2020

Heawood's wry account of her journey into motherhood when she finds herself pregnant and single with a penchant for partying.

You can buy it here.

How Do We Know We're Doing It Right: & Other Essays on Modern Life by Pandora Sykes

Release date: July 16, 2020

A collection of essays from the journalist and podcast host that touch on happiness to wellness; womanhood to consumerism and the anxieties and agendas that consume our lives.

You can buy it here.

Fall: The Last Days of Robert Maxwell by John Preston

Release date: July 16, 2020

True-life investigation of the rise and fall of the notorious business tycoon Robert Maxwell, by the writer of A Very English Scandal.

You can buy it here.

Boris Johnson by Tom Bower

(AP)

Release date: July 2020

After Corbyn, the biographer nobody wants turns his attention to the PM.

See the rest here:

The best books to look forward to in 2020 - Evening Standard