How to expose a hypocritical liar

 

The power of silence

Love him or hate him, but Piers Morgan is a fine interviewer. He recently had the disgraced former actor-turned-Christian grifter Russell Brand on his show.*1 Brand, ever the performative twat, had his Bible on him… since being accused of some rather awful behavior by several women, he now has — oh surprise of surprises! — “found Christ” and now cloaks himself in a protective shield of highly calculating PDoR’s (Public Displays of Religion).

Piers Morgan asked Russell Brand if this was the same Bible he carried with him in court, which Brand confirmed — he carries it everywhere. Morgan asked if the actor had any specific passages annoted, as he previously said he had, to read and give him strength or inspiration during his trial. Brand said this was the case. Then Morgan asked him if he would be so kind to share some of those relevant Bible passages with the audience. Brand said he would, and began looking through the pages. For several minutes, he kept looking, mumbling, coming up with… nothing.

The best thing an interviewer can do isn’t just asking a critical question, but to actually give the person they’re interviewing a lot of time to answer. Say nothing, encourage them a little, then watch them unravel before our very eyes. A good interviewer knows how to fill silence with a critical note when needed, but a great interviewer knows the unbeatable power of silence.

Jean-Marie Valheur (on Quora)
studied and practiced journalism

 

*1 Russell Brand (1975) is an English comedian, actor, podcaster, and media personality. In September 2023, following a joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4's documentary series Dispatches, five women publicly accused Brand of sexual assault and sexual and emotional abuse. The accusations concern incidents between 2006 and 2013. Brand is currently facing seven serious legal allegations involving multiple charges of rape and sexual assault. The case has garnered significant media attention due to the nature of the accusations and Russell Brand's public persona.

For the whole interview go to Piers Morgan Uncensored on YouTube.

 

Fortune tellers and psychics

Natalia Malinovskaya.

Mysticism's surge in Russia

In Russia, mysticism is resurgent as more people, including soldiers in eastern Ukraine, turn to supernatural practices due to conflict and economic issues. Self-described witch Natalia Malinovskaya offers mystical services. This revival challenges norms, drawing opposition from the State Duma and the Russian Orthodox Church.

Amidst the ongoing conflict and economic instability in Russia, a resurgence of mysticism has taken hold, with many turning to supernatural practices as coping mechanisms. Self-proclaimed witch Natalia Malinovskaya has gained popularity, especially among soldiers fighting in eastern Ukraine, who seek her mystical services during times of distress.

 

Malinovskaya, who claims her powers are inherited, offers various services, from detecting negative health energies to casting love spells. Despite her growing clientele, including soldiers concerned about partners' fidelity, she faces challenges performing rituals given war's constraints, highlighting the unique intersection of mysticism and military life.

This revival has sparked controversy; lawmakers and the Russian Orthodox Church have voiced concerns over financial exploitation and 'devilish powers.' Polls show increasing belief in magical practices, with consumer demand for mystical items like crystal balls and amulets soaring. The Orthodox Church warns of the manipulative nature of these practices, of which some link to forbidden satanic influences.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow supported a ban last year and in January condemned the "mass manipulative influence" of fortune tellers and psychics. In an interview with the TASS propaganda agency, he said fortune telling contains a "dark force" and contrasted it with miracles, which he linked to divine power and grace.

 
Sources: Devdiscourse and MSN

 

Ezekiel 25:17

 

Divine justice

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, leading a Pentagon prayer meeting two days ago, quoted a fictional Bible verse taken from a violent monologue in Pulp Fiction, originally delivered by actor Samuel L. Jackson just before his character shoots a helpless man to death. The secretary used the prayer to frame the war in Iran as an act of divine justice, the same justification Jackson’s character cites in the film before pulling the trigger.

Hegseth told the audience that he learned the prayer from the lead mission planner of the “Sandy 1” team that recently rescued downed Air Force crew members in Iran. Hegseth said the verse frequently is spoken by combat search-and-rescue crews, who call the prayer “CSAR 25:17, which I think is meant to reflect Ezekiel 25:17” from the Bible.*1

 

A cultural watershed

Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American independent black comedy crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino from a story he conceived with Roger Avary. It tells four intertwining tales of crime and violence in Los Angeles. The film stars John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, and Uma Thurman. The title refers to the pulp magazines and hardboiled crime novels popular during the mid-20th century, known for their graphic violence and punchy dialogue.

Pulp Fiction is widely regarded as Tarantino's magnum opus, with particular praise for its screenwriting. The self-reflexivity, unconventional structure, and extensive homage and pastiche have led critics to describe it as a touchstone of postmodern film. It is often considered a cultural watershed, influencing films and other media that adopted elements of its style. The cast was also widely praised, with Travolta, Thurman, and Jackson earning high acclaim. In 2008, Entertainment Weekly named it the best film since 1983 and it has appeared on many critics' lists of the greatest films ever made. In 2013, Pulp Fiction was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Sources: Los Angeles Times and Wikipedia

 

*1 Ezekiel 25:17 (King James Version): And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.

Trump verklaart Vaticaan de oorlog

 

 

 

Paus Leo is ‘zwak’ en ‘verschrikkelijk’

De betrekkingen tussen de Amerikaanse president Donald Trump en het Vaticaan verslechteren zienderogen, nu Trump op zijn Truth Social fel heeft uitgehaald naar paus Leo XIV. Trump noemde de paus, die eerder nauw verholen kritiek uitte op het voeren van een aanvalsoorlog in de naam van het geloof, 'zwak' en 'verschrikkelijk'. De paus liet op zijn beurt weten zich te zullen blijven uitspreken.   

'Paus Leo is zwak op het gebied van misdaad en verschrikkelijk op het gebied van buitenlandbeleid', aldus Trump. De paus had op eerdere dreigingen van Trump dat 'een hele beschaving zal sterven' in Iran gereageerd en Trumps uitspraken 'onacceptabel' genoemd. Paus Leo riep op tot een vreedzame oplossing van de oorlog tegen Iran. Ook vroeg de paus om 'diepgaande bezinning' over de manier waarop migranten in de VS onder de regering van Trump worden behandeld.

'Leo zou dankbaar moeten zijn', schreef Trump, 'want zoals iedereen weet was hij een schokkende verrassing. Hij stond op geen enkele lijst om paus te worden en werd alleen aangesteld door de kerk omdat hij een Amerikaan is en zij dachten dat dat de beste manier zou zijn om met president Donald J. Trump om te gaan. Als ik niet in het Witte Huis zou zitten, dan zou Leo niet in het Vaticaan zitten', aldus Trump.

Daar bleef het niet bij. 'Ik wil geen paus die het oké vindt dat Iran kernwapens heeft. Ik wil geen paus die het verschrikkelijk vindt dat Amerika Venezuela heeft aangevallen. En ik wil geen paus die de president van de VS bekritiseert, omdat ik precies doe waarvoor ik ben gekozen', vervolgde Trump zijn tirade.

Als klap op de vuurpijl deelde Trump ook een afbeelding, mogelijk met AI gemaakt, waarop hij is afgebeeld met bovennatuurlijke krachten. Te zien is hoe er licht uit zijn handen komt terwijl hij zich over een zieke man ontfermt. Trump lijkt ook een bijbels gewaad te dragen, maar kwam verder niet met een toelichting over wat de illustratie moet voorstellen.


BNR/Mark van Harreveld

  

George Clooney for president!

Sticks and stones

Someone in the White House seems to have put the word out: Stop talking about a free and prosperous Iran, and start talking about pulverizing Iran until you can sift the rubble through a tennis racket. On Wednesday, Donald Trump vowed to bomb Iranian targets hard enough to send them “back to the Stone Ages where they belong.” Pete Hegseth also tweeted “back to the stone age,” a military cliché so lazy and flabby that if it were one of his generals, it would be frog-marched to an elliptical machine and forced to melt away its belly fat until its abs showed through. The messaging shift over the past couple of weeks reflects a change in plans, after Iran’s resistance proved more vigorous than expected. If Iran will not change its regime’s intentions, America will reduce it to resisting American imperial aggression with sticks and stones.*1

The Atlantic, April 3, 2026

 

 

A dispute about war crimes

The long-running war of words between George Clooney and the White House has ignited again after the Oscar-winning actor criticised Donald Trump’s threat to Iran that “a whole civilization will die tonight”.

On Wednesday (April 8), in a speech to 3,000 high school students in Cuneo, Italy, Clooney said the US president had committed a war crime with his threat.

“Some say Donald Trump is fine,” the 64-year-old told the students at an event organised by the Clooney Foundation for Justice. “But if anyone says he wants to end a civilization, that’s a war crime. You can still support the conservative point of view but there must be a line of decency, and we must not cross it.”

In response, the White House communications director, Steven Cheung, told the Independent: “The only person committing war crimes is George Clooney for his awful movies and terrible acting ability.”

The Guardian, 9 April 2026

 

*1 Also watch/read Paul Krugman's opinion on this topic on Substack.