There's nothing hotter than Tibetan-on-Tibetan violence, especially when it's the two top government officials having a civil war over the new Dalai Lama, as happened in Tibet in 1947. But don't let anyone ever tell you that making a child the head of a religion and government isn't a sensational idea. It's NEVER gone badly. EVER. And did you know …

On his way to Constantinople, Bohemond attacked a village of Christian heretics, because having different opinions should not be tolerated. When he arrived at the Byzantine capital, he met with Alexios but didn’t trust his cooking. After he left, he was quickly followed by Count Raymond of Toulouse, who thought he should be in charge of the allied …

Who is Kamala Harris? How does she stack up as a potential POTUS? And how do Lichtman’s 13 Keys to the White House work? Who does it predict will win the 2024 election? Listen and find out. The post BS 127 – Kamala and Lichtman’s 13 Keys appeared first on The BS Filter.By Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

In 1904, the British sent an army into Tibet to secure it for Britain. It resulted in a massacre when the British opened fire with their new Maxim machine guns on Tibetans holding spears. The Dalai Lama was forced to flee the country. Over the next few decades, Tibet was oppressed by the British and China (also controlled by Britain, especially aft…

On 9 April 1097 Bohemond of Taranto arrived at Constantinople. One of the most famous of the Crusaders, who left a huge legacy in Syria. Even though that’s not his real name. He was a Norman prince who had already invaded the Byzantine Empire twice in the last 20 years. But this time, he came in peace. Or did he? Oh dear! This page contains Member'…

We all know that Tibet and China have a history, and that the U.S.A. is always in the middle of it. But you may not know that The United States recognizes Tibet to be part of the People’s Republic of China or that the UK and the U.S.A. have spent over a century trying to wrest control over Tibet away from China. This is part one of that story.…

The post Vitellius #1 – The Third New Emperor appeared first on Life Of The Caesars.By Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

Godfrey of Bouillon, the Duke of Lower Lorraine, who had managed to blackmail the Jews into giving him a shit ton of money, was not so easily convinced that he needed to bow the knee to Emperor Alexius of Constantinople. He quickly learned that Alexius was not mucking about. Oh dear! This page contains Member's Only content... and you aren't logged…

The failure of the People’s Crusade didn’t stop the overall appetite in Europe for pillaging the Holy Land. They still had the Prince’s Crusade. A bunch of rich young men, their vassals and hired mercenaries set out to pillage Jerusalem and anything else appetising along the way. Even, perhaps Constantinople. Oh dear! This page contains Member's On…

The post Otho #12 – Fortitude and Firmness appeared first on Life Of The Caesars.By Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

The CIA's second attempt at a coup succeeds. Mossadegh is driven into hiding and General Zahedi declares himself the new leader of the country. The CIA celebrates wth champagne.By Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

Peter’s other crusaders, not so keen on Jewish jabby jabby, headed to Constantinople for a chat with the Byzantine Emperor. Then they swung by Nicaea, famous for that big Christian meeting back in 325. The French troops went first, sadly showing off their top-notch savagery skills, even roasting babies. Meanwhile, the Germans tried their luck at a …

It's the middle of 1953, and the CIA is ready to execute their coup against the democratically elected government of Iran. The plan? Spend a bucket load of money hiring thugs to cause riots in the streets. Blame it on Mossadegh and then bribe a corrupt member of the Iranian military to go and arrest him. Unfortunately for the CIA, it didn't go to p…

At the end of April in 1096, a priest by the name of Volkmar, a monk called Gottschalk, and an army from the Rhineland led by a Count Emich set off on the First Crusade with tens of thousands of soldiers and enthusiastic pilgrims… following a goose that had been inspired by God… and a holy goat. Their first order of business was to kill as many Jew…

The Praetorians push for a fast campaign because they didn't want to spend any more time away from the comforts of Rome than necessary. Unfortunately, in letting them drive the strategy, Otho sealed his doom. The post Otho #10 – The Comforts of Home appeared first on Life Of The Caesars.By Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

In early 1953, Churchill initiated a plan with the CIA to overthrow Iranian Prime Minister Mossadegh, involving key figures like General Sahedi and the Rashidian brothers. Aided by disinformation campaigns, the Shah fled Iran, stirring public outcry. Despite initial resistance from Eisenhower, pressure from the Dulles brothers and ongoing chaos in …

Continuing the story about the chaotic and tragic events surrounding the People’s Crusade, led by Peter the Hermit. Picture a disorganized mob, not unlike the January 6 Capitol attack. Peter’s ragtag army was split into French and German factions, but before they even reached the Middle East, they wreaked havoc at home, particularly targeting Jewis…

Ever wondered why the heads of MI6 are called "M"? Well they aren't. They are called “C”. It all started with Sir Mansfield Smith-Cumming, who signed his docs with a green “C.” This guy was a true legend—a retired Navy man who became the spymaster extraordinaire, famous for his love of gadgets and high-speed Rolls-Royce drives. His dramatic life in…

The election of Eisenhower as U.S. President in Nov 1952 gave the British a new hope that the country might now support their plans to overthrow the Iranian government. Even before Ike took office, they sent Monty Woodhouse, the former chief of MI6 in Tehran, to Washington to start working with the Dulles brothers, soon to be the guys running the U…

In this episode of ‘The Bullshit Filter,’ we discuss the US’s selective adherence to international laws, the complex US-Saudi relationship, and evolving power dynamics involving China. Discussions include potential ICC arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders, the US’s opposition to ICC jurisdiction over Israel, and the historical context of t…

The First Crusade is traditionally said to have begun with a sermon preached by Pope Urban II in November, 1095. He promised forgiveness and pardon for all of the past sins of those who would fight to reclaim the holy land from Muslims and free the eastern churches. But the idea of a Christian conquest might have actually been started by Peter the …

Mossadegh is more popular than ever. But that isn't going to stop the British from conspiring against him. They decide that next time they try to bring down his government, they will need to find a way to get the mob on their side. Key to their future plans will be General Zahedi and the CIA's Kermit Roosevelt.…

Ten years after the death of Muhammad in 632, the political and religious map of the Mediterranean and the Near East had been completely rewritten. The great prize was Jerusalem, captured in February of 638. For most of the next 450 years, the Muslims treated the Christians and Jews in their empire very well. So what lead to the First Crusade in th…

In July of 1952, eight months after he got back from Washington, and in the middle of fighting Anglo-Iranian in the World Court, Mossadegh paid a visit to the Shah and asked him to relinquish control over the army. The Shah refused. So Mossadegh resigned. The British and the Shah were ecstatic and appointed a new puppet PM who announced a new order…

The next major milestones of the Reconquista were the Granada massacre (1066) and the Fall of Toledo (1085). Both took part in a wider battle between the Christian and Muslim forces in Spain, and introduce us to the famous Spanish hero El Cid, who fought for both sides. Oh dear! This page contains Member's Only content... and you aren't logged in! …

This month we’re looking (again) at the US’ ban of TikTok, and their veto over Palestine’s membership in the UN, as well as the Australian government trying to censor X and we ask if what Israel is doing is “genocide”. 00:00 Welcome to the Bullshit Filter: Unpacking Contemporary Issues 01:21 Freedom of Speech and Social Media: A Deep Dive 03:44 The…

The high point of the Muslim conquest of Spain was The Caliphate of Córdoba, established in the late 10th century by Abd al-Rahman III, who declared himself Caliph in 929. Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived together mostly in a climate of harmony and religious tolerance. The Caliphate was weakened over time by internal conflicts and disputes over …

As Mossadegh wins the hearts and minds of Americans and the world, the British re-elect Churchill who considers Mossadegh "an elderly lunatic bent on wrecking his country and handing it over to the communists."By Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

In October 1951, Mossadegh flew to New York to address the United Nations and then to Washington to meet with Truman. It was the first time the UN was used by a poor, post-colonial country to voice their grievances against Western aggression. He was going toe-to-tow with Britain’s great white hope, Sir Gladwyn Jebb.…

In actual fact, it wasn’t the CIA that came up with the template for using covert action to destabilise and overthrow a country’s government - it was a fascist British Foreign Secretary and the British academics he hired to bring down Mossadegh. The CIA just took that model and employed it - first in Iran, and then over and over and over again.…

Hey there, fellow Bullshit Fighter! This page contains some member-only content. If you're already a registered member, LOGIN HERE. If you aren't registered, well you can fix that right now! Find out about our registration options here. Today we delve into the ACTUAL reasons behind the US attempts to ban / force a sale of TikTok. And we also look a…

One of the most important scholars that al-Mamun employed at the House of Wisdom was Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwari’zmi, the most famous Arabic mathematician and scientist. He was instrumental in introducing the Arabs to the Hindu numerals, carried out important work in geography, but his greatest legacy, of course, is his extraordinary book on Algebr…

In the West, we have all heard about the great Library of Alexandria. But how many are familiar with the fact that Caliph Al-Mamun built one of the world’s greatest libraries in 9th century Baghdad, the “House of Wisdom”? And how many of us have heard of the Library of Nineveh, modern-day Mosul, Iraq, built by King Ashurbanipal about 650 BCE which …

In 1951, the British were planning to invade Iran to re-take control of the country’s oil assets. Meanwhile, there were Nazis on the streets of London.By Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

We delve into the distinction between chemistry and alchemy and ask where is the line in the sand that divides the two? Isaac Newton, after all, was a devoted alchemist and yet we consider him a great scientist. We also talk about the guy who came after Jabir, Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakiria al-Razi who lived from 854 to 925 known in the west as Rhaz…

Hey there, fellow Bullshit Fighter! This page contains some member-only content. If you're already a registered member, LOGIN HERE. If you aren't registered, well you can fix that right now! Find out about our registration options here. My guest co-host today is Tony Kynaston from the QAV Investing Podcast. We’re talking about the Tucker Carlson in…

The British PM sends a fascist Catholic member of the British elite, Sir Richard Stokes, to talk to Moss the Boss. Mossadegh says he wants a divorce. As he’s leaving Iran, Harriman meets with the Shah and “suggests” it might be time for Mossadegh to go.By Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

It is no coincidence that many of the chemical words in use today derive from the Arabic: alcohol, alkali, amalgam, benzoic, borax, camphor, elixir, etc. They were developed by chemists during the Golden Age of Arabic science. One of the great Muslim scholars working in the 8th century goes by the name of Geber the Alchemist whose real name was Jab…

Truman sent Harriman to Iran to try to bring about a diplomatic resolution to the tensions with Britain. It did not go well.By Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris

You really can’t understand Arabic science without considering the extent to which it was influenced by Islam. Arabic science was inextricably linked to religion. In contrast to Christianity, early Islam promoted scientific study, didn’t squash it. To understand the world, was to glorify the creation of Allah. And lots of early Arabic scientists an…

Hey there, fellow Bullshit Fighter! This page contains some member-only content. If you're already a registered member, LOGIN HERE. If you aren't registered, well you can fix that right now! Find out about our registration options here. This episode we’re looking at South Africa’s case against Israel in the World Court, accusing them of committing …

Mossadegh started to take over the AIOC offices and appointed a French-educated engineer as the managing director of the new National Iranian Oil Company. The AOIC refused to allow Iran to transport their oil in British tankers. It turns into an epic showdown. The British started planning to have Mossadegh removed from power. Meanwhile the United S…

Within one hundred years of the death of the prophet Muhammed, the Islamic Empire covered an area larger in expanse than either the Roman Empire at its height or all the lands conquered and ruled by Alexander the Great. The city of Baghdad became the world’s largest city just fifty years after the first brick was laid. How did all this happen? And …

In the middle of the 20th century, Iranians really liked Americans, mostly due to the fact that their experiences with them (up until that time) had been mostly positive, unlike the British and the Russians. And the Americans were, in 1951, still trying to convince the British to play fair with the Iranians. If only that attitude has lasted.…