TFF Associates’ publications

TFF is proud to present yet another book by its Associate, John Scales Avery, who at the age of 83 remains an incredibly productive global thinker and author of books about our world’s essential problems, what causes them and what must be done. And all of Avery’s books are freely downloadable… The book is – Benefits of Equality – which presents evidence supporting the thesis that elimination of excessive economic inequality makes societies happier and better. It’s just out, 451 pages and freely downloadable Benefits of Equality Avery’s life work is presented beautifully by the online Wall Street International and by the Eqbal Ahmad Centre for Public Education. And his Collected Essays and others are published by another TFF Associate, Jørgen Johansen at Irene Publishing. Ideals of the Enlightenment The Age of Reason, or the Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas during the...

Part One – Part 2 here The gruesome killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 25 May 2020 has given rise to an unprecedented campaign against police brutality in the United States, and in turn has acted as a fuse for a worldwide uprising against racism and inequality. Floyd’s killing triggered massive demonstrations in more than 350 cities in the United States and around the world, and has probably started a movement that goes well beyond the civil rights movement of the 1960’s and may prove to be a turning point in human history. What is remarkable is that those who have taken part in those massive demonstrations are not all black and ethnic people, but they have been joined by millions of white people who are ashamed of the legacy of slavery and are determined to help their fellow human beings to achieve the dignity and equality that...

VideoAnother video from the event where the author gave this talk Like perhaps most people who visit Los Angeles, I consider it my duty to offer a brilliant new idea for a film script. My idea is in the genre of science-fiction mafia, a genre that I think has not been sufficiently exploited. In this film, the protagonist wakes up to the fact that without knowing it, he has somehow joined the mafia. I expect people to be able to relate to the story because I believe that this entire country either has become aware or needs to become aware that it has joined the mafia. How do major U.S. newspapers and television news programs refer to the murder of an Iranian general? Never with the word murder. Often with words like “deal with” or “take out.” Trump had to deal with him. You could read an article like that,...

Prefatory Note: The post below is a slightly modified version of an interview published in The Nation on September 25th, following the September 14th attack on Saudi oil facilities. It follows a pattern with respect to Iran of accusations, denials, and public uncertainties. This combination of elements, given the leadership in Washington and Tehran, one blustering, the other inflexible, can easily produce an unintended stumble into war. A second shorter interview is appended, conducted prior to the attacks by an Iranian journalist, M.J. Hassani of Tasnim News Agency. It illustrates the seeming rigidity of Iran’s Supreme Guide, considered as having the final word on government policy, exceeding that of the elected leadership. Originally posted on Richard Falk’s personal blog on October 1, 2019, here Daniel Falcone Introduction to the Interview: After accusations of Iranian drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities, Iranian officials and authorities indicated that “full-fledged war” with the United States could...

As entrenched as the military is in our society and minds, a new book shows that civilians can defend a society without using violence. Imagine that government leaders make an announcement: “We’re going to abdicate responsibility for defense. Over the next few years, our military forces will be phased out. They are too dangerous and counterproductive. It will be up to everyone to figure out how to defend us all without violence.” Environmentalists immediately get to work setting up local renewable energy systems. They know that an aggressor can hold a society to ransom by controlling a few refineries and large power plants. In contrast, aggressors, and terrorists too, will see little point in attacking energy-efficient buildings and rooftop solar panels. Originally published by Transcend Media Service and Journal of Resistance Studies here Town planners adopt the same thinking. They rapidly expand opportunities for travel by foot and cycling, thereby...

Lake Prespa in Macedonia Abstract The Prespa Agreement (PA) between Athens and Skopje was meant to be a final solution to the ‘name issue’. Yet the dispute has never been only about the state name, which is proved by the 20-pages long text. A plethora of other provisions is to be implemented erga omnes (internationally and domestically). Despite the insistence of the external mediators that the name dispute has never concerned the issues of ethnicity, nationality, culture, and language, these issues indeed appear to be simultaneously central as well as the Achilles heel of the deal. This paper does not deal with conceptual and theoretical aspects of ethnicity and nationality; yet its focus is on the fact that the Agreement indeed regulates identity issues, i.e. it represents a legal intervention in spheres pertaining to both ethnicity and national identity with implications for each. The basic premise is that instead of...

Video interview with Miko Peled of July 20, 2018 We strongly recommend that you go to Peled’s excellent blog, see his articles and video and read about his now classical book, “The General’s Son. Journey of an Israeli in Palestine.” You’ll also find an interesting one on his recent visit to Iran and how people react to his going to Iran. And why not subscribe to his blog? Here is civil courage, analytical mind, passion and truth in one, a man who knows – compare that with the mainstream media’s coverage of the issue that are his.

We’re beginning this in and with the year 2018. It will be updated “backwards” in time as we get the time to do so. We live in a time where short articles, secondary literature – as well as images and videos – dominate and is, mostly, accessible on the Internet. Readily available information of course has many good sides. But, while people have easy access to lots of information, what do they know? Information and knowledge is not the same. Knowledge is structured information, based on some categorisations of types of information which are again based on theories and concepts: How do things work, how are different types of information/facts/data related to each other, how complex is a problem that we need to solve? Knowledge is a tool to avoid superficiality, and the more you know, the more you are likely to want to know more. It’s about a never-ending...

The book, Friends of Gandhi.Correspondence of Mahatma Gandhi with Esther Færing (Menon), Anne Marie Petersen and Ellen Hørup.Edited by E.S. Reddy and Holger Terp and published in co-operation with Gandhi-Informations-Zentrum in Berlin.This book with all of Gandhi’s correspondence with three Danish women, beginning with their visit in 1917, makes a very important contribution to the research on and understanding of Gandhi. It’s also an example of how much single individuals can contribute to international solidarity, says Jan Oberg.(PDF 1.2 MB, 433 pages).

I believe there is much we can learn from the life and example of Dag Hammarskjöld, the second Secretary-General of the organization. His achievements shine in the annals of UN history, and his moral force and integrity as the “conscience of the United Nations” command wide respect to this day. Read more.

Read more.

A total of 42 peace protesters from Sweden and Finland have been arrested after blockading an entrance to Faslane.