THE FOUR HOUR WORKWEEK BY TIM FERRIS

31 July 2024

"The 4-Hour Workweek" by Tim Ferriss

Work remotely in a stress-free environment on a beach. 

The relaxed atmosphere with palm trees, blue sky, and calm ocean waves symbolises the lifestyle promoted in this book.

SUMMARY

Key Concepts:

- Lifestyle Design: Shift from traditional career paths to more flexible and fulfilling lifestyles.

- DEAL Framework: Define goals, Eliminate distractions, Automate processes, and Liberate yourself from the office.

Strategies:

1. Outsourcing: Delegate tasks to virtual assistants.

2. Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule): Focus on the 20% of activities that yield 80% of results.

3. Mini-Retirements: Take frequent, short breaks - no need to wait for retirement.

Goals:

- More freedom, more time, not simply more money

- Achieve work-life balance.

- Increase productivity.

- Enjoy life through smart work practices.

DETAIL

 "The 4-Hour Workweek" by Tim Ferriss: Chapter-by-Chapter Summary

Chapter 1: New Rich

- Introduces the concept of the "New Rich," people who prioritise time and freedom (mobility) over wealth accumulation.

- Encourages readers to define their goals and lifestyle dreams.

Chapter 2: Rules That Change the Rules

- Discusses breaking free from traditional work habits.

- Emphasises unconventional thinking and the importance of questioning the status quo.

Chapter 3: Dodging Bullets

- Introduces time management techniques to reduce workload.

- Encourages outsourcing and delegating tasks to virtual assistants.

Chapter 4: System Reset

- Advocates for a mobile lifestyle.

- Discusses techniques to negotiate remote work and extended travel.

Chapter 5: The End of Time Management

- Promotes productivity over “busywork” ( activity that is undertaken to pass time and stay busy but in and of itself has little or no actual value)

- Introduces the Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule) and Parkinson's Law ( work expands to fill the time available for its completion ) to maximize efficiency.

Chapter 6: The Low-Information Diet

- Advises on limiting information intake to avoid overwhelm.

- Focuses on critical information for decision-making and productivity.

Chapter 7: Interrupting Interruption

- Provides strategies to eliminate distractions and unnecessary interruptions.

- Encourages setting boundaries for communication.

Chapter 8: Outsourcing Life

- Details the process of outsourcing tasks to virtual assistants.

- Offers tips on finding and managing remote help effectively.

Chapter 9: Income Autopilot

- Discusses creating automated income streams.

- Explores product development, online business models, and marketing strategies.

Chapter 10: Filling the Void

- Addresses finding purpose and fulfilment beyond work.

- Encourages pursuing passions, hobbies, and meaningful activities.

Chapter 11: Disappearing Act

- Discusses the benefits of taking mini-retirements and extended travel breaks.

- Provides practical advice for planning and executing long-term travel.

Chapter 12: Beyond Repair

- Focuses on continuous improvement and adaptation.

- Encourages readers to stay flexible and open to change.

Chapter 13: It's Up to You

- Summarises key concepts and motivates readers to take action.

- Reinforces the idea of designing one's ideal lifestyle.

This summary provides an overview of the main concepts and actionable advice presented in each chapter of "The 4-Hour Workweek." For a deeper dive into these topics, reading the full book is recommended.

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SOUTHPORT A PORTRAIT OF PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

Southport 

- A Portrait of Past and Present

- What Nationalists want

- Root Causes, Future and Conclusion

 Historical Context

Southport, a coastal town in Merseyside, UK, has a rich history dating back to the early 19th century when it developed as a popular seaside resort. Known for its Victorian architecture and beautiful gardens, Southport attracted visitors from all over the country. Key landmarks include the iconic Lord Street and the prestigious Royal Birkdale Golf Club. This development was fuelled by the town's appeal as a leisure destination, combining picturesque scenery with sophisticated amenities.

 Present-Day Southport

Today, Southport retains much of its historical charm while embracing modern amenities. According to the 2021 Census, the town has a population of approximately 95 thousand. The demographic profile is predominantly White (95%), with smaller communities of Asians (2%), Blacks (0.6%), mixed/multiple ethnic groups (1.7%), and other ethnic groups (0.5%). The age distribution shows a significant proportion of elderly residents, with a quarter of the population aged 65 and over. The religious landscape is primarily Christian (58.4%), with notable minorities identifying as Muslim (1.1%) and no religion (33.5%).

 Understanding the Tragedy of July 29

On July 29, 2024, Southport was deeply affected by a tragic knife attack that resulted in the deaths of three children and several critically injured and currently in hospital. The perpetrator, a 17-year-old boy from Cardiff with mental health issues, was arrested. The immediate community response included vigils and support for the victims' families. 

However, the situation quickly escalated into violent protests, exacerbated by nationalist groups such as the English Defence League (EDL). These groups employed familiar tactics to incite unrest, targeting local mosques and clashing with police. This leads to injuries, notably many severe injuries to the police and volunteer off-duty policemen, with widespread property damage and masses of publicity.

 Context to the Violence

 Increasing Stress and Mental Health Issues

The Southport attack can be viewed in the broader context of rising stress and mental health issues among the UK's youth. Economic uncertainties, possibly the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and societal pressures, continue to contribute to a mental health crisis and multiple protest movements, particularly amongst the young and disadvantaged. 

These factors often lead to violent behaviours, as seen in the Southport incident, where a young individual committed a so-far inexplicable act of violence and many commentators see the response as low level Civil War.

But it is also fair to say that many of these race riots, whether instigated by nationalist or ethnic groups, start off with complaints of police racism and brutality; and escalate to criticisms of institutional racism in favour of one community or another; and eventually move to responses suggesting that the group feels its very existence is under threat.

 Community Response and Cultural Clashes

The community response, particularly the violent protests, is a re-run of predictable cultural clashes and tensions related to immigration and attempts at multiculturalism. The presence of nationalist agitators drawing attention to these issues can also be seen as the a tendency to “blame” cultural and ethnic diversity, an overly-heterogeneous society and ultimately globalism and open borders, globalism and massive and uncontrolled immigration, for creating community and social problems. 

This reaction in Southpirt however is surprising given Southport's largely elderly population, which one might not typically associate with such intense anti-police actions, suggesting that outside influences played a part.

Over the years, the UK has experienced significant demographic changes due to immigration, leading to a more multicultural society. While diversity supposedly strengthens and enriches communities, it has also been met with resistance from segments of the population who perceive it as a threat to social cohesion and economic progress. Incidents like the Southport attack become flashpoints for these underlying tensions, where the complexities of modern immigration policies and cultural integration and just life in general in advance developed societies, are often simplified into narratives that focus exclusively on uncontrolled immigration as causing societal breakdown 

What Nationalists want

A nationalist program might include the following:

- Prioritise the interests and culture of "our own nation" over those of others

- Emphasise the importance of national sovereignty, cultural identity, and economic independence

- Protect and promote "our own" country's unique heritage and values

- Push for policies that limit foreign influence (at home included) and immigration.

Point being: national unity and identity from shared history; security from borders; and prosperity from a common coordinated sense of direction.

 Conclusion

The knife attack in Southport on July 29 is a tragic example of the growing mental health crisis among the youth in the UK and the community's - and country's - volatile response to perceived threats to its culture. 

Understanding what happened requires a nuanced view of Southport's historical development, the pressures of contemporary life, and the challenges of multicultural integration. 

The town's grieving was marred by violent protests, possibly brought about by outside groups. This highlights the urgent need for addressing mental health issues, fostering a more inclusive society and taking serious steps to control the type of immigration that would benefit Stockport and the nation, at the risk of eventually losing the country to Civil War.

Multiculturalism seems to be resulting in national decline, foreign wars and setting groups at odds with each other, and in particular is stressing the youth. Nationalists are taking advantage of this situation to press their populist agenda for change.

 Only by tackling the root causes can communities hope to prevent such tragedies and build a more harmonious and prosperous future together.

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WHY PALESTINE BELONGS TO THE JEWS

30 July 2024

We shall look first at the biblical foundations of the claim that this area of Syria-Palestine belongs to the Jewish people, then we shall endeavour to trace the history of the Jewish people in and out of this area.

BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE

Key Biblical Passages

The belief that the Holy Land was promised by God to the Israelites is rooted in a number of verses from the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). This promise is a central theme in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. Here are Yahweh's (God's, Allah's) main promises to the people he chose, as written in the bible, backing this belief:

Key Biblical Passages

1. Genesis 12:1-3:

   - Context: God's initial call to Abram (later Abraham).

   - Verse: "The Lord had said to Abram, 'Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.'"

   - Significance: This passage introduces the idea that God has a special plan and land for Abram and his descendants.

2. Genesis 15:18-21:

   - Context: The covenant between God and Abram.

   - Verse: "On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, 'To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.'"

   - Significance: Specifies the geographical boundaries of the land promised to Abram's descendants.

3. Genesis 17:7-8:

   - Context: The covenant of circumcision.

   - Verse: "I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."

   - Significance: Reaffirms the promise and describes the land of Canaan as an "everlasting possession."

4. Exodus 3:7-8:

   - Context: God speaks to Moses at the burning bush.

   - Verse: "The Lord said, 'I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.'"

   - Significance: Indicates the intention to lead the Israelites to the promised land as part of their liberation from Egypt.

5. Deuteronomy 30:1-5:

   - Context: God's promise of restoration.

   - Verse: "When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. He will bring you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors."

   - Significance: Emphasizes the promise of return to the land even after exile.

 Theological Interpretation

- Judaism: The promise of the land is a foundational element of the covenant between God and the Jewish people. It underpins the Jewish historical connection to the land of Israel.

- Christianity: While Christians also accept the Old Testament, interpretations of the land promise can vary. Some view it as a literal promise to the Jewish people, while others see it as symbolic or fulfilled in the coming of Christ.

- Islam: The Quran also references the land promised to the Children of Israel, acknowledging the biblical narrative while placing it within the broader context of Islamic teachings.

 Conclusion

The belief that the Holy Land was promised by God to the Israelites is deeply rooted in several key passages of the Hebrew Bible, inspired the Zionist ideology, and forms a central part of Jewish theology as well as  influencing Christian and Islamic perspectives.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

 Movement of Jews In and Out of the Holy Land and Relevant UN Resolutions

 Ancient Times

c. 2000 BCE - The Patriarchs

- Event: Abraham, regarded as the patriarch of the Israelites, receives a divine promise of land.

- Reference: Genesis 12:1-3.

- Significance: Establishes the initial connection of Jews to the land.

c. 1300 BCE - The Exodus

- Event: Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt.

- Reference: Exodus 3:7-8.

- Significance: Marks the journey towards the Promised Land.

c. 1200 BCE - Conquest of Canaan

- Event: Under Joshua, the Israelites conquer and annex Canaan. The cities of Jericho, Ai and Hazar were burnt to the ground and their peoples were exterminated. However, although the fate of the Canaanite populations is depicted in the Bible as involving widespread destruction and extermination, historical and archaeological evidence suggests a migration, conflict and assimilation, in other words what would today be called a one state solution.

- Reference: Joshua 1-12.

- Significance: Establishes Jewish presence in the Holy Land.

 First Exile and Return

586 BCE - Babylonian Exile

- Event: Babylon conquers Judah, destroys the First Temple, also known as Solomon's Temple (constructed in Jerusalem in the 10th century BCE. It was built to house the Ark of the Covenant and serve as the central place of worship for the Israelites).

Babylon, near modern-day Baghdad, Iraq, was an ancient city renowned for its architecture and cultural achievements. Created by King Hammurabi (c. 1792-1750 BCE) and peaked during the Neo-Babylonian period under King Nebuchadnezzar II, who built the Hanging Gardens, the Ishtar Gate and the Tower of Babel. Probably succeeded thanks to Hammurabi's sophisticated code of law.

The city fell to Cyrus the Great of Persia in 539 BCE, who permitted the return of the Jews to Canaan.

- Reference: 2 Kings 25.

- Significance: Jews are exiled to Babylon.

538 BCE - Return under Cyrus the Great

- Event: Persian King Cyrus allows Jews to return.

- Reference: Ezra 1 (The Book of Ezra describes the return of the Jews from the Babylonian exile and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.)

- Significance: Beginning of the period of the Second Temple.

 Roman Period and Second Exile

70 CE - Destruction of the Second Temple

- Event: Romans destroy the Second Temple.

- Reference: Historical accounts by Josephus.

- Significance: Major dispersal of Jews in all directions (Diaspora).

132-135 CE - Bar Kokhba Revolt

- Event: Jewish revolt against Roman rule.

- Reference: Historical texts.

- Significance: Further dispersal and restrictions on Jewish presence in Jerusalem.

 Medieval Period

1096-1270 CE - Crusades

- Event: European Christians launch Crusades to reclaim Holy Land.

- Reference: Historical chronicles.

- Significance: Jews face persecution and forced displacement.

1492 CE - Expulsion from Spain

- Event: Jews expelled from Spain during the Inquisition. Ferdinand and Isabella wished to unite their new Kingdom and the catalytic religion believing that this would be best for stability. 

In addition, rhere was considerable anti-Jewish sentiment, fueled by economic envy, religious prejudice, and accusations of usury and other crimes, leading to anti-Jewish riots and massacres. Jews in Spain were often prominent in trade, finance, and administration, so expulsion allowed the monarchy and local elites to confiscate Jewish property and wealth.

- Reference: Edict of Expulsion.

- Significance: Movement of Jews to the Ottoman Empire, including Palestine.

 Modern Era and Zionist Movement

1882-1903 - First Aliyah

- Event: Jewish immigration to Palestine from Eastern Europe.

- Reference: Zionist records.

- Significance: Establishment of agricultural settlements.

1917 - Balfour Declaration

- Event: British support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine, but not a Jewish state, a brief text.

- Reference: British government declaration.

- Significance: Boosts Jewish immigration.

1947 - UN Partition Plan

- Event: UN proposes partition of Palestine.

- Reference: UN Resolution 181.

- Significance: Sets stage for Israeli independence.

 Establishment of Israel and Subsequent Conflicts

1948 - Creation of Israel

- Event: Declaration of the State of Israel.

- Reference: Israeli Declaration of Independence.

- Significance: Major Jewish immigration, and Arab refusal creating Arab-Israeli conflict.

Departure from the 1947 UN Plan

Event: United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 proposed partitioning Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem under international administration.

Jewish State: Allocated 55% of the land despite Jews being one-third of the population and owning less than 10% of the land.

Arab State: Allocated 45% of the land.

Jerusalem: Planned to be an international city under UN administration.

Departure from the Plan

Israel creation by Israel (1948): 

On May 14, 1948, the Jewish leadership, led by David Ben-Gurion, declared the establishment of the State of Israel. This declaration came before any formal acceptance or rejection of the UN plan by both parties.

War and Territory: Immediately following the declaration, neighboring Arab states invaded. The ensuing 1948 Arab-Israeli War resulted in Israel controlling about 78% of the former British Mandate of Palestine, including territories beyond the UN plan's allocation.

Non-Implementation of International Control: Jerusalem did not come under international administration but was divided between Israeli control in the West and Jordanian control in the East.

Jacques Baud, in his book "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood: The Defeat of the Vanquisher," discusses several breaches of the 1947 UN Partition Plan for Palestine. 

He highlights one significant breach was the failure to conduct a referendum to determine the will of the local population regarding the partition. Baud argues that this lack of a referendum ignored the principle of self-determination, leading to further conflicts and tensions in the region.

The Israeli governments ignored all the UN resolutions discussed in this post.

1948 - Arab-Israeli War

- Event: War following Israeli independence.

- Reference: Historical accounts.

- Significance: Exodus of Jews from Arab countries to Israel.

1967 - Six-Day War

- Event: Israel defeats neighboring Arab states.

- Reference: Military records, historical analyses.

- Significance: Israel captures Jerusalem, West Bank, Gaza, Sinai, Golan Heights.

1973 - Yom Kippur War

- Event: Surprise attack by Egypt and Syria on Israel.

- Reference: Military records, historical analyses.

- Significance: Strategic Israeli victory, continued tension.

 Relevant UN Resolutions

Pre-State Resolutions:

- UNGA Resolution 181 (1947): Partition Plan proposing the creation of Jewish and Arab states, plus a shared third state,  Jerusalem, which I guess might resemble the Vatican.

- UNSC Resolution 50 (1948): Called for a ceasefire during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

Post-State Resolutions:

- UNGA Resolution 194 (1948): Addressed the refugee problem and called for the right of return for Palestinian refugees.

- UNSC Resolution 242 (1967): Following the Six-Day War, called for Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied in the conflict and the recognition of every state in the area's right to live in peace.

- UNSC Resolution 338 (1973): Called for a ceasefire in the Yom Kippur War and implementation of Resolution 242.

- UNSC Resolution 497 (1981): Declared Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights "null and void."

- UNGA Resolution 67/19 (2012): Granted Palestine non-member observer state status in the UN.

 Modern Movements and Peace Efforts

1979 - Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty

- Event: Peace treaty signed between Israel and Egypt.

- Reference: Treaty documents.

- Significance: First Arab country to officially recognize Israel.

1993 - Oslo Accords

- Event: Israel and PLO sign peace agreement.

- Reference: Oslo Accords.

- Significance: Mutual recognition, steps towards Palestinian self-governance.

2005 - Gaza Disengagement

- Event: Israel withdraws from Gaza Strip.

- Reference: Israeli government records.

- Significance: Evacuation of Israeli settlers, continued conflict.

2020 - Abraham Accords

- Event: Normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations, brokered by the United States.

- Countries Involved: United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.

- Significance: Marked a significant shift in Arab-Israeli relations, normalizing diplomatic, economic, and other relations.

 Conclusion

The creation of the State of Israel significantly departed from the UN Partition Plan due to the outcomes of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, leading to broader territorial control by Israel than initially allocated. Subsequent UN resolutions have addressed various aspects of the conflict, including territorial disputes and the rights of refugees. The Abraham Accords represent a recent shift towards normalization of relations between Israel and certain Arab states, aiming to foster regional stability and cooperation.

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THE FRANCE ZEMMOUR SEEKS TO SAVE (RHETORICAL DEVICES)

30 November 2021

Zemmour: journalist, polemics, presidential candudate...His candidacy speech embraces you, oppresses you, haunts you, rallies you. It's a masterpiece.

https://youtu.be/k8IGBDK1BH8

He appears speaking behind a huge mike and in front of ancient books stacked on shelves, reminding us of De Gaulle's wartime calls for resistance (Appeal of June 18 by General de Gaulle).

He begins by telling us his mission, which is to save France from decline "so that our daughters don't have to wear headscarves and our sons don't have to be submissive".

"I understood that no politician would have the courage to save the country from the tragic fate that awaited it. I understood that all these supposedly competent people were mostly helpless [...] That in all parties, they were content with reforms while time is running out. It is no longer time to reform France, but to save it.

I therefore decided to stand for the presidential election."

If you want to know more about how he uses repetition (1), insistence (2), the transfer of allegiance from "you" to "we" (3), mirroring (4), tirades of accumulation (5), assonance (a rhythm of similar sounds) (6) dramatic background music (7):

1. Repetition
Do you remember the country you knew in your childhood? Do you remember the country your parents described to you? Do you remember the country you find in the movies?

2. Accumulation, insistence

our lifestyles, our traditions, our language, our conversations, our controversies on history or fashion, our taste for literature and gastronomy

Joan of Arc, Pasteur, de Gaulle, Molière or even Notre Dame and village churches: all these figures are associated with the word "country". This word is repeated 24 times in two minutes.

The powerful, the elites, the well-meaning, journalists, politicians, academics , sociologists, trade unionists, the well-meaning religious authorities as well.

The country of Joan of Arc and Louis XIV [..] of knights and gentes dames [..] fables of La Fontaine, characters of Molière and verses of Racine

3. From "you" to "we" - pushing you to side with him

You walk [..] you look at your screens [...] you take subways [...] you wait for your daughter or your son at the end of school ...

We must give back the power to the people, take it back from minorities that oppress the majority.

4. Mirroring

You have not left your country, but it is as if your country has left you. You are exiles from within.

You were despised [...] but you understood that it was they who were baiting you, it was they who were harming you

5. Tirade

The French people have been intimidated, paralyzed, indoctrinated, made to feel guilty

For a thousand years, we have been one of the powers that have written the history of the world. We will be worthy of our ancestors. We will not allow ourselves to be dominated, vassalized, conquered, colonized. We will not let ourselves be replaced

6. Assonance

"S" and "P"

7. Dramatic music background

Rather ironic this as the music is not from French culture, it is the adagio of the 7th Symphony of the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven, also used in The speech of a king, a British made film.

is.gd/mMZ3Wz

8. Black n white photos

He contrasts a past glorious France, using black and white images of black and white of Jean Gabin, Alain Delon, Brigitte Bardot, Johnny Halliday, Charles Aznavour, Georges Brassens, Barbara; with scenes of violence and social unrest from today.

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THE UNITED SELF

2 Aug 2022

If you want to know what we humans are really like - well I expect you know already - just look at some of those wildlife films on lions and hyenas.

They have no compassion or remorse, they take what they think they can get away with, the fight is over territory, food and mates, the dominant emotions are fear and greed.

And they have instinct, which is the accumulation and lessons learnt from the experience of survival over hundreds of thousands of years.

Here's how we adapted...

1. Introduction

- The video "Personality, Modernity, and the Storied Self" explores the evolution of self and identity in modern times.

- R.D. Laing's book written in 1960, The Divided Self, explores connection and alienation and, as I see it, how to write a good autobiography.

- Modern, especially in the West, includes capitalism, markets, democracy, nation-states, and the dominance of science and technology.

2. Characteristics of Modern Western Peoples

- Scepticism Towards Tradition: Preference for data-driven approaches over traditional religious or authoritative beliefs.

- Coherent Self: Challenges in maintaining a consistent sense of self across different times and contexts, particularly in diverse societies.

- Emphasis on Uniqueness: Balancing the desire to be unique with the need for connection.

3. Six Characteristics of the Modern Self

- Work in Progress: The self is viewed as an ongoing project, continually improving and adapting.

- Agency: Individuals now have the responsibility to define their own identities and roles, unlike pre-modern times.

- Multi-layered and Deep: Modern individuals juggle multiple, overlapping roles, leading to a complex self-discovery process.

- Self-Development: Lifelong process involving various phases and evolving roles, requiring continual self-adaptation.

- Coherence: Maintaining a coherent narrative across different life phases to construct a unified identity.

- Connection and Pure Relationship: Striving for authentic, self-actualising relationships that fulfill personal needs and desires.

4. Conclusion

- The modern self is a project of self-discovery, adaptation, and improvement.

- It involves seeking uniqueness, connectedness, and authenticity through various life stages and relationships.

Glossary of Terms:

- Modernity: The quality or condition of being modern, characterised by changes brought about by the industrial revolution and beyond - capitalism, markets, democracy, the nation-state, the dominance of Science and Technology - economics drives social, psychological and political changes (though currently we are in an inverted change curve where politics drives economics - a very strange time to be in where the elite is attempting to control populism at home and is trying to assert "world hegemony" abroad).

- Self-actualisation: To use Maslow's term, the final realisation or fulfillment of one's true talents and potentialities, a drive or need that emerges in everyone as more basic needs are fullfilled.

References:

1. "Personality, Modernity, and the Storied Self," YouTube, August 2022.

2. "Impact of Modernity on Identity," Sociological Review.

My notes

self and identity - a biography of our self - who we are - our identity

"personality, modernity and the storied self"

modern

modernity means modern times. Especially in the West ("The West" by this time in the 21st century includes many non Western countries like South Korea or Japan, according to the following framework...).

we have to make a difference between pre modern or pre-industrial times and times since the industrial revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries.

what makes our time "modern" is: capitalism, markets, democracy, the nation-state, the dominance of Science and Technology.

We must thank the Liberal Thinkers, classical and modern, for our ideas on Liberalism and propelling individualism. I'm going to summarise them here and write another piece at some point:

John Locke (1632-1704) on natural rights: life, liberty, and property. 

Adam Smith (1723-1790) on free markets and the invisible hand. 

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) on popular sovereignty and the social contract. 

John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) utilitarianism and individual liberty. 

Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) for civil society and political liberty. 

Isaiah Berlin (1909-1997) negative and positive liberty, pluralism and individual choice.  

Friedrich Hayek (1899-1992) free-market capitalism v. Socialism, warned against totalitarianism. 

John Rawls (1921-2002) justice as fairness.

These liberal values condition our self-development projects.

drivers

and we should look at social, political and economic changes as causing, driving, the changes to our idea of self, of who we are.

characteristics of peoples living in modern Western times

1. a scepticism towards religion and other traditional sources of authority and a preference instead for a data-driven approach based on science, reasoning, objectivity, evidence, positivism etc ... a belief that if we take an evidence-based approach this will lead to improvement in our world

2. difficulty in keeping a coherent sense of one's modern self across the past, present and future and across even yesterday compared to today or tomorrow. Sense of self -read "who we are", "identity".

also keeping up that coherence or integrity across the different roles and contexts and situations that we operate in. Transactional view of who we are - we are what we do.

it's especially challenging for people living in societies with a lot of diversity or to put it another way, a low homogeneity.

For example, societies with different ethnic and religious mixes.

3. there's also more emphasis on our uniqueness rather than on conformity with the tribe, group or herd, and this is challenging because at the same time as we seek to be different we also seek to remain connected.

Six characteristics of the modern self

1. work in progress. we are all a work in progress, we are a project we are working on, the "I" is forever improving a "Me". it can be thought of as a reflexive project reflexive because we are turned towards our self, we are changing our self.

this is modern because compare with pre modern times where a person was given a role or a position or a post and told to get on with it. they were not responsible for creating a unique self or innovating and updating a persona, there was little need, for most people at least, to think about the future or themselves

2. Agency. in pre-modern times it was the king, or the church or mosque or synagogue, or "the tribe", that assigned us a role; but today, we have to work out our own identity and roles in a more day-to-day context of family and work and friends - social media is just an endless series of launch pads, picket fences and ditches, to build and project an identity to friends and fellow professionals

3. multi-layered and deep. compare the simple role that Hindu people in Bali have and live by, compare that with the situation in which modern man or woman find themselves. A modern person has multiple roles and overlapping roles all depending on the group context and the person and so on and this complexity creates a challenge to even know who we are and is why many people are forever on a voyage of self-discovery and why self-help groups are so popular

so before it was the church or mosque that was a moral authority, before it was shame but nowadays it is guilt, in the absence of that moral authority, it is us, we ourselves, who decide our own beliefs and values and who judge our actions, finally who create and project our own identity and it is the search for this authentic identity that drives the projects to modernise ourselves

4. self development. we saw in the points above that the self is a project, for which we are responsible, and this project of ours is a voyage of self-discovery, adaption and improvement - a work in progress. now consider how this is a series of projects, across rhe phases of the longer life that we live - think especially about what this could mean now that we enjoy an extra 50% life expectancy in the form of a phase called retirement or the Third Age.

At the start of the 20th century, the average lifespan was maybe 50 years, but by the end it had reached 75 years and splits into different phases.

We go through different "economic" phases in that time span, we have evolving roles and contexts and thus projects with different objectives for our self, as we mature and develop.

5. Coherence. we go from childhood to adolescence to young adulthood to middle age to older age or maybe more phases than that (cf "the seven ages of man") and we have different roles and contexts to adapt to -  we look for a coherence across all those phases so that we have a story to tell, a narrative, which stitches everything together and brings us one coherent picture of who we are, what we are about that we can then tell others ("project"), taking care to cover the ego.

this coherent narrative is our auto-biography and it's really important, this sense of coherence across the different phases of our life, because it's how we construct our idea of who we are, in other words our identity, our sense of self... we are not, after all this, split personality schizophrenics!

6 connection and the "pure relationship". the 6th and final characteristic of modern selves is that two separate selves can connect to each other to form what we all look for, which is a pure or perfect relationship, in terms of connectedness, love and intimacy, the ying and the yang. The metaphor "two balls of clay brought together into one" encapsulates the essence of relationships, focus is on unity, transformation, and the blending of strengths. Understanding this metaphor can offer valuable insights into the dynamics of forming and sustaining meaningful relationships.

Modern love is not something dictated to us by our parents or arranged by the group or determined by the church or mosque, it is something we choose for ourselves in order to fulfil our deepest needs and desires that we have defined and which are part of our uniqueness.

the two persons, each true and authentic to themself, have a relationship which is honest and open and flexible and negotiable between the two of them. The focus is on both parties achieving what you might call self-actualisation or self-transcendence ( care not to confuse with wokeness). Of course, anyone who's been in a modern romantic relationship knows that this is a pure fiction! ... but nonetheless it is an ideal and a vision that an enlightened modern person can aim for.

Summary. we saw in the points above that the self is a project about constructing our sense of identity, who we are. We are responsible for this project. It is a voyage of self-discovery, adaption, improvement and projection - a work in progress seeking uniqueness, connectedness and authenticity. It is a series of projects, over the longer life that we live. Like ying and yang, we seek union with another complementary soul.

Footnote

"The Divided Self" by R.D. Laing, a Scottish psychiatrist. 

Laing argues that a lot of mental unhappiness (especially schizophrenia - his area of expertise) arises from a division between an individual's "false self" (the outward persona) and their "true self" (the inner, authentic identity).

The result is feelings of alienation and disconnection from oneself and others.

The way to deal with this is to try to understand "the personal experience and subjective reality of individuals". This takes some listening and empathy - he thinks psychiatrists are cold and dehumanising.

He sees everything as starting and finishing in the head, but it might be more realistic to see the effect of the outside world - social, political, economic and so on, on our inner world ...

...Whatever, his idea is to pull the different parts together into a coherent story that we ourself write, a kind of ideological view of our self, that joins up the parts and can be understood by us and by others. It's about connection v. alienation.

V1.3

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FOR A WRITTEN CONSTITUTION

20 November 2023

Do the 1st and 2nd generation immigrants in Edinburgh feel they "belong", or is there growing ethnic conflict in Edinburgh? How do native Edinburghers feel about immigration to their city?

START WITH A SURVEY

We could begin to collect some data on this question by conducting a social survey. Here roughly are some questions to kick off with.

1. Are some neighbourhoods ghettoised?

2. Is there a recent history of gang violence in Edinburgh? Is this down to immigrants?

3. Is there a pb of inequality in Edinburgh? 

4. Are the welfare services working effectively to integrate arrivals into the language and culture? 

5. If there's trouble, do police and social services have advance information? 

6. Is there a pb with resources for meeting immigrants' special needs? 

7. Has privatisation or cutbacks slowed any efforts to integrate these new arrivals?

8. Do you feel safe and free, like before mass immigration began? (Need to work on this question... )

CONCLUSIONS

Let's start at the end.

I think the authorities considered immigration a good way to increase their share of the vote and increase the power of the country (= population x wealth) and thus their ascent and their personal power; they considered helping refugees a humane act; they believed - still do - in the innate goodness of mankind and the power of the Liberal melting pot to convert and integrate all people from all over, irrespective of culture, with added value for the nation as a result.

Well that's the positives.

Soon, we'll be seeing these well organised minority groups infiltrating into the tentacles of government itself .. well they already have done in Edinburgh's Labour party....to pursue and impose their minority beliefs.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

I understand the demographic arguments for the decisions of successive govt.s, but they didn't understand the limits of toleration nor the costs nor the risks of their social engineering experiments. They didn't act in the real whole interests of their existing electorates, instead they saw only economic benefits, and not just for "society at large" (ie for themselves). 

How did this happen? That's easy to answer. There is no mechanism to make politicians accountable for longer-term costs or risks that materialise. 

No thought need be given to Edinburgh's future as a people-with-a-past, and a certain integrity, and coherence, and homogeneity. Instead, authorities seem to make efforts to wipe the past clean or manipulate us by distracting attention with trivial issues. With the result that native peoples have no benchmark and become disorientated. 

No thought is given to the ability of native populations to absorb change. No pedal for braking or dosing or buffering change, no chance to take account of the unpredictable side effects of change, manage the risks, the potential spinoffs and downsides.... it's the usual story I'm afraid of unaccountable elites who don't have to live in the buildings they design.

There are no constitutional legal levers on policy. No founding-father brakes. No controls. Nothing to contain or limit excess. This looks like wild hubris leading to our nemesis as a civilisation.

AN EXAMPLE OF A CONSTITUTIONAL BRAKE

The EU, as an example of what a brake looks like, has the 60-3 rule. This rule stops gov.t spending from exceeding tax income by more than 3%. The shortfall comes from borrowing. Public debt is limited by this rule to 60% of GDP. 60-3 - well it's true it is remembered to be forgotten. 

Those numbers are not just arbitrary, they are the results of extensive detailed studies by historians and economists. Beyond 60% the excess money borrowed and injected into the economy does not return the investment in full. Go beyond those limits and you are in trouble, benefits will be dwarfed by costs, interest costs may crowd out running expenses in the competition for tax money. We are in trouble today as a result of "profligacy", but cannot take austerity. 

Point being that uncontrolled immigration is a destabiliser just as is uncontrolled spending.

ROOT CAUSES

It is always necessary to get beyond the rhetoric, to understanding the underlying deep-down ground-in root causes. 

Just like there is no fiscal control brake on politicians spending, so there is no cultural brake on immigration policy. There are simply no brakes on the half-baked ideas and ambitions of these mediocre and self-interested politicians. No brakes means nothing to control lunatic policy. 

Even the very idea of a brake doesn't exist in the UK, still less a mechanism to control the behaviour of elected officials outside the urns. 

The UK doesn't have a Constution or any way to enact controls on the policies of future govt.s, other than through the ballot box. Instead we have cutbacks and deregulation at home, leaving - in the case of unmanaged immigration - the way open for gangs and networks to take over and to recruit a membership from the very institutions like schools and welfare that are supposed to deliver care to the community. 

And we have a focus on foreign wars that divert our resources and our attention from private-sector to public-sector projects. Public-sector projects that, other than infrastructure, bring no benefit, instead that stifle common sense and private initiative.

RESULTS

So in short we believe in innate goodness and democracy (the powet of the people) and we use these tools to control people who work against our interests by using threats and violence and money. 

Under-resourced, the authorities cannot keep up with the pace of change and are left running an ambulance service of police action and legal punishment, rather than taking hold of the problem with policy controls and preventive measures. Measures especially for getting the children of 1st and 2nd gen immigrants through to finishing their sixth-form in schools and going on to quality universities, of which Edinburgh once had many.

DESIRED OUTCOMES

To continue the survey...The main thing is do you feel safe, happy and free and are you confident in Edinburgh's future? 

We would like immigrant communities to contribute to the economy and welfare of native residents of Edinburgh. After all, mmigrant groups might bring diverse skills, traditions, and an ability to empathise with and care for local communities, fostering a rich and supportive environment for all, including those residents with a memory of how things were. (Frankly speaking, this forlorn hope is an oblique way of saying we, as a civilisation, are f'ed.)

PERSPECTIVE

We seek to keep a perspective on this problem and not feel intimidated by all the foreign faces in the local cafe! 

Because immigration is only one of the problems facing the country, alas: internal unrest from excessive immigration and unrest between the cultures is one problem. There are also threats of extinction of our civilization from outside ie from foreign wars. And there is also the paralysis of our whole system and the risk of economic collapse from the debt mountain. 

(I'll have to rewrite the end of this article on note of encouragement.)

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WHY THE DONBAS BELONGS TO RUSSIA

26 July 2024

     We regret the loss of Byzantium

26 July 2024

The Legacy of Byzantium and Russia’s Claim to the Donbas

The fall of Byzantium in 1453 to the Ottomans was a significant historical event, marking the end of the Eastern Roman Empire, which had survived the collapse of Rome by a thousand years. This collapse was largely due to the Ottomans' use of advanced artillery, including an enormous cannon that breached the city’s formidable walls. The fall of Constantinople signified the loss of a major Christian stronghold to Islamic rule and had profound repercussions for the balance of power in Europe and the Middle East.

When the Ottoman Empire itself collapsed after World War I, there was an opportunity for the West to reclaim Byzantium, but the decision was made to appease Turkey, using it as a bulwark against Russian expansion. This decision is now seen by many as a strategic error.

Understanding Russia’s Historical Roots and Claims

To comprehend why Russia is so invested in the Donbas region today, it's essential to understand the origins of Russia, the spread of Orthodox Christianity, the rise of the Ottomans, and the numerous Russo-Turkish wars that shaped the region’s history.

Origins of Russia and Orthodox Christianity:

- The roots of Russia trace back to the Kievan Rus, a federation of Slavic tribes under the rule of the Varangians (Vikings "Rus" is a Nordic word for "rod" or "oar") in the 9th century. The Varangians established trade routes connecting the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea and beyond, facilitating economic and cultural exchanges.

- The Kievan Rus converted to Orthodox Christianity in 988 AD under Prince Vladimir, aligning itself with the Byzantine Empire and establishing deep cultural and religious ties that persist to this day.

The Rise of the Ottomans and the Loss of Byzantium:

- The Ottoman Empire, which emerged in the late 13th century, gradually expanded its territory, eventually capturing Constantinople in 1453. This marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and the consolidation of Ottoman power.

- The Ottomans' control of the Black Sea and their influence in Eastern Europe were significant factors in the numerous conflicts with Russia.

Russo-Turkish Wars (1676-1918):

- There were 11 Russo-Turkish wars, reflecting the ongoing struggle between Russia and the Ottoman Empire for dominance in Eastern Europe and control of strategic territories, including the Black Sea and the Balkans.

Catherine the Great’s Expansion:

- Catherine the Great (reigned 1762-1796) expanded Russian territory southward, establishing Novorossiya (New Russia) in regions including the Donbas. This expansion aimed to secure Russia’s borders, gain access to warm-water ports, and project power into Europe and Asia.

Modern Geopolitical Context:

Industrial and Strategic Importance of the Donbas:

- The Donbas region, rich in industrial, mineral, and agricultural resources, is crucial for economic and military reasons. Its flat lands and lack of natural defenses make it strategically significant for controlling the broader region.

- The fight over the Donbas today reflects these enduring strategic interests. Russia views control over the Donbas as vital for its national security and economic stability.

Trade Routes and Economic Influence:

- The historical trade routes established by the Varangians (Vikings) between the Baltic, Black Sea, and the Middle East facilitated economic prosperity and cultural exchange. These routes allowed the Kievan Rus to exert considerable political and economic influence, although it was a trade route and not a state with a government.

- Modern sanctions and economic measures against Russia aim to disrupt these long-standing trade networks, but their effectiveness is debatable given the deep historical roots of trade in the region.

Conclusion:

- The historical ties, economic significance, and strategic importance of the Donbas region to Russia ryn deep. The legacy of the Kievan Rus, the spread of Orthodox Christianity, and the geopolitical dynamics of the Russo-Turkish wars all contribute to Russia’s claims and actions in the region.

- Understanding these historical contexts helps to appreciate the complexities of the current conflict and the challenges in resolving it.

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SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NUMBERS 5 AND 12

20 July 2024

Significance of the Numbers 5 and 12

     Are you one of the 144,000? (See below)

Are there really "hidden sacred numbers"?

https://youtu.be/R7oyZGW99os?si=C11yjjgDJL-hMByr

All the mathematical relationships that are so well described in this most interesting video are based on one simple connecting feature of our species.

Stretch your hands out and make your left hand into a fist and your right hand face palm upwards.

Now with your right thumb, tap each of the phalanges on each of your four fingers once and when you have completed these 12 taps, extend a digit on your other, left, hand.

You can do this 60 times at the end of which all the digits on your left hand are extended.

The number 12 is highly composite, meaning it has many divisors (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12). This makes it convenient for practical divisions into halves, thirds, quarters, and so on. For example, a dozen (12) eggs can be split or sold evenly among 2, 3, 4, or 6 people.

This was a convenient and practical way the Ancients used to count before the invention of the Abacus. Indeed, one step further, mathematics (trigonometry and algebra, an Arabic word) emerged out of Mesopotamia because the private fields of farmers would get flooded every year and it was necessary to redraw the boundaries.

Evolution of measures

I don't think the ancient Sumerians and Babylonians - the first civilization to live in cities, maybe as long as 10,000 years ago? - knew the size of the planet, but with a system based on five and 12, or base 60, it is self-justifying that the Giza pyramid, for example, should scale up to the size of the Earth, since the system of meridians and longitudes, used for location and distance, is based on five and 12, 60 and 360.

And using the sexagesimal system, there will be unsuprising and non-coincidental resonance with other numbers, for example measures of length: the pace, the foot, the yard, the furlong, the mile. 

And same for the calendar: 60 seconds, 60 minutes, a lunar month of 30 for the moon to reappear in its first phase, 12 lunar months for the Earth to orbit the sun.... and then the Greeks use of decade and century for political terms of office and historical chronological events on base 10 i.e two hands, simpler. Although counting in base 60 didn't really begin to decline until the Renaissance which adapted and extended classical Greek and Roman texts, philosophies and law. 7 bright objects in the sky - the sun the moon Mercury Venus Saturn the North Star - that "turn round the earth" as we turn round the kaabla.

Currency, trade calculations: pence, shillings, pound. 

Angle, rotation, navigation, architectural 3D design shapes polyhedron: seconds minutes, degrees.

Weight, agriculture, tax tributes: the talent, mina and shekel (also currency, based on a silver standard).

Religion the 30 days of ramadam, the 12 disciples of Jesus and unlucky 13, pilgrims must walk around the Kaaba seven times in a counterclockwise direction.

Imperial system of Measures

The Imperial system is not entirely based on 12 but it does use 12 and multiples thereof. This system codified all the units mentioned above and by the 19th century was used throughout the British Empire.

Length: 1 foot = 12 inches

Volume: 1 pint = 16 fluid ounces (not base-12 but a similar concept of divisible units)

Weight: 1 pound = 16 ounces (again, not base-12, but still is convenient for division so for trade.

Religion

According to the Book of Revelation (Revelation 7:4 and Revelation 14:1-5), 144,000 is the number of people who will be sealed and protected during "the great tribulation", being a group of individuals chosen from the twelve tribes of Israel, 12,000 from each tribe.

Another cabalistic mystery

Here's another cabalistic mystery unraveled or debunked from mystical associations.

Why is the small gauge railway that width? And the answer is that the railways followed the Roman roads and the Roman roads were scored by the wheels of the Roman chariots and the width of a Roman chariot was determined by the width of the horse that draws it.

1. Mathematical and Historical Context

- Counting Systems: The numbers 5 and 12 are significant in historical counting systems. The method you described of using the phalanges (each finger having 3 segments except the thumb) for counting up to 12 on one hand while using the other hand to keep track of multiples is a rudimentary yet effective counting system. This system is likely a precursor to the more sophisticated abacus.

- Base-60 System (sexagesimal): Mesopotamian mathematics, which significantly influenced later civilizations, used a base-60 (sexagesimal) system. This is evident in our timekeeping (60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour) and in the division of a circle into 360 degrees. The sexagesimal system might have evolved from a combination of base-10 and base-12 counting systems.

2. Cultural and Symbolic Significance

- Number 5:

  - Human Anatomy: Five is often seen as a number symbolizing humanity due to the five fingers on each hand and five toes on each foot.

  - Pentagon and Pentagram: In geometry, the number 5 is associated with the pentagon and pentagram, which have historical significance in various cultures, often representing completeness and balance.

- Number 12:

  - Calendar Systems: The number 12 is significant in many calendar systems. There are 12 months in a year, and this division of the year likely originates from lunar cycles.

  - Zodiac and Time: The 12 zodiac signs and the division of the day into two 12-hour periods (AM and PM) also highlight the importance of 12 in timekeeping and astrology.

3. Geometrical and Astronomical Significance

- Circles and Cycles: The division of circles into 360 degrees is a direct consequence of the sexagesimal system, which itself is rooted in base-12 counting. The number 12 fits well into many systems of division (e.g., 12 divides evenly into 2, 3, 4, 6).

- Giza Pyramid: While there is much speculation about the numerical and geometrical significance of the Giza pyramids, the idea that they might scale up to the Earth's size using a system based on 5 and 12 ties back into the sexagesimal system and ancient understandings of geometry and measurement.

Evaluation and Expansion

1. Ancient Numerical Systems:

   - The use of the phalanges for counting is a practical method that naturally lends itself to base-12 counting. This system is intuitive and efficient, explaining its widespread use.

2. Development of Mathematics:

   - The necessity of redrawing field boundaries due to annual floods in Mesopotamia is a key driver for the development of geometry and algebra. The systems developed were practical solutions to real-world problems.

3. Astronomical Measurements:

   - The ancient Sumerians and Babylonians had a sophisticated understanding of astronomy and geometry, allowing them to develop accurate calendars and timekeeping systems based on the numbers 5, 12, 60, and 360.

Conclusion

The numbers 5 and 12 have deep roots in human history and culture, reflecting both practical counting methods and symbolic meanings. Their significance extends beyond simple numerics into the realms of geometry, astronomy, and the development of early mathematics. The base-12 system, combined with base-5, forms a robust foundation for the sexagesimal system that influenced many aspects of ancient and modern life. 

Understanding these connections explains many mysterious resonances and magic numbers and enriches our appreciation of the ingenuity and practicality of ancient civilizations.

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SIGNIFICANT TECH OUTAGE AFFECTING SYSTEMS

19 July 2024

1. Introduction

Recently, there has been a significant tech outage affecting systems, particularly those operating on Microsoft Windows.

 Here's a summary of what we know:

2. Causes and Details of the Outage

- Microsoft 365 Outage: A major outage recently hit Microsoft 365, affecting popular services like Teams, Outlook, OneDrive for Business, Exchange Online, and SharePoint. Initial findings pointed to a wide-area networking (WAN) routing change as the culprit. A command to update an IP address on a WAN router led to all routers in the WAN recomputing their adjacency and forwarding tables, causing packet forwarding issues:

 

https://www.techradar.com/news/this-is-what-caused-the-recent-huge-microsoft-365-and-teams-outage

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-reveals-cause-behind-this-week-s-microsoft-365-outage/

- Infrastructure Power Outage: Another incident was attributed to an infrastructure power outage, which necessitated failing over traffic management services for Microsoft 365 users, primarily in Western Europe. This action failed to complete properly, leading to significant delays and access failures:

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-reveals-cause-behind-this-week-s-microsoft-365-outage/

- Microsoft Teams Issues: Microsoft Teams experienced multiple outages over a few days, with users across North and South America reporting connectivity problems, delays in message delivery, and app crashes. These outages were linked to database infrastructure issues and networking problems:

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-teams-hit-by-second-outage-in-three-days/

- Outlook Problems: Microsoft Outlook users faced issues with sending, receiving, and searching emails due to an infrastructure change. This problem affected users in North America and other regions due to the interconnected nature of the infrastructure:

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-outlook-outage-prevents-users-from-sending-receiving-emails/).

3. Response and Mitigation Efforts

- Command Execution Blocking: Microsoft has implemented measures to block highly impactful commands from being executed on its devices to prevent similar issues in the future. The company is also enforcing new guidelines for safe command execution on its networking equipment:

https://www.techradar.com/news/this-is-what-caused-the-recent-huge-microsoft-365-and-teams-outage

- Infrastructure Restart Operations: Targeted restarts and infrastructure checks have been performed to restore service availability. Microsoft reported that most affected services had been restored and were under extended monitoring to ensure stability:

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-reveals-cause-behind-this-week-s-microsoft-365-outage/ 

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-outlook-outage-prevents-users-from-sending-receiving-emails/

4. Conclusion

These outages highlight the complexities of managing large-scale IT infrastructures and the cascading effects that can occur from seemingly minor changes. Microsoft's proactive measures aim to prevent similar incidents in the future, but the incidents underscore the need for robust change management and thorough testing procedures.

For more detailed updates and ongoing reports, you can visit:

TechRadar

 

BleepingComputer

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THE MESS WE'RE IN - IS THERE A WAY OUT

16 July 2024

1. Introduction

The growing crises in our societies have led to increasing reliance on family, friends, and close-knit communities for support. This shift is fueled by a breakdown in trust in our institutions, rules and leaders. This article explores the root causes of these problems and considers potential ways out of the current societal mess.

2. Breakdown of Trust

2.1 Increasing Reliance on Close Communities

- Support Networks: As tensions and crises increase, people increasingly depend on their immediate social circles for reassurance and support.

- Distrust of Institutions: There is a growing distrust of entities outside these circles, leading to a more insular and tribal society.

2.2 Diagnosis of the Problems

- Crushing Debt: Overwhelming national debt burdens.

- Declining Public Services: Deterioration in the quality of public services and infrastructure.

- Military Overcommitment: Excessive military engagements and commitments, including counterintuitive and highly expensive positions taken in Ukraine and Palestine.

- Economic Inequality: Widening gap between the elite and the general populace, government policies that work to enrich the one and impoverish the other.

- Immigration and Multiculturalism: Challenges of immigration into an unprepared society with resultant cultural conflict and strains on resources, the perceived failures of multicultural integration, the poor social capital in terms of the education attainment and health of the people.

- Tolerance for Violence: Increasing acceptance of violence as a norm, widespread and growing street protest movements.

- Breakup of Euro-Atlantic Alliance: the rules-based international American order embodied in all the institutions created after the war and after the Soviet breakup seems to be now breaking down. The loyalty and trust of the people to their governments and ultimately to American leadership is evaporating as America pursues its own interests at the expense of Europe. The people feel betrayed: they cannot understand why their governments defer to Washington instead of taking care of national interests.

- Poor Leadership: Inadequate leadership to address these mounting issues and in particular the disregard for financial prudence and the promotion of war, in disregard of the national interest.

3. Societal Impact

3.1 Fragmentation and Isolation

- Tribalism: Society is splitting into smaller, isolated groups based on mutual trust and similarity.

- Disconnection: Increasing feelings of isolation and disconnection from the broader society and from governance.

3.2 Coping with Hardship

- Endurance: People can endure hardships but struggle with feelings of aloneness, separatuon and disconnection.

- Community Support: The importance of community and social support in maintaining resilience, identity and culture.

4. Identifying the Mess

4.1 Components of the Mess

- Debt and Economic Strain: The crushing burden of national debt and the failure to balance the commercial external account.

- Violence and Conflict: Wars, killings, and increasing violence and protest, both domestically and internationally between superpowers and the emergence of a multipolar world that America does not appear to accept.

- Migration: straining the physical fabric, destroying the social, loss of identity and culture, weakens the attachment of people to the nation.

- Leadership Failures: Inferior and ineffective leadership, failure to listen understand and grapple with "reality", with large corporations and foreign lobbies undermining democratic husbandry of the national interest. It has to be said that these are signs of a senile system that has lost its grip on reality.

4.2 Responsibility and Causes

- Voter Responsibility: The notion that people get what they vote for.

- Elite Influence: The power and unthinking will to dominate, to power, of elites and their prioritisation of short-term financial gain or electoral success over national interests.

- Corporate Power: The influence of big corporations, their lobbies, foreign lobbies - I am thinking here of AIPAC.

5. Potential Solutions

5.1 Generational Hope

- Youth Leadership: The possibility that the younger generation, including millennials and the Next Generation, might seize the initiative and lead us out of the current mess. A leader that turns his back on the establishment and appeals to a multi ethnic youth.

- Community-driven Change: The idea that solutions may emerge from within communities as people come together.

- New leadership in Congress: It must be possible for elected representatives to change the direction of the administration.

6. Conclusion

The current societal challenges are deeply rooted in systemic issues and a breakdown of trust in institutions. 

Trump's response to the attempt to assassinate him was to switch from his normal conflictual rhetoric to a sudden newfound commitment, almost a Damascian conversion, to bringing the people together - I think this is very significant. 

As is his likely choice of running, someone who combines elements of populism and rejection of establishment consensus with an appeal to the youth and who could qualify as Trump's successor.

The resilience found in close-knit communities and the potential leadership from younger generations offer a glimmer of hope for navigating and resolving these crises.

For a diagnosis and solution from an unusual angle

There now follows a party political forecast in favour of the Blah Blah party

7. Pathways to Overcoming the Crisis: Leading Out of the Fourth Turning

7.1 Understanding the Fourth Turning

- Concept Overview: The Fourth Turning, a concept developed by Neil Howe and William Strauss, describes a recurring generational cycle in American history that includes periods of crisis followed by renewal. The current Fourth Turning is characterised by significant societal upheaval and transformation.

7.2 Acknowledging the Current Crisis

- Crisis Components: The present crisis includes overwhelming national debt, declining public services, military overcommitments, economic inequality, unplanned immigration, the result of fundamentally ineffective leadership. 

These elements contribute to a breakdown in trust in institutions, increased societal fragmentation, a feeding of "us and them" or the rise of Populism.

7.3 Rebuilding Trust and Social Cohesion

- Transparent Leadership: Leaders must be left with no alternative but to prioritise transparency and accountability. This includes clear communication of policy decisions and their impacts, fostering trust among citizens; failures should result in loss of the benefits of leadership positions.

- Community Empowerment: Strengthening local governance and encouraging direct community participation in decision-making processes can rebuild social cohesion and a sense of belonging.

7.4 Economic and Political Reforms

- Debt Management and Economic Policies: Implementing comprehensive strategies to manage and reduce national debt, such as progressive taxation and prudent spending cuts, is essential. Economic policies should aim to promote "social justice": reduce inequality and promote fair wealth distribution.

It is important to understand that economics follows politics and if so, only the politicians and parliament can resolve these under pressure from the street.

- Electoral Reform: Considering changes to the electoral system, such as proportional representation and direct democracy or regular referendum on key issues, can ensure fair representation and address public disillusionment with current practices.

7.5 Promoting Social Integration and Reducing Violence

- Inclusive Policies: Policies that promote social integration and address the challenges of multiculturalism are crucial. This includes equitable access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities for all communities.

- Violence Prevention: Implementing programs to reduce violence and address its root causes, such as poverty and social alienation, can foster a safer society.

7.6 Harnessing the Potential of Younger Generations

- Youth Empowerment: Supporting and empowering the younger generation to take on leadership roles and contribute to societal transformation is critical. This includes investing in education, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

- Millennial and Gen Z Leadership: leaving a vacuum for millennials and Gen Z to lead initiatives and movements and bring fresh perspectives and drive change.

7.7 Inspired by Recent Developments

- Trump’s Response: The recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and his call for unity highlight the need for national reconciliation.

His shift from conflictual rhetoric to a commitment to bringing people together, following the attempt on his life, is a significant step toward fostering national cohesion.

7.8 Practical Steps for Moving Forward

- National Dialogue: Initiating a national dialogue involving all societal sectors can help identify common goals and foster a collective vision for the future.

- Policy Innovation: Encouraging innovative policy solutions from diverse stakeholders, including community leaders, businesses, and academics, can address complex societal challenges.

- Cross-Party Collaboration: Promoting cross-party collaboration in government can lead to more balanced and effective policymaking, ensuring that diverse perspectives are considered.

8. Conclusion

Leading out of the Fourth Turning requires a complex approach that prioritises rebuilding trust, social cohesion, and empowering the younger generation. By addressing the root causes of the current crisis through transparent leadership, economic and political reforms, and inclusive policies, society can navigate this period of transformation and emerge stronger and more unified, "it they want", overcoming the drive to power and violence. 

The recent shift in rhetoric by former President Trump underscores the potential for unity and collective action in overcoming these challenges.

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THE IRRESISTIBLE CASE FOR VOTING REFORM

14 July 2024

Farage Campaign for Voting Reform ‘More Irresistible than Brexit’

Nigel Farage has claimed that the campaign to reform the UK's voting system will surpass the momentum of Brexit. This follows comments from Sir Keir Starmer, suggesting that the UK lacks a “healthy democracy” as millions of votes do not effectively count. The recent general election highlighted this issue, with Labour securing 63% of parliamentary seats with only 33.7% of the vote, while the Reform Party gained just five seats despite over four million votes. In contrast, the Liberal Democrats won 72 seats with just over 3.5 million votes, underscoring the discrepancies of the first-past-the-post system.

Farage argues that the current electoral system is broken, leading to public apathy, as evidenced by the lowest voter turnout in over 20 years at 59.9%. He believes that this disillusionment will drive a major campaign for electoral reform over the next five years. Although Starmer has benefited from the current system, Labour delegates previously supported a motion for proportional representation in 2022.

Despite having once criticised the electoral system and called for a debate on reforming it, Starmer later defended first-past-the-post, stating it provides strong government. Farage intends to hold Starmer to his earlier comments and will push for the Prime Minister to uphold the Labour Party conference's will for electoral reform.

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le 14 juillet 2024

Campagne de Farage pour la réforme électorale 'plus irrésistible que le Brexit'

Nigel Farage a affirmé que la campagne pour réformer le système électoral du Royaume-Uni dépassera l'élan du Brexit. Cela fait suite aux commentaires de Sir Keir Starmer, suggérant que le Royaume-Uni manque de "démocratie saine" car des millions de votes ne comptent pas efficacement. Les récentes élections générales ont mis en évidence ce problème, le parti Travailliste obtenant 63 % des sièges parlementaires avec seulement 33,7 % des voix, tandis que le parti Réformiste n'a obtenu que cinq sièges malgré plus de quatre millions de votes. En revanche, les Libéraux-Démocrates ont remporté 72 sièges avec un peu plus de 3,5 millions de votes, soulignant les disparités du système majoritaire.

Monsieur Farage soutient que le système électoral actuel est défaillant, conduisant à l'apathie du public, comme en témoigne le taux de participation le plus bas depuis plus de 20 ans à 59,9 %. Il pense que ce désenchantement entraînera une grande campagne pour la réforme électorale au cours des cinq prochaines années. Bien que Starmer ait bénéficié du système actuel, les délégués du Labour avaient précédemment soutenu une motion en faveur de la représentation proportionnelle lors de la conférence annuelle du Labour en 2022.

Malgré avoir critiqué le système électoral et appelé à un débat sur la réforme, Starmer a ensuite défendu le système majoritaire, affirmant qu'il fournit un gouvernement fort. Nigel Farage a l'intention de rappeler à Starmer ses commentaires antérieurs et de pousser le Premier ministre à respecter la volonté de la conférence du Parti travailliste pour la réforme électorale.

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