I’ve long been critical of superstates and any extreme concentration of power, but only really from around 2014 did anti-EU feeling in the UK gain enough momentum to call into question Britain’s integration with the European project and to force a referendum, which the establishment hoped would endorse the status quo’s trajectory of ever-closer union.
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The Brexit Delusion and the End of Neoliberalism
capitalism, communism, Computing, corporatism, immigration, limits to growth, migration
The Destabilisation Game
How warmongers and open-borders activists collude to disrupt viable societies If you have a romantically humanitarian worldview, you may well welcome all policies that seem to help other people in need and oppose all actions that may either harm or hinder others. An idealist would resist all wars, abhor all violence and accommodate all victims
⋯capitalism, communism, Computing, corporatism
We cannot stop wars unless we tackle their causes
How greed, distrust, decadence and unsustainability engender conflicts Most of us agree wars are best avoided, but we have long debated whether and when they can ever be justified. In theory at least, we can assert the right of all communities to self-defence against incursions and conquest, but in practice life is seldom that simple,
⋯capitalism, communism, Computing, hegemony, migration
On the Brink of War again
#Fakenews may soon kill millions as the liberal enlightenment gives way to corporate mind control Barely a month after Donald Trump replaced Rex Tillerson with Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State and appointed John Bolton as senior national security advisor, we stand yet again on the brink of a major military showdown between NATO and
⋯communism, Computing
Establishment Stitch-Up amid Shifting Alliances
Did you naively think the whole EU membership debate had something to do with Europe and its smörgåsbord of cultures, cuisines and intellectual enlightenment? No doubt some of those who voted to leave the EU reminisced simpler times and older ways where at least we had a sense of social cohesion based on shared values,
⋯capitalism, Computing, migration
Is Capitalism Morphing Into Communism?
Under communism you buy everything from a single state outlet, whereas under fully mature capitalism you buy everything from Amazon. Karl Sharro I once dreamed of a socialist utopia devoid of hate, fear, anxiety, poverty and interpersonal rivalry with common ownership of the means of production. This fantasy comes in two main flavours, idealistic anarcho-communism
⋯capitalism, communism, Computing, corporatism, hegemony
On Social Competitiveness and Human Nature
As a species we combine social solidarity and shared culture with a strong competitive spirit. In a way these variant behaviours represent the true yin and yang of the human psyche, collectivism versus individualism or social cohesion versus self-betterment. One could argue that our social and technological reality would never have progressed without these instincts.
⋯All in the mind, capitalism, communism, Computing, human rights
The Emerging Age of Absolutisms
What do corporate globalism, Islamic fundamentalism, communist idealism and neo-fascist romanticism all have in common besides being abstract isms? If you look at their attitudes to the key ethical questions of our age, their notional position on the left-right spectrum or their virtuosity in the public mind, they may appear at variance or even diametric
⋯All in the mind, capitalism, communism, Computing, corporatism, migration
The Brave New World Test
Human history has had plenty of upheavals, but I believe we have never experienced such a rapid rate of technological and cultural change with worldwide reach. In 1931 Aldous Huxley wrote Brave New World not so much as a reliable prognosis of human development over the coming six centuries (as the story is set in
⋯All in the mind, communism, Computing, corporatism, monopoly
Our Workless Future
Could the universal basic income usher in an age of hyper-dependence, hyper-surveillance and a growing divide between technocratic elites and mainstream humanity? Two of the most influential business leaders in the tech industry have thrown their weight behind the hitherto fanciful universal basic income, a cause until recently championed only by idealistic greens not known
⋯All in the mind, Computing
Capitalism is Dead, long live global corporatism
Why some greedy bankers may want Corbyn to win I had wanted to expand on my Brave New World thesis in relation to mounting calls from the trendy left and business leaders for a universal basic income. We now see an alliance stretching from social justice warriors, environmentalists and no-borders activists to corporate CEOs all
⋯capitalism, communism, Computing, corporatism, hegemony, immigration, limits to growth
Realignment in the age of Elitism
I expect no prizes for forecasting the Conservative Party will win Theresa May’s Snap General Election on 8th June. That’s because none of the opposition parties offer viable alternatives that can convince ordinary pragmatic voters uninterested in foreign policy and who do not have an ideological commitment to socialism, environmentalism or universalism. If, like me,
⋯communism, Computing, corporatism
Mainstream Fake News Kills
On the Brink of World War Three Over Misappropriated Chemical Attacks. Call me old-fashioned, but facts do actually matter even if they’re inconvenient and do not fit with your preferred narrative. Your enemy may be bad, but your enemy’s enemy may be even worse. That said, disinformation and emotive propaganda should concern us most when
⋯All in the mind, Computing
Madonna vs Alex Jones
How the Virtue-Signalling Left Cares More About Affluent Jet-Setters Than Defenceless Goat Herders The faux outrage about Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban on citizens of 7 mainly Muslim countries reveals more about the priorities of the affluent infantile left than it does about any shift in US foreign policy. Most people in the world outside
⋯capitalism, communism, Computing, human rights, immigration, migration
Is Oceania still at war with Eastasia?
How President Trump could signal the demise of the USA as a superpower and how the globalist elite may switch allegiance to other centres of power. In George Orwell’s 1984 Oceania appeared to be in a never-ending war against Eastasia. Airstrip One, the new name for Great Britain, belonged to Oceania with North America and
⋯capitalism, communism, Computing, corporatism, hegemony, human rights, immigration, migration
Am I Left or Am I Right?
Once again we return to the superseded left vs right spectrum or is it good vs bad, collectivism vs individualism, state control vs private enterprise, equality vs meritocracy or ecological responsibility vs economic growth? Few real world issues can be simplified on a one-dimensional scale. Some would now describe some of my opinions as embarrassingly
⋯capitalism, communism, Computing, corporatism, hegemony, migration
Universal Welfare vs Individual Freedom
Would global corporations bankroll a universal welfare system without seeking to control our lives? Imagine a society that not only provided all your existential needs, but also gave you wide-ranging lifestyle freedoms and did not compel you to hold down a mundane job just to afford the necessities of life. This usually means clean water,
⋯All in the mind, Computing, human rights
Would a sane Commander in Chief ever deploy Nuclear Weapons?
The British Parliament is about to vote on the renewal of the country’s US-built and US-controlled nuclear missile shield. In case you didn’t know, these nuclear warheads are launched from submarines based in Faslane on the Firth of Clyde, just 20 miles from Glasgow, Scotland. I’ve long realised pacifism, while an ideal we should all
⋯Computing, hegemony
Fair Trade Not Free Trade
Free trade has now become an untouchable sacred cow, which alongside economic growth and free movement of labour forms a sort of mercantile holy trinity. Without free trade, we are told, we would have a smaller variety of more expensive products and, worst of all, economic stagnation. However, all this assumes an idealised world of
⋯Computing, hegemony, limits to growth
Our Emerging Brave New World
Mental Health Mantra If you believe vocal lobbies, we can never devote enough resources to tackle our ongoing mental health crisis. Politicians of all hues like to champion the rights of mental health patients to better care. They try to score points on the perceived lack of funding for mental health services. The subtext is
⋯All in the mind, Computing, corporatism
Why are there so many recruiters?
I don’t know about you, but 90% or more of my linkedin contact requests come from recruiters. I don’t accept them all. Am I the kind of talented high-flyer you would want to headhunt? Probably not, in person I’m rather shy and certainly not management material. I suppose I just know a few esoteric programming
⋯capitalism, Computing, corporatism, hegemony
The Copy and Paste Design Pattern
All good programmers understand the concept of design patterns, creational patterns, structural patterns and behavioural patterns. We apply these patterns in different aspects of our projects. It’s good to recognise common patterns so we can generalise routines into reusable functions or objects. I won’t bore you with the details because you can learn more from
⋯Computing
Surprise: The Big Business Party won
I predicted a hung parliament that would ditch any manifesto promises at the behest of corporate lobbyists. A weak government is arguably more malleable than a strong one, unless the strong government does exactly what its true masters want. I suspect the new Conservative administration will disappoint many traditional small-c conservatives as it pursues a
⋯capitalism, Computing, corporatism, human rights, immigration, migration
The Nice Party Manifesto
As an environmentally friendly, safety-aware, anti-racist, disability-positive, anti- homophobia, feminist, pro-growth, pro-children, pro-happiness party, we oppose all nasty policies that may harm other human beings. Global minimum salary: If elected the UK Nice Party will provide everyone in the world with access to an online bank account and transfer 1 bitcoin ( £150) a day
⋯All in the mind, Computing, immigration
What the enlightened elites really think of you
Opinion leaders love to use inclusive first person plural forms, like we, us and our, when addressing unenlightened plebs who fail to share their enthusiasm for all things post-modern and mistakenly reminisce about the positive aspects of our recent past, like greater social cohesion, more respect for age and experience, simpler rules of social etiquette
⋯All in the mind, capitalism, Computing, corporatism
Twitter Mob: Don't Blame the Users
How lobbies have turned consumer groups into victims Twitter does not exactly lend itself to critical analysis. I doubt many people have changed their minds on anything after reading a mere 140 character tweet. Such short messages tend to reinforce existing prejudices and opinions and often build on concerted advertising and awareness-raising campaigns. You can
⋯All in the mind, Computing, human rights
Now for something different: Web Fonts
You may wonder just how I added these custom font types. I’m the last person to believe your choice of font should affect the message you wish to convey. Alas Web designers love custom fonts and often spend countless days wrestling with various technical solutions to reproduce the graphic designer’s wishes on all browsers. Back
⋯Computing
Rebel without a cause
Do you like to indulge in drugs and booze ? Surely only boring losers would abstain from the exciting social life facilitated by binge drinking, cocaine parties and ecstasy-enhanced all-night raves. Maybe you like to gamble or play first-person shooters online with your virtual friends and imaginary foes. And what self-respecting young adult would not
⋯capitalism, Computing, corporatism
Multinational Scroungers and Tax Dodgers
Just before Christmas the British media revealed some large up and coming multinational outfits had taken advantage of tax loopholes and the wonders of early 21st century globalised trade to evade taxes. Suddenly Labour supporters had a cause they could all rally behind and win support from hardworking voters rightly fed up with high taxes
⋯capitalism, Computing
All true conservatives are green
I sometimes enjoy Peter Hitchens‚ antidote to mainstream trendy Neo-Liberal thinking, but fear he is on some subjects in bad company and a tad ill-informed. No rational person could deny volumes of hard evidence showing the exponential rise in humanity’s collective impact on our planet’s delicate ecosystem, both in terms of our numbers (rising from
⋯All in the mind, capitalism, Computing, corporatism, limits to growth
The Bankers are bankrupt and so are we
Today over a hundred thousand demonstrators will descend on Central London to protest against cuts in public spending. I can sympathise for I’ve joined many similar protests‚ defending the rights of ordinary working people and against wanton waste and wars. Why should ordinary people suffer because politicians and bankers have wasted billions on wars and
⋯capitalism, Computing, human rights, limits to growth
Old Browsers
If the main body of this page has rounded corners and subtle drop-shadow effects with a stylish Diavlo font face instead of Arial / Helvetica / sans-serif, chances are you are already using a modern browser. If you see square borders and a default sans-serif font, then you should be aware your browser doesn’t support
⋯Computing, migration