Personal Reflection XVIII - On Epistemology

I am prepared to admit with a sense of pride that I am a lover of knowledge. However like all those with a similar affection I am mindful of ensuring that what I accept as real knowledge is in fact exactly that. Philosophy has realized this problem from the early days of its Athenian youth. The earlier Milesians had more a rudimentary understanding of epistemology and appeared to be more concerned with the nature of things - in a sense they were the first theoretical physicists.

A sceptic would have one reject all that there is and build upwards from a non-reducible point. For Descartes this was the working of his own mind, for others its the basic axioms of mathematics and logic while a third group puts faith (and indeed it is a faith) on the competency of sense. Many object to the three approaches altogether preferring an external metaphysical explanation that transcends both rationality and experience. However such a line of thought seems anathema to the WesternPhilosophical tradition that sees an explanations within itself.

In my thinking on this topic I have noticed that many thinkers are much better at destroying structures that have been built than creating sturdier constructs the next time round. In fact ourphilosophical tradition is inherently critical in a way that screams 'destruction'. Its no wonder that after 2000 plus years of bashing and building we are no further ahead in our overall understanding of some of the big questions in epistemology than we were at the times of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Yes, we have terminology and lots of it but are we much better for that?

​This does not mean that all avenues of human intellectual pursuit have been so convoluted. Scientific progress is real as have been advances in other areas of philosophy (particularly ethics and politics) but I am still not convinced that epistemology itself has even progressed forward.

Perhaps it can be argued that epistemology is one of those subject areas that abhors an absolutist system of measurement. In fact it can be further articulated that its strength lies in cementing relationships between other disciplines, a process that indeed defies analysis based on looking at the field of study as a stand alone entity. This is indeed a possibility which I will investigate further

The Seven Types of Anti-Semites

I have qualified these seven types in my study of Jewish History. While they may not be independent from one another in the strict sense, they provide a useful methodology for understanding the historical hatred of the Jews.


1. Hatred of the Jews as Christ Killers - A very old form of Anti-Semitism which has existed since the early days of the Christian Church. The Jews were blamed for choosing Jesus Christ to ‘die’ on the cross. The New Testament Gospels emphasize this point in their writings and it has served as dogma for both the Catholic and many non-Catholic churches over the centuries. Argument is illogical though, for if the Jews had not selected Christ to be sacrificed on the cross then he could not have died for the sins of mankind. Where would humanity then be?

2. Hatred of the Jews as Outsiders - The rejection of Jesus as the messiah, Jewish religious belief, Jewish emphasis on marrying fellow Jews, as well as the concept of the Jews as the Chosen People all smack of exclusivity.
Why?, asks the anti-Semite do the Jews think that they are better than us ? Could it be that they eventually want to subjugate us? Hence the blood libels, pogroms and the impetus to scapegoat the Jews as the cause for all that goes wrong in society.

3. The Jew as the Evil Capitalist - The Church authority forced Jews to be money lenders as Christians were prevented from charging interest. As money lending grew into the banking profession, Jews became more influential as players driving the wheels of the largely capitalist based economy. Those individuals jealous of Jewish success as well as the later opponents of capitalism were quick to throw force this charge.

4. The Jew as the Diabolical Communist - Karl Marx’s Jewish ancestry, Jewish influence in the Social Democracy Movements in Europe (Trotsky, Zinoviev, Kamenev, Luxembourg, Martov were all Jews) was enough of a linkage in the minds of many anti-Semites to associate the ‘specter of Communism haunting Europe’ as a Jewish plot for world domination. Idea is non-sensical. Granted at one stage there were many Jews involved in the movements of social-democracy but that is largely as a result of the fact that Communism preached an ‘equality of all’ that other political ideologies appeared to shun. However after the true face of the of the leftist movements were revealed in the Stalinist purges, Jews starting deserting Marxism in droves. It is also important to note

5. Hatred of Jewish thought - Jewish thought has traditionally been more liberal and open to debate than that of Christianity. Jews have been on the fore front of new ideas (Marxism, Relativity, psychoanalysis, and American liberalism) which have shaken the bedrock of traditional views. A phenomenon that breeds fear and consequently anti-Semitism. Also Jewish success in business, the arts and the sciences has in the mind of many anti-Semites created a belief that the Jews are privy to knowledge which they are not willing to share. This of course is ridiculous as are all charges of an international Jewish conspiracy.

6. Anti-Zionist/Anti-Semitism - Not all anti-Zionists are anti-Semites. Agreed. However the line is in many cases very thin. Many Arab countries make little distinction (e.g. the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion is required reading in many school programs). Also for those seeking a convenient cover for their anti-Semitic views where better to hide then amongst the so-called ‘progressive’ anti-Zionists.

7. Hatred of Jews for their role in Judeo-Christian philosophy - Western Philosophy and Judeo-Christian philosophy is evil. So this reason goes. Jews are to blame for all of it as the mother religion of the tradition. Therefore Jews are bad. Simplistic but nevertheless the view of those seeking to destroy the foundations of Western civilization. Stream of thought is popular amongst anarchists and some New Age Religious believers. Nazism was such a belief.

Reagan and South African Sanctions

The first sanctions placed on South Africa was the CAAA that was initiated by Republican Senator William Roth (from Delaware). In 1981, Reagan who was still recovering from an assassination attempt, sent William Clark to South Africa. Clark was told to voice Reagan’s disapproval. He did exactly that and told then South African PM PW Botha the message straight to his face. In fact in a classic war of words Clark made it very clear that Reagan ‘abhorred Apartheid’. Reagan did oppose the 1985 sanctions Bill as he believed that his policy of  ‘Constructive Engagement’ was more likely to bring about change. He was also concerned about the 1985 Sanctions destabilizing the country making it ripe for a Marxist takeover. Remember there were Marxist regimes already in power in Mozambique and Angola. Mugabe himself in Zimbabwe had been backed by the Soviets. It was still the Cold War.

Reagan’s concerns were legitimate – Marxist regimes had brought about mass genocide in Cambodia and Ethiopia and a genuine concern to avoid this path makes complete sense. South Africa with its resources falling into the orbit of the Soviets was something that both Republican and Democrat Presidential Administrations had sought to avoid (including Jimmy Carter’s I might add). The ANC at the time was linked to the Soviet Union and Mandela (who was in prison) had not yet denounced violence.

A compromised Bill did pass in the House and Senate but Regan opposed it as he felt that the economic restrictions would hurt impoverished Blacks (which it did). He was willing to put through sanctions though through executive order.

Nevertheless Richard Lugar, a Republican Senator from Indiana (Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee)  bucked the president and pushed through an override that was supported in the Senate 78-21 and the House 313-83 indicating significant Republican support. This is what Reagan said afterward

I deeply regret that Congress has seen fit to override my veto of the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986. Punitive sanctions, I believe, are not the best course of action; they hurt the very people they are intended to help. My hope is that these punitive sanctions do not lead to more violence and more repression. Our administration will, nevertheless, implement the law. It must be recognized, however, that this will not solve the serious problems that plague that country. The United States must also move forward with positive measures to encourage peaceful change and advance the cause of democracy in South Africa.

Now is the time for South Africa's Government to act with courage and good sense to avert a crisis. Moderate black leaders who are committed to democracy and oppose revolutionary violence are ready to work for peaceful change. They should not be kept waiting. It would be tragic to lose this opportunity to create a truly free society which respects the rights of the majority, the minority, and the individual. There is still time for orderly change and peaceful reform. South Africans of good will, black and white, should seize the moment.^[17]

Western History 81: What were some of the key dates in the Age of Exploration?

Exploratory sea voyages undertaken to fulfill political, strategic and trade drives were a key component of the Renaissance Period. Much of the initial intention of these voyages was set in the desire to secure a new trade rote to East to both India and China) following the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans. The Portuguese with the enthusiastic royal Henry the Navigator at their helm were the initial trendsetters in the Age of Exploration but there were followed soon and later eclipsed by the Spanish, Dutch, French and English.

Many of these powers often made use of mercenary explorers of Italian origin (particularly Genoese).

Key Dates in the Age of Exploration up until 1542

Early 15^th century – Henry the Navigator, Duke of Viseu, initiates and funds the Portuguese Exploration drive. Henry’s explorers will sail to the Canary Islands, Madeira, the Azores and West Africa

1456 – Diego Gomes reaches the Cape Verde Islands

1482 – Diego Cao explores the Congo River. Cao will continue to modern day Namibia (1486)

1488 – Bartolomeu Dias rounds the Southern Tip of Africa (sails past Cape of Storms).

1492 – Italian Christopher Columbus, Sailing on behalf of the Spanish Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, reaches the Islands of San Salvador (Bahamas) and Hispaniola (which contains the Dominican Republic). Columbus would sail on three further voyages to the Caribbean in search of an alternative route to India.

1494 – Treaty of Tordesillas divides the Americas between a Portuguese and Spanish sphere of influence.

1497- John Cabot, an Italian working for the English monarchy reaches the coast of Newfoundland.

1497 – Vasco Da Gama reaches India after rounding the Cape of Good Hope.

1499-1502 – The Real brothers Gaspar and Miguel) explore the coast of Greenland and Newfoundland.

1499-1502 – Alonso de Ojeda and Amerigo Vespucci (after whom America was named)  explore South America (around Guyana). Vespucci finds the mouth of the Amazon.

1500 – Pedro Cabral explores Brazilian coast as does Bartolomeu Dias and Nicolau Coelho.

1503 – French explorer Binot Paulmier de Gonneville explores Southern coast of Brazil.

1511-1512 – Joao de Lisboa reaches the River Plate

1511 -1513 – Exploration in the East by Afonso de Albuquerque (Malacca), Jorge Alvares (China). Trade monopoly set up by Portuguese in and around Persian Gulf.

1513 – Vasco de Balboa discovers the Pacific Ocean.

1519 – Ferdinand Magellan explorers several South American river systems and discovers Straits of Magellan. Killed in the Philippines in 1421. Crew completes first global circumnavigation.

1524 – Giovanni de Verrazzano an Italian sailing on behalf of the King of France explorers the Atlantic Coast of North America.

1534-1536 – Jacques Cartier goes inland into North America describes the St Lawrence and names Canada.

1542 – Joao Cabrilo reaches San Diego Bay. Explores Oregon Coast.

The US Civil War - Costliest Battles

These are the ten costliest battles (in terms of dearths) in the US Civil War.

Gettysburg, Shiloh, Stone's River, Antietam and Vicksburg were Union victories. Although Antietam was a tactical opportunity missed.

Spotsylvania and Wilderness were largely inconclusive.

The Confederacy won Chickamauga, Chancellorsville and Second Manassas.

The Resistance of the South against largely numerically superior Unionist forces should not be understated..

Personal Reflection XVII - Political Impasse

The more I study politics the more I realize that those on the center left and the center right of the traditional spectrum (not the extremes of course) are often closer to a consensus than their rhetoric indicates. However what creates the gulf is the input of the extremes, marginal issues and the inability to provide clarity leading to a mutually acceptable language of discussion. An additional factor is that each has the tendency to gaslight the other.

Personal Reflection XVI - Thoughts on Militant Atheism

Atheism is essentially not a belief but a denial of a belief. In its pure form it’s a negation that has its origins in a strong scepticism akin to that envisioned by David Hume in his defence of Empiricism. From a logical standpoint such a position makes sense although I personally find it to be no better than the Deist argument. Militant Atheist is a term that has arisen in the recent milieu of political discourse to describe the sub-group of atheists who have combined the traditional atheist position with an active anti-theism. The position arose out of an understandable opposition to the extremes of fundamentalism in the theist camp.

Since politics abhors a belief vacuum (and atheism is not a belief in and of itself as mentioned) atheists often gravitate to political positions that replace the God hypothesis with that of the ‘Other’. This ‘Other’ can take the form of a secular humanism, anarcho-capitalism or indeed some facsimile of dialectic materialism for example. Depending on the authoritarian nature of the personality plus their drive for utopianism many atheists moved historically embraced those philosophies on the left

A Brilliant History Series - Hitler's Circle of Evil

Western History 80: What was the Renaissance?

The Renaissance (or rebirth/revival) was a period in European history that spans the time between the 14^th and 17^th century. It follows on from the end of the Middle Ages and is often regarded as the first stage in Modern history. As a movement the Renaissance largely began in Italy (particularly Tuscany) from where it spread to the rest of the continent. The period as a whole is known for a passionate renewal on the legacy of Classical Greece that in turn would cultivate a vital stimulus in philosophy, art, literature and science.

Key factors that impacted the Renaissance were

·         Rebirth in learning driven by such figures as the Italian Poet Petrarch in the Fourteenth century – fondness for classical works;

·         Introduction of classical texts brought to Europe by merchants following the Fall of Constantinople (1453);

·         Development of the Printing Press by the German Johannes Gutenberg (1440);

·         Patronage of the Arts by such families as the de Medici and Sforza;

·         Survivors of the Black Plague enjoyed more wealth as workers as a consequence of a short of labour - this would have a ripple effect across the economy;

·         The political dynamic and the vibrancy of several of the Italian city states;

·         Rise of Humanism and a more evident meritocracy in government bureaucracies;

·         The Scientific Revolution – the collapse of geo-centrism and the rise of both empiricism and inductive reasoning as methodologies for understanding the world.

Personal Reflection XV - Early Influences on my Life

have always viewed my life as somewhat of an intellectual odyssey. Even as a pre-schooler I can remember being enthralled by a world of knowledge that seemed so rich and open to investigation. While my journey into the realms of learning has changed direction on many an occasion, its well-heeled sense of growth has nourished my soul in the best possible manner. I am better for it despite the constant struggle, and in this realization I take the utmost solace.

In the complete sense I am a very fortunate person in that I grew up in a family that both encouraged and valued education. My grandfather and father both sought enrichment in self study and encouraged me from my infancy to follow along such lines. Grandpa Hymie in particular was an all-around seeker for the truth. His library was filled with books on history, the bible, photography, electronics, far eastern culture and woodworking amongst others and his keen mind lusted to tangle the mosaic of human epistemology. He saw no limits to his pursuits and was a free thinker in the true spirit of the phrase. There was a passion that eclipsed his persona, a rare energy that I have sadly seen in only a handful of people that I have ever encountered. Sadly he passed away just after my 7^th birthday but his enduring take on life provided the spark for my own journey.

They say that you don’t remember much before the age of five but I have recollections of my numerous visits to his apartment those times on his veranda when he told me about his experiences in World War II (he fought with the South African Allied troops in Abyssinia), his study of Ancient Civilizations and his work with tropical fish. I remember vividly a two-foot sized replica of Rodin’s ‘the Thinker’ that he had displayed on a shelf in a room filled with art work (most of it his own…he was an accomplished amateur painter as well).  The intensity of the Thinker figure, engaged in nothing more than the delicate art of contemplation, resonated with me as it defined the richness of what my Grandpa’s life aspired to be. On a level I was driven to imitate not necessarily in content (as I could already see that some of our interest differed) but in the greater energies of learning, self-betterment and a cultivated appreciation of personal reference.

Despite this gift of knowing my Grandpa there was much that haunted me. I was a sickly child in that I suffered from asthma a condition that first struck me severely at the age of  three. My experience in Pretoria’s Andrew McColm Hospital where I was isolated from my parents and placed in an oxygen tent was gut wrenching and even now they provide some glaring early images from my early childhood that I would sooner forget.

However by the same twisted curse the asthma and the bronchitis that so frequented my childhood allowed me to retreat into a life of scholastic pleasure. I retreated into a world of books, a maelstrom of imagery where historical archetypes came to life on the pages of my Boys Own Annual or Children’s Encyclopedia. In my mind I existed in a space populated by the likes of Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, the Duke of Marlborough, Napoleon and his arch nemesis Nelson. It was a universe of richness that allowed me to forget my personal struggles. I could rejoice in the escapism and I relished with a fullness the opportunity.

  

To this though I must credit my father, in fact both my parents for encouraging such zeal. Learning was celebrated in its entirety and it was this very lifeline that I clung onto in those dismal hours when the possibility of being ‘just another boy’ seemed so remote.

Personal Reflection XIV - Globalism

1. Globalism is a worldview that frames political action against the backdrop of an international framework.
2. In a sense it differentiates itself from the pluralism of the nation state and sees this broader dynamic as offering more utility.
3. Globalist thinking is either left or right focused and diversifies to some extent over the dimension of economics and the authoritarian footprint.
4. Right globalists focus largely on trade and the universality of a market system that is functionally unbounded. Trade is seen as driver to lessen what ills.
5. Left globalists are energized towards the elimination of inequalities. Populations are functionally unbounded.
6. Right globalism has its origin in classical liberal thought and can be back dated to the 18^th century. However it is important to note that not all classic liberals are right globalists.
7. Left globalism stems from International Socialism and Trotskyism. Just like the right side of the equation not all those that identify with the left are globalists.
8. Right globalist thinking tends to have a slight advantage economically at this point in human history which is largely a function of a failure of the economic models advocated by the left. Its larger influence is carried through a corporate vehicle.
9. However Left globalism dominates on the social level.
10. Although rooted in a common international focus left and right globalism represent a thesis/antithesis that has emerged today in a synthesis known as modern globalism.
11. Modern globalism combines both types. The degree of which defines the political grouping along a left-right axis. Very few established parties adhere to these polar extremes with a rigid purity. However
12. The United Nations and the various trade blocs such as the EU, ASEAN etc. are political fulfilments of the modern globalist drive whose directionality is toward a type of internationalism that seeks to transcend the nation state with these broader groupings.
13. Empirical justification for such a focus centers on the idea that global problems can only be solved by international movements that extend beyond the divisions of old. The nation state all too often is seen as such a divisionary construct.
14. The definition of the global problem differs based on the left/right bias of the political grouping.
15. Globalist initiatives are advanced through the mechanism of crisis. The world must be viewed through the eyes of an impending crisis that only globalist action can resolve.
16. Barriers to the free flow of money, environmental degradation, war between nation states are examples of some of these crises. Many of which have been overstated.
17.  However this serves a purpose – the idea that massive change is necessary and that only a globalist approach catalyzed by knowledgeable others can drive this change. Crisis is equivalent to opportunity.
18. Globalism has momentum on its side. It lends itself well to dissemination by technology, has the appearance of forward mobility and can adequately deflect to a perception of the natural flow of history. It is indeed a powerful force.
19. Nevertheless globalists have not had it their own way. Resistance from various pluralisms and nationalisms has been strong enough that globalists, are forced to adapt a methodology of confrontation.
20. This involves marginalization of the other and strategic attacks on the pre-existing structures.
21. One such plan of action is the use of diversity politics. While diversity as a maxim should  function in  the strengthening of a plethora of opinions, it is used by globalists in the context of race and class as a battering ram against the values that define the traditional nation.
22. In doing so the diversity initiative takes on the role of Identity politics that serves to subjugate an individual’s identity to that of the collective.
23. The collective is then set against the other. The other being the obstacle to the social will of the Identity Group. By forming coalitions of Identity groups, left globalists seek to weaken the traditional system thus making it more amenable to the necessary change. Part of this is to paint traditionalism with a reactionary brush.
24.  However such thinking exists not only among left globalists. Identity politics have impacted the corporate world and in doing so exerts an influence over right globalist thinking.
25. This influence will likely grow over time as right globalists have either internalized the diversity rhetoric or refuse to counter it with the necessary intellectual argument. In doing so they have unfortunately abdicated much of the classic liberal tradition that sits outside of the singular locale of economics.

Western History 79: How did the Ottoman Empire expand?

The Sunni Muslim dominated Ottoman Empire rose from one of the principalities in Anatolia (Turkey) to become the dominant force in the Middle East from the late Middle Ages to the 19^th century. It was the successor to the Seljuk sultanate and owes its foundation to Osman Gazi (Othman) who reigned between 1299 to 1323/4. The Empire would play a crucial role in the politics of Eastern Europe and was the primary source of Islamic expansion into Europe in the period from the 14^th to 17^th century.

The history of the Empire can be divided into five periods

·         The Rise (1299-1453)

·         Classical Age (1453-1550)

·         Transformation (1550-1700)

·         Stagnation and Reform (1700-1827)

·         Decline and Modernization (1828-1908)

The following timeline outlines the key events of the Empire including its interactions with both East and Western Europe until 1600. Later events in the Ottoman Empire will be discussed later on as they become more relevant to the chronology of the time.

1299 – Founding of Empire by Othman

1302 – Battle of Baphetus – First War against the Byzantines

1328-1331 – Ottomans take Nicaea

1371 – Victory over the Serbians at the Battle of Maritsa

1389 – Conquest of Serbia at the Battle of Kosovo

1399 – Building of the Great Mosque at Bursa by Bayezid I

1413 – Mehmed I ascends to the throne

1453 – Constantinople falls to the Ottomans. End of Byzantine Empire.

1463-79 – War with the Venetians. Ottoman victory.

1485-91 – Ottoman expansion stopped by Mamluks

1499 -1503 – Second Ottoman-Venetian War. Former prevails.

1520 – Reign of Sulamein the Magnificent begins. He will conquer Belgrade, Rhodes, Hungary. Vienna will be besieged but will not fall.

1526 – Ottoman victory over Hungarians at Battle of Mohács

1570-73 – Ottoman victory in Third War against Venice. Capture of Cyprus.

1571 – Key victory by the Christian Holy League over the Ottomans at the sea Battle of Lepanto. Turning point in Ottoman success in the West.

1579-90 – Ottomans battle Safavids (Persian dynasty) in the East. Empire reaches its height in that direction.

1596- Ottoman victory over Hungarians at Keresztes.

An Alternative History of the Future - Entry VI

2035

The Treaty of Friendship; Early product specialization

The NEB, AFTN and EU signed the Treaty of Friendship, ending a bitter twenty-year trade war. The Treaty allocated product specializations to each trade bloc. Trade conflicts were eliminated by diminishing competition, fostering interdependence without sacrificing efficiency. Warren Kirkland, the United Nations Commerce Secretary and the Treaty’s mastermind, was, for the first time in history, simultaneously awarded both the Nobel Peace Prize and the Nobel Economic Prize.

Exploration of the Asteroid Belt

For two years beginning in 2035, the Hercules missions performed detailed explorations of the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter, including the large asteroids, Ceres, Juno and Pallas. In 2037, six space navigation stations were established at the edges of the Asteroid Belt to guide travellers.

The Asteroid Belt ultimately proved a rich source of iron and copper. Mining programs on Ceres and Juno initiated in 2078, were jointly managed by British Interspace Mining Corporation and Germany’s Dreigan Geocorp.

In 2124, the spaceship Voyager 3000 collided with a miniature asteroid, killing all crew and passengers. The SPA governing body reacted by implementing the Rearrangement Policy, to clear asteroids from vital space routes.[17]

New world chess champion

Spiro Bubari, the Azerbaijani chess prodigy became the youngest Human World Chess Champion, winning the title at the age of fourteen by defeating Deep Blue VIII. IBM’s Deep Blues had not been defeated by a Human player in over thirty years. This event shocked the artificial intelligence community, in particular adherents of the Top-Down school of thought, who had declared victory over the Thinking Chess Computer Problem.[18]

Disintegration of the Canadian Federation

Following the granting of independence to the Canadian province of Quebec in 2025, First Nations won self-government in large parts of the provinces of Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Manitoba in 2035. In 2041, the province of Ontario merged with the state of New York; Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island provinces joined the state of Maine. By 2060, the remainder of the Canadian Federation had been absorbed by the United States.

2036

Cure for AIDS discovered

Mikhail Thaslov and Dorothea Woo, biomedical researchers at Johns Hopkins University, announced that they had prevented the replication of HIV using a genetically engineered drug, Soripan. The drug led to the eradication of AIDS in 2042. The cure, however, came too late to save the seven hundred and ninety-one million lives lost from AIDS since the disease was first identified.[19]

Tri-Nation attack on Pakistan

Precipitated by Pakistani support for Afghani resistance movements, Mussaud Khan, the dictatorial leader of Afghanistan, backed by Iranian and Indian troops, attacked Pakistan. Pakistan was defeated in the nine-month conflict, but only after twenty million people had died when nuclear weapons were used by both factions.

2037

Democracy fails in Malaysia

Right-wing military generals overthrew Malaysia’s democratically elected political leadership. A military coup also ended democracy in Indonesia in 2038. These democratic failures were linked to East Asia’s growing economic malaise.

The Great Nile Project

Several mini-lakes were created along the Nile River, by employing forced flooding techniques. The lake water irrigated the Sudanese Sahara, greatly improving the region’s agricultural capacity. Eventually, the Nile was divided into ten rivers, nine emptying into mini-lakes and the tenth continuing to flow into the Mediterranean Sea.

2038

Terrorists attack AFTN

Liberation America, a terrorist organization opposed to global economic integration, attacked an AFTN meeting, assassinating the leaders of Argentina, Columbia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Venezuela. The unprecedented simultaneous murder of world leaders, drew attention to popular dissatisfaction with the loss of national identities caused by globalization.

Three-year recession begins

The default on large loans to several emerging space corporations, triggered the bankruptcy of the Chase Manhattan Bank. The United States entered a three-year recession that spread to the rest of the AFTN and the AEU.

Tribal Rebellion in Zimbabwe

The Matabele successfully rebelled against Shona domination in Zimbabwe, creating an independent republic. The Matabeleland Republic joined the SAEC in 2040.

Western History 78: Who were some of the Early Church reformers?

Most of the early church reformers attacked the lavish nature of the local parishes, corruption in the church hierarchy and the elaborate ceremonies that defined the pomposity of the clerical orders. Great motivation was a sense that the church body had become too detached from the mainstream population.

Some key reformers here include

John Wycliffe – Yorkshireman. Translated the Vulgate (Latin Bible) into Middle English in 1382 producing Wycliffe’s Bible. Followers were known as Lollards.

Savonarola – Active in the Italian Renaissance, championed a more puritanical approach that sought the destruction of secular art and a church renewal that would turn Florence into a New Jerusalem. Burnt at the stake in 1498.

John Hus – Czech Reformer and National Hero. Founder of Hussitism. Key thinker in Bohemian revolution (the most significant pre-Reformation movement). Attacked moral failings of the church, its bishops and pope. Hus was eventually burnt at the stake after being condemned by the Pope and placed on trial for his insubordination.

Actions of each together with others such as Jerome of Prague, Peter Waldo and Johan Wessel would influence such later reformers as Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin and John Knox.

Thoughts on Immigration

1.       It is a complex issue with a multitude of factors that require both short term fixes and a long term philosophy.
2.       The Apex of the Discussion ultimately should center on what type of nation is envisioned for the future.
3.       The Issues facing Europe differ from those that impact Canada and the US although there is a certain degree of commonality.
4.       Legal Immigration has had a net positive impact on both the US and Canada. These are essentially immigration driven countries.
5.       Integrating the Immigrant population with the established population is key. A common framework is needed. This common framework ought to be the values of Western Liberalism – Free Speech, Private Ownership of Property, Rule of Law, an emphasis on merit, respect for workable institutions and a shared nationhood.
6.       The melting pot idea has largely been successful in the US but it is contingent on the idea of controlled immigration rates and workable timelines of integration.
7.       Merit based immigration driven policies centered on a point system is not a perfect solution but it is better than the alternatives.
8.       Background checks on immigrants are key. Those advocating violent political ideologies that are hostile to the nation must be excluded.
9.       If immigrant populations cannot integrate properly into a country this will result in greater alienation, conflict and clash across the board. This has been the case in Europe especially France and Belgium.
10.   Immigration numbers need to be consistent with Integration numbers.
11.   A country has the right to control its borders and need exercise such a right for the benefit of its population.
12.   The Hyphenated American descriptor is divisive. Legal Immigrants should be treated as Americans. Period.
13.   Illegal Immigration is a huge problem and indeed has the potential to threaten the integrity of the nation as a whole.
14.   The reasons for this are numerous and include – the obvious flouting of the rule of law, circumvention of the necessary screening process, complete disruption of the integration process and an obvious strain on resources.
15.   Nevertheless the concept of Illegal Immigration (although rarely touted as such) is welcomed by certain segments of the established population. Justification follows along several lines (both short and long term).
16.   Certain business interests welcome illegal immigration as a cheap source of labour. Various political operatives see it as a method of changing the demographics of key voting areas in favour of their partisan politics. Others see it as a necessary ingredient to transform the nation side into their respective ideal. Guilt with respect to the demise of the other is a fourth factor.
17.   All of these arguments are problematic and will hurt the country for reasons already discussed.
18.   Having said that it is necessary to deal with the broken system as it stands at this point in time. This involves addressing problems in the here-and-now.
19.   The American Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) must be seen in this context. It is a humane approach to a problem caused by the inability of a system to deal efficiently with the fallout from illegal immigration in the past. It ought to offer amnesty and then a possible path to citizenship for those meeting its more rigorous criteria. However it should not inform continuing policy. It is a patch driven by expedience but is not a long term solution.
20.   The US like any other countries needs to secure its borders and reduce the impact of chain migration.
21.   Once inflow rates are better managed than the country can regulate its policies to meet specific needs.
22.   Non-Partisan compromises from both sides of the political aisle in the US will be necessary.
23.   However as a consequence of political posturing, special group interests and personal animosity this is unlikely to occur.
24.   Wait and See mode will persist unless strong Executive Action with Legislative Support drives through a policy of Action.
25.   Inaction will worsen the status quo and hurt the nation in the long run.

Anti-Vaxxers

One reality that more often that not screams stupid is when the radical left and right come together on an issue that almost every reasonable voice on the center rejects. Typical examples include the negation of Israel’s right to exist, all too frequent 911 conspiracy theories, and the support of such charming personalities as Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The latest cause célèbres to come to the fore is the dangerous anti-vaccine hysteria that seems to have crept into the thinking of those who navigate under the illusion of a purple sky.

While leftist anti-vaxxers normally case their argument in the context of nature battling artificial toxins (with a touch of corporate greed mixed in) those on the right of sanity are driven by the need to equate vaccines with some giant government conspiracy. Both viewpoints are dangerous and go against the single greatest weapon that we have against the slide into the sewer of wretched superstition – scientific evidence. Vaccines work and their development together with antiseptics, antibiotics and germ theory itself represent our most potent artillery in the fight against pathogenic diseases.

The demise of smallpox, polio, diphtheria, neonatal tetanus, whooping cough and measles can all be credited to vaccines. The smallpox vaccine alone is estimated to have saved the lives of five million people annually

An Alternative History of the Future - Entry V

2033

Hydrofood released for popular consumption

The powerful global corporation AquaEat,[12] released its invention, Hydrofood. These water-based food products, were not only rich in free metabolic energy, but were simple to manufacture and store. Hydrofood was credited with nearly significantly reducing hunger levels in Developing Nations. Hydrofood products also played a vital role in space colonization.

Central American Republic formed

A bloc-within-a-bloc, the Central American Republic (CAR) was formed, comprised of Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Belize. El Salvador reluctantly joined seven years later. Although highly critical of this apparent rejection of the AFTN, remaining AFTN members tolerated CAR, as it brought political stability to the Central American region for the first time in decades.

2034

Civil War in China

Triads and Communist militants, attempting to restore Mao Zedong’s ‘Rule of Law in China’, engaged in numerous vicious skirmishes. With over one million dead, the neo-Communist government was unable to stem the violence. Despite their declared mandates, the United Nations and its rival global body, the World Organization of Nations (WON),[13] declined to intervene in China’s “internal politics.” Ironically, the Triads and Communists ultimately collaborated to overthrow the neo-Communists, sharing governance of China until the Third World War.[14]

Odoba gains control of the Central African Federation

Tinus Odoba, a popular religious leader and resistance figure, overthrew the autocratic government of the newly created Central African Federation (CAF).[15] Initially promising to introduce democracy to this large nation, Odoba instead established a new dictatorship, extinguishing the hope that the CAF would bring democracy to sub-Saharan Africa.

Uncontrolled acid fire devastates Los Angeles

An industrial fire ignited by sulphuric acid, destroyed twelve percent of Los Angeles. The frequency of commercial disasters continued to increase, in proportion to escalating global production.[16]

First Manned Landing and Colonization of Mercury

The Pegasus-12 reached Mercury in 2034. Astronauts Nyrop Carlsson and Lydia Baintree descended to the surface in heat reflecting bubbles. The first space colonies were established on Mercury in 2087. By 2160, the population of the planet’s forty-eight colonies was twelve million.

Mercurial colonies were encased in giant reflective bubbles, to protect inhabitants from solar radiation. Mobile colonies capable of sliding around the planet to reside in “cool” areas, were pioneered in 2139.

Formation of the Space Planetary Administration

In 2034, the Dublin Manifesto established the Space Planetary Administration (SPA), and Sven Olafson, a noted astrophysicist, was elected its first president. Headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, the SPA was created by the United Nations, but became an independent organization in 2042. All space exploration, colonization and immigration was regulated by the SPA throughout the twenty-first and twenty-second centuries.

At the zenith of its power, the SPA was divided into five major sectors:

Agricultural Space Academy (ASA)―Headquartered in Cairo, Egypt. The ASA supervised agricultural projects on space colonies and stations, ensuring all cosmic settlements became self-sufficient food producers.

International Global Settlement Initiative (Colonial Office)―Headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The SPA’s International Global Settlement Initiative was universally referred to as the “Colonial Office.” Its administrative body monitored the rights of cosmic settlers in space colonies and stations. The Colonial Office also represented all permanent space colonies and stations in negotiations with their Earth-based controlling powers, the Trade Blocs.

Scientific and Industrialized Space Facility (SISF)―Headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. The SISF regulated mineral extraction and scientific space development.

Security Protection Institute (SPI)―Initially headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, the SPI moved to the space colony Callisto-5 in 2102. The SPI was the first galactic police organization, providing security services to space settlements until the new worlds were sufficiently established to employ their own sheriffs. Penal colonies were established on Mercury in 2094 and on Mars in 2096.

Space Advancement and Education Organization (SAEO)―Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. The SAEO provided education and training programs for future colonists, equipping over one billion people with necessary survival and lifestyle skills. With well over a million employees throughout the solar system, the SAEO was the SPA’s largest sector.

My Devil's Dictionary

Kanowitz's Devil's Dictionary (inspired by Ambrose Bierce)

Communism - An Equality of zeroes.

Capitalism - An Inequality of zeroes.

Democracy - Government by the elected mediocrity.

Fear - The nothing that terrifies us.

Film critic - A nobody's nobody.

Life - A state of confusion between birth and death.

Luck - Proof that randomness does not exist.

Project Manager - Person hired to create a false sense of organization.

Sleep - The last amateur sport.

Time - That ingredient that makes all things impossible.

War - The less hypocritical version of peace.

United Nations - Incompetence in numbers.

Politics - The sand box for those who don't play well with others.

Diamond - A man's worst friend.

Money - An entity with a pocket holding time measured in nanoseconds.

Food - The unifying property that makes us the nectar of the gods.

Sex drive - That aspect of our personality that fails to separate us from the animals.

Work - The price we feel we must pay.

Guilt - The ditch on the road to contentment.

Civilization - The end product of many centuries of disorganization.

Thought - The unfamiliar which we so fear.

Consultant - A Rolling stone gathering other people's moss.

Business Policy - An early proof of the march to chaos.

Committee decision - The broth spoilt by too many cooks.

Maverick - One who has chosen to think

Accountant - The matador sent out to destroy the creative bull.

Corporate lawyer - Individual who complicates the already complex.

Executive - Those in charge of milking the cow.

New World Order - Same as the Old War order. Just different people in charge.

Bonus - The light that makes many hands work.

Gambling - Art of parting money from a fool.

Affirmative Action - Unnatural selection

Western History 77: What bought about the Fall of Constantinople?

On the 29^th May 1453, Constantinople, the capital and last stranglehold of the Byzantine Empire fell to the forces of Mehmed the Conqueror, the seventh sultan of the Ottoman Empire. The defeat followed a 53-day long siege that brought to an end the 1500 year old Roman Empire. It also signified the end of the Late Middle Ages and represented a huge blow for Christendom.

The Ottomans would later move their capital from Edirne (historically Adrianople) to Constantinople. The Hagia Sophia Greek Orthodox church was soon converted into a Mosque, although the position of Patriarch of Constantinople, the head of the Orthodox church, was maintained.

From a cultural perspective the fall of Byzantine caused the mass migration of scholars away from Constantinople to Europe proper that historians believe may have accelerated the expansion of Renaissance humanism (Platonic and Neo-Platonic thought) and the revival of Greek and Rome science on the continent.

It also signalled the closing of a land route to India and China whose net effect would provide impetus for the sea driven Age of Exploration that was to follow.