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Olympic notebook
2 August 2024
The Olympic Games begin on Sunday 28th of July in torrential rain and with a controversial opening ceremony, even before a metre is run or swum, pedalled or galloped.
A media howl of anger persists for several days
@aboujahbah
This is utterly disgusting.
They flirt with pedophilia in the opening ceremony of olympics where zionist child killers are proudly invited to take part in.
A civilisation in full moral decay.
@AlwaysT11413
This is what a collapsing society looks like.
America is up next if we continue to pretend like this is ok
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Dilemmas of Leadership
Dealing with false news. The Southport children’s murders and subsequent rioting
There is a wide range of leadership challenges produced by new technology. Today’s leaders faces challenges includind false news which seem connected to conspiracy theories.
An example this week followed a murderous attack on children In a dance class in Southport Merseyside in England.
The suspect was arrested, but whose name was concealed because the person was below the age of 18.
Social media accelerated the false news that the attack was carried out by an illegal immigrant. The false news also gave a false name implying the killer was of Muslim extraction.
The day following the attack a vigil was being held close to the scene of the crime. Simultaneously, messages on the web invited supporters against Muslim terrorism to gather in protest at a mosque near to The dance studio.
Protest turned ugly and became a riot in which Police were injured, And a vehicle burned down.
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Why Donald Trump reminds me of Coyote in Navajo myth
Coyote, in Navajo myth, is known among other names as the First Liar.
Coyote is a key figure in Navajo mythology. Of all its figures, Coyote is a shadowy figure that can be funny or fearsome. Coyote is greedy, vain, foolish, cunning and also occasionally displays a degree of power.
The view of Coyote in folk belief is generally negative and related to witchcraft. Witches called skin-walkers-are believed to be able to adopt the form of a coyote.[A Navajo saying holds that if Coyote crosses your path, turn back and do not continue your journey. The time coyote is an omen of an unfortunate event or thing in your path or in the near future.
I remembered the myth while listening to Donald Trump in a speech in Minnesota recently, in which he made a whole series of Coyote-like references ...
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The Olympic Games begin. What they can teach us about politics, and vice-versa.
Friday 26 July, 2024
The Olympic Games begin in Paris with a spectacular show. The presidential campaign in America reaches its own climax. The more you think about it the more similarities you see between the two events.
They are both very expensive if you want to achieve the highest result.
They can only be one winner at any event. Coming second is at best bittersweet..
The general public which has ignored the events for four years suddenly becomes obsessed in supporting their favourites...
Accusations of cheating are made.
TV prepares to show every contest in minute detail
Pundits give their opinions before every event and discuss what happened afterwards.
In moments when nothing is happening, the events are replayed over again.
Favourites withdraw at the last moment giving heartbreaking interviews
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Dilemmas of leadership
President Biden resolves his most significant dilemma
Thursday 25 July, 2024
Yesterday President Biden announced to the nation his decision not to stand for a second term in office.
It provides an explanation to the story of a monumentous decision, rarely taken by a President.
Let’s take it at face value as the story Biden wants to tell, the foundation step of his desired legacy: what I’ve achieved, and why I reached the decision that I did.
In his uncomplicated fashion, he argues that “the defense of democracy is more important than any title,”
He chooses not to address the explicit threat to democracy, but all the context implies the threat will arrive from success by Trump against him in the polls, and the subsequent nature of a second Trump term in the presidency.
If we look at through the lens of dilemma analysis the tensions leading to the decision become clearer,
Biden was becoming increasingly aware of setbacks in his public appearances and performance, culminating in the disastrous broadcast against Donald Trump.
Subsequent attempts to demonstrate his vigour fell short of the mark, as he stumbled literally and figuratively ...
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The Guinness Book of Records and the compression of creativity.
There is a celebration of the large scale in the creative product across many contexts. It reminds me of the celebration of the record breaking achievements found in the Guinness book of records.
The human achievement is justified by its scale rather than its worth on any other dimension.
Heaviest train pulled with beard.
In 2001, Ismael Rivas Falcon of Spain with his beard pulled a train weighing 2,753.1 kg (6,069 lbs) over a distance of 10 m (32.8 ft).
Longest stand-up comedy show by an individual.
In 2013, The Midnight Swinger aka David Scott (USA) performed the longest stand-up comedy show. He lasted 40 hours and 8 minutes telling jokes.
Most snails on a face were achieved by Fin Keller, age 11, of Sandy, Utah, who managed to fit 43 live snails on his face. This broke the previous record for this achievement.
In contrast, to never mind the quality, feel the width, of the GBR, there is a compression found in great works of creativity.
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The Coronation of Kamala. ‘Yes she can’
Tuesday 23 January 2024
The headline in the Metro newspaper “Yes she can" plays on the "Yes we can" slogan used by former president Barack Obama in 2008
This has been a week dominated by an upheaval in American politics.
On Sunday, the simmering crisis facing President Biden erupted with the announcement that he would not be seeking a second term as President.
This filled the news channels throughout the American afternoon, spreading around the world. Kamala Harris is expected to step up as the democratic candidate.
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The failed assassination attempt on Donald Trump last Sunday was marked by his miraculous escape and a moment captured in an iconic photograph showing a bloodied and defiant Trump beneath a perfectly positioned American flag.
Within hours, the image had gone viral, and was appearing on consumer products. The world’s media proclaimed what had taken place as a critical incident, and a death blow to the prospects of Joe Biden, already struggling after a series of embarrassing public appearances. Even before the assassination attempt, a rising tide of democratic voices including close friends and sponsors was threatening to wreck his fragile campaign.
Professional pundits, spin merchants and political opponents spoke as one. Biden must be persuaded to stand down.
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Requiem for a dream. Spain 2 England 1
Social media capture the thoughts and emotions of a nation
@WhitlallClive
(Who describes himself as
‘once a Tory voter. Never going back there, but not yet quite convinced with labour. Seller of old things. Vegan. Wolves fan. Married to a Welsh dragon.)
A tough night for #England fans but what a day to be Spanish!
David Baddiel
Spain were much better and this is a really good, perhaps great, Spanish side. But the truth is that GS never quite knew what to do with the abundance of creative talent available to him. Palmer is too good not to be given a start. Gordon is too good to be given only two minutes in the tournament. James Maddison is too good to be mainly ignored throughout GS’ tenure. I could go on. But I won’t.
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Could brainy birds play chess? How early should you start playing chess with your children?
Sunday 14 July 2024
This morning, I listened to a BBC science programme about the research of Professor Nicky Clayton, who studies cognitive processes in crows, and in other birds showing exceptional problem solving skills.
These creatures also have better development than other birds, in the regions of the brain associated with problem solving.
One assessment is that crows, for example, have problem solving skills which seem to develop in children around the age of eight.
By coincidence, I have been helping children to learn chess from the age of eight. I look forward to seeing how I can draw on Professor Clayton’s work as I learn, alongside my young chess players. Maybe I will be able to say when and how their chess skills develop.
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