In fact, so cool, I'll copy the recipe here:

Here is the recipe:

- Look at a complex and confusing reality, such as the social dynamics of an old city

- Fail to understand all the subtleties of how the complex reality works

- Attribute that failure to the irrationality of what you are looking at, rather than your own limitations

- Come up with an idealized blank-slate vision of what that reality ought to look like

- Argue that the relative simplicity and platonic orderliness of the vision represents rationality

- Use authoritarian power to impose that vision, by demolishing the old reality if necessary

- Watch your rational Utopia fail horribly

You're right. New Zealand is not a major force in the world. But it is a member of the commonwealth.

The Commonwealth comprises 53 countries, across all continents. The members have a combined population of 2.4 billion people, almost a third of the world population, of whom 1.26 billion live in India, 220 million live in Pakistan and 94% live in Asia and Africa combined.

So maybe she can exert some influence there.

Hey bfx, just fyi, another article I enjoyed recently was this New Yorker article about the rise of Macron.

ButterflyEffect

When thinking about Zelensky, I thought he's in over his head... but then I remembered the great quote from ... someone: If you're not in over your head, you won't know how tall you are.

"In over your head" is an expression used by bullies and fascists to put down those who are struggling against powerful enemies.

Agreed.

Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand is pretty impressive.

Just read about Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine's president in a long article in the New Yorker. Fascinating.

I attend a weekly service where religious rites are performed. Some weeks I am going through the motions. Some weeks I am really focused and it's a powerful time of reflection and re-dedication.

Please explore the site, contribute, read, tell us about yourself.

There is much goodness here.

mk how do I mark spam? See bebebe below.

yeah, he's the real thing. Wish we could all meet.

elixir

- a word that sounds naughty, but isn't.

Hi tng, this is great. I have to listen again to get the words or please post the words and I will read along.

It's so great that you keep playing hockey, no matter what else happens. I don't know about steve but I would definitely benefit from some creative time and creative collaborations. Editing and publishing someone else's book is not the same as writing my own.

I'm across the Lake from Michigan, sitting in a gazebo surrounded by 8 foot high rhubarb. Tomorrow, we will be driving across the CAN-USA border at Sarnia and heading north. There's no time to stop in Ann Arbor on our way up, maybe on the way down.

There's much more to say and do. I will send messages via the psychic paging system for now.

Hi Craig123, As you can see below, there are a lot of answers!! I haven't checked this in the last 78 days. When I tried to send $100 to hubski, the donate button was broken. Now busyness has happened. Please tell us more.

Title edited. Thanks!

leaving today till early Wednesday. short trip.

thanks tng.

Every post on this is fascinating -- but I don't have a chance to comment. I'm packing for a motor trip to Baltimore. Who knows, I might run across blackbootz but I think he's in Europe. I'm not thrilled about having to leave home for this trip, but I'm going because: loyalty (or something). Meanwhile, at least it's 29 degrees there. It's 10-15 degrees colder here and enough already. It's June.

Condolences to you for the loss of your granny. Feel free to do some initial existential life/death journalling here on hubski and please give me a shout out if you do @-@. The loss of close family members is difficult.