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King David and the White Stag That Confirmed His Rule
On 14th September 1128 King David Skipped Church to go hunting. He was nearly killed by a white stag but seized a crucifix from its horns. The stag vanished and in gratitude David founded Holyrood Abbey
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Edinburghs Camera Obscura: A tale of Conflict and Deception
In 1776 Thomas Short, reflecting on the telescopes made by his brother,which he had inherited, opened an observatory on Edinburgh’s Calton Hill. This led to years of conflict and eventually the Camera Obscura
- 0
Technology Is Making Us Stupid
The human race has evolved to adapt to the technologies it has invented. We are almost totally dependent on electricity and digital technologies, especially the Internet. Skills such as counting are in decline, not because of lower intelligence today, but increased reliance on technology.
- 0
Are Aliens Changing the Laws of Physics?
At present we cannot change the laws of physics. It is possible, as suggested by Caleb Schwartz, that an advanced race exists that can change these laws. The risks of changing them carelessly are so great that this race would want to create a simulation of their universe to test these changes.
- 0
How Scientific Management Divided Workers ftom Management
Scientific management improved workers’ lives but is based on assumptions underpinning the dysfunctional global culture and free market fanaticism prevailing since the early 1980s
- 0
Will AI Kill the Software Star?
The speed with which AI has disrupted many businesses has provoked reactions from doom to complacency. What will happen lies somewhere in the middle: Software development will become almost unrecognisable by today’s developers.
- 0
The Current Uselessness of Chatgpt
ChatGPT has reached Gartner’s peak of hype and is about to slide into the trough of disillusionment. Scammers and students have fastened onto it as a way of simplifying their work and unscrupulous authors have flooded Amazon with cheap low quality books thus threatening the income of human authors.
- 0
Capitalism Is People
“Capitalism” is a tool whereby the ruling classes exploit the greed of the wealthy to control the poor, using the wealthy and the power of big business as buffers against the anger of the poor. Today neoliberal capitalism is a religion with fear of debt, not of hell, as a tool of social control.
- 0
What Can AI Tell Us About Consciousness?
Claims AI can be sentient assume human like consciousness in the AI. This entails assumptions about the mind-body relationship. These assumptions do not exclude the possibility human consciousness can persist outside the human body.
- 0
Capitalism Drives the Turing Trap
In replacing humans with machines, specifically AI, instead of augmenting them with AI, power will be concentrated in a few hands and workers will lose power. This is the Turing trap.
- 0
What If the Earth Was Conscious?
Swarms of creatures often behave as if intelligent. It is possible that collectively life on earth is intelligent and is self aware, i.e conscious. what are the implications of a conscious planet?
- 0
Race Riots, Racism and Corporate Greed
In 1820, two years before P&O was founded, cost cutting employers driving down weavers wages led to an unsuccessful rebellion in Scotland. In 1918 cost cutting employers caused race riots. This is becoming a business tradition.
- 0
What We Learned in 2022 Should Have Made Independence Certain
Much that has become public in 2022 was known but ignored before. Perhaps it will be the tipping point at which the swing to independence becomes irreversible.
- 0
Pythagorean and Almost Pythagorean Triples
Pythagoras Theorem, known millennia before his birth, has links to geometry, algebra and number theory
- 0
Capitalism is People and a Shibboleth
shibboleth: A word or pronunciation distinguishing people of one group or class from those of another. A word or phrase identified with a particular group or cause; a catchword. A commonplace saying or idea.
- 0
Is Boris Johnson Unstable or Just a Typical Tory?
The Johnson may no longer boost support for independence. His lies may kill the Tory party for a long time and may mean the end of the United Kingdom, whether peacefully or otherwise. The Yes movement are wrongly, branding as lies many statements made since September 2014.
- 0
The Old Edinburgh Fishing Village of Cramond
Cramond is a place where things tend not to happen which is part of its charm apart from the bird sanctuary, the old mills on the river and the stunning views of the Drum sands at sunset
- 0
Some Thoughts on the Collatz Conjecture Including Its Implications for Philosophy
In 1937 Lothar Collatz posed what may be the simplest unsolved problem in mathematics. Mathematicians have, ever since, had to resist engaging with this vampire problem, which may stop them doing meaningful work ever again.
- 0
Where Did the Wild Hunt Come From?
A farmer on his way home asks the Wild Hunt’s leader if they had had good hunting. The farmer opened the bundle the leader threw at him to find the corpses of his wife and child.
- 0
Implementing the Strategy Pattern With Java Enums
The strategy pattern solves the problem of selecting an action in response to an input. This note shows how to implement it in Java using the Enum class and relates it to rule based computing.
- 0
What Software Developers need to Know
The plethora of development tools prevents learning how to survive in the corporate environment. Here are some observations and tips.
- 2
Power + Money = Corruption
What does it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul? Gospel of St Mark 8:36
- 0
Monsters and Morality: Are We the Monsters?
We are close to creating sentient artificial and digital life. What obligations do we owe to our creations? Could they, like Frankenstein’s monster turn against us?
- 1
How HR Departments Maintain Power, Control and the Status Quo
Human resources theory, which is based on neoliberal principles and power (not efficiency), views managers as alpha male chimpanzees and workers as resources, a view born on slave plantations. This mindset has led to lower productivity, higher unemployment and ingrained inequality.
- 0
Diversity, power, and Grammar Nazis
Magazines calling for writing from minorities colonise minorities by only accepting those who seem like the editors. This exercise of power resembles that performed by Grammar Nazis
- 0
Protestors Prevent Deportation, Showing Scotland Is Not England
May 13th, 2021, Glasgow: A local protest stopped a Home Office effort to deport asylum seekers. The police were called and released the men back into the community. What happened next?
- 1
Don’t be a Machine
Habit, peer pressure and culture take away much of our free will. Thus many believe we are machines. There are ways not to be a machine but many ways to revert to being a robot
- 0
Statue Toppling as Exorcism
The spate of statue toppling in 2020, while nominally a protest against racism, follows a long tradition and is a form of collective exorcism of unwanted elements of history.
- 0
What Might Prevent Independence?
Even if Boris Johnson leaves Downing Street, Brexit is cancelled and Covid 19 vanishes demographic changes make Independence inevitable. Divisions in the YES movement could prevent independence in the next few years.
- 0
Coding a Simple Average Can Be Complex
Simple problems can require surprisingly complex code depending on the use case. I illustrate this with a hypothetical scenario involving the mean of a set of numbers.
- 2
Gaia One capitalism Zero
Gaia seems finally to be ready to reject humans and give the ants a chance. Or maybe cockroaches.
- 0
Can History be predicted?
Can history be predicted? A controversial new indicator, the Political Stress Indicator, seems to show it can. Prediction is not understanding and this new approach may help stimulate historical research.
- 0
Small Restaurants in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The city centre is dominated by chain restaurants. Outside the centre are many excellent small and independent restaurants pushed out by high rents.
- 0
Capitalism Is Becoming More Inclusive
Capitalism is changing as Business realises it is not isolated from the universe and reckless pursuit of unfettered profit and shareholder value could be suicidal.
- 0
Conservatives Under Fire After Boris’s Latest Gaffe
The conservative party is reeling after Boris Johnson’s latest gaffe sent shockwaves through the media and aroused almost universal condemnation.
- 0
How will the United Kingdom Die?
The breakup of the United Kingdom seems increasingly inevitable. How hard will the road there be?
- 0
Independence and The Disunited Kingdom
The UK is split many ways making the election result unpredictable. There is reason for cautious optimism about Independence soon but the fight is not over.
- 0
The Tory Party Conference
Originally published in Behind the Headlines Poetry Now 1995
- 2
Brexit and Independence: a myth in progress
The possible breakup of the UK echoes myths about prophecies that came true only because someone tried to prevent them coming true. Westminster faces a choice between Brexit and the UK. The Grass roots conservatives, and presumably a similar fraction of Labour supporters have already chosen Brexit.
- 0
Independence Is Bigger Than Scotland
Despite warnings nobody believed, in 2016, that Brexit could lead to the breakup of the United Kingdom. Today all four countries of the UK are seeing a rising demand for independence, which entails the end of the United Kingdom.
- 3
English Independence is Impossible
Scotland has prevented and will prevent Brexit as long as England and Scotland are both in the UK – England cannot dissolve the Union or leave the UK. Westminster will cancel Brexit to keep the United Kingdom
- 1
How to fix Libre Office hanging and templates or extensions Vanishing on Mac Os
I had multiple problems with Libre Office. Here is how I stopped it hanging while verifying an upgrade, fixed an irritating error message and recovered all my custom templates.
- 4
Independence Without a Referendum?
The UK Government claims only the Scottish People can dissolve the Union. A rise in demands for English independence suggests England is now ready to set Scotland loose. A no Deal Brexit is most likely but cancellation of Brexit is also possible and may boost support for independence almost as much.
- 0
St. Juttemis: Patron Saint Of Carnival
St Juttemis may or may not have existed but is the patron saint of Carnival, procrastination and wise foolishness
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Washing Clothes
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Black Dog
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Carrion Crow
Carrion Crow
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The Return of Cameron?
David Cameron wants to return to front line politics because he is bored. Hopefully this sense of entitlement will lead to Independence.
- 0
Will England Finally Deliver Independence?
The growing anti Scots feeling in England and calls for Scotland to be ejected from the UK suggest goading the gammons may be a viable path to independence.
- 2
Westminster’s Past and Present Contempt for Scotland
Comparing recent events to those of 1707 show Westminster’s attitude to Scotland has not changed for centuries. The SNP Walkout may have boosted support for independence.
- 0
Have the DUP helped ensure Scottish independence
The EU-UK agreement on the Exit bill, Citizen’s Rights and Northern Ireland is a malleable form of words weakening the claim Independence means a hard border at Berwick
- 0
Are Lunatics in Charge of the Asylum?
Untruths that imprison and innocent people imprisoned are a Tory trademark. The most terrifying words in the English language are “I am Boris Johnson and I am here to help you”
- 5
The Scottish War on Gaelic
Tories are apoplectic over road signs that include Gaelic. This is part of an ancient war waged by Lowland Scotland on the Gaelic language and culture, a war with parallels in the English attitude to Scots.
- 2
Evolution of the Messiness of Calendars
The lengths of the year, lunar month and day do not fit into each other. Complicated ways to synchronise calendar and the seasons evolved and were then simplified.
- 2
Materialism, Dualism, and Consciousness
Splitting consciousness into Awareness and Experience arguments refuting both Physicalism and Dualism are presented. Panpsychism is proposed as a solution to this dilemma
- 5
The Week The United Kingdom Started To Die
Westminster treatment of the Rest of the UK suggests arrogance, stupidity, insanity or an unconscious desire for breakup. Each possibility needs a different response but is welcome.
- 6
Time, Consciousness, Philosophers' Zombies, Materialism and Dualism
Asking whether time exists in a universe containing only a clock involves the debate between Materialism and Dualism, and whether Time and consciousness are real.
- 0
Is The Tory Party Insane?
Tory Party behaviour is an example of the delusion of crowds, collective insanity that makes Westminster a dangerously unpredictable opponent in the Independence struggle.
- 0
Is the Stealth Abolition of Holyrood on the Way?
With the Tories discussing Abolishment of the Scottish Parliament, possibly by statutory instrument, easy scenarios for Independence are becoming less likely.
- 0
Will the Tories Try to Abolish Scottish Parliament?
Abolishing the Scottish Parliament has political advantages for Westminster and Theresa May since a second Independence Referendum NO vote is uncertain and Labour is a useless ally.
- 0
Some Time Slips And Questions They Raise
soem time slips in Liverpool are discussed together with the questions they raise. The most plausible explanations for these are involuntary time travel or the existence of time bubbles
- 0
Beware the Tories Bearing Gifts
The gifts the Tories seem to be giving to the Independence movement should be treated as traps. Economic NO voters should be targeted as potential YES voters.
- 2
How the Yes Movement Could Lose the Next Independence Referendum
In Indyref2 Unionists will send every floating voter in Scotland a personally targeted message before the YES movement decides where the first march will be.
- 0
Shut Up Scotland You have NO Rights
Westminster showed its contempt for Scotland in the Brexit debate. Scotland has no rights in Westminster. EU Immigrants leaving Britain means a retirement age of 74. All part of the Tory Plan
- 0
Do the Tories Really Want Scotland? Independence Without a Referendum?
Tory resistance to an Independence referendum may not be what it seems. A referendum is neither necessary nor sufficient for independence which can be declared legally without a referendum.
- 0
Rigging Votes Is so 20th Century: Big Data Will Make Referendum Rigging Unnecessary
Tweet analysis predicted the US election & the 2015 UK Election. Data driven messages helped Trump. Data Science threatens Democracy and a second Independence Referendum
- 2
Theresa May Goes To The USA Then Kicks The Cat
Theresa May’s US visit revealed US contempt for the UK. After it the Tories attacked Scotland. Support for Independence did not change. A YES vote in a new referendum is unlikely at this time.
- 0
Five Ways To Lose An Independence Referendum
Scotland has no right to a voice in Brexit: the Sewel Convention is worthless. Overconfidence & ignoring issues, the elderly and echo chambers may lose a future referendum.
- 0
Tories Drop Thatcher, Single Market and Sovereignty of Parliament
In one speech Theresa May managed to insult Parliament, ditch Margaret Thatcher offend Europe and ignore Scotland. Banks are now leaving the UK and Labour voted with the SNP.
- 0
AI and Technology Will Kill the Protestant Work Ethic
Technology is shrinking the labour market and has rendered the Protestant Work Ethic Obsolete. Some ways towards a workless world are outlined but none challenge the Work Ethic
- 1
Brexit: Breaking up (the UK) Is (Not) Hard to Do
Westminster may have to choose between Brexit and the Union but thinks Scotland too scared for independence. Labour and Tories show contempt for Scotland by denying the devolved assemblies Brexit vote
- 0
Brexit Means It's Almost Time to Campaign for Independence
The Unionist civil wars over Brexit may destroy the Rainbow Tory parties. If the YES movement resolves Oil, Currency, Pensions and fights the Tories for Human Rights we can start campaigning.
- 0
Tory Brexit May Cause Constitutional Crises That Could Speed Up Independence
An unreported submission to the Supreme Court may compromise both English and Scottish constitutions and negate the Royal Prerogative and Brexit is threatened by an unexpected resignation.
- 0
Is Theresa May Using Brexit to Scrap Human Rights in the UK
Is Theresa May using Brexit in her war on Human Rights. If so will she repatriate powers over Human Rights to Westminster or dissolve Holyrood and will this accelerate Scottish Independence?
- 0
Independence Is Inevitable Unless Its Supporters Kill It Off
Scotland will eventually become independent but careless action by advocates of independence could delay it for generations. A degree of ruthlessness and self examination is needed by the YES movement
- 1
Be nice to Brexiteers, We’re not Racist says Daily Mail columnist
Westminster used the Yuletide silly season to bury a large MPs payrise. A far right group was banned from Britain as Terrorist. Brexiteers are asking people to be nice to them as they are not racist
- 2
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Jobs in the Legal and Software Sectors
Artificial intelligence will change the legal and software sectors dramatically. Lawyers are likely to survive as they must deal with humans but developers will change, become analysts, and then vanish
- 9
Brexit, The Religion Of Austerity And The Labour-Tory Grand Coalition
Red and Blue Tories vote together on Brexit. The supreme court hears Westminster say the Scotland Act is not worth the paper it is printed on. Brexiteers drool at reducing health and safety standards.
- 1
To everyone over 50 who voted NO in 2014
Since their surprise win in the 2015 General Election the Tories have conducted a whispering campaign against the state pension and are likely to abolish it in 2020. Only Independence can stop this
- 2
Could Brexit Lead to an Unexpected Scottish Independence
Political needs leave the PM and FM with no choices. If Scotland can block Brexit then those same forces may impel Westminster to dissolve the Union between England and Scotland.
- 0
Brexit and the mating of elephants
Brexit is like the mating of elephants but, like an elephant, is slowly but surely making Scottish Independence more certain. But the YES movement must learn to use the unionist tricks against them.
- 0
The US Election is over, business as normal: perhaps
Trump won. Maybe he will mellow in office but it won't be business as normal for the elites on either side of the pond. And Scots might keep European citizenship despite Westminster opposition
- 0
BREXIT vs Democracy and the rule of Law
The UK government are driving Scots to Independence, abandoning the rule of law and the sovereignty of Parliament in the name of Brexit and threatening to raise pension age to 80
- 4
Grammar and Power
Those who insist on good grammar care not about grammar but only about dominance. A suggestion is made on how to shut them up. The history of grammar from this viewpoint is outlined
- 0
Brexit, Racism and the attack on Scotland
Racism swung the Brexit referendum and will be used against Scots and the YES movement. A second referendum may not produce a YES vote: the Yes movement may need its own Project Fear and English be-
- 0
Brexit: Bubble Bubble Toil and Trouble on the Yellow Brick Road to Independence
The possibility of a court decision requiring a Brexit vote in Westmin- ster raises constitutional questions and means the Brexit hangover may threaten the British State
- 0
Brexit: Ensuring Independence
Westminster hope we forget Brexit. Labour prefer a Tory government to working with the SNP. A Tory Think Tank wants ID cards & Two Tier citizenship. Independence is more certain
- 0
Tory Lies could mean the end of democracy
Politicians view the public with contempt & public cynicism about politicians is dangerously high partly because of recent referenda and General Election campaigns but mainly due to politicians’ acts
- 0
The Unelected Prime Minister and the slow Labour Suicide
The unelected Theresa May stalls over Brexit, Labour continues its suicide and the country becomes more and more ripe for becoming a right wing people’s democracy
- 1
Brexit: A masterclass in destroying a country
Since June 23rd the Westminster government has given a masterclass in how to destroy an economy and a nations power.
- 0
Nuclear Smoke and Mirrors as the UK slouches toward breakup
Trident, the most expensive Viagra ever renewed, Labour voting with Tories, Theresa May telepathically divines intention to nuke the UK. Its a standard Tory Snafu
- 0
Britain's new "Brexit means Brexit" Prime Minister sends in the clowns
Theresa May became PM as the others dropped out then amayzed us and infuriated most of the world by making Bojo Foreign Secretary. More politicians resigned and the pound fell
- 2
Britain is resigned to leaving the EU
Cameron resigned. Farage resigned as leader of UKIP. Most of the Shadow Cabinet resigned. The UK is dissolving. The electorate are trying to deny responsibility for the vote
- 0
Brexit is About controlling the populace not Immigration
Leaving the EU is about controlling the populace, not immigration ”Taking back control” means the Elites taking back the rights the serfs have gained in the last 100 years.
- 0
Brexit and Project Farce
Leaderless Britain saw Brexiteers deny reality and their own words, the EU turn tough, racist crime soar, the British pound and passport lose value and Scotland move closer to Independence
- 0
Brexit and The Headless Chicken Cha Cha
The chancellor of the exchequer is AWOL, The winners of the Referendum wish they had lost. The public started investigating the issue AFTER voting. You couldn't make it up. Stop laughing.
- 11
Brexit: The nightmare begins for the winners
The Brexit campaign did not expect to win and no longer have the luxury of being permanent "freedom fighters": they must fix the mess they created and heal the rift with Scotland & Northern Ireland.
- 0
Management, The stanford Prison Experiment, concentration camps, slavery and the corrupting effect of power
Power corrupts the user. Prison, Employment and Slavery involve power and corrupt the powerful. Slavery created modern management which also corrupts unwary managers.
- 0
Pen, Keyboard or voice: choosing the right technology
Digital technology is changing how we think. Choosing the right technology can affect learning and recall. The trade offs between pen and paper, laptop and dictation are discussed.
- 0
Reincarnation, Time and Conscousness
Reincarnation, Timeslips and precognition raise problems for Materialism, and theories of time or consciousness. Evidence for Reincarnation weakens the case for temporal anomalies and vice versa
- 0
Liverpool time slips
Time slips upset our ideas of reality. Some time slips in Liverpool, England serve as example cases that my teach us more about time and the nature of reality
- 0
Can we dream the future: precognitive dreams
Prophetic dreams where no mundane explanation fits show we do not understand the world as well as we think. No current theory of dreaming or time seems to fit all the facts.
- 0
On the absurdities of Business
Every business is or becomes insane in its own way. Various experiences are recounted involving interviews, starting and finishing a job and the eccentricities of some interviewers.
- 3
First experience of Bangkok
Bangkok is a great city but be ready for the traffic and the fact it can be hard to find anyone speaks more than basic English. Street food is excellent and you can even eat scorpions and snakes.
- 2
Was Charles Walton's Murder a witchcraft killing.
Pinned to the ground by his own hay fork his death is a mystery to this day. It may have been a ritual killing or a motiveless murder but has links to the past and to phantom black dogs and witchcraft
- 0
Phantom Hitchhikers,bvm Apparitions and Ufo Encounters
The Phantom Hitchhiker the BVM apparition and the UFO contact share enough to be the same phenomenon in different disguises. They all tend to issue calls for the world to alter its behaviour.
- 0
LaTeX versus WYSYWIG: Usability, security and enjoyability
LaTeX is a free digital typography system: fun and good for typesetting maths, music, logic etc but needs more effort to learn. Word is easy for beginners and gives extra security. Horses for courses
- 2
The Extended Mind, Time Slips, Spirit communications and Akashic Records
The 19th Century idea of the Akashic Records explains Timeslips and other anomalies, and may be considered as supporting the extended mind hypothesis but leads to other problems including its origin.
- 2
Adam Smith was not a neoliberal free marketer and wanted state intervention in the market
Were he alive today Adam Smith would oppose free market neoliberalism. He would also see striking parallels between his era and the twenty first century and despair that despite the vast changes in society since the publication of Wealth of Nations...
- 2
Indoor and outdoor mystery falls
Mystery falls of fish and other objects raise the question where they come from. Some possibilities are discussed and the mad fishmonger theory rejected. Falls may be balanced by other vanishings
- 1
Fractals, time and infinity
Fractals, objects whose length or volume do not increase by an integer power of their size are useful in Physics and of interest in the study of time and infinity.
- 2
The hidden life and language of the suit
The suit shows clothes as the social skin signifying moral and social status to the community. Always upper class wear it is now mandatory for many, despite having changed over the years
- 0
Things to do before another Scottish Independence Referendum
Preconditions for a second Scottish independence referendum to deliver a vote for independence some of which are discussed. It is essential to spread the independence case in the face of media bias
- 4
Agile as a corporate strategy to breed mediocrity and commoditise software developers
Criticisms of Agile generally confuse Agile and its implementation. Poor implementation fosters mediocrity, commoditises developers trapping the best in perpetual juniority and frozen career progress.
- 2
Fire Poltergeists and Human Sparks
Poltergeists are linked to fires, inexplicable clusters of fires and to humans around whom fires start. The poltergeist phenomenon may also be linked to Spontaneous Human Combustion.
- 5
Psychological problems, cognitive decline memory loss and dementia associated with Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2 Diabetes)
Diabetics should be aware that high and low blood sugar anomalies mean diabetes is associated with cognitive impairment, psychological problems and dementia.
- 0
Infinity and beyond: a simple view of the continuuum hypothesis
The smallest infinity is the set of natural numbers. The next, if the continuum hypothesis is true, is the set of real numbers. If the hypothesis is false any number of infinities may lie in between
- 0
Andrew Crosse and the Electrical Origin of life
Day 26 of an experiment to create crystals electrically scientist Andrew Crosse sees insects in his flasks. were their eggs there or did he create them? No one knows. Maybe we don't know what life is
- 0
Is something rotten in the state of agile? creativity, Wicked problems, process and creativity.
Creativity is crucial for software development problem-solving since software development is a wicked problem that requires creativity, innovation and risk taking. Agile can be implemented in a way that destroys, or at least damages developer creativity. In an Agile or creativity hostile culture...
- 0
Using HDFS, MapReduce, Python, Pyspark and Eclipse together with a hint of IPython
Pyspark makes using MapReduce easier, Eclipse and Pydev simplify Python programming and IPython allows visialisation of results. I describe using the first three together and speculate on the fourth
- 0
Some hoaxes and motivation
Literary hoaxes are dangerous, especially if made for money. A good hoax leaves fair clues for the reader. Some Hoaxes are discussed: Hitlers Diaries, Arachne Rising and Alternative Three
- 2
Modern Slavery
Essential to the development of Capitalism Chattel Slavery thrived from 1600 till 1815. Slavery still exists and some deny it ever existed in the USA just as others deny the Holocaust occured.
- 2
Werewolves, Wild Men and Demons
Werewolves may be memories of an older race, archetypes, sufferers from delusions or they may simple adopt the role to excuse liberating their dark side. Or they may be as claimed, shapeshifters.
- 2
Hidden History of Christmas
Christmas, the Official Birthday of Jesus celebrates the turning of the dark side of the year at the winter solstice with traditions that go back to Ancient Rome and its end of year festivals.
- 0
Morphic Resonance and the Decline Effect
Morphic Resonance, proposed by Sheldrake is more controversial than the decline effect. Both effects may result from the response of a conscious universe to novelty moving from interest to boredom.
- 11
Low intelligence predicts social conservatism
Criticisms of research showing intelligence is inversely related to racism and homophobia confuse social & economic politics and rely on confused definitions and contest claims not in the paper.
- 3
Liverpool Leprechauns: part of the Phenomenon?
The creatures seen in Liverpool and Newcastle in 1964 were probably not leprechauns and are more closely related to inhabitants of UFOs and phantom clowns and other ephemeral beings.
- 5
Nonlocal consciousness and the Quantum World
Quantum paradoxes can largely be resolved by taking consciousness as fundamental and non-local and ultimately dominant over matter, a view supported by physics and neurobiology
- 5
Extraterrestrial Contact with Humans: is it real
Some people believe extra terrestrial aliens exist, others do not The evidence is ambiguous but indicates that the extraterrestrial aliens normally encountered are not beings from other planets.
- 8
The Mind-Body Problem: The Brain as filter for universal Mind
Viewing Brain as a filter for experience implies existence of a collective unconscious, explains mystical or psychic experience in quietened brain and may lead to a new philosophy for consciousness
- 8
Why Conspiracy theorists and Priests call people sheep
Conspiracy theorists call those following the mainstream sheep. But why not ducks or chickens?. Investigation leads down some strange alleyways showing the image of the sheep involved is ancient.
- 2
Accessing MongoDB from Android apps.
This note describes a first pass at accessing MongoDB , a popular NoSQL database from an Android app and the lessons learned from this exercise Development was in Eclipse using the Android plugin.
- 0
Using Java Big Decimal to compute square roots of large numbers
A problem on Project Euler involved finding the Square Root of a number too large for the standard classes. Two iterative algorithms were implemented and compared. One method, the Heron method, is a special case of Newton-Raphson iteration and proved twenty times faster than an alternative...
- 0
How to reverse a Java List: recursion, Multithreading, Permutations and parallel hardware
In accordance with the rule that a good software architect should investigate various ways of implementing code for any given task the problem of how to reverse a Java List is tackled in a number of ways. Starting with simple recursive and non recursive reversal algorithms the discussion moves...
- 0
Black Dogs
See a black dog and you'll die soon say old legends. Older legends tell of dogs, some black, guarding the underworld and Jungians say dogs are symbols from the Shadow. But they may have been real.
- 0
Halloween History and meaning
A time harmless fun Halloween, the turning of the year, originally a pagan Irish festival became a night of fear with fire protecting people from witches and fairies. The later Christian festival of Halloween created an association of the festival with the dead, possibly reinforced by the...
- 0
Calculating moving averages with Hadoop and Map-Reduce
The moving average or sliding mean is commonly used technique for smoothing noisy data. Unlike for example, Kalman filtering, it is easy to understand implement. If data points arrive one by one sliding mean calculation is easily transformed to a map reduce program. Working proof of concept code ...
- 8
The cat in History, Legend and Folklore
Cats domesticated humans long ago and many now own several humans. Gods in Ancient Egypt they suffered in Medieval Europe. Here we look at origins of the cat, its psychic powers and the legend of the king of the cats
- 0
The Mackenzie Poltergeist injuries and fires
Poltergeists are anomalies. Edinburgh's Mackenzie Poltergeist is an anomalous poltergeists. The Methuselah of poltergeists it roams a relatively large area that includes the Greyfriars Kirkyard and attacks people. Often they do not realise they have been attacked till later. It causes cameras...
- 0
Wage Labour Wage Slavery
The similarities between wage labour and slavery have been known for millennia. Unfortunately wage slavery still exists today with unscrupulous or insensitive employers exploiting the poorest. Cultural and economic factors, together with employer dominated government policies have made it harder...
- 2
Introduction to the economics of slavery and slave owning
Analysing the microeconomics of slavery shows that widespread slave ownership is largely driven by market forces. Parallels between slaves and machines reveal the nature of these forces but the wider picture reveals a Prisoners Dilemma that may have helped perpetuate slavery. The slave trade...
- 5
How to store images and other large objects in MongoDB using Python pymongo and mongo Gridfs
MongoDB can only store objects up to a certain size. The gridFS API allows larger objects to be stored as chunks of data. Storage and retrieval is transparent to the user but a separate collection may be needed to store the ids of objects in gridFS. This note shows how to use GridFS to store...
- 4
Starting with Python Introspection and reflection
The ability to determine an objects meta properties by inspection is called reflection in Java and introspection in Python. Use of introspection can result in code that needs less (sometimes zero) maintenance and is easier to understand Python code samples are given assuming a basic knowledge of...
- 0
Mead: Wine from Honey
Mead may be the first alcoholic drink humans produced but is under represented in myth and legend. Once popular the high cost of honey made mead expensive though monks produced it as a byproduct of extracting the beeswax needed to make candles. Mead is highly sustainable and can generate...
- 15
Rich people telling middle class people to hate poor people
The rich have always used the middle class as cannon fodder in a war against the poor. IN order to pay for the bankers bailout bonus and justify making the poor poorer Government has to prevent any sympathy for the poor by painting them as feckless scroungers. In the process -a working...
- 7
Bee legends and myths
Bees are vegetarian wasps, evolved from insectivorous wasps they shifted to eating pollen. Humans seem to have interacted with, and possibly venerated, bees for a very long time. Honey has medicinal properties and can be fermented to make Mead, the drink made fromt he blood of the wisest man...
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A gentle introduction to Beer
Praised for its good and blamed for its bad effects beer is the world's oldest and third most popular drink. Brewing beer is relatively simple but has some potentially lethal pitfalls.
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A Peculiar Poltergeist Pair
Two old poltergeist cases from different parts of the world are presented and reviewed, Both have an element of unrequited lust, both involve spirit voices. One involves a type of spirit with well known attributes but seems closer to accounts of demonic possession- though demons are probably not...
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Wine, its nature, history gods and goddesses
Wine has been around for nearly 8000 years and, used sensibly, is one of the major pleasures of life, being praised by Martin Luther. The varieties of grape wine are briefly presented and some hints to matching wine and food are given. Some of the more prominent wine gods are introduced and...
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Could real giant humans exist?
The possible existence of giants in earlier times is a highly charged field with religion, atheism and scientific conservatism all in play. Solid evidence tends to vanish and the field is plagued by hoaxes. A tentative hypothesis for directing future research is that at one time a race of giant...
- 17
Phantom Clowns
Phantom Clowns appeared worldwide over a period of at least 30 years, causing panic but harming no one. No one was ever caught. In this they are like other mysterious strangers and assailants. If these clowns are in any sense real they need investigating and if they are group hallucination...
- 2
Problems of a clockwork universe
In most religions, but especially those that worship books, the universe is a pale shadow of paradise. The invention of mechanical models of the movements of stars and planets led to the notion of the world as a machine. These two notions fused into the technocreationist idea that we are...
- 0
How to prepare and write your CV(Resume)
Writing a resume (CV or curriculum vitae) can be a big task. Treat it like a sales document and learn to put yourselves in the recruiter's place A suggested CV format CV is given
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Monogamy is not natural
there is a widespread consensus that humans are naturally monogamous. This ignores a great deal of evidence to the contrary. Some aspects of human behaviour are discussed in the light of the fact we are apes, and the possible role of Religion in the origin of monogamy is proposed.
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A short note on vampires
Vampires or vampire like creatures, generally demons, have been known in all cultures at all times. When the erotic undertones of the literary vampire are removed a slew of ravenous beasts are revealed. Vampires may be fiction, may be a form of mass hallucination or projection of fears but...
- 0
How the Internet is changing our brains and damaging memory in the process.
In the eighteenth century education was visual. Then the world moved to text. Now we are moving back to visual education. And our brains are altering as a result.
- 10
Do psychopaths rule the world?
At the highest level business and politics provide sheltered employment for psychopaths by requiring and rewarding behaviours commonly exhibited by psychopaths. Some corporations actively recruit psychopaths for senior positions. Ways to resolve this problem are presented and the issues of...
- 0
From Jargon to Mumblefug and Bafflegab
Jargon is the technical language of a profession or working community. Sometimes Jargon becomes Bafflegab, a tortuous form of prose that hides the meaning of the utterance. When Bafflegab is used to cover spurious arguments it becomes mumblefug. Management Speak is often regarded as...
- 9
Adam Smith: Free Trade not free markets.
Adam Smith's wealth of Nations has become the bible of a certain type of economic activist.: an inquiry into the state of a vastly different past world, are taken as inerrant and justifying the prejudices of the reader. One of the main mantras of the Smith Cult is that government should not...
- 4
Poltergeists Witches and Spontaneous Human combustion
Some poltergeist cases include mysterious fires. When Mysterious fires occur with no associated poltergeist, and when some people appear to cause fires paranormally and involuntarily the fires appear to be part of a wider phenomenon, which includes Spontaneous Human Combustion, a subject that has...
- 26
Eagles carrying off children and babies
A little research shows that the reports of eagles abducting young children could have a basis in reality. It is also possible that some cases are projections of an archetypal memory from millions of years ago Some cases are described and analysed with links to shamanic traditions noted
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Abolition: From Slavery to Wage Slavery
Freeing slaves in the US is seen as a high minded action, but the motives of abolitionists were based on a desire to convert Blacks to Worship of Work and fear and envy of Black Sexuality
- 1
British Race Riots: Liverpool UK 1919
The common factors in the 1919 and 1958 race riots in the UK were the importation of labour from Afrcan colonies to deal with a supposed labour shortage and the exploitation of this by employers in order to drive wages down permanently. In 1919 the government tried to deport the negro victims of...
- 1
How to Correct Image Perspective with the Gimp
The Gimp is an open source image editing tool that offers the ability to correct converging verticals in an image. The use of this tool is explained and illustrated. This article was written because, while the tool is not complicated it can be confusing to those not used to it
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The 1958 Notting Hill Race Riots and the 2011 London Riots compared
Common social features helped brew both riots. One is a determined effort by employers to force wages down by importing cheap labour, which led to resentment in the native British population.
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White envy of black people: projection of repressed desires
Ever since the War of Independence a battle has been raging between people who want to enjoy their leisure time and the enemies of fun. In the course of this struggle various immigrant groups were percieved as genetically black because they lacked the Protestant Work Ethic and preferred fun to...
- 4
Black People, Racism and Jung's Shadow Archetype
The shadow archetype often manifests as alien people: for whites as Black people (The Devil was known as a man in black in the middle ages), for Blacks as white people. The shadow represents unacknowledged desires and personality traits and these tend to be projected onto people who resemble the...
- 5
Mind Control: Does it exist?
There are a number of conspiracy theories centred round “Mind Control” the belief that certain people's thoughts and actions are controlled by an external source. Rational discussion of this topic is hampered by a lack of clear definitions, the...
- 4
Does Paracetamol (tylenol) cause Alzheimer's or memory loss?
Paracetamol (Tylenol®) is a painkiller to treat with respect. Chronic use may increase the risk of Alzheimer's, is associated with onset of memory problems and misuse and taking it with Alcohol can cause potentially lethal liver damage. The therapuetic dose is close to the lethal dose so the...
- 4
The water Elephant and other Odd Elephants
The Water elephant is a cryptid alleged to live in the Congo. It has not been proved to exist. A second type of water elephant, no more than three inches high. has all the signs of being a hoax by persons unknown. There have also been reports of Man Eating Elephants but no authenticated cases...
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Overworking: mental and physical health dangers for the self employed
Work less work better. Working too long damages health & performance. Adam Smith said self employed burn out. Ways to counter this are suggested.
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Adverse productivity and health effect of Working long hours
In the 18th century the UK moved from self employment to employment and from the land to factories. Capitalists used their new power and the protestant work ethic to create 50 or more hour work weeks ignoring evidence that shorter working hours boost productivity and overwork kills. Some...
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Ashtar Galactic Command hijacks TV transmitter. Hoax Message or Government Test?
In 1977 someone hijacked a local UK independent Television channel to broadcast a message from aliens concerned for Earth"s future. The perpetrators of the probable hoax were never identified.
- 8
Is this how the elephant got its trunk?
The elephant's trunk is it's arm and can pick up a pin or tear down a tree. The elephant can use it it to communicate, to smell a snake a mile away and as a snorkel. Creationists consider the Elephant's trunk a failure of the Theory of Evolution but this is because no one knows how the trunk...
- 10
Follow the money: who benefits from Conspiracy Theories?
Conspiracy theories, known and loved the world over. Act as social safety valves and lend a cover of kookiness allowing real conspiracies to be exposed safely without the risk they will be believed. The public ignore real conspiracies like Watergate and Arms for Iran, much less fun than grey...
- 10
Is a one world government possible or stable?
A one world government could not last. Internal tensions and global diversity would mean it would have to devolve power and so look like the current world regime.
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Openness mystical experience and creativity in the The Five Factor Personality Model
Openness to experience is the most intriguing of the traits in the five factor personality model. High scorers tightrope walk the thin line between creativity, genius, and insanity. The high openness scorer can see what others miss and make new connections. Balanced with a low scorer who...
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Low Conscientiousness: ignoring the rules in the five factor model of personality
Low conscientiousness measures both resistance to conforming and adaptability in the face of the unexpected. It is also associated with addictions and impulse. High scores measure conformity, conservatism and rigidity. They also measure reliability and persistence. Both high and low scorers...
- 7
Hearing Voices: Auditory Hallucinations and their effects
The University Medical Centre in Groningen, Netherlands, found that auditory Hallucinations, or "hearing Voices" in everyday languages are not necessarily signs of mental illness and are experienced by children and teenagers who never become ill. Nevertheless these hallucinations can be dangerous....
- 6
Agreeableness: sociability and near psychopathy in the five factor model of personality
Agreeableness is a personality dimension that rates how much you you care about other people. Unlike Autistics low scorers can work out what other people are feeling but don't care. They are low on trust and may exhibit narcissism and psychopathy. High scorers think people decent and trustworthy...
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The Five Factor Personality Model: Extraversion – Advantages and Disadvantages
IExtraversion complement Neuroticism. Extravert react positively to new experience may risks in order to get a buzztackle everything with enormous energy but their love of risk can make them dangerous in complex high risk situations. They should be paired with a high Neuroticism scorer to bring...
- 6
The illusion of money
Money is a medium of exchange that helps get round the bottlenencks of barter. Originally money comprised rare or hard to make objects: gold discs, iron bars etc. Then paper money arrived. Once paper money arrived it was only a matter of time before records of money replaced real money. Book...
- 3
Neuroticism causes unhappiness and reduces lifespan
Neuroticism in the 5 factor personality model is characterised by worry anxiety and exaggerated response to threat. It can be used positively to prevent overconfidence and boost self esteem and self confidence but can result in clinically significant problems.
- 3
The five factor personality model: Follow your genes or fight them?
Half our personality is inherited, Experience & work, including reframing your story and religious conversion can alter the rest. Alternatively once can choose to accept and use your inheritance.
- 3
The Antigonish Poltergeist: Ghostly attacks and strange fires.
A poltergeist case in 1922 involving mysterious fires was attributed to fakery by the mentally retarded daughter of the owner of the farm involved. However there is disagreement between investigators, some saying the cause was electrical currents and some saying that the cause was a spirit. There...
- 1
The Five-Factor Personality Model
Humans love creating simple models of complexity: Astrology worldwide and the four humours in the west. Models always grow more complex. The 5 factor model balances simplicity and completeness.
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Alchemists and the Men in Black
The Men in Black are Mysterious Strangers often associated with UFOs. The Mysterious Stranger has appeared throughout history to workers at the fringes of knowledge, though in the middle ages the Devil was known to appear as a man in black. Alchemists seem to have had more experience of...
- 2
How to contact Loki Safely
If you want to contact Loki think what you want first. It seems he does not like curious visitors. Plan a ritual to contact him or take a shamanic trip. You may get a rough ride or a smooth one
- 2
Individuality vs Unity
Science says we are consciousness wrapped in packets of meat ( But does not know what consciousness is or how it arises. A common scientific response to this is to deny consciousness exists) . Isolated, single solitary save for the channels of...
- 1
What to know about Loki in lore and today before invoking him
Loki Lore tells us of Loki past and hints at Loki present. Fire god and trickster shapeshifter and change bringer he is the god to help you in the roller coaster 21st century: if you dare ask.
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Loki: Spider god Brother of Odin
Loki, perhaps the most reviled of the norse gods is also the most mysterious. More ink must have been spilt on Loki than all the other gods put together. And still he remains a mystery. And the more you investigate Loki the deeper you get...
- 4
The Holographic multiverse and consciousness
Performing magick requires an altered state of consciousness. In “The Field” Lynne McTaggart notes the speculation that consciousness, like matter at the quantum level can either be localised, the normal state for most of us, living inside...
- 3
An Evil Clown at midnight is no laughing matter.
Around 1980 clowns called Bobo haunted a man was, for over a year. Immediately after that was a wave of clowns trying to kidnap children. Still think clowns are funny?
- 3
Creating Spirits and magical thought forms
Created spirits they will be conscious entities and dealing with them will raises ethical issues. Alexandra David Neel created a Tulpa then decided it needed reabsorption. If the Tulpa was conscious this would be equivalent to Murder This being so the creation of a spirit is itself an ethical...
- 4
The spirit world is a dangerous place
Spirot worlds, AKA subtle realms pose dangers for the visitor: from the nature of the world, from the inhabitants of the world and from the visitor's own ego and response to the world they are in.
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Mysteries of the Dashka Stone: chuvyrov's 123 million year old map found in the Ural area of Russia
An allegedly 123 million year old relief map of the Ural regions in Russia has been reported. Known as the Dashka stone it is supposedly made using technology not available before its discovery. Various reports of the stone have been examined and an attempt made to contact the discoverer and the...
- 4
Ancient Advanced Technologies: too alien to recognise
Many believe in ancient civilisations with unknown advanced technologies. If there was such a civilisation the older it was the harder it would be to recognise it. Time would render most of the great achievements of today unrecognisable. Perishable technologies would just vanish without...
- 9
The Brentford Griffin and the West London Dragon
in 1985 people in Brentford, West London, saw a griffin flying over the borough. The Borough has many griffin connections and legends of griffins on Brentford Eyot. The truth may never emerge
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Reasons not to put a curse on someone
Even if magic is nonsense trying to curse someone is wasteful and damages you.
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Jung, Alchemy and Magick
After may years study Jung developed an interest in Alchemy and his concept of the Archetype moved closer to that of a spirit not a mental complex. If Magic be the art of causing change in conformity with the will Jung's methods are magic restricted to changing in the practitioner. This...