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  Following Russia’s war against Ukraine, public debate has tended to crystallize into two major narratives—pro-Russian and pro-Ukraine. Some argue that a third, “neutral,” narrative exists. Yet when examined closely, this position often aligns with the pro-Russian stance, framing the invasion as an internal matter that others should not interfere with. However, this debate is not what struck me most. What deserves attention is how mass media routinely speaks of “countries” as if they were unified actors with singular opinions. In reality, these narratives represent the positions of ruling classes—political elites, governing parties, and decision-makers—who set national direction. If we look at history, we are reminded that large political shifts rarely begin as grand designs. Instead, they often emerge from small actions or failures to act, first by individuals, then by small groups, growing gradually like a snowball until they produce changes that affect the lives of millions. ...

Feudalism 2.0: Recognizing That It Never Truly Went Away First we must point out the definition of normality: Normality in society is the state in which individuals' behaviors, attitudes, and lifestyles conform to the established norms, rules, and expectations of their culture or social group. Key Points: ·          Culturally Dependent: What is considered "normal" varies between cultures, communities, and time periods. ·          Not Absolute: Normality is socially constructed , meaning it is shaped by what the majority or those in power define as acceptable or typical. ·          Used for Social Control: Societies often use the idea of normality to encourage conformity and discourage deviance (behavior outside the norms). ·          Can Exclude: Labeling something or someone as "not normal" can lead to stigma...

I believe there is a growing, perhaps universal, trend to displace people from rural lands and draw them into urban centers. This shift isn't solely about people seeking comfort or opportunity. It also appears to be driven by a broader institutional agenda—one that finds it more efficient to concentrate populations in cities, where they are easier to monitor, regulate, and control. Increasing taxes on land, coupled with restrictive rural regulations, seem to be steadily paving the way for the gradual removal of people from the land. Admittedly, small-scale farming is no longer the most productive way to earn a living or feed a family. However, for those who deliberately choose this lifestyle, modern technology offers a path to a more sustainable and autonomous existence. Today’s tools and knowledge make it possible to live at least partially off-grid with a level of efficiency unimaginable a century ago. This means farming doesn’t have to be all-consuming—it can leave time for othe...

No matter the outcome of the so-called 'minerals deal' in Ukraine, the relationship between the European Union and the United States has undeniably suffered a significant fissure—one that is likely to persist or even deepen in the years to come. The mercantilist approach displayed by the current U.S. administration has served as a cold shower for the EU, revealing uncomfortable truths about the nature of their partnership. This shift in U.S. foreign policy has, in many ways, crowned a three-decade-long trajectory of American interventionism and transactional diplomacy, marked by a series of questionable decisions on the global stage: the Iraq War (Bush Jr.), the destruction of Libya, the muddled involvement in Syria, and, to a certain extent, the complex outcomes of the Afghan conflict. This trend reflects a broader pattern in U.S. foreign policy—one that prioritizes national interests, often at the expense of long-standing alliances. The EU, once a central partner in shaping...

 It is a refreshing shift to finally recognize that the so-called 'tycoons' of the West should rightfully be classified as oligarchs. For decades, we were fed the narrative that the United States and other Western 'democracies' were home to tycoons—wealthy individuals who had earned their fortunes through business prowess. Meanwhile, in the East, the term 'oligarchs' was reserved for the elites who wielded both financial and political power, often acquired through murky means. This stark distinction was presented as though it were a matter of geography and governance, implying that the West’s wealthiest were somehow more legitimate or virtuous in their accumulation of power. However, a shift is now happening. More and more people in the United States are beginning to see that the label 'tycoon' is merely a euphemism—a glossy sticker slapped on a bag of rotten tomatoes to make it look more appetizing. The reality is, once an individual, family, or group r...

Regarding the Ukraine situation  I am from this "neck of the woods", near Ukraine, and yes, the red army and the USSR did some bad things around here. Still, the current situation deserves attention as it's not as Western powers portray it. Along the history many world powers made or dismantled governments outside their borders in order to achieve control over certain resources situated in those particular countries or to simply generate conflicts to turn the electorate attention there and boost their own war industry. In how many countries USA, UK and others "put their tails in". How many "revolutions" were created (not sustained) through foreign intervention. I, already have a point of view regarding "petro-dollars" wars. Russia is no saint but neither the others. Control the information and counter-information and you will win the war. Through world powers, I mean the ruling class there (those 1% existing everywhere) which "educat...

A metallic frame is desirable for two reasons. (1) Less plastic and (2) less plastic. Metals are more durable while not leaking chemicals. Less plastic = less dependence on fossil fuels. We see consumerism at its peak in the car manufacturing industry where, despite the fact that the technology is so advanced, the amount of plastic used in the constructions process is tremendous high. "The engine is still working ok" but most of plastics used are literally decay around you. Let's make a product that will last a life time (or as much as possible) as our needs aren't that different in regards to transportation, data management, appliances, etc. If we are not doing that, the amount of garbage that we produce will bury us. I like to work on my bike and, generally working with machines (entry level stuff, not car mechanic thing) and I must tell that I wish they last forever but the thing is that we have gaskets everywhere. Well gaskets made from rubber and some plastic are...

Did anyone think about the way in which the flu/cold season is taking speed? Yes one could say that the passing between the seasons is weakening our immune system and so, we are becoming susceptible to common diseases. Can we stop for a moment and think about the meaning of quarantine from the perspective of remote working as a norm not as an exception? Regarding the waste of energy and the contradiction between the centralised offices and the common-sense health considerations, below are two aspects: ·          natural light ·          fresh air One thing that hit me today was the amount of “window space” for each employee working on a centralised office. This mean that in a sea of working stations (desktops = furniture) only a few benefit of the sun while the rest remain dependant to the artificial light. As this isn’t enough another aspect of big offices is the centralised cli...

"Hell is the absence of reason", somebody said. I relocated to an office in another country, just to spend >90% of time at a desk, rarely seeing what I designed. I am open to travel but, let’s face it, 90% of the delivery process is done at a desk in front of a monitor and those could be anywhere in the world. The inclusion & diversity will truly work by allowing people to work and deliver their brain power from a familiar environment. In my case, I just changed one desk with another, 3200 km away from my life. As a result I'm struggling with depression. We are talking about unleash your creativity while the work pattern/policy demands people to be tied to an office and to slightly modified 9-5 pm work day. We are talking about reducing our carbon footprint while > 70 % of employees commute because they either cannot afford buy a property in the city – near the office or they want to have a garden and be closer to nature => they are forced to move f...

I will start his with the link below: https://www.lifesavvy.com/6505/is-it-hard-to-stay-productive-when-you-work-from-home/ I am mentioning this as it seems that the status quo representing by the almost-mandatory presence of employees in the centralized office is not aligned with the innovation diversity & inclusion , reduced carbon footprint , energy efficient and so on - advertised. The other day somebody said something about unleashing the/your creativity … but it seems to me that many companies are stuck in a work pattern (factory like) from the 60’s. We are talking about 5G internet speed and autonomous electric vehicles, but we aren't willing to challenge the impracticability’s of the day to day life. As I commuted for several years, I end up seeing that there is problem that needs to be addressed at the core of how businesses are organised. Way too many people travel to work (centralised offices) in the era www. 8 hrs x 5 + 1.5hrs x 5= 40+7.5 => on...

The first rule of survival and thrive is team. I am coming from Eastern Europe and I see how much the Western world empowered the self-reliance (single people and divorce) inside the society and how much people here are reliant on "the grid". Yes, there are some “partners” but there are also a lot of single parents or people that are not in a long-term relation. During my childhood, my grandparents didn't have electricity and we carry water from the well. Food was cooked on the stove (mud bricks stove) and the fire was with corn plant sticks - that, the year before, were fed to the cows - to eat the dried leaf. You could say that my grandparents (god rest their souls) lived off grid and their day to day (normal) life was planned a year in advance (taking care of the livestock and the crops). They were working as a team and the love and happiness came second. These days (I'm divorced) I see that the women empowerment is going much farther than the real means to cope ...

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/secret-lasting-culture-margaret-keane/ “This is important because to unleash innovation and meaningful results, you need room to make bold decisions, test and learn from mistakes, and importantly have the support of your team. As technology moves faster and market conditions change, we’re fundamentally a stronger company because we care about each other and the work that we do. We care about getting it right for our partners our consumers and our employees.” Sadly, seems that it takes more courage (than initially thought) for a company to truly embrace the technological innovations. Most or them are overwhelmingly stuck in 9 to 5 pm (nu matter how flexible they advertised to be) & 5 days / week. People are still tied to one particular desk in a particular office. Even when you put the economic aspects in the equation, still the employers are reluctant to change. The costs implied by the work-related commute are growing in direct proportion wit...

This is an old theme and it’s referring to the values promoted by the mainstream media. From buy that: Car: o    Fancy (that will attract look on the street), o    powerful off road or o    electrical (dishonest called green transportation vehicle), Home: o    luxurious villa, o    fancy apartment in a nice neighbourhood or o    even an off-grid home.        Clothes         Gadgets        Etc. To:          The best way to work is …,          The best way to be fit is …,        Etc.  World is a market where many are shouting their outputs and sadly, the ones that shout louder have more success. If you want, is similar with the saying “history is written by the conquerors”. Well, there were very few things in the human history, that were done ...

You could see advertised the new and “the best / cool” offices built. Yes, they could be the greatest but let’s face it, there are cracks in that shiny mirror. As long as the vast majority of employers demand full presence at the desk , they cool offices imply the overwhelming need of: a.        people to travel there (at the “cool office” location), b.        or people to live nearby (to avoid waste of resources on commute), c.        assume that at least 50% the people will use bicycles or some kind of electric vehicles suitable for short commute distances, d.        those electric vehicles for short commute , will imply storage / parking and charging ports / facilities, e.        those electric vehicles (suitable for small distance commute) are not that green as is advertised, f.      ...

This morning, walking (as usual) to office, a thought hit me while feeling a certain discomfort on my spine. I do have a lumbar hernia as a result of more than 5 years of commuting by car – more than 2 hrs/day driving (+ the hours spent at the office). The though is linked to the employee wellbeing emails and /or pseudo-actions (mostly, let’s face it, to tick some boxes) that many employers / companies are taking. Yes, there are manufacturers where the “brain factor” is a smaller component (%) in the overall activity / production line. There, the wellbeing of the employees should be targeted mainly to the physical aspect of their activity. My subject is referring to the design offices for which, the tools are represented by the employees creativity (brain), computers and internet connection . I am sure that all the major players in this type of industries are take steps in considering their employee wellbeing. My observation is in the similarity between the cattle farming...

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/news/airbus-takes-off-amid-boeing-woes-4702772/ What was happening with Boeing is just a symptom of these times. The ever-growing production fuelled by the fierce competition which is fuelled by the shareholders which are fuelled by the craving for fast high profits (putting dollar over piles of dollars) is depleting the natural and human resources while killing directly and indirectly thousands of people. Was pointed to the fact that the software was done by low paid workers somewhere in Asia (India I think) but was not said that those people (as low as they are paid) are worked almost like slaves. This is just the tip of the iceberg. While moving to the East, where the workforce is cheaper , the companies also increase pace – asking more in the same unit of time . What is at the core of this: ·          the competition between companies; ·          which is drive...