#BRICS history

[emergingpakistan]

برکس اتحاد عالمی معیشت کے لیے کتنا مفید ؟

جب دوسری عالمی جنگ کے خاتمے کے بعد امریکا اور سوویت یونین کے مابین چھڑنے والی سرد جنگ میں دونوں بڑی طاقتیں چھوٹے ممالک کو اپنے اپنے کیمپ میں لانے کے لیے طرح طرح سے رجھا رہی تھیں تو اس دباؤ سے تنگ آ کے انیس سو پچپن میں سوئیکارنو کی دعوت پر تیسری دنیا کے چوٹی کے رہنما انڈونیشیا کے شہر بنڈونگ میں جمع ہوئے۔ انھوں نے منٹو کے افسانے ٹوبہ ٹیک سنگھ کے مرکزی کردار کی طرح فیصلہ کیا کہ وہ اس سرد جنگ میں امریکا کی یا سوویت یونین کا ساتھ دینے کے بجائے غیر جانبداریت کے درخت پر رہیں گے۔ نعرہ اچھا تھا مگر اس تحریک کے بیشتر رہنماؤں اور ممالک کا جھکاؤ ��یر اعلانیہ طور پر یا تو سوویت کیمپ کی جانب تھا یا پھر مغربی کیمپ کی جانب۔ آپ چاہیں تو اس دعوی کی تصدیق کے لیے غیر جانبدار تحریک کے رکن ممالک کی سوویت و امریکا نواز فہرست دیکھ لیں۔ غیر جانبدار تنظیم انیس سو اکسٹھ میں سابق یوگو سلاویہ کے مردِ آہن مارشل ٹیٹو کی میزبانی میں قائم ہوئی۔ نمایاں مہمانوں میں سوئکارنو، جمال ناصر ، نکروما اور نہرو تھے۔ یہ تنظیم بہت تیزی سے مقبول ہوئی اور دیکھتے ہی دیکھتے اقوامِ متحدہ کے بعد سب سے بڑی تنظیم بن گئی جس میں ایک سو بیس ممالک بطور ممبر، سترہ ممالک اور دس بین الاقوامی تنظیمیں بطور مبصر شامل ہوئیں۔ 

اس تنظیم کی انیس سو اسی کی دہائی تک بہت دھاک تھی۔ مگر پھر شاید اس کا حجم ہی اس کی راہ میں سب سے بڑی رکاوٹ بنتا چلا گیا۔ نوے کی دہائی میں سرد جنگ ختم ہو گئی تو غیر جانبدار تحریک کا نام بھی الگ تھلگ ہوتا چلا گیا۔ چنانچہ گزشتہ روز یہ خبر سن کے میں اچھل پڑا کہ اس تنظیم کا وجود نہ صرف برقرار ہے بلکہ آنے والے جنوری میں غیر جانبدار ممالک کی تنظیم کی کانفرنس یوگنڈا کے دارالحکومت کمپالا میں ہو رہی ہے۔ بلاک سیاست رہی نہ سوویت یونین رہا۔ چین اور امریکا کی کش مکش دو نظریاتی طاقتوں کے بجائے دو سپر پاورز کی اقتصادی رسہ کشی ہے۔ چنانچہ غیرجانبدار تحریک بزرگوں کی یادگار کے طور پر آج بھی سانس لے رہی ہے تو بڑی بات ہے۔ ایسی کئی تنظیمیں ہیں جو ایک خاص نظریاتی، اسٹرٹیجک، سیاسی ماحول میں قائم ہوئیں اور جب زمانہ و ترجیحات بدلیں تو بے دم ہو گئیں۔ مثلاً پہلی عالمی جنگ کے بعد قائم ہونے والی لیگ آف نیشنز ہو کہ جس کی راکھ سے اقوامِ متحدہ نے جنم لیا۔ یا پھر سرد جنگ کے سبب قائم ہونے والے سیٹو ، سینٹو اور وارسا پیکٹ جیسے اتحاد ہوں۔

عرب لیگ اگرچہ اقوامِ متحدہ کے بعد سب سے پرانی تنظیم ہے لیکن یہ کبھی بھی کوئی ٹھوس نقش نہیں چھوڑ سکی۔ یہی حال اسلامی کانفرنس کی تنظیم کا ہے۔ ہمارے خطے میں ساٹھ کی دہائی میں پاکستان، ایران اور ترکی کی تنظیم آر سی ڈی کے تحت کئی اقتصادی منصوبے شروع ہوئے۔ آج واحد نشانی کراچی تا کوئٹہ آر سی ڈی ہائی وے ہے۔ نئی نسل آر سی ڈی کے بارے میں صرف درسی کتابوں کی حد تک جانتی ہے۔ انیس سو اسی کی دہائی میں سارک کو جنوبی ایشیا میں بطور گیم چینجر متعارف کروایا گیا۔ خطے میں تعاون کے امکانات اچھے خاصے تھے۔ مگر اس کی افادیت بھارت اور پاکستان کی ضد بحث کی نذر ہو گئی۔ واحد ترکہ سارک یونیورسٹی کی شکل میں سانس لے رہا ہے۔ یا پھر سارک کے چھوٹے ارکان نے کچھ عرصے کے لیے شہریوں کو ویزا میں تھوڑی بہت باہمی رعائتیں دیں۔ چین کے روڈ اینڈ بیلٹ منصوبے اور شنگھائی تعاون کونسل کے ہوتے سارک کے دوبارہ فعال ہونے کا امکان اور بھی کم ہو گیا۔

اس وقت جو اجتماعی تنظیمیں واقعی فعال ہیں۔ ان میں سرِ فہرست ناٹو، یورپی یونین ، او ای سی ڈی ، جی سیون ، جی ٹوینٹی ، افریقی اتحاد کی تنظیم او اے یو ، خلیج تعاون کونسل اور آسیان قابلِ ذکر ہیں۔ ان کی فعالیت کا راز ٹھوس مشترکہ اقتصادی وا سٹرٹیجک مفادات ہیں۔ گویا بیسویں صدی کی نظریاتی دنیا کے برعکس اکیسویں صدی میں دشمنی و تعاون کا معیار معاشی مسابقت اور یہ بنیادی سوال ہے کہ ’’ مجھے اس اتحاد کا رکن بننے سے کیا کیا اقتصادی و دفاعی فائدہ ہو گا۔‘‘ اس پس منظر میں گزشتہ ہفتے جنوبی افریقہ کے شہر جوہانسبرگ میں برکس کے سربراہ اجلاس نے میڈیا کی خاصی توجہ حاصل کی اور یہ سوالات اٹھائے گئے کہ کیا یہ اتحاد ایک نیا مالیاتی نظام تشکیل دے کے مغرب کے زیرِ نگیں موجودہ بریٹن وڈ عالمی نظام کا متبادل ثابت ہو کے عالمی معیشت کو ڈالرائزیشن کی قید سے نجات دلا کے اپنی کوئی اجتماعی کرنسی متعارف کروا پائے گا۔ 

برکس کی بنیاد دو ہزار نو میں برازیل ، بھارت ، چین اور روس نے رکھی اور اگلے برعکس جنوبی افریقہ پانچواں رکن بن گیا۔ برکس کے یہ پانچوں سوار تیز رفتار ترقی کرنے والی معیشتوں کی تنظیم جی ٹوئنٹی میں بھی شامل تھے اور اپنے تئیں بھی عالمی پیداوار میں ان کا اجتماعی حصہ چھبیس فیصد اور عالمی تجارت میں بیس فیصد کے لگ بھگ ہے۔ دنیا کی آٹھ ارب میں سے ساڑھے تین ارب سے زائد انسان انھیں پانچوں ممالک میں آباد ہیں۔ مگر عالمی معاشی فیصلوں میں ان کا اجتماعی اثر حجم کے اعتبار سے بہت کم ہے۔ مثلاً آئی ایم ایف میں پانچ بنیادی برکس ممالک کی ووٹنگ پاور محض پندرہ فیصد ہے۔ بیشتر ووٹنگ پاور جی سیون ممالک کو حاصل ہے۔ یہی تناسب عالمی بینک میں بھی ہے۔ دو ہزار پندرہ میں باہمی تجارت کے لیے برکس بینک قائم کیا گیا۔ اس کا ہیڈکوارٹر شنگھائی میں ہے۔ ڈالر کی گرفت ڈھیلی کرنے کے لیے مشترکہ تجارت مقامی کرنسی میں کرنے کے خیال کو عملی جامہ پہنایا جا رہا ہے۔ چنانچہ روس اور چین کی تجارت روبل اور یوآن میں ہو رہی ہے۔ انڈیا روسی تیل کی ادائیگی روپے میں کرتا ہے۔ امارات اور انڈیا تجارت میں ڈالر کے ساتھ ساتھ روپے اور درہم کو بھی قبول کر رہے ہیں۔

مگر مسئلہ یہ ہے کہ آج کی دنیا میں کوئی ملک بھلے کتنا ہی طاقت ور کیوں نہ ہو ڈیڑھ اینٹ کی مسجد نہیں بنا سکتا۔ چین اور بھارت میں فوجی تصادم کے نتیجے میں گزشتہ تین برس سے کشیدہ تعلقات کے باوجود باہمی تجارت سوا سو بلین ڈالر سے اوپر ہے۔ دونوں طاقتیں شنگھائی تعاون کونسل ، ہارٹ آف ایشیا ، جی ٹوئنٹی اور برکس کی چھتری تلے ایک دوسرے سے تعاون پر مجبور ہیں۔ بھارت کو روس کا تیل بھی چاہیے اور امریکی ٹیکنالوجی بھی۔ برازیل اور جنوبی افریقہ ایک آزاد خارجہ پالیسی پر عمل پیرا ہونا چاہتے ہیں مگر ان کی بیشتر تجارت امریکا اور یورپ سے ہے۔ برکس میں مزید چالیس ممالک شامل ہونے میں دلچسپی لے رہے ہیں۔ ان میں سے تئیس نے رکنیت کے لیے تحریری درخواست دی ہے۔ پہلے مرحلے میں سعودی عرب ، متحدہ عرب امارات ، ایران ، مصر ، ایتھوپیا اور ارجنٹینا کو رکنیت مل گئی ہے۔ یوں برکس پانچ سے گیارہ تک پہنچ گئی ہے۔ مگر ان میں سوائے ایران کے باقی ممالک کی معیشتیں مغرب سے جڑی ہوئی ہیں۔ برکس کی رکنیت سے البتہ ایران کی بین الاقوامی تنہائی کم ہو گی۔

چین کی کوششوں سے یو اے ای ، سعودی عرب اور ایران کے مابین تعلقات معمول پر آنے کے بعد سے برکس میں چین کا وزن بھی بڑھا ہے۔ پوتن اپنی اسٹرٹیجک اور معاشی مصلحتوں کے تحت ویسے ہی چین کی بات ماننے پر مجبور ہیں۔ جرائم سے متعلق بین الاقوامی عدالت نے یوکرین میں جنگی جرائم کے الزامات میں پوتن کے وارنٹ نکال رکھے ہیں لہٰذا وہ ملک سے باہر زیادہ نقل و حرکت کا خطرہ مول نہیں لے سکتے۔ یہ اتحاد اگر چین اور بھارت کا سرحدی جھگڑا ختم کروانے اور رکن ممالک کے مابین آنے والے برسوں میں تجارتی حجم بڑھانے میں کامیاب ہو جاتا ہے تو کچھ امید بندھے گی کہ اس میں دم ہے۔ ورنہ ہم نے بڑے بڑے اتحاد دو یا تین غالب ممالک کی کھینچا تانی میں ٹوٹتے بگڑتے دیکھے ہیں۔ اگر چین اور بھارت کے تعلقات نارمل ہوئے تو اس کا مثبت اثر پاک بھارت تعلقات پر بھی پڑ سکتا ہے۔ نائجیریا اور انڈونیشیا جیسی ابھرتی ہوئی معیشتیں بھی برکس میں شامل ہونا چاہتی ہیں مگر فی الحال انھیں اتنی عجلت بھی نہیں۔ یہ ممالک دیکھنا چاہتے ہیں کہ پانچ رکنی تنظیم گیارہ رکنی ہونے کے بعد اور مضبوط ہوتی ہے یا کمزور۔ اس اتحاد کو وسائل کی کمی نہیں۔ وسائل کا مشترکہ استعمال اصل چیلنج ہے۔

وسعت اللہ خان 

بشکریہ ایکسپریس نیوز

[stayingfitwithleehoward]

‘ Thy Will b Done’.

[thesearenotphotographs]

Juneteenth UNITYFEST with DJ Spinna, Crystal Waters, Merlin Bobb, and more at Lena Horne Bandshell

On Wednesday, June 19, 2024, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! held their Juneteenth UNITYFEST show at Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY. The free concert was presented by BRIC and The Robert Randolph Foundation and featured DJ sets by DJ Spinna, Merlin Bobb, and DJ Quinnette, who warmed up the show when doors opened at 5PM. There were live performances by Monique Bingham, Lady Alma, and Crystal Waters as well as readings done by Ryan Jamaal Swain, Jerrie Johnson, and Ianne Fields Stewart.

Images I created for BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! are available in this gallery, and there are some photos by myself and Toby Tenenbaum on their Instagram post here.

[dbunicorn]

Israel’s war on Gaza live: 20 starve to death in Gaza, more feared dead

Israel’s war on Gaza live: 20 starve to death in Gaza, more feared dead https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/3/7/israels-war-on-gaza-live-20-starve-to-death-in-gaza-more-feared-dead

While retarded Canadians of all stripes wave their Nazi chin sombrero yellow flags. God, it really must be a race issue, not a retarded, incompetent, human class one.

I'm curious for all those raped happy women out there particularly in India and China. Does tibet, hong Kong or the ughyur population have the right to defend themselves? Does Kashmir? Or Muslims getting their homes razed in India? Who gets to be human? Should we build a currency on it?

Class, power, purchasing parity, real estate, geopolitics. That's the game.

Lest you idiots forget.....how Canadians liove their children. Curry me yellow

[tinyshe]

Feb 21, 2024 Listen to Former German General Harald Kujat at a public lecture in Germany how he destroys the false pro-war narrative of the neocons. This talk was held in German and is dubbed into English thanks to the brilliant work of Andreas Voss who makes these translations possible. Nachdenkseiten: https://www.nachdenkseiten.de/?p=111161 (Please support them. They are doing great work!) Eurasien Gesellschaft: https://www.eurasien-gesellschaft.org You are about to see a public lecture by retired General Harld Kujat, who served in the German Airforce and even was the chairman of the NATO Military Committee from 2002 to 2005. He has emerged in Germany as another outspoken critic of the way NATO and the Europeans are abusing Ukraine for the geopolitical benefit of the US. General Kujat is so outspoken that Wikipedia “knows” that he belongs to the inner circle of Vladimir Putin. Ha! There are also a lot of Europeans who see behind the Propaganda and the veil of lies. Many thanks and a shout out to the German portal “Nachdenkseiten” for broadcasting this and to the “Eurasien Gesellschaft” for holding the event. Links to both in the description.

[immaculatasknight]

A graduate level course in history

[jtoddring]

The Collapse Of The West: Chapter One: The Global Tectonic Shift

By J. Todd Ring Preface: I wrote this essay in January of 2020, then the covid crisis hit, and it was shelved for over a year. The macro-scale patterns have not changed fundamentally since then, although the slow-motion collapse of the US, and the West more broadly, has accelerated. I would offer the following as a synopsis and overview of what I see coming. I do not have a crystal ball, but…

[maybe-its-just-cringetown-love]

Tone deaf, 'a state of death and destruction' bruh we know the administration is the one making these decisions, but now you want to villainise a whole state. You are not helping the situation

A reminder. It's a state of death and destruction.

[youryurigoddess]

I was minding my own business and analyzing another part of the A. Z. Fell & Co. bookshop from the Radio Times footage when I noticed something interesting on Aziraphale’s desk. It looks like the angel was studying a handwritten copy of someone’s last will and testament and left in a hurry, with a bronze medal and a fountain pen on top of it. And… an attachment of a land registry plan, barely visible underneath.

Obviously that’s when my South Downs obsessed brain turned all of its alarms on and decided to read the whole thing. And look for the missing parts, since only a portion of the original document was visible on screen. Unfortunately the full text is much longer and less exciting than anticipated, and — spoiler alert — related to a different area of the country, but still relevant to the Good Omens universe. We’ll look into that in a moment.

Let’s start with the struck bronze medal — acting here as a paperweight, which makes the documents in question already stand out from the usual bumph and bric-a-brac accumulated by Aziraphale over an unknown period of time on his desk.

It’s a very interesting rendition of the mythological scene centered around Daedalus fastening the wings onto his son Icarus (little does he know that this attempt to escape imprisonment will lead to his son’s demise). Contrary to popular sentiment in the history of art, this particular version of Icarus isn’t depicted as a child or teenager, but as a warrior donning a helmet and preparing himself to battle. Which makes perfect sense after discovering that it was made for the Royal Air Force Athletic & Cross Country Association’s WAAF Athletic Championships in 1945. There’s some poetic irony in the fact that the medal was apparently given to the third place winner in a high jump category.

Apart from its obviously military style, this concept seems inspired by a 1885-86 medal by Auguste Patey commemorating the experimental flights at the first French wind tunnel at Chalais-Meudon, a town on the banks of the Seine near Paris. On 9 August 1884, engineers Charles Renard and Arthur Constantin Krebs made the first controllable free flight there when they piloted their airship, La France, over a course and returned to their starting point. From 9 August 1884 to 23 September 1885, La France made seven flights and was able to return to its starting point five times.

The last Will and Testament of Josiah Wedgwood

The last Will and Testament of me, Josiah Wedgwood, of Etruria, in the County of Stafford, made the second day of November, in the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three, in manner and form following (that is to say): I give and bequeath unto my dear and affectionate Wife, Sarah Wedgwood, all that messuage or dwelling-house situate at or near Etruria aforesaid, with the buildings, gardens, and appurtenances thereto belonging, late in the holding of Mr. Thomas Wedgwood; and also all that field or piece of land in which the same stands, containing eight acres or thereabouts; and also all that close, piece, or parcel of land lying contiguous to the said dwelling-house, called the Horse Pasture, containing by estimation twelve acres or thereabouts; and also all that piece or parcel of land situate at Etruria aforesaid, heretofore purchased by me from Mr. Hugh Booth; To have and to hold the said messuage or dwelling-house, pieces or parcels of land, hereditaments and premises, with their and every of their appurtenances, unto my said Wife, Sarah Wedgwood and her assigns, for and during the term of her natural life. And from and after her decease, I give and devise all and singular the said messuage or dwelling-house, pieces or parcels of land, hereditaments, and premises, with their and every of their appurtenances, unto my Son, Josiah Wedgwood, his heirs and assigns for ever. Also I give and bequeath the sum of three thousand pounds unto my said Wife, to be paid to her within twelve months next after my decease. Also I give and bequeath unto my said Wife so much and such part of my household goods and furniture as is mentioned and specified in the Schedule or Paper Writing hereunto annexed, marked with the Letter A. Also I give and bequeath the sum of ten thousand pounds unto my Executors hereinafter named, upon trust that they, my said Executors, do and shall place the said sum of ten thousand pounds out upon some good and sufficient public or private security or securitys, at interest, to be approved of nevertheless by my said Wife, and do and shall pay to, or permit and suffer my said Wife to receive and take the interest, dividends, and produce of the said sum of Ten thousand pounds, as the same shall from time to time become due to and for her own use and benefit for and during the term of her natural life.

And from and after the decease of my said Wife, I direct that the said sum of ten thousand pounds shall be applied for and towards payment and satisfaction of the several legacys or sums of money hereinafter given by me. And I do hereby direct that the provision hereinbefore made or intended for my said Wife shall be in lieu, bar, and satisfaction of dower and thirds at Common Law. Also I give and devise unto my said Executors, for the use of my said son, Josiah Wedgwood, his heirs and assigns for ever, that part of Etruria Estate which I now occupy, upon the north side of the Turnpike Road leading from Newcastle to Leek, with the house I now live in, the outbuildings belonging to the same, with the pleasure grounds and all appurtenances thereto belonging, being about sixty-five acres; and also another part of the Etruria Estate, now in the occupation of Richard Hall, being about sixty-eight acres; And also another part of the Etruria Estate, now in the occupation of Thomas Ford, being about forty-five acres; and also the Estate late a part of the White House Estate, on the south side the Turnpike Road leading from Newcastle to Leek; and likewise the land purchased from Thomas Heath, with a small meadow on the north side the said Road, and lying in the Parish of Woolstanton; and likewise a meadow lately purchased from John Mare, of Handley, — all in the holding of Richard Billington, being altogether about eighty-one acres; and also a piece of land on the south side of the same Road, now in the holding of Daniel Haywood, being about two acres; and also an Estate bought from George Taylor, and now in the holding of Jonathan Adams, being about nine acres; and also a small piece of land adjoining the land bought from Hugh Booth, together with a part of the Hough Meadow, and now in the holding of John Ryder, being about four acres; and also an estate called the Spittels, situate in Penkhull, in the Parish of Stoke upon Trent, and lately purchased from James Godwin, containing sixty-three acres or thereabouts; and also an Estate adjoining to the Spittels on one side, and to Stoke Lane on the other, situate in Penkhull aforesaid, in the Parish of Stoke upon Trent, late in the holding of Humphrey Ratcliff, containing fifteen acres or thereabouts; and also a piece of land called the Woodhills, situate in the Parish of Stoke upon Trent, lately purchased from Ralph Baddeley, and now in my own occupation, being about eleven acres; and also all buildings, tenements, houses, farmhouses, outhouses, pot works, warehouses, workshops, and other buildings, of what kind soever they may be, situate, standing, and being upon any of the land or premises above named, and not hereinbefore devised; and also all my share of the models and molds of the Manufactory in Etruria aforesaid. Also I give and bequeath the sum of thirty thousand pounds unto my son John Wedgwood. Also I give and bequeath the sum of twenty-nine thousand one hundred and ten pounds, and likewise twenty shares in the Monmouthshire Canal, unto my Son Thomas Wedgwood.

Also I give and bequeath the sum of twenty-five thousand pounds unto my daughter Susannah Wedgwood; and which said several legacys or sums of thirty thousand pounds, and twenty-nine thousand one hundred and ten pounds, and twenty shares in the Monmouthshire Canal, and twenty-five thousand pounds, so given to my said Son John Wedgwood, and to my said Son Thomas Wedgwood, and to my said Daughter Susannah Wedgwood, I do hereby direct shall be paid to them as soon as conveniently may be after my decease, together with interest for the same in the mean time, after the rate of four pounds and ten shillings per centum per annum. Also I give and bequeath the sum of twenty-five thousand pounds unto my Daughter Catharine Wedgwood, to be paid to her as soon after her age of twenty-one years, or day of marriage, which shall first happen, as conveniently may be, with interest for the same in the mean time after the rate of four pounds and ten shillings per centum per annum. Also I give and bequeath the sum of twenty-five thousand pounds unto my Daughter Sarah Wedgwood, to be paid to her as soon after her age of twenty-one years, or day of marriage, which shall first happen, as conveniently may be, with interest for the same in the mean time after the rate of four pounds and ten shillings per centum per annum. Provided always, and I do hereby direct, that in case my said Daughters Catherine Wedgwood and Sarah Wedgwood, or either of them, shall happen to die unmarried before the age of twenty-one years, then that the legacy or legacys of her or them so dying shall sink into and become part of the residue of my personal Estate, and be applied and disposed of accordingly, as shall hereinafter be mentioned. Also I do hereby declare it to be my will that all the rest, residue, and remainder of my said stock in trade, goods, wares, implements, materials, and utensils of trade, and other matters and things used by me, in or belonging to my said Manufactory, except the models or molds therein used or kept, shall, at the time of my decease, sink into and become part of the residue of my personal estate, and be applied and disposed of accordingly. Also I give and bequeath all and singular my household goods and furniture not hereinbefore given to my said Wife, together with all my books, prints, books of prints, pictures, and cabinets of Experiments, of Fossils, and of Natural History, unto my said Son Josiah Wedgwood. And I do hereby commit the Guardianship and Tuition of such of my said children as shall not at the time of my decease have attained the age of twenty-one years unto my said Wife and my said Son John Wedgwood, until such children shall attain the said age. And I do direct that the fortunes or portions of such of my said children shall in the mean time be managed by my said Wife and my said Son John Wedgwood, and a competent part of the interest and produce thereof be applied for their maintenance and education, and the residue of such interest and produce be suffered to accumulate for their benefit and advantage in such manner as my said Wife and Son John Wedgwood shall in their discretion think most meet and proper.

Also I givo and bequeath one annuity or yearly sum of twenty pounds unto my Brother in Law, Philip Clark, for and during the term of his natural life. Also I give and bequeath one annuity or yearly sum of Twenty pounds unto my Niece, Sarah Taylor, for and during the term of her natural life. Also I give and bequeath one annuity or yearly sum of twenty pounds unto Mr. Alexander Chisholm, for and during the term of his natural life; recommending it to my Son Josiah Wedgwood to give him any further assistance that he may stand in need of, to make the remainder of his life easy and comfortable. And I do hereby direct that the said several and respective annuitys of twenty pounds, twenty pounds, and twenty pounds shall be paid and payable quarterly, at the four most usual feasts or days of payment in the year, (that is to say) on every twenty-fifth day of March, twenty-fourth day of June, twenty-ninth day of September, and twenty-fifth day of December, by even and equal portions, free and clear of and from all taxes, charges, and deductions whatsoever; the first payment thereof to begin and be made on such of the said days as shall first and next happen after my decease. Also I give and bequeath the sum of ten guineas unto the said Alexander Chisholm, as a testimony of my regard for him. Also I give and bequeath the sum of two hundred pounds apiece unto all and every the children of my Nephew Thomas Byerley, who shall be living at the time of my decease, to be paid to them at their respective ages of twenty-one years: Provided always, and in case any one or more of the said children shall happen to die without issue before he, she, or they shall attain the said age, then I direct that the legacy or legacys to him, her, or them so dying shall go and be paid unto and amongst the survivors or survivor of them equally, share and share alike, in case there shall be more than one, at such time and in such manner as is hereinbefore directed and expressed of and concerning the said original legacys or sums of two hundred pounds: Provided also, and in case all the said children shall happen to die without issue before they shall attain the said age, then I direct that all the said legacies or sums of Two hundred pounds so given to them as aforesaid shall sink into and become part of the residue of my personal estate, and be applied and disposed of accordingly. And I do hereby expressly direct and declare that no interest shall be allowed or paid upon the said respective legacys or sums of two hundred pounds in the mean time from my decease to the time that the same shall become payable by virtue of this my Will; such legacys or sums of two hundred pounds being given by me in lieu of legacys or sums of one hundred pounds, which it was originally my intention to have directed to be placed out at interest, and to have accumulated for such children of the said Thomas Byerley as aforesaid until they should attain the age of twenty-one years. Also I give and bequeath unto each of my Nephews Thomas and John Wedgwood, Sons of my late Nephew Thomas Wedgwood, of the Upper House in Burslem, the sum of two hundred pounds each, to be paid to them at their respective ages of twenty-one years: Provided always, and in case they shall either or both of them die before they arrive at the age of twenty-one years, I direct that the legacy or legacys of the party or parties so dying, of two hundred pounds so given to them as aforesaid, shall sink into and become part of the residue of my personal estate, and be applied and disposed of accordingly.

Also I give to my Servant George Jones the sum of twenty guineas, as a token of my remembrance of his faithful services to me. Also I give and bequeath to the several persons whose names shall be mentioned and comprised in the Schedule or List hereto annexed, signed with my name, and marked with the letter "B," the mourning Rings or other small legacys or sums of money which shall be therein specified and expressed. Also I give and bequeath unto James Caldwell, Esq., of Newcastle under Lyme, in the County of Stafford, the sum of one hundred pounds, which I desire he will accept as a testimony of my friendship and esteem for him. And I do hereby direct and appoint that my said Nephew Thomas Byerley shall, under the direction of my Executors, settle my accounts and manage and conduct the collection of my debts and other matters relating to the settlement of my concerns in business; and that a Salary of one hundred pounds per annum be allowed and paid to him for such particular service, so long as he shall be employed therein, over and above all charges and expenses attending the same. And it is also my Will that an estate at Burslem, late in the occupation of Joseph Wedgwood, consisting of a newly erected dwelling house, a set of pot works, with other buildings, and a field called the Cross Hill, containing altogether about two acres; and likewise an estate in the Parish of Astbury, in the County of Chester, called Spengreen, and now in the holding of Thomas Johnson, containing about seventy-five acres or thereabouts; and also a piece of land on the east side of the Bridge in Congleton, in the said County of Chester, being about two rods; and also all the rest, residue, and remainder, messages, lands, tenements, hereditaments, and real estate, money, securities for money, debts due and owing, personal Estate and Effects of what nature or kind soever or wheresoever, not hereinbefore particularly devised or disposed of, together with such or so much of the several sums of money hereinbefore mentioned and bequeathed as shall, by means of the contingencies and directions hereinbefore expressed, shall all of them sink into and become parts of the said residue of my personal Estate. And I do hereby give, devise, and bequeath the same unto my said Executors, for the payment of the legacys and annuities hereinbefore mentioned; and provided there should be a residue after the above mentioned payments, then I direct that such residue shall go and be divided unto and amongst my said children, John Wedgwood, Thomas Wedgwood, Susannah Wedgwood, Catherine Wedgwood, and Sarah Wedgwood, their heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, equally, share and share alike, as tenants in common, and not as joint tenants; and if there should be any deficiency of real or personal estates for paying the said legacys and annuitys, such deficiency shall in that case be born equally amongst and made up by those my said children above named, (that is to say) John Wedgwood, Thomas Wedgwood, Susannah Wedgwood, Catherine Wedgwood, and Sarah Wedgwood, share and share alike, in proportion to the amount of the legacys to them herein left and bequeathed. And I do hereby nominate, constitute, and appoint my said Wife, my said Son John Wedgwood, and the said James Caldwell, Esq., Executrix and Executors of this my Will. And lastly, I do hereby revoke all former or other Will or Wills by me at any time heretofore made, and do declare this only to be my last Will and Testament.

In witness whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament, contained in six sheets of paper, and have to each of the first five sheets thereof set my hand, and to the sixth and last sheet thereof my hand and seal the day and year first before written. — Jos. Wedgwood (L.S.)

Signed, sealed, published, and declared by the said Josiah Wedgwood, as and for his last Will and Testament, in the presence of us, who in his presence, and in the presence of each other, have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses thereto; the several following words being first interlined: money—my—happen—said. — Alexr. Chisholm, Thomas Mitchell, Joseph Mitchell, Joseph Rutland

John Wedgwood, of Etruria, in the County of Stafford, Esquire, maketh oath, and saith that he has searched among the papers and writings of his late Father, Josiah Wedgwood, late of Etruria aforesaid, Esquire, deceased, in order to find certain Schedules or Paper Writings referred to in the last Will and Testament of the said Josiah Wedgwood, and therein mentioned to be annexed thereto, and respectively marked A and B. And this Deponent further saith that he has not been able to find such Schedules or Paper Writings, or either of them; and this Deponent further saith that he has never heard or been informed, nor does he believe that the said Josiah Wedgwood ever wrote or made out, or caused to be written or made out, such Schedules or Paper Writings, or either of them. — John Wedgwood

Sworn at Newcastle under Lyme, in the County of Stafford, the 29th day of June, 1795, Before me, John Lloyd, a Commissioner.

Proved at London, 2nd July, 1795, before the Judge, by the Oath of John Wedgwood, the Son, one of the Executors, to whom Administration was granted, having been first sworn by Commission duly to administer. Power reserved of making the like grant to Sarah Wedgwood, Widow, the Relict, and James Caldwell, the other Executors, when they shall apply for the same.

That was… certainly a lot of words. Let’s see if they mean anything! Turns out that this isn’t another John Gibson, rural postman and shoemaker from New Cumnock, Scotland, but a prominent historical figure with close familial connections to someone whose name you definitely know.

Josiah Wedgwood (12 July 1730 – 3 January 1795) was an English potter, entrepreneur and abolitionist. Founding the Wedgwood company in 1759, he developed improved pottery bodies by systematic experimentation, and was the leader in the industrialisation of the manufacture of European pottery. He is credited as a pioneer of modern marketing, specifically direct mail, money back guarantees, travelling salesmen, carrying pattern boxes for display, self-service, free delivery, buy one get one free, and illustrated catalogues.

As well as pretty, decorative vases and crockery with aesthetics and technology rooted in antiquity, Wedgwood put his designs to a more radical use. He was elected onto the Committee of the Abolition of the Slave Trade and designed an anti-slavery medallion which became the most famous image of a black person in all of 18th-century art. Covering the costs of distribution and production himself, Wedgwood ensured that it became a powerful symbol of public support.

Josiah was also a founder of the famous Darwin–Wedgwood family and the grandfather of Charles and Emma Darwin. It was the considerable inheritance Josiah left to his son, Josiah II, that enabled young Darwin’s survey voyage aboard HMS Beagle and, consequently, the development of his theory of evolution.

Okay, but what links the “Prince of Potters” to Aziraphale and his bookshop?

In 1774 Josiah Wedgwood and his longtime business partner, Thomas Bentley, opened a new warehouse, enamelling rooms and most handsome showrooms at 12-13 Greek Street, Soho. In 1795, after Josiah’s death, the Wedgwood studio moved to 8 St. James’s Square and the buildings were later occupied by coachmakers, writers and other artists.

Now, through Word of God we already know that Aziraphale spent the 1600s using his personal savings to gradually buy out portions of the neighboring land in order to build the original bookshop “on Greek Street just off Old Compton”, which finally opened in its current form in 1800.

This means that for the time Josiah’s company operated in Soho, they were at least neighbors.

[mariacallous]

For 700 years, Moscow has expanded through relentless land grabs, growing into the largest country on Earth while subjugating countless nations.

In a recent video address, President Zelenskyy appeared wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan “Make Russia Small Again.” But this isn’t just a catchy phrase—it’s a call for historical justice and a reminder of Russia’s centuries-old imperial ambitions.

The T-shirt displays a map of the Grand Duchy of Moscow as it was in 1462, under the rule of Prince Ivan III, who sought to break free from the Golden Horde’s dominance. This era marked the beginning of Muscovy’s expansionist campaigns, during which it claimed lands beyond its borders. In the following years, neighboring principalities such as Yaroslavl, Tver, Ryazan, and Rostov were conquered—the same region that made headlines in August 2024 when Ukrainian forces advanced into it.

Even back then, Moscow employed methods that would become its standard practice for centuries—deportation. After conquering the Novgorod Republic, Moscow forcibly relocated its population to other regions. This move was designed to crush any resistance, as Novgorod had long been independent and a powerful rival to Moscow. By dismantling its center of influence, Moscow eliminated any hope for independence and silenced the potential for protest.

It was Ivan III who first declared himself “Tsar of All Rus,” even though he had never ruled over the lands of Kyivan Rus and merely aspired to conquer them. Over time, his ambitions extended to the northern territories of modern Ukraine—Siveria and Chernihiv regions.

The territory of Tatarstan, where the BRICS summit took place in Kazan in 2024, was conquered in the mid-16th century. These lands have never historically belonged to Russia.

In the following centuries, Moscow simultaneously pushed in all directions—deep into Siberia, south to the Caucasus, even waging war with modern-day Iran, while also advancing westward. The empire continuously grew, fueled by a desire to extend its global influence. When Peter I proclaimed the Russian Empire in the early 18th century, he claimed to be “reclaiming lands,” but in reality, it was a relentless campaign of conquest. Like every other empire, Russia’s expansion was built on the systematic expansion of its territories and subjugation of the peoples within them.

A particularly revealing example is Alaska. Russia sold the territory because it lacked the resources to maintain control, while the U.S. initially hesitated over whether it was worth purchasing.

Even in the 20th century, after the collapse of the Russian Empire and the rise of the Soviet Union, Russia continued its territorial conquests. In 1939, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact—a secret agreement between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union—was signed. This pact divided Poland and carved out spheres of influence in Eastern Europe, effectively igniting the start of World War II.

While global empires were letting go of their colonies and former vassals were gaining independence, the Kremlin remained focused on expanding its influence. Moscow backed the war in Korea, as well as numerous other military conflicts, particularly in Asia. Its socialist-communist reach extended well beyond Asia.

Russia is a vast prison of nations. Over centuries, it has conquered vast territories, and in doing so, has not only seized land but also sought to erase the identities of the peoples it subjugated—just as it did in Novgorod. Native inhabitants were deported and resettled elsewhere. Crimean Tatars were forcibly expelled from Crimea, while people from central Russia were relocated to Ukraine’s Donbas.

The “Make Russia Small Again” T-shirt symbolizes a call for historical justice: Moscow was a principality in 1462. The history of the territories beyond serves as a reminder that Russia’s big size is the result of imperial conquest, with many nations still trapped in a sprawling colony.

[thelostdreamsthings]

Donald Trump won.

So, Trump will not only big but will be the first Republican President to win the popular vote in 20 years.

Plus, the Senate will have Reublican majority as well.

Don’t get too excited.

Wars will continue: on China, Iran, and Russia.

The U.S. is run by banks, military contractors, and corporate elites who select the politicians.

{Genocide Joe, Holocaust Harris, and Butcher Blinken

Their legacy?

A pointless proxy war in Ukraine that failed to defeat Russia🇷🇺, hundreds of thousands dead in a completely avoidable war that could have been ended with the deal at Istanbul

A genocide in Gaza perpetrated by Israel using US weaponry, the mass infanticide of children, and modern-day lebensraum-style ethnic cleansing. All under the banner of Blinken’s ‘rules-based order’

A Middle East and global south revolted, disgusted, and furious at the genocide in Gaza, which has shown the world the consequences for daring to resist the oppression of the US and its allies

The rise and strengthening of BRICS, as developing global south countries flock to BRICS+ to escape Washington’s dictatorship under the current global financial system

The coming together of the US’🇺🇸 official enemies; Russia🇷🇺, China🇨🇳, Iran🇮🇷, and North Korea🇰🇵 deepen their ties as the threat from Washington and its vassal states in Europe grows

4 years of genocidal, warmongering tyranny.}

5 things that sunk the Democratic boat:

🔹COVID tyranny

🔹Inflation

🔹Wars in Ukraine and Gaza

🔹Illegal immigration

🔹Kamala Harris, an empty shell ⬇️

RESPECT TO JILL STEIN could have had a comfortable career as a Harvard-trained doctor. Instead she's devoted her life to facing down the powerful, corrupt forces of the system, at immense personal risk.

History will be kind to her. ⬇️

America rejected:

Beyonce

Lady Gaga

Katy Perry

Megan Thee Stallion

John Legend

Oprah Winfrey

Barack Obama

Michelle Obama

Bill Clinton

Hillary Clinton

Usher

Taylor Swift

George Clooney

Ariana Grande

Jamie Lee Curtis

Bono

Mick Jagger

Bruce Springsteen

Robert De Niro

....

The era of the celebrity endorsement is DEAD.

[truth4ourfreedom]

GESARA (THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC SECURITY & REFORMATION ACT) IS HERE AND THE ROTHCHILDS, ROCKEFELLERS & THE MONEY CONTROLLERS ARE SHAKING IN THEIR SHOES!!!!!

John F. Kennedy Jr. Declares ‘GESARA Will Soon Be Available Worldwide’: Insight into the Largest Wealth Redistribution in Human History!

John F. Kennedy Jr. has declared, “GESARA WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE.” This isn't just a policy shift—it’s the signal of a global revolution. GESARA, the Global Economic Security and Reformation Act, stands ready to reshape the world’s financial system in ways most cannot imagine. It’s not just about redistributing wealth—it’s about reclaiming power.

The United States, once a towering force, is no longer at the helm of this change. The BRICS nations, led by Russia, China, and others, are stepping up, enforcing GESARA and forcing the global economic system to shift. Why has the U.S. lost its grip? It’s because the global elite who controlled the U.S. financial system can feel the ground shifting beneath them. Their time is up.

The dollar—once the pillar of global finance—is being dethroned. Nations are rejecting the fiat system and returning to gold-backed currencies, heralding a new era of economic sovereignty. For too long, the Rothschilds, the global bankers, and their corrupt system have enslaved the world with debt and manipulation. But GESARA is their reckoning.

Behind the scenes, a global financial reset is already in motion. The Quantum Financial System (QFS) is about to obliterate the corrupt frameworks of the old system. QFS is incorruptible, impenetrable, and designed to secure global finance from the hands of those who have manipulated it for their own gain. The old guard is scrambling, concocting distractions like alien invasions or wars to maintain their fading grip.

They’ve gone so far as to orchestrate tragedies like September 11, all to distract and control. But now, GESARA promises to end their reign. The elite's ultimate nightmare—First Contact—is nearing, an event they’ve tried to suppress for decades. This revelation of extraterrestrial life would destroy their power, exposing the depths of their lies and manipulation.

But in the face of this global awakening, what can you do? More than you think. Knowledge is power. By simply understanding what’s at stake, by recognizing the forces at play, you are reclaiming your power. The elite thrive on ignorance, but awareness is their greatest enemy.

GESARA is not a distant dream—it’s here, already rewriting the rules. The old systems of control, manipulation, and disparity are crumbling. A new world order is emerging, one where sovereign nations rise without the chains of financial enslavement. This is more than an economic shift—it’s the largest wealth redistribution in human history.

As we stand at the brink of this new era, remember this: the revolution has begun, and it’s unstoppable. GESARA is the storm sweeping through the old world, and what will rise from the ashes is a world reborn, free from the shackles of the past.

Get ready. The time is now.Join and share my channel immediately:

https://t.me/JulianAssangeWiki

[readingsquotes]

"Despite a global propaganda machine working overtime to tell us that targeting hospitals is not targeting hospitals and killing civilians is not killing civilians, awareness of Israel’s crimes is spreading like wildfire across the globe. This is due in no small part to the tenacity of the Palestinian armed resistance, which has managed to defy containment by Israel’s 40-mile long ‘iron wall’ and continues to resist an Israeli invasion on the ground. At the same time, Palestinian artists, writers, journalists, and academics have worked tirelessly to dismantle zionist colonization of the global- particularly Western- imaginary, with story, with song, with music, and with art.   This resistance in all its forms is having ripple effects. Since October 7, people have continued to flood the streets in every nation with chants of ‘In our thousands, in our millions, we are all Palestinians.’ Josephine Guilbeau, a former member of the US military, said on Monday at a vigil for Bushnell that ‘I don’t think this is going to be the last of our military members resisting. I feel like there are many, many Aarons out there. Who will speak for them?’ Israel’s lies have long lacked legitimacy among the peoples of the Global South, and particularly the Middle East. But today Taylor Swift fans show up to protests holding signs declaring ‘Swifties for Palestine‘ and videos of lawyers proclaiming the Israeli occupation ‘existentially illegal‘ before the International Court of Justice go viral on Twitter. Palestinian journalists reporting from Gaza have bigger online followings than the US president, and buildings in the West are emblazoned with their images and quotes. In a statement responding to Bushnell’s protest the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) stated “(Bushnell’s act) indicates that the status of the Palestinian cause, especially in American circles, is becoming more deeply entrenched in the global conscience, and reveals the truth of the zionist entity as a cheap colonial tool in the hands of savage imperialism.” Israel’s legitimacy is crumbling, and it is taking the US empire with it. This is not to suggest that Israel is pulling the strings- rather, it shows how far the US is prepared to go before it will risk its hegemony in the region. The refusal of all but a handful of states to join the US-led coalition ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian’ to defeat Yemen in the Red Sea (notable among absentees was Saudi Arabia, which has since joined the BRICS group of nations alongside China, Russia and Iran) was telling. Increasingly, the imperialism of the Western media is being exposed, and voices from the Global South locating these lies within much longer histories of Western colonial violence are being heard in new ways, by a new generation.  In a talk he gave on October 21st, 2023, historian Ilan Pappé stated: ‘Before October I wrote an article saying this is the beginning of the end of Zionism…after last week in fact I’m even more convinced. As happened in apartheid South Africa, this is a very dangerous period. The regime fights for its life….historically I have no doubt that this is what we are experiencing, we are experiencing cruelty and brutality because a certain regime is losing it, not because it’s winning, but because it’s losing.’ Israel’s attacks on Iran and Lebanon, attempting to lure the US into a broader regional war, are another sign of that desperation. "

-

In our thousands, in our millions: On Aaron Bushnell’s final act

What Aaron Bushnell did was an act of fierce, principled love in a situation of extreme desperation. It unflinchingly declared that even in the heart of the empire the lies of Zionism no longer hold.

by Britt Munro March 1, 2024

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil criticizes countries’ omission regarding Gaza Strip

Speaking on Thursday (Oct. 24) at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira criticized the omission of countries regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip. At the same time, he praised the position of countries from the Global South that are trying to mediate in the conflict in the Middle East.

“It was the countries of the Global South that voted in favor of the UN General Assembly resolution calling for a cessation of hostilities. Meanwhile, the role played by other countries has been disappointing, to say the least. Those who claim to be human rights defenders are turning a blind eye to the greatest atrocity in recent history,” said the minister.

The minister said that the situation in Gaza—considered by Brazil and other countries to be a genocide against the Palestinian people—has undermined the authority of the UN Security Council and the integrity of international humanitarian law.

There will be no peace without an independent Palestinian state, a solution that has been rejected by the Israeli government, he pointed out. “The decision on its existence was made 75 years ago by the United Nations. But the same UN that created the state of Israel today finds itself with its hands tied,” he added.

Continue reading.