I came across “Aspiring for Change: A Theory of Middle Class Activism” and wanted to clear the physical version out from my cupboard and so made this note. Others may find it interesting.
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Ilyayev
On the Norwegian Star, they had an art gallery featuring among others pictures by Ilyayev; they reminded me of Afremov’s style. Did he copy? See https://share.google/aimode/sOBHuvKuswSm4Sn4Q, seems consensus says no. Ilyayev’s inspirations predate Afremov’s work
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World Democracy Indices
I was pulled to return democraciness by some comments on the UK and the Copenhagen Criteria. I replied in this blog article, where I returned to Economist Intelligence Unit’s index and gave a nod to https://www.v-dem.net/ and Polity IV. See also https://davelevy.info/how-democratic-is-the-uk/ 2018. On quora I was pointed at some further indices that I had…
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Maastricht Convergence Criteria
Despite claiming to be an expert, I had not heard of the Maastricht Convergence Criteria which define a readiness to join the Euro. I asked google gemini to summarise its role. These include Price stability, Sound public finances, to ensure they are sustainable, Exchange-rate stability, to demonstrate that a Member State can manage its economy…
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Configuring services on my ‘Pi
The ‘pi currently runs ‘transmission’ and a web site, but I want to offer mail using Roundcube, and to run a python2 service i.e. planet venus in a docker container. Also next stop is diaspora!
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Sorcerers in 5e
I fancy a change. I am building a bookmark list and need a URL for meta magic and font of magic, 2014 rules. Who knows I might say more another time. …
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UK Democracy in 2025
Time to look at the Democracy Indices again. In particular the EIU are suggesting that democracy is making a comeback. They say, “democracy stabilises after eight years of decline”. Here are my notes and links …
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More on Defence
James Schneider writes on defence in the ‘Statesman in an article entitled in the magazine, The Great British defence con, but within the URL as “britains defence budget must get more bang for its buck”, and interesting metaphor given that one of the criticisms of the current SDR is the amount of dollars it proposes…
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Frightful Start 5e
Here is the documentation for D&D 5e’s Frightful Start cantrip. I found it hard to find using google. This has been taken from the DnD beyond character maker. This has been posted to make a URL. …
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Brexit Reset – Spring 2026
The Government has announced it plans to introduce a Bill to allow the Government to “dynamically align” with the European Union‘s single market. This comes at the end of a series of events over the last four and half months, since I wrote, https://davelevy.info/wiki/brexit-reset-winter-2025-26/ I comment on these at https://davelevy.info/labours-brexit-tanker-is-turning/, since then What’s disappointing is…
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Rouen
I didn’t know its Musee des Beaux Arts had the biggest impressionist collection outside Paris. Here are my notes. …
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Gibraltar & immigration
A treaty has been signed between the three parties. The headline is that Gibraltar is to become part of Schengen land.
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Military Air Transport in European NATO
I was thinking about how Europe might ensure its capability should the US reduce its commitment to NATO in Europe. In Pressing Reset, a Fabian pamphlet, Calvin Bailey MP, one of Labour’s ex-military MPs wrote in an article, “Defence Co-operation” that the UK had superior offerings in maritime capability, medical capability and logistics. The last…
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Electoral finance reform
Have the Labour Government finally decided to put a stop to foreign donations? The Guardian reports in an article entitled “Overseas political funding capped and crypto donations blocked in blow to Reform UK”. It’s an important issue but caps are needed for domestic donation too.
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Seurat and the Sea
An exhibition at the Courtauld, the inventor of pointillism … he died young in 1891 and so has a smallish body of work.
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