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Paul Bernal @PaulbernalUK
, 3 tweets, 1 min read Read on Twitter
We Brits have got to stop this massive exercise in self-delusion. We’re not special. We’re not better than anyone else. We’re no less corrupt, not better at trade. Our history isn’t better. Our empire wasn’t better than other empires. We didn’t win the wars on our own.
We didn’t end slavery on our own - our hands are steeped in the blood of slaves. We didn’t invent industry on our own. Our scientists aren’t better than everyone else’s scientists. We didn’t invent democracy. We didn’t bring freedom to the world.
Our music, art and literature isn’t the only stuff worth listening to, looking at or reading. Let’s just stop thinking we’re so special. Enjoy our stuff - but respect the rest.
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At the risk of being attacked from all sides, a few short words on Brexit and the Labour Party. One thing I can see is that, in general, *both* sides of the argument have their hearts in the right place. Both want something positive in left wing terms. 1/
The Labour people advocating remain, don’t do so to protect their privilege, they don’t do so from ivory towers and to try to stop a genuine left wing government. Very much the opposite. They do so because they think Brexit makes a left wing government’s life much harder. 2/
For most, it’s a genuine concern that Brexit will harm exactly the people and institutions that Labour should protect. It will harm the NHS, cripple social care, raise food prices (which hit the poor the hardest) and so forth. It will make it much harder to reverse austerity 3/
Read 13 tweets
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It’s interesting that the ‘freedom’ that Brexiters seem to want - freedom to make trade deals - is freedom for government and big business, whilst the freedom they want to take away - freedom of movement - is freedom for individuals. You know, people.
And when I say interesting, I mean revealing. Brexit is about a shift of power *away* from people, and towards those already with power. ‘Trade deals’ mean nothing to most people. The terms are meaningless, the results too remote to have an effect.
There are, of course, peripheral benefits to trade deals. And by that I mean junkets, limousines, dinners, general gallivanting and carousing. No kick-backs of course, because we don’t do corruption in the UK. Not us. Never.
Read 7 tweets
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Little thread about conflict. Back in the 90s I worked on a series of ‘peace camps’ for kids from the various bits of former Yugoslavia - whilst the conflict was still going on. The camps were in Austria, run by Norwegian and Austrian NGOs. (Thread)
The kids were in their teens. There were Croats, Serbs, Kosovans, Bosnians and Vojvodinans involved. My role was to help them produce a kind of newsletter - early days of desktop publishing, I was a bit of a geek.
I was also there to be a general facilitator, to help with meetings between their various groups. These were kids from a nation literally tearing itself apart with war. Many had relatives who had died. Many were expecting to have to fight if things continued.
Read 9 tweets

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“If the path before you is clear, you are probably on someone else’s.” Purpose leaves you in doubt of your sanity. It is never clear but requires your faith and trust in God. The peace you get is the assurance that all will be well. Pilots trust instrument clusters not clouds.⛱
One would have thought that Tweets with Childlock as this, simplified to the fullest will not need explanation but they sometimes confuse the simple folks one was trying to help from sinking in the linguistic territory abnitio.
There is no one with a meaningful purpose that has a clear path. You can only have clarity on your ability and capacity (if you have found yourself) and would need to trust God in the rest. Look at Moses, was his path clear before the read sea? Of course not. It seemed impossible
Read 19 tweets
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ಸಿಂಧೂ ಸರಸ್ವತಿ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಯ ನಗರಗಳಲ್ಲಿ, ಮತ್ತು ಮಧ್ಯಪೂರ್ವ ದೇಶಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆದ ಉತ್ಖನನ ಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ದೊರೆತ ಆಧಾರಗಳಿಂದ ೪೦೦೦ ವರ್ಷಗಳ ಹಿಂದೆಯೇ ಈ ಎರಡೂ ಭಾಗಗಳ ನಡುವೆ ವ್ಯಾಪಾರ ವ್ಯವಹಾರಗಳಿದ್ದದ್ದು ತಿಳಿದು ಬಂದಿದೆ.

#ಸರಣಿ #thread #trade in #AmaruShataka #ಪಯಣಿಗನನಲ್ಲೆ #ಅಮರುಕ #Amaruka
ಇದೇ ರೀತಿ, ಸುಮಾರು ೧೮೦೦ ವರ್ಷಗಳ ಹಿಂದಿನ ಒಂದು ಗ್ರೀಕ್ ನಾಟಕದದಲ್ಲೇ ಕನ್ನಡ ಅಥವಾ ಕನ್ನಡದಂತಹ ಭಾಷೆಯ ಕೆಲವು ಪದಗಳು ಕಂಡು ಬಂದಿರುವುದನ್ನು ನೋಡಿ, ವಿದ್ವಾಂಸರು ಭಾರತದ ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಕರಾವಳಿಗೂ, ಗ್ರೀಸ್, ರೋಮ್ ಮೊದಲಾದ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರಗಳ ನಡುವೆಯೂ ವ್ಯಾಪಾರ ಸಂಬಂಧಗಳು ಇದ್ದಿರಬೇಕೆಂದು ಊಹಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

#ಸರಣಿ #thread #trade in #AmaruShataka
ಸಿಂಧೂ ನಾಗರಿಕತೆಯ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ವ್ಯಾಪಾರದ ಕುರುಹುಗಳನ್ನು ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯದ ಆಕಾರಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಹುಡುಕಲಾಗಲಾರದಾದರೂ, ಸುಮಾರು ೨೩೦೦ ವರ್ಷಗಳ ಹಿಂದಿನ ಕೌಟಿಲ್ಯನ ಅರ್ಥಶಾಸ್ತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿವ್ಯಾಪಾರಗಳು, ಸುಂಕ, ಊರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಎಂತಹ ಸ್ಥಳದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾರುಕಟ್ಟೆ ಇರಬೇಕು ಮೊದಲಾದ ವಿಷಯಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಪ್ರಸ್ತಾಪವಿದೆ.
#Arthashastra #Trade #Kautilya #Chanayka #History
Read 51 tweets
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#History/#Art thread – From my recent trip to Madurai/Tirunelveli. On Jain sites (some with a rich history dating back to at least the 3rd cent. BCE), early Pandyan rock-cut cave temples (7th-8th cent. CE) & the amazing Vettuvan koil.

Pic: Mahavira (~8 cent CE), Kizhakuyilkudi
Before I start on the places, the history around all this is fascinating & splits opinion. Is it apt to call the script Tamili/Tamil Brahmi? Did it develop independently in the Tamil country/come with the Jain monks from the north? Were 8,000 Jains actually impaled in Madurai?>
>Were the Saivites overaggressive in promoting their faith? Shall only be happy to discuss on these separately (unless it gets too long/irrational). And I’m not posting every inscription from the places here, despite their importance. Again, shall be happy to discuss them.
Read 40 tweets
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HISTORY -- With Nzekwe Gerald Uchenna

NIGERIA DURING THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE (Part 2)

THE EMPIRICAL STUDY OF THE YORUBA PEOPLE, AND HOW YORUBA OBA'S, CHIEFS AND YORUBA ELITES SOLD THEIR FELLOW YORUBAS DURING THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE ERA:
During the 19th century of the Transatlantic slave trade, Yoruba territory was known as the Slave Coast.
Uncounted numbers of Yoruba men, women and children were sold by their Tribesmen,and were shipped bounded in Chains at the Neck, Leg & Hands,to Portugal, Britain, Americas etc
The demand for African slaves during the slave trade was fuelled by the availability of a supply chain which involved African rulers, tradesmen/women who made fortunes out of selling their own people.
Unfortunately, so many Yoruba Elites got Wealthy through this Nefarious Trade.
Read 148 tweets
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The #FBI is turning 110! Follow along as we remember 11 decades in 11 days. Today we will highlight some of our milestones and significant cases from the early 2000s. #FBI110
In 2000 the #FBI's first Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory opened in San Diego. Today RCFLs across the country provide law enforcement agencies with technical support and training in support of criminal investigations. #FBI110 rcfl.gov
In 2001, following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the #FBI dedicated 7,000 of its 11,000 Special Agents and thousands of support personnel to the PENTTBOM investigation. It remains the largest investigation in FBI #history. #FBI110 ow.ly/6tFt30l6Z8R
Read 12 tweets
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1) Most of #history is a total lie, designed by people wanting to infer meaning of historical events in a modern context, as a means to elicit a response from you which suits their needs.

This is a story about the #rothschilds from the early 20th century.

#QAnon #GreatAwakening
2) Even within this tweetstorm are probably a lot of missing nuances. Do tell your stories.

I will start after #WWI and the Treaty of Versailles. It never made sense. Why divide #Germany in these pieces and leave it's people impoverished? Isn't this a recipe for resentment?
3) Why did the #Germans, even though a foreign boot never shot a boot on their soil, make overtures of peace to end the #war, while they were poised to win?

Their objectives were met.

Why was the #USA brought into WWI? Why were large payments sent to #communist #Russia? #QAnon
Read 17 tweets

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