I think China is shooting itself in the foot if it wants to be no. 1. Lack of free speech, lack of food self sufficiency and disrespecting international norms will hold it back. China can build sports stadiums in Pacific countries but they still don't speak English and play rugby league.

I agree that unhappy times lie ahead, not so much from punks like Putin but the need to ration global resources. Towards 2030 minimum wage workers in Australia will have to pay $3-4 per litre to run their old rust buckets or buy a Chinese made EV for $40k. That's when electricity is not rationed. I dread what the future holds.

Anzac Day. There seemed to be less anti-lunacy this year, the real hatred coming from a bunch of school teachers wittering about an incident in WW1, where a New Zealand Anzac was knifed to death by one of a band Bedouins who constantly stole horses and equipment from the Anzacs.

When the Anzacs called on the chieftain to hand the man over, the request was refused, and a confrontation occurred. The much better trained and equipped Anzacs won.

I think ANZAC day should be abandoned.
It is an example of living in the past.
Information about the past is useful to us, but we shouldn't try to live there.
Glorifying past conflict is without value.
In similar vein, public statues, and the like, encourage hanging on to the past.
I disapprove strongly of them.
Let us learn from the past.
Record it by all means.
But leave it behind us.
Can we not move forward thoughtfully without this obsession for past events?