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A Moment's Respite
Nov. 1st, 2023 11:01 pmHaving completed three days of training workshops (Introduction to Linux and HPC, Advanced Linux and Shell Scripting for HPC, GPGPU Applications and Programming), I now have something not quite akin to a break. It's been a challenging previous month; an international conference in China, and two short bouts off work with sick leave due to two different colds; I think the six days off for such a reason in one month is the most I've ever had in my life, which is quite a blessing really. Last week, of course, also included the final essays and exams for the second trimester of my climatology studies. Results for the previous round of assignments (Comparison between US and China NDCs for the Paris Accord, Reflection on climate mitigation opportunities in Te Tairāwhiti, Pacific Islands Ecosystem-Based Climate Adaptation) have come in quite satisfactory grades. But realistically, the combination of full-time study, full-time work, and all the additional worldly activities probably all added up.
Like anyone who pays some attention to international news, I have been giving some thought to the recent conflict in Gaza, an ongoing issue since the violent establishment of the Israeli state that was applied with very scant regard for the population that was already there. Quite frankly, the issue is unlikely to go away as long as the distinctions between people are given priority by obsessive and extremist people and their institutional powers above visceral and human commonality. I have written about such matters many times before; for example "The Country of Palestine: A Zero State Solution" and "Apartheid and Zionism: Precise Definitions, Visceral Ontologies", both of which I argue for a position which respects a Jewish homeland in a secular and democratic Palestine where's one ethnicity or religion is of no political or legal consequence. This is an ideal position of course far from the grubby "political realism" that is normally discussed. But it does align itself to a very grounded current position with a long history (e.g., Brit Shalom, Tahalof Essalam) for a moment's respite: Ceasefire now!
Like anyone who pays some attention to international news, I have been giving some thought to the recent conflict in Gaza, an ongoing issue since the violent establishment of the Israeli state that was applied with very scant regard for the population that was already there. Quite frankly, the issue is unlikely to go away as long as the distinctions between people are given priority by obsessive and extremist people and their institutional powers above visceral and human commonality. I have written about such matters many times before; for example "The Country of Palestine: A Zero State Solution" and "Apartheid and Zionism: Precise Definitions, Visceral Ontologies", both of which I argue for a position which respects a Jewish homeland in a secular and democratic Palestine where's one ethnicity or religion is of no political or legal consequence. This is an ideal position of course far from the grubby "political realism" that is normally discussed. But it does align itself to a very grounded current position with a long history (e.g., Brit Shalom, Tahalof Essalam) for a moment's respite: Ceasefire now!
