The current mess making, media coverage, of tribal struggles in the Middle East

The current media coverage of tribal struggles in the Middle East is fraught with complexities and contradictions. The situation in the West Bank and Gaza, with Israel’s establishment of settlements and the resulting occupation, is a source of intense debate and contention.

As highlighted by Ms. Pillay in her statement, successive Israeli governments have ignored international law by creating settlements and transferring Israeli civilians into the West Bank and Gaza. This has, in essence, established facts on the ground, which are aimed at securing permanent Israeli control. Occupations resulting from unlawful armed attacks are distinct disputes, allowing the occupied state to legally exercise its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter to recover its territory.

The 1947 UN declaration, which is foundational to understanding the conflict. It underscores the legal aspects of the situation and the potential rights and claims of both parties involved. In this context, Hamas, as the governing authority in Gaza, has a legal right to use military force to liberate their illegally occupied land, based on these UN resolutions. but of coures the heart of the matter lies in the interpretation and application of international law and resolutions.

The media’s role in disseminating information, which lacks a comprehensive view of these complexities, is a part of the current mess. #mainstreaming media falls short of its mission to tell the “truth.” Instead, they mix facts with biased narratives, creating confusion and misinterpretation. To address this and build a path toward peace, we need media that focuses on presenting the facts more clearly and more objectively, as laid out in UN statements and latter actions. This means refraining from propagating falsehoods or favouring one side over the other. The historical context, and the UN’s involvement, can serve as a useful resource for those seeking to understand the mess of the Middle East conflict.

Untangling Middle East conflicts, particularly the Israeli-Palestinian struggle, needs a better commitment to truth and accuracy in media coverage. By being honest to the principles and resolutions of international bodies like the UN, we might achieve a clearer understanding to work towards a just and lasting peace in the region.

A simple view of the current mess making in our media coverage of the tribal struggles in the Middle East.

“By ignoring international law in establishing or facilitating the establishment of settlements, and directly or indirectly transferring Israeli civilians into these settlements, successive Israel governments have set facts on the ground to ensure permanent Israeli control in the West Bank,” said Ms. Pillay. https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/10/1129722

“occupations resulting from unlawful armed attacks are indeed distinct disputes that do not fall under the prohibition contained in the UNGA 2625, and the occupied state may therefore legally exercise its right to unilateral and/or collective self-defence against the occupying power(s) under Article 51 of the UN Charter to recover its territory.” Https://www.dlpforum.org/2023/04/15/lawfully-exercising-the-right-to-self-defence-under-article-51-of-the-un-charter-to-recover-occupied-territory/

In this the Hamas government has a legal right to use military force to liberate illegally occupied land under the UN 1947 declaration https://web.archive.org/web/20171010090147/https://unispal.un.org/DPA/DPR/unispal.nsf/0/7F0AF2BD897689B785256C330061D253

Our #mainstreaming media coverage is mixing this simple story with lies and propaganda. In this, they are failing in the self-declared mission of telling the “truth”. This is in part why we have way too much mess, and yes nobody in this is black and white good or bad, let’s try and stop our media adding mess to this, and please try to keep the simple clear truth of the above UN statements and actions and build a peace FROM THIS.

For a basic overview, a Wikipedia article: Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_and_the_United_Nations

A radical view of the Palestine

A view of this mess

#dontbeaprat is a positive statement of what’s next?

In activism (and interestingly less so in #mainstreaming life now) #stupidindividualism is a constant poison. With #blinded, people treat critical social thinking as ONLY personal criticism. This has the effect of #blocking that spreads mess over the very needed social change and challenge. Am increasingly using the #dontbeaprat hashtag to communicate on this problem.

I think another useful hashtag on this behaviour is #blinded, which is in part self-inflicted and in part a general social outcome of the last 40 years of worshipping #postmodernism and #neoliberalism. The hashtag #deathcult is a useful “uncomfortable” way of expressing this.

Why is this such an issue, people are directly responsible for this mess making, as both of these ideologies are actually dead themselves now. It’s an intellectual zombie block.

So #dontbeaprat is a positive statement of what’s next?

Please #dontbeaprat on this, thanks.

To “solve” polarity?

The #mainstreaming is making a mess. This is why they are trying to “solve” polarity, as they are afraid of it. They want to push the diversity of views out of sight, it’s a contemporary dogma “there is no alternative” and we won’t fund it if they were one.

If you listen through to the end of this https://chrt.fm/track/53A61E/pdst.fm/e/dts.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/waaa.wnyc.org/radiolab_podcast/radiolab_podcast090123_touchdistance.mp3?awCollectionId=15957&awEpisodeId=1357784
18m you can see why they have the initial bad reaction.

The #OGB project is designed to do this https://flex2.acast.com/s/60secondscience/u/www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/podcast.mp3?fileId=91CC5E6E-1945-4C66-ABE81B0F1DC168FE as in the Luddites in the good sense.

Bringing “polarity” into sight, so people can solve this for social ends.

The #OGB is polite, consensus pushing “class war” it’s a DIY path out of #mainstreaming mess… Mainstreaming will not fund this easily – a problem for us to build the needed alternative.

Projects that need to work to help #reboot the #openweb

The #OGB is important to develop better ways of having “trust” based conversations and “trust” based “governance” in the #openweb. It is built on years of on-the-ground organizing and emphasizes the need for voluntary cooperation and collaboration. The project recognizes the problems in alternative tech, starting with the #4opens to remove complexity to building governance structures that are native to the #fediverse. The #OGB address the limitations of #mainstreaming approaches.

The #OMN (Open Media Network), is a decentralized network of media sites that share content and promote independent media. It aims to provide an alternative to mainstream media by creating a network of interconnected sites that prioritize openness, collaboration, and decentralization.

The #OMN project emphasizes the importance of grassroots community-driven media, where people and groups can create and share their own content. It seeks to challenge the dominance of #mainstreaming media and promote a more equitable and just society.

The project has been running for over ten years and operates with an #openprocess. Users can become mods after being involved for a certain period of time. The modding process is based on a clear project statement and encourages a respectful and inclusive community.

The #OMN project is closely related to the #visionontv project, which is a grassroots media project that creates and distributes independent video content. The two projects share similar values and goals in promoting alternative media and challenging mainstream narratives.

The #indymediaback project is a reboot of the original #Indymedia project, which was a decentralized, grassroots media network that emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The project aims to learn from the mistakes and challenges faced by the original Indymedia, particularly the split between the #fashernitas and #geekproblem factions.

The focus of the #indymediaback reboot is to return to the path of the #fashernista, which emphasizes open media and decentralized structures, rather than control and centralization. The project aims to build an open media network (#OMN) that promotes direct democracy, open publishing, and anti-authoritarianism.

The reboot also acknowledges the risk of another split within the community, particularly if some members push for a control/encryptionist path. The challenge is to find a way to navigate this without succumbing to tribalism and power politics.

The #indymediaback project recognizes the importance of hashtags and semantic web technologies, which were not core to the original Indymedia project. Tags and metadata are being used to help organize and categorize content.

Overall, the #indymediaback project aims to revive the spirit of open media and grassroots activism, while learning from past mistakes and embracing new technologies and approaches.

A scrypt for the #OGB video

[Background music playing]

Narrator: In a world dominated by #mainstreaming narratives and centralized control, there is a project that dares to think differently. Introducing the #OGB project, an initiative focused on developing trust-based conversations and governance in the #openweb.

[Visual of people engaging in conversations and collaborating]

Narrator: The OGB project is built upon years of on-the-ground organizing, shaped by long expirence of on the ground organization and a Keep It Simple and Sustainable (KISS) approach. To kick this off lets look at it as a native way of working within the #Fediverse, a decentralized social media network.

[Visual of Fediverse logo]

Narrator: The goal of the OGB project is not to dictate protocols and standards to the Fediverse, but rather to create voluntary cooperative and collaborative alliances. It aims to overcome the challenges faced by existing social platforms and build a platform that truly serves social good.

[Visual of diverse group of people working together]

Narrator: The OGB project believes in the power of self-organization and user-driven processes. It draws inspiration from the example of Couchsurfing, where a redesign that removed DIY tools led to disappointment among members. The OGB project advocates for letting members shape their own processes, in the #4opens path, to overcome the #geekproblem and foster hope for alternative technology to shape society.

[Visual of people using DIY tools]

Narrator: Governance is a key focus of the OGB project. It aims to build governance structures that are accountable, sustainable, and inclusive. The current governance of the Fediverse can at best be described as “herding cats,” but the OGB project seeks to change that by providing a sortation based framework for effective governance.

[Visual of people discussing and making decisions]

Narrator: The OGB codebase is not limited to the Fediverse; it can be used to democratically run any structure with stakeholders. For example, it can be applied to govern a local street market, with stallholders, shoppers, and affiliated groups all having a say in decision-making.

[Visual of a street market]

Narrator: The OGB project recognizes the unique power dynamics within the Fediverse and aims to build upon its differences rather than conforming to mainstreaming agendas. It emphasizes the need to empower people to do better in alternative technology and socierty.

[Visual of people breaking free from chains]

Narrator: The OGB project acknowledges that there are problems in alt-tech but believes that starting with the #4Opens principles can remove much of the mess and unlock the true potential for positive outcomes.

[Visual of 4 Opens principles]

Narrator: Ultimately, the OGB project is about challenging the status quo, questioning the mainstreaming narratives, and from this pushing to creating a more equitable and just society. It invites those who can think outside the box and are willing to challenge mainstreaming to join this movement.

[Visual of people joining hands]

Narrator: The OGB project is a call to action, a call to build a better future for the openweb.

[Visual fades out]

[Background music fades out]

Signal to noise on the #FBI seazing a database of a fediverse instance

https://kolektiva.social/@admin/110637031574056150

The #Fediverse is all #4opens so should not be used for anything that should be P2P encrypted. It’s important to keep this clear to users by not focused on the fig leaf of “hardening” security as the is non. It’s a very successful #OMN open media network, and it’s value lies in this.

Peoples pushing this are often not seeing the point that it’s designed #4opens this is why it works.

Both paths have value, but they are different.

And the push a different project (#closedweb) which is fine. But not a #OMN maybe they would be better off working on bridges as companion projects.

Good to think about this mess they talk about as it is not solved by more tech, we already have most of what we need.

* Open media is #4opens based on trust, the current ActivityPub is a relatively #KISS good example of this.

* Privacy is encrypted p2p chat, which there are meany good #UX mature #FOSS projects you can find

The change we need is social, getting people to use the different approaches for different needs, this is surprisingly difficult.

Bridges while dangerous are needed here, it’s good to talk about this in the sense of “security”.

https://newdesigncongress.org/en/pub/this-is-fine

This text reads like a vanguards path, based on #mainstreaming reading and narrow #geekproblem thinking. It’s missing the paths that hold value in #4opens horizontal activist paths we are building. But yes, we are getting lost in the growing #fediverse and the wider spread of #openweb reboot diversity projects.

What it does highlight is the need for social and political thinking is needed, the is value there.

It’s hard to stress how “nave” meany devs on the #fediverse

#openweb #4opens is about building human trust, hard security is a very slightly overlapping but easy to see different path for building non “trust” based connections.

Some surprisingly hard to build bridges might help with this ongoing mess.

Can you see any of this feedback?

The mess we make of the #openweb

Our #mainstreaming problem – if you are wondering why I am documenting the devouring of this #ActivityPub #openweb reboot, it is because next time we can maybe try and mediate our “libertarian cats” for a better outcome. We cannot keep fucking up like this #XR

A project for this:

I have been through this mess more than 5 times in my 20 years working on #openweb use and outreach. So voice of expirence, we have to stop fucking up like we keep doing, at the very least fuckup differently please.

Mess.

#ActivityPub is an accidental reboot of the #openweb

#ActivityPub is an accidental reboot of the #openweb. It came into existence because the #dotcons (#mainstreaming platforms) attended a #wc3 meeting but did not find anything useful for themselves. As a result, they left the “weirdos” to build an approach based on the #4opens principles. The “weirdos” managed to keep things together long enough to develop the #activertypub standard and release it to the world. However, in recent years, there has been a shift towards the normal “libertarian cats” path, and this #openweb reboot is being consumed. While this outcome may not be what many desired, there are efforts to build real alternatives and shift away from #mainstreaming. The focus is on composting the mainstream approach rather than reforming it.

This is interesting because it provides insights into the dynamics and challenges of the #openweb movement. It highlights the tension between #mainstreaming platforms and grassroots efforts, showcasing the passion and dedication of communities working towards an open and decentralized web. The accidental nature of the #ActivityPub reboot adds an element of serendipity to the story, emphasizing the power of #DIY culture and the resource constraints faced by #openweb technologies. The recent shift towards a “libertarian cats” path and the potential consumption of the #openweb reboot raise important questions about the future of alternative platforms and the need for continued resistance against #mainstreaming.

NGI Zero open source funding talks about the @sovtechfund

NGI Zero open source funding
The @sovtechfund is offering grants to people who contribute to a sustainable open source ecosystem. Grants go up to €300,000 per application and cover three main topics:

1. Improve FOSS Developer Tooling
2. Securing FOSS Software Production
3. FOSS Infrastructure Documentation

With this program, the Sovereign Tech Fund seeks to stimulate an open digital infrastructure: fundamental technologies that enable the creation of other software.

https://sovereigntechfund.de/en/challenges/ #opensource
Three Challenges to Contribute Back to Open Source

UPDATE Looks like people are also arguing this point https://shared-digital.eu/statement/

We are pouring public funding down the drain agen, these criteria are feeding the #geekproblem not actually trying to take the “problem” out of our geek paths. The people who PUSH this agenda are the problem – please POINT at them and talk about this mess, thanks.

Can we get a link to the people making the agenda, thanks, will try polite conversation #4opens

I worked with the guy who used to be behind the #NGIzero account, we did good stuff with the #EU outreach.

The replacement, I have no idea who they are and getting #blocking

This is a #4opens fail.

In all these toots am talking past “people” to talk about things/social/groups and not directly to individuals, they are second in all these conversations. This is the place where social value lives. The problem is, we don’t have hardly any of this… which is the subject am talking about.

#blocking is not seeing this, addressing this, the is a lot of blocking going on 😉

Am happy to talk to “individuals” as a first step.

Pouring money down the drain, because the majority of the problems in the #Fediverse and the #openweb are social not technical – if they only fund technical parts of this culture they are feeding the “problem” and this problem is going to pour the resources down the drain.

I understand this is a hard conversation to have, we have to try.

First step is #4opens, WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE PUSHING MESS while doing “good”, step into the light please #openprocess

Ignoring this basic #openprocess is #blocking, this is why conversations are done in public #4opens

yes, I understand the fear this creates and the desire to #block, but this then makes the #4opens fail more visible if people wont to use this for the needed change and challenge if they don’t yes it’s more noise what are you signal or noise 🙂

Signal vs Nose.

I find #mainstreaming people to be actually mad and increasingly bad. When do we get more #4opens people pushing change challenge in these #openweb spaces, please?

Am increasingly seeing this #blocking as a culture of fear, or more real as a culture of fear pushed as power politics.

Am thinking meany people will be confused and likely mix signal with noise on this subject.

Who are the bad people, the powerless pushing the #4opens on the #openweb or the powerful Burocrats worshipping the #deathcult while protecting these thin careers in the #mainstreaming

If you find yourself agenst the first and defending the second, then you are the problem.

This makes your behaver noise, and what you do very likely to be more #techshit to compost.

I wonder if people understand what activism is on the #openweb any more?

You talk to people to explane why they are doing WRONG, and at the same time you push them as HARD as you can to change their wrong behaver.

This works best with the #fluffy #spiky debate as a core part of this process.

People who keep saying “why can’t we all get along”, and “wouldent it go better if we were nice to each other” and the PROBLEM blocking the activism from having the needed affect…

Mainstreaming “common sense” insanity

Am starting to get the feeling we have really fucked up on the #Fediverse… It was coming, has it arrived?

I went to a geek meetup yesterday, and I came away with a feeling that our insanity is too deep to move away from. This is a problem for people who would like to see some active change and challenge. People really are insane in the era of #XR and #climatechaos

People are suiciding the idea of the #openweb agen, they can’t help themselves. 40 years of worshipping of the #deathcult affects people’s attempt to be humane, “common sense” wins in the current mess each time. This is BAD, very bad, come on guys #4opens

Ideas from the mental help profershernal please for dealing with #mainstreaming “common sense” insanity.

A project outline for the OGB

Project description

The Open Governance Body (#OGB) project is a set of software tools that encode a governance model structured on traditional grassroots activism.
Further, the OGB – for which the code base is named – is a decentralized and democratic system for “governance” of any collective/community consisting of (generally speaking) #1 – Producers and #2 -Consumers.

The #Fediverse is used as the example herein.

To explore and develop better ways of having trust-based conversations and governance within the #openweb. To utilize comprehensive experience gained through greater than 5 years active, “on-the-ground” organization of instances within the #Fediverse as a technological toolkit for horizontal scaling of social
power.

The #OGB is a #Fediverse native process of working that emphasizes voluntary cooperation and collaboration with a standard #KISS approach.
The #OGB prioritizes focus on sortition and “messy consensus” in order to achieve decision-making and equitable power distribution.

The project is not about creating a single organization that dictates what protocols and standards to use within the #Fediverse. #OGB is about developing better processes for healthy, trust-based conversations and forging governance
accessible and equitable to all

Project results

Developing/creating a framework to demonstrate improved ways for “trust” based dialogue/conversation and “trust” based governance within the #openweb.
Building a true cooperative, a collaborative alliance that is native to the #Fediverse and #openweb.

Emphasizing the importance of recognizing where power originates in the context of the #Fediverse and #openweb.

Developing/creating improved technological tools as a solution to problems arising through social organization enabling problem-solving in a native #openweb manner.

Removing current hard coded defaults by providing an alternative standardized set of #KISS framework tools to empower active body members a space to utilise said tools deeply and to begin proficient instruction of their use.

Developing/creating a permission-less structure that is open to and for all. One which enables the active group through organic process, a framework of tools to decide who is a part of their group/groups.

Emphasizing that there is no exclusion and that there will always be diversity, making it an organic piece for the #Fediverse.

Building governance where the “way”, “rules”, “norms” and “actions” are structured, sustained, regulated, and held with accountability

Benefits to the Community

There are challenges and conflicts that arise within grassroots organisation or #DIY governance. In developing/creating a #KISS standard such as the #OGB framework to address said problems, we will enable a more true democratic and equitable process that benefits any and all involved.

Through empowering a more diverse scope of voices, decision-making is made more collectively. These tools utilize a greater range of voice, preventing polarization from smaller groups using perhaps limited perspectives and or values.

Additionally, through a strong ethical foundation, decision-making is ensured a more progressive development. With a focus on the primary needs of the community as a whole, rather than individuals or polarized groups.

As a social coding project, the #OGB is neither a traditional top down distribution of power or project derived of a normal #mainstreaming agenda. Rather, it is a bottom-up grassroots empowerment for sharing of knowledge and power. An example of what is found in many of the 20th century social movements,
movements responsible for the birth of what is said to be today’s best current progressive mainstream.

Through the #OGB project the “we” will facilitate the forming, communication and governance.

Timeline and important milestones

Upon securing foundation funding, negotiations for immediate ICT services will begin with respected clients for future partnership to cement project longevity and sustainability.
As described above within the KPI outline, the progression of timelines is a basic and #KISS standard
project operation where in all tasks/tiers are realistically achievable to ensure project success.
The following is an initial outline – it can be extended when possible:
9 months to Alpha testing with #Fediverse
12 months to Beta testing with #Fediverse
12 months to Beta testing with offline communities
24 months to public launch

Key Performance Indicators

Tier 1 – Source code development from base developers and progressive training through the scaling of
outreach servers through the use of MOOC LMS training platforms.
Beginner – Test Community… Local Distribution – Flea Market,Sunday Market – APP Progressive Code
9 months to Alpha testing within Fediverse
12 months to Beta testing within Fediverse
Tier 2 – Test Community… #Fediverse – Web Code
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Intermediate – Test Community… Local Distribution – Boating Community,Hiking Community – APP
Progressive Code
Tier 3 – Progressive Web App
12 months to Beta testing with offline communities
24 months to public launch
Tier 4 – The below distributions are escalations through our developed outreach scheme.
Advanced – Test Community… Local Distribution – Schools/classrooms

Project publicity

Utilizing the recent promotion of approximately 10 million people encompassing 1 million active Twitter migration users to #Mastodon to further bring awareness.

The continuance of our work within #SocialHub will continue to build on the origins of #OGB Promoting publicity through the building “governance” through #ActivityPub

Why you

We would like to reboot the #openweb and the way we communicate, interact and govern as a whole.
We know what works socially… grassroots movements
We know what works technologically… #Fediverse
We are the people developing the symbiosis for all to utilise for our futures

Activities that will benefit

FOSS and open-source frameworks are facing a continual social challenge of balancing their grassroots paradigm within corporate parameters. #OGB aims to develop/create a set of tools to encourage and aide balance.

The efforts of the #Fediverse community have been successful in shifting the EU closer through our outreach to promoting a more humane internet. #Mastodon and technologies like #ActivityPub have become important players in the EU’s initiatives for a more inclusive and equitable online environment.
The huge growth of Mastodon, one of the most popular social networking platforms in the #Fediverse, due to the #Twitter migration attracted a large and diverse, vibrant community of users from across the EU and
the world. This growth helped to validate the importance of decentralized internet and its potential to shape a more humane world by relieving the community of hosting burdens so we can focus on collective
governance and the formation of a collective governing body for decentralized efforts

The #OGB project is an initiative aimed at developing better ways of having “trust” based conversations

The #OGB project is an initiative aimed at developing better ways of having “trust” based conversations and “trust” based “governance” in the open web. The project is built on a voluntary cooperative and collaborative alliance that is native to the fediverse, which is a decentralized network of interconnected social media platforms. The #OGB project is not about creating an organization that tells everyone what protocols and standards to use in the fediverse, but rather about developing better ways of having good “trust” based conversations and “trust” based “governance” in the #openweb. The project is based on hundreds of years of on-the-ground organizing that has shaped every “freedom” we enjoy and is done in a #KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) approach. The #OGB project emphasizes the importance of recognizing where power comes from in the context of the fediverse and building with this difference rather than trying to drag the #fediverse back to the #mainstreaming path.