WILL NEXT YEAR BE LIKE THE LAST?

I write this edition of Sons of Issachar news, we are heading off to Tasmania to visit adult children who live there and traveling by ferry across the stretch of water (Bass Strait) that lies between the Australian mainland and Tasmania.

Figure 1. Ferry route for traveling between the Australian mainland and Tasmania

This is our first trip beyond the Australian mainland since the COVID-19 lockdowns occurred in 2020 and it feels like a big trip. We are taking our car on the ferry and it is a long journey because it takes a day for us to drive from the Snowy Mountains to the port of Geelong in the southern part of Australia. Then it is a nine-hour ferry trip then another half day to arrive in Hobart, our final destination. Two of our adult children live in Hobart, which was originally conceived of as a convict settlement (convicts were ensconced in Port Arthur, just over an hour’s drive from Hobart) where it was so remote that escape was impossible.

We are hoping that another lockdown isn’t implemented while we are there.

Looking Back at the “Pandemic”

Because of COVID-19, our last visit to Hobart was four years ago and we realized that much has happened in the world and in our thinking and understanding of la condition humaine since that time. It seems to me that the creation of the COVID crisis and the coordination by governments internationally with the draconian “solutions” of lockdown and vaccinations was a test of our understanding of freedom and individual rights.

As Western societies, we failed the test, and in Australia and New Zealand, the population succumbed to the unconscionable demand by the government for everyone to be vaccinated with a virtually untested vaccine. More than 90% of Australasian adults received at least 2 vaccinations and we are seeing the negative longer-term health consequences in many friends and family members who succumbed to the government vaccination propaganda.

Doctors were threatened with de-registration if they failed to support the vaccination program, and patients were “jabbed” with no understanding of the dangers that the vaccines posed to their health. Most people that we know were given the vaccines without any information about the potential side effects and very few even recognized that they were unregistered products. A fear campaign was mounted and “vaccine passports” were introduced which now have been accepted by the majority as the price for leaving the country or state. This is a control tool that will be utilized again.

Disinformation and misinformation laws are being introduced around the world, digital IDs are being prepared and we are being conditioned for future central bank digital currencies to be implemented. The commitment of Western democracies to “freedom” turns out not to have been worth the paper it was written on and “emergency biosecurity” laws can trump individual rights and freedoms.

Most people to whom I have spoken support overreach by governments here in Australia, which shows how effective it is to run a campaign of manipulation and fear. One of the most draconian state premiers, Dan Andrews, was voted back into power in Victoria after the lockdowns finished. In a weird demonstration of Stockholm Syndrome, Victorians said “thank you Dan” for abusing us and taking away all our rights.

There has been little appetite in Australia for a review of what happened during the COVID lockdowns and forced “vaccinations”, and most people are getting on with their lives as though nothing unusual happened. This is extremely concerning because when another “crisis” arises or is thrust upon us, a precedent has been set, and it is likely that the majority will comply so that we are “safe”.

Many tools to ensure compliance are now in place: biosecurity emergency laws, QR codes needed to walk into a shop or store, digital ID to move around or travel internationally with a “digital passport”, monitoring of electronic transactions, monitoring of social media posts and acceptance of a surveillance state. These tools are all extraordinary, and we seem happy as a society to sign our own warrants to confinement in 15-minute cities.

Future Cities

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, it has!

I only recently came across information about The Line, a futuristic city in Saudi Arabia that is to cost US$1 trillion. The Line will house 9 million residents in a city that is 170km long but only 200m wide. Everything will be available within a 5 min walk and you can travel end-to-end in 20 min. There will be no cars, and everything will be done by AI technology. The promotional video is worthwhile watching to see the horror that they are marketing as something desirable.

I have written in other editions of the Sons of Issachar Newsletter about 15-minute cities and the various mayors that have signed up to C40 cities – “a global network of mayors of the world’s leading cities that are united in action to confront the climate crisis” (see this link).

The mayors of 100 cities in the C40 network are proud to have signed up to an agenda where by 2030, their control of greenhouse gas emissions will be achieved by no vehicles, no meat, no dairy, no new clothes, in their cities. It sounds like a Klaus Schwab conspiracy theory, but you can read all about it on their website. There has been almost no publicity about this in any of the mainstream media, and yet this futuristic hell is proceeding, backed by trillions in Saudi support, and we are all being shepherded into a future where we will all be living like laboratory rodents.

Future Surveillance and Control

It seems as though we are sleepwalking into a future of surveillance and control. China has provided a template where we will all have social credit scores – see this link. This system has been admired by many Western leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.

It is not too late for us to wake up. Geert Wilders is a Dutch politician who for the last 15 years has been warning about the crisis in immigration and the threat of radical Islam. He was deemed to be an extremist and a conspiracy theorist. However as the Dutch people have been squeezed on all sides by the EU forcing emissions targets that shut down agriculture and an unceasing flow of immigrants, Wilders’ Dutch Freedom Party - gained the most seats in the recent Dutch elections. When people finally wake up to what is happening, they will take action to protect their country and way of life.

We need to understand the shocking implications for our way of life of the commitment by various governments to “net zero”. To achieve this horrific vision (which seems OK to most because it is by 2040 or 2050 and no-one is taking notice), here in Australia, almost one-third of Australia’s enormous land mass would need to be covered by solar panels or wind turbines - see this link. How crazy is this for a country with extraordinary reserves of coal and gas?

Looking ahead to 2024

Suddenly 2024 is just around the corner as I write this newsletter a few days before Christmas. Will 2024 be just like 2023? It seems unlikely. Here are just a few of the likely events that we will be facing:

• A financial system meltdown;

• Extension of global conflicts, particularly in the Middle East;

• A potential civil war in the US, as the right and left sides of politics accuse each other of destroying democracy and the justice system becomes increasingly political;

• Increasing aggression by China and the likely invasion or blockade of Taiwan;

• Increasing terror attacks by Islamists in various Western countries;

• Further global control by groups that are part of the UN, such as the WHO;

• Suppression of freedom of speech and increasing internet censorship;

• Increasing surveillance of Western citizens and spying by the surveillance state;

• Another “pandemic” that requires WHO-mandated lockdowns and vaccinations;

• A showdown across US cities with the millions of immigrants who were processed across the southern border;

• The collapse of the UK government with the socialist Labour government gaining a vast majority and nationalizing everything.

• Another election in Israel and a return to socialism.

• A major crisis in the US that will necessitate martial law before the November 2024 election.

Other than these challenges, I think that all will be well!

It seems a good time for us to take stock of our lives and do what we can to ensure our freedom. It seems very important to be careful with our electronic communications and to acquire secure email, pay for purchases with cash to ensure cash remains part of the payment system, make provision for short-term emergency food and water supplies and ensure good relationships within your local community.

Goals for 2024

As we leave behind 2023, it is good to think about goals for 2024. I recommend readers review my post from this time last year about goals - see this post from January 2023:

My most important goal for 2023 was to write and publish Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times. I set a number of short-term goals and, between Christmas and New Year, sketched out the detailed outline of the 16 chapters of my book. I also set writing goals for each week and month and completed the final editing of the book by late July. There is no doubt that the goal-setting process enabled me to have the discipline to write for 5-6 hours per day, for a number of months.

I have started to think about goal setting for 2024 and have been helped by a recent article in the Harvard Business Review – titled Use Strategic Thinking to Create the Life You Want - see this link.

Figure 2. Harvard Business Review article: Rainer Strack, Susanne Dyrchs and Allison Bailey, 6 December 2023

The article is quite long and complex but worthwhile working through. The authors note that the rush and challenge of everyday life result in short-term thinking for most of us, and we fail to think about the long-term and what our goals may be. They have created a program called Strategize Your Life and have tested it with more than 500 people to help develop individual life strategies. They note:

“You can create a life strategy at any time, but it can feel especially appropriate at certain milestones — a school graduation, the start of your first job, a promotion, becoming an empty-nester, retiring — or after a major life event, such as a health scare, a divorce, the loss of a job, a midlife crisis, or the death of a loved one. When you have a strategy, you will be better able to navigate all those transitions and difficult moments, building resilience and finding more joy and fulfilment while minimizing stress. This article will help you get started.”

The authors pose seven questions that are based on their work on business strategies:

“These steps can be easily adapted to an individual:

1. How do I define a great life?

2. What is my life purpose?

3. What is my life vision?

4. How do I assess my life portfolio?

5. What can I learn from benchmarks?

6. What portfolio choices can I make?

7. How can I ensure a successful, sustained life change?”

In the article, they work through each of the questions above, and they provide a helpful worksheet. I recommend reading and engaging with the questions in the article.

In the challenging times we live in, it is more important than ever to consider what we want life in 2024 to look like. Importantly, it is worthwhile reviewing 2023 and asking: what went well and what were my biggest disappointments?

A great mistake that I have made in the past is having too many goals, and most people fail in their New Year resolutions or goal setting. The key is to take the time to review the past year and then ask the following simple question:

What is one thing that, if I achieved it during 2024, would give me a sense of satisfaction and positively impact the lives of those around me?

Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times – Audiobook

My book Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times has just been released as an audiobook. I have included all the links below for where it can be obtained. It also will be available in the future on Audible and Spotify.

Figure 3. Cover for the audiobook version of Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times

Here are links to various audiobook distributors where the audiobook can be purchased:

 Barnes and Noble

Libro

Chirpbooks

Storytel

Kobo

Hoopla

Google Play Books

The book (in paperback and Kindle) has been well-received and it has been well rated on Amazon. Here are a few of the review titles that have been posted:

“Read it over and over again”, “A literary masterpiece that deserves a place on every bookshelf”, “Refreshingly practical, insightful and enjoyable mentorship experience”, “This is a must read”, “An insightful and beautiful guide” – see this link.

Many people have bought several copies as gifts, and it is not too late to purchase a hardcopy or Kindle Christmas gift. Here is the US Amazon link

The audiobook turned out to be a much bigger project than I originally anticipated. I worked with a local recording studio and thought that I would complete the project in just a few days. The book is almost 10 hours long, and it took me almost 4 months to complete with many edits and re-recordings. However, for those who don’t have the time to read or just don’t read books, the audiobook will hopefully be a great option.

I appreciate the feedback and support from Sons of Issachar readers during 2023 and look forward to continuing my writings on understanding the signs of the times in 2024.

I will not be sending out a newsletter again in 2023, but I will hope to publish a newsletter at the end of the first week of 2024. I am grateful to readers for their encouragement and support and wish you wonderful Christmas with time to simply relax and be with family. We all need to reinforce ourselves for the challenges ahead in 2024.

Figure 4. The Roses with Snowy and Teddy in a rare snowstorm in the Australian summer. November 2019.