How to keep the money in the family

Fortunes dissipate in the third generation, that is a well demonstrated fact. Dynasties last four-five generations, even adopting extreme endogamy like Egyptian Pharaohs or Alexander's  Διάδοχοι successor dynasties, they are unsustainable. Lasting elite groups in history are India's Brahmins (who maintain their status over two thousand years) and the Jewish people (upper middle class everywhere)  and possibly, European aristocracy (that emerged with Pepin of Landen and ruled till WWI - see pic of a representative selection of nine kings*).  In more diluted way, it appears that the Norman fighting elite that entered Great Britain maintains its position to these days. 

The "secret" of a lasting multigenerational elite position is moderate endogamy. Marrying within the group,  mostly among successful members and constantly dropping off the unsuccessful. It is almost impossible to follow this rule for long because humans are by nature promiscous and unattracted to the familiar (which explains the rarity of fertile sibling pairing). The dropping off happened naturally during harsh winters and famine years, no one was forced to do morally repugnant selections, but now subsistence is ensured. 

The opposite of "keeping the money in the family" i.e. losing elite position in one or a few generations, is exogamy. Mixing between human lines, which happens to be the norm in recorded history. I have seen that in the Dominican Republic where the Spaniards have completely dissolved. It is happening all over the world. That's how it is. Can't do a thing. Accept and enjoy.  

As an old man nearing the end of his life, with neither fortune nor position to transfer to the next generation, I don't care and lack the ambition to change reality. All I want now is to avoid depression/indolence and complete this Ramat Gan job, and write that article about sewage pretreatment that I am dodging for months. 

(*) None of the faces radiates intelligence, or am I prejudiced against antisemites?

The Gods Thirst for Human Blood

There is something terribly wrong with the human brain that invents phantasy gods, makes human images from wood and believes that they thirst for human blood, and if not supplied, they would be terribly punished. Crops would fail and there would be famine and epidemies, and the worst, they would be defeated and massacred in the next battle.

This lunacy is universal: human sacrifice was imperative for the Aztecs, the Inkas, African tribes, the Druidic Europeans … and now I am reading that even ancient Sparta did not escape from this craziness. The pic. shows the altar of Artemisia - Orthia, where human blood ran in abundance till historical times. This Spartan cult existed already in the 9th Century BC around a rectangular earthen altar near the river. Later it was upgraded with river stones and surrounded by a wall. The Romans built an amphitheater around to allow tourists to watch in all comfort the sadistic ritual.

Originally, the cult addressed a xoanon (wooden idol) (pic) of malevolent reputation. Pausanias writes that the four villages making up Sparta  fell to quarrelling, which led to bloodshed; many were killed at the altar and the rest died of disease. Whereat an oracle was delivered to them, that they should stain the altar with human blood. He used to be sacrificed upon whomsoever the lot fell, but Lycurgus changed the custom to a scourging of the ephebos, and so in this way the altar is stained with human blood. 

J's Prognosis: More bloodshed to be expected. 

The Post-China Balance

The size of China’s displacement of the world balance is such that the world must find a new balance. It is not possible to pretend that this is just another big player. This is the biggest player in the history of the world. Lee Kwan Yew. 

I am starting to appreciate the Singapore genius. The entrance of the Chinese people in the world scene has changed  everything. Few realize it, and even fewer (or none?) are courageous to think it over to the end.

American elite universities are unable to solve the dilemma of a balanced student body. If meritocracy is worth something, then the student body will be Chinese with a sprinkle of Ayers and Jews. If they opt for balanced democracy, they need to discriminate against the Chinese. In Malaysia and Indonesia the Chinese minority accepts second-rank citizenship. Is that the American solution too?

There are many Think Tanks in America and Europe mapping out the future. How will all this end? They are not saying. Maybe the end is unhappy.



Is it good for the Jews? The little we know about the Kaifeng Jews shows that most of the time they were rich and powerful. They travelled to Peking to take the Imperial Civil Service exam and were promoted to mandarin positions.

My aunt Kovacs spent the war as a refugee in Shanghai. Never said a bad word about the Chinese people. As far as I know, the Chinese helped them.

 The Chinese allow others to live and we shall be able to live with them. 

Bad News for POT and me

Deep under the North York Moors Area there is a reservoir of potassium fertilizer without Cloride. It is better than the Dead Sea Potash. Sirius is selling it as POLY4. This thing could disrupt worldwide fertilizer markets and devaluate investments in Israel, Jordan, Saskatchewan, Ukraine and even the Colluli project in Eritrea. Sirius estimates the cost of production of POLY4 at 32.60 $ per tonne, and sale price of 158 $ per tonne. If that comes to fruition, POT called ICL in Israel is doomed. What really bothers me is the projected price for potash fertilizer, which is lower than current price. If so, the probability of fat dividends is zero. This week I shall start liquidating my beloved shares.

Kibbutz in the North

The family spent the weekend in the kibbutz of my little daughter. They have two factories, nut tree plantations and sheep. The managing committee is a gerousia of retired elders. My impression is that the commune is unsustainable, there is a permanent loss of younger people and birthrate under replacement. They compensate by accepting working age candidates, including Arabs, who - private opinion here -  are unsuited for egalitarian communal life. Some colored children. It is not behooving to notice the browning of the kibbutz. Let's hope no one reads this. 

Crossness Sewage Pumping Station becomes a Circus

Crossness was a key element of the 19th Century London's sewage system and it has been nicely conserved. It embodies the industrial revolution, with its massive iron pumps. Improbably, Crossness was transmuted into a tourist attraction and now, a circus. I wanted very much to visit it when in London but it was closed (asbestos removal). Next time. I like London. 

Turkish Paradox

Hungarian President Orban said that in this very moment, 100 thousand "refugees" are walking in the Balkan migration track, trying to infiltrate Europe. And Hungary is ready to repulse them with fire, should they reach the Slovak border. Personally he does not enjoy the idea, but there is Erdogan holding 2.5 million Syrian and Iraqi refugees in Turkey, being fed by EU transfers, and he may open the borders anytime he feels so.

Not that Europe cannot stop any number of unarmed pedestrian migrants, it could be done bloodlessly by erecting a wall, or by shooting the vanguard of the invader column. But Europe is paralyzed by its universalist ideals inherited from the French Revolution. They do not want to face Erdogan's blackmail and their position should be appreciated.

Erdogan pretends to represent and lead the Turks, but he is not. He is strong against Europe but weak against far away China. The Uyghur and the Kazakhstan Turks are being jailed and re-educated by their millions in Western China. An historically Turkish area that used to be called East Turkestan is being absorbed into ethnic China. One or two million Turks are jailed there and there is no one to talk for them, surely not Erdogan.  The Uyghurs are part of the enormous Turkish nation that lives from China to Europe, hundreds of millions of ethnically homogeneous people. It is not the first time China is absorbing a large piece of real estate, it has done in Tibet and today Tibet is securely part of China. But the Tibetans had no ethnic relatives nor allies, they were an isolated indigenous highland people. The Uyghurs should have ethnic Turkish and religious Muslim friends.  They never were friends of the Jews, so I shall say nothing for them. Let Erdogan defend them.  I end echoing Donald Trump's sentiment: The pox on all of them.