This is absolutely great passage where Sam Vimes discusses “The People”. "There were plotters, there was no doubt about it. Some had been ordinary people who'd had enough. Some were young people with no money who objected to the fact that the world was run by old people who were rich. Some were in it to get girls. And some had been idiots as mad as Swing, with a view of the world just as rigid and unreal, who were on the side of what they called 'the people.' Vimes had spent his life on the streets, and had met decent men and fools and people who'd steal a penny from a blind beggar and people who performed silent miracles or desperate crimes every day behind the grubby windows of little houses, but he'd never met The People. People on the side of The People always ended up disappointed, in any case. They found that The People tended not to be grateful or appreciative or forward-thinking or obedient. The People tended to be small-minded and conservative and not very clever and were even distrustful of cleverness. And so the children of the revolution were faced with the age-old problem: it wasn't that you had the wrong kind of government, which was obvious, but that you had the wrong kind of people. As soon as you saw people as things to be measured, they didn't measure up. What would run through the streets soon enough wouldn't be a revolution or a riot. It'd be people who were frightened and panicking. It was what happened when the machinery of city life faltered, the wheels stopped turning and all the little rules broke down. And when that happened, humans were worse than sheep. Sheep just ran; they didn't try to bite the sheep next to them." — Sir Terry Pratchett, Night Watch

Today's dose of Pratchett Preachin' comes from Small Gods - Pratchett's meditation on faith, wonder, and the strange ways humans decide what counts as a miracle. "Humans! They lived in a world where the grass continued to be green and the sun rose every day and flowers regularly turned into fruit, and what impressed them? Weeping statues. And wine made out of water! A mere quantum-mechanistic tunnel effect, that'd happen anyway if you were prepared to wait zillions of years. As if the turning of sunlight into wine, by means of vines and grapes and time and enzymes, wasn't a thousand times more impressive and happened all the time..." There's a quiet subversion in that passage. Pratchett points out that we walk through genuine, everyday miracles - chlorophyll turning photons into sugar, vines turning sunlight into wine - and barely register them. Meanwhile we demand the spectacular, the supernatural, the statues that weep, to feel any sense of wonder. The god Om, trapped as a tortoise, watches humanity do what it has always done: miss the forest for the weeping statues.

Here is Sir Terry Pratchett’s wisdom for today "Human beings are gregarious by nature. We need to be heard, we need to know that someone else is out there, and we need to feel that our thoughts matter more than a fart in a crowded lift." — Monstrous Regiment

Another classic from Sir Terry Pratchett "The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they’ve found it." — From 'Monstrous Regiment'

Iran: we’re blocking the straights of Hormuz. US: no!! We’re blocking the straights of Hormuz! Frankly, I’m confused.

Speaking my mind: as an influencer with 203 followers I think it’s incumbent on me to help my followers save money. Listen gang. You can use shampoo as body wash. I just did and it’s fine. A bit more sudsy sure but I (and you) can deal with it. Stop buying shampoo and shower gel. There’s no need. Thank you.

For the past 2 years we’ve had a genocide piped into our home. In 4K on our phones. Everyday. I’ve seen a father holding the remains of his son in a plastic bag, looking for the rest of him. Just like you I didn’t know how to react. I froze. I hid. I denied it. But… it happened, is happening. I don’t know how to react or respond but I know it’s evil and my inaction is destroying me.

This is a list I found on Facebook and I feel it needs to be saved and shared on nostr. Forever. It’s a list of healthcare workers who lost their lives being on the frontline during Covid. I’ve verified it and the names are real. It ends mid 2020. Not sure why. Please verify for yourself. I feel indebted to these heroes. They worked often without protection to keep us safe. I will always be grateful to them. Theirs names need to be circulated on nostr. Forever. UK Health and care workers who have died from Covid-19 255.Remigio Cabansag 254.Rizal Manalo 253.Richzeal Albufera 252.Dr Abdorezza Sedghi 251.Mark Lowe 250.Vivian Chikwan Ng 249.Nassar Hussain 248.Ricardo Bonsato 247.Syliva T see ideswell 246.Victor Dinoo 245.Castor Pablo Apostol 244.Dominga David 243.Allan Macalalad 242.Salih Hassan 241.Dr Mohinder Singh Dhatt 240.Andrew Ekene Nwankwo 239.Fiona Johnstone 238.Alanzo Smith 237.Kofi Aning 236.Justina Faltado 235.Resy Manalo 234.Joselito Habab 233.Dr Abdel Wahab Babiker 232.Liz Spooner 231.Fyngs Mullings 230.Peter Gough 229.Patrick Kamau Ngigi 228.Jun Terre 227.Paul Nutt 226.Neil Ruch 225.Evelyn Nicolas 224.Dr Thomas Oelmann 223.Jeanette McKenna 222.Carlos Sia 221.Dr Thaung Htaik 220.Lillian Mudzivare 219.Safaa Alam 218.Peter Hart 217.Norman Austria 216.Phil Rennie 215.Dr Poornima Nair 214.Dr Karamat Ullah Mirza 213.Eyitolami Olaolorun 212.Donna Fitzgerald 211.Mick Gallagher 210.Stephanie Wilcocks 209.Gill Oakes 208.Samson Maja 207.Janet Livingston 206.Andy Collier 205.Rachel Makombe Chikanda 204.Augustine Agyei-Mensah 203.Onyenachi Obasi 202.Julie Edward 201.Dr Martin Mansell 200.Johanna Daniels 199.Karen Hutton 198.Suzanne Loverseed 197.Jennie Sablayan 196.Sue Cairns 195.Carol Challoner 194.Sebi Devassy 193.Lalaine Lopez Pesario 192.Momudou Dibba 191.Mehool Patel 190.Nick Joseph 189.Dr Tariq Shafi 188.Olabode Francis Ajanlekoko 187.John Doyle 186.Khulisani Nkala 185.Eleuterio Gibela 184.Mark Woolcock 183.Cecilia Fashanu 182.Dr Saad Al-Dubbaisi 181.Robert Black 180.Dr Paul Kabasele 179.William Brodie 178.Rutendo Mukotsanjera 177.Emilita Hurboda 176.Mark Piggott 175.Mike Brown 174.Maria Victoria Prado 173.Afua Fofie 172.Ibilola Mary Aladejana 171.Van Lang Hoang 170.Rey Lever 169.Gill Oakes 168.Tony Kabia 167.Philomina Cherian 166.Dr Erwin Spannagl 165.Keith Dunnigton 164.Mark Stanley 163.Herbert Chinzou 162.Jermaine Wright 161.Elma Cavalida 160.Sharad Bhatt 159.Felicity Siyachitema 158.Tony Reuben Eriamiatoe 157.Garry Melia 156.Emilta Hurboda 155.Dawn Marshall 154.Muhammad Islam 153.Jane Mary Jongwe 152.Graham Thorne 151.Dr Furqan Ali Siddiqui 150.Adekunle Enitan 149.Julius Sana 148.Anujkumar Kuttikkottu Pavithran 147.Dr Nasir Khan 146.Fiona Anderson 145.Eileen Landers 144.Dr Kamlesh Kumar Masson 143.Jodon Gait 142.Jo Peter 141.Ken Lambatan 140.Miharajiya Mohideen 139.June Anderson 138.Janice Glassey 137.Andy Costa 136.Esther Akinsanya 135.Jayesh Patel 134.Melonie Mitchell 133.Laura Tanner 132.Larni Zuniga 131.Jenny Esson 130.Sharon Scanlon 129.Mahadaya (Mary) Jagroop 128.Khalid Jamil 127.Richard McKeag 126.Dr Vishna Rasiah 125.Dr Michael Scales 124.Charlie Goodwin 123.Angie Cunningham 122.Ian Reynolds 121.Dr Medhat Atalla 120.Sharon Bamford 119.Emma Davies 118.Katy Davies 117.Ann Shepard 116.Khulisani Nkala 115.Kirsty Jones 114.Juliet Alder 113.Dr Yusuf Patel 112.Julie Penfold 111.Josephine Peter 110.Grant Maganga 109.Dr Sadeq Elhowsh 108.Dr Muhannand Nowar Eltayib 107.Lindsay Marshall 106.Dr Manjeet Singh Riyat 105.Grace Kungwengwe 104.Joan Grimshaw 103.Nick Joseph 102.Alice Sarupinda 101.Sophie Fagan 100.Dr Hafiz Jalal 99.Dr Craig Wakeham 98.Gerallt Davies MBE 97.Amanda Forde 96.Joanna Klenczon 95.Chrissie Emerson 94.Patrick McManus 93.Liz Shale 92.Andy Stamp 91.Abdul Gellaledin 90.Ade Dickson 89.Barry England 88.Vivek Sharma 87.Margaret Tapley 86.Linda Clarke 85.Jenelyn Carter 84.Brian Mfula 83.Ricky Perico 82.Simon Guest 81.Dr Habibhai Babu 80.Dr Rajesh Kalraiya 79.Michael Allieu 78.Dr Mamoona Rana 77.Gordon Ballard 76.Gilbert Barnedo 75.Sonja Kaygan 74.Ate Wilma Banaag 73.Barbara Sage 72.Ruben Jr Munoz 71.Gaily Catalla 70.Dr Hamza Pacheeri 69.Steven Pearson 68.Dr Norman Jones 67.Dr Krishan Arora 66.Gladys Mujajati 65.Jane Murphy 64.Patricia Crowhurst 63.Brian Darlington 62.Julianne Cadby 61.Chloe Middleton 60.Linnette Cruz 59.Andrew Treble 58.Lourdes Campbell 57.Charles Kawme Tanor 56.Gladys Nyemba 55.Amrik Bamotra 54.Cheryl Williams 53.Ade Raymond 52.Elvira Bucu 51.Dr Peter Tun 50.Mary Agyeiwaa Agyapong 49.Josiane Zauma Ebonja Ekoli 48.Maureen Ellington 47.Amarante Dias 46.Dean McKee 45.Amanda Scott 44.Mandy Siddorn 43.Leilani Medel 42.Rahima Bibi Sidhanee 41.Melujean Ballesteros 40.Amor Padilla Gatinao 39.Kevin Smith 38.Donna Campbell 37.Elsie Sazuzue 36.Elbert Rico 35.Oscar King Jr 34.Sara Trollope 33.Andy Howe 32.Julie Omar 31.Dr Labeja Acellam 30.Gareth Roberts 29.Leilani Dayrit 28.Dr Paul Matewele 27.Carol Jamabo 26.Janice Graham 25.Catherine Sweeney 24.Emily Perugia 23.Donald Suelto 22.Dr Fayez Ayache 21.Dr Edmond Adedeji 20.Dr Abdul Mabud Chowdhury 19.Rebecca Mack 18.Barbara Moore 17.Dr Syed Zishan Haider 16.Prof Mohamed Sami Shousha 15.Alice Ong 14.Dr Anton Sebastianpillai 13.Dr Jitendra Rathod 12.Pooja Sharma 11.Glen Corbin 10.Dr Alfa Sa’adu 9.Dr Amged el-Hawrani 8.Dr Adil El Tayar 7.Dr Habib Zaidi 6.Aimee O’Rourke 5.Areema Nasreen 4.Lynsay Coventry 3.Liz Glanister 2.John Alagos 1.Thomas Harvey Please add names and share. @npub1e85m...v9em 9000

What are your thoughts on renaming bitcoin “Botcoin” ? @jack @ODELL #bitcoin

Another relevant Terry Pratchett quote about war. "People are always trying to kill each other. That’s why we invented the law. War is just the law in a different form — the law that says you have the right to kill, as long as you’re killing for the right reasons. And the right reasons are always the ones that make you feel better about yourself. The right reasons are the ones that make you feel like a good person. The right reasons are the ones that allow you to kill the other guy without feeling guilty. Because if you kill the other guy because he’s evil, then you’re not a murderer — you’re a hero. And if you’re a hero, you can’t be guilty. You’re just doing what you have to do." – Monstrous Regiment