Lev Lafayette's journal

Over the past few weeks, I have had the opportunity to touch base with music, fine art, and film. In terms of music, I have been in excellent company with successive evening concerts and picnics at the Botanical Gardens, including Basement Jaxx, Leftfield, and Cut Copy, all of whom are significant international acts in the electronic dance genre. This said, all three bands played a number of their most well-known pieces (e.g., "Red Alert", "Romeo" from Basement Jaxx, "Open Up", "Release the Pressure" from Leftfield, "Time Stands Still" from Cut Copy") with great acumen and with surprisingly clarity, which is not always easy at an outdoor venue. It will make for multiple reviews on Rocknerd, even though I have reviewed a Leftfield concert in the distant past. Plus, in a completely different genre, I must also mention attending an EP launch for folkish performers Crittenden Tyndall with Jack Marshall.

Recently, I also have the National Gallery of Victoria for two special exhibitions. The first is the Westwood and Kawakubo fashion exhibit, with Westwood offering reinterpretations of British styles, especially in punkish tartan and flowing gothic gowns, whilst Kawakubo often presents extreme creations that remind me of the Bauhaus style. The latter is the 75 Years of Women Photographers, a magnificent 20th-century international and Australian collection that included the sort of flair that I normally associate with surrealist and abstract painting; Dora Maar, Lola Bravo, Annemarie Heinrich all caught my attention in particular. As an example of interactive art, I was also invited to a "Rats and Barbells" craft event, where I made Gandalf the Rat.

Moving on to film, Nitul (who was also with me at several of the aforementioned events) and I saw "I Swear" (hat-tip to Rade), a new film on the life of John Davidson. Funny, sad, and sometimes frightening, it was an honest and sympathetic view of people with the condition, with more than an inkling of hope. On a entirely different trajectory, I also attended of the opening of a science fiction film festival with the independent film, The Man Who Saw Them Arrive", mainly about Colin Cameron a UFO spotter who was based in Kew. The enthusiasm of other UFO spotters in the room required me to remind myself that this was a science fiction film festival.

Finally, and also on a related note, I attended some valedictory drinks for one John Atkinson, who recently died well before his time (thank you, Helen D, for organising the events). In his professional work, he was on popular Australian TV shows including "Chances", "Out of the Blue", "Home and Away", "McLeod's Daughters", etc., most of which I have little interest in, although the last episodes of "Chances" were hilarious . Personally, however, we got along quite well. He was one of my first flatmates in Melbourne, and we shared a mutual interest in French aesthetics, which definitely included red wine, cuisine, new wave movies, and fencing. Over the years, we managed to stay in touch after he moved interstate, and he could always entertain with stories of misadventures. Ever living the bon vivant lifestyle with passion, he was well-suited to his profession and would have done well in future years. Again, we are reminded of the shortness of life.

Whilst the terrible and illegal war in the Middle East expands with increasing loss of life, it seems almost avoidant to concentrate on climatology matters as I have done for a lot of the past week. Still, one should be concerned with ongoing, creeping long-term issues as well as the literally explosive, immediate ones. Further, as the ever astute critic of political power and its abuse, Clinton Fernandes points out part of the reason that the United States is at war with Israel is to control China's access to high-sulphur Iranian oil, which accounts for over 14 per cent of its supply. National security is yet another reason why the rapid transition away from fossil fuels is so critically important for any country that desires to be truly independent, and why any country with internationally significant supplies of oil that is not part of USian imperialist control (e.g., Venezuela, Iran) are being targeted and why Canada is still on Trump's list for annexation.

Earlier this week was Adam Ford's "Future Day", a three-day online conference featuring various futurologists primarily discussing artificial intelligence and longevity. My own contribution was a presentation on "Critical Issues for the Global Climate" which I have produced a slidedeck, something approximating a transcript, and with the video available on YouTube. At over 4000 words, the presentation covers the core science of climatology (Earth's energy budget, carbon cycle, physics of GHGs), the industrial age and observed changes, environmental changes, the Anthropocene Extinction Event, and energy trajectories and future global policy directions. Concluding remarks identify climate change as a critical issue and one subject to "race conditions", and note that the policy route, whilst necessary, is currently falling short of requirements.

The other major climatology study completed this week was a 4500-word paper for my Euclid University studies in "Global Energy and Climate Policy", namely "Energy Production Under The Paris Agreement: Options for Developing Pacific Island Countries". Energy production is the major source of GHG emissions and, despite rapid changes toward renewables - especially solar and wind energy - fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas dominate global energy production. "L'Accord de Paris", requires all signatories (which excludes Iran, which never ratified, and the United States, which withdrew) to increasingly reduce emissions for each report of their own Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in an effort to keep global temperature increases below 2 degrees C. For developing Pacific Island Countries, this is an issue: they are micro-contributors to GHG emissions, both absolutely and relatively, are especially sensitive to the effects of climate change, and, with underdeveloped infrastructure, are vulnerable. They require adaptation more than mitigation, and that's not required by the Paris Agreement. The conclusion I have reached is that the Paris Agreement requires an extension that includes requirements for both adaptation and mitigation.

With over 8000 words written on climatology in the past week, you would be forgiven for thinking that I've probably had enough on the subject for a while. On the contrary, my interest has actually increased. Whilst often a grim study (depression and anxiety are occupational risks among climatologists), the science provides multiple interesting avenues of investigation, the technologies provide a slim glimmer of hope, and the politics illustrate the dangers and difficulties of managing global matters within the limitations of sovereign nation-states. It is a life's work, a life's interest, and it is in the advocacy for life itself that makes this the most important scientific and moral challenge of our time.

Last night I was a guest at the Chinese New Year concert at Hamer Hall, an event organised by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra with the Chinese consulate. The concert was a good mix of modern and classical, East and West. Mindy Meng Wang's performance on the guzheng for The Butterfly Lovers was especially notable, and Li Biao's enthusiasm as conductor could not go unnoticed. The main part of the programme, Beethoven's 7th Symphony, is far from my favourite, but I do really like the dreamlike dirge of the second movement. There were also meet-and-greet functions before and after the concert, where one had the opportunity to meet various guests, organisers, and performers, along with vox-pop interviews from CCTV. It is certainly the season for such things, with, of course, the ACFS hosting our own concert next week.

As a sort of musical juxtaposition, earlier this week I wrote a review on Rocknerd for the most recent album, "Crocodile Promises" by The March Violets. Once a post-punk band from the early 80s, their company could also include groups like The Chameleons, The Comsat Angels, The Sisters of Mercy, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, etc. However, more recently, they have moved to a more alt-rock sound, which isn't wrong (bands should develop their sound), but it is different. The album positively thunders along and is a deeply emotional collection of songs, of which "Bite the Hand" really stood out to me. On a related note (pun not intended), I have been delving quite deeply in recent days into the older albums by The Comsat Angels with their often spartan instrumentation and bitter and bleak lyrical content.

It is has all rather suited my current mood. Music is a universal language of mood, both in the uplifting and sombre sense. The latter affects me every day; I seriously don't understand how people remain indifferent to the immediate conflicts (e.g., Gaza) or to longer-term downward trends (e.g., the climate). February 18, for what it's worth, was Bramble Cay Melomys Day, a on-going memorial and campaign for the first mammal species driven to extinction by climate change. Yes, I can enjoy music, culture, artistry, and beauty, whilst simultaneously being driven by such events. As a certain J. Cash once wrote, "I'd love to wear a rainbow every day, And tell the world that everything's okay. But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back. 'Til things are brighter, I'm the man in black".

A few days ago, as part of my position, I attended a Spring Festival event at the Chinese Consulate in Melbourne. Like similar high-profile events, it featured hundreds of community leaders and impressive entertainment, including a traditional costume show, song, martial arts, and the lion dance from the Chinese Masonic Society. There were many speeches by community leaders, several state and federal MPs, and the Mayor of Melbourne, and, I may note, the primarily Anglophone politicians are making much more use of Chinese-language introductions these days. There was, of course, a glorious and diverse dinner options as well. Of note, at least for me, was the review of the year that included recognition that the Chinese economy continues to achieve more than 5% growth, with a big part driven by renewable energy, electric vehicles, transportation, artificial intelligence (e.g., DeepSeek), and an ever-growing army of industrial robots,

Because I enjoy the juxtaposition of such events in my life, a couple of days later I attended the Victoria's Pride street party for the LGBTQI+ communities and allies in Collingwood and Fitzroy with Mel S. It too features singers and dancers and community organisations, commercial groups, arts and crafts, suppliers of cuisines, and many people in their own colourful and elaborate costumes (especially including Mel's fabulous outfit), albeit all of a different nature and pitch. Nevertheless, the similarities did not go unnoticed; when a community has reason to celebrate, certain activities seem universal. For LGBTQI+ communities, there is much to celebrate, not just for the sheer joy of doing so, but also for the political advancements towards legal equality and acceptance by Australian culture at large over the past 30 years.

A comparison between the two had led to thinking of China's own stance on LGBTQI+ communities. A comparison between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China in this regard certainly does come out in favour of the latter, which is considered the most comprehensive in Asia. Within the PRC, there is legalisation, recognition, but neither equality nor explicit protection against discrimination. It's a pretty basic fact of empirical sociology that acceptance of diversity (whether cultural, religious, or sexual orientation) is more common in developed urban communities than elsewhere, which provides at least some understanding of the dynamics. Essentially, the LGBTQI+ communities in the PRC are about thirty years behind the more liberal countries of the Western world. I suspect that gap will decrease province by province over time, but I will reiterate that the RoC is ahead of the PRC on this, and, to get very political, for a socialist system to succeed, it must ultimately offer more freedoms than its counterparts, not less.

Walter Benjamin, with his usual brilliance, observed, "Scholarship, far from leading inexorably to a profession, may in fact preclude it. For it does not permit you to abandon it." The first part suggests that a scholar never ceases learning and, as a result, does not settle into a single profession. The second part indicates the difference between a student (who does lead to a profession) and a scholar (for whom learning is a lifetime, evolving, and intrinsic behaviour). Well, after over a month of international travel and then followed by a few excellent celebratory gatherings, it is well about time that I return to the matter of scholarship. In these parts of my life, there are three current vectors.

The first is my doctoral studies at the University of Euclid. This week I have have completed the first part of a course on "Global Energy and Climate Policy", which is shared between the University of London and with the major project with Euclid University. The content was quite good, looking at the necessity of moving away from GHG energy sources, alternative energy sources (including nuclear), the Paris Agreement itself, and energy security and sovereignty. For the major paper, I'll be looking at "Optimal Energy Choices for Pacific Island Nations Under the Paris Agreement". I am especially interested in looking at the expected climate changes, the likely demographic changes, technology options, and the application of NDCs of other countries.

In addition, in a completely different vector, I have taken up studies for a Cert IV in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). Now, this may seem a bit strange for someone who already has a Master's degree in Higher Education, but in my profession, my teaching is normally more than 50% of students from non-English-speaking backgrounds. It is extremely helpful for me to modify my presentation so it is more easily understood, even when the technical content is quite advanced. The course itself, through the Sydney Higher Education Institute, is thankfully very attentive to not just language learning, but also cultural differences. Whilst the course is designed to be taken over a year, because it's self-paced I'm hoping to get it done in a few months.

The third part is quite out of leftfield. About fifteen years ago, I ran a lengthy RuneQuest Prax campaign. As I often do, I kept extensive notes and even constructed a series of letters from one of the characters, Praxilites, as he developed from a young initiate of the sun god to reaching apotheosis. How is such fantasy storytelling scholarly? Well, apart from delving deeply into what can only be described as the deeply mythological metaphysics of Glorantha, our main character's story is very much in the style of Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations", a subject that I have written about in the past. Of course, it will not be just Marcus whom I'll be drawing from, but also Diogenes, Zeno, Seneca, Epictetus and even a dash of Laozi. Anyway, with more than 35000 words already written, it is proving to be quite a joy to delve down a path of scholarship that is also entertaining.

Three days ago, I completed another orbit around the sun. Nothing terribly remarkable about that, however, I do experience a wide range of joyful emotions of surprise, affirmation, and humbleness when close to four hundred people across all walks of life reach out to me in some way to send their best wishes. The actual day itself was spent, first and foremost, in the good company of Mel S., who, as tradition dictates, took me out to perhaps the only eating establishment in town that suits her dietary requirements. Then, with a delightful dash of synchronicity, I discovered that a friend, Jaimee, shares not only the heritage of The South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand, but also the same birthday. She had already organised an evening with friends, so I joined in and made it a dual gathering, with glamorous photo opportunities and some excellent conversations. I was particularly impressed and surprised by one youngster who shared an almost identical childhood and adolescence to mine, which is pretty unusual, to say the least - separated by decades and thousands of kilometres, there was a connection that only experience brings.

The celebrations are not complete, however. On Monday, for the second year, deflecting the wickedness that is Invasion Day, I'll be hosting a "linner" party. Unsurprisingly, this will be styled in a Latin American and Antarctic manner to follow up on the recent epic trip to those locations. Not much on the menu from the latter, of course (I don't fancy eating penguin, seal, whale), but the former does provide an enormous array of options, of which I am concentrating almost exclusively on interesting food and drinks from the locations I had the opportunity to visit. I should also mention, in this context, that I have been blessed in the days that I have returned to attend to other similar gatherings; Nitul D. recently finally hosted a housewarming gathering, which was full of some delightfully intelligent and educated individuals who were quite happy to discuss Incan civilisation, imperialism, and play chess. The second was Django's birthday party, which always attracts a likeable crowd from his wide range of interests (musicians and RPGers feature prominently). This weekend I will also be party to birthday drinks for Simon S at the Thornbury Bowls Club, which, as one of my oldest friends, also promises excellent company.

The marking of another year has meant in recent days that I've engaged in some planning of what I want to do this year and how it fits with my longer-term objectives in life. Recently, I mentioned that I have sufficient outstanding but interesting things to complete, so the bigger ticket items can be delayed for a while. Still, not being one to put things off too much, I have started a new unit in my PhD studies in global energy policy, which, whilst based at Euclid University, draws upon content from the University of London, where I started an economics degree (at LSE) several years ago. Further, I have plans to visit Guizhou, Sichuan, and Jiangsu provinces in China in two months' time, which also involves visits to a couple of "big science" installations, more to be revealed soon. Adding this to some more usual activities involving work, study, and social life is sufficient for the time being. But I do have something else quite remarkable on the back burner.

After two days at sea from the Falklands, the next port was Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay. The first sight coming into port is a "ship's graveyard", which is apparently is being cleaned up. Some similar work is probably required in the nearby old city, Ciudad Vieja, founded by the Spanish in 1724. Whilst there are a number of glorious old buildings, some are in a state of dilapidation; I suspect there's a poor incentive structure at work. In a heroic effort over a day, we started at the famous Café Brasilero, the oldest cafe in Montevideo, and famously a haunt for the excellent Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano, now with a namesake coffee. Other nearby sites visited included Plaza de la Constitución, Museo Histórico Cabildo, Museo Torres García, Puerta de la Ciudadela, Mausoleo de José Gervasio Artigas, Palacio Salvo, Museo de la Casa de Gobierno, Museo Figari (for Pedro Figari and Juan Carlos Figari), and the Teatro Solis. Three of these were art galleries, and one gets the impression that Montevideo is rather proud of its artistic history, and justly so. The constructivism of Torres García and Juan Carlos Figari and the impressionism of Pedro Figari (Juan's father) were all excellent, and the García museum also featured the amusing fashion designs by Agatha Ruiz de la Prada.

The following day, after crossing the Rio de la Plata (arguably the widest river in the world), we returned again to Buenos Aires, where there was an opportunity to catch up with Cobina, an old activist friend of mine whom I haven't seen for many years, and visit the Xul Solar museum. A friend of the magical realist author, Jorge Luis Borges, Xul Solar was a painter and designer. His artworks combine both expressionist and surrealist styles. He invented a spiritual form of chess where moves can provide a horoscope (of his own making) and tell a story (in a language he invented). He also redesigned the piano to make it easier to play and learn. Probably one of the truest artists I have encountered. After that we all made our way to the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral, which has an astoundingly beautiful interior, but also houses the mausoleum of General José de San Martín, a leading figure in the Argentine War of Independence, the Chilean War of Independence, and then Peruvian War of Independence - he had a busy life!

All adventures must come to an end, however, and after a month of an extraordinary journey with travelling companion Kate, we boarded the flight from Buenos Aires to Santiago, then to Melbourne. We spent seventeen hours in the air overall, and a significant portion of January 9 was lost due to timezone changes. Looking back on it, so much was packed into the thirty days, but that is definitely how I like to travel. From Chile, to Peru, Argentina, Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, Uruguay, and then back to Argentina, it was a journey that witnessed grand cities (Santiago, Lima, Buenos Aires, Montevideo) with all their artistry and history, extraordinary pre-Columbian sites (e.g., Machu Picchu), breathtaking nature (Antarctica, Falkland Islands), and a cruise through the Drake Passage and the Argentine Sea. It is, without a doubt, one of the most extraordinary journeys I have been on. Whilst it is good to be back home in Melbourne town, I must confess that my taste for such journeys has been whetted rather than satiated. I am a long way from being "world weary".

The end of 2025 and the first days of 2026 have been spent in Antarctica. The crossing of the notorious Drake Passage was mostly smooth sailing, a "Drake Lake" event. There was the delightful imaginary point where the Pacific, Atlantic, and Southern Oceans meet, and much of the Passage's reputation comes from the Antarctic Convergence where the warmer waters of the former meet the colder waters of the latter, mixed with often strong winds funnelled from South America. The weather is unpredictable, and there's a lot of it, but this is the best and safest time of year to attempt the journey. According to tradition, crossing Cape Horn also entitles one to a particular sailor's tattoo; something I shall attend to on my return. Most of the journey was cool, hovering around zero, overcast and with light snowfall, although one day it did drop to -9C with the wind-chill accounted for.

As for Antarctica itself, we only ventured but a few hundred kilometers along the northern tip of the peninsula, around Anvers Island, through the Gerlache Strait, via the Bransfield Strait, up to Deception Island and the South Shetlands, then King Geoge Island, and ultimately to Elephant Island (named after the seal, not for the Afro-Asiatic Elephantidae family). This is the most populated region of Antarctica, not only humans from the numerous bases of multiple countries scattered among the islands and peninsula proper, but also with playful penguins (chinstrap and gentoo were particularly prevalent), fur seals, and numerous seabirds (albatrosses, petrels, skua, shag, and gulls). The area is especially rich in krill, zooplankton, and phytoplankton from which Earthly life ultimately depends on for food and oxygen. Their presence also resulted in numerous sightings of whales, especially humpback whales, and the occasional orca pod. As far as the humback is concerned, this is the whale capital of the world. We were also visited by staff from the Port Lockroy UK Antarctic Heritage Trust for an informative presentation.

Back in the Passage, and with more than a day open sea voyage ahead of us before reaching Port Stanley in the Falklands (or Islas Malvinas), one final and appropriate Antarctic action was required - to start a game of "Beyond the Mountains of Madness", the famed (at least among a certain crowd) sequel to H.P. Lovecraft's short novel, "At The Mountains of Madness". At sea pastimes aside, visiting Antarctica is the fulfilment of a childhood dream, spurred by Scholastic Books and primary school atlases. The numerous on-board lectures on ecology, geology, history, and the curious sovereignty claims were accessible and informative, although I think they could do with a climatology session! The scenery and wildlife were truly beautiful and grand. I have developed an even greater sense of wonder, concern, and knowledge of the world's coldest, driest, and highest continent with its fragile ecology. If I ever return, and I hope to do so, it will be in a professional capacity.

After the glory of Machu Picchu, the next step was a return to Cusco for a couple of days. The hotel this time was the Novetel, which, like others in the historic old town, has a simple entrance with grandeur inside. It must be said that in the overwhelming majority of cases, the character of the old city has been kept quite intact. The time afforded the opportunity to visit several new sites in the time remaining (I travel like a demon possessed for the deep and rapid immersion). This included the Museo de Sitio Qorikancha, the Monumento a Pachaceteq, the Museo Historico Regional, the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, and the Museo de Arte Popular. The first was notable for examples of Incan trepanning and artificial cranial deformation, along with a performer of traditional pipes, and the second for superb views of the city. The third included an excellent range of archaeological and historical artefacts as well as a contemporary exhibition by Abel Rimache Condori, which followed well into the fourth, which included a surreal and disturbing exhibition, "El holocausto de los inocentes" by Esther Diana Ttito Chura. The fifth was small, strange, and didn't really fit the title.

Following Cusco was a day of flights; Cusco to Santiago, Santiago to Buenos Aires, three countries in a day, before settling into the modern Hotel Grand Brizo. Whilst only here for a few days, it was another case of rapid and deep immersion and a great deal of walking between the numerous sites I had on my agenda (learning the Travelling Salesman Problem is useful!). Buenos Aires is a city deeply affected by various European migrant populations and its own sense of artistry, rightly earning the title of "The Paris of South America". French and Italian architecture is abound (e.g., Teatro Colon), parklands and boulevards are vast, and people make quite an effort to dress up every evening. For myself, it was also an artistic pilgramage to honour their most famous author Jorge Luis Borges, which I did by visiting the Centro Cultural Borges, which hosts a variety film, theatre, and artworks by others, and the wild visions of the peripatetic polymath Xul Solar whose museum - and former home - was unfortuantely closed.

A better part of a day was spent meandering through "El Ateneo Grand Splendid", a theatre that has been turned into a bookshop (Buenos Aires is a book-lover's dream city), then the impressive La Recoleta Cemetery and the equally impressive Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. The visit also included the enjoyment of interactive and participatory dining, "The Argentine Experience", which involved several courses of local dishes, wines, along with producing (and eating) your own empanadas. Alas, the stay here is all too short, and the list of places I wish to visit is still quite long. I assure you, Buenos Aires, I will return. You are quite an amazing city.

After Lima, the next part of the tour was the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cusco (Qusqu) city, former capital of the Incan Empire, "navel of the world", and recognised as "capital histórica" in the Peruvian constitution. Although conquered by the Spanish and subject to many centuries of colonialism, the permanent population of the city is of Quechuan background and uses this indigenous language. The old city, designed in the shape of a puma, the sacred terrestial power, has structures that date back from the Incan times, whilst the majority of the cobblestone roads, churches, and residental-commercial establishmentes are from the colonial period or the more contemporary Republican period up to mid-20th century styles where, after a major earthquake, much of the city required restoration. With numerous Incan and colonial sites of note, it is the major attraction for tourists and colourful locals who are all too willing to dress in colourful traditional clothes as they parade their alpacas about.

Our initial stay was at the Hotel Costa Del Sol, whose simple entrance belies a pleasing interior. Well-located, it was a short walk to two major parks, the Plaza Mayor and the Plaza Regocijo, the former home to the imposing churches, the "Catedral del Cuzco" and the "Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús", the latter especially rich in Baroque design. Both of these feature grand Gothic ceilings and are full of gilt items and late traditional religious art. Keeping to the theme, nearby is the "El Convento y la Iglesia de Santo Domingo" and the Incan "Templo del Sol Coricancha". The integration of the Incan masonry into the Spanish church is quite impressive here, as is the artwork, museum information, and gardens. A short distance, and overlooking the old city is the Incan fortress and vast grounds of Sacsayhuamán, the underground shrine of Qenko, and nearby Tambomachay, a collection of terraced aqueducts, canals and waterfalls.

Travelling further afield in the following days, we ventured into the Sacred Valley, whose rich soils provided for much of the old Incan Empire and which had been inhabited since the Chanapata civilisation almost three thousand years ago. The Inca complex at Písac provides a very fine example of the terraced agricultural techniques of the area, as well as an impressive collection of old buildings. Also of special note in the Sacred Valley is Ollantaytambo, a grand example of terracing and irrigation, storehouses, and a massive temple. Just before entering the Ollantaytambo, I also experienced a slight accident - there was a bump in the road, and I managed to donk the top of my head on the ceiling of the bus quite convincingly, taking out a chunk of my epidermis and requiring first aid attention. The next few days would be spent with the now-bald wounded area receiving regular treatment of disinfectant cream, covered by a makeup-removing pad (rather like a small yarmulke), and then by a rapidly purchased brimmed alpaca-felt hat. It was far from a serious wound, but the possibility of infection due to dust was significant, so multiple layers of precaution were taken - all in time for the journey to Machu Picchu, one of the greatest wonders of the world.