Saturday 10 June 2017

Post No. 1,036 – Gnwmythr’s News Ed. No. 166



Work has interfered with my work on this post again, and will continue to do so for several months to come (unless my quest for another job succeeds in bringing something better :) ).
Also, don’t forget this request for the next couple of days.
Information and Summary/Analysis:
Note: I am NOT a journalist, and make NO claims to objectivity or freedom from bias:   the purpose of posting these news links is not only to inform:   it is also to stimulate a connection to nonBPM units that need to be cleared and BPM units that need to be strengthened, so that you can do the clearing / strengthening that is required.   That only works if you don’t let yourself be overwhelmed by this, so take it in small chunks if you need to, but remember to actively clear and heal! … including yourself. Also, the energies we use and manifest in our daily lives contribute to the larger soup of energies that influence world events, so address those as well. The reminders / explanations about Sunday’s meditation-clearing are here;   see also here,   here,   here,   (here and also here and here are interesting),   here, here,   here,   and   this post reminds us to be patient and persistent, like a “speeding oak”. Finally, there are some notes at the end of this post about other options for those who do not like this way of working.
The themes that come to mind for my work this week, after I review all this news, are:
(a)   based on my interpretation of information here and here with Saturn in Sagittarius contributing to finding an authentic balance (until 20th December, 2017), Uranus in Aries contributing to fresh and possibly radical starts (until some date in the Year 2018), and Pluto in Capricorn contributing to a transformation of power and business (and careers) (until some date in the Year 2024), conditions are ripe for a change for the better in world politics;
(b)   there is an enormous need to clear nonBPM energy – the thought forms, unattached energy and scars of the collective unconscious created by millennia of violence, including spirit rescue, and healing the warped views, seemingly “inherent” biases, and other damage created. Also, remember that:
        1. the counter to fear is genuine  EQ and clear thinking, expressed through calm, de-escalating speech,
        2. where problems exist, advocating for BPM responses, and being as BPM as one can be, are constructive solutions,
        3. peace is powerful, but it is a process requiring patient, persistent and nuanced nurturing, and a blend of conventional spiritual work, clearing nonBPM units, and physical world activism;
(c)   viewing the overall emotional state of the world from an elemental point of view, this week we need:
        emotionally (astrally) and mentally, more of the clarity of BPM Air;
        a plot of the elemental influences on a causal/spiritual level follows, and shows a need the sense of personal security of inwardly focused BPM Earth;

(d)   I’m using the same bindrune for this week’s work, although I’ve drawn it up a little more nicely:

(e)   dealing with the 45th US President, for whom I use the alias Voldemort, requires:
        1. eroding (i.e., slow, patient and persistent clearing of the little bits one can SAFELY cope with – remember, you are but one of many) the nonBPM influences feeding his arrogance and mind-set, and strengthening Voldemort’s BPM Guides and giving them whatever BPM help they need to present a BPM alternative – for which my “changing the personality of oppressors” post is useful – with a view to promoting what would seem to be a change of heart,
        2. lifting the nonBPM influences from the shoulders of Voldemort’s marginal supporters, allowing them to “come to their senses”, which may result in them feeling bewilderment/shame, and simultaneously strengthening the BPM influences around them (e.g., their BPM Guides) to counter them backsliding,
        3. to address the others, physical world activism (especially education) is required. As well as doing what one can there, help those who are doing this work (e.g., sending them “positive vibes”) and look for nonBPM blockages that can be cleared (e.g., setting up a BPM vortex above meetings to draw away external nonBPM influences/energies/units, so that the audience can listen as they are, without any obsession/possession);
(f)   the major events this week are:   an apparent resurgence of violent extremism (this may be – or partly be - media bias), and the usual resultant simple-minded thinking based on addressing the symptoms, rather than the underlying attraction to violence, and a refusal to accept that the means shape the end;   staggering revelations that Syria’s Dictator Assad had decided two years before the Arab Spring that he would use chemical weapons;   splits in international relations, largely at US instigation;   damning testimony is coming to light about the 45th US President’s interference in FBI investigations (this is the point, I consider, at which impeachment is looking markedly more likely);   proof that credibility is a reward (from the UK election);
(g)   ignoring the consequences of abuse/misuse of power for the sake of personal gain is a more obvious problem this week;
 (h)   lack of clear, deep thought is a problem in all areas of life – most noticeably this week in the reactions to threatening events, but also in the world of sport;
(i)   the emergence of unforeseen consequences continues – from actions 50 years ago, in some cases, others go back to the disaster of the USA’s Civil War, and some are from recent anti-worker decisions;
(j)   the perversion of good things (names and symbols) to evil continues;
(k)   some governance issues have improved;
(l)   violence continues to be endemic;
(m)   the new UN Secretary-General is looking promising;
I also take this opportunity to emphasise that it is absolutely VITAL that this psychic / metaphysical / spiritual work be performed non-violently and as is for the Highest Spiritual Good – which is part of being BPM – on all levels and in all ways. Always remember (see here): Do you fight to change things, or to punish? See also here, here, here, here, here, and my comments about “authentic presence” in this post.
News and other matters from this past week follows:
   news items are presented in the following sections (there is overlap, and items may appear more than once):
    - Permanent and Thematically Arranged News,
    - Location Based News,
    - From a Range of Other Sites;
   opportunities/good news are shown in green;
   comments are shown in purple; and
   WARNING: some of these links may contain triggers around issues such as violence, sexual assault, discrimination, etc.
Permanent Issues and Thematically Arranged News:
  • Permanent issue: may all actual and potential BPM [1] Leaders be kept BPM safe, including keeping them undetectable to the nonBPM and keeping all their Significant Others inviolable against being used for indirect  psychic attack, and may they have all the BPM opportunities and assistance (so-called “good luck”) for them to be BPM effective at influencing the world’s direction, development and unfoldment, all as is for the Highest Spiritual Good;
  • Permanent issue: may all humans recognise, irrespective of the appearance of difference, the essential shared humanness of other people, the inherent resilience, the dynamic power, the strength of BPM collaboration, and the opportunities of having a diverse, inclusive and welcoming population, and may all people choose fairness, when such decisions are before them;
  • Permanent issue: may all humans choose to live modestly – to forgo outdoing others, or trying to have more than they need - for the sake of an easier, more manageable life, if they cannot do it for the sake of the planet;
  • Matters warranting particular attention:
       -   gravely concerning allegations that a private security company used military counter-terrorism tactics – including dangerous hints at terrorist connections – against peaceful protestors who were concerned about an oil pipeline in the USA (part 2 here). This is a perfect example of a situation where people need to consider the ethics of what they’re doing – and if they are so stupid as to consider such lies and distortions and underhanded tactics to be acceptable (e.g., they may think the environment is of no consequence whatsoever, or that their jobs matter more than other people’s wellbeing), then they need to get in touch with their BPM Guides for a dose of BPM enlightenment!;   -   revelations that Assad decided to use chemical weapons against Syrians in 2009 - two years before the Arab Spring;
       -   grave concerns over China’s undermining of my nation’s sovereignty – see also here. Also, my nation’s Prime Minister “has ordered a major inquiry into the nation's espionage and foreign interference laws” – see also here, for insights on how China uses its soft power, here, here, here, and also here, for ASIO’s warning. Analysis of China's "soft power" shows it is targeted at Chinese in Australia, and thus the assault on pro-Tibet protestors seen as a failure by non-Chinese, was a successful part of the targeted approach. The approach of China is also compared with Israel: "Both are driven by contested identities, based on post-colonial politics dating back to the 1940s and beyond" - but China is being more successful. The article ends with "Our politicians can no longer claim that they don't know. It is time to ask China to stop interfering in our internal affairs". We’re also entangled financially, and at risk … ;
       -   a call for globalisation to be viewed as a way towards unity of humanity;
       -   from an article (on social media – my apologies) on the problem of declining trust, I found an article outlining how the Republican Party’s conservative “southern strategy” in the 1950s and 1960s made the 45th US President’s rise to power possible – and see below, on the damning testimony from the former FBI Director;
       -   a rebuttal of the myth – part of an attempt to “erase slavery as the cause of the war and whitewash the Confederate cause as a noble one” - that Confederate General Lee was kind or anything but a white supremacist who was cruel to slaves and enemy soldiers;
       -   the impact of the Six Day War on religion – including being one of several factors that gave rise to ideologies underlying violent extremism;
  • With regard to democracy (which requires  protection of minorities and the vulnerable – and remember Gandhi’s question about whether one is fighting to change things, or to punish, and the list of 198 methods of nonviolent action), freedom and governance (e.g., here, here, here and here, and see also here):
    Note: I have a section specifically for the 45th US President below
       -   analyses this week include:   a rebuttal of the myth – part of an attempt to “erase slavery as the cause of the war and whitewash the Confederate cause as a noble one” - that Confederate General Lee was kind or anything but a white supremacist who was cruel to slaves and enemy soldiers;   interesting commentary on the UK's Labour Party leader and trust vs. political slickness after the surprise result;
       -   of concern this week:   see earlier comments over China’s undermining of my nation’s sovereignty;   claims that so-called “smart” phone apps (which allow two second redialling) blocked a government agency’s phone lines;   victims of child abuse are dying before a compensation scheme is set up;   some Indians fear China’s growing maritime influence – a fear that is acknowledged in that nation’s government;   as Western nations retreat, China is ensuring its position in Africa by pouring billions into infrastructure and education;
       -   in the grey/mixed area or neutral this week:   despite threats of a civil war, Cambodians turned out in huge numbers to vote for local officials, in “an election seen as a test of the ruling party's long reign”;   strange things are happening in the UK polls;
       -   good news this week includes:   a proposal for monitoring service delivery to indigenous people;
       -   and other matters in my home nation this week:   a bisexual Arab Australian poet;   claims that a former politician did not breach the Ministerial code of conduct by taking an $880,000 consultancy role with a Chinese billionaire: "We have to be careful where someone has a broad portfolio — particularly someone like Andrew who was a senior businessman before he came into parliament — isn't prohibited completely from work after they leave public work" – which may be true, but does not engender public confidence;   a documentary which arose from a comment (correct, in my view) that the Southern Cross was morphing into a racist symbol — much as the swastika was warped from a holy symbol by an association with evil created by the Nazis (there apparently have been quite a few Southern Cross tattoos removed out of embarrassment);   this growth rate for the economy is, in my view, close to being a recession, as it is only just above our population growth rates;   a far right wing politician in my nation has obtained a gag order stopping more secret recordings made by her party’s former party treasurer becoming public (at least one of the subjects recorded are being investigated by authorities, which possibly makes that a matter of valid public interest - there are, I consider, similar arguments for what has been disclosed so far, but I do not know what else has been recorded, nor whether those recordings are salacious or a breach of privacy [although I do wonder why this person recorded it in the first place, and how]);
       -   this week’s atrocity alert at R2P lists Iraq, the “Democratic” Republic of Congo, and Sudan;
  • With regard to the 45th US President (who I consider seriously dangerous, and NOT at all a buffoon) this week:
    I deliberately avoid using the 45th US President’s name for valid psychic reasons: however, to both simplify my typing and remind people that he is dangerous, I will use “Voldemort” – in this section, at least - as an alias.
       -   after Voldemort decided not to assert executive privilege, damning  testimony from the former FBI Director on Voldemort’s attempted interference on the investigation of Russian connections, and a prediction the scandal will dwarf Watergate – see also here (this, perhaps, shows the problem of people thinking running a government is like running a business);   from an article (on social media – my apologies) on the problem of declining trust, I found an article outlining how the Republican Party’s conservative “southern strategy” in the 1950s and 1960s made Voldemort’s rise to power possible;   supporters and opponents of Voldemort have faced off at “duelling” rallies;   an analysis of Voldemort’s management style and the problems the “freewheeling crew of lieutenants and loyalists who have long populated his entourage” created by it could lead to;   Voldemort’s social media director has been warned for engaging in prohibited political activity;
       -   there appear to be indications the USA is adopting the harder stance against Iran promised by Voldemort;
       -   big business met Voldemort’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement with derision, having long ago accepted the reality of climate change – which also means coal jobs are permanently one;
       -   outrage over Voldemort's (continued) targeting of London's Mayor – see also here;   Voldemort has demeaned the USA by saying - in effect - that Iran deserved what they got in the recent violent extremist attack;
       -   “what started as genuine anger at allegedly unfair [media] coverage — or an effort to deflect criticism — is now an integral part of next year’s congressional campaigns”;   -   an article on a (somewhat unrealistic) call for Twitter to shut down the 45th US President's account on the basis of it being a threat to national security - which has an interesting and quite correct comment: "social-media networks [are] not democratic spaces" - and a comment on his use of "doublethink";
       -   “Nikki Haley, Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations, has pointedly made human rights, along with humanitarian assistance, a central focus of her agenda, putting her at odds with Trump as well as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson”;   despite the rhetoric, laws designed to prevent abuse of detention are limiting the US administration’s actual reduction of “catch and release”;   Voldemort’s administration is deliberately targeting those reprieved by Obama;
  • With regard to violent extremism (VE) (aka, terrorism - e.g., Da’esh) (ALL people advocating hate or discrimination in response to violent extremism are actively doing the work of violent extremists. This will be countered, in part, by the sort of approach advocated by “Cure Violence”, and, in part, by addressing real and perceived disempowerment and acknowledging the variety in what provides genuine, BPM fulfilment as a counter to fanaticism as a source of meaning. I am deliberately avoiding the use of specific names of violent extremist groups as much as possible to reduce the publicity they get – I’m not a primary news source, and thus consider I can do so):
       -   violent extremist attacks/acts have occurred this week in the UK (it always disturbs me to see the innocent victims of an attack forced to hold their hands up), Afghanistan, the Philippines (continuing event), my home city (by a criminal thug on parole), France, Iran (attack on Parliament which killed more people than the UK attack), Pakistan, and, according to this Wikipedia page, there have been 11 attacks in Iraq and 3 attacks in Afghanistan (out of a total of 36 – 9 of which had death tolls higher than the attack in the UK – up to 38);   violent extremists “who have overrun parts of the Philippine city of Marawi have prepared for a long siege”;
       -   a suggestion - from someone who helped run a two-year study into the difference between violent terrorists and non-violent radicals (violent extremists were less likely to have a university education, few had a devout Islamic upbringing and they often refused to engage in the mainstream political process) - that the best response to a violent extremist attack is "stay calm, don't overreact and deny [violent extremists] the attention and emotional response they crave"- see also here;   a right wing moron in Australia has made a stupid response to atrocity in the UK, one that ignores the FACT that people can and do choose to change their religion, and the FACT that it is violence that attracts violent extremists, who then use religion as a poorly executed cover – a mistake also made by Voldemort: see also here, for a rebuttal by London’s Mayor – and more outrage over Voldemort's (continued) targeting of London's Mayor – see also here;;   a benefit concert in Manchester has been held, headed by the singer at who’s concert the recent violent extremist attack was committed;   more than 1,000 fans at a sporting event were injured in a stampede triggered by loud bangs;   as political campaigning resumes in the UK, the leader of the opposition has said “Britain needs to have "difficult conversations" with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states about the funding of Islamist extremism”;   “Cyber security experts have criticised [the] British Prime Minister's push for new international regulations on the internet aimed at preventing them being "safe spaces" for extremist ideology” – see also here;   after a US ex-general emphasised military action (which can only ever be a PART of the solution), “Australia and the United States have strengthened their resolve to "defeat those who wish us harm" by stopping Islamist fighters returning home from” West Asia (aka “the Middle East”);   years of training enabled police to have an eight minute response time to a recent violent extremist event in the UK;   “Getting the world's global technology companies to hand over customer's data to help [violent extremism] will be top of Australia's agenda at the next Five Eyes intelligence meeting”;   the UK’s Prime Minister has decided to ignore the fact that the means shape the end, and pander to fear instead of addressing it;   a critique of a social media “safe” feature;   "At a memorial site for the London Bridge attack victims, several Muslim families have been handing out roses attached with a message declaring their disgust at the violence of extremism" - and it is sad that they have to do this because of the simple minded jumping to conclusions – especially in light of the 2010 fatwa against terrorism and suicide bombings - see also here;   a call for parole decisions in my nation for people on terror watch lists to involve ASIO and the AFP (subject to details and a genuine provision for independent review/challenge [and ASIO and the AFP being cooperative – there has been criticism that past attempts to do this have failed because of their attitudes], this could be good, but it also raises the issue of balancing punishment against avoidance of a potential mechanism for tyranny [think of "the man in the Iron Mask"], the nature of punishment, and public safety vs. individual freedom) - see also here, and here, on (deliberate?) misinformation on parole by the Australian Attorney-General. Bail will now be harder to get;   following analysis of a violent extremist event, to clarify already existing powers, one Australian state will confirm that police have the power to kill in some circumstances (I wonder if the reason some police are reluctant to do this – no matter what they may say or think - is actually the same reason armies have found many soldiers are reluctant to kill: the innate human reluctance to killing another human - even in desperate situations … which is just one of the many reasons gun advocates are barking up the wrong tree);   a call has been made for new security measures, including a permanent 24-hour specialist federal police squad based in airports, to respond to potential violent extremist threats or acts;   a stupid suggestion to allow politicians decide on parole for people with violent extremist links has been rebutted by a state politician;   the future of a program to de-radicalise extremists in my home state is uncertain;   "Australia's race discrimination commissioner ... has condemned proposals from a handful of political figures for the mass internment of all Muslim citizens suspected of terror offences" (1930s Stalinist purges, anyone?);   "Victoria's Court of Appeal says there seems to be an "extremely worrying" difference between Victoria and New South Wales in sentencing for terrorism offences, with longer terms north of the border where there is less emphasis on youth and rehabilitation prospects";
       -   counter-violent extremism in Spain has been successful - with integration and the lack of xenophobia being key factors in their success;   analysis of the UK (London Bridge) violent extremist attack – see also here;   a rebuttal of simplistic calls for more control of the Internet;   in Egypt: "The stability that some believe a strongman guarantees is actually a perfect incubator for sectarianism and terrorism";   an assessment that violent extremist groups are claiming responsibility for attacks by loners as propaganda to cover their failures elsewhere;
  • With regard to refugees (noting the New York Declaration):
       “a high-level body established by the United Nations development arm in the continent has launched a process to help forge political consensus to address challenges and save [refugee] lives”;   a clear explanation of why companies should NOT become involved in Australia's refugee gulags (including complicity in crimes);   "A young Burmese refugee who lost his entire family after he fled to Australia is working to help others settle in and get jobs in the community";
       other refugee-related matters have also occurred in: Nigeria;
  • With regard to human (and other) rights and discrimination:
       -   on homophobia/transphobia this week (noting that trans kids are the same as cis kids of the trans kids’ true gender) :   a young lesbian sports star has responded to criticism from a bigoted former sports star with “love for her 'normal' family”;   more bigotry and stupidity in sport;
       -   other homophobic/transphobic problems have also occurred in the USA;
       -   on racism this week:   a review of “an intricately-researched, lucid and dispassionate examination of the still unresolved tensions that lie at the heart of the Australian settlement”;   the 25th anniversary of the Mabo case;   an opinion that US sports star LeBron James could become a giant of American civil rights movement following his response to a racial slur painted on his home;   criticism of an indigenous leader’s alleged – he denies it occurred - outburst;   in the UK, a review of body camera footage shows that police "speak less respectfully to members of the public who are black than to those who are white";   a bright green glass spearhead believed to have been made a century ago by one of almost 4,000 Aboriginal prisoners who were held on Rottnest Island over the period 1838 to 1931 has been discovered – and reburied there - by students during a university excursion (at least 373 Aboriginal men are buried at one site);   the experiences of the oldest survivor of the "Stolen Generations";
       -   on sexism this week (keeping in mind the overblown influence given to testosterone):   a sports coach has been banned for allegedly obscenely abusing junior girls in an opposition team (he is appealing the decision);   the challenges around leaving an abusive relationship – including the unconsidered issue of pets;   domestic leave is being offered by more business is a small state in Australia;   After "the trauma borne from her own experience with family violence led her to become a bully", "an Alice Springs woman who turned to boxing to heal from family violence, believes the sport could help more victims and perpetrators of domestic violence";   from a social media (my apologies) article continuing on from a previous article on how “cultural stereotypes interact with role stereotypes to influence assessments of competence”, “Merit is good in theory, flawed in practice. It is laden with implicit bias and far from objective. … If you see fewer women sideways and up compared with down, you've got a problem” (I can personally relate to almost everything in that article);   Uber has “fired 20 employees following an investigation by a law firm into sexual harassment” – but see also here;   in an attack of sanity following a pointed remark by a businesswoman, Australia’s two national teams will be referred to in the same way —the Australian women's cricket team and the Australian men's cricket team;   a "discussion — of hair length and female behaviour in the secular world — has suddenly exposed a deep rift among [neochristians] in Australia about the role and status of women";   an opinion that gender-based killings are a form of arbitrary execution;   “Canadian officials have expressed outrage over the case of a homeless woman who was jailed after being raped and kept in prison with her attacker”;   making a point about the double standards women in the spotlight face, the former first lady of the United States Michelle Obama has revealed that Barack Obama wore the same tuxedo for all eight years of his presidency, without anyone noticing;
       -   other sexism problems have also occurred in: India, Russia;
       -   on other forms of human (and other) rights this week:   “A spate of alleged child sex abuse offences in Pilbara communities highlights the need to finally put in place key recommendations of the Gordon Inquiry, such as the appointment of a deputy children's commissioner for Aboriginal children”;   centuries old secret diaries show the appalling abuses of the Spanish Inquisition – and one of the Inquisitions survives to this day as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith;  calls for a crackdown on modern slavery;   “the United Nations human rights chief [has] stressed that denying access or not cooperating with UN bodies would not diminish scrutiny of a Government’s human rights record”;   more appalling animal abuse in China;   a supermarket chain "has admitted underpaying much of its workforce in cosy deals it struck with the conservative [and notoriously bigoted] shop assistants union";   an excellent on line resource about modern slavery has been launched – and a Masters course;   an outcry in notorious Uzbekistan over the death of a teenager may lead to change;
  • With regard to crime, judicial matters and policing:
       the use of modified “playing cards” in prisons to solve crimes (very like those used to track down wanted people when Iraq was invaded);   commentary on a court case against a celebrity for sexual assault including commentary on the wide range of victim responses, some unexpected, and the possible impact on victims of other celebrities; in the UK, a review of body camera footage shows that police "speak less respectfully to members of the public who are black than to those who are white";   “Aboriginal elders have told the South Australian Supreme Court the man who murdered outback nurse Gayle Woodford will never be allowed back on to the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands”;   “A New Zealand-born man has been jailed for raping a woman in her Melbourne home two years after the Immigration Department tried to have him deported over his violent criminal history”;   the USA's utter backwardness with regard to laws on sexual assault is on display in the current trial of a celebrity accused of multiple sexual assaults, with the cross examination of victims showing why so many rapes are not reported;   the coroner has indicated that my home state's Parole Board needs to be able to see medical records;   "Twenty inmates escaped from a Victorian youth justice centre because the system could not cope with the influx of violent young offenders, a government-commissioned review has found";
  • With regard to press aka the media, and freedom of expression (keeping in mind that claims of presenting “both sides” of a debate can be WRONG if the other side is RUBBISH –as is the case on LGBTIQ issues: having an “equal say”, or a “right to respond” MUST be assessed in the context of what is happening overall in society – NOT solely in one limited incident. Also, funding is an issue … ):
       a journalist’s review of his 40 year career: “you definitely get callouses on the soul”;   “what started as genuine anger at allegedly unfair [media] coverage — or an effort to deflect criticism — is now an integral part of next year’s congressional campaigns”;   while I detest the views (he is apparently quite friendly and personable face-to-face – a colleague at work is a friend of his) of the ultra-conservative right wing journalist who was subjected to this violent and unprovoked  attack, I fully understand and support his taking action to defend himself - particularly in view of the assassination of a North Korean figure by women using similar actions in Malaysia;   “Canadian officials have expressed outrage over the case of a homeless woman who was jailed after being raped and kept in prison with her attacker”;   "Media organisations are standing by the decision to give [a] GetUp! activist ... a seat on the national press watchdog, despite a growing controversy around the appointment";
       other media / freedom of expression matters have occurred in: Qatar;
  • With regard to overcrowding and “modern” lifestyle issues (is YOUR smart phone free of conflict  minerals, environmental harm and child labour? IT manufacturers are making some effort in on those. Do you suffer from FOMO or addiction? Is your social media making you miserable or envious? Are you being duped by modern mantras? Are you “failing” at being well? Does your AI use ethics? Does your corporation misuse mindfulness as a distraction from working conditions? Are you afflicted by management  fads? Do you understand embedded emissions? Do you want a bigger, flashier home/car than people had 50 years ago – which means you are actively abusing the environment and society’s cohesion and contributing to the problem of financialisation?):
       -   on climate change and other environmental matters this week:   residents of a town in an area with high solar energy can only access solar power if they are rich enough to go off grid;   Queensland is unlikely to meet its water quality objectives for the Great Barrier Reef by the target date of 2050;   the risk of extinction of koalas (which are NOT bears!); a company has done something which is sort of similar to an idea I had for shaping trees into a house;   “ghost” nets are killing marine animals;   “Every month the Geelong Disabled People Industry (GDP) prevents 50 tonnes of waste going into landfill by recycling everything from polystyrene to old electronics”;   the controversial coal mine in Queensland is still facing a native title hurdle;   “A decade of political [disagreement] [in my nation] over energy and climate change policy could soon come to an end, with the Federal Opposition indicating it might consider a low emissions target [likely to be recommended by the Chief Scientist]” – which have now been recommended;   commitment to cutting fishing subsidies has been made at the Oceans Conference – which ended with a global agreement to reserve the decline of the ocean's health, and more than 1,300 pledged actions for protecting the blue;   concerns have been raised over the possible expansion of a mine which has curtailed local peoples consumption of fish and has waste that has been burning for three years;
       -   other environmental matters have occurred in: the USA;
       -   on technology and science matters this week:   the reasons one celebrity has got rid of his mobile phone;   the problems of artificial light - including the loss of the “two sleeps” sequence;
       -   on economic and financial matters this week:   “First home buyers need 40 years' worth of savings for a Sydney deposit”;   the gunman/arsonist who was responsible several deaths at a casino in the Philippines was a gambling addict with debts;   stupid mistakes around workplace motivation (the other problem here is cycles in management fads and fashions;   after cutting penalty rates, the Fair Work Commission is lifting the minimum wage … I’ve heard commentary that this is a fairly blatant attempt to regain public favour;   a 56-year-old labourer who is determined to overcome the instability of the job market and find work has been using a roadside sign (something I used to see in Asia, when I was there in the 90s);      this growth rate for the economy in my nation is, in my view, close to being a recession, as it is only just above our population growth rates;   a call has been mad for investment to help the digital boom to move beyond its three main nations (USA, UK and Germany) to include poorer nations;   a good suggestions to have “pauses” at work(which I’ve just realised is what I do) ;   another great example of a smaller house;   the reasons one company has banned use of the words “innovate” and “disrupt”;   “discretionary spending is getting dangerously soft, undermined by weak wages growth and the rising cost of living”;
       -   on other matters in the category this week:   the problem of suicide in the medical profession (in essence, this is a problem associated with overwork – is that why the medical profession is so *****y useless at managing the problem of overwork in other professions???!!!);   some kids have ditched technology (probably only temporarily :) ) to get outdoors and join a global painted rock hide and seek craze;   "Sugary drinks will be phased out of vending machines, cafes and catering services in NSW health facilities";   farmers' markets have warned that they need to be used or will be lost;   what a horrible collection of control freaks this suburb has;
  • With regard to education:
       the need for better teaching of dyslexic students;   school kids are using indigenous techniques to make learning “stick”;   declining aid is putting education goals at risk;   a proposal has been made to break the culture of "learned misogyny" at Australian colleges;   "University students in Papua New Guinea say they are still waiting for justice one year after they were shot at by police" (and, as I recall, there was considerable violence by members of the public);   Catholic schools have been – wisely, in my view, given their history of abuse - ordered to stop hearing children’s' confessions behind closed doors;
  • With regard to war and violence generally:
       an example of the problem of endemic violence in the USA - which a US State Governor has extended by protecting the so-called “stand your ground” violence;   inclusive development is the best way to prevent conflict;
  • With regard to natural and other catastrophes:
       aid to storm-hit Sri Lanka is aiming to prevent disease;   war and drought are deepening the food insecurity in Africa and West Asia (as has been said before);   an appeal for $60 million in aid for East Africa has been launched;
  • With regard to peace and/or spirituality generally, and the occasional nice story (are you crippled by the fear of being single or asexual or off-grid or in any other way a rebel / innovator / non-conformist / true to yourself, or believe in management  fads and fashions? Do you distract yourself and fill your time to avoid finding real meaning? If so, you have a spiritual problem, and a need to constructively remedy that):
       “Stressing the importance of diplomacy to prevent and resolve trans-boundary disputes over water resources, the Secretary-General [has] told the United Nations Security Council that water serves as “a catalyst” for cooperation among nations, even those that are not on good terms”.
Location based News:
  • With regard to the conflict in Afghanistan (noting that Afghanistan was once a peaceful and modern society, even allowing women in miniskirts, before the Russian invasion – see here):
       “A demonstration in downtown Kabul has turned violent, as police fired on rock-throwing protesters demanding better security in the Afghan capital in the wake of a powerful truck bomb attack that killed at least 80 people”;
  • With regard to Africa, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (and other sources) has:
       -   an appeal for $60 million in aid for East Africa has been launched;
       -   as Western nations retreat, China is ensuring its position in Africa by pouring billions into infrastructure and education;
       -   “a high-level body established by the United Nations development arm in the continent has launched a process to help forge political consensus to address challenges and save [refugee] lives”;
       -   “Bald men in Mozambique could be targets of ritual attacks, police have warned, after the recent killing of five men for their body parts”;
       -   three peacekeepers have been killed in Mali;
       -   the international community has been told to ensure endemic impunity in the “Democratic” Republic of Congo is ended;
  • With regard to China (may her growing middle class bring a love of peace and freedom), East and South East Asia and the Pacific (noting the risks of atrocities in North Korea and Burma):
       -   the USA “is encouraged by [China]'s efforts to restrain North Korea but … will not accept its militarisation of islands in the South China Sea”;      my nation’s Prime Minister “has ordered a major inquiry into the nation's espionage and foreign interference laws, amid concerns about Chinese influence in Australian politics” – see also here and here, for insights on how China uses its soft power, here, and here, for ASIO’s warning;   some Indians fear China’s growing maritime influence – a fear that is acknowledged in that nation’s government;   more appalling animal abuse in China;   as Western nations retreat, China is ensuring its position in Africa by pouring billions into infrastructure and education;   "The man who invented the notion of soft power and inspired the Chinese top leadership to take up the cause ... says using force or giving money to coerce is a fundamental flaw of the Chinese attempts at soft power";
       -   North Korea (the DPRK) will continue its nuclear programme;   "North Korea has fired multiple ... short-range surface-to-ship cruise missiles";
       -   the 28th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre has been observed in Hong Kong;
       -   despite threats of a civil war, Cambodians turned out in huge numbers to vote for local officials, in “an election seen as a test of the ruling party's long reign”;   “An Australian filmmaker has been charged with spying in Cambodia, after he was photographed flying a drone over a political rally”;
       -   the gunman/arsonist who was responsible several deaths at a casino in the Philippines was a gambling addict with debts;   “Hundreds of civilians remain trapped in the besieged Philippine city of Marawi after gunfire disrupted a four-hour truce to evacuate them”;   violent extremists “who have overrun parts of the Philippine city of Marawi have prepared for a long siege”;
       -   the problem of Hepatitis C in Cambodia;
       -   and in the Pacific:   “There are growing calls in Papua New Guinea for officials to put the issue of tribal fighting [which has got ten worse as modern weapons are used] on the agenda, amid warnings the humanitarian and economic costs are damaging the country's ability to develop”;   "University students in Papua New Guinea say they are still waiting for justice one year after they were shot at by police" (and, as I recall, there was considerable violence by members of the public);   Papua New Guinea's Police Commissioner has launched legal action (on constitutional grounds) against the nation's anti-corruption body Task Force Sweep - even though it was disbanded three years ago;
  • With regard to Europe and the European Union (EU):
       -   “Montenegro has become the 29th member of NATO and been praised by the United States for sticking to its path of joining the Western military alliance in spite of Russian pressure”;
       -   Welsh voters embrace political upheaval as economic woes grip the country ("we're back in the 11th century");   the social divisions in the UK;
  • With regard to the conflict in Iraq (noting that Iraq was once a peaceful and prosperous society, before the UK / USA / CIA backed revolution – see here, and that it needs an emphasis on a secular society and citizenship – but also here, although based in Syria and here):
       -   more gains against violent extremists;
       -   and the Iraq Body Count project reports 393 civilians violently killed in the last week;
  • With regard to Russia (which is currently supporting an – in my opinion, based on R2P principles - illegitimate regime in Syria), Russian influenced nations and eastern Europe, and responses:
       Russia’s President Putin has slagged off at women;
  • With regard to South and Central America:
       -   Reuters reports that the USA is considering sanctions against the Venezuelan oil sector;
       -   Brazil’s electoral court has dismissed a case that could have ousted that nation’s President;
  • With regard to South Asia (aka the Indian sub-continent), The Hindu and other sources have:
       -      some Indians fear China’s growing maritime influence – a fear that is acknowledged in that nation’s government;   India's sweeping ban on trading cattle for slaughter has led to fears of vigilante attacks and the ruination of businesses that conservative Hindus do not agree with;   gravely concerning allegations that an Uber executive obtained the medical records of a rape victim in India;   a Dalit leader has been arrested on charges of allegedly inciting violence;
       -   aid to storm-hit Sri Lanka is aiming to prevent disease;
  • With regard to Sudan and South  Sudan: (new links)
       -   a “toxic culture of impunity” has been blamed for the ongoing war in Darfur;
       -   “Thousands [are] at risk of cholera and malnutrition after fleeing attacks”;
  • With regard to the conflict in Syria, where Assad’s regime has, in my opinion, lost all claims to legitimacy, and it is time to consider partition (see here, here, here and here):
       revelations that Assad decided to use chemical weapons against Syrians in 2009 - two years before the Arab Spring;   US backed forces are intensifying attacks on Raqqa –which has led to an increase in civilian casualties;   after giving warnings, “the United States launched an air strike … against Iranian-backed fighters it said posed a threat to U.S. and U.S.-backed forces in southern Syria”;   the USA has shot down a pro-Syrian government drone after it fired at coalition forces;
  • With regard to West Asia (aka “the Middle East”) and North Africa, the Middle East Eye and other sources have:
       -   “Four [more subsequently] Arab nations [Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates] have cut diplomatic ties to Qatar, further deepening the rift between Gulf Arab nations over that country's support for Islamist groups”. This is also raising questions about soccer's World Cup, and the motivations for what is happening – see also here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. There is also some possibly hypocritical  urgings from the USA;   Kuwait is trying to mediate the situation that has developed with Qatar;   Qatar has claimed that a “preliminary investigation has confirmed that Qatar's state news agency was hacked and false statements attributed to the country's ruler were posted that helped spark a rift with other Gulf states”;   "Gulf states are targeting the Doha-based Al Jazeera media network as part of their stand-off with Qatar";
       -   on its 50th anniversary, a review of the Six Day War;   “Scores of former Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel and living in the Gaza Strip [have] said … their stipends from the Western-backed Palestinian Authority have been suspended in an apparent bid to appease Israel and the United States”;   more on the experiences of Palestinians in land occupied by Israel;   anger at the one-sidedness of an Israeli museum at a former border checkpoint in Jerusalem;   "Amnesty International has called for an international ban on all goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements to mark 50 years of occupation of Palestinian territories";
       -   there appear to be indications the USA is adopting the harder stance against Iran promised by the 45th President – Iran has criticised this;   the 45th US President has demeaned the USA by saying - in effect - that Iran deserved what they got in the recent violent extremist attack;
       -   in Egypt: "The stability that some believe a strongman guarantees is actually a perfect incubator for sectarianism and terrorism";
       -   (understandable) outrage after Saudi Arabia's soccer team refused to observe a minute's silence for the victims of a violent extremist event - and the claim it is not in line with Saudi culture is, I consider, not adequate justification - and is questionable.
Other News:
  • worry can potentially be productive;
  • “Citing decades of neglect in mental health care, a United Nations human rights expert [has] denounced “biomedical gatekeepers” who perpetuate stigma and urged States and psychiatrists to act with courage to reform a “crisis-hit system built on outdated attitudes””.
General Comments/Information
(Dear Reader, please remember, I expect you to think when reading this blog, and I reserve the right to occasionally sneak in something to test that)
Many others are very capably doing this type of work – for instance, the Lucis Trust's Triangles network (which has been running for many decades),   the Correllian Tradition's 'Spiritual War for Peace' (see also here, here, and here), the Hope, Peace, Love and Prosperity Spell (also from the Correllian Tradition, in around 2007 or 2008),   the Healing Minute started by the late, great Harry Edwards (running for decades);   the “Network of Light”  meditations;   and   also see here and here – even commercial organisations (for instance, see here), online groups (e.g. here and here – which I do not know the quality of) and even an app.    Thus, if you don't like what I am suggesting here, but want to be of service, there are many other opportunities for you – including secular opportunities: e.g., see here, here and here.   Again, activism in the physical world is also required - see here, here and here, here, and, of course, here.
(Please note that I now specifically have a role for (absent) healers on Saturdays, as explained in the Psychic Weather Report posts. Anyone who wishes to be protector has a role every day :). At all times, on all levels and in ways, BOTH must ALWAYS be BPM in the way they perform such roles.)
If I am ever late getting my Psychic Weather Report up any week, there is a default plan.
I apologise for publishing these posts twice, but Blogger keeps changing my formatting.
No signature block for these posts.
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