Information and Summary/Analysis:
Note: I am NOT a journalist, and make NO claims to objectivity or
freedom from bias. Furthermore, I do not hold copyright to any of the articles
I link to, nor do I claim authorship, except for those links to material I have
written for this and my related blogs, and my commentary in
these posts. (I try to make sure quotes
are shown using quotation marks.)
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.
As part of that, note that there are key
uncooperatives
to be cleared (
rescued):
you should
ONLY address those that are within your ability – if you get a
sense
(e.g., through meditation) or are told by your BPM
Guides/
Higher
Self to back off, do so, and content yourself with clearing the smaller
nonBPM units within your capability – which
will weaken those
uncooperatives. More importantly,
there are many people doing this sort of
work, and others are quite likely to be able to clear the uncooperatives
concerned.
That is also one of the many reasons it is OK to take a break or cut back this
work if you need – in fact, doing so will help you deal with the next point,
which is …
… the energies we use and manifest in our daily lives contribute to the larger
soup of energies that influence world events, so it pays to address those as
well, to the extent that one can, or to at least stop oneself projecting them
into the psychic soup.
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”.
There are some notes at the end of this post about other options for those who
do not like this way of working.
Finally, one of the biggest concerns I
have about spirituality in the world now is that the concept of agape type love
has been perverted into both a quest for emotional warm fuzzies, and an excuse
to avoid doing the hard work of improving oneself and all that one does. On that, it may help to consider the
simplification that one cannot love perfectly until one has learned how to
perfect. (And one of the concerns I have
about those resisting change is that they are so shallow / superficial /stupid
that they thing their actions have ONLY the meaning of their [limited]
conscious intention … ) See also here
and here.
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), more
of the personal security of BPM Earth;
mentally, more of the critical
self-reflection of BPM Air;
a plot of the elemental
influences on a causal/spiritual level follows, and shows a need for more of
the focused and aware critical thinking of BPM Air;
(d) for
this week’s work I will be using the rune Yr:
(e)
dealing with the 45th President of the USA (aka the USA’s
CEO) 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 the USA’s CEO’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 the USA’s CEO’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 – e.g., this. 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:
as attraction to violence continues to be inadequately addressed, the
risks of mass atrocities in Burma, Kenya, Afghanistan and Syria; ongoing violent conflicts and crises in Syria,
Iraq, Afghanistan, Mexico, Somalia, South Sudan, Nigeria, Central African
Republic, Libya, Sudan (Darfur and South Kordofan), Yemen, Egypt (Sinai), Kurdistan,
the Philippines, Ethiopia, Mali, Burma, DR Congo, Burundi, Kashmir, Baluchistan
(Pakistan and Iran), India (Maoist and other insurgencies), the Maghreb
(Africa), Ukraine, and elsewhere; the resurgence of Nazi and similar
ideologies of hate; expectations of
another Israeli-Lebanon war; possible North Korean nuclear madness; the struggle for democracy, peace and
stability in Africa; more undermining
of democracy in the USA; continuing
ineffectiveness regarding the Rohingya;
continuing breaches of obligations to refugees;
(g) there
is a slow but sure fight back against fake news;
(h) efforts
to improve human rights – including overcoming white supremacism, sexism and
other forms of bigotry – are continuing, with a few steps forward, some
backward;
(i) action
against climate change continues to be inadequate;
(j) technological advances
continue to be abused;
(k) backsliding
in living standards continues to be inadequately, ineffectively or
inappropriately addressed;
(l) lack
of scrupulousness is a notable issue this week - particularly evading accountability, or enabling others to evade accountability;
(m) fear
continues to underlie much of the hate in the world;
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 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 resources (including an assured income, given the power that nonBPM forces have
in the structures of the material world), opportunities and assistance (including 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
actual and potential BPM Violence
Interrupters (and Interrupters of
hate / fear / anger) of be kept BPM safe, and may they have all the BPM
opportunities and assistance (so-called
“good luck”) for them to be BPM effective at containing and stopping – along the lines of the Cure
Violence model - the spread
of violence (and hate / fear / anger),
all as is for the Highest Spiritual Good;
- 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;
- Permanent issue: may all
humans be in better communication with the better parts of their nature – especially
those who need that more than other, better people;
- Matters warranting particular attention:
-
an article on the devious dangers of current Nazi ideology and movements, and how to fight them;
-
as a renewed warning
is issued that North Korea may conduct an atmospheric nuclear test in the
Pacific, political discussions in the USA are now including
the possibility of nuclear war;
-
a UN-mandated report has found it
“appears plausible” that an external attack or threat may
have led to the plane crash that killed former UN Secretary-General Dag
Hammarskjöld, whose ethics have been
linked to a new Global
Ethics Day;
-
deliberate famine should be a war crime;
-
an assessment that another war
between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon is inevitable,
and will be devastating;
-
“the rise of religious
fundamentalism and the far right poses a serious risk to global gender equality”;
-
the USA and Russia have both
taken action against the human
rights campaigner responsible for the Magnitsky
Act;
-
a majority of whites in the USA believe
discrimination against them exists, a minority say they have experienced that –
but 84% believe discrimination against others exists (all of which says the message about
unearned advantage [aka “white privilege”] needs to be sold more credibly);
-
this week’s atrocity alert
at R2P lists Burma, Kenya, Afghanistan
and Syria;
- With regard to democracy (which can
be measured [as can goodness], and requires protection of minorities and the vulnerable – and remember
Gandhi’s question about whether one is fighting to change things, or to punish,
and note this 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: financial illiteracy is a policy failure (see also here), but could be successfully
connected to teaching maths; a post
2016 Presidential campaign survey of voters suggests there may be little
or no “middle” or common ground – or interest in any - between the
disparate groups of angry people in the USA;
interviews with former US politicians suggests they left because of the dysfunction; a critique
of the Productivity Commission’s recommendations (including better education, a carbon price, and consumer control of
and access to data) to boost productivity and living standards; a critique of current activist approaches – including their failures; an article on challenges
to liberalism from low population growth which misses the obvious point: basing
the economy on growth is wrong;
-
for other analyses see: here (Columbia), Europe;
-
of concern this week: an Australian activist group is being accused
–
incorrectly, in my view – of
having political affiliations (the problem is the extreme irrationality of the
neoliberals, which make, in my view, any rational activist likely to be
opposing them); senior
Australian officials are – rightly - concerned
about acquiescing to China’s global trade domination; in one state, boat skippers can be drunk if they’re anchored … (ever hear of emergencies – such as drunk passengers
going overboard, which require an anchored boat to get under way?); revelations that an aged care and retirement
home sector award scheme was fraudulent; threats were required
to get a social media platform to agree to label election ads; limitations
have been placed on compensation to child abuse survivors; in the USA, election data was destroyed
days after a lawsuit was filed against state officials; the failure
of democracy in Burma;
-
other concerning events have occurred or are developing in: Ethiopia;
-
in the grey/mixed [good and bad
aspects] or neutral area this week:
New Zealand’s new government has a mix
of progressive and conservative policies, including banning
foreign home buyers –
see also here; the state of investigations
into alleged Russian interference in US elections – and possible
responses; union offices have been raided
as part of investigations into union payments to an activist organisation – and
calls for the leak
about that to be investigated by police (the
leaker has resigned);
-
other events in the grey or neutral area have occurred or are developing
in: Italy;
-
good
news this week includes:
a suggestion for banks to banks to have a ‘representative
of the poor; better communication is improving some aspects of US electoral practices;
-
and
democracy/governance/political matters in my home nation this week: problems
have been admitted
as the NBN tries
to fix
its technology; a call for east coast
states to ignore
voter impatience and copy
West Australia’s principled stand a decade ago against gas companies; a perspective on missing the manufacturing
capability, rather
than Australian cars; stronger anti-money laundering laws may include Bitcoin;
the cretin who set the “yes” case back by head-butting an obnoxious
former Prime Minister is potentially facing up to ten
years jail; a Parliament House
security manual has been lost
by a contractor … ; the status
of lobbying law reform; we are not
closing inequality gaps; financial,
socialisation and other gender
issues which may affect the assisted dying proposal; an obvious point: it is not
“un-Australian” to investigate the actions of special forces in
Afghanistan; some workers are still
getting left
behind by low unemployment rates; a
five year prediction of economic
growth factors –
which misses the fact that addiction growth is inherently of concern;
Australia’s neoliberals have lost their majority
as several MPs are found ineligible because of dual citizenship;
-
other events relating to my home nation have occurred or are developing
in: indigenous rights;
- With regard to the 45th US
President (who I consider seriously dangerous, even if his
administration looks like a Schoolyard Squabble Squad – see here on
practical, physical actions for US residents [and the principles are useful
elsewhere]) 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 (actually, I consider him evil), I will
use either “the USA’s CEO” or “Voldemort II” (or a combination – and the “II”
is because the Harry Potter series had Voldemort I) or a variation thereof – in
this section, at least - as an alias.
-
an examination
of the background and details of the USA’s 25th Amendment, which can
enable removal of their President;
Republican politicians have excoriated
the 45th US President – see also here; the
Special Prosecutor investigating alleged Russian influence is “following the money”;
the US Congress will investigate
the 45th President’s – stalled
– alleged voter fraud commission;
staggering “thinking” from supporters of the 45th US
President tries to shift blame to an “alt
collusion” version of reality … ;
-
a retiring US Senator
has made a blistering
attack on Voldemort II – see also here,
and here;
-
ALL levels of the US administration lack
diversity; empowered bigots are making
schools unsafe; immigration officers claim
to be frustrated by the (absurd) laws;
-
a pregnant widow has confirmed the USA’s CEO stuffed
up his condolence call to her;
-
changes to political traditions
around the selection of US judges (political conventions have always worried the hell out
of me) - and other possible erosions
of independence;
-
during the election campaign, an advisor to the 45th US President
also
tried to have a Turkish cleric discredited;
-
other matters relating to the USA’s CEO: refugees,
media;
- With regard to violent
extremism (VE) (aka, terrorism)
(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 Mali,
Nigeria,
and, according to this
Wikipedia page, there have been 3 attacks in Iraq (out of a total of 7); prevention has
or may have occurred in the
UK; and actions (Note:
there are many others that don’t reach the media I read) have occurred this
week against violent extremists in: the
Philippines, Australia,
Mali,
Somalia (preparations);
-
airport workers at Australian airports will be subject to increased random
checks; the USA will impose additional
security measures; the USA has broadened
an interpretation of which citizens can be subject to physical or digital
surveillance to include “home-grown violent extremists”;
-
cyber terrorism could target health care systems; a Muslim FBI undercover agent’s
experiences; analysis of where violent
extremists fleeing Syria/Iraq may go to; interesting reflections by a former Prime Minister (three years ago);
- With regard
to refugees (noting the New York Declaration) and people
seeking asylum:
-
on the Rohingya crisis this week:
-
any Rohingya returning to Burma would lose
land and crops; more on the horrors
in the refugee camps – including the health
challenges; surprisingly, Bangladesh
has chosen the International Organization for Migration to lead international
relief efforts, not
the UNHCR; grave concerns over the extensive personal and biometric data
being collected from the Rohingya refugees; even the USA is considering sanctions
on Burma’s military – and has spoken
directly; Burma’s actions
are akin
to ISIL’s (Da’esh);
-
other refugee-related
matters this week:
-
Australia’s Cambodian refugee resettlement agreement has undermined
our diplomatic influence; the USA will delay
processing refugees; a call for Australia
to deploy police to protect
refugees in its Papua New Guinea gulag (PNG
has sent police … );
- With regard to human (and other) rights and
discrimination (incidentally, I consider it vital to identify people
who are bigots as they clearly have flaws in their powers of observation and
thinking – shown by the fact that NOT
all people act hatefully without education/lobbying/the restraint of laws):
-
on Australia’s postal survey around Equal Marriage, and the homophobia/transphobia
(including heteronormativity, cisgender-normativity and the suppression of the
religious freedom of those religions that support Equal Marriage by
neochristian supremacists) resulting from that, this week – and I am going to note that Australia’s current pus for equal “debate”
IGNORES the FACT that there have been DECADES and CENTURIES of distortions, lies, attacks and
hate speech against
LGBTIQ people– if the current “debate” gives
equal air time, then it is UNFAIRLY biased against the “no” case. Furthermore, after the fearmongering and conflation of this and transphobia, this is no longer just about marriage, it is about
whether bigotry is simply being given a new, less overtly violent face (this “conversation guide”, is,
however, quite good): experts have rebutted
the no campaign’s homophobic
(“MA” rated) and extraneous material messages about kids – it is discrimination that does the harm; 74.5% of voters have responded
to the postal survey (if the “no” vote is successful, Equal Marriage will be
set back by at least another electoral cycle);
-
on homophobia/transphobia (including heteronormativity and
cisgender-normativity) this week (and noting that trans kids are the same as cis kids of the trans kids’ true
gender): criticism – including evidence – of a sporting body’s rejection of a trans woman;
-
other homophobic/transphobic (and heteronormativity /
cisgender-normativity) matters have also occurred in: Nigeria;
-
on white supremacist and other forms of racism and indigenous matters generally this week: notwithstanding
a commitment to a referendum on constitutional acceptance of indigenous people as
part of getting elected to the UN Human Rights Council, Australia has rejected a proposal for an indigenous advisory body to be enshrined in the
constitution – see also here,
here,
and here; a Tasmanian area
rich in Aboriginal heritage; an 8x10m painted
indigenous artwork/map, used to overcome the language-culture divide in an
ultimately successful land claim, has returned to the desert;
a call for an Australian sporting teams new jersey, rich with indigenous symbols, to “be matched by practical action on behalf of Indigenous people”; the bones of
Alaskan natives are finally being returned home; indigenous
storytelling and stargazing; a survey of the details
and extent of discrimination against African Americans – who have been warned
by an advocacy group against using one US airline; the legacy
of Tuskegee study,
which involved doctors letting black men die from syphilis is continuing to
cause problems in the USA; the scope,
breadth and violence
of racism and white supremacists in the USA, where police killings of black
people have been described as reminiscent of 19th and 20th
Century lynchings; a critique
of the effectiveness of Australian spending on indigenous matters;
-
other white supremacy / racism problems have also occurred in: Australia,
tech
industry, Poland;
-
on sexism this week (keeping in mind the overblown influence given to testosterone): an ad has
finally confronted period taboos;
another large US company is reviewing a possible
history of sexual harassment; measures
to address sexual assault on public transport in my home state – and a call to broaden
that campaign; the effect of the imbalance in power on consent; a call for constructive change out of the recent sexual
assault revelations in the USA; a six
year wait for breast reconstruction;
a challenge
to the idea of using business performance to justify equality measures;
-
other sexism matters have also occurred in: tech
industry, PNG,
Bahrain;
-
on religious
rights (including Islamophobia)
this week: a Pagan challenge to a US Council’s neochristian
display has been upheld; anti-Semitism amongst
Italian sports fans; anti-Pagan discrimination
at a doctor’s office;
-
other religious rights / Islamophobia matter have also occurred in: USA;
-
on workers’, children’s, privacy, and other forms of human (and other –
e.g., animal) rights this week:
on the basis that health care is a human right, a call for protection of
medical workers;
-
other workers’, children’s, privacy, and other forms of human or other
rights matters have also occurred in: Africa, Syria, Peru, Queensland
youth detention centres;
- With regard to crime, judicial
matters and policing:
-
a driver tried to run
down a police officer to escape a speeding fine … ; a prisoner decided to take justice into his
own hands and attack another prisoner (there are inherent problems with vigilantism – including
attacking the wrong people and, in this case, failing to see issues such as
setting precedents for others to indulge in cruel and unusual punishment, going
backwards as a society, etc);
police are investigating
a religious community which appears to have smuggled out an alleged child
abuser; a reasonable argument for using
software (aka “algorithms”) to free up resources
and give initial guidance to people;
lack of resources is hindering
the Australian Federal Police; police will take action over a schoolyard attack (I wish such
anti-violence and anti-bullying attitudes had been in place when I was in
school – better late than never);
the US state of California's chief justice has recommended the “unsafe
and unfair” money bail system be replaced; more concerning reports from youth detention
centres – including doubts
over self-harm attempts; police ignored
a wife who tried to report her (subsequently divorced) husband for child
abuse; the USA may
try to change the notion of criminal intent … ;
-
other crime, judicial and policing matters have occurred in: Malta,
Indonesia,
US
universities, Uganda,
Tanzania, PNG,
Spain;
- 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 … ):
-
an inconclusive report on
the future of “fake news”; concerns
that the 45th US President’s assaults on good journalism are “a
strategy that comes directly from the pages of Orwell or Kafka”;
-
other media / freedom of expression matters have occurred in: India,
public
transport, PNG,
South
Korea;
- 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 – in response to activist
pressure.] Do you suffer from FOMO or addiction? Are you having second thoughts about technology? 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? Are you accursed with the “new is always
good” groupthink of the computer world? Do you abuse workers by insisting on busy-ness? Are you raising a Prince Boofhead? Keeping in mind that, although I am a
Pagan now, but have been a Buddhist, maybe the lesson of Buddhism that one must
first recognise that one causes much of one’s own suffering is applicable … ):
-
on climate change and other environmental matters this week: more acidic oceans
from climate change will affect all ocean life – especially the young; the
growing loss of biodiversity;
measurements are underway to see how
far toxins were spread by Tropical Cyclone (aka “hurricane”) Harvey; a video on using passive solar (active
solar is better!!!) to reduce the effects of (US) homes on
climate change; a review
of pastoralism and its future; the US
EPA has stopped
scientists speaking on climate change;
a pollution
tax on London motorists; what caused the changes of heart of former climate change sceptic
scientists; moves
towards more eco-friendly “smart” phones;
climate change impacts on health; consider times
of use when placing solar panels; concerns
over re-launch of a weedkiller; the
environmental impact
of period products; Africa’s Great Green Wall project –
see also here ;
-
on technology and science matters this week: unconscious bias, racism and sexism have
given the tech industry a toxic
mentality and output; the USA has
issued a warning
that sophisticated hackers are targeting energy and industrial firms; apps
on so-called “smart” phones are being used to spy on partners and enable domestic abuse; a new ransomware attack; more abuse by internet trolls; “deep cleaning” – and a
warning; “CAPTCHA” technology can be broken;
-
on economic and financial matters this week: bodies sold to science in the US are being sold; loss of jobs to
drones; predictions of future jobs in
the USA leave
a lot of people out in the cold;
-
on affordable housing and homelessness matters this week: further confirmation of what older, single (and in a
relationship, in at least one case :) ) women want
to live in; Australian apartment
house prices will fall
(are they
fire-safe? Do they have adequate privacy and personal space?); moves to house the homeless in the US is
being set
back by high prices (so use tiny houses);
-
on health and medical this week: a criticism of fat bashing – including of oneself; the experience of having a new
born; a call for more people to be able
to access palliative care;
eradication of polio is
closer; an examination of why opioid
addiction is such an emergency
in the USA – including this; robot pharmacists is a backwards
step; thoughtful criticism
of the implementation of the NDIS; lack
of vaccinations is allowing
whooping cough to spread; people cope
with surgery better in the afternoon;
-
other health and medical matters have occurred in: aged
care, India;
-
on other matters in the category this week: urban foraging;
“embodied”
philanthropy; this
is one of those annoying half-right articles: choosing to live alone is NOT wrong, nor – if done for spiritual
reasons – necessarily harmful, and it is NOT
a new
phenomenon – just look to mediÓ•val Europe,
for instance. Those people who need to be connected should be respected
considered, but so should those who don’t –and all people must become capable of being
alone for periods of time without problems for
the sake of their spiritual maturity; asexuality; the problem of parent
shaming; young people’s views on community; a warning over safety
in farming;
- With regard to education:
-
a refutation
of the call for performance funding of university lecturers;
- With regard to war, violence
and hate generally:
-
the lack
of personal financial impact makes US citizens unlikely to reign in their
leaders’ hawkishness; firearms-related
deaths and injuries increased
70 percent in one US state after gun shows in a less regulated neighbouring
state; the trauma of children
being forced to take on parenting roles;
- With regard to natural and other catastrophes:
-
a Pagan Chaplain has joined a Red Cross disaster care team; plague
in Madagascar; landslide
in Malaysia; typhoon in Japan; a 90% successful
typhoid vaccine; the deep and lasting effects of drought; concerns over a strange
decision by Puerto Rica for repair of its utilities;
- With regard to peace and/or spirituality generally (including survival
after death, and good religion),
development (in an “end poverty/thirst/hunger” sense) 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):
a former
childhood friend has helped a drug addict recover;
other events concerning peace,
spirituality and development have occurred or are developing in: Columbia.
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):
-
the Red Cross is scaling
back because of elevated violence;
- With regard to Africa, the Africa
Center for Strategic Studies (and other sources) has:
-
at the current rate, ending child marriage in
West and central Africa will take a century;
-
Burundi plans to give its President another
14 years, and has withdrawn
from the ICC;
-
warnings
of religious division in the Central African Republic, where one quarter of the
population have been displace;
-
militia and political unrest are displacing people
in the “Democratic” Republic of Congo;
-
the son of Equatorial Guinea’s leader as been found guilty
of embezzlement;
-
at least ten people have been killed
while protesting in Ethiopia;
-
security has been tightened
for the re-run of Kenya’s elections – which has had a poor turnout, and four
deaths;
-
stigma is worsening plague
in Madagascar;
-
more peacekeepers in Mali have been killed,
but so have more than a dozen
violent extremists;
-
homophobia
in Nigeria;
-
as recovery continues, Somalia plans
to attack the violent extremists;
-
ancient treasures in the self-declared state of Somaliland are at
risk;
-
police abuse
in Tanzania is stopping public health measures to contain HIV/AIDS;
-
in Uganda, former
child soldiers are trying to rebuild their lives;
-
the World Health Organisation has reversed
a staggering
piece of stupidity by removing
Zimbabwe’s Ancient Despot Mugabe from a good will ambassador role; the challenges
facing widows in Zimbabwe;
- 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):
-
Asia has more
billionaires than the USA;
-
on China, Hong Kong, the DPRK (North Korea) and South Korea (which need to accept their partition – for now – and
sign a peace treaty), Taiwan, and the free but invaded and occupied
nation of Tibet:
-
the extent
of Chairman (and President) Xi’s (allegedly?)
“anti-corruption” purge; dissidents in
China have been given isolated
“holidays” during the recent Communist Party Congress; Chairman Xi’s ideology has been “enshrined”; the torture of a
lawyer in China; as expected, Chairman
Xi has overhauled
military leadership;
-
other events concerning China have occurred or are developing in: Australia;
-
a comparative assessment
of North Korea’s aggression under Kim⅓;
an analysis
advocating for emphasis on the coercive part of coercive diplomacy – for
now; North Korea will release some
capture South Korean fishermen;
-
other events concerning the DPRK have occurred or are developing in: USA;
-
the problem of political
influence on South Korean media;
-
two jailed democracy
activists have been released on bail in Hong Kong;
-
elsewhere in Asia:
-
in what may be a mistake, Indonesia's military chief has been stopped
from boarding a plane for the USA;
hundreds of people have been publicly flogged; scores of people have been killed and
injured by a fireworks factory explosion;
-
a typhoon in Japan has
killed two people; a review of why
Japan’s current government has been re-elected
– and its promise to “deal
firmly” with North Korea, which it describes as a critical
threat;
-
a landslide
in Malaysia has killed 11 construction workers;
-
the siege of Marawi in the Philippines
appears to be over; a centenarian tattoo artist;
-
and in the Pacific: outrage
at the apparent domestic violence murder
of a PNG journalist;
- With regard to Europe and the European
Union (EU):
-
an examination
of Europe’s growing conservatism;
-
the Czech Republic has elected a “populist”
government – see also here;
-
attitudes to work in Germany;
-
two of Italy’s provinces want greater autonomy; anti-Semitism amongst
Italian sports fans;
-
Poland has objected
to a visit by a white supremacist from the USA;
- after
a nervous
week, Spain has – with key support
- imposed direct
rule an hour after Catalonia declared independence - which may lead to civil
disobedience;
- With regard to (the conflict and other matters in) Iraq and Kurdistan (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):
-
the USA as said Iranian-backed militias in Iraq should go home, but Iraq
wants them to stay; possible divisions
within Kurdistan; rebuilding and recovery in Mosul;
Kurdistan has offered
to freeze the referendum results; Iraq
has announced a 24
hour ceasefire with Kurdistan;
-
and the Iraq Body Count
project reports 68 people violently killed in the last week;
- With regard
to the Libyan civil war:
-
a water crisis; the continuing
violent struggle for power – see also here
and here;
- 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 (see also the section on Europe):
-
Russia’s opposition leader has been released from jail;
claims
that Russia’s President is on shaky (political)
ground; the US State Department is only
belatedly
complying with sanctions .. ;
-
other events concerning Russia have occurred or are developing in: Syria;
- With regard
to South and Central America:
-
excessive
pre-employment checks in South America;
-
a high turnout for elections in Argentina;
-
a review
of Brazil’s President;
-
a critique
– with recommendations – of the
current state of Columbia’s peace process;
-
“while Peru has made great strides
over the past decade in reducing poverty, it needs to stand up firmly for human rights to ensure an
economy that is sustainable and benefits all”;
-
four out of five Venezuelan opposition governors broke
with their coalition’s official position to swear themselves in before the highly
controversial (perceived
as anti-democratic) Constituent Assembly;
- With regard
to South Asia (aka the Indian sub-continent), The Hindu and other sources
have:
-
some of the stories – including
appalling casual sexist and religious abuse – from Kashmir during
the Partition
of India; more Pakistan-India
border tension; the monsoon is imminent;
-
on India:
-
a previously arrested Indian cartoonist says free speech in India is “not
in good condition”; a public rape in
India; resistance
to the court order
to stand for India’s national anthem before films; hundreds of
languages found in India; progress
against the parasitic infection leishmaniosis; a young classical
singer will perform after a life battling cerebral
palsy; a critique
of plans to boost India’s economy; a critique
of India-US ties;
-
on Pakistan:
-
an arrest
warrant has been issued for Pakistan’s former Prime Minister; the
USA has given Pakistan an ultimatum
over violent extremist safe havens;
- With regard to Sudan and South Sudan:
-
South Sudan has asked the USA to help fix its
relationship with Sudan;
-
the USA is considering how
to pressure South Sudan into peace (withdrawing
aid may not work);
- 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):
-
hypocritically,
Russia, which has performed appalling
bombing missions, has accused
the US of destroying Raqqa; as the
northern hemisphere’s winter approaches, who
will rebuild Raqqa?; Russia has blocked (as a cover
up?) an extension of the investigation of
chemical weapon use in Syria; confirmation
that the Assad Dictatorship killed dozens of people in a gas attack last year;
- With regard
to Turkey:
-
the trial of human rights activists on allegations – possibly
politically motivated - of terrorism has commenced;
-
other events concerning Turkey have occurred or are developing in: USA;
- With regard to the conflicts
in Ukraine, particularly in the east:
-
a suspected assassination attempt;
- With regard to West Asia (aka “the
Middle East”) and North Africa, the Middle
East Eye and other sources have:
-
the USA's "train and equip" strategy has led to diminished
US influence - contrary to this
- and a more
complex mess in West Asia;
-
on Israel and Palestine:
the Israeli government’s agenda
for the next Parliamentary session includes “weakening
the supreme court’s powers of judicial review, cracking down on left-wing
civil-society organisations, expanding Jerusalem’s boundaries to include more
Jewish settlements and allowing the government to forcibly deport mainly
African asylum seekers” – and defining Israel “as a state that belongs not to its citizens – as is the case in a
liberal democracy – but to all Jews around the world, including those with no
connection to Israel”; a Palestinian
women’s council has “taken
charge” in a West Bank village;
claims of an assassination attempt
against a Palestinian official; a call
for a sporting body to stop
UAE competitors discriminating against Israel; concerns
over corruption in Israel;
-
elsewhere in the region:
-
Bahrain has jailed the relatives
of a human rights activist;
-
after an abusive and unfair process, an Iranian-born Swedish doctor has
been sentenced to
death by Iran for allegedly spying for Israel; other events concerning Iran have occurred
or are developing in: Iraq;
-
as part of its diversification away from oil, Saudi Arabia will spend
$500 billion on a new nine-sector business zone and megacity; ahead of women and 3rd generation
residents, Saudi Arabia has given a robot
a passport … ;
- With regard
to the (forgotten or ignored) conflict in Yemen (unlike
Iraq, I cannot find a source of regular information on casualties in Yemen, but
the hardship and deaths from food, water and medical shortages that concerns me
just as much – if not more, and I don’t know if such sites would report that;
it is also important to remember that there are multiple sides in this dispute
– and opponents to the government are not necessarily Houthi or violent
extremist):
-
Saudi Arabia has now
decided someone it funded for years is a violent extremist; child
soldiers in Yemen; the continuing humanitarian crisis
in Yemen.
Other News:
- a former patient has become Australia's best mental health nurse;
- while looking for any CIA response to the release
of papers on the assassination of President John F Kennedy (Russia thought the USA was heading towards
a coup; the information on Cuba didn’t really add a great deal, I thought),
I came across their advice
on how to take photos of UFOs.
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,
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.