Post No. 1,149 – Gnwmythr’s News Ed. No. 211

For the sake of my health, until I retire or change to an easier day job , I have cut back these posts.

Information and Summary of News with Opinion / Advocacy / 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 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:   -   (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 BPM Æther (especially the persistent moral courage of that element);
           mentally, more BPM Æther;
           a plot of the elemental influences on a causal/spiritual level follows, and shows a need for more BPM Earth;

(d)   I’ve selected a rune for this week’s work, which is:

(e)   dealing with the 45^th President of the USA 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 to promote 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. physical world activism (especially education) – 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, Iraq and Afghanistan, and ongoing violent conflicts and crises in Syria, Afghanistan, Mexico, Iraq, Burma, Somalia, South Sudan, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Libya, Sudan (Darfur and South Kordofan), Yemen, Egypt (Sinai), Kurdistan, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Mali, DR Congo, Burundi, Kashmir, Baluchistan (Pakistan and Iran), India (Maoist and other insurgencies), the Maghreb (Africa), Ukraine, and elsewhere;   -   refugee and humanitarian crises;   -   the political madness of regimes with authoritarian leaders;   -   and   the glib dismissiveness of the seriousness of sexual assault;   the refusal to admit to evil;   abuses and misuse of power;   an element of reasonableness about Syria and in North Korea which is to be encouraged;   personality flaws which lead to trolling and other assaults;   some excellent thoughtfulness;   some constructive efforts by elites and institutions to help others who are less well off;   ideology continues to plague decision making;   racism continues to be only partially addressed;

(g)   as all actions taken in pursuance of social status are evil, may we exercise our human characteristics of reason, self discipline and improvement to overcome that flaw, and the viciousness and destructiveness that go with it;

(h)   may the social filter bubbles around all nonBPM people lead to hubris and all the associated flaws, weaknesses, lack of attention and other mistakes;

(i)   may all who lack empathy be BPM guided to consider what it would be like that was happening to someone they loved;

(j)   may those people in power who think they are too good or powerful for unpleasant things to happen be BPM given reminders (e.g., through dreams) of the past downfall of such arrogant people;

(k)   may all be BPM guided to deal with their flaws, beginning with those causing the greatest harm to other humans and life;

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 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:
     this week on reversing the deliberate, well-funded, long-term strategy (from about the 70s) to make self-interest seem normal and a commitment to fairness (such as former US President Franklin D Roosevelt’s Four  Freedoms) an aberration:   the entirety of this blog and all other spiritual work and physical activism I and many others do;  
     on the Rohingya crisis this week:
     -   the sexual assaults and harassment (including pregnancy tests) on women in burma, and on Rohingya;   after a family of five (0.07% of the displaced Rohingya) stuck in the nowhere land between burma and Bangladesh gave up trying to reach safety and returned to burma, burma has been prattling on about having started repatriation – despite the concerns of UN and common sense about the inadvisability (danger, in simpler terms) of doing that;   a Rohingya lawyer has said that “the United Nations Security Council has failed to prevent the Rohingya refugee crisis, and the 15-member body must refer sexual violence and other crimes against the ethnic group to the world’s top criminal court”;   the start of the rainy season has exposed the risks of diseases, infections and mudslides for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh;   a witness has testified that a burmese police chief “ordered officers to “trap” a Reuters reporter arrested in December, telling them to meet the journalist at a restaurant and give him “secret documents” ”;
     on other matters requiring particular attention:
     -   “North Korea will suspend nuclear and missile tests effective immediately and abolish a nuclear test site in a bid to pursue economic growth and peace on the Korean Peninsula” (no green until it actually happens …  - see here );
     -   the USA and Russia have, despite the rhetoric (especially the nonsense in Russia’s media) and the subsequent “diplomatic offensives”, actually worked at preventing an escalation of the Syrian conflict after the US air strike (there are also interesting comment to the effect that the virus attack in the UK could have been Russian criminals) - and Russia has even agreed to allow chemical inspectors will be allowed into the site of the recent chemical attack;   an opinion as to why Australia should stay out of the Syrian conflict – which I disagree with, as it lacks consideration of human compassion and risks to collective security that such conflicts create;    a large cyber-attack is being blamed on Russia;
     -   hundreds of non-native Canadians have been arrested and shackled for protesting against a new oil pipeline and tar sands development (in violation of Indigenous land rights on unceded lands that have been recognized by the [Canadian] Supreme Court and the Paris Climate Control Accord), but the police have been held back when Indigenous people likewise protested - and the media has failed (until now) to report this;
     -   another US school students’ protest against gun violence, and a teachers union has cut ties to a bank connected to the gun industry and advocates;
     -   a criminologist’s examination of data shows that misogyny, narcissism and a desperate need for power in some men results in online abuse of women, people of colour, and LGBT people;
     -   an opinion that “the great divide of our times is not left vs. right, but true vs. false”;   having witnessed Yugoslavia self-destruct (which led the author of this article to a realisation "that the veneer of civilised societies is very thin, a fragile thing that once broken brings forth monsters") and seen a prescient warning that the "the west should not gloat over the fall of the old Soviet states. Eastern Europe was ... simply a twisted mirror reflecting back a slightly more distorted image of what might come to prevail in the west" come true, some thoughts about our perversity and problems (such as the offering up of scapegoats rather than debating issues), and the need to face up to them;
     -   from a highly respected source, another article on the other companies which collect people’s personal data (I may have posted this a week or so ago);   another call for the tech company monopolies to be broken up;
     -   the USA’s massive problem of storing plutonium from dismantled nuclear warheads;
     -   research has shown that the Austrian doctor after whom Asperger syndrome is named (and – until now- often  thought to have been created as a way of stopping autistic people being exterminated) was an active participant in the Nazi regime’s euthanasia programme against “children unworthy to live”;
     -   an article on the ability of the recently passed former US first lady to continue growing and learning ;
     this week’s atrocity alert at R2P lists burma, Iraq and Afghanistan;
• 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, governance (e.g., here, here, here and here, and see also here) and ethics:
  Note: I have a section specifically for the 45^th US President below
     analyses, research and commentary this week include:
     -   a call for politicians to tackle social media’s political persuasion, influence and money;   an opinion that, as a result of neo-classical beliefs having taken politics to the right (which is being well served by mainstream economics), both right and left have signed up to “the myth of the free market”, despite blind faith in neo-classical economics having led to the crisis in 2008, and leading to progressive economists being “rattled by even the teeniest bit of criticism”;   an examination of why, given “studies suggest that most people do not live in [social media] echo chambers and 'filter bubbles'”, global politics is still so divided;   “when people tell jokes about politics, they're usually advancing an agenda” (this reminds me of some research in the 80s and 90s which showed that engineering students used “humour” as a weapon to control people);   criticism of the deceit, bias and duplicity of conservatives on tax;   the need for government regulation for international corporate social responsibility;   research from Peru shows that, during elections, areas directly affected by extremist violence will vote against any parties linked to the extremists, but elsewhere the ruling party may be blamed for not stopping the violence, but more research is needed (The Troubles in Northern Ireland, for one, cast some doubt on this);   the upcoming North Korea talks viewed through Crisis Negotiation and Conflict Resolution filters;   a research project has found that some leadership attributes, like being trustworthy or encouraging, are viewed the same way in all cultures, but not all are (the project found six types of leadership linked to culture: charismatic/value-based [liked in Anglo-Celtic cultures], team-oriented [highly appreciated by Latin American cultures], participative [ranked lowest in those from a Confucian background], humane-oriented, autonomous and self-protective [not seen as a problem in non-Anglo cultures] ... and then there are the individual variations within the cultural background);
     of concern this week:
     -   one in five Australian kids are missing meals;   China has imposed “anti-dumping” tariffs on US sorghum – and the USA has done this;   a warning that the economic upturn may be brought undone by increasing protectionism or tit-for-tat trade wars;   neo-nazi posters have been found (and torn down) in an Australian city;   a US state governor has been “charged … with felony computer tampering tied to his political fund-raising”;   water crises in three US cities – one of which is described by the UN as a breach of human rights;   concerns over the proposed re-writing of the US President’s war powers;
     -   other concerning events have occurred or are developing in: Nicaragua, Brazil;
     in the grey/mixed [good and bad aspects] or neutral area this week:
     -   a proposal to legalise cannabis in Australia – and one has also surfaced in the USA - is getting mixed reactions (breaking the link between cannabis and harder drugs is not new: I supported it nearly half a century ago when I first heard it, and there have been a series of such proposals over the intervening years: the problem blocking progress on this is likely the worldview of Newtonian nut jobs – oh, and alcohol is a far worse problem, as any of the victims of alcoholics [including me] will readily attest);   a US state official is in contempt of court for not following an order to reinstate some voters;
     good news this week includes:
     -   an Australian MP, noting that tax avoidance and evasion are critical drivers of global inequality, will join an international thinktank dedicated to reforming corporate taxation to ensure multinationals pay their fair share;
     on development (in an “end poverty/thirst/hunger” sense – and being mindful of “intimate activism”):
     -   the UN has said that “huge progress on reforming the global financial system over the last four years has started to deliver desperately needed financing for sustainability and set up the next wave of action”;   a number of low income companies are getting into debt problems;
     and democracy/governance/political matters in my home nation this week:
     on the Royal Commission into banks, and similar matters:
     -   a call has been made to stop trusting banks (with evidence of poor financial advice found in 1990, 1995, 1998 and 2003) - see also here, here, here, here, here, here, and here;   one controversial Australian MP has said he was wrong to argue against a banking royal commission because what has emerged is “beyond disturbing”;   “severe penalties” are being considered (upgrade wagging fingers at mates to slap on wrist before sharing a cuppa? The conservatives still have to demonstrate credibility, after having been dragged kicking and screaming into this);   immigration is slowing Australia’s rate of ageing in urban areas, but not rural (losing youth to the more progressive, less bigoted cities will not be helping either);   the catastrophic consequences – including to mental health - of financial loss;
     on other matters:
     -   in further proof that big businesses cannot be trusted to pass on the Australian neoliberal government’s proposed company tax cut, a survey has shown that more than half of major employers would like to freeze employees’ wages or offer below-inflation pay rises that are a cut in real terms;   a fact check shows casual work increased from 13 per cent in 1982 to 25 per cent in 2017, which is one component of insecure work;   “Australia's renewable energy capacity is set to exceed a target the [neoliberal] Federal Government said was impossible to reach by 2020”;   unions, lawyers and the family of a teenager who was killed on a Queensland worksite two years ago have called for the Work for the Dole program to be scrapped on safety grounds - see also here;   Australia's Chief of Army has issued a directive that prohibits the wearing of 'death' symbols, on the grounds that it is arrogant, ill-considered and erodes the ethos of the Army (well done - I may have to write a congratulatory email: I was very concerned to see some French troops in Mali including in this practice, and wondered how it would affect the traumatised Malians ... now to address the homophobia, transphobia, sexism, racism and other misogyny [and I acknowledge that there has been a great deal done on this, but I still would be wary of any Australian officer under General claiming to represent Australia);   Australia's national opposition “has demanded a suspension of shipments of live sheep during the northern summer and blasted the [government] for failing to update standards to protect sheep”;   Australian states with Labor governments “will seek a watertight undertaking that their renewable energy schemes and targets will remain undisturbed by the [national] government’s proposed national energy guarantee”;   “one day perhaps this government will not treat voters like fools, but it seems we shall have to wait a bit longer ... but the real problem for the government is not just that they look shifty, or that they are losing airtime in what should be a time when the talk is about their budget ... that their foundational belief about how the economy should operate is in complete tatters”;   the Aged Care Act - which pushed privatisation - of the government of the evil John Howard is the cause of many, if not most, of the current problems, and needs to be rewritten from scratch;   Australia is a low taxing nation;
• With regard to the USA and their 45^th President (who is dangerous – see here on actions for US residents [and the useful principles]) of the Unexceptional States of America (which has some … “unique” characteristics that don’t exist elsewhere in the world) generally this week (I avoid using the 45^th US President’s name for psychic reasons – I may use either “the USA’s CEO” or “Voldemort II” as an alias; also, the US Vice-President needs to be worked on – and typically takes about three times as much effort to clear of negativity):
     -   the former director of the US FBI has accused the USA’s 45^th President, who sacked the former Director, of being “morally unfit” to be president, and of treating women like “meat” in a television interview to promote the former Director’s new book  - the response seems to me to be defamatory … – see also here;   an opinion that, ”having helped deliver the [Voldemort II] presidency, [the former FBI Director] is now going out of his way to deliver [the 45th US President's] impeachment proceedings” – which the former director denies, suggesting that Voldemort II should be voted out rather than impeached - see this rebuttal of that opinion, and see also this assessment;   the former FBI director has made an unwise comment that no President has time to disrupt the relationship between Australia and the USA: in reality, that can happen surprisingly quickly, and four years IS ample time;   “the habit of relying on false information leads to bad decision-making” (interesting  well worth a read);
     -   a surprising – and, in my view, somewhat dubious: the effect may have been the same as if this occurred, but I doubt the whistleblower site would have chosen to cooperate with any mainstream political group, and more probably just acted out of blinding, unbalanced hate (which opinion does not mean I am correct, as I don’t know what FACTS the US DNC has) -lawsuit has been launched by the US Democratic National Committee alleging by Russian officials, the 45^th US President’s election campaign, and a controversial whistleblower site;
     -   a speculation – which has been denied - that Voldemort II - who famously bragged that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and get away with it - may be about to create the biggest political volcano since Watergate and the "Saturday Night Massacre" (which is discussed – and it did not involve any physical mayhem or death) by dismissing the Special Counsel investigating Russian interference in the USA's 2016 election;
     -   more health care stupidity in the USA;
• 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 “Cure Violence”, 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 don’t name groups to reduce their publicity):
     -   according to this Wikipedia page, there has been 1 attack in Iraq, 10 attacks in Afghanistan, and 1 attack in Syria (out of a total of 21);
     -   as the Arab League of Nations and UN sign an agreement on countering violent extremism, the UN Secretary-General has said “no one is born a terrorist, and nothing justifies terrorism, but we know that factors such as prolonged unresolved conflicts, lack of the rule of law and socioeconomic marginalization can all play a role in transforming grievances into destructive action”;
• With regard to refugees (noting the New York Declaration) and people seeking asylum:
     -   a suburb in my home city has defied far right wing extremists to welcome refugees;   in a TV debate, the Executive Director of Human Rights Watch called on Australia to increase its refugee intake in response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria, pointing out that “People who are facing death and persecution don’t have the option to queue. They’ve got to get out”, and “Religious freedom is about personal beliefs. No one can tell you about what god to pray to, or how you are going to pray, or who you are going to get together with when you pray. Those are all critical elements of freedom of religion. On the other hand, some people cite freedom of religion to justify mistreating others and that’s where you have to draw the line. For example, when people say: ‘I’m not going to bake a cake in my bakery for a gay couple’ that’s bigotry, that’s discrimination. That’s not freedom of religion, and it’s important to make that clear. How we treat other people is a matter for discrimination laws ... it’s not a matter for our religious freedom, our personal beliefs” (I also understand that, although not mentioned in the article, he called on Australia to cut military aid to burma);   the possibility of legal labour migration in addition to normal refugee applications;
     -   other refugee-related matters have also occurred in: Indonesia;
• With regard to other human (and other) rights and discrimination (incidentally, I consider it vital to identify people who are bigots, as they clearly have flaws of observation and thinking – shown by the fact that NOT all people choose to discriminate unless they have been educated otherwise [and there’s this]):
     -   an explainer on why there are some exceptions to anti-discrimination laws;
     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):
     -   a trans activist is planning to create a better TV series about trans people;   conservative Tonga's transgender and gender diverse communities are fighting for visibility;   some neoliberal dinosaurs still support the thoroughly discredited, so-called “gay conversion” rubbish;   more homophobia in sport – leading to this opinion that this sportsperson, who has been gay bashing on social media (from “a position of moral authority”), reached the threshold of vilification, and has failed as a role model, and a message to the homophobe from the victim of a gay bashing;   “despite state-sponsored repression and social stigma, … LGBT people in [West Asia] and North Africa are finding ways to speak out”;
     on white supremacist and other forms of RACISM / CULTURAL DISCRIMINATION and Indigenous matters generally this week:
     -   a US coffee outlet chain will close down more than 8,000 of its US stores next month to conduct racial-bias education for its nearly 175,000 employees, amid controversy and a backlash sparked by the “reprehensible” arrest of two black men at one of its stores – but see also this opinion that the coffee chain incident was a case of explicit bias, and thus the proposed racial implicit bias workshops will miss the point;   a pregnant, young, black mother has been jailed for “standing her ground” against a neighbour who was attacking the mother and her mother and daughter with her car;   a program is helping people of colour to “share their stories as a pathway to empathy and healing”;   a “stunning investigation [has confirmed that] black mothers and babies in the [USA] are in a life-or-death crisis”;
     on TRAFFICKING, and CHILDREN’s and associated human rights this week:
     -   Australian states are not recording complaints against school chaplains;   a Liberal Australian Senator is continuing to fight against the scam of orphanage tourism (considered a form of modern slavery, 80% of children have a living parent or family and institutional care is much more damaging to a child’s developments than remaining with family in the best facilities: in the worst, children are abused, beaten, starved, forced to work without pay and can be at increased risk of predatory behaviour);   “Australia [with around 4,300 estimated slaves] aims to be a global leader in the fight against modern slavery with a new law that builds upon Britain's landmark legislation and demands stronger action from the government and businesses”;   premiums for ethical cocoa are declining and leaving farmers in poverty;   an Indian girl was raped, forced to marry her rapist, and then sold to a brothel;   a campaign against forced marriage in Australia;   child hunger in Australia;
     -   also on slavery / human trafficking this week: USA, USA, Nepal, Commonwealth, Thailand, UK, internet, Pakistan, Germany, a UK app, UK (possible deportation of a child victim), UK churches;
     on SEXISM this week (keeping in mind the overblown influence given to testosterone):
     -   the bigotry behind the "crazy cat lady" myth, and what ailurophiles (yeah, I had to look it up as well - and I am one) are doing about it;   a call to stop treating harassment as a fact of life and start seeing it as an issue for all of society;   the problems of domestic violence and trying to get divorces in Muslim relationships;   a Police Commissioner “has abandoned his offer to meet a domestic violence complainant who wanted to know why an officer was not charged for leaking her address to her former husband” (this is an extremely serious breach: why hasn’t the officer been charged?);   whilst “64 percent of scientists who engaged in field work have experienced some form of sexual harassment; 20 percent experienced sexual assault”, “harassment in the sciences … doesn’t only come in the form of neatly packaged … reports of clear sexual abuse, but from the more loose and varied kinds of gender harassment that often precede them”;   excellent suggestions on how to develop “me too” into a movement not dominated by cisgendered white women;   a Fact Check found that a claim should be modified to “domestic violence is the leading preventable contributor to death and illness for women aged 18 to 44” (although it is a bit academic in its wording, it is worth reading this for the resolution of conflicting claims, and to understand the difference between medical use of “cause” and “contributor”);
     -   on sexual harassment/misconduct/violence this week, see: India, Nagorno-Karabakh, here, northern Ireland;
     -   other sexism matters have also occurred in: South and Central America;
     on RELIGIOUS rights this week:
     -   one Australian MP has acknowledged the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi;   in the UK's Outer Hebrides, money and support from Muslims and non-Muslims is helping in the rush to complete their first mosque in time for Ramadan;
     -   other religious rights / Islamophobia matters have also occurred in: Germany, France;
     on WORKERS’, PRIVACY, AGED, AND OTHER forms of human (and other – e.g., ANIMAL) rights this week:
     -   in a global survey, seven out of 10 people found the manner in which pigs are reared for slaughter on some factory farms “upsetting”, “wrong” or “shocking” (after being shown photographs of some pig-keeping conditions and told of practices such as sows kept in small cages, antibiotic use, as well as tail-docking, teeth-grinding and castration, sometimes without pain relief), eight out of 10 shoppers in more than ten countries agreed that high welfare for pigs was important, and nearly nine of out of 10 in three key countries said they could be persuaded to shop at a supermarket committed to improving the lives of pigs;   the bad news over photos and filming in public areas and (lack of) privacy;
     -   other workers’, privacy, differently abled, animal, and other forms of human or other rights matters have also occurred in: Indonesia;
     -   opportunities to take action here;
• With regard to war, violence and hate generally:
     -   military style rifles are being advertised on billboards in Australia;
• With regard to peace and/or spirituality generally (including revolutionary love, survival after death, and good religion), and the occasional nice story (and to get people to constructively remedy: fear of being single / asexual / off-grid or a rebel / innovator / non-conformist / true to yourself, belief in management  fads and fashions, distracting themself aka filling their time, and accept extraterrestrial UFOs):
     inspired by a post on being called vs. being chosen, and with the thought that “Religious boundaries are good and necessary. Gates and gatekeepers are not”, a call to embody the virtues and manifest the values of the Gods;  an opinion that our relationship with the notion of authenticity is “under increasing strain” from the hybrid digital/physical nature of modern life;   the reasons for ancient tattoos – now found to be more widespread than previously thought – include healing and spirituality;
• With regard to natural and other catastrophes:
     -   what is being done to better prepare Haiti’s emergency medical capabilities;
• With regard to overcrowding and “modern” lifestyle issues (such as conflict  minerals, environmental harm and child labour in smart phone , FOMO [which can be overcome] and addiction or unthinking pro-technology bias, second thoughts, social media making people miserable or envious, work and lifestyles causing depression, being duped by modern mantras and  management  fads, “failing” at being well or failing to consider life options, AI ethics, corporate misuse of mindfulness as a distraction from working conditions, embedded emissions, plane pollution, bigger, flashier homes/cars– which means actively abusing the environment and society’s cohesion and contributing to financialisation, the need for agroforestry, the accursed “new is always good” groupthink of the computer world, abuse of workers by insisting on busy-ness, raising Prince Boofheads):
     on climate change and other environmental matters this week:
     -   an examination of the perceived social class divide on climate change;   another call for Australia to start recycling and reusing its own waste;   “a prominent lawyer and environmental advocate has burned himself to death … reportedly using fossil fuel in a protest against ecological destruction”;   an Australian state has lifted its fracking ban, claiming that national parks and conservation areas will be protected … ;   scientists have accidentally created (perhaps “found” is a better description … ) an enzyme that helps microorganisms eat plastic bottles;   a Dutch Island is seeking to reverse the decline of its rabbit population, as they help keep invasive plant species under control and provide nesting sites for birds;   the benefits and problems of electric cars;   a warning that local Councils may scrap their waste recycling programs (one already has) as service costs increase (how did we get here? Who decided to send 30% of Australia's overseas? Is an interim option paying to pre-classify/sort our wastes as China – quite sensibly and reasonably - wants?);   “the return of the Great Caledonian forest that once covered much of Scotland’s highlands is being boosted with a special [ancient] mix of mushroom spores”;
     -   other environmental matters have occurred in: Japan, Australia;
     on technology and science matters this week:
     -   a social media platform “must face a [US] class action lawsuit over its use of facial recognition technology”;   a surprising article where scientist pose a hypothetical question about pre-human civilisation(s) to speculate about what signs ours might leave behind (I question the assumption that civilisations would all be so selfish and power-centric as to have a form that is harmful – which is why I question whether extraterrestrial civilisations would be detected by wasteful / inefficient use of energy);   a tech game “inspired a citizen science project to monitor tiny streams”;
     -   other technology and science matters have occurred in: Singapore, Europe;
     on economic and financial matters this week:
     -   research has shown that being agreeable in the workplace results in less pay and more work, but reduced likelihood of being bullied;
     on affordable, sustainable and decent housing and homelessness matters this week (why are politicians with “investment properties” not admitting a conflict of interest and staying out of housing affordability debates?):
     -   “up to a third of young people face living in private rented accommodation all their lives”;   rising rent problems in Germany;
     on health and medical this week:
     -   perinatal depression;   research suggests that antidepressants could be less effective for night owls - possibly because the night owls “tend to have more irregular schedules. And what these [antidepressant] drugs do is they boost how your body clock responds to light, so if you keep an irregular schedule that will be made worse” (if this is true, I would suggest someone slipped up badly on the initial research);   the problem of sleep deprivation;
• With regard to press aka the media, and freedom of expression (claims of presenting “both sides” of a debate can be WRONG if the other side is RUBBISH –as is the case on LGBTIQ issues. Also, media can be unprofessional, but funding is an issue … ):
     -   Pulitzer Prizes have been awarded to the New York Times and New Yorker magazine for their reporting on sexual harassment allegations in Hollywood (which “brought down: a film mogul who says all sexual encounters were consensual), the Washington Post for revealing decades-old allegations of sexual misconduct against a Senate candidate (which factored heavily in the special election that he lost), the New York Times and Washington Post jointly for coverage of Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, and Reuters for exposing the Philippines’ mass killings campaigns and burma’s genocide (and two of their journalists are still being held) –see also here;
     -   other media / freedom of expression matters have occurred in: Russia, Tokelau (good news), burma;
• With regard to education:
     -   a moving story about the problems of not having adult literacy, and how to achieve that;   seven reasons people “no longer want to be teachers” (some of my teachers at high school suggested I take up teaching: I didn’t because I saw how my class mates treated them);   the US phenomenon of good students not applying for colleges that they could;
     -   other education matters have occurred in: Australia;
• With regard to crime, judicial matters and policing:
     -   seven prisoners were killed and 17 injured (most from prisoner-made knives) in the USA as authorities struggled for seven hours to get mass violence under control;   the problem of mental health issues being untreated in prisons;   violence in youth detention has included rape - and similar problems in US prisons;   suspected asbestos was dumped at a house;
    -    other crime, judicial and policing matters have occurred in: Australia, northern Ireland.

Location based News:

• With regard to Africa, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (and other sources) has:
     -   another attack on peacekeepers in Mali;
     -   Swaziland is now eSwatini;
• With regard to South and Central America:
     -   Amnesty International has descried Latin America's abortion laws as “violence against women”;
     -   a former Brazilian President has said that the rise of Brazil’s far right threatens democratic gains made since the end of the dictatorship,
     -   fighting in Colombia between two rebel groups (who have clearly not signed the deal that FARC did) over a coca-growing region has led to a state of emergency;
     -   “Canada will remove families of diplomats posted at its embassy in Cuba as the cause of unusual health symptoms is still unknown, though information received from medical specialists has raised concerns of a new type of acquired brain injury”;   Cuba’s President will step down with his reforms incomplete;
     -   five people have died in violent anti-government protests in Nicaragua;
     -   no changes expected from Paraguay’s coming elections;
     -   thousands of Venezuela’s oil workers are fleeing the state-run oil firm as its new military commander alienates the firm’s embattled upper echelon and its rank-and-file;   a call for social media (which is useless for me) solidarity with the people of Venezuela;
• 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):
     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:
     -   a Chinese social media platform has reversed a short-lived ban on LGBT-related content following an outcry from the nation's internet users;   concerns that future Chinese diplomats are being taught an 'us and them' approach, with a particular set of ideas and ways of thinking being “correct”, and this may not equip them to deal with the fast-paced global environment in which they will find themselves;   China's stuffy (1984-inspired?) censors have driven users of a humour app (which united strangers around funny memes) underground, where they openly question controls over society”;
     -   a reminder that it was largely the USA that blocked a peace treaty in 1954;   the USA’s 45^th President has “talked tough” in the lead up to talks with North Korea;
     -   other events concerning the DPRK have occurred or are developing in: here;
     elsewhere in Asia:
     -   illegal alcohol has killed at least 100 Indonesians, and left others partially blind;   some desperate refugees in Indonesia who have run out of money and are living on the streets dream of being detained;   “seventy years after Indonesia won its independence from the Netherlands, Indonesian workers are finally focusing on emancipating themselves from exploitation in their workplaces”;
     -   Japan is concerned at possibly being left out of talks with North Korea;   concerns that Japan's push to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by building more solar will be at the expense of 300 ha of pristine forest and other areas (maybe focus on the technologies which will allow solar energy to be exported from north west Australia?);   Japan’s Prime Minister has made a ritual offering to war criminals;
     -   “the president of the Philippines ... has said that he personally ordered the detention of an Australian Catholic nun, warning that any foreign critics of his government face deportation”;
     and in the Pacific:
     -   11,000 people on a Vanuatu island will be permanently relocated as its volcano resumes its devastating ash eruption;   the first ever local newspaper that claims to meet international standards has been launched on tiny Pacific territory of Tokelau, with a focus on climate change;
• With regard to Europe and the European Union (EU) (which need to step up, as the USA steps down):
     -   France’s President has claimed he convinced the USA’s 45^th President not to withdraw troops from Syria and to keep the recent Syrian air strikes limited ... hmm … I know France has a well-established history of active intervention (particularly in areas it has a colonial link to), but, in this instance, this story moved me to wonder how are the strikes and protests in France against their President’s new policies are going … - see this assessment;
     -   “Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation is forcing big changes at tech’s biggest firms – even if the US isn’t likely to follow suit”;
     -   a French appeals court has upheld a ruling denying a Muslim woman citizenship after - in  accordance with her religious beliefs - she refused to shake the hand of the presiding male official in the citizenship ceremony on the grounds that this act showed she was “not assimilated into the French community”;
     -   outrage in Germany after a music award was given to a song with anti-Semitic lyrics;   an interesting interview with Germany’s Foreign Minister (long read);
     -   a growing number of people who were born in the Caribbean and whose families responded to invitations to move to the UK to help with post-war rebuilding during the 1950s and 60s have been experiencing severe problems – some catastrophic - with their immigration status because they have never formally naturalised or applied for a British passport. This abuse has included a criticised “leaflet for people it claims to be deporting to their home country, which includes advice to put on a local accent” . However, in response to media pressure, the UK has apologised, announced a task force, and will seek to reassure Caribbean leaders;   the utterly mediӕval abuse of a rape victim in a Northern Ireland court;
• With regard to the (forgotten or ignored and underreported) conflicts in Ukraine, particularly in the east:
     -   a $38 million funding appeal to reach more than 340,000 people with assistance this year has been launched by the UN;
• 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, Central Asia, and responses (see also elsewhere):
     Russia:
     -   “a Russian investigative journalist who confirmed the deaths of Russian mercenaries in Syria has died after falling from his fifth-floor balcony ... [his death has] raised questions in Russia, where 38 journalists have been murdered since 1992”;
     in Central Asia:
     -   “in Nagorno-Karabakh, the result of the violence has been a laboratory experiment: It is possible to observe here what happens if women are simply left to do their thing and their path to power is not closed off”;
• 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):
     -   15 years after an Afghan man was killed by torture in a CIA facility, his family have been notified, and have now filed a request to know what was done with his body;
• With regard to South Asia (aka the Indian sub-continent), The Hindu and other sources have:
     on India:
     -   “police in India have made a second arrest after the alleged rape of a teenager by a ruling party politician sparked protests across the country”;   an article on “why India's rape crisis shows no signs of abating”;   possibly another cash shortage in India;
     -   other events concerning India have occurred or are developing in: here;
     elsewhere in South Asia:
     -   survivors of the collapsed factory in Bangladesh are forgotten victims;
     -   a United Nations human rights expert committee has called on the Government of the Maldives to restore the former President’s right to stand for public office, including the office of the President (that’s a good decision in response to the complaint, but more will be needed to make it happen – and that is where the nonphysical actions advocated on this log can be combined with physical letter writing etc to push for political pressure towards this);
• With regard to West Asia (aka “the Middle East”) and Northern Africa, the Middle East Eye, the Times of Israel, and other sources have:
     on Israel and Palestine:
     -   Israel has found and destroyed the “longest and deepest” tunnel (typically used for violent extremist attacks into Israel, or, when they are into Egypt, smuggling) yet out of Gaza;   Palestinian protests are continuing;   a city which for decades had been considered a model of what a ‘mixed’ Jewish-Arab city could be is showing problems, with some opinions that “shared existence” - aka coexistence, which is not equality - has been replaced with segregation;   an opinion that Israel is terrified of the largely non-violent nature of current protests;
     -   violent incidents this week include: four Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers at continuing border protests;
     -   other events concerning Israel/Judaism and/or Palestine have occurred or are developing in: Germany;
     on the conflict in Yemen:
     -   a new UN envoy is hoping to rekindle peace talks;   “Yemeni government officials have tortured, raped, and executed migrants and asylum seekers from the Horn of Africa” – and this is why there are rebels … ;
     on Syria (where the Assad Dictatorship has lost all pretence of legitimacy, and partition is needed):
     -   a video on enduring aerial attacks (trigger warning);   the Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons lacks a mandate to assign blame, no matter what evidence it finds at any site: its brief is (merely) “to establish facts surrounding allegations of the use of toxic chemicals … for hostile purposes” ... ;   preliminary talks for the next attempt at peace talks in Syria will happen in Sweden;   a call for a partial no-fly zone;
     elsewhere in the region:
     -   concerns that Iraq may have hidden evidence of a war crime;
     -   Turkey has commenced a trial of a US pastor over alleged coup support, increasing tensions between the two nations.

Other News:

• a blind photographer uses tactile prints (I want to do something similar with pottery;

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 “CE 5  ET contact” movement started by Dr Steven M Greer, which is the one which appears to me to most capitalise on the teachings of “The Nine”,   the “Network of Light”  meditations;   the 1 Million Meditators movement,   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.

(I 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.