Monday, 29 April 2019

Post No. 1,322 - No PWR this week

Work and personal demands have conspired: there will be no PWR this week. Please use the default:
  • Sunday: the purpose of this day’s work is, mainly, to build a reserve of BPM energy to call upon during the coming week. In addition to the meditation / clearing work described below, I will also be working on making sure I, my crystals and my other tools / devices are as fully charged with BPM energy as I can make them (which is something I have posted about elsewhere, but may post more about in the near future):
     - clear nonBPM units from, and send BPM energy to the Arctic, South Atlantic Ocean, Southern Ocean, Antarctica, and the Indian Ocean, and to all actual and potential BPM Leaders, for all humans to recognise the essential shared humanness of other people, all BPM Interrupters of violence / hate / fear / anger, and for all humans to choose to live modestly;
  • Monday:
     - clear nonBPM units from, and send BPM energy to all of America, and the North and South Atlantic Oceans, Europe, and European Russia;
  • Tuesday:
     - clear nonBPM units from, and send BPM energy to Europe, European Russia, all of Africa and West Asia;
  • Wednesday:
     - clear nonBPM units from, and send BPM energy to the Indian Ocean, West and Central Asia, European Russia and Siberia;
  • Thursday:
     - clear nonBPM units from, and send BPM energy to South, East, mainland South East Asia and archipelagic South East Asia;
  • Friday:
     - clear nonBPM units from, and send BPM energy to South and West Asia, European Russia and North America;
  • Saturday: this day will now be reserved for rest, recuperation and healing – of all those who are trying in a BPM way to make this planet a better place, not only of myself and those who are sharing this work. I ask that any and all healers who wish to contribute to this, take a few minutes to contribute to this on this day.


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Sunday, 28 April 2019

Post No. 1,321 - Cross Posting: A Commentary on this Week’s World News

This was originally posted at https://politicalmusingsofkayleen.blogspot.com/2019/04/a-commentary-on-this-weeks-world-news.html
*****
In an incident some time ago, dozens of people were killed by one person – not in a war zone, so this was a mass murder (as is the case for all of these incidents).
In another incident – let’s call it the second incident, for this article - some time ago, more than a score people were killed by one person.
In another incident – let’s call it the third incident, for this article - some time ago, dozens of people were killed and hundreds wounded by one person.
In the fourth incident for this article, a mass murder of nine people in a place of religion was committed.
The fifth incident was a mass murder by gun of dozens of members of a minority group.
The sixth incident was another mass murder by gun of dozens of people in a religious place, committed fairly recent, but with an outstanding response.
The seventh incident was another mass murder of people in a religious place  more than 200, and allegedly in response to the sixth incident.
So, going back to the first incident, let me give you a clue: it let to changes to an entire nation’s gun laws. That makes it one of two possibilities, so I’ll add that the main person driving those changes showed, by his actions, that he was biased against people who fit under the “word also means happy” label – yes, that incident is the mass murder at Port Arthur in 1996 [1] , where 35 people were murdered and 23 wounded, which led to John Howard pushing through our revised gun control laws.
It led to quite a bit of debate, debate that is still continuing, on the separate but overlapping topics of violence and weapons, and how controlling one may hinder the application of the other [2] . That last semi-cryptic comment is obviously that weapons were controlled in order to limit the expression of violence, but there was - arguably - limited debate about the underlying problem of violence.
(Notably, however, the foundation started in the name of two of the girls murdered there, the Alannah and Madeline Foundation [3] , supports child victims of violence and runs a national anti-bullying programme.)
In my opinion, that was fairly typical of the shortcomings of John Howard, about whom I have often read comments that he wanted to go back to the “white picket fence” era of the 1950s, which was racism, sexism / misogyny / domestic violence, homophobia / transphobia / bi-invisibility, abuse of intersex kids / etc was endemic, and hushed up – leading to the idyllic little façade of th white picket fences, and the despair, violence and tragedy behind them. The action on gun laws, however, was a memorable and admirable deed, and, in my opinion, should be remembered as such – and maintained.
The second incident was the mass murder of 20 children and seven adults by someone who then committed suicide – the Sandy Hook mass murders, in 2016. From outside the USA, the impression I gained from media reports was that this incident quite rightly caused massive, widespread pain, horror and outrage – across the entire world, not only in the USA . . . but no changes. That’s not, however, quite correct [4] : there were some regulations enacted by President Obama by executive order, and some US states started implementing some restrictions, but nothing like those implemented in Australia in the late 90s.
There was some debate, with the US gun lobby taking its usual pro-gun positions, including that guns make schools safer. I consider that wrong for the following reasons:
Firstly, having more guns in circulation generally makes the occurrence of gun crimes (including thefts) and accidents more likely [5] ;
Secondly, the facts are – despite the lies perpetrated by some in the USA – gun control does reduce gun crimes;
Thirdly, someone simply having a gun does not mean they can shoot someone. This has been a problem for many militaries [6] , where often only around 2% of trained soldiers actually do most of the killing in conflict –the problem was illustrated by a recent attempted murder [7] in my home state using a gun where, despite shooting from a close range, the assailant missed. Of course, simply having a weapon may cause an ordinary criminal to back off, but I doubt that would change the mental state of someone determined to commit a mass shooting - and who possibly plans to die anyway. [8]
(I’m fairly sure I’ve read of innocent people being injured by attempts to use guns for defence, but I can’t find any links on that so may be wrong.)
Perhaps more notably, the debate after this event included the “hypothesised” link between gratuitously violent video games and real world violence [9] . I know from real world, lived experience that words have power – demeaning terms lead to desensitisation, and thus discrimination. That’s part of the genocide sequence [10] , and is well known as a factor with regard to sexism (including the risk of subsequently committing rape). It is absurd, to me, to suggest that some effect does not happen – as an example, there is some (contested, and not as strong or clearcut as many people believe [11] ) evidence animal cruelty is a predictor of other forms of violence [12] . Personally, I have trouble feeling safe around, or trusting, someone who likes gratuitously violent video games – which is not necessarily a problem around people who like guns, such as a work colleague several decades ago who was a collector with an interest in the history and technology of guns (he had an old muzzle loading musket, for instance), and had no hesitation storing his collection in accordance with the new laws after 1996. (I also don’t trust or feel safe around people who use sexist, racist, homophobic or transphobic language.)
In the case of the third incident, which was the mass murder of 58 people and the wounding of 422 in Las Vegas in 2017 [13] , one accessory for weapons, which effectively turned semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic weapons, was banned. For the USA, I consider that to be major progress.
A motive was not determined – did he want to become notorious, as other such criminals have wanted? Did he want to see what killing was like? He had a large collection of weapons – did he “want to try them out” – in a sense far removed from that of the collector friend of mine I mentioned?
We’ll never know.
We do know for the fourth incident, however, which was the mass murder in Charleston, in 2015, of nine African-Americans in a church by a white supremacist who wanted to create a race war [14] .
Following that terrible event, there was discussion of the problems of racism, and the start of move towards stopping use of the Confederate flag, which now has racist overtones. There was also considerable discussion about forgiveness.
As an outsider, it seems to me that the majority of white US residents have been living with both active and legacy racism for so long, and have been so BRAINWASHED by mantras around individual freedom at any price, that they have become inured to anyone trying to point out exactly what it is they’re tolerating.
They want their guns / gratuitously violent video games / sexist, racist or otherwise demeaning language and jokes / etc, and refuse to consider possibly restricting their personal “pleasure” no matter how much harm it causes others.
That problem – refusing to change - occurs elsewhere as well (including my nation), and is the theme of an article I am working on the resistance to allowing human rights.
The fifth incident was the mass murder of 49 people and wounding of 53 others by gun in a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, USA, in 2016 [15] . The murderer had scouted several locations, and allegedly didn’t know that this was a gay night club (really??? Every gay club I’ve been to is obvious!), but some people have stated they see this as a hate crime. I do, and consider what seems to be an apparent reluctance and excuse seeking concerning – rather than logic or objectivity, it indicates unconscious bias.
The sixth incident was the mass murder of 50 people and injuring of 50 others at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, by a religious zealot / white supremacist, which is when the media seemed to finally get on board with recommendations to stop focusing on the perpetrator after such events, and where Jacinda Ardern’s outstanding, love-focused response has set the example for world. I’ve written about this here [16] . There have already been changes to New Zealand’s gun laws, there will probably be other actions in response to current investigations (e.g., on security), there has been considerable action already to prevent access to live-streaming of videos of such events (interesting in terms of the previous discussion on gratuitously violent videos), but, in my opinion, the most outstanding feature of all is a leader [17] who is unafraid of referring to love, and is clearly quite comfortable, sincere and genuine in doing so [18] .
The seventh incident is the mass murder of – at the time I am writing this - 253 people and the injuring of at least 500 in Sri Lanka, in a series of coordinated suicide bombings [19] . Allegedly, this was in response to the Christchurch mass murders: if so, whether intended or not, and despite the response, the Christchurch mass murders have resulted in one step towards a religious war.
Sri Lanka is a nation still trying to recover from a violent civil war that was notorious for human rights abuses: its stability is, in some ways, perhaps still fragile, so those who chose that nation as a target knew what they were doing.
So let’s recap. We have:
a mass murder by gun in 1996 that changed an entire nation’s thinking on guns in the late 90s;
a mass murder by gun of children in 2016 that led to limited changes to gun laws, and some debate over indicators / causes of violence;
a mass murder - and mass wounding of hundreds - by gun in 2017 that led to limited change to one gun accessory;
a racially motivated mass murder by gun in a religious place in 2015 that le to moves to remove use of a racially charged symbol (a flag), and discussions around racism and – religiously motivated - forgiveness;
a homophobic mass murder by gun that has, in my opinion, shown the problems that people have admitting to their prejudices;
a religiously motivated mass murder by gun in 2019 that led to a nation changing gun laws and the world discussing violence and its motivation, and countering that with love; and
a religiously motivated mass murder of hundreds as revenge for the previous attack.
That last attack has threatened the stability and social cohesion of Sri Lanka. Will someone rise to the challenge of overcoming that threat – does Sri Lanka have their version of a Jacinda Ardern, or a Nelson Mandela, or a Mohandas K Gandhi?
But it should also be noted that the response leapt across international borders. Do other trouble places in the world have their version of a Jacinda Ardern, or a Nelson Mandela, or a Mohandas K Gandhi? Can the international community rise above their normal political focuses and, using whatever lessons and techniques and tools are needed from the “Cure Violence” [20] model for preventing the spread of violence, stop the violence?
What will we, the everyday people do? Will we follow the examples of forgiveness and love and do our bit to stop the spread of hate and violence? Will we learn and perhaps be prepared to change, maybe even give something up we like, in order to help humanity at this crucial time?
The world waits with bated breath.

[2] The mass murderer’s motivation may have been a quest for “fame”, spurred by a recent mass murder in the UK (i.e., a “copycat”) – see https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Port_Arthur_massacre_(Australia)&oldid=894151730#Motivation, and https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Copycat_crime&oldid=894013413.
[6] As an example of considerations on this issue, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zViyZGmBhvs
[11] The best I could find on this actually dealt with a slightly different theory, but it will do to suggest caution: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/witness/201205/homicidal-triad-predictor-violence-or-urban-myth.
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Post No. 1,320 - Cross Posting: Life cycles (age), the business world and the problem of “anticipatory compliance”

This was originally posted at https://politicalmusingsofkayleen.blogspot.com/2019/04/life-cycles-age-business-world-and.html
*****
One of the matters that has been disturbing and of grave concern to me throughout my life is the suborning by the business world of military aggression - or at least the language of military aggression.
(I find the use of military-style language, concepts, and  expectations in civilian [which includes business!] life utterly offensive, and belittling, demeaning and trivialising of genuine matters of life and death.)
In part, this has often reflected the predominance of macho jerks (a small sub-group of males – and some females), but it has also come about in part because of a phenomenon I have struggled to describe – in recent years, I tend to describe it as part of a life cycle of being human, which – to simplify – is along the lines of adoring obedience as a young child, rebelliousness as a teenager, establishing oneself as an “independent” (of family) adult in the 20s, then demonstrating in the 30s (sometimes into the 40s) that one knows and excels at “the rules of society”, then often family or “family of choice” (i.e., friends) in the 40s / 50s, with a few – not enough – moving into more reflective and even spiritual aspects of life in their 60s and onwards.
On that disturbing über-conformity of the 30s, maybe some people lie to themselves that they’re demonstrating their “skill” with the “rules of the game”, or using the rules for their own advantage, when they are in fact being used and actively strengthening the malicious grip that “the rules” have on people – the sadistic power they hold over the lives and wellbeing of individual human beings, a power that includes perpetuating or strengthening sexism (especially in the context of military styled aggressiveness in business, which is anathema to many women and men).
Work on matters such as domestic violence has reduced the language of military-style aggression in the business in the last couple of decades (in previous decades, such reductions have sometimes occurred as a result of campaigns against war), but the problem I’m seeing in many people in their 30s and 40s remains, and is looking for another expression – which is a problem, as it often enables backlashes and social backsliding, including the 80s as a “decade of greed” after the superficial (I use that word as too many of the hypocritical, deceitful and manipulative pseudo-hippies are now in boardrooms) hope of spirituality of the 60s and 70s (but not the neoliberal / über-conservative movements of the last decade or so – that is an entirely different set of problems).
I’ve now come across something else which gives me another perspective on this problem.
I’m reading Timothy  Snyder’s book ”On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century” (pub. Vintage Publishing, 2017, ISBN 978-1847924889 [Amazon] ), which is exactly what the title says: lessons from recent history sowing how to resist tyranny.
The first chapter is titled “Do not obey in advance”, and begins with the following:
“Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked. A citizen who adapts in this way is teaching power what it can do.”
Another quote from that chapter which I included here is:
“The anticipatory obedience of Austrians in March 1938 taught the high Nazi leadership what was possible. . . . In 1941, when Germany invaded the Soviet Union, the SS took the initiative to devise the methods of mass killing without orders to do so. They guessed what their superiors wanted and demonstrated what was possible. It was far more than Hitler had thought.”
Quite a sobering thought.
I also consider now, having read that chapter of Mr Snyder’s book, that it is a significant part of the problem I am struggling to analyse and describe.
An example may help to illustrate this: the “expectation” to be on call beyond normal working hours as mobile phones spread and became ubiquitous.
I first came across this “expectation” when someone – slightly older than the age bracket I am writing of – claimed it was accepted as current practice. Now, in actual fact, this was a substantial change to working conditions, akin to adding extra hours without any payment or discussion – and in this nation (including at that time), such changes could only be made by mutual agreement.
Now, there are also issues around fear of losing one’s job if one doesn’t go along with this (which is coercion –or, if you prefer a blunter term, bullying), and questions about customer expectations (which have become extreme and unreasonable, and cause and perpetuate worker abuse in many industries), but the key point I am making here is that the expectation of extended availability was informal, not formal. Someone came up with the idea that it would be required, and thus started behaving as if it was required – which is the anticipatory compliance of the first chapter of Mr Snyder’s book.
That is the sort of behaviour that concerns me in too many people in their 30s and 40s.
(By the way, I mostly still refuse to have extended availability [except for specific circumstances – e.g., genuine, not manufactured deadlines, and genuine emergencies, which do happen from time to time when providing utilities [e.g., pipe bursts, treatment plant odours, etc] and am p****d off with unions, including mine, for having had their own little “anticipatory compliance” on this issue, which has been so incredibly damaging to the life and wellbeing of workers and their families.)
There are a couple of other chapters in Mr Snyder’s book with useful lessons on this troubling behaviour ( Chapters Four {“Take responsibility for the face of the world”] and Five [“Remember professional ethics”], and there may be others when I finish reading the book, but I’ll leave this where it is for now.
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For the New Moon in Taurus

If you would like to do something for the       
New Moon  in  Taurus 
when I have written  a ritual, it will be here.   
This ritual should be performed after the Dark Moon
which, in eastern Australian time, is on 

 
Sunday  5 th of  May
  at  08:47 AM  
       
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Saturday, 27 April 2019

Post No. 1,319 – Gnwmythr’s News Ed. No. 262


For the sake of my health, until I retire or change to an easier day job , I have cut back these posts.
Throughout 2019, these posts are likely to be cut back even further as a family illness is dealt with.
Information and Summary of News with Opinion / Advocacy / Analysis:
Notes:
(1) I am NOT a journalist (this blog was created for spiritual reasons, including a course), and make NO claims to objectivity or freedom from bias.
(2) 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. 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 March 2019), 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)   dealing with the 45th “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 his mind-set, and strengthening that person’s BPM Guides and giving those BPM Guides 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 that person’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);
         4. Ensuring opposition to POTUS45 is unified, cohesive and FOCUSED, NOT fractured or divisive;
(d)   the major events this week are:
          (i)   as attraction to violence continues to be inadequately addressed, the search for humans rights abusers continues, and further to the current map of genocides, this week there are risks of mass atrocities in   Sri Lanka, Yemen and Libya,
          (ii)   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;
         (iii) refugee and humanitarian crises;   -   the political madness of regimes with authoritarian leaders – and all who put or keep them there;   -   and, specific to this week,     the desire for bloodthirsty revenge has started a series of echoes in the chamber of fear and hate;     the techniques of “Cure Violence” are spreading - and are greatly needed;     civil society is growing, but being subjected to a backlash;     problems with unethical, inept or incompetent – and some simply barbaric - administration / government systems / etc, but some people are fighting – with some success – for better, including for rights;     misuses and abuses of, and quest for more (at an cost) power (including sexism, sexual abuse, and restraining / constraining actions against the same, and other forms of discrimination, and abuse of workers and the vulnerable);     ignorance (i.e., lack of knowledge);     lack of empathy and failure to see the humanity of other human beings;
(e)   may all anger, fear, violence and hate be BPM damped down and slowed and absorbed, transmuted and overwhelmed by BPM calm, love, acceptance, tolerance and forbearance, and whatever else is BPM needed;
(f)   may all people commit to being and actually BPM ethical and conscientious;
(g)   may all people be BPM healed and aided to become competent, caring human beings, with empathy and the ability to know the essential humanness of all other people;
(h)   may all else that should BPM asked for, also be done;
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; those without news deleted each week):
   -   Permanent Issues and Thematically Arranged News:
          permanent issues;     particular attention;
          democracy, freedom, governance, and ethics;     the USA and POTUS45;
          violent extremism;     refugees and migrants;     human rights
           (including homophobia/transphobia, white supremacism, trafficking
          and children’s rights, sexism, religious rights, workers’ rights, animals’ rights,
          and privacy, differently abled and other rights);     war, violence and hate;
          peace;     spirituality and psychism;     natural and other catastrophes;
          modern lifestyle (including climate change and environment, technology
          and science, economic and financial, housing, health and medical);     media;
          education;     crime judicial and police;
   -   Location-based News:
         Africa;     South and Central America;
          mainland China, East and South East Asia, and the Pacific;     Europe;
          Ukraine;     Russia and Central Asia;     Afghanistan;     South Asia;
          West Asia and northern Africa;
   -   Other Sites;
   opportunities/good news (in my opinion) are shown in green;
   comments (by me) 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 and their Significant Others be kept BPM safe, undetectable and inviolable against indirect  psychic attack, and may they have all the BPM resources (including an assured income), opportunities and assistance for them to be BPM effective, 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 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 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, and may we all exercise our human characteristics of reason, self discipline and improvement to overcome the often evil flaw of seeking social status;
  • 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 (see also here, here, and here):     the entirety of this blog and all other spiritual work and physical activism I and many others do;     a variation of Rawls’ “Veil of Ignorance” test applied to the recent vegan protests;     much as “Cure Violence” approaches the spread of violence using the same techniques as used to contain spread of physical illness, a suggestion to exercise the same caution to the spread of ideas (caution is generally good, but remember some ideas can be good [and true]);
       on the Rohingya  genocide and similar matters this week:
       -   as civil society and the quest for human rights grows in Rohingya refugee camps, a backlash has started – including from the idiots whose violence gave the excuse for the accelerated cleansing and genocide;     a reminder that the Gallipoli ANZACs who were part of commemorations this week also witnessed the Armenian genocide;
       on other matters requiring particular attention:
       -   around 250 people have been killed and around 50 injured in a series of coordinated suicide bombings in Sri Lanka, allegedly by a pseudo-Islamic violent extremist group (and, apart from the expected change of tactics, it now turns out there is a history of Islamophobia in Sri Lanka – and an expectation of more attacks and fears of a backlash – and there are 140 suspects [excluding the wrongly identified US woman]), which officials have admitted they had forewarning of (a Guardian exclusive says four months ago), but, despite initial investigations showing the “attacks were carried out in retaliation for last month’s Christchurch mosque shootings”, community solidarity is still clearly visible (although there are concerns) – see also here, social media has been shut down to prevent misinformation, funerals on the Day of Mourning, here, a vow to overhaul security, the pregnant wife of one of the bombers killed herself and her children, while a sister “deplored” the attack, another (alleged) retaliation in Turkey has been prevented, here, here;
       -   continuing revulsion towards the extremist group in northern Ireland who murdered a journalist and tried to defend their actions – and “mourners at [her] funeral . . . have implored politicians to turn the journalist’s murder into a turning point”;     “New Zealand and France will lead efforts to stop the use of social media to organise and promote [violent extremism]”;
       -   “the Sudanese people remain in the streets pushing for deeper reforms”;          Sudan will receive $3 billion in aid from Saudi Arabia and the UAE;     suitcases full of cash have been found at the home of Sudan’s recently removed war criminal President;     “how fake news from Sudan’s regime backfired”;
       -   barbaric, mediaeval style executions by Saudi Arabia;     “survivors of church abuse speak out about mafia-style intimidation tactics”;     a police officer has been charged with allegedly neglecting his duties in relation to an investigation of a man who later abused and assaulted a child (as always, people charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty, and the officer is NOT charged in any way with the subsequent assault);
       -   fighting developers off traditionally held school land;     “indigenous people fighting to protect their rights must band together and build a global campaign to fend off unwelcome development and encroachment that forces them off their land, a UN expert has said”;     a call for the return of the human remains of indigenous people from Western museums;     criticism of “out of home” care for indigenous children;
       -   sexual harassment of nurses, and the need for increased awareness to combat the problem;     “social media abuse targets female athletes three times more than men” (and it’s bad enough for men – see here);     the delusions of climate change deniers and conspiracy nuts seems to have now infected some nutters who are trying to deny (and dishonestly calling themselves “truthers”!) any gender pay gap;     more gender equality in the military;     the USA’s “opposition to abortion has led to the watering-down of a UN resolution on ending sexual violence in war” (which has, at least, passed – albeit in its watered-down form);     “a former registrar at [a] hospital has been suspended [and widely condemned] for six weeks after calling for women to be raped” – he also shared medical records (why only a temporary suspension? Why is he ordered to be educated on ethical social media policy but not attitudes to women? Why is he still practising?);
       -   an article on intersex children;
       -   China is increasing surveillance near a joint US-Australian naval base (this sort of behaviour is not that unusual);     “how China trains the world’s autocrats to surveil their people”;     China “will consider tougher rules on research involving human genes and embryos”;    tech industry workers have decried the “996” (9Am to 9PM, 6 days a week) work conditions being forced on some workers in China – who are being denied access to the website;     an examination of China’s naval growth;     200 years ago the USA was the centre of intellectual property theft . . . ;     China’s controversial phone company will be allowed to build “non-core” parts of the UK’s 5G network, despite security concerns – and a former Australian PM has claimed “he encouraged [POTUS45] to ‘take the lead’ and develop 5G networks in cooperation with allies, including Australia, to hold out ‘ferocious competition’ from China and to safeguard networks against cyber-attacks”;     China appears to be trying deflection / deception to hide one of the abuses it commits on minorities;     China’s Belt and Road Initiative: “ ‘genius marketing ploy’ has become project of the century’ . . . China will aim to make initiatives sustainable and prevent debt risks, finance minister says” – see also here;
       -   Russia and North Korea’s leaders have met and pledged “stronger ties” as North Korea accused the USA of “bad faith”;
       -   an armed right wing militia stopping border crossers will move but continue its vigilantism;     to the delight of a bunch of gun lovers, POTUS45 “has announced that the US will withdraw its support for a United Nations treaty regulating the multibillion-dollar global arms trade”;
       -   militias fighting in Libya have fired on refugees – see also here and here;
       -   a “Malawian musician [is] destroying myths about albinism”;
       -   recycling plastics into prosthetics;     an exploration of the granting of personhood to a New Zealand river;     we’re getting closer to electric aircraft;     “the number of environmental campaigners arrested during eight days of direct action in London [has] topped 1,000”;     “e-waste from Europe poisons Ghana's food chain”;
       -   Australia may deport a two year old child to a painful death (that’s a situation to be worked on by clearing nonBPM influences and strengthening BPM);
       -   despite claims of elimination, leprosy is still with us – sometimes hidden;
       -   a bit of stupidity by some academics;
         this week’s atrocity alert at R2P lists   Sri Lanka, Yemen and Libya;
  • With regard to democracy (which can be measured [as can goodness],     requires  protection of minorities and the vulnerable   -   and are you fighting to change things [by 198 nonviolent methods], or to punish),     freedom,     governance (e.g., here, here, here, here, here)     and     ethics:
    Note: I have a section specifically for POTUS45 below
       analyses, research and commentary this week include:
       -   “the honeymoon phase in the “new” India-China relationship might be over”;     “more than 320,500 self-employed people in Britain are working two or more jobs”;     a critique of the USA’s “addiction to incarceration”;     the proportion of votes won by nationalist parties in various European nations;     the need for moral courage in international leaders and ethics in international civil servants (I also note that Dag Hammarskjold put human rights on the backburner . . . );
       of concern internationally this week:
       -   “one of the founding fathers of Timor-Leste is confident that Australia will return millions of dollars generated from oil fields that belong to the developing South-East Asian country under an international agreement signed one year ago but yet to be ratified” (I hope he’s right);     “several diplomatic protests [have been filed] with Canada over tonnes of refuse shipped to the Philippines between 2013 and 2014”;     “the risks faced by foreign businessmen who - sometimes unbeknownst to them - are accused of breaching US law”;
       of concern in my nation (Australia) this week:
       -   more  questions about a water buyback scheme;     the devastation caused by recent floods in one Australian state;     concerns over Australia’s shrinking private shipping (the “merchant marine”) industry, and what is being to workers;     “Australia has a high rate of casual work and many jobs face automation threats”;     cultural problems between Australians and French working on the new submarine contract;     a staggering privacy breach by a private company working in Australia’s social security sector;
       -   other concerning events have occurred or are developing in:   Uganda,   burma,   Hong Kong,   Solomon Islands,   Austria;
       with regard to cyber warfare and other cyber problems this week:
       -   a call for the USA’s Federal Trade Commission to measure its success by the enforcement of its orders;     a call for better guidelines on the use of AI at US borders (there’s also this bit of utter cluelessness);     US “legislation introduced this month would require companies to conduct impact assessments to determine if the algorithms they use are ‘inaccurate, unfair, biased, or discriminatory’ ”;
       good news this week includes:
       -   “a large-scale [trial] of what has been called the world's first malaria vaccine to give partial protection to children has begun in Malawi”;
       on development (in an “end poverty/thirst/hunger” sense):
       -   moves to aid the developing world manage future heat problems;
       and democracy/governance/political matters in my home nation this week:
       on the Royal Commission into banks, and similar matters:
       -   an opinion that the “aged care funding package is mediocre policy fed by mediocre politics”;
       on the Commonwealth election:
       -   Australia’s neoliberal government watered down extinction safeguards and then “signed off on a controversial uranium mine one day before calling the federal election, and did not publicly announce the move”;     as conservative farmers call for action on climate change, a conservative candidate has accused the Bureau of Meteorology of wilful, malicious and extreme abuse of responsibility (apart from climate change deniers being delusional, and possibly in breach of anti-corruption requirements, these accusations are extremely serious, although legal action is probably an overreaction);     “a host of government MPs fighting to hold on to their seats have erased the Liberals’ name and logo from campaign material”;     an anti-conservative ad that, given a recent tragedy had become incredibly insensitive, has been withdrawn;     partisan overreactions to journalism;     privacy concerns about an app used by a right wing group (which is falsely claiming to be non-aligned);     a republication of an interesting article by someone “won’t vote my values”, and comments that motives for voting are often one (or more?) of: (i) tradition, (ii) self-interest, (iii) moral vision (values), or (iv) justice;     there will be fewer women in Parliament after this election;     “almost two-thirds of Australian voters support a ban on live animal exports”;     an article on “lies, obfuscation and fake news” in the campaign;    a man has been charged after violence and abuse directed towards journalists at the provocatively located campaign launch of a controversial ultra-conservative MP;     a campaign volunteer has been charged with stalking the candidate’s opponent;     a series questioning the :fair go” concept for some Australians;
       on other matters:
       -   reflections on identity and being Australian;     as hopes grow for the return of Australian soldiers declared missing in the Korean War and a Second World War wreck is found, but some WW2 veterans have “fallen through the cracks”;     in my home state, two lifesavers have died while trying to rescue a tourist in trouble, and in another a father and daughter were swept to their deaths by an unexpected wave;     the complexity of access to water in rural Australia;     a critique of the (politically crippled) attempts to move Australia’s connectivity into the 21st Century;     a call for a direct cash injection to kick-start the economy;
  • With regard to the USA and their schoolyard BULLYING, unpresidential, uncomprehending, murdering, lying, dishonourable, delusional 45th “President” (POTUS45) (see here on actions for US residents, and note that the VP is at least as bad):
       -   “a Massachusetts judge and court officer have been charged for allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant dodge immigration officials and escape court” (as always, innocent until proven guilty);
       -   another reminder that POTUS45’s “impeachment [which has been “shrugged off” by POTUS45] could do the Democrats more harm than good”;     a conservative news outlet’s “senior judicial analyst . . . has argued that [POTUS45] did obstruct justice, with “unlawful, defenseless [sic] and condemnable” behavior [sic] related to the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election”;     POTUS45 thinks social media platforms, rather than users, don’t like him – and he has repeated allegations of spying by British intelligence that have been denied and described as “utterly ridiculous”;     POTUS45 is continuing to refuse to hand over his tax returns;     a Russian agent who tried to influence the US election and a fake (Russian) socialite who stole have both been jailed in the USA;
       -   Nixon and Reagan also closed the USA’s border with Mexico – without success;
       -   a more humane and effective alternative to POTUS45’s proposal to gut US aid;
       -   “G.O.P. cruelty is a pre-existing condition: Republicans just won’t stop trying to take away health care” (this is like the neoliberals many attempts to unsuccessfully kill off Medicare in my nation, and the idiotic lies and attacks on the UK’s health care system);
  • 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 as well as acknowledging the variety in what provides genuine, BPM fulfilment as a counter to fanaticism as a source of meaning, and good old fashioned police work.     Also, I don’t name groups in order to reduce their publicity):
       -   according to this Wikipedia page, there have been 3 attacks in Iraq, 1 attack in Afghanistan,   and 1 attack in Syria   (out of a total of 10, causing at least 314 deaths and 521 injuries);
       -   in addition:     prevention has or may have occurred in   Australia;
       -   five Australians who trained with and fought alongside “separatists” in eastern Ukraine cannot be stopped from returning . . . ;
  • With regard to refugees (noting the New York Declaration), and remembering Haiti, Ethiopia, Madagascar, DR Congo, and the Philippines), people seeking asylum and migrants:
       -   dozens of refugees have been rescued trying to cross the English Channel;
  • With regard to other human (and other) rights and discrimination     (incidentally, bigots clearly have flaws of observation and thinking – shown by the fact that NOT all people choose to discriminate [and there’s this]):
       -   “gaslighting” can occur in parenting;     “stand up for workers' rights with Fashion Revolution week” (I saw a clothing shop advertising this on my home for work);
       -   opportunities to take action on human rights here, here, and, this week,   here;
       on HOMOPHOBIA/TRANSPHOBIA     (including heteronormativity and cisgender-normativity and noting that trans kids are the same as cis kids of the trans kids’ true gender):
       -   speaking out for trans rights in Hungary;
       -   other homophobic/transphobic (and heteronormativity / cisgender-normativity) matters have also occurred in:   Egypt,   USA,   India,   Argentina (mixed blessings);
       on white supremacist and other forms of RACISM / CULTURAL DISCRIMINATION and Indigenous matters generally this week:
       -   the first male health practitioner from the Australian indigenous Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands is riding a bicycle 700 km across APY lands to raise funds and educate children about healthy living;     “calls for the stories of Chinese Anzacs to receive wider recognition”;
       on TRAFFICKING, and CHILDREN’s and associated human rights this week (from Thomson Reuters Foundation, Freedom United, and other sources):
       -   a call for children’s contact services to be regulated;     a Thomson Reuters exclusive reports that a “UK anti-slavery hotline uncovers more cases, but triggers few probes”;
       -   also on child abuse, including institutional, this week:   west Africa (a rescue),   Australia (ignore the comments about a drug: that excuse is not acceptable);
       -   also on slavery / human trafficking this week:   US horse racing,   UK soap opera (good news),   Spain/Morocco,   Ireland (good news),   Bangladesh;
       on SEXISM this week (keeping in mind the overblown influence given to testosterone, and the potential value to women of using anger):
       -   the number of stay-at-home dads is increasing;     “attempts to end violence against women and girls in the European Union are being stymied by a mix of right-wing politics and social media that inflames sexism and stereotypes”;
       -   other sexism matters have also occurred in:   Nepal (good news),   Kenya,   USA (good news);
       on RELIGIOUS rights this week:
       -   the “image of Muslim woman posing with a broad smile at [an] anti-Islam protest [has gone] viral”;
       on WORKERS’ rights this week:
       -   some maritime crews are being left in an unpaid hell;
       -   other workers’ rights matters have also occurred in:   Brazil,   Bangladesh;
       on ANIMALS’ rights this week:
       -   “an anti-poaching ranger in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has described his striking selfie [it is well worth a look] with a pair of endangered mountain gorillas as ‘just another day in the office’ ”;
       -   other animals’ rights matters have also occurred in:   USA;
       on PRIVACY, AGED, DIFFERENTLY ABLED, AND OTHER forms of human rights this week:
       -   a musician who suffers from anxiety attacks will provide panic rooms and support officers for fans with the same problem;     the UN’s Security Council has received its first briefing from a woman (a Kurd from Syria) with a disability;
  • With regard to war (noting that economic ties do NOT prevent war), violence and hate generally:
       -   evidence confirms having any peacekeepers is better than none, but does not find militarised peacekeepers are better at saving civilian lives (that’s very significant, but the few peacekeepers who were saving lives in Rwanda were often unarmed . . . but I think I’d prefer some military capabilities still;     the link between military service and suicide;     the “hidden costs” of the USA using special forces as part of its diplomatic strategy;
  • With regard to spirituality,   personal growth,    and     psychism generally     (including empathy, revolutionary love, survival after death, good religion, UFOs, being single / asexual / off-grid / non-conformist / true to yourself):
       -   advice on how to apologise (which many people I’ve known over the years should read);     an interesting video on the family of a Zen Buddhist monk;     an LGBTI perspective on the northern hemisphere’s Beltane (we in the southern will be celebrating Samhain);     “philosophy inspired [a woman] to leave her partner and quit her job”;
  • With regard to natural and other catastrophes:
       -   an earthquake killed eight people and injured 20 in the Philippines;     an examination of Madagascar’s recovery from Cyclone Idai, as Mozambique – where claims of a food for sex scandal are being investigated - is hit by another cyclone;     a landslide has buried at least 54 jade miners in burma;     more on the measles epidemic – including what it can do to babies, and the massive global under-immunisation;
  • With regard to overcrowding and “modern“ lifestyle issues     (such as conflict  minerals,     environmental harm and child labour in smart phones,     FOMO [which can be overcome], addiction or unthinking pro-technology bias [new is NOT always good – see here],     social media making people miserable or envious,     work and lifestyles causing depression and burnout,     being duped by modern mantras and  management  fads,     “failing“ at being well,     life options,     AI ethics, corporate misuse of mindfulness as a distraction,     embedded emissions,     plane pollution,     bigger, flashier homes/cars and financialisation,     the need for agroforestry,     insisting on busy-ness,     raising Prince Boofheads,     trying to force everyone to have children,     the “Earth3” model [SDGs + 9PBs]):
       on climate change (our World War III?) and other environmental matters:
       -   the UN will help raise $50 billion for Lake Chad;     “tropical tree losses persist at high levels”;     “thousands of emperor penguin chicks drowned when the sea-ice on which they were being raised was destroyed in severe weather”;     a price collapse is hitting the solar panel industry;     a biodynamic Australian farm has major influence in the cosmetics world;     “Dutch engineers are building what will be the world’s largest archipelago of islands made up of sun-tracking solar panels”;     “a new wave of shops could end excess packaging”;     a US court decision has slowed POTUS45’s plan to remove environmental protections;
       -   other environmental matters have occurred in:   Asia;
       on affordable, sustainable and decent housing and homelessness matters    (why are politicians with “investment properties” not admitting a conflict of interest and staying out of housing affordability debates?):
       -   affordable housing and homelessness matters have occurred in:   Ethiopia,   India (good news if delivered);
       on health and medical:
       -   experience has necessitated some changes to the trial injection room in my home state;
       on other matters in the category:
       -   an “experimental pilot program to encourage ‘free-range kids’ in communities”;
  • 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, and was notoriously so the case with a violent extremist attack.     Also, media can be unprofessional,     but funding is an issue … ):
       -   media / freedom of expression matters have occurred in:   burma;
  • With regard to crime, judicial matters and policing     (noting (1) an uncle of mine resigned when corruption was not comprehensively cleaned out of the police force he served in, I have high expectations of police, and I consider all violence, abuse of power and failure to understand the impacts of their actions [e.g., see here and here] undermines and weaken all police – who are under incredible pressure, and (2) all people charged are innocent until proven guilty):
       -   allegations in the USA that widespread police corruption has not been revealed;
      -      other crime, judicial and policing matters have occurred in:   Uganda.
Location based News:
  • With regard to Africa, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (and other sources) has:
       -   more on the deaths and violence around Ebola in the DR Congo – and “more food aid could boost [the] fight against Ebola”;
       -   another article on using drones to deliver medicines – this time, for Ghana;
       -   “Ugandan police have detained [a government critic and] pop star turned MP . . . after shutting down one of his concerts and firing teargas at his fans”;
       -   “Ethiopian residents fear evictions from satellite towns”;
  • With regard to South and Central America:
       -   “China has stepped in to finance a solar farm in Argentina - in exchange for the province buying the materials from China”;
  • With regard to mainland China (may her growing middle class bring a love of peace and freedom),     East and South East Asia     and     the Pacific):
       and in the Pacific:
       -   politically charged riots have occurred after the Solomon Islands’ first elections since the recovery mission ended;
  • With regard to Europe and the European Union (EU) (which need to step up, as the USA steps down):
       -   France’s President “has given a long-awaited response to the yellow vest protest movement with promises of tax cuts, higher pensions and a reform of the civil service” (will it be enough, and will it be considered genuine?);
       -   problems with rubbish collection in Italy’s capital;
       -   Spain’s “surprisingly popular” socialist Prime Minister may be re-elected;
  • With regard to the (forgotten or ignored and underreported) conflicts in Ukraine, particularly in the east:
       -   Ukraine is also threatened by far rights extremists;     the new President “plans to clean up parliament and military”;
  • With regard to Russia,     Russian influenced nations     and     eastern Europe,     Central Asia,     and responses to same (see also elsewhere):
       Russia:
       -   an examination of the concept of “Eurasianism” in modern Russia;
  • With regard to the conflict in  sexist Afghanistan (noting that Afghanistan was once a peaceful and modern society, even allowing women in miniskirts, before the Russian invasion – see here):
       -   “civilian casualties fell to 1,773 in the January to March period, a 23 percent drop from the same period a year earlier” – 581 killed and 1,192 injured;     “how the US military's opium war in Afghanistan was lost”;
  • With regard to South Asia (aka the Indian sub-continent), The Hindu and other sources have:
       on India:
       -   “India election 2019: meeting a ‘foot soldier’ of the Hindu far-right” – see also here;     “an ambitious, evidence-packed and tightly argued celebration of India’s economic and political rise”;     one “Indian state vows to end homelessness with free flats”;
  • 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 the  conflict and the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis in Yemen:
       -   the human face of the tragedy in Yemen;
       on Syria (where the Assad Dictatorship has lost all pretence of legitimacy, and partition is needed):
       -   “a major new investigation by Amnesty  International and Airwars [see here – they are also investigating Russian and Turkish led forces in Syria as well - and here] has revealed the U.S.-led military coalition killed more than 1,600 civilians during the 2017 offensive . . . [in] Raqqa”;
       elsewhere in the region:
       -   against a the background of a comment that “dubious charges against dual nationals in Iran cannot be compared to transparent legal processes here”, Iran is trying to get a multi-nation prisoner swap;
       -   US soldiers tried to report their commander for war crimes in Iraq but were silenced.
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 (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 [see Psychic Weather Report]. 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.
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