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.
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 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 Venezuela, Syria and China,
(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, recognition of the need for more than the material; attempts to control and impose will over others through the abuse of power, in many ways; calls for practical compassion, including helping the vulnerable in specific ways; some have made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom; proposals to improve governance; slow gains in some areas of life, although some of those have been inconsistent with other aspects of the same area; fear, frustration, insecurity, inequality, jealousy, and hate are manifesting through various forms of violence, including gossip – and too many of those with power are ignoring those problems; some of those with power are being slow to recognise and work with valid change; short-sighted and flawed responses to problems; misunderstandings of problems; warnings that history is repeating; the climate change crisis continues, along with the greed and materialism that prevents people living minimalist lives; poor thinking and thinking overwhelmed by destructive emotions; contests of power at the expense of people’s lives; the vulnerable are being left behind;(f) may people never be attracted to greed, power, or domination;(g) may people always leave themselves a way to save and avoid painting themselves into a corner – especially when it comes to being prepared to BPM willingly accept and work with change;(h) may all people be BPM clear thinking - intellectually alert, aware, and actively prepared to learn;(i) may the sacrifices made for the HSG and/or the Greater Good (which excludes doing so for reward) be BPM acknowledged and rewarded;(k) may all people BPM balance individual needs (including for independence and adequate personal space) with collective responsibility, including a perfect BPM understanding of all involved in this;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; andWARNING: 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; the need for purpose in life (“feeling of meaninglessness a ‘modern malaise that if left unresolved, can lead to symptoms of anxiety, depression, hopelessness, or physical decline’ ”);
on the Rohingya genocide and similar matters this week:
- recommendations for improving camp conditions of Rohingya who fled the genocide to Bangladesh; burma’s “army has said it shot dead at least six [unarmed] people detained in a village school in Rakhine state” (these people were not Rohingya, but others also are in conflict with the repressive burmese empire);
on other matters requiring particular attention:
- “freedom and democracy are under siege. The West must step up”; hundreds of election officials in Indonesia have died from overwork; a call for the “African Union [to] reconsider its decision to restrict the autonomy and mandate of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights”; “populists across the world are significantly more likely to believe in conspiracy theories about vaccinations, global warming and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, according to a landmark global survey shared exclusively with the Guardian”; calls for the Philippines to stop lying about the work of a human rights activist; an examination of how to preserve the effectiveness of the UN Security Council;
- a call by the UN’s Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide “to end ‘political opportunism’ and policies which allow hate speech and violent extremism to flourish” – see also here; another anti-Semitic mass shooting in the USA; a well-presented backgrounder for fence sitters: “the straight white man's guide to feminism and social justice”; “worker activists at [a major tech company] held a “town hall” . . . where they alleged that the company regularly retaliates against employees who speak out about workplace problems”; POTUS45 wants to charge asylum seekers an “administration” fee . . . – see also here, here, and here; a social media platform has banned “right-wing extremists for violating [its] ‘hate and violence’ ban” . . . but it will allow Holocaust deniers!; “Australian police don't take hate crimes seriously”; “this is when people like me find ourselves having to justify our beliefs [or counter stereotypes] instead of talking about the real issue: fear rhetoric, effectiveness of the law and the role of social media”; “history is repeating itself, Holocaust survivors warn”;
- in a move likely to stop complaints being made, rape victims in the UK may be forced to hand over access to intimate information (phones and emails), which has occurred after some cases collapsed when evidence emerged (why do such matters always get made without ANY thought to things like ensuring the form includes guarantees about no contact/judgementalism by those police rifling through the personal information concerned); “the Queensland police service has launched another attempt to block compensation to a domestic violence victim, who was forced into hiding after her details were accessed by a senior constable and leaked to her abusive former partner”; “a ‘sit-in protest at a college fraternity after the leak of meeting minutes which referred to buying date rape drugs and a ‘rape attic’ ”; in contravention of its own exceptions policy, a social media platform has banned a breast cancer fundraising campaign; the USA is still dithering on gender equality;
- climate change is being fuelled by soil damage; “the wet tropics world heritage area in north Queensland has been damaged by climate change in a manner “equivalent” to coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef”; “Indonesian environmentalists are calling on Australia to tighten its regulation and enforcement of waste exports to foreign countries, claiming it is effectively "smuggling" huge amounts of plastic and waste paper supposedly sent for recycling” (the claims by my nation that it is the responsibility of the recipient to check such materials – AFTER they have been shipped! – are nonsensical); an examination of wastewater laws which may stop a proposed industrial facility; “climate change and basin plan [has forced] prominent dairy farmer to leave the Murray-Darling Basin” (the impact of climate change on farming has long been one of my major concerns: what are the idiots complaining – wrongly – about alleged higher electricity prices going to do when food costs much more than it does now?) - see also here, and here; more evidence confirming human influence on droughts; (in response to Extinction Rebellion protests – watch out Australia), “UK MPs have declared a climate emergency. Isn’t it time for business to do the same?”; “a bunch of grown men have begun bullying a schoolgirl . . .who came to [the UK Parliament] last week and slammed adoring MPs for posturing rather than taking action on climate breakdown”; concern about carcinogenic contaminants in one US state’s drinking water supply; the shares of a vegan burger maker “rose more than 160 per cent during their US market debut, as investors look to cash in on the first publicly listed vegetable ‘meat’ company and the growing popularity of plant-based meat alternatives” – “even though it has warned investors it may never turn a profit”;
- a warning that “technology is threatening child development by disrupting the crucial learning relationship between adults and children”; an “anti-vaxxer leaflet [has been] found hidden in children’s book”;
- the UN has mobilised to help refugees from the violence in Libya, and has also called for a humanitarian truce; the rise of an ultra-conservative Muslim group in Libya is divisive and may hinder conflict resolution;
- disturbing evidence of the violence against a tribe in the Sahel;
- “China’s Uyghur ‘re-education’ [centres] and the ghosts of totalitarians past”, and more on the disturbing surveillance being used; China has hypocritically celebrated the 1919 student protests and ignored the 1989 massacre of protesting students in Tiananmen Square; China has sentenced a second Canadian citizen to death over drugs (apart from having no faith in the Chinese courts and being opposed to the death penalty, there are questions about this arising from current US-Canada-China tensions); “the close relationship between Chinese companies and the Chinese Communist Party means that the expansion of China’s tech giants is about more than commerce”; China now has nuclear armed submarines;
- 15 bodies, including 6 children have been discovered after a shootout between police and suspected violent extremists; churches in Sri Lanka have observed silence; in a backward step, “Sri Lanka has banned face coverings in public”; “in Sri Lanka, the challenge is to turn national mourning into a call for coexistence and democracy”;
- after an attempt to trigger a coup in Venezuela failed, the opposition leader/possibly new President called for demonstrators “to intensify their ‘peaceful rebellion’ against” the incumbent, as the UN calls for restraint but dozens are injured; after about 3.5 million Venezuelans, or 10% of the population, fled, 94% of the remaining Venezuelans “live in poverty. Most are malnourished and face chronic shortages of food, water and medicine . . . the economy is in freefall”, but what seems to be playing a role in the USA’s claimed (“the Pentagon reportedly told Congress they were not preparing for war”) renewed consideration of military intervention is Russia’s breach of the USA’s 200 year old Monroe doctrine;
- just TWO out of more than 20,000 listed rentals were affordable to unemployed people in Australia;
this week’s atrocity alert at R2P lists Venezuela, Syria and China; - 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 complex relationships between Syria and Iran “the Syrians don’t and won’t toe the Iranian line”; an examination of what is required to overcome “authoritarian resilience”; a research project is looking to build knowledge of risk factors for civil war into prevention strategies/actions; another examination of the meeting between the leaders of Russia and the DPRK as the latter launches another “projectile”; demographics and foreign policy; Australia’s inconsistent policy towards Africa; an examination of the different types of political violence in elections;
- for other analyses see: DR Congo;
of concern internationally this week:
- gentrification/class vs. veganism tension in a poorer neighbourhood; “one of two men detained two weeks ago by Turkey on suspicion of spying for the United Arab Emirates has [allegedly] killed himself in prison” (given Turkey’s history, I have suspicions about how he was treated; given the UAE’s history and ties to Saudi Arabia, I have suspicions he may have been a spy – possibly coerced?);
of concern in my nation (Australia) this week:
- the desperate problem of underemployment; the failure to learn from the Royal Commission on the Assessment of War Service Disabilities 1924; services for young people with mental health problems are failing because they have been created by middle aged males; an appalling abuse of power by an immigration agent has left many devastated; “workers expose shocking conditions inside the Melbourne factory that blew up”; a call for Australia’s government to “reverse [the] short-sighted decision to disband Indigenous Legal Assistance Program”; a “horse rider accused of injuring anti-Adani protester [has received a] warning from magistrate” - see also here, on the threats and intimidation, including misogyny; more on the court case against a ride sharing service; Australia’s privatised social security to work industry is driving some people to the brink of suicide; a call to allow victims of sexual abuse to speak out if they wish;
with regard to cyber warfare and other cyber problems (including programmable machine learning (aka AI, or “artificial intelligence”) this week:
- the problems with the shirt to paperless passports; a call for the “five eyes” nations to lead the way on 5G; the possible use of programmable machine learning in nuclear weapons operations . . . - see also this review of nuclear command and control; an examination of France’s new cyber strategy; Norway has found a whale showing signs of having escaped from a Russian facility . . . ; a critique of aspects of the US cyber warfare policy; “German arrests as police attack dark web drugs market”;
in the grey/mixed [good and bad aspects] or neutral area this week:
- four local government councillors who blew the whistle on their eight colleagues over alleged corruption could lose their positions, depending on what the state government decides to do to restore the Council;
good news this week includes:
- a new feminist political party;
on development (in an “end poverty/thirst/hunger” sense):
- “trying to end poverty by founding well-governed ‘charter’ cities”; on Australia’s overseas aid: “an illustrative analogy of the disconnect between our rhetoric and the reality of who we are and what we value as a nation” (I disagree that we have only realised recently how dirty Australia’s cricket team is);
and democracy/governance/political matters in my home nation this week:
on the Commonwealth election:
- the Section 44 controversy may extend to preferences; “why is a documentary asking about a path to Canberra when Blackfellas are already on it?”; criticism of “feigned outrage”; privacy concerns over email tracking/surveillance; a FactCheck finds “the rise in the real minimum wage was correct but had little to do with the Coalition since it was set by an independent panel”; an opinion on the possibility of a change of government; a FactCheck on the second leaders debate; policies and major events: ratings on climate change; fact checking the first debate between the leaders of the two main parties; LGBTIQ aspects; gender issues; a group of independents will block a controversial coal mine if elected – see here for a critique of the failings in the mine’s groundwater plans, and here for a reminder of the need for jobs in the area; the ALP’s leader has said “poverty wastes people, it wastes opportunity”; choices on animal welfare; “Australians are ready to back [an] Indigenous ‘voice to Parliament’ ”; a FactCheck finds a claim that Australia has the lowest uptake of electric cars in OECD is “close to mark”; specific matters: a minor party is involved in a controversy over preferences, has, according to a Guardian Australia analysis, 40% of its candidates (some possibly not eligible) from outside their nominated electorates, and has recruited many candidates from the executives of a controversial mining company run by the party’s controversial founder/leader (whose “$100m foundation to benefit Aboriginal people launched 10 years ago only has $109 in it, despite never having disbursed a grant or allocation”) – and one candidate tried to trade some of that party’s advertising budget for favourable coverage, according to the ABC, has obliged its candidates to sign contracts that they will pay nearly half a million dollars if they leave the party (actually, I would like to see our system acknowledge and be realistic about the existence of political parties more than it does); problems / concerns: one minor party’s “family values” candidate has resigned after footage emerged of him drunkenly groping and griping about women; the alcohol and gaming industries are pouring money into mainstream and far right parties; the neoliberals continue to exclude women; racist abuse; an Islamophobic candidate has been dumped – as has a homophobic candidate (and others – see here, and here); airdropping campaign material for an extremist candidate; “Chinese-Australian voters are being targeted by a scare campaign” (again! The person responsible is breaking Australian law, and must be found and tried); “survey results have raised concerns about the extent of the impact of anti-immigration rhetoric in Australia’s public debate” (way to go Einstein: some of us have had those concerns since the days of the evil John Howard); the rise of the violent far right, and hate fuelled vandalising of election material; - 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):
- an “Ex-CIA agent . . . admits spying for China”;
- as it emerges that the Special Prosecutor criticised the way the US Attorney-General characterised his report, the FBI has said “Russia [is] increasing interference efforts leading into 2020 election”; apparent lies by the US Attorney-General – who has refused to testify to the US House of Representatives - may not meet the legal standard for perjury;
- POTUS45 has now made his 10,000th lie;
- criticism of POTUS45’s proposed ban on Iranian oil sales; allegedly at Egypt’s request, the US “administration is working to designate [an Islamist organisation] a foreign [violent extremist] organisation” – see also this criticism;
- an examination of the options for the USA’s next Presidential election in 2020;
- concerns over business tax breaks; - 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 1 attack in Iraq, 4 attacks in Afghanistan, and 2 attacks in Syria (out of a total of 15, causing at least 124 deaths and 54 wounded);
- in my home state, counter violent extremist police have released “two people without charge after search of North Melbourne property”;
- a violent extremist’s video may be an attempt to prop up internal control; - With regard to refugees (noting the New York Declaration), and remembering Haiti, Ethiopia, Madagascar, DR Congo,
and the Philippines), people seeking asylum and migrants:
- the widow of a refugee who “died in April 2016 after it took 31 hours for him to be treated at a specialist burns unit” is suing the Australian government; “the Australian Government is refusing to honour promises made to a Syrian refugee who resettled in Cambodia, leaving his four children without education or health insurance”; a critique of Australia’s staggering proposal to swap refugees from our region with refugees from other regions; “a Tamil mother who was taken with her family from their home . . . and put in immigration detention in Melbourne has accused the government of failing to give proper medical care to her youngest daughter”;
- other refugee-related matters have also occurred in: Mexico; - 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]):
- a call for support for the Roma; diversity in sport, and quiet rooms at a stadium; “further evidence that taking anti-HIV drugs stops gay men passing on the virus to sexual partners has been called a ‘powerful message’ which should be more widely known”;
- 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; more homophobia in sport;
- other homophobic/transphobic (and heteronormativity / cisgender-normativity) matters have also occurred in: sport (good news), Nigeria / hotel chains, Malaysia, Brunei;
on white supremacist and other forms of RACISM / CULTURAL DISCRIMINATION and Indigenous matters generally this week:
- the autobiography of a Muslim African slave in the USA challenges stereotypes; the story of a successful Aboriginal farm in my home state whose indigenous owners were forced to move; a memorial to a “legendary” Australian indigenous activist whose work led to NAIDOC week;
- other white supremacy / racism problems have also occurred in: US farming industry;
on TRAFFICKING, and CHILDREN’s and associated human rights this week (from Thomson Reuters Foundation, Freedom United, and other sources):
- “5 business practices many major clothing brands use that hurt workers”; in Hong Kong, a domestic slave was fired for having cancer . . . ;
- also on child abuse, including institutional, this week: USA;
- also on slavery / human trafficking this week: Bangladesh (good news), India (good news), fund managers, India, Gabon, USA (good news), universities;
on SEXISM this week (keeping in mind the overblown influence given to testosterone, and the potential value to women of using anger):
- a discussion paper on “sexism and gender inequality in [my home state’s] legal and justice sector”; “access to abortion in regional Australia still depends on ‘your postcode and your income’ “;
- on sexual harassment/misconduct/violence this week, see: UK/sports, DR Congo, schools (relative size of sports fields), here (I’m doubtful, but I wasn’t in the court);
on WORKERS’ rights this week:
- “an external investigation will be carried out into allegations of staff bullying and intimidation at the largest hospital in eastern Victoria”; more attempts by bosses to get around having to treat workers decently;
on ANIMALS’ rights this week:
- “animals in the wild often suffer a great deal. What, if anything, should we do about that?”;
- other animals’ rights matters have also occurred in: Russia;
on PRIVACY, AGED, DIFFERENTLY ABLED, AND OTHER forms of human rights this week:
- airports will start helping people with “hidden disabilities”;
- other privacy matters have also occurred in: Lebanon; - With regard to war (noting that
economic ties do NOT prevent war), violence
and hate generally:
- playing guitar is helping some veterans with PTSD (including from abduction and rape by supposed “colleagues”); the “world military expenditure [grew] to $1.8 trillion in 2018”; “SIPRI has set up a new initiative aiming to establish the annual number of violent deaths worldwide” (the data will be openly available); an opinion piece on the future impact of technology on war – see also here;
- other war, violence or hate related matters have occurred or are developing in: France; - 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):
- “doesn’t the idea of elevating house cleaning to something close to godliness leave a sour smell?” YES!; - With regard to natural and other catastrophes:
- Mozambique’s second cyclone has killed five people and caused more damage; after 1.2 million Indians were evacuated, at least 8 have been killed by Cyclone Fani, which is also threatening Bangladesh, where more than 2 million people have been ordered to evacuate; floods and landslides have killed at least 29 people in Indonesia; “children in crises who grow up without meat, milk, or vegetables, are at risk of stunting, which hinders cognitive as well as physical growth”; - 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:
- “claims bottled water companies illegally extracting groundwater” – see also here; “in 1901, 38 per cent of the cars were electric, and 20 per cent or so were petrol, and in the middle, there was the outgoing technology of steam”; another invasive species problem; “climate cuts, cover-ups and censorship”; “biodegradable' plastic bags survive three years in soil and sea”; a project to use “mechanical trees” to harvest carbon dioxide;
- other environmental matters have occurred in: Madagascar (good news), the Arctic, Singapore;
on technology and science matters:
- a discussion on programmable machine learning (aka, AI, or artificial intelligence);
on economic and financial matters, including consumer complaints:
- the need for time out;
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?):
- more mortgage problems where people have over-capitalised; now, in addition to having to worry about mineral rights underneath your house, you have to worry about people buying the “air rights” above it . . . ;
on health and medical:
- several pharmaceutical executives have been “found guilty of participating in a scheme to bribe doctors to prescribe an addictive painkiller”;
on other matters in the category:
- the challenges and potential advantages of new cities; alternative uses of car parking spaces; a variety of approaches to public spaces; - 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: Uganda, Turkey; - With regard to education:
- a woman is being held following an attack on a teacher; a “tone deaf” University asked staff to compound unpaid overtime (“they are already bleeding us dry”) by donating money out of their pay . . . ; a school girl has – quite rightly – been sentenced for a stabbing, but the bullies she wanted to act against appear to have got off scot free; - 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):
- the staggering numbers of strip searches in a prison system – see also here; a now former US police officer has been found guilty of murder.
Location based News:
- With regard to Africa, the Africa
Center for Strategic Studies (and other sources) has:
on Africa generally:
- international competition for influence in Africa;
on specific African nations:
- post-election violence in Benin;
- tackling toxic masculinity in the DR Congo – where the Ebola situation is worsening (the 1,000th death has occurred), partly due to inadequate funding; “fighting corruption in post-election DR Congo”; six people have been killed by rebels;
- the arts are being used to divert frustrated young Gambian men from trying “the back door to Europe”;
- biodiversity heroes in Madagascar;
- thoughts on what may happen next in Sudan in terms of geopolitical influences, where the protestors have learned from what has happened in recent years in other nations such as Syria and Egypt but the military has rejected civilian rule;
- 15 people have been killed by inter-village violence in Nigeria;
- a review of South Africa’s upcoming elections, where voter disenchantment over corruption is an issue, and the lack of land legacy of apartheid – and a call for a wealth tax to address this;
- “South Sudan’s rival parties [have begun] talks . . . in a bid to salvage a peace deal”; “experts say South Sudan’s National Security Service has been operating outside the law and poses ‘a significant threat’ to last September’s fragile peace agreement, including by allegedly killing two government critics and arresting others”; - With regard
to South and Central America:
on South and Central America generally:
- “Central American farmers suffer major crop losses, need food aid”;
on specific South and Central American nations:
- “breaking from tradition, indigenous women lead [the] fight for land rights in Brazil”; - 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):
on increasingly totalitarian mainland China, and also 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:
- China is ramping up the shaming of debtors by showing their names at the start of movies;
- “ten million North Koreans suffering severe food shortages” (this puts it almost in the same category as Yemen);
- “thousands of people marched on Hong Kong’s parliament . . . to demand the scrapping of proposed extradition rules that would allow people to be sent to mainland China for trial - a move which some fear puts the city’s core freedoms at risk”;
- Taiwan’s situation may hold until at least 2030 provided it doesn’t declare independence;
elsewhere in Asia:
- the comment about controlling the sea near the end of the section of this video on Indochina’s geopolitics raised thoughts of China’s naval expansion (a radio interview included commentary that this has happened several times before);
- Indonesia is considering moving its capital . . . again; “a Polish tourist has been jailed for five years in Indonesia after being convicted of plotting with rebels in” West Papua (if he is indeed a tourist, he may have been either dangerously uninformed, arrogant, or foolish); a critique of Indonesia’s anti-corruption campaign;
- “Japan's [new] Emperor . . . has pledged to fulfil his role as a ‘symbol of the state and unity’ ” (I don’t know enough to comment – is this credible and useful, or . . . not? What is going to happen about revisionism?); - With regard to Europe and the European Union (EU) (which need
to step up, as the USA steps down):
- more violent protests in France;
- a Polish activist’s work against hate;
- “Spain's governing Socialists [have] won the country's third election in four years, but have fallen short of a majority.”;
- more political divisions in the UK over Brexit – this time within the main opposition party; - With regard to the (forgotten or
ignored and underreported) conflicts in Ukraine, particularly in the east:
- a note of caution (and a joke) about Ukraine’s elections; Russia is trying to create problems by offering Russian passports to Ukrainians . . . leading to a counter-offer of Ukrainian passports to Russians; - With regard to Russia, Russian influenced nations and eastern Europe, Central Asia, and responses to same (see also
elsewhere):
Russia:
- interesting thoughts on succession after Putin; - 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):
- “Afghanistan's president has announced the release of 175 [misogynist violent extremists – whose group wants US troops out before they start talking] prisoners as a goodwill gesture”; - With regard to South Asia (aka
the Indian
sub-continent), The
Hindu and other sources have:
on India:
- pollution, which killed 1.2 million Indians last year, is being ignored in the election; questions about how successful India’s democracy is; only ten of 100 wastewater projects have been finished on one major river; “addressing structural issues which keep women away from the workforce is a must”;
on Pakistan:
- an oil discovery may help Pakistan – I’m glad the resource curse and need for education are emphasised; “Pakistan's vaccination campaign [has been] suspended after worker killed”;
elsewhere in South Asia:
- interesting thoughts on Nepal’s geopolitical situation; - With regard
to West Asia (aka “the Middle East”) and
Northern Africa, the Middle East Eye, the Times
of Israel, and other sources have:
- a social media platform “is being used by networks of traffickers to buy and sell looted antiquities” from Syria and Iraq (referred to as “loot-to-order”);
on Israel and Palestine:
- “Anti-Semitism Is thriving in America”; Egypt appears to have been asked to mediate a return to the ceasefire; mixed reactions to the use of social media to commemorate the Holocaust; the UN has urged “Israel to halt demolitions [of Palestinian structures – 10 so far] in East Jerusalem”; Israel’s military is recommending construction of an industrial precinct in Gaza that would create thousands of jobs, while Israel’s police are recording more internal sexual harassment cases;
- on other violent incidents this week, see: here;
- other events concerning Israel/Judaism and/or Palestine have occurred or are developing in: Poland;
on the conflict and the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis in Yemen:
- the US Senate has upheld POTUS45’s veto of a bill to end US support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen; a suicide bombing has killed six civilians;
on Syria (where the Assad Dictatorship has lost all pretence of legitimacy, and partition is needed):
- a refugee camp on a Syrian camp is being caught in Russian-US tensions; “it will take ‘action and tangible progress’ between Syrian Government and opposition leaders, not just dialogue, to bring about lasting peace”;
elsewhere in the region:
- an examination of Algeria’s current situation; “one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the fourth and fifth mandates of [the] ex-president” has been elected leader of the ruling party, with “with a party insider calling [that] ‘catastrophic’ ”;
- the effect of US sanctions on Iran, and an opinion that they cannot force regime change (the USA currently has 7,967 sanctions in place); although the USA is increasing pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme, it is allowing “Russia and European nations to continue work at nuclear sites without incurring US penalties”;
- an examination of the extent and gaps of governance in Iraq;
- members of the internationally recognised government in Libya have rejected assertions by the coalition attacking Tripoli (who have their own questionable members/backing) that they have not done enough against violent extremists;
- “Amnesty International has demanded that six women activists held by Saudi Arabia ‘must all be unconditionally and immediately released’ ”.
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.
