Post No. 2,047 - Interesting reading, and on Uganda, Burma, and from the news

On psychic, spiritual and related matters, including interesting reading: 

• suggestions and explanatory background from a former intelligence officer on better ways to seek information from government agencies (US focused); 
• not all those involved in Iraq's use of human shields in 1990 were terrible people - at least one was decent; 
• apologies for a social media link, but an interesting reflection on "human being, not human doing": "Why do we exist? A Weed grows in the Arctic"; 
• a downloadable oracle deck from a student of Quareia;

(Mægan)

 

On Uganda this week:

• Museveni is continuing his stay in, and abuse of, power;

On Burma this week:

• the protests and killing continue;
  
• the pro-democracy resistance has called on the world not to forget them; 
• artists are illustrating the junta's cruelty;

 

From the news this week:

• on the climate crisis and the environment:
  sustainable development is a furphy: WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR LIFESTYLES;   a possible improvement to energy storage batteries;   "Aboriginal people in Australia view wilderness, or what is called “wild country”, as sick land that’s been neglected and not cared for. This is the opposite of the romantic understanding of wilderness as pristine and healthy – a view which underpins much non-Indigenous conservation effort";   we, global pariahs that we are, are the ONLY nation NOT to have committed to net zero by 2050 - and it is going to hurt us;   an oil spill off the USA;   small steps towards making aviation sustainable;   protests ahead of COP26 call for stronger action on the climate crisis;   rising sea level is threatening Senegal's old capital;   the Nobel physics prize includes two climate modellers;   concerns over exemptions granted a WA fracking scheme;   shareholders can influence large companies' decisions;   "Indian anti-mining protesters revive old resistance to protect forest";   an "end to deforestation sought at COP26 climate summit";
  
  
  (responsibility)
  
  
  
• on international relations including war:
  "ecological threats will lead to widespread conflict and mass migration unless significant efforts are made to limit the damage" (particularly in West Asia, Africa, Bangladesh, and North Korea);
  China has repeated its incursion into Taiwanese air space - and, against a background of the USA's concerns (and alleged covert assistance), Taiwan is reportedly preparing for invasion - but this assessment suggests China will act economically, and that most Taiwanese people don't expect an invasion ... and French Senators will visit, despite a warning - see also this assessment on internal and external motivations. China is also testing India's defence;  
  France and the USA are continuing their attempt to mend relations after the Australian sovereignty-ceding nuclear submarine debacle (what happens if someone like #45 gets in power again?) ... but France's Ambassador will return here to "redefine" our relationship;  
  Algeria-France tensions continue to grow - and are developing between France and Mali;   South Korea views Germany's imperfect  reunification as a possible model for reunification;   peace in Western Sahara is now at serious risk;   Venezuela and Colombia are reopening their border;    "South Sudan risks cycle of war as plunder continues despite US, UK sanctions";   the misogynistic violent extremists in power in Afghanistan (who some in Pakistan want to recognise) have started calling those who interpreted for western nations to court - and threatening their families, and committing murders;   the USA has revealed (post #45's secrecy) that it in September last year it had 3,750 nuclear weapons, slightly down from 3,785 in 2018 and well down from 10,000 in 2003 and over 30,000 during the Cold War;   German women who joined a notorious violent extremist group have been repatriated and detained, but not their children;   an agreement for a virtual meeting between the leaders of CHina and the USA;   Polexit moves closer;   "‘Transitional Justice’ key to unblocking vicious cycle of violence in DR Congo ";   an SBS exclusive reports that "Australian far-right terrorism investigations have increased by 750 per cent in 18 months";
  
  
  (BPM group leadership)
  
   
• on the COVID-19 pandemic:
  development of an oral medication is progressing;   idiots about to go on life support are begging for the vaccine ... ;   "Australia appears to be the only country in the world manipulating vaccination data to make it look better than it is: We refer to the percentage of over-16s: other countries refer only to the percentage of the total population";   some medicines are not available in rural areas;   the Australians being left behind by the national neolib nitwits;   online lies by repugnant morons is targetting women and girls;   a repugnant woman who put lives at risk has been fined for her vanity;   the pandemic will cause mental health problems for young people for years to come;   those on disability pensions are suffering from increased costs;   some rapid test kits have been recalled over false positives;   a hospital is using non-emergency healthcare workers to help COVID patients get and stay home safely;   the variability behind overall rates;   more rabid insanity from the USA - with over 700,000 deaths - about Australia - which has under 1,400 deaths;   reinfection rates appear to be low;   "failure to share COVID vaccines equally Is ‘Immoral and Stupid’";   a flawed article on "re-entry anxiety" (it's not only mental health but immuno-compromised and too early re-opening);   more lies;  
  
  
  (Berkana - healing & compassion)
  
  
  
• on genocides and other human rights issues:
  violent abuses:   "war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in Libya since 2016, a United Nations investigation has revealed";   protests against China's genocide in Tibet;   refugees have been tortured and killed in Libya - including by Russian mercenaries;   after lobbying by human rights abusing Saudi Arabia, human rights abusing nations like Bahrain and Russia have prevented an extension of the investigation into war crimes in Yemen;  
  
  social and political:   child abuse in sport;   a serial killer police officer in France has committed suicide - and demonstrated that the extraordinary powers of police require commensurable accountable, with UK police even advising women how to handle police officers they're suspicious of in an attempt to undo the damage;   an investigation has found that thousands of child abusers operated inside a neochristian organisation in France for decades;   more on Australia's cruel (and getting crueller) offshore asylum seeker prison system;   "social media platforms are transforming how online advertising works and, in turn, raising concerns about new forms of discrimination and predatory marketing";   thousands of refugees have been stuck in transition camps because of a measles outbreak;   tech companies are caving in to Russia, as they did to China, and allowing a repressive version of the internet;   the disingenuousness of nonsensical claims lockdowns have turned Australia into police state;   a celebrity recently freed from a "conservatorship" widely considered abusive has criticised her family (there are families that are abusive - including sexually abusive, which does not detract from those families that are genuinely good, but needs to be acknowledged more widely);   dozens of nations have asked at the OPCW for Russia respond to questions about the poisoning of an opposition figure;   anti-Semitism in Germany;   we have abandoned over 100 refugees in PNG;   concerning indications of possible abuse/neglect of an aged care resident;   Rohingya refugee activists are still at risk;   two journalists who have criticised the regimes in Russia and the Philippines despite terrible attempts at repression abuse have won this year's  Nobel Peace Prize;   abuse of journalists in Afghanistan - and Tunisia;   "South Sudan has ordered the freezing of bank accounts of five members of a coalition of activists calling for political change";
  
  genocide:   an atrocity alert for Ethiopia, DRC, and CAR;   "considered one of the world's most corrupt and totalitarian regimes. ... Genocide Watch considers Turkmenistan to be at Stage 3: Discrimination, Stage 6: Polarisation, and Stage 8: Persecution";   "on Papua New Guinea ... tribal and gang-related violence ... Violence against women and girls is particularly rampant; over two-thirds of women have experienced domestic violence, and nearly half have been subjected to rape. Genocide Watch considers Papua New Guinea to be at Stage 3: Discrimination and Stage 5: Organization";   "an updated Genocide Emergency for the Central African Republic, where ... both sides have committed war crimes, including sexual violence, indiscriminate killings, torture, and more. Ethnic hate speech is inciting hate crimes and massacres. Genocide Watch considers CAR to be at Stage 7: Preparation and Stage 8: Persecution";   "Genocide Watch considers Venezuela to be at Stage 6: Polarization and Stage 8: Persecution";  
   
• from Human Rights Watch:
  United Nations Security Council should act on crisis in Ethiopia; #PandoraPapers expose hidden riches of billionaires & political leaders; when targeted killings become ‘tragic mistakes’; a dangerous development at Interpol; good news from India; how members of the UN Human Rights Council can help end reprisals against human rights defenders; governments should make mental health a priority and scale up community services at Global Mental Health Summit; thousands of children sexually abused by Catholic clergy in France; older people and people with disabilities particularly at risk of heat-related illness and death; crushing dissent in Singapore; some hope for Philippine’s victims of “drug-war” killings; trial against former Qatar 2022 FIFA official marked by allegations of intimidation and coercion; some good news ahead of Iraq’s elections next weekend; Rohingya refugees in Cox Bazar camps face violence; UN should stand with Yemen; Kenya's small businesses need more support during the pandemic; Ukraine should double efforts to evacuate its own nationals and Afghans at risk from Afghanistan; independent investigation of massacre needed in Colombia; EU should outline timelines for Sri Lanka to comply with human rights commitments; a win for journalists' human rights activism; UN Human Rights Council turns its back on Yemeni victims; Saudi Arabia "sportswashing" continues; Facebook censored abuses in Israel/Palestine; Afghanistan is spiralling into catastrophe; Poland's confrontation with the EU escalates; French authorities are subjecting migrants to daily harassment and humiliation; masked men push back asylum seekers at Bosnian-Croatian border; UK's wrong turn before hosting the climate summit; Tanzania bans pregnant students from attending school; all-male foreign delegation meetings with the Taliban send the wrong message; US federal judge halts Texas abortion law; vaccine mandates alone won't stop the pandemic;
  
  
  
  
  
• on democracy:
  how elites have been hiding their wealth (which MIGHT lead to investigations for tax evasion ... but I'm not holding my breath - and HAS led to a comment that ‘it’s time to pursue lawyers and accountants who enable tax evasion’ - "the most disturbing part ... this week about the Pandora Papers leak was the statement by Greens Senator ... that lobbying and donations by lawyers, accountants and real estate agents have successfully blocked any action on money laundering in Australia") - and there has been a call for better tax reporting by companies;   "3 reasons people with power are more likely to make bad decisions" (not seeing other perspectives, ignoring experts, not recognising constraints);   a select few people in Qatar have been able to take part in a pretend election;   the Philippines president Marcos-lite will not try to extend his political power by running as a vice-president;   "thousands of Brazilians take to the streets to demand Bolsonaro’s impeachment";     a whistleblower says a social media platform turned off safeguards to make more money - which allowed  communication that aided the attempted insurrection in the USA in January, and is a threat to democracy and children;   Japan has selected a consensus builder as PM;   thousands of Tunisians are reported to have marched in support of that nation's new dictator;   thoughts on remedying extreme polarisation in the USA - which basically goes back to the impractical contact hypothesis;   the UK army has been called in to help fix the UK's petrol delivery crisis;   Iraq's political legitimacy crisis;   another election delay in Somalia ... ;   attempts to defuse political tensions in Sudan;   elections in Libya have been postponed ... ;   South Sudan's "lost" income from oil is hurting the nation's wellbeing;  more cold heartedness (IMO) from the national neolibs;   as Zambia finds another $2 billion foreign debt, "Democratic Republic of Congo should renegotiate its $6 billion infrastructure-for-minerals deal with Chinese investors, according to the draft of a report commissioned by a global anti-corruption body of governments, companies and activists";
  
  Australia:   Bob Menzies "wouldn't recognise" today's (neo)Liberal policies on employment, inflation and fiscal policy;  "ICAC is not a curse, and probity in government matters. The Australian media would do well to remember that" - see also this;   an opinion that "we are witnessing a high-speed evolution of political integrity in Australia" (I'm not convinced - too many problems at the federal level still);   a defamation case involving a (national) government Minister is continuing;   an IBAC investigation in Victoria involves our Premier;   an attempt to hold the trial of a whistleblower who revealed shameful conduct by Australia towards a small neighbouring nation in secrecy has been rejected;  
  
  
  (democracy)
  
  
  
• on LGBTIQ+ matters:
  "the ostensible assault on LGBT+ rights in Hungary, Poland and Russia has a very big target—anyone who signs up to universal norms";  
  
  
• on racism:
  inadequate data on police killings in the USA;   "why India’s facial recognition system is bad news for minorities";   racist barriers in science;   my nation is racist;  
  
  
• on sexism and misogyny:
  misogynistic misdiagnoses and abuses by members of the medical profession against a DV victim;   protests against attacks on abortion rights in the USA;   denial of inheritance rights to women in Kenya;   a judge's stupid downplaying of violence has led to a campaign against violence;   misogyny in sport ... AGAIN;   a suspension of a US state's de facto ban on abortion;   a female MP has quit social media after appalling abuse;   a court has found Dubai's leader ordered hacking of his ex-wife's phone as an intimidation;   cultural change is needed before Rwanda can effectively introduce paternity leave;   harassment, abuse and victim blaming of female FIFO workers;  
  
  
• on ableism:
  another stupid decision about the disability support pension;   a couple of disability links here and here;  
  
  
• on animal rights: 
  "in North Macedonia, a whistle-blower and animal activist is receiving death threats after she publicly denounced a series of photos of a lion cub shared on social media, and called upon the authorities to act against animal trafficking";  
  
  
• on other matters:
  "for a longer life, getting fit is more effective than losing weight";   the benefits of less helicopter parenting;   "student evaluations of teaching are not accurate measures of teaching effectiveness" - and can be an opportunity for hate speech;