The movement to make sure our money serves our own values rather than the bottom line of huge banks will only gain energy as small victories accumulate.
CLICK TO READ: Why Bank Transfer Day (Today) Is Only the Beginning of Something Huge | | AlterNet
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Extreme Poverty Is Now at Record Levels -- 19 Statistics About the Poor That Will Absolutely Astound You | | AlterNet
In 2010, we were told that the economy was recovering, but the truth is that the number of the "very poor" soared to heights never seen previously.
CLICK HERE TO READ: Extreme Poverty Is Now at Record Levels -- 19 Statistics About the Poor That Will Absolutely Astound You | | AlterNet
Beating Babies in the Name of Jesus? The Shady World of Right-Wing 'Discipline' Guides | Belief | AlterNet
There is a brutal movement in America that legitimizes child abuse in the name of God........
Click here to read article.....
Click here to read article.....
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Noam Chomsky Speaks to Occupy: If We Want a Chance at a Decent Future, the Movement Here and Around the World Must Grow / AlterNet
In a speech to Occupy Boston, the linguist and icon hailed the "unprecedented" first weeks of OWS. He cautioned protesters to build and educate first, strike later.....
Click here to continue reading.........
Friday, November 4, 2011
"Seeing something, saying something" y Irin Carmen / Salon
Web footage of a judge hitting his daughter shows how technology can give victims power........
Click here to continue reading this article........
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Jon Stewart Nails Cain And Perry In One Hilarious Clip
The Republican lineup gets more and more...and OMG!!! Thankfully, I believe we are sending Cain and Perry to the showers. Romney is about to strike out!
Jon Stewart Nails Cain And Perry In One Hilarious Clip
Monday, October 31, 2011
Important Message from Montague Keen October 30
It has become blatantly clear who you can trust and who you need to see with suspicion. Check who is pulling the strings. The puppets who sold their souls for gain were put in positions of power. They are there only as long as they serve their masters. The changes that are taking place are much bigger than you can imagine. Just because you do not see them, does not mean that they are not happening: they happen on different levels.
Report: NYPD steers drunks to Occupy Wall Street
Those found drinking in city parks are told by officers to "take it to
Zuccotti," the Daily News reports
Click to read report: NYPD steers drunks to Occupy Wall Street
After I left my abusive boyfriend
I transformed myself when we split, but it wasn't just about reclaiming my self-worth. It was about becoming normal.....
Click here to read: "After I left my abusive boyfriend"
Making the Case for Medical Corruption
Is the medical establishment looking out for the best interests of patients?
Click here to read: Making the Case for Medical Corruption
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Chemtrails Chemtrails + HAARP: Weather Warfare
Saturday, October 29, 2011
400% Rise in Anti-Depressant Pill Use: Americans Are Disempowered -- Can the OWS Uprising Shake Us Out of Our Depression? | Drugs | AlterNet
Is it time to repoliticize a great deal of our despair, and reconsider the old-fashioned antidepressant of political activism?
Excellent article.......
click here to continue reading......
Excellent article.......
Friday, October 28, 2011
"How the Common Good Is Transforming Our World"
Business psychologist and psychotherapist
Posted: October 17, 2010 12:31 PM
In my previous post I wrote about a rising social psychosis that's visible in three areas of our society. It's likely to prevail for some time, but I think it's like a wave that's crested and will crash to the shore. The reason is that the social psychosis is a backlash against a steadily growing consciousness and behavior that refocuses personal lives and public policies towards promoting the common good.
By the "common good" I'm referring to a broad evolution beyond values and actions that serve narrow self-interest, and towards those guided by inclusiveness -- supporting well-being, economic success, security, human rights and stewardship of resources for the benefit of all, rather than just for some.
It's like a stealth operation, because it hasn't become highly visible yet. But polls, surveys and research data reveal several strands of change that are coalescing in this overall direction. I describe each of them below. They may appear to be unrelated, but I think they're driven by an underlying perspective that we're all like organs of the same body, and the body doesn't thrive if any of the organs is neglected or diseased.
It's an awareness of interconnection of all lives on this planet, and a pull towards acting upon that reality in a range of ways. They include rethinking personal relationships, the responsibility of business to society, and the role of government in an interdependent world.
A 21st-Century Mindset
The rise of the common good reflects a sense of global citizenship and an obligation to be a good ancestor to future generations who inhabit this planet. In fact, it embodies behavior and policies that fit the needs for effective functioning -- both personal and political -- in our post-9/11, post-economic meltdown world.
That is, in previous posts I've argued that this new era of unpredictable change in a non-equilibrium world requires new criteria for psychological health and resiliency, beyond just effective stress management and coping. Others have emphasized the new mindset that's needed for effective business and leadership strategies in this interconnected era.
For example, Matt Bai has described in the New York Times that "[n]ow we live in an integrated world where American jobs rely on the economic policies of governments in Asia or Latin America, while our security is subject to the whims of a cleric living in a cave," and, "[w]ith global interdependence comes a certain lack of control, a vulnerability to disparate influence."
Similarly, CUNY professor and blogger Jeff Jarvis refers to a "great restructuring of the economy and society, starting with a fundamental change in our relationships -- how we are linked and intertwined and how we act."
And Umair Haque writes in his Harvard Business School blog about the new principles of a new economy "built around stewardship, trusteeship, guardianship, leadership, partnership," adding that "[a]s interaction explodes, the costs of evil are starting to outweigh the benefits." In effect, transparency will become the antidote to evil.
Let's look at some of the seemingly disparate themes of the massive shift underway that has spawned the current social psychosis.
The New Norm of Racial-Ethnic Diversity
As you read these words, the country is becoming more diverse. Some demographers believe that 2010 could be the first year that most children born in the country will be non-white. Already, five states have a majority non-white population. New York Times columnist Charles Blow captured a slice of this at the time of the passage of health care legislation, writing that "[a] woman [Nancy Pelosi] pushed the health care bill through the House. The bill's most visible and vocal proponents included a gay man [Barney Frank] and a Jew [Anthony Weiner]. And the black man in the White House signed the bill into law. It's enough to make a good old boy go crazy."
Nearly 20 percent of counties in the U.S. have, or are close to, a nonwhite majority. This shift is steadily changing the social landscape. The trend is towards movement in the direction of tolerance, acceptance and valuing -- rather than fearing or hating -- the increasingly diverse composition of American society. And that includes the rising numbers of those with multi-racial/ethnic backgrounds. Moreover, research finds that the latter group tends to be open-minded and more oriented to inclusiveness and openness.
Volunteer Service
Data show that the number of volunteers is steadily growing among all age groups. During 2009, about 64 million Americans did volunteer work (defined as unpaid volunteer activities through an organization.) That's nearly 27 percent of the populations and reflects a steady year-by-year increase, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report. And a rapid rise of volunteerism has occurred in the last decade among men and women in their 30s and 40s. Today, people describe volunteerism as part of their sense of responsibility to help others in need, not something for padding their resume.
Donations of Organs by Living Donors to Strangers
That number is steadily rising. For example, kidney donations from living donors have outnumbered those from deceased donors since 2003. Some states, such as Wisconsin, offer tax deductions for expenses related to living organ donations.
Hands-On Philanthropy
This trend is towards wanting contributions to have visible, direct impact upon people's lives. More are turning away from writing checks to well-heeled organizations like universities or cultural centers. This trend is visible among venture capitalists who bring a high-impact perspective to venture philanthropy as well as among average citizens, who increasingly contribute to international organizations that help people become more self-sufficient in daily life -- for example, through micro finance (providing small loans to individuals starting businesses in impoverished countries), or purchasing a goat for a family that relies on small farming for their livelihood, or paying the salary of a schoolteacher in an impoverished part of the world.
Responsibility for a Healthy Planet
Despite the continued denial of the reality of climate change and the human contributions to it by the GOP, a denial unmatched among major political parties around the globe, pressure continues to build, both politically and on a grassroots level, for actions that reverse or halt climate change and promote sustainable living. Among the latter are groups like 350.org, the Alliance for Climate Protection and community alliances of citizens, businesses and government such as Bethesda Green, in Bethesda, Md. This trend is underscored by the steadily rising financial contributions to environmental organizations.
Support For Human Rights
Data show a steady increase of both financial contributions to and membership in such organizations as Human Rights Watch, Save the Children, Amnesty International, Mercy Corps International and others. Even in the absence of effective action, consciousness continues to build around the perspective that violations of rights to safety, dignity and personal freedom for another -- anywhere in the world -- affect oneself, as well. In addition, the view of security and human rights is expanding to include not only freedom from violence and terrorism, but also the rights to health care, support of older citizens, rights to adequate housing, food, fair wages and other conditions. A recent U.N. report examines these issues with respect to responsibilities and actions of member nations.
Personal Success
I've written previously that men and women increasingly want a "4.0 career": one that provides more than personal recognition, power and financial reward. They want meaningful work, opportunities for continued learning and growth, a positive management culture and a team-oriented, ethical environment. They want to have impact on something larger than just their own personal success. These themes are especially pronounced among younger workers.
The Social Impact of Business
Business leaders have already bought into the need for sustainability, and many are contributing to the rise of a new business model, one that addresses social problems and serves the common good as well as achieving financial success. The "green business" movement reflects this shift, along with the concept of the "triple bottom line." Related trends include sustainable investing, social entrepreneurialism, corporate social responsibility, building a psychologically healthy management culture, and transparency via open access to information and corporate disclosure policies.
Acceptance of Gay Relationships and Gay Marriage
Acceptance of gay relationships has steadily increased, while opposition to gay marriage has steadily decreased, when tracked over the last several years, according to data from the Pew Research Center. Between one-quarter and one-third of gay and lesbian couples are raising children, a steadily rising number. And the most current surveys indicate that about half of all Americans support gay marriage.
Families And Relationships Are Transforming
A majority of Americans now say their definition of family includes same-sex couples with children, as well as married gay and lesbian couples. Regarding intimate relationships, surveys by the Gallup organization and other groups find that the quality of the relationship is more important to people today than simple allegiance to the institution of marriage. Census statistics and other data confirm this, showing, for example, a steady decline in the marriage rate over the last several decades, while cohabitation has steadily risen in each of those same decades. About half of all households today are headed by people who are single. And unmarried couples are as likely as married couples to be raising children: it's currently approaching 50 percent.
A majority of Americans now say their definition of family includes same-sex couples with children, as well as married gay and lesbian couples. Regarding intimate relationships, surveys by the Gallup organization and other groups find that the quality of the relationship is more important to people today than simple allegiance to the institution of marriage. Census statistics and other data confirm this, showing, for example, a steady decline in the marriage rate over the last several decades, while cohabitation has steadily risen in each of those same decades. About half of all households today are headed by people who are single. And unmarried couples are as likely as married couples to be raising children: it's currently approaching 50 percent.
Some surveys report that at least 30 percent of those polled admit to having had an affair. Whether that's accurate or not, the upshot is that affairs are no longer viewed as immoral in today's culture. Moreover, attitudes towards prostitution are also shifting towards greater acceptance and focus on the rights of sex workers.
So, these are just some of the pervasive shifts underway. My read is that they link around an underlying theme that our culture is evolving in both consciousness and action, and that evolution will grow and strengthen over time. That's why the current social psychosis will fade. That's not only hopeful but important: The rise of the common good is both a necessary path for survival and security on an interdependent planet and the path towards personal psychological health, success and well being in this new world era.
Douglas LaBier, Ph.D., a business psychologist and psychotherapist, is Director of the Center for Progressive Development, in Washington, D.C. You may contact him at dlabier@CenterProgressive.org.
Follow Douglas LaBier on Twitter: www.twitter.com/douglaslabier
"Fear and Changing Times" / Ken Page & Nancy Nester
We've been getting a lot of emails, session questions and calls that ask why people around us are changing. The most out of control feelings we might have is when a loved one, or person you are with, changes the way they feel about you. It brings up so many fears - rejection, abandonment and disappointment to name a few. Perhaps you might even be angry at yourself because you just became aware that the other person feels differently about you than you had thought.
Sometimes the answer arrives that the individual was jealous or afraid of you. There might be a medical problem that interferes with their emotional stability - like depression, stress, serious illness... As we age, changes in our memory affect us and everyone else. Some people just want to feel more in control, so they change things or people around them to help themselves feel better.
Personally, we have been disappointed and saddened when age brings such forgetfulness about the love and affection we felt was shared in the past with someone else, even family members. The memories and emotions have been forgotten, as if the experiences were just erased from time itself.
As time changes and people change, we find ourselves asking if we really knew 'them' or they really knew 'us' in the way we thought. It might surprise you to know that the majority of individuals in your life actually think of you differently than you think of yourself. Some even hold onto a memory of you from when you were young. You have changed and they still remember you the way you used to be.
And when your beliefs, your truths are different than someone else, others can become fearful of you. Their understanding of life is not the same as yours and they must hold on to their reality with all their might. After all, who would they be without their own ideas?
Both of us have lost friends and some members of our own family because we are unique and remain true to ourselves. That actually takes some people outside their comfort zone of understanding. We just can't be how or who they think we ought to be. Like mismatched puzzle pieces, we just don't seem to fit in as well as we would like.
Do we fit into different metaphysical circles?
No, for there is a lot of misinformation out there;
Do we fit into the way most religions believe?
No, there is so much more to creation than they teach;
Do we fit in with the way others want to hold us?
No, because we don't believe there are limitations to the way any of us are.
Do we fit into any place that would not allow us to be who we are?
No, for we would not want to be there anyway.
No, for there is a lot of misinformation out there;
Do we fit into the way most religions believe?
No, there is so much more to creation than they teach;
Do we fit in with the way others want to hold us?
No, because we don't believe there are limitations to the way any of us are.
Do we fit into any place that would not allow us to be who we are?
No, for we would not want to be there anyway.
Sometimes being different causes people to make judgments or projections that have a paralyzing affect on our lives and our creations. Something interesting happens when someone judges us. In that moment, all the creative and transformative energy involved is frozen. A piece of our reality becomes locked into place. Any aspect judged becomes locked into a freeze frame of reality. It's as if we are carrying around thousands of snapshots and movie clips that grow heavier each day. The particular aspect of ourselves that was judged becomes psychically welded in our life, weighted down by the opinions, thoughts and ideas of someone else. Until we can free ourselves from those projections, ten years can go by and the other person is still having the same judgment. If we were wrong then, we are still wrong now. It is apparent they have not changed.
So what happens when we change and others don't? How does that make us feel? We continue to grow and they remain stuck in their old judgments, their way of life, their 'story'. We have all seen others we know who are stuck, going down a path that won't help them yet could hurt them. They might even be destroyed by their choices and yet we can't help them. If they are ones we care about or love, it makes it even harder to let them go. By letting them go, we don't mean anything other than allowing them to be who they are. We just don't choose to stay around and watch what happens.
That's what compassion has taught us - to accept others and their choices without attempting to change them, only being available to help if and when we are asked.
*The Bottom Line: Love
So what is the bottom line in all of this? It's Love - unconditional love of self and unconditional compassion for others. When we have love for ourselves, the changes in others don't affect us in the same way, the judgments of others can't remain in our higher vibration.
The opposite of love is fear. We know fear paralyzes people. So if you know someone in fear, send them this newsletter. Tell them about the energetic clearing technique which can help them be more present-centered and come to love themselves; share with them the technique about being liquid light and remaining fluid so that the changes won't ripple so hard in their lives. Help them learn how to be less reactive to energy that hurts by using the Living Light Breath. Give them our website address so they can find more than 5,000 pages of free information and books to help themselves during these changing times.
Thanks for reading.
Many Blessings,
Ken and Nancy
Many Blessings,
Ken and Nancy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
"there were no words, but images flooded every cell in her being ...4 and a half decades!"
