Friday 27 June 2014

Conflict Is Essential In Close Relationships

While many of us run from conflict, it is a vital part of all close relationships. It is how we handle it that is key. Using non-violent "I messages" help us to communicate clearly in a loving manner. It is essential that we don't just employ a technique but care. And we need to express that care even when, and especially, when we are hurt, upset, etc.

Conflict in close relationships is not only inevitable, it is essential. 
Intimacy connects people who are inevitably different
 - as the saying goes, if two people agree about everything, one of them is superfluous. 
Conflict is the mechanism by which we set boundaries around these differences, 
so that each party feels safe with the other. 
 - Martha Beck, life coach.


Friday 13 June 2014

The Poor Suffer Most From Environmental Injury

Who works in the factories? Who lives in the most polluted parts of the city? Where are the incinerators located [and yes they spew out dioxins if burning plastic...or other toxins]? Where is there increased stress from constant traffic noise? Who lives here?

Who can "cut and run"? Who benefits from polluting the streams? Who builds huge dams? Who diverts the water flow so that no water even reaches the ocean anymore? Who eats the food they grow? What vehicle gets more "nutrition" than many humans?

Who cuts the ancient forests? Who flies off to a remote paradise behind guarded walls?

Who is left in the grime? Who is breathing the polluted air even on high smog days? Who created the smog?

Who owns the means of production [factories, stores, land, us]....?

When will we revolt? When will we say enough is enough? Who will have the courage and rage to step up...to step on the masters?

Saturday 7 June 2014

I Am [And The NSA] Listening, Please Continue...

Freedom
Free-dom
Freedom

We Canadians and Americans value, if not worship our freedom...or at least the illusion of it.

Thanks to a true patriot, Edward Snowden and Wiki-leaks we have become aware that we are not alone! All communication: email, telephone, cell, skype,...are being monitored and collected.

Is this "freedom"? Oh yea - "they" are protecting us from the "terrorists". Ha.

The NSA and the Canadian equivalent, the CSEC spy on us - are right now. But, remember, it's for our own good. You never know who is a terrorist. Well, actually, the largest state terrorists are the U.S., as Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky noted decades ago!

Obama reassures the Americans "we would never spy on American citizens". Lie. He soon was found, again, to be lying. The Canadian government reassures stupid Canadians "Oh don't worry we love you - we will protect you". Yes sir!

Besides, other countries spy on us, and our government conveniently "trades" information with them [Canada, U.S., UK, Australia, New Zealand].

 Much of the spying is done for economic reasons also...that is, spying on foreign companies/governments to know their secrets [ah, the spying on  Brasil scandal].

Tax cuts for the rich we hear more about. Meanwhile CSEC spend $1.2 BILLION on their new building. Don't you feel better.

The NSA has spied on Americans via webcams - even when offline.

The NSA has interrupted routers being shipped from Cisco and put tracking devices in the units.

BELL Canada is collecting meta-data. Did they ask you for permission?

The Border "Police" hassle, deny access, interrogate, intimidate people who report on the issues above, such as Amy Goodman of Democracy Now.

Those who open our eyes to the truth are considered unpatriotic! 

We are in a frightening time when many, if not most, Canadians and Americans trust their government/big businesses and will hand over their rights to them.

Get informed. Demand freedom for all - especially those with dissenting views. This is a "democracy" isn't it?
Write your local newspapers. Contact your government officials. Educate others.Watch/listen to Democracy Now.org....become the media.....