Friday, November 4, 2011

Day 667 (Tidbits)

Messages about nurturing those who have been victims of abuse appear on Blake4d's blog for the Day 667 entry, but what is a little different on this The 800 Days blog post is the idea that abusers also need nurturing.

What? Nurture those who are doing the abusing?

Yes, this is one of the messages I received, loud and clear, from Blake's post.

It's about more than the short term, "happening right now" abuse between abuser and victim... and more about the fact that abuse is a cycle. We aren't going to effectively deal with the abuse problem unless we make long-term plans to do so. Long term focus means looking at the past of abusers, finding out why they are abusive (learning that almost all of those who disrespect and abuse others are acting out or re-enacting some of the abuses that happened to them in the past), how the long-term cycle of abuse works in families and individuals.

Ultimately, abusers have problems - and they need to heal from being victims, themselves, heal from their past, come to terms with the abuses against them from their past - usually their childhood when they were helpless and victim of an abuser who went before them.

"Everyone who victimizes is trying to undo their own cycle." (Blake4d, 4th paragraph)

"We have to nurture some bad and really difficult people. After all, no matter what they did, they are part of the human family [...]" (Blake4d, 5th paragraph)

These statements occur early on in Blake's article and are followed with some bolder statements about why SOME people commit atrocious acts against other human beings... while I don't agree with all the later statements - rather, I think Blake has generalized on some concepts - the statements are blunt and will make a reader think about some heavy realities that are in our midst concerning abuse, murder, even evil.

Don't worry - though the article is packed with punch, it's not overly long. Perhaps Blake just wanted to stir up some concepts for us to think about so that we can start to imagine each our own part in doing something to end various cycles of abuse... Certainly, though Blake has given a broad solution (ie: "we need to nurture everyone, including the abusers") that is very sound, this solution is going to manifest in different ways for different people and the variety of actions people decide to engage in to nurture others will be diverse and complex.

For a lot of people, the "nurture the abusers" is an entirely new (and probably distasteful) concept, so it will take a long while for some people to engage in some kind of positive action involving nurturing. Some people are never going to come to terms with people who abuse others and will always think in the short term, never allowing themselves to humanize the abuser as someone who most likely had been a victim of another abuser in the past. I think that even THOSE WHO CANNOT SEE THE ABUSER AS A HUMAN BEING also need a great deal of nurturing.

In my opinion, even before the first slap, yell, punch or shove occurs between any two human beings, FIRST - the abuser dehumanizes the human being he/she is going to harm. The connection between "dehumanization of a human being" and the act(s) of abuse, to me, show that those who will not come to terms with those who abuse - are also committing abuse of a certain type...I am quite wary of those who refuse to see all human beings as human beings. Any sort of dehumanization is dangerous, in my opinion. Our jails in North America and around the world are full of people who live in a dehumanizing environment... there are numbers comparable to the size of entire cities inside secure walls with bars on windows - incarcerated - who have all been abused before they turned around and continued their cycle of abuse. And for all that, they receive no nurturing, no way to heal or come to terms with whatever happened in their earliest past that helped them turn into abusers themselves.

Please, someone, tell me that we, as human beings, can find a way to see the humanity in other human beings and stop viewing some of our human members as objects.

It's quite obvious that I agree very much with most of Blake's Day 667 post, isn't it? I wholeheartedly agree with the call to action about nurturing our brothers and sisters, both victims of abuse and abusers. I believe that until we can see others as human beings, we are, ourselves, capable of abusing others, all of us. If we can't see others as human beings and have dehumanized them in our minds, we have the potential to treat those people as objects and cause harm. For this reason alone, it is important for us to nurture others and view them as human beings - and we can each do some healing, ourselves, along the way.

The Day 667 post is associated with Tuesday February 22 2011

Monday, September 19, 2011

Day 668 (Tidbits)

WHOOP WHOOP It's AC/DC APPRECIATION DAY!



That's what I am calling the content - including MEDIA - on the Day 668 post found on Blake's The 800 Days blog.

No review needed for the top portion of the Day 668 post - just TWO THUMBS UP from me and readers can go ahead and hit the PLAY button on the AC/DC vids Blake has embedded in the blog.

While you enjoy the vids, make your way further down the page and see who Blake is giving some space-love (exposure on the blog) to...

It's Blake's friend, Rothlyn Giles! Rothlyn is a computer guy who has offered some very detailed walkthrough instructions designed to help Windows users clean up then keep their Windows operating system environment healthy and secure. The article from Rothlyn Giles, over on Blake's blog - explains such things as:

Partitions/partitioning
Organizing files
Data safeguarding
Boosting the performance of your computer
a bunch of stuff I can't explain
but is explained by Rothlyn over on the Day 668 post!

I'm not quite confident yet with following all of Rothlyn's walkthrough but am going to go right away and start a defrag as Step 1 of making my computer perform better.

WHOOP! Imagine how much better those AC/DC videos are going to play after I have my computer defragged, eh?

The Day 668 post is associated with Monday February 21 2011



Day 669 (Tidbits)

A seeming "Call To Arms" awaits on the Day 669 post on Blake Ford Hall's The 800 Days blog. This isn't Blake's call, however - it's a call sent out by ANONYMOUS. As well, it's not an average Call To Arms (a call to pick up weapons)...

You'll have to think in metaphors beyond what you usually do (we think in metaphors ALL THE TIME - but often, not very complex ones, for daily living) and really open your mind to receive the message that ANONYMOUS has provided.

Here's an article ABSTRACT (only) that I found when searching for a way to explain how we think in metaphors all the time. The Abstract provides enough information to explain this - without going into the whole article (it's better than a definition I found on a popular online dictionary):

Metaphors We Think With: The Role of Metaphor in Reasoning.

I'm finding the messages of ANONYMOUS increasingly more interesting as time goes on. I feel that whoever is behind ANONYMOUS is very intelligent, versed in psychology and possibly even sociological studies... however I am TRULY beginning to question the purpose and ethics of ANONYMOUS...

  • Anonymous speaks of freedom - using the terminology of oppression (is this ethical?)
  • Anonymous uses emotional phrases to target the underdog (knows which particular words work on the psychological make-up of an oppressed target population)
  • Anonymous seems to understand large-group dynamics (sociological knowledge - ie: "when and where should I, Anonymous, place my messages for universal effect and viewing?")

I'll let you decide if my statements above are anything you want to think more about.

Anonymous is calling out to a number of target groups:

  • Youth
  • To The Intellectuals (those with critical thinking?)
  • The Strong
  • Journalists
  • The Weak
  • The Clever
  • Free Thinkers
  • Poets 
  • The Wise
The only thing that settles my mind a bit over ethical issues here is that ANONYMOUS clearly sends out a call to various target groups - essentially, trying to name most groups, save for "authority" groups. At first, I was worried that - with ANONYMOUS' mix of oppression language with freedom concepts, Anonymous was targeting just "the oppressed" populations (which could turn out a MOB), but Anonymous is - in my opinion - calling out to people FOR the purpose of critical thinking, reasoning, etc. Time will show whether I am wrong or right here... (Yes, I've ended up QUESTIONING the motive of ANONYMOUS even though Anonymous makes very blatant, clear statements most of the time... it has been the "language of oppression" inserted in much of Anonymous' messaging that sends up red flags for me).

Let me know what you get out of Anonymous' message, posted by Blake for the Day 669 entry over on The 800 Days blog on Sunday February 20 2011.


Day 670 (Tidbits)

There are some fantastic photos on Blake4d's Day 670 post on the ever expanding The 800 Days blog. Get ready for some OUT OF THIS WORLD information as you prepare to read the Day 670 post.

The opening paragraph:

"In January 2004 the American space agency NASA successfully landed two rovers onto the Martian surface this page is a picturial tribute to their historical and somewhat secret journeys across the Gusev Crater region. Please feel free to download all photographs on this site and re-distribute them across the net."
...is from Mars Uncensored/Paul Goodwin.    

There are many statements/concepts you'll have to fit your head around in Blake's 800Days article for Day 670, such as:
  • NASA was established as a civilian space programme by the National Aeronautics and Space Act on July 29, 1958
  • NASA was formed to replace the (predecessor) National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA)
  • NASA distorts the findings from Earth's sister planet, Mars, by sending SOME news, allowing some news out while holding back other pertinent findings. 
  • (ie: findings of certain gasses, elements on Mars is brought forth as big news - while other known features/findings on Mars are suppressed and not voiced)
  • NASA uses the tool of "image tampering" to distort facts/data even beyond information suppression - providing some sources who report to the general public - with faulty information (which in turn makes it seem like other sources are faulty, tampering with the images, untrustworthy)
  • much much more naughty NASA stuff
There are many technical tidbits in Blake's article that you'll need to mull over. Although I understand the messages and concepts provided by Blake and Paul Goodwin, I may not be a good teacher or deliverer of this kind of technical information. Therefore, I'm not going to even try to put some of this stuff into my own layman's terms or re-state much of what's on the Day 670 post in my own terms. You'll definitely have to go read the article!

Hey! GO READ THE ARTICLE: Day 670, on 800 Days blog!

If you get lost in the content over there (at 800Days blog), don't worry - tons of images that you won't be displeased with. While checking out images, don't forget to read over the text provided of Bob Dean's words at the Project Camelot LA "Awake and Aware" conference, held on September 19th 2009. The quote Blake provides starts with, "They [authorities, NASA] don't know how to lift the lid on this subject..." 

The information doesn't stop after Goodwin's and Dean's assertions. I'll just name-drop and word-drop here to provide a few names and phrases that are in the Day 670 article:

  • NASA 
  • Paul Goodwin 
  • Bob Dean 
  • Margaret Mead 
  • Brookings Report/Brookings Institute 
  • "guys from other dimensions" 
  • portals 
  • multidimensional 
  • more advanced societies

The Day 670 post on The 800 Days blog is associated with MARS theories and the date, Saturday February 19 2011.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Day 671 (Tidbits)

If you leave with a fuzzy head, wondering what the heck just went down after you read the Day 671 entry over on Blake's THE 800 DAYS blog, then you are exactly where you should be!

Ending up in a stretched head-space - that is - perceiving of the world in a different way after encountering the thoughts of Troy Palmer - is NORMAL (if we can call anything "normal"). At least after I encounter text/music/art attributed to Mr. Palmer, I have to think about the world in a different way!

Blake gives this post over to one of Blake's and Troy Palmer's fave musical groups, "Killing Joke," as well as leaving the space for Troy to speak on dream interpretations and childhood dreams versus adult interpretations... oh and much more that I can't possibly explain since this post is all about Troy's view of dreams and the world...

Blake simply says in the introductory part of the article - to TRUST HIM... so I did.

You should too...

The Day 671 post contains wyld and interesting schtuff from Troy Palmer's mind, mouth and fingertips. We who are working on the 800 Days project cannot be held responsible for the well-being of readers who delve into Troy Palmer's thoughts, dreams, interpretations, HOWEVER, we assure you that you will think differently for at least a little while if you read on over at the 800 Days blog... this post is associated with Friday February 18 2011.

:)

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Day 672 (Tidbits)

The content over on THE 800 DAYS blog for Day 762 is from another good friend of Blake's but this time, it is a mutual friend, KIMBERLYSLYRICS.

Many of the artists/authors Blake decides to give a feature spot to are people he knows and/or corresponds with over a long-term but this time, the feature artist/author is also someone that I also know, correspond with and have a long-distance relationship with - a peer-Canadian!

An interesting article by kimberlyslyrics which doesn't exactly make Canada look so good but no matter, these blogs are about truths, right? The article is about Canadian serial killers (ouch), entitled, "Canada's  10 Worst In Serial Killers."

Strangely enough, I just watched the movie "Karla," online about two weeks ago, so the details on Paul Bernardo with Karla Homolka (a killer duo), are pretty fresh in my mind. I know the movie portrayed a certain viewpoint so I ended up delving into quite a lot of text about Bernardo and Homolka online after viewing the movie... needless to say, I am not rushing to look up details now, after reading Kimberly's article over at The 800 Days blog!

(usually I am in a frenzy of open browser windows while reading each respective post on Blake's blog, fact-checking or supplementing my understanding of Blake's articles as I go)

Luckily, for readers, Kimberly has done an awesome job of arranging and presenting certain pertinent details of each serial killer and their deeds without going into enough detail to traumatize the reader (which is what I usually do to myself when I start to dig for information lol). Blake has done an awesome presentation of Kimberly's article onto his blogspot, adding some fitting graphics so that this Day 762 blog post has just enough information and graphics to please a reader without scaring him/her off!

I'll get out of the way now so people can go check out The 800 Days blog...

The Day 762 post over on The 800 Days blog is on the topic of 10 worst serial killers from the country of Canada (Oh Canada, Oh Dear!)... and is associated with Thursday February 17 2011.


Myth~~

P.S.

Feb 17th is also my (adult) son's birthday! 'cept my son doesn't read my blogs :)
(would frighten him lol)

TaTah

Monday, July 4, 2011

Day 673 (Tidbits)

My suggestion for navigating through the material for Day 673 on Blake Hall's THE 800 DAYS blog is for readers to grab and pen/pencil and paper and jot down some notes as they move down the page.

The article presented, explaining a way of thinking about the origins of humans is by a dear friend of Blake's named, Cricket Rockastellar! "The Story of the Earth...In Reverse" by Cricket with Blake4d... 

I am going to mention, right now, there are *SPOILERS* in a huge way on the Day 673 post - concerning the movie, Avatar...  Basically, Blake gives a summary of the movie. If you haven't seen the movie, you will know what it is all about by the time you get through the Day 673 post.

Blake summarizes what happens in the movie, Avatar, and relates these to concepts in Christian scriptures, New Age concepts, etc... and launches into some apt social commentary along the way.

"Look around, it's the world we live in" Blake asserts... well do just that - Look around at the world you live in and TRY TO SAY that the human species in real life isn't as awful as in the Avatar movie... materialistic, disconnected from nature and other human beings...

A warning: The Day 673 post over on Blake's blog is LENGTHY. It contains a human history, summarized, along with the Avatar movie summary... which - (not coincidentally?) resemble each other a whole lot. Use your pen and paper, your notes to refer back to as you watch the movie, Avatar sometime. Yes, even if you have seen the movie already - try watching once more - and see if the things Blake discusses do or don't show up as pretty damn BIG concepts in the Avatar film...

Avatar (Movie-2009) at the Internet Movie Data Base site.

Avatar Movie site Avatar Movie official site - links and movie clips.

Read the blog. Take some notes. Check your notes. Watch the movie. Check your notes. Think, think, think. What do you think?

--Myth~~

The Day 673 post is associated with Wednesday February 16 2011

Day 674 (Tidbits)

A post worthy of TWO THUMBS UP is on THE 800 DAYS blog. Blake's Day 674 entry is about achievements in art by those who suffer mental illness - in particular - the illness of schizophrenia.

To begin with, Blake makes mention of a personal friend, Troy Palmer, before going into details about Swiss artist Adolf Wolfli. In the Day 674 article, Blake mentions that Troy suggested an article about Adolf Wolfli, so by whatever means the words were brought to the blogosphere, enjoy both the videos that are posted (which features some art pieces of Wolfli, along with suitable music) - and the article Blake created to honour Art Brut/Outsider Art!

Art Brut is also known as Outsider Art and is basically material/expression brought forth by those not traditionally schooled in the arts at a formal academic/artistic institution. I OBJECT to the widespread use of the explanations/descriptors, "raw art" and "rough art," sometimes - even though "Art Brut" quite literally means "raw/rough art" and the phrase comes to us via French language. It depends entirely, for me, on who is using these terms as to whether or not I accept the use of said words. The term "Art Brut" was coined by Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985)

For me, raw/rough art can be used in a way that implies "not really art," but if the artist himself/herself uses the words and phrases to mean, "naturally occurring," "natural," or "unfettered by the frameworks of traditional schooling in the arts," as well as a humanistic, raw-authentic approach to the arts, I am quite fine with these terms.

Thanks to Troy for guiding Blake into focusing on a great topic and article. I won't elaborate on the artist as Blake has some nice information going on at The 800 Days blog. Do make sure to read comments at bottom of this article as Troy has posted some titles and such for reference or if you would like to look up/find some extras related to this topic.

The Day 674 article on The 800 Days blog is associated with the topic Art Brut and the date of Tuesday February 15 2011.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Day 675

More content featured by Blake's "Comrade in Arts," the talented bibi16 for the Day 675 entry on THE 800 DAYS blog!

Selections by bibi16:

  • "Artificial Intelligence or Ten Ways Not to Communicate with Other Human Beings" [doesn't just the TITLE say a whole bunch here, already?]
  • "When Taking Pictures In Public Places"
 I think the 10 points in the first article should be posted ANYWHERE that language is used... which means "posted pretty much everywhere"! In libraries, schools, coffee shops, stores, community hall bulletin boards, etc... In my opinion, if people adhered to the suggestions bibi16 offers, communications between people would be less confusing, more open and straightforward - and people would be able to understand each other as well as respect each other much more than we do at present. As well, since some of the points in bibi16's article are about considering the written word/languages we speak, I think if people acted upon the information in the article, many would decide to learn written language better, too.

bibi16's second article featured in the post gives some information on what is permissible and not permitted when people are taking photos with cameras, cell phones, etc. I didn't know some of the things in this article before - like that if you're on private property you can be asked/told to stop taking photos but that your cell phone/camera is not supposed to be taken away from you. Luckily, I don't use my cell phone camera that much or do not use it often in any location without asking people if they mind...but for those who love using their phone-cam, bibi16's article is a good read providing important information.

The Day 675 post on The 800 Days blog features bibi16 again and is associated with Monday February 14 2011.

Oh and for those who celebrate - it's Valentine's Day. Happy Valentine's Day.

(belated as I am writing post date)

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Day 676

Blake is featuring works by bibi16 on his The 800 Days blog for Day 676! Blake announces bibi16 as his "comrade in arts," which is fitting when you see one of bibi16's poem titles:

"Hitler's Mother"

The last two lines strike me hard,

"No one offers consolation
To Poor Hitler's Mother"

The second featured piece, "Blowing Him Again," by bibi16 caught my attention immediately - not by its title but - by its alliteration and repetitive rhyming at the beginning... weaning, tiny, teeny djinni (genie/jeannie), breaking, bottles, barefeet, burning [...] Butterflies bleed."

POWERFUL attention-getters, along with impact of concept once you read how these words are all used together!

It ain't over til its over.

bibi16's works arrive on Blake's Day 676 post on Sunday February 13 2011.