 This past week, someone considerably younger asked me earnestly, "What is the basis for your personal and professional decisions? Have these changed as your life and work progressed? How do you know you need to change your framework for decision making?" There are many social science theories devoted to this topic, but I am synthesizing my personal tools to address these Important questions. I offer my personal perspective. In doing so I share a few examples from different cultural contexts which could be useful to you in my post this week. A few readers tease me about writing the "War and Peace" versions of a blog post-I am trying to preserve the depth of analysis and the contemporary penchant for concise, short reads. As always, links will be included if you wish to search further on this topic. My personal foundation for making decisions of consequence involves first establishing who will be affected by my decision: My immediate family/loved ones? My work colleagues? My friends? The wider community? My future employer(s)? My community? What is the timeline for making this decision? Are finances involved? (output/input/timeline) Most important is if the decision I make meets my personal criteria of being 1) ethical 2) practical 3) essential 4) has few or no harmful consequences Recently reaching an actual decision, even for assigning simple tasks such as "who cleans the training hall?" may be arrived at very differently in the East than in the West. In societies where the 'communal' interest is supposed to be paramount and where taking individual initiative or asking questions is discouraged, many more steps in decision making may be involved and consensus arrived at before a 'final decision' is implemented. This all takes time. Time may be a crucial factor in decision making, especially in a work situation. Yet, time too, is assessed and valued differently in different cultures and societies. 'Later' in some countries can mean the same day, in others the same month. In Australia the phrase "back in a tic" could mean minutes, hours or days. While honesty and truth are considered important and even integral (in theory anyway) in American society, "saving face" and "creating harmony" are often the paramount concerns in other societies. They don't consider omitting or "changing" the facts to be deceitful in the same way many western societies do. People in most countries selling a service or product will often "tell you what you what to hear as a customer/client" even if they know it is not true. Do you decide to reveal the truth, going against the common practice when you are not in your home country? A challenging dilemma, especially if you are in a position where you are responsible for others and not just yourself. For example: needing accurate information such as when electricity will be available in sub zero weather-rather than reporting that it will not be available for at least 48 hours, people will tell you…'soon' but if you knew it would be at least another 48 hours, you could plan accordingly with your team rather than "hope" the electricity will come back on in a few hours…you get the idea. You can also reflect if you have made decisions that violated your own "code" because you knew it would further your position, career, relationship. There really is no such phenomenon as a "white lie" no matter how much it may be justified. If you do not have your own "code" yet, I urge you to define and refine one. It will serve as a compass for the most difficult and emotionally laden decisions. Do you include others in your decision making by seeking out information from people who may have conflicting points of view or minimal investment in the outcome? I found working in the Middle East, especially in both Israel and Iraq, everyone seemed to have an opinion on any publicly announced problem or even if they overheard a discussion concerning a possible decision; whereas in Malaysia or China people were reticent about jumping into a discussion unless asked and even then they would often defer to my point of view or decision as part of being polite, or they would remain mute. I would also remain silent in certain countries (Siberia, Russia is one example) if I didn't agree and adjusted my conduct once I perceived the unwritten codes of conduct required decisions based on power and not cooperation. When expertise and skills are needed in urgent situations in order to make an "informed decision" it is best to be realistic about your own abilities, experience and training. I have changed my approach to urgent decision making depending on the situation I may be confronted with. I often held back in the past, even in an emergency/crisis or didn't express a dissenting viewpoint for fear of being "dismissed" or being held responsible if my decision resulted in more serious problems, consequences which would be "on my shoulders". In family situations I would bury my code at times...for the sake of "peace". Never a wise long term compromise. Now, with more experience I am able to discern (most of the time) if I should press forward. There is an element of "gut feeling" and even "Divine guidance" in life and death situations and decision making is often done within nanoseconds. As I get older I worry less what people "will think" and try do make a decision based on what I know/feel is right, appropriate and essential for the situation. Knowing the basis, the personnel involved in making decisions which you are involved with, or may have to implement-is a vital component to following on with those decisions which affect you and others. Did this person have all the information necessary to make this decision, do the decision makers have known biases, are the supervisors passing on a decision designed to make them look good but which will have a deleterious effect soon after on the rest of the team? Is your supervisor forced to carry out a decision they do not agree with? These are all dilemmas you need to be aware of before complying. When you are responsible for a number of others, decision making dilemmas and consequences increase exponentially. Case in point, the dilemma of building a protective barrier, fence or wall…just around your own home, school, clinic...let alone along an entire border? As a point of reference, even at a martial arts training center in Henan, they have built surrounding walls, installed electronic surveillance cameras, guards and an electrified gate 24/7. This is up in the hills away from any major routes or towns. Though there are many capable martial artists inside, they feel their own people and property are precious enough to invest in material protection. Some countries call these "peace lines" They made the decision years ago to draw clear boundaries. (see link below)  There has been an invasive narrative for a number of decades which has pervaded much of western society. The narrative preaches 'flexibility', 'openness' and 'no borders', no need for boundaries...everything can be negotiated, justified. Strong stances based on ancient principles* are discouraged. There is little tolerance for 'traditional' mores or time devoted to collaborating on a shared foundation and understanding of "ethics". In fact, there is a dismissal and denial of facts as the basis for some decisions resulting in confusion, inconsistency, error and worse repercussions for those affected by such primal decisions as: which gender will a child/adult be?!
"The idea of religion (as in love for and a sense of belonging to something bigger than oneself) has been killed and supplanted with narcissism and an idolatry of power and wealth, aesthetic values degraded, history rewritten, science erected as a dehumanising idol, traditional values denounced and disgraced, instead of updated and bettered. And now there is a push to eliminate as well the connection with the natural order of things, with trans-activism suggesting that the biological reality that has made our species one of the most successful, is somehow product of a power struggle, an imposition by a group of bigoted and reactionary elements unable to understand that individuals can freely decide their biological configuration. The result is of course total disorientation. The Shock doctrine applied to the social sphere." Yes, dear readers-stay strong. Remain focused and review your personal code. The decisions you make today will and do affect you and others...tomorrow. Until next week, Jo A little music and levity as a postscript. From "The Clash" the song, "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" on their album COMBAT ROCK (1983) go ahead, decide to listen: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrdPTQV9wl4 REFERENCES: www.decision-making-solutions.com/decision-making-theories.html www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3205724/How-65-countries-erected-security-walls-borders.html off-guardian.org/2018/01/26/synanon-the-brainwashing-game-and-modern-transgender-activism-the-orwellian-implications-of-transgender-politics/ taskandpurpose.com/military-promotion-seeking-decision-making?utm_campaign=RebelAlerts&utm_medium=email&utm_source=RebelAlerts-taskandpurpose
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 Painting entitled: "Pandora" by Walter Crane 1885 British artist 1845-1915 Are you curious about what this post will cover this week? I hope so. In the west we are often brought up on stories reporting the hazards of following up on our curiosity. We have phrases from these such as... "Remember curiosity killed the cat" and "That's opening Pandora's box!" or Pascal's "Curiosity is only vanity." Thomas Hobbes, "Curiosity is lust of the mind." and Dorothy Parker's, "The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity;" are cautionary expressions. We do have more recent phrases to encourage curiosity, such as Dr. Linus Pauling's "Satisfaction of one's curiosity is one of the greatest sources of happiness in life." or Dr. Madam Marie Curie's advice: "Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas." Often we explain a question or action by saying we are "just curious" as if this is nothing of real consequence. The question we need to be asking is "who is curious and why?" While our privacy is being invaded continually, we keep letting ourselves, our families, our friends and associates be "harvested" for our meta data yet we don't seem to push back. Why not? We should be asking for the motives, agenda, measures to ensure encryption of our data, ways to delete/erase our data, (ultimately there must be a way to actually delete posts, digital records, etc. even if it is not widely known). This should be a double edged sword. We need to question almost everything these days since so much of what has been disseminated in all fields of human endeavor has proved to be "false", unverifiable, based on personal prejudices, theories, commercial interests. The only way to grow past these shaky foundations is to be curious and to relentlessly question and encourage civil inquiry. This is what is supposed to be promoted in a "free" society. One big tech CEO, Tim Cook of Apple, stated before a meeting of the European Union in Brussels: "Our own information, from the everyday to the deeply personal, is being weaponized against us with military efficiency,... the trade in personal information has exploded into a data industrial complex. (DIC)" The DIC is certainly curious about "you", aren't you curious about them yet? They are using "Weapons of Mass Surveillance" (WMS) and connecting the globe with Military Industrial Complex (MIC) giant corporation's inventions, such as "EVIDENT" sold by BAE Corporation and distributed to other subsidiaries and governments around the planet. "UK defence giant BAE Systems has reportedly sold and exported powerful cyber-surveillance technology, including sophisticated decryption software, to known governments and repressive regimes {Saudi Arabia, Morocco, UAE, Qatar, Algeria, Oman} around the world, a year-long investigation by the BBC has revealed. The probe focused on a Danish tech company called ETI, bought and incorporated into BAE Systems' Applied Intelligence unit in 2011. Before the acquisition, ETI developed software known as "EVIDENT", a mass surveillance and interception system." www.ibtimes.co.uk/bae-systems-sold-powerful-spy-technology-repressive-regimes-across-middle-east-1626390 This "system" is supposedly only for use in criminal and anti terror investigations, but has been used to target human rights activists, journalists, women questioning government laws (such as KSA's restriction on women driving) questioning and even joking about their leaders. Arrests, abductions, torture, imprisonment without trial, and murder have already been the result in a number of countries with this program. It is evident that "EVIDENT" is used as a weapon in the mass and target surveillance arsenal by governments who have little in common with the democratic rule of law or "ethical" principles of the countries who sold these "tools" to them via companies who have bases in "free western" countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark and the USA. BAE is also involved in Project Dragonfly but with a whole different use. (see link and excerpt below).  One outstanding individual who is expanding the bounds of curiosity in science is Dr. Rupert Sheldrake. He has eight books published and over 80 scientific articles; but his The Science Delusion: Freeing the Spirit of Enquiry (2012) published in the USA as Science Set Free (2012) Winner of the Book of the Year Award from the British Scientific and Medical Network, is to date his most revolutionary writing. Unfortunately the ideas and questions posed in this work has caused him great personal difficulty from various organizations and colleagues around the world. He is/was treated by many like the "heretic" Galileo Galilei was by the Catholic church in the 1600s in Italy. Dr. Rupert Sheldrake's TedTalk was banned and taken off the internet. However, it was recently uploaded again. I have included the link here since it is one of the most provocative talks about fundamental ideas in physics and the process of "scientific investigation" and "intellectual phase locking" i.e. making stuff up (MSU). Watch/listen to the links below for a truly stimulating talk. Compared to so much rubbish on TedTalks permitted to remain on their net site, it is evident Dr. Sheldrake, his logic, facts and curiosity are being targeted. But he is fighting back. Also have a look where he is standing and his feet-he has a great sense of humor. First link is his bio: https://www.sheldrake.org/about-rupert-sheldrake/biography TedTalk by Dr. Rupert Sheldrake banned as being "disruptive". Please watch and pass on: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKHUaNAxsTg One of the most aggressive examples of a government which has weaponized curiosity in a negative sense, is China. Their government is "curious" about everything it's own citizens and citizens of other countries in the world are doing, buying, writing, planning, saying and saving. They are gathering, analyzing and storing any information they cull through the spread of their communications company Huawei. Huawei's "smart phones" are actually "spy phones" culling data. They have a sophisticated system of mass surveillance and they make it known...proudly. "The new superfast 5G networks, which are 100 times faster than 4G, will literally run the world of the future. Everything from smartphones to smart cities, from self-driving vehicles to, yes, even weapons systems, will be under their control. Huawei has reportedly secured more than 25 commercial contracts for 5G, but has been locked out of an increasing number of countries around the world because of spying concerns. Whoever controls the 5G networks will control the world — or at least large parts of it." drudgenow.com/article/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fnypost.com%2F2018%2F12%2F22%2Fhow-arrest-of-chinese-princess-exposes-regimes-world-domination-plot%2F "China’s government has long used all the resources at its disposal to keep track of its people and stifle dissent. Spies and wiretaps of the early communist era have been followed by high-tech surveillance of China’s internet and social media." www.reuters.com/article/wu-apps-china-commentary/commentary-chinas-big-brother-tech-gives-surveillance-new-reach-idUSKBN1CL29A I wrote about the "evils" of Google corporation programs "Dragonfly" and "Skynet" on my post of October 2, 2018. Google created and sold these programs to China. This country is the beta test...want to guess which countries are next?! https://www.jopatti.com/blog/echelons "This facial recognition technology – ominously named Sky Net – can already scan China’s entire population in just 1 second flat. Theoretically, it can also scan all the people on the entire planet, at an accuracy rate of up to 99.8%, in just 2 seconds." One could speculate that China's recent space efforts in landing a probe on the far side of the moon means they will have a unique vantage point from outside our planet as well. China's president has an ever expansive sense of curiosity. China’s current president, Xi Jinping, who was recently gifted with indefinite rule, has two well-known dreams: vpnpro.com/blog/dystopia-now-chinas-total-surveillance-state/
Who decides who is "disruptive" and what that word actually means in terms of social, political and criminal behavior, is the crucial point in interpretation of the "law" in China. The analysts who characterize a person or the AI who algorithm a "disrupter" often do so just with the meta data gained from your "smart" phone. Truly this psyops tactic to brand it "smart" when it would be more accurately labeled a "spy phone", has fooled most into acquiring them and uploading all their personal data as soon as possible. Watch this report from 2017, which BBC did on a similar system sold to the UAE and other Gulf States: " How BAE sold cyber-surveillance tools to Arab states" - BBC News www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7eT-FboQIk The consequences of being put into a "profile" as a "disrupter" can be severe. Already certain investigative journalists have had their jobs terminated, their ability to move, take transport, rent apartments, obtain a credit card or a bank loan denied. Their websites, social media platforms and youtube channels have been "de-platformed" and erased. Their family and friends have distanced themselves out of self preservation and they have been "isolated" and dis-empowered by digital tools. They have also been made examples of to the wider society. The lesson is evident. 'Go against the prevailing government or corporations and their leaders, and your livelihood, your social life, your mobility and your "freedoms" will be "deleted". They don't even have to arrest you or put you in prison. This is punishment enough to deter most from taking the first steps to investigate wrongdoing, to ask questions or to even make jokes about those in power positions. www.businessinsider.com/china-social-credit-system-punishments-and-rewards-explained-2018-4/ There is another lesson and warning here for us. Aren't you curious enough to know what it is?  Elder Shaolin monk in Henan province using a "smart phone" aka a "spy phone" up in the mountains. Until next week, keep watch over the watchers whenever you can.
From the hills of Henan in winter, Jo REFERENCES: www.janes.com/article/85541/bae-systems-looks-to-introduce-ai-decision-support-into-naval-combat-systems BAE Systems’ Naval Ships – Combat Systems business is exploring the application of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques into its INTeACT family of surface ship combat management systems (CMS) as part of a wider innovation activity known as Project Dragonfly. MonsterMind - unlike similar schemes that have existed for many years now - "would also be capable to fire back at such attacks without any human intervention" Snowden said in an extended interview with Wired’s writer James Bamford. The new defense program, Snowden warned, could unintentionally cause serious diplomatic incidents, because many cyberattacks are routed through computers in countries that are not aware of their involvement. That means that a retaliation strike launched by the US system could lead to a conflict with the nation where the machines used by adversaries are located. “These attacks can be spoofed,” Snowden said. “You could have someone sitting in China, for example, making it appear that one of these attacks is originating in Russia. And then we end up shooting back at a Russian hospital. What happens next?” www.rt.com/news/180096-monster-mind-snowden-nsa/ The types of human beings who feel they must climb in the mountains, are not your usual (some may even say not your "normal") kinds of people yet their feats inspire, motivate and even awe many other human beings. Why is this? As this western calculated year of 2018 comes to a close and the first day of 2019 rises, I am reminded of my daughter's birth and of how my once husband, Martin Walter Schmidt aka Marty, a mountain guide, almost didn't make it back from Aoraki/Mount Cook in New Zealand, in time for the birth of our second child. He was in the southern alps when my labour started in Napier, without him. Down from the mountain with his client, he finally drove us to the hospital on the hill where I was rushed into the operating room after a heated argument with the doctor on call, who was inebriated - it was New Year's eve. My usual doctor was off for the night and unreachable since he had turned off his pager. There were no cell phones in 1990. Our daughter, Sequoia, was born at 6:06 am on the east coast of New Zealand on January 1, 1991. My husband went to get our son, who was only 2 years old at the time, and finally we were four together on that New Year's day. This was only for about a week before my husband went off again climbing on another mountain range. He had done the same about a week after our first child, our son Denali was born in April 1988; that time he left to guide on Mt. Denali (formerly Mt. McKinley) in Alaska, North America. It was my idea when I was pregnant to give the name "Denali" to our first child and we discussed our second child's name well in advance of her birth. The mountains Marty sought were almost always on another continent, but our lives revolved around the different seasons for climbing the world's highest mountains. All our life schedules were constructed around climbing seasons in the southern and northern hemispheres. We had training elements in and about our homes, and sheds full of equipment every place we lived. Marty also stashed gear in various other places on his travels. The mountains and clients called from various points on our planet and my husband responded with enthusiasm. It is very hard on any family to have a major partner gone most of the time. Once our son, Denali drew and colored a picture of mountains with no peaks. When I asked him why, he answered, "So Dad won't have to go to the mountains to summit." He already knew what the word "summit" meant at four years old. Sharing some photos from our family life over the decades. Please do not copy or share without permission. Thank you. Their father, Marty, had his passion for climbing in the high mountains since he was a teenager and it carried him into joining the United States Air Force (USAF) and training as a Pararescueman (PJ) in their Special Operations unit. He learned skills in the military he used throughout his life. For him, the military was a step on his path to being his own boss, having his own guiding company and being in the mountains as often as possible. He called it "the vertical plane" and there he was most content. He was happier and saner there than anyplace else, including with his family. That's just how he was and a number of "Mountain men", mountaineers and mountain guides are. They are a unique breed and beast. They are often not as content, adept or comfortable out of the mountains on the "horizontal plane". It was after climbing Mt. Shasta in California together in 1987, Marty first asked me to marry him and then again after climbing Mt. Whitney. I love hiking in beautiful natural landscapes and cross country skiing, but not alpinism or high altitude. People who guide in the highest mountains need to be able to work in altitude and bear the cold along with having a passion for this work. Unfortunately over the years, the profession of mountain guiding and the extreme "sport" adventure of high peak climbing became more and more commercial with pressures and competition to get "sponsors", media coverage and clients. Companies and governments raised permit prices seeking to capitalize on guiding businesses and the guides themselves. Safety was often compromised for possible celebrity status notoriety, book and movie deals, speaking engagements. Cases in point: the high profile expeditions of Mt. Everest in 1996; the terrible Khumbu ice fall affecting so many Nepalese sherpas supporting the National Geographic expedition filming on Everest, in 2014. www.outsideonline.com/1924596/everests-darkest-year The sherpa community was especially grieved after a number of their relatives bodies were not able to be recovered. "Tenzing Chottar’s body was never found, causing serious distress to his family in Ylajung, since that meant his soul might be wandering lost." A large percentage of western mountain guides were once in their respective country's military and often in special forces units. Mountaineers Adrian Hayes (UK) and Mike Horn (South Africa/Switzerland) come to mind. This is not surprising as the thrill of camaraderie under challenging circumstances, making life and death decisions and coping with the unpredictable events in nature as well as constant danger in the higher mountains; is not that far removed from their life and jobs in the military when they were young men. I have spoken to a few spouses of sailors and "Men of the Sea" and it seems they are much the same. They prefer not being on 'dry land'. There are other ways to approach mountains from people who have been part of the mountain landscape and respect their environment differently. Communities who have lived in the high Himalayas on the Nepalese side, in the mountains of Peru, or the Norwegian ranges above Hardanger Fijord, around Borneo's Mt. Kinabulu or here in China-the five "Taoist" mountains; see the mountains as alive. They do not feel a need to conquer a mountain and are taught to respect these tall creations of nature and the spirits within their realm. One does not approach these places without asking permission and heeding the answer. For example here in China throughout most of it's history "The mountain (Tai Shan) is: "considered a deity itself and has been venerated by the Chinese as their most sacred peak since at least the third millennium BC. The emperors of ancient China regarded Tai Shan as the actual son of the Emperor of Heaven, from whom they received their own authority to rule the people. The mountain functioned as a God who looked after the affairs of humans and who also acted as a communication channel for humans to speak to God." sacredsites.com/asia/china/sacred_mountains.html Although the idea that all beings and all nature resonate in morphic fields and have a "consciousness" and even have a "memory" may seem radical to western raised and western thinking people, these concepts have been part of ancient cultures and religions in the East for thousands of years. One scientist who has been working to show and "verify" these different fields and consciousness is Dr. Rupert Sheldrake, who has lived and worked in both western and eastern countries and cultures. In a recent interview on the show, "Buddha at the Gas Pump", he explains these ideas and his hypotheses. You can watch it in English at this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fzkMXoC8hQ Buddhist countries have special ceremonies for any climber or climbing teams about to attempt to summit and return safely. This is called a "puja", a sanskrit word. A puja is a ceremony in which meditation, prayers are offered to the Buddhas and 'holy beings' to request their blessings or help. Traditionally in a monastery monks and nuns perform prayers for the long life, health and success of their teachers, friends, benefactors, all living beings, and for world peace. Pujas are performed to avert or clear three kinds of obstacles: worldly, inner and secret obstacles; conditions which prevent us from achieving our worldly and spiritual goals. The puja ceremony takes place at base camp before the team climbs higher on the mountain. Before every climb the Sherpa perform this prayer ceremony to bless the team, climbing gear, skis and even the food. The ceremony involves much prayer, chanting and drum beating, and offerings of juniper smoke, food and drink. www.usaf7summits.com/blog/2013/04/15/15-apr-puja-ceremony/ Earlier in Marty's life he was very diligent about performing "puja" before his climbs in any country where it was the tradition. He seemed to understand and believe in the importance of respecting the spiritual aspect of the landscape and land forms he was going to tread upon and dutifully fulfilled rituals, prayers, karakias before he began his trek, climb or expedition. I don't know if this was the case later in his life when we were no longer together. However, I was told by another climber on K 2 the summer of 2013, that for some reason Marty did not perform "puja" with them nor did he bring Denali to be part of that ceremony. Marty did not ask for a blessing and permission from those mountains. A serious breach of spiritual protocol in that community and for the sherpas supporting their team. No one can know exactly what combination of natural forces, human decision making error, equipment failure, divine intervention or "destiny" determined the tragic fate of my son at only 25 years old, to perish on the Himalayan mountain of K2. The sherpas had warned them not to go up that day and everyone else turned around. Only Marty chose to trudge onward to a mountain peak he had tried to summit twice before in his life. Our son, Denali would not let his father go on alone, especially knowing the ailments he had in his fifty-three year old body and how much it meant to his father. Denali loved both his parents and to most people he met in his short life he was a "light". He led the way though he had never been up in those mountains before, and he died there or as some look at it..."the mountain took them into it's icy embrace" on July 28, 2013 (officially on the death certificate). The mountain has not "released" their bodies yet so we do not know exactly what happened, if they were together or if one had fallen first and so on. I keep asking God to let us know finally, but perhaps the way they died will remain a secret. The mountains and that particular mountain, K2 holds many secrets and corpses. This can (and in my opinion) should be viewed as a cautionary tale on many levels. I just hope people will read, listen and learn from this true story. It is worth repeating.  Yuntai Mountain in winter, Henan province, China Finishing this post with two links. One is actual footage from the K2 base camp after the attempted rescue of three Iranian climbers on Broad Peak my son, his father and Mike Horn tried in July, 2013. It includes the placques left in Pakistan for Denali and Marty at K2 base camp after their death. This video from Adrian Hayes is mostly about his feat of climbing K2 the next year in 2014, and achieving his goals there. It has vivid photography of that mountain in addition to a glimpse of the puja in 2014, before his second attempt. Worth watching. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jJbyh3NqOY
The second link is a beautiful compilation of mountain scenery-not just peaks- from around the world put to the music of Vangelis. It's title, "Ask the Mountains", inspired mine this first day of January 2019. www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zUEKI_mvV4 Today is my daughter's birthday. I am especially grateful for her safe return from yet another climb, this time in the southern alps of New Zealand /Te Waipounamu before she heads out next month to Argentina to climb. Yes, more than thirty years on my life is still oriented to the world's climbing seasons since my only remaining child has chosen to pursue paths in the mountains and in the sky in both hemispheres. It is better sometimes, that I don't watch her various feats in person or on screens or tell her of my prescient dreams. Happy New Year to you and yours wherever you may be.... From Henan in winter, Jo As the western year of 2018 comes to an end, many will be engaging in the tradition of making "New Year's Resolutions". It may be that some repeat the same "resolution" every year with varying degrees of success in remaining resolute/steadfast/unwavering in their promise to either do something different, or not do something habitual...such as stopping smoking, committing to more exercise, study, quality time with family, finding a new job, going to worship consistently and so on. Some may go beyond...to being resolute, determined to "make the world a better place" not a platitude, but a plan of action. This week, Christmas week for many-(Christmas celebrations have different dates for different Christian communities spanning the 12 Holy Nights from Christmas Eve until the Feast of the Three Kings on January 6)-I am drawing from a history all should know but most have never been exposed to...about a group of committed, conscionable young Germans who stood resolute in the face of constant danger, against the forces of Fascism, the rise of the Nazis, their dictator, the Gestapo (the enforcers) and the submission and support of Hitler by the majority of their fellow citizens. They remained steadfast in their mission even during their imprisonment and violent executions. The Nazis tried to erase their actions and identities but one member escaped with documents and a few photos retrieved as testimony to their courageous and noble efforts against the mighty force and evils of Fascism. Their lives and deaths, are a testament to what is possible when a few brave, "good" people stand up for what they know is "right". Theirs is one of the shining examples of remaining resolute and expanding the capability of our human spirit. They called themselves: The White Rose.  "The White Rose" was organized by university (mostly medical) students who spoke out against Hitler and the Nazi regime. The founder, Hans Scholl, was a former member of Hitler Youth who was horrified with Nazi ideology once its real aims became apparent to him. As a student at the University of Munich in 1940-41, he met two Roman Catholic men of letters who redirected his life. Turning from medicine to religion, philosophy, and the arts, Hans Scholl gathered like-minded friends and his sister, Sophie Scholl, who also despised the Nazis, and the "White Rose" was created. Even though they were constantly watched, they managed to compose, print and distribute leaflets citing examples of brutality, hypocrisy and the evils of Hitler and the Nazis. They exposed the atrocities against Jewish, Roma people and against the Polish nobility. They reminded people of the great thinkers throughout history and included quotations from philosophers and called for "Resistance". They published and distributed six leaflets throughout Germany. One of these leaflets was smuggled out of Germany The White Rose was motivated by the highest ethical and moral principles and urged "non-violent" protest which ultimately was crushed by brutal violence against them. During the distribution at night by members of The White Rose, someone saw them leave the leaflets and reported this to the Gestapo who immediately arrested seven members of The White Rose. Hans and his sister, Sophie Scholl were among them. (see photos below) After interrogation by the Gestapo, a hastily assembled "People's Tribunal Court" found them 'guilty' and the Nazi regime pushed for a speedy execution and no report in any media since these were young, bright, intelligent, Christian German citizens who were against the reigning Nazi regime. Most of the transcripts of the court hearing were destroyed or "lost" but the last words of Hans Scholl were "Long Live Freedom" as recorded by more than one witness who survived the war. Other members were arrested and most received long prison sentences or were transported to concentration camps where they perished. No one knew for certain exactly how many members and supporters of The White Rose there actually were. The White Rose tracts, later distributed throughout Germany and occupied Europe, brought hope and encouragement to prisoners and subjugated peoples. The final White Rose leaflet was intercepted by Allied forces, with the result that, in the autumn of 1943, millions of copies were dropped over Germany by Allied aircraft. Unfortunately by time this happened the main founders of The White Rose had been tortured and executed by guillotine, by the German Gestapo. However, one surviving member who was arrested, interrogated and then released (probably, she says, because she was already a "war widow" at 29 years old-her young husband was killed on the Russian front) was able to speak about her role and her acquaintance with the Scholl family. Her name was Lilo Furst-Ramdoor. She was born on October 11, 1913 and died at the age of 99 years on May 13, 2013. There have been a few books in German and English about The White Rose with varying degrees of accuracy. Most would be described as historical docudramas. A film was made about Sophie Scholl's life. It is entitled: "Sophie Scholl-The Final Days". This film was not released until 2005, in Germany-60 years after World War II ended in Germany. The film received positive reviews for the writing and performances. https://123movies.show/sophie-scholl-the-final-days/ The White Rose members were the true non-violent "Anti Fascists" and I feel certain they would not recognize nor support the current "Antifa" groups which claim to be anti-fascist, but have no tangible, accurate idea or understanding of what real "fascism" is and how it manifests. Moreover, many participants of these "Antifa movements" and protests which have led to violence, were paid to protest by organizations funded by the billionaire disruptor, Hungarian born, Nazi sympathizer, George Soros. Their tactics against those they target are extremely "fascist", disruptive, emotional and even violent. Antifa groups do not appeal to reason or urge following noble ideals. They more closely resemble the actions of the "Brownshirts" during the rise and infiltration of the Nazis in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. (see photo above) Moreover, the "psychological warfare and double speak" Antifa employs by claiming anyone, any movement, any organization they target is "a fascist" twists and contrives a mindset which obscures their real agenda. It is deliberately confusing to name call in order to hide the fact that they are projecting and re-inventing a term that once was understood to be specific, powerful and nefarious. Actual Fascist examples include the dictators Adolf Hitler of the Third Reich in Germany, and General Francisco Franco who created a military, Fascist dictatorship in Spain. These regimes were ruthless and targeted their own citizens. The "Open Society", "MoveOn.org", "Black Lives Matter" and "Antifa" groups are funded by people and organizations (mostly with money from George Soros-see links below) who seemingly support chaos, out of which they then will come in to "restore order" in a methodical, fascist process. They promote censorship (PC, thought "policing") gun confiscation, loss of individual liberties and property, of those deemed politically (according to them) incorrect and therefore "dangerous". But they are the real danger. They also support "Islamofascism" in the form of promoting punishment for any criticism of Islam to be "hate speech", "Islamophobic" and "racist". They fund pro Sharia law groups generously. They work for laws against free speech. Be aware and alert! In 2014, Soros openly admitted on CNN that the Open Society Foundation was involved in the violent overthrow of Ukraine’s government, which resulted in Russia banning Soros and his NGOs from the country the following year. “Merkel’s plan” to inundate Europe with Muslims is also George Soros’ plan, as he openly admits himself. "In January 2017, an initiative called Stop Operation Soros (SOS) was launched in the Balkan nation of Macedonia to counter the influence of globalist billionaire George Soros. The founder of the group called on all “free-minded citizens” to join them in the “fight against one-mindedness in the civil sector, which is devised and led by George Soros”, reports a Slovenian newspaper. Soros-funded non-government organizations have monopolized civil society in Macedonia and used their influence to suppress dissenting views by violent means in that country, said SOS co-founder Nikola Srbov." www.yogaesoteric.net/content.aspx?lang=EN&item=14861 "A May 2016 internal report of the International Migration Institute (IMI), an official project of Soros’ Open Society Foundation, boasted of providing the funding for the Sutherland Report, the blueprint for Europe’s migration catastrophe authored by Goldman Sachs billionaire Sir Peter Sutherland, now the UN secretary-general’s special representative on international migration. The same report by top IMI staffers Anna Crowley and Kate Rosin, entitled Migration Governance and Enforcement Portfolio Review calls for “accepting the current crisis as the new normal”. Soros also provides funding for the Columbia Global Policy Initiative (CGPI) at Columbia University, which hosts the secretariat for Peter Sutherland’s UN migration office." How does George Soros manage to keep getting away with it? Obviously, his billions have bought a lot of influence. One of the major keys to his success is the shield he has been provided by the establishment lame stream media, which also acts as his “echo chamber”. That is by design. www.aim.org/special-report/the-hidden-soros-agenda-drugs-money-the-media-and-political-power/ "A September 27, 2007 e-mail from John Podesta to Soros, Peter Lewis, Steve Bing, and other left-wing billionaires outlined his plans for parlaying the vast network they had financed into a media “echo chamber” that would “control the political discourse”. "Several thousand hacked e-mails released by WikiLeaks and DCLeaks have provided plenty of condemning evidence to justify initiating a whole series of investigations into “Lord of Chaos”. George Soros and his Open Society Foundation were convicted of insider trading and exposed for money laundering. Not surprisingly, the controlled establishment media has almost completely ignored this, prompting an editorial from Investor’s Business Daily entitled The Bizarre Media Blackout of Hacked George Soros Documents." www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203476804576614442587262696 The Financial Times just announced their pick for "Person of the Year" would be George Soros. I wonder how much that title cost? www.ft.com/soros "Soros-funded, arch-left-wing groups, coupled with the Hamas/Muslim Brotherhood front group CAIR (The Council on American–Islamic Relations), are all in blatant violation(s) of America's non-profit IRS regulations, when such Soros bankrolled leftist groups pay mobs of thugs to riot, attack conservatives, and I fear, will also support the likes of lurking Hamas & ISIS sleepers in co-plotting domestic terrorist attacks, based on their duel blind hatred for the American voters, for defeating a continuation of anti-American agenda of Obama, in the victory election of President Trump. " www.thenewamerican.com/culture/biography/item/25189-george-soros-the-god-who-should-be-jailed "Soros is in charge of a massive continuing criminal enterprise dedicated to America’s destruction. If there truly were justice in the world, Soros would be arrested and OSF assets would be seized under RICO. It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. And for once, Soros’ billions would be put to good use." canadafreepress.com/article/george-soros-open-society-foundations-just-became-the-second-largest-in-the  Holiday decorations at Yuntai Shan International Martial Arts dorm 2018-2019 Whatever your resolutions this year - be they on a purely personal level, a micro or macro level action- be steadfast and alert and know you can be guided, protected, directed always-if you are resolute in your search for truth and integrity. I am including a beautiful, original song entitled: "STEADFAST" by Sandra McCracken who was a singer my son Denali introduced me to when he was alive. Her words/lyrics are timeless, her voice clear and her message uplifting. Go ahead click on the link and listen/watch for three minutes: www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5PGwsgYrCs Enjoy your holidays, your family-if you are able to be with them- my daughter is climbing a mountain in New Zealand, and I am far away from anyone I know here in China, but it is my choice for this year. May you keep your resolutions, your celebrations and your memories. Closing with a photo of my son Denali in Karahenj, Armenia. He asked for his photo to be posed with the sun illuminating him from behind and his facial features less discernible in the sunlight. I took the photo in the Fall of 2008, and share it with you. It is the sixth Christmas/New Year's we are without Denali. It does not get easier but we persevere, stay steadfast and resolute. From the icy, windy Henan hills...Merry Christmas 2018! Jo  Denali Schmidt with sketchbook in Karahenj, Armenia November 2008  "The Stormbringer" original art by George Grie  We spend about one third of our life sleeping. Out of the average of seven hours per night that adults need to sleep to restore their physical and emotional bodies, most people will dream for about 25% of their REM/deep sleep stages. There is voluminous research on sleep and dreams from many different scientific disciplines in a number of different countries. Probably the most well known writer on dreams and their meaning to an individual, was the psychologist Carl Gustav Jung from Switzerland (1875-1961). Carl Jung created the term 'collective unconscious' which was a deeper step into understanding what possibly connects us as human beings. From his study of many cultures and individuals, he determined that dreaming itself was a phenomenon, an activity, that all human beings experienced whether they were aware of their dreams or not. He also cataloged what he believed were the 12 main archetypes which were 'universal' and could assist one in determining one's life path, could assist in reflection on life's challenges and aid an individual in their own dream analysis. (See chart) An archetype has been defined in psychological terms as part of a language of symbols. When an individual has a dream with a powerful archetype it may also be a door to a "collective" unconscious. "The dream that contains an archetype often has a mythical quality. Instead of scenes that seem like the everyday world, the dream takes you to a place that feels ancient, from another time, or like a fairy tale. . . . Another sign is that things are bigger than life or smaller than life. Archetypes may also present themselves as otherworldly animals: talking lions, griffins, dragons, flying horses". They may be recognizable natural forms such the ocean, the highest mountain, an iceberg, the stars or human creations such as castles, dungeons, machines, clocks, a ship-for example. aristocratsofthesoul.com/an-easy-guide-to-jungian-dream-interpretation/ However, the more ancient societies and many Indigenous cultures, as well as most religions, point to a more otherworldly and Divine hand in dreams. Messages may be carried through dreams. The Holy Bible and many other religious texts recount dreams of some of their noted prophets, rabbis, priests, rulers and ordinary people with extrasensory abilities. Throughout human history there have been "seers" - those who have had prescient dreams, dreams which foretell or foretold the future or transmitted important messages such as where an enemy was hiding, or where to find a lost child. People have spoken of dreams in which "texts" appeared which they wrote down upon waking, or a 'painting' or a 'dance' created in their dreams. Dreams were sometimes warnings of danger ahead, plotting or death. Many societies cultivated those members who were known to have special abilities to interpret dreams. These people were advisers to the those in power and served an important purpose in their society. Today, these "advisers" are often those treating people with emotional ailments and they are called, psychoanalysts; dream analysis is part of their toolkit for treatment. There are many strategies for helping patients who have insomnia or recurrent nightmares which impede their ability to sleep. They include "inception" or inserting ideas on a conscious level before sleep in order to change the direction and even the resolution of a dream to be less frightening or more affirming. I know because early in my life through my paternal grandmother and by being part of an experimental program during my time at Georgetown University, I interpreted, introduced lucid dreaming strategies, and inception into my own dreams and dutifully wrote down my remembered dreams for many decades. Later in life I consulted with elders and "clever" women and men as well as Wicaska Wakan (Holy men or "Medicine men") who guided me further into the Dreamtime and dream realm. This post will discuss part of those experiences. "Most people dream anywhere from four to seven times per night, with each dream progressively lasting longer as the body remains sleeping. If a person has a particularly striking dream, it may seem like it lasts an hour or more, but the truth is that most dreams are short. What happens is that when a person falls asleep dreaming doesn't start immediately. A person will typically go through a first of a series of sleep cycles." sleep.lovetoknow.com/How_Many_Times_a_Night_Do_People_Dream  Scan of original (typed) letter from Dr. Alexander Christakis to Dr. Arnold Mysior and Dr. Jack Shuman of the first Psycho-cybernetics course at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in 1973-1974 .According to contemporary psychoanalytical definitions: "A dream is an involuntary and spontaneous product of the unconscious mind, and is usually obscure and difficult to understand because it is made up of symbols and pictures. In attempting to understand the dream-language, Jung uses a method of sort of similar to deciphering symbols. The first step in understanding a dream, he considers, is to establish its context. This means discovering the significance of the various images it presents. For example, one's mother might appear in a dream. Everyone has a concept of what mother implies, but for each person the image of a mother is different, and the significance of this image will even vary from time to time. The thought of mother may for one person be associated with love, care, and protection, and for another with power, anger, or frustration and so the meaning of a dream of mother can vary accordingly. As far as possible, each image or symbol must be taken in turn till its meaning for the dreamer is established as nearly as possible, and not until this has been carefully done is one in a position to understand what the dream may mean." www.psychologycampus.com/dream-psychology/carl-jung.html My grandmother often had prescient dreams and had the scenes or warnings in her dreams confirmed later in the waking world state. When I stayed at her house in Brooklyn, New York, or saw her when she visited, we would speak about our dreams and sometimes she would offer her interpretation. It became a normal part of my life to discuss with her what happened in my unconscious. She also alerted me to significant "spirits" or symbols to look for and remember in my dreams. My junior year at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service (SFS) in Washington, D.C. I happened to attend one the SFS Dean's seminars where I first encountered Dr. Arnold Mysior. (1921-2015) He told me they were going to offer the first course of Psycho-cybernetics in a seminar for graduate students and I was invited to apply even though I would only be a senior the next year. I was accepted into a small seminar as the only undergraduate and the only female student. Our course "instructors" were from many sectors of society: General Alexander Haig-from the military and US government, he served as White House Chief of Staff, Secretary of State and was one of my mentors, (1924-2010) Dr. Alexander (Aleco) Christakis-Nuclear Physicist, Cybernetics and Systems Theory specialist, Greek/American (1937-) and other rotating/visiting faculty from various US agencies and think tanks. We went off campus for a number of our sessions and one of my more vivid memories is the first time I went to the Pentagon and General Haig's office there. In addition, I also had two more years (1976-1978) in a "special program" where hypnosis and 'inception', as well as a type of 'remote viewing' skills were refined in one on one sessions with Dr. Mysior, sometimes as many as three times a week. uk.iacworld.org/full-list-of-different-types-of-psychic-abilities-here/ I was a type of human guinea pig, though at the time (I was 20 years old when I started), I didn't realize it. After the initial year (two semesters in my senior year) I wrote a paper putting forth my original thoughts into a social science format. (see scanned letter) I also started to note the significant change in my dreams to more global landscapes, landscapes I hadn't seen before and events beyond my personal scope of experience. I began to categorize my personal symbols and archetypes that were recurring in my own dreams. I was also given "hypotheticals" /situations that posed a problem and how one could inject a "thought" or "question" into a dream and to another dreamer at a distance. One technique I was taught was to introduce a thought just before going to sleep, if I thought I might have a recurring dream or nightmare. This could be "I can fly out of any situation". I was to repeat this consciously as I was going to sleep and also make a conscious effort to remember my dreams. As one "homework" assignment, I was taught to program myself to wake up at a certain time and immediately write down either my dream or what I was feeling just at that moment and then program myself to "go back to sleep". Later on I learned how to go directly into deep sleep for only ten minutes and emerge/wake up "rested". What some people might now label "power naps". This was a different type of discipline and mastery over body functions. Unfortunately, some of the experimentation involving hypnosis was still in the "process stage". Years later I suffered some aphasia and had intrusive remote viewing scenes and eidetic* images and retrocognition glimpses I couldn't explain. At the time, very few books in the west contained any verifiable information on these phenomenon. There were books in Russian, Sanskrit, Chinese and Latin, I later learned, but most had not yet been translated into English. I needed to seek out a more adept interpreter and also review my earlier 'training' and childhood trauma with more detail. A very respected, but also controversial psychoanalyst, Dr. Charles Socarides (also Greek/American) agreed to see me. He was one of the doctors for US Naval Intelligence officers in addition to his long list of other patients/clients. He was somewhat familiar with some of the experimental programs I had undergone and could help me sort out what may have been "cover" (in hypnosis) and what was "real" in terms of what "I saw" in my dreams, my memories and what I witnessed in my waking reality. We worked together on some "untuning" of experiences for over three years, in order for me to have more control over what I was "seeing" and how to discern and analyze. His was a more western medical, scientific approach and it helped considerably. (see links below for more bio information on the people I have written about here) People have tried to discredit Dr. Charles Socarides, but he was a skilled and gifted healer of the mind for many, although for one of his own children-he felt he had not been able to "help" him when he was conflicted about his sexuality. The last time I was able to consult with him in person in New York was in 2002. He died in 2005. One of his articles is linked below. As my life evolved I met more "spiritually trained" elders at the Zen center near San Francisco. One was Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk who had been a bridge between Catholicism and Buddhism as well as science and theology. (see link below) He prompted me to expand my understanding of my dreams as part of my "calling" and shortly thereafter I moved to Australia with my husband and worked in the Gumbaynggir community for a number of years where their "clever" men and women had a very different perspective on dreams. Their concept of "Dreamtime" or "The Dreaming" is sophisticated and transverses many centuries. A few of their elders told me they had "called me" in my dreams. I heard/saw that invitation. By the time my son, Denali was born in Macksville, NSW-Gumbaynggir country- I had many years of experience with dream interpretation and dream "navigation". Gumbaynggir elders were like my grandmother, in that to speak openly and freely about dreams was just an ordinary part of life and nothing "strange or weird". As the Australian Aboriginal doctor, Commissioner and writer, Dr. Helen Milroy stated: "We are part of the Dreaming. We have been in the Dreaming for a long time before we are born on this earth and we will return to this vast landscape at the end of our days. It provides for us during our time on earth, a place to heal, to restore purpose and hope, and to continue our destiny". Commissioner Helen Milroy is a descendant of the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. She was born and educated in Perth. She studied medicine at the University of Western Australia, worked as a General Practitioner and Consultant in Childhood Sexual Abuse at the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children for several years before completing specialist training in Child and Adolescent psychiatry. Dr. Milroy’s work and research interests include holistic medicine, child mental health, recovery from trauma and grief, application of Indigenous knowledge, cultural models of care, Aboriginal health and mental health, and developing and supporting the Aboriginal medical workforce. She is certified and has practiced in both New Zealand and Australia. Her approach incorporates her tribal beliefs and "dreaming" experience. While there is some academic and personal writing about "The Dreaming" and "Dreamtime" it is usually only passed on through oral tradition and transmitted human being to certain human beings. It requires a complete change of mindset for a western raised person to start to grasp. It requires an open mind, spirit and imagination to begin. Throughout my life I have signed "confidentiality agreements" including one with Kahurangi in New Zealand (Ngati Kahungunu iwi) and gave my verbal promise to those Aboriginal elders who were part of a decade long project with interviewing, recording (by cassette and with an Aboriginal woman photographer) to record certain histories more accurately for the next generations and for a court case they sadly lost, asking for acknowledgement and compensation for their stolen children. There was also a firm, though unwritten rule about not broadcasting or writing about many realms since not only might that knowledge be used for the wrong reasons, exploited or misinterpreted; but in the wrong hands and with a 'wrong' mindset'; the power of the "Dreaming" could do actual harm. The "old fellas" are strong and all around though most never feel or sense their presence either awake or while asleep. Most non-Aboriginals will just dismiss the 60,000+ years of the "Dreamtime" and the Aboriginal co-existence with their environment-even with proven evidence by archeologists, carbon dating and other "scientific" tools of verification. They have no idea what they are missing,  Gumbaynggir elders Aunty Phoebe and Aunty Jessie in NSW, Australia photo by Gumbayngirr elder Tresna Carriage gratefulness.org/brother-david/about-brother-david/The only other people I felt relaxed speaking about my dream time events and sights were some of the Lakota, Dakota, Cree, Menominee, White Mountain Apache and Kickapoo Sundancers I learned from and danced with over the years on reservations in the USA, or as many tribes call America...Turtle Island. Understanding the "visions" and images one may receive from ceremonies, fasting, meditation and learning how to ground the electric sensations that may accompany these experiences, is a skill that may be refined like any other special ability such as a "talent" for drawing, music, poetry. Many people may have a gift but it is never developed or worse, it is denigrated or denied and withers before it has a chance to grow and bloom. "There are different types of psychic abilities, and while one individual may be better at one or another, he or she may decide on further developing those skills to spend time, work and energy in developing different ones (thus enhancing her/his awareness and sensitivity to perceive beyond the five senses the other realms of reality)." Main stream society, especially now, would like to erase this knowledge and power completely because it is not 'controllable' or even predictable and maybe because they cannot 'understand it' in a sound byte, youtube video or tweet. The importance of understanding the lexicon of our dreams, receiving the messages they offer us, connecting with our own subconscious part of our being, cannot be overstated. Much of 'modern life' aims to suppress our individual and unique connections to the collective unconscious. The sensory assault through noise, electro magnetic pulses, dizzying created images to distract us, artificial lights, constant electronic chatter via screens, phones, subliminal advertising and programming-does much to diminish our abilities to sharpen our natural senses or to sleep and dream peacefully. Our children and the next generation already have many of their dreams "incepted" and commercially sponsored-though they many never realize it. Social engineering and false narratives have constructed an etheric cage and even categorize people who do speak about dreams and visions as mentally ill or unstable or 'out of their minds'. How many messages are being sent-whether you believe they are from God, Angels or just the human collective consciousness-which will never be "received"? How many warnings have we heeded or have we been too stifled to hear or see? How many people are apathetic to what happens to them and their mind and consciousness for over one third of their life? I read more pop culture amateur psychology about dreams but very little about real "navigation". Ponder the phrases...."Sweet Dreams" and "Dream on"...may you be blessed with clarity in your waking time and in your stages of sleep. From the hills of Henan province, where my dreams are vivid, memorable and numerous-once again "Happy Holidays"! Jo REFERENCES/BIOS-FYI: www.biography.com/people/alexander-haig-9325072 everything.explained.today/Alexander_Christakis/ arnoldmysior.com/bio/ www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles/SocaridesErosion.php gratefulness.org/brother-david/about-brother-david/ *eidetic-"Vivid mental picture in the form of a dream, fantasy, or an unusual power of memory and visualization of objects previously seen or imagined. An eidetic person continues to “see” an object that is no longer objectively present. Eidetic persons behave as if they are actually seeing an item, either with their eyes closed or while looking at some surface that serves as a convenient background for the image. Furthermore, eidetic persons describe the image as if it is still present and not as if they are recalling a past event. According to some research, the incidence of eidetic imagery is very low in children (2–10 percent) in the general population and almost nonexistent in adults. (less than 1%)." www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/commissioner-helen-milroy Milroy, H. “Restoring Life and Spirit: Recovery from Trauma.” Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. Social Justice Report 2007. Sydney: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, HREOC. pg. 414 Exactly what is privacy? Most of us know when we don't have it or our privacy is violated, in fact in English there is a phrase and legalese concerning the "invasion of privacy". Invasion is an apt word to use in the context I will discuss this week. Advances in technological capability changes what we consider to be "rights to privacy". Who has the right to privacy in the 21st century? Who or what determines those rights?   Privacy is the condition of being free from observation and outside interference, being free from public scrutiny or private/corporate/government surveillance. There is a disparity in our world from country to country concerning what constitutes the actual "right" to privacy. Cultural differences can be seen in the different outlooks on privacy between nations. For example, in Europe “the right to be forgotten” has been a focal point of regulations and court battles. This means an individual has the legal right to have his online information erased by her/his own request. The same laws ensuring one has the right to be "forgotten" in public view do not have a similar counterpart in the United States. In the U.S.A. the right of privacy can be eroded simply because you are a public figure. Who determines who is a public figure is a loophole however, some tech companies hosting sites about people may decide a living or a deceased person is of interest in the public forum. There is no recourse legally at present, to withdraw information about a person online if they are so designated. In Asia, the right of privacy takes a back seat to strengthening community through trust and accountability. "The result is a dichotomy between nations. Europe and North America prefer hard law sanctions through regulation and Asia prefers to approach privacy and data security through soft laws where transgressors make public apologies for breaches in order to regain public trust." www.bna.com/global-privacy-ethics-n57982069807/ Certain organizations and international groups have called for the creation of a "global" definition of the "right to privacy" and the assurance this right will prevail in spite of the increasing use of technology for surveillance. As the Global Internet Liberty Campaign (GILC) points out in one of it's recent publications: "Privacy is a fundamental human right recognized in the United Nations (UN) Declaration of Human Rights, the International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights, and in many other international and regional treaties. "Privacy underpins human dignity and other key values such as freedom of association and freedom of speech. It has become one of the most important human rights issues of the modern age." gilc.org/privacy/survey/intro.html GILC also points out: "The increasing sophistication of information technology with its capacity to collect, analyze and disseminate information on individuals has introduced a sense of urgency to the demand for legislation. Furthermore, new developments in medical research and care, telecommunications, advanced transportation systems and financial transfers have dramatically increased the level of information generated by each individual. Computers linked together by high speed networks with advanced processing systems can create comprehensive dossiers {Profiles} on any person without the need for a single central computer system. New technologies developed by the defense industry are spreading into law enforcement, civilian agencies, and private companies." In regard to work environments the report by GILC states: "The technology being used to monitor workers is extremely powerful. It can analyze "keystrokes" on a terminal to determine whether employees are making efficient use of their time between telephone conversations. Software companies call this process "performance monitoring." Even in workplaces staffed by highly skilled information technology specialists, bosses demand the right to spy on every detail of a workers performance. Modern networked systems can interrogate computers to determine which software in being run, how often, and in what manner. A comprehensive audit trail gives managers a profile of each user, and a panorama of how the workers are interacting with their machines. The software also gives managers total central control over the software on each individual PC. A manager can now remotely modify or suspend programs on any machine. The technology being used extends to every aspect of a worker's life. Miniature cameras monitor behavior. "Smart" ID badges track an employee's movement around a building. Telephone Management Systems (TMS) analyze the pattern of telephone use and the destination of calls. Psychological tests, general intelligence tests, aptitude tests, performance tests, vocational interest tests, personality tests and honesty tests are all electronically assessed. Surveillance and monitoring have become design components of modern information systems. While companies assert that all surveillance is justified, it is clear that not all uses of monitoring are legitimate." Moreover who assures the monitors for surveillance whether human or robot-yes there are AI and robot monitors now-are accountable, honest and impartial; is a primary concern for many sectors. If you think the above cited surveillance is intrusive read what China is already implementing in factories and businesses with some of it's workers-they are literally scanning brains for evidence of anxiety, rage, depression, resistance, decrease in 'productivity', etc. Brain surveillance can take privacy abuse to a whole new level.: www.theorganicprepper.com/china-data-mining/  While the above cited examples concern adults, there is increasing surveillance and data gathering on our children. What about their right to privacy? There is a 'seamless kiddie data heist' used to cull from over 30 million students and teachers in the United States public schools using Google G Suite for Education. “The recently passed Every Student Succeeds Act {passed in December 2015} further enshrined government collection of personally identifiable information -- including data collected on attitudes, values, beliefs and dispositions — and allows release of the data to third-party contractors thanks to Obama-era loopholes carved into the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. It’s not just Google doing the unauthorized child data collection thing. Apple, Microsoft, Pearson, Knewton, and other companies offering cloud-connected educational technology are doing the same thing." www.glitch.news/2018-12-02-google-now-spying-on-students-using-classroom-technology.html You may not realize that there is a growing industry which contracts to education systems (both public and private), corporations and government agencies. These are labeled, "social observer and analytics systems" and four of the more frequently used companies as contractors to school systems (K-12) and universities in the USA, are: Digital Fly, Geo Listening, Snaptrends and Varsity Monitor. These are all privately owned USA companies which collect/gather data, analyse, flag, trouble shoot and report back to their "clients". Parents may or may not be aware their child is being monitored. (see article linked entitled): "Honestly, We're Not Spying on Kids" School Surveillance of Young People's Social Media. journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2056305116680005 Reports by reputable research centers such as Pew Research, state that one third of all US children attending public schools are using school issued tech devices. These devices, be they lap tops, note books, Ipads all have surveillance/monitoring tools/back doors/cameras built in. "Throughout EFF’s [Electronic Frontier Foundation] investigation over the past two years, we have found that educational technology services often collect far more information on kids than is necessary and store this information indefinitely. This privacy-implicating information goes beyond personally identifying information (PII) like name and date of birth, and can include browsing history, search terms, location data, contact lists, and behavioral information. Some programs upload this student data to the cloud automatically and by default. All of this often happens without the awareness or consent of students and their families." www.eff.org/wp/school-issued-devices-and-student-privacy  For children, it may be they are growing up in a family which uses tech tools to "spy" on them. They adjust to being under surveillance by those in authority as they mature, whether it be their parents, their educators, their coaches, doctors, employers or partners; and all the while-their government. It follows that many children will adapt by putting on a "mask" early in their life before developing their own authentic and unique personality. Adolescents may in fact become more secretive and find ways to circumvent parental surveillance and hide their true feelings, intentions and actions. nautil.us/issue/35/boundaries/parents-shouldnt-spy-on-their-kids
As an indication of creeping surveillance technology even in the most economically challenged Henan province up in the high hills (they call mountains), in the last few weeks new surveillance cameras and a large screen to show the "messages" from their "dear leader" were installed at the martial arts school where I am living/training. We were all lined up in the freezing cold, children from 5 up to adults of my age, to stand and watch a message yesterday. There was bowing (to the screen image) clapping and the recitation and singing of their national anthems all now under the watchful electronic eyes. Part of "Project Dragonfly" creep? (see blog post on ECHELONs 10/02/2018 (https://www.jopatti.com/blog/echelons) Hard to know but now even these children (and adults) will be under surveillance in public areas. The ethical and long term emotional and societal effects and implications to our civilizations, take a back seat to the drive for data capitalism/information currency and tech control. We need to be mindful, careful and vigilant about the boundaries we draw on privacy....while we still can. Remain alert to the "invasion" of a locked down surveillance grid. I urge you to push for legislation and enforcement of what little privacy we have left for our children and the next generations. From the wintry mountains in China, Jo |
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