The state of the world is amathia [Content Warning: suffering, violence]

I am writing this in my (rented) home in Naarm (Melbourne), “Australia”, having just been texting to a friend two hours away while they were being harassed on a bus in a regional town in my home state. 

My family is fortunate I earn enough (at the expense of my health) that we can at least afford to rent a reasonable home: we cannot afford to buy a home, and many people are homeless, because millions of Australians were caught up in a staggering and still ongoing display of amathia in response to the blatant evil of former PM John Howard, but here’s the truth: no, you will never be a rich IPOC through property ownership. 

Business is whinging in today’s media that a pay rise to catch up with inflation will be a problem, but here’s the truth: it is corporate greed and deception about that greed that is causing our financial woes. 

John Howard’s evil legacy also shows in the white supremacist racism which has also become so blatant and entrenched in our “society” - and has opened for other forms of hate, including xenophobia which has denied the obvious humanity of refugees and the reality of (international) laws that we had agreed to and now decided to break, conditions that spread domestic violence and child abuse, and the ever more blatant LGBTIQA+ and trans hate, but here’s the truth: we are still as human as those we hate, and the distraction of externally focused hate does not cure our self hate and fear and insecurity.

We have taken what seemed the easy way out - including indulging in materialistic greed, but here’s the truth: all we have done is allow our world to be destroyed - including through climate change.

Open your eyes, people! Start acting like adults who are capable of taking a step back, looking at the broader picture, and doing something different for the sake of a better world - for your children, if you are too selfish and small-minded to do it for humanity. We need to be progressive - truly progressive, not superficially (addiction to power impels people to act in the interest of the most numerous of various lowest common denominators - including acting against things like the Voice that have been made essential by centuries of white supremacist colonising), and less greedy and materialistic, and to understand that we are all connected in the politico-socio-economic and emotional soup that we call human society. 

For those who are too lazy to click on the link to amathia, here’s the definition:

See https://www.urbadictionary.com/define.php?term=amathia  

As of 28^thMarch, 2023, that definition was: 

 

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below.

Finally, remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing.

 

e-signatures

One of my long held concerns about digital security is e-signatures – e.g., here, and also mentioned here.

My first concern is that use of e-signatures without permission of the person concerned is basically fraud and/or identity theft (or perhaps impersonation?).

This can have major consequences. 

There was, in fact, a case where the death of a patient in a hospital was found to be due to a staff member using a digital signature without permission, and thus causing the patient to undergo a procedure that killed them. (I'll see if I can find a link to that media report.)

In other situations, problems can arise because admin staff think a matter is simple and straightforward, when it is not - and I’ve encountered such situations where support staff thought a signature for a tender was OK, not realising that there were subtle and very problematic professional problems. 

No-one should ever use a digital signature without the permission of that person - and, in fact, systems should bypass the potential human failings of trust by making that impossible. As an example, one US-based abattoir company has password protection on all copies of digital signatures so no-one by the person concerned can access and use them (which carries through to the relevant cell of forms – so no-one can access the signature through the form either). 

The other area where this is a problem - and I am thinking of the so many cyber hacks we are experiencing now, in particular - is third parties requiring staff to use a digital signature - e.g., clients insisting of staff providing digital signatures, companies doing the same to their subbies, and so on. 

The same realisation of responsibility (duty of care) and implementation of precautions applies to those situations as well.

This is too important an issue to be allowed to be buried. 

 

A small related note: after six decades of handwriting with pen/pencil and paper and typing, I am not going to waste hours of my life and cause completely unnecessary stress and distress by trying to develop the DIFFERENT muscle coordination required to be able to use a mouse to do digital signatures. In fact, I would go so far as to suggest that expecting people do that is tantamount to ageist and physical disability discrimination.

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below.

Finally, remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing.

 

Sloppy business practices: duck shoving thinking to inadequately programmed machine learning (“AI”)

An article on today’s The Guardian website examines the issue of bias on so-called “AI” - machine learning, to give it the more accurate and correct terminology (see https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/mar/27/robot-recruiters-can-bias-be-banished-from-ai-recruitment-hiring-artificial-intelligence).

This is far from the first time that bias in such systems have been raised. Problems have previously been attributed to a wide range of causes, such as unconscious bias in programmers (which is why such systems are NOT “blind”), and this article also examines a range of issues - including that the “learning” could be biased by such matters as the prevalence of male candidates, causing it to downgrade other candidates. 

There are, however, some issues that I consider should also be taken into consideration: 

• blatant bigotry, rather than unconscious bias, of programmers and all others involved in the creation, selection, and use of such systems; 
• bias against introversion; and
• time pressures on decision making in business.
  

I want to consider the third of those points further in this post. 

It’s easy enough to say “the decision making was flawed”, but why was it flawed? Typical assessment of that question looks at thinking styles, evidence, etc ... but ignores the context in which the decision making is being made. 

Weighing evidence and thinking in a lab is one thing: doing it in the clamour of multiple competing production deadlines and crises is another./ Under those circumstances, it is understandably human - and fatally flawed - to see something that promises to save time or take pressure off as a lifesaver - like a buoy thrown to a drowning swimmer. 

What to do about that problem - generally, not only in the context of considering AI systems? 

Acknowledge the importance of context, and ensure adequate decompressing, destressing and time commensurate with the importance of decision making. 

(This is something that politicians foolishly holding all-night sessions to rush decisions through should also consider, IMO.)

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header; 
• emotions are valid and important;
  

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below.

Finally, remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing.

Some human rights and other news links [Note: Content Warning - links to reports on bigotry/hate, violence/abuse/war. Reader discretion is advised!] and thoughts - Saturday 25th March, 2023

Note: CONTENT WARNING - some of this content is about upsetting, disturbing or triggering events & attitudes. Seek competent help - including professional - if you need it. Content shown in green (which may be only part of a news story) is about what is generally considered “good news”, but personal history may still make such events triggering. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that linked articles may contains names and/or images of deceased people. Reader caution is recommended. For anyone distressed by anything in this post, or for any other reason considering seeking support, resources are available in Australia here, here, and here. In other nations, you will have to do an Internet search using terms such as “mental health support - <your nation>” (which, for instance, may lead to this, this, and this, in the USA, or this, this, and this, in France [biased towards English-language - my apologies]).  

Black Lives Matter! Be Anti-Racist, Anti-Sexist, and Actively Inclusive in ALL Areas.
The Climate Crisis is real, urgent and existential!
The Pandemic is Real, and Vaccinations save lives. Stay safe - wash your hands, wear a face mask in public if prudent to do so, and follow informed medical advice.

Some mostly human rights (including significant, relevant links in other fields - such as geopolitics, democracy, or authoritarianism) links (note: the source of news items [but not reference links] is in brackets after each item - normal rules around abbreviations will apply, and abbreviations are listed at the end of this post; links behind hard paywalls have a [$]; also, comments by me are in purple).

• the existential crisis created by the centralised power of human culture (M);   “new climate paper calls for charging big US oil firms with homicide” (TG);   women do not buy electric vehicles because of safety risks with recharging (19th news);   on world happiness - despite COVID (TG);   the scientific magazine Nature will endorse political candidates in some circumstances (what about just disendorsing bad ones?) (Nature);   incompetent - to the point of being described as Pavlovian - pseudo-journalists who are doing the publicity work of POTUS45 (Empty Wheel);   AI will exacerbate misinformation (TC);      “growing up in Germany, I was taught about the rise of [fascism]. It’s vital to call out even the early symptoms” (The Lead);   a heroic US state legislator is filibustering and will do so for the entire session to prevent a transgenocidal bill being passed (Rolling Stone) - see also this (New York Magazine);  
  there have been marches in my home city by transhaters which have included far right wing extremists: my thoughts on that are here - see also here (Tasmania will also take action) (SBS), here (TND), here (SMH), here (SMH), and here (The Shot), and this petition ... and just days after the extremist parade in my home state, a pack of pseudo-christian extremist (SBS) thugs (QN) violently (TND) assaulted (TG) peaceful trans-rights activists on the opposite side of a street to where a notorious right wing politician was speaking - who condemned the violence but grossly misrepresented the actions of the trans-rights protestors. Prime Minister Albanese must condemn this violence - see also here (TND), here (TG), here (Star), here (Star), here (Star), a NZ focused article which states there is historical precedent for public safety trumping so-called free (hate) speech here (TC), “let’s counteract hysteria by dispelling gender diversity myths” (The West Australian), and videos were circulated on social media prior to the planned massive ambush URGING VIOLENCE (TG);   a Tasmanian newspaper “has printed a front-page apology for publishing an anti-trans letter to the editor that was later found to be fabricated” (QN);      an Indigenous Senator who was being an outstanding ally at a trans-hate rally was “pulverised” by two trans-haters and several police - see here (SBS), here (TND), here (QN), here (TG), and concerns about her treatment were expressed by the Minister for Indigenous Australians (TG);      the reality of children’s sport that include trans competitors (M);   the history of trans people in Australia in the 19^th century (TC);      the US republicans war on women (and other minorities) is continuing on its vicious path (F24) - and has led to an educator being sacked over a famous historical statue (The Daily Beast), and a request for an extremely violent and pornographic book to be removed from a school library: the bible (Raw Story);      the limits of expert judgement (TC);   the next reason to worry about small-minded, morally incompetent/blind experts after AI (ABC);      the problem of “passive racism” - such as telling the victims of racism they have to heal themselves (this sort of patronising, offensive stupidity occurs in other areas as well - and is a particular affliction of many New Age style groups - especially in and from the USA) (M) - and “why society selfishly continues to bar Black women from victimhood - why misogynoir and comedy are ingredients needed to brew hatred towards Black women” (M);      “the UN World Health Organisation ... spoke out forcefully against “misinformation on social media and in the mainstream media” which has falsely alleged that a new global pandemic accord being negotiated, would allow the WHO to override national sovereignty relating to a future outbreak” - the people spreading those lies are both criminal and evil (UN);  
  
  
• on the CLIMATE CRISIS (noting the UNFCCC) and ENVIRONMENT (noting multiple  international agreements): 
• humanity is at an existential turning point: act or die - see here (UN),   here (TG),   here (TC),   here (TG),   here (TG),   here (CT),   here (TM),   call for urgent passage of safeguard mechanism (TND), and here (NO NEW FOSSIL FUEL PROJECTS!) (TG);    
• people in the Pacific are facing obliteration (TG) - as is the planet (UN);   “why most plastic can’t be recycled” (DW);   “‘a wake-up call’: total weight of wild mammals less than 10% of humanity’s” (TG);   an examination of the problems in the Darling River (TC);   “Australia must do more to prevent ‘looting and destruction’ of underwater heritage” (TG);  there may be lingering toxins caused by the burning off of chemicals at a recent train derailment in the USA (Nature);   “scientists warn toxic plastic chemicals a 'stealth threat' to human and planetary health” (SBS);   “African nations consider swapping debt for climate funding” (AP);   a call for an emissions ceiling (TG);   “trade in “green goods”, which use fewer resources and pollute less, grew by four per cent in the second half of the year, reaching a record $1.9 trillion [6% of the total] in 2022” (UN);   the global water crisis (UN) - see also here (UN), and here (Nature);   the glaciers in the Himalayas are a threat to India (F24);   “top lawyers defy bar to declare they will not prosecute peaceful climate protesters” (TG);  
  
• climate / environmental issues have also occurred in:   Australia (innovation) (TND),   Victoria (TG),   glaciers (UN),   South Africa (FP);
  
  
• on NATURAL and OTHER DISASTERS (noting Article 1(3) of the UN Charter): 
• the struggle to get aid to Syria and Türkiye - particularly Syria (DW) ... see also here (UN);   an earthquake in Ecuador and northern Peru (TG);   impacts (TEA) including cholera fears after Cyclone Freddy in Malawi (The Independent [Nigeria]) are continuing - see also here (UN), and here (UN);   an extreme weather early warning system has been fast tracked into early operation (UN);   Marburg virus in Tanzania (UN);   the food crisis is growing in Haiti (UN) - and the gang crisis (F24);  
  
  
• on rashist  putin and his cronies’ ILLEGAL (it is contrary to Chapters VI and VII of the UN Charter  and international law [and the 1928 Pact of Paris which was successfully used in post-WW2 trials], and possibly includes conduct contrary to the "laws" of war and international humanitarian law (IHL)) INVASION of UKRAINE: 
• Xi’s cosy visit to putin, and putin’s endorsement of the so-called China peace plan, indicate China is operating on a bad faith basis - see also here (TC);  
  
• on human rights in the region and globally:   more on the ICC arrest warrant for putin (GW) - see also here (TG);  successful integration of Ukrainian refugees into Czechia (DW);   russia has threatened to use nuclear weapons if putin is arrested (DW);   a summary of abuses (UN);  
  
  
• on INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (noting the UN Charter [particularly Chapters VI and VII] and numerous  international  treaties): 
• a major international airline “has told pilots to fly through radio interference and GPS jamming reportedly coming from Chinese warships in Asia Pacific” (this is putting lives at risk!!!) (TG);   “Saudi Arabia and Iran poised to share the region’s spoils – on China’s terms” (New Lines Magazine);   “there’s a realignment of power emerging between russia, China and the west” (TG);  
  
• noting particularly Chapters VI and VII of the UN Charter, the 1928 Pact of Paris used in post-WW2 trials, the "laws" of war and IHL and Article 20 of the ICCPR on WAR / CONFLICT:   the risks of “accidental war” (TC);   concern over “inaction by the UN Security Council over [North] Korea’s missile test” (R) and that “reckless leaders [of russia, China, USA, Israel and North Korea] are pushing the world back to the [nuclear] brink” (TG);   “new dynamics in DR Congo as Angola, Burundi deploy troops” (TEA) - see also here (VoA);   hundreds of prisoners will be released after ten days of negotiations led to an agreement (UN);   concern that Israel-Palestine violence could increase (ICG), as Israel allows resettlement of illegal settlements in occupied Palestinian territory that had been abandoned (AJ);   “Ethiopian lawmakers remove Tigray group from terror list” (AP);  
• incidents / action of concern in/regarding:   Syria (F24);
   
• on CORRUPTION (noting international  agreements and monitoring), MISGOVERNANCE, MAL-/MIS-/NON-FEASANCE, MISCONDUCT and THREATS TO DEMOCRACY/FREEDOM: 
• “more than 95% of north Queensland children on internal police ‘blacklist’ are Indigenous” (TG);   in the UK, London’s “Met police found to be institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic ... can ‘no longer presume that it has the permission of the people of London to police them’ ” (TG) - see also here (TG);   “Philadelphia will pay [US]$9.25M to protesters over police use of tear gas and rubber bullets during 2020 ... racial justice protests” (The Philadelphia Inquirer);   
• the US “Secret Service was aware of credible threat against Nancy Pelosi but neglected to pass it on until hours after capitol attack” (Political Tribune);  
  
• as yet another hack occurs (ABC) and yet more questionable actions are proposed (TC), anger from those who have been caught up in repeat hacks (ABC);   
• a corruption investigator has been murdered (my choice of word) in South Africa (BBC);  
  
• twenty year reflections on the war on Iraq - which was founded on lies - and its ongoing consequences continue - see here (DW),   here (TC),  here “most diverse in history ... soldiers waged a deeply racialised and gendered war” (TC),   here (on opposition to the war being vindicated) (TG) - this is part of a series (TG)),   a call for an enquiry (SBS) and for the Australian Parliament to decide on whether we go to war (ABC),   the attack on truth (TG),   US failure to learn (ICG);
  
• concerns around past/current/potential corruption/misgovernance also in   POTUS45 (TG) - see also here (TG),   Australia (an NDIS provider) (TG),   South Africa (AJ),   Zimbabwe (this person stole 5% of Kenya’s GDP) (AJ);
  
  
• on DEMOCRACY, SOVEREIGNTY, AND GOVERNANCE (noting Article 25 of the ICCPR and monitoring  projects): 
• I’ve been catching up on emails from Bruce Schneier:    “ChatGPT is ingesting corporate secrets”;   “time to start worrying about artificial intelligence interfering in our democracy”;   the “no fly” list has been inadvertently made public - again;   the USA is engaging in warrantless bulk surveillance of money transfers;   radio “relay attack against Teslas”;   “large-scale collection of cell phone data at US borders”;   “San Francisco police want real-time access to private surveillance cameras”;   reports a new Sudanese government will be formed in April (ST);   a basic “guaranteed” income scheme for mothers in one US city (The Philadelphia Inquirer);  
  
• globally:   the battle in France over changes to pension laws has become a major political (F24) crisis (F24) - with a no confidence motion just survived (TND), but protests have resumed (F24) about concerns over democracy (F24) and hundreds of people have been arrested (F24) - see also here (F24), here (TG), here (DW), and here (TG);   dramatic personal protests against the election results in Nigeria (F24);Greece has sacked its police chief over the continuing protests in response to the recent fatal rail accident which was caused in part by austerity measures (F24);   Sudan has held massive workshops as part of transitioning to democracy (UN);   an economic “bailout” for Sri Lanka has been approved (UN);   Nigeria’s election results are being challenged (VoA);   Somalia “will organise the next national elections by universal suffrage, a departure from an indirect voting system that has often triggered crises” (TEA);   a survey indicates Zambians are happy with their democracy (news24);  
  
• in Australia:   a consideration of whether Australia can move away from an economic system that favour the rich (TG);   “majority of Australians on jobseeker and parenting payments live in poverty” (TG) - see also here (SBS);   endometriosis (TG) clinics have been rolled out in a national (9news) programme (ABC);   “productivity is all well and good, but what’s in it for Australia’s workers? Economists too often use the word as a synonym for company profits. Why make more with less if it doesn’t improve living standards?” (TG);   “why the modern Liberal Party seems unable to ‘do the right thing’” (TND);  
  
• on the proposed Voice to the Parliament in Australia:   an encouraging response from Victoria’s first regional forum (TG);   “the voice referendum is a turning point. A yes vote will save lives. A no vote will invalidate them” (TG);   the wording of the referendum has been revealed - see here (NIT),   here (TG),   here (TND),   here (TG),   here (TC),   here (TC),   here (TC),   here (TG),   here (TG);   as a former Liberal Indigenous Affairs Minister “warns [the neo]liberals that opposing Indigenous voice could add to ‘perceptions’ party is ‘racist’” (TG) and the neoliberals’ leader “is stuck in no-man’s land on the voice – and ... risks cementing his reputation as a wrecker” (TG), the Prime Minister states more than enough detail has been provided (TND), and accuses the neoliberals’ leader of “playing games” (ABC);   concerns that the wording could lead to legal challenges have been described as “disingenuous and overblown” (ABC) and derided by experts (TND);  
  
• on RoboDebt:  
  
• on AUKUS:   a staggering remark by the Defence Minister (TG);   analysis of criticism by a former ALP PM (I agree regarding the criticism of that PM for being too soft on China - see news links above, but they have raised points that do require consideration) (TG) - and see also this criticism by a former ALP Minister (TG);   the costs are not only dollars - which is not as clear cut as presented (TC) - see also this (TND);   the Defence Minister says we are not committed to help defend Taiwan - although I suspect such a war may actually be morally defensible (TG);   “spectre of Maralinga hangs over AUKUS nuclear waste for Indigenous communities” (TG);   questions and an interesting perspective on past wars from a former Foreign Minister (TG);   concerns over secrecy about nuclear waste (TG);  
  
• suppression of opposition / dissent / media in   Kenya (TEA),   South Africa (AJ),   China (FH);
  democracy is also at risk in   Israel (DW) - see also here (DW) and here (MEE),   Uganda (AJ) - see also here (The Economist),   NSW (TG),   Libya (FP),   West Asia (FH); 
  
  
• on HUMAN RIGHTS (noting the various rights and treaties summarised here, IHL, Article 5 of the Rome Statute founding the ICC):  
  
• “after six months of protests, Iranian women without headscarves has become the 'norm'”  (F24), but ““the most serious human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran over the past four decades” have been committed since the death in police custody of Jina Mahsa Amini on 16th September 2022, ... the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran said” (UN);   “deportation of Tajik activist From Germany raises concerns” (HRW);   the problem (ABC) of limphoedema and fat-phobic doctor's malpractice responses (TG) to it;   Tunisia’s despot has promoted an extremist micro-party’s antisemitic conspiracy fantasy about sub-Saharan migrants (New Lines Magazine);   a programme against all forms of discrimination in Tunisia (MRG);   sexism and racism hid the Chinese woman who was behind the origins of the Nobel physics prize (Scientific American);  
  
• human rights are at risk or abuses have also occurred in:   Burkina Faso (good news) (YT),   Egypt (DW),   catholic church (TG),   US science (Nature) - see also here (Nature),   academia (on social anxiety) (Nature),   Nigeria [CW - disturbing] (TG),   Kashmir (UN);
  
• violence in:   Niger (The Defence Post),   Mali (Barrons);
  
  
• noting the GENOCIDE  Convention:   Israel continues down its genocidal path (TG), including via access to water (MEE) - see also here (TG);   an atrocity alert for Ukraine, Iran and the central Sahel (GCR2P);  
  more genocide / mass atrocity issues:   burma - still (AJ); 
  
  
• noting the conventions and the Global Compact on REFUGEES:   in a striking display of the harm Australia’s attitudes have caused, “almost 90% of children brought from Nauru suffered physical health problem ... Nearly 80% reported one or more mental health symptoms, research shows, with 45% reporting a suicide attempt or self-harm” (TG);   more drownings in the Mediterranean (AJ);   “asylum seekers suffer chickenpox due to 'prison-like' hotel conditions” (MEE);  
  
  
• noting the Yogyakarta Principles on LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE:   a new and more accurate term: transmisic instead of transphobic - see here;   protests in Italy against restrictions on same gender parents (TG);   an elected US state representative “speaks from a Christian perspective against an anti-trans bill” (social media);   “Intersex medical rights bill introduced in the ACT” (SBS);   anti-LGBTIQA+ hate is being reflected in proposed extremist legislation in Uganda that includes the death penalty (TG) - see also here (TG), here (UN);   the next step (TG) in the USA’s transgenocide;   more recycled hate in the USA (LGBTQ Nation);   more transhate (TND) in sport (AJ);  
  
  
• noting ICERD and DRIP on RACISM:   stolen generations approaches are continuing in the USA (TG);   concerns over “dangerous” youth judicial system changes in Qld (NIT);   call for next NSW government to “fund Aboriginal Legal Service to close the justice gap” (NIT);   “first Queensland public forums on Truth and Treaty announced” (NIT);   “Traditional Owners suspected they wouldn't benefit from fracking. A secret government report has confirmed it” (NITV);   Australia calling the International Day of Eliminating Racial Discrimination. “Harmony Day” is just another part of the evil John Howard’s toxic  white supremacist  legacy (NITV) - see also here (LinkedIn), here (LinkedIn), and here (Kind Enterprises);   five Indigenous engineering feats (TC);   an NIT exclusive reports that “NT government backs vital work of Aboriginal rangers with more than $1.6million in grants” (NIT);  
  more racism issues:   Kashmir (TG),   ACT (young people) (ABC);
  
  
• noting CEDAW on SEXISM:    more ridiculousness from a US state headed by someone complicit in torture at Camp X-Ray at Guantanamo Bay (SBS);  
  more sexism issues:   statuary in NSW (TG);
  
  
• noting the laws listed here, the conventions listed here, and principles discussed here, here, here, here, and here, on the RIGHTS OF ANIMALS:   three youths have been identified for allegedly abusing penguins in Tasmania (ABC);   call for digital tracking to counter illegal export of animals (TG);  
  
  
• noting Article 17 of the ICCPR,   Article 16 of the CRC,   Article 22 of the CRPD,   and   Article 12 (1) of the DRIP on PRIVACY:   “fertility apps collect unnecessary personal data and could sell it to third parties – study” (TG) - see also here (TC);   a major tech company has been “sued for not disclosing collection of customers’ biometric data” (TruthOut);   
  
  
• noting the CRPD on PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES:   a “limb centric” performance by performers in wheelchairs as part of the farewell ceremony for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games (YT);  
  
  
• noting Articles 6 (1), 7, and 8 (see here) of the ICESCR,   Article 5 (e) (i) (ii) (see here and here) of the ICERD,   Article 11 (1) (a - c) of the CEDAW,   and   Article 27 (1) of the CRPD on WORK and FAVOURABLE WORK CONDITIONS:   “the ‘great resignation’ didn’t happen in Australia, but the ‘great burnout’ did” (TC) - see also “school principals are reaching crisis point, pushed to the edge by mounting workloads, teacher shortages and abuse” (TC);   large scale  discrimination against, and abuse of, immigrant workers in Australia (TG);   Mondayitis is now occurring on Sundays (nice to know I’m not the only one - although that has been years for me) (TG);   “after-work intrusions are harming workers’ mental health” (TND);  
  
  
• noting Article 6 (1) of the ICCPR,   Article 11 of the ICESCR,   Article 5 (e) (iii) (see here and here) of the ICERD,   Article 14 (2) (h) of the CEDAW,   Article 27 (3) of the CRC,   Article 28 of the CRPD,   and   Article 20 of the DRIP on FOOD, CLOTHING, and HOUSING:    tired of waiting, a NSW rural community has found its own solution to the housing crisis (TG);   home buyers are stuck (TND);   “the 1.5 million Australians getting rent assistance need an increase, but more public housing is the lasting fix for the crisis” (TC);   “why a national plan for homelessness must make thousands of children on their own a priority” (TC);   homelessness in Australia is increasing (SBS);   
   
• more on the abusive MISUSE of Ozempic - which is still leaving diabetics at risk (TND);   “why requiring college degrees for jobs that don’t need them is a mistake” (Vox);   “the ‘joy of missing out’ often masks social anxiety, study finds” (TND);  
  

(Should you elect to write to your elected representatives or others on these matters, it may be useful to familiarise yourself with the links shown in blue - or to at least refer to them. Don't forget to CHECK whether your nation has RATIFIED the treaty concerned.)

Abbreviations:   Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA;   Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project - ACLED;   Aeon Magazine - Aeon;   Africa Centre for Strategic Studies - ACSS;   Africa News - AN;   Al Jazeera - AJ;   All Africa - AA;   Amnesty International - AI;   Associated Press - AP;   Australian Associated Press - AAP;   Australian Broadcasting Corporation - ABC ^TP “report”;   Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility - ACCR;   Australian Independent Media Network - AIMN;   Australian Unions - AU;   Barrons;   Bellingcat (B);   Bloomberg - BB;   Brisbane Times - BT;   British Broadcasting Commission - BBC ^TP ;   Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists - BAS;   Cable News Network - CNN ^{[now too forceful, IMO, on IP, cookies etc]} ;   Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - CBC;   Centre for Strategic and International Studies - CSIS;   Climate Change News - CCN;   Committee to Protect Journalists - CPJ;   Context - CT;   the (US) Council on Foreign Relations (CFR);   Crikey - C [$];   Dabanga Sudan - DS;   Deutsche Welle - DW;   European Union - EU;   Forbes - F;   Foreign Policy - FP;   France 24 - F24 ^TP ;   Freedom House - FH;   Genocide Watch - GW;   Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect - GCR2P;   Globe Echo - GE;   HumAngle - HmA;   Human Rights Law Centre - HRLC;   Human Rights Watch - HRW;   Independent Australia - IA;   International Crisis Group - ICG;   Jessica Wildfire (Substack) - JW;   Just Equal - JE;   Lawfare Blog - LFB;   Lowy Institute - The Interpreter - Lowy;   Mail & Guardian - MG;   mainstream media - MSM;   Medium - M;   Michael West (news media platform) - MW;   Middle East Eye - MEE;   Minority Rights Group - MRG;   Mirage News - MN;   Nation Africa - NA;   National Indigenous Television - NITV;   National Indigenous Times - NIT;   Nature Magazine - Nature;   New York Times - NYT [$] ^TP ;   News24;   North Africa Post - NAP;   Openly - Op;   Out in Perth - OiP;   Pearls and Irritations - PnI;   Political Violence at a Glance - PVG;   Politico - P;   Premium Times Nigeria - PT;   Q News - QN;   Quartz - Q;   Radio France International - rfi;   Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE);   Religion News Service - RNS;   Renew Economy - RE;   Responsible Statecraft - RS;   Reuters - R;   Robert Reich - RR;   (Bruce) Schneier - Sch;   Special Broadcasting Service - SBS;   Star Observer - Star;   Sudan Tribune - ST;   Sydney Morning Herald - SMH;   The Age - TA;   The Big Smoke (TBS);   The Conversation - TC ^TP ;   The Defence Post - TDP;   The East African - TEA;   The Guardian - TG;   The (Nigerian) Guardian - TG-N;   The Monthly - TM;   The National Tribune - tNT;   The New Daily - TND;   The Saturday Paper - TSP;   The Sentry - TS;   The Shot - TS;   Timothy Snyder - TS;   Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA;   United Nations - UN;   Voice of America - VoA;   Wall Street Journal - WSJ [$];   War on the Rocks - WotR;   Washington Post - WP [$] ^TP ;   Wikipedia - WP;   Yahoo News - Yahoo; YouTube - YT.

Note: news sources are never perfectly accurate or good - for instance, some have been transphobic (which is why I may, for instance, cancel email subscriptions), but may be good in other areas (e.g., racism) - and attributes may vary depending on region and over time. I do NOT provide an unqualified endorsement of ANY of the media sources I use. Sources with evidence of being transphobic may be marked with a ^TP .

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header; 
• I expect readers to take positive action on at least some of these stories - e.g., write to elected representatives, where that is possible. 
  

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong in my views or commentary - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below.

Finally, remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing.