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What’s true and what isn’t?
Modern Revelations in 2024
In the era of the digital age, information has become omnipresent, yet the distinction between truth and deception has never been more blurred. I am doing my very best to keep up with current events, and once in a while I get diverted into something unexpected. There is so much to be aware of. Just last November my account was hacked on Facebook, as has happened to many of you. I have had to cancel my bank card twice this year and get a new one.
We have to question everything, apparently. There’s information and increasingly, what is now called misinformation.
Propaganda abounds
Governments worldwide and corporations have harnessed the power of big data and advanced analytics to tailor messages to specific demographics, ensuring maximum impact and effectiveness. Organized religion, too, learned to do this many years ago, recognizing there are economic benefits of fostering beliefs and misleading the gullible, not just for money but for power as well. The result is a world awash in hidden agendas and undisclosed motivations, where the line between truth and deception has become perilously thin.
The hidden agendas of misinformation
In the realm of hidden truths and exposed secrets, misinformation stands out as a pervasive force that shapes our perceptions and understanding of the world. “Misinformation” is a word I never heard of before the last 6 or 7 years. Now we see it can be spread intentionally, as a means of deception or manipulation, or unintentionally, through the innocent sharing of inaccurate information. Regardless of its origins, misinformation has far-reaching consequences, eroding trust, perpetuating falsehoods, and hindering our ability to make informed decisions.
One of the most concerning aspects of misinformation is its ability to exploit our cognitive biases and emotional vulnerabilities. Confirmation bias, for instance, leads us to seek out information that confirms our existing beliefs, while ignoring evidence to the contrary. This tendency makes us susceptible to misinformation that aligns with our preconceived notions.
Emotional appeals, such as words to evoke fear or anger, can further amplify the spread of misinformation. This then may bypass our rational thinking and trigger impulsive sharing.
The digital landscape has undoubtedly exacerbated the spread of misinformation. Social media platforms, with their vast reach and echo chambers, have become breeding grounds for false narratives and conspiracy theories. But sometimes what looked like a conspiracy theory turns out to be factual.
Deepfakes and AI-generated content further blur the line between truth and fiction, making it increasingly difficult to know what is real and what isn’t. This erosion of trust in information sources has created a climate of skepticism and doubt, making it difficult to find common ground.
To combat misinformation takes cultivating critical thinking skills and becoming wise consumers of information. We also have to teach these skills to our children. They are unlikely to learn that in school. Questioning where the information came from, considering alternative perspectives, and seeking verification from reputable sources are essential these days.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com More secrets revealed?
From the depths of Area 51 to the hidden files of the CIA, governments around the world have a long history of concealing the truth from their citizens. Secret experiments, clandestine operations, and extraterrestrial encounters—these are just a few of the facts that have become known in recent years. This has exposed hidden agendas and covert activities that have shaped our world.
The scientific community has also been a hotbed of revelations, with groundbreaking discoveries challenging long-held beliefs and pushing the boundaries of human knowledge. The unraveling of the human genome, the exploration of distant galaxies, and the unlocking of the secrets of quantum mechanics—these are just a few examples of the scientific revelations that have reshaped our understanding of the universe and our place in it.
Beyond the realm of government and science, the world of pop culture and entertainment has also seen its share of unmasking. Celebrity scandals, industry secrets, and long-held myths have captivated audiences and challenged our perceptions of the people and institutions we thought we knew.
Now we have to accept that the world is often not what it seems. It means we may have to vet multiple sources of information to uncover the truth. In an age of such skilled misinformation and propaganda, it is more important than ever to be more skeptical than we perhaps have been. I certainly have been taken for more than one ride into Fantasyland!
More to learn
Why do people seek power? Why would the authorities lie to us? That then leads into philosophical exploration, which quickly gets into metaphysics. The boundaries between science and spirituality are blurring, and we are witnessing a resurgence of interest in ancient wisdom and esoteric knowledge. We seek ways to cope as human beings. There seems to me no choice but to try to understand the convergence of quantum physics and consciousness.
Quantum physics, once confined to the realm of theoretical speculation, is now yielding tangible evidence of the interconnectedness of all things. The observer effect, the wave-particle duality of matter, and the phenomenon of quantum entanglement challenge our classical notions of cause and effect and suggest a deeper, underlying reality that transcends our ordinary perception. And here is where metaphysics gets another look.
Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com Ancient spiritual practices, such as meditation, yoga, and shamanic rituals, have long held the key to unlocking the hidden potential of human consciousness. These practices are rooted in traditions spanning millennia. There are practical methods for individuals to transcend the limitations of the physical world without drugs, I want to add. Now these practices are gaining renewed attention as people seek alternative pathways to personal growth and spiritual fulfillment, as well as exploring alternative healthcare.
The exploration of metaphysical concepts continues to have a profound impact on modern psychology and self-development. Transpersonal psychology, a branch of psychology that integrates spiritual and transcendent experiences into the therapeutic process, has emerged as a powerful tool for facilitating personal transformation and healing. Practices such as mindfulness, positive psychology, types of meditation and energy work such as Reiki are gaining widespread acceptance as effective means for enhancing well-being and achieving personal growth.
I have thought about questions that have intrigued philosophers and mystics for centuries:
- What is the true nature of consciousness?
- Are we merely physical beings, or do we possess a higher, spiritual essence?
- What is the purpose of our existence, and how can we find fulfillment in a world that often seems chaotic and unpredictable?
- What happens next? Are we the 6th extinction?
These questions led me to embark on an exploration, leading me to a lot of the things I want to share.
Places to discover wisdom and new ideas:
In seeking knowledge and personal growth, it is essential to explore diverse sources of wisdom and new ideas. Fortunately, we live in an era where information is more accessible than ever before. (That’s why I post so many links on my site.)
Here are other valuable resources:
- Project Gutenberg: There is a vast repository of over 60,000 free e-books, encompassing a wide range of literary genres, historical texts, and scientific treatises. Project Gutenberg offers a treasure trove of classic literature, allowing you to explore the wisdom of the ages without any financial barriers.
- Wikipedia: Tap into the collective knowledge of the world’s largest online encyclopedia. Wikipedia provides a wealth of information on virtually any topic imaginable, contributed by a global community of experts and enthusiasts. While critical evaluation is always advisable, Wikipedia serves as a starting point for further exploration and discovery.
- Wikisource: Here is a digital library of free source texts, including historical documents, manuscripts, and other primary sources. Wikisource complements Wikipedia by offering access to original texts and primary sources, enabling researchers and curious minds to delve deeper into the past and gain a firsthand understanding of historical events and cultural heritage.
- Open Minds: Immerse yourself in the realm of unexplained phenomena and alternative perspectives. Open Minds is a series on Gaia tv, dedicated to exploring topics such as UFOs, paranormal experiences, and fringe science. While approaching these subjects with a critical eye is essential, Open Minds provides a platform for considering alternative viewpoints and challenging conventional beliefs.
- Reputable Science Blogs and Journals: You can stay informed about the latest scientific discoveries and advancements by following reputable science blogs and journals. These sources offer insights into cutting-edge research, allowing you to stay abreast of the ever-evolving scientific landscape.
Look for blogs and journals that (unlike my own chit-chat) are peer-reviewed or affiliated with recognized scientific institutions to ensure the accuracy and credibility of the information presented.
By exploring these diverse resources, you can maintain a lifelong journey of learning, expanding your knowledge, and challenging your assumptions. Embrace the opportunity to discover new ideas, and always question conventional wisdom. You will enjoy having a well-rounded understanding of the world around you.
Join me for updates:
My blog entries are always varied, and I welcome critical thinkers and open-minded individuals who are willing to question everything and explore what has been unknown.
This life is a journey and I believe it is exciting to learn new things. Sometimes the “new things” were actually known by the ancient civilizations and have since been buried or forgotten.
Even at my age, sometimes I feel like a baby goose when a startling revelation crosses my path!
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West Wing Redux
A new respect for Lawrence O’Donnell
Photo by Ramaz Bluashvili on Pexels.com I just finished watching all seven seasons of The West Wing, which aired from 2000-2007. There is an important lesson in most every episode.
I didn’t have the good fortune of seeing any of these seasons when they first appeared. Those were the years I was working night and day transcribing court reporter notes, creating deposition and trial transcripts. Nearly all had deadlines, and besides, I loved the work. I began in this field in 1986 and continued until I retired. The West Wing years were when I was the busiest, as a scopist for several reporters.
However, now that I have had the chance to view the series, to which Lawrence O’Donnell refers so often, I have had an important education about how things get done. I know not everything was exposed in West Wing, and I doubt that much of it applied to activity during the Trump administration. What O’Donnell and the other writers and consultants shared was how things have normally worked, and hopefully will work again soon.
The series ends on a note that precisely connects to the end of the Biden administration, and the events we are witnessing today. The Bartlet team found itself in a bad spot, pulled into an ongoing hostile situation not of their making. They had sent troops to try and prevent a war between two superpowers. This nightmare situation was passed onto the new incoming administration.
This is precisely where we find ourselves today, as the next president will take office just as Iran and Israel are deciding whether to start World War III. But this time we were a bit more involved in this hostility than I would have preferred. The United States, in a position of having to defend Israel as a sovereign nation, has sent billions of tax dollars and weapons to assist, no matter what Israel’s IDF decides to do.
Will a new administration be able to change this picture? Can we be peacekeepers between Israel and all the Arab nations in the area? Couldn’t we just stop sending money and stuff that makes it worse? I don’t care about defense contractors and their stock prices. Let them build solar panels and storage batteries.
Climate Disasters
I don’t remember any specific episodes dealing with the problems like the ones we have today, with hurricanes and wildfires. I will be happy to be corrected if I missed it.
At this point we are facing both the heated planet with very little hope for change, as well as a noisy and well-promoted bullhorn spouting misinformation. It is doubly dangerous because when bad information is scary enough, it will feed on itself and get repeated.
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What do old people do all day?
What Do Old People Do All Day?
I have seen this question many times on Quora.
Well, I’m very old, so I suppose I’m expert enough to answer.
My favorite quote is “So much to do, so little time!” When one is very old, as I am, it is quite normal to think any time left on the planet can’t be much. In which case, it’s best to complete your bucket list, or start one. Quickly. That’s why most days I am feeling pressured to finish every project I have started. It may be a painting, making a new quilt, watching movies I haven’t seen yet, or looking up old friends to see if they are still alive. (Usually they aren’t.)
On the other hand, I remember that my grandmother lived to be 98, and that gives me even more to think about. She spent her last decade in a nice little nursing home in a rural community. They tend to be comfortable. She could still get to the bathroom by herself and to the dining room with her walker. She spent her days reading, writing long letters, and following the British royal family. She adored Princess Diana. She had British ancestors and understood them quite well. She never got dementia and even wrote a brief autobiography for her descendants before she died.
My father lived to be 95, and he was in a different nursing home. He read the newspaper every day and only died when he fell and received a head injury. I have at least a dozen ancestors who lived very long lives.
The possibility of living to nearly 100 is scary to ponder, having seen so many people who were not as fortunate as my grandmother. When I visited my dad, I walked through a lobby filled with men and women of all ages, sitting in wheelchairs and simply staring into space, having forgotten who they were. So no, I would just as soon check out sooner than the day I should come to that kind of life.
And then I remember that we often draw to us the thing we fear most, so I work on keeping that fear as well as any others out of my thoughts. The laws of attraction really do work, you know.
My granddaughters wonder why I haven’t died yet, because as I said, I am very old!
(to be continued. I have to go sew now.)
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Video Link is up!
I have finally uploaded the video which shows most of the types of items I am trying to pass on to other creative people. Prices are less than 20% of what you would have paid for new versions.
Please review and if you are in the North Texas area, let me know if you are interested and we can make an appointment. Some things can be shipped.
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Announcement
Very soon I will be posting videos and photos of the hundreds of items I am selling, almost as an estate sale (but I’m not dead yet). Artists and art students will be interested in much of this, particularly if they live near the DFW area. Shipping is so expensive.
Items include papers, markers, easels, collaged items, junk journals, stamping supplies, a Gemini with dies and embossing plates, paintings, old paintings that can be reused, ephemera and assemblage items, two sewing machines, old brushes, rhinestone stuff, bookmaking supplies, PanPastels, paper punches, et cetera, et cetera.
Stay tuned. Meanwhile, I am still painting and writing. I will be making things as long as I can.
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And here we are, midsummer nightmare!
Photo by Nitin Dhumal on Pexels.com June was a long month
This is a post to catch up, starting with a power outage that sent me to a hotel for two luxurious days! All the power people from across the country had contracted so many rooms that the only option was a pricy room downtown, but it was heaven! Now Houston is going through the same hell we did.
Next on our family agenda was hammering out all the details involved in getting my youngest granddaughter off to college this coming fall. It is certainly more complicated than it was for me way back in 1960. Our student elected an out-of- state school, and with her good grades and hard work, nobody had the courage to argue with her (even though there are umpteen cheaper options here in Texas.)
This household is a busy one. My daughter and my oldest granddaughter worked 12-hour days at the polls during primary runoffs. Despite my apprehension they will work in the fall election as well.
And now, political nightmares abound
Photo by Markus Spiske on Pexels.com This family is politically astute. The jibber-jabber since the shocking debate has many of us on edge. I am angry at the people who protected our president from the public, putting us in this position. I knew, of course, there were pundits calling the president feeble and incapable of completing sentences. However, those particular people lied about so many other facts, I discounted anything coming from those sources. So yes, people are shocked. His denial and defense, saying he was selected by primary voters, doesn’t account for the fact that there was no other choice, nor available information we obviously needed. The situation is horrifying.
The wisdom from my metaphysical prognosticators assures us that however it turns out, we will be okay. They have all said 2024 was going to be a year with major changes. In fact, one said clearly that sometimes a situation has to get really bad in order to get the attention needed to effect overhauling a system that doesn’t work.
We know far too many people are apathetic when it comes to politics. Millions of eligible voters don’t bother to vote. My son is one of them. He thinks it doesn’t matter. But he has a good job with a good salary and has no understanding that this can change!
I tried to explain there are factions who would like to eliminate minimum wage laws and many other protections he takes for granted. Citizens no longer have any understanding of civics and how our government has been working under the present system.
As a consequence, greedy people have found ways to take advantage of this apathy. The inequities and existing chaos have resulted from a disinterested and largely uneducated citizenry. We know this, and see evidence every day.
Do you realize how many members of Congress received COVID recovery money that they were hardly qualified for? Their stock trades that are clearly because of inside information? And now we have Supreme Court members who don’t recuse from cases where they have an interest?!
All this must change and probably will at some point. It’s unlikely to happen in my lifetime. No one now in office will vote for term limits or to eliminate stock trades or dark money or lobbying. (Maybe Senator Whitehouse.)
We are now in the hottest summer we have experienced so far and surely this will accelerate. Money interests have blocked real efforts to ameliorate the situation.
We can’t say we were not warned, over and over.
So maybe the prognosticators are correct and we will see the worst of possible scenarios before change becomes the only choice humans have.
Buckle up. Meditate. Enjoy your loved ones and live in gratitude for anything you have today.
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I recommend only the best!
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com I have a section on my site about books and sites I find valuable enough to recommend, and this past week I have been glued to my earphones and Audible.
I prefer Audible because I tend to multi-task, organizing my office or painting in my studio while I listen. There are two more authors I have to share with you because of the truths and insights they pass on to us.
First I want to tell you about Matthew Quirk, who I discovered accidentally while browsing the political genre. I think the United States has gone so far off the rails that I am always looking for new information or commentary. Matthew Quirk’s fiction is educational, certainly, because of his background and knowledge he gained while working for The Atlantic.
His book, Inside Threat, although fiction, includes enough real information to wake us up to realities we never considered.
Another author I am devoted to following is William Kent Krueger. I have read (or listened to) most everything he has written. This above link takes you to his author page. I began reading his books with the Cork O’Connor series, which is fascinating and inspirational.
And then a miracle happened!
However, I have just finished his novel, This Tender Land, which took my breath away. It is an absolute miracle, a book that has to have been dropped into my view by a Guardian Angel! I want to share this novel with everyone I know, here and on Facebook or Threads or anywhere I can.
Because it’s not part of the Cork O’Connor stories, I ignored it for months. The title just didn’t grab me. I read The River We Remember out of a desperate search for a new book, and I hoped This Tender Land would be a winner too.
(I even wrote a review on Amazon, something I rarely do.)
Insights
I was so moved by this book that I found myself near to tears about halfway through the book, even thinking maybe I should stop reading it, but fortunately for me, I kept going through the night and the next morning. I am so impressed with the qualities of this author and the wisdom he imparts — particularly through this novel — that I would love to get to know him. I don’t know any other contemporary writer with the degree of insights he possesses.
I hope I have inspired you to read This Tender Land. It will resonate with anyone whose life has contained adversities and growing pains.
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Old age is not for sissies
So sorry about possible duplicates.
My April newsletter either did not get sent to you, or you have received it more than once.
.stk-f5725d0{padding-top:0px !important;padding-right:0px !important;padding-bottom:0px !important;padding-left:0px !important;column-count:2 !important;column-gap:5px !important}Things are getting more difficult for me now, particularly any digital-related challenge. For instance, I also got a new phone number and without thinking it through, I did a factory reset on the phone I was using (more on that below) which means that everybody (banks, credit cards, gmail, yahoo) had no way to text me those verification codes to let me into my accounts because all they had in my profiles was the old number!
.stk-3e95ff0{background-color:#e5e8e9 !important;border-style:solid !important;border-color:#000000e8 !important;border-top-width:1px !important;border-right-width:1px !important;border-bottom-width:1px !important;border-left-width:1px !important}.stk-3e95ff0:before{background-color:#e5e8e9 !important}.stk-3e95ff0 .stk-block-text__text{text-shadow:none !important}Be sure never to do that. I actually had to talk to a real person at the bank.
Photo by alleksana on Pexels.com So why do I do this?
It is so much of who I am, to be creating something every day that I am miserable if not involved in a project. I have so much still to say, and even have returned to painting. Incidentally, I find that my new paintings are turning out to be the best I’ve ever done.
As soon as these 2024 paintings are photographed, I will post them at Fine Art America, like my earlier ones. Some will be made available for download and printing. But I digress.
.stk-591c9a5 .stk-block-subtitle__text{font-size:24px !important;line-height:0.3em !important;font-weight:bold !important;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,”Segoe UI”,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,”Apple Color Emoji”,”Segoe UI Emoji”,”Segoe UI Symbol” !important}@media screen and (max-width:1023px){.stk-591c9a5 .stk-block-subtitle__text{font-size:24px !important}}So what’s the point of all this?
In an attempt to make things less expensive, my daughter and I fell for the hype about phones for the elderly and I signed up for the Lively app and the Jitterbug 4.
I am now selling it to someone who might need it.
It turned out to be inadequate for everything I do all day, so I went back to a “normal” smartphone and thought changing my number would be helpful. It could give me a brief break from constant robocalls. But because my brain is apparently not firing on all cylinders anymore, I did the factory reset on the Jitterbug without thinking it through, making the problem referred to above with banks, etc.
Let me share with you the other thing no one tells you about old age: it is folly to automatically assume nothing changes. It is impossible to adequately prepare for how aging will affect any particular individual. Some skills, some abilities will be retained a very long time. And some activities that have long been subconsciously performed may be the very ones that vanish from your mental library.
The best advice anyone can definitely make use of is the one we have all heard.
Live one day at a time, sometimes one hour at a time. There is always now.
And if you screw something up, or have to do something over and over to get it right, that was just another consequence and another lesson learned for today.
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Taking a break
Actually, taking a break might feel like procrastination to a workaholic like me, but they are different. One of these has the intention of pausing to recharge and the other involves avoiding and delaying something that needs doing.
In addition, procrastination is often driven by a fear of failure and an uncomfortable anxiety of some kind. Then it might be even worse, if the delay causes a job to be rushed through, leaving behind more errors than if it were done in the original time frame.
I need to read this to myself often. There is a poster in my room where I see it every day, and it says, “IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE DONE TODAY.”
It might look like a sign of procrastination, but in my case it is a reminder to slow down. I tend to take on too many projects, and then become frustrated because I’m only one me. (As soon as I win the Lotto, I will hire three assistants.)
So what’s the difference? Taking a break, in summary, is a conscious decision to relax for awhile. I prefer being outside if possible, with Louie and watching the birds while he watches for squirrels. It is a peaceful, wonderful way to end the afternoon, and often gives birth to new ideas.
Oh…
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The country was united for a minute.
The solar eclipse last week garnered significant interest from people everywhere, paricularly here in Texas where we saw it clearly. There were parties, school events and lots of ceremonies of all kinds.
This was a shared moment that transcended political differences (for at least 4 minutes) and should certainly have reminded all of us of our universal experience as humans still living in somewhat of a democracy. Perhaps voting should have been a requirement for seeing the eclipse. We suffer the results because it is not mandatory.
I wonder what the astrologists are thinking, now that we really are into the age of Aquarius. It never occurred to me that Israel and Iran would go to war at such a time. Only certain industries are hoping for a wider conflict. It seems so primitive to me. The eclipse should have given all of us a profound sense of insignificance in the grand scheme of the universe. Collective appreciation and understanding might have led to more harmony in the world.
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What new finds are they studying now?
First, it’s good to know there are improvements in climate models to more accurately predict the impacts of climate change. There are advances in renewable energy projects, better energy storage solutions and studies of probable changes we can expect to see in our ecosystems.
Are you curious about CERN? I am. They are actively banging things together at high speeds, trying to develop mysterious objects and push physics even farther than it has been.
Quantum physics and spirituality offer complementary perspectives on the nature of reality, consciousness and existence. Fortunately we are seeing growing interest and discussion about this connection, and not only on Gaia TV.
If you want a deep dive and to start keeping up with CERN, you can do that here.
Also, continued exploration of Mars by both NASA and China, as well as studying new exoplanets has become important now that most of us know we are not “alone,” so to speak.
More next month.