1/13 One quarter of young academics have been bullied. I am one of them. I am sharing this letter and chain of tweets to ensure future student and staff safety. I wish I didn’t have to.

My statement https://t.co/jRooscrLhx

@AcademicChatter #PhDChat @ThesisWhisperer

2/13 I experienced and witnessed years of bullying and harassment by Professor James E.M. Watson (@cyclonewatson) at the University of Queensland and on Wildlife Conservation Society projects he supervised

@TheWCS @UQ_News @UQ_CBCS @UQ_SEES @fairwork_gov_au @arc_gov_au

3/13 The bullying had detrimental impacts on the health and wellbeing of myself and other victims. The bullying was serious enough to cause me anxiety and complex trauma, a form of PTSD. This was confirmed by independent #mentalhealth professionals.

4/13 My story highlights a deep bullying issue in academia. The system lacks transparency and doesn’t account for power imbalances. Silence is not neutral. It is complicit with a culture of secrecy and fear conducive to bullying. We must change the system and speak out

5/13 I am going public as a last resort. For the last year I have been unable to make progress through formal complaint channels. I don’t believe UQ has done enough to protect former, current and future staff and students. So I want to set the record straight.

I'm about to say something some of y'all aren't gonna like: a thread

If you're gonna question the "motive" of a charity organization or those who are committed to helping them, DON'T GET INVOLVED. Especially when it comes to someone who has proven TIME AND TIME AGAIN how loyal he is to this cause.

The workout/gym community is hostile enough as it is, with people who are gonna judge you no matter how good you're doing for yourself or others. People avoid the gym because of this. MPC IS THE LAST COMMUNITY THAT NEEDS THAT.

If you don't like the charities that MPC is supporting this year, there's a very simple solution at hand.
Don't join. Don't give MPC your money. Move on.
Don't sit there and complain about it.

Go give to the charities you DO support. Go give to the causes you DO enjoy helping, or have a cause close to your heart.

TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT Y'SHUA, JESUS.

He is a RABBI. He came to the JEWS. He did not start another RELIGION. He freed the Jews from the dogma of the Pharisees. He told us all what to do.

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind," before also paraphrasing a second passage; "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

Israel is the result of the Tsaddikim. The souls of the Jews who perished in the Holocaust. WE MUST STAND WITH ISRAEL.

There was no "christmas star". The entirety of the NT was written to adhere to the prophesies of the Torah. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD OPEN YOUR EYES.

Y'shua does not have to be Mashiach! He is who he is, through eternity. He never once proclaimed himself as Mashiach. During his lifetime, Jesus himself didn't call himself God.

Last week, a white guy wanted white solidarity to undermine a minoritized group's access to a safe space. I was in the group he approached.

Afterthoughts now collected.

It's story time 🧵!

Comment if you'd like with any favorite readings on safe spaces by minoritized writers.

Some quick terminology!

White solidarity - the tacit agreement that we will protect white privilege and not hold each other accountable for our racism.

This is the definition white sociologist Robin DiAngelo uses.

Safe space.

SAFE SPACES FOR BLACK FOLKS ARE NOT NEGOTIABLE; THEY ARE NECESSARY AND VITAL TO PROTECT THE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUPPORT THE MULTI-FACETED WELL-BEING OF BLACK PEOPLE. 

This and more on safe space by Black writer Cameron

White Guy (WG) approached a white-majority community I'm part of. They were upset and distressed. Being one of the group insomniacs, I was, y'know, up.

The Government is forcing Australians who have lost their job to eat their superannuation before they can access unemployment support.

On 25 September the Government reinstated the Liquid Assets Waiting Period for Australians with liquid assets applying for unemployment support.

In question time today, the Minster representing the Minister for Social Services Stuart Robert confirmed that superannuation withdrawn early is considered a liquid asset for the purposes of triggering the waiting period.

With the Government encouraging out-of-work Australians to access up to $20,000 of their superannuation early, many have been subjected to the Liquid Assets Waiting Period.

The Minister also confirmed that the Government has plans to double the waiting period to up to six months, which would cut $10,600 in unemployment support to Australians who have lost their job.

Ok, time for a big thread on a general theory of history and society.

Every human society has to navigate the relative importance of the individual versus the group. You can think of every society as being placed somewhere on a spectrum between "Everything is about the individual" and "Everything is about the group."

Human society--tribal society--starts out at the extreme "group" end of the spectrum, because the overall imperative is survival. The individual needs to defer to the group because that's how the group survives. Natural selection means we're all descended from such a society.

Then over time society generates some surplus and there's more scope for the individual. And I do believe that the particular genius of the West is that it decided, earlier and more firmly than the rest, to shift the cursor further to the side of the individual.

First with the Greeks, then with Christianity, then with Modernity, we collectively pushed that cursor further away from the "group" end and towards the "individual" end. And lo and behold, each time we did, amazing things happened!

Weekend Musings

Step by step guide on how to prove via SM photographs that you have embraced Class and crawled out of your Indian middle class origins and are ready to look down upon fellow Indians with that high society subtle and pretentious scoff and ‘OMG’!

Let’s go -

1. ‘The book I’m reading’ photograph isn’t about the book. It should have a frappe, cappuccino, anychino..basically any Barista level fancy stuff. Coz honestly neither you nor your friends understand or use French press or Colombian beans. An eatable, casually thrown around, but

make sure the label is visible. And it HAS to be some foreign brand of cookies, cheese, cake you picked up at your last Khan market visit and we’re saving for this photograph. Try Scandinavian brands. No one understands what’s written and everyone will assume it’s really fancy.

And all this should cover not more than 30-40% of space in your photograph. Rest should be of the ‘view’ of the localé which ‘ OMG I wasn’t even aiming at but it just came in picture’ kinda stuff. An opportunity to show your house, garden, hotel etc. Make sure the beverage is

in a big cup. Never China. That’s Middle class. Go for those heavy stone/ Earth shade ones that prove how you always prefer staying connected to ground but everyone know they are pretty costly at those fancy stores. You can also buy them from road side vendors and fool everyone.

The truth in Black and white: An apology from The Kansas City Star. In a six-part investigation, @KCStar finds it "scorned generations of Black Kansas Citians and...robbed an entire community of opportunity, dignity, justice and recognition."

As floodwater upended Black lives in 1977, Kansas City newspapers fixated on Plaza, suburbs and all but ignored how the flood destroyed the homes of Black citizens -- part of @KCStar investigation of itself in, "The Truth in Black and White."

Charlie Parker? Jackie Robinson? For The Star, Kansas City Black culture was invisible

When civil rights movement marched forward, @KCStar lagged behind. The newsroom was run by white men. They overlooked the protest the way they overlooked nearly everything else involving the Black community in the mid-60s

‘Brutes’ and murderers: Black people overlooked in KC coverage — except for crime. Rarely, even up into the 1960s, did the papers doubt, challenge or investigate the police version of events, or interview Black victims.

Thread: 2021 is gearing up to be a difficult year for human rights. It's all a question of seeing how individual comments and policies create a pattern, but that in turn risks you sounding like a conspiracy theorist, so let's break it down. 1/

From @pritipatel and @BorisJohnson's comments about "lefty do-gooders" and "activist lawyers" there has been a gradual narrative built up that human rights are some kind of left wing stalking horse. Yet in practical terms they should be apolitical. They apply to all of us. 2/

This is an excellent article by Director of @RunnymedeTrust, Halima Begum about the language the government is using to create division. I fear that it could lead some to think that she is saying the voters being targeted are white supremacists though.

Let's be totally clear here, the "culture war" being gamed by the government is a myth, but it is a myth which resonates with people who feel disconnected from society. A year of isolation, fear and economic concerns has likely increased that disconnect. 4/

Public attitudes fluctuate, and I am not denying that there is still a massive problem of racism within society, but attitudes towards immigration for example are, on the whole, softening. Problem is those against it tend to be more vocal.

OUR HUSBANDS TAKE OUR CARS, SALARIES AND SPEND IT WITH GIRLFRIENDS: HON NHARI

HON. VAIRET NHARI: Thank you Mr Speaker, I want to add a few words on the issue of violence even members of Parliament we suffer from domestic violence. @GMCZimbabwe @wlsazim @womensvoicezw @MAZ_Zim

HON. NHARI: If I am given a motor vehicle, and take it to the constituency, the husband will deny me the use of that vehicle saying he is the one who permitted me to go to Parliament.

HON. NHARI: So, you must not use the car and female Members of Parliament will end up using public transport to conduct Parliament business. The husbands take our salaries and spend it on beer and girlfriends.

HON. NHARI: That is abuse and children that grow up in such families go into early marriages because of stress. The fight between the mother and father makes children sad and some will turn to drug abuse as well as prostitution.

HON. NHARI: Members of Parliament let us teach our people that they are some lawyers that offer services for free such as @ZimWomenLawyers and MUSASA. They can assist you if you are involved in domestic violence.

The Baku pogrom was directed against the ethnic Armenian inhabitants of #Baku, Az SSR. From January 12, 1990, a 7 day pogrom broke out against the #Armenian population in Baku during which they were bеаtén, murdеréd, and expelled from the city.
🟦🟩🟦GRAPHIC THREAD🟦🟩🟦

Currently ministering is our father in the Lord, Pastor E. A. Adeboye.

December 2020 Thanksgiving Service
#VictoryAtLast

I am sure that by the first Sunday of the new year, I will see many of you in Jesus Name.

- Pastor Adeboye

December 2020 Thanksgiving Service
#VictoryAtLast

Text: 2 Chronicles 20:20-23

- Pastor Adeboye

December 2020 Thanksgiving Service
#VictoryAtLast

Today is a great day of thanksgiving.
I’m decreeing to everyone of you that your victory will be absolute. That the Almighty God will give you victory and it will be complete.

- Pastor Adeboye

December 2020 Thanksgiving Service
#VictoryAtLast

Are you sick? Are you in debt? Call in an ally.
2 Kings 4:1-7
Don’t let pride come in between you and your breakthrough.
Acts 9:35-41

- Pastor Adeboye

December 2020 Thanksgiving Service
#VictoryAtLast

After a zoom meeting ended and the 'boss' people had left, the subordinates lingered back for a little casual banter. Nothing much, the same old "how-we-miss-office-and-how-the-old-normal-should-return" stuff. (1/10)

The most bubbly lady was uncharacteristically silent. She got talking after a little prodding.

"My kids have rebelled. I had introduced this idea of a reward system. We would never step out with the kids in the lockdown earlier. Now that things are getting better... (2/10)

… I promised them weekly longdrives if they behaved, cleaned up their rooms and did their homework. I also thought I could increase their pocketmoney, that there are no major expenditures since lockdown."

"Wow, that's good!" (3/10)

"The kids don't think. They've vetoed the whole idea and are raking more fights. They said they always deserved more pocketmoney!"

"They're right!" Said a perpetually single colleague in his late twenties. (4/10)

"No! Pocketmoney is based on how they behave. How regular they are with their homework, or how do they do household chores!"

"So, you paid them less for the same chores earlier?"

"Doing homework is their duty, chores are a way of roleplaying adulthood!" (5/10)

731 days ago I set out a goal that I had no way of knowing it would go this far. No real reason to even do it, other than to expand my learning capabilities. I started using Duolingo to learn Spanish. 15-45 minutes per day, everyday for 2 years straight. Every morning.

You may ask yourself what is the significance of that? Well, I wasn't awake at that time & I was re-learning life as I had been a criminal & drug addict who had only completed his sentence 1½ years earlier. Everything I did was without God. Then something changed while in jail.

I began to pray about 90 days in.

That was the day I was no longer a drug addict. Ya see, I was still planning on getting high & wanting the prescription drugs. Until that fateful night when I prayed. Like magic, I stopped thinking about getting high. A year later, I'm about to

Be released in 2-3 months & I decide to start working out. I was 280 lbs about 4 years earlier and lost that weight due to a physical job & cutting out sugar. But never worked out & at this moment I started to work out. A small goal that I would tell everyone was what God wanted

Me to do. So, I did it. Little by little I started carving out a muscular physique & lost all the soft, doughy parts. Then comes along Spanish less than 2 years later. Another small goal of just take it little by little. No end in sight. I just want to see how good I can do.

hindsight is 20/20. Michael Burry would have been buried and forgotten in the annals of history if the housing boom had continued for just six more months. now, he is considered a whiz kid. life can be funny.