In honor of this week’s RightsCon and 360/OS Summit, we dug into the #TwitterFiles to revisit the integration of the Atlantic Council’s anti-disinformation arm, the Digital Forensic Research Labs (DFRLabs), while also highlighting its relationship with weapons manufacturers, Big Oil, Big Tech, and others who fund the NATO-aligned think tank.

The Atlantic Council is unique among “non-governmental” organizations thanks to its lavish support from governments and the energy, finance, and weapons sectors. It’s been a key player in the development of the “anti-disinformation” sector from the beginning.
It wasn’t an accident when its DFRLabs was chosen in 2018 to help Facebook “monitor for misinformation and foreign interference,” after the platform came under intense congressional scrutiny as a supposed unwitting participant in a Russian influence campaign.
Press uniformly described DFRLabs as an independent actor that would merely “improve security,” and it was left to media watchdog FAIR to point out that the Council was and is “dead center in what former President Obama’s deputy national security advisor Ben Rhodes called ‘the blob.’”

What’s “the blob”? FAIR described it as “Washington’s bipartisan foreign-policy consensus,” but thanks to the Twitter Files, we can give a more comprehensive portrait.
In the runup to the 360/OS event in that same year, 2018, Graham Brookie of the Atlantic Council boasted to Twitter executives that the attendees would include the crème de la crème of international influence, people he explained resided at the “no-kidding decision-maker level”

Similar correspondence to and from DFRLabs and Twitter outlined early efforts to bring together as partners groups that traditionally served as watchdogs of one another.
Perhaps more even than the World Economic Forum meetings at Davos or gatherings of the Aspen Institute in the US, the Atlantic Council 360/OS confabs are as expansive a portrait of the Censorship-Industrial Complex as we’ve found collected in one place.

In October 2018, DFRLab was instrumental in helping Facebook identify accounts for what became known as “the purge,” a first set of deletions of sites accused of “coordinated inauthentic behavior.”
Facebook in its announcement of these removals said it was taking steps against accounts created to “stir up political debate,” and the October 2018 “purge” indeed included the likes of Punk Rock Libertarians, Cop Block, and Right Wing News, among others. Even the progressive Reverb Press, founded by a relatively mainstream progressive named James Reader, found his site zapped after years of pouring thousands of dollars a month into Facebook marketing tools.

In the years since, DFRLab has become the central coordination node in the Censorship Industrial Complex as well as a key protagonist in the Election Integrity Partnership and the Virality Project.
Its high-profile role at RightsCon, the biggest civil society digital rights event on the calendar, should concern human rights and free expression activists.

According to their London 2019 event “360/OS brings together journalists, activists, innovators, and leaders from around the world as part of our grassroots digital solidarity movement fighting for objective truth as a foundation of democracy.”
Their Digital Sherlocks program aims to “identify, expose, and explain disinformation.”

The Twitter Files reveal DFRLabs labeled as “disinformation” content that often turned out to be correct, that they participated in disinformation campaigns and the suppression of “true” information, and that they lead the coordination of a host of actors who do the same.

Twitter Files #17 showed how DFRLabs sent Twitter more than 40,000 names of alleged BJP (India’s ruling nationalist party) accounts that they suggested be taken down.
DFRLab said it suspected these were “paid employees or possibly volunteers.” However as Racket’s Matt Taibbi noted, “the list was full of ordinary Americans, many with no connection to India and no clue about Indian politics.”
Twitter recognized there was little illegitimate about them, resulting in DFRLabs pulling the project and cutting ties with the researcher.

Twitter Files #19 further revealed DFRLab was a core partner in the Election Integrity Partnership (EIP), which “came together in June of 2020 at the encouragement of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA” in order to “fill the gaps legally” that government couldn’t.
As a result, there are serious questions as to whether the EIP violated the US First Amendment.

DFRLabs was also a core partner on the Virality Project, which pushed its seven Big Tech partners to censor “stories of true vaccine side-effects.”

The Stanford Internet Observatory, which led the project, is now being sued by the New Civil Liberties Alliance for its censorship of “online support groups catering to those injured by Covid vaccines.”
Debate as to the frequency of serious adverse events is ongoing, however. The German health minister put it at 1 in 10,000, while others claim it is higher.

The Virality Project sought to suppress any public safety signals at all. The Stanford Internet Observatory is also at the moment reportedly resisting a House Judiciary Committee subpoena into its activities.

TwitterFiles #20 revealed some of the Digital Forensic Lab’s 2018 360/0S events, which brought together military leaders, human rights organizations, the Huffington Post, Facebook and Twitter, Edelman (the world’s biggest PR firm), the head of the Munich Security Conference, the head of the World Economic Forum (Borge Brende) a former President, Prime Minister and CIA head, intel front BellingCat and future Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa, all to combat “disinformation.” We can now reveal more.

The Atlantic Council is a NATO-aligned think tank established in 1961. Its board of directors and advisory board are a Who’s Who of corporate, intelligence and military power, including:

• James Clapper – former Director of National Intelligence whose tenure included overseeing the NSA during the time of the Snowden leaks. Asked whether intelligence officials collect data on Americans Clapper responded “No, sir,” and, “Not wittingly.” Clapper also coordinated intelligence community activity through the early stages of Russiagate, and his office authored a key January 2017 report concluding that Russians interfered in 2016 to help Donald Trump. Clapper has been a 360/OS attendee.
  
• Stephen Hadley, United States National Security Advisor from 2005 to 2009 (also a 360/OS attendee)
  
• Henry Kissinger, former US Secretary of State who oversaw the carpet bombing of Vietnam, among other crimes against humanity
  
• Pfizer CEO Anthony Bourla
  
• Stephen A. Schwarzman, Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder, The Blackstone Group
  
• Meta’s President for Global Affairs, Nick Clegg
  
• Richard Edelman, CEO of the world’s largest PR firm (and 360/OS attendee)
  
• The Rt. Hon. Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, Former Secretary General of NATO
  
• Ambassador Robert B. Zoellick, Former President of the World Bank
  
• Leon Panetta, former US Secretary of Defense & CIA Director. Panetta oversaw the US’s massive growth in drone strikes.
  
• John F. W. Rogers. Goldman Sachs Secretary of the Board
  

Chuck Hagel, chairman of the Council, sits on the board of Chevron and is also a former US Secretary of Defence.

The Atlantic Council raised $70 million in 2022, $25 million of which came from corporate interests.
Among the biggest donors were: the US Departments of Defense State, Goldman Sachs, the Rockefeller Foundation, Craigslist founder Craig Newmark, Google, Crescent Petroleum, Chevron, Lockheed Martin, General Atomics, Meta, Blackstone, Apple, BP, eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, Raytheon, ExxonMobil, Shell, Twitter, and many more.
Ukraine’s scandal-ridden energy company, Burisma, whose links to Hunter Biden were suppressed by the August 2020 table-top exercise coordinated by the Aspen Institute, also made a contribution.

You can view the full 2022 “honor roll” by clicking here.

The Atlantic Council and DFRLabs don’t hide their militarist affiliations.
This week’s OS/360 event at RightsCon Costa Rica runs together with a 360/OS at NATO’s Riga StratCom Dialogue, which DFRLab note they have “worked closely with” “since 2016.”

DFRLabs was founded in 2016, and has been a major catalyst in expanding the “anti-disinformation” industry.
Among non-governmental entities, perhaps only the Aspen Institute comes close to matching the scope, scale and funding power of DFRLabs.
DFRLabs claims to chart “the evolution of disinformation and other online and technological harms, especially as they relate to the DFRLab’s leadership role in establishing shared definitions, frameworks, and mitigation practices.”

Almost $7 million of the Atlantic Council’s $61 million spent last year went to the DRFLabs, according to their 2022 annual financial report.

Through its fellowship program, it has incubated leading figures in the “disinformation” field.

Richard Stengel, the first director of the Global Engagement Center (GEC), was a fellow.
GEC is an interagency group “within” the State Department (also a funder of the Atlantic Council), whose initial partners included the FBI, DHS, NSA, CIA, DARPA, Special Operations Command (SOCOM), and others.
GEC is now a major funder of DFRLabs and a frequent partner

In this video, Stengel says, “I’m not against propaganda. Every country does it, they have to do it to their own population, and I don’t think it’s that awful.”
Stengel was true to his word, and apart from DFRLab, the GEC funded the Global Disinformation Index, which set out to demonetize conservative media outlets it claimed were “disinformation.” (See 37. in the censorship list)

He thought the now-disgraced Hamilton68 was “fantastic.” In total, GEC funded 39 organizations in 2017.
Despite Freedom of Information requests, only 3 have been made public to date.

Roughly $78 million of GEC’s initial $100 million budget outlay for fiscal year 2017 came from the Pentagon, though the budgetary burden has shifted more toward the State Department in the years since.

The Global Engagement Center was established in the last year of Barack Obama’s presidency, via a combination of an executive order and a bipartisan congressional appropriation, led by Ohio Republican Rob Portman and Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy.
The GEC was and remains virtually unknown, but reporting in the Twitter Files and by outlets like the Washington Examiner have revealed it to be a significant financial and logistical supporter of “anti-disinformation” causes.

Though tasked by Obama with countering “foreign state and non-state propaganda and disinformation efforts aimed at undermining United States national security interests,” its money has repeatedly worked its way back in the direction of policing domestic content, with Gabe Kaminsky’s Examiner reports on the GDI providing the most graphic example.

GEC frequently sent lists of “disinformation agents to Twitter.” Yoel Roth, former head of Trust and Safety referred to one list as a “total crock.” Roth is now a member of DFRLab’s Task Force for a Trustworthy Future Web. Let’s hope he brings more trust than Stengel. You can read more on GEC’s funding here.

Other DFRLab luminaries include Simon Clark, Chairman of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (a UK “anti-disinformation” outfit that aggressively deplatforms dissidents), Ben Nimmo (previously a NATO press officer, then of Graphika (EIP and the Virality Project partners) and now Facebook’s Global Threat Intelligence Lead), and Eliot Higgins of Bellingcat.

Bellingcat has an ominous reputation, which it’s earned in numerous ways, including its funding by the National Endowment for Democracy...

Most recently, Bellingcat assisted in the arrest of the 21-year-old Pentagon leaker, further speeding up the abandonment of the Pentagon Papers Principal where the media protected, rather than persecuted, leakers.
Bellingcat was part of 360/OS backroom meetings with former intel chiefs, the head of Davos and the Munich security conference among many others, as we will see soon.

The Virality Project built on the EIP and had partnerships with Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Google, TikTok and more to combat vaccine “misinformation.”
Stanford and DFRLab partnered with the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public, Graphika, NYU Tandon School of Engineering and Center for Social Media and Politics, and the National Congress on Citizenship.

Through a shared Jira ticketing system they connected these Big Tech platforms together, with Graphika using sophisticated AI to surveil the online conversation at scale in order to catch “misinformation” troublemakers.

VP went far beyond any kind of misinformation remit, most infamously recommending to their Big Tech partners that they consider “true stories of vaccine side effects” as “standard misinformation on your platform.”

A Virality Project partner called the Algorithmic Transparency Initiative (a project of the National Congress on Citizenship) went further.
Their Junkipedia initiative sought to address “problematic content” via the “automated collection of data” from “closed messaging apps,” and by building a Stasi-like “civic listening corps,” which in recent years has taken on a truly sinister-sounding mission.
The current incarnation might as well be called “SnitchCorps,” as “volunteers have an opportunity to join a guided monitoring shift to actively participate in monitoring topics that disrupt communities”

Garret Graff, who oversaw the Aspen Hunter Biden table-top exercise, was chairman of that same National Congress on Citizenship when they collaborated on the Virality Project.
Both EIP and VP were led by Renee DiResta of the Stanford Internet Observatory, a former CIA fellow who engineered the now disgraced New Knowledge initiative, which developed fake Russian bots to discredit a 2017 Alabama senate race candidate, as acknowledged by the Washington Post.

DFRLab are the elite of the “anti-disinformation” elite.
They work closely with a wide range of actors who have participated in actual disinformation initiatives.
Here they’re invited to an elite Twitter group set up by Nick Pickles of “anti-disinformation” luminaries First Draft, also participants in the Hunter Biden laptop tabletop, and the Alliance for Security Democracy, part of the RussiaGate Hamilton68 disinformation operation.

The 360/OS event marries this tarnished record with the financial, political, military, NGO, academic and intelligence elite. Some of this is visible through publicly available materials.
Twitter Files however reveal the behind the scenes, including closed door, off-the-record meetings.

“I’ve just arrived in Kyiv” Brookie notes in 2017, as he seeks to line up a meeting with Public Policy Director Nick Pickles as they discuss Twitter providing a USD $150K contribution to OS/360 (seemingly secured), and to garner high level Twitter participation.
Pickles is visiting DC and Brookie suggests he also meet with the GEC and former FBI agent Clint Watts of Hamilton 68 renown. “Happy to make those connections,” he chimes.

360/OS events are elite and expensive — $1 million according to Brookie — so closer collaboration with Twitter, especially in the form of funding, is a high priority.
Twitter offers $150,000

When Brookie mentions the attendees at the “no-kidding decision maker level” he isn’t kidding.
Parallel to the 360/OS public program is the much more important off-the-record meeting of “decision makers ranging from the C-Suite to the Situation Room.”

Here, he is explicit about a convening of military and financial power.
Vanguard 25 is presented as a way to “create a discreet and honest way to close the information gap on challenges like disinformation between key decision makers from government, tech, and media.”

The document boasts of its high-level participants

More are revealed in email exchanges, including Madeleine Albright and the head of the WEF

They go on to list a bizarre mishmash of media leaders, intelligence officials, and current or former heads of state

...Germany’s Angela Merkel was out of reach in the end, but many of the others attended this behind the scenes meeting on “disinformation.” Who are they?

• Matthias Dopfner – CEO and 22% owner of German media empire Axel Springer SE, the biggest media publishing firm in Europe
  
• Borge Brende – head of the World Economic Forum and former Norwegian foreign minister
  
• Toomas Hendrick Ilves – former President of Estonia who co-chairs the World Economic Forum’s Global Futures Council on Blockchain Technology. Hendrick is also a fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (where the Stanford Internet Observatory is housed) and is on the advisory council of the Alliance for Securing Democracy, of Hamilton 68 renown.
  
• Chris Sacca – billionaire venture capitalist
  
• Mounir Mahjoubi – previously Digital Manager for President Macron’s presidential campaign, and former Chairman of the French Digital Council
  
• Reid Hoffman – billionaire and Linkedin co-founder
  
• Ev Williams – Former CEO of Twitter and on the Twitter board at the time
  
• Kara Swisher – New York Times opinion writer, who founded Vox Media Recode
  
• Wolfgang Ischinger - Head of the Munich Security Conference
  
• Aleksander Kwasniewski – Former President of Poland. Led Poland into NATO and the EU.
  
• Richard Edelman – CEO of the largest PR company in the world
  
• Elliot Shrage – previously Vice-President of Public Policy at Facebook (DFRLab had election integrity projects with Facebook)
  
• Lydia Polgreen – Huffington Post Editor in Chief
  
• Jim Clapper –former US Director of National Intelligence
  
• Maria Ressa – co-founder of Rappler and soon to be winner of the Nobel Peace Prize
  

Why would such a group all gather specifically around the question of “disinformation”?
Is disinformation truly at such a level that it requires bringing together the world’s most popular author with military and intelligence leaders, the world’s biggest PR company, journalists, billionaires, Big Tech and more?

Or is this work to build the case that there is a disinformation crisis, to then justify the creation of a massive infrastructure for censorship? A glimpse of the agenda offers clues

Here the head of the most important military and intelligence conference in the world (Munich) sits down in a closed door meeting with a former Secretary of State and the Executive Vice-Chair of the Atlantic Council.

Which is followed by a closed door session with the Editor-in Chief of the ...Huffington Post and peace-maker Maria Ressa who presented to the same group of military, intelligence, corporate and other elites.
Is the role of a journalist and Nobel laureate to work behind closed doors with militarists and billionaires, or to hold them to account?

At 2022’s OS/360 at RightsCon Ressa conducted a softball interview on disinformation with current US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

In testimony last April 2023, former CIA deputy director Michael Morrell stated that Blinken “set in motion the events that led to the issuance of the public statement” by more than 50 former intelligence officials that the Hunter Biden laptop had “all the classic earmarks of a Russia information operation.”

The Twitter Files also revealed that in August 2020 the Aspen Institute organized a table-top exercise to practice how best to respond to a “hack and leak” of a Hunter Biden laptop.
The laptop only came to light however two months later.
In attendance was First Draft (now the Information Futures Lab), the New York Times, Washington Post, Rolling Stone, CNN, Yahoo! News, Facebook, Twitter and more.

Here, DFRLab head Graham Brookie speaks with the Aspen Institute’s Garret Graff, who coordinated the Hunter Biden tabletop exercise.

After it turned out the Hunter Biden laptop was real, and the disinformation operation was more appropriately described as having been led by the likes of Blinken and the Aspen Institute.
The appropriate response is apparently for RightsCon, DFRLab, Blinken and Ressa to put on a nice forum to promote these figures as “anti-disinformation” leaders.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8YTPuTC9xs

Former DFRLab fellow and intel front Bellingcat founder Eliot Higgins is also invited to the closed door sessions with a former head of the CIA, a former Prime Minister and a President.

How do you keep power accountable when you are in the same cozy club? This theme runs throughout.
Bellingcat is featured heavily at the public sessions also

On the public side, we see Amnesty International participating to further collapse the distinction between those who are meant to hold power to account, and the powerful themselves.
The Iraq war gave us embedded journalists, and the “anti-disinformation” field gives us embedded digital rights activists.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Chris Krebs also joined the closed door session.
Krebs was Co-Chair of the Aspen Institute’s Commission on Information Disorder.
Other members included Prince Harry, the Virality Project’s Alex Stamos (Stanford Internet Observatory) and Kate Starbird (University of Washington and previous 360/OS participant), Katie Couric, and more. Craig Newmark attended as an observer.

Meanwhile Renee DiResta, former CIA fellow and Stanford Internet Observatory Research Director, presented with the former Prime Minister of Sweden.
This was years before she would launch the Virality Project, and take on the bugbear of “true stories of vaccine side effects.”

The President of the Atlantic Council participated in an “off-the-record, “ behind closed doors conversation on “trust” with the CEO of the world’s biggest PR firm, Edelman.

“Public relations” and “trust” may well be opposites, and trust is being destroyed not by the disinformation street crime that these groups claim to target, but by the disinformation corporate crime protected by, or in some cases created by these same people.
Disinformation is real, but its biggest purveyors are governments and powerful corporate interests.

DFRLab and RightsCon show just how far the capture of civil society by elite interests has come. Again, I made a mistake helping to co-organize RightsCon in 2015.

The jumping in bed with the government and Big Tech was arguably there in 2015, though to a much lesser degree.
It now partners with militarists in the form of the Atlantic Council and is an enabler of the “disinformation” grift that is so deeply impacting freedom of speech and expression.

The air-gaps that should separate civil society, media, military, billionaires, intelligence and government have collapsed, and many of these actors have formed a new alliance to advance their shared interests.
If weapons manufacturers funding human rights is considered legitimate then where is the red line? Effectively, there is none.

This collapse however has also been pushed by funders, who have been proactive in asking NGOs to collaborate more with Big Tech and government - something I successfully resisted for my almost 18 years at EngageMedia, critically RightsCon was the only time I let my guard down.

The RightsCon sponsor matrix wouldn’t be out of place at NASCAR
This is the equivalent of hosting a Climate Change conference sponsored by Shell, BP, Chevron, and ExxonMobil.

How do you keep power accountable when Big Tech pays your wage? The “let’s all work together” approach has failed.
The weakest partner, civil society, got captured and we lost.
Many more lost their way and have acquiesced to and often enabled much of the new censorship regime.

https://www.racket.news/p/twitter-files-extra-how-the-worlds

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2 June 2023 5:54 PM
Dear Management
From the union we thank the management team for negotiating with our team in a civilized manner. Through the negotiation the union team and management have come to an agreement that will benefit both sides. We thank you for responding in a timely manner and it helped our team reach an agreement that will help the company and benefit the employees. We have confirmed to agree on the following:
Multi Week Roster Cycle
Ø A five-week cycle that improves the work life balance for employees and increases productivity in the company that also decreases turnover in the organization that creates job satisfaction.
Ø In the five-week cycle there will be measures that will manage fatigue and allow for rest and recovery.
Ø A rotation of shifts that will decrease repetition of work and will allow work engagement and to make them feel valued.
Ø A shift allocation system that allows them to feel like they are involved by skills that will be implemented and regularly reviewed for transparency and fairness.
Ø Premier Bank is open to communicate and train employees for the new system in place to provide a smooth transition.
Annual leave
Ø 3 weeks’ notice without pay’.
Ø 5 days without penalty
Ø Providing support to anyone in need of support
Work From Home Arrangements
Ø We agreed that the employees will not be contacted outside of their scheduled work hours which includes answering emails and meetings.
Ø We have agreed upon employees who are on standby to keep their phones switched in case they are called for work with extra hour pay according to section 20 of the banking award.
Ø Agreed upon excluding deadlines as work emergencies.
Ø Agreed that all the office and work employees will be equally treated.
Ø We agree all employees will have opportunities for reward, training and development based on merit.
We have agreed upon the 3 main points: Multi Week Roster Cycle, Annual leave and Work from home arrangement. We would like to thank management for all the efforts providing for the negotiation allowing both teams to negotiate effectively that allowed both sides to benefit.
Thank you for your time.
Kind regards
Members Benefit Union
Reply Quote Grade as ReadThread:NegotiationPost:RE: NegotiationAuthor:📷 Abdul MahroofPosted Date:2 June 2023 5:45 PMStatus:Published
To the Members Benefit Union,
Thank you for bringing forward your request and proposal for the Length of the cycle, annual leave and working from home employee. We are hasten to come into an agreement into these following:

1. Length of the cycle

Thank you for elaborating on your position and providing further insights into the benefits of a longer five-week cycle. We understand the importance of work-life balance, employee well-being, and the potential positive impact on productivity and job satisfaction. Your points regarding the advantages of longer breaks, reduced stress levels, and improved mental health are well taken.
To address the concerns of employee burnout and fatigue, we are open to exploring additional measures within the five-week cycle that can effectively manage fatigue and provide opportunities for rest and recovery. This may include incorporating additional breaks or introducing more flexibility in shift assignments. By implementing such measures, we can ensure that employees have the necessary time to recuperate and maintain their well-being.
We appreciate your agreement on the importance of a rotating shift schedule to prevent monotony and enhance employee engagement and satisfaction. By considering both employee preferences and operational requirements, we can design a rotation system that strikes a balance between the needs of Premier Bank Pty Ltd and the well-being of the employees. We believe this inclusive approach will foster a sense of fairness and empowerment among the workforce.
Your support for the proposed shift allocation system, which takes into account factors such as seniority, employee preferences, and skill sets, is valued. Regular reviews of the allocation system to address any imbalances and make necessary adjustments based on employee feedback will indeed ensure transparency and maintain fairness over time. We agree that this will contribute to employee satisfaction and confidence in the scheduling process.
We appreciate your recognition of Premier Bank Pty Ltd's commitment to effective communication and training. We will continue to develop a comprehensive communication plan to ensure employees are well-informed about the new roster system and its benefits. Training sessions will equip employees with the necessary knowledge and skills to adapt smoothly to the changes. Furthermore, establishing a dedicated support system to address any challenges during the transition is a prudent suggestion, and we will ensure that necessary resources are available to assist employees during this period.
2. Regarding Annual Leave Considerations
In regards to annual leave, we do understand your concern in regards to gender in the workplace. We acknowledge that women are the majority that make up the workforce, but we also need to consider the minorities. In this stance, we would like to create a diverse and gender neutral bias in the workplace environment and offer support for those who are struggling, not just the majority. We will work alongside counselling services for those who are considering it rough and need someone to talk to.
Ideally we do understand the balance between home and work, as well as taking account of “unpredictable nature of life”. Understanding that mental health also has an effect on performance, which is important for us in terms of productivity and efficiency
Considering your request of a 21 day notice period, we do understand the impact and the importance this has on our members here at Premiere Bank Pty Ltd on their mental health as well as mental wellbeing, and we agree to this request.
3) Working from home
We appreciate your request and suggestion regarding the work hours and expectations of employees who work from home. Your request demonstrates that you are committed to ensuring that all of our employees are treated fairly and have a healthy work-life balance.
Following thorough consideration, we would like to respond to the following request:
Clocking off and contacting outside work hours:
We recognise that respecting employee hours outside of work is crucial to ensuring their value within the culture of our organisation. As a prominent bank, we believe that our employees are a significant factor in our success. We concur that employees should not be contacted by non-employees after work hours unless it is an emergency, and we will exclude non-emergencies such as working under a tight deadline. The employee will not receive any activity or communications outside of working hours.This will ensure employees maintain a healthy work-life balance that will value their other commitment .
Phone availability and work responsibility
We appreciate that you have proposed that employees on standby retain their phones and do not attend meetings outside of normal business hours. For this reason, the management team has agreed that employees will not be contacted or required to perform work activities outside of normal business hours. However, employees who are on standby will not receive any work activities or be required to respond to emails until they are summoned into work. For this, we will adhere to section 18.1 of the ma000019 banking, finance, and insurance award for 2020, which stipulates a two-hour minimum wage for contingency employers. Standby employees will only require to respond to their working activities in which they are called into work.
Equal treatment for office and work from home
We appreciate that you have brought up the issue of equal treatment for remote and in-office employees. As a leading bank, we value the fairness and equality of our employees, regardless of whether they labour in the office or at home. We have carefully considered your suggestion and decided to implement the rules regarding logging off, contracting outside of worklife hours, and contingent employees for employees working from home or the office. Additionally, we appreciate that you mentioned the preference for office workers over remote workers. According to Section 46 of the Anti-Discrimination Act of 1977, as a premier bank, we firmly believe in providing our employees with equal opportunities at work and not favouring a particular employee. We as a preeminent bank run on a merit based system. We will provide our employees with awards, performance reviews, and training and development based on their individual merits, not their place of employment.
We appreciate your dedication to achieving a mutually beneficial agreement. Thank you for your appreciation and understanding of our employee. We eagerly anticipate reaching an agreement.
From,
Management, Premier Bank PTY LTD

Reply Quote Grade as ReadThread:NegotiationPost:RE: NegotiationAuthor:📷 Jalal RahmanPosted Date:1 June 2023 11:58 PMStatus:Published
Dear Management, Premier Bank Pty Ltd,
Multi-week Roster Cycle
We appreciate your prompt response and consideration of the proposed roster cycle changes. We appreciate that you recognize the significance of coming to an agreement that is equitable and beneficial to both parties. In light of the points you brought up, we'd like to elaborate on our position and offer some ideas to ensure that everyone understands our point of view fully.
Right off the bat, we need to stress the expected advantages of a more drawn-out five-week cycle for both the workers and the bank. This long-term would give employees all the more back-to-back days off, considering a better balance between work-life balance and personal mental health improvement and working on prosperity. Employees who have access to longer breaks consistently report reduced levels of stress, improved mental health, and boosted job satisfaction, according to research. Premier Bank Pty Ltd can create a positive work environment that boosts productivity, loyalty, and ultimately customer satisfaction by placing a high priority on employee well-being.
Although we are aware of the concerns raised regarding employee burnout and fatigue, we are of the firm belief that a cycle of five weeks that has been thoughtfully designed can effectively address these issues. Premier Bank Pty Ltd can reduce fatigue risks and ensure employees have enough time to relax and recover by looking into additional breaks or making shift assignments more flexible. Employees' long-term performance and job satisfaction will both benefit from these measures, as will their physical and mental health.
As far as the Rotation design, we concur that a turning shift timetable can add to worker commitment and occupation fulfillment by giving assortment and staying away from dreariness. We perceive the significance of finding some harmony between worker predilections and functional requirements. We can construct a timetable that meets the needs of Premier Bank Pty Ltd while also appreciating the importance and well-being of the employees by jointly designing a rotation system that takes into account both aspects. The workforce will experience a sense of fairness and empowerment as a result of this inclusive strategy.
In any negotiation, equity and fairness remain paramount. We value the bank's help with the proposed shift portion framework, which considers factors like status, worker inclinations, and ranges of abilities. This strategy ensures that shifts are distributed fairly and gives all employees equal chances to work desirable shifts. In any case, to keep up with straightforwardness and address any possible uneven situations over the long run, we propose executing standard surveys of the allocation framework. These audits will take into account changes in light of worker criticism, guaranteeing that the dispersion of movements stays fair and sustains representative fulfillment and confidence.
Regarding implementation and change, we would like to reiterate our appreciation for Premier Bank Pty Ltd.'s dedication to efficient training and communication. During the transition period, it is essential to communicate clearly and promptly to ensure that employees comprehend the new roster system and its benefits. In addition, comprehensive training sessions will give workers the knowledge and abilities they need to smoothly adjust to the modifications. To address any difficulties that may arise during the transition period, we also recommend establishing a specialized support system. This support system might consist of designated personnel or a helpdesk that can guide and assist employees, ensuring that the implementation goes off without a hitch.
In conclusion, we strongly believe that we can reach an agreement that prioritizes employee well-being while aligning with Premier Bank Pty Ltd's operational requirements by considering the benefits of a longer cycle, implementing measures to reduce fatigue, and fostering equity and fair shift allocation. We value the collaborative approach taken by both parties and the open exchange of ideas throughout this negotiation process. We can come to an agreement that not only meets the needs of the bank and its employees but also sets a good example for the financial services industry as a whole by working together.
Directed Annual Leave
We want to express our appreciation for your open-minded approach to this discussion. You've shown understanding when considering the unique situation of our part-time and casual employees, and we can't stress enough how important that is, however further discussions has highlighted the need to support the women in the workforce that make up 65% of workers
We value your receptiveness to the leave conditions for part-time employees. It shows a commitment to fair working conditions for all. As for casual employees, we understand their unique employment terms, including the 25% loading on their hourly rate.
We appreciate your perspective on a four-week notice period for leave, taking into account Premier Bank Pty Ltd's operational needs. We believe this is not flexible enough for employees. Taking into account the unpredictable nature of life. With a 65% workforce of women balancing work and home, we still think a slightly shorter, three-week notice period could work better for everyone especially with those balancing a family. It would allow for more flexibility in our employees' lives without causing any major disruption to business operations and we are firmly committed to this.
Lastly, the issue of unused leave days. Your suggestion of allowing five days without penalty seems fair. Balancing the operations aspect of the business is difficult and whilst also taking employees into account is delicate and should be treated accordingly. However, because of this, and your willingness to work with a more appropriate solution, we would like to inform you that we have agreed to the five day period.
Our aim in all of this is to create a workspace that caters to the needs of everyone, from the full-time staff to the part-timers and casual employees. We believe that by increasing job satisfaction through a better balance between home and work, operations will run smoother which also means things are more productive.
Work-from-Home
We, the union team, are happy that we have agreed to not be contacted outside of work and the ability to work from home. We also are happy to hear that all employees who work from home will be compensated for all office Equipment from the time they clock on and the time they clock off.
We the union team would like to bring forward that the management allow the employees to clock off when scheduled hours end and that the employees not to be contacted as the management team suggest that the employees be available for emergencies.
A workplace emergency only applies if an incident that puts your workers, clients, or the public in danger; poses a disruption risk to your business's operation; or results in property damage is considered a workplace emergency. We believe the definition of workplace emergency may be misunderstood that it should be something that threatens the employees but not something like a ‘deadline’ and may abuse the employees from clocking off from work and contacting the employees outside of work hours. As a bank the union believes that there won’t be any workplace emergency that the other employees cannot handle and if the employees who work in the office are not to be contacted outside the office/work hours the same should apply for employees working from home. This is considered as unfair for the employees who work from home and that they are being treated differently.
The union team can realize if an urgent work-related circumstance comes up, but we still believe it is unfair for employees who work from home to be available. We will only accept that the employees keep their phone on and answer calls, but they shouldn’t be required to answer any emails or be required to complete any work outside of work hours as it disrupts the work life balance of employees because these are not considered as workplace emergencies. As in other countries there is a law that has banned contacting employees outside of work to respect personal boundaries. As Australia doesn’t have a law that enforces that we would like to implement a clause that does something similar. We propose a counteroffer that the employees will keep their phones on but not required to complete any work outside of work hours and not be able to attend any meetings outside of work hours.
As the management has stated ‘that employees have obligations to their families and to themselves outside of the workplace’. We require them to get the same treatment as the people in the office and work from home employees for after hour availability.
We expect the employees to keep their phones on but not be required to complete any work outside work hours even though they will be being paid. We believe it’ll disrupt the work life balance of the employees and be seen as unfair treatment and cause pressure, tension and fear of being terminated if not being available after work hours. We will agree to your proposal of working extra hours a maximum of 2 hours but the employees who work from the office should also be required to work extra hours and this will provide equality.
Additionally, our union team would like to suggest a provision prohibiting career advancement favoring employees who operate from offices over those who work from home, as it has been noticed that work from home workers are 38% less inclined to be awarded bonuses, receive low performance reviews, and advance through the ranks more gradually than those who work in office environments. Employers have been observed to have a prejudice against remote workers because it is more challenging for managers to directly observe the work that work from home employees are in fact doing than it is for office workers. Because of the absence of awareness when working from home, it is frequently believed that work from home workers are rarely working or possibly aren't working at all.
We look forward to continuing our discussions to reach a mutually beneficial agreement that serves the best interests of all parties involved and maintains our commitment to the negotiation process.
Kind Regard Members Benefit Union
Reply Quote Grade as ReadThread:NegotiationPost:RE: NegotiationAuthor:📷 Abdul MahroofPosted Date:29 May 2023 1:39 PMStatus:Published
To the Members Benefit Union,
Thank you for your letter outlining the proposed changes to the multi-week roster cycle, annual leave provision, and working-from-home privileges for employees. We value the union team's thoughtful considerations and recognise the significance of reaching a fair and mutually beneficial agreement.

1. Members Benefit Union (MBU) acknowledges Premier Bank Pty Ltd's proposal for a four-week cycle with an average of 38 hours per week. We understand the bank's operational requirements and the desire for work-life balance. However, we still believe that a five-week cycle would better address the concerns of employee fatigue and burnout.

In a longer cycle, employees would have more consecutive days off, allowing for better rest and recovery. This would contribute to their overall well-being and productivity. We suggest exploring ways to effectively manage fatigue within a five-week cycle, such as implementing additional rest periods or providing flexibility in shift assignments.
Regarding the pattern of rotation, we agree that a rotating shift schedule can provide variety and prevent monotony. By considering both employee preferences and operational needs, we can strike a balance that accommodates the requirements of Premier Bank Pty Ltd while ensuring employee satisfaction.
To address equity and fairness, we support the proposed shift allocation system that considers factors such as seniority, employee preferences, and skill sets. However, we recommend including regular reviews of the allocation system to address any imbalances and make necessary adjustments based on employee feedback. This would ensure transparency and maintain a fair distribution of shifts over time.
In terms of change and implementation, effective communication and training are crucial. We appreciate Premier Bank Pty Ltd's commitment to developing a comprehensive communication plan and conducting training sessions. We also encourage the establishment of a support system to address any challenges that may arise during the transition.
Let's continue the negotiation process, considering the benefits of a longer cycle and finding ways to mitigate fatigue while maintaining operational efficiency. By collaborating and valuing the input of both parties, we can reach an agreement that promotes employee well-being and meets Premier Bank Pty Ltd's operational requirements.
2)
As per your request, we will also make certain conditions based upon annual leave. We are happy to consider annual leave conditions mentioned by part time employees, but with considerations to casual employees, we won’t be able to make this happen. Casual employees are able to receive a 25% loading as per the casuals’ hourly rate.
In relation to the notice period of leave, we also need to consider the workload here at Premier Bank Pty Ltd, considering that a roster cycle is every 4 weeks, we can settle on 4 weeks notice period which also allows us to find someone else to cover that specific position, as well as role.
As per the mention in regards to the unused days without penalty, management needs to consider potential financial impacts, as well as staffing and operational needs. To your terms, we are understanding that with all these factors in comparison to your request, we are looking at meeting in the middle with a week (5) days which we are able to find a staff member to cover for those hours missing.
3) Working from home: We appreciate your attention to the employee's ability to work remotely and the option to avoid work-related contact outside of normal business hours. We hold both of these liberties in high regard. We will have completed our review of your suggestion regarding the ability of employees to cease communication outside of normal business hours, and we thank you for requesting that we do so. We are aware that employees have obligations to their families and to themselves outside of the workplace. We are aware that interacting with them outside of their normal work hours may cause them unnecessary tension, which may have a negative impact on their mental health and work performance. We prioritize the physical and mental health of our employees because we are a prominent financial institution. Despite this, there is always a chance that certain employees will be required to remain at work beyond the conclusion of their regularly scheduled shift due to unforeseen circumstances. Some employees will be required to remain on call outside of their normal working hours to facilitate the above-mentioned scenarios, such as emergencies and staffing shortages. We value our employees who sacrifice their outside commitments to be on call. For this, we will adhere to Section 18.3 (b), which states that employees on standby must be paid $19.95 per day from Monday to Friday and $40.74 per day from Saturday to Sunday, as well as Clause 20, which specifies a two-hour minimum payment for overtime. In regards to your request for compensation for the expense of working at home, we have carefully evaluated and analysed and decided to cover the essential needs of the work expenses. The Work Health and Safety requirements and equipment required to operate the work will be covered .However, in response to the request to cover expenses for items such as a standing workstation, an ergonomic mesh office chair, and other similar items, we will cover a portion of the costs associated with these items. In addition, we will pay for the employee's internet and phone service from the time they begin working until the time they finish.
We appreciate your proposals once more, and we look forwards to continuing the negotiation process.
Sincerely,
Management Premier Bank Pty Ltd
Reply Quote Grade as ReadThread:NegotiationPost:RE: NegotiationAuthor:📷 Jalal RahmanPosted Date:24 May 2023 9:06 PMStatus:Published
Dear Management
In the discussion cycle, Premier Bank Pty Ltd and the Members Benefit Union (MBU) need to settle on the conditions under which the multi-week roster cycle will operate. Right now, full-time representatives work 38 hours out of every week distributed across five shifts of 7.6 hours each. The agreed-upon strategy is to keep the 38 nominal hours per week but to make sure the hours are distributed out over several weeks.
The following considerations should be made in order to reach an agreement on this provision:

1. Length of the Cycle: The length of the multi-week roster cycle must be discussed and decided by both parties. During the negotiation process, things like operational requirements, employee preferences, and work-life balance should be taken into consideration.
   
2. Roster Issues: Other roster issues must be addressed in addition to the cycle length. This might include figuring out the pattern of rotation, how many days off, how you like to work, and any particular requirements for different roles or departments.
   
3. Equity and fairness: It is essential to guarantee that the new roster cycle will continue to be equitable and fair to all employees. Contemplations like equivalent distribution of attainable shifts, limiting weariness and overtime, and giving satisfactory rest periods ought to be essential for the negotiation.
   
4. Change and Execution: The process of switching from the current roster system to the new multi-week cycle should be covered in the negotiation. It should involve talking about communication, training, and any changes that need to be made to keep things as smooth as possible during the transition avoiding most disruptions.
   

The needs of the employees, the bank's operational requirements, and the objective of coming to an agreement that pleases all stakeholders should all be taken into consideration when both parties approach the negotiation in good faith. A fair and practical provision can be agreed upon by addressing these aspects of the multiple-week roster cycle.
2) Taking the annual leave provision into account, considering what we have examined, we propose that part-time and casual employees receive four weeks of paid leave, in conjunction with full-time employees. We suggest reducing the notice period for leave requests from five weeks to three weeks, providing employees with more flexibility. To allow for more flexibility in using accrued leave, we propose making an adjustment to have 10 unused days without penalty. What this will mean is fairness, equality, and work-life balance for all employees. We believe these changes will benefit both employees and the organization by promoting well-being and maintaining operational efficiency. We believe this is the best interest for the both of us, and moving forward we can come to a conclusion on this provision
3) The union team proposes that working from home employee’s freedom to stop communicating about their jobs outside of scheduled working hours through email, chat rooms, and online interactions, is one crucial right the union team advises. Section 65 of the Fair Labour Standards Act, which states that employees are permitted to propose changes to their work arrangements. Considering your proposal for 3 days in office and 2 days at home, we have examined the advantage of working from home allowing less time commuting to work and working from home also improved work life balance for many of the employees.
Employees shouldn't have to work past their contractually specified time frames or to be accessible for job-related communications once they have completed their contractually required hours of work. This involves participating in conferences or replying to emails out of their scheduled working hours. The union team wants to advocate for all employees to be compensated for any costs needed to maintain workplace health and safety at home. This could include purchasing items like standing desks, ergonomic mesh office chair, and other similar things (Cheslaw, 2021). The union team also suggests that the employer pay for all essential tools, internet, telephone service, all stationary that is provided at work and other essentials when working from home.
We look forward to hearing from you
Kind Regard Members Benefit Union
Reply Quote Grade as ReadThread:NegotiationPost:RE: NegotiationAuthor:📷 Abdul MahroofPosted Date:19 May 2023 8:11 PMStatus:Published

Author: Abdul Mahroof Date: Friday, 19 May 2023 8:04:43 PM AEST Subject: NegotiationTo the Members Benefit Union, We the management of Premier Bank Pty Ltd are initiating the negotiations concerning our three main provisions that need to be resolved. Multi-week Roster Cycle 2. Annual Leave 3.Working from Home Arrangements Length of the Cycle: After careful consideration and feedback from employees, agree on a four-week cycle where the nominal weekly hours of 38 will be distributed evenly. This means that employees will work an average of 38 hours per week over the four-week period. Shift Distribution: Establish a fair and balanced distribution of shifts within the cycle. Take into account factors such as peak business hours, employee preferences, and operational requirements. Consider implementing a rotating shift schedule that allows employees to experience different shifts and avoid repetitive patterns. Rest Periods: Set clear guidelines for rest periods and breaks between shifts to ensure employees receive sufficient rest and recovery time. Adhere to relevant labor laws and regulations regarding rest periods. Aim to provide consecutive days off within the cycle to promote work-life balance and well-being. Shift Allocation Method: Implement a fair and transparent system for shift allocation. Consider a combination of factors, such as seniority, employee preferences, and skill set, to ensure fairness and equal opportunities. Provide a mechanism for employees to express their shift preferences and consider them when creating the roster, while balancing the operational needs of the organisation. Flexibility and Adjustments: Allow for flexibility within the roster cycle to accommodate unforeseen circumstances or individual employee needs. Establish a process for employees to request shift swaps, time off, or adjustments to the roster with reasonable notice. Encourage open communication and collaboration between employees and management to address scheduling conflicts and ensure smooth operations. Communication and Transparency: Establish clear communication channels to keep employees informed about the roster cycle, any changes, and updates. Utilize digital tools or platforms to provide real-time access to the roster, making it easier for employees to plan their schedules. Ensure transparency in the allocation process and provide clear explanations for any deviations from employee preferences. Review and Evaluation: Schedule regular reviews and evaluations to assess the effectiveness of the multi-week roster cycle. Gather feedback from employees and management regarding its impact on productivity, employee satisfaction, and work-life balance. Use the feedback to make necessary adjustments and improvements to the roster system. (2) Regarding annual leave for employees working on a full time basis; 4 weeks of paid leave will be allocated to those employees who work continuously throughout the year. For part-time and casual employees working from the multi-week roster cycle you will be eligible for an additional (4) days. All annual leave will be paid in accordance to your previously agreed upon wage. Leave must be certified by your scheduling manager 5 weeks prior to it’s commencement or it may not qualify as paid leave. Any unused leave will rollover into next years cycle with the understanding it does not qualify as excessive. “Excessive Leave” is any amount of accumulated leave that has not had a minimum period of 14 days used in over a year, not including holidays. An example is someone who has been working with us for over a year has accrued their 4 weeks but not taken any time off. People in that situation will be directed by management to use their leave, as we’ve decided it is in the best interest of our organization. (3) Regarding work-from-home arrangements, we will implement and adhere to Section 65 of the Fair Labour Standards Act, which states that employees are permitted to propose changes to their work arrangements. We make every effort to facilitate them because we recognise that many employees have other commitments outside of work. For instance, parents, a career, old age, domestic violence, or assisting an immediate relative. As Premier Bank Pty Ltd, we recognise that our employees have to deal with situations and obligations outside the workplace, so allowing them to work from home will provide them with comfort and commitment. There will be three days in the office and then two days at home. This arrangement will allow employees to experience both the office and home environments. The new EBA will permit employees to determine when they work from home and in the office. This will be effective as it will give employees the opportunities to experience the best of both worlds. For instance, working at home will give employees opportunities to have a flexible work environment whereas an office will provide employees with opportunities to network with other coworkers. Another thing that will be implemented in the EBA is work health safety for working at home as directed by workplace health and safety 2011 (WHS). We know that there is a risk that will arise from working from home. For instance, Physical hazards such as slips. As Premier Bank we will eliminate WHS risk that can arise from home by implementing a policy and training the employee will eliminate the possible chance of facing risk in the workplace . We await your response to our proposal, Best Regards, Management Premier Bank Pty Ltd

Reply Quote Grade as ReadThread:NegotiationPost:NegotiationAuthor:📷 Abdul MahroofPosted Date:19 May 2023 8:04 PMStatus:Published
To the Members Benefit Union,
We the management of Premier Bank Pty Ltd are initiating the negotiations concerning our three main provisions that need to be resolved.

1. Multi-week Roster Cycle
2. Annual Leave
3. Working from Home Arrangements
4. Length of the Cycle: After careful consideration and feedback from employees, agree on a four-week cycle where the nominal weekly hours of 38 will be distributed evenly. This means that employees will work an average of 38 hours per week over the four-week period.

Shift Distribution: Establish a fair and balanced distribution of shifts within the cycle. Take into account factors such as peak business hours, employee preferences, and operational requirements. Consider implementing a rotating shift schedule that allows employees to experience different shifts and avoid repetitive patterns.
Rest Periods: Set clear guidelines for rest periods and breaks between shifts to ensure employees receive sufficient rest and recovery time. Adhere to relevant labor laws and regulations regarding rest periods. Aim to provide consecutive days off within the cycle to promote work-life balance and well-being.
Shift Allocation Method: Implement a fair and transparent system for shift allocation. Consider a combination of factors, such as seniority, employee preferences, and skill set, to ensure fairness and equal opportunities. Provide a mechanism for employees to express their shift preferences and consider them when creating the roster, while balancing the operational needs of the organisation.
Flexibility and Adjustments: Allow for flexibility within the roster cycle to accommodate unforeseen circumstances or individual employee needs. Establish a process for employees to request shift swaps, time off, or adjustments to the roster with reasonable notice. Encourage open communication and collaboration between employees and management to address scheduling conflicts and ensure smooth operations.
Communication and Transparency: Establish clear communication channels to keep employees informed about the roster cycle, any changes, and updates. Utilize digital tools or platforms to provide real-time access to the roster, making it easier for employees to plan their schedules. Ensure transparency in the allocation process and provide clear explanations for any deviations from employee preferences.
Review and Evaluation: Schedule regular reviews and evaluations to assess the effectiveness of the multi-week roster cycle. Gather feedback from employees and management regarding its impact on productivity, employee satisfaction, and work-life balance. Use the feedback to make necessary adjustments and improvements to the roster system.
(2) Regarding annual leave for employees working on a full time basis; 4 weeks of paid leave will be allocated to those employees who work continuously throughout the year. For part-time and casual employees working from the multi-week roster cycle you will be eligible for an additional (4) days. All annual leave will be paid in accordance to your previously agreed upon wage. Leave must be certified by your scheduling manager 5 weeks prior to it’s commencement or it may not qualify as paid leave. Any unused leave will rollover into next years cycle with the understanding it does not qualify as excessive. “Excessive Leave” is any amount of accumulated leave that has not had a minimum period of 14 days used in over a year, not including holidays. An example is someone who has been working with us for over a year has accrued their 4 weeks but not taken any time off. People in that situation will be directed by management to use their leave, as we’ve decided it is in the best interest of our organization.
(3) Regarding work-from-home arrangements, we will implement and adhere to Section 65 of the Fair Labour Standards Act, which states that employees are permitted to propose changes to their work arrangements. We make every effort to facilitate them because we recognise that many employees have other commitments outside of work. For instance, parents, a career, old age, domestic violence, or assisting an immediate relative. As Premier Bank Pty Ltd, we recognise that our employees have to deal with situations and obligations outside the workplace, so allowing them to work from home will provide them with comfort and commitment. There will be three days in the office and then two days at home. This arrangement will allow employees to experience both the office and home environments. The new EBA will permit employees to determine when they work from home and in the office. This will be effective as it will give employees the opportunities to experience the best of both worlds. For instance, working at home will give employees opportunities to have a flexible work environment whereas an office will provide employees with opportunities to network with other coworkers. Another thing that will be implemented in the EBA is work health safety for working at home as directed by workplace health and safety 2011 (WHS). We know that there is a risk that will arise from working from home. For instance, Physical hazards such as slips. As Premier Bank we will eliminate WHS risk that can arise from home by implementing a policy and training the employee will eliminate the possible chance of facing risk in the workplace .
We await your response to our proposal,
Best Regards,
Management Premier Bank Pty Ltd

Kind of a weird question, so I apologize!
A quick background: my adult friend disclosed some concerns to their therapist regarding general parenting issues for their adult sister. More so concerns with unaddressed mental health for the sister's kids and parenting problems but not abuse. She told me her therapist told them that they need to make a report to county on her sister, who lives out of state with the kids.
My question is, is this correct for the therapist to do? I work in CMH and I guess this hasn't ever happened where I'm getting 3rd party info. My friend is very uncomfortable talking to their therapist now because the therapist is asking for her to repeat everything said so she can make the report at their next appointment together.
I'd love some insight from you all here. And my friend's therapist is located in Ohio if that means anything.
Thank you.

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Introduction

It's widely believed that Canada doesn't really need a comprehensive defence policy. However, recent have clearly demonstrated that Ottawa could no longer rely on the status quo, as an open hostile Russia has been completely but an increasingly aggressive China.
While avoiding direct conformation, the Government of Canada is announcing a compressive package of retaliatory measures that are sent to enter into force within the next 12 months. This invokes proportionate reduction in Chinese diplomatic presence in Canada, as well significantly increased stringency of security screening for Chinese companies operating in Canada.
Ottawa continues to stand its ground on the newly announced immigration measures. However, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada has also outlined a package of additional measures. This involve treating all Chinese nationals coming to Canada as de-facto asylum seekers in terms of security screening. While normally IRCC would do their best to cooperate with Chinese state authorises, when conduction background verifications, and security checks, now the Government of Canada shall suspend all current and future requests, as well as refuse to provide any information about Chinese nationals currently present in Canada or applying for Canadian Temporary or Permanent Residence Visas. Additionally, Canada shall cooperate with its allies to allow Chinese national visas in foil-less visas, as well as damaged or expired travel documents, so long an can provide a verifiable copy if their Chinese nationality.
Notably, current applicants for Permanent Residence in Canada will be eligible to apply for a Open Work and Study Permits in case their experiences in China may not be verified, to compensate for the loss of points on foreign experience with additional time in Canada.
Canada is also waiving quota of family reunification applicants for Chinese nationals, as well as removing income eligibility requirements, allowing Chinese nationality to bring their partners, parents, and grandparents, as well as dependents to Canada as temporary or permanent residents.
Additionally, Canada shall immediately declare a Chinese Ambassador Persona Non-Grata, as well as suspend Canadian non-diplomatic representation in China, including emergency evaluation of the IRCC office in Beijing, as well as a "stand-by" order for all Canadian diplomatic staff in China, eyeing possible retaliation by the PRC's government.
Canada shall also introduce major restrictions on Chinese investment into the country, requiring any investment coming from a Chinese national without TRV or PR status in Canada to be reviewed before approval, with identical requirements introduced for Chinese companies - incorporated in China or majority-Chinese owned - investing into Canada, including equity and public debt.
The Government of Canada also issues an "avoid all travel" advisory to Canadian citizens to the People's Republic, as well as its Special Administrative Regions. Global Affairs Canada is currently recruiting private companies for Canadian citizens and Permanent as well Temporary Residents to immediately return home.
Canadian companies are also advised to immediately suspend their operations in China, as well as disengage with their Chinese suppliers and customers for the fear of possible retaliation.
Furthermore, Ottawa is set to suspend security clearances of Chinese companies acting in the public procurement space, with an immediate revocation of all export permits for Canadian companies to sell to China, when it requires export authorisation. Canadian companies shall also be prohibited from holding or obtaining assets in China or Chinese companies.
Global Affairs Canada has also advised the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Canada shall considering introducing "external equivalence" when it comes to China and Russia. Any further escalation from the People's Republic shall be met by gradually increasing economic pressure on China, until the country shall face same resections currently experienced by the Russian Federation.
Canada shall also follow through with the Foreign Influence Registration & Monitoring - a document jointly composed by the Canadian Security & Intelligence Service, and FINTRAC - Canada's anti-laundering watchdog. FIRM aims to provide an open source database of foreign nationals an entities who've been suspected or proven to be interfering with Canadian domestic affairs or have employed illegal instruments to influence Canadian decision-makers. An entity or individual listed under FIRM shall be prohibited from acquiring Canadian assets, as well as using Canadian finical system anywhere in the world. Notably, while FIRM limitations kick in immediately when an entity or an individual entity the list, CSIS and FINTRAC still have to prove their case in court, with restrictions maintained until the court rules otherwise.
However, most importantly, Canada is announcing its desire to join AUKUS following closed negations with Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Under the terms of the brokered deal, Canada becomes an immediate member of the trilateral security agreement, with full access to AUKUS' non-nuclear Pillar II component, to foster greater technological and industrial cooperation. Access to Pillar I - pushing nuclear powered submarines - shall be temporary restricted for 2 years, allowing Canada and the original AUKUS members to negotiate both procurement and technology transfer with Canada.
CAUKUS would also see the Agreement's significant expansion of the agreement, including closer alignment of defence & procurement, as well as increased coordination of export controls and industrial strategy development.

Finance Canada has also declared Canada shall increase its defence spending immediately to exceed the 2 per cent target, with full indexing on unspent funds earmarked preciously.

Areas covered by C-AUKUS

The Agreement is largely focusing on allowing Member States to catch up with third countries in critical technologies, while straightening their existing lead in areas where either individual or combined competency of the Member Sates provides for a competitive advantage.
The agreement covers several technologies deemed to be critical for both national security of future competitiveness.
​

GENERAL DEFENCE

Autonomous systems - systems that can perform assigned tasks with our the need for human interference that included uncrewed underwater vehicles, industrial robots, as well transpiration units and weapon systems.
Advanced undersea wireless communication - includes equipment and techniques that ensure underseas communication with low error rates across longer distances, that are often used by submarines and autonomous underwater vehicles. Specific technologies include extremely-low frequency (ELF) communications, as well as transmitting antennas, acoustic, laser, and LED communication, and maritime sound analysis.
Adversarial AI & reverse engineering - developing safeguards for excusing AI and neural networks for present their use by adversaries, including using original data clusters and utilising captured analysis techniques.
Air-independent propulsion - mainly through compact energy generation, mainly used ion underwater autonomous vehicles. Those include developments of hydrogen fuel cells and Stirling engines, to enable longer underwater operability.
Autonomous underwater vehicles that are able to operate over long distances, without human interference limited to basic route planning. Those vehicles are most widely used in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions in addition to anti-submarine warfare.
Electronic warfare utilise electromagnetic spectrum to deny, degrade, disrupt, deceive, or destroy and adversary’s electronic systems or enable forces to operate in contested and degraded environments, such as electronic protection. This involves collection, analysis and processing of electromagnetic signals for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance to support targeting and operational planning . It also includes collection of foreign instrumentation signals intelligence (FISINT). Specific techniques GPS jamming, GPS spoofing, communication jamming, communication masking, and frequency-hopping communication.
Hypersonic detection, tracking, and characterisation for glide vehicles, including trajectory projection and early detection, with land, ship, air, and space-based sensors and algorithms for rapid trajectory analysis.
Sonar and acoustic sensors used to identify and locate underseas objects. Applications for sonar and acoustic sensors include monitoring marine wildlife, and threat detection, identification and targeting for defence.
​

ADVANCED MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING

Additive manufacturing (including 3D printing) - which is manufacturing physical objects by depositing materials layer by layer according to a digital blueprint or 3D model, regardless of their size or metal structures. Applications for additive manufacturing include rapid prototyping and making custom or small quantity components.
Advanced composite materials include new materials created by combining two or more materials with different properties, without dissolving or blending them into each other. Examples include carbon-fibre-reinforced plastics and laminated materials. Applications include vehicle protection, signature reducing materials, construction materials and wind turbine components.
Advanced explosives and energetic materials - materials with large amounts of stored or potential energy that can produce an explosion. Applications for advanced explosives and energetic materials include mining, civil engineering, manufacturing and defence.
Advanced magnets and superconductors - strong permanent magnets that require no or few critical minerals. Applications include scientific research, smartphones, data storage, health care, power generation and electric motors. While superconductors are materials that have no electrical resistance, ideally at room temperature and pressure that create strong magnetic fields, used for medical imaging, transferring electricity without loss, and hardware for quantum computers.
Advanced protection clothing and equipment serve to protect defence, law enforcement and public safety personnel and defence platforms from physical injury and/or chemical or biological hazards. Such as helmets, fire-retardant fabrics, respirators, and body armour.
Continuous flow chemical synthesis produces fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals using continuous-flow processes, rather than batches. Flow chemistry can make chemicals and pharmaceuticals faster, more consistently and with less wast. Applications for continuous flow chemical synthesis include rapid analysis of chemical reactions, and manufacturing industrial chemicals, agrichemicals and pharmaceuticals.
Coatings Substances are substances applied to surfaces to add useful properties like preventing biofouling, repelling water, reducing visibility to radar, enhancing thermal efficiency - for example in hypersonics - and preventing corrosion.
Critical minerals extraction and processing systems and processes to extract and process critical minerals that includes mining, concentrating minerals, and manufacturing battery-grade chemicals.
High-specification machining processes involve cutting and shaping raw materials into precise components using advanced tools such as, lathes, laser cutting, and water jet cutting. Those are used in aerospace manufacturing and other industries for high-grade precise production.
Nanoscale materials and manufacturing nvolve materials with features smaller than 100 nanometers and the technologies used to produce them. Applications include various fields such as pharmaceuticals, wastewater treatment, data storage, communications, semiconductors, carbon dioxide capture, and nanoscale tracking markers for important materials.
Novel meta-materials - new synthetic materials that have properties that do not occur naturally, such as the ability to bend light or radio waves backwards. Applications for novel metamaterials include energy capture and storage, radio antennae, and adaptive camouflage.
Smart materials that have properties that change in response to external pressures, such as shape memory alloys that change shape when heated and self-healing materials. Applications for smart materials include clothing, body armour, building materials and consumer electronics.
​

AI, COMPUTING, COMMUNICATIONS

Advanced data analytics involves systems, processes, and techniques for analysing large volumes of data (known as 'big data') to extract valuable insights with minimal human involvement. It is used in medical diagnosis, acoustic analytics, regulatory compliance, insurance, climate monitoring, infrastructure forecasting, national security.
Advanced integrated circuit design and fabrication focus on creating complex integrated circuits using process nodes below 10 nanometres. This includes designing systems-on-chip (SoC), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), stacked memory on chip, and specialised microprocessors for the defence industry.
Advanced optical communications utilise light to transfer information over optical fibre, such as air or the vacuum of space. Those employ laser technologies and other means to achieve faster, more reliable, efficient, and energy-efficient information transfer. Applications for advanced optical communications include high-speed Earth satellite communications, short-range visible light communications, narrow-beam laser communications, and multi-gigabit broadband and corporate networks.
Advanced radiofrequency communications (including 5G and 6G) use radio waves to transfer information through free space. They employ novel techniques, advanced antennas, and beamforming technologies to achieve faster, more reliable, efficient, and energy-saving communication. Applications include satellites, cellular networks, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, sensor networks, connected vehicles, medical devices, and public safety services.
Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and hardware accelerators perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as virtual assistants, process automation, virtual and augmented reality, creating realistic video game environments and characters, public transport planning and optimisation, crop and livestock management, and defence. AI hardware accelerators are specialised computer hardware designed to run optimised AI algorithms in smartphones, portable virtual and augmented reality systems, and low-power internet of things (IoT) sensors.
Distributed ledgers are systems that record transactions, contracts, across multiple systems or locations. They eliminate the need for a central authority, making transactions and records more secure against cyber-attacks and fraud. Blockchain is an example of a distributed ledger, and Bitcoin uses it for financial transactions. Applications for distributed ledgers include cryptocurrencies, supply chain verification, product provenance and emissions monitoring, tracking recyclable content, land records, and share trading.
High performance computing refers to computer systems such as supercomputers, that are significantly more powerful than consumer devices such as desktops and laptops that excel at processing large amounts of data and performing complex calculations that are beyond the capabilities of other devices, used in areas such as climate modelling, computational chemistry, and high-quality computer graphics for film and television.
Machine learning that included neural networks and deep learning. Applications for machine learning include computer vision, facial recognition, cybersecurity, media creation, virtual and augmented reality systems, media manipulation (e.g. deepfakes), content recommendation systems, and search engines.
Natural language processing includes speech and text recognition and analysis, refers to systems that enable computers to recognise, understand, and use written and/or spoken language in a manner similar to human communication. NLP is a branch of artificial intelligence. Applications for NLP include predictive text, language translation, virtual assistants and chatbots, summarizing lengthy documents, sentiment analysis, and enhancing the accessibility and inclusivity of technologies.
Protective cyber security include, algorithms and hardware that are designed to enable a cyber security enhancement. Applications of those technologies include but are not limited to: operational technology security, authentication infrastructures, protection of aggregated data sets, protection of AI systems and supply chain security.
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LIFE SCIENCES & HEALTHCARE

Biological manufacturing uses living cells to make useful chemicals or materials, especially in the pharmaceutical sector with fermentation products, biologic medicines such as antibodies and enzyme replacement therapies, and enzymes for environmental remediation and recycling plastics.
Synthetic biology creates biological systems and devices that have useful functions not found in nature. Applications for synthetic biology include creating microorganisms that can clean-up environmental pollutants and recycle plastics, manufacturing animal-free meat and dairy products, and biological computers.
Vaccines and medical countermeasures refer to technologies that allow quickly develop and manufacture vaccines, drugs, biologic products and devices used to diagnose and treat emerging infectious diseases and medical conditions caused by exposure to harmful chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear substances. Applications for vaccines and medical countermeasures include public health emergencies, industrial accidents and defence.
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ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Biofuels include fuels produced from biological or organic sources. Examples include biogas and biodiesel derived from plant biomass, and bioethanol from crops such as corn and sugar cane.
Directed energy technologies transfer energy between two points in free space. Applications for directed energy technologies include powering consumer electronics, recharging electric vehicles, powering aerial drones, ground-space energy transfer, wireless sensor networks and internet of things devices, and advanced weapons.
Electric batteries utilise various materials and chemistries (e.g. lithium-ion (Li-ion), nickel metal hydride battery (Ni-MH)) and form factors (e.g. flow batteries for stationary grid storage, polymer electrolytes for vehicles and personal devices). Applications for electric batteries include electrified road and air transport, smartphones and personal electronic devices, medical devices and grid energy storage.
Green, Blue hydrogen and ammonia involve production, storage, distribution and use of hydrogen (H2) and ammonia (NH3) for heat and electricity generation. Hydrogen and ammonia are potential low or zero emission, zero-carbon alternatives to fossil fuels and electric batteries. Applications for hydrogen and ammonia include energy storage and as a fuel source for aviation and marine transport, long distance road transport and heating.
Nuclear energy, including cost-saving nuclear technologies and Small Modular Reactors. Applications include energy production for self-contained and/or remote uses, such as space travel, submarines, scientific research and medical isotope production.
Nuclear waste management aims safely dispose of, or reuse or reprocess radioactive waste products from medical, industrial and research practices, i.e. converting radioactive liquid waste into synthetic rock to minimise leeching, and reprocessing spent radioactive fuel for use in long-life, low-power batteries. Applications include environmental protection and extending the useful life of nuclear material.
Photovoltaics convert solar energy into electricity using layers of semiconductor materials. Applications for photovoltaics include low-emissions power stations, rooftop solar power, spacecraft and personal electronics.
Supercapacitors can store large amounts of energy in small volumes. Supercapacitors store less energy and for shorter durations than rechargeable batteries, but can accumulate and deliver charge much faster than rechargeable batteries, and tolerate many more charge and discharge cycles than rechargeable batteries before performance degrades. Applications for supercapacitors include regenerative braking, smartphones and personal electronic devices, grid energy storage and defence.
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QUANTUM & AI

Post-quantum cryptography is based on mathematical techniques for ensuring that information stays private, authentic, while resisting attacks by both quantum and non-quantum computers. The leading application for post-quantum cryptography is securing online communications against attacks using quantum computers. Because quantum computers can efficiently solve the ‘hard’ mathematical problems we currently rely on to protect online communications.
Quantum communications (including quantum key distribution) allow to communicate quantum information at a distance, including cryptographic keys. Applications for quantum communications include transferring information between quantum computers and sharing cryptographic keys (which are like secret passwords) between distant people in a way that means it is impossible for anyone else to copy.
Quantum computing deploys algorithms that depend directly on quantum mechanical properties and effects to perform computations to solve particular types of problems much faster than existing computers, including problems that are not practical to solve using even the most powerful classical computers imaginable. Applications for quantum computing accurately simulating chemical and biological processes, revealing secret communications, machine learning and efficiently optimising very complex systems.
Quantum sensors utilise quantum mechanical properties and effects for high precision and high sensitivity measurements. Applications for quantum sensors include enhanced imaging, passive navigation, remote sensing, quantum radar, and threat detection for defence.
Photonic sensors use light to detect changes in the environment or in materials. Applications for photonic sensors are broad, ranging from mainstream photography, through to sensors for environments where electrical or chemical based sensors are impractical or unreliable, such as laser based gas sensors to detect explosive materials or flexible photonic sensors embedded inside the human body to monitor bodily processes.
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SPACE, ROBOTICS, TRANSPORTATION

Advanced aircraft engines (including hypersonics) enable greater speed, range, and fuel-efficiency for aerial vehicles. Examples include hypersonic technologies such as ramjet and scramjet engines that allow aircraft and weapons to travel beyond Mach 5.
Advanced robotics are capable of performing complex manual tasks usually performed by humans, including by teaming with humans and/or self-assembling to adapt to new or changed environments, such as industry and manufacturing, defence and public safety, and healthcare and household tasks.
Civil autonomous systems technologies deliver machines that can independently perform tasks under limited direction or guidance by a human operator in passenger and freight transport, un crewed underwater vehicles, industrial robots, public safety and defence.
Drones, swarming and collaborative robots cover air, ground, surface and underwater vehicles and robots that can achieve goals with limited or no human direction, or collaborate to achieve common goals in a self-organising swarm. Applications for drones, swarming and collaborative robots include public safety, environmental monitoring, agriculture, logistics, and defence.
Small satellites are relatively low mass and size, usually mass under 500 kg and no larger than a domestic refrigerator or washing machine. Applications for small satellites include lower-cost earth observation constellations and wide area communications networks.
Space launch systems (including launch vehicles and supporting infrastructure) that are used transport payloads—such as satellites or spacecraft—from the surface of the Earth to space safely, reliably and cost-effectively. Applications for space launch systems include launching defence, commercial, and scientific and research payloads into earth orbit.
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CHALLENGE-BASED INDUSTRIAL COOPERATION

However, some projects may not fall directly within the areas covered by the agreement, thus narrowing the impact of the deal. To ensure the funding streams remain available for the broader array of private and public sector actors, allowing preferential treatment of projects aimed to addressing shared concerns, even if formally falling outside of the scope of original agreement.

• Net Zero Stream - supports reproach, commercialisation, and diffusion for projects that may not necessarily develop new technologies, however result in sizeable reductions on greenhouse emissions, such as CO2 or methane.
• General Competition Consideration commits national governments to maintaining a more diverse of suppliers within the Alliance. This includes providing preferential treatment for procurement and business assistance programmes to companies to preserve more competitive domestic market or reduce market concentration.
• Critical Supply De-Risking mandates mandates governments to use subsidies, defence procurement, and other incentives to nurture within-the-block capacity to compete and effectively replace potentially risky suppliers, in areas that the government deems critical for national security, so long it remains in line with general non-discrimination treatment of supplies from other Member States. By Suppler Chain De-Risking applies to all industries covered by the agreement, as well as industrial equipment, intellectual property, food production, and healthcare.

Forging Closer Alignment

​

HARMONISED EXPORT CONTROLS REGIME

Since the agreement covers highly sensitive technologies and contains provisions pertaining to vital public services that may require export controls, the Member Sates agree to fully align their respective regimes. This necessaries a common information-sharing network between national security on trade bodies, with real-time flow of data and maximum transparency. Thus, no party shall grant and export permit to a legal entity for a product, asset - such as intellectual property - or service that have been explicitly denied a similar permit by another Member State, unless otherwise agreed by the parties concerned. All participating jurisdictions also oblige to notify all other Member Sates when issuing export permits, and suspending previously issued authorisations upon a request from another member country for further examination.
With a fully aligned exports regime, signature parties agree to suspend all limitations - unless otherwise agreed - for legal entities that may require a permit for a non third country, focusing on monitoring and sharing information about enemies, assets, products, and services concerned. Proper alignment also allows for for implied exchanges in human and intellectual capital, as well as accumulated expertise in the private sector across the Member Sate companies.
Notably, the export control alignment also applies to the movement of talent across Member States, committing national governments to maintaining a shared regime on both screening of potential human assets, as well as placing restrictions on the movement of potential persons or groups of interest.
This clause largely aims to alleging Member Countries with the United States' ban on American citizens working for Chinese semiconductor enterprises, while also helping member states to identify potential persons of interest in third countries.
​

PROCUREMENT COOPERATION

Despite committing to non-discrimination of foreign companies when it comes to public procurement, both Canada, the United Sates, and the United Kingdom have actively shilled their defence procurement and other sectors deemed important for national security.
However, as all Member States more closely align their export control regimes, the agreement also aims to level the playing filed, which would mainly intel accessing defence contracts and military procurement. Firstly, brings the principle of certification equivalence into play: a company that has obtained security clearance to participate in a defence or critical procurement project in one Member State can use that certificate for bids in all other countries, thus avoiding unnecessary duplication. Other member states however retain the right to request additional clearance or for the company to re-apply under their restive national procedure if the nature of the project involves is more sensitive, focuses on the field the company has not had clearance for, or if there's a reason to believe that company may pose higher security risk in different member state.
The parties also commit to prioritise applications and bids from Small & Medium Sized companies, and jointly support a diverse set of military contractors in every country through joint programmes and cross-border financing. The agreement also obliges defence procurement agencies to expelling security clearance and give the first priority to SMEs, defined as companies with less than 500 employees. National procurement agencies also commit to facilitating innovation delusion across the Member States, including through explicit authorisation for information and technology, as well as human capital sharing, among bidders for contracts.
All Member Sates also commit to facilitate scale-up funding and intellectual property acquisition when it comes to business assistance. Thus, national investment authorities, such as the British Business Bank, US Small Business Administration, Canada Growth Fund, and other business assistance bodies shall treat public investment projects into other Member States on par with their domestic markets, including equal access for companies operating in signature jurisdictions. The agreement also specifically outlines cooperation between the Advanced Research & Innovation Canada, the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency in the United States, and Advanced Research and Invention Agency in the UK through permitting liberalised flow of human capital, intellectual property, and financial recourses, while committing those agencies to treating projects across member nations equally to their own domestic market.
The agreement also commits Member States at spend at least 5 per cent of their GDP on innovation policy, through public and defence procurement, business assistance, and tex credits.
​

R&D FRIEND-SHORING & SHARING

The proposal includes much closer cooperation between the parties when it comes to friend-shoring R&D, and reducing the block's dependence on both foreign expertise and technology. This would see Member Sates granting automatic domestic student status to anyone who is pursuing postgraduate eduction in one or more countries of the block, including the right to work in their field upon graduation in any member country, on the reciprocal basis. The Member Countries take it upon themselves to provide reciprocal access to postgraduate eduction and employment that is equivalent to that of their domestic students to anyone who has received their undergraduate eduction another member state, unless precluded by security concerns.
Additionally, each Member State shall mandate a certain percentage of their post-secondary support to be allocated for a new type of Partnership Scholarships & Grants. PSGs allow to for preferential treatment of research projects that are being conducted by individuals from several Member States jointly, including guaranteed full reimbursement of the research-affiliated costs and support for the cost of living. The programme also provides for funding whenever a postgraduate student decides to complete their eduction or research in more than one Member State. Notably, the programme also provides funding for research internships for current students and graduates, so long the internship takes place either with a company that operates outside of a Member State but remains incorporated within the alliance, or requires travelling to a different Member Sate, with respective costs covered by PSGs. Reattach institutions and private employers are free to apply for funding that shall cover up to 100 per cent of the cost of those kinds of internship, so long they hire a postgraduate student graduating from a Member Country, with the pay grade above the national poverty line. Employment authorisation requirements shall also be waived.
All signatories also guarantee an "immigration backstop" procedure, allowing those who participated in PSGs to obtain the right to remain in at least one the countries of the member states permanently.
PSGs also provide for the "domestic treatment" of research projects across Member Sates, allowing both individuals and research institutions seek funding through the Partnership Scholarships and Grants as well as other public funding channels. The agreement however, explicitly guarantees both researchers and institutions the right to be treated as domestic entries when submitting their applications regardless of which Member Sate they primary reside in.
​

SHARED INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITIES

The deal provides for a joint Technology Intelligence & Assessment Centre to be launched by Member States as own standalone institution dedicated to monitoring critical technology development in third countries. TIAC also focuses on developing new intelligence capabilities when it comes to assessing third countries' innovation capabilities, including their capacity for monopolising critical technology fields, as well as the potential for engaging into technological espionage. The Centre is tasked with not only developing offensive capabilities, but also boosting the Member States' ability to detect and remove potential vulnerabilities in critical supply chains and R&D.
The proposal also allows for a more structured approach to communication with the public, through Member Sates agencies directly learning from each other's engagement startles and communicating with both the private sector and individuals on the importance of critical technologies and assets. While also promoting open-source intelligence sharing through joint analytical programmes and cross-departmental collaboration.

Impact on Domestic Politics

Canadian federal politics have been fairly polarised recently, especially following the Liberals' third in the row victory without winning majority in the popular vote. Initial in-action of there government has cause further sliding in Liberal approval ratings, as Canada aimed to secretly negative its entry in AUKUS.
However, the House has seen a rare moment of unity, as the Government present their agreement with Canberra, London, and Washington, following by the foreign influence registry, as well as new defence spending targets. Surprisingly, the latter item has seen the left-leaning NDP also supporting the motion, as Liberals has committed to massively increase spending on veterans and humanitarian assistance.
Public reaction for far has been fairly mixed, as Canadians remain fairly sceptical of an idea of more defence spending, yet much more amenable. Notably, the government had to explicitly rule out the idea of new nuclear capabilities to be located in Quebec, citing the province's long-standing opposition to foreign nuclear deterrence among French Canadians.

Acknowledgements

• https://www.csis.org/analysis/canadian-membership-aukus-time-action
• https://www.csis.org/podcasts/35-west/more-subs-urgency-aukus-canada
• https://www.aei.org/foreign-and-defense-policy/aukus-flawed-by-design/
• https://www.cgai.ca/rethinking_canadas_security_strategy_how_canada_can_graduate_from_the_kids_table
• https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/publication/170628_Obecny_USCanadianDefenseCoop_Web.pdf
• https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/aukus-three-partners-two-pillars-one-problem/

I'm sure that a lot of you will find this article to be tantamount to yet another reminder that ursine creatures defecate within sylvan districts - but I've never seen one that so comprehensively lists the attributes that women have claimed are used against them in the workplace.
They left out neurodiversity, of course; but our neurodiverse traits are often responsible - or mistaken - for many of the items on their list of perceived "deficiencies".
From the article:

Gender bias and discrimination have held women back in the workplace for generations, but new research indicates gender-based judgments barely scratch the surface of ways professional women are criticized throughout their careers.
In a recent study of 913 women who answered open-ended questions, researchers found 30 common personality traits and identity-based characteristics that women say were used against them at work . . .
The women included in the study work in four female-dominated industries in the US (higher education, faith-based nonprofits, law and healthcare), and responded to questions including:
What additional identity factors do you feel have influenced your experiences at work?
Other than gender bias, what types of biases have you encountered at work?
For example, age is a consistent challenge for women leaders: Some say they were told they were too young to lead, while others were deemed too old. There’s also a double-standard by gender, as one physician noted: “I am middle-aged, and men my age are seen as mature leaders and women my age as old.”
Women receiving this criticism may interpret it as a personal failing or to suppress their career ambitions. . . . a woman who’s been told she’s too young to be promoted may think, “I just need to wait until I’m older; then I’ll be ready to lead.”
The 30 characteristics that women say were used against them in the workplace include:
Accent
Age
Attractiveness
Body size
Class
Color
Communication style
Cultural identity
Dietary restrictions
Education
Employment history
Ethnicity
Gender conformance
Health
Intellectual ability
Marital status
Nationality
Occupation
Occupational position
Parental status
Personality traits
Physical ability
Political preferences
Pregnancy
Race
Religion
Residential location
Seniority
Sexual orientation
Veteran status
Bias based on race, ethnicity, color and nationality came up in a number of ways. Women of color were targets of microaggressions in the workplace, like a Black faith-based leader who described being regularly talked over by white men, and a Filipina physician who’s regularly mistaken for a nurse.
There was even a double-standard in terms of how men and women were treated based on their health conditions. One physician developed ovarian cancer while serving as an officer in the public health service and responded to the study that “the plan was to discharge me ... even though men with prostate cancer didn’t have to go through that.”
Researchers say these identity-based criticisms are often a “red herring” for gender bias.
“It didn’t matter the characteristic, they were just being criticized for this and that and the other thing,” [a researcher associated with the study] says. “We realized it wasn’t because of that particular [issue]” but rather “the underlying gender bias was the cause, and the criticisms are really just excuses the women were given.”
Researchers say there are a number of concrete ways businesses can better address their bias against women to support and promote them in their careers.
One “simple and powerful tool” is to use the “flip it to test it” method: . . . — “Could you ever imagine this being said about a man?” Using the 900-plus comments from women in their study, “the answer was always no".
Managers can also make sure they bake in constructive feedback for women professionals, who are more likely than men to receive negative feedback that’s subjective rather than objective, and feedback that’s too vague to be improved upon. Researchers say a lot of feedback directed toward women focuses on more team-based skills like being cooperative or coping with politics, while men are often encouraged to develop leadership skills like setting a vision, leveraging power and being assertive.
Leaders should encourage employees of all genders to develop both sets of skills.
[emphases mine]

So, how familiar does all of this sound to you? Is there anything that you would add to the list based on characteristics that you feel were responsible for being discriminated against in the workplace?

Hello everyone. I (29M) am auditing the trauma-laden relationship with my DID wife (29F) after another bout of unwanted cheating. We are hypermonogamists. To us, infidelity is a sacrilegious violation of Love. Alas, my wife has Dissociative Identity Disorder and some alters are hellbent on reenacting trauma with abuser substitutes. Yes, the DID is diagnosed by a trauma specialist, not Dr. Google. To differentiate from her alters, I will refer to Her True Self as Wifey.
I tracked the cheating history by writing this behemoth of a post and did my best to connect dots between childhood trauma and modern consequences. I hope that the community’s outside perspectives can spot things to which we are still blind, provide advice, or give any input that might aid our situation. All opinions welcome. I will access them carefully.
Please note that I have a Dismissive-Avoidant attachment style, and my psychologist noted C-PTSD. I also have DID but unlike my wife, I worked long enough to achieve co-consciousness, internal cooperation, and current dormancy in my alters. My True Self is finally in command. We ran out of therapy money before my wife could address her own issues, hence online communities are our last resort until savings build up again.
OUR TRAUMATIC CHILDHOOD ORIGINS
I was raised and abused by my narcissist grandmother for 25 years due to her orchestrating a rift between Mom and I (topic for another post). Her 16yo son aka my uncle sexually abused both my wife and I from infancy. In my case he had daily access. For my wife, it was because our fathers and my uncle were a trio of scum.
Despite the uncle link, I didn’t meet Wifey till age 3. She was dancing under a sprinkler and noticed my stare. Lightning hit us the second our eyes met and we breathlessly ran over to announce the mutual BOOM. After that, we were inseparable. At age 4 I proposed, she agreed, and we shared our first kiss. Adorable? No. We didn’t know how to be kids—due to sex abuse and grandma teaching us adult concepts, we related as boyfriend-girlfriend way too early and began playing the game ‘naked stuff’. Nothing beyond this first connection is purely innocent.
Soon after our romantic friendship started, my wife was groomed into nightly ‘special love’ with my uncle, laying a foundation of unfaithfulness towards me. When the ‘other boyfriend’ dumped her at 6, infatuation spiked and led to 9 years of cartwheels to regain his desire. Between that and my grandmother worshipping him, I competed for both women’s hearts by copying uncle into synonymity. I even used his playlists for dates and sex, believing that I am only worthy of love if I *am* him.
During and after my uncle’s abuse, my wife’s pedo father raped her too. I am loathed to call this BDSM given that he never abided by Safe, Sane, Consensual, but what he inflicted *is* BDSM activity. By age 5, he was trafficking his daughter and forced me to watch the rapes plus participate in sadism until I started doing it of my own accord. I was taught that boys are supposed to do this to girls, because they are girls. I didn’t know vanilla sex exists till age 11, at which point we finally shared positive intimacy—this formed the bedrock of what we are striving to build in adulthood. Alas, the learned fetishes persisted for years.
Meanwhile, my narcissist grandmother tormented me daily and brainwashed my wife to mimic her opinions, mannerisms, approaches, etc., thereby producing a mini-me alter and adding layers to our trauma bond. That alter learned toxic views on women (they exist to serve men) and pro-adultery, as the Narc preyed on committed guys for the fun of causing break-ups, obtained her husband by homewrecking, and caught a married lover long before grandpa died. As teens we were actually ghostwriters and phone sex assistants for that affair, obstructing critical stages in our own relationship.
Throughout this, Love existed. No one but her made me feel Loved, Seen, Heard, Safe, Certain. Moreover, me and Wifey expressed authentically only to each other, providing an oasis for Our True Selves to develop untarnished. We mutually soothed our demons, inspired creativity, and entertained one another. Teen Wifey also proved my angel. She endured hell to guide me out of darkness and prevented suicide attempts. Without her, I would be in prison or dead. At 23 we married in hopes of becoming wholesome and slowly inched toward that goal.
For Wifey’s wellbeing, I spent 2015-2022 deprogramming my BDSM porn addiction, fetishes, and toxic attitudes about women. Only last year I comprehended healthy relationships in concept. I think it is a beautiful way to live but it unnerves me as well. We also realized that vanilla D/s is our true preference, and we are highly compatible as a team. There is potential for absolute Paradise, but many issues still need to be overcome (communication struggles, ignoring Wifey for eons while she waits for me to interact again, etc.). The infidelity is my current focus. Here goes the trauma-fuelled history of online cheating.
AN UNCLE SUBSTITUTE EXPLOITS HER
Wifey has 7 alters. Some self-harm, some climb out windows, some rabidly scratch me or shriek enough for police to arrive, but the most annoying is that 9yo girl imprinted on my uncle. She always pines to get him back—which she finally did, in proxy form: AP1 (Affair Partner 1).
May 19th, 2022, my wife met a 31yo ‘virgin’ on Facebook who sucked her in via sob stories. While extracting info on her alters and rapes, AP1 made her a sex-ed teacher. Her confidence flourished. I had no concerns given my rock-solid trust in Wifey. Little did I know the 9yo alter was having an emotional affair of unrequited ‘love’. AP1’s eerie similitude in looks / job / zodiac / vibe / pedo streak made him an ideal projection, especially given how much Uncle 2.0 lavished the alter. He was her dream come true. Looking back, I invited this situation by depriving Wifey of attention for too long. She needs regular interaction with me to stay Her True Self.
Anyways, Wifey believed the hours spent texting / on the phone were recharging her desire for ‘me’. We were yet to understand that ‘me’ meant ‘uncle’, as the two were blended. I started feeling off, but kept trusting her. After all, she had befriended two FB guys in 2021 who stayed platonic (only now we recognize them as lighter emotional affairs). Besides, grandma taught me that getting randomly sidelined or devalued is ‘just the way things are’.
After 3 weeks of grooming, AP1 triggered my wife, fully infiltrating her subconscious. She fearfully hid from him for 2 days, then tried to end the friendship on June 8th. AP1 derailed the goodbye into engaging topics, followed by traumatic content that methodically wore her down into an aroused trance. Once he hit the trigger jackpot, her alter seized control and delved into 6 hours of abuse reenactment sexting, audio clips, nudes, unholy “I love yous”, etc. while Wifey’s undercurrent of extreme stress induced miniature heart attacks—this caused permanent damage. Once Wifey woke up and saw what transpired, a female FB friend moved mountains to prevent her guilt-ridden suicide. She desperately wanted to die.
Later, I walked into the room expecting nothing unusual. Instead, tear-stricken wife fell to her knees, grabbed my leg and frantically confessed sexting, giving away our gif collection and using terms sacred to us. The heartbreak annihilated me. While consoling her, I struggled to swallow reality: the ONE PERSON I thought would never break my trust, just shattered it. Another dude just *stole MY wife*. Long before I learned that my old rival (uncle) was the motive, I felt triggered.
Many talks / meltdowns ensued between us and Mom. 48 hours later, the alter cheated again (June 10th) while we thought Wifey was snoozing. AP1 had unlocked an oil spill of traumatic arousal, hence it took seconds to induce the marathon, this time centred on BDSM. AP1 then instructed the alter to give him first dibs every day—the Husband can only get sloppy seconds. Once he left, she ran over to Mom announcing that her boyfriend is going to marry her (old fantasy about my uncle) in a jarringly American voice (Wifey is Francophone). This unmasked DID as the cheating engine and introduced us to a previously-unknown alter.
Once awake, Wifey plunged into catatonic shock and depression. We all supported Wifey grieving AP1’s sick exploitation and processing why she succumbed. I never got a chance to focus on myself amid the revolutionary insights, plus Mom and I kept scrambling to stop that alter before she obeyed the “sext me daily” command that would only retraumatize her further. We also discovered AP1 is a predator who targets mentally-ill wives in addition to little girls. That vulture has a thing for the most vulnerable forbidden fruit.
Realizing the insidious influence made Wifey hyperfocus on Our Marriage. She was outraged that AP1 dared invade us and texted him revocations of love, condemnations for “raping her while drunk” and tried to hammer the sanctity of Marriage into his snide mug. We banded together against my uncle’s spectre and felt in-tune as a couple. Therapy sessions were scheduled. Had this continued, Our Love would be detoxed and stronger than ever. Alas, a parasitic distraction sapped its power 6 days later.
GRANDMOTHER TRAUMA BOND INTERFERES
My wife kept shutting down during intimacy due to intrusive memories of AP1, plus an urge to blot out the existence of non-abusive sex. Her alters were clinging to my uncle’s ‘style’. She quickly realized that AP1 had stained sex and rendered her numb to me. She was distraught.
When my wife sought advice on June 16th, 2022, her friend (also abused) nabbed the chance to confess a bewildering lesbian crush. This shock activated the trauma bond with my grandmother and prompted another alter affair. She declared that a bit of lesbianism will cure our intimacy problem. At first, I laughed it off. Then therapy was cancelled, my savings were spent on gifts, and I realized that my wife’s #heart# was stolen in addition to sex drive. A Facebook woman had burglarized my one remaining stronghold.
Given how romantic it was, I felt replaced, invisible, abandoned (childhood themes). It sliced and diced me, particularly since my wife blinded herself to my pain no matter how I pushed her to see it (grandmother theme). My wife cried that she wants us both and can’t choose—no wonder, since she was unknowingly reliving a childhood scenario where emotional incest with my grandmother accompanied and influenced Our Love.
I was clueless about this. To me, it seemed a heart-crushing romantic affair. Being a hypermonogamist forced into polyamory is indescribable. On June 23rd, I ranted at AP2 for stealing the Love of My Life and decided on suicide even if I’m hellbound—Heaven means nothing sans my wife. Panicked AP2 called the cops. Mom convinced the officers that it was a false alarm, knowing that I would try to get shot. Wifey was unrecognizably hollow while comforting me. I fell asleep in bitter tears, her hand numbly wiping them away.
My bitterness began erupting while teary wife insisted this is a mission. She swore to end the affair as soon as she solves the ‘mysteries of sudden lesbianism’. I refused to support it. Our fights incited a fullblown manifestation of my AFib and worsened heart issues for my wife. Daily vomiting turned her into skin-and-bones. We nearly died, which would have caused the suicide of My Mom and AP2. Poor Mom already suffered intense health issues from this affair. She adores us both. Our vitriol devastated her.
Eventually I put my wife’s happiness above my own and let her go: if she is meant to come back to me, she will. I spent another month in living death. Surprisingly, Wife kept her promise. She discovered that the emotional incest with mother figures in both her and AP2 caused them to ‘fall in love’. The alters tied to my grandmother lost their grip, the affair ended (August 13th), and Love for me flooded back.
Wifey returned a matured woman: more Self-Aware, rational, and opposed to adultery than ever. I fell in Love with her vibrancy. Meanwhile, AP2 became our mutual best friend, an invaluable source of epiphanies for my healing too, and the biggest supporter of Our Love. Turns out that we all share near-identical trauma plus share common interests. As a result, I felt gratitude for this affair. Short-term suffering reaped long-term blessings.
A STRAINED AFTERMATH
AP1 continued to highjack our sex life. The conscious resurrection of my uncle in my wife’s psyche permanently split him and I into two men and revealed the sexual imprint. Between bringing that into her awareness and the various desecrations, AP1 vandalized her. Damn the timing! We were on the verge of a sex life free from trauma!
We lived in tension despite Loving efforts, and I struggled to overcome the sense that my mate is tainted. I put the bedroom on hold until these stains were purified, and figured it was best not to impose myself until the alter stops craving Uncle 2.0. For months I patrolled my turf obsessively while screaming inside. Did my best to remember that Wifey never betrayed me—these are only echoes of the past wrecking havoc in modern day.
TRANSCENDING THE CHEATING
Fast forward a year since the two affairs. I was working on Self-development and finally grieving my grandmother trauma. My wife started reflecting deeper on infidelity and had epiphanies:

1. Everything that she finds attractive and attributed to my uncle belongs to me (e.g., *I’m* the analytical nerdy poet surrounded by books—he’s the robotic, stuffy tech fanatic).
2. I am her real dreamboat, projected onto the pedo worshipped by her idol (my grandmother) instead of vice versa. She actually Loves me MORE as I gain authenticity.

AP1 displacing me as the substitute proved a vital liberation. My wife gained clarity because he took the entire uncle projection onto himself. That also made me shed residual mimicry. Her sex alters went dormant and True Wife was eager to rediscover Her Husband directly.
During Our Anniversary (mid-April), True Wife was a trembling ball of remorse and begged for an impromptu vow renewal. Her turn was a meltdown of apologies and fervent promises to never forsake Our Love again. She convinced me of her redemption, especially after rejecting FB dudes in her inbox while posting wishes to me. Hope was rebuilt. We seemed en route to healing. One problem: we still didn’t have sex.
ABUSER CONDITIONING RETALIATES
Avoiding sex since the cheatings was incredibly stupid. I didn’t realize that her alters, though dormant, felt owned by my uncle because I never reclaimed her. AP1 factory-reset my wife’s sexuality. The healthy things needed reinstallation before it was safe for her to face old trauma. My failure to do that made alters restless and our reconciliation was seen as a challenge to her fortified abuse programming. This was the worst time for my wife to post in a rape support sub.
In minutes the DM creeps descended and my wife met a pedophile whose way of abusing little girls woke the alters. My wife was in denial about the risk and texted me: “The affairs revealed truth about my alters and abuse. This man too. I gain awareness about my trauma as I tell it to him and understand more why pedophiles hurt us. I shall make sure it does not get personal. It is not a real affair. I am just researching.”
My heart was pounding but I tried to trust that she will stay within (barely tolerable) boundaries. NOPE. A mere 38 days after vowing never to betray me, her alter pleaded the pedophile to describe what *he* would do to 6-year old *her*. He whet her appetite with a partially-fulfilling fantasy before ghosting. Wifey entered a bizarre state of autopilot.
Inexplicably, she contacted a BDSM Redditor who is a known sanity risk, solicited him for sexting, then prayed for him not to respond. When he did, she felt scared shitless and obligated to describe her old tortures (as he commanded). The guy proceeded to demolish my wife’s barriers until she started craving her father’s tortures. The moment she called him “Master”, it was over for me.
I shut down and observed the trainwreck, feeling no sympathy. My wife invited all this shit and made a conscious choice to engage instead of block. I was dejectedly amused listening to the circus: “This is just research, I learn my mind by interacting with bad men—OMG OMG I DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER I CAN SURVIVE THIS FILTH! I WANT ONLY YOU! Oh, another client needs my trauma for pleasure! Got to go!”
I felt too drained to realize that her unhinged sexting spree was stirring my trauma. Another oversight.
THE RIDE THROUGH OLD HELL
From May 27-28th, her alter became a snowball down Mt. Everest and the avalanche pulled me under. DM perverts verbally raped my wife while she took explicit photos right next to me in bed. Against all expectation, these e-rapes catapulted me back to boyhood: helpless to intervene, and too horrified to close my eyes. Taking away the phone didn’t cross my mind, nor could I. My body was paralyzed and eerily, I lost the ability to make sound. Seems that I contain significantly more trauma programming than anticipated. I resent my wife for subjecting me to this oppressive hell even more than I resent the cheating itself.
As if going down ‘memory lane’ wasn’t enough, possessed wife also channelled my grandmother. She would look at my tears and emit her sadistic CACKLE. Once I merged the two women, I was screwed. My trauma program dictates that I must endure whatever grandma wants; this includes watching her affair unfold.
As the ultimate insult, my wife spent the last 12 hours building an emotional affair on Reddit while I prayed for sleep. By dawn, her alter declared him a potential ‘boyfriend’. In her deluded head, the sexting arranged for nightfall would cure the rest through ultimate satisfaction plus bring True Wife back to Our Love, as this guy made her feel that “I am with you, not your uncle. Like *you* finally feel real.” The nonsensicality made me short-circuit. I was DONE.
INSANITY SLAMS TO A HALT
That afternoon, she finally jolted out of the binge-sexting. How? Wifey noticed my distress, 5 days too late. I watched her first comprehend that this is hurting me, then struggle to reset consciousness, then remember that Love exists. She did a 180 on her ‘client’ and viciously berated his perversion. That helped her regain footing.
My jittery wife proceeded to apologize, freak about the explicit photos, and spiral into a suicidal state over betraying me again. She erratically cancelled every sexting appointment, shut off the DMs, and spent days begging Divinity for help. We avoided each other.
In our first talk, Wifey confessed that she fears herself, as only her housebound life prevents physical cheating. While she wants nothing more than to be pure, her alters are begging for more due to trauma bonds. Wifey described it as: “Insatiable rocket blocked by a moral fence and waiting for release to zoom again.” Needless to say I was embittered.
REFLECTING ON THE AFTERMATH
While analyzing recent events, I realized something: my wife didn’t run to that BDSM sadist of her own volition. An elusive alter had taken the wheel: the brothel Madame who pulls my wife into prostitution re-enactments. No wonder she was cackling! It’s the alter’s trademark, based on my grandmother! That damn Narc used to say that it’s bad to deprive other men and let the body go to waste on one Husband. *No wonder* a vow renewal pissed off that alter! Now Wifey-on-autopilot made sense.
Wifey was stunned at the revelation and had a glitch (outraged cackles, whimpers, shudders) that confirmed its truth. She never knew this freaky alter steers her from behind the scenes. Took her awhile to digest the disturbing paradigm shift.
Interestingly, she later texted: “That alter does not excuse my choice to chat with a pedophile right after another creep showed me how vulnerable I am. I have ultimate responsibility even if later choices were not mine.”
I asked if that choice was really her own. She replied: “I think so, because he introduced himself as a retired counsellor. I never expected he was a pedophile and when he mentioned it, I should have been proactive about risks continuing such a topic with any man.”
I avoided her again and tried to pinpoint my feelings (still a struggle). No matter how blatantly I see the nymphomaniac is not Her True Self, the serial breakage of trust is making me relinquish hope, care, and concern. The more I sink into numbness, the less I care who is culpable. The whole Wifey & Co. feel ruined. I know it is very unfair to shun Wifey for sins committed in a trauma trance. DID is involuntary. Yet, her issues are a jinx now that I am surpassing our old life. The very toxicities Wifey healed in me remain her alters’ addiction. Now they’re in nasty withdrawal, desperate for any ‘drug’.
For the first time ever, divorce is drifting through my thoughts. I keep wondering, do I treat these events as a growth opportunity for her, or grounds for divorce? I want to reconcile, but should I? I’m burned out. She’s constant trouble. I feel ready to bail. And honestly, I feel unsafe.
Like my grandmother, my wife let me fly again before shooting me down. I barely began grieving narcissistic abuses and am scared of her containing grandma energy. The no-contact I implemented seems pointless—that Narc lives in my wife anyways. She even has the same power to crush me to dust, only stronger. My wife is my biggest weakness. I abhor weakness, thus I am abhorring her. I also detest the oppression of tiptoeing, compromising, and obliging alter whims at the expense of serious plans—JUST LIKE WITH MY GRANDMOTHER.
Then again, I can’t fathom living after a divorce. Wifey loves Celine Dion and we are the epitome of that duet I Hate You Then I Love You. The lyrics “It’s impossible to live *with you*, but I could never live *without you*, for whatever you do, I never never never want to be in Love with anyone but *you*” still rings true.
The Spouse Slot in my heart was formed in my wife’s shape and for her Essence alone. I can’t accept any other. If I was the dead guy in What Dreams May Come (one of our favourite films), I would definitely traverse the afterlife to save my wife no matter how broken she is. Existence in any world is meaningless without her.
We overcame worse hells than cheating. Why would I abandon Wifey when she is in desperate need of protection!? We live by the quote: “A perfect marriage is two imperfect people refusing to give up on each other.” In my belief, we are Twin Flames, and Wifey is definitely my Ideal Woman: demure, dreamy, melancholic, full of mischief and poetry. She saved my life. She redeemed me. We are supposed to grow old and go to Eternity together. Why would I give up on a lifelong mate over trauma!?
It seems that I am losing interest. This necrosis spurs the desire to amputate, while the increasing loss of exclusivity is repellent. For years I unquestioningly believed that she’s *incapable* of desiring anyone but me. Now my ownership feels diluted, invalidated, defeated. Several guy’s marks are all over her and nothing scrubs them off. Her intrusive memories of affairs even obstruct our intimacy!!!!! It is slammed into my face constantly—she is no longer ONLY MINE. That triggers a kneejerk aversion to others’ territory, which she now is.
After decades of impassioned Gomez & Morticia-style romance, I have no clue if I even Love her anymore. Something feels extinguished between us. There is a loss of respect—for the first time, my wife’s worth has fallen in my eyes. I saw her defile every renewed vow. It’s burned into me: she is substandard. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. My beloved is suffering. Why am I on the verge of abandoning her!?
MY WIFE’S PERSPECTIVE
Wifey insists that she deserves patience as she tackles her trauma. Is Wifey right? I am going to copy/paste that text message from her here. Only fair to include both sides.
“Mon Amour, before you sink too deep with ghastly divorce ideas, may I please remind you one thing? I had infinite patience while you wrestled with your demons…I sacrificed myself to my depths for your healing and stayed even when I should have fled. You bemoan loss of trust online while I lived many years never feeling safe to trust you face to face!!!!!! But I never gave up on Love and the amazing man I saw beneath your shadows…my Ideal Man you have now become!
My alters twist and blur my thoughts dreadfully until I forget everything I have now…but they are NOT ME. You also were not yourself when you were lost…I fought so much to free you from problems and I would pray not to be abandoned when my own problems catch up with me…no one can heal their distortions overnight. “In sickness and in health” hm? I am sick. Why throw me away now? I do not feel this is very fair no matter how utterly loathsome my own actions…you know I shall always regret succumbing again. Alters aside I should have been proactive when I still had control and listened to Mama and even Mods warning me to turn off DMs when I signed up. I overestimated myself and now I pay many prices for my idiocy.
You do good job punishing me with ice already…I beg you be merciful enough to stay while I cleanse…please…we are like in the Destino animation…meant to be together but lost among shifting sands and obstacles trying to separate us…please do not forget Our Destiny of Love…remember, we don’t say goodbye…J’taime Éternellement!!”
CLOSING QUESTIONS
How do I cure the disenchantment / indifference? If I decide to stay, how do we rebuild when we lack solid rubble for a new reconstruction? How do I stop her restlessness to cheat? Is my wife getting exploited similarly to a drunk woman or is she culpable for her cheating? Am I the real failure here? Is this worth fighting for? Am I the real failure here?
TL;DR: Our Marriage is plagued by a shared abusive childhood, wife’s DID in particular. In 2022 an online predator reactivated her trauma programs through sexting. The fortified issues were never resolved, thus her alters cheated again once new predators DMed her in 2023. I hit my tolerance limit and something extinguished between us. I need advice on how to help my wife and rekindle Love.

just gonna be me taling about some things I've been doing lately and addressing some problems I've been having
I've started scratching myself a lot lately around my hands, arms and wrists mostly out of stress and frustration with myself. I'm not suicidal but I just want to hurt myself so much. I've been feeling so stupid lately and I've been really stressed out by school. it's making me irritable and angry to the point where I snap at people when they try to reach out to me. to cope with this I've been clawing at my skin. My parents pointed out one of my scrapes on my hand and I lied to them and told them it was from me tripping and falling on the pavement. my whole left arm has lots of small scrape lines and I cant get them to go away. I dont want to feel better and I dont want help from anyone. I just want my mental health to get worse and I dont know why.

Hi all, My family is extremely toxic and enmeshed, and i've been doing the very hard work of carving out a life of my own the last few years. Obviously, it has been met with a lot of resistance, a lot of talk of 'betrayal', and otherwise general smear campaigning and acting like i'm this horrible piece of shit for not wanting any part of it anymore.
A few months ago around the holidays, there was big family drama surrounding my parents, to no ones surprise. I have extremely raised reactions to them because my nervous system is wrecked from a lifetime of dealing with them. My sisters all still live with my parents and are thus around them constantly. None of them will admit to the chaos or the abuse, and are all stuck in the loop of enabling and placating. It's very depressing to say the least. Thus, I often become the catch all for their anger that i'm not longer participating. I very often receive "updates" from my sisters, which are thinly veiled boundary breaks, informing me of whatever big drama my nparents have concocted that are also thinly veiled as "must answer - emergency!!!!" context. These are VERY often "health concerns" that must be addressed right this minute.
It has been wreaking fucking havoc on me, triggering me for days on end, and takes me forever to come down from the chemical swirl that it sends shooting through me every time. Each time it happens, I become less and less patient with it, and have been telling them over and over that I do NOT want to receive any more texts or bullshit 'updates'. They act like they get it, they care, they hear me - and then a few days/weeks later I inevitably receive an 'emergency' text, starting it all over again.
So this time, I blocked the two worst offenders. It's been a good few months now, and one of them is sending flying monkeys my way in terms of family and friends. How she doesn't understand why I have them blocked, it's really upsetting her, etc.
However, these past few months have been so nice and peaceful, that i'm really struggling with wanting to unblock her. I, of course, want to be on speaking terms with my sisters, it pains me every single day that it isn't that way. BUT I don't trust them worth a god damn thing. I know that I will have the phone call with them, bearing my soul, telling them my boundaries (AGAIN!), just for them to do the usual. "I'm so disappointed", "Don't you care about nparents?", "I can't believe how selfish you are". I just don't know if I have it in me, but that little girl in me is still so scared of the idea of them being upset with me. I'm really, really struggling with it.
I am also horrible with boundaries! Funny thing is, when you aren't allowed to have any for the first few decades of your life, you tend to struggle with them quite a bit.
So I wonder, is anyone able to help me out with wording/delivery of a boundary here?
TLDR: Sisters constantly cross boundaries when it comes to information on nparents. I've had them blocked for months, and now I feel like I need to unblock and have a conversation with them setting up proper, firm boundaries.

The video titled "MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD MUKBANG" features the illustrious Foodie Beauty as she indulges in a Middle Eastern food feast and babbles on about various topics. She starts by exclaiming, "hey guys hey guys hey hey look what I have... I know I have henna." Wow, groundbreaking stuff. She mentions showing the henna process later and adds, "I'll be getting it done, so check the end of the video or watch this whole video if you want." Oh, how generous of her.
Foodie Beauty introduces the food on her plate, saying, "I have some of my favorite food here... some tabbouleh, garlic sauce, grilled chicken, fries, and fresh pita bread... it's really fresh, yum!" Great, a detailed description of her mundane meal. She expresses her hunger, stating, "Let's dig in, I'm so hungry like you don't even know." Oh, the depth of her hunger is truly awe-inspiring.
Discussing intermittent fasting, she admits, "I'm back to trying the intermittent fasting... I don't always succeed... I tried the one meal a day and I obviously fell off like I couldn't do it... I went back to eating whatever." How riveting, her struggle with yet another failed diet attempt. She takes bites of her food and mentions her struggle with the diet, saying, "I'm on the fence about intermittent fasting... there are so many health benefits about fasting... but it's so hard... it was so hard to do... even with Ramadan, I didn't really lose weight because I would eat all night, you know?" Oh, the hardships she faces in her quest for self-control.
During her mukbang, Foodie Beauty addresses the negative reactions she receives from a certain community, saying, "if they put stuff about me, I really don't care... they're all mad... I think it's the fact that I got a cat... I find being called a cat killer from the community of somebody who actually did kill her dog Maggie is pretty funny." How amusing, her attempt to deflect criticism and indulge in petty comparisons.
She reflects on the hypocrisy within the community, mentioning her frustration with their behavior towards another content creator, Amberlynn Reed. Foodie Beauty shares, "there's people, this particular community is so dumb... one time Amberlynn Reed was like, she struggles with her weight... she decided to eat a shrimp ring on video... how did people react to that very maturely? They decided to set up live streams and count her subscribers going down... like let's all give her a blackout... let's all unsubscribe and teach her a lesson." Oh, the irony of her pointing out the stupidity of others while engaging in the same childish behavior herself.
Despite the negative reactions, Foodie Beauty dismisses them, stating, "I don't care... I don't have to convince you... people are always going to say something stupid... live your life, man... that's your lesson of the day." How profound, her disregard for the opinions of others while preaching about living life. She concludes the video by thanking her viewers, saying, "thanks guys for watching and listening to me... talk to you later, bye guys." Oh, what a privilege it must be to listen to her mindless ramblings.

I (33F) am the middle sibling of 5 children, two of which are sisters 8 and 11 years older than me and brothers 2 and 3 years younger than me. Our mother is schizoaffective bipolar and as a result we have all experienced varying degrees of trauma and varying ways of coping. My coping mechanism, for as long as I can remember, has been to create a life outside of the family unit. One filled with creativity, exploration, and friendship (although I do have my own struggles within relationships).
I haven't been in contact with my 2nd oldest sister since last year. But I've spoken to several times this week, for hours on end because our mother had another psychotic break and is now in the hospital. Now, I stopped talking to my 2nd oldest sister for many reasons. One of which is because during lockdown she was struggling, like many ppl...and she called me expressing that her internet went out while my nephew was doing his schoolwork and she needed almost $300 for the bill. Now she is very prideful and does not ask for help or money, and because it was impeding on my nephew's ability to excel in school I gave her the money without hesitation and never told her she had to pay me back. I said don't worry about it, it is a gift.
When it was time for him to graduate, she shared that he needed to make up a lot of work or else he would not graduate and was blaming it on the fact that the teacher was racist and was out to keep my nephew back. She asked me to come over to their place in Jersey (I live in Brooklyn and do not drive) to "help" him with the work. I told her that I was sure the teacher was not out to get him, and that if he did not do the work he did not do the work and it's her responsibility as the teacher to hold him accountable for not doing his work. Also, I'm not doing a 17/18yo homework! I will help you...but you are going to do your work on your own. And we can connect on Zoom. I don't need to travel 4hrs round trip to offer up my help. Also, so much was expected of teachers during the lockdown and I expressed that it was unfair to this teacher who could very well have her own difficulties and children to tend to.
Well, my sister did not like that. And she did not invite me to my nephew's graduation. But also, I realized that I did not feel good talking to my sister. I would always get off the phone with her feeling very drained and just negative vibes. She is very negative at times. And is a bit of a bully - she is 8yrs older and continue to try to talk to me as if I am a child and know nothing about life. I could never get a word in edgewise. Anytime I disagree with anything she says, she flips. It's like I cannot have my own opinion. And oftentimes she would start yelling and hang up.
So now we're in contact because of my mom and I feel like this is a way for her to weasel herself back into my life without addressing the issues we have. Now, I was trying to focus on my mother because I really did not want to go into anything deep with any of my siblings without a third party (i.e. therapist present). But we have been talking and I regret sharing things with her. For instance, I recently got a paternity test with the man I have know to be my father - still waiting on the results. And she went back to tell my older sister about this and is speculating that someone said something to me or did something to me for me to question who my father is and my place in the family. And I shared that no, this is something I have always wanted to do and according to him they never did one (but my sister who was 8 at the time seems to remember that they did). But also, that yes I have not felt very welcome in the family or like I could trust any of them if I was truly being honest - especially my mother and my oldest sister. Big mistake!
So, she calls me today accusing me of recording the conversation we had last night - apparently she's got some app on her phone that alerts you when someone is recording you (paranoid much??!). I assured her that I did not. And then she goes on to tell me that she thinks I need to go back to therapy because I'm still harboring about things that happened in the past and that I should really just get over it. I even brought up the time her and my mom jumped me in an elevator when I was in high school and she said she never did that to me. And is just telling me that I need to go to therapy - mind you this is from someone who has never gone to therapy and boasts about how she never needed to go that route...that she has God, etc. But, before hanging up I expressed how it was highly inappropriate for her to tell me that I need to go back to therapy because she does not agree how I feel and most likely feels uncomfortable with my feelings.
This is super long, so if you've made it this long bless your heart. I have stopped sharing this stuff with friends because I haven't met many people, outside of therapists, who have the capacity to hold space for me as I navigate the fuckery that is my family. But I hung up the phone because I needed to put up a boundary, even if it was in an immature way. My conversations with my sister this week have only confirmed WHY I have been toying with this idea of estrangement and trying it out. My family will never do the work that is needed to heal themselves enough so that we can have a healthy relationship. I also cannot trust that any conversations I have with any of them will stay between us. I just do not trust them or feel safe around them (emotionally, mentally, and physically as it pertains to my mom)...safe enough to be my authentic self and speak my truth.
So, outside of the conversations about the treatment plan with my mom - I have to stay firm on not discussing any other issues with them because they will always try to manipulate me and deny things that have happened in the past. I am not crazy I know what I experienced - I have also been an avid journaler since 5th grade so I have a hefty account of my life written down so no one can tell me about my life and how I experienced it. So yeah....just needed to reaffirm that my decision to distance myself is actually necessary for not only my survival, but for the betterment of my mental health because these bitches tryna make me feel like I'm crazy!!!
Any supportive comments would be greatly appreciated during this time.
Much love!
TLDR: After a year of NC, I got back into contact with my older sister because my mom is in the psych ward. I am regretting it deeply because she told me I need to go to therapy so I could get over the stuff and is trying to make me question my own perception of my life growing up.

Hello I hope this message finds you in good health. I am reaching out to inquire if you could assist me with an issue regarding the YouTube plugin in Flutter. Specifically, I have encountered a problem where the audio of a video stops playing when I minimize the application. Unfortunately, I am unsure about the appropriate steps to ensure uninterrupted video playback and continuous audio. Would you be kind enough to provide me with guidance on how to address this matter?

So i posted this is ask therapists but im also posting it here to maybe see what none clinical people might say.
Hey im a 28 year old male and i need some advice and idk how to talk to my fiancée or therapist about whats effected my sex drive and strains my relationship. I have already seen my PCP and a urologist and had physicals and labs which show my issue isn't physical. Unless it a tumor but they think is psychological. So here i am.
About 3.5 years ago my libido was pretty high and i had very sexual active in my last relationships. Then it tanked. I stared having depression and anxiety and i couldn't get it up. I have some trauma from my past that my therapist thinks is the problem but honestly idk what to do to fix it, and im not comfortable talking about it with them. So we will go from the first problems to the most recent problems and maybe yall could help me put these in order in which need to be addressed and are more likely the cause of my lose of sex drive, depression, anxiety and thoughts of suicide.
1.) i was sexually assaulted by my aunt at 7. She pined me down and grabbed me, threatened to cut things off to make me a "good" boy. All i did was wake her up by jumping on her bed, a game she, my mom and i played all the time when i was little.
2.) my dad abandoned me and until i was 14 years old i was forced to see my father, by the wishes of my grandparents, mother and the courts, who was an abusive alcoholic and a smoker, who would starve me, beat me and tell me i was a mistake. After 14 i told the court id rather throw myself off a highway bridge than see him ever again. Never saw him again since then.
3.) had 2 of my closest friends commit suicide in the military and i walked in on the aftermath of my CPLs suicide to his screaming wife and daughter who found him. Those scream have haunted my dreams since that day.
4.) my job in the military exposed me to a lot of....... the dark side of humanity. I honestly cant talk about any of it without breaking down which involved my crying violently and hyperventilating until i pass out.
5.) my two Exes cheated on me and told me it was either because i wasn't good enough or i was the safe bet and she just wanted to have someone to come home after getting smashed by other men.
6.) i lost both of my grandfathers back to back. They were essentially my father figure so that is great.
7.) i got depressed after some news that my first Ex, while we were engaged became pregnant and aborted the child and then never told me. A few years after we split she admitted she started cheating before she got pregnant so idk if it was mine or the other guys. All i have ever wanted to be is a good partner and father and some how i felt robbed.
8.) recently went to a fertility specialist because my fiancée are trying to have a kid and low and behold, id have more luck developing gills than having my own kids. Thats great.
Im avoiding some details of what happens because i hate when i remember these events. My head starts to hurt and i start feeling like someone sucked the air out of my lungs when i have to think about these and its worse when i talk about them.
There was a time i was an alcoholic and used it to cover my pain, then i got sober for 2 years. But recently i have fallen off the wagon at which time i looked at the 1911 i have that was my grandfathers and have though about eating a slug. Im sober again for 7 days and that thought has more or less gone away without alcohol and talking to my therapist about those thoughts, so i think avoiding alcohol is a good start.
But what should i do and what should i address first, how do i talk about this without losing my shit? I know its a lot but i need to figure this out. I can't keep having these issues effecting my sex life which fucks with my mental health and straining my relationship with my fiancée.

Introduction:
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I'm a 45 year old bi artist and teacher… ideally looking for something w long term potential. I'm a reading tutor, urban surrealist painter and a geek: I love art, books, music, movies/pop culture (Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, Dune). Most of my art deals with graffiti and ancient artifacts/ mythology. I love learning new things. More into cuddles and movies at home, bonfires and music… or fun dates (going to parks, festivals, museums… going on road trips to explore new places) vs a loud bar or party. I'm not a sportsball person at all
I am hoping for an in-person relationship at some point, so being within some hours of central Ohio helps a lot. However, connection and spark are more important than geography, if you're willing to work together on logistics. That being said, I have *no interest * in an online-only situation. I want to spend time together, go on dates, hold hands in the park, cuddle and watch movies, etc. I love deep conversations (sapiosexual for sure) and enjoy sending text (and/or) voice messages on/off through the day.
There are photos of me in my profile because physical attraction matters. I’d like to see one of you sooner than later.
Communication, consistency and mental health awareness are musts.
Tell me a little about yourself when you send a chat please.

I'm a 45 year old bi artist and teacher… ideally looking for something w long term potential. I'm a reading tutor, urban surrealist painter and a geek: I love art, books, music, movies/pop culture (Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, Dune). Most of my art deals with graffiti and ancient artifacts/ mythology. I love learning new things. More into cuddles and movies at home, bonfires and music… or fun dates (going to parks, festivals, museums… going on road trips to explore new places) vs a loud bar or party. I'm not a sportsball person at all
I am hoping for an in-person relationship at some point, so being within some hours of central Ohio helps a lot. However, connection and spark are more important than geography, if you're willing to work together on logistics. That being said, I have *no interest * in an online-only situation. I want to spend time together, go on dates, hold hands in the park, cuddle and watch movies, etc. I love deep conversations (sapiosexual for sure) and enjoy sending text (and/or) voice messages on/off through the day.
There are photos of me in my profile because physical attraction matters. I’d like to see one of you sooner than later.
Communication, consistency and mental health awareness are musts.
Tell me a little about yourself when you send a chat please.

I posted my resume earlier and got no responses, so I wanted to try again. I’ve been looking for a summer job for a while now with no callbacks, much less interviews. I don’t know what Im doing wrong, since every other high schooler I know can seem to find one :(. Please give advice on my resume.

There's a lot more to this that I'd like to go into and get opinions on from folks here eventually, but I'm having a rough time with mental health and can't find the motivation or the will to explain it all. There's a lot of different particular ways I'm grieving this but I want to know what has helped others in similar situations.
Important: My NP and I have lived together for nearly 10 years. We were never monogamous, but when we were younger, we were both recent SA survivors and this made seeking out other people not something immediately in the cards. My ex/metamour was my NP's best friend before either of our partners. We had a threesome a few times almost a year ago and my ex/metamour ended up getting a job and moving closer to us around January. (I know it seemed a bit much but... u-hauling culture I guess.) I won't give ages, but we're all on the younger cusp of millennial. I don't know what else is relevant so feel free to ask I guess.
My ex is not a bad person, but has behaved in ways that have been impulsive and cruel. They make me feel like I can never be right, and that I'm always to blame for my own feelings, and for not intuiting things they feel (I'm autistic, and I cannot know what they don't communicate. I have explained this to them many times before. Sometimes part of it seemed to sink in, but never enough when it was most important.) They hadn't had long term relationships of any kind until us. I think some of this sudden cruelty problem was that their mindset was "don't communicate, burn bridges, this will protect you from growing pains and vulnerability. Growing pains and vulnerability mean I am not safe." And when they have caused harm in the past with this (like a lot of seemingly out of nowhere breakups) my NP has generally gone all out to try and make things up with them. (Not necessarily in a fawning way, though the result has always that things seem okay between them.) My NP has told me before that they see their approach as a peacemaker and me as someone who "doesn't let peace fester" because I am always trying to address issues so they don't become worse. I think this is probably an accurate read. And I can see how it's not something that makes me easy to be around.
We had a triad that seemed happy, but we (me and ex) have different lifestyles and communication styles and needs that would feed off each other in the worst ways. They dumped me in a very cruel way. We'd had a serious discussion earlier in the day where I started dissociating and said I couldn't continue the conversation because of that. They asked for space after I asked if they were okay. So I didn't message until that night. They were travelling later, so I messaged a quick 'did you get there safely?' And their response was that they decided that they never wanted to see me again or have me in their life in any way, please do not message them. This was around 2:30am.
That night when they sent this message, my partner is messaging them angry that they did this. And they make up. They have a happy relationship and I am not there. I am respecting that my ex doesn't want to talk to me and has said nothing to correct this. Apparently they asked my partner several times if it was "worth" apologizing to me. (My partner gave mixed responses and I told my partner to please stop giving advice on this. I needed her to come to the decision on her own, otherwise I couldn't trust an apology to be genuine.)
My ex and partner made up and got back together before I was even messaged an apology. At the time, I explained how this made me feel to my partner and she was apologetic. She did not change course in any way. And I get that it's her choice who she partners with and what criteria of things she needs from them. But this stings.
I've been in crisis lately for unrelated reasons. Things related to my no-longer-estranged family, grief, and illness related healthcare issues I'm navigating in my own body. Along with that, I haven't had the same dosage of medication I need recently because of some beurocratic mess in my doctor's office. (I can elaborate on any of this stuff but don't want to get too lost in the weeds.) I've been crying on and off today and have been pretty transparent about where I'm at with my partner.
My partner went to my metamour's today, which she decided to do this morning. She always encourages me to play video games on her computer when she's not using it. (This is a recurring thing spanning years, not exclusive to this time. I don't have a computer that can play specific games so she lets me play them there.) I've asked her before if she could log out of discord so I'm not accidentally seeing notifications from my ex. This time she left up (did not minimize, so it was central on the screen) sexts with emojis between her and my metamour. Judging by what was up (I really only saw an emoji, "can't wait" and "I've been fantasizing about it") it was safe to assume basically they were planning to go have sex while I'm in crisis.
I messaged her about it to let her know that she had left the tab up and I'd prefer if she were more careful. Also that I was generally upset but needed to work through to figure out whether that even makes sense for me to feel, whether it's fair. Another aspect of this is that we haven't had sex since me and ex broke up. (Ok maybe like one quick sex act? But it was like 30 seconds. It was very hot but. Also nothing happened since then.) So I feel a lot of auDHD RSD about it.
How can I reconcile this? I've tried to have parallel polyamory but it doesn't seem to have helped much. (Do you think KTP or some other arrangement might be more healing?) I used to confide in my partner and get reality checks from her when I felt like I was being irrational, but it doesn't work here for obvious reasons (bias but also: this should not be On Her to try and mediate) (tbh this whole thing has affected my trust in her too).
I just want to move on and heal but it's hard when this issue won't stop being pushed in my face. I also just don't have the social supports I need right now in general, and it's not like I can just fix that as soon as I realized that was an issue for me. Cultivating relationships with others takes time, and I can't lean on new friends the way I need right now.
I've communicated all of this stuff to my partner. I just want to know how to go on. How to work through what I feel. I just want things to be simple, and to not be hurt by any of this. Maybe I just wanted to get this off my chest.

[email protected] ---------------- WhatsApp is a free and popular instant messaging application that most people use today. It is available for different platforms, including both PC and mobile phones. The users can use it to send text messages, make audio or video calls, share files or folders, and connect with anyone worldwide. Nowadays, you can easily find people on WhatsApp to chitchat with them.

How can I read someone’s WhatsApp messages without touching their phone, only by number?

Facebook considers WhatsApp to be the most secure one because of the end-to-end encrypted messages. So, the question is, is it possible to hack WhatsApp accounts, chats, or conversations? If yes, then how to hack WhatsApp with or without using the target phone or phone number?
WhatsApp hacking is different from WhatsApp stalking, which is limited to viewing someone’s activities for self-satisfaction. Is there a way how to know who viewed my WhatsApp profile?
A hacker can follow many ways to do so, and readers can find many articles based on how to hack WhatsApp account without using target phone on the internet. The latest technological advancements have made it possible to connect with anyone globally. But it has also put everyone in a vulnerable position by giving ways to break into someone’s security.
WhatsApp is quite famous among every age group. According to recent data by Statista, WhatsApp is the most popular messenger app of 2021, with 2 billion monthly active users. Due to its popularity, it has become a goldmine of data for hackers. Hacking WhatsApp without access to phone can do a lot more harm than we can imagine.
Nowadays, people hack WhatsApp account to know if the other person is being honest with them. But it is not limited to spying on a spouse or lover. Many parents hack their kids’ WhatsApp out of concern to know who their companions are and determine if they are indulging in any inappropriate activity.

Why Do You Need to Hack Someone’s WhatsApp?

Hacking someone’s phone without them knowing may seem impossible, but it is not, and the same applies to hacking someone’s WhatsApp. People do it for many reasons. Some break into another person’s privacy to know about their honesty, while others do it out of concern or to monitor that person’s mental health. Most often, a parent tries to do it to know the secrets his kid might be hiding. If teenagers are facing the negative effects of social media, then parents may discuss the benefits of staying off social media with them. No doubt, social media detox is transforming our lives.
Here are the top four reasons why anyone wants to know how to hack WhatsApp.

Spying on Loved Ones

Relationships are complicated. At some point in time, a girl may be eager to know how can I read my boyfriend’s text messages without touching his phone; similarly, a boy wants to know how to hack my girlfriend’s phone. Married couples are also questioning how to spy on my husband’s cell phone without touching it or how to read my wife’s text messages from my phone. Doubts kill relationships, but if you catch girlfriend cheating or boyfriend cheating on time, it will certainly help to move forward in your life. Stay educated; they may use other applications like WhatsApp to cheat you.

Protect the Kids

Young adults are quite active on this platform, and sometimes, they use it to talk with anyone they meet on the other social media platform. No one can deny the advantages of social media, but it also has disadvantages to our lives. A parent doesn’t know who that person is and how he can misuse the information or pictures sent by the kids. A parent must be aware of these situations and look for signs that can lead to cyberbullying.

Contact us at [email protected] for technical problems about your task or issue regarding hacking services.

Monitoring Employees’ Activity

You believe it or not, social media in the workplace influences employee productivity. It’s the responsibility of management to consider this. Social media platforms like WhatsApp have made it possible to contact anyone anytime. Some employees use them to reach their friends or family or misuse companies’ secrets while in the workplace. Some employers hack WhatsApp accounts to know if their employees are working or wasting time in the office.

Recover Deleted Messages

WhatsApp users can hack their own accounts if they lose their phones or forget their device’s passwords or pins. It is also useful if the user has accidentally deleted their WhatsApp messages and wants to retrieve the original records. Here is our guide to recover deleted WhatsApp messages for Android phones.

Is It Possible to Hack WhatsApp?

As discussed, there are several reasons why a person wants to know how to hack WhatsApp without the target phone. Similarly, the interested person can follow several ways to achieve this. But can anyone hack WhatsApp messages without target phone? Yes, but the hacker must have physical access to the target person’s phone, even for a few minutes. If your phone is hacked, WhatsApp is not secure. Read how to hack someone’s phone with or without his concern.

How to Read Someone’s WhatsApp Messages without their Phone?

There are many ways the hacker can hack victim phones and read messages without their knowledge. For this, he will need mobile access for a few minutes to log into the WhatsApp account. But after that, the victim’s phone will not be required. This method involves the use of a Web Browser to access the WhatsApp account.

How to Hack Someone WhatsApp Using Chrome?

The readers may not believe this, but it is genuinely possible to hack someone’s WhatsApp using the Web Browser. A hacker must use WhatsApp Web to hack WhatsApp account on the web browser. As the name suggests, you can use the web version of WhatsApp.
If the hacker has access to the victim’s phone, he can easily open WhatsApp web and get new message updates without the target’s knowledge. Not only this, but the hacker will be able to access all the old messages saved in the WhatsApp account.

How to Read Someone’s WhatsApp with QR Code?

When anyone opens WhatsApp Web or WhatsApp Desktop, it asks the user to scan the QR code of the victim’s WhatsApp account. Here is how you can access it.

How to Hack Someone’s WhatsApp without Their Phone?

Hack WhatsApp Using Spy Apps

Are you in a dilemma, how to spy on WhatsApp messages without target phone? Hacker uses a paid WhatsApp hacking app to break the device security to access social media apps. These spy apps work by being installed and running in the background of the target device. So, the victim doesn’t get any clue about the data breach.

Hacking WhatsApp by Sending OTP

Hackers can also hack someone’s WhatsApp if they get hold of the WhatsApp account verification code or OTP (one-time-password) sent to the registered number. Usually, the app sends a verification code to the mobile number used to log into WhatsApp. If the user shares this code, another person can access his data and private messages. (Continue reading to know more)

Hack WhatsApp Account by Disabling Two-Factor Authentication

WhatsApp has launched a two-factor authentication method to let the user set a code that he has to enter every time he wants to register again with the same mobile number. But this security feature has a flaw. Anyone can disable this feature within a few minutes once he gets hold of the target person’s device and opens WhatsApp.

Hack WhatsApp by Accessing Backed Up Data

WhatsApp claims its platform to be safe as the messages are end-to-end encrypted. But the messages and data saved as a backup on the phone or Google Drive are not encrypted ones. It gives hackers an advantage to easily spy on WhatsApp conversations if they get access to the cloud data.

Hack WhatsApp Account by Sending Spammy Link

We all know that we must never click on any link sent by an unknown person or account. But we don’t think even once if the same is sent by someone we know. Sometimes, hackers hack a single device and misuse it to break into the privacy of other devices. They may send a link containing malware from the hacked device to everyone on its contact list.

Exporting Chat History to Mail

By following this method, the hacker can spy WhatsApp conversation of the specific contact (the victim’s WhatsApp contact list). This simple method needs physical access to the target device just for a few minutes. During this duration, he can open the victim’s WhatsApp Account and export the chat history (of any specific contact) to his own email account. This exported chat history will contain every message along with shared voice notes and files. But the hacker can’t retrieve the deleted text or file from the chat history.

Hacking WhatsApp using MAC Spoofing Method

It is another method where the hacker can hack WhatsApp account of the victim and get a real-time update on his own device. At most, he needs physical access to the target device for a few minutes to copy the Wi-fi MAC Address (of that device). Once the hacker has it, he can use it to change his own device’s MAC address to the victim’s. This method will enable him to clone the victim’s WhatsApp on his own mobile. The tricky thing with this method is it requires a little programming skill.

Hack WhatsApp using Bluetooth

Similar to the method mentioned above, the hacker can also spy on WhatsApp messages using Bluetooth. Many WhatsApp hacking apps are available on the internet that can easily hack into any device when Bluetooth is on. This method again follows the MAC spoofing method like the one mentioned above.

For further information about How can I read someone’s WhatsApp messages without touching their phone, only by number and other related hacking services, Speak to a hacker anonymously on [email protected] for all your hacking needs

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Tw: mention of trauma, family violence, mental illness
My puppy is not far less challenging than anyone's dog in this sub I would say. I'm sleep deprived and troubleshooting new and existing issues my puppy has every single day, and I haven't got much life besides work and my dog ever since I got her. But it's through addressing this issues that I feel I'm healing my trauma and growing into a better person. I know a lot of people say the cuteness of a puppy melts their heart, and of course playing with a puppy is fun, but for me it's the hard work on my part that not only helps my puppy grow into a better dog but also molds me into a healthier person.
If you read read my precious post you probably realize that I grew up in a not-so-ideal family. Long story short my father was physically and verbally abusive, largely due to his anxiety and paranoid and frequent, extreme mood swings, and my mother started showing mental health issue symptoms when i was 6~7 and ceased most of "parental functions" by the same I was 8. I was the kid going to school with messy hair and inappropriate clothes and constantly disrupting class for attention since grade 3. But before that she was the most nurturing and consistent parent I have ever known, so when raising my puppy I try my best to recall how my mom was what did she do when I misbehave when she was a healthy and functional parent, and my primary caregiver.
I sometimes imagine the puppy as me when I was a kid and try to recall and mimic my mother's behaviour when she was healthy. I'm not sure if this line of thought is healthy or not but it helps. I was admittedly more challenging than my puppy, biting literally every one and peeing my pants every day when I was her equivalent human age.... But my mother almost always remained calm and never used anything physical, unlike my father. I inherited mostly my father's temperament and used to worry a lot that I would end up like him with a mediocre career, non-exist social relationships and a child next to no-contact. But using this line of thought, whenever I notice that I'm slipping into my father's behavioural patterns, from losing patience to being paranoid about random ridiculous stuff, i pull out my childhood memory and try to recall what my mother did? How would she react? How did I want to be treated when I was a kid? My father started beating me when I was a toddler for peeing pants and yelling at me for coughing. My puppy is basically a toddler. Do I want to be like him? And more often than not I'm able to stick to positive reinforcement with my dog, even when I'm very stressed or angry, and I usually calm down myself by implementing those positive reinforcements.
Every day I'm more aware that I'm capable of and I am making changes, "breaking the cycles " and despite sharing the same temperament I have the ability to control my worry and anxiety. I'm still anxious about 46288 things a day and experience big mood swings but I control my behaviour in front of my dog. And that feels almost... Empowering? I didn't get to choose my genetics but I am deciding my behaviour. And by deciding my behaviour it actually helps my feelings as well as it makes me feel more under control and look more at the positive things my dog Does.
When I was 17 I left my parents home to go to the other side of the earth and decided to never come back. I never did so far and haven't seen my parents even once since I was 17. Before I left I only stored a few random photo from the family album in my phone so i don't have much physical connection with my parents. But by raising my puppy and using my mother's positive behaviour in the past as resources I gradually start to recall more and more details of how she was before her illness. Before that all that was left in my mind was "my mom used to be good and I loved her a lot". It is only through raising a puppy that I really start to remember how she was like and what things she did right. And knowing that I used to crave attention and affection from my mother without receiving any because she was ill, but also that now I have a puppy and I can provide her with all my love and energy, makes me feel as if my wounds are getting healed, and that I'm not just raising my dog but also loving myself. It's weird but I feel more loved by loving my dog.