FORT COLLINS  As climate change jeopardizes the worlds doomsday seed vault near the North Pole, a similar Fort Collins facility continues to stock up its collection.

The modern-day Noahs Ark, located on the campus of Colorado State University, houses more than 850,000 plant seeds and materials, as well as various DNA samples from about 160 breeds of livestock.

Like the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway  which needs a $12.7 million upgrade to combat melting permafrost  the Fort Collins vault is meant to preserve plant types in case they are wiped out by natural or man-made disasters.

The facility, formally known as the National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation, is run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The whole point is we are saving the resources for the world, said Gayle Volk, a scientist at the Fort Collins seed vault for the past 19 years.

The Fort Collins seed vault was built by the federal government in 1953  decades before the Svalbard Global Seed Vault opened in 2008 on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen. The Choice City was chosen because of the dry climate and adjacent university.

The building has thick cement walls and is specifically designed to withstand natural disasters like tornadoes or severe flooding if Horsetooth Reservoir were to break.

Backup generators are installed to guarantee complete climate control. An actual vault locks in the countrys largest seed collection every night, and only a handful of the sites 40 employees know the combination.

This building has the ability to handle catastrophes, and thats really important, said Harvey Blackburn, a scientist at the Fort Collins facility for the past 19 years.

The seeds and animal matter are preserved either in cooler rooms set to minus-18 degrees Celsius or submerged in liquid nitrogen inside of stainless steel tanks. Some plants, like apples, have their twigs saved because those trees grow from grafting and not directly from seeds. Small portions of roots are saved from some plants, like strawberries.

Staff are continually testing the stored seed and plant matter to make sure they are still alive.

As you go from one species of a plant to another, it requires a different set of technique, Blackburn said. And we are constantly refining our technique here.

Some seeds in the collection are nearly a century old  90-year-old cotton seeds from the facility were recently grown as part of a research project.

A famous 1940s experiment started in California is now housed at the facility. Test tubes containing those seeds are tested regularly and many have survived.

All new seed patents in the U.S.  like the GMO varieties made by Monsanto  are also required to be stored in the vault.

We work for scientists of the future but also with scientists of the past, said research leader Christina Walters, who has worked at the Fort Collins vault for three decades.

The collection in Fort Collins serves as the basis of research for scientists around the world. A third of the requests for seeds come from outside of the U.S.

Rare wild ancestor plant seeds are stored and offer crucial genetic clues to researchers. Some specific plants, like corn, have their entire evolution preserved in Fort Collins.

As humans have domesticated seeds, they have gone from being small and dark to bigger and lighter.

Seeds from the Fort Collins vaults have specifically helped scientists create wheat resistant to a harmful disease called Russian Wheat Aphid, more efficient corn and better harvests of sunflowers, corn and chickpeas.

The animal matter has also been used to reintroduce two Y chromosomes to Holstein cow breeders and helped farmers fight a lethal mutation that was found in Angus cattle.

We are working collaboratively with breeders to help solve these problems, Volk said.

About 700 people come tour the Fort Collins vault every year. Many of the visitors are from other countries. A group earlier this month featured people representing 24 different countries.

Scientists from Fort Collins often travel around the world to share insights and collect new items for the vault, preserving history and protecting the future of plants from around the world.

Fort Collins seed vault preserves world collection of plants


RIGA, October 7. /TASS/. The Social Democratic Party Harmony, which advocates
the interests of Latvias Russian-speaking citizens, is winning 19.8% of the
vote in the final vote count, the republics Central Election Commission said
on Sunday.

According to the Central Election Commissions data, other parties, which win
seats in the parliament, are The Who owns the state? Party (14.25%), the New
Conservative Party (13.59%), the Development/For! Party (12.04%), the National
Independence Movement (11.01%), the Union of Greens and Farmers (9.91%), which
now leads Latvias ruling coalition, and the New Unity party (6.69%).

The Harmony party will get 23 seats in the new parliament, while The Who owns
the state? Party and the New Conservative Party will secure 16 seats. The
Development/For! Party, the National Independence Movement, the Union of
Greens and Farmers and the New Unity party will receive 13, 11, and 8 seats,
respectively.

Latvia held parliamentary polls on Sunday. A total of 16 political parties and
groups, represented by 1,461 candidates, fought for 100 seats in the
parliament. Some 954 polling stations were opened in the republic, and another
121 were opened in 45 countries. Latvia is home to 1.9 mln people, and nearly
1.5 mln of citizens are eligible to vote. The voter turnout reached more than
54%.

The Central Election Commission is due to confirm the results within three
weeks after the vote.

In other media

Harmony party leads in Latvian parliamentary polls with 198 of vote


(Natural News) Roll out all your recipes for rhubarb, because the herb is a powerful brain food packed with the protective compound rhein. A Chinese study reported that eating rhubarb can shield your brain against the side effects of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) that are growing more common these days.

Dubbed the silent epidemic, TBI is caused by physical impacts to the head during accidents. They are followed by secondary brain injuries that trigger various reactions such as inflammation and oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress is perhaps the biggest instigator of brain malfunctions. It appears shortly after the brain gets injured and aggravates the other reactions.

The brain is particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress. It has a lot of fatty acids that require a plentiful supply of oxygen, making it a prime target for reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause oxidation in lipids.

The organ is protected by antioxidant enzymes like catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Another external source of protection is traditional Chinese medicine, which prescribes various herbal medicines  such as rhubarb  that can prevent oxidative stress. (Related: Rhubarb shows promise for treating chronic liver disease.)

Recent studies have covered the neuroprotective properties of rhubarb against traumatic brain injury. The medicinal plant prevents the oxidation of lipids in the brains of rats and slows down the self-destruction of cells.

Rhubarb has shown satisfactory efficiency in the treatment of TBI. Its component rhein (also known as cassic acid) is a powerful antioxidant.

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The Central South University (CSU) research team sought to determine the specific means by which rhubarb can treat TBI. They analyzed the antioxidant effects of rhein in order to find out if it could be used as the active ingredient in a TBI treatment medicine.

The researchers used a rat model with six groups of animals. Five groups were given controlled cortical impact (CCI) surgery to simulated traumatic brain injuries while the sixth underwent sham treatment that caused no brain injury.

Three groups of CCI mice received different amounts  three, six, and 12 grams per kilogram (g/kg) of rhubarb extract. A fourth group received 12 mg/kg of rhein compound. At the end of the trial, all mice were sacrificed so that the brain and blood samples could be taken.

The researchers scanned the brain tissue of mice to see if rhein had been absorbed into those tissues. They then analyzed the blood and tissue samples to measure the levels of antioxidant enzymes and oxidation-causing substances.

Based on the results of their experiment, the CSU team confirmed that rhein was present in the brain tissue of CCI rats that were given rhubarb. rheins presence is proof that rhubarb can affect the brain and its traumatic injuries.

Both rhubarb and rhein treatments improved the levels of the antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT, and GSH. These chemicals are the brains natural means of preventing oxidative stress from taking place.

Furthermore, rhubarb improved the GSH/GSSG ration. It ensured that there is enough glutathione antioxidant to handle the oxidation-causing glutathione disulfide.

As rhein was the bioactive chemical that was absorbed by the brain, the researchers reasoned that rhein enabled the antioxidant activities. The compound could possibly join rhubarb as a neuroprotective drug that treats TBI.

The CSU researchers summed up their study by stating that rhubarb and rhein reduced the formation of destructive free radicals that caused oxidative stress in the brains of rats. They recommended future studies to determine the signal pathway taken by rhein and rhubarb when they provide antioxidation activity for the brain.

Read about more advances in treating brain diseases and injuries at Brain.news.

Natural brain food Rhubarb protects against severe damage caused by traumatic brain injury


Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) made disgraced former FBI agent Peter Strzok recite his most controversial text messages to his lover Lisa Page during Thursdays House Judiciary Committee hearing.

Rep. Issa gave Strzok a printout of the texts to read during the heated and contentious hearing, in which the agent referred to Trump as a douche and a disaster.

Im going to ask one series of questions very quickly if I could. You did a number of texts. All of the texts that were presented to us, as far as I know, came from your government phone, correct? Rep. Issa asked.

Strzok responded, I believe that to be the case, yes.

Rep. Issa then questioned if Strzok sent similar messages to Page on his private phone, prompting Strzok to ask what he meant by similar.

Commenting on Mr. Trump or Hillary Clinton or anything else politically in nature, Issa clarified.

I dont specifically recall, but its probably a safe assumption that yes I did, Strzok responded.

Rep. Issa then directed Strzok to a sheet of paper that was presented to him and asked him to read his own words from March 14, 2016.

You want me to read this? Strzok asked.

OMG, hes an idiot, Strzok read from his texts.

Issa then asked for him to read the text from May 4, 2016.

The Congressman then asked him to read from July 19, 2016.

Hi, how was Trump other than a douche? Melania? Strzok read.

Trump is a disaster. I have no idea how destabilizing his presidency would be, Strzok recited.

Rep. Issa next asked him to read the text from August 6, 2016, which Strzok claimed that he did not recall writing.

Okay, its been attributed to you, so well go on to the next. August 8, 2016 and Ill preference it by saying this for context  Ms. Page said Not ever going to become president, right, right?' Issa continued.

Rep. Issa moved on to ask him to read from August 15, 2016.

I want to believe the path you threw out for consideration in Andys office that theres no way he could be elected, but Im afraid we cant take that risk. Its like an insurance policy in the unlikely event you die before youre 40, Strzok read.

The reading continued for several minutes.

Rep Darrell Issa Makes Peter Strzok Recite Controversial Anti-Trump Text Messages He Sent to Lisa P


A Mediterranean haven will emerge in downtown Denvers concrete jungle Tuesday, Sept. 4, when Kevin Taylors restaurant group unveils its newest concept: Mila.

This 6,000-square-foot eatery, located in downtowns Denver Place, will welcome guests with a sleek, coastal color scheme and a creative-yet-classic execution of Mediterranean-inspired cuisine.

Executive chef and partner Austin Cueto, a veteran of the restaurant group, will offer an array of dishes including house-made pastas like Pork Shoulder Bolognese; pizza with spicy lamb sausage, goat cheese, fennel and rosemary (yes please); fresh seafood such as the Roasted Branzino with with toasted farro, baby beets, peas and saffron lobster brodo; along with salads, crudo and more. Signature dishes include Pork Belly Porchetta with Israeli couscous and oyster mushrooms, and a harissa lamb burger with cured tomato, bibb lettuce, feta and red beet ketchup.

Cueto, who most recently served as executive chef at Kevin Taylors at the Opera House, has spent more than a decade with the KTRG, formerly fulfilling the executive chef role at Restaurant Kevin Taylor and Palettes at the Denver Art Museum. He has also led the culinary department of the Denver Art Museums catering and events.

Mila hosts a 16-seat bar, 48-seat wine cellar ideal for special events, and a 2,000-square-foot outdoor patio with 100 seats. The space offers a bright escape with distinctly urban views.

Dinner will be served Monday through Saturday, as well as lunch service Monday through Friday, beginning Sept. 10. A happy hour menu will be available from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 5 to 6 p.m. Saturday. The restaurant will be closed on Sundays.

999 18th St, Denver, 303-228-0770; miladenver.com; Monday-Friday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 5 p.m to 10 p.m., Sunday: Closed, Happy Hour: Monday-Friday 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Mediterranean haven with 100-seat patio opening next week on 18th street in Denver


A spokesperson for Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) asserted that some of the remaining conditions to be determined for Thursdays hearing are non-negotiable.

Lawyers for Christine Blasey Ford announced earlier Sunday that she was committed to appearing in an open hearing of the committee to testify about her allegations of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

But the statement from Blasey Fords team noted committee Republicans refusal to invite other alleged witnesses of the assault to give testimony, and said it was unresolved whether senators or staff attorneys for the majority would be asking questions at the hearing.

The chairmans spokesperson appeared to respond to that point Sunday, writing: I have noted the issues that you raised on the call. But again, as with any witness who comes before the Senate, the Senate Judiciary Committee cannot hand over its constitutional duties to attorneys for outside witnesses.

The Committee determines which witnesses to call, how many witnesses to call, in what order to call them, and who will question them, the Grassley aide wrote.

Read the whole statement below:

Grassley To Blasey Ford Witnesses And Who Will Question Them Are Non-Negotiable


Elections in Florida are not over, even though the voting portion of the midterms concluded this past Tuesday night. Three statewide races are headed towards an apparent recount, including two that are so close the recounts will likely be carried out by hand. Outgoing Republican Governor and Senatorial hopeful Rick Scott has challenged the vote counting process as supposedly ripe for fraud, and Democrat Andrew Gillum, who had been running to replace Scott, has made his own position clear.

Thursday night, Scott announced that he was suing elections authorities in south Florida, since late counted votes from Broward and Palm Beach counties are in large part responsible for the tiny margins.

Standing outside the Florida governors mansion, he railed:

President Donald Trump has backed Scott up in his assertions of possible fraud, reiterating the claims on Twitter and when speaking to reporters Friday at the White House. When pressed, though, about whether there was evidence of a particular claim of voter fraud in Arizona (a claim also driven by the GOP), Trump told reporter Peter Alexander:

As Gillum indicates, theres no reason to believe that any partisan considerations are at play in the ongoing vote counting process, despite the fact that Scott is so paranoid he filed a lawsuit.

At present, Gillum sits around 36,000 votes behind Republican challenger Ron DeSantis, which translates to an around 0.4 percent losing margin  and is under the state mandated 0.5 threshold for a recount. Gillum has offered a concession speech, but his campaign has since acknowledged that theyre keeping a close eye on the proceedings.

Incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson has taken an a perhaps more active step, hiring Democratic lawyer Marc Elias in his bid to hang onto his U.S. Senate seat. He trails Rick Scott at present by around 15,000 votes  which translates to an around 0.2 percent margin and is under the state mandated 0.25 percent threshold for a hand recount.

Democrat Nikki Fried is the most successful candidate for statewide office so far, having pulled ahead of Republican challenger Matt Caldwell by just under 3,000 votes  which leaves their race also poised for a hand recount.

Andrew Gillum Woke Up Got Online Tore Rick Scotts Florida Lawsuit To Shreds


(Natural News) An international defense contractor has announced a new, multifunction unmanned ground vehicle that eventually can operate with artificial intelligence.

Called Ironclad, the UGV can carry out missions such as camera-equipped reconnaissance, casualty evacuation, area denial (i.e., a remote weapon station), and bomb disposal, all of which are dangerous functions normally handled by human infantry soldiers. BAE Systems, Ironclads manufacturer, says that the UGV can run for 30 miles on a single battery charge, and can navigate in both urban and non-urban environments.

Operated by wireless remote control, the AI hardware apparently can be added at a future date when the technology emerges.

Ironclad comes in two versions and is projected to have at least four modular equipment packages, including a machine gun installation, advanced sensor modules, robotic arm, and stretcher mounts, the Firearm Blog noted.

Ironclad...is also a step towards the battlefield of the future where we expect fleets of unmanned air and ground vehicles to work together, sharing situational awareness and pursuing combat objectives. There will always be a human in the loop, but increasing use of autonomy and unmanned vehicles means they can focus on key decisions and have more options to avoid putting people in dangerous situations.

This versatile robotic vehicle appears to have many life-saving military applications, from transporting wounded soldiers from the battle zone to protecting troops in the field from harm.

Earlier this month, Natural News reported that the Pentagon has signed an $11 million deal with a defense contractor that will develop over the next decade various forms of robot technology prototypes. Ultimately, future warfare may perhaps involve the deployment of robot soldiers, unmanned aerial assault techniques, underwater drones, and self-driving, weaponized vehicles.

Separately, however, autonomous military weaponry, i.e., operating independent of human oversight, in general, may be too close for comfort for some scientists. There is some concern that it could turn into scenarios played out in SciFi movies such as the Terminator franchise. According to the London Telegraph, about 100 AI and robotics experts have petitioned the United Nations (for what thats worth) to ban the development of so-called killer robots that could open fire without human control.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly warned that rapidly advancing artificial intelligence could give rise to self-replicating machines that might threaten humanity.

Back in 2015, Health Ranger Mike Adams, the founder of Natural News, similarly cautioned that once AI technology develops into highly evolved, self-aware, systems, the human race has a big Terminator problem on its hands.

Once AI criticality is achieved, it wont take long for a highly intelligent machine to design another machine thats an order of magnitude more intelligent than itself. Follow this along for just 4-5 generations and you get machines with demigod-level cognitive capabilities, and it wont take but a microsecond for such a machine to conclude that humans are a threat to its own existence.

Do you think that battlefield robotics will prove to be a benefit or a detriment to the military, and by extension civilization itself?

Defense robotics company introduces multi-role battlefield robot that can drag wounded soldiers off


President Donald Trump declared that anyone voting for Democrats in the 2018 midterms is crazy at a rally in Mesa, Arizona.

The president spoke to a crowd of supporters in an aircraft hangar, while campaigning for Rep. Martha McSally, who is running against Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema in Arizonas Senate race. The seat is currently held by Sen. Jeff Flake, who is retiring.

Trump, who centered much of his speech on immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border, called Democratic elected officials unhinged and too extreme, among a string of harsh criticisms.

Leaving Arizona after a fantastic Rally last night, in Mesa, honoring, and for, Martha @RepMcSally McSally. She is an inspiration & will be a GREAT SENATOR for the people of Arizona. Her opponent is a Nancy Pelosi puppet, really bad for State. Early Voting NOW! Will be back soon.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 20, 2018

Anybody that votes for a Democrat now, is crazy, when you look at whats coming up, crazy he said in a video published by The Washington Post. The Democrats dont care about what their extremist immigration agendas will do, to your communities; your hospitals...

He later added: Lets get these people out of there, theres something wrong, theyre cuckoo.

During his speech, Trump criticized Central American migrants trying to reach the U.S. border, as part of his ongoing attacks on Twitter this week.

For years, caravans have been organized for Central American migrants seeking asylum and fleeing violence and corruption.

Trump also claimed without evidence that Democrats dont care about illegal immigration because everybody that comes across the border, for the most part, theyre gonna vote Democrat, he said.

Your vote in this election will decide which party controls Congress, Trump said at one point earlier in the rally. He added: Democrats produce mobs, Republicans produce jobs.

Trump Says Anybody Voting For Democrats Is Crazy At Arizona Rally


Fiona Bruce had to flag down a police car to get her a studio in time to present BBC News at Six.

After a technical glitch caused havoc at BBC Broadcasting House, the team made the decision to head to the BBC Millbank studio.

Stuck in standstill traffic, the news anchor and Antiques Roadshow host persuaded a policeman to get her to the other studio with only minutes to spare.

Ms Bruce said: "I've never had to do that before in 19 years of presenting the news."

BBC News home editor Mark Easton had tweeted pictures of the frantic journey.

"In a taxi with Fiona Bruce and editor of BBC News At Six heading for Millbank. Studio at Broadcasting House gone down!! Traffic dreadful. Aagghhh", he wrote. "Now in a police car being escorted through the demo. BBC News is at stake!"

And later he added: "Policeman Josh has saved the day! BBC News should be on air!!"

Earlier in the day, the BBC has been forced to run previously recorded content on its live news channel due to the technical issue.

Viewers were left baffled when BBC News's Afternoon Live programme showed repeated programming from an hour beforehand, along with a small "recorded" banner visible on the top left of the screen.

A BBC spokesman had earlier said: "We're working hard to resolve this as quickly as possible. The BBC News website is operating normally."

The issue appeared to last for around one hour before the news channel returned to air.

Fiona Bruce flags down police car to avoid being late for News at Six


France is headed to the European Court of Justice to establish whether it can force companies such as Google to de-list search results globally.

Frances data regulator is seeking clarification on whether material removed under the right to be forgotten (RTBF) law should only be removed within France or if it should be de-listed on every Google domain.

RTBF was established in 2014 when a man called Mario Costeja complained that searching for his name on Google returned out-of-date material about an unsettled debt and didnt reveal that his debt was settled.

France Takes Google to Court


Weve now moved into the phase of Trumps presidency in which he decides the U.S. Constitution only applies to those he decides it does. For now, the people hes decided are no longer eligible for the constitutional protections provided to all people, not just citizens, are undocumented immigrants.

In the U.S. Constitution, the 5th Amendment is not only applicable to U.S. citizens, but to all persons.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Frustrated by the process of legally deporting undocumented immigrants, which takes some time since the number of courts and judges are far too low to allow for a speedy process in determining which immigrants are eligible for asylum, Trump has recently declared our immigration laws stupid. Protection through due process, Trump says, is stupid.

This is not just another Trump scandal of the day. When the president begins trying to subvert the constitution to suit his own needs, following the mass incarceration and separation of brown people for misdemeanor crimes, and after hes promised to also ban immigrants based on their religion, were in a constitutional crisis.

Twitter agreed. See some of their comments below:

Ted Lieu Reminds Trump Those Stupid Immigration Laws Are The Constitution Its Hilarious


The UAE is considering an appeal for clemency from the family of British academic Matthew Hedges after he received a life sentence on spying charges.

Sulaiman Almazroui, the UAEs ambassador in London, said in a statement on Friday morning that British foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt had a good conversation with his Emirati counterpart.

Mr Almazroui, who also held a private meeting with Mr Hunt on Thursday, rebutted criticism that the PhD student was victim of a show trial and said his government did not dictate the courts, comparing his countrys processes to the UK.

Reacting to the ambassadors statement, the researchers wife Daniela Tejada said the judicial system in the UAE and the UK cannot be compared.

Matt was held in an undisclosed location in solitary confinement for over five months, with no charge, no lawyer and very limited consular access. When he did receive consular access, he was not allowed to talk openly about his case and thus never received advice as to what his rights were, she said.  We have asked for clemency, we will wait to see what happens.

It comes after Mr Hunt, who is leading the diplomatic efforts in Mr Hedges case, said his conversation with the UAEs foreign minister was constructive.

Mr Hedges, originally from Exeter, was arrested at Dubai Airport as he tried to leave the country on 5 May. He denies the charges.

Ms Tejada has stressed her husbands innocence and said the Durham University academic, who was finishing his thesis at the time of his arrest, was the victim of a misunderstanding.

Professor Stuart Corbridge, vice-chancellor of Durham University, said there is no reason to believe that Matt was conducting anything other than legitimate academic research.

Mr Hunt said he has seen absolutely no evidence to support claims that Mr Hedges was spying when he visited Dubai earlier this year, and he threatened serious diplomatic consequences if he is not freed.

In his statement on Friday, the Emirati ambassador described the case against Mr Hedges as extremely serious and unusual, saying many academics worked in the Middle Eastern nation without breaking the law.

The 31-year-old was not convicted after a five minute trial as some have reported, Mr Almazroui said.

Instead, three judges evaluated compelling evidence in three hearings over the course of one month, according to the diplomat.

Mr Hedges family has claimed he lacked adequate legal representation, but Mr Almazroui did not address the allegation in his statement.

Ms Tejada, who said she spoked with her husband briefly, earlier told the BBC she feared her husbands health was deteriorating.

He is not well. He mentioned that his panic attacks have become worse than they were before. However, he did say that he has access to a doctor, she said.

I wasnt allowed to know where he is, so still dont know anything about his whereabouts, and I think hes just absolutely terrified at the idea of having to spend the rest of his life behind bars for an offence he hasnt committed.

Mr Hedges was given 30 days to challenge the court ruling, and Ms Tejada has launched a petition on Change.org which has gathered more than 200,000 signatures.

Matthew Hedges UAE considering clemency for British academic jailed for life on spying charges


While President Donald Trump continues to make light of racism through such means as his incessant dismissal of the peaceful protests launched by concerned pro athletes, untold numbers of minority community members face the scourge every single day. One such individual is DeWayne Wren who  until recently  worked at a lube shop in Belleville, Illinois.

He first got his job at the car service establishment earlier this year. In the months following coming on board, though, he faced the ugly and continuing reality of owner Paul Beelers racism. At one point, for instance, Beeler was explaining a story about his days as a milk truck driver in part by comparing black children to monkeys  which has an ironic connection to the current national political climate.

Republican candidate for Florida governor Ron DeSantis introduced himself to the nation, in part, through admonishing voters not to monkey this up by electing his Democratic opponent, a black man named Andrew Gillum, in November. Although even Fox News, where he made the comment, distanced himself from his language, the Congressman turned Trump-backed gubernatorial hopeful has refused to concede that he did anything wrong  which says a lot.

Similarly, when confronted, Beeler refused to accept that hed done anything wrong in using the language in question. He eventually directed his racist outbursts at Wren himself, exclaiming that he didnt understand why black people dont like to be called the n-word when they when they wear their pants on their ass, because that is what they look like, and at the time, Wren had been struggling with his clothes on a hot day. Beeler made clear that to him, Wren also looked deserving of the n-word.

After that incident, Wren and a few other, all white employees confronted Beeler and his wife, but they asserted the owner could say whatever he wanted  and fired Wren.

In protest, a number of other white employees quit, including Ethan Haas and Samuel Sargeant, the latter of whom told the owners wife:

This is the 21st century, you and Paul should be better than to be saying racial slurs towards, around, or behind anyone even more importantly my good friend DeWayne who I know is a hard worker. I do not stand for that and will not let it happen to my friends.

Beeler, though, remains hardly alone in his commitment to racism. As the months  and years  pile on, stories of serious racist incidents continue to compound. In plenty of cases, the person being victimized has been in actual physical danger  or killed. Early last year, for instance, a racist attacker in Kansas shot an Indian man dead after shouting that he wanted him out of the country.

Even still, some people  from Beeler to President Trump  think its no big deal. Outside of some high profile very questionable  and racist  choices of language, Trump has substantively shown his commitment to racist ideals through such means as asserting that immigration is doing irreparable harm to Europe.

Going forward, theres an opportunity in less than two months via the midterms to put a check on that racism  and in two years to kick it out of the White House.

Black Man Fired For Calling Out Racist White Boss Then Something Amazing Happened


Donald Trump has accused Google of "rigging" search results - giving greater
prominence to negative stories about him while suppressing positive articles
from conservative news organisations.

In a tweet written at 5.24am on Tuesday morning (10.24am UK time), the US
president claimed search results for "Trump news" only showed reports from
"Fake New [sic] Media", with his arch nemesis CNN featuring heavily.

Mr Trump went on to accuse the tech giant of "controlling what we can and
cannot see" and warned it was a "very serious situation" which "will be
addressed".

He also claimed that 96% of Google results were from the "National Left-Wing
Media", adding this was "very dangerous".

This figure seems to have been broadcast on the Lou Dobbs Tonight programme, a
show on the Trump-friendly Fox Business Network, the evening before the
president tweeted.

Google responded in a statement: "When users type queries into the Google
Search bar, our goal is to make sure they receive the most relevant answers in
a matter of seconds.

"Search is not used to set a political agenda and we don't bias our results
toward any political ideology.

"Every year, we issue hundreds of improvements to our algorithms to ensure
they surface high-quality content in response to users' queries.

"We continually work to improve Google Search and we never rank search results
to manipulate political sentiment."

Google is immensely secretive about how it ranks search results and news
stories, and is attempting to **[personalise its Google News
service](https://news.sky.com/story/google-news-to-use-ai-in-personalisation-
revamp-11363980)** towards its users' preferences.

According to Matthew Gertz, a senior fellow at the Media Matters foundation,
the data that the Fox show used counts The New York Times, Bloomberg and the
BBC as left-wing news sources.

The US cable channel CNN is often criticised by the president for what he
perceives as its bias against him.

Earlier this month, nearly 350 news organisations came together to warn Donald
Trump against his **["fake news" rhetoric](https://news.sky.com/story/us-
newspapers-unite-against-donald-trumps-fake-news-rhetoric-11473905)** with a
coordinated series of editorials.

The publisher of The New York Times, Arthur Gregg Sulzberger, said in July
that **[he had warned Donald Trump](https://news.sky.com/story/the-new-york-
times-donald-trumps-attacks-on-media-putting-lives-at-risk-11453804)** his
attacks on the media were "putting lives at risk".

Those warnings followed the **[deaths of five
journalists](https://news.sky.com/story/several-dead-after-newsroom-shooting-
in-the-us-11420269)** who were killed in a shooting at The Capital Gazette
newsroom in Maryland in June.

Presidents fury at Google results for Trump news


Len McCluskey has warned Labour MPs they must vote against Theresa Mays Brexit deal.

Writing for HuffPost UK on Monday, the general secretary of the Unite union said the Commons must not be bounced into a bad Brexit by the prime minister.

He said MPs must hold their nerve, act for the people and vote down her plan.

Some Labour MPs have indicated they would be willing to back the governments Brexit deal in order to avoid the UK leaving the EU with no deal at all.

Jeremy Corbyn is due to set out his plan for a good Brexit at the CBI conference on Monday.

May will use her own speech at the conference to face down rebels in her own party who want last minute changes made to her deal.

The prime minister will say the withdrawal agreement has been agreed in full.

Andrea Leadsom, the pro-Brexit Commons leader, has said there is still the potential to improve the draft.

She is reported to be one of five ministers hoping to change the deal before it is rubber stamped at an EU summit on Sunday.

After a week which saw Cabinet ministers resign over the Brexit deal and the campaign to replace May broke cover, all eyes will be on Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee.

Speculation is mounting over whether he has received the 48 letters of no confidence required to challenge her leadership of the Conservative Party.

Conservative MP Anne Marie Morris said this morning there was no question that the threshold would be reached this week.

But environment minister Therese Coffey said if there was to be a vote of no confidence May would win it convincingly.

May is expected to say today there is an intense week of negotiations ahead of us.

During that time I expect us to hammer out the full and final details of the framework that will underpin our future relationship and I am confident that we can strike a deal at the council that I can take back to the House of Commons, she will say.

The core elements of that deal are already in place. The Withdrawal Agreement has been agreed in full, subject of course to final agreement being reached on the future framework.

In his blog, McCluskey said: If the Prime Minister would only stop listening to the hard-line rump on her own backbenches, she would realise that there is a different deal available.

That it is perfectly possible to secure a natural majority in parliament for leaving the European Union, as the British people mandated in June 2016 but in a way that unites the nation.

She needs to reach out to Jeremy Corbyn and forget about Jacob Rees-Mogg and her disloyal cabinet.

She needs to actually listen to trade union concerns, rather than pretending to do so. Jeremy Corbyn extended the possibility of agreement in his Party Conference speech in September. Now is the time to take up the offer.

But he added: I doubt Mrs May will take up the path offered by Corbyn seeking what is right for our nations - MPs should, therefore, hold their nerve, act for the people and vote down her plan.

Former president of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy said there was little prospect of altering the Brexit deal at this stage.

He told the BBC: On the main parameters what I hear is that there is almost no room for manoeuvre.

It was reported on Monday that the EU could extend the transition period by two years in order to allow more time for a trade deal to be negotiated.

According to the Financial Times, the EUs chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, told ambassadors the transition could go on until as late as December 2022.

Len McCluskey Warns Labour MPs To Vote Against Theresa Mays Brexit Deal


Good day and welcome to the Sprout, where the holiday season is just around the corner. If youre looking to start capturing the magic of the season, this gingerbread creation in Edmonton might help.

The United States and Mexico cant exclude Canada from entering formal trade negotiation with China, Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay says  despite an ongoing global trade war and questions about a clause in the trilateral trade deal.

It certainly does not inhibit us from dealing with China, or any other country around the world, MacAuley said. And we told them that quite clearly in China, I might add. China is a major trading market for Canadian agriculture products.

MacAulay was asked by reporters on Monday about a clause in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that allows any member of the trade pact to veto a free trade agreement with a non-market economy  including China. A non-market country is a country that doesnt operate on free-market principles that go beyond traditional trade protections. As a result, pricing doesnt reflect the true value of a product. iPolitics has more.

Parliament resumed today for its three weeks of sittings before the Christmas holidays.

Agribition kicks off in Regina, where former agriculture minister Gerry Ritz kicked of the celebrations by burning the brand.

The Trudeau governments progressive trade agenda is under fire from conservative members of Congress who say theyre unhappy with a clause in the USMCA that protects LGBTQ workers from discrimination. In a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump sent Friday, the 40 lawmakers say a trade agreement is no place for the adoption of social policy. iPolitics has more.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau isnt saying what hes planning to do about the letter. As the Huffington Post reports, Trudeau said he wont negotiate the matter in public. We got to a good agreement that I think represents Canadian values, a Canadian approach, but also values that are broadly shared amongst citizens of our three countries, Trudeau said. In any trade deal, there are going to be people who would like this or like that, or not want this or not want that.

The president of one of Canadas largest farm groups says hes hoping next weeks federal fiscal update will let producers write off the purchase of new farm equipment  a provision that already exists in the United States. If a farmer was going to buy new equipment  and he buys that equipment  and he can write off that purchase against income tax thats due very quickly, that would make it more attractive to buy that new equipment, Ron Bonnett, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, told iPolitics.

Trump says additional forest-fire help will be included in the pending Farm Bill, Politico reports.

The American president left Finns baffled this weekend after he resisted the notion that wildfires are the result of poor forest management. He cited a conversation he supposedly had with the president of Finland, who told him they (Finns) spend a lot of time raking and cleaning. Problem is, Finlands president has no idea what Trump is talking about. BBC News has more.

In other Farm Bill-related news: Senate Agriculture Committee ranking member Debbie Stabenow is apparently considering the Farm Bill proposal put forward by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Michael Conaway, R-Texas, and House Agriculture ranking member Collin Peterson, D-Minn. The Fence Post has more.

And the New York Times takes a closer look at whether the Trump administrations $12-billion aid package for farmers who are affected by the ongoing trade war is actually helping those its meant for.

Ian Robson, a board member with the National Farmers Union, argues that former federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz should not have been inducted into the Agriculture Hall of Fame.

We end tonight with a prank that left yours truly laughing so hard, her sides hurt this weekend. College students across the United States are texting their parents to ask them how to cook a 25-pound turkey in the microwave. The responses? Well, theyre priceless.

The Sprout Trade with China still possible says MacAulay


Justin Rose is out of the running to win the European Tours Race to Dubai after deciding to skip the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

While it was a long shot, needing a win and Ryder Cup hero Francesco Molinari to finish outside the top 40, Rose was still in with a chance of claiming the No.1 spot on the European Tour, having won the PGA Tours FedEx Cup in September.

Roses Ryder Cup teammate Paul Casey has also decided to avoid the tournament, won last year by Jon Rahm.

Europes ten other stars from Le Golf National are in the field for the final event of the season, with captain Thomas Bjorn also playing.

Rose, 38, is currently No.2 in the world and has one win on the European Tour this season, the Turkish Airlines Open earlier this month.

Speaking after his victory, the Englishman said: "I have a lot going on the next couple weeks, so it [playing in Dubai] would be a big shift for me.

"It [why he isn't playing] might become apparent next year, but there are things that I need to kind of get figured out."

Ryder Cup stars Justin Rose and Paul Casey skip season ending DP World Tour Championship


On the evening of 27 July, the gold-toothed, pot-bellied, moustachioed Mikhail Khachaturyan dozed off in his favourite cream armchair at his home in Altufyevo, a suburb of Moscows anaemic northern suburbs.

When Khachaturyan awoke, his three daughters were standing over him. The eldest, Kristina, 19 directed pepper spray in his face. The youngest, Maria, 17, stabbed him with a hunting knife. The middle daughter, Angelina, 18 hit him on the head with a hammer. The father cried for help, and attempted to flee, but was unable to get far. He died in the corridor outside the family apartment, a dozen hammer blows and 36 stabbings to the neck, chest and heart later.

What happened that day, and the years before, has polarised Russian society. Were the three Khachaturyan sisters cold-blooded murderers, or victims of an abusive father? Did the Russian system fail them? Is it about to fail them again with huge prison sentences?

The story goes to the heart of the issue of domestic violence in Russia  one and a half years after battery at home was controversially decriminalised.

Over the last two weeks, the Russian public has been entertained with a prime-time trial by live state television, with key personalities in the story wired up to lie detectors. High justice it probably isnt, but witness by witness, the shows have built up a persuasive picture of the daughters predicament, and of the kind of man their father was.

Outwardly, the head of the family put on a good face. He was conspicuously religious, went to church, and pilgrimaged to Jerusalem. His family home was covered in icons and pictures of him kissing various sacred symbols. He was a leading member of the Armenian diaspora, which viewed him as leading authority. He was known for showering family and friends with lavish gifts.

But away from high society, a different story played out. Neighbours recall a man who enjoyed conflict, and whom they tried to avoid if they possibly could. A man who loved firearms, and loved threatening neighbours and family members with them. There is evidence that he shot at his eldest son, Sergei, with an air rifle. He never did get on with him, considering him a girl, and threw him out on the street aged 16.

He also threatened to shoot his submissive wife, Aurelia, did stab her once, and would regularly beat her with a baseball bat. Two and a half years ago, after 20 years of living together, Khachaturyan threw his wife out too. For some reason, however, the three daughters remained under his roof  and to devastating consequences.

Its important to understand that the girls had a victim psychology, says Ivan Melnikov, the Secretary-General of the Public Oversight Commission, a non-governmental body that inspects prisons and defends prisoner rights. They thought it was safer for everyone if they stayed.

Melnikov was one of the first people to talk with the three sisters after their bloody deed. He met with them hours after they were delivered to a temporary detention centre in their district, and then, once they were transferred to a prison in southeast Moscow four days later.

Speaking with The Independent, he describes the three sisters as kids, nervous and hardly conscious of what they had done.

He says they told him terrible things about a slave-like existence inside the second floor, two-bedroomed flat on 54, Altufyevskoye Highway. The father had installed a video surveillance system, and would rarely let his daughters out of his sight.

He kept a bell by his armchair, which he would use to instruct the sisters to do menial tasks. He beat them on the flimsiest of pretexts and had a propensity to verbally abuse them too. In audio recordings released following his murder, he calls his daughters "whores," among many other expletives.

There is also a strong suspicion of sexual abuse, even rape. Melnikov said he did not raise this issue with the three sisters given their fragile and nervous state.

In Melnikovs view, police and social services let the three sisters down. There were enough warning signs to act, he says: The neighbours complained to the police about being threatened with firearms. They attended school only seven times last year. That should have been enough to get social services to act. Its unclear how he managed to get away with it all.

Some have suggested Mikhails connections with the underworld and police helped him evade the law. He was reportedly friends with the local police chief, and his social media profile shows him meeting with mid-level bureaucrats. Close friends have also accepted that he was connected with criminality. Local media go further, describing him as a smotryashy, or district chief, reporting to the mafia. There are also reports he was a drug dealer, and he probably suffered from addiction himself  police found a bag of heroin in his car.

Not everyone accepts the picture of a tyrant who brought about his own death, however. Mikhails two nephews have been steadfast in defending his honour, portraying him as a no-nonsense, if admittedly hot-headed, parent. On various talk shows, they have claimed that the father had provided the girls with everything they wanted, but had been upset by the girls immorality. (The unsolicited pornographic material contained in messages sent to the sisters friends does, however, cast some doubt as to the deceased mans supposed moral virtues.)

Other supporters draw attention to what they describe as a pre-meditated aspect to the murder. There were, apparently, text messages made by one of the girls to a former boyfriend that showed her deliberating killing their father. There was the organised, three-pronged nature of the operation itself. The girls also apparently used Mikhails own hunting knife, which, supporters allege, was only kept in his car.

These arguments have played out on social media, which has amplified the traditional split in Russian society between conservatives and progressives. For every message suggesting that the girls saved themselves, there is another demanding the evil sisters be dealt with using the strictest hand of the law.

Within a few days, several thousand had signed up to one social media discussion forum set up in support of the sisters. That forum was then controversially blocked by hosts Vkontakte following anonymous complaints.

The founder of the forum, psychologist Dara Miletskaya, told The Independent that men who consider domestic violence to be the norm were determined to block womens voices. She says the service has been slow to respond to her request to reinstate the forum.

Ive had an inbox full of men criticising, telling me to keep my nose out, she says. But Ive also had many women write to me. They tell me how society doesnt believe them when they complain about their situation. I try to help as best I can.

Domestic violence is a major problem in Russia. According to official government figures, which most likely underestimate the situation, there are 16 million victims of domestic violence every year. As a comparison, the British Office for National Statistics registered 1.1. million cases in 2017, from a population base about half the size. Russia is also one of the only major countries not to have dedicated laws for domestic violence, and, in 2017 decriminalised domestic battery for first-time offences.

The situation has created an uneven fight  womens activists up against the establishment, which has generally sided with abusers. Ultraconservative MP Yelena Mizulina, who led the decriminalisation campaign, suggested husbands should not be labelled criminals for a slap. The Russian Orthodox Church condoned the use of corporal punishment at home as God's will.

According to Alyona Popova, the prominent womens rights campaigner, official indifference means that most cases are eventually dropped by law enforcement. Those domestic abusers who receive an administrative sentence are fined an average of 5,000 rubles [58].

This is the equivalent of two parking offences. Men get a very clear message from this, she tells The Independent.

Popova says that the Khachaturyan case contains classic  if extreme  signs of domestic abuse: Its very clear in my mind that they were acting under the effect of a tyrant father. There was clearly sexual violence involved, at a minimum. In audio recordings, the father talks about the girls as his property, and frequently refers to their physiology, in ways that a father should not do.

The case bore some similarity with that of Galina Kotorova, says Popova. After killing her husband in March 2017, Kotorova was sensationally acquitted on appeal. Justice would be served by a similar outcome this time, the activist says.

So far, however, law enforcement agencies have given ominous signals for supporters of the Khachaturyan girls. In anonymous briefings with state news agencies, prosecutors said there were clear signs of pre-meditation in the sisters behaviour. Their crime was also recently re-qualified as premeditated murder committed by a group of people. This carries a maximum 20-year sentence; or 10 years in the case of under-age Maria.

Prisons monitor Ivan Melnikov says he hopes that the offence will eventually be reclassified to take into account self-defence, with correspondingly lower tariffs.

Its a very dangerous moment, but the sisters told me things that have to be taken into account, he told The Independent. Ive met with thousands of prisoners. Its clear to me that these girls arent criminals.

Three sisters How a bloody patricide and claims of modern-day slavery has split Russia


(Natural News) The delicious and healthy fruit pomegranate enjoys a long history of connection with the human race. Now, a fairly recent medical study revealed that the pomegranate can stop or even reverse the progress of cardiovascular diseases, reported a GreenMedInfo article.

Published in the medical journal Atherosclerosis, the study involved a breed of mice that was prone to developing coronary artery blockages. Researchers gave the three-week old animals pomegranate extract through their drinking water for two weeks.

According to the results of the study, pomegranate extract served as a natural broom that cleaned plaque sticking to the mices coronary arteries. This prevented atherosclerosis, where the walls of the arteries get thicker due to accumulating fatty materials that turn into plaque. (Related: Ginger and rosemary found to benefit the heart by maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.)

Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of heart attacks. The pomegranate extract-based treatment very clearly reduced the presence of atherosclerotic plaques in the aortic sinus. It also decreased the percentage of blocked coronary arteries.

Famous scientist Linus Pauling believed cardiovascular disease develops in the absence of vitamin C. Humans are unable to bio-synthesize vitamin C so we need to take it from external sources such as fruits.

According to GreenMedInfo, the astringent taste in the mouth of a person consuming pomegranate seeds or juice is similar to its cleansing effect on the interior walls of the arteries.

The lining of human mouths and arteries are made of epithelial cells, which constitute epithelium. The astringent effect in the mouth results from the shrinkage and disinfection of epithelium layers. A similar process is taking place in your arteries.

GreenMedInfo also reported that a separate research study from 2004 discovered that year-long consumption of pomegranate juice reversed the build-up of deadly plaque in the arteries of patients who were suffering from plaque blockage of 70 to 90 percent of their internal carotid arteries.

The mean intima media thickness of the left and right common carotid arteries in severe carotid artery stenosis patients that consumed pomegranate juice for up to one year was reduced after three, six, nine, and 12 months of pomegranate juice consumption by 13 percent, 22 percent, 26 percent, and 35 percent, respectively, said the 2004 Israeli study.

According to the researchers, pomegranate exhibited three properties responsible for its effectiveness against atherosclerosis.

First, pomegranate possesses antioxidant properties. It prevents heart disease from overcoming the bodys ability to purge toxins or repair damage. Second, the fruit was proven to lower systolic blood pressure. It can heal the endothelium lining the inner part of the artery, allowing it to relax and function properly. Finally, pomegranate has a positive effect on plaque-causing lesions. By reducing cholesterol and lipid peroxides as well as preventing oxidation of low-density lipoprotein, pomegranate makes the lesion smaller and less capable of causing atherosclerosis.

GreenMedInfo called the finding quite revolutionary. Current medical knowledge diagnoses carotid artery stenosis (the abnormal narrowing of the major blood vessels that supply the brain and head) through the size of the plaque-causing lesion. No one has looked at the lesions quality.

The second study also suggested that measuring the quantity of cholesterol in the blood does not give an accurate picture of the bodys health. Low-density lipoproteins remained benign unless oxidized. By improving the bodys internal environment, pomegranate reduced the rate at which bad cholesterol got oxidized into plaque, thereby preventing atherosclerosis. Finally, the study showed that pomegranate juice does not interfere with conventional drugs. In fact, it either complemented or compensated for them.

All the participants in the second study were also undergoing drug-based treatment. Several members of the control group (which did not receive any pomegranate) deteriorated despite taking drugs.

Read Health.news for more coverage of health and medicine discoveries.

Prevent and even reverse cardiovascular disease with pomegranate it cleans your arteries


With the midterms under a week to conclusion, concerns about voter suppression remain in full swing across the United States. Georgia has proven a particular flashpoint, where Republican Secretary of State Brian Kemp is running for governor against Democrat Stacey Abrams. A federal judge has now yet again ruled against Kemp and in favor of Georgia voters, further solidifying that he wont be able to hide behind voter suppression and escape the actual opinions of his states people.

Hes launched a multi-pronged suppression campaign thats included the delay of tens of thousands of pending voter registrations, the removal of tens of thousands of names from the states voter rolls, and a continued attempt to be free to reject absentee ballots at will.

Theyve got little to no system in place for judging whether the signature on said ballots is close enough to that accompanying the voters registration, but they wanted the freedom to throw out ballots over signature concerns anyway.

Judge Leigh Martin May has now again ruled against Kemp on this front, insisting they cant just throw out ballots  which youd think would be a given anyway. Hed wanted to delay the implementation of a previous injunction of hers forcing them to respect the absentee ballot voting process, but she said no.

The original injunction had demanded that such guidance be issued, dictating that instead of throwing out questionable ballots, local election authorities mark them as provisional and notify the voter of their concern.

Again, youd think that such a practice would be essentially a given, but not for Republican Brian Kemp. He blasted full speed ahead with the voter suppression that other Republicans have sought to inflict elsewhere through means like voter ID laws that shut out some poor people and minorities.

Hes made his intentions clear, too. He was caught on tape bemoaning the get out the vote effort that Stacey Abrams has undertaken, seemingly wishing that potentially Democratic voters would just stay home. In other words, he might not be too sure that hes got enough campaign strength to build his own base, so he wants to attempt to erase someone elses.

FiveThirtyEights election analysis certainly reveals that hes got cause for concern. They rate the Georgia governors race a toss-up, putting Kemp only barely ahead of Abrams with a 4 in 7 chance at victory.

Hes hardly the only Republican gubernatorial candidate struggling. In neighboring Florida, FiveThirtyEight pins the states governors race winner as likely Democrat Andrew Gillum. That would leave Trump-backed Republican Ron DeSantis out of the job.

In Congress, Democrats are expected to continue that streak and become the majority party in the U.S. House, but theyre not expected to do the same in the Senate. Still, every newly elected Democrat can pose a significant roadblock to President Trumps agenda.

Federal Court Makes Last Minute Voting Rights Ruling The GOP Is In Trouble


If youve always wanted to visit Walt Disney World in Orlando or Disneyland in California, but dont like the idea of long lines, humid weather, and thousands of people then theres good news today. Google is bringing 11 Disney parks to Google Maps Street View, allowing you to virtually visit the tourist destinations from the comfort of your home. There are a variety of parks to choose from, including Epcot, Magic Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios, and you can cruise around them freely to look at all the attractions and imagine youd paid the entry fee and secured your special Fastpass tickets for all the rides.

While its all make believe, the Street View experience of Disney parks could come in useful if youre a particularly meticulous planner and boss of the family. Otherwise, you could play the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse album at full volume and put your favorite VR headset on to experience Disney in all its glory. All of the Disney Street View locations are right here:

You can now pretend youre in Disneyland on Google Maps


Watching the left and liberals, in general, react to the Donald Trump presidency has been quite entertaining, but until Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement  and the reality that The Donald was going to get to name another conservative to the post when Kennedy had been a court swinger, occasionally throwing decisions the lefts way  we really hadnt seen the resistance at its worst.

There have been a lot of loud-mouthed celebrities spouting off about the regime and power change in Washington, but The Views Joy Behar put it in terms that this weeks hysteria demanded.

A dictator is a single individual calling all the shots. President Trump needs all the other parts to actually make things run. Its called being a republic.

Besides, weve seen this movie with other casts of characters before. Bill Clinton had Congress, and so did Barack Obama. Thats how we got the Death Tax and ObamaCare, and ant-Americans Ruth Bader-Ginsburg, Sonja Sotomayor, and Elena Kagen on the court. Conservatives didnt like that, but we didnt call those two dictators.

Fellow co-host Whoopi Goldberg was also very upset at the prospect of Trump being able to get another judge on the bench. If you take my right away from me to judge what I do for my family and my body, I got a little problem with that, she said. You got a problem  you dont want people to take your guns, well get out of my behind. Get out of my vagina.

Whoopi, honey, hate to break this to you, but no one with any sense wants to be anywhere near your vagina.

When it comes down to it, the left is rightfully terrified that there is a bullseye on Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized killing children in the womb and violated the states rights of all fifty state governments. That would put the procedure and its legality in the hands of the locals, something those in favor of killing babies really do not want.

And just wait...theres at least one other justice of a seasoned age who might not be around the court much longer. The liberals will really be in pain over that when and if it comes to pass.

Joy Behar Goes All Splodey Head Over Trump Getting To Name Kennedy Successor


When Hillary Clinton said that Republican voters were a basket of deplorables she hit the nail on the head. Republicans see anyone who doesnt agree with them as an enemy, and often an enemy that should die. After Dr. Christine Blasey Ford came forth with the information that then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her when the two were in high school, right-wing nut jobs started threatening her life. She was forced to move her family into hiding because the threats were so credible. Today her attorney told NBC News that Dr. Ford is still receiving threats and that its still not safe for her to return home yet.

Dr. Fords family has been through a lot. They are not living at home. Its going to be quite some time before theyre able to live at home. The threats have been unending. Its deplorable. Its been very frightening.

During the interview Katz also denounced the one-week FBI investigation into the womens accusations, saying it was not thorough. The FBI reportedly did not interview Ford or Kavanaugh as part of the probe.

The investigation was nothing but a joke. There were reportedly 45 people who had come forward with damning information about Kavanaugh and the FBI only interviewed nine people. Thats ridiculous!

As far as Dr. Ford and the death threats go, cant conservatives see that theyve won? Why are they still attacking a sexual assault victim? The despicable Congressional Republicans placed the proven liar and alleged sexual predator, Brett Kavanaugh, on the bench already, so they need to quit threatening Dr. Ford immediately. Now that we have an illegitimate Supreme Court that will supposedly start voting with their personal feelings instead of being guided by the law they should be happy that they got what they wanted.

Christine Blasey Ford Forced From Her Home The Reason Is Deplorable


The problem with partisan politics is the absolutely vicious nature of pitting one against the other. Furthermore, when you mix in the ability to freely speak through social media, you really begin to see just how twisted and dangerous some people can be.

In Winter Haven, Florida, a man was arrested by Polk County detectives after he made threats to kill or injure Democratic congresspeople and weak Republicans who would possibly not confirm Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

James Royal Patrick, Jr. (53) was reported to be posting threats via Facebook.

Specifically, the charges stem from back in September when he wrote several posts threatening to shoot representatives in Congress and their families if they did not vote for Kavanaughs confirmation.

In the report on the Polk County Sheriffs office website, one threat read:

Sheriff Grady Judd commented on the investigation and the current polarized atmosphere throughout America:

Within five hours of receiving an email tip about the posts, our detectives investigated it, obtained an arrest warrant and search warrant, and took the suspect into custody without incident. People need to calm down, and stop making threats of violence  we will not tolerate it. Anyone who threatens to kill a public officer or law enforcement officer will go to jail.

The report also listed several of the threats Patrick made.

Just bought 12 boxes of hollow point 50 caliber bullets....have plenty of ammo for my sniper rifle and bought a suppressor. Have made sure all my arrangements have been made and care for my dogs because I will not be coming home. Have made extra precautions and added more supplies in the tunnel under my house in case local or federal law enforcement tries to stop me. (note  there are no tunnels under his house

In the report, they noted they found no tunnels underneath Patricks house. They did find guns and ammunition, however.

Just cleaned out the gun shop where I get guns, ammo, and target practice. Bought all their 50 cal hollow points. I expect to be confronted and I will be ready to kill and ready to die. I am about to accept an offer on my house just to get more money to fund my plan to kill Democrat office holders and their families. It is all I think about night and day. I even wake up in the middle of the night, most nights, thinking about it. Ultimately I will be killed but hopefully I will have killed many many liberal [sic] elected in Washington. I can tell it seems I will be sacrificing my life for my country. But I am ready and will know who needs to be killed after the vote to put Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court. I believe democrats need to be afraid to do what they are doing right now and weak republicans that do not vote for him need to pay with their lives. I cant do this by myself! Need more conservatives going into liberals homes at night killing them in their sleep!

When arrested, he claimed he was just trying to annoy liberals and had no real plan to kill anyone. He also noted because he did not threaten one specific person, he thought it wasnt illegal.

Man Arrested For Threatening To Kill Officials Who Vote NO On Kavanaugh


President Trump highlighted the medias role in an increasingly hostile political environment in America, saying, The Fake News Media, the true Enemy of the People, must stop the open & obvious hostility & report the news accurately & fairly.

Also, Brazils Trumpian presidential candidate won his election and the left-funded migrant caravan approaches the United States border.

Watch Live As The Trump of Brazil is Elected Globalist Merkel is Out Signaling a Populist Red Wave


Only a few months after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, tragedy struck again at Santa Fe High School 30 miles south of Houston. A student started shooting in an art classroom with his fathers shotgun and revolver. Ten people died and 10 others were wounded before the shooter surrendered to the police.

Thus far, little is known about the motives of the shooter, making it difficult for commentators to blame something specific. He was not a jihadist (as was another high schooler who was caught before carrying out mass murder at Stonebriar Mall in Frisco, Texas); he was not mentally handicapped; he wasnt committed to any ideology at all really. The only red flags Dimitrios Pagourtzis exhibited were some morbid posts on social media and the black trench coat he wore everydaywhich, in the Texas heat, probably should have aroused more suspicion.

While New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has virtue-signaled yet another sanctimonious campaign of gun-control activism, others are discussing how to stop these troubled students before they snap. Many schools have followed that latter approach, training teachers and students to look for signs of violent behavior and intervene. In most cases, this means sitting through a PowerPoint presentation about depression, learning the number for a bullying hotline, and watching some video that dramatizes the situation (Evan, produced by the Sandy Hook Promise group, is a perfect example).

As practical as this strategy sounds, it fails on a few levels. First, it assumes that identifying these types of students is easy when it is not. Second, it invests too much confidence in laughably superficial training. And third, it completely ignores the limits of educators and students in successfully dissuading a psychotic young adult from committing mass murder. Rather than saving these troubled students, advocating intervention and watchfulness mostly encourages vicious paranoia (anyone can be a mass murderer), undeserved guilt (this kid went on a shooting rampage because students and teachers didnt care enough about him), and despair (the safety of a school rests on the maturity of classmates and perceptiveness of teachers).

These three problems result from serious misunderstandings about high schools and the people who spend their days in them. To identify potential shooters, students and staff are told to look for signs of depression, like a person muttering that he hates school or that he thinks people are awful or that he wants to sleep all the time. As any teacher or student can attest, thats pretty much every student at some point.

While a few happy exceptions exist, teenagers are, on the whole, a dark and depressing lot. They do not sleep enough, eat healthily, or bother with developing productive habits. On the contrary, they waste much of their days hunched over a screen, agonizing about their self-image, ignoring their homework, and blaming everyone and everything for their problems. These days, few of them have the luxury of two parents, good friends, or a church community to support them as they cope with the hormonal turbulence of puberty.

Given all this, who can really tell which one is Evan, the proverbial teenage mass murderer? Obviously, not a group of students and teachers equipped with a few hours of suicide prevention training. And yet most potential shooters usually act out in some way and have a large amount of documentation on file in the form of disciplinary referrals, behavioral intervention plans, and abysmal report cards that should serve as warnings of suicidal/homicidal tendencies. Frequently, though, this too means nothing. No heart-to-heart come to Jesus speech from a concerned adult will fix a broken home. No number of suspensions and restorative practices will help a student who is hopelessly lonely. And apparently, no legal authority, however well informed, can stop a young person from illegally acquiring a gun and making bombs. If an angry teenager wants to shoot up a school, he usually can unless he does something obviously stupid.

So if gun control and suicide prevention training can do little to change the situation, what will it take? In order to answer this, society should ask another question: why are the shootings happening in the first place? This seems like an impossible question with a million different answers. However, the only answer needed is the one that holds true for all high school shootings, so perhaps a better question would be: what do all of them have in common?

Two word: the internet. In the decades preceding Columbine, kids struggled with the same kinds of problems and had the same potential access to guns. They also attended schools that were far easier targets. Nevertheless, far fewer mass school shootings took place and none of them had the body counts that have become normal today. This is because depressed and angry teenagers never became radicalized by countless hours of online propaganda. Today, they can log in instantaneously and learn about various ideologies of hate, educate themselves on maximizing their destructive potential, and desensitize their consciences with pornography and violence. This internet radicalization is essentially the same thing thats happened with Islamic terrorists all over the Western world.

So why not take it away? This sounds extreme, but it falls in line with the other things society prohibits from kids: driving, drinking, voting, joining the military. Most parents dont allow even their teenage kids to go anywhere alone. However, when it comes to the internet, a vast unregulated repository of every horrible thing imaginable, adults let their unsuspecting children roam wild and free. That so many do this betrays a pervasive kind of materialist worldview that agonizes over every physical danger while remaining completely oblivious to any spiritual or psychological one.

In order to combat the violence and bullying happening at schools, parents in all communities should take away smartphones and personal computers from their children and strictly oversee what little usage they deem appropriate (like emailing Grandma or typing up an assignment for school). Imagine the benefits in store: safer schools, happier youth, and an internet at least partially purged of the garbage produced by, and for, young people.

Those worried about taking away young peoples freedom to browse should consider the other greater freedoms at stake because of school violence. With every school shooting, no matter who or what causes it, politicians demand the end of the right to bear arms, crackdowns on hate speech, and government intrusions into child-rearing. These rights have already disappeared in Canada and Western Europeand those places dont even have school shootings.

Successfully defending these rights doesnt depend on better arguments, but on real action that effectively solves the problem of school shootings. Concerned parents and those who call on others to Do something! should now lead the charge to take away internet access from children until they reach maturity. This could save not just their lives, but their innocence and well-being.

Auguste Meyrat is an English teacher at The Colony High School in Texas. He has an MA in Humanities and an MEd in Educational Leadership. His writing has appeared in The Federalist and The Imaginative Conservative, among other publications.

School Shootings It Isnt the Guns Its the Internet


Instagram has a new tool that lets users download their data from the social media photo site, reports TechCrunch. Submit your email address, and Instagram will send you a copy of your photos, comments, profile information, and more, although the site notes that it could take up to 48 hours to actually collect and send you that data.

The tool is only available on the web for now, but it should be accessible to iOS and Android users in the future, too. It is similar to one Facebook has included for its primary website and mobile app for quite some time.

As pointed out by TechCrunch, the tool is necessary as part of Instagrams compliance with the EUs upcoming new GDPR privacy regulations. But despite the legally required motivations behind it, its still nice to know users looking to get their data out of Instagram now have the option to do so.

Instagram adds new data download tool to export pictures and user information


Senator Chuck Grassley, the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a second letter today Attorney General Jeff Sessions and FBI Director Chris Wray on Friday regarding creepy porn lawyer Michael Avenatti.

Grassley sent a second criminal referral to the DOJ about Michael Avenatti regarding another declaration he submitted to the committee about Brett Kavanaugh.

This comes after Grassley became aware of additional information regarding Mr. Avenatti that has since come to the Committees attention.

On Thursday, Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) criminally referred creepy porn lawyer Michael Avenatti and his client Julie Swetnick to the DOJ.

This does not look good for the Democratic Party presidential candidate.

Sen Grassley Sends SECOND CRIMINAL REFERRAL on Creepy Porn Lawyer Michael Avenatti to DOJ


Whats your uterus called? Lena Dunhams is called Judy. Judy is dead, because Dunham had a hysterectomy nine months ago, whose anniversary she marked via an Instagram post of her naked body showing an RIP Judy tattoo on her rib. Explaining the agonising struggle with endometriosis which had led her to this point, she wrote: "Today I offer myself gratitude: from the most pained place, I somehow knew to choose myself."

Women havent traditionally been encouraged to choose themselves. That so many are doing so must be an inconvenience to those who would rather they continued putting themselves second, or last. Shut up, women. Stop getting naked, shaving your hair, moaning about postnatal depression and bleating on about #MeToo. Put it away. We dont want to see it.

We dont want to know.

But you have to know. Only by knowing will things become better for everyone. For me  Worlds Most Repressed Person  to admit this is hard. I would offer up a personal anecdote at this point, but I cant. Come and join me in the repressed corner. I have wine. Although for the good of your mental health, youd probably be better off unburdening. Like Laura Dockrill, whose blog about post-pregnancy psychosis wouldnt have gone viral were it not for the heads-up from her BFF, Adele. Nobody talks about how some women lose their minds after giving birth, just as nobody talks about how some women lose their minds during menopause, or through suffering endometriosis, a condition that affects an estimated 176 million women worldwide.

Last week I watched Rose McGowan talk at the Edinburgh Book Festival about the abuse she suffered as an actress  a difficult subject, but as she explained, other peoples discomfort isnt her problem. Everyone who shares their stories is brave. We should all be braver. Silence is golden? Nah. Silence is dangerous.

Yesterday, I opened my fridge to find half a lettuce, a tub of mouldy hummus, a can of beer and one dried-up slice of chorizo. Even for a family whod been out of town, this was a new low. Naturally, I took my anger out on the condiments. Nothing says "Im in control of my life" like chucking jars into a bin.

Out went the tahini, the harissa, the salsa brava, the kicap manis, the beetroot ketchup, the chilli bacon jam and the miso paste that is mandatory in the fridges of all Londoners with aspirations to marinate. Ill tell you what I didnt chuck in the bin, though: the mayo. Theres been a real hoo-haa about how millennials have turned their backs on mayo (sales are down 6.7 per cent in the US), with think pieces abounding about how its the end of days. Fear not: this isnt a British thing. Mayo sales increased last year by 6.9 per cent, outstripping ketchup to become the UKs Favourite Condiment.

PS: anyone who doesnt use Hellmans is a psychopath.

And in this weeks gripping instalment of Random Celebs Who Go On Holiday Together, we bring you Damon Albarn, Kim Jones, Alexa Chung, Serena Rees, Bob and Pixie Geldof, Fran Cutler, Nick Grimshaw, Sadie Frost and the bloke out of Massive Attack. I cant supply pictorial evidence, but they were all in Deia, which almost led me to write Is Deia the New Ibiza?, but then I checked myself, because it isnt, although if anyone can make a sedate coastal village into a fun palace, its this crew. But wait. Where was Karlie Kloss? I think we must be told.

Laura Craik on the women who dare to speak out why mayonnaise will never die and the hottest celebr


CBD is short for cannabidiol, which is one of many cannabinoids derived from the cannabis plant. It is noteworthy that CBD and other cannabinoids communicate with the human endocannabinoid system (ECS). This system is responsible for keeping balance in our bodies, regulating functions like pain, sleep, appetite, emotions, moods, digestion, metabolism, memory, inflammation, and so forth. Furthermore, the human body naturally produces endocannabinoids, so when you use CBD, this fantastic compound imitates endocannabinoids.

As revealed by several recent studies, CBD can be used as a treatment for a wide array of illnesses, medical conditions, and symptoms. As a result, the popularity of CBD oil is flourishing. More and more people are experiencing the incredible health benefits of this compound. As well, people are discovering that there are multiple ways of consuming CBD. For many consumers, using CBD vape oil may be one of the most effective methods.

Vaping CBD is an appealing way of taking cannabidiol for many people because it is one of the best natural ways to experience the potential health benefits of CBD admixture. (The admixture is a blend of CBD extract and a carrier oil.) Furthermore, consuming vape oil is the quickest way for this compound to reach our bloodstream. As such, for people suffering from chronic pain, epilepsy or other health conditions, vaping CBD is convenient and provides fast relief.

Consequently, many users prefer CBD vape oil, instead of swallowing it, as this method makes more CBD bioavailable faster. It means that by using CBD vape products, the human body can enjoy more of the effects of this marvelous compound, versus when using another method of consumption.

Swallowing CBD oil limits the amount of the compound that our bodies can use. In addition, the body may need more than 30 minutes to digest edible forms of CBD before it enters the bloodstream. For those people who are consuming CBD to alleviate anxiety, seizures, chronic pain, or other similar medical conditions, waiting 30 minutes may be quite miserable, if not dangerous. As revealed by various users, they are experiencing the results of vaping CBD more quickly and prominently when compared to other ways of taking this compound.

Unlike THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), which is another well-known cannabinoid, CBD is a non-psychoactive compound, meaning that it wont get you high. Further, it should be noted that hemp products, consisting of less than 3 percent THC, are legal in the United States. Thus, as the THC level in CBD oil products is less than 0.3 percent, CBD-based products are 100 percent legal to purchase in all 50 states. However, please note that it is highly recommended that you consult with your doctor before starting any new treatment.

There are two significant advantages of vaping CBD, which make this option preferable to other methods: quick relief and efficient results. By ingesting CBD orally, the amount of the solution that will enter your bloodstream is only 15 percent. When you vape it, CBD enters through the lungs allowing for about 60 percent of it to reach your circulatory system.

Other CBD products, such as edibles, capsules, supplements, and drinks need to pass through the digestive system. As well, they are processed by the liver. CBD vape products, on the other hand, enter the lungs as a liquid and are directly absorbed into the bloodstream.

Consuming the highest quality pure cannabidiol is very important for many people. Moreover, by vaping CBD, you can consume less product overall, so it lasts longer.

Vaping helps you to customize daily serving of CBD, so you an be more precise in your treatment.

Many people prefer vaping CBD, as this method is often quite relaxing for users. According to some users, vaping CBD also helps them with cravings and side-effects connected to quitting smoking.

Vape pens are small and discreet, and many people find them attractive. Thus, these features make it easy to vaporize whenever and wherever a user wants.

In the end, each person must decides what kind of methodology is the best for them. However, the majority of users do not want to wait up to an hour to experience all the health benefits of CBD oil. Thats why many CBD consumers are switching to vaporization as the main method of consuming CBD.

Dont forget that some of the CBD products in the marketplace are not entirely natural, therefore may not be as effective in providing treatment. If you purchase low-cost CBD oils, theres a high chance that youre taking in all sorts of chemical-based solutions. For example, some vape oils may contain propylene glycol, a thinning agent that turns toxic at high temperatures. Furthermore, brand new vape technology isnt always structured in alignment with standards set by the Food and Drug Administration. Take some time to compare premium-quality products with low-end ones, so you can avoid facing certain health issues in the long term. Consequently, double-checking the ingredients of the CBD admixture you decide to purchase will guarantee that youre only ingesting the purest CBD solutions.

This article (5 Amazing Benefits of Using CBD Vape Oil) was originally created and published by Waking Times. Copyright 2018 Waking Media LLC.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Waking Times or its staff.

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As the world is driven into a state of chaos by a combination of top down despotism and bottom up politically correct pacifism, seekers of the path sit in the lotus position contemplating their navels or drifting into the ether of another world.

Seeking to participate in inner spiritual disciplines can quite easily be used as an excuse for doing nothing. Nothing about anything that actually matters. Nothing that would constitute making a stand against the destruction going on all around us. I say can be quite easily used because many aspirants who fill spiritual seminars, workshops, conferences and retreats all over the planet, have adopted the popular view that they shouldnt be involved in confronting anything  except possibly, themselves.

The claim they make is that trying to prevent something bad from happening goes against inner spiritual work. It is confrontational and therefore encourages a negative vibration, when what is called for is peace, love and tolerance.

This is an evasion of the simple human responsibility (response-ability) to act when faced by stark cases of injustice and cruelty. It is not a spiritual reaction at all; it is rather the opposite, a simple act of cowardice which hides behind metaphysical teachings that say one must go inward only, rather than outward, if one wants to do any good in the world. Such a convenient mantra for those who wish to avoid feeling or taking any responsibility for the shocking levels of cruelty and destruction which they themselves freely admit to witnessing, and indirectly supporting, on a daily level.

No such people say, we will make a better world only by meditating and changing the vibrational level from carbon to crystalline. It is not for us to do battle with the forces of evil that control this world. If they succeed in their ambitions  and trash our planet in the process  it is because evil is still more prevalent than good, so we must keep meditating in order to become more spiritual and avoid being caught up in any form of conflict!

Now the irony of this situation is really quite profound. Because what these spirit seekers are saying and doing  assuming that at least some are really doing their spirit work and are not on a purely escapist trip  is not out-and-out wrong. But, without an equal and complementary commitment to cease supporting that which they know to be insupportable  plus a commitment to give active service to humanity and pressing planetary needs, it is essentially meaningless and should be recognized as a form of deception.

Only half of something whole  taken as if it was whole  is a dangerous delusion. A half truth, when taken to be whole truth, is indeed a grand deception and one particularly popular with the political class. Spiritual self-improvement must always be coupled to tangible actions in support of humanity, otherwise it becomes regressive.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are those who join protest movements and direct action groups, who wont hear of anything to do with the spiritual getting in their way. People who are often brave and indeed courageous souls, and whose struggle to protect the Creators kingdom against wanton acts of destruction is considerably closer to the true essence of spirituality than is the cosseted world in which many of the so-called spiritual aspirants reside.

Bravery is an important quality, but many of those heading out to block attempts to drive a new motorway through a pristine forest would be a hundred times more effective if they added the power of a conscious spiritual intent to their struggle.

Why, oh why, do people have to identify with one or other of these approaches? Why cannot we all settle for declaring ourselves spiritual activists and get on with the job? This is the quality that really has the power to make/bring change for the better. Nothing can stand in the way of fully committed passionate souls, who combine their inner and outer powers to protect and promote all that has value and beauty on planet earth.

While it may sound heroic, this is in fact the natural state of expression for a human being who has not succumbed to societys ubiquitous mind control techniques and/or fallen prey to pretentious propaganda. An unsullied human instinct will react to acts of obvious injustice by expressing a strong sense of righteous indignation which leads on to the desire to take action! This is because we are all linked-up, and on the collective subconscious plain, are one. When one see ones fellow kind being kicked in the head by some crazed vagrant, ones first (and best) instinct is to try to help the person in trouble.

Now extend that emotion into the animal, plant and all living matter kingdom, and one will find that it is ones heart that is leading the way. It is ones heart that is leading the rebellion against rank injustice  and no one will argue against the fact that the heart lies at the centre of our innate spirituality.

To follow ones heart is the first stepping stone on the road of truth. Actions that flow from here represent a genuine spiritual response. One based on compassion and empathy for and with the divine diversity of creation. Taking action to defend that creation is spiritual activism. Here is the response of someone whose inner and outer self are not alienated or in conflict with each other.

It is the dynamic of balance. A state in which the collective spirit of love that we share with fellow beings, is activated and acted upon. Yes, activated and acted upon. Both.

The spiritual activist is our natural state of pre mind controlled being. The being who has not been pacified by indoctrination to the ways of the status quo. Who has not sought to identify with the spirit alone  or with the warrior alone  but quite naturally finds that he/she is, by sheer dint of being human, is both these. How our world would rejoice should this breed of actor emerge at the forefront of the affairs of man!

We have had enough of compartmentalized divisions of oneness. Quite enough, thank you. Nowhere is precisely where we will get so long as people continue to split themselves up into divisions of the whole and then believe they have found the way.

So, do meditation and spirit work by all means, but then immediately pour the fruits of it into taking action against injustice  and beyond that  towards the process of building a new model of humanity.

Real Action is not about congratulating ones self for sending a pre-prepared text message to Greenpeace to stop oil drilling in the Arctic. Real Action is where one puts ones self on the line  body, mind and spirit  to fight for a decent future for humanity in all the myriad ways in which this is so absolutely vital today.

Albert Einstein said The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing. Never were truer words spoken.

At a time of mass deceit and corruption at the highest levels of society, worldwide, everyone who has a heart needs to have their hands clasp onto the rope of resistance. Everyone who has a soul, and some basic level of awareness, needs to go forth into the world and start setting in motion a great turning in the affairs of man. A turning which will reflect the potential, beauty and power of the human actor in full creative flow. Spirit and action in movement  conjoined as one.

So from here on in, say Godspeed to the emergence of the spiritual activist  and say goodbye to the world of half way houses that twist the truth into selfish self-concern for a cosseted life of make-believe sainthood.

And while youre at it, also say goodbye to all other such deviations from the truth that sap the life blood out of existence.

Julian Rose is an early pioneer of UK organic farming, a writer, actor and international activist.

Julian Rose is an international activist who, in 1987 and 1998, led a campaign that saved unpasteurised milk from being banned in the UK; and a Say No to GMO campaign in Poland which led to a national ban of GM seeds and plants in that country in 2006. Julian is currently campaigning to Stop 5G WiFi. He is the author of two acclaimed titles: Changing Course for Life and In Defence of Life and is a long time exponent of yoga/meditation. See Julians web site for more information and to purchase his books www.julianrose.info

Spirit Led Activism  The True Power of the People was last modified: by