Make no bones about it, awakening is not a walk in the park. It is a ride through hell. It is the tearing down of all of your cherished beliefs and everything you thought about yourself. There is no way around this. In The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, they had to enter into the Mirkwood Forest to get to their destination. There was no other way for them. It was not a walk in the park. Likewise, we must enter the shadowlands, and come face to face with our shadows. It is there that our false ideas of who we are are shattered. It is there that all of our false beliefs are destroyed. We must face these false notions and see them for what they are. This is the only way to heal, to become whole again, to live in integrity.

My good friend, Julie Anne gave a good description of this process in Enlightenment. It is a complete surrender, a process of brutal self honesty. It is a path of complete acceptance of the truth, no matter how difficult it is to bear. I still remember it vividly.

We go through life with so many false notions  of the world, of spirituality and of ourselves. We build up masks and we believe the facades. Its all a charade. It is all based upon illusions and deceit. We deceive ourselves at every moment, and the world also deceives us at every moment. We live in perpetual cognitive dissonance, justifying the most absurd things in our minds. We constantly lie to ourselves.... and we believe it.

But we are too attached to the lies. We want to hold on to the illusions and to become enlightened at the same time. That is not possible. But there are hundreds of phony gurus and spiritual teachers that will tell you it is. They offer you processes to become happy, fulfilled, calm, find your soulmate, be positive, get the right job, make lots of money, balance the chakras, become healthy and whatever else you may be desiring. This has nothing to do with awakening. This is only polishing the ego. They all lead you right back into the matrix. You may even be lucky enough to get a golden cage, but it is still a cage, and you remain imprisoned in slavery. This is the road that most people choose to follow. This road is well traveled by the herd.

It takes courage, discernment and self honesty to walk the Siddhartha road to truth and freedom. Not many people have that. We have been weakened by the onslaught of programming since our childhood. Most people want to remain in the herd, as they find comfort in the company of other deluded souls. It takes a certain individual to break free of the herd. The Siddhartha road is not easy. It is a treacherous road that will shatter every part of your existence. No, it takes a certain type of person to walk that road; a person that is willing to give up everything to find his true Self.

My story was one that took me through so many paths to nowhere; detours, dead ends and off of cliffs. I had to eventually be dragged, kicking and screaming through the abyss by Grace herself, for me to awaken. It was simply my time.

Now the strange thing about this, is that worse things have happened to me before, so why did this hit me so hard? I believe because it was supposed to, for me to transform. I took everything much harder, than I ever did before. Also, everything came crashing down at once. In the past, I was strong, and I kept my sense of self, of who I thought I was. But this time, my sense of self, who I thought I was, gave up. I stopped trying to be strong. I just collapsed.

Yes, I remember it well. My entire life story collapsed overnight. My girlfriend of five years ran off with another man. And she lived across the street. So every morning I would look out the window to see his van, just to rub it in. I kept saying, There must be a purpose for this. My health collapsed, my business collapsed, and those that I thought were my friends were not. I was alone. I tried to be in denial, grabbing straws as I was being dragged down into the abyss. My world around me collapsed, but so did my self-worth, self-esteem and my false ego. I felt unloved and abandoned. My life story shattered.

I was left in this darkness for some time; four months. In that time, I was slowly being dismantled, as I had to face the hard cold facts. I had to be brutally honest with myself. Eventually, I came to the point of realizing that I hated my broken body, I hated the world, I hated myself, and I really hated god. Yes, I was very angry at him. He abandoned me. I felt the entire world abandoned me. It wasnt fair. I threw out everything spiritual in my house. I was facing my darkness with brutal honesty. I sat with that for a while. Imagine the despair of seeing what lies hidden behind your persona, behind the lies you tell yourself daily.

This continued for two weeks, right through Christmas. I felt so rejected, so abandoned, so alone. The pain of being stripped naked in the frigid cold, with no hope in sight. But I accepted what was happening. I was no longer trying to push it away. The suffering felt endless, yet I endured it. I dont even know how to explain it. And then on the morning of January 1, 2004, I woke up. Not to a new year, but a new life. The suffering was gone, all was forgiven, and I was at peace. A peace that I had never known before. That which I thought I was no longer existed. My false perception of Self vanished. I remember the singing of the birds, the sun entering through the window, and everything around me was seen in a new light  a light of awe and amazement. My mind had ceased its chatter, I was experiencing a very deep peace.

And then it started  wave after wave of revelations, of deep knowings. I began to awaken to who I Am. I became acutely aware that I Am eternal and sovereign. Each wave awakened me more to my deepest Self. Each wave also shattered the illusions and deceptions of the world. As I awakened, my eyes saw a very different world. All the pieces fell into place. Someday I will describe the many revelations that flooded over me. I have already written much about it.

The largest wave came a couple of weeks into this. I was meditating, and I went so deep, following the river of life to the depths of my Being. I was empty, but then from this emptiness, a powerful divine love sprang forth, inundating my entire mind and body. This love is unconditional. It spread out from me everywhere. All of the bugs, the lizards, the birds, the plants, the trees, everything was inundated with this love. I could not tell where I ended and the other Beings began. We were all intrinsically connected with this love; and yet my individual Self remained. I was not the bugs, the birds or the plants, but the connection was so deep, that I felt they were as if a part of me. There was simultaneously separation and no separation. It is not easy to describe, but this divine love is nothing like the love of this world.

But when you do awaken, and you do see the world with new eyes, you soon realize that no one else is seeing the same thing. I tried to tell a few people what had happened to me, but no one believed me. They thought that perhaps I cracked under the pressure of suffering and had gone crazy. No one wanted to hear anything I said, as it exposed their false beliefs. So I remained quiet for eight years.

How can I possibly explain something so deep, beyond the mind, where people have no concepts or understanding? What I woke up to I call Knowings, as opposed to knowledge. Knowledge comes from outside of the Self, either from the world, or from up above. Knowings are who you are. It is not new information, but rather an awakening to your true Self. Someone who has not awakened to his true Self has a difficult time understanding. They believe it is just knowledge, a different set of beliefs. Therefore people say things like, That is your idea of Truth. Its different from mine. or There is no absolute Truth, only relative truths. They think they are only my beliefs. It is quite pointless to explain this to people, because all they know is beliefs. So I remain alone, with but a few friends that have experienced their own dark night of the soul, and awakened to their true Self, if sometimes only a glimmer. That is all it takes for one to see that their is a deep consciousness separate from the vast majority of people.

When one decides to take the Siddhartha road to the Self, he soon realizes he is alone on that road. The herd is going in the opposite direction. One must be prepared for that, to find comfort in being alone, not understood by others.

I cannot take any credit for my awakening. I was dragged, kicking and screaming, grasping straws. No, I take no credit. It was by Grace alone.

As Eckhart Tolle has stated, you dont have to wait for the dark night of the soul to dismantle your false notions, your false self, your life story. You can consciously take that road. But it demands courage, discernment, and a brutal honesty of yourself. The mind is a very tricky opponent, and will deceive you at every step, as your awakening is the end of its control over you. But it can be done. Nisargadatta Maharaj did it. You must simply allow Grace to act within you.

So the choice rests with each of you. No one can do this for you. All I, or anyone else, can offer you are sign posts, pointing in the direction. But you, and you alone, must take that road. It does little good to read my writings and not act upon them, to not take that road yourself. Otherwise, you are only hanging out at the signposts, believing that you have already arrived at the destination.

This road is not for the timid or the faint of heart. Not at all. But there is no other road. No one will simply wave a magical wand over you. It is a road of destruction and the question is, How much are you willing to give up? How much can you endure? Because on this road, you must give up everything. Every piece of you will shatter. Can you endure that? As the great Bhaktivinode Thakur has written, You must die to live. So how serious are you? How much do you want it? How much will you pay for it?

Awakening is a Destructive Process


Ernest House Jr. has driven every which way from Denver to McElmo Canyon. He has watched the sunset in the San Luis Valley and has been chased into Utah by blizzards. He knows where the two pockets of cell phone service are in Wolf Creek Pass, which came in handy when the White House once called. He can drive back home in his sleep.

On his bi-weekly drives to the Ute Mountain Reservation in southwest Colorado, he sees more than just a scenery; he sees history. He sees the land his Ute ancestors and many other tribes used to roam.

For more than a decade, House worked to be a liaison between American Indians and the state as the executive director of the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs. He stepped down from the post in September, transitioning to a new role at the Keystone Policy Center. In his time at CCIA, House helped create educational resource guides, organize a dramatic apology for a centuries-old massacre and led politicians through tours of his tribal home, trying to re-sow the fissures of history caused by colonization.

Ernest has played a tremendous role in ensuring our state government never lost focus on our tribal communities, said Lt. Gov. Donna Lynne in a news release. Our tribes have an important seat at the table and a strong voice thanks to Ernests commitment and dedication.

With House gone, the agency will carry out the projects he started and wait until a new governor is inaugurated to appoint his replacement.

House began at the bottom, leaping up the ranks of the commission to take the helm 13 years ago. After a year as the agencys intern, he applied to lead it in 2005, not thinking he had a chance to land the job.

We were ready to go be ski bums once I got the no, House said, referring to him and his wife.

But he put his ski-bum dreams on hold when, to his surprise, he was offered the job. House worked with three administrations over 11 years and countless lawmakers from both parties. He took a brief two-year pause from CCIA in 2010, but was coaxed back by Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia in 2012.

Two reservations  the Ute Mountain and Southern Ute  are partially in Colorado. But 48 tribes have cultural affinity to the land of present-day Colorado. While the commissions first job is government-to-government communication, House saw his role as being a link to all American Indians who call Colorado home.

By the end of his latest stint, his list of accomplishments had grown long enough to earn him his own honorary day, Sept. 28, as Ernest House Day.

House often deflects praise from himself to others who have helped him along the way.

He said his father, Ernest House Sr., was my greatest resource. House Sr. was the longest-serving tribal chairman of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. In his 30-plus-year tenure, the elder House worked to expand public safety on a reservation that has been plagued by violence. His work endeared him to many in the tribe, according to Pearl Casias, a Ute Tribe councilwoman.

Casias saw the work that Ernest House Sr. did continue with the his son.

Ernest was the right fit for the position, Casias said.

Houses great-grandfather Jack House was the last hereditary chief of the Weeminuche band of Ute and looks down on his great-grandson from a black and white portrait that hangs in Houses office.

Despite coming from a family of leaders, House faced many challenges in Denver. Stereotypes and a lack of visibility for American Indians still permeate many parts of the largely progressive city.

If (people) know American Indians exist, they may have heard about a tribe and then they associate it to a casino, House said.

One way he tried to elevate the voices of other Indigenous Coloradans was by taking new political leaders to the Four Corners region.

From above, the Ute Mountain Reservation is a ruffled tan sheet of desert crinkled by veins of green creek beds. Irrigated circles of farmland dot the ridges leading to  physically and spiritually  the most prominent part of the reservation, Sleeping Ute Mountain.

Houses childhood home in McElmo Canyon is one of those streaks of green just north of the mountain.

The present-day political borders of American Indian reservations were divorced from their ancestral boundaries long ago. The Ute Mountain reservation spills into New Mexico with flecks of tribal land dotting southwestern Utah, a shadow of the land that his ancestors used to roam across the Colorado Plateau.

Many of the other tribes that once lived in the area of present-day Colorado, such as the Arapaho, Cheyenne and Kiowa were forced to reservations in Wyoming and Oklahoma. Forty-eight tribes used to live in Colorado before being forced out, according to the CCIA website.

The history is engraved into Houses consciousness and is one he shared with visitors he took to the reservations. Alcoholism, drug abuse and violence are issues that reservations grapple with. But on the visits, House strove to show that the reservation was more than just bleak statistics.

Along with working to educate people across the state about modern-day issues, House worked to try and heal the past. One of the biggest wounds House tried to mend was the Sand Creek Massacre.

In late November in 1864, a nomadic village of Cheyenne and Arapaho settled near where present-day Kansas bleeds into the plains of southeastern Colorado.

Several hundred Union soldiers came upon the camp. White flags and star-spangled banners flapped over the tepees, a sign the camp was peaceful. Most of the men were away on a buffalo hunt.

Bullets and havoc tore through the camp, scattering the women, children and the wounded who tried to escape. At least 160 Arapaho and Cheyenne were killed, by some estimates. The soldiers walked away from the village-turned-killing-field with mutilated body parts, trophies of the massacre.

For the 150th anniversary of the massacre, House had an idea. He pitched to Gov. John Hickenlooper that he say two words many had been waiting to hear for over a century: Im sorry.

On Dec. 3, 2014, tribal leaders, indigenous people and Colorado residents stood on the steps of the Capitol listening to Hickenlooper speak. Young indigenous people had run over 170 miles in an annual spiritual run from the massacre site to Denver.

House stood off to the side, flanked by Hickenloopers aides, and listened to the words many had been waiting to hear for a long time.

We should not be afraid to criticize and condemn that which is inexcusable, Hickenlooper said. On behalf of the state of Colorado, I want to apologize.

The crowd erupted into a chorus of cheers as the governor turned to shake the hands of the tribal leaders. House looked on with satisfaction, seeing months of work come to fruition.

House ranks the apology as one of his proudest accomplishments. Others include releasing a American Indian history resource guide for teachers.

But what he loved doing most was being a voice for people he feels have for too long not had one.

An earlier version of this article refers to the Keystone Police Center as the Keystone Policy Institute, the error has been corrected.

After over a decade linking Indian Country to Denver Native leader steps down


French President Emmanuel Macron has publicly criticized Trumps America First, nationalist agenda and instead promotes globalism.

NEXT LEVEL LYING: Zooming in is not Doctoring

Infowars Most Censored Videos Frances Macron Declares Nation-States The Enemy


It has been long known that Senator John McCain (R-AZ) was diagnosed with brain cancer in July 2017. Typically, people with glioblastoma survive an average of 16 months. McCain has been receiving treatments but his prognosis is serious and can cause other complications as well. So, there has also been a question of what will happen to his Senate seat if he dies or resigns.

Republicans who control the Arizona Senate were prevented from ensuring that ailing Sen. John McCains seat isnt on the November ballot if he leaves office.  Minority Democrats voted as a block on Monday against the measure, preventing an emergency clause from being tacked onto legislation changing how members of Congress who die or resign are replaced.

GOP state lawmakers introduced a bill which would have allowed individuals appointed to vacant Senate seats to occupy them for two full years, if the seat became vacant within 150 days of a regularly scheduled primary election.

Therefore, anyone that was appointed by Governor Doug Ducy (R-AZ) after March 31 would remain in the Senate seat until 2020. Currently, according to Arizona law, McCains seat would be on the next general election ballot if he left the post by May 30. The actual bill is HB2166.

Democrats voted to prevent the measure to minimize the risk of losing McCains seat if it came up for grabs during the 2018 midterm elections.

McCain was hospitalized for an intestinal infection on April 15. His wife posted via Twitter that he arrived back home in Sedona on Monday.

Democrats Deliver Major Upset Block GOP From Taking John McCains Senate Seat


Ayatollah Khomeini should never be allowed to have nuclear weapons

Trump Has Rebuilt Americas Bond With Israel


A county Carlow man has won first place at the World Ploughing Contest in Germany.

Eamonn Tracey took the top prize in the conventional class at the championship held in Einsiedel at the weekend.

John Whelan from Wexford secured silver for Ireland in the reversible class at the competition.

Managing director of the National Ploughing Association Anna May McHugh said: This is a fantastic win for both men and Irish ploughing as a whole. Since winning the nationals last year, the men have been working hard on preparing for the worlds in Germany and all their effort have paid off. They have done their country extremely proud. Congratulations and a very well done to both. The general secretary of the World Ploughing Organisation, Anna Marie McHugh said Ireland had always been highly respected internationally in terms of producing ploughmen to compete on the world stage.

However, Eamonn and John in particular are held in extremely high esteem not only in Ireland but across the international ploughing community. Another great result such as this for both men further adds to their global reputation as masters in their field.

The Republic of Ireland team at the competition were coached by Patsy Condron of Laois.

On top of the world Irishman is new World Ploughing Champion


Terrified passengers on a Ryanair plane at Barcelona were ordered to evacuate after a mobile phone caught fire.

The passengers device was being charged by a battery pack while the aircraft was on the ground preparing to depart aboard a Boeing 737 for the short flight to Ibiza.

Dramatic footage shows that it initially burned a hole in an aircraft seat before being knocked to the floor in flames.

With smoke pouring from the fire, cabin crew organised an emergency evacuation using the inflatable slides. Footage shows some disorder, with passengers being sent down the chutes even though others had not cleared the slides.

A passenger, "anthcarrio", filmed the fire and uploaded it to Instagram, adding: "Looks like it harfer [sic] to get to ibiza then we thought. I've never seen so many people so scared in there [sic] life! Portable charger blew up in the same row as I was sitting."

The airline said: Passengers on a Barcelona-Ibiza flight on the ground in Barcelona experienced an emergency evacuation caused by a mobile phone catching fire as it was being charged by a battery pack.

All passengers were safely evacuated back to the terminal and cabin crew dealt with the mobile phone. Ryanair worked to arrange a spare aircraft to re-accommodate these passengers with the minimum delay.

Ryanair allows passengers to carry two spare lithium ion batteries in carry-on baggage. These must be individually protected to prevent short circuits, says the airline.

Battery terminals must be either recessed or packaged so as to prevent contact with metal objects including terminals of other batteries.

Aviation safety experts have long warned about the risks associated with portable electronic devices - and allowing battery chargers on flights.

In February, a Frontier Airlines flight from Orlando to Phoenix was diverted to Tampa when a similar blaze took hold. During the climb, a passengers battery that was connected to a smartphone ignited, burning the owner who knocked it to the floor.

In December, a passengers iPhone on a United Airlines flight from Barcelona to New York caught fire after it was inadvertently crushed when the seat was reclined.

Passengers are now warned not to operate reclines and alert cabin crew if they lose an electronic device in the seat mechanism.

According to the latest Federal Aviation Administration figures, "air/airport incidents involving lithium batteries carried as cargo or baggage" happen, on average, once every 50 days.

Ryanair passengers forced to evacuate plane after mobile phone bursts into flames


Earlier this month Socialist Michael Moore said Pope Francis told him capitalism is sin.

In 2014 Pope Francis famously called for the global redistribution of wealth.

Pope Francis warned Sunday in his weekly sermon that calls for help from the poor are growing stronger  yet they continue to be ignored as the wealthy grab more resources that belong to everyone.

The cry of the poor daily becomes stronger, but heard less, drowned out by the din of the rich few, who grow ever fewer and more rich, he said, the Vatican reported.

It is the cry of all those forced to flee their homes and native land for an uncertain future. It is the cry of entire peoples, deprived even of the great natural resources at their disposal ... while the wealthy few feast on what, in justice, belongs to all.

He said: Christians cannot stand with arms folded in indifference or with arms outstretched in helplessness, but must act to help. Do we have eyes to see, ears to hear, hands outstretched to offer help? he asked.

Commie Pope Francis The Rich Are Enjoying What Should Belong to Everyone


Under normal circumstances, an American politician would be in trouble for having employed a figure as compromised as Paul Manafort, whose role in US President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign ranks with some of the country's most famous scandals. But these are not normal circumstances.

Trumps Manafort Problem


Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) drank a glass of chocolate milk Wednesday in order to demonstrate the value of diversity at various levels of corporate leadership.

This chocolate syrup represents diversity, Hyatt Hotels vice president for diversity and inclusion, Tyronne Stoudemire, said as he squeezed it into a glass of milk held by Rauner. When you look at most organizations, diversity sits at the bottom of the organization. You dont get inclusion until you actually stir it up.

Rauner played along, as shown in a video captured by WBBM:

Its really, really good. Diversity! Rauner, whos up for re-election in November, announced.

A spokesperson for the governor told the Chicago Tribune: This was the event moderators example of diversity that an audience of all ages could see and understand. It was one of two demonstrations at the event, both of which received ovations from the crowd.

Stoudemire confirmed to the paper that the governor didnt know what he was getting into, and noted he usually picks the most powerful person in the room to help with the milk.

Illinois Governor Drinks Chocolate Milk Celebrates Diversity


Lord Sugar has been accused of objectifying women after he posted yet another controversial tweet.

The Apprentice boss posted an image of a blonde woman in a low cut top with the caption: "Went into a shop in Croatia to buy a jumper. After 20 mins my wife said what the hell is he doing in there, he has been ages."

He tagged former colleague Nick Hewer, an advisor on his apprentice show however appeared to tag the wrong account.

People online have hit back at Lord Sugar claiming that the post is 'sexist and he is 'objectifying' the woman in the picture.

It comes after Lord Sugar posted a tweet online in which he mocked up a picture of the Senegal football team next to handbags and sunglasses with the caption "I recognise some of these guys from the beach in Marbella. Multi tasking resourceful chaps."

He was forced to apologise for the tweet and deleted it.

Rhian Barnes wrote: "Racist AND sexist! What's next? Homophobic? Let's make it a hat trick!"

After his tweet about the Sengal football team, Lord Sugar was forced to apologise.

While others demanded that the BBC take action.

Labour MP Dawn Butler led calls for the billionaire businessman to be disciplined by TV bosses.

While other critics urged people to complain to the House of Lords Commissioner for Standards about his online behaviour.

Lord Sugar sits as a crossbench peer in the House of Lords after quitting the Labour Party in 2015, saying he was "disillusioned" at the direction of the party.

The latest season of the BBC's hit show The Apprentice is due to air later this year. The US version of the show has previously been hosted by now-US President Donald Trump.

Lord Sugar under fire again over tweet aposobjectifyingapos Croatian shop assistant


Meghan looked super chic  and more than a little bit sexy  when she arrived at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London on Wednesday night wearing a short black tuxedo dress, designed by Canadian label Judith and Charles.

She and Prince Harry were there for a special gala performance of Hamilton in aid of Sentebale - the charity Prince Harry founded with Prince Seesio to support children and young people affected by HIV in Lesotho.

The Duchess of Sussexs dress, which costs 327, not only featured a surprisingly short hemline for a member of the British royal family, but was also remarkably similar to one her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, wore to a performance of The Marriage of Figaro in 1991.

As the 21st anniversary of Dianas death approaches (August 31), could this tribute have been an unintentional one?

Given Meghans track record of impeccable sartorial diplomacy, we suspect not.

The dress which Diana wore was an gold buttoned silk satin ensemble with white cuffs and an exaggerated white lapel.

Meghan opted for a simpler, sleeker tuxedo dress with a simple black collar and tonal buttons - reportedly styled for her by her BFF Jessica Mulroney.  Its currently available to pre-order online and available to purchase now in a burgundy colourway.

She finished the look with a black and gold box clutch bag and a pair of black pointed courts by Paul Andrew, at a price 495.

This isnt the first time Meghan has worn a coat as a dress. The pale pink-nude sleeveless trench coat dress by Canadian brand Nonie that she wore back in July gave a fresh spin to what many regard as quintessentially British outerwear.

Not only was last night's dress a fitting nod to Diana, but it was also very on trend for autumn 2018.

Tuxedo dresses were first seen on the spring runways, with crisp black versions at Alexander Wang and Dion Lee, mannish white pinstripes at Eckhaus Latta and tartan and tweed versions at Area and Matthew Adams Dolan.

Indeed, in an article back in February, Vogue hailed the return of the tuxedo dress, describing the item as a handy alternative for actresses who want to access their androgynous potential without compromising on the chance to show off the rewards of that Tracy Anderson subscription.

Meghan most certainly had more leg on show than is customary for a royal, but frankly, if we had pins that perfectly toned, wed want to show them off too.

Was the tuxedo dress Meghan wore to see Hamilton a tribute to her late mother in law


Infowars is on the southern border delivering the migrant caravans next movements.

Livestream Migrant Caravan Moving From Tent City to New Shelter


Paul Krugman, whos wrong about everything, sucked up to Nancy Pelosi as he nervously gushed about what a huge honor it was to sit down and interview her.

At one point, Pelosi stuttered and lost her train of thought as she spoke about the Kavanaugh confirmation.

Nancy Pelosi either forgot Justice Brett Kavanaughs name or couldnt bring herself to say his name.

In the next clip, Nancy Pelosi was asked by Paul Krugman what the Democrat agenda would be if they were to take back the House following the midterms.

Pelosi gave a long-winded answer and mumbled her way through her Democrat talking points about gun safety, LGBT rights, abortion and hey if theres some collateral damage for Republicans along the way, so be it.

Yes, she really said this.

If theres some collateral damage, for some others that dont share our view, well so be it, Pelosi said.

Vote red all the way down the ballotGod help us if these violent, lawless Democrats ever regain power again.

Nancy Pelosi on Democrat Agenda If Theres Collateral Damage to People Who Dont Share Our Views W


WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump says that he is willing to shut down the government over funding for his long-promised border wall but that hell always leave room for negotiation.

Trump was asked about his shutdown threat during a joint press conference with Italys premier Monday.

Trump says, Ill always leave room for negotiation. But hes stressing the need for border security and overhauling the nations legal immigration system.

He says, I would certainly be willing to close it down to get it done but also says he has no red line.

Trump is also defending U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying it defends the U.S. against MS-13 nests of bad, bad people.

Trump had said during his campaign that Mexico would pay for his wall, but Mexico has balked at that request.

Trump says room for negotiation over shutdown


The Muslim Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, approved an angry baby Trump blimp to fly near the Parliament for two hours on July 13th during the Presidents visit to the United Kingdom.

Ironically, the group behind this angry baby Trump blimp refer to themselves as anti-fascists.

The group has already raised over 14,000!

Westmonster reported:

Following Sadiq Khans approval of a balloon mocking President Trump to be flown over Parliament during his visit to the UK, a counter-campaign has surged to over 10,000 out of nowhere for a balloon depicting the London Mayor to go up. The campaigns appeal reads: To have a giant size Sadiq Khan, Baby Khan balloon fly over London to demonstrate our unhappiness with him as our Mayor of London. It goes on to explain: In light of the Donald Trump Baby Trump ballon being allowed to fly over London during his visit to the UK, lets get a baby Khan one and see if FREE SPEECH applies to all and whether or not Mr Khan and the London Assembly will also approve this. More than 600 people have backed the move already, to the tune of more than 10k.

You can donate here.

Brilliant Online Campaign to Raise Cash for Baby Khan Blimp During Trump Visit Smashes 10k Targe


(Natural News) Saline solutions have a wide range of medical uses, with one of the most prominent being in intravenous (IV) infusion. However, new research has revealed that switching from saline to a different intravenous fluid could make a major difference in the lives of patients. On top of decreasing the number of kidney failure cases, using something other than saline could also improve a patients chances of survival.

To arrive at this conclusion, Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers carried out two different studies between 2015 and 2017. The first had them observing more than 13,000 patients who were admitted into the emergency department (ED); the other study involved examining over 15,000 intensive care unit (ICU) patients. In both studies, the patients were given either IVs of saline or balanced crystalloids.

For the ED patients, the saline and balanced crystalloids had no impact on the number of hospital-free days, which was defined as the number of days alive following discharge prior to the 28th day. However, the researchers found that the patients who were administered balanced crystalloids were less likely to experience major adverse kidney events (4.7 percent against 5.6 percent) within the span of a month.

A similar effect was noted among ICU patients. Of the 7,942 patients whod received balanced crystalloids, only 1,139 or 14.3 percent went through a major adverse kidney event. By comparison, around 1,211 out of 7,860 saline patients, or 15.4 percent, underwent this. Persistent renal dysfunction was more prominent in the saline group (6.6 percent versus 6.4 percent), as was the occurrence of new renal replacement therapy (2.9 percent against 2.5 percent). Moreover, those in the saline group had a greater in-hospital mortality rate (11.1 percent) when measured against those in the balanced crystalloids group (10.3 percent).

In addition to the lower incidence of kidney failure and death, the balanced solution has chloride and sodium concentrations that were much closer to regular blood levels than saline solution. The higher concentrations of sodium and chloride in saline makes it near identical to table salt. (Related: 10 Common Habits That Seriously Damage Your Kidneys.)

The researchers have estimated that swapping out saline could cut back the number of yearly kidney failure cases in the U.S. by as much as 100,000. Furthermore, as many as 70,000 lives could be saved by making this simple change.

The difference, while small for individual patients, is significant on a population level. Each year in the United States, millions of patients receive intravenous fluids, said study author Dr. Wesley Self. When you look at the millions and millions of patients that have fluids given to them every year in the U.S., a one percent difference for each patient starts to be a big number when you multiply it out by millions.

Due to these findings, Vanderbilt University Medical Center has since opted for balanced solutions instead of saline solutions in their IV bags. Fortunately, the balance fluids utilized by Vanderbilt University Medical Center command the same price as the saline solution.Because balanced fluids and saline are similar in cost, the finding of better patient outcomes with balanced fluids in two large trials has prompted a change in practice at Vanderbilt toward using primarily balanced fluids for intravenous fluid therapy, explained Assistant Professor of Medicine, and Dr. Selfs colleague, Dr.Matthew Semler.

He added: There are tens or hundreds of thousands of patients who would be spared death or severe kidney problems by using balanced fluids instead of saline.

Far from being the only institution to make this drastic change, the University of Pittsburgh has followed suit. Dr. John Kellum, a critical care specialist who played no role in the study, stated that he and his constituents had been sounding the alarm for 20 years on the detrimental effects of saline. Regardless, Kellum has expressed relief that the potential harm caused by saline has been acknowledged and put out to raise public awareness.

Go to Medicine.news to stay up to date on news about medicine and the healthcare industry.

Saline solution in hospital IVs found to cause kidney failure


MISSOULA, Mont.  President Donald Trump praised a Republican congressman for body-slamming a reporter last year, calling him a tough cookie and saying he thinks it might have helped him win election in Montana.

At a campaign rally in Missoula Thursday, Trump lauded Rep. Greg Gianforte, who pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault for an attack on Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs. The attack came a day before Gianforte won a 2017 special election to serve the remaining 18 months in the House term vacated by now-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

Any guy that can do a body slam  hes my kind of guy, Trump said to cheers and laughter from the crowd. Hes a great guy, tough cookie.

His remarks praising Gianforte come amid an international furor over the apparent assassination of a Washington Post columnist, who, according to an account in Turkeys Yeni Safak newspaper, allegedly had his fingers cut off and was decapitated inside a Saudi consulate in Istanbul two weeks ago.

In the case of Gianforte, witnesses including members of a Fox News crew say Gianforte became enraged over what he perceived as biased coverage before body-slamming Jacobs, throwing him to the ground and punching him.

Gianforte initially misled investigators about what had happened, falsely claiming that Jacobs had grabbed him by the wrist and pulled both of them to the floor, according to documents released under a court order following requests from news agencies.

The president said he was in Rome with other world leaders when he heard about what had happened.

And I said, oh, this is terrible. Hes going to lose the election, Trump recalled. And then I said, well, wait a minute. I know Montana pretty well. I think it might help him. And it did.

Gianforte pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge in June 2017 and said in an apology letter that he alone was responsible for the attack. He paid a $385 fine and completed 40 hours of community service and 20 hours of anger management counseling. He also donated $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Trump referenced Gianforte again later in the rally when discussing former Vice President Joe Biden, who once said he would beat the hell out of Trump if they were in high school.

On Biden challenging him to a fight, Trump said, Hed be down, faster than Greg would take him down.

Gianforte, who attended the rally with the president, is up for re-election in November and faces former state legislator Kathleen Williams. The presidents next stop on his three-day trip out West is Arizona.

Trump praises Montana congressman who body-slammed reporter


On Tuesday, The Daily Beast reported that it had obtained the NRAs tax records which showed a $55 million decrease in revenue between 2016 and 2017.

According to the report:

The National Rifle Association of America reported $98 million in contributions in 2017, down from nearly $125 million in 2016, according to new tax records obtained by The Daily Beast. Nearly one-fifth of its contributions last year came from a single anonymous donor, who chipped in nearly $19 million to the group.

This tremendous loss of funding could be attributed to a lot of factors, but its definitely worth noting that the NRA spent record sums in order to ensure that Donald Trump was elected. Since Trump took office, weve seen an unprecedented increase in gun violence, including the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida where 17 people, most of those children, were mowed down by a man carrying an assault-style weapon. As a result, Floridas uber-conservative former Governor Rick Scott signed the first gun control law enacted by the state since the shooting occurred. Because of this new law, the NRA is now suing the State of Florida, which is just one more thing that probably isnt helping their bottom line.

Now, the NRAs media wing  NRATV  is being affected by this loss in revenue and is being forced to lay off employees.

Cameron Gray, a reporter and spokesperson for NRATV, announced the layoffs on his personal Twitter account on Wednesday, saying:

Some personal news: Just shy of my 10-year anniversary, me and several colleagues had their positions terminated this morning. So, if you have or know of any jobs available in the DC-area, or any that can be done remotely, please let me know.

Twitter users responded exactly as you might expect. Here are some of our favorites:

NRA Makes Massive Layoffs After Devastating Numbers Report


(Natural News) Have you heard of the new vegan burger that bleeds just like a real hamburger? Known as the Impossible Burger, its been turning up in hundreds of restaurants and fast food outlets around the country lately.

This food product garnered a lot of hype when it was in development. It attracted $400 million in funding that included contributions from Bill Gates. Its debuting in 400 White Castle burger outlets this month and is already sold in places like Bareburger, Applebees, Whalburgers, and countless independent restaurants. Its just the sort of menu item that appeals to health-conscious consumers  at least in theory. Vegan? Check. Delicious? Reports from those who have tried it have been generally positive. Organic? Not so fast.

The big beef many health-conscious consumers have with this product is related to this meat alternatives defining characteristic: the way it bleeds when you cut it.

Although there are a lot of things you might miss when you give up traditional burgers for good in favor of healthier vegan options, one thing you probably dont miss is their bloody appearance, reminding you that an innocent cow made the ultimate sacrifice for your feast. However, Impossible Foods somehow felt this was a desirable characteristic and went to the trouble of genetically modifying a soy protein called legume hemoglobin to give the product this effect.

Yes, thats right: its genetically modified. Why, then, are so many restaurants marketing it as organic? Its not clear whether theyre simply confused because the company hasnt been upfront or theyre being intentionally misleading. According to Grub Street, organic burger chain Bareburger says that everything going into your body is coming from nature  even though the heme in the burger is created in a lab. Some of its locations even used hash tags like #nongmo and #organic while promoting this Frankenfood.

100% organic essential oil sets now available for your home and personal care, including Rosemary, Oregano, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Clary Sage and more, all 100% organic and laboratory tested for safety. A multitude of uses, from stress reduction to topical first aid. See the complete listing here, and help support this news site.

Chicago burger chain M Burger calls the product 100% free of hormones, antibiotics and artificial ingredients, while the Hopdoddy chain placed in on a list of sandwiches that are made with fresh, all-natural ingredients. Buyer beware.

The Impossible Burger is made with a completely new ingredient to the human food supply; theres never been anything like it before, and while that might make it innovative, that also means we dont really know if its safe. Theres no precedent for exposure to such high amounts of this protein from either the natural form or the lab-grown variety used in the burgers. When the company asked the FDA if it would review the burgers safety  something it did even though it wasnt required  the agency initially responded that the safety of the soy leghemoglobin (SLH) had not been established.

It was later revealed that the startup tried to fix the situation by testing the additive on rats, earning the ire of environmental groups that were once on board with its approach, like PETA and the Sustainable Foods Summit.

To be fair, the company doesnt hide the fact that SLH is GMO. While it does its best not to advertise that fact, it admits it halfway down the FAQ page of its website  explaining it in a way that somehow makes it sound not nearly as risky as it is, of course. They and their restaurant partners obviously know that its something many consumers wish to avoid, which is why they do their best not to draw too much attention to it. This situation underscores the importance of doing your homework when it comes to food choices and ensuring they are as healthy as they appear on the surface.

Trendy Impossible Burger is actually made with questionable ingredients such as GMOs


A Sunday Washington Post report brought the startling revelation that yet another Russian reached out to the Trump campaign to offer dirt on Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential race.

At a previously undisclosed May 2016 meeting brokered by former Trump adviser Michael Caputo, a Russian intermediary named Harry Greenberg offered GOP dirty trickster Roger Stone $2 million in exchange for this damaging information. Both Caputo and Stone say they rebuffed and then simply forgot about the remarkable encounter, and did not disclose it publicly or to Congress as a result.

The episode actually came to light after special counsel Robert Muellers team grilled Caputo about it during a May 2, 2018 interview.

Fearing that the meeting would be used against them, Caputo launched a well-funded effort to gather information that would help cast the meeting as just another example of an insidious anti-Trump conspiracy at the FBI.

On the same day the Post article dropped, Caputos team sent out a press release linking to a glossy new website detailing Greenbergs past work as an FBI informant. The site, DemocratDossier.org, claims that Caputo conducted his research using money from the crowd-sourced legal fund set up to cover the costs of his defense in the Russia probes. It links to a separate GoFundMe campaign requesting donations for additional investigations into the informants the intelligence agencies planted into the Trump campaign to spy on various advisers.

As the Post reported, Greenberg did claim to work as an FBI informant under a different name until around 2013. But the newspaper noted that there was no evidence that he was doing so in his interaction with Stone, and Greenberg denies that he was acting on the FBIs behalf.

The FBI informant narrative also does not explain why Caputo and Stone failed to disclose the encounter for almost two years, and falsely testified before Congress that they had no meetings with Russian nationals during the election.

But by controlling how the story went public and tying the Greenberg incident to the preexisting FBI spygate narrative, the pair of Trump allies allowed themselves to avoid a defensive crouch and remain on the attack.

The seeds of this story line were planted not long after Caputos May 2 interview with Mueller. That evening, Caputo told CNN that the special counsels team remained really focused on Russia collusion and that they know more about the Trump campaign than anyone who ever worked there.

The special counsel is spearfishing, Caputo said. They know what they are aiming at and are deadly accurate.

It was around this time that reports first surfaced that an FBI informant contacted several members of the Trump campaign in July 2016 to suss out their contacts with Russians. That individual, who was in touch with both Carter Page and George Papadopolous, turned out to be Cambridge professor and longtime U.S. intelligence source Stefan Halper.

On May 21, Caputo went on Fox News and suggested that multiple covert informants tried to entrap Trump associates during the 2016 election.

This informant, this person that they planted, try to plant into the campaign and even into the administration if you believe Axios, hes not the only person that came at the campaign, Caputo told host Laura Ingraham. I know because they came at me, and Im looking for clearance from my attorney to reveal this to the public.

When we finally find out the truth about this, Director Clapper and the rest of them are going to be wearing some orange suits, he added.

This nefarious description of Greenberg as a plant dispatched to take down the Trump campaign does not quite square with Caputo and Stones claims that they had no memory of interacting with him.

I didnt talk to anybody who was identifiably Russian during the two-year run-up to this campaign, Stone told the Washington Post in an April 2017 interview. I very definitely cant think of anybody who might have been a Russian without my knowledge. Its a canard.

Caputo, meanwhile, told CNN that he spent the bulk of his June 2017 interview before the House Intelligence Committee denying any interaction with Russians.

I spent my time in front of the committee detailing the fact that I had no contact with Russians, that I never heard of anyone with the Trump campaign talking with Russians, that I was never asked questions about my time in Russia, that I never even spoke to anyone about Russia, that I never heard the word Russia, and we did not use Russian dressing, Caputo said.

But then, during his May 2 interview, special counsel investigators showed Caputo text messages that he and Stone exchanged about the Greenberg meeting in Florida.

As the Post reported, Greenberg was decked out in Make America Great Again gear when Stone met him for lunch at a restaurant in Sunny Isles. The Russian national told Stone they really want to help Trump and asked if the GOP presidential candidate would pay $2 million for damaging political information about Clinton. Stone replied that Trump doesnt pay for anything, he recalled to the newspaper.

In subsequent text messages, Caputo asked how crazy is the Russian? Stone said that Greenberg wanted big money and called the meeting a waste of time.

Both men told the Post they will now amend their congressional testimony to account for the meeting with Greenberg, and that they simply forgot about the inconsequential encounter.

I just didnt remember. 2016 was a pretty busy year, Stone told ABC News. I dont think a failure of memory constitutes a perjury.

Caputo, too, brushed it off as a non-issue, claiming that he only learned that Greenberg was Russian during his interview with the special counsel, who knew more about it than I did.

Congressional follow-up seems unlikely, particularly from the deeply divided House Intelligence Committee.

Few of the Trump team witnesses have proved worthy of being taken at their word, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), who sits on the House Intel Committee told TPM in a statement, but the House Intelligence Committees Republicans refused to issue the subpoenas necessary to confirm or disprove these stories. The latest revelation about Roger Stone proves how irresponsible it was for the Republicans to accept witnesses testimony blindly and then end the investigation while insisting there were no more facts to find.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the House Intelligence Committees top Democrat, released a harsh statement on Sunday accusing his GOP colleagues of shielding witnesses who may have testified before us untruthfully.

In multiple respects now, the testimony of Roger Stone appears inaccurate or deliberately misleading, Schiff said. Similarly, Michael Caputos testimony omitted mention of this interaction with a Russian offering dirt on Hillary Clinton, something which could not plausibly have escaped his recollection. The truthfulness of many of our witnesses has been difficult to ascertain, which is why I have urged the committee to make the transcripts available to Special Counsel Mueller for a determination whether any witnesses committed perjury before our committee. The Majoritys unwillingness to do so demonstrates that protecting the President remains its paramount objective.

Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) has actively promoted the notion that there were anti-Trump spies planted in the campaign, and released no statement responding to the Greenberg episode.

Nunes office did not respond to TPMs Monday request for comment.

As the Post noted, Stone and Caputos communications with Greenberg means that 11 Trump associates or campaign officials have now admitted to interacting with a Russian during the campaign or presidential transition.

President Trump and his allies have denied anything untoward about those contacts, framing themselves as the target of a sprawling witch hunt.

Why Is Roger Stone Only Now Coming Clean About May 2016 Russia Contact


Brown University has vowed to offer a tuition-free Masters Degree to illegal immigrants if the government opts to shutdown the unconstitutional Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

The school will also use their funding to provide them with enhanced Counseling and Psychological Services, and create in-school and post-graduate opportunities for students unable to work legally to engage in stipend-supported research and education that is not citizenship-dependent.

The Dean of the College and the Vice President for Campus Life and Student Services are collaborating to establish Brown Experiential Learning Fellowships that will offer eligible students an opportunity to engage in independent, project-based experiences that include a research component. In addition to this, the University will offer tuition-free, fifth-year Masters program enrollment for eligible 2018 graduates of Brown. Admitted students would receive a stipend and health insurance, Provost Richard M. Locke said in a statement last month.

The university already covers the cost of DACA renewal application fees, provides grant money to pay for legal representation, and has extra institutional scholarships for students whose work authorization expires, Campus Reform reports.

The handouts for non-citizens come as our own young adults struggle to be able to afford an education.

DACA, as noted by the Heritage Foundation, is an administrative amnesty for illegal aliens that President Barack Obama lacked the constitutional and legal authority to implement.

In May 2011, then-President Obama stated that he cannot just bypass Congress and change the (immigration) law myself. ... Thats not how a democracy works.

A year later, he did it anyways.

In September, Brown University vowed to continue to contributing to the lawlessness by asserting that they will not cooperate with law enforcement officials unless they have a subpoena.

Ivy League University Vows to Give Free Masters Tuition to DACA Students


(Natural News) Each day, I review hundreds of science and medicine headlines for assigning stories to websites like Science.news and Medicine.news, and I repeatedly see new science papers published about the links between oral bacteria and chronic diseases such as heart disease. The science is clear: If you have bacteria lurking in an old root canal, or hidden in your gum line, or even hiding out in pockets between your teeth, you may be inadvertently poisoning yourself with microbiological toxins that can seriously compromise your health.

Now, theres a way to educate yourself with the knowledge you need to prevent disease and protect your own health for life. From March 12  19, a free online docu-series called The Holistic Oral Health Summit brings you 35 experts in oral health, disease prevention, nutrition and more. You can view the series at no charge by simply registering at this link.

One of the speakers in the summit is the incredibly gifted and knowledgeable Griffin Cole, DDS, NMD, who I personally visited for an incredibly difficult cosmetic dental procedure involving an old root canal I had as a child (following a sports injury, which was a real teeth smasher...). I know firsthand that Dr. Cole is, without question, the most gifted holistic dentist I have ever personally encountered. He completed a very difficult procedure on me that three previous dentists utterly failed to resolve. And his work has remained rock solid to this day, years later. (That must be why Dr. Cole has something like a six-month waiting period for new patients in the Austin area. If you want to see him as a patient, visit GriffinCole.com and request an appointment. Hes well versed in mercury-free dentistry.)

In addition to Dr. Griffin Cole, the Holistic Oral Health Summit features 34 other health experts, including Chris Shade, PhD (an expert in mercury toxicity and chelation therapy), Boyd Haley, PhD, David Kennedy, DDS and many other tremendously knowledgeable speakers.

This docu-series will change your life. In some cases, it may even help save your life from chronic degenerative disease. Sometimes the root cause of disease is quite literally the toxic bacteria lurking inside an old root canal. Other times, a simple change in your dental hygiene can make an astonishing difference in your recovery from cancer or heart disease.

If you want to stay healthy and avoid chronic disease, you need to see this docu-series. Its one of the best Ive ever been interviewed for. The wisdom youll discover in this series is so much more advanced than what youll ever hear from a conventional dentist that it puts common dentistry to shame. (Hopefully more dentists will watch this series, too, so they can pass this wisdom along to their own patients...)

Each episode can be viewed any time during the day or night, through your own browser.

Register NOW at this link. (You will thank me once you see these videos.)

Hidden poisons in your MOUTH may be causing cancer arthritis heart disease and even obesity


Getting involved with stock trading isnt simple. After all, there are thousands of stocks to choose from, and if youre new to the market, it can seem like an impossible feat separating the winners from the losers. Even with a StockTwits review to help you make your decision, youre going to need some extra help if you want to avoid spending money on a lost cause. The more time you spend in the world of trading, the more youll be able to develop your skills and strategies that will help you to make positive decisions for the future of your financial health. However, when youre just getting started in the day trading world, there a few simple things that you should always look for when assessing any stock.

The first thing to look at when youre examining stocks for your day trading strategy is volume. An active day trader needs plenty of stock volume so that they can exit and enter trades on demand. The higher the volume of stock, the easier it will be to exit positions at the end of your day trading session, without having to worry about slippage. For those new to the market, slippage refers to when the market order or stop loss fills at a price thats separate to what you expected. While preferences differ, most day traders will only trade stocks with around 1,000,000 in daily volume, though many prefer several million.

Volatility is another major component to consider with your day trading strategy. Many day traders approach stocks which have a significant amount of movement each day. Each share comes with its own volatility personality. While some stocks move on an average of 1%, others move up to 5% per day. The stocks you choose to trade will depend on the kind of trading style that works best for you. However, most people prefer the smaller movements between 0.5 and 2% a day. Bigger swings of 5% a day can be tough to handle, particularly when youre new to the market, and youll need very quick reflexes and an excellent knowledge of the market to win big with these assets.

Finally, trend or range is another major component thats worth considering for your day trading strategy. There are both trend traders and range traders on the market today, as well as those who know how to alter between both plans. The best way to figure out which stocks suit the method that you prefer to use is to use a stock screener. Stock screeners help to filter out the thousands of stocks that appear on the market each day, so youre not wasting time changing commodities that arent right for you. Stock screeners also help to isolate stocks in ranges or trends, so you have a list of stocks to get started with when youre ready to begin trading. Remember, finding stocks that consistently conform to your trading method is going to take some time and effort. However, its something you should take seriously, as it will help you to earn the most significant return on investment.

What to Look for in Day Trading Stock was last modified: by

What to Look for in Day Trading Stock


Living through one family tragedy is hard enough, especially when its something as vicious as one of your family members being a victim of a serial killer. But what happens when tragedy strikes again, but this time, its the fault of someone related to you by blood. This is the true story of the Gilbert family.

Its one of pure horror and unbelievable pain, and yet, its a reality that their family has had to face, each and every day.

Mari Gilbert was the mother of four girls, Shannan, Sarra, Sherre and Stevie. But when her children were young, there was a time when they had to be placed in foster care. Mari was a single parent who had to work hard to make ends meet, but who also had her own demons to deal with, mental issues being one of them.

The Unbelievably Bad Luck Of The Gilbert Family


In a stunning move Thursday evening, the Pentagon announced that President Donald J. Trumps military parade through the nations capital will be postponed until 2019.

Department of Defense spokesman Col. Rob Manning told reporters that both the military and White House have now agreed to explore opportunities in 2019, delaying the Nov. 10 parade championed by the president to honor the troops and commemorate the centennial of World War I

No makeup date for the procession has been scheduled but the Pentagon move came hours after The Associated Press and other media outlets reported that military officials pegged the price tag for Trumps event at $92 million.

President Pentagon put off Washington parade


Donald Trump is used to saying whatever he wants without anyone stopping him to say no, that is not true. People sit quietly and even applaud as he repeats lies and bullies someone in every single speech he gives. Hes a man who is used to having his ass kissed at every turn, with no one daring enough to call him out.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is at the White House this afternoon to discuss the tariffs Donald Trump placed on goods from others countries.

Trump started with his usual lies about how wonderful his relationships are with our foreign allies, despite the clearly visible tension when they are in the same room, not to mention the negative statements to the press given about Trump by those allies.

However, when Trump tried to say that whether or not a compromise is met regarding the tariffs, the outcome would be positive, Rutte had heard enough. The smiling leader said as nicely and loudly as possible, No.

Trump continued, trying to speak over Rutte, saying:

Trump then foolishly pretended not to hear Ruttes disagreement, and laid on his usual pretend-president spiel pretty thick. Check out the awkward exchange below:

The response section of this tweet was too good to pass up. We saved the best ones for you below:

Dutch PM Interrupts Trump Tariff Lies With Resounding NO Donald Scrambles VIDEO


The chaos king, Donald Trump, has appeared to get pleasure from sitting back watching his staff duel it out. As a result, smart, talented people have refused to take the many open positions in this administration. Not only that, the president appears to prefer it that way, which is frightening.

His desire for chaos just alienated longtime U.S. allies at the G-7 Summit in Canada. It was almost as if POTUS late-night phone calls included pillow talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump could not have carried out the former KGBs (FSB) playbook any better.

TIME magazines cover showed the commander-in-chief looking into the mirror and seeing a reflection of himself alone as king. Trump has had no desire for a U.S. democracy or a traditional White House administration, as his praise of cruel dictators has amply indicated.

As much as the internal White House warfare amused the man sitting in the Oval Office, it has been a miserable environment for the staff. Even Chief of Staff John Kelly told senators that the place, The New York Times reported:

Senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, Kathryn Dunn Tenpas, a staff turnover expert, said in the wake of the midterm elections that many talented people will shun working at the West Wing. She also said that Trump believes that he is his own best chief of staff, spokesman, and human resources manager, according to the New York Times:

Tenpas, said that when the president relied on outside advisers that was an indicator of emasculation of Kelly:

Those who entered the White House for the first time have watched Trumps behavior as deteriorating. He has driven off those who might provide him cover.

Trump has relied upon his secret core advisers, the ones he called as he sat alone in his bed surrounded only by cheeseburgers. The three men he looked to have been his former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, friend for many years David Bossie, and the errant Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt.

Author of The Gatekeepers, Chris Whipple, wrote about the history of White House chiefs of staffs, and he said:

Now, 45 has decided to throw down 70 years of proven diplomacy and jetted over to Singapore for a meeting with North Koreas dictator, Kim Jong Un. Trumps actions have indicated that he feels far more comfortable with the tyrants of the world than any ally with the same values as the American people and alone in the White House.

WH Staffers Defect Leak Humiliating Inside Trump Details To Sunday NY Times DETAILS


### Russian Defense Ministry

 Stoyan Vasev/TASS

MOSCOW, August 27. /TASS/. Rumors about an air strike allegedly carried out by
Russian planes in northern Afghanistan have nothing to do with the reality,
the Russian Defense Ministry told the media on Monday.

"Reports by Reuters Russian planes have allegedly attacked militants of the
Islamic movement Taliban (outlawed in Russia - TASS) in a northeastern border
region of Afghanistan have nothing to do with the reality. Russian military
planes have carried out no combat missions in the area of the state border
between the Republic of Tajikistan and Afghanistan," the Defense Ministry
said.

Reuters quoted two Afghan officials on Monday as saying that Tajik or Russian
combat planes had carried out bombing raids in northeastern Afghanistan on the
border with Tajikistan after a clash between Tajik border guards and militants
on the ground.

An Afghan police spokesman said the planes remained unidentified. Eight
Taliban militants were reportedly killed and six others wounded as a result of
the air strike.

Tajikistan denies its militarys participation in the incident.

In other media

Russian Defense Ministry denies rumors about air strike in Afghanistan


The great Christmas switch-on has been lighting up the capital for weeks but now were on the cusp of December and London is sparkling with a new type of decoration.

Festive firs glitter in shop windows and lavish pines lure us into hotel lobbies. Each year its a competition to be the most inventive and this winter is no exception: the question for Londoners is how to see them all.

Plan your tree-spotting in advance: Claridges, the unofficial marker for Christmas in the capital, unveiled its tree yesterday, Brixton Village turns its lights on this Friday November 30, while the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch launches its Japanese moss-covered sculpture, Bonsai/Christmas Everywhere by Greens Green, next week.

Its time to spruce up your night out: from swirling Shard-inspired snowdomes to scented firs, here are the finest Christmas trees to rock around.

What to know: the unveiling of the Claridges Christmas tree represents the unofficial start of the festive season in the capital, and this year the theme is love. Designed by Diane Von Furstenberg and called the Tree of Love, its a wonder to behold: a six-metre blue iridescent sculptural tree decorated with 8,000 hand-painted silver leaves, glass spheres and 150 hand-blown glass hearts.

USP: six silver-leafed animals adorn the tree  an owl representing knowledge and wisdom; a dove symbolising peace; a horse conveying strength and endurance; a deer representing gentleness; a mouse to portray curiosity and a peacock symbolising beauty  perfect for showing off to your friends on Instagram.

What to drink: start your night with a glass of Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee Brut as you marvel at Von Furstenbergs creation over Claridges festive afternoon tea (90). If youre lucky, choirboys will sing you festive carols over your Christmas pudding.

What to know: most Christmas trees are static but Sir Michael Craig-Martin, the designer of the Connaughts tree, wanted his to be ever-changing. The magnificent nine-metre-high Norway Spruce is adorned with 12,000 bulbs that glow, fade and change colour all night long.

USP: its outside. The Connaughts tree stands tall outside the hotel in Carlos Place so it can be enjoyed by anyone passing by.

What to drink: after one  or several  of the Connaught Bars legendary martinis, continue in the Christmas spirit and head to to Christmas By The River Market at London Bridge City where, from tomorrow, you can take part in a series of complimentary masterclasses, from wine tasting to storytelling. The market launches on Thursday with a festive carol parade.

What to know: maverick design studio Bompas & Parr is behind Aqua Shards annual Christmas tree this year and its a multi-sensory marvel: a swirling snowstorm inside a grand sculpture inspired by the shape of the Shard. The so-called Snowscape is adorned with wild, frosty branches reaching up through the atrium and surrounded with a base of natural forest foliage inspired by a winter wonderland.

USP: its hands-on. Reach inside the structure through a pocket in the side of the tree and feel the breeze of the perpetual whirling snowstorm. If youre feeling thirsty, catch a golden snowflake and youll win an exclusive Snowscape cocktail, available during the bars two golden hours, Monday to Friday.

What to drink: the Snowscape cocktail is a frosty blend of rum, coconut cordial, Becherovka liqueur and gold tea served inside a delicate snow globe (18).

What to know: a towering 40ft tree returns to the courtyard at Somerset House for its Christmas residency. Lit up since mid-November, its the centrepiece for a winter line-up of exhibitions, DJ sets and alpine-themed pop-up restaurants.

USP: the ice rink. Get your skates on under the tree at Somerset Houses series of Skate Lates, complete with rink-site decks its the perfect time to see the tree lit up.

What to drink: mulled wine and mince pies at Fortnums Lodge (28).

What to know: Hotel Cafe Royal has teamed up with luxury perfumier Diptyque for this years celebrations, and its two trees for the price of one. The festive firs are located in the new lobby and outside the historic Oscar Wilde Lounge. They are hung with decorations in the shape of the brands famous oval and letters of the alphabet in its signature typeface.

USP: scented firs. Diptyques Spain de Lumiere fragrance evokes a snow-covered forest and the rich scent of fir trees with delicate neighbouring cedars  go down to smell it for yourself.

What to drink: the hotels very own Celestine brew: a bespoke chocolate tea made with organic Madagascan vanilla, roasted cocoa and two velvety Chinese black teas (8).

What to know: art fans should start their night with a cocktail in the Lobby Bar at the London Edition, where the Christmas tree is decorated with more than 160 hand-sculpted snowflakes designed by paper artist Zoe Bradley. Its a handcrafted approach: each snowflake on the Lobby Bars 14ft Nordmann fir tree has been meticulously crafted with more than 20,000 folds, taking 100 hours to create. A majestic white peacock sits perched on top, with a plume of feathers cascading down the side.

USP: the feelgood factor. 2 from every cocktail goes to mental health charity Heads Together.

What to drink: an Alpine Spritz cocktail at the Lobby Bar, made with Grey Goose, green chartreuse, oakmoss syrup, citric acid, two dashes of absinthe and garnished with a mint sprig, pine needle and icing sugar (14).

What to know: Victoria Beckham has previously said Christmas is absolute chaos at her family home but at work its another story. This year the designer has transformed her entire Dover Street outpost into a luxury winter wonderland in collaboration with nearby Harrys Bar. The store features a giant 16ft tree adorned with pink, green and rose gold baubles and a 12,000-bauble canopy hanging from the ceiling.

USP: its got its own hashtag. Posting a picture of the decorations on Tuesday, Becks thanked Harrys Bar with the hashtag #WhenHarryMetVictoria and urged fans to please come and visit. She doesnt need to ask twice.

What to drink: Becks knows best: head straight over to Harrys Bar for a signature Bellini (7.95).

Londonaposs most luxurious Christmas trees The complete guide


Good day and welcome to the Sprout, where its Friday! Its also National Prime Rib Day. Sounds like an excuse to throw a couple steak on the BBQ this weekend.

We start with ongoing rail service woes in Western Canada. Saskatchewans largest potash company announced Thursday it was halting production and has notified 470 of its employees yesterday that they wont be needed on site at its Vanscoy operation today. The temporary slow down is being blamed on a lack of rail service. Nutrien said in total some 1,300 workers will be affected, CBC News has more.

On Thursday, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe called on the federal government to intervene. This is a direct result of the federal government not taking action where there is a huge problem and they have clear authority to fix it.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, the Keystone Agriculture Producers, the Agriculture Producers of Saskatchewan and the Alberta Federation of Agriculture teamed up to urge MPs to pass the Liberal governments proposed overhaul of this countrys transportation system (Bill C-49), issuing the most recent plea in an open letter Thursday. It cannot continue, the letter reads, referring to ongoing shipping delays in western Canada, before urging the House to pass the bill as amended without further delay. iPolitics has more.

The House agriculture committee will be back in action on Monday. At an afternoon meeting theyll discuss advancements of technology and research in the agriculture industry that can support Canadian exports. The committee last met for the study in March. Theyll host the Canada Grains Council, CropLife Canada, Bayer CropScience Inc. and BioFoodTech at that meeting.

Farm and Food Care Ontario announced that Wallenstein Feed & Supply Ltd.-nominee Christine Schoonderwoerd will take over as its chair for the coming year. She replaces Brian Gilroy, who assumes the role of past chair. Real Agriculture has more about the appointment. Heres where you can see the organizations full board for the year of 2018/19.

The federal government has announced regulations for methane emissions in the oil and gas sector that impose more costly requirements on industry than rules that the Alberta government unveiled on Tuesday, potentially setting up conflict between the governments. The Globe and Mail detailed the rules introduced by both governments.

Alberta Health Services said yesterday that it linked an E. coli outbreak that killed on person and made another 36 ill to the Meat Shop at Pine Haven, operated by the Pine Haven Hutterite colony. Western Producer has more on the outbreak.

Ontario led all provinces last year in agriculture equipment exports, reporting $773 million worth of sales up from $710 the year before. FarmTario details the provinces record-setting year.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is skipping a trip to Brussels where she was supposed to meet with NATO foreign ministers to remain in Washington and continue negotiating NAFTA. Mexicos economy minister Ildefonso Guajardo will also remain in Washington as discussions about the agreement continue. The Canadian Press has more on the state of the deal.

While NAFTA negotiations continue, the Center for Automotive Research attempts to predict the impact of proposals under consideration. It didnt produce good news Thursday, releasing a study saying that new NAFTA rules could increase the cost of a car by hundreds or even thousands of dollars, act as a multibillion-dollar tax and ultimately hurt sales. The Canadian Press has that story.

The European Union backed a proposal Friday banning all outdoor use of neonicotinoids in an attempt to protect honey bees. Reuters has more.

Behaviour such as how close someone sits to someone else and whether or not they dodge or move chairs blocking aisles reveals whether the cultural roots of a Chinese person can be traced to southern China rice farmers or northern China wheat farmers, according to a new study released this week. Read more about how the ingrained cultural differences were observed through the coffee shop study, courtesy of ScienceNews.

Reuters presents the story of Ethiopian researchers embarking on a beauty-seeking mission to create the perfect chicken. An unlikely ally, Belgian concept artist Koen Vanmechelen who has spent 20 years crossbreeding chickens from far-reaching corners of the globe, will join their noble quest. It sure has been a good week to embrace chicken beauty.

Thats your agriculture news for this week. Have a great weekend and well see you Monday.

The Sprout Rail woes continue on the Prairies


Aaron Ramsey's sumptuous flick was the pick of five superb goals scored by Arsenal en route to thrashing Fulham at Craven Cottage - with Unai Emery's side securing a ninth consecutive win in the process.

The Gunners have not enjoyed such a lengthy winning streak in 11 years but, despite being slow out of the traps, Alexandre Lacazette's brace set them on course for a 5-1 Premier League win to move them above neighbours Tottenham and into third place.

Two unerring finishes from Lacazette either side of an Andre Schurrle equaliser had Arsenal ahead, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netting twice off the bench after Ramsey had scored mere seconds after his introduction.

Relive the action with Standard Sport LIVE from Craven Cottage!

The match will be televised live on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport 4K UHD. BT Sport subscribers will be able to stream the match online via the video player and the BT Sport app.

You can follow the action with Standard Sport's LIVE blog.

The two sides have met 26 times in the Premier League, with Fulham winning just three of those games.

Arsenal have won 18 games - nine at the Cottage - but all of Fulham's three wins have come at home.

The last time the two sides met in the top flight was back in the 2013-14 season, with Arsenal winning 3-1 away at 2-0 at home.

Fulham vs Arsenal Predictions team news betting tips live stream TV - Premier League 2018-19 pr


WESTERVILLE, Ohio  Two high-stakes elections that tested President Donald Trumps clout and cost both parties millions of dollars were too close to call early Wednesday. Trump claimed victory in one nevertheless.

In battleground Ohio, the president took credit for Republican Troy Baldersons performance, calling it a great victory, even though the contest could be headed to a recount. Democrats could also celebrate their showing in a district that has gone Republican for decades.

Were not stopping now, Democrat Danny OConnor told cheering supporters. Hell reprise his campaign against Balderson from now through Novembers general election.

In deep-red Kansas Republican gubernatorial primary, the candidate Trump backed on the eve of the election, Secretary of State Kris Kobach, was neck and neck with current Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer.

The days races in five states, like many before them, tested the persistence of Trumps fiery supporters and the momentum of the Democratic Partys anti-Trump resistance.

The results were helping determine the political landscape  and Trumps standing within his own party  as the GOP defends its House and Senate majorities this fall.

In Kansas, Republicans were fighting among themselves in an unusual battle for governor in which the president sided with the incumbents challenger.

Should the polarizing Kobach win the primary, some Republican operatives fear he could lose the governorship to Democrats this fall. The race could become further disrupted if Kansas City-area businessman Greg Orman makes it onto the November ballot. He submitted petitions Monday with more than 10,000 signatures for what could become the most serious independent run for Kansas governor in decades.

He is a fantastic guy who loves his State and our Country  he will be a GREAT Governor and has my full & total Endorsement! Strong on Crime, Border & Military, the president tweeted on the eve of the election.

Republicans were hoping for Democratic discord in Kansas 3rd Congressional District, a suburban Kansas City district where several candidates were fighting for the chance to take on Republican Rep. Kevin Yoder in November.

The five-way Democratic primary featured labor lawyer Brent Welder, who campaigned recently with self-described democratic socialists Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and ascending political star, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York congressional candidate.

Also in the race: Native American attorney Sharice Davids and former school teacher Tom Niermann.

In Ohio, the script for the special election was somewhat familiar: An experienced Trump loyalist, Balderson, was fighting a strong challenge from OConnor, a fresh-faced Democrat, in a congressional district held by the Republican Party for more than three decades. As voters were going to the polls, Trump said Balderson would make a great congressman.

The winner takes the seat previously held by Pat Tiberi, a nine-term incumbent who resigned to take a job with an Ohio business group.

Balderson and OConnor will reprise their race in the general election in just three months. There were at least 3,367 provisional ballots left to be reviewed. Thats enough for OConnor to potentially pick up enough to force a recount.

The Associated Press does not declare winners in races subject to an automatic recount.

In a special election season that featured nearly a dozen congressional contests, Democrats claimed just a handful of wins, but they may have cause for optimism this fall. In virtually every special election test dating back to the spring of 2017, Democratic candidates performed significantly better than their party in those same places two years earlier.

Trump won Ohios 12th Congressional District, for example, by more than 11 points in 2016; on Tuesday night, Balderson and OConnor were separated by less than 1 point.

There are 79 House races this fall considered more competitive than the Ohio district  at least looking at Trumps 2016 performance  according to data compiled by the Democrats national campaign committee.

Despite the deadlocked race, the specific Ohio returns suggest considerably higher Democratic enthusiasm less than 100 days before the midterms.

OConnors total of nearly 100,000 votes far exceeded what the districts former Republican congressman Pat Tiberis Democratic opponent got in 2014. Baldersons total  just more than 101,500 votes  is barely two-thirds of Tiberis 2014 mark of about 150,000.

The two will face off again in November to see who holds the seat in 2019 and 2020.

Over the next three months, Im going to do everything I can to keep America great again, so that when we come back here in November  get ready, we gotta come back here in November  I have earned your vote for a second time, Balderson told supporters.

Its unclear how much Trumps support helped or hurt Balderson. Described by campaign operatives as a Whole Foods district, the largely suburban region features a more affluent and educated voter base than the typical Trump stronghold.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a leading voice in the GOPs shrinking anti-Trump wing, once represented the district in Congress.

At times, the race centered on Trumps tax cuts as much as the candidates.

OConnor and his Democratic allies railed against the tax plan, casting it as a giveaway for the rich that exacerbates federal deficits and threatens Medicare and Social Security. Balderson and his Republican allies have backed away from the tax plan in recent weeks, training their fire instead on top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi.

OConnor dominated Balderson on the local airwaves. His campaign spent $2.25 million on advertising compared to Baldersons $507,000, according to campaign tallies of ad spending. The Republican campaign arm and its allied super PAC were forced to pick up the slack, spending more than $4 million between them.

In Michigan , three mainstream Democrats in suburban Detroit were among those vying for a chance at retiring Republican Rep. Dave Trotts seat in November. The field included Fayrouz Saad, who would be the first Muslim woman in Congress.

And in suburban Seattle, three Democrats vied in a jungle primary for the seat held by another retiring Republican, Rep. Dave Reichert.

The field was set in two Senate contests as well.

In Missouri, Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill claimed her partys nomination, while state Attorney General Josh Hawley will represent the GOP.

And in Michigan, Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow will take on military veteran and business executive John James, who won the Republican nomination. He would join Tim Scott of South Carolina as the only black Republican senators if he wins in November.

Hours before polls opened, Trump again weighed in on Twitter, casting James as a potential Republican star.

Peoples reported from Washington. Associated Press writers John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, and Angie Wang in Westerville, Ohio, contributed.

Sign up for Politics in Focus, a weekly newsletter showcasing the APs best political reporting from around the country leading up to the midterm elections: https://bit.ly/2ICEr3D

Ohio and Kansas races deadlocked Trumps candidates lead as five state elections test presidents c


Like so many figures who come to be enshrined as quintessentially New York, Harold Ross, the founder and first editor of this magazine, was an outsider who arrived in the big city nursing an ambition. Ross was born in Aspen and grew up in Salt Lake City. At the age of thirteen, he dropped out of school, and before long he was bouncing around newsrooms from Hoboken to Panama City. An odd-looking man with widely spaced teeth and a porcupine-ish pompadour, he made his journalistic bones during the First World War, in Paris, editing Stars & Stripes. In 1919, he washed up in the dawning Jazz Age of New York, the city of Babe Ruth and Langston Hughes, Ratners and the Cotton Club.

In 1924, Ross sent around a prospectus to would-be investors and readers, saying that his invention, The New Yorker, would be a reflection in word and picture of metropolitan life. It will be human. Its general tenor will be one of gaiety, wit, and satire, but it will be more than a jester.

And so on, for pages. In large measure, Ross was guessing out loud. His formula of reporting, fiction, poetry, criticism, cartoons, and art would not fully settle into place until the next war. When the magazine was launched, in February, 1925, it published some sparkling voicesRobert Benchley, E. B. White, James Thurber, Dorothy Parkerbut it barely made it to 1926. It was, Thurber wrote later, in The Years with Ross, the outstanding flop of 1925, a year of memorable successes in literature, music, and entertainment. Circulation went from an initial print run of fifteen thousand to a low of twenty-seven hundred. One night, Ross, desperate for copy, turned to Parker. I thought you were coming into the office to write a piece last week, he said. What happened? Parker replied that she couldnt carry out the assignment. Somebody was using the pencil, she explained.

Ross subsisted on nicotine, coffee, and nerves. The hours he kept were horrible, and his three marriages failed. But he fulfilled his dream. The New Yorker found its footing during the Depression. And although the magazine began to venture far beyond midtown with the start of the Second World War, the city remained an essential terra firma, a spirit and a home.

This week, while we digest one holiday and prepare for more, weve decided to open the archive and republish a sampling of New York stories, New York essays, New York poems, and New York drawings. Theres even a classic New York cover, by the Mexican artist Matias Santoyo. All the pieces youll find in this issue, fiction and nonfiction, are set in the city, and all are deeply personal.

Some come with a notable backstory, too. Take James Baldwins Letter from a Region in My Mind, which was published here, in 1962, and then became the heart of The Fire Next Time. In 1959, William Shawn, Rosss successor as editor, asked Baldwin to write about an extended trip he was taking to Africa with his sister. A few years earlier, Norman Podhoretz, the editor of Commentary, had asked Baldwin to write about his early life in the city. Baldwin failed to complete the Africa essay, but he did write a piece about his childhood in Harlem, which evolved into a longer exploration of religion, race, and the Nation of Islam. He gave it to Shawn. Podhoretz never quite forgave Baldwin, Shawn, or The New Yorker.

Ross, in the end, had been surprised by the depth that his creationa fifteen-cent comic paperhad taken on. Just before he died, in 1951, he wrote to a friend, I started to get out a light magazine that wouldnt concern itself with the weighty problems of the universe, and now look at me.

The City That Shaped The New Yorker


Occasionally, I reprint this article. I wrote it some years ago, during research on toxic chemicals pervading the landscape. I used to send the piece to mainstream reporters, but I eventually gave that up as a bad bet.

Theyre dedicated to fake news...and now theyre losing control over public consciousness. Losing badly. Independent media are in the ascendance, and rightly so.

In 1997, Joel Griffiths and Chris Bryson, two respected mainstream journalists, peered into an abyss. They found a story about fluorides that was so chilling it had to be told.

The Christian Science Monitor, who had assigned the story, never published it.

Their ensuing article, Fluoride, Teeth, and the Atomic Bomb, has been posted on a number of websites.

Author Griffiths told me that researchers who study the effects of fluorides by homing in on communities with fluoridated drinking water, versus communities with unfluoridated water, miss a major point: studying the water is not enough; toxic fluorides are everywherethey are used throughout the pharmaceutical industry in the manufacture of drugs, and also in many other industries (e.g., aluminum, pesticide).

I want to go over some of the major points of the Griffiths-Bryson article.

Griffiths discovered hundreds of documents from the World War 2 era. These included papers from the Manhattan Project, launched to build the first A-bomb.

Griffiths/Bryson write: Fluoride was the key chemical in atomic bomb production...millions of tons...were essential for the manufacture of bomb-grade uranium and plutonium for nuclear weapons throughout the Cold War.

The documents reveal that fluoride was the most significant health hazard in the US A-bomb program, for workers and for communities around the manufacturing facilities.

Griffiths/Bryson: Much of the original proof that fluoride is safe for humans in low doses was generated by A-bomb program scientists, who had been secretly ordered to provide evidence useful in litigation [against persons who had been poisoned by fluoride and would sue for damages]... The first lawsuits against the US A-bomb program were not over radiation, but over fluoride damage, the [government] documents show.

A-bomb scientists were told they had to do studies which would conclude that fluorides were safe.

The most wide-reaching study done was carried out in Newburgh, New York, between 1945 and 1956. This was a secret op called Program F. The researchers obtained blood and tissue samples from people who lived in Newburgh, through the good offices of the NY State Health Department.

Griffiths/Bryson found the original and secret version of this study. Comparing it to a different sanitized version, the reporters saw that evidence of adverse effects from fluorides had been suppressed by the US Atomic Energy Commission.

Other studies during the same period were conducted at the University of Rochester. Unwitting hospital patients were given fluorides to test out the results.

Flash forward. Enter Dr. Phyllis Mullenix, the head of toxicology at Forsyth Dental Center in Boston. In the 1990s, Mullenix did a series of animal studies which showed that, as Griffiths/Bryson write: ...fluoride was a powerful central nervous system (CNS) toxin...

Mullenix applied for further grant monies from the National Institutes of Health. She was turned down. She was also told that fluorides do not have an effect on the CNS.

But Griffiths/Bryson uncovered a 1944 Manhattan Project memo which states: Clinical evidence suggests that uranium hexafluoride may have a rather marked central nervous system effect...it seems most likely that the F [fluoride] component rather than the [uranium] is the causative factor.

The 1944 memo was sent to the head of the Manhattan Project Medical Section, Colonel Stafford Warren. Warren was asked to give his okay to do animal studies on fluorides effects on the CNS. He immediately did give his approval.

But records of the results of this approved project are missing. Most likely classified.

Who was the man who made that 1944 proposal for a rush-program to study the CNS effects of fluorides? Dr. Harold Hodge, who worked at the Manhattan Project.

Who was brought in to advise Mullenix 50 years later at the Forsyth Dental Center in Boston, as she studied the CNS effects of fluorides? Dr. Harold Hodge.

Who never told Mullenix of his work on fluoride toxicity for the Manhattan Project? Dr. Harold Hodge.

Was Hodge brought in to look over Mullenixs shoulder and report on her discoveries? It turns out that Hodge, back in the 1940s, had made suggestions to do effective PR promoting fluoride as a dental treatment. So his presence by Mullenixs side, all those years later, was quite possibly as an agent assigned to keep track of her efforts.

Getting the idea here? Build an A-bomb. Forget the toxic fluoride consequences. Bury the fluoride studies. Twist the studies.

More on Hodge. In 1944, a severe pollution incident occurred in New Jersey, near the DuPont plant in Deepwater where the company was trying to build the first A-bomb. A fluoride incident. Farmers peach and tomato crops were destroyed. Horses and cows became crippled. Some cows had to graze on their bellies. Tomato crops (normally sold to the Campbell Company for soups) were contaminated with fluorides.

The people of the Manhattan Project were terrified of lawsuits and ensuing revelations about the toxic nature of their work. A heads-up memo was written on the subject. Its author? Harold Hodge. Among other issues, he reported on the huge fluoride content in vegetables growing in the polluted area.

Also the high fluoride levels in human blood.

The lawsuits were settled quietly, for pittances.

Harold Hodge wrote another memo. Get this quote: Would there be any use in making attempts to counteract the local fear of fluoride on the part of residents [near the A-bomb facility]...through lectures on F [fluoride] toxicology and perhaps the usefulness of F in tooth health?

Griffiths/Bryson write: Such lectures were indeed given, not only to New Jersey citizens but to the rest of the nation throughout the Cold War.

This was a launching pad for fluorides as successful dental treatments.

Now you know why promoting toxic fluorides as a dental treatment was so important to government officials.

Footnote: In Stanley Kubricks 1964 film, Dr. Strangelove, Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper rails about the destruction fluorides are wreaking on the pure blood of pure Americans. Of course, General Ripper is fleshed out as a crazy right-wing fanatic. Hes ready and willing to start a nuclear war. How odd. Apparently unknown to the Strangelove script writers, fluorides were, in fact, very toxic and were an integral part of the program that created atomic bombs in the first place...

Jon Rappoport is the author of three explosive collections, THE MATRIX REVEALED, EXIT FROM THE MATRIX, and POWER OUTSIDE THE MATRIX, Jon was a candidate for a US Congressional seat in the 29thDistrict of California. He maintains a consulting practice for private clients, the purpose of which is the expansion of personal creative power. Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, he has worked as an investigative reporter for 30 years, writing articles on politics, medicine, and health for CBS Healthwatch, LA Weekly, Spin Magazine, Stern, and other newspapers and magazines in the US and Europe. Jon has delivered lectures and seminars on global politics, health, logic, and creative power to audiences around the world. You can sign up for his free emails at NoMoreFakeNews.com or OutsideTheRealityMachine.

This article (Fluorides, the Atomic Bomb, and Fake News) was originally created and published by Jon Rappaports Blog and is re-posted here with permission.

Fluorides the Atomic Bomb and Fake News