thewakingtimes--2020-05-12--Facebook Will Soon Warn You If You Like Or React To Coronavirus “Misinformation”

Facebook Will Soon Warn You If You Like Or React To Coronavirus “ Misinformation ” Social media platforms have been increasing their content moderation efforts amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
This week , Facebook announced that they will begin warning users if they liked , reacted or commented on posts that are deemed to be “ misinformation.
” In a blog post announcing the new measures , Guy Rosen , Facebook ’ s vice president of integrity , said that they will be sourcing the World Health Organization as the arbiter of truth , and will be downranking content @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current guidelines .
The website will be using an army of 60 different fact-checking organizations to make sure that posts in your timeline reflect what the WHO is saying .
“ Ever since COVID-19 was declared a global public health emergency in January , we ’ ve been working to connect people to accurate information from health experts and keep harmful misinformation about COVID-19 from spreading on our apps .
We ’ ve now directed over 2 billion people to resources from the WHO and other health authorities through our COVID-19 Information Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 350 million people clicking through to learn more .
But connecting people to credible information is only half the challenge .
Stopping the spread of misinformation and harmful content about COVID-19 on our apps is also critically important , ” the post read .
However , the World Health Organization ’ s guidance since the beginning of the outbreak has been heavily criticized around the world , because the group appeared to have drug their feet in announcing a pandemic , and initially backed up claims by the Chinese government that there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between humans .
In fact , the organization has also come under fire for its response to previous outbreaks , as the New York Times noted .
The company says that they have already removed hundreds of thousands of posts that they determined were misinformation that “ could lead to physical harm.
” “ We ’ re going to start showing messages in News Feed to people who have liked , reacted or commented on harmful misinformation about COVID-19 that we have since removed .
These messages will connect people to COVID-19 myths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve removed from our platform for leading to imminent physical harm .
We want to connect people who may have interacted with harmful misinformation about the virus with the truth from authoritative sources in case they see or hear these claims again off of Facebook .
People will start seeing these messages in the coming weeks , ” the statement continued .
The post also announced a $ 1 million grant for international fact checking organizations .
John Vibes is an author and journalist who takes a special interest in the counter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social problems .
He is also a host of The Free Your Mind Conference and The Free Thought Project Podcast .

Facebook Will Soon Warn You If You Like Or React To Coronavirus “Misinformation”
John Vibes, Truth Theory
Waking Times
Social media platforms have been increasing their content moderation efforts amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. This week, Facebook announced that they will begin warning users if they liked, reacted or commented on posts that are deemed to be “misinformation.”
In a blog post announcing the new measures, Guy Rosen, Facebook’s vice president of integrity, said that they will be sourcing the World Health Organization as the arbiter of truth, and will be downranking content that deviates from the organization’s current guidelines. The website will be using an army of 60 different fact-checking organizations to make sure that posts in your timeline reflect what the WHO is saying.
“Ever since COVID-19 was declared a global public health emergency in January, we’ve been working to connect people to accurate information from health experts and keep harmful misinformation about COVID-19 from spreading on our apps. We’ve now directed over 2 billion people to resources from the WHO and other health authorities through our COVID-19 Information Center and pop-ups on Facebook and Instagram with over 350 million people clicking through to learn more. But connecting people to credible information is only half the challenge. Stopping the spread of misinformation and harmful content about COVID-19 on our apps is also critically important,” the post read.
However, the World Health Organization’s guidance since the beginning of the outbreak has been heavily criticized around the world, because the group appeared to have drug their feet in announcing a pandemic, and initially backed up claims by the Chinese government that there was no evidence on the virus spreading between humans. In fact, the organization has also come under fire for its response to previous outbreaks, as the New York Times noted.
The company says that they have already removed hundreds of thousands of posts that they determined were misinformation that “could lead to physical harm.”
“We’re going to start showing messages in News Feed to people who have liked, reacted or commented on harmful misinformation about COVID-19 that we have since removed. These messages will connect people to COVID-19 myths debunked by the WHO including ones we’ve removed from our platform for leading to imminent physical harm. We want to connect people who may have interacted with harmful misinformation about the virus with the truth from authoritative sources in case they see or hear these claims again off of Facebook. People will start seeing these messages in the coming weeks,” the statement continued.
The post also announced a $1 million grant for international fact checking organizations.
About the Author
John Vibes is an author and journalist who takes a special interest in the counter culture, and focuses solutions-oriented approaches to social problems. He is also a host of The Free Your Mind Conference and The Free Thought Project Podcast.


thewakingtimes--2020-05-12--“We Need An Army Of Contact Tracers” – Meet The Enforcement Arm Of The “New Normal”

“ We Need An Army Of Contact Tracers ” – Meet The Enforcement Arm Of The “ New Normal ” As the people of the world grapple with a pandemic that is demonstrably less deadly than originally reported , the public is being primed to accept an exponential increase in invasions of personal liberty and privacy .
Every day the public grows more weary of lockdowns which seem to never end , and the bankrupting of individuals and businesses around the world .
Amidst the frustration and protest a solution is being presented .
To return to normal , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes to how our world operates .
Of course , this is actually a push to a “ new normal ” which will mark the world after COVID-19 .
Just like the attacks of September 11 , 2001 , there is the world we knew before , and there is the post-9/11 era .
We are currently in the middle of the COVID-19 era and a shift to post-COVID-19 life will not happen without the completion of local , state , national , and international programs which identify potential infectees , test them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them in their homes or other government facilities .
This is what is known as a contact tracing program .
You have likely heard the term in recent days and weeks because a number of local and state bodies within the United States are considering or already launching contact tracing programs .
Nations like China , Singapore , India , South Korea , and Israel have implemented these programs but have also faced criticism from digital rights advocates for violations of privacy protections .
So what exactly is contact tracing ?
Contact tracing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may have come into contact with an infected person , collecting information about their contacts , and then tracing the contacts of infected individuals .
All persons who may have come into contact with an infected individual are tested for infection , treated for the infection , and their contacts traced as well .
Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic , we are seeing calls for digital contact tracing using cell phones to notify individuals when they may have come into contact with an infected person or visited a hot spot of infection .
Digital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encounters , a move which is supposed to anonymize actual location data .
Other forms of contact tracing apps involve the use of location data gathered from cellular networks .
Additionally , tech giants Apple and Google have promised to help slow the spread of the virus with new tracking apps that the public can download to report themselves as infected .
Using Bluetooth , the phones will warn app users when they are near an infected person or a hot spot .
The programs will use data from Android and iPhone users @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month .
Jennifer Granick , a surveillance and cybersecurity attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union told Politico that the joint effort between the tech companies “ appears to mitigate the worst privacy and centralization risks.
” However , “ there is still room for improvement.
” Microsoft is collaborating with the University of Washington on their own project which the university promotes as a privacy based contact tracing app .
Researchers with the University of Washington and UW Medicine worked with volunteers from Microsoft to develop CovidSafe .
The researchers stated that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposure to COVID-19 , but will do so without giving up anyone ’ s privacy .
CovidSafe is not the only attempt to build a privacy-based contact tracing program .
In April , a team of researchers launched Coalition , a free contact tracing app designed to protect users ’ privacy and protect communities during the COVID-19 crisis .
Coalition claims to utilize secure Bluetooth Low Energy ( BLE ) and cryptography to protect a user ’ s identity by generating random anonymous IDs .
The app uses Coalition ’ s Whisper Tracing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ randomizes a user ’ s device identity and does not share identifiable information with the cloud .
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced efforts by NY state to hire thousands of contact tracers .
The state ’ s contact tracing program is being developed with $ 10 million from former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and support from Johns Hopkins University .
Cuomo stated that applicants will need to go through a training program and pass an online exam before being granted the authority of contact tracer .
The state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals , interviewing them about contacts in the previous two weeks , and then those contacts must isolate for two weeks .
By late April , calls for contact tracing had grown so loud that Congressman John Garamendi introduced a bill that would “ expand volunteer opportunities within AmeriCorps and the Federal Emergency Management Agency ” .
Garamendi is the Co-Chair of the AmeriCorps , a nationwide volunteer force created by former President Bill Clinton in 1993 .
The Orwellian bill – “ Undertaking National Initiatives to Tackle Epidemic Act ” or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FEMA to create a national contact-tracing corps .
Coincidentally , the UNITE Act lines up with recent calls for a contact tracing “ army ” .
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control called for more contact tracers in the state .
Dr. Joan Duwve , the Director of Public Health for DHEC , said being able to test someone rapidly was necessary .
“ We need an army of contact tracers to respond in a short time to someone who has a positive diagnosis , ” Duwve said .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California Governor Gavin Newsom has partnered with the University of California , Los Angeles and the University of California , San Francisco to train more than 3,000 employees to become “ coronavirus detectives “ .
During a live streamed press conference Newsom described the efforts as a training academy designed to build an “ army ” of 20,000 people who can test , trace , and isolate people who may be infected .
Sonia Angell , California Department of Public Health director and State Health Officer , also stated that the new contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s existing digital disease surveillance platform .
Angell claims the database will be confidential .
The push for international contact tracing programs has also blossomed in nations like South Korea and China , who are praised for their aggressive approaches to slowing the growth of the virus .
Forbes noted that South Korea has had a massive drop in COVID-19 diagnoses largely due to “ mass rapid testing and comprehensive digitally-enabled contact tracing ” .
South Korea has also used GPS phone tracking , CCTV cameras , credit card transaction monitoring , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a comprehensive universal contact tracing program .
The Indian government recently launched their contact tracing app – Aarogya Setu – which quickly became the fastest downloaded app on record , with more than 83 million users .
Although India is not the first nation to implement a nationwide contact tracing program , the nation lacks strong privacy and data protection laws for its more than 1.3 billion citizens .
The Guardian reported that the pandemic is being “ used as a pretext to erode privacy and freedom of speech in the name of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” In April The Guardian revealed that a draft government memo explained how the data gathered by the contact-tracing app could be “ de-anonymized ” by government officials .
Israel ’ s attempted grab for tyrannical health surveillance powers were recently hampered by a decision from the Supreme Court which banned the intelligence community from tracing the phone location of those infected with COVID-19 .
The Israeli Shin Bet service was given emergency powers through the end of April before the court warned of a “ slippery slope ” where the surveillance tool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitney Webb recently reported that at least three tech companies involved in the build out of the “ coronavirus surveillance system ” have connections to Israel ’ s government and the usual Big Tech players .
Following The Orders of the WHO In early April , Dr. Michael Ryan , the head of the World Health Organization ’ s team responsible for the international containment and treatment of COVID-19 , called for looking into families to find potentially sick individuals and isolate them from their families .
Ryan was also involved in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simulation , conducted on October 18 , 2019 , funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation , the World Economic Forum , and Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security .
Ryan ’ s bio states that “ from November 2013 to October 2014 he worked with GPEI as Middle East Polio Response Coordinator ” and partnered with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ( among others ) for a vaccination program which reached 25 million children in eight target countries as part of 44 mass polio vaccination campaigns .
Ironically enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 which states that under no circumstances should contract tracing be used .
The document , first reported on by independent researcher Kenny Palurintano , details the WHO ’ s views on Non-pharmaceutical intervention ( NPI ) in response to a pandemic .
In section 6.1 , “ Contact Tracing , ” under “ quality of evidence ” , it states , “ There is a very low overall quality of evidence that contact tracing has an unknown effect on the transmission of influenza.
” Additionally , under the “ Executive Summary ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lists contact tracing under the heading “ Not Recommend In Any Circumstances ” .
Despite the WHO ’ s own documents denying the validity of contact tracing , officials in Ventura County are heeding the call of WHO official Dr. Michael Ryan .
At a May 4 press conference , Ventura County Public Health Director Dr. Robert Levin said those who live in homes where they could expose family members to COVID-19 could be removed from their homes and moved into other health facilities .
The Ventura County Public Health board did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be made available to those unable to quarantine at home .
If there is a silver lining to the growing support for contact tracing , it might be the public ’ s own hesitance to join .
According to Forbes , nation-states need about 60 percent of their population to adopt and regularly use the tool for it to be effective .
Forbes reports that most cities are not likely to achieve 60 % or even 40 % compliance .
Unfortunately , Forbes reminds us , “ It ’ s a relentless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of tracers.
” Forbes also notes that cities will need to “ force changes of behavior ” before reopening society .
“ Contact-tracing apps are being seen as one of the conditions of ending lockdowns—mandating and enforcing their use might become a logical next step.
“ How exactly the cities , states , and nations will enforce the use of contact tracing apps remains to be seen , but we are already seeing a rise in reports of arrests of individuals who violate orders to close businesses , stay home , and practice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see when an individual or an entire community chooses to opt-out of contact tracing surveillance programs ?
It is important to understand that contract tracing is only one part of an overall strategy which poses a danger to liberty and privacy .
In addition to creating mobile apps which snitch on you , Apple , Facebook and Google are also sharing data with the government to help determine if the public is following social distancing guidelines .
MIT Technology Review reported that at least one company is selling an app that uses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing .
Meanwhile , Reuters reported that Amazon is using similar software to enforce social distancing between their warehouse staff .
There are also reports of “ pandemic drones ” flying above the skies of Connecticut and Maryland to monitor social distancing and take temperatures .
Together these technologies represent the foundation of the Technocratic State , built on top of the fears of a public which has been conditioned to accept any and all relief from the terrifying round-the-clock coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic .
If the public accepts the COVID-1984 Technocracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to normal ” it ’ s likely the world we have known will be regarded as a relic of a past era , a quaint idea of what life was like and what it could be , if only the public could defeat the new invisible enemy , COVID-19 .
However , it ’ s important to understand the institutions which are benefitting from the current pandemic .
Only by acknowledging the true power players – those who maneuver behind the scenes to profit and enslave – can the free hearts and minds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : COVID-1984 .
Stay tuned for my next investigation which will delve further into the web of Bill Gates , Anthony Fauci , and the Gates funded programs and companies which are profiting from the COVID-19 pandemic .
Derrick Broze is an investigative journalist and liberty activist .
He is the founder of the TheConsciousResistance.com .
Follow him on Twitter .
Derrick is the author of three books : The Conscious Resistance : Reflections on Anarchy and Spirituality and Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion , Vol .
1 , Finding Freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
2 and Manifesto of the Free Humans .
Derrick is available for interviews .
Please contact Derrick @ activistpost.com This article ( Third Roundup-Cancer Lawsuit Exposes Cozy Relationship Between the EPA and Monsanto ) was originally featured at The Mind Unleashed and is reposted here with permission .

“We Need An Army Of Contact Tracers” – Meet The Enforcement Arm Of The “New Normal”
Derrick Broze, Activist Post
Waking Times
As the people of the world grapple with a pandemic that is demonstrably less deadly than originally reported, the public is being primed to accept an exponential increase in invasions of personal liberty and privacy. Every day the public grows more weary of lockdowns which seem to never end, and the bankrupting of individuals and businesses around the world. Amidst the frustration and protest a solution is being presented.
To return to normal, we are told, we must accept certain changes to how our world operates. Of course, this is actually a push to a “new normal” which will mark the world after COVID-19. Just like the attacks of September 11, 2001, there is the world we knew before, and there is the post-9/11 era. We are currently in the middle of the COVID-19 era and a shift to post-COVID-19 life will not happen without the completion of local, state, national, and international programs which identify potential infectees, test them, and, if positive, quarantine them in their homes or other government facilities.
This is what is known as a contact tracing program. You have likely heard the term in recent days and weeks because a number of local and state bodies within the United States are considering or already launching contact tracing programs. Nations like China, Singapore, India, South Korea, and Israel have implemented these programs but have also faced criticism from digital rights advocates for violations of privacy protections.
So what exactly is contact tracing?
Contact tracing is a process of identifying individuals who may have come into contact with an infected person, collecting information about their contacts, and then tracing the contacts of infected individuals. All persons who may have come into contact with an infected individual are tested for infection, treated for the infection, and their contacts traced as well.
Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, we are seeing calls for digital contact tracing using cell phones to notify individuals when they may have come into contact with an infected person or visited a hot spot of infection. Digital contact tracing apps use Bluetooth to track encounters, a move which is supposed to anonymize actual location data. Other forms of contact tracing apps involve the use of location data gathered from cellular networks.
Additionally, tech giants Apple and Google have promised to help slow the spread of the virus with new tracking apps that the public can download to report themselves as infected. Using Bluetooth, the phones will warn app users when they are near an infected person or a hot spot. The programs will use data from Android and iPhone users who volunteer for the program later this month. Jennifer Granick, a surveillance and cybersecurity attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union told Politico that the joint effort between the tech companies “appears to mitigate the worst privacy and centralization risks.” However, “there is still room for improvement.”
Microsoft is collaborating with the University of Washington on their own project which the university promotes as a privacy based contact tracing app. Researchers with the University of Washington and UW Medicine worked with volunteers from Microsoft to develop CovidSafe. The researchers stated that the app will alert users about potential exposure to COVID-19, but will do so without giving up anyone’s privacy.
“With CovidSafe, all information is stored locally on your phone unless you choose to share that you’ve tested positive,” explained Justin Chan, a UW doctoral student in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. “Only then is your data sent to a secure server, and the app alerts anyone who has been nearby. After these notifications are sent, all the information is deleted.”
CovidSafe is not the only attempt to build a privacy-based contact tracing program. In April, a team of researchers launched Coalition, a free contact tracing app designed to protect users’ privacy and protect communities during the COVID-19 crisis. Coalition claims to utilize secure Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and cryptography to protect a user’s identity by generating random anonymous IDs. The app uses Coalition’s Whisper Tracing, an open source privacy-first protocol that randomizes a user’s device identity and does not share identifiable information with the cloud.
Building a Contact Tracing Army
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced efforts by NY state to hire thousands of contact tracers. The state’s contact tracing program is being developed with $10 million from former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and support from Johns Hopkins University. Cuomo stated that applicants will need to go through a training program and pass an online exam before being granted the authority of contact tracer. The state’s program will involve identifying COVID-19 positive individuals, interviewing them about contacts in the previous two weeks, and then those contacts must isolate for two weeks.
By late April, calls for contact tracing had grown so loud that Congressman John Garamendi introduced a bill that would “expand volunteer opportunities within AmeriCorps and the Federal Emergency Management Agency”. Garamendi is the Co-Chair of the AmeriCorps, a nationwide volunteer force created by former President Bill Clinton in 1993. The Orwellian bill – “Undertaking National Initiatives to Tackle Epidemic Act” or the UNITE Act – would allow AmeriCorps and FEMA to create a national contact-tracing corps.
“The coronavirus pandemic has put an unprecedented strain on our society, and our nation requires a significant scaling of testing and contact tracing in order to flatten the curve and lift stay-at-home orders,” Garamendi stated.
Coincidentally, the UNITE Act lines up with recent calls for a contact tracing “army”. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control called for more contact tracers in the state. Dr. Joan Duwve, the Director of Public Health for DHEC, said being able to test someone rapidly was necessary. “We need an army of contact tracers to respond in a short time to someone who has a positive diagnosis,” Duwve said.
On the opposite side of the country, California Governor Gavin Newsom has partnered with the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of California, San Francisco to train more than 3,000 employees to become “coronavirus detectives“. During a live streamed press conference Newsom described the efforts as a training academy designed to build an “army” of 20,000 people who can test, trace, and isolate people who may be infected. Sonia Angell, California Department of Public Health director and State Health Officer, also stated that the new contact tracing program will be connected to California’s existing digital disease surveillance platform. Angell claims the database will be confidential.
The push for international contact tracing programs has also blossomed in nations like South Korea and China, who are praised for their aggressive approaches to slowing the growth of the virus. Forbes noted that South Korea has had a massive drop in COVID-19 diagnoses largely due to “mass rapid testing and comprehensive digitally-enabled contact tracing”. South Korea has also used GPS phone tracking, CCTV cameras, credit card transaction monitoring, and automated text alerts as part of a comprehensive universal contact tracing program.
The Chinese government approach is what you would expect from a totalitarian communist state: an all encompassing app that pretty much “controls your life.” Bloomberg describes China’s contact tracing app as a “public-private ‘health code’ system” which issues one of three risk assessments in the form of a colored QR code. “A green QR code, which denotes a low risk of having the virus, is the general default, while coming into contact with an infected person can trigger a yellow code and a mandatory quarantine. Red is for a likely or confirmed case,” Bloomberg reported. It does not take an extremely paranoid mind to see how this system could be easily abused.
The Indian government recently launched their contact tracing app – Aarogya Setu – which quickly became the fastest downloaded app on record, with more than 83 million users. Although India is not the first nation to implement a nationwide contact tracing program, the nation lacks strong privacy and data protection laws for its more than 1.3 billion citizens. The Guardian reported that the pandemic is being “used as a pretext to erode privacy and freedom of speech in the name of ‘winning the war’ against coronavirus.” In April The Guardian revealed that a draft government memo explained how the data gathered by the contact-tracing app could be “de-anonymized” by government officials.
Israel’s attempted grab for tyrannical health surveillance powers were recently hampered by a decision from the Supreme Court which banned the intelligence community from tracing the phone location of those infected with COVID-19. The Israeli Shin Bet service was given emergency powers through the end of April before the court warned of a “slippery slope” where the surveillance tool could be used against innocent individuals. Whitney Webb recently reported that at least three tech companies involved in the build out of the “coronavirus surveillance system” have connections to Israel’s government and the usual Big Tech players.
Following The Orders of the WHO
In early April, Dr. Michael Ryan, the head of the World Health Organization’s team responsible for the international containment and treatment of COVID-19, called for looking into families to find potentially sick individuals and isolate them from their families.
“Due to lock down, most of the transmission that is actually happening in many countries now is happening in the household at a family level,” Ryan stated. “In some senses, the transmission has actually been taken off the streets and pushed back into family units… Now we need to go and look into families, and find those people who are sick and remove them and isolate them in a safe and dignified manner.”
Ryan was also involved in the now-infamous Event 201, a global pandemic simulation, conducted on October 18, 2019, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Economic Forum, and Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security. Ryan’s bio states that “from November 2013 to October 2014 he worked with GPEI as Middle East Polio Response Coordinator” and partnered with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (among others) for a vaccination program which reached 25 million children in eight target countries as part of 44 mass polio vaccination campaigns.
Ironically enough, the WHO released a document in 2019 which states that under no circumstances should contract tracing be used. The document, first reported on by independent researcher Kenny Palurintano, details the WHO’s views on Non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) in response to a pandemic. In section 6.1, “Contact Tracing,” under “quality of evidence”, it states, “There is a very low overall quality of evidence that contact tracing has an unknown effect on the transmission of influenza.” Additionally, under the “Executive Summary”, in Table 1, the WHO lists contact tracing under the heading “Not Recommend In Any Circumstances”.
Despite the WHO’s own documents denying the validity of contact tracing, officials in Ventura County are heeding the call of WHO official Dr. Michael Ryan. At a May 4 press conference, Ventura County Public Health Director Dr. Robert Levin said those who live in homes where they could expose family members to COVID-19 could be removed from their homes and moved into other health facilities.
“We also realize that as we find more contacts, some of the people we find are going to have trouble being isolated. For instance, if they live in a home where there is only one bathroom and there are three or four other people living there, and those people don’t have COVID infection, we’re not going to be able to keep the person in that home,” Levin stated. “Every person who we’re isolating, for instance, needs to have their own bathroom. And so we’ll be moving people like this into other kinds of housing that we have available.”
The Ventura County Public Health board did not elaborate on what other kinds of housing might be made available to those unable to quarantine at home.
If there is a silver lining to the growing support for contact tracing, it might be the public’s own hesitance to join. According to Forbes, nation-states need about 60 percent of their population to adopt and regularly use the tool for it to be effective. Forbes reports that most cities are not likely to achieve 60% or even 40% compliance. Unfortunately, Forbes reminds us, “It’s a relentless fight. And it takes an army of tracers.” Forbes also notes that cities will need to “force changes of behavior” before reopening society. “Contact-tracing apps are being seen as one of the conditions of ending lockdowns—mandating and enforcing their use might become a logical next step.“
How exactly the cities, states, and nations will enforce the use of contact tracing apps remains to be seen, but we are already seeing a rise in reports of arrests of individuals who violate orders to close businesses, stay home, and practice social distancing. What should we expect to see when an individual or an entire community chooses to opt-out of contact tracing surveillance programs?
It is important to understand that contract tracing is only one part of an overall strategy which poses a danger to liberty and privacy. In addition to creating mobile apps which snitch on you, Apple, Facebook and Google are also sharing data with the government to help determine if the public is following social distancing guidelines. MIT Technology Review reported that at least one company is selling an app that uses machine learning Artificial Intelligence to monitor social distancing. Meanwhile, Reuters reported that Amazon is using similar software to enforce social distancing between their warehouse staff. There are also reports of “pandemic drones” flying above the skies of Connecticut and Maryland to monitor social distancing and take temperatures.
Together these technologies represent the foundation of the Technocratic State, built on top of the fears of a public which has been conditioned to accept any and all relief from the terrifying round-the-clock coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic. If the public accepts the COVID-1984 Technocracy in the name of “getting back to normal” it’s likely the world we have known will be regarded as a relic of a past era, a quaint idea of what life was like and what it could be, if only the public could defeat the new invisible enemy, COVID-19. However, it’s important to understand the institutions which are benefitting from the current pandemic. Only by acknowledging the true power players – those who maneuver behind the scenes to profit and enslave – can the free hearts and minds of the world defeat the true enemy: COVID-1984.
Stay tuned for my next investigation which will delve further into the web of Bill Gates, Anthony Fauci, and the Gates funded programs and companies which are profiting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
About the Author
Derrick Broze is an investigative journalist and liberty activist. He is the founder of the TheConsciousResistance.com. Follow him on Twitter. Derrick is the author of three books: The Conscious Resistance: Reflections on Anarchy and Spirituality and Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 1, Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 2 and Manifesto of the Free Humans. Derrick is available for interviews. Please contact Derrick@activistpost.com
This article (Third Roundup-Cancer Lawsuit Exposes Cozy Relationship Between the EPA and Monsanto) was originally featured at The Mind Unleashed and is reposted here with permission.


thewakingtimes--2020-05-12--Heavily Militarized SWAT Raids Innocent Family for Growing Tomatoes—Taxpayers Held Liable

Leawood , KS — Adlynn and Robert Harte and their two children had harmed no one and broken no laws when heavily armed militarized SWAT deputies with the Johnson County sheriff ’ s department stormed their home like it was an ISIS compound .
The “ hero ” deputies were searching for evidence of marijuana production and use but they found none because the Harte ’ s don ’ t use or produce marijuana .
They do grow vegetables , however , and they also drink tea .
The Hartes and their two children were held at gunpoint and nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ garden and drinking tea .
After they were seen buying gardening supplies , cops rummaged through their trash and mistook tea leaves for weed , sparking ‘ probable cause ’ for the raid .
Since the raid in 2012 , the Harte family has been attempting to seek justice but to no avail .
This month , however , they finally got a break .
According to Reason , the couple whose home was raided in 2012 after sheriff ’ s deputies claimed that loose tea found in their trash was marijuana will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a settlement agreement with the Johnson County Sheriff ’ s Office .
The settlement—which caps seven years of litigation , including two trips to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit—falls far short of the $ 7 million that Adlynn and Robert Harte originally sought .
But it represents an implicit acknowledgment that the Hartes and their children suffered an outrageous invasion of their privacy and dignity in the service of a comically inept publicity stunt .
In the realm of unlawful police raids , this one near the top .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patrolman staking out a garden store every day in Kansas City in hopes of catching some pot growers .
Robert Harte visited the store with his two children to buy supplies for an educational vegetable garden project in his basement .
The sergeant shared Harte ’ s information with a counterpart in the Johnson County Sheriff ’ s Office ( JCSO ) , which was planning to raid several suspected cannabis growers on 4/20…such originality .
JCSO went through the Harte ’ s trash on three occasions , eventually finding what officers believed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Because everyone throws away their weed , right ?
But the “ marijuana ” was actually discarded tea leaves .
Despite a lab technician saying the tea leaves looked nothing like cannabis leaves or stems , deputies Edward Blake and Mark Burns used notoriously faulty field drug test kits which showed the presence of THC .
These supposed field drug tests were the basis for planning the raid , but the deputies never photographed or documented the tests — leading Judge Carlos Lucero to note that these circumstances gave the deputies strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find something on the Hartes , because the JCSO had already scheduled the raid on the Harte ’ s home .
Several routine investigatory steps were ignored , making their search warrant “ based on nothing more than gardening supplies and a bag and wet tea leaves in the garbage.
” The list of sheer incompetence goes on .
In his written decision in 2017 , Lucero used extraordinary language to characterize just how reckless these drug warriors were .
During the two and a half hour raid – where heavily armed SWAT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while the children were home – officers frantically searched for anything to justify their debacle , but found only tomato plants and gardening supplies .
Knowing the history of no-knock SWAT raids , someone could have easily gotten killed .
All the while , the family was terrorized in their own home .
On the day of the raid , 10th Circuit Judge Joel Carson noted in a 2019 opinion , “ Bob opened the front door ” shortly before 7:30 a.m. , “ and the deputies flooded in the foyer .
Bob @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assault rifle pointed at or near him .
The deputies ordered Addie and the couple ’ s two young children to sit cross-legged against a wall .
A deputy eventually allowed the family to move to the living room couch where an armed deputy kept watch over them.
” Over the course of the next two hours , the cops would look like fools .
Carson wrote , “ the deputies found the hydroponic tomato garden that was readily visible from the exterior of the home through a front-facing basement window .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a couple of the deputies claimed to smell the ‘ faint odor of marijuana ’ at various places in the residence .
A drug-detection dog showed up , but did not alert the officers to any other areas of the house requiring further searches .
The dog ’ s handler also did not smell marijuana.
” The cops had picked the wrong target this time , as both Mr. and Mrs. Harte are former CIA employees and knew a thing or two about research .
After the traumatic experience , the Hartes set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to them .
Spending thousands of dollars in legal costs , they were able to procure a probable-cause affidavit .
It was easy to see that the “ probable cause ” was full of holes , and thankfully the 10th Circuit court actually studied the facts .
The reinstated lawsuit included unlawful search-and-seizure claims against 10 deputies , the sheriff who started the fiasco and the Johnson County Board of Commissioners .
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world of government corruption and the American police state .
Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world .
Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project .
Follow @ MattAgorist on Twitter , Steemit , and now on Minds .

Heavily Militarized SWAT Raids Innocent Family for Growing Tomatoes—Taxpayers Held Liable
Matt Agorist, The Free Thought Project
Waking Times
Leawood, KS — Adlynn and Robert Harte and their two children had harmed no one and broken no laws when heavily armed militarized SWAT deputies with the Johnson County sheriff’s department stormed their home like it was an ISIS compound. The “hero” deputies were searching for evidence of marijuana production and use but they found none because the Harte’s don’t use or produce marijuana. They do grow vegetables, however, and they also drink tea.
The Hartes and their two children were held at gunpoint and nearly killed for purchasing supplies for their vegetable garden and drinking tea. After they were seen buying gardening supplies, cops rummaged through their trash and mistook tea leaves for weed, sparking ‘probable cause’ for the raid. Since the raid in 2012, the Harte family has been attempting to seek justice but to no avail. This month, however, they finally got a break.
According to Reason, the couple whose home was raided in 2012 after sheriff’s deputies claimed that loose tea found in their trash was marijuana will receive $150,000 for their trouble under a settlement agreement with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. The settlement—which caps seven years of litigation, including two trips to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit—falls far short of the $7 million that Adlynn and Robert Harte originally sought. But it represents an implicit acknowledgment that the Hartes and their children suffered an outrageous invasion of their privacy and dignity in the service of a comically inept publicity stunt.
In the realm of unlawful police raids, this one near the top. It began with a Missouri State Highway Patrolman staking out a garden store every day in Kansas City in hopes of catching some pot growers. Robert Harte visited the store with his two children to buy supplies for an educational vegetable garden project in his basement.
The sergeant shared Harte’s information with a counterpart in the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO), which was planning to raid several suspected cannabis growers on 4/20…such originality. JCSO went through the Harte’s trash on three occasions, eventually finding what officers believed was cannabis clippings soaked in THC extract. Because everyone throws away their weed, right?
But the “marijuana” was actually discarded tea leaves.
Despite a lab technician saying the tea leaves looked nothing like cannabis leaves or stems, deputies Edward Blake and Mark Burns used notoriously faulty field drug test kits which showed the presence of THC. These supposed field drug tests were the basis for planning the raid, but the deputies never photographed or documented the tests — leading Judge Carlos Lucero to note that these circumstances gave the deputies strong motive to lie.
“The deputies did not photograph any of the substances, nor did they send them to a crime lab for testing,” Judge Joel Carson notes in this month’s 10th Circuit decision. “If the deputies would have sent the wet vegetation to a crime lab for testing, they would have discovered that the wet vegetation was not marijuana but instead was Addie’s loose-leaf tea. Rather than conducting further investigation, the deputies prepared a search warrant affidavit relying solely on the loose-leaf tea found in the garbage and Bob’s shopping trip to a garden store eight months earlier.”
They had to find something on the Hartes, because the JCSO had already scheduled the raid on the Harte’s home. Several routine investigatory steps were ignored, making their search warrant “based on nothing more than gardening supplies and a bag and wet tea leaves in the garbage.”
The list of sheer incompetence goes on. In his written decision in 2017, Lucero used extraordinary language to characterize just how reckless these drug warriors were.
“Law-abiding tea drinkers and gardeners beware: One visit to a garden store and some loose tea leaves in your trash may subject you to an early-morning, SWAT-style raid, complete with battering ram, bulletproof vests, and assault rifles. Perhaps the officers will intentionally conduct the terrifying raid while your children are home, and keep the entire family under armed guard for two and a half hours while concerned residents of your quiet, family-oriented neighborhood wonder what nefarious crime you have committed. This is neither hyperbole nor metaphor—it is precisely what happened to the Harte family in the case before us.”
During the two and a half hour raid – where heavily armed SWAT team broke in during early morning hours while the children were home – officers frantically searched for anything to justify their debacle, but found only tomato plants and gardening supplies. Knowing the history of no-knock SWAT raids, someone could have easily gotten killed. All the while, the family was terrorized in their own home.
On the day of the raid, 10th Circuit Judge Joel Carson noted in a 2019 opinion, “Bob opened the front door” shortly before 7:30 a.m., “and the deputies flooded in the foyer. Bob ended up on the ground with an assault rifle pointed at or near him. The deputies ordered Addie and the couple’s two young children to sit cross-legged against a wall. A deputy eventually allowed the family to move to the living room couch where an armed deputy kept watch over them.” Over the course of the next two hours, the cops would look like fools. Carson wrote, “the deputies found the hydroponic tomato garden that was readily visible from the exterior of the home through a front-facing basement window. And after ninety minutes of extensive searching, a couple of the deputies claimed to smell the ‘faint odor of marijuana’ at various places in the residence. A drug-detection dog showed up, but did not alert the officers to any other areas of the house requiring further searches. The dog’s handler also did not smell marijuana.”
The cops had picked the wrong target this time, as both Mr. and Mrs. Harte are former CIA employees and knew a thing or two about research. After the traumatic experience, the Hartes set out to find out why this happened to them. Spending thousands of dollars in legal costs, they were able to procure a probable-cause affidavit.
It was easy to see that the “probable cause” was full of holes, and thankfully the 10th Circuit court actually studied the facts. The reinstated lawsuit included unlawful search-and-seizure claims against 10 deputies, the sheriff who started the fiasco and the Johnson County Board of Commissioners.
“There was no probable cause at any step of the investigation,” wrote Lucero in 2017. “Not at the garden shop, not at the gathering of the tea leaves, and certainly not at the analytical stage when the officers willfully ignored directions to submit any presumed results to a laboratory for analysis.”
About the Author
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project. Follow @MattAgorist on Twitter, Steemit, and now on Minds.


thewakingtimes--2020-05-13--A Traditional African Shaman Explains Why Pills Can Never Cure Depression or PTSD

A Traditional African Shaman Explains Why Pills Can Never Cure Depression or PTSD There is no way of knowing the full impact that depression , anxiety and PTSD have on our society and culture , but we do know that the prescribed solution of pharmaceuticals is not working to alleviate this problem .
The first antidepressant drug , an MOAI inhibitor , was developed in the 1950 ’ s and originally used in the treatment of tuberculosis .
In the 19080 ’ s , the first SSRI inhibitor was developed , and today there are now 5 classes of antidepressants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brand name drugs .
More Americans than ever take antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications , and according to a recent study , some 86 % of people today will have met the criteria for at least two psychiatric diagnoses by the time they reach 45 .
More drugs , more diagnoses , and more people dependent on doctors , pharmacies and pills .
Something is not working .
Contrast this paradigm with traditional shamanism , in which shamans , working as healers , use plant medicines to diagnose the spiritual health of a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ methods that still baffle modern science .
READ : HOW THE SHAMANIC MEDICINE IBOGA CAN RESOLVE AND HEAL CHILDHOOD TRAUMA Of the shamanic plant medicines , iboga is particularly powerful at helping people to overcome PTSD , depression and anxiety .
Its efficacy can not be explained in scientific terms , which reduces chronic emotional and mental health issues down to brain chemistry , looking at the human being as a machine , then intervenes with chemicals .
This is categorically different than the work of shamanism , which generally views such mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeks to repair a person ’ s spirit from within .
Traditional African shaman Moughenda Mikala points out in a recent interview , pills simply can not address the root causes of such problems .
As a 10th generation Bwiti shaman working with an ancient plant medicine , Mikala uses traditional shamanic methods to assess and heal people on a spiritual level , which addresses the roots of mental health problems rather than attempting only to manage the symptoms of such disorders .
Mikala is referring to ceremonies , in which participants ingest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iboga shrub , which triggers a body trance and sets off an inward psychological journey .
The psycho-detox is very common with first-time Western participants , and typically causes the participant to enter a foggy , trance-like state for hours where they begin to see from within the workings of their mind , including thought patterns and belief systems .
The psycho-spiritual journey Mikala mentions is a second experience with iboga , in which after detoxifying the mind in a first ceremony , the participant typically is launched into a surreal journey into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearly review one ’ s life and make a direct , impressionable connection to their own soul .
It is this experience which Mikala says heals the wounds that cause depression , anxiety and PTSD .
“ The psycho-detox is kind of addressing the mind , and to detox the mind that means we reach a level to empty all of this trauma… it could be stress or any other forced beliefs… the garbage .
And then , we have to take that person back to the very first day when that trauma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call a life-review… you don ’ t just do that from the mind , you have to actually go there live to the first day where everything started .
It could be a rape… and a lot of women are still suffering from it .
And the problem is they ’ ve been running from the pain , the fear , the everything.
” ~ Moughenda Mikala Because the trauma that leads to PTSD and depression lives within the mind , potentially for one ’ s entire life , the images and memories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are revisited over and again by the mind .
Pharmaceutical pills only cover up these images , causing people to lose everything , including joy and possibly life itself .
Mikala further explains that this experience helps people to recognize what it is that caused their trauma and allows them to look at it up close and accept it as part of their lives , and then move on .
Having personally experienced this , and personally knowing Moughenda , I can say that the experience of iboga , when conducted ceremonially with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exceptionally extraordinary and leaves a lasting impression which , over time , continues to positively influence mental and spiritual health .
Dylan Charles is the editor of Waking Times and host of Battered Souls : A Podcast About Transformation , both dedicated to ideas of personal transformation , societal awakening , and planetary renewal .
His personal journey is deeply inspired by shamanic plant medicines and the arts of Kung Fu , Qi Gong and Yoga .
After seven years of living in Costa Rica , he now lives in the Blue Ridge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jitsu and enjoys spending time with family .
He has written hundreds of articles , reaching and inspiring millions of people around the world .
This article ( A Traditional African Shaman Explains Why Pills Can Never Cure Depression or PTSD ) was originally created and published by Waking Times and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Dylan Charles and WakingTimes.com .
It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution , author bio , and this copyright statement .

A Traditional African Shaman Explains Why Pills Can Never Cure Depression or PTSD
Dylan Charles, Editor
Waking Times
There is no way of knowing the full impact that depression, anxiety and PTSD have on our society and culture, but we do know that the prescribed solution of pharmaceuticals is not working to alleviate this problem.
The first antidepressant drug, an MOAI inhibitor, was developed in the 1950’s and originally used in the treatment of tuberculosis. In the 19080’s, the first SSRI inhibitor was developed, and today there are now 5 classes of antidepressants, which includes at least 32 different brand name drugs.
More Americans than ever take antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications, and according to a recent study, some 86% of people today will have met the criteria for at least two psychiatric diagnoses by the time they reach 45.
More drugs, more diagnoses, and more people dependent on doctors, pharmacies and pills. Something is not working.
Contrast this paradigm with traditional shamanism, in which shamans, working as healers, use plant medicines to diagnose the spiritual health of a person, and heal them permanently with ancient methods that still baffle modern science.
Of the shamanic plant medicines, iboga is particularly powerful at helping people to overcome PTSD, depression and anxiety. Its efficacy cannot be explained in scientific terms, which reduces chronic emotional and mental health issues down to brain chemistry, looking at the human being as a machine, then intervenes with chemicals.
This is categorically different than the work of shamanism, which generally views such mental health conditions as spiritual matters, and seeks to repair a person’s spirit from within.
Traditional African shaman Moughenda Mikala points out in a recent interview, pills simply cannot address the root causes of such problems.
“When we are talking about trauma, depression, and PTSD, they are not physical. Now days people need to think further… to understand that anything that is not physical is difficult… someone has to know where to look.” ~Moughenda Mikala, Bwiti Life
As a 10th generation Bwiti shaman working with an ancient plant medicine, Mikala uses traditional shamanic methods to assess and heal people on a spiritual level, which addresses the roots of mental health problems rather than attempting only to manage the symptoms of such disorders.
“The way I handle these issues, or with my guests coming to me, I don’t focus on the physical level, because trauma… mainly affects the mind, and that’s what we’re talking about, the mind being a spiritual issue. So, the way I address that, I will launch someone on a psycho-spiritual journey… and before the spycho-spiritual journey, I will launch them on a psycho-detox.”
Mikala is referring to ceremonies, in which participants ingest the alkaloid rich root bark of the iboga shrub, which triggers a body trance and sets off an inward psychological journey. The psycho-detox is very common with first-time Western participants, and typically causes the participant to enter a foggy, trance-like state for hours where they begin to see from within the workings of their mind, including thought patterns and belief systems.
The psycho-spiritual journey Mikala mentions is a second experience with iboga, in which after detoxifying the mind in a first ceremony, the participant typically is launched into a surreal journey into the subconscious mind and is able to clearly review one’s life and make a direct, impressionable connection to their own soul.
It is this experience which Mikala says heals the wounds that cause depression, anxiety and PTSD.
He notes:
“The psycho-detox is kind of addressing the mind, and to detox the mind that means we reach a level to empty all of this trauma… it could be stress or any other forced beliefs… the garbage. And then, we have to take that person back to the very first day when that trauma started. It’s what I call a life-review… you don’t just do that from the mind, you have to actually go there live to the first day where everything started. It could be a rape… and a lot of women are still suffering from it. And the problem is they’ve been running from the pain, the fear, the everything.” ~ Moughenda Mikala
Because the trauma that leads to PTSD and depression lives within the mind, potentially for one’s entire life, the images and memories of traumatic experiences, like combat, are revisited over and again by the mind.
Pharmaceutical pills only cover up these images, causing people to lose everything, including joy and possibly life itself.
“So healing someone from trauma, PTSD or depression, there’s only one way. That is the traditional way. We have the best way to heal the mind. No pills. Pills won’t heal any mind, I don’t care how many years you’re going to be taking those pills, they won’t heal you, because not a single pill will be able to take you to a spiritual trip where you meet your soul face-to-face and have a long conversation with it.” ~Moughenda Mikala
Mikala further explains that this experience helps people to recognize what it is that caused their trauma and allows them to look at it up close and accept it as part of their lives, and then move on.
Having personally experienced this, and personally knowing Moughenda, I can say that the experience of iboga, when conducted ceremonially with properly trained healers and facilitators, is exceptionally extraordinary and leaves a lasting impression which, over time, continues to positively influence mental and spiritual health.
http://youtu.be/NqnSRaE6q8o
About the Author
Dylan Charles is the editor of Waking Times and host of Battered Souls: A Podcast About Transformation, both dedicated to ideas of personal transformation, societal awakening, and planetary renewal. His personal journey is deeply inspired by shamanic plant medicines and the arts of Kung Fu, Qi Gong and Yoga. After seven years of living in Costa Rica, he now lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where he practices Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and enjoys spending time with family. He has written hundreds of articles, reaching and inspiring millions of people around the world.
This article (A Traditional African Shaman Explains Why Pills Can Never Cure Depression or PTSD) was originally created and published by Waking Times and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Dylan Charles and WakingTimes.com. It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this copyright statement.


thewakingtimes--2020-05-13--Nearly 9K Catholic Churches In The US Were Approved For “Paycheck Protection” Loans

Nearly 9K Catholic Churches In The US Were Approved For “ Paycheck Protection ” Loans As a part of the US government ’ s economic relief plan for the coronavirus pandemic , loans were offered to small businesses so they could stay afloat during this difficult time .
However , many small business owners who attempted to get funding through the federal Paycheck Protection Program found that the money had dried up within a week of the program ’ s launch .
It turned out that large publicly traded corporations were the first to gain access to the loans because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who already had a working relationship with the government .
Large corporations like Shake Shack and Ruth ’ s Chris Steakhouse received millions in PPP loans , but were later forced to return the money after a massive public outcry was sparked by their applications .
Now the program has come under fire yet again , after it was revealed that over 9,000 Catholic churches were approved for the loans .
Catholic churches don ’ t even pay taxes , which many people feel should disqualify them from the program .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Churches ( including temples , mosques , synagogues , and other houses of worship ) , integrated auxiliaries of churches , and conventions or associations of churches qualify for PPP and EIDL loans as long as they meet the requirements of Section 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) of the Internal Revenue Code , and all other PPP and EIDL requirements.
” Churches have defended the decision to apply for the loans by suggesting that it is the only way they can keep people on payroll .
Pat Markey , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Management Conference , an association of finance officers from Catholic dioceses told CBS that , “ The PPP isn ’ t about the federal government assisting houses of worship or churches .
PPP is about keeping people on payrolls and a large segment of our society is the not for profit world .
And a large segment of that society are churches and houses of worship .
And they have people on payrolls too .
So , if what this is about is keeping people on payrolls , then we all should have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Vatican , which is the global head of the Catholic Church , is one of the most wealthy organizations in the world .
While their exact holdings have been called “ impossible to calculate “ , bankers estimate that the Vatican has been 10 and 15 billion dollars in cash , land , and investments alone .
Protestant and Jewish religious organizations were also granted loans through the PPP , but to a far lesser degree .
John Vibes is an author and journalist who takes a special interest in the counter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social problems .
He is also a host of The Free Your Mind Conference and The Free Thought Project Podcast .

Nearly 9K Catholic Churches In The US Were Approved For “Paycheck Protection” Loans
John Vibes, Truth Theory
Waking Times
As a part of the US government’s economic relief plan for the coronavirus pandemic, loans were offered to small businesses so they could stay afloat during this difficult time. However, many small business owners who attempted to get funding through the federal Paycheck Protection Program found that the money had dried up within a week of the program’s launch. It turned out that large publicly traded corporations were the first to gain access to the loans because they had teams of lawyers on standby who already had a working relationship with the government.
Large corporations like Shake Shack and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse received millions in PPP loans, but were later forced to return the money after a massive public outcry was sparked by their applications. Now the program has come under fire yet again, after it was revealed that over 9,000 Catholic churches were approved for the loans. Catholic churches don’t even pay taxes, which many people feel should disqualify them from the program.
However, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, “Churches (including temples, mosques, synagogues, and other houses of worship), integrated auxiliaries of churches, and conventions or associations of churches qualify for PPP and EIDL loans as long as they meet the requirements of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and all other PPP and EIDL requirements.”
Churches have defended the decision to apply for the loans by suggesting that it is the only way they can keep people on payroll.
Pat Markey, the executive director of the Diocesan Fiscal Management Conference, an association of finance officers from Catholic dioceses told CBS that, “The PPP isn’t about the federal government assisting houses of worship or churches. PPP is about keeping people on payrolls and a large segment of our society is the not for profit world. And a large segment of that society are churches and houses of worship. And they have people on payrolls too. So, if what this is about is keeping people on payrolls, then we all should have availability to do that.”
However, the Vatican, which is the global head of the Catholic Church, is one of the most wealthy organizations in the world. While their exact holdings have been called “impossible to calculate“, bankers estimate that the Vatican has been 10 and 15 billion dollars in cash, land, and investments alone. Protestant and Jewish religious organizations were also granted loans through the PPP, but to a far lesser degree.
About the Author
John Vibes is an author and journalist who takes a special interest in the counter culture, and focuses solutions-oriented approaches to social problems. He is also a host of The Free Your Mind Conference and The Free Thought Project Podcast.


thewakingtimes--2020-05-13--Ireland Pays 173-Year-Old Debt To Native American Tribes Hit By Coronavirus Who Aided Them During Th

Ireland Pays 173-Year-Old Debt To Native American Tribes Hit By Coronavirus Who Aided Them During The Great Famine In 1847 , a Native American , the equivalent of $ 5,000 today , to aid the Irish in the Great Famine .
Now , more than 170 years later , Irish people are returning the favor by donating generously to the Navajo Nation in their time of crisis due to the coronavirus .
The Navajo Nation is an American Indian territory situated in north-eastern Arizona , south-eastern Utah and north-western New Mexico .
The 2016 population estimate was 350,000 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic and reportedly has the third highest infection rate in the United States – after New York and New Jersey .
A lack of access to running water for almost a third of residents and crowded living conditions have contributed to the quick spread of the disease .
There is also a disproportionately high number of high-risk people – elderly , diabetic , asthmatic , and cancer-afflicted .
To help with relief efforts , a GoFundMe page was created on behalf of the Rural Utah Project Education Fund on March 15 .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with total donations as of Sunday 10 May tallying over $ 3.4 million .
A large portion of these donations have come from Ireland .
The relationship started in the 1840s , when the Choctaw Nation raised $ 170 to give to Ireland during the Great Famine .
This was after failed potato harvests has resulted in a quarter of the Irish population fleeing the country and the death of at least 1 million .
It has been reported that the Choctaw Nation heard about the famine from an Irish soldier who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans .
Donal Fallon , a broadcaster and historian from Dublin , said that the support which the Native Americans gave to Ireland had a “ strong lasting imprint on the Irish collective memory .
What is often overlooked about the Great Hunger is that it represents not only the great humanitarian crisis of the Victorian Age but also the greater humanitarian response.
” Dermot Burke , a donor , wrote on the GoFundMe page : “ At Ireland ’ s time of need during the Great Hunger of the 1840s , Native @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort even though they themselves were still living in hardship .
Their generosity will never be forgotten.
” Anthony McLennan is an experienced journalist who has written for some of South Africa ’ s biggest publications .
Also a photographer , soccer coach , dog-lover and surfer , enjoys spending time outdoors in beautiful Cape Town .
He believes that a new approach is needed to sustain our planet and that it is important to put this message out .

Ireland Pays 173-Year-Old Debt To Native American Tribes Hit By Coronavirus Who Aided Them During The Great Famine
Anthony McLennan, Truth Theory
Waking Times
In 1847, a Native American , the equivalent of $5,000 today, to aid the Irish in the Great Famine. Now, more than 170 years later, Irish people are returning the favor by donating generously to the Navajo Nation in their time of crisis due to the coronavirus.
The Navajo Nation is an American Indian territory situated in north-eastern Arizona, south-eastern Utah and north-western New Mexico. The 2016 population estimate was 350,000.
The area has been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic and reportedly has the third highest infection rate in the United States – after New York and New Jersey.
“The heartache is real. We have lost so many of our sacred Navajo elders and youth to COVID-19. It is truly devastating. And a dark time in history for our Nation,” Vanessa Tulley, an organizer for the Navajo and Hopi family fundraiser, said.
Navajo Nation disproportionately hard hit
A lack of access to running water for almost a third of residents and crowded living conditions have contributed to the quick spread of the disease.
The Navajo Nation has more confirmed cases per capita of COVID-19 than 48 US states! Navajo has depleted all of her limited resources to battle. Funding to fight is now grassroots fundraising – help if you can: Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund https://t.co/SdK1c5Wxgx — Aaron Yazzie (@YazzieSays) May 2, 2020
There is also a disproportionately high number of high-risk people – elderly, diabetic, asthmatic, and cancer-afflicted.
To help with relief efforts, a GoFundMe page was created on behalf of the Rural Utah Project Education Fund on March 15.
The Irish open their hearts
And the funds have been pouring in, with total donations as of Sunday 10 May tallying over $3.4 million. A large portion of these donations have come from Ireland.
Native Americans raised a huge amount in famine relief for Ireland at a time when they had very little. It's time for is to come through for them now. https://t.co/ONl9UXmwdH — Naomi O'Leary (@NaomiOhReally) May 2, 2020
The relationship started in the 1840s, when the Choctaw Nation raised $170 to give to Ireland during the Great Famine. This was after failed potato harvests has resulted in a quarter of the Irish population fleeing the country and the death of at least 1 million.
It has been reported that the Choctaw Nation heard about the famine from an Irish soldier who had been overseeing the forced displacement of Native Americans.
Donal Fallon, a broadcaster and historian from Dublin, said that the support which the Native Americans gave to Ireland had a “strong lasting imprint on the Irish collective memory. What is often overlooked about the Great Hunger is that it represents not only the great humanitarian crisis of the Victorian Age but also the greater humanitarian response.” Dermot Burke, a donor, wrote on the GoFundMe page: “At Ireland’s time of need during the Great Hunger of the 1840s, Native American people donated to the famine relief effort even though they themselves were still living in hardship. Their generosity will never be forgotten.”
About the Author
Anthony McLennan is an experienced journalist who has written for some of South Africa’s biggest publications. Also a photographer, soccer coach, dog-lover and surfer, enjoys spending time outdoors in beautiful Cape Town. He believes that a new approach is needed to sustain our planet and that it is important to put this message out.


thewakingtimes--2020-05-13--Students At Cambridge Designed The UK’s Most Efficient Solar-Powered Electric Car

Students At Cambridge Designed The UK ’ s Most Efficient Solar-Powered Electric Car Solar-powered cars are nothing new , but until very recently , most of the designs have been entirely unfeasible for serious travel .
The technology is quickly improving though , as recently shown by a group of undergraduate students at Cambridge University who built one of the most efficient solar-powered electric cars yet .
The students worked with Bridgestone and a team of Formula 1 racing engineers to design and build a vehicle that they named “ Helia.
” Bridgestone , the world ’ s largest tire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tires specifically for this vehicle .
Helia can travel for over 500 miles while keeping an average speed of 50 miles per hour on a very small charge .
The team estimates that the same amount of power would be required to boil a kettle .
Xiaofan Zhang , CUER ’ s program director , says that Helia was intended to be an example to show the potential of clean energy vehicles .
“ Helia was designed to demonstrate the technology behind electric vehicles and renewable energy and will visit schools next summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generation of engineers .
We have plenty of positives to take forward and are already in search of our next challenge , ” Zhang explained in a press release on the project ’ s website .
As you can see in the images below , the design for the vehicle is very futuristic , perhaps even more futuristic than Tesla ’ s new Cybertruck .
Thanks to high-performance lithium-ion battery packs produced in a partnership with the company Danecca , the car has a battery range of up to 900km while going average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if needed , and has a top speed of roughly 120kph , although that will cause the battery to drain a bit faster .
According to the project ’ s website , the car is powered by 5 square meters of 25 % efficient silicon solar cells that are attached to the roof .
John Vibes is an author and journalist who takes a special interest in the counter culture , and focuses solutions-oriented approaches to social problems .
He is also a host of The Free Your Mind Conference and The Free @ @ @ @

Students At Cambridge Designed The UK’s Most Efficient Solar-Powered Electric Car
John Vibes, Truth Theory
Waking Times
Solar-powered cars are nothing new, but until very recently, most of the designs have been entirely unfeasible for serious travel. The technology is quickly improving though, as recently shown by a group of undergraduate students at Cambridge University who built one of the most efficient solar-powered electric cars yet. The students worked with Bridgestone and a team of Formula 1 racing engineers to design and build a vehicle that they named “Helia.”
Bridgestone, the world’s largest tire and rubber company, developed low rolling-resistance tires specifically for this vehicle.
Helia can travel for over 500 miles while keeping an average speed of 50 miles per hour on a very small charge. The team estimates that the same amount of power would be required to boil a kettle.
Xiaofan Zhang, CUER’s program director, says that Helia was intended to be an example to show the potential of clean energy vehicles.
“Helia was designed to demonstrate the technology behind electric vehicles and renewable energy and will visit schools next summer with the aim of inspiring the next generation of engineers. We have plenty of positives to take forward and are already in search of our next challenge,” Zhang explained in a press release on the project’s website.
As you can see in the images below, the design for the vehicle is very futuristic, perhaps even more futuristic than Tesla’s new Cybertruck.
Thanks to high-performance lithium-ion battery packs produced in a partnership with the company Danecca, the car has a battery range of up to 900km while going average speeds. The car can get fast if needed, and has a top speed of roughly 120kph, although that will cause the battery to drain a bit faster. According to the project’s website, the car is powered by 5 square meters of 25% efficient silicon solar cells that are attached to the roof.
About the Author
John Vibes is an author and journalist who takes a special interest in the counter culture, and focuses solutions-oriented approaches to social problems. He is also a host of The Free Your Mind Conference and The Free Thought Project Podcast.