wakingtimes--2020-01-07--All Matter is Evil

All Matter is Evil

I ’ ve always felt that I don ’ t belong in this barbaric reality .
That there is something more profound and meaningful than the drag of earthly existence .
So many people go through life on their hands and knees .
It makes you wonder what this life is really all about .
We live in an apocalyptic time .
A time of revelation and some things that are revealed are uncomfortable to say the least .
The topic of this article is one of them .
But , as spiritual warriors we must investigate all possibilities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ C.E . )
, the founder of Neoplatonism who declared “ That all matter is evil.
” That is one hell of a statement… Instead of just sloughing it off as the ramblings of a maniac , I pondered over the concept for weeks trying to intuitively understand what it could mean .
After all , we live in a reality of matter , a tangible , dense physicality of form that defines us and our world , a realm of sight , touch , taste and smell .
Without matter there would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So is matter evil ?
… .
if matter is evil so is its creator .
Our creator or god is portrayed by world religions as good .
He is our father , compassionate and forgiving , and he loves his children .
Therefore if god is good it follows that we can regard matter as good .
But how can we believe that god is good .
He has created a construct of misery…the third dimension of fire in which all living things have to destroy something else in order to survive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , conflicted and brutal world .
In ancient texts , the creator of this construct was often portrayed as being vindictive , narcissistic , and insecure .
An imposter god , a warmonger that delighted in blood sacrifice , genocide , theft of lands , and the murdering of women , children and animals .
A god that liked to be worshipped , served , feared and obeyed .
Gnostics called him Ialdabaoth which means “ son of chaos , ” Kosmocrator or the Great Arconte , ( archon ) : the creator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Demiurge .
How many times in the Old Testament do we find the Demiurge constantly telling us that he is the only god , and that he is a jealous god ?
Here are a couple of examples .
“ For the LORD your God is a consuming fire , a jealous God.
” Deuteronomy 4:24 Wiping living beings off the face of the earth…is that benevolent ?
The god of this world sounds insecure to me !
( grins ) Why else would he keep repeating himself .
Perhaps because he knows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much more powerful and profound than he could ever be .
The Gnostics and other communities like the Cathars held the view that the world of form was created not by good but by evil .
It may well be , that the god we have been indoctrinated or coerced to believe is loving and compassionate… is in truth a monster .
A heartless geneticist…a vivisector who created all species and imprisoned them in a very narrow spectrum of visible light that we call the universe .
Metaphysics teaches that human beings are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spirit .
In the Nag Hammadi there is a Gnostic Work called the Tripartite Tractate , where we find the same differentiation in man .
The Cathars also divided man into three different types : terrestrial ( hyletics ) , if ruled by the body ; psychic , if ruled by the soul and spiritual ( pneumatic ) if ruled by the Spirit .
They also held the view that the body and soul of man are tied to the earthly construct whereas the Spirit , our connection to Source Creator has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a hell world .
God made man from the dust of the earth and his breath gave man his soul .
To me that means that our physical body and our soul ( the breath ) belong to the Demiurge .
Somehow by deceit , he managed to trap the Source Field.. our Spirit , and imprisoned it against its will into this deranged and violent duality .
The Demiurge makes sure he keeps us in control .
Hormonal secretions drive our desires and our need to replicate .
Sex and attracting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 90 % of our endeavours .
To bind us further in chains the impostor god gave us the neo cortex so we would be conscious of our need for sex and the reptile mind to carry out premeditated sexual violence , paedophilia and rape .
The ace up his sleeve is our ego with its pontifications and smug conceit…the AI installation , the chattering voice that on one hand eggs us on and on the other tells us we are worthless .
See my article Prisoners of the Voice .
To add to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily doses of fear by the media , brainwashed by false narratives , and kept in fear by the control religions .
Let ’ s be honest as a species we are a mess !
And , our spiritual disease is reflected in our daily lives .
The Demiurge makes sure we are constantly distracted and does not allow our Spirit , our connection to Source Creator to manifest Itself .
Instead he wants us to act through his soul ( the nous ) and not our Divine Spirit .
This is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the horrific trade in animal flesh .
Killing our fellow man and the creatures is an attack upon our Spiritual self and arrests our spiritual development .
But most people …the hyletics don ’ t give a shit as long as their depraved appetites are satiated .
In other articles on the blog , we have read about the Archetype of Man containing all creation .
That the animals are aspects of Self spread out across the external world…the fox nature , the rat nature are all within us .
In metaphysical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world is an illusion and we are All One Life .
We are told that god made us in his image .
I think his end-game is to transform us into spirit-less beings like himself : Homo Borgiensis !
And , for him to succeed in killing our Divine connection , it is essential that we do not wake up to our plight… that we stay sleepwalking…so that he can lead us , like zombies , through successive reincarnations , and keep us chained to the wheel of energetic debt .
Digital reality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people…next comes the chip and man ’ s connection to Source Creation will be entirely extinguished .
Then the Demiurge can build his army of cyborgs to go to other realms and genetically manipulate those who walk with True Creator and make them fall into density .
And , if that doesn ’ t turn out the way he wants it…he ’ ll throw a tantrum , destroy this world and build another construct .
We call it extinction and it has happened before .
All a bit much this , isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot .
The horror of waking up When we wake up and start to see things as they really are , we think we have lost it !
gone stark staring mad .
This paradigm if true is shattering to the hive mind and will be instantly rejected .
It ’ s uncomfortable and disorientating to ‘ real-eyes ’ that everything we have been taught is a lie .
It ’ s unnerving to find out that we are living in an open air lunatic asylum and controlled by a madman who thinks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average Joe it ’ s just too much to handle .
He can ’ t assimilate…or find sense in the information because it is so contrary to his programming .
So he swigs his beer and We ’ ll leave it for right now…there ’ s a lot to digest .
If the information in the article interests you then please watch the video .
“ I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below , blood and fire and billows of smoke.
” Acts 2:19 Remphan the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the ring of fire eclipse on DEC 26th…the last day of Saturnalia .
I think this is indicative of something coming and we will talk about it next time .
Until next time much love .
Elva Thompson was born in England in 1947 and moved to Rosebud Lakota reservation in 1987 .
She is the author of the Heartstar Series ; Book One : The Key made of Air , and Book Two : The Gates to Pandemonia .
Her other interests include organic gardening , ancient phonetic languages , sonic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arts .
She is also a medical intuitive and teaches sonic re-patterning using sound , colour , and essential oils .
Elva Thompson is on Amazon Author Central @ amazon.com/author/heartstar

All Matter is Evil
Elva Thompson, Contributor
Waking Times
Revelation
I’ve always felt that I don’t belong in this barbaric reality. That there is something more profound and meaningful than the drag of earthly existence. So many people go through life on their hands and knees. It makes you wonder what this life is really all about.
We live in an apocalyptic time. A time of revelation and some things that are revealed are uncomfortable to say the least. The topic of this article is one of them. But, as spiritual warriors we must investigate all possibilities.
All matter is evil
It was Plotinus(204/5 – 270 C.E.), the founder of Neoplatonism who declared “That all matter is evil.”
That is one hell of a statement…
Instead of just sloughing it off as the ramblings of a maniac, I pondered over the concept for weeks trying to intuitively understand what it could mean. After all, we live in a reality of matter, a tangible, dense physicality of form that defines us and our world, a realm of sight, touch, taste and smell. Without matter there would be nothing…no planet and no life.
So is matter evil?…. if matter is evil so is its creator.
The Demiurge
Our creator or god is portrayed by world religions as good. He is our father, compassionate and forgiving, and he loves his children. Therefore if god is good it follows that we can regard matter as good.
But how can we believe that god is good. He has created a construct of misery…the third dimension of fire in which all living things have to destroy something else in order to survive. In short, a blood soaked, conflicted and brutal world.
In ancient texts, the creator of this construct was often portrayed as being vindictive, narcissistic, and insecure. An imposter god, a warmonger that delighted in blood sacrifice, genocide, theft of lands, and the murdering of women, children and animals. A god that liked to be worshipped, served, feared and obeyed.
Gnostics called him Ialdabaoth which means “son of chaos,” Kosmocrator or the Great Arconte,(archon): the creator and arranger of matter, and the Demiurge.
I’m the only god
How many times in the Old Testament do we find the Demiurge constantly telling us that he is the only god, and that he is a jealous god? Here are a couple of examples. “For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”Deuteronomy 4:24
“For the LORD your God in the midst of you is a jealous God; otherwise the anger of the LORD your God will be kindled against you, and He will wipe you off the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 6:15
Wiping living beings off the face of the earth…is that benevolent?
The god of this world sounds insecure to me ! (grins) Why else would he keep repeating himself. Perhaps because he knows that there is a Source Creator God much more powerful and profound than he could ever be.
Indoctrinated with a lie
The Gnostics and other communities like the Cathars held the view that the world of form was created not by good but by evil. It may well be, that the god we have been indoctrinated or coerced to believe is loving and compassionate… is in truth a monster. A heartless geneticist…a vivisector who created all species and imprisoned them in a very narrow spectrum of visible light that we call the universe.
The trinity
Metaphysics teaches that human beings are threefold entities: body, soul and Spirit. In the Nag Hammadi there is a Gnostic Work called the Tripartite Tractate, where we find the same differentiation in man. The Cathars also divided man into three different types: terrestrial (hyletics), if ruled by the body; psychic, if ruled by the soul and spiritual (pneumatic) if ruled by the Spirit. They also held the view that the body and soul of man are tied to the earthly construct whereas the Spirit, our connection to Source Creator has been shackled, trapped in form and imprisoned in a hell world.
The body and soul
“Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Gen2:7
God made man from the dust of the earth and his breath gave man his soul. To me that means that our physical body and our soul(the breath) belong to the Demiurge. Somehow by deceit, he managed to trap the Source Field.. our Spirit, and imprisoned it against its will into this deranged and violent duality.
The Demiurge makes sure he keeps us in control. Hormonal secretions drive our desires and our need to replicate. Sex and attracting a mate is at the root of 90% of our endeavours. To bind us further in chains the impostor god gave us the neo cortex so we would be conscious of our need for sex and the reptile mind to carry out premeditated sexual violence, paedophilia and rape. The ace up his sleeve is our ego with its pontifications and smug conceit…the AI installation, the chattering voice that on one hand eggs us on and on the other tells us we are worthless. See my article Prisoners of the Voice.
To add to our Spiritual problems, we are fed daily doses of fear by the media, brainwashed by false narratives, and kept in fear by the control religions.
Let’s be honest as a species we are a mess! And, our spiritual disease is reflected in our daily lives.
The Demiurge makes sure we are constantly distracted and does not allow our Spirit, our connection to Source Creator to manifest Itself. Instead he wants us to act through his soul(the nous) and not our Divine Spirit. This is the reason for the constant bloodshed of war and the horrific trade in animal flesh. Killing our fellow man and the creatures is an attack upon our Spiritual self and arrests our spiritual development. But most people …the hyletics don’t give a shit as long as their depraved appetites are satiated.
In other articles on the blog, we have read about the Archetype of Man containing all creation. That the animals are aspects of Self spread out across the external world…the fox nature, the rat nature are all within us. In metaphysical understanding ‘out there’ the external world is an illusion and we are All One Life.
Gods end-game
We are told that god made us in his image. I think his end-game is to transform us into spirit-less beings like himself: Homo Borgiensis ! And, for him to succeed in killing our Divine connection, it is essential that we do not wake up to our plight… that we stay sleepwalking…so that he can lead us, like zombies, through successive reincarnations, and keep us chained to the wheel of energetic debt.
Digital reality is becoming the new reality for billions of people…next comes the chip and man’s connection to Source Creation will be entirely extinguished. Then the Demiurge can build his army of cyborgs to go to other realms and genetically manipulate those who walk with True Creator and make them fall into density. And, if that doesn’t turn out the way he wants it…he’ll throw a tantrum, destroy this world and build another construct.
We call it extinction and it has happened before.
All a bit much this, isn’t it…but it sure explains a lot.
The horror of waking up
When we wake up and start to see things as they really are, we think we have lost it! gone stark staring mad. This paradigm if true is shattering to the hive mind and will be instantly rejected.
It’s uncomfortable and disorientating to ‘real-eyes’ that everything we have been taught is a lie. It’s unnerving to find out that we are living in an open air lunatic asylum and controlled by a madman who thinks he is a god. For the average Joe it’s just too much to handle. He can’t assimilate…or find sense in the information because it is so contrary to his programming. So he swigs his beer and
We’ll leave it for right now…there’s a lot to digest. If the information in the article interests you then please watch the video. “I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.” Acts 2:19
Remphan the Star of Saturn appeared around the sun during the ring of fire eclipse on DEC 26th…the last day of Saturnalia. I think this is indicative of something coming and we will talk about it next time.
Stay strong in the Spirit.
Until next time much love.
About the Author
Elva Thompson was born in England in 1947 and moved to Rosebud Lakota reservation in 1987. She is the author of the Heartstar Series; Book One: The Key made of Air, and Book Two: The Gates to Pandemonia. Her other interests include organic gardening, ancient phonetic languages, sonic sound and their application in the healing arts. She is also a medical intuitive and teaches sonic re-patterning using sound, colour, and essential oils. Elva Thompson is on Amazon Author Central @ amazon.com/author/heartstar


wakingtimes--2020-01-07--Illegal Tin Mining Leaves Trail of Ruin in Protected Brazilian Rainforest

The damage only became clear once the rain stopped and the clouds parted over Altamira National Forest in northern Brazil .
Instead of dense jungle , large patches of bare land now flanked the banks of the rivers snaking through this protected stretch of the Amazon rainforest .
Floresta Nacional de Altamira ( Flona de Altamira ) spans some 724,965 hectares in the northern state of Pará , with the bulk of the territory stretching across the municipality of Altamira .
It is home to a rich diversity of plants and animals , including several species threatened with extinction such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and the Amazonian manatee ( Trichechus inunguis ) .
The area was once a hallmark of sustainable forestry , in a region of the Brazilian Amazon where haphazard clearing and illegal deforestation are the norm .
Under federal protection since 1998 , Flona de Altamira holds a status that only allows regulated activities like licensed logging .
Over the years , it became home to the largest area of forest concessions in the country .
The goal was to boost the local economy , while minimizing the impact on biodiversity .
Satellite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maryland ( UMD ) show illegal deforestation has surged in Flona de Altamira over the past year , with local sources pointing to illegal mines , known as garimpos , as the key culprit in most of the protected area .
About 300 hectares were deforested between January and October 2019 just for mining , according to Thaise Rodrigues , a remote sensing specialist with Rede Xingu+ , a network of environmental and indigenous groups working in the Xingu Basin .
This represents an increase of 85 percent over the prior year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pressure has come from a large clearing in its western frontier of the territory , “ where a clandestine airstrip was built between May and June 2019 , ” Rodrigues noted .
Miners – or garimpeiros – often carve out makeshift airstrips deep in the Amazon , allowing supplies and equipment to be flown into densely forested areas by plane .
Many also come with heavy machinery , including excavators , that can clear large chunks of forest easily .
Local sources say most of the miners invading Flona de Altamira are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main ore of tin .
Gold miners , cattle ranchers and loggers in search of valuable tree varieties are also present in the area .
Some of the invaders have also been carving out clandestine roads to help with the transport of minerals and timber out of the forest .
Authorities first detected the increase in mining activity in April , the government source said .
But , faced with dwindling resources and a surge in forest clearing across the Amazon this year , federal agents only made their first raid on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the mining equipment and handed out fines – but , by that point , extensive and irreversible damage had already been done , according to the enforcement source .
Yet , following this initial crackdown , the forest clearing in Flona de Altamira resumed with force , with UMD data and imagery from Planet Labs showing a particularly dramatic increase in deforestation at several mining sites between October and November .
This prompted authorities to go back twice more in November and December .
Like in much of Brazil , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its roots in the broader development of the Amazon region in the 1970s and 1980s .
The construction of the BR-163 , a behemoth highway stretching thousands of kilometers from the south of Brazil through the heart of the Amazon Basin , served as a catalyst : the eventual paving of the road in the 1990s brought a flood of people scouring the unexplored region for gold and other minerals .
The Flona de Altamira protected area was formed mostly to guard against such encroachment .
The territory was also seen by Funai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the interests of indigenous people , as a crucial buffer for the neighboring Xipaya and Kuruayá indigenous lands .
But now , far-right president Jair Bolsonaro is sending much more encouraging signals to invaders – and local sources say this is emboldening illegal miners .
The controversial new leader has been sharply critical of land protections , casting them as an “ obstacle ” to development and mining .
Bolsonaro – who has his own history of illegal mining in the Amazon – has also repeatedly vowed not to demarcate a centimeter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his administration is pushing forward a bill that would permit mining on indigenous land .
The president also supports reducing the boundaries of some protected areas and opening up the 4.6-million hectare Renca reserve to miners , a move that his predecessor Michel Temer abandoned following an international outcry and a federal court ruling .
This rhetoric has fueled the invasion of Flona de Altamira , which was already under mounting pressure from widespread clearing in the surrounding area , Fonseca said .
Deforestation by miners , cattle ranchers and loggers has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do Jamanxim , which lies just southwest of it .
Meanwhile , rising tin prices gave a further incentive to miners this year , encouraging them to invade the mineral-rich Flona de Altamira .
In March 2019 , global tin prices hit their highest in more than a year , aided by a large expected deficit and rising demand for the metal , which is used in a variety of products ranging from cell phones to toothpaste .
Tin prices have since fallen , with smaller spikes in September and December .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is less costly and difficult , making the activity particularly attractive to speculators , according to local sources .
Illegal miners – many of whom are impoverished , illiterate men – have flocked to Flona de Altamira with the hopes of striking it rich .
Across the Brazilian Amazon , there are more than 450 illegal mines in the Brazilian Amazon , according to the Rede Amazónica de Información Socioambiental Georreferenciada ( RAISG ) , a consortium of civil society organizations .
Thousands of illegal miners toil away at these sites , extracting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Authorities have been trying to combat illegal mining in Flona de Altamira for years – but the recent spike in activity signals they may be losing the war .
As budgets at environmental agencies have been slashed in recent years , the state ’ s presence in the region has been dramatically weakened .
Ibama , ICMBio and Funai have been forced to reduce staff and shut posts in remote parts of Brazil , leaving illegal miners free to invade protected territories without fear of being detected .
Environmental enforcement – already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deteriorated under Bolsonaro ’ s watch .
Fines for environmental crimes have plummeted since he assumed office to their lowest in a decade , and earlier this year the president stripped Ibama , the country ’ s main environment agency , of some of its powers .
Recently , Bolsonaro sent a further positive signal to miners and loggers when he personally stepped in to stop Ibama from destroying machinery seized during a raid on a protected territory in Roraima .
In Flona de Altamira , the reduced state presence has had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected area multiple times in 2016 and 2017 , doling out fines and destroying equipment , sources said .
Yet authorities stepped back from the area entirely in 2018 and returned this year only to find mining activity had surged back with renewed force .
Meanwhile , illegal miners have become bolder , as the Bolsonaro administration has signaled it may be on their side .
In late October , they blocked several key highways in Pará and demanded that the government legalize their activity and stop enforcement agents from damaging mining equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Altamira has also seen a surge of deforestation driven by clandestine road-building and illegal agricultural development , as cattle ranchers convert more forest to pastures .
By comparison , mining generally accounts for far less forest destruction – but it can leave a profound imprint on ecosystems and water resources .
In Flona de Altamira , local sources point to the surge in mining activity as a key contributor to the stark deterioration in the water quality of Rio Aruri .
While some tin ore can be found in ground rock , most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and along river banks .
When forest and topsoil are removed from shorelines for mineral extraction , soil and mining waste run unobstructed directly into the river when it rains .
Tin ore mines also use water from nearby rivers for hydraulic extraction and then dispose of the waste in mining ponds and tailings dams nearby .
Research has linked highly toxic tin ore waste stored in tailings dams to dramatic pollution of soil , vegetation , surface water and groundwater .
In the case of gold mining , where mercury is often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact on human and animal health can be devastating .
Studies have linked exposure to the element to skin disease , infertility and birth defects .
Mercury can also contaminate fish populations , travelling vast distances and amplifying in toxicity up the food chain .
The pollution entering Rio Aruri then flows further afield , contaminating other regions and communities .
Notably , Rio Ariri connects with the larger Rio Jamanxim , an important river that winds through several protected areas , including Floresta Naciona de Itaituba and the Área de Proteção Ambiental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Rio Jamanxim also flows into Rio Tapajós – a major tributary of the Amazon River .
Activists in the region also worry about the impact on neighboring protected areas , such as the Xipaya , Kuruayá and Bau indigenous territories .
Across the Brazilian Amazon , some 18 indigenous territories have already been invaded by illegal miners , according to RAISG .
“ There ’ s huge pressure on indigenous lands from mining , ” Aguiar said .
The region around Flona de Altamira is also home to river-dwelling and other traditional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the forest .
These communities often rely on the local rivers to fish and sustain their traditional lifestyles .
Conservationists and activists working in the area say the invasion of the region – and the pollution of the area ’ s water sources – can have detrimental impacts on the health and livelihoods of those dependent on the forest for survival .
Morgan has been writing for Mongabay since 2008 and came on full-time in 2014 .
Trained in biology , Morgan has taken any available opportunity to learn more about the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aboard longliners and freighters in the South Pacific to evaluating river health in western Montana .
Morgan spent eight years editing technical papers before jumping into journalism , with more than 50 manuscripts under her belt .
Currently , she manages Mongabay ’ s forests and global palm oil reporting programs .
**This article ( Illegal Tin Mining Leaves Trail of Ruin in Protected Brazilian Rainforest ) was originally posted at Mongabay.com and is re-posted here with permission .
**

Illegal Tin Mining Leaves Trail of Ruin in Protected Brazilian Rainforest
Morgan Erickson-Davis, Mongabay
Waking Times
The damage only became clear once the rain stopped and the clouds parted over Altamira National Forest in northern Brazil. Instead of dense jungle, large patches of bare land now flanked the banks of the rivers snaking through this protected stretch of the Amazon rainforest.
“When we got a clean satellite image, we just saw devastation,” said one source at a government environmental agency, who asked to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak on the matter. “We never saw anything like that in Altamira.”
Floresta Nacional de Altamira (Flona de Altamira) spans some 724,965 hectares in the northern state of Pará, with the bulk of the territory stretching across the municipality of Altamira. It is home to a rich diversity of plants and animals, including several species threatened with extinction such as the giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) and the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis).
The area was once a hallmark of sustainable forestry, in a region of the Brazilian Amazon where haphazard clearing and illegal deforestation are the norm. Under federal protection since 1998, Flona de Altamira holds a status that only allows regulated activities like licensed logging. Over the years, it became home to the largest area of forest concessions in the country. The goal was to boost the local economy, while minimizing the impact on biodiversity.
“It used to be our example of how things could work here, how we could create jobs, how we could use the Amazon rainforest in a sustainable way,” the government agent said. “And then everything fell apart.”
Escalating deforestation
Satellite data and imagery from the University of Maryland (UMD) show illegal deforestation has surged in Flona de Altamira over the past year, with local sources pointing to illegal mines, known as garimpos, as the key culprit in most of the protected area.
About 300 hectares were deforested between January and October 2019 just for mining, according to Thaise Rodrigues, a remote sensing specialist with Rede Xingu+, a network of environmental and indigenous groups working in the Xingu Basin.
This represents an increase of 85 percent over the prior year, Rede Xingu+ data show. Part of the pressure has come from a large clearing in its western frontier of the territory, “where a clandestine airstrip was built between May and June 2019,” Rodrigues noted.
Miners – or garimpeiros – often carve out makeshift airstrips deep in the Amazon, allowing supplies and equipment to be flown into densely forested areas by plane. Many also come with heavy machinery, including excavators, that can clear large chunks of forest easily.
Local sources say most of the miners invading Flona de Altamira are scouring for the mineral cassiterite, the main ore of tin. Gold miners, cattle ranchers and loggers in search of valuable tree varieties are also present in the area. Some of the invaders have also been carving out clandestine roads to help with the transport of minerals and timber out of the forest.
Authorities first detected the increase in mining activity in April, the government source said. But, faced with dwindling resources and a surge in forest clearing across the Amazon this year, federal agents only made their first raid on the area in late August. They destroyed some of the mining equipment and handed out fines – but, by that point, extensive and irreversible damage had already been done, according to the enforcement source.
Yet, following this initial crackdown, the forest clearing in Flona de Altamira resumed with force, with UMD data and imagery from Planet Labs showing a particularly dramatic increase in deforestation at several mining sites between October and November. This prompted authorities to go back twice more in November and December.
“Now that we have a government that is way more hostile to the environment, the garimpeiros feel more powerful, they feel they can be successful,” said the enforcement source.
Mounting pressure
Like in much of Brazil, the mining fever gripping Flona de Altamira has its roots in the broader development of the Amazon region in the 1970s and 1980s. The construction of the BR-163, a behemoth highway stretching thousands of kilometers from the south of Brazil through the heart of the Amazon Basin, served as a catalyst: the eventual paving of the road in the 1990s brought a flood of people scouring the unexplored region for gold and other minerals.
“All of the deforestation started when we created a road,” said Antônio Victor Fonseca, an environmental engineer and researcher at Instituto do Homem e Meio Ambiente da Amazônia (Imazon). “So the government had this idea that we need to protect this area or we will lose all the forest here.”
The Flona de Altamira protected area was formed mostly to guard against such encroachment. The territory was also seen by Funai, the federal agency responsible for protecting the interests of indigenous people, as a crucial buffer for the neighboring Xipaya and Kuruayá indigenous lands.
But now, far-right president Jair Bolsonaro is sending much more encouraging signals to invaders – and local sources say this is emboldening illegal miners. The controversial new leader has been sharply critical of land protections, casting them as an “obstacle” to development and mining.
Bolsonaro – who has his own history of illegal mining in the Amazon – has also repeatedly vowed not to demarcate a centimeter of additional land for indigenous people. Currently, his administration is pushing forward a bill that would permit mining on indigenous land.
The president also supports reducing the boundaries of some protected areas and opening up the 4.6-million hectare Renca reserve to miners, a move that his predecessor Michel Temer abandoned following an international outcry and a federal court ruling.
“The interest in the Amazon isn’t in the Indian or the [expletive] tree – it’s in the mining,” Bolsonaro said in an impromptu speech to miners in October, referring to foreign investment interest.
This rhetoric has fueled the invasion of Flona de Altamira, which was already under mounting pressure from widespread clearing in the surrounding area, Fonseca said. Deforestation by miners, cattle ranchers and loggers has been particularly relentless in the Floresta Nacional do Jamanxim, which lies just southwest of it.
“We have a lot of pressure here,” said Fonseca. “This region is very, very critical because we already have a lot of deforestation around it.”
Meanwhile, rising tin prices gave a further incentive to miners this year, encouraging them to invade the mineral-rich Flona de Altamira. In March 2019, global tin prices hit their highest in more than a year, aided by a large expected deficit and rising demand for the metal, which is used in a variety of products ranging from cell phones to toothpaste. Tin prices have since fallen, with smaller spikes in September and December.
But unlike gold mining, extracting tin ore is less costly and difficult, making the activity particularly attractive to speculators, according to local sources. Illegal miners – many of whom are impoverished, illiterate men – have flocked to Flona de Altamira with the hopes of striking it rich.
Across the Brazilian Amazon, there are more than 450 illegal mines in the Brazilian Amazon, according to the Rede Amazónica de Información Socioambiental Georreferenciada (RAISG), a consortium of civil society organizations. Thousands of illegal miners toil away at these sites, extracting resources like tin, gold and nickel.
“They see the Amazon as this huge place that must be exploited, that must be invaded,” said Danicley Aguiar, a senior campaigner with Greenpeace Brazil. “It’s a predatory economic model.”
Losing the battle
Authorities have been trying to combat illegal mining in Flona de Altamira for years – but the recent spike in activity signals they may be losing the war.
As budgets at environmental agencies have been slashed in recent years, the state’s presence in the region has been dramatically weakened. Ibama, ICMBio and Funai have been forced to reduce staff and shut posts in remote parts of Brazil, leaving illegal miners free to invade protected territories without fear of being detected.
Environmental enforcement – already undermined by prior administrations – has further deteriorated under Bolsonaro’s watch. Fines for environmental crimes have plummeted since he assumed office to their lowest in a decade, and earlier this year the president stripped Ibama, the country’s main environment agency, of some of its powers.
Recently, Bolsonaro sent a further positive signal to miners and loggers when he personally stepped in to stop Ibama from destroying machinery seized during a raid on a protected territory in Roraima.
In Flona de Altamira, the reduced state presence has had a tangible impact. Environmental agents raided the protected area multiple times in 2016 and 2017, doling out fines and destroying equipment, sources said. Yet authorities stepped back from the area entirely in 2018 and returned this year only to find mining activity had surged back with renewed force.
Meanwhile, illegal miners have become bolder, as the Bolsonaro administration has signaled it may be on their side. In late October, they blocked several key highways in Pará and demanded that the government legalize their activity and stop enforcement agents from damaging mining equipment.
“When this type of rhetoric is put on the table, it’s only natural that garimpeiros will feel supported by the government in their activity,” Aguiar said. “It creates an expectation.”
Lost forests, polluted rivers
In recent months, Flona de Altamira has also seen a surge of deforestation driven by clandestine road-building and illegal agricultural development, as cattle ranchers convert more forest to pastures.
By comparison, mining generally accounts for far less forest destruction – but it can leave a profound imprint on ecosystems and water resources. In Flona de Altamira, local sources point to the surge in mining activity as a key contributor to the stark deterioration in the water quality of Rio Aruri.
While some tin ore can be found in ground rock, most easily accessible deposits are concentrated in streams and along river banks. When forest and topsoil are removed from shorelines for mineral extraction, soil and mining waste run unobstructed directly into the river when it rains.
Tin ore mines also use water from nearby rivers for hydraulic extraction and then dispose of the waste in mining ponds and tailings dams nearby. Research has linked highly toxic tin ore waste stored in tailings dams to dramatic pollution of soil, vegetation, surface water and groundwater.
In the case of gold mining, where mercury is often used in the extraction process, the impact on human and animal health can be devastating. Studies have linked exposure to the element to skin disease, infertility and birth defects. Mercury can also contaminate fish populations, travelling vast distances and amplifying in toxicity up the food chain.
The pollution entering Rio Aruri then flows further afield, contaminating other regions and communities. Notably, Rio Ariri connects with the larger Rio Jamanxim, an important river that winds through several protected areas, including Floresta Naciona de Itaituba and the Área de Proteção Ambiental do Jamanxim. A few kilometres upstream, Rio Jamanxim also flows into Rio Tapajós – a major tributary of the Amazon River.
Activists in the region also worry about the impact on neighboring protected areas, such as the Xipaya, Kuruayá and Bau indigenous territories. Across the Brazilian Amazon, some 18 indigenous territories have already been invaded by illegal miners, according to RAISG. “There’s huge pressure on indigenous lands from mining,” Aguiar said.
The region around Flona de Altamira is also home to river-dwelling and other traditional communities whose members harvest Brazil nuts within the forest. These communities often rely on the local rivers to fish and sustain their traditional lifestyles.
Conservationists and activists working in the area say the invasion of the region – and the pollution of the area’s water sources – can have detrimental impacts on the health and livelihoods of those dependent on the forest for survival.
“The problem is, when you contaminate the water, the impacts travel,” Aguiar said. “A mine has the power to impact thousands of people – it can affect generations.”
About the Author
Morgan has been writing for Mongabay since 2008 and came on full-time in 2014. Trained in biology, Morgan has taken any available opportunity to learn more about the world, from working as a fisheries biologist aboard longliners and freighters in the South Pacific to evaluating river health in western Montana. Morgan spent eight years editing technical papers before jumping into journalism, with more than 50 manuscripts under her belt. Currently, she manages Mongabay’s forests and global palm oil reporting programs.
**This article (Illegal Tin Mining Leaves Trail of Ruin in Protected Brazilian Rainforest) was originally posted at Mongabay.com and is re-posted here with permission.**


wakingtimes--2020-01-07--Google and Big Tech Bought Congress

Google and Big Tech Bought Congress

Taking on Google , the biggest monopoly the world has ever seen , is no small task , but 50 state attorneys general are making the effort , having launched an antitrust investigation in September 20191 that will reportedly be expanded to include Google ’ s search and Android businesses as well.2 The probe , led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton , initially focused on the company ’ s advertising arm and its use of consumer data , but as noted by Recode editor-at-large Kara Swisher in the November 14 , 2019 , CNBC interview above , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s advertising business without entering into search and Android as well , since everything the company does is interconnected .
“ You ’ re going to see a lot of action everywhere , sort of coalescing around the same things , because some of these problems can be met with regulation , some of them with fines , some of them with antitrust action and some of them with breakup .
But this is the beginning phase of investigation , and you have to look at search and Android if you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it comes to Google and Facebook and other companies , ” Swisher says .
The legal sidebar document , “ Regulating Big Tech : Legal Implications , ” 3 issued by the Congressional Research Service in September 2019 , lists a number of proposed policy changes and what they would accomplish from a legal standpoint .
Who knows , the attorneys ’ general investigation may need to expand even further , as Google is branching into banking as well .
Through a partnership with Citigroup and a San Francisco University credit union , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accounts tied to Google Pay sometime in 2020 .
As reported by CBS News November 13 , 2019:4 “ Google ’ s move into checking comes at a time when other Big Tech companies like Apple and Facebook are looking to dive deeper into consumer banking and financial services .
It ’ s also happening at a time when consumer watchdogs and lawmakers increasingly warn that those same companies are getting too large and may have too much control over Americans ’ personal data .
‘ When competition expands that ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a financial services consultant who specializes in bank accounts … ‘ Big question that it raises is will Google share that data , and that is a big privacy concern , ’ Moebs said … Checking accounts could offer Google plenty of new consumer data , including how much people are paid , how much they spend and where and when they spend.
” When asked for a comment on Google ’ s expansion into checking accounts , Swisher says , “ They just keep going .
That ’ s the thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the areas that are big are finance and health care , and you see [ them ] move into both of these areas in a strong way.
” Whether any of these probes will lead to significant changes remain to be seen , however .
Previous U.S. investigations have fizzled and been dropped.6 The European Union has taken a far stronger stance against the monopoly thus far , issuing a $ 5 billion fine in July 2018 for Android antitrust abuse.7 Google was ordered to cease favoring its own company by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ devices with a suite of Google apps .
In 2017 , the EU also fined Google $ 2.7 billion for unfairly favoring its own shopping service over its competitors.8 According to CNBC:9 Personally , I doubt fines will ever set Google on the right path .
It ’ s so big , even fines in the billions of dollars end up being too small to act as a deterrent .
The company can make up for such losses in too short a time .
As reported by CNBC,10,11 Google is also trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed an order of protection against Texas CIDs requesting information the company deems confidential .
In its filing , Google claims two consultants hired by the attorney general have working relationships with competitors , and might misuse the information .
Google and other Big Tech companies are also pursuing legal protection via various free trade agreements .
As reported by the Los Angeles Times October 16 , 2019:12 “ A bipartisan group of lawmakers is stepping up efforts to have U.S. trade officials eliminate a legal liability shield that tech companies are pushing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a deal to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement awaiting approval by Congress … The lawmakers … were examining whether tech giants should continue to benefit from Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act , which provides internet platforms liability protection for user-generated content .
Online platforms such as Google and Facebook Inc. prize the provision of U.S. law , and their trade groups are also pushing for the extension of similar protections internationally that would unify policy among countries in trade deals such as the pact to replace NAFTA and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … But Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois , chairwoman of the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee , told reporters … that language similar to Section 230 has no place in a trade agreement .
‘ It is a uniquely American law , and we ’ re in the midst of a discussion about it , and this is a gift to Big Tech to insert it into trade agreements , ’ Schakowsky said … The hearing comes amid growing skepticism among lawmakers about whether social media companies should keep the legal protection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they struggle to stem drug and gun sales and offensive content on their platforms .
Tech companies value the measure because it saves them from having to review users ’ posts before they ’ re published online and then shields them from lawsuits if that content turns out to be problematic , which critics say allows the companies to avoid taking responsibility for dangerous and illegal content .
Yet the companies emphasized that the law also can protect their moves to remove violence and misinformation , which they say is needed to police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Global Expansion of Section 230 The main reason Big Tech wants to insert privileges mirroring those of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act into all future trade deals is to shield them from foreign regulators , The New York Times says , noting that:13 American legislators have become increasingly critical of Section 230 in light of Google and other internet platforms ’ apparent political biases and ability to hinder the free flow of information from both sides of the political aisle .
To be clear , a primary problem with Section 230 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreements — is that it allows Google , YouTube and Facebook to filter out and essentially censor whatever they want while still qualifying as a platform rather than a curator of content .
As reported by R Street:14 In short , the law facilitates Google ’ s bias , and its hiding of bias .
That said , Section 230 is also in large part what allows for true free speech online , as illustrated in a July 2019 Reason article,15 and its elimination would make online discussions far riskier , from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted by Reason:16 Clearly , these are complex issues with no clear and simple answers .
While some view Section 230 as a gift to Big Tech , others argue that its removal would impact smaller platforms to a far greater degree than Google , and would stifle free exchange of opinions for fear of liability for offensive content posted by users .
Whatever happens , if you care about your privacy and unbiased access to information , especially health information , you ’ d be wise to minimize your Google footprint by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to minimize Google ’ s influence over your life include : • Stop using Chrome — Use Brave as an alternative browser .
It is based on the same software , chromium , so it is easy to switch your favorites and bookmarks over , but it preserves your privacy • Stop using Gmail — ProtonMail , which provides end-to-end encryption and less spam , is an excellent option • Switch from an Android phone ( powered by Google ) to an iPhone — While not perfect , iPhone is slightly better of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are alternatives for most if not all Google products , and by using these other companies , we can help them grow so that Google becomes less and less relevant .
Also , stop using Google docs ( Digital Trends has published an article suggesting a number of alternatives21 ) and if you ’ re a high school student , do not convert the Google accounts you created as a student into personal accounts .

Google and Big Tech Bought Congress
Dr. Mercola, Guest
Waking Times
Taking on Google, the biggest monopoly the world has ever seen, is no small task, but 50 state attorneys general are making the effort, having launched an antitrust investigation in September 20191 that will reportedly be expanded to include Google’s search and Android businesses as well.2
The probe, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, initially focused on the company’s advertising arm and its use of consumer data, but as noted by Recode editor-at-large Kara Swisher in the November 14, 2019, CNBC interview above, it’s virtually impossible to look at Google’s advertising business without entering into search and Android as well, since everything the company does is interconnected.
“You’re going to see a lot of action everywhere, sort of coalescing around the same things, because some of these problems can be met with regulation, some of them with fines, some of them with antitrust action and some of them with breakup. But this is the beginning phase of investigation, and you have to look at search and Android if you’re going to look at advertising when it comes to Google and Facebook and other companies,” Swisher says.
The legal sidebar document, “Regulating Big Tech: Legal Implications,”3 issued by the Congressional Research Service in September 2019, lists a number of proposed policy changes and what they would accomplish from a legal standpoint.
Google Moves Into Banking
Who knows, the attorneys’ general investigation may need to expand even further, as Google is branching into banking as well. Through a partnership with Citigroup and a San Francisco University credit union, the company is planning to offer checking accounts tied to Google Pay sometime in 2020. As reported by CBS News November 13, 2019:4
“Google’s move into checking comes at a time when other Big Tech companies like Apple and Facebook are looking to dive deeper into consumer banking and financial services. It’s also happening at a time when consumer watchdogs and lawmakers increasingly warn that those same companies are getting too large and may have too much control over Americans’ personal data. ‘When competition expands that’s a good thing,’ said Mike Moebs, a financial services consultant who specializes in bank accounts … ‘Big question that it raises is will Google share that data, and that is a big privacy concern,’ Moebs said … Checking accounts could offer Google plenty of new consumer data, including how much people are paid, how much they spend and where and when they spend.”
When asked for a comment on Google’s expansion into checking accounts, Swisher says, “They just keep going. That’s the thing about these companies … they need growth, and the areas that are big are finance and health care, and you see [them] move into both of these areas in a strong way.”
Google Files for Order of Protection
According to CNBC,5 “States can be more aggressive in antitrust investigations than federal regulators, because they are less constrained by the lobbying and political forces that consume Washington, D.C.” That said, Google is also under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department.
Whether any of these probes will lead to significant changes remain to be seen, however. Previous U.S. investigations have fizzled and been dropped.6 The European Union has taken a far stronger stance against the monopoly thus far, issuing a $5 billion fine in July 2018 for Android antitrust abuse.7
Google was ordered to cease favoring its own company by forcing Android manufacturers to exclusively pre-install the devices with a suite of Google apps. In 2017, the EU also fined Google $2.7 billion for unfairly favoring its own shopping service over its competitors.8 According to CNBC:9
“With that track record, the attorneys general investigating Google likely already have a broad vision of the case they wish to pursue against Google. They will use their CID [civil investigative demand] requests to seek materials like emails and strategy documents to support that view, while looking for evidence of clear anti-competitive behavior. The requests can be a means of filling in holes in evidence, or a tactic to build up pressure on a company in hopes of forcing a settlement.”
Personally, I doubt fines will ever set Google on the right path. It’s so big, even fines in the billions of dollars end up being too small to act as a deterrent. The company can make up for such losses in too short a time.
As reported by CNBC,10,11 Google is also trying to block access to certain information, having filed an order of protection against Texas CIDs requesting information the company deems confidential. In its filing, Google claims two consultants hired by the attorney general have working relationships with competitors, and might misuse the information.
Internet Companies Seek Protection in Trade Agreements
Google and other Big Tech companies are also pursuing legal protection via various free trade agreements. As reported by the Los Angeles Times October 16, 2019:12
“A bipartisan group of lawmakers is stepping up efforts to have U.S. trade officials eliminate a legal liability shield that tech companies are pushing to keep in new agreements, including a deal to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement awaiting approval by Congress … The lawmakers … were examining whether tech giants should continue to benefit from Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which provides internet platforms liability protection for user-generated content. Online platforms such as Google and Facebook Inc. prize the provision of U.S. law, and their trade groups are also pushing for the extension of similar protections internationally that would unify policy among countries in trade deals such as the pact to replace NAFTA and a proposal for a deal with Japan … But Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, chairwoman of the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee, told reporters … that language similar to Section 230 has no place in a trade agreement. ‘It is a uniquely American law, and we’re in the midst of a discussion about it, and this is a gift to Big Tech to insert it into trade agreements,’ Schakowsky said … The hearing comes amid growing skepticism among lawmakers about whether social media companies should keep the legal protection as a part of U.S. law as they struggle to stem drug and gun sales and offensive content on their platforms. Tech companies value the measure because it saves them from having to review users’ posts before they’re published online and then shields them from lawsuits if that content turns out to be problematic, which critics say allows the companies to avoid taking responsibility for dangerous and illegal content. Yet the companies emphasized that the law also can protect their moves to remove violence and misinformation, which they say is needed to police their online spaces.”
The Problem With Global Expansion of Section 230
The main reason Big Tech wants to insert privileges mirroring those of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act into all future trade deals is to shield them from foreign regulators, The New York Times says, noting that:13
“Europe has enacted tough policies to curb the behavior of companies like Facebook and Google and passed laws to deal with privacy, hate speech and disinformation. China has largely cordoned itself off from the rest of the internet, allowing Beijing to censor political content and bolster Chinese tech companies like Alibaba and Tencent. In India, Indonesia, Russia and Vietnam, governments are introducing regulations to ostensibly protect their citizens’ privacy and build domestic internet industries that critics say will stymie the ability of American companies to provide services in those countries. The United States wants its more permissive rules to form the basis for worldwide regulation.”
American legislators have become increasingly critical of Section 230 in light of Google and other internet platforms’ apparent political biases and ability to hinder the free flow of information from both sides of the political aisle.
To be clear, a primary problem with Section 230 — and its expansion globally through trade agreements — is that it allows Google, YouTube and Facebook to filter out and essentially censor whatever they want while still qualifying as a platform rather than a curator of content. As reported by R Street:14
“By clarifying that platforms are not the publisher or speaker of user-generated content, the law allows platforms to moderate user content that serves to harass or stifle the speech of others while giving them the flexibility to leave up potentially controversial but legitimate posts without fear that they will be sued.”
In short, the law facilitates Google’s bias, and its hiding of bias. That said, Section 230 is also in large part what allows for true free speech online, as illustrated in a July 2019 Reason article,15 and its elimination would make online discussions far riskier, from a legal standpoint, for everyone. As noted by Reason:16
“Section 230 stipulates, in essence, that digital services or platforms and their users are not one and the same and thus shouldn’t automatically be held legally liable for each other’s speech and conduct … Without it, they would face extraordinary legal liability. A world without Section 230 could sink all but the biggest companies, or force them to severely curtail the speech of their users in order to avoid legal trouble.”
Do a Google Detox
Clearly, these are complex issues with no clear and simple answers. While some view Section 230 as a gift to Big Tech, others argue that its removal would impact smaller platforms to a far greater degree than Google, and would stifle free exchange of opinions for fear of liability for offensive content posted by users.
Whatever happens, if you care about your privacy and unbiased access to information, especially health information, you’d be wise to minimize your Google footprint by ditching its services. Suggestions on how to minimize Google’s influence over your life include:
Stop using Google search — Options include Qwant, 17 DuckDuckGo 18 and Startpage 19 Stop using Chrome — Use Brave as an alternative browser. It is based on the same software, chromium, so it is easy to switch your favorites and bookmarks over, but it preserves your privacy Stop using Gmail — ProtonMail, 20 which provides end-to-end encryption and less spam, is an excellent option Switch from an Android phone (powered by Google) to an iPhone — While not perfect, iPhone is slightly better of the two in terms of privacy protections
There are alternatives for most if not all Google products, and by using these other companies, we can help them grow so that Google becomes less and less relevant. Also, stop using Google docs (Digital Trends has published an article suggesting a number of alternatives21) and if you’re a high school student, do not convert the Google accounts you created as a student into personal accounts.


wakingtimes--2020-01-07--Robert Irwin Holds Back Tears Discussing Australian Bushfires as Family Saves 90,000 Animals

As Australia continues to burn in an unprecedented bushfire crisis , the horrifying toll on wildlife is having a heavy impact on animal-lovers and conservationists .
Last week , University of Sydney ecologists expressed fears that nearly half a billion animals—including 8,000 koalas—have been killed since the fires broke out in September .
Over the weekend , an estimated 25,000 additional koalas burned to death when the fire extended to Kangaroo Island , potentially wiping out entire rare and endangered species .
Amid the tragedy , the family of the late “ Crocodile Hunter ” Steve Irwin—who passed away in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working around the clock helping treat a record-breaking influx of animal patients at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital .
On Sunday , Steve Irwin ’ s 16-year son Robert showed clear signs of distress as he told Sunrise about the emotional toll of the crisis .
He said : His mother Terri then explained why the fires have decimated the country ’ s beloved koala population , in particular .
She said : “ The consideration with koalas is that their instinct is to go up , safety is in the top of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire , eucalyptus trees have so much oil in their leaves they actually ignite and explode .
So being able to treat koalas is few and far between because they ’ re basically incinerated , which is absolutely heartbreaking .
But now is the time we need to look at more than just setting aside habitat .
Koalas are classed as vulnerable and I think that after this event we need to really sit down and look at classing them as endangered and protecting our icons , our kangaroos , our koalas.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which animals have been harmed by the fires .
He said : “ We ’ re seeing all kinds of different injuries .
Obviously smoke inhalation and burns are happening frequently , but also animals are going into areas where they ’ re not supposed to be to escape the horrific conditions.
” This means they ’ re getting hit by cars and are being attacked by domestic animals , so there ’ s a horrific knock on effect.
” The family of “ wildlife warriors ” has officially treated over 90,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to 21-year-old Bindi Irwin .
The animals include birds , koalas , possums , platypus , and other rare creatures unique to the Australian continent .
Last week , Bindi said in an Instagram post : “ With so many devastating fires within Australia , my heart breaks for the people and wildlife who have lost so much .
I wanted to let you know that we are SAFE .
There are no fires near us @ AustraliaZoo or our conservation properties .
Our Wildlife Hospital is busier than ever though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
My parents dedicated our Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital to my beautiful grandmother .
We will continue to honour her by being Wildlife Warriors and saving as many lives as we can .
”

Robert Irwin Holds Back Tears Discussing Australian Bushfires as Family Saves 90,000 Animals
Elias Marat, The Mind Unleashed
Waking Times
As Australia continues to burn in an unprecedented bushfire crisis, the horrifying toll on wildlife is having a heavy impact on animal-lovers and conservationists.
Last week, University of Sydney ecologists expressed fears that nearly half a billion animals—including 8,000 koalas—have been killed since the fires broke out in September. Over the weekend, an estimated 25,000 additional koalas burned to death when the fire extended to Kangaroo Island, potentially wiping out entire rare and endangered species.
Amid the tragedy, the family of the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin—who passed away in 2006 while filming an ocean documentary—has been working around the clock helping treat a record-breaking influx of animal patients at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital.
On Sunday, Steve Irwin’s 16-year son Robert showed clear signs of distress as he told Sunrise about the emotional toll of the crisis. He said:
“It’s definitely an ongoing issue and we’re just trying to do our best to help in any way we can. But it’s a pretty tough situation. We’re absolutely heartbroken.
"Being able to treat and help koalas is few and far between because they're basically incinerated" Terri Irwin chats about the devastating impact of Australia's bushfires on our vulnerable koala population. More on this story: https://t.co/Im1bLS9oZj pic.twitter.com/9a5EqQlivR — Sunrise (@sunriseon7) January 5, 2020
His mother Terri then explained why the fires have decimated the country’s beloved koala population, in particular. She said:
“The consideration with koalas is that their instinct is to go up, safety is in the top of the tree, and with a hot fire, eucalyptus trees have so much oil in their leaves they actually ignite and explode. So being able to treat koalas is few and far between because they’re basically incinerated, which is absolutely heartbreaking. But now is the time we need to look at more than just setting aside habitat. Koalas are classed as vulnerable and I think that after this event we need to really sit down and look at classing them as endangered and protecting our icons, our kangaroos, our koalas.”
Continuing, Robert detailed the various ways in which animals have been harmed by the fires. He said:
“We’re seeing all kinds of different injuries. Obviously smoke inhalation and burns are happening frequently, but also animals are going into areas where they’re not supposed to be to escape the horrific conditions.” This means they’re getting hit by cars and are being attacked by domestic animals, so there’s a horrific knock on effect.”
The family of “wildlife warriors” has officially treated over 90,000 animal patients since the crisis broke out, according to 21-year-old Bindi Irwin. The animals include birds, koalas, possums, platypus, and other rare creatures unique to the Australian continent.
Last week, Bindi said in an Instagram post:
“With so many devastating fires within Australia, my heart breaks for the people and wildlife who have lost so much. I wanted to let you know that we are SAFE. There are no fires near us @AustraliaZoo or our conservation properties. Our Wildlife Hospital is busier than ever though, having officially treated over 90,000 patients. My parents dedicated our Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital to my beautiful grandmother. We will continue to honour her by being Wildlife Warriors and saving as many lives as we can.”
http://www.instagram.com/p/B66e49TBUte/?utm_source=ig_embed
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com


wakingtimes--2020-01-07--Message to all Americans from the Medical Cartel

The US medical system kills 2.25 million Americans per decade .
( Dr. Barbara Starfield , “ Is US health really the best in the world ?
” , Journal of the American Medical Association , July 26 , 2000 . )
Hear ye , hear ye and y ’ all and you and thou and everybody , we ’ re the Medical Cartel and we rule your lives , but we really care about you , we really do , we like you .
So here ’ s the deal .
During the course of your lives , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 or 70 ( we ’ re shooting for 100 ) disorders and diseases , most of which will be fake .
But you ’ ll get drugs !
Everybody wants drugs , right ?
Who cares what they are , leave that to us .
These drugs will create new symptoms , and when you come back to us , we ’ ll call those symptoms new diseases and disorders , give them hifalutin labels , and pass along more drugs as treatments .
And so forth and so on .
Forget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Forget toxic environmental chemicals , never happened , they don ’ t exist .
From cradle to grave , you ’ ll march in a long gray line to our door , declining in health from year to year , and with the 60 or 70 or 100 vaccine shots thrown in there as well , your immune systems will deteriorate .
You ’ ll eventually end up in warehouses , uh nursing homes , and more or less hibernate your way into the grave .
But you ’ ll live longer !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ This whole program is meant to keep you from being able to think or protest or opt out of or rebel against the status quo .
Which is beautiful , when you think about it , because the status quo is what maintains the peace .
Soft lights , soft music , silence .
Wonderful .
Easy does it .
You see , in significant ways , the womb and the grave are similar .
It ’ s that middle part , everything in between that can create bother , quirk , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We answer all your questions , particularly , “ What is wrong with me ?
” People always ask that one , and we provide the answers .
Diseases and disorders .
We give them names .
We fill in the blanks .
No more need to wonder .
Just let us do our jobs .
Those of you who won ’ t , we exile to the outer darkness—but let ’ s not focus on that .
Let ’ s focus on Normal .
Normal is you coming to us for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re the pros .
We ’ re highly trained .
We feel your pain .
We love you , as long as you ’ re sick .
We collaborate with your meddling family members to make sure you know you ’ re sick .
Then everything is okay .
You can wear each disease and disorder label proudly as a badge of honor .
You can talk to friends and neighbors and compare badges .
Face it…what else is there to talk about ?
The weather ?
We facilitate conversation throughout society .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad , how ’ s your son ’ s Social Anxiety Disorder , what drugs is he taking ?
And so on .
Rich subjects to chat about .
You can pretend you ’ re educated in medical science .
Be the first on your block to understand how viruses attach themselves to host cells in the body .
Or hold forth on gene expression .
You ’ ll be a winner in the one-upmanship sweepstakes .
During a fake pandemic , you can help spread worry , concern , and fear .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you noticed how many people are talking about artificial limbs and even organs these days ?
It ’ s the coming thing .
You won ’ t need to qualify for replacements .
Just volunteer .
And what about the brain ?
It ’ s filled with processing errors and prejudiced data .
We can do better .
And we will .
In 30 years or so , we ’ ll hook you up to a super-computer and wash away all your anxiety in a flood of Superior Understanding .
Disclaimer : All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rejection and unforeseen internal complication .
Ask your doctor if everything we do and say is right for you .
If he expresses doubts , immediately report him to the Department of Homeland Security .
There ’ s nothing worse than a dissident doctor .
We train them to within an inch of their lives , but sometimes they sprout mental disorders .
Remember , with us you ’ ll never walk alone .
We know where your grave is , and we ’ ll lead you there with a kind and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but death is forever .
A comforting thought in these troubled times .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
Like Waking Times on Facebook .
Follow Waking Times on Twitter .

Message to all Americans from the Medical Cartel
Jon Rappoport, Guest
Waking Times
The US medical system kills 2.25 million Americans per decade. (Dr. Barbara Starfield, “Is US health really the best in the world?”, Journal of the American Medical Association, July 26, 2000.)
Hear ye, hear ye and y’all and you and thou and everybody, we’re the Medical Cartel and we rule your lives, but we really care about you, we really do, we like you.
So here’s the deal. During the course of your lives, we’ll diagnose you with 50 or 60 or 70 (we’re shooting for 100) disorders and diseases, most of which will be fake.
But you’ll get drugs! Everybody wants drugs, right? Who cares what they are, leave that to us. These drugs will create new symptoms, and when you come back to us, we’ll call those symptoms new diseases and disorders, give them hifalutin labels, and pass along more drugs as treatments.
And so forth and so on. Forget nutritional deficiencies, no such thing. Forget toxic environmental chemicals, never happened, they don’t exist.
From cradle to grave, you’ll march in a long gray line to our door, declining in health from year to year, and with the 60 or 70 or 100 vaccine shots thrown in there as well, your immune systems will deteriorate.
You’ll eventually end up in warehouses, uh nursing homes, and more or less hibernate your way into the grave. But you’ll live longer! That’s a real plus.
This whole program is meant to keep you from being able to think or protest or opt out of or rebel against the status quo. Which is beautiful, when you think about it, because the status quo is what maintains the peace. Soft lights, soft music, silence. Wonderful. Easy does it.
You see, in significant ways, the womb and the grave are similar. It’s that middle part, everything in between that can create bother, quirk, and weirdness. We smooth out those years.
We answer all your questions, particularly, “What is wrong with me?” People always ask that one, and we provide the answers. Diseases and disorders. We give them names. We fill in the blanks. No more need to wonder.
Just let us do our jobs. Those of you who won’t, we exile to the outer darkness—but let’s not focus on that. Let’s focus on Normal. Normal is you coming to us for updates on your condition.
We’re the pros. We’re highly trained. We feel your pain. We love you, as long as you’re sick. We collaborate with your meddling family members to make sure you know you’re sick.
Then everything is okay. You can wear each disease and disorder label proudly as a badge of honor. You can talk to friends and neighbors and compare badges. Face it…what else is there to talk about? The weather?
We facilitate conversation throughout society. How’s your Bipolar? Not bad, how’s your son’s Social Anxiety Disorder, what drugs is he taking? And so on. Rich subjects to chat about.
You can pretend you’re educated in medical science. Be the first on your block to understand how viruses attach themselves to host cells in the body. Or hold forth on gene expression. You’ll be a winner in the one-upmanship sweepstakes.
During a fake pandemic, you can help spread worry, concern, and fear. We need “citizen experts.”
Have you noticed how many people are talking about artificial limbs and even organs these days? It’s the coming thing. You won’t need to qualify for replacements. Just volunteer.
And what about the brain? It’s filled with processing errors and prejudiced data. We can do better. And we will.
In 30 years or so, we’ll hook you up to a super-computer and wash away all your anxiety in a flood of Superior Understanding.
Disclaimer: All replicant organs and synthetic thoughts are subject to rejection and unforeseen internal complication.
Ask your doctor if everything we do and say is right for you. If he expresses doubts, immediately report him to the Department of Homeland Security.
There’s nothing worse than a dissident doctor. We train them to within an inch of their lives, but sometimes they sprout mental disorders.
Remember, with us you’ll never walk alone. We know where your grave is, and we’ll lead you there with a kind and firm hand. Life is worrisome, but death is forever. A comforting thought in these troubled times.
About the Author
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.
(To read about Jon’s mega-collection, Exit From The Matrix, click here.)


wakingtimes--2020-01-07--Entire Species Wiped Out by Australia Fires Over the Last Few Days, Including 25,000 Koalas

As Australia ’ s ongoing bushfire crisis continues to spread devastation across the island continent , wildlife experts and conservationists are warning of “ catastrophic losses ” including the elimination of entire species .
The news of entire species being lost comes after the fires burned a third of Kangaroo Island , an island off the country ’ s southern coast that is often seen as the Australian equivalent to the Galapagos Islands due to its rich biodiversity .
Small marsupials called dunnarts and glossy black cockatoos are among the creatures feared to have been entirely wiped out after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ scorched wasteland.
” Ecologists are now rushing to rescue any surviving dunnarts from the devastated island “ before they are completely gone , ” the Independent reports .
Heidi Groffen , an ecologist and coordinator of the nonprofit Kangaroo Island Land for Wildlife , said that the tiny mouse-sized dunnarts are helpless because of their small size and inability to outrun the fast-moving blaze that laid waste to their habitat .
Only 300 dunnarts lived on the island , but she hopes that some were able to find refuge among rocky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s early days , fires are still burning but we have lost a lot of critical refugia for endangered species which will affect long term viability of these species .
The Kangaroo Island dunnart is our main species of concern and it looks like its entire known [ habitat ] range has been fried .
We are locating unburnt remnant patches of its habitat to see if we can locate it through camera trapping.
” Hodgens noted that now that the fires have subsided , their team would set about using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drone mapping would also be used to detect pockets of surviving marsupials .
In addition to the dunnart , a rare flock of glossy black cockatoos is faced with an uncertain future after their habitat was reduced to ashes .
While the cockatoos fared better than the dunnarts due to their ability to escape , they may starve to death after losing their source of food on the island .
Conservationists had dedicated 25 years to restoring the glossy black raven from 150 , but all of their efforts have gone up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Meanwhile , tens of thousands of koalas are feared to have perished after the island burned during what the local mayor called a “ most devastating , shattering day ” for the island community .
Experts say that half of the 50,000-strong local koala population have been eliminated—a tremendous loss especially because the local population of the marsupials is considered the only one free of chlamydia , making the island ’ s koala ’ s an “ insurance population ” for the entire species .
Sam Mitchell , who bought the Kangaroo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told AFP : Ecologists fear that nearly half a billion million mammals , reptiles and birds are estimated to have been killed since the fires broke out in September , although the current death toll is impossible to calculate .
The massive loss of life is already tipping the balance for entire species of animals and plants on an island continent where 87 percent of wildlife is endemic to the country , meaning it can only be found on Australia .
Professor Chris Dickman of the University of Sydney told 7News that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ populations in the long-term .
He said the challenge of rebuilding wildlife populations is a long-term one .

Entire Species Wiped Out by Australia Fires Over the Last Few Days, Including 25,000 Koalas
Elias Marat, The Mind Unleashed
Waking Times
As Australia’s ongoing bushfire crisis continues to spread devastation across the island continent, wildlife experts and conservationists are warning of “catastrophic losses” including the elimination of entire species.
The news of entire species being lost comes after the fires burned a third of Kangaroo Island, an island off the country’s southern coast that is often seen as the Australian equivalent to the Galapagos Islands due to its rich biodiversity.
Small marsupials called dunnarts and glossy black cockatoos are among the creatures feared to have been entirely wiped out after the fires transformed much of the island into a “scorched wasteland.”
Ecologists are now rushing to rescue any surviving dunnarts from the devastated island “before they are completely gone,” the Independent reports.
Heidi Groffen, an ecologist and coordinator of the nonprofit Kangaroo Island Land for Wildlife, said that the tiny mouse-sized dunnarts are helpless because of their small size and inability to outrun the fast-moving blaze that laid waste to their habitat.
Only 300 dunnarts lived on the island, but she hopes that some were able to find refuge among rocky crevices and other small spaces.
As well as dunnarts also the primary population base of the tammar wallaby and the KI western grey kangaroo…and all the other amazing native mammals including koalas & possums.The entire west end of KI burnt. Birds like glossy black cockatoos, thick knees (stone curlews) too https://t.co/apEb7wJEbh — Marilyn Renfree (@MarilynRenfree) January 5, 2020
Groffen said:
“Even if there are survivors, there is no food for them now. We’re hoping to bring some into captivity before they are completely gone.”
Fellow Kangaroo Island Land for Wildlife ecologist Pat Hodgens explained:
“It’s early days, fires are still burning but we have lost a lot of critical refugia for endangered species which will affect long term viability of these species. The Kangaroo Island dunnart is our main species of concern and it looks like its entire known [habitat] range has been fried. We are locating unburnt remnant patches of its habitat to see if we can locate it through camera trapping.”
Hodgens noted that now that the fires have subsided, their team would set about using camera traps to detect survivors, while drone mapping would also be used to detect pockets of surviving marsupials.
In addition to the dunnart, a rare flock of glossy black cockatoos is faced with an uncertain future after their habitat was reduced to ashes. While the cockatoos fared better than the dunnarts due to their ability to escape, they may starve to death after losing their source of food on the island.
Conservationists had dedicated 25 years to restoring the glossy black raven from 150, but all of their efforts have gone up in smoke in the span of a week.
There were less than 400 Kangaroo Island glossy black cockatoos alive before the fires started, and almost half of #KangarooIsland has now burned. 25 years of painstaking conservation efforts have just gone up in smoke. #AustraliaBurns, and we are not the only ones paying for it. pic.twitter.com/yno4Vyzm2b — Nellie Pease (@marsupialtapir) January 5, 2020
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of koalas are feared to have perished after the island burned during what the local mayor called a “most devastating, shattering day” for the island community. Experts say that half of the 50,000-strong local koala population have been eliminated—a tremendous loss especially because the local population of the marsupials is considered the only one free of chlamydia, making the island’s koala’s an “insurance population” for the entire species.
Sam Mitchell, who bought the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park seven years ago, told AFP:
“We are seeing kangaroos and koalas with their hands burned off—they stand no chance. It’s been quite emotional. We will do whatever we can to rehabilitate the native wildlife but it’s going to take years to recover.”
Koalas that have suffered burns from the KI bushfire are being dropped off at the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park. This mum and Joey were picked up by a CFS crew this morning #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/sd9rYhdXeX — Casey Treloar (@CaseyTreloar7) January 4, 2020
Ecologists fear that nearly half a billion million mammals, reptiles and birds are estimated to have been killed since the fires broke out in September, although the current death toll is impossible to calculate.
The massive loss of life is already tipping the balance for entire species of animals and plants on an island continent where 87 percent of wildlife is endemic to the country, meaning it can only be found on Australia.
Professor Chris Dickman of the University of Sydney told 7News that the main challenge will be to restore wildlife populations in the long-term. He said the challenge of rebuilding wildlife populations is a long-term one.
“In the longer term, the rebuilding of populations of many native species is going to be the issue. A lot will have been undoubtedly very badly affected by these fires.”
http://youtu.be/jSumV47Jrhs
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com