wakingtimes--2020-10-14--Bill Gates Warns “World Won’t Return To Normal” Until “Second Generation” Of COVID-19 Super-Vaccines

Bill Gates Warns “ World Won ’ t Return To Normal ” Until “ Second Generation ” Of COVID-19 Super-Vaccines Arrives Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
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As the number of trial halts involving experimental COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics grows , public policymakers , the scientific community , and billionaires like Bill Gates are becoming increasingly worried about an issue that analysts from Goldman Sachs raised in a recent research note , where they warned that the biggest obstacle to eradicating COVID-19 could be convincing everyone to take the vaccines .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubt about the reliability of President Trump ’ s FDA , Microsoft founder Bill Gates is now doing a series of interviews to tout his foundation ’ s collaboration with the WHO ( which aims to provide vaccine doses to everyone in need across the developing world ) and urge his audience to stop worrying and accept the vaccine , as soon as it ’ s available ( for the record , Gates said recently that he expects vaccines to be widely available by the end of next year , though he qualified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccines is still unknown ) .
But as of last night , that timeline has apparently changed , as Gates now apparently believes – perhaps in light of the recent cases of patients being reinfected with the virus – that the initial round of vaccines in development won ’ t be enough to provide complete immunity .
In an interview with NBC news last night , Gates warned that the world “ won ’ t return to normal ” until “ a lot of people ” take a second “ super-effective ” coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We won ’ t be able to “ build back in a positive way ” until then , Gates said .
To be sure , viewers should probably take Gates ’ latest projection with a grain of salt : as Gates believes our present situation will not be totally reversed until we reach “ Zero COVID ” , ie totally eliminating the virus worldwide .
That ’ s a higher bar than any other disease in modern history , as Paul Joseph Watson points out .
Gates ’ interview blitz continued as he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Squawk Box ” host Becky Quick , which aired Wednesday morning on the show .
Asked by Quick if he has been “ surprised ” at the amount of pushback to wearing masks , Gates replied that it ’ s what “ the leaders ” are saying , though he acknowledged that the messaging on masks didn ’ t emerge until April or May .
The next topic was another one of Gates ’ favorites : the “ conspiracy theories ” targeting “ Dr .
Fauci and myself.
” Asked if he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci , Gates replied that he hasn ’ t , and that most of his communication with Dr. Fauci is about the antibody therapies , like the therapy from Eli Lilly ( trials of which has been halted ) seeking an EUA from the FDA , and another experimental therapy from Regeneron that ’ s also seeking approval .
By Tyler Durden / Republished with permission / Zero Hedge Like Waking Times on Facebook .
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Bill Gates Warns “World Won’t Return To Normal” Until “Second Generation” Of COVID-19 Super-Vaccines Arrives
Tyler Durden, Zero Hedge
Waking Times
As the number of trial halts involving experimental COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics grows, public policymakers, the scientific community, and billionaires like Bill Gates are becoming increasingly worried about an issue that analysts from Goldman Sachs raised in a recent research note, where they warned that the biggest obstacle to eradicating COVID-19 could be convincing everyone to take the vaccines.
So after doing his part to sow doubt about the reliability of President Trump’s FDA, Microsoft founder Bill Gates is now doing a series of interviews to tout his foundation’s collaboration with the WHO (which aims to provide vaccine doses to everyone in need across the developing world) and urge his audience to stop worrying and accept the vaccine, as soon as it’s available (for the record, Gates said recently that he expects vaccines to be widely available by the end of next year, though he qualified that by acknowledging that the efficacy of vaccines is still unknown).
But as of last night, that timeline has apparently changed, as Gates now apparently believes – perhaps in light of the recent cases of patients being reinfected with the virus – that the initial round of vaccines in development won’t be enough to provide complete immunity.
In an interview with NBC news last night, Gates warned that the world “won’t return to normal” until “a lot of people” take a second “super-effective” coronavirus vaccine that could be years away.
“The only way we’ll get completely back to normal is by having, maybe not the first generation of vaccines, but eventually a vaccine that is super-effective, and that a lot of the people take, and that we get the disease eliminated on a global basis,” said Gates.
We won’t be able to “build back in a positive way” until then, Gates said.
To be sure, viewers should probably take Gates’ latest projection with a grain of salt: as Gates believes our present situation will not be totally reversed until we reach “Zero COVID”, ie totally eliminating the virus worldwide.
That’s a higher bar than any other disease in modern history, as Paul Joseph Watson points out.
Gates’ interview blitz continued as he also did a pre-recorded interview with “Squawk Box” host Becky Quick, which aired Wednesday morning on the show.
Asked by Quick if he has been “surprised” at the amount of pushback to wearing masks, Gates replied that it’s what “the leaders” are saying, though he acknowledged that the messaging on masks didn’t emerge until April or May.
Still, he doesn’t see it as “some kind of ultra-important freedom thing”. “We’re asking you to cover up,” Gates said, adding that vaccines are “th primary tool we have until these therapeutics and vaccines get out there in big numbers.”
"Given that we tell people to wear clothes, I don't think of it as some ultra-important freedom thing that there's another part of your body … we're asking you to cover up," says @BillGates on mask pushback in the US, calling it our "primary tool" for now in fighting #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/UivhXZD0Id — Squawk Box (@SquawkCNBC) October 14, 2020
The next topic was another one of Gates’ favorites: the “conspiracy theories” targeting “Dr. Fauci and myself.”
“Do we have some malign reason to think vaccines are important in general – that’s unfortuante, particularly as it undermines the mask wearing, or it undermines as vaccines get approved…as we want people to protect their loved ones, protect the community…and do something to keep them safe.”
"Two people who are most targeted are Dr. Fauci and myself in terms of do we have some malign reason to think vaccines are important," says @BillGates on #COVID19 conspiracy theories. "That's unfortunate particularly if it undermines the mask wearing." pic.twitter.com/ye8AgvyUBZ — Squawk Box (@SquawkCNBC) October 14, 2020
Asked if he’s ever discussed the conspiracies with Dr. Fauci, Gates replied that he hasn’t, and that most of his communication with Dr. Fauci is about the antibody therapies, like the therapy from Eli Lilly (trials of which has been halted) seeking an EUA from the FDA, and another experimental therapy from Regeneron that’s also seeking approval.
By Tyler Durden / Republished with permission / Zero Hedge
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wakingtimes--2020-10-14--City Sends Mental Health Experts to 911 Calls Instead Of Cops And It’s Worked 100% Of The Time

City Sends Mental Health Experts to 911 Calls Instead Of Cops And It ’ s Worked 100 % Of The Time Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
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As TFTP has previously reported , the Virginia-based Treatment Advocacy Center , an organization dedicated to eliminating the barriers faced by those with severe mental illnesses , released a jaw-dropping report in regard to police interactions with the mentally ill .
In their report titled , Overlooked in the Undercounted : The Role of Mental Illness in Fatal Law Enforcement Encounters , researchers discovered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are 16 times more likely to be killed during an interaction with police than anyone else .
According to the study , by all accounts – official and unofficial – a minimum of 1 in 4 fatal police encounters ends the life of an individual with severe mental illness .
This startling number highlights a critical problem with police and how they handle incidents with the mentally ill and it explains why so many people who simply need help , receive bullets instead .
“ If this were any other medical condition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” John Snook , the report ’ s co-author and executive director of the Treatment Advocacy Center said .
One would assume that since these numbers are so great , police have taken action and are training their officers to interact with the mentally ill .
However , one would be wrong .
Even cops who voluntarily attend Crisis Intervention Training ( CIT ) , have shown that they are quick to the trigger when dealing with the mentally ill. As the Free Thought Project has pointed out in the past , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during training is devoted to shooting their weapons .
Very little time is set aside for training in de-escalation tactics , and most departments receive zero training in dealing with the mentally ill .
The list of unarmed and often completely innocent mentally ill people killed by police is immense .
TFTP archives are full of tragic stories in which police were called to help someone in a crisis and end up murdering them .
People are killed even when they aren ’ t in a crisis and simply act differently like Elijah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home from buying groceries and was murdered by police because he was an introvert and wore a ski mask .
Instead of attempting to save the sinking ship that is cops responding to mental health crises , some municipalities are thinking outside of the box .
Denver , Colorado is one such place .
After the George Floyd protests sparked the debate the problem of police killing the mentally ill was pushed to the forefront of the conversation and many municipalities like Denver asked the question , should trained gunman , whose only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first line of response to those in a mental health crisis ?
The obvious answer to that question is no .
The over whelming majority of calls involving mentally ill people do not involve crimes , so why on Earth would we send in armed state agents to address them ?
On June 1 , Denver began the Support Team Assistance Response ( STAR ) program , which sends a mental health professional and a paramedic to some 911 calls instead of cops .
According to their latest data , STAR has responded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which police would have normally been sent out .
The STAR team — armed only with experience and compassion — has never once called police to back them up .
They have settled every single call without killing someone , beating them , ruining their lives , or using violence .
Imagine that .
This situation is a win win as it also frees up police time so they can focus on actual crimes like rape , theft , and violence .
Carleigh Sailon from the Mental Health Center of Denver — who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , spoke to lx.com last week to explain the program ’ s success .
Those who have called for help or to report someone slumped against a fence , camped out on private property , or simply talking to themselves , are impressed when the STAR team shows up and resolves the problem without tasering , choking , or shooting anyone .
“ We ’ ve gotten great feedback from the community , from individuals who ’ ve said that this felt really comfortable , really supportive , that we were able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were really helpful in that moment , ” Sailon told lx.com .
“ People have been just overwhelmingly positive and very accepting of the options that we have to offer .
And kind of surprised , I think , too , that a social worker and a medic kind of hop out of this van in street clothes and are there to help vs. police or an ambulance.
” When we hear catch phrases like “ defund the police , ” this is what it ’ s about .
The apologist crowd says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how it turns out when you send a social worker to deal with a violent criminal ” in an attempt to discredit this movement but as more cities like Denver continue to show a 100 % non-violent success record , that crowd looks sillier and sillier .
The idea of a state function shifting its focus from violence to compassion is revolutionary on many fronts .
While a 100 % success record nationwide is unlikely , it is obvious that this is the direction in which we need to head .
Matt Agorist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
**This article ( City Sends Mental Health Experts to 911 Calls Instead Of Cops And It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Time ) was originally published at The Free Thought Project and is re-posted here with permission .
**

City Sends Mental Health Experts to 911 Calls Instead Of Cops And It’s Worked 100% Of The Time
Matt Agorist, The Free Thought Project
Waking Times
As TFTP has previously reported, the Virginia-based Treatment Advocacy Center, an organization dedicated to eliminating the barriers faced by those with severe mental illnesses, released a jaw-dropping report in regard to police interactions with the mentally ill. In their report titled, Overlooked in the Undercounted: The Role of Mental Illness in Fatal Law Enforcement Encounters, researchers discovered that people with an untreated mental illness are 16 times more likely to be killed during an interaction with police than anyone else.
According to the study, by all accounts – official and unofficial – a minimum of 1 in 4 fatal police encounters ends the life of an individual with severe mental illness.
Where official government data regarding police shootings and mental illness have been analyzed – in one U.S. city and several other Western countries – the findings indicate that mental health disorders are a factor in as many as 1 in 2 fatal law enforcement encounters.
This startling number highlights a critical problem with police and how they handle incidents with the mentally ill and it explains why so many people who simply need help, receive bullets instead.
“If this were any other medical condition, people would be up in arms,” John Snook, the report’s co-author and executive director of the Treatment Advocacy Center said.
One would assume that since these numbers are so great, police have taken action and are training their officers to interact with the mentally ill. However, one would be wrong. Even cops who voluntarily attend Crisis Intervention Training (CIT), have shown that they are quick to the trigger when dealing with the mentally ill.
As the Free Thought Project has pointed out in the past, the overwhelming majority of time spent by police during training is devoted to shooting their weapons. Very little time is set aside for training in de-escalation tactics, and most departments receive zero training in dealing with the mentally ill.
The list of unarmed and often completely innocent mentally ill people killed by police is immense. TFTP archives are full of tragic stories in which police were called to help someone in a crisis and end up murdering them. People are killed even when they aren’t in a crisis and simply act differently like Elijah McClain, who was on his way home from buying groceries and was murdered by police because he was an introvert and wore a ski mask.
Instead of attempting to save the sinking ship that is cops responding to mental health crises, some municipalities are thinking outside of the box. Denver, Colorado is one such place. After the George Floyd protests sparked the debate the problem of police killing the mentally ill was pushed to the forefront of the conversation and many municipalities like Denver asked the question, should trained gunman, whose only tool is violent escalation, be the first line of response to those in a mental health crisis?
The obvious answer to that question is no. The over whelming majority of calls involving mentally ill people do not involve crimes, so why on Earth would we send in armed state agents to address them?
On June 1, Denver began the Support Team Assistance Response (STAR) program, which sends a mental health professional and a paramedic to some 911 calls instead of cops. According to their latest data, STAR has responded to nearly 400 calls to 911 in which police would have normally been sent out. The STAR team — armed only with experience and compassion — has never once called police to back them up.
They have settled every single call without killing someone, beating them, ruining their lives, or using violence. Imagine that.
“We’re really trying to create true alternatives to us using police and jails,” said Vinnie Cervantes with Denver Alliance for Street Health Response, one of the organizations that helped start the program. “It really kind of proves that we’ve been working for the right thing, and that these ideas are getting the recognition they should,” Cervantes said.
This situation is a win win as it also frees up police time so they can focus on actual crimes like rape, theft, and violence.
“It’s the future of law enforcement, taking a public health view on public safety,” Denver police Chief Paul Pazen said. “We want to meet people where they are and address those needs and address those needs outside of the criminal justice system.”
Carleigh Sailon from the Mental Health Center of Denver — who has responded to many of these calls, spoke to lx.com last week to explain the program’s success.
Those who have called for help or to report someone slumped against a fence, camped out on private property, or simply talking to themselves, are impressed when the STAR team shows up and resolves the problem without tasering, choking, or shooting anyone.
“We’ve gotten great feedback from the community, from individuals who’ve said that this felt really comfortable, really supportive, that we were able to show up and offer other solutions that were really helpful in that moment,” Sailon told lx.com. “People have been just overwhelmingly positive and very accepting of the options that we have to offer. And kind of surprised, I think, too, that a social worker and a medic kind of hop out of this van in street clothes and are there to help vs. police or an ambulance.”
When we hear catch phrases like “defund the police,” this is what it’s about. The apologist crowd says things like, “let me know how it turns out when you send a social worker to deal with a violent criminal” in an attempt to discredit this movement but as more cities like Denver continue to show a 100% non-violent success record, that crowd looks sillier and sillier.
The idea of a state function shifting its focus from violence to compassion is revolutionary on many fronts. While a 100% success record nationwide is unlikely, it is obvious that this is the direction in which we need to head.
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.
**This article (City Sends Mental Health Experts to 911 Calls Instead Of Cops And It’s Worked 100% Of The Time) was originally published at The Free Thought Project and is re-posted here with permission.**


wakingtimes--2020-10-14--Covid And The Escalation Of Medical Tyranny

Covid And The Escalation Of Medical Tyranny Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
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The coronavirus crisis has served as a powerful tool in highlighting many of the faults that previously existed in society .
It exposed which politicians have an inherent need to control and which ones are guided by humility .
It reminded us of the political power that lies in fear , and how crucial it is to be skeptical of prevailing narratives .
It emphasized the different economic realities for those who live paycheck to paycheck and those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should also make perfectly clear the danger of handing over healthcare to the state .
Already we have seen agents of the state , at various levels , seek to leverage a viral medical crisis to expand their power .
Governors and local officials have sought to use vague “ emergency ” powers to lock down businesses and to create criminal penalties , and have then attacked any attempts by judiciaries to rein in their actions .
Judges have sought to leverage the power they hold in deciding child custody to force citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Anointed government experts , such as Dr. Anthony Fauci , in spite of his own inconsistencies , have been held up as the final word on science , at the expense of the voices of other credible scientists .
Whether by design or by the instinctual reaction , we have seen a the concerted effort of government authorities—amplified by a corporate press with a particularly vivid political agenda , and supported by the credentials of an academic landscape that suffers from ideological capture—to weaponize a centralized scientific narrative for the purpose of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appropriate that some have dubbed this union “ the Cathedral , ” as we have seen the divine right of kings renewed in the divine right of approved scientists .
None of this should be a surprise .
Ludwig von Mises , F.A .
Hayek , Murray N. Rothbard , and others have long warned of the dangers of “ scientism.
” As Jonathan Newman has noted on this site , we ’ ve seen it play out increasingly in American pop culture with the fetishizing of figures like Neil deGrasse Tyson and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current healthcare system has limits on the degree to which we , as individuals , must submit to the power of the “ scientific consensus.
” How long , however , will that doctor-patient relationship remain sacred ?
Already we have seen various states actively ban the prescription of hydroxychloroquine following a mass media freak-out over a story involving a man dying after digesting fish cleaner .
Conflating medically prescribed hydroxychloroquine with a toxic cleaner was never grounded in either science or reason ; it was a move driven purely by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endorsement of the drug , and the willingness of the media to spin a story that was critical of his judgment .
Many of these states have been forced to reverse their decision , as some ( though not all ) scientific studies indicate that it may be an effective treatment .
Now imagine if America ’ s healthcare system were turned into a single-payer model , such as the Medicare for All reform that has been championed by some of the most popular members of the Democratic Party .
Beyond questions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rationing , which we see in places like Canada and the UK , does anyone expect a nationalized healthcare system to not end up limiting the treatment options available between doctors and patients ?
What about the medical services available to those who are not in full compliance with health-related government edicts ?
In a single-payer healthcare system is it not plausible that an unmasked social media photo could be used as evidence for why someone doesn ’ t deserve the same level care as someone who has followed all the rules ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ control even require a true single-payer system ?
The labyrinth of government regulation and red tape within the healthcare industry , exacerbated in the post-Obamacare world , has resulted in significant consolidation of the health insurance industry .
Joe Biden ’ s moderate healthcare reform , which calls for the re-creation of a public rival to private insurance , would only result in further consolidation .
As we ’ ve seen in financial services , Big Tech , and other industries , a consolidated industry is ripe to be abused by those convinced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crusades .
The answer to the dangers of corporate consolidation is radical decentralization .
We ’ ve seen this play out in the medical industry with the rise of physicians opting out of the dominant insurance-based service model and offering direct primary care .
As more states have begun to lean into this trend , it will be interesting to see how long the federal government is willing to avoid pushing back—particularly if we see the return of a Democratic executive .
We should take seriously those with blue checkmarks on Twitter who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ truth commissions , ” and who gleefully wish for the suffering of anyone who questions the science behind lockdowns and mask mandates .
If the state ’ s role in healthcare expands , it is precisely people with these sorts of views who are likely to fill the ranks of its bureaucracy .

Covid And The Escalation Of Medical Tyranny
Tho Bishop, Mises Institute
Waking Times
The coronavirus crisis has served as a powerful tool in highlighting many of the faults that previously existed in society. It exposed which politicians have an inherent need to control and which ones are guided by humility. It reminded us of the political power that lies in fear, and how crucial it is to be skeptical of prevailing narratives. It emphasized the different economic realities for those who live paycheck to paycheck and those who benefit from economic financialization.
It should also make perfectly clear the danger of handing over healthcare to the state.
Already we have seen agents of the state, at various levels, seek to leverage a viral medical crisis to expand their power. Governors and local officials have sought to use vague “emergency” powers to lock down businesses and to create criminal penalties, and have then attacked any attempts by judiciaries to rein in their actions. Judges have sought to leverage the power they hold in deciding child custody to force citizens to make medical decisions they disagree with. Anointed government experts, such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, in spite of his own inconsistencies, have been held up as the final word on science, at the expense of the voices of other credible scientists.
Whether by design or by the instinctual reaction, we have seen a the concerted effort of government authorities—amplified by a corporate press with a particularly vivid political agenda, and supported by the credentials of an academic landscape that suffers from ideological capture—to weaponize a centralized scientific narrative for the purpose of achieving certain policy ends. It is appropriate that some have dubbed this union “the Cathedral,” as we have seen the divine right of kings renewed in the divine right of approved scientists.
None of this should be a surprise. Ludwig von Mises, F.A. Hayek, Murray N. Rothbard, and others have long warned of the dangers of “scientism.” As Jonathan Newman has noted on this site, we’ve seen it play out increasingly in American pop culture with the fetishizing of figures like Neil deGrasse Tyson and Bill Nye.
Now, luckily, the current healthcare system has limits on the degree to which we, as individuals, must submit to the power of the “scientific consensus.” How long, however, will that doctor-patient relationship remain sacred?
Already we have seen various states actively ban the prescription of hydroxychloroquine following a mass media freak-out over a story involving a man dying after digesting fish cleaner. Conflating medically prescribed hydroxychloroquine with a toxic cleaner was never grounded in either science or reason; it was a move driven purely by a partisan reaction to President Trump’s endorsement of the drug, and the willingness of the media to spin a story that was critical of his judgment. Many of these states have been forced to reverse their decision, as some (though not all) scientific studies indicate that it may be an effective treatment.
Now imagine if America’s healthcare system were turned into a single-payer model, such as the Medicare for All reform that has been championed by some of the most popular members of the Democratic Party. Beyond questions of access, wait times, and supply rationing, which we see in places like Canada and the UK, does anyone expect a nationalized healthcare system to not end up limiting the treatment options available between doctors and patients?
What about the medical services available to those who are not in full compliance with health-related government edicts? In a single-payer healthcare system is it not plausible that an unmasked social media photo could be used as evidence for why someone doesn’t deserve the same level care as someone who has followed all the rules?
Does such a new level of medical control even require a true single-payer system?
The labyrinth of government regulation and red tape within the healthcare industry, exacerbated in the post-Obamacare world, has resulted in significant consolidation of the health insurance industry. Joe Biden’s moderate healthcare reform, which calls for the re-creation of a public rival to private insurance, would only result in further consolidation. As we’ve seen in financial services, Big Tech, and other industries, a consolidated industry is ripe to be abused by those convinced of the righteousness of their own ideological crusades.
The answer to the dangers of corporate consolidation is radical decentralization. We’ve seen this play out in the medical industry with the rise of physicians opting out of the dominant insurance-based service model and offering direct primary care. As more states have begun to lean into this trend, it will be interesting to see how long the federal government is willing to avoid pushing back—particularly if we see the return of a Democratic executive.
We should take seriously those with blue checkmarks on Twitter who shamelessly share in public dreams of covid-inspired “truth commissions,” and who gleefully wish for the suffering of anyone who questions the science behind lockdowns and mask mandates. If the state’s role in healthcare expands, it is precisely people with these sorts of views who are likely to fill the ranks of its bureaucracy.


wakingtimes--2020-10-16--Discover Qigong Practices to Strengthen Your Immunity by Reducing Your Stress

Discover Qigong Practices to Strengthen Your Immunity by Reducing Your Stress Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
Sign up here .
Would you like to more easily ride the big waves of life , welcoming whatever life brings to you with a deep sense of compassion and wisdom ?
To get there , you ’ ll need to reduce your stress — and its underlying root in fear .
Fear is one of the leading contributors to stress , according to one of the foremost modern masters of Qigong in the West , Master Mingtong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the largest medicine-less hospital in China before going on to heal and inspire tens of thousands around the world .
Training your mind and body to relax has a direct impact on releasing your mind from fear , which is why it ’ s the best thing you can do for your health at any time .
And given the chaotic times we ’ re living in , it ’ s essential !
On Saturday , October 17 , Master Mingtong will show you how Qigong allows you to attune to your internal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and allowing you to easefully guide your body into wellness , in Discover Qigong Practices to De-Stress & Build Immunity : Learn How Chi Flow & Sound Healing Unlock Your Innate Capacity to Self-Heal .
You can register HERE !
• None Explore how Qigong can change your perception of how your immune system functions • None Experience healing sounds and movements designed to renew the organ systems that release fear and support your immune system • None Discover how to break the cycle of anger and sorrow by releasing the congestive energy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specific movements to release the stress from your day — as well as cumulative fearful patterns from your past • None Discover how to start your own daily personal Qigong practice , including learning two practices you can start using right away A daily Qigong practice can immediately lower your stress and increase your energy — and support you in preventing illness and rejuvenating your body , mind , and spirit .
What ’ s more , adding sound and vibration to your practice — as Master Mingtong will demonstrate twice in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact of your energy to express itself as even more health in your body and purpose in the world .
You can RSVP for free HERE !
In Discover Qigong Practices to De-Stress & Build Immunity : Learn How Chi Flow & Sound Healing Unlock Your Innate Capacity to Self-Heal , you ’ ll join a renowned Qigong master to work with your subtle energy and sound toning to diminish stress , help prevent illness , and revitalize your health and wellbeing .
You won ’ t want to miss this life-enhancing hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can ’ t attend live , you ’ ll receive a downloadable replay later ) : HERE !

Discover Qigong Practices to Strengthen Your Immunity by Reducing Your Stress
Waking Times
Would you like to more easily ride the big waves of life, welcoming whatever life brings to you with a deep sense of compassion and wisdom?
To get there, you’ll need to reduce your stress — and its underlying root in fear.
Fear is one of the leading contributors to stress, according to one of the foremost modern masters of Qigong in the West, Master Mingtong Gu, who received extensive training at the largest medicine-less hospital in China before going on to heal and inspire tens of thousands around the world.
Training your mind and body to relax has a direct impact on releasing your mind from fear, which is why it’s the best thing you can do for your health at any time.
And given the chaotic times we’re living in, it’s essential!
On Saturday, October 17, Master Mingtong will show you how Qigong allows you to attune to your internal guidance, drawing you out of fear and allowing you to easefully guide your body into wellness, in Discover Qigong Practices to De-Stress & Build Immunity: Learn How Chi Flow & Sound Healing Unlock Your Innate Capacity to Self-Heal.
You can register HERE!
In this revitalizing one-hour free video event, you’ll:
Explore how Qigong can change your perception of how your immune system functions
Experience healing sounds and movements designed to renew the organ systems that release fear and support your immune system
Discover how to break the cycle of anger and sorrow by releasing the congestive energy patterns in your lungs
Learn specific movements to release the stress from your day — as well as cumulative fearful patterns from your past
Discover how to start your own daily personal Qigong practice, including learning two practices you can start using right away
A daily Qigong practice can immediately lower your stress and increase your energy — and support you in preventing illness and rejuvenating your body, mind, and spirit.
What’s more, adding sound and vibration to your practice — as Master Mingtong will demonstrate twice in this special online event — exponentially magnifies the impact of your energy to express itself as even more health in your body and purpose in the world.
You can RSVP for free HERE!
In Discover Qigong Practices to De-Stress & Build Immunity: Learn How Chi Flow & Sound Healing Unlock Your Innate Capacity to Self-Heal, you’ll join a renowned Qigong master to work with your subtle energy and sound toning to diminish stress, help prevent illness, and revitalize your health and wellbeing.
You won’t want to miss this life-enhancing hour!
Register now (and even if you can’t attend live, you’ll receive a downloadable replay later): HERE!


wakingtimes--2020-10-15--Cannabis Activists Cultivate 700 Marijuana Plants Outside Mexican Senate Building

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Mexican cannabis activists have reportedly planted around 1,000 fragrant marijuana plants in a garden outside the Mexico Senate building in an effort to remind lawmakers of the harmlessness of the medicinal plant .
“ We started by planting one single plant on one of the capitol ’ s main streets on December 23 , 2019 , ” said protest organizer Pepe Rivera .
“ Every time officials ripped out a plant , they would plant two more in its place , ” reports High Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that cannabis is just as safe as any other plant .
A 2018 Mexican Supreme Court ruling argued that prohibition , “ violates the right to freely develop one ’ s personality , ” forcing legislators into an upcoming vote on the future of Mexican marijuana laws .
“ They ’ re not thinking about users ; they ’ re thinking about the industry , ” said Rivera , who advocates for legislation allowing more individual freedom .
“ It ’ s basically revitalizing prohibition for the poor but carving out a legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court ruling already decriminalized marijuana for recreational use in small quantities , stating that , “ the effects provoked by marijuana do not justify an absolute prohibition of its consumption.
” “ Under current law five grams of cannabis are allowed and that ’ s an unacceptable and unreasonable amount , ” said Rivera .
“ Even though Mexico uses the metric system , the cannabis market still operates through ounces , for example , one quarter ounce is seven grams.
” Mexican marijuana advocates argue that police frequently plant higher amounts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bribes .
In Mexico , police officers are payed an average salary of only $ 1,600 and are required to maintain their own vehicles .
“ I ’ ve been extorted over the last six months more than ever , ” attests cannabis activist Pier Giuseppe Coppe Hernandez .
“ They ’ ve taken my cash , wallet , marijuana , [ and ] pipes .
This situation can not continue.
” Although the pandemic has pushed back three legislative deadlines , the Senate is set to vote on a new bill December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of marijuana aroma from outside .
The four demands of the Mexican Cannabis Movement ( MCM ) are : • Protection of the rights and dignity of users .
Anywhere from 500 to one thousand cannabis users reportedly visited the protest site each week prior to coronavirus lockdowns .
“ The lack of compromise by Mexican legislators has fueled civil disobedience at its best , ” says Rivera .
“ Mexican activists are partaking openly and planting the country ’ s capital with cannabis in protest.
” Ending cannabis prohibition would free up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crimes , such as human trafficking , which is a major human rights issue in Mexico , especially along the Northern border .
“ A survey of 821 federal prisoners by the Center for Economic Research and Teaching found that nearly 50 % of inmates had been sentenced for drug crimes , ” reports Yahoo Finance .
“ Almost 60 % were incarcerated for marijuana possession… [ 40 % ] had been arrested for possession of illicit substances they said were worth less than $ 25.
” “ It ’ s time for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people .
If they don ’ t , we ’ ll drag the new law into court for discrimination .
This is about human rights and a beneficial plant that is helping thousands around the world right now .
The hope of the Mexican Cannabis Movement is to change the narrative of the global failed Drug War into one where language promotes and protects the human rights of users.
” – Pepe Rivera About the Author Phillip Schneider is a staff writer and assistant editor for Waking Times .
For more of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Website , Facebook Page , or follow him on the free speech social network Minds .
This article ( Cannabis Activists Cultivate 700 Marijuana Plants Outside Mexican Senate Building ) as originally created and published by Waking Times and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Phillip Schneider and WakingTimes.com .
It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution , author bio , and this copyright statement .

Cannabis Activists Cultivate 700 Marijuana Plants Outside Mexican Senate Building
Phillip Schneider, Staff Writer
Waking Times
Mexican cannabis activists have reportedly planted around 1,000 fragrant marijuana plants in a garden outside the Mexico Senate building in an effort to remind lawmakers of the harmlessness of the medicinal plant.
“We started by planting one single plant on one of the capitol’s main streets on December 23, 2019,” said protest organizer Pepe Rivera. “Every time officials ripped out a plant, they would plant two more in its place,” reports High Times.
“This exponential strategy worked, and by Three King’s Day, four plants were firmly established in the ground. On February 2 of this year, the garden grew to 32 plants. That’s when they decided to plant in front of the main entrance to the Senate, with the garden growing to more than 700 plants today.”
Organizers want to make it clear that cannabis is just as safe as any other plant. A 2018 Mexican Supreme Court ruling argued that prohibition, “violates the right to freely develop one’s personality,” forcing legislators into an upcoming vote on the future of Mexican marijuana laws.
“They’re not thinking about users; they’re thinking about the industry,” said Rivera, who advocates for legislation allowing more individual freedom. “It’s basically revitalizing prohibition for the poor but carving out a legal market for big businesses.”
The 2018 Supreme Court ruling already decriminalized marijuana for recreational use in small quantities, stating that, “the effects provoked by marijuana do not justify an absolute prohibition of its consumption.”
“Under current law five grams of cannabis are allowed and that’s an unacceptable and unreasonable amount,” said Rivera. “Even though Mexico uses the metric system, the cannabis market still operates through ounces, for example, one quarter ounce is seven grams.”
Mexican marijuana advocates argue that police frequently plant higher amounts on citizens to force them to pay bribes. In Mexico, police officers are payed an average salary of only $1,600 and are required to maintain their own vehicles.
“I’ve been extorted over the last six months more than ever,” attests cannabis activist Pier Giuseppe Coppe Hernandez. “They’ve taken my cash, wallet, marijuana, [and] pipes. This situation cannot continue.”
Although the pandemic has pushed back three legislative deadlines, the Senate is set to vote on a new bill December 15th of this year, amid wafts of marijuana aroma from outside.
The four demands of the Mexican Cannabis Movement (MCM) are:
Unlimited home grow for personal use.
Possession without limits.
Safe consumption sites.
Protection of the rights and dignity of users.
Anywhere from 500 to one thousand cannabis users reportedly visited the protest site each week prior to coronavirus lockdowns.
“The lack of compromise by Mexican legislators has fueled civil disobedience at its best,” says Rivera. “Mexican activists are partaking openly and planting the country’s capital with cannabis in protest.”
Ending cannabis prohibition would free up Mexican police to go after more serious crimes, such as human trafficking, which is a major human rights issue in Mexico, especially along the Northern border.
“A survey of 821 federal prisoners by the Center for Economic Research and Teaching found that nearly 50% of inmates had been sentenced for drug crimes,” reports Yahoo Finance. “Almost 60% were incarcerated for marijuana possession… [40%] had been arrested for possession of illicit substances they said were worth less than $25.”
“It’s time for the powers that be to listen to the people. If they don’t, we’ll drag the new law into court for discrimination. This is about human rights and a beneficial plant that is helping thousands around the world right now. The hope of the Mexican Cannabis Movement is to change the narrative of the global failed Drug War into one where language promotes and protects the human rights of users.” – Pepe Rivera
About the Author
Phillip Schneider is a staff writer and assistant editor for Waking Times. For more of his work, you can visit his Website, Facebook Page, or follow him on the free speech social network Minds.
Image Source: Pepe Rivera via High Times
This article (Cannabis Activists Cultivate 700 Marijuana Plants Outside Mexican Senate Building) as originally created and published by Waking Times and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Phillip Schneider and WakingTimes.com. It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this copyright statement.


wakingtimes--2020-10-15--Fluoride Is Toxic To Developing Brains, New Studies Find

Fluoride Is Toxic To Developing Brains , New Studies Find Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
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The debate on the fluoridation of drinking water — one of the most polarized , long-running , and high-decibel controversies in public health — has been reignited as new studies find that fluoride is toxic to the developing brain .
Last week , the U.S. National Toxicology Program released a systematic review of all published studies evaluating the potential neurotoxicity of fluoride ; the benefits of fluoride with respect to reducing tooth decay were not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Academy of Science , Medicine , and Engineering will review it this fall .
This comprehensive report scrutinized hundreds of human and animal studies on the impact of fluoride on brain and cognitive function .
Most , but not all , of the high-quality studies evaluated fluoride concentrations that were about twice the level added to drinking water or higher .
However , when considering all the evidence , their conclusion was “ fluoride is presumed to be a cognitive developmental hazard to humans.
” The National Toxicology Program ’ s conclusion was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showing that children who were exposed to higher amounts of fluoride during early brain development scored about 3 to 7 points lower on their IQ tests .
Their conclusion is consequential as about 75 % of Americans on community water systems have fluoride in their tap water .
Water is the main source of fluoride for people who live in communities with water fluoridation .
When do we know enough to revise long-held beliefs ?
We are reminded of the discovery of neurotoxic effects of lead that led to the successful banning of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early warnings of lead toxicity , regulatory actions to reduce childhood lead exposures were not taken until decades of research had elapsed and millions more children were poisoned .
We know that the developing brain is exquisitely sensitive to minute concentrations of lead and other toxic chemicals .
Moreover , toxic chemicals ’ irreversible effects on children ’ s rapidly growing brains emphasize the need for prevention .
Failing to act on accumulated evidence raises deep and unsettling questions .
Why are beliefs about the safety of fluoride so intransigent in the face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fluoride offers no benefits to the fetus and infant and — as shown in the video below — new evidence suggests that fluoride is toxic to the developing brain at levels routinely found in the general population .
The benefits of fluoride in the prevention of tooth decay are predominately topical , occurring only after teeth appear in the child ’ s mouth .
Fortunately , pregnant women can use fluoridated toothpaste and , if they want to do more to prevent cavities , can limit their consumption of sugar , a leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a single IQ point for an individual child is imperceptible , but the societal cost of millions of children losing 5 IQ points , or more is enormous .
A decrement of even 1 IQ point translates to a 2 % reduction in lifetime economic productivity ( roughly $ 20,000 ) , not to mention the additional educational costs required for children with lower IQs .
Many health and dental organizations in North America recommend community water fluoridation .
Given the weight of evidence that fluoride is toxic to the developing brain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regulatory bodies to review their recommendations and regulations to ensure they protect pregnant women and their children is now .
We can act now by recommending that pregnant women and infants reduce their fluoride intake .
Specialized water filtration systems can be used to remove fluoride from tap water for pregnant women and infants fed formula .
Pregnant women can also avoid black tea , which hyper-accumulates fluoride .
The good news for all women is that there is little fluoride in breast milk .
Bottled water typically contains lower amounts of fluoride @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advocates are going a step further .
In 2016 , a group of citizens petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) to stop adding fluoride to drinking water because it is toxic .
The EPA rejected the petition .
In response , the citizen ’ s group took an unprecedented step and sued the EPA in federal court .
EPA lawyers argued half-heartedly that the science was insufficient and said the Agency does not have the resources to regulate fluoride under the Toxic Substances Control Act .
In August , Judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his ruling on whether fluoridation poses an unreasonable risk until the National Toxicology Program released their report .
New evidence questions existing policies about the safety of fluoride for babies ’ developing brains .
Given that safe alternatives are available and that there is no benefit of fluoride to babies ’ teeth before they erupt or appear , it is time to protect those who are most vulnerable .

Fluoride Is Toxic To Developing Brains, New Studies Find
Bruce Lanphear, Children’s Health Defense
Waking Times
The debate on the fluoridation of drinking water — one of the most polarized, long-running, and high-decibel controversies in public health — has been reignited as new studies find that fluoride is toxic to the developing brain.
Last week, the U.S. National Toxicology Program released a systematic review of all published studies evaluating the potential neurotoxicity of fluoride; the benefits of fluoride with respect to reducing tooth decay were not addressed. A committee of the National Academy of Science, Medicine, and Engineering will review it this fall. This comprehensive report scrutinized hundreds of human and animal studies on the impact of fluoride on brain and cognitive function. Most, but not all, of the high-quality studies evaluated fluoride concentrations that were about twice the level added to drinking water or higher. However, when considering all the evidence, their conclusion was “fluoride is presumed to be a cognitive developmental hazard to humans.”
The National Toxicology Program’s conclusion was strengthened by a synthesis of high-quality studies showing that children who were exposed to higher amounts of fluoride during early brain development scored about 3 to 7 points lower on their IQ tests.
Their conclusion is consequential as about 75% of Americans on community water systems have fluoride in their tap water. Water is the main source of fluoride for people who live in communities with water fluoridation.
When do we know enough to revise long-held beliefs? We are reminded of the discovery of neurotoxic effects of lead that led to the successful banning of lead in gasoline and paint. Despite early warnings of lead toxicity, regulatory actions to reduce childhood lead exposures were not taken until decades of research had elapsed and millions more children were poisoned.
We know that the developing brain is exquisitely sensitive to minute concentrations of lead and other toxic chemicals. Moreover, toxic chemicals’ irreversible effects on children’s rapidly growing brains emphasize the need for prevention.
Failing to act on accumulated evidence raises deep and unsettling questions. Why are beliefs about the safety of fluoride so intransigent in the face of consistent evidence to the contrary?
Costs outweigh benefits
Fluoride offers no benefits to the fetus and infant and — as shown in the video below — new evidence suggests that fluoride is toxic to the developing brain at levels routinely found in the general population.
The benefits of fluoride in the prevention of tooth decay are predominately topical, occurring only after teeth appear in the child’s mouth. Fortunately, pregnant women can use fluoridated toothpaste and, if they want to do more to prevent cavities, can limit their consumption of sugar, a leading cause of tooth decay.
The loss of a single IQ point for an individual child is imperceptible, but the societal cost of millions of children losing 5 IQ points, or more is enormous. A decrement of even 1 IQ point translates to a 2% reduction in lifetime economic productivity (roughly $20,000), not to mention the additional educational costs required for children with lower IQs.
Many health and dental organizations in North America recommend community water fluoridation. Given the weight of evidence that fluoride is toxic to the developing brain, the time for health organizations and regulatory bodies to review their recommendations and regulations to ensure they protect pregnant women and their children is now.
We can act now by recommending that pregnant women and infants reduce their fluoride intake.
Specialized water filtration systems can be used to remove fluoride from tap water for pregnant women and infants fed formula. Pregnant women can also avoid black tea, which hyper-accumulates fluoride. The good news for all women is that there is little fluoride in breast milk. Bottled water typically contains lower amounts of fluoride than fluoridated tap water.
Some health advocates are going a step further. In 2016, a group of citizens petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to stop adding fluoride to drinking water because it is toxic. The EPA rejected the petition. In response, the citizen’s group took an unprecedented step and sued the EPA in federal court. EPA lawyers argued half-heartedly that the science was insufficient and said the Agency does not have the resources to regulate fluoride under the Toxic Substances Control Act.
In August, Judge Edward Chen of the Ninth Circuit deferred his ruling on whether fluoridation poses an unreasonable risk until the National Toxicology Program released their report.
New evidence questions existing policies about the safety of fluoride for babies’ developing brains. Given that safe alternatives are available and that there is no benefit of fluoride to babies’ teeth before they erupt or appear, it is time to protect those who are most vulnerable.


wakingtimes--2020-10-15--Singapore to Plant One Million Trees by 2030 to Protect Its Future

Singapore to Plant One Million Trees by 2030 to Protect Its Future Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
Sign up here .
Languishing in the soft , silty mud , the living fossil looked as if it didn ’ t have a care in the world as it feasted on the fish left stranded in the tidal mangrove pools of the Sungei Buloh wetlands .
However , the saltwater crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus ) might have been a little less at ease if it knew nearly 90 % of its mangrove habitat in Singapore has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But now Singapore is looking to reverse this loss by mounting an ambitious reforestation campaign .
In August 2020 , the Singapore government announced the launch of the new Sungei Buloh Park Network , a 400-hectare ( 990-acre ) park in the northern portion of the island that is a refueling site for migratory birds and is home to oriental hornbills , otters , saltwater crocodiles , and many other species .
Sungei Buloh is part of a wider project that aims to plant 1 million trees over the next 10 years as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the city-state ’ s wildlife while improving living conditions for its human residents .
The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve has a storied history .
It is where Singapore ’ s smooth-coated otters ( Lutrogale perspicillata ) were first discovered in the 1990s after they were assumed locally extinct , and it is also the location of the critically endangered Eye of the Crocodile tree ( Bruguiera hainesii ) .
The city-state has 11 of the world ’ s last remaining 200 trees .
The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is also an important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Russia and Alaska to Australia and New Zealand along the East Asian-Australasian flyway .
By forming the Sungei Buloh Park Network , Singapore is effectively tripling the size of the protected area comprising the reserve .
This new park aims to safeguard the biodiversity of multiple areas , including the Kranji marshes , the Mandai mangrove and mudflat , and the coastal Lim Chu Kang Nature Park , which is state land .
Within this patchwork of habitats , researchers have recorded 279 species of birds .
These areas comprise many different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nature Park alone boasts mangrove , woodland , scrubland and grassland habitats , and its diversity has attracted coastal birds such as the gray-headed fish eagle ( Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus ) and baya weaver ( Ploceus philippinus ) .
Geography professor Dan Friess from the National University of Singapore has studied Singapore ’ s mangroves for 11 years and heads up the university ’ s Mangroves Lab , which focuses on the study of coastal wetlands in Southeast Asia .
He says Singapore ’ s mangroves have an outsize ecological impact .
Singapore ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , providing a living laboratory for researchers who have uncovered many of their secrets through decades of study .
Researchers have also discovered that the Sungei Buloh wetlands and nearby Mandai mudflat are interdependent ; seeds travel from the Mandai mangroves to the Sungei Buloh wetlands , and they are both important parts of the habitat of migratory shorebirds .
Bird surveys and satellite tracking technology show that birds roost at Sungei Buloh while they feed on the mollusks , crustaceans and worms at Mandai when its extensive mudflat is exposed at low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sungei Buloh wetlands from boardwalks and watchtowers , but starting in 2022 , the public will also be able to watch migratory birds from hides situated near the Mandai mudflat .
Those interested will also be able to tour the new coastal Lim Chua Kang Nature Park , where a historic 1910 colonial building at the end of a jetty is slated to become an education center .
Helping ourselves by helping the forest As a city-state with limited land resources , Singapore has long been torn between urban development and protecting nature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forest in the 19th century to logging , then a century later , a fast-growing population and rapid urban development meant that trees were removed for land reclamation and to build reservoirs for water security .
This expansion has taken a big toll on the region ’ s mangroves .
In 1953 , Singapore ’ s mangrove forests covered an estimated 63.4 square kilometers ( 24.5 square miles ) ; by 2018 , researchers estimate that number had been reduced to 8.1 km2 ( 3.1 mi2 ) — a loss of more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working to replace its losses by turning areas used for industry and infrastructure back into natural-looking landscapes .
The National Parks Board ( NParks ) has already had some success with this , converting a brutalist stormwater canal that ran through a residential area into a natural grassy floodplain to cope with urban water runoff , and reestablishing the Sungei Api Api and Pulau Semakau mangroves .
Launched on March 4 , 2020 , the One Million Trees project involves restoration of both inland and mangrove forests .
As of October , 51,819 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of native coastal and black mangroves tree species have been selected by NParks to be used in reforestation efforts : Palaquium obovatum , Buchanania arborescens , Fagraea auriculata and Sindora wallichii .
The latter two species are considered critically endangered in Singapore .
The trees are sourced from Singapore ’ s tree banks , which include nurseries as well as trees that have been salvaged from construction sites .
Up to 13,000 trees could be removed over the next 15 years to make way for transport and housing projects in Singapore , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tree it removes it will replant another .
Trees from the tree bank are destined for Singapore ’ s parks , university grounds , rooftop gardens , roadsides and its outlying islands .
They will also be used to help create 26 therapeutic gardens across the city for the aging Singaporean population .
By the time One Million Trees officially wraps up in 2030 , a goal is for all Singaporean households to be just a 10-minute walk from a park .
In the parks , city gardeners have been planting soil-boosting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speciosa ) and great grasshopper tree ( Archidendron clypearia ) , fruit-bearing trees such as the common sterculia ( Sterculia parviflora ) and the kumpang ( Horsfieldia irya ) , and pollinator-attracting trees like pulai penipu paya ( Alstonia angustifolia ) .
They have also been helping to regenerate the rainforest by removing invasive weed species .

Singapore to Plant One Million Trees by 2030 to Protect Its Future
Claire Turrell, Mongabay
Waking Times
Languishing in the soft, silty mud, the living fossil looked as if it didn’t have a care in the world as it feasted on the fish left stranded in the tidal mangrove pools of the Sungei Buloh wetlands. However, the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) might have been a little less at ease if it knew nearly 90% of its mangrove habitat in Singapore has been lost over the past century.
But now Singapore is looking to reverse this loss by mounting an ambitious reforestation campaign. In August 2020, the Singapore government announced the launch of the new Sungei Buloh Park Network, a 400-hectare (990-acre) park in the northern portion of the island that is a refueling site for migratory birds and is home to oriental hornbills, otters, saltwater crocodiles, and many other species.
Sungei Buloh is part of a wider project that aims to plant 1 million trees over the next 10 years as the government tries to improve habitat quality for the city-state’s wildlife while improving living conditions for its human residents.
Important habitat
The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve has a storied history. It is where Singapore’s smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata) were first discovered in the 1990s after they were assumed locally extinct, and it is also the location of the critically endangered Eye of the Crocodile tree (Bruguiera hainesii). The city-state has 11 of the world’s last remaining 200 trees.
The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is also an important stop for migratory waterbirds as they fly from Russia and Alaska to Australia and New Zealand along the East Asian-Australasian flyway. By forming the Sungei Buloh Park Network, Singapore is effectively tripling the size of the protected area comprising the reserve. This new park aims to safeguard the biodiversity of multiple areas, including the Kranji marshes, the Mandai mangrove and mudflat, and the coastal Lim Chu Kang Nature Park, which is state land. Within this patchwork of habitats, researchers have recorded 279 species of birds. These areas comprise many different kinds of ecosystems; Lim Chua Kang Nature Park alone boasts mangrove, woodland, scrubland and grassland habitats, and its diversity has attracted coastal birds such as the gray-headed fish eagle (Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus) and baya weaver (Ploceus philippinus).
Geography professor Dan Friess from the National University of Singapore has studied Singapore’s mangroves for 11 years and heads up the university’s Mangroves Lab, which focuses on the study of coastal wetlands in Southeast Asia. He says Singapore’s mangroves have an outsize ecological impact.
“Singapore’s mangroves punch way above their weight,” Friess told Mongabay. “We only have a small area of mangroves, but within that we have huge biodiversity. For instance, in the U.S. they only have three species of mangrove plant species, while in Singapore you can find 35 different species of plant species in its mangroves.”
Singapore’s mangroves are relatively easy to access, providing a living laboratory for researchers who have uncovered many of their secrets through decades of study.
“In the Mandai mangroves alone researchers have found 20 species that are new to science,” Friess said.
Researchers have also discovered that the Sungei Buloh wetlands and nearby Mandai mudflat are interdependent; seeds travel from the Mandai mangroves to the Sungei Buloh wetlands, and they are both important parts of the habitat of migratory shorebirds. Bird surveys and satellite tracking technology show that birds roost at Sungei Buloh while they feed on the mollusks, crustaceans and worms at Mandai when its extensive mudflat is exposed at low tide.
Visitors can currently view the Sungei Buloh wetlands from boardwalks and watchtowers, but starting in 2022, the public will also be able to watch migratory birds from hides situated near the Mandai mudflat. Those interested will also be able to tour the new coastal Lim Chua Kang Nature Park, where a historic 1910 colonial building at the end of a jetty is slated to become an education center.
Helping ourselves by helping the forest
As a city-state with limited land resources, Singapore has long been torn between urban development and protecting nature. It lost much of its primary forest in the 19th century to logging, then a century later, a fast-growing population and rapid urban development meant that trees were removed for land reclamation and to build reservoirs for water security.
This expansion has taken a big toll on the region’s mangroves. In 1953, Singapore’s mangrove forests covered an estimated 63.4 square kilometers (24.5 square miles); by 2018, researchers estimate that number had been reduced to 8.1 km2 (3.1 mi2) — a loss of more than 87%. The country is now working to replace its losses by turning areas used for industry and infrastructure back into natural-looking landscapes. The National Parks Board (NParks) has already had some success with this, converting a brutalist stormwater canal that ran through a residential area into a natural grassy floodplain to cope with urban water runoff, and reestablishing the Sungei Api Api and Pulau Semakau mangroves.
Launched on March 4, 2020, the One Million Trees project involves restoration of both inland and mangrove forests. As of October, 51,819 trees have been planted. Four varieties of native coastal and black mangroves tree species have been selected by NParks to be used in reforestation efforts: Palaquium obovatum, Buchanania arborescens, Fagraea auriculata and Sindora wallichii. The latter two species are considered critically endangered in Singapore.
The trees are sourced from Singapore’s tree banks, which include nurseries as well as trees that have been salvaged from construction sites. Up to 13,000 trees could be removed over the next 15 years to make way for transport and housing projects in Singapore, but the government has stated that for every tree it removes it will replant another. Trees from the tree bank are destined for Singapore’s parks, university grounds, rooftop gardens, roadsides and its outlying islands. They will also be used to help create 26 therapeutic gardens across the city for the aging Singaporean population. By the time One Million Trees officially wraps up in 2030, a goal is for all Singaporean households to be just a 10-minute walk from a park.
In the parks, city gardeners have been planting soil-boosting, nitrogen-fixing plants such as petai (Parkia speciosa) and great grasshopper tree (Archidendron clypearia), fruit-bearing trees such as the common sterculia (Sterculia parviflora) and the kumpang (Horsfieldia irya), and pollinator-attracting trees like pulai penipu paya (Alstonia angustifolia). They have also been helping to regenerate the rainforest by removing invasive weed species.
Image: Unsplash


wakingtimes--2020-10-15--The Racist Roots Of American Policing: From Slave Patrols To Traffic Stops

The Racist Roots Of American Policing : From Slave Patrols To Traffic Stops Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
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Outrage over racial profiling and the killing of African Americans by police officers and vigilantes in recent years helped give rise to the Black Lives Matter movement .
But tensions between the police and black communities are nothing new .
There are many precedents to the Ferguson , Missouri protests that ushered in the Black Lives Matter movement .
Those protests erupted in 2014 after a police officer shot unarmed 18-year-old Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicted .
The precedents include the Los Angeles riots that broke out after the 1992 acquittal of police officers for beating Rodney King .
Those riots happened nearly three decades after the 1965 Watts riots , which began with Marquette Frye , an African American , being pulled over for suspected drunk driving and roughed up by the police for resisting arrest .
I ’ m a criminal justice researcher who often focuses on issues of race , class and crime .
Through my research and from teaching a course on diversity in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see how the roots of racism in American policing – first planted centuries ago – have not yet been fully purged .
There are two historical narratives about the origins of American law enforcement .
Policing in southern slave-holding states had roots in slave patrols , squadrons made up of white volunteers empowered to use vigilante tactics to enforce laws related to slavery .
They located and returned enslaved people who had escaped , crushed uprisings led by enslaved people and punished enslaved workers found or believed to have violated plantation rules .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina in the early 1700s .
As University of Georgia social work professor Michael A. Robinson has written , by the time John Adams became the second U.S. president , every state that had not yet abolished slavery had them .
Members of slave patrols could forcefully enter anyone ’ s home , regardless of their race or ethnicity , based on suspicions that they were sheltering people who had escaped bondage .
The more commonly known precursors to modern law enforcement were centralized municipal police departments that began to form in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and soon cropping up in New York City , Albany , Chicago , Philadelphia and elsewhere .
The first police forces were overwhelmingly white , male and more focused on responding to disorder than crime .
As Eastern Kentucky University criminologist Gary Potter explains , officers were expected to control a “ dangerous underclass ” that included African Americans , immigrants and the poor .
Through the early 20th century , there were few standards for hiring or training officers .
Police corruption and violence – particularly against vulnerable people – were commonplace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the few African Americans who joined police forces were often assigned to black neighborhoods and faced discrimination on the job .
In my opinion , these factors – controlling disorder , lack of adequate police training , lack of nonwhite officers and slave patrol origins – are among the forerunners of modern-day police brutality against African Americans .
Slave patrols formally dissolved after the Civil War ended .
But formerly enslaved people saw little relief from racist government policies as they promptly became subject to Black Codes .
For the next three years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when and where African Americans could work and how much they would be paid .
They also restricted black voting rights , dictated how and where African Americans could travel and limited where they could live .
The ratification of the 14th Amendment in 1868 quickly made the Black Codes illegal by giving formerly enslaved blacks equal protection of laws through the Constitution .
But within two decades , Jim Crow laws aimed at subjugating African Americans and denying their civil rights were enacted across southern and some northern states , replacing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jim Crow laws mandated separate public spaces for blacks and whites , such as schools , libraries , water fountains and restaurants – and enforcing them was part of the police ’ s job .
Blacks who broke laws or violated social norms often endured police brutality .
Meanwhile , the authorities didn ’ t punish the perpetrators when African Americans were lynched .
Nor did the judicial system hold the police accountable for failing to intervene when black people were being murdered by mobs .
For the past five decades , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of racist regulations at the state and local level .
Yet people of color are still more likely to be killed by the police than whites .
The Washington Post tracks the number of Americans killed by the police by race , gender and other characteristics .
The newspaper ’ s database indicates that 229 out of 992 of those who died that way in 2018 , 23 % of the total , were black , even though only about 12 % of the country is African American .
Policing ’ s institutional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matters because policing culture has not changed as much as it could .
For many African Americans , law enforcement represents a legacy of reinforced inequality in the justice system and resistance to advancement – even under pressure from the civil rights movement and its legacy .
When a Stanford University research team analyzed data collected between 2011 and 2017 from nearly 100 million traffic stops to look for evidence of systemic racial profiling , they found that black drivers were more likely to be pulled over and to have their cars searched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the percentage of black drivers being stopped by police dropped after dark when a driver ’ s complexion is harder to see from outside the vehicle .
This persistent disparity in policing is disappointing because of progress in other regards .
There is greater understanding within the police that brutality , particularly lethal force , leads to public mistrust , and police forces are becoming more diverse .
What ’ s more , college students majoring in criminal justice who plan to become future law enforcement officers now frequently take “ diversity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relatively new curriculum is designed to , among other things , make future police professionals more aware of their own biases and those of others .
In my view , what these students learn in these classes will make them more attuned to the communities they serve once they enter the workforce .
In addition , law enforcement officers and leaders are being trained to recognize and minimize their own biases in New York City and other places where people of color are disproportionately stopped by the authorities and arrested .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unless American policing reckons with its racist roots , it is likely to keep repeating mistakes of the past .
This will hinder police from fully protecting and serving the entire public .

The Racist Roots Of American Policing: From Slave Patrols To Traffic Stops
Connie Hassett-Walker, Norwich University
Waking Times
Outrage over racial profiling and the killing of African Americans by police officers and vigilantes in recent years helped give rise to the Black Lives Matter movement.
But tensions between the police and black communities are nothing new.
There are many precedents to the Ferguson, Missouri protests that ushered in the Black Lives Matter movement. Those protests erupted in 2014 after a police officer shot unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown; the officer was subsequently not indicted.
The precedents include the Los Angeles riots that broke out after the 1992 acquittal of police officers for beating Rodney King. Those riots happened nearly three decades after the 1965 Watts riots, which began with Marquette Frye, an African American, being pulled over for suspected drunk driving and roughed up by the police for resisting arrest.
I’m a criminal justice researcher who often focuses on issues of race, class and crime. Through my research and from teaching a course on diversity in criminal justice, I have come to see how the roots of racism in American policing – first planted centuries ago – have not yet been fully purged.
Slave patrols
There are two historical narratives about the origins of American law enforcement.
Policing in southern slave-holding states had roots in slave patrols, squadrons made up of white volunteers empowered to use vigilante tactics to enforce laws related to slavery. They located and returned enslaved people who had escaped, crushed uprisings led by enslaved people and punished enslaved workers found or believed to have violated plantation rules.
The first slave patrols arose in South Carolina in the early 1700s. As University of Georgia social work professor Michael A. Robinson has written, by the time John Adams became the second U.S. president, every state that had not yet abolished slavery had them.
Members of slave patrols could forcefully enter anyone’s home, regardless of their race or ethnicity, based on suspicions that they were sheltering people who had escaped bondage.
The more commonly known precursors to modern law enforcement were centralized municipal police departments that began to form in the early 19th century, beginning in Boston and soon cropping up in New York City, Albany, Chicago, Philadelphia and elsewhere.
The first police forces were overwhelmingly white, male and more focused on responding to disorder than crime.
As Eastern Kentucky University criminologist Gary Potter explains, officers were expected to control a “dangerous underclass” that included African Americans, immigrants and the poor. Through the early 20th century, there were few standards for hiring or training officers.
Police corruption and violence – particularly against vulnerable people – were commonplace during the early 1900s. Additionally, the few African Americans who joined police forces were often assigned to black neighborhoods and faced discrimination on the job. In my opinion, these factors – controlling disorder, lack of adequate police training, lack of nonwhite officers and slave patrol origins – are among the forerunners of modern-day police brutality against African Americans.
Jim Crow laws
Slave patrols formally dissolved after the Civil War ended. But formerly enslaved people saw little relief from racist government policies as they promptly became subject to Black Codes.
For the next three years, these new laws specified how, when and where African Americans could work and how much they would be paid. They also restricted black voting rights, dictated how and where African Americans could travel and limited where they could live.
The ratification of the 14th Amendment in 1868 quickly made the Black Codes illegal by giving formerly enslaved blacks equal protection of laws through the Constitution. But within two decades, Jim Crow laws aimed at subjugating African Americans and denying their civil rights were enacted across southern and some northern states, replacing the Black Codes.
For about 80 years, Jim Crow laws mandated separate public spaces for blacks and whites, such as schools, libraries, water fountains and restaurants – and enforcing them was part of the police’s job. Blacks who broke laws or violated social norms often endured police brutality.
Meanwhile, the authorities didn’t punish the perpetrators when African Americans were lynched. Nor did the judicial system hold the police accountable for failing to intervene when black people were being murdered by mobs.
Reverberating today
For the past five decades, the federal government has forbidden the use of racist regulations at the state and local level. Yet people of color are still more likely to be killed by the police than whites.
The Washington Post tracks the number of Americans killed by the police by race, gender and other characteristics. The newspaper’s database indicates that 229 out of 992 of those who died that way in 2018, 23% of the total, were black, even though only about 12% of the country is African American.
Policing’s institutional racism of decades and centuries ago still matters because policing culture has not changed as much as it could. For many African Americans, law enforcement represents a legacy of reinforced inequality in the justice system and resistance to advancement – even under pressure from the civil rights movement and its legacy.
In addition, the police disproportionately target black drivers.
When a Stanford University research team analyzed data collected between 2011 and 2017 from nearly 100 million traffic stops to look for evidence of systemic racial profiling, they found that black drivers were more likely to be pulled over and to have their cars searched than white drivers. They also found that the percentage of black drivers being stopped by police dropped after dark when a driver’s complexion is harder to see from outside the vehicle.
This persistent disparity in policing is disappointing because of progress in other regards.
There is greater understanding within the police that brutality, particularly lethal force, leads to public mistrust, and police forces are becoming more diverse.
What’s more, college students majoring in criminal justice who plan to become future law enforcement officers now frequently take “diversity in criminal justice” courses. This relatively new curriculum is designed to, among other things, make future police professionals more aware of their own biases and those of others. In my view, what these students learn in these classes will make them more attuned to the communities they serve once they enter the workforce.
In addition, law enforcement officers and leaders are being trained to recognize and minimize their own biases in New York City and other places where people of color are disproportionately stopped by the authorities and arrested.
But the persistence of racially biased policing means that unless American policing reckons with its racist roots, it is likely to keep repeating mistakes of the past. This will hinder police from fully protecting and serving the entire public.


wakingtimes--2020-10-16--Holocaust Survivor: Don’t Let Authorities Use Fear To Turn You Into A ‘Robot’

Holocaust Survivor : Don ’ t Let Authorities Use Fear To Turn You Into A ‘ Robot ’ Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
Sign up here .
Holocaust survivor and activist Vera Sharav has some strong words for adults who value their health and individual freedom : Start “ rebelling against things that are wrong , ” and stand up against attacks on medical and individual freedom , launched by corporations and governments , under the guise of keeping us “ safe ” from COVID-19 .
The founder of Alliance for Human Research Protection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a 6-year-old , her refusal to follow orders literally saved her life .
She suggests that what today we call “ oppositional defiant disorder ” is not really a “ disorder ” at all , but instead a life-saving strategy .
In the interview , Sharav draws parallels between Nazi Germany — including how the regime conducted medical experiments on children and adults — and what ’ s happening today around the COVID-19 pandemic .
Adults are “ going around like sheep , ” just as they were during her childhood in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you deny the human individual the right to think and question and assess and make decisions based on their own judgment and experience , then you are creating robots , ” she says .
Watch Part 1 of the interview with Sharav below and sign up here for Part 2 , so you ’ ll know when it is released .
Like Waking Times on Facebook .
Follow Waking Times on Twitter .

Holocaust Survivor: Don’t Let Authorities Use Fear To Turn You Into A ‘Robot’
Children’s Health Defense Team, Guest
Waking Times
Holocaust survivor and activist Vera Sharav has some strong words for adults who value their health and individual freedom: Start “rebelling against things that are wrong,” and stand up against attacks on medical and individual freedom, launched by corporations and governments, under the guise of keeping us “safe” from COVID-19.
“It’s a very dangerous thing to do to just follow,” Sharav said in an interview with Stand for Health Freedom.
The founder of Alliance for Human Research Protection shared the harrowing story of how, as a 6-year-old, her refusal to follow orders literally saved her life. She suggests that what today we call “oppositional defiant disorder” is not really a “disorder” at all, but instead a life-saving strategy.
In the interview, Sharav draws parallels between Nazi Germany — including how the regime conducted medical experiments on children and adults — and what’s happening today around the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adults are “going around like sheep,” just as they were during her childhood in Germany, Sharav says. “If you deny the human individual the right to think and question and assess and make decisions based on their own judgment and experience, then you are creating robots,” she says.
Watch Part 1 of the interview with Sharav below and sign up here for Part 2, so you’ll know when it is released.


wakingtimes--2020-10-16--Signed As Law: Vermont Bans Police Use Of Facial Recognition Technology

Signed As Law : Vermont Bans Police Use Of Facial Recognition Technology Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
Sign up here .
MONTPELIER , Vt. ( Oct. 15 , 2020 ) – Last week , Vermont Gov .
Phil Scott signed a bill into law that bans police from using facial recognition technology .
The growing movement to prohibit the use of facial recognition at the state and local levels could hinder the operation of a growing national facial recognition network .
Sen. Jeanette White ( D-Putney ) introduced Senate Bill 124 ( S.124 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a number of reforms relating to law enforcement , including a complete ban on the use of facial recognition technology unless it “ is authorized by an enactment of the General Assembly.
” The law prohibits the use of facial recognition technology and the use of any information acquired through facial recognition .
It does make an exception if the use of facial recognition is allowable under the state law regulating police drones – permissible only with a warrant .
The Senate passed S.124 in June by a 28-0 vote .
The House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sept. 22 .
The Senate concurred with the amendments and Gov .
Scott signed the bill into law on Oct. 7 .
The new law establishes the strongest limits on the police use of facial recognition in the country .
ACLU of Vermont Advocacy Director Falko Schilling called it “ a historic win for Vermonters ’ right to privacy.
” A recent report revealed that the federal government has turned state drivers ’ license photos into a giant facial recognition database , putting virtually every driver in America in a perpetual electronic police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but this story isn ’ t new .
The federal government has been developing a massive , nationwide facial recognition system for years .
The FBI rolled out a nationwide facial-recognition program in the fall of 2014 , with the goal of building a giant biometric database with pictures provided by the states and corporate friends .
In 2016 , the Center on Privacy and Technology at Georgetown Law released “ The Perpetual Lineup , ” a massive report on law enforcement use of facial recognition technology in the U.S. You can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The organization conducted a year-long investigation and collected more than 15,000 pages of documents through more than 100 public records requests .
The report paints a disturbing picture of intense cooperation between the federal government , and state and local law enforcement to develop a massive facial recognition database .
There are many technical and legal problems with facial recognition , including significant concerns about the accuracy of the technology , particularly when reading the facial features of minority populations .
During a test run by the ACLU of Northern California , facial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislature as people in a database of arrest photos .
With facial recognition technology , police and other government officials have the capability to track individuals in real-time .
These systems allow law enforcement agents to use video cameras and continually scan everybody who walks by .
According to the report , several major police departments have expressed an interest in this type of real-time tracking .
Documents revealed agencies in at least five major cities , including Los Angeles , either claimed to run real-time face recognition off of street cameras , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expressed written interest in buying it .
In all likelihood , the federal government heavily involves itself in helping state and local agencies obtain this technology .
The feds provide grant money to local law enforcement agencies for a vast array of surveillance gear , including ALPRs , stingray devices and drones .
The federal government essentially encourages and funds a giant nationwide surveillance net and then taps into the information via fusion centers and the Information Sharing Environment ( ISE ) .
Fusion centers were sold as a tool to combat terrorism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are being used .
The ACLU pointed to a bipartisan congressional report to demonstrate the true nature of government fusion centers : “ They haven ’ t contributed anything meaningful to counterterrorism efforts .
Instead , they have largely served as police surveillance and information sharing nodes for law enforcement efforts targeting the frequent subjects of police attention : Black and brown people , immigrants , dissidents , and the poor.
” Fusion centers operate within the broader ISE .
According to its website , the ISE “ provides analysts , operators , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national security .
These analysts , operators , and investigators…have mission needs to collaborate and share information with each other and with private sector partners and our foreign allies.
” In other words , ISE serves as a conduit for the sharing of information gathered without a warrant .
Known ISE partners include the Office of Director of National Intelligence which oversees 17 federal agencies and organizations , including the NSA .
ISE utilizes these partnerships to collect and share data on the millions of unwitting people they track .
Reports that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal fusion center deployed cameras equipped to surveil a “ free speech ” rally and Antifa counterprotests provided the first solid link between the federal government and local authorities in facial recognition surveillance .
In a nutshell , without state and local cooperation , the feds have a much more difficult time gathering information .
Passage of state laws and local ordinances banning and limiting facial recognition eliminates one avenue for gathering facial recognition data .
Simply put , data that doesn ’ t exist can not be entered into federal databases .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the Communications Director for the Tenth Amendment Center , where this article first appeared .
He proudly resides in the original home of the Principles of ’ 98 – Kentucky .
See his blog archive here and his article archive here .
He is the author of the book , Our Last Hope : Rediscovering the Lost Path to Liberty .
You can visit his personal website at MichaelMaharrey.co .

Signed As Law: Vermont Bans Police Use Of Facial Recognition Technology
Michael Maharrey, Activist Post
Waking Times
MONTPELIER, Vt. (Oct. 15, 2020) – Last week, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill into law that bans police from using facial recognition technology. The growing movement to prohibit the use of facial recognition at the state and local levels could hinder the operation of a growing national facial recognition network.
Sen. Jeanette White (D-Putney) introduced Senate Bill 124 (S.124) back in February. The legislation makes a number of reforms relating to law enforcement, including a complete ban on the use of facial recognition technology unless it “is authorized by an enactment of the General Assembly.” The law prohibits the use of facial recognition technology and the use of any information acquired through facial recognition. It does make an exception if the use of facial recognition is allowable under the state law regulating police drones – permissible only with a warrant.
The Senate passed S.124 in June by a 28-0 vote. The House approved the measure with some amendments on Sept. 22. The Senate concurred with the amendments and Gov. Scott signed the bill into law on Oct. 7.
The new law establishes the strongest limits on the police use of facial recognition in the country. ACLU of Vermont Advocacy Director Falko Schilling called it “a historic win for Vermonters’ right to privacy.”
By enacting the broadest outright ban on police use of facial recognition in the country, Vermont has taken the lead in protecting residents’ civil liberties from this invasive and inaccurate technology.
IMPACT ON FEDERAL PROGRAMS
A recent report revealed that the federal government has turned state drivers’ license photos into a giant facial recognition database, putting virtually every driver in America in a perpetual electronic police lineup. The revelations generated widespread outrage, but this story isn’t new. The federal government has been developing a massive, nationwide facial recognition system for years.
The FBI rolled out a nationwide facial-recognition program in the fall of 2014, with the goal of building a giant biometric database with pictures provided by the states and corporate friends.
In 2016, the Center on Privacy and Technology at Georgetown Law released “The Perpetual Lineup,” a massive report on law enforcement use of facial recognition technology in the U.S. You can read the complete report at perpetuallineup.org. The organization conducted a year-long investigation and collected more than 15,000 pages of documents through more than 100 public records requests. The report paints a disturbing picture of intense cooperation between the federal government, and state and local law enforcement to develop a massive facial recognition database.
“Face recognition is a powerful technology that requires strict oversight. But those controls, by and large, don’t exist today,” report co-author Clare Garvie said. “With only a few exceptions, there are no laws governing police use of the technology, no standards ensuring its accuracy, and no systems checking for bias. It’s a wild west.”
There are many technical and legal problems with facial recognition, including significant concerns about the accuracy of the technology, particularly when reading the facial features of minority populations. During a test run by the ACLU of Northern California, facial recognition misidentified 26 members of the California legislature as people in a database of arrest photos.
With facial recognition technology, police and other government officials have the capability to track individuals in real-time. These systems allow law enforcement agents to use video cameras and continually scan everybody who walks by. According to the report, several major police departments have expressed an interest in this type of real-time tracking. Documents revealed agencies in at least five major cities, including Los Angeles, either claimed to run real-time face recognition off of street cameras, bought technology with the capability, or expressed written interest in buying it.
In all likelihood, the federal government heavily involves itself in helping state and local agencies obtain this technology. The feds provide grant money to local law enforcement agencies for a vast array of surveillance gear, including ALPRs, stingray devices and drones. The federal government essentially encourages and funds a giant nationwide surveillance net and then taps into the information via fusion centers and the Information Sharing Environment (ISE).
Fusion centers were sold as a tool to combat terrorism, but that is not how they are being used. The ACLU pointed to a bipartisan congressional report to demonstrate the true nature of government fusion centers: “They haven’t contributed anything meaningful to counterterrorism efforts. Instead, they have largely served as police surveillance and information sharing nodes for law enforcement efforts targeting the frequent subjects of police attention: Black and brown people, immigrants, dissidents, and the poor.”
Fusion centers operate within the broader ISE. According to its website, the ISE “provides analysts, operators, and investigators with information needed to enhance national security. These analysts, operators, and investigators…have mission needs to collaborate and share information with each other and with private sector partners and our foreign allies.” In other words, ISE serves as a conduit for the sharing of information gathered without a warrant. Known ISE partners include the Office of Director of National Intelligence which oversees 17 federal agencies and organizations, including the NSA. ISE utilizes these partnerships to collect and share data on the millions of unwitting people they track.
Reports that the Berkeley Police Department in cooperation with a federal fusion center deployed cameras equipped to surveil a “free speech” rally and Antifa counterprotests provided the first solid link between the federal government and local authorities in facial recognition surveillance.
In a nutshell, without state and local cooperation, the feds have a much more difficult time gathering information. Passage of state laws and local ordinances banning and limiting facial recognition eliminates one avenue for gathering facial recognition data. Simply put, data that doesn’t exist cannot be entered into federal databases.
About the Author
Michael Maharrey [send him email] is the Communications Director for the Tenth Amendment Center, where this article first appeared. He proudly resides in the original home of the Principles of ’98 – Kentucky. See his blog archive here and his article archive here. He is the author of the book, Our Last Hope: Rediscovering the Lost Path to Liberty. You can visit his personal website at MichaelMaharrey.co.