wakingtimes--2020-01-28--8 Reasons Why All Drugs (Even Heroin) Should Be Legal

Of all the articles I ’ ve written over the years , this is one of my favorites .
When I discuss ending the drug war , especially when it comes to heroin , people always think that this will cause some breakdown of society , or that I am promoting heroin use .
This article was designed to express some of the main points for these skeptics , and show them that even people who hate drugs will benefit from ending the drug war .
The drug war is one of the most misunderstood subjects in the mainstream political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sympathetic to the plight of responsible drug users .
It is rare for someone to come out and say that all drugs should be legal , but in all honesty , this is the only logically consistent stance on the issue .
To say that some drugs should be legal while others should not is still giving credence to the punishment paradigm and overlooking the external consequences of drug prohibition , or prohibition of any object for that matter .
There is no doubt that drug abuse is a serious issue in our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depressed and beaten down that they self-medicate just to be able to tolerate the average day .
However , a prohibition policy is a policy of violence , because if you happen to be caught with any of these banned items you will be forcefully taken against your will and put in a cage , and if you dare to prevent this kidnap from taking place you will inevitably be killed .
This is the fundamental issue surrounding the drug war that we need to be focused on .
Instead of bickering over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or arguing about which drug is more harmful than the other , we need to be pointing out that prohibition itself is an inherently violent policy that rests upon the stone age concept of punishment .
As I alluded to earlier , there are many external factors that are affected by the drug war that many people don ’ t take into account .
That is because when you carry out acts of violence , even in the form of punishment , you then create a ripple effect which extends far beyond the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many innocent people down the line .
The following list delves into those external factors to illustrate how drug users and non-users alike , would be a lot better off if prohibition ended immediately .
( 1 ) – Reduce Violent Crime – The steady increase in violent crime over the past few decades is directly correlated with the escalation of the drug war .
As we saw during the times of alcohol prohibition , when you ban any inanimate object , you create an incentive for people to get involved in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since there is no accountability or means of peaceful dispute resolution within the black market , buyers and sellers are forced to resort to violence as their sole means of handling disagreements .
Eventually , this violence spills over into the everyday world and effects everyone ’ s lives .
No one could imagine Budweiser and Miller Lite in a back alley gunfight , but less than a century ago during alcohol prohibition , distributors of the drug were involved in shootouts on a regular basis , just as drug gangs are today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence came to an immediate end when alcohol was legalized , however , it was not long before the establishment found a new crusade in the drug war , which allowed them to continue the same policy just with different substances .
( 2 ) Improve Seller Accountability and Drug Safety – In the black market , one of the major drawbacks is that there is no accountability among the people selling the drug .
Since anyone can get kidnapped and thrown in a cage for even dealing with the stuff , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people to be plastering their names and logos all over the drugs .
In this age of corporate mercantilism logos and branding may seem like a really tacky idea , but when looking at the black market we can see the value in such things .
Someone who is selling a product with their name on it , is going to go through far greater lengths to ensure the quality of their product , as opposed to someone who would remain anonymous .
This anonymity creates an incentive for people to be dishonest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead to rip-offs , or downright contamination of the drug with unwanted harmful substances .
This is why there was bathtub gin that would make you go blind if you drank it during alcohol prohibition .
This is also the reason why some of the harder street drugs today are cut with toxic chemicals that increase the chance of overdose tenfold .
The fact that the drugs need to be smuggled also creates the incentive to make drugs more potent , and thus in some circumstances more dangerous .
The increased potency and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase in cost .
The increased cost is a whole other issue with its own unique side effects in regaurds to drug safety .
When the price of the real drugs go up , people just start huffing paint thinner , smoking bath salts and cooking up crystal meth in their basements , which is then even many times more dangerous than the unbranded drugs on the black market .
( 3 ) – Reduce Drug Availability to Children – Many children have houses that are filled with alcohol , yet most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drugs than to get alcohol even though alcohol is legal .
Even if there were no legal age restrictions on alcohol , the societal and family norms would be just as effective at deterring children from then a formal prohibition policy .
If we look overseas at countries that don ’ t have age restrictions on alcohol , younger people are oftentimes much more mature and informed about its effects than children in the west , and are more likely to make responsible decisions about mind altering substances .
In Portugal where drugs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there has actually been a double digit drop in drug use by school age children .
( 4 ) – Reduce Nonviolent Prisoner Population – A vast majority of the prisoners in the united states are there for nonviolent non crimes , many of which stem from the drug war .
Currently , there are more people in US prisons than were in the gulags of Soviet Russia at its worst .
Putting nonviolent people in cages , bringing violence against nonviolent people is a horrible violation of natural law .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the casualties in this drug war , I would point again to the external consequences which affect even the most vocal prohibitionist .
According to the most cited Judge in the United States , Richard A. Posner , the government spends $ 41.3 billion per year of your tax money on law enforcement measures against mostly small time drug users .
( 5 ) – Real Crime Can be Dealt With – Even in areas with a declining homicide rate , the murder cases that are going unsolved are continuing to climb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million excuses , but the drug war is one of the primary reasons for this occurrence .
On one hand indiscriminate killings become more common than crimes of passion that are easy to figure out , but there is a much more sinister aspect of this as well .
If you look at the rate of incarcerations for drug offenses , and how incredibly often drug cases are “ solved ” and found in favor of the state , it becomes obvious that the police have more of an incentive in their day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users than murderers .
These people aren ’ t selfless public servants as the propaganda on primetime television would lead you to believe , they are average people just like you and me .
They will even tell ya “ im just doin my job ” , so like most of us , when they are on the job they try to get the most amount of money for the least amount of work , and murder cases are really tough work .
A cop could even miss his quota by taking the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murderer , instead of grabbing a kid with a bag of pot , which is a lot easier to find and a lot easier to catch .
Quotas are another thing that many police departments deny , but time and time again evidence surfaces that proves otherwise , recently a former NYPD officer has come forward saying that he used to ticket dead people just to meet his quota .
This is not to say that all cops are nasty people , but the way that their jobs are monopolized by the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their position and forces them to hurt innocent people and violate people ’ s rights even if they have the best of intentions .
( 6 ) – Encourage Genuine Treatment for Addicts – As a result of international drug treaties most of the world has remained trapped in a punishment mindset when it comes to dealing with the social problem of drug addiction .
While an addiction may be problematic for the person involved and everyone that they come in contact with , they are not a criminal until they actually hurt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even then they are a criminal because of their aforementioned transgression not because of their drug addiction .
Even the treatment that we see today is not genuine because it is forced on people and doesn ’ t address the reasons why they are doing drugs in the first place .
In other words , today ’ s treatment programs just try to bash the idea that “ drugs are bad ” into peoples heads , instead of really communicating with these them , treating them like human beings and overcoming the underlying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them towards lives of drug addiction .
( 7 ) – Prevent Drug Overdoses – As I mentioned earlier most drug overdoses that happen today wouldn ’ t occur if it wasn ’ t for the artificially high potency of drugs that we see today .
However , what is even more sad is that of those overdoses that do happen , many more of them could have been prevented but were not because witnesses were too afraid of the police getting involved to call for help .
9 states out of 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws to give legal amnesty to anyone who brings an overdosing person to the hospital , but that measure wouldn ’ t even be necessary if prohibition wasn ’ t a factor in the first place .
The fact that people are actually afraid to call an ambulance in this country should really tell you something about the level that the police state has risen to .
( 8 ) – Protect Individual Rights – Thanks to the drug war , merely on the whim of saying that they smell something cops are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cars and totally violate the rights of nonviolent people .
The drug war and terrorism are the two biggest excuses used to violate peoples rights , yet according to the national safety council you are 8 times more likely to be killed by a police officer than a terrorist .
The very existence of the drug war to begin with , or a prohibition on any object is a fundamental violation of natural rights that should not exist in any civilized society .
John Vibes is an author and journalist who takes a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and focuses solutions-oriented approaches to social problems .
He is also a host of The Free Your Mind Conference and The Free Thought Project Podcast .

8 Reasons Why All Drugs (Even Heroin) Should Be Legal
John Vibes, Steemit
Waking Times
Of all the articles I’ve written over the years, this is one of my favorites. When I discuss ending the drug war, especially when it comes to heroin, people always think that this will cause some breakdown of society, or that I am promoting heroin use. This article was designed to express some of the main points for these skeptics, and show them that even people who hate drugs will benefit from ending the drug war.
The drug war is one of the most misunderstood subjects in the mainstream political dialogue, even among people who are sympathetic to the plight of responsible drug users. It is rare for someone to come out and say that all drugs should be legal, but in all honesty, this is the only logically consistent stance on the issue. To say that some drugs should be legal while others should not is still giving credence to the punishment paradigm and overlooking the external consequences of drug prohibition, or prohibition of any object for that matter.
There is no doubt that drug abuse is a serious issue in our culture, primarily because people are so depressed and beaten down that they self-medicate just to be able to tolerate the average day. However, a prohibition policy is a policy of violence, because if you happen to be caught with any of these banned items you will be forcefully taken against your will and put in a cage, and if you dare to prevent this kidnap from taking place you will inevitably be killed. This is the fundamental issue surrounding the drug war that we need to be focused on. Instead of bickering over how to slightly reform drug policy, or arguing about which drug is more harmful than the other, we need to be pointing out that prohibition itself is an inherently violent policy that rests upon the stone age concept of punishment.
As I alluded to earlier, there are many external factors that are affected by the drug war that many people don’t take into account. That is because when you carry out acts of violence, even in the form of punishment, you then create a ripple effect which extends far beyond the bounds of the original circumstance to affect many innocent people down the line. The following list delves into those external factors to illustrate how drug users and non-users alike, would be a lot better off if prohibition ended immediately.
(1) – Reduce Violent Crime – The steady increase in violent crime over the past few decades is directly correlated with the escalation of the drug war. As we saw during the times of alcohol prohibition, when you ban any inanimate object, you create an incentive for people to get involved in the black market distribution of that object. Since there is no accountability or means of peaceful dispute resolution within the black market, buyers and sellers are forced to resort to violence as their sole means of handling disagreements.
Eventually, this violence spills over into the everyday world and effects everyone’s lives. No one could imagine Budweiser and Miller Lite in a back alley gunfight, but less than a century ago during alcohol prohibition, distributors of the drug were involved in shootouts on a regular basis, just as drug gangs are today. Of course, all of this violence came to an immediate end when alcohol was legalized, however, it was not long before the establishment found a new crusade in the drug war, which allowed them to continue the same policy just with different substances.
(2) Improve Seller Accountability and Drug Safety – In the black market, one of the major drawbacks is that there is no accountability among the people selling the drug. Since anyone can get kidnapped and thrown in a cage for even dealing with the stuff, it really doesn’t make sense for people to be plastering their names and logos all over the drugs. In this age of corporate mercantilism logos and branding may seem like a really tacky idea, but when looking at the black market we can see the value in such things. Someone who is selling a product with their name on it, is going to go through far greater lengths to ensure the quality of their product, as opposed to someone who would remain anonymous.
This anonymity creates an incentive for people to be dishonest with what they sell. This could lead to rip-offs, or downright contamination of the drug with unwanted harmful substances. This is why there was bathtub gin that would make you go blind if you drank it during alcohol prohibition. This is also the reason why some of the harder street drugs today are cut with toxic chemicals that increase the chance of overdose tenfold. The fact that the drugs need to be smuggled also creates the incentive to make drugs more potent, and thus in some circumstances more dangerous. The increased potency and decreased availability inevitably leads to a massive increase in cost. The increased cost is a whole other issue with its own unique side effects in regaurds to drug safety. When the price of the real drugs go up, people just start huffing paint thinner, smoking bath salts and cooking up crystal meth in their basements, which is then even many times more dangerous than the unbranded drugs on the black market.
(3) – Reduce Drug Availability to Children – Many children have houses that are filled with alcohol, yet most of them find it way easier to get drugs than to get alcohol even though alcohol is legal. Even if there were no legal age restrictions on alcohol, the societal and family norms would be just as effective at deterring children from then a formal prohibition policy. If we look overseas at countries that don’t have age restrictions on alcohol, younger people are oftentimes much more mature and informed about its effects than children in the west, and are more likely to make responsible decisions about mind altering substances. In Portugal where drugs have been decriminalized for some time now there has actually been a double digit drop in drug use by school age children.
(4) – Reduce Nonviolent Prisoner Population – A vast majority of the prisoners in the united states are there for nonviolent non crimes, many of which stem from the drug war. Currently, there are more people in US prisons than were in the gulags of Soviet Russia at its worst. Putting nonviolent people in cages, bringing violence against nonviolent people is a horrible violation of natural law. However, if you have no sympathy or compassion for the casualties in this drug war, I would point again to the external consequences which affect even the most vocal prohibitionist. According to the most cited Judge in the United States, Richard A. Posner, the government spends $41.3 billion per year of your tax money on law enforcement measures against mostly small time drug users.
(5) – Real Crime Can be Dealt With – Even in areas with a declining homicide rate, the murder cases that are going unsolved are continuing to climb. Police departments and bureaucrats have a million excuses, but the drug war is one of the primary reasons for this occurrence. On one hand indiscriminate killings become more common than crimes of passion that are easy to figure out, but there is a much more sinister aspect of this as well. If you look at the rate of incarcerations for drug offenses, and how incredibly often drug cases are “solved” and found in favor of the state, it becomes obvious that the police have more of an incentive in their day to day activities to hunt down drug users than murderers. These people aren’t selfless public servants as the propaganda on primetime television would lead you to believe, they are average people just like you and me. They will even tell ya “im just doin my job”, so like most of us, when they are on the job they try to get the most amount of money for the least amount of work, and murder cases are really tough work.
A cop could even miss his quota by taking the time and effort to hunt down a murderer, instead of grabbing a kid with a bag of pot, which is a lot easier to find and a lot easier to catch. Quotas are another thing that many police departments deny, but time and time again evidence surfaces that proves otherwise, recently a former NYPD officer has come forward saying that he used to ticket dead people just to meet his quota. This is not to say that all cops are nasty people, but the way that their jobs are monopolized by the state and focused on the drug war corrupts their position and forces them to hurt innocent people and violate people’s rights even if they have the best of intentions.
(6) – Encourage Genuine Treatment for Addicts – As a result of international drug treaties most of the world has remained trapped in a punishment mindset when it comes to dealing with the social problem of drug addiction. While an addiction may be problematic for the person involved and everyone that they come in contact with, they are not a criminal until they actually hurt someone or damage their property, and even then they are a criminal because of their aforementioned transgression not because of their drug addiction. Even the treatment that we see today is not genuine because it is forced on people and doesn’t address the reasons why they are doing drugs in the first place. In other words, today’s treatment programs just try to bash the idea that “drugs are bad” into peoples heads, instead of really communicating with these them, treating them like human beings and overcoming the underlying issues in their lives that are pushing them towards lives of drug addiction.
(7) – Prevent Drug Overdoses – As I mentioned earlier most drug overdoses that happen today wouldn’t occur if it wasn’t for the artificially high potency of drugs that we see today. However, what is even more sad is that of those overdoses that do happen, many more of them could have been prevented but were not because witnesses were too afraid of the police getting involved to call for help. 9 states out of 50 in the US currently have good Samaritan laws to give legal amnesty to anyone who brings an overdosing person to the hospital, but that measure wouldn’t even be necessary if prohibition wasn’t a factor in the first place. The fact that people are actually afraid to call an ambulance in this country should really tell you something about the level that the police state has risen to.
(8) – Protect Individual Rights – Thanks to the drug war, merely on the whim of saying that they smell something cops are now able to enter homes, search cars and totally violate the rights of nonviolent people. The drug war and terrorism are the two biggest excuses used to violate peoples rights, yet according to the national safety council you are 8 times more likely to be killed by a police officer than a terrorist. The very existence of the drug war to begin with, or a prohibition on any object is a fundamental violation of natural rights that should not exist in any civilized society.
About the Author
John Vibes is an author and journalist who takes a special interest in the counter culture, and focuses solutions-oriented approaches to social problems. He is also a host of The Free Your Mind Conference and The Free Thought Project Podcast.


wakingtimes--2020-01-28--Mind Control or Controlling Your Mind – Which Do You Choose?

Controlling your mind is key as we head deeper into the 21st century .
The mind is the new frontier – and from a military standpoint the new battleground – as governmental-military-corporate organizations become enmeshed with each other to push the same AI ( Artificial Intelligence ) driven agenda of a NWO ( New World Order ) .
Research is feverishly underway with the aim of completely understanding and decoding the brain , with the idea that such an understanding will lead to many ‘ useful ’ benefits ( but not for the average person ) , such as governments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without threats or force , and military forces being better able to defeat their enemies without firing a single shot .
Do you realize you and your mind are being targeted ?
And , on the other hand , do you realize you can harness the power of your mind to achieve your potential , including lifting yourself out or poverty , creating deep and strong relationships , and fulfilling your dreams ?
Mind control is a term with broad and specific meanings .
In the broad sense , it refers to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out by the MSM [ Mainstream Media ] ) that aims to brainwash people by limiting their perception of Who They Are and what reality is .
The idea of this broad mind control is always to manipulate and disempower the individual , so that his/her attitudes and behavior come into alignment with what the Controllers want .
It is said that Americans are the most propagandized people on Earth .
In the narrow or specific sense , mind control refers to the projects started by the Nazis and continued by the CIA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s minds to the point where they would become programmable robots , rendering themselves with docility into the hands of their manipulators .
This would include doing whatever they were told and in some cases not even remembering it , because the programming involved splitting up the person ’ s mind into different ‘ altars ’ or personalities which were tightly compartmentalized in their brains .
Each altar had no idea of the existence or actions of the other altars .
A handler would then use certain triggers to activate a particular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in order to get the mind-controlled victim to perform certain actions .
In this way , mind-controlled assassins were created and used in major political assassinations , such as with Robert Kennedy and the dazed and confused Sirhan Sirhan .
Mind-controlled sex slaves ( e.g .
Cathy O ’ Brien , Brice Taylor , Arizona Wilder , Cisco Wheeler , Svali , Kathy Collins and many more ) have also been a common theme .
The CIA ’ s notorious MK Ultra began in 1953 .
It is stated that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was later declassified , the public learnt there were an incredible 149 sub-projects !
If you think the CIA , the government and other military agencies had a change of heart and suddenly stopped their mind control research , think again .
Mind control continues today and has become even more advanced .
Big Tech corporations like Google ( Alphabet ) and Facebook , which are not really private companies but rather a fusion of government-military-intelligence money/direction with corporate execution , are investing millions of dollars into developing technologies that can read your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mouse and typing obsolete .
They want to access your thoughts and make it so your brain is directly connected to a computer , to the internet and to AI ( Artificial Intelligence ) .
The USG under Obama launched the BRAIN initiative , estimated to cost $ 6 billion over a decade ( $ 4.5 billion to the NIH alone ) .
Elon Musk , CEO of Tesla and founder of the Neuralink Corporation , is developing a device ( like a neural lace ) which he claims will basically read your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked at the DoD and DARPA ) reveals all the areas the military is exploring – and it ’ s scary .
In his own words , this includes stuff like neuroimaging , cyber-linked neurocog manipulation , directed energy devices , implantable BMIs ( Brain-Machine Interfaces ) , nanoneurotechnologicals , nanochips and the neuro-enhancement of soldiers .
Yes , he actually admitted the existence of directed energy devices – DEW was used on 9/11 and in other crimes such as the engineered fires in Paradise , California .
These things are the admitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it comes to exposing the conspiracy , there ’ s always one thing we are told and another thing that is actually happening .
The covert brain research is even more shocking .
Ex-CIA officer turned whistleblower Dr. Robert Duncan , an engineer who built many of these systems , has for years exposed numerous covert current mind control techniques .
He confesses that he worked on the V2K ( Voice to Skull ) ‘ Voice of God ’ weapon , which had 4 different techniques that can pipe voices into people ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Iraq War against the Iraqi soldiers ( “ Lay down your guns , this is Allah ” ) .
He reveals how dreams can be hacked and people can be made to speak ( forced speech ) .
He also exposes how the following area are being researched and weaponized : remote mind reading , synthetic telepathy , cybernetic hive mind experimentation ( multiple people sharing the same mental ‘ space ’ ) , the existence and use of a technology for remotely ‘ cloning ’ or copying thoughts , emotions & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) onto a target ( EEG cloning or EEG heterodyning ) .
He also confirms that people can be targeted and tracked remotely via their energy signature or ‘ brain print ’ .
Makia Freeman is the editor of The Freedom Articles and senior researcher at ToolsForFreedom.com ( FaceBook here ) , writing on many aspects of truth and freedom , from exposing aspects of the worldwide conspiracy to suggesting solutions for how humanity can create a new system of peace and abundance .
Makia is on Minds , Steemit and FB .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Your Mind – Which Do You Choose ? )
was originally created and published by The Freedom Articles and is re-posted here with permission .

Mind Control or Controlling Your Mind – Which Do You Choose?
Makia Freeman, Contributor
Waking Times
Controlling your mind is key as we head deeper into the 21st century. The mind is the new frontier – and from a military standpoint the new battleground – as governmental-military-corporate organizations become enmeshed with each other to push the same AI (Artificial Intelligence) driven agenda of a NWO (New World Order). Research is feverishly underway with the aim of completely understanding and decoding the brain, with the idea that such an understanding will lead to many ‘useful’ benefits (but not for the average person), such as governments being better able to control their citizens without threats or force, and military forces being better able to defeat their enemies without firing a single shot. Do you realize you and your mind are being targeted? And, on the other hand, do you realize you can harness the power of your mind to achieve your potential, including lifting yourself out or poverty, creating deep and strong relationships, and fulfilling your dreams?
Broad Mind Control
Mind control is a term with broad and specific meanings. In the broad sense, it refers to the widespread propaganda and programming (mostly doled out by the MSM [Mainstream Media]) that aims to brainwash people by limiting their perception of Who They Are and what reality is. The idea of this broad mind control is always to manipulate and disempower the individual, so that his/her attitudes and behavior come into alignment with what the Controllers want. It is said that Americans are the most propagandized people on Earth.
Specific Mind Control
In the narrow or specific sense, mind control refers to the projects started by the Nazis and continued by the CIA that sought to influence and control people’s minds to the point where they would become programmable robots, rendering themselves with docility into the hands of their manipulators. This would include doing whatever they were told and in some cases not even remembering it, because the programming involved splitting up the person’s mind into different ‘altars’ or personalities which were tightly compartmentalized in their brains. Each altar had no idea of the existence or actions of the other altars. A handler would then use certain triggers to activate a particular altar and bring it to the front, in order to get the mind-controlled victim to perform certain actions. In this way, mind-controlled assassins were created and used in major political assassinations, such as with Robert Kennedy and the dazed and confused Sirhan Sirhan. Mind-controlled sex slaves (e.g. Cathy O’Brien, Brice Taylor, Arizona Wilder, Cisco Wheeler, Svali, Kathy Collins and many more) have also been a common theme. The CIA’s notorious MK Ultra began in 1953. It is stated that it was shut down in 1973. When it was later declassified, the public learnt there were an incredible 149 sub-projects!
Advanced Overt Mind Control: Neuralink, BMIs, Nanochips, Neuro-enhancement
If you think the CIA, the government and other military agencies had a change of heart and suddenly stopped their mind control research, think again. Mind control continues today and has become even more advanced. Big Tech corporations like Google (Alphabet) and Facebook, which are not really private companies but rather a fusion of government-military-intelligence money/direction with corporate execution, are investing millions of dollars into developing technologies that can read your thoughts and devices which make a computer mouse and typing obsolete. They want to access your thoughts and make it so your brain is directly connected to a computer, to the internet and to AI (Artificial Intelligence). The USG under Obama launched the BRAIN initiative, estimated to cost $6 billion over a decade ($4.5 billion to the NIH alone). Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and founder of the Neuralink Corporation, is developing a device (like a neural lace) which he claims will basically read your mind. Dr. James Giordano (who worked at the DoD and DARPA) reveals all the areas the military is exploring – and it’s scary. In his own words, this includes stuff like neuroimaging, cyber-linked neurocog manipulation, directed energy devices, implantable BMIs (Brain-Machine Interfaces), nanoneurotechnologicals, nanochips and the neuro-enhancement of soldiers. Yes, he actually admitted the existence of directed energy devices – DEW was used on 9/11 and in other crimes such as the engineered fires in Paradise, California.
Advanced Covert Mind Control: V2K, Dream Hacking, Forced Speech, Synthetic Telepathy, EEG Cloning/Heterodyning, Cybernetic Hive Mind
These things are the admitted, overt brain research, and when it comes to exposing the conspiracy, there’s always one thing we are told and another thing that is actually happening. The covert brain research is even more shocking. Ex-CIA officer turned whistleblower Dr. Robert Duncan, an engineer who built many of these systems, has for years exposed numerous covert current mind control techniques. He confesses that he worked on the V2K (Voice to Skull) ‘Voice of God’ weapon, which had 4 different techniques that can pipe voices into people’s heads. This was used in the Iraq War against the Iraqi soldiers (“Lay down your guns, this is Allah”). He reveals how dreams can be hacked and people can be made to speak (forced speech). He also exposes how the following area are being researched and weaponized: remote mind reading, synthetic telepathy, cybernetic hive mind experimentation (multiple people sharing the same mental ‘space’), the existence and use of a technology for remotely ‘cloning’ or copying thoughts, emotions & other states (e.g. intense pain) onto a target (EEG cloning or EEG heterodyning). He also confirms that people can be targeted and tracked remotely via their energy signature or ‘brain print’.
About the Author
Makia Freeman is the editor of The Freedom Articles and senior researcher at ToolsForFreedom.com (FaceBook here), writing on many aspects of truth and freedom, from exposing aspects of the worldwide conspiracy to suggesting solutions for how humanity can create a new system of peace and abundance. Makia is on Minds, Steemit and FB.
**Sources embedded throughout article.
This article (Mind Control or Controlling Your Mind – Which Do You Choose?) was originally created and published by The Freedom Articles and is re-posted here with permission.


wakingtimes--2020-01-29--Britain’s Royal Air Force to Release Secret UFO Files for the First Time

The age-old question of are we alone in the universe may not be answered any time soon , but the fact that Britain is planning on declassifying its UFO files for the first time puts us one step closer to the truth .
The Royal Air Force ( RAF ) ran a UFO unit for 50 years that took in public sighting reports but it was shut down in 2009 after it was determined none of the reports offered evidence of a real threat .
The records from the unit were then given to the British National Archives where they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the documents is currently underway before publication , which is expected to take place “ sometime within the first quarter of 2020 , ” according to the Telegraph .
In June 2013 , the MoD previously reported it was releasing the final UFO files in the UK ’ s possession .
However , we now know that ’ s not true thanks to a Freedom of Information Request by PA News .
In response to the FOI , the RAF described the files it held as “ comprising entirely of correspondence with members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has no opinion on the existence or otherwise of extraterrestrial life and does not investigate UFO reports.
” While the attempts to hide the truth about the existence of UFOs is dying down , disclosure is ramping up .
As TMU previously reported , U.S. Navy officials have acknowledged that video footage showing UFOs flying is real .
In the video below , Lt. Col Lawrence J. Tacker and Maj Hetor Quintanilla , Jr. , speak about unidentified flying objects ( UFOs ) and Project Blue Book , which relates to the investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Just like RAF , the Blue Book commission determined that UFOs did not pose a security risk and that they were identifiable in 1966 under hearings .
However , Dr. J. Allen Hynek who was the lead scientist on the Blue Book commission confessed years later that there was a cover-up .
Project Blue Book wasn ’ t the only investigation into UFOs—there was also Project Grudge , Project Sign , the Cometa Report , Majestic 12 , Robertson Panel and more recently a whistle-blower disclosed that the U.S. claimed to have an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
The U.S. ’ own interest in UFOs is obviously well documented up to the 21st century .
It ’ s no wonder that they were called “ serious business ” because years prior in 1942 , the incident known as the Battle Of Los Angeles took place where the U.S. military shot at an unknown disk over California that they later called a weather balloon—just like the infamous Roswell incident in 1947 which was first reported as a saucer , later changed to a balloon filled with crash dummies .
Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an earlier 1958 interview that the Air Force was deliberately dismissing and covering up UFOs , confirming Hillenkoetter and Hynek ’ s claims made years later .
Major Keyhoe also exposes the CIA life that all of the UFO sightings were the agency when he says that “ one pilot was killed in 48 chasing one.
” He also said that if they don ’ t exist “ why do they rush to these crash sites ?
” A report also exists stating that the Air Force was ordered to shoot down flying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is prepared to disclose its UFO files , the U.S. Navy has stated the opposite—that it would be a national security threat to disclose the Nimitz incident and the release would result in “ exceptionally grave damage.
” UFOs are frequently seen around missile silos causing nuclear weapon stations to go haywire and even go offline , disabling them since 1948 , according to Captain Robert Salas .
The truth is out there and X-Files fans everywhere are itching for disclosure .
However , if history is any guide , we are unlikely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RAF reports on citizen sightings .

Britain’s Royal Air Force to Release Secret UFO Files for the First Time
Aaron Kesel, The Mind Unleashed
Waking Times
The age-old question of are we alone in the universe may not be answered any time soon, but the fact that Britain is planning on declassifying its UFO files for the first time puts us one step closer to the truth.
The Royal Air Force (RAF) ran a UFO unit for 50 years that took in public sighting reports but it was shut down in 2009 after it was determined none of the reports offered evidence of a real threat. The records from the unit were then given to the British National Archives where they were classified.
A spokesman for the RAF said that “it had been assessed that it would be better to publish these records, rather than continue sending documents to the National Archives, and so they are looking to put them on to a dedicated gov.uk web page.”
A clearance process for the documents is currently underway before publication, which is expected to take place “sometime within the first quarter of 2020,” according to the Telegraph.
“Given the massive public interest in this subject, I’m pleased that these files will be released and made available online,” said Nick Pope, who used to investigate UFO sightings for the country’s Ministry of Defense (MoD).
In June 2013, the MoD previously reported it was releasing the final UFO files in the UK’s possession. However, we now know that’s not true thanks to a Freedom of Information Request by PA News.
In response to the FOI, the RAF described the files it held as “comprising entirely of correspondence with members of the public.” “The MoD has no opinion on the existence or otherwise of extraterrestrial life and does not investigate UFO reports.”
While the attempts to hide the truth about the existence of UFOs is dying down, disclosure is ramping up. As TMU previously reported, U.S. Navy officials have acknowledged that video footage showing UFOs flying is real.
In the video below, Lt. Col Lawrence J. Tacker and Maj Hetor Quintanilla, Jr., speak about unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and Project Blue Book, which relates to the investigation of UFOs in the United States.
Just like RAF, the Blue Book commission determined that UFOs did not pose a security risk and that they were identifiable in 1966 under hearings. However, Dr. J. Allen Hynek who was the lead scientist on the Blue Book commission confessed years later that there was a cover-up.
Project Blue Book wasn’t the only investigation into UFOs—there was also Project Grudge, Project Sign, the Cometa Report, Majestic 12, Robertson Panel and more recently a whistle-blower disclosed that the U.S. claimed to have an Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP). The U.S.’ own interest in UFOs is obviously well documented up to the 21st century.
In fact, the very first former CIA Director Roscoe Hillenkoetter agreed with Hynek in a 1960 New York Times article oddly titled, “AIR FORGE ORDER ON ‘SAUCERS’ CITED; Pamphlet by the Inspector General Called Objects a ‘Serious Business“ that contradicts Project Blue Book’s findings and the CIA’s own comments a few years ago. Hillenkoetter said that the Air Force called UFOs “serious business in secret.”
It’s no wonder that they were called “serious business” because years prior in 1942, the incident known as the Battle Of Los Angeles took place where the U.S. military shot at an unknown disk over California that they later called a weather balloon—just like the infamous Roswell incident in 1947 which was first reported as a saucer, later changed to a balloon filled with crash dummies.
Another high-ranking official Major Donald Keyhoe alleged in an earlier 1958 interview that the Air Force was deliberately dismissing and covering up UFOs, confirming Hillenkoetter and Hynek’s claims made years later. Major Keyhoe also exposes the CIA life that all of the UFO sightings were the agency when he says that “one pilot was killed in 48 chasing one.” He also said that if they don’t exist “why do they rush to these crash sites?” A report also exists stating that the Air Force was ordered to shoot down flying saucers in 1952.
While the RAF is prepared to disclose its UFO files, the U.S. Navy has stated the opposite—that it would be a national security threat to disclose the Nimitz incident and the release would result in “exceptionally grave damage.”
UFOs are frequently seen around missile silos causing nuclear weapon stations to go haywire and even go offline, disabling them since 1948, according to Captain Robert Salas.
The truth is out there and X-Files fans everywhere are itching for disclosure. However, if history is any guide, we are unlikely to get anything of value from the RAF reports on citizen sightings.
By Aaron Kesel | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com


wakingtimes--2020-01-29--Santa Cruz Just Voted to Tell Cops to Stop Arresting People for Mushrooms, Ayahuasca, and More

Seven years ago , Colorado citizens—tired of the war on drugs and wise to the near-limitless benefits of cannabis—made US history by voting to legalize recreational marijuana .
Then , last year , this state once again placed themselves on the right side of history as they voted to decriminalize magic mushrooms .
But this was just the beginning and their momentum is spreading—faster and stronger , toward decriminalizing all plant-based psychedelics .
Now , a major city in California is following suit , but not just with psilocybin—Santa Cruz just passed a decriminalization measure for other psychedelics like mescaline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City Council voted unanimously to decriminalize the adult use and possession of magic mushrooms and other entheogenic , or psychoactive , plants and fungi .
The measure passed with overwhelming support .
The measure—which was originally sponsored by then-Vice Mayor Justin Cummings ( D ) , who ’ s since become mayor—says the city shouldn ’ t expend “ resources in the investigation and arrest of persons twenty-one ( 21 ) years of age and older solely for the personal use and personal possession of Entheogenic Plants and Fungi ” such as psilocybin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stipulates that possession and use of psychedelics by adults “ should be considered among the lowest law enforcement priorities for the City of Santa Cruz.
” “ Plants and fungi with psychedelic properties have been used for thousands of years by indigenous communities for spiritual and medical practices and many are considered illegal in our country , ” Cummings told Marijuana Moment in an email .
“ As we begin to better understand the health benefits of these plants and fungi , we need to not treat the people who use and research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and lower barriers for research , clinical treatment , and personal.
” “ Santa Cruz has a number of organizations that conduct research on use of psychedelics to improve mental health and we as a community want to support these efforts , ” he added .
Use of the plants “ saved my life , ” said one man who described himself as a former heroin addict .
“ I don ’ t how to describe it other than miraculous.
” To be clear , the recent measure does not mean that mushrooms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it simply means that cops can ’ t make it a priority to go after folks for them and it won ’ t land people in jail for possession .
While legalization would be the perfect result , this is most certainly a step in the right direction .
Now , cops can try to focus on real crimes instead of kidnapping and caging people who are trying to heal themselves with a plant .
Supporters hope the decision will begin a nationwide discussion about decriminalizing plant-based drugs .
As TFTP has reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an enemy to the establishment who has every reason in the world to want to keep them as illegal as possible .
The same goes for ayahuasca and other powerful mind-opening substances .
The United States Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in favor of the legal religious use of ayahuasca by the União do Vegetal , and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has affirmed the Santo Daime Church ’ s freedom to use Ayahuasca for religious purposes .
However , ayahuasca ’ s principally active ingredient , DMT , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carrying a steep prison sentence .
DMT appears in trace amounts in human blood and urine , suggesting it must be produced within the body , which means the DEA literally classifies our own bodies as have no medical purpose .
Because the US government is so tyrannically far behind the times , many people have been forced to travel outside of the country to meet with Shamans in the Amazon who are skilled and knowledgeable about the substance .
One industry in particular , Big Pharma , stands to lose billions if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to other areas as mushrooms and other hallucinogens have been clinically tested to treat a wide range of problems , including depression .
One in ten men in the US currently takes an antidepressant while 16.5 percent of women use them as well .
If people can treat their depression with something that you can grow in your own home or a plant medicine from a shaman verses taking pills with side effects like homicidal ideation , the pharmaceutical industry would lose big time .
Indeed , there are mounds of evidence and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mushrooms , ayahuasca , and ibogaine .
As TFTP reported , a study , published in the scientific journal Neuropharmacology , found that clinically depressed people had increased neural responses to fearful faces one day after a psilocybin-assisted therapy session , which positively predicted positive clinical outcomes .
This is almost the exact opposite of how standard anti-depressants operate , as SSRI ’ s typically work by creating an “ emotional blunting.
” The government also stands to lose if more measures like this take hold in other cities too .
As TFTP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be widely accepted as a treatment for many ailments until government moved in to stop the expansion of human consciousness .
As MAPS points out , although first-hand accounts indicate that ibogaine is unlikely to be popular as a recreational drug , ibogaine remains classified as a Schedule I drug in the United States ( it is also scheduled in Belgium and Switzerland ) .
Yet despite its classification as a drug with a “ high potential for abuse ” and “ no currently accepted medical use , ” people who struggle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international clinics or underground providers to receive ibogaine treatment .
In the 1940s , western medicine began realizing the potential for psychedelics to treat addiction and psychiatric disorders .
Tens of thousands of people were treated effectively , and psychedelic drugs were on the fast track to becoming mainstream medicine .
But the beast of oppression reared its ugly head .
In 1967 and 1970 , the UK and US governments cast all psychedelic substances into the pit of prohibition .
People were waking up to the fact that governments intended to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and that governments were working to keep the populace sedated under a cloak of consumerism .
The collective mind expansion of that era came to a screeching halt under the boot and truncheon .
As John Vibes pointed out last January , a study actually confirmed the fear of authoritarians and showed they have every reason to oppose legal mushrooms .
According to the study from the Psychedelic Research Group at Imperial College London , published in the journal Psychopharmacology , psychedelic mushrooms tend to make people more resistant to authority .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by these mushrooms also cause people to be more connected with nature .
Now , as people share information globally , instantaneously , on a scale unstoppable by the state , we are resuming the advancement of medical research on psychedelic substances .
Scientists are challenging the irrational classification of psychedelics as “ class A ” ( UK ) or “ schedule 1 ” ( US ) substances , characterized as having no medical use and high potential for addiction .
And , the recent push in Colorado is evidence of this .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ other psychedelics has been perpetuated by those who wish to keep them illegal—to keep society in a constant state of obedient mediocrity—in reality , they are extremely safe .
In fact , a major study last year declared magic mushrooms to be the safest recreational drug .
Of an astonishing 120,000 participants from 50 nations , researchers for the Global Drug Survey found the percentage of those seeking emergency treatment for ingesting psilocybin-containing hallucinogenic mushrooms to comprise just 0.2 percent per 10,000 individuals .
Rates of hospitalization for MDMA , alcohol , LSD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times higher .
“ Magic mushrooms are one of the safest drugs in the world , ” Global Drug Survey founder and consultant addiction psychiatrist , Adam Winstock , told the Guardian , noting the biggest risk users face is misidentification — ingesting the wrong mushroom — not from the psychedelic fungus , itself .
After 40 years , it appears that another brick in the wall of prohibition is beginning to crumble in the face of science and logic .
There may be hope for humanity after all .
Matt Agorist is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .

Santa Cruz Just Voted to Tell Cops to Stop Arresting People for Mushrooms, Ayahuasca, and More
Matt Agorist, The Free Thought Project
Waking Times
Seven years ago, Colorado citizens—tired of the war on drugs and wise to the near-limitless benefits of cannabis—made US history by voting to legalize recreational marijuana. Then, last year, this state once again placed themselves on the right side of history as they voted to decriminalize magic mushrooms. But this was just the beginning and their momentum is spreading—faster and stronger, toward decriminalizing all plant-based psychedelics.
Now, a major city in California is following suit, but not just with psilocybin—Santa Cruz just passed a decriminalization measure for other psychedelics like mescaline cacti, ayahuasca and ibogaine.
The City Council voted unanimously to decriminalize the adult use and possession of magic mushrooms and other entheogenic, or psychoactive, plants and fungi. The measure passed with overwhelming support.
As Marijuana Moment reports:
The measure—which was originally sponsored by then-Vice Mayor Justin Cummings (D), who’s since become mayor—says the city shouldn’t expend “resources in the investigation and arrest of persons twenty-one (21) years of age and older solely for the personal use and personal possession of Entheogenic Plants and Fungi” such as psilocybin, ayahuasca and ibogaine. It further stipulates that possession and use of psychedelics by adults “should be considered among the lowest law enforcement priorities for the City of Santa Cruz.” “Plants and fungi with psychedelic properties have been used for thousands of years by indigenous communities for spiritual and medical practices and many are considered illegal in our country,” Cummings told Marijuana Moment in an email. “As we begin to better understand the health benefits of these plants and fungi, we need to not treat the people who use and research these plants and fungi as criminals, and lower barriers for research, clinical treatment, and personal.” “Santa Cruz has a number of organizations that conduct research on use of psychedelics to improve mental health and we as a community want to support these efforts,” he added.
Use of the plants “saved my life,” said one man who described himself as a former heroin addict. “I don’t how to describe it other than miraculous.”
“Psychedelic-assisted therapy saved my life,” Dylan Jouras said. “It’s important that people know there is an effective way to get better from addiction and deep mental health issues.” “These eight months we’ve been working on the resolution, I’ve met so many people whose lives were saved by entheogenic plants and fungi,” Julian Hodge, a founder of Decriminalize Santa Cruz and a member of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, told Marijuana Moment. “The Santa Cruz City Council took a great step to help those people today. I am incredibly proud to be part of this movement, and can’t wait to see the change we continue to make in the future.”
To be clear, the recent measure does not mean that mushrooms and other plants are now legal, it simply means that cops can’t make it a priority to go after folks for them and it won’t land people in jail for possession. While legalization would be the perfect result, this is most certainly a step in the right direction.
“It’s the plants that are going to bring us back to sanity. We’ve got to listen to their message and we’ve got to live reciprocally with nature and restore the natural order,” Susana Eager Valadez, director of the Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Traditional Arts said after Oakland passed a similar measure last year.
Now, cops can try to focus on real crimes instead of kidnapping and caging people who are trying to heal themselves with a plant.
Supporters hope the decision will begin a nationwide discussion about decriminalizing plant-based drugs.
As TFTP has reported in the past, psilocybin-containing mushrooms are an enemy to the establishment who has every reason in the world to want to keep them as illegal as possible. The same goes for ayahuasca and other powerful mind-opening substances.
The United States Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in favor of the legal religious use of ayahuasca by the União do Vegetal, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has affirmed the Santo Daime Church’s freedom to use Ayahuasca for religious purposes. However, ayahuasca’s principally active ingredient, DMT, remains a Schedule I controlled substance, carrying a steep prison sentence.
DMT appears in trace amounts in human blood and urine, suggesting it must be produced within the body, which means the DEA literally classifies our own bodies as have no medical purpose.
Because the US government is so tyrannically far behind the times, many people have been forced to travel outside of the country to meet with Shamans in the Amazon who are skilled and knowledgeable about the substance.
One industry in particular, Big Pharma, stands to lose billions if measures like this one began to spread to other areas as mushrooms and other hallucinogens have been clinically tested to treat a wide range of problems, including depression.
One in ten men in the US currently takes an antidepressant while 16.5 percent of women use them as well. If people can treat their depression with something that you can grow in your own home or a plant medicine from a shaman verses taking pills with side effects like homicidal ideation, the pharmaceutical industry would lose big time.
Indeed, there are mounds of evidence and studies showing the positive benefits of magic mushrooms, ayahuasca, and ibogaine.
As TFTP reported, a study, published in the scientific journal Neuropharmacology, found that clinically depressed people had increased neural responses to fearful faces one day after a psilocybin-assisted therapy session, which positively predicted positive clinical outcomes.
“Psilocybin-assisted therapy might mitigate depression by increasing emotional connection,” neuroscientist and study author Leor Roseman, a Ph.D. student at Imperial College London, explained to PsyPost.
This is almost the exact opposite of how standard anti-depressants operate, as SSRI’s typically work by creating an “emotional blunting.”
“[T]his is unlike SSRI antidepressants which are criticized for creating in many people a general emotional blunting,” noted Roseman. “I believe that psychedelics hold a potential to cure deep psychological wounds, and I believe that by investigating their neuropsychopharmacological mechanism, we can learn to understand this potential,” explained Roseman.
The government also stands to lose if more measures like this take hold in other cities too.
As TFTP previously reported, mushrooms and psychedelics used to be widely accepted as a treatment for many ailments until government moved in to stop the expansion of human consciousness.
As MAPS points out, although first-hand accounts indicate that ibogaine is unlikely to be popular as a recreational drug, ibogaine remains classified as a Schedule I drug in the United States (it is also scheduled in Belgium and Switzerland). Yet despite its classification as a drug with a “high potential for abuse” and “no currently accepted medical use,” people who struggle with substance abuse continue to seek out international clinics or underground providers to receive ibogaine treatment.
In the 1940s, western medicine began realizing the potential for psychedelics to treat addiction and psychiatric disorders. Tens of thousands of people were treated effectively, and psychedelic drugs were on the fast track to becoming mainstream medicine. But the beast of oppression reared its ugly head.
In 1967 and 1970, the UK and US governments cast all psychedelic substances into the pit of prohibition. People were waking up to the fact that governments intended to keep the world in a state of war, and that governments were working to keep the populace sedated under a cloak of consumerism. The collective mind expansion of that era came to a screeching halt under the boot and truncheon.
As John Vibes pointed out last January, a study actually confirmed the fear of authoritarians and showed they have every reason to oppose legal mushrooms. According to the study from the Psychedelic Research Group at Imperial College London, published in the journal Psychopharmacology, psychedelic mushrooms tend to make people more resistant to authority. They also found the psychedelic experience induced by these mushrooms also cause people to be more connected with nature.
“Our findings tentatively raise the possibility that given in this way, psilocybin may produce sustained changes in outlook and political perspective, here in the direction of increased nature relatedness and decreased authoritarianism,” researchers Taylor Lyons and Robin L. Carhart-Harris write in the study.
Now, as people share information globally, instantaneously, on a scale unstoppable by the state, we are resuming the advancement of medical research on psychedelic substances. Scientists are challenging the irrational classification of psychedelics as “class A” (UK) or “schedule 1” (US) substances, characterized as having no medical use and high potential for addiction. And, the recent push in Colorado is evidence of this.
While the stigma associated with mushrooms and other psychedelics has been perpetuated by those who wish to keep them illegal—to keep society in a constant state of obedient mediocrity—in reality, they are extremely safe.
In fact, a major study last year declared magic mushrooms to be the safest recreational drug.
Of an astonishing 120,000 participants from 50 nations, researchers for the Global Drug Survey found the percentage of those seeking emergency treatment for ingesting psilocybin-containing hallucinogenic mushrooms to comprise just 0.2 percent per 10,000 individuals.
Rates of hospitalization for MDMA, alcohol, LSD, and cocaine were an astounding five times higher.
“Magic mushrooms are one of the safest drugs in the world,” Global Drug Survey founder and consultant addiction psychiatrist, Adam Winstock, told the Guardian, noting the biggest risk users face is misidentification — ingesting the wrong mushroom — not from the psychedelic fungus, itself.
After 40 years, it appears that another brick in the wall of prohibition is beginning to crumble in the face of science and logic. There may be hope for humanity after all.
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.


wakingtimes--2020-01-29--The Perception Bridge: Building A Better Reality

My success as chief economist at a major international consulting firm was not due to the lessons I learned in business school .
It was not due to the competence of my staff of brilliant econometricians and financial wizards .
Those things may have helped at times .
But there was something else that made it all happen .
That something else was the same something else that elevated George Washington , Henry Ford , Mahatma Gandhi , Mother Theresa , Martin Luther King Jr , Steve Jobs , and other successful people to the heights of their success .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality by changing perceived reality , what we might think of as the Perception Bridge .
As described in my book The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man , I was in charge of convincing heads of state of countries with resources our corporations covet , like oil , to accept huge loans from Wall Street , the World Bank and its sister organizations .
The stipulation was that these loans would be used to hire our engineering and construction companies , such as Bechtel , Halliburton , and Stone and Webster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ports , airports , highways and other infrastructure projects that would bring large profits to those companies and also benefit a few wealthy families in the country , the ones that owned the industries and commercial establishments .
Everyone else in the country would suffer because funds were diverted from education , healthcare and other social services to pay interest on the debt .
In the end , when the country could not buy down the principal , we would go back , with the help of the International Monetary Fund ( IMF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loans .
This included demands that the country sell its resources cheap to our corporations with minimal environmental and social regulations and that it privatize its utility companies and other public service businesses and offer them to our companies .
It was a strategy of using perceived realities to change objective realities .
In these cases , Objective Reality 1 was that the countries had resources .
The Perceived Reality was that using those resources as collateral on loans to finance the building of infrastructure projects would create economic growth and prosperity for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic growth was only created for the very wealthy .
Since economic statistics ( GDP ) in such countries are skewed in favor of the wealthy , the fact was that only our companies and the wealthy families benefited .
The rest of the population suffered .
In many cases this has led to political unrest , resentment , and the rise of various forms of radicalism and terrorism .
We know from quantum physics and chaos theory that consciousness , observation , and changes in perception have impacts that can expand exponentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governs much of human behavior .
Religion , culture , legal and economic systems , corporations – in fact , most human activities – are determined by perceived reality .
When enough people accept these perceptions or when they are codified into laws , they have immense impact on objective reality .
Human activities – individual , communal , and global – are driven by this process of altering human perceptions of reality in order to change objective realities .
A couple of cases from US corporations illustrate this .
In 1914 Henry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A ) His company sold Model T cars that were produced through the assembly line process ; and B ) Because the assembly line was monotonous and workers were under a lot of pressure to reduce the amount of time to build a car from 12.5 hours to less than 100 minutes , there was an extremely high turn-over rate in Ford ’ s work force .
So Ford perceived a new reality .
He raised wages from the standard $ 2.34 for a nine-hour day to $ 5 for an eight-hour day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car manufacturer was trying to reduce wages .
In addition to keeping workers on his assembly line , Ford had a second motivation .
He understood that the company , its workers and the buying public all came from the same population and he reasoned that “ unless an industry can so manage itself as to keep wages high and prices low it destroys itself , for otherwise it limits the number of its customers .
One ’ s own employees ought to be one ’ s own best customers.
” Ford knew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers would have a multiplier effect ; it would also increase the buying power of many others .
Objective Reality 2 : Ford sold 308,000 Model Ts in 1914—more than all other carmakers combined .
In 1915 , sales soared to 501,000 .
In 1920 , Ford sold a million cars .
In the process , Ford ’ s actions helped stimulate unprecedented growth in the US middle class .
Objective Reality 1 : These companies design high-end footwear and clothing that is manufactured in factories that the companies do not own in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sweatshop ” countries .
The managements of these companies perceive that A ) Outsourcing production releases their companies of worker-rights responsibilities and minimizes wages ; B ) Hiring highly-paid athletes to promote products counterbalances the negative publicity generated by activists who advocate more pay for sweatshop workers ; and C ) These policies , that are diametrically opposed to those of Henry Ford , will maximize profits .
Objective Reality 2 : A ) Low “ non-living ” wages and poor working conditions in overseas factories result in high worker turnover , illnesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By negatively impacting consumer economic growth , such policies destroy opportunities for new markets that would result if workers were paid enough to buy the products they make and at the same time stimulate the multiplier effect ; and C ) Neither corporate profits nor overall economic growth in the countries where the factories are located are maximized .
I had the opportunity to highlight the difference between the two cases above when a Portland Oregon ( home of Nike ) radio station interviewed me .
The host inquired “ If you could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , what would it be ?
” I didn ’ t have to give it much thought .
“ Hey Phil , why don ’ t you follow Henry Ford ’ s advice ?
” I went on to say , “ Imagine if as part of an international advertising campaign those highly paid athletes were to say something like , ‘ Instead of $ X millions , I and a bunch of my friends – other Nike celebrities – have agreed to have Nike cut our fees by Y % .
Nike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar cuts .
That extra money will go toward paying workers who make Nike products around the world higher wages .
We believe that by Just Doing It we will help make the world a better , more peaceful place.
’ ” I paused .
“ That ’ s an awesome idea , ” the host said .
I couldn ’ t help adding , “ What do you think that might do to Nike sales ?
How would it impact the rest of the industry ?
” “ It ’ s all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ above are two examples of how the Perception Bridge works .
There are countless others .
These range from the individual to the corporation and all the way to the governments and international relations .
Human activity is determined by the ways perceptions impact physical reality – both consciously and unconsciously .
Here ’ s an example of the global impacts that a perceived reality in the 1950s has had on every generation that has followed .
Objective Reality 1 : A ) Mohammad Mosaddegh was democratically elected Prime Minister of Iran in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reforms including social security , rent control , and land reform ; C ) He insisted that foreign oil companies pay a fair share of their income from Iranian oil to the Iranian people and when one – now known as BP – resisted , he set about nationalizing it .
Perceived Reality : The US government labeled Mosaddegh a Communist , Soviet puppet , and threat to democracy .
Objective Reality 2 : A ) The CIA overthrew Mosaddegh in 1953 and replaced him with the Shah , a brutal pro-Western dictator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oil and other companies ; B ) Growing discontent led to the Iranian Revolution of 1979 ; C ) The Shah was overthrown , Ayatollah Khomeini took control , 52 US diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 days , US and European countries broke relations with and initiated sanctions against Iran ; and D ) Islamist militarism expanded rapidly during the next decades throughout the Middle East .
We can only imagine how different the situation might be in Iran , the Middle East , the US , and the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – something like : Perceived Reality : The US government supports Mossadegh ’ s policies and announces that it will only purchase oil from companies that pay a fair share of their income to the people of the countries where they extract oil .
The US overthrow of Mossadegh resulted in a series of tragic events that might be considered as “ unintended consequences.
” In my experience such consequences occur because the people making the decisions do not full understand the power of the Perception Bridge .
I ’ ve found in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a speaker at MBA and other programs that taking a good , hard look at the impact of perceived reality on objective reality is one of the most effective processes individuals , businesses , and other institutions can employ in order to achieve their true objectives .
I ’ m struck by how much the perceived realities in business have been altered since I was in school during the late 1960s .
I was taught that a good CEO earns a decent return for his investors and also makes sure that his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it serves a public interest .
We were instructed to take care of our employees , giving them health insurance and retirement pensions , to treat our suppliers and customers with deep respect , and to honor the idea that good business is a win-win for all stakeholders .
In many cases , CEOs made sure that their companies not only paid their fair share of taxes but also contributed money to local schools , recreational facilities and other such services .
All that changed in 1976 when Milton Friedman won the Nobel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other things , that the only responsibility of business is to maximize profits , regardless of the social and environmental costs .
This was a perceived reality that became the defining goal for businesses .
It convinced corporate executives that they had the right – some would say the mandate – to do whatever they thought it would take to maximize profits , including buying public officials through campaign financing , destroying the environment , and devastating the very resources upon which their businesses ultimately depend .
That perceived reality has resulted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is on the path to consuming itself into extinction – what some economists refer to as Predatory Capitalism .
It is time that we turn this around .
How about : Objective Reality 1 : The glaciers are melting , the oceans rising , less than 5 % of the world ’ s population lives in the US and we consume about 30 % of the resources while half the world ’ s population lives in poverty , and the resource base that feeds the economy is in rapid decline .
Perceived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ espoused profit maximization in 1976 , financial capital was seen as scarce while nature was considered abundant ; the planet ’ s ability to absorb pollution and provide natural resources was considered practically unlimited ; that has since changed ; B ) We can build an economy that rewards businesses that clean up pollution , regenerate devastated environments , and create new technologies for energy , transportation , communications , trade , and just about everything else – that recycle instead of ravaging the planet ; and C ) The responsibility of business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earning decent rates of returns for investors who develop an economy as defined in A ) above .
Objective Reality 2 : An economic system that is headed for disaster is converted into one that is itself a renewable resource .
The success stories of humans – as individuals and as communities – revolve around the relationships of perceived reality to objective reality .
At this critical time in history , it is essential that we commit to consciously building a Perception Bridge that will take us into a world that future generations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a founder and board member of Dream Change & The Pachamama Alliance , non-profit organizations devoted to establishing a world future generations will want to inherit & the author of the NY Times bestseller , Confessions Of An Economic Hitman .

The Perception Bridge: Building A Better Reality
John Perkins, Guest
Waking Times
My success as chief economist at a major international consulting firm was not due to the lessons I learned in business school. It was not due to the competence of my staff of brilliant econometricians and financial wizards.
Those things may have helped at times. But there was something else that made it all happen. That something else was the same something else that elevated George Washington, Henry Ford, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King Jr, Steve Jobs, and other successful people to the heights of their success.
It is the ability to alter objective reality by changing perceived reality, what we might think of as the Perception Bridge.
As described in my book The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, I was in charge of convincing heads of state of countries with resources our corporations covet, like oil, to accept huge loans from Wall Street, the World Bank and its sister organizations. The stipulation was that these loans would be used to hire our engineering and construction companies, such as Bechtel, Halliburton, and Stone and Webster, to build electric power systems, ports, airports, highways and other infrastructure projects that would bring large profits to those companies and also benefit a few wealthy families in the country, the ones that owned the industries and commercial establishments. Everyone else in the country would suffer because funds were diverted from education, healthcare and other social services to pay interest on the debt. In the end, when the country could not buy down the principal, we would go back, with the help of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and “restructure” the loans. This included demands that the country sell its resources cheap to our corporations with minimal environmental and social regulations and that it privatize its utility companies and other public service businesses and offer them to our companies.
It was a strategy of using perceived realities to change objective realities. In these cases, Objective Reality 1 was that the countries had resources. The Perceived Reality was that using those resources as collateral on loans to finance the building of infrastructure projects would create economic growth and prosperity for everyone. Objective Reality 2 was that economic growth was only created for the very wealthy. Since economic statistics (GDP) in such countries are skewed in favor of the wealthy, the fact was that only our companies and the wealthy families benefited. The rest of the population suffered. In many cases this has led to political unrest, resentment, and the rise of various forms of radicalism and terrorism.
“Reality is merely an illusion.”
-Albert Einstein
We know from quantum physics and chaos theory that consciousness, observation, and changes in perception have impacts that can expand exponentially. Modern psychology teaches that perceived reality governs much of human behavior. Religion, culture, legal and economic systems, corporations – in fact, most human activities – are determined by perceived reality. When enough people accept these perceptions or when they are codified into laws, they have immense impact on objective reality.
Human activities – individual, communal, and global – are driven by this process of altering human perceptions of reality in order to change objective realities. A couple of cases from US corporations illustrate this.
Case #1: Ford Motor Company
In 1914 Henry Ford’s Objective Reality was: A) His company sold Model T cars that were produced through the assembly line process; and B) Because the assembly line was monotonous and workers were under a lot of pressure to reduce the amount of time to build a car from 12.5 hours to less than 100 minutes, there was an extremely high turn-over rate in Ford’s work force.
So Ford perceived a new reality. He raised wages from the standard $2.34 for a nine-hour day to $5 for an eight-hour day – at a time when every other car manufacturer was trying to reduce wages. In addition to keeping workers on his assembly line, Ford had a second motivation. He understood that the company, its workers and the buying public all came from the same population and he reasoned that “unless an industry can so manage itself as to keep wages high and prices low it destroys itself, for otherwise it limits the number of its customers. One’s own employees ought to be one’s own best customers.” Ford knew that increasing the buying power of his workers would have a multiplier effect; it would also increase the buying power of many others.
Objective Reality 2: Ford sold 308,000 Model Ts in 1914—more than all other carmakers combined. In 1915, sales soared to 501,000. In 1920, Ford sold a million cars. In the process, Ford’s actions helped stimulate unprecedented growth in the US middle class.
Case #2: Nike, Adidas and other Retailers
Objective Reality 1: These companies design high-end footwear and clothing that is manufactured in factories that the companies do not own in China, Vietnam, and other “sweatshop” countries.
The managements of these companies perceive that A) Outsourcing production releases their companies of worker-rights responsibilities and minimizes wages; B) Hiring highly-paid athletes to promote products counterbalances the negative publicity generated by activists who advocate more pay for sweatshop workers; and C) These policies, that are diametrically opposed to those of Henry Ford, will maximize profits.
Objective Reality 2: A) Low “non-living” wages and poor working conditions in overseas factories result in high worker turnover, illnesses, and adverse publicity; B) By negatively impacting consumer economic growth, such policies destroy opportunities for new markets that would result if workers were paid enough to buy the products they make and at the same time stimulate the multiplier effect; and C) Neither corporate profits nor overall economic growth in the countries where the factories are located are maximized.
I had the opportunity to highlight the difference between the two cases above when a Portland Oregon (home of Nike) radio station interviewed me. The host inquired “If you could ask Nike founder Phil Knight one question, what would it be?” I didn’t have to give it much thought. “Hey Phil, why don’t you follow Henry Ford’s advice?” I went on to say, “Imagine if as part of an international advertising campaign those highly paid athletes were to say something like, ‘Instead of $X millions, I and a bunch of my friends – other Nike celebrities – have agreed to have Nike cut our fees by Y%. Nike’s top managers have agreed to similar cuts. That extra money will go toward paying workers who make Nike products around the world higher wages. We believe that by Just Doing It we will help make the world a better, more peaceful place.’” I paused. “That’s an awesome idea,” the host said. I couldn’t help adding, “What do you think that might do to Nike sales? How would it impact the rest of the industry?” “It’s all in the mind.”
-George Harrison
The above are two examples of how the Perception Bridge works. There are countless others. These range from the individual to the corporation and all the way to the governments and international relations. Human activity is determined by the ways perceptions impact physical reality – both consciously and unconsciously. Here’s an example of the global impacts that a perceived reality in the 1950s has had on every generation that has followed.
Case #3: US Government Policies in Iran
Objective Reality 1: A) Mohammad Mosaddegh was democratically elected Prime Minister of Iran in 1951; B) He introduced progressive reforms including social security, rent control, and land reform; C) He insisted that foreign oil companies pay a fair share of their income from Iranian oil to the Iranian people and when one – now known as BP – resisted, he set about nationalizing it.
Perceived Reality: The US government labeled Mosaddegh a Communist, Soviet puppet, and threat to democracy.
Objective Reality 2: A) The CIA overthrew Mosaddegh in 1953 and replaced him with the Shah, a brutal pro-Western dictator who “auctioned” Iran to foreign oil and other companies; B) Growing discontent led to the Iranian Revolution of 1979; C) The Shah was overthrown, Ayatollah Khomeini took control, 52 US diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 days, US and European countries broke relations with and initiated sanctions against Iran; and D) Islamist militarism expanded rapidly during the next decades throughout the Middle East.
We can only imagine how different the situation might be in Iran, the Middle East, the US, and the world if the perceived reality had been different – something like:
Perceived Reality: The US government supports Mossadegh’s policies and announces that it will only purchase oil from companies that pay a fair share of their income to the people of the countries where they extract oil.
The US overthrow of Mossadegh resulted in a series of tragic events that might be considered as “unintended consequences.” In my experience such consequences occur because the people making the decisions do not full understand the power of the Perception Bridge.
I’ve found in my role as advisor to executives and as a speaker at MBA and other programs that taking a good, hard look at the impact of perceived reality on objective reality is one of the most effective processes individuals, businesses, and other institutions can employ in order to achieve their true objectives.
I’m struck by how much the perceived realities in business have been altered since I was in school during the late 1960s. I was taught that a good CEO earns a decent return for his investors and also makes sure that his company is a good citizen, that it serves a public interest. We were instructed to take care of our employees, giving them health insurance and retirement pensions, to treat our suppliers and customers with deep respect, and to honor the idea that good business is a win-win for all stakeholders. In many cases, CEOs made sure that their companies not only paid their fair share of taxes but also contributed money to local schools, recreational facilities and other such services.
All that changed in 1976 when Milton Friedman won the Nobel Prize in Economics and stated, among other things, that the only responsibility of business is to maximize profits, regardless of the social and environmental costs. This was a perceived reality that became the defining goal for businesses. It convinced corporate executives that they had the right – some would say the mandate – to do whatever they thought it would take to maximize profits, including buying public officials through campaign financing, destroying the environment, and devastating the very resources upon which their businesses ultimately depend.
That perceived reality has resulted in a failed global economic system, one that is on the path to consuming itself into extinction – what some economists refer to as Predatory Capitalism.
It is time that we turn this around. How about:
Objective Reality 1: The glaciers are melting, the oceans rising, less than 5% of the world’s population lives in the US and we consume about 30% of the resources while half the world’s population lives in poverty, and the resource base that feeds the economy is in rapid decline.
Perceived Reality: A) When Milton Friedman espoused profit maximization in 1976, financial capital was seen as scarce while nature was considered abundant; the planet’s ability to absorb pollution and provide natural resources was considered practically unlimited; that has since changed; B) We can build an economy that rewards businesses that clean up pollution, regenerate devastated environments, and create new technologies for energy, transportation, communications, trade, and just about everything else – that recycle instead of ravaging the planet; and C) The responsibility of business is to serve a public interest while earning decent rates of returns for investors who develop an economy as defined in A) above.
Objective Reality 2: An economic system that is headed for disaster is converted into one that is itself a renewable resource.
The success stories of humans – as individuals and as communities – revolve around the relationships of perceived reality to objective reality. At this critical time in history, it is essential that we commit to consciously building a Perception Bridge that will take us into a world that future generations will want to inherit.
About the Author
John is a founder and board member of Dream Change & The Pachamama Alliance, non-profit organizations devoted to establishing a world future generations will want to inherit & the author of the NY Times bestseller, Confessions Of An Economic Hitman.