themindunleashed--2020-11-29--Monolith Mysteriously Removed From Utah Desert by ‘Unknown Party’

The shiny metal monolith found in the remote wilderness of southeastern Utah – sparking wild rumors and viral speculation about aliens and UFOs – has gone missing , adding a further twist to the bizarre mysteries surrounding the glistening 10 to 12 foot object .
However , it appears that government officials played no role in the removal of the monolith , which was discovered Nov. 18 by a Utah Department of Public Safety and Division crew during an aerial count of bighorn sheep and subsequently discovered to have been placed in the area at least several years ago .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ among the hundreds of snap-happy visitors hoping to visit the monolith and take some photos for their Instagram accounts at the site located near Canyonlands National Park south of Moab .
However , when the two arrived at the remote location on late Friday night , they found that the monolith had disappeared .
Marino claims to have seen a pickup truck with a large object in its bed driving in the opposite location while they were en route to the location .
Marino and his companion also noticed that someone wrote “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have urinated on the spot where the piece – which is believed to have been abstract art – formerly stood .
A user on Reddit also visited the spot on early Saturday morning , and said that it was still gone .
In a statement , the Bureau of Land Management ( BLM ) said : “ We have received credible reports that the illegally installed structure , referred to as the ‘ monolith ’ has been removed from Bureau of Land Management ( BLM ) public lands by an unknown party .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is considered private property .
We do not investigate crimes involving private property which are handled by the local sheriff ’ s office .
The structure has received international and national attention and we received reports that a person or group removed it on the evening of Nov. 27.
” Since the disappearance of the monolith , visitors have stacked rocks around the site where it once stood , along with a top piece that was left behind by whoever picked up the object .
Officials had warned the public to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was located in an area that was so remote that people could possibly become stranded while trying to locate it and require a rescue .
In a press release last Monday , the agency warned : “ It is illegal to install structures or art without authorization on federally managed public lands , no matter what planet you ’ re from.
” The tongue-in-cheek warning was a reference to viral buzz surrounding the strange object , with many comparing the monolith to those that trigger massive leaps in human progress in the classic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : A Space Odyssey.
” Others bemoaned the discovery of the object in the turbulent year 2020 , with some social media users complaining that the discovery of the monolith had triggered their anxiety over worsening fortunes in the year , including a possible extraterrestrial invasion .
“ This is the ‘ reset ’ button for 2020 .
Can someone please press it quickly ?
” one social media user joked .

The shiny metal monolith found in the remote wilderness of southeastern Utah – sparking wild rumors and viral speculation about aliens and UFOs – has gone missing, adding a further twist to the bizarre mysteries surrounding the glistening 10 to 12 foot object.
"We have received credible reports that the illegally installed structure, referred to as the “monolith” has been removed by an unknown party. The BLM did not remove the structure which is considered private property…" More: https://t.co/ZXJDGzxDaD pic.twitter.com/xXHdijk496 — BLM Utah (@BLMUtah) November 29, 2020
However, it appears that government officials played no role in the removal of the monolith, which was discovered Nov. 18 by a Utah Department of Public Safety and Division crew during an aerial count of bighorn sheep and subsequently discovered to have been placed in the area at least several years ago.
Ricardo Marino and Sierra Van Meter were among the hundreds of snap-happy visitors hoping to visit the monolith and take some photos for their Instagram accounts at the site located near Canyonlands National Park south of Moab.
However, when the two arrived at the remote location on late Friday night, they found that the monolith had disappeared.
Marino claims to have seen a pickup truck with a large object in its bed driving in the opposite location while they were en route to the location.
Marino and his companion also noticed that someone wrote “Bye B*tch!” and appeared to have urinated on the spot where the piece – which is believed to have been abstract art – formerly stood.
A user on Reddit also visited the spot on early Saturday morning, and said that it was still gone.
In a statement, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) said:
“We have received credible reports that the illegally installed structure, referred to as the ‘monolith’ has been removed from Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public lands by an unknown party. The BLM did not remove the structure which is considered private property. We do not investigate crimes involving private property which are handled by the local sheriff’s office. The structure has received international and national attention and we received reports that a person or group removed it on the evening of Nov. 27.”
Since the disappearance of the monolith, visitors have stacked rocks around the site where it once stood, along with a top piece that was left behind by whoever picked up the object.
Officials had warned the public to avoid trekking out to the monolith, which was located in an area that was so remote that people could possibly become stranded while trying to locate it and require a rescue.
In a press release last Monday, the agency warned: “It is illegal to install structures or art without authorization on federally managed public lands, no matter what planet you’re from.”
The tongue-in-cheek warning was a reference to viral buzz surrounding the strange object, with many comparing the monolith to those that trigger massive leaps in human progress in the classic Stanley Kubrick sci-fi film, “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
Others bemoaned the discovery of the object in the turbulent year 2020, with some social media users complaining that the discovery of the monolith had triggered their anxiety over worsening fortunes in the year, including a possible extraterrestrial invasion.
“This is the ‘reset’ button for 2020. Can someone please press it quickly?” one social media user joked.
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themindunleashed--2020-11-29--Trump Accuses His Own FBI and Justice Department of ‘Rigging’ Election

Despite finally agreeing to begin the formal transition of power to President-elect Joe Biden last Monday , President Trump on Sunday continued to deny that he lost the election and repeated claims of fraud in his first interview since his Election Day defeat .
“ We won the election easily , ” the outgoing president falsely claimed on Fox News ’ “ Sunday Morning Futures.
” This time , however , Trump added a new twist – claiming that his own Department of Justice and FBI had somehow colluded with the “ rigging ” of the election in Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraud , ” the outgoing president said in the interview with Maria Bartiromo .
“ And how the FBI and Department of Justice—I don ’ t know—maybe they ’ re involved , but how people are getting away with this stuff—it ’ s unbelievable.
” Just over three weeks ago , major networks including Fox News and the Associated Press called Pennsylvania and Nevada in Biden ’ s favor , pushing him well over the 270 electoral-vote threshold to make him the winner of the Electoral College .
Since then , Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spouted claims of widespread fraud to sow the seeds of doubt in the election results .
However , no evidence has been offered to flesh out the claims while the Trump campaign ’ s legal challenges have failed in court .
“ Missing in action .
Missing in action , ” Trump continued after being asked if the FBI and DOJ were investigating the fraud claims .
“ Can ’ t tell you where they are .
I ask , ‘ Are you looking at it ?
’ Everyone says , ‘ Yes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it.
” The accusation is incredible if only because both agencies ’ heads were personally handpicked by President Trump .
The FBI is led by director Christopher Wray , a Trump appointee who has headed the bureau since 2017 .
The Justice Department is headed by Attorney General William Barr , who was nominated by the president in 2018 and has long argued in favor of government agencies deferring to presidential authority .
Barr has faced massive criticism from Democrats for actions they perceive as being overly partisan and biased in the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s claims that he hadn ’ t actually lost the election by clearing the DOJ to look into voting irregularities prior to the certification of elections .
The move was widely seen as a reversal of guidance meant to prevent federal authorities from intervening in the election , and prompted the DOJ ’ s Election Crimes Branch head Richard Pilger to resign in protest .
However , this hasn ’ t prevented Trump from lashing out at the attorney general for his perceived lack of zeal in following his directives .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for failing to indict his political enemies , including former President Barack Obama and former Vice President ( now President-elect ) Joe Biden for their alleged role in the origins of the Russia probe .
Trump ’ s campaign has launched dozens of ill-fated lawsuits in key swing states won by Biden , with many of the lawsuits being dismissed by Republican-appointed judges .
On Sunday morning , the president further accused the judges of blocking his ability to overturn the election results .
“ We ’ re trying to put the evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow us to do it , ” Trump said .

Despite finally agreeing to begin the formal transition of power to President-elect Joe Biden last Monday, President Trump on Sunday continued to deny that he lost the election and repeated claims of fraud in his first interview since his Election Day defeat.
“We won the election easily,” the outgoing president falsely claimed on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.”
This time, however, Trump added a new twist – claiming that his own Department of Justice and FBI had somehow colluded with the “rigging” of the election in Biden’s favor.
“This is total fraud,” the outgoing president said in the interview with Maria Bartiromo. “And how the FBI and Department of Justice—I don’t know—maybe they’re involved, but how people are getting away with this stuff—it’s unbelievable.”
Just over three weeks ago, major networks including Fox News and the Associated Press called Pennsylvania and Nevada in Biden’s favor, pushing him well over the 270 electoral-vote threshold to make him the winner of the Electoral College.
Since then, Trump has refused to concede, and has instead spouted claims of widespread fraud to sow the seeds of doubt in the election results. However, no evidence has been offered to flesh out the claims while the Trump campaign’s legal challenges have failed in court.
“Missing in action. Missing in action,” Trump continued after being asked if the FBI and DOJ were investigating the fraud claims. “Can’t tell you where they are. I ask, ‘Are you looking at it?’ Everyone says, ‘Yes,’ they’re looking at it.”
The accusation is incredible if only because both agencies’ heads were personally handpicked by President Trump.
The FBI is led by director Christopher Wray, a Trump appointee who has headed the bureau since 2017. The Justice Department is headed by Attorney General William Barr, who was nominated by the president in 2018 and has long argued in favor of government agencies deferring to presidential authority.
Barr has faced massive criticism from Democrats for actions they perceive as being overly partisan and biased in the president’s favor, including responding to Trump’s claims that he hadn’t actually lost the election by clearing the DOJ to look into voting irregularities prior to the certification of elections.
The move was widely seen as a reversal of guidance meant to prevent federal authorities from intervening in the election, and prompted the DOJ’s Election Crimes Branch head Richard Pilger to resign in protest.
However, this hasn’t prevented Trump from lashing out at the attorney general for his perceived lack of zeal in following his directives. In October, Trump criticized Barr publicly for failing to indict his political enemies, including former President Barack Obama and former Vice President (now President-elect) Joe Biden for their alleged role in the origins of the Russia probe.
Trump’s campaign has launched dozens of ill-fated lawsuits in key swing states won by Biden, with many of the lawsuits being dismissed by Republican-appointed judges.
On Sunday morning, the president further accused the judges of blocking his ability to overturn the election results.
“We’re trying to put the evidence in and the judges won’t allow us to do it,” Trump said.
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themindunleashed--2020-11-29--One-Year-Old Baby Killed After 3 Cops Open Fire on Father’s Truck Following Crash

A one-year-old baby boy was killed by police on Thursday after an estranged father took him , sparking police intervention that ended with both the father and son being shot .
The incident took place in the rural region of Kawartha Lakes , Ontario , after police received reports of an alleged domestic disturbance and abduction , according to reports .
A Special Investigations Unit ( SIU ) said that the father , who was attempting to flee the police , crashed his vehicle into a cruiser belonging to Ontario Provincial Police before three officers shot at the 33-year-old suspect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the child ’ s life , reports Niagara Falls Review .
“ The man was struck and he was airlifted to hospital in grave condition , ” said SIU spokesperson Monica Hudon .
“ Inside the vehicle was the man ’ s son , a one-year-old boy , and he was fatally wounded.
” A firearm was also discovered in the man ’ s vehicle .
According to a local resident , the father had tried to kidnap the baby on Thursday morning following a domestic disturbance .
In desperation , the child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and a therapist contacted him seeking shelter .
“ Some people came to the house and wanted in , for a safe haven , and there was something about the husband had left with the little baby , ” said Tom Deciccio .
When police located the father on a foggy rural road just east of Lindsay , Ontario , all hell reportedly broke loose when the man ’ s truck collided with another civilian car and the police cruiser .
The car was largely totaled by the collision , raising important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to fire their weapons at the vehicle .
The father remains in critical condition while the OPP officer , who was initially listed in critical condition , is now stable and being treated at Toronto ’ s Sunnybrook Hospital .
An autopsy was conducted on the deceased child on Saturday .
The investigation of police conduct during the incident is now in the hands of the SIU , which is tasked with investigating any incidents involving Ontario officers who have killed , seriously injured , or sexually assaulted somebody .
The normally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been shaken by the gruesome incident .
“ The community is in disbelief that this is happening , ” commented Mayor Andy Letham , who added that he appreciates the work of provincial police in safeguarding the community ’ s safety and wellbeing .
In separate comments to the National Post , the mayor noted that everyone in the region was already on edge this winter due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic – and that Thursday ’ s deadly incident only added an extra layer of distress to the small community .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it certainly caught everybody off guard , ” Letham said .
OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said that York Regional Police will handle other aspects of the investigation to ascertain how the tragic case unfolded .
“ As a result of a tragic incident today , one child is dead and two others significantly injured .
I ask that ( the SIU ) and ( York police ) be given time to investigate , without speculation on the events as they unfolded , ” he explained in a tweet .
“ Our thoughts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffering today.
” As of now , police have not yet revealed which of the three officers fired the fatal shot , or if it was the father that claimed the child ’ s life , or if the father discharged any bullets from the firearm found in the vehicle .
However , the SIU has said that the three police firearms have been taken for forensic investigation .
In the meantime , the handgun found inside the truck will likely be handed to investigators .

A one-year-old baby boy was killed by police on Thursday after an estranged father took him, sparking police intervention that ended with both the father and son being shot.
The incident took place in the rural region of Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, after police received reports of an alleged domestic disturbance and abduction, according to reports.
A Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said that the father, who was attempting to flee the police, crashed his vehicle into a cruiser belonging to Ontario Provincial Police before three officers shot at the 33-year-old suspect, gravely wounding him, the child was also fatally shot, reports Niagara Falls Review.
“The man was struck and he was airlifted to hospital in grave condition,” said SIU spokesperson Monica Hudon. “Inside the vehicle was the man’s son, a one-year-old boy, and he was fatally wounded.”
A firearm was also discovered in the man’s vehicle.
According to a local resident, the father had tried to kidnap the baby on Thursday morning following a domestic disturbance. In desperation, the child’s mother, her older son, and a therapist contacted him seeking shelter.
“Some people came to the house and wanted in, for a safe haven, and there was something about the husband had left with the little baby,” said Tom Deciccio.
When police located the father on a foggy rural road just east of Lindsay, Ontario, all hell reportedly broke loose when the man’s truck collided with another civilian car and the police cruiser.
The car was largely totaled by the collision, raising important questions as to why officers felt the need to fire their weapons at the vehicle.
The father remains in critical condition while the OPP officer, who was initially listed in critical condition, is now stable and being treated at Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital. An autopsy was conducted on the deceased child on Saturday.
The investigation of police conduct during the incident is now in the hands of the SIU, which is tasked with investigating any incidents involving Ontario officers who have killed, seriously injured, or sexually assaulted somebody.
The normally quiet central Ontario town of Kawartha Lakes has been shaken by the gruesome incident.
“The community is in disbelief that this is happening,” commented Mayor Andy Letham, who added that he appreciates the work of provincial police in safeguarding the community’s safety and wellbeing.
In separate comments to the National Post, the mayor noted that everyone in the region was already on edge this winter due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic – and that Thursday’s deadly incident only added an extra layer of distress to the small community.
“In a small community like this, it certainly caught everybody off guard,” Letham said.
OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said that York Regional Police will handle other aspects of the investigation to ascertain how the tragic case unfolded.
“As a result of a tragic incident today, one child is dead and two others significantly injured. I ask that (the SIU) and (York police) be given time to investigate, without speculation on the events as they unfolded,” he explained in a tweet. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those that are suffering today.”
As of the time of publishing, police have not yet revealed which of the three officers fired the fatal shot, or if it was the father that claimed the child’s life, or if the father discharged any bullets from the firearm found in the vehicle.
However, the SIU has said that the three police firearms have been taken for forensic investigation. In the meantime, the handgun found inside the truck will likely be handed to investigators.
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themindunleashed--2020-11-30--Megalodon Fossils Show How Biggest-Ever Shark Had Nurseries All Over the World

The massive megalodon , the largest shark to ever roam the seas , had their own nursery areas all over the globe that allowed the apex predators to raise their young and populate the world prior to their extinction .
A new study , published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters , reveals that nurseries belonging to the massive creatures have been found in across vast geographic distances where fossils belonging to both young and old megalodons were discovered .
The five likely nurseries include sites off Spain ’ s east coast , two off the coast of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Megalodon ( Otodus megalodon ) , whose name means “ large tooth , ” lived between 23 million and 3.6 million years ago until it went extinct during a period of global cooling .
For 13 million years , the megalodon was the king of the sea .
The megalodon was not only the largest shark in the world , but also the biggest fish – and quite possibly the most powerful predator – to ever exist .
Its teeth alone measured 18 centimeters long , and evidence shows that it could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feet in length .
However , because megalodon bodies were mostly comprised of cartilage – which can not fossilize – the shark ’ s teeth , vertebrae and fossilized feces have been the main way researchers have calculated the shark ’ s body measurements .
The existence of the nurseries shows that young megalodon were still quite susceptible to attacks by other predators .
To keep the young megalodon safe , their shark parents would give birth to their young in shallow , warm water nurseries located near coastlines .
In these special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access their prey while facing few dangers from rival predators .
“ Our analyses support the presence of five potential nurseries ranging from the Langhian ( middle Miocene ) to the Zanclean ( Pliocene ) , with higher densities of individuals with estimated body lengths within the typical range of neonates and young juveniles , ” the scientists wrote in the abstract for the study .
“ These results reveal , for the first time , that nursery areas were commonly used by O. megalodon over large temporal and spatial scales , reducing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in maintaining viable adult populations , ” the authors added .
The nurseries were ideal sites that allowed young megalodons to mature into adults in a process that took about 25 years .
Experts investigated 25 teeth belonging to megalodon that were found in the Reverté and Vidal regions in Tarragona , Spain .
The study led to the conclusion that these locations were filled with sharks that had body lengths consistent with the normal range of newborns and young juveniles , measuring 13 feet in length for one-month-old sharks to 36 feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ separate study released in September found that a 52.5-foot-long adult megalodon had heads that measure up to 15.3 feet long , with dorsal fins measuring about 5.3 feet tall and tails reaching 12.6 feet .
To put this into perspective , an adult human could stand on a shark ’ s back and be roughly the same height as the dorsal fin .
The study ’ s findings also reveal that the shark ’ s reliance on nurseries likely played a role in their demise , when the world cooled near the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declined .
“ Ultimately , the presumed reliance of O. megalodon on the presence of suitable nursery grounds might have also been determinant in the demise of this iconic top predatory shark , ” the authors of the study noted .

The massive megalodon, the largest shark to ever roam the seas, had their own nursery areas all over the globe that allowed the apex predators to raise their young and populate the world prior to their extinction.
A new study, published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters, reveals that nurseries belonging to the massive creatures have been found in across vast geographic distances where fossils belonging to both young and old megalodons were discovered.
The five likely nurseries include sites off Spain’s east coast, two off the coast of the United States, and two in Panama.
Megalodon (Otodus megalodon), whose name means “large tooth,” lived between 23 million and 3.6 million years ago until it went extinct during a period of global cooling. For 13 million years, the megalodon was the king of the sea.
The megalodon was not only the largest shark in the world, but also the biggest fish – and quite possibly the most powerful predator – to ever exist. Its teeth alone measured 18 centimeters long, and evidence shows that it could have grown to reach up to 60 feet in length.
However, because megalodon bodies were mostly comprised of cartilage – which cannot fossilize – the shark’s teeth, vertebrae and fossilized feces have been the main way researchers have calculated the shark’s body measurements.
The existence of the nurseries shows that young megalodon were still quite susceptible to attacks by other predators.
To keep the young megalodon safe, their shark parents would give birth to their young in shallow, warm water nurseries located near coastlines. In these special regions, juvenile megalodon were able to access their prey while facing few dangers from rival predators.
“Our analyses support the presence of five potential nurseries ranging from the Langhian (middle Miocene) to the Zanclean (Pliocene), with higher densities of individuals with estimated body lengths within the typical range of neonates and young juveniles,” the scientists wrote in the abstract for the study.
“These results reveal, for the first time, that nursery areas were commonly used by O. megalodon over large temporal and spatial scales, reducing early mortality and playing a key role in maintaining viable adult populations,” the authors added.
The nurseries were ideal sites that allowed young megalodons to mature into adults in a process that took about 25 years.
Experts investigated 25 teeth belonging to megalodon that were found in the Reverté and Vidal regions in Tarragona, Spain. The study led to the conclusion that these locations were filled with sharks that had body lengths consistent with the normal range of newborns and young juveniles, measuring 13 feet in length for one-month-old sharks to 36 feet in length for older juveniles.
A separate study released in September found that a 52.5-foot-long adult megalodon had heads that measure up to 15.3 feet long, with dorsal fins measuring about 5.3 feet tall and tails reaching 12.6 feet. To put this into perspective, an adult human could stand on a shark’s back and be roughly the same height as the dorsal fin.
The study’s findings also reveal that the shark’s reliance on nurseries likely played a role in their demise, when the world cooled near the end of the Pliocene period and sea levels declined.
“Ultimately, the presumed reliance of O. megalodon on the presence of suitable nursery grounds might have also been determinant in the demise of this iconic top predatory shark,” the authors of the study noted.
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themindunleashed--2020-11-30--Mexico Senate Votes in Landslide To Legalize World’s Largest Cannabis Market

Mexico is hurtling toward legalizing cannabis for a variety of uses , opening up the Latin American country to becoming the largest legal marijuana in the world .
Just days prior to the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. , Mexico ’ s Senate approved a bill that would put an end to prohibition measures in a landslide vote of 82 to 18 , with seven abstentions .
Lawmakers in the ruling Morena party have been working hard to seal the approval of the landmark cannabis legalization bill before the current congressional session draws to a close in December .
Morena @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in both chambers of Congress .
The bill is designed to “ improve living conditions ” and “ contribute to the reduction of crime linked to drug trafficking , ” according to its text .
The move would amount to a huge U-turn after decades of anti-drug policies led to the explosive growth of transnational cartels – and ferocious local cartel wars – in Mexico .
In recent years , violence related to drug cartels has claimed upwards of 10,000 lives .
Advocates of legalization in Mexico have long argued that legalizing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alternative drug policies , halt the criminalization of drug users and refocus its security efforts to better address public health .
The demands of advocates came significantly closer to being realized in 2018 , when the Mexican Supreme Court ruled that recreational marijuana should be permitted .
One year prior , legislators voted to legalize the plant for medical purposes .
While Mexico has a long and storied history of cannabis usage , the consumption of the plant is still not as culturally accepted on a widespread level as in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commercial markets for the sale and purchase of the plan will likely displace the large systems of illicit cultivation in the country .
Socially conservative Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador , popularly known by his initials AMLO , has largely shied away from vocally supporting the legalization of the plant .
However , Lopez Obrador has long endorsed the need to radically reform the country ’ s laws to put an end to rampant drug violence in Mexico , where drug cartels still hold sway over the illicit trade of narcotics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ been an outspoken champion of legalization efforts , members of his center-left party such as Senate leader Ricardo Monreal and senior cabinet members like Interior Minister Olga Sanchez have been clear in their calls to open the doors to legalizing and regulating the recreational usage of cannabis .
Under the proposed measures , Mexico would place strict controls on ownership and the supply chain used for domestic production and international commerce of cannabis .
The trade surrounding the industry would also have to comply with various forms of financial source verification , ensuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the hands of criminal syndicates , writes Forbes .
Under the bill , adults over 18 will be allowed to cultivate and possess up to 28 grams of cannabis for personal use .
Possession of up to 200 grams would also be decriminalized .
Individuals would be allowed to grow up to 20 plants provided their annual yield isn ’ t in excess of 480 grams .
Medical patients would be able to grow over 20 plants , if necessary .
Public consumption of cannabis would also be allowed in all spaces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smoke-free.
” Cannabis sales would also be subject to a 12 percent tax , with revenue going toward drug abuse programs .
The new laws and regulations would be enforced and overseen by the Mexican Institute of Regulation and Control of Cannabis .
Advocates have also expressed caution about moving forward while taking into account social equity concerns and safeguards to prevent transnational corporations from monopolizing the massive , burgeoning weed market in the North American country .
The success of these efforts would make Mexico the largest country in the world , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With a population exceeding 125 million people , Mexico would quickly become the largest consumer market for cannabis products , marking a huge step forward in bringing the international cannabis marketplace out of the shadows .

Mexico is hurtling toward legalizing cannabis for a variety of uses, opening up the Latin American country to becoming the largest consumer market for cannabis products in the world.
Just days prior to the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S., Mexico’s Senate approved a bill that would put an end to prohibition measures in a landslide vote of 82 to 18, with seven abstentions.
Lawmakers in the ruling Morena party have been working hard to seal the approval of the landmark cannabis legalization bill before the current congressional session draws to a close in December. Morena, alongside its allies, holds majorities in both chambers of Congress.
The bill is designed to “improve living conditions” and “contribute to the reduction of crime linked to drug trafficking,” according to its text.
The move would amount to a huge U-turn after decades of anti-drug policies led to the explosive growth of transnational cartels – and ferocious local cartel wars – in Mexico. In recent years, violence related to drug cartels has claimed upwards of 10,000 lives.
Advocates of legalization in Mexico have long argued that legalizing the plant would allow the country to advance alternative drug policies, halt the criminalization of drug users and refocus its security efforts to better address public health.
The demands of advocates came significantly closer to being realized in 2018, when the Mexican Supreme Court ruled that recreational marijuana should be permitted. One year prior, legislators voted to legalize the plant for medical purposes.
While Mexico has a long and storied history of cannabis usage, the consumption of the plant is still not as culturally accepted on a widespread level as in the United States. However, the creation of legal commercial markets for the sale and purchase of the plan will likely displace the large systems of illicit cultivation in the country.
Socially conservative Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, popularly known by his initials AMLO, has largely shied away from vocally supporting the legalization of the plant. However, Lopez Obrador has long endorsed the need to radically reform the country’s laws to put an end to rampant drug violence in Mexico, where drug cartels still hold sway over the illicit trade of narcotics.
But while the president hasn’t been an outspoken champion of legalization efforts, members of his center-left party such as Senate leader Ricardo Monreal and senior cabinet members like Interior Minister Olga Sanchez have been clear in their calls to open the doors to legalizing and regulating the recreational usage of cannabis.
Under the proposed measures, Mexico would place strict controls on ownership and the supply chain used for domestic production and international commerce of cannabis. The trade surrounding the industry would also have to comply with various forms of financial source verification, ensuring that the business doesn’t fall into the hands of criminal syndicates, writes Forbes.
Under the bill, adults over 18 will be allowed to cultivate and possess up to 28 grams of cannabis for personal use. Possession of up to 200 grams would also be decriminalized.
Individuals would be allowed to grow up to 20 plants provided their annual yield isn’t in excess of 480 grams. Medical patients would be able to grow over 20 plants, if necessary. Public consumption of cannabis would also be allowed in all spaces besides those marked as “100 percent smoke-free.”
Cannabis sales would also be subject to a 12 percent tax, with revenue going toward drug abuse programs. The new laws and regulations would be enforced and overseen by the Mexican Institute of Regulation and Control of Cannabis.
Advocates have also expressed caution about moving forward while taking into account social equity concerns and safeguards to prevent transnational corporations from monopolizing the massive, burgeoning weed market in the North American country.
The success of these efforts would make Mexico the largest country in the world, by population, to legalize cannabis. With a population exceeding 125 million people, Mexico would quickly become the largest consumer market for cannabis products, marking a huge step forward in bringing the international cannabis marketplace out of the shadows.
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themindunleashed--2020-11-30--Monolith Identical To One Found in Utah Appears on Hillside in Romania

A metal monolith nearly identical to one that was discovered in the U.S. state of Utah has appeared on a hillside in Romania , not far from a historic fortress .
The mysterious three-sided structure ’ s appearance in the Balkan country comes around the same time that the monolith in Utah was removed from its remote desert location by an “ unknown party , ” local authorities said over the weekend .
The shiny pillar was found just last Thursday on Batca Doamnei Hill in the city of Piatra Neamt in the country ’ s northeastern Neamt County , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was located several yards from the Dacian fortress Petrodava , an important archaeological landmark and fort that was built by the ancient Dacian people between 82 B.C .
and 106 A.D .
The Dacian fortress was written about by Roman polymath and philosopher Claudius Ptolemy and is the the oldest historical monument in the region .
It is believed that the fortress was burned down in the 2nd Century A.D. around the time when the Romans conquered the region , although the ruins of the fortress are still intact and comprise parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close by , with one side facing Mount Ceahlău , a famous Carpathian mountain listed as one of the country ’ s Seven Natural Wonders and known to locals as the Holy Mountain .
“ We have started looking into the strange appearance of the monolith , ” said Neamt Culture and Heritage official Rocsana Josanu .
“ It is on private property , but we still don ’ t know who the monolith ’ s owner is yet .
It is in a protected area on an archaeological site.
” “ Before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from our institution , one that must then be approved by the Ministry of Culture.
” The strange object bears a striking resemblance to the one recently found , and subsequently disappeared , in the southeastern Utah desert .
The origins of that 12-foot ( four-meter ) high metal block remain unclear .
The discovery of the monolith by Utah public safety workers in the southwestern U.S. state generated significant viral buzz , with many comparing the monolith to those that trigger massive leaps in human progress in the classic Stanley Kubrick sci-fi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Odyssey.
” Others bemoaned the discovery of the object in the turbulent year 2020 , with some social media users complaining that the discovery of the monolith had triggered their anxiety over worsening fortunes in the year , including a possible extraterrestrial invasion .
“ This is the ‘ reset ’ button for 2020 .
Can someone please press it quickly ?
” one social media user quipped .
However , the structure was removed on Friday night “ by an unknown party ” from the public land it was found on , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Utah office said in a statement .
“ We have received credible reports that the illegally installed structure , referred to as the ‘ monolith ’ , has been removed from Bureau of Land Management ( BLM ) public lands by an unknown party , ” the bureau said in a statement .
A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter crew had found the object last Monday while surveying for bighorn sheep .
“ IT ’ S GONE !
” the agency said in an Instagram post .
“ Almost as quickly as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the department continued , adding , “ I can only speculate ” about the cause of its disappearance , adding the emoji symbol for extraterrestrials .
“ Maybe it will stop by and visit us in Canada !
!
” one person commented .
For the time being , however , the monolith may have decided to park itself in the Carpathian mountain range of Romania .

A metal monolith nearly identical to one that was discovered in the U.S. state of Utah has appeared on a hillside in Romania, not far from a historic fortress.
The mysterious three-sided structure’s appearance in the Balkan country comes around the same time that the monolith in Utah was removed from its remote desert location by an “unknown party,” local authorities said over the weekend.
The shiny pillar was found just last Thursday on Batca Doamnei Hill in the city of Piatra Neamt in the country’s northeastern Neamt County, reports the Daily Mail.
The monolith was located several yards from the Dacian fortress Petrodava, an important archaeological landmark and fort that was built by the ancient Dacian people between 82 B.C. and 106 A.D.
The Dacian fortress was written about by Roman polymath and philosopher Claudius Ptolemy and is the the oldest historical monument in the region. It is believed that the fortress was burned down in the 2nd Century A.D. around the time when the Romans conquered the region, although the ruins of the fortress are still intact and comprise parts of the city wall.
The monolith lies close by, with one side facing Mount Ceahlău, a famous Carpathian mountain listed as one of the country’s Seven Natural Wonders and known to locals as the Holy Mountain.
“We have started looking into the strange appearance of the monolith,” said Neamt Culture and Heritage official Rocsana Josanu. “It is on private property, but we still don’t know who the monolith’s owner is yet. It is in a protected area on an archaeological site.”
“Before installing something there, they needed permission from our institution, one that must then be approved by the Ministry of Culture.”
The strange object bears a striking resemblance to the one recently found, and subsequently disappeared, in the southeastern Utah desert.
The origins of that 12-foot (four-meter) high metal block remain unclear.
The discovery of the monolith by Utah public safety workers in the southwestern U.S. state generated significant viral buzz, with many comparing the monolith to those that trigger massive leaps in human progress in the classic Stanley Kubrick sci-fi film, “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
Others bemoaned the discovery of the object in the turbulent year 2020, with some social media users complaining that the discovery of the monolith had triggered their anxiety over worsening fortunes in the year, including a possible extraterrestrial invasion.
“This is the ‘reset’ button for 2020. Can someone please press it quickly?” one social media user quipped.
However, the structure was removed on Friday night “by an unknown party” from the public land it was found on, the Bureau of Land Management’s Utah office said in a statement.
“We have received credible reports that the illegally installed structure, referred to as the ‘monolith’, has been removed from Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public lands by an unknown party,” the bureau said in a statement.
A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter crew had found the object last Monday while surveying for bighorn sheep.
“IT’S GONE!” the agency said in an Instagram post. “Almost as quickly as it appeared it has now disappeared,” the department continued, adding, “I can only speculate” about the cause of its disappearance, adding the emoji symbol for extraterrestrials.
“Maybe it will stop by and visit us in Canada!!” one person commented.
For the time being, however, the monolith may have decided to park itself in the Carpathian mountain range of Romania.
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themindunleashed--2020-12-01--Mother of Teen Who Was Killed By Police Gets Shot At His Funeral

A mysterious gunman opened fire on a young man ’ s funeral service at Riverview Memorial Gardens in Cocoa , Florida , on Saturday afternoon .
The funeral was for 18-year-old Sincere Pierce , a young man who was shot and killed by a Brevard County Sheriff ’ s deputy on November 13th , along with his friend , 16-year-old Angelo Crooms .
A crowd of roughly 50 people had attended the funeral service , and two people were hit in the shooting .
One of the victims was the mother of the deceased , Quasheda Pierce .
Another unidentified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gunfire .
The bullet reportedly hit the 16-year-old in the leg first , and then continued to travel until it struck Ms. Pierce in the leg .
Mourners at the funeral ran for cover , while others rushed to help Ms. Pierce and the boy that was hit .
It is not clear who the intended target was , and police have not released any details about any possible leads or suspects .
The shooting came in the final moments of Sincere Pierce ’ s funeral .
Pierce was shot and killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputy on November 13th , along with his friend , 16-year-old Angelo Crooms .
The teens were killed by Deputy Jafet Santiago-Miranda , who fired multiple shots into their car because they wouldn ’ t pull over .
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said that officer Santiago-Miranda thought that the vehicle they were in might have been stolen , which is why he initially wanted them to pull over .
However , the teens reportedly had permission to use the car , and their families say that it was a case of mistaken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to shoot at the vehicle because he felt that his life was in danger .
He claimed that the vehicle was charging at him , and that he had no other choice but to get out of the way .
However , the families of the victims and the lawyers now representing them say that the officer could have simply moved out of the way .
Tasha Strachan , Crooms ’ mother , said , “ He was walking toward the car ; he put ( himself ) in danger .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But these deputies followed them without any lights , they got out with guns drawn .
My son stopped at the stop signs and he was trying to get away He ’ s a 16-year-old , he was not going to think like an adult .
He probably just thought ‘ I can just drive away.
” “ They took my son .
His name was Angelo .
I want some justice .
If the deputy was in danger , he would have got out of the way , ” she added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the officer has a disturbing history .
Records from the Osceola Clerk of Courts reported on Wednesday by local news website The Space Coast Rocket show that in 2008 , Santiago-Miranda was found guilty of burglary to a dwelling unarmed and aggravated assault with a firearm .
On April 20th of this year , Deputy Miranda was also charged with domestic violence against children .

A mysterious gunman opened fire on a young man’s funeral service at Riverview Memorial Gardens in Cocoa, Florida, on Saturday afternoon. The funeral was for 18-year-old Sincere Pierce, a young man who was shot and killed by a Brevard County Sheriff’s deputy on November 13th, along with his friend, 16-year-old Angelo Crooms.
A crowd of roughly 50 people had attended the funeral service, and two people were hit in the shooting. One of the victims was the mother of the deceased, Quasheda Pierce. Another unidentified 16-year-old male victim was also injured in the gunfire. The bullet reportedly hit the 16-year-old in the leg first, and then continued to travel until it struck Ms. Pierce in the leg.
Mother of teen shooting victim shot during son's funeral in Cocoa https://t.co/Hb21Oea4Ur via @Florida_Today — William Crain (@Panther_Will) November 29, 2020
Mourners at the funeral ran for cover, while others rushed to help Ms. Pierce and the boy that was hit. It is not clear who the intended target was, and police have not released any details about any possible leads or suspects.
The shooting came in the final moments of Sincere Pierce’s funeral. Pierce was shot and killed by a Brevard County Sheriff’s deputy on November 13th, along with his friend, 16-year-old Angelo Crooms.
A funeral for a teenager shot by police erupted in gunfire on Saturday. An unknown gunman opened fire striking the mother of the teen.https://t.co/nuSRfHGZXv — WGXA (@WGXAnews) November 29, 2020
The teens were killed by Deputy Jafet Santiago-Miranda, who fired multiple shots into their car because they wouldn’t pull over.
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said that officer Santiago-Miranda thought that the vehicle they were in might have been stolen, which is why he initially wanted them to pull over. However, the teens reportedly had permission to use the car, and their families say that it was a case of mistaken identity.
Officer Santiago-Miranda insists that he had to shoot at the vehicle because he felt that his life was in danger. He claimed that the vehicle was charging at him, and that he had no other choice but to get out of the way.
However, the families of the victims and the lawyers now representing them say that the officer could have simply moved out of the way.
We demand @BrevardSheriff release ALL footage, inc. dashcam footage from the other vehicle and any neighborhood surveillance videos.
We also urge anyone with video evidence, inc. neighbors with surveillance cams, to come forward ASAP. #JusticeForAJ #JusticeForSincere — Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) November 18, 2020
Tasha Strachan, Crooms’ mother, said, “He was walking toward the car; he put (himself) in danger. The lady deputy got behind her car. But these deputies followed them without any lights, they got out with guns drawn. My son stopped at the stop signs and he was trying to get away He’s a 16-year-old, he was not going to think like an adult. He probably just thought ‘I can just drive away.”
“They took my son. His name was Angelo. I want some justice. If the deputy was in danger, he would have got out of the way,” she added.
Public records on Deputy Santiago-Miranda show that the officer has a disturbing history.
Records from the Osceola Clerk of Courts reported on Wednesday by local news website The Space Coast Rocket show that in 2008, Santiago-Miranda was found guilty of burglary to a dwelling unarmed and aggravated assault with a firearm. On April 20th of this year, Deputy Miranda was also charged with domestic violence against children.
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themindunleashed--2020-12-01--Snowden Gives New Interview On Press Freedom And War on Whistleblowers

In a new interview with Glenn Greenwald , NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden discussed press freedom and online censorship .
They also talked about how the spirit of the internet has changed since the early days where freedom of speech was a core principle .
Now it is run by corporations and heavily regulated by governments , which appears to have drastically changed the culture online .
Snowden pointed out that journalists who don ’ t have viewpoints that fit in with the mainstream are silenced in a variety of different ways .
“ What we see is an increasing tendency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in the minority .
You see threats against journalism , particularly female journalists , online , social media , just because people don ’ t like what ’ s being reported .
They don ’ t like the facts that are being brought to them , ” Snowden said .
“ Then there ’ s this whole other step , which is , what is the government doing against it ?
And in nowhere is this more clear , I think , than the war on whistleblowers , ” he added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ began to ramp up under former President George W. Bush , and has continued to grow under every president since , regardless of their campaign promises .
“ This is not a partisan issue , these people are backers of Obama , and we all know about the things that have happened under the Trump administration .
But when you look at this as a trend , as a dynamic , what you see is the criminalization of journalism , ” he said .
Snowden also discussed the case of Julian Assange of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on whistleblowers .
“ Trying to silence the publication of facts , which are valuable and important to the public , to the continuation of democracy , but uncomfortable to government , when they understand that that is something that must be accepted , that is what defines a democracy , rather than going , ‘ No , we need to shut these people up ; we ’ re going to throw them in a hole , we ’ re going to ruin their life , whatever .
We ’ re going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new tactic is , this is going to continue to be a problem , and the freedom of our press is going to continue to decline , ” Snowden said .
Snowden pointed out that the absolute worst people are held up as examples of why censorship is needed , which justifies widespread censorship against activists and journalists .
Snowden is still facing criminal charges under the Espionage Act .
He is currently living in exile in Russia , where he got stuck and remained while attempting to evade US authorities after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published an eye-opening memoir about his time in the intelligence community and his decision to tell the world about the massive surveillance state that had been created by the United States government .
The book , called “ Permanent Record , ” quickly rose to the top of the charts as soon as it was released , but as expected , the United States government was not very happy that it was being published .
On the day that the book was released , the US government filed a lawsuit against Snowden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he signed with both the CIA and NSA when he was employed with the agencies .
Snowden was still able to release the book , but the government has claimed all of his earnings .

In a new interview with Glenn Greenwald, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden discussed press freedom and online censorship.
They also talked about how the spirit of the internet has changed since the early days where freedom of speech was a core principle. Now it is run by corporations and heavily regulated by governments, which appears to have drastically changed the culture online.
Snowden pointed out that journalists who don’t have viewpoints that fit in with the mainstream are silenced in a variety of different ways.
“What we see is an increasing tendency to silence journalists who say things that are in the minority. You see threats against journalism, particularly female journalists, online, social media, just because people don’t like what’s being reported. They don’t like the facts that are being brought to them,” Snowden said.
“Then there’s this whole other step, which is, what is the government doing against it? And in nowhere is this more clear, I think, than the war on whistleblowers,” he added.
Snowden said that the war on whistleblowers began to ramp up under former President George W. Bush, and has continued to grow under every president since, regardless of their campaign promises.
“This is not a partisan issue, these people are backers of Obama, and we all know about the things that have happened under the Trump administration. But when you look at this as a trend, as a dynamic, what you see is the criminalization of journalism,” he said.
Snowden also discussed the case of Julian Assange of Wikileaks as an example of the war on whistleblowers.
“Trying to silence the publication of facts, which are valuable and important to the public, to the continuation of democracy, but uncomfortable to government, when they understand that that is something that must be accepted, that is what defines a democracy, rather than going, ‘No, we need to shut these people up; we’re going to throw them in a hole, we’re going to ruin their life, whatever. We’re going to de-platform them,’ or whatever the new tactic is, this is going to continue to be a problem, and the freedom of our press is going to continue to decline,” Snowden said.
Snowden pointed out that the absolute worst people are held up as examples of why censorship is needed, which justifies widespread censorship against activists and journalists.
Snowden is still facing criminal charges under the Espionage Act. He is currently living in exile in Russia, where he got stuck and remained while attempting to evade US authorities after the now-infamous leak.
Last year, Snowden published an eye-opening memoir about his time in the intelligence community and his decision to tell the world about the massive surveillance state that had been created by the United States government. The book, called “Permanent Record,” quickly rose to the top of the charts as soon as it was released, but as expected, the United States government was not very happy that it was being published.
On the day that the book was released, the US government filed a lawsuit against Snowden, claiming that he violated non-disclosure agreements that he signed with both the CIA and NSA when he was employed with the agencies. Snowden was still able to release the book, but the government has claimed all of his earnings.
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themindunleashed--2020-12-02--White House is Being Investigated by DOJ for Alleged Presidential Pardon Bribery Scheme

A controversial bill is making its way through Colombia ’ s legislature that could see the South American nation end its destructive war on drugs by effectively legalizing cocaine and subjecting the drug to government regulation .
The bill , which has the backing of the leftist opposition and its centrist allies , hopes to put an end to the so-called war on drugs in favor of effective counter-narcotics strategies and evidence-based policies to curb drug abuse .
For nearly half a century , Colombia has faced the ravages of an anti-drug policy that criminalizes the coca leaf while fueling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and illegal armed groups and death squads vying for control of the cultivation of coca and production of cocaine .
Under the proposed bill , cocaine would be decriminalized and the state would purchase the entire coca harvest in the country and channel it towards a legal industry that distributes cocaine to users for pain relief rather than recreational use .
The policy would also see the state provide raw materials to Indigenous artisans who would have a chance to produce foods , medicinal products , tea , and baking flour using the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it would allow hundreds of thousands of illegal coca farmers out of a shadowy black market overseen by cartels and violent armed groups and into a homegrown , government-regulated industry .
“ This policy would mean cutting organized crime off from the coca leaf , and it would cut consumers off from organized crime , ” Senator Ivan Marulanda of the centrist Green Alliance told Vice World News .
“ The Colombian state would distribute it to users under a public health program , effectively through physicians who would evaluate if a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their pain .
And then it would be high-quality cocaine.
” “ Another important thing here is that not all consumers are addicts , ” Marulanda added .
“ Less than 10 percent of cocaine consumers are addicts.
” Throughout the Andes , the consumption and use of the coca leaf has been a part of the cultural and social traditions of native peoples for centuries .
In Bolivia , which is the world ’ s third largest producer of cocaine , the coca leaf was decriminalized through widely-hailed policies that prioritized respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The war on drugs is a law-and-order policy against drugs that thinks of drugs as a criminal offense , ” Marulanda said .
“ It ’ s also a persecution against the coca plant , the leaves of which are used to produce cocaine.
” “ That policy has not changed since the 1980s , ” the senator continued .
“ Actually , Colombia ’ s drug policy has only become more entrenched , more stubborn , and more severe in its application .
We ’ re now in the year 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cocaine in the world today … We ’ re inundated with cocaine and inundated with deaths and violence .
We ’ ve lost sovereignty over Colombian territory to the dominion of organized criminal mafias.
” Even former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos , who ruled the country from 2010 to 2018 , has affirmed that a new approach to drugs is needed .
Last year , Santos participated in a study that concluded that drugs including cocaine , ecstasy and opiates could potentially be less harmful than tobacco or alcohol yet are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cultural biases and politics , rather than actual science .
Calling the classification of such drugs as dangerous narcotics “ a political decision , ” Santos noted that Colombia is “ probably the country that has paid the highest price for the war on drugs.
” Continuing , he said that for decades , his country has been saddled with an unwinnable drug war that causes “ more damage , more harm ” to the world than practical approaches to regulating the sale and consumption of drugs in a “ good way.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree that blanket repression isn ’ t a one-size-fits-all solution to drug use and the problem of criminal drug cartels , the bill will likely face stiff opposition both within the country and from the United States , which has urged the country to continue waging a war on drugs .
The government of President Ivan Duque Marquez is signaling that it is planning to step up the war to stamp out illicit cocaine production .
Over the weekend , Colombian Minister of Defense Carlos Holmes Trujillo told Reuters that the military was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the dangerous herbicide glyphosate to halt the cultivation of coca , the base ingredient of cocaine .
The practice was ended in 2015 due to widespread concerns by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) causes cancer and harms the environment , but the Duque government maintains that fumigation is necessary to halt the flow of cash to illegal armed groups .
The policy has been supported by the United States , whose Environmental Protection Agency disagrees that the chemical is carcinogenic .
“ We ’ ve been going 40 years with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars with zero success and so much cost and destruction , ” Marulanda said .
“ Let ’ s try out this other policy .
Because something that hasn ’ t worked in the last 40 years is something that ’ s just not going to work .
”

In a potentially explosive development in the waning days of outgoing President Donald Trump’s administration, the Justice Department is investigating an alleged “bribery-for-pardon” scheme involving cash payments to the White House or its associates in exchange for a presidential pardon.
The heavily-redacted court records unsealed Tuesday in federal court do not name any individuals involved nor do they mention President Trump, or whether any officials in the White House were acquainted with the scheme.
However, the legal drama that the records hint at create new, dark clouds over the outgoing administration after a number of his top associates and advisers have faced federal criminal charges while Trump has openly mulled pardoning those who have proven their loyalty to him.
In 20 pages of partially redacted documents unsealed by the DC District Court, the question is discussed of whether prosecutors can review documents that are potentially protected by attorney-client privilege and were seized after a search warrant.
The records also reveal Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell’s Aug. 28 opinion on an ongoing investigation involving at least two figures who “acted as lobbyists to senior White House officials, without complying with the registration requirement of the Lobbying Disclosure Act… to secure ‘a pardon or reprieve of sentence for” an individual whose name is redacted.
In the review, the judge noted that the communications could be reviewed by investigators because the email discussion involved a non-attorney.
“This political strategy to obtain a presidential pardon was ‘parallel’ to and distinct from one individual’s role as an attorney advocate for” another individual, the ruling added, with both names involved being redacted.
According to the filings, the communications were seized from an office in a raid that occurred at some point prior to the end of summer 2020.
During the raid, a filter team – meant to ensure that prosecutors don’t receive tainted evidence that should not have fallen into their hands because it was privileged – had over 50 digital devices, including smartphones, tablet computers, laptops, thumb drives and hard drives after investigators raided the undisclosed offices, reports CNN.
In the court documents, prosecutors requested access to the filter team’s trove of devices. This is because the prosecutors believed that the holdings showed alleged crimes such as a “secret lobbying scheme” and bribery conspiracy that solicited “a substantial political contribution in exchange for a presidential pardon or reprieve of sentence” for a defendant who was convicted, according to the redacted records.
“The political strategy to obtain a presidential pardon was ‘parallel’ to and distinct from [redacted]’s role as an attorney-advocate for [redacted name],” Judge Howell wrote in the court order.
A grand jury investigation was also revealed, and appears to relate to unnamed parties who acted as unregistered “lobbyists to senior White House officials” and pursued pardons while using an intermediary to transmit bribes, the records say.
However, prosecutors have not provided evidence to the judge of any direct payment. Instead, they showed evidence that the redacted person was seeking clemency in return for past and future contributions to a political campaign.
Over the last week, the Department of Justice has informed Judge Howell that it wants the filings to reman confidential in court because “individuals and conduct” have not been publicly charged with any crimes related to the potential scheme.
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themindunleashed--2020-12-02--Anti-Gay Hungarian Politician Resigns After Being Caught Fleeing 25-Man Orgy

An anti-gay politician in Hungary who claimed to be a champion of so-called “ Christian values ” and represented the country ’ s ruling ultra-conservative Fidesz party has resigned in disgrace after being caught attempting to flee from a 25-man orgy on Friday .
Joszef Szajer , who represented Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban ’ s Fidesz party , resigned on Sunday after the humiliating incident in Brussels , where the well-known anti-LGBTQ politician was caught in the all-male orgy that took place in the red light district that is home to a number of gay bars .
Szajer being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most humiliating downfall possible for the conservative politician , who made a name for himself as a senior figure who helped spearhead Orban ’ s assault on LGBTQ rights since he was elected prime minister in 2010 .
Szajer played a key role helping to rewrite Hungary ’ s constitution to “ protect the institution of marriage as the union of a man and a woman , ” according to The Times of London .
On Sunday , Szajer resigned after admitting that he flouted Belgium ’ s stringent lockdown rules to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the Brussels pubic prosecutor ’ s office , police intervened after neighbors reported a loud “ night-time disturbance ” in an apartment .
They eventually found over 20 people in one apartment , incuding Szajer and other diplomats , the New York Times reports .
During the raid , police noticed Szajer desperately attempting to climb out of a first-floor window before “ fleeing along the gutter , ” according to the public prosecutor ’ s office .
Police also discovered drugs in Szajer ’ s bag .
The right-wing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night .
“ A passer-by reported to the police that he had seen a man fleeing along the gutter ; he was able to identify the man .
The man ’ s hands were bloody , ” the public prosecutor ’ s statement said .
“ It is possible that he may have been injured while fleeing .
Narcotics were found in his backpack.
” “ The man was unable to produce any identity documents , ” the prosecutor added .
“ He was escorted to his place of residence , where he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1961 ) by means of a diplomatic passport.
” The initials and year of birth both match those of Szajer .
On Tuesday , Szajer confirmed that he was present at a “ private party ” before apologizing for breaking lockdown rules .
“ After the police asked for my identity — since I did not have ID on me — I declared that I was a MEP , ” the disgraced politician said .
“ The police continued the process and finally issued an official verbal warning and transported me home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regret violating the [ coronavirus ] restrictions , it was irresponsible on my part .
I am ready to stand for the fine that occurs.
” Szajer also added that he hopes that the matter is seen as “ strictly personal ” and doesn ’ t reflect on his ideological cohort or his country .
“ I ask everyone not to extend it to my homeland , or to my political community , ” he said .
Szajer was a founding member of the Fidesz party in March 1988 .
The far-right party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative Christianity and frequently uses harsh anti-gay rhetoric .
It recently proposed a law to ban gay adoption .
He is married to Tunde Hando , a Constitutional Court judge who formerly served as former president of the National Judiciary Office .
In a statement , Szajer ’ s conservative allies praised the politician for his service to the cause of Hungarian nationalism and so-called Christian values .
“ On behalf of ourselves and our entire political community , ” they said , “ we , the members of the Fidesz-KDNP European Parliament @ @ @ @ @ @ @ played a crucial role in enabling Hungarian civic conservatism and Christian democracy to occupy their rightful place in the European political arena.
” However , Szajer ’ s resignation – which is widely seen as a scandalous result of his insatiable need to participate in what the media is calling a “ gay orgy ” – is a major blow to the reputation of Fidesz , which has ruled the country for the past decade .

An anti-gay politician in Hungary who claimed to be a champion of so-called “Christian values” and represented the country’s ruling ultra-conservative Fidesz party has resigned in disgrace after being caught attempting to flee from a 25-man orgy on Friday.
Joszef Szajer, who represented Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party, resigned on Sunday after the humiliating incident in Brussels, where the well-known anti-LGBTQ politician was caught in the all-male orgy that took place in the red light district that is home to a number of gay bars.
Szajer being caught literally with his pants down is the most humiliating downfall possible for the conservative politician, who made a name for himself as a senior figure who helped spearhead Orban’s assault on LGBTQ rights since he was elected prime minister in 2010. Szajer played a key role helping to rewrite Hungary’s constitution to “protect the institution of marriage as the union of a man and a woman,” according to The Times of London.
On Sunday, Szajer resigned after admitting that he flouted Belgium’s stringent lockdown rules to attend the sex party, reports Politico. According to the Brussels pubic prosecutor’s office, police intervened after neighbors reported a loud “night-time disturbance” in an apartment. They eventually found over 20 people in one apartment, incuding Szajer and other diplomats, the New York Times reports.
“We interrupted a gang bang,” one police source told Belgian newspaper La Dernière Heure.
During the raid, police noticed Szajer desperately attempting to climb out of a first-floor window before “fleeing along the gutter,” according to the public prosecutor’s office.
Police also discovered drugs in Szajer’s bag. The right-wing politician denies having taken drugs on that night.
“A passer-by reported to the police that he had seen a man fleeing along the gutter; he was able to identify the man. The man’s hands were bloody,” the public prosecutor’s statement said. “It is possible that he may have been injured while fleeing. Narcotics were found in his backpack.”
“The man was unable to produce any identity documents,” the prosecutor added. “He was escorted to his place of residence, where he identified himself as S. J. (1961) by means of a diplomatic passport.” The initials and year of birth both match those of Szajer.
On Tuesday, Szajer confirmed that he was present at a “private party” before apologizing for breaking lockdown rules.
“After the police asked for my identity — since I did not have ID on me — I declared that I was a MEP,” the disgraced politician said.
“The police continued the process and finally issued an official verbal warning and transported me home,” he added. “I deeply regret violating the [coronavirus] restrictions, it was irresponsible on my part. I am ready to stand for the fine that occurs.”
Szajer also added that he hopes that the matter is seen as “strictly personal” and doesn’t reflect on his ideological cohort or his country.
“I ask everyone not to extend it to my homeland, or to my political community,” he said.
Szajer was a founding member of the Fidesz party in March 1988. The far-right party has cast itself as a defender of conservative Christianity and frequently uses harsh anti-gay rhetoric. It recently proposed a law to ban gay adoption.
He is married to Tunde Hando, a Constitutional Court judge who formerly served as former president of the National Judiciary Office.
In a statement, Szajer’s conservative allies praised the politician for his service to the cause of Hungarian nationalism and so-called Christian values.
“On behalf of ourselves and our entire political community,” they said, “we, the members of the Fidesz-KDNP European Parliament group, thank Jozsef Szajer, who played a crucial role in enabling Hungarian civic conservatism and Christian democracy to occupy their rightful place in the European political arena.”
However, Szajer’s resignation – which is widely seen as a scandalous result of his insatiable need to participate in what the media is calling a “gay orgy” – is a major blow to the reputation of Fidesz, which has ruled the country for the past decade.
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themindunleashed--2020-12-01--Colombia Considers Ending ‘War on Drugs’ by Legalizing Its Huge Cocaine Industry

A controversial bill is making its way through Colombia’s legislature that could see the South American nation end its destructive war on drugs by effectively legalizing cocaine and subjecting the drug to government regulation.
The bill, which has the backing of the leftist opposition and its centrist allies, hopes to put an end to the so-called war on drugs in favor of effective counter-narcotics strategies and evidence-based policies to curb drug abuse.
For nearly half a century, Colombia has faced the ravages of an anti-drug policy that criminalizes the coca leaf while fueling the growth of monstrous drug trafficking organizations and illegal armed groups and death squads vying for control of the cultivation of coca and production of cocaine.
Under the proposed bill, cocaine would be decriminalized and the state would purchase the entire coca harvest in the country and channel it towards a legal industry that distributes cocaine to users for pain relief rather than recreational use. The policy would also see the state provide raw materials to Indigenous artisans who would have a chance to produce foods, medicinal products, tea, and baking flour using the plant.
Supporters of the bill hope that it would allow hundreds of thousands of illegal coca farmers out of a shadowy black market overseen by cartels and violent armed groups and into a homegrown, government-regulated industry.
“This policy would mean cutting organized crime off from the coca leaf, and it would cut consumers off from organized crime,” Senator Ivan Marulanda of the centrist Green Alliance told Vice World News. “The Colombian state would distribute it to users under a public health program, effectively through physicians who would evaluate if a person is apt for taking cocaine for their pain. And then it would be high-quality cocaine.”
“Another important thing here is that not all consumers are addicts,” Marulanda added. “Less than 10 percent of cocaine consumers are addicts.”
Throughout the Andes, the consumption and use of the coca leaf has been a part of the cultural and social traditions of native peoples for centuries. In Bolivia, which is the world’s third largest producer of cocaine, the coca leaf was decriminalized through widely-hailed policies that prioritized respect for human rights and community participation.
“The war on drugs is a law-and-order policy against drugs that thinks of drugs as a criminal offense,” Marulanda said. “It’s also a persecution against the coca plant, the leaves of which are used to produce cocaine.”
“That policy has not changed since the 1980s,” the senator continued. “Actually, Colombia’s drug policy has only become more entrenched, more stubborn, and more severe in its application. We’re now in the year 2020. Yet Colombia exports 90 percent of the cocaine in the world today … We’re inundated with cocaine and inundated with deaths and violence. We’ve lost sovereignty over Colombian territory to the dominion of organized criminal mafias.”
Even former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, who ruled the country from 2010 to 2018, has affirmed that a new approach to drugs is needed. Last year, Santos participated in a study that concluded that drugs including cocaine, ecstasy and opiates could potentially be less harmful than tobacco or alcohol yet are seen as dangerous narcotics primarily due to cultural biases and politics, rather than actual science.
Calling the classification of such drugs as dangerous narcotics “a political decision,” Santos noted that Colombia is “probably the country that has paid the highest price for the war on drugs.” Continuing, he said that for decades, his country has been saddled with an unwinnable drug war that causes “more damage, more harm” to the world than practical approaches to regulating the sale and consumption of drugs in a “good way.”
While most politicians and experts in Colombia agree that blanket repression isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to drug use and the problem of criminal drug cartels, the bill will likely face stiff opposition both within the country and from the United States, which has urged the country to continue waging a war on drugs.
The government of President Ivan Duque Marquez is signaling that it is planning to step up the war to stamp out illicit cocaine production.
Over the weekend, Colombian Minister of Defense Carlos Holmes Trujillo told Reuters that the military was considering restarting aerial fumigation of the countryside with the dangerous herbicide glyphosate to halt the cultivation of coca, the base ingredient of cocaine.
The practice was ended in 2015 due to widespread concerns by the World Health Organization (WHO) causes cancer and harms the environment, but the Duque government maintains that fumigation is necessary to halt the flow of cash to illegal armed groups. The policy has been supported by the United States, whose Environmental Protection Agency disagrees that the chemical is carcinogenic.
“We’ve been going 40 years with a policy that costs billions of U.S. dollars with zero success and so much cost and destruction,” Marulanda said. “Let’s try out this other policy. Because something that hasn’t worked in the last 40 years is something that’s just not going to work.”
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themindunleashed--2020-12-01--Cher Escorted World’s Loneliest Elephant To a New Life in Cambodia

A 36-year-old elephant who garnered worldwide sympathy after being dubbed “ the world ’ s loneliest elephant ” will be turning the page on a dark chapter of his life and enjoying brighter days ahead at a renowned sanctuary in Cambodia , thanks to the hard-fought efforts of U.S. pop star Cher .
Kaavan had long been Pakistan ’ s only Asian elephant , and suffered from poor health and wretched conditions at a dilapidated zoo in Islamabad , where the bull elephant was unable to exercise and gained excessive weight while living in a structure decried by animal rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Cambodia , Kaavan will now make the province of Oddar Meanchey his home , where he will live in a special wildlife sanctuary along with 600 other elephants .
“ Cambodia is pleased to welcome Kaavan .
No longer will he be ‘ the world ’ s loneliest elephant , ’ ” Cambodia ’ s deputy environment minister , Neth Pheaktra , said .
“ We expect to breed Kaavan with local elephants – this is an effort to conserve the genetic fold.
” When Kaavan ’ s companion died in 2012 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contend with isolation and descended into “ zoochosis ” – a type of mental illness brought about by miserable living conditions and solitude , reports BBC .
Scarred both mentally and physically , he soon earned the ignominious title of the “ world ’ s loneliest animal.
” However , after years of suffering in silence , animal rights groups turned Kavaan ’ s plight into a cause célèbre – with Cher using her social media clout and the wildlife protection group she co-founded , Free the Wild , to back the campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ how can I fix this ?
How can I save an elephant who ’ s been shackled to a shed for 17 years and who is a thousand miles away ?
’ , ” Cher said in a statement distributed by the Smithsonian Channel , which is filming a documentary about Kaavan .
“ This is Free The Wild ’ s first big rescue and I am so proud.
” When Islamabad ’ s High Court finally shuttered the zoo over its squalid conditions and issued an order freeing Kaavan in May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International ( FPI ) permission to relocate the creature , Cher called it one of the “ greatest moments ” in her life .
For years , Four Paws has worked alongside Cher and Free the Wild to secure Kaavan ’ s release .
Ahead of his trip on Monday , Cher was filmed serenading Kaavan in Pakistan with her classic song , “ A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes.
” On Monday , Kaavan and Cher arrived in Cambodia and were greeted with fanfare from animal conservationists and officials .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am so proud he is here , ” Cher told AFP at Siem Reap airport .
“ He ’ s a wonderful , wonderful animal.
” Kaavan had a peaceful flight and conducted himself “ like a frequent flyer ” during the journey from Pakistan , said Four Paws veterinarian Dr. Amir Khalil .
Kaavan even ate and slept during the “ uneventful ” flight and showed no signs of stress , reports the Guardian .
On Friday , prior to the journey to Cambodia , Cher met Pakistan ’ s Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter “ for making it possible for me to take Kaavan to Cambodia.
” In a statement from Khan ’ s office , the prime minister and former cricket superstar extended an invitation to Cher to continue engaging in environmental initiatives in Pakistan .

A 36-year-old elephant who garnered worldwide sympathy after being dubbed “the world’s loneliest elephant” will be turning the page on a dark chapter of his life and enjoying brighter days ahead at a renowned sanctuary in Cambodia, thanks to the hard-fought efforts of U.S. pop star Cher.
Kaavan had long been Pakistan’s only Asian elephant, and suffered from poor health and wretched conditions at a dilapidated zoo in Islamabad, where the bull elephant was unable to exercise and gained excessive weight while living in a structure decried by animal rights groups as totally inappropriate.
Now relocated to Cambodia, Kaavan will now make the province of Oddar Meanchey his home, where he will live in a special wildlife sanctuary along with 600 other elephants.
“Cambodia is pleased to welcome Kaavan. No longer will he be ‘the world’s loneliest elephant,’” Cambodia’s deputy environment minister, Neth Pheaktra, said. “We expect to breed Kaavan with local elephants – this is an effort to conserve the genetic fold.”
When Kaavan’s companion died in 2012, the suffering pachyderm was forced to contend with isolation and descended into “zoochosis” – a type of mental illness brought about by miserable living conditions and solitude, reports BBC. Scarred both mentally and physically, he soon earned the ignominious title of the “world’s loneliest animal.”
However, after years of suffering in silence, animal rights groups turned Kavaan’s plight into a cause célèbre – with Cher using her social media clout and the wildlife protection group she co-founded, Free the Wild, to back the campaign in 2016.
“I thought, ‘how can I fix this? How can I save an elephant who’s been shackled to a shed for 17 years and who is a thousand miles away?’,” Cher said in a statement distributed by the Smithsonian Channel, which is filming a documentary about Kaavan. “This is Free The Wild’s first big rescue and I am so proud.”
When Islamabad’s High Court finally shuttered the zoo over its squalid conditions and issued an order freeing Kaavan in May, granting animal welfare group Four Paws International (FPI) permission to relocate the creature, Cher called it one of the “greatest moments” in her life.
For years, Four Paws has worked alongside Cher and Free the Wild to secure Kaavan’s release.
Ahead of his trip on Monday, Cher was filmed serenading Kaavan in Pakistan with her classic song, “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes.”
On Monday, Kaavan and Cher arrived in Cambodia and were greeted with fanfare from animal conservationists and officials.
“I’m so happy and I am so proud he is here,” Cher told AFP at Siem Reap airport. “He’s a wonderful, wonderful animal.”
Kaavan had a peaceful flight and conducted himself “like a frequent flyer” during the journey from Pakistan, said Four Paws veterinarian Dr. Amir Khalil. Kaavan even ate and slept during the “uneventful” flight and showed no signs of stress, reports the Guardian.
On Friday, prior to the journey to Cambodia, Cher met Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan and thanked him on Twitter “for making it possible for me to take Kaavan to Cambodia.”
In a statement from Khan’s office, the prime minister and former cricket superstar extended an invitation to Cher to continue engaging in environmental initiatives in Pakistan.
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themindunleashed--2020-12-01--Mysterious Monolith in Romania Disappears Overnight, Just Days After It Was Discovered

Mere days after it mysteriously popped up on a hillside near the Carpathian mountain range , the Romanian monolith – which bore a striking resemblance to its Utah counterpart – has suddenly disappeared .
The shiny metal monolith , which was discovered late last week around the same time that the monolith in Utah vanished from its remote desert location , was placed near a historic Dacian fortress built in B.C .
times .
Little is known about who erected the three-sided structure in the location , why it was installed , or if there was any connection to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found just last Thursday on Batca Doamnei Hill in the city of Piatra Neamt in the country ’ s northeastern Neamt County , several yards from the Dacian fortress Petrodava , an important archaeological landmark and fort that was built by the people of ancient Dacia between 82 B.C .
and 106 A.D .
The monolith was just a few yards from the old stronghold , with one side facing Mount Ceahlău , a famous Carpathian mountain listed as one of the country ’ s Seven Natural Wonders and known to locals as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday the monolith vanished from the site and left only a shallow , square-shaped hole and pile of rubble behind , in video posted by local media outlet Jurnal FM .
The disappearance of the monolith also coincided with the night of Saint Andrews Day , a holiday celebrating a saint who was the brother of Saint Peter and is considered the protector of Romania due to his proselytizing activities in the ancient province of Scythia , which includes parts of present-day Romania .
The night is also characterized by a number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predate the arrival of Christianity in the region , and is seen by many as the Romanian equivalent of Halloween and as a night filled with roaming spirits , werewolves , and people using garlic to ward off evil spells , ghosts and curses , according to Romania Insider .
“ The monolith found near the archaeological site of an old Dacian Stronghold disappeared on the night of Saint Andrew , when reportedly , a bright light surrounded the object , ” reported Jurnal FM .
“ Locals thought the light came from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towards the sky , ” the local report mysteriously added .
It remains unknown how exactly the silver monolith was installed in its Carpathian location , but many social media users joked that the Romanian version was a sort of “ Wish App ” equivalent to its Utah counterpart , with this monolith having a decidedly more scrappy , rough façade filled with doodle-like scrawls .
“ The aliens who have planted this monolith should polish their welding skills , ” one user commenting on the Facebook post by The Mind Unleashed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the unauthorized installation of the silver structure .
“ We have started looking into the strange appearance of the monolith , ” said Neamt Culture and Heritage official Rocsana Josanu .
“ It is on private property , but we still don ’ t know who the monolith ’ s owner is yet .
It is in a protected area on an archaeological site.
” “ Before installing something there , they needed permission from our institution , one that must then be approved by the Ministry of Culture , ” Josanu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s disappearance comes just a few days after the monolith in Utah was removed from its remote desert location by an “ unknown party , ” local authorities said over the weekend .
The discovery of the monolith by Utah public safety workers in the southwestern U.S. state generated significant viral buzz , with many comparing the monolith to those that trigger massive leaps in human progress in the classic Stanley Kubrick sci-fi film , “ 2001 : A Space Odyssey.
” Others bemoaned the discovery of the object in the turbulent year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaining that the discovery of the monolith had triggered their anxiety over worsening fortunes in the year , including a possible extraterrestrial invasion .
However , recent clues may point to a much more down-to-earth explanation behind the disappearance of the Utah .
An Instagram post by photographer Ross Bernards has revealed that a group of four men arrived at the site not long after he had snapped some shots of the viral structure .
The men had brought a wheelbarrow with them and pushed against the structure until it fell over .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were carrying the wheelbarrow that they had brought one of them looked back at us and said ‘ leave no trace , ’ ” Bernards explained .
“ If you ’ re asking why we didn ’ t ’ s stop them well , they were right to take it out .
We stayed the night and the next day hiked to a hill top overlooking the area where we say at least 70 different cars ( and a plane ) in and out .
Cars parking everywhere in the delicate desert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ artist , it ’ s best to leave the art in the wild to her , ” he added .
Another Instagram user explains that the men left behind a puddle of urine where the structure had previously stood , and scrawled “ By B*tch !
” in the dirt .
It all seems like a rather unceremonious end to a structure that kindled the imagination of millions of online users .
However , the disappearance of the structures still has us wondering : where , and when , will the next monolith @ @ @

Mere days after it mysteriously popped up on a hillside near the Carpathian mountain range, the Romanian monolith – which bore a striking resemblance to its Utah counterpart – has suddenly disappeared.
The shiny metal monolith, which was discovered late last week around the same time that the monolith in Utah vanished from its remote desert location, was placed near a historic Dacian fortress built in B.C. times. Little is known about who erected the three-sided structure in the location, why it was installed, or if there was any connection to the Utah monolith.
The shiny pillar was found just last Thursday on Batca Doamnei Hill in the city of Piatra Neamt in the country’s northeastern Neamt County, several yards from the Dacian fortress Petrodava, an important archaeological landmark and fort that was built by the people of ancient Dacia between 82 B.C. and 106 A.D.
The monolith was just a few yards from the old stronghold, with one side facing Mount Ceahlău, a famous Carpathian mountain listed as one of the country’s Seven Natural Wonders and known to locals as the Holy Mountain.
However, on Monday the monolith vanished from the site and left only a shallow, square-shaped hole and pile of rubble behind, in video posted by local media outlet Jurnal FM.
The disappearance of the monolith also coincided with the night of Saint Andrews Day, a holiday celebrating a saint who was the brother of Saint Peter and is considered the protector of Romania due to his proselytizing activities in the ancient province of Scythia, which includes parts of present-day Romania.
The night is also characterized by a number of traditions and superstitions of pagan origin that predate the arrival of Christianity in the region, and is seen by many as the Romanian equivalent of Halloween and as a night filled with roaming spirits, werewolves, and people using garlic to ward off evil spells, ghosts and curses, according to Romania Insider.
“The monolith found near the archaeological site of an old Dacian Stronghold disappeared on the night of Saint Andrew, when reportedly, a bright light surrounded the object,” reported Jurnal FM.
“Locals thought the light came from a car, but the light pointed towards the sky,” the local report mysteriously added.
It remains unknown how exactly the silver monolith was installed in its Carpathian location, but many social media users joked that the Romanian version was a sort of “Wish App” equivalent to its Utah counterpart, with this monolith having a decidedly more scrappy, rough façade filled with doodle-like scrawls.
“The aliens who have planted this monolith should polish their welding skills,” one user commenting on the Facebook post by The Mind Unleashed.
The disappearance comes after local officials complained about the unauthorized installation of the silver structure.
“We have started looking into the strange appearance of the monolith,” said Neamt Culture and Heritage official Rocsana Josanu. “It is on private property, but we still don’t know who the monolith’s owner is yet. It is in a protected area on an archaeological site.”
“Before installing something there, they needed permission from our institution, one that must then be approved by the Ministry of Culture,” Josanu added.
The mysterious three-sided structure’s disappearance comes just a few days after the monolith in Utah was removed from its remote desert location by an “unknown party,” local authorities said over the weekend.
The discovery of the monolith by Utah public safety workers in the southwestern U.S. state generated significant viral buzz, with many comparing the monolith to those that trigger massive leaps in human progress in the classic Stanley Kubrick sci-fi film, “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
Others bemoaned the discovery of the object in the turbulent year 2020, with some social media users complaining that the discovery of the monolith had triggered their anxiety over worsening fortunes in the year, including a possible extraterrestrial invasion.
However, recent clues may point to a much more down-to-earth explanation behind the disappearance of the Utah.
An Instagram post by photographer Ross Bernards has revealed that a group of four men arrived at the site not long after he had snapped some shots of the viral structure. The men had brought a wheelbarrow with them and pushed against the structure until it fell over.
“They quickly broke it apart as they were carrying the wheelbarrow that they had brought one of them looked back at us and said ‘leave no trace,’” Bernards explained. “If you’re asking why we didn’t’s stop them well, they were right to take it out. We stayed the night and the next day hiked to a hill top overlooking the area where we say at least 70 different cars (and a plane) in and out. Cars parking everywhere in the delicate desert landscape.”
“Mother Nature is an artist, it’s best to leave the art in the wild to her,” he added.
Another Instagram user explains that the men left behind a puddle of urine where the structure had previously stood, and scrawled “By B*tch!” in the dirt.
It all seems like a rather unceremonious end to a structure that kindled the imagination of millions of online users.
However, the disappearance of the structures still has us wondering: where, and when, will the next monolith be found?
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