consciouslifenews--2020-11-02--Your November 2020 Energy Forecast: Intense Shake Up!

If 2020 has been an intense and dynamic symphony , the full Taurus blue moon on Halloween feels like a sort of crescendo .
If you ’ ve been following my energy forecasts for the last two months , you know I ’ ve been focusing on Venus .
As a representative of the Divine Feminine , Venus has finally been taking the lead in our daily lives ( but only if we ’ ve let her ) .
If you haven ’ t seen those videos , it ’ s worth watching them now .
Because this month ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the forecasts of September and October .
Here they are : Check out the video for November ( above ) for my three main November themes .
And you ’ ll also get more detail on key astrological events .
Perhaps the most important event for November is the October 31 full blue moon in Taurus at 7:59 am Pacific .
Although it ’ s officially before November begins , it kicks-off the month in a big way .
And the two most important aspects of this full moon are : • Uranus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ degrees of Taurus .
Uranus is the planet of big revolutionary shifts .
And liberation .
Taurus is the sign of feminine , embodied , earthly change .
And 8 is the number of healing , power , embodiment , and leadership .
My guides showed me that Uranus will definitely be shaking things up , but the changes will be pretty inevitable .
Because they ’ ll be related to shifts you ’ ve already seen coming but likely weren ’ t ready to fully step into .
This full moon will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there — or at least give you permission to GO there .
What does that mean for you ?
What positive , freedom-enhancing spiritual energies have been brewing in your world for the last couple of months ?
• Mercury retrograde is square Saturn .
This aspect is not so incredible on its own , but when you consider Mercury ’ s arc throughout the month , it tells a story .
And that story is about our communication ( Mercury ) evolving into a more mature , responsible , and boundaries way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at odds ( squared ) at the beginning of the month and they ’ re sextile ( harmonious ) at the end .
Also , Mercury is moving backward at the beginning of the month and it ’ s direct at the end .
Mercury is literally making a 180-degree shift this month .
that tells a story of us evolving in the way we communicate .
The other important astrological events of the month are : November 3 – Mercury goes direct in Libra .
How interesting that Mercury begins moving forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections — and in a sign of fairness and justice .
It could lead to an outcome that purports to have more equality — or delays and complaints about the justice/functioning of the system altogether .
November 12 – Jupiter is conjunct Pluto ( in Capricorn ) f the 3rd time in 2020 .
This marks the completion of an auspicious 3-part event of you expanding ( Jupiter ) your true transformation and power ( Pluto ) .
Look to the other dates of this conjunction — April 4 and June 30 — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alignment .
What did you begin around April 4 ?
And how had that progressed by June 30 ?
You may find a key aspect of this project or learning unfolding and/or culminating on November 12 .
November 13 – Mars finally goes direct in Aries again .
Try to take a cautious approach to bring your action-oriented , goal-focused masculine back online .
Mars has had a chance to mature — or get annoyed about feeling blocked — over the last couple of months and how you bring that energy back into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your Divine Masculine into your life in a whole new , more mature way .
November 14 – New Moon in Scorpio at 9:07 pm creates an opportunity to set new intentions in the following areas : November 30 – The month ends with a Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse in Gemini .
Full moons are about culminations and lunar eclipses only magnify that .
So this will be a big celebration of us arriving in a new place — in regard to Gemini things like communication , media , ideas , and duality .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking us to take stock of how our communication has changed throughout the month .
With the amazing full-circle journey that Mercury is making , it feels like we may have cause to celebrate .
Finally , please watch the video to discover the two Goddess cards I pulled for the first and second half of the month .
November ’ s an intense and powerful month , Dear One .
Be brave during this Halloween season and make the most of it !
For super easy ( and attractive ! )
chakra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tattoos .
I created them because getting a real root chakra tattoo positively shifted my whole life and I want the same for you — without the permanent part !
Want more prosperity ?
Discover your personal Chakra Abundance Type FREE here .
To stay connected and inspired , Visit my Chakra Boosters Facebook and catch new videos EVERY WEDNESDAY on my Chakra Boosters Youtube channel .

If 2020 has been an intense and dynamic symphony, the full Taurus blue moon on Halloween feels like a sort of crescendo.
If you’ve been following my energy forecasts for the last two months, you know I’ve been focusing on Venus. As a representative of the Divine Feminine, Venus has finally been taking the lead in our daily lives (but only if we’ve let her).
If you haven’t seen those videos, it’s worth watching them now. Because this month’s forecast feels like act three to the forecasts of September and October. Here they are:
September 2020 Energy Forecast
October 2020 Energy Forecast
Check out the video for November (above) for my three main November themes.
And you’ll also get more detail on key astrological events.
Perhaps the most important event for November is the October 31 full blue moon in Taurus at 7:59 am Pacific. Although it’s officially before November begins, it kicks-off the month in a big way.
And the two most important aspects of this full moon are:
Uranus is exactly conjunct the moon at 8 degrees of Taurus. Uranus is the planet of big revolutionary shifts. And liberation. Taurus is the sign of feminine, embodied, earthly change. And 8 is the number of healing, power, embodiment, and leadership. My guides showed me that Uranus will definitely be shaking things up, but the changes will be pretty inevitable. Because they’ll be related to shifts you’ve already seen coming but likely weren’t ready to fully step into. This full moon will be the catalyst that will lead you there — or at least give you permission to GO there. What does that mean for you? What positive, freedom-enhancing spiritual energies have been brewing in your world for the last couple of months? Mercury retrograde is square Saturn. This aspect is not so incredible on its own, but when you consider Mercury’s arc throughout the month, it tells a story. And that story is about our communication (Mercury) evolving into a more mature, responsible, and boundaries way of relating. Mercury and Saturn are at odds (squared) at the beginning of the month and they’re sextile (harmonious) at the end. Also, Mercury is moving backward at the beginning of the month and it’s direct at the end. Mercury is literally making a 180-degree shift this month. that tells a story of us evolving in the way we communicate.
The other important astrological events of the month are:
November 3 – Mercury goes direct in Libra. How interesting that Mercury begins moving forward again on the day of the U.S. elections — and in a sign of fairness and justice. It could lead to an outcome that purports to have more equality — or delays and complaints about the justice/functioning of the system altogether.
November 12 – Jupiter is conjunct Pluto (in Capricorn) f the 3rd time in 2020. This marks the completion of an auspicious 3-part event of you expanding (Jupiter) your true transformation and power (Pluto). Look to the other dates of this conjunction — April 4 and June 30 — to uncover the story behind this powerful alignment. What did you begin around April 4? And how had that progressed by June 30? You may find a key aspect of this project or learning unfolding and/or culminating on November 12.
November 13 – Mars finally goes direct in Aries again. Try to take a cautious approach to bring your action-oriented, goal-focused masculine back online. Mars has had a chance to mature — or get annoyed about feeling blocked — over the last couple of months and how you bring that energy back into your life will determine if you anchor your Divine Masculine into your life in a whole new, more mature way.
November 14 – New Moon in Scorpio at 9:07 pm creates an opportunity to set new intentions in the following areas:
Sexuality and all things sacral-oriented. Transformation Power
November 30 – The month ends with a Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse in Gemini. Full moons are about culminations and lunar eclipses only magnify that. So this will be a big celebration of us arriving in a new place — in regard to Gemini things like communication, media, ideas, and duality.
In particular, the full moon is asking us to take stock of how our communication has changed throughout the month. With the amazing full-circle journey that Mercury is making, it feels like we may have cause to celebrate.
Finally, please watch the video to discover the two Goddess cards I pulled for the first and second half of the month.
November’s an intense and powerful month, Dear One.
Be brave during this Halloween season and make the most of it!
Love, joy, and blessings,
For super easy (and attractive!) chakra healing, try my Chakra Boosters Healing Tattoos. I created them because getting a real root chakra tattoo positively shifted my whole life and I want the same for you — without the permanent part! Want more prosperity? Discover your personal Chakra Abundance Type FREE here. To stay connected and inspired, Visit my Chakra Boosters Facebook and catch new videos EVERY WEDNESDAY on my Chakra Boosters Youtube channel.


consciouslifenews--2020-11-02--Scorpio New Moon supported by Pallas & Jupiter + Zodiac Sign Forecasts…

Amongst all the pain and loss and a brutal series of lunations , some healing can come from this Scorpio New Moon .
It will not be without a battle , but the wonderful links with ; Jupiter , Pluto and Palas , suggests that improvements will come in terms of technology , understanding Covid and people 's awareness to safeguarding .
This is not the end , but the beginning of better engagement with the situation .
For more on this and your FREE Zodiac Sign Forecasts… FAIR USE NOTICE .
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Amongst all the pain and loss and a brutal series of lunations, some healing can come from this Scorpio New Moon. It will not be without a battle, but the wonderful links with; Jupiter, Pluto and Palas, suggests that improvements will come in terms of technology, understanding Covid and people's awareness to safeguarding. This is not the end, but the beginning of better engagement with the situation. For more on this and your FREE Zodiac Sign Forecasts…
FAIR USE NOTICE. Many of the articles on this site contain copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making this material available in an effort to advance the understanding of environmental issues, human rights, economic and political democracy, and issues of social justice. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law which contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. If you wish to use such copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use'...you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. And, if you are a copyright owner who wishes to have your content removed, let us know via the "Contact Us" link at the top of the site, and we will promptly remove it.
The information on this site is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice of any kind. Conscious Life News assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms.
Paid advertising on Conscious Life News may not represent the views and opinions of this website and its contributors. No endorsement of products and services advertised is either expressed or implied.


consciouslifenews--2020-11-02--Pre/Post USA Election Peace Treaty with Yourself

Words of wisdom for this turbulent time from the shaman I studied with , don Oscar Miro Quesada .
I 'm led to once again post this little piece of writing as a consciousness-raising contribution capable of supporting the further emergence of our peaceful human presence upon planet .
With heart , don Oscar MiroQuesada “ If the world is ending and the Messiah arrives , first plant a tree , and then see if the story is true.
” –Rabbinical Teaching Pachakuti is an ancestral Inka wisdom precept that speaks to life 's inherent cyclical nature involving periods of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a species or environmental habitat .
Meaning ‘ world reversal ' or ‘ cosmic transformation , ' a Pachakuti is the ritual transmogrification of chaos into order and breakdown into a breakthrough .
From the perspective of Andean shamanic traditions , the whole-systems crisis experienced on earth offers people from all walks of life a unique evolutionary opportunity to midwife a new way of being human that transcends the polarizing ideological origins behind our current Great Turning .
Evolution is punctuated by sudden appearances of novel and unforeseeable forms of life .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ both the soul maturation and psycho-spiritual evolution of humankind .
Eschatology is probabilistic ; catastrophe is conditional .
The Ultimate Message : It 's up to us to Show Up , to Be Fully Present , to Speak Our Truth unencumbered by fear , doubt , or insecurity , to give empathic flight to our hearts and free our minds from the perilously objectified constraints of scientific materialism and religious fundamentalism .
The Time is Now , and Now is the Time .
We are in the midst of the ‘ Perfect Storm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what is possible when united to freely soar upon the wings of condor and eagle , empowered by our shared experience of reverence for All Our Relations as Pachamama 's children .
Our partnership with the sacred spiral imprint of evolution is vital to gracefully align in consciousness with life 's wonderfully unpredictable nature , with the intrinsic regenerative power of transformation , flow , change , discovery , and growth .
With playful , childlike wonderment and awe , curiosity , inventiveness , and dreaming , we are being called to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vision as a Labor of Love into the world .
In essence , our human re-Membering , as a life-affirming presence on the planet , requires a radical surrender of all craving for approval and control .
Only then shall we be able to selflessly harness Creation 's wisdom beauty to serve as our healing light on the earth…remember this , experience it , be it !

Words of wisdom for this turbulent time from the shaman I studied with, don Oscar Miro Quesada.
I'm led to once again post this little piece of writing as a consciousness-raising contribution capable of supporting the further emergence of our peaceful human presence upon planet. With heart, don Oscar MiroQuesada
“If the world is ending and the Messiah arrives, first plant a tree, and then see if the story is true.” –Rabbinical Teaching
Pachakuti is an ancestral Inka wisdom precept that speaks to life's inherent cyclical nature involving periods of creation, preservation, and the destruction of a species or environmental habitat. Meaning ‘world reversal' or ‘cosmic transformation,' a Pachakuti is the ritual transmogrification of chaos into order and breakdown into a breakthrough. From the perspective of Andean shamanic traditions, the whole-systems crisis experienced on earth offers people from all walks of life a unique evolutionary opportunity to midwife a new way of being human that transcends the polarizing ideological origins behind our current Great Turning.
Evolution is punctuated by sudden appearances of novel and unforeseeable forms of life. We can therefore expect the same from both the soul maturation and psycho-spiritual evolution of humankind. Eschatology is probabilistic; catastrophe is conditional. The Ultimate Message: It's up to us to Show Up, to Be Fully Present, to Speak Our Truth unencumbered by fear, doubt, or insecurity, to give empathic flight to our hearts and free our minds from the perilously objectified constraints of scientific materialism and religious fundamentalism.
The Time is Now, and Now is the Time. We are in the midst of the ‘Perfect Storm' for allowing our soul awakened imagination of what is possible when united to freely soar upon the wings of condor and eagle, empowered by our shared experience of reverence for All Our Relations as Pachamama's children. Our partnership with the sacred spiral imprint of evolution is vital to gracefully align in consciousness with life's wonderfully unpredictable nature, with the intrinsic regenerative power of transformation, flow, change, discovery, and growth. With playful, childlike wonderment and awe, curiosity, inventiveness, and dreaming, we are being called to sing and dance our seven generation service vision as a Labor of Love into the world.
In essence, our human re-Membering, as a life-affirming presence on the planet, requires a radical surrender of all craving for approval and control. Only then shall we be able to selflessly harness Creation's wisdom beauty to serve as our healing light on the earth…remember this, experience it, be it!
Munaymanta, Oscar


consciouslifenews--2020-11-02--November Energy Update: Major Month For Healing, Personal Clarity, Small Acts of Peace & More

Lee Harris provides his energy update for November 2020 .
It 's a month for healing , personal clarity , small acts of peace , plus illusions and lies will be revealed .
Hi everyone , The # EnergyUpdate for November 2020 has arrived !
There were many themes this month and a few of the key ones are : • None MAJOR MONTH FOR HEALING in November , both emotional and physical .
• PERSONAL CLARITY arising as a result of the outer chaos .
• SMALL ACTS OF PEACE will be galvanizing , and • PAINFUL TRUTHS AND @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and rising to the surface are going to play a big part in the month of November .
• ILLUSIONS AND LIES REVEALED , EXPLORED AND SHARED IN THE COLLECTIVE – Remember that our REACTION is everything when it comes to ‘ what happens next . '
• QUIET MAGIC CAN BE FOUND EVERYWHERE – How is your relationship to Stillness ?
( It 's where the power and reset can be found . )
Check out the full update for insights on all of the above and more : Hope you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ,

Source: LeeHarrisEnergy
Lee Harris provides his energy update for November 2020. It's a month for healing, personal clarity, small acts of peace, plus illusions and lies will be revealed.
Lee Harris:
Hi everyone, The #EnergyUpdate for November 2020 has arrived!
There were many themes this month and a few of the key ones are:
MAJOR MONTH FOR HEALING in November, both emotional and physical.
PERSONAL CLARITY arising as a result of the outer chaos.
SMALL ACTS OF PEACE will be galvanizing, and
PAINFUL TRUTHS AND SOOTHING TRUTHS, how truths coming out and rising to the surface are going to play a big part in the month of November.
ILLUSIONS AND LIES REVEALED, EXPLORED AND SHARED IN THE COLLECTIVE – Remember that our REACTION is everything when it comes to ‘what happens next.'
QUIET MAGIC CAN BE FOUND EVERYWHERE – How is your relationship to Stillness? (It's where the power and reset can be found.)
Check out the full update for insights on all of the above and more:
https://www.leeharrisenergy.com/november-2020-energy-update
Hope you have a great month and big love everyone,
Lee
x


consciouslifenews--2020-11-02--Over 80 Percent of COVID-19 Patients Have Vitamin D Deficiency, Study Finds

Over 80 percent of 200 COVID-19 patients in a hospital in Spain have vitamin D deficiency , according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society 's .
Vitamin D is a hormone the kidneys produce that controls blood calcium concentration and impacts the immune system .
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a variety of health concerns , although research is still underway into why the hormone impacts other systems of the body .
Many studies point to the beneficial effect of vitamin D on the immune system , especially regarding protection against infections .
“ One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D deficiency , especially in high-risk individuals such as the elderly , patients with comorbidities , and nursing home residents , who are the main target population for the COVID-19 , ” said study co-author José L. Hernández , Ph.D. , of the University of Cantabria in Santander , Spain .
“ Vitamin D treatment should be recommended in COVID-19 patients with low levels of vitamin D circulating in the blood since this approach might have beneficial effects in both the musculoskeletal and the immune system.
” The researchers found 80 percent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marqués de Valdecilla had vitamin D deficiency , and men had lower vitamin D levels than women .
COVID-19 patients with lower vitamin D levels also had raised serum levels of inflammatory markers such as ferritin and D-dimer .
Other authors of the study include : Daniel Nan , José M. Olmos , Javier Crespo , and Víctor M. Martínez-Taboada of the University of Cantabria ; Marta Fernandez-Ayala , Mayte García-Unzueta , Miguel A. Hernández-Hernández , Marcos López-Hoyos , Manuel Gutiérrez-Cuadra , and Juan J. Ruiz-Cubillán of the Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla-IDIVAL in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Servicio Cántabro de Salud in Santander , Spain ;

By The Endocrine Society | Science Daily
Over 80 percent of 200 COVID-19 patients in a hospital in Spain have vitamin D deficiency, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Vitamin D is a hormone the kidneys produce that controls blood calcium concentration and impacts the immune system. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a variety of health concerns, although research is still underway into why the hormone impacts other systems of the body. Many studies point to the beneficial effect of vitamin D on the immune system, especially regarding protection against infections.
“One approach is to identify and treat vitamin D deficiency, especially in high-risk individuals such as the elderly, patients with comorbidities, and nursing home residents, who are the main target population for the COVID-19,” said study co-author José L. Hernández, Ph.D., of the University of Cantabria in Santander, Spain. “Vitamin D treatment should be recommended in COVID-19 patients with low levels of vitamin D circulating in the blood since this approach might have beneficial effects in both the musculoskeletal and the immune system.”
The researchers found 80 percent of 216 COVID-19 patients at the Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla had vitamin D deficiency, and men had lower vitamin D levels than women. COVID-19 patients with lower vitamin D levels also had raised serum levels of inflammatory markers such as ferritin and D-dimer.
Other authors of the study include: Daniel Nan, José M. Olmos, Javier Crespo, and Víctor M. Martínez-Taboada of the University of Cantabria; Marta Fernandez-Ayala, Mayte García-Unzueta, Miguel A. Hernández-Hernández, Marcos López-Hoyos, Manuel Gutiérrez-Cuadra, and Juan J. Ruiz-Cubillán of the Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla-IDIVAL in Santander, Spain; Pedro Muñoz Cacho of the Servicio Cántabro de Salud in Santander, Spain;
The manuscript received funding from Instituto de Salud Carlos III.


consciouslifenews--2020-11-02--How to Be a Good Digital Citizen During the Election—And Its Aftermath

about the voting process and mail-in ballots .
It 's almost certain that misinformation and disinformation will increase , including , importantly , in the aftermath of the election .
Misinformation is incorrect or misleading information , and disinformation is misinformation that is knowingly and deliberately propagated .
In the run-up to the U.S. presidential election there has been an While every presidential election is critical , the stakes feel particularly high given the challenges of 2020 .
I study misinformation online , and I can caution you about the kind of misinformation you may see on Tuesday and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you advice about what you can do to help prevent its spread .
A fast-moving 24/7 news cycle and social media make it incredibly easy to share content .
Here are steps you can take to be a good digital citizen and avoid inadvertently contributing to the problem .
Recent reports by disinformation researchers highlight the potential for an enormous amount of misleading information and disinformation to spread rapidly on Election Day and the days following .
People spreading disinformation may be trying to sway the election one way or the other or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American democracy in general .
This report by the Election Integrity Partnership ( EIP ) details narratives meant to delegitimize the election and show how uncertainty creates opportunities for misinformation to flourish .
In particular , you may end up seeing misleading information shared about voting in person , mail-in ballots , the day-of voting experience , and the results of the election .
You may see stories online circulating about coronavirus outbreaks or infections at polling locations , violence or threats of intimidation at polling locations , misinformation about when , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of voting suppression through long lines at polling stations , and people being turned away .
We likely wo n't know the results on Election Day , and this delay is both anticipated and legitimate .
There may be misinformation about the winner of the presidential election and the final counting of ballots , especially with the increase in mail-in ballots in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
It will be important to know that not every state finalizes their official ballot count on November 3 , and there may be narratives that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , like people claiming their vote did not get counted or saying they found discarded completed ballots .
What if the source of misinformation is … you ?
There is a lot you can do to help reduce the spread of election misinformation online .
This can happen both accidentally and intentionally , and there are both foreign and domestic actors who create disinformation campaigns .
But ultimately , you have the power to not share content .
Sharing mis/disinformation gives it power .
Regardless of your demographic , you can be susceptible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by disinformation .
One of the biggest steps you can take to be a good digital citizen this election season is not to contribute to the sharing of misinformation .
This can be surprisingly difficult , even with the best of intentions .
One type of misinformation that has been popular leading up to the election—and is likely to remain popular—is “ friend of a friend ” claims .
These claims are often unverified stories without attribution that are quickly spread by people copy and pasting the same story across their networks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ media statuses like a Facebook post or an Instagram Story , or even as a bit of text forwarded to you in a group chat .
They are often text-based , with no name attached to the story , but instead forwarded along by a “ friend of a friend.
” This type of misinformation is popular to share because the stories can center around the good intentions of wanting to inform others , and they often provide a social context , for example my friend 's doctor or my brother 's co-worker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legitimate .
However , these often provide no actual evidence or proof of the claim and should not be shared , even if you believe the information is useful .
It could be misleading .
Many useful resources are available about how to identify misinformation , which can guide you on what to share and not to share .
You can improve your ability to spot misinformation and learn to avoid being duped by disinformation campaigns .
A key approach is the Stop , Investigate , Find , and Trace ( SIFT ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digital literacy expert Mike Caulfield of Washington State University Vancouver .
Following this technique , when you encounter something you want to share online , you can stop and check to see if you know the website or source of the information .
Then investigate the source and find out where the story is coming from .
Then find trusted coverage to see if there is a consensus among media sources about the claim .
Finally , trace claims , quotes and media back to their original contexts to see if things were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Finally , you may want to share your own experience with voting this year on social media .
Following the recommendation of Election Integrity Project , it is a good idea to share positive experiences about voting .
Go ahead and share your “ I voted ” sticker selfie .
Sharing stories about how people socially distanced and wore masks at polling locations can highlight the positive experiences of voting in-person .
However , EIP cautions about posting about negative experiences .
While negative experiences warrant attention , a heavy focus on them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could suppress voter turnout .
Further , once you post something on social media , it can be taken out of context and used to advanced narratives that you may not support .
Most people care about the upcoming election and informing people in their networks .
It is only natural to want to share important and critical information about the election .
However , I urge you to practice caution in these next few weeks when sharing information online .
While it 's probably not possible to stop all disinformation at its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our part to stop its spread .
Kolina Koltai is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for an Informed Public ( CIP ) at the University of Washington .
She studies how groups ' use of sociotechnical systems affects decision making and information behavior .
She researches information-seeking behaviors , trust assessment of information ( and misinformation ) , and decision making with a focus on when people dissent from the scientific mainstream ( e.g.
, vaccine dissent ) .
She specifically focuses on how social networking sites and digital communities interact with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ph.D. in Information Studies from the School of Information at The University of Texas at Austin .
She has previously worked in HCI and user experience researcher positions in government and industry labs .
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

about the voting process and mail-in ballots. It's almost certain that misinformation and disinformation will increase, including, importantly, in the aftermath of the election. Misinformation is incorrect or misleading information, and disinformation is misinformation that is knowingly and deliberately propagated.
In the run-up to the U.S. presidential election there has been an
While every presidential election is critical, the stakes feel particularly high given the challenges of 2020.
I study misinformation online, and I can caution you about the kind of misinformation you may see on Tuesday and the days after, and I can offer you advice about what you can do to help prevent its spread. A fast-moving 24/7 news cycle and social media make it incredibly easy to share content. Here are steps you can take to be a good digital citizen and avoid inadvertently contributing to the problem.
Election misinformation
Recent reports by disinformation researchers highlight the potential for an enormous amount of misleading information and disinformation to spread rapidly on Election Day and the days following. People spreading disinformation may be trying to sway the election one way or the other or simply undermine confidence in the election and American democracy in general.
This report by the Election Integrity Partnership (EIP) details narratives meant to delegitimize the election and show how uncertainty creates opportunities for misinformation to flourish.
In particular, you may end up seeing misleading information shared about voting in person, mail-in ballots, the day-of voting experience, and the results of the election. You may see stories online circulating about coronavirus outbreaks or infections at polling locations, violence or threats of intimidation at polling locations, misinformation about when, where and how to vote, and stories of voting suppression through long lines at polling stations, and people being turned away.
We likely won't know the results on Election Day, and this delay is both anticipated and legitimate. There may be misinformation about the winner of the presidential election and the final counting of ballots, especially with the increase in mail-in ballots in response to the coronavirus pandemic. It will be important to know that not every state finalizes their official ballot count on November 3, and there may be narratives that threaten the legitimacy of the election results, like people claiming their vote did not get counted or saying they found discarded completed ballots.
What if the source of misinformation is … you?
There is a lot you can do to help reduce the spread of election misinformation online. This can happen both accidentally and intentionally, and there are both foreign and domestic actors who create disinformation campaigns. But ultimately, you have the power to not share content.
Sharing mis/disinformation gives it power. Regardless of your demographic, you can be susceptible to misinformation, and sometimes specifically targeted by disinformation. One of the biggest steps you can take to be a good digital citizen this election season is not to contribute to the sharing of misinformation. This can be surprisingly difficult, even with the best of intentions.
One type of misinformation that has been popular leading up to the election—and is likely to remain popular—is “friend of a friend” claims. These claims are often unverified stories without attribution that are quickly spread by people copy and pasting the same story across their networks.
You may see these claims as social media statuses like a Facebook post or an Instagram Story, or even as a bit of text forwarded to you in a group chat. They are often text-based, with no name attached to the story, but instead forwarded along by a “friend of a friend.”
This type of misinformation is popular to share because the stories can center around the good intentions of wanting to inform others, and they often provide a social context, for example my friend's doctor or my brother's co-worker, that can make the stories seem legitimate. However, these often provide no actual evidence or proof of the claim and should not be shared, even if you believe the information is useful. It could be misleading.
How to avoid spreading misinformation
Many useful resources are available about how to identify misinformation, which can guide you on what to share and not to share. You can improve your ability to spot misinformation and learn to avoid being duped by disinformation campaigns.
A key approach is the Stop, Investigate, Find, and Trace (SIFT) technique, a fact-checking process developed by digital literacy expert Mike Caulfield of Washington State University Vancouver.
Following this technique, when you encounter something you want to share online, you can stop and check to see if you know the website or source of the information. Then investigate the source and find out where the story is coming from. Then find trusted coverage to see if there is a consensus among media sources about the claim. Finally, trace claims, quotes and media back to their original contexts to see if things were taken out of context or manipulated.
Finally, you may want to share your own experience with voting this year on social media. Following the recommendation of Election Integrity Project, it is a good idea to share positive experiences about voting. Go ahead and share your “I voted” sticker selfie. Sharing stories about how people socially distanced and wore masks at polling locations can highlight the positive experiences of voting in-person.
However, EIP cautions about posting about negative experiences. While negative experiences warrant attention, a heavy focus on them can stoke feelings of disenfranchisement, which could suppress voter turnout. Further, once you post something on social media, it can be taken out of context and used to advanced narratives that you may not support.
Most people care about the upcoming election and informing people in their networks. It is only natural to want to share important and critical information about the election. However, I urge you to practice caution in these next few weeks when sharing information online. While it's probably not possible to stop all disinformation at its source, we the people can do our part to stop its spread.
About the Author
Kolina Koltai is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for an Informed Public (CIP) at the University of Washington. She studies how groups' use of sociotechnical systems affects decision making and information behavior. She researches information-seeking behaviors, trust assessment of information (and misinformation), and decision making with a focus on when people dissent from the scientific mainstream (e.g., vaccine dissent). She specifically focuses on how social networking sites and digital communities interact with information behavior practices.
Koltai received her Ph.D. in Information Studies from the School of Information at The University of Texas at Austin. She has previously worked in HCI and user experience researcher positions in government and industry labs.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License


consciouslifenews--2020-11-02--Morning Inspiration: It’s Time For You To Just Do It (Motivational Video)

Many times we make plans about what we want to do in life without actually making it come to pass @ @ @ @ @ goals is to take consistent action .
Once you get tasks done over a period @ @ @ @ @ will see your goals realized .
“ If you want to become somebody , do @ @ @ @ @ to go and finish for yourself , do it .
If you want to become @ @ @ @ @ .
I hear too much talk in these United States .
Everybody can talk a @ @ @ @ @ people in America who can do it.
” Take time today to produce actions towards @ @ @ @ @ `` featured , accomplishing goals , featured , How to achieve goals , How to @ @ @ @ @ consistent action

Source: Mulligan Brothers MOTIVATION
Many times we make plans about what we want to do in life without actually making it come to pass. The way to accomplish goals is to take consistent action. Once you get tasks done over a period of time, then you will see your goals realized.
“If you want to become somebody, do it. If you want to go and finish for yourself, do it. If you want to become financially independent, do it. I hear too much talk in these United States. Everybody can talk a good game. We need people in America who can do it.”
Take time today to produce actions towards a result.
Watch and be motivated today!!


consciouslifenews--2020-11-02--Over The Past 7 Days, The US Broke 3,782 Low Temperature Records

Prepare accordingly— learn the facts , relocate if need be , and grow your own .
Social Media channels are @ @ @ @ @ : Twitter is purging followers while Facebook is labeling posts as “ false ” and @ @ @ @ @ .
Be sure to subscribe to receive new post notifications by email ( the box @ @ @ @ @ > > > or scroll down if on mobile ) .
And/or become a Patron @ @ @ @ @ patreon.com/join/electroverse , and/or consider “ allowing ads ” for www.electroverse.net if you use a blocker @ @ @ @ @ funding and never has .
So anyway you can , help us spread the message @ @ @ @ @ thrive in the coming times .

By Cap Allon | Electroverse
Between Oct 20 and Oct 26, the United States set 3,434 new DAILY low temp records (vs the 517 max), 234 new MONTHLY low temp records (vs just the 1 max), as well as 114 ALL-TIME low temp records (vs the big fat 0 max).
For decades it has been hammered into us that extreme cold events and severe snowstorms will be “a thing of the past”, that a steadily warming world will see the back of recording-breaking lows and all-time heavy snows.
But now, after an undeniable increase in Arctic outbreaks over recent years, some members of the AGW party have felt the need to “tweak” the narrative.
In an affront to all logic and reasoned thinking, a catastrophically warming world now also means regular outbreaks of severe polar cold.
As DR JAY LEHR and TOM HARRIS write:
The climate scare industry has achieved such a level of absurdity that, on February 1, journalist Andrew Revkin reported in a National Geographic article that, “Many stories in recent days highlighted studies concluding that global warming is boosting the odds of cold outbreaks.”
Among the most absurd climate alarm statements attributing recent cold spells to man-made global warming came from University of Michigan professor emeritus of environment and sustainability Donald Scavia, who said: “In the past, there was a very strong gradient of cold air at the poles and warmer air south of the poles. That gradient kept the cold where it is. As the poles are warming faster than the rest of the planet, that gradient weakens, allowing the cold air currents to dip south.”
Dr. Tim Ball, an environmental consultant and former climatology professor at the University of Winnipeg in Manitoba, said that Scavia’s statement “is utter rubbish,” adding: “It’s wrong in every aspect, from the basic assumption to the interpretation. In fact, a gradient makes things move. It doesn’t ‘keep the cold where it is.”
It’s also a mistake to think that, if human-produced CO2 is actually causing global warming, the poles will warm first and faster: “There is no evidence of that; they just are assuming it to be the case,” Dr. Ball emphasized.
If the poles were warming faster, continued Ball, the reduced temperature difference between the poles and lower latitude regions would lead to a reduction of extreme weather events, not an intensification of them, as climate campaigners claim. After all, weather and extreme weather events are driven by the temperature gradient between latitudes, and if the difference between temperatures at the poles and the lower latitudes were actually narrowing, then intense cold outbreaks should be reducing — but this is the opposite of what we’re seeing: climate alarmists have their science backward. Because while the evidence does indeed suggest that the Arctic is warming, 1) this phenomenon is entirely predicted by a Grand Solar Minimum, and 2) the evidence also suggests that the lower latitudes are cooling, a setup that is actually increasing the temperature difference between itself and the pole.
Ball concluded that the real cause of the severe cold outbreaks in the United States is a wavy Jet Stream. This is the cause we’ve long been touting at Electroverse: an increasingly meridional flow (in line with historically low solar activity) is diverting Arctic air anomalously-far south, and more often.
A Historic 7 Days of Cold
These numbers will increase over the coming days, as data from this month’s historic Arctic outbreak continue to roll in — but as it stands, from Oct 20 to Oct 26 the Unites States set a total of 3,782 new LOW-temperature records vs just the 518 max.
This feat is even more impressive when you consider that the data is coming from NOAA, an agency with a “checkered” warm-mongering past to say the least, and one that routinely ignores the key component propping up what’s left of the global warming theory: the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect.
Over the past 7 days, a whopping 3,434 new DAILY low temp records were set (vs the 517 max), 234 new MONTHLY low temp records fell (vs just the 1 max), and a staggering 114 ALL-TIME low temp records were toppled (vs 0 for max).
Moreover, records haven’t merely been “broken”, they’ve been utterly obliterated. As NWS meteorologist Corby Dickerson said recently: “It’s not normal to set this many records in this short of a time – and monumental records … It’s truly remarkable. There’s no other way to describe it.”
Don’t fall for bogus political ideologies and agendas: climate is cyclic, never linear; and the COLD TIMES are returning, the mid-latitudes are REFREEZING in line with historically low solar activity, cloud-nucleating Cosmic Rays, and meridional jet streamflow.
Both NOAA and NASA appear to agree, if you read between the lines, with NOAA saying we’re entering a ‘full-blown’ Grand Solar Minimum in the late-2020s, and NASA seeing this upcoming solar cycle (25) as “the weakest of the past 200 years”, with the agency correlating previous solar shutdowns to prolonged periods of global cooling here.
Furthermore, we can’t ignore the slew of new scientific papers stating the immense impact The Beaufort Gyre could have on the Gulf Stream, and therefore the climate overall.


consciouslifenews--2020-11-02--What You Need to Know About the World’s Best Business Schools

Enrolling in an MBA program in the world 's top business universities could be a significant investment if you want to launch a successful long-term career .
A 2020 report released by the QS World University Rankings used vital factors such as academic reputation , the volume of research citations , and H-index to draft a list of the best-performing business schools .
Among the list , business schools like Harvard , MIT , and Stanford rank highly .
But equally , many Asian and European schools are very well respected .
Let ’ s take a global look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truly the cream of the crop .
The 2020 World University ranking saw about 120 American and Canadian business schools make the list .
As expected , the Harvard Business School retained its prestigious title as the number-one business school in the world .
This marks the the institution has topped global business charts .
Globally , about nine American universities are named among the top 50 best business schools .
The University of California , Yale University , New York University , and Columbia University are famous examples .
Canada-based business schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the University of Toronto are also reputable since they make the global top 50 list .
Europe boasts the largest representation on the list of the world 's most reputable business institutions , with a staggering 205 business schools being ranked as top class .
Up to 6 European business institutions make the top 10 list .
INSEAD is often ranked as the best ( if not one of the best ) business schools .
In the UK , the London School of Business scarcely loses its position as the best business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Oxford , Imperial College London , and the University of Warwick can also be found in the global top 50 business school rankings .
Spanish business schools such as the IESE and the IE have also been included in the top 50 .
CEIBS stands tall as a prominent business institution in China , Asia .
Situated in the city of Shanghai , CEIBS offers MBA programs centering on Chinese businesses .
After undertaking intensive business programs , some CEIBS graduates receive up to a 187 % increase in salary .
87 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dream jobs in China .
Also , in southeast Asia , the National University of Singapore ( NUS MBA ) is highly rated for its solid reputation in the business settings .
The school boasts close to 120 professors from different countries around the world .
International students account for nearly 60 % of the school 's population , with some students from Canada , Belgium , and Japan .
An MBA program in NUS lasts for two years ; much emphasis is placed on experiential learning .
To summarize , if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business world , then seeking higher education opportunities in the world 's best business institutions such as those above will be an advantage .
When you acquire business skills from such schools , starting your own business after graduation will almost be an easier task .
It will also put you in a better position to handle challenges such as cash flow , tax compliance and assessing the when trying to protect your business – the latter is becoming more essential during economic uncertainties such as the current pandemic .

Enrolling in an MBA program in the world's top business universities could be a significant investment if you want to launch a successful long-term business career. A 2020 report released by the QS World University Rankings used vital factors such as academic reputation, the volume of research citations, and H-index to draft a list of the best-performing business schools. Among the list, business schools like Harvard, MIT, and Stanford rank highly. But equally, many Asian and European schools are very well respected. Let’s take a global look at some of the business schools that are truly the cream of the crop.
Top US Business Schools
The 2020 World University ranking saw about 120 American and Canadian business schools make the list. As expected, the Harvard Business School retained its prestigious title as the number-one business school in the world. This marks the 5th consecutive year the institution has topped global business charts. Globally, about nine American universities are named among the top 50 best business schools. The University of California, Yale University, New York University, and Columbia University are famous examples. Canada-based business schools such as the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto are also reputable since they make the global top 50 list.
Top Business Schools in Europe
Europe boasts the largest representation on the list of the world's most reputable business institutions, with a staggering 205 business schools being ranked as top class. Up to 6 European business institutions make the top 10 list. INSEAD is often ranked as the best (if not one of the best) business schools. In the UK, the London School of Business scarcely loses its position as the best business institution in that region. The University of Oxford, Imperial College London, and the University of Warwick can also be found in the global top 50 business school rankings. Spanish business schools such as the IESE and the IE have also been included in the top 50.
Top Asian Business Schools
CEIBS stands tall as a prominent business institution in China, Asia. Situated in the city of Shanghai, CEIBS offers MBA programs centering on Chinese businesses. After undertaking intensive business programs, some CEIBS graduates receive up to a 187% increase in salary. 87% of these graduates can find their dream jobs in China. Also, in southeast Asia, the National University of Singapore (NUS MBA) is highly rated for its solid reputation in the business settings. The school boasts close to 120 professors from different countries around the world. International students account for nearly 60% of the school's population, with some students from Canada, Belgium, and Japan. An MBA program in NUS lasts for two years; much emphasis is placed on experiential learning.


consciouslifenews--2020-11-02--In An Oligarchy, Voting Is A Tool To Manufacture The Illusion Of Consent

I penned this article on October 21st , 2016 , and while the 2020 election certainly does offer a uniquely consequential showdown between two extremely ideologically divided factions of the American empire , this articles stands and is even more important today .
~ If there ’ s one thing we ’ ve learned so far from election 2016 it ’ s that the American people do not understand their government .
The perception is that we have a democracy and that in this democracy have vested power in our government which we exercise through the act of voting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the war cry of the impotent democrat , yet we no longer even have a democracy to cling to , and although most people choose to ignore it , this fact of life has been visible for decades .
An oligarchical government is a form of rule in which a small group of wealthy individuals has control over the critical mechanisms of state power , industry , and economy .
These people are unelected , unaccountable , and exercise control on behalf of their personal financial interests , drawing on the productive power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and geopolitical ambitions .
The ruling class in such a nation is often comprised of dynastic families who pass the baton of power back and forth between themselves , managing the illusion of change and evolution while never actually ceding their franchise over the masses .
The phenomenon is a contemporary example of this exchange .
In 2014 , a Princeton study in the academic journal published their conclusion that America had officially transitioned to an oligarchy .
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has even recently made comments to this effect , telling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now it ’ s just an oligarchy .
’ These two warnings follow decades of comments and public admissions by former presidents and key political figures warning us that our country was being taken over by shadowy financial interests .
Unarguably , there is an invisible government running America , yet we are still urged to cast our vote for president every four years .
Why do they allow us to participate in this charade if they know our vote doesn ’ t make any difference ?
Voting as a Tool to Create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dictatorships hold political elections as tools to manufacture the illusion of consent for their party .
Stalin is perhaps the most astounding example of this , for , during his rule , while the people of the nation were being brutalized by The Red Terror , election results came in showing over 99 % support for the Communist Party .
Saddam Hussein also used this tactic to great effect in 1995 in a referendum aimed at creating the illusion of public support for his reign , with 99.9 % of the population voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , arguably the greatest murderer of all time , also forced his subjects into the ballot booth , using the results as propaganda to support his totalitarianism .
America is not yet a dictatorship , it is but an oligarchy with big dreams of becoming one .
As such , we are still transitioning out of the ideology of personal liberty and self-rule , and are still dependent on the ritual of voting as an acknowledgment of this heritage , even though selecting a president does nothing to favorably influence the direction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us to believe that we are free so that we won ’ t get serious about revolution , and voting is the best tool for maintaining this illusion .
It serves the dual purposes of providing an outlet for our righteous indignation , pacifying our anger and sapping our political drive , and of acting as a survey to determine which policies will meet the least amount of popular resistance .
When we show up on election day , knowing full well the candidates we ’ ve been presented with do not represent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are tacitly expressing our willingness to being governed in this manner .
We are contributing to the perception that our rulers have our permission to carry on , and by doing such we are acquiescing ever further to their dominion over us .
If you ’ re one of the few Americans who hasn ’ t already committed yourself , heart and soul , to one of the two majorly phony political parties dominating the U.S. and are still trying to decide which taste of bitters you ’ ll go for on election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no Constitutional requirement that you vote .
There is not yet a law in America that obliges you to consent to the corruption , lies , criminality , war-mongering , fear , hate , stupidity , tyranny , surveillance , and self-destruction being championed by today ’ s candidates .
You are still free to opt-out and explore the moral highroad of conscientious objection , should your value system be so utterly insulted by the fake election process taking place before us .
“ The American people are being guilted , bullied , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and browbeaten into voting .
We ’ re constantly told to vote because it ’ s your so-called civic duty , because you have no right to complain about the government unless you vote , because every vote counts , because we must present a unified front , because the future of the nation depends on it , because God compels us to do so , because by not voting you are in fact voting , because the “ other ” candidate must be defeated at all costs , or because the future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balance .
You are under no moral obligation to vote for the lesser of two evils .
Indeed , voting for a lesser evil is still voting for evil.
” ~John W. Whitehead is the editor of Waking Times and host of , both dedicated to ideas of personal transformation , societal awakening , and planetary renewal .
His personal journey is deeply inspired by shamanic plant medicines and the arts of Kung Fu , Qi Gong , and Yoga .
After seven years of living in Costa Rica , he now lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and enjoys spending time with family .
He has written hundreds of articles , reaching and inspiring millions of people around the world .
This article ( In an Oligarchy , Voting is a Tool to Manufacture the Illusion of Consent ) was originally created and published by and is published here under a license with attribution to and .
It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution , author bio , and this copyright statement .
Tags : `` featured , America oligarchy , corporate oligarchy , featured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consent , oligarchy government , voting is an illusion of choice , voting is an illusion of consent

By Dylan Charles | Waking Times
Waking Times Editor’s Note: I penned this article on October 21st, 2016, and while the 2020 election certainly does offer a uniquely consequential showdown between two extremely ideologically divided factions of the American empire, this articles stands and is even more important today. ~Dylan Charles
If there’s one thing we’ve learned so far from election 2016 it’s that the American people do not understand their government.
The perception is that we have a democracy and that in this democracy we the people have vested power in our government which we exercise through the act of voting. ‘Throw the bastards out,’ has long since been the war cry of the impotent democrat, yet we no longer even have a democracy to cling to, and although most people choose to ignore it, this fact of life has been visible for decades.
An oligarchical government is a form of rule in which a small group of wealthy individuals has control over the critical mechanisms of state power, industry, and economy. These people are unelected, unaccountable, and exercise control on behalf of their personal financial interests, drawing on the productive power of a nation to support their lifestyles and geopolitical ambitions. The ruling class in such a nation is often comprised of dynastic families who pass the baton of power back and forth between themselves, managing the illusion of change and evolution while never actually ceding their franchise over the masses.
The Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton phenomenon is a contemporary example of this exchange.
In 2014, a Princeton study in the academic journal Perspectives on Politics published their conclusion that America had officially transitioned to an oligarchy. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has even recently made comments to this effect, telling Oprah Winfrey and her audience that ‘now it’s just an oligarchy.’ These two warnings follow decades of comments and public admissions by former presidents and key political figures warning us that our country was being taken over by shadowy financial interests.
Unarguably, there is an invisible government running America, yet we are still urged to cast our vote for president every four years. Why do they allow us to participate in this charade if they know our vote doesn’t make any difference?
Voting as a Tool to Create the Illusion of Consent
Even many true dictatorships hold political elections as tools to manufacture the illusion of consent for their party. Stalin is perhaps the most astounding example of this, for, during his rule, while the people of the nation were being brutalized by The Red Terror, election results came in showing over 99% support for the Communist Party.
Saddam Hussein also used this tactic to great effect in 1995 in a referendum aimed at creating the illusion of public support for his reign, with 99.9% of the population voting in favor.
China’s Mao, arguably the greatest murderer of all time, also forced his subjects into the ballot booth, using the results as propaganda to support his totalitarianism.
America is not yet a dictatorship, it is but an oligarchy with big dreams of becoming one. As such, we are still transitioning out of the ideology of personal liberty and self-rule, and are still dependent on the ritual of voting as an acknowledgment of this heritage, even though selecting a president does nothing to favorably influence the direction of the nation.
The oligarchy still needs us to believe that we are free so that we won’t get serious about revolution, and voting is the best tool for maintaining this illusion. It serves the dual purposes of providing an outlet for our righteous indignation, pacifying our anger and sapping our political drive, and of acting as a survey to determine which policies will meet the least amount of popular resistance.
When we show up on election day, knowing full well the candidates we’ve been presented with do not represent our ambitions for this nation, we are tacitly expressing our willingness to being governed in this manner. We are contributing to the perception that our rulers have our permission to carry on, and by doing such we are acquiescing ever further to their dominion over us.
Final Thoughts
If you’re one of the few Americans who hasn’t already committed yourself, heart and soul, to one of the two majorly phony political parties dominating the U.S. and are still trying to decide which taste of bitters you’ll go for on election day, consider this: there is no Constitutional requirement that you vote.
There is not yet a law in America that obliges you to consent to the corruption, lies, criminality, war-mongering, fear, hate, stupidity, tyranny, surveillance, and self-destruction being championed by today’s candidates. You are still free to opt-out and explore the moral highroad of conscientious objection, should your value system be so utterly insulted by the fake election process taking place before us.
“The American people are being guilted, bullied, pressured, cajoled, intimidated, terrorized and browbeaten into voting. We’re constantly told to vote because it’s your so-called civic duty, because you have no right to complain about the government unless you vote, because every vote counts, because we must present a unified front, because the future of the nation depends on it, because God compels us to do so, because by not voting you are in fact voting, because the “other” candidate must be defeated at all costs, or because the future of the Supreme Court rests in the balance. You are under no moral obligation to vote for the lesser of two evils. Indeed, voting for a lesser evil is still voting for evil.” ~John W. Whitehead


consciouslifenews--2020-11-03--Whoever Wins the Election Will Face Severe Eviction Crisis, as 30 Million Brace for Homelessness

Whoever wins Tuesday ’ s election is virtually certain to be confronted by a severe foreclosure and eviction crisis as state and local governments face acute budget shortfalls .
These crises interact with each other and in ways that intensify the economic damage , they inflict .
The harm is also psychological and political .
There are lessons to be learned from the last great foreclosure , 2008-2009 .
US households were in tenuous shape for years leading up to the onset of COVID—19 , Consequently , we should not be surprised by the implications for the housing market .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about a quarter of American renter households with children are now carrying debt from not paying rent , U.S. Census Bureau surveys show… Mounting rental debt could also impede the path to a U.S. economic recovery when 30 million to 40 million people from New York City to San Francisco face potential eviction once moratoriums expire.
” … If foreclosures and evictions are standing in the way of recovery , it is also safe to say that the draconian cuts in budgets of state and local governments translate into wage reductions and/or unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressures on the housing market .
If homeowners and government workers are not able to create sufficient demand to restore economic growth the federal government must step in .
State governments are constitutionally prohibited from borrowing for daily expenses .
The resolution of the subprime mortgage crisis required a federal bailout of the banks holding these toxic instruments .
But did saving the banking system requires saving the bankers whose malfeasance caused the crisis ?
Borrowers lost their homes and savings even as bankers reaped multi-million dollar bonuses .
Borrowers alone were punished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ borrower there is a reckless or manipulative lender .
The bailout legislation in effect recognized this more truth and allotted a portion of the bailout relief for homeowners .
Nonetheless , the Obama Administration chose not to implement that part of the legislation even though assistance to ordinary borrowers would have been at least as effective in saving the banking system .
This despite the fact that this controversial legislation was passed only by a commitment to foreclosure relief as a part of the TARP program The implications of this neglect were significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This frustration , the betrayal from the right and the left , led to enormous anger .
People wanted to burn something down and , at just the right time , Trump came down the escalator promising to do exactly that.
” Despite the massive mortgage debt overhang and the impending foreclosure crisis , there is very little talk about how debt might be restructured or how to house the many who will be left homeless .
What talk there is once again seems to blame the debtors .
Yves Smith , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , reprints an especially nasty example of this genre from the Letters column of the Wall Street Journal : • “ Single mothers are suddenly discovering why it 's good to have a responsible husband who works and supports his family before you start making babies .
Bad decisions have bad consequences.
” Like the authors of the first bailout , Howard S has also forgotten that for every irresponsible borrower there is a reckless lender .
In any case , however much some may rant and rave , these debts are far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in full .
They will be restructured either by major depressions , war , bankruptcy courts , – or democratic political movements .
As regards the last alternative , in Debunking Economics Australian economist Steve Keen presents a provocative intervention into debates about debt forgiveness .
He acknowledges that debt forgiveness can hurt creditors , a class that might include workers ’ pension funds as well as affluent investors .
He advocates instead a simple one-time grant of say $ 50,000 , which can be spent only after it has been used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposal has several merits .
Because it is universal , it would help the thrifty homeowners sufficiently who have paid off most of their mortgage while also aiding those underwater from home or student loans .
With another debt foreclosure crisis coming it is imperative that such ideas receive a fair hearing .

Whoever wins Tuesday’s election is virtually certain to be confronted by a severe foreclosure and eviction crisis as state and local governments face acute budget shortfalls. These crises interact with each other and in ways that intensify the economic damage, they inflict. The harm is also psychological and political. There are lessons to be learned from the last great foreclosure, 2008-2009.
US households were in tenuous shape for years leading up to the onset of COVID—19, Consequently, we should not be surprised by the implications for the housing market. The Wall Street Journal reports: “about a quarter of American renter households with children are now carrying debt from not paying rent, U.S. Census Bureau surveys show… Mounting rental debt could also impede the path to a U.S. economic recovery when 30 million to 40 million people from New York City to San Francisco face potential eviction once moratoriums expire.”…
If foreclosures and evictions are standing in the way of recovery, it is also safe to say that the draconian cuts in budgets of state and local governments translate into wage reductions and/or unemployment for pubic sector workers and thus more pressures on the housing market.
If homeowners and government workers are not able to create sufficient demand to restore economic growth the federal government must step in. State governments are constitutionally prohibited from borrowing for daily expenses.
The resolution of the subprime mortgage crisis required a federal bailout of the banks holding these toxic instruments. But did saving the banking system requires saving the bankers whose malfeasance caused the crisis? Borrowers lost their homes and savings even as bankers reaped multi-million dollar bonuses. Borrowers alone were punished despite the fact that for every improvident borrower there is a reckless or manipulative lender.
The bailout legislation in effect recognized this more truth and allotted a portion of the bailout relief for homeowners. Nonetheless, the Obama Administration chose not to implement that part of the legislation even though assistance to ordinary borrowers would have been at least as effective in saving the banking system. This despite the fact that this controversial legislation was passed only by a commitment to foreclosure relief as a part of the TARP program
The implications of this neglect were significant and long-lasting. Michael Olenick argues: “This frustration, the betrayal from the right and the left, led to enormous anger. People wanted to burn something down and, at just the right time, Trump came down the escalator promising to do exactly that.”
Despite the massive mortgage debt overhang and the impending foreclosure crisis, there is very little talk about how debt might be restructured or how to house the many who will be left homeless. What talk there is once again seems to blame the debtors. Yves Smith, the founder of the blog Naked Capitalism, reprints an especially nasty example of this genre from the Letters column of the Wall Street Journal:
Howard S
“Single mothers are suddenly discovering why it's good to have a responsible husband who works and supports his family before you start making babies. Bad decisions have bad consequences.”
Like the authors of the first bailout, Howard S has also forgotten that for every irresponsible borrower there is a reckless lender. In any case, however much some may rant and rave, these debts are far too massive ever to be paid down in full. They will be restructured either by major depressions, war, bankruptcy courts,– or democratic political movements.
As regards the last alternative, in Debunking Economics Australian economist Steve Keen presents a provocative intervention into debates about debt forgiveness. He acknowledges that debt forgiveness can hurt creditors, a class that might include workers’ pension funds as well as affluent investors. He advocates instead a simple one-time grant of say $50,000, which can be spent only after it has been used to pay down any personal debt. This proposal has several merits. Because it is universal, it would help the thrifty homeowners sufficiently who have paid off most of their mortgage while also aiding those underwater from home or student loans. With another debt foreclosure crisis coming it is imperative that such ideas receive a fair hearing.


consciouslifenews--2020-11-03--3 Exercises For Humility (Excerpt from “Unreasonable Joy: Awakening Through Trikya Buddhism”)

Humility is seeing oneself clearly – without humility , spiritual growth stops .
It is only when you can see your current self as it truly is that you can take the appropriate action to move forward .
Without humility , you tend to run face first into a lot of brick walls .
If you ’ re tired of banging your head , or if you simply feel stuck , here ’ s a short series of exercises you can do to help yourself develop humility .
Through honest self-assessment , you will discover both who you are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be .
On separate pieces of paper , make three lists of current : • What Is Not Important To Me that I Spend Time Doing Keep in mind some things may belong on both your strength and weakness lists .
For example , I am stubborn .
Sometimes my stubbornness is a weakness which makes me slow to ask for help when I need it .
Other times my stubbornness is a strength which manifests as persistence and allows me to complete challenging projects .
Take your list of weaknesses and separate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have weaknesses we can not change .
In my case , I am nearsighted .
While I can accommodate this weakness by wearing contact lenses or glasses , I can not change it .
( I ’ ve been told I ’ m not a good candidate for Lasik eye surgery . )
Review your list carefully .
Examine the weaknesses you can not change at this time .
Accept them fully as part of your current being .
You may begin to realize other people have the same weaknesses .
Look for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to embrace those weaknesses to create a happier life .
Let these people inspire you to find ways of turning your weaknesses into strengths that make you more compassionate .
I have accepted my eyes need help to see , and I feel gratitude every time I put on my contacts .
I appreciate how it is easy for me to relax at night because when I remove my glasses , the world is fuzzy and soft .
I also have deep compassion for those who do not have access to appropriate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s like to not be able to see clearly .
For the weaknesses you simply can not accept , see the block to acceptance for what it is : an attachment .
Acknowledge the weight of each of these attachments , and carry it consciously as long as you need to .
Create space within yourself to wrestle with these attachments and allow yourself to grieve as you become ready to embrace the weaknesses you can not change .
With the list of weakness that you can change , chip away at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by hour , or year by year – the speed is up to you .
Look for ways to turn these weaknesses into strengths .
Another weakness I have is the tendency to create piles of clutter .
I ’ m visually oriented in my projects ; if I don ’ t see something to remind me of it , the project no longer exists in my world .
So I am learning to create smaller visual clues and to give my most important current projects a place to pile up on my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spill over into things that can be put away .
I ’ m turning my clutter weakness into a strength by using the visual reminder of my projects as motivation to finish them .
Of course , this is an ongoing learning process for me .
These patterns have become ingrained in your being , and it will take practice to overcome them .
Don ’ t expect to conquer it once and be done with it .
Recognize you ’ ll need to continue working at shifting your old patterns .
Each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weakness , you are empowering yourself .
Now take your list of What Is Not Important To Me that I Spend Time Doing and separate it into two sections : • Things I Have To Do Review your list of Things I Can Stop Doing .
It seems odd , but people often spend a great deal of time doing things they don ’ t need to do that are not important to them .
Whether it ’ s out of habit , or because they want to spend time with someone else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal of time in a project and they want the satisfaction of finishing it , it ’ s easy to get lost .
Ask yourself if , for a week or a month , what would happen if I stopped doing this thing ?
Experiment and see .
Consciously use the time you gain to do something that is important to you .
Things I Have To Do We all have things we have to do , and sometimes they appear as not important to us .
Examine this list of Things I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To Me list very , very closely .
This is the place where we often hide the Truth from ourselves .
We claim something is not important , yet we feel we have to do it , and this attitude allows us to wallow in self-righteous misery .
We may even get together with others to complain about these horrible things we must do .
The ego loves this stuff , because it can exert its full power of control .
Look at this list again , slowly and deliberately .
Perhaps you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as something not important that you have to do .
I assure you , your body views exercise and eating as important .
If you have any sense of smell or sensitive skin , then you ’ ll find clean laundry is also important !
With this list of Things I Have To Do , we have the opportunity for deep examination and attitude adjustment .
If we look closely enough , we discover everything on this list is either important to us or belongs in the Things I Can Stop Doing list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through all of your lists .
Review your Strengths often to remind yourself of the power you have already claimed .
When you have extra time , accomplish one thing important to you that you may have been neglecting .
Moment by moment , release yourself from items on the Not Important To Me list and transform your Weaknesses into Strengths .
As you continue to look at yourself with humility – seeing who you are currently – you ’ ll grow into the next brighter , happier version of you .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overwhelming to create an entire list , tackle this exercise in small bites : • What is One strength ?
• What is One weakness ?
• What is One thing you do that you feel is not important to you ?
Allow yourself to contemplate one or more of these and watch what appears in your mind .
Unreasonable Joy : Awakening through Trikaya Buddhism ( Electric Bliss Publishing , October 27 , 2020 , $ 25.99 ) describes a brand-new school of Buddhism for the modern world and present-day seeker .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Enlightenment is real and exists right now , within us all .
She shows how this innovative form of Buddhism , which she has been developing in the United States for over 25-years , can point the reader toward Enlightenment and liberation from suffering .
Unreasonable Joy captures Buddha ’ s advanced Tantric teachings and puts them into a form of Buddhism that is compatible with 21st Century life .
In the book , the reader will learn : • Simple meditation techniques that can be used anywhere , at any time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mind .
• How to gain control of time , life , and mind by releasing the mental and physical habits that create suffering .
• Build self-trust and discover how to use everything as fuel for spiritual growth .
• How to release limiting beliefs that blind the reader to their true nature • How to focus on the inner work of changing the self , not the external world Unreasonable Joy contains proven techniques that the author , Turīya , has taught thousands of people .
The nine lessons explore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ karma , emotions , and humility .
Turīya provides essays , poems , and stories that ground the esoteric teachings in the world , and Practice Pointers show how to incorporate them into daily life .
Unreasonable Joy gently encourages the reader to do the work needed to directly experience the ecstasy of existence and recognize who they truly are in this moment .
Turīya is a Buddhist monk , teacher , and author who , despite living with chronic pain , founded the Dharma Center of Trikaya Buddhism in San Diego in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 25 years , she has taught thousands of students how to meditate , trained teachers , and helped people discover the unreasonable joy of our true nature .

Humility is seeing oneself clearly – without humility, spiritual growth stops. It is only when you can see your current self as it truly is that you can take the appropriate action to move forward. Without humility, you tend to run face first into a lot of brick walls.
If you’re tired of banging your head, or if you simply feel stuck, here’s a short series of exercises you can do to help yourself develop humility. Through honest self-assessment, you will discover both who you are now and who you have the potential to be.
Step One
On separate pieces of paper, make three lists of current:
Strengths
Weaknesses
What Is Not Important To Me that I Spend Time Doing
Keep in mind some things may belong on both your strength and weakness lists. For example, I am stubborn. Sometimes my stubbornness is a weakness which makes me slow to ask for help when I need it. Other times my stubbornness is a strength which manifests as persistence and allows me to complete challenging projects.
Step Two
Take your list of weaknesses and separate it into two sections:
Weaknesses I Cannot Change
Weaknesses I Can Change
Weaknesses I Cannot Change
We all have weaknesses we cannot change. In my case, I am nearsighted. While I can accommodate this weakness by wearing contact lenses or glasses, I cannot change it. (I’ve been told I’m not a good candidate for Lasik eye surgery.)
Review your list carefully. Examine the weaknesses you cannot change at this time. Accept them fully as part of your current being. You may begin to realize other people have the same weaknesses. Look for role models of people who have learned how to embrace those weaknesses to create a happier life. Let these people inspire you to find ways of turning your weaknesses into strengths that make you more compassionate. I have accepted my eyes need help to see, and I feel gratitude every time I put on my contacts. I appreciate how it is easy for me to relax at night because when I remove my glasses, the world is fuzzy and soft. I also have deep compassion for those who do not have access to appropriate corrective lenses because I know what it’s like to not be able to see clearly.
For the weaknesses you simply cannot accept, see the block to acceptance for what it is: an attachment. Acknowledge the weight of each of these attachments, and carry it consciously as long as you need to. Create space within yourself to wrestle with these attachments and allow yourself to grieve as you become ready to embrace the weaknesses you cannot change.
Weaknesses I Can Change
With the list of weakness that you can change, chip away at the list day by day, hour by hour, or year by year – the speed is up to you. Look for ways to turn these weaknesses into strengths. Another weakness I have is the tendency to create piles of clutter. I’m visually oriented in my projects; if I don’t see something to remind me of it, the project no longer exists in my world. So I am learning to create smaller visual clues and to give my most important current projects a place to pile up on my desk, while not letting this tendency spill over into things that can be put away. I’m turning my clutter weakness into a strength by using the visual reminder of my projects as motivation to finish them. Of course, this is an ongoing learning process for me.
These patterns have become ingrained in your being, and it will take practice to overcome them. Don’t expect to conquer it once and be done with it. Recognize you’ll need to continue working at shifting your old patterns. Each time you put energy into strengthening a weakness, you are empowering yourself.
Step Three
Now take your list of What Is Not Important To Me that I Spend Time Doing and separate it into two sections:
Things I Can Stop Doing
Things I Have To Do
Things I Can Stop Doing
Review your list of Things I Can Stop Doing. It seems odd, but people often spend a great deal of time doing things they don’t need to do that are not important to them. Whether it’s out of habit, or because they want to spend time with someone else, or because they invested a great deal of time in a project and they want the satisfaction of finishing it, it’s easy to get lost. Ask yourself if, for a week or a month, what would happen if I stopped doing this thing? Experiment and see. Consciously use the time you gain to do something that is important to you.
Things I Have To Do
We all have things we have to do, and sometimes they appear as not important to us. Examine this list of Things I Have To Do from the Not Important To Me list very, very closely. This is the place where we often hide the Truth from ourselves. We claim something is not important, yet we feel we have to do it, and this attitude allows us to wallow in self-righteous misery. We may even get together with others to complain about these horrible things we must do. The ego loves this stuff, because it can exert its full power of control.
Look at this list again, slowly and deliberately. Perhaps you view exercise or eating or doing laundry as something not important that you have to do. I assure you, your body views exercise and eating as important. If you have any sense of smell or sensitive skin, then you’ll find clean laundry is also important!
With this list of Things I Have To Do, we have the opportunity for deep examination and attitude adjustment. If we look closely enough, we discover everything on this list is either important to us or belongs in the Things I Can Stop Doing list.
Give yourself the time to work through all of your lists. Review your Strengths often to remind yourself of the power you have already claimed. When you have extra time, accomplish one thing important to you that you may have been neglecting. Moment by moment, release yourself from items on the Not Important To Me list and transform your Weaknesses into Strengths.
As you continue to look at yourself with humility – seeing who you are currently – you’ll grow into the next brighter, happier version of you.
Practice Pointer
When exploring humility, if it feels too overwhelming to create an entire list, tackle this exercise in small bites:
What is One strength?
What is One weakness?
What is One thing you do that you feel is not important to you?
Allow yourself to contemplate one or more of these and watch what appears in your mind.
About “Unreasonable Joy: Awakening through Trikaya Buddhism “
Unreasonable Joy: Awakening through Trikaya Buddhism (Electric Bliss Publishing, October 27, 2020, $25.99) describes a brand-new school of Buddhism for the modern world and present-day seeker. Author Turīya writes from the premise that Enlightenment is real and exists right now, within us all. She shows how this innovative form of Buddhism, which she has been developing in the United States for over 25-years, can point the reader toward Enlightenment and liberation from suffering.
Unreasonable Joy captures Buddha’s advanced Tantric teachings and puts them into a form of Buddhism that is compatible with 21st Century life. In the book, the reader will learn:
Simple meditation techniques that can be used anywhere, at any time, to calm, strengthen, and refocus the mind.
How to gain control of time, life, and mind by releasing the mental and physical habits that create suffering.
Build self-trust and discover how to use everything as fuel for spiritual growth.
How to release limiting beliefs that blind the reader to their true nature
How to focus on the inner work of changing the self, not the external world
Unreasonable Joy contains proven techniques that the author, Turīya, has taught thousands of people. The nine lessons explore the power of meditation, mindfulness, karma, emotions, and humility. Turīya provides essays, poems, and stories that ground the esoteric teachings in the world, and Practice Pointers show how to incorporate them into daily life. Unreasonable Joy gently encourages the reader to do the work needed to directly experience the ecstasy of existence and recognize who they truly are in this moment.
About the Author
Turīya is a Buddhist monk, teacher, and author who, despite living with chronic pain, founded the Dharma Center of Trikaya Buddhism in San Diego in 1998 to share her path. For over 25 years, she has taught thousands of students how to meditate, trained teachers, and helped people discover the unreasonable joy of our true nature.


consciouslifenews--2020-11-05--Oregon Votes to Decriminalize Heroin, Cocaine, Meth, MDMA, LSD and Shrooms – as Five States Legalize

Oregon Votes to Decriminalize Heroin, Cocaine, Meth, MDMA, LSD and Shrooms – as Five States Legalize Marijuana

Critics of the nation 's failed so-called “ War on Drugs ” celebrated a number of victories Tuesday night as Oregon became the first state in the U.S. to decriminalize personal drug possession and voters in five states backed the legalization of marijuana .
Fifty-nine percent of Oregonians backed Measure 110 , which starting February 1 will decriminalize the possession of small amounts of drugs including heroin , cocaine , methamphetamine , and oxycodone or Percocet .
The penalty for possession will be a $ 100 fine—which may be avoidable if a person agrees to take part in a health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traffic violation in Oregon .
“ Measure 110 is arguably the biggest blow to the war on drugs to date .
It shifts the focus where it belongs—on people and public health—and removes one of the most common justifications for law enforcement to harass , arrest , prosecute , incarcerate , and deport people.
” —Kassandra Frederique , Drug Policy Alliance The Drug Policy Alliance , which authored Measure 110 in Oregon and spent $ 4 million in support of its passage , said the election results are “ like taking a sledgehammer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ Measure 110 is arguably the biggest blow to the war on drugs to date .
It shifts the focus where it belongs—on people and public health—and removes one of the most common justifications for law enforcement to harass , arrest , prosecute , incarcerate , and deport people , ” Kassandra Frederique , executive director of the DPA , said in a statement .
Under Measure 110 , the state is expected to generate savings from fewer drug arrests , prosecutions , and incarcerations , which will be invested in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment , health assessments , harm reduction , and other services .
More than $ 45 million in annual tax revenue from the sale of marijuana , which has been legal in Oregon since 2014 , will also be used for treatment services .
Selling and manufacturing illegal drugs will still be criminalized in Oregon , and possession of larger amounts of drugs could still result in misdemeanor charges .
Frederique expressed hope that the passage of Measure 110 will have a “ domino effect ” as other states including California , Vermont @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We expect this victory to inspire other states to enact their own drug decriminalization policies that prioritize health over punishment , ” Frederique said in a statement .
Decriminalization of drug possession in the U.S. would put the country on par with other nations including the Netherlands , the Czech Republic , Uruguay , Portugal , and Switzerland .
In a separate ballot measure , Oregon voters also passed the legalization of psilocybin , also known as magic mushrooms , for people over the age of 21 .
Voters in Washington , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug , which proponents for the measures say can aid people suffering from depression .
After Tuesday 's election , one in three Americans now lives in states that have legalized marijuana use , as New Jersey , Arizona , Montana , and South Dakota all voted to legalize the substance for recreational use .
In Mississippi , voters supported a measure legalizing medical marijuana .
Daniel Nichanian , the founder of said the election represented a “ huge night against the War on Drugs , ” noting that voters in Orlando , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sealed victories for progressive district attorney candidates .
In Orlando , Jose Garza made a pledge to decline cases involving possession and sale for under one gram of drugs a central message of his campaign .
“ Voters in five very different states have all sent the same message—the time has come for marijuana reform , ” tweeted the Marijuana Policy Project .
Tags : `` featured , featured , Federal Marijuana Legalization , five states legalize marijuana , legalized marijuana defeats war on drugs , marijuana legalization , Marijuana legalization Oregon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Oregon drug laws , Oregon heroin decriminalization , Oregon LSD decriminalization , Oregon Marijuana laws , Oregon Marijuana legalization , Oregon MDMA decriminalization , Oregon meth decriminalization , Oregon shrooms decriminalization , Oregon votes to decriminalize narcotics , war on drugs , war on drugs failure

By Julia Conley | Common Dreams
Critics of the nation's failed so-called “War on Drugs” celebrated a number of victories Tuesday night as Oregon became the first state in the U.S. to decriminalize personal drug possession and voters in five states backed the legalization of marijuana.
Fifty-nine percent of Oregonians backed Measure 110, which starting February 1 will decriminalize the possession of small amounts of drugs including heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and oxycodone or Percocet. The penalty for possession will be a $100 fine—which may be avoidable if a person agrees to take part in a health assessment—putting drug possession on par with a traffic violation in Oregon.
“Measure 110 is arguably the biggest blow to the war on drugs to date. It shifts the focus where it belongs—on people and public health—and removes one of the most common justifications for law enforcement to harass, arrest, prosecute, incarcerate, and deport people.”
—Kassandra Frederique, Drug Policy Alliance
The Drug Policy Alliance, which authored Measure 110 in Oregon and spent $4 million in support of its passage, said the election results are “like taking a sledgehammer to the cornerstone of the drug war.”
“Measure 110 is arguably the biggest blow to the war on drugs to date. It shifts the focus where it belongs—on people and public health—and removes one of the most common justifications for law enforcement to harass, arrest, prosecute, incarcerate, and deport people,” Kassandra Frederique, executive director of the DPA, said in a statement.
Under Measure 110, the state is expected to generate savings from fewer drug arrests, prosecutions, and incarcerations, which will be invested in a new state fund for drug use disorder treatment, health assessments, harm reduction, and other services. More than $45 million in annual tax revenue from the sale of marijuana, which has been legal in Oregon since 2014, will also be used for treatment services.
Selling and manufacturing illegal drugs will still be criminalized in Oregon, and possession of larger amounts of drugs could still result in misdemeanor charges.
Frederique expressed hope that the passage of Measure 110 will have a “domino effect” as other states including California, Vermont, and Washington consider decriminalizing possession.
“We expect this victory to inspire other states to enact their own drug decriminalization policies that prioritize health over punishment,” Frederique said in a statement.
Decriminalization of drug possession in the U.S. would put the country on par with other nations including the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Uruguay, Portugal, and Switzerland.
In a separate ballot measure, Oregon voters also passed the legalization of psilocybin, also known as magic mushrooms, for people over the age of 21. Voters in Washington, D.C. also decriminalized the use of the drug, which proponents for the measures say can aid people suffering from depression.
After Tuesday's election, one in three Americans now lives in states that have legalized marijuana use, as New Jersey, Arizona, Montana, and South Dakota all voted to legalize the substance for recreational use. In Mississippi, voters supported a measure legalizing medical marijuana.
Daniel Nichanian, the founder of The Appeal, said the election represented a “huge night against the War on Drugs,” noting that voters in Orlando, Florida, and Austin, Texas also sealed victories for progressive district attorney candidates. In Orlando, Jose Garza made a pledge to decline cases involving possession and sale for under one gram of drugs a central message of his campaign.
Huge night against the war on drugs. Marijuana legalization is leading in all 4 states it was on bllot.. For the first time, a state is set to decriminalize drug possession. For the first time, a DA candidate won on a promise to not criminally charge drug possession or sales. — Taniel (@Taniel) November 4, 2020
“Voters in five very different states have all sent the same message—the time has come for marijuana reform,” tweeted the Marijuana Policy Project.
Legalization has prevailed in states across the political spectrum this election. Voters in five very different states have all sent the same message — the time has come for marijuana reform. — Marijuana Policy Project (@MarijuanaPolicy) November 4, 2020