Wednesday, March 19, 2014

What’s Really Going on in Ukraine?


Source: http://www.thrivemovement.com/whats-really-going-on-ukraine.blog

How do oil pipelines, the IMF and the Western banking cabal all meet in Ukraine?

To unpack any international event requires an ever-expanding awareness of the history, economics, resource and trade dynamics of the countries involved. Knowing where to look for clues helps reveal the similarities in seemingly unrelated events. The lens that THRIVE offers can be helpful in understanding the history of the global banking system, which is relevant no matter what country or issue you are trying to unravel.

In the case of Ukraine, Kimberly and I were recently in an informal Q&A where someone asked our perspective. The following short video is a first-level overview of some of the issues we think are operative. It is neither in-depth nor comprehensive, but it does include broken promises, the petrodollar, pipelines, the IMF and the Western banking cabal. The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) have been collaborating in forming their own international bank, an alternative non-NSA infected Internet and their own alternative financial rating agency — that relies on asset-backed valuation. These are key to further understanding, and we will be addressing them in future blogs.

For now, we offer this spontaneous, short video with hopes that it is helpful for your own critical thinking about this momentous and precarious global dynamic.

I believe that our awareness and vocal demand that there be no aggression can have significant influence, as has been demonstrated with Iran and Syria in recent months.

What if the people of the region of Ukraine were forgiven their predatory fiat debts and then actually left alone — free of “super-power” bullying and grabbing?

Please add your comments so that we can all better understand what’s going on in order to be most effective in our actions for peace.

Foster

Snail Venom Inspires Powerful Pain Reliever

The new drug could be the most promising painkiller since morphine was introduced.

THE GIST

Cone snail venom is inspiring a new generation of painkillers. The newest drug is 100 times more potent than existing pain medications. It also works at much lower doses and without risk of addiction.

Snail venom in a pill could offer powerful relief for people who suffer from severe and chronic pain.
It may seem an unlikely source of pharmaceutical inspiration, but the chemicals that some snails produce have potent effects on the human nervous system. This makes them promising sources of drugs that could dull the pain of cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, car accidents and other conditions.

In the latest advance, researchers have designed a venom-inspired medication that can be taken orally -- a leap forward from previous forms that needed to be injected directly into the spinal cord.
In rodent studies, the drug appears to work better than existing drugs, including morphine, at lower doses and without risks of addiction.

"Since we started getting some publicity, I've received dozens of e-mails from people all over the world asking me if they can get into clinical trials," said David Craik, a chemist at the University of Queensland in Australia, adding that he's still seeking funding and government approval before trials can begin.

"I've really been overwhelmed with some of the sad stories people have e-mailed," he said. "There's a great need for new treatments."

The new work involves cone snails, ocean-dwelling carnivorous predators that live in tropical waters around the world. A hungry cone snail uses a long, flexible proboscis as a lure and then as a harpoon.

Like a hypodermic needle, the proboscis injects fish, worms and other snails with venom that instantly paralyzes the prey. The venom's power comes from hundreds of thousands of short proteins, called peptides.

Since the 1990s, scientists have studied a few hundred of those peptides, called conotoxins, with the hope of tapping into their powers. So far, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved one synthetic conotoxin, called Prialt, for the treatment of severe and chronic pain. Others are currently in clinical trials.

While these treatments work well, their biggest limitation is that they need to be injected directly into the spinal cord, often through a surgically implanted pump. That's because the body quickly breaks down swallowed conotoxins before they can reach the receptors they need to reach.

To develop a snail-inspired painkiller stable enough to be taken orally, Craik and colleagues drew inspiration from an African plant that's long been used by witchdoctors as a tea to speed up labor and childbirth. Chemical analyses showed that the active ingredient in the plant was a peptide with the unusual shape: a circle. That shape, it turned out, made it more stable than most peptides.

Based on those findings, Craik's team engineered a synthetic conotoxin. Then, they added a few extra amino acids in order to turn the peptide into a circle.

"The advance is an elegant example of taking two lessons from nature, combining them, and making something that's even better," said Michael McIntosh, a professor of biology and psychiatry at the University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City.

When swallowed by rats with injured legs, the scientists reported in the journal Angewandte Chemie, the molecule relieved pain for more than four hours at doses more than 100 times smaller than typical doses of gabapentin, the main drug used to treat nervous system pain. Gabapentin works for just 30 to 60 percent of patients, Craik added, and it has unpleasant side effects. The new drug was also 100 times more powerful than morphine.

Because the new molecule works so well in such small concentrations, it would probably cause fewer side effects. People with pain would be less likely to need increasingly large doses of it to keep getting relief. That, and the receptors it acts on reduce the likelihood of addiction.

Scientists have only begun to explore the pharmaceutical possibilities of a tiny fraction of compounds in cone snail venom, Craik said, let alone in all of nature. There are probably many more yet to be found.

"This points out that nature has a lot to teach us," McIntosh said. "It's essential that we preserve the sources of these natural compounds to enable further similar discoveries."

Source: news.discovery.com/human/snail-venom-painkiller.htm

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Have physicists finally detected gravitational waves?

The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics has news so big it announced that it would announce something. The press conference will stream live tomorrow at noon, but cosmologists everywhere are gossiping about what that news could be. The leading theory: Scientists have detected gravitational waves, in what would be a landmark discovery for the field of physics.

Gravitational waves are the last chunk of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity that was predicted but not yet observed. If gravitational waves have been observed, it most likely was done by the Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization (Bicep) telescope at the south pole. It stared at the cosmic microwave background radiation from 2003 to 2008, but it takes a long time to process and analyze the data when looking for a faint signal in a lot of noise.


2007 photograph of telescopes at the Dark Center at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. From top to bottom, the partly-buried AST/RO, QUaD, Viper, and finally BICEP and SPT at the bottom. Image credit: Robert Schwarz

The Bicep mission page describes anticipated gravitational waves as faint, polarized, and distorted by gravitational lensing of objects between us and the cosmic microwave background radiation. They released a video of their observations in 2008. The colour scale adjusts throughout the movie to highlight temperature fluctuations of both the cosmic microwave background radiation, and the galactic plane:




Why look at the cosmic microwave background radiation for signs of gravitational waves? Because an infinitesimal moment after the universe started — 10-34 seconds after the big bang — we think it went through an inflationary period. If it did, that inflation could have amplified gravitational waves to such an extent that we can actually detect them. This would not only fill in that last missing chunk of things predicted by General Relativity that we haven't seen yet, but also offer a glimpse into the primeval universe. They won't be insta-proof that inflationary theory is correct, but they would rule out some cyclic theories for the origin of the universe.


Some pre-announcement articles are already mixing up very common gravity waves with gravitational waves. To differentiate, I'll pass things off to an exasperated Dr. Katherine Mack:




















Gravity waves are common phenomena in both the ocean and the sky, as seen in this MODIS image. Read more about them at the Earth Observatory.

As for the press conference, I'm already bracing for disappointment. "Breaking news! We'll have breaking news for you on Monday!" announcements produce so much hype that the actual discovery probably won't live up to expectations. I'm not the only one feeling that way — the Guardian ran an entire piece interviewing cautiously excited cosmologists warning that the observations would need to be highly robust if they're going to be momentous.

Update: What, you can't wait until Monday to confirm that this is all about gravitational waves before learning about them? Preposterous Universe has a detailed, lovely write-up on the topic with enough math to satisfy even pernickety cosmologists.

Source: http://space.io9.com/breaking-well-have-cosmology-news-for-you-later-1544665418/@rtgonzalez?utm_campaign=socialflow_io9_facebook&utm_source=io9_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

Uruguay’s president nominated for Nobel Peace Prize for legalizing marijuana

Jose Mujica (AFP Photo / Miguel Rojo)






















The president of Uruguay has been nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize. According to his advocates, José “Pepe” Mujica's much talked-about marijuana legalization is in fact "a tool for peace and understanding."

For the second year in a row, the Drugs Peace Institute, which has supported Mujica’s marijuana legalization drive since 2012, insisting that the consumption of marijuana should be protected as a human right, has endorsed his candidacy, along with members of Mujica's leftwing political party the Frente Amplio, the PlantaTuPlanta (Collective of Uruguayan growers) and the Latin American Coalition of Cannabis Activists (CLAC).

Despite an avalanche of global criticism, in late December Uruguay became the first country in the world to fully legalize the production and sale of the popular herbal drug. Under the new law, which comes into full effect in early April, Uruguayans will have several options to gain access to it.
The Drugs Peace Institute said that Mujica’s stand against the UN-led prohibition of mind-altering substances is a "symbol of a hand outstretched, of a new era in a divided world."
 
"It is a promise to bridge the gap between defiant marijuana consumers and the prohibiting society. Hopefully, the start of the acceptance of this consumption by society and the concomitant development of understanding of its use as a natural medicine, historically used for spiritual liberation, might initiate a process of healing in a world, very confused and deeply divided, over its religious legacy," the Dutch NGO stated on its website.

People take part in a demo for the legalization of marijuana in front of the Legislative Palace in Montevideo, on December 10, 2013, as the Senate discuss a law on the legalization of marijuana's cultivation and consumption. (AFP Photo / Pablo Porciuncula)

The institute pointed out that, unlike coca-based products that reinforce the ego and individual self-esteem, marijuana has the "peculiar quality of diminishing the consumer’s ego." It pointed out that so far only one government leader has succeeded in challenging the prohibition: "the World’s Poorest President” - Mujica - dubbed so due to his modest lifestyle.

"Jose Mujica once said that he’s been looking for god but [hasn’t] found him yet. By legalizing marijuana and opening the doors of spiritual happiness to the young, he might not have found the god of other nations…, but he certainly has followed in the footsteps of Jesus when he said ‘Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these,’" the NGO noted.


“I’m very thankful to these people for honoring me,” Uruguay’s president responded in Havana, as quoted by La Nación Argentine daily. “We are only proposing the right to try another path because the path of repression doesn’t work. We don’t know if we’ll succeed. We ask for support, scientific spirit and to understand that no addiction is a good thing. But our efforts go beyond marijuana - we're taking aim at the drug traffic,
" Uruguay's 78-year-old guerrilla-turned president said.

The leader of the South American state has championed the controversial legislation as a way to snuff out the illegal drugs trade in Uruguay, noting that both Washington and Colorado had legalized marijuana. He signed the bill into law on December 25. The Uruguayan government has until April 9 to finalize the regulations that will govern the sale and cultivation of marijuana.


Marijuana aficionados will be given carte blanche to grow cannabis. However, the law forbids having more than six hives per person. There will be a cap on the amount that can be bought every month, initially set at 40 grams. Residents aged over 18 will have to register in a special nationwide database that keeps track of how much marijuana was purchased in the past month. The law will forbid foreigners to buy it, and in an attempt to undercut the illegal market price of $1.40, the market price for the drug will be set at a dollar a gram.

Late last month, Uruguay's National Cannabis Federation launched special training courses on the cultivation of the popular plant. The training courses are also put forward as one of the measures taken by the authorities to control the trafficking and consumption of marijuana.

The international community lashed out at Uruguay's leader, with the UN’s International Narcotics Control Board chief, Raymond Yans, saying that Uruguay "knowingly decided to break the universally agreed and internationally endorsed treaty." Mr Yans argued in a statement that claims that the law would help reduce crime were based on "rather precarious and unsubstantiated assumptions."
 
Uruguay's president made it into the top 10 finalists for the award last year. However, the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Mujica has been president of Uruguay since 2010. He was a member of an armed political group inspired by the Cuban revolution, the Tupamaros, in the 1960s and ‘70s. After the military coup in 1973, during the dictatorship, he spent 14 years in prison. This included being confined to the bottom of a well for more than two years.

When democracy was restored in 1985, Mujica was freed under an amnesty law. He was Minister of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries from 2005 to 2008 and a senator afterwards. When he became president, he pledged to give away 90 percent of his monthly salary to charities that benefit poor people and small entrepreneurs. Much to everybody's surprise, the unpretentious leader has also shunned the grandeur of the presidential residence in favor of his humble farmhouse.

Free Your Mind: Practice Vipassana Meditation


Vipassana meditation is a widely used relaxation practice that can be done easily by beginners, with great results! 







After years of heavy addiction, Chris Grosso found himself literally on his knees, utterly lost and broken. Grasping for life, he needed to find a new path, one that went beyond conventional religious or spiritual doctrine—one free of bullshit. Indie Spiritualist (Beyond Words Publishing, 2014) empowers readers to accept themselves as they are, in all their humanity and imperfect perfection. In this excerpt learn the basics of vipassana meditation, a simple relaxation practice that can be done by anyone and in any setting.

Besides being asked, “What’s an Indie Spiritualist?” the second most common question I’m typically asked is “What type of meditation do you practice?”

While I personally practice many different types of medita­tion—never feeling like I have to stay within the confines of only one tradition—I typically respond with vipassana, as I’ve found it to be the most universally applicable form of meditation around. Any form of meditation that resonates with you—whether guided, man­tra, movement, and so forth—will definitely be of benefit.

I adore meditation because there are countless ways to meditate, with no particular style being any better than another. It’s all about what resonates with you. You can find many free guided medita­tions online by searching Google or YouTube, as well as by visiting your local library. Most meditation practices are to spirituality what Bob Ross was to painting—very laid back and go with the flow. And while your practice may not provide you with happy little trees, it will over time create a greater sense of peace, clarity, and serenity in your life, and that’s sorta like happy little trees, right?

Through years of drug addiction, I did considerable damage to myself, resulting in heavy bouts of depression and anxiety. For years, I relied on antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications to keep me in a somewhat balanced state, but after cultivating a dedicated meditation practice I eventually found myself at a place where, under doctor supervision, I was able to taper off the medication and no longer needed it.

Let me make it perfectly clear, however, that there is absolutely nothing wrong with taking prescribed medication for conditions like anxiety, depression, and so forth. I recognize that they were very nec­essary in my life at that time, as I was very chemically off-balance. There is nothing unspiritual about taking prescribed medication when needed, because our own mental and emotional well-being must come first before we can truly help others.

Whether we are on medication or not, meditation practices will certainly help us to not only cultivate more calm in our lives, but also to handle things like stress, anxiety, and depression in gentler ways. For the benefit of those who are new to meditation, I’m providing these simple guided instructions for the practice of vipassana.






A Guided Vipassana Meditation

There’s no shortage of “spiritual positions” suggested for meditative practices, but really, as long as you keep your spine straight, without being overly tense or rigid in your posture, you’ll be fine. You can sit with your legs crossed in half or full lotus position, sit upright in a chair with your feet on the ground, or lie down flat on your back (before lying down, however, be mindful of whether or not you’re tired, as it can be easy to fall asleep during meditation).

As far as mudra (hand) positions go, put them wherever feels right to you. You can place them in your lap, palms up, one on top of the other; you can place them palms down on your knees; or fuck it, you can even make those silly circle things with your fingers, which has become the quintessential consumer vision of what we’re supposed to look like while meditating. It really doesn’t matter, though. Whatever feels most comfortable for you is the right position. Once you’ve got the hands figured out, close your eyes.

Next, bring your awareness to your Buddha belly (or chiseled vegan abs), roughly two inches above your navel, along the vertical midline of your body. Remember that this is not an exact science, so just bring your awareness to somewhere in that area, wherever feels right for you. (Note: Bringing attention to the tip of your nose, just inside your nostrils, as you breathe in and out, is also an anchoring point in vipassana. If that feels more natural to you, go with it!)

As you bring your awareness to your belly, you’ll begin to notice that, as you breathe in, your abdomen expands, and as you breathe out it contracts. The movements of expanding and contracting are often referred to as “rising” and “falling,” and are used as anchoring points to focus on during practice.

As your abdomen expands, observe its motion from beginning to end. Then do the same as it contracts. It’s that simple. Your breath, and the rising and falling of your abdomen, happen naturally, with no conscious effort on your part, so as you bring your awareness to the rising and falling motions, they anchor you in the present moment. If you find you’re having difficulty perceiving the rising and falling movements, it may help to place your hand on your stomach to feel them more clearly.

It also helps to recognize that the rising and falling are actually separate movements. There is a moment, after the abdomen has expanded to its fullest, and just before it begins to contract, that it is completely still. Being vigilant in your awareness of this break point in the motion can be extremely helpful in keeping your concentration focused, as it keeps your awareness centered.


As you practice vipassana meditation, thoughts are bound to arise. When this happens, it’s important not to mentally beat yourself up. Simply acknowl­edge the thoughts whenever you catch yourself drifting, and let them go as you bring your awareness back to your abdomen. Our aim in this practice is to cultivate awareness, not to think, so do your best to just be.

As we continue with our practice, we want to experience the knowing of our abdomen rising and falling. This knowing is experienced as nonverbal, pure awareness. The same goes for anything else that may come up dur­ing practice. Regardless of what it is, we know it with pure awareness in the moment, and then we let it go.

While vipassana definitely isn’t overcomplicated by any means, it’s also probably not as easy as you think. There’s a reason vipassana is not only practiced by those new to meditation, but longtime medi­tators as well: it’s a tried and true way to anchor our attention here and now in the present moment, which helps us to let go of unneces­sary nagging worries, fears, frustrations, and so forth.
When we come to vipassana as a beginner, it can be of serious benefit to mentally label the rising and falling movements of our abdomen as they occur. These mental notes support mindfulness by increasing momentary concentration. So for the duration of the abdomen’s expansion, we can mentally say “rising,” and for the dura­tion of the abdomen’s contraction, we can mentally say “falling.” The tricky part here is that, while we’re mentally repeating the words “ris­ing” and “falling” over and over, we want to keep our awareness on the sensation of the abdomen rising and falling and not the mental repetition of the words. Remember, our aim is to know the experience itself.

Once we feel confident in our awareness of anchoring into the rising and falling sensations without mentally labeling them, we can then let go of that part of the practice. Remember, this is not a race, so if you find you’re months (or even years) into the practice and men­tal repetition of the words “rising” and “falling” still helps, then stick with it. There’s no face to be saved here, and anyone who brags about their meditation practice obviously still has plenty of work to do.

As you continue with vipassana, here are a few more things to be aware of:

• Make sure the breath flows naturally. Do not try to control it.

• Be aware of your abdomen moving, but do not visualize it. The experience should be similar to that of a buoy floating naturally up and down in the water. Shit, now you’re going to visualize a buoy during practice, aren’t you? Well, do your best not to and try to let it all be as natural as possible.


• While vipassana is most conducive in a quiet setting during formal practice periods, it can be done anytime and anywhere. Whether you’re sitting at your desk at work, riding on a bus, at the movies, or wherever, anytime you bring your awareness to the natural movement of your abdomen rising and falling, you’re mindful in the moment and thus you’re practicing vipassana.

• Vipassana, or any form of meditation for that matter, will natu­rally cultivate a greater sense of calm, peace, and mindfulness in your everyday life. However, it will take some time, so have patience and be gentle with yourself.

Some people, including myself, have reacted to meditation in the exact opposite way they thought they would. Typically, we expect a sense of peace and calm. Instead of floating in the clouds with Buddha, we may find ourselves mentally clawing our way out of a Freddy Krueger nightmare. For some, painful thoughts and memo­ries may arise, sparking an emotional response that can make for an unpleasant experience. While this is not the case for everyone, it does sometimes happen, so if you find yourself having one of those experiences, do not let it scare you away!

The uncomfortable times in meditation offer us the opportunity to do some truly wonderful work. As we sit and allow uncom­fortable thoughts and emotions to play themselves out, with the understanding that they cannot harm us, we’re allowing healing to unfold naturally. We’re allowing the pain and hurt from days, weeks, months, and even years ago to be released in whatever way our body, and meditative experience, sees fit.

At the conclusion of meditation practice, it is sometimes sug­gested (though absolutely not required) to make an aspiration based on any merit we cultivated during our time spent in quietude, as an offering of peace, love, and harmony to all beings. Here is an example of something simple you can recite (though you can use any words that resonate with you).

May all beings be free from danger.
May all beings be free from mental suffering.
May all beings be free from physical suffering.
And may all beings know peace.

Om

Through the practice of vipassana, we begin to stop associat­ing so strongly with the mental constructs of who we think we are, which allows us to stop taking ourselves so goddamn seriously. We learn to embrace our imperfections exactly as they are and as a part of who we are. We can celebrate the fact that we’re imperfectly per­fect, and together we can make a big mess of our imperfections. So let’s get messy. Let’s rekindle the carefree inner child that many of us have been suppressing for far too long now, because that too is part of being an indie spiritualist—embracing our most authentic selves in a fearless yet lighthearted and carefree way.


Reprinted with permission from Indie Spiritualist: A No Bullshit Exploration of Spirituality by Chris Grosso and published by Beyond Words Publishing, 2014.

Friday, March 14, 2014

All Wars are Bankers Wars

The United States fought the American Revolution primarily over King George III’s Currency act, which forced the colonists to conduct their business only using printed bank notes borrowed from the Bank of England at interest.

After the revolution, the new United States adopted a radically different economic system in which the government issued its own value-based money, so that private banks like the Bank of England were not siphoning off the wealth of the people through interest-bearing bank notes.
But bankers are nothing if not dedicated to their schemes to acquire your wealth, and know full well how easy it is to corrupt a nation’s leaders.

Just one year after Mayer Amschel Rothschild had uttered his infamous “Let me issue and control a nation’s money and I care not who makes the laws”, the bankers succeeded in setting up a new Private Central Bank called the First Bank of the United States, largely through the efforts of the Rothschild’s chief US supporter, Alexander Hamilton.

The Rothschilds Want Iran’s Banks / All Wars Are Bankers’ Wars …
All Roads Lead to Rothschild


All Wars are Bankers Wars



Written and spoken by Michael Rivero. The written version is here:http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTI…

Video by Zane Henry.

This video is in the public domain. The producers have waived their copyright to this video.
Listen to a post production conversation between the producers by clicking on this mp3: https://soundcloud.com/eonitao-state/…

You are welcome to make copies and to distribute this video freely. A free downloader is available here:http://www.dvdvideosoft.com/products/…

THE AMERICAN DREAM

All of us Americans strive for the American Dream, and this film shows you why your dream is getting farther and farther away.Do you know how your money is created?Or how banking works?Why did housing prices skyrocket and then plunge?Do you really know what the Federal Reserve System is and how it affects you every single day?You will be challenged to investigate some very entrenched and powerful institutions in this nation,and hopefully encouraged to help get our nation back on track.

We need your support to continue to fight the lying liars! It is very expensive to make this level of media and we are going to need help to keep making it! “Any donations are appreciated! Please Consider Buying a copy @ http://www.theamericandreamfilm.com/

Donations and sales will help with production costs,further marketing of the film and hopefully will lead to other similar informative Films being made.
THE AMERICAN DREAM Film Website

Banking – the Greatest Scam on Earth

The Greatest Scam on Earth – The Money Scam! The Money Scam is hidden right out in the open, yet buried in complication and confusion. A retired banker describes simply, the world’s Money Scam and the reason every country is now going bankrupt. Private bankers have stolen the money creation process, and whereas once our money was created by the governments, debt-free, it is now created out of thin air and issued as debt with interest charges. In today’s banker controlled world, money = debt, debt = slavery and therefore money = slavery — our monetary systems have become systems of enslavement. Money is created out of nothing, issued as debt, not enough money is created for the future interest payments and inflation steals our savings. The money creation process should be taken away from the banks and given to the governments who can create money debt-free, interest-free. This is how it used to be done and we needed no income taxes. Finally, it is explained what we should do to stop supporting the money scam.

An oldie but a goodie. From the archives. Enhanced sound from original version.

Syria and The Terrorist Governments of the Western World




Max Igan – Surviving the Matrix – September 6th, 2013
http://thecrowhouse.com

Source: http://unitednationsoffilm.com/all-wars-are-bankers-wars/#more-3560

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Consciousness, Psychedelics, & Reality: Graham Hancock’s Discourse Against Materialist Science & Monotheism



http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/03/12/consciousness-psychedelics-reality-graham-hancocks-discourse-against-materialist-science-monotheism/

Graham Hancock is no stranger to modern discourse on the nature of consciousness. Since his early scholarly days he has challenged materialist science with alternative theories addressing mysteries of ancient civilizations, extra-terrestrials, psychedelics, and consciousness. In a recent lecture at the National Arts Club Art and Technology Committee, Hancock continued his controversial examination of the aforementioned topics.

He opened his lecture with a question addressed to famous evolutionist, atheist, and author, Richard Dawkins, probing him on one of atheism’s most imperative conjectures, “How do you prepare for life in a world where there is no God?”

Hancock went on to recite Dawkins’s answer, “You prepare for it by knowing that life is what we have and so you better make it a life to the fullest”. Although he asserted that he couldn’t agree more with the notion of living one’s life to the fullest, Hancock didn’t accept Dawkins’s materialist view which states that consciousness is only a product of electro-chemical brain activity. He believes there is a lot more to consciousness than that expressed from the empty reductionist view point.
“What science is this [opinion] based on? What has [Dawkins] done to prove that there is nothing after death?”

Hancock argues Dawkins’s statement with a bold case, expressing that he is merely stating his “very narrow and very limited ‘religious’ belief”. Dawkins’s belief is just that, an act of faith, because there is no scientific evidence to back up his claim. But nevertheless, a large majority of people still buy into these scientists’ beliefs based on their university credentials.

Last year, Hancock released a TEDx Talk that was subsequently banned due to the subject matter discussed. Hancock elaborated on the reason in his lecture,

“Certainly the brain is involved in consciousness in some vital way, but it’s unclear exactly how and this is the first area that I got into trouble with TED for my brief TEDx Talk which was on their website for a couple of weeks before they took it off. I couldn’t understand why they took it off, but it later became clear that there is a faction of scientists who advised TED who belong to what is called the materialist/reductionist tendency, and they believe that all phenomena can be reduced to matter, and that there is nothing that exists outside of the material realm if it cannot be measured or counted.”
Does the brain create consciousness like a generator produces electricity? Material scientists believe that consciousness is an epi-phenomenon or a miracle or sorts. They understand its development in relation to the Darwinian concept of ‘survival of the fittest’, that our brains evolved to have this consciousness as an advantage over other species. They state that once we’re dead, consciousness no longer exists, and we are simply reduced to matter. “What about near-death-experiences or out-of-body-experiences?” Hancock asks.



To refute this model, Hancock uses the analogy of a TV and its antenna. “The relationship of the brain and consciousness might be more like a TV set and the TV signal. And again, I got into trouble with TED even for suggesting this, but they will say ‘I know consciousness is localized to the brain because when I shut off this area of the brain , this or that area of your consciousness will blink out, and therefore that proves that your brain makes that bit of your consciousness’. But isn’t that true with the TV analogy? If you damage the TV screen, the picture won’t be so good, but that doesn’t mean the signal isn’t there still.”

The Egyptians held strong beliefs about life after death.
To get a clearer understanding of consciousness and life after death, Hancock suggests looking back at ancient civilizations, particularly the ancient Egyptians, who possessed a remarkable model of the afterlife. By studying the intricate and numerous hieroglyphs in the pyramid walls (transcribed today in what is known as the Book of The Dead), one quickly realizes the Egyptians honoured death even more so than life as a large majority of their lives were based around the preparation for death, and that when this time came a soul would face Anubis in a review of their life. The consequences of a person’s life choices were something to reflect on deeply according to the Egyptians. Likewise, the Ancient Egyptians believed in reincarnation – after each life a soul would review lessons learned in the previous life to ensure that they would not repeat them in the next.


Interestingly, Hancock also adds an alternative narrative to the Egyptian civilization which may challenge many people’s beliefs. Referencing the Tibetan Book of The Dead, Hancock revealed their belief that love, ethics, and mediation alone cannot bring one enlightenment. He asserts that the Egyptians used psychedelic plants to access higher levels of consciousness. Famous ethnopharmacologist Dennis McKenna proposes the Tree of Knowledge depicted in engravings was actually a reference to the plant Acacia Nilotica, which contains levels of DMT in its bark. The Egyptians were known alchemists, so this extraction theory should not be considered far-fetched.

Hancock moves his attention to the ancient texts of the Hermetics and the Gnostics, quoting an line from one of the texts, “Man’s duty is not to acquiesce in his merely human state but rather in the strength of his contemplation of things divine to scorn and disguise that mortal part which has been attached to him because it was needful that he should keep and tend the lower world.” This was also a central aspect of the Egyptian texts, that we should not be attached to our material body, that we reach for the ‘heavens’ as a metaphor for our spiritual self.

The Gnostics also were also early opponents of certain sects of Christianity, specifically Catholicism, stating that no ‘God’ would judge another human being, let alone advocate burning someone at the stake. They viewed Christ as a teacher who didn’t actually die for our sins, that we are responsible for our own sins. Another controversial concept from early Gnosticism reveals that the serpent in the story of Adam and Eve was not in fact the devil, for the serpent was trying to tell them about the ‘Tree of knowledge’, and ‘God’ was trying to keep this knowledge away from humans to ensure they wouldn’t attain godly power through this knowledge.  An early Gnostic art piece exposes the Tree of Knowledge for what it actually is, the psychedelic mushroom Amanita Muscaria.


The Gnostics alluded to the ‘Tree of Knowledge’ being
the psychedelic mushroom, Amanita Muscaria.
A faction of the Gnostics called the Cathars who lived in Southern France in the 1100s were surprisingly advanced for their time: they believed in equality for all, influenced the Troubadour music wave, ate mainly vegetarian, promoted universal literacy, and even made their own paper. Unfortunately, anyone who held Cathar/Gnostic beliefs was persecuted by the Roman Catholics in a crusade which took place in the late 1100s. This was largely due to the fact the Cathars saw the Pope as an agent of the devil.

Most monotheistic faiths impose leaders between the people and the divine (i.e., Christianity, Judaism, Islam). These ideological factions talk the talk about peace and love but walk the walk of hatred and suspicion. Hancock makes the daring assertion that it’s these three faiths which are at the root of the world’s problems today.  The state is the next form of segregation which ultimately places the control of our consciousness in the hands of others. States operate on fear, hatred, and suspicion, (war on terror, national security). Hancock addresses the pointlessness of patriotism, asking what its relevance really is. “Why should we be especially attached to someone because they happen to be born on the same piece of land as me? Shouldn’t we be interested in a community of ideas? Shouldn’t we be patriotic to the entire human race? We’ve become a species of amnesia, lulled into a false sense of purpose.”

“There is a war on our consciousness”, Hancock states. It is curious why a natural brain hormone like DMT is a Schedule I drug, yet the ancient Egyptians pegged it as the ‘Tree of Life’.  Shouldn’t we have sovereignty over our own consciousness? Natural mind-expanding plants are categorized as dangerous, yet pharmaceuticals and alcohol kill millions each year. Perhaps Hancock isn’t too far off in his statement.


Hancock presents a strong argument against material science. There is a rigidness within this faction of belief that reduces the unlimited to something finite, something Hancock pegs as a dishonour to the miracle that is consciousness. Hancock also advocates to be weary of both modern and timeworn control schemes (i.e., religion, pharmaceuticals, the state) which aim to suppress the evolution of consciousness, a warning which may trigger the defence of many but stands as a crucial wake-up call to the world. Just as the ancients affirmed, psychedelics must be seen as an important tool in exploring and expanding human consciousness. Perhaps these natural tools truly do hold the key to the advancement of mankind’s evolution.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Edward Snowden: Reforms Vindicate My Classified Data Leaks


AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 10: Edward Snowden speaks via satelite from an undisclosed location during the South By Southwest Interactive Festival at the Austin Convention Center on March 10, 2014 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Gary Miller/FilmMagic) | Gary Miller via Getty Images
 

By Jon Herskovitz

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Former security contractor Edward Snowden, addressing a sympathetic crowd at a tech-heavy event in Austin, Texas, on Monday from a secret location in Russia, said proposed reforms at the National Security Agency show that he was vindicated in leaking classified material.

Snowden, who faces arrest if he steps foot on U.S. soil, spoke via a video link to a packed house at the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) gathering of tech industry experts, filmmakers and musicians. He said the U.S. government still has no idea what material he has provided to journalists.

"I saw that the Constitution was violated on a massive scale," Snowden said to applause, adding that his revelations of government spying on private communications have resulted in protections that have benefited the public and global society.

NSA officials declined to comment on the Snowden remarks.

Last year, Snowden, who had been working at a NSA facility as an employee of Booz Allen Hamilton, leaked a raft of secret documents that revealed a vast U.S. government system for monitoring phone and Internet data.

The leaks deeply embarrassed the Obama administration, which in January banned U.S. eavesdropping on the leaders of friendly countries and allies and began reining in the sweeping collection of Americans' phone data in a series of limited reforms triggered by Snowden's revelations.

Major companies also tightened up safeguards. But Snowden said the efforts are still not enough to protect privacy properly, calling for stepped-up encryption that would make mass government surveillance too costly to conduct.

"The government has gone and changed their talking points. They have changed their verbiage away from public interest to national interest," he said, adding that this poses the risk of losing control of representative democracy.

He said the government's priority has been an expansive and ill-executed system of massive information collection instead of protecting the vast amounts of intellectual property that support the U.S. economy.

"We've got the most to lose from being hacked," Snowden said.

U.S. Representative Mike Pompeo, a Republican from Kansas, wrote to SXSW organizers, calling on them to withdraw the invitation to Snowden, who he said deceived his employer and his country.

"Rewarding Mr. Snowden's behavior in this way encourages the very lawlessness he exhibited," Pompeo wrote.

To many in government and at the NSA, Snowden is a traitor who compromised the security of the United States. But for many at the conference he is a hero who protected privacy and civil liberties.

"To me, Snowden is a patriot who believed that what he did was in the best interests of his country," said Roeland Stekelenburg, creative director at the Dutch Internet firm Infostrada.

Snowden fled to Hong Kong and then to Russia, where he currently has asylum. The White House wants him returned to the United States for prosecution.

(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Leslie Adler)




Monday, March 10, 2014

Jim Willie: We Are Well Past the 11th Hour, The Global Currency Reset Looms!

The Global Paradigm Shift is in full swing. 

The Global Currency Reset is near, better described as the Return of the Gold Standard. The Iran Nuclear Talks will proceed to conclusion, better described as the Petro-Dollar Surrender Talks with nuclear proliferation rider agreements.

The last chance is Gold & Silver, since what comes will be like a mighty storm. In its wake, the only wealth standing will be gold, silver, resource deposits (energy, minerals, water), and farmland.

Time is running low for the many citizens of the United States and the other nations of the world to wake up and benefit from their own epiphanies. It is very late, far past the eleventh hour.

The Global Currency Reset looms.

Click here for the latest Hat Trick Letter on the Global Currency Reset: 

Read more at http://www.maxkeiser.com/tag/dollar-collapse/#XrfmzvfbsIDFKgE5.99

The World Stands and Says: "NO MORE!"




http://removingtheshackles.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-world-stands-and-says-no-more.html
 
Many people are feeling a pause, like the quiet before the storm.  The huge intake of breath that is held in anticipation, with a quickening of the pulse that is the prelude to the adrenaline rush.  It feels as if the world is sitting on the blade of a knife, waiting for the slightest flicker of air to ever so gently brush against it and waft it over the edge of Change.  Many many people stand watching intently to see which way the breeze will blow....

And there are many people who feel the pause like a deadening emptiness that threatens to swallow them whole.  They fear, they doubt, they moan.  To believe in the coming winds of Change is to open themselves to the frigid hazard of being let down again, to have freedom yanked away in icy disdain.... to even hope is too much effort at the end of a very long day.


Society drills us with the admonishment that we are not worthy nor capable of freedom.  Religion and politics teaches us from birth that the only way forward is to be good boys and girls and to listen to our leaders so as to not be punished.  The media surrounds us with propaganda that perpetuates the stereotype of "Normal", and indoctrinates our peers to judge and bully all those in their groups to toe the line, be good, follow the leader, do not question.

But many many many people ARE questioning.  They have awoken to the reality of this Matrix like system that controls the populous with fashion, friends, fear, frenzy, factional faith and fornication.  They are SEEING the real world and the real world problems and the real world answers and they are standing up and saying "NO MORE!!"   At this moment there are literally millions upon millions of people all over this blue planet who are standing up and demanding Truth and Freedom.

One of the things I am told over and over again, is that people are not waking up or not waking up fast enough.  Many rage that "Nothing is Happening", even though it is happening right in front of their eyes.  Many stomp because "IT" isn't happening the way they want it to happen  nor is "IT" following the carefully well thought out schedule that they had arranged.   "Nothing is Happening" has become a litany for those that have no wish to accept that it IS happening.

People ARE waking up.  People are not just waking up, they are standing up and they are standing in their power and saying "NO MORE!!"  The people on this planet are taking up the mantle of NOW and are demanding the truth and demanding their freedom.

No, the Main Stream Media- especially in North America and in Western Europe - are not reporting what is going on all over the world.  Oh, they will tell you about those events that they cannot NOT talk about- like what is happening in the Ukraine and in Thailand and Venezuela. Just as they did not report on Occupy until is was blatantly obvious that they were not reporting on it.  But for the most part, the media is keeping the truth of what is going on very quiet.  The reports are there.... you just have to look for them.   It is the same in the world of politics and finance, the truth is getting out to the people and is being laid transparently on the ground for them to see.... BUT YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR IT!!!   This is why I began Transpicuous News Updates, so that I could publish daily listings of important pieces of news for people to see.

No, the world is NOT sleeping any more.  The alarm clock has gone off, and it's time to get up!

As I said earlier today"If you want CHANGE then you must be the CHANGE you wish to SEE.  Does that mean you have to go out and protest?  That you have to burn cars and throw rotten eggs and scream and yell?   NO it doesn't.   But it DOES mean that you need to take some responsibility for those changes that you want to happen.  It DOES mean that you need to be involved- in whatever way resonates with you- to CREATE CHANGE." 

People in North America are under a heavy blanket of  "See nothing, hear nothing, do nothing".... Yet all around them the world is being taken back by those who are STANDING in their BEing.


The World Is Awake!

Don't believe me?   I have spent the past few days compiling this list that shows just how awake the world has become and how many people are Standing Right NOW.

This Is a list of countries that where people are telling the governments "NO MORE".  This is a work in process as it is no where near complete, but I felt compelled to get it out there for people to see RIGHT NOW.  You will see that many of these places are the most highly controlled military states on the planet... and yet, the people RISE and STAND.

YOU are not alone!  All these people in ALL these "nations" are standing right beside you.  They are BEing the CHANGE.

Please Share this list and make it viral.  Let the people know that they are not alone and that people are standing with them. This list will be available as a separate page on RTS so that it can be easily sent as a link and can be continuously updated.


This is not about fear.  It is about Standing Together.  It is about kNOWing that NOW is the Time to BE the CHANGE.


I would like to hear from you.  Please send me links to news stories covering political protests in your area.



Edited 02/27/14: North America has been updated to the list

Edited 02/23/14:  South America has been updated to the list.


GLOBAL:

World-Wide, Women Rally To Smash Patriarchy And Exploitation
March 9, 2014



http://revolution-news.com/world-wide-women-rally-smash-patriarchy-exploitation/


North America

Canada:


Thousands of people-37 Canadian cities will be marching- anti Harper- March 1/14
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1526986607526959/permalink/1534605130098440/


Thousands join Toronto rally in support of Ukrainian protesters - 02/23/14



http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/thousands-join-toronto-rally-in-support-of-ukrainian-protesters/article17061501/


Put fluoride question on ballot: city committee
http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/2014/02/20/put-fluoride-question-on-ballot-city-committee


Postal workers and activists protest Stephen Harper in Toronto- 02/08/14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD6WdAZfspA


RAW: UNB students protest strike-Students at UNB staged a demonstration against the ongoing faculty strike Friday.- jan 24/14
http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/NB/ID/2432342209/


BC Ferries Protest -01/18/14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZHSHxNvrz4


Fracking protest leads to bigger debate over indigenous rights in Canada- 12/10/13
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/12/10/fracking-protestleadstobiggerdebateoverindigenousrightsincanada.html


Anti-Rob Ford rally at Nathan Phillips Square- 11/15/13
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/11/16/anti-rob-ford-rally-at-nathan-phillips-square


Protesters hold Idle No More rallies across Canada-10/07/13



http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/protesters-hold-idle-no-more-rallies-across-canada-1.1486640#ixzz2uW427znc


USA

100's of students have locked themselves to the White House Fence in an act of civil disobedience, mass arrest is imminent.- March 2/2014

LIVE   http://www.ustream.tv/channel/AmirisLive
http://www.ustream.tv/rootsmedia

Students also doing a die-in outside White House to say #NoKXL MORE>
http://xldissent.org/

Worldwide Wave Launch Gatherings- Apr 4, 2014
https://waveofaction.org/job/worldwide-wave-launch-gatherings/




Students heading to Washington this weekend to protest Keystone XL pipeline- Feb 25, 2014,
http://www.columbiaspectator.com/news/2014/02/25/students-heading-washington-weekend-protest-keystone-xl-pipeline


'WARmerica': Protesters in New York rally against strike on Syria - 02/23/14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdyG5CBc5QY


Americans rising up against government: February 23, 2014
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/02/23/license-plates-guns-news-federal-government-column/5759933/


NATO Protesters Stand with the NATO3, Respond to The Chicago Tribune’s War on Dissent
February 13, 2014
http://revolution-news.com/nato-protesters-stand-nato3-respond-chicagotribune-war-dissent/


There is no more “News” media: 100,000 people protested on Saturday, and we never heard about it.- Feb 10/14



http://bluntandcranky.wordpress.com/2014/02/10/there-is-no-more-news-media-100000-people-protested-on-saturday-and-we-never-heard-about-it/


Thousands Attend Vigils Last Night Protesting Keystone XL- February 4, 2014
http://ecowatch.com/2014/02/04/vigils-protesting-keystone-xl/


Stop Watching Us! International Day of Privacy Protests IDP14- February 1, 2014
http://revolution-news.com/stop-watching-us-international-day-privacy-protests-idp14/


VOA News Khmer American protest in front of the White House- 01/20/14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb-bdKogYf0



Face Time Hundreds march in DC in Anonymous inspired protest- 11/14/13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xACQQzW8xFU



Mexico


65,000 Protest TPP In Mexico, See Repeat Of NAFTA Mistakes- Feb 3/14


http://www.popularresistance.org/65000-protest-tpp-in-mexico-see-repeat-of-nafta-mistakes/


Live Blog: CNTE-SME Mega Marcha – Mexico City-January 31, 2014
http://revolution-news.com/live-blog-cnte-sme-march-mexico-city/


In Mexico’s Michoacan state, spiraling violence- jan 14/14
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/in-mexicos-michoacan-state-spiraling-violence/2014/01/14/ed42bbe2-7d51-11e3-95c6-0a7aa80874bc_gallery.html#item0


Mexican riot police end striking teachers' occupation of city square-sept14/13
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/14/mexico-riot-police-retake-zocalo-plaza


Europe

England:


Stop Water Cannons from Being Deployed on the UK’s Austerity Protests-Jan 30/14
http://revolution-news.com/stop-water-cannons-from-being-deployed-on-the-uks-austerity-protests/

Over 1,000 cyclists stage die-in protest outside Transport for London HQ-Dec 1/13
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2013/dec/01/stop-killing-cyclists-die-in-tfl-protest


50,000 attend Manchester protest against austerity-Sept 29/13


http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/sep/29/thousands-protest-manchester-austerity


Thousands Protest the UK Government's Brutal Austerity- Apr 1/13
http://www.thenation.com/blog/173602/thousands-protest-uk-governments-brutal-austerity#

Ireland:


Tens of thousands protest against austerity- Feb 14/13
http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/6162

Scotland:

Ukip's Nigel Farage mobbed by protesters in Edinburgh- May 17/13
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2013/may/17/ukip-nigel-farage-protesters-edinburgh-video

Thousands attend anti-bedroom tax protest in Glasgow- Jun 1/13
http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/6336

Wales:

Protesters march through Pontypridd over education cuts- Nov 16/13
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-24971561

Germany:

Resistance of Lampedusa in Hamburg Refugees Continues- March 3, 2014
http://revolution-news.com/resistance-of-lampedusa-in-hamburg-refugees-continues/


Germany: Riot police and protesters clash big in Hamburg - Dec 21/13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWwDsPSe7iM


Hamburg: Police Attack Rote Flora demo- Dec 24/13
http://revolution-news.com/hamburg-police-attacked-rote-flora-demo-hh2112/


Thousands in German anti-NSA protest-Sept 8/13
http://phys.org/news/2013-09-thousands-german-anti-nsa-protest.html


Anti-austerity protests: Spain, Germany, Portugal- June 1/13
http://news.yahoo.com/anti-austerity-protests-spain-germany-203305956.html


Spain:

Streets smashed as IMF attend Global Forum in Bilbao- march 3 2014

http://www.tfrnewshub.com/world-headlines/ruptlytv/spain-streets-smashed-as-imf-attend-global-forum-in-bilbao/


Spanish protests over new austerity measures- Feb 16/14

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9413107/Spanish-protests-over-new-austerity-measures.html

Basques march in support of ETA prisoners despite Madrid ban-Jan 12/14

http://rt.com/news/spain-protest-ban-eta-468/

Protesters demonstrate against austerity measures across Spain- Mar 11/13

http://www.dw.de/protesters-demonstrate-against-austerity-measures-across-spain/a-16662588

 Portugal:

Portugal police protest over cuts to pay, benefits- Fri Mar 7, 2014 7:31AM GMT

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/07/353588/portuguese-police-protest-over-pay-cuts/

Portuguese soldiers stage anti-austerity protest- Feb 13/14

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/02/14/350603/portuguese-soldiers-protest-austerity/

Mass protest erupts in Portugal against austerity budget- Dec 20/13

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/833251.shtml#.UwB7m03xvIU


Portugal: Anti-austerity protesters occupy government ministries- Nov 26/13

http://www.euronews.com/2013/11/26/portugal-anti-austerity-protesters-occupy-government-ministries/

Portugal Lived Today. A Million and a Half People In the Streets Against Austerity.-Mar 3/13

http://revolution-news.com/portugal-lived-today-a-million-and-a-half-people-in-the-streets-against-austerity/


 Lisbon: Thousands join anti-austerity march over 2014 budget- Feb 02/14

http://www.euronews.com/2014/02/02/lisbon-thousands-join-anti-austerity-march-over-2014-budget/

Italy:


Italy’s president fears violent insurrection in 2014 but offers no remedy - Dec 17/13

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/ambroseevans-pritchard/100026297/italys-president-fears-violent-insurrection-in-2014-but-offers-no-remedy/

'Pitchfork' protests rattle Italian government - Dec 13/13

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25368433


Italy anti-austerity protesters clash with police in Rome- Oct 19/13

http://www.euronews.com/2013/10/19/italy-anti-austerity-protesters-clash-with-police-in-rome/

Switzerland:

France:

*Police Attack 20,000 French Citizens Protesting Against Airport Notre-Dame-Des-Landes- 02/22/14


http://revolution-news.com/police-attack-20000-french-citizens-protesting-airport-notre-dame-des-landes/
 

 

French conservatives march against government 'family-phobia'- Feb 02/14

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/02/us-france-protests-idUSBREA110AG20140202


Thousands stage anti-government protests in Paris- Jan 26/14

http://www.dw.de/thousands-stage-anti-government-protests-in-paris/a-17388432


 French government suspends ecotax after violent protests - Oct 29/13

http://www.english.rfi.fr/economy/20131029-french-government-suspends-ecotax-after-violent-protests


Tens of Thousands of French Protesters Reject Austerity- May 5/13

http://www.cnbc.com/id/100708805

Greece:


Protests greet Greece's EU presidency - Jan 9/14

http://www.aljazeera.com/video/europe/2014/01/protests-greet-greece-eu-presidency-201418232129222153.html

Thousands of Greeks mark 40th anniversary of student uprising, protest against austerity-Nov 17/13

http://rt.com/news/greece-rally-austerity-protest-872/


Thousands join fresh Greece protests against Golden Dawn- Sept 25/13

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24275978

Wave of Protests Engulfs Greece- Jun 17/13

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/18/world/europe/wave-of-protests-engulfs-greece.html?_r=0

Belgium:

Several Thousands March In Anti-Austerity Protest In Brussels-Feb 21/13

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/tv/several-thousands-march-in-anti-austerity-protest-in-brussels-2149

Austria:

Ukraine:

Bosnia:

Bosnia-Herzegovina hit by wave of violent protests- Feb 7/14

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/07/bosnia-herzegovina-wave-violent-protests

Bosnia's ethnic rivals join forces in protests- Jun 11/13

http://news.yahoo.com/bosnias-ethnic-rivals-join-forces-protests-132007667.html

Serbia:

Poland:

Large demonstration in Poland against government austerity policies-sept 23/13

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/09/23/pola-s23.html

Tens of thousands join march for jobs in Poland- Sept 14/14

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/14/us-poland-protests-idUSBRE98D09I20130914

Hungary:


International protest against criminalization of homelessness in Hungary- Feb 12/14

http://www.reclaiming-spaces.org/2014/02/international-protest-against-criminalization-of-homelessness-in-hungary/

HUNGARY: Protests against increasing Hungary's nuclear power -Feb 03/14

http://www.itnsource.com/en/shotlist//RTV/2014/02/03/RTV030214006/#sthash.Kwe5xI5A.dpuf

Albania:


“Yes, we can say No”- A new chapter in Albania’s protests-Nov 15/14

http://vostokcable.wordpress.com/2013/11/15/yes-we-can-say-no-a-new-chapter-in-albanias-protests/

Belarus:


Belarus Car Owners Flood Into Downtown Minsk to Protest New Tax - Dec 20/14

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-20/belarus-car-owners-flood-into-downtown-minsk-to-protest-new-tax.html

Bulgaria:


Bulgarians to Hold 1st Anti-Cabinet Rally for 2014- Jan 3/14

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=156920


Bulgarian government to resign amid austerity protests- Feb 20/13

http://euobserver.com/economic/119128

Romania:

Montenegro:


Anti-Government Protesters and Police Clash in Montenegro- Feb 15/14

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304315004579385103432404042

Denmark:

Sweden:


Protests Arson Attacks Against Swedish-Eritreans-Mar 23/13

http://www.blackstarnews.com/global-politics/europe/protests-arson-attacks-against-swedish-eritreans.html

Thousands take to the streets for anti-racism protest in Sweden after similar rally marred by neo-Nazi attack- Dec 23/13

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2528252/Thousands-streets-anti-racism-protest-Sweden-similar-rally-marred-neo-Nazi-attack.html#ixzz2tV2EwI6p

Iceland:


Icelanders Overthrow Government and Rewrite Constitution After Banking Fraud-No Word From US Media -

http://guardianlv.com/2013/12/icelanders-overthrow-government-and-rewrite-constitution-after-banking-fraud-no-word-from-us-media/

Russia:


Over Ten Thousand March in Moscow to Support Charged Opposition Activists- Feb 2/14

http://revolution-news.com/over-ten-thousand-march-in-moscow-to-support-charged-opposition-activists/

Russian protesters march as Putin seeks firmer political footing- Jun 12/13

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/12/us-russia-protest-putin-idUSBRE95B0LG20130612




Middle East:

Syria:


No links necessary: just open any news site.


Israel:

‘Half million’ Orthodox Jews rally against military service- March 2, 2014

Bahrain:-

Bahrain forces clash with protesters in al-Daih- 02/27/14

Jordan:

Protesters across Jordan call for social reforms

Saudi Arabia:

Saudis protest government’s discriminatory behavior

  http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/09/28/326560/saudis-protest-govt-discrimination/
 

UAE:

Iran:


Iran: Bakhtiaris clashed with security forces in Isfahan

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/iran-protests


ASIA

Thailand:

Open any news paper or website


Japan: 

Thousands Attend Nuclear Power Protest in Tokyo Japan Ahead of Fukushima Anniversary
March 9, 2014

http://revolution-news.com/thousands-attend-nuclear-power-protest-tokyo-japan/

India:

Pakistan:


Political party calls for Karachi shutdown as protest

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2014/02/08/Political-party-calls-for-Karachi-shutdown-as-protest/UPI-53851391893081/

Nationwide Protests in Pakistan - February & March 2014

http://vimeo.com/86785195

Sri Lanka:

South Korea:


South Korea: A Thousand Buddhist Monks Join Protests Against Election Manipulation - Nov 28/13

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/11/28/south-korea-thousand-buddhist-monks-join-protests-against-election-manipulation/

100,000 South Koreans Protest Election Scandal, Labor Clampdown

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/12/28/photos-100000-south-koreans-protest-election-scandal-labor-clampdown/ 

Afghanistan:

Kyrgystan:  

Kyrgyzstan: After Defeat, Former Osh Mayor Tells Thousands He’ll Return

http://www.eurasianet.org/node/67939

 Kazakhstan:

Police in Kazakhstan have detained a number of demonstrators during an unsanctioned protest rally against the devaluation of the country’s national currency, tenge.

 http://www.presstv.com/detail/2014/02/15/350837/kazakh-police-arrest-almaty-protesters/

Uzbekistan:

Bangladesh :

Bangladeshi opposition parties vow to continue protests as violence mars polls

 http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/05/bangladesh

Myanmar/Burma:

Myanmar protesters call for end to harsh laws

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-05/an-myanmar-protest/5185610

Vietnam:


Vietnam deploys dancers to foil protests

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/vietnam-deploys-dancers-foil-protests

Anti-China protesters gather in Vietnam's capital

Cambodia:- 

 protests unmask anti-Vietnam views  Racially charged slogans are sometimes mixed with opposition calls for more democracy and higher wages.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/01/cambodia-protests-unmask-anti-vietnam-views-2014122101345786547.html 

New protest crackdown in Cambodia Riot police were recently deployed in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh to break up anti-government protests. The crackdowns are part of an escalating standoff between officials and those calling for democratic reform.

http://www.dw.de/new-protest-crackdown-in-cambodia/a-17388999

Cambodia: Security Forces Beat Housing Rights Protesters

http://stratrisks.com/geostrat/17368

Malaysia: 

Mongolia: 

Inner Mongolia detains dozens in Communist party internet crackdown. Chinese regional authorities arrest 52 people for illegally distributing information online and stirring up ethnic tension

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/06/inner-mongolia-internet-crackdown 

Nepal: 

Nepal protests heighten tensions ahead of election

Philippines:

Philippine anti-corruption protests draw massive crowds. $226M of taxpayer money funnelled to legislators' non-existent pet projects

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/philippine-anti-corruption-protests-draw-massive-crowds-1.1401957 

Taiwan:

Tens of Thousands Attend Anti-Government Protest on Taiwan National Day

http://revolution-news.com/tens-of-thousands-attend-anti-government-protest-on-taiwan-national-day/ 

China:


Rioting In China's Restive Xinjiang Region Kills 16 People, Including 2 Policemen

http://www.ibtimes.com/rioting-chinas-restive-xinjiang-region-kills-16-people-including-2-policemen-1509562

China places armed police under military control to manage large-scale riots

http://stratrisks.com/geostrat/17368

Africa

  Somalia-- 

  Nigeria--

  CAR--

  Libya-- 

Protesters raid Libya parliament  demand its dissolution- March 2 2014
14.02.2014 Tripoli. Libya. Protest against extention of GNC mandat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx4_d4nX190

   DRC--

  Sudan--

  Kenya--

  Egypt-- 

  Ethiopia--

  South Africa--

  Mali--

  Zimbabwe--

  Algeria-- 

Algeria police arrest 40 protesters

March 5 2014
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/07/353612/algeria-police-arrest-40-protesters/

 

  Malawi--

  Angola--

  Namibia--

  Botswana--

  Uganda--

  Mozambique--

Tanzania--

South Sudan--

Morocco--

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/morocco/



Niger--

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/morocco/


Ghana--

http://www.apbrebes.org/news/massive-protests-ghana-over-upov-style-plant-breeders-bill



Oceania:

Australia:


March In March Australia 2014: A national protest as a vote of no confidence in the Abbott Government’s policies

http://leesalittle.com/2014/01/17/march-in-march-australia-2014-a-national-protest-as-a-vote-of-no-confidence-in-the-abbott-government/



South America



Argentina:


Malvinas Argentina: Police Repression in the name of Monsanto


http://revolution-news.com/malvinas-argentina-police-repression-name-monsanto/



Peso panic and rocketing prices shake the throne of Argentina's Queen Cristina

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/01/argentina-peso-crisis-shakes-queen-cristina


Argentine Default Chaos Relived as Blackouts Follow Looting

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-23/argentine-default-era-chaos-relived-as-blackouts-follow-looting.html

Bolivia:



Bolivia: children clash with police over child labour

http://www.euronews.com/2013/12/19/bolivia-children-clash-with-police-over-child-labour/


Bolivian protests continue for a 10th day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcUQf-D8Slk

Brazil:


Rio fare protesters seize main station and let commuters travel free

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/07/rio-fare-protesters-seize-main-station-and-let-commuters-travel-free


Brazil-‘Novo Palestina’ land occupation

 http://www.socialistworld.net/mob/doc/6623


 Brazil's oilfield auction fuels protest in Rio

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x168vm6_brazil-s-oilfield-auction-fuels-protest-in-rio_news


"Rio, a showcase for the world"-22/10/2013
The people no longer believe this farce! The fight continues, tomorrow it will be even bigger!

http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/6525

Chile:


 Students clash with riot police in Chile- 29/05/13

http://www.euronews.com/2013/05/29/students-clash-with-riot-police-in-chile/


Colombia:

Ecuador:


4:3 Indigenous women from Amazonia protest against oil drilling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtzaKlDaiP8


Indigenous Women Confront Ecuadorian Government Over Resource Extraction

http://panampost.com/joel-fensch/2013/10/17/indigenous-women-confront-ecuadorian-government-over-resource-extraction/

Guyana:


Protest over wages and salaries continues at the University of Guyana

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9he8jhxhtWM

Paraguay:


Video HD Police violently disperse protests in Paraguay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd8x2JUu4gg


Peru:


Thousands Teargassed: Anti-govt protesters clash with Peru polic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ABigDmthBk


Peru police fire tear gas on protesting students, civil servants

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/04/us-peru-politics-protests-idUSBRE9630RB20130704

Uruguay:


Hundreds Protest Against Uruguay's Paper Pulp Plant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OIHgGoY4b4



Uruguay Protest (Americas)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKTFlCAgzx4

Venezuela:

Thousands of Venezuelans stage fresh rally - March 5/14

Venezuela protests continue despite holiday- 02/28/14


Caribbean:

Dominican Republic:


Protest Against Exploitation of Loma Miranda – Dominican Republic- Feb 1/14

http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2014/2/1/50414/Thousands-rally-in-Bonao-for-Loma-Miranda



Haiti:


Thousands of Haitian people protest US-backed Martelly government

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcUQf-D8Slk