ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVE

The sword

2011-11-28T15:36:00.006+02:00

Selfless love...
My lesson,
my pain,
My downfall!

Loyalty & Devotion...
My pride,
my hope,
My strength!

Passion & Lust,...
My life,
my drug,
My weakness!

All of this melted together in the burning fire within;
Cooled by the ice cold tears without;
Forging my fate, my double-edged sword!

Impossible dream

2011-11-20T20:06:00.001+02:00

Dreaming the impossible dream,
wishing upon a star,
but no use because even though
you are near,you are so damn far!

I so desperately want to reach out,
touch you and feel your warm embrace,
but I dare not express myself unless
I want to stare rejection in the face.

So much longing, so much passion
burning me up deep inside,
but I have to suffer this torture
for there is no place for me to hide.

The Closet

2011-09-25T13:10:00.004+02:00

I often hear your innuendo & your jokes and I smile,
but I know you mean it and inside I cry;
Your secret taste not completely my kind,
but I'm not supposed to know, so banish it from my mind;

I stand next to you and stare at the screen transfixed....
The shocking words in black and white,
the truth staring me in the face and my fears finally
materialized;
To spare your feelings, I don't say a word and pretend
that all is okay. I can almost hear your sigh of relief.

Do you know how much I fucking love you to pretend that all
is okay after staring the reason for my constant
rejection in the face?
Do you know what it does to me as a woman,now knowing
that I can never be what you truly desire?

I guess you will never know!

Defining moments

2011-09-08T00:41:00.011+02:00

From the day we are born till the day we die, certain moments during the course of our lives have a tremendous impact. We don't always realize it, but these moments shape our personalities, it plays a huge part in who we are or who we become.
More often than not, these moments are not pleasant and we try and lock them away in a hidden closet of the mind, instead of accepting them as necessary tools of learning. The moments itself do not define who we are, its what we learn from these moments and how we apply it to our lives, that defines who we are.

My most defining moments so far (a work in progress):

4yrs old.Excited because I can hear the bell of the ice cream man down the road. I go outside with dad and the black man on the bicycle pulls up. Dad lifts me up to look inside the box and I take out a chocolate ice cream. I unwrap the ice cream and see a very big chunk is missing, someone took a bite out of it. I cry, dad looks down and sees the missing chunk. "You gave my child an ice cream that you have eaten? I will teach you a lesson Kaffir" He launches his fist and it lands with a mighty force on the ice cream man's face, blood on his mouth and nose. The man tries to explain that he did not do it, but it falls on deaf ears. He puts up his hands to defend his face as the fists rain down on him even more, blood running down his shirt, staining it red, but he doesn't fight back, because he can't........

That day I saw the face of hate and discrimination for the very first time. I felt so bad about what happened and the fact that the man did not fight back really touched me deeply. I decided there and then that I will not become such an intolerant person and that I will do my best not to hate and discriminate. That moment made me the tolerant person that I am today and whenever I find my tolerance slipping, I remember the man with the bloodied face.

5yrs old. Mom bought a pink lipstick. I watched her putting it on her lips before dad got home. She looked so pretty! As usual, we stood on the veranda, waiting to greet him as a family when he came home from work. He picked us up one by one and gave us each a kiss hello. Mom didn't get a kiss that day. Instead once inside, he called her horrible names because she was wearing lipstick.She tried to tell him that she put it on specially for him, but he was blinded by a jealous rage and was adamant it was to attract other men. She didn't want us to hear the words exchanged and walked to their bedroom, he followed and closed the door. I heard the screams, opened the door and saw him, his back to the door, kneeling over her and hitting her, while she was lying in a defenseless heap on the bed. I ran as fast as my little legs could, jumped on his back and started pummeling him with my tiny fists, screaming at him to get off my Mommy. He threw me off his back and I fell to the floor, but I got up from the floor and jumped him again and again .........After that day, he never hit her ever again.

That day I saw how destructive jealousy can be. How it can cause you to hurt those you love.That moment also proved to me that no matter how small or weak you are, you CAN make a difference in the life of another if you choose to set aside your own fear. That moment has made me become fearless whenever someone I care about, is in danger.

6 yrs old.The smell and taste of warm chips..later, the sun in the sky, the gentle breeze, the beautiful pink and white cosmos flowers surrounding us as we take the family photo next to the road. A few minutes later, the words "I love you daddy" a second later the crash, the blood, their bodies and dad hysterical, asking me to help him.The doctor said she was alive, I called him a liar, I said she was dead. A few days later, I stand next to her bed, she can't talk...she looks deep into my eyes and tears stream down her cheeks while I hold her hand tightly and she closes her eyes for the very last time...

My first taste of loss and misplaced guilt.My childhood ended that day and my responsibilities started. It unleashed the caring, strong adult in me.

8 yrs old. I come home from school. Dad is on the couch looking weird, ill and crying. I run over to him, concerned that he is ill, scared that he is dying. I put a cold cloth on his head, give him pain killers and hold him in my arms, praying out loud that he will be okay. Step Mom comes from work, tells me to leave him, he is only drunk. I asked him if this was true, he nodded his head. I started to cry, berated him for lapping up my sympathy, for purposely feeding my fear that he is dying through his words and actions,but most of all for committing a sin. I locked myself in my room for the weekend, crying, reading the bible and praying for his soul....

That day showed me that we are all human and have feet of clay. That it is unrealistic to put any person on a pedestal, because inevitably there will come a time when they will disappoint and not meet my expectations. It also forced me to look at what motivates people to do the things that they do. That day my analytical nature was born.

9 yrs old. The rickety yellow school bus, the winding dirt road. The black mamba that lived outside the kitchen door, the sound of sun beetles and the baboon spiders in the shade.The waterfall down the road and the make-shift amphitheater...magical place!

This is where my love for nature and all its creatures was first born. Environments like that, is where I long to be and truly belong.

12 yrs old. Got chosen to sing solo in a play and recite poetry too. Excitedly telling the family. Dad says "How on earth did you get chosen? Your voice is so gruff!" I did not know he was joking. I withdrew from the play the next day, never to sing again to this day, not even in the shower......

This taught me the power of words. How something said in innocence can have an impact on a person for the rest of their lives and since then I have made a concerted effort not to say anything that can damage another person's self esteem.

17 yrs old. Home for Xmas. 8pm, lights on in the room,lying on the bed, talking to my stepsister. The shadow above my head takes shape, the woman looks familiar, yet scary. She is trying to tell me something, but I can't hear her, I can't breathe.The more I back away from her, the closer she gets, I let out a scream and she disappears for a second, only to return. I'm hysterical and don't want to sleep in that room. I go to sleep in the spare room, got woken up with him leaning over me, telling me not to be afraid, he has a cloth folded neatly in the palm of his hand, as I was about to scream, the cloth was on my mouth, the smell of chloroform filling my nostrils........

This was not the first time I saw spirits, but this was the first one until then, who tried to verbally communicate with me.This episode taught me to be more open to and less fearful of the unknown and to listen intently for any message.Since that day I value each and every encounter, I heed their warnings and because I do, my life has been saved on more than one occasion. They are my guardian Angels indeed.

18 yrs old. Alone on night duty in the children's ward. No empty beds. Frantic, calling for help, but in vain. The blond haired boy dies in my arms. I continue to hold him, his head on my chest, till the doctor pitches an hour later.......I resigned the next day.

This episode highlighted something that I saw as a weakness in me, the fact that I can't bear to see suffering, pain and death in children and the vulnerable. It is still a great weakness in me and over the years has blossomed into a mighty, intense compassion for the oppressed and weak. So intense, that I can feel the pain and sadness of others as if it were my own. It can be overwhelming at times, but it has helped me to understand people better, to read them and enables me to help them.

19 Yrs Old. Went out to dinner to a pizza place, popped tabs with my friend. Afterwards in the disco, dancing next to the DJ Box. Everything is in slow motion, so tired, sit down on the floor, stare at the many legs around me. Got up to go to the bar upstairs, managed 3 stairs, took forever as the stairs were moving,apparently never made it to the top . Mid morning, opening my front door, two days later, still dressed in the same clothing, no clue where I've been or what I've done.........

This was a huge wake up call for me.From that day onwards, self control became extremely important to me. I've been a total control freak ever since.

21yrs old.The stars in the sky, the smell of sulfur in the air. The ruins, the magical atmosphere, the ritual.The night I bought my freedom with my soul...

This night showed me how powerful magic can be and what lengths a person can go to, to obtain freedom, but I soon realized afterwards that true freedom for freedom's sake is not freedom at all, as freedom can only exist in the heart and mind and even then its not always complete freedom.

22yrs old. Its 1am, standing on the peer watching the fishermen reeling in yet another baby shark.The moon shines on the incoming tide.The young would be thieve comes running down the pier, he stops in his tracks next to me,our eyes meet for a minute. The naked fear and pleading in his eyes. He looks over his shoulder, sees his pursuer and jumps off the pier into the turbulent waters. He can't swim,yet he jumped. He looks up at me, looks straight into my eyes.He doesn't struggle, doesn't try to swim. The fear in his eyes, replaced with calm and acceptance,holding my gaze, before his head slowly disappeared under the water for the very last time..

This man's death, the manner in which he died, his calm acceptance of the inevitable had a profound effect on me. It made me realize that no matter what, no matter how desperate we are, our actions will have consequences and that its better to accept responsibility for our actions than try to escape them, cause inevitably, we pay for our actions sooner or later, in some way or or another.

23 yrs. Its 1 am, a bitter cold winters night. I sit on a couch close to the entrance, when "Poppie" opened the glass door. She is tall and skinny, wearing skin tight lycra pants and a revealing top, she is shivering from the cold. Its the first and only time I saw her. She got as far as 2 steps through the doorway when her husband stopped her. He asked her to hand over her money, which she quietly did. He counted it and swore and her, telling her how useless she was, telling her to get out and not come back until she brings him R1000. Tears streamed down the once beautiful, now weathered face. She told him she was tired, hungry and cold, but he roughly pushed her out the door. She called to her son, begging him to let her in, but he followed his dad's lead and swore at her instead.Never mind that she sold her body to put him through University! They sat down in their expensive chairs, smoking their expensive cigars,drinking their expensive whiskey, talked and laughed as if nothing happened. I got up and walked out the door, never to return. Later they would get into their expensive cars and drive to their luxury homes while "Poppie" was walking the beat to bring that R1000 home to feed their greed. Although I only saw her for a few minutes and never spoke to her, I still often think of her, I often cry for her and I will never forget her!

This showed me the raw, ugly side of human greed. How money can pervert and hurt. How it can turn love into abuse.How it opens doors for some, but only by shutting the door in the face of another.That is the day I started hating money with a passion!

25 yrs. Intense pain, but soon forgotten when I see the bundles of joy......

The day I was a participant in the miracle of life and for the first time felt unconditional love for another. The day I decided to become a more responsible person.

38 yrs. Looking down at the face I love and hate. Seeing the fear in the eyes. If I help, my pain remains, if I don't it all goes away. As tempting as it was, I chose to keep the pain.....

This day I consciously chose to make selfless love my life path.

44yrs old. Recognized you as you walk through my door. Been waiting for you my whole life!

For the first time in my life, I felt complete. I discovered that you can indeed love more than one person and that there is nothing wrong with it. It has also taught me that we can't always have what we want and that every moment is to be appreciated and treasured for what it is and as if its our last.

44 yrs.Opening the door and she is not there.The panic, the frantic thoughts, the naked fear. Getting dark and still not found.Later, begging, pleading on the phone, let me save you! Dying a thousand deaths a second until you told me where you could be found...

The first time I met naked fear. I realized then that love is not always enough, but prayers are answered if you truly believe.

45yrs.In hospital with dad.

From diagnosis to his death, he has proved to me that no matter how we have lived or lives, how we die makes all the difference and standing alone is okay. The last year of his life reinforced within me, all the good things that he has taught me as a child and helped me to finally master that illusive one, aka forgiveness.

I wonder?

2011-08-27T20:45:00.004+02:00

I sit alone and wonder...
Where you are and what you are doing;
Do you think of me for a fleeting moment
or are you having too much fun?

I don't say a word and ask no questions,
but I wonder if you know that I worry?
That I only fall asleep once I hear your
footsteps as I then know that you are safe.

I sit alone and wonder...
Where you are and what you are doing;
Do you wish I was there with you
or are you glad I'm not as I will only cramp your style?

I don't say a word and ask no questions,
but I wonder if you know that I am very lonely?
That I'm trying my best not let you see
what your cold and distant nature is doing to me.

I sit alone and wonder...
Where you are and what you are doing;
Do you sometimes miss my touch
or are you relieved to be on the couch?

I don't say a word and ask no questions,
but I wonder if you know that I'm slowly dying?
That to me friendship has never been enough
and that I've stopped long ago even trying?

I sit alone and wonder...
Where you are and what you are doing;
Do you really still truly love me
or have I become a comfortable habit?

I don't say a word and ask no questions,
but I wonder if you know that I do care?
That the lack of passion, love and affection
has finally pushed me to look for it elsewhere?

I sit alone and wonder...
Where you are and what you are doing;
Do you know why I chose to do what I do
or do you still see it as me having fun?

I don't say a word and ask no questions,
but I wonder if you know that I have a deep regret?
That I've always needed passion like I need the air I breathe
and that the lack thereof makes me wish that we've never met?

I don't need a companion;
I don't need a friend;
I'm loyal and despite everything,
will always be with you till the very end;
But I ask you with tears in my eyes,
please be more kind to my fragile heart,
the lack of passion, love and affection is tearing it apart!

Naked truth

2011-08-13T18:55:00.006+02:00

Your words cut like a knife,
hurting me so fucking deeply,
because its the naked truth!

I'm truly heart broken.
I've always done my best to shield you
from the ever present danger
and have made a point of keeping
my secrets well hidden,
why couldn't he do the same?

If only I can explain, tell
you how it really is,but I can't!

In your eyes I'm a weakling, a coward
to the very end, but my girl how
wrong you are in that regard!
You have no idea what I go
through daily to protect you!
How strong I have to be to endure
what I do!
If only you could understand the
real danger and know that my inaction
is way better than the alternative!

I now know that in your eyes I'm
nothing and a disgrace to women
the world over and I can understand
your disgust and the fact that you
have lost all your respect for me.

That is something I will have to live with for the rest of my life!
Oh how I wish I can go back in time!

I just hope that you learn from my mistakes
and don't make choices that you will regret
for the rest of your life, cause believe me,
its absolute torture to live a life full of
regrets and pain,I should know!

I admire you standing your ground and speaking
from the heart, I just wish I could do the same
so you can understand how it really is, but I can't!
Telling you would place you in danger!

So,continue to hate me for now and when the time
is right and I know you are truly safe, I will set the
record straight and maybe then you will see things in
a different light.

I'm keeping you in the dark to protect you,
because you are my life, I love you so much!

Standing alone

2011-07-21T16:29:00.001+02:00

You gave me life,
You taught me to be proud but also humble,
to be kind and gentle,
to turn the other cheek........
You taught me to be strong and to have faith,
to work hard and to never give up!
I want to thank you for that today!

We didn't always see eye to eye I know
and to the very end I never said the words
you so desperately needed to hear, because
I was too grown up, too stubborn, too proud!
Maybe Im just trying to make myself feel
better,but when we spoke for the very last
time, your eyes told me that you knew.

Despite the death sentence handed to
you, despite the suffering and pain you
went through, you kept your faith,
you remained strong and dignified and
you never gave up!

You have my utmost respect and admiration!
In your suffering and death, you have yet again
taught me a valuable lesson in life.........
That standing alone, is not such a bad thing after all!

I love you and miss you so much!
There.....I've finally said it!
Too late, I know!

The empty shell

2011-07-21T15:54:00.003+02:00

Thought things would be different,
that I'd finally be able to breathe,
but wishful thinking!
I was so stupid, so naive!

Nothing has fucking changed!
I'm still the host and you the leech!
When will it end?
When I have no more to give
or when I finally get the guts to leave?

Will my empty shell be tossed aside
or will it be set on the mantelpiece with pride?

Everyday I die a little more
wishing for it all to end,
but no such luck,
you still have to be fed!

I chose this path so I
have to play the game.
I just hope that when the final whistle blows,
all this pain will not have been in vain!

Nowhere Land

2011-06-29T16:11:00.001+02:00

So lost in Nowhere Land
Not here and not there;
Stuck in the middle,
being torn in two!

Cruel Time and Fate
Why now, why the long wait?

Tears when looking at you;
Tears when thinking about you;
Tears of joy and utter bliss;
Tears, constant tears,
cause you are the one I miss!

More than just lust;
More than just love;
More than just pain;
More than life itself!

No words can describe the intense
feelings that I have for you inside!

The Parallel World

2011-04-02T20:08:00.009+02:00

The day before you came
Going through the motions........
breathing, eating, working, sleeping...existing;
The mundane, the safe and the norm;
Content with what I have,
accepting that which is lacking;
Compromise, grayness, darkness.....
speckled with the occasional shooting star,
which while exciting, ultimately ends up
illuminating the reality of life;

Half human, half soul, incomplete...
The hunger, the ache for don't know
quite what.......
To fill the void, to be complete;

Then out of the blue,
something happens that
tears a tiny hole in the fabric
of my reality, introducing
me to the parallel world.....

Stepping through the door
The dark hair and eyes
I instantly recognize;
The handsome face
Seen before in a far away place;

Was it in a previous life
or perhaps in a dream?

These thoughts raced
through my head,
when we first met.

But it mattered not.
All that was important,
was that I have again
found that which I have lost.

Pulse racing, mouth dry,
So happy I could cry!

The very first touch,
transported back in time,
reliving sensations so sublime

Had a peek, time to withdraw,
So I quickly shut the door;
Knowing, yet to scared to see,
what waits on the other side for me...

Stolen Moments

2011-03-23T00:08:00.003+02:00

Living for the stolen moments in time,
when transported on the wings of desire;
The precious hours, minutes, seconds
so fleeting, but yet so enduring,
Forever Imprinted on the senses and in the mind;

The sparkle in the eyes, the lips, the smile;
The smell & texture of the skin and hair;
The lines of the face, body and hands;
The shape of the fingers;
The scent & heat;
Skin on Skin,
exploring,drinking it all in!

Drinking from the fountain of lust,
hoping to quench the thirst.
Knowing the water is the poison,
that fuels this insatiable need,
but drinking from it is a must!

Tasting the sweet kiss of obsession,
surrendering and letting go,
needing to take possession
and to be possessed,
not wanting to take it slow!

The sweet poison coursing through the veins,
feeling the intense ache it leaves in its wake,
at times almost too unbearable to take,
but yet the torturous craving remains!

Pale noon

2011-03-13T01:29:00.003+02:00

Ego ruling your life,
thriving on strife;
Limelight your drug,
always so smug;

Words your weapon;
Bravado your shield;
Offense your thrill;
Pretense your mask;
Insecurity your heart;

Anger & violence your food,
making you feel so good

Affection your pet hate,
a tool to manipulate;
Tenderness your fear,
not letting anyone near;

Competition your greed;
Recognition your need;

Power your addiction;
Napoleon complex your affliction,
but the wise understand and pity your condition!

Free Falling

2011-01-29T10:08:00.003+02:00

Round and round it goes
spinning out of control,
going with the flow...
Non-Action?

Caught in the vortex of life
holding on tight to the unseen,
the unspoken,the nothingness....
Accepting?

The force of gravity almost
tearing you from limb to limb,
the pain excruciating, extreme.
The drug?

The ground once in the distance
advancing at lightening speed,
yet accepting and waiting for impact.
Perchance to feel?

~Andrea

"By taking no action is not meant folding up one's arms and closing one's mouth. If we simply let everything act by itself, it will be contented with its nature and destiny."~Kuo Hsiang

"Men are born soft and supple; dead, they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry. Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death. Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail. "~Tao Te Ching, 76

Choices

2010-12-26T00:13:00.008+02:00

Choices made,
thought to be so right,
look different in the daylight.

Freedom or enslaved?

When the line blurs
between love and hate;

Is it the hand of fate?

The outcome both know,
deep within the cell memory,
but what to do this time around?
Let it play itself out like before or
choose to once and for all, end it all?

Choices..make believe power?

Knowing that no matter what,
the next life will just be a repetition
until the lesson is finally learned!

The Smoke

2010-12-25T23:45:00.004+02:00

Like smoke in the wind
obscuring the sight,
dimming the light,
choking the air,
killing the life.....

Next time around,
this fire will not be lit
and peace will be found!

~Andrea

Stiched Heart

2010-12-09T01:31:00.004+02:00

When the heart is broken, torn in two,
what is a person to do?

Mend it with a thread of make belief;
Try and ignore the deep seated grief;
Dull the pain with happy thoughts;
Pretend not to have any remorse;
Puposely try to still every thought;
Denying what is really sought;

Hope and pray that the stitches will hold.
lest the truth be faced and told !

The walls

2010-11-21T16:03:00.001+02:00

The walls are slowly closing in,
suffocating in extreme,making it so fucking
difficult to breathe..
The pain so much,so fucking deep..
How much more?
How much longer before
I can finally go home?
How much longer do I have to be strong?
How much longer do I have to feel so deeply?
How much longer before the propped up walls of my heart
fall apart and it all comes spilling out?
How much longer do I have to keep it all
buried so damn deep inside?
Always have to be strong,not show emotion.
Have to be a solid rock,keep it all together,
for the benefit of others,
When inside I'm crying, Im slowly dying, Im fucking
tearing apart..how fucking long before I can go home?

I look at this world full of strangers,
always taking, always needing, always scheming..
How much more must I give,how much more will they take?
Take, take , take..no fucking reciprocate...

No place to run to,no fucking escape from the pain,the
cruelty and sadness of this fucked up world..
My mind once the sanctuary, now nothing more than a
mirror reflecting what I'm trying so desperately not to see.

When will it be enough? When will I be free?
When will karma finally be repaid?
I don't fucking belong here, I don't want to be here.
I want to go home!

The Spell

2010-11-16T21:33:00.002+02:00

Like in a trance I stumble along.
I can't think straight,
can't concentrate!

Thoughts of you consume me,
day and night, night and day,
can't think clearly!

The constant aching,
for your touch and more,
what cruel fate!

Pictures of you come alive,
the butterflies dance,
what sweet torture!

At the sound of your voice,
shivers down my spine,
will I be strong this time?

I'm under your spell!

The Remedy?

2010-10-27T23:06:00.007+02:00

Speaking, meeting.................touching........
Wishing, wanting...................needing..........
Craving, lusting......................feeling............
Dreaming, seeing.................. aching.............
Withdrawing, suppressing ...............healing?

Lost in Lust

2010-10-24T12:39:00.007+02:00

One look
that's all it took.....
Danger recognized,
but like a moth drawn to the flame.
This lust is driving me fucking insane!

The voice like music to the ears,
soothing and quelling all my fears.....
Never been so weak in all my years!

Surfing the wave of passion,
seeing the many dangers ahead......
Regaining control is a must,
but hopelessly lost in lust!

The Circle

2010-10-16T22:40:00.005+02:00

The endless race,
to be in first place...
Not realizing that first is last.

The endless search,
for love sublime....
Not realizing that the love is lust.

The endless hunger,
that needs to be fed....
Not realizing that the need is greed.

The endless ambition,
to climb up the ladder........
Not realizing that up is down.

The endless dream,
of having more and more......
Not realizing that more is less.

The endless darkness,
that you push away....
Not realizing that push is pull.

The endless wishing,
to get that special thing....
Not realizing that to get is to loose.

The endless quiet,
that silence brings......
Not realizing that silence is noise.

The endless desire,
for a life full of excitement......
Not realizing that full is empty.

The endless stress,
that is eating you up.....
Not realizing that eating if feeding.

The endless pretend,
for appearance sake....
Not realizing that appearance is disappearance.

The endless jealousy,
to possess and to keep.....
Not realizing that to possess is to dispossess.

The endless fear,
of loosing that which you have....
Not realizing that loosing is gaining.

The endless journey,
of trying to fit it all inside the square box,
Not realizing that the square box is a circle!

~Andrea

Crossing The Line

2010-09-20T21:42:00.005+02:00

Always in total control,
now for the first time led..

Crossing the line.
When fantasy becomes reality.

Knowing it is wrong...
Still not to late to take control,
but choosing to surrender instead.

Allowing the fuse to be lit.
Feeling the heat, fanning it.
Knowing that this fire can cause hurt.

Fear mingles with lust..
Resolve and common sense pushed aside.
The hunger can no longer be denied..

Like a junkie aching for a shot..

Crossing the line.

The infusion of the forbidden,
injecting the craved life force,
gives wings to the restless soul...

Transported to Utopia...
To feel truly alive,
perchance to breathe...
Wishing for time to stand still.

The explosion inevitable.
The wings once again clipped.
Back to the land of time and fate,
guilty feelings and of love and hate.

Yet a small piece of Utopia is now ingrained.
Wave upon wave of tremors still reverberate,
stoking the embers that keep this hunger alive.

Crossing the line.
Yes, a moment of weakness and escape.
But I'd gladly turn back the hand of time,
to once again relive ecstasy so sublime!

~Andrea

PC Hell week..nuttypiano driving me nuts!

2010-08-31T10:06:00.007+02:00

I was looking forward to spending the past weekend relaxing and working in my garden,
but that never happened because last week was the start of hell week....

Wednesday evening.
PC Number1...........
First, onWednesday evening, my one pc started acting up, giving me endless "delayed file write" errors and rebooting.
I managed to sort it out by disabling cache on the disk drives. The "delayed file write" errors disappeared,but other errors started popping up, pc freezing up and rebooting willy nilly. I knew there were no viruses on the pc since I make a habit of scanning regularly,but scanned it again just to make sure. Nothing was found. I then decided to get Chkdisc to run a scan and repair errors on the C drive. Well, the scan would stop at the same spot each time and and inform me that there has been an "unspecified" error. Obviously my C-drive was corrupt and I knew I had to reformat.
Thank goodness I keep back ups of almost everything, including drivers, cause with the constant rebooting, it was impossible for me to copy anything on the pc to an external drive. I tried to copy some files that I wanted to back up,but no luck. A reformat was definitely needed and which I eventually did on Friday night.

This was just the beginning of hell week! lol

Thursday morning.
PC Number 2..........
On Thursday morning at work,I got a phone call from a prospective client who wanted a quote for redesigning his company's website. I told him that in order for me to give him a quote, I will have to have a look at his website first, to see what needs to be done, the size and format of the site.
He gave me the link and I told him I would phone him back in a few minutes.
When I opened his website and clicked on a link to one of his pages, my anti-virus went haywire and a Google warning page also came up on the second page. I immediately aborted the connection and phoned the client to tell him his site is infected with malware. He replied that he knows about this! I was so fucking pissed off! He knew about it, yet did not see the need to tell me of this!

After my conversation with him, I connected to the internet and wanted to go check my emails, but my pc froze up completely. I had to manually reboot and once again pc froze up everytime I tried to open any program or connect. I then knew that one of the viruses on that guy's site somehow slipped passed my anti-virus! I scanned, anti-virus found a few viruses and I moved them to the virus chest. When I rebooted again later,the damn pc froze up again! I then went into safe mode, disabled most start up items and ran an Anti-Virus boot scan. This time I caught the fucker and locked him up for good! The bastard had attached himself to a system file,that's why everytime I rebooted, he came back wrecking havoc on my pc again. After hours of wrestling this virus, my pc was healthy again and I was very relieved.

Friday morning
Now the fun and games truly began!
I received a notification from Google that my webdesign website is infected with malware and Google labelled it in bright red, for all to see, as an attack site!
I had no fucking clue how my site got infected and started going through the process of hunting for malicious code in my site's files. Since it is a wordpress site, there are many,many files to go through. I decide to log into my Google webmasters tools account to see if they can at least tell me on which page they found this code, as it will save me a lot of time if I at least know where to look! Well this is where this turns into a major nightmare............Google did not tell me on which pages this code was found and only told me the name of the virus (nuttypiano), but what I saw next, was much worse.........
In my Webmaster account I have listed all my personal sites as well as all the sites I have designed for clients. I got the shock of my life when I saw all the red warnings in there!
24 of my sites got hacked and injected with malicious code! 24 Sites have been labelled as attack sites by Google! How the hell could this be possible?How could this have happened?

I immediately thought that hackers attacked the servers of the 2 hosting companies where these sites are hosted. It is the only thing that made sense. I notified the hosting companies,but they insisted that their servers are secure and that the hack is via the websites itself and not server side.
Now how the hell did these 24 sites get hacked? They are all in different formats. Some are html sites, others are Wordpress sites, others are Ecommerce sites, Community sites etc, etc. So it can't be a platform vulnerability that caused this problem. So, if its not a platform problem and not a server problem, then how the hell did they manage to hack all these sites?

Well my friends, let me tell you how these bastards accomplished this.
Remember that virus that attached itself to my system files on my 2nd pc?
Well, what it does, it scans your pc for ftp programs and ftp login details.
Now since I maintain many sites, each with its own ftp login details I, just like most other designers, store the ftp login details inside the ftp program itself. It makes things much
easier when you already have the details saved in the program as you just have to click
connect and you can start working.
So what happened is that upon entering my pc, the virus quickly scanned my pc for ftp program and collected my ftp login details and immediately sent it to an external server. (This must have happened in a matter of a minute or less, since I disconnected from the internet after my anti-virus went haywirwe.) I was not connected to my ftp program at that time.

Then from this external server, the attacks took place via ftp logins to the respective servers of my sites and my client's sites. The attack invloves injecting code onto the server files, in particular the files in the server's 'install' folder and "includes' folders, but also into all other server java files. Once these files have been injected with the malicious code, then from there, code then gets injected into the webpages and all java files of a website. At least thats what I think happens.

I only realised that the server files were injected, after spending 24 hours deleting malicious code off one website, only to see it reinjected again immediately.
I then went onto the server and inspected each server file and this is how I found out that the code gets injected into the server files as well.
I cleaned out the code on the server files, changed my cpanel and ftp login details and then cleaned the website files again. This time it remained clean. I then notified the hosting companies and asked them to check their server files, because it is pointless I clean the site's files and then the server files just reinfects the clean pages again.
Whilst initially they were adamant that their servers are secure, now they actually listened to
me and made a point of checking their server files.Sure enough, I was right, they found the code hidden in all types of files and removed it from their server files. This was on Sunday afternoon.
So now I could continue the tedius job of manually removing code from the files and pages of these 24 infected sites, confident that reinfection will not occur. I spent the entire weekend and so far every day and night this week as well, removing malicious code from the sites.
Some of the sites are massive sites, with one of them having more than 200 web pages and literally thousands of other files , another 2 of them are big Ecommerce sites etc etc.....
so I really have my work cut out for me!
3 Subscription sites also got very badly damaged and it is going to take me a good few days to repair the damaged done on those 3 sites.

I have managed to restore some of the sites from backups, eg some of the html sites and some of the wordpress sites,but even so, I still had to edit all config files and settings files to reflect new server login details. I also had to update and repair databases that got damaged because of this damn hack. Some sites could not be restored as the clients have admin access and their sites are updated daily, so restoring these sites back to before the attacks took place, would have resulted in a lost of content. These sites I have to clean manually, file by file.........and we talking thousands of files on each site!

I have so far managed to clean 19 sites, working almost day and night on fixing them.
My damn shoulders are sore and the muscles are burning, aching.....
When this is over, I am going to need a major massage!

Tween Porn = exploitation or freedom?

2010-08-11T14:25:00.014+02:00

I was in such a positive mood today and things don't generally get me down, but there are just some things that affects me in a very bad way....
I'm sitting here sick to the stomach over something that has become the norm and I suppose tolerated,if not ignored by society at large...
We tend to choose our battles and if something does no affect our lives directly, we tend to look the other way.


I am involved in quite a few different ventures,some of them adult related.
So I would not call myself a prude at all, far from it, I am no saint and my philosophy in life is "live and let live".
I do not see anything wrong with regards to sexual preferences,
fetishes or acts, provided it is by mutal consent and the people involved are adults.

A person sent me a link today, to a webcam profile that he has on a "model" site and he wanted my comments/feedback regarding his profile pics, videos etc.
Although his profile is very explicit, I do not see anything wrong with him doing webcam shows for renumeration as it is his body and his choice.
So after having a look at his profile,I looked at the profile photos of other "models"listed on the site's front page.Most of them are very handsome and many look like they are in their early twenty's.

At the bottom of the page,there was a webmaster affiliate link and out of curiosity I clicked
on the link. I should not have done that!

The "niche" sites on offer to webmasters,were predominantely sites with "tween" boys!
Already feeling sick,just by looking at the thumbnail pics of the sites on offer,one thumbnail
image in particular drew my attention. It showed the boy's face and he looked so angelic, so
innocent and being a sucker for punishment, I off course had to click on that damn link!
When I opened his site, I couldn't help but cry...on the site it says he is 19 years old, but I seriously doubt it,he looks way younger than that.
Here is a young boy, looking alot like my own son,probably his age or younger, selling his body,
posing for the camera, smiling wide and in some photos even seductively,
yet the eyes tell a different story. The eyes are dead...like the soul has been ripped out completely...replaced with a hint of pain and lots of nothingness.

I know child and tween pornography and even trafficking is nothing new and it is virtually
impossible to put a stop to it because the predators of society make up the majority.
If this was not so, then child pornography and trafficking would not be such a big hit on
the net and in real life. I normally do not look at sites such as these.
I prefer not to think about it,prefer not to see the exploitation,because to witness and
acknowledge what is happening to the children of the world, is to admit complicity for not
doing anything to remedy the situation or at the very least, try to remedy the situation.
But today I allowed myself to look into this reality and although it made me sick to the
stomach and I am very upset, I am glad that I did click on that link.
It affirmed to me that I am doing the right thing by being so protective over
my children and it also made me realize that I should not only concentrate on protecting
my own children.I should be doing more for the children in my local community as well.

These days,with the rapid advancement in technology,children have become easy targets for
money hungry companies/individuals and sexual predators.These greedy, sick bastards are
stealing the innocence of children and are making it increasingly difficult for parents
to cover and protect all bases with regards to bringing up their children to be confident,
self respecting individuals who can distinguish between what is right and what is wrong.

Take for instance TV programs and movies.It is a standing routine in my household, to
watch new dvd releases on a Sunday. We have been doing it for years and it has always
been fun to lie on the couch,watch movies and stuff our faces with food..a nice,relaxing
lazy day.But I find that nowadays, it is becoming more and more difficult to find any movie,
that does not have explicit sex or hardcore violence in it. Lately, almost every week, I
have to send the kids off to bed halfway through a movie (eg a comedy that is marked no
age restriction or an age restriction of eg 13) because of explicit, sexual scenes or
obscene violence in the movie. Although my kids are teenagers, I feel that the explicit
sex scenes in movies,reinforces the idea that casual sex is cool and it also trivializes
the sex act altogether. Furthermore,even though I am very liberal minded and I discuss
sexuality and related topics,openly with my children,I do get embarrassed and feel
uncomfortable when as a family we watch a movie and there is explicit sex in the movie.
Maybe it is selfish of me to send them off to bed, even at their age, but to me it is
about respect as well. How on Earth can a person watch explicit sex acts with the children
present, regardless of age? Guess I am not nearly as liberal as I like to think I am!
For example, the other day we watched a new release where William Dafoe was the main
star. It was a drama/thriller and I can't remember, but I think the age restriction
was 13. In anycase, the movie starts showing the husband and wife in some sort of
embrace.The camera zoomed in and for a minute I thought I was imagining things..I
was frozen in shock for a second or two before I realized what I saw was not my imagination!
By then it was too late and the kids saw it too...I immediately ordered them out of
the TV room. Do you know what showed in those few minutes of the movie? It showed
William Dafoe's dick going inside the "wife". It was not blurry, it was not "soft
porn'. It was hardcore penetration and this on a movie with a low age restriction!
As I said, I am no prude and I also watch porn now and again,but I found the rest of
the movie to be absolutely disgusting.IMO it can quite easily put any person off sex
for the rest of their lives!But then again,I am probably wrong as it seems that the
more disgusting, the more violent and debasing a movie is, the more popular it is
with the general public. It sure is an indication of how much we as a "civilization"
have "advanced" over the past few years!

Okay and while I am on the subject of pornography.I find the fact that our local
channel E-TV starts advertising their porn infomercials after the 10pm news, totally
inappropriate and even criminal.Many children are still up at that time and so are
bombarded with these porn infomercials.I do not think that porn,not even soft porn,
should be shown or advertised on general tv channels,but should rather be on dedicated,
pay channels instead.When E-Tv started their porn movie slots a few years ago, it was
always late at night, around 12pm and only on Saturdays and Fridays which IMO was
better as most kids are at sleep by that time.Now these informercials are flighted
early in the evenings and sometimes during the week as well.

I have to say, although Apartheid was a horrible institution, I can understand the
reasons that were behind the many restrictions placed on us as Citizens. For instance the
restrictions on the porn industry etc.We hated the fact that we were controlled, but
lets face it,certain "freedoms" enslave us even more...the only difference is that
we now "freely" choose to be be enslaved by others,we "freely" subject our children
to this slavery as well and we "freely" follow the herd into the abyss.

Faith Healing

2010-08-10T12:43:00.006+02:00

The term faith healing always seems to be met with polarized views.
People either believe that faith healing is real or they think that it
is nonsense. There does not seem to be a middle ground..
I guess it is because, as implied by the name,
it is based on a religious belief and as such, it is only natural
for the non-religious person or for the scientific minded person,
to see it as hogwash.. as an impossibility.

My view is slightly different I guess....

I come for a very religious background,where the vast majority of my
family members are preachers.
I grew up witnessing faith healing on a regular basis. I've seen people
who could not walk,getting out of wheelchairs,I've seen people who could
not hear, hear again..to name but a few "miracles".
At that stage of my life, I off course believed that it was God,who through
the preacher/healer healed those people.
But,as I reached my late teens,I started to notice how these "Instruments of God"
were anything but what they seemed to be.
They were not always living their lives in accordance with what they preached.
They were just as fallable as me or any other human being. To me this came as
shock..the blinkers were now off. Yes I know, one is not supposed to look at the
messenger, but rather the message itself..but I see things in a different light.
Cut a long story short,this realization amongst
other things, made me turn my back on the Church and
formal religion, when I left high school.

Even though I turned my back on formal religion and even though I know that it
was not the "Instruments of God" who did the healing that I witnessed so often,
I still believe that all those "Miracles" I saw were real, I know that they were
real as I knew the people who got healed. So I know there was no pretend.

But who or what healed those people?
I know that it certainly was not the persons who prayed for the ill people.
Did God himself heal those people?
I do believe in a higher power,but I am of the view that each person on
Earth also has the "God Essence" within himself or herself.
We have such a tremendous amount of power within us, yet mostly unexplored..
not to mention the fact that even the most intelligent person does not come
close to tapping into the potential of the human brain...

So in my opinion, I do not think that an external God, heals the people.
I believe that we heal ourselves. I believe that when a person goes for
faith healing, he/she does so, with the firm believe that he/she will be
healed. If the belief is real strong, then that person will heal himself/herself
when the preacher/healer prays for him/her.Conversly, if the person does
not have a strong enough faith and doubts that he/she will be healed, then
healing will not take place.
IMO that's why some people get healed and others don't.

So I guess my view is somewhat in the middle...
I do believe in the validity of faith healing in so far as that faith can
heal,but I do not believe that it has anything to do with a deity, other
than the deity that resides within each of us.
So in essence, through faith we heal ourselves.
In any case that is my view on the subject.

Recently an International study found that prayers can heal the sick.
The tests were carried out by a team from Indiana university, led by religious studies Professor Candy Gunther Brown, who were looking into 'proximal prayer' - or prayers near the patient.

However, experts at the National Secular Society branded the research 'highly suspect.'

Read the rest of the article here

What prices soar- time to stock up!

2010-08-07T13:57:00.003+02:00

Just like in 2007, wheat prices are once again soaring due to a number of factors:
Because Russia is experiencing the worst drought on record,export of wheat has been suspended. In addition to this, Canada has had record spring rains and it is expected that it will produce its smallest wheat crop in 3 years. Nature is also wrecking havoc elsewhere.....

I think that it is a good idea to stock up on wheat and wheat products like flour now, whilst prices have not gone up in the stores yet.
I already have a good supply of wheat and white flour stocked up, but think I will stock up on some more this week, before prices shoot up in the coming weeks and months, which it will.

In 2007 I wrote about wheat and rice shortages that were going to have an effect on prices and I immediately stocked up on those items. My friends largely ignored my predictions,but sure enough, in the first few months of 2008 wheat prices went up and rice prices went up by 80% ! Prices pretty much remained the same since then. Now it is set to rise once again.
I hope that I do not have to once again tell my friends, " I told you so", when they bitch in my ears about the high cost of wheat products....lol

Familiar Strangers

2010-08-06T23:16:00.004+02:00

"I am confident that there truly is such a thing as living again, that the living spring from the dead, and that the souls of the dead are in existence." ~Socrates

Every now and again, I will see or meet a person who I have never met before, yet I recognize the face and I KNOW the person.

To me, the encounter feels like a reunion of sorts. I feel a deep connection with these people. Some of them evoke within me, deep feelings of warmth and love, some evoke sadness, to name but a few emotions...

But then there are also those, who to me, feel like long lost lovers…

I immediately recognize the eyes, the mouth and other facial features…the body I already know in detail, before even seeing it. The chemistry is explosive to say the least, the insatiable need to caress and explore..to possess once again….not wanting the encounter to end. Perhaps wanting to make up for all time lost?

Who are these familiar strangers? Friends, family and lovers from a previous life? I think so. It’s the only explanation that makes sense to me. I sometimes wish that I can recall my previous lives in detail. But, even though I can’t remember the details of my previous lives, those who did touch my life in any way, remain ingrained in my cell memory and I treasure each moment spent with my familiar strangers in this life.

"I have been here before, but when or how I cannot tell:
I know the grass beyond the door,
The sweet keen smell, the sighing sound, the lights around the shore.
You have been mine before - How long ago I may not know:
But just when at that swallow's soar, your neck turned so,
Some veil did fall, - I knew it all of yore." ~Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Don't throw away that 2 liter Coke bottle!

2010-08-05T12:38:00.005+02:00

Like most families, my family consumes a lot of coke and other sodas in a month. I normally buy at least one 2 liter a day and more on weekends.

In the past I used to just throw the empty plastic bottles in the dustbin as I was not really into recycling. When I took up prepping just over a year ago, I needed to find a way to store water for emergencies. At first I bought mineral water in 5 liter bottles, but it worked out expensive and also took up a lot of storage space.
So then I decided to use 2 liter soda bottles for water storage instead. This saved me alot of money as I no longer needed to buy water. All I had to do is to wash out the empty coke bottle, boil some tap water (not really needed,but I boil it anyway) and pour it into the cleaned coke bottle.
The nice thing about this is that if you lay the bottles on their sides,then you can stack a lot of them with out them taking up too much space.

In addition to using 2 liter bottles for water storage, there are also many other things that they can be used for and in the process you will be doing your bit for the environment.

You can use them to store rice and other grains;
Obviously you can use them to store other liquids in as well;

You can even use them as lightbulbs!

You can use them to purify water!
Simply place a bottle filled with water in the Sun and it will kill all harmful bacteria:

You can use the bottle as a Bio Sand Filter:

You can use 2 liter bottles for gardening. Its the ideal way to start your vegetable and herb garden, especially if you live in an apartment or do not have space for a conventional garden or you don't have floor space for plant containers.
I recently experimented with growing plants upside down and used 2 litre bottles for it. I used them for tomato and squash plants.
It worked great and its amazing how strong it makes the stalks of the plants, plus it is a great space saver. Here is a link to show you how to grow plants upside down in 2 litre bottles:
LINK

You can also use the 2 liter bottles as self watering plant containers.
Here is a link to show you how it is done:
LINK

I am sure there are many more practical uses for 2 liter bottles and would like to hear your ideas.
So, if you know of any other good uses for a 2 liter bottle, please feel free to add your idea to this blog post via a comment.

Predictions for the Rest of 2010

2010-08-04T00:05:00.001+02:00

Bob Chapman
First 6 months of 2010, Americans will continue to live in the 'unreality'...the period between July and October is when the financial fireworks will begin. The Fed will act unilaterally for its own survival irrespective of any political implications ...(source is from insider at FED meetings). In the last quarter of the year we could even see Martial law, which is more likely for the first 6 months of 2011. The FDIC will collapse in September 2010. Commercial real estate is set to implode in 2010. Wall Street believes there is a 100% chance of crash in bond market, especially municipals sometime during 2010. The dollar will be devalued by the end of 2010.

Gerald Celente
Terrorist attacks and the "Crash of 2010". 40% devaluation at first = the greatest depression, worse than the Great Depression.

Igor Panarin
In the summer of 1998, based on classified data about the state of the U.S. economy and society supplied to him by fellow FAPSI analysts, Panarin forecast the probable disintegration of the USA into six parts in 2010 (at the end of June – start of July 2010, as he specified on 10 December 2000

Neithercorps
Have projected that the third and final stage of the economic collapse will begin sometime in 2010. Barring some kind of financial miracle, or the complete dissolution of the Federal Reserve, a snowballing implosion should become visible by the end of this year. The behavior of the Fed, along with that of the IMF seems to suggest that they are preparing for a focused collapse, peaking within weeks or months instead of years, and the most certain fall of the dollar.

Webbots
July and onward things get very strange. Revolution. Dollar dead by November 2010.

LEAP 20/20
2010 Outlook from a group of 25 European Economists with a 90% accuracy rating- We anticipate a sudden intensification of the crisis in the second half of 2010, caused by a double effect of a catching up of events which were temporarily « frozen » in the second half of 2009 and the impossibility of maintaining the palliative remedies of past years. There is a perfect (economic) storm coming within the global financial markets and inevitable pressure on interest rates in the U.S. The injection of zero-cost money into the Western banking system has failed to restart the economy. Despite zero-cost money, the system has stalled. It is slowly rolling over into the next big down wave, which in Elliott Wave terminology will be Super Cycle Wave Three, or in common language, "THE BIG ONE, WHERE WE ALL GO OVER THE FALLS TOGETHER."

Joseph Meyer
Forecasts on the economy. He sees the real estate market continuing to decline, and advised people to invest in precious metals and commodities, as well as keeping cash at home in a safe place in case of bank closures. The stock market, after peaking in March or April (around 10,850), will fall all the way down to somewhere between 2450 and 4125 during the next leg down.

Harry Dent (investor)
A very likely second crash by late 2010. The coming depression (starts around the summer of 2010). Dent sees the stock market--currently benefiting from upward momentum and peppier economic activity--headed for a very brief and pleasant run that could lift the Dow to the 10,700-11,500 range from its current level of about 10.090. But then, he sees the market running into a stone wall, which will be followed by a nasty stock market decline (starting in early March to late April) that could drive down the Dow later this year to 3,000-5,000, with his best guess about 3,800.

Richard Russell (Market Expert)
(from 2/3/10) says the bear market rally is in the process of breaking up and panic is on the way. He sees a full correction of the entire rise from the 2002 low of 7,286 to the bull market high of 14,164.53 set on October 9, 2007. The halfway level of retracement was 10,725. The total retracement was to 6,547.05 on March 9, 2009. He now sees the Dow falling to 7,286 and if that level does not hold, "I see it sinking to its 1980-82 area low of Dow 1,000." The current action is the worst he has ever seen. (Bob Chapman says for Russell to make such a startling statement is unusual because he never cries wolf and is almost never wrong)

Niño Becerra (Professor of Economics)
Predicted in July 2007 that what was going to happen was that by mid 2010 there is going to be a crisis only comparable to the one in 1929. From October 2009 to May 2010 people will begin to see things are not working out the way the government thought. In May of 2010, the crisis starts with all its force and continues and strengthens throughout 2011. He accurately predicted the current recession and market crash to the month.

Lyndon Larouche
The crisis is accelerating and will become worse week by week until the whole system grinds into a collapse, likely sometime this year. And when it does, it will be the greatest collapse since the fall of the Roman Empire .

WALL STREET JOURNAL- (2/2010)
"You are witnessing a fundamental breakdown of the American dream, a systemic breakdown of our democracy and our capitalism, a breakdown driven by the blind insatiable greed of Wall Street: Dysfunctional government, insane markets, economy on the brink. Multiply that many times over and see a world in total disarray. Ignore it now, tomorrow will be too late."

Eric deCarbonnel
There is no precedence for the panic and chaos that will occur in 2010. The global food supply/demand picture has NEVER been so out of balance. The 2010 food crisis will rearrange economic, financial, and political order of the world, and those who aren’t prepared will suffer terrible losses…As the dollar loses most of its value, America 's savings will be wiped out. The US service economy will disintegrate as consumer spending in real terms (i.e.: gold or other stable currencies) drops like a rock, bringing unemployment to levels exceeding the great depression. Public health services/programs will be cut back, as individuals will have no savings/credit/income to pay for medical care. Value of most investments will be wiped out. The US debt markets will freeze again, this time permanently. There will be no buyers except at the most drastic of fire sale prices, and inflation will wipe away value before credit markets have any chance at recovery. The panic in 2010 will see the majority of derivatives end up worthless. Since global derivatives markets operate on the assumption of the continued stable value of the dollar and short term US debt, using derivatives to bet against the dollar is NOT a good idea. The panic in 2010 will see the majority of derivatives end up worthless. The dollar's collapse will rob US consumers of all purchasing power, and any investment depend on US consumption will lose most of its value.

Alpha-Omega Report (Trends Forecast)
Going into 2010, the trends seemed to lead nowhere or towards oblivion. Geo-politically, the Middle East was and is trending towards some sort of military clash, most likely by mid-year, but perhaps sooner...At the moment, it seems 2010 is shaping up to be a year of absolute chaos. We see trends for war between Israel and her neighbors that will shake every facet of human activity...In the event of war, we see all other societal trends being thoroughly disrupted...Iran will most likely shut off the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf. This will have immense consequences for the world’s economy. Oil prices will skyrocket into the stratosphere and become so expensive that world’s economies will collapse..There are also trend indicators along economic lines that point to the potential for a total meltdown of the world’s financial system with major crisis points developing with the change of each quarter of the year. 2010 could be a meltdown year for the world’s economy, regardless of what goes on in the Middle East .

Robin Landry (Market Expert)
I believe we are headed to new market highs between 10780-11241 over the next few months. The most likely time frame for the top is the April-May area. Remember the evidence IMHO still says we are in a bear market rally with a major decline to follow once this rally ends.

John P. Hussman, Ph.D.
In my estimation, there is still close to an 80% probability (Bayes' Rule) that a second market plunge and economic downturn will unfold during 2010.

Robert Prechter
Founder of Elliott Wave International, implores retail investors stay away from the markets… for now. Prechter, who was bullish near the lows in March 2009, now says the stock market "is in a topping area, "predicting another crash in 2010 that will bring stocks below the 2009 low. His word to the wise, "be patient, don’t rush it" keep your money in cash and cash equivalents.

Richard Mogey
Current Research Director at the Foundation for the Study of Cycles- Because of a convergence of numerous cycles all at once, the stock market may go up for a little while, but will crash in 2010 and reach all-time lows late 2012. Mogey says that the 2008 crash was nothing compared to the coming crash. Gold may correct in 2009, but will go up in 2010 and peak in 2011. Silver will follow gold.

James Howard Kunstler (January 2010)
The economy as we’ve known it simply can’t go on, which James Howard Kunstler has been saying all along. The shenanigans with stimulus and bailouts will just compound the central problem with debt. There’s not much longer to go before the whole thing collapses and dies. Six Months to Live- The economy that is. Especially the part that consists of swapping paper certificates. That’s the buzz I’ve gotten the first two weeks of 2010.

Peter Schiff (3/13/2010)
"In my opinion, the market is now perfectly positioned for a massive dollar sell-off. The fundamentals for the dollar in 2010 are so much worse than they were in 2008 that it is hard to imagine a reason for people to keep buying once a modicum of political and monetary stability can be restored in Europe . In fact, the Euro has recently stabilized. My gut is that the dollar sell-off will be sharp and swift. Once the dollar decisively breaks below last year's lows, many of the traders who jumped ship in the recent rally will look to re-establish their positions. This will accelerate the dollar's descent and refocus everyone's attention back on the financial train-wreck unfolding in the United States . Any doubts about the future of the U.S. dollar should be laid to rest by today's announcement that San Francisco Federal Reserve President Janet Yellen has been nominated to be Vice Chair of the Fed's Board of Governors, and thereby a voter on the interest rate-setting, seven-member Open Markets Committee. Ms. Yellen has earned a reputation for being one of the biggest inflation doves among the Fed's top players." Schiff is famous for his accurate predictions of the economic events of 2008.

Lindsey Williams
Dollar devalued 30-50% by end of year. It will become very difficult for the average American to afford to buy even food. This was revealed to him through an Illuminati insider.

Unnamed Economist working for US Gov't (GLP)
What we have experienced the last two years is nothing to what we are going to experience this year. If you have a job now...you may not have it in three to six months. (by August 2010). Stock market will fall = great depression. Foreign investors stop financing debt = collapse. 6.2 million are about to lose their unemployment.

Jimmy "Doomsday"
DOW will fall below 7,000 before mid summer 2010- Dollar will rise above 95 on the dollar index before mid summer 2010- Gold will bottom out below $800 before mid summer 2010- Silver will bottom out below $10 before mid summer 2010- CA debt implosion will start its major downturn by mid summer and hit crisis mode before Q4 2010- Dollar index will plunge below 65 between Q3 and Q4 2010- Commercial real estate will hit crisis mode in Q4 2010- Over 35 states will be bailed out by end of Q4 2010 by the US tax payer End of Q4 2010 gold will hit $1,600 and silver jump to $35 an oz.

George Ure
Markets up until mid-to-late-summer. Then "all hell breaks lose" from then on through the rest of the year.

Source Link

Stress of an enriched environment might curb cancer growth

2010-07-31T21:11:00.002+02:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Living in an environment rich with physical, mental and social stimulation – a setting that causes mild stress – might by itself curb cancer growth, according to a new study led by researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

The animal study, published in the July 9 issue of the journal Cell, also shows how this effect happens and that it might have therapeutic use.

The researchers discovered that an enriched environment activates a nervous-system pathway by which the brain talks to fat tissue. That pathway, called the hypothalamic-sympathoneural-adipocyte (HSA) axis tells fat cells to stop releasing a hormone called leptin into the bloodstream. Leptin normally helps restrain appetite, but this study discovered that it also accelerates cancer growth.

The enriched environment had the same cancer-curbing influence in models of melanoma and colon cancer.

"People tend to think that cancer survivors should avoid stress, but our data suggests that this is not completely true," says research leader Dr. Matthew J. During, professor of neuroscience, of neurological surgery and of molecular virology, immunology and medical genetics.

"The anti-cancer effect we observed in this study was not due simply to increased activity by the animals, but rather it was induced by social and physical challenges that are associated with the release of stress hormones from the adrenal gland.

"But the most dramatic hormonal change we observed was the drop in leptin from fat after richer housing conditions activated the HSA pathway. That pathway is also present in humans, where it is likely to be activated by a more complex and challenging life," he adds.

"Overall, our study suggests that an environmental or genetic activation of this nervous system pathway leads to a marked drop in serum leptin levels, and that this inhibits tumor growth."

READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE HERE:
Stress of an enriched environment might curb cancer growth

UFO, Satellite or what?

2010-07-28T11:54:00.002+02:00

For the past few months, I have been tracking what I think is a satellite. It is looks like a very big,bright star and it is not stationary.

So last week, out of habit I looked out of the kitchen window and saw it again, due north , but this time it was stationary for more than an hour, which I thought was strange. I even went outside to have a look and wondered why it was not moving this time.

Afterwards I went back inside and had to close the other kitchen window on the Eastern side of the house, since it was getting cold. Lo and behold, there I saw another object in the sky! This one was much bigger than the “satellite” and had an odd shape. It was difficult to make out the shape, it looked almost like a T-shape, only to look like a many-sided shape the next, the more I stared at it, the more difficult it was to discern the shape. I should definitely buy a telescope!

This odd object in the East and the “satellite” in the north, remained there for a long time, not moving and eventually I went to sleep. The next evening, I once again saw these objects. Since I know that it definitely was not a star, a balloon or a plane, I decided to go check online if there were any visible satellites in the sky on those days. The answer was no. So, yesterday I did another Google search and seems that other people in South Africa also saw something weird in the sky for 2 consecutive days last week, on the same days that I saw it.

What could this have been?

Asbestos and mesothelioma in South Africa

2010-07-22T12:46:00.005+02:00

When I was a child and about about 9 years old, we lived for a couple of month’s- 1 year, in what was to me, the most magical place on Earth.

My father used to do contract work and he was very family orientated, so whenever he had a new contract, be it for a month or longer, he would pack up the house and as a family we would move to wherever he was working. The end result was that we lived in many places and I went to many different schools throughout my schooling career. Guess that’s why as an adult, I am very much about staying put in one place, not moving around and putting down roots…lol..moved around too much as a kid.

But to get back to why I am writing this post…….

In any case, the place I mentioned above, was a small place called Pench. We lived in an old house on top of a mountain. There was no proper garden and the nature around was the garden and my playground. My late brother and I picked up tick fever there and as a result had to spend some time in hospital and get many injections…was damn sore..lol. There were Black mambas living next to the kitchen door and it was not uncommon to find snake skins lying around or to see Puff Adders in the garden or lying in the dirt road, sunning themselves. I remember there was this old rickety school bus that used to trek up the winding dirt road of the mountain, to pick and drop kids off at the school which was at the bottom of the mountain. I remember once, we could not get on the bus until the driver got rid of a Puff Adder who decided to curl up in the rim of the bus wheel..lol…then there was this small waterfall not far from our house, with a small clearing used as an open air “amphitheatre”, where once a month the community would watch a movie on a white sheet. I often think of this magical place and sometimes yearn to live in a magical place like that again.

I often think of this place with fond memories and last week I decided to do a Google search,to see if I can catch a glimpse of it again, even if only on Google Maps..well the view is not great and one can’t zoom in much. So I searched some more and stumbled on a few articles about Pench, all of them very damning indeed.

Firstly, I discovered that the town was an Asbestos mining town (I did not know this as a child), actually it was one of the largest Asbestos mines in SA and apparently this place is a major disaster area now..an ecological nightmare. The Asbestos is everywhere, in the soil, the rocks etc. People are suffering from Cancers and other related lung diseases there and I think it is very possible that this is the place where my father picked up his Mesothelioma. The scary part about this type of cancer is the fact that it takes many, many years before it manifests/shows symptoms and by then it is too late…What I find very upsetting, is not only the fact that this magical place has become nothing but an ecological and medical disaster area, but also the fact that the link between Asbestos and Mesothelioma was confirmed in South Africa in the 60’s, yet people working with Asbestos and families living in Asbestos areas, were never informed that they or their family members will most probably pick up cancer or lung disease because of exposure to Asbestos!

A bit more about Asbestos:

Asbestos has been used by man since 4000 before the Christian era (BCE) in many different parts of the world and for a wide range of functions. Blue asbestos (crocidolite) was first discovered in South Africa in 1805 and within a few years was being mined there extensively.
Mining reached its peak in 1977 with >380,000 tons being exported and 20,000 miners employed in the industry. South Africa also has large deposits of white asbestos (chrysotile) and brown asbestos (amosite) both of which have been mined extensively.
At the turn of the 20th century, it was noted that those working with asbestos suffered lung disease and in 1960, the link between asbestosis and mesothelioma was established in the Kimberley area of South Africa.
Further studies in the 1970s and 1980s showed an alarming incidence of mesothelioma based on pathology reports.
The majority of the reported mesothelioma cases result from exposure to asbestos in its many uses in secondary industry although incidence of the condition among miners is also significant.
A high proportion of mesothelioma in patients in South Africa is attributed to environmental origin with a high incidence of women and children affected. Article Link

In 2008, Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk announced that the use, manufacture and processing of asbestos will be prohibited in South Africa with immediate effect. The Regulations for the Prohibition of the Use, Manufacturing, Import and Export of Asbestos and Asbestos Containing Materials, which form part of the Environment Conservation Act of 1989, was promulgated on 28 March 2008.

A little too late for those who lived in Asbestos areas or who worked with Asbestos,but IMO a great decision made by the government.

Here is another link about the relation between Asbestos and cancer in South Africa:

http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=8227

Technorati Tags: cancer,asbestos,south africa,mesothelioma

Falling in the trap - Lesson Learned

2010-07-09T23:38:00.006+02:00

Once again I have fallen deep inside the trap.

Why did I go back to that horrible forum
where there is so much lies and hate?

I should have known that those who see
me as a threat, will use their aliases to
make up lies and try to discredit me,
to make me out as a bad person.
So why the hell did I not listen to my inner voice?

Maybe because there is something I need to learn
in all of this?
But what is the lesson?

That it is hopeless to try and make people see what I see?
That it is arrogant of me to expect others to feel the way that I do?
That I should just leave people and things be and that I am not
supposed to show the way?

I really don't know the answer yet, but I know it will be revealed to
me soon enough.

I have to admit, this did actually come as a shock. I really did not
for a moment think that my words would touch so many nerves...........

And so the answer came...
...it was staring me in the face the whole time.
In the past, by trying to remain neutral, I allowed others to be verbally abused without
interfering. This was seen as betrayal and made me seem like a bad person,
which I can understand...Lesson Learned.
Without him/her saying so, I sensed the reason for the suprise attack.
The person/s who now attacked me, needed to find closure,
needed to voice their hatred and pent up anger, needed to let me know just how
much my inaction hurt them.

I am glad that my post on that forum gave the person/s the opportunity to vent
because supression of feelings can be very destructive, venting on the other hand,
can be very therapeutic. So since I have now served my purpose there, I do not
need to go back there again. There is no more unfinished business there.

What did I learn from this little eposide?
That neutrality will always be seen by one side as betrayal;
That honesty and sincerity has become something to sneer at;
That kindness and tolerance will be met with disbelief and suspicion;
That no matter what one does or does not do in life, there will always
be those who will feel betrayed or hurt by your actions or inactions.

Cancer Info - The Warburg Effect

2010-03-03T22:32:00.009+02:00

The Warburg Effect: Sugar is feeding cancer

When patients were put on low-carb diets in 2007, their cancers reversed spontaneously.
In Würzburg, Germany, researchers concluded that cancer cells have a different metabolism, the socalled Warburg hypothesis, or Warburg Effect, first described in 1924 by Otto Warburg. He concluded that "the prime cause of cancer is the replacement of the respiration of oxygen in normal body cells by a fermentation of sugar."

Can a High-Fat (Low-Carb) Diet Beat Cancer?

Since early 2007, Dr. Melanie Schmidt and biologist Ulrike Kämmerer, both at the Würzburg hospital, have been enrolling cancer patients in a Phase I clinical study of a most unexpected medication: fat. Their trial puts patients on a so-called ketogenic diet, which eliminates almost all carbohydrates, including sugar, and provides energy only from high-quality plant oils, such as hempseed and linseed oil, and protein from soy and animal products..
What sounds like yet another version of the Atkins craze is actually based on scientific evidence that dates back more than 80 years. In 1924, the German Nobel laureate Otto Warburg first published his observations of a common feature he saw in fast-growing tumors: unlike healthy cells, which generate energy by metabolizing sugar in their mitochondria, cancer cells appeared to fuel themselves exclusively through glycolysis, a less-efficient means of creating energy through the fermentation of sugar in the cytoplasm. Warburg believed that this metabolic switch was the primary cause of cancer, a theory that he strove, unsuccessfully, to establish until his death in 1970.

To the two researchers in Würzburg, the theoretical debate about what is now known as the Warburg effect — whether it is the primary cause of cancer or a mere metabolic side effect — is irrelevant. What they believe is that it can be therapeutically exploited. The theory is simple: If most aggressive cancers rely on the fermentation of sugar for growing and dividing, then take away the sugar and they should stop spreading. Meanwhile, normal body and brain cells should be able to handle the sugar starvation; they can switch to generating energy from fatty molecules called ketone bodies — the body's main source of energy on a fat-rich diet — an ability that some or most fast-growing and invasive cancers seem to lack.

The Würzburg trial, funded by the Otzberg, Germany–based diet food company Tavartis, which supplies the researchers with food packages, is still in its early, difficult stages. "One big problem we have," says Schmidt, sitting uncomfortably on a small, wooden chair in the crammed tea kitchen of Kämmerer's lab, "is that we are only allowed to enroll patients who have completely run out of all other therapeutic options." That means that most people in the study are faring very badly to begin with. All have exhausted traditional treatments, such as surgery, radiation and chemo, and even some alternative ones like hyperthermia and autohemotherapy. Patients in the study have pancreatic tumors and aggressive brain tumors called glioblastomas, among other cancers; participants are recruited primarily because their tumors show high glucose metabolism in PET scans.

Four of the patients were so ill, they died within the first week of the study. Others, says Schmidt, dropped out because they found it hard to stick to the no-sweets diet: "We didn't expect this to be such a big problem, but a considerable number of patients left the study because they were unable or unwilling to renounce soft drinks, chocolate and so on."

The good news is that for five patients who were able to endure three months of carb-free eating, the results were positive: the patients stayed alive, their physical condition stabilized or improved and their tumors slowed or stopped growing, or shrunk. These early findings have elicited "very positive reactions and an increased interest from colleagues," Kämmerer says, while cautioning that the results are preliminary and that the study was not designed to test efficacy, but to identify side effects and determine the safety of the diet-based approach. So far, it's impossible to predict whether it will really work. It is already evident that it doesn't always: two patients recently left the study because their tumors kept growing, even though they stuck to the diet.

Past studies, however, offer some hope. The first human experiments with the ketogenic diet were conducted in two children with brain cancer by Case Western Reserve oncologist Linda Nebeling, now with the National Cancer Institute. Both children responded well to the high-fat diet. When Nebeling last got in contact with the patients' parents in 2005, a decade after her study, one of the subjects was still alive and still on a high-fat diet. It would be scientifically unsound to draw general conclusions from her study, says Nebeling, but some experts, such as Boston College's Thomas Seyfried, say it's still a remarkable achievement. Seyfried has long called for clinical trials of low-carb, high-fat diets against cancer, and has been trying to push research in the field with animal studies: His results suggest that mice survive cancers, including brain cancer, much longer when put on high-fat diets, even longer when the diets are also calorie-restricted. "Clinical studies are highly warranted," he says, attributing the lack of human studies to the medical establishment, which he feels is single-minded in its approach to treatment, and opposition from the pharmaceutical industry, which doesn't stand to profit much from a dietetic treatment for cancer.

The tide appears to be shifting. A study similar to the trial in Würzburg is now under way in Amsterdam, and another, slated to begin in mid-October, is currently awaiting final approval by the ethics committee at the University Hospital in Tübingen, Germany. There, in the renowned old research institution in the German southwest, neuro-oncologist Dr. Johannes Rieger wants to enroll patients with glioblastoma and astrocytoma, aggressive brain cancers for which there are hardly any sustainable therapies. Cell culture and animal experiments suggest that these tumors should respond particularly well to low-carb, high-fat diets. And, usually, these patients are physically sound, since the cancer affects only the brain. "We hope, and we have reason to believe, that it will work," says Rieger.

Still, none of the researchers currently studying ketogenic diets, including Rieger, expects it to deliver anything close to a universal treatment for cancer. And none of them wants to create exaggerated hopes for a miracle cure in seriously ill patients, who may never benefit from the approach. But the recent findings are difficult to ignore. Robert Weinberg, a biology professor at MIT's Whitehead Institute who discovered the first human oncogene, has long been critical of therapeutic approaches based on the Warburg effect, and has certainly dismissed it as a primary cause of cancer. Nevertheless, he conceded, in an email, for tumors that have been affected by the ketogenic diet in animal models, "there might be some reason to go ahead with a Phase I clinical trial, especially for patients who have no other realistic therapeutic options."

Sep. 17, 2007
Richard Friebe is executive editor of the German science magazine SZ Wissen
Article extract from Time Health & Science

Cancer Info - My intentions

2010-03-03T22:18:00.006+02:00

I feel that knowledge can help one when facing difficult situations in life.
Therefore, for the past 2 weeks I have been reading up alot about cancer so as to try and understand my father's condition and also to assist him in the best possible way.
I plan to continue this research indefinitely.
I guess in a sense I am also hoping to find a miracle cure along the way, even though logic and medical stats says otherwise........

Nevertheless, I am researching alternative treatments, supplementary treatments as well as conventional treatments and will be sharing my findings here on my blog in the hopes that the information might be of use to other people who also find themselves on this journey.

The Final Journey - Ups & Downs

2010-03-02T20:54:00.014+02:00

Last Thursday was supposed to be the 1st Chemo session,but it never materialized.
After a week of stressing and my father placing his hopes on the chemo, we arrived at the hospital at 7am. His appointment was for 8am. The sister looked in her appointment book and insisted that he did not have an appointment scheduled even though it clearly said so on his appointment card. She sent him down to radiology department instead as according to her, he has no appointment. Radiology sent him back up to the Oncology department again after 20 minutes. Turns out the sister was looking under March instead of February appointments, so now my father was placed last on the list since many people have arrived in the meantime and it is first come, first serve, regardless of appointment time.

The outpatient cancer clinic is new and has comfortable chairs, everything is clean and the staff are friendly.
We sit down for the long wait....the place is packed with people.
I see a few beautiful young girls and 1 young guy, none of them any older than 22..the rest range in ages with a few elderly people as well. But mostly people in their prime.
I see the fear and pain in the eyes of some and the peace and acceptance in the eyes of others...funny enough, the peace and acceptance is found in the eyes of the young and not the old.
I wonder to myself, why is this so?
Most of them are also terminal, so why do they seem more at peace than the older people?
Perhaps because they don't have children of their own, are not married and don't have to stress about those who will be left behind when they die?
Or is it perhaps because deep inside they still have hope because they still have the optimism of youth?
One would think that those who have hardly lived their lives will be more fearful than those who have already led a full life?
These thoughts kept me busy for while and then back to reality...my father is struggling to breathe and in pain. Its lunch time already and still waiting.

Finally by 2 pm we see the Oncologist. She is a very young Chinese doctor and she seems to be very efficient. She goes through the motions of checking my father's vitals and then scrutinizes the lab results and Cat scan results. She leaves the room and shows the Cat scan results to another doctor. Comes back and asks my father if he has ever worked in mines etc.
We ask her what the prognosis is. She looks at the X-rays and Cat Scan results again and say
" I don't think it is metastatic cancer, I think it is mesothelioma"
Mesothelioma can only be diagnosed with a biopsy and it is a rare cancer associated with Asbestos and my father has never worked with or been exposed to Asbestos and told her as much during her examination of him earlier.
Although advanced mesothelioma also metastise, her choice of words created the impression that mesothelioma is less serious and this is what my father chose to hear.
Btw, I got the info on mesothelioma from Google, not the doctor.
She made what is essentially an educated guess from looking at plates, sound like a fact, never mind that the cytology department found the cells to be metastatic adenocarcinomoa.
I could see my father's face light up, like a kid who sees the Xmas presents under the Xmas tree...
I felt like punching her in the face!

Here is this young oncologist, probably still in her 20's, contradicting the professors findings and the cytology findings, all based on her quick look at the plates! Don't get me wrong, I hope to God that she is right and that it is not Metastatic,but you cannot make a diagnosis by just looking at a plate, it is irresponsible. The cancer patient is already severely traumatized and looking for a miracle,any miracle. Giving false hope, even if not intentional, can have a devastating effect on the mental health of the patient.

In any case to cut a long story short, she ordered more cytology reports and postponed the Chemo Session for this coming Thursday. Apparently this time my father will get chemo and the results of the requested cytology reports will then also be available. They will also be taking another chest X-ray to see if the Pleural effusion is getting worse or not and I hope to God that they will drain some of the fluid as well because the fluid is making breathing very difficult for him and he can't lie down without struggling to breathe, so he has to sit up and sleep.
One thing the Oncologist said made me happy though...It was when my father asked for an oxygen tank to take home and she told him "oxygen tanks are expensive and I am not going to waste it on you whilst you smoking. When you give up smoking you will get a tank"
I was happy about her statement because he seriously needs to stop smoking as the smoking is making his condition worse and I was hoping that her words or blackmail if you will, will motivate him to stop smoking.

So the would be chemo session turned out to be a whole day spent at the clinic, just to get a B12 injection, some more inhalers and pain killers to keep him going for another week and off course a good dose of confusion that the Oncologist gave him with her educated guess. So off course my father was all optimistic and decided that he is going to be okay after all so he went out in the cold, drizzling rain for a cigarette and drove home with the car window open as well! I moaned at him and told him to close the car window and to button up his shirt,to keep his neck covered as he can't afford to even get a cold.
But after dropping me off at home, he obviously didn't listen and continued to drive home with the car window open and smoking up a storm.

That evening he was gravely ill with a serious bout of either pneumonia or bronchitis.
Don't know which it is as he refuses to let me admit him to hospital again.
He wants to sit it out till his appointment this coming Thursday. Thank goodness for that B12 injection else I think he would probably not have made it last week. The shot has definitely helped to protect him against this new chest infection.
I am telling him that they won't give him Chemo in his condition, as he is too weak, but he is stubborn as hell and on top of that he is still smoking.
In the meantime his condition has been deteriorating with each day. He can barely walk three steps without gasping for breath and he is in a lot of pain.

So today he went to a normal GP and got himself some antibiotics to sort out the chest infection. He didn't bother to tell GP that he has cancer.I didn't moan at him this time. He is a grown man and I can't force him to do as I say, but I feel so frustrated and sometimes even angry with him. Is it wrong of me to feel this way?
In my eyes,he is being irresponsible. He is relying on God to heal him as he is a very religious person.
I told him that there is nothing wrong with putting your trust in God, but you can't expect God to do all the work while you don't make an effort yourself to keep yourself from getting more sick needlessly. He is smoking and refuse to take the health tea and other supplements I have been getting him and he refuses to go on a healthier diet.
I realize that perhaps it is selfish of me for wanting him to do whatever he can not to get needlessly sick, so as to ease my own fear of loosing him, but I can't help it.
In front of him I am strong, but emotionally I am going through hell and
the tears are constantly close to the surface.
But what I am going through is nothing compared to what
he must be going through emotionally, never minded physically,
so I should be more understanding and less selfish,this I know.

Anyways, he took a double dose of the antibiotics and a double dose of painkillers today and he seems to be breathing a little bit better now, but like I have discovered since starting this journey 2 weeks ago, he can be okay for one minute and the opposite the next.
This disease it truly like a roller coaster ride!

I am fearful of the Chemo this Thursday as he is very weak and I am scared that the Chemo will make things worse, perhaps even shorten his life. I've never been a fan of Chemo since I've seen to many friends and family who went the Chemo route suffer, because more often than not, the side effects and damage caused by chemo, outweighs the potential benefits by far.
But my father wants to have chemo and I can't deny him this.
I have explained the pros and cons to him. I know that he chooses to hear only that which he wants to hear and I can't blame...
I just pray that the Chemo will indeed make him feel better and will not worsen his condition.

For those of you who are also on this journey, I would like to share 2 links to sites I have found to be of great help to me in terms of support and also cancer info:
Cancergrace Forums
CancerForums

"Kill the Whites"- Empty threats or future reality?

2010-03-01T12:30:00.005+02:00

Many years have passed since the end of Apartheid and the advent of Democracy in South Africa. We proudly have one of the most progessive constitutions in the world and people can no longer use Apartheid as an excuse for not being successful in life or for lacking in education etc.
The youth of today, grew up in a democratic SA where they were/are treated as equals.

BEE has been in force since the end of Apartheid and "previously disadvantaged" races aka black people of all ages, are given preferential treatment in business deals, job opportunities, shares in companies and banks, study grants and much, much more..they are entitled to low cost housing, pre-paid electricity meters installed free of charge, child grants etc ...things that are not afforded to other races,only to black people.

I have never really paid much attention to hate speech and slogans which call for the death of white people in South Africa and always attributed it to the mindset of a few radical people who
are still stuck in the Apartheid mindset and have not moved on.
But it seems that it is quite a general mindset and not only a few old "struggle veterans" who have this mindset.....I think that it is because people have this sense of "entitlement"...the
sense that the world "owes" you...It is far easier to lay the blame of your own failures at the feet of other people/races, than to accept responsibility for your own actions or lack thereof.

Latest incident of hate speech: Article Link
"The PAC has come under fire after messages urging the killing of whites were posted on its Facebook site.

The party says it will not remove the offending posts."

The messages, which said an army of about 3 000 people was standing by, ready to kill white people within 24 hours if requested to do so, were still on the site after a Facebook user alerted the administrator to the messages.
Here is one message in detail: "Mandela asked so nice, start at home with food poison, gas leaks, cut the phone lines, kill the babies in the pool, be creative or if you have no nerve, call me and my team ... we have 3 000 on standby and can be ready with in 24 hours... think about it now or good luck."

Now this is not the 1st time that Whites have been threatened with extermination/genocide in public and it is also not the first time that SA Political leaders have condoned such threats and some have even made similar public threats themselves in the past.
So in light of that, one should take this with a pinch of salt, right?

Africa has always been and will always be a very volatile Continent due to the many different cultures,languages and off course greed and corruption which is so rife in all spheres of life..from the traffic cop asking for a bribe to government leaders blatantly stealing and taking bribes.
So I think that hate speech and rethoric could very well one day become more than mere words...In my opinion, one can never say never in Africa.

Temple predating the Pyramids by 7000 years!

2010-02-22T21:23:00.003+02:00

Standing on the hill at dawn, overseeing a team of 40 Kurdish diggers, the German-born archeologist waves a hand over his discovery here, a revolution in the story of human origins. Schmidt has uncovered a vast and beautiful temple complex, a structure so ancient that it may be the very first thing human beings ever built. The site isn't just old, it redefines old: the temple was built 11,500 years ago—a staggering 7,000 years before the Great Pyramid, and more than 6,000 years before Stonehenge first took shape. The ruins are so early that they predate villages, pottery, domesticated animals, and even agriculture—the first embers of civilization. In fact, Schmidt thinks the temple itself, built after the end of the last Ice Age by hunter-gatherers, became that ember—the spark that launched mankind toward farming, urban life, and all that followed.
Rest of the article here

The Final Journey - The roller coaster takes off

2010-02-20T15:45:00.006+02:00

I realize that this is a personal issue and I realize that people don't want to read about this journey of mine,but I find that writing about this, helps me to deal with the situation and perhaps it will in some way also help others who are also on a similar journey...

As I mentioned 2 days ago, my father has been in hospital and diagnosed with Metastatic cancer. His lungs are still flooded with fluid and he will be seeing the Oncologist on Thursday as an outpatient. If he decides to go for Chemo, then on Thursday he will have his first session.

Anyways, today the roller coaster ride started and fear gripped my heart..
He went for a short walk and then sat down on the couch in his home. He then slumped over and appeared comatose and then when he was "aware" once again, he appeared disorientated, not knowing where he was. This lasted for a few minutes. My hope is that this was merely due to a lack of oxygen and not a manifestation that the cancer has already reached the brain.
Then tonight I got a phone call from him. He was freaking out,almost hysterical...as a strange rash appeared on his thighs and it caused a burning sensation. God I can only imagine the fear he must be feeling! He knows he is dying but does not know when. Every time something happens,like it did today, he is going to react hysterical as he will think it is a sign that his time is up.

I wish there was more that I can do..that I can take his fear and pain away!
It rips me apart to see him suffer like this,not only his physical suffering but especially his mentally suffering...the uncertainty of when..........

What makes things worse is that he lives far from me and at the moment does not want to give up his home,which is understandable. I hope that I can eventually convince him to stay with me
so that I can take care of him myself. I want to be with him until the end. ..

Uk released another batch of X-files today

2010-02-18T22:59:00.002+02:00

Almost 6,000 pages of declassified files have been released online today, the majority covering 1994 to 2000.

You can read/download the files here:
LINK

The Final Journey - The dreaded news

2010-02-18T14:44:00.008+02:00

My father has been having bronchial infections for some time and started to struggle to breathe about two weeks ago. He saw a doctor and they put him on antibiotics and gave him an asthma pump, but the medication had no effect, he was still sick.

Being the hard worker and stubborn man that he is, he still went to work in his condition.

Last Monday I phoned him at work, moaning at him for having gone to work when he is sick and I told him that he has to go to hospital for X-rays and a check up.

Later that afternoon, he collapsed at work and his boss then told him to go home and to go see a doctor.

I convinced my father to go to hospital. So Tuesday morning he went to hospital.

They took X-rays and saw that the lungs are flooded with fluid, that’s why he could not breathe so well. They admitted him as more tests were needed….

I last saw my father a month ago, so when I visited him in hospital on Tuesday, I was shocked at the appearance of the man before me. Gone was the energetic man.

He was looking fragile, ashen in color and thin.

I’ve seen people look like this before and I silently prayed that I was mistaken, that it is just pneumonia or something to that effect…..

But my prayers were not answered and on Tuesday this week, I received a call from him.

He cried…he has cancer. I asked to speak to the sister and asked her what type of cancer he has….Ohhh God…my worst fears came true! He has Metastatic Adenocarcinoma Stage IV. Since I have a bit of a medical background, I knew what it meant….there is no cure and even Chemo will not make much of a difference, it will just alleviate his symptoms. My father does not have long to live and now I had to tell him!

How do you tell your father or anyone you love for that matter, that he is going to die soon? I went to his ward and saw the confusion, the pain and fear in eyes.

My heart felt like it was bursting and I had to fight to keep the tears from spilling down my cheeks….I had to try and stay calm, I had to be strong and tell the man who has always loved me, that he has an incurable, progressive cancer and that the prognosis is not good, that he has at the most, a few month’s to live…

I can’t describe how it tore me apart to tell him this…to see him crying like a child, to see the fear in his eyes and the tears running down his cheeks….all I could do, was to hold him tight.. and force back my own tears, I could not allow myself to break down, it would have just made things worse. I had to be strong for him and I have to remain strong until the end…..

Nobody wants to hear that they are dying and I feel so fucking horrible that I had to be one to tell him this, but I had to be honest with him. He asked me to explain to him what type of cancer he had and what the prognosis was. There is no point in lying and trying to hide it from him.

He has to know what lies ahead, he has to prepare himself for the inevitable.

I just hope that I will remain strong enough in the coming months as things get worse…

I pretend to be strong in front of him, but when I am not with him, I’m very emotional and the tears come easy.

I have not yet made peace with this and maybe in time I will cry less, the heart won’t feel so torn inside and I will be able to handle it towards the end. But my emotions are not of importance right now, the sadness and pain I feel, is nothing compared to what he must be enduring within his body and the anguish in his mind.

The hospital discharged him today since there is not much they can do. He will now instead be going for chemo sessions as an outpatient.

Next week I am taking him for his 1^st chemo session. I know it won’t make a difference

to his condition, but at least it gives him a bit of hope, albeit false hope….

I pray that the gods give me strength during this time and that they will help me to make my father’s last journey as comfortable and peaceful as possible. …..

The Norway Spiral- A different Perspective

2010-02-13T01:20:00.003+02:00

I stumbled across this site today

This guy has done a lot of research re the Norway Spiral and references made about similar spirals in Ancient times. Click through the pages and read the links. Very interesting and thought provoking indeed!

The number 8...Coincidence?

2010-02-05T22:41:00.010+02:00

I wrote a few days ago,that I have left a certain forum (where I have been a member for a number of years) due to acutely feeling the pain of another person who got attacked on the forum.As I said, I decided that I want to delete all my posts there,that I want to erase every trace of me ever having been there...

My deletion of my posts on that forum as I mentioned a few days ago,is akin to a 'cleansing ritual" with each post I delete,I feel cleaner and lighter..
a new beginning,getting back onto the spiritual path...

Now here comes the weird part....
As you know,on many forums,once you delete your post,you have to add some characters in the empty text box. You can't just leave it empty otherwise it will not update the edited post.Anyways,since I have hundreds of pages with posts to delete,I did not feel like typing any replacement text.So,instead of typing in "deleted" or something to that effect,I instead,without looking at my keyboard, let my fingers click on any key on my keyboard to replace the text I have deleted.I've been busy deleting text for 2 days now! lol

Today as I was deleting more text, I noticed something weird.In each instance where I have deleted text,I replaced it with multiples of the number 8 like this: 8888888888888

I've been inserting the number 8 into these deleted posts for the past two days,by just pressing down on any random key,and in each instance I seem to have pressed down on the key with number 8 without noticing this and without realizing the significance of this!
Now 8 is not my favorite number and I am not the greatest typist either,so what is the odds that in each case I used the multiples of the number 8 as replacement text?

So being me and always looking at a hidden meaning in everything...lol....
I decided to Google the number 8 and see what significance it holds.
Boy did I get a surprise!

Is it purely coincidence or is the Cosmos affirming that I have made the right decision? Is my psyche instructing/using my fingers to type a mantra of sorts?
lol... Don't laugh, I am being dead serious about this! I find it very weird!

Look at the meaning of the number 8:

Symbolism

*Number of the perfection, the infinity. In mathematics the symbol of the infinity is represented by a 8 laid down.
*Symbol of the cosmic Christ
* Number figuring the immutable eternity or the self-destruction. It represents also the final point of the manifestation.
*In China, the 8 expresses the totality of the universe.
* Number of the balance and of the cosmic order, according to the Egyptians.
*Number expressing the matter, it is also the symbol of the incarnation in the matter which becomes itself creative and autonomous, governing its own laws.
*The number eight corresponds to the New Testament, according to Ambroise.
*It is the symbol of the new Life, the final Resurrection and the anticipated Resurrection that is the baptism.
*According to Clement of Alexandria, the Christ places under the sign of 8 the one he made to be born again.
*Represent the totality and the coherence of the creation in evolution. In China, it expresses the totality of the universe.
*Represent the earth, not in its surface but in its volume, since 8 is the first cubic number.
*The Pythagoreans have made the number 8 the symbol of the love and the friendship, the prudence and the thinking and they have called it the Great "Tetrachtys".
*In Babylon, in Egypt and in Arabia, it was the number of the duplication devoted to the sun, from where the solar disc is decorated of a cross with eight arms.
*The number 8 means the multiplicity, for the Japanese.
*A favorable number, associated to the prosperity.
*It is the number of the restful day, after the 7th day of the creation.

Bible

*The eight beatitudes of the sermon on the mountain. (Mt 5,3-11
*The eight sentences of the Magnificat or Hymn of Mary. (Lk 1,46-56)
*Jesus was circumcized eight days after his birth, according to the law established. (Lv 12,3; Gn 17,12 and 21,4; Lk 2,21
*The eight steps of the staircase leading to the external square of the Ezekiel's temple. (Ezk 40,26)
*The eight creative words of God in six days, in Genesis chapter 1, verses 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26.
*The eight persons who were saved from the Flood in Noah's Ark. (Gn 7,13)

General

*Saint Joseph endured during eight years various great sufferings before to die, according to visions of Mary Agreda.
*The Cabalists affirm that there were in the Temple of Jerusalem eight gates from which the eighth gate would open only for the Messiah.
*Eight is the total number of Chakras of the man, counting the seven in correlation with the physical body, plus an additional working in the etheric body. This eighth Chakra is known as being "the Chakra of the Soul" or "the Star Chakra". It would be located approximately 7 to 10 centimeters above of the Crown Chakra.
*The eight great gods of the Vedas: Surya, Candra, Agni, Yama, Varuna, Indra, Vâyu and Kubera.
*The eight "trigrams" of "Fou-Hi" Chinese philosopher.
*Plato remained with his master the Greek philosopher Socrates during eight years.
*The eight parts of the way which leads to the nirvana, according to the Buddhist doctrines: the faith, the right judgement, the right language, a right and pure action, a right profession, the application of the spirit to all the precepts of the law, the right memory and the right meditation.
*The Buddhists count eight symbols of long life of which one of them is the infinite node being rolled up and withdrawn on itself.
*There are eight degrees of Buddhist monks or "Aryas" and the highest is named "Arhat".
*According to a Buddhist legend, Buddha's ashes was separated in eight parts.
*The lotus is represented symbolically with 8 petals and according to yogis, it is on a lotus with 8 petals that the "Mêru" mount is erected which, symbolically, represents the center and the axis of the world.
*The Yoga counts eight training courses: Yama, the restriction; Niyama, religious observances; Asana, the posture; Pranayama, the control of the breathing; Praty-ahara, the restriction of senses; Dharana, the concentration; Dhyana, the contemplation and Samadhi, the ecstasy.
*The Avesta mentions eight categories of priest: a superior, the Zaotar, which recites the texts, and seven subordinates: the Havanan which crushes the Homa in the mortar, the Atarevakhsha which maintains the fire, the fraberetar being in charge of the instruments for the Sacrifice, the Aberet carrying the holy water, the Acnatar that washes the sacred vases, the Raethwiskar that purifies the soiled men and objects, and the Craoshavereza or confessor.
*In the religion of Zarathustra, there were eight instruments used for the cult: the Atashdan, reservoir for fire; the Havana or mortar; the Barecma, or beam of sacred palms; the Tali, tray of the offerings; the Tasta or cup of gold; the strainer with nine holes for the Homa; the Avand, vase for purifications; the Musrhabe, wash-hand basin for the priest.
*The eight categories of priests of Zarathustra.
*For the Indians, there are the eight modes of marriage mentioned by Manou: mode of Brahma, Devas, Rishis, Pradjapatis, Asouras, Ghandarvas, Rakchasas and Pisatchas.
*The eight disciples of Thot, in Egypt.
*According to Herodotus, the reign of gods in Egypt would have started with a first group of eight gods to the head of which was Pan.
*For the Greeks, the number 8 was dedicated to Dyonisios, born the eighth month of the year.
*The eight divisions of the sky of the Greek tradition.
*The eight Rules of command of the "Chou-King".
*The eight ministers of the Chinese Empire.
*The eight pillars of the "Ming-Tang".
*The eight forms of Shiva, sometimes illustrated by 8 "lingams" laid out around a central "lingam".
*The eight arms of Vishnu.
*The eight divinities guardians of the Tibet.
*The eight "Selecti" gods of the Romans.
*The eight gods of Xenocrate.
*The eight legs of the Sheipner horse, the gray horse of Odin.
*The eight animals which accompany the Mahometan believers in the paradise.
*The Great Year of 25920 years is divided into eight great terrestrial cycles that are called Age: Golden age, Age of money, Age of bronze and Age of iron, and each is repeated twice.
* Creusot points out that the prayer of saint Francis of Assisi on the peace contains eight requests to the Lord:
o Lord, make me an instrument of peace.
o Where is the hatred, let me put love.
o Where is the offense, let me put forgiveness.
o Where is the discord, let me put union.
o Where is the error, let me put truth.
o Where is the doubt, let me put faith.
o Where is the despair, let me put hope.
o Where are darkness, let me put light.
o Where is the sadness, let me put the joy.

*The Tower of Belus in Babylon is made of eight square towers.
*An octagonal building in Hiroshima contains the statues of eight great wise man of the world: the Buddha, Confucius, Socrates, Jesus, the prince Shotoku, Kobo Daishi and two Japanese priests.
*The number eight governs the life of the man: at 8 month the baby teeth appear; at 8 years, he loses them; at 2 x 8 years, it is the puberty; and he becomes impotent at 8 x 8 years.
*In mathematics, a number is divisible by 8 when this one is formed by its three last numbers is too.
*Anniversary of marriage: weddings of bronze, electricity or rubber.

Numerical/Astrological Value

*The number 8 is like a battlefield or middle field which has to be successfully fought to travel further to realm 9(heaven,ultimate transformation of body and mind aka selfless).Thus number 8 represents losses,dangers,sacrifice,violence,karma,temptations and all that are to be transformed,renounced and forfeited.
*The number 8 represents wisdom, learning through experience, stability, patience and responsibility. 8 is also the number of financial security, caution, restriction, self·discipline and self control.

So is the fact that I have been typing multiples of 8 in each instance,
a coincidence or not? If not what do you think it signifies?

Weird images seen by thousands in Australia

2010-02-03T23:07:00.002+02:00

Two bizarre features seen on radar over the North West and South East of Australia today ( Jan 22, 2010)

A series of so far unexplained features has been seen on Australian national radars since the 15th. For a while radar from the Melbourne Airport
facility was out of action.
Another strange ring appeared today over the South East of the country.

Article Link here

So what is this?

The Cleansing

2010-02-03T12:34:00.006+02:00

I joined an adult forum a few years ago.
I thought to myself that on a forum like that,
there will be no condemnations,no judgements and no slander.
Finally a place where there is freedom of speech,tempered with
open mindedness,tolerance and therefore less likelyhood of verbal abuse...
a place where likeminded people can discuss sexuality in detail.

But it turned out to be just like any other forum where people who
are hiding behind nick names use every opportunity to insult and hurt others.
But I thought that I could make a difference...arrogant of me I know!

It was not all bad though and I did meet some great people there.
I had quite a few good discussions and many good laughs with them
over the years and I have to admit that I got quite addicted to
popping in there daily.

I've always been able to handle the nastiness and attacks on this forum.
I was never really attacked but other women were.
I tried to speak up when I felt it was needed and when I felt that the
woman in question was tough enough to handle the verbal abuse,I kept
quiet and did not interfere.This did not mean that I condoned what
was happening.I tried not to get involved in cyber fights,even when
baited by others.

But yesterday,this one woman got insulted on a thread and it really
affected me in a bad way.
I could feel her pain,her embarrassment and the hurt and I burst out
in tears.
Why the hell do I have to always feel other people's pain?
Why do I feel so deeply about everything?
Why do I care so much for total strangers?
It would be so nice if I can just for once switch the "receiver' off !
If I can somehow jam the signals transmitted by other people!

So what did I do to remedy the situation?
I decided that it is time for me to move on.........
That place was draining me spiritually.

The pain I felt yesterday, made me realize that no matter what I
do or say,the nastiness,smoke and mirrors,hatred, intolerance and
twisted pleasure some people get out of hurting others, will always be there.
Trying to silence people who display these characteristics,is futile
because this is how they really feel deep inside..they need that daily fix
of 'entertainment'...they need to stab someone with hurtful words,they
need that ego boost,the power it brings...they need to give life to the
monster within else it will consume them.
I can understand this need,but I find it so sad that people have to feed
off the pain of others, like a damn parasite,in order to feel alive!

One thing I luv about the internet is the fact that you can just delete
everything...you can erase the bad things,unlike in real life.

Since I've made some good friends on the forum,I felt bad about leaving
since some people there rely on me to sort of keep the peace and I know
that my behavior probably seems out of character to most since
I am quite thick skinned and never quit anything.....
But I had to be selfish this time. Everyday I spent there, was polluting
my psyche..all the nastiness and negativity was starting to cling to me
like a thick coat of dust....and feeling that other woman's pain so
acutely yesterday,was my cue that it was time for me to make my exit.

I decided that the only way for me to clean myself from this thick coat
of dust,was to delete every single line of text that I have ever posted there.
I want to erase every trace that I was ever there..
With each line I deleted,I could breathe more easy,like a big weight was
slowly being lifted off my chest.
This symbolic cleansing is very therapeutic indeed!

Whilst the detour I took was fun,it was also very draining.....
now I am once again on the right path and it feels so good!

Will I miss the nice people I have me there?
Yes.I will miss them a great deal and they will always be in my thoughts.
Will I ever go back there and rejoin the forum?
No.When I turn my back on something,then I don't look back,it is forever.

Haiti- A geological Prize?

2010-02-01T23:45:00.005+02:00

Behind the smoke, rubble and unending drama of human tragedy in the hapless Caribbean country, a drama is in full play for control of what geophysicists believe may be one of the world’s richest zones for hydrocarbons-oil and gas outside the Middle East, possibly orders of magnitude greater than that of nearby Venezuela.

Now, in the wake of the devastating earthquake of January 12, the United States military has taken control of Haiti’s four airports and presently has some 20,000 troops in the country. Journalists and international aid organizations have accused the US military of being more concerned with imposing military control, which it prefers to call “security,” than with bringing urgently needed water, food and medicine from the airport sites to the population.

A US military occupation of Haiti under the guise of earthquake disaster ‘relief’ would give Washington and private business interests tied to it a geopolitical prize of the first order. Prior to the January 12 quake, the US Embassy in Port-au-Prince was the fifth largest US embassy in the world, comparable to its embassies in such geopolitically strategic places as Berlin and Beijing.With huge new oil finds off Cuba being exploited by Russian companies, with clear indications that Haiti contains similar vast untapped oil as well as gold, copper, uranium and iridium, with Hugo Chavez’ Venezuela as a neighbor to the south of Haiti, a return of Aristide or any popular leader committed to developing the resources for the people of Haiti, -- the poorest nation in the Americas -- would constitute a devastating blow to the world’s sole Superpower.

According to Marguerite Laurent ('Ezili Dantò') of the Haitian Lawyers’ Leadership Network, under the guise of emergency relief work, the US, France and Canada are engaged in a balkanization of the island for future mineral control. She reports rumors that Canada wants the North of Haiti where Canadian mining interests are already present. The US wants Port-au-Prince and the island of La Gonaive just offshore – an area identified as having vast oil resources, and which is bitterly contested by France. She further states that China, with UN veto power over the de facto UN-occupied country, may have something to say against such a US-France-Canada carve up of the vast wealth of the nation.

Rest of the article here

The Path

2010-01-30T14:23:00.003+02:00

We enter this world naked but soon learn to
clothe ourselves with colorful garments
to cover what's really within.
It seems to be far easier to walk life's path
covered up in the fashion of the day,than baring
it all,seeing it all,but no matter how much we try,
we can never truly escape what is hidden within.

We learn more about the depths of our souls,during
times of pain and sorrow than during good times.
But more often than not,we try and escape from it,
we do whatever we can to get away.
Anything is better than having to face that
which is hidden,to really see.......
Sometimes we manage to escape this torture, but
before long the cycle will be repeated,over and
over again until we surrender to the torturous
pain and allow it to illuminate us with truth and light..

With surrendering to pain comes truth,
with truth comes release,
with release comes peace,
with peace we don't need to cover
up our nakedness no more because
we have once again,become one with the source.

How Long Before?

2010-01-28T20:17:00.005+02:00

How long before the ever present shadows disappear,
before all is illuminated in bright light?

How long before the thick,stifling air clears,
before all is fresh and breathing is easy?

How long before pain and sadness become ghosts,
before peace and love become the soft cloak?

How long before the cold,bitter winter ends,
before the heat comes and melts the snow?

How long before the nauseating fear subsides,
before the lead is replaced by a soft feather?

How long before the blind,dark night ends,
before everything sparkles in the Sun's glow?

How long before tears will no longer be shed,
before the soft water will shape the granite rock?

How long before words will no longer be weapons,
before words become healing tools of peace and love?

How long before karma is finally repaid,
before lessons taught and lessons learned? ~Andrea

Richat Structure

2010-01-24T22:54:00.002+02:00

In the midst of the vast, vacant Sahara desert, just outside of Ouadane, Mauritania, lies a 30-mile wide geological oddity known the Richat Structure, or the "Eye of Africa." From space, this natural curiosity forms a distinct and unmistakable bull's-eye that once served as a geographical landmark for early astronauts as they passed over the Sahara.

Once thought to be a crater due to its circularity, the unusual formation is now widely believed to have been caused by the erosion of what was once a volcanic dome. Over time, desert weather has caused the volcano to gradually shed layers, resulting in the structure's remarkable flatness.
LINK

Kitum Cave

2010-01-24T22:42:00.003+02:00

When the Kitum cave was first discovered the many marks, scratches and furrows along its walls were assumed to have been the work of picks wielded by ancient Egyptians searching for gold or diamonds. In fact, the excavated sections of the cave are the result of something altogether much stranger.

The Kitum cave is found on Mount Elgon, an extinct shield volcano and the cave itself developed as the result of cooling volcanic rock. The cave which extends some 600 feet into the mountain has walls covered in salt, and it is here that the mysterious cave diggers reveal themselves.

Each night for hundreds (possibly thousands) of years animals have traveled into the cave in the dead of night to use it as a giant salt lick. Buffaloes, antelope, leopards, hyenas, and most of all elephants bumble blindly through the cave (the elephants often bump their heads in the process) making their way to the salty walls of the cave. It is the elephants that have done the digging.

Using their massive tusks they scrape the the salt, the elephants pull off chunks of the walls to crush and lick up the salt. Over the centuries this has resulted in a noticeable increase in the size of the cave and walls covered in tusk marks. The trip to the cave is not without dangers and there is a deep crevasse into which many younger, more inexperienced elephants have fallen leaving behind an elephant graveyard.

The Kitum cave is more recently famous for a very different sort of lifeform, a deadly virus. In 1980 and again in 1987 visitors to the cave contracted Marburg virus, a deadly virus very similar to Ebola. The cave and Marburg virus rose to notoriety when it was featured in bestseller "The Hot Zone." It is believed that the bats in the cave may carry the virus and that their powered guano may act as the disease vector.

Link

Bighorn Medicine Wheel

2010-01-24T22:32:00.003+02:00

A mysterious pattern of stones sits at the summit of Medicine Mountain, nearly 10,000 feet above the Bighorn Range in Wyoming. Covered by heavy snows for most of the year, the stone configuration reveals itself and its purpose only in the summer months.

The stones are arranged in the shape of a wheel, 80 feet across and with 28 spokes emanating from a central cairn. The cairn, a ring-shaped pile of rocks, is large enough to sit in and is surrounded by six others that lie along the wheel’s circumference. Oddly enough, this configuration is not unique to Wyoming. Rather, hundreds of similar stone wheels exist throughout North America.
Known as medicine wheels, or sacred hoops, these special structures have been built by Native Americans for centuries. With uses ranging from the ritual to the astronomical, the medicine wheel has been appropriated over time by New Age spiritualists, Wiccans, and Pagans.

Of the various medicine wheels throughout the continent, Bighorn is one of the most well studied and preserved. As a result of the work of one archaeoastronomer, Jack Eddy, it was discovered that the arrangement of the cairns and spokes hold special celestial significance. Eddy suggests that when the wheel was built by Plains Indians 300-800 years ago, it served to predict the positions of the Sun and other bright stars in the sky around the summer solstice.

Today, the Bighorn Medicine Wheel is still an accurate predictor for the summer solstice and is used by various Native American groups. Additionally, the site is a registered National Historic Landmark and is monitored by an archaeologist throughout the summer. Other important medicine wheels include one at Moose Mountain in Saskatchewan and one in Majorville, Alberta that is believed to be 5000 years old, making it coeval with the pyramids in Egypt.

Link

Century-old Swiss watch discovered in ancient tomb sealed for 400 years

2010-01-24T21:35:00.002+02:00

Archaeologists are stumped after finding a 100-year-old Swiss watch in an ancient tomb that was sealed more than 400 years ago.

They believed they were the first to visit the Ming dynasty grave in Shangsi, southern China, since its occupant's funeral.

But inside they uncovered a miniature watch in the shape of a ring marked 'Swiss' that is thought to be just a century old.
The mysterious timepiece was encrusted in mud and rock and had stopped at 10:06 am.

Watches were not around at the time of the Ming Dynasty and Switzerland did not even exist as a country, an expert pointed out.

The archaeologists were filming a documentary with two journalists when they made the puzzling discovery.

Read more

So is this a hoax? If not,how did the watch get into the sealed tomb?

Discrimination and Hate

2010-01-16T10:57:00.006+02:00

We are all victims of crime & diseases;
we are all victims of economical and
political manipulations;we are all filled
with hate & intolerance in some shape or form;
we are egotistical to a certain degree and we
all see ourselves as superior to another..
This is true of all races and all nationalities.

If this is not true,then we will presently all
be living in bliss,in an Utopian world,devoid of
wars,greed and misery.

We obediently walk the paths we are programmed
to walk,but at the end of the day,
we all bleed the same color...
~Andrea

Whether we are Jewish,Muslim,Christian,
Hindu,Buddhist or whatever...
Whether we are black,white,brown or yellow..
We are each nothing more but identical pieces
collectively making up the ONE and unless we
realize this truth, we will continue on this
path of self destruction,blinded by our hatred,
forever remaining fearful & incomplete.........
~Andrea

How is this for weird!

2010-01-03T01:08:00.004+02:00

I'm supposed to be working on a web design for a client,but since I am not feeling very creative tonite,I decided to spend some time here on my blog instead.

In any case,I decided to add some images to some of my older posts.
So I looked for an image to add to an older post of mine,which describes a dream I had a while ago. The title of my dream is "Red Death" since upon waking from the dream,the title 'Red Death' was stuck in my head and because of all the red blood in my dream......

So I Googled "red death images" on the off chance that I might find an appropriated image to add to my dream post.
Well, low and behold! I found many images with the title 'red death' and not only that,I found a story written by Edgar Allan Poe titled: "The Mask of the Red Death"
I have never read this story before and was not aware of its existence until now.
What is even more freaky,is that the following snip from the story,is almost identical to what I dreamed happening to people!
"A terrifying disease called the Red Death ravages the dominion of Prince Prospero. So lethal is it that it kills within a half-hour after the onset of its symptoms: sharp pain, dizziness, and bleeding from the pores."

Now is this weird or what?
Damn freaky if you ask me!

Jordan,Israel and the Dead Sea Scrolls

2010-01-02T23:28:00.004+02:00

While we now know that Noah's ark was probably circular in shape,thanks to a newly translated tablet on the other side of the world, Jordan is invoking international law in a bid to keep the Dead Sea Scrolls out of the hands of Israel until their disputed ownership is settled.
Jordan is asking Canada to seize the Dead Sea Scrolls which is on display there.

Jordan claims Israel acted illegally in 1967 when it took the scrolls from a museum in east Jerusalem, which Israel seized from Jordan during the Six-Day War and subsequently occupied. The Hague Convention, which is concerned with safeguarding cultural property during wartime, requires each signatory “to take into its custody cultural property imported into its territory either directly or indirectly from any occupied territory. This shall either be effected automatically upon the importation of the property or, failing this, at the request of the authorities of that territory.”

This means Canada must act, says Jordan. “The Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan would be grateful if the Government of Canada would confirm … whether it is prepared to assume its international legal responsibility, and the means by which it intends to do so,” it wrote.

Rest of the Article here

Would be interesting to see if Canada will comply with Jordan's request.
Israel sees herself as the custodian of the Dead Sea Scrolls,so won't be
too happy if Canada complies....

For 25 Interesting Facts about the Dead Sea Scrolls,click here.

Noah's ark was circular?

2010-01-02T23:12:00.002+02:00

• Newly translated tablet gives building instructions
• Amateur historian's find was almost overlooked

According to newly translated instructions inscribed in ancient Babylonian on a clay tablet telling the story of the ark, the vessel that saved one virtuous man, his family and the animals from god's watery wrath was not the pointy-prowed craft of popular imagination but rather a giant circular reed raft.

There are dozens of ancient tablets that have been found which describe the flood story but Finkel says this one is the first to describe the vessel's shape.

"In all the images ever made people assumed the ark was, in effect, an ocean-going boat, with a pointed stem and stern for riding the waves – so that is how they portrayed it," said Finkel. "But the ark didn't have to go anywhere, it just had to float, and the instructions are for a type of craft which they knew very well. It's still sometimes used in Iran and Iraq today, a type of round coracle which they would have known exactly how to use to transport animals across a river or floods."

Finkel's research throws light on the familiar Mesopotamian story, which became the account in Genesis, in the Old Testament, of Noah and the ark that saved his menagerie from the waters which drowned every other living thing on earth.

In his translation, the god who has decided to spare one just man speaks to Atram-Hasis, a Sumerian king who lived before the flood and who is the Noah figure in earlier versions of the ark story. "Wall, wall! Reed wall, reed wall! Atram-Hasis, pay heed to my advice, that you may live forever! Destroy your house, build a boat; despise possessions And save life! Draw out the boat that you will built with a circular design; Let its length and breadth be the same."

The tablet goes on to command the use of plaited palm fibre, waterproofed with bitumen, before the construction of cabins for the people and wild animals.

It ends with the dramatic command of Atram-Hasis to the unfortunate boat builder whom he leaves behind to meet his fate, about sealing up the door once everyone else is safely inside: "When I shall have gone into the boat, Caulk the frame of the door!"

Fortunes were spent in the 19th century by biblical archaeology enthusiasts in hunts for evidence of Noah's flood. The Mesopotamian flood myth was incorporated into the great poetic epic Gilgamesh, and Finkel, curator of the recent British Museum exhibition on ancient Babylon, believes that it was during the Babylonian captivity that the exiled Jews learned the story, brought it home with them, and incorporated it into the Old Testament.

Read the Rest of the Article here

THE NEW YEAR

2009-12-31T21:37:00.003+02:00

As we close the book on yet another year,the usual festivities take precedence...
We dance,drink,celebrate the dawn of the New Year.
The flowing champagne and fireworks become the magic wand that erases all the bad
of the past year or at the very least,give us a good dose of temporary amnesia...

Most will argue that we need this one night of fun and distraction,but do we really?
I can't help but to use this night to reflect on the year gone past...to be thankful for having had a good year in comparison to so many unfortunate people world wide who have nothing to celebrate.
While we are celebrating, people in Palestine,Iraq,Afghanistan and other war torn and impoverished areas in Africa and elsewhere,are looking at the New Year with trepidation...another year of fear and hunger,another year of death and destruction.

I feel that there is nothing to celebrate and have been 'skipping' New year and Xmas for the last couple of years. Yes I do send my friends messages wishing them Merry Xmas and Happy New Year,but I don't celebrate it.

My Biggest wish is that one day all the populations of the world will be able to genuinely look forward to the New Year without any fear..

Wishing you all a blessed New Year~Andrea

Kremlin UFO pyramid & Norway Spiral connection?

2009-12-29T23:05:00.006+02:00

Is something going on,or is it just coincidence that on the same day when hundreds of people witnessed the Norway blue spiral,hundreds of people in Russia witnessed a pyramid shaped object hovering over the Kremlin for hours?

Here is a video taken during the daytime of the pyramid ufo:

And here is a video taken at night,from a moving vehicle:

Disclose.tv UFO Pyramid Over Kremlin Russia December 2009 Video

So apparently this ufo object was visible during the night and daytime...was it an elaborate hoax? Why was it visible for so long? Are the PTB trying to tell us something...or preparing us for something perhaps? Could disclosure in the near future be the aim?

David Wilcock has an interesting theory about all this....read his free e-book about the subject. Here is the link to the E-book

Norway and the Strange Blue Spiral Light

2009-12-17T23:20:00.004+02:00

Okay I know this is already all over the internet,but I find the whole story very interesting indeed....

"Astronomers and Norwegian citizens alike have been baffled by the appearance of a strange blue spiral light in the sky above the Scandinavian country last night: Was it aliens, evil Russians, or just a Dante's Inferno marketing stunt?

This one goes under "holy crap": The astronomical community (and the Norwegians) have been all up in a tizzy since the appearance of a bizarre spiral light in the night sky, reports the Daily Mail.

Witnesses in the north of the country reported an unusual atmospheric phenomenon that began when "what appeared to be a blue light seemed to soar up from behind a mountain. It stopped mid-air, then began to circulate ... Within seconds a giant spiral had covered the entire sky. Then a green-blue beam of light shot out from its centre - lasting for ten to twelve minutes before disappearing completely."
LINK TO REST OF THE ARTICLE

I saw a video today of a similar blue spiral that was seen elsewhere a while back as well............

Okay,so what do you guys say?
What do you think caused this?
What is this blue spiral?
Could the recent activities at CERN have anything to do with this?

More South African UFO sightings

2009-12-17T22:41:00.005+02:00

As promised,when I do come across more recorded Ufo sightings in SA,I will post it here on my blog.Here are my latest finds.....

21 November 2009:
Many people see a greenish,bluish light over Johannesburg,Pretoria.
The theory is that it is a meteor,but many witnesses disagree.
Below is a video of the event,taken by a security camera.
Here is also the link to the newspaper article about the event.

March 6 2009-Article Courtesy Digital Journal
Twenty three lights moved steadily in the night-sky of Witbank, South Africa on Friday March 6 2009 -- and scores of residents in nearby Middelburg also saw them. They called in the police, who filmed the odd formation of lights on their cellphones.
Mrs Hetta Malan of Middelburg was one of the many Middelburg, South Africa residents who spotted the formation that Friday-night. It was moving steadily towards the nearby mining town of Witbank, she told the Afrikaans-language newspaper Beeld.
In South Africa, police inspectors Chris Gatzonis and Awie Labuschagne of the Middelburg police station even filmed the lights, alas the images on their cellphones were poor.

"We were on active duty and driving across the bridge at Aerorand in Middelburg. First we saw five orange lights, moving in formation going in the direction towards Witbank. Later only two were left. Then the clouds moved in front of them and we lost sight of them,' said Chris Gatzonis. This was the first time the lights were spotted. And last weekend, the two police officers saw similar lights again -- this time they counted a pattern in formation of 23 lights, coming back from Witbank.
READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE HERE

Here is another sighting...UFO Dazzles Commuters (AllNewsWeb, 02-24-2009)

Here is an extensive list of sightings(a great find in my opinion,because the public in SA can list their sightings there) that have taken place in South Africa over recent years.LINK TO EXTENSIVE LIST OF SIGHTINGS

Egyptian bust looks exactly like Michael Jackson

2009-10-03T22:49:00.003+02:00

An ancient Egyptian bust at The Field Museum in Chicago has been bewitching recent visitors thanks to its resemblance to a certain late pop star, NBC Chicago reports:

The spitting image limestone sculpture has been on display at the museum since 1988, but recently started drawing attention because of its likeness to Jacko — complete with disfigured nose.

Unfortunately the bust, which was carved sometime between 1550 B.C. and 1050 B.C., is of a woman and MJ likely never had the chance to see the statuette.

Read more

9 October 2009-Nasa Moon Crash!

2009-10-03T21:45:00.002+02:00

A Nasa spacecraft will deliberately crash into the Moon next week on a mission that could enhance the prospects of establishing a manned lunar base.

Only two weeks after three probes discovered water on the Moon, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) will blast two huge chunks out of its surface to establish whether it exists in a form that could be exploited by astronauts.

In the early hours of Friday morning, the LCROSS probe will separate from the Centaur upper stage of the rocket that carried it to lunar orbit, and send the spent module crashing into the Cabeus crater at the Moon’s south pole.

When the 2.4-tonne Centaur hits at 12.31pm BST, at a speed of 2.5km per second (1.6 miles per sec), it will throw up a plume of debris 10km (6 miles) high.

Article Link

Is the reason given by Nasa for essentially bombing the Moon true?
Or is there more to this?
Does the reason given justify the expense of this mission?

UFO sightings in South Africa

2009-09-15T23:57:00.003+02:00

Okay here is some more info on UFO's in South Africa,courtesy Wikipedia:

1965 craft landing
* After midnight on 16 September, police constables Lockem and de Klerk observed a landed, copper-coloured craft on the Pretoria - Bronkhorstspruit freeway. It was 30ft wide and left a 6ft wide imprint on the tarmac after a rapid, fiery ascent. The incident was confirmed in a press release by Lt Colonel J.B. Brits, district commandant, Pretoria North

1972 craft landings
Main article: 1972 UFO sightings in the eastern Cape
* On 27 June a landed craft was observed near Fort Beaufort in the eastern Cape, which attracted the attention of the military.[2] On 12 November a school headmaster seems to have arrived at a still smouldering UFO landing site in the town of Rosmead

1974 abduction event
* Travellers Peter and Frances MacNorman claimed an abduction event on 31 May, which would have started near Fort Victoria in the current southern Zimbabwe, and which would have continued to the vicinity of Beitbridge on the South African border.

90's sightings
* On 7 April 1991, at 23:15pm a hovering triangular craft with red central light, and white star-like lights on each extremity, was observed by a family at Baviaanspoort, Pretoria. A similar craft was sighted in the nearby Eersterust township on the evenings of 8 and 9 April, either stationary or moving.
* On 18 November 1993, at 10:15pm, Messrs du Plessis and Venter, residents of Sasolburg, observed a craft arriving from the direction of Vereeniging. The craft departed in a flash in the direction of Parys, but returned some three minutes later. The craft, similar in appearance to a water droplet, was observed to change colour and shape. With time individual lights were distinguished, and the body was determined to be cigar-shaped. While contained in a yellowish to orange glow, it emitted a downward blue light, before once again departing in a flash, upwards. A nearby town resident claimed to have found imprints of a small craft's landing gear, some two months later.
* In September and October 1994 a farmer at Warrenton claimed to have made repeated observations of a noisy, nighttime craft travelling at great speeds, besides what he described as a 'mother ship'. The craft's noise was compared to the sound of a helicopter or Volkswagen Beetle engine. The farmer's general claims were supported by four independent observers.
* A UFO wave swept South Africa from late March to mid April 1995, which was widely reported in the media.
* At 4:00am on 28 August 1996 a glowing disc was sighted by sergeant Becker near the Adriaan Vlok police station, Erasmuskloof, Pretoria. The pulsating light contained a red triangle and emitted bright green tentacles, while a radar operator at Johannesburg International confirmed its presence. A chase ensued involving some 200 policemen and a police helicopter. The helicopter chase was given up at 10,000ft near Bronkhorstspruit, when the object made a vertical ascent.An object was sighted again during the early hours of 31 August and 1 September.
* Around the end of July 1997 a hovering, cylindrical light or shiny cloud, was filmed by Andreas Mathios in the sky above the town of Trichardt, in the current western Mpumalanga province. Besides Mathios, it was independently observed by three other persons around 6:50am. The light suddenly dropped and rose again before disappearing. Trichardt was also the scene of a 1985 sighting.
* On 27 December 1998 the Laubscher family videotaped a group of roundish triangular craft passing over the town of Graaff Reinet, at about 25,000ft. These were changing colour and sometimes circled one another, before being overtaken by a much larger, shiny, gold-coloured craft. At this point all the objects departed to a cloud bank on the horizon.

2000 sighting
* On 8 May, at 3:24am, police inspector Kriel claimed to have observed an approaching UFO while travelling on the N3 freeway, 70km north of Warden in the eastern Free State province. The orange, oval-shaped light was fitted with two cupolas, one above and another below, and was wide enough to cover four lanes of the freeway. After a close approach the craft receded again. A follow up report claimed that the vicinity is known for moving light apparitions.

A sighting in 2008 courtesy ufocasebook.com
Extract of sighting:
Randburg, South Africa-Friday, 19 September 2008

"On the 24th August, 2008, at 14:37 (+2 h GMT) local time, I was looking up from my computer monitor through a large southerly window in my study when I became aware of an airborne object that did not conform to any known conventional aerodynamic shape. Location, Randburg, a Northern suburb of Johannesburg in South Africa.

The craft became visible and appeared from a westerly direction through the bare branches of trees (Spring foliage being still some weeks away), at the right perimeter of the window and proceeded in an easterly direction. It then moved through a large unobstructed viewing segment of the window until it disappeared in the East, gradually obscured by other trees at the left-hand perimeter of the window.

It is important to note that the window consists of high quality glass with no noticeable optical distortion, that the glass was perfectly clean and clear, and that the luminosity contrast between external ambient light and internal light conditions was not conducive to any internal reflection.

The craft was visibly well-defined, had a perfectly oval shape with a dimensional ratio of around 3:1 - its longer horizontal, major axis about three times its height. The meteorological conditions were: clear sky, no cloud with infinite visibility (30 km+), bright sun, temperature at 22 C and humidity at 40%. Colour of the craft was in various tints of white, ranging from a brilliant white on its upper surface, transitioning very smoothly down through its largest equatorial diameter to a less luminous, creamy white on its lower surfaces.
Judging from its specific reflective albedo and this in combination with slight optical speckling caused by atmospheric refractive effects, the latter compared to atmospheric conditions as judged from their reference effects on surrounding terrain, I judged its minimum distance to have been eight km. The craft had no externally protruding structures detectable and no contrasting internal lights or other detectable surface features.
The craft spanned an apparent angular size of one degree (see diagram) and covered an angular distance of fifty degrees from West to East in about 8 seconds."
Read the rest at the link above.

A recent sighting courtesy ufoinfo.com
June 15th 2009 : Between Bultfontein and Welkom, Free State
UFOINFO Sighting Form Report
Location: On the road between Bultfontein and Welkom in the Free State.
Date: June 15 2009
Time: Approximately 23:30
Number of witnesses: Three (3)
Number of objects: Between 10 to 12, fast speed and very clustered
Shape of objects: Oval, size approximately 60cm in diameter.(small)But thats what we saw.
Weather Conditions: Clear, chilly night at the time.

Description: "On route back home from Bloemfontein via Bultfontein to Welkom. Traveling about 130km/h at approx 23:30 a sudden swoop down directly from the front at just above the vehicle roof top height a cluster of 'lights' almost all in a row at high speed directly towards us. I actually expected a collision. They appeared approximately within a hundred metres in front of us. The reaction from us was silent, rather perplexed I would say. Then from my comment: "did you see that", Marco responded a slow: "yes" and my nice Gabby also acknowledged seeing that. Our companion Peter who did not see, said must have been a flock of birds. I insisted that at that speed it could not have been, also we would have seen wings flapping.

TV/Radio: No report. I have deliberated reporting it at all. But have decided that maybe there have been other sightings in this area and this could only support or validate the other/s and vice versa.

So for what its worth."

Here is a link
to a site that has some sightings in Africa documented.
Very interesting stuff indeed!

UFOS in South Africa

2009-09-15T23:18:00.003+02:00

I have never seen little grey/green men,but I think it is arrogant to think that we are the only living intelligent beings in the universe and that there is no life on the billions of Planets out there.So I believe that there must be life out there...

Quite a few years ago,very late at night,we were driving in Johannesburg north on the highway and I noticed this big round object in the sky.It at first sort of hovered about,but as we were driving,it seem to keep pace,albeit at a distance and eventually in the blink of an eye,it sort of shot up high and disappeared.I remember pointing it out to my husband but he dismissed it out of hand as being nothing more than a light.It bothered me since it was not a plane,kite,baloon or light source of this I was certain,but I put it at the back of my mind until just now,when I stumbled across the following videos on Youtube....

Ufo sightings in SA is not nearly as well reported as elsewhere in the world nor is it a prevalent as elsewhere,but then again,perhaps it is,but it is just not reported.
Witnesses do not know who to tell,do not know if people will believe them and so just keep quiet,or at least that is what I think.

What I saw that night is identical to what is depicted in the video above..
Must say it is quite weird seeing on video what I saw before!

Okay here is another video of a UFO over South Africa:

I would love to have been witness to the UFO in the above video!

And another video:

Kids make up stories yes,but somehow I don't think these kids are lying....

This one is not very clear:

Quite recently,I think it was a few months ago,there was an article in the newspapers,where there was a mass sighting of UFO's flying in formation and
it was witness by police as well,I have lost the link and once I find it
I will add the link to this post.

Since information on UFO sightings in SA and elsewhere in Africa is so hard to come by since there are bits and piece of evidence scattered all over the net,I think I will list all the info I can find here on my blog.That way,South Africans who have an interest in this topic can find all evidence/info in one spot.

UN Masturbation Guidelines For 5 Year Olds!

2009-09-11T10:46:00.006+02:00

To me this is just plain sick...

The powers that be are already regulating our lives with many laws aimed at controlling us...from telling us what we are allowed and not allowed to do with our own bodies,telling use how to bring up our children and throwing parents in jail for disciplining their children,wanting to force vaccinations on us etc..the list is endless.
They have taken away parents rights,they have taken away personal rights and much more.
Slowly but surely they are also laying claim over our children,making them property
of the state....

"Children as young as five should be taught about explicit sex acts, according to guidelines from the United Nations.

The advice also calls for youngsters to learn about abortion, same-sex relationships and sexually transmitted diseases.

The draft report on sex education has been compiled by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

The guidance is due to be issued to governments, local authorities and education bodies around the world by the end of next month.

The guidelines break down suitable topics for discussion into four age groups. Among the most controversial recommendations are for teachers to begin discussing subjects such as masturbation with children from the age of five.

They recommend teachers should discuss the idea that 'girls and boys have private body parts that can feel pleasurable when touched by oneself'.

When children are 12, teachers should be covering issues such as 'access to safe abortion and post-abortion care' and the 'use and misuse of emergency contraception'.

The guidelines also recommend young people should learn about the 'right to and access to safe abortion'. The report is intended to help countries improve sex education and sexual health, especially in the developing world."

Click here to read more

As a parent I am appalled by the above mentioned guidelines!
It is my responsibility to teach my children about sex and it is my choice at what age my children should be told about maturbation and their rights to abortion.
5year olds and 12 year olds most certainly do not need to be taught about the pleasures of masturbation!

PURIFYING WATER

2009-08-14T22:59:00.005+02:00

Okay lets talk about water purification.
As I mentioned in an earlier post,water should be one of the things that you stock up.It is cheap,readily available and it is the most important element in staying alive.You never know when there will be a water outage in your area due to maintenance,extended power outages etc.

It is essential that every person have enough and it must be safe to drink. Calculate 1 gallon (roughly 4 liters) DRINKING water per person per day as a rule of thumb. Needs differ according to age, physical condition, activity and environment. This does not include water for cooking, bathing or pets. If you have a medium-size dog, for example, plan at least another 1 gallon of water for each dog per day, 1 pint per day for each cat.

Assuming clean and deodorized food-grade containers are used, untreated water straight from your tap should keep 6 months, but MUST be changed thereafter. Bacteria-free water, which means successful treatment by one of the accepted methods listed, will keep several years depending on heat, light, degradation of the container, etc.

Store your water away from paint and petroleum-based products, acids or anything releasing strong odors like fertilizer or household cleaners. While able to hold water, these lower grade containers are permeable to certain gases.

If you run out of stored water, you'll need to locate an alternate source. Especially in times of disaster, assume any water not stored or purchased is contaminated. It could look like a crystal clear stream and still be polluted. If the water you locate is brackish, first strain the debris through a paper towel, clean cloth or coffee filter.

Then treat by one of the following methods:

BOILING - bring water to a rolling boil and maintain for a minimum of 10 minutes. For every 1000 feet above sea level, add one minute of boiling to the initial 10 minutes. If the water pot is covered, it will shorten the time to reach a boil. This method is recognized as the safest treatment.

LIQUID CHLORINE BLEACH - any brand - must be 5.25% or 6% sodium hypochlorite and contain NO soap, fragrance or phosphates. Measuring by drops is more accurate and the preferred method.
1 GALLON / 4 LITERS WATER
Add 16 drops (1/4 tsp. / 1.25ml) chlorine
5 GALLONS / 19 LITERS WATER
Add 80 drops (1 tsp. / 5ml) chlorine

AMERICAN RED CROSS STANDARD

1. Filter water using a piece of cloth or a coffee filter to remove solid particles.

2. Bring water to a rolling boil for about one full minute.

3. Let it cool at least 30 minutes. Water must be cool or the chlorine treatment described above will be useless.

4. Add the required amount of liquid chlorine bleach in the table above.

5. Let stand 30 minutes.

6. If it smells of chlorine, use it. If it does not have a chlorine scent, add 16 more drops of chlorine bleach per gallon of water (or 8 drops per 2-liter bottle of water), let stand 30 minutes, and smell it again. If it smells of chlorine, use it. If it does not, discard it and find another source of water.

For storing water in 55 gallon drums, use 50ml or a scant 1/4 cup chlorine. Remember, these doses are for treated city water which has (or should) have a chlorine demand of zero. Field water will need more. GET A TEST KIT for free chlorine measurement so guess work is gone. Target treatment at 3-5ppm (parts per million) free chlorine for city water and 5ppm for field water.

If bleach is more than one year old, it loses approximately 50% strength. In this case, the amount of bleach should be doubled. After treating with chlorine, mix well and allow water to stand 30 minutes before using. Use this eyedropper for no other purpose. If the bleach is not dated, at time of purchase, note the date on the bottle with a permanent marker.

DRY CHLORINE - also called calcium hypochlorite has the added benefit of extended shelf life. Providing it is kept dry, cool and in an airtight container, it may be stored up to 10 years with minimal degradation. If one is wanting to keep chlorine in larger quantities, this is the item to store as it is readily available at swimming pool supply stores and many hardware and grocery stores carrying pool items and requires less actual storing space than its liquid counterpart.

For chlorinating water in rain tanks,for first time chlorination, add 7 grams dry (1/4 ounce by weight) or 40ml (1.35 ounces) liquid per 1000 liters (264 gallons) and let stand for 24 hours before drinking. To maintain adequate chlorination, on a weekly basis add 1 gram dry (.035 ounce by weight) or 4ml (.135 ounces) liquid per 1000 liters (264 gallons) of water. Let stand for two hours before drinking.

NOTE: Calcium hypochlorite is the solid form with 65% strength and sodium hypochlorite is the liquid form with strengths about 12.5%. Household bleach is sodium hypochlorite (NaHOCl) of about 5% strength. Most household bleach labels will read 5.25% or 6%*

IODINE - if no instructions are provided on the container, use 12 drops per gallon of water. If the water is in question, double the amount of iodine. Mix well and allow the water to stand 30 minutes before using.

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE* - Peroxide is a perfectly acceptable disinfectant for water, as it oxidizes as does chlorine. There are a couple things with peroxide that make it differ from chlorine as a disinfectant. Peroxide degrades even more rapidly than chlorine and potency may be an issue if it is to be stored.

The other thing that makes peroxide more difficult to use is that testing for peroxide residual levels is difficult compared to testing for chlorine residuals. Residuals need to be measured to ensure disinfection is complete. This is dependent on the bacterial loading of your water source. There are various methods of testing for bacteriological levels, but measuring residual levels is much simpler.

"Residual" is that which remains from the original dosage and has not unreacted (potentially to prevent reinfection). Example: if one cup of water has 20 parts per million 'bugs' in it, the disinfectant dosage needs to be at least 20ppm but no more than 25 to prevent ill effects. A dosage of 23ppm (of the active chlorine component) will show a 3ppm free residual while showing a 23ppm total chlorine level (if the background is zero). Peroxide would potentially have the advantage of breaking down to oxygen and water, but its use is also made more difficult by that fact when measuring reacted components. A quick calculation to use daily is the required dosage in parts per million, times the volume treated in gallons, divided by 120,000 (which is a constant). This calculates the number of pounds needed to give that dosage. Unfortunately there is no simple answer.

PURIFICATION TABLETS - these tablets are either iodine or chlorine based. One or two tablets will purify one quart or one litre of water depending on contamination of water and length of time allowed for treated water to stand. Follow instructions on the package.

STABILIZED OXYGEN - reports from people that have used this method feel it is more favorable than iodine and chlorine. Both iodine and chlorine have shown some side effects if used for an extended period of time and these treatments have a taste to them. Stabilized oxygen is neither harmful nor has a taste. Conversely, it has a number of health benefits.

WATER PURIFYING UNITS - there are a number of water purifying units on the market. Before purchasing a purifier, there are several things to consider, durability/reliability (will parts break down with heavy usage?), how easy is the unit to pump, how much water output can you expect in a half hour, will this particular unit filter giardia and other bacterial agents, does it still work in brackish water, cost and availability of additional filters.

TIP: To improve the taste of any treated water, pour water from one clean container to another several times. This will help re-oxygenate the water and remove its flat taste after treatment and storage.

Adding powdered drinks like Kool-Aid or Tang will help disguise any off-tastes in water. These two products are also good sources of Vitamin C. Instead of using powdered drinks, a pinch of salt per quart can improve treated water's flavor.

Link to referenced article

Food Prep Videos for beginners

2009-08-12T08:13:00.002+02:00

As I have mentioned before,there are many reasons why you should prepare for emergencies.Stocking up on food,fuel and other essentials does not mean you are
a nutter,it simply means that you are thinking of tomorrow...
For those of you who are new to prepping,here is a series of you tube videos by Wendy Dewitt.She lists a few reasons why prepping is so valuable and also helps you to work out how much food to buy.
I think you will find these videos of great help.

Entering the Greatest Depression in History

2009-08-10T21:09:00.001+02:00

More Bubbles Waiting to Burst
In 2007, it was reported that, “The Bank for International Settlements, the world's most prestigious financial body, has warned that years of loose monetary policy has fuelled a dangerous credit bubble, leaving the global economy more vulnerable to another 1930s-style slump than generally understood.” Further:

The BIS, the ultimate bank of central bankers, pointed to a confluence a worrying signs, citing mass issuance of new-fangled credit instruments, soaring levels of household debt, extreme appetite for risk shown by investors, and entrenched imbalances in the world currency system.

In a thinly-veiled rebuke to the US Federal Reserve, the BIS said central banks were starting to doubt the wisdom of letting asset bubbles build up on the assumption that they could safely be "cleaned up" afterwards - which was more or less the strategy pursued by former Fed chief Alan Greenspan after the dotcom bust.

In 2008, the BIS again warned of the potential of another Great Depression, as “complex credit instruments, a strong appetite for risk, rising levels of household debt and long-term imbalances in the world currency system, all form part of the loose monetarist policy that could result in another Great Depression.”

In 2008, the BIS also said that, “The current market turmoil is without precedent in the postwar period. With a significant risk of recession in the US, compounded by sharply rising inflation in many countries, fears are building that the global economy might be at some kind of tipping point,” and that all central banks have done “has been to put off the day of reckoning.”

In late June of 2009, the BIS reported that as a result of stimulus packages, it has only seen “limited progress” and that, “the prospects for growth are at risk,” and further “stimulus measures won't be able to gain traction, and may only lead to a temporary pickup in growth.” Ultimately, “A fleeting recovery could well make matters worse.”

The BIS has said, in softened language, that the stimulus packages are ultimately going to cause more damage than they prevented, simply delaying the inevitable and making the inevitable that much worse. Given the previous BIS warnings of a Great Depression, the stimulus packages around the world have simply delayed the coming depression, and by adding significant numbers to the massive debt bubbles of the world’s nations, will ultimately make the depression worse than had governments not injected massive amounts of money into the economy.

After the last Great Depression, Keynesian economists emerged victorious in proposing that a nation must spend its way out of crisis. This time around, they will be proven wrong. The world is a very different place now. Loose credit, easy spending and massive debt is what has led the world to the current economic crisis, spending is not the way out. The world has been functioning on a debt based global economy. This debt based monetary system, controlled and operated by the global central banking system, of which the apex is the Bank for International Settlements, is unsustainable. This is the real bubble, the debt bubble. When it bursts, and it will burst, the world will enter into the Greatest Depression in world history.

Article link

Was There Really a Great Flood?

2009-08-04T14:15:00.001+02:00

With respect to non-Biblical myths about a purifying flood, these can be found in the Hindu, Sumerian, Greek, Acadia, Chinese, Mapuche, Mayan, Aztec, and Pascuanese (Easter Island) cultures, among others. Several of these stories appear to possess surprisingly similar common factors. Among the most repeated themes are those of celestial announcements ignored by the people, the great flood itself, the construction of an arc to preserve life from the flood, and the later restoration of life on the planet.

A clear example of this similarity is provided by pre-Biblical Mesopotamian history of the flood in which the god “Ea” warned Uta-na-pistim, king of Shuruppak, about the punishment that awaits humanity for its serious moral degeneration. Uta-na-pistim received instructions from the god to construct a craft in the form of a cube with eight floors, and said that it should include in it a pair of each species of animal, plant seeds, as well as his own family. Thus, Uta-na-pistim survived the several-day-long deluge, released a bird to verify the proximity of dry land, and made an animal sacrifice to the gods.

One separate point that adds weight to the Bible controversy is the body of photographic and physical evidence of a large object encrusted in Mount Ararat, where, according to the Christian text narrations, finally rested the arc of Noah.

In the beginning of 2006, University of Richmond professor Porcher Taylor declared that according to an extensive study made over years of satellite photography there is a foreign object encrusted in the area northeast of the mountain, the length of which coincides perfectly with that of the arc recounted in the Bible.

Such satellite images from above Ararat have inspired the curiosity of a great number of scientists since this declaration was made in 1974. Several expeditions of investigators also managed to rescue remains of petrified wood, as well as 13 strong anchors of rock in the area surrounding the supposed location of the possible archeological treasure. Ultrasonic tests have also been made, revealing a very odd structure embedded in the rock.

In spite of the multiplicity of texts from diverse cultures which tell the story of a great ancient flood, the magnitude and duration of such an event seems to be a point of argument, even among those who believe that such an event actually occurred. Thus, while a small number of researchers suggests that this flood covered the entire Earth in vast amounts of water, most geologists agree that such a scenario is an impossibility.

While not everyone believes ancient accounts that describe the re-creation of humanity from the salvation of a handful of people, it would seem that a climatic catastrophe actually did take place across the entire planet several millennia ago. We can also safely assume that an indefinite number of human beings in elevated locations had the capacity to continue civilization, and to transmit the story of the occurrence to later generations.

Up until the time when evidence is revealed to definitively tip the scales toward one of these particular theories, the story of a time when a great flood purged the sins of man will be taken as a myth for some and a statement of historical fact for others. Either way, this great ancient flood remains forever a part of the story of humankind.

Article Link

The Plain of Jars in northern Laos

2009-08-04T14:00:00.002+02:00

The Plain of Jars in northern Laos is home to a 2000-year-old mystery.
Shrouded in mystery and myth, and laced with intrigue and tragedy, this is a bizarre collection of ancient cylinders scattered in their hundreds across the war-scarred countryside of northern Laos's Xieng Khuang province.

They're believed to have been created by travelling Indian tribes more than 2000 years ago.
The jars' origins and purposes still puzzle.

Local legend claims they were made of congealed water-buffalo skin so they could store rice and lao-lao (Laos's rice whisky) for a giant who lived nearby.

French archaeologist Madeleine Colani, visiting in the 1930s, established that most were crafted from sandstone (after all, they weigh up to a tonne each) and were probably used for ancient funeral ceremonies.

Colani found a human-shaped bronzed figure carved into one urn and, nearby, a scattering of tiny stone beads, but the lack of organic materials inside the jars, notably bones, has compounded their enigma.

Bernanke: This may be worse than Great Depression

2009-07-28T21:54:00.001+02:00

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke discussed the economy with average Americans on Sunday, saying the current financial crisis could be even more virulent than the Great Depression.

Article Link

Crop circles...alien itinerary?

2009-07-28T13:56:00.000+02:00

William C. Treurniet, May, 2007

(updated as relevant formations appear)

Summary. Application of a subjective filter method suggests that crop formations contain information pertaining to alien interstellar communications. It is proposed that messages are exchanged via a universal consciousness field that normally determines the structure of reality, and that the encoded messages are instantiated as crop formations. A subset of the available crop formations were interpreted as messages marking milestones on intersteller journeys. The logical order and internal consistency of the message sequence argue that the messages are related and were authored by intelligent agents. Analysis of the image subset suggests that a large alien expedition left its home world in 2001, travelled through a higher-dimensional stargate, and arrived in the Earth environment in 2007. Additional messages in 2008 and 2009 appear to say that stargates were again activated and more visitors may be arriving.

ARTICLE LINK

Monsanto GM Corn a Disaster in South Africa

2009-07-28T13:05:00.004+02:00

Farmers in South Africa have reported an inexplicable failure to seed in three different varieties of corn genetically modified (GM) by the Monsanto Corporation.

"One can't see from the outside whether a plant is unseeded," said Kobus van Coller of Free State province. "One must open up the cob leaves to establish the problem."

The problems occurred only in corn engineered by Monsanto for increased yields or for resistance to the company's trademark herbicide, Roundup (glyphosate). Failure to seed has been documented in the provinces of Free State, Mpumalanga and North West.

According to Monsanto, the crop failure occurred due to "underfertilization processes in the laboratory," and has only been a problem in "less than 25 percent" of the seed from the three corn varieties.

Marian Mayet of the Africa Center for Biosecurity disputed the company's claims, however. According to her sources, some farms have experienced crop failures as high as 80 percent. She also expressed doubt over Monsanto's explanation for the problem, laying the blame instead on the GM technologies used to produce the seed.

"Monsanto says they just made a mistake in the laboratory, however we say that biotechnology is a failure," Mayet said. "You cannot make a 'mistake' with three different varieties of corn. We have been warning against GM-technology for years, we have been warning Monsanto that there will be problems."

Mayet called on the government to launch an investigation into the crop failures and to institute an immediate ban on the cultivation of all GM crops in South Africa.

South Africa was one of the first countries after the United States to adopt GM corn. Like the United States but unlike many European countries, South Africa does not require that GM ingredients be labeled as such on food packaging.

The South African grocery chain Woolworths imposed a ban on carrying any GM foods in 2000.

Article Link

US Financial collapse predicted for September

2009-07-23T07:46:00.006+02:00

Many respected voices have now gone on record that in all probability the US economy will collapse in September or beginning October......
If this comes to pass,the rest of the world will be affected as well,even here in South Africa.

Bob Chapman [Internationalforecaster.com] revealed that the US State Dept has advised embassies worldwide to stock up on a year's worth of the local currency in anticipation of collapse of the US dollar. Look for a temporary banking shutdown timed for around September 2009. As under Roosevelt, some banks won't reopen. 96% of bank reserves are currently held with the Federal Reserve who tells the banks not to loan the money, but rather to save it for further banking acquisition and consolidation. Chapman foresees a bank holiday lasting 4-5 days. Chapman thinks this first bank holiday presages a much more significant bank holiday months to years later which will involve simultaneous devaluations of multiple currencies as well as other significant changes in the banking system.

Harry Shultz [as quoted in marketwatch.com] says "Some U.S. embassies worldwide are being advised to purchase massive amounts of local currencies; enough to last them a year. Some embassies are being sent enormous amounts of U.S. cash to purchase currencies from those governments, quietly. But not pound sterling. Inside the State Dept., there is a sense of sadness and foreboding that 'something' is about to happen ... within 180 days, but could be 120-150 days."

Benjamin Fulford [http://benjaminfulford.typepad.com/benjaminfulford/] states that for almost a century the US Treasury Dept has been issuing specialized debt instruments to countries with which the US has had a trade surplus. These complex debt instruments are tailored by complex treaties. Unfortunately, the recent US Treasury funding needs exceed the willingness of these creditor nations to extend additional credit. Fulford writes, "The problem is that after nearly a century of issuing these debt instruments, the chickens are coming home to roost. President Obama tried at the recent G8 plus 5 meeting in Italy to borrow more money than George Bush junior did in 8 years. He was told a resounding no. The result should be total economic chaos in the U.S. by September 30^th . "

Jim Willie [goldenjackass.com] writes of an Asian led initiative ending dollar hegemony beginning this weekend. Willie suspects that the Fed/Treasury is covertly loaning foreign central banks the money with which the central banks are now using to buy US debt. Increasingly, US debt is being bought by foreign central banks taking up the slack of investors abandoning US Treasury debt. Willie confirms Chapman's comments and says he solicited and received "multiple confirmations." He adds, "CHAOS WILL PREVAIL WITHIN SEVERAL MONTHS, PERHAPS A YEAR AT MOST{his emphasis}."

Jim Sinclair [jsmineset.com] has recently visited China meeting with its leaders. He states that China is increasingly more willing to take on the United States in its apparent maneuvers to inflate its way out of its debt crisis. In early July Sinclair started a 120 day countdown till breakdown of the US dollar ends market manipulation and all those sour economic chickens come home to roost.

Article link

The Screen

2009-07-16T23:29:00.004+02:00

Most people hide behind a screen,not only on
the internet but in real life too.

It is much easier to pretend than to bear ones soul
for all to see.
Behind our screens,in the name of self preservation,
we hate,hurt,judge,condemn and resent others without
realizing that when we do these things,we are really
doing it to ourselves as well.

Only when we are at peace with ourselves and with who
we are,only when we accept that our life's journey is
a series of lessons and we learn from them,only when
we can see the good in the bad,the happy in the sad,
the beauty in the ugly...then we will be unafraid and
have no more need to hide behind the screen.
~Andrea

'Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.'
~Gautama Buddha

Gerald Celente - 2009 Outlook

2009-07-14T12:34:00.000+02:00

Pope calls for new political and financial world order

2009-07-09T22:21:00.002+02:00

guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 7 July 2009

Pope Benedict today pinned responsibility for the worldwide recession squarely on greed and an amoral fascination with technological progress for its own sake.

This must be tackled, he said, by the creation of a global political authority and financial order based not just on the search for ever greater profits, but on ethics and a sense of the common good.

The pontiff made the appeal in a 144-page encyclical

In a passage that builds on ideas first voiced by his predecessor, John Paul II, the pope argues that globalisation has made necessary a "reform of the United Nations Organisation and likewise of economic institutions and international finance so that the concept of the family of nations can acquire real teeth".

One of his most senior advisers, cardinal Renato Martino, said: "The encyclical is not asking for a super- or world government." But it comes very close to doing so. It proposes a "true world political authority" that "would need to be universally recognised and to be vested with the effective power to ensure security for all, regard for justice and respect for rights." It would be asked to "manage the global economy; to revive economies hit by the crisis [and] to avoid any deterioration of the present crisis."

But its responsibilities would be more than just economic. They would include securing "timely disarmament, food security and peace". The new body, a reformed UN, would also be called upon "to guarantee the protection of the environment and to regulate migration".

The Kolbrin Bible

2009-07-04T23:05:00.003+02:00

Millennia ago, Egyptian and Celtic authors recorded prophetic warnings for the future and their harbinger signs are now converging on 2012. These predictions are contained in The Kolbrin Bible, a secular wisdom text studied in the days of Jesus and lovingly preserved by generations of Celtic mystics in Great Britain.

Nearly as big as the King James Bible, this 3600-year old text warns of an imminent, Armageddon-like conflict with Islam, but this is not the greatest threat.

The authors of The Kolbrin Bible predict an end to life as we know it, by a celestial event. It will be the return of a massive space object, in a long elliptical orbit around our sun. Known to the Egyptians and Hebrews as the "Destroyer," the Celts later called it the “Frightener."

Manuscripts 3:4 When blood drops upon the Earth, the Destroyer will appear, and mountains will open up and belch forth fire and ashes. Trees will be destroyed and all living things engulfed. Waters will be swallowed up by the land, and seas will boil.

Manuscripts 3:5 The Heavens will burn brightly and redly; there will be a copper hue over the face of the land, ‘followed by a day of darkness. A new moon will appear and break up and fall.

Manuscripts 3:6 The people will scatter in madness. They will hear the trumpet and battle cry of the Destroyer and will seek refuge within dens in the Earth. Terror will eat away their hearts, and their courage will flow from them like water from a broken pitcher. They will be eaten u in the flames of wrath and consumed by the breath of the Destroyer.

Manuscripts 3:10 In those days, men will have the Great Book before them; wisdom will be revealed; the few will be gathered for the stand; it is the hour of trial. The dauntless ones will survive; the stouthearted will not go down to destruction.

The Destroyer is also known today as Wormwood, Nibiru, Planet X and Nemesis. There are also troubling prophetic correlations to the future predictions of Mother Shipton's "Fiery Dragon" and the "Red Comet" warning of the Mayan Calendar 2012.

Russians order Flight Changes, after Massive Magnetic Shift downs Airliners

2009-07-03T10:42:00.004+02:00

Many ancient cultures, seers and even some scientist over the years all predicted that in the near future Earth will be at the mercy of an approaching body which will cause major upheavel.
Off course this is all deemed to be crackpottery
by some and gospel to others.
Only time will tell who is right......

In any event here is a very interesting piece of news...

Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Reports circulating in the Kremlin today are saying that Russian Air Force Commanders have issued warnings to all of their aircraft to exercise “extreme caution” during flights “in and around” an area defined as Latitude 17 North [North Atlantic Ocean] Latitude 3 South [South Atlantic Ocean] to Latitude 8 North [Indian Ocean] Latitude 19 South [Indian Ocean] between the Longitudes of 46 West, 33 West, 46 East and 33 East, and which covers the greater part of the African Tectonic Plate.

The reason for this unprecedented warning, these reports state, are the rapid formations of “geomagnetic storms” emanating from the boundaries of the African Tectonic Plate that due to their intensity have caused the loss of two major passenger aircraft during the past month leaving nearly 300 men, women and children dead.

The first aircraft to be downed by this phenomenon was Air France passenger flight 447 and then the second aircraft to be downed was the Yemeni Airways flight to the Island Nation of Comoros in the Indian Ocean.
To the catastrophic events occurring within the African Tectonic Plate it has been known for over a year with the reporting of a “new ocean” forming in Ethiopia, and as we can read as reported by Nature News Service:

“Although the birth of an ocean is an extremely rare phenomenon on the largest of historical scales, the geophysics is currently experiencing such an event. Even more dazzling, this occurs in one of the Earth's most inhospitable and arid regions, the Afar Depression in Ethiopia.

The African continent is literally unstitching itself apart just like the sleeve of an old shirt, along the area known as the East African Rift, which traverses it beginning with the southern end of the Red Sea, going through Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique. The molten lava beneath the Earth's surface makes it thin by constantly pushing against it, and eventually breaks it and tears it apart.”

Though Western scientist assert that the formation of this new ocean is not likely to be finished for millions of years, Russian scientists state, unequivocally, that due to the Suns current unprecedented Deep Solar Minimum, our Earth is in danger of being, literally, “ripped apart”, at the worst, or nearing a “total pole reversal” due to an as yet unexplained, but extremely powerful, gravitational force emanating from the outer reaches of our Solar System that some researchers state is the mysterious Planet X, and which many believe to be a large brown dwarf and known to the ancient peoples of Earth as Nibiru, and called by the name of Wormwood in the Christian Bible.

Russian scientists further warn that the West’s “obsession” with manmade Global Warming is a deliberately designed propaganda effort to shield their peoples from the fact that not only our Earth, but all of the planets in our Solar System are currently undergoing rapid warming, and as proved, beyond all doubt, by Doctor Scientist Habibullo Abdussamatov, head of space research at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory in Russia, when in 2007 he released his findings that for the previous 3 years the ice caps of Mars have been melting at an unprecedented rate.

And, as reported by one, of many, dissident Western news sites, “Photographs of the merging of two red spots on Jupiter, evidence of warming on Neptune's largest moon Triton, warming on Pluto that is "puzzling scientists" and, of course, the already documented warming trend on Mars all add up to convincing evidence for increased solar activity across the entire solar system.”

To the most chilling parts of these reports on the current instability of the African Tectonic Plate are those Russian scientists who assert, that, should a powerful enough gravitational force be exerted upon this region [such as that which would occur in our Earth’s presence with a Planet X type body], it would cause this plate to be subsumed with the Atlantic and Indian Oceans completely covering what is now known as the African Continent, and further cause a corresponding rise of what were known to the ancient peoples as the Continents of Atlantis in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and Lemuria in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Interesting to note about these current events is that the most documented psychic of 20th century America, Edgar Cayce, predicted that both Atlantis and Lemuria would arise again during the ending of our Earth’s present age, and which many in the World currently believe will be in 2012 as predicted by the Mayan Calendar.

ARTICLE LINK

Journalist Files Charges against WHO and UN

2009-06-27T21:43:00.004+02:00

As the anticipated July release date for Baxter's A/H1N1 flu pandemic vaccine approaches, an Austrian investigative journalist is warning the world that the greatest crime in the history of humanity is underway. Jane Burgermeister has recently filed criminal charges with the FBI against the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN), and several of the highest ranking government and corporate officials concerning bioterrorism and attempts to commit mass murder. She has also prepared an injunction against forced vaccination which is being filed in America. These actions follow her charges filed in April against Baxter AG and Avir Green Hills Biotechnology of Austria for producing contaminated bird flu vaccine, alleging this was a deliberate act to cause and profit from a pandemic.

Summary of claims and allegations filed with FBI in Austria on June 10, 2009

In her charges, Burgermeister presents evidence of acts of bioterrorism that is in violation of U.S. law by a group operating within the U.S. under the direction of international bankers who control the Federal Reserve, as well as WHO, UN and NATO. This bioterrorism is for the purpose of carrying out a mass genocide against the U.S. population by use of a genetically engineered flu pandemic virus with the intent of causing death. This group has annexed high government offices in the U.S.

Specifically, evidence is presented that the defendants, Barack Obama, President of the U.S, David Nabarro, UN System Coordinator for Influenza, Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO, Kathleen Sibelius, Secretary of Department of Health and Human Services, Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Department of Homeland Security, David de Rotschild, banker, David Rockefeller, banker, George Soros, banker, Werner Faymann, Chancellor of Austria, and Alois Stoger, Austrian Health Minister, among others, are part of this international corporate criminal syndicate which has developed, produced, stockpiled and employed biological weapons to eliminate the population of the U.S. and other countries for financial and political gain.

Highlights from the complete dossier

The complete dossier of the June 10th action is a 69 page document presenting evidence to substantiate all charges. This includes:

Factual background that delineates time lines and facts that establish probable cause, UN and WHO definitions and roles, and history and incidents from the April, 2009 "swine flu" outbreak.

Evidence the "swine flu" vaccines are defined as bioweapons as delineates in government agencies and regulations classifying and restricting vaccines, and the fear of foreign countries that "swine flu" vaccines will be used for biological warfare.

Scientific evidence the "swine flu" virus is an artificial (genetic) virus.

Scientific evidence the "swine flu" was bioengineered to resemble the Spanish flu virus of 1918 including quotes from Swine Flu 2009 is Weaponized 1918 Spanish Flu by A. True Ott, Ph.D., N.D., and a Science Magazine report from Dr. Jeffrey Taubenberger et.al.

The genome sequence of the "swine flu"

Evidence of the deliberate release of the "swine flu" in Mexico

Evidence as to the involvement of President Obama that delineates his trip to Mexico which coincided with the recent "swine flu" outbreak and the death of several officials involved in his trip. Contention is made that the President was never tested for "swine flu" because he had been previously vaccinated.

Evidence as to the role of Baxter and WHO in producing and releasing pandemic virus material in Austria includes a statement from a Baxter official stating the accidentally distributed H5N1 in the Czech Republic was received from a WHO reference center. This includes delineation of evidence and allegations from Burgermeister's charges filed in April in Austria that are currently under investigation.

Evidence Baxter is an element in a covert bioweapons network

Evidence Baxter has deliberately contaminated vaccine material.

Evidence Novartis is using vaccines as bioweapons

Evidence as to WHO's role in the bioweapons program

Evidence as to WHO's manipulation of disease data in order to justify declaring a Pandemic Level 6 in order to seize control of the USA.

Evidence as to the FDA's role in covering up the bioweapons program

Evidence as to Canada's National Microbiology Lab's role in the bioweapons program.

Evidence of the involvement of scientists working for the UK's NIBSC, and the CDC in engineering the "swine flu".

Evidence vaccinations caused the Spanish killer flu of 1918 including belief of Dr. Jerry Tennant that the widespread use of aspirin during the winter that followed the end of World War I could have been a key factor contributing to the earlier pandemic by suppressing the immune system and lowering body temperatures, allowing the flu virus to multiply. Tamiflu and Relenza also lower body temperatures, and therefore can also be expected to contribute to the spread of a pandemic.

Evidence as to manipulation of the legal framework to allow mass murder with impunity.

Constitutional issues: the legality vs. illegality of jeopardizing the life, health and public good by mass vaccinations.

The issue of immunity and compensation as evidence of intent to commit a crime.

Evidence as to the existence of an international corporate crime syndicate.

Evidence of the existence of the "Illuminati".

Evidence as to the depopulation agenda of the Illuminati/Bilderbergs and their involvement in the engineering and release of the artificial "swine flu" virus.

Evidence that weaponized flu was discussed at the annual Bilderberg meeting in Athens from May 14-17, 2009, as part of their agenda of genocide, including a list of attendees who, according to a statement once made by Pierre Trudeau, view themselves as genetically superior to the rest of humanity.

READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE HERE

Civilization by Marco Brambilla

2009-06-27T20:05:00.003+02:00

Now for something a bit different...............

This is a beautiful and evocative montage - comprised of over 400 video clips it takes elevator passengers on a trip from hell to heaven.

Civilization by Marco Brambilla from CRUSH on Vimeo.

LINK

Monsanto= Extinction

2009-06-27T13:53:00.002+02:00

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's) are made by manipulation of extremely deadly viruses & bacteria that have been engineered to be immune to antibiotics, such as E. coli (Pause video at 8:08). Monsanto spends millions of dollars each month to "sugar" coat and hide the truth of what they are doing or what is really behind how GMO's are made....

This video straight-forwardly explains the scientific facts how Monsanto manufactures their GMO's (Genetically Modified Organisms) by removing all the corporate propaganda, the "smoke & mirrors" if you will.

Link Between GM Crops And Morgellons?

2009-06-26T10:17:00.003+02:00


Morgellons Disease What is it?






Very little can be found regarding this disease.

Originally, sufferers were told that their problem was imaginary.
This was of little comfort to the people who were suffering.

Morgellons Disease sufferers report strange, fiber-like material sticking out of sores or wounds that erupt on the skin. This is accompanied by painful, intense itching, that has been described as "an ever present sensation as if something is crawling under the skin."

Many people-and most physicians-have written off Morgellons disease as either a hoax or hypochondria. But now there is evidence that this mysterious disease may be REAL and related to GENETICALLY MODIFIED food!
The skin of Morgellons victims oozes mysterious strands that have been identified as cellulose (which cannot be manufactured by the human body), and people have the sensation of things crawling beneath their skin. The first known case of Morgellons occurred in 2001, when Mary Leitao created a web site describing the disease, which had infected her young son. She named it Morgellons after a 17th century medical study in France that described the same symptoms.

In the Sept. 15-21 issue of New Scientist magazine, Daniel Elkan describes a patient he calls "Steve Jackson," who "for years" has "been finding tiny blue, red and black fibers growing in intensely itchy lesions on his skin." He quotes Jackson as saying, "The fibers are like pliable plastic and can be several millimeters long. Under the skin, some are folded in a zigzag pattern. These can be as fine as spider silk, yet strong enough to distend the skin when you pull them, as if you were pulling on a hair."

Doctors say that this type of disease could only be caused by a parasite, but anti-parasitic medications do not help. Psychologists insist that this is a new version of the well-known syndrome known as "delusional parasitosis." While this is a "real" disease, it is not a physically-caused one.

But now there is physical evidence that Morgellons is NOT just psychological. When pharmacologist Randy Wymore offered to study some of these fibers if people sent them to him, he discovered that "fibers from different people looked remarkably similar to each other and yet seem to match no common environmental fibers."

When they took them to a police forensic team, they said they were not from clothing, carpets or bedding. They have no idea what they are.

Researcher Ahmed Kilani says he was able to break down two fiber samples and extract their DNA. He found that they belonged to a fungus.

An even more provocative finding is that biochemist Vitaly Citovsky discovered that the fibers contain a substance called "Agrobacterium," which, according to New Scientist, is "used commercially to produce genetically-modified plants." Could GM plants be "causing a new human disease?"

LINK

Bankster “Holiday” Planned for September?

2009-06-26T00:00:00.003+02:00

The Past

On March 5, 1933, in the depths of the banker engineered “Great Depression,” newly elected Franklin Roosevelt declared a “bank holiday” that forced banks closed for four days. Roosevelt then rammed the Emergency Banking Act through the legislature. Passed by Congress on March 9, the act granted FDR near dictatorial control over the dealings of banks. It also allowed the Secretary of the Treasury the power to compel every person and business in the country to relinquish their gold and accept paper currency in exchange.

On March 10, Roosevelt issued Executive Order No. 6073, forbidding people from sending gold overseas and forbidding banks from paying out gold. A few weeks later, on April 5, Roosevelt issued Executive Order No. 6102 ordering Americans to deliver their gold and gold certificates to the Federal Reserve bank in exchange for paper fiat money.

In other words, FDR engaged in one of history’s greatest rip-offs — that is until now.

FDR not only ripped-off the American people, but foreigners holding dollars as well, thus ensuring the “Great Depression” would spread around the world like a bankster engineered contagion.

Fast forward to today

“Some US embassies worldwide are being advised to purchase massive amounts of local currencies,” writes Harry Schultz, “enough to last them a year.” Schultz publishes the Harry Schultz Letter, an international investment, financial, economic, and geopolitical newsletter named as “Newsletter of the Year” by Peter Brimelow of Market Watch in 2005 and 2008.

Schultz believes the global elite are in the process of engineering an FDR-style “bank holiday” of undetermined length in order to “sort-out the bank mess” and impose new bank rules.

LINK

Mount Shasta

2009-06-25T23:35:00.003+02:00

Mount Shasta, a 14,179-foot (4,322 m) stratovolcano, is the second-highest peak in the Cascade Range and the fifth highest peak in California. It is a member in the Cascade Volcanic Arc and is located in Siskiyou County, and has an estimated volume of 108 cubic miles (450 km), making it the most voluminous stratovolcano of the Cascades. Physically unconnected to any nearby mountain, and rising abruptly from miles of level ground which encircle it, Mount Shasta stands some 10,000 feet (3,000 m) above the surrounding area.

Shasta was memorably described by the poet Joaquin Miller: "Lonely as God, and white as a winter moon, Mount Shasta starts up sudden and solitary from the heart of the great black forests of Northern California."

Spiritual

Native American lore of the area held that Shasta is inhabited by the spirit chief Skell who descended from heaven to the mountain's summit. Since then, many other faiths, particularly New Age groups, have been attracted to Shasta -- more than any other Cascade volcano. Mt. Shasta, California, a small town near Shasta's western base, is a focal point for many of these religions.

According to the Forest Service as reported in documentaries such as In The Light of Reverence, local Indian tribes, particularly but not limited to the Wintu, still practice healing rituals at the springs that flow from the mountain, and there is constant low-level conflict between the Indians and the New Age groups which have laid claim to the area as their personal sacred site.

The history of New Age fascination with Mount Shasta can be traced to the publication of Frederick Spencer Oliver's fantasy novel A Dweller On Two Planets. An indifferent, unmotivated student who was often ill, Oliver composed the novel at the age of seventeen. According to the foreword, his parents were awestruck that he could have engaged in such a sustained endeavor, and believed the novel to have been divinely inspired. They promoted it as a work of channeled wisdom, and it is still in print today. The novel is about the Lemurian Race who traveled to Mount Shasta when their continent sank beneath the ocean and are now said to live inside the mountain in a series of tunnels. In the years subsequent to the publication of Oliver's book, many seeking people claimed to have encountered Lemurians at Shasta.

Guy Ballard's I Am Activity and Elizabeth Clare Prophet's Church Universal and Triumphant are probably the best-known among numerous groups to attempt to participate in, or redefine, Shasta's spiritual heritage.

Many of these cults hold that races of sentient beings, ostensibly superior to humans, live in or on Shasta, or visit the mountain in UFOs.

Lenticular Clouds sometimes form over the mountain. This is a fairly typical meteorological phenomenon over high places on the earth, which is often seen and mistaken for unidentified flying objects.

Mt. Shasta is also the site of a Buddhist monastery, Shasta Abbey, founded by Houn Jiyu-Kennett in 1971.

Mount Shasta City hosts 16 Christian churches. If the membership roles are combined, they would account for approximately 25 percent of the population.

Creational Myth

Mount Shasta has long been sacred to the Native North American Indians of Northern California. For the Shasta the mountain was at the center of creation. Their creation myth, shared by the Modoc people, goes like this:

The Shasta and the Modoc believed that the Great Spirit took up his abode on the mountain. His daughter, who fell from the mountain, was raised by grizzly bears and married one of their clan. Their children were the first humans. In punishment for violating his authority, the Great Spirit condemned the bear to walk on four legs and scattered their progeny all over the world. The Shasta have mostly disappeared. Chief White Eagle, whose tribal affiliation is unknown to me,holds a weekly sweat lodge ritual at Stewart Mineral Springs. The ceremony is popular with the locals and the guests of Stewart Mineral Springs.

Revived Native American culture has recently begun to celebrate on Mount Shasta - including the Sun Dances.

The Black Stone of Mecca

2009-06-25T23:20:00.005+02:00

The Black Stone is a Muslim object of reverence, which according to Islamic tradition dates back to the time of Adam and Eve. Many consider it to be a Tektite. It is the eastern cornerstone of the Kaaba, the ancient sacred stone building towards which Muslims pray, in the center of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

The Stone is roughly 30 cm (12 in.) in diameter, and 1.5 meters (5 ft.) above the ground. When pilgrims circle the Kaaba as part of the Tawaf ritual of the Hajj, many of them try, if possible, to stop and kiss the Black Stone, emulating the kiss that it received from the Islamic prophet Muhammad. If they cannot reach it, they are to point to it on each of their seven circuits around the Kaaba. The Stone is broken into a number of pieces from damage which was inflicted during the Middle Ages. The pieces are held together by a silver frame, which is fastened by silver nails to the Stone.

The Black Stone of Kaaba or Mecca is called, in Arabic, Al-hajar Al-aswad. The word Kaaba - Ka'ba - Ka'bah - means Cube.

The Black Stone's Origin

There are also various opinions as to what the Black Stone actually is. Muslims say that the Stone was found by Abraham (Ibrahim) and his son Ishmael (Ismail) when they were searching for stones with which to build the Kaaba. They recognized its worth and made it one of the building's cornerstones.

Secular historians point to the history of stone worship, and especially meteorite worship, in pre-Islamic Arabia, and say that it is likely that the Stone is a meteorite. There is no way to test this hypothesis without removing and examining the Stone, which would not be permitted by its guardians.

There is no indication as to where this stone originated, but since it pre-dates the revelation of the Holy Qur'an and Muhammad's prophethood, and even kissed, it must stem from the time of Abraham since the Hajj traditions are traceable to the patriarch of monotheism.

The Ka'bah at Mecca describes the shape of the black stone structure on a marble base which stands in the centre court of the Great Mosque, Masjidul Haram, at the centre of Mecca. It stands about 50 feet high by about 35 feet wide. Set into the eastern corner is the sacred stone. This Ka'ba is a cubed shaped temple rebuilt by Abraham and his son Ishmael. Reverently draped in black cloth throughout the year, it beckons to every Muslim of the world to come to its sacred ground.

The Ka'ba - Kaaba - is the canonical center of the Islamic world and every pious act, particularly prayer, is directed toward it. Once a year it plays host to the greatest convention of religious believers and stands ready to sanctify the Umrah traveler through the balance of the year.
Some Muslims are more willing to believe that the Stone itself has some supernatural powers. They believe that this stone fell from the sky during the time of Adam and Eve, and that it has the power to cleanse worshippers of their sins by absorbing them into itself. They say that the Black Stone was once a pure and dazzling white and it has turned black because of the sins it has absorbed over the years.

The great Muslim traveler from Valencia, Ibn Jubayr (1145-1217) describes the emotion he felt on touching the stone, The stone, when one kisses it, has a softness and freshness which delights the mouth; so much so that he who places his lips upon it wishes never to remove them. It suffices, moreover, that the Prophet said that it is the Right Hand of God on Earth.

The single most important reason for kissing the stone is that Prophet Muhammad did so. No devotional significance whatsoever is attached to the stone. Kissing or touching the Black Stone is a reverential act of acknowledgment that God's hand directed its placement and construction. That Abraham and Muhammad, God's blessing upon them, had touched and kissed the stone and an acknowledgment that God had entrusted the 'corner stone' of His religious central focus for man upon that hollowed and sacred place.

Researchers have noted that the Ka'bah is accurately aligned on two heavenly phenomena - the cycles of the moon and the rising of Canopus, the brightest star after Sirius.

There are various other opinions as to what the Black Stone actually symbolizes. Many Muslims regard the Stone as 'just a stone'. When Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Caliph, came to kiss the stone, he said, in front of all assembled: "No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither harm anyone nor benefit anyone. Had I not seen Allah's Messenger kissing you, I would not have kissed you." They pay their respects to the Black Stone in a spirit of trust in Muhammad, not with any belief in the Black Stone itself.

The Black Stone of Mecca Wikipedia

9/11 FEMA videographer at Ground Zero goes public

2009-06-25T08:33:00.005+02:00

As most of us suspect, 9/11 was a false flag operation.
To think so is not unreasonable if one takes into consideration all the anomalies surrounding 9/11 and also how many false flag operations the USA has been involved in over the years.

Now a government official who was at ground zero, has decided to tell it all,what he saw and knows......

*************************************************************************************
ARTICLE EXCERPT:
As official videographer for the U.S. government, Kurt Sonnenfeld was detailed to Ground Zero on September 11, 2001, where he spent one month filming 29 tapes: “What I saw at certain moments and in certain places … is very disturbing!” He never handed them over to the authorities and has been persecuted ever since. Kurt Sonnenfeld lives in exile in Argentina, where he wrote « El Perseguido » (the persecuted). His recently-published book tells the story of his unending nightmare and drives another nail into the coffin of the government’s account of the 9/11 events. Below is an exclusive interview by Voltairenet.

Introduction

Kurt Sonnenfeld graduated from the University of Colorado (USA) with studies in International Affairs and Economics, as well as in Literature and Philosophy. He worked for the United States government as official videographer and served as Director of Broadcast Operations for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s National Emergency Response Team. Additionally, Kurt Sonnenfeld was contracted by several other governmental agencies and programs for classified and “sensitive” operations at military and scientific installations throughout the United States.

On September 11, 2001, the area known as “Ground Zero” was sealed from the public eye. Sonnenfeld, however, was given unrestricted access enabling him to document for the investigation (that never took place) and provide some “sanitized” pool video to virtually every news network in the world. The tapes that reveal some of the anomalies which he discovered at Ground Zero are still in his possession.

Accused of a crime that did not occur in a manifest frame-up scenario, Kurt Sonnenfeld has been persecuted across continents. After several years of fear, injustice and isolation, he has decided to take a public stand against the Government’s official story and is prepared to submit his material to the close scrutiny of reliable experts.

READ THE INTERVIEW HERE

Israeli army: beating and torturing children

2009-06-22T23:35:00.002+02:00

When will the world stop turning a blind eye to what is happening in Palestine?

The world was very vocal about Apartheid which was not nearly as brutal as the oppression
taking place in Palestine. South Africa was placed under sanctions,big corporations pulled out
of South Africa and people were rallying all over the world,demanding an end to Apartheid.

When will the people of this world demand an end to the atrocities taking place?
When will the people of this world stand up against Israel?

Below is an article by Jonathan Cook:

Friday, June 19th, 2009

Jonathan Cook reports on how Israeli soldiers routinely, and as a matter of policy, practise torture against Palestinian children, hundreds of whom are “convicted in Israel’s military courts each year, with children older than 12 denied access to lawyers in interrogation”.

“He broke his hand here at the wrist. Broke his hand at the wrist, broke his leg here. And started to stomp on his stomach, three times, and left… The next day I go out with him on another patrol, and the soldiers are already starting to do the same thing.” – Israeli soldier describing assault by his commander on four-year-old Palestinian boy, 2007

The rights of Palestinian children are routinely violated by Israel’s security forces, according to a new report that says beatings and torture are common. In addition, hundreds of Palestinian minors are prosecuted by Israel each year without a proper trial and are denied family visits.

The findings by Defence for Children International (DCI) come in the wake of revelations from Israeli soldiers and senior commanders that it is “normal procedure” in the West Bank to terrorize Palestinian civilians, including children.

Col Itai Virob, commander of the Kfir Brigade, disclosed last month that to accomplish a mission, “aggressiveness towards every one of the residents in the village is common”. Questioning included slaps, beatings and kickings, he said.

As a result, Gabi Ashkenazi, the head of the armed services, was forced to appear before the Israeli parliament to disavow the behaviour of his soldiers. Beatings were “absolutely prohibited”, he told legislators.

Col Virob made his remarks during court testimony in defence of two soldiers, including his deputy commander, who are accused of beating Palestinians in the village of Qaddum, close to Nablus. One told the court that “soldiers are educated towards aggression in the IDF [army]”.

Col Virob appeared to confirm his observation, saying it was policy to “disturb the balance” of village life during missions and that the vast majority of assaults were “against uninvolved people”.

Last week, further disclosures of ill-treatment of Palestinians, some as young as 14, were aired on Israeli TV, using material collected by dissident soldiers as part of the “Breaking the silence” project, which highlights army brutality.

Two soldiers serving in the Harub battalion said they had witnessed beatings at a school in the West Bank village of Hares, southwest of Nablus, in an operation in March to stop stone-throwing. Many of those held were not involved, the soldiers said.

During a 12-hour operation that began at 3 a.m., 150 detainees were blindfolded and handcuffed from behind, with the nylon restraints so tight their hands turned blue. The worst beatings, the soldiers said, occurred in the school toilets.

According to one soldier’s testimony, a boy of about 15 was given “a slap that brought him to the ground”. He added that many of his comrades “just knee [Palestinians] because it’s boring, because you stand there 10 hours, you’re not doing anything, so they beat people up”.

The picture from serving soldiers confirms the findings of DCI, which noted that many children were picked up in general sweeps after disturbances or during late-night raids of their homes.

Its report includes a selection of testimonies from children it represented in 2008 in which they describe Israeli soldiers beating them or being tortured by interrogators.

One 10-year-old boy, identified as Ezzat H, described an army search of his family home for a gun. He said a soldier slapped and punched him repeatedly during two hours of questioning, before another soldier pointed a rifle at him: “The rifle barrel was a few centimetres away from my face. I was so terrified that I started to shiver. He made fun of me.”

Another boy, Shadi H, aged 15, said he and his friend were forced to undress by soldiers in an orange grove near Tulkarm while the soldiers threw stones at them. They were then beaten with rifle butts.

Jameel K, aged 14, described being taken to a military camp where he was assaulted and then had a rope tightened around his neck in a mock execution.

Yehuda Shaul, of “Breaking the silence”, said soldiers treated any Palestinian older than 12 or 13 as an adult.

“For the first time a high-ranking soldier [Col Virob] has joined us in raising the issue — even if not intentionally — that the use of physical violence against Palestinians is not exceptional but policy. A few years ago no senior officer would have had the guts to say this,” he said.

The DCI report also highlights the systematic use of torture by interrogators from the army and the secret police, the Shin Bet, in an attempt to extract confessions from children, often in cases involving stone-throwing.

Islam M, aged 12, said he was threatened with having boiling water poured on his face if he did not admit throwing stones and was then pushed into a thorn bush. Another boy, Abed S, aged 16, said his hands and feet were tied to the wall of an interrogation room in the shape of a cross for a day and then put in solitary confinement for 15 days.

Last month, the United Nations Committee Against Torture, a panel of independent experts, expressed “deep concern” at Israel’s treatment of Palestinian minors.

According to the DCI report, some 700 children are convicted in Israel’s military courts each year, with children older than 12 denied access to lawyers in interrogation.

It adds that interrogators routinely blindfold and handcuff child detainees during questioning and use techniques including slaps and kicks, sleep deprivation, solitary confinement, threats to the child and his family, and tying the child up for long periods.

Such practices were banned by Israel’s Supreme Court in 1999 but are still widely documented by Israeli human rights groups.

DCI says it has been disturbed by reports from several children of a special tiny cell, referred to as No.36, at a detention centre near Haifa. The cell has no windows or ventilation, its walls are dark and a dim light is kept on 24 hours a day.

In 95 per cent of cases, children are convicted on the basis of signed confessions written in Hebrew, a language few of them understand.

Once sentenced, the children are held in violation of international law in prisons in Israel where most are denied visits from family and receive little or no education.

DCI also criticizes “a culture of impunity” among the Shin Bet, noting that not one of 600 complaints of torture filed against its interrogators during the second intifada has led to a criminal investigation.

Yesh Din, an Israeli human rights group, reported in November that soldiers too rarely face disciplinary action over illegal behaviour.

Army data from 2000 to the end of 2007 revealed that the military police had indicted soldiers in only 78 of 1,268 investigations. Most soldiers received minor sentences.

Academic studies suggest that Israeli soldiers have been routinely using violence against Palestinian civilians, including children, for many years.

In late 2007 Israelis were shocked by the testimonies collected by clinical psychologist Nufar Yishai-Karin from 21 soldiers with whom she shared her military service during the early 1990s.

The soldiers told her of incidents in which bystanders were shot or assaulted. In one of the most disturbing testimonies, a soldier said he had witnessed his commander attacking a four-year-old boy playing in the sand in Gaza.

“He broke his hand here at the wrist. Broke his hand at the wrist, broke his leg here. And started to stomp on his stomach, three times, and left… The next day I go out with him on another patrol, and the soldiers are already starting to do the same thing.”

Such revelations have grown in number since the “Breaking the silence” began drawing attention to the army’s mistreatment of Palestinians in 2004.

NASA Moon Bombing

2009-06-22T14:38:00.003+02:00

NASA Moon Bombing Is Cause For Worry By Ted Twietmeyer 6-22-9
What's NASA up to now? The closer we look at this mad science experiment, the more we can see a bigger, hidden ugly picture.

Our Moon is extremely important to our Earth and our survival. It acts as a flywheel/stabilizer for Earth's non-spherical shape. Simulations show that without the Moon oceans would become dead zones. Tides would no longer ebb and flow, which are vital to numerous forms of life world wide. Many sea turtles, crabs and other animals rely on tides for their survival. This ties directly into our food chain, too.

Apollo missions forty years ago left retro-reflective mirrors on the Moon, to measure its distance relative to Earth. Lasers send out a precisely timed pulse, and can measure the distance to within a fraction of an inch.

Now the National Science Foundation is going to cut funding for the McDonald laser ranging station at Ft. Davis, Texas. [1] We hear of millions to billions of dollars being pissed away by pork barrel projects. And "National Science Foundation" kills this project that consumes a paltry $125,000/year?

Something is very wrong here.

If NASA wanted to continue the project, which they should be doing, they could tell the NSF not to cancel this project. But apparently NASA is remaining silent. Just as they have remained silent about numerous Mars discoveries being made by the ESA Mars mission.

Like many people, I've been quietly watching the Not Always Science Agency. And this latest uncle-axe-job comes about at a very unusual time.

In just a few months, NASA will EXPLODE a TWO TON bomb on the Moon. They claim this is in the interest of paving the way for colonization, and "to find water." Now this is where the NASA nonsense piles up into an ugly heap, like bed sheet wrinkles on a bed made by a 4 year old.

So what's the problem? Here are just a few of the facts that come to light:

1. Exploding a bomb on the moon will displace several miles of Lunar material according to what NASA claims will happen.

2. The displacement of lunar material will follow Newton's law about equal and opposite reaction. This means that an equal force will be exerted on the Moon to match the force it takes to eject miles of material. No one can actually predict what will happen, just as NASA failed miserably predicting the results of another experiment. In a previous mission, a NASA spacecraft fired a high velocity copper warhead penetrator into a comet's core. The results were not what they expected. This is because popular science theory really believes comets are dirty snowballs. Instead, the actual results were already predicted by the electric universe theory. Comets are not dirty snowballs which is something many of us already knew. Yet again, NASA refused to use common sense and look at theories based on real evidence and science, such as the electric universe theory.

3. If the McDonald Moon ranging project is cancelled, no one will be able to measure the displacement of the Moon caused by the explosion. Perhaps this is the idea by cancelling the project.

4. Exploding a bomb on the Moon is against all international laws and treaties. NASA doesn't own the Moon and they never will, and as such have no right to instigate such madness. This madness is on a par with the utterly insane space elevator.

5. Last but not least is the water issue. This is one follows yet another big lie. Almost every book about our solar system claims it is nearly a perfect vacuum. So how does water behave when exposed to a reduced atmosphere? The speed it evaporates (sublimates) is in proportion to the amount of atmosphere present. If a window blows out of a plane at 50,000 ft. water and blood will boil. And that's not even in a very good vacuum.

And here's what it all comes down to water disappears completely in a vacuum. Therefore, the idea of NASA finding water on the Moon by exploding a bomb in a vacuum on the Moon is utterly ridiculous. Heat from the bomb combined with the vacuum will flash-evaporate any trace water so fast it cannot not be measured. No two ton bomb has ever exploded without generating tremendous heat, and this heat will blind infrared sensors. Long before the sub-lunar surface cools off to take a reading, any water will be long gone. So the idea of using a bomb to find water is wrong on many levels.

There also remains an even bigger and more important question what happens if they disturb the Moon's orbit? Few people alive today remember what NASA said when the spent Lunar Landers were ejected and crashed into the Moon. NASA stated that the seismograph instruments the Apollo crew left behind showed that after a Lunar Lander crashed into the Moon, that it "made the Moon ring like a bell for more than 30 minutes." Would this same thing happen if the Moon were made of solid rock?

The Lunar Lander ascent stage weighed just 10,334kg. which is about the equivalent weight of an 11 ton truck.

The mass of the Moon has been calculated to be 7.36 1022 kilograms. That's a 7.36 followed by 22 zeroes.

So how could an 11 ton spacecraft, which weighs even less on the Moon because gravity is 1/6 that of Earth - make 7,360,000,000,000,000,000,000 kilograms of rock ring for half an hour? Who could believe this?

This appears to strongly prove the Moon MUST be hollow. And if the Moon is actually hollow, it will take far less to disturb its orbit than anyone currently realizes. How many millions of kilograms of force will bombing the Moon generate? We are not being told that figure.

Disturbing the Moon's orbit may cause tidal waves and quite possibly Earthquakes in many zones around the Earth where edges of tectonic plates are already at or near the breaking point of sliding. The stress caused by a sudden shift in the Moon's gravitational pull could be a serious catastrophe. Who knows what it might do to the Yellowstonesuper-volcano which is already heating up and has made larger areas of Yellowstone park unusable.

And if the NASA experiment goes badly wrong (like most NASA projects do the first time NASA tries them) what do they think countries of the world will do? Send a bill to theUSA for damages? Perhaps NASA will do what they usually do. Lie their way out of the problem.
There are several things everyone can do to stop this:

1. Tell NSF they CANNOT cancel the $125k/year McDonald project. Let them cut funding some other useless project, not one as valuable as this project has suddenly become. It is too important to our entire Earth and it can act as a safeguard. Tell NSF the McDonald project should also make measurement data accessible to the public in real time on the internet.

2. Tell NASA they CANNOT even think about Moon bombing until the Moon's mass and interior is better understood, and the Moon is proven to be completely solid and not hollow.

3. The new upcoming Moon mission(s) can be used to acquire new and more accurate data about the Moon and its interior by performing a seismographic survey of the Moon. Such surveys are routinely used by oil companies to prevent mistakes. NASA should swallow their pride and take a lesson from established oil exploration technology that has been used on Earth for about 100 years.
People DO make a difference. There was an attempt by NASA to decommission Hubble a few years ago, but such an outcry sprang up that the telescope's mission was extended several years.
Enough people screaming and yelling will make a difference and stop this project before something bad and irreversible happens. All the evidence and data points to this happening as a real possiblity.
Is bombing the Moon really worth risking orbital stability, killer Earthquakes and the futures of countless life-forms on Earth?

Or creating an irreversible disaster?

Ted Twietmeyer
tedtw@frontiernet.net
www.data4science.net

A 'time bomb' for world wheat crop

2009-06-16T23:50:00.002+02:00

The Ug99 fungus, called stem rust, could wipe out more than 80% of the world's wheat as it spreads from Africa, scientists fear. The race is on to breed resistant plants before it reaches the U.S.

By Karen Kaplan
June 14, 2009

The spores arrived from Kenya on dried, infected leaves ensconced in layers of envelopes.

Working inside a bio-secure greenhouse outfitted with motion detectors and surveillance cameras, government scientists at the Cereal Disease Laboratory in St. Paul, Minn., suspended the fungal spores in a light mineral oil and sprayed them onto thousands of healthy wheat plants. After two weeks, the stalks were covered with deadly reddish blisters characteristic of the scourge known as Ug99.
Nearly all the plants were goners.

Crop scientists fear the Ug99 fungus could wipe out more than 80% of worldwide wheat crops as it spreads from eastern Africa. It has already jumped the Red Sea and traveled as far as Iran. Experts say it is poised to enter the breadbasket of northern India and Pakistan, and the wind will inevitably carry it to Russia, China and even North America -- if it doesn't hitch a ride with people first.

"It's a time bomb," said Jim Peterson, a professor of wheat breeding and genetics at Oregon State University in Corvallis. "It moves in the air, it can move in clothing on an airplane. We know it's going to be here. It's a matter of how long it's going to take."

Read the rest of the article here.....

My advice: Stock up on wheat and/or flour now before prices shoot through the roof,which it will soon....
Also if you have some money to gamble with, now is obviously also a good time to invest in the wheat market......lots of people are gonna make huge profits!

Where to start?

2009-06-16T14:18:00.005+02:00

Okay so you have now decided to take the first steps towards being prepared.

First of all, if at all possible,try to pay all debt off as soon as possible and do not get
into any more debt.
If you can't afford something,then don't buy it!
Start living within your means and think of tomorrow.

Prepping need not be expensive.
The best way to do it,is to do it in a modular fashion,that way you won't feel overwhelmed.
Start off by making a list of what you will need to sustain your family for 1 week.
Take those empty 2 litre coke bottles or other containers,wash them out and fill them with
enough water so that your family will be able to drink,cook and wash for 1 week.
This does not cost you anything,recently my suburb had a water outage for 12 hours and
my stored water came in very handy then.
You can keep water like this for long but it is always a good idea to refill every 6 months or so.
I will talk about water purification at a later stage.

Okay so now you have enough water stored for 1 week.
Next,look at what staples your family consumes in a week.
How much rice,bread and other dry goods does your family consume in a week?
Lets say your family consumes 2kg of rice in a week and 1 kg of pasta.
So each time you go to the store,buy some extra rice and pasta until you have
enough stored away to last your family for a week.
Now you need to add some canned meat and vegetables to your week's worth supply of
rice and pasta so now each time you go to the store,buy 1 0r 2 extra cans of food and put it
away until you have enough to last your family a week.
1kg of flour and 1 sachet of yeast will make 1 bread or a big container full of vetkoek.
Work out how much flour you will need to keep your family in a supply of bread for a week and then after having bought enough canned food for a week, start buying a 1kg flour and 1 sachet of
yeast each time you go to the store...You see where I am going with this?

Next you need to look at fuel for heat,cooking and light.
Do you have any means of cooking if there is not electricity?
Do you have any light and heat source other than those that rely on electrical power?
If you have gas appliances,then make sure your gas bottles are always full.

But gas is quite expensive and we are trying to save money in addition to preparing right?
There are bio-fuel stoves for sale which cost under R200.
What I like about these stoves,is the fact that you don't need to use only bio fuel in them.
You can use any fuel.I find that methylated spirits offers the most value for money as it burns
for longer,no odor and cost very little.
So it is always a good idea to keep a supply of paraffin and methylated spirits on hand as well.
Let's not forget candles and matches...you can never have enough candles and matches stored.
Most hardware stores and supermarkets also stock lamps.The ones that use paraffin and wicks.
It is always a good idea to buy a few of these and they are very cheap.Ranging from R20-R40,depending on where you buy them,it will hardly break the pocket to buy one or two of these lamps.
They come in pretty painted designs on the ceramic and can blend in nicely in the
existing decor of your home and you can always use them and the candles when having a romantic dinner! lol

Remember Rome wasn't built in a day..
You don't need to spend a fortune to be prepared...take baby steps and before you know it,
you will have enough food and fuel stored to last your family for 1 week.
After you have 1 weeks food stored,then you start working towards putting together another 1 weeks supply and so on..before you know it,you will have 1 month worth of supplies stocked up.

Why should you prepare?

2009-06-16T13:55:00.003+02:00

It is human nature not to worry about tomorrow when things are going great.
When things go badly,we worry a little bit,but still do not make any effort to prepare
because we hope that things will get better.
We like to believe that we are immune to the disasters and misfortunes that befall
other people worldwide.

NEVER SAY NEVER!

Why should you prepare?

-You could be retrenched tomorrow or your business could go belly up...
How long will it take you to find another job?
Will you be able to survive unemployment for an extended period?

-You could suffer ill health and unable to work for a period of time or permanently.
Who will then take care of you and your family's needs?
How long will your savings last?

-There could be a disruption of power supply or fuel supply.
Would you be able to provide for your family if the disruption is for an
extended period of time?
What if the store shelves are empty due to power and/or fuel crisis?
Do you have enough food,water and fuel stored to last for a week or more?

-Depending on where you live,there could be bad climatic conditions.
Will you be able to weather the storm nicely or will you be standing in
line at a soup kitchen or shelter?

The Coming Economic Collapse

2009-06-16T13:43:00.001+02:00

Graham Summers
June 12, 2009

Today's essay details the ongoing collapse of the US economy with a focus on why this coming fall will prove the "worst is over" crowd wrong yet again. Earlier this week, I detailed three major developments. They were:

The US's economic shift from manufacturing to services (mainly financial)
The massive drop in US incomes
The beginning of the debt bubble

Today, we're addressing how the debt bubble encapsulated the US government as well as why Obama's Stimulus Plan won't fix anything.

To revisit the above three points, the US began outsourcing jobs in earnest soon after we re-opened trade with China in 1971. As outsourcing spread to higher and higher skilled jobs, this meant fewer jobs in the US market. This resulted in US consumers having to use credit to maintain their standard of living. It also meant more than one parent working to make ends meet.

On a national level, the US government began living beyond its means as well. Adjusted for inflation, gross tax receipts have only risen 40% in the last 39 years. However, over the same time period, total government spending increased 2,600%!!!

To fund this insanity, the US issued debt in the form of Treasuries. Foreign governments (most notably China) which were generally getting richer selling us stuff loaded up. The whole scheme is similar to buying a toy from the store, then having the store lend you money to buy another toy… ad infinitum: hardly a sensible long-term plan for financial solvency.

Now, everyone knows we run deficits. But not everyone knows that the deficits we publish are unbelievably understated. Corporations, in order to qualify for generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) have to count their pension and healthcare expenses for retirees.

Uncle Sam doesn't.

John Williams of www.shadowstats.com notes that official US deficit statistics do NOT include net present value of unfunded social security OR Medicare expenses. A lot of folks have made a big deal about the US running a $1 trillion deficit this year. Well, if you included the net value of those unfunded Social Security and Medicare expenses we cleared a $1 trillion deficit in 2007, a $5 TRILLION deficit in 2008 and are on course to clear a $9 TRILLION deficit this year.

To give you an idea of how big a problem these deficits are, consider that the US government could tax its citizens 100% of their earnings and NOT have a balanced budget.

In light of these issues, the government's $787 billion stimulus package doesn't exactly breed confidence in an economic turnaround. Incomes have lagged inflation in this country for 30+ years. Creating a bunch of temporary positions related to construction and the like is NOT going to alter this in any significant way.

Moreover, most of the job growth in the last 10 years has come from Bubbles: two out of five jobs created between 2002 and 2007 came from the housing industry. The irony here, of course, is that the Stimulus Plan is merely following this trend, creating jobs from our latest (relatively unreported) Bubble: the bubble in government spending and employment.

Bottomline: the US needs to create sustained job growth involving skilled professionals with high wage earning potential, NOT more guys laying concrete. We need fundamental structural changes to the US economy, NOT temporary positions resulting from one-time government projects.

And with a $9 trillion deficit in the works, $787 billion doesn't really mean much in terms of increased tax receipts. Also, and this is bit of a personal aside, it's hard to believe that throwing $787 billion towards creating jobs really shifts our economy away from financial services when we've thrown $2 trillion+ towards Wall Street and the banks (via direct loans and lending windows).

The US has a MAJOR debt problem. Including future social security and Medicare expenses we owe $65 TRILLION. Because we live in a world in which the words, "billion" get thrown around with too much ease, I'd like to put that number into perspective.

Let's say you have a stack of $1,000 bills. $1 million would be a stack eight inches high. $1 billion would be a stack 800 feet high (think the Washington Monument). And $1 trillion would be a stack 142 miles high. Total US debt, if laid on its side, would be a stack of $1,000 stretching more than 1/3 of the way around the earth.

Ok, so where is the US economy REALLY at right now?

Year over year real employment, real industrial orders, real housing starts, and real retail sales are all posting their largest drops since the production shutdown following WWII. Put another way, the last time the US economy fell this hard this fast, we were intentionally shutting down the monster than was the US war machine in WWII.

This is no recession. We are already on our way to a Depression (a GDP contraction of 10%) possibly even another Great Depression. One in nine Americans are currently receiving food stamps. Real unemployment (without birth/death seasonal nonsense and all the other Federal gimmicks) stands at 20%.

So I don't buy the "green shoots" theory at all. Having things get horrendous at a slightly slower rate is NOT a sign of a recovery. Green shoots can pop up anywhere including the asphalt in the parking lot outside my office. That doesn't mean the parking lot is about to become a lush meadow.

No, the US is heading for a really, really rough time. The US monetary base has doubled in the last year. We owe $65 trillion in liabilities. The US government could tax every company and every American 100% of their annual incomes AND NOT PAY THIS OFF. The Feds will have to inflate this mess away. And they've got a master money printer Ben Bernanke overseeing this situation.

Now, I cannot foretell precisely how this will all play out. Typically when a bubble bursts it takes 10+ years, possibly an entire generation, before the assets that participated in the Bubble return to new highs (sometimes they NEVER do).

Now, we just got off the biggest credit/ debt bubble in the world's history. I'm talking about 30+ years of spending money we don't have culminating in a period in which Americans were speculating in the single largest asset they ever purchase (a house) without putting a cent of their own money at risk (0% down NINA loans).

We also saw a bubble in stocks, Treasuries, and most every other asset you can invest in. So the idea that we can recover from this in a couple of years seems over enthusiastic to say the least.

Remember, Japan experienced a similar Bubble (though they had higher savings than we did) and "lost" a decade of economic growth. It's worth noting that Japan WAS NOT an Empire like the US. Japan did not have with bases in 170 countries, a world reserve currency, and a crippled job market (history rhymes, it does not repeat).

So in terms of the real US economy, I don't foresee a recovery anytime soon. The stock market may soar thanks to the Fed's money printing, but a jump in financial speculation is NOT an economic recovery. If the S&P 500 goes to 20,000, but we're drinking $1,500 beer and wiping ourselves with $100 bills, we haven't gotten richer (never mind the fact that an S&P 500 of 20,000 DOESN'T create jobs).

So how will we know when a bottom is in and the economy will recover? I've postulated a few signs (some humorous, others not so pleasant). Bear in mind, much of this in tongue in cheek. But like all sarcasm, there's a grain of truth.

We will bottom WHEN:

CNBC and Bloomberg start firing anchors and cutting their coverage time by hours, not minutes.
Maria Bartiromo and Jim Cramer start telling investors to short the market with all they've got.
Questions like "do you think we're heading for a recovery" result in the questioner getting punched in the face or ignored like a loony tune.
People HATE stocks and stock ownership has plummeted back to one in ten Americans (the pre-401(k) levels).
Investing is no longer a hobby and people fight tooth and nail to retain their nest egg (honestly what the hell is "play" or "speculative" money?)
The number of mutual funds has fallen by at least half (why are we paying fees for people who can't beat the market?).
People no longer want to get an MBA to become a broker or a financial advisor.
Our economy is based on "making something," not "offering advice."
Books about Warren Buffett no longer comprise an entire publishing industry (seriously, Amazon lists 5,000+ books on him).
The Richest 500 people in the world are no longer all billionaires (never happened before in history… how's that for concentration of wealth?)
Guys like me are no longer writing about finance or investing but instead take up a respectable profession.

Article source: LINK

SURVIVAL PREPAREDNESS

2009-06-15T13:52:00.003+02:00

Until very recently the words 'survival' and 'preparedness' were associated with the wacko's of this world...The paranoid hillbilly,the cult member,the doomsdayers...the crazy people of this world who are expecting the end of times to be imminent.
Now middle class and even affluent Americans and Europeans are publicly admitting that the gobal recession is worrying them and they are stocking up on food and fuel.
Some who live in areas prone to climatic disasters, are stocking up for those reasons...

Even I was guilty of stereotyping people in this manner but a few years ago I started waking up.
What really made me sit up and take notice,was when I started taking an interest in the markets middle 2007 and I noticed that there was a looming rice shortage and a possible wheat shortage.
I love rice and wheat...So what did I do with this knowledge?
I went out and stocked up on a year's supply of rice and 6 month's supply of wheat!

My family and friends off course thought that I have lost it..lol...but come January 2008 when the price of rice increased by close to 80%, it did not bother me because I had made provision and stocked up.

Then during the 1st half of 2008, we were the unhappy recipients of loadshedding with the power being off sometimes for more than 24 hours.
This was another wake up call for me.
I finally realized how dependent I have become on the grid for water,light,heat and much more.
It made me realize that with extended power outages I will not be able survive,
nor will my fellow South Africans.
Without power,soon the taps run dry then there is a run on the shops for bottled water.
Equally there will be a run on the shops for basic food stuffs ,candles,cooking fuels etc and before you know it,the shelves will be empty...
As South Africans,we are spoiled and not used to having empty store shelves and prolonged power outages at all....

So last years load shedding was a blessing for me because it opened my eyes.
Since then,I have done alot of research and searched the internet,looking for likeminded people.
I am happy to say that I have found quite a few and their advice and tips have been invaluable to me. So during my 'awakening' I started putting together a 'survival prepardness' plan.

Off course my family thought I was nuts and even mocked me,but now after more than a year of me prepping,they have become used to seeing me vacuum sealing and dehydrating food,buying and stocking up on cooking fuels, stoves etc.

It gives me an immense feeling of satisfaction and peace of mind,knowing that no matter what,
I will be able to feed and look after my family.
The reasons why people prep varies,but the the main goal is peace of mind.

A few things to remember:
*Prior to the Great Depression,people were still under the impression that it is merely a bad recession that will blow over. I would rather err on the side of caution and prepare for the
worst than carry on as usual,hoping things will get better.
America is on the precipice and when she falls,we will all be falling....already people in America and Europe are struggling to keep head above water.
Yes we are blessed living in South Africa and will probably not be as badly affected as the rest of the world should the world go the depression route, but if it does, life will not be easy so I do not see any harm in making an effort to put a little extra away each month.

*You can loose your job tomorrow or have an accident where you can't work..do you have enough money saved to pay your bills and feed your family until you find another job or until you can work again?

*If there is a major power outage lasting a week or more,do you have enough food,water and fuel stored to see your family through this time period?

As you can see there are many good reasons to think of tomorrow.
Preparing for tomorrow does not mean you are a crazy person,it means that you are a prudent person!

I will be posting tips on survival prepardeness on this blog regularly for those of you who feel
that you would also like to have peace of mind. So check out this blog category regularly!

In the meantime here is a great article about the Great Depression

Asperatus: gathering storm to force new cloud name

2009-06-14T00:23:00.003+02:00

No new cloud type has been officially classified since 1951 but Gavin Pretor-Pinney who runs the Cloud Appreciation Society believes that there is a new cloud that deserves international recognition. He calls it asperatus, which means rough in Latin, and he is working with the Royal Meteorological Society to have it officially classified by the World Meteorological Organisation in Geneva.

These are sure strange looking clouds..have a look at the photos here:
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2009/jun/01/2?lightbox=1

Papal Prophecies - End Days

2009-06-13T23:44:00.002+02:00

Saint Malachy

He was also known as Maolmhaodhog ua Morgair; Maol Maedoc; and Malachy O'Morgair.

Born -1094 at Armagh, Ireland. Died November 2, 1148 at Clairvaux

Canonized - 1190 by Pope Clement III; first papal canonization of an Irish saint.

Malachy's Prophecies - The Last 10 Popes

1. The Burning Fire. PIUS X. 1903-1914. This Pope showed a burning passion for spiritual renewal in the Church.

2. Religion Laid Waste. BENEDICT XV. 1914-1922. During this Pope's reign saw Communism move into Russia where religious life was laid waste, and World War I with the death of millions of Christians who were carnage in Flanders Field and elsewhere.

3. Unshaken Faith. PIUS XI. 1922-1939. This Pope faced tremendous pressure from fascist and sinister powers in Germany and Italy, but he was an outspoken critic of Communism and Fascism which enraged Hitler.

4. An Angelic Shepherd. PIUS XII. 1939-1958. This Pope had an affinity for the spiritual world and received visions which have not been made public. Peter Bander says Pius XII "has emerged as one of the great Popes of all time," and he "was in the truest sense of the word an Angelic Pastor to the flock..."

5. Pastor and Mariner. JOHN XXIII. 1958-1963. John was a pastor to the world, much beloved, and the Patriarch of Venice. The connection to "mariner" is thus remarkable.

6. Flower of Flowers. PAUL VI. 1963-1978. Paul's coat-of-arms depicts three fleurs-de-lis, corresponding to Malachay's prophecy. His coat of arms included three fleurs-de-lis (iris blossoms).

7. Of the Half Moon. JOHN PAUL I. 1978-1978. John Paul I was elected Pope on August 26, 1978, when there was a half moon. He reigned 33 days, that is, about one month, when he died, although many think he was murdered. He was the 109th Pope - is "De Medietate Lunae" (Of the Half Moon). The corresponding pope was John Paul I (1978-78), who was born in the diocese of Belluno (beautiful moon) and was baptized Albino Luciani (white light). He became pope on August 26, 1978, when the moon appeared exactly half full. It was in its waning phase. He died the following month, soon after an eclipse of the moon.

8. The Labor of the Son. JOHN PAUL II. 1978-2005. Pope John Paul II was the most traveled Pope in history. He circled the globe numerous times, preaching to huge audiences everywhere he went. He survived an assassination attempt. He has written a book which has enjoyed a large circulation. Like the sun which never ceases to labor and provides light daily, this Pope has been incessant. He was born on May 18, 1920. On that date in the morning there was a near total eclipse of the sun over Europe. Prophecy - The 110th Pope is "De Labore Solis" (Of the Solar Eclipse, or, From the Toil of the Sun). Like the sun he came out of the East (Poland).

9. The Glory of the Olive. The Order of St. Benedict has said this Pope will come from their order. It is interesting that Jesus gave his apocalyptic prophecy about the end of time from the Mount of Olives. This Pope will reign during the beginning of the tribulation Jesus spoke of. The 111th prophesy is "Gloria Olivae" (The Glory of the Olive). The Order of Saint Benedict has claimed that this pope will come from their ranks. Saint Benedict himself prophesied that before the end of the world his Order, known also as the Olivetans, will triumphantly lead the Catholic Church in its fight against evil.

10. PETER THE ROMAN - This final Pope will likely be Satan, taking the form of a man named Peter who will gain a worldwide allegiance and adoration. He will be the final antichrist which prophecy students have long foretold. If it were possible, even the very elect would be deceived. The 112th prophesy states: "In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Petrus Romanus, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations; after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people. The End."

Malachy's final words, "Rome, the seat of the Vatican, will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people."

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Saint Hildegard (12th Century)

The time is coming when princes and peoples will reject the authority of the Pope. Some countries will prefer their own Church rulers to the Pope. The German Empire will be divided.

Before the comet comes, many nations, the good excepted, will be scourged by want and famine. The great nation in the ocean that is inhabited by people of different tribes and descent will be devastated by earthquake, storm, and tidal wave. It will be divided and, in great part, submerged. That nation will also have many misfortunes at sea and lose its colonies.

[After the] great Comet, the great nation will be devastated by earthquakes, storms, and great waves of water, causing much want and plagues. The ocean will also flood many other countries, so that all coastal cities will live in fear, with many destroyed.

All sea coast cities will be fearful, and many of them will be destroyed by tidal waves, and most living creatures will be killed, and even those who escape will die from a horrible disease. For in none of those cities does a person live according to the Laws of God.

A powerful wind will rise in the North, carrying heavy fog and the densest dust, and it will fill their throats and eyes so that they will cease their butchery and be stricken with a great fear.

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Bishop Christianos Ageda (12th Century)

In the 20th century there will be wars and fury that will last a long time; whole provinces shall be emptied of their inhabitants, and kingdoms shall be thrown into confusion. In many places the land shall be left untilled, and there shall be great slaughters of the upper class. The right hand of the world shall fear the left, and the north shall prevail over the south.
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Abbot Werdin D'Orante (12th Century)
The great monarch and the great Pope will precede Antichrist. The nations will be at war for four years and a great part of the world will be destroyed. The Pope will go over the sea carrying the sign of Redemption on his forehead. The great Monarch will come to restore peace and the Pope will share in the victory.
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John of Vitiguerro (13th Century)
The pope will change his residence and the Church will not be defended for twenty-five months or more because, during all that time there will be no Pope in Rome... After many tribulations, a Pope shall be elected out of those who survived the persecutions.
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Johannes Friede (1204-1257)

When the great time will come, in which mankind will face its last, hard trial, it will be foreshadowed by striking changes in nature. The alteration between cold and heat will become more intensive, storms will have more catastrophic effects, earthquakes will destroy great regions, and the seas will overflow many lowlands. Not all of it will be the result of natural causes, but mankind will penetrate into the bowels of the earth and will reach into the clouds, gambling with its own existence. Before the powers of destruction will succeed in their design, the universe will be thrown into disorder, and the age of iron will plunge into nothingness.

When nights will be filled with more intensive cold and days with heat, a new life will begin in nature. The heat means radiation from the earth, the cold the waning light of the sun. Only a few years more and you will become aware that sunlight has grown perceptibly weaker. When even your artificial light will cease to give service, the great event in the heavens will be near.

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St. Vincent Ferrer (14th Century)

In the days of peace that are to come after the desolation of revolutions and wars, before the end of the world, the Christians will become so lax in their religion that they will refuse to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, saying, "It is an unnecessary Sacrament."
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John of the Cleft Rock (14th Century)
Towards the end of the world, tyrants and hostile mobs will rob the Church and the clergy of all their possessions and will afflict and martyr them. Those who heap the most abuse upon them will be held in high esteem. At that time, the Pope with his cardinals will have to flee Rome in tragic circumstances to a place where they will be unknown. The Pope will die a cruel death in his exile. The sufferings of the Church will be much greater than at any previous time in her history. But God will raise a holy Pope, and the Angels will rejoice. Enlightened by God, this man will rebuild almost the whole world through his holiness. He will lead everyone to the true Faith.
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Maria Laach Monastery (16th Century)
The twentieth century will bring death and destruction, apostasy from the Church, discord in families, cities and governments; it will be the century of three great wars with intervals of a few decades. They will become ever more devastating and bloody and will lay in ruins not only Germany, but finally all countries of East and West. After a terrible defeat of Germany will follow the next great war. There will be no bread for people anymore and no fodder for animals. Poisonous clouds, manufactured by human hands, will sink down and exterminate everything. The human mind will be seized by insanity.
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Venerable Bartholomew Holzhauser (17th Century)

The fifth period of the Church, which began circa 1520, will end with the arrival of the holy Pope and of the powerful Monarch who is called "Help From God" because he will restore everything. The fifth period is one of affliction, desolation, humiliation, and poverty for the Church. Jesus Christ will purify His people through cruel wars, famines, plagues, epidemics, and other horrible calamities. He will also afflict and weaken the Latin Church with many heresies. It is a period of defections, calamities and exterminations. Those Christians who survive the sword, plague and famines, will be few on earth.

During this period, many men will abuse of the freedom of conscience conceded to them. It is of such men that Jude the Apostle spoke when he said, "These men blaspheme whatever they do not understand; and they corrupt whatever they know naturally as irrational animals do." They will ridicule Christian simplicity; they will call it folly and nonsense, but they will have the highest regard for advanced knowledge, and for the skill by which the axioms of law, the precepts of morality, the Holy Canons and religious dogmas are clouded by senseless questions and elaborate arguments.

These are the evil times, a century full of dangers and calamities. Heresy is everywhere, and the followers of heresy are in power almost everywhere. but God will permit a great evil against His Church: Heretics and tyrants will come suddenly and unexpectedly; they will break into the Church. They will enter Italy and lay Rome waste; they will burn down churches and destroy everything.

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The Ecstatic of Tours (19th Century)

Before the war breaks out again, food will be scarce and expensive. There will be little work for the workers, and fathers will hear their children crying for food. There will be earthquakes and signs in the sun. Toward the end, darkness will cover the Earth. When everyone believes that peace is ensured, when everyone least expects it, the great happening will begin. Revolution will break out in Italy almost at the same time as in France. For some time the Church will be without a Pope.

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H. G. Wells

2009-06-13T23:41:00.001+02:00

September 21, 1866 - August 13, 1946
H. G. Wells was torn between 2 visions - one of salvation and one of doom (duality). He predicted that if humanity did not change its ways, it would destroy itself.

H. G. Wells forecasted the twentieth century so vividly and accurately he became known as "The Man Who Invented Tomorrow". He saw super highways, overcrowded cities, military use of airplanes and the bombing of cities. In 1911 he forecast the atomic bomb and other weapons of mass destruction, that terrified him. His final vision in 1933 was of an apocalyptic world war.

Spiritually, he prophecized a new consciousness emerging, spearheaded by a visionary elite who would take control of the weapons of war and create a global state, pacifying and leading humanity to a new world. By the second decade of the twenty-first century he envisioned a peaceful world liberated from old hatreds and adorned with scientific marvels.

George Washington's Visions and Prophecies

2009-06-13T23:40:00.000+02:00

George Washington's vision is recorded at the Library of Congress

"This afternoon, as I was sitting at this table engaged in preparing a dispatch, something seemed to disturb me. Looking up, I beheld standing opposite me a singularly beautiful female. So astonished was I, for I had given strict orders not to be disturbed, that it was some moments before I found language to inquire the cause of her presence. A second, a third and even a fourth time did I repeat my question, but received no answer from my mysterious visitor except a slight raising of her eyes.

"By this time I felt strange sensations spreading through me. I would have risen but the riveted gaze of the being before me rendered volition impossible. I assayed once more to address her, but my tongue had become useless, as though it had become paralyzed.

"A new influence, mysterious, potent, irresistible, took possession of me. All I could do was to gaze steadily, vacantly at my unknown visitor, Gradually the surrounding atmosphere seemed as if it had become filled with sensations, and luminous. Everything about me seemed to rarify, the mysterious visitor herself becoming more airy and yet more distinct to my sight than before. I now began to feel as one dying, or rather to experience the sensations which I have sometimes imagined accompany dissolution. I did not think, I did not reason, I did not move; all were alike impossible. I was only conscious of gazing fixedly, vacantly at my companion.

"Presently I heard a voice saying, `Son of the Republic, look and learn,' while at the same time my visitor extended her arm eastwardly. I now beheld a heavy white vapor at some distance rising fold upon fold. This gradually dissipated, and I looked upon a strange scene. Before me lay spread out in one vast plain all the countries of the world; Europe, Asia, Africa and America. I saw rolling and tossing between Europe and America the billows of the Atlantic, and between Asia and America lay the Pacific.

" `Son of the Republic' said the same mysterious voice as before, `look and learn,' At that moment I beheld a dark, shadowy being, like an angel, standing, or rather floating in mid-air, between Europe and America. Dipping water out of the ocean in the hollow of each hand, he sprinkled some upon America with his right hand, while with his left hand he cast some on Europe. Immediately a cloud raised from these countries, and joined in mid-ocean. For a while it remained stationary, and then moved slowly westward, until it enveloped America in its murky folds. Sharp flashes of lightning gleamed through it at intervals, and I heard the smothered groans and cries of the American people.

"A second time the angel dipped water from the ocean, and sprinkled it out as before. The dark cloud was then drawn back to the ocean, in whose heaving billows it sank from view. A third time I heard the mysterious voice saying, `Son of the Republic, look and learn,' I cast my eyes upon America and beheld villages and towns and cities springing up one after another until the whole land from the Atlantic to the Pacific was dotted with them.

"Again, I heard the mysterious voice say, `Son of the Republic, the end of the century cometh, look and learn.' At this the dark shadowy angel turned his face southward, and from Africa I saw an ill-omened spectre approach our land. It flitted slowly over every town and city of the latter. The inhabitants presently set themselves in battle array against each other. As I continued looking I a saw bright angel, on whose brow rested a crown of light, on which was traced the word `Union,' bearing the American flag which he placed between the divided nation, and said, `Remember ye are brethren.' Instantly, the inhabitants, casting from them their weapons became friends once more, and united around the National Standard.

"And again I heard the mysterious voice saying, `Son of the Republic, look and learn.' At this the dark, shadowy angel placed a trumpet to his mouth, and blew three distinct blasts; and taking water from the ocean, he sprinkled it upon Europe, Asia and Africa. Then my eyes beheld a fearful scene: from each of these countries arose thick, black clouds that were soon joined into one. Throughout this mass there gleamed a dark red light by which I saw hordes of armed men, who, moving with the cloud, marched by land and sailed by sea to America. Our country was enveloped in this volume of cloud, and I saw these vast armies devastate the whole country and burn the villages, towns and cities that I beheld springing up. As my ears listened to the thundering of the cannon, clashing of swords, and the shouts and cries of millions in mortal combat, I heard again the mysterious voice saying, `Son of the Republic, look and learn.' When the voice had ceased, the dark shadowy angel placed his trumpet once more to his mouth, and blew a long and fearful blast.

"Instantly a light as of a thousand suns shone down from above me, and pierced and broke into fragments the dark cloud which enveloped America. At the same moment the angel upon whose head still shone the word Union, and who bore our national flag in one hand and a sword in the other, descended from the heavens attended by legions of white spirits. These immediately joined the inhabitants of America, who I perceived were well nigh overcome, but who immediately taking courage again, closed up their broken ranks and renewed the battle.

"Again, amid the fearful noise of the conflict, I heard the mysterious voice saying, `Son of the Republic, look and learn.' As the voice ceased, the shadowy angel for the last time dipped water from the ocean and sprinkled it upon America. Instantly the dark cloud rolled back, together with the armies it had brought, leaving the inhabitants of the land victorious!

"Then once more I beheld the villages, towns and cities springing up where I had seen them before, while the bright angel, planting the azure standard he had brought in the midst of them, cried with o loud voice" `While the stars remain, and the heavens send down dew upon the earth, so long shall the Union last.' And taking from his brow the crown on which blazoned the word `UNION,' he placed it upon the Standard while the people, kneeling down, said, `Amen.'

"The scene instantly began to fade and dissolve, and I at last saw nothing but the rising, curling vapor I at first beheld. This also disappearing, I found myself once more gazing upon the mysterious visitor, who, in the same voice I had heard before, said, `Son of the Republic, what you have seen is thus interpreted: three great perils will come upon the Republic. The most fearful is the third, but in this greatest conflict the whole world united shall not prevail against her. Let every child of the Republic learn to live for his God, his land and the Union. With these words the vision vanished, and I started from my seat and felt that I had seen a vision wherein had been shown to me the birth, progress and destiny of the United States."