Six More Megabanks Join 'USC' Blockchain Currency Project
by
989 Views
Six more of the largest banks in the world have joined the blockchain-based "utility settlement coin" (USC) project. The financial consortium now wants to work closer with central banks.
Barclays, Credit Suisse, HSBC, MUFG, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, and State Street joined the group yesterday. The utility settlement coin project started a year ago with founders UBS, Deutsche Bank, Santander, and BNY Mellon.
Several (but not all) members of the group are also part of the R3 consortium of financial institutions. USC itself is not an R3 project, however — it's based on a product designed by Clearmatics Technologies.
USC also has competitors: Goldman Sachs received a patent for a rival technology called "SETLcoin" in July 2017.
USC Would Free Up Billions, Speed Inter-Bank Transactions
The new USC currency would, in theory, use blockchain or distributed ledger technology to clear and settle inter-bank transactions more efficiently. Scheduled to go live in late 2018, it will also help free up billions of dollars the banks use to back up international trades.
USC coins will be easily convertible into various national fiat currencies and financial securities (such as bonds and equities) traded between the banks.
Currently, the banks (like ordinary companies and people) rely on centralized clearing houses to process and finalize transactions. This is time and resource consuming. The hope is that blockchain technology will enable faster and less expensive transactions, just as Bitcoin promises for everyone else.
According to a FTreport, the group intends to introduce the new system incrementally and with caution at every step. Banks were initially skeptical of blockchain over fears of fraud, security and privacy — but have gradually been swayed. These issues are at the forefront of the group's talks with central banks.
Should the Bitcoin and Blockchain Industry Be Interested in Big Banks?
Some in the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry have wondered aloud if large international institutions really need decentralized technology.
"Why would big banks need blockchain for clearing and settlement? They are centralized anyway, and on-chain transactions are harder to process," said Fei Fei, VP of corporate alliances at decentralized banking project LakeBanker.
"Small patches to the existing banking system are nothing revolutionary. This is not in the spirit of blockchain or decentralization."
Actually Good News for Bitcoin, Blockchain?
Whether the result is clear efficiency gains for mega-banks or not, the news may be welcome for other blockchain projects too.
Half the battle for Bitcoin and blockchain is acceptance — convincing the public their technology is legitimate and safe.
Perhaps these so-called "bankchain" projects aren't revolutionary to the average person. Indeed, many in the blockchain industry aim to replace the current financial system, rather than work within it.
However projects like USC and SETL grab headlines, and play a role in explaining and "normalizing" blockchain and cryptocurrencies. They build trust and confidence in open digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum, among an audience who may otherwise be reluctant.
What's your opinion on USC, SETL and other "bankchain" projects? Let us know.
Investment bank Goldman Sachs has been awarded a patent for its proposed "SETLcoin" cryptocurrency settlement system.
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published Goldman's patent on July 11, entitled "Cryptographic currency for securities settlement". The bank made headlines when the existence of the patent application was revealed in late 2015.
The concept envisions a system for settling securities trades using a built-in cryptocurrency. When filed in December of that year, the application notably outlined methods for exchanging SETLcoins for digitized stocks for firms like Google and Microsoft, as well as cryptocurrencies, naming bitcoin and litecoin in particular.
Here's how Goldman describes the system:
"[A] SETLcoin wallet can house a single security or multiple denominations of the same security (e.g., 1 IBM-S SETLcoin valued at 100 IBM shares). SETLcoin wallets may also house multiple securities (e.g., 1 IBM-S SETLcoin and 2 GOOG-S SETLcoins). For example, a single IBM-S SETLcoin may be exchangeable for one or more "GOOG" SETLcoins (i.e., Google shares), for 13,000 USD SETLcoins, 100 litecoins, and/or for 5 bitcoins."
Goldman's patent application was initially filed in October 2014. Paul Walker, co-head of the bank's technology division, and Phil Venables, chief information risk officer for Goldman, are listed as inventors.
A representative for Goldman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The leader in blockchain news, CoinDesk is an independent media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. Have breaking news or a story tip to send to our journalists? Contact us at news@coindesk.com.
Disclaimer: This article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide, investment advice. Please conduct your own thorough research before investing in any cryptocurrency.
Notice on Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sales
AGENCY:
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.
ACTION:
List of Restricted Joint Bidders.
SUMMARY:
Pursuant to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) regulatory restrictions on joint bidding, the Director of the BOEM is publishing a List of Restricted Joint Bidders. Each entity within one of the following groups is restricted from bidding with any entity in any of the other following groups at Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas lease sales to be held during the bidding period November 1, 2017, through April 30, 2018.
DATES:
This List of Restricted Joint Bidders will cover the period November 1, 2017, through April 30, 2018, and replace the prior list published on April 28, 2017 (82 FR 19750), which covered the period of May 1, 2017, through October 31, 2017.
Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War
Proclamation 9674 of November 10, 2017 A Proclamation
Today, I lead our Nation in somber reflection as we continue the 13-year Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War that began in 2012. We salute our brave Vietnam veterans who, in service to our Nation and in defense of liberty, fought gallantly against the spread of communism and defended the freedom of the Vietnamese people.
Fifty years ago, in 1967, nearly 500,000 American troops served in South Vietnam, along with approximately 850,000 troops of our allies. Today, during Veterans and Military Families Month and as the Federal Government observes Veterans Day, I am in Vietnam alongside business and political leaders to advance the interests of America, and to promote peace and stability in this region and around the world. I cherish this opportunity to recall, with humility, the sacrifices our veterans made for our freedom and our Nation's strength.
During this Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War, we embrace our responsibility to help our Vietnam veterans and their families heal from the heavy toll of war. We remember the more than 58,000 whose names are memorialized on a black granite wall in our Nation's capital for having borne the heaviest cost of war. We also pay tribute to the brave patriots who suffered as prisoners of war, and we stand steadfast in our commitment not to rest until we account for the 1,253 heroes who have not yet returned to American soil.
To ensure the sacrifices of the 9 million heroes who served during this difficult chapter of our country's history are remembered for generations to come, I signed into law the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017, designating March 29 of each year as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. Throughout this Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War, and every March 29 thereafter, we will honor all those who answered our Nation's call to duty. We vow to never again confuse personal disapproval of war with prejudice against those who honorably wear the uniform of our Armed Forces. With conviction, our Nation pledges our enduring respect, our continuing care, and our everlasting commitment to all Vietnam veterans.
We applaud the thousands of local, State, and national organizations, businesses, and governmental entities that have already partnered with the Federal Government in the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. Because of their remarkable leadership and dedication, countless Vietnam veterans and their families have been personally and publicly thanked and honored in ceremonies in towns and cities throughout our country. During my Administration, I promise to continue coordinated efforts to recognize all veterans of the Vietnam War for their service and sacrifice, and to provide them with the heartfelt acknowledgement and gratitude that they and their families so richly deserve.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby confirm the commitment of this Nation to the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War, which began on Memorial Day, 2012 and will continue through Veterans Start Printed Page 55026Day, 2025. I call upon all Americans to offer each of our Vietnam veterans and their families a thank you on behalf of the Nation, both privately and during public ceremonies and programs across our country.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand seventeen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-second.
High Pesticide Exposure Associated With Reduced IVF Success
By Dr. Mercola
Human fertility is declining, and recent studies suggest conventional food may be a significant contributor to this disturbing trend, seen in both men and women. Pesticides have repeatedly been implicated in worsening fertility, and one of the most recent studies adds further support to this hypothesis.
The study,1,2 published in JAMA Internal Medicine, evaluated the influence of factors known to affect reproduction on the reproductive success of 325 women between the ages of 18 and 45 (mean age 35), who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF). As reported by Time,3 "The women in the study filled out detailed questionnaires about their diet, along with other factors that can affect IVF outcomes, like their age, weight and history of pregnancy and live births."
Using a U.S. government database listing average pesticide residues on food, the researchers estimated each participant's pesticide exposure based on their food questionnaires. On average, women with high pesticide exposure ate 2.3 servings per day of fruits, berries or vegetables known to have high amounts of pesticide residue. Those in the lowest quartile ate less than 1 serving of high-pesticide produce per day.
Compared to women with the lowest pesticide exposure, women with the highest amounts of pesticide exposure had an 18 percent lower IVF success rate. They were also 26 percent less likely to have a live birth if they did become pregnant. Using modeling, the researchers estimate that exchanging a single serving of high-pesticide produce per day for one with low pesticide load may increase the odds of pregnancy by 79 percent, and the odds of having a live birth by 88 percent.
Pesticide Regulations Fail to Protect Human Health
Senior investigator Dr. Jorge Chavarro, associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health told Time:4
"I was always skeptical that pesticide residues in foods would have any impact on health whatsoever. So, when we started doing this work a couple of years ago, I thought we were not going to find anything. I was surprised to see anything as far as health outcomes are concerned.I am now more willing to buy organic apples than I was a few months ago."
Coauthor Dr. Yu-Han Chiu, research fellow in the department of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, added:5
"There have been concerns for some time that exposure to low doses of pesticides through diet, such as those that we observed in this study, may have adverse health effects, especially in susceptible populations such as pregnant women and their fetus, and on children. Our study provides evidence that this concern is not unwarranted."
As noted by Dr. Philip Landrigan, dean for global health and professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in an accompanying commentary,6 "The observations made in this study send a warning that our current laissez-faire attitude toward the regulation of pesticides is failing us," adding:
"We can no longer afford to assume that new pesticides are harmless until they are definitively proven to cause injury to human health. We need to overcome the strident objections of the pesticide manufacturing industry, recognize the hidden costs of deregulation, and strengthen requirements for both premarket testing of new pesticides, as well as postmarketing surveillance of exposed populations — exactly as we do for another class of potent, biologically active molecules — drugs."
Male Fertility Rates Have Also Plunged
Research also shows sperm concentration and quality has dramatically declined in recent decades, and the evidence suggests endocrine disrupting chemicals are largely to blame. While there are many sources, pesticides, including glyphosate,7 are known endocrine disruptors as well. According to the first of two recently published papers,8 a meta-analysis of 185 studies and the largest of its kind, sperm counts around the world declined by more than 50 percent between 1973 and 2013, and continue to dwindle.
The most significant declines were found in samples from men in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. (Men suspected of infertility, such as those attending IVF clinics, were excluded from the study.) Overall, men in these countries had a 52.4 percent decline in sperm concentration and a 59.3 percent decline in total sperm count (sperm concentration multiplied by the total volume of an ejaculate).
As it stands, half of the men in most developed nations are now near or at the point of being infertile. Lead author Dr. Hagai Levine, who called the results "profound" and "shocking,"9 worries that human extinction is a very real possibility, should the trend continue unabated.10
Microwave Exposure — Another Invisible Contributor to Infertility
Exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) is another major contributor to infertility. In fact, I believe this may be the most significant factor for the observed decrease in male sperm count. Women's reproductive organs are a bit more shielded, but can still be affected, just not as easily as men's testicles.11 During World War II, it was well-known that radar operators could easily create sterility by exposing the groin to radar waves. Radar is microwave radiation and was the precursor to cellphones that use similar frequencies.
More modern research also suggests microwave radiation may play a significant role in male reproductive health. While evaluating studies showing you can radically reduce biological microwave damage using calcium channel blockers, Martin Pall, Ph.D., discovered a previously unknown mechanism of biological harm from microwaves emitted by cellphones and other wireless technologies.12
Embedded in your cell membranes are voltage gated calcium channels (VGCCs). It turns out these VGCCs are activated by microwaves, and when that happens, about 1 million calcium ions per second are released.
This massive excess of intracellular calcium then stimulates the release of nitric oxide (NO) inside your cell and mitochondria, which combines with superoxide to form peroxynitrite. Not only does peroxynitrites cause oxidative damage, they also create hydroxyl free radicals — the most destructive free radicals known to man.
Hydroxyl free radicals decimate mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, their membranes and proteins, resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction. During a 2013 children's health expert panel on cellphone and Wi-Fi exposures,13 it was noted, "The testicular barrier, that protects sperm, is the most sensitive of tissues in the body … Besides sperm count and function, the mitochondrial DNA of sperm are damaged three times more if exposed to cellphone radiation."
In addition to male testes, the tissues with the highest density of VGCCs are your brain and the pacemaker in your heart. What the research tells us is that excessive microwave exposure can be a direct contributor to conditions such as infertility, Alzheimer's, anxiety, depression, autism and cardiac arrhythmias.14
Indeed, other studies have linked low-level electromagnetic radiation exposure from cellphones to an 8 percent reduction in sperm motility and a 9 percent reduction in sperm viability.15,16 Wi-Fi equipped laptop computers have also been linked to decreased sperm motility and an increase in sperm DNA fragmentation after just four hours of use.17 So, if you care about your reproductive health, the most important strategies to implement are to:
Avoid carrying your cellphone in your pockets or on your hip
Avoid using portable computers and tablets on your lap
Turn off your cellphones at night, as even if you are not talking they can damage you up to 30 feet away
Turn off your Wi-Fi at night (ideally in the day also)
Most importantly, turn off the electricity to your bedroom at the circuit breaker. This typically works for most bedrooms unless you have a room or rooms adjacent to your bedroom, in which case you might need to shut that off too. This will radically lower electric and magnetic fields while you sleep. If you need a clock you can you a battery operated one and even better a talking clock with no light that can be picked up on Amazon
Study Reveals Shocking Increase in Glyphosate Levels
In related news, researchers from University of California San Diego School of Medicine recently reported there's been a shocking increase in glyphosate exposure in recent decades and, subsequently, the level found in people's urine.
For this study,18 the researchers measured excretion levels of glyphosate and its metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid in 100 participants from the Rancho Bernardo Study of Healthy Aging, which ran for 23 years, starting in 1993, the year before genetically engineered (GE) crops were introduced in the U.S.
As one would expect, the introduction of Roundup Ready GE crops led to a massive increase in the use of Roundup, the active ingredient of which is glyphosate. Glyphosate has also become a popular tool for desiccating non-GE grains, legumes and beans.
Data19,20 reveals that between 1974 (the year glyphosate entered the U.S. market and just over two decades before GE crops were introduced) and 2014, glyphosate use in the U.S. increased more than 250-fold. Globally, glyphosate use rose nearly fifteenfold since 1996, two years after the first GE crops hit the market.
At the start of the study, very few of the participants had detectable levels of glyphosate in their urine, but by 2016, 70 percent of them did.21 Overall, the prevalence of human exposure to glyphosate increased by 500 percent during the study period (1993 to 2016), while actual levels of the chemical in people's bodies increased by an astounding 1,208 percent.
Rising Glyphosate Levels in Urine Is Cause for Concern
The exact implications of glyphosate exposure to human health is still unclear, but other recent research22 found that daily exposure to ultra-low levels of glyphosate for two years led to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in rats, and the levels found in people's urine were a hundredfold greater than those in this rat study.
In response to the findings of rising glyphosate levels in people's urine, Monsanto was quick to say that the amounts reported "do not raise health concerns," and that the fact that the chemical is detected in urine is just "one way our bodies get rid of nonessential substances."23 Speaking to GM Watch, Michael Antoniou of King's College London had another take on the matter:24
"This is the first study to longitudinally track urine levels of glyphosate over a period before and after the introduction of GM glyphosate-tolerant crops. It is yet another example illustrating that the vast majority of present-day Americans have readily detectable levels of glyphosate in their urine, ranging from 0.3 parts per billion, as in this study, to 10 times higher — 3 or more parts per billion — detected by others.
These results are worrying because there is increasing evidence to show that exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides below regulatory safety limits can be harmful."
Glyphosate Found in Breast Milk
Three years ago, the first-ever independent testing for glyphosate in the breast milk of American women found high levels in 30 percent of the samples.25 The testing, which was not a formal scientific study, was carried out by Moms Across America and Sustainable Pulse. Still, the findings strongly suggest glyphosate bioaccumulates and builds up in your body over time, despite claims to the contrary.
Breast milk levels were found to be 76 to 166 micrograms per liter (ug/l), which is up to 1,600 times higher than the European Drinking Water Directive allows for individual pesticides, but still well below the 700 ug/l maximum contaminant level (MCL) for glyphosate allowed in the U.S. However, the U.S. level was set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) based on the now-ridiculous premise that glyphosate will not bioaccumulate.
Importantly, many of the participants in this study were familiar with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and had been actively trying to avoid them for several months to two years. This makes the findings all the more disheartening, and shows just how difficult it is to avoid this chemical unless you're consistently eating an organic diet.
Corporate Machinations Kept Glyphosate on the Market
As noted in a recent investigation by In These Times,26 in the wake of Moms Across America's findings, Monsanto defended its flagship pesticide with a study that found no glyphosate in breast milk. However, this study, which was purported to be "independent," was actually backed by Monsanto. According to In These Times:
"More and more research suggests that glyphosate exposure can lead to numerous health issues, ranging from non-Hodgkin lymphoma and kidney damage to disruption of gut bacteria and improper hormone functioning. The Moms Across America episode fits a pattern that has emerged since 1974, when the EPA first registered glyphosate for use:
When questions have been raised about the chemical's safety, Monsanto has ensured that the answers serve its financial interests, rather than scientific accuracy and transparency. Our two-year investigation found incontrovertible evidence that Monsanto has exerted deep influence over EPA decisions since glyphosate first came on the market — via Roundup — more than 40 years ago."
Manipulation of Science Led to Underestimation of Glyphosate's Risks
Suspiciously, archived EPA documents from decades ago, when the agency was initially considering glyphosate for approval, have been heavily redacted. Despite much of it being illegible, the documents reveal that EPA scientists were greatly concerned about a 1983 mouse study showing that glyphosate caused cancer. The documentation also shows that their interpretation of the data was "subsequently reversed by EPA upper management and advisory boards, apparently under pressure from Monsanto."
"In years to come, that pivotal 1983 mouse study would be buried under layers of misleading analysis to obscure its meaning. Today, the EPA and Monsanto continue to cite that study as evidence that glyphosate poses no public health risk, even though the study's actual evidence indicates otherwise," In These Times reports.
The EPA has also been accused of overlooking other evidence of harm. I wrote about this in "Unveiling the Glyphosate Conspiracy." As mentioned earlier, glyphosate was introduced in 1974, and the earliest example of Monsanto's attempts to downplay evidence of harm dates back to May 1973, the year before its ultimate approval.
At the time, a biologist at the EPA's Toxicology Branch Registration Division recommended including the word "Danger" on the label, due to the chemical's ability to cause eye irritation. Monsanto strongly objected, saying the eye irritation observed was merely the result of "a secondary infection in previously irritated eyes." After three years of deliberations back and forth, the EPA finally agreed to Monsanto's request to replace the word "Danger" with the less attention-grabbing "Caution."
How to Check Your Glyphosate Level
As food has become increasingly adulterated, contaminated and genetically engineered, the need for laboratory testing has exponentially grown. In response to this need, the Health Research Institute (HRI Labs) has created two glyphosate tests for the public — a water testing kit, and an environmental exposure test kit.
The latter is a urine test that will tell you how much glyphosate you have in your system, which can give you a good idea of the purity of your diet. If your glyphosate level is high, chances are you've been exposed to many other agrochemicals as well.
I had the environmental exposure test done a while back, and had a glyphosate level below the threshold of detection, which is 40 parts per trillion, likely because I eat primarily organic and homegrown foods, and expel toxins I might come in contact with through exercise and regular sauna use.
So far, HRI Labs has analyzed more than 1,200 urine samples. The testing is being done as part of a research project, which will provide valuable information about the presence of glyphosate in the diet. It will also help answer questions about how lifestyle and location affects people's exposure to agrochemicals. Here are some of their findings to date:
76 percent of people tested have some level of glyphosate in their system
Men typically have higher levels than women
People who eat oats on a regular basis have twice as much glyphosate in their system as people who don't (likely because oats are desiccated with glyphosate before harvest)
People who eat organic food on a regular basis have an 80 percent lower level of glyphosate than those who rarely eat organic. This indicates organic products are a safer choice
People who eat five or more servings of vegetables per day have glyphosate levels that are 50 percent lower than those who don't eat fewer vegetables
Which Foods Are the Most Important to Buy Organic?
Everyone can be harmed by pesticides, but if you're a man or woman of childbearing age or have young children, taking steps to reduce your exposure is especially important. Ideally, all of the food you and your family eat would be organic. That said, not everyone has access to a wide variety of organic produce, and it can sometimes be costlier than buying conventional.
One way to save some money while still lowering your pesticide exposure is to purchase certain organic items, and "settling" for others that are conventionally grown, based on how heavily each given crop is typically treated with pesticides.
Animal products, like meat, butter, milk and eggs are the most important to buy organic, since animal products tend to bioaccumulate toxins from their pesticide-laced feed, concentrating them to far higher concentrations than are typically present in vegetables. Beyond animal foods, the pesticide load of different fruits and vegetables can vary greatly.
In 2015, Consumer Reports analyzed 12 years' worth of data from the USDA's Pesticide Data Program to determine the risk categories (from very low to very high) for different types of produce.27 Their results are featured in the video above. Because children are especially vulnerable to the effects of environmental chemicals, including pesticides, they based the risk assessment on a 3.5-year-old child.
They recommend buying organic for any produce that came back in the medium or higher risk categories, which left the following foods as examples of those you should always try to buy organic, due to their elevated pesticide load. Another excellent source, which is updated annually, is the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean 15" lists of produce with the greatest and least amounts of pesticide contamination. The EWG's 2017 shopper's guide28 to pesticides in produce can be downloaded here.
Washing your produce will help remove surface pesticide residues. According to recent research,29 the most effective cleaning method, by far, is to wash your produce using a mixture of tap water and baking soda. Soaking apples in a 1 percent baking soda solution for 12 to 15 minutes was found to remove 80 percent of the fungicide thiabendazole and 96 percent of the insecticide phosmet.
The reason thiabendazole was not as effectively removed is because it penetrated the apple to a depth of 80 micrometers. Importantly, the industry standard for cleaning apples — running under tap water or treating with the bleach solution for two minutes — was ineffective in comparison.
(Natural News) Earlier this week, Natural News founder Mike Adams released an incredibly enticing and informative video lecture that, among other things, discussed the consolidation of power in the institutions of science and medicine. At the conclusion of the video, which is titled "The Science Agenda to Exterminate Blacks," Adams explains,
"The problem is that science has been taken over globalists' agendas and depopulation agendas and government funding." He added that another big problem has to do with the fact that science as an institution has yet to be decentralized, and that we all have become "slaves to science tyranny."
While much of the video lecture focused on how blacks are being targeted for extermination in the name of science and medicine, Adams noted, "To some extent, we are all being targeted in different ways because there is a depopulation agenda that wants to reduce the entire global population to about 1 billion people."
The Health Ranger is correct. Those who support the idea of global depopulation usually don't come straight out and share their intentions with the world; they have become particularly good at disguising their agenda. They know that if they can pass off their support for depopulation as "for science" or "for the environment," then the public will generally be more accepting and understanding. Prince William, for example, recently warned that the population growth in Africa is putting a tremendous amount of pressure on the natural world and driving many species of animals to extinction.
"Africa's rapidly growing human population is predicted to more than double by 2050 – a staggering increase of three and a half million people per month," Prince William said at a recent event hosted by the Tusk Trust, a charity that protects African wildlife. "There is no question that this increase puts wildlife and habitat under enormous pressure."
Prince William went on to say that while things like urbanization, infrastructure development and cultivation are all good things, they will have a severely negative impact on our world unless we take action. He added that we as a people are going to have to work harder and think deeper to ensure that human beings and animals can continue to co-exist.
For many, the Duke of Cambridge's words are reminiscent of an argument made by his grandfather decades ago: That if we want to get serious about curbing population growth, we may have to consider the idea of "voluntary family limitation." Prince William's father also shared similar views, warning in 2006 that planet Earth only had 96 months before "irretrievable climate and ecosystem collapse, and all that goes with it."
But when it comes to support for depopulation, not many people can compare to Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger, whose views were so radical and so extreme that she actually openly advocated for eugenics as a means of creating the most desirable human population. In an article from 1921 that was published in the Birth Control Review, Sanger argued that the most urgent problem the world faces is how to limit and discourage reproduction from those who are mentally ill and physically defective. The Planned Parenthood founder was also an advocate of mandatory sterilization, and no doubt viewed abortions as a tool that can be used to control the human population.
Just like virtually every other institution that has ever existed, the institutions of science and medicine have agendas and hidden motives that aren't always ethical in nature. For more information on this form of science tyranny, check out Mike Adam's video lecture "The Science Agenda to Exterminate Blacks," which is available now on the official Health Ranger YouTube Channel.
The following is an excerpt from the "Protect Yourself from Control Dramas" on-line course. If you would like to enroll in the course, click here.
What is a Control Drama?
A control drama, as coined by James Redfield in his book, "The Celestine Prophecy," is played by anyone who is feeling low on power or energy, to manipulate and steal the energy of another. Control dramas are unconscious strategies all people use to gain power or energy from another person and to essentially, "get their way with others." We get our way with others by making them pay attention to us and then elicit a certain reaction from them to make ourselves feel fulfilled. The positive feelings we gain are won at the expense of the other person and this often causes imbalance and drama in our interpersonal relationships.
Most of us have a dominant control drama in which we engage in automatically, without even realizing what we are doing and to what extent and expense. Your need to defend and engage in defensive responses with someone means you are caught in a control drama and you will thus, "react." When you start to become aware of your dominant control drama and can recognize it in action, you can start to hone it and make better choices in your responses to others. Likewise, once you understand how others use control dramas to make you react, you can refrain from engaging in them and move on to more healthy resolution "responses."
As you learn more about control dramas, you will realize you are already quite familiar with them and this is because you have been exposed to a variety of people throughout your life and have had to test each of them to successfully navigate intense interactions. Most people will resort to the same control drama when feeling tested and are completely unaware of it and how others experience them during these episodes. And with awareness, comes change.
Awareness and recognition of a control drama allows you to break the cycle and choose to disconnect from it altogether. When a control drama isn't controlling an interaction, you can "respond" more effectively and authentically to others. You will learn about four common control dramas people use to attract and defeat others. You will also discover there are many effective ways to approach others during difficult interactions. Knowing you have choices during difficult interactions with others, allows you to live a drama free life and helps you find your "conversation peace."
Hey! I've just signed up to watch a free documentary series called The Sacred Plant: Healing Secrets Exposed, which starts Thursday, November 2nd.
It's about an ancient healing plant that successfully treats 32 different health conditions, including cancer, epilepsy, anxiety, Alzheimer's and many more.
I think this plant could be the answer to some of the health conditions and diseases we all suffer from. I'd love it if you registered and watched this documentary series with me. Here's the link to register for free:
Fight antibiotic-resistant superbugs with these six powerful and natural alternatives to antibiotics
(NaturalNews) For many Americans, antibiotics have become a standard routine when they get sick. Since the 1940s, these drugs have significantly reduced illness and death from bacterial infections. However, they are not the go-to fix for everything.
Conditions such as a sore throat or bronchitis are usually caused by a virus and cannot be treated with antibiotics. Nonetheless, the medical industry keeps prescribing these drugs to treat non-bacterial infections. As a result, bacteria adapt themselves to these drugs and become resistant. When this happens, a common, easily treatable disease may become an unstable killer. In fact, if we don't stop the overuse of antibiotics, bacteria may evolve to a point where even the last-resort treatments will fail.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 23,000 American people die each year as a direct result of these unstoppable infections.
Long before Alexander Fleming discovered antibiotics in 1927, our ancestors relied on medicinal plants and natural remedies to strengthen their immune systems and prevent or cure infections. Some of these natural practices are still in use today.
1. Turmeric
Turmeric, the bright yellow-orange colored spice that most of us know from Indian curries, has been well known and documented for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. It inhibits the growth of certain bacteria, parasites and fungi. It has successfully been used to fight Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria that causes ulcers and gastritis.
It can be taken as a supplement, drunk as tea or mixed with honey to create a skin-, wound- and infection-healing paste.
2. Garlic
Another excellent and versatile antibiotic is garlic, which has been shown to protect the body by killing harmful bacteria. Clinical tests suggest that garlic may be as potent as some of the commonly used antibiotics. Furthermore, garlic has proven to be effective against some of the tougher antibiotic-resistant superbugs. To get the most active compound out of fresh garlic, the Daily Health Post recommends leaving crushed garlic exposed to the air for 15 minutes before consumption.
3. Probiotics
Kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and cultured yogurt may sound like ancient foods to you. However, more people are going back to these age-old healing foods to strengthen and renew intestinal flora. Probiotics or friendly gut bacteria are essential to good health. In addition to killing the bad guys, probiotic bacteria support proper digestion, boost the immune system and enhance the body's resistance to infection.
4. Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is a powerful antimicrobial essential oil derived from the Australian Melaleuca Alterniflora tree. As reported by Green Future, over 400 scientific studies have proven tea tree oil's value as an antiseptic agent. It can be used to treat fungal, bacterial and viral infections. These include acne, athlete's foot, nail fungus and bacterial ear infections.
5. Oregano and oil of oregano
Oregano has been long studied and used as a treatment for bacterial infections. In vitro, studies using oil of oregano have shown that it may be as efficient as the most commonly used antibiotics, but without the nasty side-effects.
6. Bee propolis
Propoolis, the natural antibiotic made by bees, is a sticky, glue-like substance bees collect from the bark of certain trees. Bees use it to block off the entrance of their hives to protect their home from infections. As reported by the Natural Healing Centre, bee propolis has been hospital-tested in Europe. It has been shown to be effective against staphylococcus (throat and chest infections), salmonella (food poisoning) and E.coli (gastric infection).
Unlike chemical antibiotics, these natural antibiotics don't destroy the good intestinal bacteria, and don't cause bacteria to turn into superbugs.
Holding onto regret is like dragging the weight of the past with us everywhere we go.
Holding onto regret is like dragging the weight of the past with us everywhere we go. It drains our energy, leaving less available for life in the present because we are constantly feeding an old issue. This attachment can cause illness the same way watering a dead plant creates decay. We know that something new and beautiful can grow in its place if we only prepare the soil and plant the right seeds. We also know that we create our lives from our thoughts, so dwelling on the past may actually recreate a situation in our lives where we are forced to make the choice again and again. We can choose to move on right now by applying what we have learned to the present and perhaps even sharing with others, transforming the energy into something that is constructive and creative for ourselves and others.
Forgiveness is the soothing balm that can heal regret. In meditation, we can imagine discussing the issue with the self of our past and offering our forgiveness for the choice. In return, we can ask for our selves' forgiveness for keeping them locked in that space of judgment for so long. We may also want to ask forgiveness from anyone else who may have been affected and perhaps offer our forgiveness. By replaying the event in our minds, we can choose a new ending using all that we now know. Imagine that you have actually gone back into the past and made this change, and then say goodbye to it. Release your former self with a hug and bring the forgiveness and love back with you to the present. Since we are usually our harshest critics, it is amazing how powerfully healing it can be to offer ourselves love.
Keeping our minds and our energy fully in the present allows us to fuel our physical and emotional healing and well-being today. This action frees our energy to create the dreams we dream for the future. By taking responsibility and action in the present, we can release our hold on the past.
USC coins will be easily convertible into various national fiat currencies and financial securities (such as bonds and equities) traded between the banks.
