It has recently come to our attention that there's been discussion of excessive trackers on DI being blocked by users browsers. I ask you to take a look for yourself. There are only two, not including the font awesome icons, which are pretty much an internet standard. It's just Cloudflare and Impact, the latter of which is our small ad provider. The single block ad you may have seen on the index page, for NordVPN I might add, which has a stellar reputation for user privacy.
Quote:Privacy Badger (privacybadger.org) is a browser extension that automatically learns to block invisible trackers. Privacy Badger is made by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit that fights for your rights online.
Privacy Badger blocked 4 potential trackers on denyignorance.com:
Granted there are a fair few members on these boards that are aware of the true extent of the 'Levelland UFO flap' but thought this presentation by Preston Dennett did an insanely good job of exploring just how many sightings there actually were (and just how far afield the reports came in).
Preston also explores other extremely strange close range eyewitness descriptions during that week (and the resulting extremely strange electromagnetic effects) and really would be interested in folk's opinions on the vid - if they watch it.
• One Week In November
Full synopsis:
Quote:In the first week of November 1957, a series of dramatic and unusual UFO events occurred which caused great concern at the highest levels of government and changed the way many people viewed the UFO phenomenon.
Sputnik 1 had been launched one month earlier, and the launch of Sputnik 2 was imminent. Then, in the first week of November 1957, a dramatic wave of UFO encounters struck the states of Texas and New Mexico. The apparent primary target was a small town called Levelland.
What happened in Levelland, Texas was unprecedented and had never occurred before, and has yet to be repeated. Dozens of people in Levelland and the surrounding areas reported UFOs disabling their vehicles, causing the electrical system to fail and the car engines to cease functioning.
In case after case, UFOs buzzed cars at low level, and often landed on the road, blocking their way forward. UFO car-stalling cases were well-known among UFO researchers, but this brazen and audacious level of activity had never been reported before.
While the small town of Levelland, Texas and the surrounding area first appeared to be the target, the truth was much different. In fact, similar and often identical encounters occurred across the United States and the world, involving not only car-stalling cases, but many bizarre electromagnetic effects on a wide variety of machines.
UFO researchers had long known that UFOs cause these strange effects, but had considered them an accidental byproduct of close-up UFO sightings. But after what happened in Levelland, questions began to be raised. Perhaps these effects weren't accidental at all. Perhaps they were intentional.
The U.S. government and Project Blue Book officials first attempted to debunk and cover-up the events, claiming that sightings were nothing more than "ball lightning," while at the same time, warning military and civilian witnesses not to speak to the press. But it wasn't ball lightning. The sightings were too dramatic to ignore, and soon garnered national headlines.
The Levelland UFO encounters have never been explained and remain a mystery to this day. Nothing like them has ever occurred before or since. This amazing event was easily the most famous UFO event of the year, and is well known among researchers.
However, what many people don't know is just how numerous, dramatic and widespread the encounters actually were, or the consequences that followed. This video presents a minute-by-minute account of this incredible week in November 1957.
Also looks like 'UFO pseudo-sceptic' (and NSA/CIA operative) Donald Menzel was up to his usual antics pushing a highly dubious debunk but atmospherical physicist Dr James McDonald set him straight on the weather conditions.
Also found it truly interesting how the motor-vehicle's headlamps were said to be 'lighting up in rhythm with the pulsated light from the object' as that's certainly not the first time that's been reported.
Also more than one account that specific week of UFO witnesses reporting 'stopped wristwatches and clocks' - that's also rather common with UFOs.
Kevin Randle also brought up some really interesting points below about how the USAF manipulated the data from their own files on Levelland.
Apparently the family of one of the Sheriffs stated he was 'instructed not to discuss the case' and in reality got much closer to one of the objects than initially reported.
• N.B. Just posted this film over on this thread but thought it deserved its own.
• Threads' Documentary Thread.
Well, it's been called 'the most terrifying TV movie ever made' and is becoming increasingly difficult to find online so given the current 'climate' thought it might be worth reposting in case some folks haven't seen it.
There's a short synopsis below with the full documentary linked underneath and given that thermonuclear warfare involves everyone then suppose it should be compulsory viewing for everyone (including war mongers, bought and paid for politicians, end time fanatics and even children).
• Synopsis:
Quote:In 1984, British televisions glowed with the premiere broadcast of the most terrifying TV movie ever made. Written, directed, and produced by Mick Jackson 'Threads' dramatizes what it would mean if nuclear war came to Britain.
Set in Sheffield, Threads follows a young, relatable couple who are looking forward to the birth of their unplanned child. In the background, the radio hums with warnings that tensions between the United States and the Soviets have been escalating in Iran, with nuclear weapons being brandished by both sides. Then a warhead detonates in the North Sea. Communications are wiped out. The rats feasting on the dead spread disease. And nuclear winter plunges the city into chaos.
The purpose of Threads is clear and unambiguous: this cannot happen. There are no winners in a nuclear war. Meticulously researched (harrowingly so), the film was created from a place of nuclear anxiety. And unfortunately, while the specifics of that anxiety have shifted, the film still remains relevant today.
Below is the main link to the full docudrama and thought the film did an insanely good job of illustrating the truly horrific realities of nuclear warfare (even making one question how nuclear warfare would/ should/ could ever resolve anything).
Anyway at least we now know what to expect - starvation, radiation sickness, nuclear winters, cannibalism and deformed births within months if not years - not a very pleasant prospect.
Just as a footnote due to the mysterious phenomenon of 'active deletion of internet archived information' then reckon Archive.org should be really appreciated as it's one of the only legal, free repository sites left for a great many things.
Posted by: Waterglass - 08-17-2024, 10:54 AM - Forum: Aliens & UFOs
- No Replies
Let me give a shout out to Karl as he brought up the name of a UFO researcher David Marler whose main focus is triangles. He already responded to my email concerning our multiple UFO sighting on May 4, 2018 and I hope he continues as my material was validated in writing back in 2018 by an investigator at The Black Vault as assigned to my Case by John Greenewald Jr. I also documented the sighting on NUFORC and MUFON and was interviewed on WTAM 1100 Radio Cleveland with Michael Lee Hill who also videoed craft that appear to be the same as we saw in 2018 in South Carolina.
In prepping for David Marler I went through my UFO electronic files and was able to find the videos as I copied same to several DVD's. Back on May 4, 2018 we saw numerous UFO's, several of which were in pursuit of a huge white object. This all took place over the course of an hour and we first looked at them with two pairs of binoculars. My sister in law said that she was seeing a "Cross" that night but I didn't see a cross. Actually I didn't see a shape of the complete object.
So a couple of days ago I played the video and took a screen shot of one and enhanced the picture. Keep in mind since May 2018 I have done the same exercise over 300 times. I typically see nothing but energy @ 55% of the time. At 40% I see a triangle and the remainder is an octagon shape. I have never seen a saucer.
So here it is. The electronic transfer to DI upload kind of sucks as what I have in my desktop is much clearer with less noise. Can anyone see the four black dots on the lower portion of the object at 6:00? I see those on may UFO's ~ aka ~ Gravity Amplifiers.
Posted by: Waterglass - 08-17-2024, 10:34 AM - Forum: Aliens & UFOs
- No Replies
Let me give a shout out to Karl as he brought up the name of a UFO researcher David Marler whose main focus is triangles. He already responded to my email concerning our multiple UFO sighting on May 4, 2018 and I hope he continues as my material was validated in writing back in 2018 by an investigator at The Black Vault as assigned to my Case by John Greenewald Jr. I also documented the sighting on NUFORC and MUFON and was interviewed on WTAM 1100 Radio Cleveland with Michael Lee Hill who also videoed craft that appear to be the same as we saw in 2018 in South Carolina.
In prepping for David Marler I went through my UFO electronic files and was able to find the videos as I copied same to several DVD's. Back on May 4, 2018 we saw numerous UFO's, several of which were in pursuit of a huge white object. This all took place over the course of an hour and we first looked at them with two pairs of binoculars. My sister in law said that she was seeing a "Cross" that night but I didn't see a cross. Actually I didn't see a shape of the complete object.
So a couple of days ago I played the video and took a screen shot of one and enhanced the picture. Keep in mind since May 2018 I have done the same exercise over 300 times. I typically see nothing but energy @ 55% of the time. At 40% I see a triangle and the remainder is an octagon shape. I have never seen a saucer.
So here it is. The electronic transfer to DI upload kind of sucks as what I have in my desktop is much clearer with less noise. Can anyone see the four black dots on the lower portion of the object at 6:00? I see those on may UFO's ~ aka ~ Gravity Amplifiers.
Posted by: Karl12 - 08-17-2024, 09:25 AM - Forum: TV
- Replies (4)
Always been a big fan of Derren Brown's early work and thought this was a great clip featuring Simon Pegg.
If you haven't heard of him then Derren is a 'psychological illusionist' from the U.K. and is quite infamous for bamboozling people across the country.
What makes this clip special is that he actually shows you how he does it at the end of the video lol.
Quote:Derren convinces Simon Pegg that he wants a BMX bike for his birthday. Then he shows you exactly how he did it.
Don't suppose the work of NASA Aerodynamicist Paul R. Hill is that well known outside of UFO research but his book 'Unconventional Flying Objects: A Scientific Analysis' is now available in the public domain - the book never actually addresses.UFO origin but does speculate about the consistency of patterns in behaviour, physical properties, propulsion possibilities etc.. it also brings up aspects like UFOs changing colour during acceleration, the lack of sonic booms and other bizarre UFO flight characteristics.
• UNCONVENTIONAL FLYING OBJECTS - A Scientific Analysis by Paul R. Hill
Quote:Paul Hill was a well-respected NASA scientist when, in the early 1950s, he had a UFO sighting. Soon after, he built the first flying platform and was able to duplicate the UFO's tilt-to-control maneuvers. Official policy, however, prevented him from proclaiming his findings. "I was destined," says Hill, "to remain as unidentified as the flying objects."
For the next twenty-five years, Hill acted as an unofficial clearing house at NASA, collecting and analyzing sightings' reports for physical properties, propulsion possibilities, dynamics, etc. To refute claims that UFOs defy the laws of physics, he had to make "technological sense ... of the unconventional object."
After his retirement from NASA, Hill finally completed his remarkable analysis. In Unconventional Flying Objects, published posthumously, he presents his findings that UFOs "obey, not defy, the laws of physics." Vindicating his own sighting and thousands of others, he proves that UFO technology is not only explainable, but attainable.
There's an in-depth review of the book found here and Richard Thieme once conducted a very interesting interview with the scientist's daughter (link now removed) where she discussed why Paul Hill's UFO research was published posthumously; how he feared his academic research was being pulled purposefully from aeronautical firm libraries like Boeing/Lockheed and how the main government agency her father was 'fearful of' was the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).
• Richard Thieme is one of the co-authors of the (awesome) book 'UFOs And Government and would say the presentation below is also a great one.
See 49:00
Quote:"When he was writing it, he tried to access some engineering paper he had written – something on sound theory – and he couldn’t find them. He searched the libraries, aeronautical firm libraries to access the paper and nothing turned up. He flew to some different places – I don’t know where – Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, Lockheed or Grumman or NASA places and searched their libraries too, and he said it or they were gone. He had a sinking feeling that they had been pulled purposefully. He was afraid there were things the government wouldn’t want to get out. He … I’ll go ahead and say it … the main agency he was fearful of was the DIA to the point where he told me never to say that acronym in front of anyone or repeat that but he’s gone now and I’ve mentioned it to some other people. He never said he was approached in any way personally but he felt these papers disappeared for a reason and he connected it to that agency or thought they would be the ones who did not want certain information released. He ended up rewriting the engineering and going through it all over again for the book".
Interview with Julie Hill, daughter of Paul R. Hill
(Link Now Deleted).
Former McDonnell Douglas R&D Manager Dr Robert M. Wood (who wrote the foreword to Paul Hill's book) also mentions below how the entire classification for the UFO subject was pulled from special USAF libraries and makes some interesting comments about the Boeing Corporation actively engaging in UFO research.
• "I had access to special libraries, so we could go up to the library that the Air Force ran and sort of paw through top-secret material. Since I was interested in UFOs, I’d look to see what they had. For about a year, I was getting quite a few hits. Then, all of a sudden, the whole subject material vanished. The entire classification for the subject just vanished."
McDonnell Douglas Aerospace Engineer Dr. Robert Wood - DP p. 434
Posted by: Maxmars - 08-17-2024, 01:14 AM - Forum: World War III
- No Replies
I want to offer two videos here... neither of them are "shorts" so you'll need to muster adult attention-span to appreciate them...
If you're a fan of the topic, you will probably want to check these out.
I think I agree with this video's producer, whatever is happening in China, it is unlikely to be a "Hollywood" coup. It might be a soft reset of political power.
Shortly after this video, I found another... where more reliance on the health issues of their highest leader being highlighted as a factor in recent observations...
But I recall being told, with some degree of certainty, that we are pretty much dependent on a single species of banana here in the US. It had been selected because it was resistant to a particularly nasty fungus that had threatened an old-time favorite many decades ago... that species had pretty much fallen into near extinction due to a fungus that our new species was able to resist.
This article filled in the gaps of my knowledge of bananas quite well...
Humans love bananas. We eat around 100 billion bananas per year, or 273 million bananas a day. We also grow 1000 or so varieties of bananas — but there’s a catch; one of these varieties, the Cavendish banana, makes up around 50% of global production. Whenever you go to buy a banana, especially if it’s in a supermarket, it’s most likely a Cavendish banana.
It’s not the first dominant cultivar, either. Before the Cavendish, we had the Gros Michel banana, which dominated global markets. In the early 20th century, however, the Gros Michel banana was brought to its knees by a fungus: Fusarium oxysporum. Specifically, it was attacked by the R1 strain of this fungus. It caused Fusarium wilt, also known as Panama disease, leading to the near-extinction of the Gros Michel variety. The banana industry responded by adopting the Cavendish banana, which was resistant to R1.
Now a new threat has reared it's ugly head.. Our go-to strain, the Cavendish banana is now facing a new (genetically-unrelated) fungal strain to which it has no such resistance...
Now, the strain (called TR4) has been detected in banana plantations across Asia, Australia, Africa, and Latin America. Its spread has alarmed scientists and industry stakeholders as it seems to infect Cavendish bananas as well as a number of other cultivars.
As the history of the bananas we eat is fascinating... it concerns me that this new pathogen is setting the stage for genetic manipulation to be "the answer." And I can only pray that such a solution is not a "mistake."
“We have spent the last 10 years studying this new outbreak of banana wilt,” says Ma, who is an expert in Fusarium oxysporum, which is not a single species but a “species complex” with hundreds of different varieties that specialize in affecting different plant hosts. These varieties are determined by the acquisition of strain-specific accessory genes in addition to a shared core genome. “We now know that the Cavendish banana-destroying pathogen TR4 did not evolve from the race that decimated the Gros Michel bananas. TR4’s genome contains some accessory genes that are linked to the production of nitric oxide, which seems to be the key factor in TR4’s virulence.”
In the study, researchers identified the genetic and biochemical factors that underpin TR4’s virulence. Unlike its predecessor R1, TR4 lacks the accessory chromosomes that typically carry virulence genes in other Fusarium strains. However, it compensates with a suite of accessory genes embedded within its core chromosomes.
Upon infection, TR4 induces a burst of nitric oxide (NO) production within its mitochondria. This NO burst is believed to overwhelm the banana’s defense mechanisms. In particular, it may interfere with the plant’s ability to manage cellular stress.
I suspect that a genetic approach will be the knee-jerk response to the problem, leaving us in a position of changing one of nature's perfect foods...
Near a coastal town in Peru called Zaña, archeologists have unearthed a reported temple and theater which includes artwork resembling those which have been dated from what they refer to as the "Initial period," (2,000 to 900 BC.) This would mark the site as dating some about 3,500 years earlier than Machu Picchu, making it pre-Inca, pre-Mocha, and pre-Nazca.
While they are still waiting for carbon dating results to flesh out their estimates, this seems like more evidence indicating that we have much to learn about early inhabitants of the region.
Researchers in Peru say they have found the remains of a 4,000-year-old temple and theater, a discovery that could enrich historians’ understanding of ancient religious practices in the region.
“We still know very little about how and under which circumstances complex belief systems emerged in the Andes,” says Luis Muro Ynoñán, an archaeologist from Peru’s Pontifical Catholic University who led the team, in a statement. “Now we have evidence about some of the earliest religious spaces that people were creating in this part of the world.”
The ruins appear to predate Machu Picchu, the Inca settlement that is now Peru’s best-known archaeological site, by roughly 3,500 years. The researchers say they also predate pre-Inca cultures such as the Moche and Nazca.
“We don’t know what these people called themselves, or how other people referred to them,” Muro Ynoñan adds. “All we know about them comes from what they created: their houses, temples and funerary goods.”
...
The archaeologist tells Reuters’ Marco Aquino that he is still waiting for the results of radiocarbon testing, which will confirm the site’s age. In the meantime, he is estimating the date based in part on an elaborately carved image found along one of the theater’s staircases. The carving, which depicts a mythological bird-like creature, resembles other artworks from the Initial Period (around 2000 to 900 B.C.E.)—or about 4,000 years ago.
“The Initial Period is important because it’s when we first start to see evidence of an institutionalized religion in Peru,” says Muro Ynoñan in the statement. “The bird creature at this temple resembles a figure known from the Chavín region, nearly 500 years later. This new site could help reveal the origins of this religion.”
I am frequently amazed to discover that we know less and less, as we learn more and more.
I find the idea a bit disheartening, and somewhat frightening.
In truth, there is little more confounding to me than the idea of being totally aware and yet completely unable to actually do anything physically at all. It's the stuff of horror stories, and tragedies most foul.
As it appears according to recent reporting, there's a 1 in 5 chance that a person in the coma state, is somehow still functioning at a mental level... including thought processes.
One in five people in a coma may be “locked in”, meaning they are aware of their surroundings but unable to communicate. A large study has found that some people with severe brain damage can carry out complex mental tasks when instructed, despite not being able to move or speak.
It was easier to discount the phenomenon “when it was thought to be a rare occurrence”, says Nicholas Schiff at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. But now, given the latest study, “no one can ignore it”.
People with so-called disorders of consciousness are either in a coma or a vegetative state, where they show no awareness of their environment, or a minimally conscious state, where they show occasional signs of arousal, such as opening their eyes, but minimal awareness. In 2019, researchers discovered that 1 in 10 of these individuals may be locked in.
Sadly, in my opinion, the knowledge seems to have immediately been peppered with an "end-of-life" approach. Making it about the idea that life-support discontinuation should be the focal 'effort' behind the discovery. At least that how it feels to me.
This study is of immense importance, says Raanan Gillon, emeritus professor of medical ethics at Imperial College London. For many people, the prospect of being kept alive in a non-conscious state is at best futile and at worst abhorrent, he says. “If, however, there is a significant probability that the lack of consciousness is only apparent, as these studies suggest may be the case, it can be anticipated that more people would wish to be kept alive and be consulted about their wishes before decisions are taken to discontinue life-prolonging treatment.”
At least they acknowledge that any such decision falls on the patient... but recently it seems that's a "for now" thing... again, that's my own opinion. (We already know that certain doctrines eagerly wish to end any life they can't control.) Forgive me... it's hard to keep skepticism from becoming cynicism sometimes.
Hello people, Bit of a rant here.
I have been having weird deja vu experiences ever since I was a kid. I am now 41.
I have tried to explain to people about what I have been getting them all my life but they just don't seem to understand what i am talking about.
It drives me nuts that i can't explain it to people and have them take me seriously as it is a very strange thing to experience.
When it hits you it's like a dream that only you seem to notice as it is happening.
It feels very surreal and familiar, like you've already done whatever it is that you are doing once before but only now realize it.
While it is happening you then look at the items around you, the surroundings and the people you are with if any.
You then say to yourself that "I have seen this before" "I have experienced this exact moment before".
Then your buddy, partner, son, mother, father, animal companion or perfect stranger then looks at you like your a total fool.
You then feel like a fool too because you just had a very weird thing happen but can't find the words or convince them that you just had a strange experience.
You then put a lid on it and keep it to yourself and it is a horrible feeling like i mentioned before being able to have that happen and not be taken seriously.
It's actually pretty cool but it's only cool to you because only you know about it. It also only happens when its a stupid mundane thing at least for me.
Anybody else have that happen also? It's a lonely feeling.
Posted by: Maxmars - 08-16-2024, 02:33 AM - Forum: Space
- No Replies
There was long-standing question about what exactly hit the Earth 66 million years ago at the Chicxulub impact site... a new paper seems to indicate that the culprit was an asteroid... specifically a "carbonaceous-type" asteroid.
The researchers are making the assertion based upon their observations of ruthenium isotopes in the impact deposits to determine that it was no comet.
The geologic boundary between the Cretaceous and Paleogene eras 66 million years ago is marked by worldwide deposits from an impact at modern Chicxulub, Mexico. The impact coincides with a mass extinction that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs and many other species. Fischer-Gödde et al. measured ruthenium isotopes in the impact deposits and compared them with multiple classes of meteorites, which represent potential impactor compositions. They found that the Chicxulub impactor was a carbonaceous asteroid that formed in the outer Solar System. Additional measurements of five other impacts showed that those were due to silicate asteroids that formed in the inner Solar System.
The abstract expands ...
An impact at Chicxulub, Mexico, occurred 66 million years ago, producing a global stratigraphic layer that marks the boundary between the Cretaceous and Paleogene eras. That layer contains elevated concentrations of platinum-group elements, including ruthenium. We measured ruthenium isotopes in samples taken from three Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary sites, five other impacts that occurred between 36 million to 470 million years ago, and ancient 3.5-billion- to 3.2-billion-year-old impact spherule layers. Our data indicate that the Chicxulub impactor was a carbonaceous-type asteroid, which had formed beyond the orbit of Jupiter. The five other impact structures have isotopic signatures that are more consistent with siliceous-type asteroids, which formed closer to the Sun. The ancient spherule layer samples are consistent with impacts of carbonaceous-type asteroids during Earth’s final stages of accretion.
Just in case, like me, you had wondered about it...
Posted by: TimeTravel_0 - 08-16-2024, 12:44 AM - Forum: World War III
- Replies (5)
I understand the need for specifics, especially in times as uncertain as these. The events that lie ahead are pivotal, and it’s crucial to be prepared for what’s coming. Below, I’ve outlined more detailed predictions, aligning with the broader warnings I’ve shared previously. These events will serve as markers on the path toward the potential catastrophe in 2026.
1. November 2024: A Divisive Election
The U.S. presidential election concludes with a highly unexpected outcome. The winning candidate, previously considered a long shot, will rise to power amidst claims of election manipulation and widespread voter suppression. This victory will not only surprise the general public but also sow deep discord within the political establishment.
2. January 2025: The Inauguration Unrest
As the new president is inaugurated, the nation will face intense protests, some of which will escalate into violent confrontations. Major cities will become flashpoints for these conflicts, with Washington, D.C., and other political centers seeing the most severe disturbances. The National Guard will be deployed in unprecedented numbers, yet this will only deepen the divisions within the country.
3. Spring 2025: Diplomatic Breakdown
The new administration will adopt an aggressive foreign policy stance, abandoning key treaties and alliances that have maintained a fragile peace for decades. Diplomatic relations with several major powers, including Russia and China, will rapidly deteriorate. Military posturing will replace negotiation, and the world will edge closer to a global conflict.
4. Fall 2025: The Brink of War
By late 2025, tensions in contested regions like Eastern Europe and the South China Sea will reach a critical point. A series of military provocations, including naval skirmishes and cyberattacks, will push the world’s superpowers to the brink of war. At home, the American public will remain deeply divided, with a growing sense of dread as international tensions escalate.
5. Early 2026: The Spark
A critical incident will occur, either an accidental missile launch or a large-scale terrorist attack attributed to a state actor. This event will ignite the conflict that has been simmering for years. Retaliation will be swift and brutal, involving nuclear strikes that will devastate major cities around the globe. The world will descend into chaos as governments struggle to maintain control amid the destruction.
6. Mid-2026: Aftermath and Survival
The nuclear exchanges of 2026 will leave the world in ruins. Millions will perish in the initial blasts, with countless more succumbing to radiation, disease, and the collapse of infrastructure. The United States, like much of the world, will be fractured, with survivors facing a harsh and uncertain future. The geopolitical landscape will be unrecognizable, with power vacuums leading to further conflict and instability.
These events are not set in stone, but they represent the most likely outcomes if current trajectories are not altered. The decisions made now—by leaders and citizens alike—will determine whether we veer away from this disastrous path or march headlong into it.
Stay vigilant, stay informed, and above all, be prepared. The future is still within our hands, but the window to change it is closing rapidly.
Yesterday, the World Health Organization declared an international health emergency over an outbreak of mpox that is spreading from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
(According to the Wiki, Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and other animals... The illness is usually mild, and most of infected individuals recover within a few weeks without treatment.)
It is the second time in about two years that mpox's spread has spurred the WHO to declare a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), the highest level of alarm for the United Nations health agency. In July 2022, the WHO declared a PHEIC after mpox cases had spread across the globe, with the epicenter of the outbreak in Europe, primarily in men who have sex with men. The outbreak was caused by clade II mpox viruses, which, between the two mpox clades that exist, is the relatively mild one, causing far fewer deaths. As awareness, precautions, and vaccination increased, the outbreak subsided and was declared over in May 2023.
Unlike the 2022–2023 outbreak, the current mpox outbreak is driven by the clade I virus, the more dangerous version that causes more severe disease and more deaths. Also, while the clade II virus in the previous outbreak unexpectedly spread via sexual contact in adults, this clade I outbreak is spreading in more classic contact patterns, mostly through skin contact of household members and health care workers. A large proportion of those infected have been children.
To date, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where the virus is endemic, has reported more than 22,000 suspected mpox cases and more than 1,200 deaths since the start of January 2023. In recent months, the outbreak has spilled out into multiple neighboring countries, including Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda.
Now, of course the UN wants the W.H.O. not to lose relevance after "recent events" (ahem) so they make sure the news 'attends and reports' their declarations...
On Tuesday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared a similar emergency. Africa CDC Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya said the declaration will "mobilize our institutions, our collective will, and our resources to act—swiftly and decisively. This empowers us to forge new partnerships, strengthen our health systems, educate our communities, and deliver life-saving interventions where they are needed most."
But the essentially identical declaration wasn't "newsworthy" until the W.H.O. said it.... government's need to think on that, as they open their taxpayer checkbooks for the next W.H.O. installment of financial support.
Posted by: Maxmars - 08-14-2024, 12:01 AM - Forum: Current Events
- No Replies
Anyone in the US who has children of the age to seek a higher-level education knows the word... FAFSA... ( Free Application for Federal Student Aid )
One definition of FAFSA is "The FAFSA is a form used to apply for federal financial aid to pay for college in the United States. It measures the expected family contribution (EFC) and determines eligibility for need-based and non-need-based aid."
FAFSA officially appeared with the policy of making the application available by October 1st in anticipation of the subsequent school-year...
But last year, the 'launch' of the FAFSA forms into the wild was delayed significantly... being partly distributed in December...
They had anticipate some 17 million applications by March of 2024 (as past numbers indicated)... but only some 5 million had been received... if the applications were a factor... this means that the late launch and some pretty unpleasant 'glitches' in the new system must have cost banks a significant amount of revenue... (https://thehill.com/homenews/education/4...-students/)
Somehow... after the past problems... someone decided not to change a thing...
Since we are talking about a lot of dollars here, I wonder what the real angle is for this to become the "status quo" (perhaps.)
They are going to 'test' the FAFSA support process in October to a few students... then to some thousands more... fully sending the forms out everywhere until December... again.
What ARE they actually testing? Data processing algorithms? And why haven't they 'tested' it already?
I found this to be a deviation from the "political influence" paradigms we have been experiencing for generations.
From early on in our history, local periodicals and news publishers have been 'courted' and 'romanced' by the political machinery in order to secure public praise and exculpatory verbiage for their 'candidates, et. al.' Often, "access" was bartered for some control over the nature of coverage, the extent of criticism, and even PR damage control from the press... The New York Times was never an exception to that rule.... that is, apparently, until now...
The New York Times is facing blowback from New York City progressives and journalists over its decision to stop making endorsements in state and local races.
The Times itself first reported on the move and how "the change will be immediate," saying that the paper "does not plan to take a stance in Senate, congressional or state legislative races in New York this fall, or in next year’s New York City elections," which includes New York City Mayor Eric Adams' reelection bid.
"As the institutional voice of The Times, the editorial board serves our mission to help our global audience understand the world by providing a consistent, independent view of the world based on time-tested institutional values," Times opinion editor Kathleen Kingsbury said in a statement given to Fox News Digital.
"While elections everywhere remain critical to the lives and experiences of our audience, the editorial board is ceasing the endorsement process for New York elections. We remain a journalistic institution rooted in New York City, both historically, today and in the future. Our newsroom will continue to report aggressively on New York electoral races, and Opinion will continue to offer perspective on the races, candidates and issues at stake."
The Times will continue to offer its endorsement in presidential races.
I am wondering at the nature of this change. Is it that the 'payoff' for endorsements is never worth the outcome? Is it that the "personal" nature of so many pundits and talking heads is so egregiously biased and unrepresentative of journalism that it belies the idea that there is such a thing as a political "news" report? Are the editorial masters not getting enough bang for their buck from pandering to their audience?
Well, they are still remaining on their usual course with the Presidential race... so maybe it's just an 'experiment.'
I often found it silly that people think a newspaper, or any news organization should "take sides" as if that were actually part of the news... but then maybe that's just me.
"Journalism,"... sadly, you died contorting and writhing in the blathering of the partisan and activist... who gave you nothing in return for the suffering they often invoke.
TikTok has been sending inaccurate and misleading news-style alerts to users’ phones, including a false claim about Taylor Swift and a weeks-old disaster warning, intensifying fears about the spread of misinformation on the popular video-sharing platform.
Among alerts seen by the Financial Times was a warning about a tsunami in Japan, labeled “BREAKING,” that was posted in late January, three weeks after an earthquake had struck.
Other notifications falsely stated that “Taylor Swift Canceled All Tour Dates in What She Called ‘Racist Florida’” and highlighted a five-year “ban” for a US baseball player that originated as an April Fool’s day prank.
The notifications, which sometimes contain summaries from user-generated posts, pop up on screen in the style of a news alert. Researchers say that format, adopted widely to boost engagement through personalized video recommendations, may make users less critical of the veracity of the content and open them up to misinformation.
Now I know that for the "West," TikTok-bashing is well-received in many circles, both conservative and liberal... but the "problem," in my opinion, is not TikTok.... it's relying on a collection of clever data processing algorithms (and calling them "AI") to "decide" what to "push." Especially when the objective is keep stoking 'attention' by "pushing whatever you can."
These clusters of 'automated decisions' are relied upon to avoid having to pay a human... except what they labelled as "AI" sucks and is unreliable... when will they learn?
The Urantia Book is a complex and controversial spiritual text that has captivated readers since its publication in 1955. Often described as a "revelatory" document, it offers a cosmic view of existence, combining theology, philosophy, and science. Among its many themes are the nature of God, the structure of the universe, and the purpose of human life. Although it has inspired a devoted following, it remains a source of mystery and speculation. Interestingly, some researchers and enthusiasts have drawn connections between The Urantia Book and the Roswell I-beam—a piece of debris allegedly recovered from the famous 1947 UFO crash near Roswell, New Mexico. This article explores the potential relationship between these two enigmatic subjects, delving into their origins, content, and the theories that link them together.
The Urantia Book, a tome of over 2,000 pages, claims to be a revelation from celestial beings. It was first published in 1955 by the Urantia Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Chicago. The book is divided into four parts:
The Central and Superuniverses: This section describes the nature of God, the organization of the universe, and the role of spiritual beings.
The Local Universe: Here, the focus shifts to the creation and administration of a specific sector of the universe, known as Nebadon, and its ruler, Michael of Nebadon (who is equated with Jesus Christ).
The History of Urantia (Earth): This part traces the history of our planet from its formation to the appearance of human beings, and the development of civilizations.
The Life and Teachings of Jesus: The final section provides a detailed account of the life of Jesus, emphasizing his spiritual mission.
The Urantia Book's origins are shrouded in mystery. It was supposedly channeled through a sleeping subject known as "The Contact Commission" in the early 20th century. The identity of the subject remains unknown, adding to the book's enigmatic nature. The text combines elements of Christianity, science fiction, and New Age philosophy, which has led to its classification as both a religious and a philosophical work.
The Roswell Incident is one of the most famous UFO events in history. In July 1947, something crashed on a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. The U.S. military initially reported that a "flying disc" had been recovered but quickly retracted the statement, claiming it was a weather balloon. Decades later, the incident became a focal point for UFO enthusiasts, with claims that the wreckage was extraterrestrial in origin.
Among the various pieces of debris reportedly recovered was an "I-beam"—a small, metallic fragment inscribed with strange symbols or hieroglyphs. Witnesses described the beam as lightweight and possessing properties that defied conventional explanation. Some suggested that the symbols on the beam could be an alien language or code.
The connection between The Urantia Book and the Roswell I-beam is largely speculative, yet it has intrigued researchers who are interested in both UFO phenomena and the spiritual messages purportedly conveyed by extraterrestrials. Here are a few of the theories that link the two:
The Language of Celestial Beings: Some proponents believe that the symbols on the Roswell I-beam could be a form of writing used by celestial beings described in The Urantia Book. The book introduces a vast array of spiritual entities, including angels, midwayers, and other non-human intelligences. It is possible that the symbols on the I-beam represent a language or script associated with these beings.
The Technology of the Universe: The Urantia Book describes advanced spiritual technologies and cosmic mechanisms beyond human comprehension. The unusual properties of the Roswell I-beam—such as its light weight and potential indestructibility—could be seen as a manifestation of these advanced technologies. Some suggest that the beam might be a fragment of a craft engineered by beings with knowledge far beyond our own.
Revelation of Extraterrestrial Contact: The Urantia Book is sometimes interpreted as evidence of a broader, ongoing extraterrestrial contact with humanity. If one accepts that the book was transmitted by non-human intelligences, it raises the question of whether these same entities might be responsible for the Roswell crash. The I-beam, in this context, could be viewed as a physical artifact from beings who are also spiritual messengers.
Symbolism and Palindromic Interpretation: The symbols on the Roswell I-beam have never been conclusively deciphered. However, some theorists propose a palindromic reading of the symbols, suggesting that they spell "Elephtheria" (Freedom) when read one way and "Urantia" (Earth) when read in reverse. This interpretation aligns with the belief that the Roswell I-beam was part of a deliberate effort by extraterrestrials—possibly associated with the Solar Warden program—to influence human leaders. The theory posits that between 1947 and 1952, alien drones were intentionally crashed at key locations on Earth to showcase advanced technology, thereby wooing world leaders into secret contracts, such as the purported 1954 agreement between the U.S. government and extraterrestrial beings.
A Shared Mythos: Both The Urantia Book and the Roswell Incident occupy a unique space in the modern mythos of extraterrestrial life. The connection between the two may be less about direct evidence and more about the shared themes of cosmic exploration, spiritual awakening, and the search for higher truth. For those who are drawn to these mysteries, linking the two together creates a richer tapestry of meaning and speculation.
It is important to acknowledge that these connections are speculative and not widely accepted by mainstream scholars or UFO researchers. Critics argue that The Urantia Book and the Roswell I-beam are separate phenomena, each with its own distinct origins and cultural context.
Mods" Title modified to reflect a Triangular Image as per my enhancement
This is an interesting video of when the Captain [Ruud] leaves his hotel room, to pre flight check lists and at the 20:58 mark of the video a UFO appears. In my opinion it [UFO] isnt Starlink as he mentions in the video.
The UFO's that we have seen in South Carolina flash and pulsate at random and dont repeat. Sometimes they disappear then reappear. They can also move 100's of miles a second and stop or change direction on a dime. Man cant do that. I took the same free software that I use for the UFO's that we see down here and enhanced a screen shot of the object in the video. I am seeing a faint image of a triangle among the wispy atmosphere surrounding the object. I dont always see a geometric shape but at 40% of the time I typically see a triangular shape as in this video. Other times I see nothing. Just pure energy?
In this case I took a screen shot from his video of the UFO. Keep in mind that the plane is moving and so is the object. Then we have degradation of the image just due to electronic transfer of the image, enhancement, etc.
I attached the before and after enhancement of the image. I have done this over 300 times on videos taken all over the world since we saw our 1st UFO on May 4, 2018.
I use FastStone Image viewer. Its FREE! I took a paused screen shot, zoomed in at 900%, reduced noise by 100%, sharpened the image by 60% and then reduced noise again by 25%. Looking at the enhanced image one can faintly see two edges of a triangle among the wispy clould. The wispy cloud is the countermeasure that these whatevers use so one cant see just who they are to the naked eye. I will roll with that until I am proven wrong. Once again I only see a triange 40% of the time. Several times I have caught an Octagon image. Looking at the triangle in this image you can see ever so faintly several [3] small black dots within the triangle?
Those would be antigravity propulson power source. So think I am nutz? I aint and these things are real. Some are USA owned some arent. In my opinion
During one of Kamala Harris' campaign events, a group of individuals who reportedly were "dressed like Secret Service agents" took it upon themselves to break in to a closed, locked salon.
When they entered, they were under surveillance by the internal security monitoring cameras, albeit only long enough to see one of them stand on a chair and place tape over the camera lens. The store owner claims they were there for a few hours, specifically in the bathroom; after which they left the store unlocked, without uncovering the camera.
The store owner was apparently put off by the chain of events, and asked for an explanation... but until now ,it seems answers were not forthcoming. The story was picked up by media, and this story offers up sparse details, but includes something which I'm curious about.
I'm uncertain about the idea that the Secret Service has chosen to "hint" anything... politicians "hint," enforcement agencies deal in, and report, facts. But that aside, there is another small line that interests me...
"The U.S. Secret Service works closely with our partners in the business community to carry out our protective and investigative missions," USSS spokeswoman Melissa McKenzie said in a statement.
McKenzie said the Secret Service has been in contact with Powers since the July 27 incident.
"We hold these relationships in the highest regard and our personnel would not enter, or instruct our partners to enter, a business without the owner’s permission," McKenzie said, stopping short of saying who was responsible...
I couldn't help but wonder about "... or instruct our partners to enter a business without the owner's permission."
What "partners?" If it were local law enforcement there would be no reason to conceal, or otherwise withhold the actors.
Exactly how "loose" is the operation of the Secret Service now... do they even know what their "partners" are doing? What if this had been part of an illegal operation, an assassination plot, or a foreign operation? Just how 'casual' is the "contracting relationship" for "security" services,... casual enough that they are not really "secure" at all? In fact I fault the reporters for not asking "to whom they were referring," or how this represents effectively securing the VP's safety.
I include this within this forum because I am aware it cannot be considered "not political" given the time and place in which it is happening...
What the article title doesn't say is that the discovery of this "bug" includes that it has existed for many years (it dates back in AMD chip since 2006.)
Also, that once malicious code is deployed via this 'vulnerability' removing it is nearly impossible for a regular use (the ArsTechnica article was subtitled "Worse-case scenario: "You basically have to throw your computer away."... not encouraging at all.
At the Defcon hacker conference, Enrique Nissim and Krzysztof Okupski, researchers from the security firm IOActive, plan to present a vulnerability in AMD chips they're calling Sinkclose. The flaw would allow hackers to run their own code in one of the most privileged modes of an AMD processor, known as System Management Mode, designed to be reserved only for a specific, protected portion of its firmware. IOActive's researchers warn that it affects virtually all AMD chips dating back to 2006, or possibly even earlier.
Nissim and Okupski note that exploiting the bug would require hackers to already have obtained relatively deep access to an AMD-based PC or server, but that the Sinkclose flaw would then allow them to plant their malicious code far deeper still. In fact, for any machine with one of the vulnerable AMD chips, the IOActive researchers warn that an attacker could infect the computer with malware known as a “bootkit” that evades antivirus tools and is potentially invisible to the operating system, while offering a hacker full access to tamper with the machine and surveil its activity. For systems with certain faulty configurations in how a computer maker implemented AMD's security feature known as Platform Secure Boot—which the researchers warn encompasses the large majority of the systems they tested—a malware infection installed via Sinkclose could be harder yet to detect or remediate, they say, surviving even a reinstallation of the operating system.
“Imagine nation-state hackers or whoever wants to persist on your system. Even if you wipe your drive clean, it's still going to be there,” says Okupski. “It's going to be nearly undetectable and nearly unpatchable.” Only opening a computer's case, physically connecting directly to a certain portion of its memory chips with a hardware-based programming tool known as SPI Flash programmer and meticulously scouring the memory would allow the malware to be removed, Okupski says.
Nissim sums up that worst-case scenario in more practical terms: “You basically have to throw your computer away.” [Bold and underlining is mine]
Not trying to "doom porn" this thing, but remember, these companies implement these products with many 'security' assurances... (Intel is no different, they found a different exploit from 2015 in their code too)... and it always seems to pop up that the problems are from ages ago, in tech-time terms...
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