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Pictures of the week: From colourful devotees in India

to a flying car

Here's the pick of the pictures around the world this week.

Devotees wearing traditional blue clothing walk on a pathway made of cement bags to offer prayers at a shrine along the Arabian Sea in Mumbai, India (Reuters)

Prince Harry pays tribute to those who died during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The young royal will spend a week in America on an official tour (Reuters)

Dinner is served! This is the moment a lucky bird had an easy meal when an unsuspecting fish jumped out of the water. The cormorant had been paddling in wait of a meal at the El Dorado Regional Park in California. Seconds after this photo was taken he gobbled up the poor rainbow trout whole. (Dr. Andrew Lee/Solent News / Rex Features)

Not the Netherlands, but China. Villagers trim stunning tulip blossoms in Qushui County Tulip Farm (ZUMA / Rex Features)

Queen Elizabeth arrives for the State Opening of Parliament, at the Palace of Westminster where she unveiled the coalition goverment's legislative programme (Reuters)

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Supersquirrel! This creature was caught flying between trees in Novosibirsk, Russia, just like the comic book hero Superman (Caters)

Tourists on traditional boats paddle through the water tunnels guarded by the military on the island of Nangan, near northern Taiwan (Reuters)

Rescue workers were astonished when they pulled a woman alive from the rubble of the Rana Plaza building 17 DAYS after it collapsed. The woman, identified as Reshma Begum, survived by scavenging biscuits from the bags of her dead colleagues. More than 1,000 people perished in the disaster in Dhaka, Bangladesh (Reuters)

Emergency services wear protective clothing during an exercise simulating a chemical attack on an underground station in South Korea. The United States, Japan and South Korea remain on alert despite reports that North Korea has moved a set of missiles from a launch site (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

A supporter of former cricket star-turned-politician Imran Khan takes part during a rally in Islamabad, Pakistan. Khan suffered severe injuries after he fell from a stage during a political rally. Pakistanis go to the polls on May 11 (PA)

The commute home? The Terrafugia TF-X is a partially electric-powered FLYING car, which has the ability to take off vertically, meaning passengers should be able to take off from their homes and soar above traffic

How the rest of the world brushes their teeth

How is it that some people who have never used a toothbrush have also never had a cavity?

By: Judd Handler
Tue, Aug 21 2012 at 6:40 PM

Muslim and African cultures clean their teeth with a stick called miswak, which naturally has a high concentration of cavity-fighting fluoride. (Photo: Zurijeta/Shutterstock)

There’s a 99 percent chance you are not super rich. But there is a good chance that you are part of the orally hygienic elite 1 percent.

While it’s common in the U.S. and other developed countries to use nylon and electronic toothbrushes, most of the world’s population, especially indigenous cultures and developing countries, still use old-world techniques to keep their teeth clean — if they use anything at all.

But are modern oral hygiene products and techniques infinitely better than the sticks, animal bristles and bones, twigs, feathers and porcupine quills that non-first-world societies used centuries ago — or continue to use today — to clean their teeth?

Is what one eats more important in determining oral hygiene than the materials used to clean the teeth and gums?

In other words, if tribes, clans and indigenous societies stick with their traditional diets and don’t eat processed sugar and junk food, is teeth-brushing even necessary?

Lack of oral hygiene can lead to heart disease, maybe

A 2010 study published in the British Medical Journal concluded that people who brushed less than twice a day had an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, due to inflammation and loss of connective tissue and bone support of the teeth. In the BMJ study, people who brushed their teeth less than twice a day, habitually, had a 70 percent higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The study, however, did not consider the participants’ diets.

But Sally Fallon, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, a nonprofit nutrition education foundation, tells Mother Nature Network that in traditional societies that have no access to Western foods with processed sugars and white flour, many of these indigenous people have no cavities, and flash smiles with perfect pearly white teeth, even though tooth brushing is rare, (or was rare, depending on the society).

“Within a very short time of forgoing their traditional, native diets, though, cavities become evident,” says Fallon, adding that the next generation of natives who eat processed food will begin to develop crooked teeth.

Fallon points to the research pioneered by the foundation’s namesake, Dr. Weston Price, an Ohio dentist, referred to in some circles as the "Charles Darwin of nutrition." The late Price, in the 1930s, traveled the world as a sort of a cultural dental anthropologist. His book, "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration," features many photos of the teeth of various native societies, from isolated villagers in the Swiss Alps, to the Maori of New Zealand, to the coldwater fishermen of Scotland’s Hebrides islands.

Vitamin K to the rescue
Price discovered a substance he termed "Activator X" that all the natives with healthy teeth had in their saliva. Price didn’t know exactly what Activator X was, but shortly after his studies, science classified the cavity combating compound as vitamin K. A study published in the Journal of Dental Research states that in 1942, it was proven that vitamin K prevented the formation of acid buildup, which is a major cause of cavities.

Some of the foods that are high in vitamin K that Price observed traditional societies consuming were:

• Chicken or goose liver
• Fermented foods like sauerkraut
• Grass-fed animal fat
• Grass-fed, raw butter
• Egg yolks

So should you run to your nearest health food store and swallow a pill of vitamin K and not worry so much about brushing your teeth twice a day? And perhaps buy some goose liver?

“There’s nothing wrong with brushing twice per day. We are genetic mongrels in America. None of us has a perfect diet, so I would definitely recommend brushing your teeth,” Fallon says.

It’s not just junk food that causes cavities
Dr. Jacquie Fulop Goodling, a Manhattan-based orthodontist who has traveled the world educating people about oral health, addresses a common misconception that modern-day processed foods alone contribute to dental caries.

“Diet plays an important role but even natural carbohydrates like bread, rice and pasta — the staple in many diets — break down into simple sugars, which can cause decay. Also, there are many factors contributing to periodontal disease and diet is only one of those factors,” Goodling says.

Some societies that don’t use toothbrushes
“In many regions of the world, people are cleaning their teeth with twigs, most often from oak and neem trees,” says Dr. Steven Goldberg, a Boca Raton, Fla., general and cosmetic dentist and inventor of a modern oral care product, DentalVibe.

“They break a twig in half, splay and soften the broken end and then rub it on their teeth, in effect, wiping the surface of their teeth clean,” Goldberg adds.

Arab Bedouin tribes still clean their teeth by using the twigs of the arak tree, which contains antiseptic properties. Other Muslim and African cultures use a similar stick, called miswak, which naturally has a high concentration of cavity-fighting fluoride.

A paper posted on the National Academy of Dentistry’s website says that Hindu Brahmins and priests clean their teeth using cherry wood for an hour, facing the rising sun. Another religious group in India, Jains, cleans their teeth using fingers and without using a brush.

In other rural areas of India, people use twigs from mango, cashew or coconut trees.

What some cultures use for toothpaste
Some folk in rural India, Africa, Southeast Asia and South America use brick, charcoal, rangoli powder, mud, salt or ash for cleaning the teeth. This may result in gingival recession, abrasion and dentin sensitivity, says the National Academy of Dentistry.

Should Americans ditch their toothbrushes and clean with sticks instead?
The inconvenient truth about going to the dentist at least twice a year and replacing your toothbrush is that all the discarded toothbrushes and toothpaste containers end up in the landfill. But it seems that Americans are in no rush to clean their teeth with twigs. Toothpaste, whiteners, sugarless gum, mouthwash, manual or electric toothbrushes, floss, and other oral care items retailed at $9.1 billion in 2008, according to the U.S. Market for Oral Care Products, 7th Edition.

Whether or not you choose to go native and clean your teeth with a tree twig, “Oral hygiene can be a very important component to our overall health. The mouth is full of bacteria and not caring for it can cause inflammation. The gums can become unhealthy if proper dental hygiene is neglected and this can create low-grade infection that can cause inflammation and other problems throughout the body,” says Rebecca Crowley-Huey, physician assistant at BodyLogicMD of Houston, who adds, “Brain fog, autoimmune disease, gut infection or imbalance, and fatigue can be some of the problems caused by inflammation and your mouth is sometimes your first line of defense against foreign material.”

Two times a day is much better than only one time per day, says Steve Krendl, a dentist at Hopewell Dental in Heath, Ohio. “A thin film of organic matter, called a biofilm, forms quickly on our teeth throughout a day. Left undisturbed, this turns into plaque, which can harden within 24 hours.”

Now that’s something to chew on.

Bees Dying by the Millions
July 23, 2013

By Dr. Mercola

Just weeks ago in Elmwood, Canada, local beekeeper Dave Schuit lost 600 hives, or a total of 37 million bees. Another Canadian farmer lost eight of his 10 hives.

The bees started dying in droves just after corn in the area was planted, an alarming red flag since corn seeds are often treated with neonicotinoid pesticides, which are known to kill insects by attacking their nervous systems.

Some governments are finally taking action against these toxic chemicals, but clearly not fast enough. How many more millions of bees have to die before protection is granted to these invaluable creatures?

For those who aren’t aware, there are about 100 crop species that provide 90 percent of food globally and, of these, 71 are pollinated by bees.1

In the US alone, a full one-third of the food supply depends on pollination from bees -- so if bee colonies continue to be devastated, major food shortages will inevitably result.

Large Bee Kills Are Now Becoming Commonplace

Something is wrong – very wrong – if millions of bees are dying off in a matter of days. Schuit noted that he now has to replace his queen bees every few months, instead of every few years, because they are dying off so frequently.2

Last month, an estimated 25,000 bumblebees were found dead in an Oregon parking lot as well, just a short time after 55 trees in the area had been sprayed with Safari, a neonicotinoid insecticide.

Ironically, the dead bees were found just as National Pollinator Week was kicking off.

These chemicals are typically applied to seeds before planting, allowing the pesticide to be taken up through the plant’s vascular system as it grows. As a result, the chemical is expressed in the pollen and nectar of the plant, and hence the danger to bees and other pollinating insects.

Adding to the problem are new ‘air seeders,’ which spread pesticide dust into the air when they’re planted, further increasing the toxic chemicals’ reach.

According to the Cornucopia Institute:3
“What seems to be deadly to bees is that the neonicotinoid pesticides are coating corn seed and with the use of new air seeders, are blowing the pesticide dust into the air when planted. The death of millions of pollinators was looked at by American Purdue University.

They found that, ‘Bees exhibited neurotoxic symptoms, analysis of dead bees revealed traces of thiamethoxam/clothianidin in each case. Seed treatments of field crops (primarily corn) are the only major source of these compounds.’”

Oregon, European Union Ban Pesticides in Wake of Massive Bee Deaths

At least one US state is taking matters seriously. Following the June incident that killed 25,000 bumblebees, the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) installed bee-proof nets over the trees to prevent any further bee deaths. They also announced that they were restricting the use of 18 pesticide products containing dinotefuran, a type of neonicotinoid. According to ODA:4

“ODA has confirmed that the bee deaths are directly related to a pesticide application on the linden trees… to control aphids. The pesticide product Safari was used in that application. Safari, with its active ingredient dinotefuran, is part of a group of insecticides known as neonicotinoids. Valent USA is the distributor of Safari. ODA collected samples… of bees and foliage in the area, and conducted laboratory analysis.”

The restriction focuses on pesticide products used by both professionals and homeowners for ornamental, turf and agricultural purposes, and will continue while the investigation of the bumblebee kill continues. ODA stated:5

“By adopting a temporary rule, ODA is taking action, in an abundance of caution, to avoid the potential of similar large bee kills this summer due to specific pesticide applications.”

Earlier this year the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) also released a report that ruled neonicotinoid insecticides are essentially “unacceptable” for many crops,6 and now the European Union has voted to ban neonicotinoid pesticides including clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiametoxam for two years, beginning December 1, 2013, to study their involvement with large bee kills they, too, are experiencing.7 RT News reported:8

“European countries have been given six months to use up their current stocks of the chemicals.

Scientists will then have two years to determine whether the ban helps stop declines in bee populations, after which the restriction may be reviewed. Until that point, the pesticide ban will be upheld.”

Beekeeping Industry Sues EPA for Approval of Bee-Killing Pesticide

As Oregon and the EU take steps to ban neonicotinoids, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has green-lighted another pesticide that is a close cousin to these toxic chemicals. The EPA has already been sued once by beekeepers and environmental groups for failing to protect bees from neonicotinoid pesticides.

Now several beekeeping organizations and beekeepers have filed a legal action against the EPA for approving sulfoxaflor, a similar pesticide to neonicotinoids, which is expected to similarly damage bees’ nervous systems. Sulfoxaflor is considered by many to be a "fourth-generation neonicotinoid."9

The case, which was filed by The National Pollinator Defense Fund, American Honey Producers Association, National Honey Bee Advisory Board, the American Beekeeping Federation, and beekeepers, notes that bees could potentially be exposed numerous times to sulfoxaflor as they are moved across the country to pollinate crops – with potentially disastrous impacts on bee populations. Said beekeeper Jeff Anderson:10

“EPA’s approval of Sulfoxaflor with no enforceable label protections for bees will speed our industry’s demise. EPA is charged under FIFRA [Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act] with protecting non-target beneficial insects, not just honeybees. EPA’s Sulfoxaflor registration press release says, ‘… the final label includes robust terms for protecting pollinators…’ This is a bold-faced

lie!
There is absolutely no mandatory language on the label that protects pollinators. Further, the label’s advisory language leads spray applicators to believe that notifying a beekeeper of a planned application, absolves them of their legal responsibility in FIFRA to not kill pollinators.”

The Rodale Institute Encourages Natural Beekeeping Practices

Dr. Mercola Visits The Rodale Institute

http://youtu.be/Kox8Ug77MKc

I recently visited the Rodale Institute and got a tour of their brand new Honeybee Conservancy and research facility. As reported on their website11:

“The 2013 Conservancy has a new physical arrangement and a whole new set of beds that include nectar plants that bloom throughout the season and incorporate biodynamic principles... We’ll be looking at the impacts of compost, compost extracts and biodynamic preparations on the health and vitality of the plants.”

At the Rodale Institute they believe that one of the solutions to the declining honeybee populations lies with individual honeybee stewards, and they offer classes in sustainable beekeeping practices toward that end. They even host hives on their 333-acre farm so even beginners can get involved. Clearly, if we want to protect bees and other pollinators, we’ve got to stop poisoning them with the large-scale use of toxic chemicals. But we can each do our own part, too, and that is what the Rodale Institute is all about.

Vanishing of the Bees Gives a Compelling Glimpse Into the Worldwide Implications of Bee Die-Offs
If you would like to learn more about the economic, political and ecological implications of the worldwide disappearance of the honeybee, check out the documentary film Vanishing of the Bees. If you’d like to get involved, here are four actions you can take to help preserve and protect our honeybees:

1. Support organic farmers and shop at local farmer's markets as often as possible. You can "vote with your fork" three times a day. (When you buy organic, you are making a statement by saying "no" to GMOs and toxic pesticides.)

2. Cut the use of toxic chemicals in your house and on your lawn, and use only organic, all-natural forms of pest control.

3. Better yet, get rid of your lawn altogether and plant a garden or other natural habitat. Lawns offer very little benefit for the environment. Both flower and vegetable gardens provide excellent natural honeybee habitats.

4. Become an amateur beekeeper. Having a hive in your garden requires only about an hour of your time per week, benefits your local ecosystem, and you can enjoy your own honey!

Worldofbeekeeping.com and beekeeping.org are but two websites that can help you get started.

The Bee-Action Campaign: Help Stop the Use of Toxic Neonicotinoids

Neonicotinoid pesticides are widely used in large-scale agriculture, but that’s not the only place they’re found. They’re also widely sold in garden centers (including big-name stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s) and are even found in seeds and plants you may purchase from your local nurseries.

Friends of the Earth has launched the Bee-Action Campaign to tell stores to take bee-killing pesticides like noeonicotinoids off of their shelves, and you can help by:

signing their petition now.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/23/massive-bee-deaths.aspx?e_cid=20130728_SNL_MS_1&utm_source=snl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=ms1&utm_campaign=20130728

13 natural remedies for the ant invasion

Ants are making their way into homes this time of year. Thankfully there are natural pest control methods to help you cope with and eliminate the problem. Plus, many of the solutions use what you already have in your cupboard!

Photo: Lindspetrol/Flickr
Little tiny ants have been spotted in our new home, and many people are suffering the same fate across the country. As much as I love spring, I don't like bugs — especially bugs that can infest a house. Last week I asked for some advice in how to deal with ants naturally as I hadn't time to research it myself since I moved this last weekend. I got such good advice, I had to share it with the readers here at MNN as well.

Some of these measures are deterrents. That is, they deter the ants from coming in your house. This seems to work well for those with a mild problem. Others found that they needed to use a method that kills the whole colony of ants. I've compiled the comments and suggestions by category, allowing you to compare the different methods a little more easily.

1. Lemon juice
Teresa: We just spray around the openings with pure lemon juice … and it always works for us … something about the acid messes up their sense of tracking…

2. Cinnamon
Shayla:We use ground cinnamon around where there are coming it. It works really well.
Peggy: We spray cinnamon essential oil all around the doors, windowsills, floors, etc. keeps them from coming in. I put the sugar water and borax OUTSIDE!

Letia: Another vote for ground cinnamon. Easy to clean up afterwards and worked great for us!!!
Jean: Cinnamon and cloves. Makes your house smell nice and the ants just hate it sprinkled right in their path.
Patricia: We also use cinnamon oil. We draw borders around everything with a Q-tip dipped in it. They won’t cross it.

3. Peppermint
Heather: My mother-in-law has success with peppermint essential oil around windows and doors (any entries). Plus her house then smells awesome.

Julie: Dr. Bonner’s liquid soap in the mint aroma. Mix 1 to 1 with water in a spray bottle. Spray on the ant invasion and watch them suffer.

4. Borax, water and sugar
Kristi: We use borax, sugar, water and a touch of peanut butter. It takes a couple of weeks but really works. We used it last year in our old house and are implementing it again this spring in our new house. Pesky ants! Here is the site where I found the recipe:http://naturalantkiller.blogspot.com/

Christy: I second Diana’s comment about borax and sugar. I’ve made a thin paste before with water, sugar and borax, then spread it on little pieces of thin cardboard or stiff cardstock and placed them near where it seems they are coming into the house. They’ll eat it and take it back to their colony (just like the Terro liquid you can buy). The paste will dry up in a couple days, so you’ll have to make more. But I think I only had to do it twice before they were gone.

Chookie: What worked for us was a mixture of borax and sugar in water. Several years ago, we lived in a house where there was an ants nest in the walls. Removing it would have meant virtually demolishing the entire front wall of the house (not practical!), so instead, after a year or two of having flying ants swarm into our bedroom every year we decided to go on an ant killing spree. Conventional ant killers didn’t work. Borax and powdered sugar didn’t work. But adding water to the borax and sugar mix to make a thick sugary borax-y syrup DID work…. the worker ants took it back into the nest and it positioned the queen – result = no more flying ants. OK, so borax does need to be kept away from pets and small children, but it is relatively safe beyond that as it is only toxic if you eat it. my solution was to put it somewhere where the kids and the cats would not reach it but the ants could.

BeverlyC: We live in China and had a HORRIBLE ant problem in our house. Tried cinnamon, black pepper, vinegar, etc. etc. We were concerned about the borax because we have guests in and out regularly and the little children are often, well, naughty and undisciplined. When someone suggested Terro liquid ant bait and we found it was just Borax and sugar, we asked someone to bring us some. We could pick the traps up and put them away when company came and put them back out after they left. They worked wonders!!

5. Boiling water and dish soap
Jennie: We make sure all of our food is sealed up. The honey jar is usually the biggest ant magnet, so it gets a thorough washing and then is placed on a small water-filled saucer in the cupboard. We use a spray bottle filled with water and a squirt of liquid dish soap (I use Seventh Generation) to kill any visible ants. I also look around outside to try to find their hill; pouring a kettle of boiling water on it solves the problem.

Christy: I’ve done what Jennie mentioned too – boiling water will destroy an ant colony, or weeds popping up between sidewalk cracks or in mulch. It’s an easy, purely natural way to kill things that we don’t often think about.

6. Diatomaceous earth
Karen: Yes … diatomaceous earth (DE) works well … use food-grade not swimming pool DE. It should be sprinkled around the perimeter of your new home and you can also safely sprinkle it inside where you see them.

Do not wet the DE or it will not work. DE isn’t an instant kill but should resolve the problem within a week or so.

Jami: I have a pretty serious any invasion at my house too. When I moved in last April they had already made themselves at home. I did the cinnamon thing last year and worked ok, but they just kept finding new ways in. My ants weren’t attracted to sugary things, but protein, especially the dog food. This year I made some borax cookies and put them in the old fireplace where I noticed the ants returning a week ago. I also sprinkled DE around the perimeter of my kitchen and that seems to have worked better than anything so far for immediate results.

7. Chalk
Natalie: Oh! And they will not cross a line drawn in chalk. I drew a line around my window where they were coming in and it kept them at bay.

Anali: My grandparents has really good results with the line of chalk, they used powder that you can get at home improvement stores. It comes in a squeezey bottle so it’s easy to lay down a line with.

8. Baking soda and powdered sugar
Jennifer: Ants carry an acidic substance with them always for protection. I do a mix of baking soda and powdered sugar in a plastic lid set in strategic places. I think a little volcanic science experiment happens inside their bodies. Over the course of several days it has made a huge difference.

9. Coffee grounds
Lea: I have had success with used coffee grounds, I did know where their entry was, after putting it in the cracks they never returned. I also do know it doesn’t kill them, it just makes them move homes, (we have put them on beds outside and we just see them pop up a small distance away.

10. Cornmeal
Jill: One more thing to add to this. I saw somewhere to use corn meal. Well, it worked out since some moths got into my cornmeal, and I felt bad wasting it. That’s when I saw the idea and tried it. I sprinkled a little bit just off the back porch. Every day I would check and every day the same trail of ants was still there. Then I forgot about it. My daughter found another ant nest further out in the yard, and it made me remember to check the last trail. It was gone, completely gone. So, I sprinkled it on the new nest, and less than a week later, it is gone. If you google it there are a ton of places where it mentions it. Here’s just one link, and if you scroll to the Tip there is still another idea using molasses. Although if cornmeal will work I think it’s cheaper, and safer around kids and pets. http://www.ehow.com/how_6395566_kill-ants-corn-meal.html

11. Cream of Wheat
Rebecca: Cream of wheat! They eat it & it expands & they explode! Ha! I used it in my garden for ant problems. Kind of makes you wonder what it does to our insides when we eat it too

12. Vinegar
Kristie: Vinegar! Since we switched to using a vinegar/water solution for mopping the floors and cleaning the counters, our ant problem has vanished.

Mysty: Vinegar is the one sure solution, but you need to pour it where the ants have their nest, not just to where they walk around. If you find their nest just pour about 0.5-1 L of white (cheap) vinegar. I never had ant problems but my grandparents sometimes has as they has a big farm and there is always an ant problem is some corner of the farm

Cath: We used a mixture of vinegar, washing up liquid (ecover) and peppermint oil last year. Tracked them back to their nest and syringed it into the cracks. They never came back.

13. Equal
Tea Leaf: We killed our ants by mixing Equal packets with apple juice. It is a neurotoxin to the ants. Scary that people put these in their coffee.

http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/13-natural-remedies-for-the-ant-invasion

How to find free Wi-Fi hotspots in the UK

Finding free Wi-Fi hotspots can save you money on your monthly phone bills - as well as providing a useful way to get online on a laptop if you need to work on the go.

Recombu – 4 hours ago

Finding free Wi-Fi hotspots can save you money on your monthly phone bills - as well as providing a useful way to get online on a laptop if you need to work on the go.

There are lots of ways to get your hands on free Wi-Fi - ranging from using an Apple Store's free network, to sitting at a bus stop and hooking up to a BT Wi-Fi hotspot.

There are over 4.5 million public Wi-Fi hotspots in the UK and Ireland, all waiting for you to get connected. Here’s how to do it.

Use an app

The quickest way to find yourself a hotspot is to use an app. For iOS, a safe bet is Wifi@, which we particularly like due to the fact it has an offline database, so you don’t need to be connected to the web to find Wi-Fi.

Android users should fire up Wi-Fi Finder , a clever app that can use a phone call, rather than data, to show you nearby Wi-Fi hotspot locations. Both are iOS and Android versions are free.

Alternatively you can search for hotspots via your phone’s browser at myhotspots.co.uk. This website lists hotspots via town and city, making searching even easier.

Find free Wi-Fi on the High Street

Pretty much any major high street franchise has free Wi-Fi on offer. Right now, McDonalds, Starbucks, Pret a Manger, Costs and plenty of others, all will give you free internet while you eat.

If you don’t fancy eating, then hotel chains like Premier Inn offer 30 mins of free Wi-Fi to guests. Or if you are really in the mood for saving cash, you can always use any Apple store’s Wi-Fi connection.

Use your phone contract’s Wi-Fi allowance

O2 includes unlimited BT Wi-Fi access with most of monthly contracts. This means you can take advantage of its 4 million plus network of Wi-Fi hotspots across the UK for free. Vodafone also uses BT’s network and includes 2GB of usage with most pay monthly contracts.

BT Wi-Fi is particularly good for those living outside major cities, as a lot of its hotspots are based at bus stops, where you might not have any 3G reception on your phone.

Virgin is offering free internet access on London underground to Virgin Mobile, Virgin Media, EE and Vodafone customers, but will also let non subscribers join for a small fee. The Cloud is another favourite, which will give you 30 minutes of free connectivity in most restaurants and public places. O2 customers get unlimited Cloud usage.

Sign up for a Wi-Fi subscription service

Even subscription services such as Boingo offer freebies - if you sign up to a Boingo hotspot in airports such as Gatwick, Heathrow, Edinburgh and Glasgow, you get 15 minutes free.

Failing that, you can, of course, cough up - it's far cheaper going with a large worldwide service such as Boingo, than paying a lot of smaller companies. Boingo offers up Wi-Fi worldwide from over 600,000 hotspots. Pricing starts at around £1.50 for Pay as You Go internet minutes and go up to around £40 monthly for unlimited global access. It even includes a Wi-Fi finder app to help you locate Boingo hotspots.

BT Wi-Fi also allows non O2 and Vodafone customers to use its hotspots. Handy if you are in the UK as its network is extensive. 90 minutes is £5.99 or you can pay 18p per minute.

Generally Speaking, This Is the Shift
Posted by Maryann Rada

The new world is a thing of the past. The next world is one that has not yet been imagined, even by the best of minds, for the world of now is steeped in pain and traumatized, shattered and fragmented and seeking integration with itself. You are each coming into wholeness, step by step, and you will achieve it as you progress in the mindfulness of who you are, by paying attention to what appears in your field of vision and your subconscious thoughts surfacing in dreams and waking epiphanies.

However, you have not yet brought yourselves together as a people in the way that a clear picture and understanding of what the world could be can be clearly perceived. We would like to take a few moments of your time to bring you a bit closer to that understanding, and do it in such a way that the words we impart may sustain a trajectory in the direction of planetary oneness of intent for the race you belong to, which is evolving from human into something altogether new. We have been in a place similar to yours in our history, so we know whereof we speak, and beg just a small indulgence of time to weave our tale to your maximum collective benefit. We begin.

You can imagine yourself as part of a tribunal, a gathering of those who have decided to embark on a mission of scientific understanding of a new field of consciousness, a new territory of the field of reality to explore as seekers of truth and wisdom. You are one of many who work with the greater galactic community of free peoples; screening your waking mind for memories of such a gathering is good to do now. You can see that there is a lot of debate going on about how to proceed in the grand experiment of consciousness-gathering, as there are parameters of the experiment that you had not seen before which are now coming into view. This is normal when the topic of study is the evolution of the human formula from one phase of being to an other, higher one. There is a natural falling away of fixedness as fluidity of the experimental framework becomes more necessary.

The principles remain set, but the parameters will vary. You have the general idea of how this goes, as an experimenter in your own life, taking samples of different kinds of experiences and making sense of them in relation to your place in the reality you operate within. It is no different on the large scale, in which you are working on the soul level to gather the experiences of the various expressions of your temporally based emanations and embodiments in the timestream of Earth.

The moment you are aware of in the course of your lifetime is one experience for your soul. There are other emanations of your soul which have other embodiments, some of you in other places in time, some in other embodiments linked to the same group that forms the basis of a higher level of soul. You have come to this life to retrieve the experiences that your soul has ventured to gain, in the course of research of a more or less scientific nature, the results of which will be presented in a briefing at the conclusion of your present part of the experiment of soul.

Your life is of the utmost importance to your soul, and is of the utmost interest to the source of love and creation of life itself, the source of everything and the emanator extraordinaire, which we call OM. The experiences you garner will be your contribution to the answer that is eternally forming to the question of being in the universe at large. You are taking part in the activity of God’s willful exploration of the nature of love in every possible way. That is no small feat! But let us get back to our tale.

New world order is a thing of fear for many people. This is not the way the tribunal had originally anticipated a dream coming true, but nonetheless it is how they have watched things unfold. You, as part of this tribunal, have seen in the shadows a movement toward light, a shift in the timing of evolution that presents a new opportunity to the experiment to take on a greater range of experience and a greater potential for love to show itself in dramatic and generous ways. The word “experiment” perhaps is misleading, as there is a lot more going on in your reality than mere objective knowledge-gathering. The objective in the grand adventure of life on Earth is love, plain and simple, and the conflict that is being dealt with to discover the secrets love has to share is in the appearance of an unforeseen bend in the road showing up with an entourage of infernal vagabonds starving for love.

What do you know? Now is the time to kick into gear in that regard. Know what you know, and use it to pry open love’s box of secrets in this scenario of late-in-the-game awakening to the light threading through the space between you and the new reality that is taking form. Know that the day is stealthily moving into position to break through the barriers of darkness to illuminate the world as it wakens to awareness. Know that there are forces beyond the normal day-to-day reality that are interpolating energetic frequencies to sequence them into form. Know that every effort made in the direction of truth and justice is moving those sequences closer to being, and that nothing, no shred of thought, is wasted in this now.

You have had a say in the way you want to experience the life you are now living, and you will have a say in the way you want to go in the life to come, on earth or in another world. You have not been tricked into joining in a game rigged to one side, nor have you been brought into a losing situation.

Even in the darkest moments for yourself and the world you live in, know this is true. You have agreed in one way or another before arriving on the scene that you would participate in the time now at hand, and the direction of reality is changing to meet the temporality of the next phase of earth’s evolution.

Time is taking a new turn and the truth of the path of humanity’s past and future are no longer able to stay hidden from view. Understanding is now on the horizon for everyone to see, and the landscape from that perspective will never be the same for the collective cognizance of who you, as a people, are. Your motivation through the eons of getting to the point you are within now has been merely to transform as the planet transforms, nothing more or less, for within that act is everything that it means to be fully human and openly divine. We have seen the trajectory of your current line of time, and it is a signal to the core of divinity, of life, of the source of everything that the moment is at hand for the tale to come to a close and a new reality to begin. It is the moment you have been waiting for!

Give a simple thought a moment to rest in the silence of the heart as it enters into the space of embracing a new understanding. It is this: If you have been waiting for millennia to experience this moment, is it not worth the full attention of every soul embodied on this world?

If you represent one aspect of a greater energetic collective of divine intelligence called by you “soul,” is it not worthwhile to reflect on the power you, as embodiments of divine soul-stuff, possess?

Your next breath can show the thought’s color and form in a dance of energetic recalibration within the heart-space of your physical body, and establish it within the core of your foundational understanding of self in relation to the new reality of the new world that is now in the formative stages of birth. You have the ability to change your own world, this you know.

You as a people have the ability to realize a new reality, as the one that has been the backdrop for so long crumbles and dissolves around you. You are creating the new world this moment, this breath, this peaceful silent pause within the now that awaits formative input from your mind and loving impulse from the creative center of the heart. Time is telling the movement of reality towards the hour of truth being told. The tribunal is ready to tell its side of the story, which is the side of entirety and justice for all. You understand conflict and polarity well as an experience. You have some more secrets to uncover, dear ones!

http://renegadethoughts.wordpress.com/2013/06/13/generally-speaking-this-is-the-shift/

Ships in the desert

Something interesting.

Have you ever wanted to walk across the bottom of the River,
Lake, or Ocean to see all the boats and ships that have sunk?

The Aral Sea was once the world's fourth-largest saline body of water.

It has been steadily shrinking since the 1960's, after the rivers that fed it
were diverted by Soviet Union irrigation projects.

And now it's almost gone leaving a desert full of old shipwrecks.

And it had already been starved of nearly 30 yrs. of water by 1989.

Really quite unreal isn't it, the pictures you just saw are the BOTTOM of what was once the fourth largest salt water sea in the world.

Emmelie de Forest - Only Teardrops (Denmark) - LIVE - 2013 Grand Final

http://youtu.be/p3f9v8ebuD4

Photo of the Day: Bryce Canyon National Park Under the Night Sky

Pamela Nguyen March 20, 2013 0

Colorado-based photographer Jason J. Hatfield captured a lone hiker as he viewed the path before him, right as the Milky Way rose in the night sky. This photo was taken in Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah last May.

According to the Smithsonian:

A hiker looks onto the path before him in Bryce Canyon National Park in the middle of the night as the Milky Way stretches upward above. The photographer, who used a Sony A900, had been shooting the day’s solar eclipse.

This photo was selected as a finalist for the Smithsonian’s 10th annual Photo Contest in the “Travel” category. You have the opportunity to select the Reader’s Choice Award until March 29, 2013! Go here to cast your vote.

Go to our Photo of the Day archive to view more notable images.

Have you ever seen something like this at Bryce Canyon National Park?

Clarion Temple of Oneness Transcript, Dated April 15th, 2013.    To receive the transcription from Divine Mother and Father God see, http://cosmic22oness.com; to purchase the MP3 Download or participate in the live calls, see http://walkingterrachrista.com/tele-calls/.  This transcript is directly related to the Meteor Show of Love that is appearing around the world on April 22nd, 2013.  There is a powerful activation occurring within our planet starting on this date.  So take a moment to reflect whether you see the meteor shower or not.  Blessings, Mel and Mike.

Greetings!

My Dearest Ones, what a divine pleasure to be here with each of you.  I encompass the dimensional frequencies of the higher realms of your stars of the inter-planets and all the inner galactic of the Christed universes.  We come tonight as the Divine Pleasure to be able to share with you our Light in this manner through a voice this is very exciting for each of us.  I have with me Beings from the Andromedeans, Beings from the Sirians, Beings from Arcturus and Pleiades and many others you may see.  There are many different species here that fill the stage; and we arise your energies and our friends are in the Temple amongst each of you which is the beauty of our energies.

Tonight we want to share, we want to share about the upcoming energies of meteor shower of Love.  It is our way of expressing that we are one with each of you.  This is the way that we can share it in these moments because many are looking for the shifts; they are waiting to see physical appearances because humans have a way of wanting a great celebration and waiting for that ship to land; then all of a sudden all these Beings come out of the ship and welcome them into the ship and take them to different foreign places.  Do you know why everyone is so concerned with the inter galactics? Because you are us, you want to be where we are, and you have chosen to be here now.  You so want to feel those energies once again and to know that you can communicate so we are showing you a way to do so.

I bring to you tonight the 21^st Ray of this dimensional frequency of Divine Structure.  You see, some of you have already been there and you come down here to this Earth.  You think it’s the same and it is not.  We send this message to all the Star Seeds that are struggling with their lives now because Earth is not what they wanted to be.  They have a hard time existing in this duality and they fight the system.  This is occurring because they have the gifts, they have the ability to tune in to channel, to feel the energies, to have amazing dream states, geometric patterns that they can understand, what it is to be a galactic high technical essence.  But do you know why so many of you are here?  You are here not to show everyone what you know; you are here to be in Oneness.  This is the planet that is changing and so many souls in the last twenty or thirty years have decided to incarnate to be part of these energies.

So we say to you, let us blend.  You must blend the energies so we are going to share with you the essence of how to do that.  Do you think that each of us could stand here in front of you in all these planetary systems and agree?  Oh, there were times that we could not so I overlight all these essences to come into Oneness which is just like you are communicating with your Spiritual Hierarchy which are the overlighting energies to come into Oneness.  I overlight the inner galactic energies so that we can come together.  This is our time and what a perfect day to allow these essences to come into creation because, because what is happening on your Earth.  The intensity, the thought forms, and the lack of compassion amongst so many and yet others are awakening to that compassion and they don’t understand why it cannot be.  You tap into another world of existence and you want that to be your reality.  How do you think that changes? It has to change because you are changing.  You that are present listening in these moments are the ones that will show how it is done.  Not by what you know, not by how you do things, just by being, being that multi-dimensional self that is acquiring within your physical existence.

It is just amazing to watch the process that is occurring so know we are going to be infiltrating more often.  They say that this meteor shower this month 22^nd of April is going to be huge for everyone to see.  It is an expression of Oneness; it is expression of fireworks.  As the fireworks come down from the higher universes into this sky formation of this Earth, it becomes Oneness.  It does not become like “oh my gosh what is going to happen to me”! We must realize that this is the Lights within Lights shinning down upon each of you to help you to remember the part of yourself that is inter galactic and that may have been eons and eons of time ago for you or it may have just been yesterday.  It does not matter when because those timelines become very active within your Etheric self so allowing them to come within your memories, into your dreams, and into your thought processes is going to assist you greatly in creating your multi-dimensional self.

Our essence is going to be able to overlight many of the dark forces upon this planet from other planetary universes.  It is going to assist in bringing in more frequency of Light on a physical basis by a molecular structure.  Not just the fact that there are elements stuck in environmental conditions.  This is a showing of your planetary structure with all the others coming into Oneness, coming into the frequency of Light that is us together.  Don’t we deserve to be with one another?  Don’t we deserve to have what we had from the beginning before we came into this creative process of planetary structures when we were all one-spirit group ball of Light? And we just move from place to place; while this is occurring, I ask of you now to look within the Temple up above.  The Temple is open as there is no ceiling of the Blue Gold Ray filtering within you and the entire Temple.

Let us heal these individuals that are newly upon the Temple of Oneness; let us heal these souls; they may be in a state of confusion because they just don’t know realized what has happened them.  They may have just passed over and their spiritual pathway did not allow them to think something like this is possible.  This is what you share in this Temple of the Light.  That is our expression moving into the totality of complete Oneness.  The beauty of these moments is the movement into expressing many facets of Light into the one essence that we are.  So tonight this is why we are here, we are here to tell you about this as we are here to be One with You.  If you think about what the Blue Gold actually means it represents Divine Structure.  What is Divine Structure in the mental aspects of your mind.  You may not be able to ascertain what that truly means.

If you take yourself out of this body that you are inhabiting and you travel and travel into the heavens up to the 36^th dimensional frequency, you will see that there is where I Am and so are You.  You just don’t remember it’s not part of your process at this time to stay in that frequency as your body cannot hold those elements, but you can take a little portion of it to experience your totality.  So tonight I give you a small, small starlit essence to put into your Heart so that you can tap into these elements of frequency to help you become more grounded.  This will help you to know that if you are a Star Seed, you can ground that more.  Because what you are bringing to GAIA, is more Light into the planet to help the places of duality not to hold on to the duality yourself as so many Star Seeds have a tendency to do.

So arise to the occasion; arise to the star you see. This beautiful star is coming down through the Blue Gold coming into the Temple.  Feel it is huge because this star represents each of us; it represents all these beautiful beings that I have here with me tonight.  Some of them you may know Ashtar Command, Lord of Sirius, Lord of Arcturus the Andromedeans, Master Valencia, Lady Voltar, all the beautiful beings that have been here before the Sirians of their essence with the Pleidians and all the Councils of Light.  They are all here tonight; they are all here to bring in this essence because we are becoming complete together.

See the Blue Gold star coming down into the top of the Temple.  It is going to filter a portion of its essence into each of your Hearts.  Then there is a star glyph that is going to activate within your own Heart Center for you to tap into anytime that you need to feel our assistance, that you need to feel each of us, or you need to remember that part of your multi dimensional self that is coming out.

So what does this do?  It creates the ability to remember the Divine Being that you are because it is so much forgotten within this Earthplane.  So we express this essence unto you, as the One Star becomes many more stars within each of you within this Temple.  We will all be Stars within Stars for each other.

Oh, feel the essence of the Star within your Heart.  It now sparkles.  It may be twinkling; just touch it if you like or feel its essence vibrating, vibrating within your Heart.  Feel this essence within you vibrating and then touch your Third Eye because there is another aspect of it that is going into your Third Eye. It should allow you to have the ability to intuitively see an expansion of stars in the sky of the Blue Gold.  Feel this vision now as it comes down into this Temple into each of you.

This vibration will change you.  It will allow you to receive your Divine Essence.  There is an expansion occurring outside of yourself in this moment.  In this expansion it is your Divine Essence now manifest.  This all depends upon your Higher Self and how much you can handle within your physical structure allowing your physical structure to receive more of this essence into your being.  Right now most of you have received just a small spark  ~  it is remembrance, it is an essence of each of us as I the Lord of the Great Bear Star system overlight these energies into each of you and why am I here at this time.  This is due because it is time; it is time for us to communicate, it is time for us to understand that when you receive essences with in your sky that there is a message.  The message is, “we want you to know we understand and we walk with each of you through this process of your divinity to make it better and better and better”.  As it is not appropriate not to have a world full of Oneness and this is what we shine to each of you in this moment.  Let us take a breath and feel these essences.

Just think about it ~ if every human being can feel their own Divine Essence being manifested through their Third Eye  and their Heart,  how much different this world could be.  This is why we are here.  We are here to share with you how to do this so that you can share it with others.  Right now what you have received through this frequency of Light is a vibrational attunement that is going to allow you to center upon the energies within yourself to make the necessary changes.

During this period you may feel fluctuations of emotions, thought processes, flashes of remembrance.  Whatever you are doing, just remember to tap your Third Eye and your Heart; you must connect to both because the Third Eye can perceive deeply but without the Heart Center being activated within it, it becomes a mental thought, it becomes a lower energy.  So you must tap within the Heart Center at the same time alternately and it will help you to reflect in All That You Are.  Without doing them together you will be receiving but not in the space of Wholeness that You Are.  Let us think right now of the star that you have become; a portion of your Star Essence is being embodied within you.  It does not matter if you feel that you are from Pleiades, Arcturus, or any of the other star systems; please know that we are all One together as we were originally.

And now we are coming back into that combined correlation that is us, so what you experiencing and what we are experiencing is because we are totality connected especially after this evening.  Let us think about the Ones on the Earth that are hurting and send them this star glyph now.  With a breath, just breathe and a tap over your Third Eye and your Heart to connect with your own Heart and send this around the globe.

Now Gaia has received her star glyph and now she is relaxing as now we are all connected within that Oneness.  Feel that energy now being reactivated within you as you now no longer send it out but bring it back in, bring that essence in whenever you connect with someone in this manner.  With each of us you must always remember to bring it back into yourself which will create a full connection within our hearts in our essences of this Ray to be fully within each of us representing the Light of the One.  Feel the Blue Gold completely circling within the Temple and within each of us and each other.

It is my Divine Pleasure to be able to express this essence unto you.  I and all the others that are with us feel this essence as we are different species; we are One just as you have many different species on the planet.  :et us come into that Oneness together.  Now that we are fully One as you look for the meteor shower, feel that essence, feel the sparkles of Light, feel the stars upon stars all combining within each other now you are one of the stars.  Even if you don’t see it with your physical eye, experience our essence together.  This is not just about the planetary stars in the skies; it is about each of us being those stars within one another.

I am deeply honored, deeply, deeply honored to be able to speak here this evening in this beautiful Temple and I do hope that I do return.  Thank you for inviting me, thank you for allowing me to be here in your Hearts, within your intuitive minds.  I am real ~ we are all real.  We are just not with in a structure that you are used to experiencing.  So let us come together in that completeness of wholeness that we are together in the frequency of Light.

I AM Lord of the Great Bear Star system embracing you with all beings that are part of my essence and in deep love and admiration of this experience of the Oneness of the Light.

I Am One with each of you.

©2013 Walking Terra Christa, http://walkingterrachrista.com, Rev. Christine Meleriessee & Mike Hayden, 5^th Dimensional Mastery ~  All Rights Reserved.

Paris Underground

http://youtu.be/xFC6VmncWaE

Uploaded on 30 Jan 2011
Paris, City of Light, really is a tale of two cities. One of them is above ground, with its beloved Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame. That's the city the world sees. And then there's the city very few us will ever see -- an underground Paris, the 'souterrain.' NPR's Jacki Lyden and National Geographic photographer Stephen Alvarez teamed up to see what lies below. (Photographs by Stephen Alvarez/National Geographic)

An illegal tour beneath the French capital
http://youtu.be/pwsGFPHXliY

Uploaded on 4 Sep 2009
One of Paris' landmarks remains in the shadows, hidden beneath the city: the catacombs. Out of the hundreds of kilometres of tunnels and caverns, only a small portion is open to the public. But some people skirt the law to explore the forbidden paths.Duration:

The Paris Catacombs - Bones of 6 Million Dead

http://youtu.be/MzDOhnpDhgY

baby&me / the new evian film

http://youtu.be/pfxB5ut-KTs

Pictures of the week: From a protective mother to a competitive Duchess

Here's our pick of the pictures around the world this week...

This is the incredible moment a protective mother came to the rescue of her vulnerable calf as it was preyed upon by a pack of hyenas. The angry elephant charged at the hungry animals - and was successful at saving her baby. The amazing picture was captured by Jayesh Mehta in the Savuti region of the Chobe national park in Botswana (Caters)

Two people sit on a bench in a flooded park in Buenos Aires. Catastrophic flash floods have killed at least 57 people in unseasonable weather in Argentina (Reuters)

U.S. President Barack Obama pulls a funny face while playing tennis during the 135th annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House in Washington (Reuters)

A lone child walks among debris and rubble strewn across a street as a result of intense fighting in Deir al-Zor, Syria. The United Nations has warned it will soon run out of money to cope with the exodus of Syrian refugees fleeing across the borders to safety (Reuters)

Soldiers of the U.S. Army 23rd chemical battalion give a demonstration of their equipment at Camp Stanley in Uijeongbu, north of Seoul. Tensions are high after North Korea made threats of war against its southern neighbour and the US (Reuters)

Pedestrians and New York's iconic yellow taxis are seen from the observatory of One World Trade Center, built at the Ground Zero site in New York City (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The Solaris Building in Singapore is treated to a unique extension by '3D Joe and Max', street artists who used chalk to produce a stunning 3D illusion (3D Joe and Max / Rex Features)

A bird's eye view shows rice paddy fields glowing gold in the sunlight in Guangxi Zhuang, China (ZUMA / Rex Features)

Residents are stumped after council workers painted the UK's shortest double yellow lines - measuring a miniscule 13in - onto their street in Cambridge. Motorists will be fined £50 to £70 if they misjudge their parking in Humberstone Road, Cambridge (Geoffrey Robinson / Rex Features)

Monks release glowing lanterns during the Loy Krathong Buddhist Festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand (Photo by Daniel Nahabedian, Chiang Mai, Thailand)

Many lightworkers do not connect with this amazing energy and it is only because his presence has not been made well known.  But that is going to change this week as he will be our Guest Speaker in the Clarion Temple of Oneness.

The Lord also known as the Logos of the Great Bear Star System is the higher aspect – the cosmic level of the Lord of Sirius and the Great White Lodge, who is the higher aspect of the Solar Logos, Helios.  This also includes the star systems under the Great Bear Constellations of Arcturus, Sirius, Pleadius, and Andromeda.  He also aligns his energies within the dimensional frequencies from the 20^th through the 36^th level which represent the Christed-Extraterrestrial Beings of Light.

  He is a majestic Being that many do not know about his essence.  He is the overlighting energy of the 21^st Ray of God, Eternity and Divine Structure “Learning to Access Spiritual Harmony of Light Within”.  This ray becomes the 21^st chakra in the 5^th dimensional chakra grid that is aligned within the Third Eye with the colors of Blue Gold.

  Working within the 21^st Ray will help in accessing and healing of All Timelines whether they are active or inactive.  This opens up the doorway for Clarity and illumination; thereby, accessing the ability to perceive all dimensions as One Source of Light.

 We will be honoring the essence of the Lord of the Great Bear Star System in the Clarion Temple of Oneness mediation on Monday, April 15^th, 2013.  This call is held via teleconference and you can sign up to be on the live call via our website,  http://walkingterrachrista.com/tele-calls/.

Lord of the Great Bear will be sharing with us the energies that will be occurring on April 22^nd, 2013 within the skies, a Meteor Shower of Love.  He has asked to be our guest for this week and we honor him with his presence.  We believe that this represents many Inter-galactic races of the Christed Universes that are gathering to show their presence amongst our skies.  This should be a very powerful meditation and we hope you will decide to join us.

Individuals may join the Clarion Temple of Oneness for the live call.  Please click the link to see the details to join on a per-call basis.

Also check out our Facebook event page, https://www.facebook.com/events/336417803146873/.

Animal heroes: The cat who killed 'Mao Tse Tung', the pigeon who saved 1,000 lives and other incredible stories

The PDSA Dickin Medal - regarded as the animals' Victoria Cross - has been awarded to just 63 animals. Here are five heart-warming tales of gallantry and devotion.

By Julian Gavaghan | Yahoo! News – Fri, Mar 15, 2013

For most of history, animals were often the forgotten heroes of war.

But, since 1943, courageous creatures, which have over the years saved the lives of thousands of men, have had their gallantry recognised with the Dickin Medal.

A Dickin Medal - only 63 have been awarded

The honour, introduced by the British veterinary charity PDSA, has also been nicknamed the animal Victoria Cross.

Since its inception it has been awarded to 63 animals - 27 dogs, 32 birds, three horses and one cat.

Now in a new book, Animal Heroes, David Long tells the incredible stories behind each medal and the amazing animals who so gallantly earned the honour.

Here are just some of the tales of courage, which could surely inspire even the hardest of human hearts…

Judy, English Pointer, Prisoner No 81A, Gloergoer camp at Medan, Indonesia 1942-1945

Date of award: May 2, 1946

1946: Judy the English pointer who became the only official canine POW of the Second World War

Navy dog Judy earned her Dickin Medal after suffering harsh Japanese treatment as the only official canine prisoner of war during World War II.

The English Pointer also helped save the crew of gunboat HMS Grasshopper by finding water after the stricken boat was marooned on an Indonesian island in 1942.

Japanese soldiers, who had conquered the country, eventually captured the men – who took Judy with them into Gloergoer PoW camp in Medan.

Brutal guards regularly beat her and threatened to kill her. But she bought her life by providing the camp commandant with puppies.

Judy helped raise morale among the men and, in particular, struck up a touching friendship with Leading Airfcraftman Frank Williams.

He smuggled her aboard a Japanese prisoner transport ship, which was torpedoed and sank en route to Singapore in 1944.

She was able to swim to safety – saving men as she did by providing debris to keep them afloat - and after a few days was reunited with Frank at another PoW camp.

When the war ended in 1945, Judy, who was born in Shanghai in 1937, was taken to Britain and a year later she was awarded the Dickin Medal.

She died from a tumour aged 13 in 1950, two years after beginning a new adventure with Frank in east Africa.

G.I. Joe, Pigeon No USA 43 SC 6390
Date of award: August 1946

GI Joe, Pigeon No USA 43 SC 6390

American Pigeon G.I. Joe helped save up to 1,000 lives during World War II by halting a planned American bombing on an Italian village held by British troops.

In October 1943, the messenger flew 20 miles across enemy lines from a British HQ to a U.S. air base in just 20 minutes to deliver a warning note after radios failed.

The blue-checked bird arrived ‘just as our planes were warming up to take off’, revealed Otto Meyer, a former commander of the U.S. Army Pigeon Service.

G.I. Joe’s note said the village of Calvi Vecchia, 25 miles north of Naples, had been abandoned by the Germans and the British 169th Infantry Brigade had occupied it.

The U.S. had originally planned to use bombs to ‘soften up’ the village, which they believed was a German stronghold, before another British regiment launched a ground offensive.

So, in the face of a breakdown in radio communication, a humble pigeon spared Allied soldiers and Calvi Vecchia’s residents from what could have been one of the worst incidents of ‘friendly fire’ during the war.

G.I. Joe, who had been born that year in Algiers, was flown to the U.S. at the end of the war.

But, in 1946, he crossed the Atlantic again so he could become one of the few foreign animals to be honoured with a Dickin Medal.

Able Seaman Simon, Stray cat, Yangtze Incident, China, April 1949
Date of award: December 1949 (posthumous)

1949: Able seaman Simon, hero of the post-war Yangtse Incident

Former stray Simon became the only cat to win the Dickin Medal after heroically continuing to catch rats despite being wounded aboard a Royal Navy ship during a 101-day siege by Chinese communists.

The intrepid feline, who sadly died in British quarantine before he could receive the honour, was praised for his courage and support during the 1949 Yangtze Incident.

Seventeen sailors were killed during the standoff after HMS Amethyst sailed up the Yangtze river from Shanghai to Nanking to protect the British embassy there during China’s civil war.

Simon suffered severe shrapnel wounds and burns after the captain’s cabin was hit by a shell, which killed Lieutenant Commander Bernard M. Skinner.

Yet somehow the scraggly black and white cat who was discovered stray in Hong Kong, fought through the pain and was able to recover from his injuries by licking his wounds.

According to the citation he received for his Amethyst campaign ribbon, Simon, who was also given the rank able seaman, rid the ship “of pestilence and vermin with unrelenting faithfulness”.

This task became particularly important because the men were strictly rationed during the long, hot months aboard.

He was best known for killing a rat the sailors nicknamed Mao Tse Tung after the Communist leader.

Simon and the rest of the crew made a daring escape as the Amethyst limped back down the river under the cover of darkness. Sadly, he died from an infection after arriving in British quarantine.

Theo, Spaniel cross, Royal Army Veterinary Corps arms and explosive search dog, Afghanistan
Date of award: October 2012

Liam Tasker, with his Military Working Dog, Theo, training in Camp Bastion.

Army sniffer dog Theo was posthumously awarded the Dickin Medal for his life-saving bravery that saw him uncover a record number of bombs and weapons.

Tragically, the 22-month-old springer spaniel cross suffered a fatal seizure hours after his handler, Lance Corporal Liam Tasker, 26, was shot dead by the Taliban in 2011.

The pair made 14 discoveries in five months on the front line and have been hailed by military chiefs for saving the lives of countless British soldiers in Afghanistan.

Theo was said to have died of a broken heart after Lance Corporal Tasker was killed taking part in a mission in the Nahr-e-Saraj district in Helmand.

Their role had been to help search and clear roads and compounds, uncover hidden weapons, improvised explosive devices and bomb-making equipment.

The soldier “used to joke that Theo was impossible to restrain but I would say the same about Lance Corporal Tasker,” revealed Major Alexander Turner, who at the time was the commanding officer No 2 Company 1st Battallion Irish Guards.

“At the most hazardous phase of an advance, he would be at the point of a spear, badgering to get even further and work his dog.’

Three horses, London Blitz

Date of award: April 1947

1947: Honouring the Metropolitan Police Mounted Branch: Olga, Regal and Upstart

Despite horses suffering huge casualties during historic conflicts – eight million died in the First World War alone – only three have been awarded the Dickins Medal.

Perhaps this is because, despite being trained to be steadfast in the face of crowds, they can be notoriously nervous, often whinnying at the slightest loud noise.

So it is all the more impressive that a trio of Metropolitian Police horses should earn their stripes during the Blitz.

Among them, Olga initally bolted 100 yards when a German V1 flying bomb destroyed four houses in Tooting, south-west London in July 1944.

But she returned with her rider PC J. E. Thwaites to the scene and helped control crowds who wanted to see the landing site of the unusual ‘Doodle Bug’.

A month later, another V1 hit the East End district of Bethnal Green.

Upstart, whose stables had already been destroyed, held fast and assisted his handler DI J. Morley with the rescue effort despite the animal being showered with debris.

Regal, the third horse, was unlucky because his stables in leafier Muswell Hill, north London, were twice burned down by incendiary bombs in April 1941 and July 1944.

But the easy-going equine ‘once again lived up to his name… and was not duly perturbed,’ according to one witness.

All three working horses received their awards together in London’s Hyde Park in April 1947.

* Animal Heroes by David Long costs £7.99 and is available from all good book stores.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/animal-heroes--the-cat--who-killed-mao-tse-tung---the-pigeon-who-saved-1-000-lives-and-other-incredible-stories-164305927.html#xhmUduc

Pictures of the week: From a hungry gorilla to North Korean border guards in high heels

'Motaba' the gorilla is bananas for, ahem, bananas, but 6-year-old Ella O'Brien and her 4-year-old sister Bridget are safe from the ape thanks to a glass partition (Newspix / Rex Features)

Lost in a sea of brilliantly colourful flowers at the appropriately named Flower Fields in Carlsbad, California (Reuters)

This otherwordly image of a waterfall in California was created by colourful glow sticks placed under water as well as long exposure photography (Sean Lenz/Kristoffer Abildgaard/Rex Features)

Unlikely friends: Cindy, an 8-week-old kitten, has found an unusual friend in Harvey, an 8-year-old golden retriever. Dogs and cats are normally enemies - think Tom & Jerry - but old hound Harvey has become protective of the young tabby at the Lost Dogs Home in Melbourne (David Caird/Newspix / Rex Features)

Like others this week Louis Maier was affected by the news of Margaret Thatcher's death. But the tattoo-enthusiast paid an unusual permanent tribute to the former Prime Minister - by tattooing her face onto his leg. His tribute to the Tory leader refers to claims she helped invent the Mr Whippy ice cream when she worked as research chemist exploring the effect of emulsifiers (SWNS)

Gun check, hat check, high heels, check - these North Korean soldiers are ready to report for duty at the border with China along the banks of Yalu River. The hermit kingdom is said to be preparing for a further missile launch further heightening tensions in the region. (Reuters)

A woman and child pass graffiti daubed on a wall on the Falls Road in west Belfast. In life as in death Margaret Thatcher polarised opinion and in parts of the country 'street parties' celebrating the former Prime Minister's death were held. Those held in Bristol and Brixton, London, ended in violence (Reuters)

An orphaned polar bear pulls a quizzical look at the camera with a teddy bear by its side. This young polar bear cub was left an orphan after its mother was shot dead by hunters. But the adorable animal has become a global sensation after it was rescued by an Alaskan zoo and built a relationship with some of its current occupants - teddy bears (SWNS)

Russian President Vladimir Putin lies on the snow while playing with his two dogs in Russia. This image is the latest in his photoshoots which put the leader in decidedly macho poses, such as riding bare-chested on a horse or swimming in a lake (Reuters)

Let there be light: This dramatic image of lightening was taken of the night sky over Patterson, Arkansas (Reuters)

Two years ago a destructive earthquake devastated the New Zealand city of Christchurch, claiming 185 lives. Now the city has found innovative ways to rebuild such as using giant shipping containers for small business start-ups (Caters)

'Marooned' by Steve Brockett shows villas surrounded by a sea of greenhouses in Spain. The picture was an entry to the Environmental Photographer of the Year Awards (Steve Brockett)

The Ways of the Archons - James Gilliland

We have spoken earlier about the archons, the regenerate ETs, astral beings, at the lowest james_gilliland1level some real dark serpent beings. As I write this article they are really pissed off hitting me with some real sickening painful energies. They were working last night in my dream state creating extreme negative scenarios with old lovers, family and friends. As I speak I am laughing at them. Before I continue with this article I have to clear them to insure the information is correct.

There, now that that is done we can continue. I hate to burst the bubble of many new agers, yet there is a war going on. It is an interdimensional war, which is acted out as above so below. The below is the gross uneven dispersal of wealth, the planned obsolescence, the enslavement through dependency, the pollution and destruction of the environment, as well as the manipulation and mind control through various mediums.

The above is the archons who feed off of the negative emotions, the pain, suffering, sadness, sorrow, etc. They have manipulated humanity through the network, which is filled with false dreams, the American Dream, desires, wants and needs including the need for acceptance and approval by social consciousness through external means. These manufactured desires are all external designed to keep everything external, trapping souls in the physical 3d reality. They focus on the first three chakras survival, sex and power, now even using those close to you to hit you in the 4th chakra to take you out of love and into confusion, pain, and suffering.

There is a story of Buddha’s awakening where the dark lord uses fear, tsunamis, hordes or demons fires, his sexy daughters, his own wrath all to pull Buddha from his center. To trap him back into the 3d reality he was transcending. This is happening on a grander scale, because the archons are loosing their battle with the 5th, 6th, and 7th dimensional beings, the very Source itself. They are pulling out all stops, using everything at their disposal to keep the awakening Gods, “YOU” trapped in be ‘lie’ ving your 3d reality is all there is to you and in this lies your security. Many are falling, going back to what they believe is security, trying to recreate the past, completely sabotaging their awakening, agreements with their higher selves, their spiritual families, and the very source itself.

In some cases those observing on high are just shaking their heads almost in disbelief at the self-sabotaging choices and actions carried out by wounded egos. These higher beings know soul evolution will not be stopped, the reactions to actions against universal law cannot be avoided and try as it might, the wounded egos will experience the lessons no matter how hard they may be to get back on track with soul evolution and spirit.

These higher beings also know it is not the destiny of Earth to neither fall into the hands of the archons nor be under the control of their network. The saviors need to trust, allow those who have chosen the path of the ego, the false security of the external to have their lessons no matter how hard they may be. It is time to practice loving detachment, set some firm boundaries and be an example by refusing to participate in the dramas of those who have chosen to act in ways that are self serving, impacting those around them, humanity and the Earth in a negative manner.

It is time to know who the dark forces are, their ways and buck up for battle. The ultimate power is love, many will fall even those closest to you yet now is the time to rise up to the new 5th dimensional energies rather than join those who have chosen the downward spiral. Know that this too shall pass, it is a process and hopefully when it all gets sorted out after some real hard lessons you just might see those who fell on the other side of this shift. It is up to those who are not seeking help, choosing not to participate in the awakening and healing process and continue with the ego driving their destiny to save themselves. We no longer have the luxury of dragging them along nor should we. It is time to step out of the archon network, know it for what it is, realize it is on the way out yet it will do everything in its power to create as much chaos, pain and suffering possible to maintain its sick little world.

Hang out with and support the real wayshowers, the ones who are empowering you to make your own personal God/Spirit/Creator connection, break the bonds of enslavement due to external means, the need for acceptance and approval outside of self, attachments to people places and things.

The old external 3d ways are coming to a close. The balance between internal and external, Christ consciousness where God knows itself to be man/woman and man/woman know themselves to be Gods is coming. It is time to flow with it, become it. In the days to come trying to hang on to the past, the old ways, the old world will become the greatest insecurity and hold the hardest lessons. It is a time for right living, right choices, right actions. Be well.

James Gilliland
www.eceti.org
www.bbsradio.com
www.worldpuja.net

Pictures of the week

Hundreds of beautiful cranes obscure the sky by a lake in northern Israel. The stunning image was taken by Liron Hamelnick, 29, at Hula Lake Park in the Middle Eastern country. The majestic birds use the lake twice a year as a brief stopover from Europe to Africa (Caters)

A line of Masai people wait to cast their vote. Millions of Kenyans voted in an election amid fears of a repeat of violence and bloodshed that shocked the African nation five years ago. Allegations of doctored votes were raised by current Prime Minister Raila Odinga but his rival Uhuru Kenyatta has retained a lead as counting draws to a close. In 2007 more than 1,200 people were killed after the result was disputed (Reuters)

This photo of a bright blue glacier was taken by Marketa Kalvachova, 32, who is dubbed the 'Ice Queen'. The photographer travels thousands of miles every year to find the unusual landscapes in the coldest corners of the globe (Caters)

How to see comet PanSTARRS over the UK this week

Sky-watchers in Europe could catch a glimpse of a visitor from very deep space this week - the comet PanSTARRS will be bright and visible until March 18.

• This photo of PanSTARRS was taken by Markus Mugrauer in Santiago de Chile on March 6th using a Canon D10

Sky-watchers in Europe could catch a glimpse of a visitor from very deep space this week - the comet PanSTARRS will be bright and visible in our skies until March 18 this week.

Binoculars are recommended to catch the comet, which will be faintly visible on evenings this week, around sunset, according to Sky and Telescope magazine.

The comet will not return in our lifetimes - its orbit around the sun is thought to take 106,000 years.

PanSTARRS is now at its closest to Earth and being lit up brightly by the light of the Sun.

It was first detected in 2011, when it was 1.2 billion miles from Earth.

The comet - a lump of ancient ice - is thought to have come from the Oort Cloud, a cloud of icy objects the edge of our solar system, almost a light year from the sun.

Skywatchers in the Southern Hemisphere captured spectacular images from Mexico, Uruguay, Chile and New Zealand last week.

Comet Pan-Starrs as seen from Mount Dale, Western Australia (AP/Nasa)"Our good views should begin around March 13th, when the crescent Moon is there to point the way," says Alan MacRobert,senior editor at Sky & Telescope magazine.

"Before then the comet was too near the horizon. It will start fading later this week, so if the sky is clear, don't miss your chance."

“The best time to look is about 30 to 45 minutes after your local sunset time. This narrow window of viewing time comes after twilight fades enough for the comet to show through at all, but before it sinks too low and sets.”

“On Wednesday March 13th, you'll see a thicker crescent Moon higher up. Watchers in Europe should look below it by about the width of your fist at arm's length. On Thursday the 14th, look two fists below the Moon and perhaps a bit to the right. After that, the comet will gradually move to the right from evening to evening as it begins to fade.”

Dr Pedro Lacerda, of Queen’s University Belfast says that UK watchers may catch a glimpse at around 6.45: “The coma at the head of the comet should be visible to the naked eye but to see the tail may require the use of binoculars. The most visible features will be its tail and bright coma.

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 12: The comet PanSTARRS, above and to the right, passes over the Stratosphere Casino Hotel …

“Those features originate in the nucleus of a comet, a solid lump of dirty ice which, heated by sunlight, sublimates and feeds the diffuse cloud of gas and dust that gives the comet its fuzzy appearance – the coma. Then, light and other particles from the sun push part of the coma away from the nucleus to form the tail which gives comets their spectacular appearance.”

“Comets are important as frozen relics of the formation of our solar system. Before plunging into the inner solar system they spend most of their lives beyond Neptune at temperatures below negative 220 C. For that reason comets retain ices of the ingredients that were present when the planets were born and that are long gone from the surfaces of the much warmer asteroids, for example.”