2008-08-02T08:13:20Z User 54 http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v54/ OrgSpace NewsLog

This is just a wee post to say we have finally gotten out of the madness and begun the process of settling into paradise and co creating a heaven on earth.

Far North Bush Lovers Paradise.

Interested in establishing an Eco village/permaculture lifestyle?? Mature and regenerating native bush, kiwi, tui and wood pigeon. Land is subject to title (Resource consent for sub division has been issued), covenants will be in place to protect the bush and wild life. Gardens and home sites will be OK (bird proofing for exotic seed containment). Off grid power and water systems are planned. Telecon broad band service appears to be available. We are planning a point to point wireless mesh network with a couple of shared pipes for the local community to share cost and have cheaper access through sharing the cost of those pipes. Project is currently in a planning/activation phase, if you are interested then contact me and we can provide more information ]]> http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v54/__show_article/_a000054-000067.htm 2008-08-02T08:13:20Z 2008-08-02T08:36:17Z

This may be of interest to any folk who have "Problem Kids" or are concerned that the life vitality and health condition that the average citizen accepts as normal is some what less than is possible. I believe that vital health and well being is every ones birth right (with the odd exception wh...

ADD/ADHD
Attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disorder, conduct disorder, etc.



Profile

In 1987, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was voted into existence by members of the American Psyychiatric Association (APA) during the compilation of its DSM-III-R mental illness register. Within one year, 500,000 children in America alone had been diagnosed with an affliction, created by a show of hands, which had no apparent corresponding physical brain disorder and no science. Many children have subsequently been prescribed dangerous, mind-altering drugs to control their behaviour. By 1997, 4.4 million citizens had been labelled ADHD.



In 1975, US federal law had provided funding and psychology-based education for ‘learning disabilities’. By 1989, 1.9 million had been diagnosed as having Learning Disorder (including Attention Deficit Disorder). At the end of 1996, 2.6 million American children had been branded ‘special needs’. Did funding play a factor in this mass diagnosis? Today, ADHD is said to account for a third to half of all child mental health referrals.



In my book The Mind Game, I expose the cynical manipulation and deceit practised by psychiatry and the truth behind what ‘mental illnesses’ actually are. They are physical problems that affect the way we think and behave, and the phenomena of ADD and ADHD are no exception. If you, or someone you know, suffers from behavioural abnormalities that have been diagnosed ADD/ADHD, before you or your family resort to the proffered drug treatments, which include mind-altering substances such as Ritalin and Prozac, often provoking mental aberrations of their own, please read the remainder of this chapter.



Symptoms

Little Billy has a problem. He doesn’t finish his homework. He is rowdy in class. He can’t sit still at mealtimes and fidgets constantly. When his parents buy him a new toy, he smashes it or wears it out. He is a beast with the furniture, tumbling around the room and getting into things with boundless energy.



But Billy’s temper tantrums have caused problems at school as well as home. He is unpopular with his peers, defiant of authority, sometimes exhibits a speech impediment and lies to get out of trouble. Billy’s parents have been warned by the principal to ‘get something done’ or Billy won’t be allowed to return to school to disrupt others. “Billy needs help,” the head intones sombrely. He gives them a telephone number to call. Drugs such as Ritalin, Halcion, Xanax, Dexedrine and Prozac are routinely prescribed.



Physiological indicators to watch for in a child labelled ADD/ADHD are those symptoms usually associated with allergy: excessive mucus, ear infections, skin rashes, facial swelling, tonsillitis, discolouration around the eyes, bloating and digestive problems, bad breath, bedwetting, eczema and asthma. These symptoms are linked to chronic dehydration and an inability of the body to manufacture prostaglandins (chemical mood modulators that affect the brain). Chronic dehydration has become routine since the advent of popular, mostly carbonated and sugared beverages aimed at the young. Bad diets resulting from an over-dependence on junk foods has also risen to the fore since the ‘70s fast-food revolution. A combination of these two paradigm shifts is more than sufficient to account for the symptoms of ADD/ADHD, resulting in an inability of children to convert essential fats into prostaglandins and neurotransmitter hormones, and lack of sufficient water to avoid the inevitable ‘drought-management’ procedures from being implemented in the body.



Why ADD/ADHD are not ‘diseases’

In millions of households across the world, parents have noticed behaviour in their children far more aberrant than expected with their particular age-group. These traits have been prescribed bogus medical epithets or disease classifications by psychiatry. But do these ‘mental diseases’ have more straightforward explanations? How likely is it that millions of children have suddenly become ‘mentally ill’?



Retired California neurologist Fred A Baughman Jr sent a letter in January 2000 to US Surgeon General David Satcher in response to Satcher’s Report on mental illness. “Having gone to medical school,” Baughman wrote, “and studied pathology — disease, then diagnosis — you and I and all physicians know that the presence of any bona fide disease, like diabetes, cancer or epilepsy, is confirmed by an objective finding — a physical or chemical abnormality. No demonstrable physical or chemical abnormality: no disease!”



“You also know, I am sure,” Baughman continued, “that there is no physical or chemical abnormality to be found in life, or at autopsy, in ‘depression, bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses.’ Why then are you telling the American people that ‘mental illnesses’ are ‘physical’ …?’”



Baughman concluded his six-page letter to Satcher by declaring that “your role in this deception and victimization is clear. Whether you are a physician so unscientific that you cannot read their [the American Psychiatric Association’s] contrived, ‘neurobiologic’ literature and see the fraud, or whether you see it and choose to be an accomplice — you should resign.”



Researchers Bunday and Colquhoun tested the theory to see whether supplementing with essential fatty acids would make any difference. They tested evening primrose oil, a rich source of gamma-linolenic acid (omega 3), on children who had been diagnosed ADD/ADHD. The following, provided by the Hyperactive Children’s Support Group, is typical of such anecdotal reports:



“Stephen, aged 6, had a history of hyperactivity, with severely disturbed sleep and disruptive behaviour at home and at school. Threatened with expulsion from the school because of his impossible behaviour, his parents were given two weeks to improve matters. They contacted the Hyperactive Children’s Support Group, and evening primrose oil was suggested. A dose of 1.5g was rubbed into the skin morning and evening. The school was unaware of this, but after five days the teacher telephoned the mother to say that never in 30 years of teaching had she seen such a dramatic change in a child’s behaviour. After three weeks, the evening primrose oil was stopped, and one week later the school complained. The oil was then introduced to good effect.”[1]



Scientists at Purdue University in the US have found that children exhibiting hyperactivity have altered fatty acid metabolism and lowered levels of these essential nutrients in their blood, compared to controls. One fatty acid, DHA, has shown to be low in children marked with low mental performance. Fish oils are rich in DHA. Other evidence however demonstrates that genuine hyperactivity and attention deficit may not be caused by poor nutrition alone. Two other elements play large in causation – that of chemical toxins and food allergies.



Homing in on the problem

– Hydration

Water expert F Batmanghelidj MD indicts modern medicine for its failure to understand the causes and effects of chronic long-term dehydration in the young and associated (organic) salt deficiency. Dehydration is known to produce the histamine inflammatory system, resulting in the ‘body’s many cries for water’ – asthma, allergies, depression, hyperactivity and bedwetting. Children raised on junk diets and sodas can expect to suffer serious physical and neurological problems which often abate once diet and hydration needs are addressed. Children are particularly prone to dehydration, Dr Batmanghelidj contends, since their growing bodies are producing billions of new cells which require 75% of their volume to be filled with water (not sodas!).[2]



Homing in on the problem

– Diet

Essential fats can only be converted into prostaglandins by two enzymes, which themselves are dependent upon the presence of vitamins B3 (niacin), B6, biotin, zinc and magnesium. Dr Abram Hoffer explored the possibility of a link between B3 and B6 deficiencies and ADD. Hoffer gave 3 g of vitamin C and over 1.5 g of B3 (niacinamide) to 33 children. Only one failed to respond favourably. Children with low levels of the essential neurotransmitter hormone serotonin have been helped with B3 and B6 supplementation. Zinc and magnesium deficiencies are well known to cause immune system problems, coupled with excessive fidgeting, anxiety, loss of co-ordination and learning difficulties in the presence of a normal intelligence. The magnesium, zinc, copper, iron and calcium levels of plasma, erythrocytes, urine and hair in 50 children aged 4 to 13 years with hyperactivity were examined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The average concentration of all trace elements was lower when compared with the control group.[3]



Homing in on the problem

– Chemical toxins

Certain chemicals, now extremely common in our environment, can act as ‘anti-nutrients’ – that is, they bleed away or bind essential nutrients in the body. Lead produces symptoms of aggression, poor impulse control and attention span. Refined sugar and sugary foods produce a kaleidoscope of problems with poisoning and hyperactivity. Excess copper and aluminium cause hyperactivity and have been found in significant amounts in children with behavioural disorders. “Copper and lead deplete zinc levels and may contribute to deficiency,” Dr Pfeiffer remarks.[4] Monsanto’s infamous artificial sweetener aspartame is another major causative factor (contained in products such as chewing gums and foods and drinks sweetened with Nutrasweet, Equal and Canderel (see Aspartame Disease).



As mentioned, perhaps one of the most dangerous pastimes a child can indulge in is the consumption of soda beverages. These contain high levels of phosphoric acid and up to seven teaspoon equivalents of refined sugar in one aluminium can. Children drinking 6-8 sodas a day may be ingesting over 50 teaspoons of sugar just from the soda drinks alone. In addition, there are the excess sugars found in their processed foods and candies to consider.



Homing in on the problem

– Allergies

Perhaps the leading cause of ADD/ADHD worthy of investigation is in the realm of food toxins and allergies. Dr Neil Ward is a scientist who has been at the forefront of additive research. A press release from his university in Guildford, UK, reports:



Children’s disruptive behaviour can be linked to food choice. Hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder… and antisocial or aggressive behaviour in children can be traced back to what they eat. According to Dr Neil Ward, from the University of Surrey’s Chemistry department, some children can react to the additives, preservatives and colourants in food products, causing certain behavioural problems. “Parents should identify the products which cause the reaction and eliminate them from the child’s diet,” he said.



Dr Ward monitored groups of children in schools. He aimed to find out whether behavioural disturbance linked to chemicals appeared in isolated groups or if all children were at risk. He found that certain colourants could lead to an adverse reaction within 30 minutes of consumption. He identified toxic metals like lead and aluminium and food colourants as the main culprits. Reactions to these chemicals included behavioural or body reactions like rash or physical impairments.



The soda additive tartrazine is a known problem. Dr Ward discovered that adding tartrazine to drinks increased the precipitation of zinc in the urine. Ward speculated that tartrazine was binding to zinc, rendering it unavailable to the body, which then excreted it. Ward found behavioural changes in every child who consumed the drink containing tartrazine. Four out of ten children in the study had severe reactions, three developing eczema or asthma within 45 minutes of ingestion. Ward concludes in the above press release:



“Children in primary schools are under a lot of peer pressure to consume certain products, and they tend to favour products containing a lot of sugar. The problem is that these products often also contain some ‘nasty’ chemicals. Consumers often don’t understand the information on food labels. They were a bit more conscious of labels when concerns about e-numbers were first raised, but since organic food hit the shelves, people seem to think everything is safe now. It is very important that not only children but in many cases their parents should be encouraged to learn more about the foods they choose to consume, how they are stored, prepared and cooked in terms of providing optimum nutritional value to their diet.”[5]



Homing in on the problem –

Fungi, yeast and parasites

High-sugar diets also have another downfall for the child. They feed opportunistic fungi and yeasts within their body, resulting in a release of potentially hazardous mycotoxins into the child’s bloodstream. Reactions may range for the annoying rashes and skin blemishes through to serious side-effects and illnesses. These problems may be cleared up with, once again, a consistent and permanent change in diet, along with simple herbal treatments (see Candidiasis).



Other somatic indicators

Gluten allergies to wheat, barley, rye and oat products are very common and lead to bloating and an auto-immune reaction known as coeliac disease (see Inflammatory Bowel Disease). Studies show that 1 in 33 of us may be susceptible. Others indicate that the incidence of gluten/gliaden intolerance may be as high as 1 in 10.[6] The unmanageable, sticky gluten protein can disrupt the lining of the intestinal wall, destroying villi which absorb nutrients, and allow the permeation of food particles and toxins through the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream. Resultant immune system reactions to this range from self-poisoning conditions, such as chronic fatigue syndrome and leaky gut syndrome through to the symptoms listed earlier.



In 1975, Dr Ben Feingold reported successful treatment of ADD by removing chemical additives, dyes from the diet, as well as foods containing salicylates, coffee, tea, as well as some fruits, nuts and berries. Sensitivity, even to some natural foods, is believed to be the result of auto-immune reactions to known chemical antagonists found in processed problem foods, such as junk foods, pizzas, sweets, candy, sodas and their ‘diet’ equivalents. Dr Schoenthaler found an empirical connection between sugar/junk food intake and anti-social and criminal behaviour.[7] Other problem foods connected with ADD/ADHD may involve eggs, chocolate, rape oil (canola) and unfermented soy food derivatives (soya ‘milk’ and meat substitute foods).[8]



Nutritional versus drug approach

The optimal approach to helping a child, or indeed any adult, with hyperactivity problems involves a strategy which tackles all the above factors. But first, let’s see whether true hyperactivity exists by asking some interesting questions:



1) Is the child really hyperactive, or is this a simple case of ‘a kid just being a kid’?

2) Was the ‘hyperactivity’ label put on your child by a teacher who simply cannot keep control of their classroom, and so the children took advantage of the uncontrolled environment?

3) Is the school your child attends part of a grant system where it can earn money from the government for every child given a ‘mental illness’ label?

4) Do YOU, as a parent, think there is anything wrong with your child?



To me, the parent is sovereign over their children in spite of the steadily encroaching nanny state, and yet many mothers, who unwittingly assume the role of the family nutritionist, tacitly allow their children to wander aimlessly through a nutrient-deficient and chemical minefield with the diets they consume today. Many parents also, cramming white bread, biscuits, doughnuts, hot dogs and pizza down the throats of their co-operative brood, still believe the old adage that if the kids are ‘full’, they have eaten well. As this book demonstrates, bad food always has consequences.



One of the first measures recommended by specialists like Dr Pfeiffer and nutrition expert Patrick Holford, founder of London’s Institute of Optimum Nutrition (ION), is to have a problem child undergo a full medical examination. Pinpointing problem foods and chemicals in the early stages precludes the need for a trial and error approach with diet. Removal of potentially harmful foodstuffs from the diet for a period of time (60 days) will highlight whether these food(s) are the ‘trigger’ for any food sensitivity problems.



ADD/ADHD – the nutritional approach

There are a number of well-designed studies showing the efficacy of nutritional supplementation for learning and hyperactive disabilities. There is also abundant evidence for the addictive and psychological damage drugs prescribed to children can do, with little appreciable upside, save that of altering the child’s behaviour, or, in the case of Prozac, drugging the patient so they cannot remember what they were worried about in the first place. Yet the American Academy of Pediatrics overwhelming endorses the use of these drugs as first resort for ADD/ADHD conditions.[9] There is not one mention of nutrition in the American Academy of Pediatrics position paper on ADHD.[10] In 1995, the AAP did produce a video on nutrition however. It was funded by the Sugar Association and the Meat Board.[11]



The title of a fact sheet promoted by the American Dietetic Association, focussing on ADHD, is “Questions Most Frequently Asked About Hyperactivity”. The fact sheet asks two questions: “Is there a dietary relationship to hyperactivity?” and “Should I restrict certain foods from my child’s diet?” These were answered with the same word – “No.” [12] The source quoted for the fact sheet is The Sugar Association (again), which also produced its own consumer guidelines, including the laughably asinine statement: “Sugar has a mildly quieting effect on some children.” [13] [14]



Researcher Egger showed that 79% of hyperactive children improved when artificial colourings, flavourings and sugar were eliminated from their diet. In fact 48 different foods were found to be allergy-positive, producing medical symptoms among the children tested. For example, 64% reacted to cow’s milk, 59% to chocolate, 49% to wheat and gluten-bearing products, 45% to oranges, 39% to eggs, 32% to peanuts and 16% to sugar.[15] Researcher Schoenthaler’s immense work in this area indicated that 47% of his juvenile delinquent subjects noticeably improved their problem behaviour (theft, insubordination, violence, hyperactivity, suicide attempts, etc.) when artificial colourings, flavourings and sugar were eliminated from their diet.[16] (see Criminal Violence)



Take action ©

Dr Carl Pfeiffer and Patrick Holford recommend the following dietary changes for those diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. In addition, I have added further protocols that will benefit the child immensely. This routine is also great for teenagers and adults experiencing behavioural problems. Please note that a qualified health practitioner should supervise each individual case to ensure protocols and safety measures are observed. Patients MUST NEVER discontinue any psychiatric medications unsupervised:



· DIET: COMMENCE THE FOOD FOR THOUGHT LIFESTYLE REGIMEN

· HYDRATION: The child should commence drinking half their body weight in ounces of water a day. e.g. a 100 lb child should be consuming 50 0z of water a day (approx 6 x 8 oz glasses). Half a teaspoon of organic Himalayan salt should be consumed per 10 glasses of water.

· DIET: Eliminate chemical additives

· DIET: Discontinue junk foods, especially sodas and other chemically-laden, high-street food attractions

· DIET: Avoid sugar, refined flour and polished (white) rice

· DIET: Avoid pork, aspartame, saccharin, synthetic/fake fats, sweets/candy and fluoridated water

· DIET: Eat good quality fish, rich in oils

· DIET: Ensure that 70% of the diet comprises high-water-content, high fibre, living, whole organic foods

· DIET: Drink 3-4 pints of clean, non-chlorinated, non-fluoridated water a day

· DETOXIFICATION: Test for and detoxify toxic elements

· RESTORE NUTRIENT BALANCE: COMMENCE THE BASIC SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM, ensuring:

· Flax seed oil, 1 tbsp per day

· B-complex (inc. B1, B3, B5, B6), calcium, magnesium, zinc and other key nutrients

· PREVENTION: ENSURE ADEQUATE EXERCISE to burn off excess energy

· PREVENTION: Avoid foods that may contribute to allergies. These are typically wheat, dairy, sugar, eggs, oranges and chocolate

· PREVENTION: Examine and evaluate high lead levels in the child’s environment, together with any other chemical factors which may be relevant

· PREVENTION: Watch for somatic, allergic reactions in the child, including bloating or irregular bowel movements, excessive mucus, ear infections, skin rashes, facial swelling, tonsillitis, discolouration around the eyes, bloating and digestive problems, bad breath, bedwetting, eczema and asthma

· TIP: Apply a firm but loving discipline to the child

· TIP: Ensure that the child is co-operative with dietary changes. Sometimes this is not easy. Ensure consistency in applying dietary amendments. Discontinuing psychiatric drugs may be considered by a qualified health practitioner familiar with an orthomolecular (nutritional) approach to these conditions. Discontinuing psychiatric medication must never be undertaken without professional supervision.

here is a where you can arrange to get Phillips informative newsletter in your in box]]> http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v54/__show_article/_a000054-000066.htm 2008-05-03T02:16:27Z 2008-05-03T02:16:27Z

Blessed Be the Mother Ship; (this one for Vaxen!! Keep lighting fires brother.) I find the changes are now well in focus and it is impossible to deny the Divine impulsing through the One and the Many. Truly exciting times as we consciously awaken (feel the paradox and allow the humor to shak...

Let us give you an overview of the current planetary situation as we view it.

The magnetic field of earth is involved in a perturbation or morphing. This is taking place interdimensionally, and the net effect is incremental surges in amplitude or strength of the magnetic field. This morphing of earth’s magnetic field is like a wave that rises and falls very quickly, and the oscillations are minute, but distinct. This is having a very strange effect upon human consciousness, specifically your biological experience. Many people are experiencing an increase of exhaustion and weariness. (As we have mentioned in previous communications, these symptoms are also caused by movements of energies from deep space as they pass through your galaxy and your solar system.)

But this (perturbation) is of a different category. This is caused by the magnetic field itself, which is responding to the deep energies from space. It is a response of the molten core of your earth itself; and the magnetic field is having a conversation with the cosmos, if you wish to think of it in this metaphorical way. Now, your science does not view things in this manner, but from our perspective the magnetic field is having a conversation with these cosmic visitors, the energies from deep space, which are, by nature, catalysts for spiritual evolution.

Another set of symptoms directly related to the perturbations of your magnetic field are distinct changes in how you hold short term memory—because memory is a function of the magnetics of your own nervous system and that of earth. Your brain processes information through the minute gravitational and non-gravitational fields of it’s own structure and it is affected directly by fluctuations in the earth’s magnetic field. And so you can expect an increase in short term memory anomalies. You may find yourself speaking a sentence and suddenly the words do not come to you or you mix up the words from their normal syntax. While in some cases this is the sign of a brain disorder, you will find this happening within the general populace at an increasing rate. Escalations in collective short-term memory glitches will lead humanity to a most novel situation. This situation is an opportunity or a curse, depending on how you work with it.

The opportunity is to see through the mental matrix of your own creation. What we mean by this is when your mind is unable to continue its story line in the ways it is used to, you have an opportunity to glimpse the realities behind the curtain (of perception). You are the ones who have created the curtain, and you have done this to keep yourselves separated from things you do not wish to see or experience directly, or in some cases what others do not wish you to see or experience directly. We refer here to the unseen manipulators of your collective reality—those who hold the economic and political reins of power.

We have said before that there are forces on your planet that actively resist the impulse for spiritual evolution. They are invested in continuing their lies through the misappropriation of information in order to control you. Their job is getting more difficult.

Their job is getting more difficult because the perturbation of the magnetic field creates gaps in the creation of mental realities projected by the human mind. They—meaning those who wish to control and manipulate you—have vast resources at their command, and they are employing every one of them. But they cannot control the magnetic field of the earth! And for this, you should give thanks.

The impulse that is affecting the magnetic field of the earth comes from far beyond their locus of influence. It is our expectation, based upon our understanding of hyper-dimensional physics, that the perturbations of your magnetic field are going to increase over the next several years. Those of you who are sensitive energetically are the ones feeling this most intensely at the present moment, but we suspect that in the next two to three years most people will be affected by this in a way they are consciously aware of, even if they do not know why.

We have a couple of suggestions for dealing with the situation.

Our first suggestion is the easiest. It involves understanding your connection to the core of the earth itself. As an energetic being, in addition to your flesh and blood, you can form a conscious energetic relationship with the core of the earth.

This understanding, or orientation, is that you are immersed in and surrounded by, earth’s magnetic field. By going into mental resonance with the core of the earth (the generator of earth’s magnetic field), you become energetically stabilized. The earth, as a conscious being, can reveal herself to you in ways that are difficult to describe because your culture does not have a language for this. And you have been manipulated and controlled to insure that you do not have an awareness of this, for it could be one of your greatest strengths.

By entering into resonance with the core of the earth you become more conscious of the earth as a living conscious being. Through this link, you receive a type of energetic-solidity—even in the midst of earth’s increasing chaos.

The odd thing about it, however, is that when you bring yourself to your senses, so to speak, you are less controllable, less “manipulatable” by those forces that control the thought stream of humanity through mis-information, manipulation and mind-control.

In other words, forming a direct conscious relationship with the earth’s core bypasses many of the affects of what we call life-negative technologies.

If you wish to do something in addition to entering into mental resonance with the core of the earth, we suggest using your pranic tube, a subtle energetic channel that runs from above your head, through the center of your body, and into the earth. This tube, this channel, can be extended deep into the earth, down into the very core itself, and also above the head deep into space. In this method you are not dealing with extending the channel beyond the top of the head. Instead, you only extend the channel into the core of the earth.

But the essential thing is not so much the sending of this channel into the earth. The essential thing is to understand that you are in resonance with the core of the earth simply by knowing it. This will impart a sense of stability even in the midst of increasing chaos. It will awaken your senses. It will bring you into greater conscious relationship to earth. And, we must caution you that it will also de-hypnotize you—make you less controllable. And you will see through the lies around you more clearly!

The second suggestion involves developing a conscious relationship to the core of the galaxy.

Essentially, understand that you can be in resonance with the core of the Milky Way Galaxy, which is a black hole, and that in similar ways to being in resonance with the core of the earth, you can become stabilized in relationship to the galaxy.

If you are capable of this, simply hearing this described to you will activate the knowingness of how to do it. It is not a complex affair. It is quite simple, but requires the understanding that a part of you is not limited by the time and space coordinates of your physical body.

It requires an understanding that consciousness can extend instantaneously, anywhere in time and space, and by extending your consciousness to the galactic core, you are stabilized in relationship to the galaxy.

The ideal is to be in relationship to earth’s core and the core of the galaxy simultaneously.

Then you will be able to ride the waves of energy from deep space with a greater degree of mastery.

But, again, we caution you that this will make you less controllable, harder to hypnotize, and then you may have the very odd experience of waking up while many around you are still asleep. What you do with this awareness is, of course, your choice and your response-ability.

The Hathors March 24, 2008 ]]> http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v54/__show_article/_a000054-000065.htm 2008-05-02T10:10:51Z 2008-05-02T10:14:46Z

At this time I sense the need to lift our vibration out of the duality of "us and them" and to focus upon the you and me sensing our ONENESS (as life conscious) within the embrace of a divine and loving creator God/Goddess/All that is. For the DIVINE is ALL loving and ALL Allowing (this is the e...

In our current Galactic Underworld we are now at a time corresponding to 1905-1906 in the Planetary, and it seems obvious that the relatively calm time for integration is over. Instead, in the past few weeks we have witnessed things that very likely herald the tumultuous era that will follow as the breakthrough energy sets in with the Fifth day. I feel I have been very accurate in forecasting this basic rhythm of the evolution of the current year and you may take note that this would not have been possible without using a correct end date, October 28, 2011. I would like to add here that the Mayan calendar does not say that in a certain time period this or that will happen in concrete terms. What we have in order to help us predict the future are Underworlds – predetermined sequences of energies that play out according to exact schedules. However, the predictions are conditioned by the intuition and background of the person who makes them. Thus, I recommend that you evaluate the reliability of predictions said to be based on the Mayan calendar by seeing how accurate the person making them has been in the past. Those who claim that the Mayan calendar ends December 21, 2012, however usually do not even put themselves to the test. What prophetic value does the Mayan calendar then have?


As signs of the intensification of the course of events the past week or so we have thus seen a tsunami, a report of a record number of killings in Iraq, a resurgence of Taliban fighting, missile tests in North Korea, bombings in Mumbai, a record oil price and a G-8 meeting in St Petersburg pointing to the return of Russia as a major power. Above all, however, Israel has attacked Lebanon, to destroy bases of the Hizbollah, a Muslim group supported by Syria and especially Iran. As I have said in my books the Galactic Underworld is the Apocalypse and there is little reason to expect its course of events to be smooth or unproblematic. It is virtually impossible to imagine a step-by-step process from the present world to oneness.


Israel

As we approach the Fifth day of the Galactic Underworld it then obviously becomes very important to understand the role of Israel. Why, we may wonder, does this country play such a significant role to some of the world religions? Why do the Jews see themselves as a people chosen by God and why do also Christians say that things begin and end with Israel? Why is the Muslim negativity towards Israel so strong and why is Israel so adverse to compromises?


I think a big part of the explanation to this special role of Israel is that many very significant things in human evolution actually did have their origin there. Southwest Asia, including what is today Israel, was where the highest number of domesticable plants and animals existed that allowed humans early on to make the transition to agriculture and a settled life already about 10,000 years ago. Hence, people in this area had a tremendous head start in their cultural development and so it was for instance here that the alphabet was invented as a result of the pulse favoring the left brain in the Third day of the National Underworld. The alphabet, which is the first truly effective form of writing used by humans, was invented by the Jews and the Torah, their holy scripture, is the first book written by means of this, expressing the first monotheist creed of the planet. An enormous emphasis was placed on the written Word that was perceived as an exclusive message from God that was unchangeable. Writing and the concomitant monotheist creed brought about a significant shift in mentality and, since this was not immediately shared by the neighbors, a perception was created by the Jews that they were a people chosen by God.


When the Fifth day of the National Underworld began the Christian religion then had its origin in Israel. The majority of the Jews were however not attracted to this new religion, and following the destruction of the Temple in AD 70 they were dispersed from their country essentially in the Western direction. From the perspective of the Mayan calendar one might speculate that this latter historical event was actually propelled by the marked left brain abstract thinking of the Jews to which the West was more conducive. Regardless, their contributions to Western culture, and economic clout, have been disproportionately high, presumably because of the mentioned head start they had had into abstract left brain thinking.


Also the Quran, consecrated at the midpoint of the Fifth night in AD 632, traces an origin to Abraham and talks extensively about the Jews, whose prophets Moses and Jesus, it acknowledges as such. Yet, similarly to how the Christian church has considered the New Testament as more important than the Old, the Muslims regard the Quran as an all-encompassing supreme message from God.


Following a two thousand year Diaspora the state of Israel was then declared in 1948 thus fulfilling an age-old prophecy of the Jews. This was based on the United Nations partition plan for the British mandate of Palestine made in 1947 as the Fourth Day of the Planetary Underworld began. In a broad sense the beginning of this Fourth Day was what set the stage for the Galactic Underworld that we are in now and, ever since then, the area has been an area of contention with the neighboring Muslims.


End-time scenarios

Hence, while Jews have been praying three times a day for two thousand years for the restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem, the time has not yet been considered as ready for this. The main reason is that the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is occupied by the Muslim al-Aksa Mosque and this religion is guided by quite different prophecies, and another written Word, the Quran. The Jews fear that if a Temple would be built there it would create a Jihad from the entire Muslim world. To Muslims, who see the Quran as the last message from God and envision that the whole world will eventually be Muslim, it is instead a dictum that all land held by Islam should be kept and that land lost to it should be recovered. Hence, the prophecies of the two religions are in direct conflict.


Fundamentalist Christians, especially in the United States, are not indifferent to this conflict and in fact see the scenario playing out as verifying their own prophecies, which is part of the reason for the strong US backing of Israel. These groups expect the Jews to rebuild the temple following which there will be great tribulations that will lead the Jews to accept Jesus as the Messiah. The Muslims on their part expect the appearance of the twelfth imam, Mahdi, as a savior, as well as the return of Jesus, who will then lead the Christians to submit to Islam.


It would take a specialist to describe the various prophecies of Jews, Muslims and Christians and their different interpretations in detail. However, they all seem to include an end time scenario with a final battle (Armaggedon is the town of Megiddo in northern Israel, not very far from either Lebanon or Syria), an Antichrist (who in the Muslim variety is called Dajjal) and a Messiah (or returning Christ), who will rule for different time periods and set their marks on them. In the Christian Revelation this ends with the New Jerusalem, where there is no pain and no sorrow and the past will no longer be. Although the Mayan prophecies obviously do not describe a specific scenario for this part of the world, the Mayan calendar is based on energies such as that of Quetzalcoatl (god of light in the Fifth day) and Tezcatlipoca (god of darkness in Fifth night), which would be favorable to exactly such forces that the Abrahamitic religions prophesize about. In fact, in the time ahead the calendrical energies of the Galactic Underworld probably provide our best guide to know who will represent the future of oneness and who will not.


Based on the ruling energies of time –and parallels to lower Underworlds– we may then expect a scenario somewhat like the following: In the first half of the Fifth day (November 24, 2006 – May 22, 2007) there will be intensified conflicts between the monotheist religions, and especially between Judaism and Islam, where both will seek to have their own prophecies fulfilled. At the same time a minor flow towards oneness will emerge, a flow of people that is the most direct expression of the breakthrough energy and seek to transcend the conflicts between scriptures. Towards the end of this first half the parties in the conflict will however get stuck (possibly as a result of disaster) and a messianic energy that does not belong to any of the existing religions will have a chance to be expressed in the second half of day 5, May 22– November 19, 2007. This will have global repercussions, but will be followed during the Fifth night, November 19, 2007 –November 12, 2008 by the energy of Tezcatlipoca, the lord of darkness. Especially the first half of this rule may well correspond to what in Revelation language is called the Beast or Antichrist and will mean a return to the materialism of the Planetary Underworld, maybe based on the development of a new monetary system and electronic control on a world wide scale. In the second half of this night (beginning May 17, 2008) we will probably see a loosening of the grip of this reaction, which leads into a wave movement that from our current perspective may best be described as a chaos of divinely guided anarchy lasting for three and a half tun, 1260 days. This time period is also mentioned in the Bible that recognizes the Mayan tun period of 360 days as a prophetic year.


Going back to the present what I feel we have reasons to expect as the energy of the Fifth day enters in November of this year is then that followers of each of these religions will be propelled to see their own prophecies fulfilled and actively strive for this. After all, we are living in the Apocalypse and as this pulse begins all the religious people in the area will be affected and most will act according to what their scriptures seem to be telling them to do. In the changing tides of this wave movement the three Abrahamitic religions will identify different persons and forces as messianic or diabolic depending on their own particular prophetic traditions. While this may not be much discussed in the media with its focus on superficial events it nevertheless provides an undercurrent that plays a decisive role for the course of events in the Middle East. Thus, I do not look upon the current fighting between Israel and Hizbollah as a temporary skirmish, but rather as a prelude to a larger drama during the Fifth day that will include also some more powerful Muslim countries.


« Religionism »

While much of the world would like to see a two-state solution in Israel/Palestine the implementation of this has repeatedly been thwarted, essentially as it leaves the religious prophecies of both parties unfulfilled. In reality, such a two-state solution would be implemented as a form of religiously based apartheid and this points to a strange inconsistency in how the world community thinks. While it rightly condemns theories of racial superiority it seems to have accepted that the two religions primarily involved in the area base their political agendas on their respective claims to religious supremacy. I am not advocating the abolishment of the religions as such any more than the abolishment of the races. Nor am I saying that religions have no value, but why does the world community accept claims by any of them that their teaching would make them superior to adherents of other religions. Why do we consider as holy such scriptures that promote ideals of their own supremacy? Why is it that so many people accept as legitimate the thoughts of religious superiority present in the Torah, the Bible and the Quran that are mostly fully explicit? We do not even have a word for ideologies based on religious superiority that would be an appropriate parallel to the word « racism » and so fail to grasp the reality of this phenomenon. While today the term terrorism is widely used it is not the root cause of the problem, since the terrorist activities are not ends in themselves, but means of asserting religious supremacy. What we need is a term such as « religionism », as a parallel to racism, that applies to any religion that seeks to assert its own supremacy. The world has come a long way in dispelling ideologies of racial superiority, but has hardly begun to dispel those of religious superiority. Hence, administrative decisions as to how to carve up the land between Israel and Palestine will never generate a true and heartfelt peace as long as the « religionism » of the parties involved is not transcended.


The majority of humanity is still basing its relationship to the divine on books, seen as holy scriptures, rather than on a direct experience of the divine presence. For the followers of such books the need to see their prophecies be fulfilled takes on an added importance as giving proof of the existence of God and the preeminence of one’s own religion. Holy scriptures were created in the National Underworld as human beings became partially separated from the direct experience of the divine and in a sense they have also served as a replacement for this experience, and this is the root of « religionism ».


Thus, people will react to the breakthrough pulse of the Fifth day depending on where they are coming from and what religious context they form part of. It is realistic to expect that many unresolved conflicts of the world will come to surface then and this is especially true for those areas of the planet, which have the longest history of dualist left brain dominance such as the Middle East. It should be pointed out here that Islam, even though it has spread predominantly in the Eastern hemisphere, is as much of a dualist left brain religion as the Jewish. Its strong left brain character is obvious in that, like Judaism, it bans pictures and sculptures from the Mosques as being idolatry. Both religions in other words try to curb the use of the right brain half that sees images or visions, expresses the feminine and uses intuition. The contact with the divine should in the fundamentalist varieties of these religions not be based on experience, but exclusively on the written Word of their scriptures. It is exactly this dualist relationship to God that fosters attitudes of religious supremacy. Thus, the right brain pulse of the Fifth day of the Galactic Underworld may come to shake the balance of both these left-brain religions and very possibly many will react defensively.


On a global scale, this pulse will however weaken the power of the West and hence of Israel. If we add to this that the days are the periods that seem to be hit the hardest by natural catastrophes and that the US dollar likely will dramatically fall as the Fifth day begins, then we have every reason to expect that its upcoming energy will create fundamentally altered relationships in the world. It is entirely possible that, like the Fifth day of the Planetary Underworld (that brought World War I), the Fifth day of the Galactic will bring a catastrophe to the Middle East and that only as people recognize the dimensions of this will an opening to a path towards oneness be created.


Energy that unifies the light

What the Mayan calendar tells us is however that the cosmic plan is not for the world to come to an end. Besides, even if its energies will favor certain general trends and alterations of relationships, human beings have a choice as to how to respond to these, which may influence the course of events for the better or for the worse. In fact, even if we have reasons to believe that the majority in the Middle East engages in a battle along the old front lines defined by the dualist religions, there will also emerge expressions of the unification of the left and right brain mentalities that would be truly messianic as it provides a path towards oneness. The reason we may expect this is that the Galactic Underworld favors the right brain half and this change in the global field helps to make the minds of people whole. Although, such a spiritual wholeness, unfettered by scriptures of supremacy, may already exist in a minority in the region it will also grow throughout the time period ruled by the energy of Quetzalcoatl and become especially visible in its second half. It will not be favoring any of the existing patriarchal religions in the area, but will be one that seeks to transcend the influence of scriptures that call for supremacy. It will be a movement that see all human beings as equal in the eyes of God and recognizes that the separation between them is generated by the religions created by the human beings. It is an expression of people who realize that to God all of humanity is His /Her children and does not favor any particular religion over the others.


The New Jerusalem

I believe that the beginning of a true peace process must start exactly with such a realization. No administrative measures that any party would grudgingly accept would lead to a real peace. The only way true and heartfelt peace could come about in this area is if groups of people there and elsewhere truly give up all claims to religious superiority or callings to subordinate those of other religions. It is possible that such an insight will come only as a reaction to a disastrous war, but it will come. Of course, if the Muslims invited the Jews to share the Temple Mount to build a temple there and share it also with a Christians church then this would be peace. If the Jews truly invited the Palestinians to share the area that they now control, and even gave up the claim to a separate Jewish state, then there would be peace. I feel in the eyes of God the religion that He/She would love the most is the one that gives up its claim to exclusivity, since this would pave the way for peace also everywhere. The truly spiritual people in the area are the ones that will seek to transcend the limitations of the scriptures, Torah, Bible and Quran, which to a large extent have been used to legitimize superiority. The truly spiritual people in the area are the ones that realize that in the Galactic Underworld national and religious borders are of the past and must be transcended. Maybe the real calling of Israel, and the reason that a conflict has arisen there again involving some of the world’s largest religions, is that the balancing of the left brain dominance must begin exactly where it first emerged. Maybe God’s calling for Israel/Palestine is that it should be a land where all religions belong, and the place where these, under the influence of the consciousness field of the Galactic Underworld were able to transcend their differences. Only such a multireligious presence in the area would pave the way to a New Jerusalem. In fact, when it is heartfelt it would be the New Jerusalem. This would be to join the alpha and the omega and would mean the return to Eden on a new and higher level.


Obviously, some would say that this perspective is utterly naive, but then again has anyone ever really been attempted to put it into practice? Billions of people have prayed for the victory of their own religion in Israel, but how many have prayed or wished that no religion should be victorious and in fact that the ancient scriptures should be transcended? So I think people everywhere should start by asking themselves if they really would like to see a transformation of Israel/Palestine into a multireligious country or not. Undoubtedly the biggest challenge is for those who live in the area, but since the current situation is threatening the peace of the rest of the world also people in other areas have a right to work towards solving the conflict. Since more than half of the population on Earth belong to the Abrahamitic religions or at least their contexts many people also outside of the area have a direct opportunity to participate in the creation of a deeper peace. We have the right to have our own visions regardless of if they fit into the supremacy schemes of these religions. Hence, while Jerusalem may be a focus of conflict it also poses an opportunity because in as much as the rest of the world can contribute to peace here it can contribute to a lasting peace everywhere.


The task may seem monumental, but so did once the task of combating racism. I should also say that I think it may be too general to simply pray for peace. We need to be more specific and pray for concrete expressions of tearing down the walls between the scripture based religions. A possible thing is to pray for a Mosque, a Church and a Temple to share the Temple Mount. A possible thing is to pray that no religion in the area will come out as victorious against the others. In many, the reaction to this very thought will reveal a dualist mentality in ourselves and so it becomes obvious that we are ourselves part of the problem that has created the conflict in the Middle East. Hence follows the importance of developing spiritual practices and tools, such as dikshas and meditations, that help ourselves to be part of the evolution towards oneness that the global creation field of the Galactic Underworld increasingly will favor. Since more than half the population of the planet have a background in the Abrahamitic religions any enlightening experiences may be very significant for preparing the messianic path to oneness.


Hence, individual transformation towards oneness is part of creating peace in the external world and no one needs to be a bystander. In fact, the most dangerous enemy may be the defeatism in ourselves. The breakthrough celebration will continue throughout the Ahau days of the Mayan calendar with different events and may be a very significant resource for those who want to develop a path to peace. useful link and another resource.


Carl Johan Calleman

Orsa, Sweden

5 Imix, 7. 11.1 of the Galactic Underworld

(July 27, 2006)



Carl Johan Calleman is the author of The Mayan Calendar (Garev, 2001) and The Mayan Calendar and the Transformation of Consciousness (Bear and Co, 2004). His web page address is www.calleman.com.
]]> http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v54/__show_article/_a000054-000064.htm 2006-08-03T08:33:09Z 2006-08-03T08:33:09Z

In A-cor-dance with our current understanding of the Mayan Calendar. For the next year energy supportive of a deeper understanding/knowing of the unity within the creation will be more powerfully pulsing through earth from the galactic heart. It is a time for aligning with the Heart Mastery inhere...

In A-cor-dance with our current understanding of the Mayan Calendar. For the next year energy supportive of a deeper understanding/knowing of the unity within the creation will be more powerfully pulsing through earth from the galactic heart. It is a time for aligning with the Heart Mastery inherent in our being human.

Alana and I have prepared a small 'Talking Book' in honour of this occasion and it is available for free download on our site here]]> http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v54/__show_article/_a000054-000063.htm 2006-06-14T11:51:57Z 2006-06-14T12:05:47Z

A local 'Kiwi' company are at the leading edge of technical development of the crystal oscilators which are at the heart of most all of the technical digital tools we use. Particularly important are the products for the GPS industry here they are They have just announced a product that will cha...

High hopes for tiny invention

10.01.06
By Georgina Bond

An Auckland electronics company has developed the world's smallest global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

The company, Rakon, has made a new module - as tiny as a baby's fingernail - which can decode GPS signals in devices such as cellphones. Previously, this was done with a set of components the size of a 50c piece.

"It means manufacturers can meet market demand to miniaturise devices which may contain GPS function such as mobile phones, PDAs (personal digital assistants) or even watches, yet offer improved GPS capability," said Rakon managing director Brent Robinson.

Graham Cottew, chief executive of Melbourne-based software development company Zendata, said the device could be revolutionary.

"It is very small, and if it does what they claim it does, it's quite a breakthrough.

"In a couple of years' time all cellphones could have GPS chips embedded in them. The smaller and more sensitive and stable the device is, the more attractive for the market."

Phones with GPS can locate the user to within metres - useful for emergency services finding an injured person or for information such as directions to a nearby restaurant.

Rakon - considering listing on the stock exchange this year - is already fielding calls from GPS manufacturers keen to embed the miniature module in their own new developments.

Mr Robinson said manufacturing would start this year.

British consulting company Esys estimates the number of GPS-enabled cellphones will grow from about 300 million worldwide this year to 2 billion by 2020.

Rakon makes high-performance quartz crystals and oscillators that drive more than half of all GPS products made today.

Rakon, which has a factory in Mt Wellington, employs about 500 people, exports 95 per cent of its production, worth about $70 million a year, and plans a major expansion this year.
]]> http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v54/__show_article/_a000054-000062.htm 2006-01-10T00:51:19Z 2006-01-10T00:52:25Z

We have found a great deal of very useful information within the work of Carl Johan Calleman. His 'The Mayan Calendar and the Transformation of Consciousness' is a profound and insightful delving into the calendar which helps with the establishment of the Sacred Now and co-creation with the divine...

We have found a great deal of very useful information within the work of Carl Johan Calleman. His 'The Mayan Calendar and the Transformation of Consciousness' is a profound and insightful delving into the calendar which helps with the establishment of the Sacred Now and co-creation with the divine creator as a potent and real alternative to the present mind field which has us as victims in fear of the next explosion.
He recomends the interpretation of his work being presented currently through the wonderful work of Andi Macmillan
and Jag Stewart. In his own words "I whole heartedly recommend it for anyone who wants to be part of the process of transformation in the upcoming time and feel it may develop into a key source of information".

We have had a listen to a few of the broadcasts and it resonates as heartful truth and is worthy of passing on to all who are serious in choosing the service of awakening to our cosmic destiny as co creative player in the divine drama of humans evolution with Gaia.

Highly Recommended



]]> http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v54/__show_article/_a000054-000061.htm 2006-01-08T03:01:03Z 2006-01-08T03:41:41Z

I know that a lot of the members are highly creative and so you may be interested to learn about and perhaps to try some new software that we have discovered and are using to prepare our web books for publishing. We have the first book on our site as a give away in the Native American Traditio...

You can download a free trial copy of the software from our site and have a play; we believe that you will be impressed. It is possible to embed multimedia (video and sound) as well as live links to web based files or … there are many features > so get creative!!. from here
It is also ideal for all you artists to create book or gallery packages or photo albums.

Best of all in our view is that there is a secure system to sell and distribute the web books if you desire that. It is possible to provide a number of pages that can be accessed as a taster, from within the book a secure site is accessed to allow the purchase of the book which is then limited to that computer. The book can be e mailed from within itself and will again be secure with only the set number of pages available. It is also possible to make the publication available for a set time and then to ‘die’ securing it for a certain period only.

AND it can be setup to sit on the desk top just as a book would and when you click on a page (or button or arrow or icon) it turns just like a book would, very cool!! We are enjoying playing with it and feel that it will become a standard just like adobe has. Time will tell!!
]]> http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v54/__show_article/_a000054-000060.htm 2005-12-20T07:24:15Z 2006-06-14T11:40:52Z

It is there for all to see. Agenda clear, no matter how the tragedy is unfolding we are here to profit ourselves and our friends who support us. We may appear to turn our backs on our own BUT they will do fine behind the scenes. And be very sure that at every turn we will hesitate only as long as ...

Corruption concern as Katrina relief billions pour in

21.09.05
By Andrew Gumbel

The outpouring of billions of dollars in federal relief money to victims of Hurricane Katrina is raising concerns about the risks of corruption and cronyism.

Already, no-bid contracts have been awarded to major Republican contributors including Kellogg, Brown & Root, the subsidiary of Vice President Dick Cheney's old company Halliburton. And President George W. Bush has unilaterally acted to make it possible for contractors to pay low wages to reconstruction workers.

Among provisions releasing more than US$60 billion ($85 billion) to the disaster area meanwhile, is a rise in the limit on Government-issued credit cards from US$25,000 to US$250,000. One Republican Senator, and the Democrats, have denounced this provision as outrageous and open to abuse.

Critics have been particularly disturbed by reports that Karl Rove, Bush's political brain who has no experience in disaster relief or urban planning, may be put in charge of the reconstruction effort.

The programme appears similar to the vast government programmes enacted in the 1930s to dig the US out of the Great Depression.

But the Bush Administration's favourite conservative think-tanks suggest it will be very different. The Heritage Foundation, for example, has proposed lifting environmental regulations and permitting private ownership of public school buildings in the disaster area.

- INDEPENDENT
]]> http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v54/__show_article/_a000054-000059.htm 2005-09-22T00:17:35Z 2005-09-22T00:17:35Z

Maybe they did not want to save anyone after all? It seems more important who you know and not what you have done, rather what you claim to have done seems to be enough as long as there are friends in all the right places (see how they run away when the mud gets between the toes). Until the...

Disaster response chief quits after Katrina

13.09.05 12.20pm UPDATE
By Michael Christie

The director of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency Michael Brown resigned today after being recalled to Washington amid criticism of the federal response to Hurricane Katrina.

In an apparent nod to demands that Brown be replaced by someone with experience in emergency response, President George W. Bush replaced Brown with David Paulison, a veteran firefighter who now runs FEMA's preparedness division.

Paulison was also the Homeland Security official who urged Americans to stock up on duct tape and plastic sheeting in 2003 to protect against a biological or chemical attack, a recommendation that was widely ridiculed in the media.

Brown, who was widely criticised for a slow federal response to the devastating Hurricane Katrina, resigned effective immediately.

"Today I resigned as director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency," said Brown, who ran the organisation since 2003. "As I told the president, it is important that I leave now to avoid further distraction from the ongoing mission of FEMA."

In an ABC News interview, Brown defended the agency's response to the crisis and said the United States needed to have a debate about FEMA's role in national emergencies.

"We're not a first responder agency. We're there to coordinate and help people prepare and coordinate in times of disaster. And so if the country wants us to be more, then we should have a great public policy debate whether that's true or not," Brown said.

Brown was pulled out of Gulf Coast operations on Friday and replaced on the ground with Vice Admiral Thad Allen of the US Coast Guard.

Bush had praised Brown for doing a "heck of a job" in the first days of the disaster that killed hundreds in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and displaced 1 million people. He later was pressed by Democrats and others to fire Brown.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Bush discussed Brown's resignation with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on the way home from visiting the Gulf Coast area.

"The president appreciates Mike Brown's service," McClellan told reporters aboard Air Force One. "This was Mike Brown's decision. This was a decision he made."

Shortly after Brown's resignation, Bush named Paulison, the former Miami fire chief with 30 years of fire rescue service experience, as acting FEMA director.

Chertoff said Brown had done "everything he possibly could" to respond to the hurricane and flood in New Orleans. He also said he would name more people to senior positions at the agency in the coming days.

Brown was a close friend of Joe Allbaugh, the previous FEMA head who was Bush's chief of staff when he was Governor of Texas, and the National Campaign Manager for Bush's 2000 election campaign.

Brown served as commissioner of the International Arabian Horse Association before joining FEMA in 2001. He has been accused of exaggerating his background in disaster relief in his official biography and resume.

Democrats praised the change but said the administration needed to ensure that the country was capable of responding to another major disaster.

Republicans in Congress have initiated an investigation into what went wrong with the government's initial response to Katrina.

Disaster chief's experience overstated record, says Time

10.09.05

WASHINGTON - Top US disaster official Michael Brown, under fire over the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, cited prior emergency-management experience in an official biography but his duties were "more like an intern," Time magazine reported.

Brown's biography on the Federal Emergency Management Agency website says he had once served as an "assistant city manager with emergency services oversight," and a White House news release in 2001 said Brown had worked for the city of Edmond, Oklahoma in the 1970s "overseeing the emergency-services division."

However, a city spokeswoman told the magazine Brown had actually worked as "an assistant to the city manager."

"The assistant is more like an intern," Claudia Deakins told the magazine. "Department heads did not report to him." Time posted the article on its website late on Thursday.

Brown, a lawyer, was appointed as FEMA's general counsel in 2001 and became head of the agency in 2003. The work in Edmond is the only previous disaster-related experience cited in the biographies. Brown served as commissioner of the International Arabian Horse Association before taking the FEMA job.

US Sen. Joseph Lieberman, a Connecticut Democrat, had cited Brown's Edmond experience as "particularly useful" for FEMA during a hearing in 2002.

Critics, including some Republicans, have blasted Brown for delays and missteps in the federal government's response to Katrina's deadly and devastating assault on New Orleans and the US Gulf Coast last week. Some have demanded his ouster.

Bush last week gave Brown a word of support, saying "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."

This week, Bush put the US Coast Guard's chief of staff in charge of the federal recovery effort in New Orleans and gave Vice President Dick Cheney the job of cutting through bureaucratic delays.

BUSH TIES

The Washington Post reported on Friday that five of eight top FEMA officials had come to their jobs with virtually no experience in handling disasters. The agency's top three leaders, including Brown, had ties to Bush's 2000 presidential campaign or the White House advance operation.

Former Edmond city manager Bill Dashner recalled for Time that Brown had worked for him as an administrative assistant while attending Central State University.
"Mike used to handle a lot of details. Every now and again I'd ask him to write me a speech. He was very loyal. He was always on time. He always had on a suit and a starched white shirt," Dashner told Time.

Edmond's population is about 70,000.

In response to the Time report, FEMA issued a statement that took issue with elements related to an unofficial biography, and described his job in Edmond as "assistant to the city manager."

Brown "remains focused on helping Americans through the worst natural disaster in history," FEMA said.
]]> http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v54/__show_article/_a000054-000058.htm 2005-09-18T11:10:00Z 2005-09-18T11:10:00Z