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Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 4/23/2017 11:02:28 PM
	RT correspondent teargassed reporting on Paris protests Published time: 23 Apr, 2017 20:49 © RT RT’s correspondent Charlotte Dubenskij was teargassed while reporting on the violent protests that erupted just minutes after polling stations closed at the Place de la Bastille in central Paris. Follow Charlotte Dubenskij @CDubenskij_RT Police kettling protestors at #Bastille #Presidentielle2017 2:14 PM - 23 Apr 2017 · Paris, France 47 Retweets 26 likes Riot police were on the scene and tear gas was deployed as protesters, many of them young people, turned up to demonstrate against the French presidential elections. Reporting from the scene, Charlotte Dubenskij got caught up in the violent commotion that followed, which saw chairs, firecrackers, bottles and other projectiles hurled at police. READ MORE: Riot police clash with protesters, deploy tear gas at demonstration in central Paris “I’m sorry if I look a little teary,” she said. “There’s a lot of tear gas that’s been let go here in the Bastille.” Police eventually managed to kettle in the core group of protesters to not let the violence spread. More rallies, dubbed the “night of the barricades,” are expected to take place in 13 cities across France. (RT)
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
	+1

Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 4/24/2017 9:25:27 AM
	11 Facts That Prove That The U.S. Economy In 2017 Is In Far Worse Shape Than It Was In 2016 By Michael Snyder, on April 23rd, 2017 There is much debate about where the U.S. economy is ultimately heading, but what everybody should be able to agree on is that economic conditions are significantly worse this year than they were last year. It is being projected that U.S. economic growth for the first quarter will be close to zero, thousands of retail stores are closing, factory output is falling, and restaurants and automakers have both fallen on very hard times. As economic activity has slowed down, commercial and consumer bankruptcies are both rising at rates that we have not seen since the last financial crisis. Everywhere you look there are echoes of 2008, and yet most people still seem to be in denial about what is happening. The following are 11 facts that prove that the U.S. economy in 2017 is in far worse shape than it was in 2016… #1 It is being projected that there will be more than 8,000 retail store closings in the United States in 2017, and that will far surpass the former peak of 6,163 store closings that we witnessed in 2008. #2 The number of retailers that have filed for bankruptcy so far in 2017 has already surpassed the total for the entire year of 2016. #3 So far in 2017, an astounding 49 million square feet of retail space has closed down in the United States. At this pace, approximately 147 million square feet will be shut down by the end of the year, and that would absolutely shatter the all-time record of 115 million square feet that was shut down in 2001. #4 The Atlanta Fed’s GDP Now model is projecting that U.S. economic growth for the first quarter of 2017 will come in at just 0.5 percent. If that pace continues for the rest of the year, it will be the worst year for U.S. economic growth since the last recession. #5 Restaurants are experiencing their toughest stretch since the last recession, and in March things continued to get even worse… Foot traffic at chain restaurants in March dropped 3.4% from a year ago. Menu prices couldn’t be increased enough to make up for it, and same-store sales fell 1.1%. The least bad region was the Western US, where sales inched up 1.2% year-over-year and traffic fell only 1.7%, according to TDn2K’s Restaurant Industry Snapshot. The worst was the NY-NJ Region, where sales plunged 4.6% and foot traffic 6.3%. This comes after a dismal February, when foot traffic had dropped 5% year-over-year, and same-store sales 3.7%. #6 In March, U.S. factory output declined at the fastest pace in more than two years. #7 According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not a single person is employed in nearly one out of every five U.S. families. #8 U.S. government revenues just suffered their biggest drop since the last recession. #9 Nearly all of the big automakers reported disappointing sales in March, and dealer inventories have now risen to the highest level that we have seen since the last recession. #10 Used vehicle prices are absolutely crashing, and subprime auto loan losses have shot up to the highest level that we have seen since the last recession. #11 At this point, most U.S. consumers are completely tapped out. According to CNN, almost six out of every ten Americans do not have enough money saved to even cover a $500 emergency expense. Just like in 2008, debts are going bad at a very alarming pace. In fact, things have already gotten so bad that the IMF has issued a major warning about it… In America alone, bad debt held by companies could reach $4 trillion, “or almost a quarter of corporate assets considered,”according to the IMF. That debt “could undermine financial stability” if mishandled, the IMF says. The percentage of “weak,” “vulnerable” or “challenged” debt held as assets by US firms has almost arrived at the same level it was right before the 2008 crisis. We are seeing so many parallels to the last financial crisis, and many are hoping that our politicians in Washington can fix things before it is too late. On Monday, the most critical week of Trump’s young presidency begins. The administration will continue working on tax reform and a replacement for Obamacare, but of even greater importance is the fact that if a spending agreement is not passed by Friday a government shutdown will begin at the end of the week… Trump has indicated that he wants to tackle the repeal and replacement of Obamacare and introduce his “massive” tax plan in the next week, all while a shutdown of parts of federal government looms Friday. By attempting three massive political undertakings in one week, investors will have a sense of whether or not Trump will be able to deliver on pro-growth policies that would be beneficial for markets. If Trump can pull off the trifecta, it could restore faith that policy proposals like tax cuts and infrastructure spending are on the way. If not, look out. Members of Congress are returning from their extended two week spring vacation, and now they will only have four working days to get something done. And I don’t believe that they will be able to rush something through in just four days. The Republicans in Congress, the Democrats in Congress, and the Trump administration all want different things, and ironing out all of those differences is not going to be easy. For example, the Trump administration is insisting on funding for a border wall, and the Democrats are saying no way. The following comes from the Washington Post… President Trump and his top aides applied new pressure Sunday on lawmakers to include money for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border in a must-pass government funding bill, raising the possibility of a federal government shutdown this week. In a pair of tweets, Trump attacked Democrats for opposing the wall and insisted that Mexico would pay for it “at a later date,” despite his repeated campaign promises not including that qualifier. And top administration officials appeared on Sunday morning news shows to press for wall funding, including White House budget director Mick Mulvaney, who said Trump might refuse to sign a spending bill that does not include any. And of course the border wall is just one of a whole host of controversial issues that are standing in the way of an agreement. Those that are suggesting that all of these issues will be resolved in less than 100 hours are being completely unrealistic. And even though the Trump administration is putting on a brave face, the truth is that quiet preparations for a government shutdown have already begun. The stage is being set for the kind of nightmare crisis that I portrayed in The Beginning Of The End. The stock market bubble is showing signs of being ready to burst, and an extended government shutdown would be more than enough to push things over the edge. Let us hope that this government shutdown is only for a limited period of time, because an extended shutdown could potentially be catastrophic. In the end, either the Trump administration or the Democrats are going to have to give in on issues such as funding for Obamacare, the border wall, Planned Parenthood, defense spending increases, etc. It will be a test of the wills, and it will be absolutely fascinating to see who buckles under the pressure first. (The Economic Collapse)
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
	+1

Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 4/24/2017 9:50:46 AM
	North Korea warns ‘GREAT WAR’ coming as US strike force just DAYS away NORTH Korea has promised a “great war” is coming as the US’s aircraft carrier-led strike force closes in on Kim Jong-un. By Henry Holloway / Published 23rd April 2017 The tyrant continues to march towards nuclear armageddon while Donald Trump’s “powerful armada” approaches the rogue state. USS Carl Vinson is leading the strike group which is being dispatched in a bid to spook Pyongyang – with them expected to arrive in the Sea of Japan next week. War talk continues to spew from the rogue state as it issued its latest chilling warning of an impeding “great war” NORTH KOREA: Kim Jong-un's rogue state promised a 'great war' againsNORTH KOREA: Kim Jong-un's rogue state promised a 'great war' agains Inside North Korea: The pictures Kim Jong-un doesn't want you to see Tuesday, 13th December 2016 Since 2008, photographer Eric Lafforgue ventured to North Korea six times. Thanks to digital memory cards, he was able to save photos that was forbidden to take inside the segregated state 1 / 62 ERIC LAFFORGUE/EXCLUSIVEPIX MEDI Taking pictures in the DMZ is easy, but if you come too close to the soldiers, they stop you “Our army and people will start a great war of justice” North Korea Nuclear threats from North Korea have peaked amid fears Kim is preparing a sixth nuke bomb test next week. The US President has taken a tough line on Pyongyang after a string of missile tests – including a failed launch last Sunday. Kim is determined to develop a nuclear weapon capable of striking the mainland US. KCNA Tank breaks down during North Korea's annual military parade GETTY North Korea’s state media wrote: “If the US provokes the DPRK even a bit, its army and people will start a great war of justice for national reunification without hesitation. "Noting that the U.S. warmongers hysterically try to ignite a war by mobilizing nuclear strategic assets without any measure to deal with the consequences to be entailed. "The U.S. has now gone seriously mad. It is mulling frightening the DPRK and achieving something with nuclear strategic bombers, nuclear carriers, etc. "However, the army and people of the DPRK will never be browbeaten by such bluffing.: Kim Jong BLING: the luxury lifestyle of North Korea's tubby tyrant Friday, 21st April 2017 As his people starve in gulags, North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-un is renowned for his extravagant and luxurious lifestyle. Basketball player Dennis Rodman, who spent time with the dictator, said "Everything you want, he has the best" 1 / 14 AFP Horses are a well known extravagance of the super-rich Confusion initially reigned as the USS Carl Vinson strike force headed for the Indian Ocean – going further away from North Korea. But this week the aircraft carrier and its destroyers turned North and is now due to arrive this week in the Sea of Japan. Both China and Russia are watching nervously amid fears a flood of refugees could wash over their borders if the US strikes North Korea. Russian tanks have reached their land border with North Korea as Putin calls for calm in the Korean Peninsula. Read moreNORTH KOREA: Kim Jong-un's rogue state promised a 'grt war' agains
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
	+1

Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 4/24/2017 10:33:59 AM
	Man Who Identifies as Woman Sues State of Idaho Over Refusal to Change Birth Certificate By Heather Clark on April 22, 2017 BOISE, Idaho — A man who identifies as a woman has filed a lawsuit against the state of Idaho over its refusal to change his birth certificate from male to female. The 28-year-old man, who is only being identified as F.V., was born in Idaho but now lives in Hawaii. According to the complaint filed on Tuesday, F.V. has had his name changed on his driver’s license, passport and social security records, and would like to have his birth certificate changed as well. “On March 21, 2017, F.V. contacted Idaho’s Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics to inquire if [he] could change the gender marker on [his] birth certificate. [He] was informed by staff that [he] could not do so,” the legal challenge, filed by Lambda Legal, reads. As there is no law regarding the matter in Idaho, it is believed that F.V.’s request for an amended birth certificate was declined because state representatives felt that they lacked the legal authority to reissue the document. But F.V. and Lambda Legal assert that the denial is a violation of his First Amendment rights to free speech because it requires him to be characterized as a sex that differs with how he identifies. They also state that it could jeopardize his safety. Lambda Legal Senior Attorney Peter Renn claimed that the refusal “defies logic.” “Unlike nearly every other state in America, Idaho currently enforces a categorical ban against transgender people changing the gender on their birth certificates, which is an archaic policy that defies logic,” he said in a statement. “In fact, government officials in Idaho know this, given that they allow transgender people to change the gender on their drivers’ licenses.” F.V. is seeking a permanent injunction from the courts, which would force the state to issue amended birth certificates. “I just want a birth certificate that accurately reflects who I am,” he said. “I hope that Idaho will give me the dignity of deciding when complete strangers get to know deeply private information about my life. Like so many transgender people, I’ve been on the receiving end of harassment and outright violence. It costs Idaho nothing to correct this piece of paper and recognize me as the woman that I am.” The Idaho attorney general’s office is not commenting on the lawsuit at this time. As previously reported, Scripture states that those who turn God’s creation “upside down” are like the clay telling the potter that he doesn’t know what he’s doing. Romans 9:20 says, “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it, ‘Why hast thou made me thus?’” Isaiah 29:16 also declares, “Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay, for shall the work say of Him that made it, ‘He made me not?’ Or shall the thing framed say of Him that framed it, ‘He had no understanding?’” (christiannews.net)
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
	+1

Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 4/24/2017 10:44:02 AM
	Scifi Eye: Technological implants and the ‘transhuman’ By Jon Wallace 20th April 2017 12:12 pm Scifi writer Jon Wallace considers whether implants will unlock some hidden human potential – or do irreparable damage to our existence Last month, The Engineer reported on progress towards bionic eye implants. An array of silicon nanowires arranged in an electrode grid, implanted behind the retina and linked to a wireless device, has potential to restore sight. Once again engineering news astounds and delights – the scifi eye given life. Technological implants play a solid role in science fiction as a crucial component of the idea of the ‘transhuman’: that is, an evolutionary leap that sees mankind combine with technology to alter its perception and abilities. Technological implants have always played a solid role in science fiction Interest in implants tends particularly towards the neural interface: as science has come to understand consciousness as more a product of the brain’s complex functions (as opposed to the awareness granted an immortal soul), so science fiction has explored the fascinating prospect of tampering with our brain’s computing. Writers like to explore the farthest reaches of such progress: will implants unlock some hidden potential or do irreparable damage? Could they unite humanity through a new, shared reality, or create new conflict – between those who embrace transformation and those who refuse it? Can we forfeit some precious part of ourselves yet be better people for it? These are all excellent foundations for stories: the fact that this research centres on the eye only rings more scifi bells: eyes are often the giveaway ‘otherness’ in the implanted or adapted: see Star Trek’s Seven of Nine and her bulky ocular attachment. The Borg are a reasonable representative for the portrayal of implanted characters, who are often disfigured, manipulated figures. The Borg’s implants are their chains, playing on our fears of an inescapable totalitarian commotion in our heads, countless voices drowning out our thoughts. Star Trek’s writers return to the Borg (again and again) because the stumbling, mindless drone, ‘awoken’ from captivity, makes a wonderful character. As long-lost relatives they can comment on our society with pleasing effect. Cinematic bad rap ‘Implants’ generally bad rap in cinema extends to many other forms. In The Matrix they are part of a ruthless trick, both duping man into oblivious service of machines and harvesting his energy. In Johnny Mnemonic and Elysium they are the tool by which men are made data mules: heroes chased and harried for the precious treasure in their heads. Novels such as Iain M Banks’ Feersum Endjinn, meanwhile, see implants deployed by the ultimate future surveillance state, allowing the King to jump into his subjects’ heads at will and see through their eyes – although they also grant humans a kind of immortality beyond ‘base reality’. Still, The Engineer’s news shows we don’t always have to view implants as obscene, probing devices that subvert our natural function. They can repair and even enhance us too. In recent decades, man has proven himself more than willing to bond to technology, to lose himself in other realities, and it hasn’t been all bad. Should we really fear the inevitable plunge into more intimate relations with technology? What need will we have of dreary office spaces, when in the blink of an eye implanted workers can transfer to a virtual workspace? We might well imagine that in such a world senior management would be unable to resist exploiting the technology to eavesdrop on employees – but would that be so bad? In our story, tyrannical chief execs around the world eagerly monitor their employees’ conversations, only to find complete and universal scorn for their abilities. Depressed, they resign en masse; the employees learn to go on without them easily enough, and an entirely new system of labour is established, free of redundant hierarchies. Sinister uses Might implants be used invasively by the government? What of a police force that boasts an implant that compels suspects to speak the truth? We could tell the story of a prime ministerial candidate who volunteers to have the device implanted, along with his own party, to prove the purity of their politics. They are wiped off the political map, as the electorate turn to the rival parties’ comforting fantasy and falsehood. Then there is the promise of The Engineer’s news story: of restoration and even enhancement of the senses. Implants could help release the victims of strokes and debilitating syndromes, allowing them to express themselves again by providing bridges over damaged synaptic pathways. Being human, their use might be more frivolous. We could follow the adventures of a Harley Street implant clinic that exploits a craze for implant-enhanced senses, offering its clients a dog’s sense of smell. The service is hugely popular, and has mixed results: many lose their jobs (being prone to wandering off into woodland and openly peeing during meetings). The more influential clientele do however, make a difference: pushing through a great world clean-air act. Jon Wallace is a science fiction author living in England. His new book Rig is out in paperback from Gollancz in April (theengineer.co.uk)
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
	+1

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