Egypt parades 22 mummies through Cairo, showing off ancient heritage & putting ‘Pharaoh’s curse’ myth to rest (PHOTOS, VIDEO)
4 Apr, 2021 04:55 / Updated 1 day ago
Egypt has relocated its ancient kings and queens, including Ramses II and Hatshepsut, one of the few known female pharaohs, to a new resting place in a grand ceremony designed to showcase the country’s heritage and boost tourism.
The convoy of golden trucks that moved through the streets of Cairo on Saturday was designed to resemble the ancient boats that once carried deceased pharaohs to their tombs.
The mummies were transported inside climate-controlled capsules filled with nitrogen from the Egyptian Museum to the newly-inaugurated National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in a spectacular ceremony.
As the mummies made the one-hour journey to their new resting place in Fustat, the site of Egypt’s first Islamic capital, the historic event was widely broadcast on TV and online.
The show featured various artistic performances and famous landmarks in an apparent bid to boost tourism, which has stalled during the Covid-19 pandemic.
As the procession circled Cairo’s Tahrir Square, an obelisk surrounded by four sphinxes was officially unveiled in the square.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, as well as the heads of UNESCO and the World Tourism Organization, welcomed the mummies at their new home, where Egyptologists say they will now be displayed in a more “civilized” and “educated”manner.
In recent weeks, Egypt has experienced a series of unfortunate incidents – including the Suez Canal blockage, a fatal train crash, a garment factory fire, and a deadly apartment building collapse – reanimating the ‘pharaoh’s curse’ myth. However, with the 18 ancient kings and four queens now finally settled in their new home, perhaps that myth can also be put to rest at last.
New discoveries in the Valley of the Kings, looted art from Venezuela and evidence that humans were in Central America more than 20,000 years ago are just some of the stories Live Science will be watching out for in 2020.
Tombs of pharaohs and queens in Valley of the Kings
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, which holds the tomb of King Tut and other Egyptian royalty, divulged several of its secrets in 2019, including a workshop complex, mummification cache, ostraca (pottery with writing on it) and newfound mummies. Excavations were carried out in both the east and west valleys of the Valley of the Kings and was funded in part by media companies that are paying for the right to film the excavations.
Excavations in the east and west valleys of the royal cemetery are ongoing; the artifacts found in 2019 are still being analyzed, and hieroglyphic writing on the ostraca is in the process of being deciphered. With all this work going on, it’s likely that more discoveries will be made in the Valley of the Kings in 2020. Zahi Hawass, the former Egyptian antiquities minister who is leading work in the valley, believes that several tombs built for the pharaohs and their queens have yet to be found.
Smelly problem ahead
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
The melting of permafrost in the Arctic and sub-Arctic is causing the remains of both humans and animals to thaw and decompose, giving local inhabitants a smelly problem to deal with.
The re-emergence of smallpox and other now-extinct diseases from these corpses is generally regarded by scientists as being extremely unlikely, and the World Health Organization (WHO) says that corpses don’t usually pose a major health problem. Even so, the emerging corpses bring with them some other issues. For instance, the corpses will inevitably smell and, if the dethawing corpses are underneath a building that humans still use, the corpses need to be dug up and re-interred to get rid of the smell. Additionally, if the corpses are near a water supply there is a risk of water becoming contaminated and causing illnesses such as gastroenteritis, according to the WHO.
Sweden is grappling with this problem on a growing scale. Centuries ago, there was a tradition in Sweden where people preferred to be buried under the floors of churches. However, as Earth’s temperature warms, these bodies are starting to thaw and decay. This problem can be exacerbated when churches install modern-day heating equipment that can warm a church more effectively (making it easier for corpses to thaw).
The problems associated with the thawing of long-buried bodies will likely get more attention in 2020 in the Arctic and sub-Arctic.
Archaeological treasure awaits at El-Assasif
(Image credit: Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities)
In 2019, archaeologists discovered 30 sealed wooden coffins, their mummies still intact, in the ancient necropolis of El-Assasif near Luxor, Egypt. Dating back around 3,000 years, the haul of coffins has been called a “cachette of the priests” because some of the mummies are those of priests.
The decorations on the coffins are well preserved and none of the tombs had been robbed; grave looting in Egypt has been a common occurrence in both ancient and modern times, so to find 30 coffins and their mummies all untouched by grave robbers is extremely rare.
Archaeologists are continuing their excavations at El-Assasif. They are also analyzing the cachette in greater detail, translating the hieroglyphic inscriptions on the coffins and learning more about the mummies within. In 2020, they will likely dig up even more discoveries from this necropolis. Hopefully any new finds will also be untouched by looters.
Lost art of Venezuela
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
The situation in Venezuela is dire. Lack of food, medicine and rising violence all occurring after the country’s economic collapse has left the country in a terrible state. In 2018, Nicolás Maduro, the country’s president, was re-elected in what the country’s opposition said was a fraudulent vote, leading to a standoff between Maduro and the country’s opposition parties led by Juan Guaidó. The Brookings Institute estimates that more than 4.5 million people have fled Venezuela, a number that may jump to 6 million by the end of 2020.
While the world’s attention has, understandably, being focused on the humanitarian crisis and political strife, there is evidence that Venezuela’s rich historical treasures are being lost. Live Science has monitored large shipments of art leaving Venezuela. Documents from the U.S. Census Agency showed that in 2018 more than $12 million in art and antiques were shipped from Venezuela to the United States; and there are signs that some of this was stolen.
In September 2019, the Associated Press reported that the FBI was investigating stolen art from Venezuela that is being trafficked abroad. Venezuela’s opposition, led by Guaidó, claims that members of Maduro’s government are stealing the country’s art and selling it for their own personal benefit. Whether these claims are true or not is unclear.
In 2020, we can expect to hear more about the loss of Venezuela’s heritage.
Humans in Central America more than 20,000 years ago?
(Image credit: Daniel Eskridge/Shutterstock)
Live Science is aware of new research that suggests humans reached Central America more than 20,000 years ago. This would have occurred at a time when glaciers covered much of North America.
If this research is verified, it would be the oldest evidence for humans south of Alaska in the Americas. The new evidence the scientific team found includes a sizable number of stone tools as well as organic remains found in a cave. Various dating methods are being used to determine the age of the artifacts.
Previously, claims have been made of humans venturing south of Alaska before 20,000 years ago, though these claims have been found to be false or questionable. The scientists of the new study are aware of this and are taking the time to conduct additional fieldwork and analysis before publishing or widely disseminating their results.
If all goes well, this research will be published in a peer-reviewed journal sometime in 2020, and scientists not affiliated with the project will have a chance to evaluate its accuracy.
Egyptian archaeologists working on a groundwater reduction project at the Kom Ombo Temple in Aswan have discovered a sandstone sphinx, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities on Sunday.
The discovery comes as a surprise as in the last few months, archaeologists working in Egypt have uncovered the remains of two Sphinx statues.
The unearthed Sphinx after it was restored. Image Credit: Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities.
A few weeks ago, we wrote about how construction workers working near the Luxor Temple Complex stumbled across the remains of a buried Sphinx statue.
Initial reports by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquity suggested that the Sphinx uncovered at Luxor is similar in design to the Great Sphinx of Giza: It has the body of a lion and the head of a human.
The most famous Sphinx in Egypt is without a doubt the massive statue located at the Giza plateau
The Great Sphinx of Giza is considered an ancient marvel not only because of its size and confusing design but because of the countless mysteries that surround this ancient structure.
Together with the three pyramids, the Great Sphinx found on the plateau of Giza – about 500 km from the place where the new statue was found – is one of the most emblematic monuments of Egypt.
Now, archeologists near Aswan mad another stunning discovery finding another Sphinx statue.
The Great Sphinx found near the Kom Ombo Temple.
Mostafa Waziri, general secretary of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt, explained that the piece probably dates from the Ptolemaic dynasty, as the Sphinx statue was found in the southeast side of the temple, in the same place where two sandstone reliefs of King Ptolemy V were discovered two months ago.
The Ptolemaic Dynasty ruled over Egypt for 275 years, from 305 to 30 BC, and they were the last dynasty of ancient Egypt.
The Kom Ombo temple complex was constructed during the Ptolemaic Dynasty.
Kom Ombo Temple before reconstruction. Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain
Ptolemy V was the fifth ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty from 204 to 181 BC. He inherited the throne at the age of five, and under a series of regents, the kingdom was paralyzed. It is noteworthy to mention that to famous Rosetta Stone was produced during his reign as an adult.
The sculpture, discovery at the Kom Ombo Temple in Aswan bears hieroglyphic and demotic inscriptions and has already been transported to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat, where it will be carefully studied and restored by the archaeological mission to obtain more information about its origin. After restoration, the newly-found Sphinx will be exhibited to the public.
Ancient Egyptians in the Grand Canyon — Another Smithsonian Cover-up
One of the most intriguing archaeological discoveries in America comes from the rocky cliffs of the Grand Canyon.
What makes it even more interesting is the fact that the Smithsonian itself covered it up and hid this mysterious discovery of an ancient civilization living below the canyon.
It was an accurate description of an expedition led by Professor S.A. Jordan of the Smithsonian, surfacing with great archaeological finds from a remote cave in the Grand Canyon.
Maybe the most interesting is the attitude of the Smithsonian, claiming to have zero knowledge about this discovery and its discoverers.
When asked about the newspaper article regarding a Smithsonian excavation in the Grand Canyon where Egyptian artifacts had been found — and whether they could offer more information — a representative of the institution said:
“The first thing I can tell you before we go any further, is that no Egyptian artifact of any kind have ever been found in North or South America. Therefore, I can tell you that the Smithsonian Institute has never been involved in any such excavations.”
No one from the Smithsonian could offer any information about the discovery or either G.E. Kinkaid and Professor S.A. Jordan. It was like the entire article from the 1909, Phoenix newspaper was a shameless hoax.
But, considering the fact that it appeared on the front page, mentioned the famous Smithsonian Institution and some of its archaeologists, and it also contained a very detailed story written on numerous pages, many believe the newspaper was a legitimate source.
So, why are they covering this up? After all, we are talking about a monumental discovery that would completely change the current belief that there was no form of communication or travel over the oceans in pre-Colombian times.
Also, the belief that all American Indians were the followers of Ice Age adventurers who came across the Bering Strait would become questionable.
The idea of ancient Egyptians coming to Arizona in an ancient past is denied even though the Smithsonian Institution seems to have proof of it. Why won’t they reveal this information?
Is it because this astounding discovery would overwrite current academic teachings? Or maybe because of the interest to preserve their current status as keepers of forbidden knowledge.
The Tower of Ra
Following these events, in the pursuit of finding the truth, historian Carl Hart, editor of World Explorer, acquired a map of the Grand Canyon from a bookstore in Chicago.
Looking over the map, he was surprised to find that a considerable portion on the north side of the canyon has Egyptian names. The field around Ninety-four Mile Creek and Trinity Creek had areas named after Egyptian gods like Tower of Ra, Tower of Set, Osiris Temple, Horus Temple or Isis Temple.
Also, the Haunted Canyon area had some unfamiliar places on the map, such as the Cheops Pyramid, the Buddha Cloister, Buddha Temple, Shiva Temple and Manu Temple. Were any of these places related to the other Egyptian findings in the Grand Canyon?
The Isis Temple
The World Explorers Club then called a state archaeologist at the Grand Canyon. He said that the names were just a coincidence and that the early adventurers enjoyed Egyptian and Hindu names.
But one thing was certain – that area was restricted to hikers or other foreigners, because of dangerous caves and unsafe environment.
Could these hidden caverns contain the actual truth and, if so, for how long will it be sealed?
If we take a look at the bigger picture, there is a lot of leaked information which points us into a different direction than what we were taught by the public school system and television. We have a different notion of “truth” and we are also aware of all the odd jobs going on.
One thing is certain: history has a lot of gaps, and the existing evidence might be a paved road over an otherwise dusty foundation, representing the real history of humankind.
Graham Hancock is one of the most amazing modern explorers of both the planet’s material mysteries in terms of ruins and monoliths and the internal aspects of consciousness. I learned of his participation in the Contact in the Desert Conference at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center just prior to going to Illuminate, so I decided to drive through the Arizona and California desert for a rare chance to see and meet him.
By the time I got to Joshua Tree, Graham had already presented his main ideas formally, making this a real treat — an informal interactive session with the man who has unearthed so many of history’s treasures and put them into a meaningful and cosmic context.
Graham gave an account of his journey, beginning with his family roots in England and his horrific experiences being conditioned in a private school, then moving on to becoming a journalist with the ability to travel the world. He had been an atheist until he was cracked open to a new concept of man’s history by encountering stories about the Ark of Covenant in war-torn Ethiopia.
This experience began his interest in “out of place technology.” Noting the connection between the Ethiopian stories of the Ark with his growing interest in the Ancient Egyptian texts, he dropped his atheism and became interested in spirituality — in “levels beyond levels” of reality that pointed to so much beyond the veil of what we take as truth.
Graham credits Robert Bauval with the “fundament breakthrough Orion correlation connection to Egypt,” which is the key breakthrough in tying Egypt to its past by discovering the connection to the stars of the constellation of Orion.
When he began writing about ancient mysteries Graham encountered what he described as the perils of academia; dedicated to making his case, he found that he needed to be beyond perfect with annotations and still he was criticized and vilified by conventional archeologists and historians.
One intriguing aspect of Graham’s insight is that he claims that you “don’t need ancient astronauts”; rather, the veils of consciousness can be lifted by using the resources of the earth itself, and specifically the chemical properties of plants like Ayahuasca to “open the doors of perception.”
Still, the monuments are key sources of inspiration and Graham believes that there is much to learn from the stars, citing how in terms of the ancient skies the constellation of Leo was aligned with the gates of the Sphinx.
Besides conventional academics, political skirmishes also inhibit many new discoveries, but Graham urges that it will take a cooperative and new scientific method, embracing openness, to bring many hidden aspects of reality to light.
A key discovery will be how, after “six million years of boredom” with different primates and versions of humans, there was a sudden leap in consciousness and intelligence signified by the cave drawings of the ancients such as at Lascaux, France.
While some attribute this to extraterrestrial intervention, Graham makes the point that a distinct type of psilocybin mushroom thought to only be in the Americas actually existed in Europe as well, and he posits that its effectA either contributed to or caused this enormous leap in the creative abilities of humans, and the birth of shamanic wisdom.
Graham became interested in the neuropsychology theory of cave art presented by David Lewis Williams of South Africa into deeply altered states of consciousness which suggested that it was psychotropic plants and the shamanic traditions that unfolded from their discovery that was responsible in the dramatic and sudden increase in intelligence among some human groups.
Graham agrees with Williams that the chemical agents in these sacred plants allowed humans to detach from materialism and evolve spiritually and intellectually very rapidly.”
Graham debunks conventional theories of Lascaux as merely paintings of animals our ancestors wanted to hunt for food; at Lascaux, for example, the main food item was reindeer but there is only a single painting of a reindeer in the cave, and it is portrayed with the feet of a duck.
At the same time, modern DNA tests have proved the existence of mushrooms in Europe.
This inquiry led Graham to conclude that he must experience the reality facilitated by shamans in altered consciousness, and so he went to the Amazon.
Here he became convinced that it is our “plant allies” that offer the opening to experience a suddenly expanded universe and discover truths about ourselves.
He was open about the experience in terms of having “Mother Ayahuasca” reveal to him his own hubris and arrogance in the 90s and his own toxic emotional tendencies. This changed him forever.
“Mother Ayahuasca” was the most powerful example of a disembodied intelligence or entity he found through the plant in his experiences, and She told him to write a book and to stop his dependence on cannabis, both of which he described in detail and which he followed thereafter, resulting in the novel Entangled.
In the novel he deals with one truth conveyed by the plant, that the Neanderthal peoples we currently see as primitive and crude were actually immensely telepathic, compassionate, and peace loving, and helped the humans until we surpassed them, and presumably wiped them out.
To his critics about using “chemical” or unnatural means of awakening he responds, “What could be more natural than a mushroom?” He said that he feels the need to personally experience everything he studies because otherwise it has the credibility of “celibate monks arguing about sex.”
Graham is passionate about the need for individuals to resist the efforts of the state to “control our consciousness” and believes this is an inalienable right of each human. He admits that this is “all British shit” and lauds the American people for reversing the trend electorally in states like Colorado and Oregon.
He summarized that “Mother Ayahuasca kicked my ass” in the state of pure consciousness and he was exposed to the multi-dimensional nature of reality. Graham acknowledges the risks involved but compares them to mountain climbing or sky-diving.
He believes that Ayahuasca brings contact with disembodied intelligences and that plants are like antennae on the earth, receiving and transmitting a multitude of frequencies and energy.
Ayahuasca neutralizes inhibitors in the gut to open what Huxley called “The Doors of Perception” and open the user to the “intelligence in vine.”
Scientists believe that the force is
in the leaves of the Chacruna plant (p. viridis, containing the DMT element of the brew); but Graham believes the intelligence is in the vine and its connection to the soil and the earth, and that the vine harvests the leaves to affect the intelligence of beings, now humans, helping them to evolve.
He compares Mother Ayahuasca to the Goddess Isis in Egypt and described an experience where he was made to “weigh his soul” in the fashion of the Judgment Hall of Osiris in Egyptian lore. It was here that he confronted his own toxicity as a human and worked on his arrogance.
Graham cautions that in this state, nonphysical entities can take advantage and enter humans, which is why it is imperative to take the substance under the direction of an experienced guide or shaman. One can come under attack and be the victim of “psychic vampirism” by Trickster entities but the benefits are to forever broaden our concept of reality.
Finally Graham described his current fascination with the fact that 30 leading scientists attribute the end of the Ice Age 12,800 years ago to a cataclysmic comet impact, and his theory is that newly found ruins of advanced civilizations represent the efforts to preserve the knowledge and wisdom of a super civilization that perished at that time.
Graham says that the key lesson of the plant and many of his experiences is to silence the mind and “choose love, not fear.”
I felt privileged to be able to witness this remarkable individual for even this short period of time on a personal level, and I was struck by his humility and grasp of the widely disparate subject areas he presented and his unique ability to connect the dots. I also felt a kinship in terms of his many struggles to be accepted, his sense of being an outsider from a young age, his being an only child (as am I), and his discovery of his gift for the written word and exploration.
I almost blew off the event because of the ten hours of driving that it entailed but this was probably the most powerful lesson of all, that when life affords you a singular opportunity it is incumbent to accept — because our precious and privileged existence on this planet is truly a means of teaching and growth.
THE BLUE AVIANS AND BLUE SPHERE BEINGS : DO YOU KNOW WHAT LOVE CAN DO?
While in Boulder taping my new Gaia TV show, “The Awakened Soul: The Lost Science of Ascension,” I sat down with Corey Goode and David Wilcock for three episodes of their hit program “Cosmic Disclosure: Inside the Secret Space Program”.
Corey is a “SSP” whistle blower who tells an astounding story of advanced human civilizations in space, and extraterrestrials called Blue Sphere Beings and Blue Avians, who are guiding humanity. Hundreds of thousands of people have flocked to “Cosmic Disclosure” to listen, to lend support to Corey, and to advocate for a reshuffle of the ET-human relations deck… and a new beginning for humanity by disclosing the existence of our true place in the solar system.
Critics say Corey’s story is straight out of the fantasy and scifi pulp magazines of the 1920s and 30s. The first question David Wilcock asked me during the interview was if I thought Corey was crazy.
I have no idea, I said. People believe what they want to believe. Seeing is believing for some. They want proof: pics, video, something. Others see it and believe Corey, trusting in his sincerity and the vetting of David Wilcock, who is known for his links to ET insiders and whistleblowers.
All I know is I enjoyed talking with both of them. When I first heard Corey’s story, I thought, wow, he’s talking about two of my favorite subjects; the Bird Tribe and the blue sphere wormholes or ascension spheres of the ancients. Any minute now I thought he might get into some of the ancient beliefs about these subjects.
By the way, neither of these subjects are out of scifi magazines. That is, unless you read the ancient Egyptian religious texts, Hindu literature, Native American spiritual tradition and the Bible as scifi and interpret Christian art portraying the ascension of Jesus on a blue sphere as fantasy art.
Clare and I discussed aspects of these topics, especially the blue spheres, in an episode of ourARCANUM series called “Ascension Thrones of the Ancients.” I revisited the subject directly in an episode of THE AWAKENED SOUL called “The Blue Sphere and the Soul.”
After seeing my show, and the historical art I presented, the Gaia producers immediately booked the interview with Corey and David. What I was saying corroborates Corey story, they said.
The result was an exciting conversation.
Well, one interview turned to three. We left A LOT more to discuss.
It’s not everyday that one gets to fill in a blank for a dot connector like David Wilcock, but as you’ll see in the show, this is exactly what happened. The pearl I dropped on David’s door, I am certain, is a gift that will open new pathways for him and all who follow his work. All best blessings to all.
Corey was impressed by my photos from the temple of Horus at Edfu showing Horus, the falcon-headed god, painted blue. He had never seen any of the images I was presenting. His spontaneous reactions were insightful and wonder-inspiring. He reminded me of how I felt when I first took the photos.
Horus in blue at Edfu. Photo by William Henry.
More, he loved my collection of photos of Horus in blue from Denderah. He was especially impressed that, until five years ago when the Egyptians restored the ceiling, the magnificent blue images were covered with black soot. No one knew Horus was blue. Talk about divine timing! We laughed, wondering if they were waiting for Corey’s revelation of the Blue Avians?
Horus enthroned at Denderah, Egypt. Photo by William Henry.
Where I took Corey and David from there in my ascension art collection blew their minds (pun intended).
In this article I will share some key insights from my research on the Blue Sphere Beings and the Blue Birds.
Then, I will share some of my thoughts on the Bird Tribe that weren’t part of our conversation. They are actually insights from two extraordinary mystical sources, “The Wizard of Oz” and Paul McCartney.
I know you will be as amazed as I am about the correspondence. First a word about about the
THE RETURN OF THE BIRD TRIBES
Ever since reading Ken Carey’s “Return of the Bird Tribes” back in 1992, I have been on the trail of an ancient tribe of spiritual beings who continuously manifested to humans for thousands of years, right up to the present, to ‘upgrade’ humanity…to give us, well… wings.
The “Bird Tribes” are not birds. They are celestial beings or angels who are master Ascension Teachers. Carey calls them Star People. They really are Star People, but in real life they really do not have wings.
Carey’s book inspired me to research the Bird Tribe’s angelic language, the Language of the Birds. I wrote a book about it in 1998, but that is another story for another time.
My path led me to Egypt and the ibis-headed bird man, Thoth, teacher of the resurrection and ascension mysteries…
Thoth resurrects King Seti I, dressed in Osiris’s Karast garment, from the dead with the ankh or ‘Key of Life’. Photo by William Henry.
…And to the falcon-headed Horus, the son of Isis and Osiris. In the ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts, some of the oldest ascension texts in the world, the deceased king rises into the portals in the sky as Horus, indicating his role in the ‘stargate mysteries’ of ancient Egypt. Horus symbolizes the living, eternal light body returning to the stars…becoming a Starwalker in the Dimension of the Blessed.
These stargate mysteries came alive for me on the ceiling of Hathor’s magnificent temple of Love and Joy in Denderah, Egypt, where we see various members of the Bird Tribe, including Isis, the Great Cosmic Mother, and Horus, her Son of Light, as blue bird-people along with blue humans wearing feathered cloaks.
Go to this link for the rest of the article. It is well worth it: http://operationdisclosure.blogspot.ca/2016/06/william-henry-blue-avians-and-sphere.html
From Tahrir to Wall Street: The Role of Religion in Protest Movements
Posted: 10/17/11 12:11 PM ET
I had been marching through the streets of downtown Boston for an hour before I realized that the rhythm and cadence of “We are the 99 percent!” is exactly the same as “The people want to topple the regime!” the chant of Egyptian protesters who brought down the dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak last January.
My father teaches at the American University in Cairo, and we moved to Egypt when I was 15 years old. Coming back to the U.S. to start a Ph.D. program 13 years later, I felt like I was coming home, but I also knew that my connection to Egypt would never be severed. So I had that chant stuck in my head for months after spending anxiety-filled hours and sleepless nights following developments on Facebook and Twitter as many of my closest friends camped out in Tahrir Square. Hearing such a similar call here in the U.S. brought back that feeling of pride and hope that I had while watching a generation of disempowered youth take back their country, and it gave me a taste of the courage that led those brave young women and men into the streets.
A number of those involved in the Occupy Wall Street movement (both in New York and in other cities around the country), as well as commentators, have drawn parallels between what we are seeing in the U.S. today and what we saw in Tunisia and Egypt a few months ago. As Cornell West eloquently put it, “This is an American Autumn in response to the Arab Spring.” That said, the factors that have led to the occupation of Wall Street are very different than those that forced Tunisians and Egyptians (as well as Libyans, Syrians, Bahrainis and Yemenis) into the streets: We do not live under a dictatorship, we enjoy certain freedoms and rights that they lacked, pepper spray is not tear gas, and we do not have to worry that our military might be ordered to fire upon us. But we have shared frustrations: a common feeling of disempowerment, of having so much to offer our country and being stymied at nearly every turn by the influence and power that is purchased with monetary wealth. So while the analogy is not perfect, there are enough similarities to make it meaningful, even if the vast majority of the 99 percent is part of the global 1 percent due to their U.S. citizenship alone.
The similarities do not end with the protestors. The way that the police, government officials and the mass media frame the story of these protests reminds me of the story that Mubarak and the Egyptian State media told a few months ago. Pro-Mubarak spokespeople admitted that the demands of the protesters were legitimate up to a point, and they even praised the noble youth who had taken to the streets in the early days of the movement, but they also said that the movement had been infiltrated and hijacked by foreign influences (Israel and Iran) and people with “agendas” (the Muslim Brotherhood). There was no truth to any of these claims, just as there is no truth to Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis’ recent claim that the Occupy Boston movement has been taken over by anarchists. But in both cases they attempt to excuse sometimes violent police intervention in peaceful protests while keeping up the pretense that they are on the side of the people.
The Egyptian protestors were directly targeting the government, whereas the Occupy protestors are targeting corporations. And where the Egyptian government used state media to control the information the public received about the protests, corporations in the U.S. are using corporate media to delegitimize the Occupy movement.
Another great similarity between Occupy and Tahrir is the way that it has brought diverse groups of people together. During the Egyptian revolution I was inspired watching Coptic Christians protect Muslims as they prayed on Friday, and Muslims protect Christians as they held Mass on Sunday. And one of the most inspiring aspects of the Occupy movement for me as a Muslim chaplain is the Protest Chaplains. The Protest Chaplains began as an effort to give visibility to Christians in the movement, but it soon grew organically into an interfaith group that created space for all religions, as well as those who identify with non-religious traditions such as atheist Humanism, to bring their values to the streets in solidarity. Over the last few weeks we have joined each other in the Faith and Spirituality tent at Occupy Boston for yoga classes, meditation workshops, Jewish services, Muslim prayers, Christian worship and just to sit and reconnect with the peace within ourselves when things around us are tumultuous. We have created a special place down at Occupy Boston, a place where all are welcome, and we are impervious to being separated by those things that politicians and the media so often use to keep us apart.
The Faith and Spirituality tent at Occupy Boston is not an anomaly, it is a manifestation of some of this movement’s core principles in the realm of religion. The Occupy movement is characterized by consensus building: no decision is made that effects the group unless it has been agreed on through consensus at a general assembly, which ensures that in the camp, and in the movement, there is always a space for everyone, and we all have an equal voice. This has helped to foster one of the most inclusive communities that I have ever had the honor to call myself a part of. Similarly, the Faith and Spirituality tent is a place where all are welcome, regardless of their specific beliefs and traditions. Far from staking out space for themselves, individuals constantly strive to make more room for others to enter. This is truly a beautiful thing, especially when religion is so often labeled as divisive, as something that we do not discuss for fear that it will cause a rift in whatever jerry-rigged unity we have cobbled together by putting our differences aside instead of celebrating them in front of each other.
Thousands of Americans occupied Wall Street without violence – an epicenter of global financial power and corruption. They are the last rays of light in a new movement for social justice that is spreading rapidly around the world: from Madrid to Jerusalem, and 146 other cities, with others joining all the time. But they need our help to triumph.
The families of workers are footing the bill for a financial crisis caused by corrupt elites. The protesters are demanding a real democracy, social justice and fighting corruption. But they are under strong pressure from the authorities and some media are portraying them as extremists. If millions of us around the world support them, we will increase our determination and show the leaders and the media that the protests are part of a massive movement for change.
This could be our year, our 1968 of this century, but to succeed it must be a movement of all citizens of all social classes. Click to join the campaign for real democracy. A giant counter will be erected in the center of the occupation in New York and when one of us signs the petition, it will be shown and relayed live on the petition page:
The worldwide wave of protests is the latest chapter in the history of this year’s global power of the people. In Egypt, people went to Tahrir Square and overthrew their dictator. In India, the fast of a man brought millions onto the streets and the government was forced to give in – winning a real action to end
For months, Greek citizens protested without a break against unfair cuts in public spending. In Spain, thousands of “angry” protesters defied the ban on pre-election demonstrations and set up a protest camp in Sun Square to speak out against political corruption and government manipulation of the economic crisis. And this summer, Israelis built “tent cities” to protest against rising housing costs and for social justice.
These national issues are linked by a narrative of global determination to end the connivance of the elites and corrupt politicians – that in many countries helped cause a damaging financial crisis and now they want the families of workers to pay the bill. The mass movement that is responding to this can only ensure that the onus of the recession does not fall on the most vulnerable, but it can also help to improve the balance of power between democracy and corruption.
In each revolt, from Cairo to New York, the request for a responsible government that serves the people is clear and our global community has supported the power of the people around the world, wherever it has appeared. The time when politicians were in the hands of the few corrupt is ending and, instead, we are building real democracies, of, by and for the people.
New antiquities head, new plan, protestors satisfied
The newly appointed secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities says he will meet protestors’ demands, promises reform
Nevine El-Aref , Sunday 2 Oct 2011
Today, in his first day in office, newly appointed Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) Mostafa Amine met with protestors camped in front of the SCA’s Abassiya building for four days.
Amine told Ahram Online that he told protestors that he agreed with Prime Minister Essam Sharaf to immediately resolve their problems and to appoint all temporary staff who have spent more than three years working at SCA.
As a first step, he asserted, 4065 temporary employees will be immediately appointed to be followed by more appointments until the almost 12,000 temporary employees are all made permanent. The protestors were convinced and promised to end their protest.
But what about fresh graduates?
Amine responded that for the time being it is impossible to hire new graduates as “We have to appoint the temporary staff first, as they have priority.” “They are among the SCA’s staff and its office echelon,” Amine pointed out, asserting, “I have to first fix the conditions of the SCA’s temporary staff and then see about outsiders.”
Amine said the delay in appointing the temporary staff is not the fault of the SCA’s last secretary general, but rather is the fault of the previous government. Even the 4065 temporary employees that former Minister of Antiquities Zahi Hawass had approved appointing were not appointed due to government reluctance amid fears that other ministries would ask for the appointment of their temporary staff.
Amine also met top SCA officials and listened to their complaints. He informed them of the details of his meeting with Sharaf in an attempt to open a new page with them and other SCA staff. “I am the son of the SCA and all the staff are my colleagues,” Amine said.
Asked about the fate of Egypt’s ancient monuments under his tenure, given his specialty in Islamic and Coptic monuments, Amine assured that his training would not be an obstacle to caring for ancient Egyptian monuments. “My duty is to preserve Egypt’s antiquities, whether Islamic, Coptic, Jewish and Pharaonic,” Amine confirmed.
Amine told Ahram Online that he wants some time to reorganise the SCA and its administrative and archaeological works, but he promises to complete the SCA’s mega projects such as the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) overlooking the Giza Plateau, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC), as well as removing all encroachment at Al-Muizz Street and at Sphinxes Avenue in Luxor in order to reopen it soon.
Amine said that his first decisions as SCA secretary general were to appoint former secretary general Mohamed Abdel Fatah as the head of the NMEC Supreme Committee, and Adel Abdel Satar to head the Islamic and Coptic Antiquities Department. Amine was formerly head of that department.
Updated 6/24/2011 – The Newport Tower has been the subject of discussion and controversy since the Colonists first arrived in the new world and discovered the structure on Rhode Island, USA. Early explorers noted that the tower existed during their early explorations of North America. However, that did not deter skeptics from claiming that the tower was constructed in Colonial times. Documented research shows that the tower was most likely constructed in the 15th Century, destroyed in the 16th Century and then rebuilt in the 17th Century on the 200th anniversary of its original construction. The Newport Tower is an important North American Landmark; however, it is the Newport Island itself that has been an important focal point of civilizations around the world for thousands of years.
Geoglyphology
The information gathered for presentation on this website was gathered using the new science of Geoglyphology. (Google keyword: Geoglyphology). The calculations performed on both this website and the Kensington Runestone website require the use of a special software called “Google Earth”. Google’s software is able to calculate true spherical bearings on a curved surface and then display them correctly on a flat plane. This software can be acquired free by searching the internet using the keywords “Google Earth”.
Spherical Geometry
In spherical geometry all lines are curved along the surface and no lines are parallel. It is difficult to grasp the concept that two parallel headings can cross. That is because we are used to thinking in terms of Plane Geometry on a flat plane. However, this changes when you draw lines on a sphere. In dealing with a sphere you enter the realm of Spherical Geometry.
Spherical Geometry is the study of figures on the surface of a sphere, as opposed to the type of geometry studied in plane geometry or solid geometry. In spherical geometry, straight lines are great circles, so any two lines will meet in two places. There are also no parallel lines. The angle between two lines in spherical geometry is the angle between the planes of the corresponding great circles, and a spherical triangle is defined by its three angles. There is no concept of similar triangles in plane geometry.
In the field of Geoglyphology, we are plotting lines in a spherical world and then displaying the results on a flat plane. It is difficult to grasp the concept of combining Spherical Geometry with Plane Geometry. That is why the field of Geoglyphology could not have been proposed without the advent of software that computes using Spherical Geometry and then displays it on a flat plane. This type of precise mapping precludes the plotting of these bearings on a flat map. Maps become distorted when converted from a sphere to a flat map. Any lines that are depicted on a flat non-satellite map, on this website, were first plotted using the Google software and then drawn on the flat map after the end points were determined. Even then, the proper curvature is missing.
The Newport Tower The Newport Tower has been carbon dated as being over 500 years old. The simple geometry associated with the Tower is outlined below. The results of the carbon dating and details of the Newport Tower, the Kensington Runestone, and many more landmarks, geoglyphs and monoliths can be found in the newly released book “Ancient Signposts”. The book can be found on Amazon.com. As you will see below, the Newport Tower and Inspiration Peak Locations have been known and revered for thousands of years. Based on the dating of the of the geoglyphs pointing to Inspiration Peak, a North American survey marker, it appears that revealing the location did not begin in earnest until the Norse came to the Americas circa 1000AD. The only geoglyph that has been found to date, that points to Inspiration Peak prior to 500BC is the Stonehenge Monolith in the UK. The Stonehenge geoglyph has been dated to c3100BC.
Purpose
Newport Tower was built by early inhabitants of North America for two reasons. The first was to point the way to Inspiration Peak, a place of special geographical importance. The second was to substantiate the builders land claim to North America by using the unique geographical location of Newport (RI USA). The predecessors of the people that built the tower knew of Newport, RI USA for over 7000 years. This is substantiated by the Egyptian Gulfo de Centra geoglyph in West Africa that points out the Newport Tower site. There was a reason that North America held some special significance. Geoglyphs found around the world show that people were mapping out what would later be known as the United States at least as far back as the building of the Mayan Pyramids. Mayan Pyramids located in Central America outline the boundaries of what would eventually become the United States. This is outlined in the book “Ancient Signposts” which can be found on Amazon.com.
Thousands of Americans occupied Wall Street without violence – an epicenter of global financial power and corruption. They are the last rays of light in a new movement for social justice that is spreading rapidly around the world: from Madrid to Jerusalem, and 146 other cities, with others joining all the time. But they need our help to triumph.