“For the Lord God will do nothing, without revealing instruction to his servants the prophets.”
(Amos 3:7)
Revealing Instruction

***

***

theguardian

Trump has 'every intention' of recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital

Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders hail election of Donald Trump, whose campaign promises would overturn decades of US foreign policy

‘True friends’: Benjamin Netanyahu with Donald Trump in September. Photograph: Kobi Gideon/GPO/EPA

Peter Beaumont in Jerusalem

Wednesday 9 November 2016 18.23 GMT

Last modified on Thursday 10 November 2016 12.58 GMT

Israeli government ministers and political figures are pushing the US president-elect, Donald Trump, to quickly fulfill his campaign promise to overturn decades of US foreign policy and recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv.

Their calls came as one of Trump’s advisers on Israel and the Middle East, David Friedman, told the Jerusalem Post that Trump would follow through on his promise.

‘It was a campaign promise and there is every intention to keep it,” Friedman said. ‘We are going to see a very different relationship between America and Israel in a positive way.”

Other political figures – including Israel’s controversial far-right education minister, Naftali Bennett – went further, suggesting that Trump’s election should signal the end of the two-state solution and aspirations for a Palestinian state.

The US election campaign has been closely watched in Israel, not least Trump’s promise to scrap the Iran nuclear deal drawn up by Barack Obama and fiercely opposed by the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Indeed, during his campaign Trump slammed the Iran deal, describing it as “the stupidest deal of all time” vowing to tear it up.

During the campaign Trump also promised to be Israel’s “closest friend”, and has indicated that he would take a different approach to Israel’s settlement-building in the occupied territories – long condemned by successive US governments.

But although many on the right welcomed Trump’s election, other commentators in Israel have also been deeply uncomfortable over the perception that Trump – or at least members of his campaign team – were responsible for antisemitic “dog whistles” in his messaging.

Trump’s election was quickly welcomed by Netanyahu, but the Israeli prime minister steered clear of controversial issues, only congratulating Trump and calling him a “true friend” of Israel while pledging to work with him on security and peace in the region. Netanyahu later released a video on YouTube welcoming Trump’s appointment.

“President-elect Trump is a true friend of the state of Israel,” said Netanyahu in a statement. “We will work together to advance the security, stability and peace in our region. The strong connection between the United States and Israel is based on shared values, shared interests and a shared destiny.

“I’m certain that President-elect Trump and I will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between Israel and the United States, and bring it to new heights,” he added.

After a phone conversation between Netanyahu and Trump later, it emerged that Trump had invited the Israeli prime minister to the US. “President-elect Trump invited Prime Minister Netanyahu to a meeting in the United States at the first opportunity,” said a statement from Netanyahu’s office.

Netanyahu’s remarks came as it was suggested that Netanyahu and his team had privately expected Hillary Clinton to be elected.

In a more coded message of congratulations, Israel’s opposition leader, Isaac Herzog, referred to the rise of a new global populist politics, saying: “The US elections are a continuation of a global trend of rejecting the old ruling elites and a wish for a clear and emphatic change.

“Trump’s election is the continuation of a social, economic and political tsunami that we’ve seen in many countries, which will also bring about change in Israel.”

But other members of Netanyahu’s government – considered the most rightwing in Israeli history – showed less restraint.

The education minister, Naftali Bennett, who heads the hardline Jewish Home party and is seen as seeking to be prime minister one day, said the idea of a Palestinian state was now over.

“Trump’s victory is an opportunity for Israel to immediately retract the notion of a Palestinian state in the centre of the country, which would hurt our security and just cause,” Bennett said. “This is the position of the president-elect … The era of a Palestinian state is over.”

The justice minister, Ayelet Shaked, also of Jewish Home; deputy foreign minister Tzipi Hotovely, from Netanyahu’s rightwing Likud party; and Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat also called for the embassy to be transferred.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Palestinians see Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, while the Israelis call the entire city their eternal indivisible capital.

A Trump administration will be far more favourable to the Jewish state, another of the president-elect’s advisers on Israel has said.

Shmuel Rosner, a senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, said a Trump administration is likely to be “much more understanding if Israel has to use force in order to tamp down Palestinian violence”.

He also said he felt the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would be “much less of a priority, and when it’s not a priority, this means that Israel in some ways gets off the hook”.

The Palestinian president, Mahmud Abbas, congratulated Trump and said he hoped peace could be achieved during his term based on the two-state solution.

“We are ready to deal with the elected president on the basis of a two-state solution and to establish a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders,” spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP, referring to the year when Israel seized the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza.

***

FOX NEWS

German Lutheran church rejects efforts to convert Jews

Published November 09, 2016 Associated Press

BERLIN – Germany's Lutheran church is rejecting any efforts to convert Jews, a move that is being welcomed by the country's Jewish community.

The synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany approved the declaration on Wednesday. Synod president Irmgard Schwaetzer said it is "a further step on the path of contemplation and reorientation in our relationship with Jews."

The move to distance the church from the mission to Jews comes ahead of next year's 500th anniversary of the Reformation and follows a declaration last year distancing it from Martin Luther's statements against Jews. The Vatican has also declared it doesn't support official efforts to convert Jews.

Germany's Central Council of Jews welcomed what it called a long-awaited declaration, saying it recognizes the suffering caused by forced conversions over centuries.

***

WND

BLASPHEMY CRACKDOWN SURGES – ACROSS EUROPE!

Sports authority imposes 2-month ban on athlete for filming friend poking fun at Islam

Published: November 7, 2016

BOB UNRUH

One of Islam’s core beliefs is that no one is allowed to poke fun at Muhammad or his writings – no one, anywhere, ever.

And Europe more and more seems to be subscribing to that religious doctrine, according to a new report from Douglas Murray, an author, commentator and public-affairs analyst, who wrote at the Gatestone Institute.

He explains that not only is Dutch politician Geert Wilders now on trial for agreeing with voters that immigration should be limited, but now a British athlete is being punished for antics, while drunk, that offended Muslims.

“Europe is currently seeing the reintroduction of blasphemy laws through both the front and back doors,” he wrote.

“In Britain, the gymnast Louis Smith has just been suspended for two months by British Gymnastics. This 27-year old sportsman’s career has been put on hold, and potentially ruined, not because of anything to do with athletics but because of something to do with Islam.”

Murray explained a video was uncovered recently of the “four-time Olympic medal-winner and a friend getting up to drunken antics after a wedding.”

The video revealed “a friend taking a rug off a wall and doing an imitation of Islamic prayer rituals,” he explained.

The video, from Smith’s phone, ended up in the hands of a newspaper, resulting in “press castigation and public humiliation” for the young athlete.

“Smith – who is himself of mixed race – was forced to parade on daytime television in Britain and deny that he is a racist, bigot or xenophobe,” Murray explained.

But then sports officials determined Smith’s actions warranted a removal of funding and a two-month ban from his sport.

“This is the re-entry of blasphemy laws through the back door, where newspapers, daytime chat-shows and sports authorities decide between them that one religion is worthy of particular protection. They do so because they take the religion of Islam uniquely on its own estimation and believe, as well as fear, the warnings of the Islamic blasphemy-police worldwide,” Murray wrote.

The “front-door” reintroduction comes in Wilders’ case. He is on trial now for allegedly inciting opposition to immigrants.

“Wilders is being tried because of a statement at a rally in front of his supporters in March 2014. Ahead of municipal elections, and following reports of a disproportionate amount of crimes being committed in Holland by Muslims of Moroccan origin, Wilders asked a crowd, ‘Do you want more or fewer Moroccans in this city and in the Netherlands?’ The audience responded, ‘Fewer, fewer.’ To which Wilders responded, ‘Well, we’ll arrange that, then.'”

“Whether or not one feels any support for Wilders’ sentiments is not in fact the point in this case. The point is that by prosecuting someone for saying what he said, the courts in Holland are effectively ruling that there is only one correct answer to the question Wilders asked. They are saying that if someone asks you whether you would like more Moroccans or fewer, people must always answer ‘more,’ or they will be committing a crime,” Murray wrote.

Only weeks ago, a single-judge tribunal in Muslim-dominant Pakistan recommended a review of the nation’s controversial blasphemy law.

It followed by only months a “landmark” decision by a court there that refused to affirm that criticizing the nation’s Islamic anti-blasphemy law is itself illegal.

The decision came in the ever-expanding fallout of the case of Asia Bibi, a mother who was accused and convicted of blasphemy against Islam and sentenced to death for talking about her Christian faith. Her case remains on appeal and pending.

But the blasphemy law there – and even the discussion of its validity – has cost numerous lives in a nation where the accused often are killed by vigilantes before the court system can resolve their cases.

At the time, the Pakistan Supreme Court said “criticizing the country’s notoriously harsh blasphemy laws is not blasphemy,” according to the Barnabas Fund, an organization that serves persecuted Christians worldwide.

Now the Barnabas Fund reports the new tribunal was set up to investigate the riots in Gojra in August 2009 that killed eight Christians.

The tribunal has recommended a review of the country’s blasphemy law.

Worldwide, Islamic nations have been on a tear to demand non-Muslims be punished for criticizing Islam. In 2012, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, then Turkey’s prime minister and now president, demanded that a movie that “insults religions” and “prophets” is not protected by freedom of speech.

He insisted that international bodies pass laws making criticism of Islam a crime.

The Turkish newspaper Today’s Zaman reported Erdogan made the comments before a large crowed in Bosnia.

He said he is the “prime minister of a nation, of [whom] most are Muslims and that has declared anti-Semitism a crime against humanity. But the West hasn’t recognized Islamophobia as a crime against humanity – it has encouraged it.”

He provided the comments in response to the growing controversy surrounding the YouTube movie “Innocence of Muslims,” made by an Egyptian living in the United States.

Islamic nations for years have been pushing in the U.N. for a “Defamation of Religions” law that came out of an original plan by the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation for a “Defamation of Islam” law to crack down on criticism of the religion.

Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice said at the time it’s nothing “more than an effort to achieve special protections for Islam – a move to stifle religious speech.”

Critics of the idea say Muslim nations would simply use it as an endorsement of their attacks on Christians for statements as simple as their belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ, which Muslims consider an affront.

In 2010, WND reported the Islamic-led Defamation of Religions proposal in the United Nations had been approved again. But its level of support had been declining.

According to the Human Rights First organization, the plan violated fundamental freedom of expression norms.

“[The] vote affirms that support for the defamation concept continues to dwindle. Nevertheless, we deeply regret that this text continues to distract governments from real issues that deserve greater attention , such as fighting the spread of religious violence and hatred, as well as how to counter practices of discrimination that many members of religious and other minorities face in all parts of the globe,” said Tad Stahnke of Human Rights First.

He said the vote is “unfortunate for both individuals at risk whose rights will surely be violated under the guise of prohibiting ‘defamation of religions,’ as well as for the standards of international norms on freedom of expression.”

EXPRESS

'BIGGER THAN BREXIT' Farage hails astonishing Trump win as establishment is hammered

NIGEL FARAGE has lauded Donald Trump's astonishing election victory, describing his win over Hillary Clinton as bigger than Brexit.

By JOE BARNES

PUBLISHED: 05:53, Wed, Nov 9, 2016 | UPDATED: 09:08, Wed, Nov 9, 2016

Mr Farage compared the US election to Britain’s decision to leave the European Union as he claimed the political class is now "reviled” across the Western world.

Following a series of wins in key battleground states Mr Trump has now become the 45th American President.

Speaking to ITV, Mr Farage said the predicted victory would be one of “two great political revolutions” seen across the world in 2016.

He said: “I’m not particularly surprised because the political class is reviled across much of the West, the polling industry is bankrupt and the press just hasn’t woken up to what’s going on in the world.

“So, 2016, by the looks of it, is going to be the year of two great political revolutions.

“I thought Brexit was big, but boy, this looks like it’s going to be even bigger.”

Pundits stateside on both TV and newspapers who had predicted Mrs Clinton to win at the start of the night were left dumbfounded as Mr Trump ascended to the highest political office in the US.

A political commentator, who served under Mrs Clinton, already started to roll out the excuses for her former boss' defeat.

Speaking soon after the key swing state of Florida was called for Mr Trump, Jehmu Greene, a Clinton appointee from her time as Secretary of State, tried to deflect the blame away from the Democratic nominee.

Speaking on Sky News, she said: “Let’s just look back at this election.

“Hillary Clinton was running against Donald Trump, she was also running against Russia.

“She then started running against the FBI, director Comey, the leaks that were coming out.

She was running against history and 238 years of men in the White House.”

she added: “If anyone can do it [win the election] Hillary Clinton can.”

Ms Greene was referring to repeated claims Mrs Clinton and the Democratic party had been targeted by Kremlin-backed hackers.

***

RT

US-led coalition turned Mosul op into ‘medieval slaughter’– Russian FM spokeswoman

Published time: 6 Nov, 2016 20:24

Edited time: 7 Nov, 2016 08:00

The events in Iraq’s Mosul resemble a “medieval slaughter” as the population is being killed by both Islamic State terrorists and the US-led coalition conducting operations in the city, said Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry.

“The anti-terrorist operation carried out by the major powers of the 21st century has turned into a medieval slaughter, in which the civilian population is primarily affected,” Zakharova wrote on her Facebook page.

“The population of Mosul is killed en masse by both terrorists and by the coalition forces,” she added.

Iraqi troops, backed by the US-led coalition’s aviation, artillery and Special Forces, started the campaign to retake Mosul from Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) on October 17.

Zakharova slammed the US-led coalition for disregarding the lives of civilians in the northern Iraqi city, which has been IS’s main stronghold in the country since 2014.

“It turned out that no fundamental plan to rescue the civilians has been developed. There’s no such thing as humanitarian corridors. There is no consistency in the evacuation of the people,” she said.

“One thing is clear, the coalition treats the Iraqi civilians in Mosul a lot worse than the militants in Aleppo,” the spokeswoman added.

The US and is allies severely criticize Moscow for its assistance to the Syrian forces in retaking the strategic city of Aleppo, from al-Qaeda affiliate, Jabhat al-Nusra, and other terror groups.

The West has accused Russia of war crimes, also saying that the country’s humanitarian efforts in Aleppo were futile.

Russia, for its part, blasted the US for sheltering the terrorists due to its failure to fulfill an agreement to separate Jabhat al-Nusra militants from the so-called “moderate opposition.”

Returning to Mosul, Zakharova attracted attention to the “absolute information blockade by the [US-led] coalition” on information about its operation in the city.

The West “provides no credible information on what’s happening there. There is no clarity on their achievements – are the coalition forces advancing or retreating; how effective are their tactics; what the losses have they suffered; of hand, how many combat flights there were missions and who carried them out,” she said.

“There is a feeling that there was an order to abort all the information support of the coalition’s operations,” the spokeswoman added.

On Friday, the UN said that Islamic State has executed 400 people around Mosul, including 50 of its own deserters, and transported many others into the city to use as human shields.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Sunday that 34,000 Iraqis had left their homes since the start of the operation to retake Mosul three weeks ago, adding that most of those people were put in temporary shelters. However, over 1 million civilians are believed to remain trapped in Mosul as the terrorists kill anybody who attempts to flee.

Earlier this week, Russia’s Defense Ministry accused the US-led coalition warplanes of hitting residential areas in and around the besieged city.

In late October, an alleged coalition airstrike on the village of Fadhiliya near Mosul killed eight members of the same family.

“There’s always a concern that there’s not enough being done for civilians,” Alvhild Stromme, media adviser for Norwegian Refugee Council, told RT when asked about the situation in Mosul.

Stromme echoed Zakharova by also pointing out the need for humanitarian corridors for civilians to be created in the city.

“We’ve been calling for a safe corridor, which means a safe escape from the city for the civilians inside. We’re calling for this. Again, this hasn’t been established,” she said.

She confirmed that people are being trapped in Mosul as only a few of the city’s residents have managed to make it to the camps of the Norwegian Refugee Council in Iraq.

***

Zero Hedge

Gold Price Skyrockets In India After Currency Ban

by Tyler Durden

Nov 10, 2016 12:16 PM

Submitted by Jayant Bhandari via Acting-Man.com,

India’s Government Makes Banknotes Worthless by Decree Overnight

As I write this in the morning of 9th November 2016, there are huge lines forming outside gold shops in India — and gold traded heavily until late into the night yesterday. Depending on who you ask, the retail price of gold has gone up between 15% and 20% within the last 10 hours.

Gold quotes in India – gold traded for as much as Rs 49,000 per 10 grams or US$ 2,294 per ounce

At some places, it was sold for as much as US$ 2,294 per ounce. That is, if you can actually find physical gold — gold inventories at stores are rapidly depleting. All of this happened well before the international price started to move up because of the election results coming out of the US.

Last night (8th November 2016), India’s government banned the use of Rs 500 (~$7.50) and Rs 1,000 ($15) banknotes. This pretty much made most currency-in-use illegal. Banks and ATMs are closed today. The government believes that doing this will help eradicate corruption and push counterfeit money out of circulation. According to the Indian government, the counterfeit money tends to come from Pakistan and helps finance terrorism.

My first instinct when I heard the news was that people would be on the streets this morning. There would be riots and the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, would be unceremoniously thrown out. Despite being a huge critic of him, I thought he at least had the spine to take bold action, however erroneous it might have been.

I am sometimes too optimistic about India and expect too much goodness from Indians. And I was wrong.

In the morning no opposition against the government was in sight. But there was some animosity detectable between people. Forgetful that they had lined up until late into the night yesterday trying to get cash out of ATMs before midnight, had fought at gas-stations to get their gas tanks filled, and had suddenly been trapped with unusable currency, people exchanged congratulations on what Modi had done.

What Modi had done — contrary to what I initially thought — wasn’t a bold move. It was a populist move, designed to please the 98% who do not save. While they are really driven by envy, these 98% are putting on a brave face, celebrating the alleged defeat of corruption. To them the fights of yesterday — at gas stations and elsewhere — and the loss of trust in their fellow citizens is merely collateral damage.

***

CNN

New Delhi is the most polluted city on Earth right now

By James Griffiths, CNN

Updated 0541 GMT (1341 HKT) November 8, 2016

Story highlights

Some parts of Delhi record air quality index of 999

City has instituted emergency measures to tackle smog

(CNN)Fresh air doesn't exist in New Delhi at the moment.

India's capital is choking under off-the-charts smog, with some parts of the city reporting levels almost five times those considered "unhealthy" by the US environmental protection agency.

Measurements taken at the US Embassy in Delhi put the city's Air Quality Index at 999 on Monday, off the standard chart, which finishes at the "hazardous" level of 500.

By comparison, the highest AQI level recorded Monday in Baoding -- China's most polluted city -- was 298.

Beijing was a pleasant 30, while India's next most polluted city, coal and industry-heavy Chandrapur, recorded levels of 824, according to the World Air Quality Index.

Research released earlier this year found that air quality levels exceed World Health Organizations guidelines for 80% of those living in urban areas around the world.

Protests and pollution masks

In Khan Market, one of Delhi's trendiest areas, shops that specialized in anti-pollution masks were doing brisk business as people queued up to buy some modicum of protection from the toxic smog.

On Sunday, hundreds of people gathered to protest outside Parliament in the city center as others voiced their displeasure online, posting to Twitter with the slogan #MyRightToBreathe.

An emergency ruling issued over the weekend saw more than 5,000 schools closed and construction work halted for the next three days. Officials warned that the number of vehicles allowed on the streets may be restricted if the situation does not improve.

***

MailOnline

Are you ready for a REALLY super supermoon? Record breaking November 14th event will be biggest in living memory - and won't happen again until 2034

• Moon will be the closest to Earth it's been since January 1948, and closest full moon to date in 21st century

• The supermoon becomes full within two hours of perigee— making it an extra-super moon

• The moon is at perigee at 6:22 a.m. EST and 'opposite' the sun for the full moon at 8:52 a.m. EST

By MARK PRIGG FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED: 23:01, 9 November 2016 | UPDATED: 23:33, 9 November 2016

Is is set to be the most super of supermoons.

The Monday, Nov. 14 supermoon will be especially 'super' because it's the closest full moon to Earth since 1948, ans we won't see another like this until 2034.

According to NASA, you won't even have to get up early to see it.

The Monday, Nov. 14 supermoon will be especially 'super' because it's the closest full moon to Earth since 1948, and we won't see another like this until 2034. Pictured, an image that approximates the look of the Nov. 14, 2016, full moon with data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

On Monday, Nov. 14, the moon is at perigee at 6:22 a.m. EST and 'opposite' the sun for the full moon at 8:52 a.m. EST (after moonset for most of the US).

If you're not an early riser, don't worry, NASA says.

'I've been telling people to go out at night on either Sunday or Monday night to see the supermoon,' said Noah Petro, deputy project scientist for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission.

'The difference in distance from one night to the next will be very subtle, so if it's cloudy on Sunday, go out on Monday. Any time after sunset should be fine.

Since the moon is full, it'll rise at nearly the same time as sunset, so I'd suggest that you head outside after sunset, or once it's dark and the moon is a bit higher in the sky.

'You don't have to stay up all night to see it, unless you really want to!'

The moon's orbit around Earth is slightly elliptical so sometimes it is closer and sometimes it's farther away.

When the moon is full as it makes its closest pass to Earth it is known as a supermoon.

At perigree — the point at which the moon is closest to Earth — the moon can be as much as 14 percent closer to Earth than at apogee, when the moon is farthest from our planet.

The full moon appears that much larger in diameter and because it is larger shines 30 percent more moonlight onto the Earth.

The biggest and brightest moon for observers in the United States will be on Monday morning just before dawn.

This is actually the second of three supermoons in a row, so if the clouds don't cooperate for you this weekend, you will have another chance next month to see the last supermoon of 2016 on Dec. 14.

It will happen in the morning hours before sunrise in western North America and the Pacific islands to the east of the International Date Line).

The best time to view a super moon is when the moon is low on the horizon where 'an illusion will occur that makes it look unnaturally larger,' according to AccuWeather.

However, the moon will look plenty full and bright all night long on both nights, astronomers say – November 13 and 14 – as it rises in the east around sunset, climbs highest up around midnight, and then sets in the west at or near sunset.

On November 14th, the Moon will be the closest to Earth it's been since January 1948. During the event, it will appear up to 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than an average full moon.

The moon will reach the crest of its full phase on November 14 at 1352 UTC.

That translates to 9:52 a.m. AST, 8:52 a.m. EST, 7:52 a.m. CST, 6:52 a.m. MST, 5:52 a.m. PST.

The supermoon of December 14 will beremarkable for a different reason: it's going to wipe out the view of the Geminid meteor shower, Nasa said..

Day and night sides of Earth at the instant of the November 2016 full moon (2016 November 14 at 1352 UTC) via EarthView. At this time, it'll be sunrise on November 14 in western North America. In eastern North America, the moon will have set before the moon turns exactly full, and it'll be a waning moon that rises on the evening of November 14.

'Bright moonlight will reduce the visibility of faint meteors five to ten fold, transforming the usually fantastic Geminids into an astronomical footnote,' it claims.

Sky watchers will be lucky to see a dozen Geminids per hour when the shower peaks.

'A supermoon is undeniably beautiful,' said Nasa.

'And we can multiply that beauty by three as 2016 comes to a close.

October 16, November 14, and December 14: mark your calendar and enjoy the super moonlight.

Earlier this year a Hunter's moon and a supermoon combined.

The combination produced a red moon which appears larger than normal, and should be visible in the northern hemisphere this weekend.

A Hunter's moon, which is also a blood moon, rises much earlier in the evening than usual.

It is the first full moon after the Harvest moon.

Typically, the moon rises 50 minutes later each day, according to Universe Today.

But a blood moon tends to rise only 30 minutes later – shortening the time between sunset and moon rise.

The red colour is caused by the moon's proximity to the horizon.

An article in EarthSky, stated: 'The orange colour of a moon near the horizon is a true physical effect.

'It stems from the fact that - when you look toward the horizon - you are looking through a greater thickness of Earth's atmosphere than when you gaze up and overhead.'

Blue light is scattered by the atmosphere, which usually makes the moon appear white in the sky.

But when the atmosphere is thicker, it lets red light pass through, which means that when the moon is near the horizon, it appears red.

As well as appearing red, the moon is also predicted to look bigger than usual this weekend due to a supermoon.

The supermoon occurs when the moon is at its closest distance to Earth during its orbit – making it appear larger than normal.

People in the Northern Hemisphere can catch a glimpse of this rare blood and supermoon this weekend.

But there is good news for those in the Southern Hemisphere – a blood supermoon should appear between March and September.

The best time to watch the blood supermoon depends on your location.

For the UK, the moon turns full at 5:23am BST on October 16, at which time the oon shines in their western sky.

(“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, to divide between day and night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years. And let them be for light in the firmament of the heaven, so as to shine upon the earth, and it was so. And God made the two great lights, the greater light for regulating the day and the lesser light for regulating the night, the stars also. And God placed them in the firmament of the heaven, so as to shine upon the earth, and to regulate day and night, and to divide between the light and the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.” Genesis 1:14-19)

***

natural Living Ideas

10 Reasons To Have A Himalayan Salt Lamp In Every Room Of Your Home

June 15, 2015 by Janice Taylor

You don’t know what you’re missing if you’ve never owned a Himalayan salt lamp. It’s like having an open window – a softly glowing natural source of fresh, clean air – on your desk, in your living room, next to the bed, or anywhere you choose to put it.

Before we dive into the health benefits of using Himalayan salt lamps in your home, it may be helpful to first have a brief chemistry lesson:

All matter (the human body, air, water, etc) is made up of molecules which are made up of atoms which are made up of three types of particles: protons (positive charge), electrons (negative charge), and neutrons (no charge). Electrons orbit their molecules like planets revolve around a star. Occasionally an electron flies off and when it does, it leaves behind a positively-charged ion whose sole purpose in life becomes to fill the void left by its little lost electron. In other words: it wants to steal a replacement electron from another molecule. Due to differences in molecular structure (number of electrons in the outermost orbit, strength and structure of electron bonds, etc) some materials lose electrons much more easily than others.

With this basic understanding of the behaviors of positive and negative ions fresh in your mind, let’s take a look at the top 10 benefits of the Himalayan Salt Lamp.

1. Salt Lamps Cleanse & Deodorize the Air

Probably the most well-known benefit – and why the majority of people use them – is due to their incredible power to remove dust, pollen, cigarette smoke, and other contaminants from the air. “But how do they do this,” you ask? “It’s just a big chunk of salt with a light bulb inside, right?”

Well yes, but no. There’s much more to it than that.

Himalayan salt lamps purify air through the power of hygroscopy, meaning that they attract water molecules from the surrounding environment then absorb those molecules – as well as any foreign particles they may be carrying – into the salt crystal. As the HPS lamp warms up from the heat produced by the light bulb inside, that same water then evaporates back into the air and the trapped particles of dust, pollen, smoke, etc remain locked in the salt.

2. Reduce Allergy & Asthma Symptoms

Because Himalayan salt lamps remove microscopic particles of dust, pet dander, mold, mildew and the like from the surrounding air, placing a lamp or two in the rooms where you spend the most time can seriously cut back on allergy symptoms. Even people who suffer from asthma should notice a big difference after a week or two. (In fact, Himalayan pink salt is so good for your airways, there are even HPS Inhalers!)

3. Eases Coughing

When the Himalayan salt lamp heats up and begins its hygroscopic cycling of airborne particles, it also changes the charge of the molecules which are released. (Remember our chemistry lesson?) The majority of homes are filled with positively charged ions which aren’t particularly good for a person’s health. The positive ions are created by a number of things, but the primary source for most of us is from our electronics.

One of the health detriments of breathing lots of positive ions in the air is that the cilia (microscopic hairs) which line the trachea (aka: windpipe) become sluggish and don’t work as well to keep contaminants out of our lungs. As a Himalayan pink salt lamp absorbs water and particles from the air, it also takes positive ions with them. Then, when the heated salt releases cleansed water vapor back into the air, it also expels negative ions which have the opposite effect on our airways – increasing cilial activity to keep your lungs clear.

What all this means in a nut shell: Besides removing contaminants from the air, Himalayan pink salt lamps also help your body to filter air more efficiently so any foreign particles you do happen to breathe won’t make it into your lungs.

4. Increase Energy Levels

Taking a drive through the countryside with the windows down, spending time at the beach or camping in the mountains, or simply taking a shower first thing in the morning are all things that many people find invigorating. It’s not a coincidence that these are all activities which expose us to increased concentrations of negative ions such as those generated by Himalayan salt lamps. The fact is, positive ions sap our bodies of energy. Unfortunately, it’s all too common for us to try to diagnose the problem as something else entirely.

If you constantly feel tired and don’t know why, try keeping a Himalayan salt lamp in the room or rooms where you spend the most time. After about a week, you should notice a difference.

5. Neutralize Electromagnetic Radiation

Nowadays, most of us are living in a metaphorical ocean of electromagnetic (EM) radiation which flows from our electronics (ie: television, computer, cell phone, tablet, appliances, sterio, etc). While they may be invisible, the long-term effects of EM exposure can be quite serious. Constant exposure to EM radiation is known to increase stress levels, cause chronic fatigue, and decrease the body’s immune response, among other things.

As they emit negative ions into the air, Himalayan salt lamps work to neutralize electromagnetic radiation. Keep one next to the computer, television, and any other electrical devices which you use frequently to reduce the potential danger to you and your family.

6. Better Sleep

Another side effect which results from over-exposure to positive ions in the air is that it robs you of quality sleep. This happens because those positively-charged particles can actually reduce blood and oxygen supply to the brain resulting in irregular sleep patterns. Himalayan pink salt lamps are natural negative ion generators, thus they can help to reverse this problem. Keep one or two around your bedroom to improve the air quality so you can get a better night’s sleep.

Remember, even if you’re like me and you can’t sleep unless the room is totally dark, you can always turn the lamp off at bedtime. Just leave it on for the rest of the day so it can do its work while you’re awake. People in humid climates should be aware that HPS lamps tend to weep when the salt becomes cool. You’ll definitely want to protect surfaces by placing a saucer underneath and be sure to follow the instructions for use and care which should be included with your lamp!

7. Improve Mood & Concentration

Himalayan pink salt lamps are a great way to naturally enhance your mood or to help you relax and unwind at the end of the day. At the same time and on the opposite side of the coin, HPS lamps are great for improving concentration. Again, this is due to the effect of the negative ions on your body, improving blood and oxygen supply to the brain and other organs, as well as providing a boost of serotonin – the neurotransmitter which makes us (literally) feel happy.

8. Treat Seasonal Affective Disorder

In addition to generating negative ions which improve mood and energy levels, the soft, natural light given off by a Himalayan pink salt lamp is close enough to the warm glow of sunshine that they can even be used to relieve the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder. This year when the days get shorter, fight back the lethargy by surrounding yourself with a few HPS lamps set on timers.

9. Reduce Static Electricity in the Air

While not a “health benefit” at first glance, static is pesky stuff. It causes stress, embarrassment, and frustration. Static zaps you when you least expect it, as you’re reaching for a door handle, kissing your husband or wife before bed, or trying to pet your dog or cat. Static can give you a bad hair day, make it impossible to clean crumbs or coffee grounds off of the kitchen counter, and even cause you to accidentally go to work with a sock stuck to the back of your shirt…

(Okay, so that last one may have been a little over-the-top.) The point is, static electricity can be a huge pain and Himalayan pink salt lamps are a natural way to neutralize the airborne ionized particles which cause it.

10. Environmentally-Friendly Light Source

Last, but not least: Himalayan pink salt lamps are environmentally friendly. While only an estimate, the reserves from which HPS is mined measure somewhere between 80 and 600 million tons and is projected to last for at least another 350 years at the current extraction rate. The base of an HPS lamp is generally carved from a sustainable wood such as neem. Some lamps use a low-wattage bulb which consumes very little energy while others are powered by a lit candle.

Choosing & Placing Your Himalayan Pink Salt Lamp

When it comes to buying Himalayan pink salt lamps, coverage is determined by the size of the crystal. Smaller lamps are good for the average bedroom, while larger lamps are better for spaces like the living room or den. On average, calculate that 1 lb of HPS crystal will cleanse the air in approximately a 4′ x 4′ area.

If you can’t find a large enough lamp for any given room, remember that you can use multiple lamps spread out around the space for the same effect

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Until next week...keep on believing.
Almondtree Productions

“Is it not for you to know that the Lord God of Israel has given a king over Israel for ever to David, and to his sons, by a covenant of salt?”
(ll Chronicles 13:5”)