Archives for March 2016

Law Enforcement Turn to NSA Surveillance Data to Track Crime: “It Was Only A Matter of Time”

March 14, 2016 by contributing author

This article was written by Joshua Krause and originally published at The Daily Sheeple.

Editor’s Comment: Once the system has tilted towards concentrated and unaccountable power, the abuses and tyranny become inevitable. Americans stood down as the NSA on the 4th Amendment and stoked terror threats in order to justify its wholesale cataloging of the American people.

From here, the data collection will only increase. The next wave of technology will do even more to read into our actions and behaviors, and the data on that will become part of the effort to track everything and create a dominion over the nation. Beware, things are going dark.

It’s Official: NSA Data Will Soon be Used by Domestic Law Enforcement

by Joshua Krause

If you’re reading this, then I’m willing to bet that you’ve been called many different names throughout your life. If I were to hazard a guess, I would say they were names like kook, paranoid, conspiracy theorist, alarmist, insane, or gullible. And after this week, you can go by a new name: Vindicated.

I’m of course talking about recent revelations from the NSA. Long before Edward Snowden came along, it was no secret that the NSA was spying on everyone without good cause. Anyone who believed that fact was called a conspiracy theorist, but their fears were eventually validated.

These same people also understood that the NSA’s surveillance powers would never be used exclusively against terrorists and hostile governments. The power they have is just too tempting for any government. If various government agencies weren’t using the NSA’s surveillance apparatus to solve domestic crimes, it was only a matter of time before it was used for just that.

And again, they called us conspiracy theorists for believing that. And again, we were right all long.

A while back, we noted a report showing that the “sneak-and-peek” provision of the Patriot Act that was alleged to be used only in national security and terrorism investigations has overwhelmingly been used in narcotics cases. Now the New York Times reports that National Security Agency data will be shared with other intelligence agencies like the FBI without first applying any screens for privacy. The ACLU of Massachusetts blog Privacy SOS explains why this is important:

What does this rule change mean for you? In short, domestic law enforcement officials now have access to huge troves of American communications, obtained without warrants, that they can use to put people in cages. FBI agents don’t need to have any “national security” related reason to plug your name, email address, phone number, or other “selector” into the NSA’s gargantuan data trove. They can simply poke around in your private information in the course of totally routine investigations. And if they find something that suggests, say, involvement in illegal drug activity, they can send that information to local or state police. That means information the NSA collects for purposes of so-called “national security” will be used by police to lock up ordinary Americans for routine crimes.

Anybody who knows anything about how governments work, should not surprised. You can’t give them any kind of power, and expect them to use it responsibly. You can’t give them any stipulations. Eventually they’ll find a legal loophole to work around any limitations that have been placed on them.

In other news, the Pentagon admitted this week that they’ve been deploying military drones over the United States for domestic surveillance purposes. Much like the NSA’s surveillance apparatus, we were assured that drones were for terrorists in faraway lands. Nothing so Orwellian would ever be used against ordinary American citizens at home. Yet here we are, with more to come.

Perhaps you’re beginning to see a pattern. Everything our government uses against foreign enemies, eventually makes its way back home. Every war is an opportunity to try out new technologies, before turning around and using them against American citizens. It just goes to show, that war really is the health of the state.

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

How to Dress to Avoid Suspicion, Blend In During a Crisis: “Be a Grey Man”

March 14, 2016 by mac slavo

Survival is all about blending in.

If you stand out, you could become like the unhammered nail, begging for unwanted attention.

Whether you are carrying concealed or attempting to negotiate your way through a post-apocalyptic SHTF scenario, take notice that you don’t appear “militaristic” or tactical, as it will work against you.

Mark Twain long ago observes that “clothes make the man” – and the last man you want to be in an emergency scenario is a conspiracy theorist, an obvious doomsday prepper or an overzealous gun-toting idiot who beams controversy and strange looks wherever he goes.

Camouflauge fatigues, “fishing” vests and militia-gear will all work against your efforts, and put an exclamation mark over you while interacting with whatever remains of society, and potentially put a spotlight on your prepping efforts, your stores or retreats, and deflate your hard work to survive.

The last thing you want to do is look like someone who wants a fight, someone who could be stolen from or someone who could become a target or mark.

TheOl1911 explains his philosophy on finding common and even “trendy” clothing with muted colors and enough style to pass the “sniff test” that also offers advantages for concealed carry and tactical preparedness. There’s no one right answer here – but there are certainly wrong ones.

Author Jeremiah Johnson recommends in his Green Beret’s Guide:

Cargo pants. These are preferred because of what you can stash in them. You can hold an infinite combination of gear in them…a polar-tech cap and a balaclava, a “drive-on” (do) rag – the o.g. Army cravat. You can carry shooting gloves (leather for all-weather) and ear plugs (radians do tell!). With all of these things in the cargoes, there is still plenty of room for the main function: when you change your mags or speed loaders, you can shove the empties in your cargo pockets.

Loosely fitting clothing will break up the outline of your body. Also, remember all of the caps and do-rags I mentioned before? A quick disguise is where you find it; need I say more. An old Russian saying: “Do not be a white crow among black crows or you’ll be pecked to death!” Make sure that you blend in as best as you can. Earth tones in your dress if you have to dee-dee into the woods. Balance your tones with the discretion of common sense. Do not try to be a walking Realtree monster right next to downtown city hall.

Blend in and be inconspicuous; be the “gray” man in the crowd.

Police and most trained marksmen know the techniques to spot someone carrying concealed, and otherwise looking shifty. Tell-tale signs of behavior, including subconsciously checking pockets, and changes in the gait, shifting weight to one side, or uneven clothing (from the weight of the weapon in a pocket) are all give away to the professionals. You’d do best to know them, too, so you can spot others, and avoid giving yourself away.

Be aware of how your behavior can give you away, and dress to blend in with the local population. The styles will change depending upon what part of the country you live in, and whether or not you live in or near a city, or out in the countryside.

Psychology of Survival- Gray Man Concept

Instead, you should have the “uniform” of average clothing and accessories for your area, so that no one would notice you in a crowd, and few would remember you after the fact based upon your demeanor and any “give away” actions.

Civil Unrest: You’re Pretty Much on Your Own If You Are Caught In a Riot or Other Violent Demonstration

A Green Beret’s Guide To Planning Your Personal Posture: “First Things First: Always Be Armed”

How Can You Tell If Someone is Hiding a Gun?

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

This Stun Gun Looks Like an iPhone, Delivers 3 Million Volts of Electricity

March 14, 2016 by michaela whitton

Michaela Whitton
March 14, 2016

(ANTIMEDIA) United Kingdom — When members of the public became concerned that stun guns disguised as iPhones were readily available online to be imported into the U.K, they contacted national advocacy service Whistleblower.co.uk. The group contacted the Sunday Mirror, which launched an investigation into the devices that look and feel like iPhones, yet are capable of delivering over 3 million volts of electricity.

Available online in a variety of disguises, such as phones, torches, and key fobs, the stun guns can be bought and delivered for free in a few days with a couple of clicks. With the look and feel of a cell phone, the high-voltage weapons can be bought for as little as £13.00 ($22) and feature two electrodes at one end for zapping victims.

Claiming the availability of the stun guns could “fuel gang warfare on the streets,” the Sunday Mirror report uses predictably sensationalist language throughout. What it fails to mention is that the majority of buyers are purchasing the items for self defense. Just one sentence devoted to what a tragic indictment it is on today’s society that people are forced to carry high voltage devices on their key fobs — in defence against violent aggressors — wouldn’t have gone amiss but, after all, this was the Mirror.

What it does point to is how easy it is to get hold of the stun guns for malicious purposes, highlights the fact that they are classed as firearms in Britain, and that possession is illegal. While the site selling them is based in the U.S., possession in the U.K. can carry a prison sentence of up to ten years.

The investigation claims to have uncovered a series of prosecutions throughout the U.K. involving criminals importing the stun guns, referring to them throughout as “deadly weapons.” While intended to be non-lethal, there have been many deaths reported following police use of tasers in Britain, prompting Amnesty International to express concern that stun guns are “potentially lethal” weapons.

It says hundreds of the devices are slipping under the radar of the U.K. authorities only to be found in the possession of the likes of Nathan Matthews — the demented killer of Becky Watts — who was found with two stun guns disguised as torches. It also points to a naive holiday maker who was jailed for five years last month — after buying a stun gun designed as an iPhone as a present for a relative and bringing it into to Britain — unaware it was classified as an illegal firearm.

Meanwhile, a quick scan of the reviews for the iStun model from buyers in the U.S. reveal that not only does the device work, but that they are more than happy with their purchase.

“Used it on a drunk parking lot bully who was intimidating my wife, I got out and asked him to lay off, he said hey old man, who is gonna stop me,? you? he grabbed my coat and pushed my back, that is the line for me I stuck it in his rib cage and bully went down like a sack of potatoes he was still making threats as I zapped him again, called the cops and they took him away for threatening an elderly person.”

“This little diddy provides you with confidence to go dark places at night, hangout with shady people, or just yell offensive remarks at random strangers.
When confronted, just say you will ‘give them your iPhone’ as an apology. Then you give em the ol’ 3,800,000 volts and continue on your way.”

Alongside the pros, there are always the cons:

“It looks like an iPhone! My mom called me after I had this bad boy for about 2 days. Naturally I answered the phone. I woke up 2.5 hours later on the ground crying to the smell of burnt hair. Turns out I answered my stun gun! That was an iMistake I only made once. The only long term damage done was to my pride. Good news is, I know it works well.”

This article (This Stun Gun Looks Like an iPhone, Delivers 3 Million Volts of Electricity) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Michaela Whitton and theAntiMedia.org. Anti-Media Radio airs weeknights at 11pm Eastern/8pm Pacific. If you spot a typo, email edits@theantimedia.org.

From theantimedia.org Team

Ex-CIA Official Says Obama Doesn’t Follow Through on Promises Out of Fear of CIA

March 14, 2016 by claire bernish

Claire Bernish
March 14, 2016

(ANTIMEDIA) AcTVism Munich recently interviewed former CIA analyst-turned-activist, Ray McGovern, whose steadfast anti-torture stance led him to return his Intelligence Commendation Medal in 2006 — when the CIA sought official inclusion of torture in its methodology.

AcTVism’s Zain Raza asked McGovern to describe what led to his decision to return the medal.

“It was a time when the director of the CIA was openly pleading for an exception to legislation being drafted by Senator John McCain, prohibiting U.S. government officials from torturing people,” McGovern explained, noting he was aware torture had been practiced during CIA operations in Latin America. “But this was the first time the CIA was openly advocating for permission to be able to torture … and that seemed to me so abhorrent that I wanted to disassociate myself from the CIA for the first time since 1963 — because I didn’t want to be associated in any way, however remotely, with an agency engaged in torture.”

McGovern also described Europe’s role in the torture campaign and his opinion on whether President Obama had followed through on campaign promises to hold officials accountable for their actions.

“The role of our ‘allies,’ in my view, is a scandal. Fifty-three other countries cooperated in the kidnapping — extraordinary rendition — of suspected terrorists to black sites, where they were administered ‘enhanced interrogation techniques … which, by the way, is a direct, literal translation of verschärfte Vernehmung, right out of the Gestapo manual. I have the manual, and the sad thing is that many of the techniques are exactly the same — with a few ‘enhancements’ by the U.S. since World War II. So the role of our European allies and others has just, really, disappointed me greatly.

“Now, why President Obama … decided not to hold the torturers accountable is another very sad story,” McGovern continued, saying the president “is afraid” of the CIA. “I never thought I would hear myself saying that the President of the United States is afraid of the CIA, but he is. He’s afraid of the NSA, as well.”

McGovern says this is evident because National Intelligence Director James Clapper, who lied under oath in a Senate hearing, and Director of the CIA John Brennan, who hacked computers involved in the Senate committee overseeing him, both remain on the job to this day.

“You know, it’s hard to say this,” he continued, “but I suspect that Obama is afraid either of blackmail potential or even worse; and he has referred to the killing of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. … saying, ‘Don’t you remember what happened to Dr. King?’”

Discussing the NSA’s overreach and domestic spying, as well as general tacit acceptance of surveillance by people in both the U.S. and Germany, McGovern warned against passivity. He strongly emphasized the need to protect against the gradual ebbing of liberties and human rights, comparing such programs to those of the Gestapo.

“This is terribly, terribly dangerous territory,” McGovern said. “And the passiveness, you know, the apathy, that’s not responsible citizenship. When I’m asked why am I an activist, I say, ‘well, that’s the rent that I pay for living on this planet,’ okay? … To the degree we pretend to be a democracy, we have a corresponding duty to be activists enough to prevent our human rights from being infringed upon.”

McGovern also discussed Edward Snowden, whom he met in Russia, and dispelled some myths and rumors surrounding the whistleblower many call a hero.

AcTVism Munich’s interview can be seen in full below, or at the link here. The independent media site has previously conducted interviews with Glenn Greenwald, Noam Chomsky, and many others, which are available in multiple languages. AcTVism Much relies heavily on crowdsourcing to fund such endeavors, which you can help by donating here.

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This article (Ex-CIA Official Says Obama Doesn’t Follow Through on Promises Out of Fear of CIA) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Claire Bernish and theAntiMedia.org. Anti-Media Radio airs weeknights at 11pm Eastern/8pm Pacific. If you spot a typo, email edits@theantimedia.org.

From theantimedia.org Team

VIDEO: #Trump Attacked In #Ohio: “The Oligarchs Are Unleashing Their Embedded Socialists To Deliver Chaos”

March 12, 2016 by mac slavo

Just minutes after we published an article in which Karl Denninger argues that silencing trump as was done in Chicago will leave only one option for Americans who believe the Constitution has been attacked and supplanted, new video footage from a Saturday morning rally in Ohio shows that “protesters” are becoming more brazen, now coming for the candidate himself.

As the video footage below shows, Trump was attacked by someone near the stage. Within seconds the Secret Service moved in.

Watch:

One regular SHTFplan contributor commented in response to this incident via email:

The oligarchs are unleashing their Black Lives Matter and other embedded socialists to deliver chaos.

This is only the beginning.

They want Trump out because, as we noted previously, he’s not a member of their secret club.

Mitt Romney’s possible entrance into the Presidential race should make it clear. This isn’t about Republican or Democrat.

This is about the establishment maintaining a stranglehold on the affairs of the American people.

Also read: Free Speech Silenced In Chicago: ‘Our Political Differences Can Be Settled By The Ballot Box Or The Cartridge Box’

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

California Legislature Votes to Ban Some Adults From Buying Cigarettes

March 11, 2016 by josh mur

Josh Mur
March 11, 2016

(ANTIMEDIA) At the age of 18, young American adults are granted the legal right to sign a contract, purchase a firearm, marry, enlist in the military, sit on a jury, and vote. These rights bear a fresh batch of life-changing choices to youth that the law views them capable of making.

California lawmakers, on the other hand, appear to perceive 18-year-olds capable of no such thing. A list of new anti-tobacco bills was passed by the state Assembly on Thursday, among it, a bill that pushes the legal age to purchase cigarettes and other tobacco products from 18 to 21 throughout California. The motion passed with a 46 to 26 vote. Governor Jerry Brown has yet to sign off on them.

In addition to raising the smoking age, the new bills seek to put further restrictions on e-cigarettes and vaporizers. If these new laws are put into effect, California will become the second state after Hawaii to raise the smoking age. However, a handful of cities ─ San Francisco and New York being the largest ─ have adopted the same new regulation.

As stated earlier, 18-year-olds in America are granted a set of rights, as they are perceived to be ─ or at least capable of being ─ responsible adults worthy of making very serious and/or life-changing decisions. So let’s ask the obvious question here:

How is one seen as competent and responsible enough to join the ranks of the military to risk their lives for the agenda of corrupt power elites, sign a legal contract that could bind them to harmful terms and conditions, choose the person they want to spend the rest of their life with, have a voice in what laws are passed, and who our political leaders are, and sit on a jury with the fate of a peer in the hands of their judgement, but somehow not seen as sufficiently “adult” enough to buy a pack of cigarettes or enjoy a cold beer?

Having gained the support of nearly all of the Democratic party, the bill was largely opposed by Republican lawmakers.

“I don’t smoke. I don’t encourage my children to,” said Assemblyman Donald Wagner, R-Irvine. “But they’re adults, and it’s our job to treat our citizens as adults, not to nanny them.”

Those in support of the bill argue that raising the smoking age to 21 will significantly reduce smoking, as an approximate 95% of smokers pick up the habit before age 21. In addition, an analysis published in March 2015 suggests raising the smoking age to 21 could possibly reduce smoking by about 12% within a decade, along with saving around 273,000 lives from lung cancer and premature deaths.

While good intentions may be found underneath these bills, it does not change the fact that they directly stifle the freedom of the American adult. One should not have a say in a presidential election if they cannot be seen as capable of choosing whether or not to smoke cigarettes. One should not have the option to carry an assault rifle and risk their life for government policy if one is not considered responsible enough to have a drink.

It would appear such basic principles are much more difficult to grasp than they seem.

This article (California Legislature Votes to Ban Some Adults From Buying Cigarettes) is an opinion editorial (OP-ED). The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anti-Media. This article is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Josh Mur and theAntiMedia.org. Anti-Media Radio airs weeknights at 11 pm Eastern/8 pm Pacific. If you spot a typo, please email the error and name of the article to edits@theantimedia.org.

From theantimedia.org Team

Don’t Blow Your Cash On These Overrated #Survival Items: “There Really Isn’t A Good Reason For It”

March 11, 2016 by contributing author

This article was written by Joshua Krause and originally published at The Daily Sheeple.

Editor’s Comment: Not only are there lots of prepping items that are overpriced and expensive, but you may not even need it. There is quite possibly a better strategy that is usually learned only through experience and thoughtful planning– and recognizing what not to do after things go wrong.

With that in mind, the newbie prepper, as well as the veteran, should remember that blending in, lying low and adopting the “grey man” strategy may serve you better than hot-headed stockpiling of military surplus gear, and overpriced survival toys. Pace yourself, and invest in the equipment that will truly serve you in times of need, and avoid drawing too much attention to your efforts.

Five Alternatives to the Most Overrated Survival Items

by Joshua Krause

If you’re new to the prepping scene, you should probably know right off the bat that you’re about to waste a lot of money. I’m so sorry to break it to you, but it’s true. We’ve all done it. It’s practically a right of passage by now.

You’ve just become aware of how fragile our society really is, and all the horrifying ways the shit can hit the fan, and you think you have to rush out and buy a bunch of supplies and gear to survive the inevitable looting spree. There’s something you should know first though. If there is one thing that is practically guaranteed to part an otherwise smart person from their money, it is fear.

So stop, take a deep breath, and realize that in all likelihood the world is not going to end tomorrow. There may not be any serious crises for months or years. I know this (as do many other preppers) because I couldn’t possibly count the number of times I’ve heard someone I would consider reputable, sound the alarm on a possible threat.

Don’t get me wrong I’m glad they do, because it’s good that we have people who are dedicated to looking for these threats, but you should know that most of them never come to fruition. If anything, they are usually signs that our society is in a slow decline towards oblivion, rather than an explosive last hurrah. There’s still danger ahead, but when it’s all said and done, there may never be a single day that will go down in history as the day the world ended.

So now that I’ve assuaged your fears, hopefully you’re gripping your wallet a little tighter than you were before. That state of mind you’re experiencing, the one that isn’t an anxiety riddled mess, is the correct state of mind you should be in for prepping. It’s time to take a critical look at that list of supplies and gear you’re thinking of purchasing, and be prepared to cross a few items off, because some of them are highly overrated.

Canned Food and MRE’s

I don’t want to completely bash canned food. It certainly has its merits. In most cases it will last a very long time, longer than the expiration date in fact, but most canned foods aren’t very healthy. The whole canning process tends to degrade the nutritional value of the food, and most cans are laced with toxic preservatives and BPA. They’re also heavy and somewhat awkward to store. If you want to can your own food, that’s a worthy endeavor for other reasons, but to go to the store and max out your credit card on canned food is a terrible idea.

After realizing the folly of cans many preppers turn to MRE’s, but they also come with their own set of problems. For me personally, I find them to be utterly disgusting and unhealthy. They usually taste great when you’ve been hiking all day and you’re starving, but in that condition anything can taste good. I remember the first time I tried an MRE. I thought, “wow, this tastes familiar.” After looking over the ingredients, I realized that I was basically eating the same stuff that is served at McDonald’s and 7/11.

What Should You Get Instead?

Freeze dried food. Mountain House brand is the most popular, but there are several other good brands out there. It’s arguably healthier than most packaged food, and has a shelf life of 10 years or so. It’s small and lightweight, and to me at least, has an excellent flavor. The only downside is that it’s not perfectly edible out of the package. You have to add water (preferably hot), but I consider that a fair trade-off compared to the downsides of the other options. If you live in an area that would have a severe lack of water after the collapse, then maybe canned food is for you. Otherwise, freeze dried is the way to go.

Generator

This is a tough one, because I have to admit that generators can be useful for many short-term disasters. If you need to keep the lights on for a couple of days it’s a viable option, but generators may be completely useless during any long-term disaster. In that case, they become a logistical nightmare. Since it’s safe to assume that there will be gas shortages during any major disaster, do you really want to store enough gasoline to last you six months? And keep in mind that gas has a limited shelf life, and generators are usually really noisy.

Another thing to consider is energy efficiency. The majority of the electricity you use in your home goes toward appliances that provide heat. But the process of turning the combustion from your generator into electricity, and then back into heat, is incredibly inefficient. We don’t normally think about this because the power grid provides electricity at such a low-cost, (relative to a generator) so it’s not a big deal.

What Should You Get Instead?

If you live in a rural area, you might be able source wood from your environment. Otherwise, You should probably use propane for all your heating needs. There are portable stoves, lanterns, and space heaters that all run on propane. You can buy those tiny Coleman tanks for your stove, or you can buy an adapter to connect it to a larger tank. Most of the lanterns have to take the Coleman tanks, but many of the space heaters are designed for the 20lb tanks as well. It’s a pretty versatile option, and best of all, propane has a much longer shelf life than gasoline. If you have to stock up on fuel, this is definitely the superior option.

The rest of your energy needs will probably go to electronics, which will be minuscule compared to your heating needs. For that, I would take a thin and flexible 100 watt solar panel over a generator any day.

Camelbak Canteens

I’m an avid backpacker, so I think I have more experience with this than any other item on this list. For such a simple task, there is a wide variety of ways to carry water. Nowadays the most popular way is with any kind of soft, flexible canteen. They’re lightweight, easy to store, and since you can squeeze the air out of them the water doesn’t slosh around and make a lot of noise.

Over the past 10 years it seems that the Camelback and the Platypus canteens have come to dominate the market. But frankly, I’ve never been a big fan of those drink tube apparatuses, due to their maintenance needs. You have to keep the tube and the drink valve very clean if you don’t want to get any mold. It doesn’t take a whole lot of effort, but personally, I don’t want to put any more work than I have to into my canteen, and I don’t see the Camelbak giving me a huge advantage in any way.

What Should You Get Instead?

For a while I tried using bota bags, but honestly I don’t think they make them like they used to. Maybe I’m just unlucky, but I’ve tried using three different bota bags over the years, and none of them worked very well (they always leak).

If you want a really simple soft-shelled water carrier, I’d recommend the military issue bladder canteen. It holds two quarts, and has all the advantages you’d come to expect from a flexible canteen, but without any of the fuss.

Camouflage

I’d have to say, the most overrated item a prepper could buy is military camouflage. There really isn’t a good reason for it unless you live way out in the sticks, in which case you probably don’t need a military pattern. A good hunting camouflage pattern should be sufficient. And since only 18 percent of the US population lives in a rural area, it’s safe to say that camouflage isn’t really that important for most preppers. If anything, that would just make you stand out in an urban or suburban area.

Even camouflage that is specifically designed for an urban area is a bad idea. Even if it helps to conceal you in a tactical situation, it will still make you stand out in literally every other situation.

What Should You Get Instead?

Instead of camouflage, just get something that is durable, comfortable, and is dyed in solid, muted earth tones. I’m sure there’s more than one opinion on what that entails, but in this case I’m referring to brown, tan, olive drab, and gray, or at least something similar.

These colors have the advantage of being versatile. You can wear them on city streets or in suburban parks without standing out, but on the off-chance that you wind up in a rural area later on, you won’t be too obvious there either. Basically, it’s not the best you can use for any single environment, but it’s the best you can use in most environments without looking like a stereotypical survivalist.

Your best bet would probably be something made by Dickies. They make great civilian looking clothes that are just as durable as their military counterparts, and it’s not hard to find Dickies shirts and jeans that come in earth tone colors. Wrangler and Carhartt brands are also great choices.

Ballistic Plates

This one has a lot of the same problems as wearing camouflage. It’s pretty much impossible to wear these bullet proof plates without it being painfully obvious. They’re so big and heavy, that every soldier who wears them looks like some kind of sci-fi mashup with a Roman legionnaire.

That’s not to say it’s stupid. It’s probably just unnecessary. These plates are made for stopping rifle rounds, and considering the fact that only 2-3 percent of murders are committed with rifles, it’s safe to say that ballistic plates are overkill for civilians.

Keep in mind that the violent criminals you might face after the SHTF aren’t that different than the ones you might run into now. There will probably be an increase in murders committed by rifles since there would be no cops to stop people from carrying them openly, but I suspects that pistols, shotguns, bats, and knives will still be the most common murder weapons.

What Should You Get Instead?

If you even need ballistic protection to begin with, which I don’t think most people will, just an ordinary kevlar vest will do. At most you won’t need anything that is rated above level IIIa, which should stop pretty much all handgun rounds, and some shotgun rounds. They’re also lighter, breathe better in hot weather, and some are designed to be concealable. There’s no need to overdo it with a hulking rig of ballistic plates.

Now I’m sure a lot of folks will disagree parts of this list, but does it sound reasonable to you? If not, then for the benefit of anyone reading this who is new to prepping, let’s hear your opinion in the comments. And if you have any overrated boondoggles from your early prepping days that you’d rather forget, now is a good time to get it off your chest!

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

#EaglesOfDeathMetal Frontman says Guards Knew About #Paris Shooting in Advance

March 10, 2016 by claire bernish

Claire Bernish
March 10, 2016

(ANTIMEDIA) Eagles of Death Metal lead singer, Jessie Hughes, made a stunning statement in an interview with Fox Business Network: He believes it’s possible security guards at the Bataclan Theater knew about the Paris terror attacks in advance.

As a veteran performer, Hughes realized something was odd the night leading up to the attack, when the security guard for the backstage area didn’t make eye contact with him.

“When I first got to the venue and walked in, I walked past the dude who was supposed to be the security guard for the backstage,” Hughes recalled, noting the guard’s odd demeanor.

“I immediately went to the promoter and said, ‘Who’s that guy? I want to put another dude on,’ and he goes, ‘Well, some of the other guards aren’t here yet,’ and eventually I found out that six or so wouldn’t show up at all.”

Though Hughes refused to speculate at length “out of respect for the police investigating,” he added, “It seems rather obvious that they had a reason not to show up.”

On November 13, 2015, 89 people were killed — including the band’s merchandise manager, Nick Alexander — and 200 were injured, when attackers stormed the Bataclan during the Eagles of Death Metal show.

After the attack and a brief break, the American band returned to complete their European tour last month, though they recently canceled due to an injury.

Fox Business Network aired the first portion of Kennedy’s interview with Hughes on Wednesday, and the second part is scheduled for tonight at 8 pm, EST.

This article (Eagles of Death Metal Frontman says Guards Knew About Paris Shooting in Advance) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Claire Bernish and theAntiMedia.org. Anti-Media Radio airs weeknights at 11pm Eastern/8pm Pacific. If you spot a typo, email edits@theantimedia.org.

From theantimedia.org Team

Trend Forecaster Gerald Celente Warns: Prepare For The Panic Of 2016: “History Will Remember This”

March 10, 2016 by mac slavo

Earlier this week hedge fund manager Marin Katusa explained that up until the recent stock market hit all the easy money flowing into the energy sector was being exuberantly spent on hookers, blow and fancy toys. Now, as oil prices hover under $40 per barrel, Katusa said more pain is likely coming and oil, along with other asset classes, are going to go “lower for longer.”

In a recent interview with Future Money Trends, trend forecaster Gerald Celente echos Katusa’s concerns. Having accurately predicted the Crash of 2008 nine months ahead of the bottom falling out on a global scale, Celente says another panic is coming this year.

But if you thought 2008 was bad, says Celente, this crash will be so severe it’ll be one for the history books:

…51% of the people in the United States that are employed are earning under $30,000 a year… Less than half the population is considered middle-class in America… the gap between the rich and the poor is as bad as it was at the worst times of the Gilded Age going back over a hundred years.

So, what happens when the Panic of 2016 happens?

The Panic of ’08 helped wipe out the middle class… this is going to eliminate it to a large degree, because they’re deep in debt…

Watch Gerald Celente discuss his trend forecasts for everything from politics and the economy to wealth preservation strategies and entrepreneurship in times of crisis:

Now, what this is going to do… it’s going to knock out the top… and the top survived the other crash because the top are the ones that are totally leveraged out… there’s no more savings anymore… there’s no more savings anymore… it’s only markets because of zero interest rate policy.

The markets have been artificially juiced up… so when this thing comes down it takes the top down… the last time it pulled out the bottom… so this is going to be a top-down crash.

And there’s not going to be anything to pump it back up because they’ve blown all their ammunition…

Visit Future Money Trends for news, strategies for protecting your wealth and more interviews like the one posted here.

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

#UN Begged to Intervene After #Refugees Sew Mouths Shut

March 10, 2016 by michaela whitton

Michaela Whitton
March 10, 2016

(ANTIMEDIA) Calais, France — Desperate volunteers in a Calais refugee camp have issued an urgent plea to the U.N. to recognise the plight of a group of Iranians who sewed their mouths shut a week ago. The extreme protest — joined in solidarity by a British volunteer — was initiated to draw attention to the atrocities being carried out by the French government.

The latest shocking tale to unfold from the Calais camp — known as The Jungle — began on March 1st to raise awareness of the human rights violations taking place. Homeless, jobless, and now hopeless, eight Iranian men aged between 17 and 46 sewed each other’s lips shut in the extreme form of protest against the forced evictions of the southern side of the squalid camp. Their bold move has been supported by British volunteer, Tom Radcliffe, who has joined in solidarity.

The decision by the French authorities to dismantle the camp has had significant implications for the 3,500 refugees living there, over three hundred of whom are unaccompanied minors. Legally, the authorities can only evict people if they are able to offer alternative accommodation, but France has grossly underestimated the numbers.

A few residents have moved into shipping containers and centres throughout France, while others have shifted to the northern part of the camp, which volunteers predict will be next to be cleared. Organisations on the ground believe there will be more temporary encampments as refugees continue to be hounded by the police. Volunteers report people camping in fields, churches, under bridges, and in abandoned buildings with no sanitation, water, access to aid, or other facilities.

Despite a ruling that the dismantling of The Jungle was to be humane, video footage from a volunteer showed residents running from clouds of tear gas. Eyewitnesses said the camp was lined with riot police and claim residents were given an hour’s notice to leave, many without alternative accommodation to move into. In general, most refugees in Calais have strong ties to the U.K., and many have family they are waiting to be reunited with. Others lived in Britain previously.

Since beginning the hunger strike, the men’s condition is deteriorating rapidly according to The Worldwide Tribe:

“These men were already weak from their traumatic journey across Europe. Many of the refugees in the camp are suffering from illness and infection, malnutrition and post traumatic stress syndrome. Although they are determined and focused, they are now gradually growing weaker by the day. They say they are prepared to die for this cause. It won’t be long before they do.”

In a desperate plea to the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, a petition drawing attention to their plight has gathered thousands of signatures overnight. Demanding the United Nations assess the camp conditions and witness the human rights breaches taking place on European soil, it calls for a stop to the demolition of the camp until adequate alternatives are put in place. You can sign it here.

This article (UN Begged to Intervene After Refugees Sew Mouths Shut) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Michaela Whitton and theAntiMedia.org. Anti-Media Radio airs weeknights at 11pm Eastern/8pm Pacific. If you spot a typo, email edits@theantimedia.org.

From theantimedia.org Team

Drought-Stricken L.A. Admits to Using Weather Modification “To Produce More Rain”

March 10, 2016 by mac slavo

The weather patterns have become cruel and extreme.

For California, it has meant outright desperation as water reserves disappear and needs for cities and farms have created a standing crisis.

Water and rainfall remain consequential to life as we know it. Mankind is no longer leaving it up to just praying for rain and waiting for a miracle.

Now, a company in the Los Angeles area has admitted that it was hired to seed the clouds and make it rain:

Via Daily Mail:

El Niño has brought some much needed rain to California in recent months, but a Los Angeles storm earlier this week may owe some credit to unnatural modifications.

For the first time since 2002, the Department of Public Works has turned to cloud seeding, using generators to shoot silver iodide into the clouds to produce more rain.

The county estimates that this produces roughly 15 percent more rainfall…

Cloud seeding is a weather modification process that aims to increase the amount of rain in a particular area.

According to the L.A. Times, this method has been used in the county to boost the amount of rain produced by clouds since the 1950s, taking a hiatus during heavy rains or periods of potential flooding from wildfire devastation.

And so, rain has increased in California by something like 15%, and L.A. is happy to get all the water it can.

But cloud seeding is not without its consequences – it could keep it from raining in the area downwind, or have other potentially disastrous effects:

The company says the method has no significant environmental effects, as the amount of the seeding materials used are very small in relation to the affected area.

[But…]

It could have unintended consequences, including a change in precipitation or other environmental impact downwind of the target area, though such effects have not yet been demonstrated.

An earlier cloud seeding contract from 2009 was terminated in L.A. after the Station Fire, which destroyed about 250 square miles of the Angeles National Forest, L.A. Times writes.

Technology and money can make it happen, and there is reason to think much more is going on than just seeding clouds to bump the rainfall.

When it comes to blame for the drought and the environment in general, many are quick to point to the hyped-effects of global warming and climate change, which are supposedly attributed to the every day activity of people in mass.

But few are daring enough to look up at the sky and question the weather manipulation programs that have become common place and which are being carried out covertly on behalf of a shadowy agenda to control the weather, and the economic cloud that surrounds it.

Researcher Peter A. Kirby explains how a secret project on the scale of the Manhattan Project may have been incubated under government research projects to engineer the weather:

After so many years of watching airplanes produce the lines in the sky, largely without knowing of what this Project consists or why, we have recently gained an understanding. Evidence suggests that today’s chemtrail spraying operations consist of airplanes saturating our atmosphere with nano-sized particles influenced by electromagnetic energy for the purpose of weather modification.

U.S. patent #4,686,605 “Method and Apparatus for Altering a Region in the Earth’s Atmosphere, Ionosphere and/or Magnetosphere” shows how stratospheric and tropospheric aerosols can be manipulated using electromagnetic energy in order to modify the weather. The ground-based antennas (known as ionospheric heaters) needed to produce the appropriate electromagnetic energy exist. For a detailed discussion, please see the author’s previous article “Smoking Gun: The HAARP and Chemtrails Connection.”

The 1996 U.S. military document “Weather as a Force Multiplier: Owning the Weather in 2025” outlines a program using aerosols sprayed from airplanes which are then manipulated with electromagnetic energy in order to modify the weather.

[…]

Controlling Earth’s weather would necessarily require a gigantic scientific effort. Oddly enough, when one looks for a National effort in weather modification, one finds a lot. Specifically, if one looks, one can find a history of weather control programs involving electromagnetic energy and atmospheric particles; all in a coherent chronological order.

It is stunning to learn that there are means for manipulating aerosols with electromagnetic energy in effort to change weather patterns. But there are many scientific papers on the topic, and experiments to boot.

Many of these agencies are likely compartmentalized and don’t understand how they fit in to the larger project… but the truth is that most don’t want to know – along with the rest of the general public.

They don’t look up at the sky for the same reason they drag to work, and live an empty life. Most are too conditioned by fear to face the truth, whatever it proves to be.

For now, it is enough to point out that California is admittedly altering the weather in the hopes of catching up on its lost water.

But what are the true causes of the drought in the first place, and what other aspects of weather are being changed for the benefit of a few, and the detriment of entire populations?

NASA Warns California Drought Could Threaten U.S. Food Supply: “There will be some definite changes”

Water Wars Loom Over California As Farmers Lose Thousands of Jobs: “Wrestling Match Over Who Gets the Water”

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

`The Self-Reliance Weekly Report: Acts of Nature, Farm Fresh Eggs, and DIYs

March 10, 2016 by daisy luther

March 10, 2016

The Self-Reliance Weekly Report discusses acts of nature, along with a healthy helping of information about eggs from the backyard and, of course, unique and frugal DIYs from across the web.

Despite the epic drought in California, the state also has a long history of devastating floods. We have received record amounts of rain recently, and many of us are dealing with just that.

Sometimes we don’t spend enough time thinking about the weather and how it affects our efforts to be self-reliant. Too much rain and your plants and livestock are at risk, too little rain and your plants and livestock are at risk. Add to this the fury of Mother Nature when she unleashes high winds and tornadoes, and any sensible person begins to realize that we can prep all we want, but we are still at the mercy of the weather.

The Self-Reliance Weekly Report is a collection of strategies, made up of the articles, books, DIYs, and products that I found useful on my own little prepper’s homestead.

Prepping

Tis the Season…for Tornadoes

Anyone who lives in an area prone to tornadoes knows that the season for them is fast approaching (and here already in some places). While some believe that you can’t really prep for a massively destructive act of nature, there are a few things you can do. For example, you can learn the signs of an impending tornado (and even volunteer as a storm spotter to provide valuable information for others), you can make a plan with your family, and you can stock your storm shelter in the event that you must hunker down there to wait out a threat.

The Disaster Isn’t Over When the Storm Passes

After a massive windstorm like a tornado, there are many threats: drinking water may be compromised, live power lines may be down, structures may be compromised, and people will be shell-shocked. Do you know how to take charge in a situation like this? It’s very important to get ahold of yourself and function effectively as quickly as possible. If your home has been destroyed, you will need to take steps right away to replace important documents. This is an essential step to making insurance claims and rebuilding.

Old-Fashioned Skills

Homesteading

Eggstravaganza: How to Preserve Eggs When They Are Abundant

I have eggs running out my ears right now. Anyone else? If you’re in the same boat, here are 4 time-tested ways to preserve them, plus some bonus methods from the 19th century. As well, here is a very detailed primer on preserving eggs with water glass. If you’re wondering whether your eggs are still fresh, this article explains how to test them. Of course, you can always use them up. This handy book has 70 simple and delicious egg recipes.

The Benefits of Farm Fresh Eggs

Did you ever wonder what the real difference is between store-bought eggs and ones from the farm? It’s bigger than you might think. Want more info about farm fresh eggs? Here’s a list of Frequently Asked Questions that I learned quite a lot from.

Are You On the Fence About Growing a Garden?

If you aren’t sure about enlisting part of your yard for raising food, here are 5 reasons why you should consider it. If your excuse is that you’re new to gardening, then there’s no time like the present. Here are some tips to get you going. Many people have a dream that “one day” in an emergency, they’ll simply plop the seeds from their emergency seed bank into the ground and boom – the family is fed. But it’s not that easy. Take it from me – you need to practice well before you intend to be dependent upon the food that you raise. If you take the plunge (and you should!) Tthis is a great reference to keep on hand. It will answer nearly every question that a gardener might have and offer simple, inexpensive solutions.

DIY

Farm Blog

Our move is rapidly approaching, and my house is full of boxes. There’s nothing like packing it all up to make you realize how much stuff you actually have. (Answer: LOTS!)

Of course, a move wouldn’t be complete without a couple of monkey wrenches. And for us, that monkey wrench is mud. For years, California has been in the midst of a historic drought, and we are thrilled that there seems to be light at the end of that tunnel with the rainiest year since the drought began.

But since our property has been dug up to deal with the septic issues, the dirt wasn’t packed down afterward and it’s a giant mud puddle. My daughter was coming in from the barn the other evening and stepped into what looked like just a puddle but instead, was mud that sucked her in up to her knees. After assuring myself she wasn’t in life-threatening peril, I took a quick photo (shared with her permission). I had to rescue her by yanking her legs right out of her boots.

Next week is moving week, and then I’ll have lots of photos from my new home in the mountains to share with you guys!

Give Us Your Self-Reliance Weekly Report!

What’s going on at your farm or urban homestead right now? How’s the weather in your area? Please share your updates in the comments below!

Schiff: Obama Caught “Peddling Fiction” to Hide Pre-Election Recession

March 10, 2016 by mac slavo

Despite the extent to which the officials in the White House, and the talking heads in the media and on Wall Street deny that the economy is faltering, it is this very issue that is driving voter outrage in the direction of Trump and Bernie.

It’s the jobs, stupid!

And since Obama can’t fix it, he’s lying about it to maintain appearances.

Because so many have become so ill-adjusted to the unforgiving job market, there is great talk about why our national policy is directed towards destroying employment, income, savings and the American dream in general.

After 8 years, it is a problem that Obama may have inherited, but will now have to own.

Peter Schiff claims that:

In his seventh, and final, State of the Union address this January, President Obama, clearly looking to bolster his legacy as the president who vanquished the Great Recession, boldly asserted that “Anyone claiming that America’s economy is in decline is peddling fiction.” Unfortunately for the President, more and more Americans seem to believe (with an adequate basis for proof) that the fiction is emanating from the White House.

It’s hard to imagine how anyone can really assert with a straight face that the economy is currently “strong.”

[…]

Companies have been incentivized to cut their full-time work force… The view from the street looks quite different, as workers prefer one good job to several bad ones. This is why rallies for Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are so well-attended. The underemployed are fed up with platitudes from the elites and they flock to these outsider candidates, who seem to understand their pain.

Never mind these two as individuals, but what they represent as symbols. Americans are completely fed up with establishment – and they aren’t ready to accept being pushed back in for another round.

I don’t expect that the President will ever officially acknowledge that the economy has weakened, let alone relapsed into recession. He has walked out too far on his rhetorical branch to walk it back. As a lame duck, he really has no incentive to do so.

The Obama White House has been hiding an economic holocaust during his two terms. Symbolically elected to dispose of the mess created by George W. Bush’s administration and the economic collapse that was engulfing people already drowning in debt.

Instead, he has cheered on the illusion that “recovery” is near, while the bankers have accumulated more wealth than ever, and are waiting for the next wave of the crash to come down on the population.

Meanwhile, critics have accused Yellen – publicly very silent about policy decisions – of timing the blow of the recession.

The recession itself is presumably inevitable, but the announcement and reaction to it could change the major issues of the election cycle, and potentially swing even more votes into those camps who are running as anti-establishment. Trump has previously accused the Fed of waiting to raise rates in order to avoid embarrassing Obama:

But Janet Yellen is in a very difficult spot. If she continues to ignore the growing signs of recession, she runs the risk of letting one develop prior to the election. This would favor the Republican challenger, whether that is Donald Trump or Ted Cruz, neither of whom would be inclined to reappoint her as Fed Chairwoman if elected. Allowing the Greenspan bubble to bust on Bush’s watch sealed John McCain’s fate, allowing Obama to ride a wave of voter outrage into the White House in 2008. Yellen does not want Trump to catch a similar wave in 2016.

As a result, I expect the Fed to soften its rhetoric in the very near future.

As Schiff himself has pointed out many times before, the entire situation is made worse by the prolonged and belabored attempt at cushioning the impact. For better times to be had by all, the Fed out to stop propping up a market of speculators driving a bubble in real estate and other over-priced assets.

Since that isn’t going to happen, pay attention to the handling of the “political football” as Obama & co. try to pretend that job growth is happening and stability is here to stay.

Ron Paul: Unless the Fed is Stopped, America Will “Soon Experience Major Economic Crisis”

NYT Jokes About Trump Assassination: “Good News I’ve Figured Out How Trump Campaign Ends”

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

This Is How Bad The Economy Really Is: “Walmart Customers Are Too Broke To Shop”

March 9, 2016 by mac slavo

You may find that the below report is, as President Obama might suggest, once again “peddling fiction.”

But for the average American, we can assure you that the economic recession is a very real situation.

Walmart, which made its billions serving low to middle income Americans, is struggling and it’s because their core customer base is too broke to shop. As Michael Snyder recently pointed out, they are just one of many domestic retailers laying off workers amid falling store sales. But they are certainly the biggest and baddest of the retailers out there. If they are having problems it should be a big red warning sign that despite mainstream cheerleaders telling us not to panic because the economy is still in good shape, we are in for some rough times ahead – in fact, the rough times are a reality right here and now.

Walmart’s customers are too broke to shop

Walmart is facing a “perfect storm” that’s hurting its sales growth, according to Moody’s.

The company’s core customers are struggling with flat income levels, and savings from lower fuel prices aren’t translating into more retail spending, Moody’s vice president, Charles O’Shea, wrote in a note to clients on Wednesday.

The business is also under pressure from deflation in key product categories, such as food, and the effects of the strong dollar abroad.

“Walmart is facing an almost perfect storm when it comes to top-line growth,” O’Shea wrote. “Until the health of the lower-to-middle-income consumer improves, Walmart will continue to face macroeconomic headwinds in the US.”

Walmart said last month that it’s expecting virtually no sales growth in the coming fiscal year.

Source: Business Insider via Yahoo

The entirety of the growth story being disseminated to the American public is being revealed, almost daily, for the sham it really is.

Stock markets may have recently rocketed back up with many an analyst suggesting they are back on track to go to new highs. But when you consider that one of the lowest price retailers in the country can’t increase or even maintain their sales, then it suggests that something has to give.

As Brandon Smith warned this week, we are experiencing the most unstable economic conditions possible and coming central bank action (or inaction) may well lead to another leg down in global stock markets.

Regardless of what stock markets do going forward, to the average person trying to put food and clothing in their Walmart grocery basket it doesn’t really matter whether the indexes are lighting up red or green.

For them, the collapse isn’t some future event.

It is right now.

Also Read:

How To Prepare For Economic Collapse

Unemployment Prepping: What You Can Do Beforehand

Forecasting an Economic Collapse: These 7 Indicators Are All You Need to Know

Top Post-Collapse Barter Items And Trade Skills

The Self-Reliance Manifesto: More Than 300 Resources to Guide You on the Path to Radical Freedom

How Do You Prepare Now to Make Recovery From Economic Collapse “Manageable”?

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

You Won’t Believe How They Rigged Ohio Against Trump: “Intentionally Confusing Ballot”

March 9, 2016 by contributing author

This article was written by Piper McGowan and originally published at The ~~Dai~~

ly Sheeple.

Editor’s Comment: The GOP has a history of manipulating the primary, but this time they are going all out to destroy Trump. Is it any wonder that Ohio’s ballot – which will be cast next week – is so confusing that Trump may lose votes just as a result of the ballot’s design?

It is the home state of Governor John Kasich – a lackluster candidate who, nonetheless, was expected to win Ohio, and keep the delegates for the establishment side. But according to the polls, Trump is beating Kasich in Ohio AND Rubio in Florida – and they are big delegate, winner take all states. However, Kasich is close enough in his homestate, that a bit of meddling could change things. If Trump wins both, the GOP insiders have even less of a chance to trip up The Donald.

But if the Ohio GOP ballot leaves as many people scratching their heads as the newscaster in the video below, anything could happen in Ohio. Polls will not translate into votes if the machines are designed to deceive.

You Won’t Believe What They Did to the Ohio Ballot to Stop Trump

by Piper McGowan

We all know the elite are on the warpath against Donald Trump, with everyone from pundits, to major world leaders, to the Pope speaking out against him. Newt Gingrich recently said it’s because Trump isn’t part of the secret societies and hasn’t taken the initiation rites.

Regardless, Trump has received a groundswell of support from the average conservative American, winning state primaries left and right. Ohio’s primary is coming up on March 15, and it’s a big one because it’s a “winner takes all” state.

Well now it’s being alleged that Ohio’s GOP has intentionally set up a confusing ballot in a bid to try to make sure Donald Trump does not win.

The Dem ballot has one place for voters to mark their choice for president. Period.

The Republican ballot in Ohio this year apparently has two, leaving a lot more questions than answers about whether or not voters will understand how it works.

Take a look, (via the Conservative Treehouse):

Is the ballot intentionally confusing by design?

Given the previous discussions on State Party shenanigans, and the intent of state republican party leadership to hold complete influence over their delegate’s decision-making, many believe the answer is “probably”.

Look at that ballot. It definitely raises a lot of questions… that aren’t answered on the ballot.

Do the majority of voters know the difference between “Delegates-at-Large” and “District Delegates”? Does a person need to choose their candidate twice, or are they only supposed to chose once? Which is right? What if they pick a different candidate in each box, do they cancel each other out? What if they pick someone in the first box and not the second, or vice versa?

Why the confusing GOP ballot, Ohio?

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

Leaking Beachfront Nuclear Reactor Near Miami Threatening Florida Everglades

March 9, 2016 by claire bernish

Claire Bernish
March 9, 2016

(ANTIMEDIA) Biscayne Bay, FL — According to a study released by Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez on Monday, the waters of Biscayne Bay measured 215 times the level of radioactive tritium as is found in normal ocean water.

Tritium is a radioactive isotope traceable to nuclear plant cooling tower operations. In this case, the leak appears to be emanating from the aging canals in the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station located nearby.

“This is one of several things we were very worried about,” said South Miami Mayor and biological sciences professor, Philip Stoddard, as the Miami New Times reported. “You would have to work hard to find a worse place to put a nuclear plant, right between two national parks and subject to hurricanes and storm surge.”

Biscayne Bay harbors one of the largest coral reefs on the planet and is situated near the Everglades. Hot, salty water from the canals appears to be flowing back into both national parks, which has caused concern among environmentalists and others from the time Turkey Point planned to expand its reactors in 2013.

“They argued the canals were a closed system, but that’s not how water works in South Florida,” Stoddard remarked.

“How much damage is that cooling canal system causing the bay is a question to be answered,” Everglades Law Center Attorney Julie Dick told the Miami Herald prior to reviewing the report. “There are a lot more unknowns than knowns and it just shows how much more attention we need to be paying to that cooling canal system.”

Tritium, a hydrogen isotope, is considered a precursor indication of leaks from nuclear plants, as it ‘travels’ or spreads faster than, and often precedes, other radioactive agents.

“While the tritium levels far fall below levels experts consider dangerous, the telltale tracer provided the critical link that high levels of ammonia and phosphorus in sections of bay bottom — pollution that is more damaging to marine life — likely came from the canals,” the Herald explained. Samples for the county monitoring study were gathered during December and January — and the tritium levels seem to show Florida Power & Light in violation of both local water laws and federal operating permits.

FPL, which operates Turkey Point, will likely receive another violation due to the leak — the county issued a citation in October for tainted groundwater — to force FPL to bring the plant into compliance, the Herald reported Tuesday.

After news of the report made headlines, critics, including environmentalists, nearby rock miners, and Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez, came forward in full force calling for the Environmental Protection Agency to intervene in the matter.

“For years our state regulators have failed to take seriously the threat to our public safety, to our drinking water, and to our environment posed by FP&L’s actions at Turkey Point,” Rodriguez asserted, according to the New Times.“Evidence revealed this week of radioactive material in Biscayne Bay is the last straw and I join those calling on the U.S. EPA to step in and do what our state regulators have so far refused to do — protect the public.”

The leak also serves as possible confirmation for environmentalists who have suspected radioactive leaks from Turkey Point as the cause of algae blooms appearing in the bay for years.

“Biscayne Bay has not traditionally had algae blooms,” explained executive director for Miami Waterkeeper Rachel Silverstein, reported the Herald. “That’s from pollution. From sewers, septic tanks and now we know, cooling canals.”

Indeed, though FPL claims it continues to protect the health of the bay, as the Herald noted, Turkey Point has created issues for the waterways since the facility began producing more energy three years ago. “When you look at the big picture,” FPL environmental director, Matt Raffenberg, insisted, the canals “are not impacting Biscayne Bay.”

At a meeting on Tuesday, county commissioners discussed the imperative need to bring FPL and Turkey point into compliance with the law.

“We’ve had stop gap measures we’ve approved,” Gimenez said. “So far they’ve not proved to be the solution.”

Referencing the last time FPL was forced to implement changes following a lawsuit in the 1970s, he added, “It’s time we enter the 21st century.”

FPL’s continued problems with Turkey Point might have finally crossed the legal line by violating the federal Clean Water Act.

“There’s a certain validation to critics in seeing this result in the study,” Stoddard said. “But more important, it’s now crossed the threshold of federal law here.”

This article (Leaking Beachfront Nuclear Reactor Near Miami Threatening Florida Everglades) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Claire Bernish and theAntiMedia.org. Anti-Media Radio airs weeknights at 11pm Eastern/8pm Pacific. Image credit: Mr. Usaji. If you spot a typo, email edits@theantimedia.org.

From theantimedia.org Team

The iPhone Is Just the Beginning: FBI Already Accessing Your DNA

March 9, 2016 by jake anderson

Jake Anderson
March 9, 2016

(ANTIMEDIA) Private genetic databases like 23andMe and Ancestry.com are increasingly used by people for genealogy tracing and medical diagnostic tests. With a million customers each, the two companies receive a great deal of attention from privacy advocates, who for years warned the government would eventually seek access to citizens’ DNA in order to assist with law enforcement.

They were right, and yet another conspiracy theory becomes conspiracy fact…

It turns out both the FBI and local law enforcement departments routinely seek DNA samples from these companies for familial DNA searches. In fact, according to Ancestry.com’s recently released transparency report, the company received 14 law enforcement requests in 2015. They provided customers’ genetic information in 13 of those cases.

A similar, recently released report by 23andMe discloses there were four law enforcement requests to the company in 2015.

The issue has received increased attention in part because of a frightening article by Wired. The story recounted the legal imbroglio filmmaker Michael Usry endured after Idaho Falls police “matched 34 of 35 alleles” from a crime scene to Usry’s father’s DNA.

Years earlier, his father had donated some DNA to a genealogy project funded by his Mormon church. Ancestry.com purchased the project and made the database of samples publicly available. Though Idaho Falls police ultimately concluded Usry was not involved in the murder of Angie Dodge, they had been able to obtain a search warrant for Michael’s cheek cells based on the sample they found online.

Ancestry.com didn’t realize police would be able to use their information to conduct genetic searches, but as they would soon learn, law enforcement authorities around the country are looking to expand their ability to conduct DNA searches beyond the FBI’s current national genetic database.

Anti-Media reached out to Ancestry.com for more information regarding how the company responds to national security requests. They referred to their transparency report, which states:

“As of December 31, 2015, Ancestry has never received a classified request pursuant to the national security laws of the United States or any other country. In other words, Ancestry has not received a National Security Letter or a request under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.”

Could this change in the wake of a terrorist attack? In the midst of the increasingly rancorous debate over civil liberties and national defense — epitomized by the FBI’s court case against Apple — it doesn’t seem like too big of a stretch, given the right political climate, to imagine private DNA databases being turned over to Homeland Security.

In Kuwait, citizens must submit their DNA to a government database to assist with criminal cases. Some actually argue the United States should have a similar mandatory DNA database, though this seems unlikely to gain widespread support given the backlash over electronic privacy violations in the aftermath of controversial NSA surveillance programs.

For now, the debate revolves around whether the United States government and local law enforcement should have the legal authority to access private DNA databases while investigating crimes. There hasn’t been a major Supreme Court ruling on this issue, so for the time being, companies like 23andMe and Ancestry.com will have to deal with police requests on a case-by-case basis.

As 23andMe’s first privacy officer Kate Black has stated:

“In the event we are required by law to make a disclosure, we will notify the affected customer through the contact information provided to us, unless doing so would violate the law or a court order.”

This article (The iPhone Is Just the Beginning: FBI Already Accessing Your DNA) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Jake Anderson and theAntiMedia.org. Anti-Media Radio airs weeknights at 11pm Eastern/8pm Pacific. Image credit: thierry ehrmann. If you spot a typo, email edits@theantimedia.org.

From theantimedia.org Team

Who Is a Threat To You? “Dangerous People to Avoid After the Collapse”

March 9, 2016 by mac slavo

Who can you trust, turn to or rely upon during a collapse?

Morals are effectively suspended in the midst of a great crisis. And, as the Canadian Prepper explains, you will want to consider and profile high risk people, dangerous personalities and groups to avoid during a disaster – well in advance.

Those with nothing else to turn to will act in desperate ways, and could act unstable during a collapse, during martial law or civil unrest. Many will turn to the system, and go willingly into FEMA camps – but others may drag, steal or lean on you. Worse, they may expose your hideout and compromise your carefully laid survival plans.

Just a few of these types are discussed below:

– MEDICALLY DEPENDENT/DRUG ADDICTS: People who are dependent on medication may become desperate for drugs when prescriptions fall through, and could become unstable, dangerous or a liability to your survival plan. Most wouldn’t mean

– PANICKED/WEAK MINDED: Emotionally unstable, prone to upset, who can’t keep their cool under pressure and those who are temperamental are difficult to trust, and who put your life in danger

– GANGS/CRIMINALS/LOOTERS: Then of course there are always going to be violent gangs, looters and outright criminals. It’s pretty obvious what they want, but it may still surprise you how far they are willing to go to get it. Only, some criminals won’t be as easy to spot, and historically they have taken advantage of hard working, prepared and ultimately naive individuals using any and every tactic they can think of. Keep in mind, this includes color-of-law rogue government agents, too; historically the appearance of authority will be used to gain entry, take advantage and catch you off guard. During Hurricane Katrina, some cops were caught on tape looting Wal-Mart… just imagine the type of stuff that wasn’t seen by cameras.

– WANNA-BE LEADERS: Narcissists, selfish, egotistical, grandiose and those willing to use psychology and tactics to gain advantage of your group and your resources, let you down when a plan needs to come to fruition, or turn tail when the going gets tough. These people are in it for themselves, would create a mutiny if they thought they had the leverage to do so, and will be even more undependable than the easily panicked and the addicted.

– ALSO BEWARE OF: The above category is closely related to those who are overly macho, those who hold obvious and disproportionate gun fetishes, those prone to uncalled for paranoia, the weaselly and conniving salesman types, and the foregone-conclusion doomsday nihilist who secretly wants to fulfill his entimes fantasy and die in a fight, rather than living to fight another day. There are other variations of these types, but few of them will be all that helpful when reality sets in, regardless of how big they talk as things gear up.

– PARASITES AND NOSY PEEPERS: Perhaps the most dangerous type of person, at least immediately when the SHTF, is the one who knows about your prepping, your supplies and stocks, and expects to come over to your place and join you without contributing any skills or having prepped in advance. Even worse, if a reward or a position of power is offered, this person is far-too-willing to turn you in and turn you over to a FEMA camp if they can derive any benefit. Though this individual may be a nosy neighbor or family friend during times of normalcy, they are a very dangerous liability for you and your family during times of emergency. Here’s what to do when those types come knocking…

Good character and common sense just aren’t as plentiful as they used to be, so be careful about who you willingly associate with. These kind of mistakes could easily cost your life.

There are many people worth working with, trusting and helping during a collapse, but you should be very judicious in determining who these people are – and careful to keep away from the rest as much as possible. If you find yourself in captivity in a government facility, many of these same types will cause you just as much or more trouble inside the system.

Ideally, you want to be working with those people already, and eliminate anyone from the group and from your confidence with unstable and dangerous personalities. Moreover, you should be able to read and identify people to screen out these traits and avoid the people who will endanger or prey upon you.

Above all, don’t lose sight of the fact that they are all still human beings, and unless they are physically attacking you, should be treated as such. Nonetheless, they can and will work against you if you trust the wrong people. It is simply human nature.

5 Mistakes Every New Prepper Makes

If you don’t use a bank, where should you stash your cash?

“I’ll Come To Your Place When SHTF” – No You Won’t

10 Prepping Mistakes That Could Get You Killed (And How To Avoid Them)

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

Martial Law at Republican Convention? Riot Cops “Preparing For A Siege Rather Than Political Event”

March 9, 2016 by contributing author

This article was written by Joshua Krause and originally published at The Daily Sheeple.

Editor’s Comment: It looks like RNC 2016 could end up being as chaotic as the DNC in 1968 – and potentially as violent – as the system then clamped down in an arbitrary and over-blown way in order to send a message that dissent will be stifled, and that state power will be defended at all costs, and against all principles.

By all accounts, the Hillary and the GOP insiders are taking it farther than ever – preparing to bare their ruthlessness in order to stop Trump and quell the angry masses who’ve had enough of the status quo rulers, and would rather the novelty of being fooled by someone new.

What is going to happen in June, and why are the police preparing as if for civil unrest and widespread martial law?

Here was ’68:

Cleveland Stocks Up On Riot Gear For Republican National Convention

by Joshua Krause

As the July Republican National Convention looms, the city of Cleveland is preparing for any eventuality, including civil unrest. In exchange for hosting the convention, the city has received a $50 million federal security grant, and they haven’t wasted any time spending it on all kinds of goodies for their police departments. In fact, when you read the list of gear they’re trying to acquire, it sounds like they’re preparing for a siege rather than a political event.

That list includes 2000 sets of riot control suits, batons, and bags to carry it all in. Plus another 310 sets of riot gear that are designed for bicycle mounted cops (I bet you can’t imagine a cop riding a bicycle in full riot gear without laughing). Last week they ordered 300 bicycles, 15 motorcycles, 25 sets of tactical armor and two horse trailers. To top it all off, the city is going to rent 3 miles of 3.5 foot tall steel barriers, and 3,250 feet of 6.5 foot tall barriers.

Welcome to America, where a supposedly free and open electoral process must be accompanied with barricades and an army of stormtroopers.

Joshua Krause is a reporter, writer and researcher at The Daily Sheeple. He was born and raised in the Bay Area and is a freelance writer and author. You can follow Joshua’s reports at Facebook or on his personal Twitter. Joshua’s website is Strange Danger .

This article was written by Joshua Krause and originally published at The Daily Sheeple.

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

“We Have Placed The Knife To Our Own Throats” – Iranian Missile Tests Are The Effects Of Obama’s Treason

March 8, 2016 by contributing author

We just went over the parameters of Obama’s actions that are treasonous in a recent article. Now we begin to see the results of his treasonous policies, aided and abetted by a laissez-faire (if not complicit) Congress: The Iranians testing their missiles. It stands to reason that if the United States has given the Iranians half a billion dollars with $11 ½ billion more to come that we have placed the knife to our own throats. We have financed the Iranian missile tests.

As of this writing, on Tuesday March 8, the Iranian military has tested short, medium, and long range missile systems in complete violation of U.S. sanctions, imposed on Iran to put a stop to their nuclear activity. The Iranian Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh actually had this to say regarding the Iranian tests:

“Our main enemies, the Americans, who mutter about plans, have activated new missile sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran and are seeking to weaken the country’s missile capability. The [Iranian Republican] Guards and other armed forces are defenders of the revolution and the country will not pay a toll to anyone… and will stand against their excessive demands.”

Excuse me, but does this general not explicitly state that Americans are their main enemies as underlined in the above statement?

And as you may recall in the previous article, James Clapper, the Obama-appointed Director of National Intelligence said this:

“Iran continues to be the foremost state sponsor of terror and exert its influence in regional crises in the Mid-East through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, its terrorist partner Lebanese Hezbollah, and proxy groups. Iran and Hezbollah remain a continuing terrorist threat to U.S. interests and partners worldwide.”

So look at what is going on, now. The Iranians have declared us their enemies and the head of our intelligence directorate has declared Iran to be a terrorist threat. Even as late as January 17^th of this year, Obama himself said that Iran’s nuclear policies were causing rifts between Tehran and Washington over “profound differences” regarding their policies that were leading to stabilization problems.

As reported by Reuters from an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps website press release on March 8, 2016, Brigadier General Hajizadeh elaborated on the aforementioned rhetoric regarding the Iranian launches:

“Our main enemies are imposing new sanctions on Iran to weaken our missile capabilities… But they should know that the children of the Iranian nation in the Revolutionary Guards and other armed forces refuse to bow to their excessive demands.”

Several of the launches took place from underground missile silos, heavily-guarded and fortified during the night. The Emad missile (one of Iran’s latest in development) was defended by the Iranian military and declared to be “conventional and not nuclear.” O.K. A conventional missile launched from a fortified silo.

Need we also take into account that North Korea and Iran have been (according to Dr. Peter V. Pry as cited in several articles) collaborating both on missile and on nuclear warhead technology. Of course, Russia and China are also involved.

Dave Hodges Common Sense Show just released an excellent article on North Korea’s EMP capabilities and the ongoing threat that mentions interesting and salient points to keep in mind. Also keep in mind that these two nations are working together. The bottom line here: Obama just funded the Iranians’ portion of the partnership, after all of the Congressional EMP threat analyses and all of the declarations of the Iranians and our own intelligence services that Iran is indeed a threat. Obama’s actions are treasonous, and these missile launches by the Iranians are just the beginning.

I wonder what Obama will tell Rouhani, the Iranian President if the two ever go golfing out at Martha’s Vineyard? It’ll probably be, “Tell Khamenei I’ll have more leeway after the EMP.”

Jeremiah Johnson is the Nom de plume of a retired Green Beret of the United States Army Special Forces (Airborne). Mr. Johnson is also a Gunsmith, a Certified Master Herbalist, a Montana Master Food Preserver, and a graduate of the U.S. Army’s SERE school (Survival Evasion Resistance Escape). He lives in a cabin in the mountains of Western Montana with his wife and three cats. You can follow Jeremiah’s regular writings at SHTFplan.com.

This article may be republished or excerpted with proper attribution to the author and a link to www.SHTFplan.com.

Also Read:

America Will Force Russia’s Hand: The United States Will Start World War III: “Imminent”

How To Survive Occupied America: “Red Dawn Just Started… And You’re In It”

Collision Course: As Obama Weakens America, The Russians And Chinese Prepare

Forced Economic Free Fall the Precursor to Collapse: “The World Is About To Enter A Global Depression Unlike Anything Seen Before”

The Trigger: If This Ever Happens You Know You’re Days Away From Nuclear War

Jeremiah Johnson’s Green Beret Survival Guides

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

The Self-Reliance Manifesto: More Than 300 Resources to Guide You on the Path to Radical Freedom

March 8, 2016 by contributing author

This resource was originally published by Daisy Luther at The Organic Prepper

Self-Reliance. It’s a revolutionary word these days and I thought it deserved a manifesto.

Manifesto: noun man·i·fes·to ˌma-nə-ˈfes-(ˌ)tō

A declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer.

~~~~~

Have you happened to notice that our society is out of balance?

The consumers outnumber the producers at such a rapid clip that we can’t possibly continue like this. But who has time to produce when they are indebted and working overtime to finance their current lifestyles in the hopes that they will finally be able to buy “enough” to be happy, fulfilled, and loved?

We live in a society made up mostly of rabid consumers. As soon as the advertising pros on Madison Avenue point them in a given direction, people flock to it like the zombies on The Walking Dead lurch toward a fresh human, completely oblivious to everything else. They yearn for these things that are produced across the world and then delivered at a cheap price. They fill up on cheap food that has been government subsidized, making it unrealistically inexpensive. They are enslaved as they work to pay for it, or in some cases, accept a handout to pay for it. More people are deeply in debt than ever, living a fancy First World Lifestyle that would crumble with one missed paycheck. They are slaves and they don’t even know it.

They don’t care that the newest clothing and gadgets were produced in sweatshops across the world. They don’t care that some items are produced by slave labor. They don’t care about the processed offerings at the grocery store., the pesticide-laden produce raised by corporations instead of farmers, or even the feedlots that are the scenes of the worst animal abuse in the country, completely free from prosecution. They don’t care that subsidized corporate agriculture puts real farmers out of business while it destroys our health and our environment.

They just care about their illusions of prosperity. They care that the products are cheap and make them feel good for a moment.

And “illusion” is the perfect word for it because we live in a society where many people consume but very few people produce. A society like that could not stand on its own if isolated from the rest of the world or if the corporate food companies and manufacturing plants shut down. The majority of the country has become completely dependent on things that are produced in factories.

Simple math tells us that this system can’t last forever. We can’t all be consumers if there are no producers.

These days, self-reliance is actually a revolutionary act.

That quality is the difference between someone who merely accepts what is doled out to meet the needs of their family and someone with the power to fulfill those needs themselves.

Regardless of where you live, whether it is at the top of the highest high-rise, in the suburbs, in the desert, or on a few acres in the lush countryside, you can still be more self-sufficient. You can learn to meet your own needs by acquiring the skills to produce. Every single thing that you can produce on your own is a personal declaration of your own independence, whether it is food, clothing, shelter, or something else to meet the needs of your family. In today’s society, freedom like that is a radical thing, completely against the grain, and it’s much more gratifying than anything you could ever purchase.

This list is full of insurrections, both small and large. No matter who you are or where you live, you can pick something from the list and learn to do it. That brings you one step closer to the real freedom of self-sufficiency. If you live in an urban environment or one not conducive to 30 chickens and a flock of goats, you can learn to preserve food in delicious ways or make your own clothing, or cook from scratch. You can grow some veggies or herbs in your windowsill. You can go on a foraging hike nearby.

You can do something. You are a free human being and you deserve better than to simply line up at the store and exchange dollars you spent many hours earning for rations of processed, food-like substances and electronic gadgets. You deserve the feeling that comes from creating and producing. There is absolutely nothing like it on this earth.

This is a collection of more than 300 resources to inspire you and teach you to be more self-reliant.You’ll see that there are numerous articles on some topics, and that is because they are all written from a different perspective. Some bloggers and authors live in the ‘burbs, some live in big cities, and some live off-grid in the boondocks, but they all have lessons to teach you. I hope that you will discover some new experts and mentors along the way.

So, no excuses. I’m not an expert. I wasn’t brought up in an agrarian lifestyle. I’m learning, just like you are, and after a lot of trial and error, I’m just now starting to put meat on the table that I raised myself. I’m a former city girl, a single mom, and a newbie at a lot of this stuff, and if I can become more self-reliant, so can you! Every day, I learn something new that puts me one step closer to the personal liberty I crave. I have personally read the work of every single author and blogger on this list, and I am positive that every person who reads this post can findsomething to learn that will put them on the path toward real freedom.

Getting Started

General Homesteading Information

Chickens

Ducks, Geese, Quail, and Turkeys

Rabbits

Pigs

Goats

Cows

Bees

Gardening

Soil Building and Composting

Orchards

Aquaponics

Old-Fashioned Skills

Off-Grid Living

Scratch Cooking

Off-Grid Kitchen

Food Preservation

Foraging

Passing on Self-Reliance Lessons to Kids

Create. Produce. Rebel.

The biggest insurrection in our society is to be self-sufficient. Make the way you live your life a revolutionary act by producing some of the things that you need.

Let me know in the comments how you will rebel against the status quo. What skills and projects you will undertake this year? I want to hear about your self-reliance goals!

Shout-out to the incredible community at the Homestead Bloggers Network!

I asked and you came through to help me create this guide.

Please feel free to share any information from this article in part or in full, giving credit to the author and including a link to The Organic Prepper and the following bio.

Daisy Luther is the author of The Pantry Primer: A Prepper’s Guide To Whole Food on a Half Price Budget. Her website, The Organic Prepper, offers information on healthy prepping, including premium nutritional choices, general wellness and non-tech solutions. You can follow Daisy on Facebook and Twitter, and you can email her at daisy@theorganicprepper.ca

Also From Daisy Luther:

The Prepper’s Blueprint: A Step-By-Step Guide To Prepare For Any Disaster

Here’s How You’ll Die When the SHTF (and How to Prevent Your Untimely Demise)

How to Prepare for a Cyber Attack: ‘These Systems Could Be Completely Inoperable or Breached’

San Andreas for Preppers: 12 Essential Survival Lessons from the Movie

12 Bad Strategies That Will Get Preppers Killed

Lock and Load: Are You Prepared for Civil Unrest?

You’ve Been Warned: Why You Need to Be Ready for Total Grid Failure

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

Science Proves Birth Defects Linked To Zika, But There’s More To The Story

March 8, 2016 by claire bernish

Claire Bernish
March 8, 2016

(ANTIMEDIA) Despite reports to the contrary over the past few weeks, recent studies suggest the link between the Zika virus and microcephaly is stronger than previously believed. In another new development, the World Health Organization announced the sexual transmission of Zika virus happens with more frequency than was first imagined.

Both developments led WHO on Tuesday to strongly caution pregnant women against traveling to countries experiencing Zika virus outbreaks. The virus appears to be spreading rapidly, with the CDC reporting at least 153 cases in the United States as of March 2, ostensibly by those who had traveled to countries with outbreaks.

On Friday, researchers announced they had discovered the possible mechanism by which Zika virus can cause microcephaly — a rare birth defect that causes babies to be born with abnormally small heads and underdeveloped brains.

“Working with lab-grown human stem cells, scientists found that the virus selectively infected cells forming the brain’s cortex, the thin outer layer of folded gray matter,” the Washington Post reported. “Its assault made those cells more likely to die and less likely to divide normally and make new brain cells.”

Hengli Tang, a researcher with the University of Florida and one of the study’s authors, told reporters during a conference call, “What we show is the first piece of evidence” marking the hypothetical link between Zika virus and microcephaly. “We’re literally the first people in the world to know this, to know that this virus can infect these very important cells and interfere with their function.” Though the study didn’t discern whether the virus is capable of reaching the brain, it did show that if that is possible, “this virus can do a lot of damage.”

The findings by researchers from Johns Hopkins University, Emory University, and Florida State University show the clearest evidence for how the Zika virus harms fetuses. As scientists and researchers rush to verify that link, others have reported theories contending microcephaly was caused by everything from vaccines to fungicides. But microcephaly’s connection to the virus is strengthening, as researchers have also documented the presence of the Zika virus in the brains of newborns who died, as well as in the placental fluid of infected mothers. Though the findings aren’t considered definitive proof of Zika virus’ role in causing microcephaly, scientists believe it certainly adds to the hypothesis.

WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan said, “reports and investigations in several countries strongly suggest that sexual transmission of the virus is more common than previously assumed.” Her statement came after an emergency committee meeting on Tuesday, which also noted the Zika virus’ link to microcephaly and other birth defects.

In fact, WHO reported that nine countries have also announced increasing cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome — a condition causing paralysis or even death — in children, teenagers, and adults, which is also strongly believed to be linked to Zika virus. A study published in the Lancet on February 29 described a nearly certain link between Guillain-Barré and the Zika virus. According to the study authors:

“This is the first study providing evidence for Zika virus infection causing Guillain-Barré syndrome. Because Zika virus is spreading rapidly across the Americas, at risk countries need to prepare for adequate intensive care beds capacity to manage patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome.”

ABC News reported there are now over a dozen cases being investigated in the U.S. in which Zika virus may have been sexually transmitted. Widespread outbreak of the virus throughout both American continents led WHO to declare it constitutes a global emergency.

Zika virus remains largely mysterious to scientists, who theorize its incubation period lasts approximately one week — meaning travelers account for the large number of cases reported in areas not experiencing outbreaks. Findings the virus may be transmitted through sex more often than previously realized fuels concern about its spread around the globe.

Another cause for concern surrounds the lack of symptoms in nearly 80 percent of those who contract Zika virus. Symptoms in those who have them mimic those of dengue fever — which is also transmitted by the same species of mosquito, Aedes aegypti — and can include fever, rashes, headaches, fatigue, and muscle and joint pain. Though Aedes mosquitoes normally populate Florida, the Gulf Coast, and Hawaii in the U.S., as the Observer noted, hot summer weather has been known to drive them as far north as Washington, D.C. With February reported to be the hottest in recorded history, it wouldn’t be unlikely to imagine such an expansion of the Aedes population this year.

WHO now recommends pregnant women refrain from travel to areas of ongoing outbreak, and said they should practice safe sex or abstinence for the duration of their pregnancies if they have partners who have traveled to such areas.

This article (Science Proves Birth Defects Linked To Zika, But There’s More To The Story) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Claire Bernish and theAntiMedia.org. Anti-Media Radio airs weeknights at 11pm Eastern/8pm Pacific. If you spot a typo, email edits@theantimedia.org.

From theantimedia.org Team

Now He’s Sporting A Breathing Tube: Woman Shoots Mall Stalker In The Throat After He Pulls A Knife

March 8, 2016 by mac slavo

When seconds count, you’d better have a way to defend yourself because no one else will be there to help.

According to reports, it came down to a matter of life and death when a Kentucky woman was followed by a man in the mall. When she entered the garage elevator, as shown in the video below, the man followed behind. Neither of them said anything to each other and the woman knew instinctively what was about to happen.

As soon as the elevator door opened she bolted for her car.

The stalker, John Ganobick, gave chase.

Surveillance cameras played in court this week from the Fourth Street Live food court show the chilling moment when Ganobick began to follow the woman.

She told Louisville Metro Police she sensed instantly that she was being stalked.

‘The victim asked the suspect what floor he needed, and the victim described the suspect as being out of it, possibly high or drunk, but when he said the sixth floor, the victim stated she became nervous,’ states the police report read out in court.

Appearing in court sporting a breathing tube that is a reminder of his injuries after the attempted attack, Ganobick has been charged with attempted murder, robbery and kidnapping.

…

She told police when the elevator reached her floor, she started running to her car, but he chased her.

The woman got in her car and he pushed in behind her and put his hand over her mouth, according to ABC 7.

Ganobick slammed her head into an unknown object, told her to ‘give me all your money’, and showed her a knife, the arrest report said.

‘The victim stated she was afraid that she would be raped or murdered and as she fell across the passenger seat of her vehicle, she was able to reach into her purse and grab her gun and attempt to fire a shot at the suspect,’ the report states.

During the violent struggle the woman, who was being held at knife-point, reached into her purse and pulled out a gun.

…

According to the woman she pulled the trigger, but the gun did not fire. So she kept on pulling the trigger till it did.

‘Fearing for her life, the victim kept pulling the trigger of her gun, which finally fired, and struck the suspect in the neck.’

He recoiled, but according to the woman, collected himself despite his injury and started to come towards her again.

‘The victim described being afraid that the suspect was turning to come back at her and she kept pulling and struck the suspect in the buttocks,’ states the police report.

Surveillance footage captured the man coming down the parking garage’s stairs bleeding from the neck.

Source: Daily Mail

Video Report:

Despite the size of the attacker this small tool was the great equalizer in this fight:

Even this tiny, small caliber weapon was powerful enough to stop a predator from inflicting injury or death on his perceived prey.

For those who would ban this woman from carrying a firearm to protect herself, we suggest considering what would have transpired had she not had a weapon to defend herself. Perhaps she would merely have been robbed. Or, she could well have been kidnapped, raped and murdered.

12-Year-Old Exercises Second Amendment: “When I Saw the Door Handle Turn, I Shot Him”

Justified Self Defense: Mom Kills Armed Intruder with Shotgun; 9-1-1 Operator Gives Her the OK To Shoot

Take No Prisoners: Self Defense Killings in Detroit Spike to 2200% Above National Average; Justifiable Homicide up 79%

Europeans Scramble For Guns Amid Islamic Immigrant Invasion: “Long Guns Sold Out”

Paul to Congress: “Someone Who Has Guns, Ammunition, 7 Days of Food” Can Be Considered a Potential Terrorist

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

Clamp Down on Cash Is the Ultimate Surveillance State: “Citizens Shouldn’t Be Under General Suspicion”

March 7, 2016 by mac slavo

The war on cash is more than just a currency war to clamp everyone down on the electric grid. It is also a war on your privacy, and the nail in the coffin for the free market of low level transactions.

Soon, restrictions on cash will become so severe that even spending $100 will arouse suspicion, despite the constant inflation on the value of such a denomination. One day, physical currency may become obsolete.

When that day comes, they will know everything you do.

Conducting transactions in anything but digital creds will be not only increasingly difficult, but seen as outright criminal behavior. It might even make you a terrorist.

Don Quijones argues on Wolf Street:

There are two sides in the global war against cash. On one side are many of the world’s governments, central banks, fintech firms, banks, credit card companies, telecommunication behemoths, financial institutions, large retailers, etc. According to them, the days of physical currency are numbered, so why not pull the plug already, beginning with the largest denomination bills such as the $100-note and particularly the €500-note?

On the other side are people who like to use cash – most of whom, according to the dominant official narrative, are either criminals or terrorists. After all, they must have something to hide; otherwise, why would they use a private, untraceable (not to mention archaic, dirty, dangerous and unhygienic) form of payment like cash?

Although it may seem like a foregone conclusion, cash still accounts for a majority of transactions in many European countries, and still factors in significantly in the U.S., though use of cash is in decline.

Many leaders overseas are calling out the moves to kill cash – albeit in slow motion – as nothing more than an attempt to impose a police state where every transaction, every purchase and every activity is monitored and databased.

Likewise, the use of cash is linked with terrorists and criminals, every bit as much as using pagers was linked with drug dealers in the pre-cell phone days.

Don Quijones writes:

[I]n recent weeks the unlikeliest of defenders of physical money has emerged: the national central bank of Europe’s biggest economy, the German Bundesbank.

“I have my doubts that introducing a cash limit or getting rid of bigger denominations can really prevent terrorists or criminals from engaging in illegal activities,” Carl-Ludwig Thiele, Bundesbank board member in charge of cash issues, said in a speech last week. “We also should ask ourselves: what sort of an understanding of government forms the basis of these proposals? Citizens should not be put under general suspicion.”

[…]

And in Germany and Austria, the EU’s plans to suppress cash have already provoked a backlash.

“We don’t want someone to be able to track digitally what we buy, eat and drink, what books we read and what movies we watch,”said Austrian Deputy Economy Minister Harald Mahreron on Oe1 radio. “We will fight everywhere against rules” including caps on cash purchases, he said.

The NSA surveillance has never been limited to just ferreting out terrorists, its mass surveillance of every conceivable communications device has created a Big Data tracking system that can hone in on specific behaviors of anyone in the country, or can track the mass patterns of human society like a school of fish.

Standing by complicit with the elimination of cash is surrendering yourself to a society based upon nothing more than Big Brother teamed up with the Big Banks – and what good could come from all of that?

Banning Cash “Necessary to Give Central Banks More Power”

Americans Face Impoverishing War on Cash: “More Big Banks Are Shunning Cash”

‘Cash Is Being Eradicated’: Digital Payments Take Over Western World

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

“He Is Aiding And Abetting The Enemies Of The United States” – Obama’s Use of Taxpayer Money to Arm our Enemies is Treason

March 6, 2016 by contributing author

President Obama appointed James Clapper as his Director of National Intelligence in 2010. As of January 2016, the Obama administration paid Iran over half a billion dollars, unfroze Iranian assets, paid the Iranians interest on their previously-frozen accounts, and through the remainder of the year will give the Iranians almost $12 billion in aid. Such activities bear close scrutiny, and we’ll begin with a quote from Clapper:

“Iran continues to be the foremost state sponsor of terror and exert its influence in regional crises in the Mid-East through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, its terrorist partner Lebanese Hezbollah, and proxy groups. Iran and Hezbollah remain a continuing terrorist threat to U.S. interests and partners worldwide. Iran’s supreme leader continues to view the U.S. as a major threat and we assess his views will not change despite the implementation of the deal, the exchange of detainees, and the release of the 10 sailors,” Clapper said.

(AP report by Adam Kredo, 2/25/15)

Basically Obama has ramrodded a deal through Congress (just as complicit as Obama for enabling his actions) to give funding to Iran, our avowed enemy. Now treason is a difficult charge to make stick against a sitting U.S. president; however, the one committing it now actually enabled it to stick himself. Here is the part he likes:

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, Pub.L. 112–81. This NDAA contains several controversial sections, mainly §§ 1021-1022, which affirm provisions authorizing the indefinite military detention of civilians, including U.S. citizens, without habeas corpus or due process, contained in the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), Pub.L. 107–40.

(Source: Wikipedia, NDAA)

By signing the NDAA into law, Obama’s wording in a nutshell made the entire world a battlefield in the “War on Terror.” As such, Obama the Commander-in-Chief is outside of the UCMJ. A Commander-in-Chief is (regarding a Chain of Command) sort of akin to “Captain Crunch”, but with eye-teeth….no accountability to anyone…. yet as captain of the ship, able to send the legions marching for at least 30 days without congressional approval. The supreme military commander without any true military oversight to guard against his actions.

Obama only appears to be a bungling clown. His true mentor was not Sun Tzu, but Saul Alinsky, and the tactics he has been using have been sound…soundly resounding a death knell for the U.S. military and bringing the country to its knees. Every single action he has taken has been calculated and with true, deliberate purpose. His plan is Cloward-Piven, and his playbook is “Rules for Radicals.”

What more is needed? The NDAA permits any citizen to be grabbed and hauled off by the Cheka/NKVD/DHS for “indefinite detention” just for suspicion of complicity with terrorist activity. Look at this guy sitting on the throne that was once the leather chair of the Oval Office! No accountability whatsoever. The payments were made with no strings, just flat out given to Iran, the banker of Hezbollah and also funding its own terrorist activities, such as atrocities carried out by Iran’s Republican Guard. By aiding and abetting the enemies of the U.S., the President has deliberately and with knowledge aforethought committed treason and can be impeached, plain and simple. They wanted the entire world to be labeled a “battlefield” of the “War on Terror?” Well, then, the rules for treason and aiding and abetting an enemy…especially one committing terrorist acts and enabling them…apply to this sitting Commander-in-Chief.

Oh, but the State Department “conveniently” instituted Obama’s open arms policy and removed the Republican Guard from the watch-lists of suspected terrorist organizations. This was done in 2014 to precede the outflow of the cash to Iran in 2015.

I’m not pulling any punches here in this article. President Obama made comments to Medvedev prior to the 2012 elections regarding the deployment of ICBM’s and also missile defense systems in Eastern Europe. His “hot mic” picked up the conversation…in essence, “Tell Vladimir that I’ll have more leeway [with the missiles] after the election.”

There you have an instance: a sitting U.S. president talking about reducing the size of our nuclear arsenal, the defenses of the United States, unilaterally and without Congressional approval. Now you have another instance: Obama has enriched Iran financially, enabling it to arm itself militarily.

All of this enabled by the uncomprehending public, the masses, and their tax dollars. They have the right to rise up and shake this petty dictatorship from their throat as a lion would swat a hyena away; yet, the public complacency allows the hyena to feed….and off of them.

February news reports revealed that the Iranians are spending billions of dollars acquired under the release of funds by Obama under the nuclear deal. Guess what they’re buying? Su30SM fourth generation fighter aircraft, the S-300 air defense system, and the T-90 tank, Russia’s newest design. John Kerry specifically stated that the UN veto the United States holds will not be necessary. He was asked pointedly about it by a Congressional Oversight committee that plainly declared the sale of arms by Russia to Iran was in violation of the UN Security Council mandates.

And the Obama administration? They acknowledged the illegality of the sale by Russia to Iran under Security Council Resolution 2231.

With malice aforethought, and completely aware of what they are doing…. they are taking the orders directly from Obama. And he’s Teflon…nothing sticks to him. But it is clear: he is aiding and abetting the enemies of the United States. He has committed treason on numerous occasions. It has been long past the time for the American people to stand their ground and have him removed from office. The grounds: treason, against the people of the United States of America.

This article may be republished or excerpted with proper attribution to the author and a link to www.SHTFplan.com.

Also Read:

America Will Force Russia’s Hand: The United States Will Start World War III: “Imminent”

How To Survive Occupied America: “Red Dawn Just Started… And You’re In It”

Collision Course: As Obama Weakens America, The Russians And Chinese Prepare

Forced Economic Free Fall the Precursor to Collapse: “The World Is About To Enter A Global Depression Unlike Anything Seen Before”

The Trigger: If This Ever Happens You Know You’re Days Away From Nuclear War

Jeremiah Johnson’s Green Beret Survival Guides

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

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