contributing author

All War Is Based On Deception: What Is The True Intent Of North Korea’s Provocative Action And Saber Rattling?

March 22, 2016 by contributing author

“All of warfare is based on deception.” –Sun Tzu

One of the important points to keep in mind regarding North Korea’s actions is that they are probably not “unilateral” actions…that is, without any influence from any of the other “evil empire/axis” nations. Russia and China both exert a profound amount of influence on North Korea. Kim Jong-Un’s decisions within recent days to launch several missiles have prompted more outcries from the U.S. and the UN to enforce tighter sanctions, etc., ad nauseum.

But what is the true intent of all of this provocative action and saber rattling?

Firstly, the United States and South Korea are in the process of conducting military exercises that North Korea has been pointing to as a (possible) justification for using their nukes. But with all of this, did everyone notice that the aid coming in to North Korea from China and Russia has not abated? Last year Putin and Un signed off on a deal for heightened economic and military cooperation between the two countries. That culminated with a deal to trade for coal and other resources. The two nations are allies: this is clear and evident.

China publicly denounces North Korea for its aggressive actions and rhetoric, but the words are just that: mere words. China actively exports a tremendous amount of food to North Korea, and (as China is communist) the amounts cannot be either monitored or stemmed by the “free” Western nations. Remember, China and Russia (who both possess crucial votes on the UN Security Council) always manage to veto the more serious actions against North Korea proposed either by the United States and/or other nations.

Yes, North Korea is “on its own sheet of music,” however, the actions of Un are used to obfuscate the actions of those nations that publicly denounce him but privately support him. Those nations do include the United States. The U.S. uses (as it has in the past when the Soviet Union existed) the “increased threat” to justify spending and theft within its role as the state that enables the existence of the military industrial complex. North Korea is just one of the “boogeymen” that rotates into the position of public enemy number 1 as the U.S. sees fit.

One week the U.S. is against East Asia…and has always been against East Asia. The next week East Asia is (and always has been) an ally….and it is actually Eurasia that is, and always has been, our enemy. In the manner of Orwell’s “1984,” the script is continually being rewritten as it is needed to justify the narrative.

The true threat from North Korea comes from its unstable responses due to its consistent communist policies…always under a “war footing” to justify their actions. In many ways, they mirror the Western actions (especially those of the U.S.) of the “Star Trek” amber/yellow/red alert drills of the U.S.S. Enterprise…always quick to point out a threat, real or imaginary, to divert the attention of the people. Diverting the attention and creating a focus toward one thing, when the government is doing something heinous out of the public view.

Make no mistake about it, North Korea does have the capability to launch an EMP attack against the United States. They would possibly (and in all probability) not be acting alone in this regard. At the bare minimum, they would be acting with the approval of other nations. Remember, our nuclear first strike capability isn’t…we have struck a solemn, taciturn vow never to strike first. In addition, an EMP attack would not be met with a nuclear strike. That is Obama policy, not conjecture.

North Korea is a threat, but they are a threat that will not be operating on its own, without the tacit approval of either of their allies. The problem is in the form of a question: will Un and his family be granted safe haven in one of these countries, if North Korea does attack the U.S. and Un uses this attack to sacrifice his country in return for such safe haven? They are a “loose cannon,” but they are not operating alone or unadvised. Perhaps Obama could have outlined such a sacrifice for Un to follow…to usher in Martial Law in the U.S. and the suspension of rights under the Constitution, and “indefinite postponement” of presidential elections.

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:

Obama Pushes For Widespread Surveillance State: “At This Rate We’ll All Be In Cages… Either Electronic Or Literal”

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

This Man Stops Police From Illegal Search in Just 7 Seconds: “Honor Your Oath, Scumbag!”

March 18, 2016 by contributing author

This article was written by Melissa Dykes and originally published at The Daily Sheeple.

Editor’s Comment: When people are too lazy and complacent to stand up for their rights, tyranny creeps right in. Despite the fact that police abuses have been in the spotlight during the past few years, little has been done to reassert the basic and cherished rights of free speech and privacy. In fact, the 4th Amendment has been totally trashed by the NSA, the TSA and quite possibly your local police department and law enforcement community.

Refuse searches without warrant, or even a basis of suspicion. Don’t cooperate with fishing expeditions or attempts to condition slave-like masses at public events. Take a page from this guy – who put police in their place right away, and spared no time for niceties or politically correct language. And guess what? The cop respected his stand and realized the wisdom in backing off.

“Honor Your Oath, Scumbag!”: Watch This Unlawful Search by Police Get Defeated in Just 7 Seconds

by Melissa Dykes

Sick and tired of beings asked for papers, please or other Fourth Amendment violations when you, as an innocent citizen not suspected of any crime other than walking down a city street, are just trying to mind your own business?

Well, so is this guy.

This video is brief and to the point.

(Warning: language)

This article was written by Melissa Dykes and originally published at The Daily Sheeple.

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

“The 2nd Amendment Will Be Under Siege Before The Election” – New Supreme Court Nominee Supports Whatever Big Government Wants

March 17, 2016 by contributing author

As with most of Obama’s actions, his nomination of Merrick B. Garland as the replacement for recently-deceased Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is hardly unpredictable. This article will outline Garland’s background. Obama will “fast-track” this appointment, as if evidenced by Orrin Hatch already “jumping on the bandwagon” and agreeing with Obama’s choice. Right out of the chute, here comes one “RINO” in the rodeo to “rope” in another liberal democrat to follow the herd of Obama-appointees. First Sotomayor, then Kagan, and the third rodeo clown appears to be Garland. Here’s the “punch line” for the clowns:

Garland will be fast-tracked in, and the 2^nd Amendment under siege before the election.

So, this man grew up in Chicago, Illinois, attended Harvard, then subsequently Garland went to Harvard Law School for his JD. He served under Judge Henry J. Friendly of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (Friendly attended Harvard Law School), and then under William J. Brennan, a leading liberal Supreme Court Justice appointed by Eisenhower. Brennan, let it be noted, also received his JD from Harvard Law School, and was a giant liberal who opposed the death penalty and was a staunch supporter of abortion and Roe vs. Wade.

Just to give you an idea of Brennan’s mindset (as he was a mentor to Garland), guess what little gem he helped to set into the crown of our broken American society? He wrote the rulings for Texas v. Johnson, and United States v. Eichman. These rulings enabled the Court to uphold that desecration of the American Flag is protected under the First Amendment.

In 1993, Garland worked for the Department of Justice under another Clinton appointee, Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick, Garland’s mentor there who personally asked for him to serve as her principal deputy. Gorelick, let it be noted, also attended Harvard Law School, picking up her JD there. Gorelick later became Vice Chairman for Fannie Mae, and during her tenure from 1997-2003, Fannie Mae underwent a $10 billion accounting scandal.

Garland was later appointed under Clinton in 1995 to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. He didn’t start until 1997, however, because his initial appointment was turned down, to consider whether or not the court needed him as a judge. Clinton’s reelection in ’96 enabled him to slip through in ’97. Now Obama is fast-tracking Garland into the Supreme Court. Obama, let it be noted, also attended Harvard Law School.

But wait…there’s more. Back when Parker vs. District of Columbia (submitted 2003, the basis for Heller vs. D.C. ruling in 2008) came about, part of D.C.’s restrictive gun law was struck down as unconstitutional under the 2^nd Amendment. The mayor at that time for D.C., Adrian Fenty and a squad of his liberal assistants brought a petition in April 2007 to the circuit court of D.C. to hear the case en banc, meaning with all of the justices on the appeals court voting. That petition was struck down and denied on May 8, 2007, at a vote of 6-4. Guess who was one of the dissenting 4 voters? Yep, you guessed it…Judge Merrick Garland!

This guy supports whatever big government wants. With him in the vacant SCOTUS seat, it will just be a matter of time before the 2^nd Amendment comes under attack. We have seen what happened when Obamacare was voted in under the color of law with Roberts leading the way. Now it won’t even need a (pseudo)conservative to break the deadlock. Now Roberts can appear to be the “dissenter” …while Ginsburg, Sotomayor, Kagan, Kennedy, and (soon) Garland…vote to negate or cripple the 2^nd Amendment.

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

Also Read:

Obama Pushes For Widespread Surveillance State: “At This Rate We’ll All Be In Cages… Either Electronic Or Literal”

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

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

Jeremiah Johnson’s Green Beret Survival Guides

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

Obama Pushes For Widespread Surveillance State: “At This Rate We’ll All Be In Cages… Either Electronic Or Literal”

March 15, 2016 by contributing author

On Friday, March 11, Obama was in Austin, TX attempting to make his case for an allowance of a “back door” for government to enter into mobile devices. His plea is predicated on the government’s “need” to gain information for use against “war on terror” suspects, and also to find evidence to prosecute those attempting to bypass tax laws. Obama used the phrase “we” to refer to those making the decision to utilize such back door venues. The pronoun does not refer to “we the people,” but instead a nebulous “we” such as the TV series “the Outer Limits.” His “we” wants to control the vertical, the horizontal, and everything in between.

Obama said the following at the South by Southwest Festival on Friday:

“The question we now have to ask is: If technologically it is possible to make an impenetrable device or system where the encryption is so strong that there is no key, there’s no door at all, then how do we apprehend the child pornographer, how do we solve or disrupt a terrorist plot? What mechanisms do we have available to even do simple things like tax enforcement because if in fact you can’t crack that at all, government can’t get in, then everybody is walking around with a Swiss bank account in their pocket.”

He uses “we” as if it applies to us, the American people. That paragraph is very interesting. Of course, none of it applies to him or any of the communists on his staff, present or former. Where’s the “back door” request for Hillary Clinton’s e-mail accounts? Where are the demands for all the data from the servers? How about Hillary’s cell phones? How about Obama’s cell phone records and e-mail account? Yes, Obama, how do we solve or disrupt a terrorist plot such as the Fast and Furious operation that placed weapons into the hands of terrorists who killed a U.S. Border Patrol Agent?

It is a simple equation: the laws are made by them for us to obey.

Such is a truism we are forced to deal with as daily these criminals hide behind the badge of the color of law and inflict their illegal edicts onto those who have no legal remedy or financial wherewithal to defend themselves. The end state has not happened in the U.S. but it is predictable, because it has happened with other societies. History repeats itself. It happened in the Soviet Union, as chronicled in the work “The Gulag Archipelago.” It happened with the formation of Red China. It happened in Nazi Germany. It is happening here.

They didn’t build a $50 billion data recording and storage facility in Ogden, Utah for nothing. The emphasis on technological development is much the same as in “1984” by Orwell. Improvements in technology do nothing to alleviate any of the burdens of poverty, overcrowding, food shortages, disease, or any of the things afflicting mankind. The focus of technology is on developing new methods of surveillance, of data recording, and intrusion into people’s private lives. All of this is anent control and dominion, plain and simple.

Obama asks for “…mechanisms… to even do simple things like tax enforcement…” in such a nonchalant manner.

Oh, what about how James Clapper declared Iran the foremost supporter of terrorism, and Obama was the one who enabled the Iranians to obtain $12 billion in taxpayer funds to continue funding terrorist operations? What “mechanism” do the American people have to prevent such things? Impeachment? Elections? Yeah, we see how well all of that has been working.

Obama still has almost a year left to continue gutting and destroying the country. If elections even occur, what will change? In the meantime, the Bill of Rights continues to be under assault and shredded. At this rate we’ll all be in cages…either electronic or literal, as the U.S. turns into the Hotel California. We’ll be prisoners here of our own device who can check out any time we like…but can never leave.

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

Also Read:

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

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

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

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

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

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.”

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

“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

Gun Grabbers Don’t Get It. When The “Economy Falls Apart, Crime Increases.” That’s Why You Need Guns.

March 2, 2016 by contributing author

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

Editor’s Comment: The fundamentals of gun control are distorted into sideline debates over statistics compared with other European nations. The fact of the matter is that countries facing an influx of rapes and and an unwanted culture of fear wish they still had their rights to keep and bear.

Here in America, it will very likely be the last line of defense as the infrastructure crumbles and the economy bottoms out. People who lose everything lose control; and while they deserve better opportunities, turning to wanton acts of crime and threatening the life of your family is not acceptable. Only an armed populace can defend itself against a society that has abolished dignity and incited waves of crime in government and institutions, and on the streets. If you want to see gun control in action, just go to inner city Chicago and witness the worst scenes of violence in the entire country.

The Gun Grabbers Just Can’t Let Go of This Ridiculous Argument

by Joshua Krause

You have to give the gun grabbers credit where credit is due. They sure make a pretty compelling argument. Every country in the world that has strict gun ownership laws, also has lower crime rates when compared to countries with loose gun laws. And most importantly, mass killings are just about unheard of and murder rates are far lower in these places.

Oh sorry. I’m afraid I misspoke. These countries rarely have mass shootings and the number of gun crimes is also quite low.

People who support gun control love to make the same lame argument. It’s an argument that defies all logic, and somehow it just won’t die. After every mass shooting, they love to present some statistic that shows mass shootings are rare or nonexistent in countries with strict gun laws, or that gun crimes are also few and far between in those places. These statistics are more often than not, absolutely correct. They’re also completely irrelevant.

Isn’t the overall murder rate far more relevant than the number of murders committed with firearms? Not to the gun grabbers. I can only guess why they won’t let this argument die. Either they have some kind of mental deficiency, or they are willfully ignorant of these statistics, because it would shatter their world view. They simply refuse to see the bigger picture.

The latest iteration of this argument comes from several researchers who sifted through 130 gun control studies from 10 different countries, to see what effect these laws had on the number of gun related crimes. Here’s what they found:

So what do Santaella-Tenorio et al. conclude? First, and most importantly, that gun violence declined after countries pass a raft of gun laws at the same time: “The simultaneous implementation of laws targeting multiple firearms restrictions is associated with reductions in firearm deaths,” the study finds.

This finding doesn’t highlight one specific law, like an assault weapon ban, in isolation. There were “so many different kinds of laws,” Santaella-Tenorio explains, that it was hard to make good international comparisons on every specific kind of gun restriction.

Rather, countries passed big packages of gun laws, which overhauled the nation’s firearm code fairly broadly, which all tended to share similar features. According to Santaella-Tenorio, they generally included:

Banning “weapons that are actually very powerful,” like automatic weapons.

“They all implemented background checks.”

“They all required permits and licenses for purchasing guns.”

South Africa’s comprehensive Firearm Control Act, passed in 2000, contained all these measures. One study found that firearm homicides in five major South African cities decreased by 13.6 percent per year for the next five years. “Reductions in nonfirearm homicides were also observed,” Santaella-Tenorio et al. note, “although not as pronounced as the ones observed for firearm homicides.”

Austria’s 1997 firearm law, similarly, required background checks, limited access to powerful firearms, and imposed rules about how gun owners had to store their guns. Santaella-Tenorio reviewed two studies on Austria’s 1997 law, both of which found evidence that the law had reduced deaths. According to one of them, firearm homicides went down by 4.8 percent, while suicides went down by 9.9 percent.

Australia and South Africa seem to be their best examples. The funny thing about those countries, is that while the research shows that gun deaths did indeed decline, the overall murder rate also declined. This fact comes with a few caveats however.

Take a look at the historical murder rates for both of those countries. In South Africa for instance, the murder rate really did decline after they instituted strict gun control laws. However, the murder rate was already falling for at least 5 years before the year 2000 (that’s as far back as that data goes) and it continues to decline to this very day despite no new legislation. And in Australia, the overall murder rate has also declined, but not until 8 years had passed since they started rounding up all the guns.

In other words, there is a strong correlation between gun laws and gun deaths, but almost no correlation between gun laws and the overall murder rate. Admittedly, it’s also a fact that many pro-gun advocates would also prefer to ignore.

What nobody wants to admit, is that we don’t really know what drives crime rates. In the US for instance, the national crime rate has been falling consistently for more than two decades, and nobody can figure out why. I’ve heard all kinds of theories to explain this, including higher incarceration rates, lower lead levels in the water, increased police presence, an aging population, roe vs wade, and even the proliferation of the internet and video games. None of them have been able to hold up to scrutiny, and it seems that the number of guns on our streets isn’t a factor either.

The truth is, the real drivers of crime are incredibly murky. The only thing we know for sure is that when the economy falls apart, crime often increases, but only most of the time. Crime rates continued to decrease in the US even during the Great Recession.

And perhaps that is why this argument that the gun grabbers are always trying to make, is so stupid. Like everyone else, they desperately want to find a single simplistic cause for all the murders that happen; a cause that fits their world view. But in the real world there isn’t just one reason, and if there were, it certainly wouldn’t be guns since there isn’t any convincing data.

Remember that the next time the gun grabbers go on about “decreasing gun murder rates.” What they’re really saying is, “give up your rights, even though it won’t benefit you or your community in any way.”

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

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

February 26, 2016 by contributing author

As these words are being written, the U.S. and its NATO allies continue to posture themselves in Europe and in the Middle East prior to the “big one” being kicked off. As mentioned in previous reports and articles, the flash points are becoming much more defined: The Senkaku Islands, the Donbass Region of Ukraine, Syria, and the Korean Peninsula. While the world watches, each side in these potential hot spots continues to build their forces in the regions and make preparations for conflict. When we examine responses for those preparations, it is obvious that war is imminent.

The United States has been posturing troops in the former SSR nations on Russia’s Western border. Supplies of tanks, artillery pieces, aircraft, ammunition, and American troops continue to pour into Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland, among others. The posturing amounts to a regeneration of NATO/USSR Cold War lines with one major difference: with the SSR’s no longer in existence, the NATO lines are that much closer now to Russia. Before those Soviet satellite nations provided a physical buffer, but those former buffers are now nations that openly host NATO and U.S. troops.

While claiming to have a ceasefire, the U.S. turns a blind eye to the fact that Russia is still pounding away at the “rebels,” as Newspeak terms them. They’re really insurgents, trying to topple an established government that will not knuckle under to the likes of the Nulands and McCains as Ukraine did. Furthermore, the Russians are backing Assad with no plans of pulling out of his corner.

Turkey is another matter, and Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has been pushing the envelope with deployments of troops to the Syrian border and incursions that mimic “Fabian” tactics – small-scale, limited engagements comprised of small unit skirmishes and then a quick retreat back to the safety of the Turkish border. Still, Turkey is amassing sizable numbers of men and large quantities of materials and it doesn’t take much cognition to deduce that Turkey is preparing to invade. Recently President Vladimir Putin declared his willingness to use tactical nuclear weapons if faced with a Turkish and/or Saudi invasion of Syria.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is serious, as Russia proved with the Crimea in 2014. Crimea is decried by the West as conquest and occupation, but this is not accurate: moreover, it’s a lie. The U.S. attempted to institute a coup d’état by deposing the rightfully elected leader of Ukraine and inserting Yatsenuk. They wanted to cut of Sevastopol, Russia’s strategic naval base that enables the Black Sea Fleet to enter the Mediterranean. The West also paints a picture of imposed servitude over the populace, while “neglecting” to mention that almost 90% of Crimea are Russians ethnically, speaking Russian as their first language.

Russia didn’t play softball. They won’t be playing wiffleball, either, when things kick off in Syria. This is not to say there aren’t economic influences that prompt Russia to act; however, they are secondary to the aggressive and imperialistic actions taken by the phony coalition of NATO at the behest of the IMF and the Military-Industrial Complex.

Forbes recently posted a piece by Adam Ereli entitled “Putin’s Newest Satellite State,” in which the following is written:

“…Russia quietly signed a sweeping air defense agreement with Armenia, accelerating a growing Russian military buildup that has unfolded largely under the radar. It was the most tangible sign yet that Putin is creating a new satellite state on NATO’s border and threatening an indispensable U.S. ally [Turkey].”

Now Mr. Ereli is listed as a former deputy spokesman of the State Department, and his carefully-chosen words act as if Russia is the aggressor against Turkey. He also wrote:

“…as Russia’s war in Syria and pressure on Turkey has intensified…The growing Russian military presence in Armenia is but the latest indicator of a worrisome trend: Putin’s threat to NATO and America’s interests in Europe.”

Last check, Mr. Ereli, it was Turkey that shot down Russian aircraft and helicopters. Not to mention the fact that with all of these NATO exercises and additional troop deployments, what is Russia supposed to do? Not defend its interests?

Ereli finishes off his piece with this:

“In July 2015, Turkey and the U.S. finalized an agreement to work cooperatively to combat Islamic State terrorists in Syria and Iraq.”

Perhaps Ereli is referring to the terrorists that the U.S. created, trained, and funded that have been wreaking havoc throughout the Middle East, now, since the Arab Spring began. To address the more infuriating issue, the “unfolded largely under the radar” statement, there is nothing that is happening or has happened that is anything other than deliberate and purposeful.

Under the radar, such as TARS being removed from the Gulf Coast and Southern Border of the U.S. Under the radar: the mothballing of planned Air Defense installations in Czechoslovakia and other Eastern European nations. Under the radar, such as when Obama told Medvedev to tell Putin how he (Obama) would “have more leeway [with U.S. ICBM’s] after the election,” a statement as treasonous as they come. Under the radar for the removal of the SR-71, the Tomahawk Cruise Missile, and the A-10 Tank Killer. Under the radar for the cashiering of General Officers and Senior Noncommissioned Officers (the word “cashiering” being readily substitutable for the word “purging,” a more applicable and accurate term) from the U.S. military command structure.

The RAND Corporation recently released a study that concluded that Russian forces could overrun the Baltics in under 72 hours. War games were run by RAND for several months in 2014-2015 and the studies concluded that the NATO forces were so ill-equipped and understrength that a loss would be inevitable. An article published this month chronicles the gist of the RAND study, entitled If Russia Started a War in the Baltics, NATO Would Lose — Quickly, by Dan De Luce,

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

Also Read:

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

Here’s How We Got Here: A Short Primer On The History Of The Petrodollar

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

This Is Why The Minimum Wage Is Such A Horrible Idea: “It’s Simple Economics Really”

February 23, 2016 by contributing author

In case you haven’t heard, the Oregon state legislature has recently approved a new minimum wage, and Governor Kate Brown has already agreed to sign it. This minimum wage law will be very different from the wage laws of most states, in that it will vary on a region by region basis. There will be gradual increases in each city and rural county until the year 2022. At that point, the city of Portland will have a minimum wage of $14.75, smaller cities will be at $13.50, and rural areas will be at $12.50.

But for all their good intentions, the leftists that pushed this legislation through have no idea what they’re in for. It will be rife with unintended consequences. Take for instance, what happened in Seattle shortly after their city council approved a $15 minimum wage. Before the wage increase even went into effect, restaurants all over the city crunched the numbers for what it would mean to their bottom line, and shuttered their doors. And for those who are still employed, the minimum wage increase hasn’t really helped them at all. Here’s what two cleaning ladies told the Seattle Times last year:

The cleaning woman responded, “It sounds good, but it’s not good,”

“Why?” I asked.

“I lost my 401k, health insurance, paid holiday, and vacation,” she responded. “No more free food,” she added.

The hotel used to feed her. Now, she has to bring her own food. Also, no overtime, she said. She used to work extra hours and received overtime pay.

“What else?” I asked.

“I have to pay for parking,” she said.

I then asked the part-time waitress, who was part of the catering staff.

“Yes, I’ve got $15 an hour, but all my tips are now much less,” she said. Before the new wage law was implemented, her hourly wage was $7. But her tips added to more than $15 an hour. Yes, she used to receive free food and parking. Now, she has to bring her own food and pay for parking.

It’s simple economics really, which apparently the purveyors of the minimum wage have no knowledge of. They artificially raised the price of services across the board, and look what happened? The businesses that couldn’t afford it either shut down or laid off workers, and the businesses that could afford it simply shifted some money around by eliminating benefits and putting those dollars toward wages.

Big surprise right? We’ll probably see the same thing happen in Oregon before these wage increases are enforced. Businesses owners in that state are saying and thinking the same thing the restaurateurs were saying in Seattle last year.

What the supporters of a higher minimum wage just don’t get, is that it hurts poor unskilled workers the most. They want to believe that it will help these people attain a livable wage, but it won’t. In fact, when states or cities try to raise the minimum wage, it often forces their low skilled workers to move to different states for better work opportunities. The minimum wage is a job killer that takes work away from people who need it the most. And in any case, those who do still have a job now have to pay more for goods and services in certain industries, now that there is no cheap labor.

It also sets the bar too high for workers that lack experience. Think about it. Whenever a business hires a new employee, they’re taking on a big risk. It costs money to train new people, and they have no idea if these people will work out. The less experienced they are, the more risk it entails, and thus they pay these workers less money to hedge those risks. With any minimum wage, it’s difficult, and sometimes impossible, for the newest members of the job market to attain their first work experience. Is it any wonder why all over the developed world, the youngest demographics have the highest unemployment rates? Surely this is a contributing factor.

To those that support a higher minimum wage, or any minimum wage for that matter, this isn’t rocket science. At the end of the day, some jobs simply aren’t worth that much money, no matter how much you pout about how unfair the world is. And when you set a minimum wage, what you’re really doing it outlawing all jobs that are worth less than that arbitrary amount.

It sounds pretty dumb when you put it that way, doesn’t it?

Contributed by Joshua Krause of The Daily Sheeple.

Gov Report: Up To ONE MILLION Jobs Will Be Lost Due to Minimum Wage Hike

Here It Comes Seattle: “Stupidity Has A Price”

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

Here’s How We Got Here: A Short Primer On The History Of The Petrodollar

February 23, 2016 by contributing author

The information in this article will be a short synopsis of how the Petrodollar was created, in order to allow the readers to tie in an understanding to the bigger picture we face today. We have all seen the volatility in the oil markets and the steady, daily decline in the BDI (Baltic Dry Index), both of which indicate the disease affecting the global economy. That disease is almost terminal; the policies surrounding the Petrodollar and its influence are major contributing factors to the rapidly-deteriorating world economies that are on the brink of crashing.

Oil is the most important commodity from an economic perspective, and from the drilling of the first oil well in 1846 in Azerbaijan, formerly known as Baku, the world has embraced the search for and use of it. Today oil is to be found in every facet of life, from the plastic spoon to the gasoline pump. John D. Rockefeller built an oil refinery in Cleveland, Ohio in 1863 and subsequently formed Standard Oil of Ohio in 1870. At its peak, the company controlled the market domestically, owning 90% of the U.S. oil industry until the company was broken up in 1911. The Supreme Court had deemed it a monopoly, and it separated into smaller firms.

Shortly after World War II, the oil-rich governments around the world began to despise American control over their resources; therefore, the largest producers nationalized the oil fields and their own levels of domestic production. Saudi Aramco formed in Saudi Arabia became the recognized leader of crude oil production in the world. Then in 1949, U.S. domestic production of crude oil could no longer keep up with the country’s industrial demands. For the first time, the U.S. became an importer of crude oil.

In July of 1944, the Bretton Woods Conference (officially the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference) took place in New Hampshire. The conference lasted for almost a month, and 730 representatives from the 44 allied nations participated in it. After the conference was concluded, the postwar global financial structure had been decided: gold had been fixed for delivery by the United States at $35 per ounce, and each signing member of the participants agreed on a fixed rate of exchange for currencies.

Meanwhile for the next several decades, the deficit in trade rose in the U.S., along with price inflation that began to erode the confidence in the American structure. As a result, France withdrew its gold stored with the Federal Reserve in 1967. Then in 1971, Nixon closed the door by removing the ability of any member nation to convert into gold. The dollar (used as the world’s reserve currency) was still the reserve; however, it was completely fiat at this point. At this time, President Nixon dispatched Kissinger to Saudi Arabia with a scheme that made extortionists pale in comparison.

The ruling House of Saud in Saudi Arabia was offered a deal by Kissinger with four parts.

America’s military would guarantee protection of Saudi Arabia and her oilfields.
The U.S. would also sell the Saudis any weapons needed.
The U.S. would furthermore guarantee protection from Israel and the other countries of the region.
Finally, the Saudi family was ensured that they would rule in perpetuity.

In return for such “magnanimous” services, the Saudi Arabians would make sure that all oil sales were done only in U.S. dollars. In addition, the Saudis promised to take their profits and invest them in U.S. treasuries.

The gold would not be needed. With all oil being sold in U.S. dollars, the other nations were obliged to build up a supply of dollars on the fixed currency exchange to buy the oil. The Saudis signed on to this in 1974, and shortly thereafter in 1975, the other oil producing countries of OPEC followed suit. You may notice there was roughly a three-year hiatus for the former, a four-year gap in the latter.

There was a fly in the ointment: The Yom Kippur war of 1973, in which these previously-hesitant nations realized that Israel was a threat to them. Immediately following this conflict, OPEC raised its price of crude oil by 70% and then cut levels of production by 5%, taking oil from $3.00 per barrel to $12 per barrel virtually overnight. The embargo lasted from October 1973 to March of 1974, before pressure from the Nixon administration and the threat of Israel and other potentially threatening nations took effect.

So in 1975, the world’s demand for oil was skyrocketing, and all sales were now conducted in U.S. dollars, placing the U.S. over all of the world’s economy for decades. The underlying illness was the festering fiat currency and the accompanying paradigm shift that saw the decline in American domestic manufacturing and the reduction of our economy to one that was consumer-based, until we reached the point we are today. In the next article we will examine where the Petrodollar stands as the world’s currency reserve, and cover actions and leading indicators that help to forecast what will be coming down the pike.

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

Also Read:

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

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

Jeremiah Johnson’s Green Beret Survival Guides

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

This Is The Collapse: Discount Grocery Store Serving Poor Cleaned Out: “Bargain-Hungry Shoppers Emptied the Shelves”

February 19, 2016 by contributing author

This article was written by Michaela Whitton and originally published at The Anti-Media.org.

Editor’s Comment: This story isn’t quite what you might think at first if you just scanned over it, but it still demonstrates an alarming trend: namely, just how desperate so many have become.

Basically, it amounts to riot-prone and often struggling people fighting over bargain-basement junk food after it was put on sale. But what does this level of reaction say about society and the level of economic crisis the world has reached? Basically, that almost anything can make things come unhinged.

If people are reacting this strongly over undercutting food prices, it suggests how much food insecurity exists, and how difficult it has become for most to pay the bills. Food banks have been overwhelmed nearly everywhere. In fact, this grocery chain found the problem to be big enough to create this cheap food marketing niche – which will now need to rethink its business strategy. What happens when the food isn’t just cheap, but unavailable? Multiplied against the whole environment of economic stress, there is every reason to think things are practically just falling apart.

Grocery Store Forced to Review Trading Rules After Shelves Go Empty

by Michaela Whitton

London’s new EasyFoodstore has been forced to review its trading rules after it had to close temporarily when bargain-hungry shoppers emptied the shelves. The mega-discount food store is the latest venture of EasyJet entrepreneur, Stelios Haji-Ioannou.

The millionaire businessman was inspired by the idea after seeing the widespread use of food banks in Britain. “This is another way the Easy brand can serve the less well-off,” the budget airline owner said.

Easy on the wallet

With a weekly shop for a family of four costing just £15.75, it’s no surprise the store rapidly became a victim of its own success. After a promotional offer charging just 25p for everyday food items generated so much publicity, hundreds of bargain-hunters cleared the shelves and the store had no choice but to close until it was able to re-stock.

The recently opened food shop in Park Royal, north-west London, carries a basic range of 76 cheap and cheerful items including pizza, tea, coffee and tinned goods. It has been quickly forced to bring in a 10 item purchasing limit to deter its competition from stockpiling products.

In her brilliant opinion piece for the Guardian, Joanna Blythman says the EasyFoodstore is in a different league from the “no frills” food shopping that she claims is now such a familiar feature of the British retail scene. She adds that poverty is a money problem, not a food problem, and won’t be cured by artificially “cheap,” nutritionally impoverished, lowest-common-denominator food.

“Surely no society on earth can ultimately afford food this cheap? If we factor in the hidden costs to society, from grave public health issues to climate change, it most certainly doesn’t constitute a bargain,” she said.

The predictions are that EasyFoodstore products are to rise from 25p to 50p after February. However, with Foodbank use in austerity Britain at record levels, is it any wonder that rationing is required?

SHTFplan and Mac Slavo www.shtfplan.com

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