Preparing For and Escaping From a Wildfire
"People are building homes now in very remote areas that in many cases are woodland settings. This is particularly true of those people that want to live off grid or homestead away from the hustle and bustle of metropolitan areas. However, while you are enjoying your solitude and living a self-reliant life a very real danger is lurking. That danger is a wildfire. Often time’s the fires go unnoticed at first, and thus are allowed to spread quickly. A wildfire is not something you prepare for as it is happening. You have to be prepared well in advance to protect yourself and home and to escape the inferno if necessary. Stay informed, you simply cannot wake up one morning and realize your home is surrounded by flames. Anyone that lives in a wooded area or an area heavy with brush is susceptible to wildfires. Keep track of weather reports and know when your area is under a fire alert. You may hear of a fire that is miles away, but it can still be a threat to you and your home, so again it is important to monitor all news reports. Burn bans may be in place and in some cases this can mean no open flames of any sort outside to include charcoal fires for meals. Develop an escape plan that includes more than one way out of your area, and start gathering emergency supplies that can be carried with you. One of the more critical aspects of surviving a fire in your area is having a vehicle in good working order."
"People are building homes now in very remote areas that in many cases are woodland settings. This is particularly true of those people that want to live off grid or homestead away from the hustle and bustle of metropolitan areas. However, while you are enjoying your solitude and living a self-reliant life a very real danger is lurking. That danger is a wildfire. Often time’s the fires go unnoticed at first, and thus are allowed to spread quickly. A wildfire is not something you prepare for as it is happening. You have to be prepared well in advance to protect yourself and home and to escape the inferno if necessary. Stay informed, you simply cannot wake up one morning and realize your home is surrounded by flames. Anyone that lives in a wooded area or an area heavy with brush is susceptible to wildfires. Keep track of weather reports and know when your area is under a fire alert. You may hear of a fire that is miles away, but it can still be a threat to you and your home, so again it is important to monitor all news reports. Burn bans may be in place and in some cases this can mean no open flames of any sort outside to include charcoal fires for meals. Develop an escape plan that includes more than one way out of your area, and start gathering emergency supplies that can be carried with you. One of the more critical aspects of surviving a fire in your area is having a vehicle in good working order."
I Was Abducted By a Sheriff’s Deputy To Produce Illegal Corporate Profits
"I could have died on September 2, 2014, because of an illegal partnership and conspiracy involving a dangerous conflict-of-interest between the Pasco County, Florida Sheriff’s Department and a supposedly not-for-profit powerful hospital corporation called Morton Plant Mease Hospital/BayCare Health System. A Pasco County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to my 911 call, which I made while seeking help for my medical condition, and he came into my home and abducted me. He took me away from my home under the false pretense of promising to take me to a hospital, himself, instead of calling for an EMS unit with trained paramedics to medically evaluate me. The Deputy never did take me to a hospital, which I desperately needed. This was done in order for the Pasco County, Florida Sheriff’s Department to illegally financially help the above-mentioned hospital corporation. The terrible chain of events that followed could happen to any innocent citizen and clearly violated multiple Federal laws, as well as my Constitutional Civil Rights and liberties."
"I could have died on September 2, 2014, because of an illegal partnership and conspiracy involving a dangerous conflict-of-interest between the Pasco County, Florida Sheriff’s Department and a supposedly not-for-profit powerful hospital corporation called Morton Plant Mease Hospital/BayCare Health System. A Pasco County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to my 911 call, which I made while seeking help for my medical condition, and he came into my home and abducted me. He took me away from my home under the false pretense of promising to take me to a hospital, himself, instead of calling for an EMS unit with trained paramedics to medically evaluate me. The Deputy never did take me to a hospital, which I desperately needed. This was done in order for the Pasco County, Florida Sheriff’s Department to illegally financially help the above-mentioned hospital corporation. The terrible chain of events that followed could happen to any innocent citizen and clearly violated multiple Federal laws, as well as my Constitutional Civil Rights and liberties."

Consumption Crashes in December
"Let the spin begin. The country has clearly entered recession, but the government bureaucrats, corrupt politicians, criminal Wall Street bankers, and their corporate media mouthpieces refuse to acknowledge the truth. They have too much wealth at stake to report the facts. They need to exit the markets before the muppets. Consumer spending in December collapsed at the greatest rate in five years. Remember 2009? It wasn’t a great year for the economy. That always happens when the economy is growing at 4%. Right? That always happens when the unemployment rate has plunged to 5.6%. Right? That always happens when the weather was downright balmy compared to the Polar Vortex December last year. Right? That always happens when consumer confidence is supposedly at 7 year highs. Right? I thought the massive savings from the collapse in gasoline prices was supposed to translate into huge spending gains and boost the economy to new heights. That was the MSM storyline, and they are sticking to it. Despite the absolutely dreadful data, the spin started immediately. They grasped onto the 0.3% increase in personal income as a straw of positivity. One problem. The increase wasn’t driven by people with jobs getting higher wages. And the increase was actually only 0.28%. The press release reveals the truth you won’t get from CNBC or any of the other corporate shill networks."
"Let the spin begin. The country has clearly entered recession, but the government bureaucrats, corrupt politicians, criminal Wall Street bankers, and their corporate media mouthpieces refuse to acknowledge the truth. They have too much wealth at stake to report the facts. They need to exit the markets before the muppets. Consumer spending in December collapsed at the greatest rate in five years. Remember 2009? It wasn’t a great year for the economy. That always happens when the economy is growing at 4%. Right? That always happens when the unemployment rate has plunged to 5.6%. Right? That always happens when the weather was downright balmy compared to the Polar Vortex December last year. Right? That always happens when consumer confidence is supposedly at 7 year highs. Right? I thought the massive savings from the collapse in gasoline prices was supposed to translate into huge spending gains and boost the economy to new heights. That was the MSM storyline, and they are sticking to it. Despite the absolutely dreadful data, the spin started immediately. They grasped onto the 0.3% increase in personal income as a straw of positivity. One problem. The increase wasn’t driven by people with jobs getting higher wages. And the increase was actually only 0.28%. The press release reveals the truth you won’t get from CNBC or any of the other corporate shill networks."
Colloidal Silver versus the Superbugs
"Why doesn’t Big Pharma simply develop silver-based antimicrobial substances to fight the growing scourge of drug-resistant superbugs? After all, it’s been known for over 100 years that silver is the world’s most powerful natural infection-fighting agent. And it’s been known for decades that silver is astonishingly effective against the drug-resistant superbugs. Yet all we see are scary headlines proclaiming that medical science is “running out of options” in the fight against the superbugs. Are they really? Or is something else in the wind? Here’s what you need to know…"
"Why doesn’t Big Pharma simply develop silver-based antimicrobial substances to fight the growing scourge of drug-resistant superbugs? After all, it’s been known for over 100 years that silver is the world’s most powerful natural infection-fighting agent. And it’s been known for decades that silver is astonishingly effective against the drug-resistant superbugs. Yet all we see are scary headlines proclaiming that medical science is “running out of options” in the fight against the superbugs. Are they really? Or is something else in the wind? Here’s what you need to know…"
St Louis Police Threaten to Quit or Slowdown If Civilian Oversight Passes
"St. Louis, MO A bill to create a seven-member civilian oversight board for the St. Louis Police Department is looking like a sure bet to pass next month. The majority of the Board of Aldermen and even Mayor Francis are attaching their names to it. As the bill was being discussed on Thursday, Jeff Roorda, a spokesperson for the St. Louis Police Officers Association, assaulted a woman while wearing an I Am Darren Wilson bracelet. His violent outburst may have stolen the headlines for the day, but there was also some glorious news to come from the union rep. Roorda announced that St. Louis police officers will quit the department or do only the bare minimum on patrol if the city creates the proposed civilian oversight board."
"St. Louis, MO A bill to create a seven-member civilian oversight board for the St. Louis Police Department is looking like a sure bet to pass next month. The majority of the Board of Aldermen and even Mayor Francis are attaching their names to it. As the bill was being discussed on Thursday, Jeff Roorda, a spokesperson for the St. Louis Police Officers Association, assaulted a woman while wearing an I Am Darren Wilson bracelet. His violent outburst may have stolen the headlines for the day, but there was also some glorious news to come from the union rep. Roorda announced that St. Louis police officers will quit the department or do only the bare minimum on patrol if the city creates the proposed civilian oversight board."

How the Elite Control Us and What They Will Do When They Lose Control
"In large part, the American people have been conquered through the principle of groupthink. Throughout history, groupthink has played a prominent role in coercing the public of any nation into going to war for the benefit of the elite ruling class and their financial bottom line. Groupthink is a term coined by social psychologist Irving Janis in 1972, and it occurs when a group makes faulty decisions because group pressures lead to a deterioration of “mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment”. Groups affected by groupthink ignore alternatives and tend to take irrational actions that dehumanize other groups. A group is especially vulnerable to groupthink (e.g. Neocons and the Iraq War, radical Muslim elements within the government and the coming great American purge followed by WW III) when its members are similar in background, when the group is insulated from outside opinions, and when there are no clear rules for decision making. It is the premise of this article that groupthink is being used to “nudge” Americans into accepting a new paradigm which is suicidal for the country’s continued existence."
"In large part, the American people have been conquered through the principle of groupthink. Throughout history, groupthink has played a prominent role in coercing the public of any nation into going to war for the benefit of the elite ruling class and their financial bottom line. Groupthink is a term coined by social psychologist Irving Janis in 1972, and it occurs when a group makes faulty decisions because group pressures lead to a deterioration of “mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment”. Groups affected by groupthink ignore alternatives and tend to take irrational actions that dehumanize other groups. A group is especially vulnerable to groupthink (e.g. Neocons and the Iraq War, radical Muslim elements within the government and the coming great American purge followed by WW III) when its members are similar in background, when the group is insulated from outside opinions, and when there are no clear rules for decision making. It is the premise of this article that groupthink is being used to “nudge” Americans into accepting a new paradigm which is suicidal for the country’s continued existence."
React To Ambush, “A WAY”, Not “THE WAY”
"In the world of small unit tactics training there’s a lot of good info out there regarding Immediate Action Drills (IAD) for the multitude of scenarios you might find yourself in. Unfortunately, some trainers like to say if it’s not “Their way”, it’s not a “Valid way”. Along with that, there’s a lot of “Trainer worship” out there. It stands to reason that the inexperienced individuals (worshipers) looking to “That guy” as their guiding light, will probably lose out, simply because they discount the input of another trainer, because “That guy” says it ain’t so. False is the premise that “One guy knows it all”, and, if you come across a trainer that acts like he does, RUN! I get a kick out of some of the responses to the below post like “Then, we’ll _________________(throw grenades, use the grenade launcher, use the belt-fed, etc.).”. Where these guys expect we’ll get these items initially, one can only guess. Obviously, depending on the scenario, you might be up against a military squad, or it might just be gang bangers. Coming up with good IAD SOP’s for your group is perquisite to surviving surprise encounters, and can not be over stressed or over trained (remember, immediate action drills are supposed to be second nature)."
"In the world of small unit tactics training there’s a lot of good info out there regarding Immediate Action Drills (IAD) for the multitude of scenarios you might find yourself in. Unfortunately, some trainers like to say if it’s not “Their way”, it’s not a “Valid way”. Along with that, there’s a lot of “Trainer worship” out there. It stands to reason that the inexperienced individuals (worshipers) looking to “That guy” as their guiding light, will probably lose out, simply because they discount the input of another trainer, because “That guy” says it ain’t so. False is the premise that “One guy knows it all”, and, if you come across a trainer that acts like he does, RUN! I get a kick out of some of the responses to the below post like “Then, we’ll _________________(throw grenades, use the grenade launcher, use the belt-fed, etc.).”. Where these guys expect we’ll get these items initially, one can only guess. Obviously, depending on the scenario, you might be up against a military squad, or it might just be gang bangers. Coming up with good IAD SOP’s for your group is perquisite to surviving surprise encounters, and can not be over stressed or over trained (remember, immediate action drills are supposed to be second nature)."
Obama Quietly Adds 5.46 Million Foreigners To Economy
"President Barack Obama has quietly handed out an extra 5.46 million work permits for non-immigrant foreigners who arrived as tourists, students or illegal immigrants since 2009, according to federal documents released by a Freedom of Information Act request. “The executive branch is operating a huge parallel work-authorization system outside the bounds of the [immigration] laws and limits written by Congress [and which] inevitably reduces job opportunities for Americans,” said Jessica Vaughan, the policy director at the Center for Immigration Studies, while filed the FOIA request. “The true magnitude of how often he has evaded the limits set by Congress on foreign workers has never been known until now,” she told The Daily Caller. “If Congress wants to take back control of our immigration system, it needs to control the issuance of work permits, which have been the vehicle for Obama to get around the [legal] limits on immigration and work visas imposed by Congress,” she said."
"President Barack Obama has quietly handed out an extra 5.46 million work permits for non-immigrant foreigners who arrived as tourists, students or illegal immigrants since 2009, according to federal documents released by a Freedom of Information Act request. “The executive branch is operating a huge parallel work-authorization system outside the bounds of the [immigration] laws and limits written by Congress [and which] inevitably reduces job opportunities for Americans,” said Jessica Vaughan, the policy director at the Center for Immigration Studies, while filed the FOIA request. “The true magnitude of how often he has evaded the limits set by Congress on foreign workers has never been known until now,” she told The Daily Caller. “If Congress wants to take back control of our immigration system, it needs to control the issuance of work permits, which have been the vehicle for Obama to get around the [legal] limits on immigration and work visas imposed by Congress,” she said."
New Benefit For Illegals Shows U.S. Government Has Lost It’s Mind Under Obama’s Leadership
"In another demonstration of the fact that the American government has gone insane under the watch of President Obama, detained transgender illegals to get taxpayer-funded hormone therapy."
"In another demonstration of the fact that the American government has gone insane under the watch of President Obama, detained transgender illegals to get taxpayer-funded hormone therapy."

Shooting 9mm Out Of A 410 Shotgun – It Is About Having The Right Tool
"I have an old Savage model 99, take-down rifle in 300 Savage and an extra 410 shotgun barrel to go with the rifle. When you use the 410 barrel you have to load and shoot the 99 as a single shot. There are no good deals on 300 Savage ammo anymore, and it gets harder to find, but I still like to take the rifle/shotgun unit with me, because it breaks down so small for storage during transport. As small as 410 shotgun ammo rounds are, they are not a good deal in price either. Short Lane Chamber Adapters out of Miles City, Montana (gunadapters.com) has come up with a shotgun insert that allows you to shoot 9mm pistol ammo out of your 410 shotgun. Now your response may be “so what”, but please remember 9mm ammo is the number one sold pistol ammunition in the world. You can find 9mm almost anywhere in the US and in many cases, more easily than locating 22LR."
"I have an old Savage model 99, take-down rifle in 300 Savage and an extra 410 shotgun barrel to go with the rifle. When you use the 410 barrel you have to load and shoot the 99 as a single shot. There are no good deals on 300 Savage ammo anymore, and it gets harder to find, but I still like to take the rifle/shotgun unit with me, because it breaks down so small for storage during transport. As small as 410 shotgun ammo rounds are, they are not a good deal in price either. Short Lane Chamber Adapters out of Miles City, Montana (gunadapters.com) has come up with a shotgun insert that allows you to shoot 9mm pistol ammo out of your 410 shotgun. Now your response may be “so what”, but please remember 9mm ammo is the number one sold pistol ammunition in the world. You can find 9mm almost anywhere in the US and in many cases, more easily than locating 22LR."

Ending the multivitamin debate: Why taking one may actually save your life
"Numerous studies in recent years have suggested that vitamins and supplements have no beneficial effect on your health. Some researchers have gone as far as to warn that popping them may be harmful. But the fact is that most of us cannot get the vitamins and minerals we need from food alone, and multivitamins are vital to bridging that gap. According to a study published in the January 2015 edition of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, roughly 40 percent of adults are deficient in vitamin A, C, D, E, calcium and magnesium. These findings suggest many people may not even have the nutrient levels they need to stave off disease— let alone thrive and live in optimal health. As I see it, everyone needs a multivitamin for disease prevention, and new research agrees."
"Numerous studies in recent years have suggested that vitamins and supplements have no beneficial effect on your health. Some researchers have gone as far as to warn that popping them may be harmful. But the fact is that most of us cannot get the vitamins and minerals we need from food alone, and multivitamins are vital to bridging that gap. According to a study published in the January 2015 edition of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, roughly 40 percent of adults are deficient in vitamin A, C, D, E, calcium and magnesium. These findings suggest many people may not even have the nutrient levels they need to stave off disease— let alone thrive and live in optimal health. As I see it, everyone needs a multivitamin for disease prevention, and new research agrees."
Homeland Insecurity: Checkpoints, Warrantless Searches and Security Theater
"Since June 2013, the American public, press, and policy-makers have been debating the implications of Edward Snowden’s disclosures of mass U.S. government surveillance programs, most established after the 9/11 attacks. Our reliance on modern communications technology and its connection with our basic constitutional rights of free speech and Fourth Amendment protections against warrantless seizures and searches is at the heart of that debate. But while that controversy has raged very publicly (even globally), another series of U.S. government search and seizure activities have only recently started to receive the scrutiny they deserve. And just as the over-reach by the NSA sparked what I have previously termed the “digital resistance movement,” these other searches—conducted by elements of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—have sparked a more traditional form of citizen resistance."
"Since June 2013, the American public, press, and policy-makers have been debating the implications of Edward Snowden’s disclosures of mass U.S. government surveillance programs, most established after the 9/11 attacks. Our reliance on modern communications technology and its connection with our basic constitutional rights of free speech and Fourth Amendment protections against warrantless seizures and searches is at the heart of that debate. But while that controversy has raged very publicly (even globally), another series of U.S. government search and seizure activities have only recently started to receive the scrutiny they deserve. And just as the over-reach by the NSA sparked what I have previously termed the “digital resistance movement,” these other searches—conducted by elements of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—have sparked a more traditional form of citizen resistance."

EPA Allows Concentrated Levels Of Toxic Herbicide Spray On Food Supply
"The EPA recently decided to increase the allowable concentration level of herbicides farmer can spray on genetically modified crops (GM). This latest mandate may result in a public health crisis for a variety of reasons. The mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to protect human health and the environment. However, it appears that the federal government agency is ignoring scientific evidence, and warnings about the toxic chemicals sprayed on the U.S. food supply. The majority of herbicide chemicals being used today have an active ingredient known as glyphosate. In addition, other herbicides contain Agent Orange; a component used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War, where millions of gallons of this toxin and other chemicals were sprayed to clear vegetation and trees in Vietnam. Companies like Monsanto Corporation and Dow Chemical manufactured Agent Orange for the U.S. Department of Defense. Agent Orange contains the component 2, 4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid, or 2,4D. Many people and organizations have petitioned the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the EPA to prohibit the use of 2,4D. Repeated exposure to 2,4D results in increased risks of birth defects, Parkinson’s disease, and cancer. In fact, some countries in the European Union have banned the use of 2,4D. Despite the public health danger of using 2,4D and other toxic chemicals, the EPA is allowing farmers to increase concentration levels of herbicides to spray on U.S. genetically modified soy and corn crops."
"The EPA recently decided to increase the allowable concentration level of herbicides farmer can spray on genetically modified crops (GM). This latest mandate may result in a public health crisis for a variety of reasons. The mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to protect human health and the environment. However, it appears that the federal government agency is ignoring scientific evidence, and warnings about the toxic chemicals sprayed on the U.S. food supply. The majority of herbicide chemicals being used today have an active ingredient known as glyphosate. In addition, other herbicides contain Agent Orange; a component used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War, where millions of gallons of this toxin and other chemicals were sprayed to clear vegetation and trees in Vietnam. Companies like Monsanto Corporation and Dow Chemical manufactured Agent Orange for the U.S. Department of Defense. Agent Orange contains the component 2, 4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid, or 2,4D. Many people and organizations have petitioned the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the EPA to prohibit the use of 2,4D. Repeated exposure to 2,4D results in increased risks of birth defects, Parkinson’s disease, and cancer. In fact, some countries in the European Union have banned the use of 2,4D. Despite the public health danger of using 2,4D and other toxic chemicals, the EPA is allowing farmers to increase concentration levels of herbicides to spray on U.S. genetically modified soy and corn crops."

‘Secret’ Gold Repatriation: The Banksters’ Newest Bullion Scam
"Many previous commentaries have detailed the mounting crises faced by the One Bank in its own paper-bullion markets. Invariably, these “crises” are 100% self-created. This is easily illustrated by reviewing a few of its current (increasingly serious) problems.
1) No one has seen the 10,000+ tons of gold which the U.S. government claims to have been storing (on behalf of itself, and other nations) for roughly 60 years.
2) The reason why no one has seen this gold is that most of it does not exist, and of the small fraction that remains, any audit would reveal that every bar had been pledged to numerous (dozens of?) owners.
3) Those owners are now “requesting” (demanding?) that their gold be returned to them.
Why does the U.S. government (and its Big Banks) no longer hold all the gold that it used to hold – and still pretends to hold? The short answer is that the One Bank is a clan of psychopaths, which chooses to employ psychopaths as most of its senior henchmen. The somewhat longer answer is that one of this crime syndicate’s most important strategies in operating the massive paper-currency fraud it has been running for the past 44 years is the suppression of gold/silver prices. Gold and silver are the monetary “canary in the coal mine” which would (normally) alert the world to paper-frauds of this nature/magnitude."
"Many previous commentaries have detailed the mounting crises faced by the One Bank in its own paper-bullion markets. Invariably, these “crises” are 100% self-created. This is easily illustrated by reviewing a few of its current (increasingly serious) problems.
1) No one has seen the 10,000+ tons of gold which the U.S. government claims to have been storing (on behalf of itself, and other nations) for roughly 60 years.
2) The reason why no one has seen this gold is that most of it does not exist, and of the small fraction that remains, any audit would reveal that every bar had been pledged to numerous (dozens of?) owners.
3) Those owners are now “requesting” (demanding?) that their gold be returned to them.
Why does the U.S. government (and its Big Banks) no longer hold all the gold that it used to hold – and still pretends to hold? The short answer is that the One Bank is a clan of psychopaths, which chooses to employ psychopaths as most of its senior henchmen. The somewhat longer answer is that one of this crime syndicate’s most important strategies in operating the massive paper-currency fraud it has been running for the past 44 years is the suppression of gold/silver prices. Gold and silver are the monetary “canary in the coal mine” which would (normally) alert the world to paper-frauds of this nature/magnitude."
State Legislatures Considering More than 200 Bills to Block Federal Power
"States have the power to virtually shut down most federal programs within their borders. Less than one month into the 2015 state legislative season and the Tenth Amendment Center counts more than 200 bills seeking to block or limit federal power. Sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans, these bills range from narrowly focused legislation that would allow terminally-ill people access to experimental drugs and medical treatments despite FDA regulations, to bills that would deny resources and assistance from states to the NSA. Other legislation addresses the Second Amendment, the federal prohibition of hemp and marijuana, common core, the use of drones for surveillance, the Affordable Care Act, and even federal grant programs that arm local police with battlefield-ready military equipment. Tenth Amendment Center founder and executive director Michael Boldin said the sheer number of bills indicates just how mainstream state action to block federal power has become. “This is unprecedented,” he said. From mass spying, to gun control, property rights, militarized police, the drug war and everything in between, we’ve never seen so much activity to push back on a state level.”
"States have the power to virtually shut down most federal programs within their borders. Less than one month into the 2015 state legislative season and the Tenth Amendment Center counts more than 200 bills seeking to block or limit federal power. Sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans, these bills range from narrowly focused legislation that would allow terminally-ill people access to experimental drugs and medical treatments despite FDA regulations, to bills that would deny resources and assistance from states to the NSA. Other legislation addresses the Second Amendment, the federal prohibition of hemp and marijuana, common core, the use of drones for surveillance, the Affordable Care Act, and even federal grant programs that arm local police with battlefield-ready military equipment. Tenth Amendment Center founder and executive director Michael Boldin said the sheer number of bills indicates just how mainstream state action to block federal power has become. “This is unprecedented,” he said. From mass spying, to gun control, property rights, militarized police, the drug war and everything in between, we’ve never seen so much activity to push back on a state level.”
Baltic Dry Plunges At Fastest Pace Since Lehman, Hits New 29 Year Low
"The Baltic Dry Index dropped another 3% today to 590 - its first time below 600 since 1986 and not far from the all-time record low of 554 in July 1986. Of course, the absolute level is shrugged off by the over-supply-ists and the 'well fuel prices are down'-ists but the velocity of collapse (now over 60% in the last 3 months) suggests this far more than some 'blip' discrepancy between supply and demand - this is a structural convergence of massive mal-investment meets economic reality. The Baltic Dry Index drops even more... new 29 year lows..."
(Sgt Trainer: We just covered this a couple of days ago, and apparently the situation continues to deteriorate.)
"The Baltic Dry Index dropped another 3% today to 590 - its first time below 600 since 1986 and not far from the all-time record low of 554 in July 1986. Of course, the absolute level is shrugged off by the over-supply-ists and the 'well fuel prices are down'-ists but the velocity of collapse (now over 60% in the last 3 months) suggests this far more than some 'blip' discrepancy between supply and demand - this is a structural convergence of massive mal-investment meets economic reality. The Baltic Dry Index drops even more... new 29 year lows..."
(Sgt Trainer: We just covered this a couple of days ago, and apparently the situation continues to deteriorate.)

Survival Basics: The Six Enemies of Food Storage
When it comes to stockpiling survival preps, two items are always near the top my list: food and land to grow food. Those, in my opinion, are the two most valuable commodities to have if the world and society goes to heck. As I say that, I realize that the land portion of that equation may be unattainable for many. On the other hand, almost everyone can acquire food and a place to store it. By now you have read over and over again ad nauseam that during a disaster or a SHFT disruptive event, the grocery store shelves will be barren within a day or two. In addition, there is a strong likelihood that amenities such as electricity and refrigeration will no longer be available. That’s why having food, and an extensive knowledge of food storage techniques, is so important to long term survival."
When it comes to stockpiling survival preps, two items are always near the top my list: food and land to grow food. Those, in my opinion, are the two most valuable commodities to have if the world and society goes to heck. As I say that, I realize that the land portion of that equation may be unattainable for many. On the other hand, almost everyone can acquire food and a place to store it. By now you have read over and over again ad nauseam that during a disaster or a SHFT disruptive event, the grocery store shelves will be barren within a day or two. In addition, there is a strong likelihood that amenities such as electricity and refrigeration will no longer be available. That’s why having food, and an extensive knowledge of food storage techniques, is so important to long term survival."
Don't Evacuate Into A Parking Lot
"I recently taught a class that covered the skills an armed citizen needs to respond to a terrorist bombing attack. In the class, I spent a lot of time talking about the concept of the “secondary device.” The secondary device is some hazard that is designed to injure or kill additional victims or first responders some time after an initial attack. Most commonly, secondary devices are bombs set to detonate a short time after another explosive device has gone off. A common tactic for bombers is to place one bomb and then detonate it. They place a second bomb at the site to which victims may be evacuating or where first responders might be staging. The secondary explosive often does more damage than the primary. Think about most of the public buildings you spend time in. If a bomb goes off inside, a fire alarm is pulled, or people start shooting, where is the most likely evacuation spot? The parking lot. Unfortunately, this is probably the worst possible place for large numbers of people to amass. The problem is that there is no way to ensure that one of the cars in the parking lot doesn’t contain a large bomb or even an additional team of terrorist gunmen. It’s relatively difficult to kill large numbers of people with a bomb inside a building. It’s almost impossible to bring a large bomb inside a building without being noticed. The maximal realistic payload is a backpack or duffel bag bomb weighing 20-40 lbs. That will certainly kill some folks, but it is nothing like the impact of 500 lbs of explosives in the trunk of a car. Additionally, walls and furniture inside a building soak up a lot of the blast and shrapnel, further limiting casualties."
"I recently taught a class that covered the skills an armed citizen needs to respond to a terrorist bombing attack. In the class, I spent a lot of time talking about the concept of the “secondary device.” The secondary device is some hazard that is designed to injure or kill additional victims or first responders some time after an initial attack. Most commonly, secondary devices are bombs set to detonate a short time after another explosive device has gone off. A common tactic for bombers is to place one bomb and then detonate it. They place a second bomb at the site to which victims may be evacuating or where first responders might be staging. The secondary explosive often does more damage than the primary. Think about most of the public buildings you spend time in. If a bomb goes off inside, a fire alarm is pulled, or people start shooting, where is the most likely evacuation spot? The parking lot. Unfortunately, this is probably the worst possible place for large numbers of people to amass. The problem is that there is no way to ensure that one of the cars in the parking lot doesn’t contain a large bomb or even an additional team of terrorist gunmen. It’s relatively difficult to kill large numbers of people with a bomb inside a building. It’s almost impossible to bring a large bomb inside a building without being noticed. The maximal realistic payload is a backpack or duffel bag bomb weighing 20-40 lbs. That will certainly kill some folks, but it is nothing like the impact of 500 lbs of explosives in the trunk of a car. Additionally, walls and furniture inside a building soak up a lot of the blast and shrapnel, further limiting casualties."
Food Rationing, Food Storage, and Wartime: We Have Much To Learn
"I am a history geek. There is no one era in time that catches my fancy. All of them do. Lately, I have been studying food rationing during wartime during World War 1 and 2 in America and Britain. Some things have really caught my attention.
1. The government will step in and tell farmers what they can plant, where they can plant, and to do so in the most efficient way. The government will focus on the crops that will feed the most people cheaply. They will also be more concerned about feeding the troops than they will be about feeding the population. None of these things are bad things, but they are the reality.
2. People were very much encouraged to grow their own food. Gardens were almost expected. They were called "Victory Gardens". They were encouraged to grow food rather than lawns because the troops and the population needed food. They were also encouraged to can/preserve the food and share with their neighbors.
3. People transitioned from meat based diets to plant based diets with a small amount of meat every day. If you didn't grow your own meat, meat was very heavily rationed by the end of each war. You may have been expected to make five pounds of meat last all week for a family of four.
4. People (town and country) were encouraged to keep chickens, rabbits, and other small livestock for eggs and meat. These things helped stretch the rationed food.
5. Along with food rationing, rubber, cloth, metal, petroleum, and a myriad of other things were rationed. You would have been expected to repair, mend, reuse, and repurpose anything you could to make it last longer. "Nothing wasted" would have been expected. In fact, you would have been looked down upon by your neighbors for being wasteful.
6. Sugar and fats were also heavily rationed. Most families were only given a quarter pound of fat and sugar each a week to make last all week by the end of the wars. That really is not much. Remember, fats are oils, butter, and lard.
7. If you had a dairy cow, you might be expected to give most of the milk to the government and only keep enough for your family to drink. If you had been able to make cheese and butter before, you wouldn't have been able to now because they needed the milk for the troops. If the milked soured for some reason, you could keep that for yourself.
8. Grocers often ran out of certain staple foods every week due to demand. Some things, like produce, may not be available at all and especially if it was grown in another country. Food from other countries might not be able to make it to America due to blockades and bombings. During the wars, boats were often repurposed for the armies to carry supplies.
9. Rationing got more and more stringent as each war wore on. At the start of rationing, you may be allowed one pound of sugar and by the end of rationing you may allowed a quarter pound of sugar."
"I am a history geek. There is no one era in time that catches my fancy. All of them do. Lately, I have been studying food rationing during wartime during World War 1 and 2 in America and Britain. Some things have really caught my attention.
1. The government will step in and tell farmers what they can plant, where they can plant, and to do so in the most efficient way. The government will focus on the crops that will feed the most people cheaply. They will also be more concerned about feeding the troops than they will be about feeding the population. None of these things are bad things, but they are the reality.
2. People were very much encouraged to grow their own food. Gardens were almost expected. They were called "Victory Gardens". They were encouraged to grow food rather than lawns because the troops and the population needed food. They were also encouraged to can/preserve the food and share with their neighbors.
3. People transitioned from meat based diets to plant based diets with a small amount of meat every day. If you didn't grow your own meat, meat was very heavily rationed by the end of each war. You may have been expected to make five pounds of meat last all week for a family of four.
4. People (town and country) were encouraged to keep chickens, rabbits, and other small livestock for eggs and meat. These things helped stretch the rationed food.
5. Along with food rationing, rubber, cloth, metal, petroleum, and a myriad of other things were rationed. You would have been expected to repair, mend, reuse, and repurpose anything you could to make it last longer. "Nothing wasted" would have been expected. In fact, you would have been looked down upon by your neighbors for being wasteful.
6. Sugar and fats were also heavily rationed. Most families were only given a quarter pound of fat and sugar each a week to make last all week by the end of the wars. That really is not much. Remember, fats are oils, butter, and lard.
7. If you had a dairy cow, you might be expected to give most of the milk to the government and only keep enough for your family to drink. If you had been able to make cheese and butter before, you wouldn't have been able to now because they needed the milk for the troops. If the milked soured for some reason, you could keep that for yourself.
8. Grocers often ran out of certain staple foods every week due to demand. Some things, like produce, may not be available at all and especially if it was grown in another country. Food from other countries might not be able to make it to America due to blockades and bombings. During the wars, boats were often repurposed for the armies to carry supplies.
9. Rationing got more and more stringent as each war wore on. At the start of rationing, you may be allowed one pound of sugar and by the end of rationing you may allowed a quarter pound of sugar."

Hard Tack
"Hard Tack has been a staple in the back country for years; a boring stable for sure. Still it is filling. Hard Tack has been around a very long time. The G. H. Bent Companyhe has been making Hard Tack since 1801 and still sells it today. The company was a supplier to Union Forces in the Civil War. A few years ago I made Hard Tack to take along on a backpacking trip into Glacier National Park with two of my sons. On their first try of this dry biscuit they both thought it was "pretty lame." On day three of the trip, while eating spaghetti, they devoured it. So, here is a simple recipe."
"Hard Tack has been a staple in the back country for years; a boring stable for sure. Still it is filling. Hard Tack has been around a very long time. The G. H. Bent Companyhe has been making Hard Tack since 1801 and still sells it today. The company was a supplier to Union Forces in the Civil War. A few years ago I made Hard Tack to take along on a backpacking trip into Glacier National Park with two of my sons. On their first try of this dry biscuit they both thought it was "pretty lame." On day three of the trip, while eating spaghetti, they devoured it. So, here is a simple recipe."
Cops Tackle 11-Year-Old Girl and Hold Her at Gunpoint, In Her Own Home
"Two Florida cops are being accused of throwing an 11-year-old girl to the ground and holding her at gunpoint in her own home. The police were dispatched to the home because someone had accidentally set off the burglar alarm. Since the alarm tripped accidentally, no one in the house was aware that the police were on their way. When officers let themselves into the house with guns drawn, it was a total surprise to the young girl who was sitting at home watching television. “One of the officers was pushing me down and when he was pushing me down, (he) put his knee on me and the other officer had his gun pointed at me,” the young girl told Channel 9. The girl’s father, Jean Guirand couldn’t imagine how the police officers would possibly think that she was a threat, and treat her that way in her own home. “Someone should get fired for doing something like this,” Guirand said. He also told reporters that his daughter was traumatized by the experience. When the story went public, it was discovered that the officers involved have a short history with the police force, but a long list of complaints. According to Channel 9 news, Officers James Festa and John Rigdon have only been with the department for three years, but both have been disciplined several times. According to his personal file, Festa was reprimanded in December for botching a child abuse investigation, and was suspended for sleeping on the job back in 2013. Meanwhile, Rigdon was suspended in May and demoted in 2013 and has been accused of filing false police reports on several occasions."
"Two Florida cops are being accused of throwing an 11-year-old girl to the ground and holding her at gunpoint in her own home. The police were dispatched to the home because someone had accidentally set off the burglar alarm. Since the alarm tripped accidentally, no one in the house was aware that the police were on their way. When officers let themselves into the house with guns drawn, it was a total surprise to the young girl who was sitting at home watching television. “One of the officers was pushing me down and when he was pushing me down, (he) put his knee on me and the other officer had his gun pointed at me,” the young girl told Channel 9. The girl’s father, Jean Guirand couldn’t imagine how the police officers would possibly think that she was a threat, and treat her that way in her own home. “Someone should get fired for doing something like this,” Guirand said. He also told reporters that his daughter was traumatized by the experience. When the story went public, it was discovered that the officers involved have a short history with the police force, but a long list of complaints. According to Channel 9 news, Officers James Festa and John Rigdon have only been with the department for three years, but both have been disciplined several times. According to his personal file, Festa was reprimanded in December for botching a child abuse investigation, and was suspended for sleeping on the job back in 2013. Meanwhile, Rigdon was suspended in May and demoted in 2013 and has been accused of filing false police reports on several occasions."