Category Archive: Medical

National Situation Update- 2/21/2021

WEEKLY THREAT AND ALERT ROUNDUP

Feds Seize Millions of Fake N95 Masks from China - ALLOW IMAGES

Feds Seize Millions of Fake N95 Masks from China


February 20, 2021

  

What You Need To Know

More than 11 million counterfeit 3M N95 masks have been seized by the Department of Homeland Security in recent weeks, and suspected victims of the scam include hospitals and medical facilities in at least 12 states. Authorities say they have contacted around 6,000 hospitals, clinics, and others who may have accidentally purchased the fake masks, advising them to stop using them and contact DHS immediately.

As many as 1.9 million counterfeit 3M masks were shipped to about 40 hospitals in Washington state alone. Cassie Sauer, the president and chief executive of the Washington State Hospital Association, said that Washington state hospitals bought hundreds of thousands of the fraudulent masks, and the association itself bought 300,000 for its members. Just weeks ago, the Cleveland Clinic issued a statement saying that a portion of its N95 mask supply used by their health system since November were counterfeit and “not effective as respirators.”

According to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, one million counterfeit N95 masks were confiscated on Wednesday of this week at a warehouse in Western Maryland. The seizure came as part of a larger investigative effort known as Operation Stolen Promise. Launched in April of last year, the goal of the effort is to protect the Homeland from the increasing and evolving threat posed by COVID-19-related fraud and criminal activity. This includes seizure of shipments of mislabeled, fraudulent, unauthorized or prohibited COVID-19 test kits, treatment kits, homeopathic remedies, purported anti-viral products, as well as all manner of knockoffs and substandard personal protective equipment (PPE). So far, in partnership with border officials, the FDA and FBI, $33 million in phony products have been seized and and more than 230 persons arrested.

The fake masks that were seized this week have the stamp “3M” on them and are shipped in boxes that say “Made in the USA,” although they are not. According to Steve Francis, director of the Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, an element of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the knockoff masks are all produced in China. Quoting Francis;

“They’re extremely dangerous. They’re providing a false sense of security to our first-line responders and to American consumers.”

Officials are urging consumers to be cautions when purchasing N95 masks. Do not confuse them with KN95 masks, which meet standards in China but are not certified by the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Typical hallmarks of knockoffs include grammatical errors or typos on packaging and user instructions, loose fitting straps, odd smells, poor construction, and lack of a NIOSH seal.

Learn to spot the fakes here and here.



Coronavirus Update Graphic - ALLOW IMAGES


Coronavirus Update


February 20, 2021


What You Need To Know

According to data provided by the COVID Tracking Project, all major indicators of COVID-19 transmission in the United States continue to fall rapidly. Weekly new cases have fallen from 1.7 million at the national peak in early January to fewer than 600,000 this week, and cases have declined in every state. As we’ve seen at many points in the pandemic, case numbers are changing most quickly, with hospitalizations and deaths declining after a delay: cases have been falling sharply for five weeks, hospitalizations for four, and deaths for two. In this week’s numbers from nursing homes and other long-term-care facilities, we are now seeing solid declines in deaths correlated with COVID-19 vaccinations of this most vulnerable population.

Despite the declines, the total number of people hospitalized is still very high—hospitalizations have yet to fall far enough to reach even the peaks of the two previous surges, which both rose to roughly 60 thousand hospitalizations.

As of Friday at 6:00 PM ET, there were 3,003 deaths reported for the day. In total, more than 496,000 deaths in the U.S. have been attributed to the virus.

The Department of Homeland Security has extended the restrictions on non-essential cross-border travel with Canada and Mexico through March 21st.

Effective January 26, the CDC requires all air passengers entering the United States (including U.S. citizens and Legal Permanent Residents) to present a negative COVID-19 test, taken within three calendar days of departure​, or proof of recovery from the virus within the last 90 days.

Air travelers entering Canada will now be forced into mandatory hotel quarantine at their own expense to await results of a COVID test. Trudeau says the new requirement is part of a suite of measures designed to keep Canadians at home, as the government is increasingly concerned about the risk of new COVID variants that appear to be more transmissible and more deadly.

Nationwide COVID-19 Metrics - ALLOW IMAGES


Important COVID-19 Headlines

One in three US service members refuse to take COVID-19 vaccine
DoD considers sending more than 18K troops to help vaccinate America
Israel to bar unvaccinated people from some jobs, says health minister
Mutations have made coronavirus 8X more infectious
Macron proposes vaccine plan as UK prepares to host G7
Hopkins experts expound upon COVID-19 variants, vaccine doses
What Are The 677 Mutations? New Covid-19 Variants Found In The US
Another new coronavirus variant now detected in 13 countries
Experts Warn Against COVID-19 Variants as States Reopen


SITUATION REPORTS / OFFICIAL CASE NUMBERS

The COVID Tracking Project
World Health Organization
Centers for Disease Control (U.S.)
Johns Hopkins CSSE (Interactive map updated multiple times daily)

OFFICIAL CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION PAGES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Food and Drug Administration
Public Health Agency of Canada
Infection Prevention and Control Canada
World Health Organization


AlertsUSA.com

SMS ALERTS FROM THIS WEEK
NOT DETAILED IN THIS NEWSLETTER ISSUE

2/19 – DHS: U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico will remain closed to non-essential travel until at least March 21 due to continued spread of SARS-CoV-2.

2/17 – At least 7 shot at the SE Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) station in Philadelphia’s Olney neighborhood. One gunman in custody. Monitoring..

2/15 – Southwest Power Pool declares Energy Emergency Alert level 3, will implement immediate rolling blackouts across 17 central and western states. Monitoring..

2/14 – Electric Reliability Council of Texas warns of possible rotating outages resulting from high demand on grid due to extreme temps. Conservation urged.


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* Threat Info Direct to Your Mobile Device
* Get Away Early, Give Your Family Extra Safety.
* In Wide Use By Gov, 1st Responders, Travelers.
* 24/7/365 Monitoring. No Hype. Just the Bad Stuff.
* Issued Hours and Days before the MSM.
* On your Cell Phone, Tablet or Email.
* We Give The Clear Truth, Unlike the MSM.
* 18 Years in Operation!

We are NOT part of the government.
In fact, they are our customers!



Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED): Preparedness, Recognition and Response - ALLOW IMAGES

Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED):
Preparedness, Recognition and Response


February 20, 2021


In the post-9/11 era, first responders have incorporated protecting the Homeland against terrorism into their daily mission. Law enforcement, fire service, and emergency medical services personnel play a vital role in detecting and preventing attacks because of the nature of their work, their frequent interaction with members of the public, and the level of access their jobs provide. People who hold these jobs often can identify behaviors or activities that could signal a pending terrorist attack; therefore, public safety personnel must continue to report, according to the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative, observations that raise reasonable suspicion.

The Intelligence Community routinely produces information for public safety personnel that may help first responders identify terrorist-related activities and prevent, deter, or respond to terrorist attacks. In light of the December 25, 2020 detonation of a recreational vehicle bomb in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, AlertsUSA provides the following resources from the National Counterterrorism Center to help increase awareness of first responders and members of the general public.

Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED):
Preparedness, Recognition and Response

Vehicle-Borne Attacks: Tactics and Mitigation

Best Practices for Vehicle Screening Against Terrorist Attacks


Tussle Over Rare Earth Elements Heating Up - ALLOW IMAGES


Tussle Over Rare Earth Elements Heating Up


In a move clearly meant to taunt the United States and its allies, China is looking at limiting the export of rare earth elements (REEs) that are crucial to sophisticated weaponry, according to an exclusive report in the Financial Times.

~ READ MORE HERE ~


Iran: The Mullah’s Pursuit of Obtaining Nuclear Weapons


In spite of the Iranian leaders’ claim that their nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, evidence reveals that the Iranian regime has long sought to acquire nuclear weapons.

A recent report by the International Atomic Energy Agency pointed out that “Samples taken from two sites during inspections in the fall by the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) contained traces of radioactive material”.

~ READ MORE HERE ~


Aspiring Immigrants Are Massing in Northern Mexico


Despite significant Mexican counter-migration operations on behalf of the new U.S. administration, large numbers of migrants from around the world are still flowing into northern cities and towns along the border from Texas to California, powered by adrenaline from recent Biden moves to open the border wide, according to a CIS survey of Mexican media reporting.

~ READ MORE HERE ~



Fleet and Marine Tracker Map as of Feb 18, 2021  - ALLOW IMAGES

USNI Fleet and Marine Tracker


These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of Feb 18, 2021 based on Navy, public data provided by the U.S. Naval Institute, and open source reporting. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship


An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon conducts an aerial refuel with a KC-135 Stratotanker during Cope North near Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Feb. 18, 2021. The annual exercise promotes stability and security throughout the Indo-Pacific. - ALLOW IMAGES

World News Roundup


AMERICAS


Texas was ‘seconds’ away from ‘months-long’ power outage
Blinken says the U.S. is willing to meet Iran for face-to-face talks
US says it’s ready to join talks to resume Iran nuclear deal
Earth quietest in decades as lockdowns reduce seismic noise
Special Program – Biden’s America: Too damaged to lead?
Why Russia Is Terrified of SpaceX — and Starlink
Cuomo-gate: a Nixonian scandal is engulfing New York
Democrats to unveil Biden’s US immigration reform bill
Texas power outages below 500,000 but water crisis persists
Coronavirus: US life expectancy falls by a year amid pandemic
Mexico president calls for reduced electric consumption
Ecuador election: Tension rises over delayed result

EUROPE


Spain: Dozens arrested in fresh riots over rapper’s jailing
Russia, China to sign agreement on international lunar research station
Russian fighters make unsafe intercept of French Air Force aircraft
French fighter jet flies through electrical lines and cuts power to village
Spain Hoped Catalonia’s Separatists Would Fade. They’re Gaining Ground
Catalonia election: Socialists win, but separatists expand majority
EU records 450,000 excess deaths between March and November
Georgia prime minister resigns over opposition leader arrest plan
Diplomats: EU to impose sanctions on Russians over Navalny by March summit
Russia slams European rights court’s ‘unlawful’ order to free Navalny
Russia to present new concept of national digital currency
Belarus jails Belsat TV journalists for filming protest

MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA


Killings surge in Syria camp housing Islamic State families
Trial opens in Algeria jihadist beheading of French mountaineer
Ebola Is Back. Can the WHO Contain It?
US signals it is open to sending more troops to support NATO’s mission in Iraq
NATO expands mission in Iraq on the heels of deadly rocket attack
Ten thousand ISIS fighters poised for new wave of terror
Erbil Attacks Part of Iran’s ‘Opening Overture’ To Biden
Turkey-US relations: A rocky road ahead
Who are the Syrian Kurdish women fighters who took down ISIS?
Euphoria of Morocco’s Arab Spring has fizzled out
Positive signals’ needed to save JCPOA, Merkel tells Rouhani
Iran nuclear deal hangs in balance as Tehran turns screw on US
U.S. vows consequences for group behind Iraq rocket attack
Saudi-led coalition in Yemen moves troops to Marib to repel Houthis
Lebanon judge removed from Beirut blast probe: judicial source
WHO to send over 11,000 Ebola vaccines to Guinea amid outbreak
Nigeria hunts school kidnappers as families call for help
Nigeria minister: Don’t be ‘cowards’ when attacked
Egypt’s Sisi offers support to Libya’s new PM
Ivory Coast minister to meet ex-president Gbagbo to discuss return
Ugandan soldiers jailed for assaulting journalists

ASIA


China ramps up military build-up in Tibet, Xinjiang
Tussle over rare earth elements heating up
Mutations have made coronavirus 8X more infectious
Whyis COVID in retreat around the world?
How China’s national security law threatens Hong Kong’s internet freedom
Heir Apparent? The Grooming Of Turkmenistan’s Serdar Berdymukhammedov
Top Bhutan general, judges detained in alleged overthrow plot
Nearly 500 detained in Myanmar, hackers target military websites
UK and Canada impose sanctions on Myanmar generals after coup
Blinken tells Ghani U.S. supports Afghanistan peace process
Taiwan blames China after deal for 5m Covid vaccine doses is put on hold
US charges three N. Koreans in $US1.3 billion hacking spree
Facebook imposes Australia news blackout


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Travel Security Resources


Department of State Seal - ALLOW IMAGES

The U.S. Dept. of State Travel Website is the authoritative federal source for information on the security situation at travel destinations worldwide. With tensions rapidly increasing in most regions, readers planning international travel, even to such common destinations as Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean Islands, are strongly encouraged to research on the security situation at your destination prior to departure.


Active USGOV Travel Notices

Worldwide Caution


Active USGOV Travel Advisories

Alphabetical Country List

Dynamic Map


Other USGOV Travel Resources

Traveler’s Checklist

Smart Traveler Enrollment Prog (STEP)

Travelers with Special Considerations

Travel to High-Risk Areas

Faith-Based Travel Information

Information for Women Travelers

Cruise Ship Passengers

Students Abroad

Your Health Abroad

Driving and Road Safety Abroad


Overseas Security Advisory Council Logo - ALLOW IMAGES

The Department of State’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) provides a variety of resources to enhance the safety and security of the U.S. private sector businesses and organizations operating abroad.


CDC Logo - ALLOW IMAGES

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website is the authoritative federal source for information on current health issues related to specific destinations worldwide. These issues may arise from disease outbreaks, special events or gatherings, natural disasters, or other conditions that may affect travelers’ health.


Foreign Sources of Travel Guidance


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Global Affairs Canada


Australian Flag - ALLOW IMAGES

Australia Dept. of Foreign Affairs


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UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office


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National Situation Update- 2/7/2021

WEEKLY THREAT AND ALERT ROUNDUP


Security is high for Super LV in Tampa, FL - ALLOW IMAGES

Super Bowl LV Threat Assessment


February 6, 2021

 

On Feb 1st, the following related Flash SMS
message was sent to
AlertsUSA subscriber mobile devices:


2/1 – Large security operation unfolding in Tampa for Super Bowl LV on 2/7. Fencing, road closures, and heavy police presence downtown & near stadium. Expect delays.


What You Need To Know


On Monday AlertsUSA subscribers were notified of a large security operation unfolding in the run-up to Super Bowl LV that will be held on Sunday, Feb 7th at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. According to a Joint Special Event Threat Assessment issued by the FBI, Dept. of Homeland Security and several other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, there is no information to indicate a specific, credible threat to or associated with Super Bowl LV or related events in the surrounding area.

However, the FBI and DHS remain concerned about potential retaliatory attacks conducted by or on behalf of the Government of Iran following the Jan 3rd 2020 US drone strike that killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) Commander Qassem Soleimani. Additional areas of continuing concern include international terrorism and domestic violent extremists (DVEs); unmanned aircraft systems (UAS); cyber security; local critical infrastructure; criminal activity; and the potential use of crude, simple weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).

Quoting directly from the threat assessment:

“We remain concerned about sustained interest by foreign terrorist organizations in targeting mass gatherings such as Super Bowl LV despite the restricted attendance of this year’s game and associated events. Al-Qa‘ida, the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS), and their affiliates remain intent on attacking Western targets and continue to call on individuals to conduct independent attacks in the United States using a range of weapons, including improvised explosive or incendiary devices (IEDs/IIDs), vehicles, firearms, and edged weapons.”

“The Government of Iran could direct retaliatory attacks in the environs of the Super Bowl; Soleimani’s death could also provoke a violent extremist Iran supporter to conduct an attack to avenge the death.”

“Although security measures will be in place around Super Bowl LV and adjacent areas on the day of the game, Super Bowl LV and associated events are likely an attractive target due to the relatively high concentration of attendees, symbolism of the event, and the significant national media attention the event will receive. We assess the most vulnerable targets of opportunity for a physical attack during Super Bowl LV will be outside the security perimeter around the stadium and at associated venues where crowds will gather or where less stringent security measures are in effect.

In light of the content of this Threat Assessment, readers may find it interesting that on Wednesday of this week, U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested 11 Iranian citizens after they crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona. According to Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol agents encountered the group on a bridge near San Luis, Arizona. The group consisted of six males and 5 females. The group was arrested and taken to Yuma Station for processing.

So far in FY2021, Yuma Sector agents have apprehend 14 nationals from Iran.

Customs and Border Protection says Iran is considered a “special interest country.” This means it is a country known to harbor terrorists and terrorist organizations.

It is not yet clear why the group was attempting to get into the United States, and agents are still working to determine how they got to Mexico to cross into the U.S..



Coronavirus Update Graphic - ALLOW IMAGES

Coronavirus Update


What You Need To Know

According to data provided by the COVID Tracking Project, this week new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths all dropped. For the seven-day period running January 28 to February 3, weekly new cases were down more than 16 percent over the previous week, and dropped below one million for the first time since the week of November 5. This is still an astonishing number of new cases per week, but far better than the nearly 1.8 million cases reported on the week of January 14. Tests also declined nationally, but by less than 3 percent, nowhere near enough to explain the steep drop in cases.

As of Friday at 6:00 PM ET, there were 3,003 deaths reported for the day. In total, more than 459,000 deaths in the U.S. have been attributed to the virus.


COVID-19 Restriction Maps can be found here and here.

The Department of Homeland Security has extended the restrictions on non-essential cross-border travel with Canada and Mexico through Feb. 21st.

Effective January 26, the CDC requires all air passengers entering the United States (including U.S. citizens and Legal Permanent Residents) to present a negative COVID-19 test, taken within three calendar days of departure​, or proof of recovery from the virus within the last 90 days.

Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justine Trudeau announced that air travelers entering Canada will now be forced into mandatory hotel quarantine at their expense to await results of a COVID test. Trudeau says the new requirement is part of a suite of measures designed to keep Canadians at home, as the government is increasingly concerned about the risk of new COVID variants that appear to be more transmissible and more deadly

The White House also released a new Executive Order last week focused on protecting the federal workforce and requiring mask wearing.

Nationwide COVID-19 Metrics - ALLOW IMAGES

Important COVID-19 Headlines

World faces around 4,000 COVID-19 variants
WHO admit Wuhan mission WILL NOT reveal how COVID jumped to humans
FEMA asks the Pentagon to help administer the COVID-19 vaccine
UK finds more coronavirus cases with ‘concerning’ mutations
What we know about the South African variant of Covid
Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus
Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine has 92% efficacy in trial
The race for ‘next generation’ COVID vaccines is heating up
COVID-19: Risks and side effects of vaccination
Sinovac and Sinopharm – what do we know about the Chinese vaccines?
Coronavirus: Lack of global vaccine strategy has ‘immense costs’


SITUATION REPORTS / OFFICIAL CASE NUMBERS

The COVID Tracking Project
World Health Organization
Centers for Disease Control (U.S.)
Johns Hopkins CSSE (Interactive map updated multiple times daily)

OFFICIAL CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION PAGES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Food and Drug Administration
Public Health Agency of Canada
Infection Prevention and Control Canada
World Health Organization


SMS ALERTS FROM THIS WEEK
NOT DETAILED IN THIS NEWSLETTER ISSUE


1/31 – AlertsUSA monitoring response to reports of gunfire, Fox River Mall, Appleton, WI. Heavy police presence. Add’l alerts as warranted.

1/31 – Outagamie County (WI) Sheriff’s Office asking community to stay away from the Fox River Mall area in Appleton. Active situation.

1/31 – Police report two people shot in Fox River Mall incident. Shooter remains at large. AlertsUSA monitoring..

2/1 – AlertsUSA monitoring response to reports of gunfire, University Mall, South Burlington, VT. Heavy police presence. Add’l alerts as warranted.

AlertsUSA Service for Mobile Devices Ad - ALLOW IMAGES

* Threat Info Direct to Your Mobile Device
* Get Away Early, Give Your Family Extra Safety.
* In Wide Use By Gov, 1st Responders, Travelers.
* 24/7/365 Monitoring. No Hype. Just the Bad Stuff.
* Issued Hours and Days before the MSM.
* On your Cell Phone, Tablet or Email.
* We Give The Clear Truth, Unlike the MSM.
* 18 Years in Operation!

We are NOT part of the government.
In fact, they are our customers!



National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Center for Neutron Research, Gaithersburg, MD. - ALLOW IMAGES

Research Reactor Emergency in Maryland


On Feb 3rd, the following related Flash SMS
messages were sent to
AlertsUSA subscriber mobile devices:

2/3 – NRC notified flwg radiological incident within a Nat’l Institute of Standards & Technology facility in Gaithersburg, MD. Elevated radiation levels. Monitoring..

2/3 – NIST incident involves elevated radiation levels within containment bldg of research neutron reactor. Workers undergoing decon and eval. No threat outside bldg.

What You Need To Know

On Wednesday AlertsUSA subscribers were notified of a declaration of an Emergency at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Center for Neutron Research in Gaithersburg, MD. In this incident, elevated radiation levels were detected in the containment building of the 20 MW heavy water research neutron reactor during a restart.

According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, stack radiation monitors began reading 100,000 counts per minute due to the release of fission products. The reactor had been operating at 50% power (10 MW), and automatically scrammed one minute prior based on the stack monitor reaching 50,000 counts per minute. When the automatic scram occurred, the facility ventilation system automatically changed to emergency ventilation mode to limit discharge to the environment. Several workers were determined to be externally contaminated. Those workers underwent decontamination by a change of clothes and showers and are now being monitored for signs of possible uptake and internal contamination.

According to a statement by NIST, there is no evidence of radiation above regulatory limits outside the containment building, and they “continue to evaluate data from air monitors and other sensors to ensure the health and safety of our campus and local community. NIST is also working to understand the precise cause of the elevated levels of radiation.“

A follow-up release on Friday states the following:

“The research reactor on NIST’s Gaithersburg, Maryland, campus is shut down and in a safe state. It will remain in shutdown status until the cause of the elevated radiation levels is determined and corrected. The elevated levels of radiation within the NCNR’s confinement building have dropped significantly, as expected.”

Interestingly, despite the fact that the NIST campus and the Center for Neutron Research is located near Interstate 270 and is surrounded by housing communities and businesses, most local residents did not become aware of the emergency until hours later.



Report to Congress on Chinese Naval Modernization - ALLOW IMAGES



Chasing the Dragon


On his first full day in office, President Joe Biden signed a massive executive order that, among other things, killed the Keystone XL pipeline project. Buried in that same order were two short sentences that will allow the Chinese government to get into the American electrical grid.

READ MORE HERE

The New Great Game at Sea


Last month, India included Australia in its annual Malabar naval exercise for the first time since 2007. The exercise was held in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea and also included the United States and Japan, which only joined as a permanent member in 2015. Australia’s newly announced inclusion represents the growing concerns about China’s maritime rise across Eurasia, from the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean to East Asia and the Arctic.

Malabar comes in juxtaposition to the annual exercise China hosts with Russia entitled Joint Sea. Since 2012, Russia and China have conducted the Joint Sea naval exercises as a way to bolster their relationship, while also gaining a greater understanding of their respective naval technologies and platforms.

Eurasia’s main continental rivals — China, Russia, and India — are leading this emerging dynamic of maritime great-power competition as they seek enhanced global prestige and great-power status. This drive for increased international prestige has resulted in growing investments in strategic instruments of national power, namely navies. This in turn has resulted in a dynamic of heightened navalism and naval competition across maritime Eurasia.

~ READ MORE HERE ~


Forging 21st-Century Strategic Deterrence


The strategic capabilities of our competitors continue to grow, and they are sobering. More than a decade ago, Russia began aggressively modernizing its nuclear forces, including its non-treaty-accountable medium- and short-range systems. The People’s Republic of China is also on a trajectory to be a strategic peer and should not be mistaken as a “lesser included” case.

~ READ MORE HERE ~


The Navarro Report


The three volumes of the Navarro Report provide a demonstration that President Trump had a good faith belief that the November 3, 2020 Presidential election results, were, indeed, the poisonous fruit of widespread fraud and election irregularities. Evidence used in the preparation of the Navarro Report includes more than 50 lawsuits and judicial rulings, thousands of affidavits and declarations, testimony in a variety of state venues, published analyses by think tanks and legal centers, videos and photos, public comments, and extensive press coverage.

~ READ MORE HERE ~



Fleet and Marine Tracker Map as of Feb 1, 2021  - ALLOW IMAGES

USNI Fleet and Marine Tracker


These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of Feb 1, 2021 based on Navy, public data provided by the U.S. Naval Institute, and open source reporting. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.



Soldiers conduct an airborne operation from an Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft at Frida drop zone in Pordenone, Italy, Feb. 1, 2021. - ALLOW IMAGES

World News Roundup


AMERICAS

10 pounds of Composition C-4 disappear from Twentynine Palms
11 Iranians arrested in Arizona after jumping US-Mexico border
Nat’l Guard protection of the Swamp cost taxpayers $500 MILLION
Judiciary Committee votes AGAINST saying Pledge of Allegiance
US and Russia extend nuclear treaty
CCP Virus psyops in Wuhan brought America to her knees
Biden Is Putting Migrant Kids In Cages, Crickets from AOC
Biden says he will welcome 125,000 refugees during pandemic
Hacking group also used an IE zero-day against security researchers
That Settles That: White House Is Keeping Space Force
Comparing Biden’s Proposed Amnesty to the Legalization of the 1980s
Modernizing Biometrics Collection for Immigration Vetting
For Biden, Tough Talk on Saudi Arabia Meets Reality
US sends warship through Taiwan Strait for first time under Biden
Mexico Arrests Police Officers Over Massacre
Desperation grows as Mexico runs out of vaccines
Hacking group also used an IE zero-day against security researchers
Austin Orders Military Stand Down to Address Challenge of Extremism
Biden cancels Elon Musk’s adventures in space
Lockheed Overtakes Boeing as Largest US Aerospace and Defense Firm
New Sonar Sees Underwater From The Air
National Security Council meets on Iran’s nuclear program

EUROPE

One dead and nine injured after stabbings around Croydon, south London
Biden Freezes German Pullout Plans; ‘Cradle to Grave’ Review Underway
Britain expelled three Chinese spies posing as journalists, report claims
Russia Expels European Diplomats It Says Participated In Navalny Protests
B-1 Bombers Deploying To Norway For The First Time
Trident nuclear submarine replacement delayed by another year
Joe Biden demands Russia free Alexei Navalny ‘immediately
As Moscow’s Jails Overflow, Navalny Detainees Are Held Outside the City

MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA

Islamic extremists planning ‘rash of attacks’ after Covid curbs lifted, says UN
Al Qaeda’s “Expansion Project” targets Côte d’Ivoire, Benin
Biden halts support for Saudi strikes on Yemen
In Iraq’s ‘Dire’ Economy, Poverty Is Rising — And So Are Fears Of Instability
Mozambican President announces night curfews, first since 1992
Saudi Arabia suspends entry from 20 countries over COVID fears
Qatar announces new restrictions amid fears of second COVID wave
Erdogan says will not let Turkish university protests swell
Liberia war crimes: Rebel commander on trial in Finland
Tunisian soldiers killed by explosive in mountains close to Algerian border
Ethiopia arrests 15 over UAE embassy attack plot

ASIA

Nimitz moves into Indo-Pacific region after 270 days in CENTCOM AOR
Myanmar coup: What is happening and why?
Xi, Putin make the case for win-win vs zero-sum
16 injured in Sibbi blast following Kashmir solidarity rally
Chinese Soldiers Get High-Tech ‘Dog Tags’ Incl Barcodes, Embedded Chips
Uyghur advocates speak out after accounts of rape and torture in China
Top Chinese official hopes US abandons its ‘zero-sum’ rivalry
China slams U.N. Security Council ‘leak’ on Myanmar
Afghanistan troop withdrawal should be tied with peace talk progress
US study group advises delay in Afghanistan withdrawal
Japan extends state of emergency amid rising COVID-19 cases
Defector says North Korea ‘popular uprising’ likely



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Travel Security Resources

Department of State Seal - ALLOW IMAGES

The U.S. Dept. of State Travel Website is the authoritative federal source for information on the security situation at travel destinations worldwide. With tensions rapidly increasing in most regions, readers planning international travel, even to such common destinations as Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean Islands, are strongly encouraged to research on the security situation at your destination prior to departure.


Active USGOV Travel Notices

Worldwide Caution



Active USGOV Travel Advisories

Alphabetical Country List

Dynamic Map



Other USGOV Travel Resources

Traveler’s Checklist

Smart Traveler Enrollment Prog (STEP)

Travelers with Special Considerations

Travel to High-Risk Areas

Faith-Based Travel Information

Information for Women Travelers

Cruise Ship Passengers

Students Abroad

Your Health Abroad

Driving and Road Safety Abroad


Overseas Security Advisory Council Logo - ALLOW IMAGES

The Department of State’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) provides a variety of resources to enhance the safety and security of the U.S. private sector businesses and organizations operating abroad.


CDC Logo - ALLOW IMAGES

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website is the authoritative federal source for information on current health issues related to specific destinations worldwide. These issues may arise from disease outbreaks, special events or gatherings, natural disasters, or other conditions that may affect travelers’ health.


Foreign Sources of Travel Guidance

Canadian Flag - ALLOW IMAGES

Global Affairs Canada


Australian Flag - ALLOW IMAGES

Australia Dept. of Foreign Affairs


UK Flag - ALLOW IMAGES

UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office


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Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.


Via: threatjournal


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Grocery Stores Have Started Limiting Toilet Paper and Wipes Purchases

Amid an ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases, grocery stores have begun to limit the amount of toilet paper and disinfecting wipes once again. News reports say this new policy to prevent “hoarding.”


Amid an ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases, grocery stores have begun to limit the amount of toilet paper and disinfecting wipes once again. News reports say this new policy to prevent “hoarding.”


In the last few weeks, we have seen (firsthand in some cases) what happens when an unprepared public prepares all at once. The frenzied rush to grab as many supplies as possible created an unprecedented strain on our “just in time” food system. Basic supplies like water, pasta, bread, milk, meat and cleaning supplies were snatched up as soon as they were restocked. But this initial run on food is just the beginning.


Things are likely to get worse especially if there is any word of another potential lockdown. People will panic buy things once again wiping out entire sections of the grocery store. Luckily (or sadly) in my area, frozen foods are about the only things not in stock. There’s still plenty of fresh fruits, veggies, and canned foods…for now.


But as grocers reinstate these limits, they may understand that the food supply chain is once again breaking, and this time, it might get to the point of chaotic. Since the supply chain “remains challenged” from the first lockdown, stores began putting a limit of one on purchases of larger toilet paper and paper towel sizes and four on smaller toilet paper and paper towel sizes.


At least three companies say supply chains for securing these items are still strained. Around 19% of paper products such as toilet paper and paper towels and 16% of household cleaning products were out of stock during the week ending November 1, according to data from market research firm IRI.


In a previous article we wrote about what may happen if a two-week lockdown turns into a month or longer and given the fact that other countries around the world are shutting down, it seems as if another lockdown is very likely to happen in the United States soon.


If grocers are concerned about the people buying out the toilet paper, consider other options if you don’t have extra toilet paper stored.


It is possible to beat any shortages by bein prepared for them. The supply chains have been strained for months now, and it doesn’t look like any relief of that strain is comin any time soon.


One tip is to shop at local grocery stores. The big megastores are convenient, but as we have seen during the spring, they get bombarded quickly with panic buying. Shopping at your local supermarket may be a better bet. The smaller Mom and Pop stores may still have the items you need and can give you personalized responses and when they are restocking. Also, if you are looking for paper goods like toilet paper or paper towels or disinfectant, dish soap or cleaners consider going to your local Home Depot or Lowes store. They should have a less tapped supply.


Ordering online could help too. Hopefully you have what you need already though because even those items can sell out if the panic continues at an upward pace.


Because we can’t do a whole heck of a lot about the store limits, we should all have learned to slowly stock up over time and store a few extra items in case this very thing happens again.

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.



via:   readynutrition


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Election results are already in: Para Bellum

I know the election is still hanging in the balance, but there’s something important you need to know and prepare for.

You see, regardless of who wins, the results coming down the pike from this election are already clear.

 

“Si vis pacem, para bellum” – If you want peace, prepare for war.

 

Here’s why:

 

If Trump wins, there will be more looting, rioting, and civil unrest.

BLM Square already erupted in violence on election night, and nothing was close to being decide.

 

And it’s clear agitators are just itching to set off the powder keg across the nation.

 

On the political side, Democrats have already promised to punish Republicans for confirming Amy Coney Barret to the Supreme Court.

 

So, you can count on endless calls for investigations, more sham impeachment attempts, and basically government gridlock.

 

If Biden wins, Joe will likely be ousted within a year of taking office due to his obvious health issues.

 

They’ll invoke the 25th Amendment, which means Harris will become President and Pelosi the VP.

 

Then you’ll see the extreme left try to push their full Socialist agenda on America.

 

Free speech will be assailed like never before in our history…

 

Gun control bills will be coming hot and heavy…

 

Industry will be slowly nationalized…

 

Taxes will soar…

 

And politicians will let the activists off the chain to run wild in the streets until they get their way.

 

So you can see, regardless of the winner, there is much more civil and political strife coming our way.

 

Our freedoms will still be in jeopardy with a Trump victory – maybe not federally, but on a local level.

 

So depending where you live, things could get crazy.

And all this would be truly scary stuff.

 

If you weren’t prepared in advance for it.

 

But you easily can be.

 

Simply cutting through the clutter and seeing what’s clearly going on is step one.

 

Then, revisit your self-defense and home defense plans.

 

Make sure everything is dialed-in and people know their role.

 

Double check your bags and gear.

 

Clean your guns. Top off your magazines

 

Stock the fridge, freezer, pantry, and survival food cache.

 

Plan your bug-out routes.

 

And decide on what would trigger you to activate any or all of your plans.

 

When would you bug out? And why?

 

What event or events would be a red-line for you?

 

Knowing you’re ready, and having your boundaries in place while things are still relatively quiet will bring you a sense of peace.

 

This way, you’re not forced to make decisions on the fly about certain high-pressure issues, because you’ll have already done it.

 

Then, in the event your red-line gets crossed, you’ll know exactly what to do, and you can calmly go about enacting your plans.

 

By doing these simple things now, today, before the storm hits the shore.

 

You’ll give yourself the best chance at both physical and mental peace.

 

In other words, never stop planning and preparing to protect your family.

 

Stay Safe.

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

 


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Prep Your Apartment or Suburban Home for Riots and Civil Unrest: How to Get Ready FAST

When you live in an urban or suburban location and it looks like all heck is about to break loose, how can you prepare your place fast for the potential of unrest? As we’ve seen in cities across the country, a peaceful protest can turn into a violent riot in the blink of an eye. How do you prepare when the spark is lit in your hometown?

While our first recommendation on this website is always “don’t be there” we know there are some situations in which leaving isn’t an option.

Therefore, this article is based on the premise that, for whatever reason, you’re going to need to hunker down in your home. The reason you’re there doesn’t matter – the concept is simply that you’re there. With only a couple of exceptions, we’re also going to use things you can commonly find in homes with no special trips to the store.

For a detailed overview of civil unrest and riots, check out Selco’s on-demand webinar on the topic.

Timing is essential

The first thing to consider is that speed is of the essence. If there’s something going on in your hometown that could cause unrest, like the announcement of a verdict or sentencing, you will probably know about it at least a day ahead of time. This allows you a bit more leeway in gathering supplies.

But we don’t always get that warning. Sometimes the response of outrage is immediate, as we’ve seen in the cases of several police shootings recently. In these cases, sometimes the outrage is warranted, and other times it’s not, but that part doesn’t matter when there are people who want to destroy, loot, and burn.

It’s best if you have an idea of how you’re going to prepare ahead of time. If you know this, then you can have on hand the supplies that you need. If not, you’ll be using what you have on hand.

As soon as you feel that unrest is a possibility, it’s time to take action if you plan to stay in place. Don’t just “wait and see.” Assume that bad things are coming your way and act accordingly.

Blend in

We’ve talked a lot about the gray man principle in the preparedness world. You can learn more about it in this article. In situations of unrest, it’s helpful if your home is also “gray.”  But it’s important to understand that gray isn’t always just non-descript or non-memorable. It can mean you are adapting to the baseline of your area. And sometimes that means adapting to it whether you agree with it or not.

How do you do that? Well, it depends where you are and who the potential threat is.

Many of the recent riots in the United States have been related to race and police brutality. These two things give you some hints on what you might want at your home and also what you might not want.

An important thing to note: I’m well aware this advice will not be popular in our circles, but remember that we’re talking about survival. Not about right vs. wrong, free speech, or your love of the United States of America. You have to be the one to make the decision whether you place precedence on the lives of your family or on your patriotism and principles. Sometimes, like matter, the two cannot occupy the same space at the same time. I can’t tell you what is right or what is wrong. I can simply point out things that could make your home a target.

First, consider the things you may want to remove temporarily.

It’s a sickening fact that homes flying American flags have been targeted by arsonists. It’s practically unbelievable that this is happening in the United States, but it is.  Due to this, you may want to remove anything that is obviously patriotic from the exterior of your home.

If you’ve got a “Thin Blue Line” sticker on your car, you’ll want to park it in the garage. In these harrowing times, obvious support of law enforcement is a sure way to capture the ire of a mob that wants to see the police eradicated. The same thing goes for flags and exterior decorations that show support of LEOs. In Minneapolis, it was discovered that police officers were being followed home and their families and properties were targeted.

Depending on the situation in your area, you may want to add some things to make your home a less desirable target. A small sign in the window that says something like “Racial Equality” may indicate the residents are sympathetic to the cause of those rioting and could be enough to deter them from smashing your windows and setting your home on fire. I’m not suggesting you have to go full-on BLM with your signage. But consider something small and relatively innocuous to use as a type of “camouflage.” I don’t see this as very different from the quarantine tape I have stashed away to make my home look undesirable in the midst of a pandemic.

Unless others in the neighborhood are boarding up their windows, you may not want to batten down the hatches with plywood on the exterior. Keep reading for more information on boarding up your windows.

Aside from these things, be sure to remove anything from the front of the house that could be used to break the windows, like planters and lawn furniture.  Secure your belongings like bicycles and toys indoors or you may discover they’ve been taken by self-entitled rioters.

Finally, if you are home during the riots, gather in one room. This way you know where everybody is if things get crazy and you know that everyone is practicing proper light control. Keep the lights off – some rioters really want a confrontation, so they’ll be looking for homes that look occupied. Keep your blinds or curtains closed and make sure any light you use is dim and not very noticeable. Before an event occurs, test things out. Can you still see the television in the family room from the outside when the curtains are closed? How bright is that nightlight in the bathroom? Can you identify people walking around inside through the blinds? Make the appropriate adjustments before any violence erupts.

Be harder to get to

The next thing to do is to harden your home. You don’t want to be an easy target. When discussing this, a lot of folks immediately think “booby traps.” I’m not recommending anything like that. We’re not in a Mad Max situation right now, even though it could feel like it in the moment. Booby traps are illegal and you will be held both criminally and civilly liable for any injury or death that occurs from a trap you set.

As per the Geneva Convention:

Without prejudice to the rules of international law applicable in armed conflict relating to treachery and perfidy, it is prohibited in all circumstances to use:

a. any booby-trap in the form of an apparently harmless portable object which is specifically designed and constructed to contain explosive material and to detonate when it is disturbed or approached, or

b. booby-traps which are in any way attached to or associated with:

1. internationally recognized protective emblems, signs or signals;

2. sick, wounded or dead persons;

3. burial or cremation sites or graves;

4. medical facilities, medical equipment, medical supplies or medical transportation;

5. children’s toys or other portable objects or products specially designed for the feeding, health, hygiene, clothing or education of children;

6. food or drink;

7. kitchen utensils or appliances except in military establishments, military locations or military supply depots;

8. objects clearly of a religious nature;

9. historic monuments, works of art or places or worship which constitute the cultural or spiritual heritage of peoples;

10. animals or their carcasses.

It is prohibited in all circumstances to use any booby-trap which is designed to cause superfluous injury or necessary suffering.” (source)

Explosives, sharpened items, devices that cause guns to fire, and devices that produce toxic fumes upon contact are all prohibited.

While some folks may be bitterly disappointed that they can’t spear their adversaries with a custom-made booby trap, you can still protect your home

This happens in layers.

Securing the outside

First things first, anything outside that keeps people further away from the home itself is good. Lots of folks have fences around the front but leave their gates unsecured. If there is any inkling your neighborhood could be a target of unrest, lock your gate! Do this with a padlock or with a bar secured across the inside of the gate.

In nearly every situation, I’d advise you not to leave pets outside to “guard” the home. Pets can be seriously injured or killed. They can also be used like a hostage by unsavory people to lure the homeowners out. Keep your pets inside during times of unrest.

As mentioned above, remove anything from the exterior that could be used to gain access by breaking a window.

Many people board up all their windows with plywood. If you plan to do this, get the plywood well ahead of time and pre-drill the holes so you can install it quickly. You can store plywood between your mattress and box springs, or under your bed. I’ll go into this more in a moment but do not cover every single window of your home with plywood. You don’t want to create a prison from which you have no escape. Generally, just cover the front windows and sidelights by your doors.

Make sure alternative entrances are protected with warning devices. I hang windchimes on windows and decorative bells on doorknobs. Even when I travel, I carry a little windchime to hang on the doorknob of my Airbnb or hotel room to alert me to potential trouble. When my daughter and I faced the potential of unrest in Virginia, I set up a tripwire at the back gate that fired 22 caliber blanks when triggered. Notice – I said blanks. As I mentioned above, you don’t want to set up anything that might hurt someone. 22 caliber isn’t overly loud but it’s enough to alert you that something is going on, and may even scare away less hardy intruders.

Deterring entry

If your home is breached, all is not lost. Your next goal is to make it difficult to get to you. We’ve already discussed that your lights should be turned off. This gives you the advantage of knowing the layout while those who broke in have no idea what they’re walking into.

But darkness isn’t your only advantage. When I was staying with my daughter in her downtown apartment during the COVID lockdowns, we realized that our front hallway was a true weak spot. The front door was solid glass and there were also glass sidelights. The door frame of the old building wasn’t of the highest quality and I could easily see the door being breached, either by the glass being broken or by a strong person simply breaking through due to the weak frame. As renters this is not something we could replace. So, we got plywood cut to fit and I added spacers that allowed the blinds to be between the plywood and the glass, making it look less obvious that we had boarded things up.

However, this didn’t do anything to prevent someone from breaking down the door, so our next step was to make the hallway harder to navigate. I came across this solution accidentally. We had come home late one day and dropped our purchases on the floor right inside the door, along with a purse and a backpack. I got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and fell facefirst over a giant box of industrial trashbags. When I tried to catch myself, my foot got tangled in the long strap of my daughter’s purse. This, of course, was all gracefully executed. But as I sat there on the floor with my knee throbbing, I thought, hey, they call these things “stumbling blocks” for a reason.

The next day, I created my own stumbling blocks. I took some of our carry-on luggage and weighted them down with hard cover books. I lined these suitcases along the side of the hallway most of the time, but when unrest was nearby, I could easily roll them where I wanted and lay them down at different angles to make the hallway a bit more difficult to traverse. At the very least, these things will make some racket and slow people down before they get to your refuge.

Setting up a safe zone

And that leads us to the safe zone. You may not have time to create an entire safe room, but you can at least designate one room as a safe zone. Make this room the furthest from the most likely point of entry. (For us the most likely entry would have been the front door and the best option for a safe zone was a bedroom in the back part of the house.) The room needs to have a door to the rest of the house and an emergency way to exit.

You want your safe zone to be comfortable enough for the whole family to hang out in – this could mean pulling an extra mattress into a bedroom or rearranging the furniture. Plan to spend the evening together in this room.

Adults should be armed and prepared in the event that their home is breached. If your home is breached your priority is the safety of those under your care. If you have small children or anyone who is unfamiliar with the safe handling of firearms, please keep your gun on your person for safety purposes. In fact, I recommend that you keep your gun on your person at all times during these situations anyway. You’re not going to be able to say to intruders, “Oh, hold on, I forgot my Glock in the master bedroom.” A gun is like a trauma first aid kit. If you need it, you need it instantly, not in in five minutes.

You should have a plan to barricade the door to the safe zone.  This could mean relocating a heavy piece of furniture near the entrance where you can quickly push it in front of the door if necessary. Your goal here is to slow down and deter intruders.

While you should definitely call 911 if your home is breached to have it on record that you did call for official help, don’t rely on them to dispatch assistance with sirens blaring.  As a woman from Kenosha, Wisconsin recounts of her experience during the riots, “It was apparent from the beginning there was no help. No police, no fire trucks no ambulances. None.” Don’t expect your situation to be any different.

If you have intruders, you may wish to issue a verbal warning letting them know you are armed and will open fire if they continue to try and breach your safe room. For some people that will serve as enough of a deterrent. For others, swept up in the mob mentality, it could serve to enflame them further.

For the love of all things cute and fluffy, remember that you are probably not John Rambo. You might be able to take out a few intruders, but if dozens of people are swarming into your home, you won’t be able to take out all of them. Read this article for more information on escaping an angry mob. You may have family members who will suffer due to your actions, so think things through ahead of time. Don’t just blindly react.

Create a funnel

If, despite your best efforts, people do get into your home, there are things that you can do to manage where they go. Most people in mobs are participating in more of a group mentality – you won’t see a lot of critical thinkers. This means that you can often strategically guide them to the place where you want them.

Where you want them depends upon your goal and this is where the conversation gets tricky. Do you want them to head to the opposite side of the house from where your safe zone is to give yourself more time to escape? Do you want them to be in an area where you can take defensive action from a protected position?

I cannot advise you on a public website to set up some kind of shooting gallery in your home. But consider the following thoughts.

  1. Think about backstops. In the event that you have no option but to defend yourself, what is behind the intruders after you funnel them into your desired location? Would gunfire go through to the next apartment? Out into the street? Or would it be stopped by a concrete wall?
  2. Understand the difference between cover and concealment. Television has done us a terrible disservice when it shows someone tipping over a wooden kitchen table and taking “cover” behind it to survive the intruders opening fire with fully automatic weapons. Concealment means you’re hidden. Cover means you’re protected from most gunfire. If you ARE planning to take aggressive defensive action, you’ll want to do it from a place of cover.
  3. Understand that there will be legal ramifications. Even if you are innocent of all charges, you must prepare yourself for a lengthy and expensive court battle. Any set up you’ve done in advance will likely be used against you in such a battle. If your area is more sympathetic toward rioters than us average folks, you could be in for a barrage of negative publicity and harassment.

Consider all of these things before taking defensive actions. And perhaps reconsider leaving if that remains a possibility it all.

Now, back to our funnel. It’s fairly easy to guide people to where you want them to go. Most people, especially those who are untrained, will take the path that looks most direct and easiest. Figure out all of the options a person in your funnel might have. Options might include open rooms, doors to closed rooms, and exits.

Once you’ve considered what the options are, then make the options you want them to choose EASY and the options you don’t want them to choose CHALLENGING.

Going back to our long front hallway in my daughter’s city apartment, we wanted people in our hall for as long as possible, not scattering to rooms off the hallway. One bedroom near the door had a second door that led to the back part of the house. We definitely didn’t want intruders going that way because we’d end up flanked in our safety zone. I solved this issue by putting a bookcase loaded with books in front of the bedroom door that led to the hallway. Who is going to try and move a giant bookcase when there’s a hallway with 3 open doors ahead of them?

What you’re really doing here is using psychology to manipulate your potential attackers to the place where you want them. This article has a lot of excellent in-depth guidance on preparing your space for such a siege.

Be prepared for fire

One of the most common weapons we’re seeing used in the current spate of riots is fire.

Fires are very common during incidents of civil unrest. Generally, vehicles and commercial properties are where fires are set but in some incidents, homes have been burned too.

Fire is a cowardly attack that doesn’t require any interaction on the part of the arsonist. It flushes out the family inside, leaving you vulnerable to physical assaults. This is the one area in which you may need to make some advance purchases. However, all of these fire-related items are good things to have in your home during ordinary circumstances as well. You probably already have at least one fire extinguisher. If that is all you have, keep it with you in your safe zone.

  • Have fire extinguishers mounted throughout your home. You can buy them in 4-packs from Amazon.
  • During tense times, keep a fire extinguisher right beside your bed. You can use it as both a way to extinguish fires and a weapon if necessary.
  • Be sure to test them frequently and maintain them properly. (Allstate has a page about fire extinguisher maintenance.)
  • Have fire escape ladders that can be attached to a windowsill in all upper story rooms.  Drill with them so that your kids know how to use them if necessary. When I travel by vehicle, I have a fire-escape ladder in with my preps. Hotel fires are not uncommon and I want to have options.

Fires can easily spread from one building to the next, especially if firefighters can’t respond safely or can’t get their fire truck through the mob. Be on the watch for fires in your vicinity.

Fire can also be used as a weapon. Here’s an article about dealing with firebombs and Molotov cocktails should such an event arise.

Don’t close off your escape routes

Something I see a lot are plans that keep everybody out and firmly secure every possible point of entry. And I thought that was a fantastic idea until I took an urban survival course with Selco in Croatia and he pointed out that this can also be appropriately considered a “trap.”

If you put bars on every door and window, you’ve created a prison for those inside. What happens if your home is set on fire? What happens if your home is breached? You need some exits. They don’t have to look obvious and can take only minimal preparation.

For example, I told a family member living in a downtown area to remove the screens from her windows. That saves precious seconds and allows for a far more silent exit than if she were to have to remove the screens while rioters were breaching her front door. She can easily slip through the window, close it back so that nobody immediately realizes where she exited, and head out the back with a minimum of noise.

At the same time, her windows are secured with shatter-resistant film and a bar to prevent them from being raised. That bar can be instantly removed from the inside if she needs to make her escape.

Never ever make your home so difficult to breach that you cannot escape. While your plan may be to stand your ground no matter what, being burned alive would be a terrible way to go.

How would you quickly secure your home if tensions broke out nearby?

I’ve generally lived in places where I had a bit more control over my situation, but when unrest broke out in Virginia near the home I shared with my daughter during the lockdown, I had to creatively secure the apartment using things we had on hand. I hope that some of the ideas we’ve used are useful to you.

We all live in different settings and some of us are more likely than others to face the scenarios mentioned in this article. But take a moment and imagine that “peaceful protesters” were bussed into your neighborhood (or were expected.) Do you have a plan? Does your family know the plan? Do you have any ideas to add to the ones above?


Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.




via: theorganicprepper


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National Situation Update- 9/19/2020

WEEKLY THREAT AND ALERT ROUNDUP

Night view of Hong Kong from Victoria Peak.  - ALLOW IMAGES

Borders with Canada and Mexico Remain Closed
USGOV Warns of Travel to Hong Kong


September 19, 2020

Between Sept 9-11, the following related Flash SMS
messages were sent to
AlertsUSA subscriber mobile devices:


9/18 – DHS: Ban on non-essential travel through shared border crossings with Canada and Mexico extended until October 21 due to COVID-19.


What You Need To Know


On Friday of this week, AlertsUSA subscribers were notified of an announcement by the Department of Homeland Security that in an ongoing effort to limit further spread of the coronavirus, the U.S. has reached agreements with the governments of Canada and Mexico to continue with limitations on all non-essential travel across borders until at least October 21st.. Initially implemented on March 21st, this is the 6th extension of the closure.

DHS has also announced that Customs and Border Protection will continue with the policy of no longer detaining illegal immigrants in their holding facilities and will immediately return these aliens to the country from which they entered. Where such a return is not possible, CBP will return these aliens to their country of origin.

Essential cross-border workers such as health care professionals, airline crews and truck drivers are still allowed to cross along the border.


U.S. Warns of Travel to Hong Kong


In related news, earlier in the week the U.S. State Department issued updated travel advisories for China and Hong Kong which reflect China’s implementation of a national security law over the island territory. Specifically, the new advisory for Hong Kong warns U.S. citizens to reconsider travel to the Special Administrative Region (SAR) due to the PRC government’s arbitrarily enforcement of local laws, including by carrying out arbitrary and wrongful detentions and through the use of exit bans on U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries without due process of law.

Similar to what has been detailed in the mainland China Travel Advisory for some time, the updated Hong Kong advisory warns that the PRC government uses arbitrary detention and exit bans to:

  • Compel individuals to participate in PRC government investigations.
  • Pressure family members to return to the PRC from abroad.
  • Influence PRC authorities to resolve civil disputes in favor
    of PRC citizens.
  • To gain bargaining leverage over foreign governments.

In most cases, U.S. citizens only become aware of an exit ban when they attempt to depart the PRC, and there is no reliable mechanism or legal process to find out how long the ban might continue, or to contest it in a court of law. Further, U.S. citizens traveling or residing in the PRC or Hong Kong may be detained without access to U.S. consular services or information about their alleged crime. U.S. citizens may also be subjected to prolonged interrogations and extended detention without due process of law.

If you or someone you know is considering travel to China or Hong Kong, AlertsUSA strongly recommends carefully reading the entirety of the travel advisories.


AlertsUSA continues to monitor the domestic and international threat environment around the clock and will immediately notify service subscribers, via SMS messages to their mobile devices, of new alerts, warnings and advisories or any developments which signal a change the overall threat picture for American citizens as events warrant.


Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (green) heavily infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus particles purple), isolated from a patient sample. Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. - ALLOW IMAGES

Coronavirus Update


As of the time of this reports’ preparation on Friday, there were more than 6,455,000 COVID-19 cases reported in the U.S., as well as 198,400 deaths attributed to the virus.

Despite the dramatic influence of politics on the pandemic response, as well as the botched effort of federal and state health authorities in testing and accurate case counting, the two-step and mixed messaging on use of masks, the highly flawed rule-making hampering the use of hydroxychloroquine in the early treatment of those infected with COVID-19 and so much more, AlertsUSA encourages readers to remain conscious of the need to be cautious, not only out of concern for your own well being, but also that of others. There actually is a virus, is still in circulation globally, it is still hospitalizing people globally, and it is still taking lives globally.



SITUATION REPORTS / OFFICIAL CASE NUMBERS


World Health Organization
Centers for Disease Control (U.S.)
Johns Hopkins CSSE (Interactive map updated multiple times daily)

OFFICIAL PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE RESOURCES


White House: Guidelines for Opening Up America Again
CDC: K-12 Schools: Readiness and Planning Tool
CDC: One-Stop Shop for COVID-19 Resources
Department of Homeland Security / Ready.Gov
World Health Organization

CDC: How to Protect Yourself
CDC: What to Do If You Are Sick

OFFICIAL CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION PAGES


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Food and Drug Administration
Public Health Agency of Canada
Infection Prevention and Control Canada
World Health Organization


AlertsUSA.com

SMS ALERTS FROM THIS WEEK
NOT DETAILED IN THIS NEWSLETTER ISSUE

9/13 – Agitated anti-police protest forming near downtown Lancaster (PA) City Police Bureau flwg shooting of armed black male. Caution urged. Live streams via email.

9/13 – Tropical Storm Sally: Hurricane warnings expanded to include Morgan City, LA to MS / AL state line. Forecast track shifting east of previous. More via email.

9/16 – Law enf across DC area preparing for large protests in the coming days and cont until elections. Caution urged if in or traveling to the region. More via email.

9/17 – AlertsUSA monitoring reports of active shooter situation, Fort Hood, TX. Base currently sheltering in place. Add’l details as warranted.

9/17 – All clear message given at Fort Hood. Malfunctioning alarm caused concerns about an active shooter on post.

9/18 – Tropical Storm Beta forms in the Gulf. Forecast to become a hurricane this weekend. Residents of TX & LA should be monitoring this system.


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In fact, they are our customers!



Trump Admin COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan. - ALLOW IMAGES- ALLOW IMAGES

Trump Admin COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan



The Dept. of Defense and the Dept. of Health and Human Services have released details on the Trump administration’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution strategy. Specifically, there are two documents, developed in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), that include details on the vaccination program and strategic distribution overview, as well as an interim playbook for state, tribal, territorial, and local public health programs on how to plan and operationalize a vaccination response to COVID-19.


Download the Strategy for Distributing a COVID-19 Vaccine – PDF

Download the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Interim Playbook – PDF

Download the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Process Infographic – PDF


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Why the Next Shooting War Could Go Nuclear


The evidence is easy to spot. China and Russia are deploying greater numbers of “ambiguous,” dual-use ground-launched ballistic missiles. At the same time, the United States’ pursuit of conventional hypersonic missiles of very high speed and accuracy might enable even these non-nuclear weapons to hold nuclear arsenals at risk.


~ READ MORE HERE ~


The Possible Limits of China-Russia Cooperation


Despite China’s planned participation in Russia’s annual Caucus 2020 exercises on September 21-26, Sino-Russian history is so replete with war, unequal treaties and racism, there seems little probability that their present military cooperation will succeed in developing into a military alliance.


~ READ MORE HERE ~


BLM Co-Founder and Pro-Communist
China Group Are Partnering Up


The Black Futures Lab, a venture of Black Lives Matter founder Alicia Garza, is sponsored by the Chinese Progressive Association, a partner of the People’s Republic of China in the U.S.


~ READ MORE HERE ~



Fleet and Marine Tracker Map as of Sept 14, 2020  - ALLOW IMAGES

USNI Fleet and Marine Tracker



These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of Sept 14, 2020 based on Navy, public data provided by the U.S. Naval Institute, and open source reporting. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.


An Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker leads a joint formation of F-16 Fighting Falcons during Astral Knight in Poland, Sept. 17, 2020. The joint, multinational exercise involves U.S. airmen and soldiers working with service members from Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Sweden.- ALLOW IMAGES

World News Roundup



AMERICAS


Minnesota man facing terrorism charges
Trump to block downloads of TikTok, WeChat on Sunday
Seven Chinese, including “Apt41” actors, charged with computer intrusion
The Air Force Just Tested “Robot Dogs” For Use In Base Security
US Military Working Dogs Should Be American-Born, Dem Senator Says
CDC Dir walks back testimony that masks work better than vaccines
Secretary of Defense: Beijing & Moscow have weaponized space
It Appears That Google Has A Black List Of Conservative Sites
Nearly two-thirds of US young adults unaware 6m Jews killed in the Holocaust
Who is Secretly Building the USAF’s New Fighter?

EUROPE


‘Very serious situation’ unfolding in Europe as virus cases rise dramatically
European cities announce new restrictions as COVID-19 cases soar
Biden says US trade deal hinges on UK ‘respect’ for Good Friday Agreement
Venus is a Russian planet, Roscosmos chief declares
Russia accuses U.S. of promoting revolution in Belarus, toughens stance
Belarus to close border with Poland and Lithuania – Lukashenko
Belarusian protesters are being tortured by police, human rights experts say
Britain’s PM Johnson has ‘every hope’ of avoiding no-deal Brexit
Germany: Coronavirus vaccine likely available by mid-2021

MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA


Al-Shabab growing more emboldened in targeting US troops
Al-Shabab militant jailed for attack on US base in Kenya
New US Army unit tools African militaries fighting terrorists in Mali
Saudi Arabia may have enough uranium for nuclear fuel and weapons
Stars’ paradise isle in Mozambique overrun by ISIS-linked insurgents
Trump hails new ‘dawn’ as Israel signs accords with Bahrain and UAE
Israeli jets strike Gaza after Palestinian rocket attack
Gaza violence flares after Israel signs deals with Gulf states
Rouhani: UAE, Bahrain will bear ‘consequences’ of Israel deals
US sanctions ‘ruining lives’, Iran tells United Nations court
Syria calls US a ‘rogue state’ over Trump’s kill al-Assad plan
As Lebanon misses deadline to form govt, France urges parties to keep trying
Former Turkish DM says Greece must evacuate from 9 Aegean islands
‘Confounding’: Covid may have already peaked in many African countries
Twelve million S. Africans ‘probably’ had coronavirus
‘All’ armed groups commit to ceasefire in DRC’s South Kivu
Uganda jail break: More than 200 prisoners escape Moroto facility

ASIA


PLA Friday drills not warning, but rehearsal for Taiwan takeover
China’s 3rd carrier under construction in Shanghai’s ‘warship factory’
Is DPRK about to unveil new weapons? Flurry of activity suggests big reveal.
Taiwan scrambles jets after China sends 18 plane show of force during US visit
New Zealand in recession as coronavirus lockdown hits economy
H.R. McMaster says Trump policy in Afghanistan partners with Taliban
Indian, China troops exchanged gunshots twice last week as tensions rose
Taiwan calls for global coalition against China’s aggression as US official flies in
AUS could join the US, Japan and India to create alliance named ‘The Quad’
Japan’s Yoshihide Suga elected PM, to announce ‘continuity’ cabinet
India pushes supplies to disputed China border ahead of winter
India’s coronavirus cases pass 5 million as hospitals scramble for oxygen
‘It’s getting worse by the day’: India’s Covid battle rages on



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Travel Security

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The U.S. Dept. of State Travel Website is the authoritative federal source for information on the security situation at travel destinations worldwide. With tensions rapidly increasing in most regions, readers planning international travel, even to such common destinations as Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean Islands, are strongly encouraged to do a little research on the security situation at your destination well prior to departure.

Active USGOV Travel Notices

Worldwide Caution


Active USGOV Travel Advisories

Alphabetical Country List

Dynamic Map


Other USGOV Travel Resources

Traveler’s Checklist

Smart Traveler Enrollment Prog (STEP)

Travelers with Special Considerations

Travel to High-Risk Areas

Faith-Based Travel Information

Information for Women Travelers

Cruise Ship Passengers

Students Abroad

Your Health Abroad

Driving and Road Safety Abroad


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The Department of State’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) provides a variety of resources to enhance the safety and security of the U.S. private sector businesses and organizations operating abroad.

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website is the authoritative federal source for information on current health issues related to specific destinations worldwide. These issues may arise from disease outbreaks, special events or gatherings, natural disasters, or other conditions that may affect travelers’ health.

Foreign Sources of Travel Guidance

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Global Affairs Canada


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Australia Dept. of Foreign Affairs


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UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office


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NY establishes traveler registration checkpoints at key entry points


NY Mayor de Blasio Announces COVID-19 *registration checkpoints* to Enforce New York State Quarantine Orders


August 5, 2020


NEW YORK—Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced COVID-19 traveler registration checkpoints at key entry points into New York City to ensure compliance with New York State quarantine requirements and further the containment of COVID-19.


Travelers who have visited 35 designated states or territories with high COVID-19 transmission rates are required to complete the New York State Department of Health traveler form and quarantine for a period of 14 days upon entering New York City.

The DOF Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with other law enforcement agencies, will operate traveler registration checkpoints at major bridge and tunnel crossings into New York City. Starting Thursday, August 6, the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit will begin outreach at Penn Station to educate travelers about New York State home-quarantine orders. Travelers coming in from these states must complete travel health forms to support contact tracing efforts. The City is also partnering with transportation and tourism companies to direct travelers to complete health forms and educate them about quarantine requirements under state law. The City has also added digital signage at points of entry into the City to increase public awareness of New York State’s registration and quarantine mandates.


“New York City is holding the line against COVID-19, and New Yorkers have shown tremendous discipline,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We’re not going to let our hard work slip away and will continue to do everything we can to keep New Yorkers safe and healthy.”


“The DOF Sheriff’s Office in coordination with other law enforcement agencies will undertake traveler registration checkpoints at major bridge and tunnel crossings into New York City. As Sheriff, I understand the absolute serious nature of this pandemic as well as this decided course of action. The entire team will strive to ensure the deployment balances the critical public health and welfare needs of the residents of the city with the legal protections entitled to all people,” said Sheriff Joseph Fucito.


“The progress we’re seeing across New York City in reducing transmission of COVID-19 is a collective effort by New Yorkers. We’re focused on continuing and building on those efforts by encouraging those who travel to states with a high COVID positivity rate to follow state law and quarantine at home and only leave if its essential,” said NYC Test & Trace Corps Executive Director Dr. Ted Long. “This virus is one that affects all and we want to ensure that we continue on a path to keep all New Yorkers safe through awareness and necessary resources.”
NYC Test & Trace Corps is the City’s comprehensive effort to test, trace, and treat every case of COVID-19. Through a partnership with NYC Health + Hospitals, the Corps allows the City to immediately isolate and care for those who test positive for the virus, and then rapidly track, assess, and quarantine anyone they came into contact with who they may have infected.


Non-essential workers subject to the State’s travel quarantine must:

  • Stay at their residence or in a hotel room, leaving only for essential medical appointments or treatment or to obtain food and other essential goods when the delivery of food or other essential goods to their residence or hotel is not feasible;
  • Not invite or allow guests, other than caregivers, into their quarantined residence or hotel room; and
  • Self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and seek appropriate medical advice or testing if COVID-19 symptoms arise.

Essential workers subject to the State’s quarantine must:

  • Self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and self-quarantine and seek medical advice or testing if they show symptoms of COVID-19; and
  • Limit their activities involving contact with other persons for fourteen (14) days to the purposes that exempted them from the self-quarantine requirement to the extent possible.
  • If staying longer than 36 hours in New York state, seek diagnostic testing for COVID-19 as soon as possible upon arrival (within 24 hours).

Failure to quarantine is a violation of State law, and individuals who fail to quarantine are subject to a $10,000 fine. Individuals who refuse to fill out the New York State Department of Health travel form are subject to a $2,000 fine.


The travel advisory list as of August 5, 2020 includes:
Alaska
Alabama
Arkansas
Arizona
California
Florida
Georgia
Iowa
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Minnesota
Missouri
Mississippi
Montana
North Carolina
North Dakota
Nebraska
New Mexico
Nevada
Ohio
Oklahoma
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin


Read Original:

https://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/574-20/mayor-de-blasio-covid-19-checkpoints-enforce-new-york-state-quarantine-orders


Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.



Via: threatjournal


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Masks vs. No-Masks: Is This The New Symbol of Tribalism?

Masks have become a symbol of which “side” you’re on in the coronavirus debate in the United States and for some folks, whether you choose to wear one or not says a lot about you.

If you don’t wear a mask, you’re seen as a callous brute who doesn’t care whether you spread your germs and kill grandma. If you do wear a mask, you’re seen as a quivering sheep, someone who has been willingly muted by the government.

Rationally, we know there’s a lot more to it than that, however, rational thinking is rarely at the forefront when tempers are flaring. Whether or not you choose to wear a mask is an incredibly visible sign that many will read as an alliance to one “side” or the other. It’s becoming almost tribal. It’s like the Bloods and the Crips of suburbia getting ready to throw down at Trader Joe’s.

The Mask Wearers

There are a lot of folks who come down on the side of wearing a mask. Why? Most of them say it’s to protect others from them in case they’re unwittingly carrying and spreading the virus. Asymptomatic COVID is a mystery. Scientists have said anywhere between 5% and 80% of carriers are asymptomatic, which really tells us nothing except, maybe you are, maybe you aren’t.

The Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at Oxford University summed it up after assembling the data from 21 reports:

What did we learn (see the table for the analysis)

  • That between 5% and 80% of people testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 may be asymptomatic
  • That symptom-based screening will miss cases, perhaps a lot of them
  • That some  asymptomatic cases  will  become  symptomatic over the next week (sometimes known as “pre-symptomatics”)
  • That children and young adults can be asymptomatic

We also learnt that there  is not a single reliable study to determine the number of  asymptotics. It is likely we will only learn the true extent once population based antibody testing  is undertaken. (source)

So with that in mind, the case for mask-wearing does carry some weight.

However, it also depends on what kind of mask you’re wearing whether or not the protection is present. Everyone knows that N95 and N99 masks are nearly impossible to find and most want to leave those for healthcare workers anyway. The data regarding the cloth masks that most people are wearing doesn’t really support their use. But again, we don’t have very much data, so it’s not a definitive answer. The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy reports:

Limited, indirect evidence from lab studies suggests that homemade fabric masks may capture large respiratory droplets, but there is no evidence they impede the transmission of aerosols implicated in the spread of COVID-19, according to a paper published yesterday by the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (source)

So while science does not dispute the wearing of cloth masks, science doesn’t back it up, either.

Those Who Won’t Wear Masks

On the other side of the debate we have those who refuse to wear masks. Some folks won’t do business in stores that require them. Others try to enter the establishments that require masks without adhering to the requests. Others just stay at home because they refuse to comply.

Why won’t they wear masks? Some of it goes back to the Surgeon General’s early recommendation that masks were not helpful in stopping the spread of the coronavirus. Many people chalked this up to an attempt to save the few high-quality masks that were available to healthcare workers while others took it as the Gospel. However, Surgeon General Adams seems to have walked this back and has since demonstrated on video how to make your own face mask.

There are a couple of other reasons, too. First, many feel based on the information above that the masks are not effective. If they don’t work, why should they go through the discomfort and for some, the difficulty breathing that mask-wearing brings?

Some see it as a symbol of weakness.

To some, wearing a mask means admitting a fear they may not have consciously confronted yet, said David Abrams, a clinical psychologist and professor of social and behavioral science at New York University’s School of Global Public Health.

Many view the mask as a walking symbol of vulnerability that tells others you’re scared about contracting the virus. So to compensate for that fear, and as a show of strength, they may reject the masks entirely, he said. (source)

For others, it’s a matter of liberty.  They feel that wearing a mask is a symbol of bowing down to tyranny or a symbol that the wearer has been silenced.

Even though wearing masks isn’t compulsory in much of the US, adhering to these rules may feel like, to some, a forfeiture of their freedoms.

People naturally rebel when they’re told what to do, even if the measures could protect them, said Steven Taylor, a clinical psychologist and author of “The Psychology of Pandemics.”

“People value their freedoms,” he said. “They may become distressed or indignant or morally outraged when people are trying to encroach on their freedoms.” (source)

That last reason shouldn’t come as a surprise. Our nation was built on refusing to be told what to do.

There has already been violence over masks

People have already expressed their displeasure on both sides of this debate…sometimes violently.

Unfortunately, retail workers are often the ones bearing the brunt of the anger when they’re simply trying to enforce the policies set forth by their employers. One of my daughters is a retail worker. She and her coworkers have been warned they’ll be fired on the spot if they haven’t followed the arbitrary guidelines of people standing on Xs and limiting the number of customers in the store. Officials from corporate headquarters have dropped in unbeknownst to employees to check that their measures are being enforced. She’s definitely not alone and the risk of violence is high. But she – like many others – is just happy to still have a job.

Earlier this month, I wrote about three violent incidents that occurred when people refused demands that they wear a mask in certain establishments:

A physical fight erupted at a gas station in Decatur, Illinois when a customer refused to don a mask to pay for his fuel. Sgt. Brian Earles with Decatur Police spoke to the press about the incident. It seems that a 59-year-old customer got into a verbal altercation with a 56-year-old cashier when he was trying to pay for gasoline without a mask, as is mandated by the state of Illinois. The customer allegedly shoved the cashier, who said he felt threatened, and the cashier responded by punching the customer in the face. The customer was arrested and charged with battery over the incident.

In Holly Michigan, a Dollar Tree customer refused to follow the posted store policy of wearing a mask. When a young female employee approached him and let him know of the policy he responded by saying, “Here, I will just use this as a mask,” and wiped his face on her sleeve. The customer continued to behave belligerently until he left. The entire incident was caught on store surveillance.

At a Family Dollar store in Flint, Michigan, the most violent response yet occurred when Calvin Munerlyn, a security guard for the store, was shot and killed after he refused to allow a customer’s daughter to come into the store without a mask. (source)

And the violence is not one-sided. In Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a fight broke out when someone coughed in a parking lot.

A 53-year-old man confronted a motorist who reportedly coughed without covering his mouth in a convenience store parking lot. The argument sparked a physical confrontation, and the coughing man opened fire. No one was injured. Both men were arrested for assault. (source)

More than one woman has been violently assaulted because she chose to wear a mask:

An Asian woman wearing a mask was attacked by two men and called “diseased” in a subway station in New York City’s Chinatown, according to the New York Police Department (NYPD). Four people were arrested in March in Hilton, New York, after they allegedly punched and taunted a woman for wearing a respirator mask in a store, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department. (source)

In Vermont, people are snitching on members of their communities to publicly shame them for not wearing masks. [Grammatical errors are quoted directly from the source]

Some of the messages read like field reports: “The sidewalks between price chopper and walmart had groups of people standing together no mask or social distances.”

Others like warnings: “I want to make you aware of the health crisis that is ongoing at the floating bridge in Brookfield. Since fish were stocked in the pond it’s become a daily gathering spot of dozens of covid ignoring people.”

Others are more inquisitive: “Picture below shows people at Roxie’s in Bomoseen VT around 5 pm. I am the only one wearing a mask. Can u ask the Governor at his Monday press conference what citizens should do if they witness these blatant violations of his mandatory mask order?” (source)

Peter Erb, a Hinesburg, Vermont resident believes these attempts at citizen enforcement are dangerous.

Erb said it’s also dangerous to have citizens enforcing the rules against each other — pointing to violent incidents in other states when citizens have attempted to enforce the rules. In Michigan, a security guard at a Family Dollar was shot and killed after he told a shopper to wear a mask. An order requiring people to wear masks in a city in Oklahoma was dialed back to a recommendation after a slew of threats of violence in the first hours the order was in place.

Erb said he worried the coronavirus compliance divide, played out nationally, could turn angry and politically partisan. He also pointed to a more personal experience.

“You know my wife got into a fairly contentious discussion in a grocery store when somebody wouldn’t back off, had no mask and just wouldn’t distance,” he said. “And, you know, that’s a fairly controlled situation, and, you know, in Hinesburg.” (source)

Erb isn’t wrong about this becoming a partisan topic, either.

Is this where the battle lines will be drawn?

This debate is somewhat, but not entirely, divided down partisan lines. It’s notable that you will rarely see President Trump or Vice President Pence wearing one.

Here are the demographics of mask-wearing:

Whether Americans are embracing the change may depend on their political party. While most other protective measures like social distancing get broad bipartisan support, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say they’re wearing a mask when leaving home, 76% to 59%, according to a recent poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

The split is clear across several demographics that lean Democratic. People with college degrees are more likely than those without to wear masks when leaving home, 78% to 63%. African Americans are more likely than either white people or Hispanic Americans to say they’re wearing masks outside the home, 83% to 64% and 67%, respectively.

The notable exception is among older people, a group particularly vulnerable to serious illness from the virus. Some 79% of those age 60 and over were doing so compared with 63% of those younger. (source)

The issue now is that those with masks and those without masks are clearly members of a “team” or a “tribe.”  And a return to tribalism can be dangerous when paired with the many things that we’ve lost over the first half to 2020.  We’ve lost loved ones, we’ve lost jobs, we’ve lost businesses, we’ve lost our incomes, and many are on the verge of losing homes and cars.

It isn’t a stretch of the imagination to think that if violence were to erupt, people who feel the opposite way about masks could become targets of the outraged group. Outrage and the potential for civil unrest are things I’ve written about numerous times throughout this pandemic.

A person wearing or not wearing a mask is as clearly marked as somebody wearing a red bandana in the wrong neighborhood during a tense moment when people are butting heads during the mask debate. Is that really the hill you’re prepared to die on, metaphorically speaking?

What should you do?

I’m not here to tell you whether or not you should wear a mask when you leave the house. I strongly believe we should be responsible for our own health and therefore make these choices ourselves. At the same time, I support the right for businesses to choose whether or not to serve people who refuse to wear masks. If you, as a customer, feel strongly about not wearing a mask, you should vote with your wallet and go to stores that don’t require it. This is a purely libertarian point of view. It’s about personal responsibility and the free market.

Personally, I keep a mask tucked into my purse and wear it if the establishment I’m visiting has a policy requiring it. If I had to visit a hospital or a friend with a health vulnerability, I’d wear a mask out of caution and courtesy. I do choose which grocery store I shop at based on the mask policy (I go to the store that doesn’t have a mask policy) and I do not wear one unless it’s required.

However, from a preparedness point of view, there’s a different angle.

The gray angle.

If your goal is to blend in with the crowd and not be a person who draws the attention of others, then it’s good to check the local baseline and see what other people are doing. In areas where the majority is wearing a mask, the gray thing to do would be to wear one too.

If you are in an area where nobody is wearing a mask, the gray thing would be to go along with that group with a caveat. If you are extremely concerned about your health or the health of a loved one, forget about the crowd and do what you think is right. Just don’t try to force others to conform to what you think is right.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

via:  theorganicprepper


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National Situation Update- 4/19/2020

WEEKLY THREAT AND ALERT ROUNDUP


New Whitehouse Guidelines to Reopen America

New White House Guidelines to Reopen America


April 18, 2020


  

Between April 14-17, the following related Flash SMS
messages were sent to
AlertsUSA subscriber mobile devices:

4/17 – VPOTUS: All 50 states and all territories are now under a federal disaster declaration for the first time in American history.

4/16 – Guidelines for Opening Up American Again: Note that “Use of face coverings while in public” is in the guidance for all phases.
4/16 – White House releases Guidelines for Opening Up America Again, incl proposed gating criteria, state resp, guidelines for individuals & employers, etc. See email.

4/16 – Governors of IL, IN, KY, MI, MN, OH & WI form partnership to reopen the economy in the Midwest region while maximizing health and safety. More via email.

4/15 – Sec of Agriculture Perdue: Bare shelves in grocery stores are “a demand issue, not a supply issue. In the U.S. we have plenty of food for all of our citizens.”

4/14 – POTUS halts all funding of World Health Organization as USGOV investigates their recent failed response to the COVID-19 coronavirus.

What You Need To Know

This week President Trump announced a three-phase road map to reopening the country’s economy and for the states to begin lifting restrictions on businesses and social gatherings. These guidelines explicitly leave the time table for opening up their states to the governors.

Before the phases can be initiated, states must meet a series of “gating criteria” including a downward trajectory of confirmed cases, as well as a decreasing number of cases of patients with Covid-19 symptoms over a 14-day period.

During phase one, vulnerable populations continue to shelter at home, outside the home social distancing is still practiced and gathering in groups of more than ten people is not allowed. Schools remain closed but restaurants and other gathering places can operate only while enforcing strict physical distancing protocols.

In phase two, gatherings of more than 50 people are discouraged, but non-essential travel can resume. Schools can reopen and large venues including restaurants can operate with only moderate physical distancing.

Phase three represents a return to what is being called the “new normal” – going about normal life with a focus on good hygiene, hand-washing and keeping as much space as possible between people when outside the home and with everyone avoiding crowds wherever possible.

It is important to note that in each of these phases, the guidelines call for the wearing of masks while in public. And for the doubters, yes, they do work.

1.) They offer protection for you by reducing the possibility of inhalation of infectious aerosols.

2.) They offer protection for others by reducing the possibility of YOU spreading infectious aerosols. Remember, one can be infected with the virus and be completely asymptomatic, while still being wildly infectious.

View the guidelines HERE

Download the guidelines HERE (PDF)


O

FFICIAL CASE NUMBERS

World Health Organization
Centers for Disease Control (U.S.)
Johns Hopkins CSSE (Interactive map updated multiple times daily)

Johns Hopkins CSSE COVID-19 Case Count (Interactive map updated multiple times daily) - ALLOW IMAGES

Johns Hopkins CSSE COVID-19 U.S. Case Count Graph - ALLOW IMAGES


WHO RISK OF SPREAD & IMPACT ASSESSMENT

China Very High
Regional Level Very High
Global Level Very High


PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE RESOURCES


White House

The President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America (PDF)


Official Coronavirus Information Pages:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Food and Drug Administration
Public Health Agency of Canada
Infection Prevention and Control Canada
World Health Organization

Official Pandemic Preparedness Guidance:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Homeland Security / Ready.Gov
World Health Organization

DIY CLOTH MASK RESOURCES

Don’t buy the masks online. At the present time, most retail masks are made in China anyhow. Make it at home.

CDC Homemade Cloth Face Coverings
Instructables DIY Cloth Face Mask
NYT How to Sew a Face Mask
The Olson Mask Pattern


Assorted Resources

(While some of the resources below were prepared for pandemic influenza, the broader guidance contain therein is directly applicable to the current coronavirus crisis).


Home Care for Patients w/ Suspected Coronavirus Infection
Community Mitigation Guidelines to Prevent Pandemic Influenza
Fundamentals of Emergency Planning for Schools
Healthcare Systems Preparedness for COVID-19
Pub Health Guidance for Community-Level Preparedness & Response (SARS)
Business Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist
Faith-based & Community Org. Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Checklist
WHO Checklist for Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Planning
Get Your Workplace Ready for Pandemic Flu
Dept of Defense Coronavirus Response Page
DHS Supplemental Instructions For Inbound Flights


View Last Week’s Issue


AlertsUSA continues to monitor the domestic and international threat environment around the clock and will immediately notify service subscribers, via SMS messages to their mobile devices, of new alerts, warnings and advisories or any developments which signal a change the overall threat picture for American citizens as events warrant.


AlertsUSA.com

OTHER SMS ALERTS FROM THIS WEEK
NOT DETAILED IN THIS NEWSLETTER ISSUE

3/31 – Shallow M6.5 earthquake in Southern Idaho, 72km W of Challis. AlertsUSA monitoring for damage reports.

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Server Farm

Feds Warn of N. Korea Cyber Threat
to Critical Infrastructure


On April 15, the following related Flash SMS message
was sent to
AlertsUSA subscriber mobile devices:

4/15 – State Dept, Treasury, DHS & FBI issue advisory highlighting disruptive / destructive cyber activities of DPRK affecting US critical infrastructure.


What You Need To Know

On Wednesday, AlertsUSA subscribers were notified of a joint advisory issued by the State Dept, Treasury, DHS & FBI highlighting the disruptive and destructive cyber activities of North Korea affecting US critical infrastructure. North Korea’s malicious cyber activities threaten the United States and the broader international community and, in particular, pose a significant threat to the integrity and stability of the international financial system.

Under the pressure of robust U.S. and UN sanctions, North Korea has increasingly relied on illicit activities – including cybercrime – to generate revenue for its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. These activities include a wide range of malware tools, Cyber-Enabled Financial Theft and Money Laundering, Extortion Campaigns through compromising an entity’s network and threatening to shut it down unless the entity pays a ransom, as well as cryptojacking, which is a scheme to compromise a victim’s machine and steal its computing resources to mine digital currency.

Download the full advisory HERE (PDF – Dept. of Treasury website)



Medical staff stand by at the ready to recieve incoming patients at an outdoor triage center.


We Are Probably Only One-Tenth of
the Way Through This Pandemic


Getting out of the lockdown — and out of your shelter-in-place bunker — is not the beginning of the end of the pandemic. It is only the end of the beginning — the very brief beginning of what seems likely to be an epically long saga of disease, fear, and uncertainty.

~ READ MORE HERE ~


Even Expected Pandemics Are Problematic.
Still, We Can Learn From Them

Generals are often accused of “fighting the last war,” meaning they prepare for wars similar to ones most recently fought, rather than preparing for a different type of warfare that the future will bring. The next security challenge America faces will likely take a still different form. Working together, Congress, states and administration will need to effectively address the deficiencies uncovered in this emergency while being careful not to undermine other areas of national security.

~ READ MORE HERE ~


How WHO Parroted Chinese Lies as
Coronavirus Pandemic Unfolded

The World Heath Organization has found itself with serious questions to answer after President Trump accused the UN agency of ‘severely mismanaging’ its response to the coronavirus pandemic and withheld $500million in funding.

The WHO has been spearheading global efforts to fight the virus, but has come under attack for playing along with China as the country sought to minimize its initial outbreak and the threat the disease posed.

~ READ MORE HERE ~


China’s Aircraft Carriers: Bark or Bite?

China currently has two carriers and a third in the shipyard, with a fourth planned. But what is the Chinese aircraft carrier program like?

~ READ MORE HERE ~



Fleet and Marine Tracker Map as of April 13, 2020  - ALLOW IMAGE8

USNI Fleet and Marine Tracker



These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of April 13th, 2020 based on Navy, public data provided by the U.S. Naval Institute, and open source reporting. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.


Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Micah Callwood signals an Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey to land during flight operations aboard the USS America in the Philippine Sea, April 14, 2020.

World News Roundup


AMERICAS

Canada to keep border restrictions with U.S. for a ‘significant’ time
World Marks 100 Days Since The Iranian Downing Of Ukraine Int’l Flight 752
Canada, Ukraine reject report Iran seeking legal immunity for fatal plane crash
U.N. warns downturn could kill hundreds of thousands of children in 2020
COVID-19 to have ‘immediate and drastic’ impact on Canadian meat supply
USS Theodore Roosevelt Outbreak Is Linked to Flight Crews, Not Vietnam Visit
PRC, Russian Subs May Soon Face UUV-Launched US Sea Mines
HIV-Discoverer Says COVID-19 “Could Only Have Been Created In A Lab”
Police collect nearly 800 bodies from Ecuador’s virus epicentre
Warnings as Nicaragua continues life as normal
U.S. offers $10 million reward for Hezbollah’s commander in Iraq
How the coronavirus is reshaping terrorists’ attack plans

EUROPE

A third of French aircraft carrier crew have Covid-19, says defence ministry
US sailors aboard French aircraft carrier have tested positive for the virus
Russia’s Coronavirus Outbreak Is ‘Changing for the Worse,’ Putin Warns
Russian Covid-19 cases exceed 21,000, Putin warns of ‘extraordinary crisis’
Russian Veterans Urge Putin to Postpone WWII Parade Over Virus
Russia tests anti-satellite missile, US general says
Russian jet buzzes Navy P-8 Poseidon within 25 feet, intercept lasts 42 minutes
Russia says it’s ready for hypersonic missile talks with U.S.
Italy’s Covid-19 death toll tops 20,000
Hundreds of thousands return to work as Spain relaxes coronavirus lockdown
UK to remain in lockdown as coronavirus deaths rise above 11,000
Promising ‘better days,’ Macron extends France’s lockdown until May 11
Huawei urges UK not to make 5G U-turn after pandemic
Trump halts US funding for WHO as it conducts coronavirus review
WHO chief says he ‘regrets’ Trump’s decision to suspend funding

MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA

Iranian boats come ‘dangerously’ close to US navy warships
American F-35s overfly Special Operations bases in Syria
US Flexes Military Might Near Russian Forces In Syria
Armed men board vessel in Gulf of Oman
U.S. oil sanctions against Iran are unjust: Rouhani
Iran records 4,585 coronavirus deaths as restrictions eased
Turkish parliament passes bill to release thousands from prison amid COVID-19
Yemen ‘faces nightmare’ as first coronavirus case confirmed
COVID-19: 4 health officials sacked in Saudi Arabia
Libyan coronavirus hospital closes amid attacks
Second wave of locusts in east Africa said to be 20 times worse
Ebola deaths in Congo halt plan to declare virus eradicated

ASIA

Possible Chinese nuclear testing stirs US concern
DPRK fires barrage of missiles on eve of founder’s birthday, ROK’s elections
On N. Korea’s most important holiday, Kim Jong Un was nowhere to be seen
Chinese Communist Party didn’t warn public for 6 KEY DAYS
IMF: Pandemic to bring Asia’s 2020 growth to halt for first time in 60 years
A few reasons why China’s navy gloating is badly misplaced
China’s claim of zero coronavirus infections in military is bogus, expert says
China Gleeful That 4 US Carriers Hampered By COVID-19
China expects no large-scale foreign investment withdrawal amid outbreak
China’s Export Restrictions Delaying Medical Supply Shipments To U.S.
It’s Not Just the WHO: How China Is Moving on the Whole U.N.
China tries reviving economy after lockdown but consumer engine sputters
Kazakhstan Protests Over Chinese Article Questioning Its Territorial Integrity



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Travel Security

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The U.S. Dept. of State Travel Website is the authoritative federal source for information on the security situation at travel destinations worldwide. With tensions rapidly increasing in most regions, readers planning international travel, even to such common destinations as Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean Islands, are strongly encouraged to do a little research on the security situation at your destination well prior to departure.


Active USGOV Travel Notices

Worldwide Caution


Active USGOV Travel Advisories

Alphabetical Country List

Dynamic Map


Other USGOV Travel Resources

Traveler’s Checklist

Smart Traveler Enrollment Prog (STEP)

Travelers with Special Considerations

Travel to High-Risk Areas

Faith-Based Travel Information

Information for Women Travelers

Cruise Ship Passengers

Students Abroad

Your Health Abroad

Driving and Road Safety Abroad


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The Department of State’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) provides a variety of resources to enhance the safety and security of the U.S. private sector businesses and organizations operating abroad.

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website is the authoritative federal source for information on current health issues related to specific destinations worldwide. These issues may arise from disease outbreaks, special events or gatherings, natural disasters, or other conditions that may affect travelers’ health.

Foreign Sources of Travel Guidance

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Global Affairs Canada


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Australia Dept. of Foreign Affairs


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UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office


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Welcome to your new Freedoms: “Shoot them dead”

In the words of Rahm Emanuel, former Chief of Staff to Barack Obama, “never let a good crisis go to waste.”

Emanuel first said this during the 2008/2009 financial crisis… meaning that politicians can use a crisis as an opportunity to push through radical ideas that would otherwise never be accepted.

Late last month, Emanuel uttered the same words on ABC News This Week, admonishing politicians to not let this crisis go to waste either… and use it as a springboard to pass sweeping policy changes while people are too terrified to care.

And at this point in the pandemic it’s pretty clear that plenty of governments are absolutely not letting this crisis go to waste. Here’s a roundup of what’s happening around the world:

Philippines: “Shoot them dead”

In 2016 the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, was elected on a “tough on crime” platform.

He wanted to bring back hangings for criminals convicted of murder and rape.

After being elected, Duterte said that drug traffickers, drug dealers, and even drug users should be shot dead in the street.

Other government officials insisted Duterte was exaggerating, just using theatrics to get his point across.

But sure enough, thousands of alleged drug dealers and users have been killed since 2016. Some were killed by police, and others by vigilantes.

Now the Philippines, like most of the world, is on lockdown to try to prevent the spread of CoronaVirus.

And in Duterte’s own words, “if there is any trouble” enforcing the lockdown, or people who ignore the rules, police should “shoot them dead.”

Hong Kong: GPS trackers

Hong Kong’s government (which at this point is basically an extension of mainland China) is forcing some people to wear bulky GPS trackers on their wrists.

This is happening at a time when Hong Kong is experiencing its second wave of Covid outbreaks. So the government started requiring new arrivals to strap on a wristband in order to ‘geofence’ people into their quarantine areas.

Once you arrive to your destination (your hotel, apartment, etc.) you have one minute to walk around so that the GPS tracker can map out the perimeter. And if you leave the area, the authorities are immediately alerted.

Violators face up to six months in prison and fines up to USD $3,200.

This is probably going to become the standard in the West, and I’ve been told by a source in Hong Kong that the World Health Organization is trialing these bracelets for release in western countries.

Poland: Mandatory selfie photos

Poland’s government developed a special app where users are forced to upload selfie photos to prove that they are inside and not violating the lockdown.

It’s called the “Home Quarantine” app, and it’s required for people returning to Poland from abroad who must self-quarantine for 14 days.

When the app requests a photo, users have twenty minutes to upload a selfie from inside their home, or the police come knocking.

Russia: 100,000 cameras with facial recognition across Moscow

After Russia’s Duma (parliament) voted in early March to allow Vladimir Putin to defy constitutional term limits and continue to seek re-election as President, the government has now deployed a network of 100,000 cameras with facial recognition in the streets of Moscow to track individuals who are supposed to be in quarantine.

Violations in Russia can carry severe penalties, up to seven years in prison.

Furthermore, even spreading what the government deems as ‘fake news’ about Covid-19 could result in up to five years in prison.

India: Flights and trains suspended, supply chain breaks down

India’s government ordered its population to quarantine last month… and then shut down the country’s primary transportation systems.

The government suspended both domestic flights and train travel, apparently not realizing that millions of people would be stranded and unable to return home to self-quarantine.

Unsurprisingly, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that supply chains in India have also started to break down, causing shortages of certain foods.

Singapore: tracking everyone else you meet

Singapore’s government is using bluetooth and GPS data from its citizens mobile phones to map who everyone comes into contact with. They at least have announced that they will publish the source code of the tracking app.

Land of the Free: Ankle bracelets on, medical privacy off

The Commonwealth of Kentucky has begun ordering house-arrest ankle bracelets for some citizens who they deem susceptible to violate curfew.

Massachusetts, Alabama, and Florida have abandoned medical privacy laws, and officials are now informing the police and paramedics which homes have a resident who tested positive for Coronavirus.

South Africa: Bride and Groom arrested at their own wedding

A wedding that took place despite a nationwide ban on public gatherings in the South African state of KwaZulu Natal was broken up by police last weekend.

All 50 guests, plus the minister performing the service, and the bride and groom, were arrested and hauled off to jail.

Understandably, I imagine many readers might think, “Well that was stupid and a little bit selfish to hold a public gathering at a time like this.”

I agree. But it’s hard to ignore the fact that basic freedoms: freedom of assembly, freedom of worship, freedom of speech, privacy, etc. have gone out the window, all over the world.

Laws and constitutions everywhere are being violated. And while most of the discussion about this pandemic is ‘when will the public health emergency subside,’ and ‘when will the economy go back to normal,’ there’s hardly any discussion about “When will our freedoms be restored?”

It’s hard to imagine they’re going to stop the GPS tracking, the facial recognition, the criminal ‘fake news’ penalties, and the countless other ‘emergency measures’ anytime soon.

Think about it– 9/11 was nearly two decades ago and we’re still dealing with the freedom-eroding consequences of that event.

So we have to be honest with ourselves about this pandemic– the longer these freedoms are restricted, the more unlikely they’ll ever be restored.

To your freedom.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

 

 

Via: threatjournal

 

Via: SovereignMan.com


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