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AG Garland “Weaponizes” DoJ Against Dissenting Parents After School Board Association Pleas

This article was originally published by Tyler Durden at ZeroHedge. 

One day after a North Carolina school board adopted a policy that would discipline or dismiss teachers if they incorporate critical race theory (CRT) into their teaching of the history of the United States, The Epoch Times’ Ivan Pentchoukov reports that Attorney General Merrick Garland on Oct. 4 announced a concentrated effort to target any threats of violence, intimidation, and harassment by parents toward school personnel.

The announcement also comes days after a national association of school boards asked the Biden administration to take “extraordinary measures” to prevent alleged threats against school staff that the association said was coming from parents who oppose mask mandates and the teaching of critical race theory.

Garland directed the FBI and U.S. attorneys in the next 30 days to convene meetings with federal, state, and local leaders within 30 days to “facilitate the discussion of strategies for addressing threats against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff,” according to a letter (pdf) the attorney general sent on Monday to all U.S. attorneys, the FBI director, the director of the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys, and the assistant attorney general of the DOJ’s criminal division.

According to the DOJ, further efforts will be rolled out in the coming days, including a task force that will determine how to use federal resources to prosecute offending parents as well as how to advise state entities on prosecutions in cases where no federal law is broken. The Justice Department will also provide training to school staff on how to report threats from parents and preserve evidence to aid in investigation and prosecution.

“In recent months, there has been a disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff who participate in the vital work of running our nation’s public schools,” Garland wrote.

“While spirited debate about policy matters is protected under our Constitution, that protection does not extend to threats of violence or efforts to intimidate individuals based on their views.”

School boards across the nation have increasingly become an arena for heated debate over culture, politics, and health. Parents groups have ramped up pressure on boards over the teaching of critical race theory and the imposition of mask mandates. The debate is split sharply along political lines, with Democrats largely in favor of critical race theory and mask mandates, and Republicans opposing both.

The amount and severity of the threats against officials are not known, but Garland’s letter suggests the phenomenon is widespread.

Full AG Garland Statement (with our thoughts):

MEMORANDUM FOR DIRECTOR, FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION; DIRECTOR, EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR U.S. ATTORNEYS ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, CRIMINAL DIVISION UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS

FROM:       THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

SUBJECT:    PARTNERSHIP AMONG FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, TRIBAL, AND TERRITORIAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ADDRESS THREATS AGAINST SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, BOARD MEMBERS, TEACHERS, AND STAFF

In recent months, there has been a disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff who participate in the vital work of running our nation’s public schools. While spirited debate about policy matters is protected under our Constitution, that protection does not extend to threats of violence or efforts to intimidate individuals based on their views.

[ZH: But intimidating parents who dare to have the view that the nation’s founding fathers and the founding documents are not in fact systemically racist and does not want their children taught that is the case is ok?]

Threats against public servants are not only illegal, they run counter to our nation’s core values. Those who dedicate their time and energy to ensuring that our children receive a proper education in a safe environment deserve to he able to do their work without fear for their safety.

[ZH: “Dedication” to a “proper education” is admirable; indoctrination in Marxism is not]

The Department takes these incidents seriously and is committed to using its authority and resources to discourage these threats, identify them when they occur, and prosecute them when appropriate. In the coming days, the Department will announce a series of measures designed to address the rise in criminal conduct directed toward school personnel.

[ZH: What exactly is the crime?]

Coordination and partnership with local law enforcement is critical to implementing these measures for the benefit of our nation’s nearly 14,000 public school districts. To this end, I am  directing the Federal Bureau of Investigation, working with each United States Attorney, to convene meetings with federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial leaders in each federal judicial district within 30 days of the issuance of this memorandum. These meetings will facilitate the discussion of strategies for addressing threats against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff, and will open dedicated lines of communication for threat reporting, assessment, and response.

[ZH: We wonder how many local law enforcement officials, while busily watching for vaccine passport offenders, and mask-mandate refusers, will acquiesce to enforcing these new laws to protect the very people who are preaching that America’s systemic racism starts with the men (and women) in blue?]

The Department is steadfast in its commitment to protect all people in the United States from violence, threats of violence, and other forms of intimidation and harassment.

[ZH: Presumably intimidation and emotional harassment of young white boys and girls for their ‘whiteness’, privilege, and systemic racism is beyond that ‘protection’?]

As Chris Rufo (@RealChrisRufo) tweeted: “The Biden administration is rapidly repurposing federal law enforcement to target political opposition.”

Rufo goes on to note that:

“Neither the Attorney General’s memo nor the full Justice Department press release cites any significant, credible threat. This is a blatant suppression tactic, designed to dissuade citizens from participating in the democratic process at school boards.

Parents have led the charge against controversial issues such as Critical Race Theory (CRT), masking mandates and vaccine requirements.

CRT holds that America is fundamentally racist, yet it teaches people to view every social interaction and person in terms of race. Its adherents pursue “antiracism” through the end of merit, objective truth, and the adoption of race-based policies.

In Loudoun County, Virginia, two parents were arrested in June for trespassing while protesting CRT and a transgender policy at the school district because they refused to leave the rowdy meeting that was declared an unlawful assembly.

In July, a man was arrested at a school board meeting and charged with a felony because a gun reportedly fell out of his pocket, the Indianapolis Star reported.

In Utah, 11 anti-mask protestors were arrested on misdemeanor charges for allegedly disrupting a school board meeting in May, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. The protestors entered the school board meeting and shouted obscenities, which resulted in an early end to the meeting.

In Loudoun County, Virginia, two parents were arrested in June for trespassing while protesting CRT and a transgender policy at the school district because they refused to leave the rowdy meeting that was declared an unlawful assembly.

In July, a man was arrested at a school board meeting and charged with a felony because a gun reportedly fell out of his pocket, the Indianapolis Star reported.

In Utah, 11 anti-mask protestors were arrested on misdemeanor charges for allegedly disrupting a school board meeting in May, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. The protestors entered the school board meeting and shouted obscenities, which resulted in an early end to the meeting.

Senator Tom Cotton  (@SenTomCotton) tweeted his thoughts:

“Parents are speaking out against Critical Race Theory in schools. Now the Biden administration is cracking down on dissent.”

Just this week, Ron Paul explained why it is so important for parents to control the education of their children:

During last week’s Virginia gubernatorial debate, Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe promised that as governor he would prevent parents from removing sexually explicit books from school libraries, because he doesn’t think “parents should be telling schools what they should teach.”

McAuliffe’s disdain for parents who think they should have some say in their children’s education is shared by most “progressives,” as well as some who call themselves conservatives. They think parents should obediently pay the taxes to fund the government schools and never question any aspect of the government school program.

School officials’ refusal to obey the wishes of parents extends to the anti-science mask mandates. Mask mandates are not only useless in protecting children from a virus they are at low risk of becoming sick from or transmitting, the mandated mask-wearing actually makes children sick! Yet school administrators refuse to follow the science if that means listening to parents instead of the so-called experts.

Replacing parental control with government control of education (and other aspects of child raising) has been a goal of authoritarians since Plato. After all, it is much easier to ensure obedience if someone has been raised to think of the government as the source of all wisdom and truth, as well as the provider of all of life’s necessities.

In contrast to an authoritarian society, a free society recognizes that parents have both the responsibility and the right to provide their children with a quality education that reflects the parents’ values. Teachers who use their positions to indoctrinate children in beliefs that contradict the views of the parents are the ones overstepping their bounds.

Restoring parental control of education should be a priority for all who believe in liberty. If government can override the wishes of parents in the name of “education” or “protecting children’s health” then what area of our lives is safe from government intrusion?

Fortunately, growing dissatisfaction with government schools is leading many parents to try to change school policies.

“It is shameful that activists are weaponizing the US Department of Justice against parents,” Nicole Neily, president of Parents Defending Education told the Daily Caller News Foundation in response to the memorandum.

“This is a coordinated attempt to intimidate dissenting voices in the debates surrounding America’s underperforming K-12 education – and it will not succeed. We will not be silenced.”

The post AG Garland “Weaponizes” DoJ Against Dissenting Parents After School Board Association Pleas first appeared on SHTF Plan – When It Hits The Fan, Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You.

Taiwan Informs Australia It’s ‘Preparing For War’ As China Sends Record 52 PLA Jets Toward Island

This article was originally published by Tyler Durden at ZeroHedge. 

Source: Getty Images

Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu in a hugely provocative interview with Australian broadcasting ABC’s China tonight program warned that Taiwan is preparing for war with China and urged its larger Indo-Pacific neighbor to help.

Wu said his nation will repel any coming attack, “The defense of Taiwan is in our own hands, and we are absolutely committed to that,” he told ABC’s Stan Grant. The interview is set for broadcast on Monday evening (local time). “If China is going to launch a war against Taiwan we will fight to the end, and that is our commitment.” He made an appeal to Australia’s leaders for greater support to Taiwan during the growing crisis and showdown.

“I’m sure that if China is going to launch an attack against Taiwan, I think they are going to suffer tremendously as well,” Wu threatened. It comes after Friday and Saturday Chinese PLA jet incursions into Taiwan’s air defense zone. Friday’s breaches saw 38 total jets fly toward Taiwan while Saturday saw 39.

Though Australia doesn’t officially recognize the self-ruled island, Wu appealed to leaders in Canberra as follows: “We would like to engage in security or intelligence exchanges with other like-minded partners, Australia included, so Taiwan is better prepared to deal with the war situation.”

“And so far, our relations with Australia [are] very good and that is what we appreciate,” Wu added.

China has already given a resounding ‘response’ to these latest provocative statements out of Taiwan, on Monday sending a record-smashing 52 PLA jets to breach the southwest defense zone.

Reuters writes of the new Monday breach: “Taiwan’s air force scrambled again on Monday to warn away 52 Chinese aircraft that entered its air defense zone, Taiwan’s defense ministry said, the largest number to date reported by Taipei and the fourth straight day of Chinese incursions.”

At the same time, Chinese pundits have downplayed the repeat aerial incursions, which are getting bigger and bigger, as but routine exercises that Beijing has every right to conduct…

Regardless the growing size of the PLA formations – particularly Monday’s whopping 52 aircraft – is an unmistakable ‘message’ and threat to Taipei from Beijing.

Without a doubt, the increasingly large incursions which have seen Taiwan scramble its F-16 fighters and activate anti-air defenses – and ramped up frequency (almost daily at this point) – leaves open the possibility of a ‘live fire’ incident that could spark a major war.

The post Taiwan Informs Australia It’s ‘Preparing For War’ As China Sends Record 52 PLA Jets Toward Island first appeared on SHTF Plan – When It Hits The Fan, Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You.

Oh How Surprising: Big Pharma Company Says It New Pill Works On All The COVID Variants

The developer of a new COVID-19 pill, Merck, says their drug is effective against all of the COVID-19 variants.  What a surprise that a company poised to make billions of dollars if they can convince people to take their product says it works.

The antiviral drug molnupiravir, is likely to be effective against known variants of the coronavirus, including the dominant, highly transmissible Delta, the company said on Wednesday, according to a report by Reuters. Since molnupiravir does not target the spike protein of the virus – the target of all current COVID-19 vaccines – which defines the differences between the variants, the drug should be equally effective as the virus continues to evolve, said Jay Grobler, head of infectious disease and vaccines at Merck.

If that’s the case, why not cut out the use of the “vaccines”? Oh, was that a question we shouldn’t be asking, overlords?

Molnupiravir is said to instead targets the viral polymerase, an enzyme needed for the virus to make copies of itself. It is designed to work by introducing errors into the genetic code of the virus. Data shows that the drug is most effective when given early in the course of infection, Merck said.

Even if the coronavirus scamdemic was not a massive hoax, which all evidence points to the fact that is, there has been an effective drug out for a long time. It’s use has been suppressed.

A Much-Hyped COVID-19 Drug Is Almost Identical to a Black-Market Cat Cure

Now we have yet another Big Pharma company trying to cash in on the fear and panic the general public is exhibiting. The U.S. drugmaker tested its antiviral against nasal swab samples taken from participants in early trials of the drug. Delta was not in wide circulation at the time of those trials, but molnupiravir was tested against lab samples of the variant behind the latest surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.

But it gets better. Merck is also developing a “preventative” treatment for COVID-19 that you are supposed to take before you get an infection. Again, isn’t that what the “vaccines” are for? Is this just another way to get whatever is in those shots into those troublesome “anti-vaxxers?” There are far more questions than real answers these days, unfortunately.

Merck is currently conducting two Phase III trials of the antiviral it is developing with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics – one for treatment of COVID-19 and another as a preventive. And in other shocking news, shares of Merck were up 2.3% at $75.04 on Wednesday afternoon on the New York Stock Exchange.

And we aren’t supposed to question any of this, apparently. Never have so many drugs, shots, and treatments been developed for a disease that even with the ruling classes’ inflated numbers has a less than 1.5% case fatality rate. Even with all the incorrect labeling of deaths, they can’t boost that number higher, So what’s really going? Is it about money, control, or both?

Keep asking the questions. We may not get answers, but those in power think we are stupid and they are treating us as slaves because of it.

The post Oh How Surprising: Big Pharma Company Says It New Pill Works On All The COVID Variants first appeared on SHTF Plan – When It Hits The Fan, Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You.

23 Best Prepping Quotes From History To Motivate & Inspire

After reading today’s prepper quotes article, you’ll be more motivated and more confident in your preps.

Why? Because I’m going to share all my favorite quotes related to prepping. You see, I’m a bit of a “collector of quotes” and enjoy dissecting their meaning.

That’s why I’ll also share my own thoughts on these quotes (like what they mean to me and why they matter).

NOTE: You can either continue to read this article OR just watch the following video (both cover the exact same content):

Ok, let’s jump into the first quote.

Teddy Roosevelt

If you’re an American, you already know the sort of man Teddy Roosevelt was. He was the 26th President of the United States and was an avid hunter, explorer, and adventurer.

He also obviously understood the extreme value of being prepared with the following prepper quote:

1. “Make preparations in advance … you never have trouble if you are prepared for it.”

It’s a simple short quote that hits you directly in the face. Prepare in advance or prepare for trouble – you choose.

George S. Patton

George S. Patton is another famous American who’s known as an exuberant and triumphant WWII general.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that some of the most successful historical generals understood the power in preparedness.

It’s a job where your preparedness (or lack of it) is continuously being tested.

War generals have ACTUAL skin in the game, where preparedness can mean the difference between success or death.

Here’s Patton best quote related to being prepared:

2. “Prepare for the unknown by studying how others in the past have coped with the unforeseeable and the unpredictable.”

Of course, the future is unforeseeable and unpredictable, especially disasters and rare Black Swan-Type events. This includes wars.

That’s best war generals are obsessed with the tactics and strategies of past generals. It’s all about mental preparedness, like playing a deadly game of chess. You can only become a master if you analyze the past champions, why they moved when they did or how they got fooled by their enemy.

The bottom line is Patton understood the immense power of preparing for the unknowable future.

Carl Sagan

Carl Sagan was best known as an astronomer, planetary scientist, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, and science communicator.

Now, I have no idea if Carl Sagan was a prepper or not, but this quote of his is sure profound and related to preparedness:

3. “Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.”

Carl understood just how amazing it is that we’ve survived to this point. That humans survived long enough to communicate and share our experiences with each other.

But we should not just rejoice in that fact; we must continue to be vigilant and ready for the unknowable future. To be resilient to any future disaster and have any hope of continuing to be the exception and not become the rule.

The Holy Bible

Of course, the Bible has several wise quotations about the virtues of preparedness and prudence. The Bible is chock-full of real-world wisdom IF you take the time to read it and understand it.

You’ll find much wisdom related to preparedness in the Book of Proverbs. What’s a proverb? It’s a short, pithy truth or piece of advice:

Here are three “proverbs” to ponder on:

4. Proverbs 28:19 – “He who works the land will have abundant food, but the ones who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.”
5. Proverbs 27:12 – “A prudent person takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”
6. Proverbs 21:20 – “In a house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.”

So, as you can tell, all three of these biblical quotes are related to working hard, being prudent (especially when times are good), and curbing your human appetites by storing some of your foods and treasure for the future.

Stephen King

Stephen King is one of my all-time favorite fiction writers. He intertwines deep and complex characters with intriguing, mind-bending circumstances. He’s known for such books as:

The Stand, The Shining, IT, Needful Things, Carrie, Salem’s Lot, The Dark Tower Series – to name a few.

I believe Stephen’s got one of the best imaginations in the world, so when he speaks of preparedness, I listen:

7. “There’s no harm in hoping for the best as long as you’re prepared for the worst.”

What’s really interesting is if you flip the logic of the quote. It’s essentially saying that if you avoid preparing for the worst, there’s actual harm in hoping for the best.

Let THAT sink in for a minute…

The harm is in foolishly and blindly relying on hope instead of preparedness first. Only after you’re “ready” is the idea of hope (peace, prosperity, etc.) harmless.

Spencer W. Kimball

Spencer Kimball was an American business, civic, and religious leader in the 20th century. He was the twelfth president of “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.”

Of course, the Ladder-Day Saints are known for taking preps seriously. So, it’s not surprising to find the following prepping quote from one of their leaders:

8. “Preparedness, when properly pursued, is a way of life, not a sudden, spectacular program.”

This quote gets to the heart of what I call “Living A Resilient Life” It’s not something you do in a flurry and then abandon.

It’s a way of life; it’s something you work on little by little over time by building up your stockpiles, your skills, and your knowledge every day.

If you’re interested in learning more, check out “The Resilient Life” it’s a community of folks working on their own preparedness journey. It’s a program that teaches, motivates, and allows you to track your preparedness progress.

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin is full of pithy one-liners.

They are common sense wisdom summed up clearly, concisely making them easy to remember. So, if you ever come across someone who thinks “preparedness” is for wackos, then bust out the following quotes to shut them up:

9. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
10. “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
11. “When the well is dry, you know the worth of water.”

It amazes me just how much wisdom is in such few words. He understood the value of preparedness and conveyed it in a way that ended all counterarguments.

Essentially, being prepared, being resilient is a wise way to live.

Abraham Lincoln

The next preparedness quote is from the 16th President of the United States – Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln was known as one of the best American Presidents for guiding a nation through a civil war and all the turmoil that comes with it. He was a humble man who grew up in extreme poverty.

But those early years and struggles taught him the value of self-reliance, hard work, and preparation. For example, he once said:

12. “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”

In essence, given any challenging task, he would spend the majority of his time preparing for it rather than doing it.

He understood the immense value of preparation – how it can often lead to better results with less effort. Work smarter – not harder – great for prepping as well as all sorts of challenges in life.

Bob Knight

Bob Knight, you either love him or hate him.

He’s known for being one of basketball’s most successful and innovative coaches. He led the Indiana men’s basketball team to three NCAA championships, one NIT championship, and 11 Big Ten Conference championships.

And if you follow college basketball at all, you know he had anger management issues and even famously threw a chair onto the basketball court during a game.

But as far as preparation goes, he also said:

13. “I don’t believe in luck; I believe in preparation.”

Or you make your own luck by preparing. Heck, if luck does happen to fall in your lap, you can only take full advantage of it IF you’re ready for it.

Otherwise, it’s more likely you’ll fritter away the good fortune, missing a great opportunity.

Alexander Graham Bell

Alexander Graham Bell was a Scottish-born inventor, scientist, and engineer credited with inventing the telephone. He also co-founded AT&T in 1885.

By all measures, he understood the value of hard work and dedication, as well as preparedness. He famously said this prepping quote:

14. “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”

If you want success in ANYTHING, you must prepare for it. He was talking about “success” in general and not necessarily “prepping,” but the idea applies.

If you want to be resilient and survive any future obstacles, you must prepare ahead of time.

BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE.

John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States. He served at the height of the cold war, and the majority of his work dealt with tensions between the Soviet Union and Cuba.

And he understood the value of preparedness with the following prepping quote:

15. “The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.”

He’s absolutely right.

The time to prepare is NOT after the disaster has arrived. AFTER is too late.

I witnessed this firsthand as the Covid-19 pandemic arrived in the United States. By the time EVERYONE was freaking out, survival gas masks, water containers, freeze-dried food supplies, medical supplies, etc., were all GONE.

AND prices on these critical pieces of survival gear were going through the roof. There is a severe penalty to being complacent when times are calm.

Seneca the Younger

Ok, anyone who’s a member of our survival and preparedness community, “The Resilient Life,” knows I’m a massive fan of the philosophy of Stoicism.

It’s an ancient way to live rooted in training to be mentally resilient to all future obstacles and frustrations.

It helps to put the challenges and struggles in life into perspective. I think it is the best way to MENTALLY PREPARE for future turmoil.

Seneca the Younger was born in 4 BC and is credited with being a significant contributor to Stoic ideas.

16. “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

So luck is NOT random; it’s something that happens to those who put themselves into a position to take advantage of it.

17.  “The person who anticipated the coming of troubles takes away their power when they arrive.”

I love this quote. That’s what preparedness is all about, removing the power troubles have over you. Preparing is ALL about increasing confidence and reducing anxiety NOW and not being “paranoid” being “vigilant.

It’s not a matter IF future turmoil is coming; it’s just a matter of WHEN.

18. “Everyone faces up more bravely to a thing for which he has long prepared himself, sufferings, even being withstood if they have been trained for in advance. Those who are unprepared, on the other hand, are panic-stricken by the most insignificant happenings.”

I love the part about “the unprepared being “panic-stricken” by the most insignificant happenings.”

Because preparing not only provides benefits for extreme future turmoil, but it also allows you to put every day “insignificant happenings” in their proper perspective.

You become less anxious, worried, and less fragile when you live a resilient life.

19. “It is in times of security that the spirit should be preparing itself to deal with difficult times; while fortune is bestowing favors on it then is the time for it to be strengthened against her rebuffs.”

This prepping quote is similar to what John F. Kenney said. Many modern historical quotes have roots in ancient wisdom.

20. “Set aside now and then a number of days during which you will be content with the plainest of food, and very little of it, and with rough, coarse clothing, and will ask yourself, “Is this what one used to dread”?”

This final Seneca quote is pure Stoicism.

You can strengthen your mental resiliency by occasionally abandoning modern-day luxuries. Spend some time eating plain food, fasting, wearing rags, sleeping on hard floors, taking cold showers, etc.

Doing this does three things for you:

  1. First, it makes you realize that living without extreme luxuries is not as TERRIBLE as you make them out in your mind. Sure, it’s not ideal, and it’s a bit uncomfortable, but not something to dread and fret about continuously.
  2. Second, it also helps you APPRECIATE and ENJOY these luxuries more. It sorts of like cleansing your “luxury” palate. You feel more bless and have more gratitude towards the basic amenities in your life.
  3. And third, you can’t be grateful and angry at the same time. The more gratitude you feel, the happier person you are. In my opinion, gratitude is the ultimate secret to happiness.

Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius was the Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and is considered one of the most famous students of Stoicism.

His journals have survived, and we get a glimpse into his daily mental challenges and stoic practices. Here’s one of his best prepper quotes:

21. “The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing, in so far as it stands ready against the accidental and the unforeseen and is not apt to fall.”

I think what he’s saying is that to “live a good life,” you must always stand ready against the accidental and unforeseen. And this is more like wrestling (via hard work and dedication) than dancing (having fun).

Or perhaps he’s saying – it’s better to invest in prudence first, then to relax and enjoy life, instead of the other way around.

Howard Ruff

Howard Ruff was a financial advisor and author. He wrote such books as “How to Prosper During the Coming Bad Years” and “Survive and Win in the Inflationary Eighties.”

Howard understood how important it is to prepare for the unknowable future and how history is full of tumultuous times. He sums it all up with this prepping quote:

22. “It wasn’t raining when Noah Built the Ark.”

Before hearing this quote, I’d never thought of Noah’s Ark Story in that way. But much of the wisdom in the Bible is not spelled out explicitly. You must “read” between the lines to unlock the immense wisdom within.

Noah’s Ark is more than just about preparedness, but trust and preparing are big underlying themes.

Chinese Proverb

Next is another proverb, but instead of the Bible, it’s an ancient Chinese one. Because living a resilient life and preparing is NOT just a western idea. Its roots can be found in all ancient philosophies.

That’s more proof that it’s one of the BEST ways to live.

23. “Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”

It’s so true. And it reminds me of another quote by Teddy Roosevelt:

“Complain about a problem without posing a solution is called whining.”

When you find yourself in a difficult situation – cursing is less than worthless. It’s pathetic.

And here’s the deal, you can only light a candle in the dark IF you have a candle and a flame. That’s preparedness; that’s doing something about future turmoil BEFORE it arrives.

“Just In Case” Jack

P.S. – I want to invite you to check out “The Resilient Life.” It’s a community of prepared survivalists who are working towards living a more resilient life.

It’s a program that teaches, motivates, and tracks your preparedness journey. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, Join Us Today.

The post 23 Best Prepping Quotes From History To Motivate & Inspire appeared first on Skilled Survival.

The Streets Of Major U.S. Cities Are Being Flooded With Far More Drugs Than Ever Before

An endless tsunami of illegal drugs is turning the streets of our major cities into desolate wastelands, and yet our politicians seem powerless to do anything about it.  In fact, in some of our biggest cities the politicians actually don’t seem interested in doing anything about it.  As I will discuss below, open air drug markets are operating freely right in the heart of New York City at this moment.  Dealers and addicts go about their business without the slightest fear that the police will do anything.  Meanwhile, the national death toll just continues to rise.  An all-time record 93,000 Americans died as a result of a drug overdose last year.  That was an increase of nearly 30 percent from the year before, and authorities are already warning that there will be another huge jump when the final numbers for 2021 come in.

Federal law enforcement authorities are trying to do what they can, but they know that they are fighting a losing battle.  On Thursday, they announced that they just seized 1.8 million counterfeit pills, but in the big picture that is only a drop in the bucket.

Right now, federal officials are warning that more fake medications are circulating on our streets than we have ever seen before, and a very large proportion of them contain fentanyl.  According to the DEA, the number of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills that they have been able to intercept has risen by almost 430 percent since 2019…

Counterfeit pills are more lethal than ever before. The number of DEA-seized counterfeit pills with fentanyl has jumped nearly 430 percent since 2019. DEA lab testing reveals that 2 out of every 5 pills with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose.

This is one of the biggest reasons why vast hordes of mindless addicts now endlessly roam the streets of our major cities like zombies.

For these addicts, their primary goal in life is always the next fix, and what most Americans don’t realize is that “most of the counterfeit pills coming into the United States are produced in Mexico and China”

“Drug traffickers, both here and abroad, are increasingly using counterfeit pills to package and distribute the poison that illicit fentanyl is,” said Thomas Hodnett, acting special agent in charge of the DEA’s Philadelphia Division. Law enforcement officials say most of the counterfeit pills coming into the United States are produced in Mexico and China.

You see, the truth is that the drug war never actually ended, and it is being won by the Mexican drug cartels and the Chinese.

And thanks to social media, counterfeit pills are now easier to distribute than ever before

The DEA said the counterfeit pills — made to look like real opioid medications such as oxycodone, Percocet or Adderall — are sold on the street by dealers or online, including through social media platforms.

“If you have a smartphone and you’re sitting on the sofa at home … your drug dealer is right there in your hands,” DEA spokesperson Anne Edgecomb said in an interview with NPR.

Of course dealers are constantly having to search for new customers because so many of their existing customers end up dying.

Fentanyl is extremely potent, and it only takes a couple of milligrams to kill you

Mexican drug cartels increasingly are manufacturing the pills with fentanyl, which is at least 30 times more potent than heroin and is fatal in doses of as little as two milligrams.

“It’s everywhere,” says Robert Bell, head of the DEA’s Chicago field division. “They’re available in street deals, for purchase online, in schools. It’s very scary.”

This is a major national security crisis, because it is absolutely devastating communities all across the nation.

But as I stated at the top of the article, many of our politicians don’t even seem interested in finding a solution.

In New York City, the Garment District has become a horrifying drug-infested cesspool

The block bordered by 35th and 36th streets, and Seventh and Eighth Avenues, is “littered with used needles, broken glass crack pipes, trash, urine, and feces” as junkies shoot up and dealers brazenly sell drugs, lamented one neighbor on social media. “I’ve personally seen dozens of deals go down. I’ve seen a person OD and nearly die.”

During a single walk around the block last week, The Post witnessed three different people injecting needles in their wrists or fingers in the middle of the afternoon. Each addict sat on the sidewalk or in empty storefronts. Dozens of other junkies sat or lay nearly comatose, many of the men shirtless, on the same block.

But instead of doing something about it, the politicians in New York have apparently told the police “to let junkies roam free”

The NYPD appears to have only a token presence. Two cops stood on Eighth Avenue between 35th and 36th, leaning up against a police van while staring into their phones, as illicit activities swirled around them.

But cops have been “effectively ordered” by city and state leaders to let junkies roam free, said Manny Gomez, a former NYPD sergeant and FBI special agent who now heads MG Security Services.

Of course whenever you have large numbers of addicts concentrated in one location you are going to see a spike in crime, and that is precisely what we are witnessing in the Garment District

Crime in the Midtown South Precinct, which includes the Garment District, is up 41 percent this year through Sept. 19 compared to the same period in 2020, according to NYPD crime data.

The most eye-popping spikes are in the number of robberies – which increased 189 percent from 97 to 280 – and felony assaults – which increased 151 percent from 131 to 329.

Sadly, New York is far from alone.  For a very long time I have been warning that major cities all over America were being transformed into crime-ridden, drug-infested hellholes, and it is getting worse with each passing year.

It has been estimated that approximately 23 million Americans are addicted to drugs, but nobody knows the real number.  It isn’t as if there is any sort of a “drug census” that would give us a more accurate count.

But what we do know is that the problem is bigger than it has ever been in our entire history.

We have raised entire generations of Americans to believe that their only purpose in life is to serve our soulless, corrupt system.  Of course millions of people do eagerly get on the hamster wheel and try to grab as much money and stuff as they can because they think that they will eventually achieve fulfillment that way.  But millions of others quickly realize that the game is meaningless and they search out other ways to make themselves happy.  A lot of drug addicts didn’t start out as bad people, but their search for happiness ended up taking them down some paths that they never should have gone down.

If you are searching for meaning in life, our society doesn’t have any answers for you.  Those that run things just want to control and manipulate you as they make themselves even richer and more powerful.

It is imperative that we all learn to think for ourselves, because many of those that don’t learn to think for themselves end up being stuck in their little game for their entire lives.

***It is finally here! Michael’s new book entitled “7 Year Apocalypse” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.***

About the Author: My name is Michael Snyder and my brand new book entitled “7 Year Apocalypse” is now available on Amazon.com.  In addition to my new book I have written five other books that are available on Amazon.com including  “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”“The Beginning Of The End”“Get Prepared Now”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. (#CommissionsEarned)  By purchasing the books you help to support the work that my wife and I are doing, and by giving it to others you help to multiply the impact that we are having on people all over the globe.  I have published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse BlogEnd Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe.  I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but I also ask that they include this “About the Author” section with each article.  The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions.  I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.  During these very challenging times, people will need hope more than ever before, and it is our goal to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with as many people as we possibly can.

The post The Streets Of Major U.S. Cities Are Being Flooded With Far More Drugs Than Ever Before appeared first on The Economic Collapse.

Even The Liberal Media Is Warning Of A “System Collapse” Due To The Failure Of Global Supply Chains

This article was originally published by Micahel Snyder at The Economic Collapse Blog. 

If CNN starts sounding like The Economic Collapse Blog, what does that mean?  Unfortunately, the truth about what is in our immediate future is becoming apparent to everyone.  Global supply chains are in a state of complete and utter chaos, and this is driving up prices and causing widespread shortages all over the country.  Over the past couple of weeks, I have written five articles with either “shortage” or “shortages” in the title, and some have accused me of being a little alarmist.  If that is the case, then CNN is being alarmist too, because one of their top stories today openly warned of a “global transport system collapse”

In an open letter Wednesday to heads of state attending the United Nations General Assembly, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and other industry groups warned of a “global transport system collapse” if governments do not restore freedom of movement to transport workers and give them priority to receive vaccines recognized by the World Health Organization.

For decades, we have all been able to take our extremely complex supply chains for granted.  Things have always been where they need to be when they needed to be there, and many of us just assumed that it would always be that way.

But now organizations that represent 65 million transport workers around the globe are openly warning that “global supply chains are beginning to buckle”

“Global supply chains are beginning to buckle as two years’ worth of strain on transport workers take their toll,” the groups wrote. The letter has also been signed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Road Transport Union (IRU) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). Together they represent 65 million transport workers globally.

“All transport sectors are also seeing a shortage of workers, and expect more to leave as a result of the poor treatment millions have faced during the pandemic, putting the supply chain under greater threat,” it added.

Things are particularly bad at our ports.  Right now, there is a backlog of approximately 500,000 shipping containers waiting on ships off the west coast waiting to be unloaded…

As an estimated 500,000 containers are sitting on cargo ships off the Southern California coast, many are wondering how to handle the backlog.

Needless to say, we have never seen anything like this before.

But what most Americans don’t realize is that the backlog off the coast of China is even worse

There are over 60 container ships full of import cargo stuck offshore of Los Angeles and Long Beach, but there are more than double that — 154 as of Friday — waiting to load export cargo off Shanghai and Ningbo in China, according to eeSea, a company that analyzes carrier schedules.

The number of container ships anchored off Shanghai and Ningbo has surged over recent weeks. There are now 242 container ships waiting for berths countrywide. Whether it’s due to heavy export volumes, Typhoon Chanthu or COVID, rising congestion in China is yet another wild card for the trans-Pacific trade.

If you are waiting for something to come in from overseas, you may be waiting for a very long time.

Because of all the chaos, we are being warned that this could be a holiday season like no other

Retailers are sounding the alarm on the upcoming holiday shopping season due to serious supply chain issues that are slowing shipments of manufactured goods around the world.

Chaos theory in it’s simplest form says if a butterfly flaps its wings in China, it means rain in Central Park. Well, that applies not just to weather, but supply chains as well, and in the Bay Area, it will impact everything from computer parts for your car to the gifts and toys on your holiday shopping list.

If there is something that you really want to get your hands on, you might want to order it now, because it may not be available later.

In addition to shortages, supply chain issues are also pushing prices significantly higher.

For example, we just learned that the price of bacon has risen almost 28 percent over the past year…

The average price for that slab of bacon to accompany the Sunday morning spread has jumped nearly 28% during the past 12 months, inflation-adjusted Consumer Price Index data show.

The supply chain issues and inflationary pressures that have become all-too common in these pandemic times certainly have played theirs roles in the pork price hikes, alongside a slew of industry-specific influence.

A lot of people may be forced to stop eating bacon as a result of soaring prices, and from a health perspective that is not a bad thing.

And the price of bacon is going to continue to go higher, because U.S. hog herds are shrinking at a brisk pace

US hog herds experienced the most significant monthly drop in two decades, according to new data from the USDA. The reason behind the drop is because farmers decreased hog-herd development over the last year due to labor disruptions at slaughterhouses plus high animal feed.

USDA data showed the US hog herd was 3.9% lower in August than a year ago. It was the largest monthly drop since 1999 after analysts only expected a decline of about 1.7%, according to Bloomberg.

Many of you already don’t eat bacon, and so what I just shared may not affect you, but what about a shortage of potatoes?

Incredibly, it is being reported that some fast food outlets are now running out of French Fries.  The following comes from Matt Stoller

My favorite story is quintessentially American, and un-American, at the same time. It’s from a Florida realtor who was in a hurry and stopped at a Burger King for lunch. He saw a sign, “Sorry. No French Fries with any order. We have no potatoes.” At first he thought he was imagining things. What kind of fast food place runs out of fries? Is this, he wondered, a sign of things to come?

It’s a good question. Fast food exists in a land of plenty, of surplus, of mass produced food with a reliable infrastructure of trucks, trains, farms, and distributors. Shortages of everyday goods conflicts not only with most of our lived experiences, but also with our very conception of who we are. There’s a name for this framework, and it’s called affluence.

I really like how Stoller made that last point.

So many of us think that since we are the most prosperous nation on the entire planet that long-term shortages could never happen to us.

But they are happening.

And if you think that what we are experiencing now is bad, just wait until we get a few more years down the road.

From the very top to the very bottom, our entire economic system is being shaken.

If you are expecting our national leaders to come in with some sort of a quick fix to this crisis, you are going to be waiting a really, really long time.

The blind are leading the blind, and the months ahead are going to be very challenging.

***It is finally here! Michael’s new book entitled “7 Year Apocalypse” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.***

About the Author: My name is Michael Snyder and my brand new book entitled “7 Year Apocalypse” is now available on Amazon.com.  In addition to my new book, I have written five other books that are available on Amazon.com including  “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”“The Beginning Of The End”“Get Prepared Now”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. (#CommissionsEarned)  By purchasing the books you help to support the work that my wife and I are doing, and by giving it to others you help to multiply the impact that we are having on people all over the globe.  I have published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse BlogEnd Of The American Dream, and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe.  I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but I also ask that they include this “About the Author” section with each article.  The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions.  I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.  During these very challenging times, people will need hope more than ever before, and it is our goal to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with as many people as we possibly can.

The post Even The Liberal Media Is Warning Of A “System Collapse” Due To The Failure Of Global Supply Chains first appeared on SHTF Plan – When It Hits The Fan, Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You.