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First Horizon Shares Crash After TD Bank Deal “Terminated”

This article was originally published by Tyler Durden at ZeroHedge. 

First Horizon Corp. shares plunged 37% at the cash open in New York, the most significant decline since September 2008.

Bloomberg reported First Horizon held a conference call earlier today, seeking to calm investors after the merger agreement with Toronto-Dominion Bank was “terminated.” The regional bank said it has ‘stable funding’ and adequate capital.

“We have seen no notable changes to our outflows. It’s been consistent since the beginning of March,” Chief Financial Officer Hope Dmuchowski said.

Earlier, we reported TD “terminated” a merger agreement with First Horizon on unspecified regulatory issues.

Perhaps the termination could be due to a series of regional bank failures.

*   *   *

First Horizon Corp. shares crashed in premarket trading after Toronto-Dominion Bank published a statement outlining how a deal to purchase the Memphis-based bank has been “terminated.” The announcement comes after multiple regional banking failures.

The lenders said they both “entered into a mutual agreement” to terminate their originally announced merger agreement, announced on February 28, 2022. TD said it “does not have a timetable for regulatory approvals to be obtained for reasons unrelated to First Horizon. Because there is uncertainty as to when and if these regulatory approvals can be obtained, the parties mutually agreed to terminate the merger agreement.”

Under the terms of the termination agreement, Canada’s second-biggest bank will make a $200 million cash payment to First Horizon on top of a $25 million reimbursement payment.

As a result of the termination, shares of First Horizon plunged 52% in premarket trading.

TD’s initial plan was to purchase First Horizon for $13.4 billion. It would’ve allowed the Canadian bank to expand its presence in the Southeast with over 400 new bank branches and 1.1 million individual and business customers across 12 states.

However, the merger termination comes as the US regional banking system is in turmoil. First Republic Bank earlier this week was the second-biggest bank failure in US history and the fourth regional lender to collapse since March after Silvergate, SVB, and Signature Bank.

Meanwhile, it was just after the close on Wednesday, no more than two hours after Jerome Powell openly lied to the American People during the FOMC press conference stating without a hint of irony that the US banking system is “sound and resilient,” that PacWest Bancorp shares collapsed on a report (since confirmed) that the troubled California bank is seeking either a buyer or more capital. 

Is Someone Trying To Provoke Russia Into Using Tactical Nuclear Weapons Against Ukraine?


When you are standing on the brink of the unthinkable, it can be way too easy for someone to come along and push you over the edge.  I don’t know who just attacked the Kremlin with drones, but it was obviously done for a reason.  Whoever did it knew, or should have known, that the Russians would strike back really hard.  Just imagine how we would feel if there were explosions at the White House.  Russian leaders are extremely angry, and some of them are openly talking about using tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine.  But if that happens, our world could be completely turned upside down.  The Biden administration has hinted that the U.S. would use tactical nuclear weapons against Russian forces if the Russians use tactical nukes against Ukraine, and so let us hope that cooler heads will prevail.

Because once the nukes start flying, there is no turning back.

I really wish that this assault on the Kremlin had not happened.  Russian leaders are framing this as “an attempt on President Vladimir Putin’s life”

The Russian presidential administration said Wednesday that the Kremlin was attacked by drones overnight in an attempt on President Vladimir Putin’s life.

Moscow residents had reported hearing two explosions behind Kremlin walls shortly after 2 a.m. local time, after which the lights went out. Footage shared by residents in a local Telegram channel captured the incident, as smoke was seen filling the sky above the Kremlin. Videos also appeared to show part of the Kremlin on fire.

So who was responsible for doing this?

Could it have been a false flag by the Russians themselves?

That is certainly possible.  Both sides in this conflict are more than capable of conducting false flag attacks.

It is also certainly possible that the Ukrainians were behind the attack.  They have been using drones to strike other targets deep inside Russia, and the Washington Post had previously reported that Ukrainian officials had discussed attacking Moscow

Last month, The Washington Post reported that the United States had secretly monitored discussions among Ukrainian officials about possible attacks against Moscow timed to coincide with the Feb. 24 anniversary of Russia’s invasion. The White House feared that such a move would provoke an aggressive response from Moscow, and two days before the anniversary, the C.I.A. said that Ukraine’s intelligence directorate “had agreed, at Washington’s request, to postpone strikes” on Moscow. The information was part of a trove of classified U.S. intelligence documents obtained by The Post and other news organizations.

When he was asked about the attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky flatly denied that his government was involved…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday denied Moscow’s claims that Kyiv had attempted to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin, after Russia said two drones were shot down at the Kremlin.

“We didn’t attack Putin. We leave it to the tribunal. We fight on our territory, we are defending our villages and cities,” Zelensky told reporters at a joint press conference with Nordic leaders in Helsinki.

Maybe he is telling the truth.

I don’t know.

We should also not rule out the possibility that some third party is trying to provoke Russia into using tactical nukes against Ukraine because they know that the U.S. would likely respond by using tactical nukes against Russian forces.

There are certainly many interested parties that would love to see an apocalyptic conflict erupt between the United States and Russia.

But no matter who did this, the end result is that Russian leaders are absolutely furious.

In fact, Dmitry Medvedev is publicly calling for “the physical elimination of Zelensky and his cabal”

Russia’s ex-president Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday called for the ‘physical elimination’ of Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky after Moscow accused Kyiv of a drone attack on the Kremlin aimed at assassinating Vladimir Putin.

‘After today’s terrorist attack, there are no options left aside the physical elimination of Zelensky and his cabal,’ said Medvedev, who has been increasingly hawkish since Moscow’s Ukraine offensive.

Other prominent Russian leaders are issuing extremely angry statements as well

Pro-Putin Just Russia party leader Sergey Mironov added: “This is the very real casus belli – a pretext for war.”

He urged the “liquidation of Ukraine’s terrorist top brass. We have something to hit their bunkers with.”

Senior politician Alexei Zhuravlev urged: “It is necessary to target the centre of Kyiv.

“Destroy the president’s office, destroy to the ground the [Ukrainian parliament], the general staff, and the buildings housing the Ukrainian special services.”

MP Mikhail Sheremet said: “It’s time to launch a missile strike on Zelensky’s residence in Kyiv.”

If the Russians do take out Zelensky, that will take this war to a very dangerous new level.

And if they actually decide to use tactical nukes against Ukraine, the Biden administration would be under a tremendous amount of pressure to hit the Russians back.

This is such a critical moment in our history, and Joe Biden will be the one making the final decisions on our end.

Needless to say, that thought should not bring comfort to any of us.

Of course the U.S. military is not exactly prepared for an apocalyptic conflict with Russia.  Instead, our military has been focusing on other things

The US Navy invited an active-duty drag queen to be a “Digital Ambassador” – as part of a recent drive “to attract the most talented and diverse workforce” and combat plunging recruitment.

Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, who identifies as non-binary, was appointed as the first of five Navy Digital Ambassadors in a pilot program that ran from October to March.

Kelley, whose stage name is Harpy Daniels, has shared their journey on TikTok and Instagram, where they described how they began performing onboard and became an “advocate” for people who “were oppressed for years in the service.”

In a battle of political correctness, we would beat the Russians hands down.

But that is not the way that real wars are won.

Of course most Americans do not want a war with Russia at all.

Most Americans just want to work hard and raise their families.

Unfortunately, our leaders have just kept pushing us closer and closer to the unthinkable, and now we are staring down into an abyss of misery and pain.

Is it possible that someone just tried to push us over the edge?

I don’t know.

But what I do know is that the Russians are going to hit Ukraine extremely hard, and I am just hoping that they decide to use some restraint.

Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.

About the Author: My name is Michael and my brand new book entitled “End Times” is now available on Amazon.com.  In addition to my new book I have written six other books that are available on Amazon.com including “7 Year Apocalypse”“Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”“The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. (#CommissionsEarned)  When you purchase any of these books you help to support the work that I am doing, and one way that you can really help is by sending copies as gifts to family and friends.  Time is short, and I need help getting these warnings into the hands of as many people as possible.  I have also started a brand new Substack newsletter, and I encourage you to subscribe so that you won’t miss any of the latest updates.  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 definitely a great help.  These are such troubled times, and people need hope.  John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  If you have not already done so, I strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.

The post Is Someone Trying To Provoke Russia Into Using Tactical Nuclear Weapons Against Ukraine? appeared first on End Of The American Dream.

What Could Go Wrong? Robot Dogs Are Getting ChatGPT (AI) “Brains”

A team of artificial intelligence engineers has equipped a Boston Dynamics robot dog with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Text-to-Speech voice, giving the robot an AI “brain”. This is what creating a real-life Skynet-like robot looks like.

The ruling class has already used these robot dogs to make sure people stay in line and don’t dissent.

NYPD Deploys Robot Dog To Catch “COVID Violators”

So what could possibly go wrong?

According to a report by ZeroHedge, in a recent video posted to Twitter, machine learning engineer Santiago Valdarrama showed how the robot-dog can interact with humans via a voice interface faster than control panels and reports.

“These robots run automated missions every day,” Valdarrama said in a Twitter thread, noting that each mission could be “miles-long, hard-to-understand configuration files” and “only technical people can handle them.” When paired with ChatGPT and Google’s Text-to-Speech voice, a user can ask simple questions to the robot about “configuration files and the mission results.”

“We can now ask the robots about past and future missions and get an answer in real-time. ChatGPT interprets the question, parses the files, and formulates the answer,” he said.

According to Interesting Engineering, a Chinese startup company called Hengbot has already created “Sparky,” the first robotic dog in the world with musculoskeletal limbs. The robot can run, jump, and do tricks like a real dog using advanced artificial intelligence (AI), claims the company.

Sparky, “the canine robot has a mission to ‘blur the line between technology and life’ by developing machines that are agile, nimble, and warm to the touch,” said a report by Robotics & Automation News on Thursday.  “With its musculoskeletal limbs and advanced artificial intelligence, Sparky is a ‘groundbreaking innovation’ that closely resembles a live animal. It can run, jump, and perform tricks just like a real dog.”

In the short term, integrating a ChatGPT AI “brain” into robots may appear harmless. However, there’s a dark risk of this massive artificial intelligence push, giving rise to intelligent robots in a Skynet-like scenario. The ruling class isn’t doing this by accident. They want and desperately need AI to be integrated into every aspect of human life. They normalizing it right now, and before too long, won’t need humans to police each other, they’ll have the AI do it.

Rabobank: The “Rise of the Machines” Is Here

It is starting with dogs.

What is a Blackjack Weapon or Sap? How Do You Use It?

I remember as a kid seeing most police officers on duty, and other law enforcement officers, carrying a baton. I also remember thinking it was a bit odd because it was just a unique-looking kind of club, which seemed rather primitive considering the other tools on their belts. After seeing how effective these were first…

The post What is a Blackjack Weapon or Sap? How Do You Use It? appeared first on Survival Cache.

Best Pepper Sprays To Stop Threats In Their Tracks

Pepper Spray Is One Of The Most Popular Self-Defense Weapons Available Today

Pepper Spray

That’s why we’ve added h2t to our list of 10 basic prepping steps.

But there’s a lot of confusion and misunderstandings around pepper spray, such as:

  • Can it REALLY neutralize a dangerous threat?
  • What’s the difference between different heat ratings?
  • What factors matter most when choosing pepper spray for self-defense?

That’s why today, I want to clear the air.

Using both my Engineering & Self-Defense background, I’m going to share the following:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best Pepper Sprays For Sale Today

Pepper Spray Vs. Firearms

Benefits Of Carrying OC Spray

Cost Of Carrying OC Spray

Best Pepper Spray Features To Look For

How To Use It For Max Effect

How To Make Pepper Spray At Home

Are You Ready For The Tough Times Ahead? Take My 60 Sec Quiz To See If You’re Part Of ‘The Fragile Masses’ Or Not… Start Quiz Now!

Best Pepper Sprays For Sale Today

First, many people don’t know where to buy pepper spray.

And in the past, this was a problem since many sporting goods stores didn’t carry it.

But nowadays, it’s not difficult to find – you CAN buy it online:

1. Top Recommendation


SURVIVAL FROG LifeShield Self-Defense Kit

This self-defense kit from Survival Frog includes three key self-defense weapons:

  1. Pepper Gel / Spray
  2. Personal Alarm
  3. Stun Gun

The personal alarm is meant to be added to a keychain, while the other two devices easily fit in a survival bag or purse.

However, this bundle is for you if you’re serious about self-defense without firearm training.

Why? Because:

  • Great for those who are not comfortable with guns
  • Safe for users (but really bad for an attacker)
  • Non-lethal injury to keep you out of jail
  • Temporary disable gives you time to getaway
  • Compact enough to keep in a purse or bag
  • Easy to use, no training required

You can take care of all your self-defense needs and upgrade your keychain with a single purchase.


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↓ LifeShield Self-Defense Kit Review ↓

2.


Fox Labs Five Point Three Police Pepper Spray

Earlier this year, I read an interesting news article.

It was about a man hospitalized after eating one Carolina Reaper.

It is said to be the hottest chili pepper known to man – at around 2,000,000 Scoville Heat Units!

This pepper causes intense dry heaves, blinding headaches, and some near-stroke symptoms.

But what if the “pepper” in a pepper spray was that powerful?

FOX Labs is measured at 5,300,000 SHUan astounding 265% hotter than the Carolina Reaper!

It can spray this blinding defense up to 17 to 20 feet. FOX Labs Pepper Spray is used by Police, Law Enforcement, Security, and Military agencies worldwide.

PROS

  • Super Powerful
  • Safe To Carry When Not In Use

CONS

  • It may be illegal and/or difficult to take place


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↓ Fox Labs Pepper Spray Formula Breakdown ↓

3.


SABRE Advanced Pepper Spray, 3-in-1 Formula

Just about any list of preferred pepper sprays will contain something from Sabre.

They’re a well-known manufacturer trusted by police departments and other law enforcement agencies nationwide.

The 3-in-1 Pepper Spray is one of their most popular offerings, with OC pepper spray, CS tear gas, and a UV dye.

They have a tight stream spray pattern. And they offer an inert practice spray canister so you can train without the risk.

This practice can ensure that in the heat of the moment, you don’t fumble with the twist-lock safety or accidentally spray backward!

The included training documents have links to instructional videos and other training tips.

These can help you get the most out of your new spray.

The Sabre 3-in-1 also has a good shelf life (4 years) and a low price, so it’s easy to outfit your entire family.


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↓ Best Pepper Spray Sabre 3-in-1 Review ↓

4.


Frontiersman Bear Spray with Holster

Sabre is also in the bear spray market.

These sprays are generally larger canisters, have longer ranges, and include higher concentrations.

The Frontiersman delivers on all those fronts.

The 9.2oz canister is huge and hard to conceal. But the 35ft range is amazing compared to most personal pepper sprays’ 10-15ft max range.

If you’re in the backcountry a lot or want a good option for home or vehicle defense, this is your best bet!


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↓ Frontierman Bear Spray Advantages | SABRE ↓

5.


Fox Labs FX Mean Green Pepper Spray

Fox Labs Mean Green trades the UV dye for a highly concentrated, bright green dye.

This immediately colors the skin and clothing of your attacker.

The 3 oz size is available in both stream and spray patterns.

Depending on the spray pattern, you can expect a 12 to 15 feet range.

The Mean Green has metered half-second burst sprays.

This provides you with over thirty “shots” without the risk of holding down the trigger until you run out.


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↓ Fox Labs Mean Green Heavy Stream ↓

6.


POM Pepper Spray Black Flip Top Pocket Clip

This one is for those looking for something a bit more discrete and pocket-friendly.

This POM Pepper Spray is compact and designed to look a little less intimidating.

This makes it a good option for those looking to carry without making it obvious.

It’s a small canister and has a closer range than other sprays.

But that’s a decent trade-off for being able to carry it in more situations.


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↓ Pom Pepper Spray Review ↓

7.


Wrist Saver Pepper Spray for Runners

This pepper spray is made for athletes.

The Wrist Saver is a convenient padded wristband that contains:

  • a small pepper spray in a holster
  • a built-in LED flashlight
  • some space for ID and other information (or cash)

Of course, it’s a small canister made to fit in a wrist holster.

But it’s still capable and worth checking out if you need a portable running option.


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↓ Wrist Saver Pepper Spray – Tested and Reviewed ↓

8.


Police Magnum Keychain Pepper Spray

This 3-Pack Police Magnum Pepper Spray is a great bundle offer for those who want to protect multi-family members.

This is a pepper spray keychain – which is an ideal size for pockets and purses.

But don’t let the small size fool you; it can deliver over 10ft range in a powerful stream.

It also has added UV Perpetrator marking dye to identify a suspect.

This professional-grade Prepper Spray Keychain Spray is HPLC lab-tested before being used in production and sales.


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↓ Police Magnum OC Pepper Spray with UV Dye Review ↓

Pepper Spray Vs. Firearms

No question about it, firearms are a more powerful form of self-defense if someone is properly trained.

But that’s the issue with firearms; many folks don’t want to take the time to train properly. And some people don’t believe in an armed society.

Plus, firearms are a lethal form of self-defense. This can also make someone hesitant to concealed carry a handgun – even if they own one.

The bottom line is this:

Firearms come with some extra baggage.

No, we’re NOT saying YOU should carry pepper spray instead of a gun. You do you.

But there are plenty of people who are more comfortable carrying pepper spray.

Plus, there are situations where pepper spray is the most logical deterrent.

Pulling a gun on an unarmed threat might unnecessarily aggravate or elevate the situation.

Many (including military and law enforcement) choose pepper spray as a first option.

Then back that up with a more lethal defense (such as a firearm).

This prevents premature escalation in certain circumstances.

↓ How Effective Is Pepper Spray For Self-Defense? ↓

For example: if the threat is unarmed and/or there are many innocent bystanders.

And for some people, carrying a firearm isn’t an option for moral reasons.

Making it the perfect addition to your nonlethal self-defense arsenal.

Watching the video below provides an excellent example of why EVERYONE can benefit from carrying a professional grade OC spray:

↓ This Is Why I Carry OC Spray & Recommend You Do Too ↓

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Benefits of Using OC Spray For Self Defense

Affordable Cost

Clearly, even the most expensive pepper sprays are far cheaper than a handgun.

If you want a cost-effective self-defense weapon, pepper spray is hard to beat.

Fewer Regulations

Yes, it does have some legal restrictions (based on strength and delivery).

But still far fewer than most firearms.

Many locations prohibit firearms (college campuses, national parks, shopping centers, etc.).

But these “safe zones” don’t have the same bans.

Plus, it’s simpler to travel across city or state boundaries.

Where firearm laws (and even knife laws) frequently change from locale to locale.

Easy Concealment

Pepper sprays are generally smaller and lighter than firearms.

Even lighter than the smallest and lightest handguns (such as S&W Airweight and Kel-Tec).

Making them easier to carry while working out, running, or even walking the dog.

And some of the most compact OC sprays are small enough to hang on a self-defense keychain.

Note: These mini options tend to have very short spray durations…

A Non-Lethal Weapon

Pepper spray is extremely irritating and painful – but not fatal.

It also has a much lower chance of injuring a bystander, which makes it safer to use in a crowd.

Best Pepper Spray

Costs Of Using OC Spray For Self Defense

A Non-Lethal Weapon

While “non-lethal” made the list of pros for pepper spray, it’s also one of the main “cons.”

In some situations, pepper spray may not be enough to stop the most vicious attacker, especially if they are on drugs that numb their senses or are extremely intoxicated.

If a situation gets out of hand, a perpetrator with firepower is no match for someone with pepper spray.

Reloading (one-time shot)

Unlike a handgun, reloading isn’t an option with pepper spray.

Most sprays have a short duration, which means knowing exactly when to use them!

Availability

While pepper spray is becoming more common, it’s still not as easy to find in every sporting goods store.

Unlike common handguns and ammo rounds – like the 9mm – which can be found anywhere.

Effectiveness

Not all people will respond to pepper spray – nor will all animals.

With people, this can be due to mental illness, drug abuse, or training.

Plus, face shields, gas masks, and sunglasses can reduce direct contact with the eyes.

Lowering its overall effectiveness in stopping a threat.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Ultimate Survival Gear Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Pepper Gas Spray

Best Pepper Spray Features To Look For

When choosing pepper spray, there are a few factors you’ll need to be sure to consider.

The Formula

The formulation is the first and most important factor in choosing a pepper spray.

Three major formulas on the market for self-defense sprays are CN, CS, and OC.

OC (Oleoresin Capsicum)

OC is one of the most common and popular forms of pepper spray and stands for Oleoresin Capsicum.

The active ingredient is capsaicin, the same chemical that gives peppers heat.

Capsaicin acts as an inflammatory agent.

It not only causes pain but also causes instant inflammation of the mucous membranes.

This makes it difficult and painful to breathe or even open your eyes.

The remaining ingredients form an oily liquid to help deliver the capsaicin.

The oily liquid means the solution is not soluble in water.

So you can’t easily wash it off.

Victims are encouraged to blink excessively to produce tears to help to flush the eyes.

They are also told not to touch any other body parts to avoid spreading the substance.

There are wipes available to help remove pepper spray.

But your attacker is unlikely to have them on hand fast enough to be useful!

But not all peppers are the same…

Scoville Heat Rating

People who like spicy foods know there are regular peppers, HOT peppers, and INSANELY HOT peppers!

And there’s a way to measure these differences; it’s called the Scoville Heat Scale.

↓ Scoville Scale Explained: The Measurement Of Chili Pepper Hotness ↓

You can see from the image below that:

  • Bell peppers are essentially harmless
  • Habanero Chili is a very HOT Pepper and
  • Dragon’s Breath is INSANELY HOT

Scoville Heat Unit Scale

CS

CS isn’t technically a “pepper spray” but rather a military tear gas.

It can be used alone or in combination with OC spray for added effectiveness.

CS is the most popular since it induces a range of nasty symptoms – from mild tearing to immediate vomiting.

It’s often used for riot control or to force people out of an area.

CS can be found in aerosol canisters or can be deployed by grenades.

CN Gas

CN is an older form of tear gas, which has similar effects to CS gas and also includes temporary loss of balance.

The effects of CN tear gas last longer than that of CS. But it can also cause permanent skin and lung damage, so it’s much less common than it was in years past.

Dye Additions

In some sprays, the manufacturers add either a visible or UV dye.

This dye becomes a marker for your attacker, making IDing them easier later if they run.

This can be helpful for law enforcement, but the visible dyes can also help you avoid them if they try to come back.

Spray Pattern and Range

Another critical factor is finding the right spray pattern.

↓ How To Choose A Pepper Spray – Spray Patterns ↓

The most typical patterns used are spray or mist.

If you have respiratory issues, spray patterns help avoid the risk of accidental user inhalation.

Stream Spray

For accuracy and longer range, some shoot streams of fluid.

This allows you to hit a single attacker without spraying bystanders.

Of course, stream pattern sprays require more training and practice.

If you miss, you may have lost your only chance at self-defense.

Mist Spray

A mist spray pattern produces a large cloud of gas which is more easily inhaled.

But it comes at the price of a far shorter range.

Since they form a cloud, mist spray patterns do not allow you to target your attacker directly.

This means there is a risk of spraying people other than your attacker. Including yourself, if the mist cloud blows back on you.

Foam Spray

The least common spray pattern is foam.

Foam sprays are difficult to aim and have a shorter range than stream pattern sprayers.

It’s also slower to take effect, so it’s not as useful in most situations. Avoid foam spray patterns unless they’re the only option.

Canister Size Options

Finally, you’ll want to consider the sheer volume of spray you might need.

Stopping a petty thief in the city may require far less spray than a charging grizzly bear in the backcountry.

Think about how you intend to use your spray and pick the right size for your needs.

Small Canisters

Keychain pepper sprays are marketed to runners and college students. These small bottles contain less than a half-ounce of usable spray.

This only gives you a couple of seconds of spray at close range.

Better than nothing, but you can also run out before an attacker has been properly neutralized.

Medium Canisters

Larger sizes tend to come with belt holsters for easy retrieval. Most purses can fit a medium-sized 2oz canister.

These include many backcountry bear sprays and personal defense sprays.

Two ounces of fluid is good for up to 30 seconds of spray, and many can achieve accurate patterns up to about 15 feet.

Sure, 15 feet doesn’t feel nearly far enough during an attack. But it’s good enough as a close-in self-defense weapon.

Remember, you’re aiming at a small target like the eyes and nose, so long-range shots are risky either way.

Large Canisters

There are much larger sprays on the market, but they’re only good for home defense.

Anything larger than 2 ounces is generally too bulky for everyday carry.

How To Properly Use Pepper Spray

It can cause serious injury if not handled or stored correctly.

Each model comes with instructions for safe use and handling.

Take the time to read through it before heading out into a situation where you may need to use your pepper spray.

One of the first things to learn is drawing, aiming, and releasing the safety mechanism on your spray canister.

The best way to learn is using a practice canister. Practice with the inert spray until you can:

  1. Smoothly pull the spray out of your holster or bag
  2. Turn off the safety without fumbling

Proper body position is key to aiming any weapon.

For pepper spray, you’ll want a solid defensive posture.

That means your knees are slightly bent, and the spray canister is held out in front of your face.

This helps with your line of sight during aiming.

This balanced, athletic posture will help your accuracy.

When you press the trigger, resist the urge to close your eyes. This only serves to interrupt your aim at the worst possible time.

Spray in a slight “back and forth” pattern, as if spray painting a surface.

This helps ensure that you don’t miss smaller targets like the eyes and nose.

↓ Self-Defense Tips – How To Use Pepper Spray ↓

Always remember, this isn’t an absolute.

Be sure to keep your eyes on your target. But be ready to elevate the fight or flee if your attacker doesn’t back down.

Finally, here’s a good video on some DO’s and DON’Ts:

↓ VCU Police: The Dos and Don’ts Of Using Pepper Spray ↓

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

How To Make Pepper Spray At Home

Yes, you CAN make your own pepper spray.

But it’s highly unlikely you’ll make it as powerful or as good at delivery as commercial brands.

But if you still want to pursue making your own – read our step-by-step article.

Final Thoughts

Pepper spray might not have the reputation that other self-defense weapons enjoy. But they should!

The best ones have powerful high-concentration formulas. And ease of use makes them an attractive option for anyone.

From backcountry defense against bears to people intent on doing you harm.

There are plenty of options in size and range to suit any situation.

It’s smart to add some to your EDC bag, get-home bag, bug-out bag, your vehicle’s glove box, and even your home.

Jason K.

  • Born & Raised In The Remote Woods Of Michigan
  • Engineering Degree From A Major University
  • Long Standing Member Of Mountain Search & Rescue
  • Offical Gear Tester For Several Outdoor Companies
  • Avid Outdoorsman: Backpacking, Camping, Fishing
  • Years Researching & Writing About Surival & Gear
  • P.s. Are you ready for the tough times ahead?

    Find out now by taking my short Readiness Score Quiz – it’s absolutely free.
    Once complete, you’ll know exactly where you stand on the “fragile” vs.” resilient” spectrum.

    The post Best Pepper Sprays To Stop Threats In Their Tracks appeared first on Skilled Survival.

    A Torrent Of Layoffs! Here Are 16 Large Companies That Have Just Announced Mass Terminations

    The biggest companies in the United States are giving the axe to hundreds of thousands of workers, but this should not come as a shock to any of us.  Officials at the Federal Reserve were warned over and over again that they were going to create an extremely harsh economic environment if they aggressively raised interest rates, and that is exactly what has transpired.  We haven’t seen a tsunami of layoffs like this since 2008 and 2009, and the outlook for the months ahead is extremely bleak.

    Many of us warned the Fed that it would be mind-numbingly stupid to push interest rates much higher just as we were entering a major economic downturn, but of course the Fed didn’t want to listen.

    We were told that they are the “experts” and that they knew precisely what they were doing.

    And now a nightmare scenario is playing out right in front of our eyes.

    The following are 16 large companies that have just announced mass terminations…

    #1 Tyson: “Tyson Foods Inc (TSN.N) will eliminate about 10% of corporate jobs and 15% of senior leadership roles, Chief Executive Donnie King told employees on Wednesday.”

    #2 Lyft: “Ride-hailing app Lyft will lay off 1,072 employees, roughly 26% of its corporate workforce, and won’t hire for an additional 250 positions, the company said in an SEC filing Thursday.”

    #3 Deloitte: “Deloitte will cut around 1,200 jobs or 1.5% of its U.S. workforce, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing internal employee communications.”

    #4 Gap: “Gap will lay off about 1,800 employees, more than three times as many as the 500 layoffs it announced in September, as part of a broad effort to cut costs and streamline operations, the company said Thursday.”

    #5 Ernst & Young: “Ernst & Young said Monday that it would eliminate roughly 3,000 jobs from its US workforce as it pivots to address shifts in demand and “overcapacity” in sections of its business.”

    #6 3M: “The manufacturing behemoth behind some consumer brands, including Post-It Notes and Scotch Tape, said it would lay off 6,000 staff around the world. Those cuts are in addition to the 2,500 manufacturing roles 3M eliminated in January.”

    #7 CDW: “CDW’s bombshell announcement this week that it expects first fiscal quarter results below expectations and the apparent layoff of hundreds of its employees is a sign that moderated technology demand since the height of the pandemic is more than just a one-quarter strain for hardware, software and services businesses.”

    #8 David’s Bridal: “One of the largest sellers of wedding gowns in the United States, David’s Bridal is laying off thousands of workers nationwide, according to a notice filed to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor.”

    #9 DropBox: “Shares of Dropbox are trading about 5% higher today after the company said it plans to slash its global workforce by approximately 16%.”

    #10 Red Hat: “Following parent company IBM announcing thousands of layoffs in 2023, Red Hat CEO Matt Hicks told employees Monday that approximately 4 percent of its global workforce will be laid off.”

    #11 Opendoor: “Opendoor Technologies on Tuesday said it was cutting roughly 560 jobs, or 22% of the workforce at the online U.S. real estate firm, citing a declining housing market.”

    #12 First Republic: “First Republic plans to reduce its workforce between 20% and 25% this quarter following “unprecedented” deposit outflows in the wake of Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse last month, the company said in a regulatory filing on Monday.”

    #13 Walmart: “Walmart is laying off more than 2,000 workers at five US warehouses that fulfill website orders in a move that came weeks after America’s largest private employer warned it’s in for a tough year ahead.”

    #14 Facebook: “A layoff notice filed with the state this week shows Facebook’s parent company Meta plans to let go 343 employees across three Manhattan offices.”

    #15 Amazon: “Amazon has officially started up its most recent round of employee reductions. The company is kicking off its previously announced layoffs of ~9,000 staff by axing workers in its Amazon Web Services (AWS) and human resources sectors.”

    #16 Disney: “Disney is laying off several thousand workers across the company this week in the second and largest wave of cuts as part of the media giant’s previously announced plan to slash its workforce by 7,000 employees.”

    Sadly, these are not isolated examples.

    According to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, during the first three months of this year job cuts in the United States were 396 percent higher than they were during the same period a year ago…

    Companies announced nearly 90,000 layoffs in March, a sharp step up from the previous month and a giant acceleration from a year ago, outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported Thursday.

    Planned layoffs totaled 89,703 for the period, an increase of 15% from February. Year to date, job cuts have soared to 270,416, an increase of 396% from the same period a year ago.

    The damage was especially bad in tech, which has announced 102,391 cuts so far in 2023. That’s a staggering increase of 38,487% from a year ago and good for 38% of all staff reductions. Tech already has cut 5% more than for all of 2022, according to the report, and is on pace to eclipse 2001, the worst year ever amid the dot-com bust.

    Please take a moment to digest those numbers, because they are absolutely staggering.

    This isn’t just some sort of a minor shift in the employment market.

    This is a collapse.

    But according to the “official numbers” that the Biden administration gives us, everything is still fine.

    And they are going to keep telling you that everything is fine until it is too late.

    For years, our leaders were able to temporarily prop up our failing system by flooding it with unprecedented amounts of fresh money.

    But now a day of reckoning has arrived.

    They can’t keep printing more money because they are terrified of more inflation, but our economy is going to crumble without artificial assistance.

    Those that are running things have run out of good options, but most Americans still have faith that they will be able to find a way to pilot us out of this mess.

    Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.

    About the Author: My name is Michael and my brand new book entitled “End Times” is now available on Amazon.com.  In addition to my new book I have written six other books that are available on Amazon.com including “7 Year Apocalypse”“Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”“The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. (#CommissionsEarned)  When you purchase any of these books you help to support the work that I am doing, and one way that you can really help is by sending copies as gifts to family and friends.  Time is short, and I need help getting these warnings into the hands of as many people as possible.  I have also started a brand new Substack newsletter, and I encourage you to subscribe so that you won’t miss any of the latest updates.  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 definitely a great help.  These are such troubled times, and people need hope.  John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  If you have not already done so, I strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.

    The post A Torrent Of Layoffs! Here Are 16 Large Companies That Have Just Announced Mass Terminations appeared first on The Economic Collapse.

    Ruling Class: We Are Not Ready For The Next Pandemic

    If there’s one thing we’ve been told by the ruling class repeatedly since the beginning of the COVID-19 scamdemic, it’s that there will be another one and we aren’t prepared for it. Former White House advisor Deborah Birx said Wednesday that she thinks “we” are less prepared than we were before COVID-19.

    Bill Gates infamously warned with a smirk that the next plandemic will get attention. Does that mean it’ll be real? That people will get more than a cold and they won’t have to fake the statistics because we’ll be able to see the damage being done with our own eyes?

    Bill Gates Warns The Next Pandemic Will Be Worse Than COVID

    The country wasn’t in a great place in 2019, either. Its pandemic preparedness plan “failed in the first week,” when those in charge didn’t consider that people infected with the virus could have it and spread it without symptoms, Birx said. Except that’s not exactly how it works considering people who are fully “vaccinated” can spread the virus without “having symptoms” too.

    Pfizer Executive Admits COVID “Vaccines” Were Not About Preventing Transmission

    Lockdowns Were a SCAM! Asymptomatic Carriers Don’t Spread COVID-19

    “I think people in the federal government believe the private sector is not there to help,” she added. But the private sector stepped in to develop and produce tests, vaccines, and monoclonal antibody treatments that have saved millions of American lives.” This is the definition of fascism. The ruling class has merged with the private sector to destroy the few individual rights and freedoms people had left.

    There are several ways another plandemic can play out. As of right now, there are many things that the ruling class could turn into another major pandemic.

    Rulers Begin to Establish A “Bird Flu” Narrative

    The Next Plandemic? Establishment Media Has Picked Up The Marburg Outbreak Story

    WHO Warns Of “Biological Risk” During Violent Seizure Of Lab In Sudan