activistpost--2020-12-20--Why an Online Sales Tax Would Hurt All New Yorkers

Imagine an extra $ 3 tax any time you order something online .
That ’ s what two New York City officials are asking of New Yorkers in the name of “ saving ” the city ’ s financially troubled Metropolitan Transit Authority .
John Samuelson , president of the Transport Workers Union , and state assemblyman Robert Carroll make their case in a recent New York Daily News op-ed .
While the authors maintain that a federal bailout is necessary in addition to the ill-conceived tax , they see some advantages in a citywide surcharge for e-commerce .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” of delivery truck traffic , and incentivize consumers to more frequently patronize the city ’ s local businesses , large and small .
“ Shopping online is cheap and convenient , ” they write .
“ Online commerce is booming .
Amazon ’ s profits are up 53 % compared to last year .
What Samuelson and Carroll have done is pack an astonishing array of bad economic ideas into a single newspaper op-ed .
Those include the inherent mistrust of technology seen all too often among progressives , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outgoing president proud .
Economists have a term for a surcharge on products brought in from outside some set border .
It ’ s called a tariff .
And while President Trump in some circles may have gotten away with claiming outsiders paid his national tariffs , the $ 3 surcharge at the end of every New Yorker ’ s online transaction would make it abundantly clear whose taxes are being raised .
Twenty years ago it was fashionable to ask questions like “ what will the internet do to brick and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has shown us once again that neither the question nor the answer are so simple .
Many of the small and large “ local ” businesses in New York work synergistically with their own and other websites , not to mention home delivery for their local consumers .
Samuelson and Carroll correctly celebrate the wide range of businesses that perhaps more than any city in the world make New York “ dynamic , diverse and interesting.
” Their belief that the tariff will help these businesses likely springs from an idealized moment in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s life : a New York consumer wishes to avoid the $ 3 fee and closes Amazon on their computer .
They exit their apartment and proceed to their neighborhood bookstore , renewing their appreciation for its quirky charm .
But what about the bookstore ?
This dynamic and diverse local business likely orders its office supplies , as well as a slew of other items , online .
They may even acquire much of their inventory from e-commerce platforms that Samuelson and Carroll appear to cover in their proposed tax .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offices in midtown Manhattan ?
Some may have the knee-jerk reaction that they can afford the surcharge , but can the city and its economy ?
As the fee puts a small damper on the activity of every business , those costs will snowball into fewer jobs and perhaps some firms leaving the city altogether .
These supply chain dynamics are , of course , one reason tariffs are almost always bad for the countries that implement them and often end up harming even the specific industries they mean to protect .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will share in the pain if either its suppliers or buyers see their costs go up .
As the examples above illustrate , New York City would be no different .
Samuelson and Carroll see another reason to tax New Yorkers ’ online transactions—the growing presence of delivery trucks on city streets .
Traffic and pollution are nothing to be taken lightly in any city , but it ’ s the authors who show how little they ’ ve really thought about the problem when they see each and every package not ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of course , works with both the US Postal Service and major private carriers .
The small items Samuelson and Carroll use in their example , if delivered individually , may simply be part of the neighborhood mailman ’ s route , while if consolidated require a big box and a truck .
Trips down New Yorkers ’ blocks could go from zero to one under the surcharge just as easily as being reduced .
Samuelson and Carroll try to couple this online tax with the financial position of the MTA , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subway and bus services .
The two issues have nothing to do with each other .
The tax would harm both Samuelson ’ s transit workers and Carroll ’ s Brooklyn constituents , both directly like all New Yorkers , and by damaging the city ’ s economy more widely .
New York has always thrived by being a global point of connection for goods , services , people , and cultures .
Putting up barriers in the name of bailing out the city financially would be the definition of myopic .
Max @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studies how poverty and access to education can be addressed with voluntary , decentralized approaches that don ’ t interfere with free markets .
He holds a PhD in economics from Stanford University and a BA in economics from the University of Michigan .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
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Provide , Protect and Profit from what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue of Counter Markets today .

By Max Gulker
Imagine an extra $3 tax any time you order something online. That’s what two New York City officials are asking of New Yorkers in the name of “saving” the city’s financially troubled Metropolitan Transit Authority. John Samuelson, president of the Transport Workers Union, and state assemblyman Robert Carroll make their case in a recent New York Daily News op-ed.
While the authors maintain that a federal bailout is necessary in addition to the ill-conceived tax, they see some advantages in a citywide surcharge for e-commerce. They believe it will lessen the “siege” of delivery truck traffic, and incentivize consumers to more frequently patronize the city’s local businesses, large and small.
“Shopping online is cheap and convenient,” they write. “Online commerce is booming. Amazon’s profits are up 53% compared to last year.
What Samuelson and Carroll have done is pack an astonishing array of bad economic ideas into a single newspaper op-ed. Those include the inherent mistrust of technology seen all too often among progressives, as well as misguided attempts at protectionism that might make the outgoing president proud.
Economists have a term for a surcharge on products brought in from outside some set border. It’s called a tariff. And while President Trump in some circles may have gotten away with claiming outsiders paid his national tariffs, the $3 surcharge at the end of every New Yorker’s online transaction would make it abundantly clear whose taxes are being raised.
Twenty years ago it was fashionable to ask questions like “what will the internet do to brick and mortar retail?” Our complex economy has shown us once again that neither the question nor the answer are so simple. Many of the small and large “local” businesses in New York work synergistically with their own and other websites, not to mention home delivery for their local consumers.
Samuelson and Carroll correctly celebrate the wide range of businesses that perhaps more than any city in the world make New York “dynamic, diverse and interesting.” Their belief that the tariff will help these businesses likely springs from an idealized moment in a certain kind of New Yorker’s life: a New York consumer wishes to avoid the $3 fee and closes Amazon on their computer. They exit their apartment and proceed to their neighborhood bookstore, renewing their appreciation for its quirky charm.
But what about the bookstore? This dynamic and diverse local business likely orders its office supplies, as well as a slew of other items, online. They may even acquire much of their inventory from e-commerce platforms that Samuelson and Carroll appear to cover in their proposed tax.
What about all those financial firms and law offices in midtown Manhattan? Some may have the knee-jerk reaction that they can afford the surcharge, but can the city and its economy? As the fee puts a small damper on the activity of every business, those costs will snowball into fewer jobs and perhaps some firms leaving the city altogether.
These supply chain dynamics are, of course, one reason tariffs are almost always bad for the countries that implement them and often end up harming even the specific industries they mean to protect. In an interconnected modern economy, a business will share in the pain if either its suppliers or buyers see their costs go up. As the examples above illustrate, New York City would be no different.
Samuelson and Carroll see another reason to tax New Yorkers’ online transactions—the growing presence of delivery trucks on city streets. Traffic and pollution are nothing to be taken lightly in any city, but it’s the authors who show how little they’ve really thought about the problem when they see each and every package not ordered online as reducing such traffic:
A delivery surcharge will also undoubtedly encourage consumers, and the Amazons of the world, to more regularly consolidate multiple items into a single package for delivery. Instead of shipping someone a pair of new sneakers on Monday, a pair of socks on Wednesday and a toaster oven on Friday, Amazon could put them into one box and (gasp) make you wait a little. That’s one truck trip down your block by FedEx or UPS instead of three. Now multiply that by millions.
Amazon, of course, works with both the US Postal Service and major private carriers. The small items Samuelson and Carroll use in their example, if delivered individually, may simply be part of the neighborhood mailman’s route, while if consolidated require a big box and a truck. Trips down New Yorkers’ blocks could go from zero to one under the surcharge just as easily as being reduced.
Samuelson and Carroll try to couple this online tax with the financial position of the MTA, which runs the city’s vital subway and bus services. The two issues have nothing to do with each other.
The tax would harm both Samuelson’s transit workers and Carroll’s Brooklyn constituents, both directly like all New Yorkers, and by damaging the city’s economy more widely.
New York has always thrived by being a global point of connection for goods, services, people, and cultures. Putting up barriers in the name of bailing out the city financially would be the definition of myopic.
Source: FEE
Max Gulker is an economist and writer who studies how poverty and access to education can be addressed with voluntary, decentralized approaches that don’t interfere with free markets. He holds a PhD in economics from Stanford University and a BA in economics from the University of Michigan.
Image: Pixabay
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activistpost--2020-12-20--Cash-Strapped Iraq Drastically Devalues Dinar As Fears Of Nationwide Unrest Grow

According to the latest IMF forecasts , Iraq ’ s GDP will contract 12 % this year , more than that of any other OPEC member under a production quota .
A global pandemic-induced demand slump ( among other domestic issues ) has pushed Iraq – under its OPEC membership – to slash oil production by over 12 % year-over-year ( however , Iraq , along with other nations such as Nigeria , has pumped above its quota on several occasions since then ) .
In the most recent sign of Baghdad ’ s growing desperation for cash as its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payment of about $ 2 billion in exchange for a long-term crude-supply contract as state coffers dwindle and school teachers go unpaid .
As Bloomberg reports , the letter from SOMO , the Iraqi state-owned agency in charge of petroleum exports , was first reported by the Iraq Oil Report .
The anxiety is rising as officials fear a repeat of the upheaval last year that brought down the government and saw hundreds of protesters killed .
All of which has led to the decision to devalue the Dinar… drastically .
As Bloomberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ central bank reduced the official rate to 1,450 dinar per dollar , the first devaluation since 2003 , it said in a statement .
That ’ s from about 1,190 previously .
Dollars will be resold to local banks at 1,460 dinar apiece .
The embattled nation ’ s central bank is taking the steps to avoid depleting its foreign-currency reserves… Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi , who came to power in May , has warned that the government will struggle to pay civil servants without raising more debt .
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By Tyler Durden
According to the latest IMF forecasts, Iraq’s GDP will contract 12% this year, more than that of any other OPEC member under a production quota.
A global pandemic-induced demand slump (among other domestic issues) has pushed Iraq – under its OPEC membership – to slash oil production by over 12% year-over-year (however, Iraq, along with other nations such as Nigeria, has pumped above its quota on several occasions since then).
In the most recent sign of Baghdad’s growing desperation for cash as its economy unravels, Iraq sought an upfront payment of about $2 billion in exchange for a long-term crude-supply contract as state coffers dwindle and school teachers go unpaid.
As Bloomberg reports, the letter from SOMO, the Iraqi state-owned agency in charge of petroleum exports, was first reported by the Iraq Oil Report.
“SOMO, on behalf of the Ministry of Oil, has the interest to propose a long-term crude-supply deal in exchange for prepayment for a fraction of the total allocated quantity,” according to the letter, which was marked strictly confidential.
The anxiety is rising as officials fear a repeat of the upheaval last year that brought down the government and saw hundreds of protesters killed.
Iraq has taken to the streets across the country. Risking their lives to protest their corrupt government. This is Baghdad today👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/XZWznsj3GF — Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) January 26, 2020
All of which has led to the decision to devalue the Dinar… drastically.
As Bloomberg‘s Khalid Al-Ansary reports, the central bank reduced the official rate to 1,450 dinar per dollar, the first devaluation since 2003, it said in a statement. That’s from about 1,190 previously. Dollars will be resold to local banks at 1,460 dinar apiece.
Inflation imminent? or hyperinflation?
The embattled nation’s central bank is taking the steps to avoid depleting its foreign-currency reserves…
Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, who came to power in May, has warned that the government will struggle to pay civil servants without raising more debt.
Source: Zero Hedge
Top image: Treasury Vault
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activistpost--2020-12-20--Mass Starvation Looms as Yemen’s Currency Nears Historic Freefall

TAIZ , YEMEN- – Both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates seem to be doing everything in their power to prevent an end to the suffering in Yemen .
Even those living in areas under the total control of the wealthy Gulf monarchies are facing levels of devastation that hearken back to the total destruction of European cities during World War II .
With no functioning government to provide residents with even basic assistance and facing a collapsed economy amid a famine that could soon beset all of Yemen according to the United Nations , the collapse of Yemen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas , is proving to be the coup de grâce that will assure the country faces an apocalyptic level of destruction for years to come .
Her black eyes virtually absent and speaking in a muted voice that is difficult to pick up , Umm Abdu does her best to recount her story to MintPress .
She was hiding a bony face and emaciated body in a voluminous black abaya robe and hijab .
“ I am starving myself to feed my children .
It is very difficult to reach for this piece @ @ @ @ @ @ @ muttered as she held a piece of Roti bread .
Umm Abdu lives in a poor neighborhood in Taiz , a city in western Yemen under the control of some of the richest countries in the world .
After nearly six years of war , Yemen remains home to the world ’ s largest humanitarian crisis .
Millions are hungry and destitute and at least 80 % of the population requires humanitarian assistance or protection .
Some 13.5 million people face severe food shortages and that number could rise to 16.2 million in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The economy has already collapsed for virtually every Yemeni living in the south , except for the few who managed to profit by working with Saudi Arabia or the UAE .
Savings accounts have long been exhausted and by end of November , the rial depreciated to an all-time low of 850 YR to a single U.S. dollar , leaving most of the population unable to afford even the most basic essentials .
Like Umm Abdu , people are reducing portion sizes and skipping meals as a kind of “ coping strategy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to measure food insecurity .
Fruit , fish , and meat have become a rare commodity that most can only dream of .
“ Even though there is food in the markets , I can ’ t afford it .
Not because we don ’ t have money , but because of the crazy prices .
So we decide to reduce food to keep our children alive , ” one shopper told MintPress .
However , that strategy may not be enough as food prices are near double where they were in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to International organizations , Yemen , particularly areas under the control of Riyadh and Abu Dhabi , will return to alarming levels of food insecurity by mid-2020 , and a catastrophic food security crisis is looming .
They reported that by December 2020 , the population facing high levels of acute food insecurity ( what they termed IPC Phase 3 and above ) would increase from 2 million to 3.2 million people .
An Integrated Food Security Phase Classification ( IPC ) report from October 2020 covering southern Yemen highlighted how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are now the highest ever recorded in some districts .
The analysis reveals a near 10 percent increase in cases of acute malnutrition this year .
The greatest increase is in cases of young children suffering from severe acute malnutrition which has increased by 15.5 percent , leaving at least 98,000 children under age five at high risk of dying without urgent treatment .
A stream of statements from leading aid organization officials reflects how dire the situation has become , including a warning from UN Secretary-General António Guterres that “ Yemen is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ famine the world has seen for decades .
” We ’ ve been warning since July that Yemen is on the brink of a catastrophic food security crisis .
If the war doesn ’ t end now , we are nearing an irreversible situation and risk losing an entire generation of Yemen ’ s young children , ” said Lisa Grande last month , ” the Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen .
“ The data we are releasing today confirms that acute malnutrition among children is hitting the highest levels we have seen since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ( FAO ) raised the alarm about millions of Yemenis risking falling into worsening levels of hunger by mid-2021 .
The United Nations World Food Programme ( WFP ) also described the crisis in Yemen as “ the world ’ s worst.
” The WFP said in a tweet that millions are trapped in a cycle of conflict and hunger .
“ Everyday life in Yemen gets harder for millions as the window to prevent famine narrows .
We must act now.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlikely in the immediate future , officials in Taiz warned that many areas could soon start to see deaths from famine .
Many children already have signs of severe acute malnutrition , the most dire stage of hunger where legs and feet begin to swell .
“ We all sleep hungry , there is not enough food even for our children , “ Umm Abdu told us .
For Umm Abdu and her husband , 37-year-old Saeed , the rial ’ s collapse has meant skipping meals .
Saeed was educated as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tour guide at a local travel agency before the war .
Since he lost his job after the war began , he ’ s been making money selling qat – a mild stimulant that many Yemenis chew in the afternoon .
However , that money is not nearly enough to cover rent , let alone basic needs .
Now , their situation is getting worse as the availability of Qat has decreased dramatically after the weather turned cold three months ago when winter began .
After the recent collapse of the rial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has become nearly impossible .
Umm Abdu and Saeed are now considering extreme options .
Over the past six years , they have seen Yemen ’ s steady dissolution from a nation hoping to transition to democracy post-Arab Spring , to a nation fragmented and a land of warring statelets , mass suffering , and despair .
Many of their neighbors have resorted to stealing , human trafficking , and selling their organs to make ends meet , or even marrying off their daughters because they are unable to feed them .
Officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Saudi-Coalition power in Yemen , blame the collapse of currency on the fact that foreign reserves have dried up .
According to them , remittances from Yemenis abroad , the largest source of foreign exchange , dropped by up to 70 % as a result of the Covid-induced global downturn .
But to Omer , a former fighter in “ al-Muqawamah ” in Aden who was wounded while fighting with Coalition Forces against the Houthis in 2016 , these arguments are grossly inaccurate .
Omer believes that Saudi Arabia has a plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to intentionally accelerate famine .
“ Why is there no collapse of the currency in Houthi areas even though they live in conditions worse than us ?
” The exchange rate divergence between Houthi-controlled Sana ’ a and coalition-controlled Aden is indeed stark , with the Yemeni rial worth 35 % less in Aden than it is in Sana ’ a .
Omer was one of the thousands of Yemenis that took the streets in Taiz and other areas this week in a mass protest against the continuing deterioration of the economic situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demanding they leave the country .
The demonstrators accused coalition countries and ousted Yemeni president Abdul Mansour al-Hadi of practicing a policy of starvation to achieve their personal objectives .
They chanted slogans against Saudi Arabia and UAE with phrases like “ our revolution is a hungry revolution , ” “ take your aid , and leave us our oil , ” “ take your donations , and leave us our ports , ” and “ take your trust fund and leave us our wealth.
” According to local economists who spoke to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Yemen ’ s economy and its currency are many and varied but the expansionary monetary policy that has been taken by Saudi Arabia is one of the key drivers of the Yemeni rial ’ s devaluation .
Local authorities supported by Saudi Arabia have regularly printed new banknotes in order to meet expenses compounded by the purchase of foreign currencies flowing into markets by foreign organizations .
By the end of 2019 , the total rial liquidity in circulation in the country was more than three trillion , according to a source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the beginning of 2020 , the bank has printed around 300 billion rials in order to address the budget deficit .
The government of ousted president Hadi has largely relied on the central bank ’ s overdraft financing instrument to cover his spending abroad , including rent , travel , and entertainment .
Recently , Saudi ’ s proxies in southern Yemen have been selling large quantities of newly-printed banknotes in order to purchase foreign currency from the market and replenish their own foreign currency holdings .
This has increased downward pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped drive inflation .
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on countries to provide financial assistance to resolve the severe economic crisis in Yemen , saying in a statement issued via his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric on the second anniversary of the Stockholm Agreement , “ I call on all member states to help address the severe economic crisis in the country.
” Umm Abdu has a gloomy future .
She has no faith in the UN or the Saudi proxies in the south , who she described as “ drenched in treason.
” Nonetheless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in her fellow Yemenis that her country will be freed .
“ Where else on Earth can you find a nation that has gone through what has happened in Yemen , occupied by foreigners , destroyed , with famine and epidemics , and yet somehow , we still managed to survive.
” Ahmed AbdulKareem is a Yemeni journalist .
He covers the war in Yemen for MintPress News as well as local Yemeni media .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Follow us on SoMee , HIVE , Parler , Flote , Minds , MeWe and Twitter .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
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By Ahmed Abdulkareem
TAIZ, YEMEN- – Both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates seem to be doing everything in their power to prevent an end to the suffering in Yemen. Even those living in areas under the total control of the wealthy Gulf monarchies are facing levels of devastation that hearken back to the total destruction of European cities during World War II.
With no functioning government to provide residents with even basic assistance and facing a collapsed economy amid a famine that could soon beset all of Yemen according to the United Nations, the collapse of Yemen’s rial, particularly in Saudi-coalition-controlled areas, is proving to be the coup de grâce that will assure the country faces an apocalyptic level of destruction for years to come.
Her black eyes virtually absent and speaking in a muted voice that is difficult to pick up, Umm Abdu does her best to recount her story to MintPress. She was hiding a bony face and emaciated body in a voluminous black abaya robe and hijab. “I am starving myself to feed my children. It is very difficult to reach for this piece,” the illiterate mother of six muttered as she held a piece of Roti bread. Umm Abdu lives in a poor neighborhood in Taiz, a city in western Yemen under the control of some of the richest countries in the world.
After nearly six years of war, Yemen remains home to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Millions are hungry and destitute and at least 80% of the population requires humanitarian assistance or protection. Some 13.5 million people face severe food shortages and that number could rise to 16.2 million in 2021, according to International Relief Bodies.
The economy has already collapsed for virtually every Yemeni living in the south, except for the few who managed to profit by working with Saudi Arabia or the UAE. Savings accounts have long been exhausted and by end of November, the rial depreciated to an all-time low of 850 YR to a single U.S. dollar, leaving most of the population unable to afford even the most basic essentials. Like Umm Abdu, people are reducing portion sizes and skipping meals as a kind of “coping strategy index,” one of many tools used to measure food insecurity. Fruit, fish, and meat have become a rare commodity that most can only dream of.
“Even though there is food in the markets, I can’t afford it. Not because we don’t have money, but because of the crazy prices. So we decide to reduce food to keep our children alive,” one shopper told MintPress. However, that strategy may not be enough as food prices are near double where they were in the wake of the recent currency collapse.
According to International organizations, Yemen, particularly areas under the control of Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, will return to alarming levels of food insecurity by mid-2020, and a catastrophic food security crisis is looming. They reported that by December 2020, the population facing high levels of acute food insecurity (what they termed IPC Phase 3 and above) would increase from 2 million to 3.2 million people.
An Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report from October 2020 covering southern Yemen highlighted how acute malnutrition rates among children under five are now the highest ever recorded in some districts. The analysis reveals a near 10 percent increase in cases of acute malnutrition this year. The greatest increase is in cases of young children suffering from severe acute malnutrition which has increased by 15.5 percent, leaving at least 98,000 children under age five at high risk of dying without urgent treatment.
A stream of statements from leading aid organization officials reflects how dire the situation has become, including a warning from UN Secretary-General António Guterres that “Yemen is now in imminent danger of the worst famine the world has seen for decades. ”We’ve been warning since July that Yemen is on the brink of a catastrophic food security crisis. If the war doesn’t end now, we are nearing an irreversible situation and risk losing an entire generation of Yemen’s young children,” said Lisa Grande last month,” the Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen. “The data we are releasing today confirms that acute malnutrition among children is hitting the highest levels we have seen since the war started,” she added.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) raised the alarm about millions of Yemenis risking falling into worsening levels of hunger by mid-2021. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) also described the crisis in Yemen as “the world’s worst.” The WFP said in a tweet that millions are trapped in a cycle of conflict and hunger. “Everyday life in Yemen gets harder for millions as the window to prevent famine narrows. We must act now.”
Although a mass famine event may be unlikely in the immediate future, officials in Taiz warned that many areas could soon start to see deaths from famine. Many children already have signs of severe acute malnutrition, the most dire stage of hunger where legs and feet begin to swell. “We all sleep hungry, there is not enough food even for our children,“ Umm Abdu told us.
For Umm Abdu and her husband, 37-year-old Saeed, the rial’s collapse has meant skipping meals. Saeed was educated as an English teacher and had a job as a tour guide at a local travel agency before the war. Since he lost his job after the war began, he’s been making money selling qat – a mild stimulant that many Yemenis chew in the afternoon. However, that money is not nearly enough to cover rent, let alone basic needs. Now, their situation is getting worse as the availability of Qat has decreased dramatically after the weather turned cold three months ago when winter began. After the recent collapse of the rial, the ability to bring home food has become nearly impossible.
Umm Abdu and Saeed are now considering extreme options. Over the past six years, they have seen Yemen’s steady dissolution from a nation hoping to transition to democracy post-Arab Spring, to a nation fragmented and a land of warring statelets, mass suffering, and despair. Many of their neighbors have resorted to stealing, human trafficking, and selling their organs to make ends meet, or even marrying off their daughters because they are unable to feed them.
A tale of two cities
Officials in Aden, the de facto center of Saudi-Coalition power in Yemen, blame the collapse of currency on the fact that foreign reserves have dried up. According to them, remittances from Yemenis abroad, the largest source of foreign exchange, dropped by up to 70% as a result of the Covid-induced global downturn. But to Omer, a former fighter in “al-Muqawamah” in Aden who was wounded while fighting with Coalition Forces against the Houthis in 2016, these arguments are grossly inaccurate.
Omer believes that Saudi Arabia has a plan to destroy the national currency in order to intentionally accelerate famine. “Why is there no collapse of the currency in Houthi areas even though they live in conditions worse than us?” The exchange rate divergence between Houthi-controlled Sana’a and coalition-controlled Aden is indeed stark, with the Yemeni rial worth 35% less in Aden than it is in Sana’a.
Omer was one of the thousands of Yemenis that took the streets in Taiz and other areas this week in a mass protest against the continuing deterioration of the economic situation, denouncing the Saudi-led coalition states and demanding they leave the country. The demonstrators accused coalition countries and ousted Yemeni president Abdul Mansour al-Hadi of practicing a policy of starvation to achieve their personal objectives. They chanted slogans against Saudi Arabia and UAE with phrases like “our revolution is a hungry revolution,” “take your aid, and leave us our oil,” “take your donations, and leave us our ports,” and “take your trust fund and leave us our wealth.”
A gloomy future
According to local economists who spoke to MintPress, the reasons behind the collapse of Yemen’s economy and its currency are many and varied but the expansionary monetary policy that has been taken by Saudi Arabia is one of the key drivers of the Yemeni rial’s devaluation.
Local authorities supported by Saudi Arabia have regularly printed new banknotes in order to meet expenses compounded by the purchase of foreign currencies flowing into markets by foreign organizations.
By the end of 2019, the total rial liquidity in circulation in the country was more than three trillion, according to a source in the Aden-based central bank. As of the beginning of 2020, the bank has printed around 300 billion rials in order to address the budget deficit. The government of ousted president Hadi has largely relied on the central bank’s overdraft financing instrument to cover his spending abroad, including rent, travel, and entertainment.
Recently, Saudi’s proxies in southern Yemen have been selling large quantities of newly-printed banknotes in order to purchase foreign currency from the market and replenish their own foreign currency holdings. This has increased downward pressure on the rial’s value and helped drive inflation. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on countries to provide financial assistance to resolve the severe economic crisis in Yemen, saying in a statement issued via his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric on the second anniversary of the Stockholm Agreement, “I call on all member states to help address the severe economic crisis in the country.” Umm Abdu has a gloomy future. She has no faith in the UN or the Saudi proxies in the south, who she described as “drenched in treason.” Nonetheless, she places hope in God and in her fellow Yemenis that her country will be freed. “Where else on Earth can you find a nation that has gone through what has happened in Yemen, occupied by foreigners, destroyed, with famine and epidemics, and yet somehow, we still managed to survive.” Feature photo | Yemeni women display paper currency after receiving cash support from UNICEF. Hani Mohammed | AP Ahmed AbdulKareem is a Yemeni journalist. He covers the war in Yemen for MintPress News as well as local Yemeni media.
Republish our stories! MintPress News is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License. MintPress News is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License.
Source: MintPress News
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activistpost--2020-12-20--“Trying To Get The Hell Out” – Emergency Lockdown In London Triggers Mass Exodus

With more than 16 million Britons now required to stay at home as coronavirus lockdown went into effect on Sunday , tens of thousands of Londoners scrambled to get out of the capital Saturday night .
Boris Johnson ’ s bombshell announcement to introduce Tier 4 restrictions in London and southeast England , to mitigate the spreading of a new strain of the coronavirus , sparked traffic jams and crowded train terminals as people made a mad dash out of the metro area before draconian new rules were imposed at midnight .
“ Traffic data showed jams increasing inside London @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were surging with increased demand , ” The Independent said .
Here are the scenes from last night .
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Even on Sunday , roadways leaving London appear congested .
Additionally , people fled on public transportation .
For instance , by evening , train tickets sold out at several London stations , including Paddington , Kings Cross , and Euston .
Footage taken at London ’ s St Pancras station showed no social distancing was followed as people were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ midnight .
A woman told the Press Association that she and her husband , along with their young son , made the “ split decision ” to leave the metro area for the coast to escape the new lockdown .
Other train stations in the metro area experienced “ travel chaos.
” A Tier 4 level for London and southeast England – about one-third of the English population – means millions will have to stay at home except for essential reasons .
Retail and indoor leisure and entertainment will be closed , along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting one other person .
In other words , Christmas is canceled .
Those who decided to spend the holidays in London rushed to stores to load up on essentials .
Johnson had initially planned to ease the draconian measures ahead of the holidays , but an abrupt change occurred after government scientists found the virus mutated .
We asked the question last month : Can new strains of COVID-19 render vaccines completely useless ?
While it ’ s anyone ’ s guess how long the new coronavirus restrictions will stay , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analysts showed virus cases accelerate in colder weather and will lead to a dramatic slowdown in economies during 4Q20 into 1Q21 .
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By Tyler Durden
With more than 16 million Britons now required to stay at home as coronavirus lockdown went into effect on Sunday, tens of thousands of Londoners scrambled to get out of the capital Saturday night.
Boris Johnson’s bombshell announcement to introduce Tier 4 restrictions in London and southeast England, to mitigate the spreading of a new strain of the coronavirus, sparked traffic jams and crowded train terminals as people made a mad dash out of the metro area before draconian new rules were imposed at midnight.
“Traffic data showed jams increasing inside London and its surrounds, and train prices were surging with increased demand,” The Independent said.
Here are the scenes from last night.
Why would there be traffic jams in London on a Saturday night during COVID? Surely not because everyone is trying to get the hell out… pic.twitter.com/j2Z3GwFt7e — Tim Head (@betatim) December 19, 2020
Oh my god London roads are fucked right now. Absolute manic rush hour traffic. Visible suitcases in 50% of cars, people on this bus with suitcases holy shit. — Dumb Dog Vio (@VioBarks) December 19, 2020
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Even on Sunday, roadways leaving London appear congested.
Additionally, people fled on public transportation. For instance, by evening, train tickets sold out at several London stations, including Paddington, Kings Cross, and Euston.
Footage taken at London’s St Pancras station showed no social distancing was followed as people were only concerned about escaping the city by midnight.
Last train out of Saigon. Queue at St Pancras as we wait to board the Leeds bound train. pic.twitter.com/cFDBDNnYFC — Harriet Clugston (@HarrietClugston) December 19, 2020
A woman told the Press Association that she and her husband, along with their young son, made the “split decision” to leave the metro area for the coast to escape the new lockdown.
“We just made the decision to leave based on the fact that my parents said come, and we couldn’t bear the thought of no fresh air and a toddler going rogue round a small flat for the foreseeable,” she said.
Other train stations in the metro area experienced “travel chaos.”
If they didn’t want this new variant to get out of London, it’s just found a possible new route. It’s called the train line to the East Midlands from St Pancras station tonight … 👇 pic.twitter.com/hIPOMG7Bex — Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) December 19, 2020
@EastMidRailway Could you please explain why the 20:02 train from London to Leeds has been this severely overbooked? I can’t fathom the fact many of us have paid hundreds of pounds for a hellish journey like this. pic.twitter.com/jtugmR59Ts — Molly Cochrane (@mollcochrane) December 19, 2020
A Tier 4 level for London and southeast England – about one-third of the English population – means millions will have to stay at home except for essential reasons. Retail and indoor leisure and entertainment will be closed, along with social mixing will be limited to meeting one other person. In other words, Christmas is canceled.
Those who decided to spend the holidays in London rushed to stores to load up on essentials.
Johnson had initially planned to ease the draconian measures ahead of the holidays, but an abrupt change occurred after government scientists found the virus mutated.
We asked the question last month: Can new strains of COVID-19 render vaccines completely useless?
While it’s anyone’s guess how long the new coronavirus restrictions will stay, a reminder from Goldman Sachs’ team of analysts showed virus cases accelerate in colder weather and will lead to a dramatic slowdown in economies during 4Q20 into 1Q21.
Source: Zero Hedge
Top image: Pixabay
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activistpost--2020-12-20--Space Force Members Will Be Called “Guardians” Mike Pence Announces

On Friday , Vice President Mike Pence announced that members of the Space Force military service will be called guardians .
“ We just returned from the Oval Office and so it is my honor , on behalf of the President of the United States , to announce that henceforth , the men and women of the United States Space Force will be known as guardians , ” Pence said at an event celebrating the Space Force ’ s first year .
The Space Force tweeted Friday that the name announcement came “ after a yearlong process that produced hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and members of the general public .
Guardians is a name with a long history in space operations , tracing back to the original command motto of Air Force Space Command in 1983 , ‘ Guardians of the High Frontier.
” In his opening remarks , Pence called President Donald Trump , the “ founder of the United States Space Force.
” It is not immediately clear why Trump was not at the ceremony himself , as he had no other events that would cause a scheduling conflict .
His absence caused speculation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced earlier this month that Florida ’ s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Patrick Air Force Base will be renamed Space Force stations .
“ Today we make history , with the first two installations in the history of the United States Space force to bear the name of this new branch of the service , ” Pence said at Cape Canaveral after the announcement .
The two bases will now be referred to as Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Patrick Space Force Base .
In previous comments about the Space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the agency would be involved in the creation of a “ super duper ” missile .
Become an Activist Post Patron for just $ 1 per month at Patreon .
It is likely that the Space Force will be dealing with far more military missions than explorations .
During the signing ceremony back in December , Trump defended the new government agency against criticism , saying that “ space is the world ’ s newest war-fighting domain.
” The Space Force is also officially a branch of the US Armed Forces .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ connected with the Air Force , Coast Guard , the Army , and the Marine Corps .
The agency is replacing an existing military space program called Air Force Space Command , which was founded in 1982 .
The Space Force describes itself as “ a military service that organizes , trains , and equips space forces in order to protect U.S. and allied interests in space.
” It was also announced this year that Space Force troops had already been deployed to the Middle East to assist with the ongoing occupations that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Twenty airmen assigned to the 16th Expeditionary Space Control Flight and the 609th Air Operations Center at Al Udeid Air Base , Qatar , transferred into the military ’ s newest branch during enlistment or oath of office ceremonies earlier this month , according to a press release from the agency .
John Vibes is an author , researcher and investigative journalist who takes a special interest in the counter culture and the drug war .
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Send resources to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HERE !
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By John Vibes
On Friday, Vice President Mike Pence announced that members of the Space Force military service will be called guardians.
“We just returned from the Oval Office and so it is my honor, on behalf of the President of the United States, to announce that henceforth, the men and women of the United States Space Force will be known as guardians,” Pence said at an event celebrating the Space Force’s first year.
The Space Force tweeted Friday that the name announcement came “after a yearlong process that produced hundreds of submissions and research involving space professionals and members of the general public. Guardians is a name with a long history in space operations, tracing back to the original command motto of Air Force Space Command in 1983, ‘Guardians of the High Frontier.”
In his opening remarks, Pence called President Donald Trump, the “founder of the United States Space Force.”
It is not immediately clear why Trump was not at the ceremony himself, as he had no other events that would cause a scheduling conflict. His absence caused speculation among many media sources.
Pence also announced earlier this month that Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Patrick Air Force Base will be renamed Space Force stations.
Vice President Mike Pence has announced that members of the Space Force military service will be called guardians https://t.co/p0IvvQqUVJ — CNN (@CNN) December 19, 2020
“Today we make history, with the first two installations in the history of the United States Space force to bear the name of this new branch of the service,” Pence said at Cape Canaveral after the announcement.
The two bases will now be referred to as Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Patrick Space Force Base.
In previous comments about the Space Force, US President Donald Trump promised that the agency would be involved in the creation of a “super duper” missile.
Become an Activist Post Patron for just $1 per month at Patreon.
It is likely that the Space Force will be dealing with far more military missions than explorations. During the signing ceremony back in December, Trump defended the new government agency against criticism, saying that “space is the world’s newest war-fighting domain.”
The Space Force is also officially a branch of the US Armed Forces. More specifically, the new agency is connected with the Air Force, Coast Guard, the Army, and the Marine Corps. The agency is replacing an existing military space program called Air Force Space Command, which was founded in 1982.
The Space Force describes itself as “a military service that organizes, trains, and equips space forces in order to protect U.S. and allied interests in space.”
It was also announced this year that Space Force troops had already been deployed to the Middle East to assist with the ongoing occupations that the US military is involved with there.
Twenty airmen assigned to the 16th Expeditionary Space Control Flight and the 609th Air Operations Center at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, transferred into the military’s newest branch during enlistment or oath of office ceremonies earlier this month, according to a press release from the agency.
VP Mike Pence: “The men and women of the United States Space Force will be known as ‘guardians.'” https://t.co/IiWajAVZfp pic.twitter.com/0tg0neRzbT — The Hill (@thehill) December 19, 2020
Source: Anewspost
John Vibes is an author, researcher and investigative journalist who takes a special interest in the counter culture and the drug war.
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Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, MeWe and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-12-20--34 Police Departments Kill Citizens At Higher Rates Than the US Murder Rate

According to the most recent count of police killings , police in America have killed 1,039 people this year .
Exactly 21 of these victims were at or under the age of 18 when their lives were taken by police officers who swore an oath to protect and serve .
Many were unarmed while others were entirely innocent .
All of them , however , were innocent until proven guilty — yet never got the option to plead their cases .
So far this year , there have only been 17 days in which police have not killed someone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the forefront of the national discussion earlier this year as millions of Americans took to shouting in the streets , rioting , and looting over the death of George Floyd .
It became such a massive issue that even mainstream media was forced to admit that the United States has the most violent and deadly law enforcement system on the planet .
But did it lead to massive change , reform , or less police violence ?
That answer is a resounding no .
In fact , on the day George Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time , 5 other people were also killed .
While a few cities across the country made incredible changes to the way they police their citizens , including sending mental health experts instead of cops to hundreds of 911 calls , other cities carried out business as usual .
Though this is business as usual , it is no less shocking .
The Free Thought Project decided to look into some numbers maintained by the organization at Mapping Police Violence and compare police killings with the national murder rate .
These numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent data from Pew Research in 2019 , the US murder rate was 5.0 per 100,000 , for a total of 15,498 murders .
This is the national average , though there are many cities who exceed it and many who are far below .
When we compare cops in major cities to the national murder rate , we find a massive problem .
According to the most recent data , there are a whopping 34 departments across the land of the free who kill people at higher rates than the US murder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for just $ 1 per month at Patreon .
If we zero in on just Black men , 8 of the 100 largest city police departments kill Black men at higher rate than the US murder rate .
This is shocking , especially considering the fact that many of these folks are unarmed and innocent .
According to the data compiled from 2013-2019 , the most deadly department in America happens to kill people at a nearly 370 % higher rate than the national average .
That department is the St. Louis Metropolitan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tactics of war during the Ferguson Mike Brown protests .
Another department is Oklahoma City , who has a penchant for killing unarmed Black men .
As we reported earlier this year , Oklahoma city cops killed an unarmed man on video as he repeatedly told them he can ’ t breathe .
Derrick Scott , 42 , repeatedly told cops that he couldn ’ t breathe during his arrest last May , but cops couldn ’ t have cared less , and in fact , told this to Scott as he died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” one of the officers , Jarred Tipton , can be heard replying to Scott as he took his last breaths on this planet .
Another one of these 34 departments is in Aurora , Colorado who witnessed massive protests this year after several high profile police killings .
As TFTP reported , last August , Elijah McClain was killed by Aurora police after he was put in a chokehold and given the sedative ketamine .
The incident began when someone in the neighborhood called the police because McClain was walking down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask .
McClain reportedly always wore the mask because he was anemic , and often got cold , and he was an introvert .
At the time of his death , he had never gotten so much as a speeding ticket in his life .
He was completely innocent .
Breonna Taylor was also completely innocent when she was gunned down in her home by cops with the Louis Metropolitan Police Department , who also happens to be among the 34 deadliest departments in the country .
The fact is that this article @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the people killed by police officers in these departments .
But that wouldn ’ t solve anything .
What we need right now are major changes inside police departments to curb their violent tendencies .
Until we end the war on drugs we can expect this problem to remain the same .
Until we end qualified immunity for police , the problem will not get better .
Until cops are held personally liable like doctors who commit malpractice , they will continue to pass their liability along to the taxpayers .
Finally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on citizens for victimless crimes and bring predatory policing to its knees , this problem will not go away .
We are ready for this change .
Are you ?
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Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
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Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
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By Matt Agorist
According to the most recent count of police killings, police in America have killed 1,039 people this year. Exactly 21 of these victims were at or under the age of 18 when their lives were taken by police officers who swore an oath to protect and serve. Many were unarmed while others were entirely innocent. All of them, however, were innocent until proven guilty — yet never got the option to plead their cases.
So far this year, there have only been 17 days in which police have not killed someone.
The problem of police violence was brought to the forefront of the national discussion earlier this year as millions of Americans took to shouting in the streets, rioting, and looting over the death of George Floyd. It became such a massive issue that even mainstream media was forced to admit that the United States has the most violent and deadly law enforcement system on the planet.
But did it lead to massive change, reform, or less police violence? That answer is a resounding no. In fact, on the day George Floyd was killed, as TFTP reported at the time, 5 other people were also killed.
While a few cities across the country made incredible changes to the way they police their citizens, including sending mental health experts instead of cops to hundreds of 911 calls, other cities carried out business as usual.
Though this is business as usual, it is no less shocking. The Free Thought Project decided to look into some numbers maintained by the organization at Mapping Police Violence and compare police killings with the national murder rate. These numbers are disturbing.
According to the most recent data from Pew Research in 2019, the US murder rate was 5.0 per 100,000, for a total of 15,498 murders. This is the national average, though there are many cities who exceed it and many who are far below.
When we compare cops in major cities to the national murder rate, we find a massive problem. According to the most recent data, there are a whopping 34 departments across the land of the free who kill people at higher rates than the US murder rate.
Become an Activist Post Patron for just $1 per month at Patreon.
If we zero in on just Black men, 8 of the 100 largest city police departments kill Black men at higher rate than the US murder rate. This is shocking, especially considering the fact that many of these folks are unarmed and innocent.
According to the data compiled from 2013-2019, the most deadly department in America happens to kill people at a nearly 370% higher rate than the national average. That department is the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department who became infamous for their tactics of war during the Ferguson Mike Brown protests.
Another department is Oklahoma City, who has a penchant for killing unarmed Black men. As we reported earlier this year, Oklahoma city cops killed an unarmed man on video as he repeatedly told them he can’t breathe.
Derrick Scott, 42, repeatedly told cops that he couldn’t breathe during his arrest last May, but cops couldn’t have cared less, and in fact, told this to Scott as he died.
“I don’t care,” one of the officers, Jarred Tipton, can be heard replying to Scott as he took his last breaths on this planet.
Another one of these 34 departments is in Aurora, Colorado who witnessed massive protests this year after several high profile police killings.
As TFTP reported, last August, Elijah McClain was killed by Aurora police after he was put in a chokehold and given the sedative ketamine. The incident began when someone in the neighborhood called the police because McClain was walking down the street with groceries while wearing a mask. McClain reportedly always wore the mask because he was anemic, and often got cold, and he was an introvert.
At the time of his death, he had never gotten so much as a speeding ticket in his life. He was completely innocent.
Breonna Taylor was also completely innocent when she was gunned down in her home by cops with the Louis Metropolitan Police Department, who also happens to be among the 34 deadliest departments in the country.
The fact is that this article could go on for days, naming all the people killed by police officers in these departments. But that wouldn’t solve anything.
What we need right now are major changes inside police departments to curb their violent tendencies. Until we end the war on drugs we can expect this problem to remain the same. Until we end qualified immunity for police, the problem will not get better. Until cops are held personally liable like doctors who commit malpractice, they will continue to pass their liability along to the taxpayers. Finally, until police in America stop preying on citizens for victimless crimes and bring predatory policing to its knees, this problem will not go away.
We are ready for this change. Are you?
Source: The Free Thought Project
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activistpost--2020-12-20--Walgreens Partners with Verizon to Install 5G in 9000+ U.S. Stores Despite Health Risks and Increasi

Walgreens Partners with Verizon to Install 5G in 9000+ U.S. Stores Despite Health Risks and Increasing 5G Opposition

It ’ s bad enough that Walgreens announced they would be installing creepy facial recognition tech in their stores last year in order to market more products to customers .
Now – despite increasing American 5G opposition and health risks from exposure – the company is partnering with Verizon to install it in thousands of their stores !
Bat-shit Crazy !
Become an Activist Post Patron for just $ 1 per month at Patreon .
COVID inspires Verizon to ‘ unlock ’ 5G in Walgreens stores across US to enhance health care tech Verizon Business and Walgreens Boots Alliance announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ customer experience in more than 9,000 Walgreens and Duane Reade locations across the US Verizon Business and Walgreens Boots Alliance ( WBA ) announced a multi-year strategic partnership enhancing health care services in a new way by leveraging 5G technology as businesses prepare for life after the coronavirus pandemic .
The two teaming up with offer Network as a Service ( NaaS ) to enhance the customer experience at the more than 9,000 Walgreens and Duane Reade locations across the country .
“ We ’ re super excited about this because this allows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new 5G applications and capabilities that we know we can unlock for clients like Walgreens and I love that they ’ re leading in and making health care easier for all of us , ” Tami Erwin , Verizon Business Executive Vice President and CEO , told “ Mornings with Maria.
” Walgreens is “ leading the world to how do we disrupt health care as we think about a post-COVID environment and we are delighted to be their partner of choice , not only be a network as a service , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the power and capability of 5G , ” Erwin told host Maria Bartiromo .
5G is so controversial that it ’ s become the subject of several “ Dilbert ” cartoons .
Since 2017 , doctors and scientists have asked for moratoriums on Earth and in space due to health and environmental risks ( see 1 , 2 ) .
Since 2018 there have been reports of people and animals experiencing symptoms and illnesses after 5G was installed ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ) .
In 2019 , telecom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had NO independent scientific evidence that 5G is safe .
Research has determined that it ’ s not .
High-speed internet is achievable , safer and more secure with a wired internet connection ( see 1 , 2 ) .
American 5G opposition is increasing for a variety of reasons in addition to health and environmental risks ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ) .
Federal agencies and credible experts have warned that it threatens aviation safety , jobs , national security , public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see 1 , 2 , 3 ) .
Recently , the Government Accountability Office identified daunting challenges with 5G deployment as well .
American municipalities have filed 5G lawsuits against the Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) because of unwanted deployment .
They have passed resolutions to ban deployment until studies prove it ’ s safe ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ) and ordinances to limit and/or control installation .
State representatives in Hawaii and Illinois have also introduced 5G bills to protect constituents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ban , delay , halt , and limit installation AS WELL AS issue moratoriums on deployment .
The majority of scientists worldwide oppose 5G deployment .
Of course exposure risks ARE NOT exclusive to 5G .
Last year The World Health Organization warned that high levels of Electromagnetic Fields ( aka “ Electrosmog ” ) could cause health issues in a significant percentage of the population .
But whatever , Walgreens .
You may find that exposing your customers and employees to 5G may be really bad for your bottom line and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting sick – they may hold you liable .
Customers can also get their prescriptions and other items from other stores .
If you oppose 5G , be sure to sign this petition asking President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris to stop deployment ASAP .
Activist Post reports regularly about 5G and other unsafe technology .
For more information visit our archives and the following websites .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE !
Follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Flote , Minds , MeWe and Twitter .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By B.N. Frank
It’s bad enough that Walgreens announced they would be installing creepy facial recognition tech in their stores last year in order to market more products to customers.
Now – despite increasing American 5G opposition and health risks from exposure – the company is partnering with Verizon to install it in thousands of their stores! Bat-shit Crazy!
Become an Activist Post Patron for just $1 per month at Patreon.
From Fox Business News:
COVID inspires Verizon to ‘unlock’ 5G in Walgreens stores across US to enhance health care tech Verizon Business and Walgreens Boots Alliance announced a multi-year strategic partnership to enhance the customer experience in more than 9,000 Walgreens and Duane Reade locations across the US Verizon Business and Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) announced a multi-year strategic partnership enhancing health care services in a new way by leveraging 5G technology as businesses prepare for life after the coronavirus pandemic. The two teaming up with offer Network as a Service (NaaS) to enhance the customer experience at the more than 9,000 Walgreens and Duane Reade locations across the country. “We’re super excited about this because this allows us to really lean into some of the new 5G applications and capabilities that we know we can unlock for clients like Walgreens and I love that they’re leading in and making health care easier for all of us,” Tami Erwin, Verizon Business Executive Vice President and CEO, told “Mornings with Maria.” Walgreens is “leading the world to how do we disrupt health care as we think about a post-COVID environment and we are delighted to be their partner of choice, not only be a network as a service, but manage service with security and with the power and capability of 5G,” Erwin told host Maria Bartiromo. Read full article
5G is so controversial that it’s become the subject of several “Dilbert” cartoons. Since 2017, doctors and scientists have asked for moratoriums on Earth and in space due to health and environmental risks (see 1, 2). Since 2018 there have been reports of people and animals experiencing symptoms and illnesses after 5G was installed (see 1, 2, 3, 4). In 2019, telecom executives gave U.S. congressional testimony that they had NO independent scientific evidence that 5G is safe. Research has determined that it’s not.
High-speed internet is achievable, safer and more secure with a wired internet connection (see 1, 2). American 5G opposition is increasing for a variety of reasons in addition to health and environmental risks (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). Federal agencies and credible experts have warned that it threatens aviation safety, jobs, national security, public safety, and weather forecasting accuracy (see 1, 2, 3). Recently, the Government Accountability Office identified daunting challenges with 5G deployment as well.
American municipalities have filed 5G lawsuits against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) because of unwanted deployment. They have passed resolutions to ban deployment until studies prove it’s safe (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) and ordinances to limit and/or control installation. State representatives in Hawaii and Illinois have also introduced 5G bills to protect constituents. Cities AND entire countries have taken action to ban, delay, halt, and limit installation AS WELL AS issue moratoriums on deployment.
The majority of scientists worldwide oppose 5G deployment. Of course exposure risks ARE NOT exclusive to 5G. Last year The World Health Organization warned that high levels of Electromagnetic Fields (aka “Electrosmog”) could cause health issues in a significant percentage of the population.
But whatever, Walgreens. You may find that exposing your customers and employees to 5G may be really bad for your bottom line and your reputation. When your employees start getting sick – they may hold you liable. Customers can also get their prescriptions and other items from other stores.
If you oppose 5G, be sure to sign this petition asking President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris to stop deployment ASAP.
Activist Post reports regularly about 5G and other unsafe technology. For more information visit our archives and the following websites.
Become a Patron!
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, MeWe and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-12-21--“Trying To Get The Hell Out” – Emergency Lockdown In London Triggers Mass Exodus


activistpost--2020-12-21--34 Police Departments Kill Citizens At Higher Rates Than the US Murder Rate


activistpost--2020-12-21--McDonald’s Restaurants Are Putting Cameras, Sensors, and AI Technology in Their Dumpsters

McDonald ’ s restaurants are putting cameras in their dumpsters and trash containers in an effort to improve their recycling efforts and save money on waste collection .
Nordstrom department stores are doing this as well .
Here ’ s why some McDonald ’ s restaurants are putting cameras in their dumpsters ( CNN Business ) Jason Gates spends a lot of his time thinking about trash , and how we can generate less of it .
Since 2013 his San Francisco-based startup , Compology , has used cameras and artificial intelligence to monitor what ’ s thrown into dumpsters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McDonald ’ s restaurants and Nordstrom department stores .
The point is to make sure dumpsters are actually full before they ’ re emptied and to stop recyclable materials like cardboard from being contaminated by other junk so it , too , doesn ’ t become waste .
“ We ’ ve found that most businesses and people have the right intentions about recycling , but oftentimes they just don ’ t know what the proper way to recycle is , ” Gates , CEO of Compology , told CNN Business ’ Rachel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ correctly , Compology puts trash-monitoring cameras and sensors inside industrial waste containers .
The cameras take photos several times each day and when the container is lifted for dumping .
An accelerometer helps trigger the camera on garbage day .
AI software analyzes the images to figure out how full the container is and can also let a customer know when something is where it shouldn ’ t be , such as a bag of trash tossed into a dumpster filled with cardboard boxes for recycling .
Gates said the company ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ materials thrown in waste containers by as much as 80 % .
While this seems like a noble effort toward efficiency and environmental preservation , it ’ s worth mentioning that the same type of technology can eventually be used for compulsory garbage sorting and waste disposal that targets individual people themselves , not only the trash .
Trends in A.I .
waste management could easily become far more invasive as “ smart bins ” proliferate as part of the Internet of Things .
This can even be extended into a social credit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mag back in 2017 : A Smart Recycling Bin Could Sort Your Waste for You Wimalaratne and his team envision the smart bins as working like this : a consumer goes to a Starbucks and orders a latte in a paper cup ( or a juice in a plastic bottle , or a milk in a carton , etc. )
.
Once he ’ s finished , he goes up and taps his phone against the bin , registering his identity with the bin app via Bluetooth .
He then holds his cup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which take two photos .
The computer vision identifies the material and lights up the correct area of the bin .
The user then gets a reward via the app .
That reward would depend on the bin ’ s owner or sponsor .
In a Starbucks , for example , it could be points towards a free coffee .
But it could be anything : charity donations , free merchandise and so on .
If the user didn ’ t want to use the app or register his identity , he could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them know where to toss his cup .
The foundation for this has been laid in China , as reported by China Daily : Shanghai ’ s regulation requires people to sort trash into four categories – dry garbage , wet garbage ( kitchen waste ) , recyclables and hazardous waste .
Individuals who fail to do so may be fined up to 200 yuan ( $ 29.11 ) , while companies and institutions face fines of up to 50,000 yuan… By 2022 , every city at the prefecture level and above should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ household garbage is classified , and by 2025 they should have their own household garbage sorting and disposal systems .
( Source : China Daily ) A 2019 study also determined that Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) could affect all occupational groups .
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By B.N. Frank
McDonald’s restaurants are putting cameras in their dumpsters and trash containers in an effort to improve their recycling efforts and save money on waste collection. Nordstrom department stores are doing this as well.
From CNN:
Here’s why some McDonald’s restaurants are putting cameras in their dumpsters By Rachel Metz, CNN Business (CNN Business) Jason Gates spends a lot of his time thinking about trash, and how we can generate less of it. Since 2013 his San Francisco-based startup, Compology, has used cameras and artificial intelligence to monitor what’s thrown into dumpsters and trash containers at businesses such as McDonald’s restaurants and Nordstrom department stores. The point is to make sure dumpsters are actually full before they’re emptied and to stop recyclable materials like cardboard from being contaminated by other junk so it, too, doesn’t become waste. “We’ve found that most businesses and people have the right intentions about recycling, but oftentimes they just don’t know what the proper way to recycle is,” Gates, CEO of Compology, told CNN Business’ Rachel Crane. To help them do it correctly, Compology puts trash-monitoring cameras and sensors inside industrial waste containers. The cameras take photos several times each day and when the container is lifted for dumping. An accelerometer helps trigger the camera on garbage day. AI software analyzes the images to figure out how full the container is and can also let a customer know when something is where it shouldn’t be, such as a bag of trash tossed into a dumpster filled with cardboard boxes for recycling. Gates said the company’s cameras can cut the amount of non-recyclable materials thrown in waste containers by as much as 80%. Read full article
While this seems like a noble effort toward efficiency and environmental preservation, it’s worth mentioning that the same type of technology can eventually be used for compulsory garbage sorting and waste disposal that targets individual people themselves, not only the trash. Trends in A.I. waste management could easily become far more invasive as “smart bins” proliferate as part of the Internet of Things. This can even be extended into a social credit system, as was discussed in Smithsonian Mag back in 2017:
A Smart Recycling Bin Could Sort Your Waste for You Wimalaratne and his team envision the smart bins as working like this: a consumer goes to a Starbucks and orders a latte in a paper cup (or a juice in a plastic bottle, or a milk in a carton, etc.). Once he’s finished, he goes up and taps his phone against the bin, registering his identity with the bin app via Bluetooth. He then holds his cup over the bin’s cameras, which take two photos. The computer vision identifies the material and lights up the correct area of the bin. The user then gets a reward via the app. That reward would depend on the bin’s owner or sponsor. In a Starbucks, for example, it could be points towards a free coffee. But it could be anything: charity donations, free merchandise and so on. If the user didn’t want to use the app or register his identity, he could simply use the computer vision to help them know where to toss his cup.
The foundation for this has been laid in China, as reported by China Daily:
The era of compulsory garbage sorting begins Shanghai’s regulation requires people to sort trash into four categories – dry garbage, wet garbage (kitchen waste), recyclables and hazardous waste. Individuals who fail to do so may be fined up to 200 yuan ($29.11), while companies and institutions face fines of up to 50,000 yuan… By 2022, every city at the prefecture level and above should have at least one district where all household garbage is classified, and by 2025 they should have their own household garbage sorting and disposal systems. (Source: China Daily)
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From Xinhua:
With the prevalence of smartphones, many cities in China, including Shanghai, have established a “green account” system. Each time a resident dumps garbage in compliance with regulations, they will collect a certain amount of “green points,” which can be later used to exchange for living goods.
A 2019 study also determined that Artificial Intelligence (AI) could affect all occupational groups.
Image: Pixabay
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activistpost--2020-12-22--The Slow-Motion Tragedy of Ola Bini’s Trial

EFF has been tracking the arrest , detention , and subsequent investigation of Ola Bini since its beginnings over 18 months ago .
Bini , a Swedish-born open-source developer , was arrested in Ecuador ’ s Quito Airport in a flurry of media attention in April 2019 .
He was held without trial for ten weeks while prosecutors seized and pored over his technology , his business , and his private communications , looking for evidence attaching him to an alleged conspiracy to destabilize the Ecuadorean government .
Now , after months of delay , an Ecuadorean pre-trial judge has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bini ’ s defense documenting over hundred procedural and civil liberty violations made in the course of the investigation .
EFF was one of the many human rights organizations , including Amnesty International , who were refused permission by the judge to act as observers at Wednesday ’ s hearing .
Bini , a Swedish-born open-source developer , was seized by police at Quito Airport shortly after Ecuador ’ s Interior Minister , Maria Paula Romo , held a press conference warning the country of an imminent cyber-attack .
Romo spoke hours after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ecuador ’ s London Embassy , and claimed that a group of Russians and WikiLeaks-connected hackers were in the country , planning an attack in retaliation for the eviction .
No further details of this sabotage plot were ever revealed , nor has it been explained how the Minister knew of the gangs ’ plans in advance .
Instead , only Bini was detained , imprisoned , and held in detention for 71 days without charge until a provincial court , facing a habeas corpus order , declared his imprisonment unlawful and released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Romo was dismissed as minister last month for ordering the use of tear gas against anti-government protestors . )
EFF visited Ecuador to investigate complaints of injustice in the case in August 2019 .
We concluded that the Bini affair had the sadly familiar hallmark of a politicized “ hacker panic ” where media depictions of hacking super-criminals and overbroad cyber-crime laws together encourage unjust prosecutions when the political and social atmosphere demands it .
( EFF ’ s founding in 1990 was in part due to a notorious , and similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Secret Service , documented in Bruce Sterling ’ s Hacker Crackdown . )
While the Ecuadorian government continues to portray him to journalists as a WikiLeaks-employed malicious cybercriminal , his reputation outside the prosecution is very different .
An advocate for a secure and open Internet and computer language expert , Bini is primarily known for his non-profit work on the secure communication protocol , OTP , and contributions to the Java implementation of the Ruby programming language .
He has also contributed to EFF ’ s Certbot project , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He moved to Ecuador during his employment at the global consultancy ThoughtWorks , which has an office in the country ’ s capital .
After several months of poring over his devices , prosecutors have been able to provide only one piece of supposedly incriminating data : a copy of a screenshot , taken by Bini himself and sent to a colleague , that shows the telnet login screen of a router .
From the context , it ’ s clear that Bini was expressing surprise that the telco router was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attention to this potential security issue .
Bini did not go further than the login prompt in his investigation of the open machine .
Defense and prosecution will now make arguments on the admissibility of this and other non-technical evidence , and the judge will determine if and when Bini ’ s case will progress to a full trial in the New Year .
We , once again , urge Ecuador ’ s judiciary to impartially consider the shaky grounds for this case , and divorce their deliberations from the politicized framing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
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By Danny O’Brien
EFF has been tracking the arrest, detention, and subsequent investigation of Ola Bini since its beginnings over 18 months ago. Bini, a Swedish-born open-source developer, was arrested in Ecuador’s Quito Airport in a flurry of media attention in April 2019. He was held without trial for ten weeks while prosecutors seized and pored over his technology, his business, and his private communications, looking for evidence attaching him to an alleged conspiracy to destabilize the Ecuadorean government.
Now, after months of delay, an Ecuadorean pre-trial judge has failed to dismiss the case – despite Bini’s defense documenting over hundred procedural and civil liberty violations made in the course of the investigation. EFF was one of the many human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, who were refused permission by the judge to act as observers at Wednesday’s hearing.
Bini, a Swedish-born open-source developer, was seized by police at Quito Airport shortly after Ecuador’s Interior Minister, Maria Paula Romo, held a press conference warning the country of an imminent cyber-attack. Romo spoke hours after the government had ejected Julian Assange from Ecuador’s London Embassy, and claimed that a group of Russians and WikiLeaks-connected hackers were in the country, planning an attack in retaliation for the eviction. No further details of this sabotage plot were ever revealed, nor has it been explained how the Minister knew of the gangs’ plans in advance. Instead, only Bini was detained, imprisoned, and held in detention for 71 days without charge until a provincial court, facing a habeas corpus order, declared his imprisonment unlawful and released him to his friends and family. (Romo was dismissed as minister last month for ordering the use of tear gas against anti-government protestors.)
EFF visited Ecuador to investigate complaints of injustice in the case in August 2019. We concluded that the Bini affair had the sadly familiar hallmark of a politicized “hacker panic” where media depictions of hacking super-criminals and overbroad cyber-crime laws together encourage unjust prosecutions when the political and social atmosphere demands it. (EFF’s founding in 1990 was in part due to a notorious, and similar, case pursued in the United States by the Secret Service, documented in Bruce Sterling’s Hacker Crackdown.)
While the Ecuadorian government continues to portray him to journalists as a WikiLeaks-employed malicious cybercriminal, his reputation outside the prosecution is very different. An advocate for a secure and open Internet and computer language expert, Bini is primarily known for his non-profit work on the secure communication protocol, OTP, and contributions to the Java implementation of the Ruby programming language. He has also contributed to EFF’s Certbot project, which provides easy-to-use security for millions of websites. He moved to Ecuador during his employment at the global consultancy ThoughtWorks, which has an office in the country’s capital.
After several months of poring over his devices, prosecutors have been able to provide only one piece of supposedly incriminating data: a copy of a screenshot, taken by Bini himself and sent to a colleague, that shows the telnet login screen of a router. From the context, it’s clear that Bini was expressing surprise that the telco router was not firewalled, and was seeking to draw attention to this potential security issue. Bini did not go further than the login prompt in his investigation of the open machine.
Defense and prosecution will now make arguments on the admissibility of this and other non-technical evidence, and the judge will determine if and when Bini’s case will progress to a full trial in the New Year.
We, once again, urge Ecuador’s judiciary to impartially consider the shaky grounds for this case, and divorce their deliberations from the politicized framing that has surrounded this prosecution from the start.
Source: EFF.org
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activistpost--2020-12-22--New Jersey Bill Would Allow Utility Customers to Opt Out from Smart Meters, Undermine Federal Progra

New Jersey Bill Would Allow Utility Customers to Opt Out from Smart Meters, Undermine Federal Program

A bill filed in the New Jersey Assembly would allow customers to opt out of installing “ smart meter ” technology on their homes and businesses .
Passage of this bill would enable residents in these states to protect their own privacy , and it would take a step toward blocking a federal program in effect .
Asm .
Ronald Dancer , along with two Republican cosponsors , introduced Assembly Bill 2994 last year and it will carry over to the 2021 session as Assembly Bill 4914 ( A4914 ) .
The legislation would ensure utility customers can easily opt-out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitor home energy usage in minute detail in real-time .
The devices transmit data to the utility company where it gets stored in databases .
Anybody with access to the data can download it for analysts .
Without specific criteria limiting access to the data , these devices create significant privacy issues .
Smart meters can also be used to remotely limit power usage during peak hours .
Under the proposed law , utility companies would be required to obtain written consent from customers before installing smart meters .
This bill actually goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of putting the onus on the customer to opt out , the utility company must take the initiative and get express consent before installing this technology on a home or business .
• Smart meters will reveal the activities of people inside of a home by measuring their electricity , gas , or water usage frequently over time .
• inadequate cybersecurity measures surrounding the digital transmission of smart meter data will expose it to misuse by authorized and unauthorized users of the data .
The Electronic Privacy Information Center ( EPIC ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues , including identity theft , the ability to determine personal behavior patterns , the ability to perform real-time surveillance , reveal activities through the analysis of residual data , and behavior tracking .
According to EPIC , “ If plans for national or transnational electric utility smart grid systems proceed as currently proposed these far-reaching networks will enable data collection and sharing across platforms and great distances.
” The data collected can tell anybody who holds it a great deal about what goes on inside a home .
It can reveal when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or on vacation .
It can also pinpoint “ unusual ” energy use , and could someday serve to help enforce “ energy usage ” regulations .
The ACLU summarized the privacy issues surrounding smart meters in a recent report .
“ The temptation to use the information that will be collected from customers for something other than managing electrical loads will be strong – as it has been for cell phone tracking data and GPS information .
Police may want to know your general comings and goings or whether you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lights .
Advertisers will want the information to sell you a new washing machine to replace the energy hog you got as a wedding present 20 years ago .
Information flowing in a smart grid will become more and more ‘ granular ’ as the system develops.
” The privacy issues aren ’ t merely theoretical .
According to information obtained by the California ACLU , utility companies in the state have disclosed information gathered by smart meters on thousands of customers .
San Diego Gas and Electric alone disclosed data on more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of disclosures were in response to subpoenas by government agencies “ often in drug enforcement cases or efforts to find specific individuals , ” according to SFGate .
Refusing to allow a smart meter on your property is the only sure-fire way to ensure your energy use data won ’ t fall into the hands of government agents or private marketers or end up stored in some kind of government database .
Passage of A4914 would make opting out a legal option for New Jersians and give them control over their own privacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major source of funding for smart meters .
A 2009 program through the U.S. Department of Energy distributed $ 4.5 billion for smart grid technology .
The initial projects were expected to fund the installation of 1.8 million smart meters over three years .
The federal government lacks any constitutional authority to fund smart grid technology .
The easiest way to nullify such programs is to simply not participate .
This legislation would make that possible .
If enough states pass similar legislation , and enough people opt out , the program will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a similar opt-out movement undermining Common Core in New York .
Opting out follows a strategy James Madison advised in Federalist # 46 .
“ Refusal to cooperate with officers of the Union ” provides a powerful means to fight back against government overreach .
Such actions in multiple states would likely be effective in bringing down federal smart meter programs .
A4914 was referred to the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee where it must pass by a majority vote before moving forward in the legislative process .
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Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Michael Maharrey
A bill filed in the New Jersey Assembly would allow customers to opt out of installing “smart meter” technology on their homes and businesses. Passage of this bill would enable residents in these states to protect their own privacy, and it would take a step toward blocking a federal program in effect.
Asm. Ronald Dancer, along with two Republican cosponsors, introduced Assembly Bill 2994 last year and it will carry over to the 2021 session as Assembly Bill 4914 (A4914). The legislation would ensure utility customers can easily opt-out of smart meter programs.
Smart meters monitor home energy usage in minute detail in real-time. The devices transmit data to the utility company where it gets stored in databases. Anybody with access to the data can download it for analysts. Without specific criteria limiting access to the data, these devices create significant privacy issues. Smart meters can also be used to remotely limit power usage during peak hours.
Under the proposed law, utility companies would be required to obtain written consent from customers before installing smart meters.
“An electric public utility shall not install an advanced or smart energy meter unless the electric public utility has obtained the customer’s written consent, as determined by the board, and has provided the customer with a written disclosure detailing the type of data that will be transmitted from a customer’s advanced or smart energy meter to the electric public utility, how the data will be used, and any potential disclosure of the data to a third-party.”
This bill actually goes further than most smart-meter legislation. Instead of putting the onus on the customer to opt out, the utility company must take the initiative and get express consent before installing this technology on a home or business.
Privacy Concerns
The proliferation of smart meters creates significant privacy concerns.
SmartGridAwareness.org lists two broad ways this technology threatens individual privacy.
Smart meters will reveal the activities of people inside of a home by measuring their electricity, gas, or water usage frequently over time.
inadequate cybersecurity measures surrounding the digital transmission of smart meter data will expose it to misuse by authorized and unauthorized users of the data.
Activist Post Recommended Book: The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) lists a number of specific potential privacy issues, including identity theft, the ability to determine personal behavior patterns, the ability to perform real-time surveillance, reveal activities through the analysis of residual data, and behavior tracking. According to EPIC, “If plans for national or transnational electric utility smart grid systems proceed as currently proposed these far-reaching networks will enable data collection and sharing across platforms and great distances.”
The data collected can tell anybody who holds it a great deal about what goes on inside a home. It can reveal when residents are at home, asleep, or on vacation. It can also pinpoint “unusual” energy use, and could someday serve to help enforce “energy usage” regulations. The ACLU summarized the privacy issues surrounding smart meters in a recent report.
“The temptation to use the information that will be collected from customers for something other than managing electrical loads will be strong – as it has been for cell phone tracking data and GPS information. Police may want to know your general comings and goings or whether you’re growing marijuana in your basement under grow lights. Advertisers will want the information to sell you a new washing machine to replace the energy hog you got as a wedding present 20 years ago. Information flowing in a smart grid will become more and more ‘granular’ as the system develops.”
The privacy issues aren’t merely theoretical. According to information obtained by the California ACLU, utility companies in the state have disclosed information gathered by smart meters on thousands of customers. San Diego Gas and Electric alone disclosed data on more than 4,000 customers. The vast majority of disclosures were in response to subpoenas by government agencies “often in drug enforcement cases or efforts to find specific individuals,” according to SFGate.
Mark Toney, executive director of the Utility Reform Network watchdog group, said the sheer number of data disclosures made by SDG&E raised the possibility that government agencies wanted to sift through large amounts of data looking for patterns, rather than conducting targeted investigations.
No Smart Meter, No Data
Refusing to allow a smart meter on your property is the only sure-fire way to ensure your energy use data won’t fall into the hands of government agents or private marketers or end up stored in some kind of government database. Passage of A4914 would make opting out a legal option for New Jersians and give them control over their own privacy.
Impact on Federal Program
The federal government serves as a major source of funding for smart meters. A 2009 program through the U.S. Department of Energy distributed $4.5 billion for smart grid technology. The initial projects were expected to fund the installation of 1.8 million smart meters over three years.
The federal government lacks any constitutional authority to fund smart grid technology. The easiest way to nullify such programs is to simply not participate. This legislation would make that possible. If enough states pass similar legislation, and enough people opt out, the program will go nowhere.
We’ve seen a similar opt-out movement undermining Common Core in New York. Opting out follows a strategy James Madison advised in Federalist #46. “Refusal to cooperate with officers of the Union” provides a powerful means to fight back against government overreach. Such actions in multiple states would likely be effective in bringing down federal smart meter programs.
WHAT’S NEXT
A4914 was referred to the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee where it must pass by a majority vote before moving forward in the legislative process.
Source: Tenth Amendment Center
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