activistpost--2020-03-19--Senator Dumped Up to $1.6 Million of Stock After Reassuring Public About Coronavirus Preparedness

Soon after he offered public assurances that the government was ready to battle the coronavirus , the powerful chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee , Richard Burr , sold off a significant percentage of his stocks , unloading between $ 582,029 and $ 1.56 million of his holdings on Feb. 13 in 29 separate transactions .
As the head of the intelligence committee , Burr , a North Carolina Republican , has access to the government ’ s most highly classified information about threats to America ’ s security .
His committee was receiving daily coronavirus briefings around this time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A week after Burr ’ s sales , the stock market began a sharp decline and has lost about 30 % since .
On Thursday , Burr came under fire after NPR obtained a secret recording from Feb. 27 , in which the lawmaker gave a VIP group at an exclusive social club a much more dire preview of the economic impact of the coronavirus than what he had told the public .
“ Senator Burr filed a financial disclosure form for personal transactions made several weeks before the U.S. and financial markets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growing coronavirus outbreak , ” his spokesperson said .
“ As the situation continues to evolve daily , he has been deeply concerned by the steep and sudden toll this pandemic is taking on our economy.
” Burr is not a particularly wealthy member of the Senate : Roll Call estimated his net worth at $ 1.7 million in 2018 , indicating that the February sales significantly shaped his financial fortunes and spared him from some of the pain that many Americans are now facing .
He was one of the authors of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which shapes the nation ’ s response to public health threats like the coronavirus .
Burr ’ s office did not respond to requests for comment about what sort of briefing materials , if any , on the coronavirus threat Burr may have seen as chair of the intelligence committee before his selling spree .
According to the NPR report , Burr told attendees of the luncheon held at the Capitol Hill Club : “ There ’ s one thing that I can tell you about this : It is much more aggressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have seen in recent history … It is probably more akin to the 1918 pandemic.
” He warned that companies might have to curtail their employees ’ travel , that schools could close and that the military might be mobilized to compensate for overwhelmed hospitals .
The luncheon was organized by the Tar Heel Circle , a club for businesses and organizations in North Carolina that are charged up to $ 10,000 for membership and are promised “ interaction with top leaders and staff from Congress , the administration , and the private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been considerably less dire .
In a Feb. 7 op-ed that he co-authored with another senator , he assured the public that “ the United States today is better prepared than ever before to face emerging public health threats , like the coronavirus.
” He wrote , “ No matter the outbreak or threat , Congress and the federal government have been vigilant in identifying gaps in its readiness efforts and improving its response capabilities.
” Members of Congress are required by law to disclose their securities transactions .
Burr was one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposed the bill that explicitly barred lawmakers and their staff from using nonpublic information for trades and required regular disclosure of those trades .
In opposing the bill , Burr argued at the time that insider trading laws already applied to members of Congress .
President Barack Obama signed the bill , known as the STOCK Act , that year .
Stock transactions of lawmakers are reported in ranges .
Burr ’ s Feb. 13 selling spree was his largest stock selling day of at least the past 14 months , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unlike his typical disclosure reports , which are a mix of sales and purchases , all of the transactions were sales .
His biggest sales included companies that are among the most vulnerable to an economic slowdown .
He dumped up to $ 150,000 worth of shares of Wyndham Hotels and Resorts , a chain based in the United States that has lost two-thirds of its value .
And he sold up to $ 100,000 of shares of Extended Stay America , an economy hospitality chain .
Shares of that company are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did at the time Burr sold .
The assets come from accounts that are held by Burr , belong to his spouse or are jointly held .
Do you have access to information about the coming corporate and economic bailouts that should be public ?
Email Robert at [ email protected ] or reach him on Signal/WhatsApp at 213-271-7217 .
Here ’ s how to send tips and documents to ProPublica securely .
Sen. Richard Burr , R-N.C. , reassured the public about coronavirus preparedness and then soon dumped stocks .
( Bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ )

By Robert Faturechi and Derek Willis
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published.
Soon after he offered public assurances that the government was ready to battle the coronavirus, the powerful chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Richard Burr, sold off a significant percentage of his stocks, unloading between $582,029 and $1.56 million of his holdings on Feb. 13 in 29 separate transactions.
As the head of the intelligence committee, Burr, a North Carolina Republican, has access to the government’s most highly classified information about threats to America’s security. His committee was receiving daily coronavirus briefings around this time, according to a Reuters story.
A week after Burr’s sales, the stock market began a sharp decline and has lost about 30% since.
On Thursday, Burr came under fire after NPR obtained a secret recording from Feb. 27, in which the lawmaker gave a VIP group at an exclusive social club a much more dire preview of the economic impact of the coronavirus than what he had told the public.
“Senator Burr filed a financial disclosure form for personal transactions made several weeks before the U.S. and financial markets showed signs of volatility due to the growing coronavirus outbreak,” his spokesperson said. “As the situation continues to evolve daily, he has been deeply concerned by the steep and sudden toll this pandemic is taking on our economy.”
Burr is not a particularly wealthy member of the Senate: Roll Call estimated his net worth at $1.7 million in 2018, indicating that the February sales significantly shaped his financial fortunes and spared him from some of the pain that many Americans are now facing.
He was one of the authors of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, which shapes the nation’s response to public health threats like the coronavirus. Burr’s office did not respond to requests for comment about what sort of briefing materials, if any, on the coronavirus threat Burr may have seen as chair of the intelligence committee before his selling spree.
According to the NPR report, Burr told attendees of the luncheon held at the Capitol Hill Club: “There’s one thing that I can tell you about this: It is much more aggressive in its transmission than anything that we have seen in recent history … It is probably more akin to the 1918 pandemic.”
He warned that companies might have to curtail their employees’ travel, that schools could close and that the military might be mobilized to compensate for overwhelmed hospitals.
The luncheon was organized by the Tar Heel Circle, a club for businesses and organizations in North Carolina that are charged up to $10,000 for membership and are promised “interaction with top leaders and staff from Congress, the administration, and the private sector.”
Burr’s public comments had been considerably less dire. In a Feb. 7 op-ed that he co-authored with another senator, he assured the public that “the United States today is better prepared than ever before to face emerging public health threats, like the coronavirus.” He wrote, “No matter the outbreak or threat, Congress and the federal government have been vigilant in identifying gaps in its readiness efforts and improving its response capabilities.”
Members of Congress are required by law to disclose their securities transactions.
Burr was one of just three senators who in 2012 opposed the bill that explicitly barred lawmakers and their staff from using nonpublic information for trades and required regular disclosure of those trades. In opposing the bill, Burr argued at the time that insider trading laws already applied to members of Congress. President Barack Obama signed the bill, known as the STOCK Act, that year.
Stock transactions of lawmakers are reported in ranges. Burr’s Feb. 13 selling spree was his largest stock selling day of at least the past 14 months, according to a ProPublica review of Senate records. Unlike his typical disclosure reports, which are a mix of sales and purchases, all of the transactions were sales.
His biggest sales included companies that are among the most vulnerable to an economic slowdown. He dumped up to $150,000 worth of shares of Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, a chain based in the United States that has lost two-thirds of its value. And he sold up to $100,000 of shares of Extended Stay America, an economy hospitality chain. Shares of that company are now worth less than half of what they did at the time Burr sold.
The assets come from accounts that are held by Burr, belong to his spouse or are jointly held.
Follow and support ProPublica’s reporting HERE.
Also see, second senator: Sen. Kelly Loeffler Dumped Millions in Stock After Coronavirus Briefing
Do you have access to information about the coming corporate and economic bailouts that should be public? Email Robert at robert.faturechi@propublica.org or reach him on Signal/WhatsApp at 213-271-7217. Here’s how to send tips and documents to ProPublica securely.
Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., reassured the public about coronavirus preparedness and then soon dumped stocks. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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activistpost--2020-03-19--COVID-1984: A Global 9/11

COVID-1984: A Global 9/11

In this interview Spiro is joined by the host of Geopolitics and Empire who was recently censored by YouTube , having his interview with Professor Francis Boyle removed regarding the coronavirus .
This report exposes the current censorship campaign by the social media giants who are working in lockstep with governments and global institutions , taking a page directly from the Event 201 global pandemic exercise simulating a coronavirus outbreak .
What stage of the game are we in currently ?
Where can we expect this crisis to go in the next stages ?
All of this and more , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Talks With the US Government to Use Your Location Data to Fight COVID-19 https : //www.activistpost.com/2020/03/big-tech-in-talks-with-the-us-government-to-use-your-location-data-to-fight-covid-19.html DoD likely to split JEDI contract between Amazon and Microsoft , analyst says https : //www.geekwire.com/2020/dod-likely-split-jedi-contract-amazon-microsoft-analyst-says/ Identifying and Assessing the Drivers of Global Catastrophic Risk : A Review and Proposal for the Global Challenges Foundation https : //globalchallenges.org/wp-content/uploads/Assessing-the-Drivers-of-Global-Catastrophic-Risk-Final.pdf Stunning insights into the Corona-panic by Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg .
https : //www.youtube.com/watch ?
v=p_AyuhbnPOI Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
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Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Spiro Skouras
In this interview Spiro is joined by the host of Geopolitics and Empire who was recently censored by YouTube, having his interview with Professor Francis Boyle removed regarding the coronavirus.
This report exposes the current censorship campaign by the social media giants who are working in lockstep with governments and global institutions, taking a page directly from the Event 201 global pandemic exercise simulating a coronavirus outbreak.
What stage of the game are we in currently? Where can we expect this crisis to go in the next stages? All of this and more, covered in this report.
Links
Geopolitics & Empire
http://guadalajarageopolitics.com
Big Tech in Talks With the US Government to Use Your Location Data to Fight COVID-19
https://www.activistpost.com/2020/03/big-tech-in-talks-with-the-us-government-to-use-your-location-data-to-fight-covid-19.html
DoD likely to split JEDI contract between Amazon and Microsoft, analyst says
https://www.geekwire.com/2020/dod-likely-split-jedi-contract-amazon-microsoft-analyst-says/
Identifying and Assessing the Drivers of Global Catastrophic Risk: A Review and Proposal for the Global Challenges Foundation
https://globalchallenges.org/wp-content/uploads/Assessing-the-Drivers-of-Global-Catastrophic-Risk-Final.pdf
Stunning insights into the Corona-panic by Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_AyuhbnPOI
Follow Spiro on BitChute bitchute.com/channel/spiro/ Follow on Twitter https://twitter.com/o_rips
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, Flote, Minds, Twitter, and Steemit.
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activistpost--2020-03-19--Heads Up Internet: A Dangerous Zombie CFAA Expansion Bill is Back

A group of senators in Washington is trying—for the fourth time—to pass dangerous and misguided language that would amend and expand the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act ( CFAA ) , our nation ’ s notoriously vague anti-hacking law .
The language was first floated in 2015 , then again in 2016 , and again in 2018 .
Back in 2018 , the language made up a standalone bill , the International Cybercrime Prevention Act , and the Senators have dropped that entire bill into Title IV of the Defending American Security from Kremlin Aggression Act .
Title IV is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ botnets , but its provisions would have implications far beyond that limited context .
What it actually does is unnecessarily expand the CFAA without fixing any of the law ’ s existing problems .
The CFAA already threatens beneficial security research , and Title IV , which increases penalties , will only make that threat worse .
It also creates broad new authority for the government to obtain court orders to stop violations of the CFAA , or to order third parties to do so on its behalf .
This could result in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fails to provide any protections or give users any recourse if their systems are harmed .
Senators Whitehouse , Graham , and Blumenthal have included this language as one small section in a hundred-page bill that would do a variety of other things unrelated to botnets , like create a federal department to serve as the lead policy body on issues related to international cybersecurity and Internet freedom , and amend the criminal code to target election interference .
This was a bad idea when it was first introduced in 2015 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today—no matter what packaging the senators try to put it into .
Back in 2015 , when we opposed the original incarnation of this language , Senator Sheldon Whitehouse accused EFF and other civil liberties organizations as being part of a “ hidden pro-botnet , pro-foreign cyber criminal caucus.
” That was a ridiculous claim .
We are simply well aware of how the CFAA has been abused .
The CFAA is already the “ worst law in technology , ” and this bill would only make it worse , by making it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ malicious cybercrime is a noble goal , but we should do so via well-crafted and narrowly-targeted legislation—not via a bill that will threaten beneficial cybersecurity research .
Unnecessary Expansion of the CFAA Without Fixing Any of the Law ’ s Existing Problems This language would expand the existing prohibition in the CFAA against selling passwords to selling any “ means of access.
” Such an expansion is unnecessary and misguided .
The government has claimed that this change is necessary to enable prosecution of those selling or renting botnets to malicious actors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to commit a violation of the CFAA .
And the CFAA ’ s prohibitions on unauthorized access already criminalize the creation and use of malicious botnets .
What ’ s more , the proposed broad language— “ means of access ” —is in no way limited to the sale or rental of malicious botnets .
The bill fails to define “ means of access , ” and with no guidance , it is unclear how broadly prosecutors or courts will apply this provision .
The provision could make criminals of paid researchers who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disclose , and fix vulnerabilities .
This language would also create a broad new criminal violation and harsh penalties for damaging “ critical infrastructure ” computers .
The scope of critical infrastructure has been broadly interpreted by the Department of Homeland Security , which means these harsh penalties could have far-reaching implications—including for the security research community .
And because hacking computers is already illegal under the CFAA , this amendment—and its corresponding threat to beneficial security research—is wholly unnecessary .
New Authority for the Government to Obtain Civil Injunctions to Stop Violations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Avoid Collateral Damage This language would also amend 18 U.S.C .
§ 1345 to give the government new authority to obtain civil injunctions to force companies to stop service , redirect domain names , or take any other actions deemed necessary to stop violations of the CFAA .
Though the provision is ostensibly directed at stopping botnets , it could apply to a range of unrelated activities—such as activists who send faxes en masse to hundreds of members of Congress at once .
Significantly , this language fails to require that the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get caught up in such takeovers , such as botnet victims , or even people who simply use the same services as botnet operators .
Millions of Internet users witnessed the damage such lack of notice can cause back in 2014 , when Microsoft ’ s attempt to stop an 18,000-node botnet resulted in termination of Domain Name Service ( DNS ) to nearly 5,000,000 innocent subdomains—all because Microsoft got an ex parte court order that blocked notice to the DNS provider , No-IP.com .
Had the DNS provider received notice , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shutting off service for millions of innocent subdomains that were not a part of the botnet .
This language also provides innocent users no recourse if their systems are harmed , and allows companies that assist the government a free pass for any damage caused .
What We Really Need : Reform that Reins in the CFAA and Protects Security Researchers EFF will oppose the senators ’ misguided proposal—just like we did the last three times this zombie bill was proposed .
Whatever they call it , and whatever else they try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need is reform that reins in the CFAA , not a measure that makes things worse .
The proposed changes increase penalties , expand the state ’ s scope , and threaten the security community—all while failing to address ambiguity in existing law that has chilled security research , resulted in disproportionate penalties , and criminalized ordinary Internet activity .
In a world where everyone relies on the Internet for their personal and professional lives , Congress should be doing all it can to encourage good faith security research , which helps keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would do the opposite .
Jamie Williams is a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation , where she is part of EFF ’ s civil liberties team .
Jamie focuses on the First and Fourth Amendment implications of new technologies , and is part of EFF ’ s Coder ’ s Rights Project , which protects programmers and developers engaged in cutting-edge exploration of technology .
Jamie joined EFF in 2014 .
Prior to joining EFF , Jamie clerked for Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong in the Northern District of California , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an associate in the firms ’ litigation department .
Jamie was also a law clerk at the Alameda County Public Defender .
Jamie has a J.D .
from the University of California , Berkeley School of Law and a B.A .
in journalism from the University of Wisconsin , Madison .
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Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Follow us on SoMee , Flote , Minds , Twitter , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Jamie Williams
A group of senators in Washington is trying—for the fourth time—to pass dangerous and misguided language that would amend and expand the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), our nation’s notoriously vague anti-hacking law. The language was first floated in 2015, then again in 2016, and again in 2018. Back in 2018, the language made up a standalone bill, the International Cybercrime Prevention Act, and the Senators have dropped that entire bill into Title IV of the Defending American Security from Kremlin Aggression Act.
Title IV is ostensibly motivated by the threat posed by botnets, but its provisions would have implications far beyond that limited context. What it actually does is unnecessarily expand the CFAA without fixing any of the law’s existing problems. The CFAA already threatens beneficial security research, and Title IV, which increases penalties, will only make that threat worse. It also creates broad new authority for the government to obtain court orders to stop violations of the CFAA, or to order third parties to do so on its behalf. This could result in severe collateral damage, yet Title IV fails to provide any protections or give users any recourse if their systems are harmed.
Senators Whitehouse, Graham, and Blumenthal have included this language as one small section in a hundred-page bill that would do a variety of other things unrelated to botnets, like create a federal department to serve as the lead policy body on issues related to international cybersecurity and Internet freedom, and amend the criminal code to target election interference. This was a bad idea when it was first introduced in 2015, and it’s still a bad idea today—no matter what packaging the senators try to put it into.
Back in 2015, when we opposed the original incarnation of this language, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse accused EFF and other civil liberties organizations as being part of a “hidden pro-botnet, pro-foreign cyber criminal caucus.” That was a ridiculous claim. We are simply well aware of how the CFAA has been abused. The CFAA is already the “worst law in technology,” and this bill would only make it worse, by making it more vague and more draconian. Fighting malicious cybercrime is a noble goal, but we should do so via well-crafted and narrowly-targeted legislation—not via a bill that will threaten beneficial cybersecurity research.
Unnecessary Expansion of the CFAA Without Fixing Any of the Law’s Existing Problems
This language would expand the existing prohibition in the CFAA against selling passwords to selling any “means of access.” Such an expansion is unnecessary and misguided. The government has claimed that this change is necessary to enable prosecution of those selling or renting botnets to malicious actors, but any such behavior would constitute conspiracy to commit a violation of the CFAA. And the CFAA’s prohibitions on unauthorized access already criminalize the creation and use of malicious botnets.
What’s more, the proposed broad language—“means of access”—is in no way limited to the sale or rental of malicious botnets. The bill fails to define “means of access,” and with no guidance, it is unclear how broadly prosecutors or courts will apply this provision. The provision could make criminals of paid researchers who test access in order to identify, disclose, and fix vulnerabilities.
This language would also create a broad new criminal violation and harsh penalties for damaging “critical infrastructure” computers. The scope of critical infrastructure has been broadly interpreted by the Department of Homeland Security, which means these harsh penalties could have far-reaching implications—including for the security research community. And because hacking computers is already illegal under the CFAA, this amendment—and its corresponding threat to beneficial security research—is wholly unnecessary.
New Authority for the Government to Obtain Civil Injunctions to Stop Violations of the CFAA With No Protections to Avoid Collateral Damage
This language would also amend 18 U.S.C. § 1345 to give the government new authority to obtain civil injunctions to force companies to stop service, redirect domain names, or take any other actions deemed necessary to stop violations of the CFAA. Though the provision is ostensibly directed at stopping botnets, it could apply to a range of unrelated activities—such as activists who send faxes en masse to hundreds of members of Congress at once.
Significantly, this language fails to require that the government provide notice to innocent consumers who might get caught up in such takeovers, such as botnet victims, or even people who simply use the same services as botnet operators. Millions of Internet users witnessed the damage such lack of notice can cause back in 2014, when Microsoft’s attempt to stop an 18,000-node botnet resulted in termination of Domain Name Service (DNS) to nearly 5,000,000 innocent subdomains—all because Microsoft got an ex parte court order that blocked notice to the DNS provider, No-IP.com. Had the DNS provider received notice, it could have worked with Microsoft to avoid shutting off service for millions of innocent subdomains that were not a part of the botnet.
This language also provides innocent users no recourse if their systems are harmed, and allows companies that assist the government a free pass for any damage caused.
What We Really Need: Reform that Reins in the CFAA and Protects Security Researchers
EFF will oppose the senators’ misguided proposal—just like we did the last three times this zombie bill was proposed. Whatever they call it, and whatever else they try to attach to it, what we still need is reform that reins in the CFAA, not a measure that makes things worse.
The proposed changes increase penalties, expand the state’s scope, and threaten the security community—all while failing to address ambiguity in existing law that has chilled security research, resulted in disproportionate penalties, and criminalized ordinary Internet activity. In a world where everyone relies on the Internet for their personal and professional lives, Congress should be doing all it can to encourage good faith security research, which helps keep us all safe. The proposed language would do the opposite.
Article source: EFF.org
Jamie Williams is a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, where she is part of EFF’s civil liberties team. Jamie focuses on the First and Fourth Amendment implications of new technologies, and is part of EFF’s Coder’s Rights Project, which protects programmers and developers engaged in cutting-edge exploration of technology. Jamie joined EFF in 2014. Prior to joining EFF, Jamie clerked for Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong in the Northern District of California, and practiced at Paul Hastings LLP, as an associate in the firms’ litigation department. Jamie was also a law clerk at the Alameda County Public Defender. Jamie has a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and a B.A. in journalism from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
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activistpost--2020-03-19--Medical Martial Law Marches Forward And More Sanctions

Welcome to the 401st episode of New World Next Week — the video series from Corbett Report and Media Monarchy @ @ @ @ @ most important developments in open source intelligence news .
Covered this week : The US @ @ @ @ @ and Iran while implementing medical Martial Law domestically .
Subscribe to Corbett Report on YouTube @ @ @ @ @ Media Monarchy on YouTube or Bitchute and follow on Twitter .
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Provide @ @ @ @ @ unstable times !
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By James Corbett
Welcome to the 401st episode of New World Next Week — the video series from Corbett Report and Media Monarchy that covers some of the most important developments in open source intelligence news. Covered this week: The US is adding sanctions to Venezuela and Iran while implementing medical Martial Law domestically.
Subscribe to Corbett Report on YouTube or Bitchute. Subscribe to Media Monarchy on YouTube or Bitchute and follow on Twitter.
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activistpost--2020-03-19--Thanks to “Big Oil” and “Big Soda” Human Reliance on Plastic Is Killing Us and The Planet. What Can

Thanks to “Big Oil” and “Big Soda” Human Reliance on Plastic Is Killing Us and The Planet. What Can Be Done?

The first time I saw one of Bernie Sanders ’ presidential candidate TV ads , I immediately noticed the plastic water bottle at the podium where he was speaking .
I was mortified !
After all – he ’ s supposed to care about the environment .
So why is he drinking from a single use plastic water bottle ?
So yeah – I ’ m extremely concerned about plastic and I know I ’ m not alone .
There are so many reports about how drastically reducing its production and use is essential to the health of our planet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time – humans have become so freaking reliant on it .
Bernie with the single-use water bottle is one of countless examples .
We can ’ t condemn him for this .
Maybe he was thirsty and forgot his re-usable water bottle .
We also can ’ t condemn the countless people who rely on single-use grocery store plastic bags for their trash because they can ’ t afford to buy garbage bags which are also almost always made of plastic .
Everything medically-related seems to be wrapped in plastic , too , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diapers for babies and incontinent adults are also usually made of plastic too .
Again – we ’ ve become very reliant on plastic .
Thanks to Rolling Stone for providing more information about what we can do to at least help reduce our plastic problems .
Every human on Earth is ingesting nearly 2,000 particles of plastic a week .
These tiny pieces enter our unwitting bodies from tap water , food , and even the air , according to an alarming academic study sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plastics , many cut with chemicals linked to cancers , hormone disruption , and developmental delays .
Since the paper ’ s publication last year , Sen. Tom Udall , a plain-spoken New Mexico Democrat with a fondness for white cowboy hats and turquoise bolo ties , has been trumpeting the risk : “ We are consuming a credit card ’ s worth of plastic each week , ” Udall says .
At events with constituents , he will brandish a Visa from his wallet and declare , “ You ’ re eating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation , the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2020 , Udall is attempting to marshal Washington into a confrontation with the plastics industry , and to force companies that profit from plastics to take accountability for the waste they create .
Unveiled in February , the bill would ban many single-use plastics and force corporations to finance “ end of life ” programs to keep plastic out of the environment .
“ We ’ re going back to that principle , ” the senator tells Rolling Stone .
“ The polluter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his allies in Congress against some of the most powerful corporate interests on the planet , including the oil majors and chemical giants that produce the building blocks for our modern plastic world — think Exxon , Dow , and Shell — and consumer giants like Coca-Cola , Nestlé , and Unilever that package their products in the stuff .
Big Plastic isn ’ t a single entity .
It ’ s more like a corporate supergroup : Big Oil meets Big Soda — with a puff of Big Tobacco , responsible for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment every year .
And it combines the lobbying and public-relations might of all three .
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By B.N. Frank
The first time I saw one of Bernie Sanders’ presidential candidate TV ads, I immediately noticed the plastic water bottle at the podium where he was speaking. I was mortified! After all – he’s supposed to care about the environment. So why is he drinking from a single use plastic water bottle?

So yeah – I’m extremely concerned about plastic and I know I’m not alone. There are so many reports about how drastically reducing its production and use is essential to the health of our planet and all inhabitants. At the same time – humans have become so freaking reliant on it. Bernie with the single-use water bottle is one of countless examples. We can’t condemn him for this. Maybe he was thirsty and forgot his re-usable water bottle.
We also can’t condemn the countless people who rely on single-use grocery store plastic bags for their trash because they can’t afford to buy garbage bags which are also almost always made of plastic. Everything medically-related seems to be wrapped in plastic, too, in order to keep it sterile. Diapers for babies and incontinent adults are also usually made of plastic too. Again – we’ve become very reliant on plastic.
Thanks to Rolling Stone for providing more information about what we can do to at least help reduce our plastic problems.
Every human on Earth is ingesting nearly 2,000 particles of plastic a week. These tiny pieces enter our unwitting bodies from tap water, food, and even the air, according to an alarming academic study sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, dosing us with five grams of plastics, many cut with chemicals linked to cancers, hormone disruption, and developmental delays. Since the paper’s publication last year, Sen. Tom Udall, a plain-spoken New Mexico Democrat with a fondness for white cowboy hats and turquoise bolo ties, has been trumpeting the risk: “We are consuming a credit card’s worth of plastic each week,” Udall says. At events with constituents, he will brandish a Visa from his wallet and declare, “You’re eating this, folks!” With new legislation, the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2020, Udall is attempting to marshal Washington into a confrontation with the plastics industry, and to force companies that profit from plastics to take accountability for the waste they create. Unveiled in February, the bill would ban many single-use plastics and force corporations to finance “end of life” programs to keep plastic out of the environment. “We’re going back to that principle,” the senator tells Rolling Stone. “The polluter pays.” The battle pits Udall and his allies in Congress against some of the most powerful corporate interests on the planet, including the oil majors and chemical giants that produce the building blocks for our modern plastic world — think Exxon, Dow, and Shell — and consumer giants like Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Unilever that package their products in the stuff. Big Plastic isn’t a single entity. It’s more like a corporate supergroup: Big Oil meets Big Soda — with a puff of Big Tobacco, responsible for trillions of plastic cigarette butts in the environment every year. And it combines the lobbying and public-relations might of all three. Read full article
Image: Pixabay
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activistpost--2020-03-19--Toys R Us Lawsuit Claims Bankruptcy Fraud

The dynamics and scheme seems the same , similar to how former KB Toys CEO Michael Glazer gave himself and Bain Capital a fat paycheck , before bankrupting KB Toys .
In the Toys R Us saga the only thing different is the characters .
Josh Bekenstein , co-chairman of Bain Cap , worked with Toys R Us CEO Dave Brandon to enrich themselves and other executives at Toys R Us at the expense of investors , suppliers and workers of the company , the suit alleges .
The suit states that in emails Brandon illegally devised a plot to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their base salary to himself and other top execs days before Toys R Us filed for bankruptcy .
Brandon then directed Alvarez and Marshal , whose co-founder Brandon also had a relationship with , to prepare an analysis that would support the bonuses .
This is similar to how in Laser ’ s own case Paul Traub , Traub Bonacquist & Fox ( TBF ) was directed to commit fraud against Laser by Traub hiding the fact that he had a deep relationship with Barry Gold ( the CEO that Traub appointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Mitt Romney ’ s Stage Stores together and Gold hiring Traub by his own signature .
( Honestly , the only dynamic missing is [ Paul Traub ] Goldman Sachs suing Goldman Sachs ( Michael Glazer ) , pretending to show accountability . )
Brandon received a massive $ 2.8 million from the plan , patting himself on the back , while Glazer gave himself $ 50 million .
The lawsuit alleges that the bonuses Brandon gave to himself and other Toys R Us executives were in actuality a breach of fiduciary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Us and its creditors to lose more than $ 16 million ( ironically the same amount that they paid themselves in bonuses ) .
Beyond the defrauding of company creditors and investors , Brandon also seems to have a conflicting relationship with co-chairman of Bain Capital Josh Bekenstein .
According to the lawsuit , in July 2016 , Bekenstein , asked then-Toys R Us CEO Dave Brandon for a favor .
Bekenstein asked Brandon , a former fast-food owner who previously headed Domino ’ s , to call the founder of Jimmy John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inquiring about a possible investment .
The legal suit was filed in a New York court by a trust representing more than 100 former Toys R Us creditors , most of whom were suppliers for the toy company .
Brandon responded , “ I ’ ve done this for you guys 100 times !
I ’ m happy to reach out to him.
” In another email dated July 15 , 2017 , approximately two months prior to Toys R Us filing for bankruptcy , Brandon discussed his salary and those of Toys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s chief talent officer , Tim Grace .
In the email , cited in the creditor lawsuit , Brandon is quoted in a potential admission of guilt that he had been paying himself and executives of Toys R Us too much money , “ About a year ago you put us all in a room and explained that our base salaries … particularly in leadership roles [ and ] our annual bonus percentages were over indexed to market ” and “ that the combination of the two was costing [ TRU ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compensation.
” Brandon ’ s solution , per his email : “ We have to be creative and design something that works for us .
Outside stats and comparisons are not going to help us.
” In a detailed complaint , attorneys alleged that the toy retailer ’ s former executives and private equity owners — who they say had deep relationships with one another — milked Toys R Us out of cash ahead of its disastrous bankruptcy .
That ’ s not all though ; they then pursued a plan to revamp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chapter 11 and lied by misrepresenting key facts to suppliers .
A plan which ultimately failed , leaving Toys R Us suppliers with hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid claims .
A few of those “ deep relationships ” alleged included — former CFO Michael Short and former chief merchant Richard Barry — who currently heads TRU Kids , the entity that controls the dead retailer ’ s intellectual property , Retail Dive reported .
The lawsuit which may be shocking for some who haven ’ t read this writer ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Toys R Us executives and private equity owners of “ breaches of fiduciary duty , fraudulent concealment , misrepresentations , and negligence ” that the lawyers say led to hundreds of millions of dollars in losses for suppliers and creditors .
Also named in the suit are former directors of Toys R Us ’ board , who were employed by the retailer ’ s private equity owners — Bain Capital , KKR and Vornado including Bekenstein .
In another similarity to Laser ’ s own case , Brandon was paid above-market salary by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barry Gold was paid by Mitt Romney ’ s Stage Stores , while he was “ representing ” eToys investors working with Paul Roy Traub a friend of his to defraud the company and Laser the court appointed CEO .
In Brandon ’ s case , he was paid by Domino ’ s as well as Toys R Us .
Following Toys R Us ’ leveraged buyout by Bain Capital , KKR and Vornado , which left the company with a debt of more than $ 5 billion , the company paid tens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to its private equity sponsors , transactions Toys R Us documented over the years in regulatory filings .
As per the lawsuit , Toys R Us directors , who also worked for the retailer ’ s private equity sponsors , were put into control of the decision whether to renew the agreement to pay the fees and negotiate the amount .
The complaint alleges those actions deciding whether or not to pay the fees was an “ obvious conflict of interest.
” “ On its face , the agreement made no sense , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the lawyers , the decision whether to pay them and renew the agreement should have been turned over to independent directors or consultants not connected to the above equity companies .
From the fourth quarter of 2014 through 2017 alone the fees costed Toys R Us roughly $ 17.9 million , the complaint reads .
According to the court documents , between 2005 — the year of the buyout — and 2017 , Toys R Us paid a whopping $ 250 million to its private equity owners , while those creditors and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ lawsuit further alleges that Toys R Us executives misled suppliers to believe that Toys R Us ’ DIP ( debtor-in-possession ) loan of $ 3 billion contained no stipulations that the company would need to reach to maintain funding .
In fact , as Toys R Us attorneys stated later , the company had holiday targets that it needed to make a quota for , which the business never fulfilled , forcing the retailer into default in early 2018 .
But instead of 16 months of financing , lenders pulled Toys R @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DIP the following spring , meaning Toys R Us was then out of money to repay its vendors , many of whom extended the retailer trade credit , about six months later .
Suppliers , objected in court to Toys R Us ’ plans to liquidate and distribute proceeds among its secured lenders , but ultimately settled for just nickles on the dollar .
Creditors additionally allege that there was no plan to keep Toys R Us operating through bankruptcy and doing so was reckless .
“ The directors gave no consideration-none at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financing strategy would fail , ” the complaint alleges .
“ If the financing terminated , TRU would have no choice but to conduct an immediate liquidation .
The directors never assessed the likelihood of this outcome .
They adopted a ‘ we don ’ t care about the risks ’ attitude.
” Still Toys R Us continued to operate into the winter of 2017 and Brandon paid himself and his fellow executives including Bain Capital , KKR and Vornado directors massive salaries .
The retailer ’ s private equity owners could preserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retailer “ could revitalize and emerge as a successful business with a going-concern value in excess of its debt , ” the complaint states .
But that didn ’ t happen .
Instead , Toys R Us suddenly went into liquidation , and the rest is history .
Suppliers lost millions , at least 30,000+ employees were out of work , and thus the last national dedicated toy retailer was destroyed by greed , exactly as this writer and serial Wall St whistleblower Laser Haas warned .
Whistleblower Laser Haas forewarned , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R Us would go bankrupt ( as this reporter noted ) .
Laser has been pointing out , for two decades now , how Bain Capital persons ( like Beckenstein ) have colluded with Goldman Sachs personnel and lawyers like Colm Connolly to defraud Mattel , Fingerhut , Kay Bee , FAO , Gymboree , Zainy Brainy , Toys R Us and eToys creditors/ investors for massive billions via a racketeering enterprise known as a “ Bankruptcy Ring.
” Over 50,000 jobs have been lost ; and the Trump Administration doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fact , this reporter previously noted that Laser has proof Mattel has aided and abetted the criminal conspiracy via Romney ’ s Stage Stores attorney Paul Roy Traub pretending to switch sides to be Mattel Creditors Committee attorney .
That Paul Traub scheme guaranteed Bain Capital could get toy industry retailers super cheap .
All along , Mitt Romney and his company Bain Capital were working on inching their way to owning the BIG Kahuna Toys R Us , to destroy it like they have past businesses .
Whistleblower Haas tells this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Us owners is missing the mark on the bigger schemes ; such as the fact Bain Capital turned down nearly a billion dollars for 300 stores .
According to “ Laser the Liquidator , ” those 300 stores likely did not net back $ 200 million .
Further , both KB & eToys were in bankruptcy multiple times and somehow KB & eToys always wound back under Bain Capital ownership , including under Toys R Us .
It was the plan of Goldman Sachs , Bain Capital , KB , MNAT , Barry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 2-for 1 , where they would sell eToys assets , super cheap , to Bain/KB/Glazer , for a paltry price $ 5.4 million .
At the same time , Goldman Sachs would also get away totally ‘ Scot Free ’ with ripping off the eToys stock public offering for nearly a billion dollars .
( See NY Times March 2013 article , by Joe Nocera , “ Rigging the I.P.O .
Game.
” ) This reporter pointed out that Trump gave Romney ’ s buddy , Michael Milken , a pardon ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump aren ’ t real enemies .
Billions of dollars in material adverse harm , over 50,000 jobs lost ; and – by the way – there ’ s also dynamics of mayhem and homicides that Trump hopes you will ignore whilst he screws up the world failing to act sooner on the coronavirus crisis .
We are being toyed with , by massive Wall Street organized crimes , being protected from investigation and prosecution by a moron , pathological lying POTUS .
This author will leave you with a question : what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Us and eToys all have in common ?
They served as unjust enrichment to Bain Capital , Goldman Sachs , and their cronies of lawyers like Paul Traub .
In an apparent effort to hold the Guinness World Record for most involvement in fraud cases , Paul Traub also was involved in Enron , K-Mart , Okun 1031 Tax Group , Adelphia , Polaroid , Fingerhut , and many other schemes .
( See my article – here – Meet Mitt Romney ’ s Frank Nitti , Paul Roy Traub . )
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has further documented that many of those people in the upper levels of government ( including Washington , DC . )
who are supposed to enforce the law and prevent financial criminals , are miserably failing to do their jobs .
Aaron Kesel writes for Activist Post .
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By Aaron Kesel
The dynamics and scheme seems the same, similar to how former KB Toys CEO Michael Glazer gave himself and Bain Capital a fat paycheck, before bankrupting KB Toys. In the Toys R Us saga the only thing different is the characters. Josh Bekenstein, co-chairman of Bain Cap, worked with Toys R Us CEO Dave Brandon to enrich themselves and other executives at Toys R Us at the expense of investors, suppliers and workers of the company, the suit alleges.
The suit states that in emails Brandon illegally devised a plot to pay a cash bonus of 75% of their base salary to himself and other top execs days before Toys R Us filed for bankruptcy. Brandon then directed Alvarez and Marshal, whose co-founder Brandon also had a relationship with, to prepare an analysis that would support the bonuses. This is similar to how in Laser’s own case Paul Traub, Traub Bonacquist & Fox (TBF) was directed to commit fraud against Laser by Traub hiding the fact that he had a deep relationship with Barry Gold (the CEO that Traub appointed for eToys) including the two working at Mitt Romney’s Stage Stores together and Gold hiring Traub by his own signature. (Honestly, the only dynamic missing is [Paul Traub] Goldman Sachs suing Goldman Sachs (Michael Glazer), pretending to show accountability.)
Brandon received a massive $2.8 million from the plan, patting himself on the back, while Glazer gave himself $50 million. The lawsuit alleges that the bonuses Brandon gave to himself and other Toys R Us executives were in actuality a breach of fiduciary duty and may have caused Toys R Us and its creditors to lose more than $16 million (ironically the same amount that they paid themselves in bonuses).
Beyond the defrauding of company creditors and investors, Brandon also seems to have a conflicting relationship with co-chairman of Bain Capital Josh Bekenstein.
According to the lawsuit, in July 2016, Bekenstein, asked then-Toys R Us CEO Dave Brandon for a favor. Bekenstein asked Brandon, a former fast-food owner who previously headed Domino’s, to call the founder of Jimmy John’s, whom Bain Cap was inquiring about a possible investment. The legal suit was filed in a New York court by a trust representing more than 100 former Toys R Us creditors, most of whom were suppliers for the toy company.
Brandon responded, “I’ve done this for you guys 100 times! I’m happy to reach out to him.”
In another email dated July 15, 2017, approximately two months prior to Toys R Us filing for bankruptcy, Brandon discussed his salary and those of Toys R Us’ executives with the company’s chief talent officer, Tim Grace.
In the email, cited in the creditor lawsuit, Brandon is quoted in a potential admission of guilt that he had been paying himself and executives of Toys R Us too much money, “About a year ago you put us all in a room and explained that our base salaries … particularly in leadership roles [and] our annual bonus percentages were over indexed to market” and “that the combination of the two was costing [TRU] millions of dollars in out-of-market, excess compensation.”
Brandon’s solution, per his email: “We have to be creative and design something that works for us. Outside stats and comparisons are not going to help us.”
In a detailed complaint, attorneys alleged that the toy retailer’s former executives and private equity owners — who they say had deep relationships with one another — milked Toys R Us out of cash ahead of its disastrous bankruptcy. That’s not all though; they then pursued a plan to revamp the popular kids’ toy retailer in Chapter 11 and lied by misrepresenting key facts to suppliers. A plan which ultimately failed, leaving Toys R Us suppliers with hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid claims.
A few of those “deep relationships” alleged included — former CFO Michael Short and former chief merchant Richard Barry — who currently heads TRU Kids, the entity that controls the dead retailer’s intellectual property, Retail Dive reported.
The lawsuit which may be shocking for some who haven’t read this writer’s Wall St Fraud Series, accuses former Toys R Us executives and private equity owners of “breaches of fiduciary duty, fraudulent concealment, misrepresentations, and negligence” that the lawyers say led to hundreds of millions of dollars in losses for suppliers and creditors.
Also named in the suit are former directors of Toys R Us’ board, who were employed by the retailer’s private equity owners — Bain Capital, KKR and Vornado including Bekenstein.
In another similarity to Laser’s own case, Brandon was paid above-market salary by Bain-controlled companies he worked for exactly like Barry Gold was paid by Mitt Romney’s Stage Stores, while he was “representing” eToys investors working with Paul Roy Traub a friend of his to defraud the company and Laser the court appointed CEO. In Brandon’s case, he was paid by Domino’s as well as Toys R Us.
Following Toys R Us’ leveraged buyout by Bain Capital, KKR and Vornado, which left the company with a debt of more than $5 billion, the company paid tens of millions of dollars in fees back to its private equity sponsors, transactions Toys R Us documented over the years in regulatory filings.
As per the lawsuit, Toys R Us directors, who also worked for the retailer’s private equity sponsors, were put into control of the decision whether to renew the agreement to pay the fees and negotiate the amount. The complaint alleges those actions deciding whether or not to pay the fees was an “obvious conflict of interest.”
“On its face, the agreement made no sense,” the complaint states.
TRU paid large fees each quarter to Bain, KKR, and Vornado — the equity owners of the company. But Bain, KKR, and Vornado were not required to provide any actual services in exchange for these fees. Moreover, TRU was already paying expensive outside consultants, such as McKinsey and AlixPartners, for business advice.
As stated by the lawyers, the decision whether to pay them and renew the agreement should have been turned over to independent directors or consultants not connected to the above equity companies. From the fourth quarter of 2014 through 2017 alone the fees costed Toys R Us roughly $17.9 million, the complaint reads.
According to the court documents, between 2005 — the year of the buyout — and 2017, Toys R Us paid a whopping $250 million to its private equity owners, while those creditors and suppliers were largely ignored.
The creditors’ lawsuit further alleges that Toys R Us executives misled suppliers to believe that Toys R Us’ DIP (debtor-in-possession) loan of $3 billion contained no stipulations that the company would need to reach to maintain funding. In fact, as Toys R Us attorneys stated later, the company had holiday targets that it needed to make a quota for, which the business never fulfilled, forcing the retailer into default in early 2018.
“Commencing September 18, 2017, Brandon, Barry, and Short personally contacted key Trade Vendors through telephone calls, texts, and emails, and represented that TRU had obtained $3 billion in DIP financing that for the next 16 months gave TRU funds to pay Trade Vendors for goods or services provided on credit,” according to the lawsuit.
But instead of 16 months of financing, lenders pulled Toys R Us’ access to funds under the DIP the following spring, meaning Toys R Us was then out of money to repay its vendors, many of whom extended the retailer trade credit, about six months later. Suppliers, objected in court to Toys R Us’ plans to liquidate and distribute proceeds among its secured lenders, but ultimately settled for just nickles on the dollar.
Creditors additionally allege that there was no plan to keep Toys R Us operating through bankruptcy and doing so was reckless. “The directors gave no consideration-none at all-to assessing the probability that the DIP financing strategy would fail,” the complaint alleges. “If the financing terminated, TRU would have no choice but to conduct an immediate liquidation. The directors never assessed the likelihood of this outcome. They adopted a ‘we don’t care about the risks’ attitude.”
Still Toys R Us continued to operate into the winter of 2017 and Brandon paid himself and his fellow executives including Bain Capital, KKR and Vornado directors massive salaries. The retailer’s private equity owners could preserve some value in their equity if the retailer “could revitalize and emerge as a successful business with a going-concern value in excess of its debt,” the complaint states.
But that didn’t happen. Instead, Toys R Us suddenly went into liquidation, and the rest is history. Suppliers lost millions, at least 30,000+ employees were out of work, and thus the last national dedicated toy retailer was destroyed by greed, exactly as this writer and serial Wall St whistleblower Laser Haas warned.
Whistleblower Laser Haas forewarned, in 2013, stating the fact that Toys R Us would go bankrupt (as this reporter noted).
Laser has been pointing out, for two decades now, how Bain Capital persons (like Beckenstein) have colluded with Goldman Sachs personnel and lawyers like Colm Connolly to defraud Mattel, Fingerhut, Kay Bee, FAO, Gymboree, Zainy Brainy, Toys R Us and eToys creditors/ investors for massive billions via a racketeering enterprise known as a “Bankruptcy Ring.”
Over 50,000 jobs have been lost; and the Trump Administration doesn’t seem to care.
As a matter of fact, this reporter previously noted that Laser has proof Mattel has aided and abetted the criminal conspiracy via Romney’s Stage Stores attorney Paul Roy Traub pretending to switch sides to be Mattel Creditors Committee attorney.
That Paul Traub scheme guaranteed Bain Capital could get toy industry retailers super cheap.
All along, Mitt Romney and his company Bain Capital were working on inching their way to owning the BIG Kahuna Toys R Us, to destroy it like they have past businesses.
Whistleblower Haas tells this reporter that the lawsuit against Toys R Us owners is missing the mark on the bigger schemes; such as the fact Bain Capital turned down nearly a billion dollars for 300 stores.
According to “Laser the Liquidator,” those 300 stores likely did not net back $200 million.
Further, both KB & eToys were in bankruptcy multiple times and somehow KB & eToys always wound back under Bain Capital ownership, including under Toys R Us.
It was the plan of Goldman Sachs, Bain Capital, KB, MNAT, Barry Gold and Paul Traub, to get a 2-for 1, where they would sell eToys assets, super cheap, to Bain/KB/Glazer, for a paltry price $5.4 million.
At the same time, Goldman Sachs would also get away totally ‘Scot Free’ with ripping off the eToys stock public offering for nearly a billion dollars. (See NY Times March 2013 article, by Joe Nocera, “Rigging the I.P.O. Game.”)
This reporter pointed out that Trump gave Romney’s buddy, Michael Milken, a pardon; which details the fact that Mitt and Trump aren’t real enemies.
Billions of dollars in material adverse harm, over 50,000 jobs lost; and – by the way – there’s also dynamics of mayhem and homicides that Trump hopes you will ignore whilst he screws up the world failing to act sooner on the coronavirus crisis.
We are being toyed with, by massive Wall Street organized crimes, being protected from investigation and prosecution by a moron, pathological lying POTUS.
This author will leave you with a question: what does KB, Fingerhut, Toys R Us and eToys all have in common? They served as unjust enrichment to Bain Capital, Goldman Sachs, and their cronies of lawyers like Paul Traub.
In an apparent effort to hold the Guinness World Record for most involvement in fraud cases, Paul Traub also was involved in Enron, K-Mart, Okun 1031 Tax Group, Adelphia, Polaroid, Fingerhut, and many other schemes. (See my article – here – Meet Mitt Romney’s Frank Nitti, Paul Roy Traub.)
This reporter’s Wall St fraud series has further documented that many of those people in the upper levels of government (including Washington, DC.) who are supposed to enforce the law and prevent financial criminals, are miserably failing to do their jobs.
**By [@An0nkn0wledge](https://steemit.com/@an0nkn0wledge)**
Aaron Kesel writes for Activist Post. Support us at Patreon. Follow us on Minds, Steemit, SoMee, BitChute, Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, Flote, Minds, Twitter, and Steemit.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


Children of Crisis

One could feel the build up for decades ; all the conditioning of fear , panic and reaction culminating into any ‘ real ’ reason to finally buy toilet paper .
I have asked the question before : “ What do you get when you treat the populace like moron children their entire lives ?
” Now perhaps I should define what being treated like moron children is , so here are a few examples : • Having to ask permission for many things in life ( permits , licences ) .
Think about how many ‘ permission slips ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Warning labels everywhere – did you know that it takes 3 labels warning me not to cut off my fingers on my miter saw ?
Think about how many a child today will see in their lifetime : WARNING !
• Certifications and courses for everything – so many things I do ‘ illegally ’ .
“ Papers please , show me your papers.
” • Always having to prove your identity – I knew things were askew when my ‘ Birth Certificate ’ ( approved by a marriage licence ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
?
Papers again .
• Being ‘ nudged ’ through life within a system of obedience or punishment .
To believe you are free and live in fear of your ‘ democratic ’ government is not freedom .
This aspect has never sat right with me and it should not for anyone .
For those who state that they do not fear their government : think about that the next time that you receive a notice for an audit from the tax hand .
Or perhaps when you get one of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think about how you don ’ t fear them as you slow down around that area .
The answer then , to the question at the beginning , of course , is moron children , who fear the consequences and doesn ’ t ask too many questions and are very petulant and egocentric in their nature as adults .
On many levels I am still a moron child but I am working on that .
Now , how handy would it be to have a populace of reactionary , fearful moron children as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current ‘ crisis ’ ( one corona , two corona , three corona , four ) and the basket of ‘ conspiracies ’ which have been talked about over the last decade ( or more ) and see which ones are rapidly becoming mainstream topics as ‘ solutions ’ to stem the inevitable ‘ fate ’ of the crisis de jour otherwise… ( eek ) New Word Order checklist sorts of things such as : Now , I would think that in order to achieve every one of these ( and many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would take some pretty awesome finagling , and that it does work well with the conditioned ‘ traits ’ instilled within the public psyche ( the children ) .
Traits such as : Fear – fear based on ignorance , nothing to see here , move along , but if one person dies of a ‘ virus ’ , does the whole world need to hear about it ?
– Why YES , of course !
Xenophobia – the crises sure seem to come from the ‘ outside ’ a lot .
Separation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep up that ‘ social distancing ’ .
After all , who would want to exchange information at the grocery store or hug a neighbor ?
Divide and conquer in ignorance works best .
Short attention span – ( did I lose you already ? )
see above Snitches – sure do love to ‘ turn people in ’ – “ He was on America ’ s Most Wanted after all and I got ta protect my family ” .
Competitiveness – brought to ridiculous levels of having to be ‘ first ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those industry studies regarding the safety of 5G technology again ?
Oh , right , there aren ’ t any ) .
Jealousy , Shame , Guilt , Anger – these mind games have been played on our entire collective upbringing on one level or another ; the populace is well versed .
Narcissism – “ I am special and important and woke and intelligent because I have a ( insert piece of ‘ official ’ documentation here ) ” .
Apathy – and then they came for who ?
( From WHO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if everyone says it , it must be true ” .
State-ism – there ’ s always the government to ‘ take care of things ’ while we just get on with our lives as dictated by our masters who will protect us from anything bad ( What ’ s badder than bad ?
See how the dumbing down works ? )
.
BELIEF – now this is a huge one .
Not only does one have to maintain a level ( varying ) of belief in all the traits above ( without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and this is the big one , maintain a belief in their programmed ‘ self ’ ( more on that at a later date ) , and that is the ‘ cement ’ which holds it all together .
All of those ‘ admirable ’ traits combined with a lack of courtesy , consideration , common sense ( logic ) and ability to communicate ( listen ) .
Could it be conditioned , desired ?
Now throw in a media which is owned and operated by the same big-shots which are at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments , pounding out whatever messages and ‘ information ’ they want at you while holding back whatever they want you to ‘ miss ’ .
And please don ’ t forget that there are plenty of ‘ alt ’ media which pumps out information which will leave one spinning their wheels ( to be polite ) ; you know who you are ( wink ) .
One thing which seems pretty obvious is that it is time to crumble the ‘ global economy ’ ( wait , did I miss a memo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officially global ? )
while placating the herd ; give them their Universal Basic Income and let them smoke government approved ( and taxed ) cannabis and watch as we cement their contract for life ( no matter how short that may be bwahahahaha ) .
Austerity and fear is our ‘ new ’ way of life ( new ? )
so buckle up .
I ’ m going to say that I don ’ t think that this is ‘ the one ’ ( if there is such a thing ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ have been ‘ prepping ’ for but this is part of the overall ‘ change ’ which the collective has experienced in the last 2 decades ( and more ) ; just not the change they were hoping for .
This ‘ crisis ’ can be prolonged for a while and it will instill some permanent conditioning into the collective psyche , but the people will grow weary and will need to rest for the next one .
Little by little , bit by bit .
It shall remain interesting to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prolonged period of time ( taking into account that 2 weeks for many is prolonged ) .
Also , as others have questioned – what is still going on in the background of all the ‘ news ’ being focused on one agenda ?
And how shall this be tied into other ‘ crises ’ of our times ?
If I ’ m wrong , and this is a move for all the marbles ( all ?
that bag has been dipped into many times ) , we ’ ll see what ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is still an internal battle – none of this exists without our collective belief that money equals life , that government is going to save us , that voting matters , that someone has a right to dictate what you put into your body , that someone has a right to dictate where and when you may travel , that someone has the right to dictate which plants may or may not be grown , that any of that has anything to do with what PEOPLE we can be .
See through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ME because no one else is going to do it for you and I can ’ t do it without you .
I ’ ve mentioned it before in my writings , know thyself , take an honest look and admit your culpability and commit to change it .
Live FREE – Free YOURSELF !
Article source : My Mind and the World Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
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By Sylvain Lamoureux
One could feel the build up for decades; all the conditioning of fear, panic and reaction culminating into any ‘real’ reason to finally buy toilet paper.
I have asked the question before: “What do you get when you treat the populace like moron children their entire lives?”
Now perhaps I should define what being treated like moron children is, so here are a few examples:
Having to ask permission for many things in life (permits, licences). Think about how many ‘permission slips’ you carry about with you or possess.
Warning labels everywhere – did you know that it takes 3 labels warning me not to cut off my fingers on my miter saw? Think about how many a child today will see in their lifetime: WARNING!
Certifications and courses for everything – so many things I do ‘illegally’. “Papers please, show me your papers.”
Always having to prove your identity – I knew things were askew when my ‘Birth Certificate’ (approved by a marriage licence) was “no longer valid”??? Papers again.
Being ‘nudged’ through life within a system of obedience or punishment.
To believe you are free and live in fear of your ‘democratic’ government is not freedom. This aspect has never sat right with me and it should not for anyone.
For those who state that they do not fear their government: think about that the next time that you receive a notice for an audit from the tax hand. Or perhaps when you get one of those speed radar photos in the mail, think about how you don’t fear them as you slow down around that area.
The answer then, to the question at the beginning, of course, is moron children, who fear the consequences and doesn’t ask too many questions and are very petulant and egocentric in their nature as adults.
On many levels I am still a moron child but I am working on that.
Now, how handy would it be to have a populace of reactionary, fearful moron children as its base?
One could think of the current ‘crisis’ (one corona, two corona, three corona, four) and the basket of ‘conspiracies’ which have been talked about over the last decade (or more) and see which ones are rapidly becoming mainstream topics as ‘solutions’ to stem the inevitable ‘fate’ of the crisis de jour otherwise…(eek)
New Word Order checklist sorts of things such as:
Mandatory vaccines
Internment camps (quarantine)
Cashless society
World economy (destroy current) – one currency (digital)
World government
Surveillance
Censorship
DNA gathering
Travel restrictions
Universal Basic Income
Depopulation (aged)
Global ID (tied to vaccinations)
Global climate disaster? (what’s it called this year?)
Now, I would think that in order to achieve every one of these (and many more) in one fell swoop it would take some pretty awesome finagling, and that it does work well with the conditioned ‘traits’ instilled within the public psyche (the children). Traits such as:
Fear – fear based on ignorance, nothing to see here, move along, but if one person dies of a ‘virus’, does the whole world need to hear about it? – Why YES, of course!
Xenophobia – the crises sure seem to come from the ‘outside’ a lot.
Separation (division) – make sure to keep up that ‘social distancing’. After all, who would want to exchange information at the grocery store or hug a neighbor? Divide and conquer in ignorance works best.
Short attention span – (did I lose you already?) see above
Snitches – sure do love to ‘turn people in’ – “He was on America’s Most Wanted after all and I gotta protect my family”.
Competitiveness – brought to ridiculous levels of having to be ‘first’, damn the consequences (what were those industry studies regarding the safety of 5G technology again? Oh, right, there aren’t any).
Jealousy, Shame, Guilt, Anger – these mind games have been played on our entire collective upbringing on one level or another; the populace is well versed.
Narcissism – “I am special and important and woke and intelligent because I have a (insert piece of ‘official’ documentation here)”.
Apathy – and then they came for who? (From WHO?)
Collectivism – “Well, if everyone says it, it must be true”.
State-ism – there’s always the government to ‘take care of things’ while we just get on with our lives as dictated by our masters who will protect us from anything bad (What’s badder than bad? See how the dumbing down works?).
BELIEF – now this is a huge one. Not only does one have to maintain a level (varying) of belief in all the traits above (without knowing it) but one must also, and this is the big one, maintain a belief in their programmed ‘self’ (more on that at a later date), and that is the ‘cement’ which holds it all together.
All of those ‘admirable’ traits combined with a lack of courtesy, consideration, common sense (logic) and ability to communicate (listen). Could it be conditioned, desired?
Now throw in a media which is owned and operated by the same big-shots which are at the helm of our ‘democratic’ governments, pounding out whatever messages and ‘information’ they want at you while holding back whatever they want you to ‘miss’. And please don’t forget that there are plenty of ‘alt’ media which pumps out information which will leave one spinning their wheels (to be polite); you know who you are (wink).
One thing which seems pretty obvious is that it is time to crumble the ‘global economy’ (wait, did I miss a memo? Is the ‘economy’ already officially global?) while placating the herd; give them their Universal Basic Income and let them smoke government approved (and taxed) cannabis and watch as we cement their contract for life (no matter how short that may be bwahahahaha). Austerity and fear is our ‘new’ way of life (new?) so buckle up.
I’m going to say that I don’t think that this is ‘the one’ (if there is such a thing), the ‘event’ that ‘we’ have been ‘prepping’ for but this is part of the overall ‘change’ which the collective has experienced in the last 2 decades (and more); just not the change they were hoping for. This ‘crisis’ can be prolonged for a while and it will instill some permanent conditioning into the collective psyche, but the people will grow weary and will need to rest for the next one. Little by little, bit by bit.
It shall remain interesting to see how the public will react after a prolonged period of time (taking into account that 2 weeks for many is prolonged). Also, as others have questioned – what is still going on in the background of all the ‘news’ being focused on one agenda? And how shall this be tied into other ‘crises’ of our times?
If I’m wrong, and this is a move for all the marbles (all? that bag has been dipped into many times), we’ll see what’s left on the other side.
This is still an internal battle – none of this exists without our collective belief that money equals life, that government is going to save us, that voting matters, that someone has a right to dictate what you put into your body, that someone has a right to dictate where and when you may travel, that someone has the right to dictate which plants may or may not be grown, that any of that has anything to do with what PEOPLE we can be. See through the programmed self and release the FREE ME because no one else is going to do it for you and I can’t do it without you.
I’ve mentioned it before in my writings, know thyself, take an honest look and admit your culpability and commit to change it. Live FREE – Free YOURSELF!
Article source: My Mind and the World
Image: Pixabay
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activistpost--2020-03-19--The Power of a Positive Mind!

The Power of a Positive Mind!

Jon Morrow is the founder of Smart Blogger which offers courses to teach writers how to be successful .
It is now the biggest site about blogging in the world !
Jon has a dozen employees who work remotely from all over the world and three million readers !
Over 30,000 people have taken his classes .
In How I Wrote Posts That Touched the Hearts of More Than 5 Million People , Jon discusses his article published in 2009 which went viral .
It quickly had more than a million readers and comments went wild .
The article On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Your Ideas describes his mother ’ s discovery when he was a baby that he has Spinal Muscular Atrophy , a neuromuscular disorder .
The doctor told her : “ ’ There are three types of SMA .
Caught this early , your son almost certainly has Type I .
Most children with Type I die of pneumonia before the age of two.
’ He paused .
‘ I ’ m sorry.
’ ” In a testament to the power of his mother ’ s will , Jon reports that she told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sorry .
He isn ’ t going to die.
” Over the next 16 years , Jon got pneumonia 16 times – and survived .
Jon said that 99 % of the people with his disease die of pneumonia .
He credits his survival to his mother ’ s incredible will for him to live and thrive .
He explains the extraordinary measures she took and adds : “ Today , at 27 years old , I ’ m one of the oldest people in the world with my type of SMA , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a miracle .
And I agree , it is .
But the miracle isn ’ t just me .
It ’ s a mother who fought like only a mother can to keep me alive.
” Jon explains how his mother succeeded in getting him accepted not only in elementary school – but also on the baseball team !
Jon graduated from high school at the age of 16 , not just near the top of his class , but also with college credit .
Jon told more of his inspiring story in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ What ’ s Stopping You ?
” which was part of the recent online Wake Up Academy docuseries .
Jon is a writer extraordinaire , a visionary who has created a multi-million dollar company .
He has built several online magazines that have made him a millionaire several times over .
Jon achieved all of this despite having Spinal Muscular Atrophy , pneumonia 16 times , and a monstrous car accident which left him with more than 50 broken bones !
He has spent literally years of his life in hospitals and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secrets to staying driven….no matter what the obstacles .
Jon is a blogger whose work is read by 200 million people around the world !
Because of his muscular dystrophy , he could never walk .
He was able to move his arms and feed himself until he was 12 years old .
Until his was 22 , Jon could move his hands enough to operate a joy stick .
However , the only thing he can move now is his face !
So , Jon uses his mouth ( voice to text @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regular schools with the help of an attendant .
“ Sarge ” started with him in 5th or 6th grade and stayed with him through college !
Jon hung out with the smartest kids in school — who also felt isolated .
Since Jon ’ s friends were the “ nerds ” , he developed a lot of programming skills .
When he was 12 years old , Jon got his first programming job after school !
Because he couldn ’ t play sports and wasn ’ t invited to parties , Jon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and graduated high school a year early .
While in college , Jon started a software company which took off in a huge way .
That was just the beginning of an amazing career .
Jon had job offers , but he couldn ’ t take them because if he made more than $ 800 a month , he would lose his Medicaid benefits which he needed to pay his bills .
So , he started writing for various blogs and magazines .
However , since he couldn ’ t accept payment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them for a big favor one day .
Jon eventually became one of the most popular writers online .
Millions of people were reading his articles and magazines were making a ton of money from his work , but he wasn ’ t being paid a dime .
Jon decided that his only way out was to move to Mexico !
When he got there , he called the editors and reminded them of the favor he said would ask .
He told them that he was going to start an agency to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magazine emailed the news to all its readers , Jon had 300 clients within 24 hours !
Jon went from making nothing to earning $ 200/hour !
Eventually , he started Smart Blogger to teach other writers about blogging .
Jon says that people feel limited because of their belief about what ’ s possible .
His parents and teachers always encouraged him to believe that anything is possible even if you don ’ t know exactly how you will get there .
In 2006 , the van Jon was in got hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was going 85 mph trying to get to his job at Wendy ’ s on time !
Jon ’ s head went through the passenger window .
He and his driver were spun in the air 360 degrees five times .
His driver got burned as he pulled Jon from the car that was in flames .
Jon ’ s legs were crushed and he had broken bones all over his body .
He spent the next six months in and out of the hospital .
Jon now has six care givers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , Jon says the worst injury was to a woman in the car hit after Jon ’ s car whose leg was amputated by the impact .
The teenager was not injured .
Jon said that the accident made him realize that he could die at any time .
So , since he had always wanted to write professionally , while he was in the hospital in a half-body cast , Jon started his first blog .
It got nominated for a “ Webby Award ” as the best new blog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from there .
All his employees now work from home , around the world .
No one has ever quit .
Everyone says they love that job more than any they have ever had .
Jon said that one of the things he has learned is that every disadvantage comes with an advantage of equal size .
If you can see the opening and respond to it , you can “ counter punch ” and make amazing things happen .
He eventually figured out that his own mind is the only thing he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opinion of himself is the only opinion that matters — and he likes who he is !
That realization gave him a lot of peace of mind and confidence in business .
Jon credits his mother for his confidence .
He never heard the word “ handicapped ” until he went to kindergarten .
His mother explained later that everyone is handicapped in some ways and that he has strengths others don ’ t have .
For example , since he knew the alphabet and could read and write before other kids in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help them .
Jon says that one of the advantages of not being able to move is that he has nothing to do but think — and that makes him a gifted writer and speaker .
He is never bored because he has so many insights .
Jon is dating now !
He began by going on 10-20 dates a week .
After 3-6 months , 15 women were telling him “ Good morning ” every day .
He found that a lot of women are looking for a guy who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing in life and who is honest .
So , he learned — to his surprise — that he is very attractive .
He discovered that for women , love and sex are more mental than for men .
The women he has slept with have said he is one of the greatest lovers of their lives although he can ’ t move !
Jon has learned to accept his limitations without being limited by them .
His positive attitude continues to inspire millions of people .
In the 50-minute audio “ Episode @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explains how he motivates people in his webinars and courses and helps people overcome their doubts about writing .
He also discusses how he operated as a real estate agent .
Jon emphasizes that because of the empowering impact of his mother ’ s confidence in him , he grew up with the expectation that he would do great things .
When Jon worked for Brian Clark at copyblogger for 2-3 years , he couldn ’ t earn more $ 800/month to avoid losing his Medicaid benefits .
So , although he became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was no future for him there .
When Jon visited a friend in Mexico who encouraged him to relocate , he moved there with just $ 5,000 and got a condo on the ocean .
When he called in his favor with Brian who then sent him referrals , Jon immediately began earning $ 10,000/month in consulting revenue !
When Brian promoted Jon ’ s first course , he earned another $ 50,000 to $ 100,000 !
In Mexico , Jon started his own company .
After three and half years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the US and pay for his healthcare here .
He moved back about three years ago and lived north of Miami for about two and half years .
He liked Miami , but loves the entrepreneurial spirit of Austin , Texas where he feels challenged !
So , he recently moved to Austin .
Jon discusses the art of naming an article so it gets read and shared .
He explains that he usually doesn ’ t start with a topic and then look for supporting evidence .
More frequently , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which he calls “ proofs ” ) which then serve as the basis of an article .
Jon points out that his purpose in releasing content is to accumulate influence which he describes as the ability to get others to respond .
So , if someone joins his email list but doesn ’ t click the links for videos and posts , he doesn ’ t consider that person a valuable lead .
He wants to attract people who are committed and who follow through .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Follow us on SoMee , Flote , Minds , Twitter , and Steemit .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Neenah Payne
Jon Morrow is the founder of Smart Blogger which offers courses to teach writers how to be successful. It is now the biggest site about blogging in the world! Jon has a dozen employees who work remotely from all over the world and three million readers! Over 30,000 people have taken his classes.
In How I Wrote Posts That Touched the Hearts of More Than 5 Million People, Jon discusses his article published in 2009 which went viral. It quickly had more than a million readers and comments went wild. The article On Dying, Mothers, and Fighting for Your Ideas describes his mother’s discovery when he was a baby that he has Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a neuromuscular disorder. The doctor told her: “’There are three types of SMA. Caught this early, your son almost certainly has Type I. Most children with Type I die of pneumonia before the age of two.’ He paused. ‘I’m sorry.’”
In a testament to the power of his mother’s will, Jon reports that she told the doctor: “Don’t be sorry. He isn’t going to die.” Over the next 16 years, Jon got pneumonia 16 times – and survived. Jon said that 99% of the people with his disease die of pneumonia. He credits his survival to his mother’s incredible will for him to live and thrive. He explains the extraordinary measures she took and adds: “Today, at 27 years old, I’m one of the oldest people in the world with my type of SMA, and people tell me it’s a miracle. And I agree, it is. But the miracle isn’t just me. It’s a mother who fought like only a mother can to keep me alive.”
Jon explains how his mother succeeded in getting him accepted not only in elementary school – but also on the baseball team! Jon graduated from high school at the age of 16, not just near the top of his class, but also with college credit.
Jon’s Indomitable Will and Inspiring Story
Jon told more of his inspiring story in a 30-minute interview with Sara Sheehan called “What’s Stopping You?” which was part of the recent online Wake Up Academy docuseries. Jon is a writer extraordinaire, a visionary who has created a multi-million dollar company. He has built several online magazines that have made him a millionaire several times over.
Jon achieved all of this despite having Spinal Muscular Atrophy, pneumonia 16 times, and a monstrous car accident which left him with more than 50 broken bones! He has spent literally years of his life in hospitals and doctors’ offices. Jon shared his secrets to staying driven….no matter what the obstacles.
Jon is a blogger whose work is read by 200 million people around the world! Because of his muscular dystrophy, he could never walk. He was able to move his arms and feed himself until he was 12 years old. Until his was 22, Jon could move his hands enough to operate a joy stick. However, the only thing he can move now is his face! So, Jon uses his mouth (voice to text) to write now!
Jon attended regular schools with the help of an attendant. “Sarge” started with him in 5th or 6th grade and stayed with him through college! Jon hung out with the smartest kids in school — who also felt isolated. Since Jon’s friends were the “nerds”, he developed a lot of programming skills. When he was 12 years old, Jon got his first programming job after school! Because he couldn’t play sports and wasn’t invited to parties, Jon read 500 hundred books by age 15 and graduated high school a year early.
While in college, Jon started a software company which took off in a huge way. That was just the beginning of an amazing career. Jon had job offers, but he couldn’t take them because if he made more than $800 a month, he would lose his Medicaid benefits which he needed to pay his bills. So, he started writing for various blogs and magazines. However, since he couldn’t accept payment, Jon told them that he would ask them for a big favor one day. Jon eventually became one of the most popular writers online. Millions of people were reading his articles and magazines were making a ton of money from his work, but he wasn’t being paid a dime.
Jon decided that his only way out was to move to Mexico! When he got there, he called the editors and reminded them of the favor he said would ask. He told them that he was going to start an agency to teach companies about blogging. When one magazine emailed the news to all its readers, Jon had 300 clients within 24 hours!
From Tragedy to Triumph
Jon went from making nothing to earning $200/hour! Eventually, he started Smart Blogger to teach other writers about blogging. Jon says that people feel limited because of their belief about what’s possible. His parents and teachers always encouraged him to believe that anything is possible even if you don’t know exactly how you will get there.
In 2006, the van Jon was in got hit by a car driven by a teenager who was going 85 mph trying to get to his job at Wendy’s on time! Jon’s head went through the passenger window. He and his driver were spun in the air 360 degrees five times. His driver got burned as he pulled Jon from the car that was in flames. Jon’s legs were crushed and he had broken bones all over his body. He spent the next six months in and out of the hospital. Jon now has six care givers who work with him around the clock. However, Jon says the worst injury was to a woman in the car hit after Jon’s car whose leg was amputated by the impact. The teenager was not injured.
Jon said that the accident made him realize that he could die at any time. So, since he had always wanted to write professionally, while he was in the hospital in a half-body cast, Jon started his first blog. It got nominated for a “Webby Award” as the best new blog! Jon’s career took off from there. All his employees now work from home, around the world. No one has ever quit. Everyone says they love that job more than any they have ever had.
Jon’s “Counter Punch” Philosophy
Jon said that one of the things he has learned is that every disadvantage comes with an advantage of equal size. If you can see the opening and respond to it, you can “counter punch” and make amazing things happen. He eventually figured out that his own mind is the only thing he is in control of and that his opinion of himself is the only opinion that matters — and he likes who he is! That realization gave him a lot of peace of mind and confidence in business.
Jon credits his mother for his confidence. He never heard the word “handicapped” until he went to kindergarten. His mother explained later that everyone is handicapped in some ways and that he has strengths others don’t have. For example, since he knew the alphabet and could read and write before other kids in his grade, his mother encouraged him to help them. Jon says that one of the advantages of not being able to move is that he has nothing to do but think — and that makes him a gifted writer and speaker. He is never bored because he has so many insights.
Jon is dating now! He began by going on 10-20 dates a week. After 3-6 months, 15 women were telling him “Good morning” every day. He found that a lot of women are looking for a guy who is confident and passionate about what he is doing in life and who is honest. So, he learned — to his surprise — that he is very attractive. He discovered that for women, love and sex are more mental than for men. The women he has slept with have said he is one of the greatest lovers of their lives although he can’t move!
Jon has learned to accept his limitations without being limited by them. His positive attitude continues to inspire millions of people.
Audio Interview
In the 50-minute audio “Episode 88 – Jon Morrow,” Jon explains how he motivates people in his webinars and courses and helps people overcome their doubts about writing. He also discusses how he operated as a real estate agent. Jon emphasizes that because of the empowering impact of his mother’s confidence in him, he grew up with the expectation that he would do great things.

When Jon worked for Brian Clark at copyblogger for 2-3 years, he couldn’t earn more $800/month to avoid losing his Medicaid benefits. So, although he became the top writer on the site, there was no future for him there. When Jon visited a friend in Mexico who encouraged him to relocate, he moved there with just $5,000 and got a condo on the ocean. When he called in his favor with Brian who then sent him referrals, Jon immediately began earning $10,000/month in consulting revenue! When Brian promoted Jon’s first course, he earned another $50,000 to $100,000!
In Mexico, Jon started his own company. After three and half years, he had earned enough to come back to the US and pay for his healthcare here. He moved back about three years ago and lived north of Miami for about two and half years. He liked Miami, but loves the entrepreneurial spirit of Austin, Texas where he feels challenged! So, he recently moved to Austin.
Jon discusses the art of naming an article so it gets read and shared. He explains that he usually doesn’t start with a topic and then look for supporting evidence. More frequently, he has already amassed some interesting facts (which he calls “proofs”) which then serve as the basis of an article.
Jon points out that his purpose in releasing content is to accumulate influence which he describes as the ability to get others to respond. So, if someone joins his email list but doesn’t click the links for videos and posts, he doesn’t consider that person a valuable lead. He wants to attract people who are committed and who follow through.
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, Flote, Minds, Twitter, and Steemit.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.