activistpost--2020-02-08--New Claims: Chinese Authorities Going Door to Door, Dragging People to MANDATORY Quarantine Camps

If you thought things in China had hit rock bottom with the quarantine of more than 400 million people , you ’ d be wrong .
Shocking reports are emerging that are even more dystopian than the quarantine itself .
Multiple sources report that officials in China are now going door to door and checking for anyone who might be infected .
If a member of the household is running a fever or displays any other possible symptom , they ’ re being taken away to be put into quarantine .
Even worse , it appears that some contacts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected are being quarantined too – you guessed it – with those who are already sick .
Again , I must emphasize that we don ’ t get this kind of news from official sources .
People who put up these videos are risking their lives .
In fact , quite a few of the citizen reporters who have been providing reliable reports have suddenly vanished over the past two days .
While we can hope they just lost possession of their devices or access to the internet , or perhaps voluntarily went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be far more dire .
This secrecy and anonymity , however , does open the door for fraudulent reports , so while I do believe that these reports and videos I ’ m citing are likely to be true , I have no way to confirm this for sure .
The person leading the response to the virus is Vice Premier Sun Chunlan .
Sun has said that China , and particularly Wuhan , face “ wartime conditions.
” And it what has to be the most authoritarian imagery ever , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ There must be no deserters , or they will be nailed to the pillar of historical shame forever.
” Sun has organized a near-military response , ordering medical personnel to work around the clock visiting each home in Wuhan , a city of 11.08 million people .
When there , they are to check the temperature of each person in the house and question anyone who may have been in contact with a person who has been infected .
But are they actually going there for treatment ?
Or are they going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the coronavirus in Wuhan is 4.1 % , while the death rate in the rest of China is 0.17 % , according to the NYT article .
This disparity has led many to wonder chillingly whether Wuhan is being sacrificed on the altar of “ the greater good.
” At the same time that some people are being unwillingly rounded up , others are going to hospitals for help and being turned away .
These people are going from hospital to hospital to get tested , but they are neither being tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trapped in their homes .
I wrote in this article that many residents were finding themselves literally welded into their homes .
The video below shows a police car keeping the door of an apartment building closed .
( Waiting for the welders , I guess ? )
In Heilongjiang , there is a complete ban on private cars .
Here ’ s a video of the arrest of a woman who was caught driving .
In Wuhan , the center of the outbreak , hastily organized quarantine camps are housing the sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical care .
The camps are being housed in public buildings like arenas and convention centers .
Those being taken to these mandatory camps are people with confirmed cases of coronavirus , suspected cases of coronavirus because they ’ re showing symptoms , people who have close contact with those confirmed or suspected to have coronavirus , and those who are running a fever when the medical Stasi come and take their temperatures .
And this could make matters worse .
Imagine the effect of being taken to one of these camps on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually doesn ’ t have the coronavirus .
If they don ’ t have it already , it seems it would only be a matter of time before they , too , become infected , adding to the sacrificial air of the response .
The people in the video below are only suspected to have been in contact with an infected person , yet they ’ re being taken to be quarantined with the sick .
Are people spreading the word being punished with quarantine ?
As I mentioned above , several citizen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of information have completely vanished over the past couple of days .
But that isn ’ t the only crackdown .
This video alleges that authorities are checking cell phones to see if citizens are posting information about what is happening in China .
( Although one must wonder how someone else was able to take cellphone footage of this and retain his or her phone . )
Some speculate that whistleblowers may be deliberately exposed to the virus by being put into quarantine with the infected as punishment .
What aren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeatedly turned down offers of assistance from the World Health Organization and has not allowed Taiwan to accept help from the WHO either .
Alex Azar , Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services forced the issue in a press conference .
With this third very public offer of assistance , the Chinese government finally allowed a handful of American scientists into the country .
The government there has unleashed a wave of unsurpassed censorship with brutal punishment for those who flout it .
This should tell anyone that as awful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is far worse .
I can not fathom anyone watching these reports of mandatory quarantines , door-to-door checks , and authoritarian crackdowns who wouldn ’ t want to get prepared for the possibility of an extended lockdown here in the United States .
Yet every time I read a report on this , I see some person in the comments section saying , “ bUT ThE FLU hAs KiLLeD 8000 pEoPLe ThiS yEaR !
” And honestly , I believe that is the most ignorant response imaginable .
I don ’ t care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an essential oil seller , or a member of Mensa .
If this was comparable to influenza , would China be cutting its own economic throat during the busiest time of the year ?
Closing down the country at Chinese New Year would be the equivalent to the United States closing down the country for the entire month of December while banning Christmas , Hanukah , and New Year ’ s Eve .
We ’ re talking billions of dollars in lost revenue in China right now .
Billions .
Whatever the hell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is definitely much worse than the “ flu.
” And we don ’ t even know the half of it .
Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging , globe-trotting blogger who writes about current events , preparedness , frugality , voluntaryism , and the pursuit of liberty on her website , The Organic Prepper .
She is widely republished across alternative media and she curates all the most important news links on her aggregate site , PreppersDailyNews.com .
Daisy is the best-selling author of 4 books and runs a small digital publishing company .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pinterest , 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 .
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Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Daisy Luther
If you thought things in China had hit rock bottom with the quarantine of more than 400 million people, you’d be wrong. Shocking reports are emerging that are even more dystopian than the quarantine itself.
Multiple sources report that officials in China are now going door to door and checking for anyone who might be infected. If a member of the household is running a fever or displays any other possible symptom, they’re being taken away to be put into quarantine. Even worse, it appears that some contacts of people who have been confirmed to be infected are being quarantined too – you guessed it – with those who are already sick.
Again, I must emphasize that we don’t get this kind of news from official sources. People who put up these videos are risking their lives. In fact, quite a few of the citizen reporters who have been providing reliable reports have suddenly vanished over the past two days. While we can hope they just lost possession of their devices or access to the internet, or perhaps voluntarily went into hiding, the truth is likely to be far more dire. This secrecy and anonymity, however, does open the door for fraudulent reports, so while I do believe that these reports and videos I’m citing are likely to be true, I have no way to confirm this for sure.
The “Wartime” Response
The person leading the response to the virus is Vice Premier Sun Chunlan. Sun has said that China, and particularly Wuhan, face “wartime conditions.” And it what has to be the most authoritarian imagery ever, she warned citizens to cooperate, saying, “There must be no deserters, or they will be nailed to the pillar of historical shame forever.”
Sun has organized a near-military response, ordering medical personnel to work around the clock visiting each home in Wuhan, a city of 11.08 million people. When there, they are to check the temperature of each person in the house and question anyone who may have been in contact with a person who has been infected.
The New York Times reports:
Ms. Sun said that anyone requiring treatment should be rounded up, if necessary, and forced into quarantine. “It must be cut off from the source,” she said of the virus, addressing city officials at the shelter, according to a Chinese news outlet, Modern Express. “You must keep a close eye. Don’t miss it.” (source)
But are they actually going there for treatment? Or are they going there to die?
The death rate from the coronavirus in Wuhan is 4.1%, while the death rate in the rest of China is 0.17%, according to the NYT article. This disparity has led many to wonder chillingly whether Wuhan is being sacrificed on the altar of “the greater good.”
With the sick being herded into makeshift quarantine camps, with minimal medical care, a growing sense of abandonment and fear has taken hold in Wuhan, fueling the sense that the city and surrounding province of Hubei are being sacrificed for the greater good of China. (source)
At the same time that some people are being unwillingly rounded up, others are going to hospitals for help and being turned away. These people are going from hospital to hospital to get tested, but they are neither being tested nor treated.
And others are being trapped in their homes. I wrote in this article that many residents were finding themselves literally welded into their homes. The video below shows a police car keeping the door of an apartment building closed. (Waiting for the welders, I guess?)
Harbin, Heilongjiang, China. The police car is blocking an apartment building exit due to #coronavirus outbreak. Chinese authorities are getting more “creative” with everything but the kitchen sink quarantine approach. pic.twitter.com/lQg16iwGgW — Max Howroute▫ (@howroute) February 8, 2020
In Heilongjiang, there is a complete ban on private cars. Here’s a video of the arrest of a woman who was caught driving.
LEAKED VIDEO: #Heilongjiang issued a ban on private cars on the road. An unnoticed woman was stopped by police after driving on the road.#nCov #coronavirus #CoronavirusOutbreak pic.twitter.com/iT13mX1uJW — Simon Sessingø (@SimonSessingoe) February 7, 2020
The Quarantine Camps
In Wuhan, the center of the outbreak, hastily organized quarantine camps are housing the sick with what is said to be minimal medical care. The camps are being housed in public buildings like arenas and convention centers. Those being taken to these mandatory camps are people with confirmed cases of coronavirus, suspected cases of coronavirus because they’re showing symptoms, people who have close contact with those confirmed or suspected to have coronavirus, and those who are running a fever when the medical Stasi come and take their temperatures.
And this could make matters worse.
Moreover, experts fear that penning potentially infected people in large quarantine camps—set up in a sports stadium, an exhibition center, and a building complex—with minimal medical care could make the sick sicker and let the whole gamut of infectious diseases run rampant among the confined people. (source)
Imagine the effect of being taken to one of these camps on anyone who is taken into custody who actually doesn’t have the coronavirus. If they don’t have it already, it seems it would only be a matter of time before they, too, become infected, adding to the sacrificial air of the response.
The people in the video below are only suspected to have been in contact with an infected person, yet they’re being taken to be quarantined with the sick.
Disturbing from Communist China. Chinese government are only suspecting these people have been exposed & therefore are going to quarantine them w/ people who have #coronavirus. They are fighting because they don’t want to be quarantined w/ the infected. pic.twitter.com/6Lvnr2Cj7o — Nat Shupe (@NatShupe) February 7, 2020
Are people spreading the word being punished with quarantine?
As I mentioned above, several citizen journalists who have been apparently reliable sources of information have completely vanished over the past couple of days. But that isn’t the only crackdown. This video alleges that authorities are checking cell phones to see if citizens are posting information about what is happening in China. (Although one must wonder how someone else was able to take cellphone footage of this and retain his or her phone.)
Hainan Province, China – police are checking cell phones and arresting people for posting the truth about #coronavirus outbreak due to censorship. pic.twitter.com/tlRiStjQzY — Max Howroute▫ (@howroute) February 7, 2020
Some speculate that whistleblowers may be deliberately exposed to the virus by being put into quarantine with the infected as punishment.
What aren’t they telling us?
China has repeatedly turned down offers of assistance from the World Health Organization and has not allowed Taiwan to accept help from the WHO either.
Alex Azar, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services forced the issue in a press conference.
On January 6, we offered to send a CDC team to China that could assist with these public health efforts. I reiterated that offer when I spoke to China’s Minister of Health on Monday, and it was reiterated again via the World Health Organization today. We are urging China: More cooperation and transparency are the most important steps you can take toward a more effective response. Beyond that, all options for dealing with infectious disease spread have to be on the table, including travel restrictions. But diseases are not terribly good at respecting borders, so we would have to assess carefully whether the evidence recommends any steps beyond the thoroughly tested methods I just described. (source)
With this third very public offer of assistance, the Chinese government finally allowed a handful of American scientists into the country.
The government there has unleashed a wave of unsurpassed censorship with brutal punishment for those who flout it. This should tell anyone that as awful as the reports are, the reality is far worse.
I cannot fathom anyone watching these reports of mandatory quarantines, door-to-door checks, and authoritarian crackdowns who wouldn’t want to get prepared for the possibility of an extended lockdown here in the United States. Yet every time I read a report on this, I see some person in the comments section saying, “bUT ThE FLU hAs KiLLeD 8000 pEoPLe ThiS yEaR!”
And honestly, I believe that is the most ignorant response imaginable. I don’t care if you’re a doctor, an essential oil seller, or a member of Mensa. If this was comparable to influenza, would China be cutting its own economic throat during the busiest time of the year? Closing down the country at Chinese New Year would be the equivalent to the United States closing down the country for the entire month of December while banning Christmas, Hanukah, and New Year’s Eve. We’re talking billions of dollars in lost revenue in China right now. Billions.
Whatever the hell is going on over there, it is definitely much worse than the “flu.” And we don’t even know the half of it.
Article source: The Organic Prepper
Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging, globe-trotting blogger who writes about current events, preparedness, frugality, voluntaryism, and the pursuit of liberty on her website, The Organic Prepper. She is widely republished across alternative media and she curates all the most important news links on her aggregate site, PreppersDailyNews.com. Daisy is the best-selling author of 4 books and runs a small digital publishing company. You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, 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.


activistpost--2020-02-08--The Nightmare of Airport Facial Recognition

The ACLU has released an important white paper on airport facial recognition by ACLU senior policy analyst Jay Stanley .
Citing some of our previous reporting and analysis , the ACLU white paper focuses , appropriately , not so much on the details of current use of facial recognition at airports , but on where governments and the aviation industry — who share a an explicitly-recognized interest in common use of facial recognition — say it will lead if we don ’ t stop them .
Driving the dystopian trend called out in the ACLU white paper is the malign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to use facial recognition and other techniques of compelled and automated identification for surveillance and control of travelers ’ movements ; and airlines , airports , and other businesses that want to share use of the same identification systems and data for business process automation and commercial tracking and profiling of travel customers .
Below are some key excerpts , but we encourage you to read the full ACLU white paper : Customs and Border Protection ’ s new airport face recognition system has attracted a lot of attention and criticism , most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away from suggestions that it would make the program mandatory for American citizens… .
CBP officials argue that this program doesn ’ t involve mass surveillance .
But CBP ’ s program still involves the mass collection of photographs of the general public… .
The biggest harm from this program , however , is likely to come from the investment that it represents , the precedent it sets , and the path it puts us on as a society .
And where that path leads is a nightmare .
It hardly takes a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program morphing into something far more comprehensive and dystopian — a world where face recognition is used throughout our public spaces to scrutinize our identity , record our movements , and create a world where everyone is constantly watched… .
DHS and the aviation industry as a whole have a sweeping vision of expanded use of face recognition in the air travel context , and the government itself has already laid out — and begun following — a very specific , clear , and well-defined pathway for how the current program leads to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the airport .
And from there , it will be poised to expand far beyond the airport .
Here is what that pathway looks like : … Once face recognition becomes entrenched at TSA checkpoints , there will be enormous pressure to turn those checkpoints into broader law enforcement checkpoints where people are subject to watchlist , criminal , and immigration checks .
The TSA is not a law enforcement agency , and its checkpoints are not general law enforcement stops .
The TSA ’ s authority to search people without a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessary to protect aircraft safety ; TSA agentscan ’ t conduct general criminal investigations when they find things suspicious… .
CBP , however , does consider itself a law enforcement agency .
The agency already partners with TSA in creating and applying flawed watch lists and algorithmic risk assessments of passengers based on biographical data ( and secretive criteria ) , but CBP said in 2018 that it planned to also start running some passenger photos through the government ’ s IDENT biometric watchlist , which , according to DHS , includes “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and immigration violators.
” Among other things that raises the prospect that the TSA checkpoints will be turned into something new : a place where arrests of wanted people… routinely takes place… .
Expanding government face recognition dovetails with airline face recognition… The airlines have a crucial role in the government ’ s face recognition vision .
CBP is trying to create an infrastructure that the United States ( unlike some other countries ) has never had : border checkpoints for those exiting the country .
But supporters of this system apparently don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually pay for the government system they think we should have .
Instead , they ’ re trying to do it on the cheap … by prodding the airlines to supply the equipment and manpower to actually run the system .
And that , in turn , is implicitly based on CBP ’ s understanding that the airlines are embracing biometrics for their own purposes .
And the airlines are certainly interested in doing so .
With over 2 million people a day flying domestically , these companies run what is essentially a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and are always looking for ways to improve their “ industrial process.
” Delta Airlines , for example , is already cooperating with CBP to experiment with face recognition for self-service check-in and bag check .
Flyers presents themselves at the relevant kiosk where their photos are taken and sent to CBP ’ s cloud photo service .
“ CBP is excited at the possibility of biometric matching from curb to gate , ” the agency proclaims in materials directed at its airline “ partners.
” “ Airlines and airport authorities have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of secure air travel by co-developing processes that meet business , traveler and security needs.
” We ’ ve been down this road before .
The TSA ’ s “ Secure Flight ” program , first implemented in 2009 , forces passengers to hand over personal data to the airlines ( their full name , gender , and date of birth ) but lets the airlines do whatever they want with that information , providing a valuable data windfall for those companies .
One question is whether we ’ ll see the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CBP currently says the airlines won ’ t be permitted to keep the photographs those airlines take with their own equipment , but not that ’ s written in any law or regulation and it ’ s far from clear if and how that will be rigorously enforced… .
Airport bag searches were new in American life when they were first introduced in response to a wave of hijackings in the 1960s and 1970s .
Since then , they have expanded throughout American life to many office buildings , schools , museums , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in public spaces such as fireworks on the National Mall .
Unfortunately there are too many reasons to think that face recognition , if it becomes accepted at airports , will follow this existing path toward the “ airportization of American life.
” CBP ’ s TVS program is the first government face recognition checkpoint in American history .
If America decides to allow its deployment to continue , where will things go from there ?
We don ’ t have to wonder because the government has already told us much of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one reason why it is important to raise awareness over , ask sharp questions about , and ultimately oppose the CBP program

By Edward Hasbrouck
The ACLU has released an important white paper on airport facial recognition by ACLU senior policy analyst Jay Stanley. Citing some of our previous reporting and analysis, the ACLU white paper focuses, appropriately, not so much on the details of current use of facial recognition at airports, but on where governments and the aviation industry — who share a an explicitly-recognized interest in common use of facial recognition — say it will lead if we don’t stop them.
Driving the dystopian trend called out in the ACLU white paper is the malign convergence of interest between governments that want to use facial recognition and other techniques of compelled and automated identification for surveillance and control of travelers’ movements; and airlines, airports, and other businesses that want to share use of the same identification systems and data for business process automation and commercial tracking and profiling of travel customers.
Below are some key excerpts, but we encourage you to read the full ACLU white paper:
Customs and Border Protection’s new airport face recognition system has attracted a lot of attention and criticism, most recently last month when the agency backed away from suggestions that it would make the program mandatory for American citizens….
CBP officials argue that this program doesn’t involve mass surveillance. But CBP’s program still involves the mass collection of photographs of the general public….
The biggest harm from this program, however, is likely to come from the investment that it represents, the precedent it sets, and the path it puts us on as a society.
And where that path leads is a nightmare. It hardly takes a paranoid flight of fancy to foresee this program morphing into something far more comprehensive and dystopian — a world where face recognition is used throughout our public spaces to scrutinize our identity, record our movements, and create a world where everyone is constantly watched….
DHS and the aviation industry as a whole have a sweeping vision of expanded use of face recognition in the air travel context, and the government itself has already laid out — and begun following — a very specific, clear, and well-defined pathway for how the current program leads to a much broader implementations of face surveillance at the airport. And from there, it will be poised to expand far beyond the airport.
Here is what that pathway looks like:…
Once face recognition becomes entrenched at TSA checkpoints, there will be enormous pressure to turn those checkpoints into broader law enforcement checkpoints where people are subject to watchlist, criminal, and immigration checks. The TSA is not a law enforcement agency, and its checkpoints are not general law enforcement stops. The TSA’s authority to search people without a warrant is strictly confined to what is necessary to protect aircraft safety; TSA agentscan’t conduct general criminal investigations when they find things suspicious….
CBP, however, does consider itself a law enforcement agency. The agency already partners with TSA in creating and applying flawed watch lists and algorithmic risk assessments of passengers based on biographical data (and secretive criteria), but CBP said in 2018 that it planned to also start running some passenger photos through the government’s IDENT biometric watchlist, which, according to DHS, includes “known or suspected terrorists, criminals, and immigration violators.” Among other things that raises the prospect that the TSA checkpoints will be turned into something new: a place where arrests of wanted people… routinely takes place….
Expanding government face recognition dovetails with airline face recognition… The airlines have a crucial role in the government’s face recognition vision. CBP is trying to create an infrastructure that the United States (unlike some other countries) has never had: border checkpoints for those exiting the country. But supporters of this system apparently don’t want it badly enough to actually pay for the government system they think we should have. Instead, they’re trying to do it on the cheap … by prodding the airlines to supply the equipment and manpower to actually run the system. And that, in turn, is implicitly based on CBP’s understanding that the airlines are embracing biometrics for their own purposes.
And the airlines are certainly interested in doing so. With over 2 million people a day flying domestically, these companies run what is essentially a giant factory for the movement of people, and are always looking for ways to improve their “industrial process.” Delta Airlines, for example, is already cooperating with CBP to experiment with face recognition for self-service check-in and bag check. Flyers presents themselves at the relevant kiosk where their photos are taken and sent to CBP’s cloud photo service. “CBP is excited at the possibility of biometric matching from curb to gate,” the agency proclaims in materials directed at its airline “partners.” “Airlines and airport authorities have an extraordinary opportunity to influence the future of secure air travel by co-developing processes that meet business, traveler and security needs.”
We’ve been down this road before. The TSA’s “Secure Flight” program, first implemented in 2009, forces passengers to hand over personal data to the airlines (their full name, gender, and date of birth) but lets the airlines do whatever they want with that information, providing a valuable data windfall for those companies. One question is whether we’ll see the same thing happen with traveler mug shots. CBP currently says the airlines won’t be permitted to keep the photographs those airlines take with their own equipment, but not that’s written in any law or regulation and it’s far from clear if and how that will be rigorously enforced….
Airport bag searches were new in American life when they were first introduced in response to a wave of hijackings in the 1960s and 1970s. Since then, they have expanded throughout American life to many office buildings, schools, museums, sports stadiums, and even some gatherings in public spaces such as fireworks on the National Mall. Unfortunately there are too many reasons to think that face recognition, if it becomes accepted at airports, will follow this existing path toward the “airportization of American life.”
CBP’s TVS program is the first government face recognition checkpoint in American history. If America decides to allow its deployment to continue, where will things go from there? We don’t have to wonder because the government has already told us much of the story. This kind of mission creep is one reason why it is important to raise awareness over, ask sharp questions about, and ultimately oppose the CBP program


activistpost--2020-02-10--Expect “Cascading Global Impact” As Coronavirus Causes Massive Manufacturing Disruptions Worldwide

China has now placed hundreds of millions of its citizens under quarantine , leaving its economy grinding to a halt .
Workers can ’ t leave their homes .
Factories are idle .
Most ( if not all ) of China ’ s ports are no longer shipping .
International flights are increasingly banned from the country .
As PeakProsperity.com ’ s Chris Martenson details below , when the world ’ s # 2 economy hangs up a big “ CLOSED ” sign , that ’ s going to result in a major negative impact on global trade .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ ll be challenged to think of ANY industry that won ’ t experience serious supply chain interruptions and shortages from China ’ s woes .
For instance , did you know China makes the vast majority of our prescription pharmaceuticals ?
A MASSIVE hit to the global economy will directly result from the damage the Wuhan coronavirus is currently doing .
And it may get worse , a lot worse , as The Telegraph ’ s Ambrose Evans-Pritchard points out , “ the longer Beijing enforces curbs on work and travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Chinese economy is 17pc of the world economy and deeply integrated into international supply chains .
It was just 4.5pc of world GDP during the SARS epidemic 2003 , which some like to use as a reassuring template .
You can not shut down China for long these days without shutting down the world .
Wednesday ’ s investor euphoria at reports of two new wonder drugs from Zhejiang University show how badly unhinged the market has become .
This is not the way that medical science advances .
Nor could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time and at scale , to avert serious economic upheaval .
The open question is whether the coronavirus shock is enough to abort the fragile economic recovery underway since last summer ’ s near miss , when frightened central bankers in the US , Europe and 47 other jurisdictions cut rates in a drastic monetary U-turn .
Personally , I think the glacial SARS episode tells us little about the fast-spreading Wuhan virus .
The 2019-nCoV variant is more akin to the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 .
In fact , as Goldman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global growth is about a 2 % cut in Q1… Of course , Goldman ’ s baseline assumption is that the “ aggressive response from the authorities in China and elsewhere will bring the rate of new infections down sharply by the end of Q1.
” If so , global economic activity should normalize in subsequent quarters .
But what if the virus is not “ cured ” by then ?
And what if the money-printing can ’ t save the world ’ s workshop ?
As AEP points out , there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scale of disruption in China is already staggering and is already spreading worldwide… and fast , as Mike Shedlock details below , China is effectively shut down , and goods are now stranded in floating quarantines .
Nearby countries like Japan and South Korea are hit hardest but Global Shipping Disruptions will spread fast .
About 80 % of world goods trade by volume is carried by sea and China is home to seven of the world ’ s 10 busiest container ports , according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each have a mega port too .
“ A closure of the world ’ s manufacturing hub impacts container shipping at large , as it is a vital facilitator of the intra-Asian and global supply chains , ” said Peter Sand , chief shipping analyst at BIMCO , an international shipping association .
“ This will affect many industries and limit demand for containerized goods transport , ” Sand told CNN Business .
The shutdowns mean that some ships can ’ t get into Chinese ports , as the loading and discharging of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretary general of the International Chamber of Shipping , a trade body .
Others are stuck in dock , waiting for workers to return to ports so that construction and repairs can be completed , Platten added .
Still more vessels are idling in “ floating quarantined zones , ” as countries such as Australia and Singapore refuse to allow ships that have called at Chinese ports to enter their own until the crew has been declared virus-free , added Sand .
Platten said he knew of at least one crew that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been idled for so long .
Giant shipping companies such as Maersk , MSC Mediterranean Shipping , Hapag-Lloyd and CMA-CGM have said that they have reduced the number of vessels on routes connecting China and Hong Kong with India , Canada , the United States and West Africa .
“ The full impact of the Chinese coronavirus outbreak on container volumes will not be fully measurable until ports announce their throughput numbers for the first quarter , but data collected on weekly container vessel calls at key Chinese ports already shows a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January , ” Paris-based Alphaliner said in the report , released late Tuesday .
“ As far as box volumes in China , we see a fall of around 23 % over the past three weeks as the country is gradually shutting down , ” said Wang Lei , a broker in Shanghai , the main gateway for Chinese exports and the world ’ s busiest seaport with some 42 million containers a year .
Profit outside the rigged system !
Protect yourself from tyranny and economic collapse .
Learn to live free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strategies for Maximum Freedom “ Workers from crane operators to customs officials and truck drivers are staying home , ” Mr. Lei said .
“ It ’ s always slower during the Lunar New Year holidays , but this is something else .
People are afraid to interact and it ’ s killing business.
” And most stunning of all , The Baltic Capsize Index is Negative… Index tracking freight rates for world ’ s largest cargo ships plunges deep into negative territory as coronavirus slows global trade .
If the rate is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take the ship .
For now , The Telegraph ’ s AEP concludes , global markets remain in Pavlovian mode .
There will always be more Chinese stimulus .
Uncle Xi will always look after everybody .
Close China-watchers – and some very sharp scientists – suspect that this latest flurry of optimism is just a lull before the thunderstorm .
The airlines , carmakers , and phone makers are already in trouble , especially Hyundai and Apple .
The list of companies that so far have indicated that Q1 business operations will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industries .
So far the list includes – Delta , American , United , GM , Ford , Tesla , Google , Starbucks , McDonalds , Boeing , Nike , Wynn Resorts , Hilton Hyatt and Marriott – and the list will undoubtedly grow in coming months .
Shipping disruptions to the US will hit the West coast ports no later than March .
But hey , let ’ s pretend this is no worse than an average flu… Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
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By Tyler Durden
China has now placed hundreds of millions of its citizens under quarantine, leaving its economy grinding to a halt.
Workers can’t leave their homes. Factories are idle. Most (if not all) of China’s ports are no longer shipping. International flights are increasingly banned from the country.
As PeakProsperity.com’s Chris Martenson details below, when the world’s #2 economy hangs up a big “CLOSED” sign, that’s going to result in a major negative impact on global trade.
As the manufacturing powerhouse to the world, you’ll be challenged to think of ANY industry that won’t experience serious supply chain interruptions and shortages from China’s woes. For instance, did you know China makes the vast majority of our prescription pharmaceuticals?

A MASSIVE hit to the global economy will directly result from the damage the Wuhan coronavirus is currently doing. And it may get worse, a lot worse, as The Telegraph’s Ambrose Evans-Pritchard points out, “the longer Beijing enforces curbs on work and travel, the greater the global economic shock.”
The Chinese economy is 17pc of the world economy and deeply integrated into international supply chains. It was just 4.5pc of world GDP during the SARS epidemic 2003, which some like to use as a reassuring template. You cannot shut down China for long these days without shutting down the world. Wednesday’s investor euphoria at reports of two new wonder drugs from Zhejiang University show how badly unhinged the market has become. This is not the way that medical science advances. Nor could these anti-virals possibly be ready, in time and at scale, to avert serious economic upheaval. The open question is whether the coronavirus shock is enough to abort the fragile economic recovery underway since last summer’s near miss, when frightened central bankers in the US, Europe and 47 other jurisdictions cut rates in a drastic monetary U-turn. Personally, I think the glacial SARS episode tells us little about the fast-spreading Wuhan virus. The 2019-nCoV variant is more akin to the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918.
In fact, as Goldman noted here, the overall impact on global growth is about a 2% cut in Q1…
Of course, Goldman’s baseline assumption is that the “aggressive response from the authorities in China and elsewhere will bring the rate of new infections down sharply by the end of Q1.” If so, global economic activity should normalize in subsequent quarters.
… it will be another two weeks or so before we start to receive traditional macro data that could show a direct impact from the coronavirus outbreak and associated containment measures. Until then, market participants will need to continue to rely on sector-specific information such as news reports on factory closures and high frequency trackers of things like passenger travel and utility consumption.
But what if the virus is not “cured” by then? And what if the money-printing can’t save the world’s workshop?
As AEP points out, there is no global economic safety margin.
Both the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank have already relaunched quantitative easing – a bizarre thing to do if the US economy is really doing as well as Donald Trump claimed in his State of the Union address. Clearly US strength is a late-cycle illusion. Exhaustion has been masked by both by a blast of monetary stimulus and a fiscal deficit near 5pc of GDP.
The scale of disruption in China is already staggering and is already spreading worldwide… and fast, as Mike Shedlock details below, China is effectively shut down, and goods are now stranded in floating quarantines.
Nearby countries like Japan and South Korea are hit hardest but Global Shipping Disruptions will spread fast.
About 80% of world goods trade by volume is carried by sea and China is home to seven of the world’s 10 busiest container ports, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Nearby Singapore and South Korea each have a mega port too. “A closure of the world’s manufacturing hub impacts container shipping at large, as it is a vital facilitator of the intra-Asian and global supply chains,” said Peter Sand, chief shipping analyst at BIMCO, an international shipping association. “This will affect many industries and limit demand for containerized goods transport,” Sand told CNN Business. The shutdowns mean that some ships can’t get into Chinese ports, as the loading and discharging of goods slows, said Guy Platten, secretary general of the International Chamber of Shipping, a trade body. Others are stuck in dock, waiting for workers to return to ports so that construction and repairs can be completed, Platten added. Still more vessels are idling in “floating quarantined zones,” as countries such as Australia and Singapore refuse to allow ships that have called at Chinese ports to enter their own until the crew has been declared virus-free, added Sand. Platten said he knew of at least one crew that is running low on food because their ship has been idled for so long. Giant shipping companies such as Maersk, MSC Mediterranean Shipping, Hapag-Lloyd and CMA-CGM have said that they have reduced the number of vessels on routes connecting China and Hong Kong with India, Canada, the United States and West Africa.
Not Just Shipping
IAG Cargo, the air cargo arm of British Airways parent IAG, on Monday canceled all services to and from mainland China for at least the remainder of the month, citing a UK government travel advisory, according to a statement on its website. German logistics group DHL has reported “severe disruptions to inbound and outbound air cargo shipments, trucking and rail cargo services.”
Shipping Down 20% in China Ports
The Wall Street Journal reports Coronavirus Hits Shipping as China Port Traffic Slides
“The full impact of the Chinese coronavirus outbreak on container volumes will not be fully measurable until ports announce their throughput numbers for the first quarter, but data collected on weekly container vessel calls at key Chinese ports already shows a reduction of over 20% since 20 January,” Paris-based Alphaliner said in the report, released late Tuesday. “As far as box volumes in China, we see a fall of around 23% over the past three weeks as the country is gradually shutting down,” said Wang Lei, a broker in Shanghai, the main gateway for Chinese exports and the world’s busiest seaport with some 42 million containers a year. “Workers from crane operators to customs officials and truck drivers are staying home,” Mr. Lei said. “It’s always slower during the Lunar New Year holidays, but this is something else. People are afraid to interact and it’s killing business.”
Supply Chain Disruption to Japan and South Korea
Am informed from my industry network in Asia about 2/3 of Chinese industrial supply chains to Japan already shut down, almost complete shutdown to So.Korea. Impact on Taiwan, Germany, other big manufacturing exporters must also be severe. Hit to Q1 global GDP? https://t.co/WihMW1CwpL — Harald Malmgren (@Halsrethink) February 6, 2020
Germany Coming Up
German factory orders in December were down significantly & that’s before nCoV virus hit China visibly. 1Q factory orders in Germany & Europe will likely get it much harder. China is Germany’s #3 export market . . . pic.twitter.com/K2XEkljxN1 — Gary Haubold (@GaryHaubold) February 6, 2020
Nothing Moving
Nobody knows how long would 2019-nCoV pandemia last, but it might be long enough to make end manufacturers trigger permanent relocation of supply chains, rather than consider it a temporary interruption. — Tomasz Deptuch, PhD (@TomekDeptuch) February 6, 2020
Permanent Relocation?
Nobody knows how long would 2019-nCoV pandemia last, but it might be long enough to make end manufacturers trigger permanent relocation of supply chains, rather than consider it a temporary interruption. — Tomasz Deptuch, PhD (@TomekDeptuch) February 6, 2020
And most stunning of all, The Baltic Capsize Index is Negative…
Index tracking freight rates for world’s largest cargo ships plunges deep into negative territory as coronavirus slows global trade.
The Baltic Exchange’s capesize index, which constitutes part of the Baltic Dry Index—an important proxy for the world’s shipping market—extended deeper into negative territory Monday, after slipping below zero for the first time ever on Friday. Capesize vessels move products such as iron ore and coal from mines in Latin America and Australia to Europe and China. The index tracking them plunged from minus 21 points to an all-time low of minus 102 on Monday, a Baltic Exchange spokesperson said. The broader Baltic Dry Index, which tracks global shipping rates, fell to 466 on Monday, its lowest level in four years.
If the rate is negative, someone is paying you to take the ship.
For now, The Telegraph’s AEP concludes, global markets remain in Pavlovian mode. There will always be more Chinese stimulus. Uncle Xi will always look after everybody. Close China-watchers – and some very sharp scientists – suspect that this latest flurry of optimism is just a lull before the thunderstorm.
“It’s now clear that coronavirus is a serious event risk to the entire world and that financial conditions are tightening very quickly,” said Edward Harrison from Credit Writedowns. The channel of financial contagion runs from the epidemic through the oil price to a “bear market rout” in the broader energy sector, and from there to overstretched US junk bonds. “High yield is where the rubber hits the road,” he said.
Supply chain disruptions are starting to hurt big time.
The airlines, carmakers, and phone makers are already in trouble, especially Hyundai and Apple. The list of companies that so far have indicated that Q1 business operations will be impacted cut across a number of industries. So far the list includes – Delta, American, United, GM, Ford, Tesla, Google, Starbucks, McDonalds, Boeing, Nike, Wynn Resorts, Hilton Hyatt and Marriott – and the list will undoubtedly grow in coming months.
Shipping disruptions to the US will hit the West coast ports no later than March.
But hey, let’s pretend this is no worse than an average flu…
Article source: Zerohedge.com
Top image: Pixabay
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activistpost--2020-02-10--Reminder: Industry Insiders Don’t Give Their Products to Their Own Kids.  Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, et

Reminder: Industry Insiders Don’t Give Their Products to Their Own Kids.  Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, etc.

Most parents want what ’ s best for their kids .
Of course , it ’ s hard to know what that is when so many companies are marketing products and services without much if any regard for the health and wellbeing of children or anyone else .
When it comes to kids and technology – for many years Silicon Valley parents have been sending their kids to low-tech schools and restricting their use and exposure to devices .
We may never know if they have only been concerned about screen addiction or if they have also been concerned about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blue Light ( see 1 , 2 , 3 ) and/or Electromagnetic Radiation ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ) .
There is still no “ safe ” level of wireless radiation that has been scientifically determined for children or pregnant women .
Of course , industry insiders don ’ t only make different choices for their families regarding technology .
Thanks to Popular Science for providing more details on what concerned parents may want to think twice about giving their kids : Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his kids use the iPad , or really any product their dad invented , according to a 2014 report from Nick Bilton in The New York Times .
“ They haven ’ t used it , ” Jobs told Bilton .
“ We limit how much technology our kids use at home.
” Every night , the family had a phone-free dinner together , according to Walter Isaacson , author of the definitive biography Steve Jobs .
“ The kids did not seem addicted at all to devices , ” Isaacson told Bilton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ startling—and for good reason .
What does it say about the safety of a product if its creator forbids his own kids from using it ?
But the tech billionaire ’ s choices weren ’ t as unusual as they might seem .
From tobacco to food manufacturing to social media , executives and insiders are subtly sounding the alarm in actions , if not in words .
Their behaviors provide insight not just into the risks of certain consumer products to children , but to adults , too .
Activist Post reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electronic , and wireless technology .
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By B.N. Frank
Most parents want what’s best for their kids. Of course, it’s hard to know what that is when so many companies are marketing products and services without much if any regard for the health and wellbeing of children or anyone else.
When it comes to kids and technology – for many years Silicon Valley parents have been sending their kids to low-tech schools and restricting their use and exposure to devices. We may never know if they have only been concerned about screen addiction or if they have also been concerned about adverse health effects from exposure to harmful Blue Light (see 1, 2, 3) and/or Electromagnetic Radiation (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). There is still no “safe” level of wireless radiation that has been scientifically determined for children or pregnant women.
Of course, industry insiders don’t only make different choices for their families regarding technology. Thanks to Popular Science for providing more details on what concerned parents may want to think twice about giving their kids:
Apple founder Steve Jobs didn’t let his kids use the iPad, or really any product their dad invented, according to a 2014 report from Nick Bilton in The New York Times. “They haven’t used it,” Jobs told Bilton. “We limit how much technology our kids use at home.” Every night, the family had a phone-free dinner together, according to Walter Isaacson, author of the definitive biography Steve Jobs. “The kids did not seem addicted at all to devices,” Isaacson told Bilton. Many found Jobs’s choices startling—and for good reason. What does it say about the safety of a product if its creator forbids his own kids from using it? But the tech billionaire’s choices weren’t as unusual as they might seem. From tobacco to food manufacturing to social media, executives and insiders are subtly sounding the alarm in actions, if not in words. Their behaviors provide insight not just into the risks of certain consumer products to children, but to adults, too. Read full article

Activist Post reports regularly about risks associated with digital, electronic, and wireless technology. For more information visit our archives and the following websites:
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.


activistpost--2020-02-10--Apple Fined $27 Million For Slowing Down Older iPhones

For years , Apple and other smartphone makers were rumored to slow down their older models , and the company finally admitted to the practice in 2017 , but claimed that it was a necessary measure to “ prolong the life ” of the devices .
Many customers weren ’ t buying the excuse , and in France , the company was fined 25 million euros ( £21m , $ 27m ) for not notifying customers that their device would have a reduced function after a certain period of time .
Many customers and critics expected that Apple was slowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time as their new releases so people were more inclined to upgrade .
Some have accused Apple of developing a “ planned obsolescence , ” production strategy , which ensures that products will break after a certain time so customers will be forced to come back and buy a replacement .
However , Apple insisted that newer apps and updates resulted in increased pressure on the lithium-ion batteries in the phones which could end up causing damage to both the battery and the phone .
The company said that slowing down the devices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Still , the French competition and fraud watchdog DGCCRF said that customers should have been warned about this potentiality .
The group says that Apple “ committed the crime of deceptive commercial practice by omission.
” The company was forced to pay the fine of 25 million euros , and place a notice about the practice on the website for its French markets for one month .
Now that everything is out in the open , Apple still slows down their old phones , for the same reasons they described in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that this should get less noticeable as the technology advances .
“ The effects of performance management on these newer models may be less noticeable due to their more advanced hardware and software design , ” a statement from Apple said , according to the BBC .
Customers are still extremely suspicious of the practice .
In September of 2011 , iPhone 10 users were voicing concerns that their device began giving them trouble as soon as the iPhone 11 was announced .
John Vibes is an author and journalist who takes a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and focuses solutions-oriented approaches to social problems .
He is also a host of The Free Your Mind Conference and The Free Thought Project Podcast .
Read More stories by John Vibes Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
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Get a free issue of Counter Markets @ @

By John Vibes
For years, Apple and other smartphone makers were rumored to slow down their older models, and the company finally admitted to the practice in 2017, but claimed that it was a necessary measure to “prolong the life” of the devices.
Many customers weren’t buying the excuse, and in France, the company was fined 25 million euros (£21m, $27m) for not notifying customers that their device would have a reduced function after a certain period of time.
Many customers and critics expected that Apple was slowing down their old phones at the same time as their new releases so people were more inclined to upgrade. Some have accused Apple of developing a “planned obsolescence,” production strategy, which ensures that products will break after a certain time so customers will be forced to come back and buy a replacement.
However, Apple insisted that newer apps and updates resulted in increased pressure on the lithium-ion batteries in the phones which could end up causing damage to both the battery and the phone. The company said that slowing down the devices was a way of mitigating this risk.
Still, the French competition and fraud watchdog DGCCRF said that customers should have been warned about this potentiality.
The group says that Apple “committed the crime of deceptive commercial practice by omission.” The company was forced to pay the fine of 25 million euros, and place a notice about the practice on the website for its French markets for one month.
Now that everything is out in the open, Apple still slows down their old phones, for the same reasons they described in their initial defense. However, they promise that this should get less noticeable as the technology advances.
“The effects of performance management on these newer models may be less noticeable due to their more advanced hardware and software design,” a statement from Apple said, according to the BBC.
Customers are still extremely suspicious of the practice. In September of 2011, iPhone 10 users were voicing concerns that their device began giving them trouble as soon as the iPhone 11 was announced.
iphone 11 was announced YESTERDAY and my phone is already acting up — jenna noel (@jdrphoto2003) September 12, 2019
I find it awfully convenient that the camera on my iPhone stopped working the day Apple announced new iPhones with fancier cameras — Evan (@evanbumgardner) September 11, 2019
Swear I just said my phone has been acting up ever since they started talking about the iPhone 11 release . My 10 was working perfectly fine and then bam 🤣😩😩 — Desireé Meowington (@DesireeMeoww) September 12, 2019
it’s just a little strange that my iphone xs max completely stopped working for 2 hours today, the day after the new iphones were announced — ryan ferreira (@ryanferreira) September 12, 2019
Article source: Truth Theory
IMAGE FEATURED: Flickr
John Vibes is an author and journalist who takes a special interest in the counter culture, and focuses solutions-oriented approaches to social problems. He is also a host of The Free Your Mind Conference and The Free Thought Project Podcast. Read More stories by John Vibes
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.


activistpost--2020-02-10--Investigation Reveals State Arresting, Jailing Citizens Over Unpaid Medical Bills

Coffeyville , KS — A bombshell investigation from ProPublica revealed that law enforcement in Kansas is running a debtor ’ s prison and throwing people in jail over their medical debt .
The story focused on the case of Tres and Heather Biggs who fell behind on their medical bills for their son ’ s leukemia and Heather ’ s Lyme disease .
What happened next was nothing but sheer tyranny .
This family ’ s nightmare began last year when they fell behind on their medical bills from Heather and her son ’ s conditions .
Instead of simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in Coffeyville , Kansas , the government joins in .
“ We had so many — multiple health issues in our family at the same time , it put us in a bracket that made insurance unattainable , ” Heather Biggs said .
“ It would have made no sense .
We would have had to have not eaten , not had a home.
” Because they had unpaid medical debt , the apparently corrupt court system issued them a summons to appear in court .
ProPublica reports that they were one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in just a single month .
Judge David Casement entered the courtroom , a black robe swaying over his cowboy boots and silversmithed belt buckle .
He is a cattle rancher who was appointed a magistrate judge , though he ’ d never taken a course in law .
Judges don ’ t need a law degree in Kansas , or many other states , to preside over cases like these .
Casement asked the defendants to take an oath and confirmed that the newcomers confessed to their debt .
A key purpose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for patients to face debt collectors .
“ They want to talk to you about trying to set up a payment plan , and after you talk with them , you are free to go , ” he told the debtors .
Then , he left the room .
The first collector of the day was also the most notorious : Michael Hassenplug , a private attorney representing doctors and ambulance services .
Every three months , Hassenplug called the same nonpaying defendants to court to list what they earned and what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to their poverty .
It gave him a sense of his options : to set up a payment plan , to garnish wages or bank accounts , to put a lien on a property .
It was called a “ debtor ’ s exam.
” If a debtor missed an exam , the judge typically issued a citation of contempt , a charge for disobeying an order of the court , which in this case was to appear .
If the debtor missed a hearing on contempt , Hassenplug would ask the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long as the defendant had been properly served , the judge ’ s answer was always yes .
In practice , this system has made Hassenplug and other collectors the real arbiters of who gets arrested and who is shown mercy .
If debtors can post bail , the judge almost always applies the money to the debt .
Hassenplug , like any collector working on commission , gets a cut of the cash he brings in .
“ You wouldn ’ t think you ’ d go to jail over medical bills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they do .
“ I ’ m just doing my job , ” Hassenplug said .
“ They want the money collected , and I ’ m trying to do my job as best I can by following the law.
” But that “ job ” is a twisted entanglement of state and private business .
In fact , the “ law ” being used to go after these folks , the “ debtor ’ s exam , ” was adopted by the court because Hassenplug wrote it and recommended it to them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Nusrat Choudhury , the deputy director of the ACLU .
“ What ’ s happening here is a jailhouse shake-down for cash that is the criminalization of private debt.
” Indeed it is .
In most instances , when people pay their bail , it is returned after they appear in court .
But in this case , it is taken from them and given to Hassenplug and his clients .
This mixture of state and private factions to collect private debt is little more than fascism and it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is a reality that exists outside of Kansas too .
People who find themselves unable to pay their bills often find themselves on the receiving end of the police state .
Despite the fact that debtor ’ s prisons are illegal in the United States , TFTP has reported on numerous incidents like the Biggs ’ case .
It ’ s not just medical bills either .
Unpaid college loans have also landed people in cages as well as visits from SWAT teams .
As TFTP previously reported , in what could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Onion , but sadly played out in reality , a Texas man was arrested by seven heavily armed U.S .
Marshals for failing to pay an almost 30-year-old student loan debt .
The man , Paul Aker , 48 , said he was caught off-guard by the heavily armed agents that showed up at his home to arrest him for failing to pay the nearly 3-decades-old debt .
Aker ’ s arrest for a 30-year-old , $ 1,500 dollar debt was disturbing enough ; but taken in concert with the fact that simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a protected right under the U.S. Constitution , was reason enough for agents to arrive in combat gear and with fully automatic weapons raises the ominous specter of the police state rising .
After being arrested , Aker was held at the federal building in downtown Houston , before being brought to a courtroom , where a “ prosecutor , ” judge and county clerk were present , according to the NY Daily News .
Aker said the alleged “ prosecutor ” was really a collection lawyer .
It is extremely worrisome that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to bully people into paying delinquent student loan debt and medical bills .
There has to be a more intelligent manner in which to attempt to reconcile these debts than to send heavily armed men to arrest those either unwilling or more than likely unable to pay .
It speaks to the nature of the state itself that the default position is virtually always one of coercive force rather than to intellectually assess the means that will most likely provide the desired result – a reconciled debt .
If you deprive someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be able to pay their debt , and in fact , it will cost the taxpayers far more .
However , when the only tool you have is a hammer , everything begins to look like a nail—including single mothers of three , unable to pay medical bills .
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA .
This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state .
Agorist has been an independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been featured on mainstream networks around the world .
Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project .
Follow @ MattAgorist on Twitter , Steemit , and now on Minds .
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Get a free issue @ @ @ @ @

By Matt Agorist
Coffeyville, KS — A bombshell investigation from ProPublica revealed that law enforcement in Kansas is running a debtor’s prison and throwing people in jail over their medical debt. The story focused on the case of Tres and Heather Biggs who fell behind on their medical bills for their son’s leukemia and Heather’s Lyme disease. What happened next was nothing but sheer tyranny.
Welcome to Coffeyville, Kansas, where the judge has no law degree, debt collectors get a cut of the bail, and Americans are watching their lives — and liberty — disappear in the pursuit of medical debt collection.
This family’s nightmare began last year when they fell behind on their medical bills from Heather and her son’s conditions. Instead of simply being turned over to a collection agency, in Coffeyville, Kansas, the government joins in.
“We had so many — multiple health issues in our family at the same time, it put us in a bracket that made insurance unattainable,” Heather Biggs said. “It would have made no sense. We would have had to have not eaten, not had a home.”
Because they had unpaid medical debt, the apparently corrupt court system issued them a summons to appear in court. ProPublica reports that they were one of 90 people facing similar legal action in just a single month.
Judge David Casement entered the courtroom, a black robe swaying over his cowboy boots and silversmithed belt buckle. He is a cattle rancher who was appointed a magistrate judge, though he’d never taken a course in law. Judges don’t need a law degree in Kansas, or many other states, to preside over cases like these. Casement asked the defendants to take an oath and confirmed that the newcomers confessed to their debt. A key purpose of the hearing, though, was for patients to face debt collectors. “They want to talk to you about trying to set up a payment plan, and after you talk with them, you are free to go,” he told the debtors. Then, he left the room. The first collector of the day was also the most notorious: Michael Hassenplug, a private attorney representing doctors and ambulance services. Every three months, Hassenplug called the same nonpaying defendants to court to list what they earned and what they owned — to testify, quite often, to their poverty. It gave him a sense of his options: to set up a payment plan, to garnish wages or bank accounts, to put a lien on a property. It was called a “debtor’s exam.” If a debtor missed an exam, the judge typically issued a citation of contempt, a charge for disobeying an order of the court, which in this case was to appear. If the debtor missed a hearing on contempt, Hassenplug would ask the judge for a bench warrant. As long as the defendant had been properly served, the judge’s answer was always yes. In practice, this system has made Hassenplug and other collectors the real arbiters of who gets arrested and who is shown mercy. If debtors can post bail, the judge almost always applies the money to the debt. Hassenplug, like any collector working on commission, gets a cut of the cash he brings in.
“You wouldn’t think you’d go to jail over medical bills,” Tres Biggs said. But they do.
“I’m just doing my job,” Hassenplug said. “They want the money collected, and I’m trying to do my job as best I can by following the law.”
But that “job” is a twisted entanglement of state and private business. In fact, the “law” being used to go after these folks, the “debtor’s exam,” was adopted by the court because Hassenplug wrote it and recommended it to them.

“This raises serious constitutional concerns,” said Nusrat Choudhury, the deputy director of the ACLU. “What’s happening here is a jailhouse shake-down for cash that is the criminalization of private debt.”
Indeed it is.
In most instances, when people pay their bail, it is returned after they appear in court. But in this case, it is taken from them and given to Hassenplug and his clients. This mixture of state and private factions to collect private debt is little more than fascism and it’s dangerous.
Sadly, however, it is a reality that exists outside of Kansas too. People who find themselves unable to pay their bills often find themselves on the receiving end of the police state. Despite the fact that debtor’s prisons are illegal in the United States, TFTP has reported on numerous incidents like the Biggs’ case.
It’s not just medical bills either. Unpaid college loans have also landed people in cages as well as visits from SWAT teams.
As TFTP previously reported, in what could be a story straight out of The Onion, but sadly played out in reality, a Texas man was arrested by seven heavily armed U.S. Marshals for failing to pay an almost 30-year-old student loan debt.
The man, Paul Aker, 48, said he was caught off-guard by the heavily armed agents that showed up at his home to arrest him for failing to pay the nearly 3-decades-old debt.
“They grabbed me, they threw me down,” Aker told the Daily News. “Local PD is just standing there.”
Aker’s arrest for a 30-year-old, $1,500 dollar debt was disturbing enough; but taken in concert with the fact that simply being an owner of a firearm, a protected right under the U.S. Constitution, was reason enough for agents to arrive in combat gear and with fully automatic weapons raises the ominous specter of the police state rising.
After being arrested, Aker was held at the federal building in downtown Houston, before being brought to a courtroom, where a “prosecutor,” judge and county clerk were present, according to the NY Daily News. Aker said the alleged “prosecutor” was really a collection lawyer.
“Then I get a lecture (from the judge) about the United States and stealing from the government,” Aker said.
It is extremely worrisome that armed agents of the state are being used to bully people into paying delinquent student loan debt and medical bills. There has to be a more intelligent manner in which to attempt to reconcile these debts than to send heavily armed men to arrest those either unwilling or more than likely unable to pay.
It speaks to the nature of the state itself that the default position is virtually always one of coercive force rather than to intellectually assess the means that will most likely provide the desired result – a reconciled debt.
If you deprive someone of their freedom, they will never be able to pay their debt, and in fact, it will cost the taxpayers far more. However, when the only tool you have is a hammer, everything begins to look like a nail—including single mothers of three, unable to pay medical bills.
Article source: The Free Thought Project
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project. Follow @MattAgorist on Twitter, Steemit, and now on Minds.
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--2020-02-10--JPMorgan Chase Confirmed as Target of Metals Price Rigging Prosecution

The U.S. Department of Justice investigation of criminal activity in the precious metals markets has taken an interesting new turn .
According to Bloomberg , prosecutors are targeting the bank itself and not just the individual traders involved in rigging prices .
If convicted , the bank as an institution could be held accountable for years of structured and pervasive cheating .
The DOJ investigation of JPMorgan ’ s metals trading desk began more than two years ago .
It came on the heels of a guilty plea by Deutsche Bank .
Deutsche Bank copped to spoofing prices and agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DB then handed over hundreds of thousands of pages of documents , along with chat logs and voice recordings which featured traders gleefully conspiring with one another to cheat clients and other market participants .
Officials used that trove of information and other evidence to charge six JPMorgan traders with crimes .
Some already pleaded guilty and made their own agreements to cooperate with the larger investigation .
But last week ’ s revelations from Bloomberg are the first confirmation that the mega bank is itself in the crosshairs .
Bank of America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moved to settle charges .
The company paid fines and promised internal reforms .
Many expect the extraordinarily well-connected JPMorgan Chase & Co will be granted similar leniency .
There is one interesting distinction in the DOJ ’ s handling of the bank , however .
Officials have charged JPMorgan traders using RICO laws .
The implication is that the bank itself is to be treated as a criminal enterprise .
Perhaps this time company executives will not be able to convince investigators the bank is an honest institution with the simple misfortune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ranks .
JPMorgan deserves to get more than a slap on the wrist .
For many involved in the metals markets , it has been obvious for years that JPMorgan is at the center of a program to rig gold and silver prices .
These cries were long dismissed as conspiracy theory .
Today few can dispute there has been pervasive , well-orchestrated cheating over nearly a decade , if not much longer .
We now know at least some officials inside the Department of Justice agree .
They view the bank ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mafia .
It remains to be seen whether actual charges will be brought against the bank .
So far , only individuals have been charged .
Given the bank ’ s power and influence there is no certainty justice will prevail , even if the evidence is overwhelming .
Finally , there is no certainty as to whether any penalties will be commensurate with the crime .
Individual criminals on Wall Street may have been banned from trading and bankrupted by fines .
However , it would be unprecedented for a bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trading ban or fines large enough to meaningfully impact the bank ’ s operations .
The road to full accountability for JPMorgan remains long and full of obstacles .
But it is certainly nice to see prosecutors treating the bank without the usual kid gloves .
Clint Siegner is a Director at Money Metals Exchange , a precious metals dealer recently named “ Best in the USA ” by an independent global ratings group .
A graduate of Linfield College in Oregon , Siegner puts his experience in business management along with his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and honest money into the development of Money Metals ’ brand and reach .
This includes writing extensively on the bullion markets and their intersection with policy and world affairs .
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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By Clint Siegner
The U.S. Department of Justice investigation of criminal activity in the precious metals markets has taken an interesting new turn.
According to Bloomberg, prosecutors are targeting the bank itself and not just the individual traders involved in rigging prices. If convicted, the bank as an institution could be held accountable for years of structured and pervasive cheating.
The DOJ investigation of JPMorgan’s metals trading desk began more than two years ago. It came on the heels of a guilty plea by Deutsche Bank.
Deutsche Bank copped to spoofing prices and agreed to turn state’s evidence. DB then handed over hundreds of thousands of pages of documents, along with chat logs and voice recordings which featured traders gleefully conspiring with one another to cheat clients and other market participants.
Officials used that trove of information and other evidence to charge six JPMorgan traders with crimes. Some already pleaded guilty and made their own agreements to cooperate with the larger investigation.
But last week’s revelations from Bloomberg are the first confirmation that the mega bank is itself in the crosshairs.
Bank of America followed Deutsche Bank’s lead and moved to settle charges. The company paid fines and promised internal reforms. Many expect the extraordinarily well-connected JPMorgan Chase & Co will be granted similar leniency.
There is one interesting distinction in the DOJ’s handling of the bank, however. Officials have charged JPMorgan traders using RICO laws.
The implication is that the bank itself is to be treated as a criminal enterprise. Perhaps this time company executives will not be able to convince investigators the bank is an honest institution with the simple misfortune of having rogue criminal traders among its ranks.
JPMorgan deserves to get more than a slap on the wrist.
For many involved in the metals markets, it has been obvious for years that JPMorgan is at the center of a program to rig gold and silver prices. These cries were long dismissed as conspiracy theory. Today few can dispute there has been pervasive, well-orchestrated cheating over nearly a decade, if not much longer.
We now know at least some officials inside the Department of Justice agree. They view the bank’s activities as organized crime, like the mafia.
It remains to be seen whether actual charges will be brought against the bank. So far, only individuals have been charged. Given the bank’s power and influence there is no certainty justice will prevail, even if the evidence is overwhelming.
Finally, there is no certainty as to whether any penalties will be commensurate with the crime. Individual criminals on Wall Street may have been banned from trading and bankrupted by fines. However, it would be unprecedented for a bank the size of JPMorgan to receive a trading ban or fines large enough to meaningfully impact the bank’s operations.
The road to full accountability for JPMorgan remains long and full of obstacles. But it is certainly nice to see prosecutors treating the bank without the usual kid gloves.
Clint Siegner is a Director at Money Metals Exchange, a precious metals dealer recently named “Best in the USA” by an independent global ratings group. A graduate of Linfield College in Oregon, Siegner puts his experience in business management along with his passion for personal liberty, limited government, and honest money into the development of Money Metals’ brand and reach. This includes writing extensively on the bullion markets and their intersection with policy and world affairs.
Image: The Anti-Media
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.