activistpost--2020-03-09--New “Halo Body Camera” for Cops Comes Equipped with Live Facial Recognition

Move over stop , frisk and identify !
The power of the police state has increased exponentially with a new body camera which uses an integrated real-time facial recognition system .
Currently , as TFTP reported , police have to take a picture of a person ’ s face to search a police-friendly company ’ s database for biographical information .
That is no longer necessary .
Now they can have identifying information long before they even make contact with the public .
What could possibly go wrong ?
WOLFCOM calls their new body camera the “ Total Solution ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facial recognition software , as well as redaction features to blur out faces which the 1500 police departments WOLFCOM services choose to keep private .
The new tech will afford police departments the ability to instantly search databases for arrest warrants , access missing persons reports , or other information the cops might want such as previous arrest histories .
We knew it would not be long before police departments had such capabilities .
Clearview AI has been using artificial intelligence , social media accounts ( both active and deactivated ) , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a suspect .
We use the word “ suspect ” in this case because Clearview AI is an app which is not accessible by the public , only law enforcement officers and agencies can use it .
The way Clearview AI works is it requires a police officer to already have an image of a person to be submitted to the Clearview AI database .
From there , the artificial intelligence takes over and uncovers the identity of the suspect .
Wolfcom has apparently improved on the process by using body cameras @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspects , long before a person has decided to consent to providing identifying information .
In other words , the surveillance state has gained a new tool although some police departments have been using facial recognition software for decades .
In Florida , for example , law enforcement agencies search the facial recognition databases at a rate of over 4,000 times per month .
While Florida has achieved a certain measure of success in identifying those who did not want to be identified , the use of the technology has come at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do suspects not get a chance to consent , their lawyers are often not privy to how the police identified their client .
And that information is often hidden during the discovery process whereby lawyers are given all the relevant evidence against their clients .
In January of this year , the New York Times reported one Florida man may have lost his freedom in a case of mistaken identity after the state ’ s facial recognition program fingered him for selling cocaine .
He claims he ’ s innocent .
The Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used the Freedom of Information Act to gather information used in their investigative report of WOLFCOM , the president of the company proudly lauded the company ’ s achievement in facial recognition technology .
Founder Peter Austin Onruang reportedly told the Nobel Police Department in Oklahoma : This push for facial recognition is in spite of the fact that other body camera companies like Axon coming out against using the technology in their equipment , citing “ serious ethical concerns.
” NEC which is another facial recognition company throughout the world has refused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement for the same reason .
But the police state couldn ’ t care less about ethical concerns .
Law Enforcement Agencies ( LEA ) will likely welcome such an advancement in technology but we at TFTP want to ask a simple question .
What could possibly go wrong ?
If LEA ’ s were incapable of framing suspects , carrying out assassinations , and not infiltrated by pedophiles with badges , then there would not be any cause for concern .
Police State apologists like to mention their twisted beliefs that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any laws then you have nothing to worry about ” and “ there ’ s a bad apple in every bunch.
” We , on the other hand , constantly beg to differ .
Not only do we write about entire police departments being arrested for corruption , we also cover stories about cops abusing their badge and oath to stalk and rape women .
Now , those same police officers who sometimes get corrupted by their own natures , will have access to a whole host of personal information , all at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers in California have already been investigated for accessing databases when they were not legally allowed to do so .
And that ’ s just in California .
If it ’ s already going on in California , it ’ s common sense to assume the practice is taking place nationwide by police officers in every state .
When and if WOLFCOM ’ s body cameras become standard issue nationwide , people will have to kiss privacy goodbye .
Search warrants and the 4th and 14 Amendments be damned !
Jack Burns is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and advocate of natural medicine .
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By Jack Burns
Move over stop, frisk and identify! The power of the police state has increased exponentially with a new body camera which uses an integrated real-time facial recognition system. Currently, as TFTP reported, police have to take a picture of a person’s face to search a police-friendly company’s database for biographical information. That is no longer necessary. Now they can have identifying information long before they even make contact with the public. What could possibly go wrong?
WOLFCOM calls their new body camera the “Total Solution” which includes cloud or site-based storage, facial recognition software, as well as redaction features to blur out faces which the 1500 police departments WOLFCOM services choose to keep private. The new tech will afford police departments the ability to instantly search databases for arrest warrants, access missing persons reports, or other information the cops might want such as previous arrest histories.
We knew it would not be long before police departments had such capabilities. Clearview AI has been using artificial intelligence, social media accounts (both active and deactivated), to search the World Wide Web for images of a suspect. We use the word “suspect” in this case because Clearview AI is an app which is not accessible by the public, only law enforcement officers and agencies can use it. The way Clearview AI works is it requires a police officer to already have an image of a person to be submitted to the Clearview AI database. From there, the artificial intelligence takes over and uncovers the identity of the suspect.
Wolfcom has apparently improved on the process by using body cameras alongside facial-recognition software, to immediately identify suspects, long before a person has decided to consent to providing identifying information. In other words, the surveillance state has gained a new tool although some police departments have been using facial recognition software for decades.
In Florida, for example, law enforcement agencies search the facial recognition databases at a rate of over 4,000 times per month. While Florida has achieved a certain measure of success in identifying those who did not want to be identified, the use of the technology has come at the price of personal liberties. Not only do suspects not get a chance to consent, their lawyers are often not privy to how the police identified their client. And that information is often hidden during the discovery process whereby lawyers are given all the relevant evidence against their clients.
In January of this year, the New York Times reported one Florida man may have lost his freedom in a case of mistaken identity after the state’s facial recognition program fingered him for selling cocaine. He claims he’s innocent. The Times writes:
Willie Allen Lynch was accused in 2015 of selling $50 worth of crack cocaine, after the Pinellas facial recognition system suggested him as a likely match. Mr. Lynch, who claimed he had been misidentified, sought the images of the other possible matches; a Florida appeals court ruled against it. He is serving an eight-year prison sentence.
According to OneZero, which used the Freedom of Information Act to gather information used in their investigative report of WOLFCOM, the president of the company proudly lauded the company’s achievement in facial recognition technology. Founder Peter Austin Onruang reportedly told the Nobel Police Department in Oklahoma:
With Realtime Facial Recognition, WOLFCOM hopes to give our friends in Law Enforcement tools that will help them identify if the person they are talking to is a wanted suspect, a missing child or adult, or a person of interest.
This push for facial recognition is in spite of the fact that other body camera companies like Axon coming out against using the technology in their equipment, citing “serious ethical concerns.” NEC which is another facial recognition company throughout the world has refused to sell live facial recognition technology to law enforcement for the same reason.
But the police state couldn’t care less about ethical concerns. Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA) will likely welcome such an advancement in technology but we at TFTP want to ask a simple question. What could possibly go wrong? If LEA’s were incapable of framing suspects, carrying out assassinations, and not infiltrated by pedophiles with badges, then there would not be any cause for concern. Police State apologists like to mention their twisted beliefs that if “you’re not breaking any laws then you have nothing to worry about” and “there’s a bad apple in every bunch.” We, on the other hand, constantly beg to differ.
Not only do we write about entire police departments being arrested for corruption, we also cover stories about cops abusing their badge and oath to stalk and rape women. Now, those same police officers who sometimes get corrupted by their own natures, will have access to a whole host of personal information, all at their fingertips.
More than 1,000 police officers in California have already been investigated for accessing databases when they were not legally allowed to do so. And that’s just in California. If it’s already going on in California, it’s common sense to assume the practice is taking place nationwide by police officers in every state. When and if WOLFCOM’s body cameras become standard issue nationwide, people will have to kiss privacy goodbye. Search warrants and the 4th and 14 Amendments be damned!
Article source: The Free Thought Project
Image: WOLFCOM
Jack Burns is an educator, journalist, investigative reporter, and advocate of natural medicine.
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--2020-03-10--Signed as Law: New Mexico Strengthens Electronic Communications Privacy Act

Last Wednesday , New Mexico Gov .
Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill into law that expands protections under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act .
The new law not only increases data privacy in the state ; it also further hinders the federal surveillance state .
Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto ( D-Albuquerque ) introduced Senate Bill 270 ( SB270 ) on Feb. 4 .
The new law expands provisions of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act that passed last year to limit the retention and use of incidentally collected data .
The Electronic Communications Privacy Act helps block the use of cell-site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These devices essentially spoof cell phone towers , tricking any device within range into connecting to the stingray instead of the tower , allowing law enforcement to sweep up communications content , as well as locate and track the person in possession of a specific phone or other electronic device .
Under the law , police must obtain a search warrant or wiretap order before using a stingray in most situations .
The law also bars law enforcement agencies from compelling a service provider or any person other than the owner of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This includes actual communication content such as phone conversations , text messages and email , location information and other metadata such as IP addresses pertaining to a person or device participating in the communication .
SB270 strengthens protections by requiring police to seal any information obtained through the execution of the warrant that is unrelated to the objective of the warrant , or that is not exculpatory to the target of the warrant .
The information can not be subject to further review , used , or disclosed , except pursuant to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discovery .
The law also requires the destruction of any Information obtained through the execution of a warrant or order that is unrelated to the objective of the warrant as soon as feasible after the termination of the current investigation and related investigations or proceedings .
On Feb. 16 , the Senate passed SB270 by a 39-0 vote .
The House approved the measure 69-0 .
With the governor ’ s signature , the law went into immediate effect .
The federal government funds the vast majority of state and local stingray programs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feds require agencies acquiring the technology to sign non-disclosure agreements .
This throws a giant shroud over the program , even preventing judges , prosecutors and defense attorneys from getting information about the use of stingrays in court .
The feds actually instruct prosecutors to withdraw evidence if judges or legislators press for information .
As the Baltimore Sun reported in April 2015 , a Baltimore detective refused to answer questions on the stand during a trial , citing a federal non-disclosure agreement .
“ Does this document instruct you to withhold evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Circuit Court , even upon court order to produce ?
” he asked .
As privacysos.org put it , “ The FBI would rather police officers and prosecutors let ‘ criminals ’ go than face a possible scenario where a defendant brings a Fourth Amendment challenge to warrantless stingray spying.
” The experience of a Pinellas County , Florida , man further highlights the shroud of secrecy around the use of stingray devices , along with the potential for abuse of power inherent in America ’ s law enforcement community .
The feds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ anti-terrorism ” efforts .
With non-disclosure agreements in place , most police departments refuse to release any information on the use of stingrays .
But information obtained from the Tacoma Police Department revealed that it uses the technology primarily for routine criminal investigations .
Some privacy advocates argue that stingray use can never happen within the parameters of the Fourth Amendment because the technology necessarily connects to every electronic device within range , not just the one held by the target .
And the information collected by these devices undoubtedly ends up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share and tap into vast amounts of information gathered at the state and local level through fusion centers and a system known as the “ information sharing environment ” or ISE .
In other words , stingrays create the potential for the federal government to track the movement of millions of Americans with no warrant , no probable cause , and without the people even knowing it .
Fusion centers were sold as a tool to combat terrorism , but that is not how they are being used .
The ACLU pointed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true nature of government fusion centers : “ They haven ’ t contributed anything meaningful to counterterrorism efforts .
Instead , they have largely served as police surveillance and information sharing nodes for law enforcement efforts targeting the frequent subjects of police attention : Black and brown people , immigrants , dissidents , and the poor.
” Fusion centers operate within the broader ISE .
According to its website , the ISE “ provides analysts , operators , and investigators with information needed to enhance national security .
These analysts , operators , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share information with each other and with private sector partners and our foreign allies.
” In other words , ISE serves as a conduit for the sharing of information gathered without a warrant .
Known ISE partners include the Office of Director of National Intelligence which oversees 17 federal agencies and organizations , including the NSA .
ISE utilizes these partnerships to collect and share data on the millions of unwitting people they track .
The federal government encourages and funds stingrays at the state and local level across the U.S. , thereby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pool on Americans without having to expend the resources to collect the information itself .
By placing restrictions on stingray use , state and local governments limit the data available that the feds can access .
In a nutshell , without state and local cooperation , the feds have a much more difficult time gathering information .
The New Mexico law strikes a major blow to the surveillance state and is a win for privacy .
By allowing defendants to suppress information obtained in violation of the law , the New Mexico law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spying in New Mexico .
Reuters revealed the extent of such NSA data sharing with state and local law enforcement in an August 2013 article .
According to documents obtained by the news agency , the NSA passes information to police through a formerly secret DEA unit known as Special Operations Divisions and the cases “ rarely involve national security issues.
” Almost all of the information involves regular criminal investigations , not terror-related investigations .
In other words , not only does the NSA collect and store this data , using it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state and local law enforcement to violate the Fourth Amendment by making use of this information in their day-to-day investigations .
This is “ the most threatening situation to our constitutional republic since the Civil War , ” Binney said .
Michael Maharrey [ send him email ] is the Communications Director for the Tenth Amendment Center .
He is from the original home of the Principles of ’ 98 – Kentucky and currently resides in northern Florida .
See his blog archive here and his article archive here.He is the author of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rediscovering the Lost Path to Liberty .
You can visit his personal website at MichaelMaharrey.com and like him on Facebook HERE 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 .

By Michael Maharrey
Last Wednesday, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill into law that expands protections under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act. The new law not only increases data privacy in the state; it also further hinders the federal surveillance state.
Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto (D-Albuquerque) introduced Senate Bill 270 (SB270) on Feb. 4. The new law expands provisions of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act that passed last year to limit the retention and use of incidentally collected data.
The Electronic Communications Privacy Act helps block the use of cell-site simulators, known as “stingrays.” These devices essentially spoof cell phone towers, tricking any device within range into connecting to the stingray instead of the tower, allowing law enforcement to sweep up communications content, as well as locate and track the person in possession of a specific phone or other electronic device. Under the law, police must obtain a search warrant or wiretap order before using a stingray in most situations. The law also bars law enforcement agencies from compelling a service provider or any person other than the owner of the device without a warrant or wiretap order. This includes actual communication content such as phone conversations, text messages and email, location information and other metadata such as IP addresses pertaining to a person or device participating in the communication.
SB270 strengthens protections by requiring police to seal any information obtained through the execution of the warrant that is unrelated to the objective of the warrant, or that is not exculpatory to the target of the warrant. The information cannot be subject to further review, used, or disclosed, except pursuant to a court order or to comply with discovery. The law also requires the destruction of any Information obtained through the execution of a warrant or order that is unrelated to the objective of the warrant as soon as feasible after the termination of the current investigation and related investigations or proceedings.
On Feb. 16, the Senate passed SB270 by a 39-0 vote. The House approved the measure 69-0. With the governor’s signature, the law went into immediate effect.
IMPACT ON FEDERAL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMS
The federal government funds the vast majority of state and local stingray programs, attaching one important condition. The feds require agencies acquiring the technology to sign non-disclosure agreements. This throws a giant shroud over the program, even preventing judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys from getting information about the use of stingrays in court. The feds actually instruct prosecutors to withdraw evidence if judges or legislators press for information. As the Baltimore Sun reported in April 2015, a Baltimore detective refused to answer questions on the stand during a trial, citing a federal non-disclosure agreement.
Defense attorney Joshua Insley asked Cabreja about the agreement.
“Does this document instruct you to withhold evidence from the state’s attorney and Circuit Court, even upon court order to produce?” he asked.
“Yes,” Cabreja said.
As privacysos.org put it, “The FBI would rather police officers and prosecutors let ‘criminals’ go than face a possible scenario where a defendant brings a Fourth Amendment challenge to warrantless stingray spying.”
The experience of a Pinellas County, Florida, man further highlights the shroud of secrecy around the use of stingray devices, along with the potential for abuse of power inherent in America’s law enforcement community.
The feds sell the technology in the name of “anti-terrorism” efforts. With non-disclosure agreements in place, most police departments refuse to release any information on the use of stingrays. But information obtained from the Tacoma Police Department revealed that it uses the technology primarily for routine criminal investigations.
Some privacy advocates argue that stingray use can never happen within the parameters of the Fourth Amendment because the technology necessarily connects to every electronic device within range, not just the one held by the target. And the information collected by these devices undoubtedly ends up in federal databases.
The feds can share and tap into vast amounts of information gathered at the state and local level through fusion centers and a system known as the “information sharing environment” or ISE. In other words, stingrays create the potential for the federal government to track the movement of millions of Americans with no warrant, no probable cause, and without the people even knowing it.
Fusion centers were sold as a tool to combat terrorism, but that is not how they are being used. The ACLU pointed to a bipartisan congressional report to demonstrate the true nature of government fusion centers: “They haven’t contributed anything meaningful to counterterrorism efforts. Instead, they have largely served as police surveillance and information sharing nodes for law enforcement efforts targeting the frequent subjects of police attention: Black and brown people, immigrants, dissidents, and the poor.”
Fusion centers operate within the broader ISE. According to its website, the ISE “provides analysts, operators, and investigators with information needed to enhance national security. These analysts, operators, and investigators…have mission needs to collaborate and share information with each other and with private sector partners and our foreign allies.” In other words, ISE serves as a conduit for the sharing of information gathered without a warrant. Known ISE partners include the Office of Director of National Intelligence which oversees 17 federal agencies and organizations, including the NSA. ISE utilizes these partnerships to collect and share data on the millions of unwitting people they track.
The federal government encourages and funds stingrays at the state and local level across the U.S., thereby undoubtedly gaining access to a massive data pool on Americans without having to expend the resources to collect the information itself. By placing restrictions on stingray use, state and local governments limit the data available that the feds can access.
In a nutshell, without state and local cooperation, the feds have a much more difficult time gathering information. The New Mexico law strikes a major blow to the surveillance state and is a win for privacy.
PARALLEL CONSTRUCTION
By allowing defendants to suppress information obtained in violation of the law, the New Mexico law will hinder one practical effect of NSA spying in New Mexico.
Reuters revealed the extent of such NSA data sharing with state and local law enforcement in an August 2013 article. According to documents obtained by the news agency, the NSA passes information to police through a formerly secret DEA unit known as Special Operations Divisions and the cases “rarely involve national security issues.” Almost all of the information involves regular criminal investigations, not terror-related investigations.
In other words, not only does the NSA collect and store this data, using it to build profiles, the agency encourages state and local law enforcement to violate the Fourth Amendment by making use of this information in their day-to-day investigations.
This is “the most threatening situation to our constitutional republic since the Civil War,” Binney said.
Article source: Tenth Amendment Center
Michael Maharrey [send him email] is the Communications Director for the Tenth Amendment Center. He is from the original home of the Principles of ’98 – Kentucky and currently resides in northern Florida. See his blog archive here and his article archive here.He is the author of the book, Our Last Hope: Rediscovering the Lost Path to Liberty. You can visit his personal website at MichaelMaharrey.com and like him on Facebook HERE
Image: The Free Thought Project
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--2020-03-10--Big Tech Banning or Blocking Specific Ads and Content For Medical Products and Advice Related to COV

Big Tech Banning or Blocking Specific Ads and Content For Medical Products and Advice Related to COVID-19

All of a sudden , people are panic buying virus-related prevention products , such as N-95 respirators and surgical masks , Purell hand sanitizer , and disinfectants , amid the COVID-19 outbreak in the US .
Many of these items have seen shortages at big-box retailers and on e-commerce platforms .
The remaining supply has been shifted to Amazon , eBay , Craigslist , prepping sites , and or other e-commerce platforms , have seen prices skyrocket in the last several months .
Price gouging of virus-related products has become a significant issue since confirmed cases in China began to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3M N-95 masks were becoming short supply at the start of the year .
Now prices have jumped nearly 10x in some cases ; a box of 20 3M N-95 masks is going for more than $ 200 on some websites .
In the name of price gouging and just overall censorship of the virus , Facebook last Friday said it would block commerce listings and advertisements for respirators and surgical masks .
Facebook will also ban ads that imply medical products are in limited supply , as well as make claims about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The social media website will remove virus-themed groups and pages from its algorithmic recommendations .
On Friday , Google said it was blocking all ads that were virus-themed products .
It said it has so far blocked tens of thousands of ads over the last month and a half .
YouTube has also removed the content of virus prevention products .
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By Tyler Durden
All of a sudden, people are panic buying virus-related prevention products, such as N-95 respirators and surgical masks, Purell hand sanitizer, and disinfectants, amid the COVID-19 outbreak in the US. Many of these items have seen shortages at big-box retailers and on e-commerce platforms. The remaining supply has been shifted to Amazon, eBay, Craigslist, prepping sites, and or other e-commerce platforms, have seen prices skyrocket in the last several months.
Price gouging of virus-related products has become a significant issue since confirmed cases in China began to soar in mid-January. We noted how 3M N-95 masks were becoming short supply at the start of the year. Now prices have jumped nearly 10x in some cases; a box of 20 3M N-95 masks is going for more than $200 on some websites.
In the name of price gouging and just overall censorship of the virus, Facebook last Friday said it would block commerce listings and advertisements for respirators and surgical masks.
“We’re monitoring COVID19 closely and will make necessary updates to our policies if we see people trying to exploit this public health emergency,” Facebook Director of Product Management Rob Leathern tweeted. “We’ll start rolling out this change in the days ahead.”
Update: We’re banning ads and commerce listings selling medical face masks. We’re monitoring COVID19 closely and will make necessary updates to our policies if we see people trying to exploit this public health emergency. We’ll start rolling out this change in the days ahead. — Rob Leathern (@robleathern) March 7, 2020
“We are temporarily banning advertisements and commerce listings that sell medical face masks,” a Facebook spokesperson said last week. “Our teams are monitoring the COVID19 situation closely and will make necessary updates to our policies if we see people trying to exploit this public health emergency.”
Facebook will also ban ads that imply medical products are in limited supply, as well as make claims about virus “cures” or prevention. The social media website will remove virus-themed groups and pages from its algorithmic recommendations.
On Friday, Google said it was blocking all ads that were virus-themed products. It said it has so far blocked tens of thousands of ads over the last month and a half. YouTube has also removed the content of virus prevention products.
Article source: ZeroHedge
Image: Pixabay
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activistpost--2020-03-09--“Full Measure” Reports On Federally Mandated Products That Don’t Work Right

There have been plenty of complaints that have led to investigations and reports about federally mandated products that don ’ t work right in inconvenient and hazardous ways .
President Trump isn ’ t the only one who has complained about serious issues with energy saving CFL and LED light bulbs ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) , showerheads and toilets .
Americans have also been paying dearly for expensive federally mandated utility “ Smart ” Meters which have also been creating all kinds of problems including fires and explosions ( see 1 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thanks to “ Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson ” for reporting about federally mandated products that are doing more harm than good .
From toilets to shower heads to light bulbs … does it seem like some things don ’ t work as well as they used to ?
Jeffrey Tucker of the American Institute for Economic Research says you ’ re not imagining it .
He tells us the reason why— starting with today ’ s gas cans with a design mandated by the federal government .
Sharyl : This is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Look , right now you go to the store , this is what you ’ re going to get .
The thing is that I think this , this has to rest up against the spout .
So I don ’ t even know if we ’ re going to be able to pour anything like out of here .
So you stand here for like three minutes .
But then there ’ s conflict and then it ’ s spilling it when you ’ re like , wait , no , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not quite full .
So you have to start again .
Sharyl : So let ’ s see if I can do that .
Hold on .
Hold on .
Tucker : Well maybe you should pretend like , well that ’ s fine , but you know what , that ’ s not where your gas is .
And then when it starts getting towards the bottom , you ’ re going to have to maybe put it upside down .
Now you ’ ve got a real problem .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the old gas cans .
If you have one in your garage , hold onto it .
Tucker : The background is that I have a long history of realizing if something is irrationally wrong with a product , like it ’ s just not working right and you can ’ t figure out why this probably has something to do with government regulation .
So that ’ s the background .
But I ’ ve never found an exception to this .
Right ?
But one day I was driving around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my gas gauge broke .
So I had to call the local gas station and I asked the guy if he could bring me some gas .
And so he did .
And so he gave me a gas can and I began to try to use it .
And next thing he knows the gas is spilling all over the place .
And I was looking at this , I said , “ Sir , this is the worst gas can I ’ ve ever seen.
” He goes , something along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it doesn ’ t work .
It ’ s the worst gas container ever .
I have no idea why they changed it.
” I thought , “ hmm.
” So as soon as I got my gas , I got my car and I drove , drove back to where I needed to be .
And looked up on , on the Internet : “ What happened to gas cans ?
” The government regulations had been changed in 2009 , the EPA had redesigned our gas cans and replaced it with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bureaucracy and regulations are behind toilets that don ’ t flush well , shower heads that trickle , light bulbs that don ’ t light right , laundry detergent that doesn ’ t clean well , dishwashers that leave spots , and water heaters that don ’ t make water hot enough .
Tucker : But these are the sorts of things that affect the quality of our life on a daily basis .
It ’ s , does your ice maker actually make ice ?
Does your iron work ?
And this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t it strange how much regulations sort of secretly control all the things we use in our life ?
We don ’ t even know it .
And they ’ ll never roll it back so they never face any real pressure .
So there ’ s no way to revert it .
Whereas normally , in private enterprise , if you design something that doesn ’ t quite work right , people stop buying it and that ’ s the end , so there ’ s a mechanism that corrects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s doing it , they don ’ t seem to have any way to fix it .
Sharyl : What would you say to people who say this is all a well-meaning effort to protect us from dangers and to protect our environment ?
And this is all for our own good ?
Tucker : I think they believe this .
These are well-intended .
The problem is that the bureaucrats have inordinate power and if they make a mistake , there ’ s really nothing that can be done about it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of our lives working around them and I don ’ t , I don ’ t think that ’ s a good way to live .
We used to have gasoline cans that worked well .
And then we created this innovation that just didn ’ t work as newly as well .
Isn ’ t that so strange ?
It ’ s man ’ s inhumanity to man .
I tell you , it really is so .
Tucker says in the same way you can count on government bureaucrats messing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on free enterprise to correct things .
There ’ s apparently quite a market for adapters and contraptions to make the government gas cans work better .
Activist Post reports regularly about unsafe technology .
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By B.N. Frank
There have been plenty of complaints that have led to investigations and reports about federally mandated products that don’t work right in inconvenient and hazardous ways. President Trump isn’t the only one who has complained about serious issues with energy saving CFL and LED light bulbs (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5), showerheads and toilets. Americans have also been paying dearly for expensive federally mandated utility “Smart” Meters which have also been creating all kinds of problems including fires and explosions (see 1, 2, 3, 4).
Thanks to “Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson” for reporting about federally mandated products that are doing more harm than good.
From toilets to shower heads to light bulbs … does it seem like some things don’t work as well as they used to? Jeffrey Tucker of the American Institute for Economic Research says you’re not imagining it. He tells us the reason why— starting with today’s gas cans with a design mandated by the federal government.
(The story begins with Tucker demonstrating use of today’s gas cans.)
Sharyl: This is the offending gas can?
Tucker: Yes. Look, right now you go to the store, this is what you’re going to get. The thing is that I think this, this has to rest up against the spout. So I don’t even know if we’re going to be able to pour anything like out of here. So you stand here for like three minutes. But then there’s conflict and then it’s spilling it when you’re like, wait, no, stop. And then wait, it’s not quite full. So you have to start again.
Sharyl: So let’s see if I can do that. Hold on. Hold on.
Tucker: Well maybe you should pretend like, well that’s fine, but you know what, that’s not where your gas is. And then when it starts getting towards the bottom, you’re going to have to maybe put it upside down. Now you’ve got a real problem. I wish we could just go back to the old gas cans. If you have one in your garage, hold onto it.
Tucker: The background is that I have a long history of realizing if something is irrationally wrong with a product, like it’s just not working right and you can’t figure out why this probably has something to do with government regulation. So that’s the background. But I’ve never found an exception to this. Right? But one day I was driving around and I ran out of gas because my gas gauge broke. So I had to call the local gas station and I asked the guy if he could bring me some gas. And so he did. And so he gave me a gas can and I began to try to use it. And next thing he knows the gas is spilling all over the place. And I was looking at this, I said, “Sir, this is the worst gas can I’ve ever seen.” He goes, something along the lines of, “I know it doesn’t work. It’s the worst gas container ever. I have no idea why they changed it.” I thought, “hmm.” So as soon as I got my gas, I got my car and I drove, drove back to where I needed to be. And looked up on, on the Internet: “What happened to gas cans?” The government regulations had been changed in 2009, the EPA had redesigned our gas cans and replaced it with this crazy contraption.
Tucker says government bureaucracy and regulations are behind toilets that don’t flush well, shower heads that trickle, light bulbs that don’t light right, laundry detergent that doesn’t clean well, dishwashers that leave spots, and water heaters that don’t make water hot enough.
Tucker: But these are the sorts of things that affect the quality of our life on a daily basis. It’s, does your ice maker actually make ice? Does your iron work? And this is all because of these regulations, isn’t it strange how much regulations sort of secretly control all the things we use in our life? We don’t even know it. And they’ll never roll it back so they never face any real pressure. So there’s no way to revert it. Whereas normally, in private enterprise, if you design something that doesn’t quite work right, people stop buying it and that’s the end, so there’s a mechanism that corrects for errors. But when government’s doing it, they don’t seem to have any way to fix it.
Sharyl: What would you say to people who say this is all a well-meaning effort to protect us from dangers and to protect our environment? And this is all for our own good?
Tucker: I think they believe this. These are well-intended. The problem is that the bureaucrats have inordinate power and if they make a mistake, there’s really nothing that can be done about it. We ended up having to spend the rest of our lives working around them and I don’t, I don’t think that’s a good way to live. We used to have gasoline cans that worked well. And then we created this innovation that just didn’t work as newly as well. Isn’t that so strange? It’s man’s inhumanity to man. I tell you, it really is so.
Tucker says in the same way you can count on government bureaucrats messing things up, you can also count on free enterprise to correct things. There’s apparently quite a market for adapters and contraptions to make the government gas cans work better.

Activist Post reports regularly about unsafe 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--2020-03-09--Elon Musk Launches More SpaceX Satellites to Blast 5G and WiFi at Us Despite Objections

The Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) is supposed to protect the public from the telecom industry – however – they have been failing miserably at this since long before the Trump administration .
Unfortunately , they ’ ve become much more dangerous during the “ Race to 5G ” ( see 1 , 2 , 3 ) which includes them approving tens of thousands of satellites to be launched in order to blast 5G and WiFi at Earth despite catastrophic warnings from astronomers and scientists ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year even suggests they may have broken environmental law when they approved SpaceX ’ s Starlink Mega Constellation ( approximately 42,000 spacecraft ! )
and that they could be sued .
Regardless , more satellites were recently launched anyway .
A row of mysterious lights spotted in the night sky over Colorado this week have been identified as satellites launched by Elon Musk for his Starlink satellite project .
Video shows a line of satellites making a slow trail through the sky , with many observers enchanted by the display .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the ‘ disgusting ’ project which they claim is ‘ a crime against humanity ’ .
Starlink is the informal name given to the project by Musk ’ s Space X which plans to create a constellation of thousands of low-orbit small satellites in order to improve internet service .
With plans to launch 12,000 satellites as part of the constellation over the coming years , astronomers are concerned that the light pollution created by the satellites is set to ruin their work .

By B.N. Frank
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is supposed to protect the public from the telecom industry – however – they have been failing miserably at this since long before the Trump administration. Unfortunately, they’ve become much more dangerous during the “Race to 5G” (see 1, 2, 3) which includes them approving tens of thousands of satellites to be launched in order to blast 5G and WiFi at Earth despite catastrophic warnings from astronomers and scientists (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). A paper published earlier this year even suggests they may have broken environmental law when they approved SpaceX’s Starlink Mega Constellation (approximately 42,000 spacecraft!) and that they could be sued. Regardless, more satellites were recently launched anyway.
From DailyMailUK:
A row of mysterious lights spotted in the night sky over Colorado this week have been identified as satellites launched by Elon Musk for his Starlink satellite project.
Video shows a line of satellites making a slow trail through the sky, with many observers enchanted by the display.
But the billionaire has been slammed by astronomers for the ‘disgusting’ project which they claim is ‘a crime against humanity’.
Starlink is the informal name given to the project by Musk’s Space X which plans to create a constellation of thousands of low-orbit small satellites in order to improve internet service.
With plans to launch 12,000 satellites as part of the constellation over the coming years, astronomers are concerned that the light pollution created by the satellites is set to ruin their work.
Read full article


activistpost--2020-03-10--This Is a Test: How Will the Constitution Fare During a Nationwide Lockdown?

This is not a test of our commitment to basic hygiene or disaster preparedness or our ability to come together as a nation in times of crisis , although we ’ re not doing so well on any of those fronts .
No , what is about to unfold over the next few weeks is a test to see how well we have assimilated the government ’ s lessons in compliance , fear and police state tactics ; a test to see how quickly we ’ ll march in lockstep with the government ’ s dictates , no questions asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little resistance we offer up to the government ’ s power grabs when made in the name of national security .
Most critically of all , this is a test to see whether the Constitution—and our commitment to the principles enshrined in the Bill of Rights—can survive a national crisis and true state of emergency .
Here ’ s what we know : whatever the so-called threat to the nation—whether it ’ s civil unrest , school shootings , alleged acts of terrorism , or the threat of a global pandemic in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to capitalize on the nation ’ s heightened emotions , confusion and fear as a means of extending the reach of the police state .
This coronavirus epidemic , which has brought China ’ s Orwellian surveillance out of the shadows and caused Italy to declare a nationwide lockdown , threatens to bring the American Police State out into the open on a scale we ’ ve not seen before .
If and when a nationwide lockdown finally hits—if and when we are forced to shelter in place— if and when militarized police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security checkpoints have been established— if and when the media ’ s ability to broadcast the news has been curtailed by government censors—if and when public systems of communication ( phone lines , internet , text messaging , etc . )
have been restricted—if and when those FEMA camps the government has been surreptitiously building finally get used as quarantine detention centers for American citizens—if and when military “ snatch and grab ” teams are deployed on local , state , and federal levels as part of the activated Continuity of Government plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with COVID-19—and if and when martial law is enacted with little real outcry or resistance from the public—then we will truly understand the extent to which the government has fully succeeded in recalibrating our general distaste for anything that smacks too overtly of tyranny .
This is how it begins .
The coronavirus epidemic may well be a legitimate health concern , but it ’ s the government ’ s response to it that worries me more in the long term .
Based on the government ’ s track record and its long-anticipated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ armed forces to solve domestic political and social problems ) in response to a future crisis , there ’ s good reason to worry .
This is not a government with a rosy view of the future .
To the contrary , the government ’ s vision of the future is particularly ominous if a Pentagon training video created by the Army for U.S. Special Operations Command is anything to go by .
Obtained by The Intercept through a FOIA request , the training video titled “ Megacities : Urban Future , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what the government expects the world to look like in 2030 , a world bedeviled by “ criminal networks , ” “ substandard infrastructure , ” “ religious and ethnic tensions , ” “ impoverishment , slums , ” “ open landfills , over-burdened sewers , ” a “ growing mass of unemployed , ” and an urban landscape in which the prosperous economic elite must be protected from the impoverishment of the have nots .
Add health contagions to the mix , and we ’ re arrived there , ten years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is only five minutes long , but it says a lot about the government ’ s mindset and the way its views the citizenry .
Even more troubling , however , is what this military video doesn ’ t say about the Constitution and the rights of the citizenry : nothing at all .
In typical fashion , the government seems to consider the Constitution only when forced to do so .
It complies with the dictates of the Constitution even less frequently .
Indeed , the government ’ s efforts to systematically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into martial law have not been stymied one iota by the restraints imposed upon it by the Constitution : when it ’ s not bulldozing its way through the Fourth Amendment , the government just sidesteps it ( with the help of the courts ) .
So what should you expect if the government decides to declare a national state of emergency and institute a nationwide lockdown ?
More of the same of what we ’ ve been seeing in recent years .
After all , like the proverbial boiling frogs , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the specter of a police state for years now : Militarized police .
Riot squads .
Camouflage gear .
Black uniforms .
Armored vehicles .
Mass arrests .
Pepper spray .
Tear gas .
Batons .
Strip searches .
Surveillance cameras .
Kevlar vests .
Drones .
Lethal weapons .
Less-than-lethal weapons unleashed with deadly force .
Rubber bullets .
Water cannons .
Stun grenades .
Arrests of journalists .
Crowd control tactics .
Intimidation tactics .
Brutality .
This is how you prepare a populace to accept a police state willingly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scare them by making dramatic changes .
Rather , you acclimate them slowly to their prison walls .
Persuade the citizenry that their prison walls are merely intended to keep them safe and danger out .
Desensitize them to violence , acclimate them to a military presence in their communities , and persuade them that only a militarized government can alter the seemingly hopeless trajectory of the nation .
The sight of police clad in body armor and gas masks , wielding semiautomatic rifles and escorting an armored vehicle through a crowded street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military patrol through a hostile city , ” no longer causes alarm among the general populace .
We ’ ve allowed ourselves to be acclimated to the occasional lockdown of government buildings , Jade Helm military drills in small towns so that special operations forces can get “ realistic military training ” in “ hostile ” territory , and Live Active Shooter Drill training exercises , carried out at schools , in shopping malls , and on public transit , which can and do fool law enforcement officials , students , teachers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real crisis .
Still , you can ’ t say we weren ’ t warned .
Back in 2008 , an Army War College report revealed that “ widespread civil violence inside the United States would force the defense establishment to reorient priorities in extremis to defend basic domestic order and human security.
” The 44-page report went on to warn that potential causes for such civil unrest could include another terrorist attack , “ unforeseen economic collapse , loss of functioning political and legal order , purposeful domestic resistance or insurgency , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ natural and human disasters.
” In 2009 , reports by the Department of Homeland Security surfaced that called on the government to subject right-wing and left-wing activists and military veterans to full-fledged pre-crime surveillance .
Meanwhile , the government has been amassing an arsenal of military weapons , including hollow point bullets , for use domestically and equipping and training their “ troops ” for war .
Even government agencies with largely administrative functions such as the Food and Drug Administration , Department of Veterans Affairs , and the Smithsonian have been acquiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , cannon launchers and police firearms and ammunition .
In fact , there are now at least 120,000 armed federal agents carrying such weapons who possess the power to arrest .
Rounding out this profit-driven campaign to turn American citizens into enemy combatants ( and America into a battlefield ) is a technology sector that has been colluding with the government to create a Big Brother that is all-knowing , all-seeing and inescapable .
It ’ s not just the drones , fusion centers , license plate readers , stingray devices and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You ’ re also being tracked by the black boxes in your cars , your cell phone , smart devices in your home , grocery loyalty cards , social media accounts , credit cards , streaming services such as Netflix , Amazon , and e-book reader accounts .
All of this has taken place right under our noses , funded with our taxpayer dollars and carried out in broad daylight without so much as a general outcry from the citizenry .
And then you have the government ’ s Machiavellian schemes for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unsuspecting populace , then demanding additional powers in order to protect “ we the people ” from the threats .
Almost every national security threat that the government has claimed greater powers in order to fight—all the while undermining the liberties of the American citizenry—has been manufactured in one way or another by the government .
We have made it way too easy for the government to lockdown the nation .
Consider that it was seven years ago when the city of Boston was locked down while police carried out a military-style manhunt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explosion .
Six years ago , the city of Ferguson , Missouri , was locked down , with government officials deploying a massive SWAT team , an armored personnel carrier , men in camouflage pointing heavy artillery at the crowd , smoke bombs and tear gas to quell citizen unrest over a police shooting of a young , unarmed black man .
Five years ago , the city of Baltimore was put under a military-enforced lockdown after civil unrest over police brutality erupted into rioting .
More than 1,500 national guard troops were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside their homes and put under a 10 pm curfew .
Three years ago , it was Charlottesville , Va. , population 50,000 , that was locked down while government officials declared a state of emergency and enacted heightened security measures tantamount to martial law , despite the absence of any publicized information about credible threats to public safety .
Fast forward to the present moment , with the world on the verge of a possible coronavirus pandemic , and growing numbers of Americans are already voluntarily sheltering in place in an effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ myself who have studied emerging police states , the sight of any American city placed under martial law—its citizens essentially under house arrest ( officials used the Orwellian phrase “ shelter in place ” in Boston to describe the mandatory lockdown ) , military-style helicopters equipped with thermal imaging devices buzzing the skies , tanks and armored vehicles on the streets , and snipers perched on rooftops , while thousands of black-garbed police swarmed the streets and SWAT teams carried out house-to-house searches—leaves us in a growing state of unease .
Watching the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I couldn ’ t help but think of Nazi Field Marshal Hermann Goering ’ s remarks during the Nuremberg trials .
As Goering noted : It is always a simple matter to drag people along whether it is a democracy , or a fascist dictatorship , or a parliament , or a communist dictatorship .
Voice or no voice , the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders .
This is easy .
All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked , and denounce the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country to danger .
It works the same in every country .
It does indeed work the same in every country .
Unfortunately , it doesn ’ t take much for the American people to be terrorized into compliance by the government ’ s latest and greatest scare tactic , even if it means being stripped of one ’ s constitutional rights at a moment ’ s notice .
This continual undermining of the rules that protect civil liberties has far-reaching consequences on a populace that not only remains ignorant about their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberties for phantom promises of safety .
It may be that we ’ ve already gone too far down this road .
However , don ’ t let this latest “ crisis ” cause you to panic to such an extent that you relinquish your fundamental right to make decisions for yourself and your loved ones and willingly surrender what remains of your freedoms .
This too shall pass .
Remember , a police state does not come about overnight .
Yet as I make clear in my book Battlefield America : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter how it starts , with a questionable infringement justified in the name of safety or a nationwide lockdown to guard against a global pandemic , it always ends the same : by pushing us one step closer to a future in which the government has all the power and “ we the people ” have none .
Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of .
His new book Battlefield America : The War on the American People is available at .
Whitehead can be contacted at [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s weekly commentaries are available for publication to newspapers and web publications at no charge .
Please contact [ email protected ] to obtain reprint permission .
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 .

By John W. Whitehead
“It takes a remarkable force to keep nearly a million people quietly indoors for an entire day, home from work and school, from neighborhood errands and out-of-town travel. It takes a remarkable force to keep businesses closed and cars off the road, to keep playgrounds empty and porches unused across a densely populated place 125 square miles in size. This happened … not because armed officers went door-to-door, or imposed a curfew, or threatened martial law. All around the region, for 13 hours, people locked up their businesses and ‘sheltered in place’ out of a kind of collective will. The force that kept them there wasn’t external – there was virtually no active enforcement across the city of the governor’s plea that people stay indoors. Rather, the pressure was an internal one – expressed as concern, or helpfulness, or in some cases, fear – felt in thousands of individual homes.”—Journalist Emily Badger, “The Psychology of a Citywide Lockdown”
This is a test.
This is not a test of our commitment to basic hygiene or disaster preparedness or our ability to come together as a nation in times of crisis, although we’re not doing so well on any of those fronts.
No, what is about to unfold over the next few weeks is a test to see how well we have assimilated the government’s lessons in compliance, fear and police state tactics; a test to see how quickly we’ll march in lockstep with the government’s dictates, no questions asked; and a test to see how little resistance we offer up to the government’s power grabs when made in the name of national security.
Most critically of all, this is a test to see whether the Constitution—and our commitment to the principles enshrined in the Bill of Rights—can survive a national crisis and true state of emergency.
Here’s what we know: whatever the so-called threat to the nation—whether it’s civil unrest, school shootings, alleged acts of terrorism, or the threat of a global pandemic in the case of COVID-19—the government has a tendency to capitalize on the nation’s heightened emotions, confusion and fear as a means of extending the reach of the police state.
This coronavirus epidemic, which has brought China’s Orwellian surveillance out of the shadows and caused Italy to declare a nationwide lockdown, threatens to bring the American Police State out into the open on a scale we’ve not seen before.
If and when a nationwide lockdown finally hits—if and when we are forced to shelter in place— if and when militarized police are patrolling the streets— if and when security checkpoints have been established— if and when the media’s ability to broadcast the news has been curtailed by government censors—if and when public systems of communication (phone lines, internet, text messaging, etc.) have been restricted—if and when those FEMA camps the government has been surreptitiously building finally get used as quarantine detention centers for American citizens—if and when military “snatch and grab” teams are deployed on local, state, and federal levels as part of the activated Continuity of Government plans to isolate anyone suspected of being infected with COVID-19—and if and when martial law is enacted with little real outcry or resistance from the public—then we will truly understand the extent to which the government has fully succeeded in recalibrating our general distaste for anything that smacks too overtly of tyranny.
This is how it begins.
The coronavirus epidemic may well be a legitimate health concern, but it’s the government’s response to it that worries me more in the long term.
Based on the government’s track record and its long-anticipated plans for instituting martial law (using armed forces to solve domestic political and social problems) in response to a future crisis, there’s good reason to worry.
This is not a government with a rosy view of the future.
To the contrary, the government’s vision of the future is particularly ominous if a Pentagon training video created by the Army for U.S. Special Operations Command is anything to go by.
Obtained by The Intercept through a FOIA request, the training video titled “Megacities: Urban Future, the Emerging Complexity” provides a chilling glimpse of what the government expects the world to look like in 2030, a world bedeviled by “criminal networks,” “substandard infrastructure,” “religious and ethnic tensions,” “impoverishment, slums,” “open landfills, over-burdened sewers,” a “growing mass of unemployed,” and an urban landscape in which the prosperous economic elite must be protected from the impoverishment of the have nots.
Add health contagions to the mix, and we’re arrived there, ten years ahead of schedule.
The training video is only five minutes long, but it says a lot about the government’s mindset and the way its views the citizenry. Even more troubling, however, is what this military video doesn’t say about the Constitution and the rights of the citizenry: nothing at all.
In typical fashion, the government seems to consider the Constitution only when forced to do so. It complies with the dictates of the Constitution even less frequently. Indeed, the government’s efforts to systematically lock down the nation and shift us into martial law have not been stymied one iota by the restraints imposed upon it by the Constitution: when it’s not bulldozing its way through the Fourth Amendment, the government just sidesteps it (with the help of the courts).
So what should you expect if the government decides to declare a national state of emergency and institute a nationwide lockdown?
More of the same of what we’ve been seeing in recent years.
After all, like the proverbial boiling frogs, the government has been gradually acclimating us to the specter of a police state for years now: Militarized police. Riot squads. Camouflage gear. Black uniforms. Armored vehicles. Mass arrests. Pepper spray. Tear gas. Batons. Strip searches. Surveillance cameras. Kevlar vests. Drones. Lethal weapons. Less-than-lethal weapons unleashed with deadly force. Rubber bullets. Water cannons. Stun grenades. Arrests of journalists. Crowd control tactics. Intimidation tactics. Brutality.
This is how you prepare a populace to accept a police state willingly, even gratefully.
You don’t scare them by making dramatic changes. Rather, you acclimate them slowly to their prison walls. Persuade the citizenry that their prison walls are merely intended to keep them safe and danger out. Desensitize them to violence, acclimate them to a military presence in their communities, and persuade them that only a militarized government can alter the seemingly hopeless trajectory of the nation.
It’s happening already.
The sight of police clad in body armor and gas masks, wielding semiautomatic rifles and escorting an armored vehicle through a crowded street, a scene likened to “a military patrol through a hostile city,” no longer causes alarm among the general populace.
We’ve allowed ourselves to be acclimated to the occasional lockdown of government buildings, Jade Helm military drills in small towns so that special operations forces can get “realistic military training” in “hostile” territory, and Live Active Shooter Drill training exercises, carried out at schools, in shopping malls, and on public transit, which can and do fool law enforcement officials, students, teachers and bystanders into thinking it’s a real crisis.
Still, you can’t say we weren’t warned.
Back in 2008, an Army War College report revealed that “widespread civil violence inside the United States would force the defense establishment to reorient priorities in extremis to defend basic domestic order and human security.” The 44-page report went on to warn that potential causes for such civil unrest could include another terrorist attack, “unforeseen economic collapse, loss of functioning political and legal order, purposeful domestic resistance or insurgency, pervasive public health emergencies, and catastrophic natural and human disasters.”
In 2009, reports by the Department of Homeland Security surfaced that called on the government to subject right-wing and left-wing activists and military veterans to full-fledged pre-crime surveillance.
Meanwhile, the government has been amassing an arsenal of military weapons, including hollow point bullets, for use domestically and equipping and training their “troops” for war. Even government agencies with largely administrative functions such as the Food and Drug Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Smithsonian have been acquiring body armor, riot helmets and shields, cannon launchers and police firearms and ammunition. In fact, there are now at least 120,000 armed federal agents carrying such weapons who possess the power to arrest.
Rounding out this profit-driven campaign to turn American citizens into enemy combatants (and America into a battlefield) is a technology sector that has been colluding with the government to create a Big Brother that is all-knowing, all-seeing and inescapable. It’s not just the drones, fusion centers, license plate readers, stingray devices and the NSA that you have to worry about. You’re also being tracked by the black boxes in your cars, your cell phone, smart devices in your home, grocery loyalty cards, social media accounts, credit cards, streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon, and e-book reader accounts.
All of this has taken place right under our noses, funded with our taxpayer dollars and carried out in broad daylight without so much as a general outcry from the citizenry.
And then you have the government’s Machiavellian schemes for unleashing all manner of dangers on an unsuspecting populace, then demanding additional powers in order to protect “we the people” from the threats. Almost every national security threat that the government has claimed greater powers in order to fight—all the while undermining the liberties of the American citizenry—has been manufactured in one way or another by the government.
We have made it way too easy for the government to lockdown the nation.
Consider that it was seven years ago when the city of Boston was locked down while police carried out a military-style manhunt for suspects in the 2013 Boston Marathon explosion.
Six years ago, the city of Ferguson, Missouri, was locked down, with government officials deploying a massive SWAT team, an armored personnel carrier, men in camouflage pointing heavy artillery at the crowd, smoke bombs and tear gas to quell citizen unrest over a police shooting of a young, unarmed black man.
Five years ago, the city of Baltimore was put under a military-enforced lockdown after civil unrest over police brutality erupted into rioting. More than 1,500 national guard troops were deployed while residents were ordered to stay inside their homes and put under a 10 pm curfew.
Three years ago, it was Charlottesville, Va., population 50,000, that was locked down while government officials declared a state of emergency and enacted heightened security measures tantamount to martial law, despite the absence of any publicized information about credible threats to public safety.
Fast forward to the present moment, with the world on the verge of a possible coronavirus pandemic, and growing numbers of Americans are already voluntarily sheltering in place in an effort to avoid falling ill.
For those like myself who have studied emerging police states, the sight of any American city placed under martial law—its citizens essentially under house arrest (officials used the Orwellian phrase “shelter in place” in Boston to describe the mandatory lockdown), military-style helicopters equipped with thermal imaging devices buzzing the skies, tanks and armored vehicles on the streets, and snipers perched on rooftops, while thousands of black-garbed police swarmed the streets and SWAT teams carried out house-to-house searches—leaves us in a growing state of unease.
Watching the events of the various lockdowns unfold, I couldn’t help but think of Nazi Field Marshal Hermann Goering’s remarks during the Nuremberg trials. As Goering noted:
It is always a simple matter to drag people along whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. This is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country.
It does indeed work the same in every country.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t take much for the American people to be terrorized into compliance by the government’s latest and greatest scare tactic, even if it means being stripped of one’s constitutional rights at a moment’s notice.
This continual undermining of the rules that protect civil liberties has far-reaching consequences on a populace that not only remains ignorant about their rights but is inclined to sacrifice their liberties for phantom promises of safety.
It may be that we’ve already gone too far down this road. However, don’t let this latest “crisis” cause you to panic to such an extent that you relinquish your fundamental right to make decisions for yourself and your loved ones and willingly surrender what remains of your freedoms.
This too shall pass.
Remember, a police state does not come about overnight.
Yet as I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People, no matter how it starts, with a questionable infringement justified in the name of safety or a nationwide lockdown to guard against a global pandemic, it always ends the same: by pushing us one step closer to a future in which the government has all the power and “we the people” have none.
ABOUT JOHN W. WHITEHEAD
Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute . His new book Battlefield America: The War on the American People is available at www.amazon.com . Whitehead can be contacted at johnw@rutherford.org.
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activistpost--2020-03-10--Prepper Foods and Supplies to Survive Coronavirus Without Leaving the House

Growing concern over the spread of coronavirus is fueling prepping sprees at big box retailers like Costco .
Costco stores across America were flooded with extra customers bulking up on bottled water , toilet paper , canned food and other prepper foods like 25-lb bags of rice .
The first coronavirus deaths in the United States appears to have triggered panic buying .
Or is it pragmatic prepping ?
Even if you don ’ t fear the actual virus , it now seems inevitable that there will be delays in the just-in-time supply chain .
Mass quarantines are resulting in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This could cause severe shortages in countless products ranging from medicine to anything that needs plastic or aluminum .
“ A recent study determined that 84 % of the world ’ s supply of acetaminophen comes from China and India , with China accounting for nearly two-thirds of the total , ” reports LA Times .
What happens if the next shipment of acetaminophen ( Tylenol ) is delayed several months ?
What happens if more medical facilities become quarantined ?
What happens if more schools are suspended ?
What happens if air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up quickly and people will be bugging in at home .
Even my Costco ( an hour outside of Seattle where first US COVID-19 deaths occurred ) was out of stock of some key items on Monday .
Notably , they didn ’ t have any toilet paper , rice , dried beans , or common canned goods like corn , green beans and tomato sauce .
In Australia , they ’ re actually fighting over toilet paper .
Luckily , you can get prepping supplies to survive the coronavirus and avoid crowds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through Amazon .
Although many prepping items that people are buying at big box stores are large and heavy , Amazon offers competitive prices and free delivery to your front door with Amazon Prime .
Below is a basic list of the best prepper foods and supplies that you can buy on Amazon without leaving your home : The best prepping foods are things you normally eat that are simple to prepare and have a long shelf life .
• Breakfast Cereal : Breakfast cereal has a 6-8 month shelf life and can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Great comfort foods with vitamins and minerals .
• Dehydrated hash browns : Dehydrated hash browns can store up to 10 years in ideal conditions and it easy to make with water and a bit of oil .
• Pancake mix : Pancake mix is shelf stable for 12 months and only takes water to prepare .
Don ’ t forget the syrup !
• Powdered eggs : Most emergency food breakfast meals include powdered eggs because they taste great and store for up to 10 years !
• Oatmeal , hot cereal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can last 3 years in your pantry and are easy warm satisfying meals that just require water .
• Pasta : Dried pasta is an excellent prepper food and will be good to eat for up to 2 years .
• Rice : Rice is a prepping staple which can last up to five years in vacuum sealed conditions .
• Tuna and chicken pouches : Storing protein is more challenging , but tuna and chicken can last up to 3 years in your pantry and make tasty additions to your diet .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ another good protein source with lots of calories .
Unopened peanut butter is shelf stable for up to 9 months .
Peanut butter powder last up to 5 years .
• Beans : Beans are another ultimate prepper food .
The shelf life of dried beans is 2 years while the storability of canned beans is up to 5 years .
• Nuts : Nuts are a healthy storable snack that is good in your prepping pantry for 12 months and another year if in a fridge or freezer .
• Dried fruits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months in a cool pantry and another 12 if refrigerated .
• Powdered milk : If milk supplies become limited , powdered milk will come to the rescue .
Powdered milk can last up to 10 years in ideal conditions .
• Granola bars : Snack bars are an excellent filling treat that store for around 8 months in pantries .
• Chicken and beef bouillon : Bouillon broth cubes are wonderful to make soups and for flavoring countless meals .
They last up to 2 years on your shelf .
• Coffee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imported and could be disrupted by travel restrictions .
Whole bean coffee last 6 months in the pantry and 2 years in the freezer .
Instant coffee lasts up to 20 YEARS !
• Sugar and Spices : Most sugar , salt , pepper , and other spices are imported too but also store for years .
• Dried meat : Other meats that store well in pantries are beef jerky and bacon crumbles .
• Flavored drink mixes : Powdered drink mixes are a great addition when you feel lucky to even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years when properly stored .
• Ready-to-eat meals : Although emergency food companies are experiencing heavy volume and long delays , you can still find equivalent meals like Campbell ’ s Ready Meals , Dinty Moore Beef Stew , Barilla Penne with Sauce , Cheddar Broccoli Potato soup , Chef Boyardee Ravioli , and Rice a Roni cups .
These are almost identical to meals in storable emergency foods but are still available in bulk with free Amazon Prime shipping .
• Tylenol and Advil : With China producing much of the generic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s worth getting some extra on Amazon .
• Vitamins C & D & B12 : Immune-boosting vitamins like Vitamin C , Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 should be on your Amazon shopping list .
• Zinc and Magnesium : Zinc and magnesium are also powerful immune boosters .
• Imodium : Most people that die from flu-like viruses succumb to dehydration due to rapid loss of fluids during fevers .
Anti-diarrhea medicine could be a life saver .
• Masks and Gloves : Proper masks are not available on Amazon Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Here are some gloves and face masks that could be useful .
• First Aid Kit : Having a good first aid kit is always important but especially during medical emergencies .
Or build your own DIY first aid kit .
• Toilet paper : Even the best-selling toilet papers on Amazon are “ currently unavailable ” but several are still available for free Prime delivery like Quilted Northern and Angel Soft .
• Feminine products : Plenty of feminine products available , but for how long ?
• Soap and shampoo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
Prep with extra bottles of your soaps and shampoos .
• Teeth hygiene : Toothpaste , mouthwash and floss are all available with free shipping .
• Wet wipes : Wet wipes for cleaning your skin and wipes for cleaning surfaces are useful right now .
Both Clorox and Lysol wipes are “ currently unavailable ” on Amazon .
• Razors : Shaving razors are also useful to stockpile and are very affordable on Amazon .
• Deodorant : Make sure you have enough deodorant even if you ’ re quarantined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently NO hand sanitizer available for Prime delivery .
Here ’ s how to make your own homemade hand sanitizer .
What other prepping supplies on Amazon do you recommend to survive COVID-19 without leaving your house ?
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Get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

By Steven Maxwell
Growing concern over the spread of coronavirus is fueling prepping sprees at big box retailers like Costco. Costco stores across America were flooded with extra customers bulking up on bottled water, toilet paper, canned food and other prepper foods like 25-lb bags of rice.
Costco stores are flooded with customers buying health care items in bulk as fears of the coronavirus outbreak spread across the U.S. pic.twitter.com/VlsCLpwam3 — NowThis (@nowthisnews) March 1, 2020
The first coronavirus deaths in the United States appears to have triggered panic buying.
Or is it pragmatic prepping? Even if you don’t fear the actual virus, it now seems inevitable that there will be delays in the just-in-time supply chain.
Mass quarantines are resulting in business and factory closures in China. This could cause severe shortages in countless products ranging from medicine to anything that needs plastic or aluminum.
“A recent study determined that 84% of the world’s supply of acetaminophen comes from China and India, with China accounting for nearly two-thirds of the total,” reports LA Times.
What happens if the next shipment of acetaminophen (Tylenol) is delayed several months? What happens if more medical facilities become quarantined? What happens if more schools are suspended? What happens if air travel is restricted?
Supplies will dry up quickly and people will be bugging in at home. Even my Costco (an hour outside of Seattle where first US COVID-19 deaths occurred) was out of stock of some key items on Monday. Notably, they didn’t have any toilet paper, rice, dried beans, or common canned goods like corn, green beans and tomato sauce.
In Australia, they’re actually fighting over toilet paper.
BREAKING NEWS ANOTHER TOILET PAPER FIGHT IN SYDNEY AUSTRALIA pic.twitter.com/sA7eszhAXW — @Georgebakhos1 (@GeorgeBakhos1) March 7, 2020
Luckily, you can get prepping supplies to survive the coronavirus and avoid crowds and long lines delivered to your home through Amazon. Although many prepping items that people are buying at big box stores are large and heavy, Amazon offers competitive prices and free delivery to your front door with Amazon Prime.
Below is a basic list of the best prepper foods and supplies that you can buy on Amazon without leaving your home:
Prepping Foods on Amazon
The best prepping foods are things you normally eat that are simple to prepare and have a long shelf life.
Medical Prepping
Prepping Toiletries
Toilet paper: Even the best-selling toilet papers on Amazon are “currently unavailable” but several are still available for free Prime delivery like Quilted Northern and Angel Soft. Feminine products: Plenty of feminine products available, but for how long? Soap and shampoo: Good hygiene is essential in a pandemic. Prep with extra bottles of your soaps and shampoos. Teeth hygiene: Toothpaste, mouthwash and floss are all available with free shipping. Wet wipes: Wet wipes for cleaning your skin and wipes for cleaning surfaces are useful right now. Both Clorox and Lysol wipes are “currently unavailable” on Amazon.
Razors: Shaving razors are also useful to stockpile and are very affordable on Amazon. Deodorant: Make sure you have enough deodorant even if you’re quarantined. Hand sanitizer: There is currently NO hand sanitizer available for Prime delivery. Here’s how to make your own homemade hand sanitizer.
What other prepping supplies on Amazon do you recommend to survive COVID-19 without leaving your house?
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--2020-03-10--Is Bill Gates Profiting From The Outbreak? Or Is Something Far More Sinister Taking Place?

As we see what is now being called a global health emergency regarding the coronavirus continue to grow on a daily basis , we also see how the solutions to this crisis fall in line with pre-positioned plans and agendas .
In this report , we look at a potential solution offered by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which intends to provide at-home testing kits for those who believe they may have been exposed to , or may be possibly infected by the virus .
Is Bill Gates making money on this public health crisis ?
Or is there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the foundation has donated to combat this outbreak ?
Gates-funded program will soon offer home-testing kits for new coronavirus https : //www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/gates-funded-program-will-soon-offer-home-testing-kits-for-new-coronavirus/ An Invisible Quantum Dot ‘ Tattoo ’ Could Be Used to ID Vaccinated Kids https : //www.sciencealert.com/an-invisible-quantum-dot-tattoo-is-being-suggested-to-id-vaccinated-kids How big a task is giving everyone on Earth a digital identity ?
https : //www.siliconrepublic.com/enterprise/digital-identity-id2020 Also Read from Activist Post : Post-Coronavirus Future ?
Injectable Biosensors , A.I .
Virus Detection , Robots and a Cashless Society 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
As we see what is now being called a global health emergency regarding the coronavirus continue to grow on a daily basis, we also see how the solutions to this crisis fall in line with pre-positioned plans and agendas.
In this report, we look at a potential solution offered by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which intends to provide at-home testing kits for those who believe they may have been exposed to, or may be possibly infected by the virus.
Is Bill Gates making money on this public health crisis? Or is there another motivation behind the 100 million dollars the foundation has donated to combat this outbreak?
Let’s examine this together…
Gates-funded program will soon offer home-testing kits for new coronavirus
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/gates-funded-program-will-soon-offer-home-testing-kits-for-new-coronavirus/
An Invisible Quantum Dot ‘Tattoo’ Could Be Used to ID Vaccinated Kids
https://www.sciencealert.com/an-invisible-quantum-dot-tattoo-is-being-suggested-to-id-vaccinated-kids
How big a task is giving everyone on Earth a digital identity?
https://www.siliconrepublic.com/enterprise/digital-identity-id2020
ID2020 Site
https://id2020.org
ID2020 Alliance Unveils Digital ID Program
https://www.pymnts.com/news/biometrics/2019/id2020-alliance-unveils-digital-id-program/
UN 2030 Agenda Goal 16
https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/envision2030-goal16.html
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.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-03-10--Time to Bring the Troops Home: More Veterans Committed Suicide Last Decade Than Died in Vietnam

It is no secret that the leading cause of death among active duty troops deployed to the Middle East is not combat or accidents , or IEDs — it ’ s themselves .
The Pentagon ’ s own statistics show that this is a crisis but it is being ignored .
In 2019 , according to the Department of Defense , 17 service members were killed during hostile situations in Afghanistan .
The number of soldiers who killed themselves was nearly 19 times that amount .
The most recent numbers , coming from 2018 , show that a total of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year .
Not only are active duty soldiers tragically ending their own lives at an increasing rate , but once they finish their service , these numbers skyrocket .
While the suicide rate for active duty members is certainly shocking , veterans kill themselves at a rate nearly 200 percent more .
The most recent data shows that a veteran kills himself or herself in the United States about every hour and 26 minutes .
That is 6,100 veterans a year .
When we look at these numbers over the past ten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more veterans have killed themselves in the last decade than service members who died in Vietnam .
If we look at attempted suicides , that number skyrockets once more to 19,000 attempts , of which 6,100 result in ending their own lives .
One of these attempted suicides was Air Force veteran John Michael Watts , 58 , who approached the Georgia Capitol in downtown Atlanta around 10:45 a.m. in 2018 and within minutes , he was engulfed in flames that burned 90 percent of his body .
Watts set himself on fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the problems within the VA. Veterans attempting suicide at VA clinics has since been on the rise .
“ VA is working to prevent suicide among all veterans , whether they are enrolled in VA health care or not , ” VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said in September .
“ That ’ s why the department has adopted a comprehensive public health approach to suicide prevention , using bundled strategies that cut across various sectors — faith communities , employers , schools and health care organizations , for example — to reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This problem is extremely concerning , but the establishment ’ s only answer as of yet is approving new and controversial antidepressants .
No one is looking at why veterans are killing themselves at a rate nearly double the national average .
They are simply trying to put a band-aid on the problem which will never work .
War is the plight of mankind .
It is perpetually waged by cowards too afraid to send themselves or their own children into harm ’ s way , but who do not hesitate to send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state is done with its pawns of empire , it disposes of them like spent military gear .
They then become unable to get the proper care they need for illness and injury related to their service .
If they try to self-medicate to cope with the subsequent PTSD from being forced to brutally occupy a foreign country , these veterans have their children taken , face life in prison , or worse .
The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that nearly 50,000 veterans are homeless on any given night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many of them for victimless crimes like drug possession for trying to treat their illness without pharmaceuticals .
As if the numbers aren ’ t bad enough , veterans are often the target of unjust attention from law enforcement .
On multiple occasions , the Department of Homeland Security has referred to veterans as potential terrorists and noted that they pose a threat to national security .
The Free Thought Project has reported on case after case of veterans returning home only to be beaten and locked up for speaking out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ episode .
Lip service of ‘ supporting the troops ’ is proving to be the worst possible thing for them .
If you really want to “ support the troops ” you ’ ll stop supporting wars of aggression in distant lands in which Americans are forced to kill people who pose no threat to the US .
If you really “ support the troops ” you ’ ll stop blindly standing up for your government whose proven track record shows that they do everything but support the troops .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all veterans and Americans to legalize marijuana across the nation , end foreign wars of aggression , and reboot the VA. Too many people are in jail and are being charged with felonies for a plant—one that has demonstrated the power to treat the pain and depression of war , addictions to the opioids dished out by the VA , and most importantly—to prevent suicide .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Matt Agorist
It is no secret that the leading cause of death among active duty troops deployed to the Middle East is not combat or accidents, or IEDs — it’s themselves. The Pentagon’s own statistics show that this is a crisis but it is being ignored.
In 2019, according to the Department of Defense, 17 service members were killed during hostile situations in Afghanistan. The number of soldiers who killed themselves was nearly 19 times that amount. The most recent numbers, coming from 2018, show that a total of 321 active-duty members took their lives during the year.
Not only are active duty soldiers tragically ending their own lives at an increasing rate, but once they finish their service, these numbers skyrocket. While the suicide rate for active duty members is certainly shocking, veterans kill themselves at a rate nearly 200 percent more.
The most recent data shows that a veteran kills himself or herself in the United States about every hour and 26 minutes. That is 6,100 veterans a year.
When we look at these numbers over the past ten years, the results are shocking: more veterans have killed themselves in the last decade than service members who died in Vietnam.
If we look at attempted suicides, that number skyrockets once more to 19,000 attempts, of which 6,100 result in ending their own lives.
One of these attempted suicides was Air Force veteran John Michael Watts, 58, who approached the Georgia Capitol in downtown Atlanta around 10:45 a.m. in 2018 and within minutes, he was engulfed in flames that burned 90 percent of his body.
Watts set himself on fire in an attempted suicide to raise awareness to the problems within the VA. Veterans attempting suicide at VA clinics has since been on the rise.
“VA is working to prevent suicide among all veterans, whether they are enrolled in VA health care or not,” VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said in September. “That’s why the department has adopted a comprehensive public health approach to suicide prevention, using bundled strategies that cut across various sectors — faith communities, employers, schools and health care organizations, for example — to reach veterans where they live and thrive.”
This problem is extremely concerning, but the establishment’s only answer as of yet is approving new and controversial antidepressants.
No one is looking at why veterans are killing themselves at a rate nearly double the national average. They are simply trying to put a band-aid on the problem which will never work.
War is the plight of mankind. It is perpetually waged by cowards too afraid to send themselves or their own children into harm’s way, but who do not hesitate to send the poor or ‘patriotic.’
When the state is done with its pawns of empire, it disposes of them like spent military gear. They then become unable to get the proper care they need for illness and injury related to their service. If they try to self-medicate to cope with the subsequent PTSD from being forced to brutally occupy a foreign country, these veterans have their children taken, face life in prison, or worse.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that nearly 50,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. Another 140,000 are currently in jail, many of them for victimless crimes like drug possession for trying to treat their illness without pharmaceuticals.
As if the numbers aren’t bad enough, veterans are often the target of unjust attention from law enforcement. On multiple occasions, the Department of Homeland Security has referred to veterans as potential terrorists and noted that they pose a threat to national security.
The Free Thought Project has reported on case after case of veterans returning home only to be beaten and locked up for speaking out, or killed by police during a PTSD-triggered episode.
Lip service of ‘supporting the troops’ is proving to be the worst possible thing for them.
If you really want to “support the troops” you’ll stop supporting wars of aggression in distant lands in which Americans are forced to kill people who pose no threat to the US.
If you really “support the troops” you’ll stop blindly standing up for your government whose proven track record shows that they do everything but support the troops.
It’s time for Congress to act on behalf of all veterans and Americans to legalize marijuana across the nation, end foreign wars of aggression, and reboot the VA. Too many people are in jail and are being charged with felonies for a plant—one that has demonstrated the power to treat the pain and depression of war, addictions to the opioids dished out by the VA, and most importantly—to prevent suicide.
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.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.