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Preparedness Lesson from the Bible on Anonymity

May 31, 2013 by

give in secret
Image taken from Van Allsblog

Mathew 6 1-4 NIV

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

 

Granted, I think Jesus was trying to teach that when we give, we should do so quietly and not draw attention to it.  I think this is great advice every prepper should heed.  There are two points that I take away from those verses that I think relate to preparedness; “being gray” and “pat on the back”.

 

Being Gray

I have covered “being gray” in previous articles, so I’ll just touch on it now.  Being gray or maintaining OP-SEC (operational Security) is part keeping a low profile, part not letting others know what you have and part doing what is expected of you, so as not to raise undo attention.

Many people feel a need to share their preparations with those less fortunate.  That is their right.  I will side with the King and say “do so in private”, but probably for different reasons than He gave.  If you share either openly, not hiding it from anyone, or openly with the people you choose to assist, too many people know that you have preparations to share.

One thought I have is to share secretly, leaving care packages late at night on the doorsteps of people who are in need.  This way they get some assistance and OP-SEC is maintained.

 

Pat on the Back

Many of us like to do good things for others.  Let’s face it, being able to help someone in need and receiving their thanks feels good.  At Christmas time, I always make sure to have change on me so I can put some in every Salvation Army kettle I pass by.  I do this for a few reasons; one is that I know this is the time of year they make most of their operating money and I also do it so the bell ringer feels like their time is well spent.  If I’m truly honest, I also do it because it feels good to have the bell ringer acknowledge my putting something in the kettle, though I still donate if they’re on a break. 

My point is that if you feel like you must give publicly to others “when it hits the fan”, do some soul searching and find out why you’re giving.  Is it out of Christian obligation?  Is it just easier to give face to face?  Is it because seeing the joy on their face makes you feel good?

We can eliminate any potential sin issues and keep our OP-SEC by giving privately.  Our Father who sees what is done in secret will reward us.

 

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Filed Under: Christian World View, Mind Set

Christianity and the Bible’s Case for Self-Defense

May 29, 2013 by

Today we have a guest post, an author published by Prepper Press named John Elliot.  John writes about Christianity and self-defense.  This is a subject I covered a couple years ago, please see the comment section for my thoughts on John’s article, and on the subject in general.

 

Christianity and the Bible’s Case for Self-Defense

As the author of books having to do with self-preservation and, far more importantly, as a Christian, I have had to answer some rather deeply personal questions that require a considerable level of introspection. At the forefront of those questions is the one that asks, “What does God say about Believers protecting themselves from criminals, terrorists, or anyone else who may wish to harm us?”

Since my last book came out, Don’t Be A Victim!, I have been asked that question no less than six times. Well, part of the answer can be found in various books of the Bible. Was Moses condemned by God for going to the defense of a fellow Israelite and killing an Egyptian? The answer is no. In the book of Acts, chapter 7:24, it clearly demonstrates that the act of killing that Egyptian who was mistreating an Israelite was in fact part of Moses’ acceptance by the Israelites.

Nowhere in the Bible does it show that Christians are to be the doormats for the evil people of the world; but are we as Christians called upon to turn the other cheek? Well, yes. Matthew 5:39 instructs us about just that thing. There is even a time when Believers in Christ may have to suffer and die. We can read about that in Matthew5:11, Philippians 1:29, 2 Timothy 2:3, and in some other passages found in the Bible. All of that is true; there is no argument here at all.

What is also true is the Christian doctrine of self-defense and preservation, of preparedness and good common sense. The Apostle Paul implied that Christian men ought to defend their families. In 1 Timothy 5:8, after speaking about how the law applies to criminals and other violators of the trust God gives to men and women, it reads, “But those who won’t care for their relatives; especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.” We are told by those words, and so many other passages, that we as Christians have a right, a duty and an obligation to protect the innocent amongst us.

If you are lying in bed at night and you waken by the sound of breaking glass, what do you do? You dial 911 right away, but what happens if an intruder is then heard climbing the stairs to where your wife and children are sleeping? The police may be on their way, but they are still several minutes away. You are a Christian, you are told to love your enemy, but you also know that the burglar in your home is probably capable of unspeakable violence. What now? If you are like me, you reach for that Sig Sauer semi-automatic pistol, and before the burglar makes it to the top of the stairs, you send him off to meet his Maker.

We live in a violence-prone world, gone mad with horrible crime each day, with horrific acts of terrorism across the globe, with the knowledge that eventually we may all have to face our worst fears in life. Being a born-again Believer in Christ helps to relieve so much of that fear and anxiety, but being prepared for the unexpected is what God expects from each of us.

John Elliott is the author of Don’t Be A Victim!: An Officer’s Advice on Preventing Crime, published by Prepper Press. He is a law enforcement veteran who worked for police agencies in Virginia, Rhode Island and Florida, as well as for the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Customs Service. He also spent many years working with Interpol, and was a bomb disposal technician conducting land mine and unexploded military ordnance disposal in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Asia and North Africa.
 
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Filed Under: Christian World View, Security

Getting to Know AlertsUSA

May 28, 2013 by

I try to support local businesses whenever possible. I like that I can get to know them and their history in the area. I also like that they are a part of the community and often support it in various ways. As an extension of this kind of thinking, I like to find out about the sites on the Internet that I do business with as well. Because the Internet can make things feel more impersonal, I often research potential companies before I spend my money there.

I do the same for companies that would like me to advertise their site or give a discount to the Preparedness Club. I’m not saying I have to know them well, but I try to find out if they’re shady and how they treat their customers. Because of this, I have decided that I would give companies who advertise on the site or support the Preparedness Club the chance to let you get to know them a little better. To do this, I will make a post from time to time, giving them the chance to do a little question and answer session with me.

I get alerts from AlertsUSA and have frequently gotten alerts sooner than I could find them anywhere else. As a reminder, Preparedness Club members save 25% on an AlertsUSA subscription.
 

AlertsUSA

 

1. How did your company get started and what was its main goal?

We started after the 9/11 incident. Many lives were lost as a result of inaccurate or no information reaching those away from a television set. As an example, workers in the South Tower being told to stay put and there was no danger. In the months following the attack, we saw an opening for an alert service for mobile devices that would propagate accurate information on breaking events, as well as threats of national significance. The service was intended to be fast, based on text messages given the low bandwidth requirements and free from hype.

The principle goal of the service was, and remains to this day, to increase the user’s level of situational and threat awareness.

 

2. What major changes have you seen since then?

The major changes we have seen have principally been through mobile technology and the speed and types of information we can to subscribers.
What was once limited to pure SMS messages has expanded to include audio and video. Where users at one time had to dial into a number in order to head audio messages, the audio can now be streamed to the user by simply clicking a link.

 

3. What would you like people to know about your company?

We are a Christian owned and operated business that tries to honor the Lord in all aspects of the operation, from the quality and accuracy of the information delivered through to the manner in which we interact with customers.

Foremost, customers can rely on the knowledge that AlertsUSA is always watching for dangerous developments and if some bad happened of national significance, they will be made aware.

 

4. How can your company help people to be better prepared?

A. Trust: There are many types of threats and events the mainstream media will not report on or will intentionally withhold or slant critical information. One example is emergencies at nuclear power plants. AlertsUSA does not operate with sensitivities to advertisers, other business units or investors, as do the mainstream media outlets. If a threat develops that poses a danger to them and their family, we let them know.

B. Service Reach: We are able to communicate threat information to users regardless of location or time of day via their mobile devices. So whether someone is at work, out in the yard or on vacation, if important developments arrive we are able to make them aware 24/7/365.

C. Speed of Awareness: The best laid preparedness efforts can be rendered worthless if someone is caught off guard. Being made aware of threats and breaking events, preferably before the masses, can mean the difference between topping off a fuel tank or getting to a grocery store before general panic sets in, getting oneself and family out of an area before danger arrives or being able to take shelter in a timely fashion.

 

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Filed Under: Preparedness Club

Memorial Day Prayer

May 27, 2013 by

This is a repost from last year, I didn’t think I could say it any better.

On this Memorial Day, I am thankful for the sacrifice so many throughout our history have made, for the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice and for their families who had to carry on without them.

It is a sacrifice that is easy to forget. For those who have it, freedom is like oxygen. It’s something we just have. Many will not understand just how precious either is until they are at risk of being taken away. There are encroachments being made on our freedoms right now by those who think they know better. This is a conversation for another time.

Today I remember a sacrifice made and a debt I cannot repay. Today I pray for the God of heaven to bless the families of those who have lost loved ones while serving our great nation. I pray for Him to bless and comfort the walking wounded who are still with us, and bless their families as well.

It is also my prayer that we remember their sacrifice and the precious gift of freedom every day, not just once a year or when they are in danger of being taken away.

Filed Under: Mind Set

Consolidated List of Gardening Posts

May 24, 2013 by

It’s that time of year when many of us are gardening by traditional, raised bed, square foot, container or other method. I’ve written a few articles over the years that might be new to some of you. I thought I would write one condensed post and link to them all.

For those of you who aren’t gardeners, this is a skill you should really consider learning. Have you ever heard the phrase, “society is nine meals away from anarchy”? It’s true! It only takes three hunger filled days for things to begin to fall apart. The easiest way to control a people, is to control their food supply. Throughout history, tyrants have controlled their people by limiting the food supply.

Victory gardens were a common thing during WWII. People raised some of their own food to help reduce the burden on the food supply brought on because of the war.

I have been at this a few years and still consider myself a novice, but I am happy to share with you what I have learned.

“Principles of Gardening” is a great place to start. This article covers some of the basics, but I also cover some things that people who’ve had a traditional garden all their lives might not know. For instance, did you know that tilling your garden plot is counterproductive and actually harmful to the soil?

Over the years I have collected several books on gardening. I shared them in (-“Gardening Resources” and have updated the list with three new books.

Few of us have perfect soil for gardening. “Soil Amendments to Improve Garden Growth” has multiple ways to improve soil.

One way to make the most of limited space it to use a trellis for plants that grow on a vine. We’ve come up with a PVC Trellis for melons and beans.

In “Natural Ways to Kill Bugs and Weeds”, I list several ways to kill bugs and weeds without using pesticides or herbicides.

In “Introduction to Permaculture; Building a Food Forest”, I explain the basics of permaculture, which is a design system that uses principles found in nature. Instead of a traditional farm that may produce one or two items, a permaculture design might have a hundred different items. Permaculture design is often referred to as a “food forest”.

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Filed Under: Food Tagged With: ,

Getting to Know Ready Reserve Foods

May 23, 2013 by

I try to support local businesses whenever possible. I like that I can get to know them and their history in the area. I also like that they are a part of the community and often support it in various ways. As an extension of this kind of thinking, I like to find out about the sites on the Internet that I do business with as well. Because the Internet can make things feel more impersonal, I often research potential companies before I spend my money there.
 
I do the same for companies that would like me to advertise their site or give a discount to the Preparedness Club. I’m not saying I have to know them well, but I try to find out if they’re shady and how they treat their customers. Because of this, I have decided that I would give companies who advertise on the site or support the Preparedness Club the chance to let you get to know them a little better. To do this, I will make a post from time to time, giving them the chance to do a little question and answer session with me.

 

Ready-Reserve-Foods-300
 
1. How did your company get started and what was its main goal?

Our company was started in 1972, we’re celebrating our 41st anniversary! Current ownership has been for the last 15 years, but even the current owners were dealers for the company for 5 years before purchasing the company. Ready Reserve Foods, Inc. main goal was to provide high quality, tasty foods that you could depend on being there in an emergency.
 
2. What major changes have you seen since then?

There have been a lot of changes over the past 20 years alone! The quality of dehydrated foods has grown leaps and bounds. The additional information that is now available about pesticides, additives, and preservatives has allowed us greater control in providing higher quality products to our customers while having the highest nutritional value. Also, the dehydration process has become more efficient. This means customers actually get more raw product and less water weight and volume for their money and space.
 
3. What would you like people to know about your company?

Ready Reserve Foods, Inc. has always been a premier manufacturer in emergency foods, especially since we are the oldest continually operated company in our entire industry. What makes us special is the fact that we refuse to cut corners. We don’t take the easy or cheap way, which means our customers get the best product and most dependable and safe canning method available. The nitrogen packaging system that we use is special, mostly because we are the only ones out there who take the time to do it, but also because we have been able to actually real-time test our products and have proven that our methods last for 15, 20, 25, and even 30+ years. We don’t add chemical packets to our food, almost all of our products are grown here in the USA, and we’re proud to be a family owned and operated company who has long term relationships with our customers (we get Christmas cards, birth announcements, and wedding invitations every year, and we love it!).
 
4. How can your company help people to be better prepared?

Ready Reserve not only has the best products, but we also have the most experience. We’ve worked on major disaster relief (FEMA, Red Cross, the Navy, etc.) as well as getting individuals, companies, and even fire houses, police stations, city centers, hospitals, and retirement homes ready in case of an emergency. We know what is needed, we understand that the process can be overwhelming, and we can work with anyone’s budget, space, or location. We’ll make it happen.

As a reminder, Preparedness Club members receive a 10% discount on food purchases from Ready Reserve Foods
 
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Filed Under: Preparedness Club

Military Power Grab

May 22, 2013 by

Pentagon

Thanks to GrumpyT for the heads up on this. Of everything I’ll mention today, I believe this is the most important. In an article from LongIslandPress.com called “U.S. Military ‘Power Grab’ Goes Into Effect, Pentagon Unilaterally Grants Itself Authority Over ‘Civil Disturbances’” it is explained:

“…the military has quietly granted itself the ability to police the streets without obtaining prior local or state consent, upending a precedent that has been in place for more than two centuries.”

The article is a tad long, but important and worth the read. I’ll briefly explain it and why this is important. The article explains what was done quite nicely, stating that:

“The U.S. military is prohibited from intervening in domestic affairs except where provided under Article IV of the Constitution in cases of domestic violence that threaten the government of a state or the application of federal law. This provision was further clarified both by the Insurrection Act of 1807 and a post-Reconstruction law known as the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 (PCA). The Insurrection Act specifies the circumstances under which the president may convene the armed forces to suppress an insurrection against any state or the federal government. Furthermore, where an individual state is concerned, consent of the governor must be obtained prior to the deployment of troops. The PCA—passed in response to federal troops that enforced local laws and oversaw elections during Reconstruction—made unauthorized employment of federal troops a punishable offense, thereby giving teeth to the Insurrection Act.”

There was similar legislation passed by Congress under President Bush but that was repealed the following year. While I disagree with the legislation, at least they did it the right way. The Pentagon didn’t just grant it to themselves.

The Pentagon has essentially granted themselves more power. With this new power, they have set aside 200 years of precedence and have made it much easier for the President to deploy troops domestically to quash a “civil disturbance” without being asked to do so by the state government.

Is this something congress can correct, or would they even want to?

If this stands, I can see many more instances like what occurred in Boston.

To me this is very concerning. Other than this report from the Long Island Press I have not seen anything else about this. After you read the linked article, I would like to hear your take on this.

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Filed Under: Signs of the Times

3 Dangers To Food Storage And How To Avoid Them

May 20, 2013 by

Today we have a guest post written by Lee Flynn

3 Dangers To Food Storage And How To Avoid Them

People tend to think that disasters don’t happen very often, or at least only happen to someone else. Of course, to someone else, we’re all someone else. And have you turned on the news recently? Tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, wars… do you really think that your little corner of the earth is going to stay safe forever? If you want to survive the disasters that are sure to happen sooner or later, you’re going to need to prepare. In many cases, this means having a well supplied food storage. But stocking up on water and rations is only a part of the equation, because once you’ve got everything you need, you then need to protect it. Here are three dangers to your food storage, and how to overcome them.

1. Time

Just because something is called non-perishable, doesn’t mean that it will last forever. Canned goods only really have a shelf-life of about five years, at most, and Meals-Ready-to-Eat stay good for only about three years. Instead of relying on food that might spoil and leave you up a creek without a paddle, stick with freeze-dried and dehydrated foods, which last a good deal longer. Storing your food in the right place will also have a big effect on how long it lasts. That means that you should find someplace cool, dry, and dark. Also, make sure that the food is well packed in airtight containers, because exposure to oxygen can speed up the spoiling process.

2. Animals

Insects and other invertebrates are natural born food-storage thieves. They’re small, so they can usually get into any room or building that they want to. And guess what? they’d like nothing better than to burrow into your sack of flour and raise a couple thousand kids. But although you may not be able to keep these pests from getting to your storage room, you should be able to at least keep them out of the food. Store your food in secure plastic, metal, or glass containers, and be sure to clean up any spills as quickly as you can. Rodents such as mice or rats, and even larger mammals like raccoons pose a different threat. They might have a harder time breaking into the building, but with the help of gnawing teeth and dexterous fingers, they’ll have a much easier time getting into the food. Store all your food well off of the ground, and avoid using baited traps, as other pests might be attracted by the smell. Above all, be vigilant. Check your food storage repeatedly for signs of incursion. If you find damaged containers or infested food, discard it immediately, and replace it. Regularly clean out your storage area, and make sure to keep it free from crumbs and moisture that might catch the notice of uninvited animal guests.

3. People

No one likes to consider the possibility of having to defend their emergency storage from other human beings, but if a disaster occurs and food and water become scarce, then even the most kind and charitable individual will start fighting for survival. Looting has been known to happen regularly in the wake of disasters, and to a desperate and hungry person, there’s not much difference between robbing a grocery store and robbing a home. The best way to keep looters from taking your storage is to keep it secret. Only eat food at home, and never take it out into public where people might notice and be enticed by it. If possible, keep the area in which your food is stored locked, and keep the key well hidden. Don’t allow any strangers into your home, no matter how sorry you might feel for them, nor how friendly or harmless they may seem. And last but not least, be prepared to defend your food storage with lethal force, if need be. The thought of taking a human life over something like a few cans of stew or a jug of water is repulsive, but without that food, you or your family might starve.

Lee Flynn is a freelance writer, survival enthusiast, and food storage expert.

Filed Under: Food Tagged With:

Two New Deadly Viruses to Be Aware of

May 17, 2013 by

Yahoo news has an article called “2 new viruses could both spark global outbreaks” that details two new deadly viruses. One is a coronavirus related to SARS, about which they had the following to say:

“The coronavirus related to SARS spread to France, where one patient who probably caught the disease in Dubai infected his hospital roommate. Officials are now trying to track down everyone who went on a tour group holiday to Dubai with the first patient as well as all contacts of the second patient. Since it was first spotted last year, the new coronavirus has infected 34 people, killing 18 of them. Nearly all had some connection to the Middle East.”

Here is what they had to say about the other virus:

“At the same time, a new bird flu strain, H7N9, has been infecting people in China since at least March, causing 32 deaths out of 131 known cases.”

Some of what I find concerning is that, as of the time of this writing, there are some theories but it is unknown how the virus is transmitted. The thing I find most alarming is the high mortality rate of each. The coronavirus is killing 50% of those infected and the H7N9 bird flu variant is killing roughly 25%.

The article goes on to say:

“WHO, which is closely monitoring the viruses, says both have the potential to cause a pandemic — a global epidemic — if they evolve into a form easily spread between people. Here’s a crash course in what we know so far about them:”

f you think back a few years to the H1N1 or swine flu, you might remember it was classified as a pandemic. However, the morbidity (infection rate) and mortality (death rate) were lowered to classify it as one. H1N1 had a mortality rate of 9.6%. It did, however, have a much higher morbidity rate than either of the two new viruses.

I have covered pandemic in other articles, so I’ll not rehash it all, but just link to it. First, in “How a True Pandemic May Look”, I explain what we can expect if a true pandemic, similar to those we have seen in history, sets in. In “Review of After Armageddon”, I review a History Channel show that explores what life may look like during and after a pandemic-like event.

Lastly, I covered “The N95 Face Mask”. There are many who push the N95 as a means to limit exposure to contagions. As I explain in that article, health professionals use a variation of the N95 called NIOSH certified. Keep in mind that health professionals use these as a precaution and do not know for sure if it will stop the spread, as they have not been tested against a pandemic.

If you want to keep up-to-date with these or other virus outbreaks, you can do so at WHO Disease Outbreak News (DONs).

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Filed Under: Medical and First Aid Tagged With:

There is no Such Thing as Privacy and yes Big Brother is Watching

May 15, 2013 by

Big Brother

You know that feeling you get when you’re in public and realize your zipper is down? Exposed, uncovered, vulnerable and maybe even a little violated? Some of you are going to feel that way after reading today’s article. Some might accuse me of needing a tinfoil hat after reading this, but I assure you this information is credible. I have used the best sources I can find. If I had to guess, this is only scratching the surface.

There is no such thing as privacy…at least in the modern age of technology; oh and Big Brother is watching. What you say on your cell phone, data you save on your smartphone, write in emails, post to social media, search on the Internet for, say near a cell phone (even if it’s off) and more is all susceptible to being actively stored, cataloged and monitored.

I realize what I have said so far might seem a bit dramatic, so instead of writing my opinion I will give sources for the statements I have made and give you my $.02. Before I go on, I want to address what some of you may be thinking; “I’m not doing anything illegal! Why should I care who tracks what?” You may not be doing anything illegal now but there may well come a day when simply living out our Christian beliefs may be illegal. Saying that marriage should be between one man and one woman could, in the future, be viewed as a hate crime. Don’t think so? Here is an article from the Christian News network called “Canadian Supreme Court Rules Biblical Speech Opposing Homosexual Behavior is a ‘Hate Crime’.” As I will explain below, some of what you say now, can come back to haunt you.
 
 
Internet

There are so many security and privacy concerns when it comes to the Internet that I can’t cover them all. Here are some that I think you should be aware of. As Forbes.com states in their article called “Google Hands Over User Data For 94% Of U.S. Law Enforcement Requests”

“When law enforcement comes looking for evidence hidden in your Google search history, Gmail or the uncountable other Google services that touch many Internet users’ lives, don’t expect Google to turn the investigators away. In 19 out of 20 cases in the second half of last year, the company handed over at least some of the data the government demanded.”

I have read from multiple sources that in some cases, Google didn’t require a warrant.
This means that every search term, every site visited, every document in Google Documents or similar online document hosting software, every download that is done from your computer has the possibility of being compiled and stored about you. I don’t know about you but I have done some research related to preparedness and potential threats that, if taken out of context, could make me look like a homegrown terrorist.
 
 

The National Security Agency (NSA)

Here is where things get a little spooky. I have read quite a lot about the abilities, practices and plans of the NSA and it is all very concerning to me. In short, the NSA has put nearly every American on virtual surveillance by keeping track of every email and other online habits, storing them for possible future use. This has all been done without warrants and according to one of the videos shown below, one whistle blower from the NSA claims it was all done under something called “Terrorist Surveillance Program”. It’s not that the NSA is actively monitoring all digital communications, but that they are storing it and, if the need should arise, they can do a search for a suspect’s name and pull all digitally stored data relevant to that person. In one of the videos below, NSA whistleblower William Binney states that the NSA has been collecting this data for at least the last ten years.

As you can imagine this would require a massive datacenter to store all of this data, which is why the NSA has recently built a “spy center” in Bluffdale, Utah. To help put the amount of data they will be capable of storing into perspective, FOX news, in their article called NSA data center front and center in debate over liberty, security and privacy” says:

“The agency will neither confirm nor deny specifics. Some published reports suggest it could hold 5 zettabytes of data. (Just one zettabyte is the equivalent of about 62 billion stacked iPhones 5’s– that stretches past the moon.”

As an example of what the NSA is capable of, the Blaze, in an article called “NSA Whistleblower Explains Chilling Interview: ‘Everyone in the U.S. Is Under Virtual Surveillance’” notes:

“Binney then discussed the recent resignation of Gen. David Petraeus over an extra-marital affair, and how his private communications were intercepted.
“As far as the actual government goes, [adultery] is not a high crime and misdemeanor here,” co-host Stu Burguiere weighed in. “It’s sort of secondary, and they’ll go to that extent to out somebody who may have had a political issue. That’s frightening.”

Here are two more articles on the Bluffdale “Spy Center”; one called “Is the NSA building a $800 million data center to spy on Americans? Utah desert facility code-named Bumblehive ‘will monitor emails of U.S. citizens’” and another called “The NSA Is Building the Country’s Biggest Spy Center (Watch What You Say)”.
Here is an article on NSA whistleblower William Binney from the NY Times whistleblower, as well as two videos with Thomas Drake and William Binney.
 
 

 
 

 
 
Cell Phones

I have seen different reports of this over the last few years, but here is a good article from the Seattle Times called “Even if they’re off, cellphones allow FBI to listen in”

“The FBI converted the Nextel cellphones of two alleged New York mobsters into “roving bugs,” microphones that relayed conversations when the phones seemed to be inactive, according to recent court documents.

Authorities won’t reveal how they did this. But a countersurveillance expert said Nextel, Motorola Razr and Samsung 900 series cellphones can be reprogrammed over the air, using methods meant for delivering upgrades and maintenance. It’s called “flashing the firmware,” said James Atkinson, a consultant for the Granite Island Group in Massachusetts.”

As if that weren’t creepy enough, here is an article from the New York Times called Build Up Your Phone’s Defenses Against Hackers

“Chuck Bokath would be terrifying if he were not such a nice guy. A jovial senior engineer at the Georgia Tech Research Institute in Atlanta, Mr. Bokath can hack into your cellphone just by dialing the number. He can remotely listen to your calls, read your text messages, snap pictures with your phone’s camera and track your movements around town — not to mention access the password to your online bank account.”

Believe me, if the good guys can think of this, you had better believe that Joe Dirtbag can as well.

Here is a video from CNN where the host is interviewing a former FBI agent. He claims that when it comes to national security, “there is a way to listen to all digital communications in the past”. That means that all digital communications are stored and may be pulled if needed.
 
 

 
 
Final Thoughts

I have nothing to hide. The only “offense” I might occasionally commit is going a bit over the speed limit. So why does all of this concern me? Partly because of how the IRS was used to target Tea Party and other conservative groups. There have been accusations from different people in Washington calling veterans, fundamentalist Christians and “far-right-wingers” potential terrorists. I am sure that at some point I have said something on or near a cell phone, written something online via a forum or email that, if taken out of context, could paint me in a negative light. The fact that the Attorney General has stated the President has full authority to use drone strikes on Americans, on American soil, against potential terrorists, also has me a bit concerned.

Don’t get me wrong. I like technology as much as the next guy. But it has come at a great cost. If you’re “plugged in”, there is no such thing as privacy and yes, Big Brother is watching!

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