Surviving Economic, Societal Collapse: Your Biggest Enemy May Be … You

/0 Comments/in /by

I think it’s safe to say with some conviction that in the year of 2012 the concept of survival prepping is NOT an alien one to most Americans. When National Geographic decides there is a viable market for a prepper TV show (no matter how misrepresentative of true preppers it may be), when Walmart starts stocking shelves with long term emergency food storage kits, when survivalism in general becomes one of the few growing business markets in the midst of an otherwise disintegrating economy; you know that the methodology has gone “mainstream”. There is a noticeable and expanding concern amongst Americans that we are, indeed, on the verge of something new and unfortunate.

Is it the big bad hoodoo of the soon to expire Mayan Calendar? For a few, maybe, but for the majority of us, no. That jazz is a carnival sideshow designed to make the prepping culture appear ridiculous. We don’t need to believe in magical prophecies to know that there is a catastrophic road ahead; all we have to do is look at the stark realities of our current circumstances. It does not take much awareness anymore to notice looming fiscal volatility, social unrest, the potential for unrestrained war, and the totalitarian boldness of our government. I’ll take the wrath of Quetzalcoatl any day over the manure storm that is approaching us currently.

With some estimating a count of 3 million prepper families and growing in the U.S., the motto of “beans, bullets, and band-aids” is finding a home amongst legions. However, being closely involved in the survivalist movement during the past six years and speaking with literally thousands of preppers, it has become clear to me that we still have a long journey ahead of us before we can claim true efficiency and mastery.

Sadly, having a stockpile of food, weapons, and some slick tactical gear is not enough to ensure a high likelihood of survival, at least not in any of the social collapses that have occurred in the past century around the world. It’s a start, but only just…

There are a number of detrimental weakness to the survivalist movement and considerable holes in prepper knowledge that must be addressed now while we have the time and relative safety to do so. The greatest threat to the common survivalist is not economic collapse, roving bandits, Blackwater mercenaries, or predator drones; those dangers are a piece of cake compared to the threat of an overblown ego, which will get a man killed faster than the most sophisticated smart bomb. If we cannot accept that there is always more to learn, and room to improve, we have been defeated before we have begun.

Read more from this story HERE.

American Psychiatry in Shambles: Two More Children Killed

/3 Comments/in /by

Thursday night, Marina Krim, a mother on the Upper West Side of Manhattan opened the door to her apartment to find her two children dead. They had been stabbed to death allegedly by their nanny Yoselyn Ortega, who then slit her wrists in an apparent failed suicide attempt.

This horrific act of violence, like so many seemingly inexplicable ones, will likely turn out to have roots in unrecognized and, perhaps, untreated mental illness. While the Krim children did not die in a movie theatre showing of Batman at the hands of a man dressed like the Joker, they died at the hands of someone who must have been battling demons no less dark and no less commanding.

If we learn the truth about Yoselyn Ortega, it is possible we may learn that she could have been showing signs of a mental disorder and sharing them—either with a clinician or with others around her, in the days or weeks before this tragedy.

I have said this before, but will keep saying it on every occasion it fits: The mental health care system in America is in shambles. It barely even exists. That’s how bad it is. It leaves very, very ill people under-treated and many not treated at all. The system makes almost no attempt to educate the public about signs and symptoms of the most severe psychiatric conditions, as though such conditions still embarrass us or still define those suffering them as weak or depraved.

Read more from this story HERE.

Out-of-Control Judiciary: Federal Judge Orders Expert Opinion on Whether Electrolysis is Necessary for Sex Change Murderer

/4 Comments/in , , /by

The federal judge who last month ordered taxpayer-funded sex-change surgery for transsexual wife-killer Robert Kosilek is now forcing the state prison system to hire an expert to determine whether he needs electrolysis hair-removal treatment.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge Mark L. Wolf issued the order today, telling the Department of Corrections to identify the expert by Nov. 2 “to evaluate Kosilek to determine whether electrolysis is medically necessary, and/or to provide the electrolysis, if it is ordered to do so.”

A state prison doc testified in 2010 that Kosilek doesn’t need the treatment; that doctor, Robert Deiner, will be called to testify again at a Nov. 19 hearing.

The Department of Corrections refused to comment on today’s order.

Wolf, in a landmark ruling last month, ordered the surgery for Kosilek, 63, an MCI-Norfolk lifer who suffers from gender-identity disorder and sued the state to provide sex-change surgery in 2006. Wolf ruled the surgery was “a serious medical need” and to deny the surgery would violate Kosilek’s protection against cruel and unusual punishment.

Read more from this story HERE.

Obama: Romney Presidency Means the End of Roe vs. Wade

/4 Comments/in , /by

There’s no question a Romney presidency could spell the end of Roe v. Wade, President Obama said in an interview with Rolling Stone.

Romney has said he’d like to see the Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that said abortion is legal. And if he wins in November, he might be able to tilt the balance of the court to make that possible.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt,” Obama said when asked whether he fears that Roe could be overturned. “Governor Romney has made clear that’s his position. His running mate has made this one of the central principles of his public life. Typically, a president is going to have one or two Supreme Court nominees during the course of his presidency, and we know that the current Supreme Court has at least four members who would overturn Roe v. Wade. All it takes is one more for that to happen.”

The court currently has four solid conservatives and four solid liberals, with Justice Anthony Kennedy — a Republican appointee — serving as the most common swing vote. If a President Romney could replace even one justice, especially a liberal, most observers believe there would be five reliable votes against abortion rights.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen as the most likely of the current justices to retire in the near future. At 79, she is the oldest member of the court. Kennedy and Justice Stephen Breyer, also a liberal, are also in their 70s.

Read more from this story HERE.

Obama Was Sole Senator to Refuse to Vote For Bill Protecting Rape Victims

/3 Comments/in , /by

In a 1999 legislative vote, then-Illinois State Senator Barack Obama was the sole state senator to not vote for for a bill that would protect sexual assault victims from having the details of their cases revealed publicly.

On May 11 of that year, Obama voted “present” on a bill, ultimately made law, that allows victims of sex crimes to request that their cases be sealed from public view following a criminal conviction. Illinois Senate voting records show that Obama was the only senator who did not vote in favor of the bill.

Obama’s unique objection to voting for a bill meant to protect victims of sex crimes is a substantial departure from the picture he has attempted to paint for women voters.

The future president, it was reported then, questioned the bill’s constitutionality.

The legislation’s intent was to prevent public consumption of the explicit details of sex crimes without “good cause.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Make-up, Hairspray & Food Packaging May Cause Menopause Years Early, Feminize Boys

/0 Comments/in , /by

Chemicals found in make-up, hairspray and food packaging are causing women to hit the menopause early, researchers warn.

Those exposed to high doses have been found to go through the change almost two and a half years before other women.

And in some cases, these chemicals may be causing women to stop having periods 15 years too soon, say scientists.

There is already is widespread concern over the potential health risks of pthalates, a group of chemicals found in plastics, cosmetics, household products and food packaging.

Recent studies have shown they may increase the risk of cancer, diabetes and obesity and there is even evidence they may feminise the brains of young boys.

Read more from this story HERE.

Atheists Sue Indiana Over “Unconstitutional Marriage Statute”

/3 Comments/in , /by

An atheist organization claims Indiana’s marriage statute is unconstitutional because it doesn’t allow nonbelievers to be married by their own leaders, but state officials say the group is divorced from reality.

The New York-based Center for Inquiry claims in a federal lawsuit that Indiana Code 31-11-6-1 violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment since it sets clear preference for religious individuals over those devoted to the “pursuit of ethical alternatives to religion.” The group says it filed suit on behalf of members John Kiel and Michelle Landrum, who plan to wed in the next six months.

“You can have a ceremony as a nonreligious person and have the marriage solemnized by someone in the government, but the issue is that a person of faith can have a leader of their world view solemnize that marriage that the nonreligious do not have,” said Paul Fidalgo, communications director for The Center for Inquiry. “They are looking to win that right, to have it solemnized. That’s the key word.”

According to Hoosier State law, marriages may be solemnized by a member of the clergy or a religious organization such as a priest, a bishop, an archbishop or a rabbi, as well as government officials like a mayor, a clerk or a clerk of the circuit court. It also specifically names the Friends Church, German Baptists, the Baha’i faith, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and imams of a mosque as groups who can conduct marriages in the state. Nowhere does the statute list “secular celebrants,” or anyone else whose status is based on their disbelief in a creator.

A ceremony solemnized by secular elected officials – even if they happen to be atheists – is not acceptable, according to the suit, for several reasons, including limitations on time and places where the marriage may occur, unwanted governmental overtone and a lack of personal connection to that official.

Read more from this story HERE.

Obama Admin. Website Refers Pregnant Women to Planned Parenthood

/0 Comments/in , /by

Yep, you read that headline correctly. WomensHealth.gov is a “Project of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.” This federal site has a page with a pretty long title: “Pregnancy > Before you get pregnant: Information for all women > If you are sexually active.”

And, near the bottom of the page, there’s a section called “Connect with other organizations.” Most of the organizations are generally well-recognized medical groups – like the American Academy of Family Physicians. But two non-profits make the list as well: March of Dimes and Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood is also listed as an organization to “connect with” on the “Knowing if you are pregnant” and “Unplanned pregnancy” pages. Of course, this should come as no surprise, since Kathleen Sebelius, Planned Parenthood supporter extreme, is the secretary of Health and Human Services.

Lest anyone question why I state that the federal government “refers” women to Planned Parenthood, let’s cover the definition of “refer.” Refer is defined as “to direct to a source for help or information.” By telling women that Planned Parenthood is an organization to connect with, the federal government is clearly directing women to the abortion giant for help.

Interestingly, on the “Unplanned pregnancy” page, women are referred to a fact sheet on the “consequences” of unplanned pregnancy. The fact sheet does not give women the whole range of facts they need. But it begins by mentioning abortion…

Read more from this story HERE.

Letter Shows Michelle Obama Backing Partial-Birth Abortion

/4 Comments/in , /by

First Lady Michelle Obama has come under criticism before for a fundraising letter she wrote for her husband during his 2004 campaign for the U.S. Senate that has her defending partial-birth abortions.

Today, LifeNews is posting a rarely-seen image showing the copy of the actual letter, written to Obama financial supporters, which opposes a ban on the gruesome abortion procedure.

In February 2004, Michelle Obama penned a fundraising letter to help her husband Barack raise funds for his Illinois-based Senate seat. The letter contends the federal ban on partial-birth abortions “is clearly unconstitutional” and “a flawed law.”

Though the three-day-long partial-birth abortion procedure involves the partial birth of a baby during the middle trimester of pregnancy and the jamming of scissors into the back of her head to kill her, Obama’s wife describes it as “legitimate” medicine.

“The fact remains, with no provision to protect the heath of the mother, this ban on a legitimate medical procedure is clearly unconstitutional and must be overturned,” Michelle Obama writes in the letter.

Read more from this story HERE.

Ann Romney Shows She’s Fully Behind Her Husband in Series of Hilarious Photos Taken After Debate

/0 Comments/in /by

Ann Romney and Michelle Obama politely sat and watched as their husbands battled it out during the third and final presidential debate on Monday night.

And in keeping with tradition, the First Lady and her potential successor took to the stage and greeted the men and their respective families once the harsh words stopped flying.

But it was Ann Romney who showed the full extent of her support for her husband as she grabbed him from behind as he nearly lost his balance while shaking hands with supporters.

She gamefully held Mitt back by the waist as he bent over and was reaching out to the crowd below him.

Rather than be put off by her truly supportive role, Ann relished the chance to help.

Read more from this story HERE.