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The latest trend in getting high: Bug spray
Multiple states are reporting an alarming increase in people overdosing on…..bug spray.
Bug spray, such as RAID contain pyrethroids, man-made versions of pyrethrin, a compound made by flowers to repel insects. The compound acts as a neurotoxin, overly exciting the nervous system leading to paralysis and death of the critter that gets exposed.
But humans are spraying the insecticide on their marijuana, tobacco, or spice before smoking it, in an attempt to increase the high. These bug spray-laced drugs, called KD, could cause serious illness.
In December, a Tennessee man went on a violent bender and was arrested after he smoked a mixture of methamphetamine and bug spray to make "wasp".
"Hot Shots" are even crazier. The DenverChannel.com reports one takes a screen, sprays bug spray on it, hooks up a battery charger to heat it, and once the solution crystallizes, melts it and injects the liquid into their veins.
Health officials are warning using any of the above drug mixtures can produce various symptoms including:
respiratory failure
Because of the ubiquity of bug spray, anyone, including a child, can become exposed to toxic doses using it by itself or mixing it with other chemicals and drugs.
As a kid we used to collect bugs and play with them. Now kids are getting high on bug spray. What could possibly be next……
Daliah Wachs is a guest contributor to GCN news, her views and opinions, medical or otherwise, are her own. Doctor Wachs is an MD, FAAFP and a Board Certified Family Physician. The Dr. Daliah Show , is nationally syndicated M-F from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm and Saturday from Noon-1:00 pm (all central times) at GCN.
Published in Health
Opinion: What's going on and why aren't people happy?
"Job growth was about 227,000 in June but 46 percent of the people surveyed say they are not better off. Democrats claim the 50 percent growth of the stock market does not help the common people because most do not invest in stocks, except those with 401(k) plans. But the stock market indicates companies are willing to invest, which leads to job growth. Please explain."
Good points from a thoughtful reader.
June job growth of 227,000 was good, and recent upward revisions of prior-month figures likewise. However, longer-term job growth hasn't been very robust, even though unemployment is at record lows.
Some people who were dropped from the job market during the Great Recession and tepid recovery that followed it simply haven't returned. But some are beginning to. Some are seniors who entered retirement early and aren't being welcomed back by hiring managers. And some are millennials who retired to their parents' basements or similar quarters.
Dems err when they claim securities market price gains don't help common folk. Beyond 401(k) plans and personal portfolios, the much larger impact is that the vast majority of those people depend on retirement plans that are invested in the markets. Given the poor management of most plans, members need markets to soar, for otherwise their golden years may not be so rosy.
And stock market rises don't necessarily indicate strong investment by firms, so long-term job growth has been weak, as noted above; however, in the last decade, things have changed significantly from the pre-recession decades: thus, the "new normal." And I think those long-term changes explain our national ennui and sourness.
The key fact is that, even after a decade of recovery and stock market growth, our economy is growing significantly slower than in previous decades. So, people's incomes and wellbeing are rising much slower than they did during most adults' lives, when annual per-person real growth of 2.0-2.5 percent meant that standards of living doubled every generation. Now, the generational growth is only about 40 percent, instead of doubling.
Although people don't much consciously think or talk about that, it greatly conditions their sense of wellbeing and their outlook. For example, living space in the average home has doubled over about 40 years, and home amenities have also greatly improved. So, people are less burdened by preparing and cleaning up after meals with microwave ovens and dish washers. And they enjoy more TV options on much bigger and higher quality screens. Life seems better, and it is.
Although they don't think about per-capita real growth having been cut in half, they do get a sense the last decade that things aren't getting better the way they had come to expect from life-long experience. The fact they don't know the exact reason for that is itself discomforting.
In my controller's annual reports the last four years, I explained some key reasons for the new-normal slow growth. Government excess – spending, taxes, and debt rising continuously relative to the economy, plus continuously proliferating regulations of all kinds – all slowed growth ever more. Labor force participation grew before the turn of the century, helping growth, but has slowed since.
Debt of all kinds grew unsustainably before the recession, accelerating growth, but has stalled since then. And increasing trade and international investment, plus strong world economic growth, all helped us before the recession, but those trends too have reversed since then.
These are the important drivers people don't see, but they definitely feel their effects of slow growth of productivity, jobs and incomes.
As noted above, people generally don't think consciously about then versus now, although such considerations may play a subconscious role in their outlooks. Instead, regardless of how much their lives have improved, they always focus on us versus them: They are acutely aware of how well off they are compared to other folks.
And when they feel things aren't going well for them, they look for scape goats and others to blame. When they don't understand the economic complexities and long-term issues, they look for single-factor causes and immediate trends.
Ron Knecht is a contributing editor to the Penny Press - the conservative weekly "voice of Nevada." You can subscribe at www.pennypressnv.com. This is an edited version of his column which has been reprinted with permission.
Published in Opinion
Gene's Technology Corner: A farewell to Tech Night Owl LIVE (but exciting things to come for the Paracast!)
This column has been stewing for a while, and a number of things have changed. The most important, from my standpoint, is the fact that, after a year of living in cheap motels, we are back in an apartment. I have a home office area once again, rather than a single table that barely contains my stuff.
I've also been doing a lot of work to boost the business. The Paracast has a staff now, not just a cohost. We are all working to build the show, spread our coverage in unexpected ways, and enhance the premium subscription version, The Paracast+.
At the same time, it is time to retire The Tech Night Owl LIVE.
The show debuted in the fall of 2002 as one of the early online broadcasts. In those days, we were part of MacRadio, an alternative network. When Apple premiered its podcasts repository, I made the move alone, because the rest of the MacRadio hosts were slow to make the change. I left the network shortly thereafter; it folded a year or two later.
As I'll explain more in the next column, Apple, Inc. is clearly no longer a counter-culture company, and a counter-culture radio show is hardly necessary. As Apple transitioned to become a consumer electronics powerhouse, with hundreds of millions of users worldwide, the Mac press slimmed. Macworld gave up a print edition in favor of a digital one, but most readers confine themselves, I suspect, to the free site.
MacLife? I'm not sure. It is evidently still available in a print edition, but I no longer receive copies in the mail. I found a Facebook page offering a subscriptions of 5 issues for $5, but the link to which it points only offers higher-priced alternatives. The site is just a sales portal; there is no access to any online content other than to sign up for a newsletter.
Now that Apple is a mainstream company, with plenty of coverage in the mainstream and tech media, counter-culture tech radio seems superfluous. So I've decided to focus my attention to boost The Paracast. which is, I suppose, another form of counter-culture show. But I won't be giving up on tech. The Paracast will also feature futurists and other guests discussing advanced technology.
This column will continue on a periodic basis. There's still plenty to discuss.
Meantime, we wrapped The Tech Night Owl LIVE with the July 6th episode, which is still available to download along with an archive of hundreds of episodes.
For the last show, we gathered some of our favorite guests to reminisce and talk about the present and the near-future of our favorite fruit company, Apple Inc. It all began with the early days of the Internet, its complexities, and Apple's path from Macintosh to iPod, to its most lucrative product, the iPhone, followed by the iPad, Apple Watch and beyond. There was also an extensive discussion about the prospects for the success of Apple's fledgling services, which include News+, a premium version of the app offering access to hundreds of magazines and newspapers, and Apple TV+, in which the company is spending billions of dollars to hire top-flight talent to create original TV shows. Where does Apple+ fit in market currently owned by Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and other streaming services? Are there already too many for a newcomer to succeed?
Guests for this very special episode included tech commentator and publisher Adam Engst, Editor and Publisher of TidBITS, outspoken veteran tech commentator Peter Cohen, and cutting-edge commentator and podcaster Kirk McElhearn.
Please Note: Subscribers to The Tech Night Owl+ will be contacted personally about the status of their subscriptions.
On this week's episode of that other radio show, The Paracast: Gene and Randall present the ever-prolific Fortean author, Nick Redfern, to discuss his very latest book, " Flying Saucers from the Kremlin: UFOs, Russian Meddling, Soviet Spies & Cold War Secrets." The book presents a compelling case for deep Russian involvement in the UFO field, which may have included recruiting those infamous contactees of the 1950s to become spies, fabricating the MJ-12 documents, feeding faux claims of alien visitation and more. Is it possible that, in addition with meddling with U.S. elections, the Russians are still involved in spreading UFO disinformation? Nick Redfern is the author of more than 40 books covering UFOs and other paranormal events. He's been featured on a number of radio and TV shows, and is a frequent guest on The Paracast.
Publisher/Editor: Gene Steinberg
Managing Editor: Grayson Steinberg
Marketing and Public Relations: Barbara Kaplan
Worldwide Licensing: Sharon Jarvis
APPLE, INC.: NO LONGER THE CRAZY ONE
First some history: After using a Mac for several years at the office, I installed my first home system in 1989; yes 30 years ago. And boy was it expensive!
The price tag came to over $14,000, which adds up to over $28,000 in 2019 dollars. In other words, in the neighborhood of a well-equipped version of the Mac Pro that Apple premiered during the June WWDC, and a midsized car. Thank the stars for a low-cost lease.
But my first Mac was no high-end model. The setup consisted of a IIcx, a "junior" version of the Macintosh IIx, a 14-inch Apple color display, an Apple LaserWriter II NT and a collection of productivity software that included FileMaker, Microsoft Word and QuarkXPress. I attempted to duplicate the essence of my office environment so I could begin to work at home.
When I tried to buy more software for my brand new computer, I was treated as an oddball at local stores. If they had any Mac titles at all, they were consigned to dusty shelves at the rear; more often than not they were outdated versions. I soon learned that the best source was an online retailer, such as MacWarehouse. That dealer, by the way, has long since been absorbed into CDW.
Apple's strategic mistakes over the next few years didn't help. By the end of 1996, with efforts to build a state-of-the-art operating system floundering and sales tanking, the company made its smartest move, which was to acquire Steve Jobs' NeXT.
While it once sold hardware, the NeXTSTEP operating system was its remaining product. Built on a tried-and-true Unix core, with platform independence, it seemed to be the ideal candidate to resolve Apple's OS dilemma. And there was always the prospect of Steve Jobs returning to the company that he co-founded.
As most of you know, however, a working version of what became macOS X didn't premiere until the fall of 2000, and then only as a public beta, retailing for $29.99. The "real" release came in March of 2001, but it was still basically unfinished. Fortunately, you could still use Mac OS 9 to get some real work done.
Each year Apple improved the beast. In 2006, Apple moved to Intel CPUs, after IBM and Motorola failed to deliver the PowerPC CPU upgrades needed to boost performance and support notebooks without huge cooling systems.
But the real changes in Apple began in 2001, with the release of what appeared to be an outlier, a hobby gadget known as the iPod. It was all about having 1,000 songs in your pocket! When iTunes expanded to Windows, things really took off, and Apple was never quite the same.
In 2007, the release of the "ultimate" iPod, the iPhone cemented Apple's conversion to mainstream status.
At one time, IBM was the "enemy" when it came to a personal computer. These days, IBM employees can choose the gear they want, and tens of thousands of them have selected Macs, iPhones and iPads. Surveys have shown what we knew for years, that the Mac is easier and cheaper to maintain despite a higher purchase price.
Even the Apple Watch, considered a costly wearable, has become more popular than I ever expected. In my travels, I have seen cashiers at convenience stores and supermarkets — earning salaries not much higher than minimum wage — wearing an Apple Watch. Some even have the more expensive Series 4 with built-in cellular capability.
The Apple Watch is at the top of the heap when it comes to wearables and wristwatches, for that matter.
Despite its undeniable attractions, I've held off buying one. So I am still wearing the $12.88 stainless steel calendar watch that I bought from Walmart several years ago. Other than a couple of battery replacements, it works just great. Sure, it runs slightly fast, so I have to adjust the time every month; the calendar is brain-dead to months shorter than 31 days.
Apple is mainstream in other ways. CEO Tim Cook is regularly interviewed. He's even personally lobbied with the President of the United States to get favorable consideration in the trade war with China. So your iPhone still doesn't cost any more as a result, although that could change due to the acts of a certain mercurial chief executive.
It's not that Apple doesn't have a bunch of critics who attack its every move. But their arguments are old news; let's call them fake news. Every new product represents the wrong direction, and is destined to fail bigly (don't you hate that word?). The departure of chief designer Jonathan Ive means death to the company, as if he and only he did all the work, including developing the operating systems. Can you imagine Ive managing the iPhone production lines in China?
Facts don't matter.
Nevertheless The Night Owl Persists
In the meantime, as with the radio show, I see that I'm probably destined to repeat myself if I stick with daily columns. I can take a 10-year-old column, change a few lines and product names, and present it as something new. That's no way to be creative and to cover the present and future of personal technology.
Even though I have put The Tech Night Owl LIVE to bed, I will continue to speak out in these columns when the need arises, when there are significant new developments to report. And I'm still keeping up to date on things.
As I write this, I'm running the latest iOS 13 beta on my iPhone. I use it for work, both email and phone calls; I knew I am taking a chance. But if things go bad, I can always restore it to the last release version of iOS and my current backup. I have little to lose except maybe an hour or so, but so far I haven't had reason to regret my decision. The things I need to work, largely email, the phone, Safari and the Lyft and Uber ride-sharing apps, all function normally.
At the same time, I am avoiding the macOS Catalina betas because it will no longer support apps that are all or partly 32-bit. My vintage version of Adobe Photoshop won't run, nor will a clever utility, The Levelator, which offers a normalize function on steroids for audio files. A single drag-and-drop pass delivers an output file that reduces levels that are too high and boosts levels that are too low. It delivers broadcast-ready content with ease.
While I can buy a Creative Cloud license for Photoshop, finding a cheap or no-cost replacement for the latter has been difficult. I have urged the publishers of Audio Hijack, which we use to capture audio from an outboard mixer and Skype for the radio shows, to consider acquiring or replacing The Levelator with a 64-bit version. The original developer, the Conversations Network, has abandoned the project.
There are other possible replacements to explore, but I've yet to locate a suitable option yet that works in much the same way. One option recommended by other hosts out there is an online solution, Auphonic, an audio and video processing service. Auphonic doesn't just optimize levels, but reduces noise levels and makes other enhancements. To use the service, you have to upload the file to their servers for processing and retrieve it when the job is done. It also means that you have to pay a monthly fee for anything longer than the free two hours of audio that's provided each month.
To sign up with Auphonic for The Paracast and the supplementary Paracast+ show, After The Paracast, we'd need the 21-hour package, at $23 per month; there are no rollover minutes. I am not happy with adding another bill, even a small one. I will, however, test a single file of less than two hours to compare it to The Levelator.
I'm just a microcosm here: Many of you will have to judge your needs, and your dependence on 32-bit apps, before deciding whether to upgrade to Catalina. Even though Apple has been warning you about apps not optimized for macOS for a while now, that means nothing if you can't upgrade to a newer version that supports 64-bit. You may be forced to search for an alternative, if there is one.
So much for Catalina, at least for now.
But drastic changes are nothing new for Apple. After moving to Intel CPUs, Apple provided an emulation component, Rosetta, to allow you to use PowerPC apps. That feature was dumped beginning with OS X Lion. Either replace incompatible apps, or don't install the upgrade.
After apparently losing interest in the Mac for a while, regular updates have resumed. But major model refreshes, such as the MacBook Pro, come with higher prices. The long-delayed Mac Pro upgrade, which will start at $5,999 when it arrives later this year, can be optioned to a point where the price may exceed $35,000. In other words, similar to entry level models of a BMW 3 series automobile, or a Tesla Model 3.
In other words, it's not dissimilar to what a top-of-the-line Macintosh Iix cost 30 years ago when you allow for inflation. And, no, I'm not signing up.
Despite Apple's mainstream status, I remain curious about what it's up to. I still use Apple gear, but I hardly see the need for daily columns anymore. Still, when something of interest, at least to me, develops, you'll hear from me. You can depend on it!
Gene Steinberg is a guest contributor to GCN news. His views and opinions, if expressed, are his own. Gene hosts The Paracast - broadcast on Sunday from 3:00am - 6:00am (CST) and is the former host of The Tech Night Owl LIVE, which was on the network for ten years. The Paracast is still nationally syndicated through GCNlive. Gene's Tech Night Owl Newsletter is a weekly information service of Making The Impossible, Inc. -- Copyright © 1999-2019. Click here to subscribe to Tech Night Owl Newsletter. This article was originally published at Technightowl.com -- reprinted with permission.
This year's predictions for upcoming hurricane season
This year the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association) predicts a "near-normal" hurricane season.
According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, this season may have 9 to 15 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 4 to 8 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 2 to 4 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher).
June 1st marks the official start of Hurricane season and it runs until November 30th. September is usually the most active month. Hurricanes are categorized by their wind speed as designated as the following using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale:
Category I have sustained winds of 74 to 95 mph
Category II have sustained winds of 96 to 110 mph
Category III have sustained winds of 111 to 129 mph
Category IV have sustained winds of 130 to 156 mph
Category V have sustained winds of over 157 mph
Category III storms have known to cause "devastating" damage and Categories IV and V have been associated with "catastrophic" damage.
In a given year, the Atlantic Ocean averages 12 named storms with 6 becoming "hurricanes" and 3 becoming "major" meaning a Category III or greater.
Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was at one point a Category V but when it hit landfall it was a Category 3, tragically killing over 1800 people and causing $108 billion in damage. The deadliest hurricane to ever hit US soil, however, was the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900 in which over 10,000 people died.
Our current hurricane season may be dependent on "El Nino" and water temperatures.
El Nino is refers to a ocean-atmospheric interaction where sea surface temperatures rise near the equatorial Pacific, causing increase wind shear in the Atlantic equatorial region and has been linked to lower than active hurricane seasons. However warmer water temperatures in the Atlantic and Caribbean as well as monsoon activity in Africa could increase hurricane activity.
So an El Nino hurricane season may offer some protection but can be easily offset by ocean water temperatures.
This year's names for the 2019 Hurricane Season are the following
Fernand
Flossie
Narda
How to prepare for the hurricane season
Preparation means starting early.
Make sure you keep informed of the latest alerts and official recommendations.
Evacuate when told to do so by city officials.
Many people will try to tough it out and unfortunately get walled up in their homes. So make sure you have adequate water (1 gallon per day/person for at least three days) and 1/4 – 1/2 gallon/water/ per pet, except the fish obviously.
Canned foods, flashlights, medical supply kit, batteries, blankets, cash, medications in water proof containers should be set aside for disasters, and put important papers in waterproof/fireproof casings.
According to ready.gov, they recommend the following:
PREPARE NOW
KNOW YOUR AREA'S RISK OF HURRICANES.
SIGN UP FOR YOUR COMMUNITY'S WARNING SYSTEM. THE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM (EAS) AND NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA) WEATHER RADIO ALSO PROVIDE EMERGENCY ALERTS.
IF YOU ARE AT RISK FOR FLASH FLOODING, WATCH FOR WARNING SIGNS SUCH AS HEAVY RAIN.
PRACTICE GOING TO A SAFE SHELTER FOR HIGH WINDS, SUCH AS A FEMA SAFE ROOM OR ICC 500 STORM SHELTER. THE NEXT BEST PROTECTION IS A SMALL, INTERIOR, WINDOWLESS ROOM IN A STURDY BUILDING ON THE LOWEST LEVEL THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO FLOODING.
BASED ON YOUR LOCATION AND COMMUNITY PLANS, MAKE YOUR OWN PLANS FOR EVACUATION OR SHELTERING IN PLACE.
BECOME FAMILIAR WITH YOUR EVACUATION ZONE, THE EVACUATION ROUTE, AND SHELTER LOCATIONS.
GATHER NEEDED SUPPLIES FOR AT LEAST THREE DAYS. KEEP IN MIND EACH PERSON'S SPECIFIC NEEDS, INCLUDING MEDICATION. DON'T FORGET THE NEEDS OF PETS.
KEEP IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS IN A SAFE PLACE OR CREATE PASSWORD-PROTECTED DIGITAL COPIES.
PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY. DECLUTTER DRAINS AND GUTTERS. INSTALL CHECK VALVES IN PLUMBING TO PREVENT BACKUPS. CONSIDER HURRICANE SHUTTERS. REVIEW INSURANCE POLICIES.
WHEN A HURRICANE IS 36 HOURS FROM ARRIVING
TURN ON YOUR TV OR RADIO IN ORDER TO GET THE LATEST WEATHER UPDATES AND EMERGENCY INSTRUCTIONS.
RESTOCK YOUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS KIT. INCLUDE FOOD AND WATER SUFFICIENT FOR AT LEAST THREE DAYS, MEDICATIONS, A FLASHLIGHT, BATTERIES, CASH, AND FIRST AID SUPPLIES.
PLAN HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH FAMILY MEMBERS IF YOU LOSE POWER. FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN CALL, TEXT, EMAIL OR USE SOCIAL MEDIA. REMEMBER THAT DURING DISASTERS, SENDING TEXT MESSAGES IS USUALLY RELIABLE AND FASTER THAN MAKING PHONE CALLS BECAUSE PHONE LINES ARE OFTEN OVERLOADED.
REVIEW YOUR EVACUATION ZONE, EVACUATION ROUTE AND SHELTER LOCATIONS. PLAN WITH YOUR FAMILY. YOU MAY HAVE TO LEAVE QUICKLY SO PLAN AHEAD.
KEEP YOUR CAR IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION, AND KEEP THE GAS TANK FULL; STOCK YOUR VEHICLE WITH EMERGENCY SUPPLIES AND A CHANGE OF CLOTHES.
IF YOU HAVE NFIP FLOOD INSURANCE, YOUR POLICY MAY COVER UP TO $1000 IN LOSS AVOIDANCE MEASURES, LIKE SANDBAGS AND WATER PUMPS, TO PROTECT YOUR INSURED PROPERTY. YOU SHOULD KEEP COPIES OF ALL RECEIPTS AND A RECORD OF THE TIME SPENT PERFORMING THE WORK. THEY SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO YOUR INSURANCE ADJUSTER WHEN YOU FILE A CLAIM TO BE REIMBURSED. VISIT WWW.FEMA.GOV/MEDIA-LIBRARY/ASSETS/DOCUMENTS/137860 TO LEARN MORE.
WHEN A HURRICANE IS 18-36 HOURS FROM ARRIVING
BOOKMARK YOUR CITY OR COUNTY WEBSITE FOR QUICK ACCESS TO STORM UPDATES AND EMERGENCY INSTRUCTIONS.
BRING LOOSE, LIGHTWEIGHT OBJECTS INSIDE THAT COULD BECOME PROJECTILES IN HIGH WINDS (E.G., PATIO FURNITURE, GARBAGE CANS); ANCHOR OBJECTS THAT WOULD BE UNSAFE TO BRING INSIDE (E.G., PROPANE TANKS); AND TRIM OR REMOVE TREES CLOSE ENOUGH TO FALL ON THE BUILDING.
COVER ALL OF YOUR HOME'S WINDOWS. PERMANENT STORM SHUTTERS OFFER THE BEST PROTECTION FOR WINDOWS. A SECOND OPTION IS TO BOARD UP WINDOWS WITH 5/8" EXTERIOR GRADE OR MARINE PLYWOOD, CUT TO FIT AND READY TO INSTALL.
WHEN A HURRICANE IS 6-18 HOURS FROM ARRIVING
TURN ON YOUR TV/RADIO, OR CHECK YOUR CITY/COUNTY WEBSITE EVERY 30 MINUTES IN ORDER TO GET THE LATEST WEATHER UPDATES AND EMERGENCY INSTRUCTIONS.
CHARGE YOUR CELL PHONE NOW SO YOU WILL HAVE A FULL BATTERY IN CASE YOU LOSE POWER.
WHEN A HURRICANE IS 6 HOURS FROM ARRIVING
IF YOU'RE NOT IN AN AREA THAT IS RECOMMENDED FOR EVACUATION, PLAN TO STAY AT HOME OR WHERE YOU ARE AND LET FRIENDS AND FAMILY KNOW WHERE YOU ARE.
CLOSE STORM SHUTTERS, AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. FLYING GLASS FROM BROKEN WINDOWS COULD INJURE YOU.
TURN YOUR REFRIGERATOR OR FREEZER TO THE COLDEST SETTING AND OPEN ONLY WHEN NECESSARY. IF YOU LOSE POWER, FOOD WILL LAST LONGER. KEEP A THERMOMETER IN THE REFRIGERATOR TO BE ABLE TO CHECK THE FOOD TEMPERATURE WHEN THE POWER IS RESTORED.
SURVIVE DURING
IF TOLD TO EVACUATE, DO SO IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT DRIVE AROUND BARRICADES.
IF SHELTERING DURING HIGH WINDS, GO TO A FEMA SAFE ROOM, ICC 500 STORM SHELTER, OR A SMALL, INTERIOR, WINDOWLESS ROOM OR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO FLOODING.
IF TRAPPED IN A BUILDING BY FLOODING, GO TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. DO NOT CLIMB INTO A CLOSED ATTIC. YOU MAY BECOME TRAPPED BY RISING FLOOD WATER.
LISTEN FOR CURRENT EMERGENCY INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS.
USE A GENERATOR OR OTHER GASOLINE-POWERED MACHINERY OUTDOORS ONLY AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
DO NOT WALK, SWIM, OR DRIVE THROUGH FLOOD WATERS. TURN AROUND. DON'T DROWN! JUST SIX INCHES OF FAST-MOVING WATER CAN KNOCK YOU DOWN, AND ONE FOOT OF MOVING WATER CAN SWEEP YOUR VEHICLE AWAY.
STAY OFF OF BRIDGES OVER FAST-MOVING WATER.
BE SAFE AFTER
LISTEN TO AUTHORITIES FOR INFORMATION AND SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
BE CAREFUL DURING CLEAN-UP. WEAR PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND WORK WITH SOMEONE ELSE.
DO NOT TOUCH ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT IF IT IS WET OR IF YOU ARE STANDING IN WATER. IF IT IS SAFE TO DO SO, TURN OFF ELECTRICITY AT THE MAIN BREAKER OR FUSE BOX TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK.
AVOID WADING IN FLOOD WATER, WHICH CAN CONTAIN DANGEROUS DEBRIS. UNDERGROUND OR DOWNED POWER LINES CAN ALSO ELECTRICALLY CHARGE THE WATER.
SAVE PHONE CALLS FOR EMERGENCIES. PHONE SYSTEMS ARE OFTEN DOWN OR BUSY AFTER A DISASTER. USE TEXT MESSAGES OR SOCIAL MEDIA TO COMMUNICATE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
DOCUMENT ANY PROPERTY DAMAGE WITH PHOTOGRAPHS. CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY FOR ASSISTANCE.
Always have an emergency plan, practice it with family members, discuss with distantly located relatives how you will notify each other of your safety, and stay tuned to your radio, TV, wireless emergency alerts encase evacuations are ordered.
Published in News & Information
What part of "illegal" alien do they not understand?
Humor me for a minute.
Let's say that someone sues me in Federal Court over something I said or wrote and the Federal Judge in his or her infinite wisdom puts a gag order on the defense.
So, I hold a press conference and the judge threatens to hold me in contempt.
I tell the judge, "It's too late your honor, I already am in contempt of YOUR court."
How do you think I would be spending the next week?
OK, let's look at the million or so illegal aliens roaming around the United States who are already under the orders of a Federal Judge to leave the United States and simply ignore the order.
Are they being rounded up and deported?
Are they being arrested and held in "contempt" of a Federal Court?
Unless President Trump goes through with his plan to round them up, the answer is no.
So, let's review.
If I mouth off to a Federal Judge, I get to see the inside of a cell. But if someone who has already been through the system, is here illegally and is ordered out just ignores the order, nothing happens. And that's the way Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat clown show want it?
Now the truth be told, over the last 40 years, I've had a few lawyers who would have gladly stuffed a sock in my mouth when I was standing in front of a Federal Judge, but I've never quite gone as far as my hypothetical example above, largely because not waking up in a cell is usually among my priorities. (Or a sitting Federal Judge hasn't made me mad enough.)
But it seems to me that we have two systems of justice. One for citizens of the United States. And a wholly different one for a class of people the establishment wants coddled. Like illegal aliens. Hell, the Democrat clown show doesn't even want me to call them illegal aliens. As if undocumented immigrants makes it OK.
Folks.
What part of illegal do we not understand?
Perhaps, when President Trump of overwhelmingly re-elected in 2020, they'll get the message.
Fred Weinberg is a columnist and the CEO of USA Radio Network. His views and opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of GCN. Fred's weekly column can be read all over the internet. You can subscribe at www.pennypressnv.com. His column has been reprinted in full, with permission.
The globalists are sadly mistaken! Live your lives where…
The socialists, the Democrats, the Zionists, the Masons, the Illuminati, Council on Foreign Affairs, Skull and Bones, Satanists, The CIA, etc… you name it, the foolish people of today are suggesting or insinuating that these groups of people are somehow in control of the rest of us. These people constantly highlight what it is that these groups, allied with Hell (Isaiah 28:18), are doing to us and what it is that they are going to do to us in the future. For as much as these wicked men and women would love to take credit for having all power over the lives of others, as if to suggest that they are God, I am here to say that they and others that believe these lies are sadly mistaken (Isaiah 14:13), and those only add strength to tyranny by proclaiming it to be so (Proverbs 18:21). And at length, it is paralyzing men by using the fear of man and the fear of consequence, which is diabolical (Proverbs 29:25).
We are to fear God (Proverbs 14:26), not men (Luke 12:4), nor are we to take counsel from our fears.
"For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations." -Psalm 22:28
If in America today, you cannot see the obvious taking place, which is that judgment is turned backward (Isaiah 59), where men in both the pulpits and in politics, along with their followers, have now magnified the crime in omitting the law (Romans 4:15) instead of magnifying the law against the crime in establishing righteousness (Isaiah 51:4). We have the blind leading the blind directly into the ditch (Luke 6:39).
We are inundated with lies that are magnified over the truth, which is only temporary (Ecclesiastes 12:14) and that the devil is somehow said to be all-powerful and is control over the Most High God and His children. However, I am here to tell you that you are sadly mistaken.
Though we know the mainstream media that covers for these global conspirators (Jeremiah 11:9), they would love for you to believe that they are what they want you to believe that they are, they are not!
One must remember that these are but mere men that will bow their knees (Philippians 2:10) and answer to their Creator for every thought and deed just like the rest of us (Revelation 20:11-15). Their riches will not profit them in the day of wrath (Proverbs 11:4), nor are they able to save their own souls.
"All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul." -Psalm 22:29
How can one be a Christian and not see the Lord's willingness to do for us as He did for the likes of Abraham (Genesis 14), Joseph (Genesis 41:37-44), Moses (Exodus 23:20-33), Joshua (Joshua 1:7-9), David (Psalm 18), Gideon (Judges 6), Samson (Judges 15:16) etc? "Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." Jeremiah 33:3
For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God." -Deuteronomy 10:17
Furthermore, Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Matthew 28:18).
People are simply where they are at today because of that which they have submitted themselves (Romans 12:21), nothing more and nothing less. America as you know it has now fallen to the judgments of The Most High because they have refused to act under His blessings (Deuteronomy 28).
"And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish." -Deuteronomy 8:19
325.7 million people capitulating to a small percentage of criminals that think and act as if they are above the law! Why? Because the people have been conditioned to refuse to hold them accountable to the law (Article 6, Section 2, US Constitution). It isn't like the people on a global scale do not know who the guilty are, because they do, and that by name. Instead, people just simply refuse to see and act accordingly to the Word of God (Deuteronomy 4) in throwing off tyranny, and in process would rather suffer their abuses, period!
In the light of Scripture, how does anyone justify the unjustifiable when it comes to saying that we are under the globalists control? You cannot. Instead of you worrying about what your enemies are doing (Matthew 6:27), live your life where your enemies are afraid of what you are doing. Never live your life where the enemies of righteousness are not afraid of you. Christians are called to be more than conquerors (Romans 8:37) in overcoming the evil (Matthew 16:18-20), we are called to be the light that reproves the darkness (Ephesians 5:11).
We are to overcome the world "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4).
When going to the faith chapter, namely Hebrews 11, what is it that we find?
"Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens." -Hebrews 11:33-35
Bradlee Dean is a guest contributor to GCN news. His views and opinions are his own and do not reflect the views and opinions of the Genesis Communication Network. Bradlee's radio program, The Sons of Liberty, broadcasts live M - Sat here at GCN. This is an edited version of an op-ed originally published by Sons of Liberty Media at www.sonsoflibertyradio.com. Reprinted with permission.
Ross Perot: "Texas born, Texas bred and when I die I'll be Texas dead."
Henry Ross Perot was an American's American.
He died this week at age 89.
His 1992 and 1996 independent runs for President were a pre-curser for Donald Trump's win in 2016.
His legacy, however, is embodied in every American who ever took a risk and either succeeded or failed.
Perot was largely successful. He started Electronic Data Systems with $1000 and experience at IBM as a salesman fresh out of the Navy. In 1984, he sold it to General Motors—the least entrepreneurial company in the United States—for $2.5-billion dollars. He got a seat on GM's board and became its biggest shareholder.
That's when the fireworks started.
Perot wanted GM to make better cars. He soon found out that GM Chairman Roger Smith regarded EDS as a shiny new thing. "At EDS when we see a snake we kill it. At GM they appoint a committee to study snakes," was Perot's comment.
Smith soon had enough and the company coughed up another $750-million to get rid of the Texas provocateur once and for all.
What GM didn't get was a non-compete agreement. Perot soon started Perot Systems which was bought by Dell in 2009.
One other thing about Perot was important.
Being from Texas, he never lost touch with Middle America. No matter how rich he became, he never stopped being the guy from Texarkana whose Daddy was a cotton trader. He always understood that between the east coast and the west coast was a majority of Americans who worked hard, played by the rules and he had immense respect for us.
I remember meeting with him one day when I owned radio stations in Tulsa and he spent quite a bit of time quizzing me about the radio business. He was interested in just about everything.
What he never appeared to be much interested in was his legacy.
His legacy will be huge because he lived a huge life well.
His last, most Perot-like quote was this:
"Texas born, Texas bred and when I die I'll be Texas dead."
If God, ever needs a Texas poet-laureate, He won't have to look far.
Opinion: Should W think Roberts was a "damn fool mistake?"
George W. Bush may well go down as one of the most decent human beings ever to serve as President, so it is not surprising that he hasn't said anything negative about Chief Justice John Roberts.
But, after Roberts twisted himself into a legal pretzel first to uphold Obamacare and most recently to try and deny the Trump administration its absolute right to ask a question about citizenship on the 2020 census, you have to wonder what W might be quietly thinking.
Dwight Eisenhower had this to say about his appointment of former Chief Justice Earl Warren, "The biggest damn fool mistake I ever made."
Harry Truman appointed Tom C. Clark to the Court. "It isn't so much that he's a bad man, it's just that he's such a dumb son of a bitch."
Roberts needs to stop worrying about his legacy and just pay attention to the damn law.
From a purely practical standpoint, you do not need a JD from Harvard to know that any administration can add a question about citizenship to the decennial census without the Court's blessing. The constitution mandates the count, it is used to apportion congressional districts and only citizens can vote.
Even though the left has its collective panties in a twist over the current President and his attitude towards illegal aliens the constitution has not changed.
To suggest that the Secretary of Commerce's "rationale" for adding a question which has appeared on every census until 1950 is just silly. A more pertinent issue for the Court is why the question has NOT included since then.
On what planet is a government not allowed to count residents by citizenship?
The problem Roberts has is that he seems to think his role as Chief Justice comes with a commission to be loved by both sides of any issue.
That is clearly at odds with what he told the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2005 at his confirmation hearing.
"Judges and justices are servants of the law, not the other way around. Judges are like umpires. Umpires don't make the rules; they apply them. The role of an umpire and a judge is critical. They make sure everybody plays by the rules. But it is a limited role. Nobody ever went to a ball game to see the umpire."
Apparently Roberts has evolved in his role as an umpire.
His vote on the census question wasn't a ball or a strike. If anything, it was a foul ball with two strikes. That is, nothing. Another pitch. But baseball doesn't have a clock to run out and Roberts knew damn well that the census has a clock.
Roberts' call was more like the referee in that game seven of the 2019 Vegas Golden Knights vs. the San Jose Sharks series which changed the direction of that game and caused the National Hockey League Board of Governors to actually change the rule in the off season.
And it may well be that George W. Bush's "biggest damn fool mistake" will turn out to be John Roberts.
Fortunately, this President appears up to the challenge and he is looking for a way around the ridicules ruling the court made.
Which might mean Roberts will get this issue jammed up where his moon doesn't shine very shortly.
Watching him twist and turn will be like watching a Christian Scientist with appendicitis.
US braces for new wave of Polio-like illness
As August approaches, the CDC is asking health care professionals to be on the lookout and report any suspected cases of AFM (Acute Flaccid Myelitis), a paralyzing illness resembling polio, as cases may peak during this time.
Last year a total of 233 cases were confirmed in 41 states. This year 11 have been reported and an additional 57 cases are being investigated. Cases have been reported in California, Maryland, Nebraska, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah and West Virginia this year.
IMAGE ABOVE FROM CDC
Last year, California, Colorado and Texas appeared to be the worst hit with 15, 16 and 31 cases respectively. Experts are urging states to report any cases of suspected AFM as the above map could be an under-representation of true numbers.
On their website, the CDC reports the following:
MOST OF THE PATIENTS WITH AFM (MORE THAN 90%) HAD A MILD RESPIRATORY ILLNESS OR FEVER CONSISTENT WITH A VIRAL INFECTION BEFORE THEY DEVELOPED AFM.
VIRAL INFECTIONS SUCH AS FROM ENTEROVIRUSES ARE COMMON, ESPECIALLY IN CHILDREN, AND MOST PEOPLE RECOVER. WE DON'T KNOW WHY A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE DEVELOP AFM, WHILE MOST OTHERS RECOVER. WE ARE CONTINUING TO INVESTIGATE THIS.
THESE AFM CASES ARE NOT CAUSED BY POLIOVIRUS; ALL THE STOOL SPECIMENS FROM AFM PATIENTS THAT WE RECEIVED TESTED NEGATIVE FOR POLIOVIRUS.
WE DETECTED COXSACKIEVIRUS A16, EV-A71, AND EV-D68 IN THE SPINAL FLUID OF FOUR OF 570 CONFIRMED CASES OF AFM SINCE 2014, WHICH POINTS TO THE CAUSE OF THOSE PATIENTS' AFM. FOR ALL OTHER PATIENTS, NO PATHOGEN (GERM) HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THEIR SPINAL FLUID TO CONFIRM A CAUSE.
MOST PATIENTS HAD ONSET OF AFM BETWEEN AUGUST AND OCTOBER, WITH INCREASES IN AFM CASES EVERY TWO YEARS SINCE 2014. AT THIS SAME TIME OF YEAR, MANY VIRUSES COMMONLY CIRCULATE, INCLUDING ENTEROVIRUSES, AND WILL BE TEMPORALLY ASSOCIATED WITH AFM.
MOST AFM CASES ARE CHILDREN (OVER 90%) AND HAVE OCCURRED IN 48 STATES AND DC.
The "48 states" refers to cases since 2014. 90% of the cases occurred in children under the age of 4.
The age range of children affected appear to be 3-14. A 6-year-old boy in Washington State died in 2016 and was the first death to be linked to this mysterious illness. His parents reported he had felt ill, became dizzy and within hours suffered swelling in the brain and paralysis. Despite medical efforts, he passed.
In 2018 parents of two children who died from AFM accused the CDC of hiding their deaths.
Although the exact cause of AFM is unknown, health experts are considering a variety of possibilities. They have actually been investigating this since 2014 when reports of AFM began to surface across the United States.
What is AFM?
AFM stands for Acute Flaccid Myelitis. It's a condition that occurs suddenly, causing inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle tone and reflexes. Although limb weakness is the primary symptom, patients could also exhibit slurred speech, facial drooping, and in serious cases inability to breath due to paralysis of the respiratory muscles. Mild cases appear to resolve but serious cases can cause residual paralysis or death. Children appear to be more affected than adults.
What causes AFM?
Although health officials do not know for certain, due to its rapid onset, a pathogen such as a virus seems highly likely. With the 2013-2014 outbreak, some of the cases tested positive for enterovirus (EV-D68), but it is not conclusive whether this was the exact cause or just coincidentally found in the patients tested.
Some postulate a combination of viruses may be a factor or an autoimmune disease. Although Guillain-Barre syndrome causes acute limb weakness and paralysis when the immune system begins attacking the nervous system, the report that many individuals feel feverish or ill prior, seem to point to a pathogen as the primary cause although the latter is not being ruled out. Virus families such as enterovirus (including polio and nonpolio enterovirus), adenovirus (causing respiratory and GI illness) cocksackieviruses and flaviviruses (including West Nile) have been suspected.
How common is AFM?
Per the CDC, acute flaccid myelitis is rare (less than 1 in a million cases) however currently they report 570 cases have been confirmed since the outbreak began in August 2014.
Medical professionals look at a variety of factors.
History: how the paralysis/loss of muscle tone began and which limbs did it affect first
Laboratory tests and CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) testing: to look for signs of infection
MRI of the brain: which may show gray matter involvement in a case of AFM.
Is there a treatment?
There is no standard treatment that has been proven effective, however depending on the severity of the symptoms, health professionals can consider a variety of options including steroids, IVIG, interferon, antivirals and supportive measures. Some physicians are using "nerve transfers", similar to a transplant, to help children regain control of their limbs.
Is there a vaccine?
No. Until they can identify the exact cause, or causes, health officials cannot create a vaccine.
How does one avoid getting AFM?
If we assume it's a pathogen causing the illness, avoiding contact with sick individuals, being up-to-date on one's vaccines and good hand-washing are imperative. Although we do not know if AFM is caused by a mosquito-born illness, avoiding mosquitoes would be wise as well. More therefore needs to be researched to determine why and how those individuals with AFM were infected.
Opinion: President Trump is not to blame for everything!
Robert Francis O'Rourke is a classless moron.
He actually blamed the drowning deaths on the Rio Grande river of a father and his two-year-old daughter on the President.
There is a Yiddish word to describe Bobby O'Rourke. Schmuck.
Bobby. This young man, the girl's father, Óscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez, made a decision to enter the United States illegally and hoped he could claim asylum. When they got to the international bridge in Matamoros, Mexico, the family was told the bridge was closed and they should come back the next day. There were, according to the Washington Post, hundreds in line. Ramirez and his two-year old daughter waded in to cross the river and, in essence, cut the line.
What could have possibly gone wrong?
And little Bobby O'Rourke blames the President for that?
Listen to yourself, son. The United States—above all else—is the land where you are responsible for your own safety. And your own actions. If Oscar Ramirez was too dumb to understand rivers have currents and his daughter was only two years old, he could look in the mirror and figure out who was at fault. If he wasn't dead, that is—along with his little girl.
Here's a hint you dumbass: It's NOT the President's fault.
You, sir, are an idiot.
Do I feel sorry for young Valeria and her father? Of course. It is a heartbreaking scenario when a child dies for no reason at all. But who is to blame for this boneheaded stunt? One person. Óscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez. He alone is the cause of his own and his daughter's death.
But Bobby's moronic blathering doesn't stop there.
He thinks that we caused a change in the Earth's climate that must be cured by changing the way we generate and use energy.
Just think. All of that high dollar education and he never learned that we had an ice age on this planet. That our climate is ALWAYS changing.
If you think that there is anything we can do—short term or long term—to change what God has decided the Earth will do, you are truly smoking crack.
As the late George Carlin put it, "And the greatest arrogance of all: "Save the planet!" What?! Are these f**ing people kidding me?! Save the planet? We don't even know how to take care of ourselves yet! We haven't learned how to care for one another and we're gonna save the f**ing planet?! I'm getting tired of that sh**!"
What Democrats like Bobby are really arguing about is a way to raise more money through a tax on carbon emissions.
If the American public is really dumb enough to elect this moron and his friends, here's a very good question. What do you think might happen after eight years of his nonsense?
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