“It has been an incredible privilege to lead this great agency for more than a decade,” Collins said in a statement.
“I love this agency and its people so deeply that the decision to step down was a difficult one, done in close counsel with my wife, Diane Baker, and my family. I am proud of all we’ve accomplished. I fundamentally believe, however, that no single person should serve in the position too long, and that it’s time to bring in a new scientist to lead the NIH into the future. I’m most grateful and proud of the NIH staff and the scientific community, whose extraordinary commitment to lifesaving research delivers hope to the American people and the world every day.”
Collins conceded that it “may sound weird” that people should wear masks in their homes, but he advised it anyway.
“Parents of unvaccinated kids should be thoughtful about this and the recommendation is to wear masks [at home] as well,” Collins said. “I know that’s uncomfortable. I know it seems weird but it is the best way to protect your kids.”
In June, Francis Collins admitted to radio host Hugh Hewitt that the US collaborated with the Wuhan Virology Laboratory.
Dr. Collins then went on to defend the researchers and the virology lab in Wuhan, China.
“The documents make it clear that assertions by the NIH Director, Francis Collins, and the NIAID Director, Anthony Fauci, that the NIH did not support gain-of-function research or potential pandemic pathogen enhancement at WIV are untruthful,” Rutgers University chemical biology professor Richard Ebright said.
The documents make it clear that assertions by the NIH Director, Francis Collins, and the NIAID Director, Anthony Fauci, that the NIH did not support gain-of-function research or potential pandemic pathogen enhancement at WIV are untruthful.
As an electrical contractor with an interest in emergency preparedness, I’ve realized that there are a variety of events that could interfere with our normal communications infrastructure — if the internet and cell service go down, things can get chaotic quickly. If there’s total loss of power, it’s only going to get worse. As a result, I carry a kit that allows me to bypass these mainstream systems, and still stay in touch with those I care about.
The Backpack
Make and Model: Vertx Communter Sling 2.0 MSRP: $199 URL: www.vertx.com
I’ve carried $400 GoRucks, $100 REI bags, and a variety of CamelBaks on various adventures. You really have to try them all to get a sense of what feels good on your back. There seem to be two schools of thought regarding backpack choice — one group will remove their pack to go through the contents; the other will leave it attached to the shoulder while rummaging through it. The messenger-style backpack has some tactical advantages, since it leaves a smaller window of opportunity for a bag-snatcher and can give you better access to important items on the move.
This Vertx Commuter Sling 2.0 works exactly as designed. It has a rather large “Rapid Access” main storage compartment for a variety of tools. Whether it’s a foldable rifle that requires a sling attachment point or your favorite handgun, the attachment possibilities are endless with the mounting systems Vertx offers. It also comes with retention G-hooks to prevent the bag from flopping open completely while surveying your environment. Its ballistic panel pocket easily accepts lightweight plates to give you a valuable layer of protection from projectiles and shrapnel flying in your direction.
This bag doesn’t scream “tactical,” so if you’re trying to stay under the radar, it could be a great choice over some of the military-style bags out there.
Communication Equipment
GoTenna is a mesh network that can allow multiple devices to connect and chat offline. It offers a means of communicating silently within a small geographical area if there’s no cellular or Wi-Fi service available (range will depend on the number of wireless devices in your vicinity).
Another alternative using the same LoRa Mesh technology is a stand-alone homebuilt communicator. This requires technical knowledge and soldering skills, but it’s a stand-alone unit that doesn’t require an Android/iPhone for communication. If placed in a familiar location, multiple devices can be linked to a repeater. A well-placed single repeater could potentially give you 10 miles of range. Buildings and trees obviously diminish these results. A “post office box” setting in this unit can save messages for when your device is in range.
A Baofeng ham radio is an excellent affordable device that’s capable of communicating with other licensed ham radio operators within a decent range. They’re also limited by terrain, and only travel from one to 10 miles under normal conditions. Maxing out at around 30 miles under ideal conditions would require a longer antenna and clear line of sight. It’d be a great portable way to communicate with someone in the event cell service wasn’t an option — better yet, they’re cheap enough that you can buy several for your family members and friends. If you need to extend that range to hundreds of miles, you need a high-powered, high-frequency (HF) radio and a general license.
The HackRF Portapack has a ton of features ranging from listening to/broadcasting a radio station, remote-starting your neighbor’s car on a chilly morning for him, replacing a lost garage door opener, or chatting with a freight ship captain as he’s coming into port. Although some features can be considered “nefarious” in nature, the all-in-one package is a very robust tool that can potentially reprogram traffic lights in your neighborhood or enable the restaurant buzzer to skip the long wait at your favorite diner. Use your powers responsibly and don’t blame us if you get in trouble.
A Pirate Box is a small device that can broadcast your own LAN (Local Area Network). This can be a source to host a localized off-grid chat, share files, act as a “dead-drop” for digital information, or even provide an easy solution for an off-grid wireless camera setup. If you’re tech-savvy, you can make one at home with less than $100 in materials, or you can purchase them pre-built.
Portable Power
Portable battery packs are vital to both power and recharge all the electronics discussed above. Mophie Powerstations have a track record of holding up to abuse. Extreme changes in climate and multiple charge/recharge events naturally wear out battery cells. Cheaper alternatives don’t handle the wear and tear as well as some of the better brands, so do your research and get the most dependable unit you can afford.
18650 or Lithium-ion (Li-on) batteries pack a greater punch for some sensitive electronics, however, they have been known to spontaneously combust and can get you unwanted attention at TSA checkpoints. Keeping them safe and understanding their dangers is essential if you’ll be using them for your equipment.
The CR123 batteries used in SureFire flashlights fall under the same category. Regular alkaline or nickel-metal hydride AA batteries just can’t produce the power needed, and most rechargeable options tend to fizzle out rather quickly. Having a spare set of each type of disposable batteries in your bag is a requirement.
Solar chargers can be bulky and often don’t perform as needed, but if you’re in a pinch and all your resources are empty, an affordable foldup can serve as a last-ditch option for emergency power. Always keep a USB wall charger in your kit to borrow power from coffee shops and other local watering holes.
Having plenty of spare cables, both USB-C and Micro USB, can lead to tangles and clutter. Keeping them individually tied will help keep you organized and better prepared.
Medical
Being prepared for a fight is an automatic ticket to the “prepare to seal wounds” after-party. Tourniquets, chest seals, chito gauze, decompression needles, and Hello Kitty Band-Aids will take up very little room and invaluable space for any “What If” scenarios you may encounter. With the items contained in this pack and the everyday-carry gear in my pockets, I feel confident that I can weather any storm without being dependent on the power grid or established comms infrastructure.
For more info on the items in my kit, you can follow me on Instagram: @socal_offgrid.
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I recently took my 11.5″ AR pistol, which is equipped only with an A2 birdcage, to an indoor range. Needless to say, I wasn’t well-received. If you’ve ever shot in close proximity to someone with an aggressive muzzle brake, you’re aware that another person’s blast is pretty irritating. Gasses meant to keep the muzzle stable […]
For some reason former VP Mike Pence joined Sean Hannity on Monday night to discuss politics.
During their discussion Pence told Sean Hannity that he sat down with President Trump days after he stabbed Trump and the nation in the back.
Pence insists they parted amicably.
Fmr. VP Mike Pence: “The president and I sat down a few days [after Jan. 6] and talked through all of it. I can tell you that we parted amicably at the end of the administration.”
Pence stabbed President Trump in the back when he approved the stolen election results while Trump was speaking to one million supporters at a rally in Washington DC on January 6.
Pence did not even wait until the rally was over.
Mike Pence did not even attend President Trump’s final speech before he left for Florida.
He went to hobnob with Democrats at the Biden inauguration instead.
We also reported yesterday that in part because of the Evergrande situation, which highlights China’s financial woes, the Chinese economy is in a crisis.
Today we can report that the Evergrande situation is spreading.
A company called Jumbo Fortune had a $260 million note coming due on October 3, 2021, that it says was backed by Evergrande. However, Evergrande apparently didn’t record this liability on its books. We have no word that this has yet been settled.
Earlier this morning two other companies in the China real estate business were identified in situations just like Evergrande. CNBC reports on Fantasia Holdings:
Ratings agencies have downgraded Chinese developers Fantasia Holdings and Sinic Holdings over risks from their strained cash flow situations.
Fantasia did not repay the principal amount of $206 million of a bond that matured on Monday, it said in a filing to the Hong Kong exchange…
…The fallout from Fantasia, however, would be smaller compared with Evergrande.
Evergrande is the world’s most indebted property developer with liabilities of $300 billion, while Fantasia has total liabilities of 82.9 billion yuan ($12.8 billion), according to its first-half financial statement.
The ratings agency [S&P] said that the Chinese developer is likely to default on its $246 million offshore dollar-denominated bond due Oct. 18. Sinic‘s local subsidiaries have already failed to make $38.7 million in interest payments on two onshore yuan-denominated bonds that were due Sept. 18, S&P said.
Sinic has total liabilities of $14.2 billion, its first-half financial statement showed. Shares of the Chinese real estate developer have been halted since Sept. 20.
The total debt of the companies above amounts to more than $400 billion or nearly half a trillion USD and this is just the beginning.
As the situation in Afghanistan continues to unfold, some people refuse to leave anyone behind. Operation Recovery aims to continue helping at-risk individuals get out of Afghanistan. With requests for aid numbering in the 4,000s, the recovery effort needs funding. Thanks to a large donation from EOTech, the mission is $50,000 closer to accomplishing its […]
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen vowed to ‘do whatever it takes’ to guard Taiwan against an invasion by China. She warned that if its allies allowed it to fall ‘it would signal that authoritarianism has the upper hand.’
China ramped up its threats on Taiwan following Joe Biden’s inauguration.
China has warned Taiwan against ‘playing with fire’ and said that ‘war may be triggered at any time’ after it sent dozens of warplanes into the island’s airspace.
An article in the state-backed Global Times said that ‘collusion’ between the US and Taiwan was so ‘audacious’ that the situation ‘has almost lost any room for manoeuvre, teetering on the edge of a face-off.’
Nearly 150 Chinese warplanes have breached Taiwan’s airspace since Friday, including 56 jets on Monday in a dramatic increase in aggression.
Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen today vowed to ‘do whatever it takes’ to guard Taiwan against invasion as she indicated that without help from the country’s allies ‘authoritarianism has the upper hand over democracy.’
Recent voyages through the Strait of Taiwan by the British and American navies, coupled with the new Aukus defence pact have infuriated Beijing and sparked more shows of strength in the South China Sea.
The US Capitol Police on Tuesday took a suspect into custody after a “suspicious vehicle” was discovered parked near the Supreme Court.
The DC Capitol Police performed a controlled explosion.
NOW: We are investigating a suspicious vehicle in front of the Supreme Court along First Street, NE. Please stay away from the area. We will provide more information as soon as we can. pic.twitter.com/j129pfKIMG
US Capitol Police on Tuesday took into custody a suspect from a “suspicious vehicle” parked near the Supreme Court after giving the person commands and using a flash bang device.
“One of our teams just moved in and extracted the man from the SUV. The man is in custody. Everyone is safe,” Capitol Police said on Twitter.
More than a half-dozen law enforcement vehicles, including a tactical vehicle, could be seen in the area after USCP said on Twitter they were investigating a “suspicious vehicle” and closed roads in the area.
The Supreme Court, which returned to in-person arguments for the start of a new term Monday, is hearing arguments again Tuesday in the courtroom.
The Antifa street art group Indecline has struck again, this time defacing two billboards in Memphis, Tennessee with a “defund the police” message.
Indecline recently made headlines for vandalizing a billboard with pro-abortion messages in Mississippi and hanging a “God Bless Abortions” banner on Christ of the Ozarks monument.
In a press release provided to the Gateway Pundit by the group, they expressed condolences for the police officer who was killed in a traffic accident between the two billboards that they vandalized.
Officer Darrell Adams, 34 was at the scene of a crash on I-40 westbound near North Watkins when the 18-wheeler hit him on Saturday morning.
*In a bizarre twist of fate, Highway Patrol Officer Darrell Adams was killed in a traffic accident between the two alterations just a few days before the action took place. The loss of any human is difficult, but the fact that he was a police officer doesn’t change the message. If anything, INDECLINE believes is that the reduction of the role that police play in our daily lives would benefit their safety as officers as much as ours as citizens. Either way, our condolences to the family. We know what it feels like to lose someone,” the group said in their statement.
Adams’ death did not stop them from targeting the two billboards near where he was killed, however.
This is not the first time the group has vandalized billboards with anti-cop messages.
In April, they vandalized a billboard in Mississippi with “[Expletive] those killer cops!” and “Justice for George Floyd”
I recently took my 11.5″ AR pistol, which is equipped only with an A2 birdcage, to an indoor range. Needless to say, I wasn’t well-received. If you’ve ever shot in close proximity to someone with an aggressive muzzle brake, you’re aware that another person’s blast is pretty irritating. Gasses meant to keep the muzzle stable […]
As the situation in Afghanistan continues to unfold, some people refuse to leave anyone behind. Operation Recovery aims to continue helping at-risk individuals get out of Afghanistan. With requests for aid numbering in the 4,000s, the recovery effort needs funding. Thanks to a large donation from EOTech, the mission is $50,000 closer to accomplishing its […]
