Dear Black Bag Confidential Reader,
When we talk about threats, a big part of what we talk about is how likely it is a certain threat will become a reality — then we prepare accordingly. Even if a certain danger is highly unlikely, that doesn’t mean it will never happen, and you still need to know what to do if it does.
This week’s collection of must-read articles will help you prepare for the familiar and the far-fetched. Be sure to share them with your friends and family, because the reality is you never know what will happen
Let’s dive in.
1. Colorado Camp Counselor Awakes to Find Bear Biting His Head
Talk about a rude awakening! Around 4 a.m. local time on Sunday morning, a teenage camp counselor awoke to find his head inside a black bear’s mouth. The bear attempted to drag 19-year-old Dylan out of his sleeping bag before being frightened away by other staff members.
Now, this is not normal bear behavior. Typically, bears only attack when they are scared, injured or sick or disturbed while eating or protecting their cubs. But as their natural habitat shrinks and their population grows, the chances of encountering a bear are increasing.
But that doesn’t mean you should cancel you next weekend camping trip — just that you should know what to do if you ever come across a bear in the wilderness. As Dylan told Denver 7, “I’m not afraid of the bears. You just have to be aware and respect the animals.”
2. Facebook Quizzes: Sharing Your Private Data
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Northern California has released the following warning about the risks of taking Facebook quizzes (emphasis mine):
Even if your Facebook profile is “private,” when you take a quiz, an unknown quiz developer could be accessing almost everything in your profile: your religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation, pictures and groups. Facebook quizzes also have access to most of the info on your friends’ profiles. This means that if your friend takes a quiz, they could be giving away your personal information too.
At this point, my feelings on social media should be pretty clear. And these quizzes may seem harmless enough, but if every friend who wants to know what color their aura is can disclose your personal information — it’s just not worth it.
Take a look at this piece on FightIdentityTheft.com to see a series of screenshots that show exactly what happens when you take one of these quizzes, along with five things you can do to protect your information.
3. The Easiest Way to Prevent an All-Too-Common Tragedy
You’re much more likely to find yourself stranded on the side of the road than you are to be murdered, sexually assaulted, robbed or even have your identity stolen. In fact, more than one out of every seven licensed drivers will be stranded on the road this year.
And if your cellphone dies… if the temperature drops below freezing… if you’re stuck in an area known for flash floods… your life and the lives of your loved ones could be on the line.
Click on the link above to learn the most important thing you can do right now to protect your family from a tragic roadside fate.
4. Terror Advice Video for Holidaymakers Shows Hotel Attack
The British Foreign Office recently released a short video showing resort guests what to do in the event of a terror attack. The film shows a firearms attack unfolding at a hotel and demonstrates the “Run, hide, tell” protocol.
While the video is aimed specifically at British travelers (in part as a response to the deadly 2015 attack at Hotel Riu Imperial Marhaba in Tunisia), the message is a good one to keep in mind for any and all public spaces.
The most important things to remember are to know your exits and to act fast. But click on the link above and watch the video for other lifesaving tips on what to do if running is not an option.
5. The Only Good Zombie Is a Dead Zombie… Not Necessarily?
Ignore the title and check out this article from The Survivalist Blog. It’s an interesting discussion about the practical and moral issues of using lethal force in a SHTF scenario.
Give it a read and let me know what you think by sending an email to SPYfeedback@LFB.org.
Until next time…
Stay safe,
Jason Hanson
