Dear Black Bag Confidential Reader,
This week’s must-read articles touch on many topics that are close to my heart: Second Amendment rights… better home security… privacy from the government… preparing for global warfare… and striving to be more self-sufficient.
There’s a lot of great information packed into this rundown, so I won’t waste any more time — let’s get down to business.
1. Hawaii Police Order People With Medical Pot to Surrender Guns to the State
Wherever you stand on the issue of medical marijuana, it should absolutely alarm you that a United States law enforcement entity is trying to coerce American citizens into giving up their Second Amendment rights.
Back in February, we ran an article discussing whether convicted felons should have the right to bear arms, and it sparked quite a lively debate. So now let me ask you, should a nonfelon following all laws in their jurisdiction who has been prescribed medical marijuana by their doctor lose the right to own firearms?
Send your answer to SPYfeedback@LFB.org. I look forward to reading your responses.
2. The Best Way to Make Your Home Safer: Act Like a Common Criminal
I know this might sound crazy, but hear me out…
One of the smartest (and easiest) things you can do to increase the security on your home is to act like a burglar and assess your locks to see if they’re up to snuff. (I hate to break it to you — they probably aren’t.)
Now, in order to perform this simple test, you’ll need to know how to pick a lock. Even if you’ve never tried to do it before, I bet I can teach you how to pick virtually ANY household lock in under 30 seconds.
Click on the link above to see for yourself.
3. True Dangers Posed by North Korea
Yesterday, officials confirmed that what the commercial airline crew of Cathay Pacific Flight 893 witnessed last Wednesday on their flight from San Francisco to Hong Kong was indeed an intercontinental ballistic missile launched by North Korea.
The Hwasong-15 missile is the largest (and farthest-flying) projectile the secretive nation has tested thus far. According to the piece above from SHTFplan.com, this latest launch has caused several experts to reverse their opinion that North Korea doesn’t have the firepower to hit the continental U.S.
In addition, this report quotes national security adviser H.R. McMaster saying, “I think [the potential for war is] increasing every day, which means that we are in a race, really, we are in a race to be able to solve this problem.”
Whether the problem is solved in time remains to be seen. In the event it isn’t, I certainly hope you are ready with emergency supplies on hand and disaster plans in place.
4. Supreme Court Takes on Major Fourth Amendment Case
This headline doesn’t exactly grab you, but the story certainly should — especially if you value your privacy.
Last week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Carpenter v. United States. Their decision will ultimately determine whether the government is in violation of the Fourth Amendment by accessing an individual’s cellphone locations records without a warrant. The verdict could set a HUGE precedent regarding the expectation of privacy in the digital age.
Regardless of the outcome, I recommend turning off the location services on your smartphone for all applications. If you have to turn them on (to use Google Maps, for example) be sure to turn them off again immediately after you’re finished.
5. Five Tips for a More Self-Sufficient Homestead
As the subheadline for this piece from BeSurvival boldly proclaims, “Turning a simple home and a plot of land into a homestead that can support itself (and you!) is possible.” To that end, author “Sergeant Survival” runs down five tips to start you off on the right foot — along with links to several other resources and supplemental articles
If you want to learn how to create a self-sufficient homestead and live a simpler, more independent life with less waste, lower costs and the potential to produce a small stream of income, click on the link above and take notes.
Stay safe,
Jason Hanson
