Dear Black Bag Confidential Reader,
I’ve pulled some pretty important pieces for you this week, so let’s not waste any time.
Check out the must-read articles below and let me know what you think by sending an email to spy@lfb.org.
1. El Niño Rains Slam Peru, Surprising Desert Cities and Killing 67
The death toll in Peru is rising, due to torrential rains, widespread flooding and massive mudslides. Thousands of people have been displaced, and infrastructure across the country has been crippled.
What’s worse, some of the hardest-hit areas are regions that have not experienced these kinds of weather events in almost 20 years. Which means huge numbers of people are completely unprepared to handle the situation.
I’m not pointing fingers at the citizens of Peru. There’s nothing to be gained from blaming anyone. However, I do want to point out the lesson to be learned: Be prepared.
Even if you think something like this could never happen where you live, the fact is nature is unpredictable. The one thing you can control is what you do ahead of time. Gather supplies, have a plan and be ready to execute it if and when the time comes.
2. The No. 1 Way to Store Water for an Emergency
Not to sound like a broken record, but if I learned one thing in my time with the CIA, it’s the importance of being prepared. And my No. 1 consideration for emergency prep is water.
It’s a medical fact that without water, you could die in as little as three days. Imagine if the power goes out and your well stops working. Or if a natural disaster strikes and the water supply for your entire town is disrupted. Or if there’s a bioterrorist attack that poisons the water supply.
The key to survival in these circumstances is water storage. But how do you safely store mass quantities of water for an emergency?
Click on the link above to discover the absolute best way to store water so that it’s not only easily accessible but also portable in a pinch.
3. Seven Dangerous Events That Could Lead to Martial Law
Martial law is a frightening possibility. And one that many readers have asked about. In this article, our friends over at Urban Survival Site run down seven events that could prompt the government to instate martial law.
It’s important to note that martial law could be instituted as a result of natural or man-made disasters. This piece also explains the distinction between martial law and a state of emergency, which are often confused.
We’ve talked about several of these possibilities in these pages already. We’ve also talked about various ways to prepare no matter what happens. Once again, this is a not-so-subtle reminder about the importance of prepping.
4. Secret Service Removes Agent Who Said She Wouldn’t Take a Bullet for Trump
Some of you may know this already, but I’m the founder and CEO of Global Protection and Intelligence, a company that provides protection for clients and utilizes an intelligence-based approach to accomplish mission-driven objectives.
We serve a variety of clients, from CEOs to celebrities to government officials. And here’s the thing: It doesn’t matter what I think about a client, their lifestyle or their politics. If it’s my job to protect them, then I will do whatever it takes.
As a Secret Service agent, this woman’s job was to protect the president of the United States — no matter what. And unfortunately, part of the job is that you may one day have to take a bullet for the leader of the free world. It just goes with the territory.
5. How to Build Your Own Solar-Powered Cooking Device
For all you do-it-yourselfers out there, here’s a great tutorial on how to construct a few different kinds of solar-powered cooking devices. Honestly, this could be a fun project to do as a family: Build a cooker, and then use it to make a nice meal. There’s no better incentive to learn a new skill than an instant reward.
Click on the link above for detailed instructions on how to build a solar oven, a parabolic roaster and a tube-style cooker. There’s also a bonus recipe for making authentic sun tea — which is downright delicious. Check it out!
Stay safe,
Jason Hanson
