We all know the misbehaviors committed by the de facto rulers of a certain country in South America. The government in Venezuela is releasing prisoners to do their dirty work‚ then allowing them to head off to parts unknown. I won´t give details but will focus on the consequences instead‚ as these are going to have an important impact on the life of the country in a matter of a few months. Governments are using prisoners to attack protests There are recent experiences with governments releasing and using criminals and prisoners in violent conflicts‚ like sending them to war (a common practice in formerly communist countries) and attacking peaceful protests unchaining awful shootings against unarmed innocents. In recent weeks‚ over 100 prisoners were moved from one of the largest jails to another one. Several interventions have taken place in this manner‚ something absolutely unusual. Take a look at the arsenal found in just one of the prisons: 170 different weapons and over 1200 cartridges…in a place supposedly controlled by the authorities. Go figure. Word in the street is that the leaders of the most dangerous gangs have been issued fake IDs‚ freed‚ and armed. Officers of every brand have been ordered to NOT proceed against them or their gang members. This means we will see an interesting underground war between both factions this next year. It’s how the government covers up human rights violations. There is no need to be a genius or an investigator to understand they are very likely going to work as assault “troops” to suppress demonstrations against the regime. The use of prisoners to attack protests is a serious human rights violation‚ a series of continuous crimes that the International Criminal Court is investigating. It is a form of intimidation and violence designed to silence dissent. However‚ the key issue here of this proxy force is the consequences this will generate. There is no possible way to know exactly who they are and where those criminals will go once they can evade customs controls with new identities.  It is very likely many of them are already in the USA or other countries. I wrote previously about Venezuelan gang members in New York City. They very probably will keep a low profile until they get used to the new environment of a new country where real freedom exists. They will have to test the waters. Understand the local and regional atmosphere and expand their connections. Very likely with other Spanish-speaking organizations like the cartels. The use of prisoners to attack protests or in international armed conflicts is not a new phenomenon at all. This tactic was used in the past already‚ during the year 2017 (and earlier) protests that were sparked by the decision to hold a controversial constitutional “referendum‚” just a mimic of a democratic exercise. The whole platform and the database structures are rigged to produce results favorable to the mobsters. That´s why they will refuse international observers with special knowledge and skills‚ claiming a “sovereign” exercise of democracy. The United Nations human rights office has called on the Venezuelan government to investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable. The office has also called for the rulers to stop using prisoners to attack protests. The use of prisoners to attack protests or in other armed conflicts is a serious threat to democracy‚ no matter what country you´re in. It is a sign that they are willing to use violence to silence dissent. The international community must implement severe actions and pressure it to stop using prisoners to attack protests. This is not the only factor in the crisis. Several other factors contribute to the seriousness of the situation in this region. The prison system in all of Latin America is in a state of real crisis. The prisons are overcrowded‚ underfunded‚ and poorly managed. This makes it easy for criminals to smuggle weapons and drugs into the prisons. Many local regimes have a long history of human rights abuses: torture‚ extrajudicial killings‚ and extortion‚ and some of them are even involved with international terrorism while the West looks somewhere else. The Venezuelan economy is barely recovering‚ very slowly‚ from a state of collapse. The country is past the (induced) hyperinflation process‚ but with an iron grip on the spot coin value and exchange ratios‚ and an unreal monetary policy used to profit those with USDs bought to official rates‚ there will be no possible development as it is contrary to the goals of the regime. The economy will suffocate and the controls will only weaken it as time passes by. Some things are better. Food shortages have decreased‚ although specialized work (like mine in the oil industry) and other similar jobs were destroyed by the thousands of positions. Most of the larger companies have fled away‚ and what was once excellent local production of products like car spare parts‚ unique in Latin America except for Argentina‚ is long gone. The draconian “laws” that allow the regimes to seize and confiscate whatever they feel like made many transnational companies cut losses and go to greener pastures. There are some other economic problems with deep roots. This has led to widespread poverty and desperation‚ which has created a fertile environment for crime and violence in the most vulnerable and poor barrios and cities. The industrial zones in all the major cities that formerly vibrated with activity now look like a scenario of a zombie movie. Societal control via fuel rationing is deeply harming the economy. Without any other excuse than the “economic war against the American Empire‚” they allowed all sorts of uniformed forces to control the access to fuel stations‚ toting loaded and locked AKs. You can imagine the consequences of this already. This is done mostly to avoid mobilization and transport of groups of people. It seems not to be happening in my country but in other regions as well with commie puppet regimes‚ like Chile. The businesses that are doing well The best businesses I see not flourishing‚ but making a profit good enough for their owners are cattle raising‚ milk‚ cheese production‚ and producing or transforming edibles. However‚ these face the continuous loss of production in the way of “fees” in the roadblocks. This is something that has existed since the Spaniards’ time‚ and it´s so deeply rooted in the society that it´s almost to be expected. Refuse to give a bribe‚ expect a whole spectrum of problems. This is something that maybe sooner or later will expand‚ once the societal contract the fabric imposes is cracked and no longer works. Things will have to be much more different to get to that point‚ though. Maybe none of us will see it happening in our region. It’s like a zombie apocalypse. That being said‚ I have been watching a TV show that I had been unwilling to analyze for quite some time. It was a popular one‚ though I can´t understand how people so dumb as to not use an off-road full-body motorcycle‚ for example‚ or a riot full-body armor to avoid dying in horrendous ways were able to survive for so long. I did find this interesting: the real hazard is not the infection itself. It´s the consequences on the remaining surviving population. It´s the actions they have‚ their reactions to what happens‚ and how they assume their commitment to the society they belong. I feel that so much drama‚ the main reason why I never took those series so seriously to begin with‚ can be seen in a new light. You slash with a machete a whole bunch of sick creatures that would kill and devour you in a moment‚ and then at night you sit (in the open field‚ go figure) next to a campfire and talk about your “feelings”? Would people do that in real life? Personally‚ I believe that they wouldn´t. Much less out in an open field. They would drink until oblivion in a very well-secured room. There are so many more important things to do that you would see how fast the time goes by. The real enemy is the human condition. It took me some more episodes to realize that‚ in an outstanding parallelism with what we are living down here‚ the real enemy is the human condition. Resumed in greed‚ hate‚ despotism‚ and selfishness. Sadly‚ we can consider now a perfect example of how these negative traits can lead to the downfall of a society. Maybe a slow one‚ but a meaningful downfall. It´s not only the engineered process designed to make the economy crumble at a global scale. The ones holding the guns and controlling the resources don´t give a dang about the ones that have nothing. That´s the reality‚ one of the hidden messages this type of show tries to transmit. Whatever the hypothetical situation is‚ the same twisted pattern appears. The manipulation of the societies using desperation‚ fear‚ and terror. Those who never had control of anything related to their own lives suddenly become despotic warlords with a thirst for revenge‚ stomping even on hundreds of thousands of innocents with nothing to see in their pathetic lives. The punks in the streets are not going to be as much of a problem as the unbelievable greed and disrespect for the human life the ones who released them exhibit. Because if they did something like that‚ they would proceed with all sorts of aberrations. Most people will put self-interest first. In the face of a very complex array of problems‚ most people will put their own interests first. I know about that. I had to buy groceries in the black market for “fellow coworkers” with a connection. Should I not have had a 2nd job‚ we would have starved. I listened to those who stayed put in 2018 how they ran at the sound of a motorcycle to avoid getting robbed at gunpoint in the streets. Local laws were issued in some cities to prohibit two men on a motorcycle at different hours of the day‚ as many of the crimes were under this scheme. Go figure. This is what ultimately leads to the downfall of societies‚ generating massive migrations and a whole set of consequences. We are living in a time where greed‚ hate‚ and selfishness are all too common‚ and basic values are overlooked and mocked up. We need to be careful not to let these negative traits control us. No matter whether the disaster is hypothetical‚ like a zombie plague‚ or painfully real‚ like the engineered destruction of a rich country to work as a beachhead for the enemies of the American Continent democracies. The real enemies of societies are the greedy mobsters who will do everything to keep in power‚ SHTF or not. The ones with a grip over the institutions will have to be carefully elected by the communities they try to rule. Based on ethics‚ values‚ and morals. Otherwise‚ everybody could end up facing a very shady and sad fate. Stay tuned‚ and keep safe! What are your thoughts about the use of these prisoners? What do you think about prisoners being released to control the population? What about the fact that they’re being given the means to leave the country afterward? Do you think some of these criminals are the ones making an entrance through our Southern border? How can we prevent similar despotism here as we go down a similar path to collapse? Let’s discuss it in the comments section. About Jose Jose is an upper middle class professional. He is a former worker of the oil state company with a Bachelor’s degree from one of the best national Universities. He has an old but in good shape SUV‚ a good 150 square meters house in a nice neighborhood‚ in a small but (formerly) prosperous city with two middle size malls. Jose is a prepper and shares his eyewitness accounts and survival stories from the collapse of his beloved Venezuela. Jose and his younger kid are currently back in Venezuela‚ after the intention of setting up a new life in another country didn’t  go well. The SARSCOV2 re-shaped the labor market and South American economy so he decided to give it a try to homestead in the mountains‚ and make a living as best as possible. But this time in his own land‚ and surrounded by family‚ friends and acquaintances‚ with all the gear and equipment collected‚ as the initial plan was.  Follow Jose on YouTube and gain access to his exclusive content on Patreon. Donations: paypal.me/JoseM151 The post The Venezuelan Govt. Is Using Prisoners as a Proxy Force‚ Then Releasing Them with Fake IDs appeared first on The Organic Prepper.

When it comes to survival skills‚ one of the most foundational is making a fire using primitive techniques. These typically rely on sticks… Sure‚ fire starters are great‚ matches work well and lighters are ubiquitous but when you don’t have any of those you still need to stay warm. That’s why you need to know how to make a fire the same way our ancestors did. And there are plenty of techniques to do just that‚ but one of my favorites‚ and one you don’t hear about too much these days‚ is by using a fire plow. A fire plow relies on friction between two pieces of wood just like the more commonly taught hand drill method‚ but it relies a little more on brute force than finesse and can be easier to pull off in some circumstances. Keep reading and I’ll tell you everything you need to know to make and use a fire plow. What is a Fire Plow? A fire plow is truly simple‚ and is certainly the most basic but still effective method of friction fire starting. It consists of a hardwood stick‚ the plow itself‚ and a plank or plane of softwood. The plank has a small furrow or channel cut into it that the angled end of the stick will be pressed into forcefully in order to generate friction. The hardwood plow will also start grinding the softwood plank into dust and heating it which will eventually result in ember that you can use to ignite your tinder. Like I said‚ totally simple but as always there’s a trick to constructing it. Tools and Materials You’ll Need As promised‚ the fire plow is the simplest of the tools for starting a fire via friction. You only need a couple of pieces of wood‚ and a sharp tool to shape them. Hardwood Stick: you’ll need a hardwood stick to serve as the plow itself. Ideally‚ this stick will be anywhere from an inch to an inch and a half in diameter and as straight as possible for ease of use. Also‚ the stick should be comfortable to hold because you’re going to be gripping it tightly and rubbing it back and forth like a madman. If you aren’t good with identifying wood‚ press your thumbnail into the exposed fibers; if it leaves an obvious dent behind‚ chances are it isn’t hardwood. Softwood Plank: you’ll need a flat plank or board of softwood to make the plane of the fire plow. 3/4 of an inch thick should be about the minimum because you don’t want to risk breaking it‚ and a little thicker is better. You need the plane to be softwood so that it will break down under pressure from the hardwood plow leaving dust behind that can be subsequently heated up and ignited as an ember. Make the plane longer than you think you’ll need so you can kneel on it or brace it on the ground for stability. Knife: a good bushcraft or camp knife will let you do everything you need to do to create your fire plow set‚ from shaping and carving the stick to processing the plane and carving out a channel in it. If you don’t have one‚ a hatchet can do the same thing and is also a little bit better for processing a small log or branch into a flat piece of wood to serve as the board. Rock (optional): if you don’t have any metal cutting tools‚ you can use a sharp or pointed rock to do the carving and cutting. The great thing about a fire plow is that it is truly rudimentary and very easy to make even with the most primitive tools. Tinder: you’ve got to have a small supply of good‚ dry tinder that is close at hand once you get an ember going using your fire plow. Firewood: likewise‚ you’ll need firewood or other fuel to start building up your fire once you get your tinder going. You’re going to be putting in a ton of work to create even a single ember using this process so you can’t squander it. Have the fire built and ready to accept the tinder. And that’s absolutely everything you need. Time to get on with the process. Making Fire with a Fire Plow‚ Step by Step The following steps will take you through crafting and using your fire plow. It really is simple‚ but note that simple doesn’t mean easy! Be ready for a workout. Read over all the steps before you start so you can move smoothly from one step to the next. Step 1: carve plow. Using your knife or other cutting tool‚ carve your stick to prepare it as the plow. Remove any knots or bumps that could cause blisters or discomfort where you grip it. Then use your knife and cut off one end at an angle‚ approximately 30° to 45°. This will be the end that is in contact with the plane. Some folks have better success carving a point in the plow‚ then cutting off the tip‚ sort of like a broken pencil shape. Step 2: carve channel. Using your knife or other cutting tool‚ carve a channel in one side of the piece of wood you’ll be using as the plane. This channel should be approximately â…œ of an inch to ½ an inch deep and wide enough to accommodate the end of the stick‚ but not much wider than that. Stop carving about an inch away from each end. Try to keep the channel very straight and consistently shaped. Step 3: check fitment. Take a moment to check the fit of the cut end of the plow in the channel on the plane. You want both surfaces to meet and maximize the surface area for maximum friction. Get set‚ and do a few practice strokes. If anything needs adjusting‚ tuning‚ or tweaking do so now. Step 4: make sure tinder and firewood are set. Your tinder should be immediately next to the far end of the channel in the plane‚ on one side or the other. Once you get an ember going‚ you will dump it into the tinder to ignite it. Likewise‚ make sure that your fire is built and ready to receive the tinder. You’ve only got one shot at this or you’ll have to start over! Step 5: start pushing. Now‚ get set and as comfortable as you can and start stroking the plow back and forth in the channel on the plane. Make sure you’re pressing down firmly on the outbound stroke. The idea is that you want to create ground dust from the softwood plane and then start pushing it to the far end of the channel. Step 6: keep going! You should notice dust starting to accumulate‚ char‚ turn black‚ and then smolder. If you smell burning wood‚ that’s good‚ but you’ve got to keep going! Step 7: observe for smoke and ember. You’ll probably be huffing and puffing by now‚ but keep an eye on the far end of the channel for any indications of a tiny ember‚ usually accompanied by plenty of smoke. When you think you’ve got it‚ move to the next step. Step 8: dump ember into tinder. Quickly‚ carefully‚ and smoothly turn the plane over so that your ember falls into your tinder. Don’t miss! Step 9: get tinder going. Carefully pick up and gently blow on the tinder until it is fully ignited. Step 10: Place tinder into stack of firewood. Carefully‚ without snuffing it‚ place your tinder bundle in the required spot of the fire you built. Keep blowing on it gently if required until the fuel starts to catch. Step 11: finished! Congratulations‚ you successfully built a fire using a fire plow. I told you it was simple‚ but not easy! Your fire plow is reusable until the plane itself starts to get ground‚ through. When it starts to get too thin or the plow itself gets ground down‚ you should make a new set versus struggling with a set that is harder to use. That is only going to waste your energy and your time. Helpful Tips Use the Driest Wood Possible You want to use the driest wood that you possibly can. That will maximize friction‚ heat transfer‚ and the creation of a good ember to ignite your tinder with. Don’t even try it with wet wood‚ and even a thicker branch that is freshly fallen or cut can be too moist to be worthwhile until it is seasoned. Use More Pressure on the Outward Stroke It is difficult to overstate just how much of a workout this is‚ so keeping an eye on efficiency in your movements will make things easier and increase your chances of success. You’ll do better if you use more pressure on the outbound stroke of the plow versus trying to keep constant pressure on it at all times. A little practice will help you get the rhythm down and save energy. Work Quickly but Smoothly Rehearse the entire operation a couple of times before you start. If you don’t know what you’re doing‚ if your tinder isn’t ready‚ if the tinder blows away‚ or if there’s any other mishap you’ll be a sweaty mess with shaking arms and no fire. As soon as you know the ember is properly established you need to work quickly without putting it out to get a fire going. Practice makes perfect! The post Making and Starting a Fire with a Fire Plow appeared first on Survival Sullivan.

Let's talk about the NEWS! Official GoFundMe Link to help Stray Cats: https://gofund.me/ae739c32 Fistful of Radio: https://fistfulofradio.com/category/l... Twitter: @CotteeTalkChat Stray Cat Sanctuary: @straycatsanctuary1945 Please help support this channel: https://www.paypal.me/coffeetalk (friends and family please) David from Coffee Talk: PO Box 1692 Lithonia‚ GA 30058 Would you like to donate Crypto? Bitcoin: 3MCJRj3BUsGzghJKEscv8DTBzYvEdWkNd6 BCH: qzvdwnzyeu0jwhulhw48pc5j3wnt7ldpkgdswgmct5 ETH: 0xE089f68A1f3ffDaB8cFdE265a6DAD75df34bE970 ETC: 0x30C792DF2329afA22bb9F9d803781f5676b1a2c6 LTC: MP3YkPfUCM8mUoiBAp6i63RchtE6q8KwHV ZRX: 0x3EDA3FEcFE7729bF27DAE48D72E2e0C60Cec2FB0 BAT: 0xFF6667433Fa04018f3e287Ad6F886443846EC406 USDC: 0xAbd5483CF99b4d65e6255E764e0CA982Ec307f96 ZEC: t1LHYu45cmhAxBUwbgfS2rRWd6SAFGCFMcG DAI: 0x484b42D96eff229a19bc6f59D6AE256bCC3ee25B #news #politics #currentaffairs #dailynews #podcast #podcasts #podcasting #radio

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When cooking holiday breakfasts starts to seem like a chore‚ check out these hands-off recipes so you can spend more time with friends and family.