Texas

On Rosh Hashanah, A Magnitude 4.0 Earthquake Hit The Town Of Snyder, Texas

There is a whole lotta shaking going on in America right now, and many people are concerned about what that could potentially mean. Could it be possible that the U.S. is entering a more seismically active time? This week alone, we have seen earthquake swarms in Texas, Oklahoma, San Francisco and the New Madrid fault zone. Of course earthquakes happen every day, but to see so many earthquake swarms happen in such diverse places within such a compressed period of time is definitely unusual. And what makes this even more unusual is the fact that Rosh Hashanah just ended. In fact, the earthquake swarm that we just witnessed in Texas started on Rosh Hashanah with a magnitude 4.0 quake near the town of “Snyder”…

In just over 12 hours, Texas experienced not one earthquake, but four, experts say.

Three quakes were centered near the town of Snyder — just south of the Texas panhandle — with a fourth centered near the Fort Worth area, according to the United States Geological Survey. The first and strongest of the cluster hit just after 4:45 p.m. Monday about 12 miles north of Snyder and measured magnitude 4.0.

That was the strongest earthquake in Texas so far this year, and it was followed by a magnitude 3.8 earthquake near Snyder, a magnitude 3.2 earthquake just south of Fort Worth, and a magnitude 2.5 earthquake near Snyder.

Meanwhile, we have been witnessing unusual earthquake activity in Oklahoma as well.

Over the past 24 hours, the state has experienced 9 earthquakes of at least magnitude 1.5, and over the past 7 days there have been 40 such earthquakes.

Decades ago, Oklahoma was very quiet geologically, but things sure have changed over the past few years. If you can believe it, there have already been more than 1,000 earthquakes of at least magnitude 1.5 in Oklahoma so far in 2019.

Meanwhile, we continue to see unusual seismic activity along the California coast. This week, a swarm of five moderate earthquakes in the San Francisco area made headlines all over the nation…

A swarm of tiny temblors shook up California’s East Bay over the past 24 hours, the U.S. Geological Survey reports.

The agency reported at least five quakes registering from 2.0 to 2.9 magnitude, along with a slew of even smaller temblors registering below 2.0 magnitude.

The swarm centered on Dublin and San Ramon on the east side of San Francisco Bay.

Those earthquakes didn’t really cause any significant damage, but the concern is that all of this shaking could be leading up to something. I wrote about this potential danger a few days ago, and scientists assure us that “the Big One” is way overdue and that at some point our time will run out.

Last but certainly not least, an earthquake swarm just hit the New Madrid fault zone as well.

In less than an hour on Monday morning, southeastern Missouri was hit by five significant earthquakes…

It started with a 2.6 magnitude temblor around 11:18 a.m. near Lilbourn, a small city just north of Missouri’s boot heel, according to the United States Geological Survey. A mere three minutes later, a 1.1 magnitude quake rumbled nearby.

Just before 11:30 a.m., a 2.7 magnitude quake rattled southwest of Lilbourn followed by a 1.8 magnitude quake only five minutes later, the USGS says.

It would be 23 minutes before the next quake, another magnitude 2.7, shook an area just west of Lilbourn, the USGS says.

For those that don’t know, southeastern Missouri sits right along the New Madrid fault zone, and in the early portion of the 19th century this part of the country was shaken by four of the largest earthquakes in U.S. history…

The New Madrid Seismic Zone is the most active earthquake zone east of the Rocky Mountains and spans southeastern Missouri, northeastern Arkansas, western Tennessee, western Kentucky, and southern Illinois.

Between 1811 and 1812, the New Madrid Fault experienced some of the largest quakes in history. And although they originated in the Mississippi Valley, they rang church bells in Boston and shook New York City — over 1,000 miles away.

Even then-President James Madison and his wife Dolley reportedly felt shaking at the White House.

Scientists tell us that it is just a matter of time before earthquakes of that magnitude happen again, and this is something that I have been persistently warning about.

A number of years ago, the U.S. government conducted a major five day operation known as “National Level Exercise 11” in which they attempted to simulate what a major earthquake along the New Madrid fault zone would look like…

In May, the federal government simulated an earthquake so massive, it killed 100,000 Midwesterners instantly, and forced more than 7 million people out of their homes. At the time, National Level Exercise 11 went largely unnoticed; the scenario seemed too far-fetched — states like Illinois and Missouri are in the middle of a tectonic plate, not at the edge of one. A major quake happens there once every several generations.

Could you imagine what such a disaster would mean for our country?

Plus, it is important to note that there are 15 nuclear reactors operating within the New Madrid fault zone, and so in such a scenario we could potentially be facing the equivalent of 15 Fukushima nuclear disasters.

As long as the earthquakes rattling our nation remain small, they won’t be a problem.

But really big earthquakes are often preceded by smaller “foreshocks”, and scientists tell us that it is just a matter of time until the next great quake hits America.

So let us hope that all of this shaking settles down, because we want that day to be put off for as long as possible.

Get Prepared NowAbout the author: Michael Snyder is a nationally-syndicated writer, media personality and political activist. He is the author of four books including Get Prepared Now, The Beginning Of The End and Living A Life That Really Matters. His articles are originally published on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News. From there, his articles are republished on dozens of other prominent websites. If you would like to republish his articles, please feel free to do so. The more people that see this information the better, and we need to wake more people up while there is still time. Of course the most important thing that we can share with people is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and if you would like to learn more about how you can become a Christian I would encourage you to read this article.

The most dangerous places to live in America that are prone to natural disasters

(CNBC) One state really stands head and shoulders above the rest, and that would be Texas, ” says Smith. Over NOAA’s 40 years of analysis, the Lone Star State has experienced more than 100 separate $1 billion disasters, from the Houston floods and hurricanes of 2017 to flooding and even winter storms, which are more usually associated with the Eastern Seaboard.

Texas has the highest frequency of extreme weather events over the period of analysis, and it also has the highest inflation-adjusted costs related to extreme weather. (Read More…)

Beautiful College Senior Takes Graduation Photos With Her “Best Friend” – A 13 Foot Giant Alligator

(Kansas.com) While she was wearing her Texas A&M graduation cap and stole — quite typical for senior photos — there was one 13-foot-8-inch difference in her photographs.

Yes, we’re talking about the huge Texas alligator, and his name is Big Tex.

The Texas-sized gator weighs about 1,000 pounds and holds the national record for the “largest live-captured nuisance alligator,” according to Gator Country, which is where Big Tex now lives.

Extremely contagious pink eye ‘superbug’ spreading in Texas

(Fox4) Think before you touch your eyes! A new “super bug” pink eye is torturing Houstonians. Patients say it hurts twice as bad and lasts twice as long as typical pink eye. Doctors’ offices in Houston are full of patients infected by this bug.

One Houston doctor, Dr. Allan Panzer, tells us he usually sees pink eye once or twice a month, but lately, he’s seen as many as four patients a day with this unusual strain of viral pink eye. Some are suffering two to three weeks.

We Are Seeing Heat And Drought In The Southwest United States Like We Haven’t Seen Since The Dust Bowl Of The 1930s

Despite all of the other crazy news that is happening all around the world, the top headlines on Drudge on Monday evening were all about the record heatwave that is currently pummeling the Southwest. Of course it is always hot during the summer, but the strange weather that we have been witnessing in recent months is unlike anything that we have seen since the Dust Bowl days of the 1930s. At this moment, almost the entire Southwest is in some stage of drought. Agricultural production has been absolutely devastated, major lakes, rivers and streams are rapidly becoming bone dry, and wild horses are dropping dead because they don’t have any water to drink. In addition, we are starting to see enormous dust storms strike major cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix, and the extremely dry conditions have already made this one of the worst years for wildfires in U.S. history. What we are facing is not “apocalyptic” quite yet, but it will be soon if the rain doesn’t start falling.

Large portions of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah are already at the highest level of drought on the scale. In Arizona, things are so bad that wild horses have been dropping dead by the dozens, and now authorities are trying to save those that are left…

For what they say is the first time, volunteer groups in Arizona and Colorado are hauling thousands of gallons of water and truckloads of food to remote grazing grounds where springs have run dry and vegetation has disappeared.

Federal land managers also have begun emergency roundups in desert areas of Utah and Nevada.

‘We’ve never seen it like this,’ said Simone Netherlands, president of the Arizona-based Salt River Wild Horse Management Group. In May, dozens of horses were found dead on the edge of a dried-up watering hole in northeastern Arizona.

It is being projected that this will be the hottest week of the year so far for much of the Southwest, and on Monday the city of Waco, Texas actually set a brand new all-time record high temperature…

Monday was the hottest day on record for Waco as temperatures climbed to 114 degrees just after 5 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

“Officially and by two degrees, this is the hottest it has ever been in Waco,” National Weather Service meteorologist Dennis Cain said.

Please keep in mind that a record was not just set for that particular date.

114 degrees was the hottest that it has been in the city of Waco ever.

Of course residents of Phoenix are probably scoffing when they read that, because it was even hotter there…

Temperatures approached 120 degrees in parts of the U.S. Southwest on Monday, and forecasters said this week could bring the region’s hottest weather of the year.

Phoenix reached a sweltering 115 degrees (46 Celsius), which broke the previous daily record, according to the National Weather Service.

Without air conditioning, Phoenix would not be a viable city. During this time of the year the air conditioners run extremely hard, and authorities have issued an “excessive heat warning” until Wednesday…

From Monday, July 23 to Wednesday, July 25, Phoenix will be under an Excessive Heat Warning. During this time, residents are recommended to stay indoors.

With the temperatures rising and ACs on, APS expects record numbers for energy usage.

Over in California, the big concern is whether the power grid will hold up or not.

On Monday, ISO authorities ordered Californians “to conserve electricity”…

California’s power grid operator on Monday issued an alert to homes and businesses to conserve electricity on Tuesday and Wednesday when a heat wave is expected to blanket the state.

The California Independent System Operator (ISO), the grid operator, said it issued the so-called “Flex Alert” due to high temperatures across the western United States, reduced electricity imports into the state, tight natural gas supplies in Southern California and high wildfire risk.

And that followed a similar alert that was put out by Southern California Gas. It will be very interesting to see if California can get through this current heatwave without any substantial disruptions.

In the past, heatwaves have come and gone, but things are different this time. Unusual heat has been hammering the Southwest for an extended period of time, and nobody knows when it will end. For example, experts tell us that the U.S. experienced the hottest month of May ever recorded…

The USA is sweltering through what will likely be its hottest May on record, according to a preliminary analysis of weather data.

National Weather Service meteorologist Victor Murphy said May 2018 should break the record set in May 1934 during the Dust Bowl.

Of course it isn’t just the U.S. that is being affected. Over the past 12 months, we have seen an endless string of record high temperatures being set all over the world.

But what should deeply alarm those of us living in the United States in particular is the return of Dust Bowl conditions to the Southwest. Just within the past couple of days, we have seen massive dust storms hit Phoenix and Las Vegas. Very few of us were alive back in the 1930s, but we have heard about the immense devastation that occurred as much of the Southwest was literally transformed into a desert.

Well, now it is happening again.

Scientists tell us that the Southwest has been unusually wet for the past several decades. For most of human history, the Southwest United States was a bleak, barren desert, and it appears that those conditions may be attempting to return.

If Dust Bowl conditions continue to intensify, it won’t just be Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah that are affected. Agricultural production will be devastated in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and other Midwest states as well, and that would have profound implications for the U.S. economy and for the future of our society.

Michael Snyder is a nationally syndicated writer, media personality and political activist. He is publisher of The Most Important News and the author of four books including The Beginning Of The End and Living A Life That Really Matters.

A Texas mother tried to sell her two-year-old daughter for sex to a man who offered to pay her $1,200

(The Daily Mail) A mother in Houston was arrested for trying to sell her two-year-old daughter for sex, authorities say.

Sarah Peters, now 25, set up an arrangement in February to travel to Conroe, Texas to meet up with a man who she thought wanted to engage in ‘sexual acts’ with her daughter.

According to a press release, she thought she was going to be paid $1,200 for allowing the man to have sex with her child.

Republican Panic In Texas As Beto O’Rourke Pulls Into A Virtual Tie With Ted Cruz

(Politics USA) With momentum surging behind Texas Democratic Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke in his race against Sen. Ted Cruz, Republicans in the state are likely in a panic as the November midterms inch closer.

According to Markos Moulitsas, the founder of Daily Kos and co-founder of Vox Media, O’Rourke is in a virtual tie with Cruz – 48 percent to 46 percent.

Moulitsas points to a surge in momentum for the Democrat over the past three weeks.

Texas Mother Shot A Carjacker In The Head In Order To Save Her Two Children

The incident took place late Wednesday night at a Dallas-area Shell Station, police said, when the suspect, identified as 36-year-old Rickey Wright, approached the vehicle. The mother, Michelle Booker-Hicks, was out of the car paying for gas while her 2- and 4-year old sons sat in the vehicle’s back seats, Dallas’ Fox 4 reported.

Before she returned from the store, the mother saw a man enter her vehicle and attempt to flee, per CBS 11. But before he drove away, the mother jumped into the back of the car herself.

Booker-Hicks told the man to stop, she told Fox 4, before reaching over to the vehicle’s glove compartment and retrieving the gun inside. She fired a single shot to his face, she said. (USA Today)

The Best Places To Live In All 50 U.S. States

We live at a time when Americans are packing up and moving with increasing frequency.  Some are moving for new opportunities, some are moving in anticipation of what is coming, and others are moving just because they are bored.  As the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog and The Most Important News, I am frequently asked to give my opinion about a potential move.  Of course I often don’t know what to say, because often factors that I don’t fully understand are involved in the decision.  For example, someone may be moving somewhere truly horrible for a wonderful new job, or complex family relationships are precipitating a move.  But there are some general principles that I share with people, and I will be sharing some of them with you in this article.

If you do a Google search, you will find that most lists of “best places to live” focus on major cities, but often the best place to live within a certain geographic area is far away from a major population center.  And obviously my choices have a lot more to do with quality of life and sustainability during the coming crisis years than with things like “employment opportunities” or “entertainment options”.

With all that being said, here are my choices for the best places to live in all 50 U.S. states…

Alabama – The coast is always tempting if you like the water, but we have all seen what hurricanes have done to the area around Mobile.  If I had to choose some place to live in the state, I think that I would focus up north near the Tennessee border.  There are more fresh water resources up north, and the Huntsville economy has been doing relatively well in recent years.

Alaska – I have always had a fondness for Juneau, but would probably rule it out for practical reasons.  It is quite isolated and it is way too close to the water.  In the years to come it will pay to be away from the ocean and from the major volcanoes, and so somewhere around Anchorage would probably be my choice.

Arizona – Even though my good friend John Shorey may disagree, I actually don’t like Arizona much at all.  Phoenix is way too overcrowded, Tucson is way too hot, and Sedona is way too crazy.  If I had to live in Arizona, I would definitely find somewhere with water, because water resources are going to be at a premium during the years ahead.

Arkansas – Even though Wal-Mart is headquartered there, northwest Arkansas is a lovely area.  Once you get away from Fayetteville there are lots of open areas, and fresh water is fairly abundant.  Crime is relatively low, but there is some around.  The key is to find a good community.

California – Unless you must do so for work or you feel directly called by God to go there, it is probably not a good idea to move to California.  If I had to choose anywhere in the state, it would probably be the far northern area away from the coast.  For much more on why you shouldn’t move to California, please see my recent article entitled “Why Are So Many People Moving Out Of California?”

Colorado – Many years ago I considered a move to Colorado, and I am so glad that I was talked out of it.  The quality of life in the Denver area is continually deteriorating, and more people just keep on moving in from other states.  I am told that Colorado Springs and Fort Collins are still fairly nice, but I wouldn’t be eager to move to either location.  If you must go to Colorado, try to find somewhere rural that has easy access to fresh water.

Connecticut – I actually applied to go to law school at Yale, but I was turned down.  I really would have loved to live up there, although I hear that New Haven is riddled with crime.  Considering the times that we are moving into, I would try to get inland as far as possible, and so I would probably look at any of the small towns north of Hartford.

Delaware – It is right along the ocean, it is riddled with crime, and it is best known for producing Joe Biden.  You probably do not want to move to Delaware if you can avoid it.

Florida – After being rejected by Yale, I was accepted by the University of Florida law school and I had four wonderful years there.  So I have to admit that I am partial to Gainesville, although there are some wonderful places in the panhandle as well.  Unfortunately for Florida, most of the state is either below, at or just above sea level, and that means that it is extremely vulnerable to potential tsunamis.  And crime has become a growing problem in the urban areas, and so that is a major factor to look at when considering a move into the Sunshine State.

Georgia – In Georgia you will want to stay far away from the madhouse that Atlanta has become, and you will want to stay far away from the Atlantic Ocean.  It would be tempting to look at Augusta, but I would probably choose one of the small towns near the northern border.

Hawaii – I think that nearly all of us have dreamed of living in Hawaii at one point or another.  Unfortunately, these are volcanic islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and one of them is erupting right now.  So while it might be tempting to consider a move to Hawaii, for practical reasons you should probably cross it off the list.

Idaho – People up here tend to get upset when I encourage my readers to consider coming to Idaho.  But of course there are good areas of Idaho and there are bad areas of Idaho, and more crazy people from liberal states such as California move in with each passing day.  If you want relatively moderate weather, stunning scenery, low crime and a low population density, I would commend north Idaho.  Unfortunately there are not many employment opportunities up here, and so don’t count on finding a good job after you move.  You will want to have your source of income squared away before you arrive.

Illinois – You can probably guess what I am going to say.  Chicago has become one of the most violent cities in North America, and that is really saying something considering what is going on in Mexico right now.  Today, approximately 125,000 gang members live in the city of Chicago, and they outnumber the police by more than 10 to 1.  If you must live in Illinois, you probably want to stay as far away from Chicago as you can.

Indiana – In general, the further south you go in the state the better.  Fort Wayne and Gary are hellholes, Indianapolis is better, and the small towns that stretch across southern Indiana are probably the best choices of all in the state.  I would avoid Evansville and focus more on the eastern part of the state, but the truth is that the whole region is in potential earthquake territory.

Iowa – Iowa is actually very nice.  It is flat, it is cold, and there are way too many crazy liberals there, but other than that it is quite nice.  I would probably avoid Des Moines and focus on finding a rural community with easy access to fresh water.

Kansas – Kansas is nice too, but the big problem in Kansas is not enough rain.  The current drought is getting really bad, and it looks like Dust Bowl conditions are rapidly returning to the state.  So for that reason alone, I would probably avoid Kansas.

Kentucky – Beautiful scenery, but it is hard to ignore the crushing poverty and the out of control opioid crisis.  If I was moving to Kentucky, I would focus on the far eastern portion of the state so that I could get as far away from the New Madrid fault zone as possible.

Louisiana – They have good food, but they are also a potential epicenter for natural disasters in the years ahead.  We all saw what Hurricane Katrina did to New Orleans, the Mississippi River is prone to major flooding, and one day the state is going to be on the receiving end of the aftermath of a massive New Madrid earthquake.  So it is probably not a state that would be high on my list of places to live.

Maine – Thanks to very liberal immigration policies, the character of towns all along the Maine coast has greatly changed in recent years.  There are still some towns up north that are very nice, but be prepared if you move to one of them, because it gets bitterly, bitterly cold in the winter.

Maryland – Much of western Maryland is actually very, very lovely, but not much else good can be said for the rest of the state.  If you must live in Maryland, you will want to stay far away from the shore, far away from Washington D.C. and you certainly won’t want to be anywhere near the drug-infested hellhole that is called Baltimore.  So that doesn’t leave much else except for western Maryland, but like I said, western Maryland is actually very, very lovely.

Massachusetts – If John Adams could see us now he would be absolutely horrified by what we have done to his state.  If I had to choose somewhere to live, I would focus on the small towns west of Interstate 91.  They tend to be a bit less liberal than the rest of the state, but I wouldn’t count on meeting too many true conservatives there either.

Michigan – If I had to live in Michigan, the choice would be easy.  I would definitely focus my search on the upper peninsula, because I would want to be as far away from Detroit, Flint and the other major population centers as possible.  In reality, the upper peninsula of Michigan is much more like Wisconsin than Michigan, and that is a good thing.  But if you move there you will need to prepare for some of the most bitter winters that you have ever encountered.

Minnesota – Speaking of bitter winters, Minnesota can be a very tough place to live.  Both of my parents were born in Minnesota, and I have been there many times.  Coming from Scandinavian roots, the bitter winters didn’t bother my parents too much, but they never passed that trait on to me.  If you can survive the winters, the giant mosquitos and the machete-wielding terrorists, you will probably do okay.  There are plenty of small, rural communities scattered throughout the state, and plenty of fresh water.

Mississippi – If you can find somewhere in the state away from the coast, away from the Mississippi and that isn’t being crushed by rising poverty and rising crime, you will probably do okay for a while.  But once again, I am deeply concerned about how this state will do when the New Madrid fault finally rips wide open.

Missouri – One of the worst cities in the entire country (St. Louis) dominates the eastern part of the state, the western part of the state is going to be deeply affected by the ongoing drought out west, but I actually love the southern part of the state.  I really love Branson and the surrounding areas, and I just wish that it wasn’t so close to the New Madrid fault zone.

Montana – There are a lot of people moving to Montana, and many of them don’t seem to be able to handle the bitter cold during the winter that well.  Western Montana is definitely superior to eastern Montana, but the entire state features a low population density and plenty of fresh water resources.

Nebraska – For the Democrats, this is “flyover country”, but the truth is that it is part of the heartland of America.  Like neighboring Kansas, Dust Bowl conditions are going to be an increasing concern, and so it will probably be best to avoid Nebraska unless necessary.

Nevada – Las Vegas dominates the region, and much of the rest of the state is a giant desert.  It is not a bad place overall, but the lack of water in the state is a major concern.  Someday the population of Las Vegas will need to be greatly reduced due to a lack of water, and the same thing will probably be true for other cities as well.

New Hampshire – Once you get away from the major population centers, New Hampshire is actually quite lovely.  And the population tends to be less liberal than New England as a whole.  But without a doubt it gets bitterly cold in the winter, and there aren’t many employment opportunities in the rural areas.

New Jersey – It wants to be known as “the garden state”, but most of us know it as “the armpit of America”.  It is overcrowded, the government is a giant mess, and crime is out of control.  Camden is a microcosm for what is happening to America as a whole, and it is not a pretty picture.  You will want to avoid New Jersey if at all possible.

New Mexico – The state can be summed up in three “D’s” – drought, drugs and decay.  The liberals are rapidly taking over here, and the consequences are quite predictable.  And as Dust Bowl conditions intensify, it will not be a place that anyone wants to be.

New York – The state isn’t all bad.  Yes, New York City is the epicenter for so much that is wrong with our society, but many areas of upstate New York are quite nice.  I would definitely stay north of Interstate 90, and I would focus on rural communities that have easy access to fresh water.

North Carolina – There are some very good reasons why so many people are moving to North Carolina.  The weather is moderate, the economy has been doing relatively well, there are plenty of open spaces, and the scenery is absolutely gorgeous.  Just stay away from the coastline and the major population centers and you will probably be just fine.

North Dakota – Nestled between Minnesota and Montana, this is a state that is for extremely hearty individuals.  But if you can stand the cold and the snow, you will find that this is actually one of the most freedom-loving states in the entire nation, and it has an abundance of natural resources.

Ohio – Cleveland is a nightmare, Cincinnati is not much better, but Columbus is actually fairly nice.  It is technically considered to be part of the New Madrid fault zone, so that is a huge negative, but it does get plenty of rain and it has easy access to lots of fresh water resources.

Oklahoma – This is a state that can never seem to get a break.  It was doing a lot better in recent years, but now Dust Bowl conditions are starting to return once again.  It is also in the very heart of “tornado alley”, and that is a huge factor working against it as well.  I wish that I could commend some area of the state but I really can’t.

Oregon – Much of western Oregon is very similar to California (or worse), but once you get east of Interstate 5 you will start running into a lot of good people.  Some areas of eastern Oregon are actually quite magnificent, and there are lots of high quality small towns if you need a place to hide.

Pennsylvania – Pittsburgh is to be avoided and Philly is a nightmare, but much of the rest of the state is actually very nice.  I would just try to stay away from the major population centers and focus my search on rural communities with each access to fresh water.

Rhode Island – I was actually born in Rhode Island, but that doesn’t mean that I am going to commend it to anyone.  It is our smallest state, and so there isn’t a lot of room to get away from the major population centers.  Unless you must be there, it is probably best to find somewhere else to live.

South Carolina – Many of the positives that can be said for North Carolina can also be said for South Carolina.  Just make sure that you are far, far away from the coast and from the major population centers and you will probably be just fine.

South Dakota – I actually like South Dakota more than North Dakota.  The weather is not quite as bitterly cold, the economy is a little more vibrant thanks to the tourists, and Rapid City and Sioux Falls are both decent.  It is far enough north that the drought is not affecting it too much so far, although that could change at any time.

Tennessee – You will want to stay away from Memphis and the west end of the state entirely.  If you are considering moving there, you will want to look at Knoxville and the Smoky Mountains to the east.  That whole region is teeming with natural resources and has a very low population density.

Texas – There are a lot of wonderful conservative people in Texas, but incoming transplants from California are trying to change things as rapidly as possible.  The major cities are way too overcrowded, crime is increasing due to illegal immigration and the drought is becoming a major problem.  But millions of good people love Texas, and it is easy to understand why.  It has got a great culture, and there are so many good communities down there.

Utah – The south is being heavily affected by the drought, and so that is a major concern.  Up north, Salt Lake City is doing quite well, but if you aren’t a Mormon you may find it difficult to fit in.  As with all of these states, I would strongly recommend visiting before making a permanent decision to move there.

Vermont – So many of the exact same things that were said about New Hampshire could also be said about Vermont.  I would be half-tempted to move there myself for the great natural beauty, but unfortunately the liberals are making a complete mess of the state.

Virginia – I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, and I must admit that Charlottesville is one of my all-time favorite places in the entire country.  Unfortunately, Charlottesville’s good name has been dragged through the mud, and that is a terrible shame.  For the years ahead, I would want to be as far away from D.C. and Richmond as possible, and so I would focus on Roanoke and points west of there.

Washington – The western half of the state is dominated by the liberal bastion of Seattle, and the eastern half of the state is dominated by “Spo-caine”.  Trust me, you don’t want to cheap out on a hotel when you are staying in “Spo-caine” because you could end up in a drug-infested hellhole that doesn’t look like it has had any maintenance for 20 years.  Yes, there are some areas of northeastern Washington that are very good, but you will want to choose your community carefully.

West Virginia – If West Virginia did not have such crippling poverty and was not one of the national epicenters for our exploding opioid crisis, I am sure that we would be able to say some really good things about the state.  Unfortunately, the state just seems to spiral further and further downhill with each passing year.

Wisconsin – Most of the liberals are either in Madison or in Milwaukee, and so finding a spot up north would definitely be preferable.  Once again, it is bitterly cold in this state for much of the year, but if you can handle that a rural community in Wisconsin with easy access to fresh water is not a horrible choice.

Wyoming – There is so much good that can be said for Wyoming.  It is very conservative, the population density is extremely low, there is no state income tax, and there is so much great natural beauty. But it is very, very windy there.  The wind never seems to stop and it cuts through you like a knife, and this is particularly agonizing during the winter.

Michael Snyder is a nationally syndicated writer, media personality and political activist. He is the author of four books including The Beginning Of The End and Living A Life That Really Matters.

Drought Conditions In The Southwest Are So Bad That They Are Already Being Compared To The Dust Bowl Of The 1930s

The worst drought to hit the Southwest in decades continues to grow even worse, and many are already comparing this current crisis to the Dust Bowl days of the 1930s. Agricultural production is way down, major rivers are running dry, and horses are dropping dead from a lack of water. The epicenter of this drought is where the states of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico all come together, but it is also devastating areas of north Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas as well. Portions of seven states are already at the highest level of drought on the scale that scientists use, and summer won’t even start for about another two months. If we don’t start seeing some significant rainfall, it won’t be too long before massive dust storms start devastating the entire region. The mainstream media is finally beginning to wake up and start reporting on this crisis, and some reporters are choosing to make a direct comparison between this drought and the Dust Bowl conditions during the Great Depression…

Drought conditions are so severe across much of the Southwest that they rival those during the disastrous Dust Bowl period of the 1930s, when severe dust storms killed livestock and caused crops to fail.

Oklahoma State Climatologist Gary McManus said some climatological stations in the western part of his state have recorded less than 2 inches of rain since October.

“Some of those stations are pegging the driest 7-to-8 months on record for those locations,” McManus said.

If you are not familiar with the Dust Bowl period, you should be able to find a good documentary online to watch. It was one of the most painful periods in American history, and we could be right on the verge of a repeat.

Those that have followed my work for an extended period of time know that I have been warning about a return of Dust Bowl conditions, and now it is actually happening. The flow of the Colorado River is way, way down, and in some areas the Rio Grande has already dried up completely…

The drought has hit the Colorado River hard. Forecasters say the river will carry only about 43 percent of its average amount of water this year into Lake Powell, one of two big reservoirs on the system.

In New Mexico, stretches of the Rio Grande — another one of North America’s longest rivers — have already gone dry as biologists have been forced to scoop up as many endangered Rio Grande silvery minnows as possible so they can be moved upstream.

As urban populations have surged, the Southwest has already been dealing with unprecedented water stress, and now this crisis is going to take things to an entirely new level.

Meanwhile, this drought has been hitting farms really hard. Winter wheat production in some areas will be about half of what it was last year, and this summer some wheat farmers may have to abandon their fields entirely…

Yield potential for hard red winter wheat in southwest Kansas and northwestern Oklahoma is roughly half that of a year ago as exceptional drought conditions take a toll on the crop, scouts on an annual tour said on Wednesday.

Some farmers may be forced to abandon their wheat fields due to blisteringly dry growing conditions, adding to woes for those already suffering from declining global demand for U.S. wheat, scouts on the Wheat Quality Council tour said.

The United States has fallen to the No. 2 world exporter, behind top shipper Russia, and U.S. farmers this season planted the fewest wheat acres in a century. Kansas is the top wheat- growing U.S. state and Oklahoma is the fifth-largest producer.

Somewhere around 60 percent of all winter wheat in Texas is being graded “poor” or “very poor”, and Kansas is on pace to have its smallest winter wheat crop in nearly 30 years.

So what is going to happen this summer if we don’t see some substantial rainfall?

Many fear the worst. In fact, one top expert is warning that agricultural losses in the state of Texas alone this year will be in the “billions”…

Home to one of the nation’s most fertile farming areas—crop production in the Texas region alone generates about $12 billion in economic activity—observers say the drought could punish the agricultural sector, affecting everything from cotton to cattle to farming-equipment sales.

“It’s going to be in the billions in terms of crop loss,” said Darren Hudson, director of the International Center for Agricultural Competitiveness at Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

A lot of people don’t get too emotional about crops dying, but when horses start dropping dead that is another thing entirely.

At the top of this article I told you that horses have been dropping dead in the Southwest from a lack of water, and it isn’t just a few.

In fact, one media outlet recently reported the discovery of almost 200 dead horses around a dried up watering hole…

Off a northern Arizona highway surrounded by pastel-colored desert is one of the starkest examples of drought’s grip on the American Southwest: Nearly 200 dead horses surrounded by cracked earth, swirling dust and a ribbon of water that couldn’t quench their thirst. Flesh exposed and in various stages of decomposition, the carcasses form a circle around a dry watering hole sunken in the landscape, CBS affiliate KPHO-TV reports.

And please keep in mind that this is just May.

What are things going to look like once we get to July and August?

This is what a severe drought looks like. We haven’t seen anything like this since the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and to be honest the Southwest is completely unprepared for what is about to happen.

Let us pray that rain comes soon, because without sufficient precipitation things could go from bad to worse very rapidly.

Michael Snyder is a nationally syndicated writer, media personality and political activist. He is the author of four books including The Beginning Of The End and Living A Life That Really Matters.

Hurricane Harvey Aftermath: 100,000 Homes Destroyed, A Million Vehicles Ruined And Bottled Water Being Sold For $99 A Case

It is now being estimated that the total amount of economic damage caused by Hurricane Harvey will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 190 billion dollars. It is a disaster unlike anything that we have ever seen before in all of U.S. history, and federal officials are already admitting that they are literally going to be dealing with the aftermath of this storm for “years”. At this point, more than 100,000 homes have been destroyed, “up to one million vehicles” have been ruined, and many retailers have already been caught engaging in extreme price gouging. But this could be just the beginning, because this storm has already rendered many areas along the Gulf coast “uninhabitable” for an extended period of time, and as you will see at the end of this article another hurricane may be arriving early next month.

What we just witnessed in Houston is being called “a 1,000-year-flood”, and many basic necessities are now in extremely short supply. So of course it was inevitable that this would lead to price gouging, and this is reportedly even happening at some of the largest retail chains. For example, at one Best Buy store cases of bottled water were being sold for 42 dollars…

On Friday, a Twitter user shared a picture of cases of bottled water being sold at a Best Buy in Houston. One of the cases was being sold for $42 when it normally retailed for about $15.

A Best Buy spokesman later apologized, saying it was a ‘big mistake’.

But that water was quite cheap compared to prices in other parts of the city. According to CNN, one convenience store in Houston was actually charging 20 dollars for a single gallon of gasoline and 99 dollars for a case of bottled water…

Texas officials say they’ve gotten hundreds of complaints about price gouging and scams in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

One convenience store in Houston reportedly charged $20 for a gallon of gas, $8.50 for a bottle of water and $99 for a case of water, according to the Texas Attorney General’s office.

The state has received 684 complaints in all, according to Kayleigh Lovvorn, a spokeswoman for the office.

It is inexcusable to take advantage of people during a crisis in this way. So many are running low on food, water and other basic supplies, and to try to make a quick profit by engaging in price gouging just isn’t right.

In the end, many people are going to have to leave Houston and never look back. To this day some parts of New Orleans still have not recovered from the devastation that Hurricane Katrina caused, and we are facing a similar scenario now with Houston. According to AccuWeather president Joel Myers, it will be “weeks and possibly months” before people can even get back into certain parts of Houston…

Hurricane Harvey could be the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history with a potential price tag of $190 billion, according to a preliminary estimate from private weather firm AccuWeather.

This is equal to the combined cost of Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, and represents a 1% economic hit to the gross national product, AccuWeather said.

“Parts of Houston, the United States’ fourth largest city, will be uninhabitable for weeks and possibly months due to water damage, mold, disease-ridden water and all that will follow this 1,000-year flood,” said AccuWeather president Joel Myers.

I don’t think that the U.S. population as a whole really grasps what has just taken place.

Large stretches of the 4th-largest city in the United States have been destroyed. Millions that were living comfortable middle class lives have now lost everything that they worked for. Large numbers of people did not have flood insurance, and so they will be leaning on the federal government for assistance. Many did have flood insurance, and a significant number of insurance companies may end up going bankrupt because of all the claims that will be suddenly pouring in. Houston was one of the most important hubs for economic activity in our entire nation, and the economic damage from this crisis will literally stretch on for years.

But despite everything that has happened, many are being very bitter and very cruel on social media and on the comments sections of major news websites. Apparently many on the left do not believe that compassion is appropriate because this storm hit a conservative state like Texas. Not everything has to be politicized, and it has greatly disturbed me to see just how cold many hearts in this nation have become.

And what is truly frightening is that another hurricane is potentially heading toward the Gulf of Mexico. It is still way too early to project exactly if it will make landfall or where, but it is being reported that Hurricane Irma has already become a category 3 storm…

Hurricane Irma continued its rapid power grab Thursday, with wind speeds increasing by more than 55 mph since Wednesday to become a major Cat 3 storm.

In their 5 p.m. advisory, National Hurricane Center forecasters said sustained winds had climbed to 115 mph as the storm headed to the west, northwest at 12 mph. Irma remains in the far east Atlantic, just over 1,700 miles east of the Leeward Islands. Up and down changes in intensity are possible over the next few days, forecasters said, but the storm is expected to remain a major hurricane that could become a Cat 4 storm in four days.

I am proud of how the Trump administration is handling this crisis, and when I win my race for Congress I look forward to working with Trump to make sure that our nation is always prepared to handle this sort of event.

And please keep praying for Houston, because if another major hurricane were to hit that area it would be a nightmare beyond anything that any of us would ever want to imagine.

Michael Snyder is a Republican candidate for Congress in Idaho’s First Congressional District, and you can learn how you can get involved in the campaign on his official website. His new book entitled “Living A Life That Really Matters” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.

Unprecedented Disaster: Hurricane Harvey Has Shattered The Rainfall Record For The Continental United States

Never before have we seen a storm dump more than 50 inches of rain on a single location in the continental United States. The previous record for rainfall in the continental United States occurred when Tropical Storm Amelia dumped 48 inches of rain on Medina, Texas in 1978. But now one spot in southeast Texas has already received 52 inches of rain, and the rain continues to fall. And overall, 14 different spots in the Houston area have already gotten more than 40 inches of rain. Authorities are telling us that this will easily be the most costly disaster in all of U.S. history, but nobody will be able to truly assess the total damage that has been done until the rain finally stops.

Sadly, meteorologists say that some parts of Texas will continue to get more rain all the way through Thursday. By that time, some areas may receive an additional 20 inches of rain on top of what they already have…

Wide swaths of southeast Texas have been devastated by Tropical Storm Harvey, with some areas drowning in nearly 40 inches of water — and Lone Star State residents are bracing for another beating with up to 20 more inches of rain.

If you have seen video of the flooding that is taking place in Houston, it is hard to imagine that things could get much worse. As I mentioned above, many areas already have more than 40 inches of rain, and one spot in southeast Texas has actually gotten 52 inches of rain…

A preliminary report from a rain gauge on the Cedar Bayou, east of Highlands, Texas, reported 51.88 inches of rain as of 3 p.m. Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

Earlier in the day, a weather station southeast of Houston at Mary’s Creek at Winding Road, reported 49.32 inches of rain, the weather service said.

Both reports break the previous continental U.S. record of 48 inches set in 1978 in Medina, Texas, by Tropical Storm Amelia.

In addition to all of the rainfall, a major problem is the fact that river levels are rising to extremely dangerous levels. One levee has already been breached, and water has gone over the top of the 108 foot spillway for the Addicks Reservoir for the first time in history…

An already-swollen reservoir west of downtown Houston overtopped its spillway Tuesday, sending an “uncontrolled release” of Harvey’s floodwaters into nearby neighborhoods, as a separate levee breach south of the city prompted an urgent warning for residents to leave immediately.

Floodwaters in the the Addicks Reservoir, located about 19 miles west of downtown, went over the top of the 108-foot spillway for the first time in history, threatening immediate surrounding subdivisions.

Unfortunately, disasters such as this tend to bring out the worst in people. As I mentioned yesterday, police have been busy rounding up looters, and some businesses have been caught engaging in extreme price gouging…

Over the weekend, more than 500 complaints of price gouging were lodged with the Texas attorney general’s office, according to CNBC—including $99 cases of bottled water, gas at $10 a gallon and hotels tripled or quadrupled in price.

I suppose that it is just human nature to do that, but to me that is utterly shameful.

It is during times of testing that our character is truly revealed. So many down in Houston have been absolutely incredible throughout this entire crisis, while others have shown all of us who they really and truly are.

Our fourth largest city is in the process of literally being destroyed, and I am so thankful for everyone that is working to rescue, house and feed those that are in desperate need. Sadly, there are others that are not stepping up to the plate, and they are being greatly criticized for it.

According to former FEMA Director Michael Brown, the economic damage being done by this storm will ultimately make it “the most expensive natural disaster in American history”…

“There are several factors that make it worse than Katrina. For one, there is the scope of the flooding. Harris County and the surrounding areas are so saturated,” Brown told the Houston Chronicle.

“Also, the amount of damages will continue to grow. There will be mold and structural damages adding up.” Brown said when Tropical Storm Harvey finally goes away, it will leave an incredible bill for taxpayers to pick up.

“This will be unfathomably expensive for both the private sector and taxpayers,” Brown said. “This will be easily the most expensive natural disaster in American history.”

Please pray for southeast Texas and for all of the people that have had their lives turned completely upside down by this storm. We have never seen anything like this before in the history of our country, and this crisis is still far from over.

Michael Snyder is a Republican candidate for Congress in Idaho’s First Congressional District, and you can learn how you can get involved in the campaign on his official website. His new book entitled “Living A Life That Really Matters” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.

Hurricane Harvey Has Dumped 15 Trillion Gallons Of Water On Texas And May Be The Most Expensive Natural Disaster In U.S. History

Authorities are now telling us that Hurricane Harvey may end up causing more economic damage than even Hurricane Katrina did. We already knew that some parts of southeast Texas are going to be “uninhabitable for an extended period of time”, but the latest forecasts are calling for about 10 more inches of total rain than had previously been projected. At this moment 15 trillion gallons of water have already been dumped on Texas, and the rain continues to fall. You can get some idea of the devastation that has taken place in Houston by watching this drone footage. Essentially, some communities along the southeast Texas coastline have been totally destroyed.

It would be bad enough if 15 trillion gallons of water were dropped anywhere in the continental United States, but for it to happen in the Houston area makes it a disaster of unprecedented proportions. Houston is our fourth largest city, and that means that millions upon millions of people are being deeply affected by this storm. As I mentioned above, some experts now believe that this could end up being the most expensive natural disaster in our history…

Tropical Storm Harvey has dropped more than 15 trillion gallons of water on Texas, triggering catastrophic, unprecedented flooding in the Houston area. The rains have broken all-time records, exceeding the rainfall totals seen during Tropical Storm Allison in 2001.

There may be no parallel available to any other rainstorm in U.S. history, based on the number of people affected, amount of water involved, and other factors, meteorologists have warned.

Due to its wide geographic scope across America’s 4th-largest city, the ensuing flood disaster may rank as one of the most, if not the most, expensive natural disaster in U.S. history.

And 15 trillion gallons is just the current number. Meteorologists are forecasting that another 6 trillion gallons of water will fall on Texas before this storm is over.

Just yesterday, authorities were warning that some areas may see more than 40 inches of total rain, but now many forecasts are calling for “as much as 50 inches of rain” before Hurricane Harvey finally leaves Texas…

As the water rose, the National Weather Service issued another ominous forecast: Before the storm is gone, some parts of Houston and its suburbs could get as much as 50 inches of rain. That would be the highest amount ever recorded in Texas.

FEMA’s Long predicted that the aftermath of the storm would require FEMA’s involvement for years.

“This disaster’s going to be a landmark event,” Long said.

If these forecasts are accurate, the rainfall levels will exceed any previous record.

In fact, the amount of rain that has already fallen on southeast Texas would be enough to completely fill the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and then fill it all the way to the top again.

FEMA officials are already saying that they are going to be in the Houston area for “years”. Tens of thousands are already using temporary shelters, and it is being projected that 450,000 people will ultimately file for disaster assistance…

U.S. emergency management officials said on Monday they were expediting federal resources to Texas to help with rescue efforts after Hurricane Harvey swamped coastal areas of the state and forced 30,000 people to seek refuge in temporary shelters.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long said more than 450,000 people were expected to seek disaster assistance due to flooding after Harvey made landfall during the weekend before weakening to tropical storm status.

Of course whenever there is a disaster such as this, bad people are going to try to take advantage of the situation.

According to Houston police chief Art Acevedo, a number of looters have already been arrested…

Acevedo also said officers are focused on protecting the city from looters as floodwater recede.

“We’ve already arrested a handful of looters. We’ve made it real clear to our community we’re going to do whatever it takes to protect their homes and their businesses,” Acevedo said. “And when people come from the outside to Houston, Texas, know we’re going to be out in the city, we’re not going to rest as a police department or law enforcement community until people restore their lives.”

I am proud of how the Trump administration and the authorities down in Texas are responding to this unprecedented crisis. The loss of life appears to be minimal so far, and thousands of people have been rescued from their homes and vehicles.

We never give emergency responders the credit that they deserve. Day after day they are saving lives in the most difficult of situations, and I am so thankful for all of the wonderful people that are working so hard to help Houston pull through this.

Please keep the people of Houston in your prayers, because this is truly the worst crisis that city has ever seen.

Michael Snyder is a Republican candidate for Congress in Idaho’s First Congressional District, and you can learn how you can get involved in the campaign on his official website. His new book entitled “Living A Life That Really Matters” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.

Hurricane Harvey Will Render Some Parts Of Texas ‘Uninhabitable For An Extended Period Of Time’

Do you remember what Hurricane Katrina did to New Orleans? Well, now we are watching the same thing happen to southeast Texas. On Friday, Hurricane Harvey made landfall as a category 4 hurricane. It is the first hurricane to make landfall in the United States in 12 years, and it is the most powerful storm to hit the state of Texas in at least 50 years. One meteorologist is saying that what we are witnessing is “worse than the worst-case scenario for Houston”, and another stated that this storm “could easily be one of the worst flooding disasters in U.S. history”.

It would be difficult to overstate the devastation in the Houston area at this moment. Hurricane Harvey has ripped roofs off of homes, turned vehicles over and snapped thousands of trees. Thousands have been rescued from their homes and vehicles, and it is being reported that so far five people have died. In fact, one woman’s dead body was actually spotted floating down the street.

According to the National Weather Service, over 24 inches of rain fell in Houston in just a 24 hour period. More rain continues to fall in southeast Texas, and meteorologists are running out of adjectives to describe the nightmare that is currently unfolding…

“It’s catastrophic, unprecedented, epic — whatever adjective you want to use,” Patrick Blood, a National Weather Service meteorologist, told the Chronicle. “It’s pretty horrible right now.” The newspaper reported the weather service said five people have died in the Houston area in unconfirmed flood-related deaths.

The latest forecasts are telling us that we could see a total of 40 to 50 inches of rain in southeast Texas by Thursday, and so some areas will actually receive a “year’s worth of rain” in less than a week…

“A year’s worth of rain may fall in the span of a few days near the Texas Gulf Coast,” reported Weather.com. “A multi-day deluge of the Texas Gulf Coast with catastrophic and life-threatening flooding and destructive winds through could leave areas uninhabitable for an extended period of time, the National Weather Service has warned.”

Did you catch that last part?

The National Weather Service is actually saying that some portions of Texas could be “uninhabitable for an extended period of time” as a result of this storm.

It appears to be inevitable that more people are doing to die before this is all over. Authorities are trying to rescue as many people as they can, but there just aren’t enough resources.

As the water continues to climb, some people are actually climbing into their attics in a desperate attempt to save themselves, but that is a very bad idea…

“We are getting calls from people climbing into their attic. This is along I-45 between downtown and Clear Lake,” Lindner said. “This is along Berry Bayou, Beamer Ditch, Turkey Creek, portions of Clear Creek, Vince Bayou, Little Vince Bayou in Pasadena,” he said. “Pretty much the entire southeast side of Harris County has had 13 to 15 inches of rain in three hours.”

Lindner said they’re also seeing flooding along portions of Hunting Bayou, downtown along Buffalo Bayou, Brays Bayou and Keegan’s Bayou.

Chief Art Acevedo tweeted,” have reports of people getting into attic to escape floodwater do not do so unless you have an ax or means to break through onto your roof.”

This is already being called “a once in a 500 year flood”, and the experts are already telling us that the total economic damage is going to be in the tens of billions of dollars.

Earlier this month, I wrote about an unusual series of events that would happen over a 40 day period starting with the recent solar eclipse, but of course at the time I couldn’t account for additional unexpected events such as Hurricane Harvey. And I find it very interesting that this hurricane began forming just about the same time as the eclipse. The following comes from Wikipedia…

The eighth named storm, third hurricane, and the first major hurricane of the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, Harvey developed from a tropical wave to the east of the Lesser Antilles on August 17. The storm crossed through the Windward Islands on the following day, passing just south of Barbados and later near Saint Vincent. Upon entering the Caribbean Sea, Harvey began to weaken due to moderate wind shear and degenerated into a tropical wave north of Colombia early on August 19. The remnants were monitored for regeneration as it continued west-northwestward across the Caribbean and the Yucatán Peninsula, before re-developing over the Bay of Campeche on August 23. Harvey then began to rapidly intensify on August 24, re-gaining tropical storm status and becoming a hurricane later that day. Moving generally northwestwards, Harvey’s intensification phase stalled slightly overnight from August 24–25, however Harvey soon resumed strengthening and became a Category 4 hurricane late on August 25. Hours later, Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas, at peak intensity.

As a result of this storm, thousands could be trapped in their homes without power for an extended period of time.

Do you think that those that have been storing up food and emergency supplies all this time will be glad that they have done so?

Of course the answer to that question is obvious. If you wait until disaster strikes to get prepared, it will be too late. A whole lot of people down in Texas are going to end up in some very desperate situations because they never believed that something like this could ever happen to them.

For those of you that would like some helpful advice on getting prepared for future disasters, I would encourage you to check out a book that I co-authored with Barbara Fix entitled “Get Prepared Now”. Barbara is a highly respected prepping expert, and she is also getting heavily involved in my campaign for Congress. So much of the information in that book is timeless, and my hope is that we can encourage as many people as possible to start getting prepared because very troubled times are ahead of us.

Please pray for the people in Houston and throughout the entire southeast Texas area. We truly have not seen a storm like this since Hurricane Katrina, and many portions of the Texas Gulf Coast will be changed forever by this disaster.

Michael Snyder is a Republican candidate for Congress in Idaho’s First Congressional District, and you can learn how you can get involved in the campaign on his official website. His new book entitled “Living A Life That Really Matters” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.

How To Protect Your Children From The Human Traffickers And Sexual Perverts That Are Lurking At Your Favorite Retail Stores

We live in a society where human traffickers and sexual perverts seem to be multiplying.  It has been reported that there are 747,408 registered sex offenders in the United States, but the latest figure we have is now about five years old, so that total is almost certainly significantly higher today.  It has also been reported that there are 1.5 million victims of human trafficking in the United States, and most of those are female.  In every community in the country, there are vicious predators that are always on the hunt for new victims.  Of course we could just ignore reality and pretend that “most people are good people”, but being careless would only put our children at risk.  After decades of feeding our minds with sick and twisted material, our society has literally become sick and twisted, and so it is important for parents to know how to protect their children in such an environment.

Yesterday, I shared the story of a mother that almost had her two-year-old daughter taken by a team of child abductors in Longview, Texas.

Today, I want to share with you the story of a mother of three children that encountered a team of predators while she was shopping in IKEA.  The following was posted on Facebook by Diandra Toyos on March 23rd…

I wanted to share this again publicly in case any of you want to share with your mom friends… I’ve added some details and some things to be aware of that we have thought of since talking about the experience.

I recently read a post written by a mother I didn’t know, that went viral. She described an event that happened to her while she was at target. She and her children were targeted by human traffickers. She talked about how when she reported the incident after the fact, she was told that this was a very common way they worked.

I read things like that, and I always think “wow, that’s so scary… I need to be careful”. But I also always think “that could never happen to me.”

But you guys, it did.

A few days ago, my mom and I took the kids (I have 3 kids. A daughter who is 4, and two sons, 1.5 years and 7 weeks) to IKEA. We enjoy going and it’s always nice to get the kids out of the house! We went specifically to look at couches. We were in the couch section and the kids were enjoying climbing on each couch and trying them out. My daughter was trying to convince us which couch we should get. My older son was happily walking from couch to couch, flopping himself on each one. My baby boy was snuggled into the sling, sound asleep. After a few minutes, I noticed a well dressed, middle aged man circling the area, getting closer to me and the kids. At one point he came right up to me and the boys, and instinctively I put myself between he and my mobile son. I had a bad feeling. He continued to circle the area, staring at the kids. He occasionally picked something up, pretending to look at it but looking right over at us instead. My mom noticed as well and mentioned that we needed to keep an eye on him. We moved on… and so did he. Closely. My son wandered into one of the little display rooms across from the couches and I followed him closely with my baby strapped to me. My mom said she watched as the older man dropped what he was doing and quickly and closely followed us into the area. At the same time, she noticed another man dressed more casually and in his 20s. He wasn’t looking at us, but was walking the same circling pattern around us as the first man. My mom and I decided to sit down and wait for them to move on. We had a gut feeling something was going on, but we hoped we were wrong and they would move on. So we sat in one of the little display rooms. For close to 30 minutes. And they sat too. They sat down on one of the couches on the display floor that faced us. That was when we knew our gut feeling was right and something was off. They sat the whole time we sat, and stood up right as we got up. We continued on and my mom turned around and realized the two men had moved and were sitting only one couch away from each other, still facing our direction. The older man was still watching us. She made eye contact… very clearly letting them know that we saw them. And we moved on. We managed to lose them at that point. (We talked with an employee, circled back and used the bathroom and went out into a different section). But still kept the kids right with us the whole time. I kept the baby in the sling which kept my hands free and my eyes too. I didn’t have to keep an eye on the stroller AND two kids… I just had to watch my older ones. When we got through the maze of IKEA, we reported what happened to security.

After talking through the experience, there are some things I want to point out.

These men weren’t shopping. While they walked around the store, they weren’t looking at things… not really. The older man would occasionally pick something up and act like he was looking at it, but he’d look right over the top of it at my kids. Then he’d drop it and move on as soon as we did.

They weren’t waiting for anyone. Often you see men in a place like IKEA waiting for their wives, but these guys appeared to be alone. They didn’t even talk to each other. They didn’t talk to anyone. They didn’t smile casually at people (in fact, early on, I looked at the older guy when he got close to us and smiled… which is something I do regularly when I’m out.. I’m always making eye contact with people. He instantly looked away. That was odd to me).

They were dressed nicely but very differently. I would never have put these two together. And they didn’t appear to be together.

The area they were hanging around had an exit right by it. IKEA is a massive confusing maze of a store. But they could have run out that exit with my child and handed them off to someone waiting outside and been gone before I could find them.

Something was off. We knew it in our gut. I am almost sure that we were the targets of human trafficking. This is happening all over. Including the United States. It’s in our backyards. I’m reading more and more about these experiences and it’s terrifying. If not that, something else shady was obviously going on. Either way, as parents, we NEED to be aware.

Please PLEASE be aware when you’re out with your children. It’s not the time to be texting or facebooking or chatting on the phone. When you’re in a public place with your kids, please be aware and present so that you don’t become a victim. Had I not been paying attention that day… or had I let my kids roam and play while I checked my phone… I may have lost one. The thought just makes me completely ill. (Especially because I’ve been guilty of this!)

Also, in hindsight, I would have taken a picture of the guys. Probably right in their faces so they saw me do it.

Trust your gut. It’s there for a reason.

What Diandra has shared is very wise.  As a parent, you have got to trust your instincts.  Personally, I know that my own instincts have gotten me out of a number of very bad situations over the years.  If someone or something sets off alarm bells in your head, don’t hesitate to take action.

In the old days, parents would often let their children roam around a store while they were shopping.  But you simply cannot do that in this day and age.  While shopping you should always have your children immediately around you, and for toddlers many parents find a safety harness to be a useful tool.

In addition, some parents dress their children in bright colors when they go out in public so that they are easier to identify.

If you do get separated from a child, having a recent digital photo on your phone is very helpful.  That way store staff members and law enforcement personnel can be shown exactly who they should be looking for.

Once your children are old enough to understand, you will want to talk to them about stranger safety.  If your children know how to handle situations in advance that will greatly help if something does arise.

Predators often like to target children when they go into bathrooms, so it is crucial to always accompany your child into public toilets.

Also, you do not ever want to leave a child unattended in a vehicle.  If someone is going to abduct your child, their goal is to get that child into their vehicle, and so parking lots are always particularly dangerous.

If you have become aware that an individual or a group of people are tracking you and your children while inside a store, don’t race outside to your vehicle because that is often exactly what they want.  What these predators don’t want is to have light shined on them, so staring back to let them know that you are on to them can sometimes be an effective defense.  Even better is to get out your phone or camera and take a picture of them.  And of course you should always contact store personnel and let them know what is going on.  In most cases, someone from the store will be more than happy to accompany you and your children to your vehicle once the threat has passed.

Whenever you go out, always arrange a meeting point for you and your children in case you get separated.

On your way home, if you feel like a vehicle is following you, don’t be afraid to take a detour from your normal route in order to try to shake them.  Something as simple as turning into a gas station to see if a vehicle will keep following you is often enough.  But if you are being followed, do not stop or get out of your vehicle because that is often exactly what they want.

In addition to the tips that I have just shared, the following are some tips about stranger safety that come from the Today Show that you can share with your children…

  1. Do not get into any car unless your parents personally tell you to do so. Also, stay away from anyone who follows you on foot or in a car. You do not need and should not go near a car to talk to the people inside.
  2. Adults and other people who need help should not be asking a child for help; they should be asking other adults. Adults should not be asking you for directions or to look for a “lost puppy,” or telling you that your mother or father is in trouble and that they will take you to them.
  3. Quickly get away from anyone who tries to take you somewhere. Yell or scream, “This person is not my father (or mother).”
  4. You should use the “buddy system” and never go places alone. Always ask your parents’ permission to leave the yard/play area or to go over to someone’s home, and especially always ask permission before you go into someone’s home.
  5. Never, never hitchhike! Do not try to get a ride with people unless your parents have told you it’s OK to do so.
  6. People should not ask you to keep a special secret. If they do, tell your parents or teacher. Also, tell anyone who wants to take your picture, “No,” and quickly tell your parents or teacher.
  7. No one should touch you on the parts of the body covered by your bathing suit, nor should you touch anyone else in those areas. Your body is special and private.
  8. You can be assertive and you have the right to say “No” to someone, including adults and even relatives or friends who try to take you somewhere against your will, touch you or make you feel uncomfortable in ANY WAY.
  9. NOTE: Many parents use a special code word that only the child knows to convey a message should someone other than a parent ask a child to accompany them anywhere.
  10. THE YELL: Practice a “special” yell. It is low, loud and long. It tells the person trying to hurt the child, “I know what to do! I’m not an easy victim!” It tells everyone within the sound of the child’s voice, “I need help!” It gets the child going, it breaks the “spell.” A child should not panic and freeze, thereby becoming immobile in an emergency. When you yell you take a deep breath, thereby getting oxygen and energy to your brain and muscles. Your own yell can give you courage and get your feet moving when you need to run away!

America in 2017 is not like America was in 1950.

We live at a time when we all should be paying special attention to security.  Because even though everything might seem “normal” most of the time, it only takes a single bad encounter to suddenly change everything.

As our society continues to unravel, the number of predators is only going to continue to grow, and protecting our children is of the utmost importance.

U.S. judge blocks Texas plan to cut Planned Parenthood Medicaid funds

A U.S. judge in Austin issued a preliminary injunction on Tuesday halting Texas’ plan to cut Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood, saying the state did not present evidence of a program violation that would warrant termination.

U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks said state health officials “likely acted to disenroll qualified health care providers from Medicaid without cause.” He said the preliminary injunction will preserve the court’s ability to render a meaningful decision on the case’s merits.

(Read the rest of the story here…)

Unhappy Holidays: Houston Police Force Homeless People To Throw Away Food

homeless-photo-by-psyberartist

On Thursday, the Houston Police Department targeted a group of homeless advocates who were attempting to hand out hot food and gifts to the homeless.

Local activists attempting to hand out food and gifts were shocked on Thursday afternoon when Houston police forced the homeless to throw away the donations.  Around 1 pm on Thursday,  several individuals met in downtown Houston to distribute plates of hot food, blankets, and other supplies to the city’s growing homeless population. Soon after, Houston police arrived on the scene of two different intersections where the homeless advocates were giving out gifts and food.

According to witness testimony posted on Facebook, the police instructed the homeless to throw away everything they had been given. “Not only were the police called, but they brought a large waste management truck and are forcing the homeless to throw away their food, pillows and other items,” reads one post.

Prominent Baptist Minister Says ‘Gay Marriage’ Is ‘Law of Land,’ Christians Need to Move on to Abortion

gay-students-public-domain

Like President-elect Donald Trump, a prominent Baptist minister in Texas who backed Trump’s campaign efforts says that despite his opposition, same-sex “marriage” is “settled law,” and Christians should move on to another issue, such as abortion.

Robert Jeffress, who leads First Baptist Church in Dallas, spoke last week with Good Morning Texas, which noted that Jeffress’ longstanding fight against the issue is now “water under the bridge.”

“This is not going to be re-litigated by the Supreme Court. That is the law of the land. I wish it were different, but it’s not different,” he said emphatically.

(Read the rest of the story here…)

It Is Happening Again! Voting Machines Are Switching Votes From Donald Trump To Hillary Clinton

vote-with-check-mark-public-domain

Is the 2016 election in the process of being stolen? Just a few weeks ago I issued a major alert warning that this exact sort of thing might happen. Early voting has already begun in many states, and a number of voters in Texas are reporting that the voting machines switched their votes from Donald Trump to Hillary Clinton. The odd thing is that none of the other choices were affected when these individuals attempted to vote for a straight Republican ticket. If Hillary Clinton is declared the winner of the state of Texas on election night, a full investigation of these voting machines should be conducted, because there is no way that Donald Trump should lose that state. I have said that it will be the greatest miracle in U.S. political history if Donald Trump wins this election, but without the state of Texas Donald Trump has exactly zero chance of winning. So those living down in Texas need to keep reporting anything unusual that they see or hear when they go to vote.

Most Americans don’t realize this, but the exact same thing was happening during the last presidential election. The state of Ohio was considered to be the key to Mitt Romney’s chances of winning in 2012, and right up to election day the Romney campaign actually believed that they were going to win the state.

Unfortunately for Romney, something funny was going on with the voting machines. In a previous article, I included a quote from an Ohio voter that had her vote switched from Mitt Romney to Barack Obama three times…

“I don’t know if it happened to anybody else or not, but this is the first time in all the years that we voted that this has ever happened to me,” said Marion, Ohio, voter Joan Stevens.

Stevens said that when she voted, it took her three tries before the machine accepted her choice to vote for Romney.

“I went to vote and I got right in the middle of Romney’s name,” Stevens told Fox News, saying that she was certain to put her finger directly on her choice for the White House.

She said that the first time she pushed “Romney,” the machine marked “Obama.”

So she pushed Romney again. Obama came up again. Then it happened a third time.

“Maybe you make a mistake once, but not three times,” she told Fox News.

And we did see some very, very strange numbers come out of certain areas of Ohio four years ago.

For example, there were more than 100 precincts in Cuyahoga County in which Barack Obama got at least 99 percent of the vote in 2012.

If that happened in just one precinct that would be odd enough. But the odds of it happening in more than 100 precincts in just one county by random chance are so low that they aren’t even worth mentioning.

And of course this didn’t just happen in Ohio. Similar things were happening all over the country.

The reason why I bring all of this up is to show that there is a pattern. If a fair vote had been conducted, Romney may have indeed won in 2012, and now it appears that voting machines are being rigged again.

In Wichita County, Texas so many people were reporting that their votes were being switched from Trump to Clinton that it made the local newspaper…

Shortly after early voting booths opened Monday in Wichita County, rumors swirled online about possible errors in the process. Several online posts claimed a friend or family member had attempted to vote straight party Republican ticket, but their presidential nomination was switched to the Democratic nominee, Hilary Clinton. None of the local reports were from people who experienced the situation first hand. A Bowie woman posted that a relative who lives in Arlington saw her votes “switched.” The post was shared more than 100,000 times Monday.

And Paul Joseph Watson has written about some specific individuals that are making allegations that their votes for president were switched by the machines. One of the examples that he cited was a Facebook post by Lisa Houlette of Amarillo, Texas…

Gary and I went to early vote today…I voted a straight Republican ticket and as I scrolled to submit my ballot I noticed that the Republican Straight ticket was highlighted, however, the clinton/kaine box was also highlighted! I tried to go back and change and could not get it to work. I asked for help from one of the workers and she couldn’t get it to go back either. It took a second election person to get the machine to where I could correct the vote to a straight ticket. Be careful and double check your selections before you cast your vote! Don’t hesitate to ask for help. I had to have help to get mine changed.

I don’t know about you, but major alarm bells went off in my head when I read that.

A similar incident was reported on Facebook by Shandy Clark of Arlington, Texas…

Hey everyone, just a heads up! I had a family member that voted this morning and she voted straight Republican. She checked before she submitted and the vote had changed to Clinton! She reported it and made sure her vote was changed back. They commented that It had been happening. She is trying to get the word out and asked that we post and share. Just want everyone’s vote to be accurate and count. Check your vote before you submit!

And of course they weren’t the only ones reporting vote switching. It turns out that lots of other Texans have also experienced this phenomenon…

texas-votes-being-switched-from-trump-to-clinton-facebook

So is there a serious problem with the voting machines?

According to Breitbart, one county in Texas has already removed all electronic voting machines and has made an emergency switch to paper ballots…

Chambers County election officials have executed an emergency protocol to remove all electronic voting machines available during early voting until a software update can be completed to correct problems experienced by straight-ticket voters.

Chambers County Clerk Heather Hawthorne told Breitbart Texas Tuesday morning that all electronic voting was temporarily halted until her office completes a “software update” on ES&S machines that otherwise “omit one race” when a straight ticket option is selected for either major party. The Texas 14th Court of Appeals race was reported to be the contest in which voters commonly experienced the glitch.

Let’s keep a very close eye on this. If the state of Texas ends up in Trump’s column on election night, perhaps no harm has been done.

But if Trump loses Texas there is no possible way that he will be able to make up those 38 electoral votes somewhere else.

Despite what the mainstream media is saying, the truth is that election fraud is very real. Just the other day, WND published an article that contained a list of documented cases of election fraud in 23 different states. And Devvy Kidd just authored a piece that pointed out that there are 24 million voter registrations in this country that are “no longer valid or are significantly inaccurate“…

In 2012 the highly respected Pew Research Center exposed the sickening state of voter rolls in this country:

Nearly 2 million deceased registered to vote
Close to 3 million registered in multiples states
Approximately 24 million—one of every eight—voter registrations in the United States are no longer valid or are significantly inaccurate
More than 1.8 million deceased individuals are listed as voters
Approximately 2.75 million people have registrations in more than one state

But despite everything you just read, the mainstream media is trying very hard to prop up faith in the integrity of the process. In fact, just today CNN came out with an article entitled “Poll: Most see a Hillary Clinton victory and a fair count ahead“…

Almost 7 in 10 voters nationwide say they think Hillary Clinton will win the presidency next month, but most say that if that happens, Donald Trump will not accept the results and concede, according to a new CNN/ORC poll.

Americans overall are more confident that the nation’s votes for president will be cast and counted accurately this year than they were in 2008. Whatever the outcome, however, nearly 8 in 10 say that once all the states have certified their vote counts, the losing candidate has an obligation to accept the results and concede to the winner.

Unfortunately, CNN does not have much credibility left at this point, and it is getting harder and harder to believe the polls that are being put out by the mainstream media.

And the mainstream media would also have us believe that if evidence of election fraud does emerge that it will be because the Russians have made it up…

U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials are warning that hackers with ties to Russia’s intelligence services could try to undermine the credibility of the presidential election by posting documents online purporting to show evidence of voter fraud.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said however, that the U.S. election system is so large, diffuse and antiquated that hackers would not be able to change the outcome of the Nov. 8 election.

But hackers could post documents, some of which might be falsified, that are designed to create public perceptions of widespread voter fraud, the officials said.

Now that is a real “conspiracy theory”, and it would be incredibly funny if all of this wasn’t so serious.

During this election season, if you see or hear anything unusual about voting in your area, please report it.

The American people should be allowed to make a free and fair choice, and anyone that attempts to alter an election is committing a crime against all of us.

And let’s watch the state of Texas very carefully. If it goes blue, you will know that something has gone terribly, terribly wrong.

About the author: Michael Snyder is the founder and publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog and End Of The American Dream. Michael’s controversial new book about Bible prophecy entitled “The Rapture Verdict” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.*

Never Before Has America Been Hit By So Many Historic Floods In Such a Short Period Of Time

Flooding - Public Domain

The United States has been hit by seven historic floods since the month of September, and the latest one is making headlines all over the planet. This week, nearly two feet of rain triggered record-setting flooding in parts of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, and more rain is expected for the area as we move into the weekend. Flooding along one part of the Sabine River has already broken the previous record by more than five feet, and this crisis is far from over. Of course this just continues a trend that I have been documenting for months now. Never before in U.S. history have we ever seen so many historic floods in such a compressed time frame.

The area right along the Texas/Louisiana border is a complete and total disaster right now. The following report about what the region is currently experiencing comes from weather.com…

This multi-day heavy rain saga, which has dumped up to almost two feet of rain in parts of the South, is still triggering destructive flash flooding, and has driven or will drive some rivers to historic levels in the days ahead.

Record flooding is already occurring along a stretch of the Sabine River, and will move downstream into next week along the Texas/Louisiana border, due to record releases from Toledo Bend Reservoir, first put in service in 1966.

The river already crushed a previous record crest near Burkeville, Texas by over 5 feet, and that crest is headed downstream for the town of Deweyville, Texas, where it may top the previous unofficial record crest from 1884 by over a foot, flooding numerous homes and leaving the town isolated.

Let us pray for the people living down there, because what is happening is absolutely tragic.

Unfortunately, this is just the latest in a series of historic floods that we have witnessed over the past six months.

Let’s review…

October: Hurricane Joaquin never makes landfall, but it tracks up the east coast of the United States causing nightmarish rainfall and flooding all over the eastern seaboard. Things were particularly bad in South Carolina, where the governor declared that it was the worst rainfall that many areas of her state had seen in 1,000 years.

October: Violent storms in southern California caused flash flooding that buried some highways in “rivers of mud” that were up to six feet deep. Hundreds of vehicles got buried in the fast moving mud, and the lifeless body of one man that had his vehicle completely buried by several feet of mud was recovered only after a few days had passed because that is how long it took emergency workers to dig him out.

October: Hurricane Patricia was the second most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the entire world, and remnants from that storm caused absolutely horrible flooding in some parts of Texas. The flood waters were moving so fast at one point that a freight train was actually knocked entirely off the tracks.

November-December: A “conveyor belt” of violent storms barreled into coastal areas of Oregon and Washington causing nightmarish flooding in many areas. The resulting landslides and floods made headlines all over the country, and it is going to be a long time before the region fully recovers. In early December we witnessed the wettest day in the history of Portland, Oregon, and things were also extremely bad at that time up in the Seattle area.

January: The middle part of the country experienced record-breaking flooding as the calendar rolled over from 2015 to 2016. The only thing that people could really compare it to was the great flood of 1993, and Missouri Governor Jay Nixon said that some communities saw floodwaters get to “places they’ve never been before”. Normally, if the middle of the country is going to see flooding like this it is going to take place when the snow begins to thaw in the spring. For something like this to happen in the middle of the winter was absolutely unprecedented.

January: On January 22nd, one of the worst east coast blizzards in history slammed into Washington D.C., New York City and other major metropolitan areas. More than three feet of snow was dumped on some areas, hundreds of thousands of people were left without power, and coastal cities all long the eastern seaboard experienced flooding that was described as “worse than Hurricane Sandy“. It is also interesting to note that this storm was known as “Jonas”, which is actually a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name “Jonah”. Jonah, of course, was a Hebrew prophet that was sent to the capital city of Assyria (Ninevah) to warn that the judgment of God was coming. Well, it turns out that this storm called Jonas also hit our capital city (Washington D.C.) on the exact anniversary of Roe v. Wade and in the exact location where Roe v. Wade was decided.

All of these historic floods have hit America since the end of September, and now we can add these new floods in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi to the list.

Never before in all of U.S. history have we ever seen a series of catastrophic floods like this within such a concentrated space of time.

Why is this happening?

Is this just some sort of bizarre coincidence?

Are we looking at the effects of climate change or shifting weather patterns?

Could it be possible that what we are watching is actually the judgment of God as some are suggesting?

The United States has never seen anything like this before.

Clearly something is happening.

So what do you think that “something” is?

Please feel free to share your thoughts by posting a comment below…

Low Prices Pose Threat To Texas Oil Boom

Oil Rig Texas - Public Domain

No place in Texas produces more oil than Karnes County, but suddenly the roaring economy here is cooling fast, chilled by the plunging price of crude.

Workers who migrated from far and wide to find work here, chasing newfound oil riches, are being laid off, deserting their recreational vehicle parks and going home. Hay farmers who became instant millionaires on royalty checks for their land have suddenly fallen behind on payments for new tractors they bought when cash was flowing. Scores of mobile steel tanks and portable toilets used at the ubiquitous wells are stacked, unused, along county roads.

“Everybody is waiting for doomsday,” said Vi Malone, the Karnes County treasurer. “Everything was good, and everybody was getting these big checks, and everybody waited for their land to be leased, and then it all came to a screeching halt around the beginning of the year.”

(Read the rest of the story here…)

Dozens of heavily-armed New Black Panther activists threaten Texas police while protesting the death of Sandra Bland

Texas Map - Public Domain

Dozens of heavily-armed Black Panthers took to the streets of Texas yesterday chanting slogans about killing police officers as they protested the death of rights activist Sandra Bland.

Wielding AR-15 assault rifles, shotguns, and hunting rifles, the hard-line activists chanted slogans such as ‘Off the pigs’, ‘Whose streets? Our streets’ and ‘Oink, oink… bang, bang’.

The group, who said they were from the New Black Panthers movement, marched to the Waller County Jail where Bland died in police custody a month ago today.

(Read the rest of the story here…)

Poll: Texans Wary of Domestic Use of Military

Texas Map - Public Domain

Texas voters think Gov. Greg Abbott was right to send the Texas State Guard to monitor U.S. military exercises here, and they consider federally ordered domestic military intervention likely under certain circumstances, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.

Abbott sent the Texas State Guard to monitor the so-called Jade Helm 15 military exercises in Central Texas earlier this year, after particularly vocal activists expressed fears that what was being billed as an exercise was actually something far more sinister.

“During the training operation, it is important that Texans know their safety, constitutional rights, private property rights and civil liberties will not be infringed,” the governor wrote in his letter to the Guard’s commander at the time.

(Read the rest of the story here…)

Michigan, Texas, Mississippi, California, Idaho And Washington All Jolted By Significant Earthquakes

North America Map - Public Domain

Did you know that Michigan was just hit by the worst earthquake that state has seen in more than 60 years? In recent days, there has been a series of alarming earthquakes all over the United States. Of course none of these earthquakes was anything like the massively powerful quake that just crippled the entire nation of Nepal, but many are concerned that these earthquakes could be a sign of what is to come. All over the planet, seismic activity is increasing. In fact, I recently wrote about how the number of volcanoes erupting right now is greater than the 20th century’s average for an entire year. At the same time, the surface of the sun has become very, very quiet. As you will see in this article, there are scientists that link the two. It is believed that times of very low solar activity have something to do with a rise in seismic activity, and there is one scientist that is claiming that solar activity is declining faster “than at any time in the last 9300 years” right now. So what does this mean for the future of our planet?

Before we get to that, let’s review some of the very unusual earthquake activity in the U.S. that we have been witnessing lately. As I mentioned above, the state of Michigan was just hit by the worst earthquake that it has seen in more than 60 years…

If you thought you felt an earthquake on Saturday — you did. And it was one of the strongest quakes ever experienced in Michigan. Paul Caruso, a geophysicist with the United States Geological Survey, said an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.2 and a depth of focus of 5.9 km was measured around 12:23 p.m. about nine miles southeast of Kalamazoo, near Galesburg. Dozens of residents in several different regions beyond Kalamazoo — from Mount Pleasant and Sterling Heights to Lansing and even as far as Cleveland, Ohio — called the WWJ Newsroom and reported feeling a rumble and the ground shake for between five and 10 seconds.

If that was all that happened, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. But at the same time, unusual earthquakes are striking all over the country. For instance, check out what just happened in Texas…

North Texas was rattled once again with an earthquake early Sunday morning.

The USGS confirmed that the 3.2 magnitude earthquake struck about two miles north-northeast of Irving at about 10:11 a.m.

NBC 5 viewers reported feeling the earthquake in Irving, Dallas and here at the NBC 5 studios in Fort Worth near Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

This follows a string of earthquakes in the area just last month.

And nobody really ever thinks of Mississippi as a place for earthquakes, and yet the state was just hit by two of them. According to the USGS, a magnitude 3.0 earthquake and a magnitude 3.2 earthquake shook up the residents of Canton, Mississippi over the weekend.

In addition, on Sunday morning Los Angeles was hit by a magnitude 3.8 earthquake…

A shallow magnitude 3.8 earthquake was reported Sunday morning one mile from View Park-Windsor Hills, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 4:07 a.m. PDT at a depth of 5.6 miles.

The quake was classified by the USGS as “light” but was felt over a wide area of the L.A. basin.

Not to be outdone, the Bay area in northern California was hit by a magnitude 4.0 earthquake on Sunday afternoon…

A 4.0 magnitude earthquake rattled San Francisco Bay Area residents Sunday afternoon.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported the quake hit about one mile south of the city of Concord.

Of course it is not really a great surprise for California to get earthquakes. The state had been fairly quiet for several decades, but everyone knows that it is just a matter of time before “the big one” comes. Could these mid-size quakes be a sign that the region is starting to wake up?

Meanwhile, sizable quakes are also being reported in regions of the country that are not typically known for seismic activity. In fact, northern Idaho was jolted by two substantial earthquakes on Thursday night…

Two earthquakes — a magnitude 4.1 and a 4.2 — jolted north Idaho on Thursday night, with residents from northeastern Washington to northwestern Montana saying they felt the tremors.

It is fairly easy for scientists to explain the earthquakes in California. But what is with the quakes in Michigan, Mississippi and Idaho? Something very unusual appears to be happening.

At the same time, volcanic activity is rising all over the planet. In fact, scientists believe that a submarine volcano off the northwest coast of the United States may have just erupted…

More than 80 scientists from around the world gathered in Seattle last week to discuss a thrilling development: For the first time, seafloor instruments were providing a real-time look at the most active, submarine volcano off the Northwest coast — and all signs indicated it might erupt soon. But even the researchers most closely monitoring Axial Seamount were stunned by what happened next. Beginning Thursday, April 23 — the day after the workshop ended — the new sensors recorded 8,000 small earthquakes in a 24-hour period. The volcano’s caldera, which had been swelling rapidly from an influx of magma, collapsed like a deflated balloon. “All the alarm bells were going off,” said Oregon State University volcanologist Bill Chadwick, who along with a colleague predicted last year that the volcano would erupt in 2015. “It was very exciting.”

And one of the largest volcanoes in Hawaii is spewing lava for the first time in more than 30 years…

For the first time in more than 30 years, lava is flowing on the floor of Halema’uma’u crater in Hawaii.

Kilauea volcano’s volatile lava lake spilled over the rim of a deep vent within Halema’uma’u crater several times overnight, lapping onto the edges of the vent like an overflowing pool.

So what is causing all of this to happen?

Well, could you believe that it is because the sun is being too quiet right now?

For a long time, scientists have known that there is a link between activity on the sun and seismic activity on our planet…

A 1967 study published in the Earth and Planetary Science journal, stated: “Solar activity, as indicated by sunspots, radio noise and geomagnetic indices, plays a significant but by no means exclusive role in the triggering of earthquakes.”

A 1998 report by a scientist from the Beijing Astronomical Observatory… “Earthquakes occur frequently around the minimum years of solar activity.”

As reported on NewScientist.com and numerous other science sites, including Space.com, the sun has recently entered into its lowest (minimum) actively levels in four centuries, coinciding with an increase in global seismic activity. “Solar activity is declining very fast at the moment,” Mike Lockwood, professor of space environmental physics at Reading University, UK, told New Scientist. “We estimate faster than at any time in the last 9300 years.”

Very interesting.

So why aren’t we hearing anything about this in the mainstream media?

In recent years, the sun has become extremely quiet, and now things have gone to a whole new level. In fact, it is being projected that we could shortly see a sun that is “completely blank”…

Everyone knows that high solar activity has a profound effect on the space around Earth. Less well known is that *low* solar activity can be equally transformative. This week, the sun is plunging into a quiet state with almost no sunspots. Only a few dark cores are peppering the face of the sun, and they are so small you might have trouble finding them in this April 30th image from the Solar Dynamics Observatory: Almost no sunspots = almost no solar activity. The sun’s X-ray output has flatlined, and NOAA forecasters estimate a scant 1% chance of strong flares in the next 24 hours. If the sunspot number continues to drop, the sun could become completely blank.

If we have indeed entered a time of decreased solar activity, that could mean that seismic activity on our planet will continue to increase.

This is something that I have been warning about for a long time. I believe that we are going to see enormous natural disasters both inside the United States and all over the planet during the next few years. I believe that at some point we are going to see natural disasters that are so dramatic that they will literally change the geography of nations.

So what do you think? Do you believe that we have entered a time of increased seismic activity? Please feel free to share what you think by posting a comment below…

(Originally posted on End of the American Dream)

Michael Snyder Is Coming To Texas, And What He Has To Say Will Shock America

Michael

What I am about to do next is going to shock a lot of people. I am about to get on a plane and fly down to Dallas, Texas where I am going to speak about some things that I have never spoken publicly about before. On Saturday, April 11th and Sunday, April 12th I am going to be speaking at the Prophecy Club, and I told Stan Johnson that I truly believe that these are the two most important presentations of my entire life. Over the past six years, I have written more than 1,200 articles about the coming economic collapse, and these articles have been read by millions of people all over the globe. Now we stand at the precipice of the greatest economic crash in the history of the United States, and what is going to follow that crash is going to absolutely shock the entire planet. In my presentation on Saturday night, I am going to lay out the most comprehensive warning about the future of America that I have ever come across. It is going to be a warning message unlike any other. The following Sunday morning I am going to shift gears. I am going to present the most hope-filled message that I have ever delivered. Even if you have been following my websites for years, you are going to be stunned by what I have to share in these two presentations.

If you live in Texas and would like to attend, here are the meeting details for Saturday night…

Economic Collapse, World War III & The Death of America
Saturday, April 11th
7:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Meeting location:
The Spirit of Prophecy Church
2540 Avenue K, #100
Plano, TX 75074

I have never been there before, but I am told that the Spirit of Prophecy Church is located right behind the Whataburger Restaurant.

These are some of the topics that I am going to cover on Saturday night…

-The Coming Economic Collapse

-The Great Damage That Has Already Been Done To The U.S. Economy

-Why Another Great Stock Market Crash Will Happen

-The Approaching Derivatives Nightmare

-Is It “Anti-Faith” To Prepare For The Coming Economic Crisis?

-Governmental Shaking

-Civil Unrest In U.S. Cities

-Martial Law

-The Propaganda Matrix

-The Shemitah

-Russian Preparations For World War III

-The EMP Threat

-East Coast Tsunami

-New Madrid Earthquake

-California Earthquake

-Islamic Terror

-The Coming War In The Middle East

-The Moral Collapse Of America

I am going to lay out a roadmap of what I believe is coming to America between right now and World War III. Like I said, it is going to be the most comprehensive warning that I have ever come across. It is a very hard message to deliver, and it will be a very hard message for many people to hear.

On Sunday, I am going to shift gears. Most of my readers know that I am a Christian, and on that Sunday morning I am going to share what the Bible has to say about the amazing things that God is going to do even in the midst of all the chaos that is coming.

It is going to be the most hope-filled message that I have ever shared. If I was to give the message a short title, I would call it “The Gathering”. I am going to talk about what the Bible has to say about the Remnant of the last days, and about the incredible things that are going to happen as this Remnant is gathered.

I believe that the greatest move of God and the greatest harvest of souls that the world has ever seen are coming. But this coming move of God is going to look very different from the way that we “play church” today. The era of the “Christian superstar” is ending, and God is going to restore things to the way that they worked during the early church. In this next move of God, we aren’t going to put “Christian superstars” up on a pedestal and rely on them to do all the ministering. Instead, it is the people that are going to be doing the ministering and the one that is going to get put up on a pedestal is Jesus Christ.

On Sunday morning I am also going to talk about Bible prophecies that are nearly 3,000 years old that are going to come to pass in this generation. These prophecies are seemingly so preposterous and so outrageous that most churches teach that they couldn’t possibly be literally true. If you want to read about them in advance, you can start by checking out Isaiah 11, Jeremiah 30 and 31, Zechariah 10, Jeremiah 23, Hosea 1 and Ezekiel 37.

When I am done, you are going to have a much, much better understanding of the entire second half of the Old Testament. You are also going to have a much clearer understanding of what God is actually planning to do in these last days.

Yes, dark days are coming. In Matthew 24, Jesus says that the times just before His return will be the worst times in all of human history. I believe that a similar thing can be said about the times that America is about to enter into. This is what I am going to talk about on Saturday night.

But just because America is heading for a fall doesn’t mean that life has to be over for you and your family. In the middle of all the chaos, God is going to do some things that are going to utterly shock the entire planet, and you and your family can be on the cutting edge of what God is doing.

Of course the choice is up to you. It is my job to deliver the warning and to explain about what God plans to do in these last days, and then it is up to you to decide how you will respond to that information. I have found that most people end up believing exactly what they want to believe, and so not everyone will respond to these messages in the same way.

If you cannot make it to the meetings in Dallas, I want you to know that DVDs are going to be made and will be available on my websites soon. The Prophecy Club has a long history of making high quality DVDs, and I am excited to be able to share this information with people all over the world.

If you have friends or family in the Dallas area, please share this with them on Facebook, Twitter or by email. I don’t travel much, and I would love to personally meet as many of my readers as possible.

I know that these talks go beyond the scope of the things that I normally write about. But I believe that we are at the greatest turning point in U.S. history, and people need to understand what is coming. I am just a “watchman on the wall”, and I am delivering the warning message the very best that I can. Please pray that when I go to Dallas that I will deliver it well.

(Originally posted on End of the American Dream)

School Forces Elementary Students to Pull Pants Down for ‘poop inspection’

School Bus - Photo by Robbieraeful

Administrators at a public school in Texas are investigating why more than 20 elementary school students were lined up and forced to drop their drawers in an unorthodox examination that many parents say went too far.

On Monday, several school children reported being divided into male and female groups at a school in the small North Texas town of Gustine, where they were ordered to enter separate rooms and expose their underwear for “poop inspections.”

The school’s justification? Faculty members “have been finding poop on the gym floor,” according to WFAA.

(Read the rest of the story here…)

12 Signs That The Economy Is Really Starting To Bleed Oil Patch Jobs

Oil Rig Texas - Public Domain

The gravy train is over for oil workers. All over North America, people that felt very secure about their jobs just a few weeks ago are now getting pink slips. There are even some people that I know personally that this has happened to. The economy is really starting to bleed oil patch jobs, and as long as the price of oil stays down at this level the job losses are going to continue. But this is what happens when a “boom” turns into a “bust”. Since 2003, drilling and extraction jobs in the United States have doubled. And these jobs typically pay very well. It is not uncommon for oil patch workers to make well over $100,000 a year, and these are precisely the types of jobs that we cannot afford to be losing. The middle class is struggling mightily as it is. And just like we witnessed in 2008, oil industry layoffs usually come before a downturn in employment for the overall economy. So if you think that it is tough to find a good job in America right now, you definitely will not like what comes next.

At one time, I encouraged those that were desperate for employment to check out states like North Dakota and Texas that were experiencing an oil boom. Unfortunately, the tremendous expansion that we witnessed is now reversing…

In states like North Dakota, Oklahoma and Texas, which have reaped the benefits of a domestic oil boom, the retrenchment is beginning.

“Drilling budgets are being slashed across the board,” said Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, which represents more than 500 companies working in the state’s Bakken oil patch.

Smaller budgets and less extraction activity means less jobs.

Often, the loss of a job in this industry can come without any warning whatsoever. Just check out the following example from a recent Bloomberg article…

The first thing oilfield geophysicist Emmanuel Osakwe noticed when he arrived back at work before 8 a.m. last month after a short vacation was all the darkened offices.

By that time of morning, the West Houston building of his oilfield services company was usually bustling with workers. A couple hours later, after a surprise call from Human Resources, Osakwe was adding to the emptiness: one of thousands of energy industry workers getting their pink slips as crude prices have plunged to less than $50 a barrel.

These jobs are not easy to replace. If oil industry veterans go down to the local Wal-Mart to get jobs, they will end up making only a very small fraction of what they once did. Every one of these jobs that gets lost is really going to hurt.

And at this point, the job losses in the oil industry are threatening to become an avalanche. The following are 12 signs that the economy is really starting to bleed oil patch jobs…

#1 It is being projected that the U.S. oil rig count will decline by 15 percent in the first quarter of 2015 alone. And when there are less rigs operating, less workers are needed so people get fired.

#2 Last week, 55 more oil rigs shut down. That was the largest single week decline in the United States in 24 years.

#3 Oilfield services provider Baker Hughes has announced that it plans to lay off 7,000 workers.

#4 Schlumberger, a big player in the energy industry, has announced plans to get rid of 9,000 workers.

#5 Suncor Energy is eliminating 1,000 workers from their oil projects up in Canada.

#6 Halliburton’s energy industry operations have slowed down dramatically, so they gave pink slips to 1,000 workers last month.

#7 Diamondback Energy just slashed their capital expenditure budget 40 percent to just $450 million.

#8 Elevation Resources plans to cut their capital expenditure budget from $227 million to $100 million.

#9 Concho Resources says that it plans to reduce the number of rigs that it is operating from 35 to 25.

#10 Tullow Oil has reduced their exploration budget from approximately a billion dollars to about 200 million dollars.

#11 Henry Resources President Danny Campbell has announced that his company is reducing activity “by up to 40 percent“.

#12 The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas is projecting that 140,000 jobs related to the energy industry will be lost in the state of Texas alone during 2015.

And of course it isn’t just workers that are going to suffer.

Some states are extremely dependent on oil revenues. Just take the state of Alaska for instance. According to one recent news report, 90 percent of the budget of Alaska comes from oil revenue…

But oil is also a revenue source in more than two dozen states, especially for about a third of them. In Alaska, where up to 90 percent of the budget is funded by oil, new Gov. Bill Walker has ordered agency heads to start identifying spending cuts.

Sadly, it looks like oil is not going to rebound any time soon.

China, the biggest user of oil in the world, just reported that economic growth expanded at the slowest pace in 24 years. And concerns about oversupply drove the price of U.S. crude down another couple of dollars on Monday…

Oil declined about 5 percent on Tuesday after the International Monetary Fund cut its 2015 global economic forecast on lower fuel demand and key producer Iran hinted prices could drop to $25 a barrel without supportive OPEC action.

U.S. crude, also known as West Texas Intermediate or WTI, settled 4.7 percent lower at $46.39 a barrel, near its intraday bottom of $46.23.

There is only one other time in history when we have seen an oil price crash of this magnitude.

That was in 2008, just before the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression.

Many believe that we are now on the verge of the next great financial crisis.

I hope that you are getting ready.

(Originally published on The Economic Collapse Blog)

11 North Texas Earthquakes In Around 27 Hours

Seismic Activity - Public Domain

North Texas has been rattled by 11 earthquakes in just over one day. The latest one took place just before 10:00 a.m. and measured 2.7 in magnitude. Another quake about 90 minutes earlier registered in at a 2.6 in magnitude.

There have been 12 total small earthquakes in the DFW area so far this year, all centered around the old Texas Stadium site in Irving. While none of the tremors have been particularly strong, they have caused a lot of concern about what to do if a big quake does strike.

The most damage reported on Tuesday and Wednesday included cracks in walls and ceilings, or personal items falling from walls or shelves.

(Read the rest of the story here…)

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