How could we have allowed things to deteriorate this badly? For a moment, I want you to imagine that you have just arrived in a major city in a foreign country. Unfortunately, instead of the shiny new buildings and beautiful homes that you expect to see, there is trash, filth and the sound of police sirens everywhere that you go. After walking a few blocks, you stumble upon one of the dozens of open air drug markets that are freely operating in that particular city. Many addicts are lying on the ground wherever they suddenly passed out, others with visible gaping wounds are staggering around like zombies, and you even spot one enterprising addict that has decided to take a dump right in the middle of the street.
Of course there are used needles scattered everywhere, and you try not to step on them. You decide that it is time to leave, but it is already too late, because protesters behind you and in front of you have started to clash with the police. Moments later a police car is set on fire, and you can smell tear gas in the air. Thankfully, you are able to scramble to safety, and eventually you find your way back to your hotel room and lock the door. When you turn on the news to see what they are saying about the chaos in the streets, you are amazed to discover that it is being reported that the protests were “mostly peaceful” and that everything is just fine.
Sadly, what I have just detailed is not a description of a major city in a foreign land.
Rather, it is a description of what daily life is now like in many of the largest cities here in the United States.
For example, just consider what conditions are currently like in the center of Philadelphia. An extremely potent drug known on the street as “tranq” is causing hordes of addicts to literally wander around like zombies…
Doctors in Philadelphia have been given new guidance to help them deal with an influx of patients addicted to animal tranquilizer xylazine – known on the street as ‘tranq’.
An outreach charity is warning that the drug – a muscle relaxant intended for large animals like horses – is leaving users ‘unable to walk’ and with ‘gaping wounds’.
Philadelphia has become the epicenter for xylazine, which has rapidly made its way into the city’s drug supply as a cheap and very potent cutting agent.
One neighborhood in Philly in particular has become world famous for the open air drug market that operates there, and for some reason authorities refuse to shut it down.
And so addicts “are shooting up in broad daylight” right now, and many of them literally have “raw, gaping wounds in desperate need of medical attention”…
The Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia – known as ‘ground zero’ for the city’s drug epidemic – is in crisis due to widespread abuse of an animal tranquilizer called xylazine.
Addicts are shooting up in broad daylight, hunched over in a stupor or passed out on the streets. Many have raw, gaping wounds in desperate need of medical attention. And there are needles, syringes and garbage littered across the sidewalks.
‘I’ve never seen human beings remain in these kinds of conditions,’ said Sarah Laurel, who runs outreach organization Savage Sisters.
Yes, this is really happening in the city of Benjamin Franklin.
What would he think about all of this if he could see us today?
At this point, a whopping 90 percent of the heroin in Philly contains “tranq”, and one study has found that the drug has already spread “to 36 states and D.C.”…
Now more than 90 percent of the heroin now found in Philadelphia contains xylazine. A June study found the drug has spread to 36 states and D.C.
The drug, also known as ‘tranq’, causes a blackout stupor. It also leads to skin damage so severe it resembles chemical burns, plus deep festering wounds that frequently result in amputations.
Some cities have decided that one way to deal with the drug crisis is to start legalizing some of the less potent drugs.
But what the politicians didn’t anticipate is that the illegal trade would continue to operate alongside the legal trade.
In fact, at this point the number of “unlicensed” marijuana stores in New York City far exceeds the number of “licensed” stores…
It’s hard to miss the marijuana shops on almost every block in New York City.
According to the NYPD, more than 1,300 illegal marijuana stores are selling pot without a license.
“I admit, I don’t think we ever talked about this scenario happening,” St. Senator Liz Krueger said.
As drugs, crime, violence and chaos take over in our largest cities, some big corporations are deciding that now is the time to move out.
For instance, we just learned that the city of Seattle has just lost “its downtown Nike flagship store and multiplex movie theater”…
Crime-ridden Seattle has lost its downtown Nike flagship store and multiplex movie theater as crime runs rampant and the number of homeless people dying soars.
The Rain City’s downtown area suffered its latest blow on Friday when the popular Nike store, located at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Pike Street, shut its doors for good.
Nike’s exit came right after Regal Cinemas announced it would reject the lease of the Meridian 16 multiplex located on Seventh Avenue and Pike Street.
Many years ago, my wife and I visited downtown Seattle during the middle of the day.
It was a little sketchy, but we watched our backs and stayed out of trouble.
Sadly, I would not make a similar trip today.
And if you go into the heart of many of our major cities at night, you are literally taking your life into your hands.
Over the weekend, extremely violent clashes in Atlanta between police and Antifa activists made headlines all over the nation…
On Saturday night, Antifa members took to the streets of Atlanta to throw rocks at and light fires outside of the Atlanta Police Foundation after the now-suspended Atlanta Forest Twitter account called for a “night of rage” following the fatal shooting of one of their members, 26-year-old Manuel Esteban Paez Teran.
The Post Millennial Editor-at-Large Andy Ngo tweeted, “Breaking: Far-left extremists & #Antifa gathering for revenge against law enforcement in #Atlanta over the killing of their gunman at their autonomous zone smashed up businesses & set an @Atlanta_Police vehicle on fire.”
This sort of thing has become increasingly common, but we keep being told that all of this is perfectly normal.
And even though we were literally watching footage of the police vehicle that Antifa had just set on fire, the mainstream media just kept insisting that what we were witnessing in Atlanta were “mostly peaceful” protests.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1617168065908834305
"Largely peaceful protest"
Ignore the cop car on fire in the background pic.twitter.com/mcRl0musaX
— AntifaWatch (@AntifaWatch2) January 22, 2023
https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1616994446352187394
Yes, it was all so very peaceful.
So there is absolutely nothing to be concerned about.
In fact, if you live in Atlanta you may want to try one of the downtown restaurants for a late dinner tonight.
To me, the kicker was that some of the rioters that were arrested actually had explosives on them…
A protest in downtown Atlanta over a police shooting turned into a riot on Saturday night, as hooligans attacked the office tower home to the Atlanta Police Foundation, damaged other structures, and torched a police vehicle. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens told reporters police arrested six people — and some of the ones arrested had explosives.
Since they are leftist protesters, they have likely already been released on bail, and the charges against them will probably be quietly dropped in a few weeks when nobody will notice.
But the even bigger story is how rapidly our society is degenerating now.
We have been warned for years that our major cities were degenerating into crime-ridden, drug-infested hellholes, and at this point no rational person can deny what is happening.
The United States was once a beacon of light for the rest of the world, but now we have become a cautionary tale.
We are showing everyone precisely what not to do, and conditions in our streets just continue to get even worse with each passing day.
***It is finally here! Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.***
About the Author: My name is Michael and my brand new book entitled “End Times” is now available on Amazon.com. In addition to my new book I have written six other books that are available on Amazon.com including “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. (#CommissionsEarned) When you purchase any of these books you help to support the work that I am doing, and one way that you can really help is by sending copies as gifts to family and friends. Time is short, and I need help getting these warnings into the hands of as many people as possible.
I have published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe. I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but I also ask that they include this “About the Author” section with each article. The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions.
I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is definitely a great help. These are such troubled times, and people need hope. John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” If you have not already done so, I strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.
Article cross-posted from End of the American Dream.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
