Saturday, October 27, 2018

WA State Lawmaker Sued for Banning 2 Constituents From Facebook Page


A Washington state lawmaker has been sued by two constituents who argue their First Amendment rights are being violated because they’ve been banned from commenting on the state lawmaker’s Facebook page.

The suit against Rep. Jim Walsh, filed in U.S. District Court in Tacoma on Wednesday, says the Aberdeen Republican unlawfully censored Jeff Nichols and Gilbert Myers when he banned them from his ‘politician’ page on the social media site.

“By banning access to this forum and deleting comments based on the viewpoint of the speaker, Representative Walsh has violated plaintiffs’ right to free expression, to petition the government for a redress of wrongs and grievances, and to hear the banned speech that would have otherwise been engaged in, distorting the expressive forum,” the lawsuit says. (Tacoma News Tribune, October 27, 2018)
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An official government page probably can't ban individuals from commenting on the page based on the content of what they say. But where do we draw the line?

What if a government employee went to others in the agency and organized a ban or blocking of an individual from personal Facebook pages? Could this be seen as creating a hostile work environment? Shouldn't people be able to "friend" or block whomever they wish?

What about a private business? Can a business ban comments on its page? Does it matter why the person was banned / blocked? What if the business only banned people based on race? Religion? Political viewpoints? Sexual orientation? Shouldn't a private business be able to run its publicly viewable information anyway it chooses?

And what about our political representatives? Don't they get some control over what is said on the public pages they run?




Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way
 
Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.

 

No More Google


Some people want to move away from using Google and Google-related services. No More Google https://nomoregoogle.com/ provides a list of alternatives.

You Gave Facebook Your Number For Security. They Used It For Ads



Gennie Gebhart at the EFF (September 27, 2018) wrote You Gave Facebook Your Number For Security. They Used It For Ads.

Add “a phone number I never gave Facebook for targeted advertising” to the list of deceptive and invasive ways Facebook makes money off your personal information. Contrary to user expectations and Facebook representatives’ own previous statements, the company has been using contact information that users explicitly provided for security purposes—or that users never provided at all—for targeted advertising.

A group of academic researchers from Northeastern University and Princeton University, along with Gizmodo reporters, have used real-world tests to demonstrate how Facebook’s latest deceptive practice works. They found that Facebook harvests user phone numbers for targeted advertising in two disturbing ways: two-factor authentication (2FA) phone numbers, and “shadow” contact information.

Facebook is also grabbing your contact information from your friends. This means that, even if you never directly handed a particular phone number over to Facebook, advertisers may nevertheless be able to associate it with your account based on your friends’ phone books.
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Friday, October 26, 2018

Officials Identify Package Bomb Suspect in Custody - Cesar Sayoc, of Aventura, FL


Federal authorities took a man into custody Friday in Florida in connection with the mail-bomb scare that earlier widened to 12 suspicious packages, the FBI and Justice Department said.

The man was identified by law enforcement officials as Cesar Sayoc, 56, of Aventura, Florida. Court records show Sayoc has a history of arrests.

The development came amid a coast-to-coast manhunt for the person responsible for a series of explosive devices addressed to Democrats including former President Barack Obama, former Vice President Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton.

Law enforcement officials said they had intercepted a dozen packages in states across the country. None had exploded, and it wasn't immediately clear if they were intended to cause physical harm or simply sow fear and anxiety.

Investigators believe the mailings were staggered. The U.S. Postal Service searched their facilities 48 hours ago and the most recent packages didn't turn up. Officials don't think they were sitting in the system without being spotted. They were working to determine for sure.  (Police One, October 26, 2018)
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Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

Guide to Finding and Killing Spyware and Stalkerware on Your Smartphone


Our digital selves, more and more, are becoming part of our full identity. The emails we send, the conversations we have over social media -- both private and public -- as well as photos we share, the videos we watch, and the websites we visit all contribute to our digital forms.

As mobile devices are now a common tool for social interactions, it is not just ad agencies, data miners, and surveillance-hungry powers that want to keep track of us.

When a government agency, country, or cybercriminals decide to peek into our digital lives, there are generally ways to prevent them from doing so. Virtual private networks (VPNs), end-to-end encryption and using browsers that do not track user activity are all common methods.

Sometimes, however, surveillance is more difficult to detect -- and closer to home.

The ZDNet Ultimate Guide to Finding and Killing Spyware and Stalkerware on Your Smartphone will run through what spyware is, what the warning signs of infection are, and how to remove such pestilence from your mobile devices.
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Thursday, October 25, 2018

Pipe Bomb and Powder Delivered to CNN Were Harmless


The mail-bomb scare widened Thursday as law enforcement officials seized three more suspicious packages — two addressed to former Vice President Joe Biden and one to actor Robert De Niro — and said they were similar to crude pipe bombs sent to former President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and CNN.

None of the devices exploded, and no one was injured. But the packages, sent to prominent Democrats critical of President Donald Trump, heightened nationwide tensions and fears two weeks before major congressional midterm elections.

Even as everyone condemned the unknown sender and Trump decried political violence, blame flew for the corrosive nature of America's political conversation.

"A very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News," Trump said in a morning Tweet. "It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST!"

The first crude bomb to be discovered had been delivered Monday to the suburban New York compound of George Soros, a liberal billionaire and major contributor to Democratic causes. Soros has called Trump's presidency "dangerous."

Similar packages addressed to Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama on their way to Chappaqua, New York, where Clinton lives with former President Bill Clinton and to Washington, where Obama lives with his wife, Michelle. The Secret Service said neither package reached their recipients.

More were sent to frequent Trump critics Rep. Maxine Waters, D-California and former Attorney General Eric Holder. His ended up at the Florida office of Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who was listed as the return address.

The bombs seized Wednesday, each with a small battery, were about six inches long and packed with powder and broken glass, said a law enforcement official who viewed X-ray images and spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

The official said the devices were made from PVC pipe and covered with black tape. (Tacoma News tribune, October 25, 2018)
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It is interesting to note that all of these bombs, reported to have been sent through the US Mail, lack postmarks (the stamps are not canceled). And they contain the classic indicators of mail bombs: misspellings, excessive postage, lopsided packaging - almost as if the sender wanted the packages to scream "I am a bomb"! 
 
Thomas Sauer, A former Navy explosives expert pointed to some characteristics of the explosive devices sent to CNN and current and former Democratic officials, which indicated to him amateurish construction and perhaps an ulterior motive besides causing bodily harm.
 
First, he noted that wires were connected on both ends of the bomb, a style of construction he called “dumb.”
 
Sauer next pointed to the timer and saying that an experienced bomb maker would have placed it inside the pipe. “That thing is just silly looking,” he wrote.
 
Concerning the appearance of the device itself, he concluded, “Bottom Line: Whoever made that wanted it to be painfully obvious to anyone and everyone that it’s a ‘bomb.'”
 
Sauer then offered that “hoax devices” are “FAR more common than real ones. In which case, we should ask ourselves what the motives of the ‘bomber’ are and ‘who benefits?’ Go ahead. Think deeply and critically.”
 
 
The pipe bomb and white powder that forced an evacuation at CNN headquarters in New York City Wednesday morning were harmless, a law enforcement source told the Associated Press.
 
The purported explosive device was similar in construction to those sent Wednesday to former President Barack Obama, former attorney general Eric Holder, Hillary Clinton, Representative Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D., Fla.), and Representative Maxine Waters of California. A package containing white powder was delivered later in the day.
 
The NYPD said the explosive devices were live during a Wednesday afternoon press conference but subsequent reporting suggests they were not functional.
 
Fake Bombs to generate Fake News!
 
 
 
Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.

Deep Web Research and Discovery Resources 2018


Deep Web Research and Discovery Resources 2018

This report and guide is designed to give you the resources you need to better understand your search through the currently available web to find those key sources of information nuggets only found by utilizing how to search the “deep web”.

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Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way
 
Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.


WSP Thinks Six Bomb Threats Near Olympia are Connected


According to KOMO 4 News (October 24, 2018) Yet another bomb threat came into a government building near Olympia Wednesday – just the latest in a series of threats that investigators believe are connected.

Someone has called six bomb threats into state government buildings in the past four weeks, including five straight Wednesdays with a call.

A Department of Health building in Tumwater evacuated Wednesday afternoon after a similar threat, bringing out the Washington State Patrol bomb squad once again. That building also received a threat on Oct. 3.

Patch (October 24, 2018) reported that Officials do not believe bomb threats made against various state buildings in Olympia in recent weeks have any connection to suspicious packages sent to politicians on Wednesday. So far, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, the Manhattan office CNN, and others have received packages containing potential live explosives. 
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Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way
Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.

Portland, OR Is One of the Most Politically Violent Cties in America


According to Portland Police Association, Portland has become one of the most politically violent cities in America. The culture of enablement, restriction of enforcement, criticism of police when we act, and criticism of police when we don’t act, along with an over-emphasis on de-escalation and disengagement has led us to our present, unacceptable situation.

Daryl Turner, President of the Portland Police Association, used the example of the protests on Aug. 4. He said Chief Outlaw set clear expectation for what would be allowed and what wouldn’t, but demonstrations became violent and police warned participants it was time to leave. Many refused, and when officers intervened, like they said they would, Turner said the officers became the focus of criticism, rather than the violent participants.

“It is frustrating, and it’s not only frustrating, it’s a little bit unnerving that we let it get to this point,” he said.  (KPTV News, October 23, 2018)

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Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way
 
Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Police Accidentally Tweet Bookmarks That Reveal Surveilled Groups


The Massachusetts State Police (MSP) accidentally spilled some of its OPSEC onto Twitter on Tuesday night, uploading a screenshot that revealed browser bookmarks which included links to a collection of Boston’s left-wing organizations that the staties are keeping an eye on.

The tweeted screenshot showed that the MSP bookmarked activist groups, including MAAPB (Mass Action Against Police Brutality), COMBAT (the Coalition to Organize and Mobilize Boston Against Trump), and Resistance Calendar.  (Sophos, September 24, 2018)
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It should not surprise anyone that the police use the Internet to collect intelligence and support lawful investigations. The concern comes about when the police or other government agencies collect information about groups or individuals because of their political beliefs or because of the way they exercise their First Amendment rights and freedoms.




Bellevue Police Chief Cleared in Sexual Assault Claim; Accuser May Face Charges



A woman's claim that she was sexually assaulted by Bellevue's police chief two years ago was unfounded and a fraud, a Bothell police investigation has determined.

The woman made the claim on July 30 to Bothell Police that Bellevue Police Chief Steve Mylett had sexually assaulted her in the fall of 2016.

However, investigators concluded that not only was there no evidence of a crime, but there was no proof the woman had ever had any contact with Mylett. A DNA test proved Mylett was not involved in the case, and investigators uncovered evidence that emails purported to have shown contact between the accuser and Mylett had been doctored.

The woman had also accused two other Bellevue Police officers in sexual assaults but both of those cases were later dropped when investigators also discovered evidence had been fabricated and determined the accuser lacked credibility.  (KOMO 4 News, October 22, 2018)
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These types of false allegations are a very serious problem. Not only can they destroy the lives and careers of those falsely accused, but they also cause good people to question the legitimacy of any such allegation - resulting in actual victims of crimes being disbelieved.

Chief Mylett has said that the experience has given him a "deeper appreciation of what it's like to be falsely accused". He was initially shocked when the woman accused him because he had never met her, and that he suffered fear and anxiety throughout the three-month investigation, even knowing that he had done nothing wrong. 

Unfortunately, it's not too difficult to fabricate electronic evidence or cause it to point to someone you want to target. Combine this with errors or a political agenda in an investigation and good people who have done nothing wrong can have their lives destroyed by false allegations.

Thankfully for Chief Mylett his good name and reputation has been cleared. But can the damage from the false allegations really ever be undone?



Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way
 
Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.


Tuesday, October 23, 2018

2 Charged for Death of Woman Found Pepper Sprayed, Beaten, Shot on JBLM


Two men have been charged with second-degree murder for the death of a woman found in a wooded area of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Monday.

Jessica Shaunti Jackson, 34, was shot three times, pepper sprayed and beaten with a baseball bat, federal prosecutors said.

She was reported missing in early September, and her body was found Sept. 13 on part of the base near Spanaway.

Autopsy results found she suffered gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma to her head.

Bobbie Anson Pease, 49 of Tacoma, and Jeremy Jay Warren, 30 of Forks, are accused in her death.

Surveillance video shows Pease’s car driving to and from the area where Jackson was killed, and a firearm investigators believe was used in her death was found in the Puyallup River, prosecutors said.

The complaint prosecutors filed Monday doesn’t indicate a motive for the killing, but says that Warren told investigators Pease and Jackson used methamphetamine together Sept. 4 and that Pease wanted to go somewhere to “pop a couple rounds off.”

When they got to the wooded area, Pease pepper-sprayed Jackson, beat her with the bat and shot her, Warren said.  (Tacoma New Tribune, October 22, 2018)
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Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way
 
Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.


Citizen Perceptions of Law Enforcement.


An article in Law Enforcement Today (October 12, 2018) "Police-Initiated Contacts Fall By 8 million" has some interesting statistics from the Bureau of Justice Statistics concerning police contacts and citizen perceptions of law enforcement.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) of the US Department of Justice asked residents about instances when they sought help from police (resident-initiated contacts) and when police approached or stopped them (police-initiated contacts), thus the following could be seen as a report card as to citizen perceptions of law enforcement.

From 2011 to 2015, the number of persons who had contact that was police-initiated fell by 8 million, and the number of persons who initiated contact with police fell by 6 million. Every form of police-initiated traffic and criminal stops (including arrests) fell considerably.

Being a driver in a traffic stop was the most common form of police-initiated contact. Of the 223.3 million U.S. drivers age 16 or older, 8.6% experienced a stop as the driver of a motor vehicle.

Sixty percent of residents who were stopped by police in a street stop thought the reason was legitimate, and 81% believed police behaved properly.

Residents’ perceptions of the legitimacy of the street stop and whether police behaved properly varied by demographic characteristics. Females (69%) were more likely than males (55%) to perceive the street stop as legitimate. Females (88%) were also more likely than males (77%) to believe that police behaved properly.

A greater percentage of whites (68%) than blacks (50%) and Hispanics (44%) indicated the street stop was legitimate. Whites (89%) were also more likely than Hispanics (73%) and blacks (59%) to believe police behaved properly.

Among those who had contact with police, two percent experienced a nonfatal threat or use of force by police. The majority of those who experienced a threat of force (84 percent) perceived the action to be excessive, as did most of those who were pushed, grabbed, hit or kicked (78 percent), or had a gun pointed at them (65 percent) by police.

More than 9 in 10 (91%) residents who contacted police to request assistance said they were more or as likely to contact police again in the future. The vast majority (83%) of residents were satisfied with the police response during their most recent contact and felt that police responded promptly (83%) and behaved properly (89%). More than half (59%) indicated that police improved the situation.
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In both police initiated contacts (81%) and calls for police assistance (89%) the vast majority of people reported that the police "behaved properly" during the contact with the community. While we too often see reports in the media of 'police misconduct' the BJS study shows that overall police officers act appropriately and professionally during their contacts with the public.

It is interesting to note that in 40% of police initiated contacts, the individuals did not believe that the stop was legitimate and in 41% of cases where the police were called for assistance their presence did not improve the situation. Or put another way, around 60% of the time police contacts in the community are perceived as legitimate and helpful.




Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way
 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.
 

Monday, October 22, 2018

Fort Polk Soldier and Girlfriend, Driving Around with Wife's Body in Trunk of Car

 
According to WAFB 9 (Lake Charles, LA), October 22, 2018 A Fort Polk soldier and his girlfriend are under arrest after his wife’s body was found in the trunk of their car.

Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso said deputies stopped the car on N. Franklin Street in Lake Charles around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21, after receiving a call from Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office officials that a woman was driving around with a body in the trunk.

Cpl. Logan Kyle, 22, with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, is suspected of killing his wife on base at Fort Polk, Mancuso said. The name of his wife will not be released, by Army regulation, for 24 hours after next of kin notification, according to Fort Polk spokesperson Kim Reischling.

The driver of the car, Kyle’s girlfriend, Sarah Parker, 24, of Moss Bluff, was arrested for obstruction of justice and failure to report a homicide. Mancuso said Parker’s two children - ages 1 and 2 - in the vehicle with them. The children were taken into state custody by the Department of Children and Family Services.
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Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

 
Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.

Serial Bomb Threat Suspect Plaguing State Agencies in Thurston County, WA

 
OLYMPIA, Wash. - A man has made five bomb threats to state buildings in four weeks. Investigators believe it's the same man making those threats, and say they’re “narrowing in” on a suspect.

He called in the latest bomb threat on Thursday to the Attorney General's Office in Olympia.

Each time there's been no bomb but the threats are putting a huge drain on resources.

Here's the timeline of the threats:

Sept. 26 (Wed), 1:39 p.m. - Bomb threat call to the Attorney General’s HQ office in Olympia.

Oct. 3 (Wed), 3:03 p.m. – WA State Department of Health, specifically to the Washington Medical Commission.

Oct. 10 (Wed), 3:53 p.m. – AG’s office in Tumwater.

Oct. 17 (Wed), 11:10 a.m. – AG’s office in Tumwater.

Oct. 18 (Thurs), 11:31 a.m. – Suspect broke pattern and made another threat to the Attorney General’s HQ office in Olympia. Threat was to the exterior of the building so employees were told to stay inside and get away from the windows.   (KIRO 7 News, October 19, 2018)
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Although probably unrelated to the bomb threats to government offices in Thurston County, there was a threat to Capital High School in Olympia on Friday, October 19, 2018. An image of a handwritten note shared on Snapchat read: “CHS School Shooting 10-19-18. Be Ready.”




Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way
Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.


Sunday, October 21, 2018

3 Pierce County Sheriff’s Deputies Placed on Leave After DV Suspect is Shot

Three Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies have been placed on administrative leave after a domestic violence suspect was shot and later died at an area hospital Saturday night. About 9:30 p.m. Saturday, the deputies responded to a report of domestic violence in the 100 block of 161st Street South in Spanaway.

A woman had called 911 to report that her boyfriend was intoxicated and armed, and that she had locked herself in the bathroom. She also said he was breaking things inside their duplex and that it was filling with smoke.

Once there, deputies said they confronted the boyfriend at the front door of the home. He was allegedly armed with a handgun in a hip holster.

The suspect, a 50-year-old man, refused orders not to touch his handgun, according to the deputies. Then deputies say he drew the handgun out of his holster toward the deputies and they fired their weapons at the suspect.

The deputies provided emergency medical aid at the scene before the man was taken to an area hospital where he died. The man’s .40-caliber semiautomatic handgun and holster have been placed into evidence.  (Tacoma News Tribune, October 21, 2018)
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Dear Bad Guys: Please note that if you point a gun at the police they are probably going to shoot you - and rightfully so!


 
Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way
 
Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.
 

Canada the World’s Largest Legal Marijuana Marketplace


Canada is now the largest country with a legal national marijuana marketplace as sales began early Wednesday in Newfoundland.

And there was more good news for pot aficionados: Hours before a handful of retail outlets opened in the country's easternmost province a federal official told The Associated Press that Canada will pardon all those with convictions for possessing up to 30 grams of marijuana, the now-legal threshold.

A formal announcement was planned for later Wednesday. The official, who was not authorized to speak public ahead of the announcement, said those who want to take advantage of the pardons will have to apply.

Canada's national approach has allowed for unfettered industry banking, inter-province shipments of cannabis and billions of dollars in investment — a sharp contrast with national prohibition in the United States.

Nine U.S. states have legalized recreational use of pot, and more than 30 have approved medical marijuana. California, the largest legal market in the U.S., earlier this month became the first state with a law mandating expungement of criminal convictions for marijuana-related offenses that no are longer illegal.

Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon said it's time for the U.S. government to follow Canada's lead.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection invited Canadian media to a conference call on Tuesday so officials could reiterate that marijuana remains illegal under U.S. federal law and that those who are caught at the border with pot are subject to arrest and prosecution.  (Q13 Fox News, October 16, 2018)
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Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way
 
Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.