Potential SHTF scenarios & tinfoil hat thread (Please read post 1)

Portuguese men-of-war, which look like jellyfish and whose sting can cause severe pain and, in rare cases, death in humans, has been seen on beaches in Waterford and Cork, and may yet reach Kerry coasts. The Irish Water Safety organisation yesterday warned swimmers, surfers and other beach users that Portuguese men-of- war have been seen in Tramore, Ardmore, Inchydoney and Schull, and that there is a risk they may drift farther north. The invertebrate and carnivore creature is a siphonophore, which means it is made up of a colony of organisms working together. Its float is about 30cm long and 13cm wide and it has tentacles that can reach 50m in length. The stinging venom-filled nematocysts in the tentacles cause severe pain to humans, leaving whip-like red welts on the skin. A sting may lead to an allergic reaction. There can also be serious effects, including fever, shock, and interference with heart and lung function. Stings may also cause death, although this is extremely rare.

In the first confirmed case of bubonic plague in Colorado since 2006, an Archuleta County resident has tested positive for the disease. The last human case in Archuleta County, which borders on New Mexico, was in 1998. It is believed that the person contracted the plague during a family outing in the Cimarrona Campground northwest of Pagosa Springs, but the investigation is ongoing, according to a news release from the San Juan Basin Health Department. The gender and age of the victim were not released, the paper reported. In 2006, Colorado had four cases of plague, all in La Plata County, Joe Fowler, a disease-control nurse with the San Juan Basin Health Department said. Most human cases of plague tend to occur in rural areas in two regions — northern Arizona and New Mexico and southern Colorado or in California, southern Oregon and western Nevada. One human case has been reported in New Mexico so far this year - in a 78-year-old Torrance County man who contracted the disease in May, in what state health officials called the nation’s first human plague case of the year

An anthrax outbreak in a Siberian village left one person dead and 10 others hospitalized as the Russian government declared a state of emergency in the area in a bid to prevent an epidemic. There were at least two other confirmed cases of anthrax infection in the village of Druzhba in the Altai region, reported an unidentified officials. The death was reported in a statement today by the Moscow-based Emergency Situations Ministry, which didn’t say whether it was caused by anthrax. Roads around the village have been closed off, Yevgenia Belikova, a spokeswoman for investigators in Altai. Veterinary officials killed several heads of cattle infected with anthrax and vaccinated another 187, as well as 21 horses and pigs, the Altai region’s press office said on its website. The anthrax outbreak is “under control and localized,” Deputy Governor Daniil Bessarabov said in the statement. The anthrax bacteria, known as Bacillus anthracis, occurs most commonly in cattle, sheep and goats and can be lethal to humans. The bacteria, which can cause skin infections and more severe lung infections, may survive in soil decades after an outbreak.

A device containing a radioactive element has been stolen from a construction site in Bulgaria’s capital Sofia, announced the press center of the Interior Ministry. Sofia District Police Directorate is searching for the perpetrators. The device - a gamma flaw detector - contains a radioactive element with activity of 10 Ci. The signal about the theft was received on Monday. The crime was committed at a construction site at about 3:00 p.m. local time on Monday. The device has an entirely metal cage, its color is silver, has lead protection and an in-built radioactive source, Г-shapes handle and sizes 25/10 cm; it weighs 5 kg. Experts warn that if it is opened, there is a risk of the people around being exposed to radiation.

A massive stash of what was believed to be uranium found in Bolivia's capital contains just 68 grams of the radioactive material, Bolivia's Interior Minister said. The quantity is too small to put people's health at risk, Carlos Romero said. "The laboratory report indicates that there is uranium, but in small amounts. An approximate calculation (shows there were) only 34 grams (one ounce) per ton, or 68 grams in the two tons" of material found, he said. An investigation is still ongoing to determine the origin and intended use of the mineral.

Doc Ruby wrote: »

Might be brinkmanship though, the US doesn't want an all out war with its major trading partner over a few rocks. My guess is they're going to push it as far as they can to see when the US starts pushing back.

Besides Japan isn't the first target, just one of several places they are making their presence felt. I can see them starting shooting at less important countries to make their point initially. Their maritime claims are outrageous and very much intended specifically to cause trouble. Maybe they've come up with a use for all those unmarriagable young men after all.