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I had an employee do this - €47,000! My company turnover was around US$6m, around 25 employees at the time.The thief was Mary, a highly trusted employee, had been with the company for five years. She started in mid-level management, and was promoted for her excellent work to General Manager, salary of €90k (about US$120k in 2014). When I took long absences from work (eg, six months), she ran the company, and did well.1.5 years into Mary’s tenure, we relocated the business from Australia to the Netherlands, and Mary was instrumental to making such a complicated move work well.Three years in to her tenure, our Financial Controller was diagnosed with cancer, and after a year, succumbed to it. He left behind a bookkeeper subordinate, whose supervision passed to the Mary as General Manager.Mary did not know much about accounting, but we had a lot of procedures in place, and Mary was good at working with staff to follow procedures, and over a few months, Mary learned a lot about bookkeeping.After a year, I became aware of the mess in the accounting department. I had never liked accounting, mainly because I did not understand much of it (a big danger for any small business owner!).After I found out from our corporate accountants that the bookkeeper had booked dividend payments as director loans (and the tax return had been submitted with that fact, so it was basically irreversible), I started looking deeper into the accounting department, and it was a huge mess. Some examples;Not all items were being entered into the software. Sometimes, bulk amounts - all expenses for the first week of July, for example, were booked as one line item, €85,634 for example. *eye twich*We were using an Australian administration software (MYOB), but under Mary’s direction, we had recently purchased very expensive new accounting software. Some transactions were entered in the new software, some in the old. *shudder*We had a strict rule, one piece-of-paper for each transaction made, so we have records. That was being ignored, so there were many un-traceable transactions. Mmmm.In Holland, it’s typical for small companies to outsource payroll services to a third party, so we were doing this too, but paying twice as much, because we provided them poor data. Shit.Lots more things like this. Really bad stuff.So, I decided, with no Financial Controller, a largely incompetent bookkeeper, a General Manager who did not know much about accounting, and my long-standing ignoring of the department, that I would learn about accounting, clean up the processes to be correct, and re-enter data into one software system. This was in June 2014.The Dutch financial year was a normal calendar year, January to December (Australia is July to June, and the Dutch company is owned by the Australian company, so there’s some friction there) I decided to go back to Jan 2014, and move forward day-by-day.I tasked the bookkeeper to find a piece of paper for every transaction, on every bank statement (for various reasons, we have about 10 bank accounts) - she should have had this done already as part of her job, but had not. I made a specification of the software we’d need to suit the business. I made a very tight end-of-month process. I deleted all transactions that had been entered in the 2014 year. I got clearance from the corporate accountants to make retro-active VAT adjustments. I got some training in the software I decided to use (all online in a web browser, terrible UI, but excellent functionality, designed for the Dutch tax system).With my wife, I started doing data entry, month by month, and following the end-of-month process for each month. Around 300 transactions per month. I think I recall Peter Baskerville’s Quora posts on accounting started appearing around this time (or at least, I noticed them then), and they were very helpful. I also did many 4-hour Skype sessions with our previous Financial Controller in Australia, and she talked me through tricky things, and helped refine the processes I was documenting.It took about four weeks to process each month, especially at the start. I felt like a fine-tooth comb untangling messy hair. Slowly, we made progress, and it was very satisfying. Every so often I vented to Mary - who was focusing on other aspects of the business, while I did this - that the bookkeeper was hopeless, and was making terrible mistakes. Mary defended the bookkeeper, said it was not that bad really (it was much worse!).Being busy, I did not realise she was waving me off from proceeding my project - Mary did not realise how driven I was to see this completed up to “now”, get rid of the bookkeeper, and employ an accountant to maintain it. In hindsight, I realise that with alarming frequency since I started on this project, Mary had also been suggesting she resign to save the company money (sales were down, and we were considering other staffing cuts). I said she was essential to the running of the company, and my strong preference was for her to stay.The bookkeeper worked hard (with clear direction, often repeated) to source a piece of paper for every transaction. Sometimes, where an “official” document was not possible, I accepted printing the transaction from the internet banking software, but only for transactions I knew to be correct.One day, I found something weird, and investigated it further. Here’s the email I sent to our lawyers.Hi Joost,Today I became aware of what seems to be employee Mary stealing around €47.000 from the company in Jan and Feb 2014. This is shocking news for me, as she has been a highly trusted employee for more than five years.Attached, the supporting "evidence":(1) Filter of our bank account statement, showing all payments to Mary’s bank account - note how they are "covered" as legitimate invoices, including a VAT payment.(2) SMS messages between Mary and I last night and todayBecoming awareThe sequence of events how I found this is as follows.(1) I am working on accounting duties, since [old Financial Controller’s] passing, and "tightening up" all our accounting procedures. This involves checking off each invoice paid against a bank statement, and entries in our accounting software.(2) On Friday afternoon, 26 July 2014, I found a payment that seemed to be a double-payment on an invoice from March 2013, paid again in Feb 2014.(3) I called the supplier to understand why they gave us two invoices for the same thing almost a year apart.(4) Supplier brought my attention to the fact that the second invoice, that had been prepared for me by my bookkeeper, was a actually colour photocopy of the March 2013 invoice.He and I double checked the bank account number we had sent the payment to, and found, while the name matched his company, the account number was not his.(5) I wanted to question Mary about it directly, as she had prepared most of the paperwork I was working on, but she had left early on Friday July 26 for an appointment.(6) Around 1730 Friday 25 July, I called our Bookkeeper to my office to ask her about this invoice and payment. She said “someone” had given her the invoice in Feb 2014 saying it had not been paid, and was well overdue, that it must be paid immediately. I questioned her on who specifically, she said maybe Mark or Anthony (the invoice is for antivirus software, so logically would come from our IT person, James).I asked her to look into it on Monday, that we'd like to get our money back, she agreed.(7) At 2226 Friday evening, I received a text message from Mary (very unusually late for her to message regarding what I thought was a routine error), asking to meet at the office on Saturday morning to discuss the invoice. Being so late, I chose not to reply, thinking we'd just discuss it on Monday.It seems the bookkeeper had contacted Mary about the invoice which is VERY unusual - I presented it to the bookkeeper as a routine matter (we had uncovered a lot of similar errors, that turned out not to be suspicious over the last few months, and I assumed this was a similar issue).(8) Saturday afternoon, I chose to reply to Mary's text message, saying that I was at work until 1600, she's welcome to come in to chat (she often does come in to work on Saturday afternoons).(9) Mary wrote back a convoluted message, saying she was not able to come in to work, that the invoice was part of a test payment, and that it was not meant to be authorised, that it was accidentally authorised by Anthony (who was in Australia at the time), it's not the bookkeeper’s mistake it's Mary's, and that I can "fire her on Monday" (presumably joking, as she often does in text messages).(10) I said that we need to know which account it went to, so we can get our money back. Mary agreed, and said she would look into it Monday, that she was sorry, said she felt bad for stressing out the bookkeeper.(11) At this stage I started having suspicions - the last four digits of the bank account seemed familiar to me, though I could not recall why? I asked her directly - by SMS - if she knew which bank account it was transferred to.(12) Mary responded "Yes I think so, I need to check the account". I did not respond.(13) I found Mary's personal bank account number (that we use for monthly salary payments), and saw that it matched the account number the funds had been sent to (despite the payee's name on the transaction being the supplier, the name on the duplicated invoice).(14) I spoke about the matter with my wife. It seemed that:- The Bookkeeper knew about the payment to Mary's personal account, and contacted Mary immediately on Friday evening- If this really was part of a training exercise, it's pretty weird - an invoice from March 2013, used as a test in Feb 2014, photocopied, entered again into the accounting software, paid to Mary's personal bank account, not transferred back to the company.- Mary “did not notice” the additional deposit to her bank account- The bookkeeper, who prepared some of the paperwork, did not recall this was a "test" transaction that accidentally went through- A training exercise could easily be done with REAL invoices that ACTUALLY had to be paid, no need to use one from 2013.(15) I decided to call a friend in Australia, a fellow employer and mentor. We discussed the issue, and we agreed it did not look good - the employee had clearly deliberately stolen money.(16) My friend suggested I look for any OTHER transfers to her personal account - I had not thought of that possibility yet!A search for Mary's bank account number returned a total of three transactions - the one I had just found, another one for €33k for the Tax office on 14 Jan 2014, and another duplicated invoice from Dec 2013 (9 Jan 2014, though for a different amount) - all paid to her personal bank account. There is no evidence of the payments being returned. The total is €47.749.32.(17) I searched for other employees bank accounts, and found no other suspicious transactions, though there is room for more advanced searching.Please advise how I should proceed.gI located the pieces of paper the bookkeeper had been presented (in a sheaf of 200 other docs). Here’s what one looked like, I have omitted some personal data and added to reference points, (1) and (2):Note at point (1), the invoice is dated March 8, 2013, but payment was made on Feb 2014 (Payment was also made in mid-March, 2013)! Mary had made a photocopy of the original invoice, but at point (2), had covered the bank details for KNS in the footer. We later found, she had destroyed the original invoice. When I sent this to our contact at KNS, he was pretty surprised to see this invoice with his logo, but his bank account details removed. Fair enough, too!On Monday morning, per advice from our lawyer, I met with Mary. Here are my notes from that difficult meeting.0915am, Jul 28, Garion met with Mary, with [Garion's wife] present;* I asked about the KNS transaction, Mary advised it was a trainingexercise, as she had texted to Garion on Saturday* She had not done payment transfers before, so did this as a test with[bookkeeper], before [bookkeeper] went on leave. Not intended to beapproved, but seems it was anyway.* Mary checked on in the last few days, and found that the KNS amount was inher account, she had missed it when it occured* I asked specifically, she said she was not aware of any other transactionsto her account* The KNS invoice was used in this training as it was assumed to be unpaid,was in a "random" folder on Steve's desk.* Not aware of any other transactions to her bank account, apart from this oneI asked her to look, and let me know. She said she would.* Mary said that it must look like she had been stealing money, but that'snot the case!* Mary said that if she were in our position, she'd fire the person* I said that it did looks suspicious. So, I have to place her onadministrative leave, effective immediately. She must not talk to any staff.She can collect her personal items from her desk now, and I will escort herto the elevator.* I asked if she had any questions, or any other ideas about where the moneyis. She asked what "administrative leave" was, I said, it's "gardeningleave" - she gets paid, but does not work.* We left my office to go downstairs. She did not say anything during thewalk.* She quickly gathered her personal items on her desk, logged into hercomputer (to log out of her gmail, I think?). Other staff were arriving, butshe made no comments. I engaged them in casual conversation.* I walked Mary to the elevator, and said that I'd contact her as soon as Iknew what was going on. She seemed to be in shock.--End.Directly after she left, I followed up with an email to Mary:Mary,Have you had a chance to check your bank account for the amounts we discussed?(1) 09 Jan 2014 €8.682,57(2) 14 Jan 2014 €33.773,00(3) 14 Feb 2014 €5.293,75Perhaps there are also other amounts that we have not found yet.If the money is there, you could transfer it back to [company bank account number]. If the money is not there, perhaps you could supply a PDF that indicates same? (between Jan 5 2014 and Feb 28 2014).Can you please get back to me in the next hour and let me know?ThanksgAndg, here’s the email I sent to the lawyer to keep him updated:Hi Joost,As discussed, at 11.10am today I emailed Mary and asked her to return the funds if she had found them, or provide a PDF of her bank statement if for the relevant period if not. I asked her to get back to in within an hour, 1.5 hours ago now, 12.45pm.I spoke again with ING Bank who confirmed the payments were deposited into the listed account (however, mainly because the amounts did not bounce back). They can do an investigation that will involve ING bank sending a letter to the account holder asking them to return the "accidentally" transferred money, and provide us with the recipient's contact details in case they do not comply. I said not to bother about that. He suggested I contact the police.[My wife] worked with our bookkeeper, who also does the filing, to find the original KNS invoice from March 2013, and it was not in the expected place, or any logical mis-filing places (eg, under "K" for a different company we operate). So, it's possible it has been maliciously removed… or just poorly filed somewhere.I Skpyed with Anthony to see if he was aware of the payments. He was in Australia and USA at the time of transfers. He said that he probably approved at least one of them, possibly all of them (which was part of his job at the time). He was not provided with the PDF invoices for each approval (as our company process dictates), but was swayed by Mary's argument that the payments were urgent, and that she'd send the invoices later (turns out, she never did, and he forgot to ask). However, he also recalled some payment approvals around the same time he was provided with invoices for (possibly, the legit ones).He admitted that, when approving payments, while he checks the invoice for the company name, amount and currency when approving, he does not check the bank account numbers or dates on invoices (honestly, I do not either!). Overall, I believe it's unlikely Anthony was involved, other than as an unwitting participant.After discussing with the bookkeeper - a sub-standard employee at the best of times - my wife and I believe she is also not involved, other than, again, an unwitting participant. [The bookkeeper] definitely loaded some of the payments into the ING bank, but they were invoices that appeared legitimate to her. Frankly, we do not think she is smart or brave enough to do this, but there seems no way to prove it either way.I'd like to wait another few hours for Mary to respond, I'll SMS her asking to respond to my email, if no response I will call and remind her that it a criminal matter. If she does not respond favourably, I'd like to move ahead with the seizure approach you outlined.regards,gTwo hours later, I got an email from Mary, on July 28:GarionI did take the three amounts you listed below (total €47.749,32). I acted alone, no one else was involved.I have transferred €5.293,75 to [company bank account number].I will transfer another €15K during the week. I suggest you keep any annual leave (I think about 20 days) that would be paid out as part payment.I will need some time to raise the other €20K, when I am back in Australia, but can commit to having it paid back to you by the end of the year or sooner, if this is agreeable to you.I am very sorry.MaryTurns out, she was also in a romantic relationship with another employee, a web developer. A stoic and quiet man, incredibly competent, lead architect for our various software projects. He was scheduled for a day off on Monday (which I forgot at the time, and which had me scared for a while on Monday when all this was going down!).The next day, he was in my office crying, incredibly upset at what his partner had done. He resigned a few months later - Mary had moved back to Australia, and he went as well. I suspect they are still together, but I have not asked. He’s done some contract work for us as well. I am sure he was not involved.Mary did pay all the money back, six months later. I did not go to the police, but in hindsight, I wish I had.Now, I check every transaction made, and always check the bank account numbers match the invoice. The new accountant also provides detailed end-of-month reports, meaning there are many checks-and-balances built in to the processes. I have learnt a lot about bookkeeping, accounting, and higher-level finance matters. It was incredibly stressful at the time, but I’m glad I learnt about accounting.Another employee approves payments regularly now, too. I trust her.Trust, but verify, right?[All names changed]

That depends on the scam. And there are a TON of scams out there, designed to part travelers with their money and belongings. Here are 24 classic travel scams - real scams, as experienced by pro travelers! - along with tips on how to avoid being the next victim.PICKPOCKET AND THEFT SCAMSPickpocketing can happen anywhere in the world, in both developed and developing countries. It can even happen in your home town! It just tends to be that targets for pickpocket and theft are foreigners by virtue of often being in touristy or crowded places (and also characteristically distracted).So read up on the below experiences, and take heed, every day.Scuffed Pants / Dropped Keys Distraction PickpocketMichael Brein earned his PhD in social psychology, and is dubbed “The Travel Psychologist”. He is an author, lecturer, consultant, travel storyteller, adventurer, and publisher of travel books and guides.The scam he describes here has been adapted from his recent book, Travel Tales: Michael’s Best 150.“I was riding the Madrid metro, standing in the center part of the car. I was all loaded down with an attache case, backpack, and rolled up posters. I had stuff in my hands and in all my pockets as well. I was, for all intents and purposes—totally oblivious.Suddenly I noticed my trousers had been scuffed, apparently accidentally scuffed by a seated passenger’s shoe on my left.My gaze focused now on this person taking hold of the scuffed portion of the pant leg in one hand, and brushing away the scuff with the other, all the while maintaining an apologetic demeanour. I turned around and noticed two other guys standing directly behind me, too close for comfort.The Metro came to a stop. The door opened. The three guys—apparently Spanish gypsies—immediately flew out the door, running. I suddenly realized that I had been a pick-pocketing victim!”Michael was saved by a pickpocket proof safari style jacket with no less than 22 pockets; the perpetrators didn’t have enough time to find a pocket with something valuable in it before Michael was on to them. But he’s still quite sure this was a pickpocket trio, and in fact saw them a few days later on the metro, pulling off a similar scam on somebody else. This time, they dropped keys on the floor as their distraction.How to Avoid this Pickpocket Scam: Always scan your surroundings and be aware of everything happening around you. And if you find somebody distracting you, snap out of it! Look where they don’t want you to, to ensure you’re not being robbed.It also helps not to look like a wealthy tourist. Leave your expensive jewelry and watches at home, and keep your expensive camera under wraps. Pickpocket proof clothing helps too.Pickpockets Masquerading as Aggressive VendorsJohn Z. Wetmore produces the cable television series, “Perils For Pedestrians“, which looks at problems confronting pedestrians around the world, and solutions to those problems. He watched as his friend was pickpocketed in Bogota, Colombia.“A friend of mine fell victim to pickpockets while I was following him just ten feet away. Two young men pretending to be street vendors aggressively pushed their wares, then quickly disappeared. When we got back to the hotel, he discovered that his jacket pocket had been unzipped and his phone stolen.There were a couple of red flags. The pickpockets were way more aggressive than normal street vendors, who would have given up much sooner when rebuffed. They also were bumping and jostling him, which meant that he was less likely to notice when they entered his pocket.The natural reaction when confronted by an aggressive vendor you don’t want to bargain with is to ignore them, which works to the pickpockets’ advantage. Perhaps they might have been discouraged if he started looking directly at them, or had started yelling loudly at them. Fortunately, the phone in his outer pocket was a decoy phone — an old model that was worth very little. His real phone was safe in an inside pocket.”How to Avoid this Pickpocket Tourist Scam: In retrospect it was obvious what was happening above, but in the moment not so much. Heed any wee red flags that pop into your head. While there is some strength in numbers, this particular scam happened while two friends watched! Be aware, and don’t let anybody hassle or bump you.Also, consider keeping a decoy wallet in your outside pocket with whatever spending money you plan on using that day. Keep your real wallet and cards further from prying hands.Crowded Bus PickpocketJames Ian has traveled to 78 countries and all seven continents. Mostly safely. He now blogs at Travel Collecting, helping people have interesting and meaningful experiences when they travel.He was unfortunately parted with his phone on a Guatemalan bus.“I was sitting near the back of a crowded bus in Guatemala. There are bench seats and people squeeze together tightly to fit in. The buses are old converted U.S. school buses and the back of the bus also opens up as a second door. The guy on my left was squeezed up against me (which was not unusual) and was wriggling a bit (which was also not that unusual, since there were people trying to move up and down the aisles).We stopped for a while, and he wriggled some more, which I thought was a little odd since no one was walking past, but it was crowded, and he smiled at me when I looked at him, which made me feel more relaxed. Then he suddenly stood up and jumped off the bus out the back door.That’s when the warning bells started clanging loudly. We had been stopped for a while – why didn’t he get off the bus when we arrived? I checked for my phone, which had been in my left pocket, and sure enough, it was missing. I had been pickpocketed!”How to Avoid this Pickpocket Scam: Don’t keep anything in your pockets when you’re on the move. Also, if you’re on a crowded bus and somebody is wriggling around next to you for no apparent reason, check for foul play.(See also: 7 Travel Mistakes I Made in Guatemala)Distraction Theft ScamAlex Trembath and Lisa Pool are a couple from the UK to took a year off work together in their 30s to travel the world. Now, they run Career Gappers, which inspires and equips people to take their own travel career breaks. Shortly after arriving in Buenos Aires, Argentina, they fell prey to a classic distraction theft scam; this one involving bird poop.“While we were walking through a park, I was just in front of Lisa. Somebody threw a substance that looked like bird mess on my backpack – neither of us saw them throw it, and we thought it was genuine. A few steps ahead, a woman appeared, saying she had seen what had happened and offered to help us clean up the mess.We stopped at a bus station to take the bags off. In order to get to our big backpacks, we first needed to take off the small bags on our front. These bags contained most of our valuables. The moment we took off the small bags, the woman turned us around, distracting us while someone else grabbed our bags and gave them to someone waiting in a taxi, who drove off with them.It all happened in a few seconds and as soon as we realized, it was too late. We lost our passports, lots of cash, laptops, cameras, e-readers, sentimental items and much more.”(Learn more about what happened and how they got over it here). Alex also notes that South America gets a bad rap and isn’t as dangerous on the whole as it is reputed to be; they spent five months in South America and this was their only bad experience.How to Avoid the Distraction Theft Scam: While Alex and Lisa were aware of this travel scam, their guard was down after an overnight bus ride and the scam was professionally executed. Sadly, it’s important to beware of strangers offering help, and even more important to never lose sight of (or contact with) your bags containing valuables.SCAMS INVOLVING NEW FRIENDSHIPSThere’s nothing more rewarding than making local friends abroad. A cultural win! The problem is, sneaky locals can use this knowledge to take advantage of unsuspecting travelers. Below are a few ways it can happen.The Impromptu (Fake) GuideJames Ian (whose phone was stolen on a Guatemalan bus) also had a dodgy experience in Casablanca, Morocco.“I was traveling with someone else, and we were approached by someone to be our guide. He said he could take us to a special market that not many people knew about. He took us on a public bus, which seemed like a fun adventure.He did indeed take us to a market, though it was nothing special. As he took us into shop after shop, it eventually became clear to him that we weren’t intending to buy anything; he became increasingly agitated.He made money by earning a commission from the shopkeepers when we bought something, so if we didn’t buy anything, he didn’t make money. In the end I decided to buy some slippers as I was feeling uncomfortable about not buying anything. He translated for me, so after I’d agreed to a price, I gave him the money to give to the shopkeeper. Then he changed the price and said I owed more than I had just paid. I refused, and that’s when he pulled a knife and demanded the additional money.I grabbed my money out of his hand, since he was holding it in addition to the knife, then my friend and I turned around and ran as fast as we could to get away from him and the knife. Fortunately, we saw a taxi, jumped in it and escaped safely.”How to Avoid Being Scammed by a Fake Guide: Never use a guide you meet off the street; instead, arrange your tours through a more organized source such as a tourist office, hotel, or online. Also, never travel to an unfamiliar part of a city with somebody you just met.Another common scam in Morocco is for young men to say there is a special Berber market that is closing, and they can take you. Tell them you went there yesterday, and they will leave you alone.The Bar Friends Travel ScamStephon Owens has visited over 20 countries in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. He is the founder and CEO of Vezpuchi; a platform for globetrotters to convert their time away from home into accommodations as they travel. He discovered his new friends weren’t so friendly.“Several years ago I was traveling alone in Istanbul. I was in Taksim Square taking some photos before going back to my hotel. Taksim Square is one of the main hubs of activity in Istanbul (think NY’s Times Square). While taking photos, I was approached by a friendly middle-aged guy who I assumed was a local. He spoke broken English, but enough that I understood what he was saying.He invited me to have a beer at a bar off of the square. It was a busy area, and I had been into a few of the bars in the area, so I wasn’t concerned about safety. I followed him to the bar, which was about a block away.The bar was almost empty, which I thought was weird because there was a lot of pedestrian traffic outside. However, I rationalized that it was a Sunday and also the end of Ramadan. We sat in a booth, and he tried to insist that I sit my backpack on his side of the table, which is when alarm bells in my head started.I was now aware that there was something very fishy going on so I declined to order a drink. He offered to buy me a beer, which I never touched. As the bartender delivered the beers, two women who were in the bar came over to the table and tried to squeeze into the booth. I deliberately sat on the outside edge of the booth and I refused to move over to let them in the booth. He ended up moving over to let in one of the women, and then the bartender pulled up a chair for the other one to sit at the end of the table.I knew I was being scammed somehow and these women were involved, so I decided to leave. Suddenly my friend didn’t have money and the tab needed to be paid. At the same time, the two women chugged their glasses of champagne and claimed I was responsible for the tab. The bartender brought over a menu with inflated prices and demanded that I pay.None of them claimed to speak English very well, so I offered the bartender the money that I had in my pocket, which amounted to about $20US. After a little protesting, they let me leave without further incident.Back at my hotel I started searching the internet for similar stories, and apparently it is a common scam in Istanbul. Some of the more egregious stories that I saw were people not realizing for hours that they were being scammed and then having the bartenders take them to an ATM to withdraw hundreds of dollars to cover the bill.”How to Avoid Being Stuck With a Fake Bar Bill: If you’re approached by a stranger in public, ask yourself why they’re engaging with you. It could be innocent; maybe they are studying English and want to practice with you, or they lived in your country and wish to reminisce. In both cases they’ll likely take more time to establish a basis of friendship before inviting you for a drink.According to Stephon, he thought the local was being overly nice and he figured it was a cultural thing; he says it was never actually clear why this man befriended him, which should have been a red flag. He’s also quick to say that despite this incident, Istanbul is one of his favourite places in the world.MISCELLANEOUS TRAVEL SCAMSMost travel scams don’t fall into categories (that makes them too predictable). Here are five scams that these experienced travelers fell prey to.The Inflated Restaurant Bill ScamBecca is one half of the pair of travel bloggers and photographers behind HalfHalfTravel. They’ve been to four continents, and have traveled full-time since June 2018. Unfortunately, getting “off the beaten patch” in Cartagena Colombia wasn’t quite what Becca had anticipated.“A new friend and I decided to be adventurous and check out La Boquilla, noted in a guide book as being a fisherman’s town and small beach.We were treated to a private canopy tent on the beach, just feet from the water. A man came over to us, offering fresh seafood and aguardiente, the local liquor. Having not brought food, we of course said yes. He brought an entire bottle of the liquor and some shot glasses, a few beers and a small plate of whole shrimps with salsa and accompanied by fried plantains. For two hours, we sat back and relaxed, and then we asked for a bill.Scribbled on a piece of paper was an amount of Colombian money equal to USD $90, which was absurd, considering that beers are US$1 in Colombia and aguardiente comes at US$3/bottle in most stores. The shrimp plate is typically priced at US$5 in a restaurant of any sort. The bill was hilariously expensive, but what was funnier was that we only had a total of US$70 in our pockets.I told the man in Spanish that this was crazy, and of course, as travel scams go, he shrugged and said this is what you’re going to pay. At this point, we counted all our money and pleaded with him to let us go with paying around $75, allowing us enough cash in our pockets to take a taxi back. He agreed.”How to Avoid the Inflated Restaurant Bill: As travelers we can be shy about asking for prices in foreign countries, especially if something is offered to us with an implied gesture of friendship – we don’t want to offend! But it’s better to be safe than sorry. Always ask for the price in advance of ordering anything from a bar or restaurant, or accepting something that is being offered to you.Also, don’t carry all your cash with you. Becca figures if they didn’t have so much cash, they wouldn’t have been required to pay what they did. Here are some tips for carrying cash safely while abroad.The “No Change” Grab-and-Dash Taxi DriverLauren Pears of Lauren’s Travel Diary has traveled extensively through Asia – including India, Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan, and even North Korea. Unfortunately on arrival to Hanoi, Vietnam, her taxi ride cost way more than it should have.“I was bartering taxis to get a fair price, when one agreed to take me for a very low fee. The driver took my bag and placed it in the trunk of the car. Happily, I got in the taxi and off we went.When we arrived at my accommodation, the driver said ‘I’ll just get your bag out of the trunk’ and hopped out. I got out too, ready to pay and thank him for driving me. I took my bag from him, and handed over the smallest note I had (500,000 dong) while saying ‘do you have the change for this?’With a cheeky smirk, he snatched the money, jumped straight back into the car and drove off. I was expecting A LOT of change. He had completely scammed me.”How to Avoid the No Change Ripoff: With hindsight, Lauren figures the taxi driver’s willingness to accept the low price should have been a red flag; perhaps he surmised that having just arrived to the country, she wouldn’t have small bills (which was true).To avoid being ripped off like this, you can insist on keeping your bag in the main section of the car on taxi journeys. Also, have small bills (ideally exact change) available, and pay before you or the driver gets out of the car.See the end of this article for other taxi-related scams.The Marketplace SwitcharooWhen Lauren Yakiwchuk (of Justin Plus Lauren) is not traveling the world, she’s visiting local attractions in the Toronto area. In Nakuru, Kenya, she visited a marketplace and walked away with something different than what she paid for.“I went to a market in Nakuru, Kenya, along with a small group of ladies. One was a local who knew the area well, and I also happened to be staying at her house. She reassuringly said she’d only take us to booths operated by people she completely trusted. She also told us to haggle down the price because everything was negotiable.At one stall, I noticed these painted wooden giraffes that I thought would be a lovely gift to bring home as souvenirs. I wanted to buy two large giraffes that were the same size, and negotiated a reasonable price. As the stall owner was wrapping up my giraffes, I continued to browse neighbouring market stands. Admittedly, I wasn’t paying much attention.When packing up my belongings to leave the following day, I thought I’d re-wrap the giraffes to better fit them in my luggage. Lo and behold, one of the giraffes was bulked up with paper to look the same size as the other one, but it was actually a lot smaller. I’d been scammed!”Lauren’s local friend was horrified that a trusted vendor had scammed her and promised never to visit that market stall again.How to Avoid the Marketplace Switcharoo: Watch your items carefully as they are being wrapped. It’s common for vendors to take advantage of distracted customers by switching the product they bought for a cheaper version.The Sob StoryJordan Bishop is the founder of Yore Oyster, a boutique corporate travel agency. He has lived in over a dozen countries across four continents over the past five years. He currently lives in Istanbul. His first arrival in Istanbul in 2017, however, wasn’t perfect.“In Istanbul, dozens of shoeshiners walk along the bridges looking for clients. But not all of them are interested in making an honest buck.The shoeshiner scam occurs when a shoeshiner, walking towards an unknowing foreigner, ‘accidentally’ drops his brush behind him. The foreigner (you, in this case) notifies him that he’s dropped his brush, and in his gratitude to you, the shoeshiner sits you down and insists on cleaning your shoes.As he does, he tells you a sob story: his family is in poverty, he recently lost his job, he’s physically disabled, etc. etc., guilt-tripping you the entire time. Then he asks for the ‘small sum’ of 100 liras, or $20 USD. If you refuse to pay, or try to negotiate the price down, he becomes angry and causes a scene.”Shoeshiners are all over the place in Central and South America as well, and this travel scam is alive and well around the world. I had something similar happen to me in a main square in Cusco Peru, though the perpetrator wasn’t a shoeshiner; just an old man who sat down on a bench beside me and shared his sob story before asking for money. The irony is that he did the exact same thing but shared a different sob story with me the following week (he didn’t recognize me).How to Avoid Falling for The Sob Story: If a shoeshiner drops their brush as you walk past them, simply ignore it, and refuse any offer of a free/discounted shoeshine. And if you are approached by somebody (like I was) who tells you a sob story and asks for money, ignore them, move away, or just say no. Unless, that is, you’re feeling charitable towards somebody who may or may not need your charity.The Clothes/Shoes DonationThis is a sad travel scam indeed, especially when told this way by Sheryl Hill, who was traveling through the Dominican Republic many years ago with her little boy, Tyler.“We took a private tour. Local children would run barefoot after the Jeep calling out – candy, candy! Ty asked why they didn’t have shoes. The guide said they are poor. They probably only use them for school. Ty teared up.The guide showed us a photo of his two boys and said they also only have school shoes. His photo was of two boys exactly my boys’ ages. Ty told the tour guide he could have his and his little brother’s shoes and clothes for his sons. Ty went through his suitcase only keeping one pair of swimming trunks, one change of clothes, and one set of PJ’s, and then he asked his four year old brother to do the same.I was supportive. We walked plastic bags out to the guide. He was waiting on a rickety motorcycle. Security started coming towards us. He sped off leaving one of the bags. The security guy said, ‘You know he just scammed you’.As we left for the airport, we saw the tour guide selling the clothes on a street corner. I put my arm around Tyler, and said, ‘I’m sorry son’. He said, ‘It’s alright Mommy, He probably needs food more than clothes’.”This story is even more tragic in that Sheryl shared with me that Tyler actually died approximately 10 years later while traveling with a bogus ambassador’s group study abroad program. As a result, Sheryl founded DepartSmart.com for business and vacation travel safety, and DepartSmart.org for Youth and Student Travel Safety.How to Avoid the Donation Scam: Hard as it may be, resist the temptation to “fix” other people’s problems while traveling by making donations. Otherwise, don’t be upset if your donation is repurposed or sold.(See also: How to be a Responsible Traveller: 5 Unexpected Pitfalls)CLASSIC TRAVEL SCAMSWhile many of the above experiences are classic travel scams, there are also many more. Check out these scam scenarios below and be on the lookout for similar circumstances while you travel.Museum/Accommodation “Closed”This scam is particularly common in Asia (I got suckered by it in Bangkok myself). It involves somebody (usually a taxi or tuk-tuk driver) telling you that the museum you wish to visit – or even the accommodation you have booked – is closed or under construction. They will of course have “a friend” who can help you out and they’ll magnanimously take you to a different hotel or attraction, or even to fake travel agencies.When this happened to me and a few friends, we suddenly found ourselves locked inside a store, and we weren’t allowed to leave without buying something from their overpriced selection.The accommodation trick is common in India, and in fact a Belgian woman made international news after being scammed and harassed while the local police stood by; she left the country after 24 hours and has since taken the Ministry of External Affairs to task.How to Avoid This Scam: No matter what a kind stranger tells you, don’t believe them when they say your accommodation or attraction is closed. And never let them take you to a travel agency or store.Tuk-Tuk/Taxi Driver SwitchThis is another one I fell for in Bangkok. You negotiate a taxi or tuk-tuk ride with a driver, who then passes you off to another driver to take you. Suddenly, on arrival, you owe significantly more than the rate agreed upon.How to Avoid This Scam: If you find yourself with a different driver than the one you negotiated with, confirm the rate with them before getting in. It’s not a failsafe, but it helps.Taxi Scams in GeneralThere are SO many taxi scams out there, it’s ridiculous. They may tell you the meter is broken, and then charge you an inflated flat rate. Or, the meter works, but it’s rigged!Or perhaps the taxi driver, knowing you’re not familiar with the city, will drive you in circles to inflate the charge.How to Avoid Taxi Scams: Me? I take Uber, which eliminates every problem you might encounter with a taxi driver; the rate is pre-determined, the driver is accountable by virtue of their profile and reviews, and you both have online maps to ensure the most direct route is being taken.But Uber isn’t available everywhere. So if you must take a taxi, protect yourself with the following tips:Know how long it should take to get to your destination, and how much it should cost (ask around beforehand).Pre-load maps on to your phone and watch where your driver is going. Redirect them if necessary.Use large and well-known taxi services.Don’t normally have data on your phone while abroad to use Uber and maps? I’m a huge fan of Flexiroam international data, and in fact it’s all I use, even at home. Read more about both Flexiroam and Uber in this collection of the Best Travel Apps.Taxi Ride Sharing ScamOne more taxi scam for good measure! You get into a taxi with other people in it. The driver may tell you that they’re just dropping them off (perhaps a family member) enroute. The scam could be as harmless as you having to pay for a car-load of locals with multiple drop-off points, or you could even be taken somewhere isolated and robbed of everything.How to Avoid This Scam: Never get into a taxi with more than one person in it.The Card Trick HustleThis applies to any street-magic, shell game, or card tricks you pass by. You’re invited to play; you make a small bet or two and win. Then, the stakes are raised, and you lose – big time.How to Avoid This Hustle: Hopefully you’re not a sucker for gambling, because the best way not to lose is not to play.Pickpocket SignsWhile this isn’t exactly a scam in and of itself, it’s a way to make you a target. Pickpockets like to hang out near street signs that warn tourists to beware of pickpocketing. What do you do as an unsuspecting tourist when you see this sign? You pat all your pockets to ensure your valuables are right where you left them, of course….thus telling thieves exactly how to rob you.How to Avoid This Scam: Never check your valuables in an obvious way, and especially if you just saw a pickpocket sign!PetitionsThis scam may appeal to your sense of social responsibility, but don’t let it. Somebody thrusts a petition in front of you (often aggressively). Perhaps you’re in a foreign language country and they passionately tell you their plight in rapid-fire local language. You sign the petition just to get away, but unfortunately it’s just a precursor to a request for a “cash donation”, and if you refuse they create a scene.How to Avoid This Scam: Don’t sign petitions, especially in public on street corners.Friendship Bracelets, and Other Bogus “Gifts”In addition to the friendship scams listed earlier, there is a whole world of bogus friendship offerings, exploiting every travelers’ desire to meet friendly locals. A stranger may offer you a hand-made friendship bracelet, or a hat, or a sprig of herbs, etc. They’ll likely be pretty aggressive and will try to force you to take/wear it. These people are not your friends! As soon as you take the “gift” they will ask for money and will create a ruckus if you refuse.How to Avoid This Scam: Nothing is free. Don’t accept gifts from strangers, even if you need to aggressively refuse. Unless, that is, you are prepared to (over)pay for whatever is offered to you.“Did you Drop…”Somebody approaches you and asks if you dropped this ring (or whatever). You say no. They say it’s expensive and offer to sell it to you inexpensively – a win for everybody, right? But of course it’s fake.How to Avoid This Scam: It’s an obvious scam once you know about it. Anything designed to get you to pay a stranger, in public, should be skeptically scrutinized.Currency Exchange ScamsI fell for every currency exchange scam in the book in one short morning while in Kuta, Bali! Read the (funny) story about it here for more details of each scam. In short, here are the common currency exchange scams.At the currency exchange desk, they start in with calculator action so rapid you have no idea what they’re doing. In the end the calculator displays a number that is much less than what you should be getting, and if you’re not familiar with the exchange rate you’re none the wiser.Perhaps the calculator will come up with the right number, but but in counting out the cash (which in this case they dole out in small denominations) they use sleight of hand to pocket a chunk. I knew about this scam, and watched the guy like a hawk and still didn’t see him pocket half of the bills! (I was so impressed I’d have let him get away with it if he weren’t trying to scam me for so much money).They may subtly tear your bill (or exchange your bill with a torn one using sleight of hand), then tell you that they can’t give you the full rate for it.Calculator confusion. This, as happened to me in Bali: Instead of 1.2 million rupiahs, the calculator displayed 1.19. He counted out one million in 100,000-denomination notes. Easy peasy. Then, with exaggerated flair, he counted out three 5,000 notes, and two 2,000 notes. This confused me but with all those 0’s floating through my head I couldn’t pin down the problem. I looked at his calculator again, which had by that point changed to 1 million 19 thousand instead of 1.19 million; 180,000 rupiahs ($17) less than I should have received.TRAVEL SCAM RESOURCESWant more? Read up on the latest travel scams as reported by a worldwide community of travelers at TravelScams.org.According to them: “With over 800 tourist targeted scams reported in 35 countries and with over 470 user comments, you can now travel boldly, as true freedom lies in being bold.”This Quora answer was adapted from its original publication here: 24 Classic Travel Scams, and How to Avoid Them - The Professional Hobo

//Is the end of the world coming soon, any signs?//.Thank you for the A2A..MANY!.The Christ alone has fulfilled over 300 Bible prophesies.The chances of one person fulfilling 300 Messianic prophecies are staggering. Mathematicians put it this way:1 person fulfilling 8 prophecies: 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,0001 person fulfilling 48 prophecies: 1 chance in 10 to the 157th power1 person fulfilling 300 prophecies: There is no number available...Crucifixion was written about in Psalm 22:14-18 and Isaiah 53, 700 years before it existed. Further, Jesus’ crucifixion fulfilled these Scriptures...Re, "palestinians" and Israel, current day:Psalm 83:1-4 - Amplified Bible1 Do not keep silent, O God;Do not hold Your peace or be still, O God.2 For behold, Your enemies are in tumult,And those who hate You have raised their heads [in hatred of You].3 They concoct crafty schemes against Your people,And conspire together against Your hidden and precious ones.4 They have said, “Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation;Let the name of Israel be remembered no more.”..Speaking of Israel:Isaiah 54:17 (AMP)“No weapon that is formed against you will succeed; And every tongue that rises against you in judgment you will condemn. This [peace, righteousness, security, and triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And this is their vindication from Me,” says the Lord.… see below:Wedding Guests Received Unexpected Fireworks - Iron Dome Protection."Do Not Test Israel’s Resolve”.Lazer Weapons:and much more...Genesis 12:2 - Amplified Bible“I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing”.BDS Supporters must not make use of any Israeli technology and must:Throw away all computers using Pentium chips;Throw away all USB flash drives too;Refuse Mazor Robotics’ Spine Assist and other surgical robots;Refuse EarlySense continuous monitoring solution which allows hospital nurses to watch and record patients’ heart rate, respiration and movement, remotely through a contact-free sensor under the mattress..BDS supporters must not use any Israeli medicine. Take this list with you to the gentile doctor:Adderall (generic and branded), Adrucil, Alprazolam, Amikacin Sulfate, Amitriptyline, Amoxicillin, Apri, Aripiprazole (generic), Atomoxetine, Atorvastatin, Augmentin (generic), Aviane, Azathioprine, Azilect, Azithromycin, Baclofen, Balziva, Bisoprolol Fumarate, Bleomycin, Budeprion, Budesonide, Buspirone, Calcitriol, Camrese, Carboplatin, Cefdinir, Cephalexin, Ciclosporin, Ciprofloxacin, Citalopram, Cetirizine, Claravis, Clarithromycin, Clonazepam, Clozapine, Codeine, Copaxone, Cryselle, Cyclosporine, Daunorubicin, Dexmethylphenidate, Dextroamphetamine, Diazepam, Dihydrocodeine, Doxorubicin HCl, Enpresse, Epirubicin HCl, Epoprostenol Sodium, Errin, Escitalopram, Estazolam, Estradiol, Etodolac, Famciclovir, Filgrastim, Fiorinal[79], Flunitrazepam, Fluocinonide, Fluconazole, Fluoxetine, Fluvoxamine, Gabapentin, Galzin, Haloperidol, Haloperidol Decanoate, Ibuprofen Max, Idarubicin HCl, Ifosfamide, Irinotecan, Gianvi, Irbesartan, Junel, Kariva, Kelnor,Lamotrigine, Laquinimod, Letrozole, Leucovorin Calcium, Losartan, Methotrexate, Methylphenidate, Mirtazapine, Mitoxantrone, Montelukast (generic) [80], Naltrexone, Naproxen[citation needed], Norepinephrine, Norethisterone, Nortrel, Nortriptyline, Nuvigil, Nystatin, Ocella, Olanzapine,Omeprazole, Optalgin, Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Pantoprazole[81], Phentermine, Portia, Pravastatin, Prednisolone, ProAir, Provigil, Quetiapine, QVAR, QNASL, Ramipril, Rasagiline, Salbutamol (Albuterol), Sertraline, Simvastatin, Sprintec,Sulfamethoxazole Trimethoprim, Sumatriptan, Tamoxifen, Temazepam, Temozolomide, Terbinafin, Topiramate, Trazodone, Tri-Sprintec, Ursodiol, Velivet, Venlafaxine, Warfarin, Zolpidem..A short time ago, speeches at the U.N. urged the moslem world to boycott everything that originates from the Jewish people. In response, Jewish Pharmacist Meyer M. Treinkman, out of the kindness of his heart, offered his assistance to moslems and the BDS movement as follows:SYPHYLLIS: Any BDS supporter who has Syphilis must not be cured by Salvarsan, discovered by a Jew, Dr. Ehrlich. He should not even try to find out whether he hasSyphilis because the Wasserman Test is the discovery of a Jew.GONORRHEA: If any BDS supporter suspects that he has Gonorrhea, he must not seek diagnosis, because he will be using the method of a Jew named Neissner.HEART DISEASE: Any BDS supporter who has heart disease must not use Digitalis, a discovery by the Jew, Ludwig Traube.TOOTHACHE: Should a BDS supporter suffer from a toothache, he must not use Novocain, a discovery of the Jew, Alfred Einhorn.DIABETES: If a BDS supporter has Diabetes, he must not use Insulin, the result of research by Minkowsky, a Jew.HEADACHE: If a BDS supporter has a headache, he must not use Pyramidon and Antypyrin, due to the Jews named Spiro, and Elledge.CONVULSIONS: BDS supporters with convulsions must put up with them because it was a Jew, Oscar Leibreich, who proposed the use of Chloral Hydrate.PSYCHIATRIC AILMENTS: BDS supporters must not seek help for their psychiatric ailments because Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, was a Jew.DIPTHERIA: Should a child of a BDS supporter get Diphtheria, he must refrain from the “Schick” reaction, which was invented by the Jew, Bella Schick.EAR DAMAGE, BRAIN DAMAGE: BDS supporters with ear and brain damage should not permit treatment which was the work of Jewish Nobel Prize winner, Robert Baram.INFANTILE PARALYSIS: BDS supporters should prepare to pass or remain crippled by Infantile Paralysis because the discoverer of the anti-polio vaccine was a Jew, Jonas Salk.TUBERCULOSIS: BDS supporters must refuse to use Streptomycin because a Jew, Zalman Waxman, invented this wonder drug.DERMATOLOGY AND LUNG AILMENTS: Doctors who support BDS must disregard all discoveries and improvements by dermatologist, Judas Sehn Benedict, and the lung specialist, Frawnkel, and of many other world-renowned Jewish scientists and medical experts..In short, good and loyal BDS supporters must properly remain afflicted with their afflictions, and be proud to be a part of the BDS movement.- Oh, and the BDS movement must avoid nuclear weapons, a product of Einstein’s “Jewish Science.”.BDS supporters must not make use of any Israeli technology including:Automotive TechnologyInnoviz makes smart LiDAR systems – the “eyes” in next-generation autonomous vehicles. Innoviz’s LiDAR sends out pulsed laser beams to measure and monitor a car’s surroundings. The company has already received a pre-CES “innovation award” in the vehicle intelligence category. BMW is now integrating Innoviz into its autonomous vehicles scheduled to be launched in 2021.Vayavision acts as a brain to sensors installed in cars from companies like Innoviz, determining which sensor to use at any given moment to keep drivers and pedestrians safe. Vayavision takes its data from radar, LiDAR and camera sensors. The Vayavision “brain” is intended to reduce false alarms and missed detections. The company raised $8 million in October.Broadmann17 is similar to Vayavision, in that it aims to improve processing in autonomous vehicles. The company’s artificial intelligence allows cars (and drones) to see, identify and process large amounts of data at once. Broadmann17’s deep neural network software enables “edge” devices (with limited processing power) to take advantage of the power of AI.Cognata uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to simulate real cities in 3D so autonomous vehicle makers can test their cars virtually before hitting the streets. Given the recent revolt against Waymo’s autonomous vehicle tests in Arizona, where pedestrians attacked the vehicles with rocks and knives, Cognata’s tech may receive particular interest this year at CES.Phantom Auto is building a “remote control” for autonomous cars. If there’s a problem with a self-driving vehicle and there’s no steering wheel, brakes or driver, Phantom Auto can insert a human operator to control the vehicle from a remote location. Will that be enough to help passenger (and angry mobs) get past their fear of driverless cars?Engie plugs into a car’s dashboard and helps drivers of “regular” vehicles (you know, the ones we’re driving today) diagnose problems and find the closest mechanic (along with rates) from the app’s mechanic marketplace. Engie can tell you if your car will pass its next air-pollution test or if the engine is running hot. It can even remember where you parked your car.C2A, Karamba Security, SafeRide Technologies and Argus Cyber Security all help protect cars of today and tomorrow against cyber-threats. They work in different ways:Argus embeds its security software directly into a car’s systems, Karamba secures the infotainment center to keep out hackers, C2A is making its firewall-type “Stamper” product available royalty-free, while SafeRide detects vulnerabilities before a hacker even arrives by flagging any abnormal behavior and reporting it to the connected car’s Security Operation Center.Tactile Mobility helps self-driving cars “feel” the road. The company uses the data coming from a vehicle’s sensors to tell how tightly a car is gripping the road, whether the vehicle is bumping up and down over potholes or how steep a hill is. Tactile Mobility can help autonomous vehicles drive faster and be less wary of fast-moving highway on and off ramps.Drone TechnologyFlytrex wants to be the FedEx of the drone-delivery world. Its software allows operators to set pick-up and delivery points and see information about weather, topography and other drones in the air. The service is now operational at the King’s Walk Golf Course in North Dakota where it delivers food and beverages to golfers on-demand, and in Iceland where AHA which uses Flytrex to drop goods in customers’ Reykjavik backyards.Edgybees’ First Response software suite brings augmented reality, map layers and visual markers to allow drone pilots to monitor more than the drone itself can; it allows commanders to monitor drones remotely; and it integrates a drone’s visual progress into video streams and maps. The software was used during last year’s devastating Camp Fire in California and during several major US hurricanes.Consumer drones today mainly carry packages. But will a fully flying car be in our future? Startup NFT hopes to bring a bit of the Jetsons to our cities. The company will be displaying a prototype vehicle with VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) capabilities – no landing pad or heliport required. NFT’s electric-powered flying car has a range of 60 miles driving and 310 miles flying at a projected price of $50,000..Robots and MoreLumen is a personalized nutrition device that measures users’ metabolism by analyzing their breath. The company’s hand-held product includes carbon-dioxide sensorsand flow meters to measure the breakdown of fat, carbohydrate and protein. The results are displayed on an accompanying smartphone app.Watergen makes GENNY, a 50-kilogram home and office water generator that uses ambient air to extract and produce between 25 and 30 liters of water a day. One liter of GENNY-made water costs just 2 cents. The company was named a “Best of Innovation” nominee in CES’s “Tech for a Better World” category.Intellithings also won a CES 2019 Innovation award for RoomMe, a personalized automation solution for smart homes. Install RoomMe in a selected space and its Bluetooth tech identifies who’s in the room based on their smartphone. RoomMe then automatically adjusts lights, thermostats and other devices to preset preferences.TechSee uses cameras and augmented reality to troubleshoot users’ tech problems remotely. Just bought a new router but don’t know how to set it up? Fire up TechSee’s “Eve” app and point your phone at the router. Eve will identify the model and walk you through installation by demonstrating the steps you need to take on an augmented visual overlay. The company raised $18 million in December.Handy with computers but hate housework? Foldimate will be demonstrating its robotic laundry folding machine at CES. A ship date is estimated for later this year with a target retail price of $980. You feed your clothes into the top of the machine, which looks a bit like a giant upright printer, and the clothes come out neat and folded. Foldimate adjusts its folding technique based on item size and user preferences.Centaur Analytics wants to be the “Internet of crops.” The startup’s platform tracks data from sensors installed along the produce supply chain from farm to train to truck to retail facility. The app applies environmental information and predictive models to decide how best to reduce the amount of poor quality product (no more wilted lettuce!) which in turn should increase stores’ revenues.Robots are always showstoppers at tech events, which practically guarantees personal robot-maker Temi a big CES splash. Use Temi ($1,499) to video chat with a loved one using its mobile telepresence functionality, ask Temi a question or to play your favorite song (think of Temi as Amazon Echo on wheels) or tell Temi to fetch some tea from the kitchen.Intuition Robotics’ ElliQ has a similar home use as Temi, minus the wheels, and is aimed at chatting with seniors to help them stay active and engaged. The product won a “Best of Innovation award” in the Smart Home category at last year’s CES.42 Game Changer might just be the perfect product for vendors at a trade show like CES. The company makes interactive mobile games branded for its corporate customers. When visitors approach the customer’s booth, they’re offered a chance to play a game and win a prize by entering their contact details. The company also will power customer interaction at the booth of another Israeli company at CES, Human Eyes..From Flying Cars to Robots that Fold Laundry, Israeli Techs Cause a Stir!..Dravet syndrome is an epileptic condition with a 15 to 20 percent mortality rate and resistant to current medications. Tel Aviv University researchers have discovered that the DHODH gene is key to triggering such adverse neural activity and that Terflunomide can inhibit it.Israeli Researchers Discover New Treatment for Severe Epilepsy.FDA prioritizes Alzheimer’s therapy deviceThe NeuroAD cranial device from Israel’s Neuronix already has European approval and is now being urgently reviewed in the FDA’s Expedited Access Pathway program for breakthrough devices that target vital unmet needs.Magnetic Device for Alzheimer's Nixed by FDA Advisors.Weizmann Institute battles to conquer cancerAt Israel’s Weizmann Institute there are over 60 research groups focusing on beating cancer and over 40% of the Institute’s life sciences research is cancer-related..Treatment hope for Williams SyndromeTel Aviv University scientists have linked gene Gtf2i to Williams Syndrome (WS) and the thinning of the myelin layer that protects neurons in the brain. In lab tests they managed to reverse some WS symptoms using the FDA-approved antihistamine clemastine fumarate.Research - Boaz Barak LabNeuroscientists reverse some behavioral symptoms of Williams Syndrome.Micro pancreas for diabeticsI reported previously (Dec 2015) on Israel’s Betalin Therapeutics, which has developed an insulin-producing micro pancreas that can be implanted into the body of diabetics. Betalin has since won startup awards in Tel Aviv and China and has just raised funds to help start human trials this year.Insulin replacement co Betalin Therapeutics raises $2.5mBetalin Therapeutics, “ most promising startup in Israel in 2017”.US approval for opioid overdose sprayThe US FDA has approved the generic naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray developed by Israel’s Teva. Commonly known as Narcan, the medication can stop or reversethe effects of an opioid overdose. The emergency treatment can be administered even by those without medical training.FDA Grants Approval For Teva's Generic Nasal Spray For Opioid Overdoses | News Brief.Successful blood test trialI reported previously (see here) on Israel’s Sight Diagnostics’ device that can perform full blood tests using just a few drops of blood. Sight Diagnostics has just completed a successful trial which should help it obtain US FDA approval. The device is already marketed in Europe and Israel.Sight Diagnostics successful in clinical trial.Pumpkin seed extract treatment for BHPA recent study of Go-Less® Men (EFLA®940 – an extract from pumpkin seeds) to be effective in the treatment of symptoms of BHP (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia). Go-Less is marketed by Israel-founded Frutarom. A previous study showed Go-Less to relieve incontinence in women.Effects of an Oil-Free Hydroethanolic Pumpkin Seed Extract on Symptom Frequency and Severity in Men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Pilot Study in Humans | Journal of Medicinal FoodClinical Study shows high effectiveness of Go-Less® | Frutarom Health Go-Less® |.MDA ambulance number 12Retired surgeon Norman Rosenbaum was awarded by UK PM Theresa May for helping to buy 11 ambulances for Israeli emergencyservice Magen David Adom. Norman has just fundraised his 12th ambulance for MDA who awarded him Humanitarian of the Year.Community hero who raised funds for 12 ambulances honoured by MDA.Helping surgeons prepareUS-Israeli startup Theator uses computer vision and machine learning algorithms to help surgeons prepare for procedures by reviewing previous cases. Its Minute system edits videos of surgical procedures to highlight the key steps and “outcome-critical” components to reduce medical errors.Medtech Startup Theator Raises $3 Million How it works.How ultrasound treats tremorThis article gives an excellent description of the process used by Israel’s Insightec to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s and Essential Tremor patients. The technology is being used in over 50 medical centres around the world and has treated over 2,000 neuro-patients.Israeli startup uses ultrasound waves to reduce Parkinson’s tremors.Immunologist saves boy allergic to lightAn Israeli boy suffering from solar urticaria (an allergy to light) has been saved by doctors at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center. They inject him every three weeks with omalizumab, previously only prescribed to adults with severe asthma. He can now enjoy Israeli sunshine again.Immunologist saves Israeli boy from life-threatening allergy to light.BBC report hails success of (Israeli) cancer treatmentAccording to the BBC, the CAR-T cancer therapy, (invented by Professor Zelig Eshhar of Israel’s Weizmann Institute) is curing 40% of UK lymphoma patients who were otherwise untreatable and terminal. Amazing case stories – but doesn’t mention Israel of course!Living drug has cancer 'on the run'.Link between stress and autoimmune diseaseResearchers at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University have found that chronic stress causes bacteria in the gut to become more “violent”. In response, the immune system kicks in and can increase the risk of autoimmune disease in susceptible individuals.Sick from stress? New Israeli research finds link between stress and increased risk for autoimmune disease..A model of the brainScientists at Israel’s Ben Gurion University and in Los Angeles have used patient-specific stem cells to create a personalized model of the human blood brain-barrier. This model can potentially predict which brain disease treatments will work best for an individual patient.Scientists create duplicate of brain structure to be used in research.Improved infant oxygen monitorOver 100 religious women students from Jerusalem College of Technology / Machon Tal conducted a 44-hour hackathon developing solutions to various challenges. The winning team designed a wireless oxygen saturation monitor for infants. Click to see some great photos.Baltimore Jewish Life | Jerusalem Hackathon with Baby Nursery (Photo Essay)Orthodox Israeli Women Pioneer Breakthrough in Infant Medical Care.More successful fertility treatmentsThe number of successful fertility treatments in Israel continues to rise. Details presented to the Israel Fertility Association conference also showed that technology improvements had reduced the incidence of IVF twins. Israeli women can receive public funds for IVF up to age 45.Successful fertility treatments on the rise in Israel - new data.Microbiome analysis startup gears upI reported previously (see here) on Israeli startup DayTwo which provides personalized nutrition suggestions based on your microbiome (gut bacteria). DayTwo has just raised $31 million for expansion in Europe and Asia, where it can help reduce diabetes and other metabolic diseases.Israeli Gut Microbiome Analysis Startup DayTwo Raises $31 Million.Health Canada Approves INSIGHTEC’S Exablate Neuro System for the Treatment of Essential Tremor.Skin stickers to monitor activity. A new medical innovation, developed at Tel Aviv University’s Center for Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, uses ‘stick it and forget it’ electrodes affixed to the skin, to monitor muscle activity. Applications include monitoring driver alertness and individuals with neuro-degenerative diseases.New Israeli-Developed Stickers Can Detect and Map Emotions.The science of daydreaming. Scientists at Bar-Ilan University have used low-level electricity to increase the rate at which daydreams - or spontaneous, self-directed thoughts and associations - occur. They also discovered that daydreams have a positive effect on task performance.Bar-Ilan University neuroscientists literally change the way we think.Help for patients and care-givers. Israeli Marni Mandell launched the startup CareHood to provide patients and care-givers with a website where they can learn what has helped other people in similar situations. They can then build a care package of services, gifts, tasks and errands that their friends and family can assist with.When medical crisis strikes, CareHood tries to answer ‘How can I help?’.Monitoring cancer in the genes. Israel’s NovellusDx monitors the effect of cancer therapies on a patient’s genetic mutations. NovellusDx reports to the oncologist on the contribution of the driver mutations to the activation of the signaling pathways. NovellusDx has just received $2.5 million funds from the VC Orbimed.OrbiMed invests $2.5m in cancer profiling co NovellusDx NovellusDx Web Clip.Making any fabric antibacterial. I reported on Israel’s Nano Textile previously (Feb 2015) when it announced its antibacterial Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nano coating for bed linen and clothing to prevent hospital infections. Nano Textile has now announced that it can make any fabric (natural or synthetic) antibacterial.Nano Textile says it can make any fabric antibacterialIsraeli co Nano Textile unveils antibacterial fabricIsraeli Researchers Develop Successful Vaccine for Skin CancerBreakthrough: Tel Aviv University researchers develop melanoma vaccineIsrael seeks to change the face of the battlefield with AI-powered autonomous armored vehiclesWATCH: Revolutionary Israeli treatment for migraines gets European approvalFrom harnessing pollutants to waves: Israel developing novel ways to generate powerNew Israeli helmet tackles ADHD head-onIsrael’s ‘Iron Fist’ Technology to Protect Dutch Armored VehiclesIsraeli Scientists Develop 3D Printed Corals to Preserve EnvironmentHow Israel Leads the Way in Sustainable Food DevelopmentBreakthrough: Leukemia Immunotherapy Treatment Extends to Other Cancers, Israeli Research FindsGood News Israel! Israeli Tech Turns Curses Into Blessings, Growing Diamonds From Methane, and More!Israeli advance treats 'aging eyes' with drops, not glassesWATCH: Israel’s Water Know-How Helps the World!New invention to make hospital bedding germ-resistant - ISRAEL21cWATCH: To Life! Israelis Invent ‘Healthy’ Super-WineWATCH: Will Israel be totally powered by solar energy by 2030?Israeli Startup Makes Eating Safe for Food Allergy SufferersIsraeli advance treats 'aging eyes' with drops, not glassesBreakthrough: Leukemia Immunotherapy Treatment Extends to Other Cancers, Israeli Research FindsIsraeli Team Wins Gold Medal for Creating Bee-Free HoneyIsraeli Infection Breakthrough Tells Virus from BacteriaIsrael becomes first country in world to perform ‘artificial meniscus’ transplant - JNS.orgIsraeli-Made Electric Planes Set to Revolutionize Air TravelIsraeli Chemo Breakthrough Could Change Cancer Treatment Forever!.BDS supporters must not make use of any of this Israeli technology either:Surgery without scars or scalpelsIsraeli tech uses lasers to protect civilian aircraftIsraeli Technology Turns Smartphones into Medical MicroscopesIsrael Does It Again... Jewish Woman Invents A Replacement For PlasticNew sustainable way to create plastics from seaweedIsraeli tech to enable blind voters to cast ballot without assistanceWATCH: Israeli Breakthrough Could Stop Deadly Skin CancerIsraeli Tech Brings African Children Drinking Water Created from Thin AirIsraeli cyber experts identify a vulnerability in Xiaomi phonesResearchers find AIDS drug also helps stroke patientsIsraeli hospital performs first-ever live vein transplantIsraeli Biological Breakthrough – First-ever 3D-Printed Living Heart!Israel’s ‘TreeTube’ Lets Roots Grow Without Breaking the SidewalkIsrael’s ‘Iron Dome’ For MosquitoesWATCH: FDA Approves Israeli Device that Lets Paralyzed People Walk Again!Israel emerges as a world leader in fertility treatmentsTechnion Scientists Improve Wound Sealing with a Hot-Glue GunIsraeli startup uses ultrasound waves to reduce Parkinson’s tremorsHewlett Packard to install Israeli cybersecurity software in next-generation computersIsraelis make major breakthrough in antibioticsNew Israeli Treatment Prevents Scarring from Breast Cancer ProceduresWATCH: Tel Aviv Researchers Make Huge Skin Cancer DiscoveryWATCH: Israel's laser-targeted mosquito locator will keep you bite-freeIsraeli Hand-Held Food Allergen Detector Will Save LivesWATCH: Israeli ‘Artificial Vision’ Device Opens New World for the BlindWATCH: Israeli Satellite to Expand Internet Access in AfricaIsraeli Company Saving the Planet One Garbage Recycling Process at a TimeIsraeli startup paves way to Alzheimer’s cure, one algorithm at a time.BDS Supporters must stay away from this Israeli technology also:SACH saves its 4000th child. (TY Hazel) 4-year-old Sanusey was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. The surgery needed to repair his heart is not available inGambia. Sanusey is now recovering from open heart surgery at the Wolfson Medical Center in Holon, Israel. He is the 4,000th child saved by Israel’s Save a Child’sHeart organization. Other children currently being treated include five from Iraq and Zead from Gaza.Sanusey, 4, is 4,000th helped by Save a Child’s Heart.Good trials of colon X-ray capsule. (TY Atid-EDI) I reported about Israel’s Check-cap previously (Feb 2012) that requires no prior preparation or hospital visit. After 4years, trials on 54 participants of its ingestible and disposable low-dose 3D imaging capsule proved safe and well tolerated and detected small and large polyps.Check-Cap Announces Preliminary Data Evaluating its Preparation-Free Colon Screening Capsule.…and much, much, much more.In case we forgot the point:Genesis 12:2 - Amplified Bible(Speaking of Israel):“I will make you a great nation;I will bless youAnd make your name great;And you shall be a blessing”Side Note: All of the above (and more) is why the BDS movement (boycotting Israel) will NEVER succeed with INTEGRITY...Speaking of BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanction/boycotting Israel for everything), the world is turning its back on Israel today:Micah 5:3aTherefore, Israel will be abandoned…138 countries in favor of a "palestinian" state, 9 opposed, and 41 abstentionsUN Passes Wave of Anti-Israel Resolutions - 2014UN Passes 6 Outrageous Anti-Israel Resolutions - 2016UN Passes Six New Anti-Israel Resolutions - 2017UN rights council passes 5 anti-Israel resolutions - 2018UN passes 6 anti-Israel resolutions in one day - 2018UN silence is prize for Gaza terrorism - 2019YouTube violated own rules in banning pro-Israel channel that took on UNRWA - 2019Anti-Israel 'Human Rights Watch' links to BDS are overwhelming - 2019Greenblatt slams UN's 'obsessive' anti-Israel bias, failure to condemn "palestinian" terror - 2019UN: 138 countries approve draft resolution that speaks of Temple Mount solely as an Islamic holy siteWATCH: Anti-Israel BDS-Backers in US Congress Increased by 50% | United with Israel.Corruption at the International Criminal Court about IsraelLegal experts argue impartiality, point to ICC bias in alleged Israeli 'war crimes' case.Isaiah 41:18-2018 I will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water.19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, The myrtle and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine And the box tree together,20 That they may see and know, And consider and understand together, That the hand of the Lord has done this, And the Holy One of Israel has created it...Isaiah 11:12He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth....Unmistakable divine messages can be tracked through history accompanying major world events. As US lawmakers deliberate the future of the nuclear agreement with Iran, American leaders should take a hint from history and understand the divine implications of their decisions.We have seen that natural phenomenon can often be seen as divinely guided. Is it a coincidence that after announcing the nuclear deal, Iran was hit with an apocalyptic-like heat wave and, in a separate incident, a meteor ?While the heavenly warnings are clearer to some than others, a quick look at the timeline of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the accompanying natural disasters makes claims of coincidence lose their credibility:Numbers 24:9 - Good News TranslationThe nation is like a mighty lion; When it is sleeping, no one dares wake it. Whoever blesses Israel will be blessed, And whoever curses Israel will be cursed."October 30, 1991: US President George Bush, Sr. opened the Madrid Conference with an expectation that Israel would trade “Land for Peace”. As the conference progressed, what was later called the “Perfect Storm” develops in the North Atlantic, creating the largest waves ever recorded in that region. The storm traveled 1,000 miles from east to west, defying the more natural west to east pattern. One day later, on October 31, the storm struck the New England coast with 35 foot waves crashing into the Walker’s Point home of President Bush in Kennebunkport, South Maine. His home was extensively damaged.August 23, 1992: The Madrid Conference moved to Washington DC and the peace talks resumed. One day later, Hurricane Andrew, the worst natural disaster recorded in American history, hit Florida, causing an estimated $30 billion in damage and leaving 180,000 homeless across the state.January 21, 1998: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US President Bill Clinton at the White House and was greeted in an unwelcoming manner. Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright refused to have lunch with him. It was later that same day that the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke out.January 16, 1994: President Clinton met with Syria’s President Hafez el-Assad in Geneva . They discussed a peace agreement with Israel that included giving up the Golan Heights. Within 24 hours, the powerful Northridge earthquake, which registered a 6.9 on the Richter scale, hit Southern California. The earthquake caused an estimated $20 billion in damage, leaving 57 people killed and over 5,000 injured. The earthquake became the second most destructive natural disaster to hit the United States.September 28, 1998: US Secretary of State Madeline Albright gave a press briefing describing the final details of an American brokered agreement between PLO Head Yasser Arafat and Netanyahu. According to the deal, Israel would have been required to give up 13 percent of Judea and Samaria. The same day, Georges, a category 4 hurricane, hit the United States Gulf Coast with winds of 110 mph and gusts of up to 175 mph. In terms of damage, it was the costliest hurricane since Hurricane Andrew, causing $10 billion of damage and killing 604 people.October 15-22, 1998: Arafat and Netanyahu met at the Wye River Plantation in Maryland for five days of intensive talks as part of a continuation of Albright’s plan that would force Israel to give up major areas of Judea and Samaria . On October 17, Hurricane Madeline boiled over. Though it never made landfall, the resulting rains and tornados that hit southern Texas caused over $750 million in damage and killed 31 people, affecting a quarter of the state. The storm dissipated as the meeting ended in Maryland. On October 21, Clinton declared the hard-hit areas of Texas a major disaster area.November 30, 1998: Arafat arrived in Washington again to meet with Clinton. He proposed a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as the capital and began efforts to raise money. A total of 42 nations agreed to give Arafat $3 billion, with Clinton pledging $400 million and European nations pledging $1.7 billion. On the same day, the Dow Jones average plunged 216 points, and on December 1, the European Market had its worst day in history. Hundreds of billions of dollars of market capitalization were wiped out in the US and Europe.December 12, 1998: Clinton landed in the Palestinian-controlled section of Israel to discuss the “land for peace” process. The House of Representatives votes four articles of impeachment against him.May 3, 1999: Arafat was scheduled to declare an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. For two days, tornadoes ravaged the center of America,concentrated in Oklahoma and Kansas. 152 tornadoes touched down, causing $1.4 billion in damage, killing 50 and injuring almost 900 people. Arafat’s declaration was postponed to December 1999 at the request of Clinton.October 11, 1999: Jewish settlers in 15 West Bank settlements are evicted from their homes. The Dow Jones financial averages loses 5.7 percent, in the worst week since October 1989. On October 15, the Dow lost 266 points. A hurricane hits North Carolina. The next morning, October 16, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake rocks the southwest US in the fifth most powerful earthquake in the 20th century. The earthquake was centered in the California desert and did little damage but was felt in three states.August 13, 2005: The day before the 9th of Av, commemorating the day on which both Jewish Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed, over 10,000 Jews were evicted from their homes in Gush Katif as part of the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s “Disengagement” plan. This disengagement was due to US pressure. Less than two weeks later, Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana, leaving thousands of Americans homeless and killing at least 1,833. Damage was estimated at over $108 billion...Amos 8:11"Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord God, "That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the Lord.Society has taken down the 10 Commandments from wherever they stand, taken away all the rights of Christians, and thrown God out of everything:.Luke 5:30-3230 And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, "Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"31 Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick...Revelation 16:8 - Amplified BibleThen the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was given power to scorch humanity with [raging] fire..Sunspots:Raging Fire (Solar Flare/CME):.Date Unknown:This is also why GPS doesn’t work properly anymore:A huge solar flare temporarily knocked out GPS communicationsSpace Weather and GPS Systemsetc...John 16:2-3 (bolding is mine for emphasis)2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. 3 And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me..Watch: "palestinian” terrorists burn down Torah Scrolls and a synagogue.Watch: "palestinians” burn another synagogueetc..Repeat John 16:2-3 with different bolding for clarity re, persecution:Yes, they will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. 3 And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.John 15:20 - Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.Mark 13:13 - And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.2 Timothy 3:12 - Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.Persecution of Christians, January 2020Persecution of Christians, February 2020Persecution of Christians, March 2020Persecution of Christians, April 2020Persecution of Christians, May 2020Persecution of Christians, June 2020Persecution of Christians, July 2020Persecution of Christians, August 2020Persecution of Christians, September 2020Persecution of Christians, October 2020Persecution of Christians, November 2020Persecution of Christians, December 2020Persecution of Christians, January 2021Christians are almost extinct in the Middle EastGenocide of Christians reaches 'alarming stage'Christians are 'most persecuted group’Mainstream Media Silent As The Persecution Of Christians Escalates Worldwide(You can also Google Images of Christian persecution in the Middle East; you can add words like ‘crucified’ or ‘burned alive’ or ‘beheaded’ as per Surah Muhammad [47:4] in the quran.)..Revelation 20:4aAnd I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands.The Bible states that the beast will cause all to 'receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads (Revelation 13:16).According to the Hebrew Lexicon, the Greek word for 'mark' in Revelation 13:16 denotes something that is worn, like a badge. Also, the phrase 'right hand' in the same verse derives from the Greek, 'dexios' which can be translated 'the right arm.’“Thus, the beast's minions will wear a 'mark' or name (as a badge) on their foreheads or right arms:On the beach in Libya. They refused to take the mark = they refused to convert to islam:..Daniel 12:4 - Amplified Bible"But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the scroll until the end of time. Many will go back and forth and search anxiously [through the scroll], and knowledge [of the purpose of God as revealed by His prophets] will [greatly] increase.”As you can see in the Amplified version, this verse refers to knowledge increasing regarding the Word of God. This is confirmed by other Bible Study Aids (Bible Commentaries, etc.). Having said that, some prophecies are double-prophecies, including this one.Examples:100 years ago, life consisted of horse-and-buggy transportation, and kerosene lamps to light the home. In one lifetime, we have gone from that to cars, planes, radio, TV, smart phones, computers, nuclear power, penicillin, solar panels, hearing aids, pacemakers, microwaves, DNA, air conditioning, the Large Hadron Collider to find “the God particle,” that is, to find the smallest particle from which all things exist. It cost over $13 Billion, is 17 miles/27 kilometres long, 500 ft./152 metres below the ground, and is on the border of Switzerland and France.We’ve gone from grid maps...… To:“Turn left here” !..In Noah’s time, the earth was filled with violence, and then the Flood came (see Genesis 6:11 - Amplified Bible). In our time, the Earth is filled with violence, and the Christ’s return will come:General everyday life consists of murder, suicide, rape, pedophilia, bestiality, necrophilia, wife-beating, child abuse, animal abuse, theft, lies, greed, sickness, disease, andmaking people not only accept what God forbids and abhors, but actually making people embrace it. Within 5 years of legalizing homosexual marriage, we have transgender kids, no-gender kids, homosexual sex and sodomy taught in schools, drag queen story hour in schools and libraries for the very young, homosexual bloodtransfusions to the public and your children, people advocating for the decriminalization of AIDS transmission, grown men in women’s washrooms and change rooms, boys in girls’ washrooms, boys in girls’ clubs, girls in boys’ clubs, and men in women's sports and beauty contests. Society is still working on non-Christians in Christian clubs and non-Christians leading Christian churches. Homosexuals lecture us on morals, transvestites lecture us on human biology, pro-choice lecture us on human rights, and socialists lecture us on economics. All natural differences and boundaries are gone, and everything is backwards:Jeremiah 15:6You have forsaken Me,” says the Lord,“You have gone backward.Therefore I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you;I am [a]weary of relenting![a] tired.Looked outside lately?2 Timothy 3:1-4Perilous Times and Perilous Men1 But know this, that in the last days [a]perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, [b]unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,[a] times of stress[b] irreconcilable..God says He will destroy those who destroy the Earth:Revelation 11:18 - Amplified BibleAnd the nations (Gentiles) became enraged, and Your wrath and indignation came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and [the time came] to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints (God’s people) and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and [the time came] to destroy the destroyers of the earth.”100 years ago, the most dangerous weapon on Earth was cannons and cannonballs. In just 100 years, we now have nuclear weapons, biological weapons, and chemical weapons. We now have the ability to destroy the Earth. (See Matthew 24:21-22 - Amplified Bible).And the Earth is once again filled with violence:In the U.S. - Repeated mass shootings in schools, churches, airports, malls, movie theatres, dance clubs, concerts, parking lots, grocery stores, drive-bys, Walmarts, playgrounds, festivals, etc;2018:2019: In the U.S., there were more mass shootings in 2019 than there were days in the year, according to a gun violence research group. 2019 had the highest number of mass shootings in any year since the research group started keeping track. By the end of 2019, there were 417 mass shootings in the U.S. according to data from the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive (GVA) which tracks every mass shooting in the country. 31 of those shootings were mass murders..More immorality and/or violence:Legalized abortionLegalized homosexualityThrowing God out of everythingViolent musicViolent video gamesViolent television programsViolent moviesIf 20 people aren't shot in a TV program, the viewer is bored.Chemical warfare (Syria)More people die in gang violence than from fighting in foreign warsNational Geographic has reported that 52% (over half) of the world's wildlife has been lost by the hand of man. This report refers to the time period from 1970 to 2010, which is just ONE short lifetime."palestinians" attacking Israel's computers up to 2 million times per day; shooting rockets into Israeli civilian population thereby committing international war crimes; stabbing Israelis on the street; ramming Israelis with cars; throwing molotov cocktails at Israelis to set them on fire; stoning Israeli vehicles to kill the occupants; digging tunnels into Israel and kidnapping Israeli citizens and IDF soldiers; setting fire to Jewish land by arson attacks with kites, balloons, and birds, igniting over 2,000 fires so far and destroying over 25,000 km. of agricultural land, forests, and animals; poisoning Israeli stream with raw moslem wastewater and sewage; creating “Pallywood;” causing barbarian riots at the Gaza border; bringing moslem children to those riots so that Israel can't defend herself or otherwise be blamed for killing children; planting landmines; from January to September 2019, firing 1,932 rockets and mortar bombs at Israeli civilian population, attacking Israelis in 25 shootings with 128 improvised explosive devices, 841 petrol bombs killing 8 and injuring 282; abandoning their sick children in Gaza so they can enter Israel illegally; stealing Jewish artifacts in an attempt to erase 4,000 years of Jewish history from Israel; building an “ancient” village in Israel that's only 2 years old; fighting to make Israeli archaeology illegal because it proves that the Bible is true and that it is the Jewish people’s homeland; and promising to annihilate every last Jew on Earth.The world spends over $100 Million an hour on soldiers, ammunition, and war machines.See mass shootings around the world, 2020:https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/mass-shootings-by-country/.etc. etc. etc...Matthew 24:14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.The Gospel is preached via thousands of television programs, radio programs, the internet, and missionaries who travel the world. In the Middle East, people who live in tents have satellite dishes! In India, people who live in huts have a satellite dish on top! :.India:.The Gospel finally made it into Israel! (May 2020)Israel approves Christian missionary TV channel, sparking uproarAnd another Gospel channel in Israel! (May 2020)Does gospel-preaching ‘Shelanu’ TV channel violate Israeli law against proselytizing?.The Gospel even made it to China which is surely a literal miracle:China Evangelism.Because this is what China does with Christians:In China, they’re closing churches, jailing pastors – and even rewriting scripture.Pastors in China Prepare to Lose Their Lives for Preaching the Gospel, Defying Communist CrackdownThat is exactly what Christians are supposed to do, because:Luke 9:24 - For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it...Matthew 24:7-87 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.Yes, there have always been natural disasters, but never with the present frequency and intensity.Over the last 100 years, earthquakes have increased 265%. According to the National Earthquake Centre, 18 earthquakes with magnitudes of 8.0 or more occurred all over the world within just the last 10 years:So have plagues, floods, and all the other things that Matthew 24 and Luke 21 describe. These can easily be found on the internet. They are far too many to list.Scripture calls them "birth pangs" because just as a pregnant woman's contractions come faster and closer together when she is nearer to birth, so we are closer to the return of the Christ as these plagues become more severe and more frequent...Luke 21:11 - Amplified Bible"There will be violent earthquakes, and in various places famines and [deadly and devastating] pestilences (plagues, epidemics); and there will be terrible sights and great signs from heaven.”Just from the late 1900s: AIDS, SARS, MERS, Dengue, Ebola, Cholera, H1N1, H5N1, Swine Flu, Asian Flu, Zika, Coronavirus, Murder Hornet, Rat Hepatitis, and whatever else is to come.Luke 21:10-28 where the above verse is found, is in a chapter that addresses the signs that precede the return of the Christ, as does Matthew 24 which describes the same things by another eyewitness present at the conversation.Repeat with different emphasis:"There will be violent earthquakes, and in various places famines and [deadly and devastating] pestilences (plagues,epidemics); and there will be terrible sights and great signs from heaven.”.Locusts, unprecedented, IranIran Deploys Military to Battle Unprecedented Biblical Plague of Locusts, May 2020Ticks in Russia - June 2020Locusts Swarms Cover 13 Countries; Expected to be 8,000 Times Larger Than Last YearLocusts - Chile‘Plague’ of Giant, Poisonous Toads Terrorize South Florida.New and re-emerging plagues as of August 2020Bird flu and flesh-eating disease sweeping across Victoria, Australia (August 2020)Texas water contains brain-eating microbeElephants in Zimbabwe dying from bacterial disease.Repeat Luke 21:11 (AMP) with different emphasis:"There will be violent earthquakes, and in various places famines and [deadly and devastating] pestilences (plagues, epidemics); and there will be terrible sights and great signs from heaven.".Repeat Luke 21:11 (AMP) with different emphasis:"There will be violent earthquakes, and in various places famines and [deadly and devastating] pestilences (plagues, epidemics); and there will be terrible sights and great signs from heaven.The Galaxy's Black Hole is Mysteriously Flashing Starlight -Unprecedented variability of Sgr A* in NIR.120,000 lightning strikes in storm in south Australia; 19,608 have struck the ground (so far)15,000 without power as storm brings thousands of lightning strikes to SA.Tree strike: 9News Sydney on Twitter..Revelation 6:8So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth...Bay of pigs: Haifa overrun by wild boarsWild Pigs Becoming New Invasive Species in Southern Ontario.Rabies in the Galilee.First Murder Hornet nest found in Washington on U.S./Canada borderFirst 'murder hornet' nest in U.S. destroyed, officials say.Jackal attacks one year old boy in Tel AvivBaby attacked by jackal in Tel Aviv park..Ezekiel 38:1-3Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 and say, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.According to the Greek/Hebrew Lexicon, Gog and Magog are the enemies of Israel. According to Biblical maps and Biblical atlases, Rosh, Mechech, and Tubal are all modern-day Turkey.https://worldisraelnews.com/turkey-creeps-toward-temple-mount-inaugurates-new-center-in-jerusalem/?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=3rd+Intifada%3F+IDF+Preps+for+Day+After+Annexation%3B+Turkey+Creeps+Toward+Temple+Mount%3B+Sneak+Peek+of+IDF+Top+Secret+Unit%3B+Dead+Sea+Scroll+DNA+Decoded&utm_campaign=20200603_m158660655_3rd+Intifada%3F+IDF+Preps+for+Day+After+Annexation%3B+Turkey+Creeps+Toward+Temple+Mount%3B+Sneak+Peek+of+IDF+Top+Secret+Unit%3B+Dead+Sea+Scroll+DNA+Decoded&utm_term=_0D_0A_09_09_09_09_09_09_09_09_09_09Read+Now_0D_0A_09_09_09_09_09_09_09_09_09..Matthew 24:12And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold..More Democrats have joined the growing list of names who want to abolish US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, more commonly known as ICE.These Democrats want to abolish ICE - CNN Politics.Abolish the Police?.Lawlessness: Minneapolis City Council Plans to 'Disband' Police Department | Harbingers Daily..Revelation 16:12Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared.Euphrates, Tigris rivers drying up, creating serious threat to Iraq's water supply..2 Thessalonians 2:3aLet no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first,A Great Falling Away - 30 Percent Of Evangelicals Don't Believe Jesus Is God..Luke 21:20"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.Hezbollah, Hamas Conspire to Conquer Jerusalem..Revelation 9:21 - Amplified Bible"and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries (drugs, intoxications) nor of their [sexual] immorality nor of their thefts."Legality of cannabisWashington DC poised to decriminalize the use of psychedelic mushrooms..Daniel 9:27 - Amplified BibleAnd he will enter into a binding and irrevocable covenant with the many for one week (seven years), but in the middle of the week he will stop the sacrifice and grain offering [for the remaining three and one-half years]; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until the complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who causes the horror.”Abraham Accords..Daniel 12:4 - Amplified BibleBut as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the scroll until the end of time. Many will go back and forth and search anxiously [through the scroll], and knowledge [of the purpose of God as revealed by His prophets] will [greatly] increase.”Number of North Koreans exposed to Bible increasing annually despite persecution: report..In Ezekiel 38-39, the Bible speaks of a coming war in which Russia, Iran, Turkey, and others, will attack the Jewish State. The alliance of countries will attempt to invade Israel from the north, which will result in God’s direct intervention.We are already witnessing this Ezekiel 38 alliance of nations cooperating together like never before, with Russia, Iran, and Turkey all positioning themselves in Syria to the north of the Jewish State.Iran, Russia and Turkey Signal Growing Alliance | Harbingers DailyFor years, Turkey would say one thing to Moscow and Tehran while telling Washington’s Iran hawks that Turkey was “against Russia and Iran.”https://harbingersdaily.com/iran-russia-and-turkey-signal-growing-alliance..List is frequently updated...Thank you again for the A2A..