Dead Drop: October 14

WHERE’S THE RUSSIAN FLAG? The Cipher Brief Threat Conference was held in Sea Island, Georgia this week at the same location where former President George W. Bush held the G8 Summit back in June 2004.  Yes, G8.  As you might remember, the global gathering brings together leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US (and includes a visit from the EU) but it also used to include Russia.  So, in the flag-lined Summit Room, there is a large photo of the world leaders walking the beach together and flags from each of their respective countries are carved into the wood table, where the group gathered to discuss global events.  You might also remember that Russia got booted from the group after its 2014 invasion of Crimea (officially changing it back to the G7).  We’re pretty sure the Russian flag is still carved into that table. However, one or more of the Cipher Brief attendees may have spent a little too much time contemplating whether it should stay that way.  The ‘general’ consensus seemed to be: let it be.

SIGNS THAT WE ARE LIVING IN DIFFICULT TIMES:  If you have any doubt that we are living in potentially dangerous times you probably have not been watching the news.  The off-camera, remarks last week by President Joe Biden at a fundraiser, saying that we are closer to Armageddon than at any time since the Cuban missile crisis, got a lot of attention.  And then, The Hill reported that the Department of Health and Human Services recently spent $290 million on a drug that is used to treat radiation sickness. But they just “coincidentally” timed the order, mind you. But not to worry – the media are here to help.  This week, Newsweek published an article on the “Best Place to Survive Nuclear War in the U.S.” They don’t entirely fulfill the promise of giving readers that answer – they probably want to avoid a traffic jam.  They do quote one professor as advocating “a rural area which is not downwind of an obvious target” and in a “valley where the hills would give you some protection from heat and blast from bombs which go off (miles) from where you are.”  Well, that narrows it down.