Day: April 22, 2006

Letter Re: Cell Phone E-911 Tracking

Dear Jim, Someone wrote about E911 phones and GPS tracking. I worked in that industry, with that specific issue and I can provide some facts. #1 The chip does not function unless you either Dial 911 or turn it to Location On, which shows a circle with a plus sign through it and two end parentheses to its right. It is common to see the circle-plus sign without the parentheses. Check your manual to verify this. It will list this under “icons” or E911. Phones come with them preset to “911 only”, not “on”. Phones from Nextel/Sprint or using location …


Letter Re: A Mumps Outbreak in the U.S. Midwest

Dear Jim: All the talk about Bird Flu, and we are noticing we have a Mumps outbreak going on: “The mumps outbreak is being called the nation’s worst in 20 years. As of Thursday, Iowa had 975 cases of probable, confirmed and suspected cases, said Dr. Patricia Quinlisk, the state epidemiologist.” In addition, see the CDC’s backgrounder on Mumps. Regards, – Rourke


Letter Re: Dealing with Illegal Immigration in the U.S.

Jim, I must respectfully disagree with your suggestions for dealing with illegal immigration. You stated: 1.) A stout fence and plenty of sensors, regardless of the cost, to make the southern border less porous. I believe this would be an utter waste of time and money. Here’s what I anticipate from that: Tunnels under, which already exist for the drug trade. I also heard of a case where near 1000 Mexicans just swarmed a border crossing on foot. Perhaps 1 in 10 was rounded up. Attacking the fence will become a sport–coyotes and dogs will be goaded across minefields, or …


Odds ‘n Sods:

I’m presently reading the novel “The Hunt for Confederate Gold” by Thomas Moore. (Published by Fusilier Books.) I’m now halfway through the novel, and I can’t put it down! Without giving too much away, I can tell you that it is three storylines wrapped into one. (One of which takes place in the closing days of the Confederate States of America.) Thusfar, I can highly recommend the novel. I’ll post a full review once I’ve finished reading it.    o o o The Survival Report for April 2006 from Mike “Mish” Shedlock and Brian McAuley provides some good background on …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you murder the hater, but you do not murder the hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only Light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only Love can do that." – …