Middle East
Syria has effectively ceased to exist [1]. You now have a situation in which the local regime has very little control or even influence in how even domestic matters are resolved in the country. The foreign powers (Russia, Iran, United States, and others) are now making it clear that no settlement or agreement will be taking place without their involvement and approval. The government takes its orders from Russia and Iran, and the coalition supports the rebel leadership making the current situation the status quo. Syria is now merely a fractured country in which no side can win because of foreign involvements.
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From the Washington Blog comes this timely piece: Manchester Terror Attack Proves that the War On Terror Is Failing [2]. You might think that the 10 steps suggested to finally end the war on terror are “common sense”. However, our politicians are not really interested in following through. We do indeed have the capability and the will to end this nonsense, yet we resuscitate it continuously.
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Reader B.B. sent in this article (a reprint from 2003, but still very relevant) concerning the war on terror [3]. I was struck by this statement: “Peace is the goal of war in civilized countries. To accept a perpetual ‘war on terror’ is to accept a plan for mere ‘management’ rather than a path to victory. And the failure to make a plan for victory is the construction of a plan for defeat.” As this war on terror drags on and on, with no clear path to victory, we edge closer and closer to a war between civilizations.
Privacy
Reader DSV sent in this link to a paper on the increasing use of ultrasonic beacons and smartphones [4] to collect and use private information. It’s a bit long and technical but well worth the read. A recent study found 234 Android apps that were already using this data without the phone user’s permission to de-anonymize the user’s access to websites and track location data. Google has publicly stated that any app found using this approach without the user’s agreement will be removed. The cat’s out of the bag so to speak. It should be noted that if the device is listening to ultrasonic commands, then the microphone is on. If the microphone is on, it can be used to listen to conversation.
NBC
With the recent discussion in the comments of SurvivalBlog on the safety of U.S. nuclear reactors, it’s interesting to note that a published report from Princeton University [5] claims the government used flawed data in their reports on the safety of reactors. The researchers claim that the risks of nuclear-waste fires are considerably greater than estimated. They also claim that the NRC refuses to enact crucial safety measures. This includes the use of dry casks to house contaminated waste. Thanks to H.L. for the link.
Personal Protection
H.L. also suggested this article on 7 improvised weapons that could save your life [6]. These are items that you almost always have with you, but you usually don’t think of them as weapons.
Politics
The taxpayer-funded University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has turned down an open records request by claiming that it is a law enforcement agency [7]. Initially, they delayed the request but then flat out denied it, attempting to claim law enforcement status. The law in question states that records of criminal investigations conducted by public law enforcement agencies are not public records. Only a competent court can release them. They have yet to state how they are claiming such status.
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Reader D.B. asks if this NYC worker [8] (and head of Manhattan Young Democrats) is a friend of Anthony Weiner? He was apparently arrested on child porn charges involving several thousand images of young girls. Jacob Schwartz was in charge of the hurricane Sandy recovery and resiliency program.
Comments Disabled To "The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:"
#1 Comment By Jefferson Franklin On May 28, 2017 @ 10:37 am
BTW, after your excellent explanation Hugh about the major new changes on SurvivalBlog, I can say I love it. I read the comments always now. Formerly, the main reason I went to M.D. Creekmore’s TheSurvivalistBlog.net was for the comments by his reader community, not the articles which were no way near as in-depth as those of SurvivalBlog.com. The quality of many of the comments here is better than those of TheSurvivalistBlog.net.
Republican Greg Gianforte won Thursday’s special election for the U.S. House in Montana, defeating Democratic challenger Rob Quist despite being charged with bodyslamming UK Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs the day before. Breitbart: Greg Gianforte Stuns Media, Democrats in Montana House Win
Best comment in the Breitbart comments section about Montana big win for the Republicans by WWE/MMA Gianforte:
“Gianforte is a westerner about my age. Growing up I learned that if someone got in your face they were asking for a quick shot in the face or to be picked up by the collar and shoved against the wall or the floor. We learned to be polite or else we spent time in the dentist chair. I am an Idahoan (for you easterners that is just west of Montana) and that is the culture I grew up in. Back then no one would have called for the police unless the person beat down was from California or the East coast, then the local sheriff would listen to the facts and decide it was justified and dismiss the whole thing. Gianforrte was just doing what comes naturally and if you can’t respect it then stay out of the rural west. The reason he was even charged is that Gallatin county has been contaminated with hordes of Californians whom nobody wanted in the first place. When I went to the east coast for college I adjusted for the culture, and its time you adjusted to ours when you come here. If it had been me that he did that to, Jacobs would be getting fit for dentures.”
[9]
#2 Comment By James Laubacher On May 28, 2017 @ 11:58 am
The nuke across from me is building dry cask storage as fast as they can and the word is that all the nukes are. Fukashima scared them.
#3 Comment By Ned2 On May 28, 2017 @ 3:29 pm
There was an article in the Guardian earlier this week, saying there were over 23,000, yes twenty three thousand, known jihadis in the UK.
The fact they haven’t been expelled from the country tells you everything you need to know about the situation in Europe. It’s essentially a dead society committing slow suicide.
The one positive I draw from this is we can look at Europe and get a glimpse of our future. We have to be proactive in saying NO to islam; period. There are no moderate muslims; that is nothing but an outdated PR campaign. Islam is an evil political movement. It cannot be reasoned with.
#4 Comment By Ned2 On May 28, 2017 @ 3:33 pm
The best analogy I have heard is “allowing muslims to reside in your country is akin to letting burglars live in your house and doing nothing until they steal something”
When are we going to acknowledge the danger and deal with it?
#5 Comment By MAS On May 29, 2017 @ 3:24 pm
I’ve heard it said the radical Muslims (read: orthodox Muslims) want to cut your head off, moderate Muslims (read: liberal Muslims) want the radical Muslims to cut your head off. Can’t trust a religion that has lying instituted into its doctrine…taqiyya.
#6 Comment By Matt in Oklahoma On May 29, 2017 @ 2:01 am
The war isn’t on “terror” over there. The war is on its own.
Great article on the cans and Venezuela
#7 Comment By Liberty or Death On May 29, 2017 @ 4:12 am
Why, if 80% of opium comes from Afghanistan and US has hardware, manpower, etc in country (and has 2002), do we have a heroin epidemic in the US?
#8 Comment By WallstRockstar On May 29, 2017 @ 2:41 pm
The root of all our problems is the mis-information spread by the MSM. It’s the catalyst and support system to liberal thought on college campuses and Hollywood, as well. Only boycotting the MSM and the federal and state defunding all universities will turn the tide.