SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “HJL”. Featured in politics today is a win handed to President Trump on his travel ban. This has been a good week for Trump.
Politics
The supreme court ruled today that President Trump’s travel ban was allowed to go into full effect. Only two justices dissented (Ginsburg and Sotomayor). We’ve pretty much known all along that if the supreme court heard the case they would allow it. It is reassuring to know that there is some rule-of-law still allowed in this country despite the beating it took from the liberal media and lower-level courts. Interestingly enough, the Associated Press and other outlets original misrepresented it as a “Muslim” ban even though Venezuela and North Korea were on the list. Thank you fake news.
Survival Realty
There is a unique east coast listing on Survival Realty that might interest some. One of the 6 homes on Basset Island in Massachusett’s Buzzard Bay is up for sale. It has over 300 feet of shoreline and is on 3.1 acres. Being on an island, it affords rare privacy on the east coast but has full amenities. The listing does include a 21 foot SteigerCraft which you will need to get to the home.
Welfare Expenditures
Reader P.S. noted the call for clarification on the welfare expenditures article we reported on last week. The original article only reported the total dollars spent by each state and several readers requested that information on a per-capita basis. P.S. took it upon himself to create a spreadsheet using the data from that article and Wikipedia’s listing of estimated state populations in 2016. To no ones surprise, the District of Columbia is far and away the highest spender.
Cost of Illegal Immigration
Reader T.Z. sent in this map showing the State by State costs of illegal immigration. The map excludes federal costs but includes things like healthcare, education and refundable tax credits. Again, there are no surprises in the chart. Those states that bear the heaviest cost are the coastal states and those that share a border with Mexico. The American Redoubt fairs well in the reporting, but that is mostly because of the physical remoteness. States that make it easy to file for benefits also fair poorly.
The Middle East
Reader G.P. sent in this article showing the continued unrest on the Arabian Peninsula. The Yemen Houthi rebels, smarting from the loss a powerful ally, former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, claimed to have fired another missile at Saudi Arabia. This time the intended target was was the nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi, however, the United Arab Emirates is denying that the incident occurred. It should be noted that the Houthi are suspected of being supported by Iran, though Iran denies it.
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The Saudis claimed last months scud missile fired by the Houthi was intercepted and destroyed. Analysis of the missile debris and trajectory is now leading analysts to doubt the official story. The Burqan-2 missile is designed to separate in flight and the debris found consisted only of the the boost stage of the rocket. An explosion near the Riyadh airport suggests that the warhead made it all the way to the airport, but missed it’s intended target. Further analysis of the patriot interceptor missiles suggest that if they hit anything at all, it was probably the expended booster and the warhead passed overhead. The article also notes that during the gulf war, The Americans and the Israelis claimed a much higher intercept ratio that analysis showed. Some claim that none of the Patriot interceptors were successful.
ELD Mandate
From the desk of Mike Williamson, SurvivalBlog’s Editor at large:
Electronic logging devices have been required on commercial vehicles since 2012. However, many horse breeders, owners, trainers and competitors are unaware of how this law may affect them. Most believe the exemptions provided for transporting livestock will protect them, but those who transport to horse shows fall outside of those exemptions. In addition, if you are making money through sponsors, or winnings (or have the potential to do so) or your vehicle requires a CDL due to the weight class, you are required to install an ELD. These ELDs can be inspected by the state authorities and if you are found to be in violation of the federal standards for breaks and distance, you will face hefty fines. You need to read this article if you think this affects you.
iPhone X
Apple has been applauded for how good the facial recognition is in the new iPhone X and the fact that they keep the data local rather than uploading it to a server. Now it appears that the phone actually shares certain aspects of this data with apps on the phone. The phone builds a wire-frame image of your face. It also has a live readout of 52 unique micro-movements in your eyelids, mouth and other features. The Apps can take this data and store it on their own upstream servers. Expect mischief in the near future revolving around facial recognition and emotional response that the phone can recognize. Thanks to D.B for the link.
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Please send your news tips to HJL. (Either via e-mail of via ourContact form.) These are often especially relevant, because they come from folks who watch news that is important to them. Due to their diligence and focus, we benefit from fresh “on target” news. We often “get the scoop” on news that is most likely ignored (or reported late) by mainstream American news outlets. Thanks!
Re. Yemeni rocket launched last month at Saudi Arabia: I live and work in Riyadh. My best friend and I were BBQ-ing on his patio in the eveneng and heard the initial blast, which we thought to be a car bomb, followed by not 1, not 2, and not 4 secondaries. At the time we thought it strange (both of us are multiple-tour recent combat veterans) that multiple secondaries was strange; usually there is only one. The next day when the news reported the strike on the airport, it all made sense. Especially when you figure that Patriots, when they don’t detonate at the intended target (or get beyond a certain range) self-detonate. Further, given that PAC batteries fire in volleys of 2 for each target, and given that we heard one huge (and chest-resonating) initial followed by 3 secondaries, our judgement is that the missile was indeed interdicted by 1 PAC and the other three self-detonated. Note: the airport (target area) is 40 km from our compound, and the initial blast was significant, to say the least. V/R-
Excellent comment.
Further clarification: I should have explained that there is video of two launches of Patriots (so 4 total rounds).
I am from Massachusetts, and would advise purchasing any property under that jurisdiction, even if it is a island, the state is ultra liberal, is vehemently opposed to firearms and the concept of self defense, and is very antagonistic to Christianity.
It is also very sympathetic with criminals and generally very intolerant to any Biblical or Constitutional thinking.
I grew up in the utra liberal cesspool of Hampshire County (Elizabeth Warren), but general the entire state has been reprogrammed to “coexist” with liberal progressive ideology.
The one area that may still be a bit more conservative is along the VT border and western side of NH border around the Connecticut river, and out west close to NY border, all else has pretty much been conquered
What a crying shame! Sam, John Adams and Paul Rever and other founding patriots are rolling over in their graves!
Forgive them o’lord they know not what they do…. amen
re:
Electronic Loggers
“…When two or more (operators) gather in his name!…”
The news-blurb gives the impression a vehicle uses only one operator during travel.
a) Can EL technology distinguish between operators?
b) Can one operator rest while another operator continues operating the vehicle?
c) Does EL shutdown the vehicle as the Required Daily Maximum travel approaches?
c1) And notify The Authorities of imminent ‘crimes against humanity’?
c2) Do The Authorities enforce federal code 380 chapter 3 sub-chapter (f) by electronically filing injunctions against the vehicle?
c3) While animal transporters frequently stop to walk-and-rest the animals, does EL continue ticking?
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In other news, the Bureau Of Justifying Our Existence announced closure of the notorious ‘decal and hobby’ loophole. Proclaiming yet another victory against the rural unwashed, progressives loudly rejoice in the streets. Again.
So-called alleged ‘freedom lovers’ acknowledge defeat, quietly submit. Again. But “vow to contest the issue in the courts”. Again.
@ Gramma
What we have here is massive govt. overreach, period!
The attack on Trump’s “racist Muslim ban” is just typical two-faced deceit by the Democrat news corporations.
Did they say anything when Bill Clinton killed 500,000 Iraqi children with cholera? –bombing water treatment plants and then blocking import of purification chemicals.
No –even though Bin Laden cited that as one of the three reasons for Al Qaeda declaring war on the USA and launching the Sept 11 attack.
Did the Democrat news media say anything when Hillary and the Democrat Senate of 2002 voted for an unnecessary war to seize non-existent nukes that killed over 100,000 Iraqi civilians?
No. But Trump blocks the admission of people from countries that now hate us –because of the Clintons’ past acts — and suddenly Trump is the evil one.
The Democrat News Media’s double standard is the mark of deceit. They lie to the American People — and the biggest lie is their claim to be honest journalists trying to inform the voters in an objective manner without bias.
And it is not just this issue.
Bill Clinton’s Secretary of State Madelaine Albright going on 60 Minutes and arguing that killing 500,000 Iraqi children with sanctions “is worth it.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM0uvgHKZe8
I live in the nanny state of MA. The Survival Realty location will have all the firearms restrictions. No more than 10 thousand rounds of ammo, which includes empty shells, I have been told. Also you have to inform the fire dept, if you have more than 5 pounds of gun/reloading powder. Also,your voice won’t matter to your reps in DC unless you are a liberal.