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”. StingRays make the news yet again. One might expect that law enforcement would be more cautious about their use. But apparently, the data gathered is worth the risk to them.
The Tradesman Channel
By way of Cody (Wranglerstar) we hear that Jim of The Tradesman Channel suffered a multiple fracture his ankle. Please keep him in your prayers, and please help out, if you can.
Siege Stoves
If you are looking for a lightweight stove to put in your get-home bag that can work with just about any size of food can, you should check the Siege Stoves out. These stoves fold flat, are low cost and can use anything from a common food can to a gallon paint can as the burn chamber. The stove basically consists of four universal cross members that store flat. You can take two cross members and put them together to form the base of the stove with the remaining cross members forming the top of the stove (where you would put your cooking pot.
All you need is some method of poking air holes in the can serving as the burn chamber. Since you know large fires are to be avoided, this allows you to have one just big enough to efficiently cook your meal and not give your position away.
StingRays
Reader DSV sent in this article on the state of StingRays in active use in Washington D.C. Apparently, there are dozens of these devices in use within the beltway and no one really knows who is running them. While you may not be a target, someone near you may and your data will be caught up in the data collection. A News4 team loaded special software on three cell phones and drove around the capital region and found many suspicious incidents during their drive. The Department of Homeland Security has called the StingRays a real and growing risk.
Location Information Breach
Reader T.Z. sent in this article on a website flaw at a California company that gathers real-time data on cellular wireless devices and it allowed anyone to pinpoint the location of any AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, or T-Mobile cellphone. Securus Technologies is capable of tracking just about any modern cell phone to within a few hundred yards and they had been selling or giving away the location data to a sheriff’s office in Mississippi County, MO. Then Motherboard broke a story on how a hacker had broken in and stolen the data on 2,800 usernames, email addresses, phone numbers and hashed passwords of authorized users. Most of the credentials reportedly belonged to law enforcement officers across the country.
Hate Crime Bill
Despite a clear 10th Amendment Violation, the U.S. House of Representatives have voted in favor of new hate crime legislation that sets up cops as a protected class. The bill comes dangerously close to making it a federal crime to resist arrest. Anyone who injures or attempts to injure a police officer will be guilty of a federal offense, no matter how small the injury and no matter if the injury was intentional or not. The 10th amendment grants authority to prosecute offenses against state and local cops only to the states, so this law is clearly unconstitutional. Only 35 House members voted against the bill, meaning that an overwhelming majority of law makers voted for violating the U.S. Constitution. Thanks to H.L. for the link.
Humiliating Defeat for Iran
Reader D.S. sent in this article outlining the triumph of Israel’s “Operation House of Cards” and the humiliating defeat that Iran suffered. In the largest military operation undertaken by the Israel Defense Forces since the 1973 Yom Kuppur war, Israel clearly dominated the skies over Syria, despite the Syrian air defenses. The article outlines five take-aways:
- Israeli intelligence, tactics and technology are clearly superior in the region.
- This was a political victory for Israel and a reversal for Iran
- There were significant fractures in the Syria-Iran alliance
- Iran is in distress
- Israels economy is very resilient
We can probably expect round two of the conflict, but it’s unknown how that will materialize. Iran was clearly unprepared for the conflict that they tried to initiate.
o o o
Please send your news tips to HJL. (Either via e-mail of via our Contact 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: Stingrays in DC Metro Area. Since the interception of electronic communications without a warrant is a violation of 18 USC 2511, there are two likely answers for why DHS hasn’t arrested the users of the Stingrays: First, the users are US Government employees using the Stingrays to monitor the communications of suspects in criminal or counterintelligence investigations. Two, the users have diplomatic immunity, being representatives of foreign intelligence services under cover in Embassies in DC.
Third reason is that they are used by deep state operatives in domestic terrorism,blackmail and fraud operations with political backing
If DHS is concerned about the Sting Rays, perhaps they should take them down…….
My view on StingRays in DC:
Washington DC has many ambassadors and embassy personnel. I am sure that all their cell phone communications (that are not scrambled) are captured and analyzed by the network of Stingray’s in DC. Not only THAT, but the corrupt Intelligence services (FBI, CIA, etc.) can spy on members of Congress and other government officials and use the information as Blackmail for the Deep State purposes. We are seeing what they are willing to do to the President (FISA warrants based on manufactured material from political opponents, etc.)
Re: Stingrays
Went to a big convention on k street about four years ago. Ate dinner and had drinks one night with the two owners of a high tech engineering firm. As the (quite excellent) whiskey flowed they said many interesting things some of which made me wish I was not sitting with them. One of the things they claimed (not one that made me wish I was not sitting with them) was that all the elected officials in DC were operating in fear and consequently virtually everyone traveling in DC, particularly if you fly in, is tracked electronically. One of the gentleman made the prediction that within 10 years no one would be allowed to drive within a certain radius of the mall except in driverless cars. As I recall the other partner was skeptical about the time frame for driverless cars but agreed about the surveillance and likely eventual lockdown.
Have no way to know if anything they said was true however the Stingray article reminded me of this conversation. The surveillance I find rather unsurprising but the motivation of fear (vice money, power, sex which are the primary motivations in the world for powerful people IMO) while not necessarily surprising was more interesting to me. To listen to these gentleman our leaders are afraid of virtually everyone. Foreigners, citizens, perhaps each other. Who knows?
An aside. I had never known what the “k street lobby” was nor ever thought about a physical k street before despite having been to other places in DC before. There is a large convention center on k street. I don’t know which came first the lobby or convention center but it is clear that it is a major place to do business in DC. I found the place subtly oppressive. I was there for a week and at first it felt like any other travel. By the end of the week however the whole vibe of the place (not much specific) made me feel like I needed to take a shower with a wire brush to get the slime off. If I could put my finger on it I felt like the place was full of beggars and hucksters in nice suits. Just the feeling and it was not immediately apparent to me nor did it immediately slap you in the face. Just an observation and who knows if it is accurate.
The Feds are working on ( or have passed ) a Bill making the death penalty the penalty for killing a police officer, why only LEOs, I consider my life valuable also. IF you murder someone the ONLY punishment should be execution in a swift and timely manner not dying of old age on death row. we need a Supreme Court of Death Sentence Appeals that handle only Death Sentence Appeals. once the sentence is handed down, it goes DIRECTLY to the SCDSAs instead of working its way through the courts taking years and making Lawyers millions, The Court should have to make a ruling in six months or less. I know all the liberal Democrats will have lots of problems with this idea.
“An attack on the king’s guard, is an attack on the king himself!”
The Feds are working on ( or have passed ) a Bill making the death penalty the penalty for killing a police officer. Why only LEOs? I consider my life valuable also. IF you murder someone the ONLY punishment should be execution in a swift and timely manner not dying of old age on death row. We need a Supreme Court of Death Sentence Appeals that handle only Death Sentence Appeals. Once the sentence is handed down, it goes DIRECTLY to the SCDSAs instead of working its way through the courts taking years and making Lawyers millions. The Court should have to make a ruling in six months or less. I know all the liberal Democrats will have lots of problems with this idea.
Really, your worried about 18 USC 2511? in a country that now allows federal agents to raid attorneys offices for records and client information, in a country where the injury to a police officer, regardless of how slight or jurisdiction, now becomes a federal felony ( in gross violation of the 10th amendment) In a country where every citizen over the age of 16 is likely to have committed some federal violation, transgressed some federal law, rule, regulation within the last month
It’s time to send everyone to the gulag. (Maybe were already there?? )
This new Hate Crime Bill is just another step to the Man putting together an Army to be used against it’s Citizens. Can’t use the Regular Army so they just give LEO all the Military training & hardware for the day when they put us in the FEMA camps. Remember 5th grade A-Bomb instructions? Bend over & kiss it goodbye? That’s what they want!
Yep!
Ayn Rand, “Atlas Shrugged”
“Did you really think we want those laws observed?” said Dr. Ferris. “We want them to be broken. You’d better get it straight that it’s not a bunch of boy scouts you’re up against… We’re after power and we mean it… There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What’s there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced or objectively interpreted – and you create a nation of law-breakers – and then you cash in on guilt. Now that’s the system, Mr. Reardon, that’s the game, and once you understand it, you’ll be much easier to deal with.”
I doubt that most readers of this blog are aware that the first “hate crimes” were instituted by Adolph Hitler In order to prosecute his “enemies”, i.e. anyone who disagreed with Nazi precepts. It worked, and now we have all been drawn into that same bottomless pit of PC crap. Watch your backs, we ain’t seen nuthin’ yet.