Category: Current Events & Politics

Guest Article: Considerations for Night Operations- Part 4, by Max Alexander

3

Yesterday, I talked about the technology behind night vision and combined thermal/IR devices as well as what should and should not be mounted on your rifle. I also wrote about when to use head mounted night vision. Now, let’s continue a little further with the idea of head mounted night vision and use of night vision in conflicts as we conclude this article series. How To Mount Night Vision Monocular To Head The question often comes up of how to mount your night vision monocular to your head. The provided “skull crusher” is not popular. The most effective way to …


Triggers, Tipping Points, and Black Swans, by Coast Ranger

21

Letting Others Know The Status Quo Won’t Hold The purpose of this contribution is to indicate how one might approach letting others know that the status quo will not hold. It is based upon my own efforts. There is a tendency for people to focus upon “big picture” or mass hysteria items, like North Korea and now Nazis, that might impact the future to the exclusion of the many other things that are less transparent or obvious but still extremely important. The following list of triggers, tipping points, and black swans is based upon a handout or a lecture I …


My Recent Experience Bugging Into A Disaster- Part 2, by J.W.

29

Travel Prepared- Non-Lethal and Sidearms I always travel prepared for whatever may happen. I am older, and while still in good shape, my fight rounds are probably down to less than a minute before I get worn out (comes with age), so I travel prepared to personally defend myself and those with me in any situation. As always, situational awareness is first and foremost. On short trips, I prepare by carrying both non-lethal protection and sidearms. On long trips (my long trips average 2500 miles round trip), I carry additional long guns that are purpose minded and a reasonable amount …


My Recent Experience Bugging Into A Disaster- Part 1, by J.W.

14

I had a recent experience of traveling into a situation where everyone else was leaving due to Hurricane Irma. I learned some valuable lessons during the process. Homes in Both Florida and Midwest My home is in Florida, and my bug out location is in the Midwest. I spend most of my time during the summer at the BOL due to the climate, the gardening opportunities, and most of all the simple peace and quiet living. Two weeks ago, Hurricane Irma was seven days out in the Atlantic and on a track that may bring it closer to Florida. When …


Identify And Secure Your Retreat Like An Engineer, by JAD

16

Area assessment and planning is a key component of determining where to establish your secured retreat location. Establishing a retreat is not enough; you need to have clear objectives for what that area will accomplish for you or for those in your network. In order to establish your secured area and to determine the objectives necessary to allow it to function, you must assess and plan. Your planning must consider varying threats, uncertainty in threat duration, and likely enemy strength. Effective planning requires beginning at a macro level and reducing the scope until all details are captured. The work in …


Letter Re: Search Engine Privacy and Security

34

Good day, Hugh, I recently switched over to TOR as my web browser. I am now using Proton mail as my email address, and I now use Signals as my SMS text messenger. My bases are covered. These are also recommended actions by Snowden himself: TOR sends your search through a relay of servers, making it extremely difficult to find your true IP Address. Proton mail is an encrypted server that prevent your messages from being intercepted. Signals is an app that prevents text messages to other persons, other than the person you sent the message to, from being read.


The Couch Prepper, by J.S.

45

There are many types of preppers, including the couch prepper. How many of us “preppers” have sat behind a computer screen and researched the newest and greatest AR-15 accessory that will ensure our survival for the coming “collapse”? I’m sure most faithful readers of this site have put into practice some form of prepping. Maybe that means you have bought a few extra cans of food or purchased that first firearm and some ammo to go along with it. Or maybe you fall in to the camp of focusing on a certain aspect of prepping (i.e. that amazing gun collection …


What We See And Believe Is Not Always Reality, by Old Bobbert

3

Let’s talk about reality and what we see and believe, but just for a moment imagine this scenario. Visualize the following presumably safe evening event at your home one day soon. A Grateful Situation…Somewhere You are reflecting on the terrible situation in (name any major city, state, or area) and you are very grateful that your home area is not severely affected by that power grid outage somewhere else in the country, specifically about 1,000 miles away from your home. Your area power system is functioning just fine. You’re feeling really bad for that area as you watch the video …


Earthquake and Power Out Experience in the Philippines- Part 2, by S.B.

7

A Good Neighbor We charged the neighbor’s cell phones. So at that point, they let us run the generator all night! The generator ran from 6pm to 6am and then ran out of gas. It used 25 liters of gasoline. So here that equates to about $20 a day for gas. If it runs for a month, it will be expensive; $20 times 30 equals $600 per month. Ouch! At this point I tried to shut generator off before it ran out of gas. I was afraid the voltage will vary a lot when it does last couple revolutions before …


Earthquake and Power Out Experience in the Philippines- Part 1, by S.B.

5

This was my experience with a mild earthquake and a power outage in the Philippines. Amazingly nothing was damaged by the quake. I expected some things to tip over. Latest reports say it was a 6.5 quake. The epicenter was about 15 miles away. It was stronger than other quakes I have experienced here in the past eight years. Also, immediately after the main quake, there was a long slow side to side rocking motion for several seconds. I never felt that before. We also had 10 or more aftershocks. A local man who is about 50 said it was …


A Response to Going Analog, by M.G.

6

Selectric Typewriter Security Issues Back in the 1970s IBM was required by at least one of its customers to make some options available for Selectric typewriters because they discovered the Selectric design was susceptible to electronic eavesdropping that could determine what the typewriter was printing. As it turns out, mid-’70s electronics were capable of detecting not only the unique electronic signature of individual typewriter motors but also measuring the load incurred by that motor during character selection from the main power feed outside the building. So, it’s possible that even using a mechanical electric typewriter for written communications may not …


Letter Re: Search Engine Privacy and Security

36

Good day Sir, I want to reference to a topic which could prove of great importance. A situation where the loss of personal liberty and freedom occurs. There are some that believe that we are in that situation currently. I browse the Internet for news and factual information, much like earlier times when a person would pick up a newspaper. I have in the past used “Google” as my primary “Search Engine”. To my understanding and experience, my search results are cataloged and referenced. When I do searches through “Google”, I am bombarded by advertisements that seemingly reference my previous …


Survival To Go, Revisited- Part 3, by JMD

15

Today, we are continuing with the revised list of items to carry for survival when traveling, carrying a pack on a flight or otherwise. We are in the midst of going through the content of the main zippered backpack compartment. We’ve covered solar panels, light shelter, lighting, clothing, water, food/energy, and now we’re moving on down the list. Main Zippered Backpack Compartment (continued) “Repair” pouch (because something always breaks when you’re traveling): Assorted sizes of zip ties, including reusable ones, twist-tied together. 8′ of regular paracord 6′ of steel wire 20’ of 400lb Kevlar line 20′ of 1″ Gorilla tape, …


How I Stopped Worrying and Used P.M.C.T.- Part 2, by D.D.

17

Yesterday, I shared my background and how I retreated to my retreat cabin for 83 days.  I reemerged a changed person, maturing from “Doom Prepper” to someone with a greater appreciation for life and nature. I made some changes to accommodate my family and life situation. Still, I found contentment in living what would I would have considered a certain death trap years earlier. How did I do it? My Answer: P.M.C.T. P.M.C.T. stands for Prayer, Mindset, Confidence, and Training Prayer Without faith in something you are truly lost. Whether it is God, peace, humanity, or puppy dogs, you must …


How I Stopped Worrying and Used P.M.C.T.- Part 1, by D.D.

22

With the apparent imminent collapse that I have focused upon in my years of preparedness, I was worrying. My focus became a frantic effort. I made plans. Yet, wisdom came with P.M.C.T. “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”-Proverbs 16:9 “Man plans and God laughs…” -old Yiddish adage The Tenth Man Theory In the 2013 zombie apocalypse movie World War Z the hero has a conversation with an Israeli Mossad agent about the Tenth Man Theory. It states (and I paraphrase) that in the midst of military planning, if nine people agree on a particular …