Notes for Sunday – February 28, 2016

February 28th is the birthday of famed Swiss investor and economic pundit Marc Faber
(born 1946).

This is also the anniversary of the BATF’s ill-conceived, unconstitutional, and horribly botched raid on the Waco, Texas Branch Davidian church in 1993. The FBI’s siege that began soon after that fateful day did not end until April 19th. Then, on orders from newly-appointed Attorney General Janet Reno–despite repeated warnings about high winds–the end result was the fiery deaths of 76 people. This included about 20 innocent children. (The exact number is still not known, because in parts of the attached buildings the fire was reportedly so intense that it resulted in complete cremation.)

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Today, we present another entry for Round 63 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $1,700 value),
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package (enough for two families of four) plus seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate (a $325 retail value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A transferable certificate for a two-day
    Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  3. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  4. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  5. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  6. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  7. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  8. Safecastle is providing a package of 10 LifeStraws (a $200 value)

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A $245 gift certificate from custom knifemaker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  3. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading
    for Beginners     DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  4. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 63 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Plyometrics Training Equals Survivability, by Molon Labe

This is a commonly accepted fact in the world of preparedness: The better you are able to traverse difficult terrain or navigate dangerous scenarios, the more options you’ll have and the better overall odds you’ll have of coming out on top. However, mobility means more than being in good shape and having a bug out bag. It is the ability to make a split-second decision and stick to it, to think on your feet. All the fitness in the world won’t help you if you don’t decide to escape before being surrounded and cut off. It means taking advantage of the possibilities before they disappear. It’s not going to do you a lick of good to be able to run 10 miles with your combat/survival load if you don’t have the ability to see a trap ahead and have the guts to act on it. Those who live in the cities will have the dangerous guessing game of determining when it’s not too early or too late to move to a more advantageous position. The most “mobile” person in the world won’t have a great chance of escaping Detroit if surrounded by hundreds of rampaging hordes.

Knowledge and skills lend to mobility and, in turn, survivability. Take lock picking, kicking down a door, or rappelling out a fourth story window with nothing but a rappelling rope. There are things that lend to these activities, like anything, that we won’t know unless we’ve done it ourselves or have had solid instruction from someone who has. These are trade craft skills that could very well keep us mobile and help us to escape a desperate situation someday.

Let’s never discount these kinds of activities as less important than shooting well.  Indeed, the man who puts thinking before shooting in desperate situations often winds up on top, because problems are much greater and numerous than simply having to hit a target. Perhaps we think of these things as unique to cool SFOD-Delta operators or only attainable for the accomplished Special Forces veteran, but nothing could be further from the truth. Almost every skill that is taught to our troops in military schools can be attained to some degree as a civilian. There are classes on rappelling, diving, sniping, surveillance, and more, and there are countless books on every subject that you could imagine that can aid in your ability to navigate in a difficult scenario. Knowledge is power, and the person who would wield this power is the man who stops at nothing to discover, test, try, and try again until his desired skillset is securely in his toolbox and ready to be deployed at will.

But more than these things, there is an aspect to mobility that I’d like to touch on as well, and that is the skill of Parkour, or being able to quickly and efficiently navigate obstacles of all sorts with ease. Nowadays, with basic fitness, grit, and determination and the help of YouTube, anyone can learn how to vault-climb-jump and do an endless number of incredible moves that are very helpful to increase mobility. My goal is to be able to do as many agility moves while also performing some form of shooting. If I can jump from a ledge 10 feet up, can I also shoot while I fall? I’m working on it. Can I cut a roll and shoot while going into and coming out of it? It’s easy and fun, although sometimes accuracy is somewhat lacking.

Plyometrics

In an effort to increase my mobility, this author has long since been working plyometric and agility exercises into my regular routine or just whenever I can. Plyometrics is explosive-high stress exercises which promote both power and agility. As with any extreme action there is a progression, and those who are not used to actions that put a lot of shock into particular joints and muscle groups should start out slowly.

Two brief examples of plyometric progressions would be these:

  1. For the Pectoral Majors, Minors, and Triceps, a low stress plyometric would be clapper pushups, where by using momentum and lifting your hips, you would be able to clap your hands in the air and then return to the bottom of the pushup. After this action is conquered and doesn’t overly stress your shoulders, elbows, and wrists, then you would be able to move on to Superman pushups, where again, by using momentum and upward hip movement, you thrust your arms in front of you and kick your legs off the ground such that for a moment in time you appear to
  2. Another is jumping squats and jumping lunges to strengthen muscle tissue and create greater strength in leg joints. After these are easily done, try jumping from ledges a few feet high.
    Remember: Never land with straight legs but rather keep your knees bent and compress them as you make contact. Get comfortable at jumping from a particular height before moving higher. After a certain point, you’ll want to do more than just compress your legs. I have found that eight feet is about as far as I wanted to take it before my back and legs told me they weren’t going to be happy with anything higher, even on nice soft grass. Also, never forget that your hands can also aid in your landing, as your torso gets closer to the ground. Only after so much height it is advisable (if not mandatory) that you tuck and roll out of the fall. When this is done correctly, it is surprising how much more height you will be able to jump without feeling any great impact to your legs. It has been said that this takes so much strain from your legs that it will feel just like a jumping jack. I consider myself very much a beginner in this activity, but already I am able to confidently jump from 12-14 feet without issue.

Avoiding Injury

One important note on plyometrics is that unlike simple calisthenics, where if you overdo it you will simply be sore due to all the lactic acid stored in your muscles, you can actually overstrain, sprain, or otherwise injure your joints if done too much or too soon. However, the good news is that if you ease into each exercise, your joints will strengthen and become able to endure more and more as time goes on. Along with this, you will also be more adept at knowing how to land and control your body in order to cushion your impacts. Obviously, just like when you are lifting close to the maximum weight that you are capable of, you should only do a few reps at the max height or strain that you are able to perform before giving it a break for a couple days to recoup. The more you weigh or are wearing, the more severe your impacts are going to be, so be sure to keep this in mind when jumping with your 40-pound pack. Warming up and stretching is also critically important to plyometrics, even more so than any other calisthenics because the possibility of injury is so much greater.

When first learning plyometrics or trying a new action, I strongly recommend that you use common sense and take every precaution. Go slow at first, use padding until you’re comfortable, and then try it on carpet or grass and then on a wood floor. You’ll eventually be able to do many actions on concrete. When doing a complicated move, break it down into its individual aspects before trying the whole enchilada. This is the secret to progression and with it, time, and dedication, there is nothing that cannot be overcome.

Commitment

No acrobat, dirt bike trick master, or bar gymnast ever woke up one morning and found they were incredibly skilled. The better you want to be at anything, the more time, commitment, and dedication it’s going to take to achieve that goal. However, with these things and the determination in your mind that you can do what you want, it is always possible. One fact to keep in mind is that you must decide that you not only want to do a given task but that with enough work, you can do it. Our mind will always hold us back and keep us from achieving greatness in any endeavor if we believe that it is not at all within our ability to make it to the finish line.

Now for those who can’t see this skill as more valuable than punching holes in the x ring on sunny days at the range, imagine for a moment if you can: Your closest friend or loved one is threatened by a young Muslim “refugee” downtown in the city closest to you. Perhaps the dirtbag is about to kill a number of innocents with his AK-47 as he shouts “I-Uh-Like-Ka-Bars!” He’s a hundred yards away and you know that your effective range with your pocket pistol is closer to 25 yards. You can run to get within range, but there’s a catch: A fence/wall/shoulder-high shrubbery stands defiantly in your path, and the only way around will take half a minute running. So if you take the long route, how many may die while it takes you an extra 30 seconds to get into position? How much greater are the odds that you will be holding your dying loved one in your blood-soaked hands?

The hard fact is that accuracy is worth nothing if it isn’t backed up by the ability to put it into effect. Mobility equals survivability, not only for yourself but also for those you may be leading out of harm’s way or are trying to get to in order to protect.

Another possible scenario is that you are forced to flee a building fire from the second story or are backed into a corner before being able to reach the bottom floor. Could you break the glass and jump from that second story window and walk away? I hope that I could, but I won’t stop trying until I know I can do it with ease.

The leading founder of Parkour is now 42 years old and he is still jumping off of roof buildings onto concrete 30+ feet below and running off with vigor. These things, if done correctly, do not lend toward debilitating pain and injuries early in life, or even later in life. Again, if done correctly they do nothing but improve your health and muscle and joint strength.

So how much do you value your ability to make a difference when evil men come to visit violence on those you love? How much of your training time is spent in increasing your knowledge and ability to make movement? It’s time to reevaluate your training and make sure you increase your mobility to ensure the survivability of those you fight for.

Editor’s Important Closing Proviso:  Readers are advised that while Plyometrics and Parkour teach some amazing evasion skills, if they are not done with great caution and under expert instruction, they can lead to injuries with long-lasting consequences–particularly among over-exuberant and under-cautious youths. (Just ask any physical therapist, orthopedic surgeon, or dentist in an urban region.) Train with a pro, and be careful out there! – JWR

Letter Re: Winter Survival

HJL,
One point to consider regarding use of water filters in cold weather: Both Sawyer and Lifestraw warn that once their filter have been used, they should not be exposed to freezing temperatures. Ceramic filters are not as susceptible.

From the Lifestraw web site: “If your LifeStraw has been used, and is then exposed to freezing temperatures, water inside can freeze and crack the filter. You may not see these cracks, so we recommend never letting it freeze once it’s been used. When camping at high elevations or freezing temperatures, be extra careful not to let it freeze.”

From Sawyer web site: “Before initial wetting Filter is safe from freezing temperatures if it has never been wetted. After initial wetting While there is no definitive way to tell if a filter has been damaged due to freezing, Sawyer recommends replacing your filter if you suspect that it has been frozen. During trips If you are in freezing temperatures, we recommend that you store your filter in your pocket or close to your person so that your body heat can prevent freezing. There is no warranty for a frozen filter.” [Emphasis added.]

I contacted Katadyn and asked if the use of the Pocket or Ceradyn in freezing temperatures would damage the filters. I received the following response:

“Only if you try to run water through the ceramic elements before they have thawed out. And in the case of the Ceradyn, if you have water in the upper chamber and it freezes and cracks the ceramic elements. When not in use, both units should have excess water either pumped out (Pocket) or poured out (Ceradyn) if you are in freezing conditions.”

Sincerely, – A Reader

Two Letters Re: EMP Effect and Pacemakers

James:
While case-by-case circumstances can effect the practicality of many alternatives, there are external pacing and monitoring options. The Zoll Company for example has just released a type of vest, worn similar to a brassiere with a fanny pack (battery pack). This device consistently performs cardiac monitoring and when a shockable rhythm presents itself the device does just that. More archaic methods would involve adhesive defibrillation or subcutaneous pacing patches and a cardiac monitor, while the monitors can be significantly expensive, older models are available at online auction sites. Both the aforementioned devices can be recharged, and more importantly, stored in a Faraday cage to protect them from an EMP. Neither would be as convenient as implanted devices but in a pinch could be just the thing to keep that ticker going.  – John, EMT-P.

Dear Editor:
You aren’t safe even when it is not an EMP. See this Vice article.
Furthermore, no wireless devices are likely to be safe, including Simplisafe.
Don’t trust anything wireless for anything important.
Regards, – T.Z.

Economics and Investing:

Over at the TaxProf blog: IRS Says 114,000,334,000,724,000 Taxpayer Accounts Were Hacked

Items from Professor Preponomics:

US News

Puerto
Ricans Don’t Want a Bailout. They Want This… (CNN MONEY) Excerpt: “Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla claims the island is in a “death spiral” and there’s no way it will ever have enough money to pay all the debt back.”

Household Debt Increases to $12T (Washington Free Beacon) Excerpt:
“Household debt increased by $51 billion in the fourth quarter of 2015, and now totals $12.12 trillion, or more than $40,000 per household, according to a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.”

International News

Opinion: Government Debt is the New Subprime (Market Watch)
Excerpt: “In the 2008-2014 period, the largest growth has been in sovereign debt, up by 9.3% a year. This rate of growth far exceeds global GDP growth. Most forecasts have global GDP growth slowing this year and inflation levels for much of the world near zero. Together these factors mean that governments will have minimal tailwinds to help them service the increasing level of government debt.”

Greek President Pavlopoulos on the Economic Crisis and Monetary Suffocation (Greek Reporter) Excerpt: “He also stated that this syndrome of the deteriorating economic suffocation of the euro zone is, in large part, a result of the overexposure to the inherent risks of an austerity policy….”

Germany’s Demographic Cliff (Visual Capitalist) Excerpt: “For all of its economic power, Germany has a key weakness that could potentially be its Achilles heel: it’s projected that Germany’s population will decline significantly over the coming decades, and the
ratio of workers to dependents will become one of the worst in the world.”

Debt, Demographics and Disinflation: Japan’s 3-D Lessons for Asia (Bloomberg)
Excerpt: “The so called 3-D challenge — debt, demographics and disinflation — is most pronounced in China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, according to Morgan Stanley analysts….”

Personal Economics and Household Finance

4 Sad Facts about Americans’ Savings and What You Can Do About It (Clark Howard) Excerpt: “A lot of people may understand the general idea that in order to save, you have to spend less than you make, but they’re still struggling to make it happen. In fact, a large portion of Americans aren’t saving anywhere near what they need to be saving for emergencies, retirement and major life events.

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SurvivalBlog and it’s Editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Odds ‘n Sods:

I saw this documentary film recommended over at the WRSA web site: Cartel Land. This film underscores the peril of living within 50 miles of the Mexican border, or along any of the major highways within perhaps 100 miles of the border.  It also illustrates how helpless the largely unarmed campesinos are, in Mexico. (In essence, there are only two types of citizens in any nation: Armed citizens, and unarmed victims of their environment.) – JWR

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Reader Peter S. sent us this:  Apple plans to make devices even more secure

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‘Cecil Effect’ dangerous for lions, guides

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Volokh: The opinions Justice Scalia joined will start being treated worse, even if he is replaced by a like-minded Justice

Notes for Saturday – February 27, 2016

February 27th is the birthday of actor Adam Baldwin (born 1962), who is often remembered for his roles as Animal Mother in Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket and as the irrepressible Jayne Cobb in the television series Firefly—  as well as in the shiny spinoff film Serenity. More recently, he has played Executive Officer Mike Slattery in The Last Ship. Note that Adam Baldwin is a “small government libertarian conservative” and is no relation to the notoriously liberal Hollywood actors who share the Baldwin surname.)

This is also the birthday of Kelly Johnson, a deservedly famous American aircraft designer and aerospace engineer. (He is best known for his projects at Lockheed’s secretive Skunk Works facility. He died in 1990.)

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Please note that for the next week I will be filling in on the daily blog posting responsibilities for Hugh, while he is traveling.  My apologies in advance for the inevitable formatting glitches. (I’m rusty at the day-to-day minutae!) – JWR

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Today, we present another entry for Round 63 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $1,700 value),
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package (enough for two families of four) plus seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate (a $325 retail value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  3. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  4. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  5. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  6. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  7. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  8. Safecastle is providing a package of 10 LifeStraws (a $200 value)

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A $245 gift certificate from custom knifemaker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  3. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading
    for Beginners     DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  4. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 63 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

SSL On Your Web Server – A Certificate is Just the Start, by Peter S.

If you are running a web server for your business and taking orders from customers, then you have probably acquired a certificate to encrypt the network traffic between your customers’ web browsers and your web server. However, how well are you really doing it?

The SSL Labs website offers a free service to test how well your web server is configured for this goal. Someone may have already run the test and made a decision about your business just based on the results.
Remember, if your web server is exposed to the Internet, then anyone can run this test. You may also want to use this free service to test the web servers of your email provider, bank, and other websites where you are ordering goods and services.

I offer you some tips to tighten the configuration of your web server. These tips are specific to the Apache Web Server (version 2.4.x and higher). I run a commercial-software service using Apache and have implemented the same changes on my web servers around the world.

First, I assume you have a Certificate and have installed it with Apache. I won’t explain how to install the Certificate in this article; there are plenty of good sites on the Internet to help you with that task. If you have not purchased a Certificate or are coming up for renewal, then consider acquiring the Certificate:

  • from a reputable source
  • with a RSA 2048-bit key
  • with a SHA256withRSA signature algorithm.

Second, turn off the signature of Apache. You don’t want to tell a hacker the versions of Apache, OpenSSL, and more in use on your web server. You only want to say the minimum of Apache. In the subfolder /conf-available, make these changes in the file security.conf:

  • set the parameter ServerSignature to Off
  • set the parameter ServerTokens to Prod

Third, specify which protocols and ciphers will be enabled on Apache, and more. These changes will significantly influence your score on the SSL Labs website. In the sub folder/mods-available, make these changes in the file ssl.conf:

  • set the parameter SSLCompression to Off
  • set the parameter SSLHonorCipherOrder to On
  • set the parameter SSLCipherSuite to
    EECDH+AESGCM:EDH+AESGCM:AES256+EECDH:AES256+EDH
  • set the parameter SSLProtocol to +TLSv1.2 +TLSv1.1 +TLSv1 -SSLv3

If you are running a business-to-business website and everyone is serious about security, then you might remove support for the TLS v1.0 and TLS v1.1 protocols by specifying a minus (-) in front of each protocol. Microsoft recently stopped supporting their Internet Explorer (IE) web browsers prior to version 11, so now the common browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, IE, and Safari all support TLS v1.2. Be aware that a prospect or customer running an older web browser might not be able to access your website if you make this change.

Finally, implement Strict Transport Security for your web server. This helps avoid a “man in the middle” attack. In the sub folder /sites-available, add this line to the .conf file for your website: Header always set Strict-Transport-Security “max-age=63072000; includeSubDomains”

You may implement these changes separately to see how they influence the score on the SSL Labs website. Remember to restart Apache after making any changes to the configuration. You may then test the configuration again on the SSL Labs website.

In closing, if you’re going to take orders, personal information, or credit/banking information (PCI) on your web server, then demonstrate to your customers that you are serious about security.

Sincerely, Peter (Doing IT work for 28+ years outside of Seattle)

Letter: EMP Effect and Pacemakers

1

Hugh,
I have an implanted cardiac device (a pacemaker and defibrillator) and, after reading the letter about possible effects of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) on batteries, became curious as to how an EMP or maybe a strong solar flare could affect my device. I searched SurvivalBlog’s archives and saw that such an event could possibly damage the implanted cardiadefibrillator (ICD). Is there any firm evidence as to what may actually happen to an ICD or similar device in the human body and anything that can be done to counter the effects? It seems it will be a bleak future for the millions of people whose life depends on some form of technology in the event of a worse-case scenario, but, God willing, I still plan on having a long life. Thanks. – J. “Doc” Holiday

Hugh Replies: Yes, this is a troubling issue. Integral pacemakers with defibrillators have leads from the unit (usually embedded in the upper chest) to the heart. In some cases, these leads can be up to a foot long. This may be enough of an antenna to cause the device to impacted by an EMP event, but I haven’t seen any studies done on this specific subject. The failure mode should be that the unit just shuts down and quits working. There has been some mostly anecdotal discussion at The Pacemaker Club web site. However, for a more definitive answer this is probably a good topic to bring up with your cardiologist.

Letter Re: Passports

Dear Editors:
Regarding RM’s question about keeping passports current, here is a Wikipedia link that includes information on which countries allow entry to American citizens without the need to obtain a visa in advance.
 
That provides some interesting reading.  – JustCallMeAnn

Economics and Investing:

Frequent content contributor B.B. suggested this: More Than 30 Blocks of Fiscal Irresponsibility

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45% of Americans pay no federal income tax. (Thanks to RBS for the link.)

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Items from Professor Preponomics:

Excerpt: “This idea of high tuition with low wages isn’t some made up propaganda to distract you.  This is reality.”

Student Debt and Retirement Saving Don’t Add Up(CBS Money Watch)

Study: Millennials’ Lack of Financial Knowledge Could Be a Big Problem for US Economy (Clark Howard)
Excerpt: “The study, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers and George Washington University, found that millennials in particular have a shockingly low level of financial literacy. In addition, the survey found that due to this lack of financial literacy, millennials could potentially wreck havoc on the U.S. economy.”

Excerpt: “Total U.S. household debt continued to climb in the fourth quarter of 2015. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit, households added $51 billion of debt in the final three months of the year, pushing total indebtedness to $12.12 trillion at the end of the quarter. Mortgage debt remains the leading contributor by far, but student loan debt also continued its ascent.”

International News

Premier Oil Pans Calls for North Sea Tax Breaks as Losses Deepen (The Telegraph)

Excerpt: “The oil price collapse has renewed concern over the future of the North Sea, but Premier Oil boss Tony Durrant said a tax break would make little difference to firms already in the red and would fail to drive forward much-needed new investment.”

Excerpt: “There is a crisis on the west coast of Norway,” Gerd Kristiansen, the head of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions, said Tuesday in a speech in Oslo. Not a day goes by that she doesn’t hear from a petroleum-related business on how dire the situation in the nation’s oil centers has become, she said.”

Excerpt: “Startling stats… Most of it makes grim reading for those people (more than 350,000, it is claimed) whose livelihoods depend on the sector. And it does so without compensating upsides.”

Personal Economics and Household Finance

Your Student Loan Questions: Spousal Debt, Default, Co-Signers (US News & World Report)

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SurvivalBlog and it’s Editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Peter in Switzerland mentioned that the latest updated model of the previously-mentioned County Comm GP-5 SSB multi-band handheld scanner is now available.

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Reader D.S.V. sent this: Colorado Bill Would Require Reporting Of Non-Vaccinated Children

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B.B. suggested this article at Threat Post: Judge Confirms DoD Funded Research to Decloak Tor Users

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Uncertainties, still, for asteroid 2013 TX68. (Thanks to Andre for the link.)

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.” – 1 Kings 18:36-39 (KJV)

Notes for Friday – February 26, 2016

This day, February 26, is the birthday of Major-General Orde Charles Wingate (born, 1903, died 24 March 1944), an eccentric British Army officer who organized special military units in Palestine in the 1930s, and in Abyssinia, Sudan, and Burma during World War II. He is most famous for his creation of the Chindits, airborne deep-penetration troops trained to work behind enemy lines in the Far East campaigns against the Japanese during World War II.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 63 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $1,700 value),
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package (enough for two families of four) plus seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate (a $325 retail value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit with a retail value of $250, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  3. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  4. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  5. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  6. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  7. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  8. Safecastle is providing a package of 10 LifeStraws (a $200 value)

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A $245 gift certificate from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  3. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  4. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 63 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.