The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

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 “JWR”.  Today, we focus on Measles Vaccinations.

Arson at Notre Dame?

The tragic fire at the 850 year-old Notre Dame Cathedral immediately raised questions about arson. We can’t help but be reminded of the attack two years ago: Cell of French women guided by Isis behind failed Notre Dame attack. The French media quickly sent out “police say fire began accidentally and may be linked to building work at cathedral…” announcements. Only time (and Le Arson Inspector Clouseaus) will tell us the full story.

Army to Deploy Advanced Thermal Night Vision Gear

G.P. sent this: A unit will soon deploy with the newest night vision devices that can take troops from ‘marksman to expert’.  Here is a quote:

“The key marksmanship feature is the addition of the Family of Weapons Sights-Individual and Rapid Targeting Acquisition. Demonstrated to Military Times in early 2017, the system uses a wireless connection between a rifle-mounted camera and the goggle to give the shooter a clear, focused, video-fed sight picture.

Shooters can choose between full goggle view, full weapons sights view or a picture-in-picture mode that allows them to see both views at once.

That means a soldier or Marine can fire from the hip about as accurately as from the shouldered position at close ranges. They can also fire around corners or other obstacles without exposing themselves.

The thermal capabilities of the ENVG-B let troops see through dust, fog, smoke and other obscurants and select from black, white-hot or white-outlined features for thermal vision.

This capability going to armored brigade soldiers later this year, and Marines soon to follow, is one iteration of a larger project still under development that would add even more features in the coming years.”

The Red Flag Law Steamroller

FPC: Recap of the U.S. Senate “Red Flag” Hearing. JWR’s Comments: Please contact your Senators (repeatedly) and remind them that this law would promote gross violations of due process. Ex Parte hearings are trials in absentia, with no notice given to the defendant, until after the court’s yea or nay decision is handed down. This is a modern-day Star Chamber!

New Advertiser: Battle Bars

Today we welcome SurvivalBlog’s newest advertiser: Battle Bars. This is a veteran-owned company, with a great product. Given their caloric density, I think these food bars would be ideal for Bug Out Bags (BOBs).

Obamacare’s Unhappy Anniversary

Senior statesman Dr. Ron Paul: Obamacare’s Unhappy Anniversary. A pericope:

“Since Obamacare was enacted, individual health insurance premiums have more than doubled while small businesses have been discouraged from providing health insurance benefits. The increased costs of, and decreased access to, health care are a direct result of Obamacare’s mandates — particularly the guaranteed issue and pre-existing condition mandates. Another costly mandate forces most plans to cover “essential health benefits.” This mandate is why postmenopausal women must pay for contraceptive coverage.

The increase in health insurance premiums has not helped those who like their doctors keep their doctors. Instead, patients’ choices of providers are restricted to ever-narrower networks. As leading health care scholar John C. Goodman observed, the result is that a cancer patient from my hometown of Lake Jackson, Texas who obtains insurance through Obamacare’s exchanges cannot get treatment at nearby MD Anderson, one of the country’s top cancer treatment centers. If health care were a true free market, insurance companies would compete for the business of cancer patients and others with chronic conditions by developing innovative ways to give them the best care at an affordable price.

Sadly, few in Congress support free-market health care. The Democrats are divided between progressives who want to repeal and replace Obamacare with “Medicare for all,” the latest euphemism for single-payer healthcare, and establishment Democrats who want to save Obamacare by spending more money on subsidies for individuals and insurance companies.”

NYC’s Mandatory Measles Vaccination

Reader DSV suggested this article: NYC Mandatory Measles Vaccination Violates NY State Law, CHD Challenges Legality.  A snippet from the news report:

City Commissioner of Health declared a public health emergency yesterday, ordering all people who live, work or reside in four Brooklyn zip codes to be vaccinated with the Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine declared to be “effective and safe.” Non-compliance with the order is a misdemeanor subject to criminal and civil fines, including imprisonment. Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that residents have 48 hours to get the vaccine or face a $1,000 fine. Only those with documented immunity, medical contraindications or infants under six months are exempt from the vaccine mandate.

This order primarily affects Orthodox and Hasidic Jews living in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn who do not vaccinate because it violates their core religious beliefs.”

You can send your news tips to JWR. (Either via e-mail of via our Contact form.) Thanks!

 

 




42 Comments

  1. I expect that the arson at Notre Dame will be by terrorists. I am actually ok with that . The reason being that I would rather see it burned to the ground than to see it turned into an abomination and converted into a mosque.
    A note on healthcare: I know that it is popular to call Medicare a single payer system, but only part A is single payer. Parts B, C, and D are open to those participating companies giving the users choices that vary per state. And those choices are not free. Only part A is “free”. And that freedom has come at the cost of all of us paying into Medicare for decades plus additional taxpayer support. As for the remaining parts, they are well supported by insurance companies who must be making a profit, unlike obamacare.
    Am I misunderstanding how Medicare works and what I am paying $350/mo for? The main difference that I see between Medicare and my old group insurances is the secondary insurance is covering the deductibles and the co-pays. I have never had secondary insurance before and this is a great help.

  2. I also believe that the fire in France was an act of terrorism as well. It just seems too convenient that it “happened” during Easter Week.

    On another note, Dr. Allan Keyes on his site “Renew America” has an article on how the Democrat’s attempting to flush our Electoral College will end in Civil War 2.

  3. In regards to Notre Dame fire, this article says they have already ruled out arson and terrorism. That they are calling it an accident. Also, in the article a spokesperson says that the fire started in two different spots, on the roof top and in the north bell tower. That doesn’t sound like an “accident” to me. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/notre-dame-saved-from-total-destruction-as-fire-rages-on/ar-BBVXM4v?ocid=spartanntp&fbclid=IwAR13yRnr7OsjxFLWQS2-X6NCbUtoPjAHtDXhYKbAgZTnowuR47OWEz_7WcY

    1. I don’t think France’s government would admit it was terrorism. It would make them look bad, cause headaches with their refugee/immigrant policy, and show how poorly the Muslims have assimilated. There was a Newsweek article 3 weeks ago about increased attacks on Catholic Churches.

          1. Not burned, but attacked and desecrated in various ways.

            St. Sulpice, the second largest church in Paris, was burned last month. Arson was admitted in that case.

            Hundreds of churches all over Europe have been vandalized, usually by persons whose ancestry is not identified.

    2. MSN isn’t exactly the pinnacle of journalistic integrity. I will assume it was arson until it is conclusively proven to have been an accident. It isn’t just the coincidence of it being Easter Week, it’s that it has stood for 850 years without spontaneously catching fire.
      When will Europe finally admit that they have a muslim problem?

        1. Yes, in times when candles were the only source of light. Notre Dame had a copper roof supported by oak timbers, all hidden by the ceiling. It hasn’t used candles for lighting since what, 1945? Fire supposedly started in both the north transept AND the bell tower. Simultaneous spontaneous combustion? The contractor had done The Louvre’s renovation previously so I think they knew what they had to do to protect the building.

          1. Open Candles were never the only lightsource, lamps were used, but candles are an important part of our sacred rituals including some of our most sacred.

            And No fire didn´t start in those two places but in the nave

  4. I have free market health care. Cost sharing by fellow Christians at Chministries dot org. Prices are exceptional and the service is excellent. This is what insurance would look like if the gubmint weren’t involved. Of course, it requires a leap of faith that Christ’s people will pay your bills requiring you to believe on His promises. And please don’t join if you’re not Christian or a fake Christian. I don’t want you.

    You know who burned the church. Same cult of political conquest masquerading as a religion that’s been burning churches across Europe, off and on again, for centuries.

    1. My wife had it and it was not good coverage. Didnt cover anything as far as we could tell. We had high hopes for it but ultimately were not impressed and she joined the plan her employer provided. Glad its working for you though.

      1. That’s weird. The gold program covers everything over 500 bucks and silver is 1000 I think. But you’re right, it doesn’t cover prescription meds and routine things under the deductible. You would need to save the amount to cover the deductible and I’ve learned to budget for routine care.

        Medical care with zero cost is unrealistic and it’s why the premiums are so high for mainline insurance. You are most likely still paying the costs that I pay out of pocket, yours are simply buried in the premiums.

        The other thing is the big picture total costs. I’ve gotten discounts of up to 73%. In one instance I negotiated $15,000.00 in cost reductions in just one bill by paying cash through the plan. Hospitals and doctors LOVE cash. 50 to 75 percent of their costs are insurance and regulation paperwork. When you pay cash the true cost of the actual care is realized.

        If government would stop guaranteeing rates of return for medical care (medicaid and medicare) the price of healthcare would drop by at least 50%. Through these programs the government promises to pay whatever is charged and, well, what do you know, the medical system charges huge markups. These communistic programs set the overall price of our national healthcare. Paying cash and negotiating costs, as I do, is what a free market is and it turns out, doctors are capitalists after all, or at leat the ones around here are.

        Hope you are well. God bless.

    1. Re; Notre Dame
      Odd that there wasn’t a 24 hour fire watch on a building that was both, so vulnerable to fire and so culturally valuable.

      I have worked at sites that had a fire watch posted all night after welding operations, and these were just industrial buildings made of concrete and metal, almost impossible to burn.

      You’d think they’d have fire trucks posted on site round the clock just in case. On the other hand, perhaps there’s no money available for such a thing. Its not a priority for the French government, and apparently its not a priority for the Catholic church either.

      …Sad

      1. AFAIK there wasn´t any Welding done at ND, and i don´t see any sense in positioning fire trucks around ND 24/365 and the Louvre, Vincennes, Saint Denis and

  5. Re. Ron Paul on Obamacare

    Imagine if Ron Paul had been elected President. But of course the Republican Party made sure we were only offered globalist-controlled choices of George HW Bush, John McCain and Mitt Romney.

    Failure to understand that Republicans are an enemy of liberty is to have missed the whole lesson of America’s slide into tyranny.

      1. Ross Perot? You bet! I lived in Maine in 1992 when Perot won 30% of the vote. And how about Chuck Baldwin 2008 Constitution Party? Like Ron Paul, Baldwin would have brought Jesus’ principles of non-theft, non-murder (abortion) and non-aggression to Washington. Mention Jesus, ending our wars of aggression and abortion today and you will be mocked.

        Today all ‘choices’ on the presidential ballot are controlled by globalists with zero allegiance to America. Voting has devolved into a clever exercise to make Americans slaves and at the same time to make them think they are free. Ridiculous you say? Can you cite an example where voting made you free?

  6. Re: Notre Dame Cathedral

    We should also remember Father Jacques Hamel, who was murdered on the altar as he said Mass. I’m not Catholic, but I’m outraged at these attacks on my religious heritage.

    If the fire was a deliberate attack, the entire global community will unite to conceal the truth.

  7. The French are in denial as they do not want to offend their conquerors. It will be interesting to see if they are finally awakened if the Louvre is destroyed. But then again, the French have a history of rolling over to enemies.

  8. The Cathedral of Notre Dame is just that, a building. It is not the Church nor one of the churches of the Lord. The Church is the living body of the Lord Jesus Christ, the true Temple of the living God, not made by the hands of man. No arsonist nor “accident” will ever harm her. Nonetheless, mankind is forever putting spiritual value into those things that perish, that are made by his hands. That it lasted as long as it did is remarkable, but its burning is not a tragedy nor a great loss, except maybe to those who venerate it or make megabucks off of it. There is likely a silver lining in its conflagration, however, as a new burgeoning tourist industry built around its reconstruction will soon emerge. Maybe the Vatican could kick in a few billion to jump start the project.
    Far more importantly, how is it that its destruction makes world headlines while the daily murder of thousands of babies in the womb gets little attention, if any. We need to reconsider what is valuable before the Lord and repent accordingly before we lose all we have in a truly righteous conflagration of wrath brought upon the idols we so cherish.

      1. I just can’t figure out your position ThoDan. ND was probably the most innovative idea of masonry construction with its use of flying buttresses to allow thin walls and windows – until steel framing came along. It is a “building”, yes, and it’s in France, true, but it was built by deeply religious people to give glory to God.

        1. If i understand you Right, that´s my Position,
          Notre Dame is built to give People a place to worship in community, it´s a place of Inspiration and it´s also a Building of Deep value to the european People not only the French as the Parthenon in Athens.

  9. The real question is: do you have any sense of the horrific holocaust that is going on worldwide? Your answer is like someone on board the rapidly sinking Titanic who is concerned about its beautiful decor getting wet. Yes, I appreciate art and history, but not to the ignoring of far more serious events that are coming down upon our heads and those of our children. History only has meaning in light of He who is sovereign over mankind and his actions. That is why history is His Story. Take Him out of the equation and we all be greatly sorrowful over the loss of art and history while not paying any attention to our culture and way of life being burned down around us.

  10. I actually appreciate art and history very much, and have taught at many history conferences, not mention dozens of sermons I have preached on this very important and scriptural subject. The only way one can rightly understand history and learn its lessons, however, is to view it through the lens of the Scriptures, without which it becomes sentimental nonsense that soon gets moved to the dustbin of history. “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (1Cor 10:11)

  11. I second the endorsement for Battle Bars. Their MOAB product simply rocks! I’ve taken them to training events and when food was not forthcoming they made enough of a meal to get by, AND provides energy! I wish they had a bulk price though, then I would stock more for SHTF time.

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