Preparedness – The Laughing Wolf

It’s Not Just Here

Over at Instapundit this moring, Sarah A. Hoyt linked to a good post at Behind The Black on how the left has only a little time left to stop the violence. Sarah noted that she hoped we might yet walk the knife edge and avoid the horrible alternative. She’s right about that, as such will change not just us, but the world.

The problem is, we are not just walking a knife edge here. The President just noted earlier that the violence is because they (the progressives) are out of other options and the public is rather overwhelmingly in favor of the actions being taken (deportation of criminals being but one). Which is why Portland, Chicago, and other locations are trying their best to claim the mantle of George S. James, and Pritzker seems to see himself as Jefferson Davis.

I would argue that he is at least five Jefferson Davis’s, at least in volume. I would further argue that despite their delusions, neither Pritzker, Noisome, nor any others involved are anywhere close to being Gen. Beauregard. I futher agree with Victor Davis Hanson that Pritzker et al are indeed “neo-confederate nullificationists.” If they keep going, they are likely to find out what happened to the real Davis, Walker, and others. The problem is, neither we nor the U.S. will be the same afterwards. The odds are good that if it gets out of hand, it won’t stay limited and no sane person wants Civil War 2.0.

But, the progressives are not sane by reasonable standards. They see power slipping away, funds drying up, and are already sold on violence being acceptable to force their twisted dreams into something resembling (vaguely) reality.

Big problem is, it’s not just here. Look at all the places where violence has started up after the Trump Gaza peace deal. Bree A. Dail noted it on X and she is right. Look at what is going on in England right now (for all that there is some hope, I truly do think it lost), not to mention Germany and France (strong lack of coverage here). The only places it isn’t flaring up are those countries that have been bucking the EU on forced immigration (cough Hungary cough). It really does look like a large-scale effort at revolution, or if they can’t be successful, ensuring the rest of us go down with them. And, yes, I do think those behind this are just that spiteful.

To add to the fun, consider also that Russia is getting increasingly desperate. Rather, in many respects, Vladimir is getting more and more desperate. Right now, I’m not sure what is going on with the power struggle as there are a lot of smoke and mirrors, a lot of disinformation (most aimed internal IMO), and a fair bit of confusion. If one thing I have heard is true, a long-time trusted advisor to Vladimir has been sacked and if true (note caveat) it is not good as that person opposed the invasion of Ukraine and has also opposed nuclear sabre-rattling and options. If he is indeed gone, that’s not good and Defcon Warning Systems is right with some of their concerns.

For all that I am still in the 20 percent club in regards traditional powers/stockpiles, any attempted use or even strong threat is going to have very bad results. There is no such thing as limited use, and given the growing membership in the nuclear club there is an increased chance of someone responding without consultation. That way lies madness.

But madness can seem at least borderline sane when you are facing a reversal of fortunes on the conventional front, growing manpower problems, growing attacks that are disrupting energy, transportation, agriculture, and more. Add in an unhappy populace and growing restiveness in the ranks of those who would like to replace you and… Desperate people do desperate things, and when your last pipeline to thoughts and information carefully kept outside your information bubble, which is in a silo and both are inside yet more bubbles, and decisions that have no connection with reality are easy to make.

I’m not so sure that the 20 percent club applies to newer nuclear powers either, such as China. Keep in mind that China is facing a lot of challenges and in his own way Winnie the Xi is growing as desperate at Vladimir. I think he’s got a better chance of holding on for now, but he’s fast approaching some go/no-go decisions on everything from Taiwan on to other economic and territorial ambitions. We are ill prepared to deal with any go decisions. Oh, and to add to the fun, if Vladimir and Russia get further into trouble, Xi would be more than happy to reclaim a good and important chunk of the Russian far east for China. They have long wanted it, and the resources, back.

In short, things could get hairy. We’ve been very lucky walking the knife blade so far. Fact is, aside from pointing things out and urging people to not respond to the provocations in a direct way, there’s not much I can do or that any of us can do. We can try to keep cool heads, and urge our leaders to the same. Other than that, the only option is prayer.

And, yes, I do pray not just for us to stay on the knife edge, but for us to get past things and move forward. If we don’t slip, there are some amazing things and times ahead of us. So, I turn the future over to the Lord and pray that he get us through this. I pray for peace, just peace, in the world. Among the several prayers I try to say everyday is one I modified a while back. It was originally done for one country under communism, but I think almost every European country that ended up under communism had it’s own version. Mine is:

Prayer for the Salvation of Earth

O Lord Jesus Christ our God, forgive our iniquities. Through the interceessions of Thy most pure Mother, save the suffering people of Earth from the yoke of the godless authority. Amen.

For those who don’t know, the “yoke of the godless authority” is that of communism, which means communism and socialism of all types as they are simply parts of the same coin. Doesn’t matter if “true” communism, Soviet “socialism” that was communism, National Socialism, or any other facet of the ultra-leftest creed that is envy, despair, and slavery. The woke, aka progressive left, WEF-types, etc. are all of the same coin, and they are all the godless authority who seek to destroy freedom and religion. Hence, my prayer which I’ve been saying since before the last election. I hope you might join me in it.

Yes, things are happening all over and the push to foment violence and violent response is not limited to just the U.S. There are other flashpoints that exist, but they are also linked in many ways to this desperate progressive push.

Against it, let me quote “Hold the Line!” There is likely to be a blood-price paid, but with God’s Grace we can walk the knife edge to safer and better times. Pray that we do, and that we retain cool heads no matter what. I really do need to do a post one day soon on all the good things I see coming if we can but hold the line. We truly can have a golden age, if we can hold on through these interesting times.

Pray, have Faith, and hang in there. As part of that, be prepared. Keep your family and friends close, and your things where you can find them in the dark.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Fox One, RFIDs, Security

Well, I bought my tickets this morning for the pilgrimage next year. Might should have bought last week when they were really down, but did okay on the price. I might could have gotten a bit better deal, but as it is I went through the airline to ensure I got a changeable and refundable ticket, and to ensure a few other things.

The really good deals out there by and large don’t include checked luggage and other delights, and they also often don’t include getting to the originating airport. My ticket includes true round-trip service, checked baggage, flexibility, and more. It does not include seat upgrades and other nice-to-do upgrades. I can live without those, and besides: it’s a pilgrimage and those are supposed to have a certain amount of discomfort to them.

I’ve also bought a new wallet. My current wallet is a military ID holder I bought in Iraq back in 2007, and it is starting to fall apart. I’ve definitely gotten my money’s worth out of it.

What I’ve ordered is something that can hold my stuff, including passport, and is RFID blocking. That’s become a big issue overseas (particularly in airports and other transportation hubs) and is starting to be an issue here. I’ve also ordered some RFID-blocking sleeves for my cards, and even put a passive jammer on my Amazon wish list (upper right). The new wallet wasn’t expensive, and it gives me time to check it out well in advance. Plan to slip an airtag into it too.

The RFID scanning is one issue I can fight in advance. Pick-pockets are an issue I will have to deal with there. More than halfway tempted to find my old dummy wallet that I put in my back pocket. Looked real, but nothing much in it other than junk including airline drink coupons (expired) pretending to be cash. Other than the dummy wallet, I never carry anything other than tissues in my back pockets overseas. Front pockets, I’ve been known to put plastic grocery bags in them above contents to deter thieves. One of the best things to do is put the contents in a fanny pack, then wear it in front.

More soon, off to get a few more things done today.

More Medical Thoughts

In the comments to this post, GWB mentions his get-home bag. He was kind enough to e-mail me with more info, and I want to share what he sent:

“Container is a small bag I got with an Ammunition Depot order. I ordered another one, later, when I put together the second bag.

It has a shoulder strap you can disconnect on one end and stow in the open pocket on the back of the bag. It also has a velcro belt loop on the back, and a handle on the top. The main compartment is about 5x6x9. It has a zippered pouch on the front about 3x5x6. On the front of that is a zippered slit pouch. There are molle straps across the front and on the sides and a small bungee cord setup above that smaller pouch.

Outside is where I keep my flashlight (on/in a molle strap) (and which I need to replace).

On the other side, threaded through the molle straps is 100′ of parachute cord, held together at the bottom by a couple of small carabiners (not climbing rated).

Inside that zippered slit pouch are 2 emergency ponchos. Yes, the cheap kind. Useful for all sorts of things.

Inside the small zippered pouch are:

An all-weather 3×5 notebook

A pack of Grime Boss wipes

A Leatherman

A cyalume light stick

A little marker (fine point, bought at Home Depot)

There should also be a lighter/torch in there, but I can’t carry it onboard an airplane in my luggage… so looking for a better solution*

Inside the main compartment is:

A Trauma Pak from Adventure Medical Kits, containing Quik Clot, trauma pad, nitrile gloves, duct tape, triangular bandage, some gauze dressings, a “conforming gauze” bandage, antiseptic wipes, and the resealable bag can be used for sucking chest wounds

3 emergency water supply pouches (the ones for keeping on boats)**

An orange tourniquet (with the write-on label, hence the marker)

A baggie with some larger band-aid type bandages

3 Millennium energy bars (400 kcal each)

A paper bit on “Tips for Survival” by Marvin B Lark (that I can use to start a fire)

2 Burn-Fix 4×4 burn dressings

An un-sharpened carpenter’s pencil (red)

An emergency blanket

A roll-up splint

A large red or orange bandana

A pair of nomex gloves

* I do carry a book of paper matches when I fly, since that seems to be the only thing TSA will allow. Any other suggestions for a non-primitive method of fire-starting I could carry/pack on aircraft are welcome. (Somewhere I have one of those fire-starters that uses air compression to produce heat.)

** The water pouches serve two purposes: drinking and irrigation of wounds. If you cut a small enough corner off the pouch, you can get a decent stream of water when you squeeze it. Not for antiseptic purposes, but get dirt away from the wound and clear off some of the blood.

When I had a car, I had in it what I called a Bailout Bag, as it was intended to get me home or to safety in the event of an emergency. What GWB has put together here puts my old bag to shame, and is an excellent guide for those just thinking about such things.

It has some trauma gear; it has some boo-boo gear; multiple sources of light; the ability to make fire at need; food; and, water. All in a small, easy to store and carry package. There are any number of things that can happen that result in your having to leave your vehicle behind, and having something like this helps ensure you can get home or to safety at need.

All the gear in the world does you no good if it is not with you when you need it. Having smaller kits like this ensures you do have it/have access to it when needed.

Also, note that he has burn supplies in his bag. That’s something I need to add to my pouch and gear. When I did my embeds, the largest burn threat came from EFPs and all the burn cream in the world won’t do much for those. Need to get that back into the system as life today has many other sources where burn bandages and such would be very useful.

In addition to the bailout bag, my car also had a full-sized first aid kit skewed towards use in traffic accidents. Having both gave me flexibility and options, including the ability to pull from the large kit into the small if I did have to bail out.

So, it’s not just one kit. It’s having different kits of different sizes to cover different needs. It’s making sure you have access to at least some first aid gear at all times.

One final thought for your bailout/get-home bag. Consider having some air-activated hand and toe warmers in it. If you have to leave the car behind in winter, such will help protect your hands and feet. If you have to stay in the car without heat, they will help you there too. Just a thought.

My thanks to GWB for sharing this. May it help you in your preparedness.

As always, be prepared. Keep your family and friends close, and your things where you can find them in the dark.

Medical Resources, AKA Books!

Unless you are fortunate enough to have an EMT or other medical professional in your family, or have in your circle an 18D, you need one other thing besides as much training as you can get and good kits. That thing is knowledge resources, aka books that you can reference (before ideally) at need. This post is intended to follow up on this post on kits, and a bit on this post on the need to be aware and preparing.

For a true disaster (i.e. something that is lasting 30-days or longer), it won’t hurt to have things like Gray’s Anatomy and some basic diagnostic manuals around. For that matter, it wouldn’t hurt to have some basic public health guides (older ones likely to be much better) as they cover epidemic prevention, where to site and how to build outhouses, and other delights.

For more general use, one of the first books I bought back around 1970 was “Being Your Own Wilderness Doctor.” It was in my pack all through Boy Scouts and afterwards. No idea if my original copy is still intact, but glad to see it is being put out as a classsic, for it is. I used some of the information to treat myself (not sure about others) when we were out away from civilization.

While I’m not a fan of pain, I will admit to having even done some very minor surgery on myself at need. Things that needed a quick fix and could be patched up with bandaids or butterfly clips and (liberal) doses of antiseptic/anti-microbial ointment. Some of the knowing what I could do at need (and what I shouldn’t do) came from that book. Really need to get a new copy and review it to see how it holds up today.

There are a number of books out there now of a similar, but expanded take. Two I’ve seen are “Wilderness First Responder” and “Wilderness Medicine: Beyond First Aid.” Another is “Medicine for the Outdoors.” One of the key things is that they are not just about first aid. They are about prevention, identifying the (real) problem, and then treating. Remember that in any situation you need to accurately assess, stabilize, treat, and evacuate at need. Even better, you need to recognize and prevent potential problems as that is the best first aid you can give in any situation.

For the purposes of the Heads Up post, here are two books that we all (sadly) need to read: “Tactical Combat Care and Wound Treatment” and “Tactical Emergency Combat Care.” Getting and reading the books is a very good idea (adding to my wish list), and if you can get training along these lines, all the better.

Before I do anything else, I do think I need to repost my take on what constitutes an annoyance, an emergency, and a disaster. As I noted in the Preparedness Pays series, there are three types/levels of emergency and they are based on duration. The book-in-progress (sigh, still) breaks it down very nicely, but a rough idea is that 1- to 3-days is an annoyance; 3-days to 4-weeks (or so, forget the exact time frames I used) is an emergency; and anything beyond 4-weeks is a disaster.

A general knowledge of first aid and how to deal with boo-boos will get you through annoyances and even some emergencies. Knowing advanced first aid is essential for emergencies and/or dealing with a mass casualty situation. Having knowledge of (and better yet training in) emergency care and the books to go with it is essential for disasters.

While I mentioned the venerable Gray’s Anatomy earlier, here a few other potential resources: “The Ultimate Survival Medicine Guide,” “SOLO Wilderness First Responder” (would LOVE to take that course), and “The Complete Medicine Survival Handbook.”

One reason I keep pushing wilderness medical is that in a true disaster or emergency (as opposed to an annoyance), you may not have access to “normal” medical care even if in an urban area. I live a block away from a major medical center; but, in the event of an emergency or disaster, I don’t count on it being operational. Too many hospitals have adopted ‘just in time’ logistics which work very well when things are going great. When they’re not going great…

Books are always a good investment, and the right books in an emergency or disaster can make a world of difference on several levels. For the record, I don’t get anything off the links here — I want to be free to recommend what I like and for you to know I’m making recommendations off what I think is good, not what is good for my wallet. It’s why I depend on donations, as your gifts help me keep going and keep the blog going.

Feel free to chime in via the comments with books you recommend in regards emergency medicine. Share what’s worked for you, or even what hasn’t. For all the good books out there, there are a lot of junk books as well. It can be a very good thing to help people avoid them.

Meantime, be prepared. Keep your family and friends close, and your things where you can find them in the dark.

Medical Kits And Training

In this comment, Steve White asks about my trauma kit. Along with a couple of comments over at Instapundit where Sarah A. Hoyt kindly linked me, it reminded me that I haven’t talked much about medical kits and training, or at least not in a long while. It’s important, so let’s take a look at the topic.

We’ll start with the basic trauma kit I carry. It actually is the current version of the medical kit that I wore on my embeds in Iraq. Everyone carried a pouch with clotting pressure bandages, tourniquets, and other delights so that if you were hit the medics could pull from your pouch and not waste time rummaging through other bags, etc. A lot of the troops carried the pouch in the same place on their webbing, to make things faster and easier at need.

Inside my current pouch are a couple of clotting pressure bandages, some standard clotting bandages, kerlix, gloves, a tourniquet (I need to get a couple more to replace one lost to time, when you need them you often need more than one), epi-pen (allergies including to some of the clotting products), some hemostats, paramedic shears, and a CPR mask round out the major items. I also usually have a specific antihistamine in case of allergic reaction short of needing the epi pen.

Frankly, looking at dates, I need to start buying some new items to replace those headed out of date. Nice thing is, clotting bandages have come a long way. I’m glad a lot of them are now based on things other than shellfish shells, as I’m highly allergic to the shellfish. As I noted to a medic at the time, anaphylaxis is negotiable, bleeding out is not. Use the bandage, get the antihistamine into me, and hope for the best. There are a lot more options out there now, and also prices have come down.

Keep in mind that you do need one or two pressure bandages. The cause of major trauma doesn’t matter, what matters is you or others have taken major damage and getting bleeding under control is essential. You really need to be focused on that before almost anything else. Use tourniquets as needed, and pressure bandages along with clotting agents can keep things under control until proper medical care is available.

This kit is a decent sized pouch, but it is not so big that it is unwieldy to carry. You want something you can carry easily, and in fact it is not a bad idea to have a much smaller kit that can slip in a pocket or such as well as something larger like this. Having an even larger trauma kit at your Church, social hall, or home is also not a bad idea. Keep in mind that many places already have what I call an “ouch” kit, that is a basic everyday first aid kit with bandages, ointment, etc. Those are needed as well, as life is full of ouches.

You really need training for both. There are a lot of opportunities for training for cheap or free. Some places do Red Cross or other training at no- or low-cost, and that is a good way to start. The last time I took such, however, I was disappointed to see that the basic class was more on not-doing than doing, which seemed to be a reflection of both liability issues and ‘waiting for the experts to arrive.’

Fact is, experts are going to take minutes (or hours if they even show up at all) and in the event of trauma you have seconds in which to act. When I was in the Boy Scouts an eon or two back (and my thoughts on current Boy Scouts are best left unsaid), our training was focused around the fact that we may be the experts. This reflected the reality that Scouts were, at the time, intended to augment law enforcement and governments on several fronts, including emergency medical back in the days before paramedics. It also reflected that Scouts were often out in the back-of-beyond in the days before cell phones and the like, and it could be days before someone could be packed out to a place where ‘professional’ help could be contacted.

Side note: the late, great Jerry Pournelle wrote a series of short stories about Scouts (and especially Eagle Scouts) stepping up and doing things post disaster and post-apocalypse. Well worth the read as they are fun and full of practical advice and even planning advice.

So, short version is to get as much training as you can. Not saying everyone should do some version of combat lifesaver, but the closer you get to that the better off you and yours will be. You need to know how to handle the ouches in life for a start. From there, you need to know how to apply a tourniquet, control bleeding (one reason I have a couple of hemostats is that if needed I can use them on an artery or vein as opposed to trying to clamp such with my fingers), clear an airway, etc.

Again, back in the day most of us in my Boy Scout troop knew the theoretical process for performing an emergency tracheotomy with a knife and ball point pen. We also knew how to splint broken bones, reduce and control a compound fracture (where the bone has broken the skin), and a host of other things that would have our current credentialed non-elites screaming in horror and the liability lawyers salivating. My personal opinion is that you need to get as close to that today as you can. There are too many situations where the professionals are either going to be late, or not able to get there at all. That’s when it drops on you. Be prepared.

I will note that it is good to know CPR, and to understand that it is an emergency procedure rather than a medical procedure. I’m a little biased here as I actually got to work with the late Les (Leslie A.) Geddes, who helped revolutionize several parts of the (bio) medical field. In fact, I worked with him on a project to improve CPR. For years, no one had done research on the process, including how much force was needed to achieve the compression called for in the CPR standards. In the field, it was oft said that if the ribs weren’t cracking, you weren’t doing it hard enough. Broken ribs were and are a standard injury with CPR. Also, the success rate with CPR is so low that were it a medical procedure it would have been tossed long ago.

Les did that missing research, and built off the idea a former graduate student had of a system of CPR that used abdominal-only compressions. Much improved blood flow, no broken ribs, much less force needed, and it even caused the patient to breathe on their own without the need for mouth-to-mouth. Sadly, the person who took over the effort when Les passed then tragically passed themselves before much else was done. No idea where the process is, or if it is still even in development. It should be, but that is no guarantee. For me, if we have a rotary impeller moment I would use it even though it is at best experimental. Yes, I was trained on it and even performed it on Les in a demonstration (one of the scariest moments of my life TBH).

All that said, learn CPR as some chance is better than none. If you can, try to lay your hands on an AED unit. There are some organizations that give them out to Churches, schools, etc. for free. A much better alternative if you can get it.

One thing that you also need to keep in mind is liability. Not all states are equal, and I’ve been fortunate enough to mostly live in states that had some form of Good Samaritan law. These are laws that give you at least some protection from lawsuits for rendering first aid. These vary and rarely are true blanket laws. Learn what applies in your state and factor that into your planning. For some people out there have and will sue the person who saves their life. Read just recently about someone who sued the person who gave them CPR because their certificate was out of date. Again (and again) be prepared.

Now, sing it with me: get as much training as you can — even on things you don’t think you will ever need. It could be from how to suture a wound to inserting a urinary catheter. Knowing how to do basic medical care as well as emergency medical treatment is likely to come in handy in life. Find free courses and take them all. Find reduced-rate courses and take as many as you can. Training, and some basic gear, will always pay off.

Be prepared. Keep your family and friends close. Keep your things where you can find them in the dark.

Nasty Winter Ahead?

Looking around, my back is getting a nasty itchy feeling about this coming winter. I fear it is going to be a nasty one, on more than one level.

I’m trying to set some preparations for the fact that I’m worried it may be a very cold and snowy/icy winter. There are some signs and portents that it may be so. As for the weather guessers (my name for forecasters), they seem to have a spread that would make Vegas proud. That said, number of interesting people are in the nasty winter camp.

I really want to get at least one more Mr. Buddy emergency heaters, and stock up on propane. Between camp stoves and heaters, I will be able to stay warm and cook — and people who’ve been there know what a difference a hot meal can make. I’m pretty well set on blankets and such, and am continuing to experiment with solar power additions to the power and lighting game. The more options you have for power and light, the better.

I’m even trying to get the landlord to invest in some power backups and a small generator, but not sure I’m going to have any luck. Did add some options to my Amazon wish list in that regards.

Snow, ice, and storms can bring down power lines in a hurry. It’s not too late to do trimming around power lines and such to keep ice from bringing them down. I’m also encouraging that around here.

Thing is, I’ve got an itchy feeling about why this could be a nasty winter on another level. Frankly, I’m amazed that the anger I’ve been talking about hasn’t broken yet. Part of it is the “safety valve” that is provided by naming, shaming, and inflicting consequence culture (as opposed to cancel culture) on those saying and doing the worst of things. Part seems to be something else that I can’t quite put my finger on. But, they are holding for now.

How long they can hold is the interesting question. Ian makes some good points, and I would add that if the “ghouls” are not brought to heel, there’s a good chance the safety valve may be clogged. Also consider this food for thought from The Scuttlebutt. And in regards part of it, I do sometimes use the word “Normies” (usually in quotes) but with affection and a small amount of envy as there are days I wish I was one of them as I live here in flyover country.

All it will take to make this a truly nasty winter is one idiot, one person having a bad day when they respond to said idiot. We do not want to see here what many have seen elsewhere when civil war breaks out. Riding the ragged edge short of that won’t be nice or pleasant, but it will do far less damage. It may set some things back a year or two, but a civil war will change the country and potentially set back a great future (interplanetary species, advanced medical and health, and other things that are about to happen/break loose) by a century or three. Humanity is likely to survive, but our current level of civilization is not. So, let’s avoid going there if we can.

Let’s get through the winter and hope that it is not cold and nasty on multiple levels. Me, I’ve got things I want to do/am planning to do next Spring. Things that bring growth on many levels, and not necessarily just for me.

Fixing the problems that face us will not be easy or fun. Nor will it be easy to keep them short of that ragged edge. It is, however, the best shot for humanity and our future. Pray.

As always, be prepared. Keep your family and friends close, and your things where you can find them in the dark.

Charlotte

First up, please help stop the stupidity. There are those trying their best to start a race war. They are stupid. Don’t be stupid. I suspect a number of them are bots, and I’m wondering how many of those bots are run from China (and Pakistan)? Point, laugh, and short-circuit as much of that as you can please.

One of the more horrifying things to me was that, as someone who regularly uses public transport, I had a good idea that something was going to happen even before Iryna Zarutska sat down. Something about him was setting off alarms from the start, and there are reasons I am not on my phone a lot while riding public transport. Between bad suspension and the need to keep my head on a swivel (esp. on certain lines) it’s just not a good idea.

I also don’t blame her for not being more aware. In Eastern Europe, Ukraine, and Russia, the trains and such are still largely safe. There is security. It’s a different experience. It used to be that way in Western Europe, but with all the immigration that’s no longer true. Used to be in the Paris subway the worse you had to worry about were pick-pockets. Sigh.

Here, public transport is not clean, fun, or safe and that seems deliberate. Busses and even subways/light rail are often unofficially used to house and move the mentally ill/homeless, particularly in winter or other bad weather. You also run into people who feel very privileged because of their victim status, and are not shy about deserving to ride for free, special stops, etc. Some in that class have been told for years that whites are the enemy who has always abused them. Which means you run into some very nasty racism, such as the elderly black lady who tried to spit at me simply because I was white and on “her” bus. You do meet some nice people on occasion, but…

She was lied to on many fronts, and she paid for it with her life. The look of fear and shock on her face will stay with me for the rest of my life. Fact is, she was already dead at that point, she simply didn’t know it. Those blows probably took out one or both carotids and the jugular. Any chance she had was lost when it took some 90 seconds to come to her aid — none of those around her did a thing for her. Not allowed to say some of the words I want to say; but, I also remind myself there wasn’t a lot that could be done absent clotting/pressure bandages and a surgeon.

I’m also going to ask you not only to pray for her soul; but, to pray for the man who did come to her aid from elsewhere, and the lady who joined him. Dollars to donuts he (and maybe her) is playing the “what if” game right now: what if I had moved faster, what if I had done things differently, what if… It’s a thing, and it haunts more than one combat medic I’ve known and it eats at a lot of first responders. I hope they both are smart enough to get some help, or find some people who’ve been there and done that to help them through the aftermath.

For the thug and those who sat there and did nothing, not even ask or check to see if they could help her, I’m asking the Lord to illumine them. To open their eyes and minds. May justice be done.

Your safety is your responsibility. It can’t be delegated, it can’t be hired out, and it can’t be ignored. You have to be paying attention and you have to be prepared. Over the years, I’ve been able to de-escalate a few situations; and, to avoid even that by being aware and avoiding situations. It can be as simple as taking the next bus, or going with an alternate route or plan.

Thing is, be aware. Keep your head on a swivel, have a plan, have backup plans, and know what you can, should, or will do. If turning and walking away works, do it; but, if it drops in the pot aggressive and forceful action quite often causes the other party to break off and run. Stealing from Instapundit this morning, here’s a post on just that. Ambush close: turn in, engage, destroy. Sarah A. Hoyt has a good post on the lies we tell our children, lies that get them killed. Finally, from The Lawdog Files comes the truth in that everyone is a lesson.

There are a lot of good things happening in America, but we are not out of the woods yet. This is a reminder that local elections matter. Vote for your health and safety, and that of those you love. Hold your local government, prosecutors, judges, etc. accountable. It’s not just in Charlotte that they have blood on their hands.

Teach your children well. If you don’t teach them, and more importantly show them in everyday life by your actions, they don’t have a chance.

Keep your friends and family close, and your things where you can find them in the dark. And, as you see the photos and videos, go give your kids an extra hug.

Things That Make You Wonder, Part???

Italian police thwart a terror attack (guess who) which was set to use a machine gun on thousands of Christians packed into a relatively small area for a religious festival. French police thwart a terror attack (again, guess) that was going to use explosives against a school or police station. There is some possible chatter that other such ‘thwartings’ have taken place and that LE here in the U.S. is prepping for unnamed events.

I inclined to think those ‘thwartings’ may well have happened, and if anyone has heard of such elsewhere, please sound off in the comments. Not every country announces such openly after all, even allegedly free ones. For example, does anyone honestly think the government of England would willingly announce such, or that the groveling hacks of the British press would report it if they did? Then again, there are other countries that don’t go public just because they want certain organizations to wonder what did happen to their people…

Then, throw in the narco boat taken out on its way here. Why did it have 11 on board, when normal crew is 2-3 max? Why those particular people? Who were they/what were they? Very interesting given that there are already thousands of potential terrorists here thanks to the Biden Regency. Suspecting that there is much more to this story.

If not already, get your heads on swivels and ears open. 9/11 is coming up and you know how the Islamics love their symbolism. To borrow from Ian: Once is happenstance; twice is coincidence; and, three times means there is a pattern we need to discern as fast as possible.

And, yes, I do think this is tied into my earlier post. Again, if you know of a ‘thwarting’ or similar event, sing out. Something is starting to smell, and I don’t think it’s breakfast.

Be prepared. Keep your friends and family close, and your things where you can find them in the dark.

Preparedness Pays: Advanced Directives

This is not your typical preparedness post, but I will simply note that having advanced directives and a will saves a lot of time, money, and even heartache. Keep in mind that the emergency or disaster could include your health and safety, or that of a family member.

Right now, I’m in the process of arranging a new, local, power of attorney for healthcare. I’m also going to need to find a new executor for my will, but for some odd reason the last four years have me focusing on healthcare first. Can’t understand why.

Advanced directives let people know what you, and don’t, want done in the case of injury from an accident or other emergency. Having others who can speak and decide for you is essential, as laws vary and even if you have written instructions in your wallet (or otherwise on you at all times), first responders, hospitals, and other care facilities may not be obligated to follow it. The same may or may not be legally obligated to send your body to the funeral home you prefer in case of death. A lot depends on state and local laws. So, don’t take chances.

Me, well, I should have died more than once before I was hit by lightning. I’ve been lucky in that since I came of legal age that I’ve been able to say what I wanted done (or didn’t want done) but it has also been nice knowing I had others who could and would act for me at need.

Of course, that’s been somewhat easy for them since my philosophy is pretty straightforward: if there is a chance at life and living, fight; if not, let me go; and, in all cases, put it in God’s hands.

In the event of major injury, I can live without a limb, or even two. Fact is, most humans can live without a variety of things, from about half your small intestines to even some organs (or parts thereof). Sacrifice part to save the whole? Game On. So long as my brain can function and I can communicate, Game On.

One of the few things that truly scares me is to have some brain function and not be able to communicate. Long story, but had a relative who lived what I would regard as a hell on Earth: they could remember being whole and normal; and knew they were no longer so. They were institutionalized for decades as they were alive, but with a brain that was severely impaired. They had to be supervised and cared for 24/7. The anger that filled them because of this was scary. I think under that type of circumstances I would like a DNR order in place.

As an aside, if I were left with the mind of a child, that might not be such a bad thing. Especially if one thinks of Matthew 18:3. Would be hard to confess past sins though.

Other than that, I do really prefer to fight. I’ve never had cancer, though I have had some pre-malignant growths removed; but, again, unless things are extremely advanced (the ol’ ‘oops we screwed up and you have a week or two to live’ thing which does still happen), fight. I got up and walked away after being hit by lightning. Fight. I was born allergic to almost everything (thankfully not chocolate or meat, childhood was sucky enough as it was). Fight. Dying is easy, living is hard. Fight.

If you don’t want blood transfusions, say so. Years back, I really didn’t want them and volunteered for artificial blood on an experimental basis. These days, my take is that if a transfusion really is needed, do it. My preference is for fairly fresh blood from the youngest possible donors as such has been shown to have very positive effects including helping reverse some parts of aging. My inner voice still thinks I’m a teenager anyway, so as long as the young donor is indeed a volunteer, go for it. Fight.

Don’t want to be an organ donor? Make that known too. As I discussed here, between doctors wanting to re-define death so as to be able to harvest more organs (and the offspring of unwed parents who want to wage biological warfare against Citizens to make everyone quit eating red meat) and what happened during COVID with the CDC, NIH, and most health professionals trashing patient trust, I am no longer a donor. The only way I might consider such is if I am a living donor. However, it is likely a moot point given the lightning strike and the drugs I am now on that not only am I likely to be rejected, and I don’t think I can even donate blood or marrow. Thing is, make sure your thoughts are known so that people you don’t know decide for you.

You also need to think about heroic measures. A lot has changed over my lifetime. Early on, once heroic started many states wouldn’t let you turn it off. In most places, that has changed. Then again, the definition of heroic measures has changed as equipment and tech has changed just a bit. My thoughts right now are that if the heroic measures are temporary and designed to heal and get me to where I can function on my own, go for it. Fight. If there is no hope for recovery, and it is just keeping the husk alive, no. I believe that in that case my soul has departed my body, which is why it is dying. It is body and soul together that create a living temple in the image of God. If anyone is truly interested, sing out in the comments and I will explore this further.

I will admit that decades ago, I may have had a friend or two who were prepared to go into my room and blast the machinery of heroic intervention if I was on it and not allowed off of it (keep in mind, hospitals and such made a LOT of money off this practice at the time). They were then prepared to hold people at bay until I was gone. Then again, there were some friends prepared to give me the mercenaries last gift at need, which included if I turned against the country or became a threat to its Citizens. Which reminds me, I need to raise a glass again tonight as I think most or all have gone before me. Also, still need to raise a glass to L. Neil Smith and Irv Koch since I didn’t do it the other night. Absent companions.

Finally, keep pre-existing conditions in mind. For example, one of the things I am still (very tragically IMO) still allergic to is shrimp. Which really means Iodine. Guess what is used in imaging dyes, Israeli (clotting) bandages, and more? Make sure all known allergies are known to and discussed in your advanced directives. Be one heck of a thing to survive the disaster or accident and then kick off because of an oversight. Be thorough.

Also, do make a will. Otherwise those you want to get things won’t, and you will be amazed how much federal, state, and local (heck, maybe even the HOA) will siphon off before giving a token to your family. Post for another day though.

Having people know what you do and don’t want is very important. It pays to be thorough, and to have people you trust given the legal right to represent you if you are unable to stand for yourself. Take the time, and you can also find legal forms for this online for most states. If money is an issue, a number of legal aid groups will help you with forms for cheap or for free. Don’t take chances and don’t put your family (or friends) in a bind during an already bad and stressful situation. Make it as easy as possible for them, and for you ultimately.

Plan ahead, because preparedness always pays.

Kamchatka

I noted somewhere the other day that the Ring of Fire was getting sparky, but wasn’t expecting an 8.8 off Kamchatka. Fact is, there are many small earthquakes every day, some in areas that people don’t think get earthquakes. Most are either deep enough or small enough that only seismologists notice them. Some faults, like the New Madrid, only seem to have a major event every few hundred years. Others, well, go off quite frequently, at least in geological terms.

When talking preparedness, I don’t focus on the almost infinite number of things that can happen, but in the types of damage they can do. Other than following earthquake building codes and suggestions when building structures, there’s not a lot you can do. I will note that some of the same things that help houses and other structures deal with high winds and tornadoes can help with mitigating structural damage from an earthquake, as they help a bit with flexibility and holding things together against unusual stresses.

My understanding is that you need a combination of flexibility and stability to avoid major structural damage. Of course, in some cases, there is not a lot you can do. Soil geology at the surface plays a large roll on how the seismic waves “act” on things. In the New Madrid quake some areas had the soil essentially “liquify” resulting in things in the ground shooting up (such as caskets) and things on the surface (like houses and other structures, going down almost without a trace.

Unlike weather phenomena, earthquake prediction is far more art than science. It’s being worked on, but we’re not there yet. So, it’s going to hit with little or no warning — which means your preparations have to be on reaction rather than being pro-active. It’s a different bit of planning, and if near the coast you should have a bug-out plan not only made but ready to go on zero notice for tsunami events, and elsewhere the same given that widespread fires can break out, dams fail, etc. Figure routes are likely to be clogged, and plan accordingly.

One of the more novel, and potentially very effective for the actual quake itself, was the tethered hot air balloon Daryl Dragon (the Captain of Captain and Tennille) allegedly had behind their house. If things were bad, launch and wait for things to settle down before coming down. Not sure if it was true or not, but seem to recall he talked about it in an interview or two. Fact is, if you could go up (or were up) when it hits, and stay up a while, it would allow you to miss the worst of things. At least initially.

On a more serious note, I am going to be interested to see what comes out in regards Petropavlovsk in the next few days. Between the earthquake and tsunami waves, it will be interesting to see what can be seen in regards the Russian Pacific Fleet, other bases, and the nuclear storage facilities. In particular, you do have to wonder how the subs tied up alongside — especially the boomers — fared. So far, not hearing of much damage but it’s well worth keeping an eye on.

Finally, in terms of preparedness, earthquakes are one of the reason to keep digging and demolition tools handy. There are a number of things that could leave one’s safe space covered in debris. Always be prepared to dig out, pry things up and over, or if possible jack or brace things so they don’t come down any further. Shovels, axes, pry bars, saws, jacks, rope, etc. are good to have around anytime, but may be even more appreciated after a quake.

Keep in mind that the Midwest really isn’t that well prepared for the New Madrid to pop off again. Building codes most places really don’t include earthquakes, and other mitigation actions aren’t there. The last time the New Madrid really kicked off, it was felt as far east as New York, a massive lake was formed in Tennessee, and portions of the Mississippi ran backwards for a time as plates were forced up. I may have to look for something I wrote about this years ago, as the area has built up so much now that a major event will devastate a good part of the center of the country.

Nor are the San Andreas and the New Madrid all we have to worry about. So, don’t think that because you are not in California you have nothing to worry about from a quake or quakes. As always, preparedness pays.

As always, keep your family and friends close, and your things where you can find them in the dark — even if the earth is moving (and not from a happy thing).