The Laughing Wolf – Page 34 – Commentary, Punditry, and More

Fictional Scenario

Wednesday, I mentioned a bit of fiction that Iran may have sidelined. It got some good comments, so I thought I would share some of the background that led to the story on which I was working.

Short version is that most of our detection capability is focused offshore, and not from the shoreline inwards. Large shipping containers can make quite nice missile launchers that could be heavily shielded to prevent detection. China owns/controls several hundred large container ships, ships that could potentially have fifty or so such launchers in the top layer. Even if you dropped that to twenty or so, still plenty but 50 strikes me as a realistic number for this exercise.

If you go with hypersonic cruise missiles, horizontal or elevated launch is doable. There is also a way to do vertical launch, but for purposes of the scenario I elected to keep with the horizontal/elevated launch as you could avoid putting the missiles up high enough for rapid detection.

Now, if you have ships sailing into/towards Baltimore, Philadelphia, Savannah, San Diego, Long Beach, San Francisco Bay, Seattle, Houston, Hawai’i, and Anchorage, you’ve got excellent coverage. It might even be possible to get one into the Great Lakes, which would be icing on top. In pretty much every case, you are effectively launching from inside the country.

In the case of Baltimore, you would be talking five minutes or less to the targets in or near DC. That includes the White House and Pentagon, Langley, Andrews, etc. From there, bit longer gets you the bases stretching east, including Newport News, Quantico, and a few others. Now, expand that out and you are also taking out Beale and surrounding bases near SF, all of the bases around San Diego, Pearl Harbor, and all the facilities in Alaska. The ship at Savanah could not only take out Kings Bay, but Robbins, Mayport, Jacksonville, Canaveral, McDill, and others (like Barksdale). Even with hypersonics, you are talking longer to hit St. Louis, Omaha, the missile fields, etc.; but, still far short of ICBM time. The San Diego and Houston ships could also send some love towards the Mountain and Peterson, Ft. Hood, Dyess, Little Rock, etc. Great Lakes ship could not only send love towards the missile fields, but hit Wright-Pat, Grissom, Crane, and other inland targets. That’s not all the targets, but it gives you an idea.

In some respects, it is very similar to the targeting the AF chose in that little Rand video they did that had sub-launched missiles taking out our ability to hit the Soviets. The one who’s footage got used in The Day After. Largest difference is that you could have enough launchers to go for the secondary targets (state capitals, industry, etc.) even as you take out C&C and primary response.

May still try to finish it, but that’s the gist. Since there was interest, thought I would share.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving once we have medical issues cleared up, 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. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Medical Update 2.22.24

Stardate 2-22-24… Always wanted to start a story that way. 🙂

Where to start. First, feeling a lot better this week than I did the last three or so. Weather has been weird, but a good bit of pain from the weather changes went away with the original shoulder joints. I do feel cold changes sometimes, but it is easily (for now) managed with ibuprofen. Major weather changes still aren’t fun, but are a lot better.

If I haven’t shared this before, it is something to know if you know someone who gets hit by lightning. Keep in mind it is not just any neural/cardiac damage. There is a LOT of energy running through the person, and when you dump that much energy into a system you get lots of things going on, from the possibility of internal burns to overloading systems. For me, in addition to cardiac and neural issues, I’ve had digestive joys and other delights. I’m just glad it’s not worse given the number of rather important glands and organs that were in the path of flow in my body.

Some people seem genuinely surprised that there isn’t a magic test that can tell you yes/no you were hit by lightning and here’s the damage it did. Some of it is going to be obvious at the start, and some seems to build. I still tend to think quantum probability cascades are a thing for those of us hit by lightning, as it would explain a number of things. There are a host of things large and small that seem to pop up in the aftermath.

On the good news front, aside from feeling a bit better than I did, the cardiac referral I was after finally got done. The bad news is that the earliest I can be seen officially is July. The quiet news is that I was told what number to call, and when to start calling, to try to score a cancelled appointment. My goals for the referral are to get answers on the mystery diagnosis I still can’t get answers about; and, to get a second opinion on all current official diagnoses and medications.

I really want to rule out the mystery diagnosis for a number of reasons. Prime one being that if it is accurate, there isn’t a lot that can be done. I think there may be a way to try to force it into a live-with rather than die-from thing, but that’s another reason for the consult. Find out what is going on and what can be done.

Frankly, what I would love to do is get me where I can go camping later this summer, maybe out West. I want to get things where I can move given my current insurance will not transfer to any state in the SW. Even feeling as bad as I have I’ve been getting in some walking. It is good for me, and I enjoy it.

On the not so good front, found out my primary care doc is having medical issues of his own. Just had my next appointment pushed out almost two months. Something had told me to start looking around, so am going to step that up just in case. Have a couple of leads, going to follow-up on them.

There is a small possibility of some more tests needing to be run, will see. The Big C is something that seems to pop up with some lightning strike victims, and with my family history we are keeping a sharp eye out.

I may not be moving fast, but I’m still moving and working to do more. Getting the consult is a huge step in the right direction I think, and I’m hoping it both goes well and that I might end up with better cardiology care out of it. I hope so, and will be glad if I just get honesty. No slam intended at current cardiologist or PCP, as most of the problems seem to lie elsewhere. But it is very frustrating some days, especially since where some of the problems seem to lie can’t or won’t tell me a darn thing. More than ever wonder about fraud with some of it, but want to tread lightly on that topic for now.

That’s the high points for now. I’m happy with finally getting the consult and hope to get in much sooner than planned. As for the rest, this too shall pass. Onwards.

Intelligence, OST, Thoughts

This is still going to be shorter than I would like, but things are afoot. I will say that the whole “Intelligence” issue that was supposed to be such a major security threat to the US seems much more a lack-of-intelligence/too-much-politics issue though it does raise some interesting possibilities.

Going back to my original post, FM made some very good comments I urge you to read. Nukes in space don’t do like they do on the ground. Take a look at what happened with Starfish Prime for an example. Not too long after, both the U.S. and the Soviet Union signed the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which happened to ban such activity well before the Outer Space Treaty (OST). While Vladimir has pulled Russia out of most treaties of late, officially no one has set anything off in near-Earth orbit or deeper space since then.

I do seem to recall someone proposing to use nukes to clean up debris in Earth orbit, but that may have been during some informal discussions. Regardless, the idea and the originator were figuratively beaten about the head and shoulders. Just going to say look to Starfish Prime for reasons why.

Russia does have ASAT weapons and they do work. One was “tested” not too long ago and the ISS and other objects are still having to maneuver to avoid the debris created by the destruction of an old (Soviet?) Russian satellite. That is about all I can say on the topic of ASATs and SDI.

I will note that, in my personal opinion, a lot of marxist/communist fellow-travelers in the U.S. have long used the OST to hamstring both civilian and military space activities to the benefit of the Soviets and now Russians. According to them, any effort ground or space to develop SDI was a violation of treaty and some of them worked very hard to kill our efforts.

A good bit of focus of such efforts now is not just military, but commercial. Under the OST, most commercial is effectively banned if not formally banned. This, along with the ridiculous pious hand waving and screaming about how doing orbital extraction and processing would be an environmental disaster (yep, that’s a real thing), as would any human habitation on any celestial body be it the Moon or an asteroid. And, yes, there are real efforts underway to enact treaties and laws to ban such. Pay attention, as they really do want you and humanity as a whole trapped.

Personal opinion is that the OST has been twisted beyond pretzel status from the start, and is a treaty from which we should (must) formally withdraw. The non-binding Artemis Accords are somewhat better, but we need clear support for commerical, private property in space, and the use and exploitation of resources. Without such, any business will be taking a huge risk to pursue such.

There have been rumors for a while, that while a signatory to the OST, China was looking to violate it by claiming if not the entire lunar surface, good and important chunks of it. Including use of military force to defend such claim. Is such possible? Yes. Is it probable? Not at this time, not with the economic and other crises facing China and the CCP. That said, China is pushing hard to not only move into orbit, but have footholds elsewhere as well. It will be interesting to see where that goes.

Before I forget, again, the banning of WMD (nukes) from space not only was to protect Earth and the magnetic fields, but to keep things simple in regards attack detection. FM may have brought this up, but having nukes in orbit greatly complicates attack detection. Is that a nuke or a data/sample return mission (keep in mind that many spy satellites physically returned film and other media to the ground for quite a while)? When weapons can come from any direction, including straight up, it does indeed make it difficult for the defenders. See also yesterday’s post.

So, winding up. Could Russia use nukes in orbit to take out satellites, including via use of undeclared weapons put up as part of other payloads? Yep. Are they likely to? Different question, and I hope not. I will simply say I don’t think that would work out they way some seem to think it would. Should we leave the OST and any other binding or non-binding agreement that limits commercial activities? Yes. A thousand times yes.

Random Thoughts On A Wednesday

There are some longer works I hope to get done and posted this week, will see how it goes. Meantime, just some random bits that have caught my attention that you may find interesting or amusing.

I noticed earlier that some people are finally noticing that Soros has bought heavily into American radio. Yes, it is quite concerning. I’m wondering if it might also be tied into the push to do away with AM being included on the radios in new cars. Yes, that is a thing, it’s a serious discussion, and it would be a disaster for AM stations. Which is where you find most conservative talk radio. Which is likely the real reason behind the effort to do away with AM in car radios. Me, once I get some new wheels, I not only want a radio that can get AM, but short wave as well even though our local talk/news station is FM. Be subversive in all things, and in all ways great and small.

Going back to the Tucker/Putin interview, I think I touched on the fact that Vladimir’s take on history was about as realistic as the “Improbable History” segments on “Rocky and Bullwinkle.” Where is Prof. Peabody when you need him??? BTW, at conventions, be sure to ask Sarah A. Hoyt to say “moose and squirrel.” Anywho, here’s a decent take on Prof. Vladimir’s Fractured Fairy Tales, er history. As noted, it’s just a start, but it’s a good start.

It’s going to be interesting to watch what happens in New York over the next few years. Already intent on driving out major contributors to it’s tax base in the name of woke politics (Remington Arms being but one example), you have the triumph of Soviet jurisprudence that is the work of Judge Engoron. New York abandoned the rule of law a while back, and these days loves to viciously prosecute those who dare defend themselves and others while rewarding those who harm others, so no surprise that the AG, Judge, and others put on the show trial of the century (so far at least) after announcing the verdict ahead of time. Now, they and the other politicians are shocked that after announcing that such would only be done to the evil (cough) Trump that big money (and small) is voting with their feet. L’Ombre de l’Olivier (allow me to add it to my recommended regular reads) has a good post on this, and I think the tide is going to rise a lot faster than New York realizes.

The same applies for Delaware, which decided to join the war against Elon. The number of companies switching their incorporation to other states may fast be approaching a flood. It’s much quieter than the head-shot body of New York real estate dropping to the floor with a splat, but it’s there and is somewhat amusing to watch. The bet isn’t if, but when Delaware and New York start screaming for a Federal bailout because of their actions.

While I’m thinking about it, a couple of quick thoughts about Elon, his companies, and the war on him. Make no mistake, it is a war and it is being waged by the Biden Regency. Rather, they are being allowed to head up that war on the U.S. side. Understand, X is only free speech in comparison to the competition. It still bans a lot of speech under the banner of being nice and encouraging nice-speak. I frankly don’t care if the boot on the throat is the black jackboot of fascism or the white boot of the pretend angel of niceness — it’s still a fucking boot on the throat. However, by allowing any speech not endorsed by our would-be masters (looking not just at DC but also towards Europe and that smug little bitch TM) earned Elon the ire if not outright hatred of said wanna-be masters.

Which is deliciously ironic given that Tesla is for all intents and purposes the EV producer in the U.S./world, and that without Space X we have almost zero access to orbit. Blue Origins talks a lot, but still hasn’t made orbit — which might make me take some of the talk seriously. Everyone else is still playing catch up. I agree with Elon: we need to become a spacefaring race, and fast. Earth is the cradle of humanity, and we need to leave the cradle ASAP as crib death is still a thing. Elon is the best option for that happening at this time. For all that I agree with Glenn Reynolds on this, I worry about the future and what happens if Elon is taken out of the equation.

I was working on a short bit of fiction, but Iran just may have ended it. Their recent missile test used a standard CONEX to launch a missile. My story also did the same. Well, it was an exploration of a first-strike scenario using six to ten container ships to launch a rather devastating first strike against the U.S. Almost all of our sensors are focused out of CONUS, but not so much on close-in. Just think about one large container ship and the dozens of CONEX just on the top layer. Forget ballistic, go with hypersonic cruise missiles, say from a container ship headed into the Port of Baltimore. If very lucky, you would have up to five minutes warning in DC. Most likely less than that. With the six to ten ships, it could be possible to take out about ninety percent of the first and second strike targets. Don’t worry, I still maintain that Vladimir will not nuke DC as he wants to hurt us, not help us.

Speaking of space, I’ve been considerably amused at the frantic activity in DC around the “leak” of the so-called major security concern/threat. Boy howdy did that blow up in some very embarrassed faces. I still need to do a post on the subject and the Outer Space Treaty, it’s one of those longer pieces that I hope to get done later this week.

Meantime, I am working to re-arrange and clean my room. This has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the priest is coming to bless the house and the room I rent. I will say that organizing and major cleaning have not been on the table since the first shoulder replacement last June, and it shows. My OCD has been having conniption fits for a while now, and of course one bit of (re) organizing always leads into other things… BTW, the priest is young and never been around the military, so I think my telling him that he was not allowed to try to bounce a quarter on the bed went right over his head… I use fitted sheets anyway.

UPDATE: Just remembered what it was I was going to post. Sarah posted this about some good people in need. Sadly, Synova’s husband has passed, but help is still needed. I also just read that Steve Miller, Sharon Lee’s husband and co-author has passed. Prayers are urgently needed for all.

Some Thoughts On Prayer

I had actually wanted to do this a few weeks ago, but with not feeling well, well… It may be for the best, as over the last few weeks some points have been raised that I think may add to this. As always, these are only my thoughts and do not represent the official position, theology, or doctrine of any church. I am not a theologian so as with all things that are the word of man, take with a grain of salt.

Prayer is one of the most important and powerful things we can and should do as a part of Faith. It is an essential part of building our relationship with God, and it should be not merely a reflection of that relationship, but a means of deepening and expanding that relationship. It should be an exploration that becomes an exhortation within our soul.

There are many beautiful and wonderful prayers. The liturgical prayers of many churches are things of beauty and power, with the Nicene Creed (Creed of Constantinople) being the symbol of Christian belief and faith. Even with the issue of the Filioque, which I’m going to skip for now.

Prayer can and does bring about miracles, large and small. I have seen it, I have felt it, and I believe it. I have also seen prayer used in ways that can come across as grandstanding (at best) or as a weapon against faith.

The latter is one reason I tend to take Mathew 6:6 to heart. That bit of scripture is why I rarely post a prayer here or on social media. It is also because I have issues with certain forms of prayer.

The first of those forms is to demand God do what we want, how we want, and when we want (usually right now!). This is definitely not a new take on prayer, and man being man, it is as ancient as man. The problem with demanding a specific outcome, but also how and when it is to take place, is that it attempts to put us on the level of God. It may or may not be related to our tendency to see God as a superhuman rather than an entity that exists outside of time, space, and our understanding.

Thing is, things happen for a reason. It may be because we have free will and are stupid (Hey ya’ll, watch this!). Which is how lessons get learned. It may also be because something we do or experience will make a difference several generations from now. Remember, all of time and space are but one to God, who knows and sees all. Short version is, I do NOT know better than God what is right or needed for myself or anyone else. As such, I rarely pray for a specific outcome, for myself or anyone else. My own tendency is to go short and sweet, and in such cases I tend to ask to let that which is right to be.

Does that mean I would object if God were to heal me and make whole a rather battered body and mind? No, no it does not, not at all. In fact, I would (and could) dance a jig if that happened. The question, however, would be if that healing were the best thing for me, for my soul, and for God’s plan? That’s the key question, and the short answer is ‘I don’t know’ along with the fact I suspect it’s not. Strongly suspect even. Through prayer, I do have faith that what has and is happening has a purpose, meaning, and more. So, let that which is right be.

Which ties into another short prayer that I find opens doorways: I will to will Thy will oh Lord. It not only opens me up to the will of God, but also opens the way to a deeper and better understanding of Faith and faith. To the person who taught me that prayer years ago, if you happen to read this, thank you.

Unless it is a prayer of thanks, I have found short and open-ended works best for me. The times I’ve left things up to the Lord in addressing a need/issue, it has always worked out better than I expected. To use a potentially bad analogy, it’s like praying for a Mercedes-Benz. God may have been preparing to give you a Lamborghini, but if the MB is really what you want… Even during the aftermath of the last shoulder replacement, when the pain medication and other treatment were withheld by the night nurse, I did not ask for a specific outcome. I simply asked the Lord to help me, and began to pray the Rosary. Suddenly, it was as if a barrier dropped into place between me and the pain. Prayer answered.

I will note that words do matter. One of the sermon topics recently was in regards the blind man to whom Jesus restored sight. This one may well depend on the Bible translation you are using, but it is worth noting that the blind man asked Jesus to end the darkness, to deliver him from the darkness and restore the light. It wasn’t just about restoring his sight, but restoring his soul. Choose your words with care, and make them count.

One of the things I enjoy about the Church I’ve been attending since around the end of November, is that before the service on Sunday is a time of preparation. Not only of people getting ready and doing what is needed for the service, but also a time of prayer so that those attending the service can prepare themselves. I’ve been finding it a wonderful time for a variety of prayers and meditation on Faith and more. I don’t like what I see coming in this world, and as the song says I’m frightened for the children. I don’t see a way to stop things from going sideways, so I pray for God to do so.

I could ramble some more, but there is some food for thought here I hope. Just remember, prayer is not only a chance to ask God to help others and ourselves, but a chance to explore Faith, and to strengthen and deepen our relationship with God. It is not a pretty magic spell to get what you want; rather, an opportunity to gain that which you truly need the most.

PS: God does always answer prayers. Sometimes the answer is no. When that happens, I’ve always found it’s a good idea to examine what I was asking for. A selfish and/or self-centered prayer always deserves a no.

The Lay Of Engoron

From the Encyclopedia of Minor Horror Characters:

Engoron was originally devoted to, and a minor acolyte of, Morgoth before he was thrown into the void by the Valar. It should be noted that Morgoth himself was unaware of Engoron, his crush, or his services which barely rose to approaching minor.

His first crush destroyed or banished from the world, Engoron quickly moved to ingratiate himself with Sauron, the greatest servant of Morgoth. Again, this went largely unnoticed, though Sauron did become distantly aware of Engoron during his time in Numenor. Engoron survived the drowning of Numenor through the use of dark magic, though there were rumors that making himself into a form of fish hybrid did not go as planned and his looks — never great to start with — failed to fully return upon reaching Middle Earth.

When Sauron once again began to rebuild the Barad-dur, Engoron was right there but this time his efforts to suck up and ride the coattails of Sauron were recognized and rewarded. Engoron found himself in charge of the dungeons and sewers of the Barad-dur, where he served as the chief justice, keeper, and janitor.

It was reported that the greater the miscarriage of justice he could arrange, the greater the torture of both person and the rule of law, the greater his joy and mirth. That said, the only entry that remained in the scrolls later made in Minas Tirith indicate that even Sauron referred to Engoron as the Anus of Sauron for his position in the bowels of the Barad-dur.

There are rumors that he survived the Third Age and took up residence in Innsmouth in America, where his countenance served to blend in with the local fish people hybrids. It is further reported that he still comes forth from time to time to pervert justice and create such trouble as he can in honor of his first crush Morgoth.

*****

Satire people, Satire.

The Death of Navalny

I’m honestly surprised it took this long. My bet was sooner during a change of prison. If you believe that he was taking a walk and just collapsed out of the blue, I’ve got some investment opportunities I’d love to discuss with you.

Officially, Russia does not have the death penalty. The days of a relatively clean bullet to the back of the head (see The Death of Nina in The Americans as that is accurate about how it was done) are gone. From what I hear today usually involves paid goons (prisoner or guards), and beatings that may include truncheons, pipes, etc. Somehow I doubt his family will get the body back, as an unmarked prison grave still works best for the people in charge.

I talked about Navalny and other opposition figures in this post. For all that he was not the pro-Western figure beloved of the Western left, he was in many ways the last major opposition to Vladimir and the current leadership. I also have to give him significant props for courage for going back, even knowing he would likely be killed for so doing.

I’m wondering if among other motives, the death of Navalny may possibly also be very cynical opportunism. Vladimir is going to (rightly in the ways that count) take the blame for his murder. Given some of the jockeying and in-fighting that is underway behind the scenes, however, I have to wonder if this was not done by one of the other factions. It puts Vladimir and the current leadership in a bad light internally (which is really what counts) and internationally (which really doesn’t count for much, but…) while they can quietly take credit for bold, decisive action. Given the recent window issues experienced by some current (or possibly former) Vladimir supporters, the game appears to be afoot.

That said, I also have to admit it could just be Vladimir on a schedule that makes sense from an internal Russian perspective, a la the death of Pringles. Or, it could be Vladimir saddling some up and coming competition with the act even as he takes the public blame. What can I say? It is so much fun trying to figure out what is going on not behind an Iron Curtain; but, rather behind the frosted-glass kaleidoscope in place to keep the public from truly seeing behind the scenes.

I have said a prayer for his soul, and note for the record that the fact that I don’t think he was the figure portrayed by Western liberals means in any way that he deserved to be murdered. He did not. Do I hope justice catches up to all involved/responsible at all levels? Yes. Beyond that, there’s not a lot to say. The pundits will roar and lionize, the opposition will demonize, and not much will change. Sorry, a bit cynical this morning and wondering if by the election we will have much room to talk.

Some Memories Of Russia

I’m not really sure what Tucker is up to, but his recent takes on Moscow and Russia in comparison to the U.S. have an odd ring to them. To be charitable.

Almost all my time in Russia was either in St. Petersburg or Moscow. I really wish time and circumstances had allowed me to see more. If it were possible to go back (it’s not), part of me would love to start in St. Petersburg and take the train all the way across the country. Stop and explore along the way, take lots of photos, and get to meet more of the people. On these photos, click to embiggen if you like.

My quick takes are perhaps dated, but here they go. I really enjoyed and liked St. Petersburg. In a perfect world, I could spend months there going through the museums and archives. I felt relatively safe there walking around, and it was comforting to know I had several ways out of Russia from there in an emergency. Had several offers to come back without a date, as they had a nice girl for me to meet and marry (grin, several people did not think much of my companion), and/or to come back in winter and take a sleigh ride.

Moscow did not feel as safe, particularly at night. I only really went out once at night, and it came close to ending in a less-than-positive manner. I will note that in St. Petersburg the word seemed to be out not to harm the tourists (like when the Mob ran Vegas). That was missing in Moscow.

And, yes, the stores and even some food courts were amazing. Of course, part of it was that even the Soviets realized the new buildings were crap and that it was much better to upgrade the old buildings that were well built.

It was a bit jarring, however, to eat at a fast food place shoehorned into the splendor, and that the native Russian with me assured me was the best Italian in Moscow. Cough.

I really thought I had a photo of one of Stalin’s show subway stations, but can’t find it. Pity, as it really was quite a show. If I remember correctly, there were several done in different styles (Deco, Nouveau, etc.) to show the class, grace, and modernity of the great Soviet state. Cough. Tourists were not generally allowed to travel to or through any other stations for some odd reason. Cough. Still lots of rumors (here and there) that Stalin had tunnels put under the Kremlin, both as an escape to distant airfields and to create bomb shelters.

Shakedowns, often by militia, police, etc., were the official big thing at the time. It was the way they had actually gotten additional money back in Soviet days, and was (I was told) how they got paid at the time of my visit. Apparently paychecks got held up a good bit, and I was treated to some amazing music as members (most?) of the Moscow Symphony were having to beg for money in the subway near the Kremlin as they hadn’t been paid in months.

The difference, at that time, was that if you were a tourist, the shakedowns in St. Petersburg tended not to get too physical (or so I was told), whereas Moscow you could easily end up in the hospital or worse. I got lucky in Moscow when accosted one night, talked fast, and engaged in an expedient change of location that got me clear. I did not run (that is not a good idea in such a situation) but I did move in a determined manner. I’m also glad they didn’t understand English as I may have muttered a few things under my breath while trying to talk my way out.

I will also admit that in St. Petersburg I had hired a driver and translator. To be honest, I chose that pair because they had worked with (but not for) the GRU and KGB during the Soviet era. Longer story there, but we did not have any problems or shakedowns during the time there. I used similar to get to and from the airport in Moscow, as kidnappings for ransom on that road were an issue at the time.

So, yes, there are places in Moscow and elsewhere that are absolutely gorgeous. There are places where, especially as a tourist (and most likely under open and covert watchful eyes), you are going to be safe. But, there are also no-go zones and other delights to go with the remains of Stalin’s show pieces. You might also want to look at average income, STD (and esp. HIV) rates, medical, and a few other critical things.

Glad I visited, not really interested in living there. If Tucker or anyone else is, all the best to them. They are going to need it.

About That Intel Issue

That is so serious it is requiring multiple meetings, lots of SCIF briefings, and is apparently being leaked madly in the name of saving the Republic (cough, choke, wheeze). Oh, and is also being linked to crucial, crucial I say funding for Ukraine and is so important no money can be wasted on our borders… Sigh.

For now, color me skeptical, unimpressed, and needing jusssssst a touch more info (/end Harry Doyle/Bob Uecker voice) to be convinced. Right now, the bookmakers are putting good odds on it being the Russians, in the library with a candlestick, er, in space with nukes.

Okay, I’ll bite. One, nukes are about the only credible threat Russia has right now, and even it is a bit wobbly in my opinion. I still subscribe to my ‘tyranny of the 20 percent’ concept in which I think they (or us) will be lucky to get 20 percent of the weapons and/or weapons systems to work. Just look at how well Nikita’s, er, Vladimir’s demo launch worked during Biden’s visit to Ukraine.

For as much as I am NOT a fan of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, and would like to see us either re-negotiate the majority in light of commercial operations or withdraw from them, there are some interesting and needed weapons provisions that I think are good things even though I’m also more than a little suspicious that China (1983 signatory I think) is well on its way to scrapping some key lunar and orbital points. For that matter, I’m pretty sure Russia has already violated it a time or two (but that’s true for pretty much every treaty they have signed).

Until there is more information, there’s not a lot that can be said — which is not going to stop the grifters and pundits from putting forth thousands of empty words. I’m going to wait and see what comes out other than leaks, then offer some analysis and thoughts. Until then, just consider my cynicism as a given.

Dry Stock Preparedness And Quick Thoughts

I’ve not gotten a lot done the last two to three weeks, but I did get one truly constructive thing done. Before we get into that, some quick thoughts I can’t remember if I covered in Preparedness Pays, but need to add if I didn’t.

Disaster preparedness should NOT be overwhelming. Yes, the potential number of disasters is indeed an infinity-minus-one situation. However, there are only four things that can truly happen to you in the event of one or more happening at once. Also, remember that “emergencies” come in just three flavors: inconvenience, emergency, and disaster.

If you have a basic level of preparedness, it automatically puts most “emergencies” into the inconvenience category. By basic, I mean the ability to provide light, water, heat, food, etc. when faced with a temporary loss of services. It means things like flashlights, candles, water-on-hand, canned or frozen food, means of heating food or a room, and similar things.

Power goes out for up to 24-hours, ho-hum. You have flashlights, a camp stove, and backup power for cell phone, laptop, etc. Water goes out for same, you have water to rinse the soap off in the shower, drink, cook, and even clean a bit at need. And, well, you get the drift. What would otherwise be an emergency is reduced to an inconvenience.

Where it gets fun is where things move from an inconvenience to an emergency or a disaster. In that case, you need to have food stocks above and beyond being prepared for a few days to a couple of weeks. This is where dried foods come in to play.

What you are looking at is up to a month’s worth of food or food augmentation in the event of things going truly sideways into emergency or disaster. Yes, I do mean weeks, as if it slides into full emergency or disaster status you best be rationing.

I am playing with the concept a bit, as this is a general kit really designed for augmentation of limited rations. It features two quart jars of all-purpose flour, one quart of iodized salt, two quarts of dried beans, two quarts of enriched rice (remember, rice plus beans equals effective complete protein), two quarts of quinoa (a complete protein on its own), one quart of green lentils, one quart of oats, and one quart of white sugar. In a major disaster, it will get several people by for several weeks.

When you add in canned meats, vegetables, and fats, you have a month of rationed nutrition for several people. Seriously, add in a small tub of lard, canned meat, and some canned vegetables, and you have a variety of tasty options for very nutritious meals. Add in a shelf-stable jar of ghee, and the oats become very nutritious oatmeal for breakfast. Remember that in emergencies/disasters it is not just the absence of food, but the absence of the right type of foods that poses the largest threat.

Fats are one of the hardest things to get when in a survival situation. I very much remember being told that six large moths a day would give you the minimum amount of fat needed for survival. Moths are amazing creatures, however dusty is a word that comes to mind and not-tasty also pops to mind. Emergencies and disasters DO NOT need to be survival situations in terms of food. If you think and plan ahead, you can put that off a good while.

One thing I will strongly recommend is to have some canned salmon as part of your canned meats. Salmon is a great source for a variety of oils that are critical to the body, including the eyes. Yes, tuna has some of the same, but it takes more tuna to equal the content of the salmon.

But, back to the dried foods. Stored properly, dried foods can last for ten to twenty years. There are those who promote low-temperature canning in the oven to preserve them. The idea is that the low temperature of 200 degrees will kill any insect eggs/larvae in the dried products, along with harmful pathogens, without damaging the dry goods. There are as many (if not more) who disagree.

I got curious and did an experiment. I then talked with some people who know a thing or two about food preservation (and at least one has the certifications to go with same). Short version is that I have to come down on the side of those who say not to do the oven canning. It stresses the jars, it stresses the contents, and it does not guarantee proper canning of the materials.

So, since my seal-a-meal system is in storage, I checked out something else. A rechargeable, hand-held jar vacuum sealer.

It uses fairly standard connectors, which means you should be able to recharge it using the same systems used for your cell phones and other electronics in an emergency. It also gives you the ability to re-seal at least some jars and foods in an emergency or disaster, which can be a distinct plus.

For me, the drawbacks to these systems boil down to two things: not being sure they are as powerful as a good counter-top system and the lack of data. The handhelds (sold under several brand names) do not give much data, so you have no idea of how much vacuum you have established. In my case, to be safe, I used 500cc oxygen absorbers in the jars to be safe. It seems like a strong seal/vacuum, but in the absence of data I prefer to err on the side of caution. On the whole, however, recommended.

CAVEAT EMPTOR DANGER WILL ROBINSON DANGER CAVEAT EMPTOR

Neither the government nor anyone else considers oven canning or vacuum sealing to be proper canning. In doing either you run the risk of mold, mildew, botulism, and other delights. There are websites that will take this into extreme detail if you are interested. You need to keep an eye on things and anytime lids are trying to pop, bulging, etc., skip it. I look for signs of discoloration or growth as well.

/END CAVEAT EMPTOR

That now said, if you sterilize your jars and do all the things as you should be doing, I see the risk as low for vacuum sealing. Me, I want to continue to play with this a bit and put together some specialty packages, such as a baking package with different flours, baking soda, cocoa powder, etc. Maybe do a breakfast package of grits, oats, and other things that will make a good solid breakfast. I also want to play with various spices, whole primarily, in jelly jars for both portion control and for trade. If you hit the Indian/Asian markets, you can get an amazing array of whole spices as well as some ground that may (repeat, MAY) do well with vacuum sealing.

I’m also planning to seal some basic pasta (water/flour only types) and similar items. Such items allow you to augment and expand food so that not only is nutrition satisfied, so is hunger. It’s a way to bulk up without having to store a lot of bulk.

Also, when you buy the jars, buy extra lids at the same time. This gives you a way to use the jars multiple times, and to do real canning at need even in an emergency or a disaster.

Before I forget, it’s a great idea to stock away some raw local honey. The great thing about honey, especially raw, is that if it hasn’t been adulterated, it lasts not for hundreds of years, but even thousands. Honey in various tombs and other sites that are thousands of years old is still edible and nutritious. Honey has medicinal and other uses (amazing preservative used in early jerky) as well. I will just note that a few gallon jars can go a long way and last one heck of a long time.

I will admit to one benefit from this little experiment. I had left-over beans, lentils, etc., so I threw them into a pot with some bone/other stock. I then cut-up and threw in some kielbasa I found that had no added sugar, corn syrup, or other crap. I’ve now got several containers of delicious soup/stew in the freezer.

So, I will continue to experiment and put away as much dry food as I can. Dry foods will need water, which I continue to see as the key item for all scenarios. I really do want to upgrade my water purification systems, as well as to find ways to upgrade my water-on-hand.

Remember, preparedness pays (always!). Keep your things where you can find them in the dark, and be prepared.