The Laughing Wolf – Page 44 – Commentary, Punditry, and More

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.

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.

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.

Back, Sorta

Didn’t mean to be gone this long, but the body and I have been arguing a bit the last two-plus weeks. Been glad just to make it to Church. Sunday saw me get a bit of a boost courtesy of a young man who has now hit 17 pounds, who joined me in going up to venerate the cross and receive some blessed bread. Bit of juggling, but we both were blessed by the priest (who seemed highly amused), though afterwards I did get my mustache tugged for the first time ever.

To be honest, I saw him reach up and was making a mental bet if he was going to go for the glasses or the moustache. A couple of fairly gentle tugs and he got distracted by all that was going on. The new shoulders handled things well, so all was good.

One of the things I enjoy about the Church I’ve been attending is the children and the reaction to small children. The older teenage girls often all but kidnap the babies at the start of service, and the older ladies more or less demand their turn as well. When a newborn came for the first time a few weeks ago, the line-up by the women was almost scary, and none of the men dared get between them and the newborn. Not even the dad. 🙂 Everyone more or less rides herd on the toddlers and somewhat older, though the grandmothers seem to take pride of place in such.

May finally be on track to get with the cardiologist I want to see. If that happens and all goes well, strongly considering switching over. Not happy that it was more than two weeks before my primary care physician’s office got back to me. Getting rumors that there may be some issues there, and noticed that his reviews have taken a bit of a nosedive of late. Looking into other possibilities just to be safe. With the new cardiologist, hoping to get a second opinion on everything, and to deal with the “mystery” diagnosis from the last hospital stay. Still can’t get anyone to tell me where that came from…

More soon. Did manage a small experiment in regards preparedness, and have made a note that I need to discuss the three types of “emergency”: inconvenience, emergency, disaster. For all that I’ve got what can happen down to four basic things, not sure I’ve discussed that the proper level of preparedness hinges on what level of emergency you face.

With luck, will get up the experiment later today or tomorrow. Your patience is appreciated.

A Bit Conflicted

Today was a milestone. Today was my currently last schedule PT appointment.

May not seem like something, but for the last eight months I’ve been doing physical therapy two- to three-times a week. We have made tremendous progress on restoring range of motion and strength to my shoulders (and arms/chest). My range of motion is so much better than it was that it’s not funny.

I have more visits approved, but there are two big considerations in play. One is getting the most out of those visits. Right now, looks like the best way to do that is to hit the gym at least three times a week and keep doing things at home on the days I don’t. Push for a month or two, go back for testing and measurements, refine, lather, rinse, repeat.

The other consideration is that I may require PT for other issues, and there is no guarantee that such will be approved right now because of politics. Short version is that Indiana Gov. Petri Dish pushed a major expansion on state coverage of care providers for children and adults, promising it was forever. The program, of course, cost more than planned and required funds from the slush fund to help cover. Can’t have that, the vote buying was for the last election, not this one, so a number of people are hearing the usual from the Gov: Sucks to be you.

Problem is, insurance companies are taking note and wondering if there will be other cuts, state or federal, and are being cautious. This includes being cautious about things like physical therapy which may, or may not, be reimbursed by government. If the government doesn’t pay for some it has been, those costs have to be covered somehow, so…

We are banking the visits I have left just in case there are issues getting new visits approved. There really shouldn’t be a problem, but why take chances.

That said, it already feels weird knowing I’m not headed back next Monday or Tuesday. It feels weird knowing I’m not going to be joking with my regular physical therapist, talking food and music with B-man, teasing D about a rabbit beating her up even as she swears it was a bear and she came out the winner, and laughing with the others at the goings on. When people are a part of your life for eight or more months…

Who knows what is to come. One thing I do know is that I want to hit the gym next week, and do right so that when I do go back, I can show that the progress we have made together has been continued. Forward!

Midweek Update

Lots going on in the world still, but still far from one hundred percent. Started feeling bad Saturday, felt like dreck on Sunday, and still haven’t bounced back. Feeling a bit better, but not even close to where I would like to be. The news of the world isn’t helping. Thank goodness for blood pressure meds…

First, say the names Sgt. William Jerome Rivers (Carrolton, GA), Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders (Waycross, GA), and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett (Savannah, GA). I wish I had the names of all the wounded who came before them, or were wounded with them, but I don’t. If those attacks had been responded to professionally and decisively at the time, these troops would not be dead and the Red Sea would not be the mess it is.

If you really want your blood pressure to go up, check out the reports that the families had to fill out paperwork to get a call from Biden. I’m hearing that it is correct, that the Regency wanted paperwork done (and asses covered) before the call was made. If you want to know how the Biden Regency (and the Biden family for anyone but Beau) views those who serve… Wonder how many times he brought up Beau with these families? Word is the demented meat puppet will be at Dover, and I wonder how many times the POS will check his watch this time.

As for retaliation, I’m not optimistic on anything useful being done. Hearing a lot of what went on with the Houthi situation: give warnings, time to evacuate people and supplies, etc. Then again, ten percent of whatever cut is being gotten from the six billion is a lot of money. We really need to not do the “nice” thing this time, and a certain Iranian intelligence and control ship needs to be on the bottom of the Red Sea. Lot’s of countries who are PO’d about the Red Sea situation have subs, just sayin’… Though I would bet on it being less than 24-hours before someone in the Regency blabbed.

I wish I was up to more. Iran is pushing, North Korea appears to be preparing, and lots of other things are happening on top of that. Good news here is that some low blood ox levels appear to be more low battery level than anything else. When it comes to medical, get as much redundancy in your system as you can. Particularly in monitoring and related gear. I’m working on getting an appointment with a new cardiologist, but part of that depends on others, so we will see. I will find a way to make it happen.

Other than some cooking this weekend, only “fun” thing I’ve done is play with culturing a sourdough starter. Will share more soon, even if it goes completely south, as it has been fun and I had some amazing biscuits this morning made with the “discard” from the feedings. If it works, well, I’m going to eat well even in an emergency I think.

Working on a food preparedness idea that I may share even before I have things fully worked out. Essentially one case of canning jars and a few other items gives several people enough to last 2-4 weeks (and have a long-term reserve of certain essentials). Can augment or boost short rations for a longer time. Also, lots of options for ensuring some “fun” things as well.

So far, glad to see things not getting out of hand in Texas. FYI, Texas is not defying the Supreme Court. The ruling simply lifted an injunction, and did not prevent Texas from taking actions. The Feds can take actions, and Texas can string more wire and take other actions as well as the case winds through the courts. The only thing that concerns me right now is that the Biden Regency has a knack for picking the stupidist option in any situation, and running with it. So far, that seems to be the LNG action, but if there is a way to stick the pistol in their pants and AD, the Biden Regency will find it.

BUCEEEEEEEES!

BTW, if anyone knows how to get the Buc-ee’s combat patch, do let me know as I WANT ONE! That’s just too good and mocks so mercilessly….

More soon I hope.

Things I Never Knew…

I did not make it to Church this morning, and it bothers me. Combination of things, from not feeling well to a mix of rain, snow, and 25 mph winds outside. Even with a car that would have been interesting. With bus and a walk…

Sundays I usually try to stay off social media, but I’ve hit it a few times today both checking on some events (terrorist attack on a Catholic Church, volcanic activity, etc.) and checking on some friends. Some of what I’ve seen reminded me of all the things I never knew about Scripture and Theology.

For example, right after 10/7 there were a whole bunch of influences and others popping up on social media not only shouting that Christ was King, but that Christ also wasn’t Jewish and the Old Testament had nothing to do with the Jewish faith. That a number of them also got into Blood Libels against Jews in general (and the Catholic Church to some extent) really wasn’t a surprise. Do wonder if silver is still the preferred mode of payment…

One of the most fascinating ones that has popped up is that Saul was in the service of Satan who loaned him to the Romans to pull off a con in terms of conversion and becoming Paul. This was done to destroy “real” Christianity at the start by Satan while the Romans kept it from becoming a threat to the Empire until they could co-opt it for their own. Who knew?

Still trying to figure out the person going after a friend demanding that she provide the scriptures as to why the Virgin Mary had to be kept in a hidden/non-public room behind a curtain and have blood sprinkled on her by a priest once a year. Yeah, you got me on that one. Not sure, but maybe conflating the Jewish Day of Atonement with something the Catholic Church doesn’t do today? Makes absolutely no sense, has no basis in reality that I can find, and so that person went from being muted to being blocked. I had seen the friend reply to a blank spot, got curious so looked, which may have cost me brain cells to read the stupidity and bigotry (point, accurate on two uses for blank).

Have been blocking a lot of antisemites as well as certain anti-Catholics since 10/7. If there is no chance of discourse, am just blocking. There are some who simply don’t know (or have been told things that aren’t true) and I try to share with them. Then, there are those who are convinced that their particular branch of the protestant faith was the true faith all along and had been deliberately hidden from the world by corrupted apostles and such until it was brought forth blazing from the breast of Zeus (and, yes, deliberate choice of phrase there) after the Reformation. I swear, it is as if the origins of the Church and the 1500+ years of religious history prior to the Reformation aren’t taught anymore. If I’m spotting the holes despite the holes in my memory, it’s pretty bad.

Maybe I do need to do a post one day dealing with the universal (which is what the Greek word catholic means) church and some of the history before the reformation. Sure wouldn’t hurt me to review some of the various conclaves, synods, and such. Besides, always fun to read about future saints having fist fights over points of theology. Yep, that happened and more than once if my faulty memory is correct. Amuses my inner 8-year-old to this day.

Besides, might be fun to make some of the anti-Catholic heads explode by discussing the Egyptian Coptic Christian Church (first to leave the universal church, in the 500s?) and the Orthodox Church (and the schism of 1054 with the Roman Catholic Church). Along the way point out some of the practices of the early Church (who did venerate the Virgin Mary and embrace the use of icons when and where they could, and also point out the Apostle Luke was one of the first Christian iconographers). Maybe get into why certain altar covers had relics and other important items sewn into them. Could be fun. Could even be needed the way things are going.

Have to think that the only one pleased to see all the attacks on the Theotokos/Blessed Mother is the Evil One. Heck, even Martin Luther himself supported the veneration of the Virgin Mary. Maybe it is time to update and even expand my post on the Empty Vessel theory they are pushing. Might also be fun to discuss how original church services lasted hours, and the process by which they have been brought down to an hour for many, and app. 1.5 hours for TLM and Orthodox services.

The fervor with which some go after any and all other Christian faiths does remind me of this:

About the only good line from the movie

And as for those denominations that are helping push all this, they should be glad Paul still isn’t alive as otherwise they would be getting a letter I suspect. Might be all the Churches/denominations would…

No Worries

Sorry I haven’t been posting more, as there is a LOT to keep an eye on. From Texas to the Orient, things are stirring. That said, I’ve been having to deal with some things, health and other, that have been impacting my ability to post. Or at least in regards the time to post. Nothing earthshattering or urgent crisis (I hope) on my part, but a definite PITA.

If I’m offline for a bit, please be patient. For good content, allow me to recommend: Stephen Green at PJ and Instapundit; David Strom, Beege, and company at HotAir; Leslie Eastman and the fine folk at Legal Insurrection; and, my intel list at X. Those folks are doing a good job and come up with some good info and analysis.

Not planning to be offline too much, but what you plan for never happens so planning as if I were. 🙂 Hope to get a Sunday post up, but no guarantees as I’ve been cooking while I could (landlord and housemate both gone during the days) and hope to start a little preparedness project that I would like to share soon. Also trying to make my own sourdough starter with the help of some kind people. If it does culture and work out, will share.

Seriously, be prepared. There are multiple possible Sandstones and Firelights out there, and I’m not even having to try hard to see ways they and more could go sideways. FWIIW, the ability to purify (not filter) water should be high on the list, as food and more follow it. Food is negotiable to some extent, water is not. Just a thought.

Again, not planning to be offline too much, but trying to cover a base just to be safe. Be prepared, keep your things where you can find them in the dark, and keep your friends close. Let’s rock.

Russia Wants Alaska Back?

Saw this good post by Leslie Eastman over at Legal Insurrection. Has Vladimir been making noises about re-acquiring various former territories that were sold, lost, or otherwise no longer Russian? Yes. He has.

Most of the noise is aimed at an internal audience, as with most of the talk on Ukraine, use of nukes, etc. It does, however, establish claim (as the Russians see it) for eventually going after all former territories. I keep telling people that they need to pay attention to Russkiy Mir (much as Cdr. Salamander keeps tapping his sign that NATO has an Eastern front, not a flank) as it does indeed call for re-acquiring former lands (including Alaska).

Thing is, it is not happening anytime soon. Again, that was for an internal audience and not focused on any outside audience. Though, to be honest, if the Biden Regency were to respond in any way that they see as providing a good precedent or possible concession, Vladimir is not going to object. And, yes, I do suspect the Regency is stupid enough to do such, even if they don’t realize they are doing it.

As for trading California for clear title to Alaska, well, I don’t think Vladimir is that stupid though we could hope…

Meantime, go enjoy a good post but remember that the whole concept of Russkiy Mir is driving not only the invasion of Ukraine, but a lot of other stuff going on internal to Russia. Western politicians write off the document and the concept as bombast or posturing, but Vladimir and other Russian politicians do indeed see it as a guide who’s implementation will be their legacy.