Lifeboat Rules

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In my post the other day, I brought up a couple of topics for later discussion. For a number of reasons, I want to bring up first the concept of “lifeboat rules.” This is a concept that few today, other than some older people and/or veterans, understand. Failure to understand will, in many cases, be a death sentence.

Back in the old days, as in even unto the 1900s, when ships sank (or were sunk) passengers and/or crew took to the lifeboats. Each lifeboat had someone who was designated as its leader, effectively the captain of that boat. The rule of that leader was (and is) absolute. They might have to answer at some later point for their actions, but during the emergency they had the absolute, and fully legal, power of life and death over everyone in the boat. If they gave an order that was not obeyed, they could kill the person refusing or have others do so. They could, if they chose, instead put the person over the side with or without any aid(s) or provisions. They could, if circumstances allowed, maroon them on whatever land offered itself.

This was all done to try to ensure that as many as possible survived. In the days before GPS, extensive search and rescue, and other positive joys of modern life, being in a lifeboat could mean weeks or months at sea. So, the captain of the lifeboat rationed stores, oversaw efforts to catch food and produce potable water, erect such shelter as possible, create sails or other means of locomotion so that the boat could steer towards hopefully hospitable islands or land, etc. People who refused to abide by the rations, refused to try to help catch food, refused to do whatever was needed to get somewhere safe — they were (and are) a direct threat to the survival of all. Each person had a responsibility to themselves and to all in that group. If they failed of it, then they were killed outright or exiled and likely died as a result of that exile.

While it still holds for lifeboats today, many people don’t realize that pilots have much the same authority. One of the more interesting discussions when earning my license involved not only my authority, but my responsibility to prevent anyone from using the plane of which I was in command to do something bad with it. Pilots can, either on their own or by order to others, cause you to be disabled or restrained. In the event of an attempt to seize the controls, they can kill you. Now, as with the lifeboat captain, they will at some point hopefully have to answer for all they’ve done, but the law is almost overwhelmingly on their side.

In today’s world of sensitive snowflakes for whom individual responsibility is an antiquated concept, where improper pronouns being used is unimaginable violence, and who have never truly lacked for a thing in their lives the very idea of lifeboat rules is a foreign concept. It is a concept that needs to be understood now lest it result in your death and/or the death of those with you.

If I accept shelter with someone else, and agree they are in charge, then I have to abide (within reason) their decisions and commands. If I disagree with such, then it is my obligation to leave, no matter the circumstances as to do otherwise is to challenge their authority and potentially put the survival of the larger group in danger.

Now I note, within reason: obvious psychosis overrules normal agreements. In an emergency, it also overrides normal civil law because of the immediate danger of irreparable harm or death. The word that applies is “justifiable” in such cases. That said, engaging in strict rationing, strict protocols, or making you actually stand watch or such, those things are not psychosis no matter what you may think. They are an attempt to keep as many people alive as possible.

If you are of a younger generation, you need to understand: in an emergency of the magnitude of a nuclear attack, be it in a shelter of some sort or a group traveling towards safety, the situation is not a democracy, it is not a representative republic, and unless you have knowledge and/or experience that directly relates to emergency at hand, no one cares what you think or feel. Unless your input is directly solicited, it might be a good idea to stay silent, listen, learn, then speak only if you have something relevant to add to the conversation.

I guarantee you that if you continually question, challenge, and encourage others not to obey the orders of the person in charge, one of two things will happen.

First, if you are lucky (or have really PO’d the person in charge and others), your rear end is getting tossed out the door or left behind on the side of the road or trail to make your own way. If you are lucky, you have a shot at survival. If the environment is extremely bad, well, it’s a very nasty way to die. That’s not just from radiation. Keep in mind there are likely to be some very not-nice people outside being kept at bay by those inside or in the group/convoy. If you are lucky, they will kill you quick.

Second, instead of tossing you out, you will be killed. Period. Dot. Given that your actions threaten the survival of all, not unwarranted or extreme. You need to understand that NOW. Not later.

If you find yourself in some government shelter or camp, hope and pray that it is under something like lifeboat rules. Otherwise, what you encounter may be far worse than being outside the wire.

Understand that it is not wrong, evil, or fascistic to demand that you follow the rules and do your part to ensure the survival of all. It is neither the time nor the place for temper tantrums, acting out, being petulant, or trying to impress others with your knowledge of class struggle. It’s a time for hard work, for digging in and doing the best you can, and otherwise being a productive member of the group so everyone survives.

If you don’t know this, please learn this now: in a true emergency, to fuck up is to die. It doesn’t even have to be done by the people with you. You open the airlock door without checking the indicator, you are dead and others with you. You decide to do something to show everyone it is perfectly safe no matter what anyone says, well, that almost never works out. If you go outside because it is so pretty and there is nothing obvious going on, well, fallout and radiation don’t exactly advertise. Those cute animals you see? Guess what, they’re hungry.

Listen, learn, and live. Particularly if you are new to things nuclear, to preparedness, and to surviving after a major disaster. When someone uses the term lifeboat rules, know what that means and know that the people involved are not kidding around. Your life, and the lives of those with and around you, depend on it.

*****

If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving to the SW, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo or drop me a line to discuss other methods. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

A Musical Interlude

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I’ve always had eclectic tastes in music. If it is good music, no matter the genre, I will listen to it. My mother was something else, forbidding a wide array of modern music while forcing show tunes and more on me. At least between her and my Dad I got exposed to some great Bluegrass… I also still take pride in my favorite line from Oklahoma! being “I knew I loved her, when I saw the moonlight gleaming off, the barrels of her father’s shotgun.” She was so disappointed.

While I’ve been on something of a metal kick the last few years (Sabaton, The Hu, others), recently I’ve found myself going back to the music of my teenage years. I had to sneak the Doors, Stones, and so much more, and the first album my mother ever allowed me to buy was Herb Alpert. It was the Whipped Cream and Other Delights album, and even to my seven-year-old(?) self, it caught my eye and imagination. Even then I was smart enough not to say why I was interested and came up with something else to focus on.

Which sort-of leads into my teenage years when I fast talked my way into The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). I think it was all the classical instruments and such that let me sell that one, and the fact that I wasn’t lying or misleading about how some parts reminded me of ships of the British Navy (which I was studying at the time) crashing through the sea, etc. May not have hurt that mom (and to a lesser extent my Dad) was convinced Bev Bevan was a girl because of something on PBS that made it look like he had moobs. This was well before Dipper Gorey, thankfully, though I am amused to this day that ELO’s finger in her eye (Fire On High) became one of their most commercially successful songs. They were also the first real concert I ever attended.

As an aside, my vision for many songs is not the normal one. For example, when Age of Aquarius comes on I see in my mind a Saturn V thundering off the pad because of a certain moon mission. For ELO’s Tightrope, I can see a grinning Scotty being a smartass (and this was before I met Mr. Doohan) beaming down a skein of rope to Kirk instead of beaming him up. Gerry Rafferty’s Home And Dry always had me in the cockpit of an F-15 or similar headed to England. Don’t ask. Just know the picture in my head is rarely the standard shown on the music video or other.

At any rate, I went exploring back through the ELO of my youth, before Bev Bevan, Mik Kaminski, Mike de Albuquerque, Richard Tandy, Mike Edwards, and Hugh McDowell left. Back well before the phase I still refer to as the Jeff Lynne Memorial Ego Project. Innovative, risk taking, and some neat and unusual sound.

Some of the music holds up amazingly well. I still love the melding of classical instruments with synthesizer and modern riffs and chords. Some of the lyrics hold up well as well. Some, well, not so much.

Back in the day, an early form of virtue signally was the ‘War Is Bad’ song that was somewhat de rigueur in the time. A bit earlier it had been a required anti-Vietnam song for so many. At any rate, ELO’s take on it was the epically long Kuiama. I remember loving it, and thinking it was just great.

Today, while the instrumental portion is still amazing in many respects, I really don’t think eye-rolls, snorts, and shaking my head were the responses being desired for the lyrics. My response back then was ‘Oh Wow!’ Today, my response is more ‘Oh Wow is that terrible!’

I did notice in going back through that and other music from my youth, is that I think my brain is trying to augment the lost hearing. One of the more annoying parts of being hit by lightning is that I’ve lost all the high-frequency hearing in my right ear. Makes listening to music not quite as enjoyable, and even a bit annoying on occasion. However, with music I had truly listened to before, it’s as if the brain was trying to “fill in” some of the missing notes. Interesting.

While I may have known it before the strike, I have also been exploring the influence of Alan Parsons. Yes, loved the Project but it is truly amazing how many albums and/or songs by so many different artists are what they are because of him. The common denominator for the albums I like in several different genres is his work on them.

It’s interesting that he is also responsible for one of two songs I think appropriate to play at the end of the world. The first of the two is the suggestion of Roger Zelazny who fashioned a short story around Miles Davis’s rendition of Saeta being the song played by the main character at the end of the world. The second, which is my more modern choice, is Alan Parson’s Genesis Ch.1,v.32.

In reviewing these and other songs, it is interesting to see what has held up, and what hasn’t. Frankly, I’m a bit amazed at how well so much of it has held up. And on others, well, I have also been doing a bit of MST and making fun of the lyrics and such that didn’t. Also, have renamed some of the soft pop of the late 60’s and 70’s as whiney bitch music…

BTW, if challenged I cheerfully admit that the HipHop I listen to is Zuby. My favorite rap song gets me in trouble: One Night In Bangkok by Murray Head.

Oh, final thought: if you come across any ELO concert footage that has Mik Kaminski in it, watch. The man was/is amazing and in that first concert I watched in awe as he plucked, repeat plucked, the Flight of the Bumblebee. Even the other band members were shaking their head at amazement.

*****

If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving to the SW, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Medical Coordination

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A while back, I talked about collecting doctors and the large number I collected after being hit by lightning. I’ve been working on whittling that number down, and trying to get those that remain to coordinate.

Late Friday afternoon, I got reminded of another party involved in my care when I got a demand to report ASAP for a fasting blood draw to check — exactly what my cardiologist and my GP had both just checked about three weeks before. Did not help my blood pressure at all. Especially as if I don’t comply they will cease to certify refills on some or all of my cardiac medicines.

So, called them this morning and pointed out to the lipid clinic the previous blood work for both doctors, and to express my concern that they were not coordinating with my cardiologist who is in the same flipping practice and building, much less with my GP. As for the non-renewal, I also told them their terms were acceptable. Then I sent a letter to my cardiologist (and cc’d my GP)

Not sure who this really needs to go to, but going to start here and see what happens.

XXXXXXXXX is my doctor for my high blood pressure and cardiac health, as I attested to a while back.

XXXXXXXXX is my GP and is responsible for my general health and treating the whole patient.  As part of this, XXXX monitors my cholesterol and other factors for my general health.

The XXXXXXXXX Clinic seems to be a third provider and I am now in receipt of a demand from them for yet another cholesterol/general screen to be done ASAP.  I have called them to advise of the recent visits with XXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXX.  

How do we get all three of you to coordinate and share information?  The XXXXXXXXX Clinic just told me they have no record of the lab tests done for XXXXXXXXX at the lab downstairs, and it is not surprising that they don’t have the results provided to XXXXXXXXX. I am, however, concerned that the XXXXXXXXX Clinic is not coordinating with XXXXXXXXX, who is in the same practice.

As for the demand for a new blood draw ASAP, and the offer to stop renewing all (??) my heart medicines, please understand that those terms are acceptable to me.  In addition to the fact that XXXXXXXXX is monitoring my cholesterol (as is also XXXXXXXXX), know that my insurance company is “encouraging” me to move things like this to another provider.  

Please advise.

We will see what happens, but this just drives home something I can’t say enough: You are the one in charge of and responsible for your health and medical treatment.

Most doctors are good people and hopefully good physicians. That said, modern medicine is all about the number of patients seen in a day, reducing the time with each patient as much as possible to increase the number of patients, and other factors of an efficient practice. While few will like to admit it, most medical practices have no time set aside in a day, a week, or even a month for doing things like reading research papers and otherwise keeping up with developments in general or special fields. A lot is limited to “professional development courses” of which very few are required in a year.

The sad fact is, if you do as you should and dive in to read research papers (not, repeat NOT newspaper or popular science articles), you are likely to know more than your physician who literally can’t keep up given the demands of corporate medicine. This can get you nasty notes in your file of being uncooperative or other terms indicating that you dared imply or say that your doc wasn’t god you impertinent peasant you. BTW, if that happens or they try to discourage you from researching, get a new doc as they will harm or kill you (and never will acknowledge you were right). One reason I like my GP: If I come across a relevant or good study, they want to get a copy to read. Hope they really do so.

Got questions and they won’t/can’t answer, and push you do do something anyway? Run. Say they have to go with CDC/NIH no matter what? Run. If they say something is a good point and let’s explore this? Good doc.

In this case, I would not mind cutting loose the XXXXXXXXX Clinic portion of this. It was featured to me as a bonus and assistance after the open heart surgery following getting hit by lightning. Right now, seems to be more a problem than a benefit. Also, not doing yet another fasting blood draw this soon because of bureaucratic incompetence. That they are not coordinating with a physician which is part of the same practice screams PROBLEM to me.

Like I said above, we will see. Meantime, be your own advocate with your health, as no one else in the medical field will truly be such for you.

UPDATE: Got the distinct impression that the Clinic was NOT happy at my letter to the cardiologist. Even though the cardiologist’s office apparently recommended otherwise, the Clinic recommended that my GP take over this monitoring and the prescription. I agreed. 🙂

*****

If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving to the SW, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Nuclear Oz

If the site is slow loading or you’ve had trouble getting through, my apologies. We are experiencing growing pains as I move from regular blog to high-traffic blog. Working on it, feel free to hit the tip jar to help me keep going and upgrade the site. Your gifts truly do make the difference. Working on adding a mail-in option, GabPay, others; if interested in mail-in for now drop me a line.

Only this time, Toto wasn’t needed to draw back the curtain as the Russians never bothered to close it in the first place. Interesting being able to see the illusion they are trying to peddle (mostly to an internal audience, but also to idiots abroad) while watching the reality.

No, not really too concerned this morning about the reports from Russian MoD about the readiness of their CBRN units. Nor am I too surprised at the Sunday morning talk show push (in Russia) or the calls by Shoigu to various leaders around the world. And I’m definitely not surprised by the groundwork for false-flag operations being laid.

First, remember that we are supposedly in the middle of their annual nuclear preparedness exercise. If so, no surprise that the cream of the crop of the CBRN units are ready to put on a pretty picture. Real question is if it is a picture of reality or just another Potemkin Village. There are reports (and conjecture) out there that their true readiness for such is on par with their uniforms and other equipment thanks to rampant corruption.

Before I forget, I’m laughing my fuzzy fluffy rump off at the stories coming out blaming all problems on theft by individual troops. This has been covered a bit before, but after Putin sacked his generals (all but two) and even some higher ranks and gave the positions to oligarchia to loot, things got so bad that small units and even individuals did indeed start stealing equipment and such simply to be able to eat. Want to know if a story on this is out of the Kremlin directly or indirectly? If it focuses on the individual troops stealing, and ignores the higher-level corruption, it’s a Kremlin production no matter the masthead.

Second, the push on the false-flag/maskirova items, along with all the phone calls, is fairly simple. I agree with the ISW that a lot of it is intended to slow down or stop deliveries and other support to the Ukraine. If the Ukraine can be isolated to any degree, it will help Russian efforts. If it works to any degree, expect to see a lot more of it. That said, they truly are trying to set the stage, particularly to the internal audience (and the brain dead external) that it was all the dastardly Ukrainian Nazi Scumbags and not the sweet and innocent Russian troops and leadership. Cough.

For reasons I won’t fully go into at this time, I remain concerned that if things don’t go well, Vladimir will go after every nuclear plant in the Ukraine in an attempt to damage the country and destroy it by other means. Again, they may attempt some maskirova and engage in false-flag operations, but there are those in Russia who feel that if they can’t seize the Ukraine, then no one — especially the Ukrainians — should be allowed to keep it either.

Now, in regards the list of false-flag/maskirova, one thing to keep in mind, this isn’t the first time they’ve done this. Syria is but one example. If you have the time and patience, and go back into the Cold War, the same was done at different times (usually a time of tensions) so that if there was a war, they would already have the pretexts in place for escalation.

So, I find things concerning, but nothing more than that at this time. In fact, some of it is sadly predictable. There are some things I am going to watch for, and if I do see them, then I will be worried. Until then, simply vigilant.

For those on Twitter, I am on there as LaughingWolfOne and if you are looking for good sources of information, try my Intel list. There are a couple on there that I would highly recommend, as while not 100 percent right (no one is) they have a better track record than several of the three-letter and related.

*****

If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving to the SW, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Faith In Accountability And Responsibility

Over on Twitter, Bree A Dail, a journalist who among other duties is the Vatican Correspondent for The Epoch Times, posed an interesting question as part of a discussion:

If a journalist (or media outlet) identifying as Catholic Media publishes or supports publications rejecting/denying the Bishop of Rome, or Church Teachings, should they be exposed, publicly reprimanded and censured by Bishops and/or the Holy See?

Within the context provided, I would (and did) answer yes to her poll. My explanation of why I voted as I did led to a nice discussion with her, and among other things she pointed out to me this story from a Catholic media outlet saying that Francis is not the Pope. In fact, they refuse to call him Pope or Francis.

Some quick background before we dive in on this. I was raised Methodist and joined the Episcopal Church in late high school. Eventually I found my way to the Catholic Church. When I joined, I did so in one of those conservative churches so beloved of Pope Francis (/sarc), one which until brought to heel performed the Latin Mass every Sunday. In fact, when I joined the early Mass was Anglican, the reasonable Mass was the Sung Mass, and the later/mid-day Mass was the Latin Mass. The difference between the Sung and Latin Mass? About an hour.

One benefit of joining in a more conservative Church was that the RCIA program, which educates on Catholic theology and practices, was rigorous (and fun). We had some theological debates and discussions, and more importantly got into some of the historical debates and discussions that resulted in current Catholic doctrine. The course I took was such that other Churches sometimes sent their students, or even those who were of the Faith, to participate and learn. Some of it was warts and all, as there have been Saints fist fighting and Popes who were “rotters.” Thing is, at the end, you had no doubt about where the Church stood, why they did so, and what the options and expectations for you involved.

In fact, we spent pretty much an entire session one evening discussing things like the denial of the Sacrament to those who supported abortion or other issues that run counter to the laws outlined in the Catechism of the Church. On any number of issues like that, if you did not agree with the Church’s position, you should not join. If you did join, and found yourself in disagreement with the Church on doctrine decided later, you should not accept the Sacrament.

Technically, I am a lapsed Catholic. For personal reasons and because I find myself in disagreement with a number of things decreed by Pope Francis, I chose to not take the Sacrament and to even step away from the Church. It is the right, moral, and honorable thing to do IMO and is in keeping with the Catechism. My Faith remains, and remains strong. My faith in Man and the Institutions of Man remains about the same, just short of non-existent.

Until Bree pointed out that article and some other things, I was unaware that any Catholic media was denying that Francis is the Pope, much less questioning the authority of the Bishop of Rome and the Magisterium. Been focused on a few other things the last year or two, and while I knew I was far from alone in my thoughts in regards Pope Francis I did not realize that things had gotten this far.

For good or ill, Francis sits on the Throne of St. Peter and is the Pope and Bishop of Rome. Period. Full Stop.

The thing that struck me in some things I’ve been reading since this came up, the argument being made is that Francis has abandoned doctrine, process, and more and therefore isn’t Pope. It is a novel approach, though not terribly grounded in Church law IMO. I’m rather surprised that none of those denying his authority have done it (at least that I’ve read) on the basis of his being an anti-Pope.

For those of you who’ve never played Pope-A-Day Bingo, there have been times when there were two (in once case I think possibly three) Popes. This happened when politics ruled the day and there were competing factions French, Italian, and otherwise. The verdict of history (written by those who lived much later most often) was that one was the “real” Pope and the other was an “anti-Pope” or false Pope. An intellectual case can be made that Benedict was either forced out or that his being allowed to renounce the Crown of St. Peter was improper/illegal (under Church law), and that therefore the elevation of Bergoglio was improper/illegal. Whatever the verdict of any future history, the fact remains that Bergoglio was elevated and is serving as Pope Francis.

Now, back to Bree’s query above. Based on the laws of the Church as outlined in the Catechism, the process should be for the appropriate Bishop to remonstrate with them in private, and if that is not satisfactory, remonstrate in public and take further steps as needed. Those steps could be to deny the Sacrament or even up to excommunication.

I am uncomfortable with forcing resignations or removals from the publications. Again, while it has been done in the past, even the recent past, it is far too easy to weaponize against simple, even if profound, disagreement. It is also in many respects a secular response to a spiritual matter.

However, given the manifest unwillingness of the vast majority of Church leadership to do so with a number of people on several subjects (Pelosi and Biden are not the only ones just on abortion, and let’s not even get into matters sexual), I do not see this being addressed anytime soon. Which also tends to push things towards what might be a rather draconian response when and if it comes. It doesn’t help that far too many in leadership see disagreement not only as an assault upon them as an individual, but also as an attack on the office which they hold, and that therefore to disagree with them in any way, shape, or form as an attack on the Faith as a whole as well. Simple disagreement is not being Satanic.

Which leads to another poll Bree conducted as part of the thread:

Should journalists who identify as Catholic Media be held to a standard of ethics, to include Oaths of Fidelity to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church?

This is where things get interesting for me. Oaths are powerful and sacred things, even when they deal with the purely secular. I’ve sworn a couple in my life that have no expiration that include the cost of my life. I tend to approach them a bit differently from some for very good reasons.

While the idea of Catholic Media taking an oath similar to what some Catholic academics do seems like a good idea, I have some strong reservations about it. Much depends on what is sworn, and how. Given how so much of the leadership of the Church is thin-skinned on criticism (to be polite) my concern is that any oath to obey, support, or other the Magisterium or the authority of the Bishop of Rome could (and sadly I suspect would) be twisted such that any disagreement, or any report they don’t like, is a violation of the oath.

I do think that media claiming to be Catholic media needs to be held to a higher standard on matters of the Faith and the doctrines of the Church. Then again, I think all media needs to be held to some minimum standards on honesty, accuracy, and other matters. I agree with Bree that we need to hold journalists to at least the standards we would hold a child doing a book report. Preferably more. When I left journalism many moons ago, I was delighted to discover that public relations not only had a much stronger code of ethics, but that unlike journalism they actually enforced it. At least they did at that time, no idea about today. Modern journalism talks (a lot), but does not walk the walk.

Catholic Media needs to walk the walk. If they are to claim that they are a Catholic organization/publication/whatever, then they need to be held at least to the standards expected of any member of the Faith. Disagreement and discussion are allowed in the Faith within certain constraints. It is how the Church grows and expands the understanding of God’s Word. To that end, those that stray need to be dealt with by the spiritual methods as outlined in the Catechism, not by secular means.

*****

If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving to the SW, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

PayPal And Donation Update

If the site is slow loading or you’ve had trouble getting through, my apologies. We are experiencing growing pains as I move from regular blog to high-traffic blog. Working on it, feel free to hit the tip jar to help me keep going and upgrade the site. Your gifts truly do make the difference.

For the record, PayPal still hasn’t cancelled my account. They are still claiming that a ‘technical issue’ is preventing them from closing a number of accounts including mine.

Yes, it has been a hit taking them off here. There has been a significant drop in donations, the gifts that keep me going and will hopefully get me on out to the SW here soon. So much so I’m in a bit of a bind.

So, I’m in the process of jumping through the hoops to add GabPay as an option, and am exploring others. Any suggestions for a good alternative that isn’t going to play woke games?

*****

If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving to the SW, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Preparedness On The Fly: General Thoughts

If the site is slow loading or you’ve had trouble getting through, my apologies. We are experiencing growing pains as I move from regular blog to high-traffic blog. Working on it, feel free to hit the tip jar to help me keep going and upgrade the site. Your gifts truly do make the difference.

For all that I’ve tried to keep these posts on an introductory level, it’s not always possible and worse yet from your viewpoint if you’re new to nuclear or preparedness, there’s a heck of a lot of information. Easy to miss some things, so I want to bring a few things up to the front.

First, if you are reading this because you are rightfully worried about nuclear war and have never done any form of preparedness before, some advice. Don’t get overwhelmed, take it a bite at a time. Try to do your preparations so they work to enhance your life in non-disaster times and cover a variety of other disasters as well.

Second, if you have a question about this, about rational preparedness, or the concepts being explored in my hopefully-to-be-finished book Preparedness Pays, ask. There are stupid questions; however, yours probably isn’t one of them. If you are thinking of asking it, know others are probably thinking it too. Do them and yourself a favor, ask.

Now, on to some other things that I’ve said, meant to say, etc. One of the sucky parts of getting hit by lightning is having the short-term memory of a mayfly. May they be right on it eventually healing in a few years. Anywho, onwards.

Buy shelf-stable foods, not those that require freezing, refrigeration, special conditions, etc. When buying canned goods, tuck away a couple of extra can openers too. In the box/area with the canned goods. Trust me.

Buy what food you can, including flour and other grains, and especially things like coffee, chocolate, etc. that are imported. I strongly suspect the food situation is going to get a little too interesting even if Vladimir doesn’t destroy the world in a temper tantrum.

If the button is pushed, go to minimum food and water immediately. Only exception is for food that can’t be saved (refrigerated/frozen for example). Large amounts of vinegar can come in handy on the latter, as you should cook and/or pickle and/or can as much as you can under the circumstances. Vinegar is also a reasonable disinfectant/cleaner/etc.

Buy food and some water filtration/purification gear ahead of anything else simply because of what is likely to happen with food production and distribution regardless.

Protection should be right after food. Remember that I highly recommend three levels for each person: rifle for long-range/hunting, shotgun for medium-range/hunting, pistol for short-range/hunting. Carry edged on you at all times you legally can. GET TRAINING!

One thing I did forget to include the other day is, in addition to whatever else you get, pick up a .22 rifle (and pistol if you can). Great for varmints, good for hunting, a number of uses in survival. Personally, several of us at work were discussing the need to have something tucked away in a vehicle for emergencies that was small, discrete/hidden, reliable, and useful. Idea evolved into a take-down 10/22 in a case with a thousand rounds of ammo. Inexpensive, and good.

BTW, 500 to 1,000 rounds of ammo in one caliber is not an arsenal or whatever other breathless sensationalistic prose the legacy media uses. If you start getting into this, 500 to 1,000 rounds of ammo per caliber is a good day at the range. Or maybe even the start to a good day at the range…

There is no such thing as having too many flashlights or batteries.

Did I talk about radios? Even if you followed some of the discussion in some of the Nuclear-101/201 posts and saved your cell phone, towers and service are probably going to be fracked for a while, possibly a very long time. Frankly, in the event of nuclear war, I expect to see sound trucks used in what’s left of metropolitan areas. Otherwise, think WWII and “This is London!” There are at least two different brands of emergency radio out there that include standard batteries, rechargeable batteries, USB recharging, hand crank, and even solar. You can get one that receives weather, AM, FM, and ShortWave (SW) 1 and 2 for around $40. If you can, get more than one. Oh, you can also use them to recharge cell phones and other devices that survive, including some rechargeable batteries. Useful.

Yes, two-way radios could be useful if you can shield them during so they work after. Problems are expense, range, and the fact that you might not want to be talking loudly and carrying on too much when out. Being able to report observations, issue warnings, advise on your location, talk to other vehicles if doing the boogie, etc. can be a very good thing. You just really need systems (that tend to be more expensive) that allow you to do so as quietly as possible and as hands-free as possible.

Noise and light discipline in the aftermath of any disaster, but especially a nuclear war, is a good idea.

So is the need to set and keep watch, and to be prepared if anything not-nice comes to call.

Sandbags outside doors going up 1.5 feet or more are a great way to block fallout from coming in under doors, and make the doorway an even better chokepoint when and if non-nice types drop by. It is also cover if needed.

Think I may need to do a column on the difference between cover and concealment, and that things that are really good at stopping radiation also work to stop projectiles. Interest?

Under the heading of good things to have around for life, much less emergencies, is a good pressure canner. And lots of jars that hopefully survive the disaster.

When it comes to some people’s cooking, certain foods, and field/emergency rations, hot sauce is you friend. Also, a great source of salt.

When you stock up, be sure to get some pogey bait.

Baby/body wipes are a very good thing to have in quantity if you are going to have to hunker down in a very small area for several weeks.

Also, while super large containers of anything, especially food, seem like a great idea, it also can be a single point of failure if damaged in the disaster. Buying multiple small containers (10 for $10, etc.) increases odds at least some will survive, and offers you items for trade, for being kind, etc. Not to mention portion control, as well as reducing temptation for someone to take just a bit more…

Liquor miniatures work well for medical use (pouring over wounds, etc.), are excellent for trade or reward, and can prevent problems in the shelter if used like the old British Navy rum/grog ration. Staying drunk during and after may seem like a good idea, and tempting a little, but it is a very bad idea.

Understand the concept of lifeboat rules. If you don’t, you need to. Think this is another column, esp. give how some are likely to react.

Wish I could remember what else I meant to cover, but failed to write it down, and so it’s gone. I live by lists, electronic and paper, post-it-notes, and even field note pads these days. Stupid lightning.

Preparedness On The Fly Series

Preparedness On The Fly (Food)

Preparedness On The Fly: Water

Preparedness On The Fly: Light

Preparedness On The Fly: Cooking

Preparedness On The Fly: Gear

Preparedness On The Fly: Protection

Of Interest

Preparedness: Bugout!

Buying Your First Weapon

Start Of All Posts On Preparedness

Nuclear Overview

*****

If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving to the SW, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Nuclear Overview

Sorry for the slow loading or trouble getting here. Growing pains as I move from regular blog to high-traffic blog. Working on it, feel free to hit the tip jar.

With so many new readers interested in learning about preparedness and all things nuclear, I thought it might be a good idea to provide links to all the Nuclear 101/201 posts as well as the complete (for now) Preparedness On The Fly series. For those digging into nuclear war and strategy for the first time, there is some basic information along with suggestions for learning more. If you are wanting my takes on what is happening and why, hit the Current Events category. Also, some other posts of interest and non-blog resources of interest are included. .

Nuclear 101 Posts In Order:

Nuclear What?

Nuclear 101: Weapons

Nuclear 101: Delivery

Nuclear 101: Now What?

Nuclear 101: Targeting

Nuclear 101: Scenarios

Nuclear 101: Survival

Some Quick Thoughts

Nuclear 201 Posts In Order

Nuclear 201: Some History

Nuclear 201: Will You Be My PAL?

Nuclear 201: A Bit More C&C

Nuclear 201: Additional Thoughts On Coms

Nuclear 201: Targeting, Take 2

Nuclear 201: Scenarios

Nuclear 201: Policy, SIOP, and Escalation

Nuclear 201: Effects

Nuclear 201: Radiation

Nuclear 201: Preparedness

Nuclear 201: Fallout

Nuclear 201: Fair Question

Preparedness On The Fly Series

Preparedness On The Fly (Food)

Preparedness On The Fly: Water

Preparedness On The Fly: Light

Preparedness On The Fly: Cooking

Preparedness On The Fly: Gear

Preparedness On The Fly: Protection

Of Interest

Preparedness: Bugout!

Buying Your First Weapon

Start Of All Posts On Preparedness

Fiction/Other Resources Highly Recommended

Pat Frank, Alas Babylon and How To Survive The H-Bomb And Why

Dean Ing, Pulling Through NOTE: I can’t commend any or all of Dean’s work on preparedness and survival highly enough. And, yes, I really wish I could talk to him right now. Also, if you come across any of Jerry Pournelle’s work on survival and preparedness, good add too though I would put Dean’s work first.

While not nuclear preparedness and survival, John Ringo’s Black Tide Rising series of books are extremely enjoyable (IMO) and provide a lot of very good food for thought for those preparing for any of life’s vicissitudes.

*****

If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Buying Your First Weapon

Sorry for the slow loading or trouble getting here. Growing pains as I move from regular blog to high-traffic blog. Working on it, feel free to hit the tip jar.

After yesterday’s Preparedness On The Fly post (the series is aimed at those just getting into preparedness because of the nuclear threat) it seems there is some interest in my talking more about how to go about purchasing your first weapon. While a good bit of this will concentrate on pistols since that seems to be what most are interested in purchasing, we will cover some other areas as well.

Since most of you reading this don’t know me from Adam’s house wolf, a quick bit of background. I’ve been using edged tools and shooting since I was about six or seven years old. My father was a Marine marksmanship instructor who shot competitions for the Corps back in the early 30s. Based on some of his experiences after he went back in for WWII, he swore Gomer Pyle as a documentary. I was on the rifle team in high school while we had it, and did a fair bit of hunting as the family was not well-to-do and it put meat on the table.

Over the years I’ve had some unique and interesting opportunities that resulted in my earning military expert ratings with the M-16 and issue pistol despite not serving in uniform, and have the paperwork to prove it. I also was familiar with older H&K battle rifles, FN-FAL, all H&K machine pistols, Uzi, Mac-10, Galil, and a number of pistols of various types and calibers. I suck at trap and skeet, and would love to qual on a .50 if I could use someone else’s shoulder as my own is shot. I also know a bit about edged weapons and their history. I’ve written the odd article or encyclopedia entry on firearms. Yes, I am LW from Blackfive. I also truly miss helping people buy their first firearm, it was a job that — for the most part — I loved.

So, let’s step through what I did for customers who were buying their first firearm. Again, there is no one perfect weapon that is great for every situation any more than there is one magic list that tells you everything you need for preparedness. So, the questions begin.

First, for what purpose are you buying this weapon? Are you looking for home defense, car carry, concealed carry, competition shooting, or other? Makes a difference, as I’m probably not going to recommend most FNs for concealed (they tend to be larger), and I’m not going to recommend something with a 1-inch barrel for competition.

Quick pro tip, highly generalized: longer the barrel, better punch and accuracy in most cases. Larger/heavier can give more control, reduce felt recoil (why I recommended such for home defense). Medium to smaller are easier to conceal and most people can get them into battery a bit quicker. For the record, I really don’t recommend micros even as a backup.

Second, may I see your hand? The size of your hand makes a difference in what pistols I would show you. You have to be able to control the weapon, which means you really need to be able to get your hand comfortably around the grip. If it is not comfortable and/or you can’t get enough of your hand around the grip to control it, it’s not the right pistol for you. For example, while Glock makes good products, the angle of their grip is not comfortable for me, so it’s not the right pistol for me.

Third, is there a particular caliber you are interested in? It was interesting to hear what and why in a number of cases, which ranged from ‘my grandson said I had to get this caliber’ to one who heard the caliber on a TV show. We are going to skip all the Fudd drama on calibers and deal with reality. Remember what I said about calibers yesterday, stick with those for now. In terms of control and such, a 9mm is going to be easier to control than a .45 as it has less kick/recoil. Again, it boils down to what works for you and your individual circumstances. If you go with a different caliber, that’s good too. I had a couple of customers that for reasons of age or health just could not handle a 9mm or larger. We found what worked for them. Which makes my fifth recommendation all the more important.

Fourth, what type of pistol are you interested in? Yes, there are some single-shot precision pistols, some with a bolt action even. But, the real issue here is revolver or semi-automatic. And, yes, revolvers are a good and solid choice for a primary or backup weapon. I have carried them before and the Lord willing, I may again. Also, there are people out there who for a variety of reasons can’t work the action on a semi-auto. Again, and again, and again: you have to find what works for you and your individual circumstances.

Fifth, narrow it down to two or three pistols. You may just LOOOOOOVE one of them, but find two others you don’t think are too bad. Now, write down all the information, go to a range, rent them, and try them. Pro tip: tell the range what you are doing and most of them are going to be HAPPY to work with you, and even cut deals, as they are going to try to get you to buy from them rather than come back to me. Get some instruction, try them out, and see which one works best for you. As I noted yesterday, more than one person has found out that the pistol they just thought they were in LOOOOOOVE with either blew for them, or was just meh. It was one of the others that was the right one for them. My memory is fuzzy (stupid lightning), but I think one person actually ended up buying two of the pistols they tried.

Sixth, GET TRAINING ASAP! Knew someone years (and years) ago who was so proud of the gun they had just bought. Asked a few questions, and discovered that they had not only had not shot it but had not even cleaned the shipping grease off of it before putting it in the nightstand. Never went over to their house again as they were an accident waiting to happen. Get training, and spend as much time on the range practicing as time, money, and circumstances allow. Get snap caps and practice dry firing at home. Consider one of the laser practice systems as well.

Seventh, GET LEGAL TRAINING! Know the laws of your state, city, etc. Here in Indy I cheerfully recommend the Indiana Gun Law course at Indy Arms, which is taught by none other than noted 2A attorney Guy Relford. Taking a course like this, along with the actual shooting instruction, will keep you from doing something too stupid before, during, or after a disaster or apocalypse.

Now, let’s quickly go over other weapons/tools. Whatever you get should, ideally, be something you use for things other than a disaster. So, let’s keep that in mind as we move along.

Rifles basically break down into semi-auto and bolt action, though there are some truly unique things out there — in some cases way out there. Bolt actions tend to be reliable though your rate of fire is not going to be fast. If you are even thinking about the possibility of doing some precision shooting, bolt action might be the better choice. Semi-auto rifles are, for the most part, reliable. They have a higher rate of fire, which is not always a good thing. Again, circumstances matter. Caliber is up to you. Try the bolt or action multiple times, find what feels right and fits you best.

A quick aside: MAGAZINE CAPACITY IS NOT THE MAJOR CONSIDERATION IN CHOOSING A FIREARM! Not for regular use, not for crime, and not even for an apocalypse. If you come in and are talking about getting a firearm because the magazines hold a huge number of rounds, you’ve already hit my radar as a potential problem. Mention switches, holes, and other key words, and that is a sale that is not proceeding.

Pro tip: the people at the gun store have no legal requirement/obligation to sell you a weapon of any type. Good stores back their people on that. By law, if anyone sells you a weapon knowing, or having good reason to suspect, that you should not be buying a weapon, they can (and do) face prosecution too, not to mention losing for them and/or their store their Federal license to sell firearms. So, no, I’m not picking on you for race, gender, or other bullshit, I’m refusing the sale because you have just given me cause to believe you are going to do something illegal with it or are not legally allowed to buy it. Just like when you walk in to the store reeking of non-tobacco smoke and trying to pay for the purchase with a stack of small bills over a foot long you have on your forearm. Be kind to the person who may be selling you the weapon(s) you want, and for crying out loud be sober and clean when you go in to the store.

To continue, if your first thought is of firefights and point defense against ravening hordes, please rethink. A firefight or point defense may be a possibility, but the greater odds are more in keeping with “normal” criminal activity with one or two people trying to get you and/or your stuff. You may need it for hunting. Having lots of ammo is a good idea, but you might also consider that it’s going to need to last a while too. Spray and pray sucks big fat hairy warty ones under any circumstances. Precise controlled fire wins the day. It’s even better with friends beside you, so make sure everyone has weapons.

Moving on, shotguns. Today, semi-auto, pump, bolt-action, or single shot, are all reliable. Growing up, I remember when semi-auto (other than the Browning Auto-5) could be iffy and knew a number of old-timers who would not use semi-auto. Times have changed, and there is an impressive variety of options in shotguns and ammunition. I grew up with single shot then pump, but if someone wants to gift me an Auto-5 (yes, I am a fan of St. John Moses Browning) or that deluxe Super Black Eagle 3 with the neat coating, I’m not going to object. As before, find what works for you and your circumstances. If it fits you, it feels right, and you can operate it, it’s the gun for you.

Now, edged tools. They do come in handy in a variety of circumstances. A good axe can do a lot more than just split firewood. A good pocket knife truly is multi-purpose, and a good skinning knife is more than handy for large game. Think about options and possibilities, but I do encourage having a good pocket knife, a larger knife for larger problems, a good axe, and a good hand-axe/hatchet/tomahawk at a minimum. I will note that if things are at close quarters, you might be surprised at what can be done with a short sword or good knife. Other than getting what works for you, I do suggest paying a bit more for quality if needed, and get a good non-electrical sharpening system.

As I know my little rant earlier is likely to bring out the Fudds, or the survival equivalent, some quick thoughts on option planning. Immediately before, during, or after a nuclear explosion (or other disaster), your threat matrix is going to run heavily towards individuals, not hordes, unless you’ve violated the first rule of preparation club. For some time after, it is probably going to remain individuals as people with sense and opportunity are going to be taking shelter and staying there until fallout (or other) danger drops. It is after that, or if you have to do the bugout boogie, that the threat of groups becomes a real issue. That’s when training and having family, friends, and others who are also all armed and trained is a very good thing.

If you have some training and it shows; and, it shows that you are alert, ready, and will act, even a lot of gangs are probably going to go look for a soft(er) target. Don’t look like a soft target. Read Pat Frank’s Alas Babylon for some good ideas not only on surviving a nuclear war, but also a bit more on how and why to look like a hard target. When I talk precise controlled fire, read Larry Correia’s Monster Hunter Siege which has an excellent example of such near the end. It also emphasizes why you should not be the Chosen One and be able to bring friends with you. Also, when Larry talks weapons in any of his books, particularly the Monster Hunter International series, pay attention. Excellent choices in firearms, edged tools, and more (including tactics) though I prefer Streamlight for lights myself. A couple of more good fiction recommendations for enjoyment and some enlightenment.

*****

While I didn’t intend to write this as part of my Preparedness On The Fly series for those worried about nuclear war and just getting into preparedness, here’s links to the series if you are interested.

Preparedness On The Fly (Food)

Preparedness On The Fly: Water

Preparedness On The Fly: Light

Preparedness On The Fly: Cooking

Preparedness On The Fly: Gear

Preparedness On The Fly: Protection

*****

If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Preparedness On The Fly: Protection

No, I’m not talking about the type protection that gets you lectured by your priest. It’s time to talk the third rail of preparedness: protection.

Over the years, several of us took to viewing it this way because this is when you lost people to the whole idea of preparedness, as well as bringing out the mentally-defective feces throwers. In the first case, you had a lot of posturing for politics as well as some truly thoughtful and sincere people who just could not stomach the idea of harming any living creature for any reason.

At least until their children were threatened. More than one such, over the years, has ended up going at something/someone bigger and stronger with nothing more than attitude and teeth when a child or family were threatened, and surprisingly often come out on top.

As for the latter, you have your ‘herf-derf you just want to fight government and you will die’ imbeciles (and that may be an insult to regular imbeciles everywhere), the ‘people are good we should just help each other you killer coward’ types, and those who feel the police and military will be there to protect them. While it is fun to fisk each and every type of idiot who pops up to throw feces, right now I just want to get you some solid information so you can decide what is best for you.

The fact is, in any disaster, there are going to be people that stand up and do amazing good for as many people as they can. Such people are wonderful, amazing, and we would all be the better if there were an order of magnitude more of them. Then, you have what are referred to in some circles as “ten percenters.” These are the people who loot, rape, kill, and more when the opportunity arises. The ones who demand food, water, and more but won’t do a thing to help. It’s a fact of life in this fallen world, and no amount of wishing is going to change it.

Nor is it going to change the fact that police, fire, EMS, military, and others just took the same (or worse) hit that you did. The military was the prime target of the attack, and that may include some National Guard facilities. As for the police and other local first responders, those that survived are pretty much in the same boat you are, and are trying to survive, check on family, and then do what they can to help. They are few in number to start with, and after the last few years with so many leaving in the face of defund the police and other such junk…

So, depending on your location, there may or may not be some organized efforts to rescue, get people out of harms way, etc. Your best option is not to count on such, and be prepared to handle things on your own whether you stay put or decide to do the bugout boogie.

If you stay put, your location represents a safe haven to the no-legged, four-legged, multi-legged, and two-legged out there. If you see giant multi-legged creatures, congratulations as you have just proven a rather abstract theory on reality shifts the hard way. As for the normal such, you need to be prepared for the short-term and the long-term. Which means you need to be thinking firearms, edged, and other as they provide protection from trouble at all times, and may later provide protection from starvation.

Firearms are the most contentious for a number of (mostly) political reasons. I am not going to recommend any specific firearm or type of firearm to you. What I will do is point out some food for thought in the course of which there might be some nudging but I will try to avoid it.

One thing to consider are the laws in your community. They vary, and I will not openly recommend defying them even in the face of disaster. You had the chance to deal with it at the polls before, now you’re stuck.

The second thing, aside from finances, revolves around caliber. You may remember my reference in the first article to “…probably the type Fudd who says you have to have all your firearms in .489 Harambe (or you ain’t s***!)…”. Fact is, most common rifle calibers out there are 5.56/.223 and .308/7.62×51 NATO because military and police use both in their weapons. You will also find a lot of 7.62×39 for AKs, and a variety of .30 caliber rounds of various types. In pistol calibers, 9mm, .45, and .38/357 calibers are in common use. In shotgun ammunition, 12 followed by 20, though there are good arguments for .410 both for availability and for hunting if needed. Despite what the Fudds may say, look at what you have the best chance of finding now and later.

Third, despite the Fudds and other interesting types out there, take the time to find what works for you, particularly with a pistol. I really loved it when customers would listen to me, pick out two or three they liked, then go rent them at a range and shoot them. It was interesting how often the gun they thought they liked the best was not the one they bought. Semi-automatic or revolver, same thing. What counts is control and accuracy, so take some time and find what works for you. Because if you can control the weapon and put a round on target, that’s what counts. If you can draw and put a round on target quickly, then it doesn’t matter if someone else has a weapon that can spit out 20 in a hurry. Really need to get into that more later in a stand-alone post.

Fourth, consider a mix. Rifle gives you long range, shotgun medium, and pistol short. There is no one perfect weapon for any situation. Oh, also consider that in either nuclear war or a zombie apocalypse, there are good reasons for everyone who is capable of handling weapons to have them. This is true fixed-base or on the move.

Now, consider edged weapons. Rather, think of them as tools. Knives and other edged weapons can do a variety of jobs, from cutting meat or rope to combat. Axes and hatchets again serve multiple functions destructive and constructive. Even swords can come in handy in some circumstances. Edged tools multitask, and it doesn’t hurt that a lot of people are more scared of an edged weapon than a firearm at close range.

Then, think about other types. Bow and arrow immediately comes to mind. I used to have a decent bow, can’t remember if it is buried in storage or what happened (stupid lightning). Good for hunting, quieter than a firearm, and again you have some range. Most of the time, an arrow can be reused. There are other options, take a few moments to consider if any of them work to your circumstances.

Finally, think about what you are willing to do to protect those you love, to keep them alive and safe from potentially horrible fates. Think about how you would deal with resource sucks, who take but give nothing back. Then pray, both to choose wisely and that we are guided away from disaster.

Then, do what works for you, your circumstances, and your location.

Oh, if you have the time, as we consider such things, look at reading John Ringo’s Black Tide Rising series, at least the first three books. A good solid look at preparedness, and particularly the things that have to be thought of in the context of protection. Also, a fun and easy read.

*****

Preparedness On The Fly (Food)

Preparedness On The Fly: Water

Preparedness On The Fly: Light

Preparedness On The Fly: Cooking

Preparedness On The Fly: Gear

*****

If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.