The Laughing Wolf – Page 82 – Commentary, Punditry, and More

PayPal Update

Since first asking that the account be closed on the 9th, nada. Despite multiple requests, they keep saying that it can’t be closed because of an unspecified technical issue that affects myself and others. No word from them, no updates, nada.

So, this afternoon I went online to the State AG’s site and filed a formal complaint. As resolution, I want my account closed and the AG (and the SEC if needed) to be sure that this mysterious unspecified technical issue was not by any chance an effort to influence or mislead investors or others. Surely it is not, but better to check in an abundance of caution.

Thank You!

Thanks to two donors, one anonymous and one not, I’m on the way to being able to pay some of the looming bills, and actually went and bought a few groceries. Any and all help is very much appreciated, as the bills keep coming and Indiana has ridiculously high gas prices thanks to High Tax Holcomb et cie. Bastards. With your help, I will hang on and will get moved to the Southwest. More in a bit.

*****

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.

Lifeboat Rules

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.

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.

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A Musical Interlude

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

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. 🙂

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Nuclear Oz

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.

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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.

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PayPal And Donation Update

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?

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Preparedness On The Fly: General Thoughts

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

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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.

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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.