Practical Eschatology: February 7, 2019 -- A Quick Run Around the Web

"How To Set Up Your WAR BELT | DUTY BELT | SF Assaulter Gear"--Tactical Rifleman (6 min.)

First, to catch up on some items:

This week's Woodpile Report.

This week's Humpday Reading List from Grant Cunningham.

"Marcus Wynne’s 'Accelerated Learning' Pistol Shooting Drill"--Active Response Training. Ellifritz explains:

My friend Marcus Wynne has recently decided to carry a brace of revolvers for self protection instead of a single large autopistol. In some recent emails he explained the drill he created for optimal practice of the skills needed to successfully defend yourself with a snub-nosed revolver.

This drill will really test your abilities as it requires you to twice reload the revolver (i.e., you will want 2 speed loaders or strips) for a total of 15 rounds. In its more advanced forms, it incorporates movement and/or shooting from a single hand (dominant or non-dominant). It can also be adapted to a semi-auto, and may be particular important to those carrying autoloaders with magazine capacities of 10 rounds or less.

While many disparage the small revolver as a concealed carry option, I have found myself returning again and again to my revolver over higher capacity semi-auto pistols.

For the electronics hobbyist: "4 Ways To Make An Ionized Radiation Detector"--Urban Survival Skills. Includes both tube and solid state detectors.
"Heads Up! Upgrading Your PASGT Kevlar Helmet Suspension System"--Mason Dixon Tactical. The author explains the differences between the ACH and PASGT, including the suspension systems. He also relates that "the upgrade I used on one of my old PASGT’s was from Oregon Aero, and it’s called the 'BLSS Kit. The BLSS is available on Amazon, but it’s definitely cheaper when you can get it off of Ebay." But he also discusses some aspects of helmets more generally. For instance, other than for winter time, he generally eschews helmet covers (using Krylon spray paint to provide a camo pattern); but if he needs something, he will cut out a section of camo netting and attach it to his helmet using a length of bungee (shock) cord. He also reminds readers that the difference between Level 2 and Level 3A protection is not that important because neither will stop a rifle round.
Interesting: "Prudent Prepping: the Klymit LWD"--Blue Collar Prepping. A compact inflatable boat (sort of a cross between a kayak and regular raft) that could be fit into a backpack or included in bug-out gear. I could see this being useful if you were in an area with a lot of lakes or rivers that you might have to cross. It doesn't come with a paddle, though.
"Water Purifier or Water Filter – Which is Best?"--Modern Survival Blog. Water purifiers must filter out more stuff (including viruses), so it is best. And of those, the author recommends the Berkey.
"Best Binoculars 2019: All-Around Picks for Astronomy, Nature, Sports and Travel"--Space.com. Includes a good discussion of different features, types of lenses and prisms, and so forth.
"Solar Cycle 24 Going Down As Quietest In Almost 200 Years, May Put The Brakes On Warming"--No Tricks Zone.
Given the recent polar vortex, this seems useful: "PrepperMed 101: Cold Injuries, Fast and Slow"--Beans, Bullets, Bandages & You. An excerpt:

Frostbite is when tissues literally freeze. Therefore, you can’t get it unless the body part is subjected to temperatures lower than 32 F, 0 C. Realistically, the tissue temperature has to be closer to 0 F, because the salts and other particles in your fluids make it harder for water to freeze. Wind chill does promote the freeze, though.

One year, when I was in college returning home for Christmas break, I had my car break down on a night where temperatures dipped to below -25 degrees Fahrenheit. It was so cold that the distributor cap had literally cracked from the cold! It was about an hour and half wait until my father showed up to rescue me. When he did, I foolishly grabbed a canvas bag from the back of my car without gloves on, and ended up with some minor frost-bite on my fingers. Just a warning that it can happen quickly. Always wear gloves in extremely low temperatures. And don't forget in extremely cold weather to put a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator to keep the cold air away from your engine.

This also seems apropos: "How to Survive Extreme Cold Weather"--Apartment Prepper. Tips for keeping warm in your apartment or home.
One one hand: "KNOCK, KNOCK: Ballistic Breaching with Shotguns"--SWAT Magazine. Advice and tips on how to breach with a shotgun, including the proper type of shotgun loads to use for breaching. The author warns, however, "[s]hotgun breaching should always be done with a dedicated breaching shotgun. Having a shotgun-armed operator carrying breaching rounds in addition to traditional slug or buckshot rounds is a disaster waiting to happen." The author also advises that "[s]tandard rounds should never be employed for breaching," because of the danger of ricochet or over-penetration. I think the non-shotgun firearms like the Tac-14 or Mossberg Shockwave might be good candidates for such a tool if you think you need one.
On the other hand: "Home Defense Considerations: Answering the Door"--USA Carry. In the same vein as Greg Ellifritz's recent article on this same topic, including similar advice to not open the door to strangers. The author of this particular article explains:

A trend that has emerged among home invasion crews is to feign an innocent knock on your door. Often, a non-threatening person will knock on the door or ring the doorbell and, once the homeowner opens the door, will launch into a rehearsed line that sounds completely mundane. A contractor in your neighborhood cleaning gutters, a fund drive for the local school, etc…, The reason for this distraction is to get you to open the door so that the other members of the invasion crew can then rush through the open portal. This, unfortunately, is the world we live in. It is for this reason that my first advice pertaining to answering the door for unknown strangers is not to open the door. Speak to the stranger through the door, but don’t open it.

For some reason--perhaps because we have a sign indicating we have an alarm system--we get a lot of solicitors claiming that our security company has gone out of business and that they need to check our system or what not. We never let them in, but do ask for a business card (which they, of course, never have), and report the incident to our alarm company. Anyway, the author of this piece has some more specific advice on how to deal with people coming to your door, so read the whole thing.

"The Servant Girl Annihilator: America's First Serial Killer."--The History Guy (13 min.).

Funny how Muslim protests never illicit this type of reaction: "French MPs back ‘anti-riot’ law, forbidding protesters from hiding faces & barring troublemakers"--RT. The law is aimed at the "Yellow-Vest" protesters.
The wages of ~~sin~~ socialism: "Venezuela-Colombia Bridge Blocked to Keep Out Humanitarian Aid"--Bloomberg. As Glenn Reynolds observes, Maduro is exercising the last power available to dictators: deciding who starves.
"Many popular iPhone apps secretly record your screen without asking"--Tech Crunch. Basically, what these apps do is record what you type or select by essentially taking screen shots when you are using the apps. Moreover, this data is not edited to remove personal details such as credit card numbers, passport numbers, etc.

Related: "Why data, not privacy, is the real danger: While it's creepy to imagine companies are listening in to your conversations, it's perhaps more creepy that they can predict what you’re talking about without actually listening."--NBC News.

And Britain descends further into Big Brother territory: "Man Fined By Cops After Avoiding Facial Recognition Scan"--Disclose.tv. The man covered up the lower half of his face when he entered the zone where the facial recognition cameras were operating, so police stopped him and requested identification. When the man told the officers to "piss off," they fined him for "public disorder."
Still no proof of life: "No Pics From Ginsburg ‘Public Appearance’; WaPo Reporter Who Claims He Was ‘Hugged’ By RBG Deletes Tweet, Locks Twitter Account"--News Punch.
Pres. Trump must be doing something right: "Inside the secret Republican plot to take down Trump in 2020"--Washington Examiner. From the article:

Mostly based in Washington, the "Never Trump" crowd comes in roughly three factions. First is those convinced fielding a primary challenger is the most viable game plan. Second is those inclined to back an independent candidate. A third group advocates for a unifying center-left Democrat — similar to the sort of centrist who captured suburban Republican voters in the midterm elections.

But the blocs are friendly, with some key operatives moving back and forth between them and willing to back whichever approach emerges as the most feasible. Meetings often hosted by Niskanen Center, a conservative think tank that has positioned itself as a headquarters for Republicans opposed to Trump.

Veteran Republican consultant Mike Murphy is among them. ...

Related: "The root of many of our economic problems"--Bayou Renaissance Man. Peter Grant rails against the emphasis on accruing wealth on financialization rather than producing goods and useful services. For instance, he notes that "major companies in reality derive a very large proportion of their profits, not from their products, but from financializing those products (for example, the securitization of mortgages and other financial instruments)." Hence the animosity toward Trump:

This is also why President Trump's economic measures are focused, not on Wall Street - the heart of financialization - but on Main Street, where business and commerce are actually conducted. As a result, we have a Wall Street financial elite who are adamantly opposed to many of this Administration's policies, because it will mean less money for financiers and their cronies.

To dissolve the people and elect a new one: "Census Bureau: 75 million more immigrants by 2060, 95% of future US growth"--Washington Examiner.

Related: "It’s Time We Do A Little Math, The Future Of America Is At Stake"--The Survivalist Blog. A look at how much illegal immigration costs the United States. Just one example: "Southwest Key Incorporated operates 26 illegal immigrant children’s shelters in California, Texas, and Arizona. Seventeen of those shelters are in Texas. The non-profit agency received $1.5 billion of American taxpayer money to operate the shelters over the course of the last decade, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Department records – Southwest Key Inc. is based in Austin."

"Tired of Living Paycheck to Paycheck? Repeal the 16th Amendment"--Michael Walsh at PJ Media. Walsh explains how the income tax keeps middle-class Americans from ever getting ahead. An excerpt:

Absent rich wives or criminally wealthy grandparents, the only way to accumulate wealth in America today is not to work at a high-income job, in which you will be robbed annually, but to work for yourself and make a big score all at once, take the one-time tax hit, and then never "earn" another dime in your life. Then you too can be Jeff Bezos or Mark Zuckerberg and laugh all the way to the bank, tax-free. Other than that, buddy, you pay as you go.

"Millennials prefer music from 20th century ‘golden age’ to the pop of today, research suggests"--Metro News. Not only is music from the 1960's through the 1980's more memorable than newer music, but Millennials, based on what music they choose to listen to, prefer it to newer songs.
"Another (Alleged) Fixer Identified in NYPD Gun Licensing Scandal"--The Truth About Guns. Bribery was (is?) an important part of obtaining a gun license in New York City. And another fixer, Brooklyn real estate agent Charlene Gayle, has been identified in the ongoing investigation. Ironically, the special deals to get gun permits were referred to as "de Blasio specials".
A reminder that we live in the 21st Century: "Lasers could beam messages directly to a listener’s ear ‘like whispering secret from afar’, scientists say"--The Sun. The article reports that "[t]he laser interacts with water vapour in the air, as scientists created sounds in a localised spot that were loud enough to be picked up by human hearing if aimed near a listener’s ear." If it can be done with lasers, it might also be possible using microwaves. Combine this with infrasound, and you have a handy weapon.
Creeping Sharia: The New York Times has an article concerning Muslim Community Patrols in New York City. As you can see, not only are the cars the same basic model of car (Ford Taurus) as used by the NYPD, but also painted and marked to look like police cars, including red and white flashing lights, and the members of the patrol are dressed to look similar to law enforcement or security. "'It’s like a neighborhood watch but on steroids,' said Noor Rabah, the group’s 31-year-old vice president who lives in Sunset Park."