March 20, 2017 -- A Quick Run Around the Web

"AUTOMATION will Save Western Economies, NOT Immigration: Here’s Why"--Black Pigeon Speaks (10 min.). The basic summary is a point that others have pointed out: just as we are on the cusp of significant numbers of jobs being replaced by automation, leaders are claiming that we need uneducated and unskilled immigrants as workers (even though they are clearly unemployable).

Prepping/Firearms:

• "Better than Bleach: Use Calcium Hypochlorite to Disinfect Water"--Survival Topics. 
• "[11] Survival Items For Beginning Apartments Preppers"--Survival Common Sense. 

1. Five gallon plastic bucket with lid;
2. Spare batteries, extra toilet paper and paper towels;
3. Backpacking stove;
4. Dehydrated food;
5. Crank cell phone charger;
6. Crank flashlight;
7. Candles and lamps;
8. Water storage containers;
9. Water filter; 
10.  Sleeping bag; and,
11.  Duct tape and visqueen.

Instead of a backpacking stove, I would recommend one of the two burner Colman stoves. It still is small enough to store away in an apartment, but gives you more flexibility than a small single burner stove would and is more stable (i.e., it is not going to tip over or get knocked over). If you can, get one with a griddle and a carrying case. Also, make sure that you have an adapter that allows you to hook it up to a full sized propane cylinder in addition to the small 1 pound versions made for campers.

• "Some People Don’t Need a Ham License: Three Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying a Ham Radio"--Security and Self-Reliance. Some people just don't have the desire to get a HAM license, nor the need for long range communication. The author relates:

       Six preppers that I know have each purchased a ham radio.Three of these five people have tested for and received their Tech Class license and purchased commercial quality, reliable transceivers. Two of these Hams are active, practicing and can have their stations up and running in a minute or two. The third Ham has not touched his radio in over 3 years and as of today doesn’t even know what he did with the charging cable for his radio. The last time he used his radio I had to re-teach him how to change frequencies and program a repeater setting into it. And, believe me, it’s extremely difficult to instruct someone how to use their radio while you are talking with them on the radio.

       The remaining three friends have each purchased a Baofeng handheld.. obviously because of the cost and the hype generated by the prepper community. Each went into this thinking that they would be able to communicate long distances with their little 5 watt Baofengs. None of these individuals has obtained their Tech License but they plan to “someday” when they’re not too busy . Two of these radios are sitting in storage and have never been used. The third radio had to be programmed by an experienced operator and is now being used simply as a police/emergency scanner. It’s owner has no clue how to reprogram it or how to use it as a 2-way radio.

       So only two out of my six prepper friends are truly ready to use their ham radio. The others have found that their radios are too complicated to use and/or the licensing requirement is an impediment to their plans. For these four preppers, I feel that a CB radio and a cheap police scanner would have been a much better choice and all of us would be better prepared to communicate with each other.

If you are thinking about getting a shortwave system, it would behoove you to read the whole article.

• "Prudent Prepping: Smoke Detectors and Time Changes"--Blue Collar Prepping. The author discusses the advantages to having a sealed lithium-ion battery operated smoke alarm; and a reminder to test your smoke alarms and replace batteries.
• "Testing: The Shelf Life Of Dry Yest"--Dreams of Sunsets Over Ocher Dunes. The author found that a package of dry yeast 1 year past its "use by" date still worked well. He is going to test other packages at intervals, so we hopefully will have a follow up post in another year.
• "How to Avoid a Brain-Eating Amoeba. (Is Nasal Irrigation Safe?)"--The Survival Doctor. I've used nasal irrigation myself and found it to be effective in speeding recovery from head colds and helping with hay fever. However, there are instances where people using nasal irrigation have died from using contaminated water. The author notes, though, that it is safe provided that (1) you use distilled or sterile water you buy at a store, (2) you boiling tap water for three to five minutes, or (3) you use a water filter with a pore size of 1 micron or smaller. As for myself, I just use distilled water. 
• "Defense – Obstacles Part V: More On Slowing The Threat Down on Roads and Trails"--The Lizard Farmer. Using wood posts (which can be disguised as parts of landscaping), constructing Abatis, and other obstacles to either block or slow down access via a vehicle into your property. Instructions and illustrations. Check it out.
• Speaking of obstacles: "Dog Killed, Boy Injured By US Government Cyanide Bomb"--Anonymous Conservative. A booby-trap intended to kill coyotes instead kills a dog and injures a boy. 
• "Dear Defensive Training Group: Since you asked..."--Reconteur Report. The question is posed whether a prepper/survivalist should have a ballistic helmet and when they would need it. The author's opinion is that a helmet plays a defensive role, so it is needed if you are acting defensively, particularly a static defense: e.g., ensconced in a retreat or other defensive position. He thinks it is less worthwhile if part of a small group patrolling a neighborhood or other defensive parameter because of reduced mobility and perception, and better concealment options, without a helmet. And for those part of larger groups? It depends. However, it comes down to this:

But exactly as the first rule of gunfighting is "Bring a gun", the first rule of head protection is "Have a helmet". A cheap motorcycle helmet on your head when a bottle or bullet comes flying in may do worlds more good than the 21st century wunderbucket sitting in your locker a grid square away.

• "Weapon of choice for embedded human intel assets"--Loadout Room. A J-frame snubby intended to use 9 mm in moon-clips. An interesting read.

Other Stuff:

• Not yet. "Is Europe Lost?"--Z Man. This is another "demographics is destiny" article, focusing on Europe betting its future on the sons of Islam. I still have some faith that Europe will back away from the brink, but time is beginning to run short. The fact is, though, that it will require a brutality that Europe hasn't experienced since the immediate post-WWII era, when the various nations of Europe officially and unofficially purged themselves of most of the ethnic enclaves that had grown up during the prior couple of centuries. Although I see the United States having a civil war due to a failure or loss of centralized government--meaning the U.S. will be more like post-WWII Europe--I don't see Europe loosing its governments. It will instead, see unrest, yes--and probably on a scale that no one currently imagines--but it be followed upon by organized pogroms.
• To dissolve the people and elect a new one: "Salon Explains The Strategy In Importing Immigrants"--Anonymous Conservative. The Salon author writes: "One thing that would strongly push the country in the opposite direction than the one Trump intends is for individual states, particularly progressive states in the West or Northeast, to pass laws as favorable to immigrants as the ones in Arizona, Georgia and Alabama have been unfavorable."

• Update: Peter Grant also comments on the Salon article, focusing on its assertion that immigration to the United States is a natural right. Read the whole thing.

• "Trump Assassination Will Likely Ignite Civil War II"--Modern Survival Blog. An impeachment might just be enough. All that is needed is to destroy the legitimacy of the government. (See, e.g., 3 Nephi, Chapter 7).
• "Gramscian damage"--Eric Raymond. From the article:

... some of the most important of the Soviet Union’s memetic weapons. Here is that list again:

• There is no truth, only competing agendas.
• All Western (and especially American) claims to moral superiority over Communism/Fascism/Islam are vitiated by the West’s history of racism and colonialism.
• There are no objective standards by which we may judge one culture to be better than another. Anyone who claims that there are such standards is an evil oppressor.
• The prosperity of the West is built on ruthless exploitation of the Third World; therefore Westerners actually deserve to be impoverished and miserable.
• Crime is the fault of society, not the individual criminal. Poor criminals are entitled to what they take. Submitting to criminal predation is more virtuous than resisting it.
• The poor are victims. Criminals are victims. And only victims are virtuous. Therefore only the poor and criminals are virtuous. (Rich people can borrow some virtue by identifying with poor people and criminals.)
• For a virtuous person, violence and war are never justified. It is always better to be a victim than to fight, or even to defend oneself. But ‘oppressed’ people are allowed to use violence anyway; they are merely reflecting the evil of their oppressors.
• When confronted with terror, the only moral course for a Westerner is to apologize for past sins, understand the terrorist’s point of view, and make concessions.