"50 Last Minute Ways to Prepare for an Emergency"

List at the Survival Mom.

(H/t Instapundit)

EyePal Peep Sight System

The Truth About Guns reports on a "new" product called the EyePal Peep Sighting System. From EyePal's press release:

The EyePal® Peep Sighting System, developed for the open-sight shooter, was designed and patented by Charles Summers, a retired MIT optical specialist and avid firearms enthusiast. Frustrated with his inability to properly see his sights and target without suffering from “fuzzy sight syndrome”, Summers came up with a solution that brings into focus the sights and the target simultaneously. Whether a shooter or archer suffers from vision difficulties or aging eyes or is new to the sport, the EyePal’s unique aperture system provides an immediate sense of eye relief as the image of the target and all of the elements come clearly into focus.


The EyePal® is applied easily onto any protective eyewear. The small aperture provides the maximum depth of field. It does this by producing a very small image which travels, undistorted, through both the lens of the eyewear and the pupil of the eye. The result is a perfectly focused sight picture of both sights and the target. One of the reasons this is possible is that the EyePal’s large black area surrounding the target or game blocks the unnecessary peripheral visual information allowing the eye to get only the necessary information to make a clear shot.

 Or you could save yourself the $29.95 EyePal charges and do what my father did for many years: use a leather punch to clip a small hole in a piece of black electrical tape and press that onto your glasses.

"We Have Our Own Plan"

One of my current vices, so to speak, is watching the television series Sleepy Hollow. For those of you not following the show, it attempts to mix the events of the Book of Revelations in the Bible with the characters from Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The two main characters are supposed to be the witnesses spoken of in Revelations, while the Headless Horseman is portrayed as one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Absolutely wrong eschatology, and not always the best writing, but I find the show to generally be engaging.

In any event, the episode from this past week has one of the evil characters pointing out that, notwithstanding the prophecies in Revelations, "we have our own plan."

Turning to the real world, Satan really does have his own plan. And that plan is to destroy what which is good, in part, as Isaiah described it, by calling that which is evil, "good," and that which is good, "evil." The most recent example of this is the push for gay marriage, which increasingly is the basis for attacking religious beliefs generally, and Christian beliefs specifically. Now, this has been merged with some of the traditional rhetoric of the racist left to describe a "Christian privilege." From the Washington Examiner:

It's settled, then: Christian conservatives use religion as a justification for their discriminatory behavior, and Americans will only enjoy true religious freedom when their so-called "religious liberty" claims are defeated.

That was the consensus Thursday at a panel discussion sponsored by the Center for American Progress in Washington.

"People [are] using the term 'liberty' when they really mean 'my liberty, your slavery,'" the Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance, said during the discussion. He made the statement while arguing that liberals' view of religious liberty springs from a true, originalist reading of the Constitution that was once universally understood. Unfortunately, he said, the American people have become "confused" about this question because of misleading claims made by the U.S. Conference of Catholic bishops.

"You have the Catholic bishops advocating for 'religious freedom,' which doesn't look anything like what religious freedom is in the Constitution," Gaddy said. "Unless we do those kind of dramatic actions [such as the ACLU suing the USCCB] in order to get us back to what the foundation of religious freedom has been all the time, it's going to get worse and worse, with people using the term 'liberty' when they really mean 'my liberty, your slavery.'"

The audience received a similar narrative of religious beliefs functioning as a Trojan horse for discrimination from ACLU senior counsel Eunice Rho, who denounced attempts to pass a Religious Freedom Restoration Act in various states.

"These are very dangerous because they can allow religion to be used to harm others," Rho said.

Gaddy compared Christian florists who don't want to provide service for gay weddings to employers who posted "whites only" signs in their windows.

Gaddy apparently also said that interpretations of the Bible "ought never threaten the federal government and the way people are ruled by law ... an interpretation of the Bible is of little consequence to the guarantee of the Constitution." Gaddy also apparently agreed that liberals "need to start educating, and calling out, Christians for trying to exercise 'Christian privilege.'"

This is consistent with the position taken by Chai Feldblum, whom President Obama appointed to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, who the article quotes as stating in 2006: "There can be a conflict between religious liberty and sexual liberty, but in almost all cases the sexual liberty should win because that's the only way that the dignity of gay people can be affirmed in any realistic manner."

This is, in essence, the position of every court that has decided against conscientious objectors to gay marriage: that religious rights, expressly protected under the Constitution, are preempted by laws and regulations protecting "sexual liberty" which is not even mentioned anywhere in the Constitution. First there was the war against the Second Amendment, which is pretty much over (the weapons allowed civilians are generally unsuitable to protect against a standing army). Now is the war against the First Amendment and our freedom of religion. Unfortunately, so far, we are doing just as badly in protecting our religious rights as the "greatest generation" did protecting our Second Amendment rights.

As a Follow Up on Drake Shooting...

... an article that can be downloaded from the Small Wars Journal, discussing tactics developed from the Rhodesian conflict and how it can updated to modern day counter-insurgency operations.

Russia Looks to the Arctic

Speigel Online reports:

Russia is planning an increased military presence in the Arctic, as several countries increasingly eye the region as a potential boon for natural resources.


Earlier this year, Russia completed renovation of an abandoned airfield on the New Siberian Islands, and sent 10 warships and four icebreakers to beef up security there. Putin also said Russia would revamp a number of other Arctic military bases that had fallen into disrepair after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.


Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday that he would create a special military force dedicated to protecting Russian interests in the Arctic. Putin said earlier this week that Russia needs a greater military presence in the region to counter potential threats from the United States.


... The comments came just one day after Canada announced plans to claim sovereignty over the North Pole. Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird said the government has asked scientists to prepare a submission to the United Nations that would extend Canada's territory to the outer reaches of the country's continental shelf.

 The United States' ability to project naval power in the Arctic is limited, however, by the fact that the Navy has a dearth of icebreakers--up until last year the U.S. had only one functioning icebreaker, although the refurbishment of an older vessel--the Polar Star--was completed in December 2012. (See also this 2010 article from the New York Times on the issue). The Polar Star completed its sea trials this past summer.

Drake Shooting

I've seen several sites mention "Drake Shooting" (aka, cover shooting) recently. Probably one of the most succinct explanations (with a diagram) is at the Selous Scouts website. It describes the technique:

The Drake shooting (also known as the cover shoot) is a very effective method for improving the shot-to-hit ratio. It was devised and used by the Selous Scouts to deal with and counter ambushes set by guerrillas in bush country were the enemy had ample concealment and was difficult to locate. This useful technique is based on the fact that in a close-quarters firefight, 99 percent of combatants seek to hide from incoming fire by hitting the ground and rolling into the nearest cover. Accepting this fact, the Drake/cover shoot concept requires that two rounds be fired into positions of likely cover until all positions are neutralized.

Each man of the patrol would concentrate on his assigned arc of responsibility to his immediate front and systematically analyzed it.

While the scout analyzed his arc he would think ‘ if I was the enemy, which position within my arc would I chosen for cover?’ The scout would look at the base of large trees, rocks and thickets, and “double-tap” two controlled shots into each side of the suspected location close to ground level. By placing the shots low into the position, dirt and stones will spray up into the face of anyone hiding there, causing them to take rapid evasive movements and thus exposing them to aimed fire. The trick is to try to place the bullets just above the ground, because a man lying down is no more than 12 inches high. To shoot any higher will result in the bullet winging harmlessly overhead. A four-man tracking team of scouts could quickly and effectively clear 40 potential firing positions, assuming that each man uses a 20-round magazine on a semiautomatic weapon. In the case of trees, the scout was trained to fire right into them at almost ground level, as bullets fired from modern high-velocity weapons can easily and completely penetrate most trees. As the scout observed his arc he would start close up, then systematically progress further and further back, widening the arc of fire, until all likely and suspected positions have been engaged. This technique is effective in flushing hidden adversaries and is economical in ammunition expenditure.

 Here is a longer description and explanation from the Small Wars Journal. (PDF). And an article from Soldier of Fortune Magazine.

Thermal Shield

Due to the decreasing cost and broadening use of thermal imaging devices, it is possible after the SHTF that you may face a foe with thermal imaging capability. Max Velocity has been developing a possible solution, which he is calling his MVT Shield, which is essentially a tarp designed to block heat signatures. He writes:

What you can’t see in the photos is the layer that will stop ALL thermal signature. Note: this is not the same as trying to use an emergency blanket. Those things state that they stop 80% of body heat – and in trials that is exactly right. They will stop 80% of body heat, so you won’t see someones body shape beneath it, but you will see the ‘thermal bloom’ across the material – that’s the 20% that gets you killed. 

This product stops 100% of thermal signature, there is no thermal bloom across the material. It is slightly thicker and bulkier than a standard tarp, but not in a way where it can’t be rolled or stuffed into a pouch.

(Here is the link to an earlier post of his).

Yellowstone Magma Chamber Larger Than Previously Believed

The Daily Mail reports:

A study measuring earthquake activity around the 3,468 sq mile national park revealed that the magma chamber was 2.5 times bigger than previous estimates.

Stretching 55 miles across and 30 miles wide, and reaching depths of up to 9 miles, any eruption from the super volcano would be catastrophic for the whole world.

'We’ve been working there for a long time, and we’ve always thought it would be bigger ... but this finding is astounding,' Professor Bob Smith, from the University of Utah, told the BBC. 

When the super volcano last erupted about 640,000 years ago a cloud of ash covered the whole of North America, affecting the climate.

But if the enlarged volcano were to erupt today, the consequences would be devastating for the whole world.


'All the material that is shot up into the atmosphere [during an eruption] would eventually circle the Earth and affect the climate,' Dr James Farrell, from the University of Utah, said.

We Are Surviving the Cold

Between work and issues around the house, I have not been able to post anything for a couple of days. Although we certainly don't have as extreme cold as certain parts of the Great Plains, our temperatures have dipped to around 0 degrees F during the last week, with highs only about 10 degrees F higher. This type of cold puts a great deal of strain on vehicles, people, and other equipment.

We have a carousel fireplace that, while probably not as efficient as a wood stove, does a pretty job of heating the house. We use the fireplace to supplement our winter heating, using it during the day as needed, and relying on the central heating at night. A few nights ago, I woke in the middle of the night and discovered that our furnace had stopped working. I was able to get a fire going quickly, but because the outside temperatures had dipped to below zero degrees F., and the inside temperatures had already fallen into the 50's, the best I could do was stabilize the temperature inside the house at 60 degrees during the night.

In the morning, my wife started an electric space heater in the back of the house, while I unpacked and fueled a kerosene heater. Once the kerosene heater was going, we turned off the space heater. Between the fire place and the kerosene heater, we were able to get the house toasty warm. Fortunately, we were able to get a furnace repairman out later that day.

So what I learned is that at extremely low temperatures (0 degrees or less), our particular fire place is not able to do more than stabilize the temperature--it needs to be supplemented by something else in order to raise the temperature quickly and in a significant amount. For important things--like heating--have a couple of backup options. Not only does the "2-is-1, 1-is-0" rule apply, but you may actually need both to work at the same time.

Blogging "65 Signs of the Times Leading Up to the Second Coming" - Part 8

This is part 8 of my review of David Ridges, 65 Signs of the Times Leading Up to the Second Coming. Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here. Part 3 is here. Part 4 is here. Part 5 is here. Part 6 is here.And Part 7 is here.

In earlier installments, I had made it through Ridges introductory comments and discussion, and the first 50 signs. This time, I will cover the next 10 signs--51 through 60.

51.  Destroying angels will be allowed to go forth upon the Earth (being fulfilled). This particular sign is from D&C 85:5-6, which expands on the parable of the wheat and the tares, as applied to these latter days. Those particular verses state:

5 Behold, verily I say unto you, the angels are crying unto the Lord day and night, who are ready and waiting to be sent forth to reap down the fields;

6 But the Lord saith unto them, pluck not up the tares while the blade is yet tender (for verily your faith is weak), lest you destroy the wheat also.

Ridges goes on to note an 1894 statement by Wilford Woodruff that these destroying angels had been loosed to commence their work. I will add the following on Pres. Woodruff's revelation concerning the matter. In Joseph Fielding Smith's The Signs of the Times, he notes that in June 1894, Pres. Woodruff stated:

God has held the angels of destruction for many years lest they should reap down the wheat with the tares. But I want to tell you now, those angels have left the portals of heaven, and they stand over this people and this nation now, and are hovering over the earth waiting to pour out the judgments. And from this very day they shall be poured out.  ... Great changes are at our doors. The next twenty years will see mighty changes among the nations of the earth. You will live to see these things whether I do or not. I have felt oppressed with the weight of these matters, and I felt I must speak of them here. It is by the power of the Gospel we shall escape.(Signs of the Times, pp. 115-16). 

Pres. Smith noted that it was 20 years and 1 month later that WWI began.

52.  The "abomination of desolation" will take place again. Although this refers to the besieging of Jerusalem, Ridges considers this to be in the category of "being fulfilled." His reasoning is that Jerusalem is currently under siege today, and has been for many years. Although Ridges speaks in the sense that Israel is surrounded by its enemies, I believe that this will have a literal fulfillment--an invasion of Israel with troops surrounding and finally taking the city.

53.  Wickedness will be rampant (being fulfilled). Ridges explains:

While this sign of the times may be considered a summary of several of the signs of the times already given previously in this book, it merits being discussed as a sign in and of itself. It appears that wickedness in the last days prior to the Second Advent of Christ won't just "happen" as a matter of natural deterioration of morals and values. Rather, if we understand this prophecy correctly, it will be the direct result of wickedness spread intentionally by use of mass media, which will cause an unprecedented acceleration of evil and virtual "free fall" of society.

I think of it as similar to a feed-back loop in an audio system. The media acts as an amplifier. It amplifies the wickedness, which gets broadcast, picked up again and magnified, rebroadcast, and so on, ad infinitum. Except, the system will burn out--spectacularly so.

Ridges further writes:

This intentional spread of wickedness by Lucifer and his "front organizations" is spoken of in the Bible. In the great vision given to John the Apostle ... one of the things that John was shown was that great masses of people would admire and basically worship wicked heroes in the last days. Thus, the mass "worship" of unworthy media personalities is a significant contributor to the rampant wickedness of the last days.

54.  Babylon will fall (yet to be fulfilled). Ridges indicates that "Babylon" refers to Satan's kingdom--the great body of the wicked and perverse--that will be destroyed in two broad steps. First, many will be destroyed in the wars and disasters preceding the Second Coming. Second, those that survive, will be destroyed when the Lord comes to cleanse the Earth. Ridges cites to Rev. 19:17-21 and D&C 29:21.

Some may question why we should look forward to this massive and complete destruction of the wicked. However, as Joseph Fielding Smith notes in The Signs of the Times, we are looking forward to a better world--"the earth renewed to receive its paradisiacal glory, cleansed of wickedness. For a thousand years we will have that kind of earth and there will not be any war, any turmoil, envying, lying; there will be no wickedness."

55.  A great hailstorm will destroy the crops of the Earth (not yet fulfilled). This is bluntly stated in D&C 29:16. See also Rev. 16:21. I have wondered if the "hail" referred to is literally balls of ice, or meteorites or other slag, such as the burning hail of the Exodus, particularly as this seems to occur in some connection with the great earthquake (infra.).

56.  There will be a great earthquake such as never before (not yet fulfilled). See Rev. 16:18.  and Rev. 6:12.  Ridges observes: "From these references, we understand that this earthquake will be unprecedented in the history of the earth since the fall of Adam." Although not mentioned by Ridges, the continents of the world are to be joined together again in a single landmass, so this earthquake may be related to that event.

57.  Waters will flow from the temple in Jerusalem and heal the Dead Sea (not yet fulfilled). Ezekiel 47:1-12. Ridges notes that this prophecy may be fulfilled when Christ sets foot on the Mount of Olives and it splits.

58.  The Battle of Armageddon (not yet fulfilled). This is the war described in Ezekiel 38 and 39, and Zechariah 11 through 14.

59.  The meeting at Adam-ondi-Ahman (not yet fulfilled). See D&C 116 and Daniel 7:9-14. "The Ancient of Days" refers to Adam. Ridges writes:

We learn from the above quote [from Daniel] that the meeting at Adam-ondi-Ahman, before the actual Second Coming, will be a rather large gathering, where Adam will gather his righteous posterity together. Christ will come also, and those present, who are or have been in authority, will turn their keys of power over to Him to use as He ushers in the Millennius and governs the world during the Millennium....

This meeting will be secret from the world at large.

60.  Two prophets will be killed in Jerusalem (not yet fulfilled). Rev. 11. As prophets, these two men will necessarily need to be members of the First Presidency or Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.