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Post by captbart on May 16, 2018 13:00:49 GMT -5
Tabasco, I highly approve. I learned in Viet Nam that there are very few things that can not be eaten provided you have Tabasco!. I have a "holster" that holds a full size bottle on my belt - not all of the places I eat have the proper sauce! You have the single most important survival tool of all there - a sharp edge! With that you can add all kinds of aids to survival. There are two things I would recommend you add to your EDC (Every Day Carry): a whistle and a flint. I have a small block of magnesium with an imbedded flint strip for fire starting. I have noticed in a great many rescue situations the one lost has yelled so much that they can barely speak and were unable to call for help. A cheap plastic whistle ( mine has a cheap compass (useful for cardinal directions) and a magnifying glass (useful for starting fires as well as other things) and a thermometer ) costs about $5 total and can be heard much farther than just your voice.
I applaud your mindset.
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Post by captbart on Sept 1, 2018 11:28:24 GMT -5
Well, again it has been awhile... I ran across this quote "a proverb from the Chinese - what is the best time to get ready? Twenty years ago, and the second best is right now!" on a web page and thought I would share. www.gunsamerica.com/digest/clays-guide-to-urban-defense-series-introduction/ is the first installment with links to others. Anyone who has seen news stories over the past few months should be well aware that we are on the verge of a new civil war. With the political parties claiming the other side is pure evil there is no room for compromise therefore the losing side in November may well resort to violence. I note a Dem representative has threatened ICE folks with retribution after the Dem's take control in Nov. or in 2020 at the latest. I'm going to take a bit of time to really think about the way this plays out and then I'll pick up the school postings again. Be safe, be aware, and if you are not prepared, why not? Time is getting critically short.
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Post by captbart on Sept 3, 2018 21:41:40 GMT -5
on Sept 2, 159 years ago a massive CME struck the earth setting fire to telegraph offices, causing auroras as far south as Cuba. This was the Carrington Event, do a google search for details, it is worth reading.
The world today is more likely to know it is coming but also much more vulnerable to damage. There are many things to consider from a survivalist standpoint but for this post I want to talk about communications. Imagine a world with no cell phones, no radio, no TV, no electricity. Even gas supplies are at risk since many of the distribution centers use electronic valves to control gas flows. My hot water heater and my home heater use electric igniters instead of pilot lights.
Still, perhaps the most harmful, immediate effect may well be the sense of being totally alone. Given the amount of time we spend on the phone, social media, and on-line everything the total isolation will be tough to take. When the only thing you have left is to consider yourself, many folks will not do well. I know many folks who must have some type of noise in their lives. My personal opinion is that is allows them to avoid considering themselves and how the fit into the world.
There was a Carrington event in 2014 but, fortunately for us, it missed the planet. When we do get our next hit, how prepared are you? As a ham radio operator, I communicate around the world. To ensure that I can continue to get information, I have a radio station setup (including solar power) stored in a Faraday cage to ensure it will survive such an event. I will be able to communicate with others who have prepared. That means for me and mine, news and incoming weather will be available.
This is a good time to investigate an Amateur Radio license. It is relatively easy to obtain, the equipment is not expensive if you do not insist on the top of the line everything, and it can be a way to communicate when nothing else works. Notice how often it is the ham operators who communicate out of disaster zones.
Just a recommendation, of course, but my recommendations are usually spot on.
Just my not so humble opinion.
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Post by captbart on Oct 16, 2018 21:20:56 GMT -5
OK, criticizing Burt feels a lot like criticizing John Wayne and we all know,"the Duke could do not wrong"! That said, Burt seems to have a real blind spot in his prep philosophy. Most obvious in T3, when he is home/safe he seems to neglect his need to be armed. He goes into his basement in T3, out of ammo (as he was in T2 also), and he puts down his weapons and goes to the radio! First thing a prepper should do is reload! Then and only then can he move on to other things. Knowing what he was facing, a full up reload with semi-auto weapons seems a minimum first priority. An old truism from aviation is "the only time you can have too much fuel is if you are on fire!" Similarly, the only time you can have too much ammo is if you are trying to swim a river!. Colonel Cooper would say that Burt drops into "condition white" way too quickly and without proper justification. In any situation where there is a known threat in the area, Condition Orange is the minimum mindset. No exceptions. Condition yellow is me now. Setting in my living room, watching T2 on Starz at 2100, I am in condition yellow. With the current unsettled state of our society, if I am awake, I am in condition yellow; if I am outside my home, I am in condition orange. Anything less is to invited disaster. Ask Burt about his ammo stash policy in "Night of the Shiekers" or his firearm storage in T3, or his armory in T5. Trusting others to provide weapons or ammo or food/fuel/water/etc is always a risk. While it makes for great movies (hence this website) it makes for poor prep. Especially if you are trusting the governments. Just my not so humble opinion of course.
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Post by captbart on Nov 12, 2018 18:09:35 GMT -5
Survival school stuff: I have seen several reports about a recently released Navy report stating that a massive solar flare triggered the detonation of US mines placed in harbors in Viet Nam in the 70's www.space.com/42402-solar-flares-triggered-navy-mines-vietnam-war.htmlwww.realclearscience.com/articles/2018/11/09/how_solar_eruptions_likely_detonated_dozens_of_sea_mines_110796.htmlare examples. We are in a similar situation now and we as a nation are a lot more dependent on electronics that in 1972. I was in RVN when this happened; there was some effect on military electronics but not so much on the hardened military gear. The question for the survivalist is just how hardened is our current society? Second point: with the inconclusive results from the election, just how stable is our current society? With literally thousands of illegal aliens set to force their way from Mexico (where they are considered illegal aliens) into the US (they are not illegal here until they cross the boarder) one has to consider the effect of the reactions of various groups who have decided that the US is the biggest evil on the planet. Riots are a danger to everyone so be prepared to defend yourself and your loved ones. It is not just violent encounters about which to be concerned; water, electricity, gas, sewer service, trash service, food distribution, medical supply, etc are all at risk. As I near 70 I realize I am not as agile as I was once. My preps have had to change to include my own limitations and shortcomings. Being realistic with yourself about your skills and abilities is a prime requirement for survival. Realism is rarely comfortable but it is required. Just my not so humble opinion, of course.
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Post by captbart on Dec 1, 2018 15:58:20 GMT -5
Last week there was a 20 minute seismic event off the coast of Madagaskar that sent shallow waves around the planet. No clearly identified source for the waves; something totally new for the rock guys to think about. This week, Alaska was hit with a 7.0 quake. Remember the Richter scale is a log scale. A 7 is 100 times as strong as a 5 and a 1000 times a 4. Roads gone, water and power a dream, and houses damaged. This happens in Nov/Dec in Alaska. I saw the media coverage folks standing in snow to cover the event; so not power, no heat, no ground transportation, no resupply. These folks are on their own until the military (the civilians can't handle an event of this magnitude) arrives. Once relief arrives, can they find all of the victims? without communications? The question for us Burt fans is; if this happened to your area in the next 30 seconds could you survive for the 8 to 14 days is is likely to take for a response from the authorities? Think total loss of all infrastructure, civil services, medical services, etc. Ask yourself, "How prepared am I?" and no optimism allowed. I will be astonished if some of Alaska's survivors do not freeze to death before rescue comes. I pray I'm wrong and folks in Alaska are generally more self sufficient than the average citizen of the lower 48 so there is a chance for them. How prepped are you? Really.
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Post by captbart on Dec 25, 2018 13:33:49 GMT -5
In the last 10 days or so, Anak Krakatoa has erupted at least twice (though not a super eruption, thank God) and sent a tsunami into the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. At least 370 dead and thousands missing. Etna is erupting in Italy and the entire Pacific Ring of Fire is popping. What is it about this time of year that causes the earth to go active? In any event, in all of your Christmas preps and celebrating make sure you keep in mind that Mother Nature is NOT your friend. She will kill you if you let her. Just to make things more fun, about a third of the Federal Government is shut down so any federal assistance will be slow in coming.
Burt's recurring line in the various shows runs along the line of "What do you people have against being prepared?" So as the new year approaches, check your preps for the most likely disasters and then think a bit about the black swans.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
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Post by captbart on Jan 16, 2019 15:59:22 GMT -5
Tabasco, My apologies for not responding much sooner. My key chain is similar. I add a whistle with a button compass and small magnifying glass. I also found a small lighter that clips on to the chain. I don't have the small tabasco container but I usually have a larger one in a belt holster.
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Post by tabasco on Jan 17, 2019 10:40:37 GMT -5
Tabasco, My apologies for not responding much sooner. My key chain is similar. I add a whistle with a button compass and small magnifying glass. I also found a small lighter that clips on to the chain. I don't have the small tabasco container but I usually have a larger one in a belt holster. Capt, no need for any apologies. Always look forward to your posts and advice. Had a busy fall and winter season, with very little time for sleep, much less online forum fun :)Added a lighter to the key chain, though!
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Post by captbart on Jan 17, 2019 12:45:50 GMT -5
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Post by captbart on Jan 20, 2019 11:47:56 GMT -5
Survival Tip: Know your opponent's weapons.
I just watched the first episode in the TV series again. While there are a lot of good things in all the Tremors shows (even a few in T5) one in this episode is subtle. When Tyler picks up the bad guys handgun he is unable to use it at all. The weapon went off when Tyler knocked it from the BG's hand. Since no one was holding the semi-auto when it fired, the weapon "stove-piped" the fired case thus jamming the weapon. The same can happen if you "limp wrist" during firing. The gun movement prevents the slide from going all the way back so that the ejected round does not clear the action before it closes. The gun is now a paper weight.
Tyler tried to use the BG's weapon to stop the BG. It didn't fire and he was not able to clear it in time to be used. If he had been familiar with the weapon, he would have cleared it immediately and stopped the BG right there, thereby saving the BG's life and depriving El Blanco of a snack.
How do you become familiar with guns you don't own? Well, read a lot always helps but what I like to do is go to gun shows. Usually you can handle a multitude of weapons and see how they work. That was how I got to examine and learn how to fully use an AK-47. I has a rather unusual safety, one that can easily slice open your hand if you are careless. I've mentioned elsewhere that Tom Horn died because he was unfamiliar with the first Lugar pistol. He failed to get it to fire, his jailbreak failed and he was hung.
You must know as much as you can about as many weapons as you can. Your life might depend on that knowledge.
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Post by captbart on Feb 17, 2019 14:19:38 GMT -5
Survival Tip: It really IS all in your head!
A Colorado jogger is alive (albeit with a ton of stitches) after being attacked by a mountain lion. He killed the lion using only his hands and feet by stepping on the cat's throat and cutting off its air supply. Cat died, jogger lived. He did not know that he had no chance to survive against the big cat so he did not die.
Many years ago, an USAF fighter pilot had an engine failure in Alaska during a storm. He got no answer to his "mayday" call but did make a successful forced landing at an emergency airfield. When Air/Sea Rescue got to the plane, about an hour later, they found the pilot, sitting in his aircraft, dead. He had shelter, a cold weather survival kit, food and water, appropriate clothing and excellent cold weather survival training. The problem was since he did not know his mayday was received, he decided no one knew where he was and therefore he would not be rescued. He decided he was dead so he shot himself to avoid the pain of making a survival effort.
Your brain can save you or it can kill you. It can also be trained to survive so adjust your mindset to "I will survive unless I do something stupid and I am NOT doing anything stupid today."
One day, Mother Nature may kill me (Gaia is NOT your friend!) but I do not intend to make it easy for her. Neither should you.
Just my not so humble opinion, of course.
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Post by captbart on Feb 18, 2019 9:31:35 GMT -5
Survival Tip: Know your terrain.
Burt says in Feeding Frenzy "You have to know your terrain". He is, of course, correct. The Texas Rangers always camped on the south side of a thicket when they were in the field if at all possible. Why?
In the summer the cooling breezes were not blocked and in the winter the thicket of trees served as a wind break from the infamous "blue northers" for which Texas is infamous.
If you know your terrain and your weather patterns you can make yourself more comfortable.
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Post by captbart on Jun 28, 2019 14:02:24 GMT -5
I'm on a road trip in our RV (being retired is GREAT!) and I am discovering a few things. First, as I have aged (now 70) I do not tolerate heat nearly as well as I did even 10 years ago. Survival for me now means that I have to plan and prep more intelligently and think through my actions more carefully.
I also have learned that my ability to do a task (like driving) has become time limited. When I was a "kid" in my 30's I could actually drive for over 24 hours straight. Now, I'm really comfortable on trips of 6 hours or less while 8 hours is about my limit. Takes a little more planning.
I've also figured out that I over schedule things. Going to some place to see the "sights" doesn't work as well as going to see the main thing. Then, if I feel OK, we scheudle something else.
So, survival tip: Never over estimate your ability. In a survival situation you will probably not be as effective as you normally are anyway and planning on being able to do more than you can is a receipt for failure.
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Post by Mr.ELBlanco on Jun 28, 2019 22:50:01 GMT -5
I'm on a road trip in our RV (being retired is GREAT!) and I am discovering a few things. First, as I have aged (now 70) I do not tolerate heat nearly as well as I did even 10 years ago. Survival for me now means that I have to plan and prep more intelligently and think through my actions more carefully. I also have learned that my ability to do a task (like driving) has become time limited. When I was a "kid" in my 30's I could actually drive for over 24 hours straight. Now, I'm really comfortable on trips of 6 hours or less while 8 hours is about my limit. Takes a little more planning. I've also figured out that I over schedule things. Going to some place to see the "sights" doesn't work as well as going to see the main thing. Then, if I feel OK, we scheudle something else. So, survival tip: Never over estimate your ability. In a survival situation you will probably not be as effective as you normally are anyway and planning on being able to do more than you can is a receipt for failure. I don't even like driving for a long time as much as I used to, I'd much rather ride along. Congratulations on your retirement, lucky.
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