Winter is around the corner

I started to do some looking around on the internet for some winter gear items, mainly the stuff I lose every year like neck gaiters and glove liners. Check out Wiggy's products. I have no tie to Wiggy's except as a happy customer.

I spent last winter in Fairbanks, Alaska, from the 6 of November through mid-May. I bought two jackets from Wiggy's (http://wiggys.com/index.cfm). One was a 'lighter' Wiggy's jacket that I wore for for temps to about zero F. I don't think they make them anymore and it was purchased in the Wiggy's Alaska store (not part of Wiggy's but somehow related ...) The other coat was Wiggy's Antarctic Parka. I could not wear that parka until the temp dropped to below zero F. In fact, I was able to walk my dog in minus 40 (-40 F = -40 C by the way) wearing only a light shirt underneath. Of course, the hood was up and I was wearing his Renegade mittens (midweight). Hands never got cold in those. Not once. Yes, his products are pricey, some maybe overpriced. However, they do what they are supposed to do without fail. They insulate when wet.

Wiggy's has some stuff on sale. Note their sleeping bags are great. Down sleeping bags may be lighter, but do not insulate when wet. His sleeping bags are tucked under the ejection seats of some of the USAF fighter jets (which, having been in the USAF,is where I began to hear about Wiggy's. I use mine with a bivy.

Life Imitates Art

From the Gateway Pundit.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry:

Muhammad Cartoon Comes To Life… Suicide Bomber Hides Bomb In Turban

Posted by Jim Hoft on Wednesday, July 27, 2011, 6:19 AM

In 2006 Muslims went on a murderous rampage after this offensive cartoon was published in a Danish newspaper.

Over 100 people were murdered in the cartoon rioting.
They were outraged.

It looks like the cartoonist was ahead of his time.
A Muslim suicide bomber blew up the mayor of Kandahar City today. He hid the bomb in his turban.
Xinhuanet reported:

Militants fighting Afghan government in a new tactic, hardly imagined by security forces, targeted and killed the mayor of Kandahar city, 450 km south of Afghan capital Kabul, in his office on Wednesday.

To target government officials, the militants had often in the past strapped explosive devices in their bodies or wore explosive vests and hunted the prey.

However, this time they organized turban bomb suicide attack in Taliban former stronghold Kandahar, officials confirmed.

“Ghulam Haider Hamidi, the mayor of Kandahar, was in meeting with some people when a man placed explosive device in his turban entered the meeting hall and blew it up, killing the mayor and injured another,”a statement released by kandahar’s provincial administration said.

The attacker was also killed in his explosion, it stated.

Afghans are familiar with suicide attacks, roadside bombings and gun shoots but it appears to be the first time that a turban bomb suicide attack rocked an Afghan city and claimed the life of

Don’t become fodder. Don’t feed the bad wolf.

What are the ethics involved in feeding and giving up weapons and ammo to a small to moderate sized gang of marauders in a post-SHTF scenario?

Imagine that you survived the coming slow or fast emergency and are with some family and friends -some new, some old - and are doing well enough to be supplementing your stored food by harvesting vegetables from a large plot, perhaps collecting eggs from a few chickens and the occasional venison.

If a person came by your place representing a group of different group of people who are camping down the road for a bit, and politely asked for all your group’s food and supplies -- all of it as in every last morsel of food, every weapon, every piece of gear and clothing down to your last Tylenol and shoelace -- so they could survive long enough to again politely ask another prepared group for all of their supplies, would you comply? Would you think of complying? The person is not asking for charity, s/he is asking for everything with no concern for you. Your comfort or survival has no bearing. Yielding means their survival and not yours. Yielding means they will do this to someone else. Yielding means you gave comfort and aid to the enemy. Of course you wouldn't.

What if that person didn’t knock on the front door but rather was located a mile away hidden in some bushes with a pair of binoculars at his/her’s eyes and a spiral notebook being filled with intel of your group’s comings and goings for the last 72 hours in various handwritings? Others in that group are cleaning their weapons, loading magazines and otherwise preparing to assault your sanctuary at 3 AM the next morning.

Oblivious, you continue your daily chores. Night falls and soon after dinner, everyone goes to sleep. You and everyone in your group are briefly woken up at 3 AM by the noise of gun fire. Your last thought before seeing a muzzle flash directed at you was was inconsequential, as was the last thought of everyone in your group; they are dead or soon will be. You just aided and gave comfort to the enemy post mortem as much as if you yielded everything to a polite request. They take stock of your supplies, keeping what they want. Flames take the rest.

Now they will be well fed for a week or two, have a bit more ammo (yours was solely for hunting purposes - deer and the like for your group, sheeples now that it is in their hands), a nice first aid kit and some other goodies.

You ignored defending yourself and now have made it more difficult for the next group to defend themselves. Guns are bad you thought, only needed by Police and other ‘professionals’ against criminals. By the time you needed a gun for your own defense, it was too late. If large chunks of civilization go by the wayside, someone who wants to impose their will over yours will ignore your civil discourse and not be swayed by your verbal arguments of right versus wrong because nothing, absolutely nothing, stands in their way to do the wrong thing to you. It is not a civil discourse despite your wishes it was. Personally, I would be a more than a bit pissed off if I was your neighbor. Now these bad wolves are a bit stronger and better supplied to attack me and mine. You can ignore guns and the need for self defense, but not the consequences of ignoring such, to paraphrasing Ayn Rand. This will be bit more important than the letter from the Home Owners Association demanding you take care of the dandelions in your yard so they don't spread to neighbors. Be prepared to do something to stop the spread evil.

Please read HARD TRUTHS ABOUT COMBAT TACTICS from Ann Bernhardt on 23 June 2011 (http://barnhardt.biz/) and watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOo9bjLtL3Q&feature=player_embedded#at=80 together. Both are very sad to me, but both are important to think about.

I have some friends with a farm who understand defending their farm far better than I. They are networking with immediate neighbors in a low key way about defending their neck of the woods, and in a more general way, their town. They are aware of neighbors who will need their help, and who can help them. They are aware of the bad and questionable players in their town who may turn far worse if the rule of law crumbles shortly after the infrastructure does. That town may be safe if worse comes to worse, unless you’re a wolf. There will be no free meals for bad wolves in that town.

I hope to help them.

*I lost the link to the picture and unable to give credit where credit is due.

$ 8 well spent.

A busted tooth, a crown gone wrong or similar dental misadventure can ruin your day.

Or not. About $8 bought a Lost Filling and Loose Cap Repair kit. Fortunately, no first hand experience with it.

Review: Bokers Ceramic Anti Grav Folder

A Gentleman’s Knife

“ BOKER PLUS ANTI-GRAV by Boker Plus as Pocketknife

Pocketknife by Boker Plus. The companion to the Anti-MC also features a super sharp ceramic blade and unbelievably, an even lighter carry! The handle is made of carbon fiber, which provides not only incredibly little weight, but also outstanding stability and elegance. Includes pocket clip and lanyard hole. Frame lock mechanism. Blade length: 3 1/4". Overall length: 7 3/4". Weight: 2.1 oz.”

[I am having problems having the page keep some jpegs... any advice?]

http://www.boker.de/us/pocket-knife/boker-plus/tactical-knife/01BO036.html

I recently received mine at about 1/2 the MSRP of $89.95. My first impression was it’s feather weight. It also looks very nice, with an obsidian-like blade (not well depicted in the above photo) and unmistakable carbon fiber handle.

It’s light weight is most noticeable for the times I wear light-weight pants or shorts. Think dress pants or light shorts. The knife does not drag and kink the cloth. In fact, it is quite easy to forget its stashed in a pocket.

The blade itself is interesting. It is my first ceramic blade. It does not feel ‘scary sharp’ when I carefully run my thumb over it’s edge, but it cuts paper and paracord with ease. In fact, between it’s dressy looks and sharp edge, I look for excuses to cut out articles from whatever newspaper is handy. The knife is certainly not made for ‘survival’ mode and I wouldn’t use it to hack at anything.

The knife is well made and precise, exactly what you would expect from Boker.

Examining the knife carefully, I think the only metallic parts are the thumb tab, the three handle screws and the two screws holding the clip which is also metal and the frame lock. Which got me thinking that if you remove the clip and the two screws binding it to the handle, the only metal that remains are the three small screws on the handle and the frame lock. Not much of a magnetic signature. When an opportunity presents itself where I can get wanded and walk through a metal detector with the pocket clip removed to determine if there is enough metal to alarm the machines without getting arrested if it does, I’ll update.

In short, it’s a nifty knife for those formal occasions where a more sturdy knife would be out of place.

Remember

More on this later.

China and EMP weapons

From http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/21/beijing-develops-radiation-weapons/:

Report: China building electromagnetic pulse weapons for use against U.S. carriers

China’s military is developing electromagnetic pulse weapons that Beijing plans to use against U.S. aircraft carriers in any future conflict over Taiwan, according to an intelligence report made public on Thursday.

Portions of a National Ground Intelligence Center study on the lethal effects of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and high-powered microwave (HPM) weapons revealed that the arms are part of China’s so-called “assassin’s mace” arsenal – weapons that allow a technologically inferior China to defeat U.S. military forces.

…

The declassified intelligence report, obtained by the private National Security Archive, provides details on China’s EMP weapons and plans for their use. Annual Pentagon reports on China’s military in the past made only passing references to the arms.

“For use against Taiwan, China could detonate at a much lower altitude (30 to 40 kilometers) … to confine the EMP effects to Taiwan and its immediate vicinity and minimize damage to electronics on the mainland,” the report said. [or much higher up to maximize damage to the target - like the US. --DL]

The report, produced in 2005 and once labeled “secret,” stated that Chinese military writings have discussed building low-yield EMP warheads, but “it is not known whether [the Chinese] have actually done so.” [Any reason they wouldn’t? - DL]

The report said that in addition to EMP weapons, “any low-yield strategic nuclear warhead (or tactical nuclear warheads) could be used with similar effects.” [emphasis added]

…

“China’s [high-altitude] EMP capability could be used in two different ways: as a surprise measure after China’s initial strike against Taiwan and other U.S. [aircraft carrier strike group] assets have moved into a vulnerable position, and as a bluff intended to dissuade the United States from defending Taiwan with a CVBG,” the Pentagon acronym for carrier strike groups. [ a real surprise would be way up over Kansas, high enough to effect both coasts - DL]

There’s more in the original article.

Imagine all or most things electronic broken. Satellites fried . Cars and trucks kapoot. Cell towers fried to a crispy nonfunctional status. Cash registers not registering. ATMs useless. Pacemakers not pacing. Traffic lights, toll booths, gas pumps, electric ovens......EasyPass! The horror.

Got a short term plan? Short term: At least $ 1,000 in Federal Reserve Notes, aka as dollars, safe water source whether bottled or otherwise, food that does not require refrigeration, extra supplies of prescription medications and DME (durable medical equipment) for about a week or two. Solar power system(s) to recharge cell phones (not that they would work, but for apps perhaps) and other electronics. 5 or 10 gallons of gas for your car as a minimum. Solar battery charger -- I wish I could say I need to charge the batteries for my NVGs but at least for flashlights. I was just thinking my Mr Coffee might need a backup! What else do you need for a 3 -7 day 'event'?

What about long term? “One Second After” is a disturbing novel that describes the after-effects of such a bomb a few hundred miles over the center of CONUS (Continental United States). If you haven’t read it, you should. A fine book. China has EMPs. Who else does, or could buy them? But long term needs are a bit different ... Perhaps more cash, definitely bullion of some sort, personally I have doubts that the veneer of civil behavior will last all that long (9 missed meals and people become very goal oriented), so defensive weapons backed by 10 magazines per weapon and a good stash of ammo at your home (and safe haven if you got one), some place to bug out to if you live in a city or suburbs and get away to an environment that can grow your own food to supplement your pantry - unless you believe that the Feds will be able to feed you as the 'just in time' deliveries become increasingly sporadic as infrastructure implodes, as much Rx meds as you doc will give you to stash -- and learn how to taper off the meds that you need to taper off (narcotics, many blood pressure pills, lots of meds affecting the brain whether for ADD or depression). Celox to augment your already well-stocked first aid kits. A cooking stove to boil water and cook food (upcoming review of EcoZoom’s Versa Stove), and the list goes on and on. EMP-proof transportation -- likely a Mt Bike or wheelbarrow -- unless you're lucky enough to be a mechanic with appropriate back-up parts. Good friends who have what you don't and vice versa. A rally point(s), CBs or other walkie talkie devices (kept safe from EMP like in your basement in a metal garbage can.) I guess the the degree of preparedness correlates to your perception of likelihood of the threat (wait too long and oops, nothing on the shelves*), to your hobbies (hiking/camping has lots of dual use tools and skills), and a host of other factors. I like to shoot, so the expenditures for weapons and gear is mostly out of my 'hobbies' budget, as is various camping/bug-out gear. Some is straight preparedness. Do what your budget allows and prioritize carefully.

The EMP threat from China is real; well, we know it's do-able, they have nukes and that's all it takes. Do they have the gumption? What if the US government puts a halt to the sales of large tracts of farmland they are buying? Personally, I just add it to the 'rare but catastrophic' list. Am I about to envelop my garage in steel mesh to protect against an EMP? No. But I did stash some electronics in metal garbage can (with lid) in the basement.

If you need a safe haven as part of your prepping, email me about a site in the NE....

* Please see “Top 100 Items to DisappearFirst During a National Emergency” at ttp://baconreport.blogspot.com/2007/07/top-100-items-to-disappear-first-during.html. Make sure you have what you’ll need.