Pre New Years

Happy New Years all

     2011 I am sure will be quite the interesting year both politically and figuratively and we are sure to see a surprise or two. We will face many challenges in the coming years, some will be very painful and hard to swallow but they must be done none the less. Without going into specifics as there will be plenty of time for that in the future I will try to take the New Years day and reflect with family the good that has come out of the year 2010 and forget about the bad for a while. 

Be Safe all 
Prepology 

Near-Record High See Religion Losing Influence in America

Near-Record High See Religion Losing Influence in America

 by Frank Newport

 PRINCETON, NJ -- Seven in 10 Americans say religion is losing its influence on American life -- one of the highest such responses in Gallup's 53-year history of asking this question, and significantly higher than in the first half of the past decade. Rest of the article

 I would like to draw a comparison to the loss of religion here versus our decay in our general morals and decency here in the country. It seems that the further we get away from religion the worse we become as a society, Love thy neighbor has become who is my neighbor? 

It used to be that a church was a magnet drawing people in, making them closer, stronger, unified, it was a part of your everyday life. Today not so much, most children are not brought up in a church setting anymore, they would rather rot their minds in front of the television or latest game system further distancing themselves from good values. 

China makes Skype illegal

China makes Skype illegal


In the latest move dashing Western internet company hopes of breaking into China, it was announced that all internet phone calls were to be banned apart from those made over two state-owned networks, China Unicom and China Telecom.
China seems to want to stifle communication in their country, well control is more like it. Censorship is alive and well in the country and any chance they can clamp down on it the do, this is not only a problem in China but you would be hard pressed to find a government anywhere that does not get involved with censorship at some point. The take away here is that the Chinese people will find a way to get around it and they already have, do not think for a minute that something like this could never happen here and on a larger scale, there are already EO's on it. Think of the Internet kill switch and shutdown debate from a few weeks ago under the guise of a cyber attack for our own good. I have a fear of any government that has the ability to shut down or control all forms of communication when ever they want, they only reason they do this is to hide things from us, usually their mistakes or lies. Information and news is power and having it is very important as we base certain decisions off of it. Having several venues of information is important to have in case of failure or shutdown such as in the story, have a backup or three.

Prepology 
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A lesson learned, A reason to be prepared

Map of Northern Ireland.Image via Wikipedia

Northern Ireland faces mounting water crisis

The Associated Press

BELFAST, Northern Ireland -- Frustration and fears of disease mounted in Northern Ireland on Wednesday as 36,000 people were left without water, some for more than a week, after a deep freeze and a sudden thaw caused aging pipes to burst.

Read more: http://www.macon.com/2010/12/29/1392119/northern-ireland-faces-mounting.html#ixzz19fG33ba2
 There are enough examples out there in the world for everyone to learn from, this is one. When you get over dependent on an item or a service you are setting yourself up for failure, failure that can have catastrophic consequences. Water is one area that you can not overlook, ever, Water has always rated #1 and #2 on my list of most important items to have as it is that important, you either have available or you must have a way to get it. Water is one of the easiest and cheapest items to stockpile, it is so ubiquitous that we take it for granted all too often.   
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Europe to ban hundreds of herbal remedies

Europe to ban hundreds of herbal remedies

By Jeremy Laurance, Health Editor

Hundreds of herbal medicinal products will be banned from sale in Britain next year under what campaigners say is a "discriminatory and disproportionate" European law.
With four months to go before the EU-wide ban is implemented, thousands of patients face the loss of herbal remedies that have been used in the UK for decades. Rest of article here
In they article they site adverse health affects that can sometimes happen well how about the government approved drugs that have killed people too, I think the real burr is that the drug companies don't own the natural ones.  If I want to put something into my body that's my decision so long as it does not affect anyone else. The only thing this is about is control. Damn it next thing they will tell us is that we can't pick our own noses.. 

16 U.S. Cities That Could Face Bankruptcy For 2011

16 U.S. Cities That Could Face Bankruptcy in 2011

 by Gus Lubin and Leah Goldman in Recession, Politics 

Provided by the Business Insider

Article here

San Diego, Ca.
New York, NY
San Jose, Ca.
Cincinnati, Oh.
Honolulu, Hi.
San Francisco, Ca.
Los Angeles, Ca.
Washington, D.C.
Newark, NJ
Detroit, Mi
Reading, Pa
Joliet, Il
Camden, NJ
Hamtramck, Mi
Central Falls, RI. 
Paterson, N.J. 
BONUS: Chicago, Il 
OK let me see here most of these cities are liberal, Democrat bastions of overpaid, public pension draining, overspending, high taxing, entitlement, well you get the point.   
              

 

Protecting the Public's Health from Disease, Disasters, and Bioterrorism

Protecting the Public's Health from Disease, Disasters, and Bioterrorism
December 2010

In the eighth annual Ready or Not? Protecting the Public from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism report, 14 states scored nine or higher on 10 key indicators of public health preparedness.  Three states (Arkansas, North Dakota, and Washington State) scored 10 out of 10.  Another 25 states and Washington, D.C. scored in the 7 to 8 range.  No state scored lower than a five.
This site and report gives a pretty good indication on how individual states are doing with respect to some types of emergency readiness. There is also a section where you can see your state and how it ranks.

Prepology
 
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Last police officer in Mexican border town missing

Ciudad Juarez en ChihuahuaImage via Wikipedia
Last police officer in Mexican border town missing

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico – The last remaining police officer in the Mexican border town of Guadalupe has disappeared, and prosecutors in northern Chihuahua state said Tuesday they have started a search for her.
Emphasis on the gender HER, the ladies have been picking up the slack here in the war on drugs down in Mexico and they are unfortunately meeting the same fate as their male counterparts,  you have to give them credit. Here in the US we do not hear all of the stories of violence that are happening on a daily basis just south of us, we pay more attention to news thousands of miles away. Well we should pay attention, this violence is separated by a mere fence or an imaginary line, some violence has already spread across the line and killed American citizens as well as law enforcement as well as border patrol agents. The time has long past for the Government to take a serious interest in this problem, we should have had troops on the border years ago and not just a couple of hundred but thousands with a clear and defined mission. Sadly though politics will not allow it, if we actually secure the border and lock it down we remove safety valve for Mexico. Illegal activity from Mexico to the US generates millions of dollars for their country and if you shut it down you could very well see Mexico involved in a civil war and that would be bad for everyone.

Prepology

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After Christmas sales

Shameless advertiser plugs of the month



Cabela's Gear Duffel Bag

 SureFire� G2� LED Flashlight

Thompson/Center Triumph Bone Collector" .50-Caliber Rifle with Scope � Weather Shield"/Gray

Sportsman's Guide:  Top Sellers From The Guide!

Winter Sale - Save up to 88% off

 Bushnell� Elit� 1500 Laser Rangefinder

 MedexSupply.com is giving away 3 Google Android Tablets, Digital Camera, Ipod and Itunes gift card.

Hornady Superformance" SST Rifle Ammo

Online Deal of the Day!

Cabela's Alaskan Guide� Series Alpha Fixed Knife

1851 Confederate Navy .44-Caliber Sheriff

EMS Supplies & Equipment

 Use your laptop longer with long-lasting computer and laptop batteries from Apex!

 Warn Winches & Accessories

Prepology

Almost Everything Is A Crime In America Now

Almost Everything Is A Crime In America Now: 14 Of The Most Ridiculous Things That Americans Are Being Arrested For

The US has 25% of the worlds prison population and you will see why after you read the article. We have a social disease of wanting to arrest everyone for everything, I would say that is pretty good conditioning because people are accepting it wholeheartedly, it makes me sick to see what we have become, we are asking the police to get involved with every aspect of our lives instead of taking any personal responsibility, what the hell is wrong with us? This country was built upon independence and personal liberty, free thinking is something to be encouraged not stifled and looked down upon. 

Prepology 

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Boomers near 65 with retirements in jeopardy

Baby boomers near 65 with retirements in jeopardy

 By DAVE CARPENTER, AP Personal Finance Writer

CHICAGO – Through a combination of procrastination and bad timing, many baby boomers are facing a personal finance disaster just as they're hoping to retire. Starting in January, more than 10,000 baby boomers a day will turn 65, a pattern that will continue for the next 19 years.
 This article has some good insight as to where we as a people are going with respect to our current system and practices, we no longer save and we live on credit. Our planning future is five minutes ahead and no longer 30 to 40 years, we can not keep up this type of financial behavior. 
Prepology
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Communications this weekend

Communications

     In my travels this weekend from NM back to AZ we were a 2 convoy trip so we decided to pull out some rarely used Motorola radios for a good road test. Now while Motorola might be a good brand I have found that for the most part you will get pretty much the same results out of whatever brand you use, so save your money.  FRS, GMRS, MURS type radios are what you will find in most stores and are what I call the cheap throw away radios and at under $100 usually for a pair they are what they are, very short range and cheap. Many people are drawn in to the advertised range of 12 or 19 or 31 mile range and that would be true if you had the absolute best possible conditions, mountain top to mountain top with perfect weather is not something you are going to get. You would be good to get a few miles at best out of a pair of radios, power output and a small antenna are the biggest limiting factors in their performance. So needless to say I was not surprised with the results we got from the Motorola’s we used, on very flat and straight highway we were able to maintain about 2 miles of separation before we got nothing but static, again this was about what I thought we would get.

     When it comes to communications you can spend whatever you want from a low of $20 on sale to thousands of dollars, this really is one area where you really do get what you pay for, no one size fits all, everything is a trade off. One area not to over look is CB radio, equipment is not too expensive and range can be decent within reason. The best performance is usually by base station to take advantage of excellent antenna’s that are available but you give up mobility in this configuration, Range can be 15 to 20 miles. For mobile vehicle applications with a good antenna you can achieve good results in open areas of many miles and in cities that gets cut down but I would take it over a handheld. One other advantage of a CB radio is what is called upper and lower side band giving you an increase to 12 watts and an additional 80 channels, this can increase your range. Keep in mind though that your antenna is more important than the amount of power you have almost always.

     The cream of the crop for communications is ham radio, this covers short range to world wide communication and again the sky is the limit with respect to cost but used low range equipment won’t kill you either.  The section for Morse code has been dropped so it makes it relatively easy you to get your ticket these days and there are plenty of groups out there that will help you study and get you set up to take the test, it is well worth it.

Prepology
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EPA, Texas go to war over carbon-emission rules

EPA, Texas go to war over carbon-emission rules

by Ed Morrissey

The federal Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday effectively declared Texas unfit to regulate its own greenhouse gas emissions and took over carbon dioxide permitting of any new or expanding industrial facilities starting Jan. 2.
“The EPA’s misguided plan paints a huge target on the backs of Texas agriculture and energy producers by implementing unnecessary, burdensome mandates on our state’s energy sector, threatening hundreds of thousands of Texas jobs and imposing increased living costs on Texas families,” Katherine Cesinger, a Perry spokeswoman, said in an e-mailed statement.
The EPA should be renamed the Economic Prevention Administration. We all want good quality air, land and sea but at what cost? We have some of the toughest regulation already of any developed country and that is both good and bad. The good side is that we pollute less the environment we live in but at the price of a higher manufacturing cost and unemployment. In a level playing field ( that we are not in ) it would not matter but the fact is that if we have too tight a regulation then the inevitable happens, we loose the production of the item to another country that does not have the regulation. When this happens we loose jobs and that creates another whole set of problems for us to deal with, therefore we must find some kind of balance that protects the environment and worker.

With the weak economy here in the US one of the last things we need are tougher regulations that will further strangle our businesses and move an already hurting manufacturing industry out of the country. 

Rumor of the day: Bill Richardson to replace Hillary at State?

Rumor of the day: Bill Richardson to replace Hillary at State?

by Allahpundit

This is one of those rumors, I think, that starts hopping simply because it makes sense, not because there’s any hard evidence to support it.
Richardson was just in Pyongyang to sound out North Korea about its nuclear program; he was a leading candidate for SoS back in 2008 before Hillary got the job
Well wouldn't this be a hoot to see happen,  with Obama ticking off his liberal base something like this I would think would scare the hell out of him because there would only be one reason for Hillary to give up the position and that would be for her to make a run in 2012. Honestly I think she would have a pretty good chance too, I think the took the SOS position to firm up here foreign policy experience and make herself still seen on the world stage. While 2012 is still 2 years away I know we will see the contenders come out soon enough. 

My take for who will win the elections will be the person who puts forth the best plan for getting people back to work because when people are fat, dumb and employed they are happy little campers.

Prepology

Merry Christmas everyone

Merry Christmas all

I would like to thank everyone who has stopped by here in the last few months to view my scribble. 

Everyone be safe and eat to their hearts content and prepare the the coming year as it should be a hoot.

Prepology

Students riot over food in China

Frustration Builds Over High Food Prices In China

By JESSIE JIANG / BEIJING

Students at the No. 2 High School in Liupanshui City of southwestern China's Guizhou province had endured rising living expenses for months. But on November 22, after a new round of food price increase - though a relatively minor one of no more than 50 cents per meal - they had had enough. More than 1,000 students gathered in school canteen, smashing windows and vandalizing the cafeteria facilities.  Read the rest
Seems things aren't so rosy in China, Little do these students know what happens when students riot hard for other reasons, with the Tiananmen Square Massacre being censored they most likely don't know how harsh their government can be. But I digress, it looks like the Chinese are having some inflation issues and it is not sitting too well with some people. This will be interesting to watch as time goes on. 

Cabin framing pics

We got in a little more framing done the other day to separate the bathroom, pantry and master. I am standing in the kitchen area for this picture, to the left will be counters and where the red coffee can is will be the start of an island. 
 View from the master bath and looking out to the kitchen/ dining room area.
 Under the stairs will be a mini pantry with wire rack one one side, this was a late addition due to a change in the plans.

And here is an outside pic from this morning and as you can see it snowed a little, we got about 2 inches but it will be gone by this afternoon and just make a muddy mess.








The snow and the low hanging clouds int he background do make it look nice and actually puts things in the proper spirit.

Banknotes to go electric?

Logo of the anti-RFID campaign by German priva...Image via Wikipedia

Banknotes go electric to outwit counterfeiters

21 December 2010 by Jon Evans

GOOD old-fashioned cash is to go down the electronic route, now that it is possible to stamp simple electronic circuits directly onto banknotes. Rest of the article
A group of German and Japanese  researchers seem to be working on electronics for paper money , think RFID here. Also think invasion of privacy. If you look at the bills in your wallet you will notice the phrase " This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private" Well what do you think will happen if this type of technology is introduced to our currency here?

Prepology 
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A former comptroller of the U.S. Government and his take on manufacturing

Save public sector jobs, bring back manufacturing

 By  Russell Creech

David M. Walker, former comptroller of the U.S. Government, "If there is no return of manufacturing jobs, there is no recovery."
Remember all those factory jobs outsourced to foreign companies by the millions for the past 20 years because of NAFTA, CAFTA, etc? They are (well, were) the key component to any economic recovery. Service sector jobs just cannot create enough taxable wealth, both corporate and individual, to replace the missing tax revenues from manufacturing.
I have echoed some of the thoughts of this article with respect to the desperate need to bring back manufacturing jobs to our economy. This country was built on our ability to manufacture items and it has had the result of making us one of the most prosperous countries ever. Our standard of living has been the envy of many countries in the world. We know that a strong manufacturing base is the sign of a strong economy, Sadly we are loosing ours. I agree that we can not rely on being a  service only economy, this is a support industry and not capable of employing all those who no longer work in manufacturing. 

In looking around the country it is clear to see how many building that now sit idle and vacant, those represent a lost job and a lost income. These closures did not happen overnight and they will not re-open overnight either, we have taken advantage of the plethora of cheap and readily available goods brought into this country and we are now reaping the whirlwind for our choices.

Prepology
 

A few stories today that chap my hide.

Massachusetts School Issues Permission Slips for Pledge of Allegiance

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/12/22/massachusetts-school-issues-permission-slips-pledge-allegiance/#ixzz18s5GEIOM

The principal of a public school in Brookline, Mass., is asking parents to fill out permission slips before their children can participate in a weekly recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
The first sentence pretty much summed it up for me showing the level we have stooped to in our society. We are as a nation no longer whole, we are splintered, fractured, we have lost our unity. When we have an issue of contention over the pledge of allegiance I fear that we are far down the path to destruction divisiveness and destruction

Potential jurors "mutiny" Montana

Would-be jurors stage 'mutiny' in marijuana case

Associated Press 
 
Nearly all 27 Missoula County residents during the jury selection process on Thursday told District Court Judge Dusty Deschamps there was no way they would convict anybody of having a couple of buds of marijuana.
While many people may have an opinion with respect to drugs and what there standing should be in our society. What I really find interesting is the fact that a group of potential jurors told the DA to basically stick it, and this is over a drug charge on a guy that you would not want to invite to dinner. Now this begs the question, were the potential jurors whacked out of their minds? or were they witness to the consequences of a failed drug enforcement policy and said enough is enough?

Prepology

Postal Trucks Could Become a Nationwide Data-Collecting Network

A small United States Postal Service truck see...Image via Wikipedia

Radical Ideas: By Adding Sensor Arrays, Postal Trucks Could Become a Nationwide Data-Collecting Network

How to save the waning U.S. Postal Service
By Clay Dillow

Chief Counsel to the Chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission Michael Ravnitzky proposed an interesting idea to help the Postal Service get back in the black: turn mail trucks into a data-producing nationwide sensor network.
Sensor arrays could even contribute to homeland security
     Ah yes Comrade a camera on every street corner, A microphone in every house and a neighbor with a snitch program. Are we there yet? Is it Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr Orwell where are you. The idea of turning  a mail delivery truck into a mobile surveillance platform just reeks of abuse in waiting. Add to that the thousands and thousands of intelligence analyst that would be needed to even make sense of the information , The police state is well on it's way.
     
     In the article they bring up a lot of good things that they could gain out of the proposed program but in this day and age our continued quest for the end all be all for our problems puts us dangerously close to a complete lack of privacy and ultimately the control of our lives turned over to some unseen entity.


Prepology


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Mini cabin update

 We got some work in on the cabin today and we installed a few of the walls and also the temp sink for the holidays.
Overview of the area, the small room in the back is a 1/2 bath that is roughed in for now. 
We also have a temp sink installed, it will stay on this floor but not in this location. 
A bathroom, Nice. this saves having to go up to the temp trailer to use a bathroom when we are on site.















Prepology

Reporter Apologizes for Saying ‘Christmas’ On Air

NPR Reporter Apologizes for Saying ‘Christmas’ On Air

 by Jonathon M. Seidl Jonathon M. Seidl
Speaking on the local D.C. program “Inside Washington,“ NPR reporter Nina Totenberg openly apologized for using the phrase ”Christmas party” while telling a story.

 Really lady your going to apologize for saying "Christmas Party" you sorry excuse for wanna be reporter. But really people not that I will say we have a new moral low but idiots like this just reinforce it, This disgusts me to no end.

Hey Nina, MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS. Now grow up and get a life or get your self another country to live in, try the middle east.

Prepology

 

 

Monitoring America

5 revelations from the Post’s ‘Monitoring America’ investigation

By Liz Goodwin

The FBI's Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative, or SAR, currently contains 161,948 suspicious activity files, into which authorities can put information they've gathered about the people at the center of the files: employment history, financial documents, phone numbers, photos. In many cases, the people in the files have not been accused of any crime but have attracted the suspicions of a local cop, FBI agent or even fellow citizen. The files have led to five arrests but no convictions, the FBI says. Some of the files are unclassified so that local police agencies and even businesses can submit reports on anyone they deem suspicious. Complete story here
161,948 files on "suspicious activity" My first thoughts were that the number is most likely very low and what constitutes their idea of suspicious activity. I seem to remember that when countries start making lists people usually end up missing or dead after a while but it is usually preceded with harassment, intimidation, reduced freedom or subjectication. Remember folks it's for our safety, but I would ask who is scared of who?

Prepology

Sunday Surpirse S.510 Food Safety and Modernization Act passed, Again

In Sunday-evening surprise, Senate unanimously passes food safety bill

By Alexander Bolton - 12/19/10 07:55 PM ET 
 
Reid said in a statement.

"Tonight we unanimously passed a measure to improve on our current food safety system by giving the FDA the resources it needs to keep up with advances in food production and marketing, without unduly burdening farmers and food producers,” he said. Rest of the story here
Food safety my backside. Try control you ignorant morons.

“Our food safety system has not been updated in almost a century"
Sorry but this is the biggest LIE about the whole thing I have spent time in the industry and I know better, Have you ever heard of HACCP.  Here is FDA site for it.

HACCP is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product.
The food industry goes out of it's way to ensure product safety now that's not to say there are not some bad apples out there but when your product relies upon customers not getting sick and dying on you then it is in their best interest to promote a safe product.  

I am reminded of how the Government can't even get the mail delivered without loosing money so tell me how they think they can possibly keep my meat and potatoes safe...

Control people, this bill was all about control and anyone who will take the time to read up on there world or even this countries history will know that food is a weapon.  Keep pushing .Gov keep pushing.

Prepology 
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Companies Shun violence in Mexico, Move back north

Companies Shun Violent Mexico 

Complete story here

MEXICO CITY—Growing numbers of companies are deciding to limit their investments in Mexico because of spiraling drug-related violence in one of the world's most important emerging markets.
Sounds like a good plan to me, I am all for jobs moving here and hopefully staying here, especially the manufacturing type. Mexico is loosing out on billions of investment dollars due to the drug violence  in the country, roughly 10,000 killed a year in the past few years. It is no small wonder companies are taking a second look before they invest in the country.

Prepology

U.S.'s Largest Sleeping Bag Maker ( facing a foreclosre) Seeks Relief From Free Trade Loophole

The country's largest manufacturer of family sleeping bags says new competition from Bangladesh could force it out of business if the U.S. does not level the playing field.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/18/facing-closure-uss-largest-sleeping-bag-maker-seeks-relief-free-trade-loophole/#ixzz18W1oratM
     I for one am all for competition here, there and everywhere and when there is an even playing field it works out well. We have however a playing field that is so out of whack that is skews any chance of a First world company competing against a third world. Think for a moment about the pay comparison of an average US worker ($7.25) and a worker from the country of Bangladesh ($0.13) Who will have the cheaper cost per product? How do these two companies compete with each other, well on paper they can't. What a country usually does is to apply a tariff on the incoming product to create some kind of balance between the two. 
     The ultimate decision on where a product comes from IMHO is up the the consumer, they drive where the product will come from, if the majority of the population chooses the cheaper product then it will come from the country that produces it for the lowest cost and that may or may not be the country the consumer is in. The mostly unseen consequence of buying a product from out of the country is in decreased demand from within the buyers country, this forces the company to cut hours, lay off workers, shut down or move to a cheaper source of labor in another country. So in the end that cheaper product you bought does have an initial lower cost but on the back side are the costs of hurting your own workers.
     The argument has also been made that with the loss of millions of manufacturing jobs we will transfer into Green, Service and High Tech jobs will take there place, not so fast. Consider those jobs for a moment, they are very skilled jobs, not the highest end but they require a level of skill above some types of manufacturing. As a Raw analogy do you think that the guy on an assembly line who puts X widget into Y hole is ready to step into a higher level of employment, maybe and maybe not, Some can retrain, maybe. Take into another point and that is that some people are just plain stupid and will never function at a higher level and some would not want to even if you gave them the opportunity and I do not fault them in the least bit, some people do not want the stress of a challenging job, they age completely happy with where they are at, and that's fine, but we have to make those types of jobs available to them first. There has always been and will always be someone on the low end just as there is someone at the top and the middle, You can't just have a top.
 
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Travel day and thoughts

     Well today was a travel day to NM to get ready for the family Christmas so I was loaded down with a tree and lights and about 4 totes that I was told I couldn't look in, Hmmm my present in one of them maybe?
But anyway the road trip went nice as I left at about 3:45am so as to avoid all traffic in the berg of Phoenix, smooth sailing it was. I am glad I do not live there any more, it grew too fast and too big for my liking but there was always a ton of work there.

I did get to listen to a bunch of radio on the trip up and heard that the Dream Act failed, I'll bet Harry is a little ticked over his little pet project failing. This legislation brought out a lot of feelings on both sides and will continue to be a nasty debate for a long time to come. The other bill the Don't ask Don't tell passed and I am sure there will be up's and down's with it like everything else.

Loaded Gun Slips Past TSA Screeners, Again and again and again

Gaping Holes in Airline Security: Loaded Gun Slips Past TSA Screeners

By MATTHEW MOSK, ANGELA HILL and TIMOTHY FLEMING

He didn't realize he had forgotten to remove the loaded snub nose "baby" Glock pistol from his computer bag. But TSA officers never noticed as his bag glided along the belt and was x-rayed.
     So the guy forgets to take out his firearm and while said TSA is busy grabbing your trunk and asleep at the X-Ray machine his pistol glides right through... OOP'S. Apparently the bulletproof (pardon the pun) security doesn't work and if you go read the article we are doing a lousy job with bomb detection also, Some of the material is dated from 2007 but the results are still shocking as the agents sneaking things through security as a test average far better than 50% and sometimes as high as 75%. Those are pretty bad numbers if you ask me, Just wait until the bad guys put the A-Team back on the field instead of the idiots that have come put of the woodwork in the last few years. Never trust your safety to anyone but yourself, you and you alone will make far better decisions about security.

Oswego County Undersheriff: Forming a militia is illegal in NY

Complete story here

Hannibal (WSYR-TV) - Oswego County's Undersheriff is telling a group of Hannibal residents to back off on the militia-talk. The group is in the early stages of forming something called the "Hannibal Militia," which held its first meeting on Friday.
I wonder if the Undersheriff is feeling like they might show him up or something ,  you would think that he would be appreciative of the help. 

Undersheriff Bob Lighthall was among those at the meeting, where he delivered a stern warning to the attendees that forming a militia is illegal.

Illegal my backside, I would love to hear a rebuttal from one of out founding fathers on this one. OK to use the term neighborhood watch but Militia is a no no. Scared of a word now are we, well tough get used to it and while your at it crack a book and do a little studying, wait that would be too easy i forgot common sense like Elvis has left the building.

Prepology 

71 Year old granny knocks out thug

Hell hath no fury like a woman with a frying pan

KSNW-TV

71-year-old Kansan beats in-home attacker unconscious, police say

This 25yo moron talked his way into the 71yo home and tries to attack her, Folks if you have parents or grandparents please have a word with them about how people are not so nice anymore, this asshat is no boy scout and I am sure had this lady's not so best interests at heart. This could have been ugly for here but instead he gets a frying pan to the head, not what I would grab as my first choice of weapons but none the less it seems it was pretty affective, now hopefully she does not get sued for some stupid reason. Don't laugh folks it happens. 

Prepology 

The Red Cross bans Christmas

Christine Banks, a volunteer at a Red Cross shop in New Romney, Kent, said: 'We put up a nativity scene in the window and were told to take it out. It seems we can't have anything that means Christmas. We're allowed to have some tinsel but that's it.
'When we asked we were told it is because we must not upset Muslim's.'
I try to not delve into religion very often, I believe to each  their own and as long as what you believe does not interfere with what I believe we will be fine. But I am now OFFENDED that you are OFFENDED because of a long standing tradition is now taboo, it is one religion bowing to another. How many Christians donate to the red cross, many. Well Guess what Red cross you are going to alienate many of the people who donate to you and who is it going to hurt? The people who really need it the most. I could understand not having any decorations if this was the way you always ran the operation but it is not, you are not neutral as you have now bowed down to a religion that would have us all back in the stone age, SHAME ON YOU .
 
 
 
 
Prepology

New Superbug Genes

New Superbug Genes Sure to Spread, US Expert Says

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
"What makes this enzyme so frightening is not only its intrinsic ability to destroy most known beta-lactam antibiotics but also the company it keeps,' Moellering wrote in a commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine. Rest of the story here

  Gee, great, wonderful with all of our wonderful (sarcasm on) technology a bug has the threat to kill up, Get some Raid.

Prepology 

Wheat / Grain Missing.....Again

 UPDATE 2-Trader, bank probe missing grain in Ukraine, Russia

It would seem that Grain is a popular item to disappear over in Russia/ Ukraine. Today we see that 30 million dollars worth can't be accounted for in a silo in the Ukraine. 2 days ago there was a report of  30,000,000 bushels of wheat missing from Russia.

I think there might be a little funny business going on here, fraud, theft, it never existed. Either way I am sure this will affect prices in some way or the other, most likely not in the way we want either. Food IMHO will become a volatile commodity at some point, wars have been fought over it in the past, wars are being fought over it now in some in some 3rd world places. If you have the ability to stock up, do so, choose foods that have a long shelf life and if I am wrong the worst that happens is that you saved some money by buying more now versus later when the price is higher, it always seems to go higher.

Prepology 

Health group sues McDonald's

Health group sues McDonald's over Happy Meal toys


PORTLAND, Ore. – A California mother of two and The Center for Science in the Public Interest are suing McDonald's Corp. to get the fast-food chain to stop using toys to market meals to young children.

OK so lets shut down the TV stations too who show the adds, lets shut down the printers who make the posters, Lets shut down the sign makers who make the arches.






They say McDonald's is violating several consumer protection laws by marketing its Happy Meals directly to young children because it exploits children's vulnerability.




OK then why have the Managers of the store not been arrested, why not the worked who sold the happy meal, where are the authorities.

"What kids see as a fun toy, I now realize is a sophisticated, high-tech marketing scheme that's designed to put McDonald's between me and my daughters," said Monet Parham, of Sacramento, Calif. "For the sake of other parents and their children, I want McDonald's to stop interfering with my family."


"Between me and my daughters" Hogwash you sorry excuse for a parent, the person that should be between your kids and McDonald's is your sorry excuse for a role model and parent, Do your kids control you, are you that weak that you have to let your kids eat there in the first place, learn the word NO!!!! If you do not want them "INTERFERING WITH MY FAMILY" then don't let them you IDIOT, don't do business with them. 
You control your family but you don't you dare try to control mine.
 

6,488 Earmarks, Oh My

Washington, D.C. *– U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) Brought up some of the following earmarks in the senate today. Rest or the article

$277,000 for potato pest management in Wisconsin
$246,000 for bovine tuberculosis in Michigan and Minnesota
$522,000 for cranberry and blueberry disease and breeding in New Jersey
$500,000 for oyster safety in Florida
$349,000 for swine waste management in North Carolina
$413,000 for peanut research in Alabama
$247,000 for virus free wine grapes in Washington
$208,000 beaver management in North Carolina
$94,000 for blackbird management in Louisiana
$165,000 for maple syrup research in Vermont
$235,000 for noxious weed management in Nevada
$100,000 for the Edgar Allen Poe Cottage Visitor’s Center in New York
$300,000 for the Polynesian Voyaging Society in Hawaii
$400,000 for solar parking canopies and plug-in electric stations in Kansas

And we wonder why this country is in debt to the level it is, the list above seals the deal.

Prepology 

Food article/ Info Site

Came across an article that goes into different storage foods.

What They Don’t Tell You About Storable Foods

 Prepology

TSA X-Ray Machines ......Not Foolproof

TSA X-Ray Machines Easily Fooled, Researchers Find

Published December 14, 2010
| FoxNews.com

Any would-be terrorist can easily outsmart the ubiquitous backscatter scanners found in major airports around the world, two scientists say.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/12/14/tsa-x-ray-machines-easily-fooled-researchers/#ixzz188CIY8Xn
     Were from the Government and were here to help you, yeah not so much. New use for technology means that there will be new flaws and it seems like someone has found some. Well it is not a problem for me because I do not fly, I would rather drive versus the indignity of having my naked picture taken or being sexually assaulted by the TSA. At some point in time the American public has to man up and accept that in life you might die, no one lives for ever. Risk is something we take every day, we can trip down the stairs, we could get hit by a car, heck we might die of a heart attack and there is not a damn thing you can do about it.  No form of travel will ever be 100% safe, that's a pipe dream. We have taken one of the already safest forms of travel and done nothing more than muck it up and failed at making us any safer. The one success though has been the utter conditioning of the sheep to a new form do as I say.  

Riots in Rome after Berlusconi wins vote

Violence erupts in Rome after Berlusconi wins vote

ROME (Reuters) – Protesters set fire to cars, threw paint and smoke bombs at the Italian parliament and clashed with riot police on Tuesday in Rome's worst violence for years after Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi survived a confidence vote. Rest of article here
 Looks like we have another group of ticked off students again, this time in Rome.  It seems like everywhere you look people want to riot because the time to pay the piper is here. Overspending at some point catches up with you or your country and yo can't avoid it as we can plainly see by events happening around us. We here in the US are not immune, it will just take a little longer. The cuts that we need to be are all third rail in nature but cuts will have to be done, cooking the books will not work. Duck and cover people it's coming.

Prepology

Camping Survival

     For those of you who may or may not be familiar with Camping Survival  they are a good source for preppers, camping, price comparing and information. One thing I missed or they added since the last time I visited the site is the weekly giveaway of one of their products, A Nukealert is given away monthly, that's not a cheap toy folks. Prices range from $160 to $230, that's a good chunk of change.

This weeks giveaway is a Frontier Analog/ Digital watch.

To get involved in the giveaway process you need to have a facebook account and go to the Camping survival facebook page to see the details, you enter weekly. Free gear is great.

Prepology

Snipers Will Soon Shoot Taliban Three Quarters of a Mile Away

Snipers Will Soon Shoot Taliban Three Quarters of a Mile Away

From Wired Magazine 

     Sometimes but not always you can get a feel for the types of equipment that are coming down the pike, sometimes it's Military to Police to Civilian but not always and sometime it is the other way around completely.  I think it is important to keep up with what comes out as gear is an ever changing and fluid arena, As was said there are no obsolete weapons or gear just obsolete tactics in using them. I also keep in mind that newer is not always better, there is always a trade off. To me something older is old for a reason, it means it has lasted usually because it is better built, something to think of when you see the latest and greatest coming out.

Prepology

250x250 Shooting Banners

30,000,000 bushels of wheat never existing or stolen?

100 Million-Franc Russian Wheat Shipment Disappears, Matin Says

This article is over at Bloomberg 

     Long and short of the article is that 30,000,000 bushels of wheat pulled a David Copperfield and disappeared. Well to me that's a whole lot of something that you don't just loose unless it was in a huge ship and it happens to sink in a storm. Someone knows something and I am sure it will come to light soon enough. 

      I wonder in these times we are in what other foods have disappeared as of late that have not made it to the wire, part on me would think that this would be on the rise as as the world economy seems to be still heading south. 

Prepology

 

Breyer: Founding Fathers Would Have Allowed Restrictions on Guns

"If you look at the values and the historical record, you will see that the Founding Fathers never intended guns to go unregulated, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer contended Sunday."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/12/breyer-founding-fathers-allowed-restrictions-guns/#ixzz17x7B9qqM
 
 
     Values, Morals, Courage and Honor Is what our founding fathers had without question Mr. Breyer. Only here in the last hundred years have the likes of you in the supreme court taken these traits and slaughtered them with your European visions of Utopia. Without FREE MEN and ARMS we would not be a country, Argue that. Oh and if I am wrong, and I am not, do you think you can change a thing? really. An unarmed population is a dead population, This country has practiced it firsthand, we have watched it in other countries. If you want to live unarmed then fine but do not expect the rest of the country to follow suit. 
 
 Prepology

Prepper/ survival information site

For those of you that may not be familiar with the American Preppers Network you might want to take advantage of the wealth of information they have available, you can never have too much Info. You can also check out the downloads section here, It is in PDF format, The site is free but if you see something please feel free to donate.

Prepology

MediaGlobal: Wheat killing pathogens devastating crops in developing world

MediaGlobal: Wheat killing pathogens devastating crops in developing world

Article is from November but pretty relevant, Technology is great to a point but when we start to screw up our food supply you have to wonder..

Prepology

Helping a young couple out from an accident

Rourke over at  ModernSurvivalOnline.com   has a couple that could really use a little help, Married this summer the husband has been involved in a motorcycle accident. One of Rourke's sponsors is having a product sale that they are donating the proceeds to help them out. Please stop by the site and you can read the complete article. Couple needs some help

Prepology

 

One second after to be adapted to a Movie!

     The book One Second After by writer William R. Forstchen is currently in development with Warner Bros. Usually book to movie looses a lot in the translation and I believe it would really hurt this one as well but maybe I will be wrong.

Here is the website link for more information on the book and the author.

One second after link

I have read the book and I also did a review on it back in February, Review here.




Prepology

Custer's 'Last Flag' sold for $2.2 million

BILLINGS, Mont. – After spending much of the last century in storage, the only U.S. flag not captured or lost during Custer's Last Stand at the Battle of Little Bighorn sold at auction Friday for $2.2 million.

Read the rest here

Holly Cripes batman that's an expensive flag, there is a pretty good historical account that goes with the article, well worth the read.

Prepology

Obama's new tax on...Rainwater!? - BlackListed News

Obama's new tax on...Rainwater!? - BlackListed News

I just love how the EPA can do what ever they want, whenever they want, IMHO if it effects anyone it should have to be voted on, no exceptions.

Watch out Air will be next, O2 bar anyone?

Prepology

FDNY to begin ‘Crash Tax’

 I know this is common is some other locations but really NY is already a high tax city as it is. (Sarcasm on)  Maybe this just goes to show that cities do not work and we should dismantle them, (Sarcasm off).

"The so-called “crash tax” works like this: A car fire or accident with injury would cost you $490. A car fire without injury, $415. And any vehicle accident without injury will run you $365."
Read the rest here

Prepology

Navy Railgun sets record

     For you Railgun fans out there the navy is looking at having them on ships by 2025.

Navy Railgun Annihilates Targets From 100 Miles Away

Navy railgun test breaks world record

 Pepology

Protesting students, Royal car attack, security = F-

     I am sure that by now most of you have heard that students are going nuts over in England because they are being asked to pay for their education, what a novel concept paying for something that you use, how dare someone charge me for providing a service.

     Well it would seem these snot nose punks have decided to follow the time honored tradition of if I can't have it my way then I will loot, burn, destroy or injure someone , wonderful concept kids. Lets destroy stuff that will cost money to repair or replace, that will be money that you can bet will not go to education, costing you stupid students even more money to go to school.

       The royal family got the royal treatment also from students who happened to catch Prince Charles and Camilla heading to catch a show. Now you would think that the protection of the royal family would be pretty good yeah not so much apparently. It boggles the mind to think that the driver would actually take them on a route that goes through an ongoing riot, hello riot here!! To add insult to injury another security flaw that happened was that a window had been left down partially or broken as I have seen different reports on this but either way a screw up. During one video you could hear "off with their heads" my I think someone was a little mad, I also say where it was reported that Camilla was actually assaulted with a stick through the aforementioned window opening, Here in the US you can get shot for a hell of a lot less. I for one would want a change in security people if it were me.

What I take away from this is first of all do not drive through a riot of upset students, and if you do make sure the windows are up and the doors are locked. Last but not least if someone gets through a window and is assaulting your wife then shoot the bastard and then beat the hell out of yourself for being in that position in the first place....

Prepology

Speaking of window breaking check this one out, sorry I am a sucker for tools.

LinkRef

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