Back to the blog this evening, to do a little catching up...
IN THE NEWS...
Terrorism hits another nation. It looks like Russia may have been hit this time, with the loss of two airliners within minutes of each other, resulting in 86 deaths. News reports claim the debris of one of the jets shows signs of explosive residue, and two bodies ( one from each jet ) have not been claimed/identified yet, pointing to possible terrorists... some unsubstantiated internet stories mention that "bad fuel" may be involved in these two accidents.
Also in the news, VA hospitals may be in the planning stages as targets for future attacks by Al Queda, simply because of the large number of (former and active) soldiers that may be there... and unarmed. A very low blow, if it happens.
Throughout the summer of 2004, there has been fear ( and multiple venues ) of new terror attacks, including either of the political party conventions, the G8 summit, or even the Olympics. So far, nothing...but the GOP convention starts next week, and the Feds are pulling out ALL the stops to keep anything from happening, including investigating VERY actively any and every PAST activist organization about possible events planned for convention week. The news is also carrying, although in the back pages, news about such groups as the "Weather Underground" doing some nasty business at the convention. It looks to be a very interesting week next week.
Way off the news, and hidden deep in the that oft mentioned "chatter", is word of possible spoiled attacks on U.S. soil, including word of 3 nukes that were set somewhere in the northeast U.S. to go off, and two found and shut down, while a third was supposedly transported at hi speed to the depths of the Atlantic and allowed to detonate since it couldn't be shut down. Of course this is all unverifiable, and NOTHING has been printed, spoken, or reported that backs up these claims. If, however, a nuke of any size was allowed to go off off the east coast, even in deep water, there would have been some kind of seismic event recording the explosion, and some release of radioactivity to the atmosphere. Time will tell if there is any truth to this rumor.
In the sky the past month, the "Perseid Meteor Shower" gave a great show for the northern hemisphere ( at least for areas NOT under cloud cover). Here in Central Wyoming, the show was nothing short of spectacular, with hundreds seen of all sizes and colors in just a few hours. ALso in space, the Hubble Telescope has developed hardware problems...again, a new extrasolar planet has been documented using "small" telescopes, the Mars Rovers are going into overtime finding even MORE proof of water on that dry planet, and the space shuttle MAY get back into space next year, even though the scientists still don't have safer measures in place to protect the leading edge of the Shuttle's wings. Finally, the $10 million prize for PRIVATE space craft making it to space is about to be challenged by more than one contender in the next month. Best chance seems to be Burt Rutan and his crew, with ONE successful proof of concept flight to 61 miles already under their belt.
In the weather, Florida is still recovering from a major Force 4 hurricane hit causing billions of dollars in damage, but minimal death. In Reno, and many parts of southern California, wildfires are wreaking havoc again, and through many parts of the nation, and the world, cooler than normal temperatures are being seen. One EMA professional watching the El Nino effect for the past several years, stated last week that the southern hemisphere is suffering very powerful and more widespread storms than recent years, and claims that El Nino is going to be heading north to visit the US in the next few months and bring with it those same powerful storms and stronger than usual winds, rain, snow, and other natural nasties. Keep an eye out for this effect in your neighborhood. As a side note, another hurricane is now heading into the Carribean that is still hundreds of miles out, but already rated a Force 4 storm...this could be a problem late next week for anyone living on the gulf or east coasts, so keep an eye on it.
Heading back to my local area, college classes start in two days, and it is going to be another tough but promising school year. Gerry Spence, the famous Wyoming lawyer, best known for defending white-seperatist Randy Weaver against the U.S. in the Ruby Ridge standoff, will be giving the Central Wyoming College 2004 convocation keynote speech here next Wednesday, and it should be interesting. I'll be pulling 19 credit hours this semester, while working 30 hours a week, and doing about 10 hours a week in labs. Looks like I'll have to schedule my sleep patterns again to get everything done.
As an side note, I applied last week for a new part time job, off campus....that of Airport Security Screener. You know, that job where SEVERAL folks on the East Coast let ALL those 19 terrorist get through the gates and metal detectors to generate the carnage seen at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11th, 2001? Adverts appeared in my local paper a couple weeks ago, for openings at our local airport, and the pay looked better than anything I've yet to see in this town...including full time work...up to $17 an hour.
Applications were taken online, including posting a digital resume. A quick questionaire took some more info, and within 24 hours, email back to me from the automated TSA system gave me some good news...I would get to take the test (phase I) the coming weekend. I showed up on that Sunday afternoon, along with 5 other folks who made the first internet cut, and took the 4 part test in a couple of hours...online it seems, thru a unique setup. The first part was a 414 question "psych profile" section, and the rest somewhat technical, and for the most part well designed to find the best and brightest.
Needless to say, I thought I did pretty darn good, being a computer geek, graphics hobbyist ( think of looking at sample xrays for you-know-what ), and just a smart guy. Seems, however, that the "profile" part didn't like "my" profile...I think my outspoken ways, ability to communicate with anyone, and general interest in media, computers, research, and understandings of terrorism, preparedness, and survival issues, just didn't quite "mesh" with what the TSA is looking for. I received a "Thanks, but maybe next time" email within 4 hours of getting home from the test, verifying that the test MUST have been online.
Regardless of the outcome, I'm a little disappointed. I really do want to make a difference to my community, my country, and the world at large, and being on the very front of domestic security, after the events of 9/11 really excited me in the same way as a soldier going to war to fight for his country, because "somebody" has to be "right there", and having already spent 10 years of my life as a federal employee, I felt that great feeling of serving my fellow man again, as so few actually get a chance to.
There are many other ways I can still do the above service to my country, and my countrymen...so it's not a problem. I'll just get back to scanning in some of the thousands of pages of government survival info I've been collecting for years.
Coming in my next posting to this blog..."Survivalist vs. Nuclear War". I got a few emails from a lifetime nuclear survivalist a few days ago, sort of feeling me out, almost demanding for me to give details of "my nuclear survival plans" to him, BEFORE he would even consider offering to share some of his gov. docs, thoughts and processes, and general "expertise" from building a 7500 square foot nuclear shelter in the southwest U.S.
This fellow authored some articles 20 years ago in a defunct survival magazine, which I've yet to find any copies of, and really just didn't seem "friendly". What he made me think of, to get to the point, is that of the "classic survivalist"...the one the media hints around, that fiction and action novels refer to, and that a LOT of people who don't know better on the web ( think newsgroups, new sites, etc.) hold up on a pedestal as a GOAL to aim their lives toward. This guy was basically standing fast to the argument "no one will listen to me, or help me, so let the flesh melt off their bones, when the all out nuclear attack, that IS coming, hits our shores...serves those sheeple right!"
He asked me a LOT of personal questions, in three different emails over a week, and I feel the need to do a little introspection over some of those questions, and do some writing for YOU GUYS to learn from, based on what I've learned, have in hand to share, or want to know more about. I'll share his emails (name withheld) with my replies, and my thoughts and ideas, based on that "introspection" I mention. I think you'll find it interesting and worth a few minutes of your time.
Until next time, take care, and keep an eye on the horizon.
Rich
Founder - SurvivalRing.org
IN THE NEWS...
Terrorism hits another nation. It looks like Russia may have been hit this time, with the loss of two airliners within minutes of each other, resulting in 86 deaths. News reports claim the debris of one of the jets shows signs of explosive residue, and two bodies ( one from each jet ) have not been claimed/identified yet, pointing to possible terrorists... some unsubstantiated internet stories mention that "bad fuel" may be involved in these two accidents.
Also in the news, VA hospitals may be in the planning stages as targets for future attacks by Al Queda, simply because of the large number of (former and active) soldiers that may be there... and unarmed. A very low blow, if it happens.
Throughout the summer of 2004, there has been fear ( and multiple venues ) of new terror attacks, including either of the political party conventions, the G8 summit, or even the Olympics. So far, nothing...but the GOP convention starts next week, and the Feds are pulling out ALL the stops to keep anything from happening, including investigating VERY actively any and every PAST activist organization about possible events planned for convention week. The news is also carrying, although in the back pages, news about such groups as the "Weather Underground" doing some nasty business at the convention. It looks to be a very interesting week next week.
Way off the news, and hidden deep in the that oft mentioned "chatter", is word of possible spoiled attacks on U.S. soil, including word of 3 nukes that were set somewhere in the northeast U.S. to go off, and two found and shut down, while a third was supposedly transported at hi speed to the depths of the Atlantic and allowed to detonate since it couldn't be shut down. Of course this is all unverifiable, and NOTHING has been printed, spoken, or reported that backs up these claims. If, however, a nuke of any size was allowed to go off off the east coast, even in deep water, there would have been some kind of seismic event recording the explosion, and some release of radioactivity to the atmosphere. Time will tell if there is any truth to this rumor.
In the sky the past month, the "Perseid Meteor Shower" gave a great show for the northern hemisphere ( at least for areas NOT under cloud cover). Here in Central Wyoming, the show was nothing short of spectacular, with hundreds seen of all sizes and colors in just a few hours. ALso in space, the Hubble Telescope has developed hardware problems...again, a new extrasolar planet has been documented using "small" telescopes, the Mars Rovers are going into overtime finding even MORE proof of water on that dry planet, and the space shuttle MAY get back into space next year, even though the scientists still don't have safer measures in place to protect the leading edge of the Shuttle's wings. Finally, the $10 million prize for PRIVATE space craft making it to space is about to be challenged by more than one contender in the next month. Best chance seems to be Burt Rutan and his crew, with ONE successful proof of concept flight to 61 miles already under their belt.
In the weather, Florida is still recovering from a major Force 4 hurricane hit causing billions of dollars in damage, but minimal death. In Reno, and many parts of southern California, wildfires are wreaking havoc again, and through many parts of the nation, and the world, cooler than normal temperatures are being seen. One EMA professional watching the El Nino effect for the past several years, stated last week that the southern hemisphere is suffering very powerful and more widespread storms than recent years, and claims that El Nino is going to be heading north to visit the US in the next few months and bring with it those same powerful storms and stronger than usual winds, rain, snow, and other natural nasties. Keep an eye out for this effect in your neighborhood. As a side note, another hurricane is now heading into the Carribean that is still hundreds of miles out, but already rated a Force 4 storm...this could be a problem late next week for anyone living on the gulf or east coasts, so keep an eye on it.
Heading back to my local area, college classes start in two days, and it is going to be another tough but promising school year. Gerry Spence, the famous Wyoming lawyer, best known for defending white-seperatist Randy Weaver against the U.S. in the Ruby Ridge standoff, will be giving the Central Wyoming College 2004 convocation keynote speech here next Wednesday, and it should be interesting. I'll be pulling 19 credit hours this semester, while working 30 hours a week, and doing about 10 hours a week in labs. Looks like I'll have to schedule my sleep patterns again to get everything done.
As an side note, I applied last week for a new part time job, off campus....that of Airport Security Screener. You know, that job where SEVERAL folks on the East Coast let ALL those 19 terrorist get through the gates and metal detectors to generate the carnage seen at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11th, 2001? Adverts appeared in my local paper a couple weeks ago, for openings at our local airport, and the pay looked better than anything I've yet to see in this town...including full time work...up to $17 an hour.
Applications were taken online, including posting a digital resume. A quick questionaire took some more info, and within 24 hours, email back to me from the automated TSA system gave me some good news...I would get to take the test (phase I) the coming weekend. I showed up on that Sunday afternoon, along with 5 other folks who made the first internet cut, and took the 4 part test in a couple of hours...online it seems, thru a unique setup. The first part was a 414 question "psych profile" section, and the rest somewhat technical, and for the most part well designed to find the best and brightest.
Needless to say, I thought I did pretty darn good, being a computer geek, graphics hobbyist ( think of looking at sample xrays for you-know-what ), and just a smart guy. Seems, however, that the "profile" part didn't like "my" profile...I think my outspoken ways, ability to communicate with anyone, and general interest in media, computers, research, and understandings of terrorism, preparedness, and survival issues, just didn't quite "mesh" with what the TSA is looking for. I received a "Thanks, but maybe next time" email within 4 hours of getting home from the test, verifying that the test MUST have been online.
Regardless of the outcome, I'm a little disappointed. I really do want to make a difference to my community, my country, and the world at large, and being on the very front of domestic security, after the events of 9/11 really excited me in the same way as a soldier going to war to fight for his country, because "somebody" has to be "right there", and having already spent 10 years of my life as a federal employee, I felt that great feeling of serving my fellow man again, as so few actually get a chance to.
There are many other ways I can still do the above service to my country, and my countrymen...so it's not a problem. I'll just get back to scanning in some of the thousands of pages of government survival info I've been collecting for years.
Coming in my next posting to this blog..."Survivalist vs. Nuclear War". I got a few emails from a lifetime nuclear survivalist a few days ago, sort of feeling me out, almost demanding for me to give details of "my nuclear survival plans" to him, BEFORE he would even consider offering to share some of his gov. docs, thoughts and processes, and general "expertise" from building a 7500 square foot nuclear shelter in the southwest U.S.
This fellow authored some articles 20 years ago in a defunct survival magazine, which I've yet to find any copies of, and really just didn't seem "friendly". What he made me think of, to get to the point, is that of the "classic survivalist"...the one the media hints around, that fiction and action novels refer to, and that a LOT of people who don't know better on the web ( think newsgroups, new sites, etc.) hold up on a pedestal as a GOAL to aim their lives toward. This guy was basically standing fast to the argument "no one will listen to me, or help me, so let the flesh melt off their bones, when the all out nuclear attack, that IS coming, hits our shores...serves those sheeple right!"
He asked me a LOT of personal questions, in three different emails over a week, and I feel the need to do a little introspection over some of those questions, and do some writing for YOU GUYS to learn from, based on what I've learned, have in hand to share, or want to know more about. I'll share his emails (name withheld) with my replies, and my thoughts and ideas, based on that "introspection" I mention. I think you'll find it interesting and worth a few minutes of your time.
Until next time, take care, and keep an eye on the horizon.
Rich
Founder - SurvivalRing.org
posted by rafleet | 2:26 AM
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