Please See: " My Recollections of Tim Kaine"

Tim Kaine, his wife Ann Holton (far left) with Queen Elizabeth shaking the hand of a Mattaponi chief.   Photo was taken in 2007 when Kaine was governor of Virginia.   (Photo: yahoo)

 



  Politics so often spills over, or at times, vomits up over our plans that impact preparedness.  Some politicians have actually spurred families to prepare.

 Please read my post on another of my blogs:

My Recollections of Tim Kaine

Why Happenings in Turkey Matter

        

(Photo: Tech. Sgt. William Gomez/Air Force)

   I know that many of you are wondering why I have not covered the tragedy in France, yet I am discussing the happenings in Turkey.  America is hearing plenty regarding the egregious attack on Nice which cost the lives of 84 people, 10 of them children, and injured 200. Many of these are still in critical condition. A lot of damage can be done with a nineteen ton refrigerator truck. Although my condolences go to France and the people of Nice, this is being covered by mainstream news. and the right information about Turkey may not be.

              Turkey is a member of NATO, and its Incirlik airbase is an important strategic location for us for operations which take place in the Middle East, especially against ISIS. It is a key staging area for attacks against the "so called Islamic State".  Instability in Turkey translates to fewer friends and less cooperation for us in the MIddle East. It also translates to more opportunities for ISIS.

               The coup yesterday was serious because it shakes stability of the region.  It's failure is also peculiar, despite the fact that Mr. Obama supports Erdogan.

              Today, one day after the failed coup attempt, news reports are indicating that Turkey has closed air space over its Incirlik Air Base effectively grounding US planes. All US military personnel are confined to the base.  Sadly, the stop in attacks against ISIS may allow the group to regroup.

             Furthermore, according to the Military Times, all US dependents currently in Turkey have been ordered to leave. This will impact at least seven hundred spouses and children.  I have also just heard that outside electricity to the Incirlik base has been cut.

              Please pray for stability for the region and safety for those embroiled in it. 


Update:  As of late July 17th, American operations at the Incirlik Air Base have resumed.

Turkey's Coup Has Failed

             

This is Friday night in Turkey.  This picture was taken by and is the property of REUTERS

 



       This is an update following yesterdays post concerning the coup in Turkey.  Both of the individuals I know in Turkey are safe.

                   According to BBC News, the coup in Turkey against Erdogan's government, has failed. More than 2800 soldiers including many high ranking have been arrested. One hundred and sixty one people have been killed and one thousand four hundred and forty have been injured. Erdogan is very likely to begin executing senior staff.   The official word is that the group that started the coup is unknown, however Erdogan rightly or wrongly believes a Muslim cleric Fethulah Gulen, a US based but powerful cleric is responsible. Others speculate that Russia thinks Erdogan has been in power too long.

                    Turkey is deeply divided and polarized over Erdogan's transformation of Turkey from a secular state to an Islamic one, and also over spillover from the Syrian war.  This is likely not to be the last coup in Turkey.

Prayers for Those in Turkey

 This post was written at 5 pm this date


  I have information from one of the people I know who is in the area that a coup is going on in Turkey.   There is shooting in the streets. Bank transactions are halted and ATMs don't work.  Aircraft and helicopters are in the sky.  Erdogan is attempting to flee by getting to and leaving from Attaturk Airport.   TRT Television is announcing a coup statement.  Soldiers are said to have taken the guns of the police.  The latest information is that Erdogan's party, the HQ AKP is surrounded.  Martial Law has been imposed and no one is permitted to leave Turkey.  The announcement from TRT television says, "
The President & government representatives have betrayed the country, created an autocracy, made legal system unworkable"

    The last entry I have received is that Erdogan has been detained.  Although this is said to be true, he is talking to CNN via telephone. He claims to be in Marmaris and he also claims still to be in control.

Although there is martial law, the borders are not yet closed. Erdogan is seeking asylum in Germany.  As of 6:30pm Eastern Standard time, his request has been denied.


UPDATE:    In the days which followed, none of the material posted above was found to be true, and yet it was announced.

Introducing Drumi by Yirego

This is Drumi, the foot powered washing machine.

                 

                I don't yet have one of these, but I am excited about getting one.  I wanted to make all of you aware of it.  Once I get one, I will post a full review of the device.





                  


                Drumi is a manual washing machine which washes five pounds of clothing, baby clothing, underwear, the days clothing, etc.  It uses a modest amount of water, soap, and in provides a ten minute leg work out as you pump the pedal in order to make it spin.  The US price is only $239.00 for the green device and presently the same price for one in silve rtone.   There is also a more expensive double sized device.

                       Drumi by Yirego was originally developed for those in third world countries who might not have access to the infrastructure and electricity necessary to do laundry other than hand washing.  However, this has multiple uses for almost everyone.  This is useful for preppers and most other people so that we may do laundry during power outages.  This is also helpful to people with babies because sometimes you must do laundry, but don't really have an entire load for a standard machine.  If you are a family without a washing machine, a Drumi will help to prevent some of those trips to the laundromat. You could conceivably go less often. 
                      Drumi is recommended for personal clothing, but is not large enough to do bed sheets and therefore it is not recommended for that purpose.   Each load requires only 2.6 gallons of water, which translates to ten liters.  It takes about ten minutes to run an entire load. The manufacturer says that it's about three minutes for a wash, two minutes for a rinse and one minute for a spin.  When finished, you release a lever which drains the water.  After spinning, the clothes are damp and should be hung to dry.

                     The Drumi is both compact and portable.  You could take one on vacation because it's only twenty pounds. You could take one camping.  You could keep one in the house for power outages.  This could be the best family new baby gift out there.  It is an excellent addition to your bug out location, or to a summer cottage.

                      The company who makes this item says you can use any detergent, however I would recommend one that is not too super sudsy.  I like Woolite or a generic substitute for Woolite for my handwashing and for portable washing machines for preppers.

                      One can order one now for an anticipate early 2017 delivery.  If you aren't thrilled, you can return the item for 100% money refund within the first 30 days.    I cannot wait to get one !

More UN Trucks Rolling Through the American South

     Some time ago I discussed the UN armored vehicles which are occasionally being seen being transported on flat bed trucks along highways in various regions of the American South.  At the time, I did some research and found that the Pitbull VX styled armored cars were manufactured by Alpine Armoring in Herndon,Virginia which may have explained why we were seeing them on Interstate 81 in Virginia.

      This week, sightings occurred in both Virginia and Georgia and I did the research again.  This time, a law enforcement friend showed me this.  This is true. The present administration has linked us up to the UN Police Force.  The armored trucks we are seeing are indeed likely intended for use on American soil, as we had feared.

http://bb4sp.com/ag-lynch-announces-global-police-force-partnership-with-un/#

In this link, Loretta Lynch says that the Obama administration has entered a global police force partnership with the United Nations.  Under the structure of their agreement, approval from Congress is unnecessary.  
This is a mode by which guns could be seized and actions contrary to our Constitution could be taken.



My original post on this subject:

http://rationalpreparedness.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-united-nations-has-trucks-on.html 

Linkedin as a Reflection of World Turmoil

                
 

Graphic by: www.adweek.com

               I don't use Facebook, Instagram and other forms of social media, much to the chagrin of my publisher. I did give in just enough to get a Linkedin account, some years ago, and I can occasionally be found there with a number of my friends and close business associates. Linkedin has been a great encouragement to me. In addition to keeping in touch with friends I don't always get the opportunity to call, I have been introduced to a number of people in businesses related to publishing, preparedness and other areas with which I have an interest. 
 Linkedin reflects the world landscape and lately there have been some interesting changes.

                  Among some users there has been a recent lack of tolerance of views which differ in any way from their own. Once someone says something, political or otherwise with which the reader does not agree, then it is received with hostility and name calling.  Sometimes, the object of the attack responds with additional goading of the person who is already not really thinking that both customers and prospective employers who may be reading their rant, and thinking that they could need an anger management course rather than a job with their company.  I have noticed this in the past month or so, but it has truly bubbled over within the last week.  I knew that the United States was becoming increasingly polarized, but I had not fully appreciated the polarization and overt hostility toward others in the rest of the world, particularly in areas which were reputed to have been civilized. 

                 Just now there are heated disagreements between those who think the American police should not shoot anyone at all. It surprised me to read that many people outside the US think police shouldn't be armed with guns at all.   Others believe the police to be absolutely justified in shooting people who endanger life, limb or property.   There are polarized and hostile arguments between Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter and my all time favorite, All Lives Matter.

                  Then there are the young women, attorneys, physicians or CEOs who post an attractive picture who incur the wrath of a Muslim man from Oman or Saudi Arabia. It's unclear whether the  men are upset that the women have a profession and are on Linkedin or whether they simply feel they should be able to direct any dark haired woman.  This is followed by a CPA who screams that both the men and the young women are morons and should move their interaction to Facebook.  At that point, I interject that one can adjust one's Linkedin feed at any time, if it doesn't reflect his own professional line up.

                 The next entry is a photo with a caption in which someone expresses their displeasure with Hillary Clinton and they allude to her lack of honesty with regard to her use of a private off site server which is contrary to federal law.  Another person jumps to her defense with such tenacity that I am left concluding that he probably works for her campaign. I skip past all the Benghazi material because I wasn't planning on voting for her anyway, unless hell freezes solid.

                The next entry is from a woman who has been accepted to the police academy. She is exploring how high she should wear her weapon as she is doing some study on firearms prior to school.   A contingent of Australians complain that she has no business with a gun.  A security contractor here in the US counters with the fact that a law abiding US citizen is certainly able to own and learn to use a handgun.  An Australian woman counters saying that "statistics indicate that anyone buying a handgun has a forty percent chance of committing suicide in the following year".  She cites some other "statistics" that are not only propagandized, but quite ridiculous.   I responded by saying that handguns in trained hands actually prevent loss of life, and that there are actual statistics on that.  This triggers a firestorm toward me. How dare I support a young woman police officer who will be carrying a weapon !  Another American woman who relates having been raped says that she will never be without her handgun again.  Her passionate statement was like placing European hornets in a Virginia afternoon in late July. Then an angry British man joins in. Who could ever need an assault weapon ?  I countered with my thinking of some weapons as anti-assault weapons, and that in rural places, having a rifle of a number of types can be very useful when you or your livestock are accosted by a band of coyotes, which happened to a neighbor where I am just this week.  They don't actually care about that.  The interesting thing to me was why some British people and some Australians are so vehemently opposed to firearms in a country that many of them have never visited. Their normalcy bias was so overdeveloped that they could not even fathom many of the circumstances that occur in many parts of the world on a regular basis.  Both England and Australia may also be experiencing upticks in terrorist attacks in the future so their opposition to guns is interesting. Their pacifist mindset may effectively prevent their fighting back in any way during a terrorist attack.

                Last week there was a group of pro Brexit people being blamed by others who wished to remain in the European Union.  The level of hatred being spewed was particularly unusual, especially for professionals.

              The interesting thing is that Linkedin is supposed to be a connection point for people of various professions in order to network.  One can find a publisher, find an agent, a headhunter who specialized in your profession. One can keep in touch with co-workers from today, or with co-workers and bosses from three jobs ago. One of my kids keeps in touch with former college professors. This can be an excellent tool.  I don't mind postings when someone is ill and needs prayers for a family member. I think it's sweet when someone posts a picture of their new baby twins.  I do think however that calling other Linkedin posters morons, or telling them they are racists when race hasn't even entered the conversation is counterproductive for all.

             Remember that Linkedin is simply a reflection of the world landscape. There are a lot of factors which impact our professional, economic and personal lives. Remember that although we all have commonalities that we all live in countries and regions that differ considerably.  I don't tell people in Australia how they should live, and they shouldn't tell me.

             As for the man who wished me Happy Eid this week, although I am not Muslim, I am choosing to take his wish in the spirit of brotherhood. However, I do plan to wish him a Merry Christmas later in the year.    Be kind out there.  There really is only one race.........the human one.