Sunday, August 22, 2021

CWP, 22 August MMXXI Anno Domini

 Hi Sheepdogs,
 
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*****     *****     ***** Software *****     *****     *****
 
----- Basics -----
 
"Better to stay out of trouble than get out of trouble."
-- Tactical Professor (Claude Werner)
 
“If you are reading this and can’t put your hand on your defensive firearm,
all of your training is wasted.” -- Col. Jeff Cooper
 
----- Aftermath -----
(You have to be alive to have these problems:  criminal and civil liability.)
 
“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him,
but because he loves what is behind him.”
― G.K. Chesterton
 
"That's a thing Episode 8: Post-incident planning considerations" by John Murphy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOvHv78IKck
     If you get a good insurance policy, they will give you a list of attorneys
that you can call to get the ball rolling on your behalf.  Keep your mouth shut.  
Only speak to police to ask for your attorney to be present.  And then
KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!  
You can be completely justified and talk yourself into a homocide conviction,
if you talk, e.g. Michael Andrew Drejka.  Police declined to arrest him because
it was self defense.  The Sheriff declined to press charges becasue it was
self defense.  Then Drejka spends 2 hours talking to police without his attorney.  
The recording of his talk is played for the jury at his trial and he is convicted
of manslaughter.  Be smart.  Don't do this.  
     Everything you say will be used against you.  No matter what you say,
it will be twisted, taken out of context, and distorted to be used against you.  
Your only defense is DON'T TALK!  No matter what the other instructors tell you,
don't talk to anyone except your attorney.  Don't even talk to the police with
your attorney present.  Let your attorney give the police a written statement.  
DO NOT TALK TO ANYONE except your attorney.  
 
     Please check out the web page "Self Defense Insurance" by clicking
on the link in the column to the right.  
 
“Your understanding and consent are not required for someone to take
your life, kill your loved ones, and destroy all you hold dear.”
-- William Aprill
 
----- Mindset (figuring out the correct way to think) -----
 
Col. Greg Kitchens posted a note about Jim Cirillo and Cirillo's book.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158103009791464&set=a.10150238638021464
Click on "See More" to read the whole comment.  
Character counts.  
 
Awareness, Avoidance, De-Escalation, and Escape
 
Advice from Maj. Dick Winters (World War II U.S. Paratrooper) --
#1 - Strive to be a leader of character, competence, and courage.
#2 - Lead from the front. Say, “Follow me!” and then lead the way.
#3 - Stay in top physical shape. Physical stamina is the root of mental toughness.
#4 - Develop your team. If you know your people, are fair in setting realistic
goals and expectations, and lead by example, you will develop teamwork.
#5 - Delegate responsibility to your subordinates and let them do their jobs.
You can’t do a good job if you don’t have a chance to use your imagination
or your creativity.  [What he means is delegate authority to your subordinates
to do the job, and assume responsibility for the results of the job, the acts
of your subordinates. -- Jon Low]
#6 - Anticipate problems and prepare to overcome obstacles.
Don’t wait until you get to the top of the ridge to make up your mind.
#7 - Remain humble. Don’t worry about who receives the credit.
Never let power or authority go to your head.  [As Abraham Lincoln said,
to know a man's true character, give him power. -- Jon Low]
#8 - Take a moment of self-reflection. Look at yourself in the mirror
every night and ask yourself if you did your best.
#9 - True satisfaction comes from getting the job done.  
The key to a successful leader is to earn respect — not because of rank
or position, but because you are a leader of character.
#10 - Hang tough! — Never, ever give up.
 
"There are no victims, only volunteers.  
You volunteer by looking uncertain and afraid.  
You volunteer by being, as grass-eaters invariably are,
unprepared to confront the hazards of life."
—Jeff Cooper
 
What is situational awareness?
     Who is around you and what are they doing?  
Always be aware of who is around you and what they are doing.  
That is Situational Awareness.  
 
"It’s not about the odds, it’s about the stakes."
     The probability of you being attacked may be very low.  That does not matter.  
What you will lose, if you are not prepared, not aware, and don't act immediately
and decisively, is all that matters.  
 
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----- Safety -----
 
Jeff Cooper's Rules of Gun Safety  
RULE I: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED.  
RULE II: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY.
RULE III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET.
RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET.  
 
John Farnam's rules to keep you out of trouble:  
Don't go to stupid places.  
Don't do stupid things.  
Don't hang out with stupid people.  
Be in bed by 10 PM.  Your own bed.  
Don't look like a freak.
Don't fail the attitude test.  
 
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----- Training (figuring out the correct tasks to learn) -----
 
“The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.” – Lao Tzu
 
     You need training because:  
You don't know what you don't know.  
Much of what you know is false.  
It's good to the have the answers before the criminal tests you.  
-- Claude Werner (paraphrased)
 
"Skill Set: On/Off Button" by Tiger McKee
https://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/33518434-e86f-4832-8ee1-89169b77e093
 
"The real value of training and practice isn't gaining technical competence,
it's achieving confidence in your abilities."
-- Claude Werner
 
"Pre-Fight? What About Pre-Crime?" by Hock Hochheim
https://www.forcenecessary.com/pre-fight-what-about-pre-crime/
 
"How to Spot a Bad Guy-
A Comprehensive Look at Body Language and Pre-Assault Indicators"
by Greg Ellifritz
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/how-to-spot-a-bad-guy-a-comprehensive-look-at-body-language-and-pre-assault-indicators
 
“The secret of success is this.
Train like it means everything when it means nothing – so you can
fight like it means nothing when it means everything.”
-- Lofty Wiseman
 
     Staff, why do you write this newsletter?
     It's an exercise in steganography.
 
"Training is NOT an event, but a process.
Training is the preparation FOR practice".
-- Claude Werner
 
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----- Practice (how to get good at that task) -----
 
     Practice is the small deposits you make over time,
so that in an emergency, you can make that big withdrawal.
-- Chesley Burnett Sullenberger, III
 
"A Fresh Look at Pistol Qualifications" by Marlan Ingram
https://www.openrangesports.com/blogs/blog/a-fresh-look-at-pistol-qualifications/
 
Why practice?
    "To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment
when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and
offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique
to them and fitted to their talents.  What a tragedy if
that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that
which could have been their finest hour."
-- Winston Churchill
 
"Pistol Shooting Drills for Combat Marksmanship" by Andy Grossman
https://www.thearmorylife.com/pistol-shooting-drills-for-combat-marksmanship/
 
"Practicing Awareness – Part III" by tacticalprofessor (Claude Werner)
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2016/08/05/practicing-awareness-part-iii/
Unaware
Aware
Alert
Alarm
So, you don't have to ask, "What does condition orange mean?"
 
     "Be careful what you practice.
Because you will do in combat whatever you have practiced,
no matter how ridiculous."
-- "Shooting in Self-Defense" by Sara Ahrens
 
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----- Tactics (tasks that you should strive to be able to do) -----
 
How do you win a gunfight?
Don't be there.
-- John Farnam
 
     Move to cover.  
 
You win gunfights by not getting shot.
-- John Holschen
 
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----- Techniques (ways to do that task) -----
 
"Use only that which works,
and take it from any place you can find it."
-- Bruce Lee
 
Front Sight Reality Check #83
https://www.frontsight.com/fsrc83/patriot-tbd.asp
     This is important!  On many levels.  
 
"Security guard released from custody after killing a man at
a gas station in Cleveland’s Corlett neighborhood, police say"
By Olivia Mitchell, cleveland.com
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2021/08/security-guard-released-from-custody-after-killing-a-man-at-a-gas-station-in-clevelands-corlett-neighborhood-police-say.html
     "You may be carrying a gun, but that gun is community property.  
It belongs to whoever can control it and keep it in the fight.
Think about that before you decide to open carry." -- Greg Ellifritz
     The point is, even if you don't have a gun, even if the bad guy
doesn't have a gun, some moron may provide the gun to whoever can get
it first.  
     When I was a child playing football in school, I caught a pass and
a player from the opposing team pulled the ball out of my arms and ran
it back for a touchdown.  What he did was completely within the rules.  
I failed to hang on to the ball.  In a fight, there are no rules.  
You've got to be willing to gouge his eyes to take the gun from him.  
Otherwise, you've made the decision to lose.  
 
"Friends Don’t Let Friends Open Carry" by Greg Ellifritz
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/friends-dont-let-friends-open-carry
 
"​@Tetiana Gaidar learning UNIVERSAL DEFENSIVE TACTICS @Covered 6 & JARRET WALDMAN @Krav Maga Unyted"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kW70nBktSY
JARRET WALDMAN, instructor
Tetiana Gaidar, student
     Though I think a palm strike to the nose would be better than a
punch to the nose.  Punching is always problematic.
     Yes, elbows and knees when in close.  
     You see what happens when there is a little stress.  That's why you
have to practice with a person who is bigger, stronger, and quicker than
you.  "At full force, at full speed." as Ralph Mroz says, "That's the
only way to know if the technique works for you."  
 
"Fighting in the Clinch. Craig Douglas, Field Notes Ep. 45" by Craig Douglas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6tUG01vTiA
     Craig is the man.
     Craig is correct.  You must fire downward.  Otherwise, you will likely hit
your arm that is behind the bad guy.  Especially if you are using any of the
+P rounds such as the Hornaday Critical Duty +P.  My testing indicates that
they will pass through a human body front to back.  
 
"Every Reload in John Wick 1, 2 & 3 | Supercut"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jHS5vpnOMM
     I love the scene in John Wick 2 where three guys are racing to reload,
rather than using any hand-to-hand combat technique.  And of course,
John Wick wins the race and shoots the other two.  
     And the one handed chamber check.  So cool.  
     In Marine Corps boot camp, we were taught to tape our glasses up to our
foreheads so they won't fall off our faces.  May look goofy, but it works.  
As Bruce Lee said, use what ever works.  
 
"It's not daily increase but daily decrease - hack away at the inessentials!"
-- Bruce Lee
 
*************************************************************************
----- Education -----
 
"You will never get smarter or broaden your horizons
if you're unwilling to learn from others and read."
-- Becca Martin
 
"The Armory Life Presents
Volume 7: M1A
Digital Magazine"
https://www.thearmorylife.com/magazines/volume-7-m1a/
     The other issues of this digital magazine are available at
https://www.thearmorylife.com/magazines/
 
"Cogito, ergo armatum sum." (I think, therefore armed am I.)
-- John Farnam
 
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*****     *****     ***** Hardware (which includes you) *****     *****     *****
 
"I would like to see every
woman know how to handle
guns as naturally as they
know how to handle babies."
-- Annie Oakley
 
----- Gear -----
 
“Mission drives the gear train.”
-- Pat Rogers
 
     Earlier this evening, 17 August 2021, an FBI agent came to speak to us at
the Tennessee Firarms Associtaion meeting.  He showed us their SWAT gear and
explained what their SWAT team does and what their rules of engagement are.  
For pistols, they use the 9mm Glocks and use Hornaday Critical Duty ammo.  The
box specified for law enforcement only.  No one knew if there was any
difference between that ammo and the kind that you can buy on the open market
that is labeled Hornaday Critical Duty +P.  If you know, please let me know.  
(I mean know for real.)
 
"Minimalist Guide to EDC Flashlight Options" by Patrick McCarthy  
https://www.recoilweb.com/minimalist-guide-to-edc-flashlight-options-169917.html
 
"The Best Gun Manufacturers & Online Gun Stores" by Michael Crites
https://www.americanfirearms.org/manufacturers/

"How a Glock Works" by Matt Rittman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2RDitgCaD0
     A great narrated animation.   
 
"Rare Breed Trigger in my Suppressed Colt M16A1 Clone" by Whisper Tactical
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAKBZbdUc3A
     At 7:38 of 9:15 the narrator demonstrates why you must be very careful
with the Rare Breed Forced Reset trigger.  It's really easy to lose control
of the trigger and mag dump.  Especially when you get a malfunction, such
as the bolt getting caught on the magazine.  (Not getting the bolt caught
on a round that is stuck in the magazine, the bolt getting stuck on the
magazine.)
 
“Your car is not a holster.” -- Pat Rogers
 
"TOP 10 BEST TACTICAL BOOTS THAT LAST FOREVER"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SnGClcPcQQ
 
"TOP 10 BEST TACTICAL GLOVES ON AMAZON FOR MILITARY"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1t7y2mNqTw
 
----- Technical / Maintenance -----
 
"Real fights are short."
-- Bruce Lee
 
"Pistol Barrel Length And Velocity" by Brad Miller, Ph.D.
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2021/8/16/pistol-barrel-length-and-velocity
Excerpt:  
     "First, generally speaking, velocity will increase with barrel length,
but not always.  Sometimes a shorter barrel will produce higher speed than
the longer barrel.  [Probably because it's a tighter barrel, initially
slowing the bullet giving the powder more time to burn, resulting in more
pressure. -- Jon Low]
     Second, you can get significantly different speeds with barrels of the
same length.  Some barrels are slow or fast, depending on your perspective.
[What perspective?  Chronographs don't have a perspective. -- Jon Low]
     Third, temperature might affect barrel length performance due to some
powders’ temperature sensitive nature."
     [During WWII the Germans had an 88mm anti-tank gun with a tapered
barrel, got smaller toward the muzzle.  Just as a nozzle on a garden
hose, it greatly increased projectile speed.  But, anything that initially
delays the bullet will cause an increase in muzzle speed, because the
propellant has had more time to burn.  And is thus burning at higher
temperature and pressure, and is therefore burning more efficiently. -- Jon Low]
 
"The shorter the fight, the less hurt you get."
-- John Holschen
 
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*****     *****     ***** Instruction *****     *****     *****

Colonel Robert Lindsey to his fellow trainers:
"We are not God's gift to our students.
Our students are God's gift to us."
 
----- Instructors -----
 
Remember, the students who require the extra effort are the ones who need us the most!
-- John Farnam
 
     Be careful what you teach.  
Because your students will do in combat
whatever you have trained them to do,
no matter how ridiculous.
-- "Shooting in Self-Defense" by Sara Ahrens
 
----- Andragogy -----
 
     An instructor should not expect any learning to take
place the first time new information is presented.  
-- "Building Shooters" by Dustin Solomon
 
     "The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other.  
Without collaboration, our growth is limited to our own perspectives."  
-- Robert John Meehan
 
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*****     ***** Political (legal), Religious, and Philosophical *****     *****
 
“If man will not live by the ten commandments,
he will live by ten thousand commandments.”
-- G.K. Chesterton
 
     "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.
It is wholly inadequate for the governance of any other.
-- John Adams, October 11, 1798
 
"May a police officer stop an individual who is carrying a handgun in Tennessee?"  
by John Harris
https://tennesseefirearms.com/2021/08/may-a-police-officer-stop-an-individual-who-is-carrying-a-handgun-in-tennessee/
 
     "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State,
the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."  
-- Second Amendment, U.S. Constitution
 
"MORAL CONFUSION
SEXUAL CONFUSION
GENDER CONFUSION
AUTHOR OF CONFUSION SATAN"
-- Pastor Andy Patterson
 
     "Governments are instituted among men,
deriving their just power from the consent of the governed."
-- Thomas Jefferson
 
"China’s Three-child policy formally passed into law"
by OODA Analyst staff
https://www.oodaloop.com/briefs/2021/08/20/chinas-three-child-policy-formally-passed-into-law/
     The ChiComs take control of China and implement a one child per family
policy enforced by baby murder and forced sterilization.  In 2016, they
change the policy to two children per couple.  In 2021, they change the
policy to three children per couple.  And yet their birth rate does not rise.  
And nobody in their right mind immigrates to China (Except the North Koreans,
which tells you something about North Korea.)
Be scared.  Be very scared.  What is the historical consequence?  Conquest
and expansion to fill the ranks of their dwindling population and their
military in particular.  There is no point in conquering Japan, because
their population is plummeting.  For a myriad of social and economic reasons
the Japanese won't make babies.  The ChiComs have already lost a war with
Vietnam, so that option is out.  The Thai military presently runs the country
and is pretty strong, so that's not a good option.  Look at the map.  The
Chicoms have already conquered Tibet.  The life span in Nepal is so short
that if you or I went there, we'd be the oldest person in the country.  
The Chicoms already own all of the infrastructure in Nepal.  So, taking Nepal
doesn't require an invasion.  You see what's left?  
     Russia's population is also declining.  Leaders are not stupid.  They
know what a declining population means.  They know what they have to do to
prevent disaster due to and aging and declining population.  And they will.  
Why are the casinos (term used in Turkey and many Middle Eastern countries
for nightclubs) in Dubai flooded with Russian women?  Because the rate of
sterility of Russian men is sky high.  
     Propaganda (including the suppression of data) only goes so far.  You
can't change ghost towns and the inability to find workers or people at all.  
 
"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty.  
Suspect every one who approaches that jewel.  
Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force.  
Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined."
-- Patrick Henry, speech of June 5, 1788 A.D.
 
"You might be an extremist if . . ." by The Good Patriot
https://www.goodpatriot.com/so/08NiscLT4#/main
Excerpt:  
"...you enjoy celebrating Christmas.
...you don't think grandma's floral fabric mask protects you from a micro virus.
...or you want to recognize the 20th anniversary of September 11th.
You are one DANGEROUS American according to the White House!"
     Notice that Biden's Department of Homeland Security lists as
"Potential Terror Threats":
Opposition to Covid measures
Claims of election fraud
9/11 anniversary and religious holidays
 
"Militia, when properly formed, are in fact the people themselves . . .
And include all men capable of bearing arms."
-- Senator Richard Henry Lee, 1788, on "militia" in the 2nd Amendment
 
     “Is there no virtue among us?
If there is not, we are without hope!
No form of government, existing nor theoretical, will keep us from harm.
To think that any government, in any form,
will insure liberty and happiness for an dishonorable population
represents the height of self-deception.”
-- James Madison, 1788
 
*************************************************************************
*****     *****     ***** Survival, Medical, Security, and such *****     *****     *****
 
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Dr. Sherman House
 
"Defensive Use of Firearms" by Stephen P. Wenger, 2010. (I highly recommend.)
Excerpts:  
     "Until very recently, virtually all ammunition included lead-based
primers and bullets.  Manufacturers of ammunition with lead-free
primers usually advise using it only for training because its ignition
isn’t as dependable as that with the lead-based primers.  
Avoid eating, drinking, and, if you still persist in doing so, smoking
while shooting.  Wash your hands and the facial area around
the mouth between shooting and engaging in those activities.  Be
cautious about shooting on indoor ranges where you can’t feel a
constant flow of air on the back of your neck and where you see
accumulated lead dust on the floor.  
     Small amounts of lead are briefly vaporized when conventional
ammunition is discharged in a firearm.  This vapor quickly condenses
to fine particles.  If you must shoot in an environment where you feel
the need to use a respirator while shooting, you must use one rated
for lead mists.  While swallowing a large lead bullet probably won’t
produce a measurable increase in your blood lead level, the particles
produced in lead mists and when bullets impact on steel backstops
and targets are small enough to dissolve in stomach acid, allowing
the lead to get into the blood.  Repeated exposure of this sort will
eventually produce toxicity, affecting almost all organ systems of the
body.  Additionally, the lead will get incorporated into bone, allowing
the lead to persist longer in the body, even after you take steps to
limit exposure.  Take all reasonable steps to avoid tracking these tiny
particles into your home, where they will find their way into carpeting
and upholstery and continue to find their way into your body for
years to come.  Take similar precautions while cleaning firearms and
reloading ammunition.  I now use one of the water-based bore cleaners
for all but high-power rifles in order to reduce exposure to other
potentially toxic chemicals that can be inhaled from the more traditional
solvents."  
. . .
     "The point is that the autonomic nervous system is an extension of
the central nervous system, and the adrenal glands are merely amplifiers
of the SANS [Sympathetic Autonomic Nervous System, as opposed to the
Parasympathetic Autonomic Nervous System -- Jon Low].  The epinephrine,
or adrenaline, released by the adrenal glands doesn’t even get into the
brain.  This is because it is a polar substance, meaning it tends to
remain in the watery environment of the blood rather than moving to the
fatty environment of the brain.  Some people argue that epinephrine plays
a role in shunting blood to different areas of the brain, but it can’t do
so until after the brain has had time to activate the SANS, which in turn
has to stimulate the adrenals, which have to release the epinephrine,
which then has to travel through the bloodstream.  
     My argument is that when fright or stress interferes with our
ability to perform, it is the result of what happens in the brain,
not the release of epinephrine.  Thus, if we are successful in our
inoculation process, we can limit the degradation of our fighting
skills."
 
"HARDEN THE TARGET" by Roy Huntington
https://americanhandgunner.com/our-experts/harden-the-target/
 
"If you stay fit, you do not have to get fit.
If you stay trained, you do not have to get trained.
If you stay prepared, you do not have to get prepared."
-- Robert Margulies
 
*************************************************************************
*****     *****     ***** Miscellany / History / War Stories *****     *****     *****
 
"Good habits and skill beat luck every time."
-- Sheriff Jim Wilson
 
Rest in Peace Ronnie Dodd.
Rest in Peace Sean Hoffman.
 
"Cowardice!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/cowardice/
 
23 October 1983
Beirut, Lebanon:
Shiite militiamen (Iranian backed) detonated a truck bomb at the U.S. military
barracks near the Beirut airport, killing 241 marines.  Minutes later a second
bomb killed 58 French paratroopers in their barracks in West Beirut.  
     We never forget.  The hunt goes on.  
(We are human, we never forget.  We are not divine, we do not forgive.  
Besides neither of which is Marine Corps policy.)  Jesus commands us to
forgive.  So, we kill without anger.  As the mosquito on your arm.  
 
All kinds of neat stuff at:  
     Practical Eschatology by Docent
https://practicaleschatology.blogspot.com/
     The Tactical Professor by Claude Werner
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/
     Active Response Training by Gregg Ellifritz
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/
     Quips by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/quips/
     Rangemaster newsletter by Tom Givens
https://rangemaster.com/publications/rangemaster-newsletter/
     CIVILIAN DEFENDER by Sherman House
https://civiliandefender.com/
     Handgun Combatives by Dave Spaulding
https://www.youtube.com/c/handguncombatives/videos
     Marcus Wynne
https://marcuswynne.com/blog/
     Jeff Gonzales
https://www.tridentconcepts.com/evolved-training/blog/
     Michael Bane
https://www.michaelbane.tv/category/blog/
     Jerry Miculek - Pro Shooter
https://www.youtube.com/c/MiculekDotCom/videos
     OODA Loop
https://www.oodaloop.com/
     Active Self Protection YouTube.com channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsE_m2z1NrvF2ImeNWh84mw
     Michael Mann Security
https://michaelmannsecurityservices.com
YouTube.com channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxi2b2Q-RK0G3U1gLPE9Cmw
     Guardian News Podcast
https://guardian_news_podcast.buzzsprout.com/
 
     I you have loved ones stuck in Afghanistan -
     Marcus Wynne suggests,
"Unofficial Instructions"
https://www.alliedairlift21.com/
     Black Ice suggests,
"U.S. Embassy Kabul Repatriation Assistance Request 2021"
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=dFDPZv5a0UimkaErISH0S0jG7jCPVrpAs2b5YumFx6FUOUNBS0lPNFk1SjhEQzBRRDlXS0NXNFM1WCQlQCN0PWcu
"Smart Traveler Enrollment Program"
https://step.state.gov/
24 Hour Consular Emergency Line:
U.S. 1.888.407.4747
Outside the U.S. 1.202.501.4444
     When I was working at Marine Forces Pacific G-2 (G-2 is the
intelligence command) at Camp Smith in Hawaii, the staff NCO briefing
us on a mission told us to bring our own credit cards because we
might have to find our own way home.  (That was on the script.  Off
the record, he told us to bring gold coins.)  The brief for the guys
presently in Afghanistan included similar orders.  
I had a girlfriend when I was attending the University of Hawaii.  
She told me of her family's escape from Vietnam when the South fell.  
Her father used gold coins to buy their way out.  I'm sure your loved
ones have done the same.  Anticipate and act.  
     When my parents traveled, they carried ransom insurance and told
me about it, so that there would be someone back home to activate the
policy and get the ball rolling.  (My father did not trust me to launch
a rescue.)  Insurance companies are not like emotional relatives,
they don't pay the ransom and pray that the kidnappers will release the
hostages.  It's just business.  They ensure that they don't get scammed.  
And they never get scammed.  I'm sure your loved ones have a similar
insurance policy.  Find the insurance company.  
     The present POTUS and his appointed generals are not competent to
get our people out of Afghanistan.  (If they were competent, we would
not be in the present situation.)  Just as President Carter was not competent to
get our people out of Iran.  So, your best bet (and it is only a high
risk bet) is to hire a private firm to launch a rescue operation.  I
would suggest you approach the insurance company and explain to them
that a $500,000 rescue would be better than a $5,000,000 ransom payment.  
(Of course, if you are the beneficiary if the principals are lost, I'm
talking to the wrong person.)  
     Insurance companies that sell such policies have a list of companies
that they can call on to launch a rescue.  Make sure the insurance company
understands that you signing the documents, as executor of the estate,
is contingent upon a rescue mission, not a body extraction, not a recovery
of remains.  
     If the insurance company is lost in space, ask the insurance company
to contact Lockheed Martin Middle East Services.  (Sorry, but I have been
out so long that all of my contacts are long since dead or retired.)
LMMES will tell them that they are not in that business.  But, someone
might call them back.  Let the insurance company handle it, don't get
involved.  You are emotionally involved.  Your judgment is compromised.  
Don't get involved.  
     Remember, this is an intelligence driven mission.  There is no point
in doing anything until you know exactly where they will be and exactly
when they will be there.  You may have to set things up and wait for your
loved ones to contact you to give you that information.  God works on
His own time.  He can also do more than we can hope or imagine.  
 
     British English is different from American English.  
For instance, in British English, "decillion" means 10^60,
that is the digit "1" followed by 60 zeros in a base 10
number system (decimal number system).  In American English,
"decillion" means 10^33, one followed by 33 zeros.  So,
there are 27 orders of magnitude difference between the
languages.  
 
     The word hexadecimal (base 16 number system) is a mish mash
of Greek and Latin.  More correct would be sexadecimal (Latin)
or hexadeka (Greek).  
 
     I was moving my personal library and realized many of my books
are for dead languages:  Latin, Old English, Middle English, Ada,
Prolog, and such.  If you are a scholar of dead languages, let me
know.  My books are looking for a good home.  
 
“In the long-run, there is no such thing as ‘luck’.
However, the short-run is longer than many individual lifetimes!”
-- Anon
 
/* Random data from the HotBits radioactive random number generator */
unsigned char hotBits[55] = {
    89, 229, 1, 134, 95, 49, 158, 174, 218, 110, 137, 167, 166, 189, 143,
    60, 58, 211, 11, 68, 227, 82, 70, 45, 129, 199, 217, 86, 76, 187, 22,
    33, 36, 183, 51, 192, 78, 209, 228, 47, 242, 54, 195, 164, 135, 125,
    39, 9, 234, 55, 74, 159, 97, 11, 98
};  /* Random, not pseudo-random.  Unique, but not sui generis.
Because P = x^55 + x^32 + 1 (or something like that) is irreducible
over the finite field of characteristic 2, GF(2).  Which allows us to
create F[x](GF(2)) mod P.  The finite field defined by the ring of
polynomials in one variable, x, over the Galois Field of characteristic
2 modulo the polynomial P, which is a field because P is irreducible.  
So, this would be a good seed to such a pseudo-random number generator.  
    */
 
Semper Fidelis,
Jonathan D. Low
Jon_Low@yahoo.com
 

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