Current Events

From the Desk of John Rourke – January 23rd, 2017

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Madonna states she has been thinking of blowing up the White House. OK Secret Service – where are you?

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It is amazing the rumors and flat out insanity spewed by people that have no idea what they are talking about. My wife is a teacher and many of her co-workers are suggesting all kinds of things about Trump, healthcare, and education. Several said Trump is taking teachers assistants out of the classroom. Hmmm……Trump doesn’t have anything to do with such a thing. Several have made statements about how Trump is going to take away healthcare “benefits” they currently have. Again – that is not Trump himself but regardless no doubt changes are coming. Democrat’s and Republican’s alike have some very similar beliefs on fundamental characteristics of the modified healthcare system.

Regardless of who does what the line at the emergency room and local urgent care will likely remain extremely long.

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Worked for awhile over the weekend on my electronic preparedness library. Certainly time consuming but getting quite a bit together. Organizing is what takes the most time. Looking for a way to share with everyone when I get done.

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Looking at picking up a Windows 10 laptop from GearBest.com. This is a Chinese brand laptop that receives pretty good reviews from multiple sources. Under $200 isn’t bad. I’ve been using a Chromebook for the last 3-4 years and it serves me extremely well however a Windows-based laptop would come in handy ever so often. Right now I use my wife’s when necessary.

It’s interesting there are many popular brands over in Europe, Japan, and China that compete with common brands we recognize here in the states – but we have never heard of them.

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Picture of my bug out bag and custom Ruger 10/22.

There are many reasons why so many love their Kindle and Amazon Fire tablets. One huge advantage is you could literally go years without every buying a book to read as there are tons of free eBooks available. Don’t have a Kindle or Fire? No problem. There are apps that can be installed on most any cell phone or computer for free. No excuses!

Today’s Freebies

Gardening: A Complete Guide

Dirt Cheap SHTF Prepping

BUSHCRAFT: A Complete Beginners Guide

The Perseid Collapse – Book 1 – FICTION

Tactical Morse Code

NOTE: If you see a free Kindle book that your interested in get it now. Prices change often and there is no way to tell how long the book will remain free. Before purchasing a free Kindle book on Amazon make certain the book is still free by making sure the price is $0.00. If it lists a price or says “read for free” or has a price for prime members the book is not free anymore.

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12 Comments

  2. KT says:

    The laptop you are thinking of buying, maybe it’s the Lenovo that I believe used to be the IBM device that they offloaded to China. We would/will never buy a Chinese device due to the chance/probability of embedded malware/spyware, take your pick. They’ve been caught loading up stuff you don’t want. Unless you want them all up in your business. Also, someone needs to remove the Koolaid off the lunch trays of your wife’s co-workers. They’ve had way too much already. And yeah, Secret Service get yourselves over to Ms Madonna’s and give her a big reality check. Her ilk think they can get away with saying anything while anyone who’s not them can not.

    Reply
    1. JR says:

      KT – most all laptops are already made in China already. The one I am looking at is a MacBook pro lookalike. Your right about the “koolaid” – crazy.

      Reply
  3. jh says:

    I’ve been looking at those laptops/notebooks from gearbest also to replace the old laptop who’s screen has gone out and tossing a spare one into the faraday box. Currently using the tv via a vga cable to get on the web outside of using the amazon fire tablet to get online at home.
    Hey JR, did you see that the Phantom 3 and 4 line of drones are stopping production at the end of the month by the company that makes them? Nothing about a replacement.

    Reply
    1. JR says:

      jh – they are moving in new production drones thus the reason for discontinuing. I believe the Mavic Pro is the replacement for both lines. It certainly is in a different price range though it is expected the Phantom 3’s and 4’s will be in stock for some time to come.

      Reply
  5. Capt.Michael says:

    Chinese version?? (Shudder). Anything directly from China that could have embedded hacks is always a constant concern of mine. Especially, after they admitted to putting back doors on products. They are hard coding back doors into electronics so hard drive replacement or wipe does not clear it. The difference is quality control. Apple phones are made in China. The quality of the phone and control is extremely different to the other junk China produces. Just get a cheap android tablet or cheap laptop, and learn Linux. Linux is free and you can learn how to use/install it for free with just a couple of hours of your time.Wipe the hard drive, install Linux, and you’ve already reduced your target area for being attacked by %60 or greater.

    How would I know? Well besides I do this stuff for a living, can point out facts, and statistics. The average hacker attempting to get into a computer that knows Linux will not be wasting time on your Linux pc. They are after big targets. Secondly, probably the mere fact of mentioning Linux made you or other people frown. Linux is not standardized, (The familiar face of computers) for the average user, (Not counting Ubuntu, which is standardized) I remember the time when Google Chrome cast first came out. I quickly bought it for when it was $25, put Linux on it, and streamed whatever I wanted…for free. After all, isn’t being a prepper about learning to be able to take care of things yourself?

    For example…6 minutes and 44 seconds of your time to learn to install OpenSuse.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md6LZ7EWYUE

    Reply
  6. goingray58 says:

    Capt
    I’m an Ubuntu guy .. with VLC media player and Orca for movies and PDF’s. Then open office to read all the MS files… Amrok or Clementine for MP3’s and Qbit torrent (close outgoing upload ports BTW) for ummm.. Library enhancement .. finally calibre for ebook library management and conversion as well as transfer to Kindle and other devices .. IMHO
    Ditto on the hard code .. unless you can replace the firmware they gotcha if they wantcha including viewing through your camera.

    I absolutely cannot see where free speech (which is important) does not also carry responsibility for anything it genders… We’re supposed to listen, but you didn’t mean it ? uhhh no.. If it comes out of your mouth, you are responsible for what it does.. Just like a bullet out of a barrel.. among other things.. Keep it holstered if unwilling to support the results

    People lose their mind because it’s so open and thoughtless, it fell out and someone else is using it..
    I did read the Premier partners that funded the marches (kind of felt like after the elections) .. It was not a spontaneous .. nothing that large ever is.. The primary sponsors (money) were Planed Parenthood (no surprise there since they might lose their funding), and a Muslim backed NonProfit (no surprise there).. the remainder were fairly small and there were many.. hundreds.. which actually probably did have something to say .. crazy or not .. they deserve to say it I suppose. I don’t have to agree. Additionally I did see an article linking the same funding source of the election riots to the march as a money source… in about 50 different financial relationships (also not surprising).. SSDD.
    I’ll go out on a limb and say the feminist movement was (USED) to flame the fire of discontent… and had anywhere from confused muslim rhetoric to .. hate speech .. to Obscene costumes.. seemed like the circus n Rome 400 years ago without the blood and weapons.. glad for that at least… (the costumed characters in medieval times were call jesters.. also .. fools).

    I hope we survive it.
    GG58

    Reply
  7. joyce says:

    Mmmmmmm….just as suspected. For the average (below average for me,) not-technical individual, we don’t even perceive the tip of the iceberg when information is the currency. Thanks for going out on a limb as far as you have in your trying to keep this community in the know. (Must admit a bit of it is still Greek to me yet 🙁 )

    In observing the inauguration and the information “released” by most media during/since, i have been finding there are postings/YouTube videos that have mysteriously “unavailable” for one reason or another, especially those expressing the opposite view from the liberal stance. Equality is the mantra…but only if it falls on the “correct” side of the line. I just didn’t realize how severe the this was until the powers that (wanted) to be were surprised by the ambush they experienced on election day. (Something to be said for holding your cards close to your vest…sorta like going grey.) Going around the media…good choice Mr.T.

    Thanks for the listings of books JR…opens up doors i need to be knocking on. Oh, your 10/22 makes me want one…still/even more/will figure out how to make it happen….

    Reply
    1. goingray58 says:

      Joyce;
      There is no doubt both FB and Google are making one side of the argument more available than the other and silencing the former, as you said by making information unavailable .. selectively. Free service.. yeah .. so they can do what they want and we are free to not use it … which makes it even more slanted.,, getting mad .. I’ll stop
      GG58

      Reply
  8. Lightning says:

    Trump is a man of his word-did three big promised executive orders today !!!!
    \
    Here in upstate NY it is icing like we have never seen or heard before- 2 hours and counting.We are supposed to get 5-10 inches of snow and ice-so far just ice..
    We had a tree that was about to fall into our electric lines and we had called someone to take it down as it was over water and we couldnt reach it.Tree guy was
    supposed to come Wed but I KNEW it would fall sooner.I prayed hard that it somehow would miss the lines and our home- so did our daughter pray- YES it came down in the middle of last night and MISSED the power line and our home-by truly the GRACE OF GOD-JESUS..THE POWER OF PRAYER IS MIGHTY.
    This am we moved it off the driveway with out tractor -front end loader.Happy it went last night and not tonight with this ice storm.
    You folks are so knowledgeable re tech etc. I learn a lot and sometimes I am very lost but I enjoy every reply.
    How are others faring with this Northeaster storm? Lightning

    Reply
    1. joyce says:

      Lightning….thinking of you/yours as you are hunkered down in the weather-as i look at the radar, seems the precipitation is stalled out over your area…be safe when you need to go out. VERY relieved the tree issue is resolved for now…God IS good! Glad you are ready for what comes your way….

      Reply

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