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  • Dear Diary, It’s Me, Jessica: Part 16

    Dear Diary, It’s Me, Jessica: Part 16

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    (Psst: The FTC wants me to remind you that this website contains affiliate links. That means if you make a purchase from a link you click on, I might receive a small commission. This does not increase the price you’ll pay for that item nor does it decrease the awesomeness of the item. ~ Daisy)

    Missed the other parts? Find them here:

    Dear Diary,

    It’s me, Jessica.

    Rae and I were attacked by two men.  

    We were crossing the grass courtyard in between the K-8th grade building and the 9-12th grade building when they came at us from behind.  We just heard them running up and began to run in opposite directions, but they tackled us to the ground.  I rolled on my right side to get out from under the man and stood up, but he came at me again before I could shoulder my rifle.  I used my rifle to keep him from grabbing me, but he tried to take it from me.  We struggled and fought for it, him pushing me several feet back.  I then planted my feet and pushed back.  His eyes were wild.  His hair was long, unkempt, and greasy.  Same as his beard.  His teeth were yellowed, a few were missing, and his breath stank of rot.  His face was very thin.  

    He growled at me.

    So, I kicked him in the stomach as hard as I could.  I heard the wind rush out of him as he doubled over, letting go of my rifle.  I did not hesitate and swung the butt of the rifle into the side of his head, sending him sprawling onto the tall grass.  He did not move.  I looked up to see the other man straddling on top of Rae on the other side of the courtyard, trying to choke her.  She was fighting back as hard as she could, but he had the advantage.  

    I was just starting to bring the butt of my rifle around to my shoulder when I saw a black blur out of the left side of my eyesight.  

    It was Sampson.  Jack brought the big dog with us on the trip to the town in search of school books.  

    He was at a full-out run.  Every time the huge German Shepard’s feet touched the ground, he took another stride.  He covered an impossible distance with each stride, seemingly flying across the ground.  He then launched himself at the man’s back, jaws first.  A hundred pounds of black fur, slammed into the man, throwing both of them clear of Rae.  The man was able to get out the start of a scream when it was cut off by Sampson biting down on the back of the man’s neck.  Even from the distance between me and them, I could hear a sharp crack of neck bones being crushed between Sampson’s jaws.  The man was already dead, but Sampson gave several violent thrashes back and forth of his massive head, breaking and grinding even more bones.  Satisfied the man was dead, Sampson released the man’s neck, and the body fell in a heap.  Samson gave out a huff, then shook himself from his head right down the length of the big dog.  He then turned and walked up to Rae.  Rae propped herself up on one arm, massaging her throat with her other hand.  

    Sampson began kissing her face.  

    I ran up to them.  Rae’s eyes were full of amusement, but she could only cough as Sampson licked her face over and over again.  I offered to help her up, but she waved me off as she took a moment to recover.  

    Jack and Billy ran up from around the corner, both of their rifles at the ready.

    Jack gave a once over of the situation, checking on the dead man laying on the ground, his head twisted at an impossible angle.  Sampson had stopped kissing Rae and sat down, watching Jack with intense, intelligent eyes.  Jack walked up to Samson, petted his head and said, “Good boy.”

    Sampson responded with a single tail wag.

    Jack offered his hand to Rae, and she took it, and he pulled her up.

    She coughed and said hoarsely, “I’m okay.  How did you know to come?”

    “Sampson.  He heard or sensed something and took off at a run.  Billy and I followed as fast as we could.”

    The man I kicked and butt-stroked stirred.

    Samson was instantly on all four feet, ears back, let out a growl, his fur on his back standing on end.  I did not think it was possible but the huge dog looked even bigger.

    “Easy, Sampson,” Jack said.  

    Sampson stopped growling but remained at what I could only call “at the ready” for a dog.

    The man sat up to find Jack, Billy, and I aiming our rifles at his head at point-blank range and Sampson to one side.

    Eyes wide and fearful, he began to blather.  Something about they had not eaten in days, not seen a woman in months, been on the run from some government agency, looking for his sister and her son, a blue Honda Civic that had something in the trunk called “the device,” that caused the power to go out and the city was chaos.  He began rocking forward and backward as he muttered more about “the device” and the chaos in the city.

    The man was clearly crazy.

    Dad and Mr. Miller then came out of the K-8th grade building.  I filled them in on what had happened.  

    Jack unslung his backpack, got out some beef jerky, bacon, and green onion biscuits, and offered them to the man. He grabbed them and stuffed them into his mouth, making mewling sounds as he ate. Jack nodded to Billy to keep a watch on the man and pulled us all out of hearing distance.  

    “He is crazy and dangerous, but I cannot shoot him for being crazy.  Him and his friend are victims of circumstance.”

    “What should we do,” Dad asked.

    Rae cleared her throat,

    “We all have enough in our packs to give him at least a few days’ worth of food.  Give it to him and we leave him be.  What he does is on him.  I do not want to bring him back to our home.”

    Everyone agreed.  

    Jack and Sampson watched the man as Dad, Mr. Miller, Billy, Rae, and I searched the 9-12th grade building.  We found advanced math books, biology, history, and English books to add to the books we found in the K-8th building.  We also found sports equipment and gear.  Mr. Miller’s flatbed seemed big until it was loaded with books from both buildings and sports gear.  Then, it was a crowded trip back home.  Sampson laid down between me and Rae on the flat bed.  Rae scratched him behind his ears.

    Diary, I am thankful Sampson was with us.  I might have to slip him a few extra treats under the dinner table when Jack is not looking.

    Entry two

    Rae and I approached the East defensive wall to Four Corners on horseback. Mr. Miller let us use the horses to make the trip. It was faster, and we carried extra books in the saddle bags for the children of Four Corners to start their own school.  

    Tom and Collins had already pulled back the gate. Tom, with a set of binoculars around his neck, saw us coming. Once again, he gave me a theatrical sweeping bow, announcing me as The Hero of the Battle of Four Corners, and even added an up-turned-hand salute at the end.  

    I think he enjoys embarrassing me.  I could not help but laugh.  He gave me a wink and a smile.  

    When Rae mentioned the books, Collins was very interested.  He asked to see the history books, being something of a history buff himself.  He said he had his own library, ranging from ancient Egypt, China dynasties, Russian Czars, Middle Eastern wars of all kinds, Genghis Khan, the Vikings, English and French nobility, Native American tribes from East to West coast, World War I and II, the Warsaw Rising of 1944 against the Nazis, and even more I cannot remember.  He thanked us and said he would meet with Sean, the mayor, and talk about starting a school.  Sean was pretty much the de facto mayor running the market, so it only made sense to formalize it with a vote.

    Rae mentioned the sporting gear and basketball, and Tom gave her a grin.  He played basketball in college.  Rae sized him up, noting he did not look like someone who could be a forward as he was under six feet, more like five-ten.  Apparently, he had a heck of a jump shot from the three-point line.  As Rae passed him by on her horse, she said, “Look forward to seeing you on the court.”

    Tom gave her one of his theatrical bows.

    We rode up to Sean, leaning on his log, strumming his banjo. Rae told him about the books we brought. I asked where I could find Savannah, and he nodded toward the South side. I wanted her to have a few of the biology, anatomy, and physiology books we found.  

    Foot traffic was dense, so much so that I had to dismount from the horse and lead her by the reins.  Several people called out to me as the Hero of the Battle of Four Corners.  I made it a point to shake their hands and give them a smile and thanks.  

    Savannah was looking a young girl over when I found her. Savannah saw me but gave a slight head shake to tell me to stay back. By the look in her eyes, things were not good.

    Savannah spent a few more minutes with the girl and her mother.  She gave them a mix of herbs and said to take them three times a day for the next several days.

    After they were gone,  Savannah looked at me and said,

    “I think she has strep.  Before the power went out, it would be no big deal.  A prescription from the pharmacy, filled in two days or less.  Now?  It may kill her.”

    “Joanna!”

    “Who is Joanna?”

    I then explained to Savannah about Joeanne’s respiratory infection. Jack and the team made the trip to the city to get antibiotics.  Joeanne might have some left.

    I pulled out the biology, anatomy, and physiology books from the saddle bags and handed them to Savannah.  Her eyes lit up as she flipped through the contents of the books.  I told her I would be back as fast as I could, and pulled the horse through the crowd.  The look on my face must have been serious as people in the crowd took one look and got out of my way.  I told Sean the situation and for him to tell Rae when he saw her as I stepped up into the saddle and put the horse in a fast walk for the East gate.  

    I did not want to exhaust the horse, so I alternated between an easy gallop and a fast walk.  It seemed to take forever, but the road to home quickly appeared, and I was pulling up to Joanna and Sam’s house.  They were on their front porch talking with Mom.  Looking at me and the horse, Mom asked if something was wrong.  I told them about the little girl with strep, and before I finished, Joanna was already walking into their house.  She came back out a few minutes later with two orange pill containers and handed them to me.  I thanked her, but before I could make the trip back to Four Corners, I wanted to water the horse and give her a few minutes to rest.  

    The return trip seemed to go faster. Tom and Collins had already moved the gate back, and I passed through at a gallop, giving them a wave.  I told them on my way out, I was on a ‘mission’ to bring antibiotics for the little girl.  Even at a gallop, I could see the concern in their eyes.  Tom did not give one of his theatrical bows or a salute.  As I approached Sean sitting on his log, Rae was with him with her horse.  I slowed to a walk, but Rae said,

    “Go!”

    I nodded, put the horse back into a fast walk, and turned toward the South side. Word had gotten out about my ‘mission’ for the little girl, and at the sight of me, everyone stepped aside, leaving the road clear. There was much applause as I passed, and a few cheered or whistled, but I was too preoccupied looking for Savannah to respond.  

    Savannah stood in the middle of the road with Daniel, the little girl, and her mother off to one side.  I reined the horse in, immediately pulled the orange pill containers out of the saddle bag, and handed them to Savannah’s outstretched hand.  She turned them over to read the label, and Daniel looked over her shoulder.  He said, “That one,” and began to explain to her the ‘why’ and ‘hows’ of the drug that went over my head in about a dozen words.  Savannah seemed to understand without any problem.  

    Daniel watched as Savannah knelt down to the little girl and instructed her to take the pills once a day for the next seven days.  The mother looked on and nodded. She understood, too.

    The mother, Daniel and Savannah all thanked me.  Others around us who looked on also gave their thanks.  

    Then someone shouted out, “All hail The Hero of Four Corners!”

    Some folks began applauding, others cheered, and more than a few whistled.  

    Diary, Tom, and his theatricals are going to be impossible after this.

    About 1stMarineJarHead

    1stMarineJarHead is not only a former Marine, but also a former EMT-B, Wilderness EMT (courtesy of NOLS), and volunteer firefighter.

    He currently resides in the great white (i.e. snowy) Northeast with his wife and dogs. He raises chickens, rabbits, goats, occasionally hogs, cows and sometimes ducks. He grows various veggies and has a weird fondness for rutabagas. He enjoys reading, writing, cooking from scratch, making charcuterie, target shooting, and is currently expanding his woodworking skills.

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  • Google Faces Lawsuit After $5M in Crypto Stolen via Play Store App

    Google Faces Lawsuit After $5M in Crypto Stolen via Play Store App

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    Google Faces Lawsuit After $5M in Crypto Stolen via Play Store AppA Florida woman, Maria Vaca, has sued Google in a California state court, alleging that a cryptocurrency wallet app she downloaded from the Google Play Store was malicious and resulted in the theft of $5 million in cryptocurrency. Vaca claims the app, Yobit Pro, exploited Google’s marketing that portrayed the Play Store as a secure […]

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  • All About Water Purification: A Complete Tutorial

    All About Water Purification: A Complete Tutorial

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    You may need to purify water to make it safe to drink. The process isn’t complicated, but you should know exactly what to do and have the right supplies on hand. Here’s a complete tutorial to help you prepare.

    Photo by Manny Moreno on Unsplash

    Some of the links in this post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases without any increase in price to you.


     

    Having water on hand is crucial for survival, but knowing how to safely store, treat, filter, and purify water is equally important. Consuming contaminated water can lead to severe illness, which can quickly become life-threatening in emergency situations. If you have water stored, you may be certain it is safe to drink, however, you’ll to filter and purify water from other sources, such as ponds or springs, or to double-check the safety of your stored supply. Understanding how to safely treat water is vital to staying healthy and alive in any situation.

    Treating stored water

    Water bottles and water stored from a safe drinking supply (tap water from a municipal plant) should be fine to drink. Other stored water, such as from a well or from another method for collecting rainwater in rural areas, needs to be treated.

    You should keep some unscented bleach on hand for emergencies, but be aware that bleach does have a fairly short shelf life. It starts to break down after six months and needs to be replaced every 12-16 months. Rotate your bleach bottles frequently to ensure you have effective bleach on hand.

    The Survival Mom recommends using 1/8 teaspoon of bleach with no additives per gallon if the water is clear.

    Filtering and Purifying

    Making water potable requires two steps: filtering and purifying. Filtering removes bits of things, like sand and bugs. It removes big particles, not microscopic ones like bacteria. Purifying removes or kills germs and bacteria, although some methods are more effective than others.

    Filtering first and then purifying is the best practice for drinking water, partly because it extends the life of your purifier and partly because some purification methods (such as boiling) do absolutely nothing to filter out debris.

    Filtering water

    Tap water can become contaminated even in non-emergency situations like a drought, but it’s more common in an emergency. In a non-emergency, you will almost certainly find out either from news stories or when you receive a phone call notifying you to boil your water to make it potable. (Potable water can be safely consumed.) In a true emergency, treating your water source as likely contaminated until proven otherwise is safest.

    You may have to seek water sources inside your home, like the water heater, or outside the home, like a pond or stream. Water from sources that aren’t guaranteed to be safe should be filtered first and then purified. Filtering removes big impurities like leaves, dirt, insects, and sticks. Towels, screens, and coffee filters can be used to filter water. Another way to do it if you don’t have those items on hand is to improvise a water filter that lets the water flow through layers of rocks, sand, and charcoal to filter out debris.

    Sometimes, commercial “filters” are actually purifiers. It is important to do both steps (filter and then purify), so make sure you look closely at what the product actually does because you need both. If it is a purifier, then you need to add a filter – unless you enjoy spider legs and leaves in your drinks.

    Purifying water

    Once water is filtered, there are several ways to purify it. You can boil it, add bleach, use calcium hypochlorite, use UV light, add water purification tablets, or use a commercial device.

    Boil

    Boiling water can be a great way to purify water, but it does have a couple of downsides. First, it can concentrate any chemical contaminants in the water. As water evaporates as steam, it will leave behind liquid water that may contain a more concentrated level of certain contaminants.

    Another downside is that it requires fuel and time for the water to come to a full boil. If either is in short supply, boiling won’t be your best bet.

    Otherwise, you want to heat the water to 149 degrees for 1 minute to pasteurize it. Pasteurization actually occurs at a lower temperature than boiling, but you’ll need either a thermometer to verify the water temperature or a WAPI, Water Pasteurization Indicator. Read a review of the WAPI here. This inexpensive device is a handy addition to any emergency kit.

    Bleach

    Adding bleach to water can also treat it for some pathogens. The American Red Cross actually recommends boiling and using bleach. If you want to add bleach to boiled water, make sure it has been cooled down first. Once bleach has been added and allowed to sit for at least 30 minutes, the water should have a slight chlorine smell. If you do not smell a bit of chlorine, add another drop or two.

    Bleach Reference Chart

    Water Amount Cloudy Water Clear Water
    1 quart 4 drops bleach 2 drops bleach
    1 gallon 16 drops 8 drops
    5 gallons 1 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon
    55 gallons 4 tablespoons 2 tablespoons

    Since bleach has a shelf life and begins to lose its effectiveness after just a few months, write the purchase date on the bleach bottle using a black Sharpie. This will be a reminder each time you see that bottle that you need to start using it and replace it with a new bottle about 6 or 7 months following the purchase date.

    Next, with that same Sharpie, write, “8 drops per gallon water, 16 drops cloudy water,” on the bottle. With this information right in front of you, you won’t be rummaging around looking for these amounts in an emergency.

    Finally, duct tape an eyedropper to the side of the bleach bottle. These are very inexpensive online and can be found in drug stores and, usually, in the over-the-counter medicine aisle in the grocery store.

    A handy eyedropper will make sure that you’re using the correct amount of bleach, and you won’t have to resort to using an eyedropper from another medication.

    Other Methods for Purifying

    Calcium Hypochlorite aka Pool Shock

    Calcium hypochlorite has a longer shelf life than bleach but is also trickier to use for purifying water. You can often find it labeled as pool shock, but make certain it doesn’t have any extra additives. (It needs to be safe to purify water for drinking, not just for swimming in.) The Survival Mom recommends Cal-Shock 65.

    You can read in-depth about pool shock here. When using pool shock, you make a solution of homemade bleach with a teaspoon of pool shock and 2 gallons of water. (A pool test kit comes in handy to make sure the right amount is added.) To purify water with the homemade bleach solution, add 1 ¼ teaspoon to 1 gallon of water.

    UV Light

    UV light can purify water. The battery-powered SteriPen uses UV light to purify small amounts of water. There is also a hand-crank version of the Steripen. Hospitals use UV light for water purification, so this device is reliable when used according to the instructions.

    Water Purification Tablets

    Another option for purifying water is the use of water purification tablets. These are good short-term methods since they contain iodine. They are a good addition to a vehicle or bug-out bag since they are small and lightweight. However, iodine should not be used for more than six weeks and not by pregnant women. As with boiling, it is effective against many pathogens, but not with chemical pollutants.

    Purifier of Water Packets

    Team Survival Mom is in favor of the P&G Purifier of Water packets. They are pre-measured, super-easy to store, and simple to use.

    Commercial Water Purification Devices

    There are also many commercial water purification devices that you can have on hand. There is LifeStraw, Katadyn, Berkey, and many others. They can easily be added to any bug-out bag or vehicle. Some can be used for large quantities of water, while others are designed for one person.

    Well Considerations

    If you have a well for water, it should be tested regularly, especially if you haven’t used it for several weeks, if new equipment has been installed, if there has been flooding or an earthquake, or if it smells, looks, or tastes funny.

    If you have a new well pump installed, the hoses that actually go into the well – in your water – will be lying on the ground before being put down into the well. This means they will potentially be covered in who knows what from the ground. It is extremely important to have a professional (the ones installing your well) treat the water with high chlorine doses to kill germs and bacteria.

    Your water will not be potable until the chlorine level goes down, so be prepared to use bottled water for drinking. Keep enough bottled water on hand, both in small and large containers, for any time that your well water might become contaminated or your well pump stops functioning.

    When a new pump is installed, well water should be tested again after two weeks to ensure it is bacteria-free and safe to drink. Depending on the filters in your home, you may be able to drink it sooner. Our home has a sediment filter, a whole-house UV filter, and a reverse osmosis filter for our primary drinking water. We were able to drink the water after the chlorine smell went down (two or three days) but still needed to be certain the water was safe just in case our UV filter failed.

    Wells can be a great source of water in an emergency, but you need to have a way to get the water up when the power is out. Consider getting a backup system that uses a generator, solar power, or a hand pump. Well pumps actually use quite a bit of power, so check your requirements and the generator capacity carefully.

    Whole House UV Filters

    Very few people have whole-house UV filters, but they do add peace of mind for a few hundred dollars. There is no denying it’s an expense, but it kills micro-organisms that filters don’t affect. Three filters may sound like overkill, but once when an earthquake caused our neighbors’ well water to become brown and undrinkable, our multiple filters left us unaware of the problem until we heard them talking about it. It is worth being certain.

    Swimming Pool Water

    If you have a swimming pool, you may think you have a great source of emergency water, and you do – for anything other than drinking or cooking. Pool water may contain chemicals that act as a laxative and can be toxic over a long period of time. Chlorine-resistant bacteria can be in the water from the bodies of people who have swum in the pool.

    Believe it or not, I struggled to find experts who could answer my questions about safety issues and drinking pool water. Even National Terror Alert.com gave a confusing answer:

    You should always view your pool as “backup” water; keep it treated; you never know when it will be needed! The maintenance of the free chlorine residual will prevent the establishment of any microorganisms. The maintenance level should be kept about 3-5ppm free of chlorine.  If other stored water stocks are unavailable, remove the necessary pool water and boil it or treat it with chlorine to the normal 5ppm. It is best to err on the side of caution.

    National Terror Alert.com

    Robin Bain from the City of Peoria (Arizona) water department provided some good insight into pool water safety for drinking. She informed me that when water leaves the treatment plant, it contains between 1 and 1.5 mg chlorine residual per liter. The chlorine residual is in a form that can continue disinfecting the water as it passes through the pipes on its journey to your home. Chlorine is necessary to kill any type of pathogens that may exist in the pipes.

    She explained, stating that chlorine dissipates very quickly in the sunlight and is consumed by its reaction with the air and sunlight. Additional chlorine is added to pool water to keep algae away and sanitize the water from any germs or other yucky things tracked in by people. She informed me that the chlorine wasn’t the problem.  

    The problem is the stabilizer added to pool chlorine. This stabilizer keeps the chlorine from evaporating as quickly, but the stabilizer never evaporates. The only way to reduce the amount of stabilizer in your pool water is to drain the pool, partially or completely, and refill it with fresh water.

    4 Reasons to NOT Consume Pool Water

    Alan Martindale, Water Quality Supervisor for the City of Mesa (Arizona), says there are four very important reasons not to consume swimming pool water, other than a gulp or two accidentally when your toddler splashes it in your face.

    1. High total dissolved solids (mineral content such as chlorides, sulfates, calcium, and magnesium) can cause a laxative effect, not a good problem to have in an emergency!
    2. Treatment chemicals are not safe for long-term ingestion.  Pool chlorine is often stabilized with cyanuric acid, a derivative of cyanide.
    3. Chlorine-resistant critters such as Giardia and Crypto (typically from pets)
    4. Portability: many emergencies could require mobility, and can’t move pool water very easily

    Additionally, a power outage will shut down your pool’s pump and filtration system, causing algae and other microbes to grow within a few days.

    So, what is pool water good for besides swimming? It’s useful for bathing, flushing toilets, and perhaps doing laundry. This is very good news for pool owners since it means you only need to worry about storing water for drinking and cooking purposes. In an emergency, all that pool water will definitely not go to waste!

    Pool water is also a type of water that shouldn’t be purified by boiling, as it will increase the concentration of the chemicals and minerals it contains. If there is no power for the pool’s pump and filter system, it could start to become a breeding ground for insects and algae. Having pool test kits on hand can help you know if the chlorine levels are set right to prevent mosquitoes. The water can be used for laundry, flushing toilets, and washing animals.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Why is water purification important?

    Contaminated water can lead to severe illness, which can be life-threatening in emergencies. Even stored water may need treatment.

    What are the steps involved in water treatment?

    There are two main steps: filtering and purifying. Filtering removes large particles like dirt and debris, while purifying removes or kills germs and bacteria.

    What about well water?

    Test your well water regularly, especially after heavy rain, earthquakes, or if it smells or tastes off. Consider a backup system for pumping water in case of power outages.

    Can I drink pool water?

    While there is conflicting information, it is best to be cautious and consider pool water to not be safe for drinking due to high mineral content, treatment chemicals, and potential for bacteria growth. It’s better for bathing, flushing toilets, or laundry.

     

    Final Thoughts

    Access to clean water is essential for survival, but knowing how to ensure its safety is equally critical. By understanding water purification methods and being prepared with the necessary tools, you can significantly increase your chances of staying healthy and alive in an emergency. Remember, when in doubt, always purify your water.

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  • Protocol Village: Quai Releases Mainnet-Compatible Devnet, Crunch Lab Raises $3.5M

    Protocol Village: Quai Releases Mainnet-Compatible Devnet, Crunch Lab Raises $3.5M

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    The latest in blockchain tech upgrades, funding announcements and deals. For the period of Aug. 15-21, 2024.

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  • The Grim New Daily Life in Venezuela

    The Grim New Daily Life in Venezuela

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    (Psst: The FTC wants me to remind you that this website contains affiliate links. That means if you make a purchase from a link you click on, I might receive a small commission. This does not increase the price you’ll pay for that item nor does it decrease the awesomeness of the item. ~ Daisy)

    Hello, dear readers.

    All the happenings in the last events have been so twisted that it is not easy to even write about them.

    I hope you understand. It has been such a bizarre experience that I honestly didn’t know where to start.

    For safety reasons, I will write exclusively about how we are enduring this unbelievable experience.

    The circumstances surrounding us are more than known for most of us. I hope some new readers have joined, and there is more than enough information available in the links at the end of the article so they can have a certain context.

    This being said, let’s begin.

    The Reality

    The disruption of regular life as we know it is not the “political” kind of one. It’s not exactly a “crisis“. It is a situation that could potentially lead to doors being knocked down in a house-by-house killing spree, just like what is happening in Bangladesh.

    A coup de tat.

    It’s the imposition of a narrative, at gunpoint. In other states, some isolated cases have happened, but most of the turmoil and the severe consequences are in the larger cities.

    The possibility of starting on solid ground with my engraved portraits and signs business is now a fantasy until new notice. Just like when it happened in 2014 when I wanted to start over, the tremendous hyperinflation wiped out all possibilities of it taking off.

    I am starting to wonder what kind of curse is behind me. It can’t be possible that every time I try to make a business work, our environment crumbles around us…twice in a row.

    I thought some time ago that my finances couldn’t ever go that bad again. I was wrong. Now I’m seeing a rock-solid bottom coming fast.  And there is no safety net this time.

    How am I holding up?

    Barely. The economy was not that good, especially in the oil sector jobs, but this is incredible.

    How people can afford to eat out at a restaurant is a real mystery to me. I wonder how some are visiting coffee shops and bakeries as if everything is normal.

    Guys in expensive sports footwear are driving their luxury Japanese SUVs looking down at my worn-out jeans, T-shirt, and national-made boots. These are the people who make me think the money laundering business is way more widespread than we would think. Honest, wealthy people are more humble. Or, at least, they are more discreet.

    Worse than 2017

    Not many. This is so much worse than 2017. There are no oil and gas facilities maintenance contracts. Working in oilfields nowadays under the current conditions, with everybody trying to get money out of everything, exhibits some additional hazards to the already extensive list.

    There is an enormous risk of being stopped by a patrol and getting searched and planted or accused of “strategic material smuggling.” Whatever they want to say that material is.

    It has happened, so extra precautions are needed.

    One day at a time

    Meanwhile, we await in our little corner for things to clear up, with the Internet as our only tethered connection to the world for entertainment, personal communication, and information gathering.

    This is looking more and more like those bizarre post-apocalyptic video games. Sure, after 2020, anything looks possible. These are “interesting times,” like the old Chinese curse.

    For those wondering, I have rationed my calorie intake as much as I can without feeling weakened. My child can eat whatever they want. Until we can get some beef again, proteins are mostly pork chops (more expensive), chicken, eggs, and cheese. Fish is not so cheap as we’re away from the sea, and my attempts to cook salty fish have been slightly disappointing. It always remains bitter even after soaking in the fridge from the day before. However, mixing it with ripe plantains seems a good combination with rice and some beans to provide more filling. The sweetness of the ripe fruit is a good counterpart with the stronger fish taste.

    I want to emphasize the following aspects.

    Good-tasting food is important when you’re under a mental stress situation, far more important than what one would believe.

    I can see it because no matter how, my child will be in a good mood after a tasty meal and start making plans for “when all this is finally over”.

    Like places my child wants to visit (Colonia Tovar) and beaches we haven’t discovered yet.

    This is why in offshore rigs and other similar facilities, like camps in the middle of nowhere (according to what some people in the foreign military say, also) the food is usually quite good. I know that most of the oil companies provide great catering.

    Take note of this. Properly fed, your choices will be easier.

    The modus operandi of the repression teams

    They act in large packs, faces covered, and mostly in the dark.

    Most of the targets in the capital and major cities follow a pattern. Mind you I’m a fan of patterns, you already know that. And this is as follows: it’s not like they’re particularly interested in getting their paws on a Mr. Nobody. They want middle-weight fighters of what they call the “Ultra-Right Wing” Parties.

    Some analysts say the kidnapped people will be used as bargain chips in the negotiations. How this will result for them is indeed unknown. The youngsters they’ve kept after the turmoil are just a part of the psyops to inspire terror in the general population.

    However, word in the streets is that this is generating the contrary effect. The thirst for justice is increasing silently in the heart of every Venezuelan and is stronger than ever.

    Once a task force team under your command disappears someone, wiping him/her off the face of the Earth, and without the assistance of a lawyer, it’s automatically a crime. 

    Ways To Stay Safe

    What we’re doing (my family and some friends) is using concealing methods to avoid being targeted. That includes zero social media exposure, and staying in the shadows until the dust settles.

    Many youngsters allowed their rage to take them down the wrong path, and the beast got them.

    We’re not Ukrainians and never had such problems since the middle of the XIX Century, other than the 1958 coup de tat, which resulted in a truly wonderful era.

    The organization of a real resistance is probably the best course of action by now, but this is unlikely. The migration of traumatized Italians, Portuguese, and Spanish survivors of WW2 who ran scared at the first shot, added to a total lack of responsibilities for those too happy with the triggers of the State weaponry, resulted in a big deal of damage in the collective dynamics as a response to this.

    Mind you, the main ones responsible (they stay in the shadows in the fortified center of Caracas) are a very dangerous organization whose extension is unknown to the general public,. They have ties and deep connections to other ones operating in countries like Mexico. They seem to have a lot of medals BTW. That’s why Lopez Obrador, the Mexican president has been so incredibly shameless when dealing with the whole single fact that unleashed these events: declaring the loser candidate (illegal candidate because he should have passed down the Presidential position and figure) as a “winner”.

    Effects of the instability

    There is no beef in the butcheries nearby except for the most distantbutcher shops. (I had to walk a lot to get there)

    Food prices increased in the Western cities.

    Fear of the people is tremendous when dealing with armed (unidentified) corps in the streets.

    The economy is taking a toll. Nobody is hiring, and projects are at full stop.

    The only merchandise sales operating seem to be bakeries, supermarkets and other basic goods.

    A city council has broadcast that “their bank accounts were hacked and emptied,” adding fuel to the already-burning fire.

    Utilities still unaffected

    Power grid running…

    Water grid active…

    Communications…

    Gasoline supply steady (we have a small car, and keep it full)…

    This is in a city with a population of 500K, give or take. A million, maybe, in the entire state.

    We are not in the best shape. After receiving hit after hit, the last ten years have been a storm of nasty material. This event and its consequences, however, are the outcome of a very long process.

    The way I see it now, the only alternative to live decently without any job, trade, or a similar income means, seems to have some chickens, goats, porks, poultry, whatever…and produce your own food. With all the hard labor and problems this can bring along by itself, ranging from gangs asking for products in exchange for “protection” (if it happens in New York…) to plain neighbors stealing at night.

    Talking about stories…it seems there is a lot more that was swept under the rug.

    Links:

    https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/video/manifestantes-venezuela-operacion-tuntun-perspectivas-mexico-tv/

    https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2024/08/venezuelas-berlin-wall-moment/679399/

    https://edition.cnn.com/2024/08/09/tech/maduro-musk-x-twitter-ban-intl/index.html

    There is more and more evidence that they are attempting a coup de tat and it’s not working.

    https://edition.cnn.com/2024/08/09/americas/venezuela-election-results-experts-improbability-intl-latam/index.html

    https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/andres-oppenheimer/article290812789.html

    And finally

    https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/08/venezuela-crimes-demand-urgent-action-icc-prosecutor/

    This ICC “prosecutor” hasn’t even shown in the whole mess. His boss should suspend him without any pay and start a thorough investigation to see why he’s so quiet. He jumped to Netanyahu’s throat the next day after the Prime Minister went full Thanos over Gaza, but hasn’t said a thing about us.

    Maybe you would like to write him or reach him in his social media perhaps?

    Thanks for your support, people!

    For those willing to send some sponsoring, it will be very welcomed.

    Things are going to be bad these next few weeks.

    See you soon!

    About Jose

    Jose is an upper middle class professional. He is a former worker of the oil state company with a Bachelor’s degree from one of the best national Universities. He has an old but in good shape SUV, a good 150 square meters house in a nice neighborhood, in a small but (formerly) prosperous city with two middle size malls. Jose is a prepper and shares his eyewitness accounts and survival stories from the collapse of his beloved Venezuela. Jose and his younger kid are currently back in Venezuela, after the intention of setting up a new life in another country didn’t  go well. The SARSCOV2 re-shaped the labor market and South American economy so he decided to give it a try to homestead in the mountains, and make a living as best as possible. But this time in his own land, and surrounded by family, friends and acquaintances, with all the gear and equipment collected, as the initial plan was.

     Follow Jose on YouTube and gain access to his exclusive content on PatreonDonations: paypal.me/JoseM151

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  • World’s 3rd largest public pension fund buys $34M MicroStrategy shares

    World’s 3rd largest public pension fund buys $34M MicroStrategy shares

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    The third-largest public pension fund in the world has just bought nearly $34 million worth of shares in MicroStrategy, a Bitcoin-buying business intelligence firm.

    South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) purchased 24,500 MicroStrategy shares for a price of $33.75 million, an Aug. 13 filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission shows.

    The National Pension Service is South Korea’s public pension and the country’s largest investor, with over $777 billion (1 trillion won) in total assets at the end of February.

    The filing, which details its investments for the quarter ended June 30, shows it still holds an over $51 million stake in Coinbase, holding 229,807 shares of the crypto exchange.

    It also has $31.5 million invested into Roblox and $61.5 million worth of Jack Dorsey’s Block, Inc.

    Thinking Ahead Institute’s annual Global Pension Assets Study shows that Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund is the world’s largest pension fund, with nearly $1.5 trillion in total assets as of 2023. Next is the Government Pension Fund of Norway, with just over $1.3 trillion. 

    Related: 4 years in, MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin gamble beats Warren Buffett’s warning

    Meanwhile, MicroStrategy (MSTR) has seen a 92.5% gain so far this year and has climbed above $150 for the first time in over 24 years, according to Google Finance.

    MicroStrategy’s stock price has nearly doubled so far this year. Source: Google Finance

    The company has been buying Bitcoin (BTC) since August 2020, and its earnings report earlier this month shows it purchased an additional 12,222 Bitcoin for $805 million in the second quarter of 2024.

    MicroStrategy’s latest Bitcoin buy brought its total holdings to 226,500 BTC, which is worth around $13.19 billion at Bitcoin’s current price.

    It makes MicroStrategy the public company with the largest Bitcoin holdings, with around 13 times more Bitcoin than the world’s largest Bitcoin miner Marathon Digital, according to CoinGecko.

    Others, too, think MicroStrategy is a good bet, with exchange-traded fund (ETF) issuer Defiance ETFs launching a United States-based fund that targets a 175% long daily exposure to MicroStrategy.

    Asia Express: Low users, sex predators kill Korean metaverses, 3AC sues Terra