The Sad Truth About Preventable Disasters

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Reading this article about the Usoi dam in Tajikistan is very sobering, and makes me feel blessed that I don’t live in that valley. Because the dam wasn’t mad-made, and the area is earthquake-prone, the risk is huge and disaster could occur tomorrow:

So how and why will this dam collapse? Take your pick. The most probable and obvious trigger is an earthquake — not unlike the massive temblor that created the dam and the lake in the first place. Were the dam to break, it could trigger another deadly landslide, but that wouldn’t be the worst of it. The lake’s water could cannon out in a 100-foot-high wave, coursing down established waterways and affecting as many as 5 million people, not only in Tajikistan but also in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

https://www.ozy.com/acumen/this-dam-could-cause-the-worlds-worst-natural-disaster-and-impact-5-million/88749

Yet nothing is being done. Tajikistan is a poor country, so that is one factor. But the main reason is that politicians do not spend money preventing disasters that might happen.  Such precautions are expensive and they take a gamble that the disaster won’t happen on their watch. This is an issue everywhere. Hurricane Katrina is a famous example – they only took action after the disaster, the disaster they knew would happen some day.

The solution – a United Nations fund for disaster prevention. Perhaps billionaires could help, but it has the same lack of appeal that stops politicians. Eradicating malaria has measurable, reasonably immediate, high fiving results. This probably doesn’t. Dam didn’t collapse in earthquake? Well maybe it wasn’t going to any way?

I would like to see:

  • Assessments of deforested land susceptible to land-slides
  • Assessments of dams above large populations
  • Rapid evacuation plans for cities near volcanoes
  • Resettlement plans for potential disasters
  • Local storage of food, water and shelter for emergencies
  • Shelters built in hurricane / typhoon plagued locations
  • Rapid military deployment to disaster zones

 

Lunar Cycles and Volcanoes

 

From New Scientist a few months ago:

Philosophers as far back as Pliny the Elder have speculated that the moon’s movements across the sky might also be responsible for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Statisticians fought over the significance of the connection in the 19th century, and geophysicists of the 1970s and 80s kept the claim alive until lack of evidence finally pushed it out of the mainstream.

In the immediate build-up to a phreatic eruption, hundreds of thousands of tonnes of steam get trapped in chambers below the volcano itself. And just as lakes are capable of displaying full-blown tides while your bathtub is not, this vast body of gas becomes uniquely sensitive to the moon’s pull.

https://www.sott.net/article/384749-How-the-moon-affects-volcanoes

This made news because they have had a go at explaining why.

Many years ago I emailed 25 scientists with statistical evidence linking lunar eclipses to the biggest earthquakes. I gave them the spreadsheet, the numbers were definitely correct. Three replied, and they basically said no scientist will touch it unless they can explain it.

And it had no predictive use either, I don’t have the skills to look at locations of quakes relative to the gravitational pulls of the sun and moon. So it is just a curiosity.

EMP Attack – There’s no preparation

There are no plans to prevent an EMP attack specifically, because it would be treated the same as any nuclear warhead fired at the USA.

This is a joke:

Power companies have made a few moves to protect against electromagnetic interference. Some grid operators and transmission infrastructure owners are putting in place so-called Faraday enclosures, shields of conductive material used to protect electronic equipment and facilities. Utilities have also started stockpiling spare parts to replace any that are damaged by an EMP event, storms or other disasters.

These must be token gestures only. If an EMP strikes the USA, the whole country is screwed. Power companies will cease to exist. Nobody will be fired or judged for not having prepared. An protecting the entire grid is impossible, unless the government steps in and spends a huge amount of money.

Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-22/hardening-power-grids-for-nuclear-and-emp-attacks-by-north-korea

 

The Future of War

War between religions and nation states will continue, but lessen with time, continuing the long-term trend. Terrorism will continue, but lose impact and motivation with everything else going on. By that I mean:

Corp v Govt v Tribe v Poverty

At some stage in the next few decades, all of us will belong to, and fight for, one of the above factions. Governments and corporations will be fighting for money and control. Tribes and poverty will fight for rights and a chance to be heard.

Corporations have a responsibility to maximise the profits of their shareholders, and money is all that counts (I’m generalising, it’s the only way to discuss such a big picture).

Governments believe there is no other option than them having a lot of of control over everything, and rightly so. However that often means eliminating worthy alternative viewpoints.

Impoverished people will at some stage collectively fight against the powers that be – that’s just a revolution and there’s plenty of historical precedent.

Tribes, in this context, and niche groups who will take action earlier than a revolution. They are agitators, sometimes terrorists, marginalised people and those who believe their beliefs are more important than those of others. For example radical vegans who wish to impose their ideas upon everyone.

I’m talking about industrialised nations here, and revolution is a long way off. But ultimately it can be expected. Impoverished people will still be a factor in the near term, as puppets for the other three. And as the poor grow in numbers, in a democracy they will be preached to.

Current State

Corporations are becoming more  political, that’s for sure. Creating their own gun policies, gender equality, the environment. Don’t be surprised if a left/right division occurs in business. Not in the extremes like tech (all left), entertainment (mostly left) and mining (all right), but in the middle – retail, food, telecoms.

Governments are losing ground. Never before have we seen so little trust, and so much desire for breaking up nation states.

With tribes we are about to revisit the sixties. Vegans, militia and kids against guns are prominent. Expect an affordable healthcare faction in the USA as well.

Relative poverty is on the rise, and it is up to governments and corporations to manage that, keep people away from breaking point. In the USA, rises in the minimum wage are signs of that.

Long Term

New platforms for political discussion will open up, not controlled by the government, and probably sponsored by corporations. People will notice stronger focus and commitment from corporations, because they are for the long-term, not a 3/4/5 year term. Governments will start to lose legitimacy.

The rapid uptake in subscriptions (Spotify, Netflix etc) will in effect create a new form of government, where people collectively pay for a universal need. The privatisation boom of the 80s and 90s will backfire for governments, as everything starts to be outsourced. For example, SpaceX. And toll-roads. And 5G internet. Governments will eventually just be the military, police and judiciary.

For those who no longer trust governments or corporations, tribes will grow in appeal. “Rights” we can’t even imagine today will be fought for tomorrow. Sabotage will be the new strike action. Communication will be unable to be intercepted. Infiltration will be the only official response. False flag situations will become more and more commonplace.

Fake news will disappear, and be replaced by two ways of getting your news – official and unofficial.

 

 

For Serious Survival Supplies

There are lots of prepping stores that offer a range of basic merch from China. This one is a bit different, in that the focus is on quality medical supplies and serious survival gear. Much more than your $20 first aid kit. They have products like:

  • Spring-loaded trip-wire alarm
  • 12-gauge flares
  • Vehicle lock-pick set
  • Temporary tooth fillings
  • Perimeter alarm system
  • Sand bags
  • QuikClot combat gauze

Check out Deep Survival. I can’t vouch for them personally, and they don’t even have their own domain name, but if the thought that has gone into the product range is anything to go by…

Actually, they don’t offer much in the way of assurances…

About Us

Welcome to Deep Survival

So if someone has a way of legitimately selling this gear, and making a real business out of it, let me know… I’m in.

Care: A Force of Nature

I propose a new force, one that alongside gravity should be described as weak. It is called Care.

Care has a deep connection with Morphic Resonance. There’s just an extra-dimension as the name implies, plus some ideas about how it physically works.

I came across Care without reading Rupert Sheldrake. When I worked as a tram conductor I developed a serious concern for the welfare of passengers. Back then (1990s, Melbourne), many tram stops were in the middle of a road with no safety barriers. Stepping off a tram without looking could have serious consequences. Thankfully nobody was hurt on any of my shifts.

A decade later I realised that in my many inner-city journeys, whether by foot or car, I had never witnessed a single collision of any sort (all I did see one cyclist and one motorcyclist half fall of their bikes). I didn’t need to work out the odds to realise that I was exceptionally lucky. Since then I have spent substantially more time in the city, and still no collisions, not even a low-speed, low-impact minor accident. That I have witnessed.

I don’t think I am inclined towards hubris, But I do think that by projecting care I have made a difference.

Sheldrake’s morphic resonance “is a process whereby self-organising systems inherit a memory from previous similar systems. In its most general formulation, morphic resonance means that the so-called laws of nature are more like habits.”

The system could well function from knowing every thought and action in the universe ever. In the interests of efficiency I believe Sheldrake has chosen systems as the trigger. I have chosen Care. Systems aren’t necessarily good systems. Care implies pride and success in your own work, and wishing well for others. These are necessarily positives worth sharing.

I call Care a weak force, like gravity – not because it has a relationship with distance, but because the effects are so subtle as to have escaped detection so far.

Care explains the following, and presumably much more:

  • Human scientists and animals having the same brilliant idea, at almost the same time, without contact.
  • Evil is not as widespread as it could be.
  • The idea of magic and witchcraft
  • Evolution: shared feedback of beneficial results
  • Prayer
  • Living longer if you have friends
  • Pets living longer due to being loved more

As to the physical mechanisms, did you know that DNA can vibrate? That means a signal is being sent into the universe.There are other mechanisms that apply. The real difficulty is the receiving end. Is it God? The Aether? The morphic field?

If so, how does it exist in the real, physical world?

Easier Than Seeds

Serious preppers know all about saving seeds, the ancient method of planting a new crop from the seeds of the last. Clearly if our ancestors did this 10,000 years ago, it shouldn’t be too hard to achieve. But if you can’t be bothered separating seeds and drying them before you can carefully plant them, there are some plants that are a bit easier to reproduce:

Scallions / Green Onions / Spring Onions

scallions

Chop off the roots and use the rest in your cooking. Then place the roots in water, so that the roots are covered and the stalk isn’t. Leave them a week or two in sunlight and the stalks will grow back. This can work up to four times if you change the water regularly.

Leeks, bok choy, lemongrass, cabbage, lettuce and celery can also be regenerated like this. For even better results, when new sprouts appear, plant the base in soil so that only the sprouts are visible. Water well.

Potatoes

Place a potato or sweet potato in water – a jar will help it stay upright:

potato-regrow

When the stalks that have grown at the top are 4-5 inches in height, pull them off and place them in water on their own. The potato will grow more stalks…

The plucked stalks will grow roots. When the roots are an inch or two long they are ready for planting in soil.

Tip: Whenever you are using water, replace it regularly for increased nutrition and less chance of mould.

Ginger

When ginger root has started to bud, remove the chunk that includes the bud and plant it – with the bud above the ground. Water well and you have a new ginger plant.

Basil

Choose a stem that has 6 or more leaves and cut it off with a knife. Remove the leaves from the top and bottom of the stem, leaving just those in the middle.

This also works with lemon balm and mint. Experiment with other herbs.

Tip: With all plants, less leaves means the energy goes into growing stalks and roots.

Rosemary

Cut off the top couple of inches of the greenest/newest stalk. Place it in water and wait weeks or months (depends on how nutritious your water is…). Eventually roots will appear, and you can plant them in soil.

Garlic

Choose the biggest and healthiest bulb from your last crop, and wait for it to sprout (just laying about). Plant the largest cloves in soil, in Autumn. Wait 6-8 months to harvest. For optimal results, follow this guide:
http://themicrogardener.com/5-step-guide-to-growing-gorgeous-garlic/

Tip: Buy organic if you can (or of course grow your own). Commercial produce is sometimes sprayed with growth inhibitor to stop sprouting from occurring. Place and water and roots will appear in week or so. Plant in soil.

Brown Onions

Chop off the root end, and plant it in soil with the roots down. When a new onion starts to form, remove the original root end.

Alternatively, wait for an onion to sprout. Remove all of the outer layers of the onion, leaving just the sprout and inner-most part. Plant it.

——

Yes, I know – with the exception of potatoes their isn’t much in the way of bulk food to be had. There’s no such thing as a free lunch! Learn to grow from seed.

Stonehenge Is a Cellular Diagram?

(I’m not disputing any purported alignments… this is additional)

Stonehenge+contours

cell_basic_parts

Just a thought… If a alien species, or local advanced race/species wanted to share what makes them so special, it could be in the form of DNA or a cellular diagram.

 

 

A Safe Spot in Nottingham

For many conceivable shit-hits-the-fan scenarios, hiding underground is a good plan to have. Basements, tunnels and underground car parks are great, but even better is a massive cave complex. I mentioned the Louisville Mega Cavern in my book, and here’s another huge man-made underground hideout, this time in Nottingham, England – 500 caves, up to 1,000 years old:

City of Caves

Broadmarsh-map-650px

The family attraction that is now the City Of Caves was made possible thanks to the soft Sherwood Sandstone beneath Nottingham that allowed hand-carved cellars to be excavated and used as store rooms, factories, pub cellars, dwellings and even air raid shelters.  Most of the caves remain in private hands, and some were destroyed over time by various city developments.

By February 1941 86 caves in Nottingham were available as public shelters.

I haven’t been there yet, but I presume gaining entry in an emergency won’t be too difficult for a survivalist who has planned ahead. Safety from a meteor storm, nuclear strike, solar storm, supernova or whatever else takes your fancy.