Our last full day on the Cape, and forecast calls for rain. Beautiful yesterday, with much cooler temps and almost chilly night. Kids want another beach day, so I’m hoping the FEMA forecast is accurate, as it has us in a little pocket of clear.
Anyone with an interest in EMS response to a Mass Casualty Incident or a Mass Shooting should read this report. It seems that recent events have finally driven home that Mass Violence is a different beast than the traditional Mass Casualty that they’ve been half heartedly training for. I’ve linked some other After Action Reports previously, particularly regarding the murders in Vegas, and the terror murders at the Pulse nightclub. This document synthesizes some of the home truths that came out of reviews of those events and offers recommendations to the EMS field. It’s also very revealing about the inadequate current state of preparedness at our hospitals and pre-hospital response. TL:DR current poorly tested MCI planning is ok for events where the victims will wait for EMS response but wholly INadequate for a violent mass casualty where people are going to flee and self transport.
https://files.asprtracie.hhs.gov/documents/aspr-tracie-mass-casualty-triage-final-508.pdf
Some other topics (wildfires and impacts of a ban on 5G tech provided by foreign and hostile goverments) might be of interest here–
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MIL heard about the additional tariffs the Orangeman imposed on china and scoffed, “Great, now our stuff is going to be even more expensive.” I replied that now maybe more of those jobs shipped overseas would return and more of our citizens would be able to feed their families instead of going on the dole. She didn’t think much of that idea. I don’t actually think much will “come back” but better not to enrich our traditional enemy while destroying our own industrial base. Buying chinese if you have a choice supports slavery and a host of other ills. Selling out the middle class for cheaper fidget spinners is criminal. IMAO anyway.
In any case, big changes in the world, and the mice get squashed when the elephants dance, so stack it high people. They do not have your best interests in mind.
n
Quiver in fear, Texans! pAntifa is coming for you!
Say, does anyone know Texas’s rules on vermin hunting? Are permits required? Can out-of-staters get them? Are there bag limits? Asking for a friend.
MIL heard about the additional tariffs the Orangeman imposed on china and scoffed, “Great, now our stuff is going to be even more expensive.”
Trump is trying to do something to fix the cost of cars, but CA keeps getting in the way.
My anecdotal-based theory on our current trade mess is that people got fascinated with the concept of friends involved with the military in Korea in the 80s who returned home with, among other goodies, Reeboks/Nikes purchased for $30 over there. Everyone wanted that “deal”, regardless of the societal cost.
Say, does anyone know Texas’s rules on vermin hunting? Are permits required? Can out-of-staters get them? Are there bag limits? Asking for a friend.
Texas has castle doctrine, extending to your vehicle IIRC. Residency not required, but check your state’s reciprocity laws vs. Texas for concealed carry.
Don’t need any more out-of-state vermin. The idiot Prog husband of my wife’s associate in Vantucky was native Texan, born and bred in Cut-n-Shoot. They were in Portland because of something stinky he did in Fredericksburg during the 2012 election. He’s probably Antifa these days, having a “job” working on his blog.
They left Fredericksburg so fast that patients still called the wife’s cell phone months later, looking for refills and triage on ER visits. The girl cackled at the thought of what she did to the town and the hospital out there, who probably set her up in good faith when they arrived in 2010 without holding them to account in writing.
I figured she spent the whole time in Fredericksburg looking for another job.
Vermin. And, no, my wife had no choice about the hiring. The senior partners were eyeing the spoiled wife’s pappy’s money in an eventual partnership buy in. We shed no tears over her situation when we left.
72f and clear as I began the commute this morning at 6:20.
We will get up to the 90s today, which is normal for summer in Memphis. Rain on the weekend will keep me from having to put out the sprinklers. We have had so much rain this year I haven’t had to put out the sprinklers once.
Turned in my official notice of retirement at work yesterday. My last official day will be December 31. As of 1/1/2020 I will be a retiree, and take the reigns of my other businesses as my son moves to Florida to pursue his dreams there. He wants to give it a try while he is still in his prime.
I will be a retiree, and take the reigns of my other businesses as my son moves to Florida to pursue his dreams there. He wants to give it a try while he is still in his prime.
I grew up in Tampa, but I suggest heading elsewhere in the state for better economic opportunity. Tampa is still way too tied to defense and the trainwreck wars run by the freak show commands at MacDill.
Greg – My son has his heart set on Coral Gables and the yachting community there. Not for me but he has big dreams.
From yesterday, Ray mentioned the inability to tun wiring. I have the opposite problem. I designed my home for easy runs later, to avoid things like Nick’s weather station battery up on a pole. NOW, I have an ever harder time finding things that support wires. Practically everything needs batteries and Wi-fi. I refuse. Too many batteries in my life. And, Wi-fi works poorly in our shielded house and new garage. I will eventually solve my Wi-fi problems with multiple hotspots, but it is frustrating.
Meanwhile, I am still waiting for fiber optic network cabling. Likely will never be practical. “Future proof” cuts in ways never anticipated.
JimB: Why use WiFi? I use Internet over Power lines to keep all my data out of the public air and I don’t bother with repeaters and weak spots. My only issues are the occasional device that puts enough noise on the power line to degrade the signal.
Clear and sunny, headed to the beach.
n
I use and am very happy with Ethernet, but I need Wi-fi for portables such as cell phones. My cell phone data reception is poor on site, so I often use our Wi-fi access.
I really like Ethernet. Trouble free for decades.
Greg – My son has his heart set on Coral Gables and the yachting community there. Not for me but he has big dreams.
Lots of money there, but everyone hustles for a piece of it. I know yacht-related services employ an incredible number of people in Fort Lauderdale. The nautical bookstore used to be one of my favorite places to visit until the great recession pushed them out to the warehouse district near Dania Beach.
Be sure to hit Little Havana when you visit. Versailles or La Carreta — either one is good, but the wait will probably be shorter at La Carreta.
The line at Versailles is always my personal measurement of economic health in the area and US economy in general.
SOB. Someone in Mississippi is using my wife’s insurance to get treatment. We don’t get the bill so are not out any money. What the other person has to pay goes against my wife’s maximum out of pocket. Maybe I should not care.
What makes me care is that some leach is getting away with not paying what she should. She is committing fraud.
What is more annoying is the companies involved and their attitudes. The doctor’s office refuses to talk to me without an account number. I don’t have an account as I never got a bill with an account number. BCBST refuses to talk with me unless my wife is present even though I am an authorized person to discuss issues on her records. Apparently billing is not one of those items.
Maybe I should just leave it alone. F them if that is the way they want to be about fraud.
Have run into that a few times, also as an “authorized person”. This was on three different credit card accounts. My solution, which probably won’t work here but can be useful, was to never call them again. Instead, I do everything using account access on their web site. They don’t know who is at the keyboard 🙂
SOB. Someone in Mississippi is using my wife’s insurance to get treatment. We don’t get the bill so are not out any money. What the other person has to pay goes against my wife’s maximum out of pocket. Maybe I should not care.
A lot of insurance plans have lifetime maximum payouts … or did. Maybe Obamacare did away with those. I don’t keep up.
You also want to be concerned if the fraudster is faking to gain access to Adderall or painkillers.
Also, some states, like Florida, maintain registries of sales of products containing chemicals which can be used to make meth. IIRC, the amounts are so low that a bad allergy season for someone could result in a visit from law enforcement.
I get a prescription for my allergy meds so I can get more than 20 days at a time.
Every 20 days. Gov knows where you were, confirmed with an ID. On more bail in the coffin of liberty. N
Yes, I have a lot of concerns. If the person is sleazy drug addict with multiple festering sores and three usable teeth whose diet consists of Boone’s Farm, I don’t want that associated with my wife.
The apathy of the companies involved is astounding. The medical provider, emergency room doctors, don’t really seem to care. Even though a $1.5K bill got reduced to $184 of which insurance paid $92.00. They may get more if the person has different insurance or has no insurance. Although for the latter I suspect the provider would get stiffed. They basically said they would not help unless I had an account number. Well FU 2.
BCBST is unable to help because the charge was in Mississippi and is with a different BlueCross BlueShield unit. Apparently computer systems cannot cross boundaries. Maybe even separate organizations.
The whole thing is like mud wrestling with a pig. You both get dirty but the pig likes it.
“MIL heard about the additional tariffs the Orangeman imposed on china and scoffed, “Great, now our stuff is going to be even more expensive.” I replied that now maybe more of those jobs shipped overseas would return and more of our citizens would be able to feed their families instead of going on the dole. She didn’t think much of that idea. I don’t actually think much will “come back” but better not to enrich our traditional enemy while destroying our own industrial base. Buying chinese if you have a choice supports slavery and a host of other ills. Selling out the middle class for cheaper fidget spinners is criminal. IMAO anyway.”
Tell your MIL that a record number of USAians are employed now. “Record 157,288,000 Employed in July”
https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/record-xxxxxxxxx-employed-july
Hat tip to:
https://drudgereport.com/
Say, does anyone know Texas’s rules on vermin hunting? Are permits required? Can out-of-staters get them? Are there bag limits? Asking for a friend.
Texas has castle doctrine, extending to your vehicle IIRC. Residency not required, but check your state’s reciprocity laws vs. Texas for concealed carry.
The Texas Castle law extends to your person, your car, your boat, your RV and just about anything else that you can occupy. If you are legitimately in fear for your life, let the bullets fly at them. Do not fire a warning shot !
https://www.uslawshield.com/castle-doctrine/
If you have time (the 21 foot rule applies here), I advise throwing your hands up in the air and screaming “STOP” at the top of your voice. I have practiced this in the HEB parking lot at night. People will reverse course immediately and give you a very weird look. Much better than you mistakenly shooting them. And remember, there are cameras everywhere now. Assume that a video will be played at your trial.
https://www.kiiitv.com/article/news/gun-expert-reminds-texans-of-castle-law-protections/503-ad960b35-2cf4-41af-8f57-51ee9807401d
Here is a reference on the Texas gun carry reciprocity law. I have no idea if they are correct.
https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/resources/ccw_reciprocity_map/tx-gun-laws/
BTW, in another analysis of the Texas Castle Doctrine, we have the Joe Horn shooting incident. A man observed a couple of guys robbing his neighbor’s home. The man grabbed his shotgun, went out outside and confronted them. They did not run away and reputedly told him that they would be back tomorrow for him. He shot them both. The grand jury nobilled him.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Horn_shooting_controversy
Your grand jury may or may not nobill you.
In Texas anything that you’d be legally covered for doing for yourself you can do for someone else. We can also shoot people in defense of property particularly at night but the details of that get weird. You can also shoot people to stop them from getting away with a felony but again Texas the details get weird. N
“A.F. Branco Cartoon – Above and Beyond”
https://comicallyincorrect.com/a-f-branco-cartoon-above-and-beyond/
“Democrats say “no one is above the law” but exempt illegal aliens coming into our country. Political cartoon by A.F. Branco ©2019.”
I do not agree with giving illegal aliens blanket immunity and preferential treatment, especially medical care, over USA citizens.
“Trump: 10 Percent Tariffs on Chinese Imports Start in September”
https://www.pcmag.com/news/369917/trump-10-percent-tariffs-on-chinese-imports-start-in-septem
“The tech industry has been warning the White House the new tariffs risks increasing the costs of consumer electronics, including, smartphones, laptops and video game consoles, many of which are assembled in Chinese factories.”
I am shocked that we do not have a minimum tariff of 10% from any and all countries outside the USA ! America first !
They may get more if the person has different insurance or has no insurance. Although for the latter I suspect the provider would get stiffed.
Chances are, the hands on ER doctor is paid by the hour by the ER group. The ER group will be reimbursed by the hospital for the procedure(s), and the hospital will cost shift to fill the gap. The parties who get hosed are the insurance companies of patients with decent plans because that’s where money gets shifted from.
Um, if no one is above the law except illegal aliens, why is Hillery and the rest still walking around? Asking for a friend…..
I finally installed a fuel filter on the push mower. Sure, it’s easy enough to take off the air filter housing, 4 screws, and a half inch socket for the bowl. The bowl bolt is also the jet. It’s easy, just a pain in the you know.
I need to find a filter to pour the gas through when filling the mower. The junk has to be in the gas cans.
“Mars 2020 Gets Green Light to Begin Fueling”
https://interestingengineering.com/mars-2020-gets-green-light-to-begin-fueling
“NASA announced the Mars 2020 rover got the green light to begin fueling, keeping the mission on schedule for July of 2020.”
Looks like somebody read “The Martian” book about keeping the man occupied rover warm.
Um, if no one is above the law except illegal aliens, why is Hillery and the rest still walking around? Asking for a friend…..
Hillary is definitely above the law. Comey has some tough days coming since he lied on a FISA court affidavit about the Russian involvement with the Trump campaign. Actions have consequences.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fbi-agents-went-to-comeys-house-retreived-secret-memo-after-his-termination
@paul:
I need to find a filter to pour the gas through when filling the mower.
Use an old pair of nylons. Or cheesecloth.
We have had two those here in Orange Cty. Both were robbers running after being discovered breaking in. Shot in back and killed. No charges filed by prosecutors due to public outcry. I don’t think that prosecutors want to petition for change of venue.
Hmm. I’m not into wearing nylons no matter what you think. 🙂 I think I have some cheesecloth. I know where it is in the grocery store.
Edit— after a quick glance at Amazon, cheesecloth is it. Or a scrap of t-shirt. I saw disposable paint strainers…. The cans are old, the silty debris has accumulated. So I’ll filter the gas and then rise the cans with fresh fuel before refilling.
Coffee filter!
Added: t-shirt material is OK, but I would use about ten layers of cheesecloth to be effective. Another trick is to wad up some lint-free bedsheet material and lightly pack it in a large funnel, but IMO this is overkill.
Or, use all those in series!
no paper filter unless it’s supported by a funnel! It WILL collapse and spill fill everywhere….
You should be using a pump anyway 🙂 Way easier than lifting the can and safer too.
n
You put your junk in the gas cans, Paul? Far be it for me to kink-shame you, but…
Hey Nick, Any suggestions on pumps. I looked a few years ago, and they were all very expensive. I rarely need to pump out a car tank, about ten or so gallons, to change a failed fuel pump. I use a small hand pump, but it is tedious. Such tanks are too low to effectively siphon using the small tube that will fit past the anti-siphon flap without damaging it. I swear next time I will just poke a small hole in the plastic tank and later seal it with a washer head screw and gasket.
You put your junk in the gas cans, Paul? Far be it for me to kink-shame you, but…
Yikes. I stepped into that one. But hey, sometimes it’s such a hot time ya don’t need a cig after.
@jim, I have used a couple of very cheap pumps.
I have this one now, and it will move a couple of gallons very quickly-
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Arnold-Siphon-Pump-Kit-490-850-0008/203051321
I used this one thru hurricane IKE, but it’s super cheap and degrades quickly. It is just the thing for refueling a gennie from a 5 gallon can though.
https://www.amazon.com/Siphon-Light-Kerosene-Water-Chemicals/dp/B000E5S33M?tag=ttgnet-20
If you go for the cheap plastic one, get a couple of spares.
n
“Cummings says he scared off intruder at Baltimore home”
https://apnews.com/976731f8086245229c9469407ff67cae
Cumming’s neighborhood is definitely infested.
Hat tip to:
https://drudgereport.com/
And I want to know why you are gassing a ‘push mower’.
Silly you. They don’t make ‘pull mowers’.
I don’t think I want to be in front of a gasoline-powered pull mower. I’m not that fast nowadays.
And I want to know why you are gassing a ‘push mower’.
Silly you. They don’t make ‘pull mowers’.
Sure they do. All you have to have is a trailer connection and PTO.
http://www.erskineattachments.com/finishing-mower
“My 12-year-old daughter had a sticker on her water bottle with a quote from Dr. Seuss: ‘You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.'”
From the comments:
The Cat in the Hat was black? Is the complaint that he wasn’t portrayed by a black actor in the film? Boy, the racial grievance studies folks are fracking the hell out of an increasingly dry well, aren’t they? 😀
The Left needs a nap.
The Left needs a nap.
Is that before or after the civil war ?
All of our Republicans in this area are retiring now due to all of the Californians and New Yorkers moving here. And they vote dumbocrat so that Texas can be just like the home state that they escaped.
All of our Republicans in this area are retiring now due to all of the Californians and New Yorkers moving here. And they vote dumbocrat so that Texas can be just like the home state that they escaped.
Will Hurd is a RINO and had problems beating a carpetbagger hand picked by Pelosi to run in the district in 2018. Plus, the Republicans chose to chase Ann Richards ghost in the Legislative session just ended, burning political capital on another abortion bill instead of smacking the Progs in San Antonio and Austin.
Californians and New Yorkers didn’t return Abbott to office.
The Dems can be defeated in Texas. I’ll give credit where credit is due — our walking corpse Republican Congresscritter beat back “Doors”, a famous veteran and Dell exec running *in* Round Rock, something even John Cornyn may not manage to pull off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi6v4CYNSIQ
Thanks, Nick.
I have both of those. The cheap plastic one is probably 40 years old, and still works! I have used it for oils and water. When I had to remove about ten gallons from the gas tank with the failed fuel pump, the cheap one couldn’t develop enough suction to start the flow and then siphon. Maybe that’s what you meant by deterioration. Anyway, I bought the other one. It developed a LOT of suction, and got the gas lifted over the hump, but the valves must have been too stiff to allow a natural siphon at such a low head. I had to sit there and pump it. It IS pretty fast, but I did get tired.
I have an electric (shaded pole AC) lab pump I bought surplus. It is magnetic drive, and was probably expensive new. It has clearance, and won’t self prime. It even loses prime on low viscosity fluids such as gasoline. I priced pumps commonly used for boating, but they were nearly $100, too much for a (hopefully) one-time use.
I still think about this occasionally. Our small town doesn’t have much in the way of surplus sales. Maybe some day.
“Embattled Ocasio-Cortez Aides Are Leaving Capitol Hill”
https://www.enmnews.com/2019/08/03/embattled-ocasio-cortez-aides-are-leaving-capitol-hill/
The knives are out ! Maybe Pelosi will take out AOC and the squad.
Hat tip to:
https://drudgereport.com/
[snip] Our last full day on the Cape, [snip]
Did you have to hire a translator to help interpret the gibberish patois spoken there?
The knives are out ! Maybe Pelosi will take out AOC and the squad.
Chakrabati is the brains of the operation. IIRC, he hails from Dallas.
@jim, someone I was chatting with somewhere told me they got a cheap generic fuel pump at Autozone, and wired it with alligator clips, attached some hose. Now they have a powered fuel rated pump that runs off pretty much any vehicle or AGM or sealed lead acid battery. About $25 total iirc.
There are times when that would be very handy.
also there was some discussion elsewhere about using the fuel rail connector (schraider valve) and a hose to withdraw gas from a vehicle that had a functioning fuel pump. I never tried it, but it seems like it would be a trick to have in the bag.
n
(my siphon pump the plastic cracked, probably due to UV exposure) the red one makes a mess with fluid in the hoses but it does work well)
“Did you have to hire a translator to help interpret the gibberish patois spoken there? ”
–Funny you should mention that…
Today I had to ask my MIL how the word she was using was spelled. How do you spell “shores”? Apparently the store in question was “Shaw’s”.
A couple of days ago a woman was tie-yard, and wanted a nap. She had to get out of the wah-tah.
No R in the word “wash”.
So I had my own translators here, who I needed translators for.
n
Well, we had some excitement in the hood this evening. Some kids were playing soccer and lacrosse at one of our two elementary schools. A homeowner opened a gate in his back fence, put a chair down and sat down with a shotgun in his lap. He told the kids that their lacross sticks made him nervous.
The kids called the cops, mentioning gun and school. About ten Sugar Land cruisers showed up (I’m guessing half of the evening shift). They proceeded to send the remaining kids home, confronted the gun toting homeowner, and arrested him. I am guessing that he gets to spend the weekend with Sugar Land’s finest and get a psych eval on Monday when he meets a judge.
Our private facebook group is blowing up. Over 300 posts so far. Apparently the guy is retired and yells at the kids in the elementary school all the time. I have no idea why he is living behind an elementary school but he should have moved instead of confronting the kids.
The moms are organizing a sidewalk protest in front of his house if he is allowed to come home. School starts in two weeks and they are worried. The cops have been called on him many times and they could never do anything for him yelling at the kids.
I am freaked that he has a gate in his back fence that opens onto the school grounds. That is just creepy.
One of my neighbors just posted, “Does anybody have a large caliber handgun, several gallons of bleach, a big burlap sack, and some shovels?”
“Asking for a friend.”
yikes
but, you either believe in the rule of law or you don’t. Until it’s time to stop believing, and it’s hard to know when that time is. Nationally, it’s clearly past time, but locally is different.
Might be something to think about in terms of triggering various preps.
n
This guy needs to move now. He obviously cannot control himself and kids are going to be kids. His house is right behind the practice field backdrop and balls are going into his backyard all the time. Any sane person would just throw the balls back over the fence. Shoot, it is good exercise.
Somebody said that he sits out there all the time with the gate open and yells at the kids continuously, even during school hours when the kids are on recess. Very uncool.
One of my neighbors got a good picture of a Sugar Land cop in full profile about 20 ft away from him standing in the gate holding his shotgun. The cop is pointing his gun at him and yelling at him.
“21 Best Political Science Fiction Books” by Dan Livingston
https://best-sci-fi-books.com/21-best-political-science-fiction-books/
I have read 10 of the 21. Wow, the books were published from 1924 to 2016, nice list. And one could argue that every one of Cory Doctorow’s books is a political commentary.
First, the fuel rail Schrader valve. That works very slowly in my experience. I always do that when I change pumps to clear any air in the system. Never timed it, but maybe a cup per minute. Fuel injection pumps are designed more for pressure than volume. The old mechanical diaphragm pumps on the engines with carburetors will pump about a quart a minute; that is the usual volume test. Better, but still not fast. (Of course, you need a source of fuel for the engine to run, so this gets tricky.) Finally, the old Lucas style pulse pumps can work. Never tried one, but again they are designed for carburetors, so volume should be in the quart a minute range.
That cheap fuel pump from an auto parts store might be a great idea. I should look into it.
Proper transfer pumps probably can do at least a gallon per minute. They can also prime with a lift of a few feet, important for these needs. They are probably wonderful, and that is maybe why they are expensive. Also, anything associated with boats or airplanes tends to be pricey.
Your suggestions are good for emergencies. That Home Depot pump is available at many auto parts stores and Harbor Freight, and does work well. It has the advantage of no need for electricity, and thus maybe safer. Another handy thing is just a length of hose to siphon, if the heights are suitable. Also nice is the little check valve found on the end of “shaker” siphon hoses. These work great IF there is room to yank the hose back and forth a few times to start the flow. They are just a marble in a copper cage; could be field improvised with some different size hose pieces. I gave up sucking on gasoline hoses when I was a teenager. Guess why. The things we survived!
Well, we had some excitement in the hood this evening. Some kids were playing soccer and lacrosse at one of our two elementary schools. A homeowner opened a gate in his back fence, put a chair down and sat down with a shotgun in his lap. He told the kids that their lacross sticks made him nervous.
At least it didn’t end in tragedy. This FL stand your ground case with similar circumstances has been winding through the courts for 10 years.
Unlike Treyvon, this didn’t make national news because of the homeowner’s skin color and the deceased being a decorated Marine.
https://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/appeals-court-grants-new-trial-for-trevor-dooley-in-2010-stand-your-ground-case-20190403/
No one asks how a school bus driver … or the Marine for that matter … afforded a $450,000 house in a deed-restricted community. I’ve been on the receiving end of grief from people in over their heads in mortgages in FL fretting about property values, and it is amazing how that situation transforms people.
I had one neighbor whose bankruptcy court filing showed he had $70k in household income total, but he and his wife managed to leverage $1 million in mortgages for a house in my neighborhood and a rental nearby.
The really crazy thing about that part of FL is that the houses selling for those prices are poorly built cr*pholes. At best, they should sell for the low $200s.
Not quite. That is attached to the tractor with a three point hitch system and thus is not being pulled. They do make mower decks for large areas such as golf courses that are pulled as part of a group of mowers. Hydraulically driven and on their own wheels. Not real easy for a human to pull.