Lessons Learned from the Alabama Ice Storm, by H.J.
Some Recent History In June 2022, we sold our house and moved to a 38-foot long 5th wheel camper. After the Christmas 2022 cold snap, my wife gave me the riot act. We had to be out of the camper by December 2023. We found a house; we liked and bought it. It is not […]
Preparedness Notes for Friday — February 16, 2024
On February 16, 1959, after defeating the forces of dictator General Fulgencio Batista, Fidel Castro became premier of Cuba and transformed the island country into the Western Hemisphere’s first communist state. This began five decades of repression, economic stagnation, and largely self-imposed poverty for the island nation. In the photo above, Castro is pictured in […]
A Water System Adventure – Part 2, by E.R.
(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) I used 30 amp Anderson Power Pole connectors with 12 AWG (American Wire Gauge) stranded ‘zip cord’ for the connections. I did this so that replacing any potentially failed components would be quick and easy. Do however note that 12 AWG wire, while versatile, is considered slightly […]
Preparedness Notes for Thursday — February 15, 2024
On February 15th, 1898, an explosion in Havana harbor sank the battleship USS Maine, killing 260 American seamen and precipitating the Spanish-American War, which originated in the Cuban struggle for independence from Spain. — February 15th 1809: Birthday of Cyrus Hall McCormick, inventor of a mechanical reaper. — Gun developer Richard “Dick” Casull was born […]
A Water System Adventure – Part 1, by E.R.
Many folks might take water for granted as being a mundane issue, although readers of this blog might be the exception. No matter, please read on. Our adventure began when the municipality decided that they no longer wanted us as a customer. “To really know something, one must go directly to people with immediate experience […]
TEOTWAWKI: More Americans See Uncertainty in Our Future
We’re seeing more uncertainty in our world than ever before. What’s going to happen in the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars? And how will that affect the supply chain and prices for goods and services?
What about all the terrorist attacks on ships in the Red Sea? Which the U.S. has called “one of the world’s most critical waterways?” Again, the availability of products we need and the costs for them could be greatly affected.
Of course, our weather continues to be a huge uncertainty. And it’s becoming even more so with increasingly frequent and violent storms.
The results of these extreme weather events include deaths, injuries, and property destruction. Plus power outages, supply chain problems, and higher costs for food and other essentials.
Another Trump-Biden Showdown?
And talk about uncertainty. Americans need look no farther than the presidential election. It will happen in less than nine months.
The U.S. has never been more politically divided than it is today. The election is sure to be hotly contested. Both during the campaign months and very possibly after results come in.
President Joe Biden is expected to be the Democrats’ choice as the party’s candidate when their convention is held in Chicago, Illinois in August.
Former President Donald Trump has a significant lead in the polls over runner-up Nikki Haley for the Republican presidential nomination. Their convention will be held in mid-July in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. But there could be a monkey wrench in Trump’s plans.
How Will U.S. Supreme Court Rule on Colorado?
Recently Colorado’s Supreme Court decided to remove Trump from its primary election ballot due to what they saw as him participating in an insurrection on January 6, 2021.
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take on the case, and the Justices have begun deliberating on the issue. If they rule in favor of Colorado, a number of other states are certain to follow suit.
Many political pundits believe it would be inappropriate for any state to use the claim of insurrection against an individual who has not been formally charged with that crime. Let alone convicted of it.
How it will all shake out is another in a series of uncertainties filling many Americans with anxiety these days.
Gen Z & Millennials Getting Prepared
Many of us who have been around for a while assume that younger generations are unconcerned about the uncertain future that lies ahead.
Perhaps we recall that in our younger years, preparing for an uncertain future was not top of mind for us either.
But we may be surprised to learn this: According to a recent Fox News story, more young Americans are prepping leading up to the November election.
In fact, 40% of Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) and 39% of Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) are making emergency preparedness purchases. They’re saying the system is “not as stable as we assumed.”
Those numbers compare to the surprisingly low 29% of Americans in general who are spending money on emergency preparedness.
Pandemic Opened the Preparedness Floodgates
Now, not all of those Gen Z and Millennial Americans are solely focused on the upcoming election.
They’re also concerned about the potential for another disaster… Like the pandemic. They’ve witnessed how wars thousands of miles away can affect the price of food, gasoline, etc. They’ve seen how dangerous weather can cause a variety of long-lasting and costly problems.
Brekke Wagoner is a Millennial who runs a YouTube channel devoted to preparedness. Here’s what he told Fox News.
“I think for the first time, a lot of Millennials and Gen Zers are realizing how fragile our systems are. We’ve grown up in a time in which technology has meant we’ve had grocery stores that were always stocked and you can get anything from Amazon in 24 hours.
“Then all of a sudden the pandemic and some uncertainties in our national and international politics has made us rethink how all of these systems are not as stable as we assumed.”
‘Fallible and Fragile’ Supply Chains
Chad Huddleston is a Southern Illinois University professor of anthropology. He told Fox News, “In my work, I see younger people worried about a repeat of a COVID-type event and the types of disruption it can bring to daily life.”
He said he does not believe that most people who are now preparedness focused are getting ready for an “end-of-the-world“ scenario.
But rather, they just want to be able to have their basic needs taken care of when emergencies occur.
“The impulse to gather supplies comes more from the lack of goods on store shelves during the pandemic and the realization that supply chains are fallible and fragile. Rather than any idea that society is going to come to some chaotic, collapse point.”
Preparedness Is Uncertainty’s Enemy
American statesman Benjamin Franklin is credited with saying that death and taxes are the only things in life that are certain. I would add “uncertainty” to that list.
As long as we live, and no matter what world events occur, we will never be able to avoid uncertainty in our lives and in our outlook.
But just because we can’t avoid something does not mean we can’t be better prepared for it. Some of us need to take a tip from Generation Z and Millennials and get prepared.
I don’t know about you, but I’d rather face an uncertain future with peace of mind than with anxiety.
Who Are the Houthis and Why Are They Attacking Merchant Ships?
Who is Houthi? Why are they firing missiles at American ships? And what is the U.S. doing about it? Let’s dive right in.
The Houthi movement, pronounced “Hoot-tee,” is known officially as Ansar Allah. They’re a Shia Islamist political and military organization that came out of Yemen in the 1990s.
They’ve made no secret of the fact that they hate Israel and the United States. And recently they’ve become emboldened to strike at U.S. interests.
Protecting U.S. Vessels in the Red Sea
Houthi terrorists, backed by Iran, recently fired three anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen. They were aimed at the U.S. flagged and owned M/V Maersk Detroit Commercial Container ship. As well as another vessel.
The container ship, located in the Gulf of Aden in the Southern Red Sea, was protected by the USS Gravely. It’s an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer.
The USS Gravely intercepted two of the three missiles. The third missile fell into the sea. Approximately 125 miles from its target.
The U.S. container ship suffered no damage and there were no reported injuries. This marked the second and third U.S. ships targeted by Houthis in recent weeks. In January, two U.S.-owned merchant vessels were struck by Houthi ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial system attacks.
Counterattacks Target Houthis’ Weapons
Due to repeated attacks from Houthi terrorists, U.S. and U.K. ships and war planes have carried out numerous strikes against Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
They’ve been targeting the Al Dailami Air Base and missile launching sites. As well as weapon storage facilities where Houthis keep ballistic missiles and drones.
The U.S. is using Tomahawk missiles fired from warships. Plus F-18 fighter jets from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier.
According to American officials, missiles fired by the U.S. and its allies have removed “significant” Houthi capabilities. With more than a dozen sites targeted.
Disrupting and Degrading Houthi Efforts
Here’s a joint statement from the U.S., U.K., and other countries following the retaliatory strikes:
“Today, the militaries of the United States and United Kingdom, at the direction of their respective governments with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, conducted an additional round of proportionate and necessary strikes against eight Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the Houthis’ continued attacks against international and commercial shipping as well as naval vessels transiting the Red Sea.”
The purpose of these “precision strikes” was to “disrupt and degrade” Houthi efforts to threaten global trade. And the lives of mariners.
‘An International Challenge’
The joint statement continued with the message that the strikes targeted a Houthi underground storage site. As well as locations associated with the Houthis’ missile and air surveillance capabilities.
It also called the Houthis’ 30-plus attacks on international and commercial vessels since November “an international challenge.”
“Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea,” the statement continued.
“But let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership. We will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats.”
Iran’s Fingerprints All Over Attacks
How does the U.S. know the Houthis are backed by Iran? We’re not privy to that information, of course.
But it’s notable that the Navy’s top Mideast commander, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, said that Iran is “very directly involved” in ship attacks carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
Cooper said the attacks associated with Iran have been expanding beyond the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. These attacks are being called the most significant seen in two generations. And are said to be causing an international threat.
The U.S. has also blamed Iran for recent drone attacks on shipping. Cooper said, “What I’ll say is Iran is clearly funding, they’re resourcing. They are supplying and they’re providing training. They’re obviously very directly involved. There’s no secret there.”
Will Supply Chain Issues Result?
During January, U.S. forces stopped a ship bound for Yemen in a raid in which two Navy SEALS were killed. The raid seized Iranian-made missile parts and other weaponry.
The Navy is aided by drones watching over some 10,000 miles of Mideast waters that normally would not be visible. Most are on the lookout for drug and weapons shipments.
Houthis have claimed their attacks are in response to the Israel-Hamas war. But they’ve targeted vessels that have little or nothing to do with Israel.
Although Egypt has not been a target, it is suffering financially due to the Houthis’ attacks. Some ships are taking a longer route around Africa’s southern tip to avoid Houthi missiles. That means less revenue for Egypt, which charges vessels to go through the Suez Canal.
Obviously, the Houthis are no match for U.S. military power. But with weapons aid from Iran, they may continue to disrupt shipping. And that means supply chain problems and higher prices of goods for the world. Including America.
Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — February 14, 2024
On February 14, 1946, the first general-purpose high-speed electronic digital computer, the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer), was demonstrated to the public by its creators, J. Presper Eckert, Jr., and John W. Mauchly. — February 14, 1942 was the birthday of the late economist, theologian, and prepper Dr. Gary North. — February 14, 2018, […]
My Solar-Powered Ham Shack Setup, by BMB
There are many things we need to prepare for before the ball drops, (SHTF, TEOTWAWKI, or whatever term you want to use) like water, food, shelter, bullets, medical supplies, aetc. But another item I feel is very important is communication with my family group. This article is about how I got into amateur radio, how […]
Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — February 13, 2024
On February 13, 2016, Antonin Scalia—who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, becoming well known for his strong legal conservatism—died under mysterious circumstances in Shafter, Texas. On February 13, 1689, following the Glorious Revolution, William and Mary were proclaimed king and queen of England this day in 1689, […]