Category: *heh*

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Obfuscation, a PERSEC Device

PERSEC, INFOSEC, even OPSEC: fields to consider when using one’s Internet-connected computation devices (including phones). VPNs, TOR browsing, defeat of various tracking methods etc., are some standard tools, but do not underestimate sowing disinformation.

For one small example, Amazon has a record of ~8,500 books I have “bought” for my Kindles. Of course, MOST of those are freebies, and an [undisclosed] number of those are books I have absolutely no interest in at all (though I do fake having read ’em by “jumping” on through til I reach the end). This ensures that Amazon will keep pitching books to me that I have no interest in reading, demonstrating the company’s lack of true knowledge of my interest areas. (I do download a lot of PD books elsewhere while in TOR sessions, though.)

That’s just an example. There are others. It cheers my heart whenever a company sends my junk mail addresses emails touting things that “will interest me” demonstrating that a particular set of disinformation has taken root.

And now you get to wonder what part(s) of this post is(are) disinformation. . . 🙂

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What’s in YOUR EDC bag?

Soup. Save the ketchup packages from fast food meals and include them (along with jerky, and other long-term foods) in your EDC bag. Ketchup + (real) cream powder + lil bit of water + jerky; boil (in your EDC cup over EDC camp stove made from tuna tins, if you wish): nice lil soup. Pre-soak some dried corn or wasabi peas to add. Get creative. (More fun than just cracking open an MRE, for sure.)

And – of course! – your combo knife-fork-spoon (I like my Coleman version) is already in one of 16 or so pockets in your ADC (All Day Carry) vest, along with your Emergency Sandwich and your Backup Emergency Sandwich. . . *heh*

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Needed More Fiber

This is the largest fossilized human turd ever found

“The hefty deposit, measuring 8? x 2? (20 cm by 5 cm), was found beneath the site of the famous bank [Lloyds]in 1972. . .”

Hefty? *meh* Maybe by weight, since it’s fossilized. (warning: may be TMI) 8”x2” isn’t much at all. Mine are regularly 12” (or longer) “floaters” of a diameter easily 50% larger than 2”. Maybe I should “fossilize” a personal “floater” and put it up for auction. . .

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It’s Only Words. . .

During my childhood and youth, the family dictionary was a two-volume set of 8”×10”×3.5” small print books absolutely full of fascinating reading.

And so I read them voraciously. I still read dictionaries for fun, although some of my collection of dictionaries may be closer to encyclopedias (like my 20-volume set of Groves).

And yet. . . I sometimes find myself lacking the words to describe the depth and breadth of stupidity I see. . . everywhere. . . including, at times, in the mirror.

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Post Hoc Fallacy? Not Exactly

I injured my left hand ~10 months ago. Recovery is slow (and may never be complete *shrugs*). Still only have ~80% grip strength – on a good day – and fingers still swollen (wedding ring still does not comfortably fit ring finger), but. . . after massaging some salicylic acid solution and DMSO into hand, better pain relief and a wee tad less swelling. Maybe the pain relief is just in my head, though. Placebo effect can be strong, I suppose.

Still keeping the hand exercises up and wearing the compression glove, but this seems to have effected more progress than all the other nine months’ measures have. We;ll see.

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Not Sure If I Should “Yelp” This Weekend or Not. . .

Weekend and on into tomorrow, stayed (am still staying) at a once well-known resort in the Ozarks. Future stays here? A tossup, at best. *sigh*

Advertises stables and horseback riding o web site. Horses “on vacation.” (Markdown)
Confirmed reservation. Complied with check-in times. More than five hour wait for room. (Markdown)
Room: OK, special rate for conference (Markup) So-so accommodations and substandard details, REALLY noisy. Remote from all resort amenities, with one Post Polio person (they knew this) and LOTS of hills. (Markdown x 3)
Workers: pleasant and helpful (for the most part) (Markup) but institutionally hamstrung at times (Markdown)
Said the room was noisy? REALLY noisy “music” imposed on everyone in public areas making communication difficult and speech LOUD. (Markdown)
Super hokey décor mandated by new owners. (Markdown) Seems designed to appeal to low-brow, nekulturny rednecks (not the good kind of redneck; trust me on that. Markdown)

Still, it’s a conference for my Wonder Woman’s librarian association. Lots of fun folks, but the especially good thing is that I’ve gotten to spend more time with her than usual, even with her meetings and different lecture sessions.

Weekend as a whole: Mark WAY up even with the accommodation negatives. Would do it again (even at the overcharged, IMO – given the accommodation flaws – special rate), even if it were here. But NEXT time, there had better be horses!

Oh, I should add that while the bed was made by a prankster, the sheets themselves were almost as nice as on our bed at home. The pillows sucked, though.

Workers were uniformly as helpful as circumstances and resources allowed.

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How to Survive the Coming Zombie Apocalypse

Note that when I use the term “zombie” I am referring to auto-lobotomized “mass-man,” the kind of person for whom the DummieBowl, celebrity shenanigans, and “news” from the Mass MEdia Podpeople Hivemind are MUCH more important than. . . reality.

So, how to survive?

Embrace the “prepper” lifestyle.
Condition Yellow: constant.
OODA Loop your daily life, and aim to stay inside “the enemy’s” OODA Loop.
And most importantly, learn how to really pray. (The catch is committing to being on GOD’S side, not trying to manipulate Him into being on your side.)

The way things are going, it’s the way to bet.

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People. *sigh*

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who think they count, and those who can do the math. . . and thereby know that those who think they count, don’t.

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Keep a Civil Tongue!

When one finds civilized responses in the oddest places. . . *thug looks at recipient of a “Karen’s” rants — then at “Karen” and back again* “Do what you will, but just remember I’ve got a fine place for the body.”

Ah! If only society in general were that polite! Sadly, nope. One cannot dispose of “Karens” so easily. . .

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Trials of the Season. . .

Oh, goodie! It’s time for me to break out some noise-canceling earbuds and crank up some decent Xmas music to drown out the disgusting crap that tone deaf, tasteless, auto-lobotomized producers slap into the Hallmark Xmas shows that a *cough* much-beloved someone *cough* likes to watch.