tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37307259844407847072024-03-05T00:49:54.268-06:00Rhino's Spot - Survival or BustRhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.comBlogger274125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-76601716041810158562014-05-01T04:46:00.000-05:002014-05-01T04:56:09.347-05:00 <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTKxVZSv3DuZlUHpC4fPG0pMYFTEccjpzctSEDninDzT0CEpYYJEwlSTSLH8PJo1_CXdZ7gZaV99P5Ouft2n6LsYNj25EVwicMOjCSIG90EOpGQ7pHuX08vPhWsasc-DykhNC3WMEG5g/s1600/stupid-wallpaper-8-1024x768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTKxVZSv3DuZlUHpC4fPG0pMYFTEccjpzctSEDninDzT0CEpYYJEwlSTSLH8PJo1_CXdZ7gZaV99P5Ouft2n6LsYNj25EVwicMOjCSIG90EOpGQ7pHuX08vPhWsasc-DykhNC3WMEG5g/s320/stupid-wallpaper-8-1024x768.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Well I haven't posted in quite a while so why I'm am killing time babysitting the plant tonight I thought I would right a few thoughts.<br />
First I was stunned to hear that Mike Ruppert took his own life, This guy was definitely a seeker of truth and called out anybody including the CIA if that's what it took, but I guess you can only handle so much bad shit until it is overwhelming.R.I.P Mike ,you will be missed.<br />
I myself have been overwhelmed with a lot of stuff,Bad back,Bills,too much work ,but I have let my preps go to shit.The wife is working on the garden but not quite with the drive she usually has-Grandchildren have had her tied up,but I think she will be back on track now that the holidays are over .I need to get some new rabbits as I only have one reliable doe that is young,the rest are a bit long in the tooth so I will be putting 3 in bunny heaven( freezer soon) and replacing with 1 male and 2 does. I'm gonna keep my Rabbit stock down this year and work from there unlike when I first started out ,it got way outta hand too fast,next thing I knew i had 50, so I'm not gonna let that happen again,besides they cost too much to feed, Same with the chickens,started out with 6 or 8 and now over 20,so.... they can join the bunnies.I'll keep a dozen and that's it.<br />
Need to top off my food supplies because of rotation, A couple of hundred bucks for staples should do it,Top off a 15 gallon drum with gas for the generator with some stabilizer, Refill 2- 5 gal propane tanks and I'm set for Hurricane season.I was lucky enough to get a deer this winter so that's been stashed in the freezer,now if I can just find time soon to go to my Buddy's pond and get a bucket of perch I'll be set for sure.<br />
Only project that I have in mind for me to get accomplished is to refurbish my Bike,and as luck would have it I'm gonna bring it to my Buddy and pay him instead of the Bike shop, he could use the money and is anal about doing things right(something I rarely find in a commercial business), and as luck would have it he is the same one with the pond.I luv it when a plan comes together...........Prep onRhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-44643677035245081152014-02-24T07:41:00.002-06:002014-02-24T07:41:56.387-06:00Avoiding the Madness<br />
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Although many come down our way to party and cut up this time of year for the Mardi-Gras season , It is usually my cue to avoid the events for the 2 week season,<br />
I Don't drink and cut up like I did when I was younger so I avoid all this foolishness.<br />
If all goes as planned I will not have to be around work for any parades this year and I will be fishing at a friends private pond for some tastee white perch.If the weather cooperates it should be a great day of fishing.Not to mention having went through my stock of emergency supplies,weeding out outdated stuff and getting ready to restock as soon as the tax check comes in.I don't need much but I will feel more comfortable with my shelves full. Added plus is I will be ready for hurricane season.I picked up 2 fresh cases of MRE's yesterday on a sweet trade so I feel good about that. Anyway for all who go to these events be careful and enjoy.I won't be thinking about ya......prep on....Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-34018749263946712062014-02-04T16:35:00.003-06:002014-02-04T17:34:42.659-06:00part 4 & more to come<script height="360px" width="640px" src="http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#ec=o2NmlpazoMJyZC9dQTWkHkCyD-vm0OHa&pbid=YjMwNmI4YjU2MGM5ZWRjMzRmMjljMjc5"></script>Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-27269626916904743652014-02-04T16:34:00.002-06:002014-02-04T16:34:11.900-06:00part 3<script height="360px" width="640px" src="http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#ec=FtZzlmazqjKxrakcJBN_wu0LlgAlm3jm&pbid=YjMwNmI4YjU2MGM5ZWRjMzRmMjljMjc5"></script>Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-87894553981400674222014-02-04T16:32:00.001-06:002014-02-04T16:32:12.352-06:00<script height="360px" width="640px" src="http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#ec=ByYW44azqMcJrDg8LfQNHEGK5OHGHaxv&pbid=YjMwNmI4YjU2MGM5ZWRjMzRmMjljMjc5"></script>Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-62775483450645112072014-02-04T16:13:00.001-06:002014-02-04T16:13:43.522-06:00These clips from Mike Ruppert about sum it up. Pay attention no time for slow walkers. Remember when a bear is chasing you you only have to be faster than the slowest camper!!<br />
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<script height="360px" width="640px" src="http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#pbid=YjMwNmI4YjU2MGM5ZWRjMzRmMjljMjc5&ec=hqNDV4ajqn_Jt2Hd-3oiO9bbIGS1HnUG"></script>Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-27332525773585369982014-01-29T07:51:00.002-06:002014-01-29T07:53:27.588-06:00Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Too Damm cold to suit me, 28 degrees,all the roads shut down and stuck at work.If I wasn't a prepper I'd be screwed for sure.Been here since Tuesday am and won't be on the way home until Thursday. BUT I was smart enough to grab a dozen eggs from the hen house and some deer sausage from the freezer and I'm in business,getting ready to make some breakfast and will make a big bowl of chicken salad for dinner, the can of soup from my go bag in the car needed to be rotated out anyway. Not telling my co workers. it might be a good lesson for them to wise up and get their shit together.LOL Prep on.........Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-7368751297956268672013-08-31T04:54:00.001-05:002013-08-31T04:54:31.291-05:00 Sorry for the lack of post but with 12 hr days /6 days a week no time to bullshit on the internet....Struggling to keep prepped because of lack of time and money, thanks goodness for the wife she is carrying the homestead smostly on her own, I guess that if obumer pulls the trigger in Syria and the shtf we can just hunker down and do the best that we can.we are good for a few months if everything goes wrong at once but we have been through hell before with no help at all and will be in much better shape this time around.Good luck to all..... we shall see what happens soon enough...........prep onRhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-60730402883043588352013-07-01T13:32:00.001-05:002013-07-01T13:32:42.324-05:00latest news<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCii-Bz8HhtZ5dKQ6rFPLSP_3ZVSR1po88L7IcXIlo_yed13xg-LxKyM1wwF93oo76ra6tYPnZ5aGWoJnD2y6-qTdedzaS3T2T91Hlr8WPSKr6VSV0U17b-WcKq8BZEVpEhZ6086LJaA4/s520/luv+my+dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCii-Bz8HhtZ5dKQ6rFPLSP_3ZVSR1po88L7IcXIlo_yed13xg-LxKyM1wwF93oo76ra6tYPnZ5aGWoJnD2y6-qTdedzaS3T2T91Hlr8WPSKr6VSV0U17b-WcKq8BZEVpEhZ6086LJaA4/s520/luv+my+dog.jpg" /></a></div><br />
No time to write about what's happening around the homestead,my phone has been on fire with people I haven't seen in years needing a/c work,sorry no longer do side work pay the price like everyone else.working 6 days a week I need my off day to catch up on The ol Homestead. Just butchered 7 rabbits and as soon as I get my new chicken plucker I will have some hens in the freezer as well. Also busy patching up rabbit cages and a spot for the Turkey the ol lady had to have but WILL fall prey to the chicken plucker as well.Still have a batch of kits that need to be processed in august and that will be it till fall when I plan on stocking up a dedicated freezer to rabbit and white perch only.Other than that it just hot as hell!! Hope all is ok with everybody and we make it through Hurricane season without a bad one, prep on..................... Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-69843544560470306122013-03-25T06:19:00.000-05:002013-03-25T06:19:22.654-05:00 Man out at work for back surgery puts me on the night shift for awhile but thats good news for me because for the 1st time in years I will get 2 days off a week .And I can use that time to get my preps in shape for the upcoming Hurricane season. I bred 3 rabbits so I can get some rabbit meat in the freezer,almost out. I am probably gonna cull a few and replace with younger ones, I've been spending way too much money on food with no return.Also just bought 5 turkeys that should be in the freezer by June,Got a good bit of deer meat ground up(20 packs) Also next warm spell we get I will be going to my buddy's Private ponds in Mississippi to get stocked up on some great tasting White perch,even tho i still have a few packs left from last year I can fill a 5 gallon bucket in a day so it's worth the trip.The vacuum seal bags are costly but the food last forever it seems.All I need left is a pig and I'm set.They had a lot of trouble with the hogs during hunting season so it should be easy pickings for my son and his group to go and put a dent in the swine population.<br />
I hope everyone is dealing with these tough times and making it,I know I'm struggling this month<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zOAYFS4knXECcvCDNMHMayYWN2ypRaxpn_yqGURSuHCtP4ZkexaW8xxJXZVFyhglgR8Vv9ztjsIXynZoj18ls8UyJRLeQSQxWNfl6jCsBxq4QzspEb7oNQ49TBj7cMsQCuWjlu10Jvk/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zOAYFS4knXECcvCDNMHMayYWN2ypRaxpn_yqGURSuHCtP4ZkexaW8xxJXZVFyhglgR8Vv9ztjsIXynZoj18ls8UyJRLeQSQxWNfl6jCsBxq4QzspEb7oNQ49TBj7cMsQCuWjlu10Jvk/s320/photo.JPG" /></a> but after this paycheck I will have my head above water again and hopefully put some cash on the side ...............Prep onRhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-44194427693931271172013-02-28T08:52:00.002-06:002013-02-28T08:52:29.227-06:00Bad news for us down south, make plans on relocating soonLouisiana coast faces highest rate of sea-level rise worldwide<br />
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25th February 2013 · 0 Comments<br />
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By Bob Marshall<br />
thelensnola.org<br />
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Stunning new data not yet publicly released shows Louisiana losing its battle with rising seas much more quickly than even the most pessimistic studies have predicted.<br />
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While state officials continue to argue over restoration projects to save the state’s sinking, crumbling coast, top researchers at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration have concluded that Louisiana is in line for the highest rate of sea-level rise “on the planet.” Indeed, the water is rising so fast that some coastal restoration projects could be obsolete before they are completed, the officials said.<br />
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NOAA’s Tim Osborne, an 18-year veteran of Louisiana coastal surveys, and Steve Gill, senior scientist at the agency’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services, spelled out the grim reality in interviews with The Lens. When new data on the rate of coastal subsidence is married with updated projections of sea-level rise, the southeast corner of Louisiana looks likely to be under at least 4.3 feet of gulf water by the end of the century.<br />
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That rate could swamp projects in the state’s current coastal Master Plan, which incorporated worst-case scenarios for relative sea-level rise calculated two years ago— which the new figures now make out-of-date.<br />
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The state plan, while “valuable and thoughtful,” has a major flaw, Osborne said.<br />
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“The problem is it’s a master plan for the restoration and conservation of a landscape that is moving downward at a faster rate than we realized when the plan was constructed—a rate faster than any place else we are seeing in the world for such a large land area,” said Osborne, who will be a speaker Saturday at Tulane University’s Summit on Environmental Law and Policy.<br />
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“With all due respect,” he said, “they have projects designed to last 50 years at one level of relative sea-level rise, when they should be building projects that can function for several generations as sea level rises twice as high, if not higher.”<br />
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Garret Graves, head of the state Coastal Planning and Protection Authority, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But in an earlier interview he said the uncertainty of future rates of sea-level rise was one of the biggest challenges facing the plan. The planners, he said, typically have incorporated the then-current “worst case” scenarios for sea-level rise at those locations.<br />
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Graves also pointed out that the plan was structured to adapt to changing circumstances. The Coastal Planning and Protection Authority must submit an updated plan to the state Legislature for approval every five years.<br />
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Yet NOAA’s new figures, contained in draft reports currently under peer review, will present a challenge because the numbers have changed so drastically. Even heavily populated areas, such as New Orleans, appear to be sinking faster than expected, in fact even faster than some areas along the coast.<br />
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More precise tools show coast sinking faster than expected<br />
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Southeast Louisiana—with an average elevation just three feet above sea level—has long been considered one of the landscapes most threatened by global warming. That’s because the delta it’s built on – starved of river sediment and sliced by canals — is sinking at the same time that oceans are rising. The combination of those two forces is called relative sea-level rise, and its impact can be dramatic.<br />
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For example, tide-gauge measurements at Grand Isle, about 50 miles south of New Orleans, have shown an average annual sea-level rise over the past few decades of 9.24 millimeters (about one-third of an inch) while those at Key West, which has very little subsidence, read only 2.24 millimeters.<br />
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For decades coastal planners used that Grand Isle gauge as the benchmark for the worst case of local sea-level rise because it was one of the highest in the world. But as surveying crews began using more advanced instruments, they made a troubling discovery.<br />
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Readings at a distance inland were even worse than at Grand Isle. “For example,” Osborne said, “we have rates of 11.2 millimeters along the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain—the metro New Orleans area. And inside the city we have places with almost [a half-inch] per year.<br />
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“So when we looked at the averages we were getting inside the coast, we realized the current figure we should be using for [southeastern] Louisiana is 11.2 millimeters.”<br />
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The news got only more bleak when NOAA began using the new technologies to update past rates of local subsidence and then fed those numbers into studies projecting future rates.<br />
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“What we see is that the [southeast] Louisiana coast averaged three feet of relative sea-level rise the last century,” said NOAA’s Steve Gill.<br />
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Prepare for ‘at least four feet’ of sea-level rise<br />
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The draft report of the quadrennial National Climate Assessment, finished by federal agencies in December, showed a steady increase in sea-level rise through the end of the century. Gill said the increase was due to the continued increase in the two main contributors: thermal expansion of marine water volumes as oceans continue to warm, and an increase in the melting of land-based ice, such as glaciers and ice fields. That water eventually makes its way into the ocean, further increasing its volume.<br />
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The assessment provides four scenarios for global average sea-level rise through the end of the century, based on varying scenarios of warming and ice melt:<br />
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• The first shows current trends holding steady, resulting in about an eight-inch rise globally.<br />
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• The second, or intermediate increase, results in about 15 inches globally.<br />
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• The third, or mid-range, shows about 4.5 feet.<br />
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• The fourth, or worst case, shows about 6.5 feet globally.<br />
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The NOAA researchers said they use the mid-range scenario in making local projections.<br />
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Southeast Louisiana fares much worse in all four scenarios because “we now know the entire area is sinking faster than any coastal landscape its size on the planet,” Osborne said.<br />
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“When you combine those two factors, update the rates from what we’ve found with the most recent data—and that is data, not computer models or theories—then you see this area, southeast Louisiana, will experience the highest rate of sea-level rise anywhere on the planet by the end of the century,” Osborne said.<br />
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“We’re talking probably at least four feet if not five feet in some sections of this coast. That’s what people here need to be planning for.”<br />
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Osborne said he believes coastal Louisiana has a chance at survival because the Mississippi River carries the raw building material—sediment—in such huge quantities that projects could help some areas keep pace with the rising Gulf. But he stressed that the new figures mean current plans need to be amended to focus on the most vulnerable areas, and work must start soon.<br />
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“Our goal is to provide meaningful numbers that local planners can use as targets for what they need to prepare for and adapt to,” he said. “And what these numbers tell us is that we need to be planning for the reality that by the end of this century most of this coast will be converted to open water.<br />
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“What that tells us, in turn, is what we’ve already seen recently with [Hurricane] Isaac: Even a small storm will result in catastrophic flooding, and not just for people and businesses and infrastructure close to the coast.<br />
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“Based on the frequency of storms over the last century, we know we can expect 30 to 40 hurricanes or tropical storms to hit this area by the end of this century. Think of Isaac—not of Katrina—and add up the cost of that kind of destruction 30 or 40 times.<br />
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“During Isaac, Louisiana [Highway] 1 to Grand isle was almost impassable. It will be impassable in a few decades unless something is done. Look at what happened to Plaquemines Parish from Category 1 Isaac. More and worse will happen in the next few decades.”<br />
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Osborne stressed the new figures mean the state’s Master Plan should be adjusted to meet the larger, faster-approaching threat.<br />
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“The state needs to make sure they’re proposing plans that will last more than a few decades, that they aren’t asking for billions to build things that might be ineffective before they are even finished being built,” he said.<br />
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This article was originally published in the February 25, 2013 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaperRhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-9866765922291886382013-01-27T16:21:00.000-06:002013-01-27T16:21:01.839-06:00Playing catch up I spent the day catching up on my preps, finished building a wooden box to cover the gen set on he back porch. The ol lady is giving it a quick couple of coats of paint and we will let it dry over night, tomorrow I will mount the wheels and mail on the shingles and mount 2 handles on front, with this done she can now easily move the cover to get it started if I'm not around. I also went through both freezers to rotate food around to be eaten first ,get rid of frostbit meat (dog treats) and make room for the 100 lbs. of ground deer meat i have coming my way and it won't be long before I go to my buddies ponds to stock up on catfish and white perch. Still working on the shelves in the storage room ,Getting rid of outdated veggies(chicken treats).<br />
Well thats all for know ,I will take some picks when I'm finished my redneck generator cover, Prep on it's moving fast now...................Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-43727065353271348692013-01-12T13:22:00.002-06:002013-01-12T13:22:43.361-06:00Lousy WeatherWith the way the weather has been going it is almost impossible to get anything done outside,Just feeding the animals is a drag. Another new Year surprise is I am giving a extra 1200 bucks into social security that I will probably never see.<br />
The 1st of the year is always a real drag with the bills,House insurance,property tax high electric due to cold temps,car insurance ,etc, The kids think I'm the Grinch that stole Xmas but fail to realize that I can't put these bills off or I'm way behind, but so be it, They will have to get over it,, not to mention the fact that I had to work for Thanksgiving,Xmas,& new years. Also the car crapped out and was to old to put a grand into so I ad too get another one.I lucked out and found a 2000 jeep Cherokee with low miles and it's sweet so thank the Lord for that. I'm gonna try and breed some rabbits tomorrow , last try didn't take and I definitely need some for he freezer, Also have some deer meat to grind up so I have a busy day, I hope all is well with everyone and the holidays were good to ya till next time prep on............................Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-9908635452328690052012-12-16T00:27:00.000-06:002012-12-16T00:27:01.048-06:00WTF,what happened at Sandy Hook I can not for the life of me fathom why a 20 year old kid would do such a thing,many questions need to be answered before any chance of understanding can come to mind.It's apparent that the kid had mental problems of some sort to do such a thing,was he taking some type of medication? Dd he stop taking it? Only when the facts come out will we have a chance to answer these questions. But one thing is for sure,taking away second amendment rights is not the answer.You could not possibly handle a situation without a firearm if you were swept up in a situation like this.<br />
Lets face it if a kid shoots his mother in the face he is too far gone for help and has to be put down by somebody,be it you, me, or the police,the closest one has to take action to stop the killing of innocents. I know this will fuel the call for stricter control of firearms but that is a bunch of crap.I will pray for the victims and survivors and family as well as this type of thing not happening again,but it WILL. With a gun , knife or even a rock when someone has lost there mind they are gonna Fuck up one way or another. God bless those poor children and their families at this time of tragedy.Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-41357297087531654562012-11-29T18:22:00.000-06:002012-11-29T18:22:37.195-06:00 Some of this shit is a bit much but a lot of good ideas.As usal,The boob Tube is blowing things up.......<br />
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<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_P2ghC6LGyg?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-80885703066924062592012-11-20T23:45:00.001-06:002012-11-20T23:45:24.392-06:00I've been busy as hell with work and neglecting my chores at home.The price I pay for being in management,Skeleton crew and 1 guy out with a nasty virus so I've been racking up the hours,The best decision i made when I took the position was to demand to stay on hourly wages, if I was on salary I'd be gettin screwed big time. With the holiday sales i want to rotate out a bunch of old stock and replenish with some sale items.I also need to buy a grinder to deal with this deer meat that has accumulated in my freezer. Also want to put up my other solar panel kit and be done with it.<br />
I'm gonna find the time to breed a couple of rabbits this week so I can get some more in the freezer cause I'm running low.The chickens are putting out about a dozen eggs a day and are paying for themselves right now witch is great and the folks at work are fighting over who is gonna get the next dozen. Well that's al for now ,have a great Turkey day Everyone..........Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-17531719800770961392012-11-05T07:51:00.003-06:002012-11-05T07:51:55.206-06:00First I'd like to say make sure you get your ass out and vote in Tuesday's election no matter who you support,If not, don't bitch that things didn't go your way.Too many people sit on their ass and bitch about the state of things and didn't even get out to cast a ballot.<br />
Next though my prayers go to the people up north in the damage of the hurricane, I can only hope that the one's that make it will be smart enough to SEE that the government is not gonna be there to pull you through when you really are in a pinch.I wasn't Totally awake when Katrina hit us but not a day has gone by since that I don't live to prep in some way so that WHATEVER comes up I can handle it myself and not be waiting in line with the majority of the population on a delivery of food ,gas or Uncle Sam to come to the rescue.No matter how willing the local Government is, They just don't have the resources be it food,fuel,medicines or whatever. Wake up and get your shit together or get in line.God Bless us ALL..............<br />
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<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CIG6knGhrIs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-51326192934975507712012-10-27T08:54:00.002-05:002012-10-27T08:54:54.661-05:00 A very interesting video about our future energy concerns and solutions.<br />
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<object id="flashObj" width="480" height="270" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=1913015026001&playerID=1253025976001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAABDk7A3E~,xYAUE9lVY9_brapKCzkbqstpY8k7QvJH&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=1913015026001&playerID=1253025976001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAABDk7A3E~,xYAUE9lVY9_brapKCzkbqstpY8k7QvJH&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="480" height="270" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object>Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-79248770746883453922012-10-05T19:44:00.002-05:002012-10-05T19:44:38.601-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClxYlk2xHAEF7JXOXX8-DRQSP14VOADEq6gwC2MQ85TSGfu8LRntmXy7dPFMaXYZm3xs0okgC-x3tuElO_q5PKQNENePtq5EIJi1fycWVytRuQCdJGXbsH4vYC1yWOYS5urgeq5yemT4/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClxYlk2xHAEF7JXOXX8-DRQSP14VOADEq6gwC2MQ85TSGfu8LRntmXy7dPFMaXYZm3xs0okgC-x3tuElO_q5PKQNENePtq5EIJi1fycWVytRuQCdJGXbsH4vYC1yWOYS5urgeq5yemT4/s320/photo.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5po-kcoo6vW-zIj6TCxPnAflUpRcM2d8aAL8FVCPLhogVBnzW6GhUED4e5zexqzJJvsH1zSEg88WI856NElgTqy04NrxrpXJyHRxRRCoj_2V2rukgjwpO3LjQFQrskP6i06dKJ1GBkEU/s1600/photo%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5po-kcoo6vW-zIj6TCxPnAflUpRcM2d8aAL8FVCPLhogVBnzW6GhUED4e5zexqzJJvsH1zSEg88WI856NElgTqy04NrxrpXJyHRxRRCoj_2V2rukgjwpO3LjQFQrskP6i06dKJ1GBkEU/s320/photo%25281%2529.JPG" /></a></div> I FINALLY got the new Hen house in place and open for business,the hens I bought last spring are finally laying good and they needed a place to do their business.<br />
I'm looking forward to many over easy Breakfast plates with a little deer sausage on the side.<br />
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Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-27879887525950158372012-09-09T10:04:00.006-05:002012-09-09T10:27:24.246-05:00A catastrophe and a shitty economy = A real Drag<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIKFt0OqodatMA9cRp0aDl76TQRDHV0wBzOeA992PAFKgMXrzs_pE_Pa2TxX2dRGKVcnhixrL79o46hUw0EiJQQ6rPag8EAPlX5LM42YiDhLDtmhizASZB9HhK8zxRAsHrZFEE_wGNO1Y/s1600/issac+large.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 249px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIKFt0OqodatMA9cRp0aDl76TQRDHV0wBzOeA992PAFKgMXrzs_pE_Pa2TxX2dRGKVcnhixrL79o46hUw0EiJQQ6rPag8EAPlX5LM42YiDhLDtmhizASZB9HhK8zxRAsHrZFEE_wGNO1Y/s320/issac+large.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5786194487870930594" /></a><br /><br /><br />I came across a link to this article that's easy to understand and explains the fix we are in today,Top that with a catastrophe and we are really SCREWED!<br /><br />The swan song of stagflation – Gas prices up over 100 percent from 2005 and incomes are stagnant. Ignoring a $16 trillion debt headline and repackaging food to hide stagnant incomes.<br /><br /> Posted by mybudget360 <br /><br />If you look around your daily life you realize that your purchasing power is losing value. For a few decades now the middle class in the United States has demonstrably shrunken like clever food packaging. Over the last forty years we have lost 10 percent of our middle class. Most have fallen into the lower income bracket and now with a record 46.5 million Americans on food stamps, you have to wonder what kind of new economy we are entering into. Since household incomes have gone stagnant for well over a decade, any increase in price on one item will definitely impact the cost of other goods. In the end the purchasing power of Americans is falling. Did you notice that in the last few days our federal government debt went over $16 trillion? The media ignored this milestone assuming the public just doesn’t pay attention to headlines with the word trillion in it.<br /><br />A rise here and a clever package there<br /><br />As many of you know American household incomes have gone stagnant for over a decade. When the cost of something goes up and disposable income goes sideways, many will need to make the choice to substitute goods or companies will get creative. In a certain degree we are dealing with a modern stagflation. Take a look at this:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-98YxxROjxAELbuiKNiiqJzE04suT3wC4cuQpX5bKUSrdgz79kmS5Z1mHV0wKcm0ulRIy-zB7kdzi6e-Xb9IF5KrOStD68iuSoSrhMOPIxX5E2s6W1ZNnDb4qKbOsjbvAggIPSAtWvw/s1600/smaller-packaging.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 206px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-98YxxROjxAELbuiKNiiqJzE04suT3wC4cuQpX5bKUSrdgz79kmS5Z1mHV0wKcm0ulRIy-zB7kdzi6e-Xb9IF5KrOStD68iuSoSrhMOPIxX5E2s6W1ZNnDb4qKbOsjbvAggIPSAtWvw/s320/smaller-packaging.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5786195819480879874" /></a><br /><br />smaller packaging<br /><br /><br />The top contains about 15 percent fewer crackers. So it isn’t necessarily that people are not buying these items anymore but are shifting their preferences. Without a doubt some categories like health insurance and college tuition have gone into a bubble like price rise while incomes stagger along. The cost of fueling up in our car addicted nation? Take a look at what has occurred since 2005:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vQF3YD1-T34d7oZzYFh-cybHW0y46kwiY3MS-M7Cz9-0pUoq7VOExIXdOoOf0G0SeD9J00wXykJ89y8SKUcfpY-ESxR7w3G60TcJDERFRWulwLCIcZS3X3j2Eg8tZsRe9alPJ6kbJcg/s1600/gas-prices.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 149px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vQF3YD1-T34d7oZzYFh-cybHW0y46kwiY3MS-M7Cz9-0pUoq7VOExIXdOoOf0G0SeD9J00wXykJ89y8SKUcfpY-ESxR7w3G60TcJDERFRWulwLCIcZS3X3j2Eg8tZsRe9alPJ6kbJcg/s320/gas-prices.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5786197227747044594" /></a><br /><br />gas prices<br /><br />Gas prices are up over 100 percent in this short time frame. That household making $50,000 per year in 2005 is still making $50,000 in 2012 but is seeing a larger chunk of their disposable income being sucked into fueling their automobiles.<br /><br />But stagnant wages means less money for other items and some other items have seen prices cuts like Folgers Coffee for example and Procter & Gamble Company rolled back $400 million in price increases made in the last year. These are simply examples of companies responding to the current marketplace. You also have places like Family Dollar that have done exceptionally well catering to the now massive 46 million customers that receive monthly food assistance. Is this really the definition of success?<br /><br />Paying more for less<br /><br />Probably in no other category is the destruction of purchasing power being seen than in higher education. There is no doubt higher education is in a bubble:<br /><br /> “(BusinessWeek) If student loans are good debt, how do you account for the reaction of Christina Mills, 30, of Minneapolis, when she found out her payment on college and law school loans would be $1,400 a month? “I just went into the car and started sobbing,” says Mills, who works for a nonprofit.”<br /><br />A couple of points. First, when you come out with massive loans by default you are unable to afford your education especially when your initial income can’t even service the monthly minimum payment. The question then becomes, where does this money come from? Since the government and banks are tied at the hip, similar to what occurred in the housing bubble, loans are being made without the thought of how these borrowers are going to pay the money back. The banking industry doesn’t care since this money is federally backed. This is the same formula used in the housing market. What happened to prices there?<br /><br /> “Then there’s Michael DiPietro, 25, of Brooklyn, who accumulated about $100,000 in debt while getting a bachelor’s degree in fashion, sculpture, and performance, and spent the next two years waiting tables. He has since landed a fundraising job in the arts but still has no idea how he will pay back all that money. “I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s an obsolete idea that a college education is like your golden ticket,” DiPietro says. “It’s an idea that an older generation holds on to.”<br /><br />How is it even possible to get $100,000 in loans for a fashion, sculpture, and performance degree? It is possible because banks, schools, and the government are all part of this giant machine that is essentially allowing young Americans to go into massive debt for degrees that have little merit in the economy. This is no free market but a crony based system that extracts rents from the working and middle class and makes the CEO/Presidents of these schools wealthy while banks skim cash paying out million dollar bonuses and the government (that is the public) serves as the sucker when things go bust.<br /><br /> “So maybe the real problem is that credentialism has trumped learning. That drives people to get degrees simply to displace others who don’t have degrees, says Richard Vedder, who directs the Center for College Affordability and Productivity. He notes that the U.S. has more than 100,000 janitors with college degrees and 16,000 degree-holding parking lot attendants”<br /><br />So we continue down this path of inflating our way out of the massive debt we now find ourselves in. The markets are now back to levels last seen in 2007 yet we now have 46 million people on food stamps and our overall workforce participation rate looks dismal:<br /><br />employment ratio<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRe0i8lIZD_fCX8ZLebU-XhaXD0iCmfXvm_w1kiDYHxZnh9g9FYrz1RBAPzPMdA-6jzjPgOQqb4xuXMqZegehwPCZbknY2GddFRKAe2URj_3q70Gb0xJvMI7qFRgqdU_vqUnykJBt1Qw/s1600/employment-ratio.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRe0i8lIZD_fCX8ZLebU-XhaXD0iCmfXvm_w1kiDYHxZnh9g9FYrz1RBAPzPMdA-6jzjPgOQqb4xuXMqZegehwPCZbknY2GddFRKAe2URj_3q70Gb0xJvMI7qFRgqdU_vqUnykJBt1Qw/s320/employment-ratio.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5786198278467944482" /></a><br /><br /><br />Do you hear that sound? It is the Federal Reserve gearing up to go into QE3 to inflate our way out of this mess and help their banking buddies. Don’t be confused this political season with the massive number of millionaires in Congress. They work for big money and all you need to do is examine the data to find out what is really going on.Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-22923886459554893172012-09-03T08:06:00.002-05:002012-09-03T08:25:25.406-05:00Happy Labor dayWell the last week's been a Bitch but I survived.Mostly dealing with the heat and humidity,and of course the Elite that live in the high rise condo I work at.They think that we are there servants not employees.I have probably made some enemies this week but thats too bad.I'm known for telling it like it is,and boy did I show my ass this last week.But enough of that, The building is up and running,I'm sitting in the a/c and watching the clock tick down so I can get out of here.No damage to speak of at the house,The ol lady working her ass off getting the yard straight, the rabbits are back in their area, chickens are cluckin,power is on and everything is pretty much back to normal.Yes it pays to be prepared, we lost no food because we had foresight,As I look around me I see a lot of people with their hand out ,but they always have their hand out so nothings changed there.The ones who prepared are doing fine with no help from fema. Hell most have more money than me because they are always getting handouts. They go to get mre's 5 times in different cars because they are greedy and then bitch that they taste like shit. They are putting in claims for lost food that they didn't loose that they bought with food stamps in the first place .They know how to work the system,and they work it hard,that's one reason we don't have any government money now,that and what the politicians can get away with. One day uncle sugar won't be there and then we will see what's up.<br /> Anyway hope everyone has a good labor day and I don't have to do too much labor.Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-42882342503750999692012-08-31T19:05:00.002-05:002012-08-31T19:10:52.234-05:00Hurricane Issac experence and preperation<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBU3oxgSx3JL6c_W2V-R3WRJn9tDRrX8VdP0SS7cRGoTQVWjgHsdq5eb2YH6uxcJNxdWNGr_u_WjyihaVndyR6JSBIVuC0mxT5jZguihLr3SUC7_lIi47G8vm4RwlH_eNyDcT5h82IL4/s1600/831-Entergy-noon-Friday-jpg.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBU3oxgSx3JL6c_W2V-R3WRJn9tDRrX8VdP0SS7cRGoTQVWjgHsdq5eb2YH6uxcJNxdWNGr_u_WjyihaVndyR6JSBIVuC0mxT5jZguihLr3SUC7_lIi47G8vm4RwlH_eNyDcT5h82IL4/s320/831-Entergy-noon-Friday-jpg.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5782993148812009266" /></a><br /><br />This is why I stress being prepared,If you don't have a backup plan,plan on doing without the essentials of life.Katrina taught me some valuable lessons,that being prepared for anything or something will bite you in the ass.The red areas are the ones without power,But my house isn't dark and we ate baby back ribs for Dinner,get my drift.........And I have enough stash to keep this up for weeks.Good luck to the sheeple.<br />Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-86661988924072577032012-08-26T15:07:00.002-05:002012-08-26T15:24:48.382-05:00Under Hurricane watch It's showtime and I'm glad I only had to grab a few essentials from the store.The Madness has begun.Gas lines at the pumps,a couple of deuce bags fist fighting for cutting inline,run on the grocery store and the storm isn't even in the gulf good yet.Just have to dig some fuel out of storage,take down my solar setup,and stow away the animals and I'm set.Good thing too because my Employer want's me on sight for the storm,little do they know if it looks like it's gonna be a 3 I'm so fukin outta of there all they will see is a smoke trail. Well gotta make a quick stop at my Grandson's B day party and i think I'll work in the shed after the sun goes down to finish my preps, good luck to all, see ya on the other side of the storm.....Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-72040875841332133792012-08-18T14:16:00.002-05:002012-08-18T14:20:30.960-05:00Are you prepared for life without power?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGHbLnCVq47Scba_qJNAy7uMOmu0YqS_5X1fFmM2Z-r6dIGk4F9Aomu2bm_uVO2DXG0GNrdJRyCL20rpCysBmtDKt1Hj172sAeacIb9NlCcJUZ8vmeE6esArQhFkg7vHg2kBOPwC_VG4/s1600/Power-outage-0812-mdn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGHbLnCVq47Scba_qJNAy7uMOmu0YqS_5X1fFmM2Z-r6dIGk4F9Aomu2bm_uVO2DXG0GNrdJRyCL20rpCysBmtDKt1Hj172sAeacIb9NlCcJUZ8vmeE6esArQhFkg7vHg2kBOPwC_VG4/s320/Power-outage-0812-mdn.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5778095021783454642" /></a><br />I came across this article and they have some good suggestions, read it It could make a big difference in your life,,,,,I know I've lived it....<br /><br />U.S. Woefully Unprepared for a Blackout Like India’s: Analysis<br />Two major blackouts last week left hundreds of millions of Indians in the dark. PM contributor Glenn Harlan Reynolds says despite its advanced grid, the U.S. needs major improvements in infrastructure and preparedness to be ready for a major power loss.<br />By Glenn Harlan Reynolds<br /><br />Last week, India suffered two huge blackouts. Tuesday’s cut power to 370 million people; another one on Wednesday blacked out 670 million people, making it the worst blackout in the history of humanity.<br /><br />Talking about this with a colleague, I said, "Don’t worry. That can’t happen here." "Why not?" she asked. "Because we don’t have 670 million people," I replied.<br /><br />This wasn’t the comfort she was looking for.<br /><br />The specific causes of India’s blackouts aren’t likely to be a problem in the United States. India’s electrical grid was brought down in part by state governments drawing more power from the grid than they were supposed to; American power grids are better managed. And while India’s grid has been strained by rapid economic growth, America currently faces no such problem.<br /><br />But don’t get too comfortable. America’s grid has its own problems, and not enough is being done to address them. And, ironically, because American electric supplies have generally been pretty reliable, we’re in some ways worse-equipped to handle a major power outage than India is. That’s also something we should probably be doing something about, both at the national level and as individuals.<br /><br />Modern civilization is astoundingly dependent on electricity. If the power goes out for very long, pretty much everything stops: water (you need pumps), gasoline (most gas stations don’t have backup generators to pump the gas), traffic (no stoplights), sewage (pumps again), and, eventually, even things like natural gas supplies (more pumps) and cellphone service (cell towers usually have backup power, but for most it’s only short-term). Stop the electricity for a day and it’s inconvenient; stop it for a few days and people die; stop it for a week or more over a big area and civilization itself is in peril.<br /><br />The more advanced state of the U.S. grid is a mixed blessing. The ability to "wheel" power over long distances means that local problems can be ameliorated by power from elsewhere. But it also means that a failure in one area can, under the wrong circumstances, bring down service over wide areas. Modern smart-grid technologies currently being designed and deployed can make the power net nimbler and able to adapt more quickly to changes in loads. On the other hand, all that computerization makes the system more vulnerable to software bugs, viruses, cyber attacks, or even electromagnetic-pulse (EMP) damage from a solar storm or a nuclear attack.<br /><br />Even worse: Americans aren’t as prepared for power outages as Indians are. In India—or Nigeria, where I have family—no one is surprised when the power goes out. As a result, everyone has a backup plan. Blackouts are so common that dealing with them isn’t really a backup plan at all—just part of the plan.<br /><br />Here, that’s not the case. Most critical operations do have backup generators, and so do some not-so-critical ones (The law school where I teach has a gigantic Caterpillar diesel generator, even though an interruption in law teaching probably wouldn’t threaten the well-being of the community.) But coverage is surprisingly spotty. Some cellular carriers equip their cells with backup generators, but others don’t—and the industry successfully fought to kill an FCC requirement for backup power. Most gas stations don’t have backup generators, which means that in an extended power outage, the gas in your car’s tank (or in the cans for your gas-powered generator at home) is all the gas you’re going to have. So when extended blackouts hit, things are worse in the U.S., as people discovered recently when millions in the Washington, D.C., area were without power for days.<br /><br />That means two things: First, we have to do what we can to harden our infrastructure to make the threat of blackouts less likely. Second, we should be prepared for the worst.<br /><br />On the infrastructure-hardening front, approaches range from the obvious, like burying power lines likely to be brought down by storms and making sure there’s enough generating capacity to meet peak loads, to the less obvious, like ensuring that there are adequate stocks of important components (like transformers) to do disaster recovery. Keeping those stocks is hard, because the parts are expensive and nowadays often imported from overseas. Earlier this year, for example, power industry and Homeland Security engineers practiced bringing in and installing three "recovery transformers" in a test to see how quickly they could replace the big transformers found at power substations in an emergency.<br /><br />The experiment was troubling: Although engineers have the technical skills to do the job, the transformers often have a two-year order horizon. The substation transformers are so big that they have to be shipped by rail, and to make things worse, rail no longer serves many areas where existing substations are found. So the U.S. is having to pursue alternative means: The "recovery" transformers split the task of one unit into three smaller ones that are easier to move. They’re also developing transformers that work in multiple applications, to reduce the number of different models that will have to be kept in stock.<br /><br />Right now, if more than a few transformers were knocked out at once, the affected areas could be left without service for months or even years. These current efforts will reduce the time to recovery, but only if the U.S. begins maintaining sufficient stockpiles. That’s only the beginning: Other issues involve securing power-control and other utility hardware against hackers (current security is often embarrassingly poor) and the physical security of control centers and key components against sabotage or accident. Addressing these issues is important, because a major grid-down incident lasting weeks or months wouldn’t just be an inconvenience. It would be a catastrophe.<br /><br />Stopping the power from going out should be our first priority, but it’s also smart to prepare for a "soft landing" when blackouts do happen. Here there should be two priorities: first, systems that fail gracefully rather than catastrophically; second, long-term backup power for critical systems.<br /><br />Fortunately, failing gracefully is usually comparatively cheap. Battery backups for traffic lights may keep them going for only a few hours, but those few hours let people get home and off the roads where immediate failure might produce gridlock. Backups for mass-transit systems let people get off the train at a station instead of being stuck somewhere underground. Even a few hours of battery backup for cellphone service lets people respond to the outage and make plans with their loved ones and co-workers. (For families and businesses, having some sort of plan in advance is even better, of course).<br /><br />For critical systems, the backup power needs to be robust and long-lasting. I’m talking about hospitals, phone/Internet providers, power plants (which need their own backup power to do the repairs), other utility companies, police, public-health facilities, and more. Many facilities with emergency generators rely on natural gas for power. That’s fine as long as the gas is working, but the gas company needs power to run its distribution systems. Many other generators have diesel or propane tanks, but those are often intended only for short-term use, with supplies adequate for only a few days. For the more important systems, we need to be thinking about longer time horizons and about ways to refuel them if they’re needed for even longer. You want the water and sewage systems to keep working even if the lights are out.<br /><br />Where do people get food if the grocery stores don’t have power? For outages of a few days, this is a nuisance; for longer ones, it becomes a serious problem. Communities should have plans set up in advance.<br /><br />So should individuals. At the low end of individual preparation, inexpensive solar/hand-crank radios provide information and usually will power an LED light and charge a cellphone. Stepping up, auto inverters or small generators can provide useful backup power for a few days. If you’re really serious, you can always put in a whole-house backup generator and power it from a buried propane or diesel tank that will last for days or weeks, though that becomes pretty pricey. Likewise, you want to be prepared to get by for a while if it’s hard to get food, water, vital medications, or other supplies.<br /><br />Defense against blackouts and other dropouts in crucial infrastructure is best done in layers. On some of these, we can learn from India; on others, we will have to think for ourselves. Better that we do so sooner than later.<br /><br />Read more: U.S. Woefully Unprepared for a Blackout Like India’s: Analysis - Popular Mechanics<br />Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3730725984440784707.post-25358789511247367102012-08-18T11:19:00.004-05:002012-08-18T11:48:31.081-05:00Working my ass off<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBKwC1M2rORN1fbFtXvT1BjGptYVr8X6mhBLAhPApDt1p3GL0U0C-7yeiFMvLkj-1ckZ3POFGv3ovuurgWTahLkDiV0tvZKxM46156Bi5r6cX_ghLW6kWbU0OiCnXu4v5leyzDLp8wF4/s1600/100_0331.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBKwC1M2rORN1fbFtXvT1BjGptYVr8X6mhBLAhPApDt1p3GL0U0C-7yeiFMvLkj-1ckZ3POFGv3ovuurgWTahLkDiV0tvZKxM46156Bi5r6cX_ghLW6kWbU0OiCnXu4v5leyzDLp8wF4/s320/100_0331.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5778048767344379426" /></a><br /><br /><br />I often don't bother to discuss my work with people I know because they just don't have a clue. When they ask what i do for a living and I tell them I'm a building Engineer the think of shit they see on TV, like a dumb ass they call just to unstop their toilet or sink,or reset a breaker that tripped when their lamp shorted out.The people the live at the condo where I work don't have a clue and think that I'm overpaid.They don't have any idea of the shit I have to make happen just so they can even live in this building.Like the lil ol lady that keeps calling the office for me and my helper to come install a washer for her because she's to cheap to pay somebody 50 bucks to the company she bought it from ,but doesn't realize I'm up on this cooling tower cleaning it so that she and the other 150 family's that live here won't be sweating there ass off.Most people look outside of there window and see a 3 ton unit they can hose out and it's done.It doesn't work that way here folks.<br />They think if there compressor goes out I'll call the repairman and pay 500 or so and keep watching TV.try that with this compressor<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOxiJLkPppgiRF2mqORtXOHLtqadlK7vWOg2ql5JMDfF_nspfZ7aQ63ihCD6zSOA4yLHZOCD1VrBiQ6Hwn7fKlot0dIuri_7XAqffkr-v2wTJddaRl9jS441AQajRi-wAtA6yq-pj4PI/s1600/100_0332.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOxiJLkPppgiRF2mqORtXOHLtqadlK7vWOg2ql5JMDfF_nspfZ7aQ63ihCD6zSOA4yLHZOCD1VrBiQ6Hwn7fKlot0dIuri_7XAqffkr-v2wTJddaRl9jS441AQajRi-wAtA6yq-pj4PI/s320/100_0332.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5778055443712377218" /></a><br /><br /><br /> Keeping these 2- 400 ton chillers and cooling towers operating is just one of the major parts of my day,so when you Apartment dwellers or Condo owners call Maintenance to get the mechanic to check the belt on your vacuum cleaner, remember He might not be the dumb ass you see on TV,and have something a little more important to do. Give him a little credit for the years it took him to acquire the knowledge to make your ass comfortable!! And pay him what he's worth you tight bastards.<br /><br />Rhinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06823089730077634077noreply@blogger.com1