Category Archives: Current Events

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If there were any doubts how deadly wildfires can be, last week’s Yarnell Fire should have removed them.

Credit: KTLA

A wildfire outside of Yarnell, AZ killed 19 members of a firefighting crew that were battling a blaze outside that small town.  By all accounts, the crew was well-trained and equipped to do their job.  However, the fire overwhelmed and killed them.

The lesson here is that wildfires are vicious and can turn deadly in a matter of moments.  They can kill even the best-trained and equipped first responders, so its important to take the danger of wildfires seriously.  I’ll discuss this subject in more depth in future posts but if you have property in wooded areas, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

  • Be ready to evacuate quickly – Wildfires can happen suddenly and change direction without warning.  If there are fires anywhere near where you live, know that you may only have minutes to evacuate.
  • Keep radios, flashlights, and batteries handy – Smoke and ash can create darkness even in the middle of the day.  Make sure you have flashlights so you can see even in obscured conditions.  Also, keep a radio handy so you can tune in to get up to date information on evacuations and other wildfire updates.
  • Know your escape routes – If you have to evacuate, have multiple routes planned in advance.  Sometimes roads may be closed either due to the fire or for use by emergency personnel.  Keep this in mind and have primary and backup routes mapped-out.

There is much more but the key concept is to plan to deal with wildfires before they happen.

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Every now and then, the results of a trial can set off a man-made disaster like the 1992 LA Riots.

Credit: LA Times

I really hope that’s not the case with the George Zimmerman trial in Florida.

That being said, a wise person should be prepared for civil disorder should the worst occur.  After all, riots can and do take place for a myriad of reasons.  Even the foreign press realizes that the case against George Zimmerman is weak and that he could be acquitted.  Given all the press attention and the focus on the race/ethnicity of those involved (Hispanic and Black), this case could result in civil disturbances ranging from peaceful protests to widespread violence.

Kevin over at Misfires and Light Strikes has an informative post that covers the basics along with some links some additional links (here and here) that delve deeper in the situation.  Since the case could go to the jury any day now, make sure you are ready should the worst happen.  Be aware, be ready, be safe.

If you have a moment, hop on over to Daniel Greenfield’s blog (Sultan Krish) and read one of his posts on the case.  Its a fascinating read about the culture clash going on within the lower half of the Middle Class.

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If you ever wonder why many cities and municipalities are broke, think about Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Where did all the money go?
Credit: Pocho

If leaders can’t control their spending habits in their personal lives, how can anybody expect them to be good public servants?  One prime example of this is the outgoing Mayor of Los Angeles.  Apparently Antonio Villaraigosa spent money as fast as it came in and is now actively looking for a job once his term ends.  He is well-connected and will land a good job somewhere, but the city and people he leaves behind won’t be so fortunate.

Earlier in his second term, Comptroller Wendy Gruel issued a report stating that the city faced an “urgent financial crisis” and would be unable to pay its bills in a matter of weeks.  Even though the immediate crisis was averted, the underlying conditions remain.  The combination of high debt, lavish benefits, comfortable retirements, and fiscal irresponsibility still exist in Los Angeles, a condition that is likely to continue until the city can’t borrow any more.

Think about this for a moment, do you trust governments that can’t control their own spending and are led by irresponsible people?  As Tim Carney wrote the other day, the game is rigged against regular people.  Mayor Villaraigosa and others can leave behind a wreck for others to clean up and face no adverse consequences for their actions.  They don’t care if city services degrade and the livability of their cities suffers, its on to the next well-paying job and greater prestige.

So what does a regular person do?

Well, it start by realizing that government won’t always be there for you when things go wrong.  You won’t be able to count on bankrupt cities to come to your aid, the alternative is to rely upon yourself, your neighborhood, and your communities to address urgent needs.  Preparation is a process, and it starts with the realization that you have to take responsibility for yourself.  This does not mean individuals become selfish or isolated, quite the contrary in fact.  A prepared individual becomes an asset to the community he or she lives in.  As more citizens become involved in becoming prepared, the communities they reside in become more resilient and connected.

This can start with minor steps like having a 3-day supply of food and water allocated for emergency use.  It can also include wearing ID bands with important medical information etched on them.  Another steps is having extra flashlights, radios, and batteries handy for when the power goes out.  The key is to being taking small steps towards becoming better prepared.  Realize that this is an ongoing journey that will yield rewards even if disaster never strikes.  Governments won’t be there to save you, its time to take ownership of your safety and security.

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Live in a nice neighborhood?

Is your house in a safe part of town?

Have a lot of wealthy and famous neighbors?

Think you are immune from crime?

Well, if you answered “yes” to any of those questions, you may wish to reassess your assumptions.  After all, the escapades of the “Rock Burglar” should clearly demonstrate that nobody’s house if safe from a determined thief.  Even though he has been convicted and will spend the rest of his life in jail, Robert Neese did have a long run as a thief with some notable victims.

alleged victims include former vice president Dan Quayle and ex-pro baseball players Mark Grace and Steve Finley, is believed to be responsible for about 400 burglaries of luxury homes in the Phoenix area

The takeaway from this is nobody is immune from crime, so plan accordingly.  Assume you are a target no matter where you live or what your financial situation is.  Criminals steal for a living and they will seek out victims, especially ones who are unprepared.

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I’m not just talking about urban blight like this:

Credit: Mojo Steve

I’ve written about how prevailing economic conditions affect government services in places like Detroit.  I have also mentioned how some communities are turning to private and citizen policing to augment their sworn law enforcement members.  One place this is taking place is…Detroit.

In one respect, this is a hopeful sign as citizens take (back) control of their neighborhoods when failed, corrupt governments fall short.  However, it also shows the extent of the problem in many of America’s large cities face.  Declining populations, ruinously lavish government pensions, corrupt political leaders, excessive regulation, and high taxation combine to form a perfect storm of fiscal destruction.  The citizens are the ones left to largely fend for themselves as governments lack the resources to provide essential services.

With this in mind, what are you doing to prepare?  As we see in places like Detroit, governments won’t always be there when you need them.  Time to assert your own independence and take steps to prepare for when things go wrong.

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Even in ostensibly peaceful and tolerant Sweden, civil unrest happens.

Credit: Scanpix Sweden/Reuters

Over the last few days, rioting has taken place around Stockholm.  Many of the rioters are young and from immigrant communities suffering from high unemployment and lack of opportunity.  Even in a country known for generous social welfare programs and a reputation for tolerance, anger and resentment can explode amongst certain subsets of the population.

Live in a nice neighborhood, on a peaceful street?  Think you are immune to riots?  What would you do if one broke out in your community?

Think about that for a moment.

Violence can happen anywhere and seemingly insignificant events can trigger rioting.  When it happens, you will need to be ready.  Having food, water, light, shelter, first aid items, and personal protection (firearms, clubs, knives, etc.) on-hand will be a necessity.  When it comes to evacuating, you may be forced to flee your home with little notice if widespread rioting hits your community.  We’ll go into more detail in future articles about how to prepare for civil unrest and similar events, just know that if it can happen in a cosmopolitan city like Stockholm, it can happen anywhere…

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If anybody thinks Great Britain is peaceful and safe, think again.

Credit: ITV

The blood on that fella’s hands came from a British soldier that he beheaded moments before.  It took twenty minutes(!) for police to arrive and eventually apprehend the two suspects.  Before the police arrived, a lady confronted one of the alleged killers while he was roaming around the murder scene.  She distracted him to prevent others in the area from getting attacked.  All in all, a very violent and bloody scene of Islamic violence.

Great Britain has an undeserved reputation of being a non-violent country where crimes like this are rare.  However, brutal assaults like this happen in the UK and everywhere else in the world on a regular basis.  Some members of society are violent and full of anger, when they lash out it can be brutal.

The principle to keep in mind here is that you can be a veteran soldier and be attacked in your home country.  Military training and combat experience can be trumped by surprise and violence as we have seen in this recent incident.  Being alert, trained, and ready will give you the mindset necessary to survive during a violent incident even if you are a civilian.  Remember too, that violent attacks can take place anywhere and you are never completely safe.

Bonus:  If you have a moment, read this short article on the link between welfare and terrorism.

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Two unrelated, related stories about emergency response times.

First, there was an attempted robbery at Pepe’s Grocery in Dallas, TX the other day.  The store manager shot one of the robbers with his handgun and called 911.  The police did not arrive until 75 minutes after the call was made.

Second, the Emergency Manager for Detroit delivered a report to the Michigan Treasurer that stated the City of Detroit was insolvent and unable to borrow money.  Pension costs, debt service, and lower tax revenues combined with decades of fiscal mismanagement have brought the problem to a head.  Police and fire response times in Motown are also comparatively long.

Credit: The Ruins of Detroit

These stories are related because they show that government services may not be there when you need them.  In the case of Joe Cho, a pistol was all that kept him from being robbed since the police would not arrive for over an hour after he made his 911 call.  For Detroit, residents can expect even fewer services (police, fire, public works) as the city deals with insolvency.  As I have written about here and here, increasing municipal financial problems will have an impact on citizens lives.

Part of the solution to this is to become better prepared to handle emergencies yourself.  Police, fire, and rescue personnel may not be as available or responsive as they have been in the past.  Individuals will have to rely upon themselves and non-governmental entities to provide services previously performed by governments.  Some example include:

  • Firearms ownership and training
  • Private policing and armed security
  • Physical security upgrades (hardened entrances, video surveillance, increased lighting)
  • Emergency electrical power generation
  • Community patrols by trained citizens

Becoming better prepared means greater resiliency and independence in an increasingly unstable world where the government is not always there to protect you…

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This is what we are approaching…and its great news.

The post-war model (or as Walter Russell Mead calls it the “blue social model“) is rapidly falling apart as its unsustainable fiscal policies and inflexible rule sets.  The commitments and assumptions made before and after World War Two don’t match current reality.  As Kevin Williamson writes:

The real debate for the next 30 years is not how we go about paying our bills, but how we go about not paying them. What is most likely is a much smaller and more modest government, something closer to what Robert Nozick called the “nightwatchman state.” The reason for that is the fact that we have good substitutes for Social Security and the Department of Education but not for the army or the courts.

The future is going to entail less government involvement and greater privatization of services.  All of this will take place in an environment of austerity and slow growth, as we are currently experiencing.

What does this have to do with preparation?

The short-term could get rough, especially with declining government services (think roads, police, fire, and other services) and higher taxes.  Less service for a higher price could lead to increased crime, longer response times, and worn-out infrastructure.  This is already apparent in municipalities across the country that are either bankrupt (ex. Stockton, CA) or struggling to pay their bills (ex. Chicago, IL).  As a citizen, you can expect less from your government, meaning you will have to be more independent and prepared.

The long-term will see a much more stable and resilient country (re)emerge though.  Think back to life before the Progressive Era, the New Deal, World War Two, and the Great Society…there will be less government in people’s lives in the future.  Instead of relying upon government institutions, citizens will have to become more involved in taking care of their needs as well as those of around them.  That requires regular citizens stepping up though and assuming responsibilities that had been given to the state in years past.

My friend Kevin is fond of saying that firearms ownership is the gateway drug to freedom.  I reckon preparation is a gateway drug to greater independence and responsibility, which will lead to a stronger nation.