Who Can You Trust in a Crazy World?

Unfortunately the only person you can really trust in this world is yourself.  And maybe your friends and maybe your family (this is highly dependent on your friends and family, sometime these people can be the least trustworthy people you deal with on a regular basis but I digress...).

• The government has a long history of supporting corporations over the health and safety of citizens when it comes to food and other consumables. 
• As we saw in the recent GameStop stock saga, regulators were more concerned with targeting average people on message boards than they were with rich hedge funds who fraudulently short stocks to 120%+.
• In fact, the government has been complicit in many conspiracies that have turned out to be true.
• Tech companies have been widely criticized for everything from determining what users can and can't say online, to manipulating search results, to tracking your every move.  Basically every piece of data you generate online is used to manipulate you.
• Our public health agencies have turned out to be less than reliable.  Ditto the "experts" representing the government on the pandemic.  And don't even get me started on the data used for data driven decisions being less than dependable.
• Which brings us to the idea of appointing a "reality czar".  I would say you can't make this stuff up but George Orwell actually did in his book '1984'. 

So you need to be responsible for you.  To do this...

• Take responsibility for your own health and fitness and maybe even grow your own organic food.
• Go low consumption, low spend, buy-it-for-life, anti-consumerism, etc.  Barter, buy used, make due, and do without if possible.
• Disconnect from social media, big tech, big corporations, etc.
• Make it very hard if not impossible for tech to track you (use a VPM, de-google your phone, etc).
• Don't believe everything you see, hear, and read.  Do your own research from a variety of reputable sources in order to draw your own conclusions.
• Don't follow the crowd.
• Be ready to pivot on a moment's notice (this can be everything from having a bug out bag to being debt free to having multiple money-earning skills).
• Don't rely on the government to help you (some people left unemployed by the pandemic have been waiting nearly a year for unemployment compensation to come through).
• Do operate reasonably within the law (or at least have plausible deniability).
• Avoid interacting with the government as much as possible (this can be everything from not doing things that get you involved with the legal system to living in a freer state than, let's say, California).
• Have a means of escape (maybe become a dual citizen, always have untraceable cash and other financial instruments, keep your activities on the down low, etc).

When Your Country Tells You to Prepare, It's a Good Time to Listen

This was an interesting article about the German government warning its citizens that they need to be prepared with a stockpile of ten day's worth of food and five day's worth of water.  It states that "people need to prepare appropriately for a development that could threaten our existence."  Pretty strong wording that.

So while I am glad that I am not in Germany (their recent immigration policy or lack thereof was a complete disaster), the message in this article is appropriate for everyone on the planet and should be heeded.

After a disaster of any sort (natural or man made) the government probably won't be getting to you any time soon if the disaster is larger than a small incident.  They are still just barely starting to clean up after the massive flooding that hit Louisiana two weeks ago, and individual help (aside from emergency care and the emergency shelter system) is a long way off.

This means that you need to be prepared to take care of yourself for a period of days to weeks should a disaster happen.  The more you can do for yourself the less you will need to rely on a system that may or may not be able to help you (and certainly not quickly).

This means:

• stockpile bottled water
• stockpile easy to cook food
• have alternatives for shelter, cooking, and heating
• be in as good health as possible
• have insurances (of all kinds)
• keep good records (a home inventory, all financial and insurance records, etc)
• be prepared to defend yourself and your family
• keep cash on hand in the event ATMs don't work
• stockpile critical medications
• develop alternative communication plans to reach friends and loved ones
• develop an evacuation plan
• have basic medical and survival skills
• know which friends and neighbors you can depend upon during a disaster
• know which friends and neighbors may need help during a disaster 
• teach your kids all of the skills you have learned (they may need to help YOU during a disaster)
• make connections in your community (there is an advantage during a disaster to being on a first-name basis with the fire chief, police chief, local doctors, governor, etc)
• be able to stay home for a month if necessary (note this is harder to do than it sounds as people are so unused to doing this sort of thing)
• know what resources are available in your community (water sources, food sources, in addition to emergency shelters, etc)

During the Last Couple Weeks of Summer...

...you can...

• Hit up your local National Park.  There is free entry August 25th to 28th.
• Get your kids vaccinated for school.  And while you are there, check and see if your vaccinations are up to date as well.
• Check and see if you need to complete any tax abatement/tax appeal applications before the fall cut-off date.
• Finish up any home improvement/home maintenance tasks before fall arrives.
• Stock up on a year's worth of school supplies while they are deeply discounted now.
• Hit up the Goodwill and other thrift shops before going to the mall to buy school clothes (it will save you a ton of money).
• Get all of the registration stuff done before school starts.  This includes registering for school, reading the school's parent's and student's handbooks, figuring out where the bus stop is, getting your email address to your kid's teachers (and receiving log in info to access their online records), signing up for sports and after school activities, deciding what the kids will do for lunch and setting up their lunch accounts if needed, etc.
• Have a safety day with your kids.  Conduct a fire drill, lock down drill, and discuss school safety drills.  Make sure they have safety supplies in their backpack (extra granola bar, parent's phone numbers written down, flashlight, reflective vest to wear when walking home in the dark, etc).

Crazy People Are Everywhere...100 Prep Tips

I'm not sure if the world is getting worse or, since everyone has a video camera and a social media account, we are just more likely to hear of horrible things happening.  Within the last week there have been more than enough tragedies including the reporters being killed on live TV, a home invasion, and yet another police officer was shot.  I'd say 'what is this world coming to?' but then I would sound like my grandfather.  But people genuinely do seem to be crazier than usual these days.  Here's 100 prep tips to consider to keep yourself and your family safe:

1. Be in excellent physical condition (it's easier to run, fight, or hide if you aren't 300 pounds and have the joints of a 90 year old).
2. Know how to fight (earn a black belt in karate, learn krav maga, etc).
3. Don't allow yourself to be abducted (if someone is going to shoot you, they might as well do it where you are instead of being able to take you to a remote, hidden spot).
4. Walk and speak correctly (you don't have to walk or speak in an overly aggressive manner but walking or speaking in a timid fashion can make you a target).
5. Have a concealed carry license.
6. Carry a concealed weapon (legally of course).
7. Own a variety of firearms and know how to use them.
8. Continuously train in a variety of shooting scenarios (close combat, low light, etc).
9. Always have a firearm (safely) within reach at your home/office (emphasis on safely).
10. In situations when you can't have a firearm (airport, military installation) be aware of what items you can use to physically defend yourself.
11. Continually play the "what if" game (with yourself and/or with your family).  What if a mass shooter comes in now, what if a hurricane is heading your way within minutes, etc.
12. Use reasonable caution at all times (avoid dark secluded places, don't leave your drink in a public place where it could be drugged, immediately get out of situations that don't feel right, etc).
13. Keep your vehicle in good working order.
14. Always have more than a half tank of gas in your vehicle.
15. Have a dash cam in your vehicle.
16. Keep your doors locked and windows rolled up when driving.
17. Drive defensively but not aggressively.
18. Always leave yourself an "out" while driving (leave space between you and the car in front of you, avoid drive thrus if possible, watch for people around your vehicle when at a stop light, etc).
19. De-escalate road rage situations.
20. Don't leave anything enticing in your vehicle (don't leave a laptop on the seat, cash and coins in the cup holder, etc).
21. Remove all identifying information from your vehicle (dealer plate holders or logos, stickers from your alma mater or kid's school, those little stick figures of your family, etc).
22. No matter where you are, always be aware of everything that is happening around you.
23. Consider other forms of protection besides a firearm (MACE, bear spray, a stun gun, etc).
24. Live in a reasonably safe neighborhood.
25. Put a perimeter fence around your property.
26. Re-key your house locks when you move in and when others who have a key to your home move out.
27. Be sure that vital systems are protected (locks on your well house, locked breaker/electrical boxes, etc).
28. Install beware of dog signs (whether or not you have a dog).
29. Own dogs to help protect your property and home.
30. Landscape your property with safety in mind.
31. Install motion-sensor flood lights around your property.
32. Install a motion-sensor activated outdoor video security system (record to the cloud).
33. Install a motion-sensor activated interior video security system (record to the cloud).
34. Install solid-core exterior doors.
35. Opt for a solid-core door in place of sliding glass doors.
36. Make sure all windows have secure locks.
37. Put anti-shatter window film on all windows.
38. Make sure all exterior doors have reinforced dead bolt locks on them.
39. Never leave your garage door open or doors unlocked unless you are going in and out of them.
40. Install a peep hole in your front door.
41. Don't open the door to anyone unless you know them and have invited them over.
42. Install hidden safe(s) in your home for valuables.
43. Don't brag about the things you have in your home (money, jewelry, electronics, etc).
44. Use blinds or curtains effectively to keep people from looking inside your home.
45. Walk around your home during the day and note any security fixes that need to be made.
46. Walk around your home during the night and note any security fixes that need to be made.
47. Know your neighbors and enlist them to keep a watch on each other's homes and the neighborhood in general.
48. Know how to surreptitiously signal for help if needed (a family code word, a signal to your neighbors that has been prearranged, etc).
49. Always have a cell phone on hand for calling 911 and/or recording events.
50. Be aware of any potential domestic violence problems in your home/neighborhood/workplace.
51. Create a safe room within your home.
52. Don't hide spare keys outside of your home where a burglar might find them.
53. Install "panic buttons" which emit a loud alarm and call the police during an emergency.
54. Be consistently inconsistent in your comings and goings from your home and work place.
55. Bring your garage door opener into your home with you (leaving it in your vehicle can allow a burglar to break into your vehicle then use the garage door opener to get into your home).
56. Always keep your keys and cell phone with you (leaving them by the door can allow a burglar to break a window, get your keys, and let himself into your home and car).
57. Don't publicize your material goods (flashing your latest Rolex in pix) or your vacation plans on social media.
58. Scour your social media accounts.  Better yet, don't use social media.
59. If you do use social media, "like" or "follow" informative sources (local media, local police and fire, local emergency management offices, etc).
60. Have a lock down/home invasion plan with your family. 
61. Create a safety plan in case of a workplace shooter or other likely disaster.
62. Learn how to de-escalate conflicts at home and at work.
63. Ensure that your child's school has a variety of safety plans in place (earthquake, fire, school shooter, etc).
64. Practice hiding (this is a common part of play for kids but most adults haven't done this in decades...and it can come in handy in an emergency).
65. Always have an escape plan including a variety of ways to escape from your home, neighborhood, city, and workplace.
66. Always place yourself strategically (near the door in an elevator, on the edges of crowds, away from building fronts and alleyways, etc).
67. Utilize your cell phone effectively (text instead of calling, download useful emergency apps, video everything, turn off the sound if you are hiding from an aggressor, etc).
68. Avoid big purses or bags if possible and instead carry your stuff on inside pockets where you can't get pickpocketed.
69. Pay attention to your city/neighborhood crime map.
70. Take specialized classes to increase your skills (survival, shooting, kidnapping prevention, etc).
71. Do your banking and bill paying online as much as possible.
72. Avoid ATMs at night and in bad areas.  Even "good" areas require a heightened sense of awareness.
73. Make your home look as boring/average as possible on the outside (not too fancy, no expensive items on display, etc.).
74. Make your home as uninteresting to a burglar on the inside as well (no clutter, checkbooks and credit cards locked up, cash not laying around, expensive items hidden away when not is use, etc).
75. Make your trash similarly boring (cut down TV and computer boxes, don't advertise the fact that you have cases and cases of beer in your home, etc).
76. If you must have a garage sale or sell things via Craigslist, try to make these sales at a location other than your home (in a public place, at a community garage sale, etc).
77. Don't invite people into your house (trustworthy friends and family are fine, neighbors you don't know well, repairmen, etc not so much).
78. Don't deal with the criminal element (hanging out with criminals and lowlifes puts a target on you as well).
79. Don't give your personal information out to anyone unless you instigated the contact (you can call the IRS for assistance and provide your info but if the IRS calls you, don't tell them anything...this is a common scam).
80. Shred any papers/documents with private information on them.
81. Have a "missing kit" for all family members (include the person's important info, a DNA sample, a recent photo, etc).
82. Take reasonable precautions at work (if you must work alone keep your office door locked, park in a safe place, make your office defensible if necessary, don't leave valuables at your office, secure your computer and files, etc).
83. Be prepared to evacuate/flee at a moment's notice, from work, from home in the day, from home at night, from your vehicle, etc.
84. Have multiple ways to call for help (via a text or cell call, through social media accounts, with a HAM radio, etc).
85. Keep your personal information to yourself (your net worth, your investments, your social security number, the kinds of medication you take, your annual income, etc).
86. Mind your manners.  There are rude/drunk/mentally ill people everywhere; don't engage with them.
87. Stay out of trouble (if you are pulled over by a cop be polite, professional, and nonthreatening, don't cruise known drug areas, don't participate in activities that lead to trouble like rioting or violent protests, etc).
88. Raise your kids right.  Loser kids bring around their loser friends, they will involve you with the legal system, and cause other unnecessary problems for yourself and others.
89. Teach your kids personal safety skills.
90. Report any crimes immediately.
91. Be proactive in ending common social violence situations (stalking, bullying, dating violence, etc).
92. If you or a family member needs mental health care, get it ASAP.  Not only can a mentally ill person cause problems for other people, but they are more likely than others to be on the receiving end of violence, fraud, and scams.
93. Be able to "bug out" if needed.  You may need to escape a stalker, flee a dangerous neighborhood, or leave the workplace for a while so be prepared (with gear, money, and a way to keep money coming in no matter where you are).
94. Avoid urban areas.  Rural areas often have much less violence and problems than urban areas.
95. Take proactive steps to protect more vulnerable family and friends (children, the elderly, the ill and home-bound, etc).
96. Learn basic first aid (such as immediate steps for blast injuries, firearms injuries, shock, etc).
97. If you are a high value target (wealthy person, famous person, bank president, etc) seek out specialists to help develop and refine your personal safety plan.
98. Take steps to secure your home when you go on vacation (stop the mail, hire a housesitter, have the neighbor mow the lawn, etc).
99. Be cautious when you travel (up your awareness, secure your hotel room with a chair under the door and a small window alarm, be wary of traveling in areas outside of where tourists go, etc).
100. Use common sense (this ranges from not picking up hitchhikers to not using gasoline to start a bonfire).

10 Tips for Conventions and Other Big Events

Well the WSOP (World Series of Poker) has begun and I've already made my donation but I digress...here are ten tips to consider when you are participating in any big event (like a conference, trade show, the biggest poker game in the world, etc).

1. Be ready to take care of your basic needs.  While most events like these take place in urban surroundings and you are sure to find a Starbucks not too far away, you may be out at odd hours when stores and restaurants are closed and/or you may be appalled at the exorbitant prices charged for food and beverages at these venues.  Be sure to bring enough food to sustain you for a day or so as well as a couple of bottles of water.
2. Dress in layers.  In Vegas the temperature can run from a high of 110 outside to a cool 65 degrees in overly air conditioned hotels.  Dress in layerable clothes and bring a jacket just in case.  Don't forget to wear comfortable shoes as these venues can be huge and entail a lot of walking.
3. Bring a big bag/daypack.  This will make it easier to schlep your stuff around, pick up souvenirs and handouts, etc.
4. Bring cash.  Yes, most places will take credit or debit cards but there may be the odd restaurant or vendor (or the entirety of the WSOP which only deals in cash) that will not accept a card and you will thus be required to use cold, hard, cash (yes, you will probably be able to find an ATM close by but in venues such as casinos they can charge a whopping $5 to $10 just to access your money!).
5. Do a bit of recon before you begin your event.  Know where all of the exits are, note where security is, get a feel for the area and if you will be wandering about outside ask where the bad neighborhoods are.  Check out posted times for restaurants, vendors, and the events you will be participating in.
6. Watch your money.  Big events with people happily spending money can draw out all kinds from small-time pickpockets to high class hookers, all happy to relieve you of your hard-earned cash.  Be aware and take precautions to safeguard your stuff (money, iPhones, etc) at all times.
7. And the corollary, watch yourself.  These away from home/away from the office kinds of events tend to bring out the wild part of people.  Don't let this sudden bit of freedom cause you to become overly intoxicated/overly drugged up/overly stupid because rest assured, someone will be waiting to take advantage of this.  Always remain in control of yourself and watch your buddies backs as well.
8. Vacuum up information like a Bissell.  You can learn a lot online, sitting on your couch in the evening, but you can learn/do/experience so much more at big events that caters to your hobby/job/etc.  Gather as much info as you can, network like a fiend, talk to the vendors, learn as much as you can at the workshops or clinics that are scheduled, pay attention to others, etc.
9. Put your vital info on your phone.  This can range from a photo of your passport/driver's license/airline tickets to an "In Case of Emergency number, the address and phone number of your hotel, and the phone number to the local cab company/pizza delivery place/embassy.
10. Pace yourself.  I'm looking at the guy across from me who looks and smells like he has been on a three day bender, I know he has put a goodly sum of money down to get into this particular poker game, and he is slamming Red Bull like he owns stock in the company.  This is only day two of a six week event.  There is a tendency for people go all out, 24/7 when they a) get to the conference which is being held in a fun city, b) get to Vegas no matter the circumstances, or c) want to show off and "party like a rockstar" when the money (and women, food, cards, other vices) are flowing.  You want to live to fight another day so remember to plan your time and pace yourself.

10 Things To Always Carry With You

Are you carrying the following items now?

1. Cell phone (multiple uses)
2. Cash ($100-$200 plus a few quarters)
3. Packet of aspirin (headache reliever)
4. Pocketknife (always useful)
5. Alcohol wipe (clean your hands, and a good fire starter)
6. Matches (strike anywhere kind)
7. USB drive (a back up of all of your files)
8. Flashlight (useful in an emergency)
9. Safety pin (many uses from fish hook to popping blisters)
10. ID/credit card

10 Tips for Dealing With Crowds

I have spent the last couple of weeks wading through tens of thousands of people in Las Vegas.  Not only are they a large, undulating mass at the Rio Convention Center where the World Series of Poker is being held, but all of the tourist areas of the city are covered with...well...tourists.  And lots of them.  Here's ten tips for dealing with large crowds:

1. Assess the crowd.  You want to quickly assess the mood and the purpose of the crowd you are dealing with.  In the case of the poker tournament, you have ten thousand people who are focused on poker.  They aren't drunk, they aren't belligerent, but they are putting many thousands of dollars into a game they seriously want to win and are focusing on.  In a word, this crowd is probably at the low end of the threat level.  On the other end of the spectrum is a large crowd at a political event, a sporting event, or other emotionally charged event where they can, and most often do, pose a threat to others in the crowd.  This is a crowd you want to stay away from.
2. Find the exits.  Right after figuring out what kind of crowd I am dealing with, I look for the exits.  Even in the most nonthreatening of crowds, an emergency can happen where you may want to exit the situation quickly.  Knowing where the exits are ahead of time will save you precious minutes and aid in your escape.
3. Stay on the outskirts of the crowd.  Again, a crowd can initially pose very little threat, but things can change fast.  Being in the middle of a crush of people is the last place you want to be.  By staying on the edge of the crowd you have more options for protecting your safety (ie: being able to exit quickly, or just being able to avoid being crushed by a surging crowd).
4. Observe physical barriers that could impede your safety.  Surging crowds are dangerous for many reasons, one of the most common ways to be injured or killed in a crowd is being unable to protect yourself due to physical barriers that prevent you from exiting the fray in a hurry.  Doors that are barred can keep you from escaping a fire, for example, and barricades are a crush hazard should the crowd all start surging in the same direction.  People can also become trampled by a crowd due to their own physical barriers--they are smaller, slower, and weaker than others in the area and can fall causing them to be trampled over by the crowd.
5. A stampeding crowd is one of your biggest threats in a crowd situation.  Again, barring a major incident (shooting, earthquake) the crowd at the poker tournament isn't going anywhere as they are all seated and concentrating on the game.  In the case of sold out concerts, crazy Black Friday sales at Walmart, and contentious World Cup soccer games, however, stampedes can happen at the drop of a hat and you don't want to find yourself in the middle of this type of situation. 
6. Keep an eye on the crowd.  Even though you can't see everything that is happening, you can usually tell if there are problems in the crowd by the overall pattern of the crowd's movement.  When there is a threat or a disruptive event, you will see the crowd either circling around the action and/or fleeing the threat.  This should be your cue to move away from the disruptive event as quickly as possible.
7. Check out security that is in place to control the crowd.  At large, planned events, there is generally a lot of security that you see and a lot of security you don't see; this is a good thing.  On the other hand, poorly planned events, quickly gathering mobs, and events that get out of hand either size-wise or violence-wise, are a bad place to be and I suggest leaving as quickly as possible. 
8. Run through some scenarios of how you would protect yourself if all Hell breaks lose.  As you are enjoying the event you are attending, take a minute to consider what you would do RIGHT NOW if the crowd decides to suddenly become a threat.  How would you escape?  What barriers could you use to protect yourself?  What barriers would impeded your escape?  From what direction might a threat come?  What is the most logical type of threat you may encounter in this particular situation?  You don't need to do a thorough analysis but stopping every once in a while to consider these things is a good way to raise your safety awareness level.
9. Don't add to the problems that could arise in a crowd situation.  The way you act in a crowd may need to be much different than how you would act in any other situation.  In a crowd you want to be as non-threatening and as quick to diffuse a situation as possible.  A crowd situation it is not the place to become belligerent or rowdy, engage in a fight due to a perceived slight by someone in the crowd, or pull a weapon for either threat or self defense purposes.  It only takes one person to cause a melee to break out and you don't want to be this person.
10. As a final option, you can choose not to deal with crowds.  This is usually my default as I am not a fan of crowds to begin with and find that being hyper alert in such situations generally takes the fun out of whatever I happen to be there for.  My general thoughts when viewing a large crowd is first, what a good place to let loose a chemical/biological agent, second, how quickly could this crowd situation devolve into a chaotic mess, and third, if I have to pull my firearm for self defense, how many people could I hit (answer, too many, which is why the use of a firearm in a crowd is a critically bad idea).

Sometimes you just can't avoid crowds but with a bit of planning and awareness, you can at least have a better than average chance of protecting yourself in such a situation.

The Five Levels of Personal Protection

Imagine this pyramid represents your five levels of personal protection...

Level 1 (the widest part) includes all of the basic things you can do to insure your own safety without any physical confrontation. This includes but is not limited to: being aware of your environment, not putting yourself into a situation/place that is likely to be dangerous, staying away from known drug and gang areas, going with a buddy if you are unsure of the place you are going to, staying in areas where there are people/not putting yourself in a secluded area alone, and taking the everyday common sense steps that most of us take to ensure our personal safety (locking doors, closing and locking windows at night, etc).

Level 2 includes a minimal level of confrontation with a potential assailant. If you are feeling threatened this would include verbally confronting the person, yelling and causing a commotion to bring attention to the situation, acting like a lunatic to divert their attention, running away, hiding from an assailant, and calling 911 for help.

Level 3 includes the judicious use of non-lethal weapons. Everything from spraying the attacker with Mace to using a stun gun (I don't recommend these as they can be easily taken away and used on you) to throwing rocks at them to grabbing whatever other type of item you can use as a weapon to get them to think better of attacking you and/or to give yourself the opportunity to break away from them and escape.

Level 4 includes a full-on physical confrontation with the attacker. Preferably you will have the skill of a martial artist and the swift and utterly overwhelming reaction of a UFC contender. Even an unskilled, much smaller and weaker person, when put into a situation where there is no option but to fight, can react in a way as to, if not overtake the attacker, at least make them think twice about making you their target. In this situation, which is just a notch below a lethal level of force, there are no gentlemanly fighting rules. Everything is allowed and the more painful and shocking, the better. Pulling hair, gouging eyes, bashing kneecaps, or twisting a big handful of ballsack are just a few of the techniques that can get their attention, temporarily disable them, and give you critical moments to escape.

Level 5 (the narrow, pointy part of our pyramid) is all about deadly force. This is least often used, and should only be done in a life or death situation. This situation will most likely end up with someone's life being taken and it should be the other guy's, not yours. Although this could include a blunt weapon like a baseball bat or a knife (both options are much less favorable than a firearm--you don't want the assailant to be within arms length of you if at all possible), most often this type of situation will result in the use of a firearm. In this case you need to know that your life or the life of someone else is in grave danger (ie: the assailant has a firearm as well or you are clearly outnumbered and there is no doubt about the attacker's intentions). While having a gun puts you at this level, it is absolutely critical that you learn specifically about using a firearm for self defense from a skilled instructor (such as being aware of what is behind the assailant you will be shooting at, that trying to "wing"someone is a stupid idea, and that marksmanship under stress is something that needs to be practiced).

Fortunately for most people, the simple Level 1 precautions are enough to see us safely home 99% of the time, however it is still necessary to consider the other four levels of personal protection AND prepare for these levels just in case.

Some Ideas In Response to "Track Me If You Can"

The ideas gleaned from "Track Me If You Can" were good. Here's some more ideas for flying below the radar:

• Stop using your email, your cell phone, your debit and credit cards, and other trackable sources a month before you leave.
• Before you leave, destroy the hard drive on your computer and basically chop up your computer and distribute amongst dumpsters throughout your city.
• Burn all of your personal documents.
• Consider leaving your home via city bus or better yet, a ride on CraigsList (found through an anonymous computer and anonymous email account).
• Determine how you will leave (ie: abruptly leaving a wife who would A. think you are dead and collect on your life insurance which would be insurance fraud or B. call out every resource known to man to find you thus plastering your face all over the national news is sub-optimal).
• As you are traveling, pick up a pre-paid cell phone with cash. You will only use this phone in the event of an emergency, not to call friends and relatives.
• Change your appearance bit by bit as you go along.
• Choose a new town, preferably a small city that isn't heavily invested in security (I've walked into courthouses in small cities in the middle of nowhere and haven't seen a metal detector at the entrance or cameras on the ceilings at all which is pretty surprising).
• Legally change your name. Unless you have the contacts to get top quality documents with your new name and info (if you have to ask who these contacts might be then go the legal route).
• Rent a room from someone instead of having your own place (obviously pay in cash, be cordial but not forthcoming with personal information, and don't get any of the house bills in your name).
• Ride a bicycle instead of having a car.
• Don't become a creature of habit.
• If you have compelling reasons for totally disappearing, consider plastic surgery to alter your appearance and fingerprints (sorry, not much can be done to distort retinas and DNA).
• Move often.
• Work for cash only.
• Pay cash only. For everything.
• Choose an itinerant lifestyle (perpetual traveler, migrant worker, live in a third world country, etc).
• Never use anything that can be used to track you: GPS, transit pass, loyalty cards, credit cards, frequent flyer miles, etc.
• Don't do anything illegal (once you are in the justice system, your privacy is pretty much gone).
• Live with the homeless for a while to get a sense of (and learn the skills of) their way of life. (Note that many homeless are fully connected to the system garnering everything from food stamps to welfare to medical services from the government so this part you may want to skip).
• Live in the mountains (easier said than done).
• Study and practice skills that are easily saleable (mechanics, plumbing, construction, etc). Do this after you have left your original home so the skills can't be used to track you.

Living a totally hidden life is actually not much of a life. It is lonely and worrisome and not a whole lot of fun so your circumstances need to be pretty dire to do this (think Witness Relocation type of dire).

On the other hand, you can take plenty of steps to significantly cut back on how you could be tracked and continue to live a fairly "normal" life. At this writing, my house in is the process of being sold and the spouse and I will be living in both a third world country and in the home of a relative when we are in the states. Our vehicle is being sold as well. I already have no credit cards and pay cash for everything. I don't use loyalty programs. I tend to walk or bike when at all possible, take public transportation, and generally avoid driving if I can. Our lifestyle is minimal and our needs are minimal so we don't buy lots of stuff. While I would previously find myself in newspapers and occasionally on TV, I have changed my business significantly enough to stay out of the public eye even on a local scale. You get the idea. So while I am technically not "hiding" from anyone and can enjoy the friends, family, and hobbies that I have always enjoyed, I am still making a concerted effort to scale back how visible I am to the powers that be.

20 Ways to Look Like a Victim

Sometimes random bad stuff just happens to people, more often, however, people are targeted because they behave like a victim and make the perfect prey for someone looking to take advantage of them/assault them/do other nefarious things to them. Here's 20 ways to look like a victim (and, by doing the opposite, not to look like prey to a potential attacker):

1. They don't pay attention to their surroundings. They may be cut off from the outside world by their iPod, paying attention to their kids, or chatting on the phone and not realize what is happening around them.
   
2. They behave irresponsibly. Whether by hooking up with a loser (mostly women do this but men do this as well), absently leaving their wallet or other expensive things in clear view in their car, or becoming intoxicated with no one to watch their back.
3. They become too trusting too soon. This is how people get taken advantage of and the perpetrator is usually gone before they realize what happened.
   
4. They jump at offers that seem too good to be true. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Find out what the catch is before determining to move forward with the offer.
5. They present themselves like a victim. They way you walk, talk, and act can mark you as someone to be well regarded to someone that looks like easy prey. Be the first one.
6. The look like they are advertising to become a theft-in-progress. They dress inappropriately (ie: wearing a Rolex in the hood, or any other high value item for that matter), flash wads of cash in public, brag about their massive handgun collection, etc.
   
7. They take stupid risks such as walking alone at night, leaving a bar with a stranger, or hanging out in locations where shootings are the rule rather than the exception, etc.
8. They are afraid to stand up for themselves. Whether as a woman who never learned how to speak up and defend herself or a man who is afraid to get his ass kicked, sometimes you have to swallow your fear and act. At the least, it may throw your attacker off guard.
9. They doubt themselves. Many people look back in hindsight after a bad situation and say they thought something was wrong with the fill-in-the-blank (stalker ex-boyfriend, mugger, Ponzi scheme) but they talked them self out of reacting to the problem because they doubted what their common sense or sixth sense told them was true.
   
10. They are afraid to not be nice. It is common courtesy to be nice to people automatically, however this can get you in trouble. It is better to be cordial but distant (literally and figuratively) until you have assessed possible outcomes of the situation.
11. They are too consistent. If your co-workers or neighbors can set their watches by your actions, you are too predictable and consistent which can lead to problems.
    
12. Their attitude is either meek and submissive or arrogant and cocky, both of which inordinately attract bad guys to them.
13. They provide too much information. It is a good thing to be a bit mysterious. These days people think that is is perfectly fine to put their every last personal detail or thought out to the public, which can make them excellent candidates for identity theft, stalkers, and more.
    
14. They don't do their homework when it comes to travel. Most other countries are not like America and people either aren't aware of this or don't care which can result in all kinds of problems from theft to kidnapping to scams to worse.
    
15. They don't prepare ahead of time to avoid being a victim. Whether it is taking a karate or assertiveness class, buying insurance, or getting vaccinated against the latest flu virus, it often takes less effort to be proactive than to be reactive.
    
16. The don't guard their possessions, their home, and themselves then wonder why something bad happened. Insurance is a good idea, so is a sturdy lock on your door, and the habit of locking car doors.
    
17. They hang around with losers. You are only as good as the people you surround yourself with. Similarly, if you hang around losers, thieves, or other unsavory people, you can't be surprised when their nature makes them act in unsavory ways, even towards you.
    
18. They don't do the right thing. "Codes of secrecy", knowingly allowing others to participate in fraudulent activities, and other behavior just to "go along and get along" doesn't do anything to improve their situation and usually creates even bigger problems.
    
19. They become emotional victims. Which allows them to be controlled by their significant others, obliterate personal boundaries with those they are close to, and otherwise become a doormat to others who will take advantage of them.
    
20. They make it too easy for the random criminal. Being nearly passed out drunk in the subway, forgetting to lock your doors, or setting a purse down in a shopping cart and walking away make it too easy to become a victim of crime.
    

The bottom line is to not be a victim. Yes, you may offend someone, miss out on a great deal, or get your ass kicked but the alternative is to open yourself up to victimization.

Lessons Learned: Track Me If You Can

I was flipping through channels to provide a little background noise last night while I was working and came across a show I hadn't heard of on Discovery which I promptly Tweeted to everyone. The name of the show was 'Track Me If You Can' and it focused on ways to avoid being tracked by "big brother" or anyone else who may be looking for you. Most of the info was pretty basic but it served to provide a number of good reminders, including:

• There are 30 million plus surveillance cameras on the US.
• The average American is in 200 databases.
• Putting a plan in motion to keep you from being tracked is a good idea if you are wanting to devise a new life for yourself.
• Right before you leave, change your appearance significantly (if you have hair, shave your head, if you have blond hair, change it to black, get glasses, etc.).
• Before you leave, terminate all of your accounts (email, bank accounts, credit cards, etc).
• Don't terminate your social network sites as you can use these sites to provide disinformation.
• Before you leave, delete all of your computer files and get rid of your computer's hard drive (first boil the hard drive then smash it with a hammer and finally run a Degausser/electromagnetic wand over the drive to obliterate all information it may contain).
• Get rid of all of your personal stuff like photos, trophies, mementos, etc. that could tie you to your old life.
• Shred all of your personal info and credit cards/bank statements/etc. then take the shredded material and spread it around in a bunch of trash bags and leave the bags at various dumpsters around the city.
• Get rid of your cell phone as these can be easily used to track your location either through a computer software program or through triangulation.
• Either destroy the cell phone or wipe all of your info from it then leave it at a train or bus station so that someone else will pick it up and start using it thus providing a source of disinformation for those searching for you.
• Break your normal patterns (what you eat, where you frequent, how you shop, the kind of work you do, etc).
• Ditch your car if possible.
• Completely change your lifestyle (ie: if you are currently a corporate lawyer, become a night janitor then dress and behave appropriately).
• If you do take your car get rid of the toll pass which can track your movements through the RFID chip in the pass.
• A personal note: if you do take your car, check out 'How to Be Invisible' for ways to register your car but not have it linked directly to you.
• Stay away from interstate highways.
• Get rid of the GPS device which came with your car. Ditto for the OnStar system which can be activated remotely and allow others to listen in on your conversations.
• Make sure your tires don't have RFID chips in them. Some tires do have these chips and they can link to your VIN number and the purchase location of the tires.
• Going to non-chain restaurants is better. Of course you will be paying for everything with cash.
• When you are out in public disguise yourself (at least wear a hat and sunglasses).
• Avoid frequenting your usual places (in the example, if you are a vegetarian your meal preference can be found through your prior airline meal request and then you may be easier to locate if you frequent vegetarian restaurants).
• Get your food to go from restaurants so you don't leave DNA on the plates/utensils/glasses which can be read with an easily purchased BPac machine which analyzes your biometrics.
• Stay in small motels and pay with cash.
• Use alcohol wipes to remove fingerprints.
• Use a wireless bug detector to check for hidden bugs/cameras/etc.
• Cover the peephole so people can't see into your room.
• Sleep in your sleeping bag so you won't leave DNA behind on the hotel bedding.
• Buy a pre-paid cell phone which you only use for outgoing calls (be sure to turn of the caller ID). Replace the pre-paid phone frequently, about every few weeks.
• When you are not using the cell phone, remove the battery so it can't be turned on remotely or used to track you.
• Be careful when speaking in cars or near windows. The NSA has a 'bounce laser monitoring system' which can pick up sound waves on glass and record what you are saying.
• At night you can avoid being seen on cameras that use infrared light by fashioning a cap with LED lights on the front of it which makes a "halo" and shields your face from the cameras.
• To determine the best place to resettle, choose a mid-sized city in a not overly cold place. Big cities and small towns are not good places for anonymity.
• To change your identity don't just assume the identity of someone else (this is way more difficult--and illegal--than it used to be), instead petition the court to change your name legally to a new--and common--name.
• Apply for a driver's license under your new name.
• Most driver's licenses and passports have RFID chips in them. Block people from reading these RFID chips by carrying them in a wallet lined with aluminum foil.
• To get back online, use a new laptop.
• Always use a hard wire to your laptop and turn off the wi-fi which is easily hacked.
• Put a band aid over your web cam as these can be turned on remotely.
• Install anti-key logger software on your computer.
• Also, install software that will reroute your ip address so your location can't be determined via your computer.
• Be aware of the ECHELON program in the US which monitors phone and computer transmissions for keywords and messages.
• At the grocery store, change your shopping habits and never use store club cards.
• Be aware that some food packaging now contains RFID tags. To be sure these aren't used for tracking (unlikely now but possibly more likely in the future) repackage food once you purchase it and get rid of the store packaging.
• To find work, get a night job as a janitor, this will limit your contact with people.
• Change jobs often.
• Create a "back story" for your new identity and practice it. If you base your lies on the truth but change the details a bit, your story will be easier to remember and more believable.
• Open a bank account (preferably at a small bank that doesn't use biometrics for identification).
• Be aware of video surveillance cameras which are everywhere.
• Never contact people from your past.
• The narrator noted that every year, changing your identity gets harder.
• The police now consider common activities suspicious such as bird watching, sketching or painting, or taking photographs in public.
• There are 70 FUSION centers in the US which coordinate surveillance and other information.
• Airlines sometimes use locator chips on your bags so be aware of this. You can also use these tagged bags for disinformation purposes (ie: leaving them in places to throw people off your trail).
• Technology is now available to identify you by the way you walk (change the way you walk), your facial measurements and biometrics (use a disguise, and especially sunglasses), and even your response to images.
• It will be 7 to 10 years before your old identity drops off of old databases.
• Guard against complacency.
• The less you interface with technology, the better off you will be.

Overall an interesting show. I'm glad that the media sees this as being valuable information that needs to be shared with the public.

10 30-Second "Save Your Life" Activities

It doesn't take long to save a life. In 30 seconds you can:

1. Put your seatbelt on. Seatbelts save lives, it's a fact, and it's a very fast, simple thing to do (be sure to push the belt low around your hips instead of letting it ride over top of your belly; in a high speed crash, a belt that rides up high instead of low around your hips can snap your spine).
2. Go push the test button on your smoke alarm. Did it ring? If yes, you're done, if no, you will need to change the batteries in it.
3. Put your kid in a car seat. Once the seat is installed properly-and of course you tested the seat in the store for ease of you--it takes less than a minute to secure your kid to the seat which makes a whole lot of difference in the event of a car accident.
4. Have your blood pressure checked. They have these machines all over the place (grocery stores, the mall, etc) and they only take about 30 second to give you a read out. If it is too high or too low (there will be a chart on the machine) follow up with your medical provider.
5. Lock your door when you enter or leave your home or vehicle. This is a quick activity that can soon become a habit if you do it consistently and it can save your life in the event that you are targeted by a random car jacker or robber.
6. Secure your firearm. This could be as simple as removing the magazine or emptying the rounds from a revolver and stashing them in your pocket. Obviously you should have a better plan for securing your firearms, but in the event that you need to leave your firearm anywhere that it is not under your direct control, doing this simple task could save the life of a curious kid or adult that doesn't know anything about safe weapons handling.
7. Take the car keys away from someone who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It sounds quick and easy but trying to reason with someone who is under the influence is like banging your head against the wall. Nevertheless, this simple, quick action could save a life (or many lives for that matter).
8. Before you hop on your bike or motorcycle, stick a helmet on your head. It takes just a few seconds to do this but the difference between a massive amount of road rash and a traumatic brain injury is significant.
9. If you are caught after dark walking outside, whip out your cell phone and use it to help make yourself visible to passing cars. Drivers can't see you if it is dark and you are wearing dark clothing.
10. If you (or your kid) are playing sports and sustain a hard knock on the head, stop playing for the day. It takes a few seconds to call a time out and excuse yourself from the game (another thing that's easier said than done), which is better than the alternative (multiple head injuries that could render you an invalid or dead).

10 Physical Safety Tips

There are literally hundreds of safety tips you can follow to stay safe. Here are ten physical things you can do to protect your safety:

1. If you get in a car wreck, don't immediately hop out of your car unless it is on fire. A car is your best protection on a road where other cars could crash into you at a chaotic scene.
2. If someone tries to kidnap/abduct you, even at gunpoint, refuse to go with them. Better they shoot you where you stand (at least your body will be easy to find) than to be taken to a secondary location (where they will probably kill you anyway).
3. If you hear loud noises (ie: gun shots, sounds of an assault, etc) don't immediately go running out to see what is going on, rather, determine what is going on from a position of cover.
4. Think you hear someone breaking into your house? Don't immediately grab your gun and run out looking for an intruder. A better option: get your firearm, call 911, ensure the family is all together, preferably in your safe room, and listen for what is happening. Eventually the intruder will come to you if they are indeed robbing your house. Obviously you want to clearly identify your intention to shoot (loudly) so that you give fair warning so that you don't inadvertently shoot a family member/law enforcement officer/etc.
5. I know people like to run/bike/walk while wearing their iPods but the only place it is safe to do this is in a gym. Any time you are in an unsecured area (roads, trails) you need ALL of your senses to keep you safe. Not being able to hear cars or people coming up to you is a dangerous thing to do.
6. Never be afraid to fight back when the situation warrants it. And no, when you are protecting your life, you don't have to "fight fair"--do whatever it takes to save your life.
7. Any time you are in public (or around people you don't know/trust at your home/office/a friend's home) you need to guard your physical safety. Date rape drugs put into drinks, being lured away from your friends at a nightclub, having someone surreptitiously check your ID to find your home address then make a copy of your house key for later use, etc. are all things can happen when you aren't on guard.
8. The way you act/carry yourself can have a great deal of bearing on your physical safety. Don't walk 'like a victim', don't be afraid to be rude to people when it comes down to your physical safety (ie: answering a 'can you help me?' question from a stranger with a firm 'NO'), not being afraid to yell/swear/act like a crazy person if the situation warrants it, etc.
9. Be aware of your surroundings. Sounds simple but there are plenty of things that you can do to protect your physical safety in various environments: make eye contact with people you pass on the street to let them know you are paying attention, walk in the road if necessary to avoid walking too closely to vans/alleyways/deep doorways, keep scanning the road ahead and look behind you occasionally as well, etc.
10. Don't be afraid to run and hide if necessary. It's always a good idea to be able to come back and fight another day.

10 Ways to Avoid Trouble (At Work)

On the heels of my last post, I realized (due to an incident in the office today) that the last bit of advice I gave about staying out of trouble works for staying out of trouble in general, but at work, you need another list. Here it is:

1. If you have an issue with someone, take them aside in a private place and work it out. Seek a mediator if needed.
2. Don't gossip. It will get around and people will be leery about working with you if you are known as the company gossip. Famous last words..."don't tell anyone I told you this but..."
3. Put nice things in writing. If you have something not nice to say, say it to the person in private. The first thing I was handed today when I went into the office was a copy of an email, a not really nice email about someone, that was supposed to be a private rant and was subsequently forwarded to apparently half the people in the city. I'm surprised it wasn't posted on FaceBook. Not good.
4. Don't make threats. At the least, you may have to eat your words, and at the worst, they could be used against you in a court of law.
5. Keep your private life relatively private. It is hard not to share details of your life with your coworkers because you are often around them more than you are with your own family, however, you don't want your private life to become fodder for gossips.
6. Don't be a slacker. While there are some tips and tricks that will allow you to make your mid day tee time without people missing you at the office, many people just plain slack off (ie: come in late, leave early, miss project deadlines, need to be reminded about work they need to be doing, etc). Don't be that person.
7. Always take the high road and don't do anything that could even be perceived as shady. Many an embezzler has started out raiding the petty cash fund, intending to pay it back. Once you justify one lapse, it is easier to justify bigger, more illegal, things.
8. Always think safety and preparedness. I am amazed at how many people leave their iPhone, purse, wallet, etc. laying out on their desk in an office full of people where strangers came and go as well. That is just asking to be ripped off. Even though you are in your office as much (or more) than you are at your home, your office is not your home and you still need to exercise a good deal of safety and preparedness precautions.
9. Do not, under any circumstance, use your work computer/cell phone/etc. to access porn or other NSFW stuff. It will come back and bite you in the ass.
10. Don't stress yourself out at work. You can't avoid the occasional stressor, but if you are continually on the verge of a nervous breakdown at work, you either need to change your attitude or change your job. You don't want to give yourself an early heart attack or end up going postal. Bad stuff.

Staying out of trouble, no matter where you are, is really not that hard once you set a standard for yourself.

p.s. Set your standard fairly high.

You Need to Be Able to Take Care of Yourself

If you read the above headline, you probably thought duh, that's what this whole blog is about so why remind us... The reason is that I have been in more than a half dozen meetings over the past week. These have been Board/Council meetings for government entities, NGOs, social service agencies, and businesses large and small. The main topic at ALL of these meetings, especially those that rely on any sort of government funding/taxes/etc, is that many of these organizations are literally running out of money.
I've sat through budget meetings for decades and aside from small blips, there was always more money coming down the pike. Entities could pretty much count on having a stable source of funding on which to base their budgets and five year projections were almost always on the positive side with income climbing nicely, right along side the growth in expenditures (especially the cost of labor and benefits). During the '70s there were, of course, some segments which had varying degrees of financial meltdown (especially in Texas if I remember correctly), however in my memory I have never seen this type of across the board, everyone is damn near out of money, situation. Scary.
So as I sat in today's meeting with a bunch of government types who were wringing their hands over their next fiscal year budget that has more holes in it than Swiss cheese, it made me wonder how close to financial devastation the American people think we are. For many people, there has always been some savior whether it was a government program, a corporate "bail out" or bankruptcy followed quickly by new offers from credit card and mortgage companies. My admittedly foggy but often accurate crystal ball tells me that the next few years will be unlike anything most of us (those who remember the Great Depression notwithstanding) have ever had to deal with.
So what do you do when your town, city, state, federal government, collection of social service agencies, school district, hospital, police department, and any other number of agencies/businesses that you rely on daily, are of the verge of financial collapse?
Basically your guess is as good as mine but I have some ideas about how I will be preparing:

• Fewer police on the street due a decline in tax revenue which leads to budget cuts means that I may not be able to call the police when I need them (or they may not show up as quickly as I need them to) which means I will need to be able to protect my home and family. This doesn't just mean being armed. It also means taking home security seriously, avoiding problem areas/problem people/problem situations, and making myself and my family a "least likely target".
• For my income, diversification is the key. This means not only diversification with local clients but extending my business tentacles across the US AND across the world. Unless you offer a service that is required to be local (ie: you are a plumber) then competition for your job and for the money you could be earning is not just competition from local people but from highly skilled, highly educated people from anywhere in the world. Outsourcing, in sourcing...your economy is not just local anymore, it is global.
• Multiple streams of income is the corollary to the point above. Live it, learn it, love it.
• I use cash only and don't carry debt. When TS could hit TF at any time, it is best to be in as flexible a position as possible. Having cash, using cash, and not being saddled by debt is one way to do this.
• I don't rely on government programs. Period. My granddad taught me this and my mother reinforced the lesson when as a single mother, she would work two or three jobs instead of taking a penny of welfare. When you rely on others (whether it be a government welfare check or an alimony check), the support could be pulled at any minute and you would be left with nothing. When you are the master of your own destiny, this doesn't happen.
• Our needs are minimal. I like nice things and I buy nice things but if my income was suddenly reduced to a fraction of what I make now, then we would just ratchet back our expenditures as needed. The less you want and need, the better off you are during uncertain times.
• I don't plan to use Social Security as my retirement plan. It will be a nice bonus if it happens to be available when I retire but my assets are diversified (there's that word again) and I plan to fund my own retirement when the time comes.
• Building a social network is worth the time and effort. When I need something, whether it be news, information, or a hand with a project, I rely on my network of friends and family before I look elsewhere. Building these networks now may pay off quite well in an uncertain future.
• I know where to look for the material goods I need. First stop would be the garage which has quite a stockpile of stuff (food, water, disposable goods) but I also know where to look for water (stored in the garage, the rain barrel, a near by stream, etc), food (besides the freezer, we have a garden, I know all of the wild food sources within a 10 mile radius, and if necessary I can hunt and fish), and anything else we may need (store, thrift store, garage sales, dumpster dive, make it myself, etc). Acquiring the stuff you need is a part of life. Being creative about how you acquire it...priceless.
• Medical and dental care is a necessary part of life. Besides having insurance, should this go away for some reason, I have friends who are doctors, dentists, and specialists; I have a bit of skill in the medical field so I can take care of most small problems myself, and first and foremost, I try to maintain and improve my health with exercise and nutritious food so that hopefully I won't need to use the medical system much.
• I continue to learn. Things change fast. Sometimes on a daily basis. There are always new options for communications, new technology, and new information to learn which can be extremely beneficial. Continuing to learn, and continuing to adjust your course based on the latest information, is something everyone should do.

The bottom line--my plan is to be able to do as much as possible for myself and my family, live as minimally as possible, and be able to respond in as flexible manner as possible (both in attitude and physically) no matter what happens. I'm hoping you will do the same. If everyone did this, our economic condition would improve overnight.

Are You Being Tracked? You Might Be Suprised

Here's some random ways you might be tracked and not even know it:

• Your location can be tracked via the IMEI number of your cell. Changing the sim card won't matter.
• Anything you copy on a copy machine these days has an "invisible" code that prints onto every copy you make; it's called the Machine Identification Code.
• I have heard that each digital photo that is taken is imprinted with an invisible code so that a photo can be tracked back to the camera that was used to take it which can then be tracked back to the purchaser through their product registration with the manufacturer. (I am still looking for a link about this).
• And then there is Kameraflage.
• Of course there are numerous ways your computer can be used to spy on you.
• Cell phones, GPS devices, iPods, and other devices which have a GPS system can be used to track your movements. Here's more info on this.
• Here's 10 Everyday Items Hackers Are Targeting Right Now
• And 10 Spy Tricks
• For the latest security and technology tips, check out Bruce Schneier's blog.

Would You Give Up Your US Citizenship?

My short answer is no, for reasons I will explain below. I have, however, noted quite a few recent articles about Americans choosing to do just that. Including this post, this post, and this post.
I am all for people becoming "citizens of the world". Living and traveling abroad, working abroad, and building friendships and relationships with people all over the world. However, there would have to be something fairly major, which I can not right now conceive of, that would make me want to give up my US citizenship.
Even though the US has problems (many), I don't know of any other country that would be "better". Some countries have better tax rates, other countries have better health care, and still other countries offer different freedoms than are available in the US. Being a US citizen, however, gives me a certain piece of mind despite the many problems that our country has.
I have looked into dual citizenship but have not been motivated to make an effort to do this yet.
Obviously some people may have compelling reasons to renounce their citizenship (taxes, as was pointed out in the articles), to have the same citizenship as their spouse and children, or to "escape" from the US, but none of these apply to me. Should I ever become a billionaire, I may reconsider.
For now, I will be content with my US passport as I travel around the world, always with the thought in mind of coming "home" to the US. For those times when I am comprehensively annoyed with particular problems in the US, I will continue to devise "work arounds" in which my needs get met with a minimum of BS from my government.

A Comprehensive Document List

One of the best things you can do for yourself is have all of your documents safely stored and ready to grab at a moment's notice. As has been made abundantly clear during the current flooding in Tennessee and beyond, people often don't have a lot of time to go around collecting documents AND they may not have a home to return to after the event. In disasters like these, you will need nearly all of your important documents in order to replace other documents, file insurance claims, etc. Here's the documents that you need (note that they should be originals or certified copies if at all possible):

• Birth certificates for you, the spouse, and your minor children
• Marriage certificates
• Divorce decrees
• Adoption records
• Baptismal (other religious) records
• Prenuptial agreements
• Death certificates for immediate family members
• DD214 (military records)
• List of any arrests
• Final disposition of any civil/criminal court cases
• Copies of bankruptcy filings
• High school diplomas
• College degrees
• Copies of insurance policies (life, health, auto, home, long term disability, etc)
• Copies of tax filings for the past five years
• Current health insurance documents (health insurance card, Medicare card, supplemental medical insurance card, etc)
• Will
• Medical Power of Attorney
• Durable Power of Attorney
• Living Will
• Home inventory information
• Copies of recent bank statements/bank account information
• Copies of mortgages or Deeds of Trust
• Stocks/bonds/brokerage account information
• Retirement account information (401k, 403b, social security statement, IRA, pension plans, etc)
• Debt statements (credit card information, auto loan, utilities, other debt information)
• Property tax records
• Passport
• Social Security card
• Copy of driver's license or state ID card
• Citizenship papers (naturalization certificate, copy of permanent resident card, etc)
• Car titles
• Business incorporation papers and any other pertinent business info (creditors, contracts, etc)
• Contracts/partnership paperwork
• List of next of kin and their info (name, address, phone, email)
• List of professional advisers (lawyer, accountant, executor, etc)
• Medical information (doctor's info, dentist's info, allergies, major medical treatments, list of current medications, etc)
• List of online info (online accounts, passwords, web/blog host info, etc)
• Location of safety deposit boxes
• Information on any death planning (funeral arrangements, cemetery plots, etc)
• Appraisals for valuable items
• Car registration (should be kept in the car)
• Warranties
• Trust documents
• Employment documentation

Gathering all of this information can be quite the slog but having all of this information when disaster strikes will make recreating your life (and getting paid from the insurance companies) much easier.

Stuff You Need to Identify a Loved One

When something like the Twin Tower collapse, Hurricane Katrina, or the Oklahoma City bombing happens, the recovery and identification of the remains (bodies and/or parts) falls to specialized teams coordinated by the government. Obviously, identifying remains can be a daunting task, made slightly easier by high tech forensics, however the identification process leans heavily on information provided by loved ones of the deceased. Here's the stuff that can be used to identify a loved one should the worst happen:

• Recent photos (of both the face and the full body)
• Personal characteristics (age, height, weight, race, scars, birthmarks, etc)
• Photos of tattoos or other permanent identifying marks
• Dental records including dental x rays
• Medical records, medical history, medical x rays
• Fingerprints
• DNA samples (most people don't have/preserve their own DNA samples which is why the DNA of next of kin are used for comparison) Here's an interesting DNA collection how-to.
• Information on personal property of the deceased (jewelry, clothing, other items known to be in the victim's possession)

Sounds kind of gruesome but for people who have experienced the loss of a loved one in a mass fatality event (natural disaster, plane crash, etc), having definitive proof that can assist in the identification of a loved one so a family can have closure is important. If you want to take preparedness to (what some would call) the extreme, consider putting together an "identification kit" for yourself and your loved ones.

20 Identifiers to Consider

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to identify people based on just looking at them and their stuff? If you want to be able to "blend", consider how the following identifiers tell the world something about you:

1. Your passport. A good reason to hold dual citizenship.
2. Your tattoos. No tattoos are optimal if you want to be incognito. Prison tattoos, gang tattoos, and military-related tattoos are clear "give aways" about your past/present.
3. Your clothing. The reason costumes are an integral part of undercover work/movies/etc is because the clothing you wear tells quite a bit about you.
4. Scars. Again, these permanent marks can tell your history, especially to those who know what to look for.
5. Sexual identifiers. Earrings, clothing, other jewelry can be used to identify a person's sexual preferences.
6. Jewelry. Besides the above mentioned use of jewelry, wedding rings send a signal, watches, and other jewelry also tell the world something about you.
7. Religious wear. Everything from head scarves to religious jewelry to coptic tattoos can signal your religious preferences.
8. Mannerisms. Often times I can identify what country people are from simply by their mannerism. Each locale has certain types of mannerism that are kind of common throughout the populace.
9. The way you carry yourself. I can identify former Marines with a high degree of accuracy simply by the way they walk and carry themselves. Ditto for victims of domestic violence. Drug users can be distractingly twitchy.
10. Indicators of your hobbies/work. Bowlers have unusual thumbs, gardeners usually have dirt stains on their hands, violinists have marks on the side of their necks, and many occupations leave people with callouses on their hands.
11. The kind of car you drive (sometimes a dead give away about your income level/profession/political leaning/etc) and your license plates (does the registration lead straight back to you?).
12. The way you smell. You probably can't do much about this as your "smell" depends on your environment and what you eat but it can be a dead giveaway that you are from somewhere else.
13. Your level of awareness. When people appear to be hyper aware, there is usually a reason for their behaviour--they may have been in a combat zone, been recently released from prison, are on the run/hiding from someone, etc. The majority of people are relatively oblivious to their surroundings so if you see someone who isn't, that's your clue.
14. Biometric identifiers. DNA, fingerprints, your retinas...again these are things you can't do much to change. Keeping these items to yourself is a good idea.
15. Cultural markers--turbans, bindis, henna designs--there are a number of items that announce to the world something about a person's cultural background.
16. The way people talk. Accents, level of formality, word choice, and other verbal indicators of a person's background can provide clues to the person you are talking to.
17. Dental work (or the lack thereof). This can range from areas where very little dental work is done (missing teeth, rotting teeth, and teeth sticking out every which way) to areas where dental work is of the utmost importance (braces, veneers) to location specific dental items ("grills" in the ghetto to silver dental inlays in Central America).
18. Your face. Another something you can't change easily. This includes your race, the look of your eyes, the shape of your face, your gender...obviously with good theatrical makeup/props or a good plastic surgeon this could be changeable.
19. Your body. It the person you are looking at ultra fit or ultra fat? What does their musculature look like. The person's body can give clues to their health and their lifestyle.
20. What the person's hands are doing. People's hands give away a lot about them--are they pissed off? Nervous? Hiding something? Reaching for something like a weapon? Picking their nails? Signaling someone?

Take a good hard look at yourself in a mirror. What are you projecting to the world? If someone was hunting you, how would you change the aforementioned things about you so as to disguise your identity?