Who Was That Masked Man? Update Mask Info

This another update on my original “Masks Research” from July 15, 2020 The ambiguity continues. I guess I’ll never get a definitive scientific answer. Everyone says “Masks save lives!” They can’t tell me how many lives. They can’t tell me much of anything concrete, but they seem to know. It’s an inspired guess. These are just snipits from this article: “Face Masks: What the Data Say” By Lynn Peeples from “Nature” Research Journal 06 October, 2020 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02801-8 “Face masks are the ubiquitous symbol of a pandemic that has sickened 35 million people and killed more than 1 million. In hospitals and other health-care facilities, the use of medical-grade masks clearly cuts down transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. But for the variety of masks in use by the public, the data are messy, disparate and often hastily assembled.” “You don’t have to do much math to say this is obviously a good idea,” says Jeremy Howard, a research scientist at the University of San Francisco in California, who is part of a team that reviewed the evidence for wearing face masks in a preprint article that has been widely circulated6. But such studies do rely on assumptions that mask mandates are being enforced and that people are wearing them correctly. Furthermore, mask use often coincides with other changes, such as limits on gatherings. As restrictions lift, further observational studies might begin to separate the impact of masks from those of other interventions, suggests Grabowski. “It will become easier to see what is doing what,” she says.” “The idea that exposure to more virus results in a worse infection makes “absolute sense”, says Paul Digard, a virologist at the University of Edinburgh, UK, who was not involved in the research. “It’s another argument for masks.”” “Even well-fitting N95 respirators fall slightly short of their 95% rating in real-world use, actually filtering out around 90% of incoming aerosols down to 0.3 µm. And, according to unpublished research, N95 masks that don’t have exhalation valves — which expel unfiltered exhaled air — block a similar proportion of outgoing aerosols. Much less is known about surgical and cloth masks, says Kevin Fennelly, a pulmonologist at the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.” “Benn worked with Danish engineers at her university to test their two-layered cloth mask design using the same criteria as for medical-grade ventilators. They found that their mask blocked only 11–19% of aerosols down to the 0.3 µm mark, according to Benn. But because most transmission is probably occurring through particles of at least 1 µm, according to Marr and Jimenez, the actual difference in effectiveness between N95 and other masks might not be huge.” ““There’s a lot of information out there, but it’s confusing to put all the lines of evidence together,” says Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York City. “When it comes down to it, we still don’t know a lot.”” My guess is, they will not know how masks work for a long time. In the meantime, I’ll wear it when I have to. “Across the United States, mask use has held steady around 50% since late July. This is a substantial increase from the 20% usage seen in March and April, according to data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington in Seattle (see go.nature.com/30n6kxv). The institute’s models also predicted that, as of 23 September, increasing US mask use to 95% — a level observed in Singapore and some other countries — could save nearly 100,000 lives in the period up to 1 January 2021.” As usual, the “scientific” wording of “could save nearly 100,000 lives” is what is used to justify masks. Well, I could make nearly 100,000 dollars this year! Or not. “Masks work, but they are not infallible. And, therefore, keep your distance.” So, even now, 3 months later from my original article, we don’t know much more. I still maintain that this is people control. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn Update of “Masks Research” July 15, 2020 Another study on masks. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-mask/art-20485449 “At this time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved any type of surgical mask specifically for protection against the coronavirus, but these masks may provide some protection when N95 masks are not available. (Bold type added) A cloth mask is intended to trap droplets that are released when the wearer talks, coughs or sneezes. Asking everyone to wear cloth masks can help reduce the spread of the virus by people who have COVID-19 but don't realize it. Cloth face coverings are most likely to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus when they are widely used by people in public settings. And countries that required face masks, testing, isolation and social distancing early in the pandemic have successfully slowed the spread of the virus.” What it comes down to is you’re screwed with an N95 mask worn properly. They just can’t bring themselves to get off these vague words. I guess they don’t want to be legally libel to say “masks will protect you.” Also, they know that they don’t protect you. Another thing that I’ve noticed is that just about every study talks about “proper wear” of a mask. They usually talk about not touching the mask. How often have you seen anyone anywhere do that? So they are vague about protection if the mask is worn properly, what would they say about the reality of masks not being worn properly? That masks do very little. But let’s keep pushing that narrative. Here is the final definitive word from the CDC dated 27 AUG 2020 “Masks may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others. Masks are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings.” (Bold type added) Nothing has changed since I first posted this article on 15 JUL 2020. All the “new” studies and the CDC could not change the verbiage to be a little more definite? This should concern all Americans. Not only that, I feel too many people only wear a mask. All the other advice is glossed over. I also feel most people don’t wear their mask properly. So how much protection are the American people truly getting? Not much. 94% of those who are positive for COVID-19 live. “For 6% of the deaths, COVID-19 was the only cause mentioned.” So other problems were the cause of death, but the patient was positive for COVID-19. That’s 6% of 182,000 actually died from COVID-19. The reporting procedure is messed up. There may be more, or even less. I don’t know if the error would be 10,000 in either direction but I would say not. This is the Influenza information, even with a vaccine. “CDC estimates that influenza has resulted in between 9 million – 45 million illnesses, between 140,000 – 810,000 hospitalizations and between 12,000 – 61,000 deaths annually since 2010.” I’m not trying to compare diseases but it does seem that this thing is not such a devastating disease as they want us to believe. It is certainly not something to warrant giving up our rights! I understand a store being paranoid and not wanting to be libel for spreading sickness, but a mask is not going to do it! Walmart has produce just sitting out where people touch it and breathe near it. What about all the handles on frozen foods? I know store try to clean, but I don’t see them following each person around and cleaning up behind them. Yet these masks are saving us. Extreme false sense of security. Security that is not needed. Original article from July 2020 Please hear me out. What I’m going to say here is wildly unpopular. Some think it’s downright dangerous. But I’ve come to the conclusion that wearing a mask is a complete, and total, waste of time! I’m not sure why the medical world is heaping this silly practice upon the world. I’m not a healthcare worker, nor do I have an education in medicine. Because of this, I had to really get in there and study this out as best I could. I’ve come to the conclusion that we are being duped. Masks do little to nothing. Not having a background in medicine and not being familiar with medical terms and phraseology made it difficult for me to understand and read these studies and analysis. So I had to really read these things. My conclusions may not be the same as yours. I originally only wanted to know how much, in percentage numbers, cloth masks helped the wearer or those around the wearer. I was thinking I would find 30% or even 20%. What I actually found was 0.02%, which to me is next to nothing. Here is my research: (I read the articles thoroughly but also looked at some, but not all, of the footnotes, resources, and supplemental material for these articles.) https://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/masks-dont-work-review-science-relevant-covid-19-social-policy-0 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/cloth-masks-are-useless-against-covid-19 https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-health/cloth-masks-given-ok-do-they-work https://www.nap.edu/read/25776/chapter/1 “Cloth face coverings may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others” “A cloth face covering may not protect the wearer, but it may keep the wearer from spreading the virus to others.” https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html This is the definitive conclusion that the CDC has come up with? You “may” be, and “most likely” will be safe with masks. How less sure can you be? “Cloth face coverings are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings.” If your mechanic described your fixed brakes in this way would you drive the vehicle? I think it’s criminal to put people’s lives in danger by telling them something will protect them when it won’t. Too bad no one will account for it. I love the 90’s series “The X Files”. It just fed my appetite for conspiracy. But as I watch the mess that has unfolded in this country I feel like I’m living an X files episode. Between COVID-19 and the racial divide in this country I get the feeling there is more afoot than bad timing. I’m not saying this virus does not exist but I think there are sinister hands involved in it. The race angle is constantly used for those with an agenda. I’m also not saying bigotry and racism does not exist. As long as there are humans on this earth there will be racism. Be very careful about what you accept. If the mainstream media is pushing something then be very careful. They usually ignore facts and quote each other. Research this mask thing yourself. See what you think. I just saw another “study” that had to do with 2 cosmetology workers. I don’t think this was actually a scientific study, but it fit the “mask up” narrative just fine. Beware of where you get your information and what that info is based on. This article is not about masks but about COVID-19 deaths. https://www.technocracy.news/cdc-confirms-extremely-low-covid-19-death-rate/?fbclid=IwAR2obGmDzyss5ueBPbC1lpqPGLDng-HD0dRm5yxOhQuVeB0rqk5_1y5qsx0 A quote from a Star Trek character comes to mind. “Spock, I’ve found that evil usually triumphs… unless good is very, very careful” Dr. Leonard McCoy, Star Trek Be very careful out there my friends. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

Training Differences

There is a difference between training once a year, and training daily or weekly. I had someone tell me that they didn’t need to practice. Every time they went shooting, they were very accurate. I balked at the idea. They swore up and down that they were good even though they have not picked up a gun in several months. I had them meet me at the range to “prove” it. We met on an outdoor range in the middle of the day. The weather was nice and there was even a little breeze. Beautiful day to shoot. I watched as my friend shot, and hit pretty well, with plenty of time from a modified weaver stance. I told him “Good shooting! Now what if someone was shooting back at you? What if an attacker was running at you with a bat? Or a knife? Or a gun? What if it were overcast, or raining, or night? What if you just got wounded in your shooting hand and had to shoot one handed? What if there was rain in your eyes? Or blood? What if you are being chased and have run 2 blocks? What if your gun malfunctioned? Or your ammo? What if you had to shoot and move? What if you had to shoot from behind a car? Or a building? What if your wife was with you? What if your children were with you?” He just stared at me. I then said “Defensive shooting is rarely like shooting at a range. You must put yourself in many positions to cover many situations. When I was in combat we were being shot at constantly. We always shot from cover. But even being in a fighting position I found that I shot in many ways from many angles. Then in a patrol situation, that all changes.” Learning to shoot from many positions and 6 to 10 feet is realistic training. I shoot generally from 15 feet to 5. Most of my training is focused on about 5 feet. Richard Mann put together a great collection of drills for this purpose. This is from Gun Digest April 10, 2019 https://gundigest.com/more/how-to/firearm-training/6-defensive-handgun-drills-to-master I went out and put these drills to the test and found that they are very much like my own training regime that I’ve been shooting for years. The drills are: Single Head Shots drill The Double-tap Drill The failure Drill The reload Drill The Forty-five Drill Adrenalin Dump The Shadowland Drill Single Head Shots Drill- This is pretty simple. The target is about 2.5 inch circle. One shot from the holster. Distance is about 5 yards (15 feet). Par for it is 2 seconds. Double-tap Drill-This drill is also 5 yards. Target is a 5 inch circle 2 shots from the holster. A quick 2 shots in center-of-mass. Whether its called double-tap, controlled pairs, or hammers, this is quick force downrange. Par for this is 2 seconds. Failure Drill-2 targets 2.5 and 5 inch. 3 Shots from the holster at 5 yards. The idea is to deliver 2 shots center of mass, and then 1 head shot for insurance. Par for this drill is 3 seconds Reload Drill-This is often overlooked in training. I’m here to tell you, in the thick of the battle, you will not know how many rounds you’ve used. There is a horrible sinking feeling when you get a “click” rather than a “boom”. Place two 5 inch targets next to each other 10 feet apart. 4 Shots from the holster. Draw and do a double tap on the first target, then do a mag change. Double tap the second target. Par for this drill is 6 seconds. Forty-five Drill Adrenalin Dump-5 yards, 5 inch circle, 5 shots. The drill is called 45 because it is 4 elements of 5. Place a target 5 yards away and fire 5 shots in a 5 inch circle is less than 5 seconds. You’ll be surprised how hard this is. Par is 5 seconds or less. Shadowland Drill-This drill ties them all together. 3 targets 5 feet apart 5 yards away. 15 total shots at 2.5 and 5 inch circles. The single head-shot on the right target, the double tap on the left target, and the Failure drill on the center target. That’s 6 shots. Now go back to the right target and do 2 shots at center-of-mass, reload, then 2 shots on the left target. Then do the 45 drill on the center target. Do this with no misses in 10 seconds or less and you’re a champion. A former police officer and serviceman with the U.S. Army, Richard A. Mann is one of the most well-respected firearms authorities writing on the subject today. He serves as contributing editor for several magazines, including NRA’s American Rifleman and Shooting Illustrated, Varmint Hunter, and Combat Handgunner, and is the editor for Gun Digest’s Cartridges of the World 13th Edition. Thank you Richard for this very practical and simple program. Richard says this is not training, training is when you learn new skills. This is practice. It was refreshing to me and I would recommend it. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

Tourniquets Can Save Lives

Many years ago in a far off land I was caught in a battle. My friend next to me got hit by a bullet. I did all I could do to stop the bleeding in his neck when the medic took over. He too worked on him but was unsuccessful. I’ve lost my Mom to old age and my Dad to a blood clot, but watching my friend die and not being able to do anything gave me more loss and grief than my own family passing away. Don’t put yourself in a position where you will have that kind of grief. Learn first aid skills one of them being how to use a tourniquet. When I was learning first aid as a Boy Scout, tourniquets were discouraged. As we learned from the war in Iraq, tourniquets save lives. Here are the basics of how to use a tourniquet. I am not a health professional. Take medical training to give you the proper skills. Step 1: Make sure your surroundings are safe, and keep yourself safe by wearing gloves. Depending on the situation, you need to make sure you have the freedom to treat someone without becoming a victim yourself. Nitrile gloves are pretty common, especially with this COVID 19 virus outbreak. Keep a few pair in your vehicle and in your kits. Step 2: Expose the open wound. My son, an EMT, says there is a saying in emergency medicine: “A happy trauma patient is a naked trauma patient.” You just don’t know what’s wrong with them if you can’t see it. Remove the clothing over the injury. Nothing fancy to it: tear the pant leg or shirtsleeve out of your way. If their clothes are too tough to rip by hand, carefully start the cut with scissors or a knife. Step 3: Apply firm, direct pressure to the wound site. Use gauze, or whatever may be available, directly on the wound. If there is no gauze, use a towel or washcloth or a rag torn from a shirt. Try to avoid having to use this homemade dressing unless it’s an emergency situation. Non-sterile bandages can cause further unnecessary infection. Keep in mind that if you’re a long distance from a hospital or facility, it is better to contain the wound with only a few germs than leave it exposed to all germs. If the pressure does not stop the bleeding, and the dressing becomes soaked with blood, you will need to apply a tourniquet. Much of what you think you know about bleeding control may be based on outdated knowledge. For decades, standard emergency medical services (EMS) controlled bleeding using a series of six steps. The tourniquet was used only in a last ditch effort to stop bleeding. The aversion to the tourniquet was based on the belief that by completely stopping blood flow to a limb, tissue around the limb would start to die, which would result in the patient having to undergo amputation. Unfortunately, by following traditional bleeding control steps and leaving tourniquets as a procedure of last resort, people lost more blood, and even their lives, than was necessary. Unlike civilian EMS, military medicine practices have long called for tourniquet application much earlier in the treatment for blood loss. Recent research in military hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan have shown that, contrary to popular belief, using a tourniquet doesn’t guarantee limb amputation or even nerve loss. Many civilian EMS teachers and practitioners are starting to encourage tourniquet use much sooner. Necrosis of muscle tissue doesn’t onset until after 2 hours without blood flow, and can even last 5-8 hours without consequences resulting in amputation; so you can keep the tourniquet on for a while. You want to get the victim help as soon as possible. Now with that FYI under your belt, let’s move on to choosing and applying that tourniquet. Step 4: Choose a tourniquet. In today’s military, all soldiers are issued tourniquets to accompany their armor and weapons, and every soldier is trained and proficient at applying his tourniquet, even one-handed, on their own arm. The common tourniquet used by the army, the combat action tourniquet (CAT tourniquet), is made for single-handed application; they run around $30 and aren’t practical for a civilian to carry around in his pocket every day. Luckily you don’t need a dedicated tourniquet to save a life. Look around you, there are tourniquets everywhere. Are you wearing a belt? Tourniquet! Have laces on your shoes? Tourniquet! Long sleeve shirt, bicycle inner tube, backpack strap, or a female observer’s brassiere? All tourniquets! You can fashion this lifesaving device out of anything your mind can conceive as a tourniquet. (You might consider rope or a survival bracelet first if you have them handy.) In order to tighten your tourniquet, you’ll also need a torsion device. This can be anything long and stick-like. If you’re in the woods I recommend using, well, a stick. If there are absolutely no sticks or stick-like objects around you, then close your knife’s blade, or put the sheath on it, and give it up for a good cause. It’s now your torsion device. For me I carry a hank of paracord and a tactical pen. Those two items will work. Step 5: Apply the tourniquet. First, so we’re all on the same page: Tourniquets are ONLY applied on limbs! , here are the steps of applying a tourniquet: Step 6: Assess for shock. So you’ve saved this person from bleeding out with a handy-dandy tourniquet. They’re not home free yet. Make sure they’re still breathing. Seems obvious, but if you fail to do so you’ve wasted a tourniquet. You’ve probably heard the adage: Look, listen, and feel! Put your ear near their mouth and listen and feel for breathing while looking at their chest to make sure it rises and falls. If it doesn’t, make it. Here is where you apply CPR. After you’ve made sure your patient is indeed still breathing, check for signs of shock. If you’ve placed a tourniquet on the patient, it’s very likely they’ll suffer hypovolemic shock. Don’t freak out, it’s a big sounding word, but it basically means: “too little volume.” They’ve just given up a lot of blood volume, so it’s kind of a given, though not a guarantee. Signs of hypovolemic shock include: • Cool, clammy skin (moist, cool, and pale skin) • Cyanosis (big word, but it means blue skin) • Weakness • Confusion • Rapid breathing • Unconsciousness To treat shock, first lay the patient down flat on his back. You may have once learned to elevate their feet, dismiss this practice! Research has shown this can cause pooling of blood in the organs and brain and other damage. Next cover the person to keep them warm: employ blankets, coats, and clothes, whatever you can offer, just keep them warm! (That old hypothermia technique of huddling for heat can come in handy here too.) Step 7: If 911 has not been called yet, make sure it has happened or tell someone specifically to do so now. If rescue workers cannot get to you where you are, or there is no phone service, never leave the victim alone to look for help, grab them and go. Be prepared to do the fireman’s carry. There are also many ways to improvise a litter that you can drag if you have the time and the means. I’ve seen a tourniquet save a leg and two other guys arms, along with saving their lives. I’ve had the distinct opportunity of applying this technique in an emergency situation and can tell you it does work. It is a simple thing but like CPR, should be practiced. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn