Last evening, a driver for a US military contractor, transporting a kiln of radio active material through Tennessee, decided to go for a little rest and recreation, in Memphis. He parked his truck, with cargo, in a park on Getwell, and just wandered off. After an hour or so of panicing cops, military and others, he shows up..

Is it just me, or do you think that guy should be severely dealt with. In a time when terrorists are wanting to detonate dirty bombs in the US, is it not a trifle horrific that a container of radioactive material is left in the center of Memphis, with no guard, and no driver.. (that point itself subjects the driver to DOT disciplinary action -- hazmat cannot leave their truck just anywhere, and Memphis is not a Radiation OK city.)

When I heard about this odd thing, I went to condition Orange, and planned an evacuation. I do not think that such action is paranoid.

Wm
'96 F450 White with Grey interior Crew Cab. Banks Turbo, Intercooler and Exhaust,
Power pack Chip, shift kit, Auxiliary transmission, electronic enhanced transmission control,
16 forward and 4 reverse ratios. 340hp 660ft lb 4 wheel drive, 4.10 gears, 12,ooo# winch

 

If I were Mr Joe Terrorist - My first thought would be planting some CEMTEX on it, to make an instant "Dirty Bomb" out of the whole works...

I wonder why the truck had no escort?

They can't seriously treat that stuff like a trailer full of haybales, for cryin' out loud...


Can they????


>=o(

 

I have held a hazmat endorsement since becoming a CDL holder, and the little book that goes with such endorsement tells me that the particular load in question "must not be left unattended." some hazmat can be left in designated areas, but that load cannot. I asked friends today about the situation, and none of them had the imagination to be concerned about it. One, a retired Artillery Colonel informed me that to make a big bomb, you need to implode it. I tried to say that in the middle of a city you do not need a big, or indeed thermic bomb, just a blast large enough to rupture and distribute plutonium particles. the ensuing fire would elevate particles to the jet stream...... but no body was concerned. I will stick to my guns, how ever, and keep myself in a state of awareness, and should a problem seem to occur when the wind is coming my way, evacuation will take place. Is it possible I spent too long being a member of the military???

Wm
'96 F450 White with Grey interior Crew Cab. Banks Turbo, Intercooler and Exhaust,
Power pack Chip, shift kit, Auxiliary transmission, electronic enhanced transmission control,
16 forward and 4 reverse ratios. 340hp 660ft lb 4 wheel drive, 4.10 gears, 12,ooo# winch

 

I can see I've been delinquent in my own posts here, no wonder things slowed down!

Seems to me we all have two options - be prepared, or caught flat footed like a mud-duck...

I would hate to think that the last thought I had in this world began with the words "Why didn't I..."

 

I have a number of friends who are not the normal type of buddy, so I am not allowed to wallow in an unprepared apathy. I have sufficient packed and ready, to ensure continuence of life, barring accidental or intentional acts, for a minimum of 3 months. I figure in 3 months I should be able to get to a mountain somewhere, and dig in. I have a few places scoped out in the west, I have not found anywhere suitable this corner of the US though. .

Wm
'96 F450 White with Grey interior Crew Cab. Banks Turbo, Intercooler and Exhaust,
Power pack Chip, shift kit, Auxiliary transmission, electronic enhanced transmission control,
16 forward and 4 reverse ratios. 340hp 660ft lb 4 wheel drive, 4.10 gears, 12,ooo# winch

 

I should be brushing up on my spanish, come to think.

Survey says: if it all busts loose I can always run like hell for a third world country until the levels die down.

But something kindee tells me it would more likely be house-to-house if certain folks got brave enough.

I don't think they will, so I just clean my guns every odd saturday.

 

Luckily I really like cleaning my armory. I am not daft enough to clean the ammo, but there are some that have done, with WD-40 with disasterous effect. I opened up a box of 7.62 Nato that I bought in Colorado this week, the vacuum effect is keeping them in pristine condition - I have O2 absorbers in all cans so they should be good.

The only problem I am having with the armory, is finding anything else to put in it. I need some suggestions.

Wm
'96 F450 White with Grey interior Crew Cab. Banks Turbo, Intercooler and Exhaust,
Power pack Chip, shift kit, Auxiliary transmission, electronic enhanced transmission control,
16 forward and 4 reverse ratios. 340hp 660ft lb 4 wheel drive, 4.10 gears, 12,ooo# winch

 

I was thinking, that when I rebuild my first back-hoe - it would be a good time to add an underground vault to my place.

Just a thought...

I do know that when gunsafes add about 400 pounds each to the load on floor joists there is a practical limit to how many can be owned.

So I have thought long and hard about what an essential kit should consist of.

My conclusions are:

1 Longrifle
1 Shotgun of good manufacture
1 Handgun
and various other weapons of non-powder actuated means as may intrigue me.

Ammo can always be stored in a shed or cellar.

 

(the enemy)


I differ slightly, as I prefer to have both a 308 and a 223. I like to have 2 handguns as well, with at least 3 magazines for each weapon. I am not decided on shotgun yet. I did the Rangemaster course on the beast, and found it very useful, so the fact of a shotgun is not the point, but rather which one. Do I want a pump, or a semi?? since building me a MechTech conversion, that one has to come too, it makes the .45 a credible weapon, which in it's handgun poise is cannot do ( remember, the handgun is used to get to the long gun you should never have put down.) I am going on a Carbine course middle of next month, and looking forward immensely to it. I even got me a Bushmaster just so I could go.

I know it is a lot of weaponry, but I would hate to have too few of anything, should the poo poo hit the fan. or any other happenstance that warranted action.


Wm
'96 F450 White with Grey interior Crew Cab. Banks Turbo, Intercooler and Exhaust,
Power pack Chip, shift kit, Auxiliary transmission, electronic enhanced transmission control,
16 forward and 4 reverse ratios. 340hp 660ft lb 4 wheel drive, 4.10 gears, 12,ooo# winch

 

I'd say go with a semi, with a rotating bolt action.

A pump makes for a good reliable standby that can take lots of abuse, but for rounds going down range a semi is top of the line.

A Bennelli is not needed, Berretta makes an identical gun for hundreds of dollars less. Check on the Berretta 1200F...

 

What is a good price for such a firearm?

Wm
'96 F450 White with Grey interior Crew Cab. Banks Turbo, Intercooler and Exhaust,
Power pack Chip, shift kit, Auxiliary transmission, electronic enhanced transmission control,
16 forward and 4 reverse ratios. 340hp 660ft lb 4 wheel drive, 4.10 gears, 12,ooo# winch