The Orthomolecular Medicine News Service (http://www.orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/index.shtml) is a good source of information on preventing and treating COVID-19. Two of the articles listed there as of this writing are of particular interest - "COVID-19: How can I cure thee? Let me count the ways" (http://www.orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v16n37.shtml) by Thomas E. Levy, MD, JD, who has written quite a few books which surprisingly haven't gotten him killed by the pharmaceutical industry. (His legal degree is for protecting himself from the medical establishment.) The article states that "While many supplement regimens can be used for COVID-19 prevention, such regimens should include at a minimum vitamin C, vitamin D, magnesium chloride, and zinc. Any of many additional quality nutrient and antioxidant supplements can be added as desired, largely dependent on expense and personal preference."
Elsewhere, the article states that "Since supplemental zinc has only a limited ability to reach the cytoplasm of cells due to its ionic nature, zinc ionophores (agents that complex with zinc and transport it into the cell) are known to be good general antiviral agents. Quercetin is one such supplement, and it can serve as a good adjunctive agent to any COVID-19 treatment protocol.... Chloroquine, discussed below, is also a zinc ionophore, perhaps explaining its potent anti-COVID-19 effects.
According to the article, hydryoxychloriquine is actually very effective at treating and preventing COVID-19, although it's difficult to obtain, and there are many alternatives, none of which the American medical establishment recognizes.
Another article of interest from the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service is "Vitamin C and Coronavirus: Not a Vaccine, Just a Humble Cure" (http://www.orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v16n28.shtml), which describes China's success at treating COVID-19 with IV sodium ascorbate and points out that the global media is suppressing this information. However, I learned about it by performing a simple Google search and sifting through a few pages of results. The latest article as of this writing, an official report from China (http://www.orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v16n42.shtml), contradicts the known effects of high-dose IV sodium ascorbate on viruses and downplays China's success.
Monday, August 17, 2020
Good source of information on treating and preventing COVID-19
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
The pathetic coronavirus buried under a Mt. Everest of hype
Thanks to the Ice Age Now website, which has a lot of interesting information, I learned of the Facts about Covid-19 webpage, which contains the following:
Professor Klaus Püschel, head of forensic medicine in Hamburg, explains about Covid19: "This virus influences our lives in a completely excessive way. This is disproportionate to the danger posed by the virus. And the astronomical economic damage now being caused is not commensurate with the danger posed by the virus. I am convinced that the Corona mortality rate will not even show up as a peak in annual mortality." In Hamburg, for example, "not a single person who was not previously ill" had died of the virus: "All those we have examined so far had cancer, a chronic lung disease, were heavy smokers or severely obese, suffered from diabetes or had a cardiovascular disease. The virus was the last straw that broke the camel’s back, so to speak. "Covid-19 is a fatal disease only in exceptional cases, but in most cases it is a predominantly harmless viral infection."
In addition, Dr. Püschel explains: "In quite a few cases, we have also found that the current corona infection has nothing whatsoever to do with the fatal outcome because other causes of death are present, for example a brain haemorrhage or a heart attack. Corona in itself is a "not particularly dangerous viral disease," says the forensic scientist. He pleads for statistics based on concrete examination results. "All speculations about individual deaths that have not been expertly examined only fuel anxiety." Contrary to the guidelines of the Robert Koch Institute, Hamburg had recently started to differentiate between deaths "with the" and "by the" coronavirus, which led to a decrease in Covid19 deaths.
Professor Klaus Püschel, head of forensic medicine in Hamburg, explains about Covid19: "This virus influences our lives in a completely excessive way. This is disproportionate to the danger posed by the virus. And the astronomical economic damage now being caused is not commensurate with the danger posed by the virus. I am convinced that the Corona mortality rate will not even show up as a peak in annual mortality." In Hamburg, for example, "not a single person who was not previously ill" had died of the virus: "All those we have examined so far had cancer, a chronic lung disease, were heavy smokers or severely obese, suffered from diabetes or had a cardiovascular disease. The virus was the last straw that broke the camel’s back, so to speak. "Covid-19 is a fatal disease only in exceptional cases, but in most cases it is a predominantly harmless viral infection."
In addition, Dr. Püschel explains: "In quite a few cases, we have also found that the current corona infection has nothing whatsoever to do with the fatal outcome because other causes of death are present, for example a brain haemorrhage or a heart attack. Corona in itself is a "not particularly dangerous viral disease," says the forensic scientist. He pleads for statistics based on concrete examination results. "All speculations about individual deaths that have not been expertly examined only fuel anxiety." Contrary to the guidelines of the Robert Koch Institute, Hamburg had recently started to differentiate between deaths "with the" and "by the" coronavirus, which led to a decrease in Covid19 deaths.
Monday, April 13, 2020
News articles erroneously claim that Vit C is not effective vs. viruses
Keywords: "COVID-19, Coronavirus, viruses, Vitamin C, Vit C, ascorbic acid"
My searches of Google News for "COVID-19 vitamins" have been turning up more and more articles which claim that Vit C has no effect against the disease, in contrast to articles about people at death's door with COVID-19 who have been saved by IV sodium ascorbate. So, I searched Primal Panacea by Thomas Levy, MD, and found a couple of interesting passages on this subject:
Contrary to the blindly repeated mantra of the mainstream medical community that "there are no studies," I discovered a wealth of information, much of it in the most accepted and respected medical journals. Study after study demonstrated vitamin C's ability to singularly eradicate, neutralize, or otherwise cure an incredibly large and diverse array of infectious diseases, especially viral diseases. Furthermore, there appeared to be no type of poisoning or toxic exposure that a high enough amount of properly administered vitamin C could not remedy.
from the preface of Primal Panacea by Thomas Levy, MD (available in ebook and PB form)
Furthermore, it is clear that a certain blood concentration of tissue saturation of vitamin C is always needed before a positive clinical response can be observed. So, when tiny doses have been tested against many different infections, researchers often report that vitamin C had no positive clinical effect. Studies appear to have employed this fact to discredit vitamin C's efficacy by purposely testing with very small amounts.
From Ch 1 (just before the conclusion) of Primal Panacea by Thomas Levy, MD
My searches of Google News for "COVID-19 vitamins" have been turning up more and more articles which claim that Vit C has no effect against the disease, in contrast to articles about people at death's door with COVID-19 who have been saved by IV sodium ascorbate. So, I searched Primal Panacea by Thomas Levy, MD, and found a couple of interesting passages on this subject:
Contrary to the blindly repeated mantra of the mainstream medical community that "there are no studies," I discovered a wealth of information, much of it in the most accepted and respected medical journals. Study after study demonstrated vitamin C's ability to singularly eradicate, neutralize, or otherwise cure an incredibly large and diverse array of infectious diseases, especially viral diseases. Furthermore, there appeared to be no type of poisoning or toxic exposure that a high enough amount of properly administered vitamin C could not remedy.
from the preface of Primal Panacea by Thomas Levy, MD (available in ebook and PB form)
Furthermore, it is clear that a certain blood concentration of tissue saturation of vitamin C is always needed before a positive clinical response can be observed. So, when tiny doses have been tested against many different infections, researchers often report that vitamin C had no positive clinical effect. Studies appear to have employed this fact to discredit vitamin C's efficacy by purposely testing with very small amounts.
From Ch 1 (just before the conclusion) of Primal Panacea by Thomas Levy, MD
Saturday, April 11, 2020
Vitamin C Kills Viruses Directly Via the "Fenton Reaction"
Keywords: "COVID-19, Coronavirus, viruses, Vitamin C, Vit C, ascorbic acid"
(I am not a physician, and this is not medical advice. It simply relays information which has been approved by physicians, and which applies to everyone.)
A) Go to "3 More Ways to Beat Coronavirus" (https://www.realhealthmedical.com/2020/03/13/3-more-ways-to-beat-coronavirus/)
B) Go to "Vitamin C may be a life-saver" (https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/vitamin-c-may-be-a-life-saver-5544405.html) (This article exposes some of the establishment's efforts to conceal the benefits of Vit C, but it also seems to downplay the benefits itself.)
C) Read Primal Panacea by Thomas Levy, MD (ebook, PB formats)
D) Certain Vit C experts recommend avoiding Ester C because it supposedly doesn't provide as many benefits as ascorbic acid. Liposomal Vit C is supposedly the most effective non-IV form for increasing levels in the bloodstream, but it is expensive. So, ascorbic acid is the most cost-effective form for regular usage. A reasonable dose for ascorbic acid is to take 1 gram every 3.5 hours (it doesn't last long in the body), which is about 7 grams per day. If you feel like you're coming down with something, you can take more (you can't overdose on it).
There are advantages to taking ascorbic acid in powder form, such as cost and the ability to get large amounts into your system quickly when you feel like you're coming down with something, to hit it hard and fast and nip it in the bud. To do this, mix two 1/8 teaspoons (a total of 1.25g) of ascorbic acid powder and 1/8 tsp of baking soda (you can scale up these amounts as desired, or just repeat until you feel that you've had enough) in about 1/4” of water in a glass, mix it and then let it fizz until it stops (to neutralize the acid to protect tooth enamel), which takes about 3 minutes with cool water and less time with warmer water. Then add more water and drink it, and rinse to be safe. A 1 KG bag of ascorbic acid powder costs $30 on Amazon as of this writing and would last about 6 months at 7 grams per day. I've also seen good deals for 1g capsules on Amazon ($15/300), but it would be expensive to use caps all of the time, and it seems to me that caps wouldn't increase the Vit C levels in your system as quickly as powder would.
E) Although taking Vit C evidently reduces the risk of developing COVID-19, the guidelines for reducing its spread should be followed until they are officially rescinded. If everyone took Vit C and if its IV form were routinely used for treating severe viral infections, the guidelines probably wouldn't be necessary.
(I am not a physician, and this is not medical advice. It simply relays information which has been approved by physicians, and which applies to everyone.)
A) Go to "3 More Ways to Beat Coronavirus" (https://www.realhealthmedical.com/2020/03/13/3-more-ways-to-beat-coronavirus/)
B) Go to "Vitamin C may be a life-saver" (https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/vitamin-c-may-be-a-life-saver-5544405.html) (This article exposes some of the establishment's efforts to conceal the benefits of Vit C, but it also seems to downplay the benefits itself.)
C) Read Primal Panacea by Thomas Levy, MD (ebook, PB formats)
D) Certain Vit C experts recommend avoiding Ester C because it supposedly doesn't provide as many benefits as ascorbic acid. Liposomal Vit C is supposedly the most effective non-IV form for increasing levels in the bloodstream, but it is expensive. So, ascorbic acid is the most cost-effective form for regular usage. A reasonable dose for ascorbic acid is to take 1 gram every 3.5 hours (it doesn't last long in the body), which is about 7 grams per day. If you feel like you're coming down with something, you can take more (you can't overdose on it).
There are advantages to taking ascorbic acid in powder form, such as cost and the ability to get large amounts into your system quickly when you feel like you're coming down with something, to hit it hard and fast and nip it in the bud. To do this, mix two 1/8 teaspoons (a total of 1.25g) of ascorbic acid powder and 1/8 tsp of baking soda (you can scale up these amounts as desired, or just repeat until you feel that you've had enough) in about 1/4” of water in a glass, mix it and then let it fizz until it stops (to neutralize the acid to protect tooth enamel), which takes about 3 minutes with cool water and less time with warmer water. Then add more water and drink it, and rinse to be safe. A 1 KG bag of ascorbic acid powder costs $30 on Amazon as of this writing and would last about 6 months at 7 grams per day. I've also seen good deals for 1g capsules on Amazon ($15/300), but it would be expensive to use caps all of the time, and it seems to me that caps wouldn't increase the Vit C levels in your system as quickly as powder would.
E) Although taking Vit C evidently reduces the risk of developing COVID-19, the guidelines for reducing its spread should be followed until they are officially rescinded. If everyone took Vit C and if its IV form were routinely used for treating severe viral infections, the guidelines probably wouldn't be necessary.
Sunday, April 5, 2020
Some practical aspects of taking Vit C
Practicality is important when taking Vit C on a routine basis. So, you could take tablets or capsules, totaling about 1 gram, with each meal, and use ascorbic acid powder between meals and for taking massive doses when you feel like you're coming down with something.
Do whatever works best for you, but you should take about a gram every 3 or 4 hours, and to take a lot in a short amount of time if you feel like you're coming down with something. I'd also take some before going somewhere, and take some tablets or capsules along to ensure that I'd have some if I couldn't get home, which is when you'd be most likely to need it in your system.
I use a timer to remind me when to take it (it would have to be something with at least a 3.5 hour range), and a cheap little timer to let me know that 3 minutes have passed after mixing it, and that it's time to take it. If I didn't use these timers, I'd forget to take it. I leave both timers in the kitchen to force me to go in there to shut them off, so that I can't just shut off the timer, procrastinate, and forget to do what I'm supposed to do.
I realize that it's an inconvenience, but it's important to keep your levels up with such a dangerous virus in circulation, and to take a lot quickly when you feel like you need it. Trust the science - if you feel something coming on, take a lot of ascorbic acid in the form of powder mixed 2/1 with baking soda in just enough water to allow them to react at a high rate, to neutralize the acid quickly. (Also use warm water to speed up the reaction.) Don't delay - hit it hard and fast, as if your life depends on it, because it might.
Fortunately, it won't be long before a vaccine is available. If the medical establishment would recognize the value of Vit C, we wouldn't need vaccinations because if we developed a severe case, we could get IV sodium ascorbate to cure the disease, and our immune systems would recognize the virus from then on. Obviously, those who develop relatively mild symptoms would also develop antibodies. Interestingly, Vit C isn't mentioned on TV in the context of the anti-vaccination movement, although they recommend its use. My concern about vaccinations is the possibility of being given a "custom" vaccination instead of the standard version.
Do whatever works best for you, but you should take about a gram every 3 or 4 hours, and to take a lot in a short amount of time if you feel like you're coming down with something. I'd also take some before going somewhere, and take some tablets or capsules along to ensure that I'd have some if I couldn't get home, which is when you'd be most likely to need it in your system.
I use a timer to remind me when to take it (it would have to be something with at least a 3.5 hour range), and a cheap little timer to let me know that 3 minutes have passed after mixing it, and that it's time to take it. If I didn't use these timers, I'd forget to take it. I leave both timers in the kitchen to force me to go in there to shut them off, so that I can't just shut off the timer, procrastinate, and forget to do what I'm supposed to do.
I realize that it's an inconvenience, but it's important to keep your levels up with such a dangerous virus in circulation, and to take a lot quickly when you feel like you need it. Trust the science - if you feel something coming on, take a lot of ascorbic acid in the form of powder mixed 2/1 with baking soda in just enough water to allow them to react at a high rate, to neutralize the acid quickly. (Also use warm water to speed up the reaction.) Don't delay - hit it hard and fast, as if your life depends on it, because it might.
Fortunately, it won't be long before a vaccine is available. If the medical establishment would recognize the value of Vit C, we wouldn't need vaccinations because if we developed a severe case, we could get IV sodium ascorbate to cure the disease, and our immune systems would recognize the virus from then on. Obviously, those who develop relatively mild symptoms would also develop antibodies. Interestingly, Vit C isn't mentioned on TV in the context of the anti-vaccination movement, although they recommend its use. My concern about vaccinations is the possibility of being given a "custom" vaccination instead of the standard version.
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Master Lock Speed Dial lock enhanced instructions
rev 3/22/20
This page contains my enhanced instructions for selecting and changing combinations for Master Lock Speed Dial locks, which are the only locks I trust, although they're not perfect and it's a good idea to have spares on hand in case your primary develops a problem. Fortunately, they're not expensive. I recommend becoming familiar with these procedures and using them whenever you think that a lock's combination has been compromised, such as after having been sent over the internet.
=============================
WARNING
If the Speed Dial lock is just "clicked" closed, it might not actually be locked, and it could be opened by just pulling on the shackle with moderate force. So, to lock it, close it firmly, and then try to pull it open to ensure that it is actually locked.
=============================
I. Selecting new combinations
Because the combinations for the Speed Dial lock can supposedly be any length, and they have to be entered in their entirety each time, nobody in their right mind would try to crack the combination, other than perhaps to try all 1,2, and 3-digit combinations. (Even four-digit multi-dial re-settable combination locks can be cracked fairly easily because you try a bunch of combinations very quickly by twirling the last digit while pulling on the shackle. Then you would add 1 to the upper three digits and twirl the last digit again, so it takes just a couple of hours at most to find the combination.) So, if you make your combinations at least 4 digits long, chances are that nobody will crack them. However, I use longer combinations. It helps to think of the lock as a toy, and changing combinations as a game. But when you lose, the lock is useless as a lock, so it's a good idea to make a video recording of the new combination being programmed into the lock (details below) and to have extra locks on hand.
A) Using phone numbers as combinations
One approach to coming up with combinations and remembering them is to use a phone number or a combination of phone numbers (such as the first three digits of one, and the last four of another) which you will remember or be able to find when you want to open the lock. But if you use this system, don't let anyone know that you're using it. The correspondence between the phone-number digits and lock-"digits" would be as follows:
0-1: Up (12:00)
2-3: Right (3:00)
4-6: Down (6:00)
7-9: Left (9:00)
Note that the phone-number digits are grouped in two groups of two, followed by two groups of three, and that the last number in each of the groups corresponds to the clock-position of the lock-"digit" (well, not exactly - 1 corresponds only to the first digit in 12). This system should be easy to remember. It will skew combinations toward D's and L's because there are more numbers associated with them than U and R in the above table, but it's not as if it's going to make it easy to crack them.
> Using a whiteboard as an aid for entering combinations
You can't be too careful when entering a combination, and writing the combination in its most direct form helps to avoid mistakes. It also helps me to avoid mistakes by saying "up" for U, "down" for D, "left" for L, or "right" for R when entering a combination.
When changing a lock's combination to one based on a phone number, or opening a lock with such a combination, I suggest writing the phone number on a whiteboard, converting it in your head to the corresponding combination, writing it below the phone number, and then double-checking the conversion.
When done changing the combination or opening the lock, erase the whiteboard.
> Make a video recording of the new combination being programmed into the lock
When entering a combination into a Speed Dial lock, my thumb sometimes seems to have a mind of its own. For example, when I intend to enter a "D" (i.e. move the lock's "knob" downward from its center/rest-position), even if I'm looking at a "D" and saying "down" to myself, my thumb sometimes moves up, left, or right. This isn't much of a problem unless I happen to be programming a new combination into the lock at the time. So, it's a good idea to make a video recording (using a camera which has no wireless capability) of the new combination being programmed into the lock, so that if you make a mistake, you can watch the recording to get the combination which was actually entered. To do this, I place the camera on the edge of a counter and hold the lock in front of it. Make a test recording and watch it to be sure you'll have a clear recording if you need it. Once the recording has served its purpose, it should be completely deleted (not just sent to the trash) to prevent anyone else from using it to obtain the combination.
B) Another system for selecting combinations
I use the GRC Ultra High Security Password Generator (an on-line random number generator) as a source of long strings of random hexadecimal numbers, and a hexadecimal-to-base-4 converter found at translatorscafe.com/cafe/EN/units-converter/numbers/4-7/hexadecimal-base-4/ to convert them to base-4 numbers. Then convert the base-4 string to U's, D's, L's, and R's using a text-editor's search/replace function (just don't use the same letter for more than one number), and then select sections from the resulting long string to use as combinations.
Never store a combination on a non-secure PC, unless it is disguised as something else. (For a relatively cheap secure PC, I recommend using a cheap mini-PC with any wireless capability removed, running an encrypted installation of Ubuntu Mate or some other variety of Ubuntu on something like a physically small 64GB flash drive, because flash drives with smaller capacities are too slow for some types of Ubuntu. When someone might be able to steal the installation, you could unplug it and hide it somewhere. They wouldn't be able to access it, but replacing such an installation would be a pain, although you could use a live installation as a secure installation in a pinch, although it's not convenient to use a live installation over the long term because such installations (except for so-called "persistent" live installations, which aren't secure and which no reliable USB-installer programs could create, the last time I checked) don't retain any settings or data when they're shut down. (I suggest having a spare encrypted USB3 installation on hand. If it's needed, you could connect the secure PC to the internet just for installation set-up - updating the software index, installing software listed in a list which you would keep for such occasions, and settings could be added to it as the need arises.) Store data on separate flash drives encrypted with the Linux LUKS format, created by using the Disks utility included with most varieties of Ubuntu, and keep multiple back-ups. Details on creating and using secure flash-drive installations and encrypted flash drives for data storage can be found the internet. Keep in mind that Big Brother, which is the black op that actually runs the world's governments and includes spiritual beings with various shades of gray and with various agendas beyond human comprehension, might have a top-secret backdoor into any encryption. Anyone who might expose such a backdoor would be warned that attempting to do so would be futile and fatal. So, you should also use physical security, of which "nonexistence" is the most secure method.) I suggest keeping a couple of printed copies in safe places, and copies on several encrypted flash drives.
II. Procedure for changing Master Lock Speed Dial lock combination
The reason I use the Master Lock Speed Dial lock is that it's the only one I trust because it can't be cracked or picked. Some of them are flaky, and don't always open on the first try even if you enter the right combination. I've had a couple which failed the first time I entered a new combination, so that they couldn't be opened even with the right combination (and I was certain that I was using the combinations which I had programmed into them). SO, AFTER ENTERING A NEW COMBINATION, ALWAYS TRY TO OPEN THE LOCK BEFORE USING IT TO LOCK ANYTHING. It seems that some combinations, at least in the case of 9-"digit" combinations, don't work very well, so when I find a combination that doesn't work well, I change it. In some cases, it might help to hold it in a vertical orientation when opening it, although that's not based on a scientific experiment and could just have been a coincidence. So, when using these locks, the top priority is to be certain that you'll be able to open them after using them to lock something, and the next priority is to be certain that nobody else will be able to open them.
The procedure for changing the combination is as follows:
A) Open the lock as usual.
B) Push the lever on the back of the lock to its upper position. (I use a large nail for this. Be careful to avoid jabbing yourself if you slip. It might be a good idea to wear a leather glove in case you do slip.)
C) Close the lock and press down firmly on the shackle twice to clear the existing combination.
D) Pull the lock open
E) (Before performing this step, read "> Record new combination being programmed into lock" above.) Very carefully enter the new combination. (It might be a good idea to start out with a one-digit combination, and then a two-digit combination, in case you make a mistake and need to open the lock without knowing the combination.) I find that saying "down" for D, "up" for U, "left" for L, and "right" for R as I enter the corresponding digit helps me to avoid making mistakes. If you think you make a mistake, return to step C.
You can correct a mistake until you push the lever on the back of the lock down and close the lock. If you make a mistake, and then push the lever down and close the lock, the lock is useless as a lock, unless you made a video recording of the new combination being programmed into the lock, as recommended above. At least they're not expensive to replace, but if you lock yourself out, you need an SD lock right away, and you don't have a spare, you're out of luck.
F) If you are reasonably certain that you entered the new combination correctly, push the lever on back to its lower position (again, be careful to avoid jabbing yourself), and close the lock firmly.
G) Try to pull the lock open to see if it's really locked. If it opens, close it more firmly and repeat this step.
H) TEST THE NEW COMBINATION BEFORE USING THE LOCK TO LOCK ANYTHING.
I) Don't leave the lock unlocked when unattended, because someone might change the combination.
J) To ensure that two people must be present when the lock is unlocked, each person would program a portion of the combination into the lock without the other person being able to watch. (So, each person would have to enter at least 4 "digits" so that the other person couldn't guess their portion of the combination.) The aforementioned video-recording system could be used in case someone makes a mistake while programming their portion into the lock. If a mistake is made, the recording could be viewed by either person so that the lock could be opened and the process could be repeated. If both people correctly program their portion into the lock, as proven by their combined ability to unlock the lock, the video would not be viewed, and it would be completely deleted (i.e. shift-deleted or sent to the trash, and the trash emptied, or overwritten by a secure-erase program) while both people observe.
This page contains my enhanced instructions for selecting and changing combinations for Master Lock Speed Dial locks, which are the only locks I trust, although they're not perfect and it's a good idea to have spares on hand in case your primary develops a problem. Fortunately, they're not expensive. I recommend becoming familiar with these procedures and using them whenever you think that a lock's combination has been compromised, such as after having been sent over the internet.
=============================
WARNING
If the Speed Dial lock is just "clicked" closed, it might not actually be locked, and it could be opened by just pulling on the shackle with moderate force. So, to lock it, close it firmly, and then try to pull it open to ensure that it is actually locked.
=============================
I. Selecting new combinations
Because the combinations for the Speed Dial lock can supposedly be any length, and they have to be entered in their entirety each time, nobody in their right mind would try to crack the combination, other than perhaps to try all 1,2, and 3-digit combinations. (Even four-digit multi-dial re-settable combination locks can be cracked fairly easily because you try a bunch of combinations very quickly by twirling the last digit while pulling on the shackle. Then you would add 1 to the upper three digits and twirl the last digit again, so it takes just a couple of hours at most to find the combination.) So, if you make your combinations at least 4 digits long, chances are that nobody will crack them. However, I use longer combinations. It helps to think of the lock as a toy, and changing combinations as a game. But when you lose, the lock is useless as a lock, so it's a good idea to make a video recording of the new combination being programmed into the lock (details below) and to have extra locks on hand.
A) Using phone numbers as combinations
One approach to coming up with combinations and remembering them is to use a phone number or a combination of phone numbers (such as the first three digits of one, and the last four of another) which you will remember or be able to find when you want to open the lock. But if you use this system, don't let anyone know that you're using it. The correspondence between the phone-number digits and lock-"digits" would be as follows:
0-1: Up (12:00)
2-3: Right (3:00)
4-6: Down (6:00)
7-9: Left (9:00)
Note that the phone-number digits are grouped in two groups of two, followed by two groups of three, and that the last number in each of the groups corresponds to the clock-position of the lock-"digit" (well, not exactly - 1 corresponds only to the first digit in 12). This system should be easy to remember. It will skew combinations toward D's and L's because there are more numbers associated with them than U and R in the above table, but it's not as if it's going to make it easy to crack them.
> Using a whiteboard as an aid for entering combinations
You can't be too careful when entering a combination, and writing the combination in its most direct form helps to avoid mistakes. It also helps me to avoid mistakes by saying "up" for U, "down" for D, "left" for L, or "right" for R when entering a combination.
When changing a lock's combination to one based on a phone number, or opening a lock with such a combination, I suggest writing the phone number on a whiteboard, converting it in your head to the corresponding combination, writing it below the phone number, and then double-checking the conversion.
When done changing the combination or opening the lock, erase the whiteboard.
> Make a video recording of the new combination being programmed into the lock
When entering a combination into a Speed Dial lock, my thumb sometimes seems to have a mind of its own. For example, when I intend to enter a "D" (i.e. move the lock's "knob" downward from its center/rest-position), even if I'm looking at a "D" and saying "down" to myself, my thumb sometimes moves up, left, or right. This isn't much of a problem unless I happen to be programming a new combination into the lock at the time. So, it's a good idea to make a video recording (using a camera which has no wireless capability) of the new combination being programmed into the lock, so that if you make a mistake, you can watch the recording to get the combination which was actually entered. To do this, I place the camera on the edge of a counter and hold the lock in front of it. Make a test recording and watch it to be sure you'll have a clear recording if you need it. Once the recording has served its purpose, it should be completely deleted (not just sent to the trash) to prevent anyone else from using it to obtain the combination.
B) Another system for selecting combinations
I use the GRC Ultra High Security Password Generator (an on-line random number generator) as a source of long strings of random hexadecimal numbers, and a hexadecimal-to-base-4 converter found at translatorscafe.com/cafe/EN/units-converter/numbers/4-7/hexadecimal-base-4/ to convert them to base-4 numbers. Then convert the base-4 string to U's, D's, L's, and R's using a text-editor's search/replace function (just don't use the same letter for more than one number), and then select sections from the resulting long string to use as combinations.
Never store a combination on a non-secure PC, unless it is disguised as something else. (For a relatively cheap secure PC, I recommend using a cheap mini-PC with any wireless capability removed, running an encrypted installation of Ubuntu Mate or some other variety of Ubuntu on something like a physically small 64GB flash drive, because flash drives with smaller capacities are too slow for some types of Ubuntu. When someone might be able to steal the installation, you could unplug it and hide it somewhere. They wouldn't be able to access it, but replacing such an installation would be a pain, although you could use a live installation as a secure installation in a pinch, although it's not convenient to use a live installation over the long term because such installations (except for so-called "persistent" live installations, which aren't secure and which no reliable USB-installer programs could create, the last time I checked) don't retain any settings or data when they're shut down. (I suggest having a spare encrypted USB3 installation on hand. If it's needed, you could connect the secure PC to the internet just for installation set-up - updating the software index, installing software listed in a list which you would keep for such occasions, and settings could be added to it as the need arises.) Store data on separate flash drives encrypted with the Linux LUKS format, created by using the Disks utility included with most varieties of Ubuntu, and keep multiple back-ups. Details on creating and using secure flash-drive installations and encrypted flash drives for data storage can be found the internet. Keep in mind that Big Brother, which is the black op that actually runs the world's governments and includes spiritual beings with various shades of gray and with various agendas beyond human comprehension, might have a top-secret backdoor into any encryption. Anyone who might expose such a backdoor would be warned that attempting to do so would be futile and fatal. So, you should also use physical security, of which "nonexistence" is the most secure method.) I suggest keeping a couple of printed copies in safe places, and copies on several encrypted flash drives.
II. Procedure for changing Master Lock Speed Dial lock combination
The reason I use the Master Lock Speed Dial lock is that it's the only one I trust because it can't be cracked or picked. Some of them are flaky, and don't always open on the first try even if you enter the right combination. I've had a couple which failed the first time I entered a new combination, so that they couldn't be opened even with the right combination (and I was certain that I was using the combinations which I had programmed into them). SO, AFTER ENTERING A NEW COMBINATION, ALWAYS TRY TO OPEN THE LOCK BEFORE USING IT TO LOCK ANYTHING. It seems that some combinations, at least in the case of 9-"digit" combinations, don't work very well, so when I find a combination that doesn't work well, I change it. In some cases, it might help to hold it in a vertical orientation when opening it, although that's not based on a scientific experiment and could just have been a coincidence. So, when using these locks, the top priority is to be certain that you'll be able to open them after using them to lock something, and the next priority is to be certain that nobody else will be able to open them.
The procedure for changing the combination is as follows:
A) Open the lock as usual.
B) Push the lever on the back of the lock to its upper position. (I use a large nail for this. Be careful to avoid jabbing yourself if you slip. It might be a good idea to wear a leather glove in case you do slip.)
C) Close the lock and press down firmly on the shackle twice to clear the existing combination.
D) Pull the lock open
E) (Before performing this step, read "> Record new combination being programmed into lock" above.) Very carefully enter the new combination. (It might be a good idea to start out with a one-digit combination, and then a two-digit combination, in case you make a mistake and need to open the lock without knowing the combination.) I find that saying "down" for D, "up" for U, "left" for L, and "right" for R as I enter the corresponding digit helps me to avoid making mistakes. If you think you make a mistake, return to step C.
You can correct a mistake until you push the lever on the back of the lock down and close the lock. If you make a mistake, and then push the lever down and close the lock, the lock is useless as a lock, unless you made a video recording of the new combination being programmed into the lock, as recommended above. At least they're not expensive to replace, but if you lock yourself out, you need an SD lock right away, and you don't have a spare, you're out of luck.
F) If you are reasonably certain that you entered the new combination correctly, push the lever on back to its lower position (again, be careful to avoid jabbing yourself), and close the lock firmly.
G) Try to pull the lock open to see if it's really locked. If it opens, close it more firmly and repeat this step.
H) TEST THE NEW COMBINATION BEFORE USING THE LOCK TO LOCK ANYTHING.
I) Don't leave the lock unlocked when unattended, because someone might change the combination.
J) To ensure that two people must be present when the lock is unlocked, each person would program a portion of the combination into the lock without the other person being able to watch. (So, each person would have to enter at least 4 "digits" so that the other person couldn't guess their portion of the combination.) The aforementioned video-recording system could be used in case someone makes a mistake while programming their portion into the lock. If a mistake is made, the recording could be viewed by either person so that the lock could be opened and the process could be repeated. If both people correctly program their portion into the lock, as proven by their combined ability to unlock the lock, the video would not be viewed, and it would be completely deleted (i.e. shift-deleted or sent to the trash, and the trash emptied, or overwritten by a secure-erase program) while both people observe.
Friday, March 20, 2020
A hedge-trimmer weed-eater
rev 3/21/20
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DANGER
This design hasn't been professionally vetted for safety, so use it at your own risk, use a lot of common sense when using it. To prevent children from being able to plug it in, you could cut the prongs off an AC adapter, plug it in, and then insert a lock such as a Master Lock Speed Dial lock through the trimmer as shown in a couple of the photos. For details on using Speed Dial locks, see the relevant posting in this blog. Simply inserting the lock without the modified adapter isn't sufficient to stop a determined child, and the prongs must be cut off to prevent them from attaching a cord despite the presence of the lock, and creating a dangerous situation. To cut the prongs off an adapter, I held the adapter with a pair of slip-joint pliers and cut the prongs with a hacksaw, and wore leather work gloves to avoid cutting my hand if I slipped. I drilled a 5/16" hole in the center for the lock as can be seen in the relevant photos, but had to file the side as can be seen in one photo to get the lock to go through the hole. So, I suggest drilling the hole slightly off-center in the direction of the side that I filed.
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Some weeds started growing slowly at my place in Arizona during the winter, and I figured that I'd get them with my normal weed-eater when the weather improved. But before that happened, the weeds grew like mad due to the amount of rain this year and perhaps the CO2 levels in the atmosphere, and quickly became too much for my normal weed eater. So, I came up with a way to use a cheap hedge trimmer available at Wal-mart as a weed eater, as can be seen in the photos. It worked out very well, although it's quite loud and I highly recommend using ear protection or plugs when using it.
The extension-handle consists of 3/4" PVC tubing and fittings. It which uses a tee with a couple of stubby lateral pieces to attach to the front handle of the hedge trimmer, and an elbow and a 4" piece of tubing to attach to the rear handle. The front upright is 20" long, and the rear is 19.5" long. (I'm about 6' tall, and you might want to adjust these lengths to suit your height.) The horizontal piece is 9.25" long, but it could be a little longer as can be seen in the photo. The handle extending in front of the front upright consists of a couple of 4" pieces, a couple of elbows, and a stubby piece to connect to the tee. If you're left-handed, the handle would extend to the right instead of the left, or a tee could be substituted for the elbow to allow a handle to extend in each direction. The tee on the bottom-front is connected to the hedge trimmer's front handle with a couple of long zip-ties (which might not be necessary) crisscrossed as can be seen in one of the photos, and Gorilla tape. (Each zip tie consists of two 8" zip ties linked together to obtain sufficient length. Don't tighten either until both are in place, and then tighten them alternately a little at a time to get the alignment right.) The switch is taped so that it remains on, and then the extension handle is taped to the hedge trimmer's rear handle.
To assemble the extension handle, first glue the fittings on the top of the vertical pieces, and then glue-in the top horizontal piece, and lay it on a flat surface before the glue sets up to align the vertical pieces in the same plane. (Glue it outside in a breeze to avoid inhaling any of the vapors.) Glue the the 4" piece into the bottom-rear elbow, and then glue the elbow to the rear vertical piece and quickly lay the assembly on a flat surface to align the 4" piece into the same plane as the vertical pieces. Then do the same thing for the forward-protruding portion of the handle which extends in front of the vertical piece, and then glue on the rest of the handle and align it by eye. Next, glue the tee to the bottom of the front vertical piece, and align it by eye.
The in-line switch that can be seen in one of the photos is known as a tap-switch. The small extension cord is connected to the hedge trimmer with a common adapter-plug, as can be seen in the photos. The long extension cord is attached by means of some small zip ties and a small "carbiner" available at Wal-mart, as shown in the photos.
One nice aspect of this thing is that it doesn't spew sticky bits of plant matter in all directions and get a thick gooey build-up on it. After hacking weeds for a few hours, there was essentially nothing stuck to it, and my pants and shoes weren't spattered with sticky bits of plant matter.
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