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Just a few things to think about.
Security incident at Glasgow Airport a few days ago. Airport evacuated No information since about what it was about.
A couple of days after the first British and American long range weapons fired into Russia by Ukraine, ie today. Gatwick Airport evacuated and shut down. Also controlled explosion at the American embassy in London.
No information as yet. Admitted its early but you'd think basic info would be out there to inform travellers and others in the capitol for their own safety if nothing else.
It's making people paranoid not knowing what is realy going on. How do you know what to look out for?
 
cynical as us about goverment propoganda and media spin.
They have very few alternatives nowadays when Putlin controls everything. Computer savvy people in ST. Petersburg and Moscow have access to other than Muscovite information, how much their possible cynicality helps is a good question.
The pervasive western influence reaches right thru russia to differing degrees, even via their own media, so I don't think they are as blind to things as we are.
Oh yes they are blind by definition, if not why surprising amount of people walk out of their windows, especially if they live higher up.
 
Bear in mind that Moscow and St Petertsburgh are tiny spots in the whole of Russia, its a very big place.
True, across Russia their access is maybe more limited than ours but it's available, especially to the younger population. The internet, and phones, seems to find ways around the blocking, and for the old timers I think Free Radio America is still beamed at them. I'm actually surprised at the amount of information and criticism that some politicians and posters inside Russia are apparently allowed to make. I think it relates to the level of threat they pose
Although that seems to be another blend of propoganda itself. None of them are stupid and they know they are being given a version of the facts, the same as we are.

Yes, there are more people falling out of windows and having strange accidents, that is one of the less pleasant things about Russian politics and life. Neither is it different in a lot of other countries, many of them friends with Russia.
 
Well, the cyber attack on the co op is beginning to affect my small community.
This weekend has been busy for the town with many visitors, all hitting the shop for food and drink. Shelves became depleted of veg, bread, milk, and much more.
Their reordering system is down, so we have quite a few empty shelves. No idea when they will be back to normal. Yesterday, my attempts to find a jar of mayonnaise was fruitless, so quickly bought some eggs and oil to make my own.
Two boxes of eggs and 4 bottles of olive oil left on the shelf by Sunday.
Luckily, we have a butchers, and fruit and veg shop that between them sell small amounts of milk, eggs, and bread, so things are fine, as long as you go early.
So the cyber attacks have had a big effect on this out of the way corner of England.
I've been saying this would be something to prep for. Glad I'm fairly prepared, but no jars of mayonnaise? I've failed to prep properly!
Absolute Disaster!!!!!
 
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At one time re-ordering was done on a thing called the telphone, with a batch of sales staff manning the phones at the suppliers....
For a short time ...very short! I worked in that department for a supermarket supplier. I don't remember much about it or even my job title, but it definatly worked without the Internet. No hacking possible. How we have progressed eh?

Today the one and only atm in the town, which is in the store isn't working either. Went to draw out my weekly cash..no hope.!
Being bank holiday the post office is shut so no cash available in town.
Luckily, I have some cash on standby, and was able to buy the few little non food items I wanted......Still no mayo, and the salad cream has now all gone too!
No fruit and very little veg, milk was down to a few little pint jugs, and no bread at all.
Already at the 3 day(72 hr) mark, and no sign of it ending yet. Food for thought, if not the tummy.
Is 72 hrs worth enough?
 
Co op update.
All perishables to be reduced this evening to try and sell before they are thrown away.
Then the store shuts .
Shelves are almost empty.
Talking to the manager this lunchtime, they have no idea when the next supply truck is coming, or what will be on it.
I managed to grab some bacon, cheese, sweet potatos and mushrooms. All reduced to sell.
 
That shouts 'omlette' to me!
Baked sweet potatoes with bacon, mushrooms and cheese, with a drizzle of maple syrup.....yummmm!
Enough bacon, cheese and mushrooms to do an omelette aswell, or possibly, add a few cooked baby new potatoes and a bit of chorizo, to make a crustless quiche, or whatever that Spanish omelette thing is called.
Add a bit of chunky home made red cabbage Cole slaw and its a mouth party!
 
The thing is even if we didn’t use the technology, bad actors still would (to their extreme advantage) and they’d find ways to disrupt whatever technology we used.
The bad actors have always done this. The difference is that the old "hard-wired" systems were difficult to hack or even disrupt in a significant way. There was also a variety of systems and options available (telephone, radio, telegram, fax, post, even newspapers local and national, oh, and cash). Now we are reduced to virtually only one technological option, which is electricity based (even for gas and fuel supplies) and, for most folk, only available from one source.
It is much easier to disrupt, hack, and affect a huge area/population, and much, much less secure. It also allows bad actors to work remotely, and also from outside the country, and is far harder to track or trace.
Because of this "centralisation" it also means the larger actors can efficiently focus their resources and enormous funds. It is also cheaper for minor bad actors to get in on the scene and cause chaos/blackmail.
 
Well, we are on day 5 now. This is the state of our local co op.20250507_103921.jpg
Fruit, veg and meat empty
Some milk available, also so bread, but down considerably on content and amounts.

20250507_103929.jpg20250507_103940.jpg20250507_103946.jpg
 
It is much easier to disrupt, hack, and affect a huge area/population, and much, much less secure. It also allows bad actors to work remotely, and also from outside the country, and is far harder to track or trace.

In fact I'd assume it's possible to affect a supply chain by hacking without getting out of bed.

A far cry from having to invest in, say, a viable air force to cross the channel and bomb the butcher's delivery tricycle...
 
The local fruit and veg is doing a roaring trade. So is the butcher and deli.
All independents, with no reliance on the Internet for re- ordering and stocking shelves.
Produce is much fresher , and not covered in plastic either.
As the atm is in the co op, I've just taken out maximum daily cash allowance in case they shut up shop.
I'm loving going back to the old ways of shopping.
A basket, refillable glass milk bottle, fresh salads, fruit, bread, meat and veg.

Much of it local produce, so a circular cash economy develops.
Hope this carries on, tho I have no doubt as soon as the supermarket is back on its feet most will go back to the old convenience ways. Rush round, everything pre packed, and self service that takes your picture and bank details every time you use it.
 
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