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Kevin Jones

Tavor X95 rifle

Masada pistol

This is a guest post by Steve Hall (https://twitter.com/shall_1). Thanks for writing it Steve!

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I recently attended SANS Denver (SEC487) because I wanted to round out my knowledge on some of the OSINT I had been doing. The class covered multiple tools to help accomplish the task of documenting your process, one of them being mind maps. I was familiar with them as that’s what I had been using prior to the class. During that week of training Micah had shared the early stages of “Your OSINT Graphical Analyzer” or YOGA. I thought this would be great to add to the mind map template. As the class progressed I started to add more and more to the template. I preferred to add it all to a single mind map because it seems the older I get the more I seem to forget, so…after modifying it a bit, sharing it with Micah, then some more modifications, here is the result.

This mind map is  a multi-tabbed map with each tab helping guide through an OSINT process/engagement.

The Goals and Scoping tab is basic information you will want to know before you begin the process of collecting any data. Its a helpful set of questions (lifted straight from the class!) that helps you define your scope. Once your scoping is complete you can click the begin assessment button (which will link you to the OSINT process tab) or just click the next tab labeled OSINT Process.

The OSINT process tab is Micah’s “Your OSINT Graphical Analyzer” in a mind map format. I wanted to have this flow in the same document I used to collect and document the information gathered. If you hover over the notes section it will give you the same examples/labels as Micah has on this site. I have also added hyperlink’s within the mind map to the sites he has listed in YOGA. There are additional links that will take you to third and fourth tab (OSINT Data Collection and Additional Resources).

The Data Collection tab is for adding all your results. After the collection is complete you can export the data into a workable format for any report you may need to provide.

The Additional Resources tab is a collection of resources that you can use to collect additional data. It is in no way a comprehensive list but is a pretty good collection of resources. It has different web resources based on the piece of data you have, collections sites that have additional resources, tools that can help mine more data and flow charts from IntelTechniques.

You can get the mind map at WebBreachers github repository. You will need a MindMap application in order to use it. I use XMind Pro but they have a free version as well. It works on Windows, Linux, and macOS and is pretty full featured.

Hoping this is useful to you. If you have suggestions for changes, let myself or Micah know, or submit a pull request in the github repository.

Happy New Years!

The rush is over, but the sales aren’t!

Many of these are pretty much rehashed Christmas sales, some of them are dedicated New Years sales – either way, you save money!

Palmetto State Armory

Lots of awesome ways to start your New Year at PSA’s big year end sale!

Here is just a few of their offerings!

• $39.99 Stripped AR-15 Lowers: no frills goodness that works
• Magpul Backup Rear & Front Sight for $49.99: awesome price for your new upper, use code “MBUSSET”
• Sig Romeo5 Red Dot for $119: great optic at a great price — take a look at our review!

See all their New Years Sales here.

Amazon

Nothing too great at Amazon right now, but it might be worth looking at if you need some general items!

One solid deal is on a Dremel 4300 Rotary Tool w/ 5 Attachments and 40 Accessories! Just $95 (normally $120)

Aero Precision

One of our favorite manufacturers around here. We’ve used and abused just about everything they have to offer.

The End of Year Sale is here! No codes, no coupons, just savings.

$20 off orders $100+, $50 off orders $250+, and $100 off orders $500+!

Sitewide, no restrictions AND BLEMS ARE INCLUDED!

Score a AR-10 M5 Blem Lower Receiver for $90!

Treat your new scope right (you did get a new scope for Christmas, right?) and mount it with an Aero Ultralight!

Want to take the guesswork out of your next build, grab an Aero Builders set!

Builder Kits come with a stripped lower, upper, and handguard plus this awesome custom Cerakote work. Check them out!

Brownells

End of Year Clearance sale is in full swing! Some decent deals floating around so take a look.

Get a Rise Armament Super Sport Trigger for $85!

Another awesome sale is on Howa 1500 BRN-1 Precision Chassis, short and long action in stock for $305 (normally $450)! These are made by MDT and based off of the MDT LSS chassis, awesome chassis!

See the rest of their deals here.

Cabelas

Solid deals throughout the store from clothes to fishing to firearms! Orders over $50 get FREE 2-Day shipping!

Score a Marlin 1894 Lever-action rifle in .45 Colt for $560 (normally $830)!

See all the deals here.

Rainier Arms

Nothing new for New Years, but their Holiday Sale is still going!

Rainier is one of, if not the absolute best places to get high-end AR parts, optics, and other components, as well as top of the line guns.

Faxon Firearms

No New Year sale, but that could change soon! Faxon has released their brand new line of barrels — Integral Muzzle Device Slim Barrels for 5.56 NATo and 9mm!

Their 5.56 NATO barrels come in both Gunner and Pencil profiles!

These are slim muzzle devices that have been integrally machined into the barrel. Normal gas blocks slip right over them!

Optics Planet

Keeping it easy this year with a flat 10% off orders of $50+ with code “NEWYEAR”!

Get a Holosun GS510c in FDE Reflex Sight – $269 w/ code “NEWYEAR” (normally $350)! Great optic and at this price is a must buy! Plus, this one is extra cool since it is the FDE version of the HS510c!

See the rest of their stuff here.

EuroOptic

Nothing huge to report at EuroOptic, they do have Mauser M18 rifles in stock and at a huge discount though!

If you want a cheap way of getting into 6.5 PRC or .300 Win Mag, a Mauser M18 is a great option! You also get a coupon for 50 off a Minox optic with any Mauser rifle purchase, that’s a HUGE saving if you’re looking for a very high-end scope.

Crossbreed Holsters

20% SITEWIDE, no codes, no coupons, no rebates, just a flat sale!

Crossbreed is a great source for good, comfy, well-made holsters and one of the longest suggestions in our Best Concealed Carry Holsters article.

Primary Arms

Huge sale this New Year with great discounts from BCGs to rifle bags! Highly recommend taking a long look through the sales.

Grab an Inforce APL 400 Lumen FDE Gen 3 Pistol Light for $99 (normally $120)

See the rest of PA’s sales here.

Shoot Steel

Use code “30OFF” for 30% anything in the Shoot Steel Clearance section!

If you’re looking for standard plates or for awesome speed racks, Shoot Steel has you covered! Start the new year with a new home shooting range? Best plan ever!

Sportsman’s Guide

End of year clearance sale at Sportsmans Guide right now! These are sale prices ON TOP OF the member discount (if you’re a member)

Couple of awesome deals like the ATI GSG-16 Carbine in .22LR for just $351!

Don’t forget some .22LR to feed it! Magtech 40grain is super cheap at $2.89 a box!

SecureIt

One of our favorite safes in our Best Gun Safes article…SecureIt is having a sale on their Agile52 safes which ship flat and install completely internally.

Get it now and score $100 off!

GOAT Guns

Super cool and perfect to decorate a desk or shelf with!

We really like our replica GOAT guns…

Check out our full review or just head to their site.

Conclusion

Be sure to check back in frequently as we’ll be updating this list all the way through the New Year!  Want to know our favorite guns and gear…check out Editor’s Picks.

The post Best New Years Gun Sales [2020] appeared first on Pew Pew Tactical.

Hidden just a mile off the South Rim road, this easy hike to Shoshone Point is worth your while. The Shoshone Point Trail is a beautiful walk through a Ponderosa Pine forest to a serene picnic spot, and then to a hidden rock formation and Shoshone Point. If you want to get away from the crowds of tourists stopping at the roadside attractions, this short hike is for you.

The post Hike the Shoshone Point Trail appeared first on HikingGuy.com.

Security overload leads to apathy. How often do you hear a car alarm go off and roll your eyes hoping the owner would disable the blasted thing before the incoming headache comes a knocking? The primary objection I have to such systems is they work too well. Every week I hear an alarm being triggered […]

This is just the start of the post Security Information Overload: From Panic to Apathy & the Remedy. Continue reading and be sure to let us know what you think in the comments!

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Security Information Overload: From Panic to Apathy & the Remedy, written by Thomas Xavier, was created exclusively for readers of the survival blog More Than Just Surviving.

You might be the best equipped, most decked-out prepper on the planet, but you definitely don’t want to let on that that is the case. Especially when it comes to valuables, weapons and other critical items, a conspicuous display of security in the form of a big, beefy safe, a lockbox or vault might only incentivize thieves and “honest” snoopers like family members or guests to investigate further.

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Many of my friends, family and work colleagues have had their lives affected by musculoskeletal disorders and after years of campaigning for change I am using my voice to help raise awareness of how easy it is to prevent MSDs and create the right conditions for people to live fulfilling lives at work and at home.

I want to help organisations understand the importance of putting people back at the heart of sustainability. Through-out my working life I have seen the impact which poor working conditions have on their workers.

I estimate that 90% of my network have suffered from back pain, upper limb disorders and repetitive strain injuries linked to what they do at work. How wasteful!

I’m fairly certain that the hazards and risks associated with MSDs are recognised across the world, and that there is a huge amount of information freely available like the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EUOSHA) conversation starters that can be used to reduce the risk.

So it can be difficult to start a conversation… a simple are you OK? Or how are you today? Sounds straightforward enough, but in my experience organisations don’t really understand the importance of sustainable working lives.

Tasks involving significant physical effort, repetitive movement and poor physical posture should be avoided. Where avoidance is not possible, risks must be assessed and control measures put in place that reduce the risk of MSDs. How easy does that sound? So if it’s that easy why are new workers across the world suffering?

The suffering is often not limited to muscle or joint pain. I have seen instances where both physical and mental wellbeing have been affected with a longstanding impact on individuals and their families. With an ageing and declining population in Europe and the wider world, there is a real need to ensure that work is ‘good’ for people and as a result, they have fulfilling lives.

Using your voice and having a conversation about MSDs brings company policy to life, an end to dusty folders, unopened reminder emails or unfinished on-line learning programmes.

There is also an opportunity to take what works in the office or factory home with you, the principles are the same wherever you are and getting manual handling right reduces the potential for a life changing injury.

I think it’s all about putting people back at the heart of sustainability, and recognising the value of human capital. It’s easy to explain that each of us has value, the skills, knowledge and experience we bring with us to work every day. Think about it, our wellbeing underpins organisational success… so having a conversation about MSDs can work for everyone.

That’s easy for me to say, but to make it easier for everyone there’s a range of EUOSHA/RoSPA free resources here to help…download them, use them, then share your experience with us…use your voice!

In closing, this year RoSPA’s annual October campaign (#OSHtober) will raise awareness of the dangers associated with moving and handling (specifically around MSDs) with a ‘back’ to basics overview covering best practice, legal compliance and improved health.

As part of this we’re giving away a free ‘Supporters pack’ which includes a wealth of free content. Not only that, when you sign-up to our ‘Supporters pack’ you’ll also be entered into our prize draw for either a free Manual Handling Trainers or Safer People Handling Trainers or Display Screen Equipment course worth up to £1000.* To enter this competition all you have to do is complete the online questionnaire here.

Dr Karen McDonnell, CFIOSH, Chartered FCIPD, MRSB, PIEMA, MSP
Head of RoSPA Scotland, RoSPA OHS Policy Adviser

*See website for terms and conditions.

Hokkaido is the northernmost and least developed of Japan’s four main islands. It’s famous for hot springs, volcanoes, ski resorts and beautiful, national parks. With unspoiled nature you can look forward to a host of memorable, unique things to do in Hokkaido in winter.

This post includes some affiliate links. If you make a qualifying purchase through one of these links, I may receive a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you. Thank you very much for your support.

These 10 fun and unique things to do in Hokkaido in winter are recommended based on my personal experiences.

Walk on the drift ice and dip in the Sea of Okhotsk

If you’re looking for an easy though thrilling experience, I highly recommend walking on the drift ice in the Sea of Okhotsk.

Drift ice forms off the coast of Russia every winter once the temperature drops. The ice drifts for some 1,000 kilometres to arrive on the eastern side of Hokkaido, sometime in late January, bringing with it plankton.

Plankton is nutrient-rich so it sets the stage for some interesting nature viewing opportunities – especially of the Yezo brown bear which thrives in Shiretoko National Park. If you’re lucky you might see a few of the 400 – 500 bears that live here between April and mid-fall. Don’t worry about them in winter.

The real thrill of the drift ice experience is a quick swim – though that word conjures up images of swimming strokes like the front crawl – when in reality you’re just floating in your dry suit. It’s breathtaking and initially terrifying but once you catch your breath, it’s an intoxicating experience and one I highly endorse.

Over a week of outdoor adventures, the drift ice walking was one of my favourite things to do in Hokkaido in winter. You only need a couple of hours and it’s easy to arrange a guided tour if you stay at one of the hotels in Shari.

Where to stay to experience drift ice: I highly recommend the Kitakobushi Shiretoko Hotel & Resort. Their rooms look out to the sea – as does the hot tub in the onsen.

Read: Drift Ice Walking in Hokkaido, Japan

Enjoy the onsen experience

Soaking naked in an onsen was one of the unexpected highlights of my time in Hokkaido. It’s not that I don’t love a good soak in warm water, but doing it naked in front of strangers is a whole other experience.

Sometimes I’d go early in the morning (it helped that I wasn’t on the time zone) so that there would only be a few other women present. At other times there would be dozens of women around and even kids. They start them young in Japan – and it would appear that they are way more comfortable with their bodies – wrinkles, warts, scars and all.

A good soak in an onsen is a thoroughly relaxing, in the moment experience that I couldn’t get enough of. Fortunately most of the hotels we stayed in had an onsite onsen. And just so you know, there are men’s and women’s sections – at least at the places I stayed in on Hokkaido.

Read: Getting Naked in Japan: The Onsen Experience

Visit the Akan International Crane Centre

Three of the 15 species of cranes in the world are primarily found in Japan including the Tancho crane pictured below. At one point the cranes could be found all over the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido but hunting and loss of habitat decimated their numbers. The exception was a small, non-migratory flock in eastern Hokkaido.

The Tancho cranes – which came very close to extinction are now protected in Japan as a Special National Monument. At the Akan International Crane Centre, called the “birthplace of the artificial feeding program,” the wetlands provide a wintering area for large flocks of cranes. The centre is also a place for both crane research and public education. Today there, are approximately 1,500 cranes.

The public can visit between 9 AM and 5 PM daily. The crane centre is just a 20 minute drive from Lake Akan.

Fat tire bike through the Akan Forest 

I’ve done my fair share of fat tire biking in Canada – but never on a lake in the shadow of a large mountain – nor in the quiet of a forest with unfamiliar trees. I signed up to do what was called a difficult 10 kilometre ride through the Akan Forest and onto Lake Akan.

The bike ride with an Ainu guide lived up to the difficulty level. Some of our gang spent more time getting back on their bike than riding it – but fortunately landings were soft with all the snow. Still it was loads of fun – and interesting too. We had an Ainu guide who shared his knowledge of the woods – and some of their customs. 

If you stay at Lake Akan Tsuruga WINGS, they can help you with organizing a bike guide.

Go skiing at one of the fabulous resorts near Sapporo – one of the bucketlist worthy things to do in Hokkaido in winter

If you used to love skiing but have got away from the sport, I think I can safely say that your love of it will be reignited if you go skiing in Hokkaido.

I had a day at Kiroro Ski Resort – and fell madly, deeply in love with skiing again. Perhaps it was the uncrowded hills or the beautiful snow conditions. Or maybe it was just the foreign beauty of the trees and vegetation. Or the unfailingly polite people. Or the group of women I skied with who were all at about the same level and a whole lot of fun to be around.

Here’s the thing. We all commented on how we loved our ski day and it had been a long time since we’d all had one that combined beauty and fun.

After my one day initiation into skiing in Japan, I wish I could have had a solid week of skiing across several more resorts including Niseko and Furano. Niseko receives on average 14 metres of snow every winter so I can only dream about what a few powder days would look like here. Furano, bordered by Daisetsu-zan National Park, receives on average 9 metres of snow per year and with the quality of its snow, it’s been the host site for 10 FIS Downhill World Cups. Sign me up!

Book at stay in Kiroro at the Sheraton Hokkaido Kiroro Resort – a few second’s walk from the ski hill or at The Kiroro, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel.

Read: The Fabulous Kiroro Ski Resort Experience, Hokkaido

Go snowshoeing at Lake Mashu 

Lake Mashu, a caldera lake in Akan National Park, reportedly vies for the title of “clearest lake in the world.” It’s deep, with clear blue water though on a day in late February we didn’t appreciate that. Fog did engulf the far shore – something the lake is also famous for. 

Lake Mashu is not accessible to the public but there are a couple of viewing platforms. It’s pretty obvious that it’s a caldera lake from above. In summer there is a hiking trail that runs along the rim of the caldera to the summit of Mount Mashudake. In winter, it’s a stunning place for snowshoeing.

The terrain is rolling so I’d classify the snowshoeing as easy. You can do a loop that includes the trail high above the caldera, returning to the parking lot by a closed-off road. It’s a superb outing and definitely one of the top things to do in Hokkaido in winter.

Catch an Ainu dance performance

The Ainu people are the indigenous people of Japan but weren’t officially recognized as such until 2008. If you are anywhere on Hokkaido where you have the chance to see the Ainu people sing and dance I highly recommend the experience.

My short video on a contemporary Ainu Dance might give you goosebumps. The music based on traditional Ainu folk songs is haunting and the dance, incredibly beautiful. It was a night to remember at Marukibune.

Hike to the sulfurous Mt. Iwo

It’s a short hike from the parking lot along an easy trail to reach the sulfurous Mt. Iwo. The air smells as one would expect of rotting eggs. You only need 30-40 minutes to check out the steaming springs and take some photos. Reportedly you can have an onsen steamed egg in the cafe. We missed that. 

Our stay for the night was nearby at the friendly Kinkiyu Hotel – with its sulfur smelling onsen and traditional rooms. I highly recommend the hotel and its location as it’s but a short walk away from the theatre where the contemporary Ainu dance performance is held.

Book a room at the hotel here.

Snowshoe in Shiretoko National Park, a World Heritage Site 

Shiretoko National Park sits at the northeastern tip of the island of Hokkaido. The peninsula is remote with much of it accessible only by boat or on foot. Its home to mountains and rugged coastal cliffs along with forests filled with species of trees I’d never seen before like Erman’s birch, Mongolian oak and Sakhalin fir. 

On our snowshoeing adventure we did the easy Furepe Waterfall Trail to the coast on a gorgeous sunny day. Again we were with a local Ainu guide who took pleasure in sharing his knowledge about the trees and the animals.

The snowshoe trail meandered through woods and fields to arrive at the edge of the Sea of Okhotsk. From there we wandered to the frozen waterfall, and back up through open fields with a mountainous backdrop. There aren’t enough adjectives out there to describe how wonderful the experience was. 

See the frost flowers + catch the sunrise over Lake Akan – one of the memorable things to do in Hokkaido in winter

Before I visited Hokkaido I’d see beautiful images of “frost flowers.” They are distinctively shaped ice crystals that can cover swaths of the surface of Lake Akan. However you need Lady Luck on your side to see them for they are considered a rare natural phenomenon. 

Frost flowers form when the lake isn’t covered in snow – under windless conditions when the temperatures dips to -15°C. They can form individual petals or sparkling flowers – but they are ethereal and can melt with just a minor change in wind or temperature.

Our group got up early one morning to catch both the stunning sunrise over Lake Akan and the exquisite ice crystals. We were with local guides – which is a good idea as the ice is thin in places on the lake and you definitely want to know where it’s safe to go.

Video on things to do in Hokkaido in winter. 

My trip to Hokkaido in winter far exceeded my expectations. It’s still an undiscovered part of Japan – that doesn’t see a lot of tourists but offers a wealth of unique experiences.

Want to do a trip to Hokkaido covering most of what I’ve suggested?

My friend Jake has put together a very reasonably priced 8 day, 6 night itinerary for February 2020 covering most of the highlights in Hokkaido I’ve listed above. You can see the full itinerary here and book directly with him if it’s of interest. 

A big thank you to the Adventure Travel Trade Association firstly choosing me as one of six media members to visit Japan – and secondly for hosting me on such a memorable trip.

Click on the photo to bookmark to your Pinterest boards.

The post 10 Memorable Things to Do in Hokkaido in Winter appeared first on Hike Bike Travel.

Hello Pack. I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas. I love Christmas and spend months preparing for it, but come 2 p.m. on Christmas day I have my tree down and the mess cleaned up and am glad it is all over. My Bobby loved the DIY manual pottery kick wheel that I commissioned some tribe members to make him for Christmas – a definite prepper holiday gift. I was not sure if he would want…

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