The Prepared

This is only one half of what actually happens while navigating; you have true north and magnetic north - see https://theprepared.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Magnetic-North-Pole.png to visualise.

The difference between them depends on where you are on the globe - it could even be 180 if you happen to stand in the middle of the two!

Magnetic compasses always point to magnetic north, but with earth being molten metals - magnetic north likes to move around a bit, so we work out the difference between the two and apply it to the directions we track.

For example, where I am - the difference is around 11 degrees. In order to head directly west, I can't just let my compass point north and go directly perpendicular port - I have to point north plus 11 degrees, and then go. My actual track will be 281 degrees magnetic, not 270.

What's more interesting is that most navigation charts have all their directions and bearings in "true" north, with the variance also charted, whereas when you actually fly you track the magnetic headings plus/minus the variance. If you go long enough - the variance also changes so you have to take that into account when planning your route.

When you take off / land, runway headings directly corresponding to your heading are a good sanity check - alarm bells go off if you're meant to be flying west but come across Runway 09 in front of you (the opposite!), not to mention we still rely on magnetic compasses - you don't want to be coming into land at a…

>Is your comment supporting the idea that Joan of Arc did not exist?

I think someone may have, but a lot of the accounts of her were likely patriotism. From what I've read people from Domremy didn't much care for the French so why would she go to war for them for example.

There are several historical figures that are likely largely inflated like Shakespeare, Fulk FizWarin (Robinhood), William Tel, Sun Tzu, Faust (appears there were two different guys operating a decade or two apart going by the name), Pythagoras, Lycurgus, (obviously) Socrates.

Then you have famous 'things' like the 'Marie Celeste' which didn't exist although the 'Mary Celeste' did and stories about both are widely accepted as largely incorrect.

Some of the first blatant, and widely accepted, 'fake news' was in the 1800's with the Great Moon Hoax https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Great_Moon_Hoax , Joseph Pulitzer basically started the Spanish-American War with 'news'.

You also have the whole what is taught in North Korea thing, this article is a neat read https://theprepared.com/blog/prepping-north-korea-i-went-there-to-find-out/

How about some books about retro computing. Simple computing might be the only thing you'll have after a solar/EMP event.

"The Art of Electronics"
"ARRL Handbook"
"Digital Logic and Computer Design"
but you might want these in paper format.

The various PDF specs, so that you can construct a PDF viewer if you have to for your other books.

A simpler Linux (source/(cross)compiler/tool-chain) everything that you need to bootstrap a new system. All your favorite apps + source like a PDF/Epub viewers.
https://www.linuxfromscratch.org/

Maybe CPU gets destroyed and all you got left are bulkier Micro-controllers.
http://collapseos.org/

Programming languages code/specs for things like ASM/Forth/C/Lisp/Scheme (Python, please let Python survive ;)

I would opt for a curated list of books, quality over quantity.

Survival + Prepper books could also come in handy.
https://theprepared.com/prepping-basics/reviews/best-prepper-survival-books/

There is also other organizations that compile lists, but I cannot quickly find them now.

Hope you find it helpful.

I think that's reasonable, plus it is a fun subject.

For a totally accessible answer this article is hard to beat IMO: https://theprepared.com/blog/booby-trap-laws/

It gets to the core issue, which is that the laws as written are pretty vague, but the jurisprudence is overwhelmingly in favor of siding against booby traps. It's illegal at the federal level, and as far as I'm aware prohibited by all states as well, either explicitly or more usually through precedent in court. The reasoning of the courts seems to be more or less identical: it's a dangerous destructive device incapable of making the sort of prudent judgement required for a use of force. In short, it's an irresponsible and indiscriminate use of force.

Now you asked about Illinois in particular, so here's the relevant statute there: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=072000050HArt%2E+19&ActID=1876&ChapterID=53&SeqStart=63000000&SeqEnd=63800000

What is the best type of radio, or best type of radios, to have in the event of a protracted, possibly nuclear conflict?

Ready.gov suggests a hand crank or NOAA weather radio. Specifically, I suppose some good goals would be:

1. Receive instructions from any functioning local or state government. This would require that the local government know which type of radio the populace is likely to be listening on, which gives an advantage to FM or weather radios.

2. Communicate with other regional survivors.

3. Global news, for which shortwave would be indispensable.

Maybe multiple radios that can receive on different frequencies would be best? I really know very little about this topic other than basic physical signal characteristics.

Edit: I don't "prep," but I occasionally browse this website when doomscrolling, which has a few suggestions: https://theprepared.com/gear/reviews/emergency-radio/

I'm an exited valley founder who just launched an emergency preparedness site for the rational crowd: https://theprepared.com

Have been prepping in the SF / startup community for almost 10 years and teaching other techies how to prep for a long time, but historically was face to face because of stigma, etc.

We started The Prepared because prepping is very rational and it's gone mainstream enough to have threads like this on HN.

Beginners checklist here: https://theprepared.com/guides/emergency-preparedness-checklist-prepping-beginners/

Post on reasons why liberals should be preppers: https://theprepared.com/blog/five-reasons-why-liberals-should-be-preppers/

Happy to help anyone in their journey.

(long time personal HN members but this is a new account)