My novel Complacency: One Man's Story includes many references which readers might find to be a bit arcane. Okay, they are more than a bit arcane. Therefore, this blog post.
Here's a Glossary of some of the terms - let me know if I missed any that you've stumbled on. Hit the "Contact" button on this website! Glossary
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant: An actual Ukrainian nuclear power plant which, in the text, is involved in a catastrophic event leading to widespread radioactive contamination.
Pressure Vessel: A component of a nuclear reactor. Reactor pressure vessels are thick steel containers that hold nuclear fuel when the reactors operate. The vessels provide one of several barriers that keep radioactive material out of the environment.
Chernobyl-like Nuclear Event: Reference to the Chernobyl disaster of 1986, implying a severe nuclear accident.
Vladimir Putin: Current leader of Russia, mentioned in the text as having passed away due to cancer.
Nikolai Platonovich Patrushev: A character succeeding Putin in the narrative, sharing similar ideologies and background in espionage.
KGB and FSB: Former and current Russian security agencies, respectively. KGB stands for Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti and FSB for Federalnaya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti.
Alexander III: A historical Russian leader, known for the quote about Russia's allies being only its army and navy.
Variant BX6.5: A fictional, highly virulent strain of Covid with a high mortality rate.
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency): A U.S. agency responsible for coordinating response to disasters.
Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR): A U.S. program involved in the resettlement of refugees.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): A U.S. government department overseeing public health, welfare, and health policy.
Operation Allies Welcome: A U.S. Government effort to bring Americans and vulnerable Afghans – many of whom worked on behalf of the United States – to the United States and support their resettlement.
ANTIFA: A left-wing political movement mentioned in the narrative, involved in confrontations with opposing groups.
Proud Boys: A right-wing group mentioned in the story, known for its political activism and clashes with opposing groups.
Title 10: U.S. legislation referred to in the context of federalizing National Guard units under certain conditions.
All-Volunteer Force (AVF): Refers to the U.S. military policy of recruiting volunteers rather than conscripting individuals.
UN Refugee Agency: An international organization responsible for protecting refugees and assisting in their voluntary repatriation, local integration, or resettlement to a third country.
MassBlast: A reality based, fictionalized system within the narrative used for mass communication or emergency alerts, which was compromised in the story.
PII (Personal Identifiable Information): Refers to sensitive data that could be used to identify individuals. PII is protected under the U.S. Government’s Privacy Act of 1974.
CIA (Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability): A set of fundamental principles of cybersecurity.
FISMA (Federal Information Security Management Act): A standard for maintaining information security, that sets guidelines for information security in federal agencies.
FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program): A set of requirements that must be met for cloud services, focused on cloud security.
NERC (North American Electric Reliability Corporation): The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) is a not-for-profit international regulatory authority whose mission is to assure the effective and efficient reduction of risks to the reliability and security of the grid.
FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission): The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, is an independent agency that regulates the interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas, and oil.
CIP (Critical Infrastructure Protection): A set of standards aimed at regulating, enforcing, monitoring and managing the security of the Bulk Electric System (BES) in North America. These standards apply specifically to the cybersecurity aspects of BES.
Battle Rhythm: A military term referring to the daily routine or schedule that a command follows to ensure consistent and efficient operation.
Command Staff Meetings: Regular meetings involving senior military officers or government officials where strategic decisions are made and operations are planned.
Emergency Operations Center (EOC): A central command and control facility responsible for carrying out emergency management, ensuring the continuity of operation during a disaster.
IOT (Internet of Things): Refers to the network of physical objects embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies to connect and exchange data with other devices over the Internet.
FCC (Federal Communications Commission): An independent U.S. government agency responsible for regulating communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable.
Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21): A directive aimed at strengthening and maintaining secure, functioning, and resilient critical infrastructure.
CARVER Matrix: A method used by U.S. military and intelligence agencies for identifying and prioritizing targets. It stands for Criticality, Accessibility, Recuperability, Vulnerability, Effect, and Recognizability.
ProtonMail: A secure email service that uses end-to-end encryption, making it virtually impossible for third parties to intercept messages.
IronKey: A brand of secure and encrypted USB flash drives designed to protect data.
Steganography: The practice of concealing messages or information within other non-secret text or data.
OpenStego: A software tool used for steganography, enabling the hiding of data within image files.
BitLocker: A full volume encryption feature included with Microsoft Windows versions starting from Windows Vista. It is designed to protect data by providing encryption for entire volumes.
UN Blue Hats: Refers to United Nations peacekeeping forces, known for their distinctive blue helmets or berets.
Tannerite: A brand of binary explosive targets used for firearms practice; also used in improvised explosive devices.
WhatsApp and Signal: Popular messaging apps known for their end-to-end encryption and security features.
Triumvirate: Historically, refers to a group of three powerful or notable individuals. In this context, it likely refers to a coalition or alliance between three parties.
General Political Bureau: Refers to a high-level political body within a government, typically in communist or authoritarian countries. This body is responsible for making key political decisions.
Quds Force: A special forces unit of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) specializing in unconventional warfare and military intelligence operations.
Occam’s Razor: A problem-solving principle that, when presented with competing hypothetical answers to a problem, one should select the answer that makes the fewest assumptions.
NOTAM (Notice to Airmen): A notice filed with an aviation authority to alert aircraft pilots of potential hazards along a flight route or at a location that could affect the flight's safety.
Fentanyl: A powerful synthetic opioid analgesic similar to morphine but many times more potent. It is used medically for pain management but is also misused illicitly.
Robinson R44: A four-seat light helicopter produced by the Robinson Helicopter Company.
Crop Duster System: A method of distributing chemicals, typically pesticides or fertilizers, from an aircraft over a large area of land.
Bryant-Denny Stadium: A football stadium located on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
AN-M14 TH3 Thermate Grenade: A military-grade incendiary grenade used to destroy equipment and produce intense heat through a thermate reaction.
Thermate: A variant of thermite, which is a pyrotechnic composition of a metal powder and a metal oxide that produces a high-temperature exothermic reduction-oxidation reaction.
Gadsden Flag: A historical American flag with a yellow field depicting a timber rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike. Positioned below the snake are the words "DON'T TREAD ON ME." The flag is a symbol of American independence and liberty.
Free Staters: Referring to members of the Free State Project, a political movement in the United States that aims to recruit at least 20,000 libertarians to move to New Hampshire to create a bastion for liberty and limited government.
Tueller Drill: A self-defense training exercise to prepare against a short-range knife attack when armed only with a holstered handgun.
Benchmade 119 Shane Siebert-designed Arvensis Knife: A specific model of a fixed-blade knife designed by Shane Siebert and produced by Benchmade, known for its durability and utility in various tactical and survival situations.
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA): An agency in the United States Department of Transportation that enforces rail safety regulations, administers railroad assistance programs, and conducts research and development in support of improved railroad safety and national rail transportation policy.
Hazardous Materials Division (FRA): A division within the Federal Railroad Administration responsible for regulating and overseeing the transportation of hazardous materials by rail.
Pelican Case: A brand of rugged, watertight protective cases used for transporting sensitive equipment.
OPLAN 5015: A classified military plan involving the United States and South Korea, presumably related to potential actions in the event of a conflict with North Korea.
Terrorism Strike: An act of violence, typically involving attacks on civilian targets, intended to instill fear and achieve political, religious, or ideological aims.
HazMat Suit: A hazardous material suit, a piece of personal protective equipment that consists of an impermeable whole-body garment worn as protection against hazardous materials.
Rendition: In a military or intelligence context, the practice of covertly sending a person from one country to another, typically for interrogation or imprisonment.
C-130: A military transport aircraft known for its versatility and use in various roles, including troop and cargo transport.
Leavenworth: Refers to the United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth, a medium-security Federal prison in Kansas. Often mentioned in the context of military personnel facing serious legal charges.
Guantanamo Bay (Gitmo): A U.S. military prison located at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, known for detaining high-profile terror suspects.
Fort Devons: A former U.S. Army base in Massachusetts, referred to in the text as a clandestine or covert operations site.
Anechoic Chamber: A specially designed room intended to completely absorb sound or electromagnetic waves, used in various testing and experimental scenarios.
HALO Jump: High Altitude Low Opening, a type of parachute jump used in military operations where the jumper deploys their parachute at a low altitude after free-falling from a high altitude.
Special Forces Tab: A qualification insignia in the U.S. Army indicating completion of Special Forces training.
SERE: Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape, a program in the U.S. military that provides personnel with training in evading capture and surviving in various environments.
Tinnitus: A common condition characterized by a ringing, buzzing, or similar noise in the ears, often experienced by individuals exposed to loud noises, such as in military environments.
Proud Oath Keepers: A reference to a fictional militant group or movement, with a right-wing, extremist characteristic.
VX Nerve Gas: A lethal chemical warfare agent classified as a nerve agent, known for its potency and rapid action.
Camp Stanley: A U.S. Army military camp in South Korea, potentially targeted in military conflicts involving North Korea.
CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design): A multi-disciplinary approach to deterring criminal behavior through environmental design.
Claymore Mine: A directional anti-personnel mine used by the military, known for its distinctive shape and frontal blast effect.
Matrice 300 RTK Drone: A high-performance commercial drone known for its advanced features and capabilities, such as extended flight time and high-resolution camera systems.
RoboGuard: An actual system developed and marketed by SenStar, equipped with surveillance and defensive capabilities.
HAM Radio: A form of amateur radio used for non-commercial exchange of messages, particularly useful in emergency communications.
Pyrrhic Victory: A victory that comes at such a great cost that it is tantamount to defeat, often involving significant casualties or loss.
Free State Militia: A fictional militia group, possibly indicative of a libertarian, anti-government organization.
Fentanyl Lollipops: A form of pain medication containing fentanyl, a potent opioid, administered orally in a lollipop form for controlled dosage. Often used in the military to treat combat wounded soldiers.
Mavic-class Drone: A series of compact, consumer-grade drones known for their portability and advanced features, often used for aerial photography.
Basij Cyber Council: An organization in Tehran, Iran, involved in cyber operations. It represents a group skilled in digital warfare and cyber strategies, often acting in alignment with national interests.
OnStar System: An in-vehicle safety and security system developed by General Motors. It offers various services including emergency support, stolen vehicle tracking, and remote diagnostics.
Sig Sauer Academy and Pro Shop: Fictionally depicted as a location looted by the New Southies. In reality, Sig Sauer is a renowned firearms manufacturer, and the academy and pro shop refers to a training facility they operate.
HAM Radio Operators: Individuals skilled in using amateur radio (HAM radio), a crucial form of communication in emergencies, especially when other systems are down.
146.52 MHz: A frequency used in amateur (HAM) radio, often for emergency communication or informal chats among operators.
Browning M2 (Ma Deuce): A heavy machine gun (.50 caliber), known for its firepower and historical significance in military use.
Off-Grid Living Experts: Individuals in the story with skills and experience in living independently of public utilities, providing valuable knowledge for self-sufficiency in crisis situations.
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