Connect with us

Published

2 years ago

on

Camouflage is an art.Everybody can learn this skill which often go hand-in-hand with prepping and survival.We camouflage if we want to avoid detection by other people as much as possible. Your survival may depend on remaining undetected and unseen. Thats the importance of camouflage which has been continually refined since time immemorial.

Unlike animals, humans lack a keen sense of smell and will rely on vision to see their predators. Without camouflage, you will be easy to stop. An average person can easily detect you against the backdrop of nature or a cityscape.

Camouflage can change this. In good times or bad ones, there are activities that call for camouflage. It will ensure your success, especially if youre hunting.

Even the most simple camouflage can elude a sloppy and bumbling hunter. Blending into your surroundings can help with reconnaissance. Camo can spell the difference between success and failure.

Breaking up the shape is one of the simplest and most fundamental aspects of camouflage. The human form is one of the easiest shapes to recognize. A variety of means can disrupt the shape of an object by using obstructions, or even local vegetation.

The silhouette is closely linked to shape and is the outline of an object against a background.Even if youre covered from head to toe in camouflage, the silhouette of the camouflage blob moving against the background will say human.

The most fundamental element of camouflage is color. You want to be in browns if you’re in the woods. If youre in the snow, white and perhaps some black is your best bet. If youre in the jungle, wear green.

A light reflecting off any shiny surface can spoil your camouflage. Metal is a common culprit, as are glossy plastics. Human skin can also be glossier compared to the surrounding environment. You want to cover exposed skin with something that is not reflective, like mud or dirt, or camouflage grease paint to tone down any shine. Camouflage is a big business

Camouflage is a big business. Simply put, hunters are on the lookout for the next best pattern to improve their hunt, while the military has a huge interest to increase the safety of its forces.

Blending is an option that defeats and counteracts silhouettes and the outline of shapes. Blending depends on color. Blend into a forest floor by relying on the same fallen leaves all around you to mask your own shape and color. Men, materials and vehicles can be blended by using colors combined with foliage.

Countershadingis a process by which camouflage defeats the shadow signature of an object against another background, encouraging the eye to ignore it or slide past it. It is an easily done and popular form of camouflage.

Mimicry can be technical or simple. It is camouflage by way of looking like something else. Hunters fool waterfowl into ignoring them by using duck blinds with the appearance of reeds printed on them and synthetic reeds attached all around them.

Think rupture when you think of ruption which is an odd word that simply means to break up the shape of something. The classic United States Army Woodland camo pattern is a great example of ruption because of its use of high contrast disruptive colors with irregular markings.

Camouflaging a vehicle is obviously a much larger undertaking than camouflaging yourself and all your gear. You can use many of the same techniques, but they must be scaled up significantly to work on vehicles. Camouflage your vehicle by applying paint specific to the environment. To conceal your vehicle while parked, use natural vegetation.

Unless you’re abandoning your home,shelter must also be camouflaged. But it depends entirely on what kind of shelter youre talking about. A tent or lean-to wont be much of a problem. Fixed structures are another story. (Related: How to make an invisible shelter looters can’t find.)

Use local vegetation to break up the silhouette of the tent. It will be expensive, but for larger structures you can do what the military does and make extensive use of that shredded-looking camo netting, along with painting any exposed surface a low profile color. For total concealment, bury it.

How do you camouflage when youre in an urban environment or a rural or a rural or wilderness setting?

The principles are the same and the colors are not much different either. A dusty sepia-colored tan is workable, but avoid all-too-common white, gray and black urban camos so widely available. You can’t go wrong by adopting camo patterns used by militaries and law enforcement agencies around the world.

Thanks to your generous support, we are building the infrastructure of human freedom and actively donating our technology to independent publishers, authors and home schooling organizations. Learn about our game-changing non-commercial AI project here . Support our ongoing efforts to preserve and enhance human knowledge by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com .

Urban environments offer challenges for all kinds of camouflage. Most urban camouflage technology has derived from vehicle camouflage research, and youve probably seen those on the internet; large, blocky, pixilated, so-called dazzle patterns.

While they work okay for making the type of vehicle hard to identify at a distance, those patterns are often worse than useless on a human scale.

Address your exposed skin. Wear gloves for your hands or a gaiter for your face and neck. The hat will also work for covering up the bulk of your head. Camouflage grease paint can also be used for covering exposed skin.

Tan is always the best in most environments, but a combination of grays and greens can work too. Consider even buying or building a ghillie suit if you’re going to be in one place for a long time.

You need to camouflage your gear the same way you do your body. Purchase gear that’s already camouflaged in some pattern suitable will for your environment. Black is often thought of as a sneaky color, and especially good for nighttime use, but this is not always true as black appears very rarely in nature except as deep shadow. All gear, including guns, should be camouflaged

Any gear that is hand-carried like firearms should likewise be camouflaged. Painting your stockpile of guns camo patterns that help blend them in to avoid detection. Remember that metal and lenses are two of your biggest violators when it comes to shine and light reflection.

Changing your clothing to something suitably low profile is the first step towards attaining camouflage, but its not the last. Buy a set of camouflage jacket or shirt and trousers that are specific to the environment and season youre in.

Consider also your footwear. Dont wear sneakers or trail shoes that have reflectors.

Good camo can easily be achieved with a good eye for color and careful assessment of the environment you are moving through or hiding in.

Use vegetation in various forms to aid your camouflage efforts, The type of vegetation makes a big difference as does the condition of the surrounding vegetation where you are. Living vegetation, though will die as soon as you cut it or pull it up and it will need replacement. Dead vegetation like dead plants, things like dry grass, fallen branches, dead leaves, hay, straw, etc. work great for texturing and can work well for blending if the surrounding environment is also similarly dead.

Watch this video reviewing the Arcturus Ghost ghillie suit.

This video is from AlexHammer on Brighteon.com. More related stories:

Prepping tips: How to stay camouflaged in an urban environment?

What is a spider-hole and what are its survival uses?

How do you keep yourself well-hidden in a SHTF scenario?

Prepper essentials: A guide to camouflaging your property.

Prepping tip: How to hide your valuables in plain sight.

Sources included:

Modernsurvivalonline.com 1

Modernsurvivalonline.com 2

Brighteon.com
Submit a correction >>

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Business

In Halifax’s night-time economy, no one is holding back over what is required in the budget

Published

2 hours ago

on

November 24, 2025

By

In Halifax's night-time economy, no one is holding back over what is required in the budget

In the upstairs bar of a slick new brewery, the cheese-lovers of Halifax are paying “homage to fromage”.

It is one of the first events in the historic West Yorkshire town for the monthly cheese club and there is a decent turn-out.

Sky News visited Halifax's clubs, bars and restaurants to get an insight into people's priorities
Image:
Sky News visited Halifax’s clubs, bars and restaurants to get an insight into people’s priorities

The night-time economy in Halifax is a useful measure of how the landscapes of our town and cities have changed
Image:
The night-time economy in Halifax is a useful measure of how the landscapes of our town and cities have changed

Discussion of Wednesday’s budget is not as popular as an accompaniment to the cheese as the selection of wines. But no one holds back on what is required of the chancellor.

Natalie Rogers, who runs her own small business with her partner, said there needs to be focus.

Small business owner Natalie Rogers wants to see more investment in local industries
Image:
Small business owner Natalie Rogers wants to see more investment in local industries

“I think investing in small businesses, investing in these northern towns, where at one time we were making all the money for the country, can we not get back to that? We’re not investing in local industries.”

At the next table, with a group of friends, Ali Fletcher said there needs to be bigger targets.

“I think wealth inequality is a major problem. The divide is getting wider. For me, a wealth tax is absolutely critical. We need to address this question of ‘Is there any money left?’. There’s plenty of money, it’s all about choices that government make.”

More on Budget 2025

Related Topics:

At this monthly cheese club, people told us about their priorities ahead of the budget
Image:
At this monthly cheese club, people told us about their priorities ahead of the budget

The evening’s cheese tasting was being marshalled by Lisa Kempster. “The impression I get from talking to people is there’s a lot of uncertainty, but when you ask them what they’re uncertain about, they’re not really sure, there’s just a general feeling of uncertainty and being cautious.”

Ali Fletcher reckons wealth inequality is a major problem
Image:
Ali Fletcher reckons wealth inequality is a major problem

Read more:
Budget will be big – and Starmer has some serious convincing to do
Reeves vows to ‘grip the cost of living’
What tax rises could chancellor announce?

This corner of Halifax, close to the town’s historic Piece Hall, is buzzing with clubs, bars and restaurants, trying hard to defy the crunch in the night-time economy. It is a useful measure of how the landscapes of our town and cities has changed.

“Whenever there’s a budget, for a few days afterwards, there’s a drop off in trade,” said Michael Ainsworth, owner of the Graystone Unity, a bar and music venue in the town.

“I accept the government needs to raise money but, in this day and age, there’s better ways to go about doing that, like closing tax loopholes for the huge businesses to operate up with banking arrangements outside the UK.”

Michael Ainsworth owns a bar and music venue and thinks the chancellor needs to close tax loopholes
Image:
Michael Ainsworth owns a bar and music venue and thinks the chancellor needs to close tax loopholes

In the bar, a folk singer is going through a quirky and caustic set. In the basement, a punk band called Edward Molby is considerably louder.

On a sofa in the main bar, recent graduates Josh Kinsella and Ruby Firth, newly arrived in Halifax because of its more affordable housing, pinpoint what they want on Wednesday.

“Can we stop triple-locking the pensions, please? Stop giving pensioners everything. For God’s sake, I know they have hard times in the 70s and the 80s, but it just feels like we’re now paying for everyone else.”

Josh Kinsella and Ruby Firth feel there's too much focus on pensioners
Image:
Josh Kinsella and Ruby Firth feel there’s too much focus on pensioners

Ben Randm is a familiar face at the bar and well known on the music scene with his band, Silver Tongued Rascals.

“Everyday people are seen as statistics, we’re always the afterthought. When the cuts are done, we’re always impeded and the ramifications that has for people’s livelihoods, for people’s mental health, for people’s passion and drive… it’s such a struggle.”

He, like many in the night-time economy sector, wants extra help for hospitality and venues that, he says, provide a vital community link.

Ben Randm who has his own band reckons everyday people are 'always the afterthought'
Image:
Ben Randm who has his own band reckons everyday people are ‘always the afterthought’

David Van Gestel chose Halifax to open the third branch of MAMIL, a bar in jokey honour of those cycling “middle-aged men in Lycra”. On a busy quiz night, he said venues had to provide something different to get people out of their homes.

“I think the government needs to start putting some initiatives in place. They talk about growth but the reality is that the only thing we’re seeing grow is our costs.”

Continue Reading

Business

TikTok boss insists teens’ safety not at risk from AI moderation

Published

2 hours ago

on

November 24, 2025

By

TikTok boss insists teens' safety not at risk from AI moderation

There’s a lot going on at TikTok right now. 

As well as online safety updates and new features, the company is introducing sweeping changes to how it moderates the platform’s content.

At the same time, there’s an intense focus on online safety, particularly here in the UK.

With all that going on, Sky News got a rare, exclusive sit-down with one of TikTok’s senior safety executives, Ali Law.

The increasing role of artificial intelligence

One of the biggest changes happening at TikTok is around artificial intelligence.

Like most social media companies, TikTok has used AI to help moderate its platform for years – it is useful for sifting out content that obviously violates policies, and TikTok says it now removes around 85% of violative content without getting a human involved.

More on Artificial Intelligence

Related Topics:

File pic: Reuters
Image:
File pic: Reuters

Now, it is increasing its use of AI and will be relying less on human moderators. So what’s changed that means TikTok is confident AI can keep young users safe?

“One of the things that has changed is really the sophistication of those models,” said Mr Law, who is TikTok’s director of public policy and government affairs for northern Europe. He explained that AI is now better able to understand context.

“A great example is being able to identify a weapon.”

Whereas previous models may have been able to identify a knife, newer models can tell the difference between a knife being used in a cooking video and a knife in a graphic, violent encounter, according to Mr Law.

“We set a high benchmark when it comes to rolling out new moderation technology.

“In particular, we make sure that we satisfy ourselves that the output of existing moderation processes is either matched or exceeded by anything that we’re doing on a new basis.

“We also make sure the changes are introduced on a gradual basis with human oversight so that if there isn’t a level of delivery in line with what we expect, we can address that.”

Human moderator jobs being cut

That increasing use of AI means TikTok will rely less on its network of tens of thousands of human moderators around the world.

TikTok moderators and union workers protested outside the company's London headquarters over job cuts
Image:
TikTok moderators and union workers protested outside the company’s London headquarters over job cuts

In London alone, the company is proposing to cut more than 400 moderator jobs, although there are reports a number of those jobs will be rehired in other countries.

On 30 October, Paul Nowak, general secretary of the TUC union, said “time and time again” TikTok had “failed to provide a good enough answer” about how the cuts would impact the safety of UK users.

Ali Law speaks to Sky News from TikTok's European headquarters in Dublin
Image:
Ali Law speaks to Sky News from TikTok’s European headquarters in Dublin

When Sky News asked if Mr Law could ensure UK users’ safety after the cuts, he said the company’s focus is “always on outcomes”.

“Our focus is on making sure the platform is as safe as possible.

“We will make deployments of the most advanced technology in order to achieve that, working with the many thousands of trust and safety professionals that we will have at TikTok around the world on an ongoing basis.”

Dame Chi Onwurah speaks at the House of Commons. File pic: Reuters
Image:
Dame Chi Onwurah speaks at the House of Commons. File pic: Reuters

The UK’s science, technology and innovation committee, led by Labour MP Chi Onwurah, has issued a probe into the cuts, with Ms Onwurah calling them “deeply concerning”.

She said AI “just isn’t reliable or safe enough to take on work like this” and there was a “real risk” to UK users.

However, Mr Law said that, as a parent himself, he is “also highly concerned and highly interested in issues of online safety”.

“That’s why I’m so confident in the changes that we are making at TikTok in terms of content moderation as a whole,” he said.

“The power really comes in the combination of the best technology and human experts working together, and that still is the case at TikTok and it will be going forwards as well.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

UK’s online safety rules: One month on

New wellness tools

The interview came at the end of an online safety event at TikTok’s Dublin office, its European headquarters.

During the conference, the company announced a number of new features designed to increase user safety, including a new in-app Time and Wellbeing hub for TikTok users.

The hub is designed with the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital and gamifies mindfulness techniques like affirmations, not using TikTok during the night and lowering your screentime.

Ali Law, TikTok's director of public policy and government affairs for northern Europe
Image:
Ali Law, TikTok’s director of public policy and government affairs for northern Europe

Read more from Sky News:
Meta to block Instagram and Facebook for users under 16 in Australia
Half of novelists fear AI will replace them entirely, survey finds
How violent extremists are thriving online – and why it’s getting harder to catch them

Cori Stott, executive director of the digital wellness lab, said many people use their phones to “set their wellbeing, to reset their emotions, to find these safe spaces, and also to find entertainment”.

The hub was built as part of the TikTok app because young people want wellness tools “where they already are”, without needing to go to a different app, she said.

Still, there are plenty of reports suggesting that phone use and social media has a damaging effect on young people’s mental health… is TikTok trying to solve a problem of its own creation?

“If you are a teen on the app, you will load up and find that you have, if you’re under 16, a private profile, no access to direct messaging, a screen time limit set at an hour, [and at] 10pm sleep hour suggestion,” said Mr Law.

“So the experience is one that does try and promote a balanced approach to using the app and make sure that people have the options to set their own guardrails around this,” he said.

“I think the other thing I’d say is that the content on TikTok is, in the main, inspiring, surprising, creative.”

Continue Reading

Business

£1,000 side-hustle rule explained – from Vinted to Xmas markets | Money newsletter

Published

2 hours ago

on

November 24, 2025

By

£1,000 side-hustle rule explained - from Vinted to Xmas markets | Money newsletter

Sky News has launched a free Money newsletter – bringing the kind of content you enjoy in the Money blog directly to your inbox.

Each Friday, subscribers get exclusive money-saving tips and features from the team behind the award-winning Money blog, which is read by millions of Britons every month.

Sign up today, and this coming Friday you’ll find the following in the newsletter:

  • The tax rules for side hustles explained – from Vinted to Christmas markets;
  • Why Black Friday might not be the best time to buy a TV;
  • Early access to our weekly Money Problem feature – this week’s concerns a reader’s row with Asda about late deliveries;
  • And we outline the best deals available in five key areas for your household budget.

So join our growing Money community – and thanks to the thousands of you who already have.

What to expect each week

The newsletter is your essential personal finance companion, with digestible information to help you make smarter decisions on your savings, mortgages, holiday money and much more.

As a subscriber, you get additional exclusive content that goes beyond the blog.

At a time when the global economy faces so much uncertainty, we have analysis from our trusted economics teams on the big stories that affect the cash in your pocket.

You also get first looks at popular features such as Money Problem, Cheap Eats, What It’s Really Like To Be A and our weekend Long Read.

Continue Reading

Trending