Month: August 2012

Survival of the Un-Fittest — What to Do for the Ill, Disabled and Elderly, by Echo A.

Part of preparing for any emergency, including TEOTWAWKI, is making plans for those who cannot take care of themselves. Yet, there is very information out there about what to do about Grandma and Grandpa in a crisis situation, or those who just may not be the “fittest.”   Having elders who have been struggling with dementia or who are in cancer treatment, having seen so many of our soldiers come home with PTSD, having loved ones who are chronically ill or permanently disabled, I think about prepping in perhaps a different way than others. After seeking out the information I needed …


Letter Re: Halfway Preppers

Dear SurvivalBloggers: What is a halfway prepper? Some people think it is a lazy prepper. Well, if you’re lazy you’re not getting prepped. A halfway prepper is someone who gets things done slowly but isn’t going to let life pass them by. Is prepping worth losing friends (I try to make them see the light), missing date night with the wife, missing out on your favorite sports, living as a recluse? When SHTF things will change but I don’t want to miss those things.We have to continue to live in the world as we prepare for the future. I know …


Economics and Investing:

Collapse Of Financial System Will Come In August, Maybe September: Market-Watchers.( Thanks to Jim W. for the link.) Reader H.L. suggested this piece by Gonzalo Lira: How A Country Rationally Exits The Eurozone What’s in your vault? Uncle Sam audits its stash of gold at the New York Fed. The gold audit is a first for the institution and includes drilling into several hundred ingots. It could put the conspiracy theories to rest. Items from The Economatrix: Is The Gold Rush Over? Jobs Outlook Poor, Improvement Unlikely 65 Signs That The Economic Collapse Is Already Happening


Odds ‘n Sods:

The Survival Mindset, as seen from a Christian perspective. (This video series by Andrew von Ehrenkrook is recommended.)    o o o Demo of VPNs being compromised at Defcon: Marlinspike demos MS-CHAPv2 crack. Also, Tracking Android phones is easy, says researcher    o o o EMP attack: ‘90% of Americans would be dead’    o o o Mary F. sent an interesting piece about Mexico: Reclaiming the Forests and the Right to Feel Safe    o o o From Tim M.: Human cycles: History as science



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 42 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any …


Simplify Now, Before TEOTWAWKI, by M.D.M.

I live a self-sustaining and prepared lifestyle, always have and always will. My parents and grandparents lived this way and taught me well. Several years ago, we chose to purchase property for a mini-farm near a university town, so that we could have it all, a self-sufficient small farm near educational and intellectual endeavors for my children. Naturally hidden from view we bulldozed a home site in the woods and built our property up to be self-sufficient, with woods for firewood, fruit trees, garden areas, secret outdoor rooms, caves and everything anyone would want. I worked full time then and …


Letter Re: Experience Canning and Dehydrating Tomatoes

Dear Captain Rawles:  Each year we dehydrate and can a lot of tomatoes.  In past years we used a “Squeezo” device to separate the skin and seeds from the pulp.   A better way is to slice each tomato into about 8 slices, from top to bottom.  Then (over a sink) with one’s fingers strip out the seed pulp and seeds.  This also removes the water surrounding the seeds and pulp.  Put the slices into a blender.  Liquefy for a couple of minutes.  Pour the homogenized tomato into the stockpot to heat for canning. The homogenized skin in nutritious.  By removing the …


Economics and Investing:

Greeks can no longer afford paying expensive bribes. (Thanks to Rhonda for the link.) Fred K. mentioned this ABC News report: U.S. Bridges, Roads Being Built by Chinese Firms H.L. spotted this: Deflation? Don’t Count On It… Also from H.L.: 100,000 Workers in Spain Will Not be Paid Because Regional Government of Catalona is Broke Items from The Economatrix: Confidence Drains Away Debt Crisis Live:  July 31, 2012 Investing In Silver:  States Support Move to Metals as USD Weakens


Odds ‘n Sods:

My brother-in-law sent this useful link: Optimum Tilt of Solar Panels.    o o o Bill Whittle discusses the implications of the NDAA and unchecked government power.    o o o The Castaway’s Guide To Making A Home    o o o T.K. recommended this over at Small Wars Journal: Full Spectrum Operations in the Homeland: A “Vision” of the Future



Notes from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 41 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any …


Skills You Never Knew You Had–Eliminate the Starting Point, by Natural State

As a newbie prepper I have gone through the emotional progression of realizing my lack of preparedness.  It started with the feeling that something bad was going to happen now!  This quickly subsided, followed by the overwhelming feeling that I must act now.   This impulse quickly digressed to the obvious and most important step in my preparedness action plan, honest self-evaluation.  With the growing database of information on preparedness, I felt overwhelmed with my apparent lack of knowledge when it came to surviving.  I had less than a week’s worth of food in my home, no guns, and a vehicle …


Letter Re: Some Notable Power Grid Articles

Dear Mr. Rawles, I thought you might find these two articles on microgrid technology to be of interest. They raise the possibility that a well-organized community might be able to continue functioning even after a general grid failure: How Power Outages in India May One Day Be Avoided Microgrid Keeps the Power Local, Cheap, and Reliable Also, major manufacturers are gearing up to produce a new generation of deep-cycle batteries that can be recharged thousands of times, further facilitating the creation of off-grid communities. GE’s Novel Battery to Bolster the Grid Battery to Take On Diesel and Natural Gas Thanks …


Economics and Investing:

Over at The Burning Platform: Crash Dead Ahead. Knight Capital glitch triggers wild stock swings Why You Should Expect an Imminent Silver Price Explosion From SurvivalBlog’s G.G.: America’s 401(k) Nightmare? Items from The Economatrix:s Rising Home Prices Show Traction In Housing Recovery Office Building Sales Rebound Hits A Bump Why Is Future Silver Supply More at Risk than Gold?