Year: 2013

The Time in Between the Moments, by Paul G.

So you are a prepper. You have trained yourself for survival, bought survival gear, and built up personal survival items not only for yourself, but for your family as well. You’re even thinking about how to improve your plans, modify your techniques, and seek continuing to educate yourself with additional survival skills. Then TEOTWAWKI situation happens and everything goes to heck for a day, a week, or maybe even your lifetime. There could be an economic collapse with looting situations, severe weather scenarios causing mass casualties, natural disasters wiping out the power grid, or you may even be in an …


Letter Re: Advice on U.S. Military Service

Sir: This is in response to a letter published on Sunday, 4 April “Letter Re: Advice on U.S. Military Service“ Jim M. says the person should consider joining the Navy Seabees. I am writing to say the exact opposite. Do not consider joining the Seabees at least not at this time. The Naval Construction Force (NCF) consist of six active duty Naval Mobile Construction Battalions (NMCB) and 12 reserve NMCBs. (Along with various Cargo Handling Battalions (NCHB), Maintenance Units (CBMU) and others.) With the current fiscal problems and general changes in needs of the DoD, there are heavy cuts in …


Economics and Investing:

Tax Freedom Day 2013 is April 18 — Five Days Later than Last Year Jim W. sent: 16% of Annual Silver Supply Just Vaporized Dollar Decline Confirmed Items from The Economatrix: Massive $20 Billion Paper Gold Sell Orders Trigger Stop Loss Selling and Unfounded Panic Gold Trader:  Expect Margin Calls Monday Morning as Big Players Do Whatever it Takes to Get Physical Metal Extreme Nervousness in Regards To Collapse — Gold Silver a Must Rule


Odds ‘n Sods:

Jim W. recommended: Milk for Cheesemaking    o o o F.G. sent: Vandals knock out communications in South Bay. [JWR’s Comments: I think that “Terrorists” would have been a better word choice than “Vandals.” These incidents illustrate the vulnerability of America’s power and telecommunications infrastructure. Be prepared to do without, for extended periods.]    o o o F.G. sent: Arizona on verge of turning gun buybacks into revenue    o o o I noticed that D. Eric Desmond has expanded his line of semi-custom Kydex neck and belt sheaths. I bought one of his belt sheaths for my for my …



Notes from JWR:

Please pray for the families of those killed and injured at the Boston Marathon Bombing. OBTW, my cursory examination of the videotape leads me to believe that it was an act of domestic terrorism. And the brownish color of the smoke just after the blast does not bode well for American target shooters. I suspect that the explosive used was Tannerite–a binary low explosive that is legal for use as an explosive rifle target in most states. — You’ll note that today’s blog coincidentally includes two similar-looking but unrelated acronyms: COMEX and CONEX. The former is an abstraction of something …


Getting Back to My Roots — Why I am a Prepper, by Chad T.

I was born into a family of preppers.  My grandparents were all farmers and lived through the Great Depression in the Midwest.   My parents both grew up on farms and came from large families.  While my folks would not label themselves today as preppers, they would consider themselves as independent and self-reliable.  In order to understand my journey as a prepper, you have to go back a few years.  Early into my parents’ marriage, my dad just got out of the navy and worked in various cities and towns, from Texas to Minnesota.  The largest town we lived in was …


Letter Re: CONEX Shipping Container Problems

James: A good friend who has own three acres at the end of my dead end road rented two 40 foot-long shipping containers eight years ago, paying $250 a month for the pair, and filled them completely up with stuff that he moved from Ohio.  I recently built a two-storey barn for him. When we opened the containers, which had been sealed for eight years [to shift the contents to the new barn] we found that holes had rusted through the top of the containers and everything inside of them was totally ruined.  Nothing inside was salvageable.  He is depressed and …


Economics and Investing:

A Tale of Two Markets: At the same time that the speculative COMEX spot and futures market for silver has been slammed down hard, the physical market for silver has been so frantically bought that it hard to find any pre-1965 “junk” silver or 1-ounce silver rounds for sale. Nearly all of the wholesalers are reportedly sold out of bullion coins! They’ve all been snatched up by eager buyers. Reader Diana V. wrote to mention: ” The local shop I use sells any face amount of junk silver. Up until about two weeks ago [they charged a premium of] 3 …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Jason H. sent: First Amendment lesson sparks outrage at Florida school. Jason’s comment: “Reason number 6,264,468 to homeschool your kids…”    o o o Nan’s newest how-to video is called Starting Heirloom Vegetable and Herb Plants at Home is available from Seed for Security.    o o o Senator Mike Lee of Utah reads a letter sent in from a family that took shifts standing armed guard with their neighbors – all banding together to protect the homes on their street during the L.A. riots. They watched the city burn, and saw no police officers…..for five days. Jump forward to …



Notes from JWR:

April 16th is the birthday of two notable novelists: Agorist-Libertarian activist J. Neil Schulman (born April 16, 1953) is turning 60 today. He is best known as author of the novel Alongside Night. and, The late Samuel Youd (born 1922, died February 3, 2012.) He was the British novelist who was best known for his science fiction writings under the pseudonym John Christopher, including the survivalist novel Death of Grass (titled No Blade of Grass, in the American edition) as well as the Tripods Series of young adult sci-fi novel series. Youd wrote prolifically, using eight pen names. He was …


Lessons Learned From Hurricane Sandy, by The Angry Prepper

Hurricane Sandy tore through the northern eastern seaboard.  The hurricane combined with two other weather systems to create a Super storm (Some say).  The Hurricane or Super Storm created a destructive path that hasn’t been seen this far up north, ever.  Homes were damaged, properties were destroyed, and lives were lost.  This Hurricane had a lot to teach us.  A lot of us (Preppers) were prepared for this storm and tested our emergency plan for the first time, in real time.  We got to learn a lot about our emergency plan and some of us will patch the holes in …


Letter Re: Home Invasion Prevention

Sir, I’ve often wondered what the “typical” home-invasion victim’s house looks like.  Does it have high fences; does it sit perched on a hill with a beautiful view; are BMWs seen entering & leaving?  Perhaps.  I wonder if home invaders (or burglars, for that matter) even bother with modest homes that have 20-year-old cars parked in front?  Probably not so much. What I’m saying is that, even if you have the means to live well, part of OPSEC should probably include maintaining the appearance of being a low-value target.  Making your home into an obvious fortress will naturally cause those with …


News From The American Redoubt:

Heracles Research, well-known for their Bed Bunker gun vaults had added Truck Bunkers to their product line. The company is located in Spokane, Washington.    o o o Some Idaho headlines, courtesy of Joe M. and R.B.S., and Bret F.: EPA issues new permit for suction dredge miners. – Idaho wealth concentrated in just a few areas.– Idaho restricts drone use by police agencies amid privacy concerns – Frugal Idaho among states in the black, with $60 million surplus    o o o More Federal meddling: Montana Management Plan Would Close Public Land to Target Shooting.    o o o …