Year: 2013

Some Advice for Newbie Preppers, by Jillie

Around two years ago, I was sitting at my friend’s house visiting and he tells me about the supposed end of the world on December 21st, 2012.  At first I thought he was feeding me a line of horse manure.  He went on to tell me that he was going to buy the car of his dreams that he wouldn’t be able to afford, rack up his credit cards, get a big loan and live it up.  He wasn’t going to have to pay it back anyway, the world was going to end and we were all going to die.  …


Letter Re: LEPCs Show That Help Won’t Be Coming

JWR, Just a few notes about RC’s article about ARES/RACES and becoming the EC.   I’ve been an emergency services volunteer since 1986 and a ham since 2003. Actually, Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) is under the control of the ARRL.   RACES is the ham radio group that is activated by a government emergency person, usually the state’s governor.   In many small areas they are combined, but ARES can operate in an emergency without specific government authority.   RACES only acts in time of war or officially declared emergencies.  Unless a war is declared or martial law declared, you can help others …


Economics and Investing:

2014: Too Late to Leave The United States? G.G. suggested this over at Zero Hedge: Friday Tragicomedy: Former Fed Advisor Urges Fed To Buy More, “A Lot More” … $30 Trillion More Items from The Economatrix: Goldman Sachs Braces For Bond Market Blowup Rush To Safety:  Americans Buy Nearly Half Billion Dollars Of Gold And Silver In January Countdown To The Collapse GDP Shows Surprise Drop For US In Fourth Quarter


Odds ‘n Sods:

Some interesting new products that might be apropos for G.O.O.D. kits: self-heating cocoa, coffee, and soups.    o o o Arizona Senate Panel Passes Bill Barring Enforcement of Federal Gun Measures. (Thanks to K.A.F. for the link.)    o o o Shane Connor of KI4U gets his five minutes of fame.    o o o Convicted rapist organizes gun control demonstration at Dayton gun show. Oh, and speaking of the statists’ counterproductive attempts at winning hearts and minds: NRA president says anti-gun advocates threatened to kill his son and daughter    o o o B.B. sent this: Trusting Your Own …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For …


Notes from JWR:

This is the birthday of novelist Ayn Rand (born Alisa Zinov’yevna Rosenbaum in 1905), died – March 6, 1982) She is of course remembered for her novel Atlas Shrugged, which is considered a Libertarian classic. While I sharply disagree with her views on religion (since she was an atheist), I admire both her skill as a writer and her ability to articulate some core precepts of human liberty. — Today we present the first entry for Round 45 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good …


Cooking the Farmyard Fowl for Modern Eaters, by Irishfarmer

In an austere situation, or even an economically challenged one, what do you do with those old hens, the ones eating more than laying, and especially, extra males, like all those roosters that hatched or came with the hatchery order?  We’re not talking here about raising broilers from the hatchery, feeding and sweating over them for the required number of weeks, doing the killing all in one or two days and then packing them into the freezer.  This article is for the person who is facing eating real barnyard birds.  It is also for the person whose family is used …


Letter Re: LEPCs Show That Help Won’t Be Coming

Jim: I wanted to comment on my experience with my county LEPC. When I got my ham radio license in 2003 I was invited attend the sectional ARRL ARES/RACES meeting being held at the local court house. I jumped at the opportunity to meet my local ham brothers. For those who don’t know ARES/RACES is the emergency response arm of ARRL. The idea is to provide amateur radio help to the local emergency response teams of the Government including FEMA. Sounds all well and good. The county had a total population of under 25,000 at that point. It is still …


Economics and Investing:

Economic meltdown insurance: Virginia alternative currency plan moves forward Peter Schiff & Doug Casey On Gold, Investor Cluelessness, And The “Escape From America” Plan Items from The Economatrix: Unemployment Rates Fall In Most Large US Cities 2013:  We are Witnesses to a Grand Disconnect of Hope/Perception from Reality AGAIN  Like 2007 Growth Stall Obscures US Consumer, Business Gains Fed Blames Stalled Economy On Weather


Odds ‘n Sods:

Running a tyrannical state government can be so expensive, these days. (So it is best to tax the people and charge them fees to pay for the bureaucracy of their own enslavement.)    o o o Kevin S. mentioned a handy frequency allocation chart.    o o o For those who have been patiently waiting, the fourth installment of the Mad Max movie franchise, Mad Max: Fury Road is now in post-production and will be released in 2014. The vehicles used look totally wild and OTT.    o o o SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large Mike Williamson sent the link to …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he [is] God: [it is] he [that] hath made us, and not we ourselves; [we are] his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, [and] into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, [and] bless his name. For the LORD [is] good; his mercy [is] everlasting; and his truth [endureth] to all generations.” – Psalm 100 (KJV)


Announcing Writing Contest Prize Winners and a New Grand Prize

We ‘ve completed the judging for Round 44 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. But before announcing winners, I have a special announcement: The Gunsite Academy–The first and best of America’s large scale shooting schools–has kindly donated a Three Day Course Certificate (good for any one, two, or three course with a value up to $1,195) for Round 45 and subsequent writing contest rounds. This course certificate is being added to the First Prize package. This brings the value of the First Prize package to $3,090 and the combined value of the top three prize packages to $7,485. (Note that …


Letter Re: LEPCs Show That Help Won’t Be Coming

Mr. Rawles, Here is my take on the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) for my hometown. At risk of preaching to the choir, the Government isn’t coming to help you. We all have seen the horrific images of hurricanes Katrina and Sandy and how the Government response is woefully inadequate to help people after these large scale disasters. And in many cases, our current government uses these disasters to further tread on our collective liberty. The quote “Never let a crisis go to waste” leaps to mind. It occurred to me that the government is really made up of people, …


Letter Re: Personal Debt Levels

Dear Mr. Rawles,  I have read Patriots and am working on (from the library) your three other books.  I have a great group I am connected with and all are reading your material.  Also, I have the book Strategic Relocation–North American Guide to Safe Places by Joel and Andrew Skousen.  I really appreciate all your advice and tips and have been working as best I can to prepare.  My question revolves around how crucial you think it would be for  me to pay off as much debt as possible before the coming collapse or whatever comes?    I am struggling with balancing paying a credit card …


Letter Re: Unarmed Defense in the Apocalypse

Mr. Rawles, I just read the excellent article you posted by Tony C. The only thing I would add (and you can’t always cover everything, so this is not derogatory towards Tony C. in any way) is this: If you do want to educate yourself in any martial art, please do as much research of the facility that you want to take it from as you do in research for your firearms. This does not mean go around and ask the people that take it there if they like it. Their only experience may be of that one place. I am …