Year: 2013

Fitting Martial Arts into the Life of a Prepper, by Matthew G.

While watching season two of Doomsday Preppers on the National Geographic Channel I noticed the “consumer prepper.” These are people who think of a problem and quickly try to throw money at the situation instead of trying to find the best solution to their issue. In one episode a wealthy older man was fearful of a major earth quake in California. He bought thousands of dollars of freeze dried food, the most expensive firearms, and even a helicopter to fly him out if things were really bad. With all of his money he made a poor choice of putting his …


Letter Re: Gun Storage While Traveling to Anti-Gun States

Dear Sir,
Thank you for an excellent web site. I read it every day. I have a question regarding traveling with my handgun. Living in Ohio, a reasonably free state these days, I occasionally have to travel by car to one of the totalitarian states. States such as New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and Maryland. I of course prefer to carry my handgun and have CCW licenses to carry in all the surrounding free states on the way. However, as my need to enter these other states, would potentially land me in jail if I brought my weapon, I must make my whole trip unarmed. Are there gun storage options?

Other than burying my gun just outside the state line of one of these totalitarian regimes, do you or your readers have any suggestions? I have considered contacting gun retailers near, but outside the borders. Perhaps asking them to store my gun while I am in the hostile territories. But this may have many complications, including entry at many points depending on my destination and scheduling…


Economics and Investing:

Wim Grommen: The Dow 30 Stock Market Index is the Greatest of All Ponzi Schemes Abandoned Dogs Roam Detroit in Packs as Humans Dwindle. (An estimated 50,000 dogs at stray!) Items from The Economatrix: Get Ready: The Great Transfer of Wealth in Gold and Silver is Coming Your Future: “We Are Now at a Point Where the Crisis Will Happen Almost Overnight” Ron Paul And Jim Rogers Discuss Economic Collapse


Odds ‘n Sods:

When the ‘cure’ doesn’t end the pain: Some Lyme disease patients have symptoms that can linger for years despite standard treatment. Scientists are puzzling over how that can be. (Thanks to H.L. for the link.)    o o o One month to Revolution: The premiere of Season 2 of the post grid-collapse television series Revolution is scheduled for September 25th. It will air on Wednesdays at 8:00pm ET/PT. The series was renewed for another 22 episodes. It is fairly mediocre as sci-fi/survivalist television drama goes, but it is the only game in town. Seeing Revolution only makes me miss Firefly …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in …


Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 48 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) 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 …


Finding Comfort When TSHTF, by P.R.

You could say that Y2K started us on a serious survival path. But long before that, preferring the peace and quiet of country life, we had already begun our search for a small acreage some distance from any cities. The idea of simple living and self-sufficiency appealed to both my husband and me. Finally, in 1998, we were blessed to find a few acres in Central Texas. With a partially built house on a dead-end road, trees and some pasture, it mostly fit all our requirements and was within our rather meager price range. So 15 years later, we are …


Letter Re: Do-It-Yourself Weapons Camouflage and Kydex Gear

Sir, After reading the reply to the: Do-It-Yourself Weapons Camouflage and Kydex Gear I have to ask the question… Does anyone see any specific pattern anywhere?  The answer should be NO!  Why do you ask, because there is not one!  The “pattern” that you paint your weapon and match your clothes to should be specific to your area.  Granted, Multi-Cam camo tends to blend into many different areas but there is still a common factor in the “pattern”… it is a pattern that is generated!  It has hard line edges and it is not random. There are not a lot …


Letter Re: How to Bug Out to Montana

Mr. Rawles:   As a prepper living in the Redoubt, allow me to respectfully enlighten Professor Prepper from Montana with my own nickel’s worth on the topic: I think you are a little high on the horse, pard.  I detected the hint of a threat towards those not already living in Montana, even though you lightly qualified with a disclaimer that “we Montanans” are American, and “we” do not want to take up arms against other Americans. I will concede, however, that you believe your intentions to be honorable, and you sure can’t be accused of not being proud of …


Economics and Investing:

Bond Investors Beware: Mutual Fund Outflows Accelerating as Interest Rates Climb Higher Doug Casey: “We’re Still In The Midst Of The Biggest Bubble In World History” Indian Gold Dealer: “Gold Is Now Trading At $1800oz.—Small Factories And Workshops Are Shutting Down” Items from The Economatrix: Consumer Confidence Misses Expectations By Most On Record Housing Starts, Permits Miss; Single-Family Housing Market Weakest Since November 2012 Defunding wouldn’t kill Obamacare taxes


Odds ‘n Sods:

Citing grave security concerns… Say Goodbye to Skype. “Not only is Skype plugged directly in to the surveillance grid, but the company is actively contributing to the most complete surveillance system in the history of mankind.” (Thanks to H.M. for the link.)    o o o G.G. suggested: Amaranth: Another Ancient Wonder Food, But Who Will Eat It? [JWR Adds: See the previously posted warnings in SurvivalBlog’s archives about containing your Amaranth crop plantings! (The tiny seeds are carried on the winds so the plant can easily become a weed that can grow out of control.]    o o o …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 48 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) 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 …


How to Bug Out to Montana, by Professor Prepper

I’m just putting the finishing touches on my signs. Do you like them? They say “Trespassers will be shot without warning.” I think that gets the message across. Don’t you? So I’ve heard you are thinking of bugging out to Montana when the SHTF. Is that right? Well, I’ve got some advice for you: The first thing to remember is that Montana is already filled with people. Not as many as most other states, but still, there are many of us here whether you saw us or not the last time you took a family trip through Montana. Yeah, we …


Update on Mulligan Mint

On Monday, August 5, 2013, I posted a piece titled “Calling It Quits With Mulligan Mint.” It was pointed out to me that it included a factual error, so I’ve truncated that post. I’d like to give everyone an update on what has transpired since then. First, the Good News: 1. I have been impressed that the staff of Mulligan Mint has overcome all of the hurdles of transitioning from a fledgling company that simply struck outside vendor-supplied .999 fine dimensioned blank planchets into a company that now consistently turns raw .999 fine silver into finished coins, in quantity. They have …