Month: August 2014

Two Letters Re: Two Thousand Miles Into the American Redoubt

Hello! Seeing that title I was very interested in reading the author’s take on the area. I’ve lived here six years and visited often before that. I like his suggestions of places to live. But, I hope he makes another trip in the dead of winter before he decides where to locate. Some of those places have extremely harsh winters, and some do not. Some roads are plowed regularly, and some are not. So, it is good to linger and get to talking with folks. Does the author have a good truck with a snow plow on the front? Is …



Odds ‘n Sods:

The passing of Jon Cavaiani probably didn’t make the local evening news but JayZ and Bouncie did… very sad. Jon was well known and for many years, a frequent guest and mentor around the 3rd / 12th Special Forces circle. He was an active member in both the Special Forces Association and The Medal of Honor Association, and numerous other Veteran groups. Even if you did not know him or know of him, please take a moment to say a private thank you for his service. – R.L. o o o A breath of fresh air; a police officer who …



Notes for Sunday – August 03, 2014

Today we present another entry for Round 54 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of 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), 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, DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hardcase to go with your …


Two Thousand Miles Into the American Redoubt, by M.H.

The following is an extensive review of my journey into the American Redoubt over 11 days and 2,000 miles in July 2014. My traveling companion, during this time, was my adult son, who shares my concern for the rather dim future ahead. My wife of so many years preferred to leave to me the filtering process on which communities we will decide to move to when the time comes. This is not my first trip into the Redoubt but my third; however, this is my most extensive. There is little in life that is more boring than someone else’s travelogue. …


Letter: SHTF Water-Related Questions

Jim I keep hundreds of coffee filters at my house and quite a few in the BOB to extend the life of the Katadyn ceramic water filter when it comes down to that. Could a reusable gold-screen coffee filter basket be deployed to pre-filter water in a survival situation (with possibly other applications I’m not thinking of yet)? I have one I no longer use but nothing goes in the BOB unless it will serve well. My wife tolerates a giant stash of coffee filters because I use them every day, but she is less tolerant of salt accumulation, whether …


Economics and Investing:

Collection nation: One out of three consumers have debts in collection over the past year. A total of 77 million Americans are having problems managing their debt. 22 million consumers have zero credit. o o o Can We End Corporate Inversions, Simplify Rules, And Increase Tax Revenues? o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Choinomics – Breakthrough for South Korea?– More like a breakdown, this is more economic insanity out of governments and central banks Dow Erases 2014 Gain Amid Global Selloff S&P 500 Caps Worst Week in Two Years as Gold and Treasuries Gain


Odds ‘n Sods:

IRS Strikes Deal With Atheists To Monitor Churches. – G.G This would be the same entity once headed by Lois Lerner. o o o Toxic tap water causes state of emergency in Toledo – K.H. o o o Related to the above entry – An often derisively asked question: Why do you prep? What could go wrong in this day and age? Answer: Bottled water is flying off the shelves after 400,000 Toledo residents are warned not to drink the water for fear it is TOXIC with chemicals o o o The Drought Goes From Bad To Catastrophic – B.B. …



Notes for Saturday – August 02, 2014

Today we present another entry for Round 54 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of 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), 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, DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hardcase to go with your …


Preserving and Storing Food Safely – An Overview – Part II, by N.M.

Types of Preserving Now that you understand, from Part 1 of this article, some of the reasons to preserve and priorities in preserving correctly, let’s consider which preserving methods you may want to use. Preserving methods include multi-step processes, like soaking, skimming, rinsing, hanging to dry, freezing, canning (in mason jars), smoking, and sucking air out of bags, containers, and buckets. Your choice of which method to use is governed by the food. For example, you would usually freeze berries but dehydrate and vacuum seal tomatoes and strips of meat (jerky). You could can (in glass jars) green beans, though …


Letter Re: NYC Chokehold

Hugh, Just a note about chokeholds. A chokehold uses the forearm to put pressure on the windpipe and can easily result in serious injury or death. Most LE departments have outlawed them as a restraint and classified them as “deadly force”, the same as a knife, club, or firearm. Often mistaken for a chokehold (and usually referred to as such by the ignorant media) is the LVNR (Lateral Vascular Neck Restraint), which, when properly applied cuts off blood flow to the brain and the subject passes out in less than 10 seconds, at which time the LVNR is released. Pressure …


Economics and Investing:

This article demonstrates that, no matter the urging of financial planners, Americans continue to live on the edge financially. This should be a tale of caution and should be an opportunity to reiterate the critical element of saving as part of, indeed the first step in, preparedness. CHARTS: Americans Are Seriously Unprepared For Emergencies – B.C. o o o Gold Prices Reveal Truth About U.S. Economy o o o Paul Craig Roberts – This Mega-Collapse Will Terrify People – J.W. o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Argentina Misses Deadline Goes Into Default Argentina Stocks And Bonds Collapse After Non …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Emory Hospital to receive 2 Ebola patients – keeper HJL Adds: Remember, Ebola is successful at creating fear because it has such a high fatality rate and there is no cure. We fear what we do not understand. We fear what can kill us. Put those two together, and it can be intense fear. However, like radiation poisoning, the fear is often unfounded. Ebola, while a wicked virus, cannot be the pandemic that wipes out most of the population because it kills too fast. The onset of symptoms is far too quick for it to be an efficient mass killer. …