Letter Re: License Plate Readers

HJL, There are lots of comments on defeating plate readers. Before anyone gets too cranked up about defeating them, they should consider that plate readers may be what helps the cops recover their vehicle when it’s stolen. They are a powerful tool and like any other information collection system, I suppose the information can be misused, but I’m not clear exactly how that would happen. Our local police department had a residential burglary with a witness providing a partial plate. Cops ran the partial for similiars and got a picture of the whole plate and the driver and recovered all …


Donkeys as Pack Animals for Survival and Recreation- Part 1, by B.W.

Moving unobtrusively over land with pack animals whether for recreation or in an emergency situation is both enjoyable and possibly a lifesaving endeavor. This article concerns my experience with donkeys as a veterinarian and as someone who has prepared as much as possible over the years for whatever circumstances may arise in the world we live in. I hope this information will persuade you to look into pack animals, such as donkeys, in your preparedness planning if your circumstances will allow. My wife and I have owned and ridden horses for the majority of our lives but got out of …


Letter Re: Total Solar Eclipse 2017

Captain Rawles, You are correct in publishing that Greenville, SC will be in the sweet spot for viewing the total solar eclipse. In fact, schools in the state are already making adjustments to their schedules, either delaying the start of school or dismissing early the day of the event. Your insight into possible traffic conditions highlighted for me the fact that I-26 from Asheville, NC to Charleston, SC should be in the direct path of totality. I’m running scenarios through my head about regular commuters to the three urban hubs in South Carolina and the eclipse watchers. Perhaps I’ll take …


Book Review: Krav Maga Tactical Survival, by D.R.

Published by Tuttle Publishing ISBN: 978-0-8048-4765-0 5 parts, 224 pages with index Between active shooters, the rise in violent crime, and the outbreak of “undocumented shoppers”, many Americans are taking an interest in learning how to protect themselves and their loved ones. This takes many forms, as some people devote their time and money to storing up resources and equipment, others to training with armed and unarmed combatives, and some to both. Any serious practitioner in unarmed combatives will likely have heard of the discipline of Krav Maga. Since Imi Lichtenfeld started training the Israeli military in “contact combat” in …


Recipe of the Week: Old Bay Crab Cakes, by MCA

Ingredients: 2 slices white bread, crusts removed and crumbled 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 teaspoons OldBay seasoning 2 teaspoons parsley flakes 1/2 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard 1 egg, beaten 1 pound lump crab meat Directions: Mix bread, mayonnaise, OldBay, parsley, mustard, and egg in large bowl until well blended. Gently stir in crab meat. Shape into 4 patties. Broil 10 minutes without turning, or fry until golden brown on both sides. Sprinkle with additional OldBay, if you like OldBay. o o o Useful Recipe and Cooking Links: Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? …


Letter Re: License Plate Reader & OPSEC

Hugh, That was a good article and timely. Recently I took pictures of a couple cars to sell on the Internet. I covered the license plates with duct tape for the photos for OPSEC. I pulled the tape off after I was done, and two days later I noticed a very nice dirt film obscuring the letters exactly where the tape was. So just a 3 cent piece of tape placed on different letters or numbers and then removed will collect road film and make your plate unreadable and easy to explain or rub off if you’re pulled over. – …


Two Letters Re: License Plate Readers & OPSEC

James and Hugh, A while back I saw a guy wearing an IR LED hat, to defeat cameras: How To Fool Facial Recognition Cameras and Video …. Plate covers will get you caught; taking out or burning your bulb out will likely get you pulled over and searched if the police decide they are having that bad a day; having no lights out is best. This might help. – F.M. o o o JWR, Another (mostly) legal way to block your plate is to get one of the receiver hitch “baskets”. Some fold up when not in use and block …


Exercising Your Rights vs. Being Nice: When the “State” is at Your Door, by The Recovering Feminist

Disclaimer: I need to be perfectly clear first off. I am not a legal professional; therefore, I have no license to provide legal advice. The information in this article is opinion only and freely available. This is not legal advice. Do your own research and practice due diligence here. Seek out your own legal advice on these issues. This is, however, a matter of Natural Law and no Juris Doctor in the world can trump Natural Law. The Movie Scene In the movie Prince Caspian, do you recall the scene when Lucy is standing face-to-face with her enemy on the …


Letter Re: License Plate Readers & OPSEC

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Sir: Two of SurvivalBlog’s recent posts referenced altering or covering license plates to avoid identification by license plate readers. Coincidentally, the last two episodes of the reality show Hunted involved people being tracked by this technology. Altering your plate is clearly illegal. Apparently plastic covers are also illegal, at least in some jurisdictions. Electronic surveillance devices seem to be virtually everywhere these days. Do you have any advice for those of us who still believe in personal privacy but don’t want to break the law? About all I can think of is a good coat of mud or a trailer-hitch …


It is the Best of Times and the Worst of Times to Research Your Family History, by Michigan Swamp Buck

Gone are the days of the nuclear family. With high divorce rates, remarriages, single parents, and the legalization of same sex marriages, the family unit as it was once known is becoming a rare thing in the 21st century. Although these changes have brought more choices and variation in family structure, there have been losses from abandoning the traditional family unit. One loss is the traditional family value of knowing your family’s history and lineage. Knowing who you have descended from and the history surrounding their lives provides a foundation of pride and strength that many families have lost touch …


Everyday Carry and the Musings of an Old Guy, for a Post-Apocalyptic World, by OldRonin

A big part of the prepper culture revolves around guns and gear. I must confess, I’m gun and gear poor! I can just about outfit an infantry squad as I write this! My bonafides are as follows: In my youth, I was an Army Airborne Ranger (Ranger class 9/78, assigned to the second Ranger Battalion, 2/75th). Currently, I am a more than 29 year serving police officer and soon to be retired. I’ve done patrol, investigations, FTO, supervision, and I was a SWAT guy at one time. I have also been a “use of force” instructor and have taught rifle, …


Two Letters Re: Wertz Family Farm

Good morning, I just thought I would be another to drop you a line and mention that you will not go wrong with Wertz Farm Market. I grew up with and actually lived with one of the sons through college. They are old school Christian Conservatives who work hard and serve the community all year round. I was truly astounded and beyond happy to see them get mentioned on your site. – AJM o o o Dear HJL & JWR, You posted on 1-26-17, a short item about Wertz family farm. I looked them up and decided to place an …


The New Dawn Approaches, by W.G

We have all seen the shows and read the countless articles on survival, prepping, et cetera. They all offer very valuable information one should retain. This day and age, we can turn on the news and view ethnic cleansing and genocide happening as we watch. Towns, families, cultures are under attack and being annihilated. It is safe to say we not only need to prepare for natural disasters but government-funded ones as well. We can stockpile weapons, ammo, food, water, et cetera, but all that is pointless unless you have the proper mindset. What is the proper mindset? Total contempt …


Letter Re: Bugging Out West of the Mississippi

Dear Editor: Regarding “Bugging Out West of the Mississippi”, I had never seen the need for the advice in this article, after all, we do have a GPS. But after an extremely challenging trip recently from the Great River Eastward to the coast, we got tangled up trying to get through Indianapolis. Before the return trip I planned the route similar to the advice in the article. I am now in the process of putting together 3-ring binders with detailed maps on how to get through any large metropolis that is between us and any long distance destination. Thanks C.L. …


Observations and Lessons from the Oroville Dam Evacuation

I felt obliged to pass on some observations and potential lessons on the developing problems at the Oroville Dam here in northern California. For those who may not have heard, the Oroville Dam has had some major structural issues with the spillways, resulting in mandatory evacuations for as many as 180,000 people. It is an earth fill embankment dam on the Feather River east of the city of Oroville, California, in the United States. At 770 feet (230 m) high, it is the tallest dam in the U.S. and serves mainly for water supply, hydroelectricity generation, and flood control. It …