Earthquake and Power Out Experience in the Philippines- Part 2, by S.B.

A Good Neighbor We charged the neighbor’s cell phones. So at that point, they let us run the generator all night! The generator ran from 6pm to 6am and then ran out of gas. It used 25 liters of gasoline. So here that equates to about $20 a day for gas. If it runs for a month, it will be expensive; $20 times 30 equals $600 per month. Ouch! At this point I tried to shut generator off before it ran out of gas. I was afraid the voltage will vary a lot when it does last couple revolutions before …


Letter: Thank You from Texas

HJL, Thank you SurvivalBlog for all that you do.The things I have learned from this blog the last few years has been very helpful with helping me and my family make it through the Harvey Disaster down here in Houston.Even though my preps are not at the level I would like them to be at , the things we did have (God, clean drinking water,food,personal protection and fuel) were enough to give me and my family comfort that we would of make it through. I’m very thankful that my home was high and dry and we received no damage to …


Earthquake and Power Out Experience in the Philippines- Part 1, by S.B.

This was my experience with a mild earthquake and a power outage in the Philippines. Amazingly nothing was damaged by the quake. I expected some things to tip over. Latest reports say it was a 6.5 quake. The epicenter was about 15 miles away. It was stronger than other quakes I have experienced here in the past eight years. Also, immediately after the main quake, there was a long slow side to side rocking motion for several seconds. I never felt that before. We also had 10 or more aftershocks. A local man who is about 50 said it was …


Guest Post: A Discussion on “Bugging Out”, by Max Alexander

Let’s have a discussion today about “bugging out”. This is in fact a huge topic and often discussed across the prepper-sphere. There are many aspects to this and a detailed discussion, including the debate about “to stay or to go” is written up in “Contact! A Tactical Manual for Post Collapse Survival. The issues, pros, cons, and mistakes around this are further illustrated in the collapse-novel Patriot Dawn: The Resistance Rises. Foolhardy Bugging Out On Foot Given the breadth of the topic, my plan today is to focus on the idea of bugging out on foot with a “never coming …


A Response to Going Analog, by M.G.

Selectric Typewriter Security Issues Back in the 1970s IBM was required by at least one of its customers to make some options available for Selectric typewriters because they discovered the Selectric design was susceptible to electronic eavesdropping that could determine what the typewriter was printing. As it turns out, mid-’70s electronics were capable of detecting not only the unique electronic signature of individual typewriter motors but also measuring the load incurred by that motor during character selection from the main power feed outside the building. So, it’s possible that even using a mechanical electric typewriter for written communications may not …


Letter Re: Search Engine Privacy and Security

Good day Sir, I want to reference to a topic which could prove of great importance. A situation where the loss of personal liberty and freedom occurs. There are some that believe that we are in that situation currently. I browse the Internet for news and factual information, much like earlier times when a person would pick up a newspaper. I have in the past used “Google” as my primary “Search Engine”. To my understanding and experience, my search results are cataloged and referenced. When I do searches through “Google”, I am bombarded by advertisements that seemingly reference my previous …


Radiation Issues In Nuclear Blasts- Part 2, by Dr. Bones of doomandbloom.net

This is the second part of this article on radiation issues in nuclear blasts. We’ve defined radiation and various types of bombs as well as radiation’s effects on living things. Today, we’ll look at what we can do to prepare for radiation exposure, treat its effects, and more. Radiation Sickness The medical effects of exposure are collectively known as “radiation sickness” or “Acute Radiation Syndrome”. A certain amount of radiation exposure is tolerable over time, but your goal should be to shelter your group as much as possible. Terms For Measuring Quantities of Radiation To accomplish this goal, we should …


Radiation Issues In Nuclear Blasts- Part 1, by Dr. Bones of doomandbloom.net

Although many don’t view a nuclear event as a likely disaster scenario, it’s important to learn about all the possible issues that may impact your family in uncertain times. Given the instability in the Korean Peninsula and elsewhere, the issue of nuclear blasts and the radiation they emit is a timely subject. Understanding the Definition of Radiation The quick definition of radiation is energy given off by unstable matter in the form of rays or high-speed particles. The following is some basic chemistry paraphrased from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC): All matter, including you, is composed of atoms. …


Recipe of the Week: Yeast, by Mama B

This recipe is not mine, but I thought it would be of interest to your readers especially in a time when yeast is not readily available. Ingredients: 1 ounce hops (seed hops are available online) 8 ounces flour 4 ounces white sugar 1 quart potatoes, mashed 3 ounces salt 3 quarts cold water Directions: Simmer the hops and water together until the water is reduced to 2 quarts and 1 pint. Strain and divide the liquor, placing one half in a vessel with the flour, sugar and salt, and half in another vessel containing the mashed potatoes. Heat each portion twenty …


Survival To Go, Revisited- Part 4, by JMD

We have revisited my survival supplies carried on the go in travel, by airplane or otherwise. It’s been an extensive list. Now, let’s look at how we might use these in a survival scenario. Survival Scenario So let’s take a look at how this kit can support you in a potential travel survival scenario. Let’s say you’re traveling on business in New York City when the power goes out. You pull out your radio and start scanning to figure out what’s going on. You hear bits and pieces on various Ham, CB, and radio channels. Suddenly, you realize that a …


Letter: Questionable Ammo in Storage

HJL, Just a quick heads up. As most like minded folks I’ve been storing food and ammo for some time now. Lately .22 ammo has been more readily available so my son and I decided to do a little plinking with our pistols. We each had two mags with our pistols that have been loaded for some time. When we started to shoot 16 of the 20 rounds didn’t discharge. After a bit we reloaded with some ammo that had been sealed and stored and had no problems. The ammo in question wasn’t cheap quality, but rather decent grade. I’m …


Survival To Go, Revisited- Part 3, by JMD

Today, we are continuing with the revised list of items to carry for survival when traveling, carrying a pack on a flight or otherwise. We are in the midst of going through the content of the main zippered backpack compartment. We’ve covered solar panels, light shelter, lighting, clothing, water, food/energy, and now we’re moving on down the list. Main Zippered Backpack Compartment (continued) “Repair” pouch (because something always breaks when you’re traveling): Assorted sizes of zip ties, including reusable ones, twist-tied together. 8′ of regular paracord 6′ of steel wire 20’ of 400lb Kevlar line 20′ of 1″ Gorilla tape, …


Survival To Go, Revisited- Part 2, by JMD

We are revisiting what I carry when I travel for comfort and survival. We are looking through my items, as they are organized by their location in my pack, which is a 28 liter Red Rock Outdoor Gear Assault Pack. We’ve gone through part of the pack. Let’s continue on, looking next at the pocket that considers our airport security requirements. Top Front Pocket Pouch- Ready to Remove At Airport Security The next pocket is the small top front pocket (the one with the American flag patch in the picture). This holds things that I’ll need to pull out and …


Survival To Go, Revisited- Part 1, by JMD

Several years ago, I was fortunate to be able to share my experiences and recommendations on being prepared while traveling on SurvivalBlog (Survival To Go Part 1 and Part 2). However, as most of us know, being prepared is never a “one and done” situation. You have to constantly reassess the threats and risks you face. Adjust your preparations, approaches, and skills to stay aligned with your current situation. The goal of this article is to share how my approach to travel preparedness has adapted in the last three years. I based my approach  on how my personal situation and …


Letter Re: Batteries and Chargers

HJL, If rechargeable batteries aren’t charged regularly then they are useless during emergency. I keep about 2-3 dozens of AA and AAA in a battery organizer and rotate them. To rotate them, I use battery powered LED strips in bathrooms and in closets. I do that to save energy and to practice blackout situation. For gadgets that run on C or D cells, I use a 2 AA converter case. I have them on my 3D maglite and Coleman lantern and they work great. For chargers, I use Nitecore brand that has different charging current and 12V car adapter. I try …