Letter Re: Situational Awareness and Profiling

JWR & Group, I have more of a question than a comment. I believe myself to be very situationally aware. I make conscience efforts to practice this necessary skill by watching people and thinking through what I see. I consider situational awareness to be both in your immediate environment and the extending. If a new neighbor moves in down the street that is part of my awareness. If my 90 year old neighbor doesn’t take out her trash I notice. These are the subtle changes to my environment that I track. When I am at the mall and I notice …


March in Precious Metals by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover the price action of gold and examine the “what” and “why” behind those numbers. What Did Gold Do in March? Gold had a bit of a roller coaster ride in March. Prices surged after the Fed did not raise benchmark interest rates at its March 16th policy meeting. Later in the month, a series of very hawkish speeches by five Federal Reserve regional presidents pushed gold down from its …


Letter Re: Solar Power

Hugh: It seems straightforward to accumulate the beans, bullets, and band aids, and this site has been a tremendous help. However, solar power seems formidable. Every article I read quickly devolves into talk of how to wire and link things, amps, voltage, et cetera. I am an older professional woman with no mechanical expertise, but I do know that electricity can be dangerous, and I hesitate to do these things myself. It would be a tremendous help if someone could write an article listing simple plug-and-play systems that could be purchased from reputable companies. If they could do it by …


No Way!- Part 1, by J.P.

This is a letter to my fellow Americans. My heart is to help Americans see that which is coming. Okay, take a breath, slow down for a moment, open your eyes, and take a good look. What do you see, what do you hear, and then what do you feel? Something isn’t right. What happened to safe streets, children playing outside alone, and walking downtown to the movies on Saturday afternoon. Why are all of the house doors locked all of the time. Where did our America go? English, who speaks that language? When are we saying the Pledge of …


Letter Re: Prepper Auctions

HJL, In my 26 years as an auctioneer I have conducted over five of these type auctions. Three were defaulted storage auctions. Normally, we don’t know what we have until the door is opened. The first one that I remember was around 1993. It was a 10 X 20 unit. In it were three crossbows, boxes of climbing gear for mountain climbing (crampons, pitons, ropes, and harnesses), first aid kits with blood expander, packs and pack frames, firearms, various brands of dehydrated food, small cook stoves, and so forth. The next one I remember was a 5 X 10 heated …


Thinking About Fitness and BOB, by S.B.

I like being prepared for whatever comes my way. That doesn’t mean I know what’s coming, but simply that I’m as well prepared as possible to deal with situations that may arise. In so doing, I pay close attention to my surroundings, whether they are immediate, in the micro sense, or globally in the broader sense. I consider this critical to preparedness and the ability to act when needed. Paying attention to myself is equally critical. Having the mental capacity to assess the situation and devise a plan is one thing. Having the physical ability to carry it out is …



Lessons Learned at a Prepper Auction, by LCA in WNY

Last weekend, my spouse and I attended a very interesting auction. The auction was advertised as “Apocalypse Prepper Estate Auction.” It listed a large gun collection, large quantity of ammo, tools, household items, and four vehicles. The advertisement caught my eye, so off we went. We arrived in time to preview some of the items. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I stood there thinking it seemed as if he had used SurvivalBlog.com as a checklist. He had purchased every item ever mentioned in this blog. Then, I had to chuckle as I spotted a table with a dozen …


Letter Re: Cashless Society

Dear Editor, The move to a cashless society appears to be on track, but some will resist the final withdrawal of paper and coin money from circulation… unless they have a compelling reason to voluntarily give it up. I’ve thought for years that the only thing needed to cause people to shun cash is a report of a pathogen that rides from person to person on cash. All we need is a report from the CDC, which doesn’t even have to be true, that they are investigating some cases of hepatitis infection where cash was the vector. The cashless infrastructure …


Readers’ Recommendations of the Week:

Reader M.C. suggested Wanat: Combat Action in Afghanistan by the US Army Combat Studies Institute. “This really is a book loaded with information that every soldier or citizen soldier should embrace. The ‘lessons learned’ commentary is worth much more than the price of the book.” o o o Most people have seen the movie The Eagle Has Landed. But I highly recommend you actually read The book by Jack Higgins. Follow that up with the aftermath, The Eagle Has Flown. I so wish both would be remade into films. Unlike British claims, German troops did land on their soil. Luckily …


You Can Tune A Piano, But You Can’t Tuna Fish, by K.Y.

Consider the aftermath of a societal breakdown, not only in terms of survival but in the quality of life issues that make surviving worthwhile. Most likely, the arts and entertainment aspects of a post-breakdown world will be radically changed– no more television, movies, large-scale concerts, or computer-generated games. We will default to a simpler era, where folks made their own entertainment and personal interaction defined the process of a meaningful life. And in a hard-scrabble existence– after the farming, hunting, homesteading, defending, procuring the basics of life-after-disaster– there will eventually need to be something more. There will need to be …


Letter Re: Prepaid Phones

HJL, Yes, criminals use prepaid phones, but patriots do too. I have been using a monthly, no contract, prepaid phone for over 15 years. Why? Because I do not like contracts, hidden fees, data charges, et cetera. I use Virgin Mobile. For $35 a month, I get unlimited calls, messaging, and Internet. There are no hidden fees or surprise charges, and I do not have to surrender my personal information or SSN. I like having to NOT give up my personal information every chance I get. So, understand, it’s not just criminals who use these phones; it’s also the poor …


Recipe of the Week: Smoky Brisket

Ingredients: 3 to 4 lbs. lean beef 1 Tbsp smoke-flavored salt 2 medium onions, sliced 1 tsp celery seed 1 Tbsp mustard seed ½ tsp pepper 1 (12 oz) bottle chili sauce Directions: Sprinkle both sides of meat with smoke-flavored salt. Arrange onion slices in bottom of slow-cooking pot. Top with meat. Combine celery seed, mustard seed, pepper, and chili sauce. Pour over meat. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours, or until tender. Makes 8 to 10 servings. o o o Useful Recipe and Cooking Links: Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of …


Letter Re: Sharp Shooter 22LR Reloader

Dear Sir, I have to throw my two cents in the ring on the 22LR reloader. Actually, there is a very good and available alternative. I love the 22LR. So, when the shortage of ammo hit, I searched for and found the near perfect solution! Voila’! It’s the .22 Hornet. This centerfire cartridge can be loaded for same velocities as 22 Long Rifle, 22 Magnum, or simply 22 Hornet +. It can be souped up just a little and come close to the .223! The rifles are available in single shot or bolt action by several manufacturers. So, in essence, …


Letter Re: Advice on Learning Morse Code

Hugh, Learning the Morse code is not particularly difficult, but there are several common pitfalls that typically interfere with the learning process. The best advice I have for learning the Morse code is to get together with someone who is proficient with the code and work one on one with that person. This way, you can avoid developing bad habits that you will have to unlearn later. If such a person is not available, then learning the code becomes a bit more difficult. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the Morse code is an aural language. …