Odds ‘n Sods:

More than 20 SurvivalBlog readers forwarded the link to a New York Times article on potential cyber attacks on the US power grid: Academic Paper in China Sets Off Alarms in U.S. Meanwhile, we read: Electricity disruptions a growing threat. (Thanks to Brian B. for the latter link.)    o o o Observations from the mainstream media on societal decline and collapse: In the Soviet suburbs of Hell and the blasted avenues of Mogadishu, I saw what our society could become.    o o o Smoky the Bear Big Brother: US Forest Service admits putting surveillance cameras on public lands. …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 27 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will include: First Prize: A.) 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 between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of …


Building Your Kits for Survival, by Jeff M.

There are many different ways to go about preparing for tomorrow. One method that has really worked out well for me so far is kit building. Kits focus your attention on one specific area at a time, and bring into focus the strengths and weaknesses in your planning. There is something of a natural progression to it; you can start small and work up to bigger and better as you develop the means and know how. This is intended as an overview of the concept; details for specific kit building can be found all all over the web. EDC (Every …


Letter Re: Vehicle Shutdown Via Remote Control–No Longer Just a Remote Possibility

Dear JWR: I hope that you are well. I thought that the following news report may be of interest to your blog. Not to get too “tinfoil-hat” here, but many of your readers may not appreciate the vulnerabilities their vehicles’ computers expose them to. See: Hacker Disables More Than 100 Cars Remotely. The article begins: “More than 100 drivers in Austin, Texas found their cars disabled or the horns honking out of control, after an intruder ran amok in a web-based vehicle-immobilization system normally used to get the attention of consumers delinquent in their auto payments.” In this case the …


Letter Re: Package Delivery OPSEC

Hi Jim, I am constantly making efforts to prepare for an uncertain future and I thought I was practicing good OPSEC. I do not discuss my efforts except with fellow preppers and my wife, I do not have anything outside my house that says “prepared”, and I generally stay low profile. One of my friends just decided to make a purchase of 50 food grade buckets with me so we could share the shipping charges. I was shocked when one of my neighbors just called me to say, “Scott: What the heck are you preparing for?” I raced home to …


Economics and Investing:

Veteran analyst Jim Rogers talks about the world’s financial woe: Another recession ahead. It was nice of him to use the more kind term for it. From Chad S.: Food prices push Indian inflation up to 9.9 percent Also from Chad: China’s Wen pushes back against yuan rise calls. This quote from the article doesn’t bode well: “We are very concerned about the lack of stability in the U.S. dollar. If I said I was worried last year, I must say I am still worried this year.” G.G. liked this commentary from Richard Daughty (aka The Mogambo Guru): US Economic …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Rufus sent us this: San Diego Searches For Ways To Deal With Hoarders. No, not the sort of” hoarders” we usually think of, but just leave it to the vagaries of government to someday soon misapply such laws to to people that prudently build up larders.    o o o Rourke sent us this YouTube music clip: Meet You At Menards – Original Apocalyptic Ukulele Song. Rourke described it as “So cheesy that it’s actually funny.”    o o o Rebellion in America heats up as fifth state exempts guns. We also read in The New York Times: States’ Rights …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 27 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will include: First Prize: A.) 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 between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of …


Survival Mindset: Being Ready for a Violent Encounter, by AK in Tulsa

Most of us who spend any time at all thinking about “Survival” or “Preparedness” have probably spent some of that time considering the subject of Self Defense. If you’ve spent enough time thinking about it, you’ve probably spent more than time on the subject. Like many of your survival-minded brothers and sisters, you’ve likely spent some of your hard earned dollars on a weapon or two. Perhaps you have a small arsenal at home. Owning a weapon may save your life but not if it’s not with you when you need it or if you’re not prepared to use it. …


Three Letters Re: Now You See It, Now You Don’t — The Value of Concealment

Mr. Rawles, I read Joe M.’s article with great interest. The contributors to your site always seem to have creative ideas. I have often thought of ways to conceal a passageway, escape route or just a safe / storage room. Here are four links to companies that offer hidden doors or panels. HiddenPassages.com HiddenPassageway.com Hide a Door Decoradoors.com Thanks again for all you do. – John G. James, Two very good books contain a wealth of hints on constructing and concealing hidden compartments and entrances, covering evidence of work you want to keep concealed, and devising ways to guard against …


Economics and Investing:

SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large Michael Z. Williamson sent us a link to an interesting graph on debt figures in the U.S.. Per capita debt almost $41,000 per person, and rising about $20 per day. Chad S. recommended this: How Can Anyone Claim that the Housing Crisis is Over When the Delinquency Rate on U.S. Mortgages Continues to Explode at an Exponential Rate? The latest Friday Follies installment: Regulators shut 7 banks in 5 states; 37 in 2010 Tod P. flagged an article from the Philippines, wherein the government pleads with its citizenry to spend their coins back into circulation, to …


Odds ‘n Sods:

There is “suspicion of wolves’ involvement in Ms. Berner’s death.” (Suspicion? I guess those enormous red paw prints the snow might have been a clue.)    o o o Man Spends Four Days Stuck in Car in Snowbank. (A Cadillac would not be my first choice for an off-pavement vehicle.)    o o o Thanks to Kevin S. for sending this link: Psychopaths’ Brains Wired to Seek Rewards, No Matter the Consequences. (Thankfully, only 1% of the population is psychopathic, and perhaps 4% is sociopathic. But taken together, that is around 15 million people in the United States. Got ammo?) …