“Hoplophobia is a mental disturbance characterized by irrational aversion to weapons, as opposed to justified apprehension about those who may wield them.” – The Late Col. Jeff Cooper, To Ride, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth
Today we present another entry for Round 20 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The contest prizes include: First Prize: The writer of the best contributed article will be awarded two transferable Front Sight “Gray” Four Day Training Course Certificates. This is an up to $4,000 value! Second Prize: A three day course certificate from OnPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. Third Prize: A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing Round 20 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. …
I would like to address a concept that is a common thread in our discussions and our thoughts as people who emphasize characteristics that strengthen our individual freedoms while trying to ensure our families’ safe pursuit of life, liberty and happiness. It’s the concept of the weakest link; and as I recently discovered, it has a nasty habit of exposing itself at the most inopportune times. Most of you know of which I speak. Every system, every group, every method boasts the greatness of its strength only to the degree that its weakest part can sustain a force great enough …
Jim: Contrary to your apparent slew of letters, I thought that the Gray Man article article made a lot of sense. Come the time that the government actually moves against [gun owners] to that extent, we can be picked off one by one, leaving a lot of widows and orphans, or we can survive and live. A dead patriot does no one any good. The “Gray Man” theory is thoroughly fleshed out in a book by Jefferson Mack, entitled “Invisible Resistance to Tyranny.” I was deeply affected by this book, and encourage others to read it. For the record, I …
Eric. L. suggested watching this interview with John Williams of ShadowStats. o o o Jim Sinclair mentioned this Daily Mail article in his e-newsletter: Revealed: Day the banks were just three hours from collapse. Ben H. forwarded this very disturbing article: Bernanke Risks “Very Unstable” Markets as He Weighs Buying Bonds. Trent sent us this: Nationalization of U.S. banks gets a new, serious look (From the International Herald Tribune). And then Cheryl forwarded all these bits of news and commentary, starting with a link that was also sent by more than a dozen readers: Iceland’s Government Collapse Amid Financial …
“No man survives when freedom fails, The best men rot in filthy jails, And those who cry ‘appease, appease’ Are hanged by those they tried to please.” – Hiram Mann
The current high bid in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is at $1,010. This auction is for a large mixed lot, which includes:: 1.) A “be ready to barter” box of 36 full-capacity gun magazines, from my personal collection in JASBORR. This box includes: 12 – Used original Bundeswehr contract HK91 (G3) steel 20 round magazines, 6 – Used original Austrian FN-FAL steel 20 round magazines, with cartridge counter holes, 10 – Used AR-15/M16 USGI (all Colt made!) alloy 20 round magazines, 6 – Excellent condition original Glock Model 19 9mm 15 round pistol magazines (early type, with “U” notch), and …
The following are few random observation on current events: 1. Economic News 1A. The recent turn for the worse for Great Britain’s economy has sent shock waves around the globe. I expect this bad news continue, and intensify in the months to come, especially once the full implications of the Credit Default Swap (CDS) derivatives fiasco become known. 1B. It is interesting to see that the COMEX spot silver and spot gold markets are breaking out of their doldrums. Apparently, the big investors have come to realize that there are simultaneous credit market-spawned economic problems in North America, Europe and …
Dear Mr. Rawles, I’m a long-time lurker of SurvivalBlog, but thought I’d pass on some links of interest. For the record, I’ve read your novel [“Patriots“], and I am coming from a “Peaknik” viewpoint. But still have my original copy of “Life After Doomsday“. Currently I’m living in Finland, which has its pros and cons. “Russian bombers over your home” is not a theoretical concept to Finns and they don’t grow enough food for themselves [for a self-sufficient economy.]. A Nordic socialist government with high taxes and cost of living might not be of interest to many SurvivalBlog readers, but …
Last Monday night I was seized by eight guys, handcuffed and locked in the trunk of a car. Now I don’t know if you’ve ever been locked in the trunk of a car, but it’s not exactly how most folks want to spend an hour! Luckily this was part of OnPoint Tactical’s Urban Escape and Evasion class and I wasn’t actually getting “rolled up.” Earlier in the day we had spent a considerable amount of time learning how to free ourselves from handcuffs, flexicuff [plastic cable tie cuff]s, duct tape, rope and various other implements that impede personal freedom. We …
Jim Hello! Some time ago, I read a post on SurvivalBlog about the HESCO bastions. Very interesting. I follow another blog here [in Brazil] , and one of the bloggers tell me about the huge fertilizer bags that he uses at his farm. (It is a [large scale] soy bean farm). Each bag is of one of one ton capacity. And he tells me that this bags are thrown away after use. Well, I think it´s a good source of almost free HESCO bastion equivalents. – The Werewolf (SurvivalBlog’s correspondent in Brazil)
Reader Benjamin H. wanted to remind folks that there are two types of deflation, and to that end he sent us a link to a great piece over ar iTulip: Debt Deflation versus Goods Price Deflation. o o o Pete in New Hampshire sent this news that will be of interest to diabetics: Lifescan is giving away their new One Touch Ultra Slim [blood glucose] meters. Pete writes: ” People can always use a back up meter, and free ones are even better. Of course they will need acquire the test strips to go along with it.ia o …
“Americans who are in the bottom 10th of income distribution live better today than kings lived in 1800. They have better health care, cheaper entertainment, cheaper books, longer life expectancy, air conditioning, central heating, and much more. This has come as a result of the private property system, the future-orientation of a broad mass of savers, and the willingness of entrepreneurs to invest their time and money to meet the wants of consumers in the future.” – Dr. Gary North
Jim: I’m a SurvivalBlog reader in Australia. I want to describe the current situation for Australian gun owners, but first a bit of background information is needed to compare then and now: I grew up in Australia in the 1960s. My parents came here in the 1950s from a war torn Europe to have a better life here in a climate away from the cold and starving masses in Europe after the war, the so called “gun culture” in Australia was very free then, you could go on public transport with a 22 rifle tucked under your arm after a …
Jim: My mainstream friends feel sorry for me. According to them, I live in a world of fear rather than hope. What they don’t understand is that I enjoy the preparedness lifestyle. While they are out shopping for shoes and designer jackets, I’m buying fruit and nut trees and learning how to graft and manage an orchard. While they are at home watching millionaire athletes compete on television, I’m doing 100 reps up and down my stairs with kettle weights building my stamina. While they are watching a movie, I’m learning how to fix my car, weld, set up a …