Odds ‘n Sods:

Obama to Give Wind Farms 30-Year Pass on Eagle Deaths. (The number of bird kills associated with wind turbine farms, exceeds 570,000 annually.)    o o o A conspiracy so vast — the FBI, your local police are also spying on US citizens By Judge Andrew P. Napolitano. (Thanks to Tim J. for the link.)    o o o And on a similar note: The NSA Mindmeister Web of (your) Data    o o o And one more: How the NSA infers relationships based on mobile location data (Thanks to T.A. for the link.)    o o o Pierre M. …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth …


Notes from JWR:

December 14th is the birthday of the late John Warren Wadleigh. (Born 1927, died September 24, 2013.) Wadleigh was better known to many SurvivalBlog readers by his pen name, Oliver Lange. He was the author of the best-selling resistance warfare novel Vandenberg. He reportedly authored 55 novels, but only 13 of them were published. This is also the birthday of Air Force General James H. “Jimmy” Doolittle. (Born 1896, died September 27, 1993.) — Today we present a guest article…


A Beginner’s Guide to Essential Oils, by C.D.H.

I have recently been introduced to Essential Oils and I am by no means an expert, but I believe they definitely have a place in the prepper’s medical bag. They are a pure, all-natural alternative to many types of medications and ointments without the side effects of chemicals. Essential oils are extracted from certain varieties of trees, shrubs, herbs, and flowers. The oil is concentrated in different parts of the plant. The most common way of extracting oil is through steam distillation. It takes thousands of rose petals to make one small bottle of rose oil! Most essential oils are …


Letter Re: Soft Body Armor and Blunt Trauma

JWR, I am a fan of Infidel Body Armor, and appreciated the recent review by Pat:  Pat’s Product Review – Infidel Body Armor Goes Soft.  As a member of the LE community, I always wear [Level]  IIIA soft armor on duty, and while it will stop some rifle rounds, a piece of ceramic or steel armor is definitely better as it spreads the impact over a larger area.  My reason for writing is to familiarize your readers with an aspect of all soft body armor that carries NIJ ballistic ratings.  It is very important to note that the ratings allow …


Economics and Investing:

Five Bullish Indicators That Will Drive Silver Prices Higher Andre recommended this photo collection: Modern Ruins of Abandoned Detroit. (Quite sobering, and hopefully not a preview of the demise of America’s other large cities.) Items from The Economatrix: Another Government Shutdown In Sight? Five Trends Beneath The Surface In Nov. Jobs Report Depreciating Cars And Expensive Diplomas Fueled By Easy Debt: 95 Percent Of Consumer Debt Growth In Past 12 Months From Cars And Student Loans


Odds ‘n Sods:

Many blog readers will recognize this locale from my novel Survivors: Farmington Police Department buys armored military fighting vehicle . (Thanks to B.B. for the link.)    o o o J.B.G. sent: Imagine America Without Los Angeles’: Expert Warns Southern California Isn’t Ready For Major Quake    o o o Bob G. suggested a video by Josie The Outlaw: Why Good People Should Be Armed    o o o The first edition of the  Auxiliary Communications Field Operations Guide (AUXFOG) has been released.  It is available as a PDF on the OEC web site. No printed copies are planned. The …



Notes from JWR:

Notes from JWR: Please pray for Mat Stein (our Backcountry Editor) and his wife Josie. She is nearing death, with cancer. Heaven awaits her. — Today is the birthday of Sergeant Alvin York. — Last day! Ready Made Resources is running a pre-Christmas sale on Mountain House foods until midnight tonight (December 13, 2013) with 25% to 42% off, free shipping, and on request they are willing to mix and match varieties in six-can cases with the varieties that they have on hand. — Today we present another entry for Round 50 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $9,400+ …


A Winter Storm After Action Report, by Emily in North Texas

The ice storm that hit north Texas this past Thursday was forecast at least four days in advance, if not longer, but when it hit  apparently just about everyone was taken by surprise.  Drivers on I-35 north of Denton were stuck for so long they eventually abandoned their cars and sought refuge in local churches.  There was talk of sending in the National Guard to rescue them before that.  These people had days of advance warning about the weather but chose to drive anyway.  (Many of them apparently on their way to a rap concert in Dallas.)  Imagine the conditions …


Economics and Investing:

James W. recommended this market analysis: Five Charts: The Real Story Behind Silver If you’ve ever wondered which charities are top-heavy, R.B.S. recommended this site: Charity Navigator. BTW, I was pleased to see that Compassion International (one of my favorite charities) was so highly rated. Items from The Economatrix: Billionaire Eric Sprott – The End Game Is Absolutely Horrifying Chart Of The Day: US Labor Force Declines By 25,000 In Past Year Despite 2.4 Million Rise In Employable Americans Washington Is Standing In The Way Of US Recovery


Odds ‘n Sods:

PrepperPress.com has just published R.P. Ruggiero’s sequel to his novel Brushfire Plague. This is the second book in a planned three part series, and it brings the total prize package they’re giving the Second Prize winner of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest to 25 books. The latest novel is Brushfire Plague: Reckoning.    o o o The FBI can secretly activate a computer’s webcam to spy on an individual without turning on the indicator light, a former official revealed to the Washington Post.    o o o Todd Savage with Survival Retreat Consulting has recently completed an evaluation on a …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 50 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $9,400+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) 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 $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) …


Bug Out: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly–You Can Arrive Alive, by Semper Paro

I.  Introduction – Possible Scenarios.   Your automobile becomes inoperable for a period of time while traveling – it is extremely hot or extremely cold and hours to wait. A natural disaster occurs and you have to evacuate. Chaos occurs due to financial collapse or other major event causing civil unrest. An Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) or Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) caused by solar flare(s) renders your vehicle dead miles from home. Or, an EMP occurs as a result of a nuclear strike (with collateral fall-out to follow). Use your imagination…in reality, nothing is too far fetched. While these are listed in …