The Secret Prepper, by M.D.L.

(Why I prep, and how I do so in a family that thinks I’m crazy.) In the summer of 1977 my mother dragged me to see my older brother’s Cub Scouts meeting.  I was closing in on my sixth birthday and she informed me in no uncertain terms that I would be joining.  My mother was one of the multitudes of single mom’s in my part of Brooklyn.  A neighborhood where at the time crime was high, money was tight, and involved dads were few.   The only place for many boys to find any kind of positive male role model …


Letter Re: Tattletale Alarm Systems

Dear Mr. Rawles, A young friend recommended “Patriots” to me a month ago and, since that time, I’ve consumed it’s two sequels and “How to Survive…”  I was pleased to see that I have followed most if not all of your recommendations without having known them – my endless frustration in life has been to never had an original thought.  In re-reading “Surviving…”, the lighting, alarm and camera chapters, I note that you reference motion detector operated lighting, Dakota Alert MURS systems and webcams but not an alarm system as such. Back in 2008, as moving day to The American …


Economics and Investing:

Steve Forbes: Fed Sinking Real Economy; Calls QEs “Titanics” European Union Likely To “Bail In” Large Depositors US Oil Production To Shock Global Energy Markets California government benefiting from rising property values. (With inflation, government always wins.) Items from The Economatrix: US Banks Buy Gold Futures In Dramatic Position Change Retail Sales Rise Unexpectedly


Odds ‘n Sods:

I suspect this will start a trend: Commissioners Declare Carroll a Sanctuary County for Second Amendment. It is great seeing this coming from a state like Maryland. Please contact your county commissioners and state legislators and urge them to do likewise, with this as model legislation.    o o o Some useful lessons here: Self-defense groups spring up in Mexico to battle Knights Templar drug cartel. (A hat tip to Peter S. for the link.)    o o o Sue C. sent: Sweden’s capital hit by worst riots in years. JWR’s Comment: Conspicuously absent in this coverage is the fact …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, [even] her, and the daughters of the famous nations, unto the nether parts of the earth, with them that go down into the pit. Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised. They shall fall in the midst of [them that are] slain by the sword: she is delivered to the sword: draw her and all her multitudes. The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are …


Notes from JWR:

JRH Enterprises is running a Memorial Day sale through June 1st on FLIR Scout Series thermal imagers. These are ideal for retreat security. The Scout PS24 FLIR is on sale for $1,850 and the FLIR PS32 Thermal camera which offers higher resolution and 2X magnification greatly increasing the range for $2,795. JRH also has on sale the DBAL-I2 Infrared and visible laser sighting system for use with your night vision device available. — Today we present another entry for Round 46 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day …


When Bugging Out is Not an Option: Hunkering Down with a Quadriplegic, by Steven in Alabama

I’ve always considered myself and my family extremely blessed.  I also am a firm believer that God expects you to make the most out of what you have.  God gave me a wonderful wife and 3 healthy, strong boys.  We are a hard working family who have always had goals and planned well for the future.  We even had a bug-out plan when not many other folks even talked about such things.  Our world took a drastic turn a little over a year ago when my oldest son was injured in a high school wrestling accident.  In the blink of …


Letter Re: Checking Your Handguns for Feeding Problems: Round Nose Versus Hollow Points

Sir, For those with hollowpoint feeding problems with their pistols, I’d like to recommend the Dremel 516 Abrasive Point, which is bullet-shaped. Here is manufacturer’s description: “Abrasive point, bullet shaped constructed of compressed non-woven nylon fibers that have been impregnated with aluminum oxide abrasive grains. These abrasive points are great for finishing work and light deburring.”   I find it works well by polishing the feed ramp to a mirror finish as well as lightly rounding the sharp edges of the chamber end of a new barrel.  I stumbled upon this solution when I received one of the first batch …


Economics and Investing:

We saw this coming: Global Market Rout Spreads Reader Denise in Florida spotted this: Ceiling suspended: US takes on $300 billion in new debt after hitting $16.7 trillion. The article begins: “America’s ticking debt bomb has been reset. Washington has suspended the debt ceiling, setting a date, and not a concrete dollar sum as a deadline, an unprecedented first in US history.” Fed’s Dudley: Will Take 3 to 4 Months to Decide on Tapering. JWR’s Comment: In my estimation The Fed, Treasury, and their derivatives trading clients are now so addicted to QE that they will utterly destroy the Dollar …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader F.G. sent us links to a curious disparity: Scientists say united on global warming, at odds with public view: “(Reuters) – Ninety-seven percent of scientists say global warming is mainly man-made but a wide public belief that experts are divided is making it harder to gain support for policies to curb climate change, an international study showed on Thursday.” But then we also read: Peer-Reviewed Survey Finds Majority Of Scientists Skeptical Of Global Warming Crisis. “Only 36 percent of geoscientists and engineers believe that humans are creating a global warming crisis, according to a survey reported in the peer-reviewed …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The American people expect the Internal Revenue Service to violate them fairly and impartially, that one taxpayer not be garroted while another is but lightly strangled, that ‘service’ be understood in the veterinary sense rather than the mortician’s. The compact has been breeched. The nation pauses.” – Ol’ Remus, The Woodpile Report


Notes from JWR:

140 years ago today, on May 23 1873, the North West Mounted Police, the progenitor of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), was established. They are still a great group of lawmen, for the most part. — Today we present another entry for Round 46 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The 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 …


Survival Spearfishing, by Daniel B.

Most people have been fishing at some point in their life and in the event of TEOTWAWKI many people will include this basic survival skill in their portfolio of hunting and gathering activities.  Since the majority of the world lives along coastlines, fishing for survival might become fairly competitive and with so many lines in the water you’ll be better off jumping in and hunting your fish the way God intended.  After all, why else would humans be given the mammalian diving reflex, the set adaptations which occur as soon as your face touches the water that maximize your oxygen …


Letter Re: Map Divides U.S. Based on Flow of Cash Transactions

James, On the 22nd of May you linked an article titled “Map divides U.S. based on flow of cash transactions.” It is interesting to note, though not exactly that the borders somewhat resemble the map of Federal Reserve district bank territories. Naturally this should not be a surprise but certainly interesting to see how effective they are at controlling cash. – Dave in Florida


Economics and Investing:

Ammo shortage continues across U.S. At Barron’s: This Time, Gold Bugs May Have a Point “Scrutinize those Tea Party types? I’ll get right on it, sir!”. (And now she is pleading the Fifth Amendment.) Fierce Finance reports: Delays at all levels in mortgage settlements More mindless blathering over at Rachel Maddow’s site: Deficit reduction picks up speed. Gosh, could part of this “great success” be due to the fact that they’ve more than doubled the money supply by creating money out of thin air with Quantitative Easing in the past three years? To extend this logic, if they just magically …