The Exposed Backbone: The Risk of Cyber Attack by LockedGate

Computers are the exposed backbone of America’s infrastructure. They are new technology with big holes that is under attack from very skilled and motivated people who mean our country harm.  Yet, we trust them to provide almost every service our modern life requires. I’ve spent the last 13 years as a computer security expert for a large telecom, and I would like to convince you that today your family’s ability to survive is dependent on fragile and over-trusted systems. Preppers have historically had distrust for computing technology. Y2K was a real risk, but since it seemed to be overblown, a catastrophic computer-centric risk has fallen off …


How to Get the Most from Your Appleseed Experience by Louie in Ohio

Introductory Note: I am not an employee of RWVA, Appleseed Project or any company I might mention in this article. I am however a volunteer Instructor in Training for Appleseed. I receive no remuneration for my service. My introduction to the Appleseed Project was different, than for most SurvivalBlog .com readers. I have had an avid interest in firearms from the time my uncle came to live with us during my high school years. Uncle Dick had several rifles, shotguns and pistols (of which I have since inherited). My first after school job was at a hardware store that just …


Letter Re: Swiss Surplus Field Telephones

Sir, I want to pass along a recommendation for field telephones. Coleman’s Military Surplus is selling Swiss army surplus field telephones (made by Ericsson) for $19.95 plus shipping. I have purchased some of these and have good luck with them. They use a crank for ringing the bells and “D” cell batteries for voice transmission. They can also be hooked up in a common battery / switchboard set up if a person is lucky enough to have one. – Matthew in Kansas City, Missouri


Letter Re: Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants

Sir, No one should ever plant Japanese Knotweed, even for survival purposes.  The stuff is so aggressive that it can tear a house off its foundation in a matter of months.  I’ve read of at least one case in England that required the top ten feet of soil be dug out and hauled away to keep it from sprouting again.  If your readers find this invader someplace and can eat it, wonderful.  But  I pray they don’t make the mistake of thinking this would be a great addition to their survival garden. – Kathryn D.


Economics and Investing:

Only Chuck Schumer could dream up legislation so repugnant: Schumer Introduces Ex-PATRIOT Act: Will Banish Those Who Renounce US Citizenship. Greg P. sent this news from Europe: The Next Money: As the Big Economies Falter, Micro-Currencies Rise Matt C. sent us this: JPMorgan Fiasco Means Higher Interest Rates Ahead JPMorgan, a counterparty to itself Over at Alt-Market: How The U.S. Dollar Will Be Replaced Items from The Economatrix: The Curious Calculus of the US Employment Numbers April Retail Sales Hint at Slower Spending Pace Here’s How the Whole Eurozone Could Unravel in Just a Few Months Oil Price Still Falling …


Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog reader D. in Colorado has kindly reformatted Dr. Koelker’s OTC medication information to fit on three cards. Have this PDF printed double-sided on card stock and laminated, then cut them out and put in your medications bag or kit.    o o o David S. sent this useful map of U.S. military installations. JWR Notes: There are only a few military targets in the American Redoubt. But note that the star designating the location Malmstrom, Air Force Base (AFB) in Montana doesn’t tell the whole story. They actually have missile silos scattered through nine counties in central Montana. Ditto …



Note From JWR:

Today we present two more entries for Round 40 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, 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.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for …


Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants, by Slim

Our hunter-gatherer ancestors survived for generations by gathering the food that nature provided. Some of those plants contain natural remedies to many common problems, and in fact are where many modern pharmaceuticals come from.  In this article we will be discussing various edible plants mostly found in the north east United States, as well as a few others. Provisos: Before getting started you should be warned that some plants can be highly toxic. We will cover some common look-a-likes, but you should never eat a plant unless you are one hundred percent sure of what you’re eating. Wild poisonous plants often resemble non-poisonous …


A Concentric Circle Preparedness Plan, by Second Hand Lion

As a professional project manager for a large international corporation, my position requires me to mitigate the risks of unknown variables that can alter the success of large and small projects. Donald Rumsfeld quote that ‘we don’t know what we don’t know” comes to mind. It is my job to insulate our company from cost overruns, time delays, or catastrophic project failure by identifying those variables and reducing their impact. These principles of project management applied to small personal events to those effecting us globally has led me to recognize some concerning trends in the preparedness community. My observations have …


Two Letters Re: Cycling into TEOTWAWKI

Good Morning Jim, I would like to add my wholehearted support to the article “Cycling into TEOTWAWKI” by Mine T. I have been an enthusiastic Cyclist for many years, and consider a well set up bicycle to be an excellent option for bugging out, when staying where you are is not an option. I also believe a bicycle will give urban preppers a considerable advantage to those attempting to get out of dodge on foot, or even by four wheeled vehicle. A bicycle can go just about anywhere, so the option of riding out of a city along footpaths, railway …


Economics and Investing:

Those #&%*#^@ derivatives! JPMorgan exec disregarded warnings on portfolio risk MC in Florida suggested this Zero Hedge article: Japanese Pension Fund Switches to Gold for the First Time Ever B.B. sent this: U.S. has Two to Five Years Before Financial Meltdown. Items from The Economatrix: Bank Runs Hit Greece. (Another news article quotes Greek President Karolos Papoulias: “[Greek Central Bank chairman] Provopoulos told me that of course there’s no panic but there’s great fear which can evolve into panic.”) As Europe’s Economic Outlook Darkens, US Risks Grow Oil Drops a Fourth Day on Rising U.S. Supplies, Greek Elections S&P in …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Yet another preparedness conference has been announced. These have been popping up like mushrooms this year. This one is near Portland, in Oregon City, Oregon. (That fun cliff-dwelling city with an elevator that connects its two levels.) PREPARE 2012 will be held at the Oregon City Pool Conference Center, 1211 Jackson Street, on Saturday, June 23, 2012, from 6-to-8 in the evening. The organizer of the event is Scott McSorley of Cascadia Preparedness Disaster Consulting.    o o o The Poster Boy for Bad OPSEC: Preppers do their best to be ready for the worst    o o o K.A.F. …



Note From JWR:

Today we present two more entries for Round 40 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, 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.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for …