Times Are Getting Tougher, But Women Can Thrive and Not Just Survive!, by Sarah Latimer

There are hundreds of thousands of women among the SurvivalBlog reader community and their households, and most of us are feeling stressed beyond what has been “normal”. If you’ve been reading SurvivalBlog and watching the news for anytime at all, like me, you’re probably concerned on a macro level about the blatant disrespect of human life, the trampling of our liberty and privacy, the moral decline of society in general and in what the children in schools are being taught, the economic crises around the world, the pressure pot of international conflict on multiple fronts, and more. Then, on a …




Red List, Blue List, Black List, You List

There has been a lot of conjecture in the past 40 years in patriot circles about the existence of government “round up lists”. Large-scale disaster and war planning exercises, like REX-84 (Readiness Exercise-1984) and Jade Helm 2015, have stimulated endless discourse about whether or not the government maintains a so-called “red list” and “blue list” of people that they deem to be dissidents who they might target for harassment, travel restrictions, or even detention without due process of law. Because any such lists would presumably be developed and updated under the wraps of a security classification and the Need To …




Prayer Requests: America’s Latest Inversions of Justice

Like many other Americans living in rural towns, I attend a church that is small enough that there is time to hear the prayer requests of individual congregants–both at the Wednesday evening Bible study meeting and at the Sunday worship services. This coming Sunday, I plan to voice three prayer requests in succession. This is in reaction to three news stories that have circulated in just the past two weeks. These news reports have deeply troubled me, and have begun to dominate my prayer life. All three of these involve inversions of justice. They are: Indictment of the Planned Parenthood …




Perhaps The Most Overlooked Skill For TEOTWAWKI, by LDW

I am pretty new to SurvivalBlog, but I daily look forward to reading what’s new and how some folks are preparing for hard times and perhaps the end of the world as we know it (TEOTWAWKI). I believe in being prepared for disruptions in everyday life, both for the short term and long term. I have lived all my life in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, where we expect ice storms, snow drifts, and power outages that may last up to a week at a time. Folks here still raise a garden, have chickens and maybe a hog, hunt …




Letter Re: The Year In Review of Starting a Small Business(es), by T&BR

I’ve owned and operated a painting contracting business in the American Redoubt for the last 30+ or so years. Something that stands out about T&BR’s experiences is their start up and the dollar amount of their losses. With all do respect and absolutely no disrespect intended, they need to hear some words. Those numbers don’t reflect a small business startup failure. They reflect the flawed thinking that throwing enough money at your problems can fix them. The problems they experienced weren’t a result of the size of their equipment. It was the job out-sizing their ability, their experience, and their …




Two Letters Re: Good Samaritan Bag

HJL, As an addition to the note on a “Samaritan Bag”, I have had good results using a food vacuum sealer with the longer rolls of plastic to shrink and seal heavy winter jackets and blankets. The items are well protected by the heavy plastic and can fit in small locations in your car, such as under the seats. They are low bulk, out of the way, and there when you need them. – Tom o o o HJL, We try to keep a few gallon Ziploc bags in our vehicle to hand to beggars with peanuts, trail mix, hand …




Seven Survival Tips For the Modern Feminist- Take II, by J

Greetings, Following-up to a previous article submitted with the same base title, I decided to continue the discussion. The modern feminist is a hindrance to survival and preparedness in our society. This essay is much harsher and more straight-forward than the last, because frankly there is no time to waste. It does no service to a hard-core feminist to be soft spoken and patient now, especially knowing that she needs to hear the cold, hard truth! With the recent graduation of two female Rangers, this country has quickly propelled itself towards a full-speed push for women in combat. Who is …




Letter Re: Good Samaritan Bag

HJL, I commend B.F. for their forethought to pack for others, items that could mean life or death when exposed to the elements, especially during this time of year. In the 1990’s, I was a police officer in an uptown, N.Y.C. precinct, working the midnight tour (shift). One area of the precinct had thousands of elderly residents who lived in their apartments as they had for decades, some alone, many with home-health aids who would just go to sleep and ignore those in their care. (Many of the elderly were Jewish, with the tattooed numbers of the Nazi’s still plainly …




Two Letters Re: Good Samaritan Bag

HJL, Samaritan Bags– these are an excellent idea, and the boxes built for Samaritan’s Purse gifts come to mind as a basic model. I have some ideas! One might build these using resealable bags (sandwich sized or larger). Each could contain a few personal care comforts: mylar safety blankets and/or a rain poncho, a cap and/or gloves, moistened hand-wipes, wash cloth, and hotel-sized bar of soap, travel-sized hand sanitizer, kleenex, Chapstick or other lip balm, packaged hard candies, a protein bar. Alternative versions could be created for kids and even for four-legged companions, too! A whole lot can go into …




Letter: Good Samaritan Bag

Hugh, I was getting together some clothes that I don’t wear anymore (amazing how they seem to shrink just hanging in my closet) to donate to Salvation Army and had a mini-inspiration. In my car I carry my Get Home Bag, first aid kit, a case of water, my EDC, a tool kit, some spare parts, tarps, and blankets. In other words, all the things a good prepper should have on hand. Then I got to thinking, what about emergencies that are less than TEOTWAWKI? Specifically, what if you come across an accident, someone who is lost and wet or …




Letter: Bibles as a Prep Item

HJL, While my family and I are firm believers in having your beans and bullets squared away, we also believe in the stockpiling of Bibles. I envision a day when access to the Word of God will be limited and monitored. Look at any totalitarian regime in the past centuries and you will find this to be true. Our current government already views Bible-believing Christians as the problem. It will be only a matter of time before the squeeze comes. It will be subtle at first, limited supplies, “approved” translations, et cetera. When the balloon goes up, forget about it. …




Three Letters Re: A Solid Solution On Securing Home Defense During A TEOTWAWKI Situation, by B.M.

HJL, I can see some problems. First you must store it and deploy it when things go down. Second, if it is winter, you really don’t want your windows and doors broken. You want to defend them first (maybe both inside and outside). Third, even if you can insure you are safe, you will need to be able to go the other way, perhaps multiple times per day. Fourth, it doesn’t provide security if they decide to firebomb or shoot into your house. Fifth, if there is a fire or something else, you may have to get out fast, but …




Letter Re: Love Thy Neighbor…Trust No One

Mr. Latimer: Thanks for sharing this thought-provoking item. For all our concerns about security, it helps to balance these concerns with our neighbor’s viewpoint. We do have a right to buy land and control it. However, the neighbor is thinking more like the Indian of 200 years ago, who only sees the newcomer as a paranoid control freak who is reducing their hunting grounds. In central Idaho, where my great-grandfather lived and hunted, nobody posted No Hunting signs, and trespassing was not thought of as long as you did no harm, stayed away from people’s stuff, and were willing to …




Two Letters Re: Love Thy Neighbor…Trust No One

HJL: I’ve got the same issue on my one acre in a small town in Georgia. Great soil but with neighbors that think it is theirs. In my case a 45-foot section of board fence drew a line. I continue to fence the corners and plant hedge material when nephew labor is available. Periodic extra tall posts seem decorative now but will make a splendid support for barbed wire. My intent is to make it possible to fence it quickly from stored supplies should misfortune befall us. I hesitate to go ahead and install the fence because the location, while …




Two Letters Re: Love Thy Neighbor…Trust No One

HJL, The writer of this letter is waking up to the unfortunate reality that, thanks to our national leadership or lack thereof, the law only applies to those who adhere to the law. Lawbreakers have been taught by our own government that there are no consequences for breaking the law. On the contrary, lawbreakers are now actually being REWARDED for breaking the law. This will only get worse. As the author of the letter has discovered, we’re going to have our hands full in the coming times. May God be with us all. – Pete H. o o o HJL, …