Category: Contest

No Man Is An Island, by J.S.

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“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent.” – John Donne Compared to the seasoned veterans of the preparedness camp, I am a rookie. I have no specific training in any field or category that would make me specifically qualified to write an article on preparedness, but that is why this is so important. Majority of Preparedness Individuals Are Not Specialists Odds are the vast majority of TEOTWAWKI preparedness-aware individuals are not specialists in any specific category of emergency or end of societal type skills. Yes, they have a few specific things …


Board Games in TEOTWAWKI, by Gridley

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In “Sleeping With the Friendlies, by Heidi C.”, the author mentions some of the problems of group integration and building group cohesion, and the author touches on a point that I would like to expand on– board games. In this article I will discuss how I feel board games have uses in: Finding like-minded people Building group cohesion Maintaining morale in a retreat location or shelter-in-place I will take these points in reverse order. Board Games? Why board games? First, let’s imagine the following scenario. The fall has happened. You’ve reached your retreat location and found with relief that the …


The Best Way To Keep The Family Fed On Any Budget, by Tennessee Bob

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Many of us have already provided the basics for our families within a budget. These should include the basic necessities such as shelter, clothing, location, security, and most importantly a stable food supply. Family’s Nutritional Needs I’m sure many of us have already taken the necessary steps to insure our own family’s nutritional needs will be met. Stocking up on the basics, such as rice, beans, wheat, and vegetables in the form of dry goods, is an excellent first step. However, in a long-term grid down WTSHTF situation, you must anticipate disruptions in all forms especially food. Problems with Livestock …


A Decade of Propaganda: Great Britain and Germany, 1935- 1945- Part 2, by B.P.

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It is imperative for all citizens to have a knowledge of history and varied methodologies of propaganda. In any mode, to win the hearts and minds of people, a propaganda operation must present the information in a method that inspires and persuades the consumer. And we are looking at the propaganda that was utilized by Great Britain and Germany in the World War II era. Currently, in this article series, we have just covered the first of the seven domestic propaganda persuasion techniques– name calling. Now, let’s take a look at the remainder six of them. Technique #2: Plain Folk …


A Decade of Propaganda: Great Britain and Germany, 1935-1945 – Part 1, by B.P.

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As an United States citizen surviving in the modern era of propaganda, possessing the contextual knowledge of any situation, whether it be at the voting booth, in class, or church, or rebuilding after a collapse, places that citizen in an advantageous position. Thus, it is imperative for all citizens to have a knowledge of history and varied methodologies of propaganda. Propaganda Leading Up to World War II In any mode, to win the hearts and minds of people, a propaganda operation must present the information in a method that inspires and persuades the consumer. As propaganda production grew leading up …


The Invisible Prepper, by Grey Woman

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I am the invisible prepper. I am, on the surface, a caricature of everything that most SurvivalBlog readers seem to deplore. On the surface, I am a caricature of what the non-prepper community expects me to be– completely average in every way. Who I Am I am a twice divorced middle-aged woman, a committed democrat, a sincere atheist, a successful product of public schools, and what you would likely call a coastal liberal elite. If you met me, you would probably ignore me, scoff under your breath, and label me as sheeple or a snowflake. What You Would Not Know …


Bleeding Control and First Aid Training, by Doctor Dan

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For a little background, I teach ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support) and BCON (Bleeding Control) training courses frequently. I’m an anesthesiologist in a rural community hospital. I also completed a year of residency training in General and Trauma Surgery during my journey to becoming a physician. Additionally, my family and I are advocates for personal and community preparedness. SHTF Life-Threatening Scenarios Many topics on this forum deal with “WTSHTF” scenarios. Of course, these emergencies, whether short-term or long-term are certainly not outside the realm of possibility. However, I’d also like to challenge all who read this to become better prepared …


Being a Good Neighbor in the American Redoubt, by 11Z

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Nobody can do it all by themselves so being a good neighbor is important. It keeps the peace and strengthens the community, both of which are no doubt important to readers of this blog. In the interest of bringing in some helpful solicitation from other readers, here are some thoughts about being a good neighbor. It’s presented for community consideration. Please bear in mind that I’m not a community organizer with an Ivy League degree and political aspirations so forgive any lack of such credibility. I grow up in the National Redoubt and retired here after years of living all …


Prepper’s Pain Protocol- Part 2, by ShepherdFarmerGeek

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If you’re like most preppers, you don’t have a prescription bottle of Morphine on hand to deal with pain. And you don’t think dosing your friend or child with a big swig of whiskey (or two) is all that good of an idea. Over-the-Counter “Pain Pack™” Well, one option is the non-narcotic, over-the-counter “Pain Pack™” concept described at and promoted by Next Generation Combat Medic as “just as good for moderate pain as oxycodone, hydrocodone and even codeine.” Please read all their original information. What follows is but a small tweak of the “Pain Pack™” plan that I’d like to …


Prepper’s Pain Protocol- Part 1, by ShepherdFarmerGeek

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We are talking about a pain protocol for preppers. However, the editor’s have an important message before we get started. Editor’s Introductory Proviso: I’m not a doctor, and I don’t give medical advice. Mentions of any medicine or medical treatment is for informational purposes only and are in no way endorsed or accredited by SurvivalBlog.com, or its principals. SurvivalBlog.com is not responsible for the use or misuse of any product advertised or mentioned on the SurvivalBlog site. – JWR What Do We Do? What do we do when someone has been shot, survived a grizzly mauling, has been significantly burned, …


OPSEC Tax Preparation, by X. Liberal CPA

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Many people ask me during tax season why there’s this entry or that box on their tax form. My answer? The IRS has more information on every citizen, even drilling down into data history on their family trees, than any other arm of the Federal, State, and Local governments combined. Why? Because you volunteer the information willingly! Massive Tax Code The tax code is estimated at 59,000 pages (forms + instructional booklets + adhoc tables), about 4,000,000 lines, and approximately 350,000,000 characters. Why did this massive bureaucratic enigma code not go away with the passing of the recent Bill into …


Surviving in an Urban Environment- Part 6, by J.M.

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We are wrapping up this article series on surviving a short or mid-length emergency while in an urban apartment or dorm. We’ve covered escaping the work place, water, food, skills, safety and security, and much more. Let’s get on with what else you need now. Other Equipment and Supplies There are a few other types of equipment and supplies that you should consider stocking as part of your urban preparations: Medical Supplies Stock up on medical supplies, such as bandages, gauze, medications, antibiotic ointments and antibiotics, along with books and training on how to use them. Note that medications will …


Surviving in an Urban Environment- Part 5, by J.M.

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We are in the middle of reviewing ways to improve your security if you are caught in a short or mid-length emergency while in an urban apartment or dorm. Safety and Security (continued) Let’s continue with our list of ways to improve our security in case of an emergency. Know Maintenance People Get friendly with your apartment’s maintenance people. Tell them you have an interest in or are taking a class in civil engineering and want to know more about your building’s systems. They can show you all of the hidden nooks and crannies in your building, particularly if it’s …


Surviving in an Urban Environment- Part 4, by J.M.

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I am sharing experience and ideas about surviving in an urban environment in the event of short-term or major, long-term emergency situation. I have covered the topic of the getting home, the Get Home Bag, skills required for a trek home. Now, I’ve begun to cover what might be needed to survive a mid-length crisis of weeks or months. So far, we looked at the subjects of water and food. Now, let’s move on. Hygiene As the saying about hygiene goes, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” That’s especially true, if you’re confined to a limited enclosed area for a long …


Surviving in an Urban Environment- Part 3, by J.M.

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I am sharing experience and ideas about surviving in an urban environment in the event of short-term or major, long-term emergency situation. We just wrapped up the Get Home Bag, list of recommended contents, and explanations. Let’s look at skills. Skills For the Trek Home You’ll need to develop some skills necessary to survive a trek home under potentially difficult circumstances. These include: Physical Fitness Your physical fitness is fundamentally important. If your only regular exercise is from walking to and from the subway, you’re going to have a hard time walking 20 blocks to your apartment in any reasonable …