Category: Emerging Threats

A 21st Century Tangibles Investing Rationale

20

I often have people ask me: “Why do you stress tangibles investing, Mr. Rawles?” In my estimation, tangibles always trump intangibles. I have three primary reasons why I distrust intangibles:: First: Nearly all intangible investments are denominated in fiat currencies. Because of this there is an underlying currency inflation, revaluation, or repudiation risk. Even when buying stock in the safest, most secure and impeccably-managed company it still has some risk when the investment is denominated in Dollars. Ditto for Dollar-denominated bonds. Ditto for redeemable life insurance policies and annuities. Ditto for business investments. Ditto for money market funds. Ditto for certificates …


Preparing for Chaos, Theory and Application- Part 1, by DF

8

Many people view the possibility of economic/societal disruption and collapse as science fiction, suitable as entertainment in dystopian novels or movies. I view it as actual science, not fiction and am preparing for the ensuing chaos and necessities to get past it. Well-proven theories in the areas of nonlinear systems and economics can help us partially understand what can happen, how we can prepare and respond, and even what is not possible to predict. My first section on “theory” is quite abstract. It looks at some of the basic principles of chaos theory to describe the mechanisms of economic/societal collapse. …


America’s Gun Grabbers Have Accelerated the Mass Exodus to The American Redoubt

29

Do you live in The American Redoubt? Be aware that you have some friends arriving soon. The great Redoubt Exodus has begun! For the past two months the newspapers and electronic media all around the country have been filled with headlines such as these: Florida adopts wide package of gun laws, while Washington stalls Three States Pushing Stricter Gun Laws After Parkland (Plus 2 States That Want to Make Gun Ownership Easier) Rhode Island adopts ‘red flag’ gun policy; other states close Federal judge upholds Massachusetts ban on AR-15, large capacity magazines Vermont Governor Signs Sweeping Anti-Gun Laws Bank of …


The DHS: Acquiring a Core Competency in Tyranny

25

Did you see this recent news item at Forbes? Department Of Homeland Security Compiling Database Of Journalists And ‘Media Influencers’’. Hmmm… That’s interesting. The contract will be for “DHS Media Monitoring Services.”  Ah, that sounds suitably mundane. But digging deeper into the original FedBizOpps announcement to read the Statement of Work (SOW), I noticed that it begins with: 1.) Core competencies. Introduce your company’s core competencies and relate those to the specific needs of the attached SOW. That gave me a laugh. How does one describe a Core Competency in Snooping?  Or a Core Competency in Tyranny? I see that …


The First Question is Always Jurisdiction

14

Earlier this month, I posted an article about the ATF’s recently-opened comment period on the planned Federal ban on bumpfire stocks. In it, I recommended that SurvivalBlog readers post their comments with the ATF, and I suggested several major areas that should be individually addressed: Constitutional issues (Under the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 10th, and 14th Amendments!) Imprecise Terminology Agency Over-Reach (creating new legal definitions, bypassing congress) Vague Wording Technical and Historical Inaccuracies These were all sound recommendations. However, SurvivalBlog Reader Richard T. reminded me that I had left out a fundamental law issue in my list of …


The Slippery Slope: Proposed ATF Rule Redefining “Machinegun”

The ATF recently published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on bumpfire stocks, redefining them as “machineguns.”  This NPRM is worse than I had anticipated  This is in part because the new rule has no Grandfather Clause. By the ATF’s own estimates there are more than 350,000 American bumpfire stocks (worth about $96 million) already in circulation. The proposed rule would declare these all contraband unregistered machineguns, with no compensation to their owners, and no method provided to pay the $200 tax to register them. (Because of the FOPA Hughes Amendment machinegun freeze of 1986.) Therefore, owners would be required …


Letter: Scarlet Fever Warning

18

Dear Mr. Rawles, We just returned from a trip to our local urgent care clinic with our two-year old. He has had a fever of 102ish for over four days. Much to our surprise, he was diagnosed with scarlet fever. My wife and I were concerned with the flu or other related complications when he first became ill. We were not at all on the watch for scarlet fever. However,  his fever completely subsided on Sunday and his energy returned. But we found find him returning to be ill again today with a fever over 102.5. We thought it best …


Rethinking Federal Government Preparedness Resources, by J.P.

46

The government can’t always keep you safe, but they can always get you killed. For a long time I’ve held that notion near and dear to my heart only to have it revalidated whenever and wherever calamity strikes our nation. I’m sure there are some bureaucrats that would agree with my opinion. Furthermore, it appears that some people within our government have fought the good fight for the preparedness community when they made available a number of free resources to add to any preparedness library. It just so happens I keep electronic copies of these publications on my smart phone …


What To Do and Not Do When a Pandemic Starts- Part 1, by Scientist69

17

The Basics (Science is Awesome) What is the basic difference between an epidemic and a pandemic? In an epidemic, an infectious disease spreads quickly between people; however, this will be relatively confined to a geographic area, country, or even a continent. The Ebola epidemic in West Africa is an example. On the other hand, a pandemic means that this infectious disease spreads quickly to other continents, basically causing disease globally, most likely resulting in high fatality rates. Examples of infections that can potentially cause a pandemic are the bird flu (avian influenza), SARS or MERS like infections that are caused …


The Left’s Vindictive Databases: For Blaming, Shaming, Defaming, and SWATting

30

A key tactic of The Left is to demonize their political opponents. They have become increasingly sophisticated at this since the turn of the 21st Century. Most recently they have assembled voluminous databases on “Right Wing”, “Alt-Right” , and “Hate Groups.” But by lumping together legitimate conservative political activists (such as Tea Party groups) and right to life groups in the same lists as racists, bigots, the KKK, and assorted anti-Semites, they have besmirched the reputations of nearly everyone who opposes the socialist agenda. Some of the latest generations of databases can safely be called Vindictive Databases. A new article in …


A Great Wall: On Border Controls, Immigration, and National Survival

82

I have generally side-stepped the issue of immigration in SurvivalBlog, from the outset. Back in 2006, I explained why. But recent events have pushed this issue to the forefront of the national debate.  At this juncture, I’d like to make my position clear, even at the risk of perturbing some of my readers.  I can now see that immigration is not just a political issue or a policy issue. Rather, it is a matter of national survival. Even before Donald J. Trump (DJT) was seated as U.S. president, there was huge disagreement on his planned immigration and border security policies. …


A Realistic Assessment of Epidemic Disease After TEOTWAWKI- Part 1, by Dr. DMC

30

Malaria In 1850, malaria occurred throughout the entire region of what is now the lower 48 states, with the exception of some of the higher altitudes of the Rocky and Appalachian mountains. It sickened and killed thousands of the pioneers moving westward, even though the type of malaria most common in the country tended not to be the most fatal form of the disease. Today, malaria is so uncommon that American physicians often fail to recognize the rare cases seen in travelers or immigrants. Cases are rare, and deaths are even rarer. Perhaps surprisingly, the mosquitoes that can spread the …


2018– The Decisive Year, by R.M.

59

It is my wholehearted opinion that the year 2018 will become the decisive year for the future of life on this planet. Culminating in an all-out nuclear war at worst, or ground war at best. Things as they stand are untenable for much longer. I am not advocating one position or plan over the other with this brief writing and I am not stating that violence or harming others should be considered. I am merely offering a wide variety of situations and possibilities to bring about different thoughts and ideas. Long Gone is Political Leaders’ Desire to Promote Public Good …


Student Safety in Active Shooter Situation- Part 1, by P.N.

18

As an educator that has worked in quite a few small and large schools, there are a number of safety drills I have been required to take part in. The list includes fire drills, shelter-in-place drills, bomb threat drills as well as lockdowns (active shooter) and evacuation drills. One drill that I find lacking in every school I’ve entered is the active shooter drill. Security in schools are more than willing to admit that “it’s not if, but when” for the next school shooting. Current Active Shoot Drills Most schools practice active shooter drills by “calling” the drill while students …


After The SHTF, What Will Be Your Role?, by B.H.

26

After the SHTF, will you contribute to rebuilding or just surviving? Let’s first assume you and yours have survived and are relatively safe on a homestead with enough water, fuel, food and shelter during the major event. Think Puerto Rico! You’ve gone months, not days and not weeks, without electricity. Also consider you are in a rural location. Government agencies will direct all and any major resources to heavy populated areas once the “event” is over. I view this time after as the most challenging. Most books on surviving the event suggest being self sufficient and living in a rural …