Category: Emerging Threats

Letter Re: Are Mexican Drug Cartels a Threat in the U.S.?

Hi James et al.,   I’ve slowly got around to reading most survivalist novels and blogs, but one thing I see never being considered (at least not to a great extent) is the threat from Mexican drug cartels. While threats from foreign governments and biker gangs would surely exist a post-collapse world, I worry about the discipline, ruthlessness, and resourcefulness of the cartels (see article about seized cartel tank). I could be wrong here, but it seems they already operate quite capably in a post-collapse scenario of sorts, so it would be nothing to them to transition to operating in a post-collapse United States. Maybe they’re …


Getting Out of Dodge: High Time to Relocate to a Rural Area

This post will be brief, and pointed. I’ve written on this topic before, but I feel convicted to repeat the warning: The time to relocate to a lightly-populated rural region is now. SurvivalBlog reader Larry C. recently sent this web page link: Congressman Roscoe Bartlett Warns: ‘Those Who Can, Should Move Their Families Out of the City. That article includes a link the excellent two-hour Urban Danger documentary. It correctly identifies the nation’s power grids as the lynchpin. Please watch that documentary, and pray about relocating to the American Redoubt. If you feel convicted to move, then don’t hesitate. Move …


Survival Security Tactics–In All Locations, by Roy K.

I see little difference between a SHTF situation and a TEOTWAWKI situation in terms of self defense. The mission is identical; protect our family from predators whether it be for a month or years. Same challenges, same tactics, same end result. I will concede that the longer chaos prevails, then the greater desperation and violence we could expect. But, may I submit that if forced to use lethal force, a bullet doesn’t know the difference between a killer, rapist or looter. The end result is the same. No matter where you live.   The variables and subsequent permutations of survival …


A Guide to Chemical Warfare Preparations, by Bryan R.

All survivalists, indeed all citizens everywhere, should give proper thought and consideration to the threat posed by Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) and Radiological agents, particularly chemical agents as they are the most likely to be encountered in dozens of possible situations. It is a fact of life that chemicals are everywhere, be they in surplus military storage depots, the local chemical plant down the road, the chemical laden train moving through the county, the semi hauling a tank filled with chemicals, or the nefarious terrorist who has finally realized that all he needed to make some very nasty blood agents …


The Group Think Trap, by Doctus

The world is falling apart around us.  The economy is in shambles and the moral fiber that once made this country great has been reduced to nothing but tattered rags.  The once individualistic American who mistrusted government is now willing to give everything over to government for a modicum of false safety.  The entrepreneurial and innovative American has been boxed in by tough regulations and taxes.  In short, the American spirit is being snuffed out by the modern progressivism that has taken hold of our once great country. Amidst all this doom and gloom and with little prospect for a …


Letter Re: Bedbugs as Disease Vectors

Hi, Jim: Up until now, bedbugs were thought to be harmless from the point of view of carrying diseases. But all that has changed. See: Scientists Discover Bedbugs Carrying MRSA Germ In Study. Instead of [simply] being a pernicious hard to get rid of pest, they may be carrying anti-biotic resistant staph infections and illnesses now. Some houses have such bad infestations of bedbugs there is no getting rid of them and impoverished people abandon those homes. In some cities, the houses are condemned as unfit for human habitation and destroyed. Bed bugs are not found just in beds. Major …


Letter Re: Warning of Massive Solar Flares?

Jim: After reading several articles on EMP in the form of a CME/solar flare, my understanding is that we would have hours or even days in which to prepare for such an event. Although I imagine that a massive CME would still cause damage to our electrical grid, I would also think that many homes could be disconnected from the grid and electrical equipment shielded in metal containers before the CME reached us. Any thoughts? JWR Replies: Yes, there will be 12+ hours of warning, but do not depend entirely on the mass media. At times, they seem clueless about space …


Letter Re: A Spare Parts Travesty Underscores Americans’ Lack of Self-Sufficiency

Hi Jim,   I managed a good day today even though I had to negotiate the land mines of our modern technological civilization. Here is my tale of woe: I needed a mechanical device. Went to Sears and bought the largest sized engine/self propelled mower they had spring of 2010. Platinum level. Used it one year. It up until recently has been a great machine that starts easily. By far perhaps the best mower I ever owned.   This Spring I began mowing again. The self-propelled system fails. Disassembly via detailed parts guide in owner’s manual easily accomplished. Complete owners …


There is No Magic Wand, by Grace H.

Some of the very earliest memories I have of wanting to be a good prepper come from stories about my Scottish grandmother.  They lived in Sunderland, England, during both World Wars, had eight living children, were poor as church mice, and fed anyone who was in need because of the bombing raids.  Apparently, her theory was to add more water to the soup pot and another cup of barley.  My Dad told me that she said that the sign of a good housewife is a well-stocked pantry, ready for all emergencies.   As a child I read First Aid manuals …


The Unrealistic Mentality of the Modern Survivalist, by Bryan R.

I am guilty of falling into the “Wolverines!” mindset from time-to-time, that being the image of going toe-to-toe with the insidious foreign invasion force and setting up ambushes to destroy the evil occupiers or perhaps having to confront droves of hostiles, be they urban gang-bangers, local looters, or some other such group of less than savory individuals. The modern survivalist seems to be rather obsessed with the idea of a total collapse of all centralized authority to the point where society is little better than Somalia, although historical precedent doesn’t give much credibility to this theory. The idea of a …


Surviving Foreclosure, by Cindy D.

I know there are a lot of intense feelings out there about people who have had a foreclosure.  I wanted to write about my experience to help others that may be facing the same situation. Even though I may write this very simply and factually, it was a very emotional and devastating time in my life. I learned a great deal but don’t want to ever go through it again. I want to preface my story with a little background. My husband and I have been married for 28 years and have always been fortunate enough to pay our bills …


Letter Re: Peak Oil and the Real Value of the Dollar

Dear Jim,   For the last 70 years, the dollar’s value has evffectively been pegged to oil. We can thank FDR for that, since he removed Gold from backing the dollar. I suppose it worked out okay, but now we have a problem. The oil is running out. You’ve seen it at the gas stations, and the price of Brent crude is $124 per barrel, and domestic USA crude is $112 per barrel. The USA only produces 5.5 million barrels per day (mbpd). The balance of the 19 mbpd is imported, mostly from Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, and Nigeria (not Saudi …


Letter Re: RC Aircraft Possibilities

James Wesley: I fly radio-controlled (RC) aircraft, and the Switchblade is a definite possibility. As you can tell from the video, there is a lot of computer generated “help” going on there, but the concept is solid, the technology to do this is already readily available and has been for some time. It’s just a matter of time until somebody completes the package. The problem is, for an aircraft that small, the maximum payload I could see might be around a pound, maybe slightly less. But a pound of C-4 could put a distinct “dent” in your day! Lately, the …


Watch The US Dollar Index — A Dollar Panic May Be Ahead

I’m often asked about my mentions of the US Dollar Index in SurvivalBlog, and about the Dollar Index ticker link at my Investing Recommendations page. This foreign exchange (FOREX) market index is often mentioned by its shorthand names (“USDX”, “DX”, or less commonly, “USDI”). It measures the value of the U.S. Dollar (USD) relative to several of our country’s major trading partners. Although the mix has changed over the years, presently the index gauges the value of the U.S. Dollar versus six currencies: the Euro, Japanese Yen, British Pound, Canadian Dollar, Swedish Krona and the Swiss Franc. The USDX was …


Two Letters Re: Confronting Those Who Plan to Rob Others, Post-Collapse

JWR: I read with interest the recent letter that included this: “I  fully realize what a hungry man will do to feed his family and have even been told by a law enforcement officer that he don’t need to store food. He said that he could take it for his family so they don’t starve. I know he has a large arsenal and I get his drift.” This fallacious and frankly un-Christian belief that the writer encountered is not unique.  I was discussing the need to obtain an emergency food supply with a couple of  lads who work at the …