Category: Emerging Threats

Letter Re: Criminal Gangs Gaining Military Expertise

James: Thank you for your great blog. I have learned a lot from it and it has been a motivator in getting friends to begin to prep. I just wanted to share this article with you: ‘Scary’ growth of gangs in war zones. It talks about Gangs in the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq. It specifically mentioned gang members being arrested recently that had military service and had brought back their manuals. If the stuff hits the fan we may not be faced with untrained, sideways shooting gangsters but with gang members who at least have some training and …


Letter Re: Riots and Civil Unrest in America

CPT Rawles: One thing that was not mentioned by B.B .was that it was Federal [Active Duty] troops that had to come in and help put the rioting down. The 7th Infantry Division (Light), which I was with at that time, and Marines from Camp Pendleton. I can assure you that we had plenty of ammunition. We too were passing out ammo to both the police and the National Guard. Our Rules of Engagement (ROEs) were very strict we could not fire unless fired upon, and we had to have a visual on the bad guy. Also were going out …


Three Letters Re: Riots and Civil Unrest in America

James Wesley: BB in California was spot on with his assessment of the 1992 riots and I doubt that will be the last time we will see such an uprising. One thing B.B. didn’t mention was the ripple affect to other parts of the LA area and around the nation. Don’t be fooled into thinking that this will never happen in your area. I worked 20 miles east of downtown and lived another 20 miles further east – 40 miles from downtown, in a nice neighborhood. Even though I was a prepper way back then, I felt after the first …


Riots and Civil Unrest in America, by B.B. in California

I am writing this article not to glorify what I have seen, but perhaps to make some of you think about some unknowns.  I am a U.S. Army veteran who served in the 1980s, and when I honorably discharged I was recruited into law enforcement at a termination of service briefing at Fort Irwin, California.  From there I went into law enforcement in Los Angeles for over 20 years and never looked back.  I am writing this article because many people are writing about living through and how to survive civil unrest (I am sorry, a riot is a riot …


Two Letters Re: How Long Can You Tread Water?

Dear CPT Rawles: The article “How Long Can You Tread Water?” was indeed a scary analysis of the advent of either an EMP attack, or a natural sun storm which would create the same series of events. There is no doubt that our society would come unglued in many parts of the nation. There is also no doubt that eventually, urban gangs will fan out across the countryside in search of food, women, drugs, liquor, weapons and gold. If your farmhouse is in their avenue of advance, it will be taken. As in all military activities and survival of TEOTWAWKI …


Two Letters Re: How Long Can You Tread Water?

Mr. Rawles: I have been reading your site for over two years now and have two of your books. I have a growing concern on what is going on in the world and working to prepare myself and my family for what the future may or may not bring us. I eagerly await the next day postings of SurvivalBlog each and everyday and look forward to what your other readers bring to the table. I took great interest in “How Long Can You Tread Water?” by Tom S. but more in the initial response. I am sure there will be …


Letter Re: How Long Can You Tread Water?

Mr. Rawles: Regarding the recently-posted article on EMP, while some of what Tom S. says is true, some of it is just plain silly. The results of a nation-wide EMP pulse would be catastrophic to be sure. Banking, communications, even food supply would in fact be disrupted. But to suggest that well organized gangs with armored vehicles would be systematically destroying farm homes and lake cabins is simply preposterous. Please consider: 1. If fuel production is halted, no one is going to get further than one tank of gas outside the city limits. 2. If fuel is still being produced …


How Long Can You Tread Water? by Tom S.

Noah may have questioned God about why he should build such a big boat.  To quote the comedian Bill Cosby, God might have asked: “How long can you tread water?” In the event of an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) burst 250 miles above Kansas or a super solar flare, the loss of the electrical grid would stop almost all food production and importation in the USA.  Some estimate there is, at any given time, more than 1,000 pounds per capita of food in consumable form available in the USA.  Unfortunately, it is very poorly distributed and will not be available to …


Letter Re: The Stamp of Idiocy

James: Here in Michigan Food Stamps are paid electronically to each person’s account. The recipients are then issued a card to pay for their purchases. The card has a picture of the Mackinac Bridge on the front so they are referred to as “Bridge Cards.” The Mogambo Guru’s Stamp of Idiocy article states that over 40 million people receive Food Stamps. This is scary to think about. But a few of my observations makes one wonder how many people actually deserve the benefits. When I picked my daughter up from school last month both my wife and I were appalled …


Surviving A Home Invasion Robbery, by Susan G.

On August 2nd, 1997 I had the hardest choice in my life to make, that was to survive.  Masked men wearing camouflage and carrying guns kicked my front door in at 12:40 am.  I was sitting about five feet from the front door waiting for my son to arrive home for the evening.  I heard my doorknob jiggle.  I thought it was my son trying to get his key in the door.  I made it within two feet of the door and stopped because I had not heard him set his car alarm.  With one kick from a 299 pound …


Is Modern Society Doomed to Collapse? Understanding the Complexity Trap

I’ve often written in SurvivalBlog about the over-dependence of modern societies on technology. Our level of dependence on high technology is large, and steadily growing. Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle summed up over-dependence on technology in their novel Lucifer’s Hammer: “Whole nations depends on technology. Stop the wheels for two days and you’d have riots. No place is more than two meals from a revolution. Think of Los Angeles or New York with no electricity. Or a longer view, fertilizer plants stop. Or a longer view yet, no new technology for ten years. What happens to our standard of living? …


Seven Letters Re: You Versus the Perps, their Lawyer, and the D.A.

Mr. Editor: As a firearms instructor for more than 20 years (including concealed carry and personal protection), there are a few things to remember in an encounter: “I think I’m in shock and need to go to the hospital.” Often more true than you might think. “I want to talk to my attorney.” He who calls 911 first is the “victim”. Prior to the point where you will be using force against one or more opponents, you should call 911 and keep the line open. The call is recorded and can be used in your defense. If things happen too …


You Versus the Perps, their Lawyer, and the D.A., by P.J.

I’m writing anonymously because I’m facing misdemeanor charges for spraying a trespasser with mace. Our county has an anti-self defense district attorney. Being next to three fraternities, I’d been having problems with trespassers; this was third time I saw them. (There was evidence of past intrusions; I’d videotaped it and will submit as part of my legal defense.) To prep, I’d purchased a mace-pepper spray-UV dye compound in a canister about the size you see for bear, with a range of 20 feet or so. I saw two trespassers in the side lot from the kitchen, where I leave lights …


How to Create a Risk Mitigation Plan for Hard Times, by J.A.

We are a family of five living in Houston, Texas. Within the past several years, we have faced several dangerous situations where we were caught blindsided. Among those where several hurricane evacuations, and most recently, we experienced a forced evacuation from our home, after a chemical plant leaked and exploded nearby. Prior to these incidents, we had no thoughts of survival skills, prepping or preparing for disaster. While these experiences were very unpleasant, we are actually thankful for them because they served as a huge wake up call for our family to prepare. One of the most important things we …


Letter Re: McAfee Report Highlights the Vulnerability of SCADA Systems

Hello, McAfee recently sponsored and published a report on global cybersecurity gives some startling statistics on the preparedness of critical infrastructure in various countries to attack. It is available for free download, as a PDF. Here is a brief excerpt on security for Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Industrial Control Systems (ICS) , which run our infrastructure: Executives generally reported very high levels of connection of SCADA systems to IP networks or the Internet, despite widespread acknowledgment about the risks involved. Seventy-six percent of respondents with SCADA/ICS responsibilities said their networks were “connected to an IP network or …