Category: Emerging Threats

Weaponizing the Bureaucracy: Who Will Protect Us?, by John and Nisha Whitehead

“A standing military force, with an overgrown Executive will not long be safe companions to liberty.”—James Madison The IRS has stockpiled 4,500 guns and five million rounds of ammunition in recent years, including 621 shotguns, 539 long-barrel rifles and 15 submachine guns. The Veterans Administration (VA) purchased 11 million rounds of ammunition (equivalent to 2,800 rounds for each of their officers), along with camouflage uniforms, riot helmets and shields, specialized image enhancement devices and tactical lighting. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) acquired 4 million rounds of ammunition, in addition to 1,300 guns, including five submachine guns and …


Should Red States Block Federal Agencies From Operating With Impunity?, by Brandon Smith

The concept of “sanctuary cities” has long been implemented within predominantly leftist states in America. It’s not anything new. Any operations by DHS and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) within blue states to arrest and deport illegal immigrants are often met with aggressive resistance by Democrat-run city governments. Keep in mind that foreign individuals have no right under the constitution to reside in the US without first gaining citizenship. Leftists say they don’t care and are happy to welcome millions of illegals into the country with open arms in direct violation of laws protecting our borders as well as the …


A Retreat Locale Selection Criteria Update

When I launched SurvivalBlog in 2005, I summarized my criteria for selecting retreat locales in a series of articles. Soon after, I evaluated 19 western states, for their retreat potential. I later put that data in a SurvivalBlog static page: Recommended Retreat Areas. This article serves as a 2022 update to that page. Some Things Don’t Change A lot has changed in the intervening 17 years, but some ground truths and some key trends haven’t changed at all: The tendencies of governments haven’t changed. They’ve only grown a bit bolder and their tools for surveillance of the citizenry have become …


Solar Storms, EMPs, Nukes, and Cyberattacks – Part 3 by Pulse Prepper

Part 3: Cyberattacks Cyberattacks are increasing In May 2021, there was a shutdown of Colonial Pipeline, one of the largest fuel pipelines in the United States. The pipeline transports about 45% of all fuel consumed on the East Coast, including home heating oil, gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. The disruption caused major fuel shortages, and President Biden even declared a state of emergency. What was the cause of this crippling shutdown? A cyberattack. The attack began when a hacker group identified as DarkSide accessed the Colonial online network. The attackers stole 100 gigabytes of data within a two-hour window. Following …


Food As Currency, by SwampFox

The following is intended as an intellectual exercise. Our nation has been the victim of the slide toward globalism over the last couple of decades. We still retain our independent Dollar, but for how long? The European Union has a unified currency that is a model for the rest of the world. There have been attempts at an Asian currency as well as a North American currency, which was briefly titled the “Amero” and even heralded by a short-lived government website, back around 2007-2008. But there is one thing that unites all humans – the need to eat. My thoughts …


Update: The Big Picture — Grid Up Versus Grid Down–Oil, Soil, and Water

The following is an update to an article that I posted in SurvivalBlog back in September of 2005, shortly after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast: — Before selecting a retreat locale, It is crucial that you decide on your own worst-case scenario. A location that is well-suited to surviving a “slow-slide” grid up scenario (a la the deflationary depression of the 1930s) might not necessarily be well suited to a grid down situations. As stated in my post on August 15, 2005, a grid down situation will likely cause a sudden onset variation of TEOTWAWKI with a concomitant mass …


Neo-Feudalism: Klaus Schwab, the WEF, and The Great Reset

The topic of this essay might seem a bit tangential to normal SurvivalBlog topics, but as I will explain, it falls into the category of “emerging threats.” Men have always sought to dominate and forcefully order the lives of others. This is part of human nature. It dates back to before the days of Noah. Early empires sought power and wealth, by conquest. Monarchies and feudalism dominated the Middle Ages in Europe, South Asia, and East Asia. Then, in a consolidation of monarchist power, colonialism was rampant from the 1550s to the 1950s. Only a few large and economically strong …


Where Are Your Red Lines?, by Domesticated Ranger

Editor’s Introductory Note: The following article is graphic, and not for the squeamish. Some folks should probably skip reading it. — It finally happened. The fecal matter has well and truly impacted the rotating air oscillation device. The Schumer Hit The Fan (SHTF) situation is well underway. Societal norms are out the window. People are struggling just to stay alive. But your garden is thriving because, after all, you are prepared. Not only is your garden growing and thriving, but you have put measures into place to help keep your garden safe. You put up a fence made off hardware …


A Sign For Our Times: “Not Engaged In The Business”

Bottom Line, Up Front (BLUF): It is time to print a “Not Engaged In The Business” notice to post at your gun show table. Joe Biden has signed a House and Senate-reconciled version of S. 2938, the “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act”. This is the 80-page, ultra-fast-tracked, RINO “compromise” anti-gun rights legislation package. It passed with a 65 to 33 majority in the Senate, and the next day it sailed through the Democrat-dominated House of Representatives with a 234 to 193 majority, in just a few hours. The date of effectivity has not yet been announced. One of the lesser-known provisions …


Gold’s Shine vs. The Long Shadow of War in Ukraine, by Arkadiusz Sieroń

The war in Ukraine brings multiple negative consequences, not only to the world economy. Russia’s invasion also has a wide impact on the gold market. The Consequences Are Vast The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for more than three months. After the withdrawal from the north of Ukraine, Russia has focused on the east and south of the country, aiming to take full control of Donbas and to create a land corridor between it and Crimea. The consequences of a Russian invasion into Ukraine are far-reaching in many areas. The war is a humanitarian crisis. Thousands of people died, …


When Hunger Happens, by The Domesticated Ranger

When The Schomer Hits The Fan (WTSHTF) and food becomes very scarce, it won’t take very long before people find themselves quite literally starving. And I don’t mean “starving” the way that teenagers say it! To a teenager, they think they are starving if it’s been more than three hours since they’ve eaten a significant meal. When I refer to starvation, I mean that the body has consumed all of its stores of fat and is now consuming its own muscle mass for energy. I have been there. Back in 1995, I was a student in the US Army’s Ranger …


Inflation Will Price Many Americans Into Homelessness, by Brandon Smith

One of the most detrimental aspects of an inflationary or stagflationary crisis is that, in most cases, housing costs tend to rise while home sales fall. It might seem counterintuitive; one would assume that as sales fall so should prices, but this is the upside-down world of inflation. Certain commodities and products, usually necessities, almost always skyrocket in price, ultimately driving most American families out of the market completely. One of the only exceptions to this rule is when the government institutes rent or price controls. In Weimar Germany, for example, the government enforced strict regulatory controls on landlords, fixing …


Beyond Beans Bullets and Band-Aids, Part 2, by Todd Albertson

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Have a Plan The key to preparing for a disaster —both emotionally and physically—is to plan ahead of time. Make sure you know what your role is during a disaster. During an actual emergency, you may be literally incapable of thinking clearly as life suddenly and drastically changes. Knowing what to do should this happen can lessen your anxiety during an emergency. Being less anxious can help you think more wisely and logically and thus reduce the risk of injury or death. In addition, research suggests that knowing what to do during …


Beyond Beans Bullets and Band-Aids, Part 1, by Todd Albertson

Supplies like water, food, and medical supplies are essential during a disaster. However, these may not be enough. Research into past tragedies demonstrates that our mental resources may play a significant role in survival in emergency situations. We have been told that it’s essential to prepare for disasters throughout history. In the Bible, Genesis books 41 and 42, God directed Joseph to stockpile enough food to survive seven years of famine. During the Middle Ages, people gathered and preserved as much food as possible during the summer months. This helped them get through the cold winters in Europe without starving. …


More Guerilla Warfare Lessons From Ukraine: Drones

The Russian army’s invasion of Ukraine has now been in progress for two months. First hoping for a quick and decisive victory, they have been thwarted by the stolid resistance of Ukraine’s active army, bolstered by reserves, foreign volunteers, and lots of ad hoc resistance, by the citizenry. The conflict has all of the hallmarks of Fourth Generation Warfare (4GW). And some would argue that with a strong cyberwarfare component, it has elements of Fifth Generation Warfare (5GW). A Drone War While anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) have deservedly attracted the media spotlight, it is the use of drones that might …