Category: Survival Mindset

“Inclusive” Strategic Planning As Part Of Everyday Environment- Part 1, by Old Bobbert

Editors Note: Commenting has been turned off for this article because most are not reading the article before posting their comments. What’s the “Inclusiveness” Element and How Does It Work? As my answer to what is the “inclusiveness” element and how it works, I suggest the following: As a generality, inclusiveness is a system/commitment/style of enabling your group, team, or community of allowing/encouraging/enabling the diversely talented members to work together more productively, and to have stronger provisions to enable these participants to excel in their special talents within a strong, family-like cooperative environment. As a result, you thus create a …


The Coming Second Civil War

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A new paradigm has become evident in both the demographics and the political landscape of 21st Century America. Our nation’s major political camps are becoming increasingly polarized. The differences between the more populous and liberal coastal regions versus the lightly-populated and conservative inland regions are growing more sharp with every passing year. In the long term, a clash of wills between the Red and the Blue is almost inevitable. Whether this will result in conflict or in eventual partition and accommodation remains to be seen. Trouble might occur as early as the year 2020. Or it might be a full …


A Prepper’s Wife’s Perspective, by ATL

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I am married to a 55-year-old “boy scout.” Over the several years we’ve been together, I’ve learned a lot about how and why to be prepared for disaster. I’ve never questioned his wisdom or strategy in stocking emergency supplies, both the kind you consume and the kind that make being without electricity for days on end possible and maybe even comfortable. Early on in our relationship he explained it to me as equivalent to an insurance policy. As A Kid He’s been practicing prepping a long time now. When he was a kid, weekends meant hiking, backpacking, overnight camping in …


Family Preparations for Nuclear War

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Today, I’m addressing a subject that I suppose should have had more emphasis earlier in SurvivalBlog: The risk of nuclear war, and how families can plan and prepare to survive it. The Risk The risk of nuclear war is now actually greater than during the bad old Cold War. Back then, there were just a handful of nuclear powers that were divided into two or three camps. But today, there are umpteen factions and even terrorist groups with potential access to nukes. Face the facts: We live in a dangerous world. Someday, one or more of hose nukes is going …


A Year in Central America- Part 2, by G.P.

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A Preview of a Local or National Slide Into Poverty We are taking a look at Central American countries, primarily Honduras, for a preview of some of what our own experience might be following a local or national slide into poverty. What might the United States look like? How do ordinary people cope with this situation? We are looking for lessons. However, some readers may also be looking at another country suitable for establishing self sufficiency and simple living. We’ll continue to take a look at Honduras with these two objectives in mind. More Stories of Crime A retired American …


A Year in Central America- Part 1, by G.P.

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Honduras Let’s learn from Honduras. Honduras is a Central American country about the size and population of Tennessee. Geography and Topography Here’s the geography and topography. The northern coast borders the Caribbean Sea. The east coast, called the Mosquito Coast, is where Columbus first landed on the North American mainland. The southwest corner of the country borders the Pacific at the Gulf of Fonseca, then turns north along the El Salvadoran border to Guatemala. The eastern region is an area of broad plains that resemble the African savannah. Most of the country is hilly or mountainous, with some broad valleys …


Family Earthquake Preparedness: Are You Ready?

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The recent strong earthquake near Anchorage, Alaska underscores the importance of family earthquake readiness. Thankfully, we live in a country with modern building standards. This is not in the case of many Third World nations, where unreinforced masonry construction is the norm. In the Third World, folks tend to be very stingy with reinforcing bar (“rebar”). So its seems that every time there is a large earthquake in those regions, there are building collapses, with large loss of life. By far, the safest houses for earthquakes are of wood frame construction. This is because such structures can flex and sway, …


A Compulsion to Disarm: The History of Grabby Governments Since 1026 BC

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In the wake of the 2018 mid-term elections, so-called “gun control” is back in the news. Even though the murder rate in the United States is declining and at a 33-year low, the mass media’s much-heralded “threat of gun violence” has politicians in a frenzy much like those seen in 1968 and 1994. Gun control laws and decrees should be called out for what they really are: Systematic Civilian Disarmament. In Western nations, most such legislation usually starts small, progressing from registration to wholesale confiscation. First one category of weapons is banned, and then another. Gradually, these draconian laws can …


Beware the PAN!, by D.D. in Virginia

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A PAN can be a co-worker, a friend, a family member, or someone you just met. They are not distinguishable by age, gender, race, or religion. In our current reality, interactions with a PAN can be mildly frustrating, or at worst, extremely annoying. However, during a SHTF situation, a PAN could be the prime threat to you and the lives of everyone in your survival group. Passive-Aggressive Narcissists What is a PAN? Experts in the field of psychology have named them “passive-aggressive narcissists” (PANs). We, the regular folks, use nomenclature that is more recognizable. We call them “know-it-alls”. Seemingly No …


Making The Hard Decisions Somewhat Easier- Part 1, by Old Bobbert

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Being fully aware of the contest rules concerning fiction, this essay topic has required an ample supply of assumed acceptable standards and examples for one simple over-riding truth– world wide, there is a single commonality factor about everyone who has been forced by circumstances to actually put into real-time practice their go/no go decision. That common event generally fits into a very limited non-nationwide problem. We have experienced some very serious terrible events in some areas of the country but not a nationwide anything. The recent calamity of the flooding of the Texas coast did not affect other areas in …


Going Ghost: Planning for a Low Profile Mobile Lifestyle

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A number of my friends and consulting clients have begun talking about making contingency plans to drop entirely off the grid. One of them calls it “going ghost.” His goal: Being ready for a time of repression that would require him to drop off the radar–to essentially become mobile and invisible to authorities. He said that he wanted to have two options: 1.) In CONUS, being ready and ablrice to blend in and travel by road fairly anonymously, and 2.) being ready and able to travel internationally (OCONUS). This whole concept of “going ghost” would be daunting for most of …


Following Jesus Through the Storm: Defeating Despair, by ShepherdFarmerGeek

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Just yesterday I read of someone comparing our situation to following a guide and dim lantern in the dark. (Unfortunately I’ve lost the source link.) Two Components There are two basic components upon which we will expound. These follow: Confidence in the Guide. This confidence involves believing that He knows us, knows the dangers, and knows the way through. Further, it is believing that He has the power to protect us against what is in the dark. Overcoming our fear of the dark and what it conceals. We don’t know what lurks in the dark. We can’t control what’s in …


Preparing to Survive Riots, Terrorist Attacks, or a Civil War

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Of all of the “worst case” possibilities that we prepare for, near the top of my “most dreaded” list is a second civil war.  This falls in the category of a “highly unlikely, but profoundly inimical if it were to occur.”  In this essay, I will discuss a full spectrum of threats, including contingency preparations for surviving riots, terrorist attacks, or a civil war. I believe that the United States has entered a period of great instability, born of political divisiveness. The sharp differences between liberals and conservatives are now profoundly felt.  Virtually every topic and issue has become heavily …


Guest Article: Six People You Do Want In Your Group, by Kit Perez

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Editor’s Introductory Note: This article is a follow-up to Seven People You Don’t Want in Your Group. We’ve talked a lot lately about who you don’t want in your group, and the general consensus when I teach these concepts is usually that the list of undesirables leaves out 90% of people who otherwise would have been included. The bottom line response to this is, “yes, and?” You don’t want undesirables in your group; it’s that simple. It’s about risk — you decide how much you’re willing to take on, and if you decide to bring on someone on the “should …


The Thin Veneer

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Editor’s Introductory Note: This is a re-post from the early days of SurvivalBlog, back in August, 2005. Blog Years are like Dog Years. To explain: SurvivalBlog has been published since before most people had even heard the word “blog” for the first time. A piece this old has probably never been read by 90% of the current SurvivalBlog readership. So we feel fairly safe in re-posting it. BTW, we recommend that any new readers take a look through the archives of SurvivalBlog’s first year, to come up to speed on our jargon, core beliefs, and unique acronyms. – JWR o …