Amazing Affordable Force Multipliers – Part 1, by Tupreco

Night Vision, Thermal Vision, Wireless Video, EMP Protection

I decided now is the time to put this together because the consistent theme in every prepper blog and financial publication today is that TIME.IS.RUNNING.OUT. Even non-preppers know something is up because it is starting to pop up now and then in random conversations. Many average people are finally realizing that something is different this time. However, they mostly still want to complain and do nothing, but at least it’s a start. In the meantime, the more motivated among us are making ready for the pending disruptions we know are coming. This remains an excellent strategy to provide for loved ones and do what we can to help put the pieces back together. Having a plan and working it is critical, and priorities should be reviewed frequently. Yet, even up to the end, we will all have loose ends and things we wish we could have gotten done, realized, learned, or bought sooner. That is why Survivalblog is such a valuable resource; it’s a sort of knowledge base multiplier, if you will. I am very thankful to JWR and company for the invaluable tips and skills I have received here. To do my part, I have compiled this affordable force multiplier rundown to help us all stay sharp. The big takeaway here is that the price points and features for important preps, like night vision, thermal vision, and similar tech, have finally become affordable for the masses. I own and use most of the items discussed here, and I have no financial stake in any of them. If I own it, it’s because I bought it.

Force Multiplier Defined

Let’s start with a good paraphrase of the DOD definition of a force multiplier: an item or capability that a combat force can use to significantly increase its combat potential and increase the likelihood of a successful mission. That’s a little general perhaps, but by that definition anything that can extend your reach for information, communication, planning, and force projection would be considered a force multiplier. What follows are the pertinent details on four affordable and very functional solutions that are available today. Best of all, you can add them to your kit at a cost far less than you expected. The cost of these items makes it relatively easy to overlook their limitations yet still benefit from what they do offer. If you find you want the full-price full-featured version later, you will then be making a more informed decision and can start saving your money now. This progressive approach makes sense when operating on a budget. It is the rationale that gives credence to my choice to carry a $100 Hi-Point 9mm pistol until I could afford the Glock 17 I wanted. Having the inexpensive but functional Hi-Point still allowed me to project plenty of force until help arrived in the form of the Glock.

Night Vision

I asked myself if I should invest in Budget Night Vision from $50-Kids toy or something more? I will be the first to admit I have dreamed about having decent night vision since Prep Day One. My inner grown-up kept saying that I had to wait until the other important stuff was done. When I finally bought a Gen 1 scope that could double as a rifle sight, I tried it out and instantly sent it back to recover my $350. Then I stumbled across a little CMOS monocular IR camera setup for kids that really can see in complete darkness for a paltry sum. Read on before you blow this idea off completely. I bought the Jakks Pacific Spynet Night Vision goggles on Woot.com for $25 about two years ago. I figured I’d give it a try, and what I got amazed me.

It’s sure no PVS14-Gen3, but it’s not $3000 either. The link here to Amazon shows it as discontinued but available from third party Amazon retailers. I included the Amazon listing because it has hundreds of reviews worth looking at.nightvision01 You can also purchase this model on eBay for about $50 in new and/or good used condition. What looks like a set of binocular lenses are really two IR illuminators. The center aperture is a single-lens CMOS chip that outputs to a 320×240 res color display that’s about 2 x 1.5 in. It displays on a tiny screen set out at viewable distance inside the viewfinder. You ask, “Does it work?” Linked below is a video recording that suffers some loss of clarity from the secondary recording with a handheld video camera. It still shows good detail, and this is what you see. Below is an actual frame from the USB stick and is more like what you will see through the viewfinder. This was a dark night with the single IR illuminator from about 15 feet away.

sample01

There’s no depth perception, but it is quite usable. To operate the Spynet unit, turn it on, and the camera and display screen power up in about two seconds. The first of the IR diode sets also comes on. The red LEDs are not bright enough to be easily visible to the naked eye, but you now own the amazing ability to see in a pitch black room clearly to about 25 feet. I was able to read a paperback book in a pitch black room (yep, the bathroom) with it. Turn on the switchable 2nd Illuminator and you can see on a very dark night out to about 75 feet with good discernment. Those LEDs are slightly visible to the naked eye but really make a difference. The unit does not magnify light, but on a starlit night with the IR covered I still got a decent image. Also, if you can believe it, you can record what you see on a USB stick for later playback. The record function has a dedicated on/off switch. So pony up your fifty bucks, and invite your friends over to your basement for some Pitch Black Airsoft fun, and record it for bragging rights. Want to use it hands-free? There is a second version called the Eyeclops that works exactly the same, but it has straps for head mounting, freeing up both hands. It ranges from $70-$100, and there are plenty listed on eBay. Both units use four AA batteries and provide hours of use from one set. My Sanyo eneloops worked great in mine.

A few final things to remember: To someone else with night vision, you stand out like a road flare. So, if you under assault, it might be time to pass it to your brother-in-law for a sitrep. Also, these are priced like a kid’s toy because that’s what they are. They are surprisingly rugged and of reasonable quality, but they are not waterproof and are definitely consumer level rather than commercial. That said, I’ve used mine weekly with no issues.

Thermal Vision for Your Android Device and iPhone/iPad

Do you want thermal vision but hate the $1500+ price tag? How would you like to have it for a price of less than $300? I knew it had to happen eventually, and it finally did. Functional, color, thermal vision is now available to the masses for under $300. In fact, there are actually two companies with credible solutions competing for our hearts, minds, cell phone ports, and credit card numbers. These two products stand alone in a new market segment called Personal Thermal Vision with a very attractive price/performance class. Both are small and easy to use with the smart phone you supply. Both require a free app download. Both are relatively inexpensive, and they both work.

thermal01

SEEK Thermal makes a very small plug-in camera available as either the standard version or extended range version called the XR with 2x magnification. Both connect through the charge port to an Android or iPhone 5/5s. Shown here is my standard Android version.

I shot this image at my desktop with me holding the SEEK Android attached to my 1st gen MotoX in one hand and my Olympus camera in the other. OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAYou can see the hot spots on the monitor and the split video/thermal that I swiped to about 50% each.

SEEK Thermal’s competitor is FLIR Systems, a company with a long history of thermal imaging innovation that has recently entered the personal thermal market. Their unit is larger, adding a full-coverage back with a built-in thermal lens.

thermal03

They only offer an iPhone 5/5s or higher version at this time. There is an Android version promised sometime in late 2015. In addition, they also offer a stand-alone unit about the same size as a FLIR-equipped iPhone. It is dubbed the C2, and at $699 it is one order of magnitude above the budget devices listed here. Unfortunately not having an iPhone 5 means no FLIR One comparison from me, but there are a number of comparison reviews with photos out there, like this one from Wired magazine.

Here is a quick rundown of my experience and some links for more detail, so you can make your own choice. First, here is the quick side-by-side comparison of the specs from the manufacturer’s websites.

Feature

FLIR One

SEEK Thermal

iPhone

iOS 8+

iOS 8+

$199

$299

Android

Soon 4.3+

v4.3+

$NA

$249

Resolution

80 x 60

206 x 156

Image

Thermal

Thermal

Upgrades

None

XR version $299

Temp range

-0 to 100C

-40 to 300C

Battery reqd

Yes

No

Calibration

Manual

Auto

Image note: The FLIR One enhances its low-res thermal image using an overlay of grayed-out video for a pretty useful image. The SEEK version displays either thermal or video but does not overlay like the FLIR One. Both units allow you to finger swipe to split the screen 0-100% between the video image and the thermal image. SEEK also offers a wide array of color schemes to display the thermal images that are helpful, depending on what you are looking at.

To say it is “way cool” doesn’t even begin to describe how much fun and how practical this is. I’ve used it to see the rabbits in the desert at night from about 50 yards and I found the hot spot where my car’s cooling system was restricted and the hot breaker in my panel box from a loose connection (yikes!). Best of all, I can find my kids within seconds while playing hide and seek in the back yard at dusk. It’s not called a force multiplier for nothing. Bwah-ha-ha!

Letter Re: A Dark Day for America, by HJL

Dear Survival Blog,

Thank you for such a great service as Survival Blog. I am writing to comment on the above captioned article the Blog posted on June 27, 2015.

The problem we have is 501c3 tax exempt status, that is, a tax exempt certification issued by the IRS to the Church in exchange for surrendering certain freedoms. The freedoms surrendered are listed in IRS Publication 1828 on page five. This publication is freely available to anyone with an Internet connection. Everyone should read it and understand it for themselves. The publication title is “Rules for Churches.” Rule five on page five states that the Church cannot “violate fundamental public policy”. After yesterday’s Supreme Court decision, do I need to point out whether homosexual marriage is now a “fundamental public policy” of the United States? Do I need to spell out what the future holds for all “government registered” churches?

So why have very nearly ALL churches in America registered with the IRS (see IRS Pub 78) and surrendered their freedom to preach the Gospel? I can tell you why. It’s to get that last little bit of tax exemption, that last little bit of money, namely the ability of the attendees to deduct their church contributions. That’s it. We gave it ALL away for a little bit more money. The Church itself was never taxed, and can never be taxed so long as the First Amendment of the Constitution still stands.

Let me state it this way; if the Church at large was not registered and therefore beholden to the government, would we be having a vigorous debate in this nation about God’s laws regarding sexual deviancy and the utter corruption of the family through government mandates? I think we would because the Church would be FREE to do so, and in keeping with its duty under the Great Commission, it would do so vigorously. Instead, we have the Supreme Court and politicians for gods.

Okay. So how to fix it? UNREGISTER. Throw off the chains, stand up in freedom, and speak the truth to power. It would cost us though. Standing with the Maker of all things always does.

We need to face this. This is us. We did this, or at least allowed it. We need to get ourselves free again and then fight this evil from a position of strength, not beholden to any government except God’s.

That’s my piece. Thanks for providing your email address, and keep up the good work of the Survival Blog. – D.F.

Economics and Investing:

Video: Queues form outside Greek banks after referendum announcement – JBG

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Greeks Line Up – Drain ATMs of Cash – T.P.

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Lines form at Greek banks as PM Tsipras calls historic bailout vote

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Items from Mr. Econocobas:

What Electricity Consumption Tells Us About The State Of The US Economy – An Update: This is an interesting concept. This is a little geeky and probably hard to really gauge, but interesting.

18 Years Ago This Country Collapsed Overnight——Could It Happen Again?

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” Matthew 23:13-15 (KJV)

A Dark Day for America, by HJL

June 26, 2015 will forever be marked as one of the darkest days in its history. On this day, the SCOTUS released a decision on a case that should never have been before the court in the first place. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court violated the Constitution of the United States and created legislation from the bench in declaring that all states must recognize the sexual perversion that they call “gay marriage”. However, this column is not about taking to task the SCOTUS for a decision that will literally tear apart this nation. Nor is this about taking liberal progressives to task for fundamentally changing the fabric of our nation. They have merely done what they told us they were setting out to do.

There are two groups of people who must change their ways in order to stop this insanity.

The Church

The first group, who bears the brunt of the responsibility, is the organized “church”. It’s not the organized religions themselves but the people who makes up the membership of these organizations. These are men who think they are doing the right thing but are not.

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:21-23

But who are these people who “work iniquity” (or as some literal translations put it “you who practice lawlessness”)? One needs only read a few verses further in Matthew.

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:24-27

Notice that the foolish man didn’t build a bad house; he just didn’t build it upon a solid foundation. That’s exactly what we have done today in our churches. We have built good looking houses, but when the floods have come we have now discovered that those houses are not built upon solid foundations. We have churches that allow open homosexuality as well as other stated sins within not just their congregations but within the leadership of those congregations. Wikipedia: List of Christian denominational positions on homosexuality lists the major denominations and their stance on homosexuality. The list of those denominations that allow this perversion within their ranks should be zero, but it is disturbingly large. The fact that there is any green in the chart at the bottom shows that there are churches that claim to be Christian but that will fall squarely under the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:23. They are workers of iniquity.

The root of this problem is the 1700 years of church doctrine that divorces the New Testament from the Old Testament, falsely claiming that Christ nailed the “law” to the cross. That doctrine is squarely rooted in historical antisemitism. The church’s desire, beginning in the 4th century, has been to be as separate as possible from the Jewish people and led them into the apostasy of declaring separation from the Hebrews and the declaration of replacement theology. This generation will uniquely reap the compounded consequences of that doctrine, and this SCOTUS decision is only the beginning.

“If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.” Dueteronomy 13:1-5

The majority of today’s churches are that false prophet. They preach a gospel different than what Moses taught, even claiming that God’s promises of “everlasting covenant” were not really everlasting. They say God’s “everlasting” covenant only lasted until the New Testament, but that is not what Jesus taught:

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17-19

And again:

“For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?” John 5:46-47

So what exactly did Moses teach concerning homosexuality?

“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” Leviticus 18:22

“If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” Leviticus 20:13

“There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a Sodomite of the sons of Israel.” Deutoronomy 23:17

Contrary to what many Christians today believe, the New Testament is consistent in the message:

“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.” Romans 1:26-27

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Revelation 21:27

Despite man’s attempt to distance himself from the Law of Moses, the message is clearly transmitted through. Those churches that openly ordain homosexual clergy or leadership will clearly face judgement, but what about those churches who have declared that they will openly allow homosexuals into their congregation just not as leaders and then “love them into submission”? These leaders are clearly deluded and are allowing evil to enter their doors, which results in where we are today.

For the first 30 years of Christianity, after the resurrection of the Messiah, the church was built of Jewish believers. These believers followed Mosaic law and clearly lived by the principles found within. They did not have issues with sexual immorality creeping into their congregation because the very culture deemed it an abomination unto God. However, as the message spread to the Gentile world, believers came from backgrounds other than that of Mosaic law. Most of the Pagan cultures had religions that revolved distinctly around sexually impure practices, and this is what Paul dealt with when he wrote 2/3 of our current New Testament. He did not write about things that people were already doing; he wrote about acute issues that needed to be fixed, and his ministry was to the Gentiles. In Acts 15, the Jerusalem council gives us a clear declaration of what is required of new believers. After repeating the words of Amos– the prophet who affirmed that salvation was for all men, not just Jews– James recognized that no prerequisites were required to be saved. However, then he gave these instructions to the new believers:

“Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.” Acts 15:19-21

To the astute reader, it is readily apparent that James is giving the new believer instructions, not on what is required for salvation but on what is required for fellowship. If that same reader has done their homework, they will also readily recognize that these same instructions are what is considered the “core” of Moses teachings: Leviticus 17, 18, and 19. Additionally, the new believer is asked to attend synagogue and learn about Moses.

If a new believer is required to abstain from “fornications”, which includes homosexuality and the so-called gay marriage, for fellowship in the church, then where is our church discipline? New believers cannot continue in their sin and fellowship with the body. If the body does not act with discipline then it does not act with love. Love requires discipline; any good parent that raises children can attest to that.

Conservative Christian Politics

The second group responsible for our circumstance is the conservative Christian who insists our nation was founded on Christian principles and wants to enact laws to enforce what they believe those principles were. This group bears the responsibility for empowering the Federal government to meddle in areas that it has no business being in.

Our founding fathers did not base our nation on Christian principles; they built it upon the principle of tolerance. This blog has long taken a Libertarian stance that Federal involvement in local affairs causes more problems than it solves. The conservative Christian has not yet learned this lesson. As the tide of civilization turns against conservative moral standards, the Christian has a tendency to get fired up and demand legislation that enforces his moral code. He has not yet learned that the simple act of passing legislation does nothing to stem the moral decay, yet it does give the government a purchase in the issue. When the tide has turned sufficiently, the progressive simply takes the legislative toehold, given to him by the Christian, and uses it to set his own moral (or immoral) legislation.

Had the Federal government never passed DOMA, I seriously doubt that the issue of gay marriage would be before SCOTUS today. Even before that, if the individual states had not tried to regulate marriage how would any government have the ability to legislate against it? If marriage is a Biblically-defined covenant relationship between one man, one woman, and God, then how is it that the state has any say in marriage at all? Sure there is a contractual obligation of property sharing and even one of inheritance, but we also have standard contractual agreements that deal with those issues outside of the marital status. Why do we have to have a marriage license from the state?

I have two documents stating that I am married– one from the state and one from the church. For all intents and purposes, the churches document is meaningless. Why isn’t the marriage document from the church defining my marriage and the document from the state simply defining the status of my property and inheritance?

These problems will continue as long as we empower the government entities to get involved in our private, personal, family business. We really can’t complain when the government is simply using the very door that we opened for them to bludgeon us over the head. We shouldn’t have opened the door in the first place!

How Do We Fix It?

One thing is clear at this point: the problem cannot be fixed by more legislation. I believe that the issue has gone so far that the legislation that has passed will not be undone by the political process alone. I have zero faith in any elected official at this time, but that doesn’t mean the problem can’t be fixed or reversed.

  1. Start with yourself.

    Quit playing games with your faith. You can’t very well complain that our leaders are lying, when you yourself are lying even if it is to yourself. Getting serious about your faith means living by the commandments of God.

    “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15

    “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1 John 2:4

  2. Then move to your family.

    The family is the core structure of civilization. Enough with the broken homes and the parentless children. If you don’t have your family, you are living a lie. Yes, we have all made mistakes. We have all made a mess of it. God excels at restoration. When you have your life straight with God, then get your family right with God. Quit fighting the worldly battles of feminism and freedom. Embrace the roles that God ordained for each of us. Men, get up and provide for and protect your family. Lead your family in faith! Women, quit fighting your man for supremacy in the home and be his #1 cheerleader. Children, stop with the disrespect. Honor your father and mother. Each of us must learn what God intended for us in our positions in the family. Each position is equally valuable, but they are not the same. Each must fulfill their role for the machine called a family to function properly and to produce good fruit with harmony, peace, love, and so forth.

    “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” 1 Timothy 5:8

  3. Stand for what is right.

    What does it matter what the SCOTUS ruled? Who are you truly afraid of, God or man? If the SCOTUS gave us an immoral, unjust ruling, then we have an obligation to ignore it. The SCOTUS itself recognizes that an unjust ruling is no ruling at all. Know what is the proper ethical position on anything that affects you or your family, and make sure that your own morals line up that those ethics.

    “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” – Revelation 18:4

  4. Get your finances in order.

    We are living a lie right now. Our entire nation is fueled by unsustainable debt from the top echelon down to the lowliest person. The amount of debt the average person carries is unbelievable. Get out of debt! If that means you have to quit pretending to be middle class, then just do it. When you are in debt, you are another man’s slave, even if it is over your house or car. The American dream is over, and I’m not sure it ever really existed at all. The illusion of home ownership, two cars in the driveway, the 100” flatscreen TV with the latest smartphone is killing us.

    Understand that you may be persecuted for standing up for what is right, and the primary way that persecution will come is by threatening to take away your “stuff” and your money. What you “owe” on will be the easiest to capture. Understand that while the Bible does not forbid debt, it never shows provision through financial debt.

    “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” – Proverbs 22:7

  5. Churches, get your act in order!

    The Gospel that the Messiah taught is the same message that Moses taught and the same message that the apostles and Paul taught. Quit trying to be popular and easy. Teach the commandments of God, including the messages of repentance, redemption, salvation, restoration, obedience, and discipline, not just the message of easy and abundant grace. Teach your members to be strong in the Lord and to stand in their faith! Stick to what the Bible teaches rather than what man thinks.

    “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” – Matthew 15:9

    “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Mark 7:7

This mess can be turned around, but it will only start from the bottom up. We must fundamentally change ourselves first. We cannot just point the finger and blame someone else. In the end, we are all accountable for our own actions before God. When we stand before the judgment seat of God, we will not be standing as a nation, state, community, church or even as a family. We will be facing judgment for our own actions with no one to take responsibility except ourselves. A friend of mine once told me, “Don’t tell me what god you serve. Show me what commandments you follow, and I’ll know what god you serve!” I will not comply with any SCOTUS ruling that is contrary to God’s word! I serve the one, living God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will obey His commands! Who is your god?

“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” Revelation 22:14-15

Letter Re: SCOTUS on Marriage

Washington Post Sees ‘Sign from the Heavens’ in Double Rainbow Above White House… from Last Week

So, a rainbow over the White House on Marriage Profanation Day.

Here’s the really interesting thing:

The reason we have a connection between rainbows and God is because a rainbow was part of the story of Noah, when the world, awash in degeneracy and evil, was destroyed by God, and his people were preserved. I’ve read that the Jews consider sodomy as the last straw, the final sin among the Antediluvian world that triggered the flood.

So, perhaps, instead of a sign of God’s blessing on sodomite marriage, as the liberals suggest, it is actually a reminder of the days of Noah and how THAT turned out for them, eh? For us who follow Jesus, it is a reminder of the families in the ark, protected by the Providence of God through the most terrible storm in human history.

Trust God. Be Prepared. It’s time. – ShepherdFarmerGeek

Notes for Friday – June 26, 2015

June 26th is the birthday of Marine Corps Lt. General Chesty Puller (born 1898, died October 11, 1971). Perhaps America’s finest-ever maverick officer, Puller was part of what JWR calls the Even Greater Generation.

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It’s the last days… Safe Castle’s Road Warrior Bounty Sale, with up to 41% Mountain House food discounts with lots of extras is coming to a close. You have until June 30th to take advantage of these great deals.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 59 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools, and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul pmags 30rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. (An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  7. A Model 120 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $340 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate, and
  12. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  4. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  5. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  6. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate, and
  7. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 59 ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

The Most Important Preps Of Your Life – Part 2, by J.M.

Motivation

Staying motivated can be tough. What worked for me was finding that thing that can keep me going indefinitely. For me, that’s my wife and kids. Everything I do is for them– my fitness level, my prepping, my everyday activities…..everything! Every time I don’t want to go to the gym, I think about them. Every time I stock some ammo or food away, I think of them. I do it for their safety and health as well. I am not the most fit person in the world, nor am I the most prepared, but I give it my all for them. See where I’m going with this? Find that thing or someone or someones that keeps you going no matter what. Then just keep at it.

Don’t let yourself get complacent. There was a saying that was spray painted on a wall on our base in Iraq; the sign’s message was “Complacency Kills”. It was right. Complacency can and will get you killed, whether it be from letting your body go to just not paying attention to the warning signs, which can come in many forms in our lives. These signs can be everything from high cholesterol to that wire partially buried road side. Ignoring them is dangerous.

Effect On Others

When you’re more physically capable to take care of yourself, there is more of you left over to care for your family or friends. You are able to pick up your kids and run longer. You can hike further with more gear with fewer stops. You can build a camp or shelter quicker. You can fight longer, and you can search longer in the rubble after a tornado. You can also carry an extra bag or two of that sweet and hot jerky that you crave in your bag. If you find it in yourself to improve your health and eating habits, you may find that it can be contagious. Then, family and friends will see you looking and feeling better and will want the same for themselves. Maybe they will then join you in your workout routine or in something as simple as just eating better or smaller portions.

Injury, Health, and Age

I know many people have injuries, health, and age considerations to think about. There are a lot of conditions that can keep us from being physically fit or able. I see a lot of them in my current field. People have to deal with bad knees and problems with their back, feet, and so on. Many have heart issues– CHF, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, and so forth. Others deal with lung issues, like asthma. I could go on all day and not cover all of that many health issues that could keep you from making the hike to your bug out location. However, I am in no way telling you that you should give up hope; there are still some things you can do to increase your time in a TEOTWAWKI situation. Do you take meds? Keep some of those, at least a month’s worth, on hand. Have a network of fellow preppers who know your situation and can help you get out if need be or who can get supplies and meds to you. Do you have a need for certain medical supplies beyond meds? Keep those on hand. Also for those who know people that suffer from a health condition, get with them and see what they need. Maybe keep some of what they need on hand at your place in case their stash becomes stolen, destroyed, lost, or depleted. It could be your loved ones that need you to look after them.

Do you have any ailments that can be taken care of or improved? Got a cavity that you have been putting off? Imagine a time when there is no dentist to take care of it as it worsens. Need glasses or corrective work done? It sure would be hard to shoot well if you can’t see. These are just a couple of examples of things that could make a survival situation tough if not impossible. If you have the means of taking care of them, do so while you can or it is at least easier.

Mind

The mind is a powerful thing. If you do not keep yourself calm in hairy situations you can find yourself dead quick. However, the mind can be trained and filled with knowledge to keep you going in a WROL situation. Knowledge and training weighs nothing and goes everywhere with you. Fill your head with a wide array of knowledge. Get training or read up on first aid and trauma care. Learn foraging skills by taking a class or reading. Learn tracking and trapping skills. If you have the means to do so, take classes from experts of the various subject matters that interest you. YouTube is great, but there are a lot of people that pass on bad advice or outdated information. Regardless of your subject of interest, keep learning and progressing your knowledge base.

With that being said, keep up on your reading and training. There is a saying that I learned in the Marines: “If you don’t use it, you lose it”. It means that you will find things hard or impossible to recall later on especially under stress. It applies if you, for example, only trained with a tourniquet once years ago. It also applies if you practiced doing tactical and speed reloads with your rifle only a couple of times. Your fine motor skills go out the window when you are in the fight for your life. You will be relying on muscle memory. You need to practice any life-saving skills until you have that muscle memory. If at all possible, practice them in stress-induced situations. Those that have gone through the military can back that up. There is a reason your drill instructor was in your face screaming at the top of his lungs while you did a variety of tasks and drills. He was building that stress up to get you used to it. I’m not saying grab your wife and have her scream and throw socks at you while you fold the laundry, but maybe before you do a mag change drill you do some pushups and pull ups to simulate the increased heart rate and exhaustion. Or when you are practicing doing some medical skills, have your buddy dump your med kit out in your work space while he times you and your patient is flailing acting up their injury. If you have a good friend or group that you prepare with, you could always go the boot camp way of doing things at home. There are many ways to induce physical and mental stress upon the human body. How ever you do it, do it in a safe way.

Not only will you have more tools in your mental toolbox, but your confidence in high stress situations will improve. You have to have confidence in what you are doing. Otherwise, you will freeze or second guess your decisions, which could possibly get you or your loved ones hurt. Should someone take a round to their leg, you need to know how to take care of it immediately without hesitation. Or if your weapon has a stove pipe, you need to know how to remedy it. Like I stated earlier, learn it and keep remediating that skill.

Scenario

Imagine that your wife, your two kids, and you are going through your morning routine. You’re eating breakfast while the kids are watching their morning cartoons. You say to tell them, “Turn the TV off so we can go outside and play in the yard.” They put their dishes in the sink and get their shoes on. You head outside as your wife gives you a kiss and goes to finish up her nursing homework. As you reach the trampoline in the backyard, you think to yourself “I forgot to weed eat around this dang thing.” Your kids are laughing and wrestling. You then feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. The neighbor’s plug-in electric lawn mower stops. The cars on the busy street a block away all stall. The traffic lights stop working. Your wife comes out and says the power went out and her phone isn’t working. You soon realize that the world as you knew it has changed.

Let’s fast forward two weeks. Things have been okay since you had prepared food and water over the last several years. Unfortunately, not everyone has done the same. Stores are empty and people are getting desperate. They are hungry and don’t know that they could be having a nice meal on the dandelions in the backyard. So, they go looking; they’re looking for people who have food. You have food, and they want it. You hear someone yell from outside, “I heard you were a prepared person.” Soon a crowd of armed, angry, hungry, and desperate people amass on your front lawn.

Do you have the confidence in yourself and your training to combat the threats should they not leave? If you have to fight someone hand to hand do you have the strength? If you take a round to the arm can you keep your calm and bandage it with proper technique? Do you have the stamina left to run with your kids out the back door with a pack on? Could you take it upon yourself to answer “yes” to all of these questions, truthfully? Your family depends on you!

Final Thoughts

The fear of death can do some amazing things for you and to you. It can make you fight harder than you ever have, but it can also cripple you and leave you weak and defenseless, scared, and crippled. Prepare yourself for the benefit of you and your family.

We all check our BOBs as the seasons change. We rotate our food stores to keep it fresh, and we clean and maintain our firearms. Yet, we do not all improve our health and knowledge base. It’s not easy, I know. It takes time, but we all know the benefits of doing so. I have three pistols that I can replace totally or parts as needed. However, I only have one body and one life. For my family, I am going to give it the best shot I can.