Fruit of the Loom to close Jamestown plant, lay off all 600 workers. They are still going to be making t-shirts and underwear. They will just be made in Honduras from now on. – J.W.
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Why would the world’s largest nation want this “ancient relic”? China Takes Steps To Further Conceal Gold Holdings . – J.W.
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Items from The Economatrix:
Housing Won’t Save Broader Economy
An interesting take on a traditional celebration: Survivalist Seder. – G.G.
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The Volatility of War, the Promise of Gold. – B.R.
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Firearms applications surge, swamp registration system. – G.G.
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U.S. judge rules search warrants extend to overseas email accounts. – G.P.
This is really about giants like Microsoft and Google storing e-mail deliberately out of the reach of the U.S. government, but it is a typical government overreach. The U.S. is now asserting dominion over foreign governments.
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The Vicious Cycle of Apathy Towards Tyranny in Amerika. – J.W.
“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matthew 12:36,37 (KJV)
Spring and Summer Survival Medicine Classes are now open for registration at www.armageddonmedicine.net. All workshops will be taught by Dr. Koelker, Medical Editor for SurvivalBlog, and will be held in Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, California, Virginia, and Alabama. Class size is limited, so early registration is encouraged.
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Today we present another entry for Round 52 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:
First Prize:
Second Prize:
Third Prize:
Round 52 ends on May 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.
As our world and economy continue to change, I can’t help but wonder what is in store for my generation in our years to come. Interacting with my fellow peers, I realize many of them have no idea about what is going on in our world. Only within the past few years have I realized how under-prepared a majority of teens my age truly are. Whether it be a lack of education of world events or simply a matter of non-interest, it saddens me that my generation, “the leaders of tomorrow”, have little to no sense of preparedness. The world is changing rapidly, and the next generation must be prepared for the unthinkable.
Raised in a small town of approximately 15,000 people, I went from a public grade school to a public high school. My first interactions regarding preparedness and our uncertain future came about from my father’s personal interest in the matters. Starting at the age of about 15, I became fascinated with the idea of a post-apocalyptic world. No doubt much influence came from “zombie” based films directed at viewers my age. I started reading every fictional post-apocalyptic type novel I could get my hands on. I read everything from Stephen King’s The Stand to Pat Frank’s Alas, Babylon, and I constantly pondered the idea of a total world collapse. Moving out of my “what if” stage to my “when” stage, I transitioned to non-fiction books based on preparedness. I read a plethora of survival/preparedness books from old army survival manuals to books on home food storage and off-the-grid lifestyles.
Ever since my interest in preparedness began, not a day goes by when I do not practice or learn new useful material. My interest in survival, preparedness, and protecting my future has changed my life in many ways, and I know it can change the lives of others my age. This interest has helped me obtain a healthy lifestyle in which I have proudly lost over 50 pounds and maintained my dream body ever since. My preparedness-based mindset has also kept me motivated and at my top level of performance, which dramatically improved my self-esteem, confidence, and performance in school and other activities. My views and preparedness-based lifestyle have also helped me obtain jobs and save money– a common weakness among my generation.
I would like to share some information with my fellow followers of SurvivalBlog, who will hopefully pass it on to their own children or grandchildren. I have noticed a majority of readers and posters of this great website are older, and I would like to see more support from younger generations. I saw an opportunity to possibly help my generation realize what is going on in the world around us and find interest in preparedness, as I have.
Influence
Parents and adults in positions of power arguably have a great influence on younger generations. It is easy to get your children involved in preparedness at young ages, and some material should present itself at different maturity levels. It is a great start in younger years to get children familiar with hands-on learning, such as the raising of livestock, food canning processes, firearm safety, home safety (natural disaster/intruder plans and actions), and similar areas related to preparedness. Remember, at younger ages the attention levels dwindle, so make sure to introduce new concepts in a hands-on learning environment. As the child ages and matures, introduce them to materials including fiction and non-fiction books involving world history, times of disaster, and world collapse. Forget the idea of a negative and grim outlook being programmed into children; rather give them a thoughtful and informed outlook. Chances are they will maintain interest in preparedness and the “what if” factor in life.
The teenage years are often a more difficult time for parent interaction, as this is when we are figuring out emotions and all that “fun” stuff. Remember as a parent to maintain a positive relationship with your child and allow them to have their own space and make their own decisions. Continue to ensure their interest in preparedness, and make sure they are involved in your own continuing interest and preparations. Have them help you work on your home preparedness. Take them to informative classes and out shooting, and also frequently practice and go over your personal disaster plans with them. Decide an appropriate age to introduce them to Internet websites to further their knowledge of preparedness topics. Obviously, they will be interested in certain topics more than others; remember that this is natural.
My intent of this article is for parents to get their children interested in preparedness and world events, and for the children themselves to spark interest among their peers. Remember to drill the concept into kids that your family’s preparedness is PRIVATE. Failing to do so could spark interest among your community and could cause trouble in the future. I would like to pass on some information about preparedness to people my own age. This is preparedness from the view of a teenager.
A Time Of Change
It may be hard to ponder, but our generation is the future. The next chapters of this great country will undoubtedly be greatly influenced by us. However, due to ever-changing world events, we do not always have control over what tomorrow brings. Fortunately, we do have the power to prepare for unthinkable and inevitable events. A small majority of the next generation is beginning to “wake up” to our changing nation and world. From natural to man-made disasters, our generation has seen what unimaginable and chaotic events happen in the world, and the worst is yet to come. A quick look at world news shows times of crisis all over, and deeper investigation brings forth a startling wakeup call. Our nation is approaching many possible disastrous events, and NOW is our time to prepare. Whether it is a devastating terrorist attack next week or a drawn out socio-economic collapse over the next few years, our generation will take the greatest blow. We will see the world change dramatically within our next 60+ years, and our generations before will just have caught the beginning of what is to come. It is no longer a question of “if” but rather “when”.
Beginning your preparations as a teenager is not as difficult or costly as it sounds. It is actually a better time to begin adapting, while you’re young, to a preparedness-based lifestyle. The target group this article is based on ranges from the ages of 16 to 19, but preparedness is a life-long tradition. You may be overwhelmed by the rapidly changing world, but you have the ability to ACT. A good foundation for a life-long follower starts with the right mentality. YOU and only you can decide where you go in life and how you react to situations, opportunities, and other people. Positive family lives as well as a strong belief in religion are great corner stones to success, as well as the belief in yourself. Needless to say, a large majority of our rebellious generation take part in activities strongly frowned upon. The use of drugs and alcohol as well as participation in crime are unfortunately very common in our generation. Do not stoop to these levels, as they will get you nowhere in life. Self-destruction and carelessness sweep across our youth and are passed along through peer pressure. STAY STRONG. Remember that your family relies greatly on you, and you are the future.
The next aspect of preparedness is physical capability. When a healthy lifestyle is introduced early, it is easily maintained throughout life. Sadly, obesity plagues the youth of our country, arguably due to poor parenting. Your physical health plays a major roll in your survival and preparedness. Some great ways to start a healthy lifestyle young are to acquire healthy eating habits as well as involvement in athletics. School sports are not only a great way to become fit and stay in shape, but are also great learning experiences regarding leadership, commitment, and teamwork. Some great activities to take part in regarding preparedness would be any type of self-defense athletics.
Another major part of preparedness is knowledge. There are countless books, videos, and other sources for learning preparedness information. Not one book covers everything, so make sure to learn all you can in various fields of preparedness. Some good places to start in teen preparation include food and water storage, medial/sanitation storage, healthcare, defensive skills (unarmed and armed), communication, and forms of heat and light. SurvivalBlog has an excellent reference list for you to start with. Learn all you can.
Well Hugh,
After promoting Mr Bundy and his militia followers as heroes perhaps you should mention the fact that the guy is a racist pig. – Marc F.
Hugh Replies: What you are seeing is a classic example of Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals”. I am surprised that you have not been able to see this coming. Alinsky’s Rule 7.5 is “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counteract ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, which then reacts to your advantage.” Also, Rule 7.13 is “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. In conflict tactics there are certain rules that [should be regarded] as universalities. One is that the opposition must be singled out as the target and ‘frozen.’…”
The first clue is that the comments from the media are completely disconnected from the government’s oppression of the local ranchers. When taken out of context, they create an atmosphere that no politician wants to be connected to. If you think about it, it’s a pretty good tactic to use considering that Cliven Bundy (and friends) did the impossible and made the Federal government back down.
I have tremendous respect for Cliven Bundy. Whether I would like him as a person or not is irrelevant. My wake up call on the seriousness of the situation began with the passing of the Patriot Act and came to a crescendo with the Boston Marathon bombing. I watched video after video of innocent Americans having their front doors kicked in and, hands on head, paraded out to the street while their home was illegally searched. Of course, all it would have taken was one family to stand their ground with a shotgun or AR-15 for the abuses to have been stopped cold, but no one wanted to be that first person to stand up to the Federal governement’s abuses because they feared that they would be martyrs. Cliven Bundy stood up, and many American patriots answered the call. He may not have won the war yet, but the battle was huge and not a single shot was fired.
So what is the issue then? Is he really a racist? Probably not. He is a rancher. What he needs is a publicist or attorney who will speak for him or at least vet his “prepared statements” for potential media pitfalls.
Truth in Media has a decent article showing the full textual content of Cliven Bundy’s comments, and they sure appear different than the media wants you to believe. Radio Free Redoubt also has a statement concerning Bundy’s comments that will help you understand what He wanted to say and why he needs a publicist or attorney.
Cliven Bundy did the impossible with the help of American Patriots. Don’t let the marxist media steal that accomplishment away from the people!
Guest Post: Demography + Debt = Doom
Items from The Economatrix:
Exactly Like 7 Years Ago? 2014 Is Turning Out To Be Eerily Similar To 2007
The Middle Class In Canada Is Now Doing Better Than The Middle Class In America
Sales Of Existing Homes Slowest Since July 2012
Why Companies Are Wary To Hire Long-Term Unemployed
Spotlight On The Economy: Is The Recovery In Business Investment ‘Durable’?
The twin dangers of the Ukraine crisis. – G.P.
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Cottage Mom sent in this link: preserving food without refrigeration.
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Everything You Need to Know to Rebuild Civilization from Scratch – M.A.
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Video: Watch Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr.’s FANTASTIC speech at the NRA-ILA Leadership Forum. – B.B.
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“Hawaii joins California as another anti-Constitution and anti-Christian state, both with an anti-American bias. Are you beginning to get the point why government ‘educational’ enclaves are dangerous to your liberties?” – ANOTHER university stops students from handing out Constitution. – B.R.
“O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.” – Psalm 117(KJV)
Don’t forget to send me that article you’ve been putting off. There are over $11,000 in prizes that need your attention! See our contest page for details on the requirements to be eligible for those fantastic prizes. I am also still waiting to hear back from several whom I requested changes in your articles.
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The new CFAPA.org website has been updated with new credentials PDFs that are easier to print. Thanks for your patience.
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Make sure to visit Camping Survival’s Mountain House sale this week. Hop on over to their site and check out the savings. They’re offering up to 25% off of #10 cans and 15% off of pouches.
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Seed for Securityis running their first ever sale right now. You can get their Super Survival pack for 20% off. That’s a total of four pounds of seeds and two pints of grains. Plus, all of their seed is heirloom, non-GMO.
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Today we present another entry for Round 52 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:
First Prize:
Second Prize:
Third Prize:
Round 52 ends on May 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.
Many of us plan to use bicycles for transportation during TEOTWAWKI, or we’ll use them as bug out vehicles in the event that roadways are snarled. The need to take the bike off-road will necessitate that you have mountain bikes. Not only are mountain bikes best suited for off-road travel, they have the ability to pull a light trailer. In addition, the rider sits a little more upright on a mountain bike than on a road bike. This gives the rider a wider range of vision to look for threats, as well as giving the ability to wear a backpack or rucksack.
All bikes with the mountain bike moniker are not created equal. The bikes that are sold at the big box stores as mountain bikes are not built for off-road riding. They are fine for cruising around your neighborhood and possibly riding on smooth double-track (dirt roads made by off-road vehicle wheel tracks). These bikes will not hold up to the rigors of TEOTWAWKI. In my opinion, the brands to avoid include Next, Roadmaster, Ozona, or Pacific.
Mountain bikes come in two styles– hardtail and softtail. Hardtail bikes do not have any type of shock absorber or spring on the rear of the frame. The ride is rougher on this style of bike, but there are fewer things to break. A softtail has a rear suspension that makes riding over rough terrain a little less hard on the body parts, but this is one more thing that can break. Under most riding conditions, a hard tail is the better choice. Mountain bikes also come with or without front shock absorbers. Get one with the front shocks.
A low-end, true mountain bike from a bike shop will begin at about $500 and can quickly run into the thousands. The reason is that they are constructed to withstand trail riding under very difficult conditions. The rims are double-walled to withstand hitting rocks, roots, and holes on the trail without bending. Even double-walled rims can taco (yes, that means fold up like a taco), if the rider is over 200 pounds and tries a turn in deep sand. The frames on quality mountain bikes also have double and sometimes triple thickness of metal, where all of the joints are welded together and are double/triple welded for strength. This is called double-butting or triple-butting. The cheap mountain bikes have single-walled rims and are single-butted; they will break under off-road conditions.
The drive train or transmission is the heart of your bike and, thus, is the most expensive part. If you are going to spend extra money on the bike, spend it on the drive train. The chain rings (the front gears) on cheap bikes are stamped metal, and the teeth are prone to bending when you ride over a log or a rock. Quality chain rings are made of higher quality metal and are machined so that the chain shifts smoothly from one ring to another. The highest quality chain rings can even be shifted while climbing under a load without jamming or jumping off the ring. The second part of the transmission is the rear gears. Mountain bikes usually come with nine gears in a gear ratio suitable for climbing steep inclines.
Derailleurs are the things that shift the chain onto the different gears. They are activated via a shifter, located on the handlebars near the grips. There is a derailleur for the three front chain rings and one for the rear gears. The derailleurs on cheap bikes are made of weak metals (sometimes aluminum) or even plastic. The derailleurs on a quality bike are made to withstand trail conditions and hard riding. There are two major brands– Shimano and SRAM. The derailleurs come in varying levels of quality and associated expense. Shimano derailleurs, in order of lowest to highest quality, are Shimano SIS, Tourney, Altus, Acera, Alivio, Deore, SLX, XT, Zee, and XTR. The SIS, Tourney, and Altus are entry-level derailleurs, while the last three would be used by pro racers. Think of the SIS as a Jeep Liberty and the XTR as a Baja racer. Which one would you want to take across the Baja desert? Acera- through XT-level derailleurs would be good choices, based on my riding experience, for most off-road riding. They will provide the durability needed, while shifting reliably and smoothly. The SCRAM brand derailleurs begin at X3 for the lowest end with the X0, XX and XX1 at the top end. Both brands are excellent. A quality Shimano or SRAM chain completes the drive train. Once you know what to look for, good deals on used bikes can be found on e-bay or Craigslist. Just do not buy a used bike until you know what to look for.
If you just go buy a bike off the rack, you may be disappointed if you don’t get the right size to fit you. A bike that is too short will cause serious knee injuries. A bike that is too tall for you will stretch you too much and impede your balance. Mountain bike sizes are measured in inches. You measure the seat tube from the top of the crank to the top of the seat tube. I am 5’9” and I ride a 17” bike comfortably. Have the bike shop fit you to a bike. It makes all of the difference in the world when riding 20 miles or more to have a bike that fits you properly and is adjusted correctly. If the employees don’t know how to fit you to a bike, then go to another bike shop. This one is run by amateurs.
Many preppers buy equipment and place it up on a shelf until it’s needed for TEOTWAWKI. Don’t make this mistake with your mountain bike. If you don’t ride regularly, the first time that you ride may be a miserable experience. Your thighs will be burning after a few miles, and the part where your body meets the bike seat will be extremely tender. You must ride your bike regularly to build the conditioning you will need, especially if you plan to use bikes as your BOV. You can cover up to 100 miles a day on a mountain bike if you are properly conditioned. Most of us won’t be able to make anywhere near that mileage. If you plan on pulling a trailer, you need to practice pulling it loaded to develop the conditioning needed as well as the balance.
In addition to general conditioning, riding off-road requires some skills. Negotiating trails requires that you develop a sense of balance to keep from getting bucked off. Going up and down hills also requires a specific set of skills. Going up a steep hill may require that you stand up on the pedals to get maximum power, yet you have to keep most of your weight over the rear wheel to maintain traction. Riding down a steep hill requires that you slide off the seat and hover your weight further back on the bike to keep from going over the handle bars. The proper use of the front and rear brakes is also an acquired skill when riding downhill. During the bug out is not the time to be learning how to ride your mountain bike. Most mountain biking clubs are great at helping beginners learn the basic skills. Check to see if there is one in your area.
It is much faster to just replace the tube and patch the damaged tube later when you are secure and have more time. Fixing a flat tire is a skill that you should practice ahead of time. I know a guy that can change the tube in a tire and be back on the trail in less than a minute, but it takes me more than five minutes on a good day. When the SHTF, you don’t want to be trying to figure out how to fix your flat. I suggest having a supply of tubes with you. Off road, you will encounter thorns, broken glass, old barbed wire, and many other tire hazards. If you have the money, you can buy tires lined with Kevlar that are not puncture proof but are very puncture resistant. You can also get tubes filled with green slime that seals small punctures and will keep you rolling until you can get to safety. Buy lots of spare tubes and a few spare tires while they are available. Also, buy lots of tube patches.
Mountain biking is a great sport. It provides you with a little adrenaline rush, while keeping you at a high level of fitness. In addition, I’ve met some great people in the sport. Yet, the critical thing is to buy a quality bike and learn how to ride it.
HJL,
On the subject of first aid kits, a great item to have in the kit is an emergency manual, such as “Mosby’s Outdoor Emergency First Aid Manual.” The book is spiral bound and indexed to common injuries. You need to update the CPR instructions– rescue breaths are out; only chest compressions are in. To get the proper number of compressions, try humming “Another one bites the dust” by Queen or “Staying Alive” by the Beegees. EMTs and nurses carry pocket manuals all the time. In a stress-filled situation you don’t want to rely on an adrenaline soaked brain to remember details. – B.C.
Hugh Replies: I know we all (EMTs) carry those manuals, but that is really a legal requirement because of some lawsuit years back. (Or perhaps fear of a lawsuit.) Reading a manual to remember how many ccs of 1:1000 Epi to inject a person who is in a anaphylactic shock is not really a prudent thing to do when they need it. I realize that the human brain just doesn’t work very efficiently at 0300, when awoken from a deep sleep but that is why you train. A manual looks good, but if you can’t remember how to perform something in an emergency, you probably won’t remember how to look it up either. We carry those in our pockets to have something to read when sitting on standby. If you use the manual to refresh your training every once in a while, you can get some decent use out of them, but if you are depending on the manual to know how to perform first-aid or use a piece of equipment in an emergency, you are really wasting your space. If you have a manual, be sure to study it!
U.S. Exports A Record Amount Of Gold To Hong Kong In January – S.T.
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This will have an impact on all sovereign debts. A person can read between the lines and see why the U.S. would have an interest in backing Argentina. Argentina Asks Supreme Court to Protect It From ‘Vulture’ Hedge Fund – E.B.
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Items from The Economatrix:
How Washington Spends Your Taxes
Number Of Middle Age Californians Living With Their Parents Soars
Collapse Of Western Ponzi Scheme To Send Gold Skyrocketing
Billionaire Warns: Yellen Collapse ‘Will Be Unlike Any Other’
More on the ridiculous militarization of civilian police: Obama’s Civilian Police Army Now Includes Officers in Military-Style Grass Camouflage (Video) – B.B.
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UF student, officer’s daughter calls out Alachua County Sheriff’s Office . That thin blue line again. – D.E.
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Finally! Atlas Shrugged: Who Is John Galt? To Be Released Sept. 12
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Apparently working at a Subway in Chicago is synonymous with working at an all-night quick-mart. Bulletproof Subways A Sign Of Violent Times?. – P.S.
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“If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government that is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. “ – James Madison