“But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take [any] person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.
So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.” Ezekiel 33:6-7 (KJV)
Today we present another two entries for Round 45 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate donated by Shelf Reliance.
Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).
Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) 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, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.
The queue of articles for Round 45 is full, but we are now accepting entries for Round 46, 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.
I am seeing fruit and nut trees for sale now in the Southeast where I live so I wanted to share some thoughts on how I approach tree cultivation. I usually try to plant trees earlier in the winter in order for the roots to get a good start but retail outlets know that people start getting restless towards the end of winter and want to get their gardens and orchards going and they are only too happy to accommodate them. I am an arborist by trade and I’ve provided some guidelines I follow in raising trees. It is not all-inclusive, it is just a quick read for folks who are trying to start or tend to their trees and don’t have much experience. You could spend a lifetime growing and studying trees and still not learn all there is to know but you have to start somewhere so don’t be worried that you won’t get it right- if the location you chose doesn’t turn out to be ideal, move it. You can spend a small fortune on having a contractor put in a tree or if you have the time and the strength, you can do a little research and get a smaller, less expensive tree and do it yourself. And trees are very forgiving!
Trees are long-lived enough to have phases of productivity that include adolescence, adulthood and advanced maturity. The important thing to realize with trees (and most living things) is that their goal in life is to pass on their genetic material by producing and germinating seed. This is their sole purpose in life. How they look, what their flowers and fruit smells like- all these things contribute to the perpetuation of their species. If a tree can produce a luscious fruit, it will entice an animal (man included) to eat the fruit and spread the seed. When a once-healthy tree is nearing the natural end of its life, you will often see a one last grand effort, a flush of buds as they give up all their reserves for one final fruit/seed set, then die in the dormant season. You could call it a selfless act, if trees had a conscious, because they could otherwise limp on for a few more rather unproductive seasons. And even after death, trees provide compost and mulch. So, with that in mind, here are my few basic guidelines for growing trees to their full potential and productivity:
1. Buy healthy plants– don’t start off at a deficit. Price is not always an indicator of health so look closely at the pot- if it is in a container, is it root-bound? You probably won’t be able to pop off the pot and check (which will also show whether the root has wound its way around the pot, also bad) but you can try to wiggle your finger into the potting soil. Can you? If you cannot even penetrate more than an inch or so, pass it by. Also check the graft site (fruit and nut trees are grafted onto root stock trees) at the base of the tree for fungus or poor grafts- you don’t want that either. Some of the best pear trees I’ve ever planted came from a Big Lots store. I tend toward the older varieties because they are tried and true and I don’t have the time to experiment. The other consideration is whether to buy dwarf, semi-dwarf or standard size trees. Dwarf and semi-dwarf will produce sooner but will die sooner, too. But if you cannot manage heights, go with dwarf. A standard size tree will live a long time and produce great quantities, in general, but it takes longer for standard trees to begin producing. Your best bet is to plant a combination of dwarf, semi-dwarf and one or two standard trees.
2. Location, location, location. To plant, that is. Do a little research on your species and variety- if it needs full sun, give it full sun or it will likely not reach full potential. Be wary of planting on high spots in general- think of how water flows and wind blows. Hilltops can catch the wind and are the first areas that water flows from- if nothing else, plan for the ‘military crest’ of the hill, just below the hilltop. Giving your trees a bit of protection from the wind in their early years will give them time to grow deep roots for both stability and water uptake. Planting trees in a slightly lower area allows for the possibility of water availability longer after a rain but make sure the site drains- very few trees can tolerate wet feet! The other consideration is air flow –while protecting your trees from the wind, you also want to make sure there is adequate air flow to help combat bacterial infections such as fire blight by allowing the site to dry out after rains. Make sure there is enough spacing between trees (check the spread for your variety on the tag) to allow for good air flow- this small act of prevention can keep many diseases at bay just by naturally regulating surface moisture levels.
A quick word on pesticides- I try to avoid them whenever possible. I may lose some trees but too often, pesticides are used to make up for poor siting or bad stock. I am not able to fence in my current orchard so I spray a deer spray (which is mostly concentrated urine) to keep the deer and rabbits out and it works pretty well for me. It has a very strong urine smell so be aware of the wind direction when spraying or it will keep your ‘dears’ away from you, too!
3. Nutrition. There are three main nutrients plants need: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) – commercial fertilizer is labeled with the parts of each (N-P-K), for example, 10-10-10. Just like your children need calcium for strong bones as they are growing, so your trees need phosphorus to develop a strong root system. I’m old school and prefer to feed my trees real food instead of chemicals- there’s debate enough about that for another forum- so for phosphorus I give them bone meal. I will sometimes toss an old sun dried bone in the planting hole if I have one. For nitrogen I have access to a Starbucks that gives me all the old coffee grounds I could want and the worms love it, too. For potassium I use wood ash and throw a few small chunks of charred wood in the there, too, for biochar. I find that the chemical nutrients release too quickly and you get peaks and valleys of fertilization whereas the bone meal and coffee grounds slowly decompose at an even rate.
4. Water. They need it, and will die without it. If you don’t get at least an inch of rain per week during the growing season, give them water. Better to use a soaker hose or apply it to the ground directly rather than spraying the leaves for a number of reasons but mainly because the roots uptake the majority of water. But remember, the leading cause of death of plants in general are water-related, either too little or too much. And that brings me to the final point…
5. Mulch. Mulch will hold in moisture around the root ball, it will help protect the roots from frost damage in the winter and dryness in the summer and hold back weed growth while slowly decomposing and providing nutrition. Use composted mulch – green chipped wood requires nitrogen to decompose and will rob your tree of it. But, do not pile up mulch against the trunk, making the ‘volcano’ look! This actually harms the tree by promoting fungus growth around the trunk and can actually smother the roots, inhibiting respiration. So visualize a ‘crater’ instead of a volcano- always make sure the flare of tree trunk is exposed and start your mulch ring about an inch from the trunk, building a crater outward about two feet, with the edge being about 4”-6” thick. Now you have formed a bowl for water to be held in for a slow absorption. You can take the mulch ring all the way out to the tips of the limbs (called the dripline of a tree) if you wanted and reduce further the grass under the tree, which will also rob your tree of nutrients in order to feed themselves. Do be careful to change out the mulch and fallen leaves in the late fall or early winter- disease spores can over winter in the mulch!
So if you have room for a tree, make this year the year you start your orchard. You don’t need any specialized equipment or knowledge beyond what I’ve covered in order to get started. A little time investment every month or so during the growing season to keep the weeds and grass back and keep it watered will pay dividends for many years to come.
As I compose this essay the news of the proposed “taxation” of the depositors of the banks in Cypress via a confiscation of up to 9.9% of the balance from all savings accounts (and then the decision to not take that step) is rocking the financial world. The government of Cypress expressed the need for this measure in order to meet their obligation to the European Union. They called it a “tax on deposits” and “giving depositors a haircut”. I think a better term would be “stealing depositors’ money”. So go to Plan B….seizing funds in pension accounts and turning them into government bonds to pay for the bailout? Plan C?
Of course that could never happen here in America. Right ?
Don’t think that for a moment. First of all, put aside any preconceived notion that the markets are honest and fair to all participants. The multi-trillion dollar printing by the runaway Federal Reserve that is controlled by the mega-sized private banks is nothing more than another engineered plan to acquire your assets. Artificially suppressing interest rates is essentially robbing blind every person who has money invested in a savings account, checking account, money market, or CD. The next step will be to orchestrate a plan to grab every last dollar held in IRAs, 401ks, pension accounts, etc. by those who control the money supply and have the mechanisms in place to manipulate the markets. The game is rigged…and you don’t stand a chance of surviving without implementing a plan of your own.
I have been a Certified Financial Planner for almost two decades and in the financial services industry as a stock broker with both a regional and wirehouse brokerage for a good number of years before that. In 2005 I became an independent advisor because I could no longer stomach the corporate environment and how customers were forced into packaged products. I have seen complete economic cycles over that period of time….falling and rising interest rates….business expansions and contractions….periods of relative peace as well as war…..boom and bust. I have always been able to tell my clients that they could count upon the strength of American Industry, the American Workforce, the American Taxpayer, and the American Consumer to provide stability and steady growth to the American Economy.
I have also been a prepper since the late 1970s. After returning from my wartime military service in Southeast Asia in early 1974, I watched the economy stagnate and then evolve into a chaotic jumble of escalating interest rates and soaring precious metals prices. Americans contended with rising gasoline prices, shortages of heating oil as well as regulated natural gas supplies, a hostage crisis in Iran, and the “general malaise” that Jimmy Carter told us was to blame for all our woes. It wasn’t until the election of Ronald Reagan and some new economic policies that we were able to recover as a nation. Things improved, then got better. The 80’s and 90’s were good and productive years for America.
But the differences between yesterday and today are truly jaw-dropping. Back then the U.S. was economically sound despite the expense of the Viet Nam War financed with newly printed dollars that were not backed by gold (Nixon closed the window in 1971) and the growing (but manageable) social welfare programs. Tax revenues back then essentially covered and met the government’s expenditures. One just knew that every economic downturn would be followed by recovery ….because that’s just the way things worked.
Today the U.S. has spent the nation’s blood and treasure as well as our emotional capital on the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have become involved in Libya, Egypt, and Syria. Potential issues with Iran and North Korea loom large. There are 47 million people on food stamps. Unreported millions are unemployed. Spending on social programs has exploded. The housing market collapsed and has never fully recovered. The banking system is on life support. The Federal Reserve is purchasing $85 billion dollars each month (a trillion dollars a year) in U.S. Treasury issues because no one else is willing to do so. Despite government statistics and reports Inflation has driven prices on energy, food, clothing, health insurance, and everyday items beyond reason. Expenditures outstrip tax revenues. Government spending is out of control and we are approaching $17 trillion dollars in national debt with untold (and unfathomable) amounts in promised future benefits, entitlements, mandates, and promissory notes. By some estimates the U.S. has 238 TRILLION DOLLARS in unfunded liabilities. We can’t cover it. We are flat busted. And if our leadership refuses to address and fix the problem, the rest of the world will fix it for us.
People are genuinely concerned and are looking for answers. Yet they are also experiencing cognitive dissonance as well as normalcy bias. They are fearful at what might happen and fearful of taking steps towards addressing that fear because doing so conflicts with their ingrained belief system. They want to believe that an economic collapse could never happen in America. Life continues to be pretty good for most Americans….we shop, vacation, purchase luxury items, and enjoy eating in restaurants. Life appears pretty normal.
But perceptive Americans have an intuitive feeling that something is really wrong. Despite the message spread by the talking heads on NBC, CBS, ABC, CNBC, and MSNBC that the nation is in “recovery” or “the employment picture is improving” or “corporate earnings are growing” these savvy folks dismiss the messages as much akin to the old Soviet press releases back during the Cold War. The mass media has refused to acknowledge that the Federal Reserve’s continued money printing is a complete disconnect from the reported “improving” economy.
I am assuming that since you are reading the “SurvivalBlog “ that you have made plans for your basic needs for the other aspects of survival. My focus is on the financial aspect….protecting the value of what you have worked so hard to put away. Again, set aside all preconceived notions that the marketplace is honest and fair to all participants. What’s the difference between loss of purchasing power via paying depositors low interest rates or stealing the money outright. Depositors will lose money one way or another…thru actual loss (theft) or loss of purchasing power (inflation). And the FDIC doesn’t really exist for the protection of depositors….it exists to protect the banks who operate on a fractional reserve system from bank runs. A perception by the public that their deposits are somehow covered from all risk prevents those runs. If you think your money in the bank is safe, you better grow up. There is also a concerted effort to grab every last dollar held in IRA’s, 401k’s, pension accounts, etc. by those who control the money supply and markets. Americans will find the funds they worked so hard to save for their retirement years raided and invested into government securities. The American people will essentially be forced into placing their retirement dollars into financing the country’s debt. An outright theft. The game is rigged against all of us. If you think your money in the bank or in that 401k, IRA, or pension account is safe, you better wake up and smell the coffee.
So what is a prudent and careful person to do?
First of all, commit this mantra to memory:
BET AGAINST THE DEBT….BECOME YOUR OWN CENTRAL BANKER
I am suggesting that you take the following steps to have control of your funds, maintain purchasing power, and protect those assets from confiscation:
The U.S. dollar is just the latest in a long line of currencies that have had their value stolen due to decisions made by politicians and central bankers. Taking a valuable commodity like paper and reducing its value by printing numbers, images, promissory verbiage, and fancy artwork is a criminal act. Currency backed by gold and silver will eventually return. But until then it is wise to convert the existing currency to the real thing. Fight the debt….become your own central banker.
Hi Folks,
I’m a transplant to my now-home state of Colorado. When I came here where I’m living now was about the edge of suburban development. Denver has a law that restricted it from growing called the Poundstone Amendment (wherein cities couldn’t annex without a vote of approval of land owners.) My wife is a fifth generation native, her ancestors settled and farmed northeast of Denver for a few decades. Winter wheat was a big crop, Rocky Ford produced perhaps the best melons I’ve eaten and in the summer it was nearly impossible to drive around without tripping over a small farmer’s market (even in the city).
Fast forward… Farmers in Rocky Ford sold their water to a Aurora. Farmers in the Northeast corridor (east side of the divide) sold their water to Denver. Urban planning boomed (again) and even during official drought years it was not uncommon for 30,000 new building permits a month to be issued in the metro area. With their new-found water wealth, the urban planners created sprawl, they loved the income and were addicted to it. While we were told to conserve, they’d build a few thousand more homes with the water we didn’t use. Their formulas used a usage ratio of existing users, so the more we conserved – the more building permits they could justify.
Remember the Listeria deaths attributed to melons from Southeastern Colorado? Do you know how the Listeria got a hold? The farmers had “upgraded” their facilities, and were assured that city provided water was sufficiently chlorinated that they could just use city water, and not recycle and treat their own – all those nasty chemicals they added to the wash water were ruining the environment! Well, as any dummy can figure out – chlorination varies day to day in any municipal water supply – and there was insufficient chlorine to cleanse the melons for market – so whereas the old environmentally-unfriendly method kept us alive, the new-improved city mandated solution killed several people – killing, essentially, the melon growing industry in that part of the state.
Many people don’t realizes that Water has it’s own court system, at least in Colorado it does. Water is politics and big money urban developers have managed to buy nearly all the surface water and aquifer accessed rights in the state.
Our agriculture isn’t producing the same amounts of food as it was ten years ago not because we have a drought problem, it’s because the farmers don’t have the rights to the water anymore – they were “squandering” it and environmental lawsuit after lawsuit put most of them out of business – forcing them to sell their water rights to a city. When you look at the agricultural production numbers plummeting in Colorado, don’t attribute it to the “drought” attribute it exactly where the blame belongs – urban sprawl. What else did we get with urban sprawl? Hundreds of thousands of city-dwellers dependent on the state for their every need. With government employment and service industry growth the majority of people were liberals who moved here for the “rocky mountain high” – bringing their needs for cheap housing and water with them.
We are a liberal majority-controlled state only in the cities. Everywhere else in the state, reason reigns. Our farmers will never produce again, because the city will never return water rights to the land. Our drought has always been a fact of life in Colorado, according to my wife’s relatives water has never been abundant for farmers. Our farmers weren’t victims of G-d’s will and poor rainfall, they were victims of political realities and urban sprawl. So, yes, we are part of the seven states with water problems, but it’s a redistribution problem not one of agriculture. – Jim H.
Hello Jim,
You have had a couple of good articles about having dogs for retreat/home protection recently. I couldn’t agree more that dogs are a wonderful resource in many ways. I have two German Shepherds who keep my farm and home safe from humans and predators. There are a couple points I would like to add.
First of all, not all dogs will fight to protect their pack. I had a German Shepherd several years ago who would try to hide behind me if there was danger. He was a complete coward, in spite of his attack training. When picking a protective dog, a person should size up the personalities of both parents, if possible. If the parents are rather laid back and unprotective, the puppies will probably grow up with a similar temperament. I have noticed that two dogs seem to be four times as good for protection, but they are also more difficult to control.
And once you have a protective dog, it is important to recognize that the dog doesn’t always know when not to bite. A dog bite can be a death sentence without antibiotics, as infection is almost a guarantee. If your dog accidentally perceives someone to be a threat and bites him, there are numerous bad things that can happen to the you, dog, and the victim. My dogs are very protective and aggressive. I have to “protect” them from being in situations where they could get themselves in trouble. Although they are definitely my buddies, I have to handle them more like weapons than pets.
And lastly, dogs are not bullet proof. If there are desperate people who want to raid your retreat, do not believe they will hesitate to shoot your dog. In this situation, the dog will need to be protected too. – Hobby Farmer
The recent experience in Cyprus set a dangerous precedent. With similar debt levels in Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Slovenia, and Spain, the European Banksters are likely to stage more heists. I suspect that there will be bank runs and some draconian withdrawal limits will be imposed. And FWIW, I’m not the only one predicting this. Oh, and I should also mention the Debt to GDP levels are even worse in the U.S. and Japan than they are in Europe’s southern tier. The bank runs could quickly spread from Europe. Be ready for them. Keep plenty of cash at home, and diversify out of dollars and into tangibles that can readily be bartered.
Egon warns about derivatives, over at Gold-Eagle: The Reality Is The Financial System Could Fail At Any Time
World’s First Bitcoin ATM is Announced, First Location Cyprus. (JWR’s Comment: The Bitcoin to US Dollar exchange rate was a whopping 93.6-to-1, the last time I checked. I’ve been using and advocating Bitcoin since May of 2011. Since it has recently become a popular alternative currency, I expect to see an all-out demonization of Bitcoin in the Mainstream Media, shortly.)
Guns and ammo sales spark jobs boom. (Thanks to H.L. for the link.)
Rocketman suggested: Unbanking vs. Underbanking: How to Break Up with the Financial System
Items from The Economatrix:
Cyprus Banks Reopen With Capital Restrictions. €300 withdrawal limit, €1,000 limit for travelers, wire transfer controls…
Another Gold Shortage? Dutch ABN Amro To Halt Physical Gold Delivery. I assume that they are settling in cash. Oh well, that beats Pork Bellies. But this underscores the fact that there is no substitute for holding precious metals in your own possession.
Fears Grow as Banks Reveal Exposure to Cyprus Euro Crisis
The Coming Derivatives Panic That Will Destroy The Global Markets
F.G. sent this short video: Cerakote Generation II Coatings For Night Vision Camouflage
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Prepper Fest Arizona will be held April 26-28, 2013.
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Senate votes 53-46 to stop US from joining UN Arms Trade Treaty. It is frightening to see that this vote was so close. Take note of which Senators were willing kiss goodbye US sovereignty over the key issue of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. (The yea votes listed were pro Second Amendment.)
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F.G. liked this: International Morse Code: Hand Sending Pt. 1-2 1966 US Army Training Film
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Safecastle is continuing their big “Bucket List” sale. Check it out!
"There is no criminal class in America, besides Congress." – Mark Twain
Today we present another entry for Round 45 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.
Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).
Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) 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, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.
The queue of articles for Round 45 is full, but we are now accepting entries for Round 46, 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.
I have read a lot of articles on preparedness and agree full heartedly that any thinking man or woman should be fully prepared for the worst. However in most of the blogs I read I have not seen to much about reality self defense. I feel that all preppers should enlist a hand to hand self defense program into their lives. I am not promoting any certain form. Nor am I saying that people should blow a bunch of money on things that do not work.
In my honest opinion, WWII combative styles and other quick to learn and employ techniques trained on home built practice dummies are the way to go. I do not suggest that anyone should truly practice on another person due to the inherent way that you teach yourself to pull the strikes, which would not be useful in a real life or death situation.
As far as how to gather the equipment a quick internet search would show you links to videos and plans to build a dummy to fit you’re needs as you see fit. Also a quick search will give you ample books and videos to buy, or free videos out there to teach you the basics of most styles. The basics are really what one needs to build off of, you would be surprised how many arts are formed of the base that another built.
Basics are the foundation that you will always come back to. Much like a house in sand without it you sink. Boxing fundamentals are great to know. You learn a good stance for defense and you learn a great deal about delivering a blow without projecting to you’re opponent you’re intentions. The same applies to Thai Boxing.
Some suggested forms to look into from my humble opinion would be Thai Boxing, American Boxing, and WWII Combatives. Thai Boxing is a martial art that is much like American Boxing however you incorporate your feet, kicking, fists, punching, knees, and elbows. What I think is best about both Thai and American Boxing is the great footwork and blocks you learn as well as the simple strikes. The reason I feel this is important is because the fancy locks and throws and ground fighting techniques that are hard to learn and even harder to remember in an adrenaline fed moment are non existent. Both of these styles become instinctive responses.
Now for WWII Combatives, this is a gray area to say the least. Many people feel that this form of fighting is very brutal and should be left to military forces and police units. However in my opinion this is the form of fighting that any survivalist is best to learn. Prepping and learning survival techniques are all wonderful to learn but not useful if some thug or bandit has beaten you to death or disarmed you and has taken all of you’re gear.
Amongst the obvious reasons I see for wanting to train in this form of survival I also feel that people learn a need for being fit. I am not talking about washboard abs or that nonsense, but a good cardiovascular health and functional strength you gain from this kind of training is extremely useful when you are all you got to do the work that needs doing. Also you learn the value of self, bullets can only be fired while they are there and arrows and other projectiles must be either built or stored. Eventually you will only have you’re hands and what you have time to come up with to defend yourself.
For me, I practice at home and buy or search the information that seems most useful and learn it on my own time. I am currently working on my own homemade dummies for training, and stock up on what ever knowledge I can to become more self reliant and self sufficient. WWII Combatives are a huge portion of what I try to learn, as well as boxing principles and Thai striking. I also try to learn what I can from Krav Maga because of the way the style chains strikes and blocks to efficiently subdue an opponent.
My warning on learning WWII Combatives is simply that it is not for the meek. The strikes and targets are highly lethal, this was after all where the most recorded kills in WWII came from. So as I have said this is a warning as well as a heads up that this is a very efficient way to defend yourself. If you find a few styles that are giving you the things you need I suggest reading up on the physics of fighting and the scientific side so you can better learn what works and learn to put it together so it is your own way of life.
There are so many forms out there and if you have time or the will to learn do as much as you can in as many as you can. For my needs though I will keep it simple efficient and dirty. I do not presume to call myself a saint nor would I ever want to be considered one so my choices have no bearing on my conscious because consciously I know I want to survive for myself and my family. That said some of my suggestions maybe be a little more inhumane for some of the populace but you are ultimately left to chose your own path and what you feel comfortable with doing in the event that a blade, gun, or any other object is coming at you.
To me the reasons of why are vast, but for you it might be a news report or a policy on the job that prevents you from having a weapon for self defense. No matter what I feel all people should take a look back at their roots and learn that much like animals we need our claws and fangs ready to strike at a moments notice. Other people are prepared and they are not always on you’re side. Muggings and home invasions are a part of day to day life not just TEOTWAWKI. I refuse to be a victim and you and you’re families should too.
Each day all over the world people are pushed into a life they do not want for whatever reasons. With proper training and maybe a bit of luck this might not happen. I wont get into the politics but, in the event of martial law or any other sort of take over those of us that can use our hands and improvised weapons still have a fighting chance at survival and life as we want it. So take on a “Don’t Tread on Me” attitude and learn what you can to be a true survivalist.
A bit of a side note on improvised weapons, if you can do it with a knife or so forth you can do it with you’re hands and feet. This I learned while practicing Indonesian Styles as well as Filipino Martial Arts. The amount of objects at a persons disposal to pick up on a street to hurt someone is incredible and makes me wonder why gun laws are even a political concern.
I will not list titles or sites that I use but someone with the need will find what he wants. When you decide to take this kind of lifestyle up please remember that safety is the cornerstone that you build all your survival skills from, so do this and all endeavors with safety in mind. Push where you feel you can and block where you need to block. Most important though strike hard and fast when the opportunity presents an opening.
A reckoning is coming and I do not care what color of horse a man is coming on but I hope you will be as ready as I to fight until the fight is done and hold fast to you’re loved ones and have them also ready to carry the torch in to the darkest corners of life to prevail where many fall. Self defense and preparedness are a hand in hand subject and we all should be aware that any one is capable of atrocities and be prepared to do what must be done to preserve our own rights.
James,
I hope your readers don’t lump all police officers into the ignorant category. I’m retired now, but I clearly remember an instance about 15 years ago…
I was on grave shift and received a call of a man with a gun in a Shari’s restaurant at about 2 a.m.. When I asked the dispatcher what the man was doing, she told me he was eating.
I walked in and spotted him fairly quickly. He had a Ruger Blackhawk in a leather western style holster. I sat down in the booth with him and asked him why he was wearing the gun.
He explained that he and some friends had been out 4-wheeling and target practicing. Since his truck didn’t have doors, (it was summer), he didn’t want to leave it in the truck and since he didn’t have a CCW permit, he decided to wear it open carry.
I congratulated him for exercising his Second Amendment rights.
I then informed him of a little known fact in Oregon law: One may carry concealed if one is going to or from hunting or fishing or to or from target practicing. I then told him that he should alway carry a cardboard-backed target, earmuffs, live ammo and fireed brass in his car as “proof” that he has just been target practicing. And that he could carry concealed to not alarm the sheeple. I showed him the law in writing with my pocket guide I always carried.
The restaurant manager seemed rather displeased that a patron had a gun. I then pointed to mine and asked her if it bothered her. She said no, because I was the police. I told her that her restaurant was a safer place with an armed customer and left.
My sergeant was rather displeased that I didn’t have the “suspect’s” name. And that is another story. – Tom in Oregon
James,
Regarding the recent post “Dealing With Mentally Unbalanced Trespasser, I’d like to begin with a relevant Bible passage, Matthew 25:31-45, King James Version (KJV):
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Having dealt, one-on-one with many folks like the “Mentally Unbalanced Trespasser” in many positions over the years, I offer some insight.
1. We naturally fear the unknown. Jesus invites us to engage that fear and recognize that “unknown one” as him. Easier said than done.
2. Here’s the “done” part. Offer the stranger food. If he ignores you or refuses, offer it again. How many times would you offer Jesus food if he initially regarded you with suspicion? “Hey brother, have a cookie.” “Would you like some water or lemonade?” I have seen people who you might think were crazed from bath salts or meth (a diagnosis best left to the pros) relax and engage with me. A little kindness calls the fellow to “wake from the trance” and perhaps remember he is one of God’s children. Of course, we have to remember that he is one of God’s children first. Of course, you can wear a sidearm as you offer the cookie.
3. Hearthkeeper notes, “The man went with the officers with no struggle thank goodness and we then gave our statements.” Note especially the words “with no struggle”. Peace officers are more and more being trained to calmly offer help to people “in the trance” (Drunk, drugged, possessed, or whatever.) When you approach the stranger with kindness, as if you are addressing Jesus, you are preparing for a time when there may be no 911. Take turns, as part of your prepper practice, play the role of the stranger and of the one offering kindness. As we used to say in the Marine Corps, ‘Practice makes prepared.”
4. I’ll quote Hearthkeeper once more, “We pressed charges for trespassing simply because the man otherwise would have been let go to terrorize some other family.” Based on the description of his behavior, the stranger was simply pulling on the chicken wire and threatening no one. We human beings often claim, in our fear, that someone has “terrorized” us. This serves to detract from out power to respond to a situation. In tactical situations, the better we can describe what is going on without ascribing power or intent to the other, the more effective is our response. I’ll paraphrase Mother Theresa here, “Our challenge is to show kindness to Our Lord in all his repellent disguises.”
5. I am in no way suggesting you become a bleeding-heart liberal. I simply invite you, if you choose Jesus, to heed his words. Certainly, you can keep the option of violent response ready in your hip pocket–or holster. – Dancing Marine
Toby Connor: The Dollar and the Real Inflation Story
Stanford University Kills Popular Course on Free Market. (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)
Dr. Gary North: Housing: Addicted to Fiat Money
Banks criticized for moving into payday loans
Items from The Economatrix:
Cyprus Shows Your Savings Will Be Stolen! UK Theft Will Be By Means of High Inflation
Sinclair: Cyprus, Gold, Russia and a New Monetary System
Reader Ryan B. sent: Here’s 52 issues of a 19th-century British craft magazine, courtesy of a Brooklyn tool company.
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LPC Survival has announced that they’ve dropped all Wise Food Storage products from their catalog. They instead now offer the complete line of Mountain House long term storage foods, packed in #10 cans and in stacking plastic buckets.
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Keith B. spotted this: Ms. Cheap: Franklin family takes a break from modern conveniences
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F.G. mentioned that at a recent armorer’s course, Glock USA representatives in Smyrna, Georgia told him that Glock is now producing 5,000 pistols per day. They also mentioned they are backlogged 1.3 million guns.
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An unintended consequence of biodiesel: United Kingdom Besieged By Cooking Oil Thieves