Pat’s Product Review: Cold Steel’s Assegai Spears

I’ll reach social security age later this year – time has flown by in my life. However, my mind is still sharp, and I can remember so much of my childhood, it amazes me at times. If you were a guy, and grew-up in the 1950s and 1960s, you’ll appreciate this memory. I don’t know of any kid on my block, back in Chicago, who didn’t make a “spear” of some sort – usually, we got in big trouble, because we took the kitchen broom and broke the handle off and sharpened (using that term loosely) into a point, and we all had spears to toss at targets. Even back then, as kids, we knew better than to throw the spears at each other – but usually found cardboard boxes to use as targets. And, when it was discovered that we “requisitioned” the kitchen broom – and we all did it – for our spears….well, let’s just say we paid for our evil deeds.
 
Cold Steel’s owner, Lynn Thompson, has a fascination, with all manner of sharp objects, not just knives. He also has developed many useful self-defense products, that are used daily. When I was running three martial arts schools, at one time – in different locations – I made a large purchase of Irish Blackthorn Walking Sticks, from Cold Steel – and my students snapped them in up short order. These were the genuine Irish Blackthorn Walking Sticks, not the synthetic ones, which Cold Steel is now offering. I can’t think of any place in the world, were a walking stick is illegal to own. You can even carry one onto a plane – just “limp” a little bit while walking with your “cane.”  So, it came as no surprise to me, that Lynn Thompson developed the Assegai Long shaft  and Assegai Short Shaft spears. Thompson never ceases to amaze me, the way he searches history, to come out with improved and modern renditions of ancient weapons.
 
The Assegai Spears were first on the scene in the early 1800s and were the result of Zulu King Shaka, and if you’ve ever watched some old movies, in which some tribes in Africa were depicted, you usually saw the warriors carrying some type of spear, with the most common one being some sort of long shaft Assegai Spear. Thompson is a real student of ancient and modern weaponry, and don’t kind yourself, he isn’t just into things that cut or can smash a skull, he’s also into firearms and big game hunting as well. And, he can shoot, and shoot very well, too.
 
The Assegai Long Shaft spear is 6-foot 9 1/2 inches long – it is definitely on the long side. The short shaft model is 38 inches in length – quite a bit shorter than the longer version. The SK-5 mild carbon steel heads are 13 1/3 inches long on both models. And the shafts are made out of American Ash wood – with the shorter shaft being dyed a darker color – for some reason. I waited a year for my samples to arrive, these spears are always in great demand, and more often than not, you’ll find them on back-order on the Cold Steel web site. However, if you search around on the Internet, you can usually find them for sale some place…and they are well worth the wait or the search, trust me.
 
Now, the Long Shaft Assegai Spear is meant to be thrown in target practice, the mild carbon steel heads will bend if you hit something hard, though – like a large tree – been there, done that – on my own homestead. However, you can set-up a bale of straw, or hay. or an archery target, or very thickly-stacked cardboard and practice your throwing skills that way – just be close enough to the target, so the spear doesn’t smash into the ground. And, without a doubt, the long shaft Assegai is much better suited for throwing purposes, while the short shaft model is better suited for close-in combat against an attacker. [JWR Adds: Shaka, King of the Zulus was right: Except for a few circumstances, stabbing with a spear is the best way to use them in combat. That is why he ordered that all spear shafts be shortened.)] And the spears aren’t designed for slicing and dicing, they are designed to penetrate an attacker, and with the 13-1/3 inch head, it can do the job. However, in a pinch, if you can get close enough to a game animal, and have practiced your throwing skills, I can see you taking game in a survival situation, I really can!
 
Now, I’m not advocating that anyone head out to the wilderness, with only an Assegai Spear, and live off the land and hunt with it – that is not what this spear is designed for, and you’ll die in short order if you believe you can live off the land with a spear and a loin clothe as your only clothing.  Nor am I’m saying that the Assegai spears are the perfect weapon for self-defense, either. What I’m saying is that, these spears are a lot of fun to own, and they would look great hanging on the office wall at home or at work, and they are a great conversation piece as well, not to mention the history behind them.
 
We are simply looking at, a couple of very well made spears, that can, in a pinch, save your butt, let’s say, if someone was breaking into your home – “yes” you can defend yourself with a spear – but let’s not be foolish here – I’m sure you’ve all heard to never bring a knife to a gun fight – well, the same holds true here, don’t bring a spear to a gun fight, either. Believe me, if someone had one of these spears flailing it around in front of me and I had nothing but empty hands, I believe I would remember an appointment I had on the other side of town and get to it.
 
Survival comes in many guises, and unfortunately, many armchair survivalist, believe that survival means heading out to the wilderness and playing Rambo with a knife, or in this case, just a spear. Yes, you can, in a pinch, take game with a spear, if you’ve practiced and have a quality product to start with. However, a spear wouldn’t be my first choice in a hunting weapon, but it also wouldn’t be my last choice, either – I believe I’d take a spear over a David and Goliath sling shot. And, I’d sure take a spear over throwing stones, or being empty-handed, too. So, there is a place for a spear, especially if you are into more than just guns and knives, as a collector, Survivalist or Prepper.
 
Both the Long and Short Assegai Spears come with a polymer sheath to cover the spear’s head when not in use, too. And, the spears come in two parts, the head and the shaft, that you have to put together – just a couple screws, takes a few minutes. The Long Assegai retails for $76.99 and the Short Assegai retails for $65.99 – and in my humble opinion, you’ll want both models – if for no other reason than to hang them on the wall in your office or den. When I worked for the late Col. Rex Applegate, he had several spears and other weapons from Africa in his Annex building – that was next to his house – where he kept all his guns, knives, books, and other weapons, and we had many conversations about the spears, that once belonged to a relative of his, who was a professional big game hunter in Africa.
 
So, if you want to add a little something a little bit different to your weapons battery, or just have one of these Assegai Spears as a conversation piece, or have some fun, throwing them into a hay bale, or as a last ditch weapon, place your order for one or both – and I’m betting you’ll want both of them – they are a lot of fun, and they do start conversations when someone comes to your home or office. Lynn Thompson never ceases to amaze me, with the variety and different types of weapons he comes out with at Cold Steel. And, one comment I have heard over and over again, by folks when they saw my Assegai Spears was “awesome!”  – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Recipe of the Week:

Linda H.’s Three “Beans for Beginners” Recipes

They’re healthy, they’re thrifty, and they’re delicious. What’s not to love about beans?! Here are three very different, easy, and tasty recipes to get you started.

Lee’s Pinto Bean Soup

½ lb. bacon, cut into large dices
1 c. diced onion (about 1 medium onion)
2 cans (14.5 oz. ea.) chicken broth
2 cans (14.5 oz. ea.) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 tbs. sugar
1 tbs. finely chopped jalapeno peppers (or to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

In large saucepan or soup-pot cook bacon over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, another 5 minutes. Drain most of grease, leaving 1 tbs. or so.  Add rest of ingredients, except for salt and pepper. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to lowest setting and simmer at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  (This soup just gets better the longer you cook it, so don’t be afraid to leave it simmering all day. It will also simmer just fine in the crock-pot on high setting.) Salt and pepper to taste before serving.  Makes 4-6 servings.

 

Hot Bean Dish

½ lb. bacon, cut into large dices
½ lb. ground beef (or other ground meat)
1 c. diced onion (about 1 medium onion)
1 can (14.5 oz.) pork and beans, undrained
1 can (14.5 oz.) green beans, drained
1 can (14.5 oz.) butter beans (baby limas), rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz.) wax beans, drained
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. ketchup
¼ c. cider vinegar
1 tsp. dry mustard

In soup-pot or Dutch oven cook bacon, ground beef and onions together, stirring frequently, till beef and bacon are done. Drain grease. Add rest of ingredients. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to lowest setting and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes 6-8 servings.
Note: any 5-can combination of beans may be used.

 

Ham and Bean Soup

1 lb. dry navy beans
8 c. water, plus 10 c. water
2 c. diced ham
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 c. cubed potatoes
½ c. chopped onions
½ c. chopped celery
½ c. chopped carrots

In soup-pot or Dutch oven bring the beans and 8 c. water to boil. Boil 2 minutes then remove from heat, cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain water. Add the 10 c. fresh water, the ham, garlic and bay leaf. Bring to boil then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 2 hours. Add potatoes, onion, celery and carrots and continue to simmer 1 hour, or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:

Just Bean Recipes (4,033 of them!)

Israeli bean soup (marak shu’it) recipe

Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!

Economics and Investing:

Five hurdles the market must clear this fall

From G.G.: Unemployment dips to 7.3 percent, but only 63% of working-age Americans are in labor force

Tim J. sent this news from Florida: Three arrested, accused of stealing used cooking oil

Items from The Economatrix:

US Yields Retreat From 3% After Tame Jobs Data

Jobs Market Bumping Along Bottom of Very Deep Hole: Economist

Krugman Overboard! Says Economic Policy a ‘Horrifying Failure’

Odds ‘n Sods:

There is a new but familiar listing on SurvivalRealty that I once owned: Secluded But Not Remote Retreat for Sale in Idaho County, Idaho. I can personally vouch that it is a fantastic piece of retreat land, with multiple springs, a good mix of timber and quite a variety of wild herbs. It is advantageously situated down at low elevation on a very private side canyon of the South Fork of the Clearwater River. The winters there are very mild–with just a month of snow that “sticks”–and a long growing season. The surrounding properties are large cattle ranches, so it feels very private. The property has abundant water, fantastic harvestable timber, and a naturally-exposed quarry of road rock (that can be crushed as needed) right next to the road through the property. With only one vehicular approach, the property is quite defendable. I highly recommend this retreat property!

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Here is an interesting “water risk” map that is useful for retreat locale selection. (Thanks to CDV for the link.)

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As I ‘ve mentioned before, for National Preparedness Month, Mountain House has removed their Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) restrictions on their authorized dealers for long term storage foods packed in #10 cans. This is an unprecedented opportunity, with low sale prices that haven’t been seen in decades. There are now five SurvivalBlog advertisers are Mountain House dealers, and I strongly recommend that you stock up to take advantage of these sales prices in September.

Here is a summary of the five September sales on Mountain House foods in #10 cans. They are all offering deep discounts and most of them are offering free shipping:

Because of the huge volume of orders expected, you can expect up to a 15-day delay before your order ships, with all five of these Mountain House dealers. Note that the deepest discounts are limited to selected varieties and to stock on hand, so place your order soon. Check with the vendors’ web sites often, as they will be adjusting some pricing during the month, and listing the food varieties that have run out.

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G.G. flagged this: Survive the apocalypse in style: Home that boasts a luxury bunker 26 feet underground with fake grass and simulated night and day.

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Rick G. was the first of several readers to send this: Revealed: how US and UK spy agencies defeat internet privacy and security

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Was the Mayflower launched by cowards, steered by men behind their time? Turn those tracks toward Past or Future, that made Plymouth Rock sublime?

They were men of present valor, stalwart old iconoclasts, Unconvinced by axe or gibbet that all virtue was the Past’s;
But we make their truth our falsehood, thinking that hath made us free, Hoarding it in mouldy parchments, while our tender spirits flee
The rude grasp of that great Impulse which drove them across the sea.

They have rights who dare maintain them; we are traitors to our sires,
 Smothering in their holy ashes Freedom’s new-lit altar-fires;
 Shall we make their creed our jailer? Shall we, in our haste to slay,
 From the tombs of the old prophets steal the funeral lamps away
 To light up the martyr-fagots round the prophets of to-day?

 New occasions teach new duties; Time makes ancient good uncouth;
 They must upward still, and onward, who would keep abreast of Truth;
 Lo, before us gleam her camp-fires! we ourselves must Pilgrims be,
 Launch our Mayflower, and steer boldly through the desperate winter sea,
 Nor attempt the Future’s portal with the Past’s blood-rusted key.”  – Thomas Lowell

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 48 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), F.) A $300 Gift Certificate from Freeze Dry Guy. G.) Two BirkSun.com photovoltaic backpacks (one Level, and one Atlas, both black), with a combined value of $275, H.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and I.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225.

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.) $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P.), E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials F.) A full set of all 22 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is more than a $200 value, and G.) 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.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security., E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Two Sisters Like Peas in in a Pod, by Peggy W.

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My sister and I both retired due to disabilities are working as we can trying to prepare for the family. Often, we say did we really do that, like talking to a stranger in our local Wal-Mart and saying we would like some green beans and he happened to have about a bushel in his truck he had not sold so, we got them and yielded 14 quarts of beans we needed. Ask and ye shall receive hit us in the face so hard, Thanks be to God! We are on an extremely small budget but we continue to buy sale items. Then, we do a stupid things and go where it tells you how much you need for x people and kids. It is so disheartening. The adult kids know we are preparing but they do not have the time or seem too understand what can happen even with us talking to them. We pray they come to their senses and help.

Where do you store 500 lbs of flour, and rice, or 200 lbs of oatmeal and 300 lbs of assorted pastas? And do not leave out the 500 lbs of beans of all kinds! It is on the floor, table, corners, under the bed, under anything and everything and stacked to the ceiling here and there. But now where do we live? Then, there are the candles, and wicking, and of course Toilet Paper. I do not want to use corn cobs which I have, or other alternatives! Store toilet paper.

One work in progress is our assortment of "Gimme Bags." They are bags to hand out to people who ask "please gimme something to eat" or to tuck into your backpack! They are snack bags and zip lock bags of a pack of coffee, tea bag, kool aid, hot cocoa mix, and sugar in a bag. Then, in another bag, add protein bar, cup of soup, Raman noodles, pack of tuna or whatever you devise. In another add some dried beans with salt and pepper packets. Make a snack bag with band aids, Q-tips, other first aid items. You can add on and on. Another thing we are adding to some is like a Weight Watchers Protein Drink, 10 gram. Dollar Stores are great, but watch for sales. Packets of salt, pepper, and a bullion cube or two helps too.

Be creative and make a list of possibilities on an index card, pull that card, make up a few, then another card with different things and make a few. Mark the number made. EASY to pull out things already together than trying to go through your stuff if one shows up. Children can design a paper bag with artwork for you to hand to the “visitors“. Always keep your children away from the doors, out of sight, if someone shows up. Have your good ole handy defense weapon on you, not "nearby"! But, in order to be God’s children, help others as you can, but do not forget they want your stuff! I am sure you have things in place to determine when to open the door and not to! Be careful.

Make out menus, extend them to include your family members coming. Oops, I need 2 lbs of beans, instead of a cup, and see how it stacks up to your storage. Do not let it get the best of you. You are starting to get all things together, keep it up. Do not panic, just pull up your big girl drawers and suck it in and go on! Check calories, protein, etc! Have something for the kids too, pudding, or a cookie. We are saying a prayer, “GOD give us a chance to find beans cheap and some dried milk! Seriously, think of the amount a family needs! Rice doubles but even though millions of people eat it, we are used to a different diet and the beans with rice would make each go farther but can get very tiring!
Know how to make noodles, spaghetti, and breads! That includes lots of flour, solid shortening, and yeast! Get your recipes together for all kinds of breads! Corn bread on a fried grill is quick and good but again you will need variety! You must practice making things!

One thing that lays ahead for my sister and me is killing the rabbits with a broomstick and canning them. Yuck! I know we have to but do not look forward to it! YouTube has things on there that are amazing on how to dress rabbits or squirrels to making breads or cheese! Please get your act together and get organized! This is one thing I am doing too!
check for those dratted mice! I thought the mylar bags would deter them but to no avail. I lost some vital dried vegetables, and some other goodies. They do not seem to like cinnamon, so I sprinkle some around, get the cheap kind. Only mylar bag not eaten had some in it! Go figure! Make sure you have traps, etc for those unwanted detestable things. Be careful with handling them due to the disease they can carry!

One note of dehydrating things. One ounce of dried equals about a pound of raw vegetables, so when you see the cans on sale use this like a guide to determine if you can do it for less! IF we get the stuff given to us, it will be cheaper but to buy 10 lbs of green peppers and then uses the electric, etc compared to $14 a #10 can, you determine what best fits into your needs. Check into dried vegetables in minestrone soup or vegetable soup at your local discount stores! Usually, the package is about $1 and it is over an ounce of dried ingredients, so I think it is cheaper to buy!

Remember to get the necessities, like Gorilla Glue, metal tapes, and duct tape and Toilet Paper. Make sure all your tools are in good shape with good handles and clean them up. Get a few yards of extra screening, or muslin for cheese making and tuck it away in that pile, but label it well. You know what specifics you need in your neck of the woods. Of course, you need all the staples and some other necessities like chocolate and coffee! Check on this blog for list and lists. Not many can have everything they think they need but start marking off what you do have. It makes you feel like you have done something! Those hash marks behind the cans of coffee make you feel like I know I can have coffee! Also, try to find natural alternatives! If we can no longer get coffee or chocolate, the world would not end, but sure would make it easier to tolerate tough times with it!

One trick my sister thought was when storing canned jars, take off the rings, place clear plastic on the top of the jars and lids, and put a rubber band around it to keep the moisture out, and it works! She is so smart!

It is almost to the panic zone! Okay, we have the stuff to do an appendectomy but who knows how! Get someone in your group or two or three that have some medical training. Or who knows how to deliver a child? We see on television, it just comes out but really! Run off lots of" how to" situations and add in another binder. Pictures here are helpful. Let’s go from Point A to… Can you sew a cut or cleanse a wound, or bind a broken bone, find out how.

We are solicitors too, but it is legal. We ask people for apples when we see the trees are full, and not being picked, and have made lots of apple butter, apples, etc. We ask people if they do not want the produce may we buy it, usually, they give it to us and we can and can. ASK and ye shall receive, at least doing it in the right way, under the Lord’s guidance, we have been blessed.

My sis and I plug away, we read this blog daily and run it off too. Thank goodness people give me paper.
We will take most anything one gives us and find a way to make it work into our plan. If we do not can it, we bind it, or box it or seal it or sew it!

Please prepare for the children too. Get the crayons, cards, board games, glitter, glue, dice, books (i.e. school), rulers, pencils, (do not how to make pencils) etc. IT will be hard on them living a life so differently than they have for10 years or so. Get some cheap presents to have on their birthdays and for Christmas and tuck them away. A frilly top can work wonders on the girls and a neat shirt for the boys. Cheap! Right now summer sales are on. Get ones in several sizes.

SHOES-Where will I find a size 13 or 3! I can not make them, so how do I have room for all this or the money to get it! I have Please get boots in various sizes for your crew! Please tell the adults to bring boots! Good sturdy, hiking boots or work boots! Even community boots wear out, and you need several pair of working boots, and rain boots, and and and….

Okay, it hit’s the fan and the crew is coming! Have them bring clothes, bedding, and bring all the food they can fit in the car. Make sure they bring food for the animals too! Tell the family to make sure others in the family can pick up the kids from school. Keep trying to talk to those loved ones who do not believe it will happen. Also please talk to them about the value of having extra meds they need on hand! They do not have time to stop and get whatever at the store as it will be gone and your car will be stripped if you try and stop! Listen, have ears, and look, thorough eyes that GOD has given you! Have a plan, a meeting place and pray all will make it.

Being informed will help you in making wise choices. Know how to use that grinder, water purifier, and baking bread from freshly ground flour. IF you wait till something happens that is more burden on you and more stress. Practice some simple things with few ingredients that are great tasting and give you the proper nutrients. That is a job but one you must do, in all your spare time! Many cookbooks with four or five ingredients are great! This article could be 20 pages long and still not share all I feel is needed but certainly hope this may help at least one person.

Remember the Lord, go to HIM in prayer, and hold on to your faith, and beliefs. – The Peas in a Pod Sisters in a Pear Tree (And yes, we do have a pear tree).

Letter Re: Preserving a Digital Library

JWR: I had to ad my own two cents to the Preserving a Digital Library. As a seasoned IT pro myself (one of my early customers upgraded all the the Windows for Workgroups network I setup for him to Windows 95 himself and called me when he couldn’t get it working) I have reliance on my systems, be it my cache of reference documents and ebooks to documents I’ve written myself to my gear and prep inventory spreadsheets.

I see no reason to choose Windows XP over Windows 7 or Windows 2000 or Windows 3.1 when it comes to back doors.  Every version I can remember since Windows 3.1 was rumored to have a back door.  That includes XP, 2000, etc.  A Windows preference you may wish to stick with XP just because it can run on older hardware.

With regard to activation, sure you can over the phone, but we are talking disaster planning. What happens when you have bugged out of the area you lived in due to a storm and arrive at a motel and your drive has crashed and you reinstall and then the phone lines are down when you try to activate.   I’ve seen a number of desktops, laptops and even servers just decide one day they were no longer activated and require a re activation or reinstall to fix.  I myself also have some laptops with OEM XP which will install and run for years without ever activating, so Windows 7 is not the only (Windows) OS that can do it.

On a related note Windows activation has been cracked multiple times over the years resulting in Microsoft changing and improving the code over time as well as blacklisting some licensed and OEM keys which were widely pirated.  This has resulted in a few combinations of install CDs that would not accept the license key on the computer I was attempting to reinstall.  Many of us IT folk who dealt with end user workstation installs ended up with multiple XP install CDs so we could use one with worked with a customers license.  By the way, a quick call to Microsoft World Wide Fulfillment with a valid license key would allow purchase of a replacement media for around $20, though its been quite a while since I last called.

I’ve chosen the Linux route.  For the average end user its no more difficult to install now a days than Windows.  I run the oldest distro (Slackware) which comes with a stock Kernel compiled to be very compatible.  I’ve taken the drive from a laptop and stuck it in an adapter and booted it in a desktop. Sure I might not have gotten all the extra hardware or X windows to work upon first boot but the Kernel was able to figure out the new hardware and load the right modules to get the system up and running.  Try that with XP without a BSOD.

I’ve seen activation issue over the years with software such as Microsoft Office as well.  I’ve seen compatibility issues even with Adobe PDFs. I have some scans that were created with an old version of Acrobat that the current versions of the reader have to repair them to open them. When I made the Linux switch I started converting everything to as open a format as I could.  This was I have no software that needs activation or even a license and my files are more portable to new software should the need arise.  One of the things I strongly suggest when you are refreshing your backup media is to test opening various files to ensure the software you have now can open the file you saved many years ago. Lastly there will never be an end to which is more secure, closed (Microsoft, Apple) or open (Linux, BSD) source.  Close proponents argue that its harder to find exploits without access to the source while the open source world says more eyes can quality assure it and fix it faster.  The closed source software still has the highest number of exploits if you look at statistics though there are many other factors such as size of user base, ease of exploiting, availability of tools, etc.  I believe the open source side is a better match to self reliance. – Eugene X.

Odds ‘n Sods:

A reminder from Al in Maryland: Readers in Maryland are doubtless already aware that after October 1, 2013 it will be illegal to buy a firearm defined as an ‘assault long gun’ including any long guns deemed to be ‘copies’ [of banned models.]  Current owners are grandfathered-in, for now.   Handguns will be harder to acquire and there will be more hoops to jump through.” There will also be restrictions on full-capacity magazines. So Marylanders should stock up, muy pronto!
 
In related news: Maryland gun applications overwhelm police, dealers as tough limits draw near.

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B.B. sent: Homeland Security Allocates Nearly One Billion Dollars For Explosives Storage Magazines

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California’s slippery gun-control slide

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Scary Implications: San Antonio Passes Ordinance Banning Anyone Who Opposes Homosexuality From Running For Office, Receiving A City Contract…

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” – Mark 11:22-26 (KJV)

Notes from JWR:

September 7th is the 98th birthday of Richard Cole, (born, 1915) who is one of just four living Doolittle Raiders. He was General Doolittle’s co-pilot.

Today is also the birthday of Dr. Ludwig Vorgrimler (born 1912 in Freiburg, Germany; died 1983) Vorgrimler was the designer of the Spanish CETME rifle, from which sprang a plethora of roller-lock descendents from HK including the G3, HK21, and MP5. His bolt design was also copied by the Swiss for their excellent PE57 and SIG 510 rifles. (Although the Swiss felt obliged to mount a “beer keg” charging handle on the right side of the receiver, for the sake of familiarity to Schmidt-Rubin rifle shooters.)

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Today we present another entry for Round 48 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), F.) A $300 Gift Certificate from Freeze Dry Guy. G.) Two BirkSun.com photovoltaic backpacks (one Level, and one Atlas, both black), with a combined value of $275, H.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and I.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225.

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.) $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P.), E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials F.) A full set of all 22 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is more than a $200 value, and G.) 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.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security., E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Round 48 ends on September 30th 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.

Interrogation for Preppers, by Tim G.

(Editor’s Introductory Note: The following article is presented as an intellectual exercise, or gedanken. Be forewarned that there are mentions of torture (mental and physical) herein which are of course not conscionable behavior! But this mention is only for the sake of showing the full range of potential interrogation techniques, and as a warning that in the future — under different circumstances — you might have to be prepared to resist interrogation. “Forewarned is fore-armed.” Again, none of the following is intended to encourage any SurvivalBlog readers to do anything immoral, or illegal, or unethical. It is in your own best interest to learn about interrogation techniques, even if you never intend to use them yourself. If nothing else, this knowledge could prove useful to recognize when subtle interrogation and propaganda techniques are being used against you. – J.W.R.)

(Author’s Introductory Note: This is not a manual for interrogation, but rather an attempt to convince the preparedness community of the importance of seeking out references on this topic. The methods and mindsets associated with interrogation are too large to catalogue in even one book, let alone an article.)

“All Warfare is based on deception.” – Sun Tzu

In the best case TEOTWAWKI scenarios, such as earthquakes or hurricanes, our survival training and preparedness will enable us to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe until order is restored, and we can get back to our lives. In the absolute worst case scenarios, such as economic collapse, terrible plagues that wipe out large parts of the population, or nuclear apocalypse, the American Prepper may be facing complete anarchy for an extended period of time.  In these scenarios it is highly unlikely that the supplies that have been set aside will last for more than a few months, and I’m sure that your planning on raiding your local Wal-Mart or other superstore, but remember, so is everyone else.  In this new Darwinian world money will have zero value, and there will be two ways in which a lone survivor or a family unit will be able to obtain more supplies. You can barter, or you can take, and in order to take, you must know where the goods are. Now I consider myself a moral man, so the idea of stealing repulses me, especially if that stealing will cost other persons their lives due to starvation or inability to defend themselves. But here is the simple truth, not a whole lot of other survivors will feel that way. In the initial months following the “event” there will be a quick culling of the herd. Those unprepared for the scenario will starve, and those willing to prey on others (I.E. criminals, immoral persons, or simply desperate regular people who quickly adapt an extremist mindset) will stockpile what they can take, while killing those who stand in their way. Of course Preppers will be holed up in bug-out locations, waiting for all this to blow over. But what comes after? Afterwards we will be forced to look outside for more supplies, whether by farming or by scavenging for that which cannot be grown. And here is the basic fundamental fact, others will want what you have, and you will want what others have. In talking about these scenarios often basic principles are overlooked. Most importantly that is will be highly unlikely that anything of value will be left at the super-stores. Persons will hide the supplies away. So we must ascertain the locations of these supply caches, but how? We could do house to house searches, exposing ourselves to small arms fire. We could look for camps and appeal to their humanity (it is unlikely that they will have any humanity left at this point). Or, we can approach this situation from a guerilla warfare mindset, and take the information that we need. In order to know where the goods are you will either have to go find it yourself, or ask someone who knows, enter interrogation.  

Enemy soldiers are a goldmine of information. You can learn more information in a five minute interrogation than in a week of scouting. For the purposes of this article I will speak on interrogation as related to a scenario where we are searching for supplies. But there are many other scenarios in which the need would be pressing and undeniable. One of your party’s members has been taken hostage to an unknown location, you capture an enemy scout; will you be able to educe the location of their camp from him? And in doing so save your family/friend? Your group has fallen into conflict with another group, you decide to go on the offensive, you capture one of the enemy scavengers and want to find out all the tactical details of their camp, will he break? You are alone and on the move and become engaged with small arms fire by a small group. Your superior marksmanship and cool head win the day, you kill two and wound one but are injured yourself and it looks bad, you need medical attention. The injured enemy is bleeding out and you don’t have a lot of time, you don’t know the area and need to find medical supplies, can you get him to break before he dies? The applications and need for a thorough understanding of interrogation is obvious. But the area of interrogation as a teachable science is still in its developmental stages by the US Military and Intelligence community. The average American citizen known very little about interrogation methods and most all of what he knows is learned from Hollywood or media reports; not the most reliable sources. I am in the military and have deployment experience in HUMINT operations; I am also a student of Intelligence (About to graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Intelligence Operations) and have studied every reliable source I can find. I want to be clear when I say that I am not an experienced interrogator, but rather someone who has conducted a thorough study of materials produced by experienced interrogators and am presenting my findings to yo.  I will not present you with a roadmap to a successful interrogation. I won’t even concentrate on methods; you can read every book on the subject and still be less effective than someone who has conducted only one interrogation. I will simply dispel myths, and provide several proven guidelines to interrogation so that if the Schumer ever hits the fan, you will be able to develop your skills quicker.  Interrogation is something that you can only learn by doing, so read this and know that while you will still be a novice, at least you will be an informed one.

The myths surrounding intelligence are so numerous that it is almost comical. Hollywood depicts interrogations that last a grand total of thirty seconds with the result of a highly indoctrinated terrorist in the corner crying while the hero is shaking hands with impressed onlookers. The media is so busy telling us that torture doesn’t work that they have managed to ignore all other methods used in interrogation. And here is food for thought, if torture doesn’t work, then why has it endured millenniums of use. You’d think if it had such a high failure rate someone would have noticed. You must approach interrogation with an open mind. Here are the best and most easily abbreviated principles. For a more thorough study, see the “KUBARK Counterintelligence Interrogation Manual”. [JWR Adds: “KUBARK” is an obsolete a CIA cryptonym for the agency’s own name, used in internally-published documents for purposes of deniability for interagency training, or in the event of unintended release.)

  • Just ask first, you never know how unhappy he is in his current organization, you may be the answer to his prayers.
  • A successful interrogation is a process, not a series of events. You can’t torture a subject then five minutes later attempt to talk him into giving up what he knows.
  • You must tailor your methods to the subject, everything matters. Age, sex, ethnicity, all of these have influences that if not respected and worked around can hinder and even kill an interrogation.
  • No matter who you talk to, anyone who has experience with interrogation will tell you that rapport building is the most reliable way to go. Now this doesn’t mean that you need to convince the subject that you are his best friend. But you must get him firmly rooted in a relationship of your choosing, even if he sees you as his enemy, if you can get him to respect you as an enemy then you are well on your way. The roles you can take are limited only by your imagination. But he must perceive you as being in control.
  • Torture is interrogation for the unskilled. Better to break his spirit than his body. But if you must torture, don’t try to be fancy. Waterboarding and car batteries are a lot of work and you run the risk of killing him. Pliers and heated blades are classics but you have to be careful of shock and passing out. Fists are a viable option but make sure you don’t break your wrist hitting him, which would make you look ridiculous and seriously hinder your interrogation.
  • He will be silent, then he will attempt to deceive, he will keep deceiving until you catch him in a lie. Then he will tell the truth.
  • If he fears that you will kill him after you are done, then you may be forced to resort to physical torture. Try not to let him think about that.
  • Never ever lie. He must believe that you will do the things that you threaten to do. Whether you are threatening him or promising reward.
  • Fear is a product of imagination. His imagination will instill in him more fear than anything you can do. Feed that, build on it. Don’t tell him what comes next, let him fear the worst.

Keeping these tenants in mind I hope alongside you that none of us will ever be forced to resort to them. Remember that these are not rules but merely guidelines. And that nothing can take the place of experience. You may have noticed that I spend much of this article justifying the reasoning and morality of interrogation; it is because to me the biggest hurdle of interrogation wouldn’t be the interrogation itself, but convincing my group to allow it. Many people would be willing to kill but for some reason torture is completely unacceptable to them. Keep this in mind, don’t become the evil that you have set out to destroy. At all costs avoid hurting the innocent. But recognize that someday you may be forced to choose between your morals and your life, or the life of a loved one. Only you can make that decision. If you are really interested I suggest that you download a copy of the KUBARK manual, which is an interrogation manual written by an accomplished CIA interrogator in the early 1960s, before such actions were put under government oversight. The science of interrogation is still in its developmental stages, and the current engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan have provided a unique opportunity for experimentation and innovation. Expect some great products and manuals to be produced in a few years. And remember, the best skills that you can use in an interrogation are those that you use every day, the ability to read faces and emotions, the ability to relate and emphasize. Trust yourself and be willing to adapt. And good luck.

Bibliography
The Central Intelligence Agency and Dantalion Jones. The CIA Document of Human Manipulation: Kubark Counterintelligence Interrogation Manual. Central Intelligence Agency, Langley VA: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2008.

Christopher E. Kelly: “A Taxonomy of Interrogation Methods.” dissertation., University at Albany, State University of New York, 2013

Lawrence E. Hinkle and Harold G. Wolff: The Methods of Interrogation and Indoctrination Used by the Communist State Police

National Defense Intelligence: Educing Information Interrogation: Science and Art

JWR Adds: I recommend that anyone who anticipates a societal collapse or a foreign invasion and a subsequent war of resistance should study both counterintelligence (CI) and human intelligence (HUMINT.) Though the terms are often mistakenly used almost interchangeably, CI and HUMNIT are distinct spheres. In the context of the DIA and its subordinate agencies the rule is that HUMINTers cannot do investigations and that the CI guys (“Special Agents”) cannot do interrogations. (However, CI Agents do some strategic level debriefings.) When deployed overseas, CI operations are conducted “inside the wire” while HUMINT is collected “outside of the wire.” (But raw HUMINT is then analyzed and fused behind the wire.)

Coincidentally, the protagonist in my fifth novel (“Liberators”, scheduled for released in October of 2014) is a DIA contract CI agent.

Pantry Paratus Announces Photo Contest

I just received this announcement:

Pantry Paratus is excited to celebrate our second year on as an e-store.  We are looking to expand our digital marketing appeal with real pictures; so in order to do that we are hosting our first annual 2013 photo contest to celebrate all the harvest of this season’s bounty.  All the official rules are here, but the basics are these:
-all photos must be original work and submitted to photocontest@pantryparatus.com between Friday, September 6th and Friday, September 20th.
-there are two categories: “Canning” and “Food Preservation.”  The first one is easy to define, but the second one can be anything from saving seeds to rendering lard to making jerky–surprise us!
-We have one grand prize winner ($200 of selected merchandise) and one First place winner ($150 of selected merchandise), one second place winner ($100 of selected merchandise) and one third place winner ($50 of selected merchandise) for each category.  There will be seven big winners in all!
-Since people tend to be private about their food supply, people need only supply their name (any name will do really) and a valid email address so if they win we can contact them–or else the contest is pointless, right?
-one entry per person, per email, per category  (e.g. John Smith can submit one (1) entry for “Canning” and one (1) entry for “Food Preservation” from johnsmith@emailaddress.com).

Two Letters Re: Preserving a Digital Library

To correct a letter regarding software (Microsoft Windows):

I do consider myself an expert in this area for several reasons. Partly because I do it for a living, but past jobs have required off grid computing for various security reasons.

1. All current and and past versions of Windows can be activated without a network (Internet) connection.  This is generally accomplished via an automated call to Microsoft through the use of the keypad and voice prompts. I’ve done this on ALL versions of Windows. Some companies and government rules require that certain computers are always off the grid and Microsoft is aware of this. As a result, they continue to make this available.  To accomplish this, try installing Windows from a disk or USB and then try to activate it without an Internet connection. It should give the option of using phone.  It is easy to do, and does require any personal info. 

2. Additionally; most software that normally uses the Internet for activation will also allow phone or email activation.  When using email, you would of course use a separate computer. 

3.  Many OEM (original equipment manufacturer) operating system restore disks will automatically activate upon installation as long as they are installed on an approved machine. For example, most Dell operating system disks will re-install and be pre activated when installed on compatible Dell PC’s. 

4.  I believe the reason the first author suggested using Windows XP, was because he/she believes it was written before the invention of mass spying by corporate and government interests. This is probably correct, but not provable. Most commercial software written today is ,effectively encrypted in a way that prevents unauthorized persons from analyzing it for bugs, or other intentional/ unintentional flaws.  This is good for keeping your work safe for copycats, but is not ideal when looking for “bugs”. 

5.  Without getting into too many hypotheticals, I believe that no matter what software or version you choose (Apple, Microsoft, Linux, DOS, etc) there is a level of security risk that comes from using code (programs) written by someone else.  Even the most highly secured system is not immune from attack. What you can be reasonably sure about however is that a computer without an outside network connection is orders of magnitude safer from attack than a networked system. The most common and unsafe connections include WIFI, Ethernet cable, (including VPN) Bluetooth, dial up, or sneaker net (look it up).

6.  As a side note, I recently read that the German government recommended against using Windows 8 due to known back doors.  http://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/view/34119/german-federal-government-warns-on-the-security-dangers-of-windows-8/

Stay informed and aware as technology changes overnight.   – A. Techie 

Good Afternoon,
There is a fantastic free piece of software for managing a digital library called Calibre.  The especially nice thing about it is that the portable version can be run directly from a CD or thumb drive without installing.  With this application you can categorize and search your books instead of having to dig through hundreds or thousands of different different files or folders. 

I have an external hard drive and a laptop in my EMP stash with over 5,000 digital books stored. (Just In Case.) – Elizabeth G.

Ralph in Hawaii later noted: A new 1.2 Release( on September 6, 2013) of the software is available at Calibre-ebook.com.   The new Windows  32bit, 64bit and Portable, OS X and Linux versions are there as well as Video Demo, Help and other links.