Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” – Matthew 5:3-12 (KJV)

Notes for Saturday – February 18, 2017

This is the birthday of Jack Palance (1919–2006), an actor known for his “Tough Guy” roles, such as the rebel leader Jesus Raza, in The Professionals

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Today, we present another entry for Round 69 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $15,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical 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,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. An infrared sensor/imaging camouflage shelter from Snakebite Tactical in Eureka, Montana (A $350+ value),
  6. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  7. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $2,400 value),
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  4. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  5. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  6. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. A selection of canned meats containing a 10 pack of 28oz cans of Premium Beef and a 5 pack of 28oz cans of Premium Pork from Wertz’s Farm Market (a $300 value),
  9. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  10. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A custom made Sage Grouse model utility/field knife from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  4. 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,
  5. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  6. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  7. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  8. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a $125 Montie gear Gift certificate.,
  9. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value), and
  10. Fifteen LifeStraws from SafeCastle (a $300 value).
  11. A $250 gift certificate to Tober’s Traditions, makers of all natural (organic if possible) personal care products, such as soap, tooth powder, deodorant, sunscreen, lotion, and more.

Round 69 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Exercising Your Rights vs. Being Nice: When the “State” is at Your Door, by The Recovering Feminist

Disclaimer: I need to be perfectly clear first off. I am not a legal professional; therefore, I have no license to provide legal advice. The information in this article is opinion only and freely available. This is not legal advice. Do your own research and practice due diligence here. Seek out your own legal advice on these issues. This is, however, a matter of Natural Law and no Juris Doctor in the world can trump Natural Law.

The Movie Scene

In the movie Prince Caspian, do you recall the scene when Lucy is standing face-to-face with her enemy on the bridge and Aslan walks up beside her as she pulls out her knife in a position of strength? You can see this scene in the Youtube video titled “Prince Caspian The River God x32g54k converted”.

If you have time, there are other videos showing the landscape of this scene. Did you know that it was filmed in the Soca Valley near Bovac in Slovenia, Europe? Slovenia is a beautiful country indeed.

Did the enemy stop advancing when they saw who was standing beside Lucy? No. They continued to advance. Did they realize what they were facing or more importantly who they were facing? No. As the movie scene shows, the enemy was met with a great and fierce resistance by water. The “River God” took the burden of the fight literally on his shoulders; he destroyed the enemy advance and caused their immediate retreat. He rose up in righteousness to fight against evil men.

A Hidden Battle Rages

This is a superb example of how we are to stand against evil ourselves. When a person is in Christ, they have the full backing of a fierce and great power– the righteous power of God. His defense may not come until we are taking our last stand, but it comes. He promises to never leave us.

“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you” (Deut 31:6, NASB).

When will we be called to stand, like Lucy, against the forces of evil? Every single day. What people may not realize is that there is a spiritual battle raging all around us. We cannot see it with our human eyes, but some can sense it; some know it is so real we can almost touch it. A “supernatural heaviness” or a “negative bubble of pressure all around” is how I have heard it described. Usually it is a woman who speaks in such descriptive language.

Women do have a sense for things like this, perhaps to be the warning signal for the men in their lives. The warning is and always will be issued. However, the heaviness is a daily fight. We must fight it. We must resist. The enemy will continue its assault; therefore, we must continue our resistance, a resistance that relies on the Word of God and the Armour of God as our protection and weaponry.

Brace Yourself, Prepare for Impact

When you are preparing to take flight in one of the many corporate airlines, the stewardess predictably stands in the front and provides the safety briefing. A good stewardess or steward takes this briefing seriously; however, some will make a joke of it most likely out of the monotonous nature of having to deliver the same message over and over. Smart passengers take this briefing seriously, take note of their surroundings, and memorize the procedures like you would any muscle memory in case of an emergency scenario. The ones who are not so smart don’t pay attention at all. By the way, these are the exact fellow passengers to avoid in case of an emergency.

Handing out unsolicited advice is a strange thing. However, if you are reading this, perhaps look at it from the perspective of the stewardess briefing emergency procedures and suggesting you enjoy the flight. That way you take note of the important information and it is saved to a muscle memory for later use just in case.

Breaking up the Family: Violating “The Bill of Rights”

Is CPS and Health and Human Services directly responsible for the breakdown of the American family? Are they complicit in the damage? Have they been held accountable for the false accusations and pain and suffering of unsubstantiated cases? Do they understand the horror a mother feels when someone takes her child away? Are they aware of the intimidation, threats, pride, manipulations, and oppressive tactics employed by the agents of the state who are armed with unusual power to separate child from parent?

There exists an effort in some agencies to break up the family. Excuses are used, like keep the child safe, yet the law is not followed. “The Bill of Rights” is repeatedly violated and people aren’t even realizing this violation in their own homes. There is an effort to turn wife against husband (feminism) and turn child against parent (children’s rights over parental rights). What if removing a child from families causes more harm than letting the child stay with the parents?

Yes, there are bad parents, and, yes, there exists real abuse and neglect. However, the statistics show that a certain percentage of children are taken from parents for unconfirmed reasons. There is also a potential for anonymous reports to be motivated by viciousness and a sick form of power. Imagine the anonymous caller who enjoys the power of reporting on innocent families just to destroy and crush the beautiful, healthy family they are jealous of. How many anonymous reports are called in on “just a hunch”?

What is worse is that it is difficult to find independent data on the statistics of the families that are falsely abused or the children who are taken out of legitimately good families and then abused in foster care. I have heard the tactic is to tell the child “Your mommy doesn’t love you anymore.” It is a psychological attack against the weakest among us, an attack that is not being confronted and an attack that uses fear and threats to accomplish its agenda.

FEAR BASED

What can be worse than threatening to take children away from parents? What can be more scary for a mother or father? To take the children away is the worst thing you can do to a parent. Many totalitarian regimes used this tactic to put parents in prison. They threatened the parents that they would harm the children. ISIS uses this tactic. “Declare your allegiance to Allah or we will kill your children.” In America, it goes like this: “Either declare your allegiance to the state and federal agencies’ recommendations and assessment requirements and follow every single command or we will take your children.” “Do not resist.” Conform. Stand down. Comply.

The CPS system is a fear-based system! Fear produces results, and the system has proven effective. Threaten to take away someone’s children if they do not comply and you get your compliance. More effectively, use the child against the parents and coerce the child into condemning the parents. With a little encouragement, I can get my own children to say anything. Children are fragile, and they should be protected rather than abused by power hungry sycophants. These are the tactics of the Stasi.

“The Truth Fears No Questions” (General Michael T. Flynn)

When you resist, prepare for a litany of hatred, judgment, and threats beyond what you can imagine. The fear-based system will be elevated to a vicious, vengeful level. You are resisting a person who relies on your compliance for their paycheck. You are threatening their job security. However, with the truth on your side, you have no reason to fear.

If you are faced with a CPS or other state contracted agency and you are required to respond, first, do not fear. Fear will take you down the wrong road, and it will paralyze you. Fear is not productive from a righteous standpoint. You must fight against your fear to exercise your rights.

Are CPS and other government workers required to follow the law? Yes. Do we hold them accountable? No. Are people aware of their basic rights when it comes to resisting the fear-based system of CPS? Most are not.

Your Rights

The Bill of Rights. Need I say more? It covers:

  • Your right to remain silent. Remember anything you say can be used against you. The CPS agent has already assumed your guilt and is building a case against you from the first moment of contact. Don’t help them build their case. Don’t self sabotage.
  • Your right to video and audio record. Some states require that you notify the person being recorded.
  • Your fundamental right to boldly and unapologetically protect your children from enemies “foreign and domestic”. There is a grave misinterpretation of what a fundamental right is that continues to be taught to our children and even the adults in our society. The truth must confront the lies of what a fundamental right is and where it comes from. A fundamental right trumps all other rights, statutes, and laws. It is fundamental because it is rooted in a foundation that is not of man but of God. It is not made by man but given by God. It carries with it a certain power that will not be mocked.

Giant Tattle Tellers

One more point. For those of you who are participating in this fear-based system, stop! For those who are getting high off their power and abusing the innocent, uninformed, unsuspecting public. Stop! For those who threaten, twist parent’s words and cover your immoral acts in bureaucracy and pride, stop! Stop participating in immoral, unethical, and sometimes unconstitutional acts. You may not be accountable to man, but you are certainly accountable to God. Justice will be served. You will be held accountable, and this will not be in a human court with a jury of your peerss; this accountability will be served in a much higher court, the highest court with a perfect, omnipotent, omniscient, all powerful judge.

Resources

Do you find yourself in the jaws of the CPS? Are you yearning to learn more about how to protect your family? Are you now aware that the state contracted agencies do not have your best interest at heart? Have I convinced you to listen to the safety briefing of the stewardess and pay attention to your surroundings, take note of those who are complacent? Look into the following resources or do your own research. I am not affiliated and do not gain benefit from sharing these.

  • fightcps.com (Sign up for a membership and you will see you are not alone. So many families have been destroyed and are seeking a place for comfort and advice.)
  • HSLDA – Homeschool Legal Defense Association – JOIN…JOIN…JOIN NOW! Organizations in your state: http://www.hslda.org/orgs/
  • parentalrights.org –

    Take a moment to read over the “Parental Rights Amendment” and share it with others:

    PROPOSED PARENTAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION

    SECTION 1

    The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children is a fundamental right.

    SECTION 2

    The parental right to direct education includes the right to choose, as an alternative to public education, private, religious, or home schools, and the right to make reasonable choices within public schools for one’s child.

    SECTION 3

    Neither the United States nor any State shall infringe these rights without demonstrating that its governmental interest as applied to the person is of the highest order and not otherwise served.

    SECTION 4

    The parental rights guaranteed by this article shall not be denied or abridged on account of disability.

    SECTION 5

    This article shall not be construed to apply to a parental action or decision that would end life.

    SECTION 6

    No treaty may be adopted nor shall any source of international law be employed to supersede, modify, interpret, or apply to the rights guaranteed by this article.( Source)

Finally, do not fear!

“You drew near when I called on You; You said, ‘Do not fear!’” (Lam 3:57, NASB).

Letter Re: License Plate Readers & OPSEC

1

Sir:

Two of SurvivalBlog’s recent posts referenced altering or covering license plates to avoid identification by license plate readers. Coincidentally, the last two episodes of the reality show Hunted involved people being tracked by this technology. Altering your plate is clearly illegal. Apparently plastic covers are also illegal, at least in some jurisdictions. Electronic surveillance devices seem to be virtually everywhere these days. Do you have any advice for those of us who still believe in personal privacy but don’t want to break the law? About all I can think of is a good coat of mud or a trailer-hitch receiver cargo rack.

– R. in Maine

JWR Replies: You are correct that this is an emerging threat to our privacy. Sadly, it is just one part of the emerging Surveillance State.

There are a few options that I’ve mentioned to my consulting clients who have raised this issue:

  1. Registering your car in a “one plate” state—that is, in one of the 19 states that do not require a front license plate. (Called a “tag” in some regions.) That alone will eliminate half of the risk. So, for example if you park somewhere like at a gun show or at a politically rally where you don’t want your presence logged, you can back in to a parking spot up against a building or close behind another vehicle.
  2. You are correct about the legalities of obscuring license plates. But there are a few things that are legal or at least quasi-legal, including combinations of any of the following:
    1. A coat of spray lubricant, or rubbing on a very light coat of grease on the plate, to attract dust and road film.
    2. Buying a vanity license plate with short combination of letters and numbers that is easily confused by the naked eye or difficult to scan. One example of such lettering is: “0CQO” (Zero Charlie Quebec Oscar),
    3. Picking out a specialty license plate design with a very low contrast between the lettering and the background image. For example, on a recent consulting trip I noticed that in Montana if you buy a Grizzly Bear theme license plate, you end up with black lettering on top of a brown bear for the middle four digits, so the letters are quite difficult to read in anything but perfect lighting, and
    4. Adding punctuation to a vanity license plate, using little bits of black electrical tape. For example, changing a vanity plate that reads: “C M0RE” to instead read “C-M0RE”. That could easily be explained to a traffic officer who pulls your over. And unless he is having a very bad day, you wouldn’t get anything more than just a warning.
  3. If you live in a state where they are legal, invest in “Photo Shield” covers for your license plates. Some use a reflective surface, while the best ones use a Fresnel lens, to limit the viewing angle. They are available from a number of companies including PhantomPlate.com.
  4. Even if you don’t ever tow a trailer, buy a receiver hitch and the largest ball available, to partially block the view of your rear license plate.
  5. “Accidentally” allow the light bulb that illuminates your rear license plate to burn out. (Removing it and applying 120 Volts AC for a few seconds should do the trick.) Again, this probably won’t result in anything more than just a warning from a traffic cop, if it were noticed.
  6. If you live in a state where they are legal, buying novelty license plate FRAMES that obscure the State name on the plate, to add to your anonymity when traveling out of state. The more reflective, the better.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Some good news for the owner of HK9x-series rifles: I contacted the management of Franklin Armory, and they told me that they have now produced prototype HK binary trigger packs that are the functional equivalent of their very popular BFS-III binary triggers for AR-15s. They said that the new HK trigger packs will be shipping to individuals around May or June of 2017. I will be eagerly awaiting mine. OBTW, because of state level restrictions, binary triggers are not available for civilian sales in California, the District of Criminals (DC), Iowa, North Dakota, New Jersey, New York, or the State of Washington.

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Man who used CNC mill to make untraceable guns sentenced to 41 months – T.P.

JWR’s Comment: It is notable that this was a Federal prosecution. We must ask: Where is the “Interstate Commerce” in this case that would justify Federal jurisdiction? There clerly is none! This man’s conviction is a good candidate for an appeal or an immediate Presidential pardon.

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New Hampshire set to be the 13th state with Constitutional Carry, still on track to get 16 to 17 states by end of year – DSV

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AI-Powered Body Cams Give Cops The Power To Google Everything They See – DSV

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If you use One Time Pad (OTP) encryption, you may be interested in this tool submitted by a SurvivalBlog reader: One Time Pad Coding Tool

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: and let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.” – Exodus 18:21-22 (KJV)

Notes for Friday – February 17, 2017

SurvivalBlog readers in Northern California who are downstream of the Feather River should be advised that a series of storms are due, so the crisis is far from over. Make contingency plans, top off your vehicle fuel tanks, and do some pre-packing!

o o o

Today, we present another entry for Round 69 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $15,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical 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,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. An infrared sensor/imaging camouflage shelter from Snakebite Tactical in Eureka, Montana (A $350+ value),
  6. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  7. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $2,400 value),
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  4. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  5. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  6. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. A selection of canned meats containing a 10 pack of 28oz cans of Premium Beef and a 5 pack of 28oz cans of Premium Pork from Wertz’s Farm Market (a $300 value),
  9. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  10. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A custom made Sage Grouse model utility/field knife from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  4. 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,
  5. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  6. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  7. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  8. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a $125 Montie gear Gift certificate.,
  9. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value), and
  10. Fifteen LifeStraws from SafeCastle (a $300 value).
  11. A $250 gift certificate to Tober’s Traditions, makers of all natural (organic if possible) personal care products, such as soap, tooth powder, deodorant, sunscreen, lotion, and more.

Round 69 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

It is the Best of Times and the Worst of Times to Research Your Family History, by Michigan Swamp Buck

Gone are the days of the nuclear family. With high divorce rates, remarriages, single parents, and the legalization of same sex marriages, the family unit as it was once known is becoming a rare thing in the 21st century. Although these changes have brought more choices and variation in family structure, there have been losses from abandoning the traditional family unit. One loss is the traditional family value of knowing your family’s history and lineage. Knowing who you have descended from and the history surrounding their lives provides a foundation of pride and strength that many families have lost touch with in our current era. Knowing this personal family history not only gives strength to the individual but brings to life the unique history we all share in the United States. Losing this personal connection to the past can leave us weakened and indifferent to the reality of history and open to revisionists who seek to change it to suit their agendas. In essence, the survival of our family history helps to ensure our survival as individuals as well as the survival of our western lifestyle.

I’m what you might consider old now, as I’ve passed the half-century mark. My family has been scattered to the four winds with the oldest members long dead. Our family has almost completely lost touch with each other, and those who are left have little or no memory of who and what our family is about. As disconnected and dysfunctional as my family has become, there was a time when we were much tighter.

Back in the 1970s, we would frequently gather on the family farm owned by my grandparents and attend a yearly family reunion organized by my great aunt. When they passed the family reunion torch to my father, it lasted for a few years into the early 1980s, but he gave up due to low interest and attendance numbers. I believe that was the decade when things began to totally fall apart concerning my family. All my immediate family had moved away, I lost three grandparents and a number of older relatives that decade. The 1990s saw my parents get divorced. I lost my last grandparent in 2003 and my mother in 2009. Few are left who may remember our family history, and most of the rest don’t know it or even care to.

Since then, I’ve had the unusual luck to have recovered my grandparent’s photograph and document collection from both sides of the family. I saved them from poor storage conditions and situations that would have soon found this valuable collection in the trash heap. At that time, I felt compelled to compile the information chronologically and digitize the entire archive. I also have endeavored to make a complete family tree to trace the family back to at least their original country of origin. I’ve found out many things that were not only unknown to me and my surviving family members but unknown to those who had kept the family unified back while they were still alive. Some of things included the fact that two of my father’s ancestors came over to the new world on the Mayflower and an ancestor on my mother’s side helped found Jamestown.

As worthy as the family tree and archiving project is to me, it has proved to be a huge undertaking. It has, at the very least, put me more in touch with my closest family members, a couple of cousins, and a few extended family members I never knew existed. Fortunately, I was blessed by my father’s interest in photography. His collection of photos and his organizational bent was very helpful in my own archival endeavors, making it much easier on me to organize and to remember the good old days growing up in the 1970s. As much time and effort as I have devoted to preserving the family’s history covering the past century (and more), I’ve managed to work on my own collection of photos and videos and make more sense of my own immediate family history.

In my intensive efforts to preserve my family history, the use of our expanding digital technology, the Internet in particular, has made it easier than ever to research our family trees and the history surrounding them. In years gone by, this research required a huge amount of time, effort, and expense to do. Before the digital age we are currently in, you would have to find your research material by going to various libraries, historical societies, and churches all over our country and beyond. I’m extremely grateful for all the research that had been undertaken by so many in those years to document and preserve that information so that we may access it so easily today.

I started my family tree by utilizing the resources of Ancestry.com that offers an initially free service. I worked like crazy to complete as much of my family tree as possible during the free period. If you continue with the unpaid membership, you retain your tree and research and can continue to work on it without the use of their resources. However, there are many free family tree services and historical reference materials available online to continue the research started on Ancesrty.com in addition to the fact you can renew your paid membership for short periods of time when needed. Other free resources available online are the numerous stories and photograph collections of other people. I’ve found it quite useful to do online image searches to fill in the gaps of my family photographic archives, especially those years in my life where photos and videos are lacking for me. It was during this research that I began to think that perhaps the days of reliable online research may soon come to an end concerning the history of how things used to be back in the day.

Since an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act was passed in 2012, it is now legal for the U.S. government to overtly publish propaganda. Also, there has been this latest push to censor the so called “fake news” offered by sources other than the tightly controlled main stream media. Factor these things into the now changing family unit and efforts toward the new revisionist history and it can be surmised that our sources of reliable online information may soon become diminished.

Although it has not yet come to the point of being unable to find our neglected family histories online, I feel that it has become important for us to recount our life’s experiences before the new “Ministry of Truth” changes our past for our children, our grandchildren, and the future generations yet to come. As an example, one of my recent areas of study has been the points of interest we visited during our family vacations back in the 1970s. Those memories I’ve been reassembling are things like historical markers, amusement parks, and tourist “traps” that are now long gone, currently abandoned, or are being removed due to politically correct sensitivities. There may well come the day where those things will be considered forbidden knowledge that will cause unrest to a population subdued by a lowered standard of living and by a government bent on control. It’s not beyond possibility that in the near future such extravagant excesses of capitalism, free travel, and independent thought are eliminated and erased from the memory of the public’s mind in order to control the masses who have lost touch with their personal family histories.

This brings me back to the main points about my research. It seems obvious to me, and there is evidence to support my contention, that there has been an ongoing effort in our country to subvert the traditional family unit and revise our country’s history, since before I was born. It also seems that those efforts have been gaining ground and momentum in recent years. Regardless of the “how” and “why” these things are happening, it cannot be easily denied that the family unit and our collective history has undergone many changes that have caused us as a nation to lose ground in remembering and preserving our history.

As important as the preservation of our family history is to our country and way of life. Our individual family stories can be related to our own personal survival as well. Most, if not all, American families have ancestors who have lived though hard times and adversity and who have ultimately allowed us to come into existence. By and large today’s Americans are derived from groups of people who lived through times and situations that rival the most difficult survival scenarios we could imagine and that we might have to endure in this day and age. From European immigrants fleeing poverty and oppression in the Old World to Native Americans surviving genocide and Africans forced into generations of slavery; for the longest time most had to endure impossible odds and extreme conditions to survive. Those personal family stories must be preserved, honored, and even celebrated so that we will remember that we have come from people who had the strength and will to survive such unforgiving circumstances and that we have that same ability to overcome when times get tough once again.

To summarize, the survival of our history is just as important as, if not more than, our own physical survival as individuals. This issue goes well beyond our own personal survival to the survival of our unique way of life and our survival as a country as a whole. What future will we have without our past? These are the best of times to do the research needed to reassemble the forgotten and missing pieces of our collective histories and to preserve them for future generations before they are changed and lost forever. This is also quickly becoming the worst of times, as censorship and revisionist histories are working against our efforts to remember and preserve our vanishing family histories. As easy as it has become to do such research, I fear it will not last, as fewer and fewer people have the interest or the time to invest in such a project. However, I believe it is worthwhile on a personal level as well as on a universal one.

Enjoying (and Surviving) Solar Eclipse 2017

On August 21, 2017, residents of a narrow swath through the United States will have a rare treat: The chance to observe a total eclipse of the sun. The path of totality will transit several major cities, including Greenville, South Carolina and parts of St. Louis, Kansas City, and Nashville. In the west, most of the viewing will be in smaller towns, since major cities, like Denver and Portland, are well outside of the path of totality.

Because this eclipse is occurring in mid-summer (with a lower chance of cloud cover), there should be good opportunities for viewing, if you are positioned inland of coastal fog. I have heard that many hotels and motels that are in or near the path of totality have been fully booked for the eclipse travel period since late 2016. And I heard that the hotels and motels in or near Jackson Hole, Wyoming were booked two years in advance. A State Parks official in Oregon told me that their reservation system was overwhelmed in the first 10 minutes after midnight on January 1st, 2017, with folks seeking campground site anywhere near the path of totality.

At this late stage, your best bet would probably be simply boondock camping on BLM or National Forest land. Of course, most SurvivalBlog readers are already well-equipped for boondock car camping. A few musts will be sleeping bags, tents or tarps, cooking gear, LED flashlights, a large plastic water can, a water filter (or better yet a self-filtering water can, and welder’s goggles. (I’ll discuss those more, later.) You will also need sanitary supplies—at least TP and a compact shovel or entrenching tool, but perhaps a bucket toilet lid and a 5 or 7 gallon bucket, if you want to attend to your boondock ablutions in comfort.

There will be so many people traveling to see the eclipse that I expect some major traffic snarls the night before and the morning of the eclipse, particularly on the I-65 corridor north of Nashville and the I-5 Corridor south of Portland, Oregon. (The latter will be crowded with masses of people traveling south from Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland, all in the hopes of seeing the eclipse.)

Safety Warnings

The safety implications of eclipse viewing are obvious: retinal burns can cause permanent blindness and be self-inflicted by direct observation, or by insufficient eye protection. (Anyone who claims that “two thickness of regular sunglasses”, “smoked glass”, or “exposed photographic negatives” will suffice is a fool. In actuality, you will need very dark #14 (aka Shade 14) air-carbon arc cutting lenses. Less opaque gas brazing or welding lenses (typically #5) provide insufficient protection!)

Note: If you already own a welding hood or typical Hobart goggles with a #5 plate, simply buy a darker #14 shade plate , and retrofit it.

The Editors of SurvivalBlog recommend these lightweight glasses, which are also useful to subsequently keep in your welding and thermite kits.

Give any children near you copious safety warnings, and provide them with the means of safe viewing. For example, see the many online instructions on how to build a long cardboard box pinhole eclipse projector. (The longer the box, the larger the projected disk.)

There might be the risk of a few idiots foolishly attempting to “chase” the path of totality on east-west highways, so I don’t recommend parking close to the shoulder of any of those roads, for fear of a high-speed rear-end collision. The ground track speed of the sun is 1,100 miles per hour near the equator and nearly 5,000 miles per hour near the poles so it is foolish to think that you can “chase” the eclipse totality to extend your viewing time in anything slower than a Turbo Mooney Type S airplane running at full throttle at 25,000 feet, whilst sucking oxygen. I suppose that some millionaires will be chartering jets for this event.

In Closing

Book your flights early to the eclipse region, and buy your #14 glasses, goggles, or mask early. I predict that many of the Internet vendors of welding supplies will be sold out of #14 goggles as early as May or June. – JWR

Odds ‘n Sods:

The best Presidential Press Conference, Ev-ah! Be sure to read through the transcript, with Rush Limbaugh’s comments. I believe Rush is right: Trump is successfully bypassing the “lamestream” press and talking directly to the American people. It is as if he’s channeling Ronald Reagan. Of course, the mass media will claim that he was ranting and has run off the rails. But he’s now shown that he can be a fine communicator.

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Terrifying arsenal of weapons among dozens seized in Met’s gun amnesty – T.P.

HJL’s Comment: “We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.” The words of C.S. Lewis sums this up better than anything I could say.

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If you are in the Northwest or Nevada or Utah and are interested in one of Max Velocity’s tactical courses, May is your month! The venue is just north of Weiser, Idaho:

  • May 10th Combat Lifesaver
  • May 11th-14th Combat Team Tactics
  • May 17th-21 Combat Team Tactics/Mobility
  • May 23rd-25 Direct Action
  • May 26th-28 CQB/Force on Force Team tactics.

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Samsung warns customers not to discuss personal information in front of smart TVs – B.B.

JWR’s Comment: Is it just a coincidence that one of the Top 10 selling books on Amazon.com is George Orwell’s 1984? (It was #6, when I last checked. That is noteworthy for a novel that was written in 1948.)

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Mike Williamson, Survivalblog’s Editor at Large, has informed us that his sources indicate anti-government protests tonight (February 17, 2017) in these locations: Chicago, IL; Joe Marino Park, Rockford, IL; Senator Pat Toomey’s Pittsburgh office, Pittsburgh, PA; Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; Concord State House, Concord, NH; New London, CT; Bloomington, IN; Indianapolis, IN; Boston, MA; Augusta, ME; Bangor, ME; Detroit, MI; Lansing, MI; Asheville, NC; Mooresville, NC; Charlotte, NC; New Brunswick, NJ; Buffalo, NY; Canton, NY; Columbus, OH; Dayton, OH; Toledo, OH; Philadelphia, PA; Norfolk, VA; Richmond, VA.

Each of you should be aware of the potential for such protests to become violent, should you choose to attend or if you live in proximity. Please remain aware of your surroundings and remain safe.

Notes for Thursday – February 16, 2017

February 16th is the birthday of Edgar John Bergen, (1903-1978) an American actor, comedian, and radio performer, best known for his proficiency in ventriloquism and his characters Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd. He is also the father of actress Candice Bergen.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 69 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $15,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical 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,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. An infrared sensor/imaging camouflage shelter from Snakebite Tactical in Eureka, Montana (A $350+ value),
  6. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  7. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $2,400 value),
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  4. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  5. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  6. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. A selection of canned meats containing a 10 pack of 28oz cans of Premium Beef and a 5 pack of 28oz cans of Premium Pork from Wertz’s Farm Market (a $300 value),
  9. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  10. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A custom made Sage Grouse model utility/field knife from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  4. 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,
  5. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  6. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  7. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  8. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a $125 Montie gear Gift certificate.,
  9. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value), and
  10. Fifteen LifeStraws from SafeCastle (a $300 value).
  11. A $250 gift certificate to Tober’s Traditions, makers of all natural (organic if possible) personal care products, such as soap, tooth powder, deodorant, sunscreen, lotion, and more.

Round 69 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Everyday Carry and the Musings of an Old Guy, for a Post-Apocalyptic World, by OldRonin

A big part of the prepper culture revolves around guns and gear. I must confess, I’m gun and gear poor! I can just about outfit an infantry squad as I write this! My bonafides are as follows:

  • In my youth, I was an Army Airborne Ranger (Ranger class 9/78, assigned to the second Ranger Battalion, 2/75th).
  • Currently, I am a more than 29 year serving police officer and soon to be retired.
  • I’ve done patrol, investigations, FTO, supervision, and I was a SWAT guy at one time.
  • I have also been a “use of force” instructor and have taught rifle, pistol, and shotgun along with police defensive tactics. ‘
  • I have been in some hairy situations over the years, to include two standup gunfights.
  • I am a widower with five children, all of them by the same woman, God rest her soul. Three are grown and two teenage boys are still at home.
  • I have prepped for over 20 years, and, yes, I am old.

I have given a lot of thought to what our world will look like if the thin veneer of civilization peels away. This article includes my own conclusions and opinions about some popular gear and EDC options we spend a lot of time and money on. I will also talk about my thoughts on training, mindset, and violent encounters.

Body Armor

I have worn body armor daily for most of my law enforcement career. It is hot, uncomfortable, and limits your torso flexibility at best. Having said that, I don’t leave home without it! But we need to be realistic about it. If you are over 40 and orthopedically challenged, you will not be very effective trying to shoot, move, and communicate in a full interceptor vest with rifle plates, not to mention all of the ammo, water, and gear you will inevitably strap to it. That stuff is very heavy and meant to be carried by 19 year olds, who believe they are invincible.

Conventional wisdom states you must wear the body armor that will stop the weapon you are carrying. I disagree with that for several reasons. Body armor gives you an edge and nothing more. It never replaces good hard cover or solid tactics. Also, manufacturers are very, very conservative on how they rate the protection levels of their vests. We have level 3 kevlar panels, in concealable carriers, with rifle plate pockets.

If we feel a need for the plates, we can drop them in. I assure you though, that if I’m walking the four miles to town on a hot summer day to trade a cigarette lighter for a roll of toilet paper, I will not be in full battle rattle. Hopefully, no one will realize I’m even wearing body armor. Remember the Gray Man principle?

Weaponry

Whatever you choose to carry is up to you. I am not going to step into that minefield. The situation will dictate whether you should openly carry or conceal; use a handgun or long gun or both. Hopefully, you are well trained in their use and they are configured properly for how you intend to deploy them. For example, if you are carrying an AK with a 3 to 9 variable scope mounted to it and you’ve only fired it from the bench at the local range, you could be in real trouble in a running gunfight. I’m just saying…

Ammunition and Essentials

I must confess, I have a man purse. It looks vaguely military and has a comfortable shoulder strap. It will also hold an amazing amount of useful items and doesn’t make me look like I’m about to invade Iraq!

On my speculative jaunt to town to get toilet paper, it will contain what I think I need to get home. My shoulder bag has two pockets under the flap and two internal pockets, which are ideal for each holding a 30-round AR or AK magazine. With one in the rifle, that’s up to 150 rounds of ammo, which if I’m attacked will hopefully be enough to break contact and run away home!

The main compartment will contain my IFAK, survival gear, and a little bit of food to get me home. Did I mention that my handgun ammo will be on my makeshift battle belt in a magazine pouch, and I will also be carrying a knife or two? Yes, we have more serious load bearing equipment. For example, I got a good deal on universal chest rigs a couple of years ago. They are essentially set up for home defense and escape and evasion (bugging out!), and patrolling. Or in a pinch, they can be used for invading Iraq!

I mentioned my makeshift battle belt. There are all kinds of grossly expensive gear items out there, and I’ve spent my share of hard earned money on some of it. What I’ve learned is if something gets the job done, it doesn’t necessarily need to be the highest speed, mil-spec piece of gear on the market. My battle belt was cobbled together from police gear I’ve acquired over the years and stuff I’ve bought pretty reasonably from Amazon (I love Amazon!).

I started with a cordura nylon duty belt, belt keepers, a Leatherman tool, and a double magazine pouch. I added a kydex holster and a zippered pouch to carry minimal survival and first aid gear. I also added one kydex rifle magazine pouch– the most expensive piece of equipment on the belt! This setup is concealable under a jacket or an un-tucked oversized shirt, and it contains the absolute minimum of what I believe I would need to get home, including my canteen of course.

Water

The Camelbacks and water reservoirs are great! If you have the logistics tail the military does. Before you head out on a mission in the military, you fill it up full of purified water and move out. If you run out of drinking water, that long logistics tail can usually resupply you. The draw backs are that if you have to refill from a source in the field, you just about have to disassemble your gear to do it. Also, they are heavy, hard to clean, and prone to being punctured. (See the previous comment about 19 year olds.)

We have canteens. I did some research and bought everybody a 34 oz, aluminum, Laken camping canteen with shoulder strap. It’s not something I would carry to war, but it’s robust and handy enough for the apocalypse. It’s easily refilled from a puddle or stream, while lying prone and keeping a watch for the bad guys, without stripping your gear. With a filter or supply of purification tabs, we’re good to go! Those canteens are not the only options for water carry we have, but they are the first line.

There are many water container options out there, from stainless steel to plastic. Just remember you need a minimum of a quart a day of clean drinking water just to survive. Obtain accordingly, and after the apocalypse, always carry drinkable water on you. It may save your life.

Physical Fitness and Training

I used to be one of those invincible 19 year olds, but life has crept up on me and taught me lessons I didn’t want to learn. I’ve always been one of those guys that would get hurt, could suck it up and drive on, and would recover quickly. However, I woke up one morning at the ripe old age of 58 and had two stints in my heart, a bulging L-4 L-5 disk, and bad knees, not to mention arthritis in my hips and did I say that I am now pre-diabetic?

I am losing weight and working out at the level of my limitations, and I assure you it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. My advice is to get fit and stay fit! The key I’ve found is to keep moving. When you stop, you will die a lot quicker than you wanted to.

As to training, firing the minimum state CCW course and getting your permit doesn’t mean you are trained. Seek out training that will teach you how to fight with the firearms you have chosen. It can be expensive, but how much is your life and the lives of your loved ones worth? Also, my advice is to be adult and humble about it. In every course I’ve ever been to, there are always a few posers who are more interested in turning the session into a manhood measuring contest instead of absorbing good training. Ignore them, be humble, and focus on getting trained. Don’t take anything personally. Just train, and ignore the posers.

I’m lucky. I’ve had a lot of good training and experience, and I’m a good trainer. I’ve taught my kids and those around me how to shoot, move, and communicate. It may pay big dividends if the veneer of civility peels away at some point in the future.

Violent Encounters

You can be well trained and have all of the high speed weapons and gear on the market and still be cannon fodder in a gunfight. The most deadly weapon you potentially have is your knowledge and a tactical mindset.

On my hypothetical trading mission to town, I will not go alone, and if I go on foot I will not use the roads. I believe roads will be death traps in a post-apocalyptic world. Having said that, if vehicles are still working and fuel is available, the risk may be worth it if you know what to do if ambushed. I will cross that bridge if I come to it.

I know my area well, on and off the roads, and I can get around better than you might think. I live in a semi-rural area and have reconned alternate routes to places I may need to go on foot, with less chance of being observed. You need to know your area and make the terrain work for you. This applies in urban and suburban environments as well. I was taught as a young Ranger that speed, surprise, and violence of action will usually win the day. If, on our hypothetical trading jaunt, we are ambushed, me and mine will assault through the ambush because that’s how I’ve trained them. We will assault into their positions and cause as much mayhem as we can and run through and away to our last rally point, and hopefully regroup. Will we take casualties? Probably, but there is really no other option in that scenario. Any other option constitutes defeat and death!

Now let’s say we are moving through an area and a group of armed people step out and demand we surrender or give them our stuff. Nope! For one thing, if they were committed to violence, they wouldn’t be talking. I will make the quickest tactical assessment I can and start the dance! Remember what I said about speed, surprise, and violence of action?

I guess what I’m trying to say is, I will not hesitate to employ violence if needed. I will not negotiate or equivocate if faced with potential violence in a post-apocalyptic world. Some of you may think I’m mentally deranged, and that’s okay. I am comfortable with possessing the ruthless resolve to protect my kith and kin, and I make no apologies for it.

Does that mean that I will shoot first and ask questions later? Not necessarily; I believe in live and let live, and I believe in charity and community. I will do whatever is within my power to be part of the solution as opposed to the problem and so will my children and those around me. Trust me; I hope to never get into a gunfight again, as long as I live!

In closing, I would like to say these are the opinions and conclusions I’ve come to after much thought and some trial and error. Regardless of whatever I may think, I’m sure the situation we could find ourselves in will dictate our responses. Be prepared the best you can and keep moving!

Be safe out there