The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “HJL”. Smart radar tech is making the scene again. We’ve covered this before in the early stages of it’s development, but it is now nearly ready for production.

Busting the Bugout Myth

If you don’t have a destination or a plan, bugging out merely makes you a refugee. This article, sent in by reader T.J., walks through the many dangers that we face in our complacency. We all too often fall into the trap of thinking that the equipment that we buy will keep us alive. The equipment is nice, but it’s the knowledge of how to use the equipment that is most important. SurvivalBlog has long been a proponent of moving to and living on your bugout location. Your equipment is only an aid. I was reminded of that this last week when the storm that passed through nearly removed my entire garden. Survival is more than just planning to move to some vague location. You are far better off planning to survive where you live. If you can’t do that, you really need to reconsider your location.

Learning from the Gulag

I’ve seen this before, but it bears repeating. Varlam Shalamov was imprisoned in the Gulags for 15 years. He endured six of those years enslaved in the gold mines of Kolyma, one of the coldest and hostile places on earth. In one of his fragmentary writings, he lists 45 things he learned in the Gulag. Most of his learnings show how he learned to live on hate and indifference, yet he admits that those that survived with the most humanity were not the military or party workers, but those who clung to their religious beliefs. The hard, cold existence of the Gulag distills a person down to the very core of who they were. It is hard and painful to read, but it is worth knowing how people will react in these difficult situations and what to expect.

SmartTech Sees Through Walls

This article, sent in by reader H.L., profiles an RF tech that is being developed at MIT which is basically a smart radar. The system uses RF energy to track the movements and positions of a person that cannot be seen by other means through walls. The researchers are wanting law enforcement, search and rescue and other operators to pick up on the technology in the course of their actions. While I can see some beneficial use to the technology, I can also see how readily this can be abused to violate your privacy. It should be noted that since the technology is based on RF energy, it is relatively simple to defeat it. Building an RF cage will shield you from this tech (and as an added bonus, protect your sensitive electronics from things like EMPs, et cetera.)

War on Cash

With the advent of online shopping, the war on cash is easier to advance. The government’s desire is to track every transaction so that they can ensure their piece of the action. Using cashless methods of purchase certainly makes their job easier. Despite the fact that face-to-face transactions are in decline, you should always make sure that you have the ability to at least barter for what you need locally and carry a reserve of something everyone values. In the heat of survival, tangible goods are your best bet, but when things settle down, precious metals have always stood the test of time. Just like anything else, don’t put all your efforts into precious metals as it will do you no good most of the time, but you should have some.

Good Dog!

A working dog saved the lives of six soldiers in Syria by ripping out jihadi’s throat. The British SAS soldiers found themselves in a 360-degree ambush and despite returning fire, the jihadis continued to close in. The dog leaped into action and ripped the throat of one of the attackers, then attacked two others, severely wounding them. The remaining attackers then fled. The attack happened several months ago, but we are just now learning the details. This is one of the reasons I like big dogs. While small dogs can often be useful as alerts, there is nothing quite like the fearlessness of a big dog doing what it knows to do best. locally, I’ve noticed that small dogs tend to stimulate a kicking action from unwanted strangers on people’s property, but a big dog generates two responses. They either freeze or they run. Yes, I know that a bad guy can just shoot the dog, but better the dog than me. Thanks to T.P. for the link.

Prosecutorial Misconduct

Prosecutorial misconduct is a feature of the political swamp and it’s rampant within our justice system. One case that underscores just how bad is profiled in this article sent in by reader T.Z. Paul Wilson lost his wife to an angry shooter who was targeting his wife’s manicurist. The shooter also shot five other people and a stranger in a car outside. The shooter wore a bullet resistant vest. It was premeditated and should have been a slam dunk as the shooter even confessed. Instead, the prosecutor, the sheriffs department and others colluded to illegally obtain evidence, refused to turn over evidence to the defense, and other violations of their constitutional rights that hamstrung justice. The case fell apart. This sounds very similar to the governments actions in Oregon and Nevada just a few years ago. It’s an interesting article on a little talked about subject that needs to change.

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Please send your news tips to HJL. (Either via e-mail of via our Contact form.) These are often especially relevant, because they come from folks who watch news that is important to them. Due to their diligence and focus, we benefit from fresh “on target” news. We often “get the scoop” on news that is most likely ignored (or reported late) by mainstream American news outlets. Thanks!