Deal Alert!

@ Philipsons Today

CDC - Haiti Cholera

 
This could happen anywhere where sanitation is compromised.

Henry AR-7 Survival Rifle

http://www.henryrepeating.com/rifle-survival-ar7.cfm
Jack Spirko's upcoming book: Mastering the 22 Rifle
http://www.masterrifleman.com/

Spotlight: Cody Lundin

From wikipedia:
Cody Lundin is a minimalist and primitive skills survival expert and author of two books focusing primarily on survival topics. He is currently a co-star of the Discovery Channel series Dual Survival^[1] along with Dave Canterbury. He takes a survival approach based on being as close to Mother Nature.
Lundin is an internationally known professional survival instructor with more than 20 years of hands-on teaching experience.^{[citation needed]} He has trained private, corporate, and governmental agencies, thousands of students, and dozens of national and international media sources in outdoor and urban preparedness skills.^{[citation needed]} Cody honed his expertise living in the deserts and mountains with very little gear or assistance — including two years spent living in a brush shelter in the woods where he slept on pine needles and cooked over an open fire.^{[citation needed]}
In 1991, Lundin founded the Aboriginal Living Skills School in Arizona, where he teaches modern wilderness survival skills, primitive living skills, urban preparedness, and homesteading.^{[citation needed]} Cody also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Yavapai College and a faculty member at the Ecosa Institute, where he teaches his survival curriculum.^{[citation needed]}
He is the best-selling author of two books on survival and preparedness: 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive and When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need to Survive When Disaster Strikes.^{[citation needed]}
Lundin lives in a self-designed, off-the-grid solar earth home in the high-desert wilderness of Northern Arizona. There, he catches rain, composts waste and pays nothing for heating and cooling. He is the only person in Arizona licensed to catch fish with his bare hands.<sup>[citation needed]

Interview with Cody:</sup>

Stay Dry and Warm

Here's a great article about staying dry:
http://survivalcache.com/hypothermia-survival-stay-dry-survival-gear/

James Wesley, Rawles

Here's an interview with survivalist and author James Wesley, Rawles of http://survivalblog.com

Search Amazon.com for james wesley rawles

Mel Tappan

Born Melrose H. Tappan III, Mel Tappan (1933–1980) was the editor of the newsletter Personal Survival ("P.S.") Letter and the books Survival Guns and Tappan on Survival. Tappan was an influential leader of the Survivalist movement who advocated relocation to survival retreats in lightly-populated regions.

Now that's an efficient use of space...

Check out this excellent example of permaculture:
http://gardenpool.org/

Self Reliance Illustrated

Check out Dave Canterbury's Magazine:

http://www.selfrelianceillustrated.com

Paracord Bracelet

Bushcraft Shelters

Here's a page with some great looking bushcraft shelters:
http://www.jackmtn.com/simplog/?p=915

Self Sufficient and Sustainable

Found a new favorite:
http://selfsufficientandsustainable.com/

EDC by dseelman

Here's a small survival/EDC kit I came up with.  The links are just suggestions.  You may be able to find these items cheaper or locally.

stainless nalgene - stainless so you can cook with it
contractor bags - multipurpose shelter
eblanket
polar pure - water purification
hankerchief - sanitation
cottonballs - firestarter
lighters
multitool
cordage
med tape
saw
aspirin
Datrex Food Rations
pal light
fishing hooks
respirator

paper
pens

Quantitative Easing Explained

New Blog Added to Favorites

Surviving in Argentina

Beekeeping for Survival

http://chipmonk.podbean.com/2010/09/27/episode-67-beekeeping-for-survival/

Got Seeds?

http://www.heirloomseedswap.com/

Gardening with Children

Here's a classic Survival Podcast where Jack talks about lessons learned from gardening with children:
http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/changing-a-childs-life-with-gardening

Free Medical Books: Must Haves

The Hesperian Foundation requests email verification for downloads. The following links take you to their website:
A Community Guide to Environmental Health (Paperback)
Where There Is No Doctor (Paperback)
Where Women Have No Doctor (Paperback)
A Book for Midwives (Paperback)
A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities (Paperback)
Disabled Village Children (Paperback)
HIV Health and Your Community (Paperback)
Helping Children Who Are Deaf (Paperback)
Helping Children Who Are Blind (Paperback)
A Worker's Guide to Health and Safety
Cholera Prevention Fact Sheet
Sanitation and Cleanliness for a Healthy Environment
Water for life
Pesticides are poison
Safe Handling of Health Care Waste
Women's Health Exchange
Global Health Watch 2005-2006
Global Health Watch 2
Where There Is No Dentist (Paperback)
The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard

Rat Traps - A Cheap Food Procurement Tool

There are many different types of traps you can make or buy.  Rat traps are fairly inexpensive and lightweight item to put in your B.O.B.  Make sure you anchor them down in case you get something bigger that doesn't die upon impact.

What is the ultimate survival vehicle?

http://survivalcache.com/ultimate-survival-vehicle-bug-out-vehicle

Survival Is A Team Sport

Great article from Urban Survival Skills:
http://get-urban-survival-skills.blogspot.com/2010/11/againsurvival-is-team-sport.html

Ravenlore Bushcraft and Wilderness Skills

http://www.ravenlore.co.uk/index.html

Got Spoons?

Skill: http://spooncarvingfirststeps.blogspot.com/

Lisa Bedford (The Survival Mom) on Glen Beck

The Day The Dollar Died

The Day the Dollar Died-a Blovel (Entire Series, Single Thread Not Edited for Content Yet)

Turtle Tuff Shelters

http://www.turtletuffshelters.com/

A Christian Point of View

Just for your consideration on spiritual issues concerning what to be prepared for. I personally do not believe in living with doom and gloom pending over you, but in all things trust God and prepare as your Creator leads..

 

 

http://parablesblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/could-fall-of-america-be-near.html

 

http://parablesblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/building-arks.html

 

http://parablesblog.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html

 

~Jenean

Survival Groups

Here are a few peoples thoughts on survival groups:

Chip Monk: http://chipmonk.podbean.com/2010/10/25/episode-85-building-a-survival-organization/

Jack Spirko: http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/is-it-time-for-a-new-civilian-militia

Bob Mayne: http://www.todayssurvival.com/?p=1375

10 danger signs the US economy is headed for disaster and how to handle it.

Bob talks about the problems of today.
http://www.todayssurvival.com/?p=1453

Gardening Advice Year Round

Check this out.  I just signed up for the e-mail.  http://www.gardenate.com/

New CPR Guidelines

Important information on administering CPR! It is no longer the 'ABC' method, but 'CAB' method, using chest compressions FIRST! See this VIDEO to get a good lesson on new method.


http://www.youtube.com/americanheartassoc




Here's the link to the NEW AMA 2010 CPR Guidelines.

More Free Online Resources

Marine Corps Manuals
http://www.theusmarines.com/category/usmc-manuals/

Military Manuals
http://www.stevespages.com/page7c.htm

Service (repair, not military) Manuals for just about everything.
http://www.eserviceinfo.com/index.php?what=search2

Electronics:
http://www.tpub.com/neets/

Mathmatics:
http://www.tpub.com/content/math/

Corpsman / Dentalman:
http://www.tpub.com/content/medical/

Metalworking and engines.
http://www.lindsaybks.com/

USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, 2009 revision
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/publications_usda.html

Random Manuals.
http://www.hesperian.org/publications_download.php

A global incident map - very useful for Preppers

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index2.php?area=&lang=eng

Also to mention, the free email alert and rss feed.

Free Nuclear Survival Ebooks

11 Steps - Nuclear Survival
This pamphlet describes what YOU can do before and following a nuclear attack.  You can greatly increase your family's and your own protection by taking the Eleven Steps to Survival

Nuclear War Survival Skills
The purpose of this book is to provide Americans and other unprepared people with information and self-help instructions that will significantly increase their chances of surviving a nuclear attack.

Nuclear Weapons Effects Handbook
A collection of graphs, nomograms, and tabulated data most frequently used by the Radiological Scientific Officer

Radiological Defense Officers Course Manual

Your Basement Fallout Shelter
Guide to basement fallout shelter


You Will Survive Doomsday
Bruce Beach
Explains the myths of Nuclear Fallout and Doomsday, plus gives tips and plans for surviving a nuclear attack

Old Time Radio from Chip

Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast Special
http://chipmonk.podbean.com/2010/11/13/episode-97-special-weekend-edition-survival-old-time-radio-theater-5/

Dr. Bernanke Gets a Phone Call

Dr. Gary North
November 13, 2010
www.lewrockwell.com

Zhou Xiaochuan is the Governor of the People's Bank of China. Imagine that the following phone call were to take place.
Zhou: Hello. Dr. Bernanke?
Bernanke: Yes.
Zhou: I wanted to let you know about the decision that our board has taken, after consulting with the Premier and the Politburo's Standing Committee. We hope you are sitting down.
Bernanke: I get it. A little Oriental humor.
Zhou: You could say that.
Bernanke: What can I do for you?
Zhou: You can abandon your plan to purchase $600 billion of Treasury bonds.
Bernanke: The Federal Open Market Committee voted ten to 1 for this policy. I cannot change it now.
Zhou: We think it is an unwise policy. It will lower the value of the dollar. Americans will then buy fewer goods from China.
Bernanke: That is not how we see it. We think the policy is required to put Americans back to work. They will buy more goods from China and everywhere else when they are once again working.
Zhou: You will increase the supply of dollars, which will lower the dollar's price internationally. Imported goods will cost Americans more. An increased supply of dollars will mean a lower price for dollars. It's supply and demand.
Bernanke: That is the old economics. That is the logic of Adam Smith and Milton Friedman and those kooks from Vienna. We are committed to the new economics.
Zhou: Who teaches it? Where?
Bernanke: I taught it for years at Princeton.
Zhou: Where Paul Krugman also teaches?
Bernanke: Yes.
Zhou: We see it differently here. We prefer the older economics.
Bernanke: Adam Smith's economics?
Zhou: No, even older.
Bernanke: Mercantilism?
Zhou: That is what you call it. We call it the export-driven Asian miracle.
Bernanke: But mercantilist governments wanted to hoard gold. Your nation does not hoard gold. Your bank holds U.S. Treasury debt.
Zhou: That is the purpose of my call.
Bernanke: Gold?
Zhou: No. U.S. Treasury debt.
Bernanke: What about it?
Zhou: There is too much of it.
Bernanke: You sound like Ron Paul.
Zhou: Ah, yes. Congressman Paul. I understand that he is likely to be the next chairman of the Monetary Policy Subcommittee. You and he should have some interesting discussions.
Bernanke: I prefer to talk about Treasury debt.
Zhou: We have determined that an increase of $600 billion in your purchases of Treasury debt will lower the rate of interest on the debt.
Bernanke: That is our thought, too.
Zhou: We hold almost $1 trillion in Treasury debt.
Bernanke: You ought to buy more.
Zhou: We will be losing money on our holdings if rates fall.
Bernanke: You ought to buy more.
Zhou: The value of the dollar will fall. That will lower the value of our holdings.
Bernanke: Nevertheless, you ought to buy more.
Zhou: We have decided to own less.
Bernanke: How much less?
Zhou: $600 billion less.
Bernanke:
Zhou: Dr. Bernanke?
Bernanke:
Zhou: Are you still there?
Bernanke: I am still here.
Zhou: We have decided that every time the Federal Reserve purchases its monthly total of $75 billion, we will sell $75 billion.
Bernanke: Are you serious?
Zhou: You sound like Nancy Pelosi.
Bernanke: But that would raise interest rates on Treasury debt.
Zhou: That is our conclusion, too. But remember: we own lots of Treasury debt. We could use a better rate of return.
Bernanke: But higher rates might cause a recession in the United States.
Zhou: That is our conclusion, too.
Bernanke: But that will mean fewer imports from China.
Zhou: We think it will mean more bankrupt manufacturing facilities in the United States. Then Americans will come back to our manufacturers.
Bernanke: But this could cause unemployment in China if you are wrong.
Zhou: We are willing to risk that.
Bernanke: That is a big risk on your part.
Zhou: No bigger than the risk on your part by inflating the monetary base by 30%. That could raise prices in the United States.
Bernanke: We don't think so.
Zhou: Why not?
Bernanke: Because our bankers are so frightened of recession in 2011 that they are not lending. They just turn the money over to the FED.
Zhou: Then you do not expect inflation?
Bernanke: Only a little. Maybe 2% to 3%.
Zhou: You sound like Milton Friedman.
Bernanke: Around here, we say, "Better 2% inflation than 9.6% unemployment."
Zhou: We think it is better for us not to hold onto Treasury debt that cannot be paid off.
Bernanke. Don't worry. We owe it to ourselves.
Zhou: On the contrary, you owe it to us.
Bernanke: It's only a figure of speech.
Zhou: We can figure. We are going to be left holding the bag, as you say. All we have is a pile of IOUs.
Bernanke: They're as good as gold.
Zhou: Since they pay zero interest, we think gold is better.
Bernanke: It's only a figure of speech.
Zhou: We can figure. Gold is over $1,350 an ounce. The dollar has been falling. We think the older mercantilism was right. We want to own more gold.
Bernanke: You can't eat gold!
Zhou: We can't eat T-bonds, either.
Bernanke: But if you sell dollars, their price will fall.
Zhou: Why?
Bernanke: It's supply and demand.
Zhou: Gotcha!
Bernanke: You speak English very well.
Zhou: You see, I was educated in your country at UCRA.
Bernanke: Really?
Zhou: Not really. But I love those old Richard Loo World War II movies. He made a great Japanese officer.
Bernanke: But if you sell Treasury debt, that could start a fire sale. Central banks all over the world might start selling T-bonds.
Zhou: That is a possibility.
Bernanke: But that would make your holdings worth even less.
Zhou: That is true. So, if Japan starts selling, we will dump all of our holdings in one shot. We might as well get out before the rush.
Bernanke: But that could crash the dollar!
Zhou: That is a possibility.
Bernanke: You're bluffing!
Zhou: That is a possibility.
Bernanke: But this is not the way that central banks operate.
Zhou: How do they operate?
Bernanke: They inflate.
Zhou: Always?
Bernanke: Of course always. That is the only policy tool we have.
Zhou: You could deflate.
Bernanke: Are you serious?
Zhou: You really have Nancy Pelosi down pat.
Bernanke: There is no way we can deflate.
Zhou: What about your exit strategy? That is deflation.
Bernanke: In theory, yes. But we don't intend to execute it.
Zhou: That is not what you told Congress. You told Congress you have an exit strategy. Several, in fact.
Bernanke: We do have them. We just don't intend to implement them.
Zhou: Do you think you can fool Congress?
Bernanke: Are you serious? Congress doesn't know horse apples from apple butter.
Zhou: You mistake Barney Frank for Ron Paul. You will now have to deal with Ron Paul.
Bernanke:
Zhou: Hello.
Bernanke:
Zhou: Are you still there?
Bernanke: Yes, I'm still here.
Zhou: We are not asking you to deflate. We are asking you not to inflate.
Bernanke: But we must inflate.
Zhou: Why?
Bernanke: Because we have 9.6% unemployment.
Zhou: What has that got to do with your decision to inflate?
Bernanke: We must lower interest rates.
Zhou: For Treasury bonds.
Bernanke: Yes.
Zhou: What does that have to do with unemployment?
Bernanke: When mid-term rates are lower, businesses will start new projects and hire people.
Zhou: Mid-maturity T-bond interest rates are the lowest ever since what you call the Great Depression and what we call the old normal.
Bernanke: You can never have low enough T-bond rates.
Zhou: But, as Treasury bond investors, we don't like low rates. We like high rates. We hold lots of T-bonds. If we get very low rates, we might as well own gold.
Bernanke: But you will like all that increased demand for made-in-China goods when all those unemployed Americans go back to work.
Zhou: But rates are lower than they have been in 80 years. You still have 9.6% unemployment.
Bernanke: But if the 10-year T-bond rate goes from 2.6% to 1%, American businessmen will hire millions of workers.
Zhou: Do you have evidence for this in one of those dozen Federal Reserve bank monthly bulletins? Or maybe in the Federal Reserve Bulletin?
Bernanke: Not really. But it's the thought that counts.
Zhou: I don't think we are getting anywhere. So, just to remind you. We will sell enough Treasury debt each month to match any net increase in the amount you buy.
Bernanke: Dollar for dollar?
Zhou: Dollar for dollar. But, I'll tell you what. Buy them from us, and we'll give you a discount for volume purchases.
Bernanke: You guys never miss a trick, do you?
Zhou: We're really not inscrutable. We just offer discounts for volume purchases.
Bernanke: I will discuss this with the FOMC.
Zhou: Do that. Shalom!
Bernanke: That's my middle name.
Zhou: You Americans have a saying for everything.
Bernanke: No. I mean it. That really is my middle name.
Zhou: If you start buying Treasury debt, you'll have an honorary middle name over here.
Bernanke: What's that?
Zhou: Paper Tiger.
November 13, 2010
Gary North is the author of Mises on Money. Visit http://www.garynorth.com. He is also the author of a free 20-volume series, An Economic Commentary on the Bible.
Copyright © 2010 Gary North
Search Amazon.com for gary north

Murphy's Laws of TEOTWAWKI from survivalcache

from: http://survivalcache.com/murphys-laws-of-teotwawki/

From Wikipedia: Murphy’s Law is an adage that is typically stated as: “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong”.
1.  Food, you still don’t have enough
2.  People without back up shelters might be without shelter
3.  People with guns and no food are finding out that people with food have guns too
4.  Look hungry, they might leave you alone.
5.  Seed bank, the new source of wealth
6.  Insects, It’s what’s for dinner
7.  Gun shots, they attract unwanted attention
8.  Ask everyone if they have food or water, Jedi mind tricks might work on desperate people
9.  Wood burning stoves, they are like pots of gold
10.  The less people you know, the better off you are
11.  Mormons, suddenly they have a lot of new friends

12.  Friendly hungry people…..aren’t
13.  People who thought they could make it with just a survival knife are finding out they can’t
14.  Satellite Dishes, they make great family dinner tables
15.  If invited to a dinner party and you can’t figure out what’s on the menu, it’s you
16.  Houses full of food attract the unwanted envy of hungry people
17.  Friends who show up without food are not good friends
18.  Electricity, the good old days
19.  Dog Food, who knew
20.  Cash, its a great way to start a fire
21.  Alternative energy, you’re kicking yourself now for not investing in it
22.  Watching your garden grow, the new Sunday afternoon sport
23.  The Government, it will feed itself first
24.  Large groups of people with guns make the rules
25.  Bad water & Montezuma’s Revenge, they have come to America
26.  People who thought the Government would save them, found out that it didn’t
27.  Hospitals, no longer a place of healing
28.  EMP, now everyone knows what it means
29.  Sandy dry soil, suddenly not such a cool place to live anymore
30.  If food is the new currency then fresh water is a hot commodity
31.  Gold coins, they don’t taste very good
32.  Toilet paper, should have bought more of that stuff
33.  Ham radio operators, who are the nerds now?
34.  Burning Green Wood = Smoke / Smoke = Attention / Attention = Bad
35.  Trying to start a fire with two sticks?  Should have stocked up on more matches

Sprouts for Survival

http://offthegridnews.com/2010/11/15/sprouts-the-ultimate-kitchen-garden/

First MRE buy and why

http://campingsurvival.com/fulmremilrea.html

• Posted by The Ridge Runner on November 17, 2010 at 3:33am
• View The Ridge Runner's blog

Well here I am at work, going over lists of haves and wants and needs for prepping and it occured to me that a relatively interesting thing has occured in my life today. I recieved my first bulk purchase of MREs. I have ALWAYS bought them piece by piece and sometimes just the entree portion. On a whim, I looked up MREs on Ebay and have found some really decent sources for actual Mil-Spec MREs. I put in a bid on a 12 pack and managed to win it at the unheard of price of $42.00 +shipping. All told, $65 and thats not bad at all. Further research on Ebay has uncovered commercial MRE meals for as low as $35 a case.
Now a bit about MREs: some people like them, some dont. Some even call them by Meals Regected by Etheopians or Meals Readily Ejected and so on. Fact is Uncle Sam spent a great deal of time and tax dollars to devise and refine these field rations into a meal that is shelf stable, tastes decent and provides a good amount of nutrition. Say what you want about them but I like them! Now you would think that knowing all this, I would have a basement full of them. I dont. The fact is, they are also expensive and while I think they are a very important part of your preparedness food storage plan, you really should get your bulk food stuffs, canned goods and off the grid food prep equipment togeather first. That being said, a case of MREs stored in the back of your vehicle along with your BOB will really go a long way toward getting you home to all those other preps.


Try to get Mil-Spec MREs or alternatly commercial MREs made by the same government contractor. Mil Spec MREs have a slightly better shelf life and the accessories are better than their commercial counterparts. A Mil Spec MRE will come with main meal, side dish, cracker, cookie , peanut butter or Jam, a pouch of drink mix (Tang, Tea or Hot Choc.) It will come with an accessory pack that includes a good quality plastic spoon, salt, pepper, mints, matches and sometimes a little bottle of Tabasco sauce! Finally, Mil Spec MREs come with a chemical heater pouch that allows you to heat your main meal pouch.
This little pouch has a mixture of magnesium, iron and salt that reacts with water to create heat. this little item is great in that its flameless, HOT and all that is required is water from your canteen. Follow the directions!

Commercial MREs (By the Gov. Manufacturer) do not have the heater and are a much more no frills system but still provide good sustainance. They will usually come with the main entree, side dish, cracker etc but the accesories are a bit less advanced with just salt, pepper, a napkin, cheap plastic spoon (think elementary school) and sometimes catsup, mustard or hot sauce packet.

There are also non milspec MRE type meals such as freeze dried "mountain House" and similar meals that give varying degrees of return in terms of nutrition and cost effectiveness. Freeze Dried Meals have some faults that include requiring water to make it eatable. This makes them a questionable choice. The beauty of MREs is that they can be eaten without any preparation other than opening the packet.

To sum it up, Im at a point in my preps where I am definatly considering getting a few more caes of these meals because they just plain make sense to me. Quite frankly, I dont know why I didnt make this decision before... Live and learn..

Epidemic Hazard - North-America - Canada

http://campingsurvival.com/gasmasks.html

EDIS Number: EH-20101115-28528-CAN
Date / time: 15/11/2010 04:14:02 [UTC]
Event: Epidemic Hazard
Area: North-America
Country: Canada
State/County: Province of Ontario
City: Peterborough
Number of Deads: None or unknow
Number of Injured: None or unknow
Damage level: Minor

Description:

A hospital in Peterborough, Ont., stopped admitting patients to one of its units as of Friday because of an "uncommon" outbreak of three different bacteria, including two superbugs. Peterborough Regional Health Centre is investigating several cases of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE). There have been 11 cases of MRSA since Nov. 5. The first of seven C.difficile cases dates back to Oct. 22. There are two cases of VRE. Hospital spokesman Jonathan Bennett said it isn't uncommon for two or three of the bacteria to be present in small numbers around the hospital, but to have an outbreak of even two superbugs is unusual. "It's uncommon for us to be in an outbreak situation on a single unit with two organisms," Bennett said on Saturday. "It's quite concerning to us to find that we've got fairly significant numbers of transmissions in the same unit of two, which is C. diff and MRSA." He said the hospital is taking the situation "very seriously." Patients have been put into isolation, housekeeping staff are cleaning patient rooms and the hospital is re-educating staff on the importance of handwashing. The C. difficile outbreak is close to being declared over, if a series of tests come back negative on Monday, Bennett added. Until tests give the all clear, no patients will be admitted to or transferred from the acute care unit. The number of visitors to the unit was also being restricted to two family members per patient. C. difficile is a common infection found in hospitals and long-term care centres. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, nausea and abdominal pain. If left untreated, MRSA skin infections can cause life-threatening complications like blood, bone or lung infections. Symptoms of drug-resistant bacteria VRE infections include fever, wound infections, inflammation and pneumonia. The hospital said no new cases of C. difficile were found in the last 10 days. The last new case of MRSA was found Nov. 8 and the hospital will conduct a third screening on Monday.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RsoeEdis-EmergencyAndDisasterInformation/~3/cSYrTJxgm9c/woalert_read.php

New EDC item added

I just bought a Grundig Mini 400 portable AM/FM/SW Radio. So far I am very pleased. It is small enough to be part of my every day carry and functions decently. It takes two AAA batteries, which have lasted 3 days so far. The shortwave allows you to listen to international news in the event of a regional disaster. For $30 @ radioshack it was well worth it. Grundig also makes other radios with optional added antenna for better reception.
Search Amazon.com for grundig mini 400

"Our Flag Still Waves" by Kevin (Chip) Monk

The Next Plague

I just finished watching "The Next Plague" on Netflix.  It's a History Channel simulation of what could happen in the event of an influenza pandemic.  I suggest you take a look.  It is both disturbing and eye-opening.

Alert! Status Changed to Orange

I'm not sure just how deep we should read into this, but just in case...

from wikipedia:
Web Bot, or the Web Bot Project, refers to an Internet bot software program that is claimed to be able to predict future events by tracking keywords entered on the Internet. It was created in 1997, originally to predict stock market trends.^[1] The creator of the Web Bot Project, Clif High, along with his associate George Ure, who call themselves "The Time Monks",^[2] keep the technology and algorithms largely secret and sell the predictions via the website halfpasthuman.com. 

You may notice that the site has been taken out as of yesterday (10/13).

Their latest prediction was: November 8-11, 2010 - The web bot warns of a big tipping point, possibly a stock market crash or financial meltdown of some sorts.

Also:
The following come from the Web Bot Project Blogspot report on a radio interview with High and Ure:

• No warfare between Israel and Iran, at least not until November.
• Six very large earthquakes are yet to come during the rest of 2010.
• A major tipping point will occur between November 8 – 11, 2010, followed by a 2-3 month release period. This tipping point appears to be US-centric, and could be a dramatic world-changing event like 9-11 that will have rippling after-effects. The collapse of the dollar might occur in November.
• From July 11, 2010 onward, civil unrest will take place, possibly driven by food prices skyrocketing, and the devaluation of the dollar.^[15] No such incident has occurred following that date.
• No exact information on the December 14th missile launch (beginning of World War III) has been confirmed, but the predictions show it may happen.
• A second depression, triggered by mass layoffs, bankruptcies, and the popping of the "derivatives bubble," will see people moving out of cities.
• After March 2011, the revolution wave will settle down into a period of reformation.
• A "data gap" has been found between early 2012 running through May 2013. One explanation is that "our civilization gets knocked back to a pre-electronic state," such as brought about by devastating solar activity.
• A new benign form of capitalism will emerge during 2017-2020.^[20]

Ovaltine

Search Amazon.com for ovaltine
It tastes good and it's good for you!

TANG

And yet another thing to add to survival storage...
from wikipedia:
The Tang brand is owned by Kraft Foods. It is available in 38 flavors^{[citation needed]} (some region-specific), and is sold both in powdered form (in sachets and larger canisters) as well as in a ready to drink form. A single 8 US fl oz (240 ml; 8.3 imp fl oz) serving of Tang provides 9 grams (0.32 oz) of sugar; 40 calories (167 kJ); 100% RDA of vitamin C; 10% RDA of vitamin A, Calcium, Vitamin E, Riboflavin, Niacin, and Vitamin B6; and no caffeine. Kraft also makes a sugar-free version of Tang, containing aspartame, which comes in individually-measured packets and was introduced in March 1985.

Search Amazon.com for tang

A Beginners Guide to Preparedness and Survival - Shelter

Shelter is your second priority in a survival situation. You need to be able to keep warm if you want to live. Having a backup heater and fuel supply is invaluable for your home. Blankets and cold-weather clothing (no cotton) will help conserve fuel. A waterproof tent should be in your BOB. If you want to stay warm, you must stay dry. A low-temperature sleeping bag is also very important. If you have a retreat site, you should have all of these things there as well. If you are looking to purchase a retreat site, here are a few things to consider:

• Availability of Water
• Off-grid Heating
• Property Taxes
• Age/Condition of Structure
• Amount of Land Included
• Neighbors
• Insulation
• Price
• Remoteness

You want to equip your retreat with a supply of water that doesn't rely on an electric pump. You will also want to install a wood stove for heat, as fuel may become unavailable. Consider the property taxes and whether or not you can afford them now. Check the condition of the structure and foundation. You don't want to buy something that will fall down or something you will sink your entire income into for repair. Think about how much land you will need and who surrounds it. You may want enough to grow some crops. Is the building insulated? Good insulation will save loads on fuel. Is it affordable? Don't go beyond your means financially. How remote is it? Will drifters or looters show up if SHTF?

Having a means of communication with the rest of the world will also be important. I suggest getting a HAM radio license and unit. You can communicate globally with it. Also, having a crank powered radio with as many bands as possible will allow you to get news and entertainment. I suggest a shortwave radio so you can listen globally.

Having renewable lighting will be important. Solar garden and walkway lights are useful for this. They aren't very bright so you can use them with your curtains closed and nobody outside will be able to see them. You will also need something a bit brighter such as a crank powered flashlight. If you have the finances, you could set up a complete solar power system for your retreat. I suggest getting 12V appliances because inverters are inefficient.

A Beginners Guide to Preparedness and Survival - Air

Your first survival need is air. During disasters such as an epidemic or pandemic you may need to quarantine yourself and family. However, if you need to get supplies you will need protection from infection. Gas masks are the best portable filtration system for your money. If there is ever nuclear fallout or chemical warfare they will be essential. Even with natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions the air can become toxic. You might also want to have a room or shelter with a HEPA air filtration system for tasks where a mask would get in the way.

A Beginners Guide to Preparedness and Survival - Introduction

This guide is meant to be an introduction to the preparedness or survivalism lifestyle. It is by no means a complete guide. This is to get you off your ass and start getting ready for whatever may come. The first step is to prepare, then survive. Wikipedia defines survivalism as «Survivalism is a movement of individuals or groups (called survivalists) who are actively preparing for future possible disruptions in local, regional, national, or international social or political order.» When preparing, remember that two is one and one is none. Basically that means that anything can fail so be redundant. Everything you do to prepare should also be something that benefits you reguardless of what happens. Can your family have too much to eat? I don't think so. Is saving money by using alternative energy bad? I think you get the point. The decision is yours...

How Prepared Are You?

Survivalmom has in her downloadable resourses a nice little chart for preparedness.  Found here: http://www.mediafire.com/file/k27cgb6n69t9w5z/How%20Prepared%20Are%20You.pdf

Product Review - Survival Hatchet

http://www.majorsurplus.com/Survival-Hatchet-3-Pack-P14412.aspx

We ordered this and received it in a week.  It is a nice lightweight item that now has a fine place in our gear.  It's not a greatly constructed product, but its usefulness is obvious.  One thing to do as soon as you get it is epoxy the grip onto the steel.  Otherwise as soon as you use it the hatchet slides out of the grip.  You also will want to put a cover on the blade, as it doesn't come with one.  All-in-all not a bad deal (3 for $23 after shipping).

Off the Grid News

Here's a great site full of content.  Check them out @ http://offthegridnews.com/

Ulitimate TEOTWAWKI Shelter

Found this from SurvivalMom:
http://thesurvivalmom.com/2010/10/02/could-this-be-the-ultimate-teotwawki-shelter/
AWESOME!

See your ad here... FREE

New Program Announcement:
We would like to give you an opportunity to advertise superior survival products right here... for FREE!  Here's the deal: Send us an email (nyprepnet@gmail.com) telling us about your product.  We will contact you and arrange an evaluation of it.  If we find your product to be worthwhile, we will post your ad for free.

Defiance, a story of real survivors

from dseelman:


I just watched the movie Defiance (2008) on Netflix.  It is about Russian Jews during WWII who decided to survive.  All I can say is AMAZING.  Watch it.

Amazing Video, HAM talks to ISS

9mm Rifle that takes Pistol mags

Here's an option for a close range battle rifle.
http://www.kel-tec-cnc.com/sub2000.htm

FAQ regarding the laws involved in purchasing pre-1899 firearms

http://www.rawles.to/Pre-1899_FAQ.html
interesting...
Thanks JWR

Free Training Service

from our european friends @ http://eu-preppers.blogspot.com/

Dear Friends,

I was writing about a couple of month ago, that I will focus on practical training with this EU-Preppers Blog. I am offering now a new free service, called "Prepper Training Alert".

The idea behind:

You send me your email adress with the options

a) "24/7 Prepper Training Alerts"
b) or "Weekend Prepper Training Alerts".
c) Language: English or German

So you will recieve "Prepper Training Tasks" based on this information.

Which could end in this practical example:

Saturday morning, you're checking your mail, "Prepper Training Alert" with the task: A day without electricity, so you have to switch off immediately electricity - starting the training.

At the end, you can test/proof if you're theoretical plans, equipment a.s.o. are working - more or less unexpected

Email: europacitizen@gmail.com
Subject: "Prepper Training Alert"

An Alternative to Mountain House

http://www.backpackerspantry.com/

SAS survival secrets

Guess they're not secrets anymore:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vykq1oQ31Aw

One Year Food Storage Plan

everydaysurvivalguy is posting a one year food storage plan for those of us who don't know where to start.  Looks like good stuff.
http://everydaysurvivalguy.com/one-year-food-storage-plan/

Scott Williams has a new book coming

http://www.bugoutsurvival.com/2010/08/current-book-project-now-listed-on.html

Engaging Children in the Preparedness Lifestyle

Excellent podcast from Chip Monk:
http://chipmonk.podbean.com/2010/08/05/episode-14-engaging-children-in-the-preparedness-lifestyle/

How To Start Tomato Plants From Cuttings

http://survivingthemiddleclasscrash.wordpress.com/2010/08/24/how-to-start-tomato-plants-from-cuttings/

Today's Survival Show Chat

Every Sunday and Wednesday @ 9 PM EST there will be a survival chat @ http://www.todayssurvival.com/forum/index.php
Hope to see you there.

A Different Approach to Bug out Bags By Joseph Parish

http://www.survival-training.info/articles21/ADifferentApproachtoBugoutBags.htm

Introducing "Google Phone Service" - Not a Paid Ad

Call phones from Gmail

Install voice and video chat

Requires Windows XP+ / Mac OS X 10.4+ / Linux

Try it now

Click above to be taken to Gmail

Free to the US Call phones in the US and Canada for free.

Cheap international calls Call around the world for pennies per minute

Video chat, too Install the plugin and get video chat for free

Rate comparison table »

Call anywhere in the US and Canada for free and get low rates for other countries with this small plugin — right from within Gmail.

The Army's Greatest Invention

Hop on over to the Wolf Den and check out her thoughts about can openers:
http://wolftavern.blogspot.com/2010/08/survival-gear-armys-greatist-invention.html

Target Practice a few weeks ago

Hi Capacity Efficient Diesel Truck Coming to US

http://www.mahindrana.com/
Warning: not made in USA.

Home Design Choices for the Prepper, by S.L.S.

Wow! What an article.  Check it out:
http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/08/home_design_choices_for_the_pr.html

Socialism Survival Podcast #050: Interview With Special Guest Jack Spirko

http://www.socialismsurvival.com/socialismsurvival/Podcast/Entries/2010/9/6_Socialism_Survival_Podcast_050.html

Arizona Militia Mobilized

More info here:
http://www.arizonamilitia.com/

Living Off A Few Acres

Here's a free download from Dept. of Ag.
ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/ID/news/fewacres06.pdf

A Cheap Fish Trap (DIY)

4 AR15 Videos posted on our ning site

The Ridge Runner added 4 videos

via Latest Activity on New York Preparedness Network on 9/11/10

The Ridge Runner added 4 videos

Safe Home Food Storage

Thanks to Riverwalker for uploading this:
http://www.box.net/shared/799nds2izc

Frazer of the Alberta Preppers Network

I've read a bit from this guy and I've been pretty impressed.  Here's an article he wrote entitled "5 things I won't miss after TEOTWAWKI"
Also, here's an interview Bob Mayne of Today's Survival Show did with him:
http://www.todayssurvival.com/?p=1274
Keep up the good work Frazer.

Mailing Address for George Grier

via SurvivalBlog.com by James Wesley, Rawles on 9/10/10

If you've been following the news, then you've probably heard about George Grier, the Long Island, New York resident that fired warning shots into his lawn, near a gang of at least 20 men who were threatening to invade his home and slay Grier, his wife, and their children.
In response to my recent query, resourceful SurvivalBlog reader David H. used Google Street Views to find George Grier's home address. It is:
George W. Grier
393 Northern Parkway
Uniondale, N.Y. 11553
If you feel convicted to do so, then please send George a note of support and prayer, and perhaps a donation for his legal defense.

Survival Bus

Turn a VW Bus into a BOV:

http://www.survivalbus.com/manuals.html

How to create your own digital survival kit

From Bob Mayne @ Today's Survival Show:

http://www.todayssurvival.com/?p=1353

EDC

Here's an article on EDC from ITS:
http://www.itstactical.com/2010/09/03/every-day-carry-careful-and-reasonable-planning-is-the-key-to-success/

Bugging In vs. Bugging Out

http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/episode-502-bugging-in-vs-bugging-out

Very good insight into the matter.  Thanks Jack.

Slicing the Pie

By Lindsey Bertomen of Officer.com

Slicing the pie, or "pie-ing," is a method of looking around corners and obstacles while presenting the smallest possible target. It is a dynamic movement technique designed to minimize exposure around cover and maximize the tactical advantage for the officer.

Nearly anyone who has completed "Police School 101" has some familiarity with pie slicing. It is named after the shape of the officer's reward for tactical movement. As the officer moves tactically, he receives a bigger slice of the pie.

Slicing is a fluid dynamic method. As the unpredictable elements change, the officer's responses change. For example, a door can be attached by several different configurations causing it to open at least five different ways: toward the officer, away from the officer, toward the officer in the same room, away from the officer in the same room and sliding. The way a door opens and whether it is open will cause the officer to respond in a distinct manner.

It takes at least two officers to slice a stairway, regardless of the architecture. If the stairway takes a turn, one officer will have to negotiate it backwards, eyes on the landing. Even when ascending a simple stairway, one officer must slice the entrance to the stairway, the other the landing.

Making the tactical decision
All tactical decision making is time sensitive. A high-risk situation is governed by responses to actions that each adversary makes. If the suspect does something, the officer makes a decision based on this action and surrounding factors. The quicker the decision response cycle, the quicker the reaction time.

This concept is not new. It is attributed to Air Force Col. John Boyd. An outspoken military pilot, Boyd observed that tactical decision making had a cycle of processes. The process of observe, orient, decide and act occur in a cycle - the OODA Loop. The adversary who completes the OODA Loop the quickest will win.

In the 1950s, Boyd bet other pilots that he could put his jet on their tail within 40 seconds or pay them $40. Legend has it that he never lost his $40. Boyd's instinctive concepts of combat were the foundation for combat decision-making processes employed by almost every great leader.

One of the tenets of the OODA Loop is exploiting surprise. The winning officer will increase the duration of the orient phase of the suspect's OODA Loop when slicing the pie. The idea is to cause the suspect to delay his perception and misread the environment. If the suspect's information is incomplete, decision making is delayed. The longer the delay, the greater the officer safety.

While introducing confusion in the suspect's OODA Loop, the officer shortcuts his own loop the same way a race car driver apexes a corner for more speed. The officer has a series of templates for each scenario. If the template works, he can quickly apply them, decreasing his response time. The templates come from training. For pie slicing, every search an officer performs reshapes the library of templates.

As officers begin obtaining better templates, they realize the concepts of pie slicing also can be used in situations like vehicle stops.

Preparing to train
For this article several scenarios were experimented with where officers searched inside a building. The purpose was to clearly illustrate using geometry as a tactical advantage. The Airsoft pistol from 21st Century Airsoft and a Raidhouse were two training aids used that significantly improved data collection on slicing the pie.

The Airsoft pistol is a tool that adds realism to training, incorporating the same operating system, trigger action, dimensions, disassembly and "feel" of a Glock 22. Additionally, it fit the same holsters and equipment one would use on patrol. Using full face protection and appropriate clothing, the Airsoft pistol allowed officers to run scenarios that included realistic force decisions.

The Raidhouse, a portable tactical training system, consists of a steel-framed enclosure with coated vinyl walls. Quickly erected, users attach removable walls on the net ceiling. This allows for an infinite variety of configurations, including hallways, doorways and rooms. The interior can be reconfigured in seconds, making the next scenario distinct from the previous one.

Using the training tools and collecting data from experienced officers, the Law Enforcement Technology Test Team was able to compile a list of recommendations for training in pie slicing.

If moving sideways is working, avoid the temptation to move forward
One of the biggest mistakes an officer will make is moving forward too quickly while he can still be moving laterally. In training, the easiest way to recognize this error is to watch officers shuffle right to a doorway, slice the interior, then move forward to the point where there muzzle is beyond the barricade. Even experienced officers occasionally let their muzzle go beyond a wall, then realize that anyone on the other side of the wall could grab it.

Using the Raidhouse, several search scenarios where the primary officer hugged the wall on the same side as a doorway were utilized. It was found that the suspect was able to grab the weapon almost every time. Even in training, this forced the hand of the officer. When this scenario was run with a carbine, the suspect was able to grab the rifle with both hands every time. This also forced the officer to resort to the handgun. Obviously, leading with the weapon demonstrates a serious training deficiency.

On a hallway with doors on both sides, the two-man officer team will generally move in a staggered formation to the first doorway. The lead officer will move in a question mark shaped pattern with the opening of the hook facing the doorway. When the lead officer has sufficiently sliced the doorway, the two officers will switch positions. There is no hard and fast rule in this situation - a collection of officer safety habits will work. A little bit of experimenting will show any officer the fact that backing off from a doorway allows a better field of view while slicing.

In an ideal world, officers will have their backs against the opposite wall of a hallway when slicing a doorway. In the Raidhouse, the closer an officer stayed to a doorway opening, the more likely the gun was grabbed. As officers sliced from the opposite wall, the reactionary advantage was maximized.

There has to be a fluid switch from contact to cover between two officers. In a hallway with several doorways, one officer has to look down the hall while the other slices an open doorway. This action immediately implies that they will have to leapfrog to the next doorway. However, if one of them has a long gun, the officer who can holster his weapon becomes the handcuffing officer by default.

The recommended way to train for fluid role switching is for training managers to have squads train together.

No safe assumptions
Assume the worst case scenario - the suspect can see you. Do not assume the suspect will stay put when discovered. Do not assume the suspect will stay put at all.

The number of scenario possibilities is countless. However, the earlier the officer can identify a threat by correctly slicing, the more complete and effective his action. If the suspect rushes the officer, slicing the pie will give the officer more time to react.

When searching, it is a safe assumption the suspect knows someone is looking for him. It is also safe to assume the suspect can detect someone entering a residence. The sensory clues could be something as simple as the rush of air when a door opens. One can even assume a suspect can hear an officer moving down a hallway. Despite all this, slicing the pie gives the officer a tactical advantage. A suspect or suspects might know the general area of the search but probably cannot fix the position of any of the officers. Even if they could, the tactically savvy officer is behind cover when he makes his observations.

When using the Raidhouse, it was easy to guess the location of the searching officer every time. After all, the walls are made of coated vinyl and the ceiling is a net. Even with these disadvantages, the officer who sliced the pie correctly always won, because he acquired a visual target by careful, deliberate movements. This is the most important data.

Think in three dimensions
One southern California agency was given some abandoned apartments for training. A nearby agency provided the actors for the scenarios. During one scenario, officers were told they were responding to an unknown call for help inside of an apartment complex. Four officers performed the search. As they moved down a hallway, they heard a female voice crying for help, saying, "He's got a knife! He's going to stab me!" From the screaming they were easily able to find the correct apartment. They paused outside of the apartment door, which was halfway open. The officers decided to rush in the apartment and overtake the suspect. There were two surprises beyond the door. First, the "victim" shot the first two officers with a "red gun." Second, the "victim" was squatted on top of a refrigerator, not where most people would assume the threat would come from.

This training scenario yielded several lessons. Never assume that the suspect is flat-footed. When slicing, look at the whole picture that unfolds, not just the one at chest level. Apply the correct template to the correct scenario. In this case, a deliberate look inside the apartment or a little intel would have been handy.

Consider alternative tools
Slicing the pie is only part of the equation. Another element that needs to be included is the common sense approach. The officer may have done everything right and sees where the suspect is hiding. Now it is time to use the correct tool. For example, if the suspect responds to verbal commands, there is no reason to move forward. If verbal commands are not working but canine use is appropriate, use the canine.

Other considerations - whether to enter a room, whether it will take both officers to clear a room - depend on how much officers can see when inspecting the room from the hallway, vision obscurements and the size of the search.

External slicing
Slicing is just as appropriate outside the building. When walking up to a call, every officer has the radar on, spotting potential hazards and cover along the way. Officers naturally place cover between where they are and where they are going. This is best trained by putting a threat target downrange during live-fire training and having officers walk up to a barricade. They will naturally orient to "this side toward enemy" and gravitate toward the barricade. The other part of this training is officers learn to back off a little from the barricade so their muzzle is not exposed.

Another important aspect of barricade training is when the tactical situation requires the officer to slice from the reaction- (or support) hand side. They should train to do one of two things: put the weapon in the support hand or place the non-firing hand on the chest, depending on the orientation of the threat. Either way, the mission is minimum exposure.

No master key, only a large key ring
The only way to make an officer and his team successful in pie slicing is to train, train, train. No single scenario or application will work in every situation. In a very short time, officers on a shift can become a cohesive unit. As they compare their notes with other officers from other agencies, they find that pie slicing is a universal language.