Every so often I throw up some pics from my Instagram account. I enjoy Instagram due to its simplicity. Simply – people post pictures of “whatever” and you follow people that post things you may be interested in. About once a day I log in and scan through all the pictures that people post. Guns, camping, sports, shooting, hunting, nature – all kinds of stuff.
You can see my full Instagram account HERE.
Rourke
via ModernSurvivalOnline.com http://ift.tt/1IBb0qb
Rourke: This post was originally published here on ModernSurvivalOnline.com. It is just as relevant today.
Storing food continues to be my main priority in gathering survival supplies. Canned goods are the mainstay of much of my stockpile along with some freeze-dried. Over the past few months I have added some additional food via storing them in mylar bags.
Mylar packaging has been around for many years. Used for many different products – mylar has a unique ability to present an oxygen barrier and protect food for extended storage.
So – how do I store food in mylar bags? Typically for preparedness-related food storage – food is placed into the mylar bag, an oxygen absorber is placed in the bag, and then the bag is sealed(using heat). The oxygen absorber will eliminate almost all the oxygen in the bag – thus providing a very long shelf life.
Mylar bags, food, iron, and oxygen absorbers
In the picture above I have my supplies laid out – mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, some spaghetti, and my iron.
Rice is a good candidate for mylar packing
I also had some rice as well to store away.
Simple – fill and add the oxygen absorber
Here I have placed some rice in the mylar and added the oxygen absorber. Next the top of the bag needs to be sealed up.
Note: Yes – a lot more rice can go in this bag.
Using an iron to seal the bag.
Part of the “trick” to sealing the bag is to place it on something – and then run the hot iron over the mylar sealing it. As much as possible should be removed from the bag prior to sealing. I generally form a 1-2 inch sealed edge along the top. Once sealed – it is good to try to squeeze the bag to make sure there are no leaks.
Bag is sealed.
There are any different sized bags available. I prefer the gallon size.
Here is some spaghetti ready to be stored away.
Above is one of my completed bags. Mark all bags with the date of packaging, contents, and approx amount.
Filling it up – ready when I need it.
Once I have several bags done – I place them in a plastic 5 gallon bucket and place the lid on it. I then mark on the outside the date of packaging and I list the contents as well. Of note I never pack a bucket with all one ingredient. I always mix up the contents – beans, pasta, rice, sugar, salt, etc. Why? In-case I have to pack buckets in a vehicle to “head for the hills” – I want to know that however many buckets I get I will have a variety of food items in each one.
Overall – this method is very expensive. I have some Amazon links embedded in this post showing some of the supplies I have purchased and used myself. Also – there are some good videos on YouTube demonstrating this process.
When stored under the right conditions certain foods can last a very long time.
Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Rourke
Antennas can range from a few squiggles on a PCB to a gigantic Yagi on a tower. The basic laws of physics must be obeyed, though, and whatever form the antenna takes it all boils down to a conductor whose length resonates at a specific frequency. What works at one frequency is suboptimal at another, so an adjustable antenna would be a key component of a multi-band device. And a shape-shifting liquid metal antenna is just plain cool.
The first thing that pops into our head when we think of liquid metal is a silvery blob of mercury skittering inside the glass vial salvaged out of an old thermostat. The second image is a stern talking-to by the local HazMat team, so it’s probably best that North Carolina State University researchers [Michael Dickey] and [Jacob Adams] opted for gallium alloys for their experiments. Liquid at room temperature, these alloys have the useful property of oxidizing on contact with air and forming a skin. This allows the researchers to essentially extrude a conductor of any shape. What’s more, they can electrically manipulate the oxidative state of the metal and thereby the surface tension, allowing the conductor to change length on command. Bingo – an adjustable length antenna.
Radio frequency circuits aren’t the only application for gallium alloys. We’ve already seen liquid metal 3D printing with them. But we need to be careful, since controlling the surface tension of liquid metals might also bring us one step closer to this.
The Walking Dead TV series has been one of the hottest phenomenons to hit entertainment in years. Why? Don’t know. Guess it is the combination of story lines within show. There is suspense, action, thrills – and even a little romance now and again. Character development has been phenomenal as longtime viewers can attest to. Over several season characters change – they adapt and relationships develop with other characters. They even die regardless of their popularity.
With The Walking Dead’s popularity it was only a matter of time before a spin-off was created. “Fear the Walking Dead” premiered August 23rd to much fanfare. While the original show takes place in the South, FTWD location is all the way across the country in Los Angeles. Certainly the environment provides quite a different setting.
The story starts from what appears a few weeks prior to the main story line of The Walking Dead.
Season 1, Episode 1: Pilot
This premiere episode starts off with young heroin addict Nick waking up and seeing his friend (hot zombie girl) eating the face off a fellow heroin addict. He jumps up and runs out of the building and eventually into a street where he is hit by a car. Surviving – he later wakes up in the hospital strapped to a bed. From the viewer’s perspective I wondered whether or not the feast which he witnessed was real or part of a series of drug induced illusions.
Later in the hospital Nick’s mom – Madison – displays some tough love as she has dealt with her son’s drug addict lifestyle for some time. Her husband – Travis – who is Nick’s stepfather seems to act a bit more compassionate to Nick’s rants and apparent “delusions”.
Unlike The Walking Dead “Fear” is full of teenagers – at least at this early point. Over at a local high school there is talk of kids who are missing school and it is suggested that flu is to blame. Interesting is the kids get together and watch video’s of people who appear to be superhuman. These “beings” take unbelievable abuse with little effect until a bullet penetrates their head. At this point it appears that most everyone who sees these video’s believes them to be fake or the people are on bath salts. I felt like the spread of news about these situations was unrealistically slow.
Nick eventually escapes the hospital after it appears that a “walker” was on the other side of the rooms curtain. Turns out it was an old guy going flatline. Eventually he ends up at Calvin’s house – an old friend who is actually his dealer. Calvin drives him to a remote location with the obvious intent on killing him. Things don’t go Calvin’s way and he ends up with no heart beat. Nick is one lucky heroin addict.
Madison and Travis eventually meet up with Nick. Nick confesses that he killed Calvin. Travis – the understanding parent – get Nick to show him where Calvin’s body is. You guessed it – not there. Calvin comes walking down a tunnel and Nick hits him with a truck out of fear for what he is now and what he will do to his parents. Travis now believes Nick that something mighty strange is going on. Things are really getting interesting at this point.
I enjoyed Episode 1 and its hints at the coming zombie apocalypse really has me thirsty for more. The original Walking Dead pretty much skipped the entire process of the spread of the disease.
This is going to be interesting.
Scene from the beginning of Episode 1
Season 1, Episode 2: So close….yet so far
Things in Los Angeles are not going so well. Overall the people of the city seem mostly oblivious to anything going on locally or elsewhere in the country. Reports of the flu or some other sickness are of minor concern. At one point the police shoot an unarmed man (guessing a walker) and people begin to protest and riot violently.
Madison’s daughter – Alicia – finds her boyfriend at his home lying on the floor extremely sick. While her parents know what is going on she is finally convinced to leave him. He has a bite on his shoulder so his change is just a matter of time.
Her brother Nick is having serious withdrawals as he has not had a heroin fix in a couple days. Madison goes to the school to get medicine to help him. She and a student come across the Principle Art of the now empty school – and have to fight him off as he has changed.
Madison and Travis have decided to get all the families together, gather supplies, and head out of the city.
While Madison is getting medicine for her addic son Travis has gone to get his family from his first marriage. They get caught up in riot and take refuge in a business. The power goes out and all cell phone service ends as well. Travis and family is stuck in one place while Madison and family are at home – seeing walkers walk by out in the street.
Travis and Madison are certainly developing their skills to survive what is coming. Things are developing fast.
Next episode in two weeks.
Ben Carson is gaining in the polls. I like it. I like that there are several candidates in the running that are NOT career politicians. For years people have said they wished a non-politician would run. Well – here we are.
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Just picked up a Sawyer Mini Water Filter. Have heard many good things about this filter. High volume life and super portable and lightweight. Looking forward to testing and evaluating it.
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FYI – went shooting Saturday with a friend and young son. We were shooting his 40S&W as well as my 9mm. He loaded his .40 with 3 9mm rounds and 2 .40 rds. Guess what happened…..
Wait for it….wait for it….
It fired!!!!
The mag was inserted when he handed it to me and I racked the slide. It stripped a 9mm round off the top of the magazine and placed it in the chamber. The firing pin lined up with center of the 9mm round and when I pulled the trigger it fired.
It did NOT cycle the slide and I could tell something was wrong as there was little recoil.
The gun functioned fine with the correct ammo.
Lessons to be learned here. Similar situation can happen with other calibers such as .22lr and .22 mag and 5.56 and .300 Blackout.
Be safe out there.
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So President Obama is renaming Mt. McKinley to Mt. Denali. Interesting. am
Back in 2011 I wrote about my bucket list. In case you don’t know – a Bucket List is a list of things that you want to do before you…..”kick the bucket“.
There was a movie called Bucket List that was pretty good – worth watching. It has been a few years and to be honest I have not put forth much effort towards accomplishing items on my list.
Lets take a look. Those items with a line through them have been completed.
Here we go:
Almost over the August special sale from Emergency Essentials. This month the sale focuses on Mountain House Freeze Dried Food. I have put back a substantial amount of common, everyday foods and am now focusing on Mountain House freeze dried products.
Mountain House freeze dried foods have been proven to store up to 25 years. They are incredibly easy to prepare by simply adding water – then heat as needed. Mountain House foods are extremely light which makes them excellent for transporting.
How’s the taste? Excellent. Just like any other food everyone has their favorite. I really like the Chili Mac and also the Lasagna.
Here are just a few of the different Mountain House foods on sale:
I had to get onto my 16 year old son because he opened up two #10 cans of Scrambled Eggs w/Bacon. He loves it!
These foods are a great deal so if you can pool some money together and place an order. If you have some like-minded friends possibly get together and place an order to split the shipping. By the way – Emergency Essentials has great shipping rates.
Both cans and pouches are on sale. The pouches are a great way to taste test before getting an entire can.
For more information – click HERE.
Rourke
via ModernSurvivalOnline.com http://ift.tt/1VmaS7c
By Lee Flynn
Why keep dehydrated food on hand?
There are a lot of good reasons to dehydrate and store foodstuffs, and it is something that everyone can do with a little bit of practice. Dehydrated food takes up less space and weighs less for camping trips. For those who want be prepared for any contingency, dry goods and dehydrated foods are stored along with potable water in case of a food shortage or natural disaster.
How tasty is it?
Space travel brought us freeze-dried food, which lasts longer but is a lot more expensive. The military introduced us to MREs, or “Meals Ready to Eat,” but the flavor and texture left something to be desired. Today, dehydrated food can be as gourmet as you like, with hikers bringing dehydrated lasagna and fish chowder on the trail.
What kind of foods can be dehydrated?
Meats, vegetables, fruits, dairy and even complete meals can be dehydrated and stored for a year or more. Imagine having a year’s worth of healthy food stored for emergencies!
How is food dehydrated?
According to extension services, successful dehydrating of fruits and vegetables depends on heat, air dryness and air circulation. You need to get the food hot enough to dry out without cooking and the air around it must be dry enough to absorb the moisture. Good circulation will draw the moist air away, allowing the food to continue to dehydrate.
That’s why purchasing a good quality food dehydrator is the first thing to do if you’re dehydrating at home. Professional food dehydrators control the temperature and they have fans to blow warm air over the food as it dries.
Dehydrated food can be bought pre-packaged in pouches or cans, including complete meals. The only way to dehydrate food expertly at home is to do some experimenting with temperatures and times. So be prepared to eat a lot of your first efforts!
What’s the best way to store dehydrated food?
Most dehydrated food can be stored for up to a year with the exception of meats, which should be used within two to three months. Dried herbs can last for several years if they are packaged correctly.
Do-it-yourself dehydrated food can be stored in zipped freezer bags with the excess air pushed out before sealing. A lot of pre-packaged essential emergency foods are sealed in mylar bags because they are lightweight, tough and resistant to tearing. Dehydrated food should be stored in a cool, dry area that is not exposed to light, in sealed bins.
Does dehydrated food have the same amount of nutrition as fresh food?
The fiber and calories will be the same but a small amount of vitamins may be lost in drying out food. Amounts of vitamins A and C, potassium, magnesium, selenium and sodium tend to stay stable. Vegetables will lose most of their vitamin C content when they are blanched. One way to make sure that all of the nutrition of rehydrated foods is consumed is to drink the water that is used to rehydrate them.
How does the taste and texture of dehydrated food compare to fresh food?
Rehydrated foods are almost indistinguishable from their fresh counterparts when used in soups, stews and casseroles. The texture may change but the flavor remains in food that has been properly dehydrated. Here’s a sample recipe for a delicious rehydrated meal:
Greek Unstuffed Peppers (Serves 1)
1/3 cup instant rice
3 T dried bell pepper
2 T dried artichoke hearts
1 T dried zucchini dices
1 t dried parsley
1 packet True Lemon (or more to taste)
½ t vegetable bouillon
½ t dried oregano
¼ t onion flakes
¼ t garlic powder
Add enough hot water to cover. Allow to sit until the rice and vegetables are rehydrated. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil to taste.
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This week has been a roller coaster ride of stock market turmoil and dangerous news from around the world. So, what has been happening?
– The stock market plummeted early this week after a downward end of last week. Volatility has been the word of the week as the market has had down numbers such as – 531(Friday), -588, -205 and then rebounded to +619, and +369. What the future holds no one knows but the talk is major swings may become more frequent.
– There has been a surge of terrorist attacks against Israel this past week. Israel believes that these attacks come from the funding Iran has received from the nuclear deal with the United States.
Wonderful.
– North Korea is rattling its sabers again. From strange movements of their naval forces to moving short range missiles – North Korea is making some of its most aggressive moves in years.
– A reporter and cameraman were killed on live TV as a news story was being reported this week. As it turns out the shooter was a gay, black man who felt he had been discriminated against by the station. Amazingly there have been no calls to ban the rainbow flag and I have not heard of any large groups of white people protesting and rioting in the streets crying racism. There have certainly been a renewed call for more gun control measures.
– Speaking of gun control – the Obama administration is sending officials to Mexico to participate in the UN Arms Trade Treaty conference. Reports are surfacing that the purpose of the attendance is to develop plans on how to institute the requirements of the treaty. Now – the treaty has not been ratified by Congress and it does not circumvent the 2nd Amendment but it may be used to further gun control initiatives.
– Florida is bracing for the potential arrival of Erika – currently a tropical storm.
– As my “What in the world?” story – a man in Salt Lake City is the fourth person to die of the plague just this year. Nature can be quite evil……and dangerous.
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If you are looking for a good movie to see this weekend go see No Escape. I saw a special pre-release screener early this week and it rocked! A thriller that will have you at the edge of your seat through 80% of the movie.
Let me know if you see it and what you think. Have a great weekend!!!
Rourke: This post was originally published HERE on ModernSurvivalOnline. I have continued to use my Ruger BX-25 magazines with great success.
I love shooting the .22LR – low recoil, low noise, cheap and fun. The Ruger 10/22 is probably the most popular .22 ever made. I have had several and loved them all. Currently my 10/22 is set up in a more “tactical” nature – and is great fun. The biggest problem I have had is finding reliable high-capacity magazines.
If you are not familiar – the 10/22 comes with a rotary 10-rd magazine from the factory and is incredibly reliable. I have shot thousands of round through my 10/22 and a couple of factory magazines – not a single malfunction of any kind. Other aftermarket non-Ruger magazines have not been as reliable – not even close.
With this in mind I was very excited to find out Ruger has begun manufacturing their very own 25-round magazine for the 10/22. This magazine is called the BX-25.
The magazine is built with a high-impact polymer outer shell, stainless steel feed lips, as well as stainless ordainment lugs. Of particular note is the constant force spring which allows for incredibly easy loading of all 25 rounds.
The exterior of the magazine is a little smooth for me – but not too bad. I would like to have seen a textured surface around the magazine for a more positive grip.
So far I have shot approx 500 rounds through a total of 3 magazines. I have only experienced 1 malfunction – a failure for a round to enter the chamber. These things just flat out work. Honestly – I think that one round not working was somehow mentally created by someone I was shooting with who had BIG doubts at how well they would work (just kidding).
I have ordered several of these and will be getting more. I have a couple more Project 10/22’s planned – and these mags will most certainly be included.
Take care all –
Rourke
GIVEAWAY: I have partnered with GearBest.com and they have provided a Sunwayman C22C LED high performance flashlight as a giveaway item. I reviewed the C22C a little while back and it is highly recommended.
Here are some of the main features of the C22C:
– Main light Cree XM-L2 U2 LED, side Light Cree XP-G2 R5 LED, with a lifetime of up to 50000 hours
– Slightly depress the side switch to turn on / off the flashlight as well as selecting desired output mode
– Main white light: Turbo (1000 lumens, automatically lower to high after 3 mins continuous use); high (580 lumens, 2 hrs ); mid (130 lumens, 10 hrs ); low (35 lumens, 30 hrs ); strobe; SOS;
– Neutral white side light: High (180 lumens, 3 hrs.) – mid (46 lumens, 9 hrs) – low (16 lumens, 45 hrs); strobe; SOS
– Powerful magnet built at the tail to ensure easy-stand of the light on any iron surface
– Tungsten steel spike at the end of the tailcap can be used for emergencies
– Constant current circuit, constant output
– Effective range of 208 meters
– Uses one single 18650 or two CR123A batteries
– Working voltage: 2.8 – 8.4V
– High quality metal smooth reflector for main light maintains great throw distance and spread with an ideal beam pattern; side light uses optical lens
– Dimensions: 4.33 inches (length) x 1.1 inch (head diameter) x 1 inch (tailed diameter)
– Weight: 3 oz.（battery excluded）
– Aerospace-grade aluminum alloy, stainless steel retaining ring on the top
– Military specification type III-hard anodized body
– Waterproof: IPX-8 standard
– Ultra-clear tempered glass lens resists scratches and impacts
– Tactical forward click switch for momentary on
How to Enter?
See the graphic below. Either enter via Facebook or enter your email address. The reason for requiring one of these two methods is to prevent scammers from flooding the giveaway. Once either of these methods are used there will be several options provided to enter. It is really pretty simple.
Good luck!!!!
By Jules
If you are reading this, chances are you understand that there is a chance we will all have to fend for ourselves, without the safety and protection of infrastructure and local law enforcement. If that day comes, those who know how to live “off the grid” will be much better positioned than those who never bothered to learn how to be self-sufficient.
One of the best ways to prepare — and have some fun in the process — is to go on a camping and fishing trip. In addition to being a chance to get away from the distractions of everyday life, camping is an opportunity to spend time with friends or family, all while getting a taste of what life would be like if we could no longer rely on a power grid and stocked supermarkets.
When going camping, it’s important to take all of the essential gear you’ll need to survive and enjoy yourself, but it can be easily to overlook a thing or two — especially if you are going with less experienced campers.
Personal Creations has produced an animated infographic that provides simple instructions on how to pitch a tent, build a fire, and fish properly, along with a list of 20 essential items to take with you when camping. Even if you are an experienced camper, it doesn’t hurt to take a look at the infographic to make sure you remember all the essentials on your next camping trip!
YouTube is an absolutely incredible source of information on almost anything you can think of. Every week we feature a new video related to a variety of topics such as firearms, first aid, gardening, security, food storage, water filtration….and current events.
EMP is probably the most mysterious and conflicting subject of preparedness. “Conflicting” as it causes conflict between individuals who state that if an EMP were to happen then “this” will happen and most certainly “that” will occur. The reality no one knows exactly what the effects would be as it has never happened to the scale which is often discussed. Regardless of the controversy between individual opinions we can all agree it would not be good.
The Sun Oven Webinar went great last night. Appreciate those of you that stopped by. A few people had some problems watching live. Not a problem! You can watch the entire webinar right now by visiting this link: http://ift.tt/1MJMQ2T .
Sun Oven has also put together a very special package for viewers of the webinar at a great rice. This special last through September 4th at midnight.
I am working n a full review right now and can tell you from personal experience the Sun Oven is fantastic.
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GIVEAWAY: I have partnered with GearBest.com and they have provided a Sunwayman C22C LED high performance flashlight as a giveaway item. I reviewed the C22C a little while back and it is highly recommended.
Here is how to enter:
See the graphic below. Either enter via Facebook or enter your email address. The reason for requiring one of these two methods is to prevent scammers from flooding the giveaway. Once either of these methods are used there will be several options provided to enter. It is really pretty simple.
Good luck!!!!
Every week I throw out a few recommendations on things such as movies, books, knives, flashlights – all kinds of stuff. Some of these are not related to preparedness whatsoever – rather, just stuff I like. Most are available on Amazon but not all. I have a particular fondness for movies as one of my favorite things to do is to sit back and watch a good one.
So – for this week……here is my list:
Books (non-fiction)
Doctor Prepper’s Making the Best of Basics
Surviving the Economic Collapse
Books (fiction)
Movies/TV
Rourke: This “Blast from the Past” was originally published HERE in ModernSurvivalOnline.com.
First off – my eye’s are not what they used to be. 100 yards with a non-magnified optic looks pretty far. 200 yards with a non-magnified optic or open sights is extremely far especially considering target identification. Anyways – back to why I zero my AR at 50 yards.
The M193 55 grain 5.56mm round – and similar loads – are very flat shooting out to 200-250 yards. A lot depends on sight type and distance the sights are above the bore. Typically, with a zero at 50 yards – the bullet will be close to 2 inches high at 100 yards – and 2 inches low at 250 yards. That is pretty flat. My normal shooting distances are between 25 yards and 100 yards – so everything is pretty right on between those ranges.
******picture found at http://ift.tt/1JxfjrG
With my AR’s sighted at 50 yards I feel confident that at any range from 0 – 250 yards – my rifle can hit a torso sized target as long as I have steady aim and good trigger pull.
By the way – my tired eyes enjoy the view using the EOTech 552 Holographic Sight.
Rourke
From the Supply House…..
Mechanical Fisher’s Yo Yo Fishing Reels
Helotex G2 Tactical Flashlight
Yukon Night Vision Goggles 1×24
The DOW plummets close to 600 points and a barrel of oil is now below $39. Going to be interesting a month from now where everything will be sitting. Hey – no better time to put back some additional beans, bullets, and ban-aides then RIGHT NOW.
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I am truly surprised that Israel has not carried out an attack against Iranian nuclear targets at some point over the past few years.
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Check out this article about a special advisor in the British government who believes an economic collapse is coming.
Here is a short exempt:
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I am on Book 4 of The Survivalist series by Dr. Arthur T. Bradley. I listen to the Audible version and it is fantastic.
Not familiar with The Survivalist?
From Amazon.com: “Frontier Justice is the first book in a series described as “a cross between Justified and The Walking Dead.” The Superpox-99 virus has wiped out nearly the entire human race. Governments have collapsed. Cities have become graveyards filled with unspeakable horror. People have resorted to scavenging from the dead, or taking from the living. The entire industrialized world has become a wasteland of abandoned cars, decaying bodies, and feral animals.
To stay alive, U.S. Deputy Marshal Mason Raines must forage for food, water, and gasoline while outgunning those who seek to take advantage of the apocalyptic anarchy. Together with his giant Irish wolfhound, Bowie, he aligns with survivors of the town of Boone in a life and death struggle against a gang of violent criminals. With each deadly encounter, Mason is forced to accept his place as one of the nation’s few remaining lawmen. In a world now populated by escaped convicts, paranoid mutants, and government hit squads, his only hope to save the townspeople is to enforce his own brand of frontier justice.”
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VP Biden apparently is considering running for President. Oh I hope so. I really appreciate the entertainment value involved in that decision.
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Looking forward to the Sun Oven Webinar this evening. For more info click HERE.
This interactive online class starts today at 7 p.m. Central, (8 p.m. Eastern / 6 p.m. Mountain / 5 p.m. Pacific)
Click Here to Attend: http://ift.tt/1MJMQ2T
See you there!!!
Rourke
By Chris Taylor
Even the most prepared Survivalist may not consider wearing body armor for a number of reasons; some simply do not consider its benefits, whereas others think that body armor is a paranoid purchase fit only for military and the ‘hardcore survivalist’. However, protective clothing in the form of a bullet proof vest is an invaluable purchase, and should be a central aspect of any survivalist’s preparation.
As any good survivalist knows preparation can spell the difference between life and death, particularly as it will be much harder to find the things you need after the world has ended. In the event of the world ending you will need to be prepared if you want to survive, and yet body armor is necessary wherever there is the threat of attack. Of course, be it by nuclear attack, virus or something much more fantastical, the collapse of society certainly increases the threat of attack.
In these doomsday scenarios your preparation will dramatically improve your chances of survival, but it may also make you a target. Preparing for the collapse of society is not common, and those who did not have the foresight to prepare will likely desire everything you have. Therefore, you need to be able to protect yourself against people who may try and take what you have by force. Protective clothing covers a wide range of products, including helmets and shields, but the most important equipment is body armor. However, even this can refer to a number of different things.
Body armor comes in a wide range of products, including bullet proof vests, stab proof and spike vests, and even these vary based on the level of protection and the style in which it is worn. It is most likely that firearms will be the major threat to any survivalist, as they will be the first weapon anyone will look for. However, bullet proof vests are graded according to the ammunition they can protect against, and so it is important that you pick a level of vest that can stop the right ammunition.
It is usually recommended that survivalists carry a handgun, because of its relative ease of use. This is exactly the logic many others will follow, and even where society has broken down a handgun is the easiest type of gun to get your hands on. Therefore, it is important that your bullet proof vest can stop handgun ammunition. The National Institute of Justice tests and standardises bullet proof vests (NIJ Levels), and vests from Level I-IIIa are capable of stopping the vast majority of handgun ammunition.
Of course, some avoid body armor because of its perceived weight and bulk. However, bullet proof vests are increasingly lightweight and flexible, and can even be worn underneath clothing. These ‘covert’ vests are designed to be worn comfortably for extended periods, and some even include breathable materials that can help regulate your temperature. Covert vests have the advantage of being very discreet without sacrificing protection, making them ideal to be worn at all times, even before the collapse of society.
On the other hand, there are benefits to vests that are worn over clothing, in an ‘overt’ style. Some feel that displaying body armor in this manner can help deter potential attackers, and act as a statement of authority. These overt vests are just as protective, lightweight and flexible as their covert counterparts, and so it is a matter of personal choice as to which is most appropriate.
Even protection at higher levels is available in both covert and overt styles. It may be that handguns are not the only or even the main weapons you will face, and the threat of rifle fire and high-caliber ammunition is far greater. In these cases you will need armor at Level III or IV, which utilises rigid panels of ceramics or polyethylene. While these are still relatively lightweight, they will increase the weight and bulk of your vest, while decreasing its flexibility, and so should only be worn when absolutely necessary.
It may be that firearms are not the only weapon you will be facing, whatever the caliber, and in a world where your attackers may use whatever they can get their hands on, edged and spiked weapons may be more of a threat. As time passes and ammunition becomes scarcer and scarcer, your attackers will likely use knives or spiked weapons, which a bullet proof vest will not protect against. Bullet proof vests use protective fibers that can ‘trap’ and slow a bullet, flattening and slowing it to a complete halt. However, an edged weapon will simply cut through these fibers, while a spiked weapon can pass through the minute gaps between them. As a result, for complete protection you need to ensure that your bullet proof vest comes with stab and spike protection in the form of chainmail and/or a layer of laminate.
Body armor is a necessary part of any survivalist’s equipment, and yet it is not only suitable for the end of the world. Covert armor allows for discreet and lightweight protection that can be worn anywhere and everywhere. This is useful for everybody, and such a simple solution to an otherwise deadly situation that can occur at any time should be utilized by all.
Late last week a mistrial occurred in the case of a white Charlotte, NC police officer being charged with the wrongful shooting death of an unarmed black man. There was a video showing the man running towards the officer and then a few seconds later you hear 4 shots – a pause – and then additional shots. The unarmed man was shot a total of 10 times.
I have read about the case and watched the video several times. I am not privy to all of the testimony and evidence. From everything I saw I can understand why the jury could not make a decision. I am not going to hash over this specific case but what I do want to bring up is the reaction to the declaration of the mistrial.
Friday evening after the announcement people started gathering in downtown Charlotte. Just like in other cities across the country such as Ferguson protests started. The protesters carried signs, yelled, and chanted. Here is what was disturbing – they acted like a bunch of ignorant buffoons. The vast majority of them were black which was not surprising. Pants hanging down exposing their underwear. Many were shirtless. Many actually placed bandanas around their face which formed a mask.
Many were peaceful and did not cause problems. Others got up in the faces of the large police response force. This was just outside the Charlotte Knights baseball stadium. I was watching all of this unfold on TV. There were scenes of protesters beating on the gates screaming “We are coming in there!!!” As soon as everything started stadium was locked down and the game continued. Numerous protestors laid in the middle of the road holding up traffic. I saw several instances where scuffles broke out between officers and the protesters when the protests became very aggressive towards the officers. The CHarlotte PD showed incredible restraint. Too much in my opinion.
Now this was nothing near the severity of Ferguson however here is a little insight to the issue and maybe some advice should you find yourself in the middle of it all:
My wife was in the ballpark while all this was going on just outside.
She was working in concessions and texting me every so often. She said at one point there was a group of men banging and pulling on the fencing just behind where she was at screaming and yelling. She was scared. As stated the park was locked down – no one was allowed in nor allowed to leave.
I texted her as the game was getting ready to end:
“From what I have seen on the news the protestors are not being violent. When you leave do NOT look at anyone, make any faces like shaking your head. Do not talk to anyone or engage in any conversations.”
She left and made it home OK.
I get protesting. Absolutely – in fact I have thought of trying to organize protests against Planned Parenthood locally. The issue I have are these assclowns taking it out on other people. Innocent people. Well – in this case often if you were white or a cop you are guilty.
Be safe out there folks.
Rourke
Recently Rourke posed a question for his readers regarding inclusion of fishing tackle in the survival ruck. My thoughts follow.
Inclusion of fishing gear in your survival rucks is likely situationally dependent. If your primary/expected travels are all in desert regions, likely not – but living in a land of many lakes and abundant fish I include a minimal kit of fishing equipment. No rods or reels, these are primarily for the sport fisherman, but my ruck has a gill net, heavy test catfish line on the factory spool, a spool of small monofilament line, and an assortment of hooks including treble. For those of you unfamiliar with a gill net (http://ift.tt/1EPu7w8, Amazon, etc.), they are so efficient at fish gathering as to be illegal for sport fishing in many locales. Survival situations trump logical laws aimed at preventing overfishing. The heavy catfish line has many other uses including the making of snares, equipment repair, and even treble hook turkey trotlines (again for survival hunting only). The monofilament fishing line could even be used for suture material whenever later removal is possible.
If you are located in, or plan to possibly traverse regions where fish might be expected, by all means include minimalist fishing gear, especially that efficient and effective gill net. Fowl can be taken using the turkey trotline approach. Small mammals and even deer can be trapped with snares and I include a number of commercially manufactured stainless snares in all of my rucks. These snares are quire strong, can be boiled to remove the man scent, will never rust, and unless they ‘run off,’ will last for generations. There is even a ‘quick kill’ device that can be added to the snare. Whenever I find a cheap tool that will provide food for generations, I buy in bulk. Suggest you do the same. See: http://ift.tt/1MN7jVY .
Of course without proper training followed by actual experience few will ever catch anything but a cold or perhaps the diarrhea. I heartily urge each to take the time and learn fishing and trapping skill sets before experiencing a situation that might just provide the exam first with lesson afterward.
I was fortunate to be raised in a place and at a time with parents who insisted on making one-match fires and if in the summer, a no match fire was made with magnifying glass. When camping, it was expected that at least one meal would be prepared from game caught either by snare or hasty made trap of local materials. These skills mastered as a pre-teen have served me well over the decades and none of us is too old to learn. My daughter the physician and other children learned the same skill sets. I insisted. The wise will have a quality 3+ diopter magnifying glass in their survival rucks as well. This is another multi-use item as it is also useful in finding those irritating too small to easily see splinters, etc.
Like being able to swim, fishing and trapping are life skills that everyone should master. Other than death sounds, snares are otherwise silent and hunt around the clock with no effort other than proper site selection and set up; likewise with trotlines, either in water or on land. In a survival setting, you might consider setting snares around a turkey trotline or bird trap as struggles of the birds and death smells are likely to draw small mammals.
Remember folks; there is a huge difference between survival hunting/fishing and sport. That difference may mean the lives of your family members or even that of yourself. [Rourke: Go back and read those last two sentences again. Very important!]
My thoughts,
Panhandle Rancher
via ModernSurvivalOnline.com http://ift.tt/1LrtONb
Rourke: This article was originally published HERE over at The Economic Collapse blog.
By Michael Snyder, The Economic Collapse
We witnessed something truly historic happen on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted 530 points, and that followed a 358 point crash on Thursday. When you add those two days together, the total two day stock market crash that we just witnessed comes to a grand total of 888 points, which is larger than any one day stock market crash in U.S. history. It is also interesting to note that this 888 point crash comes in the 8th month of our calendar. Perhaps that is just a coincidence, and perhaps it is not. It just struck me as being noteworthy. This is the first time that the Dow has dropped by more than 300 points on two consecutive days since November 2008, and we all remember what was happening back then. Overall, this was the worst week for the Dow in four years, and there have only been five other months throughout history when the Dow has fallen by more than a thousand points (the most recent being October 2008). Of course we still have six more trading days left in August, so there is plenty of time remaining for even more carnage.
By itself, the 530 point plunge on Friday was the ninth worst stock market crash in all of U.S. history. The following list of the top eight comes from Wikipedia…
#1 2008-09-29 −777.68
#2 2008-10-15 −733.08
#3 2001-09-17 −684.81
#4 2008-12-01 −679.95
#5 2008-10-09 −678.91
#6 2011-08-08 −634.76
#7 2000-04-14 −617.77
#8 1997-10-27 −554.26
Another very interesting thing to note is that the largest stock market crash in U.S. history took place on the very last day of the Shemitah year of 2008, and now we are less than a month away from the end of this current Shemitah year.
It is funny how these strange “coincidences” keep happening.
The financial carnage that we witnessed on Friday was truly global in scope. On a percentage basis, Chinese stocks crashed even more than U.S. stocks did. Japanese stocks also crashed, so did stock markets all over Europe, and emerging market currencies all over the planet got absolutely destroyed.
The following is how Zero Hedge summarized what went down…
Even though I specifically warned that this would happen, and have been explaining why it would happen on my website in excruciating detail for months, the truth is that I didn’t expect stocks to start crashing this quickly or this ferociously.
Normally, August is a fairly slow month in the financial world. As I have discussed previously, most of the really noteworthy stock market crashes throughout history have taken place during the months of September and October. So I thought that things wouldn’t start getting really crazy for another few weeks at least.
Financial markets tend to fall much faster than they go up, and I believe that we are moving into a time of extraordinary volatility. There will be huge down days, and there will also be huge up days. In fact, the three largest single day rallies in Dow history happened right in the middle of the financial crisis of 2008. So don’t let what happens on any one particular day fool you.
An absolutely gigantic global financial bubble is beginning to burst, and stocks could potentially fall a very, very long way. For instance, just consider what MarketWatch columnist Brett Arends has just written…
I don’t mean to be alarmist or to induce panic, but someone needs to tell the public that there is a plausible scenario in which the U.S. stock market now collapses by another 70% until the Dow Jones Industrial Average falls to about 5,000.
It is important to keep in mind that Arends is not a “bear” at all. He is a very level-headed analyst that tries to objectively look at all sides of things.
I sincerely hope that global financial markets will stabilize for at least a couple of weeks. But there is absolutely no guarantee that will happen.
So many of the things that I have been warning about on this website and on End of the American Dream are starting to unfold right in front of our eyes. If I am right, this is just the beginning. I believe that we are moving into a time of unprecedented chaos, and our nation is about to be shaken to the core.
Hopefully you have been preparing for the storm that is coming for quite a while and you will not be surprised by what is about to happen.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the vast majority of Americans. Most of them are totally unprepared for what is coming, and they are going to be completely blindsided by the events that will unfold in the months ahead.
The relative calm of the past few years has lulled millions into a false sense of complacency.
If you are one of those that have dozed off, I have a word of warning for you…
Wake up and get ready.
It’s starting.
Give a software-defined radio (SDR) platform to a few thousand geeks, and it’s pretty predictable what will happen: hackers gotta hack. We’re only surprised that it’s happening so soon. Spectrum Painter is one of the first cool hacks to come out of the rad1o badge given out at the CCCamp 2015. It makes it dead-simple to send images in Hellschreiber mode on a few different SDR hardware platforms.
What we especially like about the project is its simplicity. Don’t get us wrong, we’re tremendous fans of GNURadio and the GNURadio Companion software radio hacking environment. But if you just want to do something simple, like send a picture of a smiley-face, the all-capable GNURadio suite is overkill.
HackRF, the rad10 badge, and bladeRF all have software that enables you to directly load up and play out a file over the radio interface; it’s like a WAV file, only at radio frequency. This makes a hack like Spectrum Painter pretty straightforward. Simply convert the image file into the corresponding radio waveform data, and send it along. No GUI, no dragging, no dropping.
img2iqstream -s 1000000 -l 0.004 -o smiley.iqhackrf --format hackrf examples/smiley.png hackrf_transfer -t smiley.iqhackrf -f 2450000000 -b 1750000 -s 1000000 -x 20 -a 1
Bam! Kudos [polygon]!
If all of this SDR action has your interest piqued, there’s a lot you can do even just receiving with an el cheapo RTL-SDR USB stick. It’s the gateway drug into SDR, so if you’re not addicted yet and you’ve got a free weekend, give it a shot.
