Helpful Online Security Tips

Originally posted on shtfschool.com by Selco (an amazing site, and one of the best sources for info on a shtf situation being as he went through a year of it) I thought this post would be greatly helpful.

Right now the Feds are looking into warrantless cell phone surveillance after a surpeme court ruling made them turn off 3000 GPS tracking devices.

That might have been the latest big news of a government slowly removing the rights of their citizen. That governments worldwide actively surveillance online communication is already old news.

“According to current and former intelligence officials, the spy agency now monitors huge volumes of records of domestic emails and Internet searches as well as bank transfers, credit-card transactions, travel and telephone records. The NSA receives this so-called ‘transactional’ data from other agencies or private companies, and its sophisticated software programs analyze the various transactions for suspicious patterns”. Source

It is free to your imagination what “suspicious patterns” are. They might not target preppers today, but we don’t know what’s going in five years from now so it is needles to say, it is important to be prepared in this area as well. 

Better to take care of this now before they have an even more detailed profile of you.

If you want to stop worrying about who might read what or how your data is used then this is for you.

Let’s get started.

How the Internet works

If you want your computer to be able to use the Internet, it has to be able to send and receive data. It does so through a particular language called TCP/IP (or Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol).

The computers that host websites are commonly known as servers and just like your Internet access point (your home network, for example) they all have unique IP addresses, a series of numbers unique to your computer. (Visit this website or google for “my ip” to see yours.)

IP addresses make the Internet work because to exchange packets of data computers need to know where to get that data and where to send it.

Your Internet service provider (ISP) assigns you an IP addresses. There are two kinds of IP addresses: those that remain the same (called a static IP address), and those that change every time you connect to the Internet (called a dynamic IP address).

Your Internet service provider logs and stores your IP address for some months (or even years) depending on the country you live in and the the company’s own policies.

Your IP address is stored in case any authorities want to track the identity of a certain Internet user. In this case the ISP hands over the IP logs to the authorities which shows whose account was used.

Your IP address is also recorded whenever you access websites, send emails or do other activities online. If you prefer to maintain your privacy, there are a few steps you can take to truly remain anonymous online.

Let’s have a look what happens when you visit a website using a regular Internet connection. You enter an Internet address in your browser, let’s say the website of the Brazilian government. Your ISP routes this request to their domain name servers (DNS) which searches for the IP that corresponds with the Internet address you entered. The DNS returns the IP of the server where the Brazilian government website is hosted and establishes a route to it.

This route can go through many networks and it always sends your network IP along so at the end of this route the server in Brazil sees a request from your IP address and sends back the data you requested. That can be a certain web page, document or movie file for example.

Your IP address can be logged at every step of the process. Most likely the Brazilian government will monitor who visits their website, your ISP logs your IP anyway, and in between some other networks you come across might also log your IP address.

Why does this matter?

Open to attacks

First of all, people can try to access your network if they know your IP address and have some knowledge of network security and how to find loopholes in that security. So if you visit a website that is run by a group of hackers who want to spy on you or steal your data, once they have your IP address they can start breaching your network security.

Of course today it’s usually not a single person sitting somewhere and trying to take down individual computers. Instead, the whole process is automated and IPs are collected and networks are scanned for possible loopholes or backdoors.

(Having a router at home instead of being connected with your computer directly to your Cable / DSL / Internet modem can prevent some of the more common network attacks by the way.)

Once a backdoor is found, usually a small program is installed that can be used to install larger malicious programs on your computer, monitor your keyboard input, take screenshots, or hijack your browser.

These infected computers are often then used to attack other computers, or as a base of operation for more serious crimes. Needless to say, you don’t want this to happen to you.

Big brother knows what you are doing

The second reason you might not want your IP address logged is that it makes it easy for the government or any other authority to monitor your activity online. I personally have nothing to hide, but still do not feel I want to be profiled by some data mining software and judged for what kind of person I am depending on the websites I visit.

If the government really wants to it would be very easy to find preppers. They just have to look at the Internet activity profiles and filter out people who frequent certain websites.

So what can you do?

You will want to set up a virtual private network (VPN). You create a direct encrypted connection to another computer and from there you access the Internet. Because of the encryption your ISP has no idea what kind of data you send or receive.

It also hides your IP address, because your home IP address is not visible on the Internet and instead just the IP of the VPN server. You share the VPN server IP address with other people so there is no way to identify what websites you are browsing (because it could have been someone else too).

Here are a few free things you can do without using a VPN tunnel.

Startpage – I use this for all my web searches, it anonymously bounces it’s results off of googles search engine and doesn’t log any tracking info. You should always be sure to do your web searches from something you don’t have an email or anything else linked to.
TrackMeNot – Plugin for browsers, it sends out random searches to all the popular engines out there to hide what you really search for. This makes it harder to track your trends.
Ghostery – This plugin will show you detailed info on who is trying to track you at any given site and let you manually block each thing.
DoNotTrackPlus – Similar to ghostery but blocks automatically.
Adblockplus – This plugin blocks all picture ads that show up on websites, clicking on these ads often introduces the viruses on your computer that gives hackers more control.
Again these are minor things to help with security, getting a trusted VPN tunnel would be the absolute best solution.

NCPrepper10 out.

 

Our "Cold Civil War" by Ben Smith (Former Navy SEAL)

Reading this patriot's words moved me. And he is 100% correct. We must all stand up, not sit idly by waiting. Please take the time to read the following passage. The original article can be found here. Long live the republic!

OUR COLD CIVIL WAR

By Benjamin Smith

On the heels of NDAA, ObamaCare, Stimulus, Son of Stimulus, Patriot Act, takeover of auto, energy, media and movie industries, and the relentless implementation of Agenda 21… the Obama regime running our country into the ground has issued an updated Executive Order which suggests the probability of impending MARTIAL LAW.

We are left to scratch our heads and ask……… Why now?

The only possible answer is…

America is in fact, right now, in the vicious throes of a Cold Civil War.

Cold as in non-violent and Civil as in nationwide; an attempt to force a new government-controlled ideology upon an unwilling public.

And the forces implementing this agenda are relentless.

The National Defense Resources Preparedness Executive Order is nothing more than a blatant attempt to stir trouble of the highest intensity. The regime is looking to see who jumps and to see the movement that happens amongst the most vocal defenders of our rights, (you and me). They are poking us to see if we will go over the edge and do something so stupid that there will be a crisis… it will be our fault… and if any of our number are provoked enough to rise to the proverbial bait — they will finally lower the hammer… all in the name of “national security and public safety.”

These are classic Soviet style tactics designed and implemented in an effort to make us react, get us to either flinch and shut up, or overreact and get suppressed. It is also an exercise so they can gather intel on who is who and who has pull.

Many of us are trained. We know this game.

But we cannot stand down. We cannot be silent. We MUST stand together as one…WITHOUT VIOLENCE, for there is no going back from that; we MUST speak out with the conviction and the authority granted by our unalienable rights and the United States Constitution!

Remember Martin Niemöller and his immortal wisdom about the failure of courage in speaking out; “Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me.”

The regime is limiting our speech on a daily basis, so speak up while you still can. But be smart about what you say. Do not be tempted to phrase your words in terms of violence. For this is the way of the enemy and we should never stoop to their low and bloody tactics, whether in word or deed.

Keep preparing for rough times ahead. Stock your pantry in preparation for lean days, even as the regime attempts to make such things illegal. Focus your mind on liberty, that it should never die.

I cannot tell you exactly what is coming but I know, as do you, that something unprecedented in American history, perhaps even all human history, is coming soon.

This is the common theme in most of all the conversations that I hear… there is something coming, no one really knows what it is; they just know that whatever it is, it will be momentous. The discussions range from quantifying this “something” to describing what we will do after “IT” happens. I even hear serious open conversation of the Biblical “End of Times.” People, even those outside the grassroots Tea Party movement, feel it in their bones.

Speculation runs rampant as people ponder the feeling in their gut. It could begin with something as simple as personal unemployment. It may be the 2012 general election — or NOT. Or it could be any number of events that will trigger Martial Law and the now legal occupation of America by her own troops, under the un-Constitutional NDAA.

Those types of events are limitless and terrifying. It could be a full scale crash of our economy and dollar. It could be a new World War launched by Israel attacking Iran, or vice versa. It could be the launch of the rumored North Korean EMP attack designed to hurl America 100 years back into pre-electronic time. It could be Islamic jihadists succeeding in a catastrophic terrorist attack. It could be the enemy within if the Obama Administration’s aided and abetted “Occupy” movement transfers and escalates the violence witnessed in Oakland to the rest of the country.

Whatever the trigger might be, we are about to get the education of a lifetime on what it is to struggle. It will either make us more committed Americans, earning the Latin communitas – or it will literally tear us apart. I believe that the source of this struggle springs from the complex sublimity of global despotic tyranny – ultimate oppression.

Our culture is in the midst of a moral dilemma where bad is now good and what was deemed originally American by our Founders is now un-American. The Founders are all but outlawed because soon, unless those who hate freedom are halted, after the regime finishes destroying the Bill of Rights they will also totally erase the Founders from the educational curriculum. They will outlaw the works of our Founding Fathers and destroy their very existence, burning books and erasing American liberty from history. It will be done incrementally and they will transform our history into one that aligns with their totalitarian views.

Every single day we have now turned to reacting to what the regime is putting out instead of looking to where they are taking us. The powers pulling the levers of tyranny are every day more draconian and daring in scope as they usurp our institutions and drain the power from our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Most all of the stories that are important and should be seen are buried by the complicit media at the end of the weekly news cycles and under the cloak of darkness.

In Quantum Theory there is a concept called a singularity or a black hole. Just as a black hole cannot be seen in space, the actual truth and facts of the world situation and the intentions of the U.S. government must be judged by the influence exerted on the objects around it — extortion, manipulation, intimidation, czars, fascist over- regulation designed to purposefully strangle an economy and legislate away your right to defend and provide for yourself — all in an effort to force you into their food line dependency and powerlessness!

The gravity of a black hole is so monumental that even light collapses upon itself. And in the same way, the lights of liberty are also collapsing upon themselves as media, government officials and useful idiots corrupt our understanding of American Exceptionalism so we can never really know the nefarious plot that seeks to turn our good country into an empty carcass they can declare the “failed” American Experiment. Their answer to the great philosopher’s question, “Can man govern himself” will surely be no.

It must be noted that this current Administration is not the only perpetrator. A long history of Administrations, both Republican and Democrat, have eaten away at our freedom. This Obama Administration, so fatally attacking our liberty, is just the one closing the noose. The broad strokes of true Communism were tightly woven into the ObamaCare and Stimulus bills, yet most Americans had no clue. The technocratic, lawyer-istic drool contained within those bills made it even harder to comprehend that Soft Tyranny was the true intent. And Soft Tyranny always ends in Hard Tyranny — a horror not yet experienced by Americans never exposed to adversity and real stress — where tyrannical forces purposefully separate us from each other, turn us against each other (compulsory service, Ready Reserve, NDAA and the coercions in 5201 of ObamaCare) and control every aspect of our lives… lives which then become CRUEL because YOUR life will now be totally and completely ruled by THEIR choice.

IF THEY WIN, even the passion to be free and ultimately the reality itself of being free will be as if these blessings have never existed. Tyranny can never allow such powerful ideas to remain in the collective consciousness.

They will burn our books and they will attempt to erase our God. Because without the concept of freedom codified in books by the brilliant minds of Cicero, Locke and Montesquieu; without the inspiration and institutions from our Founders; without the guidance of God to the understanding that there is a higher power than the government, there would never have been our nation “conceived in liberty.”

But while I believe this struggle in which we are engaged is the struggle of the century, nay, the struggle of all centuries, I also believe in American Exceptionalism.

I believe that the heart and soul of America is strong and vibrant and that we shall not falter in our commitment to liberty.

We live NOW in the times that will try men’s souls.

CHOOSE NOW!

Are you a Summer Soldier, a Sunshine Patriot only to speak out when times are easy and there is no risk?

Or are you an American Exceptionalist who will STAND with me, RIGHT NOW to preserve our liberty, our beliefs and the American Way?

About Benjamin Smith:

Former Navy SEAL, Benjamin Smith took an oath to defend our Constitution from enemies both foreign and domestic. That oath has no expiration date. As a writer, speaker, political strategist and ardent Constitutionalist, Benjamin Smith continues to battle tyranny and defend the freedoms that enabled American exceptionalism. Benjamin is a regular contributor to multiple news outlets including Breitbart and Fox News.

Long-term Food Storage on a budget

Storing enough food to last a family a year is a daunting task. When you get a good idea of the amount of food and storage area you'll need, it is quite amazing. Here is a good food storage calculator to give you an idea of how much you'd need for a certain time period. And the worst part of it all, is how much it will hurt your wallet. Its expensive! But luckily, there are ways to store lots of long term food without breaking the bank.

What You Need for One Year per Adult

• Grain (wheat, rice, corn, oats, barley, pasta, etc) : 400lbs
• Legumes (dried beans, split peas, lentils, nuts, etc) : 60lbs
• Dairy Products (powdered milk, cheese, etc) : 30lbs
• Sugars (white sugar, brown sugar, molasses, honey, etc) : 60lbs
• Leavening Agents (yeast, baking powder, powdered eggs, etc) : 6lbs
• Salt (table salt, sea salt, soy sauce, bouillon, etc) : 6lbs
• Fats (vegetable oils, shortening, canned butter, etc) 30lbs
• Meats (freeze dried chicken, beef, pork, etc.) : 200lbs

How?

One of the easiest ways, is every time you go to buy groceries, grab a few extra cans of food, or a bag of rice, or beans, etc. Just make sure what you're getting has at least a few years worth of shelf life. And when you get home, put these cans in a closet or place you keep your preps and before you know it you'll have a months worth of food.. then two.. you get the picture. The best way to go about this is by only buying when they are on sale. Every 4 weeks the major chains go on a price battle and you can get some killer deals.

Another good way is with a company called Thrive, they sell pre-packaged freeze dried foods. When you set up a plan with them, you pick out what items you want to purchase and put them on a list in order of what you'd like first, and then set up a monthly plan of how much you want to spend. They will send you only that amount per month, and anything that goes on sale that you have in your list will automatically go to the top of your shipping list. I've personally ate Thrive foods and they are really good. So even if you can only spend $20 a month on your food preps, at least you'll be getting them hassle free.

If you are lucky enough to live near a LDS distribution center, they may let you purchase from them. (LDS typically only sells to those of the Mormon faith, as part of their religion is stockpiling food) LDS sells everything you would need in bulk at amazing prices.

I did another blog article on how to store your food located here that may help as well. 

Do not forget to store water! At least get a few cases and throw them in a closet somewhere. 

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

NCPrepper10 out.

Prepping for Civil Unrest / Rioting

With everything that is going on in our world and nation today, civil unrest is becoming a daily activity. The new 'Occupy' movement is gaining momentum throughout the world, and while its means are meant to be peaceful, it will take very little for it to turn overwhelmingly violent. This article and many other sources show that they are planning to step things up a notch this spring. Who knows how this could turn out..

In the past, many events have shown us how little it takes to turn a normal protest or natural disaster into mayhem. Hurricane Katrina caused a complete breakdown in society and order, with the police completely overwhelmed (of what police were left and did not evacuate with their families) there was widespread looting, rape, murder, and overall anarchy in just a few days time. 


The 1992 Los Angeles Riots happened in six days, only due to a controversial jury verdict. Over 50 people died, 1,000's were injured, and much of the city burned to the ground. Many of the people killed were shot by police and national guard. 


As preppers, we must have a way to defend our loved ones and belongings against this. The first step is upgrading your ability to defend your home. Just having alot of guns and ammunition is not enough (although it does help). You do not have to make your house into a fortress, just make it alot harder to break into than all the other houses in your area, most are not willing to make the effort into breaking into a hardened home. Installing little seen improvements to your home can have a dramatic effect.


The #1 thing I would suggest is a guard dog. No, it doesnt have to be a huge mean looking Pit Bull. Just any medium size dog that will bark at intruders makes a huge difference psychologically to a trespasser. Not to mention it will act as an alarm and give you much needed time to procure a firearm.


Another good idea is to purchase some security film to place over your windows. This film will prevent your windows from shattering if shot or impacted, therefore making it much harder for an intruder to enter, and does not have near the cost of replacing your windows with armored glass.


Having a good deep-set deadbolt on your doors (I recommend purchasing a steel or aluminum door that is painted to look like wood) is a MUST. Having the bolt slide at least 3 inches into the reenforced frame is imperative so it cannot be kicked in. And if you have a window on your door, make sure to have the deadbolt have key access on both sides so someone cannot just break the window and turn the deadbolt.


Planting 'prickle' bushes such as rose, washington hawthorn, pyracantha, oregon grape holly, etc. can be a very good deterrant for intruders if they are planted under easily accessed windows. 

In the event of rioting or unrest in your area, I would recommend littering your yard with clothes and debris, maybe spray a fake gang sign on your wall or such, to make it appear as if you have already been looted, and hopefully you will be passed over. Remember, being unnoticed is best. Avoid confrontation if you can. But be ready to use any force necessary to the situation. 


The sound of a pump shotgun being locked and loaded is recognizable to just about anyone, and sends a huge message to a would-be thief. If you must use force, there are non-lethal shotgun shells on the market such as bean bag rounds or salt shot rounds. But be sure to have the real deal on hand, I would not want to face an armed intruder with only non-lethal means.


While security in this type of situation is of upmost importance, the most important thing is to have all of the necessities in bulk stored away. Having the most fortified house in the world wont matter a bit if you run out of food or water and have to leave to acquire some. These situations may last for days or weeks. At a very minimum, having one month of food and water for you and your family is a smart move. (However I do recommend storing much more than just one month worth.)


At the very beginning of the situation, storing large amounts of water will be vital. Things such as the WaterBob (a large bag that lines your bathtub to hold water, and keep it potable for consumption. It has a hand pump installed for dispensing.) will come in handy. If all else fails and you are out of water from the tap, a few key gallons may be stuck in your pipes, waterheater, etc. that you can salvage.


Keep your eyes and ears tuned my friends, you never know what is just around the corner. 


NCPrepper10 out.

Why Prep? Is it too late to start?

This is a very common question I get from my readers, they feel overwhelmed and that they are too far behind everyone else, and events are happening too fast to start now. Thats not true! Yes, when you first "wake up" and realize the dangers and possibilities that our country is currently facing, it can feel like a daunting task to accumulate a year or more worth of food and supplies to be self-sustainable for your whole family. And I wont lie to you, it is expensive. But to me, the fact that I know I have these items makes me sleep better at night and gives me a sense of accomplishment in knowing that no matter what happens, I can provide for and protect my family. Most preppers are not like the people you see on the TV show "Doomsday Preppers" which has been so heavily edited (in alot of cases) to make us look like idiots or nutjobs.


I wont sugar-coat it, it seems that the powder keg has been lit, and we have no idea how long the fuse is, but every day its getting shorter. Most in the prepping community believe that within this year we may see some very scary developments. This is all the more reason to start learning, researching, and increase your awareness. Even if you think it is stupid, or crazy, please, I beg you to do some research into this on your own, then tell me what you think.
  
The Basics


The idea behind prepping is to be self-sustainable, no matter what event occurs. The main 'fears' for preppers:

• E.M.P. (Electro-Magnetic Pulse) - This is caused by the detonation of a nuclear device, and will destroy anything with a computer or electronics. The worst-case senario is if three key placed nuclear devices are detonated in the upper atmosphere above the US, effectively destroying our power grid and all transportation systems. Depending on the time of year when this is done, within 6 months to 1 year, experts say 80% or more of the US population will die of exposure, lawlessness, or starvation. This is our biggest weakness as a nation, we are not at all prepared for this scenario. For a good idea of what this would be like, check out the novel One Second After, or the less accurate but very good free novel Lights Out.
• Economic Collapse - Due to all of the world's economies being woven into a giant web of debt, one failing nation creates a domino effect that cripples the rest. With time, hyperinflation will occur, making our $ actually worth less and less, to the point where you are paying $100 for a can of tomato soup. Then as the system crumbles when people cant put food on the table for their loved ones, riots and crime skyrocket, people become desperate as the store shelves become empty because transportation of goods screeches to a halt due to the price of gas. You probably know the rest. Just google "US economic collapse" and you'll get the picture if you dont. Check out the novels Patriots and Survivors by James Wesley Rawles (Author of Survivalblog.com) for an idea of what can happen if this comes to pass. This is the greatest threat for most preppers.
• Solar Flare/Coronal Mass Ejection - This is the same as the threat of EMP, the same effect. It is due to a sunspot happening on the surface of the sun and creating an "EMP-like" effect on all electronics on earth. It supposedly happened once in 1912, destroying all telegraph machines.
• WWIII/Civil War II/Nuclear Exchange - Pretty much self explanitory.
• Natural Disaster/Pole shift - Some are afraid that the polarity of our planet may shift and cause another ice age (i'm pretty skeptical of this, we cannot accurately predict the weather, but we think we know when this is going to happen? uh huh.)
• Viral Epidemic Outbreak - Scientists say we are due for another large viral outbreak. If it comes on fast, as many viruses do, no government will have time to design and mass produce a cure before a large percent of the populous dies.

As preppers, we want to collect the main things we need to live a 'normal' life without outside help. To not only survive a drastic event, but to thrive in one. With that idea, you have to be able to procure, produce, and grow your own food. You must be willing to protect yourself, your belongings, and your family and friends from those who wish to do you harm or take what you have for themselves. Following a major breakdown in society, there will be millions of people that have fed on the government entitlement teet and do not know what to do without it, or just those that have done nothing in their life but go to the supermarket or buy fast food to provide for themselves. These people (the average American has on hand 3 days worth of food in their home) will be beyond desperate, going to any means to provide for themselves and their loved ones. (If I were in their situation, I cant say I wouldn't do the same.) So you must be mentally prepared to make some hard choices. I believe in being generous, and giving anything you can spare to those in need, but keep in mind that by doing so, you are showing people that you have alot of supplies that these desperate people may be willing to kill you over. 


Gang activity will be so rampant it is unfathomable. Once the prisons have no more food to give to their inmates they will either release them, or let them die. Chances are that most of them will be released into the general public to cause even more chaos. Large (probably in the 100's of members) gangs will be going from town to town looting, raping, and pilaging their way through the country. This is a very stark outlook and thought line. I know it is alot to accept, but this is the truth. 


Think about the millions of Americans on perscription medication for most of their lives, then all of a sudden, its all gone? All at one time their will be what used to be normal and sane people that live normal lives on their medications, going absolutely crazy, or dying.


Yes, this is all very scary. Very hard to accept and wrap your mind around, that this could happen in OUR country. "We are Americans, that cant happen here!" you may be thinking, but it can, and it will, should something like this happen. I greatly hope that things will not be nearly as bad as many believe, but its not looking like it.


Its never too late to start prepping. Just think of it as being like "life insurance". 


Here are some good resources if you want to find more information:

• US Debt Crisis Explained - Video 
• The Five Stages of Economic Collapse 
• American Preppers Network 
• Survival Blog
• The Drudge Report
• SHTF Plan
• TEOTWAWKI Blog
• Glenn Beck interview with Robert Kiyosaki (Rich Dad, Poor Dad Author)
• American Thinker
• SHTF School
• The Blaze
• Survival Week 

NCPrepper10 out.

Cool new gear reviews..

Over the past few years I have purchased some new preps that I want to share with all of you, and discuss what I think about them, and how they can benefit you later. 


First, let me briefly state my views on what I am preparing for. I prep mainly for the possibility of Economic Collapse. But, as with most preppers, we know that anything can happen and we try and prepare for anything. But, a "grid-down" (long term state of no electricity) and "without rule of law" situation is what most all preppers prepare for, regardless of circumstance. So most of my equipment is based on the idea that there will be no power, running water, or outside aid of any kind.


Anyway, back to the new gear reviews!


Coleman Dual-Fuel Premium Lantern : When I first started prepping, I purchased 3 Oil Lamps, a ton of extra wicks, and gallons of lamp oil. I mainly got them due to their simplicity and low rate of fuel consumption. After lots of testing and use, I found that they do not put off as much light as I may need at times. So I began looking for a reliable alternative, and much to my delight, found this new version of the classic Coleman Lantern. This lantern uses the standard #21 mantles (about $2.50 for a pack of four) used by most all coleman lanterns, and it can burn coleman fuel (expensive, about $9 a gallon at wallyworld.) OR gasoline! I've found it runs for around 7 hours on one tank on low, which isnt bad at all. It puts out a lot of light, it is alot quieter than the old coleman's, and at around $50, it is a great purchase! Gasoline will be much easier to find than other specific fuels in a dire situation. I highly recommend it!


Gerber Infinity Ultra LED Light : This is a very small, low-lumen output, task light. I've been using one for over a year now, and it seems to be nearly indestructable. It is built on a single LED platform, using only one AA battery with nearly 300 hours runtime on one battery! As I said before, it does not put out alot of light, but for most tasks, it does just fine. After about a year of having one, I bought three more just to have one in every bag. This is a fantastic light, I cannot say enough good things about it. It is waterproof, and for around $14, it is a bargain as well!


Aquamira Emergency Water Filter Straw : Let me say first, this is not a replacement for a good water filtration system. This is just a nice back-up. But, for the price, this thing rocks. It takes up little to no room, weighs less than 1oz., and can filter up to 20 gallons of water. So if you want something you can throw in a pack "just in case" for water filtration, you cant beat this. And unlike the Potable Aqua tablets, there is very little taste change, and no wait time. They cost around $10 each depending on the vendor.

Gerber LMF II Survival Knife : I recieved this knife a few years ago after one of my USMC buddies told me about his "badass new military-issued combat knife". And let me tell you what, Gerber knows their stuff. I've been a fan of knives my entire life, and this has to be by far, my favorite. It is made of durable 420 HC stainless steel, which holds its edge very well. Built into the sheath is a knife sharpener, so you will never have a dull knife when you need it the most. It comes with leg and waist retention straps, all built out of very sturdy nylon. It has a serrated section on the first 2 inches of the blade for sawing and rope cutting. The handle is made to be non-conductive, so you can touch a live electrical surface without being shocked (I still wouldnt try this). And on the rear of the handle is a glass punch. It also has holes built into the handle so you can attach it via paracord to make a spear. When you buy this it also comes with a "seat belt cutter" in its own sheath as well. Both the knife and cutter are MOLLE capable. All in all, I personally believe this is one of, if not the best survival knife on the market today. (Note: This is a large and heavy knife, if you do not like large fixed-blade knives, this may not be the knife for you.) It comes in other colors as well. This knife typically goes for around $60, which I think is a great deal for the quality you are getting.


Mechanix Gloves : It seems like forever that I have been looking for a good fitting, tough, "tactical" glove that I can use when working, hiking, shooting at the range, or anything in between. I have purchased super expensive gloves with high end manufacturers like BLACKHAWK or SpecOps, and while they make a great glove, I still felt very ripped off. After alot of trial and error, and research, I found that these Mechanix Gloves work the best for the value. They make a great fitting, tough, long lasting glove that I feel I can use for just about anything. And for the price, about $15 you cannot beat it. Never again will I pay outrageous prices for a pair of gloves when I can just get 7 pairs of these for the same money.


Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter : I wont beat around the bush, this is an expensive water filter (around $300). But, after tons of testing and reading I dont know how many positive reviews, this is the longest lasting per filter, and best working backpacking water filtration system. Without replacing the filter, you can filter up to 13,000 gallons of water! Most people will never even have to replace the filter in their lifetime! (The cheapest place to get this product is at Camping Survival.)If you dont have the money to get this one, I suggest the Katadyn Vario as an alternative. 


SAS Survival Guide : In my opinion, this is the most comprehensive, useful, easy-to-read survival guide out there. I keep one in every BOB/GHB/BOV I own. Nothing beats knowledge.


Fenix HP11 Headlamp : In my preps, I try to standardize all of my equipment with the same types of batteries, so that is what led me to this headlamp. After immense use in some very rough and harsh climates and situations, it has come out strong. It runs on 4 AA batteries, and on its highest output level, is VERY bright. It is a little on the heavy side, so if you are going to be wearing this for a long period of time, you may want to look elsewhere if that bothers you. But otherwise, this waterproof headlamp has been a great buy for me. It typically sells for around $60. (Note: the headband is quite tough to install when you first try to put it together, since the instructions are heavily lacking in detail. This review helped me visualize things better to get it put together correctly.)


C.A.T. - Combat Application Tourniquet : These were designed for the US Military due to a demand for one handed, self useable tourniquet. They do not recommend reusing them for sterilization reasons, but I believe it would be fine after a nice bleach bath. This design has come a long way, and makes it possible for anyone to be able to stop arterial blood loss on a victim, possibly even the victim himself. I have seen knock-offs at gun shows and such, and while they have the same design, the materials are poorly made. If this is something I am going to trust my, or a friends life to, I am going to spend the extra money and get the real deal. They run about $25 each normally.


Trijicon ACOG TA01NSN : Ever since this came out, I have wanted one. But with such a high price tag, until I found one for a really good deal used, I couldnt bring myself to buy it. ($1000 new) Trijicon makes some of the finest battle optics on the planet. This optic has been put through many layers of hell in testing. It is currently the optic used by US Special Forces branches. In the middle of the crosshairs they place tritrium, which is a radioactive (not harmful in such a small dose) material that glows for about a dozen years, so you have an illuminated optic without batteries for night time engagement. It also has a back-up iron sight on top of the scope that also has a tritrium dot. It was built for the 16 to 18 inch barrel AR platform, and features 4x magnification. After using this on my AR, it will never be removed. I love it! If you are an AR fan, and want a beat-all optic, this is one of the best choices out there. If you see one for sale used, snatch it up, because it wont be seen for sale used often! (Note: make sure to inquire as per proof of its production date, as you do not want to get one that is very old and nearing the end of its tritrium life.)

Viatek Crank/Battery Powered LED Lantern : These small crank powered lanterns come in handy when you're camping or have a power outage. After having it for about a year, and using it somewhat often, with 1-2 minutes of crank power I still get over an hour's worth of light! It is not a lot of light, but enough to read or see your way to the bathroom or such. Keep in mind with these, they are not made of the 'highest quality' and are not meant to get wet or see serious abuse, but for the price ($25 for THREE) its a great deal! I plan to eventually get another 3 pack of them. Get them while you can!


Maglula Magazine Loader/Unloader : Whenever I look at speedloaders I am always skeptical. Most of them dont really help that much and end up getting thrown in a drawer never to be used again. The Maglula brand speedloaders are a completely different breed, they make loading and unloading your magazines a breeze, (no more sore/cut fingers!) and they are made for most all rifle/pistol applications. I'm severely jaded now on loading my magazines, this thing stays in my range bag all the time. Best speedloader on the market! (runs $25-$30 depending on model)





Beans, Bullets, and Band-aids! And in that order!


NCPrepper10 out.

Street robberies and you - The Basics

The following post was taken from AR-15.com, written by a user named 'BurnedOutLEO'. All credit on this article should go to him. But I believe it is essential for my readers to hear his words. 

Being a prepper is more than just hoarding supplies, it is a mindset. To not only know that the unexpected can happen, but to prepare for anything. As the economy gets worse and worse, more and more people are going to become desperate, and this may become common-place. Be safe out there my fellow patriots.

Background

First, my info. I worked in the street of one of America's most violent, dangerous cities for 15 years. I usually worked in the worst part of that city. I spent 15 years in patrol. I liked patrol. It was wild. Most of the time I worked in areas covered in ghetto. By that I mean large housing projects combined with run down slum housing. I have worked all shifts. Later I became an investigator including a robbery investigator. I have spent countless hours in interrogation rooms talking to hold up men. I know them. I am still an investigator but have quit playing the Robbery game because my family was starting to forget what I looked like.

The Enemy

Some may object to me calling hold up men "the enemy". You can call them whatever you like. I can assure you however they are as deadly an enemy as you will find anywhere but the battlefield. Even many soldiers probably lack the viciousness and utter disregard for life most hold up men possess.

No one wakes up in the morning one day and decides to become an armed robber. It is a gradual process that requires some experience and desensitizing. Before a man will pick up a gun and threaten to kill people who have done him no harm in order to get their usually meager possessions he has to get comfortable with some things.

He has to get used to seeing others as objects for him to exploit. He has to accept he may be killed while robbing. He has to accept the felony conviction for Robbery will haunt him all his life. He has to accept he may need to kill a completely innocent person to get away with his crime.

This is a process that starts with stealing candy at the corner store as a child. It progresses through bigger property crimes that may also involve violence. But one day G gets tired of selling his stolen property for nothing and decides it would be better to steal cash. Cut out all that tiresome sales stuff.


Keep in mind many petty thieves, auto burglars, residential and commercial burglars, paper thieves, and hustlers will get to that point and decide not to become armed robbers. Most will. It is a special group of outliers who decide threatening to kill people for a few dollars is the way to go.

Once a man starts armed robbing he has crossed a line most won't. Don't forget that when you are looking these bastards in the eye. Their decision to kill you is already made. Your life means nothing to him. Only his does. His sole motivation for not killing you is he doesn't want a murder case. He has already accepted he may pick one up though.

We hunt hold up men around the clock once they are identified. We send teams of fire breathing fence jumper/door kickers to find them. We will bring their mother to the office and convince her she is going to jail if we don't have Junior in our office in an hour. We have her call her son crying hysterically for him to turn himself in before she is arrested and held without bond as a material witness and her home seized for harboring him. Most of the time they won't. Fuck their own momma.

We will hit all Juniors friends and family's houses. We make it so no one will harbor him. He is so hot no one will let him in their house or even talk on the phone with him. We put money on him so he knows he is right to be betrayed and set up. We do this because of one thing.

That thing is they WILL kill someone if they keep robbing. That is why the city is willing to pay all the overtime. They don't want the murders. Think about that when you see Junior coming. The more robberies he does the closer he is to killing someone. Maybe you.

The guys who hit you on the street are gang members. They are Gangster Disciples, Vice Lords, Crips, Sureonos, many others. They do not see themselves as part of society. The street is all they know. They don't expect to live long or stay out of prison. They take a delight in your fear and suffering. They are warped individuals for the most part. They can be extremely dangerous.

One time we were locking up a hold up man and having a conversation about how they target their victims. I was saying they pick easy ones, another guy was saying they preferred easy ones but would take anybody.

I pointed out a uniform Officer there was an NFL size guy to that hold up man. Frankly the dude was a monster. I asked hold up man if he would rob him. He said "If I needed the money".





You

Chances are good you are a law abiding person except for maybe a little light weed smoking and maybe driving a little drunk every once in a while. Most of your life you have been taught to be nice and don't point guns at people. You are the exact opposite of your enemy who was taught just the opposite. Remember a lot of street life is like prison life. Who's the man is everything. Violence is the currency of the street.

You do not possess total disregard for the lives of others and do not want to kill anyone. You are concerned about the ramifications of shooting someone. Your family, your possessions and finances on the line. Your enemy has none of these concerns.

The laws that keep you from carrying your gun in bars or where ever mean nothing to your enemy. Your reluctance to shoot someone works to is advantage. His greater experience in street violence and the element of surprise is on his side.

Everyone should call their local FBI office and get a copy of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted. When it first came out it was ground breaking because it demonstrated to academics and other elites what street police knew all along. What did it show in interviews with cop killers? Nice guys finish dead. That's right. Most of those offenders commented that the Officer they killed set himself up to be killed because of reluctance to use force early in the encounter.

You can probably find it on line now. A lot of the victim Officers were a lot like a lot of other people, normal people. They were the opposite of their enemy.

Am I advocating becoming the enemy? No. I am saying the person who is robbing you has certain traits, attitudes, and background. That is all.

Dynamics of Encounters

Hold up men target victims on the street in an impulsive, opportunistic manner. They see someone and make a quick judgment call on whether to rob them. The time between when you are targeted and they are on you isn't long. Therefore, situational awareness is everything.

If you see G coming you are in good shape. If you don't you will be the victim who says "He came out of nowhere". No he didn't. There are many tricks to watching out but simply watching your back is the main thing. Watch your back. If you do it enough it becomes second nature and you won't even realize you are doing it.

Watching out is great but unfortunately many self defense courses stop there. You have parked you car in a well lit area, are aware of your surroundings, and looky here, here comes three guys across the parking lot and they start to kind of fan out.

When you lock eyes with G the very first thing you need to do it indicate you have a weapon. It doesn't matter if you do or not. If you are a woman put your gun hand in your purse and keep it there. If you are a man fan your shirt or coat tail with your gun hand. Make it clear to dude you are mentally prepared to draw and making sure your gun is clear. This will many times result in an about face by dude. It is the single best robbery avoidance tactic IMHO.

Not long ago I was walking down the sidewalk in my town to go get my car. I was holding a folding chair in my gun hand. A car slow rolled past me with 4 heads in it. The guys in the back seat turned around as they went by looking at me. They went a little farther and U turned in the street.

Here they come back. As they started to slow down I looked at them with as contemptuous a look as I could muster and switched the chair to my left hand and flicked my shirt tail with my right hand. They just drove on mad dogging me.

In another case I was at a Christmas party and walked a girl to her car about 3 am. As we said our good-byes two guys were walking across the parking lot. One went behind a dumpster. I though he was peeing. He came out from behind the dumpster with a bottle.

As they got closer I stepped clear of that girl and unzipped my jacket at those two guys. When I did the guy threw down the bottle and they walked by cussing at me. If someone challenges you after you indicate you are armed say "I don't have a gun". Then they will know you do.

Here is an opposite story. A girl my brother knows was walking her dog when a guy approached her. She was polite. Mistake. He talked to her about the dog and said she had pretty hair and reached out and touched her hair. She did not slap his hand down or aggressively object. Mistake. He asked her if her dog bit and she said "No". At that time he slapped the shit out of her, drug her into a wooded area, and raped her.

The answer in the street is always "No". Can I ask you something? No. Do you have a cigarette? No. Can you tell me what time it is? No. The answer is always "No". Don't be nice. Stop the encounter as soon as it starts.

When to draw

Despite warnings I often see on the Net I have yet to encounter an instance in which a hold up man called the police to report his intended victim threatened to shoot him. Thugs do not want to come into contact with the police. They may already be wanted or realize chances are good they have been identified in a recent robbery. Or what ever. They are not going to call the police if you draw on them.



Supposed two guys are approaching you in a parking lot and do the classic fan out maneuver. You indicate you have a weapon by clearing your gun hand and fanning your jacket at them. They are not discouraged. DRAW!

I am not saying you should pull your gun out, assume a Weaver stance, and scream "That's close enough motherfuckers!" What I am saying is draw your gun and hold it beside your leg as you start to move to cover. I am very fond of telephone poles. Anything will do though. They will see this. They will remember they have to be somewhere else. They will not call the police.

Then you can just put your gun back in the holster and go back to whatever you were doing like nothing happened. Why? Because nothing did happen. A happening is when shots are fired.

Do not hesitate to draw. If you are somewhere you are supposed to be and someone appears who is not supposed to be there like a closed business show him the end of your gun. Could it be Mother Teresa looking for her lost cat behind your closed business? No it is some motherfucker up to no good. He won't call the police to report he was prowling a location when a guy ran him off.

When to shoot

The time to shoot is immediately upon seeing his weapon. You are not a police man who has to try to arrest the guy. No need to scream at him. No exposure while you yell for him to drop the gun.

In deer hunting the experienced hunter takes the first good shot. May not be the perfect shot but it never is. Novices pass up a doable shot waiting for a better shot and then the deer is gone. Take the first good shot you are offered. Hopefully your alertness and hostile cues will prevent you ever having to fire. But once you see his weapon, shoot.

If a guy is coming at you with a gun in his hand shoot him. Shoot him right then. If you don't shoot first you may not shoot at all. I have known more than one person who was shot and received life changing injuries and also shot their attacker. Their only regret was not shooting sooner. Like Bill Jordan said "Nothing disturbs your enemy's aim like a slug delivered to the belt buckle area".

Guns and weapons

The handgun is the best weapon you can carry easily. I understand it is not always possible to have one due to laws, restrictions, whatever. I am not telling anyone to disregard laws about carrying weapons. Each person has to decide for themselves what they are comfortable with. I will say there is no substitute for a pistol when you need one.


Also if you can not be trusted with a pistol after a few drinks you can't be trusted with a pistol period. Booze is liquid bad judgment no doubt but it shouldn't make you into a damn moron. If you are a moron sober I don't know what to tell you.

Types of guns and ammo are always debated and probably always will be. I have seen people shot with all common calibers. My conclusion is if you hit someone between the collar bone and the tip of their ribs three times with anything, they are handled. Bigger is better but something is better than nothing. Get your front sight on his shirt and stay on him as long as he is standing with whatever gun you have.

Just have a gun with sure fire ammo. Draw early and fire immediately upon seeing his weapon. That course of action is about all you can do to up your odds of ending things favorably. Guns like the Ruger LC9, SIG 239, Glock 26/27 are examples of guns small enough to carry but with enough power and capacity to be useful. Do not be afraid to use a French Lebelle if that is the only gun you have. A gun is a gun. I like a Glock 19.

Training

We all want the best training. It can be expensive if you are having to pay for it and it can be hard to find the time to do it. There is a whole lot of BS out there. What can you do? First, pistol handling is not rocket surgery. If you will learn the basics and practice on your own you can be fine. Smooth draw, quick pairs, reload. If you know those things well you can be OK.

I know a young man who shot down two hold up men in 2010 at very close range while he and his GF were walking home from the store. He in Wyatt Earp like fashion ignored the fire coming from the gunman and killed him and wounded his accomplice. He nor his GF were injured. He like many was willing to give them the money until he picked up on nonverbal cues that because of his GF they were not quite satisfied with the money. He had a Glock 27.

He had only the most basic of training in gun handling but did do some draws and some dry fire a couple times a week and live fired maybe once a month. That basic skill combined with knowing what to do was enough. He shot at the first possible moment despite having let the guys get the drop on them. When the gunman turned his head because a car drove by that was the opening. A split second is a long time sometimes.

Work on some one hand shooting at close range. That is a skill not as popular as it once was and you want to use two hands when you can. Often you can find yourself doing something with your off hand though so be able to shoot with one hand out to 5 yards or so.




After

If it comes to pass you are forced to shoot someone do not feel bad. When the police come just tell them a guy threatened you with deadly force and you were forced to fire. I know there are bad police out there in some parts of the country who don't support self defense. I can't help you with that.

Do not talk to them until you have your attorney present. Now most young guys don't have an attorney on retainer and you may have no idea who to call. That is OK. You will figure it out but in the mean time don't talk about what happened other than to say you were forced to fire. You don't have to be an asshole just remember wait for your attorney.

Hopefully you will not give a statement for a couple days. Remember if you are put in jail that doesn't mean you are charged. Most places can hold you 48 or 72 hours on a felony before charging you or letting you go. Breath deep and get an attorney.

Expect to never get your gun back. You may get it back one day but maybe not. Do not buy expensive guns for the street. Buy yourself a nice sporting gun if you want a nice gun. Keep your street guns basic. The factory Model 10 Smith and the GI 45 have done a lot of work over the years and aren't fancy.

Worlds

We all live in different worlds. My world is filled with felons and gang members. Violence is common place. No one would be surprised if one of their friends called and said they shot a hold up man at a place of business or parking lot. In the past when I made calls the fact that the guy who is beating his GF is also on parole for 2nd degree murder flavored my world.

You may live in a smaller, less violent place where shootings seldom occur and it would be a rare to shoot a hold up man. I envy you and will be moving to a place like your town as soon as I can.

But be advised no matter where you are a hold man is going to be about the same. Whether he is a home boy or a guy who just exited the interstate into your town and needs some quick money. He is going to have a vicious streak and no regard for your life. Treat him like he treats you.

Giving them the money, doing what they say, all that may work but there is no guarantee. If you have never read Jeff Cooper's book The Principles of Personal Defense I suggest you order a copy immediately. It is a short book but summarizes a lot of important things.

Last year we had a trial here regarding an armed robbery that occurred. Three or four guys took a young couple from a parking garage near a college out by some railroad tracks where they raped, shot, and beat them. Their lives will never be the same.

The lesser thugs all turned on the trigger man at trial. The trigger man's statement in the paper was after all that had happened he felt like he was a victim. Think about that. That is the mindset you are up against.
 

Keep your head on a swivel, and be alert.
NCPrepper10 out.