Greetings and welcome to the Patriot Express Newsletter Edition #228. Thanks for being here and sharing your time with us. We appreciate you. It was another great week but busy. We had the opportunity to spend time with other HFS Patriots in multiple settings in TN and AL. But, as always it was good to get back home. I don't always get the quality one on one time with folks that I would like to have, it's always good to see everyone and hear the things they are working on in preparedness. It was great seeing and witnessing Alabama Rebel getting around better than in past meetings. God is good.
Heads up to those reading the PENL, I will stop sending Friday emails out to notify you when the PENL is posted. After 4 1/2 years, I would like to think you can find the website on your own by now. Dropping this step in the Friday newsletter posting will save me about two to three hours and right now I need all the extra time I can put back in my available hours. If you don't know how to bookmark and save the website, save one of the older emails and use the link to the website each week. Thanks for your understanding.
Something you may wish to keep an eye on this coming week is the meeting of the BRICS nations in South Africa coming up August 22-24 in Johannesburg. If the BRICS nations adapt a new currency, it could have grave consequences on the US Petro dollar globally. I would encourage you to immediately find local food providers in your community such as local vegetable markets and butchers with access to locally owned meat. We all need to get off our dependency of the system and chain stores. I don't want to rehash things I have already covered but we all need to reexamine our approach to food needs and consumption.
Let us move along....
Free Training - The Traditional Skills Summit - 2023 Traditional Skills Summit (schooloftraditionalskills.com) - This is a great opportunity to log in at your convenience and get free training. We posted this last year as well for more skills training.
Communications: You can now follow HFS social media on the following outlets:
Facebook – Hope for Survival -Join us for daily posts on preparedness.
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Odysee - Hope for Survival (odysee.com)
HFS Thursday Zoom - HFS Zoom Rally #115 was conducted this week and the topic focused on was the electro magnetic earth and ramifications we could see in the near future. Thanks to everyone who could attend.
Check out HFS YouTube. - The newest HFS YouTube videos posted this week. :
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Guest and Newcomers
If you are a guest or newcomer to the HFS journey, please check out this link for additional.
information offered through HFS. https://www.hopeforsurvival.com/post/guest-and-newcomers-information-page
Hope for Survival books and HFS Thumb Drive for Emergency Documents -: You can obtain information on the two HFS books at this link: Survival, Preparedness, Disaster Management for individuals or family (hopeforsurvival.com)
Hope for Survival - How Food, Water, Shelter, and Security Could Save Your Life (Book 1)
Hope for Survival - The Mindset (Book 2)
HFS Thumb Drive for Emergency Documents - We just restocked the HFS Thumb drive and have them available now. Follow this link and you will see the add at the top of the page. Blog | Survival (hopeforsurvival.com)
We must make this brief public announcement to protect the innocent.
Ding, Ding, Ding....Attention HFS readers..... Opinions shared in this newsletter are just that, opinions, and nothing more. Read at your own risk. The owner and author of this site is not responsible for hurt feelings or thin-skinned readers. I do my best to show restraint and respect to the best extent possible. I take as many precautions as possible and try to remain as nonpolitical as possible, however, there are times when I just can't help but point certain things out. Occasionally I use words only Patriots recognize and understand. It's not personal against any non-Patriot. It's just the truth. Sometimes we must pull up our spenders and suck it up. Just saying. Stay the course, read what you want, and avoid the rest. Avoid fear porn as much as possible and the day will be okay. When all else fails… Keep the faith and always have Hope.
Let’s move along and get to some thoughts...
Thoughts for the week -
From the HFS Mailbag - I wanted to share the email below to let others read things fellow Patriots, ladies and men, are doing and accomplishing. This is not just words. This is time, effort, sweat, and often physical and learning pain. Real people doing real things. Here is a sister patriot who I know pretty well and consider a true sister. What you read below is just some of what is going on at her place. For security reasons I won't share other parts discussing family, communications, animals, and features to her land. Just know, the only time she has to be tired is when she's asleep because this is one busy woman who gets it done. I admire many things about this Patriot but mostly her faith and love for the Lord. Enjoy.
Patriot Sister writes.....
"It is overwhelming for us single gals at times. Especially building a home ground up.
God has blessed me so very much. Not only did He find me a home/farm with my basic desires, He heard the thoughts of my heart.
There are/were 5 ponds here. All but 2 are retention ponds. One by the spring hasn't recovered since I had it cleared out. No longer holds water since the bed was disturbed. I wanted to find one that would support fish, so I consulted the pond management guy to test five years ago. I resolved there wouldn't be any fishing here and was good with that.
We have been fighting a snapping turtle battle in the largest pond because they were attacking the feet webbing on my ducks. My helper (neighbor) started bating them with bread to get them within range to eliminate. Low and behold!!! Minnows started feeding with a frenzy! Duh! The turtles love my buffet.
I contacted a fishery. He said I could capture a few he could identify but most probably trash fish left from deposits by the visiting heron. Praise God! We have bluegills in abundance of all sizes so they are breeding.
We have a plan to stock the pond this fall. At his recommendation I will be adding large mouth bass and more bluegill and a few channel cats in the spring to keep balance. I was concerned that I would have to aerate but he said 80% of farm ponds didn't need.
We have a plan to stock the pond this fall. At his recommendation I will be adding largemouth bass and more bluegill and a few channel cats in the spring to keep balance. I was concerned that I would have to aerate but he said 80% of farm ponds didn't need.
We now have 3 renewal sources of protein, 7 if you count deer, turkeys, rabbits, and squirrels! Looks like clan at grandmother's farm won't be eating bugs after all. (smile)"
"Be still and know that I am God"
XxXx
Sister Patriot
Next....
Dumb and Dumber - I never knew this silly movie would have such a lasting impact on my life. Filmed in 1994, nearly 30 years ago, the movie stuck with me. It is my "make me feel good" movie I often pull from the shelf to watch and laugh. Silly huh? Daily life in the military can be stressful, trying, and bring many unexpected twists and turns. Having a safe space to escape and relax to silly stuff was common for me. The movies Dumb and Dumber, and Joe Dirt, always allowed me to laugh and forget real life. What I didn't know at the time when I first watched it, it was a sign of things to come in the world we live today. Matter of fact, it may have more truth to it than the actual world we live daily.
I was messaging with a Patriot brother of 40 years the other night and we joked about the famous scene of Jim Carey riding on the back seat of a moped being driven by his pal, Jeff Daniels, while they transited across the Midwest headed for Colorado to find the beautiful lady. It was wintertime and freezing cold and Jim Carey urinated on the moped seat and froze to the seat. Silly stuff. Right? Many would turn the channel to find something of greater value to their time. Not me.
Forty years ago, it seemed stupid to many. Think about the world we live today where professional doctors agree it is in the best interest of children who can't pick out a morning cereal but can be psychologically balanced and decide they want to be the opposite sex and have the trans surgery performed.
How about a nation watching, like it or not, as a nation that was once the shining light on the hill to the world yet allows a rogue justice system to destroy a former president because they don't agree with him or his ideology. It is truly a Dumb and Dumber moment in our nation.
The same 340 million people lean back and ignore the craziness coming from our government as they destroy many constitutional rights of many. We have millions who believe cows passing gas destroys the earth through greenhouse gasses. How many gallons and tons of fuel are burnt traveling the globe to warn citizens of this threat?
Now we need to ban stoves, grills, and heaters used by millions of citizens to survive. We must move towards electric cars when our national grid can't handle the current demand. It is estimated to cost roughly $40 billion dollars to harden the grid but we can't afford it as a nation because we are funding everyone else in the world crossing our border.
With all said, I think my biggest "dumb and dumber" of the week comes from the former occupier of the White House who once again scolds' compassion from caring citizens regarding the loss of life, property, jobs, and more, in Hawaii. I'm sorry I find his chastising totally unacceptable and pretty selfish, to be honest. Personally, I don't care if it was stated by King Tut, Lloyd Christmas, or the Pope. Last time I checked, under our Constitution and 1st Amendment, just as he has spoken freely, citizens are free to pray and offer compassion. Barack Obama Attacks America for Offering ‘Thoughts and Prayers’ on Maui Tragedy (msn.com)
For the past twenty years I have heard "we are living in a dumbed down nation." Now I believe it more than ever, sadly. When Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carey) said "why are you going to the airport, going somewhere?" I would never have dreamed we would someday see Lloyd's cousin in the White House.
So as Joe Dirt so seriously said, "Life's a garden, dig it?" Yep, be careful what you say because you may be declared a genius or a key member of Dumb and Dumber Part 5.
Preparedness Tips -
One of the least performed needs in preparedness is for the individual, family, or community to use risk management in their planning. It is essential and yet ignored. This process is how one identifies what they are planning for, threats and vulnerabilities to what they are planning for, and how they plan to avoid the threat by mitigating or adjusting their plans to offset or defend against the threat. This applies to urban, suburban, and rural living.
You see a pothole and steer away from it to avoid damaging your tire and wheel. Your steering away is mitigating the threat of the damage from the pothole. You remain on your travel from point A to point B and avoided the risk of the pothole and causing you to be stranded on the side of the road. Risk Management and Assessment.
You shop for the most affordable foods with quality products. When prices go up, you don't buy it or else you shop at another location. If you don't, you risk spending more and may end up with a lesser quality product. You decide if you are willing to pay more to get less, or choose another location to shop. Seems minor and trivial but this is managing risk to your finances and quality of goods.
You move to a new town or city. You can immediately ignore the risk management process and end up in a problem area with poor schools for kids. This area you have selected could be a high crime area and a place you choose to not go shopping after dark. If you would have conducted a risk assessment to your possible selection you could have identified these potential problems in advance using available websites such as city-data.com or by calling the local chamber of commerce or police department. Being proactive and doing your homework in advance helps you stay left-of-bang and proactive vs going forward and suffering a crime related event and now being over the "bang" event and your only option is to be reactive to get out of the event and recover.
Next Step Survival posted a very good article recently, Are Preppers More Vulnerable to Theft? - Next Step Survival, discussing preppers and being vulnerable to theft. Think about it, you amass large quantities of goods in your home typically and it could become a field trip for the average burglar. A person with bad intent watches several delivery trucks per week dropping off boxes to your home over a period of weeks or months. They monitor what is going into your home and nothing coming out of your home. What are you stocking up? Professional burglars are just that, professionals, and many are good at what they do. Keep in mind, the article is discussion from a basic burglar and not someone starving and looking for food, shelter, or something they can take and trade for food. I typical burglar is likely to take a life in most cases, however in a post-apocalyptic type of event that will most likely change.
The average American, and many preppers, function with the attitude, "I will beef up my security soon, I just haven't had time." Or, "nothing has ever happened to me or my neighbors so I'm not overly worried about it right now." Many citizens, including preppers, do not pay attention to "what is out of the norm" near them. Same routes. Same routines. Same habits. Think of how many friends you may have who are firearm owners and when you visit their house, their security is horrible. The friend is of the mindset, who needs security when they own firearms. Right? Rambo Syndrome. Ask yourself, firearm or not, why would you want or allow a threat to walk on to your porch or through your front door when you could have stopped them at your property line?
We can spend thousands of dollars to have someone help out or go take self-defense classes, tactical classes, or go live in a gated community. It's a personal choice. But, no matter what you choose to do or how much you spend, you will still have vulnerabilities to your daily life. That, I promise you, because you are human and often times humans are predictable and often let their guard down and that is when you are a soft target. At some point, you will get in your automobile and go transit. That is when you are most vulnerable statistically.
We all are different with our age, skills, training, and location. Some of us had past training in tactics, evasive driving courses, and are not overly threatened driving because we use a daily practice that is based around past training. It is a way of life. With that said, we can't assume anything when discussing or recommending ways to address security. Even with 40 years experiences in many facets of security, from personal protection, driving security, building plans for the elite of the elite, and conducting training classes for troops traveling to high threat locations. I have learned, do not assume anything and teach to the basic level for all involved.
If I suggested you climb on your roof with a bucket to measure rainfall, first I would hope you question my sanity. But more so, you could be 70 years old and climbing a ladder is not safe for you at this point in life. The ladder could be slippery, and it could be lightening outside. I promise you that some people would climb on the roof with a bucket to measure the rainfall. I know this because I teach over 200 classes per year and I have learned some people just can't, don't, or will not think on their own. Don't forget this.
In Hope for Survival Book 1, I shared the security wheel on building a community or homestead and how to layer your security barriers. Since book one, I have built upon the layered philosophy to expand the understanding of using the Five-D principles of security. I have posted them here several times for you to review. Someone recently asked me to expand upon my meaning of the different five D's so I will.
First, let me identify the Five-D's of security and define them for you. They are:
Deter, Detect, Deny, Delay, and Defend. Broken down they mean:
Deter - This is the outermost perimeter. It's the key to have in place some forms of visual deterrence, such as fencing, lighting, and signs. This can be an effective way of dissuading potential intruders before they even attempt to breach your property line. The security objective on the perimeter is to deter the criminal from even attempting a breach of the system. Deterrence is a psychological battle, and when the security wins, the criminal activity never starts. Applying surveillance technology along the deter perimeter typically requires the use of overt, large enclosures, which make it obvious to all approaching the perimeter that they are under surveillance. Signs saying “no trespassing” or “area under surveillance” also aid in communicating a deterrent message to unauthorized persons.
This could be apartment buildings with controlled access to the building, gated apartment complexes with guards or access cards to enter the parking area outside the apartment buildings or even a mobile guard at the gate who goes mobile to do perimeter checks of the area. In suburban areas it could mean a gated community with access only allowed to those living within the area. This setup could include a guard at the gate or even a mobile guard who responds to calls within the community or that conducts random or scheduled checks. In rural environments it could mean fenced property boundary lines to include gate access. In all cases this would be considered the first line of defense. A deterrent to deflect possible human threats who could be walking or mobile. This is the first line of defense between the outside world and you. The further the deter barrier(s) is located from you, the better.
Detect - You want to detect any possible person or threat and determine is they are in fact trespassers. The detection level can include motion detectors, CCTV, and other electronic surveillance methods which can sense and record any and all intrusions and attempts to enter your property. I once worked on a military installation in Denmark where the host nation turned K-9 loose at night and with a sophisticated camera system to augment the K-9, it was a great detection scheme because they had available manpower 24 x 7 monitoring cameras which would pick up K-9 barking and identifying possible attempts to enter the base. I know another family locally that turns K-9 loose at night to roam inside the deter barrier and beyond the detection barrier.
Deny - This is using access control points and manned entry in most cases. Your goal is to deny unchecked humans and/or two and four wheeled vehicles past this point. You want to identify and verify the threats are happening. A good example for detection measures would include CCTV cameras. This can be fixed or pan-tilt zoom cameras. If you can tie the camera system to an alarm system to alert, you or security personnel when unauthorized access is happening. Newer style cameras today are built with internal lighting to support the camera view. Older cameras may not. You will need lighting. Based on the threat, size of the area you are trying to protect, and available Denial means to stop and not allow the threat to advance or go further inward towards what you are trying to protect such as your home, family, and vital resources.
Sadly, most American citizens ignore the first two steps, detect and deter, and start with deny, which is sometimes optional. This goes back to the "nothing ever happens" mindset. They leave doors open or unlocked. Their mindset is owning a firearm and once the threat is inside the home they will deal with it. Really? Is that not one of the dumbest things you have heard. I have two dogs, and four kids surrounding my interior walls. My plan is to detect the threat once they enter my home and then proceed out of my bedroom, locate, and then shoot the threat(s) who are now most likely within 25 ft of a child. What kind of strategy is allowing a threat to cross your property and enter your home through the front door and then respond with force? Folks, it happens.
Delay - This is pretty explanatory, but the delay objective is to slow down the threat intruding across your property towards what you are protecting. The goal is to force the intruder to give up, slow down, or grant time to your security element to respond according to your plan. Dependent on the size of what your property allows to deploy the five D's, this could mean locking doors or other physical barriers one can use to slow down the intrusion. On a larger scale it could mean devising your terrain in such a way to try and direct the threat towards a funnel design which should augment your security plan by placing the threat in your security strong hold such as a possible crossfire. Use technology and humans in this plan to give you the most effective effort to stop the threat.
Defend - This is the Alamo of all Alamo's. This is your all-out best effort on your final line to stop the threat. This is all hands-on deck to stop the threat by apprehending the threat or using force to defeat the threat before it stops you. This is your final effort to save your family, community, and resources.
You must build in a plan to escape at this point if it appears you are going to lose the defend step. Where will you go and do you have stored resources in a cache or location to resupply your family and team.
Here is an example of the ring or layers needed to build your property and detail with the five-D's of security.
In the world we live today, society is so angry and divided by class, religion, politics, socio-economic and more. You can take many steps today to start removing yourself from a soft target list and start becoming a harder target.
- Remove all decals from your automobiles
- Remove all yard signs from your property
- Remove all portable items from around your home that can be moved and used to climb on to decks and windows
- Trim or remove all bushes and shrubs that can be used to hide while attempting entry to windows or doors.
- Secure all windows, doors, and sliding doors with additional hardware and/or alarms to alert you, family, or neighbors to attempted entry to your home.
- Remove all factory door frame screws and replace with 3" or 4" screws to attach the door frame to the foundation
- Add a key controlled dead bolt that locks/unlocks by key from the inside. Remove the key and locate out of reach from the door if your door has windows.
- Add additional security to sliding patio doors. Sliding door frames can be removed in less than three minutes by trained professional burglars.
- Spend according to your budget, things to alert you when doors or windows are broken or entered. This can be bells on yarn hanging from the objective or invest in alarm systems that will alarm to alert you. Remember, all you need is the alert that something changed regarding the window, door, room, stairwell, garage door, or garage personnel door.
- Consider pets that will alert you to intruders or use a mechanical box that barks like a dog such as the barking Rex which can be purchased for minimal cost. Rex is on a special diet, and you can also go on vacation and leave Rex home for weeks at a time without a potty break or food. Just saying.
- No matter where you live or the type of arrangement you have for your dwelling, build a plan that includes a safe room and escape route from your dwelling.
- Establish a rally point and alternate rally point outside your dwelling. Where will your family rally together if required to flee.
These are just a few pointers to consider.
Good luck.
Preparedness News -
1. From Michael Snyder - Economic Collapse - Middle Class Meltdown: Thanks To The Reckless Policies Of Our Leaders, The Middle Class In The U.S. Is In Huge Trouble (theeconomiccollapseblog.com) - Does this apply to you or people around you? It is a slow methodical quicksand surrounding the citizens of our nation.
2. From Old World Garden Farms - How To Plant Onions In The Fall - Grow Your Best Onion Crop Ever (oldworldgardenfarms.com) - It is important to know how to grow consumable vegetables and food during all seasons. Learn now while you can.
3. From SHTF Dad -20 Bushcraft Skills You Should Know About: Survive & Thrive (shtfdad.com) - Skills are one of the biggest shortfalls amongst the preparedness community. Available time, available classes, cost, or just refusal to learn, are reasons why many will get caught short of needed skills.
4. From Melisa K. Norris - Best Homemade Pickles Recipe (Garlic Dill Pickles) - Melissa K. Norris (melissaknorris.com) - Pickels? Yea, we love pickles, right? Do you can pickles?
5. From Bill White - Survivopedia - Mapping Out Your Community - Survivopedia - When putting together your five mile radius, it is important to know and map out your community in every aspect. It will come in handy in the future.
Other News -
1. From Clayton Morris - Redacted - BREAKING! Child concentration camps discovered in U.S. near Texas border | Redacted w Clayton Morris - YouTube
2. From Adapt 2030 - Do Elite Know How to Survive the Grand Solar Reset? - YouTube This is a great video with David Dubyne. (Thanks to our Patriot brother in the Atlanta region)
3. From Dave Urbanki - Blaze Media - Homeowner: Squatters who broke into my house in February are still living there — and cops arrested me after I called 911 on them - Conservative Review - If this goes to a higher court we may wish to monitor because it could set the standard nationally.
4. From Nicholas Ballasy - Just the News - Obama's letter with homosexual musings first surfaced in 2018 but media didn't cover it: Author | Just The News - Just like the rotation of the moon, eventually we will see the same side again. Wonder what else we aren't being told or is being kept from us? I believe we know enough now across the board to know we are living in some level of a matrix full of lies and holes.
5. From Greg Hunter - USA Watchdog - New BRICS Currency Bad for Dollar – John Rubino | Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog - As mentioned above, pay close attention to the upcoming direction of the BRICS post meeting next week.
That's all my Patriot brothers and sisters.
Prayers - Please keep our great nation, our elected leaders, military and first responders in your thoughts and prayers. We pray for good health and wisdom. Please pray for our leadership to find answers and guidance to the problems facing our great nation. May your faith remain strong and answers to the unknown provided. God is good and may our prayers blanket and protect you and your circumstances. I pray for each, and every one of our Patriots.
The HFS family needs lots of prayers right now. We have several sisters and brothers in great need of uplifting. We continue to have lots of illness from state to state, and we lost two loved ones in the past two weeks. Please keep these Patriots in your thoughts and prayers.
May we pray for all the blessings and things in life to be thankful about and continued hope for revival around the world. We must continually pray for the unsaved, our family and friends who live each day without the protection for eternal life and salvation.
As Patriots we must stay strong and never give up. Our home, community, and nation need us now more than ever. Stay focused on your local community and things that will impact you around the nation. Don't allow the events around you to create fear in your life. Build your own self-reliance and focus on faith and hope. Remember we are a blessed nation, and we must continue to be great people today and make a better tomorrow. Keep charging.
Blessings,
Bravo Echo Out,
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