Fellow Patriots,
Good morning! We hope you enjoyed a blessed week wherever you may be.
Thanks for hanging out with us. I know the newsletter has been longer the past few weeks so I'm working on shortening it. I look forward to getting to spend time with you through the "Thoughts for the Week."
Just as a heads up, I finally got around to posting Part 1 of a three part Podcast with Jager, Festus and myself hanging out talking about tactics within the home, choice of weapons and a few laughs. Hope you find time to check it out and enjoy it.
I owe responses to a few folks and I will get back to you soon. Sorry. Demands on time increased the past couple of weeks so......
Ms. Lucy and I will be taking a quick trip home this weekend so it will be nice to launch the newsletter from the hills of Eastern TN. It is always nice to be in the Tennessee hills. Maybe we will see some snow on the mountains...…. The drive to TN... About 90 minutes out from our destination Ms. Lucy chuckled. I had no clue why. It was dark as I drove down the interstate. All of a sudden it hit me like a ton of bricks. She tuned her phone to the Democratic debate. My first thought was Lucy has lost her mind. Then I hear a Cybil sounding laugh. I could give you ten comparisons but I will be nice. Paybacks Ms. Lucy.
The trip to Charleston, WV is locked in for March 14/15. I will be speaking at a Sportsman Banquet on Saturday and hanging out at the event from roughly 8 AM till 430 PM. Then on Sunday morning I will be speaking to a group within a local church. A third engagement appears possible Sunday afternoon, and then back to Bama. I'm looking forward to this opportunity. The location I will be speaking has endured two disasters in the past few years. The first being contaminated water that cut off the main water supply to the residents for several days and the second was the 100 year flood that severely impacted most of WV. The location sponsoring the event this weekend was a major collection and distribution point for victims of the flood. If time permits, I hope to shoot a couple Podcast on the ground to discuss the impact of the mentioned disasters and the post-disaster recovery. As you know, I have no shortage of words when it comes to talking Preparedness. We will discuss the Big 3 within the individual (physical, spiritual and psychological) and then planning, quipping, training, team building, and self-reliance.
Time is precious so let's move ahead.......
First....coffee.....
HEALTH ALERT: The Coronavirus continues to wreak havoc in throughout China and tends to taper off in the Pacific region. It is not safe to say it is over at this point. Just keep monitoring it and be safe. There is another health risk in America we all need to be aware of and simply be cautious. No one is talking about it. That is Influenza. Some may have taken the annual flu shot, so no worries. I wouldn't bank on that one. While we see the Coronavirus numbers and some folks created panic, there is minimal discussion on the Influenza numbers and we have about four months remaining in our annual flu season. Check this out. According to the CDC's latest "Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report," so far in the current flu season, which has four more months to run, 19 million Americans have gotten influenza, with 180,000 hospitalized and 10,000 deaths. Have you heard anything discussing the number of deaths? In 2019 61,200 died and in 2018 80,000 died of influenza. My point is, monitor the international threat of Coronavirus but also stay alert to the flu and influenza because it is a closer threat and here in the homeland. We must make this brief public announcement to protect the innocent.
MASK: You may have discovered there seems to be a shortage of health masks like the N95/100. One of our loyal Patriot sisters provided this link to learn to make your own protective mask. Something is better than nothing. https://www.craftpassion.com/face-mask-sewing-pattern/ Thank you much..
NOTE: Opinions shared in this newsletter are just that, opinions and nothing more. Read at your own risk. The owner and authors of this site are not responsible for hurt feelings or thin skinned readers. We do our best to show restraint and respect to the best extent possible. We 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. 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.)
Thoughts for the week -
You probably know by now that Heritage Life Skills posted their HLS 2020 schedule with lots of exciting classes to fill the desires of attendees. It appears one can select from over 80 different classes between Friday morning and Sunday afternoon. Ms. Jan and her awesome crew continue building HLS making it better each year, if that is possible. If you have attended in the past I hope you can make it for the 2020 event. If you have not attended, I would encourage you to find a way to journey to Waynesville, NC to attend the event and visit the beautiful town and area. You can do a single day, two days, or the entire weekend. Lodging normally books up fast so I would encourage you to get on this opportunity. In the past Ms. Lucy secures our lodging about 180 days in advance. Good luck.
If you would like to attend any of my classes for 2020, I will be doing 6 different topics. The schedule is:
Friday - Urban Bugging In and Bugging Out - 8:30 - 10 (Originally this was two classes in past years. Merged to make available on the schedule)
- Risk Analysis and Management - 10:30 - 12
- Preparedness 101 (Self) 1 - 4 This class is full speed to the end. It is about the individual preparedness with food, water, shelter, and security.
- Family Communication Planning - 5 - 6:30
Saturday - (New Class) Preparedness 102 (Family or Team) - - 8:30 - 10:00 - Midlevel - Recommended if you plan to attend Preparedness 103
- Urban Bugging In and Bugging Out - 10:30 - 12 (Originally this was two classes in past years. Merged to make available on the schedule)
- (New Class) Preparedness 103 (Team and Community)- 1 - 4 - Advanced Level - Attendees participates in class. This will be a great opportunity to work with other like-minded individuals to consolidate knowledge and skills to build communities (Urban, Suburban, and Rural). The teams will build food, water, shelter, and security plans, as well as address local issues and incoming intelligence. Flexibility and adaptability will be a key to surviving what is in store for these communities.
Sunday - Family Communication Planning - 8:30 - 10
- Risk Analysis and Management 12:30 - 2
Hope to see you in a class. If not, stop by and say hello. HLS is starting to seem like an annual reunion of sorts. It's great seeing folks each year.
A few folks asked if there would be any plans to do a get together at some point like we held in Waynesville NC in late December. I'm open to doing it. The issue for me is finding time on the schedule to do it. As you see above, I will be teaching classes almost all day, all three days. One of our Patriot sisters has offered to handle the logistics if we go forward with it. The group rallies are a great time to meet folks from your area and then build upon it. This style of get together seems more personal and folks are more willing to open up and communicate. I will keep you posted.
Next ...
I wrote an article on the website Thursday about "Are YOU Prepared" and it isn't about your resources. The article is about you, the individual. You may be thinking, "oh no, here he goes again." True. If you read my book, "Hope for Survival" you will remember I spent a lot of time discussing the human mind and reactions to stress and threats. So why do I hit on this topic more often than others you may wonder. Well, how well you have trained your mind will be key to your success and survival. You can have all the skills in the world but how well you know yourself and how you react to stress could be the different. What are you doing to train your mind? Have or do you read history to learn about the ample documentation of different times around the world people died from starvation? Are you exercising your plans to build confidence in your mind that the plans you built will work? Let's elevate it. Have you thrown the breaker at home to test your ability to survive for a week? A few weeks? A month or more? First using any alternative resources you have to ensure they work, but then taking that resource out of the daily plan and surviving with zero utilities. This is the bottom line point that alarms me for a high percentage of folks who prepare.
Being or seeing a starving human is an absolute game changer for everyone else. Seeing it is one thing, dealing with it is another. You are dealing with the human factor as well as the reality the trucks have stopped and all the needed resources to live are no longer available to you, or anyone. Everyone is looking for the same thing. Food. Here in America, even the class labeled poor lives fairly high on the scale compared to the poor in many third world nations. I can tell you from my past experience, seeing the starving children with bloated stomachs and filthy bodies certainly impacts the human psyche. We are truly a privileged class of people living in America. Imagine waking up each morning knowing you must go search for some form of food just to survive the day. Now realize everyone around you has the same challenge. Everyone around you will be a threat to your life. Not eating is a threat to your life. The breakdown of the human mind and body due to nutritional loss is a threat to your life. Starving animals around you is a threat to your life. Depending where you live, the weather may be a threat to your life. The person(s) who controls the food and can protect it from the starving masses will be king for the day. I am not saying these things to alarm you or upset your apple cart. I'm telling you these things because the time to prepare to the best level you can, is now. Like I said in the article posted on Thursday. Throw the switch right now and ask yourself, how well are you prepared? There's no second chances or time to run to the store. The challenge starts now. I pray you make the right choice.
Next ....
I don't know how many of you may be regular readers of Zero Hedge. Ms. Lucy informed me earlier in the week that Zero Hedge has been banned from Twiitter for life. Seems they posted something with the name of the Ukraine Whistle Blower name. Really? As I have said previously, the news Nazi's are gunning for all alternative conservative news sites. Anyone who listens to TruNews already knows they are under attack also for discussing news articles posted in Israeli newspapers. They are now banned on several social media platforms. Who will be next?
Next....
I caught up with my mountain buddy Festus a few days ago and he sounded like he had just walked a marathon on the mountain. I should have known he was out in the woods with his chainsaw clearing and cleaning up more downed trees. He won't admit it but I think his chainsaw was glad I called to slow him down. We had a good chat on the Coronavirus, attacks on alternative news, some contents within Jonathan Hollerman's book "Survival Theory and some other stuff. One thing is for certain, we are seeing some shifts in methodology and reporting from regular news sites that we frequent often. We are wondering if they are being "Drudged" like the Drudge Report about a year ago. Any and all news must be vetted closely and researched. It was great to hear Festus and his mountain crew had rallied together with spouses, to break bread and watch a recent movie I advertised on the website titled "The Reliant." The movie was about an economic collapse acted out on the local level. The movie offered some excellent conversation pieces and segments to discuss within the group. Good job, Patriot brothers and sisters. I was happy to hear Festus is bringing two new Patriots to Heritage Life Skills. I believe this makes three members of the mountain team. Keep charging gents.
Next....
Speaking of Jonathan Hollerman, you probably know by now he is the guest speaker at Heritage Life Skills on the Saturday evening. I received the email from JH letting me know it was a go but I held off mentioning him by name to give HLS the honor of making it official. I have encouraged everyone to read Jonathan's Survival Theory book over the past year. I would strongly encourage attendees of HLS to attend the Saturday evening brief by JH at 7 pm. The topic will be "Grid Down - Death of a Nation." You won't be disappointed. You can read JH's BIO on the HLS Special Events page under Bio's. JH does great research and provides on target points with great analysis. JH shared his most recent product, "Grid Down-Death of a Nation" with me to read and it is intense and very on target in the world we live today. If you read my book, "Hope For Survival" you will find some similar comparisons in that we both focus on the mindset and psychology of how we think. How will we as individuals handle what we believe is ahead. Our mental, spiritual, and physical health as individuals is a high priority. How will we, as individuals, handle things when everything stops and nothing works. Hope you will check JH out. If you get the chance to say hello to JH, stop by and do so. He is a very humble man.
Next .....
I was happy to hear one of our Patriot brothers is rolling forward with his preparedness plans. He is continually adding, testing, adjusting, and training. He let me know things he just completed and tested while he waits on additional upgrades to be installed this week. I hope things are on schedule and meet your expectations to complete your upgrade. This was an excellent upgrade and positive addition to your layered approach. Soon he will be spending a few days with his team on a firing range putting them through challenging drills and excellent psychology of marksmanship and use of force from a highly qualified instructor. I was joking with him and told him in order to get ready he better be hanging from a closet clothing bar for hours at a time to get his arms in shape. He will need it because his arms will be so tired at the end of each day. Keep charging, sir. The pain is worth the gain you will achieve by the end.
Next.....
A radical to genius in the snap of a finger. It is amazing to me how folks who are responsible and live a more guarded life by creating plans and stocking supplies and resources are labeled radical until the majority is hit with threat such as coronavirus and they can no longer buy suggested supplies for protection. Panic becomes the norm. Though the majority will never admit the minority dumb rednecks took the responsible route and preplanned. I hope you have taken steps to protect you and your family. Just recently a person asked me "what is so hard about preparing?" I said "it depends on how you approach it sir, do you prepare?" The person said "no, why should I?" Nuff said.
Next ....
Anyone questioning where we stand as a nation only has to look as far as last night's State of the Union. The division and hate within the tax payer funded walls of Congress was clear. The system is broken.
Okay, the world awaits us, let's move ahead.
Preparedness News
1. From David LaPell - Ammo Land - https://www.ammoland.com/2020/01/new-gun-control-law-would-require-gun-owners-in-ny-to-get-mental-health-evaluations/#axzz6Cz9GY7Yx - No sir, you aren't mature enough to handle your big Gulp with that mega straw to consume so much soda pop. Give me that. People making these horrible choices are not responsible. Right? We should have known this was coming. New York announces stricter laws to possess guns. If you can't pick your own Big Gulp and straw, why should you be trusted with a Pow, Pow. New gun control law would require gun owners in NY to get a mental health evaluation each and every time the person wants to purchase a gun.
2. From Dr. Jason Halfen - Outdoor Life - https://www.outdoorlife.com/story/fishing/bluegill-facts-that-will-help-you-catch-more-fish/ - This is a great article for fisherman and for anyone near water who may eventually plan to add fish to their diet when food is scarce.
3. From Ben Brown - The Prepping Guide - https://thepreppingguide.com/7-prepping-steps-for-food-reserves/ - Good article discussing food and water and selections and why. If you could buy regular beans, rice, wheat, oats and honey for less and it last equal time to No 10 cans, which would you buy? Real food vs dehydrated real food?
4. From Diane - Ask a Prepper - https://www.askaprepper.com/how-to-lower-your-blood-sugar-levels-with-fenugreek/ - This is definitely one to print for the library and keep close. I often get asked questions on reducing blood pressure and blood sugar counts. Here is some recommendations. As always, speak to your doctor first and always before trying something in addition to medicine you already take.
Other News -
1. From Pat Cascio - Survival Blog - https://survivalblog.com/rugers-model-57-pat-cascio/ - Excellent review on Ruger's newest model.
2. From Elk Creek Company - https://elkcreekcompany.net/ - I'm not certain but I do believe this site was launched by JW Rawles who owns Survival Blog and is the most visited Preparedness site on the web. This new site is different It carries lots of old guns and accessories. If you are gun collector you will probably like this site. Hear that Jager and Gun Smoke? This is a mail order business.
3. From Sandra . Lane - The Organic Prepper - https://www.theorganicprepper.com/subways-antifa-nypd/ - More insanity from NY City. Can you believe people pay to live in this place? Antifa continues to spread their hate and anti-establishment bullying across the nation.
4. From Martin Armstrong - Armstrong Economics - https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/market-talk/market-talk-february-3-2020/ - The Market. Like the old Blood Sweat and Tears tune "What goes up, must come down." Shout trade deal without proof and the market goes up. Shout flu in China and the market goes down. Imagine if we had a national and global market based on debt vs GDP, economic indicators, and productivity. Imagine if at retirement the government had paid us interest on our Social Security.
5. From John Mauldin - Evergreen Gavekal - https://blog.evergreengavekal.com/prelude-to-crisis/ - I wonder sometimes if I will ever see this in my lifetime. There seems to be more rumblings in international discussions than from our national media. When we look at our national debt and global debt one must wonder how any of the debt can be repaid and more so how nations will stay afloat each year with the debt vs GDP comparison.
6. From Chris Hamilton - Economica Blog - https://econimica.blogspot.com/2020/02/1919-vs-2019last-time-us-under-65-year.html - This is very interesting. Especially if you study cycles.
7. From Tyler Durden - Zero Hedge - https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/us-army-developing-uniforms-destroy-bioweapons-minutes- This is some scary stuff. Yes, awesome for our troops. But scary overall. If they are willing to share this information with the general public, what are they not sharing? Granted we don't always need to know everything to protect our troops deployed. I think back to my years in uniform and remember folks would ask me "what is going on with this or that.:" I would always tell them "friends, there is another world out there that you don't see." I'm sure that has not changed.
Drum roll...........
That's all my Patriot brothers and sisters.
Thank you for your time to read the PENL. I hope you found something to help you in some way. We don't take your time for granted. Keep your feet and minds grounded as the world around us spins out of control.
Keep the faith and do great things. Find someone who is down and out and give them Hope.
Please keep our great nation, our elected leaders, military and first responders in your thoughts and prayers. I know several of our readers would appreciate you adding them to your prayer list as health and worldly struggles remain. I request a silent prayer for former boss and friend who is dealing with cancer and is currently in quarantine to protect his immune system from a recent blood cleansing procedure. We also have a Patriot sister recovering from a recent surgery. I pray for each and every one of our Patriots. May we all be protected from the growing evils surrounding and attacking our families daily. Amen. Thank you.
Keep charging and have a safe week.
Blessings,
Bravo Echo Out,
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