Resources

Last updated 5/18/13

SPTV- Survival And Prosperity’s YouTube Channel.

Select “Videos” in menu bar to view shows.

Live Public Safety Audio Feeds

RadioReference.com Live Audio- RadioReference is the largest broadcaster of public safety live audio communications feeds, hosting thousands of live audio broadcasts of Police, Fire, EMS, and other associated communications. Reviewed here.

The Library

Aviv, Juval. Staying Safe: The Complete Guide to Protecting Yourself, Your Family, and Your Business- Aviv, a former Israeli counterterrorism intelligence officer and international security expert, outlines the essential tools for becoming personally responsible for the security and safety of yourself and your loved ones. Reviewed here.

Boy Scouts of America. Official Boy Scout Handbook, 12th Edition- Still the go-to book for every Scout, but now with more information than ever before. Anniversary-year edition combines the traditional content of years past with modern-day Scouting needs. Reviewed here.

Orlov, Dmitry. Reinventing Collapse: The Soviet Example and American Prospects- Dmitry Orlov was born in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) and moved to the United States when he was 12, and was an eyewitness to the collapse of the Soviet Union over several extended visits to his native land between the late eighties and mid-nineties. Drawing from his experience with the disintegration of the U.S.S.R., Orlov predicts an economic and political collapse for its old adversary- the United States- and identifies steps readers can take to lessen the pain from such a catastrophic event. Now on second edition (2011). First edition reviewed here.

Sherwood, Ben. The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life- Sherwood “unlocks the secrets of who lives and who dies and shows how you can improve your chances in virtually any crisis.” Reviewed here.

Strauss, Neil. Emergency: This Book Will Save Your Life- Strauss shares his personal journey into the world of preparedness/survivalism. Reviewed here.

Podcasts/Radio Shows

Deep Earth Bunker Radio- Weekly online audio show about prepping that’s hosted by Scott Bales of Deep Earth Bunker LLC, the focus of the Discovery Channel TV series Doomsday Bunkers.. Discussed here.

Financial Sense® Newshour- Free financial/market broadcast hosted by money manager Jim Puplava on the week’s market action, interviews with financial experts, and Jim’s personal perspective on the markets/economy. Reviewed here.

King World News- Broadcast- Eric King of King World News (KWN)-fame interviews important people from business and finance. Reviewed here.

Preparedness Radio Network (PRN)- Live broadcast shows and downloadable podcasts revolving around self-reliance topics. Discussed here.

The Survival Podcast- Free daily online audio show about self sufficiency and self reliance in the modern world. Hosted by modern survivalist Jack Spirko. Reviewed here.

Tom Gresham’s Gun Talk- The only national radio talk show which covers the world of firearms, personal safety, and gun rights. Hosted by nationally-known firearms expert and television host, Tom Gresham. Reviewed here.

Video Blogs

Schiff Report- Peter Schiff’s YouTube video blog. Schiff shares his current economic forecasts, financial analysis, and general predictions.

Global Intelligence Reports

Geopolitical Weekly and Security Weekly- Free weekly intelligence reports compiled by STRATFOR, the “Shadow CIA,” as Barron’s once called Strategic Forecasting, Inc., or STRATFOR, a global intelligence company founded in 1996 in Austin, Texas. Reviewed here.

Investing Tools

BullionVault Weekly Wrap- Weekly gold- and silver- round-up from BullionVault, the world’s largest online investment gold service. Reviewed here.

Peter Schiff’s Gold Report- Free monthly newsletter from Euro Pacific Precious Metals in which CEO Peter Schiff reviews key developments in the gold and silver markets. The report also features analysis and forecasts from Mary Anne and Pamela Aden and members of Casey Research. Reviewed here.

Snapshot Of U.S. Financial Health

Comeback America Initiative’s “Slide Pack”- From former chief accountant of the United States David M. Walker’s Comeback America Initiative, an 84-page publication (.pdf format) packed with easy-to-read charts entitled “Comeback America: The Nation’s Fiscal Challenge and A Way Forward.” Key charts include (in the order they were depicted):

• Growth of Government
• Defense, Social Security, & Medicare Per Capita
• Discretionary Spending Patterns
• Changes in Spending
• Composition of Current & Projected Federal Revenues
• Federal Debt Burdens
• Historical Deficit Levels
• Historical Receipts & Outlays
• Historical CBO Deficit Projections Vs. Actual
• Cash Vs. Accrual Federal Deficits (Fiscal 2000 –2010)
• Historical Debt Burdens
• Federal Debt Per Capita & The Political Party In Power
• Comparative Debt Burdens
• Fiscal Fitness Index
• Our Fiscal Future
• CBO’s Public Debt Projections
• Future Debt Burdens
• CBO Alternative Estimate of Projected Federal Deficits
• Growing Foreign Dependency
• Debt Maturity Trends
• Interest Rate Trends
• Interest Rate Sensitivity
• Federal Health Care Outlays
• Escalating Health Costs
• Historical Consumption Trends
• Health Cost Growth
• Comparative Health Costs
• Social Security Cash Flow
• Impact of Health Reform
• Entitlement Cost Growth
• Entitlement Programs Status
• Relative Defense Spending
• Historical Defense Spending
• Research Spending Trends
• Federal Revenue Composition
• Federal Revenue Trends
• Tax Burden
• Progressive Tax System
• Individual Tax Expenditures
• Effective Tax Rates
• Statutory Corporate Tax Rates
• Household Debt Levels
• Personal Saving Rates
• National Saving Rates
• State and Local Deficits
• State Property Tax Burdens
• State and Local Health Costs
• Pension and Health Obligations
• Pension and Health Funding
• Pension and Health Costs
• Total Liabilities and Unfunded Obligations Per Capita
• State and Local Ratings
• Statutory Debt Ceiling

Reviewed here

Economic Data

Federal Reserve Economic Data, or FRED- From the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis comes 41,000 economic time series from 38 sources. Download, graph, and track economic data. Discussed here.

FreeLunch.com- Moody’s Analytics’ source for free economic data. Users can quickly and easily chart and download economic data. Moody’s Analytics data services teams in Asia, Europe, and the United States update the site’s data as it is released by the primary source.

Air Guns

American Airgunner- TV show that airs on the Pursuit Channel which includes hunting and technical segments as well as an air gun challenge in which contestants use both skill and strategy to knock down and explode various targets with a multitude of guns. Discussed here. Old episodes on YouTube here.
Paul Capello’s Airgun Reporter- Air gun-focused videos on Pyramid Air’s website from well-known airgunner and American Airgunner TV show creator/host Paul Capello
Pyramid Air’s Airgun Academy- Educational resources (videos, blog, and podcast) for the aspiring to veteran airgunner. Reviewed here.

Airsoft Guns

Pyramid Air’s Airsoft Blog- Pyramid Air’s airsoft blog

Alternative Economic Data

From John Williams’ Shadow Government Statistics website:

Gross Domestic Product Chart
Inflation Chart
Money Supply Chart
Unemployment Charts
U.S. Dollar Index Chart

American Mumbai

Terror in Mumbai- Award-winning HBO documentary film about November 2008 terror attack on Mumbai, India. Reviewed here.
Mumbai Massacre- Another documentary film about the 2008 Mumbai, India terror attack. Part of the “Secrets of the Dead” series on PBS. Reviewed here.

Bank Failures

FDIC Failed Banks page

Bottled Water Comparisons

2011 Bottled Water Scorecard, Environmental Working Group (EWG)

Reviewed here

Crime Statistics

City Crime Rankings 2010-2011: Crime in Metropolitan America by CQ Press
City Crime Rankings 2011-2012: Crime in Metropolitan America by CQ Press

Doomsday Bunkers TV Series

Season 1 (embedded on Deep Earth Bunker website):
Episode 1, “Bunkers, Bullets and Blast Doors!” Reviewed here.
Episode 2, “Pyramid Pod/Booby-Trapped Bunker” Reviewed here.
Episode 3, “Tsunami Pod/Nuclear Fallout Shelter” Reviewed here.

Scott Bales and Deep Earth Bunker
Shea Degan and 88 Tactical
Johnny Price and Big Iron Concealed Handgun Training

Doomsday Preppers TV series

National Geographic Channel’s Doomsday Preppers site
Practical Preppers

(And listed in order of appearance in pilot, series)

Dennis and Danielle McClung
Lisa Bedford
Scott Hunt and David Kobler
Paul and Gloria Range
Christopher Nyerges
David Sarti
Scott and Kellene Bishop
Dennis Evers
Tim Ralston
Dervaes Family
Donna Nash
Michael Douglas
Larry Hall
Becky Brown
Riley Cook
Doug Huffman
Ed and Dianna Peden

EMP/Solar Storm

Electronic Armageddon- National Geographic special from 2010 about the danger a high-altitude electromagnetic pulse poses to the electrical grid. Discussed here.

“Getting Prepared for an Electromagnetic Pulse Attack or Severe Solar Storm”- By electronics engineer Jerry Emanuelson on the Futurescience LLC website. Discussed here.

Emergency Preparedness

“Be Red Cross Ready”- American Red Cross’ one-page information sheet on general preparedness. Great starting point. Reviewed here.

Emergency Contact Cards- Produced by American Red Cross. Real nice.

“Safe and Well”- Internet-based tool on American Red Cross website where “people within a disaster-affected area can register themselves as ‘safe and well’ and concerned family and friends who know the person’s phone number or address can search for messages posted by those who self-register.”

Local Emergency Management Offices- Where FEMA says to obtain information about local hazards

Local American Red Cross Offices- Another source of information about local hazards, according to FEMA

Possible Hazards and Emergencies Worksheet- Prepared by FEMA to assist in identifying potential emergencies and disasters

FEMA Map Service Center- Flood maps and more.

Preparedness Fast Facts- Developed by the American Red Cross, these emergency-specific checklists are comprised of the latest research, science, best practices, and expert opinion. Reviewed here.

Declared Disasters by Year or State- Two tables on the FEMA website in which the number of disaster declarations since 1953 have been broken down by year or state

LDS Preparedness Manual- Unofficial emergency preparedness manual of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (15th anniversary edition, 2012). Tons of information.

Emergency Response Plans

National Response Framework (NRF), Department of Homeland Security, January 2008

Financial Crisis Timelines

Timeline: Global Economy In Crisis
Council on Foreign Relations

The Financial Crisis: A Timeline of Events and Policy Actions
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Financial Crisis Timeline
Sullivan & Worcester

Reviewed here

Firearms & Ammunition

AmmoSeek- Ammunition search engine. Reviewed here.

“The Armed Citizen”- Detailed accounts of law-abiding Americans using firearms to halt or prevent crime. Published in the NRA’s American Rifleman magazine, but also compiled in The Armed Citizen blog here and on the NRA-ILA “The Armed Citizen” Archives webpage here. Reviewed here.

First Shots Program- National Shooting Sports Foundation’s introduction to shooting program. Free seminars held across the country. Discussed here.

Gun Facts Version 6.1- Free 112-page e-book by Guy Smith that debunks common myths about gun control. It is intended as a reference guide for journalists, activists, politicians, and other people interested in restoring honesty to the debate about guns, crime, and the 2nd Amendment. Reviewed here.

Student of the Gun- Firearms-related TV show, radio show, and blog. “Student of the Gun will always strive to educate and entertain their viewers while offering them an insiders’ look at the worlds of firearms.” Discussed here.

Trigger Time TV- Firearms-related TV show. “Trigger Time is a television show that brings together firearms professionals from across the United States to provide the highest level of firearms training and information to firearms enthusiasts across the country.” Discussed here.

WhereToShoot.org- The web’s most comprehensive directory of shooting ranges. Managed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the firearms industry’s trade association, this site is updated frequently with range information in every state. Discussed here.

First Aid

American Red Cross’ Preparing And Getting Trained page- The Red Cross offers a wide selection of CPR/AED, first aid, lifeguarding, swimming and water safety, caregiving, disaster response, and emergency preparedness training. Updated for 2011.

Food

eXtension- List of state university extension programs that may have information on growing vegetable gardens. Discussed here.

Extreme Bargains Online Marketplace- Independent discount and salvage grocery store directory

LocalHarvest- Website for locating farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably-grown food in your area

PickYourOwn.org- Local listings of pick-your-own (U-pick, PYO) farms in the United States, Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and other countries

Forecasts

Earth 2100- ABC production in which experts warn that unless we change course, the “perfect storm” of population growth, dwindling resources, and climate change has the potential to converge in the next century with catastrophic results. Reviewed here.

Prophets Of Doom- History Channel production in which future threats to the United States are discussed by investigative journalist Michael Ruppert, economist Dr. Nathan Hagens, author John Cronin, investigative journalist/author James Howard Kuntsler, computer scientist Dr. Hugo De Garis, and executive editor Robert Gleason. Reviewed here.

Housing Charts

James Parsons- U.S. House Prices, U.S. House Prices vs. Owner-Equivalent Rent, Major U.S. Metropolitan Area House Prices

How To…

After Armageddon- Docudrama about the Johnsons, a fictitious family from Los Angeles who struggle to survive in the aftermath of a deadly flu pandemic. Portrays what a SHTF (s**t hits the fan) situation might look like. Reviewed here.

Apocalypse Man- Ex-Marine Rudy Reyes demonstrates a number of survival techniques in a SHTF scenario. Emphasis on urban/suburban survival. Reviewed here.

Survival Database Downloads, hosted by ModernSurvivalOnline.com. Categories include:

• First Aid/Medical
• Books/Manuals
• Civil Defense
• Communication
• EMP
• Evacuation/Bugging Out
• Food/Water Storage
• Gardening
• General Survival
• Hunting
• Movies/TV Shows (Survival/Doomsday related)
• Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) Warfare
• Off-Grid Power
• Survival Tools
• Terrorism
• Weapons/Firearms

Survive a Suicide Bombing- R.P. Eddy, Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, “Be Prepared for Terrorism: How to Survive a Suicide Bombing”

Surviving Disaster, SPIKE TV’s personal safety television series:

Survive an Avalanche
Survive an Earthquake
Survive a Fire
Survive a Hijacking
Survive a Home Invasion
Survive a Hurricane
Survive being Lost At Sea
Survive a Mall Shooting
Survive a Nuclear Attack
Survive a Pandemic

You can watch all these episodes on the SPIKE TV site here. Reviewed here.

“Don’t Be A Victim,” SPIKE TV’s personal safety television series (episodes listed most recent to oldest):

Practical Tactical
Driving Skills
Self-Defense Weapons Training
Civilian Crime Fighters
How To Clear A House
Home Invasion, Personal Safety & Pipe Bombs
Martial Arts For Close Combat
SWAT Tactics
Home Security Inspection
Taking Down Active Shooters
Bank Robbery Survival
Home Intrusion Defense Plans
Home Fortress
Edge Of Disaster

Because Lives Depend On It
Better Safe Than Sorry
Concealment and Cover
Accessories and Options
Training vs. Real Life
Speed and Accuracy
The Semiauto
Shooting Forms
Up Close & Far Away
Multiple Target Acquisition
Inside Your Home
Low Light Tactics
9 MM vs. .45CAL
Close Quarters Combat

What If?
The Good Guys Hostage Crisis
The Dartmouth Murders
The San Ysidro McDonalds Massacre
The Westroads Mall Shootings
The North Hollywood Shootout
The Mexican Drug War
The Edmond, Oklahoma Post Office Shooting
Golden Dragon
The Holocaust Museum Shootout
The Laura Black Stalking
New Life Church
Columbine High School
Luby’s Cafeteria

Conceal & Carry School
The End
The Girl Next Door
Right-Hand Man
Prime Of Life
Golden Years
Terror On The High Seas
Instructor
SAC- Sisters Part 1
Practice Makes Perfect
Standing Tall
Father Knows Best
Leap Of Faith
Don’t Fear The Gun

You can watch all these episodes on the SPIKE TV site here. Reviewed here.

Popular Mechanics Survival Articles- A compilation of survival-related articles on the Popular Mechanics website. Reviewed here.

Hurricane Preparedness

National Hurricane Preparedness Week- Information on how to prepare for a hurricane event, brought to you by the National Weather Service’s National Hurricane Center

Identity Theft

Federal Trade Commission resources for protecting against identity theft. More on combating ID theft in this post.

Nuclear Terrorism

Improvised Nuclear Device (IND) factsheet, Citizen Corps

Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation, June 2010, U.S. Government

Ratings

Banks:

Bank Star Ratings by BauerFinancial

Safe & Sound® by Bankrate.com

Weiss Ratings on TheStreet.com

Reviewed here

Weiss Ratings’ “Strongest & Weakest Lists” for annuity insurers, auto insurers, banks and thrifts, business insurers, credit unions, health insurers, homeowner insurers, life insurers, long-term care insurers, and medigap insurers. Reviewed here.

Real Estate Tools

Walk Score- Free Internet-based tool for finding “walkable neighborhoods.” Reviewed here.

Survivor Interviews

I Survived…, Biography Channel. Reviewed here.

Terrorism

Country Reports on Terrorism- Annual terrorism reports produced by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Counterterrorism

Threats To Mankind

Last Days on Earth- The world’s top scientists discuss the seven deadliest threats to humanity in this 20/20 (ABC television newsmagazine) science special that originally aired back in August 2006. Reviewed here.

Other Blogs/Websites I Read/Am A Fan Of

41st Ward Citizen’s Blog- Blog for residents of Chicago’s 41st Ward

Borderland Beat- Blog about the Mexican cartel drug war

Chicago News Report- Alternative Chicago news blog

ClubOrlov- Blog of Dmitry Orlov, author of Reinventing Collapse: The Soviet Example and American Prospects (see “The Library” section above)

Crime in Chicago- Local blog with a self-explanatory title

Comeback America Initiative- Former Comptroller General of the United States David M. Walker’s latest project which seeks to “promote fiscal responsibility and sustainability by engaging the public and assisting key policymakers on a non-partisan basis in order to achieve solutions to America’s fiscal imbalances.”

Deep Earth Bunker Blog- Blog belonging to Scott Bales and Deep Earth Bunker LLC, stars of the Discovery Channel TV series Doomsday Bunkers.

Doomsday Preppers Blog- Official blog on National Geographic Channel website for the Doomsday Preppers TV series.

Investment Adventures In Emerging Markets- Blog of legendary emerging markets investor Mark Mobius on the Franklin Templeton Investments website

Jim Sinclair’s MineSet- A “service orientated teaching forum that uses the daily market as its text and blackboard.” Good gold commentary blog.

Massad Ayoob on Guns- Blog of law enforcement officer and internationally-known firearms and self-defense instructor Massad Ayoob on the Backwoods Home Magazine website

Peter Schiff’s Official Gold Blog- Blog focusing on gold and silver from “crash prophet” Peter Schiff

Second City Cop- “Sarcasm and Silliness from a Windy City Cop”

SurvivalistBoards.com- Popular prepper/survivalist forum

Survival Top 50- The top 50 blogs in the survival niche. Reviewed here.

Surviving In Argentina- Survival blog written by Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre in which he shares lessons learned from living through a financial crash in Argentina

The Modern Survivalist- Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre’s new blog which mirrors “Surviving In Argentina”

Warrior Talk News- Blog of former decorated law enforcement officer and professional personal combat consultant Gabe Suarez