Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadOn September 1, 1859, auroras lit up the night sky. Telegraph lines sparked. Operators were shocked at their keys. The world had just experienced the Carrington Event—the most powerful solar storm ever recorded. If that same storm happened today, we wouldn’t be talking about fried telegraphs. We’d face the potential loss of the power grid and nearly every aspect of modern life that depends on electricity. That’s why, on this Carrington anniversary and the kickoff of National Preparedness Month, I’m re-releasing my conversation with NASA engineer and EMP expert Dr. Arthur Bradley. Dr. Bradley…

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadCrisis doesn’t just hit the grid, the grocery store, or the gas pump. It hits the people around you. It hits your home. And for parents, especially those with young kids, the biggest challenge isn’t the gear and supplies. It’s helping your family adjust mentally and physically to the new normal, whatever that craziness might be. This article was inspired by a question from Dustin in South Carolina, a longtime listener who asked: As a husband and father of two elementary school-aged kids, what are your thoughts on how to best help families cope…

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThis episode came from a recent Mind4Survival listener survey, where I asked: What’s the one thing you need help with most right now in your preparedness? One response stood out: “Having a plan for when things actually HTF. Being prepared is one thing. Planning the steps to start with is another thing.” That’s a good question because while many people focus on the obvious aspects of preparedness, such as gathering supplies, they haven’t thought through the steps they’d actually take if the wheels fall off. Ask anyone who has worked/lived in some sort of…

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSometimes the best questions don’t come from experts—they come from people living real lives, trying to get it right. That’s what this is. In this article, I’m answering three listener-submitted questions that get to the heart of what practical preparedness looks like in the real world: Is a crossbow worth it? How do you handle guilt over prepping expenses? And how do you stay in touch with family when the normal communication methods fail? Let’s walk through each question clearly and practically, just like we would if we were sitting at the kitchen table…

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWhen disaster strikes, there’s no room for guesswork. That’s where the Survival Pyramid comes in. It strips things down to the essentials. It cuts through the noise and helps you focus on what actually keeps people alive—and what keeps them moving forward when everything else has gone sideways. This is the framework I developed after decades of responding to emergencies—from lifeguarding and EMS calls to war zones, natural disasters, and real-world collapse scenarios. It’s built for people who want to have a solid framework from which to effectively prioritize their survival preparedness—without wasting time…

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWhen people start thinking about emergency preparedness, they usually have concerns about food, water, and physical supplies such as toilet paper and first aid. But there is another aspect that is just as important: your data.  This could include family photos, tax records, and records such as banking and medical records. Just losing your contact list stored on your phone could present a major problem. Natural disasters are not the only threats to worry about.  Cyberattacks are happening to more and more people and establishments, and they can be just as damaging as a…

“Jesus, Mary, get me there. Get me there.” More than 50 years after then-Capt. John Ripley rhythmically chanted that prayer for three hours as he swung back and forth under a North Vietnamese bridge to rig 500 pounds of explosives, the Marine is set to posthumously be awarded the Medal of Honor. But for the Ripley family, June 18th is more than just the date of the White House ceremony. “June 18, that’s the day my father’s brother, Mike Ripley, was killed,” Tom Ripley told Military Times. After three 13-month tours in Vietnam Mike Ripley was back in the U.S.…

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadPreparedness isn’t just about stockpiling supplies. It’s about mindset, experience, and the lessons we carry from one generation to the next. A recent New York Post report highlights a troubling gap: while 90% of Americans believe it’s important to prepare for natural disasters, less than half—just 46%—actually have a plan in place. Even more concerning, baby boomers (born 1946–1964) are the least prepared, with only 39% reporting any kind of disaster plan. TL;DR: Baby boomers are the least prepared for disasters, despite rising extreme weather and growing awareness across generations. Quick Look at What…

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A former U.S. Army soldier convicted of rape, desertion and indecent assualt was arrested in Spain nearly 30 years after fleeing his unit in Germany, ending one of the longest-running manhunts in U.S. Marshals history, the agency announced last week. Jesse Bussey, who had been on the run since 1996, was arrested Nov. 10, 2025, in Málaga, Spain, where authorities said he was teaching English and living under an alias. He has been extradited to the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where he begins his 16-year military prison sentence. Bussey was convicted in absentia for rape, desertion and…

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadIf you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by preparedness and life in general, you’re not alone. I received a message from someone in the Mind4Survival community that said: “I feel so overwhelmed by everything I need to do, and it keeps me from doing anything.” That kind of overwhelm—the kind of overwhelm that keeps you from doing things because it paralyses your ability to take action is more common than you might think. And it makes sense. You’re juggling family, work, stress, life in general—and on top of that, you’re supposed to plan and prepare for…

The Department of Veterans Affairs is eliminating activity geared toward veterans’ gender identities and reclassifying its LGBTQ+ care coordinators, according to an internal memo made public this week.The purpose of the June 12 memo, it says, is to bring the department into compliance with two executive orders signed last year at the start of President Donald Trump’s second term: one that ended the federal government’s diversity, equity and inclusion activities and another that required the federal government to recognize two biological sexes.Undersecretary for Health John Bartrum sent the directive to all Veterans Health Administration senior leaders, as well as directors…

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadYou’ve probably heard it before: that 90% of Americans would die within a year of an EMP attack. It’s one of the most quoted numbers in all of preparedness. But that number didn’t come from a study or model. It came from a single sentence in a 2005 Senate hearing. It wasn’t a forecast—it was one extreme of a range, from no deaths to full collapse. Still, over time, the 90% death rate became gospel. And too many people now treat it as an inevitable outcome, especially in the prepper community. I’m not an…

U.S. President Donald Trump’s interim deal to end the Iran war met scorching public criticism from some of his fellow Republicans as copies of the signed agreement circulated on Capitol Hill on Thursday. One Republican senator called the framework pact announced this week the “worst foreign policy blunder in decades,” another said some reported provisions seemed “ill-advised,” and some pro-Republican commentators also broke with Trump over the agreement.The criticism was a rare rebuke from members of the Republican Party who have mostly offered full loyalty to the president, but are increasingly restive as the economic effects of the Iran conflict…

Sign up for the Quick Strike Newsletter The hottest fishing news, tips, and tactics I’m not sure if Katherine Lee Bates, who wrote “America the Beautiful,” ever wet a line. But I’d like to think so. And as a fisherman who’s been lucky enough to fish this country from sea to shining sea, I believe our many waters filled with trout are part of the grace God shed here. Over the last 250 years we have added to this abundance by stocking non-native trout, and by translocating our native salmonids in all directions. Brown trout are a perfect example of…

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadCharlie Kirk was assassinated earlier today. The news just broke—and it’s already sending shockwaves. People on the right are stunned. Many are enraged. And there are some on the left who are—insanely enough—celebrating. Whether you followed him or couldn’t stand him, here’s the truth: This could get worse before it gets better. This has the potential to become a flashpoint that leads to further violence. As one person said on X: “Charlie Kirk is a fixture of the Gen Z social media diet. People feel like they know him. This will hit very, very…

This article was originally published by Frank Shostak at The Mises Institute.  According to the Washington Times from June 10, 2026, the US President Donald Trump brushed off the rising inflation number—i.e., the yearly growth rate of the consumer price index (CPI)—which jumped to 4.2 percent in May from 3.8 percent in April. “No, I love it. The numbers were great. You know what I really love? I love the inflation,” Mr. Trump said in the Oval Office. The US President may be expressing a view that is popular in economics. By this way of thinking, the policy of price stability does…

Senate lawmakers are pushing to restrict Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s travel spending until he provides lawmakers with a civilian harm investigation into the February bombing of an Iranian girls’ school and unedited video footage of the Latin American boat strikes.The Senate Armed Services Committee included a provision in its version of fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act that would reduce funding for Hegseth’s travel to no more than 25% until the committee receives what lawmakers describe as overdue reports and supporting documents.The committee approved its version of the NDAA last week in an 18-9 vote, sending the bill…

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadGoing to hear a public speaker or watch a live event shouldn’t have to be nerve-wracking. But after a string of high-profile assassination attempts—including one that succeeded—more people are wondering: how do I keep myself and my family safer at rallies, concerts, or outdoor events? And you’re right to wonder. There’s no two ways about it. And that’s what this article is going to focus on: How to stay safe at a public event, should shooting start. What do you do? What’s the best course of action? Let’s walk through what smart event preparation…

The U.S. Navy on Thursday ended its blockade of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from Iranian ports, U.S. Central Command announced.President Donald Trump issued the directive, ending an operation that began on April 12 and led to the redirection of 142 commercial vessels and disabling of nine non-compliant vessels.“Our great naval ships will remain in the general area to make sure that all aspects of the agreement are adhered to, obeyed and in full force and effect,” CENTCOM said.The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding Wednesday that calls for a 60-day ceasefire and the…

Sign up for the Quick Strike Newsletter The hottest fishing news, tips, and tactics The Griz, or Dick Grzywinski, is best known for guiding walleye fishermen on the Mississippi River. But one of his favorite gamefish to target is northern pike, mostly because pike are better eating than walleyes (not to mention that the Griz’s stretch of the Mississippi is all catch-and-release for walleye). The Griz trolls for pike by targeting submerged weed beds. He has a special method for removing the slime from the keeper fish, and he has a simple method for removing Y-bones. Here are a few…

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadIf you’ve spent any time in the prepping world, you’ve thought long and hard about the X. The event. The disaster. The fight. The day it all goes sideways. You’ve worked on plans to get through it—the food, the water, the gear, the skills. Good. That’s the work. But here’s the question almost nobody preps for: what happens to your mind after you make it through? That’s the heart of my conversation with Kris Hasenauer on episode 308 of the Mind4Survival podcast. Kris is a former Green Beret with the 20th Special Forces Group…