A lot of people who live in apartments take one look at their space and immediately conclude, “There is no way I can ever grow food here.” I’m here to tell you that you absolutely can. Preparedness isn’t about having a massive off-grid farm right away. It’s about building systems where you are. Apartment gardening is all about working with the space you have: vertical areas, containers, available lighting, and smart strategies to grow real food in small square footage. Whether you have a shelf under a bright window, a balcony, or a porch, you can build a mini food-growing…

Medical emergencies can happen when you least expect them. One morning, I was making breakfast for the family and was slicing a bagel. Next thing you know, the bagel knife slipped and sliced through a huge part of my left thumb. There was blood everywhere, so the first thing I did was to find gauze and apply pressure to control the bleeding. The bleeding lessened, but would not stop. I ended up driving myself to the hospital Emergency Department, where the ER doc stitched up the wound. I was glad I had that first aid kit to at least help…

I spent years overseeing the guard force security contract at the embassy in Baghdad. I know this 100+ acre compound well, and I know exactly what it means to rely on its defensive systems. There has been a recent shift in the security landscape that every preparedness-minded person needs to pay attention to. Recently, Iranian proxies launched a drone and rocket attack on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. One of this world’s most critical and heavily fortified diplomatic facilities isn’t just another localized target. It signals a major change in how warfare and terrorism are conducted—and it has direct ripple…

It’s Independence Day. It’s the 250th Independence Day. It’s a special time that will be filled with celebration, family, friends, and a desperate attempt to survive the heat. I still remember the 200th Independence Day. I was small, but I made my mother bake a birthday cake for America. I mean, that’s how you celebrated birthdays, right?I’m glad to still be here for this one, and I sincerely hope that my children understand how special this is.The folks at the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms do, and they know that…

When you practice tornado drills, you account for every member of your family. You know the safest room, you have your emergency kit, and you have a plan. But does that plan include the four-legged members of your household? For many, pets are family. Ensuring their safety during a tornado requires the same level of practical, proactive planning you apply to everyone else. Animals can sense changes in weather and often become anxious long before the sirens blare. A scared pet is an unpredictable one. Without a clear plan, chaos can take over, and in those critical moments, a pet…

A Ukrainian drone attack struck an oil terminal in St. Petersburg on Saturday, Russian officials said, as Kyiv presses on with bombardment of Russia’s oil infrastructure. Almost daily long-range attacks on Russian oil facilities have created a fuel crisis and heaped political pressure on the Kremlin as its all-out invasion of Ukraine stretches into its fifth year. Gov. Alexander Beglov said the city’s Kirovsky district on the Baltic Sea was hit. He also said that air defenses shot down 72 Ukrainian drones across Russia’s second-largest city and the surrounding region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack as part of…

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadLife has a way of drifting off course in small steps. One day, everything feels normal. The next day, you’re thinking about current events, wondering why the world feels like it’s out of alignment. It’s rarely one big event. It’s the accumulation of little disruptions that stack up until things feel off. This is where routine can become not only a force multiplier, but in the right (or wrong) circumstances, a quiet lifesaver. I’m talking about the kind of personal routine, a simple rhythm that helps keep you on track when the rest of…

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadA couple of weeks ago, I asked the Mind4Survival Facebook group a simple question: “If you could pressure-test one part of your plan this weekend, what would it be?” The answers came from several members of the Mind4Survival Facebook group—people just like you. They were all honest and thoughtful responses about the gaps they wanted to close. Four of their responses stood out, and they inspired a list of simple, effective tests you can run this weekend to strengthen your own plans. TL;DR: Test your preparedness plan by running a simple drill this weekend…

Watch full video on YouTube

Watch full video on YouTube

Watch full video on YouTube