Black Bag Confidential

This week’s batch of must-read articles covers all sorts of threats from disease to digital and everything in between. But first, see why sometimes it pays to think like a criminal. 

Sure, Mason jars are “trendy” — you see them all over crafty websites like Etsy and Pinterest — but they’re also super useful and CHEAP. In today’s article, our friends over at 4Patriots have collected over 15 uses for Mason jars. Check it out.

Sometimes it’s not easy to explain certain spy and survival techniques in writing. Which is why I included a video in my answer to the first of this week’s mailbag questions. In it, you’ll discover how to pick a lock using just two simple tools.

When you decide to be part of an event or activity that is located at a “soft target,” you owe it to yourself and others to perform this simple set of steps.

There are homes across the U.S. built near hillsides or narrow channels that can easily turn into a deadly mudslide — yours may be one of them. So today, I want to share four tips to help you stay safe in the event of a mudslide where you live.

Today, our resident Special Operations physician, Omar Hamada, reviewed the basics of trauma care for civilians. These skills could come in handy not only after a shooting incident, but also after a car accident or any number of other emergencies.

This week’s must-read articles cover how to stop major blood loss in gunshot victims, safety tips for school and work and the most important thing you can do to protect yourself absolutely anywhere.

In this week’s mailbag, learn how to store a secret cache of survival gear, which models to try if you’re looking for a shotgun with less recoil and how to create a simple Faraday cage out of household items. Plus, one reader offers a fantastic solution for protecting your data if you choose to use cloud storage.

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If you are an American traveling in China, there is a good chance your hotel room is under some sort of surveillance. Did you know you these same security concerns also exist in America? They do. So here are four hotel security tips, whether you are staying overseas for business or just taking a weekend trip with your family: