Damian Ross has an impressive résumé. He has earned three black belts in various martial arts, placed in international competitions and worked as a bouncer, security agent and private contractor. See what he has to say about how most crimes of violence begin — and the best way to avoid them altogether.

Today, I want to review five common home security mistakes that make your home an easy target for a burglar looking for a crime of opportunity. Let’s get started.

Tim Larkin sure doesn’t sugarcoat things when it comes to self-defense. Check out his article on what constitutes a good self-protection mentality. It’s valuable, no-nonsense information everyone should keep in mind.

In the first of this week’s must-read articles, you’ll learn how to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft when you least expect it. Today’s roundup also discusses the White House’s new cyber policy, the practicality of drone registration and why many preppers will die when the SHTF.

Certain jobs need certain tools. Check out this article from our friends over at 4Patriots that runs down 12 self-reliance tools you should own. Be sure to get your hands on them BEFORE the SHTF — or you might be SOL.

Ransomware attacks are escalating, and I realize that many of you depend on your computers for work — without access to your files you could be losing out on income. Paying to have your files restored may seem worth it, but here are four reasons you should NEVER pay a ransom to recover your data.

This edition of the Weekly Drop covers the best bear spray on the market, which waist wallet you should invest in for your next trip and how to prepare if bugging out is not an option. Let’s take a look.

There are some gun owners out there who want a more customized firearm to suit their needs. If you fall into that category, take a look at this article posted by my buddy Caleb Lee over at Prepared Gun Owners. It runs down four popular handgun modifications worth considering if you want to personalize your firearm.

Last week was tough. I spent the entire week off the grid. Today, I want to share some of the lessons I learned so you can benefit from my experience without having to torture yourself like I did.

Today, our friends over at 4Patriots offer a botanical solution to making your home a harder target. Read on to learn about seven barbarous plants you can add to your yard that will make any criminal think twice about trespassing.

Parts of North America were (and in some cases still are) battling various natural disasters, and let me tell you, Mother Nature is putting up one helluva fight. This week’s must-read articles cover flash floods in the Southwest and wildfires in the north, along with ways to guard your electronics and your finances.

I own a quite a few different guns. What can I say? I’m a big gun guy. One of my favorite firearms is my 1911 — a pistol I think everyone should own. What makes the 1911 such an exceptional firearm? Find out in today’s alert.

Ten minutes and 30 seconds. That’s the national average time it takes a police officer to show up at the scene after a high-priority 911 call is received. This is why it is your response time and what you do in an active shooter scenario that really count.

I’m kicking off this edition of the Weekly Drop with a couple of questions about the NOC Knife — including what makes it a superior survival knife and the best way to care for it.

Every time you journey overseas, there are several critical steps you need to take to ensure you have a safe trip. So if you’ve got an international expedition coming up, be sure to add these seven items to your vacation checklist.

As drone usage expands and drone applications continue to improve, the question that inevitably comes up is should you buy one?

I don’t believe anyone should ever resign themselves to inevitable tragedy because they don’t think they can make it out in time. That’s quitter talk. This piece from Jeff Anderson over at Modern Combat & Survival offers three survival tips for seniors and those with limited mobility.

When we talk about threats, a big part of what we talk about is how likely it is a certain threat will become a reality — then we prepare accordingly. This week’s collection of must-read articles will help you prepare for the familiar and the far-fetched because you never know what will happen.

A good night’s rest is vital to your health. Our friends over at 4Patriots agree. Check out their piece below on the value of adequate sleep, including five simple sleep remedies to help you get the quality shut-eye you need.

In a natural disaster or other emergency, you are pretty much on your own. You can’t always depend on local police or fire personnel to come save the day. So as you’re preparing — purchasing supplies and gear — you should also consider taking classes in one or more of these four skill sets.

Today’s Weekly Drop is a collection of questions and answers that address various aspects of protecting your privacy — online and in everyday life. Let’s take a look.

If you’re assaulted in a confined area — without a firearm — and you have no choice but to fight back, then you need to overwhelm your attacker with force. In other words, you should perform this specific attack with everything you’ve got.

Consider how many accounts your cellphone number is associated with. Now imagine a cybercriminal getting their hands on all the information in those accounts just by having your phone number. Scary, isn’t it? Well, here are five steps you can take to prevent having your cellphone number compromised.

Today, our friends at the Survival Ready Blog run down the biggest blunders people make misusing their survival knives. Be sure to give it a read so you don’t make the same mistakes.