Ask yourself these four questions to reveal your level of preparedness

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Think for a moment about the last time you experienced an emergency situation such as a winter storm or a power outage. How prepared were you?

Now consider a bigger problem such as a large-scale food shortage or water contamination incident. What if a disaster forced you to leave your home for days or even weeks? How well would you survive such situations?

Just the thought can be overwhelming. Preparedness experts Justin Wheeler and Daniel Dean joined me to tackle these tough questions and lay out practical action plans you can take with your family to take your level of preparedness up a notch. It begins with asking yourself the following four questions:

  1. How would a friend describe my level of preparedness?
  2. What supplies do I have on hand?
  3. What steps have I taken?
  4. What scenarios am I ready for?

Find out your level of preparedness by matching your answers to the ones below.

LEVEL 0

How a Friend Would Describe Me

  • No thought or effort put toward preparedness. Every emergency situation is a potential disaster.

Supplies I Have on Hand

  • Less than one week of food in my house.
  • No self defense plan or equipment.
  • No water stored or way to purify it.
  • No extra medicines/prescriptions.
  • No grid-independent energy/heat capacity.

Example of Supplies at This Level

  • Condiments in the fridge, Pop-Tarts in the cabinet.

Steps I Have Taken

  • None. I see articles online and government alerts about being prepared for emergencies, but haven't put any energy toward it yet.

Scenarios I'm Ready For

  • Situation, such as power outage for one day or less due to rainstorm.

***You'll be in trouble beyond a single day of an emergency situation***

LEVEL 1

How a Friend Would Describe Me

  • You have awareness that one should have some stuff on hand for emergencies, and some effort put toward that. Note: This is how most Americans actually live their lives.

Supplies I Have on Hand

  • About two weeks worth of food and water (or way to purify water), somewhat informally, mostly extra canned goods.
  • Basic first aid and OTC medicines on hand because you buy value-sized to make sure you always have a little extra.

Example of Supplies at This Level

  • Flashlight and batteries.
  • Non-perishable foods: canned goods, cereal, pasta/rice, etc.
  • "Bathroom first aid" items (Band-Aids, Ibuprofen, thermometer, Vaseline, etc).
  • Bottled water, a gallon of bleach.

Steps I Have Taken

  • Physical copies of key documents: birth certificates, marriage license, passports, mortgage, car title/registration, etc.
  • I've talked to the adults/older children in my household about "what we'd do if" scenarios, such as a fire, flood, power outage, etc.

Scenarios I'm Ready For

• Small regional issue, minor disruption of services, such as power out for three+ days due to earthquake, ice storm, etc.

***You'll be in trouble after a few days of an emergency situation, or if you're forced to leave home***

LEVEL 2

How a Friend Would Describe Me

  • You're a "Boy Scout." You probably wear a belt even if you have suspenders on. You feel consciously responsible for being prepared. Regular, organized effort put toward being prepared physically, if not mentally and spiritually. You're someone friends/family think of as "prepared" and would probably turn to in an emergency.

Supplies I Have on Hand

  • At least one month of food and water stored (or way to purify water).
  • Prescriptions on hand sufficient for at least a month.
  • Capacity to generate off-grid heat/power on site (e.g. generator, basic solar).
  • An "emergency kit" on hand so you can grab it and leave home if necessary.
  • Something on hand you can use for self defense, could be a firearm, could be a baseball bat.

Example of Supplies at This Level

  • Non-perishable foods specifically stored for emergencies, sufficient for two meals per day per person: rice, beans, dry pasta, canned goods, oats, salt, etc.
  • Actual portable first-aid kit sufficient for the household/family.
  • Candles or lantern, matches.
  • Sleeping bags and extra blankets.
  • Water stored and water purification supplies.

Steps I Have Taken

  • A plan. My household has a plan in place that covers a few specific scenarios, such as what we'll all do in an ice storm/blizzard or if there is a terror attack in our area. The people in my household know what to do and whom to contact if there is an emergency.

Scenarios I'm Ready For

  • Regional issue including significant disruption of basic services, such as a power outage of up to 1 month.

***You'll be in trouble after an emergency situation lasting longer than a month, or if forced to leave home for longer than a couple of days***

LEVEL 3

How a Friend Would Describe Me

  • You've made prepping a "way of life" to an extent and are ready for anything. It's more than a personal thing; this is a group activity now, within your family circle, and perhaps with friends and neighbors.

Supplies I Have on Hand

  • A one-year supply of food/water or more, and the capacity/plan to grow more in a garden.
  • Barter items that will be useful in an economic collapse, such as silver/gold, ammunition, building hardware, clothing.
  • Major first aid supplies, including antibiotics, basic surgical equipment, etc.
  • The capacity to generate energy, heat and potable water off-grid, including fuel as necessary.
  • Both handguns and rifles/shotguns on hand, enough ammo that you're worried about being on an ATF watch list.

Example of Supplies at This Level

  • Significant food storage, including a scheduled calories/day diet for all household members: dehydrated and bulk dried foods.
  • Major first-aid/trauma and emergency dental kit plus potassium iodate tablets sufficient for 10-15 days.
  • A handgun and rifle for all willing adult members of the household, 1000 rounds of ammunition per weapon.
  • Propane or other cooking and heating fuel safely stored.
  • Gold and silver coins, rounds or bars.

Steps I Have Taken

  • Serious training both for myself as well as other household members, including survival/medical skills, farming, sewing skills that will be necessary during a prolonged breakdown of services and government control.
  • I have a relocation plan that involves my own family and potentially others, including provisions I can use both locally and wherever my retreat location is.

Scenarios I'm Ready For

  • A major national emergency, such as a complete economic collapse, a nuclear/biological war or pandemic, or an EMP taking out the US Power grid

***You'll be in trouble if there isn't some semblance of a stable recovery and government after a full year***

LEVEL 4

How a Friend Would Describe Me

  • You are ready to survive a Zombie apocalypse. You absolutely terrify the Liberal Intelligentsia.

Supplies I Have on Hand

  • Gardening and/or farming equipment.
  • Solar bank with deep storage batteries.
  • Farm animals.
  • Horses or ATVs for travel (with stored feed/fuel).
  • 500+ gallons of fuel/diesel stored below ground.
  • Battle rifles and carbines, at least 10,000 rounds of ammunition per weapon.
  • Copy of the Bible, the U.S. Constitution, the Federalist Papers, Atlas Shrugged and books by Glenn Beck.

Example of Supplies at This Level

  • Heirloom seeds, fertilizer/compost.
  • FAL, M-14 or AR-15 rifles, accessories, extra magazines and equipment.
  • Goats, cows, pigs and chickens or other livestock.
  • Extra auto parts for ATVs/Vehicles: batteries, starter, alternator, belts, hoses, water pump, etc.
  • Kerosene and lantern, wood or coal stove and fuel.
  • Surgical kit including scalpels, clamps, sutures/staples, blood transfusion kits.

Steps I Have Taken

  • I have a fully capable small farm/ranch, with food and supplies for myself, family and visitors.
  • I have the plans and capability to defend it all against marauders up to platoon-sized foreign/UN troops.
  • I have the ability to generate an income in a scenario either through selling food, equipment or services I am sufficiently skilled to deliver.
  • I have the spiritual and philosophical basis to make morally correct decisions for myself, my family and property in a doomsday scenario.

Scenarios I'm Ready For

  • The End of Days/Rapture/2nd Coming, global thermonuclear war, eruption of the Yellowstone Caldera, election of Hillary Clinton

***You'll be in trouble only if you fail to maintain my moral compass during trying times***


This post was originally published on December 1, 2015.

Why do planes keep crashing?

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Last week, two more serious air travel incidents occurred, adding to the mounting number of aviation disasters this year. Is flying safe?

Over the past year, the number of aviation disasters that have been blasted across the media has been steadily rising, with February alone having a half dozen incidents. It begs the question: Is air travel becoming more dangerous? Or has the media just increased its coverage of a "normal" amount of crashes?

If you look at the data, it suggests that flying has been—and remains—safe. The number of accidents and fatalities has been steadily decreasing year over year and remains a small percentage of total flights. In 2024, out of the approximate 16 million flights recorded by the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S. every year, there were 1,150 accidents resulting in 304 fatalities, meaning that the average flight in America has a 0.007% chance of an accident. In addition, the National Transportation Safety Board records a decrease in both fatal and non-fatal aviation accidents when compared to 2024. By this time last year, there were already 399 crashes and accidents, while this year has only clocked in 271.

That being said, Sean Duffy, Trump's new transportation secretary, admitted that America's air traffic control system needs an overhaul. Duffy pointed toward dated air traffic control equipment, overregulation, and radical DEI as the culprits behind many recent aviation accidents.

But what do the crashes suggest? We've gathered details about the major aviation accidents this year so you can decide for yourself why planes keep crashing:

American Airlines Blackhawk collision over D.C.

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In one of the deadliest U.S. aviation accidents in the last decade, an American Airlines plane collided with a Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. The American Airlines flight was approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport carrying 60 passengers and four crew when it collided midair with the Army helicopter, crewed by three, killing all 67 people involved.

The exact cause behind the mid-air collision is still under investigation, but it is believed that the Black Hawk was up too high and outside of its designated flight path. A report from the New York Times suggests that the air control tower at the Ronald Regan Washington Airport has suffered years of understaffing, which seems to be a result of DEI hiring practices. Investigators are piecing through the wreckage, and the exact cause of the crash is still unknown.

Medevac explosion in Philadelphia

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On the night of Friday, March 31st, a medevac plane with six people on board crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood, killing everyone on board, along with one man on the ground. The small jet departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6 pm, and according to the FAA, it crashed less than a minute later after reaching an elevation of 1,650 feet. The ensuing explosion cast a massive fireball into the sky and wounded 19 people on the ground, killing one.

The six people on board the jet were Mexican nationals, including a mother and her sick daughter who was receiving treatment from Shriners Children’s Hospital in northeast Philadelphia. As of now, there is no official cause of the crash, but much of the plane has been recovered, and the incident is being investigated.

Alaskan flight disappearance outside of Nome

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At approximately 3:16 pm, on Thursday, February 6th, a small commuter plane working for Bering Air, carrying 10 passengers, took off from the town of Unalakeet, Alaska, destined for the nearby town of Nome. After a few hours, Nome lost contact with the small plane as weather conditions worsened. The following day, the Coast Guard discovered the remains of the plane, all 10 occupants were dead.

The wreckage of the aircraft, along with the remains of the passengers and crew, have been recovered and are under investigation. While there has been no official explanation given for the crash, the poor weather is believed to be a major contributing factor.

Small jet collision in Scottsdale

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The pilot of a small jet died after the aircraft crashed into a larger plane in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Monday, February 10th. The owner of the jet that crashed was Vince Neil, the frontman of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, but Neil was not on board at the time of the accident. The jet had just landed in Scottsdale, where it appeared to veer out of control and smash into a parked Gulfstream at high speed. The plane was carrying four people: two pilots and two passengers. One of the pilots was killed, and the other three were seriously injured. There was only one person aboard the Gulfstream at the time of the crash, they suffered injuries but refused treatment.

It is believed that the landing gear failed upon landing, which caused the jet to skitter out of control and smash into the parked plane.

Delta crash in Toronto

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On Monday, February 17th, a Delta aircraft flipped while landing and slid upside down across the runway while ablaze at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Fortunately, all 80 people aboard survived, and only three people suffered critical (though not life-threatening) injuries. First responders were quickly on the scene, extinguishing the fires and assisting the grateful survivors out of the wreckage.

The crash is believed to have been caused in part by the extreme weather in Toronto, which included a powerful crosswind and potential ice on the runway. It is also suspected that the landing gear failed to deploy properly, causing the plane to flip in the severe wind.

Small plane collision north of Tucson

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On Wednesday, February 19th, yet another small plane crash occurred in the skies above Arizona. Two small aircraft collided midair near Tusosn, Arizona at Marana Regional Airport. There were two people in each of the small planes, two of which from the same aircraft died, while the other two managed to walk away with little injury.

Marana Regional Airport is an uncontrolled field, which means there is no active air traffic control present on site. Instead, pilots rely on communication with each other through a "Common Traffic Advisory Frequency" (CTAF) to safely take off and land.

Hudson helicopter crash

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A helicopter tour out of New York City took a tragic turn on Thursday, April 10th, when the Bell 206 broke apart mid-flight and plunged into the Hudson River. All six people aboard perished in the crash, which included the pilot and a tourist family of five.

New York Helicopter Tours, the operator of the flight, announced it would cease operations following the accident. The decision comes amid scrutiny of the company’s safety record, which includes a prior emergency water landing and another incident where a helicopter was forced to land shortly after takeoff due to mechanical issues. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Upstate New York family tragedy

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Days after the tragic Hudson crash, a small private plane carrying an NCAA athlete crashed in upstate New York, killing all six passengers. On Saturday, April 12, 2025, Karenna Groff, a former MIT soccer player and 2022 Woman of the Year, was aboard her father's Mitsubishi MU-2B with her parents, boyfriend, brother, and his partner when the plane went down in a muddy field in Copake, New York.

The aircraft was reportedly in good condition, and Michael Groff, Karenna's father, was an experienced pilot. While the official cause of the crash has not been determined, low visibility at the time of the incident is suspected to have been a contributing factor.

The recent string of aviation incidents underscores a troubling trend in air travel safety, raising urgent questions about the systems and policies governing the industry. While data suggests flying remains statistically safe, the alarming frequency of crashes, near misses, and systemic issues like outdated technology and questionable hiring practices cannot be ignored. BlazeTV's own Stu Burguiere did a deep dive into the recent crashes in the Blaze Originals documentary, Countdown to the Next Aviation Disaster, uncovering the truth behind the FAA’s shift toward DEI hiring and its impact on aviation safety. Featuring exclusive interviews with former air traffic controllers, lawyers, and Robert Poole—the inventor of TSA PreCheck—this documentary exposes how the Biden-Harris administration’s policies, under Pete Buttigieg’s leadership, have contributed to making air travel more dangerous than ever.

Did Democrats just betray fair elections? The SAVE Act controversy explained

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One of President Trump’s key campaign promises, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, faces fierce opposition from Democrats in the Senate.

The SAVE Act recently passed Congress for the second time and is now headed to the Senate. This voter security bill mandates proof of U.S. citizenship for all federal elections. It garnered unanimous Republican support in Congress but was backed by only four Democrats, consistent with last year’s Senate rejection of the bill.

Glenn has repeatedly emphasized the urgency of securing our elections, warning that without reform in the next four years, free and fair elections may become a thing of the past. However, the SAVE Act faces significant hurdles. Republicans lack the Senate votes to overcome a filibuster, meaning the bill’s fate hinges on bipartisan support—something Democrats have been reluctant to offer.

So, what exactly does the SAVE Act do? Why are Democrats opposing it? And how can you help ensure its passage?

What the SAVE Act Entails

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The SAVE Act is straightforward: it requires voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship before casting a ballot in federal elections. This measure responds to reports of voter fraud, including allegations of noncitizens, such as illegal immigrants, voting in past presidential elections. Acceptable forms of identification include a REAL ID, U.S. passport, military ID, birth certificate, or other specified documents.

Additionally, the bill mandates that states remove noncitizens from voter rolls and lists of eligible voters. It also establishes criminal penalties for officials who fail to comply with these new guidelines.

Democrats’ Opposition to the SAVE Act

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Democrats have strongly criticized the SAVE Act, arguing it discriminates against women, transgender individuals, and minorities. They claim that people who have changed their names—such as women after marriage or transgender individuals—may struggle to vote if their current ID doesn’t match their birth certificate. However, the bill allows multiple forms of identification beyond birth certificates, meaning affected individuals can use updated IDs like a REAL ID or passport.

The argument that minorities are disproportionately harmed is slightly more substantiated. A recent survey showed that 93 percent of voting-age Black Americans, 94 percent of voting-age Hispanics, and 95 percent of voting-age Native Americans have valid photo IDs, compared to 97% of voting-age whites and 98 percent of voting-age Asians. However, in 2024, only about 58 percent of the voting-age population cast ballots—a trend that has been consistent for decades. There’s little evidence that Americans are prevented from voting due to a lack of ID. Instead of opposing the bill, a more constructive approach would be to assist the small percentage of Americans without IDs in obtaining proper documentation.

How You Can Make a Difference

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The stakes couldn’t be higher—free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy. Conservatives must rally to ensure the SAVE Act becomes law. Contact your Senators to express your support for the bill and highlight its importance in safeguarding electoral integrity. Grassroots efforts, such as sharing accurate information about the SAVE Act on social media or discussing it with friends and family, can amplify its visibility. Local advocacy groups may also offer opportunities to organize or participate in campaigns that pressure lawmakers to act. Every voice counts, and collective action could tip the scales in favor of this critical legislation.

"Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should."

-Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park

The monstrous Dire Wolf, extinct for 10,000 years, has returned. This larger, ancient wolf species—popularized by HBO’s Game of Thrones—was resurrected by Colossal Laboratories, a Dallas-based bioscience company. Colossal utilized both preserved ancient Dire Wolf DNA and modern gray wolf DNA combined with some clever gene-crafting and a healthy pinch of hubris to create three approximations of the ancient canine.

While the wolves posed for a photoshoot alongside Game of Thrones props and its creator, Colossal’s broader plans remain unclear. However, what Glenn recently uncovered about the company is far more monstrous than the wolves will ever be. Glenn revealed that the CIA, through a nonprofit group known as In-Q-Tel, is funding Colossal's endeavors to bring back all sorts of extinct beasts. With the recently released JFK Files exposing the CIA’s unchecked power, Glenn warns of the dangerous potential behind this genetic manipulation—and the rogue agency’s possible motives.

Here are the top three most horrifying uses the CIA could have for this technology:

Dual-Use Technology

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Colossal and other biotech firms advertise a variety of "civilian" uses for bioengineered beasts, including research subjects, exotic zoos, and even climate restoration. As dubious as those uses are, Glenn revealed that the CIA could be cooking up something much worse. Gene-editing tools like CRISPR are inherently dual-purpose and easily adaptable for military use. As one of Colossal’s major investors, the CIA gains prime access to cutting-edge biotech, likely eyeing its potential for warfare.

Frankenstein’s Spy Lab

Like AI, one can only guess at the maximum capabilities of this gene-editing technology. On air, Glenn speculated about bioengineered resilient organisms, animals with tweaked senses designed for espionage or combat in areas inaccessible to drones or humans. Playing God to create new weapons of war sounds right up the CIA's alley.

Even worse than man-made mutant mutts, Glenn pointed out that these augmentations are by no means limited to animals. We could see (or rather, hear unverified rumors of) the rise of the next generation of super soldier projects. Human experimentation is not outside of the CIA's scope (think MKUltra), and genetically or chemically augmented humans have been a pipe dream for many a clandestine organization for decades. Is there anything more horrifying than an agency with as little oversight as the CIA in control of something as powerful and potentially devastating as gene-augmentation?

Eco-Warfare Unleashed

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Why attack a single target when you could attack an entire ecosystem instead?

Anyone who has had to deal with the destructive effects of fire ants knows how dangerous an invasive species can be to the human, plant, and animal inhabitants of any given region. Now imagine genetically engineered Dire Wolves or Woolly Mammoths unleashed by the CIA to cripple an enemy’s agriculture or environment. Such a weapon could inflict irreparable damage from a distance. Even the mere threat of eco-warfare might serve as a deterrent, though its unpredictability could reshape the world in ways we can’t control or repair.

Trump’s Liberation day unveiled: 3 shocking takeaways you need to know

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President Trump’s new tariffs have sparked global outrage, and even conservatives are divided over the merits of his plan.

On Wednesday, April 2, 2025, President Trump declared "Liberation Day" to usher in a new era for the American economy. This bold initiative began with the introduction of sweeping tariffs on most—if not all—countries trading with the United States. These tariffs are reciprocal, meaning the percentage charged to each country mirrors the tariffs they impose on U.S. goods. The goal was to level the playing field between America and its trade partners.

As Glenn predicted, these tariffs have caused some immediate damage to the economy; the stock market has been hit hard, and China has already imposed a retaliatory tariff. While many fear that a recession is inbound, along with a global trade war, others are trusting in Trump's plan, keeping their head and preparing to ride out this rough patch.

So, what exactly are these "Liberation Day" tariffs, and what happened on April 2? Here are the top three takeaways:

Baseline Tariff

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To kick off Liberation Day, the White House unveiled a baseline tariff affecting all imports to the U.S. Starting April 5, 2025, every good entering the United States will face a 10% tariff, regardless of its country of origin. While some nations face additional tariffs on top of this baseline, others—like the UK, Australia, and Argentina—only pay the 10% rate. These countries enjoy this leniency because they impose relatively low tariffs on American goods.

Reciprocal Tariffs

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For the countries that levied heavy tariffs against America, Trump hit them back hard. Cambodia, for instance, now faces a steep 49% tariff, while China contends with 34%, the EU with 20%, and Iraq with 39%. While these tariff rates may seem steep, they are all a good bit lower than the rates they apply against the U.S (see the full chart here). Trump’s strategy is to make foreign goods prohibitively expensive, encouraging manufacturing and jobs to return to American soil. Whether this gamble succeeds remains to be seen.

Canada and Mexico

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Notably absent from the "Liberation Day" tariff list are Canada and Mexico, America’s closest neighbors. That’s because Trump already imposed tariffs on them earlier this year. In February 2025, he slapped a 25% tariff on most goods imported from both countries to pressure them into curbing the flow of fentanyl across U.S. borders. Exceptions include agricultural products, textiles, apparel, and other items protected under NAFTA.