Month: November 2016

Notes for Wednesday – November 16, 2016

November 16th is the birthday of Michael D. Echanis (born 1950, died September 1978), a former United States Army Special Forces and 75th Ranger Battalion enlisted man. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star with “V” device as a LRRP in the Vietnam War. He was born and raised in eastern Oregon. Echanis was killed while working for the CIA in Nicaragua in 1978 in a plane crash along with his colleague Charles Sanders and members of the Nicaraguan armed forces. There was conjecture that the plane was destroyed in flight by a saboteur’s bomb. JWR’s novel Survivors …


Five Acres and Independence- Part 1, by D.C.

How You Can Do It- Getting Started Many of us find the prospects of individualism and self determination, on a level of becoming a self-sustaining individual or family or even maybe tribe or community, simply daunting. It is germane to contend in this day and age, some aspects of this are difficult to fully appreciate, where they are so foreign from daily life to be almost inscrutable outliers. Just where to begin can be an overwhelming situation. Don’t feel alone. There are a myriad of ways to begin, indeed, and the simplest answer is it all begins with each of …


Letter Re: Morgan Silver Dollars

Dear Editor, In one of your guest articles today a gentleman mentioned that the old Morgan dollars are almost one ounce of silver. This is incorrect, and this rumor has been used by numerous unscrupulous dealers in the past to cheat customers. I’ve worked in the precious metals business for four years now, and I hear many such horror stories. Please let your audience know that the old Morgan and Peace dollars only contain .7734 ounces of silver, closer to three quarters versus a full ounce. – R.L.


Economics and Investing:

Saudi’s Issue Warning To Trump: Don’t Stop Saudi Oil Imports o o o National debt is growing faster than you think – B.B. o o o For anyone who believes that the Trump administration’s planned tax policies will result in an economic revival, I’d recommend parlaying some of their gold holdings into platinum, since platinum is more of an industrial metal. Presently, gold is selling for around $1228 per troy ounce, while platinum is at around $940 per ounce. In an industry-driven economic recovery, the gold-to-platinum price ratio is almost sure to return to its historic norm, with platinum selling …


JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:

Books: Come and Take It: The Gun Printer’s Guide to Thinking Free, by Cody Wilson Delorme Company State Atlases Saving Stuff: How to Care for and Preserve Your Collectibles, Heirlooms, and Other Prized Possessions Movies: Ronin The Last of the Mohicans Music: Getz/Gilberto: 50th Anniversary(Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto, with Antonio Carlos Jobim on piano) – For lovers of cool jazz and the Bossa Bova sound Piping Hot: Celtic Bagpipe Collection Podcasts: The First 40 Miles:Episode 47 “The Bear Episode” The Art of Manliness Podcast #157: Primitive Pursuits & Winter Survival Instructional Videos: Wranglerstar: A Very Bad Day Backpacking Basics: …


Odds ‘n Sods:

An outstanding read! The Dumbing Down: Lower the Standards to Meet the Men – T.P. o o o Prepping in Biblical Perspective – P.D. o o o Off-grid property damaged in NZ earthquake – an off-grid ecotourism business suffers from a 7.8 earthquake. Even the well prepared are not immune from larger events. – W.E. o o o New Zealanders leave supermarket shelves bare after being rocked by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake – forcing shop owners to ration food, milk and water – M.S. o o o 23 incredible hidden homes – H.L.



Notes for Tuesday – November 15, 2016

After 16 months of debate, the Continental Congress, sitting in its temporary capital of York, Pennsylvania, agreed to adopt the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union on November 5th, 1777. Of course, the last of the 13 states, Maryland, took until March 1, 1781 to ratify the agreement. Also on this day, Charles Dickens published the final installment of A Tale of Two Cities in Dickens’ circular. o o o Ruh-Ro! Shipping disaster looms as UPS workers vote to strike


Easy Fire Starting, by A.H.

Next to water, fire is one of the most essential needs for survival. No doubt you have six different ways to start a fire you call favorites and another twenty more you could use in a pinch. Here’s a twist on an old tried but true method. I first learned this method from Boy’s Life many, many decades ago. I wasn’t even a Boy Scout. (They didn’t want me, but that’s another story.) Anyway, I’ve always liked this method for it’s simple elegance. However,, I thought of one tweak to make it an awesome choice. Making the traditional fire starter …


Letter Re: Ruger P Model

Again, Pat Cisco has covered a handgun that is close to my heart. Thanks, as always. The 9mm Ruger P-89 is actually the first handgun that I went and bought myself back in the late eighties. To this day I love this bulky “Tank” of a gun. I am so comfortable with it that I also bought a P-94 in .40 caliber and a P-90 in .45 caliber. I remember when I bought the P-90 it was a used gun and was listed for just over $300. I offered $300 cash out the door, and that is what I got …


News From The American Redoubt:

Kristie Wolfe builds underground home & sets rural Washington hamlet. (Off-grid, of course!) o o o Eight takeaways from ‘Draining Oregon’: The big water giveaway o o o Joe Robertson Thrown In Solitary Confinement o o o Here is some news about a small company in Laramie, Wyoming: Vertical gardening is growing into the wave of the future o o o New program allows veterans to help each other heal in Montana wilderness


Economics and Investing:

GrubHub Loses MILLIONS After CEO Demands Trump Voters Resign – W.C. o o o Chinese Steadily Buying U.S. Entertainment Businesses – H.L. o o o India’s War on Cash and the Poor o o o The most expensive housing market in the world: Vancouver levies a $10,000 a year tax on empty homes. Not telling the truth and it becomes $10,000 a day. o o o SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.


Odds ‘n Sods:

Video Tour: Ultimate Bug Out Vehicle Here is another video with more rugged approach: Military Five Ton B.O.V. o o o A great 11-minute video: TOP TEN PREPPER “BUG IN” MISTAKES! o o o SurvivalBlog readers in the northeast who are looking for a 4WD vehicle should check out this auction in Pennsylvania, for a Humvee Ambulance. The long wheelbase ambulance variants only very rarely come up for auction! o o o France Plans to Implement Universal Biometric IDs – H.L. o o o The Far Left Is Planning The Biggest Political Protest In United States History For Inauguration Day