Preparedness Notes for Saturday – June 23, 2018

On July 23, 1942, The Nazis continued their reprehensible and criminal behavior by making the first selections for the gas chamber at Auschwitz on a train of Jews from Paris. o o o SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today features another entry for Round 77 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any …




A Memoir On One Family’s Move To The American Redoubt- Part 5, by X. Liberal & China Doll

As the title indicates, my wife and I are outlining our family’s move to the American Redoubt. At this point, we have the exterior of the home finished– the basement, the log walls, the gables and the roof, and also the porch. Now, it’s time for some of the added necessities to make it liveable. Septic Tank (Four days were required for putting in the septic tank. This included the time to dig and also grade after it was completed.) YouTube For All Construction Phases of This Project Many videos on YouTube will explain how to do things and also …




Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make long-term and short-term plans. Steadily, we work on meeting our prepping goals. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities. They also often share their planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, property improvements, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year. We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in the Comments. Let’s keep busy and be ready! …




The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “HJL”. Today contains a great link on dehydrating chicken. Facial Recognition According to this article sent in by reader R.K., a group of Amazon employees is asking Jeff Bezos to stop selling facial recognition to law enforcement. The group claims that the software will be used to harm the most marginalized ethnic groups. Of course, the letter notes that the police are targeting black activists and those who would be deported. While I …







Preparedness Notes for Friday – June 22, 2018

During World War II, the U.S. 10th Army overcame the last major pockets of Japanese resistance on Okinawa Island on June 22nd, 1945, ending one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. The same day, Japanese Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima, the commander of Okinawa’s defense, committed suicide with a number of Japanese officers and troops rather than surrender. o o o SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today features another entry for Round 77 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from …




A Memoir On One Family’s Move To The American Redoubt- Part 4, by X. Liberal & China Doll

As the title indicates, my wife and I are outlining our family’s move to the American Redoubt. At this point, we’d already dug and poured the foundation and put in the walls of our log cabin. However, it’s not a log cabin without logs. Unloading Logs (Four hours were dedicated just to unloading the logs.) This required another piece of rental equipment called a lull. (It is a large fork truck that can keep level when it’s on rough terrain by tipping its shocks to compensate.) The semi-truck pulled up and parked 200 yards from the site due to the …




Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. And it bears mention that most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of JWR. (SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor.) Today’s focus is on The Great Unwinding. (See the Economy & Finance section.)   Precious Metals: Gold At 6-Month Low, But Metal Is Now Oversold o o o Peter Hug: Gold Stabilizes But Strong Dollar Remains Obstacle To Higher Prices o o o Russia Buys 600,000 oz Of Gold …




The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

I feel obliged to withhold my approval of the plan, as proposed by this bill, to indulge a benevolent and charitable sentiment through the appropriation of public funds for that purpose. I can find no warrant for such an appropriation in the Constitution, and I do not believe that the power and duty of the general government ought to be extended to the relief of individual suffering which is in no manner properly related to the public service or benefit. A prevalent tendency to disregard the limited mission of this power and duty should, I think, be steadfastly resisted, to …




Preparedness Notes for Thursday – June 21, 2018

June 21st is the birthday of Rex Applegate (June 21, 1914 – July 14, 1998), author of Kill or Be Killed. He was the friend and mentor of SurvivalBlog’s Senior Field Gear Editor, Pat Cascio. o o o SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today features another entry for Round 77 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This …




A Memoir On One Family’s Move To The American Redoubt- Part 3, by X. Liberal & China Doll

As the title indicates, my wife and I are outlining our family’s move to the American Redoubt. In part 2, we began with an overview of our finances/expenses of our move and property purchase and began detailing the build activities. Today, we are continuing with our log cabin construction process. Concrete Pour (We required one day for the concrete pour.) At this point, your first cement truck will arrive, with spinning bucket and all. Back them up to the corner that you want to start at, and have him extend the chute to boom over to line up between the …




The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “HJL”. There is an interesting article on common gun control lies today. Off-Grid Air Conditioning Reader T.J. sent in this interesting video from YouTuber Engineer775. In it, he is installing his first true off-grid air-conditioner with a 75 SEER rating. They are currently unavailable till August 2018, but it is intriguing that you can have a heat pump that will run on 750W of solar panel. Since you generally need air conditioning when …




The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“We must be as stealthy as rats in the wainscoting of their society. It was easier in the old days, of course, and society had more rats when the rules were looser, just as old wooden buildings have more rats than concrete buildings. But there are rats in the building now as well. Now that society is all ferrocrete and stainless steel there are fewer gaps in the joints. It takes a very smart rat indeed to find these openings. Only a stainless steel rat can be at home in this environment…” – Harry Harrison, The Stainless Steel Rat




Preparedness Notes for Wednesday – June 20, 2018

June 20th is the birthday of Audie L. Murphy. Born 1925. He died in a plane crash on May 28, 1971. This is also the anniversary of the death of novelist Vince Flynn. (Born April 6, 1966, died June 19, 2013.) His death at age 47 was a loss to the literary world. o o o SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today features another entry for Round 77 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The …




A Memoir On One Family’s Move To The American Redoubt- Part 2, by X. Liberal & China Doll

As the title indicates, my wife and I are outlining our family’s move to the American Redoubt. In part 1, we explained why we made the move to the American Redoubt and now we are getting into the nuts and bolts of our process. Finances/Budget Milestone Cost – USD Property Search/Travel to locations $4,000.00 Land Purchase Classified Log Package Kit $37,000.00 Foundation $15,000.00 Subfloor $5,000.00 Gables /Roof $7,000.00 Roof foam/frame $8,000.00 Tin roof $4,000.00 Porches $1,500.00 Stain/log jam $3,500.00 Temp Stove/Chimney $3,200.00 Septic Tank/chambers $3,000.00 Propane Tank/Filled $4,000.00 Grading Property $3,500.00 Interior walls/Insulation $2,000.00 Plumbing $2,500.00 Electric $3,000.00 Vents/interior wall …