Author Archives: James Wesley Rawles

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

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Gemtech suppressor

Here is SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt. This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. We also mention companies of interest to preppers that are located in the region. The emphasis this week is on Gemini Technologies–the makers of Gemtech supressors.

Idaho (Gemtech)

First off, the announcement of S&Ws buy-out of Gemini Technologies was made in July. They are best known for their great Gemtech suppressors. Since then, the transition has reportedly gone smoothly.  The employees will also continue to work in Idaho. They will be in a new building in the small town of Meridian.  S&W was thrilled to gain Doc Dater’s very clever patents. And of course they’re also inheriting the company’s very loyal customer base. They have no  plans to move Gemini’s operations.  This acquisition leave S&W … Continue reading →


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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Derivatives

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  derivatives counterparty risk. (See the Derivatives section, below.)

Precious Metals:

This Year’s Best Commodity Is One of the Smallest Metals Markets

o  o  o

Commentary from Hub Moolman in South Africa:  Gold Set To Rise While Debt-Based Assets Collapse

Stocks:

Stock market’s record-setting rally at risk as doubts grow over Trump agenda. JWR’s Comment: Of course what the Mass Media is not reporting is the fact that most of the controversy was self-generated by the leftist mass media talking heads.  They … Continue reading →


The Editors’ Preps for the Week

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Montague Paratrooper Folding Bike

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 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!  This week’s focus is on beginning to prepare for fall.

JWR

Dear SurvivalBlog Readers,

This week was fairly quiet. The children did a lot of horseback riding around the Ranch and once up into the adjoining National Forest. However, they weren’t long in … Continue reading →


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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Scandium

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  investing in Rare Earths. (See the Tangibles section, near the end of this column.)

Precious Metals:

CPM Group:  Precious Metals Outlook for 2017

o  o  o

Top Four Platinum Stocks for 2017

Stocks:

Thursday’s headline: Dow drops 200 points, led by Cisco. By the time of the closing bell:  The DJIA was down 1.2%, the S&P 500 dropped 1.5%, and the NASDAQ Composite  Index fell 1.9%.  Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the Euro STOXX 50 declined 0.3%.  Oh, and gold was up nearly … Continue reading →


Some Alternatives to Health Insurance for Americans

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Health Care

There are huge obstacles to President DJT’s Swamp Draining Attempt in Washington, DC.  One of the biggest fights revolves around replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This is commonly known as Obamacare. There seems to be a log jam in Congress. This was in part instigated by the left wing of the Republican Party. (That’s is the majority of Republicans in both the House and Senate.) So, despite their rhetoric, it seems like they don’t want to do away with socialized medicine.  This is because the status quo concentrates both power and the flow of wealth through Washington, DC. For now, no real change seems capable of moving through the Swamp-Mired Congress. In this essay, I’ll be addressing making a change of our own. We can do so without waiting for Congressional action: Medical Cost Sharing.

How will this  be resolved by the Congresscritters?  Probably not anytime … Continue reading →


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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Full Capacity Magazines

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 investing in firearms magazines. (See the Tangibles section, near the end of this column.)

Precious Metals:

Jack Chan: Silver Price Update

o  o  o

Gold Forecast for the Week of August 14, 2017, Technical Analysis

Stocks:

Top Four Gold Stocks as of August 2017

o  o  o

Do You Own Those Three Recession-Proof Stocks?

 

Commodities

Next, over at Knoema: Nickel Price Long Term Forecast (to 2030)

o  o  o

… Continue reading →


JWR’s Recommendations of the Week

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Matt Bracken

Here are JWR‘s Recommendations of the Week for various media and tools of interest to SurvivalBlog readers.  This week the focus is on the new documentary film Lies Of Omission.  (See the Movies section.)

Books:

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI

o  o  o

The Keto Diet: The Complete Guide to a High-Fat Diet, with More Than 125 Delectable Recipes and 5 Meal Plans to Shed Weight, Heal Your Body, and Regain Confidence

 

Music:

Stevie Ray Vaughan – Original Album Classics

o  o  o

The Last Of The Mohicans: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack


SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

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Tears of the Sword

Here is SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt. This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. We also mention companies of interest to preppers that are located in the region. The emphasis this week is on Idaho bladesmith Robert Martin, the proprietor of Tears of The Sword.

Idaho (Tears of The Sword)

I’ve mentioned bladesmith Robert Martin once before in SurvivalBlog. His Tears of the Sword / Shadow Mountain Forge operation is located in Idaho Falls, Idaho. I recently met him again at a Redoubt gun show. His metallurgy and craftsmanship have progressed in recent years. He now makes some exceptionally nice pattern forge welded Damascus steel. His heat treating process is par excellance. In addition to producing complete knives and swords of his own, he also makes some great blanks for hobbyists … Continue reading →


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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Hallicrafters S-38

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 investing in antique radios. (See the Tangibles section, near the end of this column.)

Precious Metals:

First off, both silver and gold jumped last week, as the headlines were filled with fears about possible nuclear war with North Korea.  I hope that you bought low.

o o o

Next, from Hub Moolman: Silver Price Forecast: Silver Boom Time?

 

Stocks:

Jim Rogers says the ‘biggest crisis in his life’ is less than a year away.

o o o

World’s Top Stock Market Really Just … Continue reading →


The Editors’ Preps for the Week

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14 Comments
Grasser drowning victims

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 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!  This week’s focus is on a drowning tragedy in north Idaho.

JWR

Dear SurvivalBlog Readers,

This week at the Rawles Ranch we’ve been under a heavy smokey haze from regional forest fires. Our prayers are for you who are near the fires, that … Continue reading →


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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4 Comments
2016 Chevrolet SS

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  investing on ultra low production number cars. (See the Tangibles section, near the end of this column.)

 

Precious Metals:

Clint Siegner at Activist Post: Preparing to Barter and Trade With Precious Metals Is NOT a Loony Idea

o  o  o

High Anxiety In Marketplace Propels Gold To Seven Week High

 

Commodities:

Natural Gas Prices Poised To Rise As Exports Boom

 


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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8 Comments
Babe Ruth Trading Card

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 investing in  Trading Cards. (See the Tangibles section, near the end of this column.)

 

Precious Metals:

Investors Should Take Advantage Of Gold’s Summer Doldrums – Mickey Fulp

o  o  o

Stunning Results: Four Top Primary Silver Miners Production Plummets

Stocks:

When Will the Tech Bubble Burst?

o  o  o

Over at the CNBC Cheering Section: S&P 500 and Dow hit record highs, led by financials

 

Commodities:

I missed this interesting article when it ran back in … Continue reading →


JWR’s Recommendations of the Week

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Copperhead

Here are JWR‘s Recommendations of the Week for various media and tools of interest to SurvivalBlog readers.  This week the focus is on the movie Copperhead.

Books:

Conscience of a Conservative: A Rejection of Destructive Politics and a Return to Principle. Note:  Senator Flake is a pseudo-Conservative and a Republican In Name Only (RINO.) I’m recommending that you read the book as an insight on how how the RINOs manipulate and operate. The career-entrenched RINOs in Congress are currently squandering the opportunity of the majority that was handed to them in the last election. They have no intention of “draining the Swamp.”  They are are, in fact, the Swamp Creatures.

o  o  o

A Guide Book of United States Coins 2018: The Official Red Book

 


A Quiet Life: How to Lower Your Profile or Go Fully Off the Grid

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Selectric

Part of my work life in most weeks involves consulting phone calls.  The majority of my clients are in the U.S. and Canada.  Not surprisingly, many of my clients have questions for me about privacy.  These questions are generally along three lines:  1.) Buying guns privately, 2.) buying land privately, and 3.) how to avoid paper trails on storage food purchases.  In this essay,  I will try to address all three of those topics, as well as a few related points. One of the key concepts herein is Going Analog.  But first, I’ll mention completely dropping off the grid.

Going Dark

The Going Dark concept implies someone cutting off all normal contacts. This is often coincident with relocating in an attempt to disappear without a trace.  This extreme in privacy is only required for someone in duress.  That is, for instance, someone who is the target of a manhunt,  for … Continue reading →


SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

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Michael Snyder

Here is SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt. This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. The emphasis today is on the term Redoubter. It is now used as a term of derision by leftist malcontents.

The Redoubt Movement and “Redoubters” in the News

First off, over at The Charles Carroll Society site, there is a great article. It is about how the term “Redoubter” has been politicized. Liberal Republican upset that conservatives are politically active in Idaho.

Idaho

Michael Snyder has announced his candidacy for an Idaho Congressional seat.  You may recognize Michael’s name. He is the author of four books and he is the Editor of EconomicCollapseBlog.com.  He is a devout Christian, and distinctly  “pro-life, pro-gun, and pro-liberty.”  Snyder favors term limits and limited … Continue reading →