Off-Grid Electronics, by D. Smith

When I am looking for electronics for my cabin that is so far back in the woods it is cost-prohibitive to get grid power, I look for certain things: Low energy use, flexibility of use,and a long service life. I don’t have a lot of extra room in my cabin but I love to read, so I have an e-book reader. Several years ago, I bought a book scanner and scanned in most of my books to make them e-books. Some people say this is a legal gray area but I have no moral qualms about format shifting an item …


Letter Re: How To Use Your IRA /401k to Fund a Survival Retreat Property

Dear SurvivalBloggers, How do you use your IRA /401k to fund survival property or fund a startup business in the area you want to exit to? I have been running into many of my clients here in the north east, way outside the American Redoubt, that want to take greater control over their 401k or IRA’s that have accumulated over a period of time. Being a reader of this web site for a number of years, I felt that I could explain to your readers thru a simple monograph of what an individual or group of individuals could accomplish with …


Economics and Investing:

Reader C.J.C. suggested this piece by Lars Seier Christensen, the founder of Saxo Bank: What is the broader relevance of Ayn Rand for society? Extreme Cold Weather Freezes US Fuel Supply Items from The Economatrix: Unemployment Benefits Clear Senate Hurdle Employment Recovery? 1,600 Workers Apply For Just 36 Jobs At An Ice Cream Plant In Maryland How Will The Economy Improve In 2014 If Almost Everyone Has Less Money To Spend?


Odds ‘n Sods:

I just heard about the Buckmaster, a 7 Band, 300 Watt ham radio off-center feed (OCF) antenna that currently sells at a special price of $207. (The regular list price is $273.) It is manufactured by the same folks who operate the widely-visited Ham Call web site that lists more than 9.8 million amateur radio call signs from over 200 countries, also available on DVD.    o o o Reader K.A.F. mentioned an upcoming free online Survival Summit from January 20th to 26th, 2014.    o o o B.B. sent this interesting news: 3D Printed metal gun hitting the market    …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 50 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $9,700+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) …


Non-Internet Social Networking for TEOTWAWKI, by A.K. in Kansas

If you have finally decided to take the plunge and eliminate social networks from your life (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), the skills for maintaining interpersonal relationships should not be completely thrown by the wayside.  Over the course of the last five years our “group” has created a network of people that has proven to be very valuable.  One disclaimer that I must put forth is that the flippant nature of social networking on-line must be completely discounted as OPSEC is paramount.  I would never bring someone into my home to have contact with my family or include them in my preps …


Letter Re: Lessons From The Polar Vortex Invasion

Dear Mr. Rawles, This week has been a wake-up call for me. Living in the Deep South, I have never worried too much about being too cold. We have made quilts and have had many quilts passed down to us when my wife and I married. We had more quilts given to us when our daughter was born. But, our electric heat pump loses its efficiencies when the temperature is below freezing. Using natural gas is not cheap and the price varies based on the economic principals of supply and demand. We have never had to worry about our pets …


Economics and Investing:

C.J.A. spotted this news: One Week Into 2014, UK Royal Mint Runs Out Of Gold Coins North Carolina Sheriff Swaps Out 2 Vintage Tommy Guns for 88 new ARs. (Thanks to T.P. for the link.) Dr. Paul Craig Roberts-U.S. Markets Rigged by its Own Authorities–It Blows the Mind Items from The Economatrix: Doug Casey: “We’re Really Close To The Edge Of The Precipice” A The Prepper Podcast: Three Warning Signs That A Financial Crash Is Imminent Here Is The Most Frightening Prediction For 2014


Odds ‘n Sods:

Outbreak of ‘nightmare bacteria’ in Illinois stirs worry. (Thanks to C.D.V. for the link.)    o o o Mexican Vigilante Gunmen Disarm Local Police So They Can Rid Town of Feared Drug Cartel. (A hat tip to H.L. for the link.)    o o o California Gun Law Paves the Way for Confiscation: Starting in 2014, the state will keep a list of every gun owner and the specific guns each person buys. (This explains the rush to buy long guns before December 31st.)    o o o Huge Solar Flare Delays Private Rocket Launch to Space Station until Thursday. …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"What is the meaning of a gold standard and a redeemable currency?  It represents integrity.  It insures the people’s control over the government’s use of the public purse.  It is the best guarantee against the socialization of a nation.  It enables a people to keep the government and banks in check.  It prevents currency expansion from getting ever farther out of bounds until it becomes worthless.  It tends to force standards of honesty on government and bank officials.  It is the symbol of a free society and an honorable government.  It is a necessary prerequisite to economic health.  It is …


Notes from JWR:

January 8th is the birthday of the late Algis Budrys (born 1931, died June 9, 2008.) He was the Lithuanian-American science fiction author who wrote the classic survivalist novel Some Will Not Die. — Today we present another entry for Round 50 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $9,700+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted …


Maintaining Good Morale, by Audax

If you take prepping seriously, you’ve probably stored up quite the array of supplies—or are at least working diligently at it.  You may have even downloaded the Excel spreadsheet found on Survival Blog, and if you’re like me, you might have been slightly overwhelmed at first, at the number of things that are necessary in order to really become self-sufficient in the case of a SHTF scenario.  For those of us who are actively preparing for whatever may come, prepping is a never-ending exercise in gathering, training and building.  In between all of these prepping activities, however, sometimes we forget …


Who Shall Protect Us?, by Shepard Humphries

Imagine you and your family are asleep in your home and at 2am you hear a downstairs glass window breaking.  You hear voices laughing and cursing, saying that they are going to F-Up you and your family.  Based on the historical length of violent encounters, you know that this whole violent situation will likely be over in 1 to 3 minutes. This is not a pleasant scenario, but I am setting the stage for you to do a mental exercise.  I will not give you solutions; rather you will.  As Gavin DeBecker describes in his must-read book, “The Gift of …


Economics and Investing:

From SurvivalBlog’s Poet Laureate G.G.: U.S. Mint’s Silver Coin Sales Hit Record High Jim Rickards: Gold: Declining Prices Versus Skyrocketing Demand Items from The Economatrix: Going Under: Over One Million Lose Unemployment Benefits – Will Hit Five Million By End of 2014 Comparing The Inflated Cost Of Living Today From 1938 to 2013: How The US Dollar Has Lost Incredible Purchasing Power Since 1938 “The Biggest Redistribution Of Wealth From The Middle Class And Poor To The Rich Ever” Explained…