Category: Contest

A Clash of Cultures, by B.H.

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I have been following SurvivalBlog for several years now after reading the first book in the Patriots novel series. From those books, other post apocalyptic novels, and this blog we have generally followed the advice and warnings. The situations causing huge retrogrades in our society have been put into several categories: EMP. This is generally referenced as a weaponized attack using a detonation of a nuclear device to electronically fry just about all our systems of communication, Internet, banking, defense, power grids and anything electronic to include anything with computers or microprocessors. Most refer to this event as a return …


Your Best Personal Defense In The Ongoing CyberWar, by AJS

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One of claimed “time traveler” John Titor’s most alarming predictions was for a war beginning in 2015 between Russia and the United States. The prediction was made on the old Art Bell Coast-to-Coast AM radio show in the 1999-2000 era. The war would eventually go nuclear and be quite destructive resulting in great loss of life. The good news according to Titor was that the country weathered the physical destruction and came out stronger than ever. With some large cities destroyed it eliminated many governmental sectors and urbanite populations dependent upon government handouts. Now, in retrospect we know the war …


Rocket Water Heater – Part 2, by St. Funogas

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(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) The Finished Project Since there is a lot of information on building rocket stoves on SurvivalBlog and elsewhere, I have not described any construction details on the stove itself. The following photo shows what my working rocket water heater (RWH) looks like, with an explanation of the number and letter annotations. This small building was later covered with bat and board siding, with a small door covering the on/off switch and thermometers. Here are all of the key bits and pieces: 1. Inflow and outflow water temperature thermometers. (Thread these into the …


Rocket Water Heater – Part 1, by St. Funogas

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Have you ever considered the things you’d miss most in a TEOTWAWKI situation? I think a nice hot shower has to be pretty high on my list. It is right up there with coffee. So, once I got my nearly-off-grid little cabin built, I set out to build a prototype rocket water heater. There are a hundred and one different ways to make a rocket water heater (RWH). But as an introduction, I’ll show you how I built mine. I’ll also mention a few things that I wish I had done differently, just to give you some ideas on how …


My One Month TEOTWAWKI Road Test – Part 2, by Maui Dan

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(Continued for Part 1. This concludes the article.) I was consistent with daily hikes using them for recon practice, making maps, taking notes of locations and observing any nearby people. Judging who I thought may be friends or foes. I did take note of two males in their 20’s who appeared fairly intoxicated early in the afternoon. I hiked for the benefits of physical exercise and enjoyed the quite beauty of the land. There were several memorable hikes. The day time temperatures were now in the upper 80’s. I wore Timberline hiking boots and stripped down to shorts. Finally found …


My One Month TEOTWAWKI Road Test – Part 1, by Maui Dan

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Backround: I’m a country boy who grew up in the farm land of Western Pennsylvania. I lived in the Amish region, observing their off-grid way of life. I was taught to take care of our animals, and that they would take care of us. Nearly everyone learned to hunt and had a knowledge of basic outdoor skills. I was a Boy Scout and learned “Be prepared.” I was a multi sport athlete in high school and  college where I made life-long friends. I have a career in physical therapy spanning 38 years, and achieved a 4th degree black belt. I’ve …


Where Do We Go From Here?, by K.M.

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“May you live in interesting times” is the often-quoted ancient Chinese curse. We certainly are living in interesting times. As I’m writing this, we are nearing the Winter Solstice in 2019. I wish to share some thoughts on where we are, how we got here, and where we might be going. (So, maybe the long-form?) I’m not trying to incite anything other than critical thought, not suggesting answers, rather asking questions. Where are we? How did we get here? Where is this all heading? Where Are We? When I was a Lad we had the Doomsday clock… Product of the …


6.5 Creedmoor for Survival? by John McAdams

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Editor’s Introductory Note: The following is a guest article authored by John McAdams, the founder of The Big Game Hunting Blog and hosts The Big Game Hunting Podcast. He kindly wrote it for SurvivalBlog, at my request. I recommend bookmarking both his blog and his podcast. Great stuff. — With the continued popularity of the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge, it’s only natural that some people are considering equipping themselves with a rifle chambered in the cartridge for use in a When The Schumer Hits The Fan (WTSHTF) situation. Countless hunters and shooters have embraced the 6.5 Creedmoor in recent years, but …


Daily Habits for Happiness, by EBL

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My Dad has had a full and rewarding life. He was: An Eagle Scout, Camp Counselor for six years starting at age 14, a lifetime National Ski Patrolman, also starting at age 14, started eight successful small businesses in 30 years, holder of four US patents, member of the National Speakers Association, authored and published 15 books that sold in 22 countries… I could go on. But I think you will agree after reading what follows, he is a real “Value Added” kind of guy! I recently wrote to my Dad and asked him to write down the best ‘Daily …


Why Trade Deficits Matter, by Lyn Alden

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Editor’s Introductory Note: This article is a guest post that I selected from a contrarian economist and investment advisor. It first appeared at the Lyn Alden Investment Strategy web site. — Due to the ongoing trade dispute between the United States and China, as well as between certain other nations, the concept of a trade deficit is now front and center in financial media. This article takes a look at why trade deficits (eventually) matter, and how they can factor into an investment strategy. Key Terms Defined Trade Deficit Simple Example Modern Trade Deficit Explanation Why I’m Cautious About the …


Potential Food Shortages, by 3AD Scout

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I’d like to address the potential for food shortages. The producers of the YouTube channel “Six Acres” filmed some shelves at a Williston, North Dakota Walmart. The Six Acres footage was posted on December 12, 2019. The Six Acres YouTube video was on my suggested list so I took a look at it. There has been much discussion about food shortages on various prepper blogs and other forums. I have watched and listened to some but obviously not all. But when watching the Six Acres video and comparing and contrasting with my trips to my own local Walmart here in …


Blowing Bubbles for Fun and Profit, by Gary Christenson

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Editor’s Note: This article by Gary Christenson of The Deviant Investor first appeared in the Miles Franklin blog, and is re-posted with permission.  It was selected by JWR — not solicited. Miles Franklin can be contacted at: 1-800-822-8080. — Bubbles, like a cocaine high, are fun while they last. History confirms that bubbles and cocaine are enjoyable, because central banks blow many bubbles and the U.S. imports a large quantity of cocaine. Bubbles are fun, but they extract a price. There is no free lunch. Examples: 2019: The Everything Bubble. It hasn’t crashed yet, but there are many bubble piercing objects …


Fed Says No Hikes In 2020. What About Gold?, by Arkadiusz Sieroń

Editor’s Introductory Note; I’ve found Arkadiusz Sieroń to be one of the best of the modern precious metals markets analysts. I selected the following article. It was not solicited. It is re-posted with permission. — The Fed kept the interest rates unchanged in December. The statement was rather hawkish, while the dot-plot rather dovish. What does such a mix imply for the yellow metal? Fed Keeps Interest Rates Unchanged Yesterday, the FOMC published the monetary policy statement from its latest meeting that took place on December 10-11th. In line with expectations, the U.S. central bank left the federal funds rate …


Living Off The Grid – Part 2, by V.F.

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(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) In October of the first year, I remember going out to take a shower in the “shower room” outside. By the time I had finished I was sobbing, crying incoherently, full of pity for myself. You see, it was already freezing cold and while I thought of solutions like adding a heater and so forth, I realized that I just didn’t want to have to deal with this anymore. But I had made my bed and I was going to have to sleep in it as the old saying goes. I let …


Living Off The Grid – Part 1, by V.F.

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When I was a child, my mother moved to a very remote area of Eastern Washington and we lived off the grid. This was long before the term had been coined, as far as I know. The property did not have a house. We lived in a little travel trailer. We went to town once a month and did laundry at the laundromat. We boiled water from the creek to wash dishes. The creek was also our refrigerator. We ran a PVC pipe in the creek and placed a horse trough in the creek. This is where we kept drinks …