The Snowball Effect, by Sarah B.

There is a certain amount of “snowball effect” when someone decides to invest in survivalist, TEOTWAWKI, or prepper knowledge.  The initial decision is not a light one, nor is a “set it and forget it” for the type that bounces from one fad to the next.  There are many different types of survivalists.  But all survivalists have one thing in common – a beginning.  Whether it is your views on the ever changing political arenas or natural disasters that have piqued your interest or even steered your choice to the survivalist lifestyle, the initial influx of information can be a …




News From The American Redoubt:

One bad bit of news for a Redoubt state: No Consent: Your Child Can Now Be Sterilized In Oregon For Free    o o o Feds prepare to end wolf protections in Wyoming. (Thanks to R.B.S. for the link.)    o o o This is interesting: United States Peace Index 2011: Violent Crime Ranking. Once again the American Redoubt states plus the Dakotas and Utah have a good showing. BTW, the Infoplease web site has some more detailed statistics.    o o o Another spectacular video from TTabs: A Evening Flight to Troy Idaho




Letter Re: Coastal Oregon as a Retreat Locale

Sir: Just a few words from someone else who lives here (Tillamook County, if you’re curious). LongJim has a lot of it right, but it’s certainly not going to be as easy as he describes. To add a touch of balance, I really should chime in here. Natural resources are indeed abundant. Crabbing, clamming, fishing, and more can be done. However, without a sailboat or kayak? You’re liable to be stuck digging for clams, drowning worms, and tossing crab pots alongside hundreds of your neighbors – from every available dock, wharf, jetty, or beach. A motorboat will only get you …




Coastal Oregon as a Retreat Locale, by LongJim

Years ago, as a young man, I was impacted by the 1970s gasoline crisis, making for long gas station lines and the accompanying angst, which was preceded by a few years by a strange  market-driven meat-shortage. I remember that episode resulted in ground beef prices soaring,  and even companies coming out with “textured soy protein” mixes in cartons as a substitute. That series of events probably steered me into the emerging survivalist-prepper culture, and ever since then, I’ve always had a full pantry of tuna, beans, bullets, and water wherever I went. I carried that mindset over to my career …




News From The American Redoubt:

Radio Free Redoubt has uploaded an after-action podcast about the the first T-REX (TEOTWAWKI Readiness Exercise) that was held August 10th, 11th & 12th.    o o o Yet another great video from Ttabs: Flying Elk River to Deary to Juliaetta to Craigmont, Idaho    o o o The Redoubt states are absent from this list: Traveling Soon? Top 10 U.S. States Plagued by Exotic Diseases    o o o Here are the Best Places to Live–in 2032. As usual, the Redoubt states are in the top half of the list.    o o o A trade group says it’s …




News From The American Redoubt:

More of that beautiful north-central Idaho scenery: The “Lead Dog” – Elk River Trike Fly-in ’12.    o o o Troy H. mentioned this infographic: Mexican Drug Cartels Have Infiltrated All of These US Cities. (JWR Observes: The artist’s arrows to the middle-of-nowhere in The American Redoubt appear to be more fanciful than they are data-driven. The reality is that there is not a lot of “cartel influence” inside National Forests and out in the middle of vast tracts of BLM land. (As depicted in the map.) And note that all but one of the dots shown inside the Redoubt …




Letter Re: Halfway Preppers

Dear SurvivalBloggers: What is a halfway prepper? Some people think it is a lazy prepper. Well, if you’re lazy you’re not getting prepped. A halfway prepper is someone who gets things done slowly but isn’t going to let life pass them by. Is prepping worth losing friends (I try to make them see the light), missing date night with the wife, missing out on your favorite sports, living as a recluse? When SHTF things will change but I don’t want to miss those things.We have to continue to live in the world as we prepare for the future. I know …




News From The American Redoubt:

I heard that a new and quite conservative prepper-friendly Baptist church has been planted up in Bozeman, Montana. Calvary Baptist Church, an independent fundamental Baptist church, will be pastored by Philip Brown. According to his newsletter, Brown felt strongly convicted to relocate his family to Montana. He mentioned that some quite providential things fell into place, to make it all happen. See their video introduction.   o o os Reader Joe W. sent this interactive map: Multiple Shootings in the United States. Notice a big hole in this map? There have been almost no multiple shootings in the heavily-armed American …




Letter Re: American Redoubt Relocation Climate Questions

James, My question is on the American Redoubt.  It’s late in the game, but I’ve got to get out of Southern California.   What do you think of eastern Montana as a place to settle down?  Are the snows as bad as the Western part of the state?  My parents used to have a place 7 miles outside of West Yellowstone, and they said it was the coldest spots in the continental U.S.  Is the eastern part of Montana like that?   I’ve been watching what’s going on in America, and even I’m getting shaken.  I need to go where …




News From The American Redoubt:

John Jacob Schmidt (the host of Radio Free Redoubt) mentioned that the latest version of the AmRRON Communications plan is now available.     o o o Coffee Churches? Book studies the growth of the evangelical movement in the northwest: Evangelical vs. Liberal.    o o o The latest flying video from “Ttabs” shows the vast timberland wilderness area in north-central Idaho. Talk about “lightly populated”! And simply gorgeous…    o o o A handy set of maps. Of course the Redoubt States rate quite well.    o o o The Redoubt shines, as usual: Where You’ll Want to Live in …




Offshore Relocation: There Is No Perfect Place

I recently read a captivating Daily Bell interview of investing author Ron Holland, wherein he described his reasons for emigrating to Canada. In the interview, Mr. Holland stated: “I left the United States for an exciting business opportunity based in Canada but the increasing authoritarianism in the United States combined with the TSA assaults at airports do make America a threatening jurisdiction to live in or to conduct business in. Add in the threats of a real or contrived future crisis with exchange controls, a run on the dollar and an out-of-control sovereign debt situation makes me very happy to …




Letter Re: Don’t Stockpile, Get Global — Conversations with a Rhodesian Expat and Being Financially Global

Dear Jim, My mantra has always been “In a world of uncertainty….Diversify!”  Sure, it does make sense to stockpile (only to a rational degree) at one’s primary location and at one’s primary retreat.  However, this stockpiling should not be done beyond the optimal level such that it would disallow planning for other contingencies.  You are correct that “other” countries may be worse off than the US in the event of, for example, a financial collapse….but that does not preclude these other countries being a better option in the event of other sorts of problems.  Other more localized issues might include …




Two Letters Re: Don’t Stockpile, Get Global — Conversations with a Rhodesian Expat and Being Financially Global

Jim, It doesn’t have to be either or. It is foolish to not have resources stored. It also makes sense to be prepared to make a retreat to another country where you have friends and resources. My family’s plans and preparations include personal contacts and pre-positioned resources in two countries. I can show up unannounced in two other countries, and be assured of a warm welcome and assistance in integrating into the country. I have lesser contacts in a number of other countries. In the country where we live we have stockpiled over a years worth of food, and have …




Three Letters Re: Don’t Stockpile, Get Global — Conversations with a Rhodesian Expat and Being Financially Global

Good Morning James, I couldn’t disagree more with Peter’s preparedness methodology. By the very definition of “refugee” that is just what he will will be and we would be if the USA goes down. I would rather be here trying to survive and rebuild as opposed to trying to live in some other country trying to get my money from a Chinese bank after a currency and societal collapse. Put your extra cash into silver. Regards, – Jim A.   Sir: I was surprised at Peter’s suggestion that people (or more specifically Americans) would be ‘safer’ living abroad than in the …




Don’t Stockpile, Get Global — Conversations with a Rhodesian Expat and Being Financially Global, by Peter H.

Some friends recently bought a self sustaining bit of farmland in the American Redoubt. Part of it was a desire to get back to the land, part of it was for safety and security in a future TEOTWAWKI situation. I wished them well and was impressed with the desire to get back to the land. But deep down I don’t believe that a remote farm is necessarily safe, defensible, or a better bet than being mobile. It comes down to a conversation I had with a Rhodesian (Zimbabwean by passport, but he called himself Rhodesian) expat in Thailand about a …