Recipe of the Week: Potato Skordalia 

The following recipe for Skordalia potato dip is from SurvivalBlog reader Mrs. Alaska. She writes:

“In honor of potato harvesting season:  Skordalia. Potatoes are so versatile, filling, and easy to grow, that a bountiful potato crop is a no-brainer for most gardens from USDA zones 3 – 10!  You can even grow potatoes from store-bought ones that sprout in your kitchen!  Give it a try!

Skordalia is a Greek dip. The texture is like chickpea hummus.  If you ask people to guess the ingredients, they are likely to guess that the main ingredient is a white bean paste.”

Ingredients
  • 2 medium russet potatoes, mashed
  • ½ Cup almonds or other nuts, ground fine
  • 4+ cloves of garlic
  • ¼ Cup lemon juice (2 lemons) or substitute white vinegar
  • ¾ Cup olive oil
Directions
  1. Combine everything except the potatoes in a food processor or blender.  If you don’t have a food processor or a way to grind the nuts, then leave them out.
  2. Combine everything with the mashed potatoes by hand.  (Using a food processor would make the potatoes gluey.)
  3. If too dry or oily, then add a tablespoon of water at a time, blend, and assess.
SERVING

“Serve as a dip with bread, crackers, or vegetables, or use as a flavorful top coat for shepherd’s pie or snuggle a fish fillet on top of this, or slather some onto a sandwich with ham or other vegetables.”

About The Chef

Mrs. Alaska is a long-time SurvivalBlog reader and article contributor.  She and her husband live off-grid in the wilds of Alaska.  You can read about their interesting life at: alaskauu1.blogspot.com, and in her book: Log Cabin Reflections (Off-road and Off-grid in Remote Alaska).

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Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long-term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic: A map showing U.S. Counties where the African American population is 5% or more. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.)

The thumbnail below is click-expandable.

 

 

 

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Please send your graphic ideas to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“In December 1880 the Boers rose. Every farmhouse sent out its riflemen, and the trysting-place was the outside of the nearest British fort. All through the country small detachments were surrounded and besieged by the farmers. Standerton, Pretoria, Potchefstroom, Lydenburg, Wakkerstroom, Rustenberg, and Marabastad were all invested and all held out until the end of the war. In the open country we were less fortunate. At Bronkhorst Spruit a small British force was taken by surprise and shot down without harm to their antagonists. The surgeon who treated them has left it on record that the average number of wounds was five per man. At Laing’s Nek an inferior force of British endeavoured to rush a hill which was held by Boer riflemen. Half of our men were killed and wounded. Ingogo may be called a drawn battle, though our loss was more heavy than that of the enemy. Finally came the defeat of Majuba Hill, where four hundred infantry upon a mountain were defeated and driven off by a swarm of sharpshooters who advanced under the cover of boulders. Of all these actions there was not one which was more than a skirmish, and had they been followed by a final British victory they would now be hardly remembered. It is the fact that they were skirmishes which succeeded in their object which has given them an importance which is exaggerated. At the same time they may mark the beginning of a new military era, for they drove home the fact—only too badly learned by us—that it is the rifle and not the drill which makes the soldier. It is bewildering that after such an experience the British military authorities continued to serve out only three hundred cartridges a year for rifle practice, and that they still encouraged that mechanical volley firing which destroys all individual aim. With the experience of the first Boer war behind them, little was done, either in tactics or in musketry, to prepare the soldier for the second. The value of the mounted rifleman, the shooting with accuracy at unknown ranges, the art of taking cover—all were equally neglected.”  – Arthur Conan Doyle, from The Great Boer War 

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — October 13, 2024

On October 13, 1792, the first “Old Farmer’s Almanac” was first published and edited by Robert Thomas.

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And on October 13, 1860, the first aerial photo was taken in the U.S., from a balloon. It was an aerial view of the city of Boston, Massachusetts.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 115 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Georgia: Hurricane Helene – Part 2, by Forward Preppers

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)

We had seven trees across our driveway, all of them on power lines. And no way to get out. We were trapped. I let that sink in…. I’m not leaving here unless someone comes along and cuts these trees. These trees that are in contact with power lines. Power lines that scared me to death.

So, gingerly, I walked around the property taking it all in and taking some pictures with my phone. The two trees on the propane tank had strangely missed all valves and gauges but the weight of the crash had pushed the tank down into the clay mud. The trees had scraped the side of the house, missed the roof and only knocked part of the cover to the air unit wires. They had missed the hot water heater mounted on the side of the house and the outside air unit to our bedroom, miraculously. I poked around the tank and smelled for gas, nothing. And on the plus side, the gauge indicated that the tank was 75% filled. Praise the Lord!

All the critters were doing okay. The rabbits were a bit skittish. The chicken coop was just about filled with water and the rest was a muddy mess. The chicks, in their cage up off the ground with cinder blocks, were surrounded by water. In the rush of the water and moving of debris, all the water had funneled to their location. As I checked on them, I was standing in about 4 inches of water. Had they not been in that cage, they would’ve surely drowned. Another praise to the Lord, for sparing our critters.Continue reading“Georgia: Hurricane Helene – Part 2, by Forward Preppers”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Nutty Preppers Meme

Meme Text:

After Multiple X-Class Solar Flares and Multiple Hurricanes Recently
I’ve Gotta Say That Those “Nutty Preppers” Were Right

Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” – 1 Corinthians 2: 1-12

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — October 12, 2024

On October 12, 1879, in the Second Anglo-Afghan War, British troops occupied Kabul, Afghanistan.

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On October 12, 2000, the U.S.S. Cole was attacked by Al-Qaeda terrorists.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 115 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Georgia: Hurricane Helene – Part 1, by Forward Preppers

Our background: We have been prepping and part of the SurvivalBlog community since 2011. We moved to our bugout location in the summer of 2016, a secluded spot in Middle Georgia. I work full-time at a local bank in a town about 25 minutes away. My husband had total knee replacement surgery several weeks prior to the hurricane, so he was unable to help much. We are in our late 50s/early 60s, respectively.

Back in September 2017 and 2018 we experienced hurricanes with power outages of five days on the first one and three days with the second one. And I grew up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, so hurricanes are nothing new. I always go into this storm prep mode where I do all my laundry, top off my gas tanks, buy a few extras at the store, etc. This year was different because we had so much going on in our lives. I also want to emphasize that things don’t always happen at the most opportune times! And things don’t always go like you think (or hope) they will.

My storm prep consisted of clearing the porches, deck, yard, gardens, and animal areas of anything that could fly in the wind. I topped off all animal feed and water. However, we had four baby chicks that we had hatched out a few weeks prior, so they were a bit more needy. I had to unhook their heat lamp, gather up the extension cords and give them a pep talk. They were in a rabbit cage inside of a small covered coop to protect them from snakes, this would turn out to be the safest place to keep them from drowning.Continue reading“Georgia: Hurricane Helene – Part 1, by Forward Preppers”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, 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 your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

We had some trouble with a cow and her heifer calf.  We had been separating the Mom from the heifer on some nights, by putting the Mom inside one section of our milking parlor and the heifer on the other side, divided by a tube gate. This way, they would feel close to one another, and wouldn’t bellow all night. The purpose of this was to briefly keep the Mom separated from her calf, so that the calf wouldn’t hog all of the available milk, overnight. After Lily did her morning milking (several days each week), the two were reunited. This worked fine for a few months until those two Bovine Co-Conspirators figured out a clever positioning for the calf to be able to stick her head through the tube bars, and still get her fill of milk.  So Lily asked me for a solution. I cut up part of an old frayed tarp and wrapped two thicknesses of it around the tube gate. I secured it with a dozen plastic zip-tie cable fasteners. We’ll see how that tarp holds up.  If it proves to be too fragile, then I will replace it with some wire mesh or perhaps even plywood.

Now, Lily’s report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:

A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.

For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.

Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.” – Ecclesiastes 6:1-10 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — October 11, 2024

October 11, 1923, under the Weimar government, the value of the hyperinflated German Mark fell to 10 billion per British Pound and 4 billion per US Dollar.

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Today is the 74th birthday of novelist William R. Forstchen (born, 1950.) He is best known for his survivalist novel One Second After.

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The last day! The big sale at Elk Creek Company ends tonight!  We’ve been running a 3-week-long sale at Elk Creek Company.  Today, October 11th, 2024, is the last day for sale pricing on all of our blackpowder revolvers, all of our M1891 Argentine Mauser rifles, and all of our sporter rifles. Their prices are deeply discounted. Get your order in before midnight, tonight!

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Please continue to pray for all of those who were hit by either of the two recent hurricanes in the Southeast. For those who were, we’d appreciate reading your Lessons Learned. They need not be full-length articles. Thanks, – JWR

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 115 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Practical Wood Stoves, by Tunnel Rabbit

Wood stoves are the heart of everything that happens at a off-grid homestead. The obvious reason is that it provides heat that keeps the home warm and comfortable, yet it can also be used to cook and preserve our food, boils water for drinking and cleaning, and just as important, wherever it is located there will be the family gathered together.

The Fisher/Forester style stoves were produced in the the early 1980s all over the U.S. in small and large metal fabrication shops that purchased the doors that had the name brand cast into the door. Had the name plate been Fisher that marketed their Bear line of stoves that became widely sold and earned a very positive reputation, this same stove might be advertised in excess of $1,000 on Craigslist or eBay even without a fresh coat of paint.

The reputation of these stoves is well deserved. But they were cleverly marketed and featured certain brass ornamentation that could cozy up a home. So it became fashionable to show off the latest adornment the house could afford. It wasn’t just another unimpressive hunk of steel, but became a part of the furniture and today it has some collector value.Continue reading“Practical Wood Stoves, by Tunnel Rabbit”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at higher mortgage interest rates. (See the Economy & Finance section.)

Precious Metals:

JPMorgan: Gold Getting a Boost from the “Debasement Trade”.

o  o  o

Frank Holmes: Gold SWOT: Hungary has raised its gold reserves, citing the precious metal’s role as a haven.  JWR’s Comment: Part of the recent slip in the U.S. gold price is attributable to the U.S. Dollar hitting a 7-week high on the Forex.  The more important metric:  As priced in Chinese Yuan, gold recently hit another all-time high.  When gauging precious metals markets, I suggest looking at long-term global trends and ignoring  short-term currency fluctuations.

Economy & Finance:

Rates increase – Today’s mortgage rates for October 8, 2024. A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage now average 6.40%,

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Reported on Monday:  Dow closes lower by nearly 400 points as surging oil prices and rising Treasury yields weigh on stocks: Live updates

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The Unstoppable Path to Ever-Increasing Currency Debasement.

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Pew Research: Economic ratings across 34 countries are more negative than positive.

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At Gold-Eagle.com: Fake News on the Economy Is Driven by Fake Money.

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At Zero Hedge: Biggest Hong Kong Crash Since 2008 On Record Volumes: What You Need To Know.

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Consumers Crack: Credit Card Debt Suddenly Plunges Most Since Covid As APRs Hit Record High.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution is designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other.” – John Adams