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 the low market price of corn. (See the Commodities section.)

Precious Metals:

What is Going On? Three Separate Coin Shop Owners Shocked as Their Bank Accounts Suddenly Shut Down with No Reason Given (Video). JWR’s Comments:  I was “debanked” two years ago, for political reasons.  All in all, I Hate Banks!

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Clive Maund, at Gold-Eagle.com: Gold Market Update – How It Will Perform During A Stock Market Crash.

Economy & Finance:

Our own Tom Christianson recommended this: The Permanent Crisis Economy — We’re still living in 2008.

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Reader H.L. sent this: Hedge funds have bailed on the U.S. consumer in a big way, Goldman Sachs data finds. JWR’s Comments:  Seeing so much shorting going on gives me serious doubts about the stock market. Given the current credit market conditions I’m presently on the sidelines for equities, and I’m glad that I’m insulated from any upcoming drop in shares.

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H.L. spotted this news: Walmart cuts starting pay for new hires who prepare online orders, stock shelves.

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J.M. Smucker to buy Hostess for $5.6 billion.

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Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: Biden meets Li Qiang, says China economic ‘crisis’ makes Taiwan invasion less likely. JWR’s Comment: It seems that Biden has discounted the long history of nations engaging in foreign wars to distract their populaces from domestic troubles.

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US Mortgage Rates Remain Above 7% (UP 158% Under Biden) As 10Y-2Y Treasury Curve Remains Inverted Since July 4th, 2023 (Food CPI UP 19% Under Lunchbox Joe And Gasoline UP 69% Under Green Joe).

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — September 14, 2023

On September 14. 1814, Francis Scott Key was inspired to write The Star-Spangled Banner after Fort McHenry successfully withstood a British attack.

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Today is the birthday of actor Clayton Moore (1914–1999). His name is almost synonymous with Lone Ranger.

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This is also the birthday of James Wilson, a lawyer and signer of the Declaration of Independence (1742 – 1798).

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 108 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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. 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 firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  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 Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $840,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 108 ends on September 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.

How I Survived A Home Invasion – Part 2, by Mr. Y.

(Continued from Part 1.)

Part 2 – Interview and aftermath

I sat around in the little interrogation room by myself for about 90 minutes before anyone came to ask questions. The two detectives informed me that The Bad Guy ‘didnt make it’. I wasn’t surprised but it added a new level of anxiety to things. If I was going to get into trouble over this, the consequences were a lot more severe for killing someone than for injuring them.

We spent about two hours or so going over what happened. Did I know this person? What did they say? Where was I standing? Where was he standing? When did you shoot? I told them that there was probably security camera footage of most of what happened and they said they would get to that. I asked how much trouble I was in. They said they couldn’t promise anything but if the video matched the story I just told them, they didn’t think there’d be any issues.

Finally, the questioning was over. I was given back my phone and I called a friend to come give me and the girlfriend a ride back to the house. The detectives told me that they would meet me at the house and we’d review the video.Continue reading“How I Survived A Home Invasion – Part 2, by Mr. Y.”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, we first look at an iPhone security update.

Apple Releases a Significant iPhone Security Update

Another from reader C.B.: Update your iPhone: Apple just pushed out a significant security update. The article begins:

“Apple released a significant security update for iPhones and iPads Thursday to patch newly discovered security vulnerabilities in the devices’ system software.

The issue was discovered by researchers at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, who said the software flaw was being “actively exploited” to deliver commercial spyware called Pegasus developed and sold by the Israeli company NSO Group.

Pegasus is an expensive tool typically used to target dissidents, journalists and political opponents, so ordinary users likely have little to fear. Still, Citizen Lab recommends that all users should “immediately” update their devices.”

28 New Risk Genes for COVID-19

Over at MedicalXpress: Consortium discovers 28 new risk genes for COVID-19.

Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The first right of every human being is the right of self-defense. Without that right, all other rights are meaningless. The right of self-defense is not something the government bestows upon its citizens. It is an inalienable right, older than the Constitution itself. It existed prior to government and prior to the social contract of our Constitution.” – Senator Larry Craig

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — September 13, 2023

American singer, songwriter, and mandolin player Bill Monroe, considered the father of bluegrass music, was born on September 13, 1911. Monroe is credited for popularizing the “high lonesome” sound in bluegrass music.

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September 13th, 1951 was the birthday of President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 108 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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. 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 firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  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 Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $840,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 108 ends on September 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.

How I Survived A Home Invasion – Part 1, by Mr. Y.

Part 1: Backstory and The Event

This is an article about the experience, aftermath, and lessons learned from a home invasion that I experienced. I feel strongly that retelling it provides some important lessons and food for thought for anyone who keeps a gun for self-defense.

The Backstory

It was a weekend late afternoon and I was in my computer room at my house, working on e-mails and generally perusing the Internet. I had headphones on so I was unable to hear anything going on around me. The only other people in the house were my girlfriend who was cleaning the upstairs. My computer room faces onto my covered front porch.

At some point, I felt some vibrations in the floor that usually indicated someone was walking around on my front porch. I peeked outside through the blinds and saw a man standing on my porch, turning as to leave. Apparently, he had come up on the porch, rang the bell, and I didn’t hear it.Continue reading“How I Survived A Home Invasion – Part 1, by Mr. Y.”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

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Some sobering reading: Happy ‘Do Not Comply’ Day.

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The latest Sharp Pointy Things instructional video from our Editor-At-Large, Mike Williamson: Different Types of Knife Tangs.

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SIG-Sauer has released this: Safety Bulletin: Light Bearing Holsters for Pistols.

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Reader B.R. wrote:

“Please let Sarah Sue know that prune juice is an excellent source of iron. I first learned It from my midwife (she said if I didn’t get my iron up I would have to go elsewhere) and it was so sweet and I had pregnancy nausea for several months so drank it out of my wedding goblet with ice to get it down but it got my iron up.

Later, I started drinking it again when my iron got low. I now use a little every morning- about three or 4 swallows to take vitamins. My iron count is always good now.  (They won’t let you donate blood with a low iron count so I have a built-in check several times a year) And it can be purchased as an organic product so no bioengineered product. I buy mine from Safeway – the O-Organics brand. I used to buy Knudsen’s but they changed suppliers and it is now light brown instead of a rich dark color and doesn’t taste as good.”

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Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — September 12, 2023

Twenty years ago, today, on September 12, 2003, country music legend Johnny Cash—whose craggy baritone, simple poetics, hard-won integrity, and advocacy of the dispossessed transformed him into an American icon—died at age 71.

September 12, 1683, the Siege of Vienna ended after a combined force led by John III Sobieski of Poland defeated the Turkish invaders.

Today is the birthday of Richard Jordan Gatling (September 12, 1818 – February 26, 1903) was an American inventor best known for his invention of the Gatling gun, the first successful machine gun.

After nearly 40 years of riding across millions of American TV and movie screens, the cowboy actor William Boyd, best known for his role as Hopalong Cassidy, died on this day in 1972 at the age of 77.

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We are still seeking entries for Round 108 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $840,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 108 ends on September 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.

Hospitality in Exigency: Opening Your Home, by Jonathan Rawles

The tragedies of the wildfires in eastern Washington and on Maui, followed by hurricanes and flooding in California and Florida brought a secondary topic to mind: hospitality in exigency. It’s often alluded to, but it’s worth exploring the practicalities. How can a prepared household effectively support friends and family who have to leave their homes?

If you successfully make your household productive and resilient, it will assuredly become a refuge to others at some point. It’s wise to consider what this might look like now.

Types of Scenario

Let’s start with considering the cases where you might have to offer hospitality to friends or family in difficulty.

In an ideal world, your location is actually a shared retreat, and you’ve worked with your guests to prepare the place in advance. This should be on your mind if you have family living in a high-risk area and foresee the possibility of a future evacuation. In this case, you will know who is coming and an idea of what the circumstances might be. You have abundant opportunity to develop a plan between yourselves. You can preplan the logistics, including providing some storage space for the expected guests to pre-position necessary supplies to minimize the packing they must do in an emergency.

In most situations, it’s more of an expedient matter. You may have a little while to prepare, but unexpected circumstances prompt the need, and there’s been no opportunity to preplan. But with a few days’ notice, there’s some time to make adjustments, pick up supplies, or otherwise prepare.

However, in the case of a swiftly moving disaster, you may have only a few hours of notice or simply have them pull into your driveway unannounced. Hopefully, they will have been able to pack, but they may arrive with only the clothes on their backs.Continue reading“Hospitality in Exigency: Opening Your Home, by Jonathan Rawles”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies of interest to preppers and survivalists that are located in the American Redoubt region. Today, some news about Adam West Day. (See the Central & Eastern Washington section.)

Idaho

Almost half of Idaho public schools now using See Tell Now! safety tip line.

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One year’s seeds, seven years’ weeds. Herbicide treatments for flowering rush in Lake Pend Oreille.

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Video: Two Hikers on Day Hike Find Hiker Missing Since 2016.

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Ada County task force investigates police shooting of suicidal man near Star.

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No injuries after car crashed into Dollar Tree.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The place of justice is an hallowed place; and therefore not only the bench, but the foot-place; and precincts and purprise thereof, ought to be preserved without scandal and corruption. For certainly grapes (as the Scripture saith) will not be gathered of thorns or thistles; neither can justice yield her fruit with sweetness, amongst the briars and brambles of catching and polling clerks, and ministers. The attendance of courts, is subject to four bad instruments. First, certain persons that are sowers of suits; which make the court swell, and the country pine. The second sort is of those, that engage courts in quarrels of jurisdiction, and are not truly amici curiae, but parasiti curiae, in puffing a court up beyond her bounds, for their own scraps and advantage. The third sort, is of those that may be accounted the left hands of courts; persons that are full of nimble and sinister tricks and shifts, whereby they pervert the plain and direct courses of courts, and bring justice into oblique lines and labyrinths. And the fourth, is the poller and exacter of fees; which justifies the common resemblance of the courts of justice, to the bush whereunto, while the sheep flies for defence in weather, he is sure to lose part of his fleece. On the other side, an ancient clerk, skilful in precedents, wary in proceeding, and understanding in the business of the court, is an excellent finger of a court; and doth many times point the way to the judge himself.” – Francis Bacon

Preparedness Notes for Monday — September 11, 2023

September 11th is of course the anniversary of the 2001 Al Qaeda attacks on the U.S..  But it is also the anniversary of the Benghazi Embassy attacks, in 2012. (Those events were recounted in the Hollywood film 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.) Please remember the sacrifice of J. Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, and CIA (former Navy SEAL) agents Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty. Between them, Woods and Doherty reportedly dropped at least 60 of the attackers, before their position was overwhelmed. Please also remember the spineless worms in Washington, D.C. who decided to not back up the embassy staff when they were in dire need of help. Eventually, they will pay for that. Time wounds all heels.

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Our newest advertiser (in our text ads) operates an interesting trading post website: SimcourTradingPost.com.  Both cash and barter deals are offered. Take a look.  Hopefully, this will flourish!  Post the items (or services) that you’d like to sell or trade, and help that happen.  Thanks! –  JWR

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Today’s feature article is a review written by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.