Economics and Investing:

Silver Coin Premiums Soar Above 50%

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Coming Soon: QE 4

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German Central Bank Publishes Gold Bar List. JWR’s Comment: I find it curious that while at the same time that governments and central banks berate gold as a “barbarous relic” that is entirely disconnected from their monetary policies, they seem quite concerned with keeping big piles of it, under lock an key.

Items from The Economics Team:

Greece Could Return to Bond Markets Soon After a Restructuring of its Debt, Tsipras Says (Wall Street Journal. Subscription required for full text)
Question: What does Tsipras really believe? Is this “just politics and posturing” or did someone tighten the man’s tie?

China’s Boom-Bust Economy – The Truth Behind the Numbers (Mises Institute)

Odds ‘n Sods:

Anyone considering relocating to Michigan should take a look at this web site: HouseworthRealty.com. Doug Houseworth (yes, that is his real name) has pre-screened two different MLS databases in Michigan, looking for ideal retreat properties.

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G.G. flagged this: Private database lets police skirt license plate data limits

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UN delay could open door to robot wars, say experts

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J.B.G. sent us this link: The ‘doomsday’ weapon that could wipe out 90% of Americans: Eccentric tech millionaire and presidential candidate John McAfee says country is ‘ill prepared’ for electromagnetic attack

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B.B. flagged this troubling article by Bruce Schneier at Forbes: The Era Of Automatic Facial Recognition And Surveillance Is Here

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“I believe the public school system is inherently negative and (especially with political correctness) a vehicle for social agendas, not basic education.” – Wendy McElroy

Notes for Thursday – October 8, 2015

October 8th is the birthday of economist and libertarian commentator J. Orlin Grabbe.
(Born, 1947, died March 15, 2008.)

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Today, we present another entry for Round 61 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case–a $1,700 value.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  3. 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,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools, and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 MagPul PMAG 30rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. (An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  8. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training. (A $400 value.)
  4. A Model 120 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $340 value),
  5. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  9. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site,
  10. DisasterStuff.com is kindly donating one of their Berkey-compatible 5-gallon bucket filter systems, complete with four black Berkey filter elements (a $245 value), and
  11. Safecastle is providing a package of 10 Lifestraws (a $200 value).

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A $245 gift certificate from custom knifemaker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana.
  3. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  4. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  8. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value), and
  9. 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).

Round 61 ends on November 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

From Debt to Rural Independence, by R.T. in Georgia

You may read that the first thing you should do when prepping to prep is to get out of debt, but there is not much depth beyond that in the description of why you should get out of debt. My family has made a journey from debt to sustainability over the last seven years and absolutely the main thing that enabled that to happen was getting rid of our consumer debt. This is a quick description of one family’s fortune, what God allowed us to do and the opportunities that were made available to us when we took the challenge to pay off our debts. None of this could have happened with continuing consumer
debt.

Getting Out of Consumer Debt

It took three years to pay off cars, credit cards and get to a place where my only expenses were food, utilities, insurance, car maintenance, gas and my house mortgage. That was a liberating feeling that I can still take comfort in years later. We started saving to get that minimum $1,000 in savings, then added to it. Just being out of debt opened many opportunities and the possibility of buying a second piece of real estate became a feasible prospect that never could have happened unless we were out of debt.

I took baby steps to preparedness, not having a property to bug out to, I spent time driving the mountains looking for places to bug out to, marking them on the map so I knew how to get to them. I bought an old Ford Bronco and rebuilt it for a bug out vehicle. I did (and learned as I went) most of the work myself. Took survival classes to learn the plants of the area that are useful for food and medicine. I was building a foundation that was within my means. I did not have thousands of dollars to buy storage food, property, bunker, self defense tools etc… So I did what I can. You will be amazed at what you can do to build a strong foundation with little money.

Looking at my 401k (which was not big), I decided to borrow against it knowing that if my job was lost, that loan would be considered an early withdraw with all the penalties. So be it, a risk to be taken that has proved a good decision. I determined the amount we could take, and what we left in the401k would cover the penalties and leave us with enough to pay the taxes with some left over at the end of it.

We came to the realization that property was needed. (Owned outright. that is.)

Living in suburbia, our neighbor’s house less than 15 yards from mine, on less than ½ acre, having neighbors that take care of their curb appeal and buy new cars every four years, I was living in a made-up reality. Coming close to losing my job in 2009 scared me. I put myself mentally, into the situation of what if I had lost my job? The run of the situation did not look good. I was making a decent IT salary, but our mortgage payment was more than 1/3 of my net pay. Not good. I would have lost the house and my family would have been on the street. No savings and debt spelled disaster. Even though we didn’t buy the latest gadgets and attempted to keep up with the Jones’s, we were getting to the end of the cul-de-sac. It wasn’t just that sustainable property was needed. Rather, a change of our perception of what is “normal” was needed. Dave Ramsey spelled out the “debt snowball” method of paying off debt. By the time I heard this I had already created a spreadsheet on what debts to pay off first and my plan was in line with his advice. It is common sense but God showed me then I was onto something.

Desired Attributes

I was looking for one acre or more of farmable land, with a creek or spring.An existing house would be nice but not a deal breaker, a well, septic tank,trees. It was important that the property was on high ground or at least level ground rather than a depression.

Searching for the Property

I contacted a realtor that I knew and we started searching for foreclosure property towards the foothills of the Appalachian mountains, in the range of40 to 50 miles from our current “matrix” life in the suburbs. We were looking roughly 70 to 90 miles from Atlanta. Not the ideal distance but you have to be practical within your own reality. If it were 200 miles away there would be little opportunity to put in the time needed to prepare the property for self-sufficiency. And we couldn’t just move there with kids in school and job requirements demanded it.

After several months of searches and visits to properties, we put a bid on14 acres 90 miles from Atlanta. But, no easement, shared well with the electricity provided from the neighbor, it was a good property/ But God will tell you if you are forcing something you shouldn’t be, and we were. We finally came across 6.5 acres with a house that had “little value”. That is what the bank ad stated. This took about a year to find something that met our minimum needs but wasn’t the “Ideal” property, as I really don’t believe the ideal property exists. We found something that could be worked with.

Finding the Property

The property was listed as having “city water and sewer” but I could tell from Google Maps that there might be a creek on the property. I drove to the property after work and the place was in a slight shamble condition. It was a neglected house, 1,500 square foot modular home, but built well. Neighbor 30 yards away and their property had a garden (Ding. These people were country folk). The creek bordered the property, it was on a well and septic as the bank write up was incorrect. Took my wife the next day and before we were done walking the property, she said this is a done deal. We put a bid on the property in 2011.They asked $45,000, we offered $30,000, and they took it. With a 401k wire transfer, in one month we owned it.

Met the neighbor when I had a building inspector at the property. A countryman, he asked me if I hunted. I answered, “No, but I want to.” To which he replied, “I can show you.” This is where God came in again. This man had been raised in Tennessee and had hunted, gardened, chopped wood, and was raised in a house that had only an outhouse. (He used a flush toilet for the first time at school in the first grade.) He also knows construction and electrical work. His lifestyle is what I wanted. And he was willing to teach. We became best friends. He is always playing around with ideas. One day he put a square box2’ x 2’ x 2’ cube with wire cloth on 5 of the six sides. The bottom being open. Dug a trench into the box, put nuts in the trench and inside. Birds go in but are not smart enough to get out. He catches doves and other birds on a daily basis. Although he lets them go, if we put ten of those out, we could eat meat every day with no hunting, shooting, tracking etc… Kind of like a bird garden. He started flintnapping his own arrowheads and within a year was making arrows you would believe were made by Indians. Spears, blowguns, dead falls,snares, hunting, fishing, archery, skinning and cleaning, rocket stoves… the list goes on what this man has done, taught himself just by doing it. To top it off, his wife is a nurse. Tell me that wasn’t God putting us there.

Buying the Property

After closing the first thing we did was to fix the issues with the house.The well was not functioning, the bathroom had been gutted except for a commode. The master bath was in shambles, holes in the wall, some subflooring was soft from leaks. Dysfunctional kitchen, no water heater. (It had been ripped out.) Decks were old, falling apart and not safe,. A soffit was missing on one part of the house and birds had nested. You should get the picture. We learned as we went and did it one step at a time, seeking advice from whatever source we could get it.

Improvements

Within six months most of the issue with the house were fixed, wood flooring, paint, holes patched both bathrooms rebuilt, well fixed. No more outside latrine. Most of this work my wife and children had never done but with the knowledge of the neighbor, the Internet, books and the drive, we did this with no contractors. We learned a lot. We were not living there but were there every weekend. Then the storm hit and it made us committed to getting a storm shelter.

After weeks of research, getting bids on different types of storm shelters,I concluded the most economical type that would provide shelter and a root cellar was a semi buried galvanized culvert pipe. 8’ x 30’ buried 5’ deep and covered. The way the land is I could not have buried it as drainage would have been a problem. Hired a contractor friend that put this in, brick walls on either end, solid steel door and concreted and brick box as an entrance and a 4’ x 20’ pipe as an alternative exit in case the main entrance became blocked. This stays 20 cooler in the summer and although humidity is a slight problem, we can store food and supplies knowing that it would be safe from any storm or tornado.

No garage. Spent $3,000 on a 40’ CONEX sea container. Bought a tractor (a1951 Ford 8N, with a bush hog mower). Later bought a Disc Harrow and scrape blade, then a single turning plow, and boom. This tractor is an almost indestructible piece of equipment that has served many purposes. The culvert pipes, tractor, sea container all were bought with cash–cash that we had saved because we were out of debt. This could not have happened had we not yet paid off our debt.

Farming

First year garden was small but we were learning. Taught ourselves to can the products.

Our next garden was an experiment using Silt Fence material to keep the weeds down, automatic watering system (we still don’t live there) using 275gallon totes, sprinkler timer and vales, drip line and soaker hose. We managed to can about 70 jars of food. Not much, but getting better.

I read about NoTill Gardening. Purchased 60 cubic yards of compost to make 40’ long,unframed grow beds. We are planting Winter wheat and crimson clover as a cover crop this winter. Researching companion garden plants for next summers garden.All research was via the internet and county extension office. Once again, paid cash that would not have been available if we had debt.

Built a green house as a starter house / fragile plant house. This is all a learning experience that you can only get by doing.

What’s Next

Learning and learning more. The moral of this story is that in six years we went from debt and no fall-back position to a position that if we have to leave for any reason to this property, it will not affect us to a devastating level. It will be a transition and there will be many things we will be surprised by but because we have been experimenting with irrigation, water collection,gardening, hunting, trapping, survival plant knowledge and have pre-positioned the resources and knowledge necessary to survive (two man hand saws, wood gasifier, wood, archery, canning supplies, seeds, sustainable gardening practices, compost bins, worms, welding, fire making, hunting, skinning and cleaning, medicinal herbs knowledge, local plant knowledge… the list goe son), if our lives fall apart we can rebuild and have a decent chance of making it. None of this, nor the experience and knowledge gained by doing, was possible in the situation we put ourselves in by borrowing money.

If we didn’t take that first step of getting out of debt, the anxiety of the unknown would have been a big part of our lives and the best we could do is have a bug out or refugee plan. There would have been no way for us to do any of this.

Now for the best part: I am not the smartest man in the world, I have no financial resources other than what my wife and I make at our jobs. I never worked construction, worked with electrical, farmed, hunted, welded or operated a tractor before getting out of debt. I had been camping, hiking and fishing before but never had the wilderness skills to survive by eating pine tree bark,Solomon seal, greenbrier and use other trees as antiseptics or fever reducers.

There is no reason in the world you cannot do the same thing we did. Don’t think it is too late, or that I did it at the right time and that opportune time frame has now passed. It hasn’t. Start now and with each success you will gain confidence and your momentum will build. Each skill you learn is one more that you didn’t have before. It is better to be 10 steps on a 1,000 mile journey than wondering how to walk. God speed, – R.T. in Georgia

Mike Williamson’s Observations on College Campus Mass Shootings

I received the following forward of an State University of New York (SUNY) e-mail memo from a friend:

Subject: Reminder: SA All-Staff Meeting, October 7, 2015

Dear Colleague,

This is a reminder of the Student Affairs All-Staff meeting scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, October 7, 2015 from 2:00 – 4:00
p.m. in [Meeting room name redacted]

At this meeting, we will discuss the recent Town Hall Meeting regarding safety on campus. We will also discuss steps we might
take regarding improving the perception of safety on campus.

Please be reminded that All-Staff meetings are required events for professional staff; however, all staff in Student Affairs are invited. Please call ext. [redacted] if you are a professional staff member and unable to attend…

[Sender’s Name redacted]

[Title redacted], Student Affairs

SUNY Buffalo State

1300 Elmwood Avenue [mailstop redacted],

Buffalo, NY 14222

So we see that they’re going to discuss the discussion, and discuss how to improve the perception.

And yet they wonder why students are still getting raped and killed. – Michael Z. Williamson

Economics and Investing:

Inflation Watch – Butter Prices Hit All-Time Record High

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Record 94,610,000 Americans Not in Labor Force; Participation Rate Lowest in 38 Years

Items from The Economics Team:

How Bad Can It Get? …and How Fast? (Zero Hedge)

World’s Largest Shipowners Looking to Get Out of Greece (Zero Hedge) Government can’t tax an economy into prosperity!

Chinese Execs Feel the Chill (Reuters) Is China growing at 7%? Really???

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Rob L. recommended this book: 52 Prepper Projects: A Project a Week to Help You Prepare for the Unpredictable

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Jason in Montana suggested this alternative to a crockpot slow cooker, especially for people who live with an alternative power system: The Wonderbag

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Paul Caron: Supreme Court Justices Get More Liberal As They Get Older

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“The White House confirmed that President Obama was preparing a series of executive actions on gun control…” It seems to me that there are several possibilities: One might be an import ban on detachable magazine semi-auto firearms, as well as military surplus firearms parts sets. Another might be an import ban on 11+ round magazines. If you own any imported rifles or handguns, and if their magazines are not made in the U.S., then it would be wise to stock up on extra magazines. And if you want to buy any detachable magazine semi-auto foreign-made rifle or any U.S.-assembled rifle that has a significant number of foreign-made parts, then buy it soon. (The Tavor and the Steyr AUG A3 immediately come to mind.) One fact is inescapable: Bans always create shortages and shortages inevitably drive higher prices. – JWR

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Attend with Diligence and strict Integrity to the Interest of your Correspondents and enter into no Engagements which you have not the almost certain Means of performing.” – George Mason

Notes for Wednesday – October 7, 2015

On this day in 1985, the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro was commandeered by Palestinian terrorists.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 61 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction
writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case–a $1,700 value.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  3. 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,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools, and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 MagPul PMAG 30rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. (An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  8. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training. (A $400 value.)
  4. A Model 120 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $340 value),
  5. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  9. RepackBox isproviding a $300 gift certificate to their site,
  10. DisasterStuff.com is kindly donating one of their Berkey-compatible 5-gallon bucket filter systems, complete with four black Berkey filter elements (a $245 value), and
  11. Safecastle is providing a package of 10 Lifestraws (a $200 value).

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A $245 gift certificate from custom knifemaker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana.
  3. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  4. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  8. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value), and
  9. 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).

Round 61 ends on November 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Sun Tzu and The Art of Prepping, by B.F.

Around 2,500 years ago, a Chinese general named Sun Tzu wrote a treatise called “The
Art of War.” I first read it when I was in Officer’s Candidate School back in the 1970s. There are a number of translations and interpretations of the book available today. It is claimed that Marco Polo brought back a copy from his travels in the Thirteenth Century. I have also read where writers say that Von Clausewitz used Sun Tzu’s principles when he wrote “On War” and that (probably closer to the truth) Napoleon had a copy that had been first translated into French in 1782. I own a half dozen or so different versions of “The Art of War”, and find the most readable one to be a version edited by James Clavell, the author of Shogun, King Rat and other books of Asian historical fiction. Clavell’s book is available through Amazon and other outlets. I have used lessons from the book in the business world, and have provided copies of it to many of the managers who work for me. There is a local used book sale held annually by a non-profit here in town, and I usually pick up a couple of copies to have on hand (along with “Love and Profit, the Art of Caring Leadership” by James Autry) to giveaway.

JWR has used quotes from Sun Tzu in a couple of his novels in the Patriots series, and it seems to me that his protagonists also use Sun Tzu’s tactics at various points in the novel.

The lessons in The Art of War are still relevant today, and were used heavily during the first Gulf War. They were not used as well during subsequent action in Southwest Asia, nor were they followed earlier during the Viet Nam War and Korean War. If they had been, things would likely have been much different.

The Art of War does indeed focus on warfare and fighting, and depending on what sort of TEOTWAWKI scenario you are preparing for, is probably something you should read concerning tactics and battle.

The question in this article is not what Sun Tzu can tell us about warfare,it is what can we learn from Sun Tzu’s principles when we look at them through the eyes of preppers?

Probably my favorite quote, and the one I use most often, is from the beginning of the book. When one of my managers comes in to talk about what they should do when one of their folks does something wrong, I use the lesson about who is responsible when a mistake is made.

You can read the book for yourself for more details, but basically, the King of Wu “auditioned” Sun Tzu before hiring him as a general. The king gave Sun Tzu his harem of 180 concubines and told him to train them to drill like soldiers with pikes. He appointed two of the concubines as leaders, trained the women, and commanded the group to face right. When he did this, they all giggled and none carried out the command.

Sun Tzu then said “If the command is not understood, it is the General’s(in this case Sun Tzu himself) fault.” He then repeated his instruction and ensured they were understood. Then when he gave the command the second time,the concubines again giggled and were unable to carry out the command. This time, he said “If the command is clear, and it is not understood, then it is the fault of the officers,” whereupon he had the two concubines that were leaders executed.

The next time he gave the command to face right, the group did it perfectly.

What I talk to my managers about is that they should not just jump to the conclusion that the employee making the mistake is wrong. They need to be sure that the job is understood and that the associate had been trained. If this is something new, they also need to satisfy themselves that “the right way” is in fact correct and is something that can be done by the employee. Finally,they need to talk to the associate, ensure they understand how to do something right. By providing the focus and looking at it from the employee’s point of view, they can get their attention almost as well as chopping off someone’s head.

How does this lesson apply to prepping? In a couple of ways, first, if you are the one making the mistake, then you need to be sure you are not too hard on yourself. Was what you tried to do right? Was it within your skill set or capability? Same thing if you are working within a prepping group. They are there because they want to be and want to do things right. If you are working on a group training for a patrol, are the procedures and goals clear? Are you building tactical and technical proficiency or are you teaching something new?Is the training you are trying to carry out really within the capabilities of the group, or is it more something that you would need a team of Navy Seals to accomplish?

If it is within the capabilities of the group, then work through it. Ensure that whoever messed up knows it, and knows what they should do. Just don’t get personal about it that is the fastest way to alienate an important member of your team.

This doesn’t just apply to tactical exercises. Purchasing the wrong stores,trouble with preparing supplies for long term storage or rotating supplies, all of these areas and more are places that mistakes can be made and instructions not followed, and they are all areas where it is important to understand why a mistake was made before placing blame. They are also all “teachable moments.”

Sun Tzu organizes his writing around five factors. They are:

  • The Moral Law — this causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.
  • Heaven — by this, Sun Tzu means the environmental conditions that you operate under.
  • Earth — which refers to physical terrain
  • The Commander — which reflects the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness.
  • Method and Discipline — to me, this which to me this focuses on organization. Originally it referred to marshaling the army, organizing the rank structure and controlling expenditures.

How do these fit in with preparedness?

Moral Law is what drives us to be prepared. We believe in self-sufficiency and self-reliance. While we don’t have a “ruler” as preppers, we do have an accord. To become as ready as we can be in case of disaster or TEOTWAWKI. While prepping may or may not be the most important thing in our life, it is something that matters to us, and that drives us.

Heaven – environmental conditions. If you have a retreat or if you are planning to “bug in” what weather and climate conditions do you need to prepare for. Is water available if the grid is down? Can you put in a well or draw from a nearby river, stream or pond? How cold will it get in winter and how hot in summer? Can you heat it when it is cold, do you have shade for the hot season if air conditioning is nothing more than a memory?

Earth – Physical Terrain. In extremes of weather, will wind blow down trees on your shelter? Is your property subject to flooding or to heavy water flow in the case of unseasonable rains? If you have a basement, will it remain dry and will your stores remain safe? In case of loss of civil order, can your property be defended? Is it far enough away from heavily traveled routes that a “Golden Horde” will have a hard time finding it?

The Commander – Let’s call this the attributes of wisdom, sincerity,benevolence, courage and others that you will need to survive. While we don’t necessarily have a commander, we do need a fast definitive way to make critical decisions. These attributes need to exist not just in the leader, but in the followers too. We are all human, we all make mistakes. By having smart,dedicated people to share your post-apocalyptic world or even short term crisis with, you will be better off.

Method and Discipline. While we don’t promote the idea of cutting people’s heads off for giggling, we need to be sure we have identified the right way to do things and have the self-discipline to do things right.

Other ideas from the book also apply to preparedness.

All warfare is based on deception. To me, this means if you are prepared,keep it to yourself. While it is tempting to show pictures of stocks and supplies on Facebook, if you do so, you have just let hundreds or thousands of people know about it. Likewise talking about your preps to your friends. Unless they are like minded, most will roll their eyes and think of you as some sort of kook, that is until a crisis hits, then they may all show up on your doorstep. Think about spreading your stores around your house or retreat. False walls and other deceptions can be used to hide most of your stockpile, leaving only a small amount visible to the casual observer.

Though we have heard of stupid haste on war, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays. Gather and assess information and then act. Or to quote General George Patton, “A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.” Keep abreast of current events, monitor the news and what is going on, but when you think it is time to bug out(if that is your plan) don’t hesitate, do it.

If you know the enemy and you know yourself, then you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. Know what you need to do to survive. Practice it,live it if possible. Don’t leave your get home bag at home, keep it in the trunk of your car. I frequently read a Facebook page where people post photos of their “bug out bags”. Now they have the right idea, but most of what they show in the photos are brand new items, many still in the packaging, that they have never even used. The time to learn how to use a wire saw or a firestarter is not when you are in the middle of a survival situation. Know yourself and know how to use the tools you have provided for yourself.

There is a lot more in the book that makes it a worthwhile addition to your library, I hope I have provided enough information to interest you in acquiring a copy or two and reading through it. Just be sure to keep a pen or highlighter handy when you do, as I am sure you will find a lot that resonates with you.

Economics and Investing:

Just like clockwork, Spot Silver is emerging from the regular summer doldrums. It is noteworthy that the physical market is now very far removed from the spot and futures markets. There is a huge shortage of silver coins and small bars, and dealers are commanding huge premiums above spot. With spot silver now around $15.60 per ounce, you will be lucky to find even generic one-ounce rounds selling for less than $22 each, and U.S. Mint American Eagles are a couple of dollars more.

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Record ATM Fees Rise Toward $5

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Jim Willie: Checkmate! In an interview with Rick Wiles, in his characteristically blunt style, Jim Willie discusses Glencore and asserts that the Fed is creating$1 Trillion per month in hidden Quantitative Easing (QE) via oil market naked bond short reverse repos and related derivatives! (To see an explanation of this scheme n greater detail, read a piece that Willie wrote forMarket Oracle, back in late August: REPO Window Hidden$Trillion QE Monthly Volume.)

Items from The Economics Team:

The year-to-date layoff total of 493,431 is actually 2% more than all of 2014’s

Deutsche Bank says S&P Should Trade at Half It’s Value without the Benefit of QE (Zero Hedge)

Wage Apocalypse: Typical Male Earned Less in 2014 than in 1973 (MyBudget360)

World’s Biggest Currency Trader Says Weak Jobs Means Weak Dollar (Bloomberg Business)

Dave Ramsey on Zero-Based Budgeting

Odds ‘n Sods:

A consulting client in Georgia recently asked me about carry methods for his new Rawles XL Voyager folding knife. Since this knife is quite large (7.3″ long when folded and just over 12″ when locked open), it can be challenging for everyday front pocket carry, using the included pocket clip. And, given the long blade length, pocket carry is not always legal in all jurisdictions. I told him: To get a kydex belt sheath made in your choice of colors and set up for either horizontal or vertical carry, talk to Matt Mann of Trident Concealment. Or if you prefer leather, then Wicek Leather makes a great pancake style sheath. One other option is a Desmond suspended pack strap/neck sheath. (In my experience, for wear under a shirt, some people who wear an undershirt will find these comfortable to wear between layers, but without an undershirt, they are fairly uncomfortable.) And if you live in a locale with no restrictions on concealed knife carry, then a horizontal cell phone pouch or an eyeglasses case might do the trick.(BTW, test-fitting a knife in various pouches at a shopping mall cell phone kiosk can be quite a conversation starter!) And regardless of your choice of carry method, check your state and local laws before ordering! Oh, and if you order a custom sheath, make sure that you specify that you need it for a Tanto-style XL Voyager, since the Vaquero XL Voyager profile is substantially different.- JWR

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Richard H. flagged this: The plinker went to war: The IDF’s Ruger 10/22 JWR’s Comment: Keep in mind that these are not being used as primary battle rifles. They are used in Intifada riot situations, to reduce the risk of killing the guys who are throwing the rocks and Molotovs. (It is very difficult to just deliberately wound with a 5.56.) Keep in mind that.22LR is NOT an appropriate to use as a WTSHTF defensive rifle!

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Daniel Pipes: 50 Years of Dangerous Immigration Legislation. Here is a sobering quote from the article: “Put in numerical terms, according to the Pew Research Center, the United States was 84 percent white, 11 percent black, 4 percent Hispanic, and 1 percent Asian in 1965; today, it is 62 percent white, 12 percent black, 18 percent Hispanic and 6 percent Asian, and 2 percent other. The center projects that in 2065, the population will be 46 percent white, 13 percent black, 24 percent Hispanics, 14 percent Asian, and 3 percent other.” JWR’s Comment: This demographic shift is profound–not because of skin color, which is in an of itselfmeaningless–but rather because it indicates a corresponding shift in America’s religious makeup. There are now fewer Christians and Jews, as a percentage of the overall population, and the demographic shift is expected to continue. And it is notable that a lot of the cited “other” category will be Muslims of Middle Eastern origin.