July, 2023 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover gold’s performance and the factors that affected gold prices.

What Did Gold Do in July?

We expected continued central bank policies of putting the inflation fight above the job market and preventing inflation would have put gold on the back foot, making traditionally weak summer gold demand worse. That isn’t exactly what happened.

August gold futures started July at $1,929 an ounce, with spot prices starting at $1,919. Prices peaked on the 18th, with August futures settling at $1,980, and spot prices closing at $1,977. The most active gold contract on the COMEX shifted to the December futures on Friday, July 28th, closing at $1,999.90. It ended the month at $2,009.20.

Gold saw highly volatile price movements this month, moving suddenly by $20 up or down on unexpected economic news.Continue reading“July, 2023 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran”

Using Pop Culture to Teach Survival and Civics, by M.J.

This short article does not teach any particular skills, tactics, or procedures. My only objective here is to offer some suggestions for using pop culture to get children or teenagers to start thinking about survival and to learn about civics. While most pop culture ranges from fluff to downright destructive, there are some gems we can pull out of the trash heap. Some of the examples here are irreverent and some have bad language; that’s the point. Books and sober lectures aren’t always the best way to get people’s attention. Note that I am labeling anything with vulgarity or profane language as NSFW — meaning “not safe for work”.

Let’s start with Amish Paradise. This classic has been floating around the Internet since the late 1990s. Let your children watch the whole thing and laugh their heads off. Then start asking them questions to make them think: What would their lives be like with “no phone, no lights, no motorcar, not a single luxury?” How would they get around? How far could they go via walking or cycling? How would they communicate? Then introduce the concept of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) to show how the United States might be reduced to living the “Amish Paradise” life. Would they be able to pay for anything online, or get any information online? Is it time to start learning bartering and other survival skills? Will cash or precious metals suddenly become much more useful? Is it time to stock up on paper books (not e-readers), which will not be vulnerable to EMP?Continue reading“Using Pop Culture to Teach Survival and Civics, by M.J.”

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, we focus on a tragic murder-suicide, at a Montana boat ramp near Eureka, Montana. (See the Region-Wide section.  Pictured is downtown Eureka, Montana.)

Region-Wide

Bend man shot, killed during argument at Montana boat ramp; suspect apparently killed self.

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Why Americans making over $200,000 are flocking to Idaho and Montana.

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Idaho man killed after falling from Grand Teton National Park peak.

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Arizona teen missing since 2019 found ‘safe, happy and healthy’ in small Montana town.

Idaho

Lori Vallow Daybell sentenced to life in prison.

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Census shows Idaho is still growing, but Boise’s population shrank.

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Matt Christiansen’s commentary: Idaho Couple Wins Lawsuit Against City for Defying 2020 Lockdown Orders | Arrested for Church Songs.

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Former Bonner County fair director accused of embezzlement takes her own life.

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Any shooters passing through North Idaho should check out Sheep Dog Supplies. They are located right on Highway 95, in Sagle.

o  o  o

The West Nile Virus continues to spread in Southern Idaho.

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Exploring the lava tubes at Craters of the Moon National Monument.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day: 

“I’m a Physician.

I kept following The Science, and found the Money.

I kept following The Experts, and found the Money.

I kept following the Mainstream Media, and found the Money.

So I started following The Misinformation, and found The Truth.” – Dr. Suneel Dhand

Preparedness Notes for Monday — July 31, 2023

July 31st is the birthday of free-market economist Milton Friedman. (Pictured, born 1912, died November 16, 2006.)

On July 31st, 1958 the Anti-Chinese uprising began in Tibet.

July 31st, 1921, was the birthday of Army Air Corps veteran David Thatcher, one of the Doolittle Raider. Thatcher was the tail gunner in the rear of the Mitchell B-25 medium bomber christened the Ruptured Duck, the seventh of 16 planes. Returning from the raid, the bomber crashed into the sea from low fuel and the crewmen survived, in no small part to Thatcher’s heroic efforts. The five airmen washed ashore and were given aid by Chinese fishermen who found them. Thatcher bound their wounds and being the only crewman able to walk, joined with armed guerrillas to carry the other crewmen to a hospital while evading Japanese troops. He was born in Bridger, Montana, and later lived in Missoula, Montana. He died in 2016, at age 94. Only one other Doolittle Raider outlived him: Dick Cole

Leatherman Sidekick Multi-Tool, by Thomas Christianson

The Leatherman Sidekick is a well-made multi-tool with a nice selection of features. I found it to be just slightly larger than I would prefer for pocket carry. I would highly recommend it for belt pouch, pack, tackle box, or similar carry.

The Backstory

Last Spring, the Youth Ministry Leaders at our church gave me a gift card to a sporting goods store. It was an expression of appreciation for the oversight that I was temporarily providing to the youth ministry. I was deeply touched. I had been greatly blessed by observing the ministry of the leaders to the young people of our church. It was nice to see that they appreciated my ministry as well.

I had been eager to try out another Leatherman multi-tool for quite some time. I had previously tested the Leatherman Wave and the Leatherman Skeletool. The Leatherman Wave has a great selection of tools, but I find it just a little too large for everyday carry (EDC). I typically carry the Leatherman Skeletool every day, but I wished that it included a pair of scissors among its tool selection. I was eager to see if the Leatherman Sidekick was small enough to comfortably carry every day while providing a larger range of tools than the Skeletool.Continue reading“Leatherman Sidekick Multi-Tool, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Roasted Summer Squash & Zucchini

The following recipe for Roasted Summer Squash & Zucchini is from SurvivalBlog reader Tom V.

Ingredients
  • 1 pound yellow summer squash (2 medium-size)
  • 1 pound zucchini (about 2 medium-size or 3 to 4 small-size)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Slice the zucchini and squash into 1/4-inch thick rounds. In a large bowl, mix them with the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and salt.
  3. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the vegetables in a single layer on the baking sheets. Roast for 8 minutes.
  4. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and sprinkle evenly with the shredded Parmesan cheese. Return the sheets to the oven and bake another 7 minutes until tender and the cheese is melted.
SERVING

Serve immediately.

STORAGE

This does not store well, for leftovers. Your chickens will love it.

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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!

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 base metals prices. (See the Commodities section.)

Precious Metals:

Why is The US Treasury’s Silver Eagle Mandate Not Being Honored? : Analyst.

o  o  o

At Kitco.com: U.S. focus on green energy transition is working and silver continues to be the biggest beneficiary – Bank of America.

Economy & Finance:

Reported back on July 5th: After brief pause, Federal Reserve looks poised to raise interest rates again. JWR’s Comments:  Another 50 basis point rise in the prime rate will be enough to destroy the real estate market. Even with current mortgage rates, very few would-be home buyers now qualify for mortgages.

o  o  o

Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: Tax Relief Is Coming To Millions Of Red-State Residents.

o  o  o

At Zero Hedge: IMF Raises Global GDP Outlook, Warns “Not Out Of The Woods” As Inflation Proves Sticky. From teh report’s summary:

“Global growth is projected to fall from an estimated 3.5 percent in 2022 to 3.0 percent in both 2023 and 2024. The rise in central bank policy rates to fight inflation continues to weigh on economic activity. Global headline inflation is expected to fall from 8.7 percent in 2022 to 6.8 percent in 2023 and 5.2 percent in 2024. Underlying (core) inflation is projected to decline more gradually, and forecasts for inflation in 2024 have been revised upward.”

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — July 30, 2023

Today we remember the birthday of author Reginald Bretnor. He was born Alfred Reginald Kahn on July 30, 1911, in Vladivostok. He died on July 22, 1992 in Medford, Oregon. In addition to penning many witty science fiction novels and short stories in his characteristic style, he also wrote nonfiction articles for Mel Tappan’s P.S. Letter.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present the final entry for Round 107 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 course certificate from onPoint Tactical 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.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. 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.
  4. 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).
  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 firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. 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)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. 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.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $825,000 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 begins on August 1st, 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.

Lessons From a Road Trip, by Richard T.

In April of this year we made a road trip from our home near the upper Mississippi River to the southern tip of Florida. In a previous article I covered navigation, communications (between driver and passenger), and maneuvering in traffic on that trip. This article is about other aspects of the same trip and what worked, and what didn’t.

This trip had a two-fold purpose, to make a visit and to deliver cargo. Late the night before we were going to leave we decided to take the truck instead of the car as we needed the room for the cargo, to recline the seats to sleep in the cab and to take some gear to camp out. This would give us more flexibility to pull over anywhere and save money on motel rent. We would then have room to also take our bicycles. I also took a tote full of tarps that I wanted to donate in the vicinity of tornadoes that had been occurring along the route we were going to take. As we already had the car packed, this delayed our trip by one day.

We made a checklist to assure that we weren’t taking too much, but to also have enough to avoid making a lot of stops. In the spring of 2023 there were concerns over a possible banking collapse, devastating weather, civil unrest, the likelihood of fuel shortages, economic collapse and of course war. We did not prepare for any of that, in fact, quite the opposite. We took whatever we needed for our basic needs and would trust that whatever we needed from the infrastructure would be there when we needed it.Continue reading“Lessons From a Road Trip, by Richard T.”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week: Soylent Green New Deal

The latest meme created by JWR — with special thanks to SurvivalBlog reader John H. for the tagline idea:

Meme Text:

Kamala Harris says: “When we invest in clean energy and electric vehicles and reduce population, more of our children can breathe clean air and drink clean water…”

To Me, That Sounds Like A Soylent Green New Deal

News Links:

VIRAL GAFFE: VP Kamala Harris Calls To ‘Reduce Population’—She Means ‘Pollution’

They corrected her Freudian slip in the transcript at the White House website: Remarks by Vice President Harris on Combatting Climate Change and Building a Clean Energy Economy.

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!

Blanket permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provide that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

 

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.

And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.

And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.

And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.

And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.

And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.

And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.

And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.” – Mark 9:1-10 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — July 29, 2023

July 29th, 1805 was the birthday of Alexis-Charles-Henri Clérel de Tocqueville. He died April 16th,1859. He is best known for his lengthy treatise titled Democracy In America.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 107 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 course certificate from onPoint Tactical 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.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. 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.
  4. 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).
  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 firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. 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)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. 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.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $825,000 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 107 ends on July 31st, 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.

 

A Low Power Communications Station in a Bucket – Part 5, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 4. This concludes the article.)

RTL-SDR and SIGINT

The photo at left shows a 2.GHz panel Yagi (a directional antenna) that was installed on a field expedient 30-foot wooden pole that is stabilized with guy wires. It is for use with a RTL-SDR dongle and a laptop to detect the signals controllng the movement of line of sight (LOS) drones that would emanate from the direction of the most likely avenue of approach. Its range of detection would be greatest when placed above the top of trees. In the world of radio, ‘Height is might’.)

The link to the RTL SDR dongle and the software for the RTL SDR, that can be downloaded for free, can be found at the manufacturer’s website.

A communications station in a bucket can be used as a part of a remote station located on key terrain (a hill) that overlooks the area and can be used for Signals Intelligence (SIGINT). This will likely be the most valuable intelligence collection method in the future, and it would be wise to learn how to develop intelligence to the best of our ability, as opposed to simply collecting information, or simply maintaining visual situational awareness. The process involves asking the most pertinent questions and using signal interception as a means to answer the questions posed.Continue reading“A Low Power Communications Station in a Bucket – Part 5, by Tunnel Rabbit”