Letter Re: Lessons on Prepping From an Afghanistan Deployment, by A.K.

Hugh,

I’m always glad to hear stories from fellow Marines on your blog. Having served as a combat Marine in Fallujah (2004), I can appreciate the lessons he’s disseminating and vouch for their effectiveness. However, there is one detail I want to clarify to your readers:

The 9mm is not a bad round. It’s actually quite an effective round with the right bullet. The military is restricted to using mostly ball type ammunition, due to the obsolete Hague Convention, and 9mm ball is, unequivocally, a terrible round for stopping humans. It’s great for light barrier penetration and target shooting, and that’s all it should be relegated to. Modern 9mm jacketed hollow-points have elevated the humble 9mm up to respectable standards, and through testing have held their place right along with the overly hyped .45 ACP. Just as the Marines had done by switching from M855 ball to the Mk318 SOST to improve the terminal ballistics of the 5.56mm round, a similar effort should be done to replace the antiquated ball round with something more purpose driven. I have nothing against the 1911 or .45 ACP, but given the cost/performance/capacity of 9mm with modern JHP’s, it’s the pragmatic choice of many long-time shooters and the new standard for the FBI. Regards, – R.D.

Economics and Investing:

Review of the 2014 Bank Failures and Their Effects on Depositors. – G.G.

o o o

Jeff Gundlach: Something Is Not Right; Concerned About Health Of The Economy & Financial System

o o o

Items from Mr. Econocobas:

German Savers Brace for $2.3 Trillion ECB Question

Jim Rickards Says the Fed is Bluffing About Raising Interest Rates in 2015

Hedge Funds Resume Bullish Gold Bets as Greece Vote Looms

The ECB “Leaks” Its 3 QE Choices

Odds ‘n Sods:

Living on the edge. Proof that living on the edge can be done for a very long time. Important to note how important faith is in such a situation. – S.D.

o o o

Former Marine Shocks Crowd By Singing Forgotten Verse Of Star Spangled Banner. – Avalanche Lily

o o o

Top five emergency first aid items you probably didn’t even realize were medicine. – D.S.

o o o

Connecticut Gun Confiscation Letters Now Confirmed By Fox. – F.B.

o o o

The Most Amazing Hubble Image Ever. – C.M.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“One might accept death reasoningly, with every aspect of the conscious mind, but the body was a brute beast that knew nothing of reason.” ? Isaac Asimov, Pebble in the Sky

Notes for Tuesday – January 06, 2015

Seed for Security is offering a great sale. Their Spring Collection is now 25% off. It includes five varieties of open pollinated, non-GMO, cool hardy vegetables– a total of 2,100 seeds. They are also offering one-pint pouches (~1425 seeds) of Flint Indian Corn.

o o o

Today, we present another entry for Round 56 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. 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,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined 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 then 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),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 30 DPMS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448.95) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  7. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. 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,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate, and
  12. 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. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis 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,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  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. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  10. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. 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,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack (a $379 value).

Round 56 ends on January 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.

The Good News About Nuclear Destruction, by S.C.

What possible “good news” could there ever be about nuclear destruction coming to America, whether in the form of dirty bombs, terrorist nukes, or ICBM’s from afar?

In a word, they are all survivable, at least for the vast majority of American families, IF they know what to do beforehand and have made even the most modest of preparations.

Tragically, though, most Americans today won’t give much credence to this good news, much less seek out such vital life-saving instruction, as they have been jaded by our culture’s pervasive myths of nuclear un-survivability.

Most people think that if nukes go off then everybody is going to die, or it’ll be so bad they’ll wish they had. That’s why you hear such absurd comments as “If it happens, I hope I’m at ground zero and go quickly.”

This defeatist attitude was born as the disarmament movement ridiculed any competing alternatives to their ban-the-bomb agenda, like civil defense. The activists wanted all to think there was no surviving any nukes and that disarmament was your only hope. The sound civil defense strategies of the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s have been derided as being largely ineffective or, at worst, a cruel joke. Since the supposed end of the Cold War in the 80’s, most Americans saw neither a need to prepare nor believed that preparation would do any good. Today, with growing prospects of nuclear terrorism and nuclear saber rattling from rogue nations, we see emerging among the public either paralyzing fear or irrational denial. People can’t even begin to envision effective preparations for ever surviving a nuclear attack. They think it is totally futile, bordering on lunacy, to even try. Ironically, the disarmament activist’s legacy, regardless of their noble intent, has rendered millions of Americans even more vulnerable to perishing from nukes in the future.

The biggest surprise for most Americans, from the first flash of a nuke being unleashed, is that they will still be here, though ill-equipped to survive for long, if they don’t know what to do beforehand from that very first second of the initial flash onward. For instance, many could readily survive the delayed blast wave via the old “duck and cover” tactic, which is very good news IF they knew to do it quick, as the flash appeared. Unfortunately, most don’t, and even fewer know how to later survive the coming radioactive fallout, which could eventually kill many times more than the blast. However, there is still more good news possible, as well over 90% of those potential casualties from fallout are avoidable, too, IF the public was pre-trained through an aggressive, national, civil defense educational program. Simple measures taken immediately after a nuclear detonation, by a pre-trained public, can prevent agonizing death and injury from radiation exposure.

The National Planning Scenario #1, an originally confidential internal 2004 study by the Department of Homeland Security, examined the effects of a terrorist nuke detonated in Washington, D.C.. They discovered that a 10 kiloton nuke, about 2/3rds the size of the Hiroshima bomb, detonated at ground level, would result in about 15,000 immediate deaths as well as another 15,000 casualties from the blast, thermal flash and initial radiation release.1 As horrific as that is, and even without “duck and cover”, the surprising revelation here is that over 99% of the residents in the DC area will have just witnessed and survived their first nuclear explosion. Clearly, the good news is most people would survive that initial blast.

However, that study also soberly determined that as many as another 250,000 people could soon be at risk from lethal doses of radiation from the fallout drifting downwind towards them after the blast. (Another study, released in August 2006 by the Rand Corporation, looked at a terrorist 10 kiloton nuke arriving in a cargo container and being exploded in the Port of Long Beach, California. Over 150,000 people were estimated to be at risk downwind from fallout, again many more than from the initial blast itself.2)

The good news here, that these much larger casualty numbers from radioactive fallout are largely avoidable, too, only applies to those pre-trained beforehand by a civil defense program in what they need to do before it arrives. Today, lacking any meaningful civil defense program, millions of American families continue to be at risk and could perish needlessly for lack of essential knowledge that used to be taught at the grade school level. The public at large, businesses, and all of our children’s schools urgently need to be instructed in civil defense basics again, like how most can save themselves by immediately employing the “duck and cover” tactic, rather than just allowing an impulsive rush to the nearest windows to see what that “bright flash” was across town, just-in-time to be shredded by the glass imploding inward from that delayed shock wave blast.

Most also don’t know, even when caught in the open, that just lying flat reduces by eight-fold the chances of being hit by debris from that brief, three second, tornado-strength shock wave blast that, like lightning and thunder, could be delayed arriving anywhere from a couple seconds to two minutes after that initial flash.

Remember the February, 2013 Chelyabinsk Russia meteor air burst? 1,500 people were injured, most from the delayed shock wave exploding inward the window glass they were anxiously scanning the winter sky through trying to see what/where the bright flash was earlier. “A fourth-grade teacher in Chelyabinsk, Yulia Karbysheva, was hailed as a hero after saving 44 children from imploding window glass cuts. Despite not knowing the origin of the intense flash of light, Karbysheva thought it prudent to take precautionary measures by ordering her students to stay away from the room’s windows and to perform a duck and cover maneuver. Karbysheva, who remained standing, was seriously lacerated when the blast arrived and window glass severed a tendon in one of her arms; however, none of her students, whom she ordered to hide under their desks, suffered cuts.” 3

“Duck and cover”, while under-appreciated by most Americans, has long been known as a simple and effective shock wave blast life-saver, even as early as Hiroshima (15 KT) and Nagasaki (22 KT). “According to the 1946 book, Hiroshima, in the days between the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings in Japan, one Hiroshima policeman went to Nagasaki to teach police about ducking after the atomic flash. As a result of this timely warning, not a single Nagasaki policeman died in the initial blast. Unfortunately, the general population was not warned of the heat/blast danger following an atomic flash because of the bomb’s unknown nature. Many people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki died while searching the skies for the source of the brilliant flash.” 4

Robert Trumbull– the New York Times Pacific and Asia war correspondent from 1941-79 who had been in Iwo Jima– documented more double-bombing survivors in his 1957 book Nine Who Survived Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Personal Experiences of Nine Men who Lived Through Both Atomic Bombings5. Below are two of their experiences and their ages on 9 August 1945:

Tsutomu Yamaguchi, 29, was a Mitsubishi ship designer who died in 2010 at age 93 (Trumbull pp. 28 and 109): “‘Suddenly there was a flash like the lighting of a huge magnesium flare,’ Yamaguchi recalls. The young ship designer was so well drilled in air-raid precaution techniques that he reacted automatically. He flung his hands to his head, covering his eyes with his fingers and stopping his ears with his two thumbs. Simultaneously he dropped to the ground, face down. … ‘As I prostrated myself, there came a terrific explosion’ … [The left side of his face and arm facing the fireball were burned, and he returned to Nagasaki, experiencing the second nuclear explosion on the sixth-floor of the headquarters office of Mitsubishi.] Spelling out the danger of flying glass, he urged them to keep windows open during an air-raid alert, and at the instant of the flash to seize at once upon any shelter available … the second A-bomb confirmed young Yamaguchi’s words, exploding in a huge ball of fire about a mile away. Yamaguchi’s lecture [just an hour earlier!]… was not lost upon his colleagues. With the young designer’s words still fresh in their minds, they leaped for the cover of desks and tables. ‘As a result,’ said Yamaguchi, ‘my section staff suffered the least in that building. In other sections there was a heavy toll of serious injuries from flying glass’.”

Masao Komatsu, 40, was hit by a falling beam in a Hiroshima warehouse and was on board a train in Nagasaki when the bomb fell (Trumbull, p101): “…the interior of the coach was bathed in a stark, white light. Komatsu immediately dived for the floor. ‘Get down!’ he screamed at the other passengers. Some recovered sufficiently from the daze of the blinding light to react promptly to his warning. Seconds later came the deafening crack of the blast, and a shock wave that splintered all the windows on both sides of the train. The passengers who had not dived under the seats were slashed mercilessly from waist to head by glass flying at bullet speed.”

While terrorist nukes would likely be smaller than the Hiroshima (15 KT) bomb, in a modern super power conflict today, the nukes would be larger, most in the 100 KT to 500 KT range. The unsurvivable “ground zero” lethal zone of a 500 KT nuke airburst, would extend out to about 2.2 miles. The blast wave would arrive at that 2.2 mile marker about eight seconds after the flash and then continue on causing death or injury from there out about to the nine miles mark, putting at grave risk then an additional at least 15 times more souls than were already lost within that unsurvivable 2.2 mile ground zero radius. That’s IF they don’t know to “duck and cover” in those 8 to 20+ seconds after the flash and before the blast wave arrived. In other words, with “duck and cover” taught to and employed by all, there could be over 15 times fewer casualties from that blast wave!6

Clearly, prompt “duck and cover” maneuvers, upon any bright flash suddenly appearing, is lifesaving good news everyone should be taught! They need to also be taught, after the blast, that attempting to outrun that downwind drift of the fallout is strongly discouraged. It only works if the wind direction, speed, and distance from ground zero is known and assures plenty enough time to escape exposure in the open well before the fallout would arrive along their, likely clogged, route. They must also be taught that sheltering-in-place is usually the better option, as the radioactive fallout loses 90% of its lethal intensity in the first seven hours and 99% of it in two days. For those requiring sheltering from fallout, the majority would only need two or three days of full-time hunkering down, not weeks on end, before safely joining an evacuation, if even still necessary then.

That’s more good news as an effective expedient fallout shelter can easily be improvised at home, school, or work quickly, but, again, only IF the public had been trained beforehand in how to do so, as was begun in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s with our national civil defense program.

Unfortunately, our government today is doing little to promote nuclear preparedness and civil defense instruction among the general public. Regrettably, most of our politicians, like the public, are still captive to the same illusions that training and preparation of the public are ineffective and futile against a nuclear threat.

The past administration’s Department of Homeland Security head, Michael Chertoff, demonstrated this attitude in 2005 when he responded to the following question in USA Today:7

Q: In the last four years, the most horrific scenario– a nuclear attack– may be the least discussed. If there were to be a nuclear attack tomorrow by terrorists on an American city, how would it be handled?

A: In the area of a nuclear bomb, it’s prevention, prevention, prevention. If a nuclear bomb goes off, you are not going to be able to protect against it. There’s no city strong enough infrastructure-wise to withstand such a hit. No matter how you approach it, there’d be a huge loss of life.

Mr. Chertoff failed to grasp that most of that “huge loss of life” could be avoided if those in the blast zone and downwind knew what to do beforehand. He only acknowledges that the infrastructure will be severely compromised with too few first responders responding. Civil defense pre-training of the public is clearly the only hope for those in the blast zone and later in the fallout path. Of course, the government should try and prevent it happening first, but the answer he should have given to that question is; “preparation, preparation, preparation” of the public via training beforehand, for when prevention by the government might fail.

The current Obama administration also fails to grasp that the single greatest force multiplier to reducing potential casualties, and greatly enhancing the effectiveness of first responders, is a pre-trained public, so that there will be far fewer casualties to later deal with. Spending millions to train and equip first responders is good and necessary, but having millions fewer victims, by having also educated and trained the public beforehand, too, would be many magnitudes more effective in saving lives.

The federal government needs to launch a national mass media, business supported, and school-based effort, superseding our most ambitious public awareness campaigns like for AIDs, drug abuse, drunk driving, anti-smoking, and so forth. The effort should percolate down to every level of our society. Let’s be clear; we are talking about the potential to save many times more lives than those saved by all these other noble efforts combined!

Instead, Homeland Security continues with a focus primarily on…

#1 – Interdiction– Catching nuclear materials and terrorists beforehand and…

#2 – Continuity of Government (COG) and casualty response afterwards for when #1 fails, while the vital key component continues to be largely ignored…

#3 – Continuity of the Public while it’s happening. This could be achieved via proven mass media civil defense training beforehand that would make the survival difference then for the vast majority of Americans affected by a nuclear event and on their own, from that first initial flash and blast on through those critical first couple of days of the highest radiation threat, before government response has arrived in force.

This deadly oversight will persist until those crippling myths of nuclear un-survivability are banished by the good news that a trained and prepared public can, and ultimately has to, save themselves. More training of the public beforehand means fewer body bags required afterwards. It’s that simple.

The tragic After Action Reports (AAR’s) of an American city nuked today would glaringly reveal then that the overwhelming majority of victims had perished needlessly for lack of this basic, easy to learn and employ, life-saving knowledge. Re-launching civil defense training is an issue we hope and pray will come to the forefront on the political stage, with both parties vying to outdo each other proposing national civil defense public educational programs. We are not asking billions for provisioned public fallout shelters for all, like what already awaits many of our politicians. We are just asking for a comprehensive mass media, business, and school-based re-release of the proven practical strategies of civil defense instruction in the form of a modernized version of what we used to have here and that had been embraced by the Chinese, Russians, Swiss, and Israelis.

There is no greater, nor more legitimate, primary responsibility of any government than to protect its citizens. Furthermore, no greater condemnation awaits that government that fails to, risking millions who then perish needlessly. We all need to demand renewed public civil defense training, and the media needs to spotlight it by questioning officials and politicians, until the government corrects this easily avoidable but fatal vulnerability.

In the meantime, though, don’t wait around for the government to instruct and prepare your own family and community. Educate yourself today, and begin establishing your own family nuclear survival preparations by reading the free nuke prep primer– “What To Do If A Nuclear Disaster Is Imminent!”

Then, post links to, or pass copies of, this “Good News” article to friends, neighbors, relatives, fellow workers, churches, and community organizations with a brief note attached saying simply: “We hope/pray we never need this, but just-in-case, keep it handy!” Few nowadays will find that approach an alarmist one, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how many are truly grateful.

Everyone should also forward copies to their local, state, and federal elected representatives, as well as your own community’s first responders and local media, all to help spread this good news that’s liberating American families from their paralyzing and potentially fatal myths of nuclear un-survivability!

The Bottom Line: We could easily reduce by 90% the lethality of all Chinese, Russian, North Korean, and Iranian missiles and any terrorist nukes, too, quick as the public is trained up in blast and fallout civil defense basics again. That is very good news!

______________________________

1 https://info.publicintelligence.net/DHS%20-%20National%20Planning%20Scenarios%20March%202006.pdf

2 http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/technical_reports/2006/RAND_TR391.pdf

3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelyabinsk_meteor#Injuries_and_damage

4 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_and_cover

5 http://www.amazon.com/Nine-Who-Survived-Hiroshima-Nagasaki/dp/B001NWPV9E

6 http://www.radshelters4u.com/

7 http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-08-09-forum_x.htm

Seeking Subject Matter Experts for My New Novel Series

After completion of the five-book Patriots novel series, I’m now drafting the first book in a new multi-novel series, which has not yet been named. I should mention that this new novel series does not tie in to the storyline of the Patriots novels. It will be considered science fiction, since it will be set 40 years in the future, and will include some anticipated technology developments. The first book in this series may be released in late 2015 or early 2016.

To give this upcoming novel series the same level of authenticity as the Patriots series, I would greatly appreciate corresponding via e-mail with:

  • Anyone who has recently lived in Tyler, Texas.
  • Anyone who has trained in Krav Maga extensively.
  • Anyone who is a veteran of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF).
  • Anyone who has lived or traveled extensively in South Africa.
  • Anyone who has lived in the Negev Desert region of Israel.
  • Anyone who has lived or traveled extensively in South Sudan.
  • Anyone who has lived or traveled extensively in Western Kenya.
  • Anyone who has experience flying true STOL aircraft, such as a Pilatus Porter.
  • Anyone who has LO (“Stealth”) aircraft design knowledge and is willing to speculate on future foreign LO developments.
  • Anyone who has worked in particle beam research–preferably “in-air”, rather than just in-vacuum lab tests.
  • Anyone who had military service as a 4.2″ Mortarman (Army 11C or a USMC 0341)
  • Anyone with knowledge of the Italian AISE (Agenzia Informazioni e Sicurezza Esterna)

If you are willing to share your expertise, then please e-mail me. Thanks! – JWR

News From The American Redoubt:

Oregon Concealed Carry law revision. – C.A.

o o o

Mom who was killed by 2-year-old in Idaho Wal-Mart had a concealed weapons permit. – F.B.

o o o

The New Oregon minimum wage: ‘ I Wouldn’t work a job in Idaho that paid me that much less’ . – RBS

o o o

Another local Idaho-based business I thought you might enjoy knowing about… Walnut Grove Gunstocks

o o o

Police arrest Idaho mom for leaving loaded gun near her children. – RBS

Economics and Investing:

Sayonara Global Economy. – G.P.

o o o

Items from Mr. Econocobas:

Chinese Savings vs. American Spending from Mises.org

Subprime Auto Loans Are Making a Comeback – Between these and extending the payback time on loans is what I believe is driving the auto market, disagree with author saying this is not an issue.

Video: Interview of Chris Powell of GATA (Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee) by Greg Hunter

Russia’s “Startling” Proposal To Europe: Dump The US, Join The Eurasian Economic Union

Notes for Monday – January 05, 2015

Are you looking for a home based business with established business accounts and existing traffic? One of SurvivalBlog’s advertisers sent us this information. This may be the opportunity you are looking for:

“If you are looking for a great online store and home based business, we are selling the Homestead Store and drying rack business. What this includes is the domain names of Homestead-Store.com and HomesteadDryingRacks.com, the website, photos, designs, instructions, as well as all the equipment needed to produce the best drying racks on the market! We started the business in 2010, carrying many homestead-based products for the homestead enthusiasts and in 2011 we started the drying rack business.

We have had lots of traffic to our store and a steady flow of orders. The drying rack business holds a great account with an upscale retail store called Rejuvenation which is based in California. We have a marketing relationship with Survival Blog in advertising our drying racks as prizes for his monthly contest which also drive a considerable amount of online traffic. Jackie Clay from Backwoods Home magazine, owns the Homestead Drying Rack and loves it. Her review can be found in the magazine and also their website. Mary Jane Farm had also reviewed our racks as well as Country Life Magazine.

The Homestead Store could grow into a bigger retail store carrying even more homestead based products. We would be willing to train someone to run the business and also teach them how to create the racks. This is a great opportunity for a family to work together to produce an income. There is a huge potential to grow the business.

Email us for more details.

Homesteadproductions@gmail.com

Mark Harrison

Homesteading Productions LLC”

The SurvivalBlog Ten Cent Challenge — Annual Reminder

I only post one reminder each year about Ten Cent Challenge subscriptions, and this is it. Unlike the whining leftist hand-wringers at PBS, I don’t do endless pledge drives.

I depend on my readers to help pay the bills to keep SurvivalBlog up and running. Our web hosting on a dedicated server costs $650 per month, and our local ISP bill is $135 per month. We also have a salaried Managing Editor and other expenses including liability insurance, phone bills, computer hardware, software, accounting, subscriptions, writing contest prizes, and so forth.

My appeal is simple: If you feel that you get more than 10 cents per day in value from reading SurvivalBlog, then please make a voluntary subscription payment, for 10 cents a day. (That’s $36.50 for a year.)

I don’t keep any e-mail lists, which is why this annual post is necessary. (I never e-mail any solicitations for subscriptions or renewals. Subscriptions are purely on the honor system.)

The Silver Dimes Option I also take payment for subscriptions in the form of pre-1965 U.S. silver dimes. The current multiplier for silver is around 25-to-1. (25 times face value–so a silver dime is worth about $2.50.) But since mass inflation looks inevitable, I expect that the value of a silver dime will soon exceed $10. So please just send two or three silver dimes for each year’s subscription. OBTW, it is best to tape them to a scrap 3?x5? card before placing them in an envelope, so that the coins don’t rattle around. And of course check with your postal clerk for the correct postage.

Our mailing address is:

SurvivalBlog
P.O. Box 303
Moyie Springs, Idaho 83845

Or, via PayPal: james@rawles.to

To those who have already subscribed, my most sincere thanks! You represent the less than 1% of readers that pony up. I greatly appreciate your loyal support!

Idaho As a Retreat Locale, by Jonathan Rawles

Note from HJL: The following is the first in a series of articles on retreat locales from JWR’s eldest son, Jonathan Rawles. The series will focus initially on top retreat states, then address specific regions in each state.

Idaho has long been considered a mecca for the survivalist, prepper, and for every strain of independence-loving individual. The attractions are clear. Idaho remains one of the freest and safest places in the world. Geographically, Idaho can be split in two. The upper half of the state is largely rugged and mountainous, while the southern end is basin and range country similar to Nevada and Utah. The northern end of the state is heavily timbered, with plentiful water, while the southern end is relatively dry.

The Republican party is firmly rooted in Idaho, with its representatives and presidential votes consistently going to the GOP. While most are mainline conservative, there is also a strong sympathy for the Libertarian and Constitution parties, and a fair portion of the population that is simply independent minded and distrustful of any party.

Economically, Idaho has mixed blessings. The cost of living is low but comes with a low per capita income. Idaho has a moderate tax burden, estimated by the Tax Foundation at 9.5% of state income. Many people relocate to Idaho hoping to find work easily, but it is often hard to come by, especially in northern Idaho. Those planning to relocate must be prepared for a struggle! Ideally, seek to develop a stream of income that is not dependent on the local economy. Transitioning to telecommuting or freelance work may be a good choice, if there is not a good job already waiting for you.

Idaho enjoys a true four season climate. Locals half-jokingly refer to these seasons as “Winter,” “Mud,” “Deer,” and “Winter.” Winters are far milder than those experienced east of the Rockies. The northern end of the state does get heavy snow, which can make travel difficult. Forest fires are the worst natural disaster, though Idaho is a moderate risk for earthquakes. Growing seasons can be short, necessitating greenhouses and short-season gardening for self-sufficiency. Overall, the climate is temperate.

Idaho is known for its tremendous natural beauty. Many of its residents vouch for it as being the most beautiful place on earth. It is also blessed with tremendous natural resources. Though mining and logging are no longer the powerhouses they once were, Idaho remains tied to the land. Millions of acres of national forest and public land provide ready access to backcountry, as well as abundant wild plants and game. Deer, elk, huckleberries, and mushrooms are all relished by Idahoans. In the less mountainous areas of Idaho, agriculture is prolific and varied. The Palouse Hills of north central Idaho have some of the deepest and richest topsoil in the nation.

Idaho’s culture is a unique blend of pioneer, redneck, conservative, and outdoor enthusiast. Most of the folks you will meet are truly ordinary folks. A Google search will give you a long list of “You Might Be From Idaho if…” jokes. Most of them are true. Our friends at Paratus Familia and Rural Revolution can give you an enjoyable and honest look at Idaho life. Idaho also enjoys an extremely low crime rate of 247 violent crimes per 100,000 pupulation vs. the national average of 474. This rate is even lower in rural areas away from the cities. A pioneer spirit of watching out for ones neighbors has persisted, along with a desire for independence and privacy. Though the cities have grown in culture and sophistication, much of Idaho is firmly rooted in its unsophisticated roots. You can find homes that are fully off-grid, off of a dirt road, with satellite Internet, and modern in style.

Key Retreat Areas

Starting in far northern Idaho, there are the communities of Bonners Ferry and Priest River. These two valleys reach towards the Canadian border and may truly be the most beautiful country Idaho has to offer. Privacy, timber, and water are abundant, though winters can be long and snowy. The area is mostly occupied by public land, making larger parcels hard to come by.

The area between Sandpoint and Coeur d’Alene offers access to “big city” comforts in Spokane, with all the beauty of North Idaho, and many private spots. Home prices do tend to be higher, and large private parcels are hard to find. Many recent California transplants have pushed prices up, and pushed the political spectrum leftwards. From Fairchild AFB, west of Spokane, through Post Falls, Rathdrum, and to Cd’A, it is relatively densely populated and built up. For real privacy and security, look on Hwy. 97 on the southeast side of the Lake Coeur d’Alene or south of Post Falls, across the Spokane River. As you head south on Hwy. 95, you come onto the Coeur d’Alene Reservation. Land prices are lower here, but the economy is much weaker. Further, you will be dealing with an extra layer of government with federal, state, and also tribal governments.

Latah County is part of the Palouse Hills region, with a fairly mild climate, plentiful water, and rich topsoil and agriculture. This was the setting for James Wesley, Rawles’ first novel, Patriots. The economy is diverse and fairly strong, with the advantage of high tech industry and colleges in Moscow and Pullman, Washington. It is disadvantaged by the lack of privacy, due to the open terrain. However, from a standpoint of self-sufficiency, economy, and freedom, it is one of our top choices.

We do recommend the St. Maries area, east of the Reservation following Hwy. 3 and 6 through Emida and Fernwood. Here you find much more privacy and affordable land. There is extensive public land in the St. Joe National Forest. Private land is not abundant, but excellent properties come up from time to time. This area is over an hour and a half to any significant city, so an ideal area for those that are prepared for a backcountry lifestyle.

Heading towards southern Idaho, the Clearwater River Valley is another interesting location. It is mostly located on the Nez Perce Reservation, but it does offer some of Idaho’s mildest winters and best growing seasons. The critical distinction here is to remain in the valley, rather than on the high prairie nearby. There is a dramatic difference in climate between Orofino, along the Clearwater, and Fraser, a few miles away. One is referred to by locals as “Freezer.” A few locations can be found that are in the valley microclimate but off the reservation.

Lemhi and Custer counties offer tremendous space, with very little population. Salmon (pop. 3112) and Challis (pop. 1081) are the only major towns. Boise, Twin Falls, Pocatello, and Idaho Falls are all sufficiently removed to be a minor concern. On the downside, civilization is at least a two hour drive away. This is another excellent area for those looking for a very remote retreat and planning on nearly complete self-sufficiency.

The McCall area, along with Cascade and Garden Valley, provides a rural area within reach of Boise. This region has some of the snowiest winters in Idaho, but it’s a beautiful area for those that don’t mind snow. Garden Valley enjoys proximity to Boise but is accessed only by one major route, offering good security.

Most of the very south end of Idaho is sagebrush cover basin and range country. Land is cheap, but agriculture mostly depends on grid-pumped irrigation or scarce grazing, and there is little other industry. If you are looking for wide open spaces and find a place with a good well, there is plenty of sun for solar power, and looks of nearly vacant back country, with secluded plateaus and canyons. Owyhee County in the southwest corner offers boundless space. The Montpelier area in southeast Idaho has more dryland farming, not dependent on the power grid, and is a potentially sustainable area. The proximity to the Salt Lake City metro area is a concern anywhere along the I-15 corridor.

When you are ready to seriously start land shopping in north Idaho, start at SurvivalRealty.com. We would be glad to connect you with dozens of retreat properties in Idaho and our directory of knowledgeable and discreet real estate agents across the state.

More Interesting Features of Idaho

Idaho is home to over 180 business in the firearms industry! Boise State Public radio has a amusingly alarmist piece on the subject, which fortunately includes a great directory of firearms and ammunition businesses. It is also one of the most small business-friendly states in the nation and is a great place to start or move a business.

Idaho has been stigmatized for its associations with racist groups, like the Aryan Nations. The Aryan Nations disbanded in 2004 and were bid good riddance. There are still a few disagreeable individuals in Idaho, as befits a state that respects a person’s right to be disagreeable. When you talk to most Idahoans, you find they have equal disdain for politically-correct doublespeak as for racism and hatred.

There’s been a history of anti-government sentiment in Idaho that reached a peak after the murder of Sam and Vicki Weaver at Ruby Ridge. It has left many with strong distrust of the federal government. This feeling has persisted. There has been a shift movement away from the organization of militia groups and associations, while an independent spirit remains. Among some folks, talk of “survivalism” and organizing militias is lightly ridiculed. When you talk further, you find that these same people are well armed, prepared, and plan to protect their rural communities!

Idaho is also remarkable for its overall freedom-loving nature. It has been ranked as one of the most small business friendly states in the nation. Homeschooling is legal and does not require reporting to the school district or raise eyebrows when you take midday trips to the public library. In nearly every aspect, the state government has committed to keeping its nose out of individual’s business. Raw milk is legally sold in grocery stores, and open carry of firearms is common.

Overall, Idaho is our #1 pick for retreat locations. Its economy poses definite drawbacks, as do snowy winters, but for those that are able to find a living and handle a rugged lifestyle, it can really be the “prepper’s paradise.”

Jonathan Rawles is the owner of SurvivalRealty.com, a SurvivalBlog spinoff site, specializing in connecting people with knowledgeable, reliable agents and remote, off-grid, and self-sufficient retreat properties.