Preparedness Notes for Saturday — September 14, 2024

On September 14, 1847, US Marines under General Scott entered Mexico City. (The “halls of Montezuma”, mentioned in the Marine Corps hymn.)

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

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

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And on September 14, 1812, the Great Fire of Moscow began as Napoleon approached the city and retreating Russians burned it. The fire continued to burn for five days

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Today’s feature article is a guest post by Brandon Smith, the Editor of both Alt-Market.us and The Wild Bunch Dispatch. It is reposted with permission.

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The weekly Editor’s Prepping Progress column will resume one week from today: Saturday, September 21st.  Thanks for your patience.

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We are seeking entries for Round 114 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.  More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 114 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Globalists Are Trying To Escalate Ukraine War Into WWIII, by Brandon Smith

The purpose of NATO involvement in the Ukraine War has, to me, always appeared obvious. Ukraine has nothing to do with the interests of the western public, nothing to do with the security of Europe and nothing to do with the economic advancement of the United States. Yet, NATO and the globalists have been politically interfering in the region since at least 2014 and preparing the ground for an eventual war with Russia.

To be clear, I don’t favor Russia any more than I favor Ukraine. The Kremlin has long had its own ties to the globalists, as I have outlined in numerous articles. How deep those ties go is up for debate – Maybe the honeymoon is over and Russia is truly done trying to get a seat at the globalist table. What I do know is that western elites want a world war and they have done everything in their power to start one.Continue reading“Globalists Are Trying To Escalate Ukraine War Into WWIII, by Brandon Smith”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.

The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.” – Proverbs 29:1-4 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Friday — September 13, 2024

On September 13, 122, construction began on Hadrian‘s Wall, in northern England.  (A Creative Commons photo by Quisnovus.)

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

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It was 15 years ago today, that Linda L. Rawles (“The Memsahib”) passed away, following her battle with cancer. We still mourn for her. Linda very selflesslessly arranged the marriage of JWR to Avalanche Lily, before she passed away.

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Today’s feature article is a guest piece that is too short to be included in the judging for the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

We are seeking entries for Round 114 of the writing contest. More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 114 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Preparedness Logistics – Part 2, by 3AD Scout

Labels, Markers, and Tags

I purchased a label maker to help mark our shelves, totes and other containers.  I am sure we have all run into a situation where we could not read some else’s handwriting that was scribbled on a piece of duct tape that over the years faded. Printed labels avoid this.  I can pick different color labels and sizes of labels as well.  So, for totes I use larger labels but when I label a drawer on a “parts” organizer I use very small labels.   I also use the label maker to identify what food is in our buckets, how much and the date that it was put in the bucket.  Each ammunition can also gets a label with caliber, and type of projectile such as full metal jacket (FMJ), soft point (SP), hollow point (HP), tracer or lead.  I also identify the ammunition as factory or reloads.

Although labels are good for most of my items, I still use black markers with a wide tip to help mark things where labels will not work.  For example, I used rough cut lumber to build shelves and the labels do not adhere well to the rough cut wood so I use a marker to label the shelf.  Markers are also great for marking the date of purchase/expiration on containers, such as oil, spray cans, bottles and other containers, that are being stored on a shelf versus inside a container. For fuel cans, I use tags (normally plastic tag with wire ties) to note the type of fuel, date purchased and what I used to treat it with like Sta-Bil or Pri-G.Continue reading“Preparedness Logistics – Part 2, by 3AD Scout”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at the new era of the $1 million starter home. (See the Tangibles Investing section section.)

Precious Metals:

At Kitco: Gold/Silver: What will silver do when the Fed cuts rates? Metals Minute w/ Phil Streible.

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At Gold-Eagle.com: Gold-Backed ETFs Report Net Gold Inflows for the Fourth Straight Month.

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Gold’s Demand Comeback.

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At Zero Hedge: Silver: The Unsung Hero Of The New Economy.

Economy & Finance:

Yield Curve Un-Inverts For First Time In Years. (Thanks to reader C.B. for the link.)

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Forbes: Fed Rate Cuts Coming: The Impact On Stocks And Bonds.  JWR’s Comment:  How convenient… …a major pivot just a month before a presidential election. The fix is in, folks.

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Home Depot rival to shut all 442 stores across 47 states after going bankrupt – but will have huge clearance sale first.

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In The Telegraph: Britain is about to discover how poor it really is.

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Over at Whatfinger.com there is this: Trump Lays Out Vision to Ignite ‘National Economic Renaissance’.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Let the American youth never forget, that they possess a noble inheritance, bought by the toils, and sufferings, and blood of their ancestors; and capacity, if wisely improved, and faithfully guarded, of transmitting to their latest posterity all the substantial blessings of life, the peaceful enjoyment of liberty, property, religion, and independence.” – Joseph Story

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — September 12, 2024

On September 12, 1857, 423 passengers and crew died when the sidewheel steamship SS Central America, the ‘Ship of Gold’, sank in a hurricane off Cape Romain, South Carolina, carrying tons of gold coins and bars from the California Gold Rush. The wreck site was rediscovered 1988, and much of the gold was later laboriously salvaged by divers and sold on the numismatic market. A bell found at the site is now on display at the U.S. Naval Academy.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 114 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

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

Second Prize:

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

Third Prize:

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

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More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 114 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Preparedness Logistics – Part 1, by 3AD Scout

The science and practice of logistics is often defined as getting the right stuff, in the right quantity, to the right place at the right time.  For those who are preparedness-minded, logistics takes on additional nuances.  Unlike those in business and industry, where orders for goods drives the logistics process, Preppers are preparing for threats that have no pre-determined date, have many unknown impacts including time to recovery (if ever), and spatial impact.  Whereas a car manufacturer, who has an order for 100 cars knows they need 400 tires (not including the little donut spare).  Preppers have no idea how much of a given item or commodity they may need.  Do we need 20 pounds of rice or 2,000 pounds of rice?

The answer is: it depends.  It depends upon several variables that we really have no way of knowing before the incident happens.  To deal with the “unknown”, we should plan for the worst-case scenario, and then some.  That is, we should plan for nuclear war versus just planning for a severe thunderstorm that might only impact us for a few days.  The thought process is, if you are prepared to survive nuclear war, and its aftermath, then you will also be prepared for a 3-day power outage caused a severe thunderstorm and everything in between.  During the Cold War, the US government used this thought process for planning but now emergency managers are encouraged to plan for the “most likely” scenario.  That is a great plan, until a disaster that is more complex and requires more resources than your “most likely” scenario happens.  This is a very dangerous planning thought process to use.  It would be like a football coach training and practicing his team to play against only the worst team in the league, not the best team.Continue reading“Preparedness Logistics – Part 1, by 3AD Scout”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

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

Did Your Car Witness a Crime? Police May Tow Your Tesla

In the S.F. Chronicle: Did your car witness a crime? Bay Area police may be coming for your Tesla — and they might tow it.

Insurance Companies Buying Car Driving History

EFF: Car Makers Shouldn’t Be Selling Our Driving History to Data Brokers and Insurance Companies. Here is a pericope:

“Technological advancements in cars have come a long way since General Motors launched OnStar in 1996. From the influx of mobile data facilitating in-car navigation, to the rise of telematics in the 2010s, cars today are more internet-connected than ever. This enables, for example, delivery of emergency warnings, notice of when you need an oil change, and software updates. Recent research predicts that by 2030, more than 95% of new passenger cars will contain some form of internet-connected service and surveillance.

Car manufacturers including General Motors, Kia, Subaru, and Mitsubishi have some form of services or apps that collect, maintain, and distribute your connected car data to insurance companies. Insurance companies spend thousands of dollars purchasing your car data to factor in these “select insights” about your driving behavior. Those insights are then factored into your “risk score,” which can potentially spike your insurance premiums.”

California: Speed Limit Alarms in Cars?

The Nanny State, run amok: California bill to require speed limit alarms in cars heads to governor.

Biden’s Plan to Pack the Supreme Court

Reader D.S.V.  sent this: Packing the Supreme Court: What It Could Mean for Gun Owners.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“In the United States, the top 1 percent of income earners pays nearly 40 percent of the total income tax revenue, and the top 10 percent pays almost 70 percent. Meanwhile the bottom 50 percent of taxpayers paid only 3 percent of federal income tax in 2016. When today’s socialists claim the rich aren’t paying their fair share they are ignoring the facts.” – Rand Paul, The Case Against Socialism

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — September 11, 2024

We must never forget the sheer horror of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. (The Creative Commons photo above was taken by David Shankbone.)

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 114 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

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

Second Prize:

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

Third Prize:

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

—

More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 114 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Some Emergency Animal Care Experiences, by Hollyberry

Let me start out right away by saying I have absolutely no veterinarian training or any training in animal first aid. I am just an average person who lives miles from the nearest vet and has had many animals….dogs, cats, goats, rabbits, and fowl. I have had many health or injury issues to attend to over the decades and this is just what worked for my husband and I and hopefully you will never need any of this information! I also want to state that I have not received any money or discounts for recommending a product.

If you own animals at some point you will have some kind of injury or illness that you will need to address. It seems these incidents with our dogs always occur during a holiday or beginning of a weekend and the emergency vet clinic is 1.5 hours away and very expensive. If your pet is having an allergic reaction or a severe injury, you may not make it in time. The hardest thing in the world is having your dog die. It will rip your heart out. If you own pets or any livestock you are certain to deal with death at some point and it’s never easy. The more time you spend with pets/livestock, the more familiar you are with them and their behaviors and will be able to pick up if something is off with their health. The sooner you can identify an illness or injury, the better the outcome in most cases.Continue reading“Some Emergency Animal Care Experiences, by Hollyberry”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

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

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Navy warship commander relieved of duty after viral photo gaffe. JWR’s Comment:  The long delay in relieving him seems odd.  It would have been less embarrassing to our Senior Service if they’d done so, immediately.

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8-Year-Old Skillfully Drives Tractors and Helps With Farm Chores, Says He’s Going to Take Over the Family Farm.

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Reader J.R.G. wrote:

“I am very much enjoying Tunnel Rabbit’s thoughts on hunting – foraging during desperate times.  Good practical advice that people who live in rural areas would be well advised to read and consider.  Hunting skill and patience required to be successful, as well as recognizing the presence of game sign to avoid barren areas.

The .410 has been considered a novelty – toy fit for either expert wing shooters or young kids who aren’t old enough to use a ‘real shotgun’.  The small shot load is a hindrance when shooting at moving targets.  But when the game is stationary or perched, a completely different situation altogether.  The small amount of shot will do much less damage to the meat collected.  ‘Pot Shots’ are more productive and for this situation, the .410 is well suited.  The single shot long barreled .410 is relatively quiet – my Yildiz TK-36 .410 has a 28” long barrel and conveniently folds nearly in half so can be carried in pack or folding chair bag much easier.  The real ‘bug’ in .410 is the cost of factory ammunition.  If there is a cartridge destined for reloading, the .410 is a candidate for it.  Those old now sadly discontinued Savage 24s are great tools for this purpose.

Barrel sleeve inserts add to versatility but recognize the weight gain having the shotgun bore filled with steel sleeve.  My MCA Sports Ace Dube 18” long .30-30 Winchester for a 20 gauge barrel weighs approximately 1-¼ pounds.  This weight definitely adds to a steadying effect when shooting offhand.  Slow to reload, so making that shot count is much more critical.

Air rifles, particularly spring piston break barrels are great for areas more near suburbia.  Very productive for small vermin control, especially around places that can be damaged with powder-burning firearms.  Fewer restriction because of non-powder-burning (but definitely check all firearm laws before using, as some states prohibit game animals being harvested via powder-burning firearms).”

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“Tunnel Rabbit may wish to review the following statement in today’s article:

‘The .410 2-1/2 inch standard shell is noticeably on the light side, but good enough for small birds, and squirrels out in the open. I used the .22 LR to shoot pheasant. And .410 slugs would be good enough on deer at close range well under 50 yards and it could also handle .45 Long Colt, but the smooth bore will not stabilize this round, so slugs and 00 buck are the only viable choices.’
If I understand correctly, the .410 bore is 0.410-0.415 inches without a choke, while the .45 Colt shoots a .452 diameter bullet. It is possible to shoot a .410 in a dual-chambered .45 Colt, but the wad will need to fill an extra ~.042″ nominal gap, or 0.021 per side, which is within reason.
What I have done in a Cylinder Bore .410 smoothbore, is push a .358 LSWC into a birdshot wad on top of 12 grains of 2400 powder. (Black powder could also be used.) It is functionally accurate out to 50 feet, in my experience. Not great, but a cheap expedient slug. Certainly better than nothing. They do keyhole, so terminal sectional density isn’t necessarily a lot better than a foster slug. However, it isn’t as likely to fall apart.”

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The law of unintended consequences has been confirmed repeatedly. Any political faction that wishes to eliminate all opportunities to fail will consequently also eliminate nearly every opportunity to succeed.” – James Wesley, Rawles