It has been said that most regions of the United States have distinct norms and cultures. Though we lack a distinctive accent, Redoubters definitely have our own culture.
To sum it up in one sentence, I’d say the culture is marked by: fierce independence and conservatism, but with a kindly streak. I’ll try to articulate that more fully, in the rest of this essay.Continue reading“Some Elements of American Redoubt Culture”
To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year. We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those –or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!
I finished unloading and stacking the last of the hay that we hauled to the ranch last week. That was only about 50 bales. No sweat. (Actually, just a brief sweat. Good exercise!) So I can soon temporarily get back to my firewood project. But first…
We had some trouble with a few of our cattle escaping a pasture along a shallow stretch of The Unnamed River (TUR). This has also happened in a few previous summers, when the river water level dropped. So I built a new 300-foot-long fence, with an arch gate. That should keep the cattle where they are supposed to be. But only time will tell…
Now, Lily’s report…Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”
“Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.
For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.
Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” – Psalm 43 (KJV)
During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress adopted a resolution on June 14th, 1777, stating that “the flag of the United States be thirteen alternate stripes red and white” and that “the Union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.” The national flag, which became known as the “Stars and Stripes,” was based on the “Grand Union” flag– a banner carried by the Continental Army in 1776 that also consisted of 13 red and white stripes.
—
Today we present another entry for Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
—
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.
As world events, both nationally and internationally, explode in violence, deep debt, instability, and uncertainty, I ask myself have I done enough? Am I far enough away from the violence? Do I have systems in place that will hold me and my family in good stead for years to come? It’s complicated, and a heavy burden, to detach from the culture, from the world systems, and to create a self-sufficient lifestyle. It is also freeing. There’s so much detail to each aspect that it’s no wonder people throw up their hands and say it’s impossible. I think it’s possible to a large degree, and I accept the things that still connect me to the “System”. Until… I find a way to sever those things, or I am forced to, whichever comes first.
Examples of things that still connect me are: banking, taxes, insurance, electricity, products I cannot make myself, and Internet access. Those are not small things, but they are the things that remain until I am able to detach from those things too. I have done a good job of avoiding excessive taxation, but I can’t go without banking or insurance. I could live without the products I cannot make, raise, or grow, certainly. And I would be happy if the entire Internet crashed and burned – really. I fully expect bank closures on the order of weeks, not days, so keeping the gas tank full, the home well stocked, and having some cash on hand, as well as barter items, makes sense. Affording alternative energy has been a problem for me with so many other demands. If the grid goes down for a very long time, I don’t think being able to purchase enough gas for the vehicle and generator is a long-term solution. Maybe if the cost of solar wasn’t so outrageous, I could at least keep the basics running. In the North, the worst problem is keeping warm, so a wood-burning stove is critical. But, in the South, the worst problem is keeping cool enough to function. The “Himidity” (heat and humidity) is suffocating.Continue reading“Could You Live Off Your Land, Right Now?, by SaraSue”
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 cover the announcement of a planned new BRICS Gold-Backed Currency. (See the Forex & Cryptos section.)
Spot silver jumped nearly 4.5% in one day on Wednesday, to $24.39 per Troy ounce. Meanwhile gold was up 1.33% to $1,971 per Troy ounce. I hope that my readers have been paying attention to the markets and have been buying on the dips.
o o o
‘The Most Insane Thing Ever’ – Man Finds Huge Hoard Of Civil War Gold On Kentucky Farm.
o o o
Kelsey Williams: The Federal Reserve and $10,000 Gold.
o o o
India restricts import of plain gold jewelry.
At Investopedia: Recession vs. Slowdown: Economic Forecasts Cloudy for the Rest of 2023.
o o o
Bloomberg: Economists Cut China GDP Forecasts After Disappointing Data.
o o o
Posted by the Conference Board, in mid-June: Global Forecast Update. Here is an excerpt:
“The outlook for other emerging economies is mixed. Other developing Asian economies (e.g., India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines) continue to post relatively strong growth, driven among other things by rebounding domestic activity and tourism. The slowdown that we see elsewhere is also not visible in sub-Saharan African economies, with the exception of South Africa. Asian and sub-Saharan African economies are therefore positive outliers in the context of global growth forecasted at a relatively subdued 2.6 percent. The outlook for Latin American economies is more subdued, particularly Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Colombia. The weaker outlook is associated external factors such as slowing global demand and lower commodity prices, as well as internal factors such as very tight monetary policy leading to elevated interest rates, troubling public finances and political instability.”
o o o
A Breitbart article that I found linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: Kerry: Fiduciary Responsibility of Money Managers ‘Not to Lose’ Money Is Hurting Climate Transition Investment.
“Don’t wait to buy real estate. Buy real estate and wait.” – Will Rogers
On July 13, 1832, Henry Rowe Schoolcraft identified the source of the Mississippi River as Lake Itasca in Minnesota.
—
On this day in 1787, Congress enacted the Northwest Ordinance structuring settlement of the Northwest Territory and creating a policy for the addition of new states to the nation. The members of Congress knew that if their new confederation were to survive intact, it had to resolve the states’ competing claims to western territory.
—
Today we present another entry for Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
—
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.
Everybody gets old. Everybody gets hurt. Time and chance happen to us all, and these are unfortunate facts of life. Is old age, injury, or disability part of your planning? Can you keep going with essential work if you are hampered by physical limitations? As always, it is better to think ahead and be prepared than to be surprised by the unexpected.
I am used to thinking about physical limitations. My mother is a retired physician, and has bravely phased a physical disability for 35+ years. Both of my parents are getting older, and my own health and physical build has never been the best. As my work both professionally and at home involves tools and heavy equipment, I occasionally must deal with a work-related injury. When building my home and outdoor facilities, we were aware of present and future needs and limitations.
A primary concern is prevention of slips, trips, and falls. These are the number one cause of workplace injuries in the USA among all ages, and are especially concerning for older people and people with limitations. Outdoors, it is worth taking the time to fill in holes, smooth out uneven ground, and keep debris picked up. As my father has gotten older, knee pain has kept him from picking up his feet as much as he walks. To keep him safe, I make sure to mow the grass very, very short. Short grass keeps objects on the ground visible, rather than hidden, and it also prevents weeds from catching a foot and causing a fall. Got garden tools in the grass? Pick them up! Stones floated to the top of the soil over the winter? Remove them and put them in a pile. Fallen sticks and branches? Get them to the burn pile or the kindling box. My father is constantly reminding me to keep paths clear and leave walking room.Continue reading“Accessibility: Retreat Design, by SwampFox”
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 an upcoming landmark Supreme Court decision.
A very lengthy and detailed judicial update by Harold Finch, over at the UncoverDC news, podcast, and commentary site: VanDerStock v Garland: The Judicial Eradication of Biden’s Signature Gun Control. A brief quote:
“The decision in VanDerStock v Garland is the second major shoe to drop. Judge Reed O’Conner ruled that the ATF illegally rewrote the previously accepted definitions of frames and receivers that were in use and accepted since the 1968 GCA, just as a Federal court ruled the ATF had done with bump stocks in Cargill v Garland.”
JWR’s Comments: The impact of the “history, text, and tradition” test of the 2022 Bruen decision is just starting to be felt in the Federal appellate courts. It is now obvious that the handwriting is on the wall for the vast majority of Federal gun laws. That includes most or all of The National Firearms Act of 1934 and the Gun Control Act of 1968. When Chevron deference inevitably falls, then arbitrary Federal agency rulemaking will come to an end. Freedom is on the march!
Spaceweather.com reports: “A HYPERACTIVE SUNSPOT: New sunspot AR3372 is seething with activity. In the last 24 hours alone it has produced eight M-class solar flares… …If current trends continue, we should expect more strong M-class flares during the next 24 hours with a chance of X-flares as well. This sunspot will become even more geoeffective in the days ahead as it continues to turn toward Earth.”
JWR’s Comment: This might be a good time to disconnect radio antennas and store your spare radios, phones, and computers in Faraday containers. Be ready to disconnect from grid power, if there are any more concrete warnings.
“Relying on the government to protect your privacy is like asking a peeping tom to install your window blinds.” – John Perry Barlow, Cyberlibertarian and founding member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
On July 12, 1979, between games of a baseball doubleheader involving the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers at Comiskey Park, disco records were blown up as part of a promotion dubbed Disco Demolition Night. Fans subsequently rushed the field, and, as a result of the ensuing mayhem, the second game was forfeited to the Tigers. (Photo by Fred Jewell, Associated Press.)
—
On July 12, 1543, King Henry VIII of England wed his sixth and last wife, Catherine Parr.
—
Today we present another entry for Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
—
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.
In the fall of 2021, I took a college course titled “Ethics & Social Responsibility in Technology.” The course began by investigating Amish communities as an example of technological stewardship. Contrary to popular belief (including my own before the class), Amish communities do in fact utilize a variety of technological innovations. What differentiates Amish technology use from mainstream culture is that the Amish view technology as a means to an end and do not blindly adopt new tech for the sake of progress. Rather, each new technology is carefully evaluated to determine if it aligns with their beliefs and lifestyle. Although adoption of technology is determined individually by Amish communities, in general most new technology is not adopted. The traditional Amish lifestyle is valued over the comforts and convenience of modern technology. Though it could be argued that the Amish have an overly suspicious view of innovation, it is hard to disagree with their belief that technology has the potential to greatly change a culture.
The class spurred me on to examine how I was using technology in my own life. While in general technology has had a positive effect on my life, I could not decide if smartphones helped me or not. As a millennial (on the young end of the age range) I first began using a smartphone around the time I graduated high school and had never looked back. Over the next decade and a half, I saw smartphones increase in processing power and Internet functionality. Without really thinking about it, I had grown accustomed to carrying around what was essentially a supercomputer in my pocket, along with the unbridled Internet and communication access that entailed.Continue reading“The Case for “Dumb” Phones, by A.R.”
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. Today’s column starts off with two news stories from The Netherlands.
—
Farmers on frontline as Dutch divided by war on nitrogen pollution.
o o o
Dutch Government Collapses Over Immigration Policy.
o o o
The Gun Owners of America (GOA) posted this legislative alert:
“Democrats have re-introduced bills in both the House and the Senate to allow Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to pack the court with four new liberal justices. The bills are H.R. 3422 and S. 1616.”
JWR’s Comment: Please contact your House and Senate members and insist that they strongly oppose this horrible legislation!
o o o
A Direct Weather video: Preliminary Winter Forecast 2023 – 2024.
o o o
Reader M.M. wrote:
“I loved reading the recent article by Jed. I also am an older guy who has lost about 25-30% of body strength. I have resigned myself to not leaving my abode and backpacking. Most folks will not last a month in the woods.
Each year we prepare for deer season at our camp. This requires the use of hand tools and chainsaws. Try working in summer weather for a few hours. Not days, hours. You will be exhausted. Can’t drink enough water. You will also crave chocolate for energy. My suggestion: Vacuum seal Tootsie Rolls for your supplies, since they remain intact for long periods of time.
Going to bug out and walk at night in the woods. Probably will not make a mile or so in the dark. Pack a good pair of safety glasses, fogproof, and carry hand pruning shears for the thick brush and briars. Just a thought.
Plan on planting a garden? Ha, good luck. My father told me that during the Great Depression, thieves stole their peas and other produce at night. They had to plant extra every year to have enough food. The American Indians had a saying about growing corn: Plant 2 for the crow, 2 for coons, 2 for the deer, and 1 for you.
Have a well? Planning on running a generator for power? No gas, no water. Buy or build a well bucket. And be sure to buy several hundred feet of rope while both are still inexpensive, at Harbor Freight.
Night shift security? Buy or build an extra AR upper [dedicated] for night use. Just a few of my ramblings to add to his.”
o o o
o o o
You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” – C.S. Lewis
