Economics and Investing:

Spot silver took a substantial drop on Friday, closing on the COMEX at $21.69 per ounce. A dip like this would be a good time to buy. And speaking of silver, Mulligan Mint is cranking out the one ounce American Redoubt silver coins in quantity, and the shipping delays are getting shorter. For those who have been waiting, thanks for your patience.

India Central Bank Prohibits Sales Of Gold Coins. (Thanks to G.G. for the link.)

Lifestyles of the Los Angeles flippers: Big money being invested in flips. Boyle Heights and other interesting market observations.

Items from The Economatrix:

Weekly Jobless Claims; False Report Sends Stocks Up 30%

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts:  Bring The Jobs Home & Stop The Wars Or Prepare For Collapse

12 Clear Signals That The US Economy Is About To Really Slow Down

Odds ‘n Sods:

The Reason an Israeli Man Couldn’t Bring Himself to Turn in His Weapons Will Sound Familiar To U.S. Gun Proponents. Never register your guns, ever! History doesn’t repeat, but it often rhymes.

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Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog Editor At Large) spotted this: Secret Man Caves Found in EPA Warehouse

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Radio Free Redoubt is seeking donations to defray some of their costs. Among other things they are sponsoring Pastor Chuck Baldwin’s trip to speak at the upcoming Patriots and Self-Reliance Rally at Farragut State Park, near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on July 26, 27 & 28, 2013. There is a PayPal Donate button at their web site. Or you can mail a check or an anonymous money order to:

RBN
P.O. Box 757
Rathdrum, ID 83858

Make checks payable to “RBN” which is the abbreviation of their “Doing Business As”(DBA) name. Thanks.

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Some commentary by Brandon Smith: The Terrible Future Of The Syrian War

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Florida Governor Has Sheriff Arrested, Removed From Office for Allowing Concealed Carry

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Therefore when thou doest [thine] alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.” – Matthew 6:1-4 (KJV)

Gun Trusts — Preserving Firearm Ownership Into The 21st Century, by Attorney Terry E. Hogwood

Introduction

There are two questions that every gun owner will be asked to address in the near future:

1. Do you own and store firearms in your home?

2. Do you want your children and their children to inherit your firearms without undergoing a background check?

Question 1 is taken from a random selection of medical portal entrance questionnaire forms. The question appears on the form along with questions about swimming pools, drugs, alcohol etc and asks if each identified potential risk is present in the patient’s household. It is not a random question for philosophical consideration. It has recently even become the basis of litigation in a Florida Federal District Court.

In that case, the state of Florida wanted to make it clear that Florida was legislatively prohibiting the forced disclosure of firearm ownership by medical patients. Apparently, some patients were being advised that if they did not answer the question concerning firearm ownership they: 1) could be denied Medicare or 2) could be refused treatment by the physician. Florida wanted to prohibit both of these outcomes understood by the legislature to be happening within the state on a regular basis.

The District Court ruled that prohibiting the disclosure of firearm ownership was an unconstitutional infringement of the physician’s right under the First Amendment to conduct a full medical assessment. Gun ownership could be perceived, the court stated, as one contributing health risk factor a physician may need to address (based on the expertise of the physician in firearms related issues??) The questions did not, according to the court, constitute a Second Amendment infringement since the firearm owners still owned their firearms after answering the question.

Not presented in the litigation was the fact that, under Obamacare, most, if not all, patients’ health records, including the initial questions asking about gun ownership, would be forwarded to the Health and Human Services Administration. Can any gun owner doubt, given the recent IRS scandal, that HHS could construct a database search keying on firearm ownership to secure a list of every person answering such questions? Looking mere months ahead, it is not unreasonable to assume that gun ownership questions will also be appearing in health care insurance applications as well.

Question 2 is ripped directly from the Toomey Manchin gun registration legislation recently defeated in the US Congress. The legislation took great pains to insure that transfers between family members (parents, spouses, children, siblings etc) were protected and that the transferee(s) did not have to undergo a background check. Two glaring problems.

First, why did the Congress believe it had the right to determine who family members are? For example, family can be children of a second spouse who were not adopted. Not on the list of what Congress defined as “family” and left a firearm by their mother’s second husband? Under the law as it was proposed, that person would have had to undergone a background check to take possession of the firearm.

Second, and more important, who the Congress excludes today from requiring a background check it can include tomorrow and thus require that same excluded group of people to get a background check before “inheriting” firearms.

Of more pressing significance, citizens of Colorado are running out of time to document magazine ownership. The state’s new magazine ban will go into effect on July 1, 2013. The Colorado Legislature made sure that the magazine law’s grandfather clause is not multigenerational. That is, the grandfather clause is limited to only then-current owners of magazines as of midnight on June 30th, 2013.

Purpose of Paper

Readers of this paper who own, are interested in owning or who regularly read the various firearm publications are aware of the initial use of the gun trust – to register, own and use Title 2 weapons (including machine guns, short barreled rifles/shotguns and sound suppressors).

This paper stands for the proposition that, in light of the above two questions, the gun trust is also the perfect vehicle to:

  • vest title to non-Title 2 firearms in a gun trust and thus be able to answer Question 1 NO, I do not personally own and store firearms in my home and
  • insure private ownership of firearms (and related equipment such as magazines) in futuro by utilizing a gun trust to answer Question 2 YES, I want my children/grandchildren to inherit my firearms without having to undergo a background check.

What are guns?

For gun trust purposes, the author believes that a donor/settlor (the person(s) creating the trust) should differentiate between Title 2 weapons and Standard weapons (rifles (bolt action, semi-auto and single action), pistols (semi-auto, revolver and single action) and all shotguns (save for those with barrels of less than 18”)). In addition to using a gun trust to secure Title 2 weapons (and thus forego fingerprinting, background check, law enforcement approval of the weapon acquisition), a separate and distinct gun trust for Standard firearms and related accessories can also be utilized to fix Standard gun ownership in the trust (as distinguished from personal ownership) and thus insure the above two questions are answered correctly.

Guns are also classified as personal property. Stated another way, they are not real estate. Their transfer is by delivery of the weapon to the transferee. The law does not require a formal executed and acknowledged document to transfer gun ownership. However, a bill of sale or similar document of a weapon or accessories (such as magazines) would stand as written evidence of a weapon’s transfer to a gun trust.

What is a trust?

Generally, a trust is a relationship created by an individual (Settlor) utilizing a formal, legal document whereby one or more persons or legal entities (Trustee) holds title to specific property of the Settlor subject to certain duties to use and protect it for the benefit of others, including potentially the Settlor (Beneficiary). The written trust document must comply with all applicable laws of the state where the trust is to be administered. For example, in Texas, if a Settlor retains both the legal title and all equitable interests in property in itself as both the sole Trustee and the sole Beneficiary, a trust is not created and the Settlor holds the property as its own.

A trust can only be created for legal purposes. A trust can be revocable (at the will of the Settlor) or irrevocable. Generally, a trust cannot last forever (perpetual). Title to the property made the basis of the trust must vest in the named beneficiary (ies) within a certain time period; generally stated as a life or lives in being at the time of the creation of the interest plus 21 years plus a period of gestation (Rule Against Perpetuities).

What is a gun trust?

A gun trust is a revocable trust (revocable at the will of the Settlor) which is created to comply with the state laws where written as well as pertinent Federal laws/regulations to manage, own, possess and keep possession of firearms and related accessories within the trust past the death of the initial Settlor(s). In the author’s opinion, there are two distinct types of gun trusts:

  • Gun trusts created for the ownership and management of Title 2 firearms and
  • Gun trusts created for the ownership and management of Standard firearms.

The key to proper trust management of firearms is to keep separate the Title 2 firearms from Standard firearms. Equally as important is for the reader to understand a generic, revocable trust form is not suitable for firearm management. A gun trust instrument must be tailored to carry out the Settlor’s intentions regarding ownership of firearms and who shall ultimately own such firearms in the future.

How does a gun trust work for Standard firearms?

A Settlor (in community property states, husband and wife):

  • Retains an attorney to draw up the revocable gun trust instrument
  •  Creates the Standard gun (accessory) list for attachment to the gun trust instrument
  • Has the named Trustee(s) (along with the Settlor(s)) execute the trust agreement agreeing to serve as Trustee as well as acknowledging receipt of the trust property (Standard firearms and related accessories).
  • Transfers via a bill of sale to the Trustee(s) all Standard firearms and related accessories to be owned by the trust.

The Trustee(s) thereafter administers the gun trust, including the use of written licensing documents to allow the use of firearms by the Beneficiary(ies) or third parties. Since the trust retains its revocable nature until the terminating event(s) specified in the instrument, the parties (Settlor(s)/Trustee(s) and Beneficiary(ies)) may, for instance at the death of one of the Settlors, amend the trust to provide for new Settlors and/or Trustees and/or Beneficiaries and a new terminating event without the trust terminating.

No matter what the ATF decides via its regulation of Title 2 firearms, after the creation of a gun trust for Standard firearms, the answer to:

Question 1 is: No, I do not own and store firearms in my home.

Question 2 is: Yes, utilizing a gun trust will allow my heirs to inherit my guns without undergoing a background check.

 

About The Author: Mr. Hogwood is an attorney licensed in Texas. He may be reached at hoggy@nol.net.

Letter Re: Loose Lips: No Need to Pump Some Folks for Information

James Wesley,
A few days ago I called a local businessman about doing some work on our water well pump.  I also asked him his advice about the possibility of later installing a manual water pump along with the electric pump.  He then began to tell me that he was at that very moment installing a manual pump for another person.  His words though were “for one of these preppers.”  He said, “I guess he’s worried about a zombie attack or something.”  This short interaction made me think about a few things that I would like to pass on.

1.  That man had no business telling me what someone else wanted on their property, especially in the way he did. 
I see it as a lack of integrity to categorize in a negative way a paying customer to a person you are talking to on the phone (that he had never met before).  When you do business with someone regarding your preparation for the future, take their integrity into account. 

2.  While this “prepper” should have remained anonymous and unmentioned to me, his downfall was obviously that he told too much about himself to the ‘well man.” 
We all like to make small talk.  Be careful though of telling too much about yourself to others, especially strangers you will only see once or twice.  After I heard what he said about the “prepper,” I just told him that I wanted one because when electric goes out occasionally it would be nice to have access to water.  Even that’s more than he really needed to know.

3.  This man who is a “prepper” is now thought of negatively by the “well man.”
Is it right that the “well man” now has judged the “prepper” for what he prepares for? No, it is not.  But it doesn’t change the facts.  I do not believe in being a man pleaser by any means; but also, much can said about saying as little as possible about yourself.  For instance – Proverbs 17:28 “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.”  Is the “well man” wrong? – yes.  Will that ever occur to him? – No.

4.  If the “well man” told me about the prepper, who else has he told?
In small communities, word spreads fast.  And yes, men gossip just as much as women, if not more.

5.  When times get tough, the “well man” will remember the “prepper.”
Even though the “well man” thinks preppers are crazy, where do you think he will go when his wife and kids are hungry, dirty, and tired?  Will he come in kindness?  Will he come to take in survival?  We can only speculate.  But he will remember the “prepper.”

Prepping has become cool and trendy for many.  They like to show off what they have and what they know.  That may be fine if they don’t know where to find you, but not if they do.  This makes me think of 2 Kings 20:12-18.  Here, King Hezekiah was proud and showed all of his kingdom to representatives from Babylon.  He did not give God the glory for it.  The prophet Isaiah told him that all would be lost to the Babylonians one day.  Be careful who you take into your confidence. 

Another analogy comes to mind which is far less spiritual or Biblical.  In the old “Muppet Movie,” as Kermit The Frog and Fozzie are traveling to Hollywood they stop at the old church and meet the band.  When they leave and ask Doc if he wants to come along, he declines, but adds “Maybe some day when you’re rich and famous, we’ll show up and exploit your wealth.”  Many people will make no preparations and simply expect someone else to take care of them (Red Cross, FEMA, neighbors, preppers, etc).  They will let you put in the time, money, and sweat and then want to jump in when you are sitting pretty.

As stated before on this blog, be careful what, who, and how much you tell.  It may come back to bite you one day.  In a final word, I am not saying you should not share or help others in need.  What I am saying is, don’t create problems for yourself.  Be careful of loose lips!

Letter Re: GPS Jamming is Illegal in Most Jurisdictions

James,
Please let your readers know that GPS jammers are illegal to own, operate, and market in the United States. Here is a link to the FCC
consumer alert on GPS jammers.

While I can understand that someone could make the personal decision that their personal privacy justifies blocking GPS tracking, please be aware that these GPS jammers are very effective and can jam an area up to a mile in diameter.

There was well-publicized incident of a personal GPS jammer that shut down the aircraft landing aid at the Newark, New Jersey airport. And there are documented cases of organized crime using GPS jammers in Europe to hide their theft of high-value cargo trucks. Due to these incidents, and other reasons, the government is actively pursuing effective GPS-jammer locator systems.

I would propose to you and your readers to consider the risks before considering such a device. While it may make a great plot device for a novel, I would not personally own one.

Respectfully, – S.G. in Virginia

Economics and Investing:

At Seeking Alpha: Why the Dow Could Hit 20,000 in Three Years

Mac Slavo: We Have Blown the Largest Bubble in the History of Mankind

G.G. flagged this: Doomsday poll: 87% risk of stock crash by year-end

Surprise! Your Bitcoins May Be Taxable Income to the IRS

Items from The Economatrix:

Peter Schiff: Fed’s Advisory Council Admits We’re Screwed

UCLA Economist Forecast Paints Dismal Picture of Economic Recovery

Retailers’ Sales Rise in May, Spending Stays Moderate

Remember The Sequester?  It’s Finally Dinging The Economy

Odds ‘n Sods:

There is lots of news about these revelations: NSA taps in to user data of Facebook, Google and others, secret files reveal and NSA Is Seizing Millions of Verizon Phone Records and Clapper denied NSA surveillance before Senate panel in March testimony. As I’ve mentioned before: Never consider anything you say on the phone or anything that you do on the Internet is “private.”

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Reader Joe K. suggested this new e-book: Locusts on the Horizon, authored by the Plan B Writers Alliance. It also comes highly recommended by Greg Ellifritz of  Active Response Training. It is affordably priced at just $2.99.

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G.G. flagged this news headline: Secession Plan Floated By Some Northern Colorado Leaders. And Steve D. sent this related story with some more details: Weld County commissioners propose formation of new state, North Colorado.

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“Major Henry West” (one of my associates on The FALFiles forums) wrote me to mention a great deal on Swiss 7.5mm GP-11 Ammo at AIM Surplus. They are offering it for not much more than .50 cents a round. (In today’s market, where 7.62mm NATO ball is still nearly $1 per round, that is a relative bargain.) A Swiss K-31 Schmidt-Rubin straight pull rifle can be fired quite quickly and accurately, and now for the first time in my memory, they can be shot less expensively than a .308. That sounds like a great James Dakin-style “Plan B” rifle, to me! (James Dakin wisely recommends budget military surplus rifles for folks who are on a tight budget.)

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15 Wonderful Hilltop Towns and Villages

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After the beheading of a British soldier by a pair of Muslim fanatics–who were caught literally red handed–David Codrea reports that many Britons now want their guns back. They are a little late, since most of their handguns got turned into manhole covers. (Including some that we sent them early in WWII, when England faced invasion.) What a shame. But it isn’t too late for them to import some 21st century gun technology. For example, envision a Ruger LC 9mm or a S&W .380 Bodyguard in just 20% of English ladies’ purses and gentlemen’s jacket pockets. Those would do quite well in deterring terrorist slaughter on their streets. And they are lot easier to carry around than armed Bobbies or manhole covers.

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Reader S.F. mentioned that a pilot program of matching dogs with vets was specifically vetoed by the U.S. Veteran’s Administration (VA), which made it categorical that dogs would only be provided for a small and traditional list of needs, such a guide dogs for the blind. So of course others did it. An old story with a great new ending: Hounds and Heroes.

Notes from JWR:

This is the last day of the big semi-annual sales on Mountain House long term storage foods at Ready Made Resources and Safecastle. Get your orders in before midnight!

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Today we present another entry for Round 47 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), F.) Two BirkSun.com photovoltaic backpacks (one Level, and one Atlas, both black), with a combined value of $275, G.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and H.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225.

Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P.), E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) 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, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 47 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.

Developing a Scavenger Mindset, by Barry B.

It has been said that the most important thing about prepping and survival is having the appropriate mindset. A strong spiritual mindset will get you through many hardships.  The mindset that your survival is up to you, that the government will not be there to help you is also necessary.  Having a scavenging mindset is also important. Scavenging will be an important skill post SHTF.  A scavenging mindset means that you aren’t embarrassed by scavenging people’s trash piles, and that you see value in items that others deem as trash.

Scavenging is not the same as picking in my view.  Pickers, as made popular by several television shows, look to make a profit by finding valuable items and reselling them.  Scavenging is more about finding useful items to recycle or repurpose.  Many low-income people already have this mindset.  There is a man who makes the rounds of the neighborhoods early on bulk trash day.  This is the day that the city picks up large items from the curb. Those items that do not fit into your trash can on the regular collection day.  I also see people with this mindset at the local metal recycling facility.  They survive by having a scavenger mindset.

The scavenging mindset is important because if you are too embarrassed to be seen digging through someone’s curbside trash piles or peeking into dumpsters, then you will not be a successful scavenger. This all may change depending upon how hungry you get, but by then, you will not have the skills needed to compete.  I admit that I do not do a lot of scavenging on my residential street where others know me, but if there is a great find, I will claim it from the curb.  I get curious looks when I stop to inspect a trash pile on the curb, but the great finds from these piles has long since helped me get over any embarrassment. Another part of the scavenger mindset is seeing the value of items that most people would send to the landfill.  I’ve picked up broken pieces of PVC pipe for the elbow or T fittings on them.  Garden benches that were nothing more than the metal ends with a piece or two of the original wood seat still connecting them can be restored into a beautiful item for the porch or garden with a little elbow grease, paint, and some treated lumber – also scavenged.  My grandparents, who lived through the Great Depression,  could find a use for almost anything.  Everything was used until it was “used up.”  Sadly, society lacks that attitude today, but it is an attitude that will prove valuable in a TEOTWAWKI situation.

I scavenge in places that most pickers would never look.  Most of my finds are not valuable antiques or collectibles, but items that can be recycled, reused, or repaired. Apartment dumpsters and curbs are my main hunting grounds and have proven to be lucrative places.  I live in a community with a large university student population. These students are notoriously wasteful.  Students tend to move at the end of each semester.  Many of them are lazy, leaving furniture and boxes on the premises for their landlord to set out on the curb or place at the dumpster.  While [in my jurisdiction] dumpster diving at apartments is illegal, checking the dumpsters on the university campus at the end of the semester is not (at least there are not signs indicating that it is illegal.). The dumpster behind the engineering and architecture buildings or dorms are particularly rich in finds.  Architecture  and construction science students build large projects each semester so the students can learn design and construction skills.  Most of them have no way to transport the project home so the projects are disposed of by their instructors at the end of the semester.  These projects contain a wealth of raw materials such as lumber (plywood prices are out of this world), large nuts and bolts, new hinges, casters, PVC pipe and fittings, and many other types of hardware.  I collect and deconstruct these projects, saving the materials or using them for my own renovation projects.  My neighbors know that I’m a scavenger and will often ask if I have an extra hinge or a PVC T-fitting.  I direct them to the appropriate container and let them “shop” at will. 

Dormitory dumpsters are also a great place to shop at the end of the school year.  Students leave furniture, storage containers, and an assortment of building materials like cinder blocks either in or beside these dumpsters.  Hitting these receptacles on the last day for students to move out can yield a trove of items that can be resold in garage sales, at flea markets, or donated to second-hand stores.
Apartment dumpsters yield mostly  household items.  Large pieces of furniture are not placed in the dumpsters, but are set beside them.  Rescued pieces of furniture are either sold or donated to various charities for the tax write-off.  I have found expensive bicycles sticking out of a dumpster.  Most of the time, they only need minor repairs. 

Rental houses and duplexes produce a greater volume and variety of items.  I regularly find water hoses, extension cords, furniture, recyclable metals, patio benches, containers of various sizes, vacuum cleaners, and bicycles.  Sometimes I have to replace an end on a hose or extension cord, but often, they are completely fine (I haven’t bought a hose or extension cord in 15 years).  I once found a vacuum that a dog had chewed the cord into two pieces – replacing the cord made it as good as new. The owner didn’t know how to replace a simple power cord so they threw it away. I sold it for $40.  Patio benches can be restored for $25-30 or less in materials and a little labor. These patio benches sell for $120 or more at the big box stores. These are usually given to friends or family.  My commercial-sized wheeled barrow came off a curb.  A $10 wheel made it good as new.  My father-in-law’s neighbor left almost two rooms of furniture on the curb when he moved. e made over $300 on these items in a garage sale.

Most of the stones that I use to edge the flower beds and garden came from new home sites.  The odd-shaped pieces of stone and castoffs that the masons can’t use are piled at the curb to be hauled off. I’ve never been denied permission to sort through the rubble pile for usable stone.  Other items that I’ve found include:

  • Patio tables and chairs
  • Gas cans
  • Containers of all sizes and shapes (container gardening, storage, rainwater collection)
  • Cordage of various sorts
  • Copper and brass fittings from appliances (usually recycled for cash)
  • Electrical conduit (fence posts, plant supports)
  • Dishes and cookware
  • Golf clubs (usually sold at garage sales)
  • Flower pots in sizes up to 30 gallons (good for protecting plants from frost)
  • Plastic buckets (thousands of uses)

But, my best find were two gold coins! I had spied an Adirondack chair on a curb and pulled over to investigate.  The chair was irreparable so I began checking out some of the boxes stacked beside it.  One box was filled with old board games.  I loaded that box up and took it home. As I went through the box later that evening, I discovered a small change box in the bottom.  The top tray contained about $8 in small change (no pre-1965 coins though),  a great find in itself!  But, in the bottom of the change box was a very small coin purse.  Inside the purse was a 1/10 ounce gold Liberty coin and a 1926 Quarter Eagle gold coin! That is my most valuable find to date.  Now, I never pass up boxes on the curbside!  And, my wife finds it hard to grumble when I make a sudden stop to inspect some boxes.
Scavenging means that I don’t have to buy a lot of new things and can spend those savings on other prepping needs.  Some items can be repaired and sold for additional income. I’ve been able to barter some items for things on my prep list. In addition, I learn skills that will be useful post-TEOTWAWKI.  I know how to rewire many appliances, refinish and rebuild furniture, repair bicycles, and repurpose most anything.  I learned all of these skills by trial and error (or with the help of YouTube) on the items that I’ve found.

In post-TEOTWAWKI times, new items will no longer be available unless people develop the old skills to make things by hand.  Until that time, we will have to learn to salvage useable items and materials and learn to repair them. As Jim and other contributors emphasize, knowledge and mindset will be the keys to your survival. Your “stuff” will only get you so far. By developing the scavenging mindset now and learning the skills to repair and repurpose items, you will have the advantage over most people. 

Letter Re: Canadian Officials Cast a Wider Net on Restricted Guns

Mr. Rawles,
Two years ago, I wrote to you prior to the abolition of the Canadian Long Gun Registry about rumors that senior officials with the RCMP were conspiring to reclassify a large number of long guns.

A major development has recently unfolded that I think merits attention to both your Canadian and American readers – as this could potentially set a major precedent pertaining to gun registration and confiscation.  

There is a lot of drama and intrigue involved between some of the owners of businesses involved, and a more comprehensive explanation of the situation can be found here (with the most current information): http://tv-presspass.com/swiss-arms-in-canada-the-full-story/

The simplest way to explain the story is the Swiss Arms Rifle is a variant of the SIG 540, which is very similar to the SIG 550.  Under Canadian law, SIG 550 and variants are prohibited, while the SIG 540 and variants are not.  The Swiss Arms rifle has been imported into Canada for over 12 years with many variants classified as Non-Restricted (the least strict classification of a rifle, requiring only a license and as of this point in time no registration).  In all probability, it is speculated that there are over 1,000 owners of the rifle which, by Canadian standards, a fairly high number.

Recently, a business came into possession of a supposed Swiss Arms rifle sold by one of their competitors, and observed that it appeared to contain SIG 550 parts – potentially rendering it a variant of the SIG 550 – and thus a prohibited firearm.  This business sent a sample to be reviewed by the RCMP who came to the conclusion that potentially all Swiss Arms Rifles are SIG 550 variants, and thus were incorrectly classified over a decade ago as either non-restricted or restricted, as opposed to prohibited.

Why this is important is prior to the Long Gun registry being abolished, the RCMP criteria for classifying firearms was very inconsistent and error prone.  As a result, it is entirely conceivable that dozens of firearms that were classified as Non-restricted in fact meet the legislation requirements to be prohibited.  Furthermore, some of these rifles could potentially be in the hands of thousands if not tens of thousands of Canadian gun owners with no official registration data to track them. 

With the abolition of the Long Gun Registry, there are reports that the RCMP is increasingly and more intensely scrutinizing firearms classifications and reopening classifications of existing firearms.  A recently leaked report has a definitive list of guns the  RCMP was reviewing for reclassification prior to the abolition of the Long Gun Registry.  The list itself is comical and completely devoid of substance. One of the most laughable points is that the the Ruger SR22 (a 10/22 dolled up to cosmetically LOOK like an AR-15) is somehow in the AR-15 family.

What this all means is, potentially, the RCMP may reclassify huge swaths of firearms that were once non-restricted or restricted into the prohibited category – effectively banning them from civilian ownership.

The big catch to this is this: with many (if not most) of these guns being Non-restricted, and the long gun registry data (supposedly) having been destroyed this past year, there is no official way the RCMP can track who is in possession of a non-restricted gun that they reclassify to prohibited, that is unless agents in the RCMP have maintained illegal backups of the data.

I learnt the hard way that many firearms businesses are very friendly with the RCMP, while some are not.  However, what is certain is firearms purchased from private businesses do maintain some paper trail, and If many non-restricted guns are prohibited, many of these businesses will either voluntarily surrender their ledger of sales or be forced to by warrant.  

However, I believe within Canada there is no requirement for private owners selling their guns to other private owners to maintain a inventory of sales (I have sold dozens of guns and never kept any paper record).  Ergo, if I bought a firearm from a business that potentially could be reclassified – I would be a bit more concerned.  If I bought one through a private sale, I would be less concerned, although classification would effectively render such firearms a prohibited device and carry a very stiff jail term.

The parties involved with the initial Swiss Arms Prohibition situation have until July 30, 2013 to petition the RCMP but either way, a ground breaking decision could potentially be made by then that could set a major precedent for gun control in Canada.

What’s interesting to note in is what will happen if this happens in the middle of a Conservative Party Majority term.  Personally, I am not overly optimistic the Conservatives will do the right thing (and rein in the RCMP).

Mr. Rawles, one thing in particular I would like your guidance on is what is the Christian thing to do if you have lawfully and in good conscience acquired a firearms as a piece of property, and “Caesar” arbitrarily prohibits you from owning it?  Canada is a big place and there aren’t enough Praetorians to practically enforce such an edict.  Furthermore, while I don’t have any confidence in the Canadian government, I do think as a Christian you have the obligation to protect yourself and your family from theft – regardless of who is doing it.

Thank you. – H.T.C.

JWR Replies: Here in the United States, we fortunately have the protection of Second Amendment, which solemnized a God-given right that pre-dated the Constitution and that therefore invalidates most of the gun-related laws that have recently been enacted. (“Lex mala, lex nulla.”) So Christians should not feel even a twinge when they ignore such laws. You can sleep soundly knowing that American Jurisprudence is clear, and on our side:

“The general rule is that an unconstitutional statute, whether federal or state, though having the form and name of law, is in reality no law but is wholly void and ineffective for any purpose. Since unconstitutionality dates from the time of its enactment and not merely from the date of the decision so branding it, an unconstitutional law, in legal contemplation, is as inoperative as if it had never been passed and never existed; that is, it is void ab initio. Such a statute leaves the question that it purports to settle just as it would be had the statute not been enacted.

Since an unconstitutional law is void, it follows that generally the statute imposes no duties, confers no rights, creates no office or liabilities, bestows no power or authority on anyone, affords no protection, is incapable of creating any rights or obligations, does not allow for the granting of any relief, and justifies no acts performed under it.”

(See the detailed citation, which I’ve previously posted on SurvivalBlog.)

But in Canada, where you lack a similarly enshrined right, your mileage may vary.

An aside: Because of Canada’s draconian handgun laws, most folks in the U.S. have a distorted view of firearms ownership in Canada. They mistakenly picture the country as uniformly anti-gun and fairly-well disarmed. The eastern provinces are indeed dominated by anti-gun liberals and gun ownership is uncommon. But in western Canada, folks raise their kids differently. Here is a picture of a new college graduate in Alberta, holding her graduation present. (That photo link came to me courtesy of SurvivalBlog’s Mike Williamson.)

Everyone must decide for themselves where they draw the line in consenting to laws that they know are inherently evil. In 1938 it was against the law for a Jew to go out in public without wearing a Star of David sewn on their clothes. Would you call someone who refused do so a “criminal” or would you instead call them a “dissenter”? A free nation has legitimacy only so long as it has the consent of the governed. When that legitimacy is lost, a few brave souls need to stand up and say forthrightly: “Consent withdrawn!”

Economics and Investing:

S&P 500 Crash Warning: Margin Debt Surpasses 2007 Danger Levels

The supply and demand math can’t be avoided: Summer Is Lyme Disease Season. The Price of the Drug to Treat It Just Exploded. Once again, those of us who wisely stocked up are sitting pretty.

The Roubini – Faber Debate

South African Rand Leads Emerging Market Rout.

Rationalizing and pushing the debt limit: The academic battle to open the gates on unlimited digital debt monetization.

G.G. suggested this: Nine reasons why the four-year-old US economic recovery is closer to awful than awesome

Bread, butter, and food stamp economy: Is the US developing a permanent under-class of citizens economically?

Odds ‘n Sods:

GoldAndSilverOnline.com (one of our generous writing contest sponsors) has announced a special just for SurvivalBlog readers: Use discount code: survivalblog at checkout, and get free shipping on your entire order when purchasing two or more $10 face value rolls in pre-’65 quarters or four or more $5 face value rolls in pre-’65 in dimes.  This special offer is good only until June 30, 2013, and just one free shipment per customer.

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Bugging Out? There’s an app for that. The beta version of a free Bug Out Bag Checklist app is now available on the app stores: Apple iOS and Android Google Play. Alternatively the app can also be found by searching the title of the app, “Bug Out Bag Checklist”, on your smart phone.

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Ol’ Remus has posted some great commentary on resistance warfare.

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Reader F.G. sent: Supreme Court: Police can routinely take DNA from people they arrest

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Mike Williamson mentioned an interesting DHS ammo buy: Small quantities of unusual calibers–.45 Long Colt, .357 Magnum, and 7.62×39. [JWR’s Comment: Perhaps they are a stocking some sort of TEOTWAWKI bunker.]

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An Inconvenient Truth Terminology: You might have noticed that “Global Warming” activists are quietly morphing into “Climate Change” activists. This is particularly convenient, since the last few months were the coldest spring on record in many places and in the U.K. they’ve had the coldest spring since 1891. Some are predicting that this summer could be the coldest since 1816 in Europe. (1816 is remembered as “the year without a summer.”) Perhaps in another 10 or 20 years, the Al Goristas will claim that their dire predictions of higher temperatures and rising sea levels were “misunderstood” by the media, and what they really meant to say was that lower temperatures and lower sea levels are expected, because mankind has broken Planet Earth’s thermostat–so that “climate change” can now push temperatures one way or the other. I’m no climate expert, so I’ll defer to meteorologist Joe Bastardi on this issue. Keep your snow shovels handy, folks.