Recruiting Law Enforcement & Veterans for Your Group, by C.J.B.

Prior to an “end of the world” scenario… one can add or enhance your group’s abilities, skill-sets, technical knowledge, and tactical prowess by adding veterans, reserve military members, and law enforcement personnel (LEOs) to your team roster.

So what do veterans/military members and law enforcement professionals bring to the table?

Intangibles/Tangibles: There are several unique and service-focused skills, mindsets, technical and tactical knowledge and experiences that military and LEOs can field to the benefit of your organization/group. Moreover, most have their own individual gear, and will or can be sympathetic to the prepper’s causes. Additionally, they may have access to body armor, helmets, assorted gear, and firearms more readily than a common person.

Teamwork Focused: For starters the above-mentioned class of individuals tend to know how to work as an effective team member, follow instructions, and be a positive force multiplier for most groups. Especially, those members who served or are currently serving in combat-arms MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) fields, and police officers or sheriff’s deputies. At times, being a “team player” is a life-and-death matter for this group of people, and this is an important core value that is imparted to them from day one of their training.

Communication-Centered: Additionally, these service members tend to know how to affectively use advanced radio communications skills or less- than- common communication techniques (arm and hand signals, Morse Code, smoke and flare signals, 10-codes, phonetic alphabets, and encrypted messaging).

Tactical Training: Tactical training is embedded in most of this group’s individual DNA. Army soldiers, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and law enforcement officers tend to have advanced firearms/ tactical training, bought and paid for by the government in a “ready to serve your group” package. I served almost 18-years in the U.S. Army and am currently a peace officer, and I can’t count how many thousands of rounds I’ve fired downrange, or how many buildings and rooms I’ve had to clear throughout my career- not only in training, but in real world situations and scenarios. You can safely bet that most if not all service members and LEO personnel have a solid, basic, tactical/firearms foundation, if not advanced.Continue reading“Recruiting Law Enforcement & Veterans for Your Group, by C.J.B.”

February 2022 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran

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

What Did Gold Do in February?

Well, so much for all the notes I made this month!
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was naturally the big news in all markets this month. Gold rose $1,800 at the start of the month, up $100 to over $1,900 by the 17th after the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine between separatists and the government broke down.

Gold prices spiked to a 5-year high of more than $1,970 the day of the Russian invasion, but then fell all the way back below $1,900. Gold spent the rest of the month jumping much higher in Europe, then easing as US traders booked profits or sold short later in the day. This resulted in the $1,900 mark becoming the first price support level.

Factors Affecting Gold This Month

UKRAINE

Worries over a war in Ukraine rapidly overtook inflation as the #1 driver in gold prices in February. Gold prices jumped $35 to more than $1,900 on the 17th, after conflict broke out in the separatist regions in eastern Ukraine.  Gold hit a 5-year high of more than $1,970 and silver rose above $25.65 as Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine on the 24th.

The craziest part of the day as far as gold was concerned was that it ended the US trading day back at $1,900. It remained near this level for the rest of the month.

If you’re in Russia, or have your money in a Russian bank in Europe, it’s probably too late to get your fiat money out. Now that Russian banks have been barred from the international SWIFT payments system, they can’t bring in money from out of the country, and they can’t support their bank branches in Europe. This means that the thousands of people waiting in line at ATMs in Russia are probably going to be disappointed. Not that their rubles will buy much anymore.

The European division of Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, has been hit by a massive bank run as people try to get their money out. This has led to banking authorities restricting cash withdrawals to prevent them from failing. Everyone should have bought bullion!Continue reading“February 2022 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies of interest to preppers and survivalists that are located in the American Redoubt region. Today, a special edition of this column, featuring drone and other aerial films from the American Redoubt region.

Idaho

Idaho 2015.

o  o  o

Coeur d’Alene Idaho Drone Video – An Aerial Love Story.

o  o  o

I’ve been linking to this one for a decade: Patriots – Surviving the Coming Collapse – Trike Flying.
Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”

Kerosene Lanterns, by Pat Cascio

It is no easy task, to find products to write about. I know a lot of our readers, would like me to simply cover firearms, some knives, and other survival gear. While I really enjoy writing about new firearms, to be honest, there’s not a lot of actual “new” firearms to write about – the gun makers do their best to come out with a new firearm, that no one else has out there on the market. Many new firearms are just cosmetically slightly different than another similar gun. When it comes to knives, it is extremely difficult to find something to write about, when it comes to the latest cutlery on the market. And, these days, it is tough – very tough – to try and find some knives that are new, that aren’t made in Mainland China. There are plenty of new survival gear options I can cover, however, in the end, they are usually just an improved version of some older products.

With the afore said, you need to have at least three things in order to survive in the wilderness; one is water, two is shelter and three is fire. No matter what your wilderness survival situation might be, you really need to at least have these three things if you want to survive. I know a lot of Preppers, who don’t give much thought to fire, since they might be sheltered in their homes, and have running water – if they’re lucky. But many don’t think about fire for some reason.

Continue reading“Kerosene Lanterns, by Pat Cascio”

Recipe of the Week: Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Snacks

The following recipe is from blog reader L.S.. She notes that this recipe is best for winter, since these tend to get oily in the summer.

Ingredients
  • 2/3 cup peanut butter (I use part creamy and part chunky)
  • 1 cup quick-cooking oats (uncooked)
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 Full Graham crackers (finely crushed)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup of chocolate chips (optional)
Directions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir well with a spoon. Once mixture starts coming together, use your hands to work the mixture until it’s all combined (it helps to spray hands with cooking spray first because it is sticky).
  2. Divide the peanut butter mixture with your hands into four equal sections (you will make 3 balls out of each section). Spoon out a heaping Tablespoon and roll in hands to form a 1½” diameter ball (use more cooking spray on hands if the mixture is too sticky). Place all peanut butter balls on a plate, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Store in refrigerator.

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Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven and slow cooker recipes, and any that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look again at the silver-to-gold ratio.

Precious Metals:

Russia’s “soft” invasion of Ukraine of course boosted the prices of gold and silver. We have yet to see the inevitable sorting of those markets.  The silver-to-gold ratio is back out-of-whack, at close to 79-to-1.  I expect to see it revert closer to 65-to-1, within a few weeks.  So for anyone who is feeling as if they “missed the boat” on gold, it is not too late. Just buy silver, and you will be rewarded for it.

o  o  o

Gold Price Forecast: Ukraine in the eye of the storm, fears boost safe-haven assets.

o  o  o

Clive Maund: Gold And Silver Set To Soar As Bank Accounts And Crypto Wallets Come Under Threat…

Economy & Finance:

Economic Consequences of an Invasion of Ukraine.

o  o  o

At Zero Hedge: Pre-Amble To WW3 Sends Stocks & Bonds Lower; Gold & Crude Higher.

o  o  o

Over at Hedgeweek: Allianz nearing settlements with investors in Structured Alpha hedge funds.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The most important element of a free society, where individual rights are held in the highest esteem, is the rejection of the initiation of violence. All initiation of force is a violation of someone else’s rights, whether initiated by an individual or the state, for the benefit of an individual or group of individuals, even if it’s supposed to be for the benefit of another individual or group of individuals. Legitimate use of violence can only be that which is required in self-defense.” – Former Congressman Ron Paul

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — February 27, 2022

On February 27th, 1900 — Felix Hoffman patented acetylsalicylic acid, better known as aspirin.

On February 27th, 1902 Harry ‘Breaker’ Harbord Morant is executed in Pretoria.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 99 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 course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

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
  3. 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).
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 99 ends on March 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.

 

Looking Back Over COVID – Part 2, by N.C.

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)

The Jury Is out:
  1. A CO2 rifle to practice transitions between targets and follow-up shots

I’m a big fan of training marksmanship with an air rifle. 10m shooting with air rifle taught me more about follow through than my .22 did. It’s also easy to incorporate a daily routine of even just 5 good precise shots. However if you want to practice multiple shots you’re mainly in CO2 territory. Your only other options are Airsoft or the relatively new PCP semi-automatic world. I bought an expensive (for me) clone of the ruger 10/22 from Umarex that runs on CO2 to practice multiple shots on a single and transitions between targets.

It works, even shooting as fast as I can, I haven’t noticed any issues with freezing or shots dropping as the temperature lowers. The weight is about right though center of gravity isn’t the same as the real ruger. It’s accurate enough for me to practice what I want to practice with it.

The jury is still out because I have only used it a handful of times. It’s a bit of a hassle to load. You don’t have fast magazine changes or large magazines. And because it doesn’t hold charge well, once you puncture the CO2 canister you’re kind of committed for an hour to use it all. Overall it’s not convenient though it is more convenient than a range trip and air pellets and CO2 canisters didn’t disappear the same way that 22lr did. I’m conflicted still. I need more trigger time on it.

  1. Fermenting experiments

The biggest experiment I tried was using my wife’s sourdough starter to ferment ginger beer. It worked. There was plenty of carbonation but it quickly developed a bitter and sour aftertaste. The window of goodness was pretty tight. I also tried using baker’s yeast to ferment ginger beer and included some black pepper in the fermentation and that worked very well. It’s fun, it’s not hugely useful but it is good. The fact that you can use regular bread yeast and it freezes for years and still works is useful. Fermentation helps keep things safe to drink as well as adding variety. I need more experiments with things that are naturally obtainable in my zone, hard cider, mead, and the like. It is good to know that in a pinch sourdough works.Continue reading“Looking Back Over COVID – Part 2, by N.C.”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

Give us day by day our daily bread.

And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” – Luke 11:1-13 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — February 26, 2022

February 26th is the birthday of Major-General Orde Charles Wingate (born, 1903, died 24 March 1944), an eccentric British Army officer who organized special military units in Palestine in the 1930s, and in Abyssinia, Sudan, and Burma during World War II. He is most famous for his creation of the Chindits, airborne deep-penetration troops trained to work behind enemy lines in the Far East campaigns against the Japanese during World War II.

February 26, 1993: A truck bomb built by Islamic extremists explodes in the parking garage of the North Tower of New York’s World Trade Center, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000 others.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 99 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 course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

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
  3. 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).
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 99 ends on March 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.

 

Looking Back Over COVID – Part 1, by N.C.

I’ve been looking back a lot, for the last two months. We are slowly getting back to normal in the US. It seems there’s a degree of normalcy on the horizon albeit with a thousand possible dangers beyond it. Before I lose myself in preparing for that future I want to look back at the last emergency to see what lessons I can draw and share.

In many ways, because my family was generally spared tragedy, I can look at this as a sort of dry run. I don’t want to diminish those who lost, every life lost was a tragedy for someone, and you all have my condolences. Stepping back from the personal to the societal view though this could have been far, far worse. On the continuum between the sniffles and airborne AIDS, COVID was certainly closer to the sniffles. Thank God.

For this article I want to focus on the tangible side of things. I’m dividing them into failures, successes, and jury’s out. Then the surprises that hit me from considering what I did during the pandemic. I highly suggest running your own self-audit as well as learning from mine. Readers of this blog were more ready than most but looking back I think we all have things to learn and share.

Failures

Failures teach us far more than our successes but it’s human nature to ignore our failures when nothing bad occurred as a result. If you want to be prepared you don’t have that luxury. In my view, in the context of a pandemic, these are the largest failures I have found.

  1. My procedures did not keep sickness from my house

In the early days of the pandemic when there was so little known and China was actively obfuscating what they knew I took my precautions seriously. For my family one of us went to work about 1 time a week and worked from home the rest of the time. One person went grocery shopping 1 time a week. If you had been outside, you stripped your clothes off in the entryway, the clothes went straight into the washing machine, the person went straight to the shower. While out I gave everyone a generous 6+ feet of personal distance, went shopping at off-peak hours, and generally avoided being around other humans. We don’t have family nearby so we didn’t try to run a “bubble” with families or neighbors. We kept very isolated.

It didn’t matter.

The procedures failed to keep sickness out of my house.

Doesn’t matter if it was covid or some other respiratory disease. We went down. Compared to what I saw others doing we were more serious about our precautions than most.   How did it come in? Anybody’s guess. I didn’t disinfected the outside of each object that came into the house but if it was picked up in person that wouldn’t have mattered.

  • takeaway question: how long did your procedures keep illness from your house?

Bear in mind that many cases of COVID are asymptomatic so even if you succeeded in keeping symptoms out, be very careful in assigning yourself a passing grade here.

Continue reading“Looking Back Over COVID – Part 1, by N.C.”