The Myth Of The Eternal Market Bubble And Why It Is Dead Wrong, by Brandon Smith

…apply. I’ve also heard the argument that because US GDP is so much larger than Japan’s, comparing their central bank balance sheets is “not practical.” Meaning, the U.S. has a larger GDP, therefore the Fed should be able to increase its balance sheet much further than Japan has. This claim obviously relies on the notion that “GDP” as it is calculated today is an accurate measure of how much debt burden a nation can carry. If you consider Japan’s manufacturing capability alone, the U.S. with all its outsourcing pales in comparison in terms of economic resiliency. If you also consider that every time the government spends tax dollars these programs are often added to GDP as a form of “production” (this includes Obamacare), then the idea of GDP becomes a joke. The point being, it does not matter how healthy a nation’s GDP appears to be, the central bank can…




Composting Your Black Gold – Part 2, by Hobbit Farmer

…your soil, and without replenishing the soil eventually you will deplete the fertility of your land. Compost is the number 1 way to restore your soil, minimize the nutrient extraction, and build long term soil fertility and sustainability. I hope this guide has given a clear idea of how to start your own composting experiments, or some new ideas for those who already compost. During my time as a SurvivalBlog reader I have learned many tips and ideas from all of you, and I hope this article begins to pay back some of my debt of knowledge. It is encouraging to know others are working towards similar goals of self-sufficiency and freedom. Here are links to some great videos by expert market gardener Charles Dowding who uses the same composting method (in fact the whole channel is helpful if you want to look into the “no-dig” gardening method): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf6CGj7xpFE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtMsEylZvqw…




Preventing the Statists’ Planned Coup de Maître

…Google/Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, Vimeo, Pinterest, SnapChat, and YouTube.) Instead, use alternative platforms. These include: gab.ai, Full30.com, BitChute, and Real.video. For your web searches avoid using Google, since they keep semi-permanent lists of your search phrases. Instead, use the StartPage search engine. They claim to not keep any search histories. Next, sign up for a VPN service. Use it whenever visiting controversial web sites, or when using controversial search phrases. Be politically active. Remember that with “throw-away” e-mail addresses and VPN, you can anonymously post things or submit letters to newspaper editors. And, for sheer pragmatism, as a prepper I also recommend these additional steps: Get a Bitcoin wallet. Arm your family well. If it is legal in your state, then buy guns anonymously from private parties, with cash. It may not come to guerilla warfare in our generation, but it probably will in your children’s generation. With cash,…




Fighting .22 Rimfires, by Steve in Missouri

…going to handle. If you really think that the .22 delivers no more than a bee sting, then have a buddy shoot you a couple of times and see how you fare. Matt in Oklahoma We have 3 Ruger SR22 pistols in the family. They are reliable and have a rail to mount a light. They seem to really like the CCI Stingers as the best combo for power/accuracy. The magazines are easy to load and the slide is easy to manipulate. For a long gun it’s the Ruger10-22. Lightweight folding stocks help with length of pull and weight reduction. The arguments against are more to boost the person making it than reality. I’ve even heard silliness such as “if that’s all they can handle they are better off without”. I grew up in southeastern Oklahoma and I knew better as a young teen. Seen many a man and many…




The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

…market participants, and other stakeholders on whether legislative action relating to such mergers is needed to ensure digital markets remain competitive,” Lee said in a statement. Klobuchar said in the statement that the companies’ acquisitions “have raised serious competition issues.” “Big technology companies have become some of the most powerful organizations in the world. They face little competition and there are numerous examples of the companies purchasing start-up competitors in various lines of business,” she said. The tech giants, among the most rich and powerful companies in the world, are facing increasingly intense antitrust scrutiny.” Julian Assange Issues Warning A hat tip to Ralph in Kentucky for sending me the link to this recent Lisa Haven video: ‘ALL OF US ARE IN DANGER’ Julian Assange Issues Urgent Warning & It’s Coming True! — You can send your news tips to JWR. (Either via e-mail of via our Contact form.) Thanks!…




Building the Castle – Part 2, by Jake R.

…the energy efficiency of these units are not as good as wood burning stoves. Less Cooking Options – You may find that boiling water or cooking a stew may be more difficult with the fireplace. For that matter, anything that requires a pan could prove to be a pain. Plumbing Plumbing may or may not be important to you once the world ceases to work as we are used to but then again, you may have a backup plan such as a well with a solar pump. In that case, you will want to have the most maintenance free material possible. The three most common types of materials for supply plumbing are PVC, PEX and Copper. PEX PEX usually comes in rolls and is a plastic, somewhat flexible material. Its usually identified by its colors (usually either red or blue if inside a home) and is a newer component in…




The “Smart” Prepper: Purchasing With A Purpose, by L.D.M.

real hobby, you might then want to take a more in-depth course of learning, as this method is primarily meant to prepare you to pass the test and get your license, which is required to communicate on Ham radios. For my purposes in adding this “skill” and equipment to my overall prepping plan, it was perfect. I plan on taking the exam within the next week or so. (There are exams given every single week almost everywhere in the entire country. To find an exam location in your area, go to www.arrl.org.) After passing the exam, it’s time to purchase my first Ham radio. My suggestion is to talk to some Hams in your local area. (Again, go to www.arrl.org to find your local Ham radio club.) Get their suggestions on what to purchase, based on your skill level and needs. Don’t be afraid to tell them WHY you got…




TEOTWAWKI Medical Skills: Thoughts on Becoming a “Woofer” (Wilderness First Responder), by Richard B.

…Lightning Mass Casualty Day Seven: Environmental Frostbite & Non-Freezing Cold Injuries Hypothermia Heat Illness Immersion & Near-Drowning Health & Hygiene Search and Rescue & Group Management Austere Patient Care and Survival Day Eight: Environmental/Logistics Dive Emergencies Plant & Chemical Poisoning Animal Attacks & Envenomation Pre-Expedition Health Screening & Planning Remote Medical Kit & Supplies Day Nine: Testing Practical Exam Written Exam Debrief & Evaluations The Skills And here are some of the skills we learned (and practiced, and demonstrated to each other and to our instructors!) * demonstrate comprehension of the legal concepts related to medical care, and relate their interpretation to patient care. * demonstrate a working professional vocabulary for communicating their patient assessment and care with other responders. * demonstrate skill at gloving and de-gloving, and describe the techniques of body substance isolation. * demonstrate rudimentary execution of a Scene size-up, Primary Survey, and Secondary Survey, assessing and…




Letter Re: Use of the Title Architect

…that note it may be considered similar to the UCMJ section on “Impersonating an Office.”) The precursors to becoming an actual licensed architect compared to becoming a licensed contractor in many states is as vast as the difference between becoming a doctor and an ambulance driver, and this is not an exaggeration. For example I am also a general contractor in Chicago, but it was little more than an application form, local fee and providing a certificate of insurance to become a Chicago Licensed General Contractor” Or, At  the very least, such as in the case of California, where there is a sophisticated contractor licensing a program requiring evidence of past experience, and a rigid exam, with legal aspects of practice, the difference is comparable to Registered Nurse to Doctor. So while, in the post collapse world and post mass human die off, any valid experience may be respected and…




Guest Post: Will Globalists Sacrifice the Dollar to Get Their ‘New World Order’?, by Brandon Smith

…money) precious metals, lead. Interestingly enough Americans are so complacent that the “lead” phase may never materialize. However I do believe that the country will see an active black market / tangibles/ precious metals economy thrive, albeit illegal. (think of the penal industry as a growth industry) While paid off real estate is a great hedge for the present keep in mind how easily it can be confiscated. Anyone that is looking can see the problem. AGAIN BRANDON, what is the solution?? Snotty Boy You could wipe your @ss with them…. Just sayin’ BobW The Economist is pining for the slowing of globalization: https://www.economist.com/leaders/2019/01/24/the-steam-has-gone-out-of-globalisation Not So Free Will Globalists Sacrifice the Dollar to Get Their ‘New World Order’?, In a hot minute. CuzMike Great article. Brandon Smith is one of my favorites. Here is the last line of it that I would like to make a comment on. (Without ample…




Practical Survival Radio Communications – Part 1, by G.H.

Like many families, the miles between me and my brothers are many. Fortunately, we hold a conference call every Wednesday evening to stay in touch. We have been doing this for nearly a decade. Realizing how important communications are to all of us, and from my role as the Logistics Chief for our County during major emergencies, I accepted the assignment of finding communication tools that will ensure communications no matter what. It did not take long to realize that radio communication works when all others fail. I obtained my amateur radio license and have the honor of recognition by the American Radio Relay League for public service in the management of emergency communications. Good communications are important in day-to-day routine lives and may become critical during stressful situations or extreme emergencies. During normal day-to-day situations, traditional communications methods such as telephone, texting and e-mail work flawlessly. However, minor incidents…




A Local Disaster Network – Part 4, by J.M.

latest version number and save it to your local disk. Note that the compressed file is pretty big – the version that I downloaded is 1.2 gigabytes, so make sure you have enough free space on your local disk and plan on getting a cup of coffee if you have a slow Internet connection. It gets even worse later on – once you finished uncompressing and extracting the files they will temporarily use over 4GB, so verify you have enough disk space available. If you don’t you can always download, uncompress and extract the image files directly onto a 16GB or larger USB thumb drive, but be aware that it’s probably going to be extremely slow. Once the download finishes you’re going to need some way to uncompress and extract the image file from the downloaded one, so you’re going to need an archiver utility. I don’t know much about…




Cybersecurity: A Systemvault Primer, by D.P.

…more in-depth look at my setup: Step -1-: If you don’t know what I am talking about; just forget it. Step -2-: After reading up on my options (there are several VM vendors) I settled on Virtualbox. Its consistently ranks at or near the top in tests and is very user friendly. You install Virtualbox like any other application. I use version 4.2.18 from this site because that was the latest in the 4.2 series at the time. Don’t forget to download the correct extension pack from the same web page. The software is free. Why? Basically you are one of their beta testers, which is why you want latest stable build, not bleeding edge. The company makes its money by selling fully tested versions to enterprise customers. Once you run the program, it presents you with a wizard to take you through the steps of creating a VM; the…




Letter Re: A Useful Free USGS Online Maps Web Site

…later with the “US Topo” following the location name) actually contain multiple map information layers including satellite images, roads, hydrographic features, contours, etc.  If you download and install the TerraGo software (available free at the lower left corner of the interactive google map window) you can select and manage which layers to include or exclude when you’re viewing the map with Adobe Reader.   I recommend against using the download bundle icons for obtaining a collection of maps.  The process for using it successfully is not user friendly, and can cause a lot of confusion. If you want multiple maps, simply repeat the process that is described above.   Whether you are looking for a suitable or alternate routes when traveling from one location to another, scouting your own area, or looking for a suitable location, these maps are great and free.  God Bless You and Yours, – Scott S….




Cheap and Easy Ham for the Communications Novice by TSR

…the link on the CHIRP download page, too. Download and install the Prolific PL2303 driver for your Windows or Mac. The versions of these three components that I used (with Mac OS X 10.9.5) are: KK7DS_Python_Runtime_R10 CHIRP 0.4.0 PL2303 Mac OS X Driver 1.5.1 Frequencies While you wait for your equipment to arrive from Amazon, go find local frequencies of interest at RadioReference.com. From the main page, choose Databases > Frequency Database. Under Retrieve By Location > Retrieve by US zipcode, enter your zip code and choose Retrieve. In the results, identify frequencies that interest you, and log them in a list. I used an Excel spreadsheet, an example of which is shown below. Be sure to store at least the Frequency, Tone, and Description from RadioReference.com. Don’t bother with anything labeled as trunked or encrypted; you won’t be able to listen to or use those without other, significantly more…