DPx Gear HEST Framelock Urban OD Knife, by Thomas Christianson

With a CPM 154 martensitic stainless steel blade and a titanium alloy frame, the DPx Gear HEST Framelock Urban OD knife is made of some of the highest quality knife making materials known to mankind, and is designed for a lifetime of hard use. It takes an excellent edge and holds it well, but can be difficult to re-hone once it becomes dull. Designed and manufactured in these United States, the knife offers an excellent, albeit somewhat pricey option for everyday carry ($280 at the time of writing from dpxgear.com).

The Backstory

As a part of my ongoing quest to seek out quality American-made knives, I ran across a reference to DPx Gear, Inc. I visited their website and examined the various knives that they offer.

I am most interested in everyday carry (EDC) knives, so I was especially drawn to their HEST Framelock Urban OD knife. I contacted DPx Gear to see if they could provide me with a sample for testing and evaluation. They kindly agreed, and about a week later a small flat-rate box arrived in my mailbox.Continue reading“DPx Gear HEST Framelock Urban OD Knife, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Pasta Va Zul

The following Pasta Va Zul recipe is from reader Nurse Michele. She writes:

“This is a simple pasta dish that has been around for centuries. I learned it from my Naples-born grandmother. She never wrote it down, or measured any ingredients. And, for years, neither did I. But at the request of friends some years ago, I paid attention as I made a pot of it and wrote the amounts and specific steps as I went, so that I could pass it along. And, Ecola! (Italian equivalent to Voila!)… a tasty, filling, nutritious and affordable recipe.”

Ingredients
  • 2 (15 oz) cans Cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
  • 1 lb Ditalini Pasta (preferred, in a pinch, elbow macaroni will do)
  • 5 (15 oz) Cans tomato sauce
  • 1/3 C olive oil
  • ¼ C very thinly sliced onion (vidalia is particularly good, if on hand)
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ to 1/3 tsp salt (plus more for the water to boil)
  • 1 tsp sugar
Directions

Cook 1 lb pasta in well-salted water. Under-cook the pasta, as it will continue to cook in the sauce later. Rinse pasta in cold water (to stop cooking), drain and set aside.

Put oil in bottom of a large (6 qt) sauce pot. Heat on medium and add onion. Saute onion slices until soft and translucent but do not let them brown. Add salt, pepper and basil and saute a minute or so more. Add tomato sauce all at once (it will splatter!). Stir. Bring to a very slow simmer. Add sugar. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in drained, rinsed beans. Continue to simmer over low heat for an additional 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in pasta. Remove from heat and cover. Let stand at least 30 minutes to let flavors blend, but it’s fine to make ahead and let it sit for a few hours. The sauce will thicken as it waits. Its final consistency will resemble stew. It is served in a bowl and eaten with a spoon.

SERVING

“Delicious topped with grated cheese. Makes a lovely complete meal served alongside crusty bread and a green salad.

This recipe yields about 12 cups. Which works out to about 6 hearty 2 cup portions or 8 moderate 1 ½ cup servings, depending on appetite and what it accompanies.”

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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. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. Most of these items are from JWR’s “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective. Today, more about the developing global banking crisis.

Precious Metals:

We’ll start off today’s column with a video of excerpts from a presentation by Mike Maloney: “Change is Coming That Hasn’t Happened In 100 Years” – World Dumps US Dollar.

o  o  o

At Gold-Eagle.com: Gold price sees triple-digit gains in March, but can it set record highs in April?

Economy & Finance:

From The Economist: America risks propping up zombie banks.

o  o  o

‘Most U.S. banks are technically near insolvency, and hundreds are already fully insolvent,’ Roubini says. Here is a quote from Roubini’s insightful article:

“To be sure, rising inflation reduces the true value of banks’ liabilities (deposits) by increasing their “deposit franchise,” an asset that is not on their balance sheet. Since banks still pay near 0% on most of their deposits, even though overnight rates have risen to 4% or more, this asset’s value rises when interest rates are higher. Indeed, some estimates suggest that rising interest rates have increased U.S. banks’ total deposit-franchise value by about $1.75 trillion.

But this asset exists only if deposits remain with banks as rates rise, and we now know from Silicon Valley Bank and the experience of other U.S. regional banks that such stickiness is far from assured. If depositors flee, the deposit franchise evaporates, and the unrealized losses on securities become realized as banks sell them to meet withdrawal demands. Bankruptcy then becomes unavoidable.

Moreover, the “deposit-franchise” argument assumes that most depositors are dumb and will keep their money in accounts bearing near 0% interest when they could be earning 4% or more in totally safe money-market funds that invest in short-term Treasurys. But, again, we now know that depositors are not so complacent. The current, apparently persistent flight of uninsured — and even insured — deposits is probably being driven as much by depositors’ pursuit of higher returns as by their concerns about the safety of their deposits.

In short, after being a non-factor for the past 15 years — ever since policy and short-term interest rates fell to near-zero following the 2008 global financial crisis — the interest-rate sensitivity of deposits has returned to the fore. Banks assumed a highly foreseeable duration risk because they wanted to fatten their net-interest margins. They seized on the fact that while capital charges on government-bond and mortgage-backed securities were zero, the losses on such assets did not have to be marked to market. To add insult to injury, regulators did not even subject banks to stress tests to see how they would fare in a scenario of sharply rising interest rates.”

o  o  o

Social Security is now projected to be unable to pay full benefits a year earlier than expected.

o  o  o

The Biden Effect: South African Minister Says Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Argentina, Mexico, Nigeria, and Others Want to Join BRICS Alliance.

o  o  o

WSJ: As Interest Rates Rose, Banks Did a Balance-Sheet Switcheroo. (Thanks to Peter for thelink.)

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“If you are for gun control, then you are not against guns, because the guns will be needed to disarm people. So it’s not that you are anti-gun. You’ll need the police’s guns to take away other people’s guns. So you’re very pro-gun; you just believe that only the Government (which is, of course, so reliable, honest, moral and virtuous…) should be allowed to have guns. There is no such thing as gun control. There is only centralizing gun ownership in the hands of a small political elite and their minions.” – Stefan Molyneux

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — April 2, 2023

Today is the birthday of Sergei Ivanovich Mosin (Apr 2, 1849 – February 8, 1902.)  He was a Russian military officer, engineer, and co-designer of the Mosin-Nagant rifle.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 106 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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. 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.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  4. 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).
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. EBL is providing an EBL Voyager 500-Watt Power Station with deep cycle lithium batteries, providing reliable 120 Volt AC and DC (12 Volt and USB) power for emergencies or outdoor use. (A $399 value.)
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $800,000 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 106 ends on May 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.

 

 

When War Comes – Part 2, by 3AD Scout

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

The People’s Land Army

During the Second World War, young women were enlisted to leave the cities to go work in the countryside on English farms. Given that our modern Argibusiness will fall due to the lack of replacement/repair parts, Bio-robots will need be used, that is humans. There is a long history of the draft for war for conscripting soldiers and sailors but what about a draft for factory and farm workers? We may have a clue that “conscription” for non-military functions may be planned for our post-apocalypse life. In the report, entitled “THE EFFECTS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS” published in 1979 by the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) the government included a fictional account of what life post-nuclear war would look life. Part of that fictional government story was that people would be “conscripted” for recovery and farm work.

Lack of Transportation

I suspect that just like during World War II, rubber from the Far East will also be in short supply and what rubber is available will be going towards the war effort. Lack of repair parts will sideline a lot of vehicles as will the rationing of gas. In World War II, bicycles became a major mode of transportation. Not that I want to have to ride my bike into town for supplies but it may become the only option. Many of us may have bikes for exercise and recreation but we need to ensure that those bikes are functional for WWIII. Do you have lights so you can travel at night if need be? Do you have a cargo rack and/or baskets to carry supplies to and from town? Do you have extra parts, especially inner tubes, tires, and brake pads? Don’t forget a way to secure your stockpile when you are in town conducting business. Bikes were also a major part of Civil Dense communications. Civil Defense planned on messengers on bikes to relay messages between command posts and other locations like shelters or fire stations. So, besides transportation, your bike may also be key to communication.

Depending upon the availability of gas/diesel you may still be able to operate a vehicle, that is if your favorite uncle doesn’t need the parts/metal. Keep extra filters, fluids, and tires on hand. Have a good patch/plug kit on hand too. If you don’t have an operating vehicle or bike, then you might want to put away some extra pairs of comfortable walking shoes and socks in storage.Continue reading“When War Comes – Part 2, by 3AD Scout”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day: 

“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” – Revelation 3: 5-13 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — April 1, 2023

April 1st is both April Fool’s Day and (unofficially) Molly Ivins Day. The latter refers to this verse: “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” (Psalm 14:1 KJV)

April 1st, 1886 was the birthday of Arthur W. Pink, who died 15 July 1952. He was an English Christian evangelist and an excellent Reformed Biblical scholar. It was his meticulously referenced arguments in his book, The Sovereignty of God, that first convinced me of the truth of the doctrine of Election. – JWR

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present the first entry for Round 106 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

There have been three new prizes added, starting with this round:

  1. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  2. EBL is providing an EBL Voyager 500-Watt Power Station with deep cycle lithium batteries, providing reliable 120 Volt AC and DC (12 Volt and USB) power for emergencies or outdoor use. (A $399 value.)
  3. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.

So, the full list of prizes for this round includes:

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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. 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.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  4. 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).
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. EBL is providing an EBL Voyager 500-Watt Power Station with deep cycle lithium batteries, providing reliable 120 Volt AC and DC (12 Volt and USB) power for emergencies or outdoor use. (A $399 value.)
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $800,000 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 106 ends on May 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.

When War Comes – Part 1, by 3AD Scout

Just like before World Wars One and Two, the war drums are beating louder and louder. Politicians are also saying that they do not want war and war is unlikely, very much like they did in the United States before we entered both World War One and two. This article is intended to cut through the bull manure and present a very logical case that we are marching to another pivotal point in history, what life on the home front may look like and what you should be doing to prepare.

The Definition of Insanity

If you look at the history of both world wars in the 20th Century, the United States, by an act of Congress, declared the US neutral, but then we supplied only one side with arms, ammunition, and other supplies. It would seem insane to think we could do the same again with a different outcome. Often misattributed to Albert Einstein is the quote: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

History seems to be rhyming

Historically, America cannot stay out of Modern European wars. The US got involved in both world wars and let’s not forget getting involved in the Balkan war in the 1990s. The involvement of the US in the Balkan War in the 1990s was one of the first events that started the Russian elites to think NATO might spread east into former Soviet Republics, thus they saw NATO as a threat to the Russian homeland. At each point in history before the world wars, there was “saber-rattling” and debate as to what was going to happen. The wise prepared, while the unwise went on without a care in the world. Many of us who grew up in the Cold War saw movies that tended to portray World War Three as a sudden event with an all-out nuclear exchange. History tells us that wars have always kind of started with a “slow burn”, such as we see Russia and Ukraine battling it out with materiel support from others. As time goes on there will be a gradual escalation until someone makes a move with unintended consequences.Continue reading“When War Comes – Part 1, by 3AD Scout”

March 2023 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 affect gold prices.

What Did Gold Do in March?

Gold saw choppy trade all month as safe-haven demand whipsawed between easing inflation and a global banking crisis. Prices bottomed out at $1,813/oz on Wednesday, March 7th, but were $100 higher a week later on the 15th. That $1,913 mark was the low for the rest of the month.

Futures hit an intraday high of $2,011 on the 20th, then broke $2,000 temporarily again on the 23rd and 24th. Intraday prices rose above $2,000 two more times on the 30th and 31st. Heavy selling in the futures market just before the end of trading on the 31st knocked prices down $20 from $2,005, as traders booked profits for the end of the month and the quarter.

In contrast, silver forged its own path this month, proving more resilient than gold due to support from the continuing shortage of physical supply. After bottoming out at $20/oz on March 9th, silver began a rally that topped out at $24.30 midday on the 31st.Continue reading“March 2023 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

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!

Jim Reports:

This week I had to make a trip down to Sandpoint, to run some errands, including buying some grain for our chicken feed mix.  I’ve made some progress on the workshop partitioning. But I had to put that on hold for a couple of days to assist our #2 Son in running some new Cat-6 Ethernet cables under the house.

Next week I have a repair scheduled for our aging pickup truck. That trip will essentially consume an entire day.  And I also need to swap out the studded winter tires for summer tires, on both of our rigs.  These chores always take a lot of time.  But hey… “What’s time to a hog?”

Now, Lily’s report…Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?

For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?

The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.” – Ecclesiastes 5:1-14 (KJV)

The “American Redoubt”, the Dream of a Conservative Fortress, by Adrien Jaulmes

Editor’s Introductory Note: The following is a translation of a March 24, 2023 article in France’s oldest newspaper, Le Figaro. One of the newspaper’s American staffers interviewed me by telephone, in February, during his fact-finding tour of the region.

Here is a link to that original piece, in French: Aux États-Unis, la «Redoute américaine», un rêve de forteresse conservatrice. (In the United States, the “American Redoubt”, a dream of a conservative fortress.) Most of the article was “réservé aux abonné”  — reserved for subscribers.The Le Figaro reporter, Adrien Jaulmes, kindly sent me the English version of the article. The reporter included this note in his e-mail to me:

“The trip was extraordinary. (Of course it involved quite a lot of driving; we Europeans are always baffled by the size of your country). Northern Idaho was probably the most stunning, such a beautiful place, but Eastern Oregon was also quite interesting. Therein, I understood better what you were saying about the importance of water, and also about how deep is the geographical difference between east and west of the Cascades.”

Most American mainstream media journalists are prone to write anti-conservative hatchet pieces. But this article was quite straightforward and unbiased. – JWR

The English version of the Le Figaro article follows:

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Northern Idaho and several northwestern states have become the destination of a political in-migration movement in recent years. Blending survivalism, Christianity and conservatism, the mountain stronghold of the American Redoubt has gained momentum since the Covid pandemic.

Jim Rawles keeps the location of his ranch a secret. Somewhere in northern Idaho, the writer and former U.S. officer has built a retreat where he and his family are preparing for what he calls “the end of the world as we know it.” “I moved to the area in 1991 from California, where I had previously lived,” he says by phone. There were simply too many people and government power had become too intrusive.”

Three decades later, Rawles has made a name for himself. Now a best-selling author of political-fiction novels and a disaster survival guide, he named the imaginary country that encompasses the mountainous areas of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, plus parts of Oregon and Washington, “American Redoubt,” a term for a military fortification. Sparsely populated, far from the coast and major cities, but fertile and with many lakes and rivers, this part of the continent is, according to Rawles, the best refuge in case of disaster, natural or social. “I coined the term around 2011,” he says, recommending in a manifesto to move to the region. It’s not a political movement, more of a philosophy. It’s not a secession either: rather, we advocate partition.”

Inserted like a wedge between Montana and Washington state, bordering the Canadian province of British Columbia, northern Idaho is a region of lakes and mountains, valleys and forests covered during the winter with deep snow. The area is full of French names, Coeur d’Alene, Lake Pend Oreille, given by the Coureurs des bois and trappers from Canada. Towns are scarce, usually small communities isolated in the snow where the gas station also serves as a grocery and hardware store. Most people live in isolated farms with painted barns.
Continue reading“The “American Redoubt”, the Dream of a Conservative Fortress, by Adrien Jaulmes”