Keen American-Built Boots, by Thomas Christianson

I recently bought a pair of Keen American Built Boots at a consignment store. They cost me $44.99. These Braddock Waterproof Mid Soft Toe Boots run $220 per pair, new. The Keen Braddock mid-cut boots are very sturdy, though the soles are somewhat stiffer than I prefer. They are also extremely warm, making them most suitable for cool weather use.

All in all, they are decent boots, and American-made. But they somehow lack that measure of comfort that gives a pair of boots a place of affection in my heart. It may just be that my feet are a funny shape, but I cannot recommend these boots.

The Backstory

My wife, “Kari”, and I were on a camping trip with our daughter, son-in-law, and three grandchildren. On one of the days of our trip, we made a quick detour back to civilization. We believed that a nearby town hosted a branch of one of our favorite thrift stores, and we wanted to check it out. Alas, our hopes were dashed. It was just a donation center for the chain, and not a retail outlet.

While we were in town, we ran across a consignment store. We stopped in to check things out. There I found a pair of work boots in my size. The inside of the tongue stated, “Assembled with Pride in Portland, Oregon Using the Finest Materials from Around the World.” That sounded interesting, so I decided to try them on. They seemed to fit okay, so I paid the asking price of $44.99. As soon as we got back to the car, I put on my new pair of boots.Continue reading“Keen American-Built Boots, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Chocolate Drizzled Popcorn

The following recipe for Chocolate Drizzled Popcorn is from Mrs. Alaska. She writes:

Popcorn deserves a place in long term food storage pantries. It is inexpensive, lightweight, long-lasting, filling, and a versatile, easy snack that can be enjoyed sweet or savory, pleasing almost everyone.  Archeologists have determined that the popping form of corn was domesticated 7,000 years ago!

My family goes five+ winter months without resupply.  We maintain a good supply of popcorn.

Benefits:

• Unopened bags and containers of plain, unpopped kernels can last several years (not microwavable packages that contain oils and other flavors).  Opened packages can be poured into mason jars for longevity.
• It is inexpensive.  Plain, bulk popcorn kernels cost about $1/lb.  A meager 1/3 cup of kernels yields 7 cups of edible popcorn!  (Microwavable and flavored popcorn can cost 5x as much!)
• It is quickly and easily cooked in a covered pan on top of a stove, grill, or campfire.
• It can be flavored in many ways, with dry, long storage flavorings, such as salt, sugar, soy sauce, spices, herbs, dry powders of butter, cheese, miso, tomato, onion, garlic, or chocolate, as well as fresh ingredients.  One appealing Internet source with a variety of recipes is www.popcornity.com.
• A cup of plain, oil-popped popcorn has just 35 calories.

In my house, I favor salty, spicy popcorn with combinations of garlic, cayenne, and butter.  My husband loves the following recipe for Chocolate Drizzled Popcorn with peanuts.

Note:  make the sauce before you pop the corn, so that you can combine them when both are hot.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Corn:  pop 1/3 cup of kernels in a bit of any vegetable oil.  (Yield: 7 cups of popcorn)

Chocolate Sauce:
Melt 2 TBS butter, coconut oil or some alternative.  Over low heat, add and stir well 2/3 cup of chocolate chips or 1/3 cup cocoa and 1/3 cup honey or sugar.  If thick, add more butter so it will pour easily.

If desired, add peanuts to the sauce or add to the popcorn separately.
When the corn is popped and hot, drizzle the sauce LIGHTLY over the corn, stirring gently to coat all sides.  Too much sauce will make the corn soggy.

Spread it out on a cookie sheet or rimmed pan and place in the oven for 20 – 30 minutes to crisp up, stirring several times.

Eat immediately, or store.  Any leftover sauce can be enjoyed as an icing for cookies, brownies, or cake.

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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, we look at rising new car prices. (See the Tangibles Investing section.)

Precious Metals:

Price pressure on gold, silver on worries Fed hawkish for longer.

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At Gold-Eagle.com: Andy Schectman: De-dollarization Continues Amidst High Inflation.

Economy & Finance:

US risks default as soon as July, will add $19T to national debt, agency estimates.

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PayPal President and CEO Dan Schulman Announces Retirement. JWR’s Comment:  Their press release failed to mention that PayPal recently lost a huge number of accounts and $6 billion in stock valuation, following their now notorious “we’ll be fining you $2,500” censorship fiasco, in 2022. I suspect that is the real reason that Schulman is retiring.

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Biden’s economy continues to take huge toll: Auto repos climb so high there aren’t enough people to go get them.

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Work-From-Home Trend Costs Manhattan $12 Billion Per Year In Lost Revenue.

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At Zero Hedge: US Industrial Production Is Growing At Its Weakest In Two Years As Utilities Crashed.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“When Christians are under a universalizing and totalizing non-Christian regime that wields implicit powers against true religion, how is this not tyranny? Is this not an assault on the people of God, who are forced to live in a public square that wars against Christ’s kingdom and against the nature of true humanity? The natural spheres of life, each with its own God-ordained power, are ordered against God and his people. This certainly is tyranny, though there isn’t, at first glance a clear tyrant. We see a modern regime made up of politicians, bureaucrats, Hollywood, public intellectuals, academics, corporations, HR directors, public health officials, foundations, medical associations, etc. The regime is the tyrant.” – Stephen Wolfe, The Case For Christian Nationalism

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — February 19, 2023

Today is the birthday of Lee Marvin (1924–1987), who you may remember from The Professionals and The Big Red One.

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Today’s feature article from The Rutherford Institute is a guest post, selected by JWR.  It is reposted with permission.

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We are still seeking entries for Round 105 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

More than $775,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 105 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.

America Is a Prison Disguised as Paradise, by John & Nisha Whitehead

“If all that Americans want is security, they can go to prison. They’ll have enough to eat, a bed and a roof over their heads. But if an American wants to preserve his dignity and his equality as a human being, he must not bow his neck to any dictatorial government.”— President Dwight D. Eisenhower

The government wants us to bow down to its dictates.

It wants us to buy into the fantasy that we are living the dream, when in fact, we are trapped in an endless nightmare of servitude and oppression.

Indeed, with every passing day, life in the American Police State increasingly resembles life in the dystopian television series The Prisoner.

First broadcast 55 years ago in the U.S., The Prisoner—described as “James Bond meets George Orwell filtered through Franz Kafka”—confronted societal themes that are still relevant today: the rise of a police state, the loss of freedom, round-the-clock surveillance, the corruption of government, totalitarianism, weaponization, group think, mass marketing, and the tendency of human beings to meekly accept their lot in life as prisoners in a prison of their own making.Continue reading“America Is a Prison Disguised as Paradise, by John & Nisha Whitehead”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

The Ohio Train Wreck Has Contaminated Several States

But Biden’s D.C. Train Wreck Has Contaminated All 50

News Links:

Fact Check: President Biden’s Rhetoric Doesn’t Match His Results, Economy Continues to Fall Short of Expectations.

Pax­ton Sues Biden Over New Rule that Increas­es Bur­den on Amer­i­can Tax­pay­ers From Ille­gal Immigration.

As Americans are Paying Nearly $6,000 for Biden’s Inflation Tax, Democrats Plan to Raise Taxes More on Those Making Less Than $400,000.

A Rise in Unfunded Mandates on State and Local Governments Could Spur Calls for Regulatory Reform in the 118th Congress.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

We love him, because he first loved us.

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” – 1 John 4 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — February 18, 2023

Today is the birthday of astronaut Theodore Cordy “Ted” Freeman (February 18, 1930 – October 31, 1964.) Ted Freeman and his wife Faith were friends of my mother and father. Both my father and Ted Freeman were stationed at Bryan Air Force base in the early 1950s, and they rented houses three blocks apart, in College Station, Texas. About ten years later, while training as an astronaut in the Gemini space program, Ted was killed in a birdstrike flying accident, while flying a T-38 Talon jet trainer. He was the first casualty of NASA’s manned space program. Fittingly, Ted Freeman’s name is inscribed on a memorial plaque that was left on the moon, by Apollo astronauts.

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We are seeking entries for Round 105 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $775,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 105 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.

 

A Word Of Warning On Preserving Your Wealth

At the risk of sounding repetitious, I’m issuing this brief warning to SurvivalBlog readers:

The average American income is not keeping pace with inflation. This chart says it all. Take a look at that chart. The brief positive blip in 2020 is attributable to the combined effect of people reducing their expenses by staying at home and receiving the veritable helicopter drop of economic stimulus checks. But since then, we’ve been collectively blindsided by inflation.

Do not expect inflation to get back under 5% for a decade or more. The Federal Reserve”s recent credit tightening has been insufficient to stem the flood of inflation. If the U.S. Dollar becomes disfavored on the Forex, then we could see a flip-over into mass inflation. All that it would take is a net outflow of foreign investment, to trigger that.

Here is a statistic that few folks have ever read: As of 2019, there were more than $14 billion in $100 Dollar bills in circulation, mostly overseas. And in fact, there are now more $100 bills in circulation than there are $1 bills. A quote from the IMF report:

“According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, nearly 80 percent of $100 bills—and more than 60 percent of all US bills—are overseas, up from roughly 30 percent in 1980. “

This is attributable to the cash hoards that are held by narcotraffickers and good old-fashioned “mattress money” consistently held by the citizens of more than 200 nations.  For more than 70 years, foreigners have recognized the U.S. Dollar as a safe store of value, even as their own national currencies suffered inflation.

Robbery in Slow Motion

Remember: Inflation in effect is a hidden form of taxation. We are being robbed, folks. It used to be robbery in slow motion. But now, it has become more blatantly expeditious.

If you haven’t done so already, then start shifting part of your liquid net worth out of Dollars and into durable tangibles–both productive farmland or ranchland and compact high-demand items that are suitable for barter. I lean toward silver coins and “seven-six-two” – JWR

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:

We’ve been enjoying some nice winter weather, here at the Rawles Ranch. On Monday night, we got three inches of fluffy snow. But otherwise, it has been partly sunny, with afternoons in the high 30s.  So the snow is melting much faster than it is accumulating.

Our #2 Son is home for a couple of weeks. That has been fun visiting with him, and catching up on his adventures. But more than half of his time “here” he has been touring around and visiting his friends – all the way from eastern Washington to western Montana. He spent one day downhill skiing with some friends at Schweitzer Mountain, near Sandpoint.

We are wrapping up the mailings of the blog archive sticks this week. 1,700 sticks sold out very quickly.  And I’ve already gathered nine pre-1928 books to scan for use as bonus books, for next year’s edition. That edition should be available in late January of 2024, Deo Volente.

I also slaughtered, gutted, and skinned another six roosters this week. Lily soon had them washed, bagged, and in the freezer.  We have always worked together well. Lily is a gift from God, and I treasure her.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.

And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:

In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;

With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king’s house:

And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.

Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:

Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.

Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.

And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:

That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.

Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.” – Ezra 6:1-11 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — February 17, 2023

On February 17, 2021, talk radio personality and author Rush Limbaugh died at age 70.  His network radio time slot has been ably filled by The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 105 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. 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 $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $775,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 105 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.

The Accounting Equation and Salvation Equation, by J.E.H.

There are some things I need to state before we get started. I am a CPA. Don’t quit reading thinking this will be another boring paper. Second, I am a Christian. How can a CPA be a Christian? CPAs are held to a higher ethical standard than any other profession. If you plan on sitting in front of an IRS auditor, who is going over your client’s tax return, you better be a truthful, ethical, and a praying person. A good CPA should have a healthy fear of the Lord and a healthy knowledge of IRS laws.

On a sidenote, when asked if I am conservative, I say “If I were a plumber, I would wear suspenders and a belt?”

Any accountant who made it through Accounting 101, without sleeping too much, can tell you the accounting equation. In its most simple form, the Accounting Equation is: Assets = Liabilities + Equity. But it can be restated as: Assets – Liabilities = Equity. We will use this restatement.

To explain the concept of Assets, Liabilities and Equity, let’s assume you live in a house. Your house, and the land it sets on, is the asset. It is an item that holds value and can be sold. The loan you got, so you could buy your house, is your liability (i.e. a promise to repay something in the future. Equity is the difference between what you own, your assets, and what you owe, your liability.Continue reading“The Accounting Equation and Salvation Equation, by J.E.H.”

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, we look at global inflation. (See the Inflation Watch section.)

Precious Metals:

Gold price up following U.S. CPI close to expectations.

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At Gold-Eagle.com: The Bond Market Is Already Broken, What’s Next For Silver and Gold?

Economy & Finance:

A new Piepenburg interview: No “North Star” for a Global Economy Drifting in Unsustainable Debt.

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UK can expect year of stagnation after narrowest of escapes from recession.

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Linked over at the Whatfinger.com is this from Martin Armstrong: The Real Debt Crisis is Here.

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Moody’s: U.S. Chartbook: Too Tight for Comfort.

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Germany’s DIHK lifts forecast, sees economic stagnation in 2023.Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”