A Retreat Locale Selection Criteria Update

When I launched SurvivalBlog in 2005, I summarized my criteria for selecting retreat locales in a series of articles. Soon after, I evaluated 19 western states, for their retreat potential. I later put that data in a SurvivalBlog static page: Recommended Retreat Areas. This article serves as a 2022 update to that page.

Some Things Don’t Change

A lot has changed in the intervening 17 years, but some ground truths and some key trends haven’t changed at all:

  • The tendencies of governments haven’t changed. They’ve only grown a bit bolder and their tools for surveillance of the citizenry have become more refined and pervasive. For example, the advent of Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) has changed how policing is conducted, and has severely limited anonymous travel. Also consider: The ubiquitous Ring Doorbell cameras are being networked for law enforcement use, in some cities.
  • Urbanization is continuing.  With every passing year, the bedrock agrarian culture of America is being eroded. Less than 2% of Americans make their livelihood by farming, ranching, or fishing, and feed the other 98%. America’s cities now constitute a political bloc that now dominates popular culture, academia, and governments at the state and Federal levels.
  • The web of technological interdependency is growing. Increasingly, industry, transport, and commerce are locked into high technology.  The power grids used to be the linchpin of society.  But now, there are multiple linchpins that are interdependent and co-equal.  Supermarket shelves don’t get stocked without power, fleets of trucks, and even the Internet, for automated inventory control. As robotics and eventually drone delivery and fully automated trucking come to the fore, the level of interdependence will surely increase.
  • We are still being lied to.  Propaganda in the mass media has become the norm. The leftists’ grip on the mass media has become more blatant in recent years.
  • Human nature is changeless. We are born sinners and live in a sinful, fallen world. Some of us are repentant, but the majority are not. One key factor that has changed is the acceptance and normalization of sin. Roughly 30 years ago, the mass media began to urge people to tolerate sin. Today, they are denigrating anyone who does not accept sin. And I fear that in the near future, there will be demands to fully embrace sin. The legislation to make that happen will surely follow. For example, “Misgendering” is already a crime in some countries. I used to chuckle when I heard syndicated talk radio host Michael Savage refer to San Francisco as “Sodom By The Sea”.  But now, I can see that the popular culture of the entire nation is now emulating San Francisco’s intentional licentiousness. Woke politics, the transgender crowd’s antics, cross-sex bathrooms/locker rooms, and systematic grooming of America’s schoolchildren are all on the rise.
  • Global threats are not going away.  The threats posed by droughts, famines, mass migration, war, and pandemics will be with us, most likely for centuries to come.

Now, to get back to the specifics retreat locales…

My core advice on where to live hasn’t changed much, over the years. I still emphasize the need to move to lightly-populated farming and/or ranching regions that are well-removed from major population centers. However, in my blog writings and in my conversations with my consulting clients, I’m now placing a greater emphasis on some of my long-standing criteria, and I’ve added a few new ones.Continue reading“A Retreat Locale Selection Criteria Update”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly column is a collection of short snippets: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

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First up, there is this Fox News article about a Bear Home Invasion, forwarded to us by reader C.B.: Colorado man shoots bear inside his home with his .40-caliber pistol. JWR’s Comment: Note that he emptied his pistol magazine — most likely 15 rounds — before the bear stopped. The Bidenistas tell us that we should be limited to 10-round magazines. I suggest that people should have magazines of whatever capacity is required for them to reach their comfort level.  For some, that might be a 33-round magazine.

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At DefenseOne: US Military ‘Furiously’ Rewriting Nuclear Deterrence to Address Russia and China, STRATCOM Chief Says.

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A video that describes modern search engine truncation, manipulation, and user steering: Disturbing Proof They’re Quietly Deleting the Internet… JWR’s Comments: I’m coining a postulate that I consider nigh-on universal: In 21st Century western societies, if something isn’t about revenue, then it is about control.

I found that even StartPage (my heretofore favorite search engine, for the sake of privacy) truncates search results. As a test, I entered: “James Rawles Interview”, and saw that the results were limited to just 12 pages. I assume that this is because they are running one of the major search engines in the background. I tried several others, with similar truncation. Then I tried the Ecosia search engine.  Its results on that same test search seemed to go on for about 70 pages, until they started looping back to just two web articles. I’m curious to know if there are any other search engines available that have the same depth of search results, or better yet, with unlimited search results. If you know of one, then please chime in, via e-mail.

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Reader M.J. wrote:

“I recently harvested my corn crop.  My big mistake was in not staggering the crop, so it all had to be harvested at once. I gave some away to relatives, ate some, and blanched the rest.  Now I’m cutting the kernels off the corn and letting them dry in the sun.  Thank goodness for working from home part of the week; I can get more done. I’m looking forward to grinding my own cornmeal for the first time.

I’m pulling up the corn stalks a few at a time, chopping them up, and putting them in my compost bin.
No more major gardening projects for now. I’m studying Data+ so that I can get a better job — better as in something I like more, and better as in pays more so that I can keep up with inflation. As Commander Zero likes to say, we’re far more likely to need $50 bills than .50 ammunition.
I’m also getting involved, as time permits, in local politics.  Better leadership might make TEOTWAWKI less likely.  Sadly, EMP and the out-of-control Federal Reserve aren’t getting as much attention as they should.  On the plus side, our candidates are focusing on crime and homelessness. Good luck to all!”

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Reader D.S.V. sent this: How to Freeze Cucumbers–The Ultimate Guide | Whole New Mom

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Bobby sent us this video clip: Deadliest Warriors In The World: Royal Tongan Marines Battle Cry – Sipi Tau (Kailao). It is noteworthy that 98% of Tongans are Christians. The video ends with them reciting the Lord’s Prayer, in their native language.Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“He was, however, speaking to a representative of government, the police. And it is to government that one goes ‘for a redress of grievances,’ to use an almost forgotten phrase of the First Amendment. But it is said that the purpose was ‘to cause inconvenience and annoyance.’ Since when have we Americans been expected to bow submissively to authority and speak with awe and reverence to those who represent us? The constitutional theory is that we the people are the sovereigns, the state and federal officials only our agents. We who have the final word can speak softly or angrily. We can seek to challenge and annoy, as we need not stay docile and quiet. The situation might have indicated that Colten’s techniques were illsuited to the mission he was on, that diplomacy would have been more effective. But at the constitutional level speech need not be a sedative; it can be disruptive.” – Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, in Colten v. Kentucky, 407 U.S. 104 (1972)

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — August 23, 2022

I just heard of the passing of Dr. Peter Vincent Pry.  He did yeoman service, chairing The EMP Commission and EMP Task Force, urging legislators to get the United States hardened against EMP and X-Class solar flares. When he interviewed me, I was impressed by his great acumen and depth of knowledge on EMP topics. He will be greatly missed. Our condolences to his family. The following is from his U.S. House staff biography:

“Dr. Peter Vincent Pry is Chief of Staff of the newly re-established Congressional
Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Commission, and Executive Director of the Task Force on
National and Homeland Security, a Congressional Advisory Board dedicated to achieving
protection of the United States from electromagnetic pulse (EMP), Cyber Warfare, mass
destruction terrorism and other threats to civilian critical infrastructures, on an
accelerated basis. Dr. Pry also is Director of the United States Nuclear Strategy Forum,
an advisory board to Congress on policies to counter Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Foreign governments, including the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, and Kazakhstan
consult with Dr. Pry on EMP, Cyber, and other strategic threats.

Dr. Pry served on the staffs of the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of
the United States (2008-2009); the Commission on the New Strategic Posture of the
United States (2006-2008); and the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States
from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack (2001-2008).”

My hope is that his warnings will be heeded by congress, NASA, commercial space project developers, and military planners.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 102 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 Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime low-cost training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  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 LogOX 3-in-1 Forestry MultiTool (a $189 value) and a WoodOx Sling (a $79.95 value), courtesy of LogOx, both made in USA.
  4. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $750,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 102 ends on September 30th, 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.

 

Desperate Dining, by Prepared Pamela

EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC ON HOMELESSNESS AND THE HUNGRY

Billions of people have been affected by the global coronavirus pandemic. Some are worse off than others, but each of us has been touched by this disaster. Many individuals have been left homeless, barely surviving without adequate shelter or food. Fifty million Americans in the United States go to bed every night hungry. We are all affected by the supply chain issues, lack of provisions and high prices. Unfortunately, 40% of the food produced annually is discarded. Our country throws away tons of viable food that is considered no longer consumable, only garbage. It is disposed of in landfills. Farmers are still paid to grow and then discard crops. Millions of people are starving in spite of a plethora of food.

If you are homeless, then there are many options to find nutrition in an urban, suburban, or rural environment without compromising your health. Even if you are not homeless, these suggestions may help relieve a tight budget. I describe a few possibilities in this article. Please consult your medical advisor before trying any of these suggestions.

DUMPSTER DINING

You could live 100% on food from dumpsters. Many groceries discard food past its freshness date in a trash bin to avoid a liability issue. Some markets may choose to donate their older produce and bakery items to food banks. Fortunately, organizations such as Food Finders and other charities will pick up unwanted food from markets and restaurants before it is collected by the waste haulers. Consult your local food bank and their redistribution policies. Dumpster dining is actually simple. Go to wherever you’d like to get your goods for free. Instead of walking into the front door, go around back and locate the dumpster. Then open the bin. If you like what you see, remove the item. Use food raw only if it is safe to do so or heat it to a proper temperature to destroy pathogens. Vegetables and breads are much safer to eat than meats.Continue reading“Desperate Dining, by Prepared Pamela”

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, news of some additional bison habitat on BLM land in Montana. (See the Montana section.)

Idaho

Potato Shortage Hits Idaho, Prices Soar in Grocery Stores

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I found this by way of Whatfinger.com: Idaho Supreme Court Rejects Abortion Providers’ Attempts to Block State’s Abortion Bans – The New American.

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Utah man’s ‘eye-popping’ catch breaks Idaho fishing record. JWR’s Comment: 10 feet, 4 inches?  That isn’t a large sturgeon. That is a small whale!

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”

Preparedness Notes for Monday — August 22, 2022

Today is the anniversary of the founding of the London Armoury Company, in 1851. It was founded by Robert Adams (1810–1870). He patented the first successful double-action revolver in 1851. His revolvers were used during the Crimean War, the Indian Mutiny, the U.S. Civil War, and the Anglo-Zulu War.

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Today’s feature article is a review that was written by our Field Gear Editor Emeritus, Pat Cascio.

Smith & Wesson M&P-15 .22 LR Sporter, by Pat Cascio

I’m hooked on AR-15 style of rifles, and I own more than a few, not counting what my lovely wife owns, or my two daughters. Some years ago, I purchased the then-new Colt AR-15 chambered in .22 LR. Sadly, that particular rifle wouldn’t reliably function with any type of .22 LR, and I made adjustments and tinkered with it, but finally got rid of it. So, quite a few years passed before I even thought about another AR-15 rifle chambered in .22 Long Rifle (LR).

Not long ago, I was shopping for another AR. However, none were to be found in my neck of the woods. However, my local FFL dealer had a couple Smith & Wesson M&P-15 Sporter rifles in .22 LR. The price was about right, so I got it. At first glance these dandy little rifles look very much like an AR-15 chambered in .223 or 5.56mm – so the deal was done, and I got it.

This M&P has a 16.5-inch barrel, and it is topped with a flash suppressor – not that you need one on a .22 LR gun, but it is still there and complete the look of the gun looking like a real AR-15 style of rifle. The barrel is a medium-weight one – and that also adds to the look of the real-deal AR.

Starting from the butt upwards, it has a telescoping (adjustable for length) butt stock – just like a genuine AR has. Here’s where there is a difference, the entire lower receiver is made out of black polymer, and it is super-tough stuff. I don’t know how it would hold up to “combat” then again, this gun isn’t made for war. Since the lower receiver and buffer tube for the telescoping butt stock is all one piece, it appears that the lower is not compatible with a standard centerfire AR upper. Continue reading“Smith & Wesson M&P-15 .22 LR Sporter, by Pat Cascio”

Recipe of the Week: Simple Tomato Gazpacho

The following Simple Tomato Gazpacho recipe is from SurvivalBlog reader. A.G.. It is best made with an electric blender.

What to do with all those tomatoes from your garden?  Make Gazpacho!

A.G. says: “This is a recipe that I modified from one that I found online. The secret of great gazpacho is letting it sit in the refrigerator long enough for the flavors to meld and mellow. This is definitely one of those ‘better the second day’-type recipes.”

Ingredients
  • 2 ½ pounds of tomatoes (equates to 4-5 large tomatoes), cored and then cut into pieces
  • 1 English cucumber, cut into chunks
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, halved. Be sure to remove all of the seeds, and rinse the interior. Then chop.
  • 1 large clove garlic, crushed
  • 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vinegar (I use the red wine-type), divided
  • 1 teaspoon of salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper, divided
  • 1 avocado, diced (Added last-minute before serving)
  • ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
Directions
  1. Chop 1/4 cup each of tomatoes, cucumber and bell pepper from the larger pieces. Place in a small bowl; cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
  2. Making in two batches, puree the remaining tomatoes, cucumber and bell pepper with garlic, 3 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a blender until smooth.
  3. Transfer to a large bowl, cover and refrigerate until chilled – at least 2 hours. Keeps refrigerated up to 3 days, if the bowls are kept covered.
  4. Just before serving, chop the avocado and add it to the reserved chopped vegetables. Stir in basil and the remaining 2 teaspoons oil, 1 teaspoon vinegar and pinch each of salt and pepper.
SERVING

Gazpacho is always served cold, but not frozen. Ladle the gazpacho into bowls and top them with the chopped vegetable salad (the avocado and the reserved chopped vegetables).

STORAGE

Can be stored for up to three days in your refrigerator, but it is best on “Day 2.”

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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 at an upcoming auction of some iconic movie prop guns. (See the Tangibles Investing section.)

Precious Metals:

Video from Rafi Farber: Physical Gold Leaving Comex at All Time Record Pace.

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Yes, there is indeed widespread metals markets manipulation: Two former JPMorgan metals traders found guilty in landmark ‘spoofing’ case.

Economy & Finance:

The world economy is imperiled by a force hiding in plain sight.

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A Forbes video: Inside The Next Billion Dollar Startups List 2022.

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At Fortune: Walmart’s earnings are trying to tell us something about inflation, consumer sentiment, and whether we’re headed for a recession.

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Katie Hopkins: This winter, 1 million plus ordinary Brits will decide their life is not worth living.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — August 21, 2022

In 1986, Lake Nyos in Cameroon erupted with an estimated billion cubic yards of carbon dioxide gas. The gas had apparently been accumulating in the crater lake, held down by the weight of the water. When it finally erupted, the gas cloud smothered and killed every living animal, including insects, in its path until it dissipated. Outsiders learned of the disaster when they approached the villages and found animal and human bodies on the ground. The best estimate is that 1,700 people and thousands of cattle died.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 102 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 Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime low-cost training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  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 LogOX 3-in-1 Forestry MultiTool (a $189 value) and a WoodOx Sling (a $79.95 value), courtesy of LogOx, both made in USA.
  4. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $750,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 102 ends on September 30th, 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.

 

Home Canning Water-Level Measuring Sticks, by St. Funogas

This is the third in a series of home canning articles dedicated to ways of making your home canning experience easier, quicker, more efficient, and less stressful. My hope is that they’ll add something new to the mix by offering some canning techniques which many home canners may not be aware of.

My first two articles in the series were:

Canner Water-Level Conundrum

One of the big frustrations for beginning home canners, and for many veterans as well, is trying to figure out exactly how much water to boil in the canner for the number of jars in a given batch. If you use too little, the jars won’t be completely submerged as they need to be. Too much water and you’ll waste propane. If you get way too much you’ll end up with the dangerous task of scooping boiling water out of the canner so you can get the last jars in without the kettle running over.

These problems are easily resolved with a simple DIY measuring stick that tells you how much water to fill the canner with based on the jar type and batch size. Once you make and begin using one of these water-level measuring sticks, you’ll see how beneficial they are. They’re quick and easy to make at home with a pen and ruler and this article describes how.

This article has three parts. First, I’ll explain how to use the measuring stick during canning. Second, how to make your own stick using the measurements and simple instructions given below. And third, how to make a measuring stick for your non-standard-size kettle.Continue reading“Home Canning Water-Level Measuring Sticks, by St. Funogas”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

No Matter What Color They Paint The Building, It is Obvious To Everyone That It Used To Be a Der Wienerschnitzel

This Is Something That The “Trans” Community Will Never Admit