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 some stock market risks. (See the Equities section.)

Precious Metals:

Gold to test $1,950 as bullish sentiment drives prices.

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Alasdair Macleod: The Commodity Currency Revolution.

Economy & Finance:

“Sounding The Alarm”: A $3 Trillion Problem Emerges As The Fed Prepares To Launch QT.

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Another perspective on the QT dilemma: The Fed has more money on its balance sheet (8.9 trillion) then the total value of all 401ks in the United States (7.3 trillion as of 9/21).

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The Daily Wire reports: ‘Unhinged’ And ‘Abnormal’: Fed Warns Of Housing Bubble As Average Cost Of New Homes Hits Record High. Here’s the intro:

“New data from the Census Department released last week reveal that the average cost of a new home hit a record high in February at $511,000. Now, the Federal Reserve is warning about a housing bubble.”

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At Zero Hedge: FOMC Minutes Signal Bigger, Faster-Than-Expected QT, Multiple 50bps Hikes. JWR’s Comment: It looks like the Fed’s leadership is fast-tracking a recession.

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California city to give universal income to transgender, nonbinary residents regardless of earnings. JWR’s Comment: I had to do a double-take, thinking that this was coming from a parody site, like The Babylon Bee. No, it is a genuine news article. This is virtue signaling run amok.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Here’s how to get started with the antipolitical politics of the Benedict Option. Secede culturally from the mainstream. Turn off the television. Put the smartphones away. Read books. Play games. Make music. Feast with your neighbors. It is not enough to avoid what is bad; you must also embrace what is good. Start a church, or a group within your church. Open a classical Christian school, or join and strengthen one that exists. Plant a garden, and participate in a local farmer’s market. Teach kids how to play music, and start a band. Join the volunteer fire department.” –  Rod Dreher, The Benedict Option

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — April 10, 2022

April 10, 1827 was the birthday of General Lew Wallace. He wrote books (author of Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ), sculpted, practiced law, painted, played the violin and made them as well. In the “Battle of Monocacy” he led a unit alongside 8,000 Union troops against 15,000 Confederates. He was second in command of the Lincoln conspiracy trial as well as principal in the trial of the Commander of Andersonville prison where prisoners had been starved to death. He was U.S. Ambassador to Turkey. And he served as the Territorial Governor of New Mexico. Willian Bonney (“Billy the Kid”) surrendered to him.

April 10th, 1796 The birthday of Jim Bowie (died March 6th, 1836 at the Battle of the Alamo.)

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 100 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 free 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 $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 100 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

Why Do We Prepare?, by Todd X.

I am a prepper. As a child, I remember my grandmother’s stories of living with scarcity during the Great Depression and her life lessons about the necessity of being prepared. As a teenager, my father was a senior operations officer at the Strategic Air Command (SAC) headquarters. He believed he would have an early warning about any incoming nuclear attacks. Consequently, he devised a code phrase. If he called and said: “I have some bad news: Grandpa fell and broke his hip” then we were to grab our bug-out bags and quickly head to our well-stocked cabin in the woods for safety. In college, I had a friend whose grandfather survived the Holocaust. His wisdom was two-fold: (a) always be prepared and aware of your surroundings as you are in a better position to survive calamity if you do; and (b) don’t be flashy in your consumption or possessions because if you do, you become a target. That inspired me. In the language of a recent SurvivalBlog author Elli O. and her article Red Shirt Versus Gray Man – I am a “gray man” prepper. When the pandemic hit and others were scrambling for supplies, we were prepared, and griped along with others, but didn’t experience any hardship. Prepping is part of my DNA, and I will die a prepper as I know no other way to live.

Tactical vs. Strategic

I believe we often confuse “tactical” and “strategic.” As a refresher, strategy lays out the long-term, broad goals that an organization, community, family, or individual wants to achieve while tactical forms the short-term actions and steps that need to be taken to accomplish the strategy. In other words, tactical and strategic are flip sides of the same coin. Without a good strategy, tactics don’t matter and without good tactics, a strategy won’t work or come to fruition. As I mentioned earlier in this post, I understand and engage in the tactics of prepping, and the need for “beans, bullets, and bandages” (among water, power, communications, to name just a few other necessities).Continue reading“Why Do We Prepare?, by Todd X.”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

These things command and teach.

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” – 1 Timothy 4 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — April 9, 2022

On April 9, 1869, the Hudson Bay Company ceded its territory to the Commonwealth of Canada.

On April 9, 1768, John Hancock refused to allow two British customs agents to go below deck of his ship. This was considered by some to be the first act of physical resistance to British authority in the American colonies.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 100 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 free 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.

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 100 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

The J-Pole and Other VHF/UHF Antennas, by Tunnel Rabbit

Antennas are the underappreciated other half of a transceiver. Back in the day, Hams strove to make their own homemade transceivers. But with the advent of cheap stuff from Asia, we have been spoiled. Now we tend to just buy it. It is time to refresh our skills. While continuing to build antennas for friends and neighbors, and other low-power community radio networks, I’d like to share some of my trade secrets. Secret number one. It is so easy, a guerilla can do it, but only after some trial and error.

A cheap radio on a good antenna is a better combination than an expensive transceiver that is attached to a cheap antenna. As it is with common-caliber ammunition, an easily reproducible antenna, solves a logistical problem. Antennas can and do break, and if I have several spares on the shelf, a new one can be quickly swapped in. And there are many Baofengs, and other transceivers out there that will need an external antenna. As ‘height is might’, a low-powered and inexpensive handheld, or a mobile transceiver on a good antenna, can be much more effective, not only in its ability to transmit farther, but to also receive weak signals from low power transmissions.Continue reading“The J-Pole and Other VHF/UHF Antennas, by Tunnel Rabbit”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make 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 this column, in the Odds ‘n Sods Column, and in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

We had less activity last week, because a series of snow showers and rain showers curtailed our outdoor activity. The cattle apparently objected to being separated from the horses. They broke through a pasture gate, lifting it off of its hinge pins. I remedied that by installing a large lag bolt immediately above each pin.  But for the time being, the cows and horses are now pastured together. We are now working on the “reserve” hay pile. That is about three tons of Timothy/grass mix bales. The grass in our pastures should be tall enough soon that we won’t have to use more than half of those reserve bales.

I put up a couple of new light fixtures for Lily in the kitchen and dining room. Those certainly made a difference in cheering up the place, in the midst of Mud Season.

We took delivery of our new wood cookstove. We won’t have a place for it until I build a stone base, in the kitchen. So the stove may sit tarped on the deck for a couple of weeks.

Our other work this week involved our old camping/bugout trailer. Lily will explain that…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.

(There are eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea.)

And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them;

After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei:

On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying,

The Lord our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount:

Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates.

Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them.

And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone:

The Lord your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.

(The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)

How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?

Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.

And ye answered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do.

So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.

And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.

Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.” – Deuteronomy 1: 1-18 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — April 8, 2022

April 8th is the birthday of the late Ian Smith, Prime Minister of Rhodesia. (Born, 1919, died November 20, 2007.)

April 8th is also the anniversary of the death of English experimental gunsmith and author Phillip Luty, in 2011. He was hounded by British authorities for many years. He died of cancer before a scheduled criminal trial.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 100 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 free 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.

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 100 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

A Home Perimeter and Defense Model For The Prepared, by P.F.

I will admit it; I’m slightly paranoid, especially these days I’m more suspicious than ever. However, I take comfort in knowing that I’m in good company.  Some degree of paranoia is probably good, like the fight-or-flight survival mechanism, since without it our prehistoric ancestors would have become dinosaur appetizers. So, viewed in a positive light, slight paranoia is a survival and coping mechanism.

I am also an Eagle Scout and so I’ve lived the “Be Prepared” mindset since my early teenage years.  My second adult career is as a remodeling contractor, so I am a bit handy with most things in building and home repairs.  Like many of you, I’m a civilian, not ex-military or ex-law enforcement; just an average guy with a few skills, some common sense and awareness, and a quest for knowledge in being better prepared for adversity.  With that in mind, I have developed a Home Perimeter Defense Model that will be helpful for you to think about and plan for the layered defense of your castle.

Area of Operations Intelligence

The objective of having a well-thought-out perimeter defense plan is to gain time to react through early warning and slowing down the attacker(s); and to also make your home a less-appealing target to frustrate an attack in the first place.Continue reading“A Home Perimeter and Defense Model For The Prepared, by P.F.”

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 rapidly-inflating currencies. (See the Forex & Cryptos section.)

Precious Metals:

A fascinating video: Rafi Farber: Here’s What Happens to Silver When Russia Moves to a Gold Ruble.

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Inverted yield curve, recession, and what it means for gold and silver.

Economy & Finance:

WSJ: New Vehicles Must Get 49 Miles a Gallon by 2026, Biden Administration Says.

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At Wolf Street: Mortgage Rates Breach 5%, Two-Year & 10-Year Treasury Yields Spike after Fed Dove Brainard Explains How Inflation is Much Worse for Lower Income Households than CPI Shows.

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It’s Official: Deutsche Is The First Bank To Forecast A US Recession In Late 2023.

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Also at Zero Hedge: White House Plans To Extend Student Loan Moratorium (Again) As Midterms Loom.
Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Within Britain itself, we were landed with a socialist government hell-bent on appeasing the cult of Marxist Leninism, at the expense of the old traditional values of the British Empire. ” – Ian Smith

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — April 7, 2022

April 7th is the birthday of Colonel Bob Denard (born 1929, died October 13, 2007). He had an amazing life as a mercenary, including four attempted coups in the Comoros.

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Today we present an article by SurvivlaBlog’s Senior Editor James Wesley, Rawles (JWR).

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Round 100 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest is now underway. More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 100 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