Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — November 10, 2021

November 10th is the birthday of the late Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov, born in 1919, died December 23, 2013. He didn’t design a lot of different guns, but one of his few designs was the prototype for what turned out to be the world’s most widely produced assault rifles.

Today is also remembered in the United States as the “birthday” of the U.S. Marine Corps.

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Today we present a guest article by Brandon Smith, re-posted with permission. It was originally published at Birch Gold Group

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We are pleased to welcome our newest advertiser: SIRT/Next Level Training. You will surely recognize their name, since they’ve been generously providing prizes for SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest for more than 12 years. I highly recommend their laser training pistols. I’ve owned two of them for many years. These are a great way to keep up your gun training proficiency, even when training ammo is unobtainable, or prohibitively expensive. If you buy one of their training guns, then please mention SurvivalBlog, and thank them for their loyal support of the writing contest.

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We are still seeking entries for Round 97 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 97 ends on November 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.

Here’s Why U.S. Supply Chain Problems Will Only Get Worse, by Brandon Smith

It is an economic rule which free-market philosophers like Adam Smith have tried to explain to governments and monopolists for centuries:

Less liberty and more centralization equals less production and less overall wealth.

Governments and central banks have sought to circumvent this rule by printing money from thin air, thinking that they can create wealth while at the same time suffocating public financial interactions and trade with authoritarianism. This, of course, only leads to inflation or stagflation, and thus wealth is never actually created, it is projected like a hologram in order to trick the masses into thinking that all is well – until everything breaks, that is.

Inflationary policies inevitably lead to speculation

To be sure, capital is concentrated under this system into the hands of a select few, but the currency itself is devalued swiftly and buying power is truncated. Speculative assets and many commodities start to see a burst of activity as the inflation grows out of control.

Some of these assets will implode eventually, especially those that offer no intrinsic value or utility, that were only ever purchased in the hopes of passing them on to a greater fool. Others will explode even higher. Essentially, bizarre bubbles in various sectors are in reality a warning of the inflationary crisis to come.

There are mainstream economists out there arguing that monetary policy decisions and authoritarian mandates have no real world consequences. The inflation is “transitory”, they claim. The public will “adapt” to the new normal and submit to the controls for their own good. Central bank stimulus will defuse all crisis events in the meantime and helicopter money will placate the citizenry. Throw the public a few scraps from the table and they will shut up and happily nibble.

These academic policy-makers and unelected bureaucrats refuse to see these speculative bubbles as what they actually are: Desperate moves to avoid inflation. No one wants to hold dollars when they can watch their purchasing power being destroyed daily, so they seek something, anything else. Eventually, most of these illusory safe-havens will collapse into worthlessness (how much will your Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT be worth next year?)

As I have been saying for many years now, an economic crash in the U.S. simply cannot be avoided, and it can only be hidden from public view for a limited time. And that limit is expiring fast.

Well, guess what? The crash is here now right in front of us and it is becoming obvious even to people who barely pay attention.Continue reading“Here’s Why U.S. Supply Chain Problems Will Only Get Worse, by Brandon Smith”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly column is a collection of short snippets: practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. We may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters. Most of this week’s Snippets came in response to the recent article: Establishing a Community Corner, by Mark C.

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Reader G.G. sent this: China accidentally sparks ‘doomsday prepper’ frenzy after telling residents to stockpile food.

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Reader Tim J. wrote to mention that the American Partisan website has been re-vamped. Tim notes:

“Lots of changes, regular articles in the center, alternative/foreign news on the sides, Solar conditions [for HF propagation] at the bottom.”

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Lisa in Texas wrote:

“I would like to comment on the article by Establishing a Community Corner, by Mark C.

I would say that an all year round indoor/outdoor marketplace would be a very good idea. We have one “close” by, in Texas terms. It is only open on Saturday’s and Tuesday evenings. The hours are limited and vendors pay a price for the area to set up. Of course, the indoor spaces are more expensive and those that require electrical are even more so. The variety of items are seasonal with the majority being fresh vegetables but you can also find grass-fed beef, fresh eggs, herbs (both plants and dried) and during the early spring organic vegetable plants for transplanting. During the fall/winter months, you can find various crafts including candles, woodworking, crocheted items. and home-baked (individually wrapped) holiday goods. It is frequented by folks far and wide, however, you can tell the locals as they are the familiar faces. The last time I was there there was a vendor located inside that sold coffee and pastries at a very reasonable price. Another thought as an additional attraction, offer free space for local musicians to preform for tips. The space doesn’t need to be elaborate but electrical access would be required. It’s a win win situation as they get to show off their talents while the shoppers listen to some great music.”Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — November 9, 2021

Today is the anniversary of the death of Colonel Ulius Louis “Pete” Amoss. This former OSS officer was best known as the originator of the resistance warfare concepts of Leaderless Resistance and “phantom cells.” He had a fascinating life. Amoss was born in 1895 and died on November 9, 1961 from coronary thrombosis. Pictured is a resistance cell operating in Italy, near the end of World War 2.

Decade Report: The American Redoubt Movement Gains Momentum

It has been a couple of years since I gave an update on the American Redoubt movement. I am pleased to report that conservatives from a wide variety of Christian and Jewish affiliations are moving to the Redoubt in large numbers. The Redoubt region includes Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming. Those areas are already quite conservative, but the influx of new folks — often with large families — is making the region even more solidly conservative.

Demographically, we are winning. And politically, we are winning. Here are some examples: Montana just picked up another congressional seat, and it now has a Republican governor for the first time in many years. Republicans now control the vast majority of counties in the Redoubt. The Liberty State movement in Eastern Washington is continuing apace. So is the Greater Idaho state border realignment campaign. (The members of the American Redoubt movement have some overlap with those two organizations as well as with the Free State Project in New Hampshire.)

The Wu Flu pandemic accelerated the already considerable land rush of conservatives fleeing the liberal Nanny States. They want nothing to do with lockdowns, mask mandates, and vaccination mandates. They are voting with their feet, and voting with their wallets. The Wu Flu pandemic also exposed the statist tendencies of some RINO politicians, like Idaho Governor Brad Little. I predict that he will lose the next gubernatorial election to  Lt. Governor Janice McGeachin — a true liberty-loving, small-government Republican.

What We Are, and What We Aren’t

Often misunderstood and wrongly maligned, the American Redoubt is staying true to my original intent. It is continuing to be simply a social philosophy and an informal internal migration movement. To repeat and clarify: We are not a political party. We are not associated with just one religious denomination. We are not a militia. We have no formal leadership, organization, or bylaws. In fact, some of the thought leaders of the movement have never even met each other face-to-face. I, for example, have never met John Jacob Schmidt, Shari Dovale, Dave Bradway, Heather Scott, Chuck Baldwin, or Matt Shea. And I’ve only met Alex Barron once. I’ve only had brief phone conversations with any of the folks that the liberal media refers to as “The American Redoubt Movement leadership.” This of course baffles the liberal hivemind types, who cannot fathom a movement based on just a shared social philosophy and a set of Judeo-Christian Biblical principles. No meetings? No charter? No roster? No fundraisers? No focus groups? No committees? No political platform? No PACs? Nay. None of those. We are just folks that have a few common goals.

Most Redoubters are Republicans, but there are also a large number of Libertarians as well as some folks who stridently eschew any political party affiliation. And, similarly, most Redoubters are Reformed or Evangelical Christians, but there are also large numbers of Catholics, Messianics, Jews, Atheists, and Agnostics. Demographically, most Redoubters are paleface Anglos, but that is only because statistically, most Christian Republicans match that. There are Redoubters who are black, Asian, Native American, Hispanic, and Pacific Islanders. There are lots of “mixed race” families. Everyone who loves liberty and the concept of limited government is welcome. Nothing else matters! If you doubt that, then just ask Alex Barron — who is both Black and a Traditional Catholic.  And he is both a Kootenai County Republican Central Committee member, and a booster of the American Redoubt movement. Continue reading“Decade Report: The American Redoubt Movement Gains Momentum”

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, we focus on the Greater Idaho campaign (See the first two items in the Region-Wide section.)

Region-Wide

Poll: Idaho voters would move border to protect rural Oregon ‘from Portland politicians’.

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Harney County votes for possible move to Idaho; longshot Greater Idaho movement keeps plugging away. The article begins:

“Harney County voters on Tuesday showed their love for Idaho.

Ballot measure 13-18, which requires local officials to hold meetings about moving the small rural Oregon county into Idaho, passed with more than 63% of the vote. The unofficial results: 1,567 for and 917 against.

Harney became the eighth of Oregon’s 36 counties to vote for considering adjusting Oregon’s border to put much of rural eastern and southern Oregon in Idaho.”

JWR’s Comments:  It is noteworthy that the Move Oregon’s Border campaign is continuing to collect ballot-qualifying signatures in six counties: Curry, Douglas, Josephine, Klamath, Morrow, and Umatilla counties. Voters in eight Oregon counties have already voted in favor of the Greater Idaho concept. The five counties that voted back in May had an average of 62% in favor of the state line shift.

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U.S. Winter Outlook: Drier, warmer South, wetter North with return of La Nina.

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Inland Northwest Business Watch: November, 2021.

Idaho

McGeachin meets with former President Trump in Florida.

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Idaho to sue Biden Administration on vaccine mandates.

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Crapo and Risch want White House meeting on judicial vacancy.

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Another “Death By GPS” case: Two missing females found in Panhandle National Forest, one was deceased.

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Idaho man dies from rabies.

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Prosecutor: Officer’s actions justified in officer-involved shooting.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I am unable to accept the idea that I should be an obedient subject of a gang of corrupt, unprincipled thugs who pontificate about freedom while enslaving the population.” – John Pugsley

Preparedness Notes for Monday — November 8, 2021

Today would have been the 107th birthday of actor/director/producer Norman Lloyd. He passed away on May 11, 2021. He was born November 8, 1914. His final film role was in the movie Trainwreck, filmed when he was 100 years old. It was released in 2015.  Our condolences to his family.

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We are running low on entries for the current round of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. If you have an article that you started writing but haven’t finished, then please do so. More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 97 ends on November 30th, so please  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.

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Today, another review authored by our own Pat Cascio.

 

Glock 48, by Pat Cascio

No doubt about it, I’m a huge fan of Glock handguns, all of them — even the larger Model 20 and Model 21. I still recall the first Glock I saw, it was a First Generation Glock 17. At that time, it was the only model in production.

Today we’re looking at the fairly new Glock 48, and this is one of the slime-line 9mm pistols, that doesn’t take a double-stack magazine and holds just 10 rounds. I know, I know, I’ve read about an after-market magazine that will hold 15-rounds, without sticking out of the bottom of the grip. I haven’t ordered one – yet! The thing that scares me away is the price – some are selling for close to $60 online, for one magazine – ouch! However, I’ll get around to testing one – one of these days.

The slim-line Glocks appeal mostly to shooters with small hands or to folks who live in Nanny States that ban magazines that hold more than 10 cartridges.

The Glock 48, is, chambered in 9mm, and it holds 10 rounds. It has a slim-line frame and black slide that is coated in nDLC finish, and this finish is even tougher than the original coating placed on Glock slides and barrels. The 48 is designed for concealed carry – no doubt about it – the compact grip size frame’s length, with a short built-in beavertail and a small, slim profile makes it very easy to conceal. The frame itself has elements of the Gen 5 models – that’s a good thing. There is also a short reset trigger distance – another great feature. The larger magazine release is reversible. Glock’s literature states their new Marksman Barrel gives this little gun more accuracy – more on this shortly.Continue reading“Glock 48, by Pat Cascio”

Recipe of the Week: Dave’s Elk Stew

The following recipe for Elk Stew is from reader Dave W.  This recipe has a bit of cloves, that can be omitted if you dislike that flavor.

Ingredients
  • 1 lb. elk meat, cubed to bite-size
  • 2 -14.5 oz cans beef broth
  • 1 -14.5 can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 ½ T. all-purpose flour
  • ¼ c peas — preferably fresh, or frozen ones will suffice
  • 2 c. cubed potatoes
  • ½ c. diced carrots
  • ¼ c chopped onions — preferably fresh, or frozen ones will suffice
  • 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ c. wine — I prefer chablis. You can also use lager-style beer
  • 1 t. basil (or less, to taste)
  • ¼ t. cloves (optional)
  • ¼ t. white sugar
  • Salt (to taste)
Directions
  1. Brown the elk meat in a pan.
  2. Add flour and stir to make it into a rue.
  3. Add broth and wine (or substutute lager-style beer.)
  4. Add vegetables.
  5. Add the seasonings.
  6. Stir on high until thickened.
  7. Simmer until vegetables are tender.
  8. Cook the vegetables before adding for quick stew or simmer for several hours over low heat until vegetables are soft.
  9. Tastes best if simmered for several hours.
STORAGE

The leftovers are awesome–actually better-tasting on Day Two than on Day One!

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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 the volatile global crude oil markets. (See the Commodities section.)

Precious Metals:

The FOMC Statement Is Bullish For Gold And Silver.

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Arkadiusz Sieroń: Here We Go Again – Gold Simply Can’t Stand $1,800!

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I found this by way of McAlvany’s ICA G2 Report (highly recommended): Venezuelans Turn to Gold Nuggets as the Local Currency Implodes

Economy & Finance:

US Trade Deficit Hits Record of $80.9 Billion in September.

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Treasury Boosts Quarterly Borrowing Estimate to $1 Trillion.

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Daily Mortgage Rates Rise.

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And at Wolf Street: Jobs Data Shows Something Big Changed in this Monstrously Overstimulated Economy.
Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The power which a multiple millionaire, who may be my neighbor and perhaps my employer, has over me is very much less than that which the smallest “functionaire” possesses who wields the coercive power of the state, and on whose desecration it depends whether and how I am allowed to live or to work.” – Frederich von Hayek, The Road to Serfdom

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — November 7, 2021

November 7th is the anniversary of the death of actor Steve McQueen (born March 24, 1930, died November 7, 1980). The many well-publicized exploits in his tempestuous life and his enduring persona are well known. However, the end of his life is actually the most noteworthy part of his legacy, even though it seldom gets much publicity outside of Christian circles; he came to Jesus after he had been diagnosed with mesothelioma. He died with his forefinger pointing to his key verse in his Bible – Titus 1:2.

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I’ve reactivated order-taking at Elk Creek Company. We have two payment options shown for our gun and knife prices: In pre-1965 U.S. silver coins, or in Federal Reserve Notes (FRNs). We appreciate your business, regardless of how you pay. Order mailings will resume on Monday. (November 8th, 2021.)

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 97 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 Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, that have a combined retail value of $589,
  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. Naturally Cozy is donating a “Prepper Pack” Menstrual Kit.  This kit contains 18 pads and it comes vacuum-sealed for long term storage or slips easily into a bugout bag.  The value of this kit is $220.

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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  4. A transferable $150 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!

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More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 97 ends on November 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.

Smith and Wesson MP9 EZ, by The Novice

This is my review and range report on the Smith and Wesson Performance Center M&P9 Shield “EZ” variant.

The Smith and Wesson Performance Center M&P9 Shield EZ is an easily-loaded and easily-racked 9mm handgun with the best overall handgun sights that I have ever used. I am not really a fan of the grip safety, and I wish that the sights were adjustable for elevation as well as windage. Other than that, I can’t think of any way to improve this fine design.

The Backstory

A friend of mine, “Running Man”, recently acquired his first handgun. It was entrusted to him by his father. The handgun is a beautiful, stainless steel Smith and Wesson 4586 in .45 ACP. His father had acquired the 4586 some years ago when his local police department made the transition from .45 ACP to 9 mm.

Running Man brought the 4586 over for a familiarization session. We reviewed the basics of firearms safety, field stripped and cleaned the 4586 to see what makes it tick, talked a little about range safety, worked on how to effectively grip the 4586, and then practiced firing it with both paper and steel targets.

The heavy, solid steel construction of the 4586 did a great job of moderating the recoil of the .45 ACP cartridge. I do not particularly like double-action-only triggers, but this one was smooth enough that I was able to shoot fairly decent groups with it. Running Man proved himself to be a good natural shot. I felt that he and the 4586 are well-matched, with one major exception.

The one major exception is the recoil spring. It is a bit on the heavy side, making racking the slide somewhat difficult.

Several years ago, Running Man got a virus with flu-like symptoms. The virus migrated to his heart, and caused the muscle to begin to deteriorate. Ultimately, Running Man needed a heart transplant.

One of the procedures associated with the heart transplant damaged the nerves running down Running Man’s left arm. As a result, the thumb and index finger of his left hand are numb and weak. The heavy recoil spring on the 4586 makes it extremely difficult for Running Man to rack the slide.

The MP9 EZ

I had previously read about the easily racked slide of the M&P Shield EZ by Smith and Wesson. I had thought about how that feature might be useful to someone with weakness in their non-dominant hand. Now I knew someone who could personally benefit from that feature. With that in mind, I contacted Smith and Wesson so see if I could borrow an MP9 EZ for testing and evaluation. They were kind enough to agree.Continue reading“Smith and Wesson MP9 EZ, by The Novice”