The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “JWR”. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. Today, we look at the latest on the drought that is affecting most of the western states.

A Serious Utah Dust Storm

Dust storm in Utah causes series of crashes on I-15, at least seven dead.

Western Drought Sets 122-Year Record

Reader C.B. sent this item from Fox News: Expanding Western drought sets 122-year record: scientists. The article’s opening paragraphs:

“A devasting drought has spread virtually throughout the entire western U.S., setting a 122-year record, scientists say.

Almost 90 percent of the the region is now considered to be in drought.

The U.S. Drought Monitor – a partnership between the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – reports that more than 60 million Americans are currently affected by drought conditions.

A multi-agency webinar discussing the status of the drought and response efforts in the region was held Tuesday, hosted by the National Integrated Drought Information System.

The webinar featured remarks from USDA and Interior Department officials, and an update from NOAA Administrator Richard Spinrad, who said the lingering drought costs the U.S. $63 billion annually, in addition to multibillion-dollar losses from wildfires.”

Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — July 28, 2021

On July 28, 1932, U.S. Army troops, using tanks, cavalry, and tear gas demolished and burned the shanty town set up near the U.S. Capitol by unemployed Bonus Army protestors.

July 28th is also the anniversary of the outbreak of World War I, in 1914. This war irreparably changed geopolitics. Officially, the war lasted until November 11, 1918, as did our involvement. But American troops were still running around shooting Russians until 1920.

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Update: The Elk Creek Company shopping cart system is now back in operation. We are again ready to take orders, with payments either in pre-1965 silver coinage or in FRNs via check/USPS Postal Money Order. Thank you for your patience, while we got the glitches fixed. Check out our new silver pricing. Some prices are as low as $16.50 face value in silver coin.  Please note that I recently added six pre-1899 Mauser rifles to the catalog, and I’ll be adding seven other recent acquisitions, in the next week. Take a look!

Also note that with the recent drop in the spot silver market, we’ve temporarily reduced our silver coin-to-FRN multiplier to just 20.5 times face value! This is a great opportunity for those of you who want to pay by check or money order.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 95 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. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (a $1,100 value),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  7. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

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. An Israeli CBRN Gas Mask with Hydration Straw and two Extra 40mm NATO Filter s – Manufactured in 2020 (a $229.99 value), courtesy of McGuire Army-Navy.
  5. 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.
  6. An assortment of products along with a one-hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).

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. Siege Stoves is generously donating a SIEGE® STOVE kit, including a Titanium Gen 3 Flat-Pack Stove with titanium Cross-Members and a variety of bonus items including a Large Folding Grill, a pair of Side Toasters, a Compact Fire Poker, and an extra set of stainless steel universal Cross-Members. (In all, a $200 value.)
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. 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!

Round 95 ends on July 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.

 

Hands-On Healing – Part 2, by Dr. Derek King, DC

(Continued from Part 1.)

Alright, you’ve made it this far so I am going to give you your first simple gold nugget to help facilitate healing in another human being: Right hand on Top, Left hand Underneath.

“What does that mean, Doc?”

I am so glad you asked. The human hands have polarity. They are not neutral. They can be used as magnets to influence the energy field of others. The energetic aura surrounds our being and extends beyond our physical bodies. Trust me, there have been lots of scientific research studies to document, film, and prove this (it’s not some New Age woo-woo) and you actually experience it every day whether you are aware of it or not. When somebody gets too close to you  — within 2 feet, (not the “social distancing” 6 feet nonsense) — you can feel it. They have “invaded your space” if you don’t know them well or you didn’t invite them closer…you can just tell that they are encroaching upon your personal zone. It feels uncomfortable or even a little creepy when it happens nose to nose, or even when they sneak up from behind and you sense their presence; and it may even zap your energy field a bit (especially if they are a negative person) and you feel the immediate need to move away. An extra foot or two may be all it takes to regain your composure and feel comfortable again. That is your personal energy field reacting to theirs and communicating with your spirit to find your safe-space and protect your individualism. Trust it. That awareness processes information at two billion signals per second to your subconscious nervous system and even down to your gut and soul for survival! Never, never ignore your gut hunches and ignore its signals of safety warnings and goose-bumps that are trying to warn you to get to safe distance.Continue reading“Hands-On Healing – Part 2, by Dr. Derek King, DC”

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.

Reader John L offered this:

“Thanks for running the interesting article on cordage. A few additions:

Knots.  Hard to use cordage effectively without them.  Bowline, sheet bend, clove hitch, and prusik will cover 98% of needs.  Learn these.
Consider traditional laid (“twisted”) ropes instead of braided.  Laid cordage can be spliced with appproximately 95% retention of strength, not only to make short pieces into long ones, but the spliced ropes can still go through a block (over a pulley).  Also a spliced eye is way easier to use (once you make it) than a bowline.
Traditional 3-lay rope of any size can be made at home from anything fibrous, especially old bale twines which are discarded by the ton in many places.  Four people working together can do it easily with no equipment, or a modestly handy person can build a ropewalk in a couple of hours.  One person can spin two-ply cordage alone, but it can’t be spliced.”

o  o  o

Secessionist, Border Realignment Movements Gaining Traction in US.

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Batteau penned this note:

“Even though we now live in an area near the edge of “town,” I still put out my game cameras.

It’s like opening presents on Christmas Morning. Lots of fun. All kinds of animals and occasional people.

Not sure if we’ll ever get back to the country. We’re hoping.
More in my wife’s family with Covid, but so far no additional deaths.
I have cataract surgery scheduled in about 2 1/2 weeks. Right eye first… then we’ll see about the left. It came on suddenly last year but didn’t want to go out among the Covid spread. I also had a few weeks with vertigo. Doctor wants to correct eyes first, thinks that may be a factor. I haven’t been driving since January.
Have fun with your trail cameras.  God Bless All. Semper Fi.”

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — July 27, 2021

July 27th is the birthday of Captain Samuel Whittemore (born in 1694, died February 3, 1793). He was an English-born American farmer and soldier. He was eighty years of age when he became the oldest known colonial combatant in the American War of Independence.

Here is a summary of his combat against the British Army:

Whittemore was in his fields when he spotted an approaching British relief brigade under Earl Percy.
Whittemore loaded his musket and ambushed the British Grenadiers of the 47th Regiment of Foot from behind a nearby stone wall, killing one soldier. He then drew his dueling pistols, killed a second grenadier and mortally wounded a third. By the time Whittemore had fired his third shot, a British detachment had reached his position; Whittemore drew his sword and attacked.

He was subsequently shot in the face, bayoneted numerous times, and left for dead in a pool of blood. He was found by colonial forces, trying to load his musket to resume the fight. He was taken to Dr. Cotton Tufts of Medford, who perceived no hope for his survival. However, Whittemore recovered and lived another 18 years.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 95 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. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (a $1,100 value),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  7. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

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. An Israeli CBRN Gas Mask with Hydration Straw and two Extra 40mm NATO Filter s – Manufactured in 2020 (a $229.99 value), courtesy of McGuire Army-Navy.
  5. 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.
  6. An assortment of products along with a one-hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).

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. Siege Stoves is generously donating a SIEGE® STOVE kit, including a Titanium Gen 3 Flat-Pack Stove with titanium Cross-Members and a variety of bonus items including a Large Folding Grill, a pair of Side Toasters, a Compact Fire Poker, and an extra set of stainless steel universal Cross-Members. (In all, a $200 value.)
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. 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!

Round 95 ends on July 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.

Hands-On Healing – Part 1, by Dr. Derek King, DC

In this four-part article, I will describe some gentle hands-on healing and mental/emotional trauma-release techniques that you can use on your loved ones.

When the SHTF, the most important issues, long-term, will be: How do you handle your stress?

As a practicing Holistic Chiropractor in private practice for the past 32 years, I have learned many techniques and methods; a few of which can be utilized by you. No, you cannot call yourself a chiropractor and no, you cannot be adjusting vertebrae without a license…so let’s not even go there. However, do you know what the original meaning of the word is? Chiro is the Greek word for “hands” and practor means “to make, or fix, or practice.” So it actually means “to fix with the hands”. Can you do that? Yes, you can…if you learn about the laying on of hands properly and master using the greatest three tools Almighty God ever created: the human brain and the human hands!

In this article, I am going to share with you some amazing principles and touch techniques that a layman can have in his or her toolbox that may help a stressed-out loved one to survive the chaos and disorder that will happen when society as we know it (TEOTWAWKI) begins to break down and the “new normal” seems unbearable. Just a few helpful balancing methods along with better nutrition, clean water, a safe shelter, a loving family, and a support network can make all the difference in your little world and sphere of influence.

So please take this information to heart, study and practice it yourself, and then print it out on real paper (before the power goes out) because you will not hear it or find it anywhere else. These practices are only taught (mostly to doctors) at expensive seminars and training sessions that will be long gone by the time they are desperately needed by the hurting and diseased masses! You who read this blog and its excellent blog posts are way ahead of the curve when it comes to preparedness and planning ahead, so I trust you will take this info seriously and treat it with the respect it deserves.Continue reading“Hands-On Healing – Part 1, by Dr. Derek King, DC”

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, a special edition of the column where we feature videos on Backcountry Flying, throughout the Redoubt.

Region-Wide

First up, here is a video from GravityKnightFlying that gives you a good taste of tundra tire backcountry piloting in the Redoubt, with some great scenery: Flying the IDAHO, MT, WY mountains and backcountry – 2020 | turbo RANS S-7S.

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Trike flier “ttabs” — a former U.S. Navy carrier pilot — posted these videos, back in 2014:

Spokane Washington to Polson Montana – Part I,

and

Spokane Washington to Polson Montana – Part II. (Crossing the Cabinet Mountains.)

Idaho

From Trent Palmer:

Idaho Adventures Part 1 – Flying, Jet Boats and a Broken Collarbone.

Idaho Aventures Part 2 – The Last Air Mail Route.  Yes, it is the last rural airmail route operating in the Lower 48 States!

Idaho Adventures Part 3 – Some good Flying, Fishing and Camping (Gosh! How many remote strips can they bag in one day?)

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And another from GravityKnightFlying: Exploring the Idaho Backcountry in a Bushplane – 2021 edition.

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Into the Church – Flying Idaho Backcountry.

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Another from ttabs: Elk River Perspectives – Trike Flying.

(By the way, you probably remember seeing this video, that is very special to me, also from ttabs: Patriots – Surviving the Coming Collapse – Trike Flying.)

o  o  o

And sadly, an obituary news story: Dale ‘Snort’ Snodgrass Crash Lewiston, Idaho. There are a few more details about his STOL aircraft crash in this news report, and this in The Stars and Stripes.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The formula for achieving middle-class success is simple: Finish high school; don’t have a child before the age of 20; and get married before having the child.” – Radio talk show host and California gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder

Preparedness Notes for Monday — July 26, 2021

On July 26th, 1931, a swarm of grasshoppers descended on crops throughout the American heartland, devastating millions of acres. Already in the midst of a bad drought, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota suffered tremendously. The swarms were said to be so thick that they blocked out the sun and one could shovel the grasshoppers with a scoop. While America has not seen infestations on such a scale since then, North Africa and parts of the Middle East continue to experience them.

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The confirmation of David “Waco” Chipman as Director of the BATFE may come up for a vote before the full U.S. Senate in just a few days. Please contact your state’s two U.S. Senators again and insist that they vote down the confirmation of this horrible nominee.

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As I’m sure most of you readers know, I sell antique guns, through Elk Creek Company — my home-based mailorder business. Per Federal law, these guns do not require an FFL, and are also exempt from paperwork under most state laws. But occasionally, I upgrade my personal gun collection, and consequently sell a few excess modern (post-1898) guns through a trusted friend who has a FFL. He is running auctions on three particularly nice guns from my collection, on GunBroker.com. Take a look. I hope that you’ll consider bidding:

Note: These auctions are scheduled to end on the evening of Sunday, August 1st.

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Today we present a review written by our stalwart Field Gear Editor, Pat Cascio.

 

Glock 30S – SF, by Pat Cascio

I’m a Glockaholic. I love their guns! However, over the years, there have been a few Glocks that I just didn’t like, or take to for one reason or another. I love the Glock 21, and it feels great in my hand and balances nicely. On the other hand, we have the Glock 20, which is a 10mm pistol – and it’s the same size as the Glock 21. However, the 20 never balanced as well in my hand – I believe the “problem” was that the barrel was thicker causing the gun to balance a bit on the top side. As much as I like the 10mm round, and the power behind it, I elected to stay with the 21 in .45 ACP. And anymore, so many factory 10mm loads are watered down, and not a lot more powerful than a .45 ACP +P load, unless you go to Buffalo Bore Ammunition or Double Tap Ammo – and both companies produce the original hotter 10mm loads.

When the Glock 30 first came out, I was hot to have one – a compact .45 ACP with a 9-round magazine and one in the chamber – hard to beat. However, in short order, I traded it for something else, because the gun was just too chunky in my hand. It didn’t feel right or balance right. My review of the standard Glock 30 was posted in SurvivalBlog back in 2016. Today, we’re looking at the Glock 30S, SF (Short Frame) and this is a whole different animal than the original Model 30 was.

The Glock 30S, SF has a slide that is taken from the Glock 36, and it is thinner and trimmer. The nickname used by Jim Rawles for the Glock 30S is the “Glock 30-Skinny”, and it is his preferred carry gun–often with a 13-round Model 21 magazine and a “filler” ring.Continue reading“Glock 30S – SF, by Pat Cascio”

Recipe of the Week: Lamb’s Quarters

The following wild greens recipe is from Mrs. Alaska.

Many wild greens can be cooked the same way people like to cook spinach: with butter and lemon or garlic or as a creamy concoction.
In spring, we enjoy fiddlehead ferns and fireweed shoots.  In early summer, we eat dandelion leaves raw and cooked.  But my favorite wild green is Lamb’s Quarters.  It is chock full of vitamins A, C, K, iron, and calcium.  Unlike many leafy greens, its flavor does not include a bitter or sulfurous component.  It is mild, and almost nutty.
This slim plant with grey/green soft leaves, grows to about 20 inches.  It loves disturbed ground, especially nitrogen rich, like compost piles and my vegetable gardens.  I like the flavor enough that I let it grow among my potatoes and brassicas.
Like all greens, it cooks down quite a bit, so you want to harvest a LOT more than you think you will eat.  For two people’s large side dish portions, I fill a colander with chopped leaves and stalk/stems.
Directions
  • Rinse and chop the lamb’s quarter leaves and stems/stalks.  (You can eat the seed heads, too.)
  • In a large pan, coat the bottom with a light film of oil or butter and then add a bit of water or other liquid, such as broth, so the greens won’t stick to the pan.  Cover and steam over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the leaves have wilted and the stalks/stems are bright green.
  • Mix in any herbs, such as crushed garlic, salt, pepper, hot pepper flakes, and/or a squeeze of lemon juice or soy sauce and/or more butter.
  • Top with toasted sesame seeds or sunflower seeds if desired.

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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 labor shortages in the railroad industry. (See the Economy & Finance section.)

Precious Metals:

Mike in Alaska wrote to mention a free online precious metals price calculator.

o  o  o

Arkadiusz Sieroń: Gold’s Behavior in Various Parallel Inflation Universes.

Economy & Finance:

First up, at Wolf Street: After Slashing 33% of Workers in 6 Years, Railroads Complain about Labor Shortages, amid Uproar over Slow Shipments. An excerpt:

“Railroads are grappling with a weird phenomenon that is a combination of “labor shortages” and 12.6 million people still claiming some form of unemployment compensation, amid stimulus-fueled demand.

And this comes after railroads had spent six years shedding employees in order to tickle Wall Street analysts and pump up stock prices. The North American Class 1 freight railroads combined – BNSF, Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, CSX, Canadian National, Kansas City Southern, and Canadian Pacific – have tried to streamline their operations, using fewer but longer trains and making other changes, including under the strategy of “precision scheduled railroading,” implemented first by Canadian National, then by CSX.”

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Ted Kavadas: The U.S. Economic Situation – July 23, 2021 Update.

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At Zero Hedge: Yields Hit Session High After 20Y Auction Tails Most Since February.

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Deloitte’s Weekly global economic update.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — July 25, 2021

On this day in 1897, Jack London sailed for the Klondike. While in the Klondike, London began submitting stories to magazines. In 1900, his first collection of stories, The Son of the Wolf, was published. Three years later, his story The Call of the Wild made him famous around the country. London continued to write stories of adventure amid the harsh natural elements. During his 17-year career, he wrote 50 fiction and nonfiction books. He settled in northern California about 1911, having already written most of his best work. London, a heavy drinker, died in 1916.

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Today’s feature article was too short for consideration in the judging of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

Round 95 of the contest ends on July 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.