Economics & Investing For Preppers

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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, a more in-depth look at Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Cryptos:

When I last checked, Bitcoin had been bouncing around over $22,000 USD per BTC for more than a week. It topped at $24,500 on Christmas Day. I should note that historically Bitcoin tops out each December, in most years. So I expect to see a substantial BTC correction, in January, 2021.

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This Historically Accurate Bitcoin Fractal Now Calls for a Correction to $17,500

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The Prospects for Bitcoin in 2021

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$500M in Bitcoin leaves Coinbase as institutions buy more than miners sell

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This was posted back in November: Bitcoin Price Prediction | Will Bitcoin Rise Once Again?

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At Forbes:  2021 Will See An Authoritative Global Registry For Digital Currencies

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ECB warns the future of money is at stake as Facebook preps January crypto launch

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Understanding China’s Digital Yuan. This primer article begins:

“Among the world’s biggest economies, China has become the frontrunner in developing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). The Asian giant completed a trial of the DC/EP, as its digital currency is known, in September and is currently rolling it out on major e-commerce platforms within the country. Here is a brief primer on the digital currency.

What Is DC/EP?

The Digital Currency Electronic Payment (DC/EP) is a digital version of the yuan – China’s national currency. The DC/EP is backed by yuan deposits held by China’s central bank and has been under development for slightly more than five years. Under the current arrangement, banks are required to convert a part of their yuan holdings into digital form and distribute them to businesses and citizens via mobile technology.”

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Facebook’s launch of the Libra cryptocurrency may have to push back a little further as the Libra Association awaits a go-ahead from the Swiss market watchdogs

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Lebanon will launch its own digital currency in 2021: report

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Blockchain trends in 2021: Expect the unexpected. A snippet:

“China will make the fastest progress  

From  a regional perspective China is leading the global blockchain game and will continue this role in 2021. Blockchain is taking China to the level, which is well beyond the present reach of other global market players. China’s “new infrastructure” national initiative, its state-backed Blockchain Based Service Network, is aimed to make blockchain an integral part of the country’s digital infrastructure. China’s further ambition is to provide a global public infrastructure via this Network. Beyond that, while other countries or regions like Europe are thinking to launch their own Digital currency, China is almost ready to issue their Crypto yuan.”

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TechBuzz China podcast: Episode 78: China’s Digital Currency Electronic Payment (DCEP) Dreams

Provisos:

SurvivalBlog and its Editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for our detailed disclaimers.

News Tips:

Please send your economics and investing news tips to JWR. (Either via e-mail of via our Contact form.) These are often especially relevant because they come from folks who closely watch specific markets. If you spot any news that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers, then please send it in. News items from local news outlets that are missed by the news wire services are especially appreciated. And it need not be only about commodities and precious metals. Thanks!

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“The time is now near at hand which must probably determine whether Americans are to be freemen or slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed, and themselves consigned to a state of wretchedness from which no human efforts will deliver them. The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army. Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of brave resistance, or the most abject submission. We have, therefore to resolve to conquer or die.” – General George Washington — Address to the Continental Army, before the Battle of Long Island – August 27, 1776

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — December 31, 2020

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December 31st is the birthday of Alexander Solzhenitsyn (pictured) and of Frederick Selous. (He died on January 4th, 1917.)

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We’ve just heard of the passing of actress Dawn Wells (of Gilligan’s Island fame).  In her later years, she settled in Driggs, Idaho, a town famous for its view of the “back side” of the Grand Tetons. There, Wells did a stint as the town’s Mayor. So she was an honorary Redoubter.

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 92 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. 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.
  5. 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. 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!

Round 92 ends on January 31, 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.

Surviving Unemployment – Part 2, by SwampFox

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(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)

Searching for jobs can be done in multiple ways. If you’ve filed for state benefits, you’ve likely been enrolled in a state employer search database. Make use of this, as the employers linked to the state are likely to be hiring constantly and not too picky. If you just need some money coming in, you’ll be hired soon. If you want to wait for a higher quality job, begin searching online. Local listings on Craigslist, Indeed, Monster, and other search engines are a reasonable starting point. I’ve discovered, however, that the oldest technique is still the best:

Apply in person! I’ve had many immediate interviews this way, and it has led to most of the jobs I’ve had since I was in high school. In-person applications make you stand out from the rest. Dress for the job you want, shake hands, make eye contact, and appear honest and positive. Your first impression is the best one. Even if you don’t get the job, save the contact information in a file. If unemployment appears in your life in the future, you will have a file of leads that you can start with immediately. In-person contacts, even unsuccessful ones, are never wasted time! If an employer seems like they are interested, keep knocking on that door in person until it opens. Be polite but persistent both in person and on the phone. Show your interest and determination, and after a month an undecided employer may give you the job you’re looking for. Assume anything but a firm “No” is a “Yes” waiting on you to make it happen!

Consider making a career change. If your field of work isn’t taking you where you want to go, figure out how to update your credentials and shift to something else. I used unemployment benefits to pay my bills while I went back to school for a month to get my Commercial Driver’s License – something I’d wanted to do for a long time but never had time for. Not only did going to school enhance my credentials, attending an accredited program exempted me from certain work search requirements while I was unemployed. It gave me time to find the job I really wanted, rather than taking something immediately that was in my field but less desirable. If you are considering going back to school, avoid debt. Make sure that what you’re doing makes sense and will lead you to a better career than what you currently have. Check that jobs exist in your desired field. Make sure that any program you attend has a way of connecting you to potential employers. The last thing you want is to spend time attending a program, spend the money you’ve got, and still end up struggling to find work.Continue reading“Surviving Unemployment – Part 2, by SwampFox”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

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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 celebrate the ATF’s reversal on their plan to ban or heavily tax most pistols with arm braces as Short-Barreled Riles (SBRs).

FPC: The ATF Withdraws “Guidance” for “Stabilizing Braces”

To start today’s column, a follow-up on some good news, from the good folks fighting for our rights, at The Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC): ATF Withdraws “Guidance” for “Stabilizing Braces”. Here is a quote from their announcement:

“Today, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) issued “the withdrawal of a notice and request for comments” regarding the agency’s recently published “guidance” document captioned “Objective Factors for Classifying Weapons with ‘Stabilizing Braces’.” The ATF’s notice of withdrawal can be found at FPCLegal.org.

On December 16, 2020, FPC published a memorandum entitled “ATF to Issue Guidance on ‘Stabilizing Braces’,” reporting on the agency’s intent to further address firearms with stabilizing brace devices. That memorandum also stated that “FPC believes that the NFA is an unconstitutional infringement of the People’s rights, that the ATF should be abolished, and that any policy or practice enforcing the Act is unconstitutional and immoral.”

Two days later, the ATF’s guidance was published in the Federal Register “to inform and invite comment from the industry and public” for a period of 14 days. The notice purported to give the public guidance as to factors that the agency would use to “determine” whether a handgun equipped with a “stabilizing brace” was a firearm regulated by the National Firearms Act (“NFA”).”

But in the same announcement, the FPC warned:

“While the ATF is apparently withdrawing this particular “guidance” at this time, the matter is still “pending further Department of Justice review,” which could lead to ATF taking different and potentially far more aggressive actions in the near future, especially under a Joseph Biden-led administration.”

Even though the draft guidance letter was withdrawn, please go ahead and make a comment. (One thing that the leftists say has some truth to it: “Silence is consent.”)  Please make your comment short, to the point, and polite. DO NOT use any profanity, crude language, or insults.

DHS: Avoid Chinese Spy Software and Data Services

Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: DHS tells US firms to avoid Chinese software, data services over spying concerns.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“But how else will 2020 be remembered decades from today? Will we talk about this being the year where “social distancing” became the norm and online education really took off? Or will we remember 2020 as the year that several social constructs broke down once and for all and set the ball rolling on the path to revolution across many nations? Will 2020 be the year where we reset everything altogether, everything becomes “Before Pandemic” (BP) and “After Pandemic” (AP)? We will have to wait and watch but make no mistake, 2020 will be the most memorable year of our lives even if it was a year in which we all did almost nothing. Of course, it allowed us buffer time to re-orient ourselves, evolve and survive in new contexts and circumstances. Maybe 2021 will offer us some hope and we can break out of the thesaurus and learn some new words for hope and expectations. It can’t be this bad again next year? Or can it?” – Dr. Chandan Mitra, Editor of The Pioneer, Delhi, India

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — December 30, 2020

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December 30, 1865 was the birthday of Rudyard Kipling.

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Our big rifle sale at Elk Creek Company ends at 5 PM Pacific Time on Wednesday, January 6th, 2021. We’ve already had more than $15,000 in orders since ordering resumed on December 26th, depleting our inventory.  Get your order in soon!

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 92 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. 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.
  5. 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. 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!

Round 92 ends on January 31, 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.

Surviving Unemployment – Part 1, by SwampFox

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Introduction

There’s an old saying, “When your neighbor loses his job, you call it a recession. When you lose yours, it becomes a depression!” Dealing with unemployment is something we all face at one time or another in life. For many in the USA and around the world, 2020 has given us a refresher course. Unfortunately, COVID-19 not over yet. The incoming Biden administration is not likely to be friendly to liberty – economic and otherwise. Some state governments have become emboldened by their success at implementing draconian regulations. The risk to our economic security is quite real as we enter 2021 and the years that follow.

In the last two years, I’ve had three experiences with unemployment and changing jobs. I’ve dealt with it in the past, and was trained early in life by my parents in the basic skills of managing money and surviving on less. I have maintained a preparedness lifestyle largely due to this training. It might not be a huge crisis like an EMP, nuclear war, or massive natural disaster that affects you. A small event like unemployment has the potential to affect you in major ways, and if you are unprepared it can ruin your life. And unlike a national or global disaster, this private disaster is almost certain to occur someday. Luckily, some of the same preparedness techniques you use for the big disasters will help you with this personal one.

Before Unemployment

I will start with some good news! Your lifestyle is the thing that will affect your unemployment experience the most – however it is also the thing you can change the most! Part of the American dream still exists, and still benefits people who live prudently and act responsibly. You can somewhat insulate yourself from the effects of unemployment.

I’m in my early 30s, single, male, no children. I have a college education, property, and a stable work history. However, my fields of education and work tend to preclude working remotely. In some cases, those aspects are an advantage. In other cases, those aspects are a disadvantage. Your age and life situation will certainly dictate your response to unemployment. Consider your own life situation carefully. Compare yourself to the typical hiring demographics around you, and investigate the local employment rate. In my area, I’m fairly fortunate that there are large, well-established companies. The unemployment rate is much lower than other areas in the USA, and the economy is healthy. It is difficult to achieve a balance between living away from population centers in a safe area near your retreat, and having plenty of good employment options. If you suspect some aspect of your life is going to make it difficult to find work, the time to change and plan for the future is now, not after you lose your job.Continue reading“Surviving Unemployment – Part 1, by SwampFox”

JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:

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Here are JWR’s Recommendations of the Week for various media and tools of interest to SurvivalBlog readers. The focus is usually on emergency communications gear, bug out bag gear, tools, books, and movies–often with a tie-in to disaster preparedness, and links to “how-to” self-sufficiency videos. There is also an emphasis on links to sources for storage food and a variety of storage and caching containers. You will also note an emphasis on history books and historical movies. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This week the focus is on books, instructional videos, shelving, and lights for indoor gardening and sprouting.

Books:

Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers

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Year-Round Indoor Salad Gardening: How to Grow Nutrient-Dense, Soil-Sprouted Greens in Less Than 10 days

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The Sprout Book: Tap into the Power of the Planet’s Most Nutritious Food

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Starting & Saving Seeds: Grow the Perfect Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs, and Flowers for Your Garden

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Antique Firearms Assembly/Disassembly: The comprehensive guide to pistols, rifles & shotguns

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NOLS Winter Camping (NOLS Library)

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Reader Tom in Oregon suggested this novel by Jack Carr: The Terminal List: A Thriller. (By the way, Jack Carr and I have both had manuscripts edited and published by the great Emily Bestler.)

Continue reading“JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — December 29, 2020

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130 years ago today, the tragic Wounded Knee massacre took place.

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This is also the birthday of inventor Charles Goodyear (1800–1860.)

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And today is the birthday of actor Jude Law (born 1972.) You will probably remember him from Enemy at The Gates and Sky Captain.

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I recently reactivated the order-taking system at Elk Creek Company  — my sideline antique gun business. Please note that I’ve set special sale prices on nearly all of the full-length rifles in our inventory. With the Biden Administration soon to take over the White House, is strongly recommend that you buy a couple of Federally exempt pre-1899 cartridge guns, as a strategic hedge. Why? Because you may soon have to make a lot of the other guns in your collection “disappear”.

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A reminder: We are running short of entries for the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Round 92 ends on January 31, 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.

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Today I’m posting an essay that I wrote, for you to ponder.

Living In The Age Of Deception And Betrayal

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For the past 12 years, I’ve been telling my readers that we are living in an age of deception and betrayal. My first use of that phrase in SurvivalBlog was In 2008. Here is a brief excerpt from that essay:

“I urge all SurvivalBlog readers to redouble their efforts to keep a low profile in their communities and their presence on the Internet. If the Cold War reemerges with the same intensity as the Cuban Missile Crisis, we may very well soon enter an age of deception and betrayal that could sweep up innocents as well as malefactors. It is both wise and prudent to avoid creating a ‘paper trail’, ‘electronic footprints’, or ‘cookie crumbs’ when acquiring storage food, ammunition, night vision gear, controversial books, and various logistics.”

And in 2013, I wrote:

As I’ve summarized before: We are living in the age of deception and betrayal. Beware. Be politically active. Let your congresscritters feel the heat, so that they will see the light. Be vocal, but do so about the right things. Pray for the wisdom and discernment to know when to remain silent. Don’t become a tool of the statists.

When I posted those essays, I received a few e-mails from folks who felt that I was engaging in hyperbole. Perhaps they were right… Perhaps I issued those warnings prematurely. But now, particularly looking back on just the year 2020, many Americans would agree with my assertion. Just consider how many times we’ve been lied to, and heard changing or conflicting medical “truths”, and how we’ve been virtually shackled by our public officials with arbitrary “lockdowns” since the Wuhan Flu outbreak.

Observe how Big tech censorship has become ubiquitous. And mass surveillance has become even more pervasive. Divisive “red/blue” party politics and weaponized urban mobs are now the norm. Criminals are adulated, while statues of our founding fathers are being torn down. Police agencies back off and watch cities burn.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF) is now countermanding long-standing policies, thus threatening to turn millions of law-abiding gun owners into felons, at the stroke of a pen. Yes, indeed: We Are Living In The Age of Deception And Betrayal (WALITAODAB).  I believe that it is now an indisputable truth, so I’ve turned that phrase into an acronym. In the following section, I will outline some key examples of this deception and betrayal in contemporary America:Continue reading“Living In The Age Of Deception And Betrayal”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

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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 scenic locales in the American Redoubt. with most of them accessible by car or bicycle. Take a look at these web pages and video tours and you’ll see why the American Redoubt has a well-deserved reputation for outdoor recreation.

Region-Wide

Connecting Seven Rail Trails in the Northwest

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Video:  Scenic Drive Through Montana & Idaho

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Video: Idaho & Montana Motorcycle Adventure | Salmon River, Lewis & Clark Trail & Lolo Pass

Idaho

Here is video of a spectacular “Rails to Trails” bike ride on the Idaho/Montana State Line:  The ONE Bike Ride Everyone Can (and Should) Do!  You can visit the park’s web site, here. And here is another great video: 40 Minute Virtual Bike Ride | Hiawatha Trail Idaho

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Eight Must-See Stops on the Ultimate Idaho Road Trip

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Seven Roads With The Best Windshield Views In All Of Idaho

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The Tetons, from the Idaho Side

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Video: Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA in 4K

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

Preparedness Notes for Monday — December 28, 2020

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December 28, 1793 is the day that Thomas Paine was arrested in France for treason. The charges against him were never fully detailed, but he was tried in absentia on December 26 and convicted. Best known as the author of Common Sense, he moved to Paris to be part of the French revolution. Initially welcomed, the tide soon turned against him, because he was opposed to the death penalty and the French revolutionaries were sending hundreds to the guillotine.

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I just heard of the passing of bluegrass guitar legend Tony Rice.  He will be missed!

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Today, another product review by the industrious Pat Cascio.  There are currently 17 more reviews in the queue, from Pat. It is our great pleasure to employ him as our Field Gear Editor. He’s now in his late 60s, and we’ll keep renewing his contract as long as he willing to continue writing. I believe that we can all benefit from his many years of experience. – JWR