The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

3

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.

A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.

And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.

I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” – Galatians 5 (KJV)

 

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — September 5, 2020

9

On September 5, 1774, fed up with the meddling of the crown and being mostly independant-minded, our nation’s founding fathers met together in the First Continental Congress, in Philadelphia, laying the foundation of what would become the world’s greatest nation.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 90 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of their sun-tracking models, and 10% off the purchase price of any of their other models.
  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 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. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  4. 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).
  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. 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.
  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 90 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Personal Defense Weapon (PDW) Bag Guns, by Joe H.

25

Personal defense weapons (PDWs) or “bag guns” have seen a recent surge in popularity due to concerns over the COVID-19 quarantine and urban riots. This has come just at the availability of more attractive PDW options is expanding. For the sake of this discussion, a PDW will be defined as a compact detachable magazine-fed semiautomatic firearm that can be shouldered. Such weapons are desirable as they can be discreetly transported and have greater firepower than conventional handguns. PDWs have been used by military and security details for these reasons. They are also included in pilot survival kits. Security details employ PDWs as they are more discreet and easy to maneuver in tight spaces. These features also make for an attractive bugout weapon, sine one can be carried and more easily accessed in a car. Some folks have chosen them home defense weapons.

History

The Uzi and MP5 are famous PDWs that have been used for years by militaries and security details around the world, generally in fully automatic. Both are chambered in 9mm and have several configurations, including those with collapsible stocks and different barrel lengths. There is even a PDW-designated MP5 that can be fired from within a suitcase. While both of these weapons continue to enjoy reasonable popularity, a number of new options have emerged.

Rifle Caliber PDW

Short barreled variants of combat carbines have seen wider use, as they provide the ballistics of a rifle caliber in a smaller package. Barrel length is limited by reliability and decreases in velocity. A popular example is the MK18 10.3 inch barreled M16 variant. It is commonly considered the shortest reliable barrel length for a direct impingement 5.56 mm AR-15-type rifle.

Pistol Caliber PDW

Manufacturers have been producing pistol caliber PDWs to compete with the Uzi and MP5. Some notable manufacturers included B&T, Sig, and CZ. Besides differences in actions, one major fundamental differences in the designs is the magazine location. Some utilize magazines that are fed into the pistol grip like the Uzi while others have magazine wells forward of the grip like the MP5. The former generally results in a shorter weapon while the latter generally allows for faster magazine changes. A recent trend is to have weapons that utilize popular service pistol magazines, most notably Glock double-stack 9mm magazines.Continue reading“Personal Defense Weapon (PDW) Bag Guns, by Joe H.”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

102

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. Note that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in the Comments. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

I’ve had a fairly quiet week. I’m presently out of state, helping a frail elderly relative. I’ve done some calisthenics and bicycling. I’ve also caught up on a few minor repairs and an oil change on our aging SUV, which has now logged more than 335,000 miles.  And I’ve also had one meeting with a consulting client, and have delivered a few books to some local friends and blog readers. I’m pleased to report that The Ultimate Prepper’s Survival Guide can now be found in nearly all Costco stores. That is, at least for now. Since they only ordered 30,000 copies, I expect their stores to start selling out by mid-September. The inevitable re-order will have to be printed in Hong Kong and then shipped traditionally over the blue. So the re-ordered increment might not make it into Costco stores until after Christmas. Therefore, if you want to buy any of the Costco edition for gifts, then jump on them, soon.

Now, over to Lily…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

1

“Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.

And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:

In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;

With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king’s house:

And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.

Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:

Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.

Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.

And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:

10 That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.

Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.

Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.

And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.

And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.

And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.

For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat,

And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the Lord had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.” – Ezra 6 (KJV)

 

Preparedness Notes for Friday — September 4, 2020

8

September 4, 1862 is the fateful day that General Lee invaded the North with 50,000 troops. Historians will banter back and forth about the real reasons for the civil war, but we will probably never fully understand. It is my personal belief that General Lee was gambling on a quick offensive because the South did not have the resources for a prolonged war. Whatever the case was, President Abraham Lincoln trampled the Constitution and created the foundation for the “Big Brother” government we have today.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 90 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of their sun-tracking models, and 10% off the purchase price of any of their other models.
  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 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. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  4. 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).
  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. 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.
  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 90 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Ancient-Style Farming With The Three Sisters, by Murf

2
Can Ancient Farming Techniques Help Prepare Us For The Future?
Native North Americans traditionally grew three crops for most of their food needs. Affectionately these amazing three plants are referred to as the Three Sisters.
In light of our current pandemic situation, ongoing social unrest, and whatever the planet next decides to throw at us, I personally believe that ancient native farming techniques can help us prepare for the future.
It might be time for you and I to consider growing these food sources on any available land we have. Even if it might be late in the season.
Some quick history, from my perspective:
Long ago in a land far far away… today a region known as Mexico, (or maybe out your back door, as I don’t know where in the world you are reading this), the stewards of the land grew three crops together in mounds. They were Corn, Beans, and Squash.  The knowledge to effectively raise these crops was passed down generation after generation, along with the ever-improving seed stock from their selected plants.
These farming practices eventually made their way through Northern Mexico, into North America, and spread East and West, and further North to multiple different native tribes of varying climates.  The success of these three sisters and their yields encouraged many to abandon other “farmed” plants for this specific trio.
Some research indicates this farming technique was practiced going back 5000 to 6000 years or more.
Could it benefit us today with potential food shortages tomorrow?  I say yes.
Should it become part of your preps? I say yes.
Would you plant some now in any space that you have, just in case?  I believe you should right now.
The Three Sisters Theory
Natives would dig a hole in the earth and place a freshly caught fish in the bottom to provide later plant sustenance.
Soil was mounded over the hole.  Corn was planted on the top flat of the mound.
Once it sprouted, pole beans were planted around the corn, using the strong stalks as a trellis for future vertical growth.
Squash was planted lower on the mound, to spread out and cover the ground as well as provide shade while attracting pollinators.
The nitrogen fixing aspect of the beans was also a benefit.
The combination of Corn and Beans is said to provide your complete protein needs as a human, while squash provides many essential vitamins as well as oil from the seeds.
Historical Lore suggest some Northern Tribes planted the Three Sisters in spring prior to moving on from overwintering and heading to summer hunting and fishing grounds.
Upon return in the fall, various critters such as Deer and Raccoons had snacked on the prolific growth for months while leaving some or most to grow.
That left the enterprising hunters and farmers with the choice of eating MRE’s or the Three Sisters.
(MREs, in this case, being, for example, a Meal Ready to Eat packaged in a fat corn fed deer!)
Obviously, I’ve simplified the research that I have done, but the history and the theory is sound in my humble opinion.
The Modern Three Sisters
To grow the Three Sisters today you need the following items:
1. Space to grow
2. Seeds that work for your zone and climate.  (Preferably non-hybrid.)
3. Fish*
4. Additional Soil/compost
5. Hard work
(* You can pluck your favored fish out of your favorite river, lake, pond, etc and adhere to local rules, laws, and regulations, and licensing while doing so.)
or,
You can “build” a fish like me. I will provide fish building instructions below.)
Corn grows high and squash spreads wide. The space you choose is up to you, but know that some people grow the Three Sisters in hoop houses, in planter boxes, and right in the old-fashioned flat ground.
I suggest using the seeds from corn, squash and beans that you are familiar with and know that work well in your area. Note that by using non-hybrid seeds, you can save seed for subsequent plantings.
Using whatever seeds you have on hand may work well. Then again they may not.
For example, some pole beans are strong enough to pull weaker corn down to the ground in their never ending drive to scale it.
So, my advice when new to planting the Three Sisters is to talk to your local garden/farm center, other farmers, and/or your nearest university-farm extension to see what will work best for you when choosing seeds.
My personal land is bordering zone 5 and 6.
I have been using heirloom Flint Corn seeds and just recently planted saved seed from years past.
For the beans, I planted Heirloom Black Cherokee Bean seeds.
For the squash, I have experimented with both yellow squash as well as baking pumpkins having had more success with the yellow squash.
Your experience will certainly vary with your location and climate.
It’s Time to Plant Your Three  Sisters Plot
1. Prepare your plot by tilling or removing grass or trucking in dirt as required.
2. Designate your mound areas by giving at least 2′ x 2′ square per mound.
3. Dig a 4″ to 6″ deep hole at the middle of each square.
4. Insert a fish in each hole.
5. Cover hole with dirt and mound dirt into a hill with approximately 10″ round at the top and 20″ round at the bottom.
6. Insert 3-5 corn seeds in a circle near the middle of the top round.
7. Insert 3-5 bean seeds in a larger circle outside of the corn seeds.
8. Insert 5-7 squash seeds halfway down the mound in a circle around the mound.
9. Water profusely until seeds germinate.
10. Consider staking corn if the beans are pulling stalks down.
11. Watch for varmints, fence accordingly, or turn hungry critters into MREs later.
12. Grow your three sisters for 75 to 90+ days and harvest as necessary.
13. Enjoy.
14. Save some seeds for next year!
This was a quick, down and dirty plan for a three sisters plot and exactly what I did myself this year in a new 120″ x 180″ plot in my front yard in suburbia.  Y’all with land can take this to the next level.
What about the fish “build”?
So whether through sheer laziness for not wanting to gather a boatload of fish or divine insight I came up with a way to “build a fish” that for me meets the criteria of providing nourishment for the plant roots.
I have named this idea, succinctly, “Mama’s Famous Fish Emulsion and Bone Meal Balls Fish Alternative Builder”
Directions:
1. Mix 2-3 ounces of liquid fish emulsion with 1-2 cups of bone meal.
2. Form a ball or patty with gloved hands
3. Add water or more bone meal as necessary to form ball
4. Place “fish ball” in the initial hole in the ground prior to mounding with soil.
Genius, right?
Or not… but it works well and the Three Sisters love it.
Plus Liquid Fish Emulsion and Dry Bone Meal can be ordered online or at your nearest garden or farm cente — unlike a fresh fish.
Feel free to play with the ratios as well as add any other nutrients to your next fish build.
Final Notes
Some people grow “Four Sisters”, adding Sunflowers to ring the Three Sisters.  I haven’t done this myself, but you can certainly research and try.
I chose to plant my Three Sisters in mounds in a grid. There are other methods that plant the corn in traditional rows, as well as other seed densities and mound sizes.
I just passed on what has worked for me.  As always, research what may be best for your area.
It pays to be prepared. Consider purchasing heirloom seeds for next year’s plot of Three Sisters… and maybe more.
A Short Rant
Imagine if we used all free space in our communities to grow the Three Sisters for the future.
Can you see the efficacy of this type of growing in a potential future with empty grocery stores?
I’m going to say it again.
It pays to be prepared.
I write this in a time where we have seen grocery store empty due to a virus.
We have seen dairy farmers dump their milk rather than give it away.
Chicken farmers have culled hens and meatstock.
There’s talk of culling commercial pig herds as slaughterhouses have closed.
Meat is getting more expensive by the day.
I hope these things turn around in short order… but, I know that HOPE IS NOT A METHOD!
Preparing for the unknown is a METHOD.
The Three Sisters is a METHOD.
With some quick growing corn seeds, I know this can probably be sown throughout July even in some Northern Zones.
The signs of a worsening crisis are all evident. It’s time to ramp up your preps while we have a lull. I salute you.
Keep Prepping!
– Murf
P.S.:
There seems to be a literal explosion in the population of chipmunks near me this year.  In years past I have grown the Three Sisters without much varmint trouble. No fencing, no problem.
Not this year.  I’ve had chipmunks yank out my first crop of corn.  They just pull out all of the new leaves and leave them to die.  I put up fencing.  The second crop of seeds were sown.  The chipmunks pulled out every seed overnight, slipping through my fencing like ninjas.
I’m in the process of sowing in a third crop with improvement in fencing and traps ready.
Never give up.
Three Sisters for the win!

Economics & Investing For Preppers

34

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 further examine the accelerating exodus from the big cities that is creating demand for suburban and rural real estate. (See the Tangibles Investing section.)

Precious Metals:

Where Will The World’s Next Giant Gold Discovery Be Made?

o  o  o

M.B. sent this news: Two gold nuggets worth $350,000 found in Australia

o  o  o

COMEX EFP (Ab)Use Has Collapsed

Economy & Finance:

At Investment Watch: Stagflate, Tax & Lie About Economic Data: US Dept Of Labor Changes Jobless Claims Methodology

o  o  o

Deloitte: Weekly global economic update. Here is an excerpt:

“Just prior to the current crisis, unemployment was low in most advanced economies. Working-age populations were starting to decline. New technologies offered the promise that we could produce more with less labor, enhancing living standards without too much displacement of workers. Then came COVID-19. The need for social distancing led us to work, shop, and be entertained remotely using technology. It allowed many of us to produce more with fewer inputs. It also led to the demise of countless small and relatively low-productivity businesses, with their market share likely to be captured by larger more productive enterprises. In part, these changes are likely to persist beyond the virus—with both positive and negative consequences.

Consider working from home. Prior to the crisis, the average American spent 225 hours per year traveling to and from work. Millions traveled by air frequently, including most of us, to attend meetings. The shift to remote work means that tasks can be accomplished with fewer resources and time expended. This is a productivity improvement and implies producing the same or greater output at much lower cost, which is potentially beneficial to everyone. Yet society will still pay a price. Less demand for office space, air travel, hotels, restaurants, and public transportation will mean that countless low-wage workers will be displaced. Existing real estate will lose value, companies will fail, asset holders will lose wealth, and social problems could explode.”

o  o  o

At Wolf Street: Jingle Mail for Malls: Even Biggest Landlords Walk from Malls as Stores Go Bankrupt, Refuse to Pay Rent, Mall Values Slashed Brutally. But those Shorting Mall CMBS Made a Killing

o  o  o

The Second Wave of Layoffs is Here, Now Hitting Well-Paid Jobs

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I knew a very wise man so much of Sir Christopher’s sentiment, that he believed if a man were permitted to make all the ballads he need not care who should make the laws of a nation, and we find that most of the ancient legislators thought that they could not well reform the manners of any city without the help of a lyric, and sometimes of a dramatic poet.” – Andrew Fletcher

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — September 3, 2020

3

On September 3, 1651 Battle of Worcester: Oliver Cromwell’s New Model army destroys English royalist force of mainly Scots in the last battle of English Civil War.

—

On September 3, 1752, Great Britain and it’s colonies, including the future United States of America officially adopted the Gregorian calendar, and it immediately became September the 14th.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 90 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of their sun-tracking models, and 10% off the purchase price of any of their other models.
  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 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. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  4. 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).
  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. 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.
  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 90 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

What if We Win?, by CPT F.T.

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When all is said and done, there is much more said than done.

This will be the first of many quotes that I did not come up with and will not reference or footnote because I’m not trying to get a passing grade on an essay but am trying to communicate a few ideas that I think may be germane to our culture.

With all the survival and instructional blogs (this one being the capstone by which all others are measured) and web sites pontificating and gesturing broadly about what to do when (fill in the blank with assorted and sundry current crisis) you don’t really another adding to that collection so I will spare the reader those ideas.

I will, however, put forth some ideas regarding a subject that has been largely ignored, that is; What to do if we actually win?

You all now the three boxes that we go through on the way to revolution. Soapbox, Ballot Box and very very lastly Ammo Box. (I told you I’d be using quotes not my own). I’ll talk about the first two.

SurvivalBlog (and others like it) naturally are the first box and I am late to the party. In fact, I’ve been reluctant to speak up as there are so many of you more eloquent than I am and I was afraid I’d just add to the cacophony of noise.

So, on our Soapbox, we stood up, and shouted to all that would pass this way that same message.

TURN And RETURN

“….if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”      2 Chronicles 7:14

Turn to Christ, return to our heritage, return to our history, return to informed thought, return to law and order, return to the church, family, community, common sense, logic and hope.Continue reading“What if We Win?, by CPT F.T.”

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 feature an article about a supreme court decision allowing government cameras hidden on private property without a warrant.

A Cold and Snowy Winter Ahead?

First up, at Fox News: Winter looks ‘cold and snowy’ with some ‘crazy in-between,’ Farmers’ Almanac claims.  (Thanks to Tim J. for the link.)

Government Cameras Hidden on Private Property? 

Reader A.K.  suggested this article over at AgWeb: Government Cameras Hidden on Private Property? Welcome to Open Fields.  Here is an excerpt:

“Can the government place cameras and monitoring equipment on a private citizen’s land at will, or conduct surveillance and stakeouts on private land, without probable cause or a search warrant? Indeed, according to the U.S. Supreme Court’s (SCOTUS) interpretation of the Fourth Amendment. Welcome to Open Fields.

The vast majority of Americans assume law enforcement needs a warrant to carry out surveillance, but for roughly a century, SCOTUS has ruled that private land—is not private. Fourth Amendment protections against “unreasonable searches and seizures” expressed in the Bill of Rights only apply to an individual’s immediate dwelling area, according to SCOTUS.

However, SCOTUS’ Open Fields doctrine has been bucked in Mississippi, Montana, New York, Oregon and Vermont through protections granted by state constitutions, and for many American landowners, the more they discover about Open Fields—the more questions they have regarding the bounds of government power.”

Only Six Percent of “COVID Deaths” From Only COVID

Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: Ron Paul: CDC Bombshell: Only Six Percent Of “Covid Deaths” From Only Covid!

Hollywood’s Mass Exodus

Reader Joe B. sent us this: “White Flight Is Real” – Hollywood’s Apocalypse Triggers Mass Exodus

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“Conservatism starts from a sentiment that all mature people can readily share: the sentiment that good things are easily destroyed, but not easily created. This is especially true of the good things that come to us as collective assets: peace, freedom, law, civility, public spirit, the security of property and family life, in all of which we depend on the cooperation of others while having no means singlehandedly to obtain it. In respect of such things, the work of destruction is quick, easy and exhilarating; the work of creation slow, laborious and dull. That is one of the lessons of the twentieth century. It is also one reason why conservatives suffer such a disadvantage when it comes to public opinion. Their position is true but boring, that of their opponents exciting but false.” – Roger Scruton

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — September 2, 2020

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The Paratus Holiday is approaching. It is always the Third Friday in September. This year, that is Friday, September 18th.

—

September 2, 1969 is the day that the first automatic teller machine (ATM) made its first public debut, dispensing cash to customers at Chemical Bank in Rockville Center, New York. While being as indispensable to most people as cell phones and e-mail, they have introduced a whole new set of issues. Consumers are faced with scams, skimmers, and robbers, and even fake ATMs have been discovered.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 90 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of their sun-tracking models, and 10% off the purchase price of any of their other models.
  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 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. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  4. 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).
  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. 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.
  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 90 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.