The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.” – Exodus 10:1-2 (NASB)

Preparedness Notes for Friday – January 11, 2019

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Today is the natal day if the late Gunnar Fridtjof Thurmann Sønsteby, who was born in 1918. He was the most decorated hero of the Norwegian resistance under the German occupation. He died May 10, 2012.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

This features another entry for Round 80 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any 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 (an $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 Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  4. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  5. 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).
  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. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances.

Round 80 ends on January 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.

“Inclusive” Strategic Planning As Part Of Everyday Environment- Part 3, by Old Bobbert

Inclusiveness in our prepper world of “after the SHTF event” is that element wherein everyone who will be involved in an activity, regardless of the nature of the activity, will be involved in the creation of the plan. This way they can thereby be more fully committed to the plans’ success.

We are currently in the midst of looking at itemized “inclusive” strategic planning considerations to apply in an event situation. Five points have been covered so far.

6. Keep a Daily Journal and Hold Bible Study Classes

Many of the “old” maxims we often follow blindly have lived long past their timelines. They have been overcome by the digital age devices. Carefully throw them away and begin the new-post event life as a well read and well educated person/group leader in the realities of our new survivalist world. Keep a daily journal of activities and conversations. I’ll say it again; keep a daily journal, and read your personal history therein often. Hindsight is always 20-20. Move your hindsight forward to the days you are living in, and apply your knowledge today.

Bible Study Lead

It will be very wise to have a willing and learned group member who is willing to accept the responsibility of being the group specialist on Bible study classes and to gently lead volunteer prayer groups and perhaps be the unit chaplain.

No Denominational Distinctions

Denominational distinctions should, in a post-event scenario, be an unwanted aspect of the old life of contentions and anger. We’d do well to leave them behind with the other trash of the past. Everyone will feel that their personal religious beliefs are respected as a believer and denominational distinctions won’t be not put into competition with a general belief that there is a God of goodness and that the ten commandments actually do fit into every belief system. Goodness fits everyone very nicely and smells just fine, period!

Continue reading““Inclusive” Strategic Planning As Part Of Everyday Environment- Part 3, by Old Bobbert”

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. And it bears mention that most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today’s focus is on the Sears bankruptcy. (See the Stocks  section.)

Precious Metals:

Investors Should Pay Attention To Silver Momentum – Analysts

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BMO: Palladium Prices Still Soaring; Substitution Risk High

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Blackrock Says Gold Price Will Be A “Valuable Portfolio Hedge” In 2019

 

Global Economy & Finance:

Germany Heads for a Technical Recession

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At Wolf Street: Brexit Moment in 80 Days, No One Knows What’ll Happen, London’s Finance Industry on Tenterhooks

 

Stocks (Sears Bankruptcy):

Sears plans to liquidate after 126 years in business

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Sears is in trouble: What shoppers should do now with the bankruptcy filing

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A Sears liquidation could create some winners and over 100,000 losers

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Tying American Stocks to the Rest of the World

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LG Electronics sees 80 percent drop in fourth-quarter profit; analysts point to thinning TV margins

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Thursday – January 10, 2019

January 10th, 1776 is the day that North Carolina Governor, Josiah Martin issued a proclamation calling on the king’s loyal subjects to raise an armed force to combat the “rebels”. This ultimately led to Colonel Donald McLeod leading the men on an assault on the Patriots that ended with fifty of his men dead and 880 captured. The Patriots lost only two of their number.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

This features another entry for Round 80 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any 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 (an $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 Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  4. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  5. 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).
  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. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances.

Round 80 ends on January 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.

“Inclusive” Strategic Planning As Part Of Everyday Environment- Part 2, by Old Bobbert

We have defined “inclusiveness” and the application for it in our prepping communities and especially in an event (SHTF situation). Now, we’ve just begun to discuss the planning process. Let’s continue to dig further into this meat of the article.

Successful Strategic Planning

Above all else, a successful plan needs to be carefully written and will always require a knowledgeable and fully committed buy-in on the parts of every participant, both operators and support. Every operation participant needs a written and accurate plan contents page(s) concerning their individual specific participation. Additionally, every operation participant needs to be thoroughly familiar with the responsibilities of every team member.

This is a serious part of inclusiveness. Inclusiveness must be valued as a necessary item in every part of planning activities in both defense and offense operations. This applie to everyone, every time, everywhere, and for every activity.

Let’s run through the numbers and learn together.

1. Concerned With Knowledge and Current Information

Sound planning will be very concerned with task knowledge and current information as to communications, medical needs, command, and leadership. It will be very important to carefully select team members whose task ability is the best available be put in charge of his/her particular specialty. The task specialist should be in command of, and responsibility for, that specific task activity. This tasking leadership change has been proven in modern combat special operations in recent years and is known to be successful in many different areas and efforts. It works!

Continue reading““Inclusive” Strategic Planning As Part Of Everyday Environment- Part 2, by Old Bobbert”

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 “HJL”. Wait till you see the full color night vision examples in today’s lead article.

Full Color Night Vision

Reader G.P. sent in this interesting article on the next generation of night vision. While previous nigh vision generations have focused on gaining a better, higher resolution picture, they are still monochrome. Green is typically the color shade of choice simply because our eyes are more sensitive to green light and it gives us a better capability of picking out details. However, full color gives us the same capability as we have during the day. Your eyes will be able to pick out threats at night just as well as they do in the daytime. In effect, the only limitation at that point would be the narrowed field of vision night vision devices introduce. While it is likely that the military will get it first, it will eventually make it to the civilian market.

Breaking YouTube

Paul Joseph Watson has laid out how YouTube (the second biggest search engine on the Internet after Google) has been altering its search engine algorithm based on the insistence of social justice warriors and left wing lobbying campaigns to bury, block and ban videos that they find to be undesirable or negative toward their political agenda. When you perform a search for any new worth item, you are met with a wall of main stream media videos despite the fact that individual YouTubers almost always have better, less biased coverage of those events. Some are certainly more popular to watch, but unless you are purposefully subscribe to their channels, you will not see their videos returned in the search results.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Hope is necessary in every condition. The miseries of poverty, of sickness, or captivity, would, without this comfort, be insupportable; nor does it appear that the happiest lot of terrestrial existence can set us above the want of this general blessing; or that life, when the gifts of nature and of fortune are accumulated upon it, would not still be wretched, were it not elevated and delighted by the expectation of some new possession, of some enjoyment yet behind, by which the wish shall at last be satisfied, and the heart filled up to its utmost extent.” – Samuel Johnson

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday – January 09, 2019

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On this day in 1776, writer Thomas Paine published his pamphlet “Common Sense,” setting forth his arguments in favor of American independence. Although little used today, pamphlets were an important medium for the spread of ideas in the 16th through 19th centuries.

o o o

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

This features another entry for Round 80 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any 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 (an $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 Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  4. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  5. 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).
  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. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances.

Round 80 ends on January 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.

“Inclusive” Strategic Planning As Part Of Everyday Environment- Part 1, by Old Bobbert

Editors Note: Commenting has been turned off for this article because most are not reading the article before posting their comments.

What’s the “Inclusiveness” Element and How Does It Work?

As my answer to what is the “inclusiveness” element and how it works, I suggest the following: As a generality, inclusiveness is a system/commitment/style of enabling your group, team, or community of allowing/encouraging/enabling the diversely talented members to work together more productively, and to have stronger provisions to enable these participants to excel in their special talents within a strong, family-like cooperative environment. As a result, you thus create a stronger, more competent, and larger resulting success. This is not to be confused with the modern-day leftist use of the word.

How Can We Benefit Now Through Utilizing Inclusiveness in Both Our Everyday Lives and in Our Preparation Planning?

I suggest the following: Consider professional basketball wherein the basketball is moved from player to player (on one team) while those players are also moving from spot to spot so as to put a specific player with the basketball is in the best possible spot to throw the ball successfully into the hoop, while the opposition (the other team’s players) are strongly endeavoring to disrupt the planned play and capture the basketball. Each team player needs the entire team to play as a single entity so as to win by a single point.

Keep it simple and enjoyable. Help others to be successful. Be happy as you work at success.

First, do all you can to help yourself succeed. Then, work to help others.

“Proper preparation prevents poor performance.” Play ball!

Where Can I Gain Additional Knowledge of the Benefits of Inclusiveness in My Daily Life?

Do a simple Google search for “learning inclusiveness”. Below is some of what I found on the Internet.

Continue reading““Inclusive” Strategic Planning As Part Of Everyday Environment- Part 1, by Old Bobbert”

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. And it bears mention that most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today’s focus is on antique hand saws. (See the Tangibles Investing section.)

Precious Metals:

Steve Saville: The Japanese Government Is Still Pegging The Gold Price

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Inflation Will Not Be a Major Issue In 2019; But Gold Can Still Shine – Analysts

 

Taxes:

The IRS Wants To Use Social Media To Catch Tax Cheats

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The Federal government’s expected total revenue is estimated to be $3.422 trillion USD for Fiscal Year 2019. The article mentions: “The government’s annual income only pays for 88 percent of spending. It creates a $985 billion budget deficit.”  Those congresscritters probably won’t learn to keep a balanced budget until after they bankrupt the nation and crash the entire monetary system!

 

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

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. This week the focus is on Ammo Cans. (See the Instructional Videos and Gear sections.)

Books:

Auerbach’s Wilderness Medicine E-Book

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Bushcraft First Aid: A Field Guide to Wilderness Emergency Care

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Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom

 

 

Movies & Television:

Leave No Trace. Available on DVD and also free streaming on Amazon Prime.  One reviewer described it: “This movie is a lovely portrait of a father/daughter relationship, the perils of PTSD that many of our veterans face, and the beauty of a small community that takes care of others. Honestly one of the best films I’ve seen in years.”

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Pride and Prejudice. To clarify, since there have been so many productions: This is the 1995 BBC television production starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. Available on DVD and also free streaming on Amazon Prime.

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The second season of the parallel universe television series Counterpart began airing last month on Starz, and will wrap up on February 17, 2019. Warning: Graphic violence and some nudity.

 

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