SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

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Here is SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt. This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. We also mention companies of interest to preppers that are located in the region. The emphasis this week is on some prospects for buying a business in the American Redoubt.

Region-Wide (Buying a Business):

I recently had consulting client ask me for suggestions on “how to make the break” and move to American Redoubt.  He mentioned that he found there were very few Redoubt region job listings in his current technical occupation. Next, he asked about starting a business, or buying an existing business.  I recommended buying a business with an existing clientele. Why?  As baby boomers reach retirement age, there will be a lot of thriving businesses that come up for sale. They often already have and established name and good will built up in a community. Nothing succeeds like success.

You may ask: “Well, what sort of businesses are up for sale, at reasonable prices?” Up until that call with my client, I had only heard of a couple of businesses, by word of mouth. So I made some inquiries with friends, and I did some web searches. I was surprised at what I found so quickly. Here are some examples:

Don’t be alarmed if you are asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before even being told the name or location of a business. That has become standard practice.

Beware of scam businesses listed for sale that are actually just multi-level marketing schemes. Also be leery of any franchises with a high cost of entry or that would have nearby competition.  Remember: Any successful business must find a need, and fill it.  Do NOT start a new business that competes with an existing local business. You are much better off buying a thriving business with a good cash flow.

Do your homework. Different sorts of businesses sell for vastly different sums.  But the general rule is that you’ll have to pay the equivalent of at least 2 or 3 years worth of annual earnings. And it it is generally better to buy a business from someone who is retiring. That way, they are more likely to throw in more to sweeten the deal, and they will be less likely to be in competition with you.  (But getting the seller to sign a five-year non-compete agreement is always a good idea.)

It is often best to find a legitimate business brokerage firm, such as Lewis Business Alliance in Eastern Washington,  Arthur Berry in Idaho, or Yellowstone Business Acquisitions in Wyoming and Montana.

Please let me know if you hear of small businesses that come up for sale in the Redoubt region, and I will likely mention them in this column. Thanks, – JWR

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

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”. Cape Town isn’t the only major city suffering from a water shortage. Mexico City is now having problems. (Image copyright belongs to BuzzFeed)

Congressional Anti-Gun Bills Introduced–Time To Start Calling D.C.!

Figuratively dancing in the blood of 17 recent school shooting victims, the newspaper headlines are full of items like this one from D.C.: Seeing chance for momentum, Pat Toomey to reintroduce gun background check bill. That is just one of many. The article includes a huge lie, that the Toomey-Manchin bill “…would have expanded background checks to all firearm sales at gun shows and over the internet…”  In fact the bill would mandate background checks and transfers through Federally-licensed gun dealers for sales of all modern (post-1898) firearms in almost any venue. This would even include sales of USED firearms inside of State lines! That means that you couldn’t sell or even give a gun to a neighbor, a nephew, or a cousin. This would be a gross over-reach of Federal jurisdiction.  (Since, under the Commerce Clause, Federal jurisdiction is only over interstate commerce, not intrastate commerce.)

Please warn your representatives that any bill that would ban the manufacture gun parts that “accelerate” the legal semi-fire of a gun (such as bump stocks or binary triggers) would be a proverbial “slippery slope.”  This is because it would almost surely ban lighter trigger springs, target or “match” triggers, any change that creates faster lock times, shorter trigger throws, shorter/faster trigger resets, or even light bolt carriers! (Ironically, semi-auto dimensioned AR-15 bolt carriers are lighter–and faster to cycle–than M16 “full auto” bolt carriers. This is because they have less mass.)

Also, please remind your congressman and senators that raising the legal ownership age for long guns from 18 to 21, as has been proposed, is absurd. If they were to do that, then it would be logical for them also to revert the minimum voting age to 21, and make the age of sexual consent 21, and the minimum age for military service also 21.  If at age 18 someone is old enough to vote and to risk their life serving in the military, then they are old enough to exercise all of their 2nd Amendment rights.

Please contact your congrescritters, and insist that they put no new restrictions on guns. Instead, they should  overturn the Federal Gun-Free School Zones Act. (A bill introduced by Congressman Massie would do so.) That rollback of Federal law would free the States to set up programs to arm both teachers and school administrators.

This is the time, folks: Phone them, FAX them, e-mail them, and visit them if you can.  Please contact BOTH their local offices and their D.C. offices. Thanks!

Swiss Pikemen

Reader T.J. sent in this interesting video on the historical Swiss Pikemen: Swiss Pikemen: Greatest Soldiers of Medieval Europe

“The Swiss were always celebrated as some of the greatest warriors in the world. They gained great respect beginning with the ancient Roman army and especially from their foes in the Medieval period. The Swiss pike square formation became the model for the modern infantry regiment for nearly 200 years from the 14th to the 16th centuries.

“They were the most sought after mercenaries in Europe and some leaders wouldn’t take the battlefield without some in their ranks. Learn what tactics they used to successfully defend their homeland against all odds. Their legacy still lives to the present day as the Swiss Guard.”

Liberal Duplicity

Reader T.P. sent in this article from the New York Times that profiles a liberal AR-15 owner. He wants you to give up yours, but he’ll keep his. As is typical in the liberal/progressive mindset, they see no issue with having the ability for self-defense reserved for themselves. But you? They don’t trust you and want to use the full force of the government to violate your God-given rights and have you subjugated to an oppressive government. While an interesting read, you won’t really learn anything that you don’t already know about the liberal mindset here. Perhaps just confirmation of why you must fight for your rights.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Tragedy has been and will always be with us. Somewhere right now, evil people are planning evil things. All of us will do everything meaningful, everything we can do to prevent it, but each horrible act can’t become an axe for opportunists to cleave the very Bill of Rights that binds us. America must stop this predictable pattern of reaction. When an isolated terrible event occurs, our phones ring demanding that the NRA explain the inexplicable. Why us? Because their story needs a villain. … That is not our role in American society and we will not be forced to play it. … Now, if you disagree that’s your right, I respect that, but we will not relinquish it, or be silenced about it, or be told ‘do not come here, you are unwelcome in your own land.'” – Charlton Heston

Preparedness Notes for Monday – February 26, 2018

This day, February 26, is the birthday of Major-General Orde Charles Wingate (born, 1903, died 24 March 1944), an eccentric British Army officer who organized special military units in Palestine in the 1930s, and in Abyssinia, Sudan, and Burma during World War II. He is most famous for his creation of the Chindits, airborne deep-penetration troops trained to work behind enemy lines in the Far East campaigns against the Japanese during World War II.

Kershaw Shuffle DIY, by Pat Cascio

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Regular readers will know that, as a rule, I’m not a big fan of small folding knives, but the Kershaw Shuffle DIY little folder deserves a close look today.

Folding Knife

Quite honestly, a mid-size or larger folding knife can do more chores better than a smaller folder can, most of the time. There are times when a smaller folding knife is called for. This is especially true when it comes to detail work. I’m a real sucker for a dual-purpose folder that can handle jobs other than cutting things. That is true as long as the added tools are high quality tools, not junk.

The Shuffle Overview

The original Shuffle was so popular that Kershaw came out with the DIY in 2017. They did it up right, too. The new Shuffle DIY model features a thumbstud for easy opening, and it works, too. I’ve had a lot of smaller folders that just didn’t work with the thumbstud for some reason. I had to hold the knife just right in order to press on the thumbstud before I could get the blade opened. We also have a liner lock to keep the blade securely locked open. And, the 2.4-inch blade is wider than what most smaller folders have. The pocket clip is a single position, and I’ll explain why shortly.

Continue reading“Kershaw Shuffle DIY, by Pat Cascio”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

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Here are the latest 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 JWR. (SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor.) Today’s focus is on investing in antique musical instruments.

Precious Metals:

How Palladium’s Rally is Setting Platinum Up for a Comeback

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Next, at Seeking Alpha: Top Five Silver Stocks For 2018

Stocks:

I noticed that the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is now back above 25,000. But please, dear readers, do not be lulled into thinking that U.S. stocks are back in a primary bull market. The fact is that P/E ratios are still out of whack. Most publicly-traded stocks are still overvalued, and interest rates will increase in 2018. So a bear market awaits. If you want to continue to invest in stocks, fine. But just do so with both eyes open. I recommend that you take personal responsibility and engage in  two crucial steps for your protection: 1.) Hedge your portfolio with a 20% allocation in precious metals, particularly physical silver. And 2.) Set up automated stop loss orders for all or your individual shares, ETFs, and mutual funds. You will sleep better, if you do.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday – February 25, 2018

February 25th is the birthday of bluegrass music legend Ralph Stanley (1927 – 2016). His harmonizing and high tenor solos had an almost haunting sound to them.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today features another entry for Round 75 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. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value), and
  8. 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 transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  5. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  6. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  7. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

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, and
  6. 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).

Round 75 ends on March 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.

Surviving in an Urban Environment- Part 6, by J.M.

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We are wrapping up this article series on surviving a short or mid-length emergency while in an urban apartment or dorm. We’ve covered escaping the work place, water, food, skills, safety and security, and much more. Let’s get on with what else you need now.

Other Equipment and Supplies

There are a few other types of equipment and supplies that you should consider stocking as part of your urban preparations:

Medical Supplies

Stock up on medical supplies, such as bandages, gauze, medications, antibiotic ointments and antibiotics, along with books and training on how to use them. Note that medications will probably last a lot longer than the expiration date on the bottle indicates. There are a lot of good sources of information on medical preparations that can provide more detail. A common post-disaster issue will probably be diarrhea due to germs in the water and modified diets, so make sure to include a good supply of anti-diarrheal medications.

Continue reading“Surviving in an Urban Environment- Part 6, by J.M.”

Letter Re: Got Cramps? Hyperventilate!

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Hugh,

I read about this years ago, but it doesn’t seem to be common knowledge.

Cramps are caused by local oxygen deprivation in the affected muscles. Rapid, deep breathing gets rid of them quickly by restoring oxygen to the area.

Breathe as rapidly and as deeply as you can without becoming dizzy. If you catch the cramp just as it is beginning, you can usually stop it. If it’s already got a head start, it may take a minute.

At first nothing seems to be happening, then as the increased oxygen reaches the area, the cramp fades out and stops. – J.W.

HJL’s Response:

Low blood oxygen (hypoxia) is certainly one cause of cramps often experienced by those with asthma or other breathing conditions, but there are other causes too. For the most part, this is a quick method of fixing that particular type of cramp. You can do it yourself quickly without causing harm (except in rare cases – You already know if you are one of those rare cases). If it fixes the issue, you are good to go. If not, you haven’t lost anything and you can move on to the next level of treatment.

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”. More articles on “Gun Control” today.

Gun Confiscation Center in Seattle

Seattle has opened a “weapons retrieval” center specifically for the purpose of confiscating firearms. They can claim that they won’t come for your firearms all they want, but it is readily apparent what the goal is. Anyone can request that guns be taken away from a person that a judge deems to be a threat to others and now there is a unit that is specifically designed to do just that. Remember that all it takes for you to lose your right to bear arms is for some corrupt or left-leaning progressive/liberal judge to issue an order that you are dangerous and they will come for you. You are considered guilty until proven innocent under the “Extreme Risk Protection Order”. Thanks to D.S. for the link.

Mexican Gun Control

The left loves to blame Mexican gun violence on American Guns, but the reality is that Mexican law makes it very difficult for the average person to own a firearm. We’ve seen how creating “gun-free” zones here simply make them into “victim rich” zones and all of Mexico is basically a gun free zone. They don’t have a “Second Amendment” that stymies efforts to disarm the populace. Guess who has all the guns there. The Mexican army and the drug cartels/gangs. The average person is caught in a crossfire with no way to protect themselves without becoming a criminal. Last year alone, there were over 25,000 homicides placing the homicide rate at 20.5 per 100,000 inhabitants. Note that most believe this is a low-ball number. The Mexican government counts multiple murders in one location as one incident. The number is based on the number of investigations, not the number of those murdered. This is what the left wants for you. Thanks to H.L. for the link.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” – James 1:25 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday – February 24, 2018

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On February 24, 1840, former President John Quincy Adams began to argue the Amistad case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. A practicing lawyer, member of the House of Representatives, and son of America’s second president who was an avowed abolitionist. Though John Quincy Adams downplayed his abolitionist stance, he also viewed the practice as contrary to the nation’s core principles of freedom and equality. In the arguments, Adams attacked Van Buren’s abuse of executive power. In a dramatic moment, Adams faced the judges, pointed to a copy of the Declaration of Independence hanging on the courtroom wall, and said “[I know] no law, statute or constitution, no code, no treaty, except that law…which [is] forever before the eyes of your Honors.” Adams’ skillful arguments convinced the court to rule in favor of returning the Africans to their native country.

o o o

This 8-minute video is a “must watch” from The Patriot Nurse: The Beginning of Open War: Trump’s Tweet and CNN Townhall.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today features another entry for Round 75 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. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value), and
  8. 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 transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  5. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  6. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  7. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

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, and
  6. 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).

Round 75 ends on March 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.

Surviving in an Urban Environment- Part 5, by J.M.

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We are in the middle of reviewing ways to improve your security if you are caught in a short or mid-length emergency while in an urban apartment or dorm.

Safety and Security (continued)

Let’s continue with our list of ways to improve our security in case of an emergency.

Know Maintenance People

Get friendly with your apartment’s maintenance people. Tell them you have an interest in or are taking a class in civil engineering and want to know more about your building’s systems. They can show you all of the hidden nooks and crannies in your building, particularly if it’s an older one. I had a friend who accidentally busted a hole in the wall of his apartment in an older building and discovered an unused dumbwaiter shaft behind it, which would have made a great emergency escape. Make sure you know how to access the roof (including from inside the elevator shaft) and are able to bypass any locks that may prevent you from doing so. Another good source of information would be your local Building Commission. In most municipalities builders have to file a copy of the blueprints. If it’s an older building that’s been modified or rebuilt there may be multiple iterations of blueprints.

Continue reading“Surviving in an Urban Environment- Part 5, by J.M.”