Writing Contest Judging Results (Round 115)

We’ve completed the judging for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The judging for this round was very difficult since there were five very informative Hurricane Helene after-action reports and several excellent technical articles.

First Prize goes to Soyez Ferme, for Hurricane Milton After Action Review. See: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.  It was posted on October 23-24-25, 2024.

His prizes will include:

  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 Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize goes to A.F. for: Lessons From Hurricane Helene. See: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4. It was posted November 12-to-15, 2024

His prizes will include:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. 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).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. A transferable $150 FRN 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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize goes to St. Funogas for Just-In-Time Food Storage. See: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5. It was posted from October 29 to November 2, 2024.

His prizes will include:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. 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)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

Honorable Menton Prizes (transferable $100 FRN purchase credits toward the purchase of any antique or percussion replica gun from Elk Creek Company) go to the authors of the following 13 articles:

Note:  I will need USPS and UPS addresses from the Top Three prize winners. Thanks! – JWR

More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 116 is underway and 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.

An Important Time For Giving, by SaraSue

If anyone has funds to spare, I want to remind SurvivalBlog readers that the communities in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee are still suffering the devastation from Hurricane Helene.  Since our government failed these people, We The People have responded en masse to take care of them.  There are people still living in tents as the snow starts to fall.  Many many people have donated trailers, Buddy heaters, blankets, clothing, and food to help keep these families intact.

You may ask why those people are still living in those devastated areas.  Many have no other place, or the funds, to go somewhere else; many feel that if they leave their property, the government will come in and take it; if they ask for help, CPS will swoop in and take their children.  It is a very dire situation.  Many local organizations and churches are in the thick of it.  So many people have donated [tangible supplies] that they have run out of warehouse space. So now they are asking for only monetary donations so they can meet the very specific needs of each family and their children.  Thank you and may the Lord bless you and yours through this season.

This gentleman has kept us all updated on his YouTube channel: Deep River Farm.Continue reading“An Important Time For Giving, by SaraSue”

November, 2024 in Precious Metals, by Everett Millman

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover gold’s performance and silver’s performance and examine the factors that affected the metal prices.

WHAT DID GOLD AND SILVER DO IN NOVEMBER?

The inevitable finally happened: gold and silver had a down month.

Both metals traded slightly lower on November 1st, with silver dipping to $32.40 per troy ounce and gold holding above $2,730/oz. The following week began with modest gains until the wheels fell off on Wednesday, Nov. 6th: gold lost 3% to fall to $2,660/oz and silver shed $1.46 (-4.5%) to $31.16/oz. Despite rebounding on Thursday, Nov. 7th, those gains were swiftly erased the next day. The week spanning from Nov. 11th to Nov. 15th saw the precious metals post losses during five consecutive trading sessions.

Silver and gold managed to stage another rally the following week (Nov. 18th–Nov. 22nd), which lifted silver to $31.24/oz and gold to $2,709/oz. It was actually the best week for gold percentage-wise since October 2023. Yet on Monday, Nov. 25th both metals took another plunge. Gold slumped 3.3% lower to $2,626/oz—its worst single-day session in four years—while silver lost $1 to $30.29/oz.

Silver ended on a positive note, rising to $30.59/oz on the final trading day of the month to cut its losses to about 6% in November. Gold closed at $2,659/oz, roughly 3% lower on the month.Continue reading“November, 2024 in Precious Metals, by Everett Millman”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

An Important Safety Tip:
You Gents Aren’t Camouflaged Unless Your Gear is Camouflaged

A Useful Link: SurvivalBlog’s Editor-at-Large Mke Williamson suggested this post on X: Puzzle Piece Camouflage.  Mike says: “Should be even better since there are multiple random layers of interference.”

Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” –  Colossians 3:1-16 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — November 30, 2024

On November 30, 1902, Harvey “Kid Curry” Logan, the second-in-command of Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch gang was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment with hard labor.

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November 30, 1924: The first photo facsimile is transmitted across the Atlantic by radio. (London to New York City.)

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Satirical novelist Jonathan Swift was born on November 30th, 1667.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 115 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 Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. 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).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. A transferable $150 FRN 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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. 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)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 115 ends on November 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.

 

Growing Up in a Survivalist Family, by J.W.T.

Growing up, I attributed my father’s penchant for hoarding to having had a Depression-era childhood. We were comfortably middle-class in the 1960s—a three-bedroom, one-bathroom ranch house, a Ford in the driveway, and never hungry—but I heard stories of my parents’ lives in the 1920s and 1930s, especially on Thanksgivings, when my uncles drank too much and reminisced about the old days with my father. My mother still made her own clothes if she didn’t can fruits and vegetables as her mother had, and my father threw nothing out: his old Army camouflage duds, every used nut and bolt, and the many rifles both working and otherwise that he had inherited from his gunsmith father. The weapons were safely locked up down there in the cellar to keep me and my brother from playing with them, which we would have.Continue reading“Growing Up in a Survivalist Family, by J.W.T.”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both 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.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

This week I did some “puttering around” in our our shop. For example, I set up a 1960s-vintage Model 60 Stanley miter box with a 28″ backsaw that I had found after some patient searching on eBay. Unlike most folks who now gravitate toward buying a fancy power miter saw, I wanted to go “low-tech.”   I can make do with a traditional power table saw, a more mobile Skilsaw, several crosscut and rip hand saws, and a hand saw miter box. Yes, this is slower, but this combination of tools will allow me to continue work without AC power, if need be.

I packed and mailed several Elk Creek Company orders, and I kept busy cataloging several new items.

With some help from Lily, and Miss Violet, I also laid adhesive floor tile in our little guest cabin.

Now, Lily’s report…Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.

This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.

I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.

Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.

Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;

There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.

I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.

So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.

Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!

I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.

He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.” – Psalm 81 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — November 29, 2024

On November 29, 1847, Cayuse Indians killed missionaries Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, and 12 others at Waiilatpu Mission in Oregon Country — near present-day Walla Walla, Washington.

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On November 29, 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie‘s Jacobite army moved into Manchester and occupied Carlisle.

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We are running a Black Friday sale at Elk Creek Company. Until Monday, December 2nd, 2024, all of our shotguns and all of our percussion revolvers are greatly reduced. Take a look!

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 115 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 Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. 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).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. A transferable $150 FRN 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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. 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)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 115 ends on November 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.

 

Photovoltaic Power and Prepping – Part 4, by B.S.V.

(Continued from Part 3. This concludes the article.)

Question: Will I have power when the grid is down?
Question: Can I get net metering with a solar-only system, or do I need storage?

Battery size

With all the information above, you will be better situated to properly size your storage system. Just be aware that (unless you’re in a totally different socioeconomic class than I) you probably won’t get all the storage you want. I started off with the idea that I wanted to be three-days independent of the grid. When I found the cost of that, I scaled back. I couldn’t do it within my financial constraints. So I had to determine if it still made sense to go solar, or if another solution would be better for me. A whole-home generator would have allowed me to have the backup capability for less overall cost of equipment and installation. However, I would then have had the cost of that system as well as my usual electric bill, plus the upkeep, maintenance and associated fuel costs. For me, solar still made the most sense. However, it is important to step back from the excitement of ‘doing something’ to check whether your ‘doing the right thing’.Continue reading“Photovoltaic Power and Prepping – Part 4, by B.S.V.”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Today’s E&I column is a special “Black Friday” edition that highlights some items available on sale for Christmas or Hanukkah gifts, some items for prepping, and many that double as items for tangible investments. The classic investing rule of “buy low and sell high” is immutable. It also applies to tangible investments. Today is the best day of the year to buy many items. But of course, shop responsibly. Avoid debt!

Please shop with our banner advertisers first. If they don’t have what you are looking for, then see our Affiliates page.  Thanks, – JWR.

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Seed for Security, LLC is running its Retirement Sale. Mailed-in orders are no longer accepted but Internet orders will be accepted until close of business tomorrow — Saturday, November 30, 2024. After that, they are closing their doors for retirement, and I’ve been told that they don’t have plans to sell their business. So this is truly “last call!”

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Just until midnight tonight, Ready Made Resources (one of our long-time advertisers) is running a big sale on full mil-spec AN/PVS-14 night vision monoculars.  They have them at reduced prices, and every PVS-14 purchase comes with a free Light Interference Filter (a $200 value) and a free PVS-14 Compass (a $200 value).

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Palmetto State Armory (a long-time SurvivalBlog banner and affiliate advertiser) has some great specials this week. Here are some examples:

  • Toolcraft Logo Premium 5.56 Nickel Boron AR-15 Bolt Carrier Group with Carpenter 158 Bolt. To find that deal, paste this SKU in their search box: 5165449729
  • Vortex Strikefire II 4MOA Red/Green Dot and 10 Magpul Gen2 PMAG 30 rd. 5.56×45 Magazines for $179.90. To find that deal, paste this SKU in their search box: BUN-219
  • PSA Dagger Compact 9mm Pistol With Extreme Carry Cuts, Sniper Green for $259.99. (FFL required.) To find that deal, paste this SKU in their search box: DG01-51655129773
  • AGM 1.5-12x25mm Rattler Thermal Rifle Scope/Monocular for $1,199.99. To find that deal, paste this SKU in their search box: 516551637780
  • Palmetto State Armory Magpul MOE Lower Build Kit – OD Green, for $99.99. To find that deal, paste this SKU in their search box: 8896.
  • PSA AR-15 “Stealth” Stripped Lower Receiver and a PSA Dagger Compact Complete Polymer Frame, for $99.98. (FFL required.) To find that deal, paste this SKU in their search box: BUN-178

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Until December 1st, GunMag Warehouse is running some great specials.  One example is their sale on  Lancer L5 AR-15 .223 / 5.56 30-Round Advanced Warfighter Magazines for as low as $9.99 each. That is an unprecedented price for these premium-quality magazines. Note that some magazine colors have already sold out. To find those Lancer deals, paste this SKU in their search box: 999-000-2320-3

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Siege Stove & Belts is running a Black Friday Sale with their stoves on sale, and $30 off all their belt buckles with belts.

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Brownells has specials on MagPul magazines and gun parts, Streamlight weapons lights, Aero Precision AR parts, OEM Glock magazines, Geissele AR parts, mil-spec ammo cans, and much more.

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Optics Planet has dozens of Black Friday Specials.  And until midnight tonight, you may use the coupon code “PREFUN” to get an additional $40 off, for any order over $250, and you can get $75 off orders of $500+ with code “PREPARTY“.

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Berkey USA Filters is offering Free Shipping on all USA orders.

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Just for this week through Monday, December 2, 2024, Jonathan Rawles is offering his Prepared Property Buyer Course at a $90 discount. That is the deepest discount offered each year.

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NukAlert™ now offers free shipping on their patented personal radiation meters.

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Gainesville Coins — not one of our advertisers, but a kind monthly blog column contributor (provided to us free of charge with no strings attached) — has some great Black Friday specials.

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KeepShooting.com is offering free shipping on orders over $75.  Despite a recent rush of orders, they still have they still have some ThyroSafe Potassium Iodine Radiation Protection Tablets available.

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Natchez Shooting & Outdoors has announced Door Buster deals with savings of up to 70% starting on Black Friday and going through Monday.

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JASE Medical is offering $25 off their prescription drug supply kits if you use the discount code BLACKFRIDAY.  This special offer ends on Monday, December 2, 2024. Take a look!

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And, at the risk of sounding self-promotional, I’d like to mention that we are also running a Black Friday sale at Elk Creek Company. Just until Monday, December 2, 2024, all of our pre-1899 shotguns and all of our percussion revolvers are greatly reduced. No FFL is required for pre-1899 guns or percussion guns, and we can mail them to most states. Take a look!

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Lastly, here is a news story, to round out today’s column for those with some time on their hands and a sense of adventure: Bitcoin millionaire hides $2M in treasures across US — then leaves mysterious clues on how to find them.

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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 or 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. Thanks!

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. …We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. …In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons…who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind.” – Edward Bernays, Propaganda

 

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — November 28, 2024

Happy Thanksgiving! Please give prayers of thanks to God for his providential blessings upon our families and our nation.

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On November 28, 1895, America’s first auto race was run, organized by the Chicago Times-Herald. The course was from Chicago to Evanston and back. Six cars raced 55 miles. Frank Duryea won, averaging 7 MPH.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 115 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 Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. 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).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. A transferable $150 FRN 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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. 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)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 115 ends on November 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.

 

 

Photovoltaic Power and Prepping – Part 3, by B.S.V.

(Continued from Part 2.)

When it came to setting angles, my installer wanted to install at the U.S. default angle of 20 degrees. That angle serves the most people across the country in most situations. Now, I’m a taller-than average, bigger-than-average guy and wear extra-large gloves, so I know one-size does not fit all. You must consider what is best for you and your goals and not just what may be the rule of thumb. I happened to hear the guys talking about the angle after they had already set the poles in the ground. Like I said, I hadn’t even thought to consider this aspect of the install so I hadn’t thought to address it.

For me, I would have preferred that the panels be set at 28.1 degrees since that is my best year-round angle. However, the poles the guys set were not long enough to accommodate that angle, but I was able to get 25 degrees. That’s pretty much a happy middle between the rule of thumb and where I wanted to be, so I’m satisfied enough with it. In all actuality, if I hadn’t been out there when they were talking about it, I probably never would have known the difference. That’s why I’m giving you the heads-up.Continue reading“Photovoltaic Power and Prepping – Part 3, by B.S.V.”