Recipe of the Week: Leftovers Shepard’s Pie, by G.B.

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Traditionally, this recipe is made with mashed potatoes and ground beef, but we like our Sunday Pot Roast. We almost always make this meal with the leftovers from that meal and will often make a much larger pot roast than needed, just to have enough to make this dish the following day.

Ingredients:

  • Roast beef – cooked, trimmed of fat, and shredded.
  • Baked potatoes, sliced about 1/2” thick
  • Carrots, cubed about 1/2”
  • Peas and/or Green Beans. If using green beans, cut about 1/2” long.
  • Any other savory leftover from that Pot Roast that you want.
  • Sliced Swiss Cheese
  • Ground Pepper

Continue reading“Recipe of the Week: Leftovers Shepard’s Pie, by G.B.”

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 JWR. (SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor.) Today’s focus is on full capacity magazines. (See the Tangibles Investing section.)

 

Precious Metals:

Bank of England’s refusal to return Venezuela’s gold sets a worrying precedent

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Does China Have Enough Gold To Move Toward Hard Currency?

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Commerzbank: Palladium Creeps Closer to Gold Price

 

Economy & Finance:

Graham Summers: The Time to Prepare For the Next Financial Crisis is NOW

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Household debt hit a record high of $13.5 trillion last quarter. Here is a quote: “Total household debt is now $837 billion higher than its previous peak, which was in 2008 before the recession.”

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At Zero Hedge: Foreigners Dump US Treasuries As They Liquidate A Record Amount Of US Stocks

 

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday – November 18, 2018

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On this day in 1978, Peoples Temple founder Jim Jones led hundreds of his followers in a mass murder-suicide at their agricultural commune in a remote part of the South American nation of Guyana. This incredibly tragic occurrence introduce the term “…drink the Kool-Aid” into our parlance, since poison-laced punch was the vehicle behind most of the deaths. This serves as a stark warning and reminder to those in the prepping/survivalist community who would join with like-minded friends under the leadership of a charismatic leader. Always know who you are following!

Guest Post: Asymmetrical Warfare and 4GW: How Militia Groups are America’s Domestic Viet Cong- Part 2

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This article first appeared on the Ammo.com web site.  It is re-posted with permission. If you’re looking for great prices on good ammo, you need to check their site out!

Is 4GW Coming to the Developed World?

Is fourth-generational warfare coming to the developed world? Quite possibly, especially when you consider the spectre of failed states in the West.

Many Western states are not quite as stable as they are made out to be. Sweden and France in particular have extensive problems with No Go Zones. Other parts of Europe want to secede, such as Catalonia in Spain, and are being violently suppressed from doing so.

Elsewhere around the world, previously first-world countries like South Africa are deteriorating in the span of a generation due to government mismanagement. The United States, for its part, is in what some have described as a “Cold Civil War,” with many futurists agreeing that the potential for outward civil war is greater than you’d like to think.

How might such a 4GW scenario play out in the West? There are two potential scenarios, one for Europe and one for the United States. Each of these is worth considering.

Continue reading“Guest Post: Asymmetrical Warfare and 4GW: How Militia Groups are America’s Domestic Viet Cong- Part 2”

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”. The U.S. – Canadian Border may now present a danger to the U.S. due to Canada’s political actions.

Solar Minimum

As we enter into what may be one of the lowest solar minimums of the space age, there is yet another problem that crops up. According to this article sent in by reader R.T., there is an atmospheric cooling that takes place during solar minimums. As the atmosphere loses heat it literally shrinks, decreasing it’s radius. This shrinkage decreases the aerodynamic drag on satellites in low-earth orbit which is good for their lifetimes. Sadly, it also delays the decay of space junk, resulting in more clutter in orbit. This, in turn, can be really bad for low-earth orbit satellites and things like the international space station.

The Nomadic Lifestyle

From reader DDD:

With the discussion of Nomadism yesterday your readers might enjoy this series on YouTube. It’s the one I like the best because her videos are done so professionally. Not boring! And if the cost of living where one lives is becoming burdensome, RVing may be a viable alternative because it can be done so cheap. She explains everything eventually. But the above will give you an immediate clue as to whether you want to stay around and listen. For many, limiting the financial burden in life has been the impetus toward the lifestyle. Many have stayed. I’m in the research stage of my journey.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” – John 1:45-47 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday – November 17, 2018

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On this day in 1777, the Articles of Confederation were submitted to the states for ratification. They differed from the Constitution in that they emphasized the primacy of the states. This brings to mind the dangers of convening a Constitutional Convention, because the last time this happened the Articles of Confederation were thrown out and totally replaced by the Constitution. Do you honestly believe that our politicians today could craft a document that so thoroughly protects the rights of the individual as they did then?

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SurvivalBlog has heard the feedback from our readers about our new Classified Ads section. While the ads are doing well and things are getting sold regularly, we are changing things to encourge more participation. You can now list your items for free (without pictures). Meanwhile, the price of the full feature ads (with pictures) have dropped to only $4. There is also an option for additional pictures if you need more to illustrate the items you are selling.

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With Black Friday coming up, be sure to visit our regular advertisers (in the right column and also the text ads between articles.) If you can’t find what you need from them, then you can also check out our new Affiliates page. If you click on one of those links and place and order, then SurvivalBlog will get a small commission, which will help us keep the lights on.

Guest Post: Asymmetrical Warfare and 4GW: How Militia Groups are America’s Domestic Viet Cong- Part 1

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This article first appeared on the Ammo.com web site.  It is re-posted with permission. If you’re looking for great prices on good ammo, you need to check their site out!

“It is interesting to hear certain kinds of people insist that the citizen cannot fight the government. This would have been news to the men of Lexington and Concord, as well as the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan. The citizen most certainly can fight the government, and usually wins when he tries. Organized national armies are useful primarily for fighting against other organized national armies. When they try to fight against the people, they find themselves at a very serious disadvantage. If you will just look around at the state of the world today, you will see that the guerillero has the upper hand. Irregulars usually defeat regulars, providing they have the will. Such fighting is horrible to contemplate, but will continue to dominate brute strength.”

Col. Jeff Cooper

When one discusses the real reason for the Second Amendment – the right of citizens to defend themselves against a potentially tyrannical government – inevitably someone points out the stark difference in firepower between a guerilla uprising in the United States and the United States government itself.

This is not a trivial observation. The U.S. government spends more on the military than the governments of China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, India, France, United Kingdom, and Japan combined. Plus, the potential of a tyrannical government is arguably upon us – with the federal government spying on its own citizens, militarizing local police departments with equipment and tactics from the War on Terror, and repeatedly searching Americans, which desensitizes them to this invasive process.

Continue reading“Guest Post: Asymmetrical Warfare and 4GW: How Militia Groups are America’s Domestic Viet Cong- Part 1”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

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To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make long-term and short-term plans. Steadily, we work on meeting our prepping goals. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities. They also often share their planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, property improvements, 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 the Comments. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

JWR

Dear SurvivalBlog Readers:

Turkey slaying season is in full swing (pardon the pun), here at the Rawles Ranch. Some of the dozen Toms and Hens that we raised this year are for our own consumption, but most are being given as Thanksgiving gifts to neighbors and friends. (Before then, they will already be gutted, plucked, cleaned, and chilled.) There is nothing quite like butchering a turkey outdoors on a sunny but very cold day. Recently it has been so cold that I can’t wait to have a turkey stop flapping. Then I can empty its lower abdomen into the gut bucket and then have the opportunity to plunge my hands into the chest cavity, to warm them. Yes, it has been that cold.  As the fictional Han Solo famously said: “This is gonna smell bad, kid, but it’ll keep you warm…”

Avalanche Lily Reports:

Ewwwww, Jim!  Did you have to write that?

Yes, we had a second round of butchering this week.  It was more peaceful, because we were a bit more prepared physically (more organized with equipment and familiar with the plan of steps for  butchering and cleaning of the birds) and emotionally ready for it.  Remember: When you haven’t butchered something for almost a whole year, you have to give your brain and muscle memory a kickstart. We have now reestablished the routine which makes it easier.  We will be doing in a couple of more batches of birds during this coming week.  We believe in the division of labor for many jobs.  In this case, Jim, does the killing, main gutting, plucking, or skinning, and brings them to the house.  Here, at the kitchen sink, I finish gutting out the lungs, kidneys, extra fat, skin flaps and wash the bird thoroughly.  I then either bag it for whole chickens/turkeys or cut up the birds, for legs, breasts, and wings.  We usually freeze our meat. If we chop up the birds, the left over carcasses get turned into chicken broth.  I boil them down for two to three days with a little bit of apple cider vinegar.  I then strain the broth and freeze it.

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

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”. There is a newcomer in the tactical tourniquet market that shows some real promise today.

Awesome Company to Work For

Reader R.S. sent in this article about a Wisconsin family owned business that sounds pretty great to work for. The company produces wiskey, beer and shot glasses with a decorative bullet embedded in them. During a company meeting last month, the company announced that they wanted to give their employees a gift that they could use for personal protection. They decided to give $500 towards the purchase of any firearm that the employee wanted. All 16 of the staff were allowed to pick out any firearm at any local gun shop. If you spent less than $500, you could use the remaining money for any firearm accessories. The staff is a mixture of veterans, experience gun owners and first-time gun buyers. Now that’s a great company!

Tactical Tourniquet

I typically carry a CAT tourniquet in my kit as they have always been one of the best. As an EMT though, I learned that you have to be careful when buying these as the airsoft industry has created cheap look-alikes that will typically break when used. When your bleeding out is not the time to find out that your tourniquet isn’t a real one. Anyways, one of my complaints of the CAT tourniquet is how difficult it can be to put on one-handed. Not being a combat veteran, I’ve never had to use one this way, but I’ve always practiced the skill. It is difficult to teach that to someone who won’t practice regularly though. Now, reader G.P. sent in this article profiling a new tourniquet that promises to be just as effective and much easier to use one-handed. I’m definitely going to get a couple of these to try out.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.” – Genesis 28:10-15 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday – November 16, 2018

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November 16th is the birthday of Michael D. Echanis (born 1950, died September, 1978), a former United States Army Special Forces and 75th Ranger Battalion enlisted man. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star with “V” device as a LRRP in the Vietnam War. He was born and raised in eastern Oregon. Echanis was killed while working for the CIA in Nicaragua in 1978 in a plane crash along with his colleague Charles Sanders and members of the Nicaraguan armed forces. There was conjecture that the plane was destroyed in flight by a saboteur’s bomb. JWR’s novel Survivors includes a minor character from Oregon with the surname Echanis, as a small homage to Mike Echanis.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today features another entry for Round 79 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. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, 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).

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 79 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.

Making The Hard Decisions Somewhat Easier- Part 3, by Old Bobbert

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We are in the midst of the third example in our consideration of making hard decisions whether to go or not go in a crisis situation. I am using scenarios to illustrate the decision processes.

Scenario #3: Small Town, Patriotic Family (continued)

This time we are looking at a small town, patriotic family that works together to run an Internet-based business from home. Let’s get to know them and their circumstances in this scenario better.

Work and Finances

The sons were taught by example to work hard and to be a deliberate saver first and only then to be a spender. Henry, the father, worked diligently at being aware of the ever-changing twists and turnings of the financial markets as a regular part of his work. Those efforts to stay aware of market trends for the book re-sale business also created an important point of knowledge concerning alertness toward national and area potential SHTF situations. Being preparedness minded was a daily condition through the entire family.

The Community

When Chicago followed New York and Washington into the sudden power outage darkness, Henry and Mom became very concerned. Their little (imaginary) town of Masonville, Utah was considered to be top level, semi-rural good living. The community college was basically a solidly conservative bastion of so-called over-achievers who were mostly believers in strong moral values with a strong dash of country style, common sense, and good ethics to boot.

The college student community was a growing good source of quality used books to buy for resale, and of students who needed his good quality used books. Most of their neighbors had been raised to put up stores and things for future usage.  They spoke the “be prepared” language  to children and to one another.

Sincere preparedness and charity to the needy was generally a community way of life. Being a college town made the national news a regular conversation topic, especially when the terrorists were thought to be responsible for the current power grid shutdowns.

Continue reading“Making The Hard Decisions Somewhat Easier- Part 3, by Old Bobbert”

Letter: Surviving California’s Fires

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Hugh,

I live in a house that has a commanding view of a very large canyon in Southern California. Last Thursday night at 11:20 p.m., I received a mandatory evacuation order on my cell phone and on my TV. I could see the sky lit brightly to the east of the canyon, but I judged the fire to be approaching slowly enough that I had time to gather things. I turned on my sprinkler system and tried to give my property a good soaking so as to increase the chances of avoiding destruction.

It was a “hybrid bug out.” I didn’t have to run for the car or pickup in order to evacuate with only a bug out bag, and I didn’t have a day or more to load up a trailer. I used what time I had to gather personal items, such as photographs, mementos, and important documents. I tried to select items that could not be replaced, or which were not going to be covered by insurance.

I found myself suffering from “decisional fatigue,” that is, there were just so many choices to be made that I simply stopped making them. I realized later that I should have and could have taken many more items than I did.

The Santa Ana winds were howling and were driving cinders and embers everywhere. Gusts of up to 60 mph were reported by the media. I had the feeling that I was part of “The Last Days of Pompeii.”

Continue reading“Letter: Surviving California’s Fires”