Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — January 2, 2024

On January 2nd, 1492, Granada, home of the Alhambra palace and the seat and final stronghold of the Moorish kingdom in Spain, was surrendered to the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II and Isabella I, ending the Reconquest.

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On January 2, 1999, a major snowstorm struck the Midwest, leaving 14 inches of snow in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and 19 inches in Chicago, Illinois, where temperatures plunged to -13 °F (-25 °C); 68 deaths were reported.

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January 2nd, 1776 is the anniversary of the first revolutionary flag to be displayed.

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Also on this date in 1936, the first night vision electron tube was revealed in St. Louis, Missouri.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. But first, an  important reminder:

2024 Annual Appeal: The Ten Cent Challenge

I hope that you get at least 10 cents worth of knowledge, entertainment, and motivation each day from SurvivalBlog. It has been posted with fresh content daily, since 2005. In all these years I’ve only missed posting on a few days — most notably in the week after my first wife passed away.

I do my best to mention the Ten Cent Challenge editorially only once each year — and this post is it, for 2024.

Unlike PBS, we don’t run agonizingly endless pledge drives. But we do depend on voluntary subscriptions to pay the blog’s bills. These expenses include: paying our staff writers, the local ISP monthly bill, our web hosting server, domain registrations, news service subscriptions, payments for stock photos, phone bills, liability insurance, legal expenses (we were threatened with lawsuits three times by stock photography scam lawyers in 2023), maintaining our remote backup server, post office box rental, and providing a small portion of the writing contest prizes. With inflation, nearly all of our costs are escalating. But we still ask for only 10 cents per day. That is just $36.50, per year.

The PayPal Exodus

Back in September and October of 2022, there was an understandable mass exodus from PayPal. That cost us, because of subscription cancellations. About 30% of our subscriptions vanished, soon after PayPal’s censorious intentions were revealed publicly. I do not blame anyone for quitting PayPal. Our readers were fully justified in doing so. But losing those subscriptions hurt our cash flow quite badly. And, as I’m sure you recall, three years ago, we quit the Amazon.com Associates program. Previously, the Amazon commissions had covered most of our expenses.

I greatly appreciate the 2.5% of readers who do choose to subscribe. Subscriptions are entirely voluntary. If you’ve never subscribed before, then please become a subscriber. And if you are one of the many folks that quit PayPal and thus had your SurvivalBlog subscription lapse, then please “re-up”, through the following methods:

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If paying for your subscription via mail, then please use this address:

SurvivalBlog
P.O. Box 303
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And if you still have a PayPal account, our PayPal address is unchanged. It is: james@rawles.to

A New Contingency PlaN: SurvivalBlog Old School (S.O.S.)

I don’t need to remind you that we are living in perilous times. The Biden regime has gone to war against conservatives, libertarians, Christians, and homeschoolers. They have weaponized the FBI, DOJ, and ATF to harass and prosecute us.

As I mentioned in early December of 2023, we are developing the infrastructure to produce an “Old School” hardcopy mailed newsletter, starting in 2024. We plan to be ready to revert to distributing a paper newsletter that is sent out by traditional mail, for if and when SurvivalBlog is expunged from the Internet’s World Wide Web. (“Taken down.”) I’ve dubbed this contingency project: SurvivalBlog – Old School (S.O.S.)

For security, the only copies of the mailing list (with subscriber USPS addresses) will be kept on a pair of tiny Micro-SD cards, and both of those will be very well hidden.  We will also keep our burn barrel and plenty of diesel fuel handy, for the event that we ever need to do a “full burn” — including not only those Micro-SD cards, but also our hard drives.

We should have everything we need for the newsletter project on hand by the end of February. The S.O.S. Newsletter subscribers will most likely receive just ONE newsletter in March of each year, as confirmation that they are on the contingency mailing list. The snail mail envelopes that you receive will have your address on an adhesive label, with an identical label in the upper-left corner. If we get booted off of the Internet and must go “Old School”, then you will be mailed hardcopy S.O.S. Newsletter issues more often – probably 3 to 6 issues per year, as circumstances dictate.

If you want to be on the S.O.S. Newsletter contingency mailing list, then please add $50 to your annual subscription payment. If you send $86.50 or more and you make any mention of “Newsletter” “303” “SOS”, or “505” inside your payment envelope or on your check, then I will add your address to our Micro USB stick for the S.O.S. Newsletter mailing list. Thanks!

Other Ways To Help

You can also support the blog indirectly, by patronizing our loyal banner advertisers and our affiliate advertisers. By the way, if you operate a business that sells goods or services that would appeal to SurvivalBlog readers, then please consider becoming a SurvivalBlog advertiser, or donating prizes for our ongoing writing contest.

Note: If you are on a tight budget, then please support our publication only with prayer.

A Request for Bequests

And I have one other request: Please remember SurvivalBlog in your will. The next time that you update your will, please consider designating a modest dollar figure or a small percentage of your estate for your will’s executor to send to SurvivalBlog. I’m confident that those small bequests will keep the blog going, multi-generationally. You won’t live forever, and I won’t live forever. But I’m confident that one of my sons or a trusted friend will step up and continue to post SurvivalBlog uninterruptedly, with the same style, substance, and unswerving editorial focus.

May God grant that SurvivalBlog continues to be a beacon of truth!

With Many Thanks, and Wishing You God’s Blessings,

– Jim Rawles

SAR Lessons for Preppers, by H.F.K.

In this article, I will relate some key lessons for preppers that I have learned as a Search And Rescue (SAR) worker and volunteer.  I tell people that we live in a wonderful and fun place, as long as you never forget that the wilderness is always trying to kill you. They think I’m being funny. But s a member of both a county sheriff’s SAR Team and a Mountain Rescue Association-affiliated team, I can tell you that I am being completely serious.

Any prepper should approach life very similarly to how they would approach a backcountry hiking trip. The wild country doesn’t care about why you’re there, and it will kill a prepper as easily as it kills a newbie  recreator. Brendan Leonard wrote a great poem in 2021 called “The Avalanche Doesn’t Care”, which describes the complete indifference of the wintertime backcountry threat, but in terms of the indifference of nature, the poem’s lessons are applicable year-round.Continue reading“SAR Lessons for Preppers, by H.F.K.”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies of interest to preppers and survivalists that are located in the American Redoubt region. Today, we focus on the North Idaho Republicans group. (See the Idaho section.)

Idaho

The Idaho GOP’s recent changes, as reported by the liberal Idaho Statesman newspaper: Former GOP heads say party needs ‘course correction’ after divisive changes. JWR’s Comments: The truth is that a few disgruntled RINOs are tasting sour grapes, after being pushed out by genuine conservatives. In North Idaho, some RINOs have tried to raise funds to weasel themselves a new branch of the Republican Party, calling themselves “North Idaho Republicans”.  But that group was quickly and definitively censured by the GOP.  Don’t be fooled by their rhetoric and their feel-good website. They want to push the Republican party politics in Idaho back toward centrist and “bipartisan” acccomodation/capitulation to the liberal agenda. Beware! The “North Idaho Republicans” group is in alignment with the Liz Cheney school of Republican party politics.

o  o  o

The Government Is Attempting To Seize All Water Rights For All Bodies Of Water On American’s Property in Idaho.

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One real estate agent’s view, from North Idaho: Why You Won’t Be Able To Buy A House In 2024. (With some nationwide implications.) JWR’s Comment:  There will likely be some large swings in interest rates in the next few years. So avoid variable interest rate mortgages!

o  o  o

Hundreds of bald eagles featured on Lake Coeur d’Alene’s eagle watching cruises.

o  o  o

Get ready for the ultimate Scottish celebration in Idaho Falls.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.” –  Thomas Jefferson

Preparedness Notes for Monday — January 1, 2024

On January 1, 2002  the monetary unit of the European Union, the Euro, was introduced with the issuance of both currency and coins, and by March 2002 it was the sole legal tender of participating member states.

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A last-minute news update (posted 6:30 PM Pacific Time, Sunday, December 31, 2023): MAJOR X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: Earth-orbiting satellites have just detected a major X5-class solar flare. It is the strongest flare of Solar Cycle 25 (so far) and the most powerful eruption the sun has produced since the great storms of Sept. 2017. The underlying sunspot is a giant, and it is turning toward Earth with more flares in the offing. Follow this story @ Spaceweather.com. Perhaps it is time to throw most of your crucial electronics in Faraday cans?

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Today’s feature article is a review written by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.

Stihl MSE250C Corded Electric Chainsaw, by Thomas Christianson

The Bottom Line, Up Front

The Stihl MSE250C corded electric chainsaw is a rugged workhorse of a saw that is well suited for professional or for farm and ranch-level work. Although the unit that I own has an 18 inch bar and chain, I agree with Stihl’s recommendation that this saw is best suited for a 16 inch bar and chain. With a manufacturer-suggested retail price of $629.99 it is relatively expensive for a corded electric chainsaw, but it has the high quality and extreme durability that is worthy of its high price. If you are as hard on corded electric chainsaws as I am, then this may be the saw for you.

The Backstory

My wife, “Kari” and I were cleaning out the garage at my in-laws house about 14 years ago. Kari’s parents had recently moved into assisted living. Now we were emptying and cleaning the house so that it could be put on the market.

As we sorted through a variety of trash and treasures, I ran across a no-name-brand corded electric chainsaw. I thought it might come in handy, so I put it into our car to take home.Continue reading“Stihl MSE250C Corded Electric Chainsaw, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Crock Pot Venison Roast

The following recipe for Crock Pot Venison Roast is from SurvivalBlog reader Ray J.

Ingredients
  • 3 pounds venison roast, de-boned
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon garlic salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
  • 1 (10.75-ounce) can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
Directions
  1. Rise a deboned venison roast and place in a crock pot slow cooker.
  2. Cover with onion slices.
  3. Sprinkle with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce
  4. Add garlic salt and pepper, to suit your taste.
  5. Stir the onion soup mix and condensed soup together in a small bowl. Pour that mixture over the venison.
  6. Cover and cook on your crock pot’s “Low” setting, for six hours.

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Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long-term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at some economics and investing predictions for 2024.

Precious Metals:

The Silver Surge: Anticipating Big Moves in 2024 and 2025.

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Gold Is Going To Reach New ALL Time Highs! Will Silver Follow?

Economy & Finance:

From the biased Biden boosters at Fitch: World Growth to Fall Sharply in 2024 but US Recession Avoided.

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From The Motley Fool: This Widely Followed Metric Is Flirting With Danger. Does It Mean a Stock Market Crash Is Imminent in 2024?  An excerpt:

“Q1 2023-current: The S&P 500 Shiller P/E sat above 32 at the closing bell on Dec. 20.

All five previous instances with a Shiller P/E ratio north of 30 have eventually (keyword!) resulted in the S&P 500 losing at least 20% of its value, which is traditionally the line-in-the-sand definition for a bear market.”

o  o  o

J.P. Morgan: 2024 economic outlook: 10 considerations for the US economy.

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USN&WR: Will the Stock Market Crash in 2024? 7 Risk Factors.

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At Zero Hedge: IRS Rakes In Record $4.9 Trillion In Taxes From Americans Amid Enforcement Crackdown.

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Fortune: 2024 economy and stock market predictions: Expect subpar returns in a new ‘age of austerity’ says a top analyst at Research Affiliates.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — December 31, 2023

December 31, 1862, the U.S.S. Monitor sank, in a storm off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Just nine months earlier, the ship had been part of a revolution in naval warfare when the ironclad dueled to a standstill with the C.S.S. Virginia (Merrimack) off Hampton Roads, Virginia, in one of the most famous naval battles in American history—the first time two ironclads faced each other in a naval engagement.

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I just heard that sci-fi novelist David Drake passed away. Drake was best known as the author of the 10-book Hammer’s Slammers series. He will be greatly missed.

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Today’s feature article was written by SurvivalBlog’s Senior Editor, James Wesley, Rawles (JWR).

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We are seeking entries for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $850,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 110 ends on January 31st, 2024, 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.

Why We Should Dread a Second Civil War

Introductory Note: In a SurvivalBlog essay that I wrote back in January, 2019, I warned that there were signs that a Second Civil War might be brewing. I’d like to update and expand on that theme, in this essay.

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The recent release of the first trailer for the scheduled April 2024 release of the A24 Productions movie titled Civil War has prompted considerable conjecture. The film reportedly had a $75 million budget. Commentator Tim Pool posted his thoughts on it, and then followed up with a more in-depth panel discussion, and then another. Dozens of others have also chimed in, so YouTube is now replete with “Civil War Trailer Reaction” videos, from both right-wingers and left-wingers. Many conservatives are scratching their heads, doubting how Texas and California could ever team up, in a future civil war. It is too early to tell, but I suspect that the 2024 Civil War movie will be a liberal propaganda piece. The timing of its release right in the middle of the 2024 presidential primaries and caucuses makes it immediately suspect.

Speaking of elections, the times we are living in are definitely unusual. In a recent 4-3 decision, the Colorado Supreme Court stretched the definition of Section 3 the 14th Amendment to deny a place on the ballot for Donald Trump. Without due process. Without combatant status or a conviction. And without the opportunity to face his accusers. That decision was stayed pending a Supreme Court  appeal on Friday. But now Maine is attempting to do the same thing… This does not bode well.

If people feel genuinely disenfranchised, then they tend to start to feel combative. This has happened many times, all over the world. Ditto for times when people feel singled out for repression, or over-taxed, or censored, or under-represented. The recent steamroller of Wokeness has justifiably made a lot of people angry. If situations like these are forced on a populace for an extended time, then civil wars or guerilla wars often result.

Dread and Foreboding

I must emphasize that I absolutely dread the prospect of a Second Civil War. I recently read about some liberals who are itching to see a Second Civil War. Let me remind folks of some facts about America’s last little Tiff of Unpleasantness:

  • US Population in the 1860 Census:  31,443,321.
  • Estimated number of combatants killed 1861-1865:  618,200, with 360,200 Union deaths and 258,000 Confederate deaths. Those figures do not include civilian deaths.
  • US Population in the 2020 Census: 331,464,948. (A more than 10x increase.)
  • The projected proportional number of deaths in a Second Civil War: About 6.3 million.

Continue reading“Why We Should Dread a Second Civil War”

December 2023 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran

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 the factors that affected gold prices.

What Did Gold Do in December?

The big news for December was gold, setting two new record highs to make 2023 the best year for gold since 2020. The sharp rally that began in late November continued into December, setting new record intra-day and closing highs for gold on December 1st. February gold futures hit a new intra-day high of $2,095.70, closing at $2,089.70. Spot gold posted a new all-time intra-day high of $2,076.10 before closing at $2,071.00.

Things changed in a flash the next Monday. Spot gold gained another astounding $80 to $2,149 before noon. February gold mirrored this trajectory, advancing another $60 to $2,152, both substantially higher than Friday’s record close.

Suddenly, gold prices reversed sharply, forming a blow-off top. Prices had gone “too far, too fast.” Spot gold had gained $136 over the previous week by noon on the 4th, and futures had gained $140.

When the dollar spiked on safe-haven demand over the escalation of the Israeli-Hamas war, it was enough to snap the speculative sentiment driving gold prices. Gold’s exuberant rally had priced it out of being a safe haven compared to a weakened dollar.

Everyone stampeded to the exits to lock in the massive profits gained over the previous few days. By 2 pm, both spot gold and futures had lost $45. Spot gold closed $80 lower than the day’s new record intra-day high, and futures had lost $60 from its own high.

Gold futures lost $96 over seven sessions. Spot gold lost $92. The good news was that the pain was over, thanks to the Fed. The December FOMC policy meeting ended on the 13th, giving the markets a far better Christmas present than they could have expected. The “dot plot” of anonymous rate forecasts by Fed leaders showed that they expected three rate cuts next year, and FOUR in 2025.

All the markets went nuts, gold included. Spot gold jumped $47.70 to $2,027.20. Gold futures, which had closed for the day just prior to the Fed statement, caught up the next day, notching a gain of $47.60 to $2,044. Aside from three minor adjustments, the rally to the end of the year was on.

The cherry on top of the extraordinary gains for December was another set of all-time highs on the 27th. February gold futures settled at $2,093.10, and spot gold closed at $2077.40.Continue reading“December 2023 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

My Newsome Year’s Resolution:

Never Trust a Politician Who Cannot Define What a Woman Is, or Who Claims That Men Can Have Babies


News Links:

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.