What is Survival?- Part 1, by MuddyKid

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We are all interested in survival, and we read this site often to understand ways to survive. But, have we ever stopped to ask the question, what is survival?

A Complex Question

I think that is a complex question, because survival means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Survival always has different contexts or scenarios. For the purpose of this article, I want to challenge what the idea of survival is. I plan to do this through experiences and examples that I have personally participated in.

Legibility

I am beginning this with a framework of legibility. When I reference legibility, I am referring to the book Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition have Failed by James Scott. If you are interested in further understanding legibility, go check out that book. This book is not, nor should it be, considered the secret text that holds the answers. Rather, it is one of many concepts that may help in seeing a different perspective of the world. A gross and simple example of what legibility is, it is the way in which governments and state organizations define, support, and influence the way people organize and live. Legibility primarily focuses on how the job of state governance has a tendency to reduce and simplify processes so that their job of governing becomes easier and more organized.

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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 the impact of wolves in The American Redoubt. There are wolf article links in all sections.

Region-Wide

Radio Free Redoubt: 2018-07-07 Steve McLaughlin and Apex Wolf Issue

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From the gauche perspective of Northwest Public Broadcasting: Today’s Northwest Wolves Have Roots In Coastal Rainforests And Rocky Mountains

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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”. Assault Revolver?

Assault Revolver

This is the kind of article that SurvivalBlog normally doesn’t cover. It’s a sad story about a shootout between a bad guy and a cop where the bad guy is killed and the officer injured. There’s really nothing extraordinary here about the story. The cops show up in a crime ridden neighborhood, confront five individuals who just left a nightclub and the gunfight ensues almost immediately. So why does it bear mentioning? At the bottom of the article, CBS Los Angeles reports that in addition to the injuries to the perpetrator and the cop, five other people were taken in for questioning and an assault revolver with high-capacity magazines along with another revolver were recovered. Um, wait…assault revolver with high capacity magazines? What exactly is that? And they wonder why no one trusts anything they say. Thanks to J.C. for the link.

Chipped Tires

In the wake of the Firestone/Ford Explorer debacle, the US Congress passed the Transportation, Recall, Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act which mandated that car makers closely track tires from the 2004 model and succeeding years. As part of this act, manufacturers have been inserting small RF tags in tires, about the size of a grain of rice, into tires to track the inventory. Now, while I think it’s perfectly fine for a manufacturer to track their own inventory in their warehouse, once they sell the tire, you now own it and they lose the right to track it. However, this is the same technology that can be used to simply track where your car goes. Manufacturers aren’t even bothering to tell you that that chip exists in your tire. It’s an interesting Orwellian concept. Thanks to H.L. for the link.

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The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“Pace yourself in your reading. A little bit every day really adds up. If you read during sporadic reading jags, the fits and starts will not get you anywhere close to the amount of reading you will need to do. It is far better to walk a mile a day than to run five miles every other month. Make time for reading, and make a daily habit of it, even if it is a relatively small daily habit.” – Pastor Douglas Wilson

Preparedness Notes for Monday – July 16, 2018

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July 16th is the anniversary of the first successful atomic bomb test in Alamogordo, New Mexico in 1945. Plans for the creation of a uranium bomb by the Allies were established as early as 1939. In 1940 the federal government granted a total of $6,000 for research, but in early 1942, with the United States at war, the limits on spending were removed. The total cost was in excess of $2 billion. Germany was also feared to be working on a bomb as was Japan, though neither of those nations could bring the resources to bear in time before their defeat. With that, the nuclear age was born.

Kershaw “Method” Folder, by Pat Cascio

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Kershaw knives has been coming out with a lot of new folders lately. Many of these can be considered a Gentleman’s folder, and the new Method is one under review today.

A Gentleman’s Folding Knife

I’ve been called a lot of things in my life. On several occasions, I’ve even been called a Gentleman, believe it or not. However, that’s another story, or another chapter in my life. Under review this time around, is what I consider a Gentleman’s folding knife, one that you wouldn’t be embarrassed to pull out and clean your finger nails with at the office or use to open a well-sealed package of some type. Of course, they can accomplish other cutting chores as well.

Smaller Folding Knife

I’m just not a big fan of little knives, not that the Jens Anso-designed “Method” is a little knife. Instead, many people would consider it in the “just the right size” category. I don’t have any problem with this at all. There is no single knife that I’m aware of that can fulfill all my cutting needs. That’s why there are so many different sizes of knives and so many different designs. There is also that eye appeal. Some of us like a knife that is classy looking, while others of us want something that screams it’s a “take me out to the woods” sort of design and one that calls out to be used in self-defense or in a military application. So, I don’t have a real problem with smaller folding knives. I just have a preference, like everyone does.

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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 the global grain markets. (See the Commodities section.)

 

Precious and Industrial Metals:

To begin, there is this over at Gold-Eagle: Gold / Silver / Copper Prices – Weekly Outlook

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BASE METALS FORUM: US-China trade war a major cause for concern for market participants

 

Commodities:

From Reuters:  GRAINS-Soybean prices fall 1 percent as U.S.-China trade war escalates

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Trade Wars, Bearish U.S. Weather – Is There Any Hope For Grain Prices?   JWR’s Comments:   The global grain markets have both direct and indirect effects on survivalists who maintain deep larders. The price of our stored wheat is going up. Please consider that cattle producers and other large scale livestock owners often have a choice in what they feed their animals. This will undoubtedly lead to higher prices for grass hay, too. Buy your hay early, this year!

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The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Our freedom of choice in a competitive society rests on the fact that, if one person refuses to satisfy our wishes, we can turn to another. But if we face a monopolist we are at his absolute mercy. And an authority directing the whole economic system of the country would be the most powerful monopolist conceivable…it would have complete power to decide what we are to be given and on what terms. It would not only decide what commodities and services were to be available and in what quantities; it would be able to direct their distributions between persons to any degree it liked.”  – Friedrich A. Hayek, in The Road to Serfdom

Preparedness Notes for Sunday – July 15, 2018

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On July 15th, 1888, the Bandai Volcano erupted on the Japanese island of Honshu killing hundreds and burying many nearby villages in ash. While Honshu is in an area of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, this eruption was surprising. The volcano had erupted only four times in the 1,000 years prior and none had been particularly deadly. However, this eruption was different. The rumblings started just after 7 a.m. Within 30 minutes there was an explosion on the north side of the mountain and over the next two hours there were dozens of explosions giving villagers very little time to escape.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Ttoday features another entry for Round 77 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 Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 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 77 ends on July 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.

EMP And The Modern Computer-Controlled Car, by Oldgeezer

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There seem to be a million different opinions on what will happen to computer-controlled cars, trucks, and vehicles of all kinds after an EMP attack. Maybe my experience will help expand your knowledge base.

My First-Hand Knowledge

I have spent many an hour reading about EMP, watching numerous videos about its effect on civilization, and had some real doubts about some of the claims. While none of us have experienced a true EMP attack, I now have first-hand knowledge of what we may experience when/if an attack occurs.

In 2015, a highway patrol car in our state was struck by lightning multiple times during a severe thunderstorm. With six antennae on the car, it was a rolling lightening rod. The car is a 2013 Ford Police Interceptor Sedan with an Ecoboost twin turbo engine putting out over 365 horsepower. It has a six speed automatic transmission, all wheel drive, 98,000 miles, and is a muscle car under any interpretation. Think of a Ford Taurus SHO on steroids. I also found out that highway patrol and police cars are quite often hit by lightning and often just written off.

How I Ended Up With This Car

Let me tell you how I ended up with this car. The “why” is pretty easy to answer. We were able to purchase the car as surplus/salvage for a song– $2,000. We decided to see what would be necessary to get it back to 100% and if it was even possible. As a long time street car and race car builder (read: grease monkey), the chance of having a full throated muscle car for next to nothing was too much to resist. In addition, as a long time lurker on survivalist sites, the subject of EMP and cars has been of great interest and confusion.

The worst that would happen is that I would have to part out the car and would probably still make significant money. It was a case of “What the heck, let’s go for it”. My wife is very understanding of my whims. In addition, sometimes it is fun to just experiment for yourself!

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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”. Old, expired MREs are tested in this edition of Odds ‘n Sods.

Walmart Audio Surveillance

It would appear that Walmart is now following Amazon’s lead in Orwellian surveillance of it’s employees. Amazon is know to heavily monitor its workers in a bid to squeak out even the smallest improvements in worker efficiency, up to and including making them wear wrist bracelets to track their arm movements. With Walmart under immense pressure from Amazon, even they are getting in on the act. They have filed an audio surveillance patent for a system that will track conversations at the check out line. With the system able to understand conversations, they would now have the ability to ensure that employee’s are telling customers what they want them too as well as knowing if a cashier is spending too much time talking rather than checking. Thanks to G.G. for the link.

YouTube

According to this article sent in by DSV, YouTube will now decide for you what is and isn’t authoritative news. As the author so aptly puts it: “The days of YouTube are over and the time of ThemTube is upon us.” This is clearly an assault on alternative media as the mainstream media outlets are no longer getting the views they used too. Let’s face it, no one trusts them anymore. Even if alternative media has a habit of publishing the most outlandish conspiracy theories ever invented, people would rather sort through that data themselves and make the call on what is and isn’t news. They are tired of having the narrative handed to them.

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The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” – James 4:1-4 (KJV)

Surviving the Age of Disinfomation

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Dezinformatsiya

I’ll begin this brief essay by defining a term: Disinformation is the deliberate spread of information that is known to be false or biased, in order to achieve a military, political, or social goal. The term was coined by Soviet planners, during the Cold War era. They dubbed it “Dezinformatsiya“. It has both military and geopolitical objectives. It includes strategic and tactical subsets that include propaganda, camouflage (“maskirovka“), contrived “news”, and political indoctrination. More than simply spreading false news of troop movements, dezinformatsiya is a grand strategy that encompasses all aspects of media manipulation and deception to reach a desired end.

I believe that Western world is now full in the throes of The Age of Disinfomation.

Disinformation is now often labelled “fake news”, but I dislike that vague, fuzzy term. Even the term itself has been politicized, so it is best to avoid it. I believe that the term disinformation is a better choice. It is more pointed, and less likely to be misinterpreted or turned into a smear.

The term disinformation should not be used interchangeably with misinformation. The latter is simply false or mistaken data–rather than an orchestrated plan to deceive or manipulate public perceptions.

Political Disinformation

The American mass media is now overtly biased and handing out disinformation on a grand scale. Leftists began infiltrating academia more than a century ago. One of their key goals was influencing those planning careers in journalism. I saw this first hand, as a journalism major at a university in California in the early 1980s. Any student who spoke up for conservative ideals was immediately pounced on by the School of Journalism faculty. And most of the students would usually pile on, in a harmony that would make Chairman Mao proud. Even back then, the leftist diatribes in lectures and classroom “discussions” (indoctrination sessions) were pronounced and sustained. I can only imagine what things are like in journalism schools today–in the era of Social Justice Warriors, Safe Spaces, and Trigger Warnings.

Up until the 1990s, the mass media’s leftist bias was fairly subtle. But now the newscasters of all ABC, CBS, NBC,  CNN, and MS-MBC all overtly seem to sound much like the commentators on NPR. (What I jokingly call National Pravda Radio.)  Even the journalists at the “fair and balanced” Fox News lapse into left wing rhetoric when they talk about issues like “fairness” and “separation of church and state.”  Though some of this is sure unintentional, it is nonetheless noticeable.

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