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”. Smart radar tech is making the scene again. We’ve covered this before in the early stages of it’s development, but it is now nearly ready for production.

Busting the Bugout Myth

If you don’t have a destination or a plan, bugging out merely makes you a refugee. This article, sent in by reader T.J., walks through the many dangers that we face in our complacency. We all too often fall into the trap of thinking that the equipment that we buy will keep us alive. The equipment is nice, but it’s the knowledge of how to use the equipment that is most important. SurvivalBlog has long been a proponent of moving to and living on your bugout location. Your equipment is only an aid. I was reminded of that this last week when the storm that passed through nearly removed my entire garden. Survival is more than just planning to move to some vague location. You are far better off planning to survive where you live. If you can’t do that, you really need to reconsider your location.

Learning from the Gulag

I’ve seen this before, but it bears repeating. Varlam Shalamov was imprisoned in the Gulags for 15 years. He endured six of those years enslaved in the gold mines of Kolyma, one of the coldest and hostile places on earth. In one of his fragmentary writings, he lists 45 things he learned in the Gulag. Most of his learnings show how he learned to live on hate and indifference, yet he admits that those that survived with the most humanity were not the military or party workers, but those who clung to their religious beliefs. The hard, cold existence of the Gulag distills a person down to the very core of who they were. It is hard and painful to read, but it is worth knowing how people will react in these difficult situations and what to expect.

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Preparedness Notes for Monday – July 09, 2018

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July 9th, 1938 was the birthday of Brian Dennehy. He is most often remembered for his role as the alien leader in Coccoon, but he was cast in many other movies and in hundreds of television shows.

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Writing Contest: $608,000 and Counting!

I want to remind folks that summer is the ideal time for readers to write 1,500+ word nonfiction articles for SurvivalBlog, and send them in for our bi-monthly writing contest.  Since the contest began in in 2005, we have distributed more than $608,000 worth of merchandise to the winners of the First, Second, and Third Prize winners!  These were all courtesy of the generous prize donors.  (Please patronize their businesses, and mention SurvivalBlog, when you do.)  I should also mention that the Honorable Mention prize winners have received $13,860 worth of Amazon.com gift certificates, that I personally sponsored. You too can win some great prizes–nearly $11,000 worth, once every two months. So please get busy writing. 

Oh, and by the way, anyone who was awarded any of the top three prizes gets their prize-winning eligibility back, one year after publication of their prize-winning article. – JWR

CRKT/Ruger – RTD, by Pat Cascio

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Two iconic companies– Ruger Firearms www.ruger.com and Columbia River Knife & Tool www.crkt.com– come together to produce some outstanding knives at very affordable prices. We’re checking out the collaboration between these two companies in the form of the RTD (Ruger Take Down) folder.

A Huge Fan of Ruger Firearms and CRKT Knives

Anyone who has followed my writings for the past 25 or 26 years in the knife and firearms industry will no doubt know that I’m a huge fan of Ruger firearms and CRKT knives. Truth be told, I have probably written more words/articles than any other writer on products from both of these companies. I love a great deal, and I love companies that produce “Blue Collar” products, meaning for the working stiff. These are affordable products that are extremely well-made and priced oh-so-right as well.

Began My Writing Career With Ruger and CRKT

The very first gun company to send me a gun sample, when I began my writing career, was Ruger. It was Bill Ruger, himself who made sure I got some firearms to write about, thanks in no small part to the late Col. Rex Applegate making a call on my behalf. I worked for Applegate back then, and he and Bill Ruger were the best of friends. At about the same time, CRKT was an up and coming small knife company, and they readily supplied me with their then new Apache folder. I’ve been writing about their products ever since. Disclaimer: CRKT produces my OC3 double-edge fixed blade fighting knife design– a collaboration between myself and custom knife maker, Brian Wagner.

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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 nascent Trade War.

Precious Metals:

Todd Horwitz: Can Gold Rally Continue?

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Next, over at Silver Phoenix: Is This The Most Hawkish Fed Ever?

 

Forex and Cryptos:

Reader H.L. spotted this: Looming Dollar Shortage Getting Worse As Emerging Markets Implode

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Bitcoin Daily Chart Alert – Bullish Chart Pattern Emerges

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The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“It’s your call, no one will ring a bell and make an announcement. If you’re told anything you’ll be told to ‘remain calm and carry on, order is being restored’. People want to believe it so they will believe it, and there’s your opportunity. First out is best out.

Cities are supported entirely from the outside: food, fuel, electricity, water—everything. All will stutter maddeningly, then wink out to nothing. Officialdom wants to keep you from the only reasonable reaction: panic, so events will always be a step or two ahead of your awareness.

Have a ‘stop loss’ decision point and don’t second guess it, the window will close fast. The surest way to survive a catastrophe is to be elsewhere. This is why you, and the one percenters, have a Beta Plan, meaning a remote, defendable, four-season bugout destination with supplies stacked high and deep.” – Ol’ Remus in his Yer Ol’ Woodpile Report blog

Guest Post: The Meaning Of Good And Evil In Perilous Times, by Brandon Smith

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Perhaps the most destructive idea ever planted in the minds of the general public is the notion that nothing in this world is permanent — that all things can and must be constantly changed to suit our whims. The concept of impermanence fuels what I call “blank slate propaganda”. The usefulness of the blank slate as a weapon for social control should be explained before we examine the nature of good and evil, because these days it infects everything.

Recycled and Repackaged Old Ideas Notorious For Failure

The push for never ending social “evolution” has been called many things over the decades. In the early 1900s in Europe, it was called “futurism”, an art and philosophical movement that helped spawn the rise of communism and fascism in politics. The argument that all old ideas and longstanding traditions should be abandoned to make way for new ideas, new technologies, news systems etc., assumes that the supposedly new ways of doing things are superior to the old ways of doing things. Things are rarely this simple, and in most cases the new methods so proudly championed by movements for social change are usually recycled and repackaged old ideas that are notorious for failure.

Blank Slate Theory

The blank slate theory is designed to confuse people with self-doubt and to misrepresent the constructs of nature as constructs of society. It most effectively disrupts people’s relationship to their own moral compass by suggesting that moral compass should be completely ignored as artificial. The argument by blank slate proponents is that all boundaries are created by society instead of by inborn conscience, and that these boundaries often hold us back from achieving our goals, bettering ourselves as a species and generally getting what we want out of life.

But the things we want are not always the things we need, and this is something that movements for social change often refuse to grasp. If we are all blank slates and if morality and the human soul are myths, why not do whatever the hell we want, whenever we want and live life as if it is one big Roman orgy of feasting, self-medicating and overall addiction to sensation?

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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:

This week we hope you had a wonderful celebration of Independence day.  We did some traveling to visit with friends in another state to celebrate Independence Day. We also took some other shorter road trips for shopping and other errands. This mostly kept us away from the ranch so we didn’t  accomplish much more than our regular chores.

We took delivery on several truckloads of 3/4″-minus gravel, to keep our driveway and parking area comfortably driveable.

Avalanche Lily Reports:

Yes, this week, Sunday and Monday, I weed-whacked the garden paths, did more weeding in the main garden, and spent much time in the kitchen preparing food, reorganizing the dish cupboards, refilling spice jars, cleaning the refrigerator and such.  I also cleaned the chicken coop.  The rest of the week was spent traveling, visiting friends and celebrating our Independence. I hope we can keep it for many more years. Pray!

Many Blessings, – Jim Rawles and Avalanche Lily, Rawles

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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”.

A Radical Declaration

Two hundred and forty two years ago our founding fathers signed a radical declaration that was basically a death sentence for them and their families. The founders created and signed the Declaration of Independence. This document didn’t really start the war of independence as it had already been going on for almost a year, nor did it declare anything new. Instead, it merely formalized what these men along with many others believed in their hearts.

They knew that if they lost the war and/or were captured by the British, it was almost certain death for them. But they were proud of their country. In this video sent in by reader T.J., Reid Henrichs shows that this document is just as valid today as it was then. The ideas that our fathers stood up for are just as meaningful today despite many who claim that they are not proud to be an American.

8 OTC Items

Reader DSV sent in this article of eight fairly inexpensive items that you can get over-the-counter that could potentially save your life during an SHTF situation. While the author is not a doctor, she is a mom that has used many of these items to deal with small emergencies in her family. Items covered include activated charcoal, Epsom salts, alcohol and others. I don’t necessarily agree with everything on her list, but most items can have a far reaching effect when needed. How about you? What items do you recommend that can be purchased at your local grocery store or pharmacy?

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The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: and when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; and said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.” – John 2:13-17 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday – July 07, 2018

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July 7th, 1907 was the birthday of Robert A. Heinlein.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today 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.

Maintaining Mental Health in the Face of Crisis: Dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress, by M.G., MSN, RN

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Many of us have considered how we would provide for our family’s physical needs, including medical care, during a prolonged crisis. Indeed, it would seem foolish to be unprepared for trauma related to accidents, violence, fire, et cetera, when professional medical care might not be available for weeks, months, or more. What most of us don’t think about is the effect that a long-term crisis and/or exposure to traumatic events could have on our mental health. Next to food, shelter, and security, this may seem to be a low-priority concern, but depression and anxiety related to traumatic events can have lasting and highly detrimental effects, ranging from loss of productivity to violence and suicide.

Anxiety Disorders

We may feel that we are tough and hardened to the rigors of even the worst scenarios we can imagine. Many soldiers have felt the same way before entering combat and yet still developed anxiety, depression, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Anxiety disorders, such as PTSD, are common in those who face extreme mental stress, as they are related to increased activation in the fear center of the brain.

Not Mental Weakness But How Brains Deal With Intense Fear and Prolonged Stress

These disorders are not a sign of mental weakness but simply the result of how our brains deal with intense fear and prolonged high levels of stress. Typical signs to look for are hyper-vigilance (jumpiness, loss of sleep, increased hostility), intrusive thoughts (inability to stop thinking about traumatic experiences), and recurring nightmares. Along with emotional detachment and depression, these signs are the hallmarks of PTSD. If left untreated, these symptoms can lead to suicidal thoughts and actions, and increase the risk for violent and abusive behaviors towards others.

Continue reading“Maintaining Mental Health in the Face of Crisis: Dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress, by M.G., MSN, RN”

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”.

Free Speech

the Federal Election Commission recently held two days of hearings on proposed Internet regulations. At issues is the supposed Russian interference in the U.S. election that supposedly cost Hillary the election. The whole process is being driven by democrats who just can’t seem to come to terms with the fact that Hillary was an immensely unpopular candidate. The claim is that Russia bought advertising on Facebook that swung the election in favor of Trump. Of course when you look at the actual data, they only spent about $10,000 on 3500 Facebook ads and only about 100 of those were actually political in nature. If you actually look at those, you’d laugh your head off thinking that anyone could be swayed by such childish ads. I guess facts just don’t matter when it comes to Hillary or Trump in the Democrats minds. Thanks to P.S. for the link.

Survival of the Rich

Reader S.B. sent in this article on how the rich are preparing for survival. This is a personal account of a speaker who was paid a relatively ridiculous fee to advise a group on how to prepare for the coming crises. the speaker expected to stand in front of a largish group, but it turned out to be just a few rich men asking their own questions. their greatest concern was how to hire people to protect their “stuff” and not have those people turn on them. Interestingly enough, it would appear that not one of the participants in this meeting could understand the concept of treating others fairly to generate loyalty. It was all about force. I guess they are just unfamiliar with the concept of “community”

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