The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

For the scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.” – 1 Timothy 5:17-22 King James Version (KJV)

 

Preparedness Notes for Saturday – March 03, 2018

3

Today is remembered by trekkers as the birthday of James Doohan, born in 1920. He passed away in 2005. He played Montgomery (“Beam Me Up, Scotty”) Scott in the Star Trek television series and films. He was born in Vancouver, British Columbia.

This is also the birthday of bluegrass musician Doc Watson. (He was born in 1923 and passed away in 2012.) His guitar work was phenomenal.

 

o o o

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today features another entry for Round 75 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 Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 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 75 ends on March 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.

Bleeding Control and First Aid Training, by Doctor Dan

3

For a little background, I teach ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support) and BCON (Bleeding Control) training courses frequently. I’m an anesthesiologist in a rural community hospital. I also completed a year of residency training in General and Trauma Surgery during my journey to becoming a physician. Additionally, my family and I are advocates for personal and community preparedness.

SHTF Life-Threatening Scenarios

Many topics on this forum deal with “WTSHTF” scenarios. Of course, these emergencies, whether short-term or long-term are certainly not outside the realm of possibility. However, I’d also like to challenge all who read this to become better prepared for more likely medical emergencies that can still be tragically fatal, yet often preventable, in our day-to-day lives. The emergencies we see today may not be regional, national, or worldwide in scope. Yet, if there is a life-threatening emergency affecting your loved one, the SHTF has happened in your personal life and you might want to know how to help increase their chances of survival.

Become CPR and Bleeding Control Certified

For starters, I would encourage everyone to become CPR and Bleeding Control certified. Both of these courses are offered in many communities, and they are usually free or offered at low cost. These courses provide many important pieces of information that just might save your life, or the life of a friend, relative, or coworker.

Continue reading“Bleeding Control and First Aid Training, by Doctor Dan”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

12

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!  This week’s emphasis is on small arms mechanical training.

JWR

Dear SurvivalBlog Readers,

We had light snow showers off and on for most of the past week. Here we are in March, and winter is dragging on.  Grumble, grumble. We’ve been focusing on indoor projects, getting things better organized.

Now that there is some room in our main wood shed, I took the opportunity to split a new batch of kindling from cedar rounds and a some scrap lumber tag ends.

We have a big batch of chicks on order, but they aren’t due to arrive until mid-April.

My wife (Avalanche Lily) is getting all of the trays and pots set up and filled with soil and within the next week will begin planting seeds.  These seeds will be started in the house in a spare room under grow lights.

With the denizens of D.C. starting to make serious gun grabbing noises again, I thought that it was time to re-assess our family firearms preps. Now that I have grandchildren, I’m increasingly looking at this situation multi-generationally. I did some counting and “per rifle” calculations. That led me to order a few more magazines and some spare parts for one rifle that I’d previously overlooked.

Note that if you ever find that you have too many magazines, they are always useful for barter, or as a speculative investment.

This past week I also ordered a few more Franklin Armory BFS-III binary triggers. If I’m right about the pending BATFE ruling and about the necessity of the inclusion a Grandfather Clause, then this could prove quite profitable. But if I’m wrong… Well, I’m ready to take the loss. But I still think that the odds are in my favor.

Please continue to post comments about your own preps. They are fascinating.

Thanks, – Jim Rawles

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

50

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. Today’s focus is on roasting coffee beans at home.

Roasting Coffee Beans at Home

A consulting client asked me about coffee storage, in various forms.  Unless you want to drink icky freeze dried coffee, then the three remaining options are: Storing ground roasted coffee, storing whole roasted coffee beans, and storing green coffee beans. These each have their drawbacks, but in terms of flavor, nothing beats freshly roasted coffee.

Rather than “re-invent the wheel”, I will defer to a great primer that was posted by The Art of Manliness site, a few years back. Here, they wisely did their roasting outdoors, using a gas grill and a steel popcorn popper with an agitator.

Coffee can indeed be frozen, with varying degrees of effect on flavor. You can freeze whole beans green, whole beans roasted, and ground roast. Most experts seem to agree that a fast freeze to a sub-zero temperature (“deep freeze”) is best. – JWR

HJL adds: I just use a dedicated cast iron skillet and a flat edged small metal spatula to roast my coffee. It takes a little skill to get an even roast this way, but that is quickly gained. The trick is to keep the beans moving in the skillet. If doing this over an open gas flame, I usually have to wear a leather work glove to protect the stirring hand from the heat. A great series of primers can be found at Sweet Maria’s

One thing to note when buying green coffee though is the political biases of many suppliers. Look at what the company openly supports on their website before you spend your hard earned money with them. Most companies do not stay neutral and lean hard left.

 

o o o

President Trump’s Back-Stabbing

President Donald J. Trump (DJT) delivered multiple stabs to the back of his voting base this week: 1.) He asked Senator Feinstein to add her ‘Assault Weapons’ Ban to the planned omnibus School Safety Bill. 2.)  He asked Congressman Steve Scalise to remove his National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Bill from the Toomey-Manchin ban on private party guns sales bill, 3.) He spoke in favor of a law that would deprive “suspected unstable” gun owners of their guns before due process, and 4.) He also said that if Congress did not enact legislaiton to ban bumpfire stocks (and presumably and fast-resetting or light triggers) that he would ban them himself — I assume with either an Executive Order or rulemaking from the Justice Department, through the BATFE.

Words cannot describe my level of disappointment with DJT!  If he thinks that “compromise” with the Democrats is going to wing him Brownie Points or salvage the upcoming congressional mid-term elections, then he is horribly mistaken.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

2

“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 – March 02, 2018

On March 2nd, 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico. Today is coincidentally also the birthday of Sam Houston.

Today is also the birthday of Moe Berg, American baseball player and clandestine agent. (He died in 1972.) His biography The Catcher Was a Spy is fascinating reading.

And this is the birthday of libertarian economist Murray Rothbard (born 1926, died 1995) His book For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto is highly recommended.

o o o

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today features another entry for Round 75 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 Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 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 75 ends on March 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.

Being a Good Neighbor in the American Redoubt, by 11Z

35

Nobody can do it all by themselves so being a good neighbor is important. It keeps the peace and strengthens the community, both of which are no doubt important to readers of this blog. In the interest of bringing in some helpful solicitation from other readers, here are some thoughts about being a good neighbor. It’s presented for community consideration. Please bear in mind that I’m not a community organizer with an Ivy League degree and political aspirations so forgive any lack of such credibility. I grow up in the National Redoubt and retired here after years of living all over while chasing my dream of being a grunt.

A few years ago while overseas, a Special Forces Medic once told me that “…the art of conversation is lost, now bite on this because this is going to really hurt.” The last bit isn’t the important part. The gem about conversation is important. So, let’s start with that.

Don’t Overshare

It’s in poor taste to overshare those personal religious, political, or activist views with someone we’ve just met. After all, we are neighbors now, and there’s no rush to risk bias or offense in the process of making an initial impression. Since we have only one chance to make a first impression, make it the best one we can. Given time, we may get that chance to pray together in an ideal community that we desire, so let’s not rush anything.

Don’t Be Nosy

Good manners dictate that we don’t be nosy. Let’s face it; people are naturally curious about the people around them. There are boundaries that we must respect. Privacy is a precious commodity in any community. In my area there are quite a few “No Trespassing” signs, because there is so much public land that you must post your private property to keep it segregated. Unfortunately, this has the opposite effect, as people don’t pay attention to the signs any more. On the other hand I’ve seen copies of threats to public officials that will probably do more harm than good posted at the end of a driveway. It’s been said that no man is an island.

Continue reading“Being a Good Neighbor in the American Redoubt, by 11Z”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

4

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 future of the Euro as a currency unit.

Precious Metals:

Peter Hug: Gold Reacts To A Perceived Hawkish Fed

o  o  o

Gold Has “Room To Move” – Osisko CEO

 

Stocks:

Earlier this week, we saw: Dow falls 299 points after Powell signals Fed will keep raising rates to contain inflation. Yes, The Federal Reserve banking cartel is now worried about inflation and higher wages, so they will keep raising interest rates. This will slow the economy, put a damper on the current irrational exuberance of the stock market.

In essence, when The Federal raises the Federal Funds Rate, banks raise their prime rates, to match. That in turn raises business loan rates, mortgage rates, and car loan rates. So if The Fed keeps this up, look for a slowing home building industry, and a slowing car-making industry. The secondary effects are higher bond yields, higher credit card rates, less consumer spending, lower business profits, and less borrowing, in general. Rates have been held artificially low for so long that any substantial rise in interest rates will have magnified effects, compared to what had previously been seen in the normal business cycle. I see a stock slump and recession on the horizon, folks!

Forex (Future of the Euro):

The Euro has been around as an electronic currency unit since 1999 and subsequently as a printed/minted currency since 2002. It has been fairly stable on the foreign exchange (Forex) market for most of its life. But cracks began to appear when chronic over-spending led to a sovereign debt crisis in Europe’s Southern Tier countries. Then, citing oppressive trade regulation from the European Union (EU), British voters wisely opted to leave the EU. (Commonly called Brexit). Most recently, a few other EU countries have been making similar “exit” noises.  (Most notably some in Poland there is now hope for “Polexit”.) In all, the future of both the EU as an organization and the Euro as a currency unit are far from certain.

Even with the Trump Administration’s quite clear Weak Dollar policy, I have avoided buying Euros (EUR). I instead hedge by buying Swiss Francs (CHF). That currency is the better bet, in my humble opinion. I’ve done my best to buy CHF during dips in the market. For any SurvivalBlog readers who already have their survival preps squared away, and who already have some barter silver coins, I recommend that you do likewise.

I’ll post some details on how and where to buy Swiss Francs in this column on March 9th.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add ‘within the limits of the law’ because law is often but the tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.” – Thomas Jefferson

Preparedness Notes for Thursday – March 01, 2018

Today is the birthday of the late singer, songwriter, and cowboy poet Allen Wayne Damron. Damron was quite the Texan, through and through. (Born 1939, died August 13, 2005, in Terlingua, Texas.)

 

o o o

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today features another entry for Round 75 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 Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 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 75 ends on March 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.

Prepper’s Pain Protocol- Part 2, by ShepherdFarmerGeek

7

If you’re like most preppers, you don’t have a prescription bottle of Morphine on hand to deal with pain. And you don’t think dosing your friend or child with a big swig of whiskey (or two) is all that good of an idea.

Over-the-Counter “Pain Pack™”

Well, one option is the non-narcotic, over-the-counter “Pain Pack™” concept described at and promoted by Next Generation Combat Medic as “just as good for moderate pain as oxycodone, hydrocodone and even codeine.”

Please read all their original information. What follows is but a small tweak of the “Pain Pack™” plan that I’d like to call the “Prepper’s Pain Protocol.” I’m not a “medical” anything, much less an “expert” in anything. But I know a good thing when I see it.

Editor’s Introductory Proviso: I’m not a doctor, and I don’t give medical advice. Mentions of any medicine or medical treatment is for informational purposes only and are in no way endorsed or accredited by SurvivalBlog.com, or its principals. SurvivalBlog.com is not responsible for the use or misuse of any product advertised or mentioned on the SurvivalBlog site. – JWR

I’ve already disclosed Strategy #1 and #2 of the “Pain Pack™” in Part 1 of this article series. It includes the use of over-the-counter medications as well as prescription pain meds and considers those meds that have been available in Canada but not in the U.S.

Continue reading“Prepper’s Pain Protocol- Part 2, by ShepherdFarmerGeek”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

29

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. Today we focus on the cowards of Broward County.  But first, this troubling news:

ATF Insider Reveals Draft Wording of Planned Rule on “Rate Enhancing” Parts for Semi-Autos

A “must see” video from the Military Arms Channel was released on Wednesday February 28th, 2018. It is an excerpt of a longer interview with Rick Vasquez. He is a USMC veteran and former Interim Branch Chief of the BATFE’s Firearms Technology Branch. In this video, Vasquez reveals that he has received insider information from ATF consultants on the draft wording of the planned rule banning rate enhancing parts for semi-auto firearms.

According to Vasquez, this ruling will have the force of law, without an act of Congress. Because of what he called “extremely broad” wording, this ruling would ban any part that would cause a faster than normal trigger reset or faster cadence of fire of any semi-auto, and presumably re-classify those parts as contraband machinegun conversion parts. In this interview Vasquez pointedly asks: “Now who is going to decide what the [normal] rate of fire is? Because if I build a device that makes my firearm reset and shoot faster, what is going to become the ‘standard’?”  This in turn begs the question: Would magazines over a certain capacity be construed as “rate enhancing”?

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

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday – February 28, 2018

February 28th is the birthday of famed Swiss investor and economic pundit Marc Faber (born 1946).

o o o

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today features another entry for Round 75 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 Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 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 75 ends on March 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.