Two Letters Re: Wertz Family Farm

Good morning,

I just thought I would be another to drop you a line and mention that you will not go wrong with Wertz Farm Market. I grew up with and actually lived with one of the sons through college. They are old school Christian Conservatives who work hard and serve the community all year round. I was truly astounded and beyond happy to see them get mentioned on your site. – AJM

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Dear HJL & JWR,

You posted on 1-26-17, a short item about Wertz family farm. I looked them up and decided to place an order. I have not tried the canned meat yet, but let me tell you about the packaging. I received the box today, (1-30-2017) via two day priority mail, shipped free with order. Inside, each can is wrapped in a protective cardboard sleeve and shrink wrapped, with small foam peanuts between each can. I was amazed. From the looks of the packing, this company takes exceptional pride in their company. Thanks for the tip! – RDA

Economics and Investing:

Big Brother is watching you: Jim Rogers prophesizes death of cash & total government control of spending

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Fed president says US banks have “half the equity they need”

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Can Saudi Arabia Carry OPEC Through Spring? The unexpectedly high compliance rate of the OPEC production agreement has been in the headlines this week, but the distribution of this compliance is far from equal.

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Yellen Hides Behind Trump Uncertainty, Will Hike As Appropriate

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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Odds ‘n Sods:

This headline comes from our “Enlightened” feel-good socialist neighbors to the north: Man who beheaded passenger on Greyhound bus granted freedom. – JWR

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Backwoods Home Magazine will cease publishing its print magazine at the end of 2017. The decision was dictated by simple economics. Thankfully, there will still be a digital edition. – JWR

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Some recent snail mail correspondence with a consulting client included my recommendation for this goodie that could prove incredibly useful in a Get Out of Dodge situation: The Receiver Mount RV Cargo Luggage Carrier Basket.

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This new retreat land listing over at our SurvivalRealty spin-off site for 30 acres near Robbinsville North Carolina is unusual, since it has springs and adjoins US Forest Service land: Smoky Mountain Safe Haven.

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CBP agents dismantle catapult attached to border fence – B.B.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Self defense is moral clarity itself, a fundamental and honorable imperative. Political violence is not, it’s an attractive luxury for well fed malcontents. Beware, aggression often poses as preemptive self defense. Notice our serial warettes started in 1947 when the War Department became the Defense Department. No President has asked Congress to declare defense.” – Ol’ Remus, writing on his Yer Ol’ Woodpile Report blog

Notes for Wednesday – February 15, 2017

February 15th: I’d like to wish Mike Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large) a Happy Birthday!

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America lost a great hero this week: LTG Hal Moore passed away.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 69 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $15,000 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 that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 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 with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel 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, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. An infrared sensor/imaging camouflage shelter from Snakebite Tactical in Eureka, Montana (A $350+ value),
  6. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  7. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $2,400 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. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. A selection of canned meats containing a 10 pack of 28oz cans of Premium Beef and a 5 pack of 28oz cans of Premium Pork from Wertz’s Farm Market (a $300 value),
  9. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  10. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A custom made Sage Grouse model utility/field knife from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  4. 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,
  5. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  6. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  7. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  8. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a $125 Montie gear Gift certificate.,
  9. 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), and
  10. Fifteen LifeStraws from SafeCastle (a $300 value).
  11. A $250 gift certificate to Tober’s Traditions, makers of all natural (organic if possible) personal care products, such as soap, tooth powder, deodorant, sunscreen, lotion, and more.

Round 69 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.

The New Dawn Approaches, by W.G

We have all seen the shows and read the countless articles on survival, prepping, et cetera. They all offer very valuable information one should retain. This day and age, we can turn on the news and view ethnic cleansing and genocide happening as we watch. Towns, families, cultures are under attack and being annihilated. It is safe to say we not only need to prepare for natural disasters but government-funded ones as well. We can stockpile weapons, ammo, food, water, et cetera, but all that is pointless unless you have the proper mindset.

What is the proper mindset? Total contempt for death. We must embrace the fact that we all die. No amount of ammo, water, or meds will change that. By having contempt for death, you are one step closer to absolute freedom. Face the enemy head on. Let them know you don’t fear death; you only fear not being able to take all of them with you.

One must also have a high regard for life, and realize what they offer us is not life. They offer us their version of life, and we have been playing by their rules for far too long. We have been enslaved under a system that only benefits a few. We no longer have the iron shackles; they have been replaced with an illusion that has enslaved us all. One must regard life and not be afraid to detach from the system of illusion and materialism worship the deceivers have indoctrinated us with. We are simple beings and actually require very little to survive and flourish. Would you not rather take your chances in the open sea, or go down with the burning ship?

Generation after generation we propagate and feed our new blood to the Chaos Serpent. We follow the same path down the same worn trail to the same destination, and then we wonder why, why is the outcome the same? Money is not freedom, materialism is not freedom, and killing and dying for your master is not freedom. The powers that be need you attached to their system in order for them to reign supreme. We must identify their control mechanisms and annihilate these things. For ages the earth has been scattered with the blood and bone of civilizations who have died for the profit of a select few. Over the ages all that has changed is the weapons and the ways in which we destroy each other. Why haven’t things changed? It’s because the most important weapon of man has not changed, the mind. Imagine if they could no longer control us with our fears. Imagine if they no longer could entice us into butchering each other. Imagine total rejection of their system. If you can imagine this, then it can become reality. The war of all wars is of the mind, who will control yours? You or them? Guns and ammo are useless if we are just fighting to prolong the ways of the deceivers. This is what TPTB want– total chaos that they can control and use for their macabre benefit.

The gun (weapon) is an extension of the human will. It can be used for slaughter or for resistance, attack, or defense. When you embrace the concept of the gun being an extension of the human will, you will understand its importance to the human race. It does not matter if you believe in guns or not. The bad guys do, and they understand its importance. They will use it to further their advancement over the corpses of you and yours. It is a cold reality that must be faced; force dictates whose genes carry on and whose turn to ash.

As a whole, humanity needs to want more for their future generations. We are growing stagnant as a species. We have been turned into consumers who live and work to consume the latest junk they have to offer us. Get the new smart phone, get the new watch, get the new car, get the new trendy clothes, but what is the actual cost? We wake up, clock in, and spend our day making others rich. We farm our children out to be indoctrinated because we can’t watch them since we have to make money. Thus, we are creating the next generation of mindless consumers who bow and worship materialism. Is this system really worth fighting/dying/killing for? As of now the world is ablaze with deceit, corruption, and tyranny. Much like a raging fire, it is better to let it consume itself then try and fight it. Sit back, let the flames die down, and wait for the new seedlings to sprout a new beginning.

As a child I would look at the wild animals. They where free and seemed content. They followed a system ingrained in their being. I often wondered, why have humans drifted so far from this simplicity? What has caused us to enslave ourselves to the conquest of materialism and illusions? We need to return back to simplicity, back to family, back to a life of meaning over a life of materialism. The war mongers only care for materialism conquest and the illusion of “power”. To this day i cannot understand how these vermin come into power and control the masses to inflict their psychotic will unto humanity. How do they control the sheep who pile innocents into mass graves? How is it countries who years ago where sworn enemies are now allies? If only all those who died would only realize they were all used. They died for the amusement of their masters– the war makers who create policies, laws, and cease fires at will. How do they control people into butchering each other, as they sit back safe in their suits not missing a meal or feeling the realities of the wars they create? Look at the pictures of the war torn soldiers/civilians/children vs. the “leaders” during/after battles. They send us common folk into the butchery, then contemplate and negotiate with the “leaders” of our “enemies” over a warm meal and some drinks.

Growing up watching the “Outlaw Josey Wales“, one scene– when Josey rode up to speak with Chief Ten Bears– had a very strong impact on me. It went something along the lines of this: Josey Wales said: “I ain’t promising you nothing extra. I’m just giving you life and you’re giving me life. And I’m saying that men can live together without butchering one another.” Ten Bears said: “It’s sad that governments are chiefed by the double tongues. There is iron in your words of death for all Comanche to see, and so there is iron in your words of life. No signed paper can hold the iron. It must come from men. The words of Ten Bears carries the same iron of life and death. It is good that warriors such as we meet in the struggle of life… or death. It shall be life.” There was no weakness there. Both sides prepared and were willing to fight and die but chose life, which was a direct middle finger to TPTB! Now i understand this was just a movie, but this could actually play out in real life, if we let it. I truly feel humanity is almost there. We are very close to the next step of evolution. Much like a snake sheds its skin, society will have to shed our dead skin, of the takers/deceivers/scum. They have a strangle hold on humanity, and it’s time to fight back. The parasites need to be removed in order for humanity to survive.

Our greatest weapon is our mind. We must load our mind with ammo. We must research past wars, past genocides, past false flags, et cetera. Understand the tactics used and in which they are carried out. We must never let these atrocities happen again. We must understand words mean very little when they come from the mouth of suits, and most important of all we must understand no matter our color or creed, we all share the same enemy. Actions are pure reality. Never again should we stand in line as cannon fodder for our master’s entertainment. One should only die for their family, for protection, preservation, and safety of the one’s whom you love. Let the warmongers fight and die within their own creations. Let the chaos they create consume and destroy them.

We must prep, we must learn survival, and we must master our weaponry, and we will do this with meaning and purpose. We will do this for our blood and for the generations hundreds of years from now. We must be both creator/destroyer. The day may come for all of us good people to have to do horrible things, if we wish to survive. I pray these days never come, that we can avoid conflict. But if/when they do come, we must meet them head on with devouring might. Do not stop until all evil/scum/ deceivers are smashed to ash. Make them pay dearly for their treachery. Until then, feed the mind/body with knowledge and strength. Slowly detach from the system that enslaves us.

I leave you with a writing:

Whirlwinds of Chaos

Embrace the whirlwinds of chaos
Winds of undying destruction
The will to crush and conquer
Far greater than the fear of death/failure
Harness the fire of hatred (controlled burn)
To forge paths unknown
From your path of defiance
The ultimate fruits of labor are born….
The new dawn approaches

Letter Re: Bugging Out West of the Mississippi

Dear Editor:

Regarding “Bugging Out West of the Mississippi”, I had never seen the need for the advice in this article, after all, we do have a GPS. But after an extremely challenging trip recently from the Great River Eastward to the coast, we got tangled up trying to get through Indianapolis. Before the return trip I planned the route similar to the advice in the article. I am now in the process of putting together 3-ring binders with detailed maps on how to get through any large metropolis that is between us and any long distance destination. Thanks C.L.

R.T.

Economics and Investing:

A Bloodbath Looms Over Oil Markets. Oil prices have been stuck in a narrow range since OPEC announced its deal, and with an extreme number of long bets in the markets downward risk for oil is piling up.

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Free Markets at Home Are the Solution to Companies Moving Abroad

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Items from Mr. Econocobas:

US Wholesale Inflation Sees Biggest Monthly Gain in 4 Years

Fed Chair Yellen: ‘Unwise’ to Wait too Long to Hike Interest Rates – To be honest I’m not sure what to think. Fed President Bullard came out just this past Sunday and said no rate hikes are coming this year, and the market rallied. Now Yellen is saying this. The verbiage is different than prior Yellen “talk” of raising rates, almost like she is laying out an understanding that things could get out of control and fast. I don’t think the markets believe her as they rallied still today after her statement.

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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:

Books:

Survival Hacks: Over 200 Ways to Use Everyday Items for Wilderness Survival, by Creek Stewart

Desperate Sons: Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, John Hancock, and the Secret Bands of Radicals Who Led the Colonies to War

The Seventh Plague: A Sigma Force Novel, by James Rollins

Movies:

Last of the Dogmen

The African Queen

Television:

Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles

Band Of Brothers

Music:

O Brother, Where Art Thou? Movie Soundtrack

Marty Robbins: All-Time Greatest Hits

Instructional Videos:

Bushcraft Dump Pouch (Make Your Own)

Canadian Prepper: After the Collapse: Surviving in Canada- (SHTF Canada- West Coast/BC)–Part of a video series

Online Sermon Videos:

Calvary Chapel Kaneohe in Hawaii (Pastor JD Farag. His ongoing Prophecy Update series that focuses on Israel and the End Times is excellent.)

John Piper

Podcasts:

Non-Perishable Food Storage and Copy-Canning (Ken Jensen)

MTNmeister Podcast #124 Thru Hiking Thru Winter with Shawn Forry

Gear:

Eureka Down Range Solo – 1 Person Tactical (TCOP) Tent

Military Modular Sleep System 4 Piece with Goretex Bivy Cover and Carry Sack

Rawles XL Voyager Knife. Note: This Limited Edition knife has sold out (wholesale) at Cold Steel. As the designer I may be biased, but I recommend that you get one before they sell out at the retail level and prices escalate. Also note that all of the profits at the wholesale level went to Christian charities. I didn’t profit a dime on this project.

Odds ‘n Sods:

From NPR: Leaving Urban Areas For The Political Homogeneity Of Rural Towns

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Don’t forget the Shelley Idaho Emergency Preparedness Fair on February 18th if you live near Shelley, Idaho.

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Mike Williamson, SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large suggested this for those who live in AW challenged states: Kalashnikov to make a Pump-Action AK Rifle

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The Christian Mercenary: When This Gets Ugly – B.B.

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Wondering how far apart Hollywood and the average American are? How about this: Here’s what happened to Joy Villa’s album sales the day after she wore Trump dress at Grammys – DSV

Notes for Tuesday – February 14, 2017

February 14 is the birthday of Medal of Honor recipient Jack Lucas (born 1928, died June 5, 2008). During the Iwo Jima campaign, this 17-year-old won the Medal of Honor for unhesitatingly hurling himself over his comrades upon one grenade and for pulling another one under himself. One of the grenades exploded, and Lucas absorbed the entire blasting force of it with his own body. PFC Lucas was the youngest Marine ever to receive the Medal of Honor. (He was just 13 when he forged his mother’s signature to enlist.)

Observations and Lessons from the Oroville Dam Evacuation

I felt obliged to pass on some observations and potential lessons on the developing problems at the Oroville Dam here in northern California.

For those who may not have heard, the Oroville Dam has had some major structural issues with the spillways, resulting in mandatory evacuations for as many as 180,000 people. It is an earth fill embankment dam on the Feather River east of the city of Oroville, California, in the United States. At 770 feet (230 m) high, it is the tallest dam in the U.S. and serves mainly for water supply, hydroelectricity generation, and flood control. It is supplied by the impoundment of the Feather River, and the Oroville Dam also manages an incredible amount of water; its full capacity measures 3,537,577 acre-feet, and it has a drainage area of 3,607 square miles.

News media had been reporting on some erosion in the main spillway of the dam since Tuesday, the 7th of February, 2017. There was some video that can be found where big chunks of concrete are seen being thrown through the air by the water. Up until late afternoon on the 12th of February, all news media were still reporting that while there was a problem with the main spillway, and for the first time in the dam’s history the emergency spillway began overflowing by about 6:00 am this morning, that everything was going to be okay. However, by about 4:40 pm, there were mandatory evacuation orders beginning to be issued for Oroville and low lying areas downstream. There are a number of communities downstream on the Feather River water course: Oroville, Gridley, Live Oak, Yuba City, Marysville, Plumas Lakes, Nicolaus, Linda, Olivehurst, and Knight’s Landing.

When I first saw this on the news today, I immediately called a friend from church that lives in the rural area east of Gridley and close to the Feather River in the flood zone evacuation map, to see what they were doing. This was at about 5:00 pm. They had been out walking and had not yet heard the mandatory evacuation news, and they were already about 15 minutes into a 60 minute mandatory evacuation. I told them that they could evacuate to our house, which is about a 40 minute drive in normal traffic. He said he would grab a few things, load his wife and kids, and head out immediately for our place. Our idea was that the more minutes that went by, the worse the traffic would be. We were right. My friend left about ten minutes after hanging up the phone and went by a slightly more circuitous route I told him about to avoid the bottleneck that I knew would be happening around the Yuba City/Marysville area. He arrived at our house in rural Placer County at about 6:50 pm. Even acting quickly and leaving less than thirty minutes after the evacuation order was announced, it still took him more than two times the normal travel time. At this point when I am writing this (about 10:30 pm), the news is reporting that it is now taking about three hours to travel one mile in the Yuba City/ Marysville bottleneck area.

We can also learn a few things from what my friend saw on his trip here. He got a jump on nearly everyone, by acting immediately and by having a plan on what he was going to take in an emergency. He also says he should have had a checklist, because he still forgot a few things. He encountered several crazy drivers, including one in a 4WD crew cab truck that was driving at over 100 MPH cutting in and out of traffic, obviously panicked although no true breach of the dam had yet occurred. This was just an average idiot. By 6:30 pm, evacuation orders were spreading, and as they went through one community with mandatory evacuation orders, they noted that no one was reacting to anything. The communication was not very effective either. Up until about 5:00 pm, there was little being said on either television or radio locally. He could find nothing on the radio news, until one mention on KFBK 1530 at about 6:30 pm began reporting on it. KFBK 1530 is the emergency broadcast station for the greater Sacramento Valley area. By about 7:00 pm, it was all over local news, and since the evacuation was affecting by some reports up to 180,000 people and other reports of 130,000 people, it was being covered on the national cable news to some degree. My daughter who was in Denver for business called us to check in per protocol after seeing it on Fox News. As my friend got south of Yuba City on Highway 99, he was going to cut across to the east at the community of Nicolaus. They are right next to the Feather River, with only the levee separating them from the river. As he drove through that small community, he saw no activity of people getting ready to evacuate. A little bit out of town he did see a couple of different rural property owners loading horses and household goods into trucks and trailers. Once on these rural back roads headed towards Lincoln, the traffic was minimal.

Ultimately, between 130,000 and 180,000 people from a dozen communities were affected by evacuation orders. By 9:00 PM, news was reporting 25-30 miles of bumper to bumper, nearly stopped traffic heading south toward Sacramento on Highway 99/70.

Fuel

Fuel was obviously a problem for many, who for some reason sit around with near empty tanks rather than keeping them filled, as we all know we should. Don’t be lazy about that. It could cost you. News reports show very long lines at all fuel stations. Fuel quickly ran out at many of them in the affected flood zone, as people tried to fill up for the evacuation. Interesting note: It is often said to carry cash for purchases in emergency situations, but something worth thinking about too is that several fuel stations evacuated their personnel; however, fuel could still be purchased at them at the card reader on the pump but only with credit or ATM cards. So, it’s better to cover that base, too.

Where To Go

Lodging in hotels/motels in nearby communities in the safe zone are reported as filled to capacity by 10:15 PM. Having a place to go is critical. Talk to people ahead of time, and have a plan so you don’t end up stuck on the side of the road with no fuel and no place to go if you had it. Many of the evacuation centers filled very quickly, and people were left hunting alternative shelters.

Livestock and Animals

The adjacent communities, especially up north toward Chico, really stepped up to help those with horses that were evacuated and needed boarding for them. Several adjacent county fairgrounds were opened. A lot of evacuation centers were opened pretty quickly, most by 7:30 PM or so, that could take evacuees with small animals. Plan for your pets and your livestock, and know how long it will take to load them and move them.

At this point in the evening (now about 10:40), the Department of Water Resources is reporting that the water level is now below 901 feet, the level of the emergency spillway, and water is no longer spilling. Now, they are working on a plan to address the failed concrete in the main spillway and get a plan of action together before the next storms begin arriving next Thursday on the 16th of February. North bound highway 99 has now been reopened to traffic. Marysville remains shut down to access at this time. At after 11:00 pm, we are finally getting some comprehensive reports from the various emergency services agencies. I am sure that there will be some questions about why the initial damage to the main spillway that initiated this event was not addressed by the Department of Water Resources when it was first documented about three years ago, when we were in official drought status. Go figure. No doubt a custodian someplace will be the one to lose their job over it; there is always a scapegoat.

Blessings to all. Stay safe, and be prepared. You never know what might happen. – Behind Enemy Lines in the People’s Republik of Kalifornia

Letter Re: Sad and Silent

Dear Sad and Silent:

I have learned to speak in terms of resilience and not prep. I regularly engage in DIY projects because of the mental stimulation. I seek to know about all things, saying that I am a very curious fellow. Every fifth person laughs.

When I buy, I grab a little extra of nails, screws, oil, filters, et cetera. Commonly, I do household projects out of inventory, in terms of screws and nails, making sure to replace them. That does not mean it did not take three trips to the hardware store to finally get the stove installation parts right. Why is 15/16ths smaller than a ¾ fitting? My problem is that it seldom spontaneously occurs to me that I am wrong, scrounging electronic parts and tools in conjunction with what my Ham radio license teaches me.

Scrounging tools, dealing with metal cutting, and welding will eventually teach me. I’m yet to produce the first electronic gizmo or welded object, but I will. Gardening in GA clay is tough. Tree services have to pay to dump wood chips. Arrange a spot for one to dump on your property for free when convenient. Turn that with lime and/or gypsum into the soil. It is not as bad as you think; it’s only highly acidic.

You are not as alone as you think. Leaf covered water cubes, pallet tanks, or IBC totes adorn back yards. Hi-lift jacks hang on vehicles here and there. I am never the only one zeroing my latest acquisition at the range. When someone inevitably spots the pistol under my coat, they tell me about their favorite. Oh! And for the record, open carry is like having a “shoot me first” sign.

Yes, my wife makes fun of me rolling her eyes. She is also pleased when it is easy to plug the generator into the transfer switch and have lights and refrigeration (but not at the same time). Likewise, there was some potential event that came across the news that had the government saying it was important to have 30 days of food. It was a satisfying moment to be able to greet her raised eyebrow question with a confident nod. She was raised German, and those people shop nearly every day. Guess what she thinks of “one back” on the shelf much less 6, 12, or 18. I have won her over with my Sam’s TP, paper towel, paper plate, and napkin purchases. I load the dolly up every couple three months. – RV

News From The American Redoubt:

Many folks living in North Idaho and Northwestern Montana are probably already familiar with a great old-fashioned military surplus store in Sandpoint, Idaho called Army Surplus 1. It was probably the inspiration for the fictional “Grogan’s War Surplus”, in the humorous books written by Patrick McManus. Their motto is: “We probably have it.” And in my experience, that is true. A great store with a 40 year history of fine customer service and a great selection. Stop by and check it out. – JWR

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We note with interest that Primary Weapons Systems (of Boise, Idaho) has greatly expanded their product line. Their fully ambidextrous AR-15 upper and lower receiver sets are a left-hander’s dream come true. And their PicMod rail system (A Picatinny rail that also accepts Key Mod attachments) is a great solution.

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Idaho custom knife maker Robert P. Martin—best known for his gorgeous pattern-forged welded damascus blades—has expanded his line. He now does custom knives in a wide range of materials including A-2, D-2, O-1, CPM 10V, CPM 3V, L-6, 15N20, 52-100, 51-60, 51-50 carbon steels as well as CPM S30V, CPM S60V, CPM S90V, CPM 154, CPM 440C, ATS-34. He even custom formulates steels in 20 pound batches in his own smelting forges. Check out his amazing work!

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Jon Kelly Designs (in Eureka, Montana) has added a few new designs. They also offer a 10% discount to active duty military and law enforcement. Visit their site and check out their amazing hand-made knives!

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Wyoming flood fighting efforts