Letter Re: Airport BOB

HJL,

What a great list. I happily read this, as I travel frequently. I appreciated the list and agree with the items and responses already listed. I would just like to add a couple comments. LED lights are great, but living in Alaska, where at times we have 20 hours of darkness, I would add buying a head lamp. This is a basic $20 head lamp that slips in a pocket and is great for hands-free light. I also would add that I carry a packet of silver coins along with the cash. I have a length of paracord and duct tape, basic supplies that live in my bag, and a couple of heavy duty contractor garbage bags. These have a number of uses, including shelter.

I would like to emphasis the importance of practical clothing. I may be traveling for work and need to be wearing dress clothes, but I am not going to travel in clothing that restricts my movements or puts me at an increased danger in an emergency. I’m going to wear durable, practical clothing, including hiking boots or running shoes, a belt, natural fibers that are more fire retardant, et cetera.

If you are frequently traveling through the same airports, do you know where you could quickly pick up a couple more bottles or water and snacks in an emergency? Do you know the quickest way to exit the building, et cetera? Think of possible emergencies and what your response would be. Doing this ahead of time will give your mind a frame of reference in a future emergency. – L.R.

Odds ‘n Sods:

The Chinese counterfeiters are back to their old tricks, producing shoddy fake Cold Steel knives, including some Rawles XL Voyagers. They are definitely fakes, since Cold Steel only made Rawles XL Voyagers with ONE blade style and ONE blade color! Please take a minute to go to the lower right corner of the eBay page and click on “Report Item”, and ask that this seller be banned. Thanks! – JWR

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A new Tennessee listing at our SurvivalRealty spin-off is captivating, since it is the lowest-priced property that I can recall that includes on-site caves: Secluded Wilder Mountain Acreage – Caves, Waterfalls, and More.

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Far Beyond Crime-Ridden Depravity, Darknets Are Key Strongholds of Freedom

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Doomsday Bug, Resistant to Every Drug, Found in L.A. – D.B.

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How To Grow A Whole Bulb Of Garlic From A Single Clove – DSV

Notes for Wednesday – February 01, 2017

February 1st is the anniversary of the secession of Texas from the United States in 1861. A State Convention considering secession opened in Austin on January 28th, 1861 and on February 1st, by a vote of 166-8, adopted an Ordinance of Secession from the United States. It’s important to note that not all Texans favored this act and the state Governor, Sam Houston, while being loyal to the union, refused offers from President Lincoln to keep him in office and was subsequently deposed as governor.

We also remember February 1st, 2003, when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas and Louisiana as it reentered Earth’s atmosphere, killing all seven crew members.

Round 68 Non-Fiction Writing Contest Winners Announced!

This was a tough contest to judge as there were so many good articles published in Round 68, but decisions have to be made. Any article submitted but not published will automatically be rolled over to Round 69. Without further ado, here are the winners:

First prize goes to J.U. for “Prep Your Ride – Part 1”, “Part 2”, and “Part 3” published on January 3rd, 5th, and 6th, 2017. He will receive the following prizes:

  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. 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),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package (enough for two families of four) plus seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate (a $325 retail 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 goes to N.K. for “Hurricane Preparedness Experience – Part 1”, “Part 2”, “Part 3”, and “Part 4” published on January 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st, 2017. He will receive the following prizes:

  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. An infrared sensor/imaging camouflage shelter from Snakebite Tactical in Eureka, Montana (A $350+ 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 goes to T.H. for “Prepping for a Five Star EOTWAWKI Experience – Part 1” and “Part 2”, published on December 7th and 8th, 2016. He will receive the following prizes:

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.

Honorable mention prizes ($30 Amazon.com gift certificates via e-mail) have been awarded to the writers of these fine articles:

January in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, by Steven Chochran of Gainsesville Coins where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover the price action of gold and examine the “what” and “why” behind those numbers.

What Did Gold Do in January?

December 30th saw gold end 8% higher for the year, for the first annual increase since 2012. The trend continued for gold in January, as prices moved upward for nearly the entire month. Starting January (and the year) near $1,152 an ounce, profit-taking and safe haven demand played tug-of-war the first week. Afterward, gold and silver trended higher, assisted by a weaker dollar, until the end of the month. Monday the 23rd saw gold book its last gain for the month. Rising business sentiment after Trump reversed the ban on the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines helped the Dow Jones Industrial Average close above 20,000 for the first time ever and unleashed the “animal spirits”in equities.

Where did gold end in 2016 in major currencies other than the dollar?

  • European Union: +11.9%
  • United Kingdom: +29.7%
  • China: +16.4%
  • India: +11.4%
  • Japan: +5.4%
  • Russia: -9.4%

A lot of this movement was due to the performance of each nation’s currencies as well as safe haven demand. The euro was weaker across the board against the dollar in 2016, and Brexit shredded the value of the pound sterling.

The big outlier in gold prices was Russia. However, lower gold prices in Moscow are due to their ruble recovering from a currency crash caused by lower oil prices and economic sanctions. The Russian currency ended the year 21.3% higher to be one of the best-performing assets of 2016.

Factors Affecting Gold This Month

Trump Policies Push Stocks To Record

Reuters noted that stocks ended higher on the day of Trump’s inauguration, the first time in more than 50 years that a President has seen the stock market log gains on his first day in office. John F. Kennedy was the last to see this welcome economic sign. Stocks hit new records in January, riding a wave of expectations that Trump will begin enacting business-friendly deregulation soon. This euphoria on Wall St has pulled some money from gold and into equities.

From Mexico, With Love

The Mexican government gave Trump its own inauguration gift, extraditing infamous drug lord “El Chapo” Guzman in the middle of the night to face charges in the U.S. Mexico has borne the brunt of Trump’s anti-globalization remarks and would like to get into his good graces. Worries about possible trade restrictions between the U.S. and Mexico has sent the peso into a tailspin. These fears have also weighed on automakers and other heavy industries that make parts in Mexico, then ship them to the U.S. for final assembly. This has lent a bit of support for gold.

Buffett Backs Trump’s Picks

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett, who supported Hillary for President, says that he overwhelmingly supports Trump’s Cabinet picks. “I feel that way no matter who is president, the CEO – which I am – should have the ability to pick people that help you run a place.”

Even the Fed says Trump is good for the country, forecasting an accelerated economic recovery due to The Donald’s tax and stimulus policies. However, they warn that the increased inflationary pressures they will cause down the road will force the Fed to raise rates faster than first expected. The Fed needs to get on Trump’s good side, because they are going to face severe pressure from the White House over monetary policy. It may not matter, because Trump is positioned to replace most of them in the next two years.

A Trump-Controlled Fed

All the supporters of the “Audit the Fed” or even “Abolish the Fed” may be getting good news soon, as President Trump remakes the Fed in his image. There are two vacant seats on the seven-member Federal Reserve Board of Governors that Trump will be able to fill immediately. If he nominates two candidates very soon and the Senate confirms them with no delay, Trump will have two of his people voting in the March FOMC policy meeting.

If things play out right with expected resignations, Trump can control the entire Fed Board of Governors and have an unbreakable majority in the FOMC by the end of 2018.

OPEC Production Cuts Begin

Oil prices began the year on a positive note, with most traders believing OPEC statements that production cuts had really begun. Things turned a bit sour later in the month, as U.S. fracking operations began putting more rigs in service to take advantage of higher prices. This was foretold by several analysts, who say that American shale fields will expand production to take market share from OPEC, and put a lid on price gains.

On the Retail Front

US Mint Sales

The U.S. Mint had a good first day of sales for its 2017 bullion coins on January 9th. American Gold Eagles of all sizes sold the first day totaled 68,000 troy ounces. The 9999 fine gold American Buffalo 1 oz coins saw 20,500 go out the door to authorized distributors, and 3,747,500 American Silver Eagles were purchased by wholesalers.

Totals so far for January 2017 show 104,500 oz worth of Gold Eagles, 4,897,500 Silver Eagles, and 29,000 Gold Buffalos sold.

For the first time since 2014, the U.S. Mint is offering a 1 troy oz American Platinum Eagle. Initial sales totaled 20,000 coins, which already exceeds the 16,900 sold in all of 2014.

In other U.S. bullion coin developments, the U.S. Mint has confirmed that it is looking at minting fractional Gold Buffalo coins. Unlike the 22K Gold Eagles, which come in four sizes, the .9999 fine Buffalos is only offered in a single 1 troy oz size. The only time that fractional Gold Buffalos have been minted was for a special four-coin set in 2008.

Gainesville Coins is offering special PCGS “First Strike” 2017 Silver Eagles that have been graded a perfect 70 or a nearly perfect 69 by PCGS, one of the top grading companies in the world, sealed in a protective slab with a “Don’t Tread On Me” flag label.

Trump Coins

A Russian medallion company has minted a gigantic sterling silver coin in celebration of Donald Trump’s victory in the Presidential election. Weighing more than two pounds and measuring more than five inches across, only 20 silver and five gold coins will be made. The owner of the company producing these coins has asked Russian diplomats and businessmen with connections in the U.S. to help arrange a meeting with President Trump in order to present him with the first of the coins struck.

Market Buzz

Obama Almost Minted $1 Trillion Coin

Calling it the “scariest night of his Presidency”, Obama confided in an interview that he almost ordered the trillion-dollar coin minted to save the United States from defaulting on its sovereign debt: “I think it was the moment when it seemed that [former Republican House Speaker] John Boehner didn’t seem to generate the votes to make sure the U.S. didn’t default on our debt,” said Obama. “We had to start drafting a speech.”

Central Bank Gold

This month’s report by the World Gold Council details actions in the gold market by 25 central banks for the month of November.

China’s central bank did not officially buy any gold in November, perhaps since it was spending the money to halt a major slide in the yuan.

Turkey had it far worse, as President Erdogan refuses to allow the central bank to raise interest rates to battle the plummet in the lira. The bank’s only other course of action was to sell the nation’s gold reserves for the money to intervene in currency markets. (It didn’t work.) To fund this, the central bank sold a huge 28.77 metric tons of gold just in November. For the first 11 months of 2016, Turkey sold off 139.57 metric tons (307,700 lb) of gold to finance currency intervention. This is over 25% of the nation’s gold reserves, and the intervention shows no sign of letting up.

On the other end of the dial, Kazakhstan bought 3.07 metric tons of gold in November. The large Central Asian nation has increased its gold reserves every single month since September 2012.

Russia also continued to help its domestic gold companies and the nation’s forex reserves at the same time, buying 32.13 metric tons of gold. Russia’s gold miners are restricted by economic sanctions from selling gold in the West, so the Kremlin is picking up the slack. Through November, Russia bought 200.64 metric tons of gold in 2016.

Is Inflation Rearing Its Head?

Leading hedge fund Blackrock said this month that inflation is growing on several fronts, and investors should add gold and stocks that perform well in high inflation. Blackrock analyst Russ Koesterich believes that the Fed likely won’t see what’s happening until it’s too late. He notes we are experiencing another housing bubble, that healthcare costs did not see the slowdown promised by Obamacare, and wages are rising as the employment market tightens.

Casey Research agrees, saying that Americans are in for a ride on the Pain Train that not even Trump can prevent. They recommend dumping bonds and loading up on hard assets, like gold. “Think about it. If inflation is rising, it’s going to take more dollars to buy an ounce of gold, barrel of oil, or pound of copper.”

Schiff: Trade Deals Are Good For Us

Peter Schiff will ruffle the feathers of Trump supporters with his latest: He warns that Trump’s “America First” plans could very well put an end to the artificially high standard of living Americans have grown used to. He says that all these trade deficits are actually helping the U.S. government keep the economic Ponzi scheme going. “Trump doesn’t really understand, or underestimates the fact that, we have been riding on the global gravy train for decades. We get a free ride. The world is subsidizing America … They’re not taking advantage of us; we’re taking advantage of them. If we’re actually going to make America great again by basically severing these relationships … the biggest winners are going to be our trading partners.”

Bond King Warns On Yields

The “Bond King” Bill Gross warns folks to watch the yield on the 10-year Treasury bond.

Faber: Good Times Ahead For Gold

Marc Fabertells Fox Business News that with stocks overvalued and the dollar so strong, now is the time to move into precious metals.

India Looks To Mine Its Own Gold

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign to reduce the nation’s trade deficit has government officials looking at reviving abandoned gold mines that were first worked during the British Colonial era (the Raj). The mines are thought to still hold $2 billion USD in gold ore. The Economic Times of India reports that the state-owned gold mining company was forced to cease operations in 2001 due to mounting losses, the result of a large, unproductive workforce and dated, economically unviable methods of mining.

In the 15 years since the mines were closed, the federal and state governments have fought in court over who has jurisdiction over the land. If India’s governments can overcome their socialist tendencies and turf wars, a revived gold mining industry would go a long way in reducing the $30 billion a year the nation spends on importing gold. The government is probably making a big mistake by not inviting established gold mining companies to form a partnership to bring the mines back on line. Instead, they’re making… another state-owned, socialist mining company. Good luck, guys.

Miners Say Thanks, But No Thanks To Egypt

The greedy government in Cairo is making sure that the gold of the Pharaohs stays in the ground. Egypt had hundreds of small gold mines during ancient times. Now, the government wants to sell leases to foreign mining companies to develop what may be a bonanza, not only of gold but titanium, lithium, and other valuable metals. The problem with this plan is that no mining company is willing to accept the ridiculous terms the government is offering. They want millions and millions in bogus fees and high royalties.

The Rise Of Solar

Good news for those looking to get or stay off the grid: Solar power panels are being set up at a record pace in the United States, which is bringing panel prices down. Even the traditional utility companies are getting into the act and building solar farms. For those not completely off the grid, some states allow you to sell excess power generated by your solar installation back to the power companies. Of course, the untold millions of Kilowatt hours worth of solar panels being installed world-wide will support silver prices.

VW Introduces Silver Windshield De-icer

Know those ugly horizontal copper wires in your car windshield that heat up to get rid of ice or frost? Volkswagen has invented a new type of windshield that gets rid of those filaments and replaces it with an invisible sheet of silver between the windshield layers. Not only does it heat more evenly and allow greater visibility, it is going to launch more industrial demand for silver when other car makers follow VW’s lead.

Looking Ahead

Everyone from banks to steelworkers are anticipating an economic boost from President Trump and the Republican Congress. German banking giant Deutsche Bank is already giving Trump credit for pushing back the recession that analysts were expecting by five months. Estimates now expect a recession to begin in 27 months (August 2019).

The January Federal Reserve policy meeting will be on January 31st and February 1st. There’s no policy meeting in February. Trump’s two hand-picked Federal Reserve Governors should be confirmed and present for the March FOMC meeting, which occurs on the 14th and 15th.

Coin experts are cautioning buyers not to expect a big payoff down the road for any of the many “Trump Coins” now being sold. There are plenty that are very attractive, but buy them as a memento of Trump’s historic election, not as something you will be able to flip at a profit.

We wrap up the month with a follow-up to the story of the brazen thief who walked up to the open back of an armored car in New York’s “Diamond District” last November and staggered off with an 86-pound drum of gold flakes estimated at $1.6 million. He has finally been caught by police in Ecuador, after a two-month manhunt. The gold was nowhere to be found.

Letter Re: The Economy, Trump and Tax Proposals

HJL:

I just attended my insurance agent’s coop annual meeting where a “behavioral economist’ spoke. One of his points is that GDP growth is limited to 1.5% by the available labor, even allowing for the higher percentage that is U-6. He says the gap has narrowed but always present. I look at the change in the tax code to promote repatriation of funds held overseas and a potential repeat of the accelerated cost recovery rules on depreciation that powered the Reagan revitalization along with the convergence of robotic technology and wonder if any jobs would be produced by the wave of productivity increasing investments that will occur in the next two years. It turns out that that would be in harmony with our current situation.

As I have said before, Star Wars is instructive. There are warriors, slaves, and owner of the tools of production (robots). It is important for us to embrace or acquire an understanding of computers that control devices. Raspberry PI is a perfect learning platform. Welding (brazing, soldering) is another essential survival skill in the coming world. The “collapse” of the world as we know it does not necessarily mean traveling back to the 1880’s to become subsistence farmers. That paradigm can contain its own “normalcy bias”. It is important to acquire diverse skills and keep your antenna up for the rapid change coming at us. Don’t stop at just knowing how to feed your family. – R.V.

JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:

Books:

The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Resistance by Vin Suprynowicz

All New Square Foot Gardening, by Mel Bartholomew

Movies:

Duck Soup

The Maltese Falcon

Television:

Jericho

Firefly

Music:

The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music

Rags to Riches the Essential Hits [of Scott Joplin]

Instructional Videos:

AR-15 Upgrades Overview (from IV8888)

Art Of The Tactical Carbine by Chris Costa

Podcasts:

The Adventure Sports Podcast

Wranglerstar: AMAZING Room Transformation

Gear:

SOG Traction EDC Pocketknife (Under $15!)

Harris Bipod Model 1A2 (Adjustable 6” to 9”)

Midland Model 75-822 40 Channel CB Handheld Radio

Odds ‘n Sods:

BSA…Living up to only the first two letters. Goodbye, Boy Scouts of America. You spineless cowards. – D.S.

Article Excerpt: “So, if I haven’t been clear, here’s how this works: You give the leftist bullies every last thing they want, and in return you get nothing. Whatever you already had, you lose. Those who supported you while you were being attacked, no longer support you. The people who hated you still hate you and the people who loved you now resent you for betraying them. You are now officially in a lose/lose/lose/lose-unto-infinity scenario…But hey, at least the media will write a few nice articles about you.”

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Mexico Vows $50 Million Legal Fund to Fight U.S. Deportations. Funny comment on the article below from a commentator: “Mexico’s cost for the wall just went up by $50 million. We also have a bill to submit to you for the welfare, housing assistance, health care, cost of their imprisonment, and other financial goodies they have taken from tax-paying American citizens…while they were illegally living in America…as well as for the pain and suffering they have caused to American’s by their illegal actions.” – D.B.

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Secret Rules Make It Pretty Easy for the FBI to Spy on Journalists – P.M.

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The Cloud Party Declares War – B.B.

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Three Reasons Why a Double Standard is Imposed on Israel

Notes for Tuesday – January 31, 2017

On January 31, 1606, Guy Fawkes was executed for his part in the Gunpowder Plot against parliament and King James.

Also on this day in 1872, American author Pearl Zane Grey was born. He was best know for his popular adventure western novels, including Riders of the Purple Sage, which was his best-selling book. As a boy, Hugh could often be found behind a copy of one of Zane Grey’s books, because he was an avid reader and any Zane Grey book was a favorite.

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Today, we present the last entry for Round 68 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. 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),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package (enough for two families of four) plus seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate (a $325 retail 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. An infrared sensor/imaging camouflage shelter from Snakebite Tactical in Eureka, Montana (A $350+ 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 68 ends on January 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.

When Every Shred of Privacy is Lost: Take Comfort, by The Recovering Feminist

“Why should we be afraid of one another, since both of us have only God to fear?”[1] (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

There exists a place where man is not allowed to venture. This place is another man’s soul. Humans may experience consensual soul connections but to think that man could determine the end of the soul is another thing altogether. There is a place in every human being that is untouchable. Even if humans are monitored day and night and their actions and words analyzed and predicted, put into a mental prison so-to-speak, and even if somehow technology is able to affect my behavior or thoughts, there still remains a secret place of confidence that man cannot affect eternally. So, take comfort. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”[2]

Privacy

Privacy is an important aspect of survival. Effective OPSEC, for instance, can make or break a mission. How much privacy do we really have? How much is enough? What if the answer is not about privacy at all but more the human soul? Is there privacy in the human soul? Is the soul private property? We are nearing a time when technology and post-modernity merge into a world that makes privacy a distant memory of the past? Consider how much you self-censured just in the last 24 hours. What happens when you do everything right, take every precaution, and yet every shred of your privacy is lost?

In this article, three main points are highlighted. First, we have all been on the receiving end of unlawful invasion of privacy. Second, there are certain people who will continue to choose to break moral laws, including malicious spying. Third, even when the worst scenario plays out and we are faced with the absolute lack of privacy (when our most private thoughts are compromised), there is still hope. Do not fear; take comfort.

The Mind & Scientism

Psychology, psychiatry, and science will never plumb the ultimate depth of the human heart and soul. With all of our technology, the nano-tech promises and trans-humanist theories of the future, will man ever truly get into the mind of another man? More importantly, can man get into the mind of God?

Scientism is on the rise and in competition with every religion on the planet. Doubt this? Question global warming, Darwinism, the existence of the soul, and see how far you get with someone who worships science over natural law. Natural law is a beautiful thing. Take time to look into the Fibonacci numbers, and your eyes will be opened to this beauty. The claim that scientism has all the answers or the excuse that science will eventually provide all the answers is flawed. This claim is missing something important– the reality of not only the natural but the supernatural. Dr. J.P. Moreland, one of the most brilliant philosophers of our time, states, “What I do reject is the idea that science and science alone can claim to give us knowledge. This assertion– known as scientism– is patently false and, in fact, not even a claim of science, but rather, a philosophical view about science.”[3]

The brain is an interesting thing, consciousness even more so. Scientists are working hard to analyze the mind, consciousness, and neural pathways of thought. A quick search for current academic articles on the “mapping” of the human brain is quit informative on what science is attempting to do.[4] If only there were time to write about the philosophy of mind, the complexities of the soul, how the mind, brain, consciousness, and soul are connected, or more importantly how all of these topics relate to the mind of God. For more on these subjects, I recommend Dr. J.P. Moreland’s resources, especially his book, Love Your God with All Your Mind: The Role of Reason in the Life of the Soul, Aristotle’s On the Soul[5] and The Chinese Room Argument, published by American Philosopher John Searle.[6]

Destructive Gossip

We can all recall a conversation with a loved one, for instance, that would horrify us if it were made public; they’re those intimate, sometimes heated, sometimes confessional discussions that are private and intended to stay private. We also have memories of conversations that were made public without our consent. Perhaps you shared something in strict confidence and the next day it’s all over town or Twitter. The sense of betrayal that comes from a break in confidence is heavy and can damage relationships forever.

Malicious Spying

Destructive gossip is one thing; malicious spying is another. Unfortunately, Americans are subject to this crime daily, whether they are aware of it or not. This is a complicated matter, and although there are good, moral men in certain agencies hard at work to protect us, there are also compromised men who reject the nudges (sometimes screams) originating from their conscience about their work. Behind the motives of these men, one may find the predictable lust for greed, power, and wealth. Selling out the privacy of the American man has become a hobby and one practiced without remorse or any sense of responsibility. It seems more important these days for a professional to report a suspected “thought” about a stranger than for that suspected “thought” to be correct, verified, and most importantly justified. False accusations can destroy a marriage, a family, and worse a society.

Below are a few references to agencies, particular professions, and everyday situations that have and may continue to dishonor privacy.

Sources and Examples of Continued Abuse

  1. NSA/TSA/DHS/CPS/FBI/CIA/IRS/EPA/DEA/DARPA

    Did I forget any? Most likely I did. Some agencies are moving to ensure that our private lives are logged and analyzed (for our own safety, they declare). Some have hopes of predicting future private thoughts that may lead to future harmful or illegal actions. This goes way beyond thought police, and all under the noble cause of maintaining our safety. Yet, ironically, the lack of humanity in some of these organizations is downright terrifying.

  2. Neighbors

    Anyone experience the horror of having a neighbor call CPS on you, without due cause, of course? Perhaps the call was “just a hunch”. The pain and destruction of a false accusation of abuse has not adequately been acknowledged or addressed in our society or the court system. There should be heavy consequences for a malicious, false accusation. No excuses.

  3. Grocery Store Clerks/Dentists/ER Staff/Doctors/Teachers, et cetera

    This relates to the neighbor example; however, it is more disheartening in a way to sense that some people are holding a power card over the strangers they interact with in their professional work. You know…the “See Something, Say Something” card.

  4. Banking and Commerce

    For some reason, walking into a department store today doesn’t have the same feeling it did ten, twenty, or thirty years ago. It just seems (and this is conjecture) that certain eyes are on you. Why? Are the eyes there to anticipate your needs? This is more than the friendly store clerk greeting of, “Can I help you find something?” This is an automated, credit card tracking, algorithm modus operandi that goes way beyond the personalized store clerk. It goes so far beyond frankly, that this form of connecting with customers is the least personal interaction of all. The fault lies in the design of something that is neither personal nor attentive, a design fatally flawed to the essence of the human spirit to begin with.

    What if the eyes are simply there to anticipate right or wrong actions of customers, customers who pose a genuine threat of theft? Or could it be more complicated? What about this motive: the eyes feeding a malicious desire for power and control, and no one is willing to confront this motive, which is to know more about the person intimately than rightfully and lawfully possible. It’s a desire to know the stranger (the whole person), despite the stranger’s innocence of this knowledge, justifying the invasion deep into the psyche of the buyer as one of accounting, advertising, or worse– the push for economic growth. If only a moral leader would be so bold as to encourage a slowdown of this ambitious venture (to seek knowledge at all cost) and spend more time studying the consequences of invading private lives, just to make a buck.

Moral Men

It is crucial to point out again that there are honorable, moral people in these organizations, and it would be foolish to assume that everyone has been morally compromised. Furthermore, it goes without saying that if those good people were not there, our situation would be far worse. We should make a habit of praying for those who still stand for truth in these organizations, praying for their safety and security as they fight for what is right and confront what is wrong.

Stop Breaking Moral Law

Dr. Moreland wrote that, “…G. K. Chesterton once bemoaned, once people stop believing in God, the problem is not that they will believe nothing; rather, the problem is that they will believe anything.”[7] Do you justify your actions and your belief system through reason and logic, or rather a deep, nearly hidden sense of selfishness and pride? For those participating in the unwarranted, malicious invasion of personal privacy, come forward to your Creator, admit this fact, and repent. “The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him, and the more deeply he becomes involved in it, the more disastrous is his isolation.”[8] You can only fight your conscience for so long. If you find yourself in a place of confusion about whether your actions are right or wrong, then at the very least excuse yourself from further crimes and stop breaking obvious moral law. Otherwise, you risk falling into the category of G.K. Chesterton’s reference of people who “will believe anything” to justify wrongdoing.

Furthermore, let it be known that the judgment seat of divine law is not filled with powerful lawyers on either side. Nor will you be afforded a jury of your peers. Only one defense may you elect, and that defense will not be swayed by scientism, humanism, naturalism, progressivism, communism, socialism, or any other worldview excuse. For those feigning ignorance, deep down you know exactly what I am talking about. We see, but we can’t see. We hear, but we can’t hear. Funny how the answer is so close, and yet the distance between the heart and head can be so great. There were men who stood face to face with the Son of God and could not see, yet blind men knew Him without sight. Why is that? Could it be that we are our own worst enemy? “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? ? John 14:9, AKJV) .

For the Betrayed

In many ways, we have all been betrayed by our own brothers, when it comes to privacy. Still, if you are personally suffering from being on the receiving end of such acts, take heart. Know that man has limited power and control for only so long. For the malicious in spirit, technology can only reap its intended rewards for so long. Do we really think technology is beyond the control of God? Evil is limited. Think of a fish in the sea. How long can it last outside of its natural boundary of water? At some point, the scales will level, judgment will come, and all will be made right. Understanding these limits, it is vital that we take to heart the words “do not fear”. “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”[9]

Take time to memorize these words of comfort:

Do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,

Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

‘Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored;

Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish.

‘You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them,

Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent.

‘For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand,

Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.[10]

Man’s Limits

We have the opportunity to maintain one area of privacy that no technology and no man can touch. This area is prayer. Perhaps in the future, technology will allow man to hear our thoughts as we pray. Yet, man will never know the mind of God, nor the conversation that God intends to have privately with one of His children. All men are allowed to have this type of intimacy with their Creator. The choice is freely theirs, and it is never forced upon them. Free will allows for all mankind to know truth and for that truth to set him free.

Peace of Conscience

The great William G. T. Shedd skillfully explains the holiness of God as follows:

God’s holiness is manifested (a) in the moral law; (b) in physical laws which appear in the course and constitution of nature, secure happiness to virtue, and connect misery with vice; (c) in mental laws: peace of conscience, upon obedience, is the most exquisite enjoyment; remorse of conscience, upon disobedience, is the most exquisite torture; (d) in positive laws: these spring not from the constitution of nature or of the human mind but are enactments by the arbitrary will of God.[11]

Are you seeking a peace in your mind? Are you seeking a peace in your conscience? Listen to that nudge. Start your own investigation. If you genuinely desire to know truth, it will be revealed to you. Do not listen to those who “will believe anything.” You absolutely can have “peace of conscience…exquisite enjoyment.”[12]

References

References


[1] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together: the Classic Exploration of Christian in Community, 1St ed. (Wheaton, IL: HarperOne, 2009), 106.


[2] Romans 8:39-39, AKJV


[3] James Porter Moreland, Love Your God with All Your Mind: The Role of Reason in the Life of the Soul, 2nd ed. (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, ©2012), 34.


[4] “Projects Mapping the Narrative Comprehension Network and Its Persuasive Effects: Toward Narrative Disruptors and Inductors,” ASU Center for Strategic Communication, accessed December 31, 2016, http://csc.asu.edu/projects/.


[5] Aristotle, “On the Soul,” The Internet Classics Archive, accessed December 31, 2016, http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/soul.mb.txt.


[6] Cole, David, “The Chinese Room Argument”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2015 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), accessed December 31, 2016. URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2015/entries/chinese-room/>.


[7] Moreland, 34.


[8] Bonhoeffer, 112.


[9] Matt 10:28, AKJV


[10] Isaiah 41:10-13, AKJV.


[11] Shedd, William G T. Dogmatic Theology. 3rd ed. Phillipsburg, N.J.: P & R Pub., ©2003., 291.


[12] Ibid

Letter Re: Airport BOB

HJL,

I’ve traveled for my company for the past 20 years, and 98% of what T.H. listed is what I had in my travel bag. Note it is what I “had”, as in past tense. I finally got out of the airports and traveling all over the country in 2015. There is the possibility of an odd trip or two, so I still have my carry-on bag handy at work. I find that I occasionally rob it from time to time. One thing T.H. listed that I never had was a whistle, and I feel that is a good idea. I found that the items changed over time especially after 9/11. Once, when stranded in Minneapolis, MN, I was able to contact a friend who lived there and spent the night in her basement. My missing item in the bag was a toothbrush, so the next morning as her husband drove me back to the airport we stopped off at a drug store and added a travel brush and paste to my bag. Another couple of items I always keep in my bag is a small compact umbrella and a light compressible rain coat. I’ve left the sunny south, where I was in light cloths, and found snow or rain coming down where I landed and had to walk to a rental car. Having quick access to the jacket and umbrella helps. I also kept light gloves in there as well. I think T.H.’s list is very good, and for frequent travelers I suggest adding many of these items to your carry on if you have not already. – C.V.