JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

What Kind Of American Are You?

So, Are You More of a Tucker Carlson American, or a Stephen Colbert American?

News Links:

Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”  – Luke 2:1-1 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — December 23, 2023

On December 23, 1912, the first Keystone Kops film, directed by Mack Sennett entitled “Hoffmeyer’s Legacy” was released.

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December 23rd is the birthday of Founding Father and Supreme Court Justice John Jay. (Born 1745, died May 17, 1829.)

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  5. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. 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).
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $305 value),
  2. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  3. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $850,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 110 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.

Resisting Thought Control – Pt. 5, by Cyclops

(Continued from Part 4..)

Name Calling

It never feels good to be called a name, particularly if it is an unjust accusation. It is one of the reasons that the fear of being thought of poorly is a powerful manipulative tool, as mentioned in the preceding “Fear section”.

During Covid, some public voices were openly hostile to those who did not get the vaccine. CNN’s Don Lemon was one of these personalities. Lemon would launch into tirades showed unrelenting ridicule, disdain, and a lack of concern for anyone who would even think of not agreeing with the prevailing narrative. He called them “stupid” for having a concern about their own health. He blasted them for hesitating because they didn’t know what was in the shot. He said: “The people who are not getting vaccines who are believing the lies on the internet instead of science, it’s time to start shaming them, or leave them behind.” He said that “conspiracy theorists” who question mask mandates “shouldn’t have even had kids.”

Don Lemon was not the only one, as one public personality after another fired off blistering attacks on people who turned out to be right about their concerns. It is hard to stand up to such salvos, and name-calling–or the fear of being called a name–often causes people to first change their behavior, and then change their mind.Continue reading“Resisting Thought Control – Pt. 5, by Cyclops”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, 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 your e-mailed letters. We post many of those –or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

I’ve been very busy writing this past week. To be ready to create the next edition of the SurvivalBlog archive USB stick, I need to get all of the December posts written by December 28th. Because we are adding so much bonus content, the archive will be on 32 GB sticks, this year. They should be orderable by January 22nd, 2024. So mark your calendar, if you plan to buy any. They will likely sell out before the end of February.

I’ve also been working on the manuscript for my forthcoming novel Flag Of Freedom. That will be the second book of the Counter-Caliphate Chronicles series.  That won’t be published until late 2024 or early 2025. Thanks for your patience.

I haven’t had too many projects around the ranch, of late. Just the usual chores, and some fiddling with the stock tank heaters for the corrals and pastures. And thus far I haven’t done more than just one test swipe, with our snowplow. There is just a bit of snow in the forecast before January. So it looks like we may get off easy this year, unless the weather pattern shifts.

Now, on to Lily’s more loquacious report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.

And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:

And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.

And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt:

And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the Lord; for that he heareth your murmurings against the Lord: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?

And Moses said, This shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.

And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the Lord: for he hath heard your murmurings.

And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God.

And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.

And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.

And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.” – Exodus 16:1-15 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Friday — December 22, 2023

On December  22, 1944, Germans demanded the surrender of American troops at Bastogne, Belgium. The 101st Airborne’s commanding general, Anthony McAuliffe, gave the famous one-word reply: “Nuts.” (Above, a U.S. Army photo, by Pfc. Donald R. Ornitz, 166th Signal Photo Company.)

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December 22nd is the anniversary of the death of SP4 James T. Davis, the first uniformed American combat casualty of the Vietnam War, in 1961. This ASA soldier (of the 3rd Radio Research Unit) was killed in a Viet Cong ambush on a road outside Saigon.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  5. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. 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).
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $305 value),
  2. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  3. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $850,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 110 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.

Resisting Thought Control – Pt. 4, by Cyclops

(Continued from Part 3.)

Shifting Definitions

The person who controls the definitions of words, controls the thoughts of the people. Orwell knew this well as he crafted his dystopian novel, “1984”. In that story, the ruling “Party” used “Newspeak” to control language and definitions to limit the subjects’ ability to think and communicate about ideas that went against the Party.
In the allegory, “Animal Farm”, also by Orwell, citizens endured a set of definitions that constantly shifted to suit the leader’s lust for power. For example, the phrase, “all animals are equal” shifted into “some animals are more equal than others.”

While Orwell’s books were meant to describe methods of Nazi and Communist oppression during and after World War 2, the books provide an illustration of how changing language and definitions manipulates a society. Deceivers can obtain agreement from people under one definition, then the thoughts and values of those people will shift as the definition of the word shifts over time. Consider, for example, the following shifts in language or principles that have occurred over the past few years.

Be wary of shifting definitions, and the expectations upon our behavior based on migrating principles.Continue reading“Resisting Thought Control – Pt. 4, by Cyclops”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at Costco’s gold sales boom. (See the Precious Metals section.)

Precious Metals:

Costco Just Sold More Than $100 Million in Gold in One Quarter. The article begins:

“In a surprising turn of events, Costco has struck gold with online shoppers, raking in more than $100 million in sales of the precious metal during its fiscal first quarter, which concluded on November 26. This revelation was shared by Costco’s Chief Financial Officer, Richard Galanti, during the company’s recent earnings call.

The sought-after 1-ounce gold bars have become a hot commodity, consistently selling out within hours of being listed on Costco’s website. In September, Galanti noted that the gold bars, priced at $2,069.99 per ounce on the website, were in high demand, often disappearing swiftly despite their premium cost compared to the latest spot price of $2,020.58.”

o  o  o

Rick Ackerman, at Gold-Eagle.com: Gold Can’t Pussyfoot Forever.

Economy & Finance:

Rickards’ Five 2024 Forecasts.

o  o  o

WSJ: How the Housing Market Slowdown Is Rippling Through the Economy in Five Charts.

o  o  o

Reader H.L. sent this: Carbon Capture Needs Enough Pipelines to Circle Earth Four Times.

o  o  o

A piece by Alasdair Macleod, from D.S.V.: Underestimating Debt Traps.

o  o  o

AI is a danger to the financial system, regulators warn for the first time.

o  o  o

The New York Fed Has Extended Its Half Trillion Dollar Bailout Facility to a Sprawling Japanese Bank You’ve Never Heard Of.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Liberty and order will never be perfectly safe, until a trespass on the constitutional provisions for either, shall be felt with the same keenness that resents an invasion of the dearest rights, until every citizen shall be an Argus to espy, and an Aegeon to avenge, the unhallowed deed.” – James Madison, Speech to Congress, 1792

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — December 21, 2023

It is always gratifying to reach the winter solstice, each year. Just knowing that the days will be getting longer is a relief! Cheer up, folks.

—

On this day in 1898, having recently discovered polonium, future Nobel Prize winners Marie and Pierre Curie discovered the radioactive chemical element radium, a silvery white metal that would be used to treat cancer.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  5. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. 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).
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $305 value),
  2. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  3. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $850,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 110 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.

 

Resisting Thought Control – Pt. 3, by Cyclops

(Continued from Part 2.)

Denial is a form of selective information. If you can’t succeed in limiting the information that a brainwashing subject takes in, at the very least you can deny that the information they have received is true. Now many politicians and agencies are denying some of the actions they openly demonstrated during the Covid frenzy. In an October 1, 2023 Substack publication, attorney Bobbie Anne Cox outlines just a few of the reversals that public figures are attempting now that more information has come out about the lack of effectiveness of masks and/or Covid “vaccines.” What came out as forceful, even vitriolic mandates during the frenzy are now being walked back. “Oh, we never actually required people to get the vaccine”–even though people were humiliated, drummed out of jobs, out of the military, out of their professions, out of concerts, restaurants, whatever. Our ability to psychologically accept denial is so potent that this ruse will actually work on many people. They will actually adjust their memory to accommodate these new proclamations.

It comes down to this: don’t rely on any one source to give you the full story. We are easily deceived if we don’t verify assertions using multiple sources, and even then remain reserved in believing everything we see and read. Question everything that you are expected to believe.Continue reading“Resisting Thought Control – Pt. 3, by Cyclops”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, more about illegal immigration.

Why Has Prepping Become So Popular With The Left?

Reader H.L. sent us the link to this article over at Citizen Watch Report: Why Has Prepping Become So Popular With The Left? JWR’s Comments:  The two key (and quite overt) messages from the filmmakers to the viewers of the movie Leave The World Behind are: 1.)  Don’t trust white people, and 2.) You don’t need to prepare for WTSHTF if you just break into the unoccupied home of someone who did prepare. This underscores my long-standing admonition: Never buy a retreat in a resort town!

And see:  Why younger Americans are stockpiling supplies ahead of 2024 election: ‘Society unraveling’.

Texas Lawmen Can Now Arrest Illegal Migrants

Over at the Trending Politics site: Texas Signs Law Allowing The Arrest Of Illegal Border Migrants.  The article begins:

“Texas Governor Greg Abbott has enacted legislation permitting state law enforcement officials to detain individuals suspected of unauthorized entry across the U.S.-Mexico border.

Under Senate Bill 4, individuals who enter or attempt to enter Texas from a foreign nation at any location other than a lawful port of entry, and who are classified as aliens as per federal law, would be committing a Class B misdemeanor.

This offense can lead to up to 180 days in jail and/or a maximum fine of $2,000. The bill elevates this to a state-jail felony, punishable by 180 days to two years in a state jail and an optional fine of up to $10,000, if the individual has been previously convicted of illegal entry from a foreign nation.”

Mexican Military Seizes 10 IEDs at US Border

Reader C.B. sent this: Mexican military seize TEN IEDs at the US-Mexico border at Tucson: Border patrol agents are warned to be ‘vigilant’ as America is faced with unprecedented migrant surge.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness. You only truly, deeply appreciate and are grateful for something when you compare and contrast it to something worse.” – John Steinbeck

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — December 20, 2023

On December 20th, 1988, Pan Am flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, because of a terrorist bombing; in 2003 the government of Libya accepted responsibility for the explosion and in 2004 agreed to compensate the families of the victims. Pictured is the Lockerbie Memorial Garden.

Following Abraham Lincoln‘s election as U.S. president, on On December 20, 1860, South Carolina became the first U.S. state to secede from the Union.

On December 20th, 1606, the Virginia Company loaded three ships with settlers and set sail to establish Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in the Americas.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  5. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. 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).
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $305 value),
  2. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  3. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $850,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 110 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.