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.”

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

Economy & Finance:

Rickards’ Five 2024 Forecasts.

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

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

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

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 2, by Cyclops

(Continued from Part 1.)

FEAR

We are hard-wired to avoid things that ignite fear. This is a central aspect of reward/punishment conditioning that is central to the way humans learn about and adapt to our surroundings. The adrenaline-induced panic that we experience in a fight or flight response is a physical reaction that helps us learn how to survive, and is ingrained in our genes. But this aspect of our biology makes us vulnerable to those who want to manipulate us through fear.

The level of fear that can sway our values and behavior need not be extreme, such as the fear of death. It may be the fear of losing a job, a scholarship, or money. It may involve the fear of losing esteem, social acceptance, or the love of an important person. It might be the fear of being called a unflattering name, such as “racist”, “backward”, or “uncaring”. It may be as simple as losing out on something in which we have invested time or money, or a loss of our own self-esteem. How many types of fear can you identify in the following example.Continue reading“Resisting Thought Control – Pt. 2, by Cyclops”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

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First up today: US agency will not reinstate $900 million subsidy for SpaceX Starlink unit.  JWR’s Comments:  To me, this news illustrates two things:  First, the ostensibly neutral Federal regulatory agencies have become politicized, if not weaponized. This says more about how leftists dislike Elon Musk for his politics, more than anything else. Second, the FCC is only giving lip service to providing Internet service to families that live in rural areas. Starlink will eventually be able to provide Internet connectivity for everyone living at less than 60 degrees of latitude. It also makes me suspicious that The Powers That Be don’t want Americans living in truly remote areas — places that are already served by Starlink, but that will never be served by cable Internet.

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N.C. Scout’s new book, The Guerilla’s Guide to Signals Intelligence, is now available for ordering.  N.C. Scout is of course one of our text advertisers, and you probably already own his book on Baofeng UV-5R transceivers.

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Reader A.R. wrote this, in response to SaraSue’s most recent snippet about raising pigs:

“In my experience, modern hogs do not have hardly any fat. They usually are so lean that you have to add fat to cook them. This was done because animal fat has been demonized. They have bred fat out of them. The only exception I’ve found is pot-bellied pigs. Someone once gave me three pot-bellied pigs, and they made the best fat, and in large quantities. Also, animals in general use up their fat through the winter, and so if you want fat, it would be best to slaughter in the fall, after they have been eating on lush forage all summer. “

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At Politico: White House announces new state-based gun violence initiative. JWR’s Comment: This is a push from the Federal level to the state level, ramrodding legislation. The Bidenistas realized that they couldn’t move their gun-grabbing agenda forward at the Federal level, so they are now “coordinating” it at the State level.  Beware! I warned readers about the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, several months ago. Please keep in close contact with your legislators at all levels, and demand that they hold the line on any new gun restrictions. Please remind them that in light of the Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen decision, nearly all existing gun laws should actually be repealed. The only gun law I know of that has an analogous pre-1791 law is Kennesaw Georgia’s law requiring gun ownership.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Now, one of the most essential branches of English liberty is the freedom of one’s house. A man’s house is his castle; and whilst he is quiet, he is as well guarded as a prince in his castle.” – James Otis, Against Writs of Assistance, 1761

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — December 19, 2023

On December 19, 1777, during the War of Independence, General George Washington led 11,000 regulars to take up winter quarters at Valley Forge on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, 22 miles (35 km) northwest of Philadelphia.

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December 19, 1915, French singer and actress Edith Piaf, whose interpretation of the chanson (French ballad) made her internationally famous, was born.  Her song Chanson D’amour became an international hit.  And you may recall that her song Tu Es Partout was prominent in the movie Saving Private Ryan, just before the German attack.

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This new listing in Murtaugh, Idaho (near Twin Falls) at SurvivalRealty looks promising for anyone who wants a traditional house for suburban living, but with a fully capable nuclear fallout shelter: Custom 4 Bed/3 Bath Home with Nuclear Fallout Shelter/Bunker.

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December 19th is the birthday physicist Albert A. Michelson (born 1852, died May 9, 1931), who was the first American to be awarded a Nobel Prize in science, for measuring the speed of light.  JWR is related to the Michelsons, by marriage.

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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. 1, by Cyclops

A recent headline read: “Corporate Executive Pays to Deprogram Daughter After Freshman Year”. Years ago, the process of deprogramming might have been reserved for a prisoner of war (POW), or a victim of a cult. Not anymore. A normal adolescent attending any one of the couple thousand colleges or universities in America will be subjected to indoctrination and thought control. In the case of this headline, one parent decided to do something about it.

The sad reality is that anyone living in America today is subjected to a constant onslaught of inputs from someone who wants to influence our mind, adjust our attitude, or control our behavior. In Tucker Carlson’s newly launched streaming website, he reveals that “News coverage in the west has become a tool of repression and control. Journalists act as censors on behalf of entrenched power…they hate the truth.” Institutions we used to rely upon to seek truth, such as schools and media, are now devoted to thought control and propaganda.

We are literally swimming around in a sea of misdirection, misinformation, propaganda, truth-bending, psychological coercion, and mind control. Those who are behind this know that you will eventually succumb; that is, if you haven’t deliberately constructed defensive ramparts in your thinking to protect your mind.

After all that you have invested in preparing your home and family to survive in extreme circumstances, have you given the same level of preparation to protecting your mind? Are you as equipped to recognize and resist the brainwashing to which you are most assuredly being subjected as you are equipped to survive a power outage? If you are vulnerable to someone controlling your mind, all your other preparations are in vain.Continue reading“Resisting Thought Control – Pt. 1, by Cyclops”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies of interest to preppers and survivalists that are located in the American Redoubt region. Today, we focus on a bald eagle poaching prosecuation.  (See the Montana section.)

Region-Wide

Some serious Eco-LARPers, gone wild, in Idaho, Montana, and the eastern fringe of the Cascades, in Washington: Living Wild: Surviving with the Means of the Stone Age — Survival Documentary.  JWR’s Comments: This was as seen through the eyes of a European film crew. The sight of those avocados and some of the leather and hides that looked like they were mail-ordered from Tandy Leather Company seemed a bit incongruous. The obviously staged scene of them scaling a cliff was hilarious since an inadvertent wide shot revealed a much easier route up the mountain, just nearby. Oh well, I’ll award them an A for Drama, and a D for Authenticity.

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Conservationists, tribes say deal with Biden administration is a road map to breach Snake River dams.

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Yellowstone opens for winter season.

Idaho

Reader C.B. sent this: The future of nuclear energy will be decided in Idaho.

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Published by Willamette Week — one of Portland, Oregon’s left-wing rags: New Data Shows Red Wave Washing Into Idaho. (Thanks to D.B. for the link.)

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72-year-old woman missing for four days rescued after wrecked car found in Idaho canyon.

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Video from a real estate agent: Why Are End Of World Preppers Moving To North Idaho?

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Terry spotted this news: Prepare for an ‘Animal Style’ grand opening, In-N-Out to open Tuesday. JWR’s Comment: Idaho probably didn’t need more greasy food Californication.

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Another from C.B.: Boise’s contentious new zoning code went live. Here’s what that could mean for you.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.” – Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776

Preparedness Notes for Monday — December 18, 2023

On this day in 1865, by proclamation of the U.S. Secretary of State, the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, outlawing slavery, officially entered into force, having been ratified by the requisite states on December 6.  As a footnote, the slaves in Texas only belatedly got the word of their liberation in the middle of the following June — in 1866. Hence, the origin of the annual “Juneteenth” celebrations — recently enshrined as a Federal holiday.

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On December 18, 1737, famed Italian violin maker Antonio Stradivari died in Cremona. A rare Stradivarius violin sold for near-record $15.3 million, in 2022.

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December 18th is the birthday of Charles Wesley (18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788). He wrote more than 1,700 hymns.

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Today is also the birthday of Jørgen Haagen Schmith (born December 18, 1910, died October 15, 1944.) He was better known under the codename Citron and was a famous Danish resistance fighter in occupied Denmark. His biographical sketch at Wikipedia describes his death, after he was tracked down by the Nazis: “German soldiers arrived at the house to arrest or kill Schmith. He fought for hours against an overwhelming force of enemy troops killing 11 and wounded scores of others before the house was set on fire and he was shot attempting to escape the flames.” His exploits were dramatized in the movie Flame and Citron.

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Today’s feature article is a review written by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.
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We are seeking entries for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. 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.