Practical Utility: A Braced 9mm AR Pistol, by Francis, the Semi-Prepper

Editor’s Introductory Note:  I am belatedly posting the following article that was submitted to SurvivalBlog back in August of 2021. I held off running it because at the time the owners of arm-braced pistols were in legal limbo.  But as of January 15, 2025, the BATF has finally conceded to the Fifth Circuit Court’s November 8, 2023 nationwide injunction of not enforcing their on-again, off-again, on-again, off-again, on-again, off-again ban on arm-braced pistols.  That was reinforced by an Eighth Circuit Court decision in August, 2024 that called the ATF’s ban “arbitrary and capricious.”

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I refer to myself as a Semi-Prepper because I live in a Homeowners Association (HOA) governed neighborhood in a small college town adjacent to a large Southern City. I’m 75 years old and I just can’t see myself becoming completely self-sufficient. I honestly feel that as a nation we are now living in “la-la land.” I spend a lot of time reading about history and the failures of leadership, empires, and countries.

Some historians will tell you the flourishing life of an empire is about 240 years, many disagree. Do the math since 1776. While I have to admit the history of the United States is filled with many problems, we were on the right side of fixing our problems. I don’t think we are going in that direction right now. If we keep going this way we will be gone in 200 years.

Think of our recent wars:

  • Korea: Prior to the North Korean invasion, Dean Acheson, the US Secretary of State at that time stated Korea was not part of our sphere or zone of influence. That was a green light to the North Koreans to attack. He was the top guy in the State Department and a very idiotic thinker, everybody loved him.
  • Vietnam: It was covered up as we knew Diem was corrupt and worked to destroy the Buddhists. LBJ kept going as he wanted to win reelection and McNamara knew it was a hopeless cause early on but kept lying.
  • Somalia: I knew we were in trouble when Clinton said on television that we were going to bring democracy to Somalia. They are clan oriented, can’t read or write and Clinton should be in jail.
  • Afghanistan: Very tribal. The British learned this in the late 1840’s. Presidents should read more history and hire anthropologists. Bush should be in jail, Cheney should get worse for the Iraq WMDs.

I feel therefore I should be prepared for some kind of failure in the USA. So here is another practical article about firearms.

My previous article was about using a red dot sight with a pistol. For those of you not at 75 years old, believe me that your shooting skills do degrade as you age. Looking for something to improve my accuracy with a pistol I proceeded to get a pistol with stabilizing brace.Continue reading“Practical Utility: A Braced 9mm AR Pistol, by Francis, the Semi-Prepper”

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 credit cards and their proper use. (See the Credit Card Use and Credit Card Debt section.)

Precious Metals:

China’s central bank purchases 10 tonnes of gold in December, analysts say it’s nowhere near done buying.  JWR’s Comments:  Those are just the official numbers on Chinese gold purchases. The word in the Comex pit is that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is making many additional unofficial gold and silver purchases. Many of these are via intermediaries and offshore subsidiary ventures. They are amassing quite a pile of gold. I assume that they have done so because they see war clouds on the horizon.

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Mike Gleason, at Gold-Eagle.com: Massive Silver Flows, Potential Short Squeeze from Trump Tariff Threat.

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Sound Money Advocates in Wyoming Introduce Bill to Establish Gold Reserve.

Economy & Finance:

This was reported back in August: Those Biden-Harris job growth numbers? Never mind.

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Fitch: US Faces Several Fiscal Policy Challenges in 2025.

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WSJ:  A Bond Selloff Is Rocking the World. You Might Want to Take the Other Side.

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CBO Estimates $710 Billion Deficit for First Three Months of Fiscal Year 2025.

JWR’s Comments: The Federal debt ceiling will be reached again, in just a few days. The federal debt and budget deficit will continue to be chronic problems until Congress makes substantive cuts in the size of government, and government spending.  I believe that Trump, his cabinet, and the DOGE boys have the cojones to cut the size of government, but presently the Congress does not. This may come down to a major standoff between the Executive and Legislative branches, most likely the next time that there is a threatened government shut-down period. My advice?  Stay tuned, buckle up, and hold tight to your precious metals.  Also, contact your congresscritters repeatedly and them that you want less government and that you will support budget cuts, even if they are painful.

o  o  o

Report: Your Bank Might Be Spying On You For The Feds.

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Social Security’s full retirement age is increasing in 2025: What to know.

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Up in smoke: The cost of the Los Angeles wildfires’ damage could be at least $250 billion. Here’s who pays the bills.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“A state that denies its citizens their basic rights becomes a danger to its neighbors as well: internal arbitrary rule will be reflected in arbitrary external relations. The suppression of public opinion, the abolition of public competition for power and its public exercise opens the way for the state power to arm itself in any way it sees fit. … A state that does not hesitate to lie to its own people will not hesitate to lie to other states.” – Václav Havel

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — January 16, 2025

On this day in 27 BC, the title Augustus was bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate.

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The Persian Gulf War, triggered by Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait in August 1990, began on this day in 1991 with a U.S.-led air offensive against Iraq that continued until a cease-fire was declared on February 28, 1991.

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The Space Shuttle Columbia launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on January 16th, 2003. STS-107 would explode on re-entry 15 days later, killing all seven of the crew members on board. SurvivalBlog salutes all seven crewmembers: Commander Rick Husband, Pilot William McCool, Mission Specialist David Brown, Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla, Mission Specialist Michael Anderson, Mission Specialist Laurel Clark, and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 116 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. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — 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. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

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. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. 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)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  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 $935,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 116 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.

Gas Checks for .357 Magnum Cast Bullet Loads, by Steve A.

The .357 Magnum revolver cartridge is a favorite with many people for hunting and self-defense. It is a proven performer with a great balance of power and controllability. It is available in handy mid-size revolvers. It is a great trail gun cartridge and easy to reload. I use it as a sidearm to keep on my person when rifle hunting or walking around my property.

It is hard to go wrong choosing a .357 Magnum revolver from any of the major manufacturers. Both single-action and double-action revolvers are readily available. The Ruger Blackhawk series of single actions are extremely reliable. I personally use a four-inch barrel Ruger Security Six stainless revolver, which I find to be light, handy, and rust-resistant.Continue reading“Gas Checks for .357 Magnum Cast Bullet Loads, by Steve A.”

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, we look at preparedness for severe winter weather.

Winter Weather Food Prepping

A television news station in Alabama aired this segment: Winter Weather Food Prepping.  JWR’s Comments: Last-minute prepping is not genuine preparedness. It is a reactive panic, and indicative of a herd mentality.  Folks have had a three-week warning for the second and third Polar Vortex events of the year. (The next event is expected on January 20th and should continue after January 28, 2025.) Our citizenry should have been prepared months or even years ago.  As I’ve written several times before: Each individual who prepares well in advance represents one less individual who will strip supermarket shelves at the 11th hour. Hence, they will be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

Double-Click Cyberattacks on Major Browsers

Jerome sent us this link: Expert Sounds Alarm Over Double-Click Cyberattacks on Major Browsers. There are some additional details in this piece published by Forbes: Don’t Click Twice—New Chrome, Edge, Safari Hack Attack Warning.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“What then is the spirit of liberty? I cannot define it; I can only tell you my own faith. The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which seeks to understand the minds of other men and women; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which weighs their interest alongside its own without bias; the spirit of liberty remembers that not even a sparrow falls to earth unheeded; the spirit of liberty is the spirit of him who, near two thousand years ago, taught mankind that lesson it has never learned, but has never quite forgotten—that there may be a kingdom where the least shall be heard and considered side-by-side with the greatest.” – Federal District Judge and Appellate Judge Billings Learned Hand (1862-1961)

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — January 15, 2025

On January 15, 588 BC the army of Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah’s reign. The siege lasted until July 23, 586 BC.

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January 15, 1782: Robert Morris, Superintendent of Finance, recommended to the U.S. Congress the establishment of decimal coinage and a national mint.

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Today is also the anniversary of the famed 2009 “Miracle On The Hudson” engines-out emergency water landing.

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Sales of the new 2005-2024 SurvivalBlog waterproof archive sticks have been very brisk. One reader ordered 10 of them! For a full list of the included bonus books, see my post from Monday, January, 13th.

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 116 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. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — 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. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

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. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. 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)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $935,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 116 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.

Year Four Review of My Farm – Part 2, by SaraSue

There is a lot to be thankful for!

The Infrastructure

After several years of working on the Farm, repairing and replacing this and that, there was one last repair that had to be done.  Well, there are a few, but they aren’t on the critical list.  I was able to have the HVAC system replaced so that the farm house stayed warm when needed, and cool when needed.  A huge blessing.  I had an invisible fence installed around the farm to keep the LGDs home; and “the farm truck”, which is just my little car, needed a lot of maintenance and new tires.  I really need a “junker” truck and am hoping I can swing it.  Oh, and while I’m dreaming, a small cattle/horse trailer would help too… oh, and maybe a couple of supply sheds.

I spent a lot of money having cows and pigs transported here and there by others.  Other than those things, most of the really hard work has been done.  All the animals have good shelters, the patched fencing has held up, the farmhouse has been repaired and is in great condition, the new well is performing better than I had hoped, and oh, I had a dump truck drop a few tons of crusher run from the road up to the house after the driveway washed completely out.  It seems that is going to be a maintenance item I must keep on the list.  I hired tree trimmers to cut back the large, old, rotting trees around the main barn.  That barn is a critical component of the farm.  Things are looking good.Continue reading“Year Four Review of My Farm – Part 2, by SaraSue”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

Our 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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Reader D.S.V. was the first of several to mention this news: Boebert Introduces Legislation To Abolish The ATF.

o  o  o

La Niña has arrived. Here’s what that means.  (Thanks to reader C.B. for the link.)

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Reader Rick V. wrote:

“I’ve been reading Thucydides on the Peloponnesian War. The introduction and first pages sound like scenarios in your books and others like it.  Specifically the parts about having your harvest taken from you and how people acted.  Tribes wandered and gathered because they could not count on being able to harvest.  Battles were fought over the most fertile soil.  Groups would move into Athens for protection.  History most certainly repeats and often rhymes. Sounds like Haiti now. Only the law of might prevails.  And evil runs rampant.

I read “One Second After” in 2012.  Built my “Go Bag” while reading A. American on my computer screen with Amazon on the other screen ($ Ouch).  I got smarter by hitting your site and buying your books ever since.  Thank you.  I now have “go” and “get home” bags that I can actually lift.

I note an ad on your site for the “Homestead” [movie and series].  I would be interested in seeing editorial comments having seen the film over the weekend.  Encourage people to pick it apart.  Items like how to properly shield your scope or binoculars from reflection.  Nit-picky skill items like that would be very beneficial.”

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SurvivalBlog staffer Tom Christianson spotted this interesting interactive map from The Heritage Foundation — a conservative think tank: Defensive Gun Uses in the U.S..

o  o  o

Another from D.S.V.: Top 10 Cold Hardy Perennials for Northern Gardeners.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“No protracted war can fail to endanger the freedom of a democratic country … it must invariably and immeasurably increase the powers of the civil government; it must almost compulsorily concentrate the direction of all men and the management of all things in the hands of the administration. … All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and the shortest means to accomplish it.” – Alexis de Tocqueville

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — January 14, 2025

On January 11, 1129, formal approval was given to the organization of the Order of Templars (aka The Knights Templar) at the Council of Troyes.

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On January 14th, 1784, the Continental Congress ratified the Second Treaty of Paris, ending the War for Independence. In the document, which was known as the Second Treaty of Paris because the Treaty of Paris was also the name of the agreement that had ended the Seven Years’ War in 1763, Britain officially agreed to recognize the independence of its 13 former colonies as the new United States of America.

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Jonathan Rawles (JWR’s #1 Son) has just released the all-new two-volume Red State Relocation Guidebook “It is an in-depth compilation of the overlooked yet thriving red state cities and towns across the United States. Explore the possibilities, from the Mountain states to the Sunbelt, across the South, and into Appalachia and the Midwest.” If you or someone you love is considering relocating, then they will need one of both volumes of these guidebooks. They are being released at special introductory pricing, for just the next three days. Order yours, today!

 

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 116 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. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — 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. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

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. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. 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)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $935,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 116 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.

 

Year Four Review of My Farm – Part 1, by SaraSue

The new year has begun, and while it was a struggle to manage the farm and family matters last year, I’m feeling good about where things are now.  I had too many animals on the farm of various types, fences that didn’t hold, and learned a lot about the animals’ different needs.  I culled, sold, gave away, and downsized in a big way in some areas and upsized in others.  I was running as fast as I could and that led to exhaustion.  My “farm dreams” were sore in need of a reality check.  But, the good news is, I am still standing, and I did manage to change my trajectory and improve my personal health.

The Animals

The animals I had on the farm at the beginning of 2024:  Cows, sheep, pigs, chickens (both meat and laying chickens), barn cats, and guard dogs.  I ended the year with cows, laying hens, one less guard dog, and two added livestock guardian dogs.Continue reading“Year Four Review of My Farm – Part 1, by SaraSue”

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 located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, news about the Laken Riley Act.  (See the Montana section.)

Idaho

In the U.S. Senate: New bill aims to restrict transgender athletes from competing in female sports. A pericope:

“On Wednesday, U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo of Idaho, along with Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville, introduced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which aims to regulate the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports.

The bill responds to ongoing debates regarding how transgender participation is handled in athletic programs, particularly following recent changes by the Biden administration. Supporters argue that allowing “biological males” to compete in women’s categories undermines fairness for female athletes.”

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Idaho House starts 2025 session with proposal to challenge same-sex marriage.

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A video from a real estate agent: The Realities of Off-Grid Living in North Idaho: What You Need to Know.

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Idaho Fish and Game to deploy GPS collars on elk and moose calves for habitat and survival study.

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Randy Larkin sentenced to life in prison.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Unceasingly, the government and its corporate partners are pushing for a national digital ID system. Local police agencies have already been given access to facial recognition software and databases containing billions of images, the precursor to a digital ID. Eventually, a digital ID will be required to gain access to all aspects of life: government, work, travel, healthcare, financial services, shopping, etc. Before long, biometrics (iris scans, face print, voice, DNA, etc.), will become the de facto digital ID.” – John Whitehead