The 21st Century Geopolitical Chessboard

As we approach the end of 2023, I’ve been assessing world events. In short: The world is an increasingly dangerous place. There are numerous current threats, most notably:

  • The Western debt-based financial system is overextended and nearing a collapse.
  • The rise of the BRICS bloc.
  • Pandemics are being used as weapons to reduce population, control citizenries, and as excuses for a wide range of social engineering projects. Note that Avian Flu is still spreading and a new pneumonia strain broke out in northern China, and it is already jumping national borders. There is also a new canine respiratory illness and new swine flu variants.
  • The threat of regional war, from Ukraine.
  • The threat of regional war, from Taiwan.
  • The threat of regional war, from Syria.
  • The threat of regional war, from the Israel/Hamas Gaza war.
  • The hard left has seized control of academia, the mainstream media, and the Democrat party. They are rapidly pushing a socialist/globalist agenda.
  • Our nation’s southern border has collapsed, allowing an onrush of illegal immigration. This was intentionally orchestrated by the Biden regime, to build a larger leftist voting bloc.
  • The elites of the World Economic Forum (WEF) are moving behind the scenes in nearly all of the world’s governments, pursuing global governance.
  • Many Western nations are foolishly pushing for a transition to electric cars too quickly, without correspondingly expanding their grid power capacity.
  • The surveillance state has become ubiquitous. The linchpin will be a digital identification system. Digital IDs will become the de facto passports for Internet access, banking, travel, and vaccination. In a few years, anyone without digital ID will be pushed out of the economy and marginalized in the marketplace of ideas. (Read: Banned from the Internet.)
  • Urbanization, over-specialization, and over-dependence on technology have increased our vulnerability to cataclysmic events.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being rolled out without any controls.
  • CBDCs are being readied to replace paper currencies.

Continue reading“The 21st Century Geopolitical Chessboard”

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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Far-right anti-Islamist Wilders wins Dutch election, sending shockwaves through Europe.

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How Blue States Work Around SCOTUS to Restrict Gun Rights.

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Fellow American Redoubt resident Commander Zero shared this wisdom on pistol tritium sights: Nuke ’em till they glow.

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Fact-Checkers Are Gaslighting You on the Feds’ Vehicle “Kill Switch” Mandate.

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A video from Bjorn Andreas Bull-Hansen: A New Dark Age Is Upon Us.

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Gun ownership hits record high with American voters, poll finds.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“A power has risen up in the government greater than the people themselves, consisting of many and various powerful interests, combined in one mass, and held together by the cohesive power of the vast surplus in banks.” – John C. Calhoun

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — November 28, 2023

On November 28, 1757, English engraver, artist, poet, and visionary William Blake, whose notable works included the poetry collections Songs of Innocence (1789) and Songs of Experience (1794), was born.

And on November 28th, 1520, Magellan reached the Pacific Ocean after navigating the dangerous straits on the southern tip of South America that now bear his name. He became the first European explorer to reach the Pacific from the Atlantic.

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Jonathan Rawles — my #1 Son who operates SurvivalRealty.com — mentioned that they have recently revamped their Agent Directory, making it easier to find a local survival property specialist to buy or sell with.

Along with this, they are running several special offers for real estate agents and “For Sale By Owner” property owners:

Keep in mind that SurvivalRealty.com is a property advertising site rather than a brokerage, so they charge NO sales commissions!

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Today’s feature article is a review written by our Field Gear Editor Emeritus, Pat Cascio.

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We are now 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 begins on December 1st, 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.

Kershaw Launch 15, by Pat Cascio

I can often see myself, in my mind, going back in time, to when I would be on the front stoop, with my grandfather, spending many hours, just whitling on an old stick or a tree branch. Those were the days, in memories that still come to my mind. We didn’t waste those hours, on the contrary, they created memories of a much simpler time – long before any such thing as video games – that people play on their cell phones today – by themselves. It honestly was a great time to be alive as a child.

I don’t recall what kind of a folding knife my grandfather gave me, but it was something with three blades, and it had a plastic handle on it, and we whittled enough wood to build a house with. We didn’t really talk much, just sat there slicing off little pieces of wood, into a pile in front of us. And, before the day was over we had to sharpen our knives, my grandfather was s shoe maker at one time, and he knew how to bring a dull knife back to life.Continue reading“Kershaw Launch 15, by Pat Cascio”

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, another look at the Patriot Front agitprop group. (See the Idaho section.)

Idaho

Patriot Front members sentenced to 5 days in jail, banned from Coeur d’Alene parks. JWR’s Comments:  It is widely believed that the Patriot Front group is an agent provocateur operation that is either sponsored by or fully infiltrated by and co-opted by the FBI. It has also been called agitprop. I concur. These racist-statist clowns should be avoided!

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Why Walleye Are a Problem in Idaho.

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SurvivalBlog reader R.B. sent this news link: Joe Biden’s Federal Officers Go to Rural Idaho and Shoot Homeless Man in Wheelchair 11 Times, Paralyzing Him – Operation Began with a Devious Trick (Video).

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Prosecutors ask to move Chad Daybell’s trial to eastern Idaho, oppose cameras in courtroom.

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Shaw Cattle Company: A Legacy of Excellence and Innovation.

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Study finds moderate grazing has no effect on sage grouse nest success.

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

Preparedness Notes for Monday — November 27, 2023

Through the will drawn up by Alfred Bernhard Nobel—the Swedish chemist, engineer, and industrialist who invented dynamite and other, more powerful explosives—the Nobel Prizes were established on this day in 1895.

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On November 27, 1942, the French navy scuttled 73 ships at Toulon in order to avoid German seizure during World War II.

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A piece of property at SurvivalRealty.com (that is pictured above) in Manitoba, Canada caught my eye: Riverfront Off-Grid Timber Frame Home on 95 Acres in Canada.  Click on the map and zoom out a bit.  From a retreat security standpoint, there are very few places that can rival a property that sits inside an oxbow of a large river.  I’d call that ultra-defendable. at least from a ground attack!

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Today is also the birthday of both SurvivalBlog’s Field Gear Editor Emeritus, Pat Cascio, and sci-fi novelist L. Sprague de Camp (1907 – 2000).

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Today’s feature is a review that was penned by SurvivalBlog Filed Gear Editor Tom Christianson.

 

ESEE Zancudo Framelock Folder in D2, by Thomas Christianson

Imagine that you are in the jungle of Peru. It is 1997. You are tired. You are hungry. You are dirty. You are wet. You are a client of Randall’s Adventure & Training School of Survival. They are working with the Peruvian Air Force’s School of Jungle Survival to prepare you for situations you might face if you are ever stranded in the jungle.

During the ensuing decades, Randall’s Adventure & Training has continued to train outdoorsmen, law enforcement officers, military contractors, search and rescue personnel, and a host of others in survival skills. Along the way, they have designed a number of dandy knifes. Their early designs were manufactured in cooperation with the Ontario Knife Company and TOPS Knives. Later, Randall’s Adventure & Training established their own knife brand, ESEE. RAT knives have a reputation for highly-functional, no-frills designs at reasonable prices.

I recently ran across a folding RAT design with a blade made out of D2, which is one of my favorite knife steels. I ordered one of the knives online. A few days later the package arrived.Continue reading“ESEE Zancudo Framelock Folder in D2, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Stuffed Pepper Soup

The following recipe for Stuffed Pepper Soup is from SurvivalBlog reader “Sis”.  She writes:

“This is another great recipe that can be made from your food storage and then freezes well or could be canned. Quite a few people have some good storage but I’m thinking that most just store it and don’t cook from it. So the recipes that I’m sending to SirvivalBlog use food storage items.”

Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 pounds of browned hamburger
  • 2 cans (11oz) tomato soup
  • 1 large onion ( diced and sauteed)
  • 1 can (4oz) mushrooms (or use dehydrated ones)
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 3 large bell peppers (diced) (You may use dehydrated or freeze-dried ones)
  • 2 cans (11 oz) beef broth (can use bullion but make sure that it’s not too salty)
  • 1 can ( 28 oz.) Crushed tomatoes
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper — or to taste
  • 1 1/2 cup cooked rice
  • 1 tablespoon of garlic (optional)
Directions
  1. Bring all ingredients except the rice to a boil.
  2. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
  3. Add the rice, warm it until the rice has softened, and then serve.
  4. The amount of seasonings can be adjusted to your taste.

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Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long-term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

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 a possible rise in the Argentine Peso. (See the Forex and Cryptos section.)

Precious Metals:

Both silver and gold appear to be building a base for a price breakout in the new year.  I’m also bullish on platinum, although the more “industrial” price of platinum may dip as we slip into the Biden Recession. But, then again, if a regional war or World War, The Third(TM) breaks out, then the price of platinum will surely zoom up to stratospheric heights.  I’m so confident in the prospects for silver that I increased the pricing divisor to 20.5 times face value for anyone who wishes to pay with pre-1965 U.S. silver coinage when they buy a gun or knife from my Elk Creek Company business.

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Jim Curry, over at Gold-Eagle.com: Gold Forecast: Gold Cycles Higher into Spring of 2024.

Economy & Finance:

From Fox Business: IRS delays tax-reporting rule on Venmo, PayPal payments over $600.

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Economic Slowdown Looms: Companies Expected to Cut Back as Indicators Signal Decline, JPMorgan Forecasts Challenges Ahead.

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Skyrocketing Governmental Debt Threatens Financial Collapse.

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At Wolf Street: Money Market Funds, Large CDs, Small CDs All Surged: Americans Figured it Out.

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Mises Wire: Fed Rate Cuts Will Not Save The Economy.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — November 26, 2023

Casablanca premiered this day in 1942 and became one of Hollywood‘s most-revered films. Set in occupied Morocco during World War II, it was directed by Michael Curtiz. Casablanca starred Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid.

November 26th is the birthday of gun inventor Eugene Reising (born 1884, died February 21, 1967).

This is also the birthday Barton Biggs (born 1932, died July 14, 2012). Biggs was a money manager known for his pro-preparedness stance.

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Just a few days left!  We are still seeking entries for Round 109 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 109 ends on November 30th, 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.

A Piece of Model Gun Rights Legislation

I recently spent some time pondering the myriad of so-called “gun control” laws and other weapons laws extant in the United States in light of the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association (NYSRPA) Inc. v. Bruen decision handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022. The Bruen decision was a landmark case with a brilliant ruling written primarily by Justice Clarence Thomas. However, I recognized that the process of challenging unconstitutional gun and knife laws might take years or even decades to work their way through the courts. This led me to realize that what is needed is model legislation to create State and Federal processes to streamline and expedite legal challenges to any unconstitutional “arms” laws.

The following is my initial amateur attempt to create a piece of model legislation that would help restore a ley part of our Right to Keep and Bear Arms (RKBA). I’m hopeful that someone with greater legal acumen and a proper Juris Doctor degree can revise and perfect this rough draft. I’m also hopeful that gun rights organizations such as the GOA, FPC, NAGR, and NRA will promote this corrective legislation, at both the State and Federal level.

Note that wherever I use the word “State”, the words “County” or “Parish” could be substituted, or it could be rewritten to create a Federal law.

Here is my draft of the model law:

WHEREAS all laws in the United States and the laws of << Insert State name >> have their foundation in the phrase “We, The People…” to wit, the root of legislative power devolves from the Consent of the Governed.

AND WHEREAS it is implicit in all spheres of government — legislative, executive, and judicial — that the Consent of the Governed can be withdrawn.

AND WHEREAS the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution explicitly reserves rights, as stated:

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

AND WHEREAS the various Amendments to the U.S. Constitution are mutually supporting.

AND WHEREAS the force of arms owned by our citizenry, as protected by the 2nd Amendment, is the linchpin that guarantees all of our other enumerated rights.

AND WHEREAS the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, 597 U.S. (2022), (henceforth abbreviated Bruen) decision makes it clear that all laws concerning “arms” must match the history, text, and tradition of arms laws that predate the 1791 ratification of the Bill of Rights.  Any arms laws that do not have an analogous pre-1791 law are deemed to be unconstitutional.

AND RECOGNIZING that per Marbury v. Madison all unconstitutional laws are null and void. (“Lex Mala, Lex Nulla.”)

AND UNDERSTANDING that when an issue of an unconstitutional law is raised, any adult citizen can be considered an injured party and thus have legal standing, solely by the recognition and claim of the diminishment of a fundamental right. This is regardless of whether or not they have been personally charged with a crime or have been convicted of a violation of the law in question.

AND WHEREAS legal counsel is not required to file a lawsuit. (Thus, a pro se litigant.)

AND RECOGNIZING that overturning or nullifying an unconstitutional law is a grave and urgent matter that requires an expeditious process.

AND WHEREAS our highest duties are to uphold and defend the Constitution of << Insert State name >> and the Constitution of the United States.

THEREFORE, we hereby enact a provision for a simple one-page petition with no stringent format to the appropriate court that may be filed by any adult citizen of << Insert State name >> that includes a phrase that reads (or that is similar to): “I hereby challenge the constitutionality of << Insert Bill name, Bill number, Statute name, or State Code Number>> based on the NYSRPA v. Bruen test of the history, text, and tradition of arms laws that predate the 1791 ratification of the Bill of Rights.”

AND THENCE, the courts of << Insert State name >> are compelled to expeditiously apply the Bruen history, text, and tradition test. And, if failing that test, the courts are assuredly bound to overturn or nullify that law, post haste.

AND FURTHERMORE, if the courts fail to take action on any such filing by a citizen of << Insert State name >> within 180 days, it is then the responsibility of this legislative body to independently apply the Bruen history, text, and tradition test to any “arms” law that comes into question. And, if the majority of this legislative body finds that the law in question fails the Bruen test, it is therefore our responsibility to immediately pass appropriate legislation to overturn or nullify that law.

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Again, I hope that someone with more experience in the law can perfect my draft legislation. – JWR

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text: 

Is It Too Late To Add Argentina

To The American Redoubt?

News Link:

Argentine libertarian Milei pledges new political era after election win.

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.