Preparedness Notes for Saturday — November 23, 2024

On November 23, 1869, the ship clipper Cutty Sark was launched In Dumbarton, Scotland. It was one of the last clippers ever built and the only one still surviving.

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And on November 23, 1980, a 7.2-magnitude quake struck southern Italy killing more than 3,000 people. The casualty toll was probably so high because the tremor struck during Sunday night mass, as many residents sat in churches that crumbled in the quake. The quake was centered in Eboli, south of Naples.

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Today we present a guest article, from a reader. It was not intended to be part of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

More than $925,000 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 115 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.

Thoughts on Retreats: History and Land – Part 5, by Single Farmer

Editor’s Introductory Note: This is part of a multi-part article series on retreats written by a Christian farmer who is praying and searching for a wife. Please prayerfully consider all of the topics that he discusses.

Solutions: The Journey for Possible Future Retreat Owners

It would be nice if there were other easy solutions out there. But for a family man the road of hard work done intelligently will often yield good results over many years. There are some who claim that you cannot save to afford land without a mortgage, but I can tell you that my grandparents and parents over the years have purchased land with money that they saved. I can tell you about years of sacrifices they made, so one thing I can offer for the vast majority of people reading this is the concept that has been successful many times among my family and friends of working, saving, and investing until you can afford to buy something.

I will briefly mention a few paths that people have in the past acquired or have tried to acquire or the use of land that do not work as well as the two ways that we know have worked.

You cannot truly develop land unless you own it. Here, I am talking about squatting which I am strongly against.  Both people living in the city and rural landowners need to be vigilant. We have some very strong laws here against squatters and I have not seen any in our region. It is more of an issue with states with lax laws and enforcement against squatters. Poaching is just squatting without being on the land long term. Either one of these choices is not one to make because both are against the law and against common sense from a survival perspective.Continue reading“Thoughts on Retreats: History and Land – Part 5, by Single Farmer”

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 had a fairly busy week, shipping out Elk Creek Company orders, and catching up on projects around the ranch. Starting today, we are running a pre-Black Friday sale. For the next nine days, all of our shotguns and all of our percussion revolvers are greatly reduced. Take a look!

I lucked into a small batch of original Swiss Vetterli bolt-action rifles from the 1870s and 1880s, from a collector’s estate. They are in remarkably good condition for 150+ year-old rifles.  Since these shoot the obsolete .41 Swiss Rimfire cartridge, they are strictly “collector” guns, rather than shooters.  (.41 Swiss Rimfire ammo is almost impossible to find. But these rifles can be converted to centerfire, for folks who reload.) I will be picking those rifles up in December and I should have them all cataloged before January.

Now, Lily’s report…Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:

Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?

For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.

The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.” – Psalm 12 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — November 22, 2024

On November 22, 1898, construction began on the Simplon tunnel through the Alps, linking Italy and Switzerland; it became the world’s longest railroad tunnel. Pictured above it the tunnel’s south entrance.

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Today is the birthday of Adelbert Rinaldo Buffington, a well-known designer of military gun parts and accessories.

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Today is remembered as the birthday of the late Eugene M. Stoner. (Born 1922, died April 24, 1997.) He was the designer of the AR-7, AR-10, AR-15, AR-180, the Stoner 63, and several other firearms.

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Today we present a guest article, from a reader. It was not intended to be part of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

More than $925,000 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 115 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.

Thoughts on Retreats: History and Land – Part 4, by Single Farmer

Editor’s Introductory Note: This is part of a multi-part article series on retreats written by a Christian farmer who is praying and searching for a wife. Please prayerfully consider all of the topics that he discusses.

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Economics of Land in the 21st Century

Arable land is no longer free nor available at reduced cost. As you learned in Part 2, over a hundred million acres of land in our country were sold for some sweat, initiative, and a small filing fee during the main Homestead years from the 1860s to the 1930s. Even earlier, land was available for a relatively reasonable price. By 1820, the price of land in the U.S. actually fell from 2 dollars per acre to 1.25 dollars per acre.

Whenever people quote that land sold for $1.25 per acre back then our currency was backed by gold and silver. When adjusting for gold prices, you can consider any 20 dollars in gold dollars to be roughly an ounce (actually it is .9675 troy ounces for a Double Eagle Gold piece) when making quick calculations if someone said something sold for a certain amount in the distant past. In JWR’s novel Patriots, we were reintroduced to this concept where in this speculative fiction where the vast majority of Federal Land would sell at a dollar in silver per acre. Extrapolating this to today you can determine if land is more expensive today than in the past. If you find land today that is worth 10,000 dollars an acre, this land in the past could have sold for a $1.25 in silver. One dollar and 25 cents of Constitutional money would sell for about thirty dollars for common circulated silver coinage as of when this is being written. (November, 2024). Imagine being able to buy good land today for thirty dollars an acre. Sadly, your current “dollars”, like all fiat currencies are worth less and could someday be worthless.Continue reading“Thoughts on Retreats: History and Land – Part 4, by Single Farmer”

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 declining natural gas prices. (See the Commodities section.)

Precious Metals:

Spot gold was at $2,684.50 USD per Troy ounce at mid-day on Thursday. JWR’s Comment: We might see $2,750 gold in the next few days if international tensions over the Ukraine escalation continue.

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Banks Covered Gold & Silver Shorts During Post-Election Selloff.

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Why Physical Gold Outshines Gold Mining Stocks Over the Long Term.

Economy & Finance:

Nearly 40% Of Cars Financed Since 2022 Are Underwater.

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Reader H.L. spotted this: Target CEO says ‘consumers continue to spend cautiously’ amid triple-miss earnings report.

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D.S.V. sent us this news: House Ways and Means chairman lays out plans to deliver Trump tax cuts for seniors, tip workers.

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At Zero Hedge: China’s Economy Is Larger Than 30 Asian Economies Combined.

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It seems that a handful of liberal Hollywood bohemians are making good on their promises to move offshore, following the November presidential election:

Ellen Degeneres, her (ahem) “wife”, and presumably their cats have decamped to England. I wish them the best in their chilly, rainy new home. Apparently, they have some sort of castle or large estate in mind. I hope that they enjoy that 45% income tax rate. And the Stamp Duty Land Tax (property purchase tax.) The rate is 12% on properties valued at over £1.5 million. Oh, and there is also that dratted Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED). They will be paying £292,350 per year on any property valued at more than £20 Million.

Meanwhile, Richard Gere and his Spanish-born bride (nearly half his age) have moved to sunny Spain. Mr. Gere should be warned: The top income tax withholding rate in Spain is 47%.

I suppose the only way to truly embrace Euro-socialism is to pony up the onerous taxes with a big smile. – JWR

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — November 21, 2024

On this day in 164 BC, during the Maccabean Revolt, the forces of Judas Maccabeus recaptured Jerusalem and rededicated the Second Temple. This event is now commemorated as the Jewish festival Hanukkah, also celebrated by many Messianics.

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On November 21, 1916, Britannic, the sister ship to the Titanic, sank in the Aegean Sea, killing 30 people.

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Today we present a guest article, from a reader. It was not intended to be part of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

More than $925,000 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 115 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.

Thoughts on Retreats: History and Land – Part 3, by Single Farmer

Editor’s Introductory Note: This is part of a multi-part article series on retreats written by a Christian farmer who is praying and searching for a wife. Please prayerfully consider all of the topics that he discusses.

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Economics for Farmers

The first lesson that I’d like to address in this installment is that our family is very conservative, economically. We chose to avoid all debt. Yes, it is a choice for most people. Debt is no longer passed down intergenerationally as it was previously in American history. As Christians, we are taught to avoid debt. In Proverbs, we are warned: “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (22:7). Financial freedom and financial bondage are two ends of the spectrum. Sometimes being financially free means you do not get whatever you want when you want it. But to His people God provides you with what you need. There are some people who say that you can have it all right now by signing your name and taking on debt. We choose not to and we warn people about the potential consequences of it. The results of this over generations have been awesome in that we have no debt, we are able to give generously to those who are in genuine need, and we strategically invest in businesses.

I am not criticizing people who choose to be in debt. Many times it is your choice, but it would be wrong if I did not point out the dangers of debt. Not saying anything would be the equivalent of me seeing a fast-approaching car and not warning a person who stepped out into the road whose head was turned the other way. Debt is often based on the lie that you can have today what you cannot afford today and that it will be always be easy to pay for. I know many times items are sold in “easy to make” payments. I know they talk about debt-to-income ratios. But I encourage people to read what the Bible says about debt.  For those who are in debt, I know the road is not easy to get out of debt.  My family and I have known many people over the years who chose to get themselves out of debt and we understand the struggles and sacrifice it is to travel to, merge, and stay on the road to being debt-free. My parents say: “It is better to have 10 acres that you own than 100 acres that you don’t own.”

That particular family that I told you about in Part 2 was facing fierce headwinds, but they did not know it at the time much like the passengers on the last flight of the Hindenburg thought that they would have a late dinner in New Jersey. The Hindenburg faced real headwinds that were caused by the weather delaying it just enough to most likely create the necessary conditions required for it to be quickly engulfed in flames. Now, we know that airships filled with hydrogen are one of the least safe modes of transportation.Continue reading“Thoughts on Retreats: History and Land – Part 3, by Single Farmer”

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, some more saber-rattling, in Ukraine.

Biden Okays Ukrainian Missile Strikes Inside Russia

Several SurvivalBlog readers mentioned this troubling news: Ukraine: US to let Kyiv strike deep inside Russia — reports.

The article begins:

“A New York Times article citing anonymous sources claims the White House has lifted restrictions on using US weapons against targets deep in Russian territory.

Ukraine’s allies have previously barred Kyiv from deploying their weapons too far from the front line.

Now, sources say Ukrainian forces are set to use US-made ATACMS rockets, which have a range of up to 190 miles (306 km), against Russian targets in the coming days.

The White House did not immediately comment.”

Putin Issues New Nuclear Doctrine

SurvivalBlog staffer Tom Christianson sent this news: Putin issues warning to United States with new nuclear doctrine. JWR’s Comment:  It is downright frightening to see the doddering Lame Duck President Biden engaging in brinksmanship. Hopefully, cooler heads will prevail in the next presidential administration.  Please pray for a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine!

Sweden, Finland: New Advice on Surviving War

Several readers mentioned this report from the BBC: Nordic neighbours release new advice on surviving war.

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

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — November 20, 2024

On November 20, 1953, Scott Crossfield, piloting the Douglas Skyrocket, was the first man to break Mach 2 (1,300 MPH).

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In 284, Roman general Diocletian was proclaimed Emperor by the armies of the east and west after the death of Carinus at the Battle of the Margus.

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On November 20, 1914, the US State Department began requiring photographs for passports.

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November 20, 1942: The 2,451 kilometer-long Alaska Highway (“AlCan”) from Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Fairbanks, Alaska, first opened to military traffic.

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We are pleased to welcome our newest advertiser, Angel Studios. They produce faith-based movies and television shows. Their latest project is a feature film that is spinning off a television series, called Homestead.  It should be of great interest to preppers and survivalists. The Homestead movie will open in theaters on December 20th, 2024.

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Today we present a guest article, from a reader. It was not intended to be part of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

More than $925,000 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 115 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.

Thoughts on Retreats: History and Land – Part 2, by Single Farmer

Editor’s Introductory Note: This is part of a multi-part article series on retreats written by a Christian farmer who is praying and searching for a wife. Please prayerfully consider all of the topics that he discusses.

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The Land: Your Base of Operations

Our farm can support the core food needs of hundreds of people. Farm productivity has been increasing much faster than the population. Over the space of two centuries, the number of people who are living on farms has decreased from almost universal to around two percent. Since the number of people who now live on farms is so relatively few as a percentage of the population, this has decreased the survival prospects of the rest of the population in the event of large-scale and persistent shortages. In each successive generation, self-sufficiency has declined overall and now almost everyone depends on a complex series of events to get almost everything that you need.

By 1920, the majority of the population lived in cities rather than rural areas and this change has had major effects on families. Our country is a net exporter of food, so the figure of how many people the average United States farmer feeds is nearly 170 people. Back in 1960, it was about one farmer feeding 25 people. The vast majority (95 percent) of all farms are owned by families. Whenever you go to the grocery store, you most likely are supporting a family farm. A lot of these amazing productivity numbers are achieved by specialization, inputs, and technology that would not be available in the event of a long-term emergency.Continue reading“Thoughts on Retreats: History and Land – Part 2, by Single Farmer”

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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Democrat Senator Mazie Hirono Claims SCOTUS Created Ability to Own Guns in 2008.

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Reader G.C. in Southern California wrote:

“I really like reading your quotes of the day.  But one thing bugs me.  I’ve seen you quote hymns but I’ve never seen you quote a modern praise chorus.  Why not?”

JWR Replies: There are exceptions, but I contend that generally contemporary praise choruses can best be described by four facets: Their dearth of sound Biblical doctrine, an over-emphasis on emotionalism, mantra-like repetitiveness, and a surplus of personal pronouns.  Modern praise choruses have as much to do with traditional hymns as hip-hop music has to do with classical music.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”