In response to requests from several long-time readers, we are developing the infrastructure to produce an “Old School” hardcopy mailed newsletter, starting in 2024. The concept is to be ready to revert to distributing a paper newsletter that is sent out by traditional mail, for if and when SurvivalBlog is expunged from the Internet’s World Wide Web. (“Taken down.”) I’ve dubbed this contingency project: SurvivalBlog – Old School (S.O.S.)

The infrastructure required to produce and distribute the S.O.S. Newsletter will include…

For grid up, but Internet-down situations:

  • A very sturdy desktop photocopier.
  • Dozens of reams Reams of paper.
  • Boxes of self-sealing legal-size envelopes
  • Boxes of Avery adhesive address labels. (#8160 – 1? x 2-5/8?)
  • A recent-production Macbook (Already purchased.)
  • A laser printer. (Already purchased.)
  • Toner cartridges for photocopier.
  • Toner cartridges for desktop printer.
  • An IBM Selectric II correcting typewriter, circa 1978. (Already purchased.)
  • A pair of late 2008 production 15” Macbook laptop computers with pop panels for quickly-removable batteries and hard drives. (Already purchased.)

And for intermittent power or grid-down situations:

  • A Smith-Corona portable (stencil-capable) manual typewriter.
  • A hand-crank mimeograph machine.
  • Stencils.
  • Mimeograph duplicator fluid. (Some of us have fond memories of smelling it.)
Maintaining OPSEC

For security, the only copies of the mailing list (with subscriber USPS addresses) will be kept on a pair of tiny Micro-SD cards, and both of those will be very well hidden. (With one of them cached somewhere on the Rawles Ranch, and the the backup copy cached completely off-site.) We will also keep our burn barrel and plenty of diesel fuel handy, for the event that we ever need to do a “full burn” — including stencils and hard drives.

If all goes well, we should have everything we need for this project on hand in just a few months. The S.O.S. Newsletter subscribers will most likely receive just ONE newsletter in March of each year, as confirmation that they are on the contingency mailing list. The snail mail envelopes that you receive will have your address on a label, with an identical label in the upper-left corner. If we get booted off of the Internet and must go “Old School”, then you will be mailed hardcopy S.O.S. Newsletter issues more often – probably 3 to 6 issues per year, as circumstances dictate.

Someday,  SurvivalBlog might just vanish, or a takedown notice will appear in its place.  Plan on it.  If we revert to operating in S.O.S. mode, it would be appreciated if you could locally make photocopies of each newsletter issue and then freely distribute them to neighbors and relatives.

Whenever you see any mentions of 303, Rule 303, SOS, or 505 in SurvivalBlog, then you will know that I’m referencing the S.O.S. Newsletter contingency plan.

How you can help

1. Pray for the success of this project.
2. In addition to your annual 10 Cent Challenge subscription payment, please prayerfully consider also sending a $50 bill, or four booklets of Forever USPS postage stamps and a request to be a S.O.S. Newsletter contingency subscriber. (You have my promise that after your address is put on a MicroSD card, your hardcopy correspondence and envelope will be run through a crosscut paper shredder.)

Note: If you want to maintain full anonymity (that is: be a supporter of this project but a non-subscriber) then simply send a donation, but DO NOT put a return address on your envelope.

Trust in God, secure in the knowledge that They Can’t Stop The Signal.

Many Thanks,

Jim Rawles
Founder and Senior Editor, SurvivalBlog.com

P.S.: Postage prices are scheduled to increase on January 21st, 2024.  So stock up on stamps, soon!