Year: 2015


Notes for Sunday – September 27, 2015

There are rumblings from social media in the Middle East that the current flow of “refugees” into Europe through the Balkans will increase before winter sets in, and then resume next spring, in a veritable torrent. It appears that many young Muslim men in more than a half dozen nations have been so emboldened by the success of others that they’ve indicated: “I’m going too.” Watch out folks. Next spring and summer we may witness a human wave of Golden Horde proportions. o o o Today, we present another entry for Round 60 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The …


Case Preparation: A Building Block for High Quality Reloads, by T.L.W.

Author’s Introductory Disclaimer: I am not a professional reloader. College degrees have only taken me so far into reloading for personal use and formal education cannot replace personal study, experience and common sense–probably true of just about everything these days. Reloading can be dangerous and expose you to toxic metals and chemicals, so please take precautions when dealing with them. The steps below are for informational purposes and are meant to add to the growing conversation on loading your own ammunition in good times and bad. Please use caution at all times! This discussion will center on case preparation to …


Letter Re: Trail Shelters and the Hantavirus Threat by Zac T.

Hello All, In an effort to remove oneself from the vectors in a trail shelter I’d suggest never going in to a trail shelter… Carry and bring your own solution with you. After hiking for 10 hours, nobody is going to break out their N95 mask and wet mop down a shelter to remove the virus risk. The best someone can hope for is to remove themselves from the now known threat and avoid the pests causing it. Hennessy hammocks come complete with a rain fly and mosquito netting that you zip yourself in for the night. No bugs, and …


Letter Re: Proof the Economy Will Get Worse, From the Dept. of Ed.

Hello, Gentlemen: First thank you for all the time and effort you put into SurvivalBlog. I am a daily reader and have found it very helpful in my prepping journey. As part of that journey, I have learned that I cannot take a lot of “insider” information at face value. I work to find sources to verify it or at least review the original source of information. We should all do that. In response to the 19 September article, Letter:Proof the Economy Will Get Worse, From the Dept. of Ed., I reviewed the link the writer posted to the FAFSA …



Odds ‘n Sods:

For more than a decade titanium nitride has been a popular protective hard coating for internal gun parts such as gas pistons, firing, pins and AR bolt carriers that requires only minimal lubrication. But now a company near San Diego is offering a full gun coating service. (Thanks to Terry H. for the tip.) o o o Reader J.B.G. flagged this: The RV for the end of the world: 18-tonne, $890,000 vehicle that looks ideal for people who like holidaying outdoors – in a warzone o o o Reader M.T.H. suggested this Fox News article: Surrender: San Fran’s iconic, last …


Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.” – John 20:26-28 (KJV)


Notes for Saturday – September 26, 2015

One this day in 1789, Thomas Jefferson was appointed America’s first Secretary of State. The 26th of September is also the birthday of the late Jack LaLanne. (Born 1914, died January 23, 2011.) o o o Great news! I just heard that Wranglerstar’s book: Homesteading: Rediscovering the American Dream is now available for pre-order. Wranglerstar is my favorite “hands”on” videoblogger, who really lives the life and is someone who has developed a wealth of traditional skills, so this promises to be a great book. His video announcement mentioned that the book features more than 200 photos. o o o Today, …


Trail Shelters and the Hantavirus Threat, by Zac T.

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There are a number of fantastic hiking trail systems within the U.S. The Appalachian Trail alongside the East Coast, the Continental Divide through the Rockies, and the Pacific Crest along the West Coast immediately come to mind, just to name a few. And if you’ve ever spent a considerable amount of time backpacking through one of these trail systems, you’ve probably passed a prepared shelter or two. Your typical trail shelter is essentially three walls and a roof, meant to really just get you out of the wind and rain. Should you be placed in a survival situation and opt …


Letter Re: Sources for MRE Rations

Hello Hugh, I’ve been reading SurvivalBlog for many years and have had a few of my articles posted in the past. This is the first time I’ve written since you took over as editor. You’re doing well, Hugh. I am in the market to buy Meals, Ready-to-Eat (MREs) as a source of Bug Out Bag (BOB) food storage, along with pre-positioning some at my intended retreat locations. There are so many options and it is difficult to determine what is best, or even which are the best value for the money. Amazon is flooded with all manner of brands and …


Economics and Investing:

Oil Prices – What Does “Lower For Longer” Actually Mean? o o o Over at the SHTFPlan blog, Mac Slavo reports: Soros, Icahn and Major New Players Rushing Into the Gold Sector: “Things Are In The Works As We Speak” o o o B.B. sent this: Food Stamps In Crosshairs of Shutdown. [JWR’s Comment: State-level disruptions of EBT card payments in the past two years have caused chaos. We can only imagine if this were to happen nationwide.] Items from The Economics Team: The Extinction of Retirement At Zero Hedge: Confessions of an Economics Professor Track Your Banks’ Texas Ratio. …


Odds ‘n Sods:

The Fight for Light: Assault on Silicon Valley (Part 1 of 3.) Along with Chuck Woolsey, this segment for NRA News hosted by Ollie North features Chuck Holton, who you may remember as the creator of the great American Redoubt piece for CBN. o o o In Malaysia, RFID road tax stickers will track all vehicles. (Thanks to H.A for the link.) o o o I just noticed that Chris Walsh of Revolutionary Realty has added a North Idaho MLS search tool to his web site. It is a very handy tool, for anyone considering moving up there. I highly …


Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: because I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. – Deuteronomy 32:1-4 (KJV)


Notes for Friday – September 25, 2015

On September 25th 1789, the fledgling Congress of these united States adopted the first 12 amendments to the Constitution and forwarded them to the States for ratification. The first ten of these amendments would become the Bill of Rights. o o o A reminder: The big sale on Mountain House long term storage foods at Ready Made Resources will be ending next week. the discounts range from 35% to 50%. Stock up! o o o Today, we present another entry for Round 60 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $10,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: …