The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “HJL”. Economic crises is the focus of today’s edition.

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Florida Legislature Stands Up

Less than a week after 17 people were fatally shot in a Florida high school, the state House had to vote down a bill that would ban assault rifles. The proponents of the bill had politicized the event and publicly paraded survivors of that shooting before the House in an emotional appeal that suggested if the legislature did not vote their way, they stood against these children. I believe I heard one student in a public state claim that if you didn’t stand with them, you stood against them. Really? I don’t know of anyone that wants any children shot dead, yet they are claiming that if I don’t agree with them, I do?

This dishonesty from the liberal-left is why no one trusts them. Kudos to the legislature for seeing through this voting the measure down. Shame on the 1/3 of the legislature that bought into the narrative and voted for it. Thanks to T.P. for the link.

Indoctrination

Now is the time to get your children out of the indoctrination centers public schools. Reader T.J. sent in this article showing how Leon County, Florida, public schools granted excused absences and offered school bus transportation so that students could attend a rally for gun control at the state capitol. I don’t disagree that school shooting violence must end, but lets be real here. Actual numbers are had to come by due to the misuse of statistics by the left, but I’m pretty sure that there were fewer than 3700 fatalities due to school shootings in all of 2017. We are told that if we don’t agree with the left’s anti-gun stance that we support all of those shootings.

Did you know that there are 3700 fatalities of innocent children every day in the U.S.? Where is the outcry for that in the media? There are 3700 abortions performed every day in the U.S., each one killing an innocent child. I fully expect public schools to offer excused absences and bus transportation to students who wish to participate in anti-abortion rallies now.

The Next Economic Crisis

A few months ago, reader C.H. sent us a letter about her experience in her local credit union. The service was terrible and the offices for “loan officers” were empty. Most of the employees were very young. She believes that this is a harbinger of how the smaller banks and credit unions will be the first to feel the economic squeeze. I would have to concur. I’ve watched our local credit union slowly cut back on services and while the customer interface is still friendly in the branch, the corporate polices are changing. I’ve recently found myself wondering if I needed to move back to a large back for my banking needs. If I can’t access my money when I need to, what’s the point of having it in that bank? C.H. wonders if the larger banks will weather the crises longer than the smaller banks.

Zimbabwe’e Economy Was Once the Most Free

Did you know that Zimbabwe was once a net exporter and was considered the “bread basket of southern Africa”? Now Zimbabwe is known as the country that had the worst inflation on record (231 million percent a year). I still have a 50 trillion (with a “T”) note that I keep in my desk as a reminder of this insanity. Zimbabwe arrested the out-of-control economy by adopting the U.S. dollar and the South African rand as the official means of exchange. The opposition MDC party won control of the government in 2008 and announced the end of government interference in the economy.

No more exchange controls, price controls or import permits needed. Almost overnight, the grocery stores went from bare to fully stocked and fuel shortages ended. The economy grew at nearly 8% over the next four years. But then Mugabe won outright control (in a stolen election) and he re-introduced the government controls crashing the economy once again. One might think there is something to be learned in this. Thanks to H.L. for the link.

Mainstream Media Stupidity.

SurvivalBlog reader J.T. sent in this article: Man destroys AR-15 on camera to support gun control in wake of Florida shooting

JWR’s Comment: Gee, one down and 20 million to go. Knock yourself out, doing that, you Mr. Liberal. There are now an estimated 2.1 million AR-15/AR-10 family receivers made every year. That equates to 5,753 per day. So, statistically, I’d say we are winning the war against Mr. Liberal and those of his ilk. Oh, and BTW, how much do you want for that parts set that you just created? I could use that for one of my planned Retro AR builds.

o o o

Please send your news tips to HJL. (Either via e-mail of via our Contact form.) These are often especially relevant, because they come from folks who watch news that is important to them. Due to their diligence and focus, we benefit from fresh “on target” news. We often “get the scoop” on news that is most likely ignored (or reported late) by mainstream American news outlets. Thanks!




24 Comments

  1. The 1 thing I wish I could ask every student out there marching . . .
    If a few schools get blown up with cell phone I.E.D’s are you going to be out marching to ban cell phones in the streets ?

    1. P3H
      Was that MEANT to be sarcasm?
      You KNOW that most students would curl up and die if you tried to move them more than a few feet from their cellphone!
      God Bless..

  2. https://www.facebook.com/10000 7513365065/videos/199350384091 0042/

    Scott Pappalardo of New York is seen on film cutting a barrel of a AR 15 rifle to less than 16 inch (looks like around 1 inch [past the chamber] to me) when the barrel is fitted to a rifle receiver there for making the rifle a short barrel rifle under both National Firearms Act of 1934 and the Gun Control Act of 1968. As he did not pay $200 tax this was a felony under both sate and Federal law.
    I expect every law enforcement to prosecute to the few extent of the law or set a precedent that this is no longer illegal and never prosecute any one again, after all. all are equal under the law, let one off let all off.
    I believe that ANY ONE who commits a firearm felony should go to prison. Now may be you think that is is alright for people to commits a firearm felony, that is your right to believe that, I (and the law both state and Federal) disagree.
    At a time like this I would hope more people would want the firearm laws enforce, to make the world a safer place.
    I expect every one reading this to report this to the relevant law enforcement agencies;
    NY state police – nyspmail@troopers.ny.gov
    Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – ATFTips@atf.gov
    FBI – https://tips.fbi.gov/ (form to fill in)

    1. Why would I report to the police somebody who is doing, with their own property, what they wish? The man has every right under the 2A to arm himself as he sees fit. So, no I will not report him or anybody who is armed. And I especially will not use the power of the state to harm him even if the guy is an idiot, maybe especially because he is an idiot. You were probably being sarcastic and can ignore this comment.

      I will however, say that those who are an FFL are unpaid agents of the state collecting information in violation of the 4th and 2nd amendments. You are a traitor.

    2. There are NO firearms laws that can pass Constitutional muster.
      We have the God given right as free people to protect ourselves with any firearm that exists without government regulation.
      The regulation of firearms in any way is tantamount to the deprival of our rights. Period.

  3. South Africa
    “The country had been suffering for nearly a decade under the corruption…”

    Let’s just call communism what it is. It’s communism. There was no corruption. Everything the government did was planned by the central planners. I guess the good news is that the new regime (same as the old boss) will be more forthcoming about the state’s communism and will accelerate the program of consolidation of money and power into the hands of a few. And yes, some eggs will have to broken in order to make an omelet. There just won’t be any omelet.

    The Next Economic Crises
    If the big banks go, the little banks go. The little banks get their “capitalization” from the big banks who get theirs from the Fed. “The Congress shall outsource the nation’s money supply to a third party that will use fiat currency.” It’s right there in the Constitution. This notion of coin as actual money is just not very sophisticated and you ignorant dirt people need to shut up.

  4. Schools:
    A fire breaks out in one classroom. The fire alarms start ringing throughout the school. As trained, the teachers close and lock their classroom doors and have the children lie on the floor until the fire is take care of. ===
    Wait a minute!
    You mean they don’t do it that way?
    Then WHY do they do that in the case of a “fire” called an active shooter?

    I think our school emergency policies need to be examined!

  5. Credit unions are member owned. They don’t trade in derivative markets and generally hold any loans they make until maturity. My credit union has a 12% cash reserve (read the annual reports) vs less than 1% for a TBTF bank. By every measure a credit union is a better option than a big bank. While contagion can spread in a crisis, a local credit union is better positioned to not resort to a “bail-in.” If you don’t know what a “bail-in” is, then you need to get educated, fast. This is a bigger threat than a closed branch.

    Always have enough cash green American dollars on hand to carry you for 2-3 weeks of regular expenditures. Try to have no debt; aim for a paid-off mortgage. This gives you time, and time gives you options.

  6. http://kdvr.com/2018/02/19/man-destroys-ar-15-on-camera-to-support-gun-control-in-wake-of-florida-shooting/
    Looking at the pic of the cut up AR its odd how nothing has moved in the cutting with “his sawing machine” (yes they do call it that).
    The trigger guard has not moved at all despite it being a hinge which is now not fixed in place.
    The bolt is still in place despite its meant to move back and there is now nothing to hold it in.
    The dust cover is still open as it was before he cut it, despite it having a hinge and a spring meant to keep it close and it looks like one end of the hinge pin has been cut off, a part known to fall out or break when it’s in one piece.
    The front part of the hand-guard has not moved at all despite there is now nothing to hold it in place.
    I’m starting to think (had to happen one day) that it was a replica with a cast one piece receiver. Most are cast with the dust cover closed but I have seen them cast with it open.

  7. I saw and heard that student’s comment that “If you aren’t with us, you’re against us.” on FOX. It’s time we returned the Pledge of Allegiance, the Bible, and the paddle to our schools.

    1. Sorry, I don’t recite the pledge of allegiance. It is a loyalty oath. If you read our constitution you find no loyalty oath for the citizens. You do, however find a loyalty oath for the politicians and the bureaucrats. Their loyalty is supposed to be to the constitution and hence to us. We as citizens are presumed to be loyal to ourselves. We the People should demand they, the bureaucrats and the politicians, actually honor their loyalty oath to us. Except, there is no honor in Washington, not one whit.

  8. Re: Florida Legislature Stands Up

    The drama starts right out of the gate with the ham-handed vocalizations of the voice over announcer, reminiscent of ABC’s Ernie Anderson or the incredible Don LaFontaine (“In a WORLD….of RAGING madness…where CHILDREN are the victims…of UNCONTROLLED assault weapons…”) intercut with exciting sound bytes of grim teenagers, stiff lipped, anguished, emoting their pain and determination for the cameras.

    Then the whooshing animated graphic Capitol Crusade, some stumbling extemporizing by the talking heads (don’t they have the teleprompter anymore?) and tight shots of students’ delirious whooping cough wailing, curiously reminiscent of the Strasberg/Stanislavski-method lamentations of Hillary supporters on election night.

    30 years ago this piece would have been a Saturday Night Live spoof, or a Kent Brockman report on the Simpsons. Today it is still tragically hilarious to watch, in a cynical, fatalistic kind of way.

    As for the Children’s Crusaders, first, snowflakes, ya simply don’t know what you’re talking about. Come back and take a stand when you can think with your brains – especially that all important, last to mature prefrontal cortex – and not your glands.

    Come back when you’ve busted your butts for your first paycheck – “Dad, what the hell is FICA!?” Come back when you’ve had enough life experience to have opinions worth hearing.

    Then, perhaps, you can realize that you’re being used. Your indoctrination camp handlers have their hands up your…backsides…further than Edgar Bregen reached up Charlie McCarthy, but to the same effect.

    Otherwise, you’re just toddlers with driver’s licenses; irresponsible, labile, carefully and selectively-trained semi-human beings, not quite finished developing. “Useful idiots,” as somebody who used his share of idiots has called you, enthusiastically vomiting up the party line, fueled by your gonads and exploited by your ventriloquist masters.

    Talk about child abuse….

  9. I can’t believe the contagious ignorance in all this. Even right-wingers are now talking about “assault rifles” which have nothing to do anything. Assault rifles (selective fire weapons) were banned in 1934 without a special license and fee. AR-15s are not assault rifles. (sorry I feel have to repeat myself) This happened in uh.. Florida. It up to Florida to take care of this. WHO thinks the FEDGOV is in charge of education, or schools? Just a media circus ginned up by left wing operatives using emotional high school girls as pawns.

  10. The Next Economic Crisis “…watched our local credit union slowly cut back on services and while the customer interface is still friendly in the branch, the corporate polices are changing.”

    First question I usually get (from new tellers) is “Why don’t you use the ATM [or latest conveniences offered]?” My response is “Because I’m helping to keep you employed!” Queue in deer in headlights look and crickets chirping.

  11. I find it so sad that none of these people who are protesting know anything about “History”. When England got into it with Germany at the start of WWII the “Home Guard had no fire arms. The USA had not entered the War at that time. England ask for people in the USA to loan them Guns to arm the Home Guard. The good people of America did just that. All of them expecting to get there guns back at the end of the War. After the War ended they dump them and there good friends in America never got there gun back or were compensated in any way. So never give away your right to defend your self.
    I purchase my first hand gun when I was 16 years old at the local gun shop and no one whined about it. My Dad didn’t go down there with me to buy it. We were brought up to respect fire arm and how to use them and respect them.
    Wake up people and teach your children some “History”.

  12. Saw the student protestors holding a sign lamenting that the Constitution written in the 18th century wasn’t relevant any more! Many likely have little understanding of the historical events that lead up to our independence or the lives lost to ensure their freedom to make such a stupid statement – thankfully our Constitution protects all, even those that are clueless and ignorant.

  13. About banks: I have exactly the opposite viewpoint on where to bank. The large banks are the ones with the globalist/Leftist policies — remember how Chase refuses to hold the accounts of any business related to guns?. Chase (again) also requires ID to DEPOSIT funds, etc.

    We left our previous bank precisely because it was large, and poorly managed, and eventually went under. We chose an independent, community bank (you can find your nearest at icbm.org). We had a major fire and had to go there often for several weeks, and I learned how to move large sums of money without anyone batting an eye — simply by being cordial, getting to know the tellers personally, etc. I consider this the REAL “facial recognition,” and when I occasionally mention something concerning about banks, e.g. forced biometrics for withdrawals, I can get a pretty honest response from them, and where things are headed. Also if we need a loan, rates are low, and it’s one way to keep a small, local, independent bank afloat. They SEE their customers as individuals, and genuine need them, unlike the big banks, who don’t care about you at all.

  14. JWR:
    Hey James, hope you and yours are well. Saw your comment on the guy who ruined a perfectly good firearm. I watched the video and then read your comments again and was wondering, are there any spare parts your not using and/or don’t want from the wreckage? (LMAO).
    Anyway, the communist liberals will never learn there are a LOT of us that are very serious about keeping our country a Republic. They talk and teach a VERY twisted form of U.S. history, so twisted in fact that I’m surprised that the communist liberals have not out right replaced U.S. History books with Mao’s Little Red Book, or Karl Marx’s writings.
    Thanx for this Blog and all you and the other boys and girls do to keep it going.
    Stay Frosty America!
    God Bless!

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