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”. A universal ID proposal is here – proposed by private industry.
Registering Firearms
Reader B.B. sent in this article on the latest gun confiscation scheme in Colorado. Since the mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado, the state has seen a steady march towards anti-gun positions. Despite the fact that it used to be a fairly pro-gun state, the politics are dominated by the urban areas. Now boulder has passed a law that restricts their version of “assault weapons” (which bear nothing but a passing visual resemblance to an actual assault weapon) just days to “certify” them or remove them from city limits. According to the law, if you tell the authorities that you have the firearm and show ownership proof from before the ban, you can keep it. Of course, we all know where that is headed. It shouldn’t be long before jack-booted thugs are kicking in doors to confiscate the duly “certified” firearms.
Calexit
Reader H.L. sent in this excellent article on a rational perspective of the growing movement by Californians to exit the union. The writer compares the issue with the secession of the south which brought about the civil war. It is one of the few articles that I have read that puts the issues of both the south secession and the current thinking in proper perspective. While the author has left out some critical things like the control of and access to shipping ports, he probably comes closer than any other article I’ve seen at addressing the political problems. I still don’t think that the Federal government would allow it, probably mustering much of the same garbage that the union did during the civil war, but it’s a nice thought.
Central Valley Politics
Speaking of California, reader S.B. sent in this article on how the central valley politics are being influenced by bay area transplants. The bay area transplants are driving up home prices, creating much of the same problems where they move. Workers can no longer afford to live in the same city that they work. The political ideologies just aren’t meshing and it is starting to show. While the newcomers keep placing big spending items on the ballot, this election saw a rebellion of sorts as the long-term residents mustered to defeat many of those proposals. It’s a bit of a microcosm of the same things that brought President Trump to power.
Universal ID
According to this article sent in by reader G.P., Microsoft and MasterCard are teaming up to create a digital identity. In their initial tweet, they describe it as a universal solution for voting, driving, applying for a job, renting a home, getting married and boarding a plane. I wonder how long it will take someone at the company to suggest that a digital implant with the same information as the card would be a whole lot more physically secure. After all, it’s tough to loose your hand, but easy to loose your wallet. Responses to the corporate tweet get it though. One states: “Euphemism for: Universal tracking of users.”.
Escaping Certain Death
This was an interesting article profiling a group of Paradise survivors. There were about 150 people trapped in a parking lot as they tried to flee the deadliest fire in recent California history. The group has a number of volunteer firefighters in it and multiple small decisions made by firefighters, law enforcement and evacuees created a unique opportunity for survival. Waiting was probably the hardest thing they had to do while the inferno raged around them. It’s a great read.
Small Survival Kit
Reader John sent in this article on a really small survival kit that can be brought with you just about anywhere. We are all familiar with the typical EDC kit or small pouches and bags that most preppers stuff in their pockets or the nooks and crannies of their vehicles and backpacks, but this one is a bit different. You can literall stuff it in your wallet and while the things in it seem unobtrusive, they can be very important. It doesn’t solve all of your problems, but it does solve some important ones. Be sure to read the comments section too.
Survival Realty
Survival Realty has an interesting listing in Amish country. The home is an earth-bermed home with a spring fed pond along with a private well. The home is a little over 1400 square feet on four and a half acres with natural stone interior walls. There is also a 1kW solar array and a Jotul F600 woodstove for heating. There are also a number of outbuildings on the property that make it useful for the prepper. You might want to take a look at this gem.
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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!
Microsoft and Mastercard teaming up to create a “digital identity” for each of us sounds like the “mark of the beast” in Revelations. It will, in any case, be an instrument of tyranny.
I liked the Calexit article.
Having studied the Civil War, I have come to the conclusion that slavery was the heart and soul of it. Most people will disagree with me, and I’m OK with that. On a metaphysical level a nation founded on freedom cannot last long with entrenched slavery. Today’s slavery has a different name (but still takes money from productive people to give to the nonproductive, with force still involved), but is still incompatible with a nation founded on freedom.
I don’t loose my wallet, I’m thrifty. And my hand is always loose, not tied. More homeschooling, including maybe assigning proofreading?
That said, if you have an implanted RFID, it might be uglier, but because it is (mistakenly) thought secure, it would not be this partial, at least we need to check, identity theft, I would become anyone I stole the chip from and have total access to everything.
Note how implanting microchips to buy or sell isn’t being blasted as the mark of the beast by the “Christian” pastors? Only a few even complain about big tech.
You cannot replace morality, nor a high-trust Christian culture, with technology. In many places a handshake is still a better guarantee than a FICO score.
Re: Calexit
We are witnessing the last days of the United States. Sadly liberty-loving Americans cling to Trump, Republicans and the group-think delusion that we can use an evil system to fix evil.
Say what you want about the Commie State of California but they dared to vote to become a ‘Sanctuary State’’; effectively a step toward secession. CA has a big dog in the fight and Commies have a history of having a lot of fight in the dog. Their precedent could open the door and give rise to FREE republics.
Go California! An enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Don’t lump all of us into the ‘crazy’ crowd. I myself am a born-and-raised Californian, with a half century here. I’ve seen a lot change. Be advised that there are a LOT of conservative, evangelical Christian, small gov’t, low tax, local community minded, Constitution supporting (and defending) people here. And also don’t forget that we were a right-leaning state up until the mid-1990s, when the Dems began their political assault beginning with Gray Davis, who later became the first CA Governor to be recalled in our history. Unfortunately, the pendulum has now completely swung over to the crazy side, and it’s interesting to note that Jerry Brown successfully got away with implementing the very same things that got Davis ousted, mostly because the Dems have been very successful in manipulating most Californians to see the State as their womb-to-tomb savior.
I myself almost took my young family to the American Redoubt (Idaho) back in the mid-90s, but extended family, a good church, and a good job kept me planted here. Now in 2018, nearly all our relatives have left CA, our kids are grown and gone as well, and the wife has finally accepted that CA will not be saved in our generation. So next year we’ll be taking a long vacation to tour the Redoubt and choose a couple of good candidate locales for our own relocation within the very near future.
For all the stupid things happening here, understand that there are many good Californians who are highly embarrassed by the Dems in Sacramento, San Fran, Los Angeles, etc. We’ve tried our best…we’ve voted, we’ve volunteered, we’ve donated, we’ve prayed, etc. But the Democrat juggernaut has the firm upper hand, and so many of us (conservatives) have left CA that the mathematical chance of this state coming back from the abyss is minimal now. So it’s with heavy hearts that we leave our beloved birthplace behind. My wife and I are making plans as well.
When Californians come to your neighborhood in the search for a better life, remember that there’s a good chance they’re some of those good, God-fearing conservatives fleeing. Or as JWR has said many times…”voting with their feet”.
My state is as bad or worse than california . Unfortunately relocation is out of our reach.Keep up the good work . Hope your relocation goes well Guesty.
Let California go . Unfortunately for them we will have to stop much needed water from leaving the remaining states, as we have none to spare . Just need 1200 to 1500 miles more border wall. Growing almonds in the desert would be a lot harder . I still have not learned how they milk an almond.
Re: Escaping Certain Death
Wow… reading that article had me sitting on the edge of my seat. A lot of good men and women at the right place at the right time. God bless them.
As a North East Californian, I mirror your thoughts and thank you for your reply.
Re: Escaping Certain Death
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No thanks
California is two States…like the distinction between eastern and western Oregon and Washington regarding the American Redoubt, eastern, and particularly northeastern Califonia is a completely different world from the crazy coast. If California ever tries to secede, the northeastern counties will happily stay with the Union as the State of Jefferson.
Agreed. The Jefferson movement – though not likely feasible – nevertheless has a strong following going back for decades. One of my last remaining relatives who still lives in CA resides in NorCal. As I travel up the I-5 or Hwy 99 from SoCal to visit on occasion, it’s always amazing to see how congested Sacramento is (and much of everything south of it), and then how quickly the landscape changes to open crop fields and orchards. The political landscape switches drastically from uber-blue to firm red. The roads go from Priuses displaying “I’m with Her” bumper stickers to trucks with NRA and “Come Take It” decals. SoCal unfortunately doesn’t have this phenomenon.
California is actually FOUR states. The State of Jefferson, East California (I believe that would include the central valley), SoCal, and of course California. California runs from the Sacramento-San Francisco corridor down to the northern border of Orange County. There is a map of the “four state solution” floating around on the web. After the relatively small but populous state of California decides to leave, BUILD THAT SECOND WALL. As far as the FedGov allowing it, I think that would be a godsend to the rest of the country.
Let’s not stop with Commiefornia. Washington, Oregon, Michigan (a four or five state solution), New York, Florida, Virginia (a two or three state solution), Illinois, and several other states desperately need to subdivide.
The problem is there are actually not enough states. We don’t need to add parts of Canada or Mexico, we need to subdivide the states we already have. I live in Michigan, I have ZERO representation in Washington, or Lansing for that matter. The large population centers in almost every state desperately need to be isolated.
In the latest election, 13 counties elected all statewide offices and a US senator. There are 83 counties in the state. It can take as few as 11 counties to do the same thing in any given election year. The state of New York does the same thing. If you look at an election map, even New York is a red state. The same goes for Illinois, Virginia, etc. Yet they all tend to send Dem senators to Washington, and Dems to their statewide offices. yet the election maps all indicate they are all decidedly red states.
Think of your state, how would you subdivide your state to achieve the kind of results you need in Washington and in your state capitals?
Think about it, give it some thought.
Socialism is a disease. We need to mitigate the damage this dreaded disease can and will cause.
The chief recommendation of the bipartisan Congressional Commission on Immigration in 1995 led by African American Congresswoman Barbara Jordan was a national ID card that would be used only twice in a persons life; when they were applying for a job or for government benefits. This would have ended all illegal immigration. Clinton applauded all of the Commissions recommendations which were aimed at ending illegal immigration and reducing legal immigration. The usual suspects in both parties, some of whom are still active in politics attacked and sandbagged the Commissions recommendations and in its place we only got endless amnesties and most likely 30 million, not 11 million, current resident illegal aliens. You can have logical rational arguments against a national ID card, but unless you tell me how you are aiming to stop the total transformation of your country by endless immigration TODAY you are just pi**ing against the wind.
Re: registering firearms
Nice guys finish last and only the law abiding register their guns.
Be aware that gun registration DOES inevitably lead to confiscation. Its not just some paranoid theory. I have experienced it myself. I’ve mentioned this before but it bears repeating.
In the 1990’s I moved to California for a job. They had previously passed a law requiring the registration of “assault rifles.” Owning a few, and wanting to obey the law, I asked to register them after the deadline and was granted permission by the DOJ which was at the time, controlled by a Republican administration. Time passed and a Democrat governor was elected along with a virulently anti-gun AG. Imagine my surprise when one day I received a letter telling me that they had reversed their decision, withdrew the permission, and now, they ordered me to either turn my guns into the police or remove them from the state.
Ask yourself a simple question. What possible use is a list of gun owners to the Government? So a stolen gun is used in a crime, and AFTER THE FACT, some bureaucrat searches a list and nods and says, “oh, yeah, this gun was previously owned by Bob Smith. Yep. Ok, chop it up and send it to the recycling plant.” I can guarantee they don’t want this system so they can return your stolen weapon.
The implication is, a registration system is somehow a law enforcement tool. Somehow our justice system is going to be able to prevent crime by knowing you own an AR-15. Supposedly knowing you are on a list is going to scare all you unstable deplorables from robbing a bank or shooting up a school. This is absurd. The ONLY possible use for registration is the first step to banning them and confiscation. It may not happen tomorrow or next week, but it will happen. The guy who shot all of those people from the hotel room in Las Vegas bought all of his weapons legally and had no previous record. Registration of his guns would have made ZERO difference in preventing the crime. Oddly enough, the kid who shot up the school in Florida had a LONG list of run ins with the police indicating he was mentally disturbed, and yet nothing was done.
However, a registration system will make it easier when the time comes to address post cards informing you that they know you own items X, Y, and Z and have 30 days to turn them in.
The good thing is living in the American Redoubt I don’t foresee any registration of guns anytime soon–unless they allow more Liberals in such as in Missoula, Montana overrunning the city.
I have buried so many guns, as JWR illustrates, and ammo and gun cleaning kits which are secure for many generations to come. Not to mention I don’t even know where they all are nor the number without the chart [hidden in a secret place]. So if they ask, I will not have any idea and don’t even know what to tell the authorities.
The ‘kid in Florida’ was protected by the Obama era’s Promise program, wherein county officials receive federal monies for keeping problem students in school by not having criminal records!
This is a failure of both law enforcement and educators.
Where can one donate to assist the disannexation of California?
Registration has far more insidious aspects than just confiscation. Im an Aussie, we’re living with it. All manner of petty, infantile ideas are hatched after registration is established, all in the name of public safety.
You’ll need to produce a registration certificate listing the calibre of the firearm to buy ammo for it. (dont mention reloading). the amount of ammo allowed to be stored and sold can be restricted. “no one needs xxx rounds for nornal use”.
Once a suitable percentage of firearms are considered to be registered, certain “types” can be banned or restricted in use, eg. certain particularly dangerous weapons may only be used at approved target ranges, or by suitably licensed people, for certain jobs.
Best advice I can offer is to register what you need to, to be able to buy ammo, always keep a few for “afterwards”.
Another thing you’ll probably notice is the draconian penalties for breaches of the infantile and useless laws. All states in Aus have safe keeping legislation, wich requires firearms wich are’nt being used or carried, to be locked in a suitable gunsafe. If a police officer finds a firearm not being stored safely according to law, they are required by law to prosecute the owner of the firearm. The prosecution will involve suspension of the license and seizure of all firearms and ammo. Followed by court, wich usually results in the license being cancelled and all firearms destroyed by the state, after wich the person is not able to apply for a license for 10 years, and even after that applications are usually refused.
We live in a police state, governed by imbeciles and criminals who reign over a population made up largely of t.v/internet addicted consumer units. I suggest you dont do down the Australian path. Wich is pretty funny because some of our most dedicated gun banning, anti freedom, scumbag politicians often wail about us going down the “american path” with each rise in gun sales. 🙂
AussieBill, your point is well taken. Early in her run for president, Hillary Clinton was pushing for “Australian style” gun laws. Her advisors knew this was a “third rail” issue, and told her to tone down the gun control talk. However, she certainly isn’t alone in pushing for this.
Most Americans are not at all familiar with the Australian laws, and when some leftist pundit suggests copying them, they inevitably describe them as “common sense gun laws” … most people here just shrug, and say, “yeah, I guess so”, having no idea what they are agreeing with.
The problem is, most Americans instinctively like Australians, and see them as a solid ally and probably the culture that is most like the U.S. (I’d say, even closer than Canada). This likeability factor is used as a selling point… “well, if it works for them, it can work here.”
You are correct in pointing out the incremental aspect of this. Personally, I believe the “low hanging fruit” is going to be ammo restrictions, both number of rounds bought and a restriction on large capacity magazines. The former mayor of San Francisco and newly elected governor of California, Gavin Newsom has said that without ammunition a gun is “just a club” and that ammo is the thing that needs to be restricted. Since there are millions of guns already in private hands, the easiest thing for the government to do would be to cut off the supply of ammo since it eventually gets used up.
A side issue: I’ve read that in Australia, the police can show up at any time without a warrant and demand to check your gun safe.
Re: Calexit
As Roger D points out, “We are witnessing the last days of the United States,” at least, the last days of the Constitutional Republic, as envisioned by the Founders. Having abandoned college, university, and the Public Fool System curricula, to Marxists, we’re now in painful transition to a Socialist “People’s Republic.” It’s what the kids have learned.
The transition is most advanced in urbanized areas, like L.A., the SF Bay Area, New York, New England, & Chicago, but it is beginning to take over more “conservative” areas, as well. People, having invested their time and effort into their “education” will stick with, and attempt to live out, what they have “learned,” (even when it shafts them) long before they will critically examine the ideas they put so much effort into learning. After all, it’s part of what got them their degree.
Sundering the nation into Marxist, and non-Marxist portions may be the only way to temporarily preserve what remains of the Liberty-loving culture, but jettisoning entire States, particularly those with seaports, and long borders with the portion to be “saved,” sounds like future warfare.
Professor, the police inspections are a touchy subject, its wtitten into the legislation, police can inspect the safekeeping arrangements, but most states law says “at a mutually agreeable time” or similar. Id say most police are pretty good about it, but certainly some have not been, demanding the inspection when it suits them. Any breach of the safekeeping law results in badness. A live 22 round lying on the bench instead of being locked up is all it takes.
Any objective reading of the various states firearms law leaves no doubt it was designed to restrict and persecute. Wich is bad enough, but, the law is written in such a way as be open to interpretation, wich the staff of the firearms administration branches do vigorously. One of the important things we lack in aus is a large representative body with the horsepower to push back against the adminstrators. We have an organisation wich should, and could, but they dont. They were gifted hundreds of thousands of members by the legislation in 1996 because people need a “genuine reason” for having a license, and for the vast majority of people, this is a club membership of some kind.
One of the most common phrases involved in selling new levels of stupidity in firearm legislation is “common sense…”. We had an ammo bill bought into law a few back in my state, by the allegedly conservative gubmint of the day. One of the members of that gubmint turned up to our rifle range for a chat before the vote, he admitted it was a woftam, as was most of the other restrictions in law on gun ownership, but stated they “had to be seen to be doing something”. I think the big issue then was bikers shooting each other, so I suppose in the mind of a chronically stupid person, restricting the sale of ammunition to law abiding people might somehow have an effect on criminals who have demonstrated an ability to procure illegal guns, drugs and all manner of contraband.
Ive had this idea for a long time that restrictions on gun use and ownership is a symptom of other, bigger problems.”Easy” gun ownership is a sign of a free and decent society, “hard” gun ownership is a sign of a society in wich the people dont trust the gubmint and vice versa, and the fact that the people allow the gubmint to enforce such stupidity is a sign that the people are ignorant, complacent and lazy, and vote for politicians like themselves.
For your information, a faq page detailing the hoops a person must jump through to obtain or renew a license, and, they have recently moved to and online only system, so people who arent computer savvy or have crap internet service have to find someone to do the thing for them.
http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/online_services/firearms/licences/frequently_asked_questions#newlic1
HJL
Kudos to your additions in odds n sods. There are a wide variety of topics that are always thought provoking. I enjoy reading through these news snippets.
Regards
The EDC pill kit is a great idea. I will adapt it for my own needs. Thank you. As far as Caliexit- I would be happy to see them go, along with all of the freeloaders there.
Hopefully the seceded occupants of California will be able to learn Chinese.
China is preparing for war with the US. They have already built artificial islands (in other countries waters) for their military.
California can secede after the war is over, if it isn’t glowing in the dark.
If the Chinese take California, the Redoubt can kiss it goodby. Mountains won’t stop them. Ask the Tibetans about that. What’s left of them, anyway. A lot of them are half Han Chinese, and their mothers did not give permission to the Chinese soldiers.
If you want an idea of what secession might look like, check out the book Ecotopia. Several decades old, it still paints a realistic picture of the power struggle between feds and states, with a creative approach by the seceded country.
Carry on.
“Calexit” … here’s teh bottom line in the subject of State leaving the union:
“–That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.-”
Argument ended: a state can leave the union since it is the right, the duty, of such people to throw off the government they feel no longer represents them. Can they in fact make the succession succeed? It would depend on the firepower of the larger opposing force.
As divided as this nation is today, Civil War II is in the beginning stages. That’s this old warriors thoughts on the matter.
We could build a wall around california with shipping containers full of the recycled plastic china no longer buys . There are plenty of these containers available since we buy more goods from china than we sell to them. I did read it is better for our economy to sell china the new plastic media over recycled due to profit and tariff differences. Apparently for now the U.S. makes the best plastic media , until china reverse engineers it or DuPont moves headquarters to another country to increase profit and lower taxes. The recycled plastic issue needs to be addressed here by making all people more responsible . It seems everything is triple wrapped in plastic, not needed . In our home we could make a “tide” container last years .
The trend to have blue tooth everything makes me wonder what happened to the energy crisis in the seventies that had “turn it off” stickers on every switch you passed . Seems like they want us to use as much electric as possible now , but be efficient about it . We are forced to buy appliances with computer boards to save energy then the electric company asks to raise their rates because it hurts their profits . Sorry to ramble , hoping for the best and expecting the worst. Keep up the good work . c in california intentionally left lower case . If MSM reporters can call our president “Mr. Trump” instead of President Trump I can spell california any way I want. P.S. We will never own a refrigerator with a camera in it and Alexa can stay out of our house. A laptop and a kindle is enough. We don’t even use bluetooth on our phones. Yes, I am one of those guys and proud of it,thanks.