Here are JWR’s Recommendations of the Week for various media and tools of interest to SurvivalBlog readers. The focus is usually on emergency communications gear, bug out bag gear, books and movies–often with a tie-in to disaster preparedness, and links to “how to” self-sufficiency videos. There are also links to sources for both storage food and storage containers. You will also note an emphasis on history books and historical movies. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This week the focus is on N95 face masks. (See the Gear and Grub section.)
Books:
The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide, Second Edition: Tools and Techniques to Hit the Trail
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Ugly’s Electrical References, 2020 Edition
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The Impossible First: From Fire to Ice―Crossing Antarctica Alone
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Plants of the Inland Northwest and Southern Interior British Columbia
Movies and Television:
Lily and happened upon this three-part documentary series about an intentional Christian community on New Zealand’s South Island: Gloriavale. They seem to have overcome many of the problems that have plagued the kibbutzim of Israel. However, like all other human endeavors, despite the best intentions there are always a few malefactors. In the case of Gloriavale, there have been allegations of sexual abuse. (This video is available for free streaming to those who are Amazon Prime members.)
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Ran (StudioCanal Collection) [Blu-ray]
Instructional Videos & Vlogs:
I had missed seeing this 2017 video from Wranglerstar: Simple Target Stands Made From Conduit
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Ohio Amish Barn Raising – May 13th, 2014 in 3 Minutes and 30 seconds. JWR’s Comment: Many hands do make for light work!
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US Field Telephone TA-312/PT Cleaning. (There is no narration, so just turn down the annoying music.)
Web Pages and Blogs:
Mike in Alaska suggested this at OffGridHam: Jumping Off The Grid.
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Commander Zero: Captain Video.
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Podcasts:
Jon wrote to suggest a brief four-part radio drama: Blackout. Here is Jon’s description: “The narrator reads from her diary regarding the events that evolve after the collapse of the internet. I’m a regular visitor to your site and while this story line will not be unfamiliar to your regular readers or contributors it marks a chillingly short timeline of approximately five days as what is as first perceived as an inconvenience quickly spirals into disaster.” Note that access to these audio files will end in the middle of March, 2020.
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CuzMike recommended this: COMMS UP! Full Length Video (Introduction to AmRRON)
Gear & Grub:
While the price of disposable N95 masks has skyrocketed in recent weeks, this reusable “contractor” half-face style mask option is still affordable, and in my experience it has fairly low breathing resistance: Gerson P95 Maintenance-Free Dual Cartridge Respirator – Large. When I last checked, replacement filters were less than 75 cents each, if bought in quantity. Note that after Mr. Wuhan arrives, you’ll need to be wearing a second mask when making the filter changes, and wearing nitrile exam gloves. I’d suggest that both before and after the filter change, wipe down everything except the exposed filters with disinfecting wipes. (“Thou shalt not cross-contaminate.”)
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After 10+ years of using these, it is still my favorite, the most versatile, and the most cost-effective: Clore Automotive Jump-N-Carry JNC660 1700 Peak Amp 12 Volt Jump Starter
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And these make distributing 12 volt DC power to you various devices a snap: F-1012 12-Position 45A Power Pole Distribution Block Module
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I have been around a few Amish …great people. They seem to live much better than us wage slaves. And they are smart enough to use religious free exercise to not pay into the ponzi scheme of social security. The IRS even has a form to legally opt of social security. IRS form 4029.
I bet the Amish don’t have much of an AR 15 collection though
You might be surprised English.But isn’t that the point ?
You would be surprised…. Kids with few bills and good pay do strange things.
The Amish around here are somewhat informed, but what they lack preparations can possibly be offset by the strength of their community. I’ve explained how they can easily can keep outsiders out. Our Amish have the Canadian border to their north, and the river to their east and south. Unfortunately they may be slow to set defenses, and will early on be a target.
I worked on a project in Indiana for two weeks. I didn’t meet any Amish, but learned something of the culture from neighbors and store owners. While the local sect was not allowed to have electricity in their homes, there were impressive solar arrays on their BARNS, and that’s where the laundry room was. 🙂 The Amish love their alcohol, and are widely known to have robust gun collections. Don’t mess with the Amish.
In preparing to drive across Illinois, we filled up in St. Louis and hit the interstate. We didn’t get out of the truck until we got to a truck stop in Indiana. Love those Ford 40 gallon tanks.
The truck stop had one of the largest gun and blade stores I’ve ever seen, and the operators were pretty up-to-date. Upon leaving, the clerk said, “Watch out for the Amish.”
I took this the wrong way, thinking “Gee, I’ve never thought of the Amish as violent people..”. But a few miles down the road, I came over a hill and saw a horse-drawn carriage in the middle of the highway. Ah. I get it now. Don’t RUN OVER the Amish. Some of their carriages had pretty wild electric light displays that flickered and danced artful patterns. Teenagers.
I would not mistake hard-working, seemingly odd Amish for easy prey. Oh yes. If an Amish man gets too drunk at a bar, the horse knows the way home. Organic AI cars. Asphalt highways in Indiana are deeply rutted from the thin carriage wheels and steel horseshoes. Interstates are HORRIBLE. You cannot fall asleep on an Indiana interstate.
The masks you recommended are sold out / unavailable now.
I got mine a while back at Harbor Freight, and for a better price than Amazon has/had them.
Early epidemiological assessment of the transmission potential and virulence of 2019 Novel Coronavirus in Wuhan City: China, 2019-2020
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.12.20022434v1
As time elapses more science is available. This abstract adds weight to other work that concluded that COVID-19 is highly contagious, and has an R0, as high as 6.7, rather than not so contagious, or an R0 of 4.0. This paper concludes that the R-naught is 7.0. A high R-naught is means that even in sparsely populated regions, caution must be taken.
https://ce-publiclw.naturalnews.com/ct.asp?id=53CFEAEE21866DB833A586019866AD22D62FEC0921A03C84AB059E666EF53CC3843FF2BA7737103F9FE0109005BFAA0FED62A6935E2FA7CDA31E1375988CB974&ct=4aeUs2cAAABCWmgzMUFZJlNZF4f8VQAAGJmAAAPwMC%2f%2f3qAgAGoapjUaekemoDyIDHpkNT9TU00aDRklimljdlIP6tl1rCFRLY7o6RrxQEJ3byhdmBE5mdrn01bHq4D7KOIXo9ZPZ0FKa%2b1CREyWiM5AYkTffi7kinChIC8P%2bKo%3d
“Meanwhile, in a scathing video uploaded to YouTube Tuesday, Kentaro Iwata, an infectious disease expert at Kobe University, who spent time on board the Diamond Princess, said the vessel’s infection control measures leave much to be desired.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjyMZYt4YDA
Sadly the cruise ship quarantine experiment is not valid, and we should not let other such examples be a substitute for actual science. Conclusion: Significant increases of infections occurred daily.
Dr. Joe Alton’s Top 5 Antibiotics
I remember his first article on the topic here on survivalblog.com This stuff is made in China. Get it while you can. Azithromycin was a part of the protocol of one Chinese hospital.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcIWM-6oY2c
From Chris Martensen: Coronavirus Infections Outside Of China Are Growing Exponentially
https://youtu.be/FXelEi4tqAo
Question: Could reinfection by the COVID-19 be more sever than the first infection?
Answer: Maybe. Comparisons to MERS and Dengue Fever are made. The mechanism that cause these virus to be more severe after a second infection is discussed.
Tunnel Rabbit,
Thanks to JWR and YOU, I have ordered and received ALL of these that were on Dr. Alton’s list
Thank you for today’s update
Just today I had to go to the Urgent Care to address a serious Sinus Infection. I actually sat in the car for 10 minutes debating weather or not to go inside. THANKFULLY I was in and out in less than 15 minutes as there was not one single person in the waiting room!
I tried everything at home but every couple of years or so I get a bad sinus infection that needs antibiotics to kick it out.
I am now on 875 Amoxicillin 2x day for 10 days, Fluticasone (nasal spray) and Ondansetron for nausea.
Dr said they had 10 cases of regular flu alone today and that everyone that came in today were asking if they had Corona virus!
BTW, My husband is in Ohio for work and he and his co-worker were at Home Depot and they are OUT of every kind of mask and respirator.
(Same situation here in all the stores)
My husband said his co-worker is very upset about this.
(He called me and thanked me for making sure we were stocked as he didn’t really realize that the store shelves would be empty of masks)
Be safe everyone and take care
No greater blessing than a woman who can take care of herself and you in the process. You can find a princess who needs to be rescued or a QUEEN who can fight by your side. I have my queen. Your husband is apparently similarly blessed. Stay safe. I pray for your sweethearts safe return.
Our homedepot (somewhere in Utah) is also completely out of N95 masks of all types.
I took a pic for the history archives. 🙂