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 a sermon by Pastor Chuck Baldwin on Kalispell, Montana. (See the Sermons section.)
Books:
Sean Hannity’s latest book was just released yesterday, and became an instant best-seller: Live Free Or Die: America (and the World) on the Brink. When I last checked, it was ranked #1, overall in books, on Amazon!
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Reader “St. Funogas” suggested this general reference book: Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills, Third Edition.
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The Slow Cooker Cookbook: 1000 Flavorful Slow Cooking Recipes for Any Taste and Occasion
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With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa
Movies:
The Bounty. The 1984 production starring Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins. Loosely based on the story of famous mutiny on HMS Bounty. which later led to the multiracial settlement of Pitcairn Island. Available on DVD, or free for those with Amazon Prime.
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Across The Waters. Here is a description: “Unsure of whom they can trust, a Jewish musician and his family make a frantic escape from Nazi-occupied Denmark, in Across the Waters, a gripping story of survival and rescue.” Available on DVD, or free for those with Amazon Prime.
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Maggie’s War. This documentary is described: “James Megellas, affectionately known as “Maggie,” led H-Company of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment through some of the most horrific battles and deadliest missions of World War II. Maggie’s War chronicles the evolution of a citizen into a fearless platoon leader, and the transformation of a young man into the most highly decorated officer in the history of the famed 82nd Airborne Division.” Available on DVD, or free for those with Amazon Prime.
Instructional Videos & Vlogs:
Michael R. wrote to mention that heard from a ham radio friend about a deal on a Spectrum Analyzer for under $60, shipped. He notes that it is getting a lot of publicity.
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Matt Risinger: How to Build a House That Uses 90% Less Energy!
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Reader C.B. sent this link to a video about Poison Sumac: Looking For Poison In All The Wet Places
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Sermons:
Let’s Get To Work! – Message by Dr. Chuck Baldwin on July 26, 2020
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John MacArthur: We Must Obey God Rather Than Men
Gear & Grub:
Reader “Rucksack Rob” suggested: “Most Bushcrafters recommend a folding saw as part of their kit. I agree. The Laplander saw costs $25.28 by itself but if you order the pair (with the Morakniv), its only $6.22 more. A good deal for a couple of good essential kit items.”
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Plan ahead, and buy before any shortages: Snow Joe SJ-SHLV01 Shovelution Strain-Reducing Snow Shovel
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Augason Farms Blueberry Pancake Mix 3 lbs 7 oz No. 10 Can
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Honey Boy Red Salmon 7.5 Oz (Pack of 6)
Make a Suggestion
Want to suggest Recommendations of your own? Then please send them to JWR. (Either via e-mail of via our Contact form.) Thanks!
Poison Sumac Adam is in a few clubs I belong to. He is very informative in his videos most of which are mushroom related, He also has a course online.
I am reading the Survivalist Series by A. American, which I find to be a rather stark prediction of post SHTF America. The language is harsh and may offend some folks and renders the series unacceptable for children. Having said that I would recommend the series.
+1
I’ve read the entire 10 book series… interesting premises. Probable events.
The entire series takes place in Florida, set off by an EMP during a solar event.
Overall, I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the series’ narrative were to occur when we get our turn at the “bovine excrement hitting the oscillating rotors”.
I don’t agree with all of the premises — including a specific antagonist group.
It’s worth keeping a highlighter pen handy for ideas and ‘prepper gems’. I’m having to go back and do that now… (thankfully, I got hard copies of Mr. Rawles Patriot series to begin with and highlighted the 1st time through, lol)
4.5/5 and it’s probably PG-13 at the minimum (not for kids, like Carl said).
To SB community… I had previously listened / watched both sermons listed above… WELL WORTH the time … speaks very pointedly to what WE must be doing… May God bless all the SB family and may we utilize the armor He has equipped us with
I’m quite interested in the spectrum analyzer, but the page says that it can’t be shipped to the US.
Just FYI: It says $9.92 shipping to US but out of stock due to small initial mfg’ing. 1 month delay for next production run.
I might be interested in one of those myself…
re:
Risinger video on ninety-percent more efficient building
Some of his recommendations sometimes increase efficiency in some locations.
A wood floor with a crawl-space creates an envelope isolated from the earth.
This envelope is thermally identical to the thermal capacity of a mobile/manufactured home or a Recreational Vehicle.
To approach a (nearly) hundred-percent efficient structure, a concrete slab ties part of the home to the ‘thermal lag’ of the thermal mass of this particular planet.
Concrete walls or EarthShip© walls add thermal mass to moderate temperature swings.
A wall of windows facing the sun adds solar gain.
To increase solar gain during cooler weather, an overhang can be faced with galvanized roofing on the underside of the overhang… creating a mirror effect.
To decrease solar gain during warmer weather, this overhang shadows the windows facing the sun.
To minimize thermal loss, the structure sides facing away from the sun benefit from tiny or zero windows.
Increase thermal lag by berming the sides of the structure facing away from the sun.
We operate a small organic teaching farm near Eugene Oregon.
We designed our greenhouses using these basic principles.
Although we reside in our idea of an ExpeditionVehicle with its elevated envelope, at 7w x 12long x 7h, our cubic space of about 600cf is efficient because of extreme insulation in tiny footprint.
Two adults and a dog *almost* do not need auxiliary heat during Oregon’s coolest weather.
For comparison, we have acquaintances in a >55 park of manufactured homes (a fancy name for stationary trailers), and their electric bills for one home — for a single person or elderly couple — can exceed our electric bill for the entire farm and a dozen full-time residents operating a 24/7 business!
Brute force to be comfortable, or gentle living with the seasons and the thermal mass of our home world?
Folks, much is written about the declining availability of fossilized fuels such as oil and coal… and the resultant increase in cost.
I agree with Resinger’s intent, and I think his experience in this home will help evolve his needs for the design of his next home… and the home after that, and the home after that.
Much is written about pollution.
Noise pollution increases stress.
After you experience a bermed concrete structure, you will instantly realize the amount of noise pollution penetrating and resonating throughout a wood structure… and in some cases, amplified by the wood floor, walls, and ceiling.
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And, based on experience, I strongly believe wood structures need a warning label:
“!!! WARNING — USING THIS BUILDING CAN RESULT IN DEATH AND DISFIGUREMENT. AVOID OPEN FLAMES IN OR NEAR THIS STRUCTURE !!!”
I too recommend the book ‘Back to Basics’. It is excellent! I still have my original Readers Digest 1st edition (and printed in USA). I place it next to Carla Emery’s – ‘Encyclopedia of Country Living’ as one of the top 5 books on self-sufficiency. (and as far as hardbound books goes, it’s still very reasonably priced at around $20 new.)
Rob, I share your enthusiasm for Back to Basics. Thank you StF, for recommending the book. It has sat on my shelf for years. I just took it down to engage in some serious study.
I also appreciate the suggestion of With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa.
Before he died I would chat with my neighbor who was a Marine on Okinawa in 1945. Asked him one day if he ever felt afraid. He replied “Only once. Our phone lines had been cut and I was sent to carry a message to another company three hundred yards away. When I was challenged by the sentry for the password, I forgot it. As I stammered, I heard dozens of rifles being clicked off safety. Nearly peed my pants with fear. Luckily, I remembered the password before I was killed by my own guys.”
I had never considered that as a possibility when I was a young Marine. I now will never forget it.
Carry on in grace
Hey Rucksack Rob and Once a Marine, it sounds like we all have the same edition and the one on Amazon is still the 2008 edition. Aside from it being a great price for a hardcover book, this one actually has a sewn binding, which is very rare in hardback books today. Most have a glued binding (misnamed a ‘Perfect Binding’) which falls apart after so many years. A sewn binding like they did in the good ole days will last forever. As Marine pointed out, it’s not only a great reference book but also fun to just sit down and read about ow they used to do tings before there was much technology to do things for us. A look into how our ancestors lived.
U.S.Dollar index as of 11:58 AM August 5th 2020- 92.63 . Gold spot price $2044.90
Silver spot price $26.89 .
Recommendation for a book written by a man who lost a leg, above the knee in Iraq. His name is Keith Deutsch and his book is Born STUBborn. You can find it on Amazon.
He took on the amputation to such a degree that he won the 2010 X Games national championship in snowboarding. I’ll let you find the rest for yourself.
Carry on in grace
Sounds like another winner in the book department. 🙂
I am busy on SB today. Since I am picking elderberries in a friend’s garden tomorrow, I did some research and found this: https://www.amazon.com/Elderberries-Beginners-Foraging-Preserving-Remedies/dp/1544705441/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=magiandmayh06-20&linkId=1f5f4baa412fcae0e7fca9b18fec1def&language=en_US
The first sentence on Amazon is a kicker: Elderberries and elderflowers are among the most perfect wild foods. Um, no hyperbole here. 😉
The site with the book seems informative. Anyone who has read my post about preserving food will know I honed in on the drying part. Even as I looked into “making elderberry syrup”, the directions would start: “Take a cup of dried elderberries”…
Getting ahead of that curve.
Carry on in grace
Further research yielded this caution: “If you use wild elderberries, make sure you identify them correctly. If the berries are red… stay away from them because they’re poisonous. If you see thorns… run the other way. Wild, edible elderberry bushes will not have thorns on them.”
A word to the wise.
Carry on in grace
Hey Marine, sounds like they are referring to devil’s walking stick (Aralia spinosa). It has thorns on the stems and the leaves look the same but alternate on the stem while elderberries have opposite leaves, meaning that two leaves come out at the same place for those who may be wondering. The also have thorns on the stem, which is the giveaway. The berries aren’t necessarily red but the berry stems are, and look very red even from a distance. I’m still looking for a good strain of wild elderberries in my area so I can take some cuttings.
Here’s a link to devil’s walking stick:
https://www.northeastsuperfoods.com/blog/2017/10/5/the-potentially-toxic-elderberry-look-alike
USMC’s New Guide For Mitigating Signature Under UAS
Posted by NC Scout
Aug 5, 2020
https://www.americanpartisan.org/2020/08/usmcs-new-guide-for-mitigating-signature-under-uas/
http://www.2ndbn5thmar.com/camouflage/SIGMAN%20Camouflage%20SOP%20200630.pdf
A heads up ,,,,,,,had radio on in the shop , not really listening,but heard something ,,talk about banning the bible because its sexist and racist ,with a bill in the state house ,will listen for more details ,,,not sure if WA or CA ,,,,,,a world gone mad,,,,,
CA house bill 2943
U.S.Dollar index as of 5:25 PM August 5th 2020- 92.84 . Gold spot price $2039.50
Silver spot price $27.05 . Gold to Silver ratio- 75.6 : 1
TMS Live Stream with Matt Bracken – 3PM EST August 1st 2020
(YouTube Video, 2:12:12)
TheModernSurvivalist
Aug 1, 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FsVYhCTuEU
Thank you, St. Funogas, for the recommendation of Back to Basics. We ordered a copy of this today. Also to SB readers who chimed in with enthusiastic endorsements of the same. Every member of our family loves books, and we continue to develop the best library we can to support current learning and future resource materials too!
I clicked on the slow cooker cookbook’s Amazon page, and there are 126 reviews (96% 5-star and 4% 4-star). Sounds good, right? The book has been out for one month, and every single review was written between July 19 and July 21, and half of them (all from the U.S., supposedly) don’t sound like they’re from people who speak English as their first language. It’s definitely not a problem to not speak English first–I can’t even speak a second language fluently, and I highly respect those who can–but this seems like a bunch of fake reviews. If the author is in the person who wrote these reviews, I wonder how well the book is written. This may be a great book, but it just seems suspect. While I was interested in the book, it looks like the author is “cheating” to get rated highly, so I’ll pass.
Across the Waters
Thank you Mr. Rawles for recommending this movie. A timely reminder. Never in my life did I think something like this would ever happen in America. In light of the present issues before us I am now not so sure. I will stand with life and those who honor this gift.