Our weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.
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SurvivalBlog reader D.S.V. recommended this article in Better Homes and Gardens: 12 Critical Supplies You Should Keep in Your Storm Shelter at All Times [1].
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A massive magnitude 8.7 earthquake hit the Kamchatka Peninsula yesterday. This triggered tsunami warnings [2] as far away as Huntington Beach, California!
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An English-dubbed 2024 documentary from the German Welt: INSIDE THE PREPPER MOVEMENT: Preparing for Disaster and Ensuring Survival [3].
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A very useful video: OSINT At Home #9 – Top 4 Free Satellite Imagery Sources [4].
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Reader Tim J. sent us this: Introducing the U.S. Marine Corps Attack Drone Team [5].
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Reader C.B. sent this tale of algorithm manipulation: Abandon the Platform [6]. JWR’s Comments: I’ve had a similar experience with the Google search engine’s algorithms. Goople’s covert censorship tactics have been well-documented [7]. In retrospect, I can see that they went to war against SurvivalBlog’s search rankings, as early as 2012. It has been a struggle to maintain any meaningful visibility in Google whenever anyone searches on preparedness-related topics. Trust me, I’ve done everything right in terms of search engine optimization (SEO). This included carefully managing keywords, vocabulary level, article length, choosing apropos photos of the correct size, links to and from other original content sites, et cetera. But it seems that nothing works when a tech giant decides that someone’s politics and faith don’t match their worldview. That is why I greatly appreciate SurvivaBlog readers making word-of-mouth mentions, using e-mail footer mentions/links, forwarding article links, and even pro bono ad placements [8]. Those all help. Thanks!
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Reader H.L. spotted this: Report: Armed Citizen Helps Subdue Michigan Walmart Mass Stabber [9].
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The latest video from the Holdfast Alaska homesteading family: We Found a Forgotten Gold Mine While Fishing & Foraging Deep in Alaska! [10](They have been homesteading for 12+ years and recently moved from the Kenai Peninsula to Alaska’s Eastern Interior.)
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Minnesota National Guard activated, state of emergency declared after cyberattack against St. Paul [11]. JWR’s Comment: Could this be a dress rehearsal for a nationwide attack?
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SaraSue sent this snippet:
“I purchased 6 dozen ears of sweet corn from my neighbor. I shucked, blanched, packaged using the Food Saver, and froze. It worked out to about .49 per ear for corn that had been picked and processed the same day for the best flavor. They also gave me a bag of their big, ripe, tomatoes. So I enjoyed tomato salads topped with blue cheese for a few days.
The squash bug infestation took over my cantaloupe patch and try as I might, I couldn’t conquer them. I doubt I will have any ripe cantaloupes. And then, they hopped over to the pumpkin patch and I’m wondering if I will be able to harvest any ripe pumpkins. Very disappointing to see so many fruit, only for them to die on the vine. I purchased Neem oil and another organic spray, but I was too late in treating the plants. Lesson learned. One of my livestock guardian dogs discovered that he can jump easily into the 36” high raised beds and dig in the dirt. He had dug up half the strawberry plants before I caught him in the act and in no uncertain terms chastised him.
One of the heifers that I had bred for the second time came back into heat. As it stands, I only have one bred heifer, as far as I can tell. It’s now too hot to continue breeding them, so it must wait until September when it cools down.
We are in a heat wave, which is making it incredibly difficult for me to manage the farm. I get up at 4am, sometimes earlier, and I’m out the door by 5am to milk, water, and feed animals, and get the garden watered. It’s not cooling down at night enough to make a difference. Some mornings I pray for just a breeze and some cloud cover to make it more bearable. I had a new HVAC unit installed this year and I am very grateful for it. However, the installer made a mistake with the attic unit and it poured water all over and I didn’t notice until it was dripping through the ceiling. They fixed it, but the damage is still in need of remediation, which they have promised to repair.
I must have the same feelings at this time every year: I quit! This is too hard. What am I doing? Why am I working so hard at my age? These truly are the dog days of summer. Then I remind myself that the privilege of growing my own organic food is priceless, and I push on. For how long, I do not know.”
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Fewer Than 400 EV Charging Ports Built Despite $7.5 Billion Biden Funding [12]. (A hat tip to D.S.V. for the link.)
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Reader Jenn D. sent this link: 12-Gauge Shotguns Against FPV Drones, Part 1 (Ukrainian Experience) [13]. The article begins:
“FPV drones carrying explosives (grenades, RPGs, explosives) represent a major battlefield threat.
Traditional air defense and electronic warfare (EW) systems are often too slow or uncapable to neutralize small, fast, low-flying drones. In this environment, 12-gauge shotguns have reemerged as a last line of defense.”
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F.J. spotted this: Lost Mother and Son ‘Did Everything Right’ to Lead Rescuers to Their Broken Car [14].
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Another link from C.B.: DHS Sounds Alarm In Surge Of Smuggling Of Chinese Signal Jammers, 830% Increase [15].
Please Send Us Your Snippets!
Please send your snippet items for potential posting to JWR [16]. or AVL [16]. You can do so either via e-mail or via our Contact [17] form.