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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In The Los Angeles Times: How Colorado became the unlikely epicenter of American yak ranching [1]. JWR’s Comments: In the 1990s, we raised ultra-wooly black Tibetan yaks at our ranch near Orofino, Idaho. In 1997, we brought them with us on our temporary move back to California, and the next year we sold the entire herd. My first wife (Linda, RIP) wrote a Yak FAQ [2]. We found that yaks were very hardy, and quite thrifty grazers. A few key points that the L.A. Times article left out: Yaks can be cross-bred with other cattle, and the offspring from these matings are fertile. They have one extra pair of ribs than most other bovines. They have purple tongues — like a Chow dog. And yaks have the lowest cholesterol beef of any cattle breed. Yet yak milk makes extremely high butterfat content butter. A staple in Tibet is yak butter tea.
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Signal Nomad [3] (one of our advertisers) recently added SureFire Stiletto LED Flashlights [4] to their catalog. This 650 Lumen USB rechargeable model has been my everyday carry flashlight for several months, and I highly recommended it. – JWR
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A recent Armed Scholar video from Anthony Miranda: Huge Ruling Now In Effect After Finding NFA Unconstitutional & Permanently Blocking Restrictions! [5]JWR’s Comments: For GOA members in at least 15 states who own MagLite flashlights, it is time to “Drill baby, drill!” But take heed: The window of opportunity for legal paperless home construction may be brief, so I recommend that SurvivalBlog readers get busy, ASAP. But of course consult your state and local laws first. For legal suppressor construction tips, see these important SurvivalBlog resources from late 2025 and early 2026:
- Opportunity Knocks: Building and Registering Tax-Free Suppressors – Part 1 [6]
- Opportunity Knocks: Building and Registering Tax-Free Suppressors – Part 2 [7]
- And the March, 2026 S.O.S. Newsletter [8] (hardcopy only) for even greater detail — including some crucial dimensions.
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Reader Tim S. wrote:
“I just read an article in The Feral Irishman [9], discussing your 2/25 comments regarding The Woodpile Report. I had the great good-fortune of exchanging over 40 emails with Remus M. between 8/6/13 and 12/31/19, just prior to his demise in 7/20. For all his “ woodsy” charm, he was high up on the corporate ladder. He had a career in industrial engineering, working in NA, Europe, and Scandinavia for a French outfit. On the other hand, he married his high school sweetheart ( first wife, until her passing in late 2001). He came from a very large family, his Father had eleven brothers and sisters. He came from Northern Appalachia [according to Remus, there is “Plantation, Yeoman, and Northern Appalachia “], with some family in Alabama. He stated he started school the same year he met his Dad, in 1946. Turned out his Father “had been off in the Pacific being a medic”. His insight was phenomenal. My first e-mail to him began “Dear Fellow Old Guy“ and he responded within 90 minutes. We exchanged brief life histories, which had many parallels, and expounded from there. When his second wife passed in early 2020, and his health was less than optimal, I believe that took the wind out of his sails. Remus, the close and wise uncle I never had, had he continued his existence on this orb, today, would be approximately, 86 years old.”
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Tom Christianson suggested this video: Switzerland’s Doomsday Law [10].
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This year, the Paratus prepping holiday [11] will fall on September 18, 2026. It was the brainchild of our blogging buddy Commander Zero.
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Reader D.S.V. sent this: Don’t Assume Brand Names Are Worth the Extra Cost — Generic Wins With These 32 Items [13].
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In The UK Daily Mail: Mystery deaths of Epstein’s associates: How multiple friends of paedophile tycoon have died in unusual circumstances fuelling conspiracy theories [14]. JWR’s Comments: You’ve probably heard of “Arkancide”. Apparently, Epsteincide can be via multiple causes, but usually involving hanging.
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Tim J. recommended these three videos from YouTuber “jasonoid”:
- I’ve Been Waiting Years to Design This… It’s Finally Here! [15]
(Video, 14:02) Jul 31, 2026 - The Ultimate DIY Power Box — Hidden Inside a Harbor Freight Case! [16]
(Video, 11:44) Nov 7, 2025 - Plug-and-Play 12V Power for Campers, RVs, and Vans [17]
(Video, 18:08) Feb 20, 2026
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Over at Zero Hedge: Study Finds 93% Of Avocado Oil Chips Contain Other Oils. There Is A Solution [19].
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Turkey’s Parliament Opens Debate On Kurdish Peace Bill — PKK Disarmament Framework Takes Shape After 40-Year War [20]. JWR’s Comment: There is nothing quite like having an economy in ruins and an inflated currency that is approaching the value of toilet paper to get a country interested in reaching a peace agreement.
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Reader “Large Marge” sent these comments in response to the recent article about off-grid showers [21]:
“In 2003, after a devastating diagnosis, we built our Expedition Vehicle in a 1996 Ford CF8000 commercial truck.
We now have more than two decades full-time live-aboard use. Its roof has six 305-Watt photovoltaic panels, a total of 1,830-Watts.
This photovoltaic is duplicated on the toy-hauler that I fabricated on a similar commercial chassis.
For showers each late-afternoon, we use a Craftsman 20-volt battery-operated four-gallon garden-sprayer.
Procedure:
Every afternoon a couple hours prior to sundown, we heat water in lidded six-quart pans on our ancient Coleman two-burner propane camp-stove.
We load each pan with about four quarts to reduce sloshing during transfer to the garden-sprayer hopper.
The garden-sprayer is engineered for harsh petroleum-based chemicals, it has zero issue handling very hot water.
To adjust the temperature, we have a couple gallons of ambient water standing-by. The showerer can further temperature adjust by holding the wand close or distant from skin and scalp.
After experimenting with showering using just the sprayer grip and similar to today’s Redneck article, we spliced a hand-held shower-wand onto the hose from the sprayer.
Different from their version, I took the entire contraption to our local-owned family-operated plumbing supply for them to swage proper connectors. Cost: About $11, parts and labor.
We did this after the second time our temporary hose-clamps pulled loose.
How and why?
Shower-temperature water warms the hose just enough to soften the material so the brass double-end hose-barbs lose their bite.
And the dang hose-clamps catch on everything… a gentle shake-n-tug discomboobulates the connection.
Damp and sudsy, holding the suddenly drought-striken wand, watching my precious warm water ride off into the sunset, is less fun than it sounds.
As you might imagine, we have a second Craftsman 20-volt battery-operated four-gallon garden-sprayer, ready to go new-in-box.
We acquired these sprayers at our local-owned family-operated hardware store.
Cost : about $160 each.
Craftsman 20-volt battery-operated tools are our current favorite.
We have:
* (2) weed-whackers
* mower… very light and flickable, easy for my 75 yar-old wrists and hands
* saws, drills, reciprocating saws
* router
* leaf-blower
* caulk-gun.
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Driver who broke the sound barrier to attempt another land speed record in Utah [22].
Please Send Us Your Snippets!
Please send your snippet items for potential posting to JWR [23]. or AVL [23]. You can do so either via e-mail or via our Contact [24] form.