This weekly column is a collection of short snippets: 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. We may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.
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First up, this important analysis: Ukraine: Setting the Stage, and, 23 Jan Ukraine Update: The Clock is Ticking.
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SaraSue sent us this update:
“We’ve had unusual weather here in Tennessee, according to the Locals. Recently, three snowstorms left quite a bit of snow on my property. Compared to Idaho, it wasn’t crippling, but it was a lot of work trudging out to the animals with gallons of steaming hot water. Every time it goes below freezing, the pipes in my laundry room freeze and without a major overhaul of that area, I just plan on doing laundry on the warmer days. These homes weren’t built for freezing weather – It was 12 degrees this morning. My dogs chased off, what sounded like a Bear or Elk (thundering paws/hoofs across the pasture and huffing/puffing that I could hear from the front porch – it was that loud). We don’t have much Elk here, so I’m thinking Bear. Black Bears are considered a “Tennessee treasure” and unless a bear stalks you, all you can do is report a “sighting”. I never leave garbage or dog food outside – nothing to attract predators. I realized that I don’t have sufficient caliber to stop a bear – I’ll fix that issue. Early (4-5am) every morning, my German Shepherds are let out and they run the perimeter of the property, barking and chasing off predators and friendlies (coyotes, cats, deer, etc.). They leave their #2 along the fence lines, instinctively. My animals are locked up at night, but I thought I might need a “guardian livestock dog”, such as a Great Pyrenees. The Shepherds have no fear and seem to be doing a good job of keeping predators off the property, so I’ll wait and see how it goes. I use a loud whistle to retrieve them if they seem to be out of sight for too long. They sleep inside the house at night, so that’s the only downside regarding predators. So far, no coyotes have gotten to my chickens or goats. I have rabbit breeding stock coming, ordered Turkey poults, and am planning out, purchasing supplies, for a 10,000 sq ft deer-resistant garden. Our last frost date is mid-April.”
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A Reason interview: Cody Wilson Thwarts Another Attempt To Stop Ghost Guns.
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Ed sent this: War Coming Fast; U.S. Navy Sorties 22 Warships, 4 Nuclear Subs in One Day.
Andre spotted this: Even in The Depths of Sleep, Our Brains Are Alert to Stranger Danger, Says New Study.
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I just heard that British Berkefeld (the makers of Berkey water filters) will be raising their wholesale prices between 10% and 30%, on February 23, 2022. So, if you haven’t already bought one, then buy it now. By the way, please patronize our advertisers and writing contest prize donors, first.
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A France 24 television news report: ‘Ready to defend our values’: Tensions rise in Sweden’s Gotland amid Russian threat.
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Tim J. liked this video: Bohemia Bees. “This was a unique way we harvested and supply our honey to our customers who like both honey and the comb.”
Tim’s comment: “I never knew that you could do this. My grandfather loved his comb in the jars, but it was an awful sticky mess trying to do that. The technique in the video makes it look easy.”
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Tim. J. also suggested this vlog from ex-Idahoan Brittany (Pettibone) Sellner, who now lives in Austria: I’m Living in a Prison Country.
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A video short: Future of Combat Helmets – Can it Stop Rifle Rounds? (A tip of the hat helmet to reader C.R.B., for the link.)
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Bill sent this:
“Like many others, I found it necessary to find a new phone due to coming changes to cell networks. I wound up purchasing a Nokia model 110 phone. This is a new model, not to be confused with an older Nokia phone with same model number. It is available from several vendors on eBay and elsewhere on the internet. It is not a smartphone. Features of interest to you include:
Removable battery
No GPS capability
4G and Voice Over LTE (VOLTE)
Still supports 2G and 3G networks
One possible drawback for you is that it uses the mini SIM card. This was not a problem for me because I still had my original Tracfone activation kit, which included the smaller SIM card. Switching phones was a pretty simple process using the Tracfone website.
I am very satisfied with it so far, though I have not had occasion to switch to VOLTE mode, as the Tracfone (ATT) network in our area (southern Missouri) does not appear to have changed yet.”
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Ray Epps’ Atty: FBI Scrubbed His Face From Suspect List Because He Was No Longer Unidentified. (Be sure to read the comments.)
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Alexander Vindman: It’s Not Going To End Simply With Russia Attacking Ukraine. JWR’s Comment: Cue the liberal hand-wringing and “sanctions” talk. I am fairly certain that Team Biden will probably fumble this situation very badly. Both the Russians and Chinese sense Biden’s profound senile weakness. To my mind, the only question is: Will Russia invade Ukraine before or after the spring topsoil thaw? So look for an invasion either before February 15th or after May 15th. Why? Because military vehicles have great difficulty maneuvering offroad when topsoil is saturated.
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Theodore Roosevelt statue removed from outside New York’s Museum of Natural History. JWR’s Comment: This despicable act of historical revisionism is apparently a 21-Century liberal reinterpretation of Night At The Museum.
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Jeff S. mentioned:
“There is an excellent website www.spaceweathernews.com that covers a wide variety of space weather news as well as polar shift. They have a daily update on YouTube called Suspicious Observers. It is usually about a 5-minute video on the Sun and what you can expect in the next few days.”
Avalanche Lily chimed in to say that she also really enjoys listening to Ben Davidson’s Daily Report every morning and she recently bought and received two of Ben Davidson’s books. A hardback textbook: “The Weatherman’s Guide to the Sun”, and a paperback: “The Next End of the World: The Rebirth of Catastrophism”. They are both excellent books, beautifully formatted and illustrated to lend to an easier understanding of the scientific concepts that Ben is teaching all of us. She highly recommends them.
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The Economist: Growing Diversity of Gun Owners Is ‘Bad for Gun-Control Advocates’.
And lastly, more for fun, this was sent to us by reader C.B.: Moose found trapped in Colorado basement.
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