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.
—
Reader John P. wrote this query:
“What is your opinion on the new service T-Moble is offering? I know that at this time it is only text, but the future? No Sat phones? No need for ham radio? When the towers are down? My Dad trained me that there is always a weak link, what could it be? My thought is that it could be the Starlink system, but?”
JWR Replies: The T-Mobile system that will become available on July 23rd will have limited capability. I suggest waiting about a year, until Starlink/Tesla releases their planned satellite phone/Internet handheld “Pi Phone”. This will make all other satellite phone offerings obsolete. And in the present-day huge “no cell coverage” swaths of the western U.S., it will make most cellular phones obsolete. It is rumored that the mid-2026 version of the Starlink Pi Phone will have a port (or Bluetooth?) to allow your laptop (with browser and e-mail) low-latency satellite Internet connectivity at very high speed. That will be a true game-changer.
o o o
Guilty: Republican Election Observer Convicted of Felony After Refusing to Wear a Mask. JWR’s Comments: Our society has become so over-regulated that some absurd mala prohibita crimes have been reclassified as felonies. This trend needs to be reversed! Keep in mind that in most cases, a felony conviction means forfeiture of the right to vote and the right to own any post-1898 firearms for life.
o o o
A SurvivalBlog reader in Belgium sent this: “Otroverts” and why nonconformists often see what others can’t.
o o o
Over at the Rural Revolution blog: Buried in blueberries.
o o o
Texas death toll rises to 129 with at least 150 still missing.
o o o
Reader Larry H. wrote to ask:
“I have also looked at antique pistols, but I want one that can use a modern cartridge. Can you suggest a reference for interchangeable modern cartridges with some of the older pistols? Or an old pistol that can be easily machined to fire a newer cartridge?”
JWR Replies: I do have a few antique S&W Top Break revolvers chambered in .44-40 (a.k.a. .44 WCF) in the Elk Creek Company inventory. Similar to the .45 Colt in case capacity, bullet weight, and muzzle velocity, the .44-40 is a potent cartridge that is still factory loaded. I do occasionally run across pre-1899 Colt Single Action Army (“SAA”) revolvers that have been rechambered for .38 Special. But with a six-stroke sequence ejector rod and a single-cartridge loading sequence, a SAA is quite slow and cumbersome to reload, compared to a S&W Top Break revolver!
o o o
And speaking of old firearms technology, here is an interesting Guns magazine podcast: Archaic Cartridges for Modern People.
o o o
Reader D.S.V. suggested this: “Eating More Eggs Can Prevent Vision Loss, Age Related Macular Degeneration & Blindness.” Dr William Li, MD.
o o o
An amazing video from a man who owns a mining ghost town: I Hiked 35 Hours Into a Canyon to Solve a 50-Year-Old Mystery.
o o o
Reader L.G. e-mailed me to ask: “What is your take on the whole Epstein controversy?”
JWR Replies: Clearly, the FBI is sitting on thousands of hours of seized Kompromat videos shot by Epstein with hidden cameras at his various homes, showing the illicit activities of at least dozens of his fellow pedophiles. It seems obvious that his entire operation was a Mossad — and possibly CIA — blackmail honey trap operation. The ongoing massive coverup stinks to high heaven. One commentator summarized the absurdity of the “Lone Trafficker Theory” quite well: The worst coverup of my lifetime. Attorney General Pam Bondi is attempting to gaslight the nation by saying: “Nothing to see here. Move along!”
o o o
David W. had this suggestion:
“Many readers may not be familiar with Daniel Suarez. With all the recent kinetic activities in Ukraine and Iran/Israel, I keep flashing on his novel ‘Kill Decision’ published in 2012.
I haven’t seen accounts of autonomous ship-cuttering drones with magnetic feet, or colonies of drones using chemical tagants as pheromones modeled on weaver ants, but any day…”
o o o
Thompson/Center Arms has an update video on their new factory in New Hampshire: ALL NEW T/C HQ (Full Tour)
o o o
And here in the American Redoubt: King of Rimfire Ammo? Take A Tour Through The CCI Factory.
Please Send Us Your Snippets!
Please send your snippet items for potential posting to JWR. or AVL. You can do so either via e-mail or via our Contact form.