Odds ‘n Sods:

Tribunal: No basis for China’s Vast South China Sea Claims

o o o

No Great Surprise Department: NY Times: Liberal Profs Outnumber Conservative Profs 28:1 In New England

o o o

Government sponsored education re-education: Nordic Seniors May Be Forced Back to School Into Adult Education – H.L.

o o o

In less than a week they created the largest tracking data base in history and more. The saddest thing is the sheeple want and are flocking to it! Pokémon Go tracks you – DMS (warning: auto-starting video on page)

o o o

Reporter makes the Mistake of Asking Black Lives Matter Protesters Why they are Blocking the Highway “Let me get this straight. So these people go out to protest in the middle of the highway to get attention towards their cause. And when they finally have the attention, they complain about being asked what they are doing?” – T.P. (Warning: graphic language)

Notes for Tuesday – July 12, 2016

On July 12, 1865, George Washington Carver, the African-American scientist whose numerous discoveries helped to improve agriculture in the South, was born. He died on Jan. 5, 1943.

o o o

Yesterday’s mentioned press reports–attributed to a Dallas Police Department spokesman–incorrectly identified Micah X. Johnson’s rifle as an SKS. (My apologies for repeating that bad intel.) If these photos are to believed, then the rifle was actually a more modern Saiga (a Russian-made AK variant.) Take a close look. What strikes me as quite odd is the presence of the factory gray rubber protective shipping cap on the rifle’s charging handle. How on Earth did that stay in place though all of his training, then a protracted run-and-gun firefight, and then a bomb blast? That seems pretty fishy to me. – JWR

o o o

All of the angst in the media and the protests in the streets about overbearing police officers seem to be missing a key point: Most of the confrontations with police are in states where they do not allow “vehicular carry” of a loaded gun. The mere sight of a gun puts police on high alert, in these states. (In contrast, where I live in the Northern Rockies, nearly every one carries one or more loaded guns in their cars and trucks, and the police don’t seem blink an eye.) For example, the shooting death of Philando Castile in Minnesota would probably have not have occurred if it were not for Minnesota Statutes, section 97B.045, which bans carrying an uncased loaded gun (other than for CCW permit holders). Fully recognizing the Second Amendment by legalizing Open Carry, Constitutional Carry (permitless concealed carry), and Vehicular Carry, both Federally, and in all 50 States would go a long way toward de-escalating these encounters with peace officers. Encouraging that legislation should be part of the Republican party platform. If you know a party delegate or anyone involved with Donald Trump’s campaign, then please contact them, and insist on it! – JWR

o o o

Camping Survival is in the middle of a three day sale on Survival Straws. Now is a good time to pick them up if you’ve been thinking about it.

o o o

For those looking for a little more than just survival, Safecastle has current production freeze-dried Salmon Fillets available – by the can or the case: Farm-raised Atlantic salmon

Document It! The Pressing Need for More Citizen Journalists

The recent tragic police shooting events have made it clear that there is a need to have more citizens of all skin tones document their interactions with the police, federal agents, and all public officials. For your own protection and for the protection of our collective rights, I strongly recommend taking these steps, immediately:

  1. Get press credentials.

    Genuine press credentials with Photo ID are available free of charge and can be printed out immediately at our CFAPA.org blog spinoff web site.

  2. Carry a sign.

    Print and carry a “PRESS” sign to display on your dashboard. (Also available free at the CFAPA.org web site.)

  3. Buy or make a “PRESS” label for the back of your smartphone or tablet.
  4. Buy and use dashcams.

    You need more than just a smartphone. Buy a pair of dash cameras for your car or truck. I recommend pointing one of them forward and one of them angled, facing both the driver and the driver’s side window. And, if you can afford it, buy three cameras, with the third camera facing out the back window. These cameras film a continuing two-hour loop in high definition video with audio. Get in the habit of always plugging them in before you leave your driveway. They might save you a lot of grief in the event of a traffic accident, or they could even save your life or the life of a loved one in the event of a tense encounter with police. (The presence of web cameras tends to put people on their best behavior.) One important proviso: In many states, because of “wiretapping” laws, you must immediately announce: “This conversation is being audio and video recorded, for everyone’s protection.” (If a police officer objects, then ask: “Is your car is equipped with a dashcam?” He will probably answer “yes”. Then ask, “If you can have one, then why can’t I?”, and remind him: “Legally, there is no expectation of privacy in a public place.”

  5. Rehearse it!

    Print out some important reference material, and have all of your family members regularly rehearse exactly what they should and shouldn’t say in the event of an encounter with an official. This way, they will be ready to politely but insistently assert their Constitutional rights.

  6. Speak Up, and Roll Film

    Speak up for the constitutional rights of others. If you see others being oppressed, then speak up about it and document the event. Again, the presence of cameras rolling tends to put people on their best behavior.

  7. Pray and ask for God’s guidance and protection.

    Perhaps I should have listed that as Item #1.

Conclusion

America has entered a time of great turmoil. This is part of what I call the Age of Deception and Betrayal. Our Constitutional rights are now in serious peril, folks. Remember: The First Amendment and Second Amendment reinforce each other. And they both back up the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.

Part of your family preparedness is arming yourself with press credentials and dashcams. Do it today! – JWR.

Letter Re: Digital Currency Weapons and Intel Tools

Hello,

I have recently been doing a bit of research for my Payroll and Accounting class, and part of that led me to a 2007 Kansas law that allowed employers to select the form of payment to employees. These include things you might expect, like cash, direct deposit, checks, and more interestingly for me payroll debit cards. The payroll debit cards led to further research I thought worth sharing and somewhat related. To be clear, I fully support a laissez-faire approach to private business, but the digital trend may be worth looking at.

First, governments around the world are keenly looking toward digital currency. The benefits have been heralded as everything from reducing costs of printing, reducing crime and drug use, and more transparent tax implementation and even keeping us safe from terrorism. Lastly, the trendiest argument for digital currency is that it’s green.

Further, that warrant-less search and seizure of financial information as well as every other detail about you is collected by the government, regardless of your involvement in some sinister crime. That as I see my fellow citizens stripped of rights and liberties (most recently California) I have to ask myself what the strategic long-term plan for our nation really is? What would the average American today think if they had to obtain a $200 tax stamp to exercise the right to free speech or assemble peaceably? Or perhaps a $25 license and background check to be secure in their person from unreasonable search and seizure? Yet we allow, even welcome that and more for rights granted not by government but by our Creator.

If experience has taught me anything in my few years, I would agree with a quote oft attributed to George Washington– “Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master”. So are we willing to trade our birthrights of liberty and freedom for what some would claim is social justice, fairness, and safety? When do we become men and women of the Republic that say enough is enough? When do we stand and fight for what we claim to believe in? If not us, then who, and if not now, then when? Is the progressive mechanism of tyranny and oppression so sly that we cannot honestly see the direction we are headed?

So, I say all that to broach the question, what can we do going forward to bring forth real change? What if anything short of a miracle will restore the Republic? How can we turn over a Nation to our children and grandchildren that is better than what we received from our fathers?

Some good articles listed below for more in depth reading:

HJL Comments: I assume by “change” you mean “roll back the changes that have occurred”. The answer is actually very simple; it’s just not easy. All of these changes over the last 70+ years that are so disturbing are directly related to the failure of the functional family, which is directly related to the hearts of those who manage the families– men and women. The only way for this absurd nonsense to stop is for the hearts of the people to turn back to God and His ways. I’m not just talking about warming a church pew here either. We are the ones who keep electing problematic candidates to office (in search of selfish economic solutions), and they know they can get by with it because we keep compromising our ethical standards. It is only when we stop compromising our personal and family ethics and hold our leaders to the same standards that we will see change. It is costly, but economics are far from the most significant loss our nation has experienced. God’s blessing, integrity, work ethic, respect, compassionate care for our neighbors, quality education, and healthy and stable marriages/families are just some of those things that have been sacrificed. It will take each person making changes in their hearts and actions at home and in their communities and stepping up to be part of the solution, ready to honor God and give rather than just thinking selfishly and about how to take. Look at George Washington (and other founding fathers), whom you quoted, who was willing to serve his nation in very difficult circumstances and did so with a great deal of personal sacrifice and integrity.

Economics and Investing:

Silver Prices – What Next? “Silver spiked to 19 times above its exponential trend in 1980 during the silver bubble. Silver crashed to 30% of its trend in 2001, and 40% of its trend in late 2015, and the April 2011 high was less than two times its exponential trend.”

o o o

CONDITION RED: Important Silver Threshold Line Broken… What Next?? – RBS

o o o

The Lessons of the 1920–21 Depression

o o o

Financial stability should not become Fed’s third mandate: Mester

o o o

SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Odds ‘n Sods:

St. Paul Police Officer’s Spine Fractured as rioting thugs drop large concrete block on his head “Authorities say during the course of the protests on 94 and later, on Grand and Dale, 21 officers from multiple agencies suffered injuries. The injuries were primarily caused by fireworks, rocks, bricks, glass bottles and chunks of concrete that were directed at officers, some hitting them in the head. St. Paul Police said someone threw a Molotov cocktail at officers, as well.” – W.C.

o o o

WSJ Op-Ed: After 20 Years Of Teaching, I Am Banning Laptops In My Law School Classroom – PLC

o o o

Seventh grade boys, girls could be forcibly injected with HPV vaccine if they wish to remain in public school – DSV

o o o

Slate Columnist Admits Unborn Are People, But…

o o o

Readers in the USA who have a drone or who are concerned about drones invading their privacy should be aware of some forthcoming FAA regulations. This link represents the likely rules to be implemented in approximately August, 2016. The FAA is the sole government agency regulating airspace over the USA and people operating drones for commercial purposes will need to comply with multiple regulations.

The regulations for recreational use of drones are less restrictive. Still, be aware of the following:

  • You likely must have a direct line of sight between you and the drone
  • Your drone likely must remain at 400 feet above ground level (AGL) or lower
  • You cannot operate a drone near an airport without prior permission
  • You cannot drop an item from the drone
  • You cannot operate the drone while impaired (alcohol, drugs, other)
  • You cannot operate the drone in a careless or reckless manner

For readers in the USA concerned about privacy over their home or land, the forthcoming FAA regulations probably won’t restrict drone operations in the airspace over you. I know many will not be happy about this. However, be aware of the likely recreational restrictions I mentioned above (and use them to your advantage if necessary). If a drone operator is of concern then try to document illegal or unsafe operations, and then contact the FAA. They will want to hear about it. Think twice before shooting down a drone since you may be forced to legally defend yourself. – P.S.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Cage of freedom
That’s our prison
Where the jailer and captive combine
Cage of freedom
Cast in power
All the trappings of our own design
Blind ambition
Steals our reason
We’re soon behind those invisible bars
On the inside Looking outside
To make it safer we double the guard
Cage of freedom
There’s no escaping
We fabricated a world of our own

Cage of freedom, growing smaller
‘Til every wall now touches the skin
Cage of freedom, filled with treason
Changing sides as the losses begin
Our suspicion tries escaping
But they step up the security
There’s no exit–there’s no entrance
Remember how we swallowed the key?
Cage of freedom, that’s our prison
We fabricated this world on our own.”

– Cage of Freedom. (Excerpted from the lyrics by Jon Anderson, from the soundtrack to Metropolis.)

Pat Cascio’s Product Review: S&W Bodyguard .38 Special

As I mentioned in a previous article, some SurvivalBlog readers have asked me to do some articles on good ol’ fashioned revolvers, so here’s another to consider. Many people mistakenly believe that a revolver is outdated or not of any use in survival. However, it depends on what you consider outdated and what type of survival we are talking about. Many people believe that “survival” means living off the land in the mountains or woods. Well, I guess that’s one type of survival. However, they are many other situations that can be considered survival. To many, it just means getting through the day without anything serious happening to them. Survival can take on many different characters, if you ask me.

I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, where I lived for 27 years before I moved away. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I was forced to move back there for another two years. Now, for anyone who lives in a big and dangerous city, survival takes on a whole different aspect in their lives. I had more than my fair share of run-ins, dangerous run-ins, when I lived in Chicago, and I survived! So, to a city dweller, survival might mean not getting killed on any given day.

There has been a “thing” in Chicago with many who owns guns for self defense, and I don’t know where it started. Many gun owners there own either a little .25 ACP pistol or a .38 Special snubby for self defense. Believe me, I know a lot of people who fall into owning one or both of these types of guns. To my way of thinking, a .25 ACP handgun isn’t a good choice, ever! I knew a fellow, who worked at a gas station and was robbed. The perp shot him in the mouth with a .25 ACP handgun, and it only chipped my friend’s tooth! Take it for what it’s worth. However, I will admit, in my much younger days, I did on occasion carry a little .25 ACP of some type.100_6494

Now, with the above said, the little .38 Special snubby revolver is still a good choice for a self-defense handgun. I can hear the cries now with folks saying, “It doesn’t carry enough ammo.” Well, what are your goals when carrying a handgun for self defense on a daily basis? My first goal is to avoid trouble, if at all possible. Secondly, if forced, I will use deadly force to defend myself and those in my care. If I know I’m going to face a terrorist attack, I would most certainly strap on something more than a 5-shot revolver. Still, if I were only carrying a 5-shot .38 Spl revolver, I’d have at least two speed reloaders on-hand. And, if 15-rounds of ammo doesn’t get me out of trouble, then I don’t know what will. I’m no longer a police officer, so I don’t feel the need to carry four or more spare magazines with me on a daily basis.

100_6496

There is still a thriving market for .38 Special snubby revolvers, and the gun under review today is the S&W .38 Spl. Bodyguard. This is a neat little 5-shot revolver with a 1.9” Bbl, and the gun is super light weight at just a mere 14.36 ounces. The gun has a fixed rear sight and a fixed blade front sight. The barrel is stainless steel enclosed in an aluminum shroud. The frame is mostly aluminum with some polymer material as well, which is a rather unusual combination, but it works. The gun is also rated to handle +P ammo, but you won’t want to take a box of +P out and shoot it during one range session. There is also a rubber grip, to help absorb recoil.

100_6498

The unique aspect of the S&W Bodyguard snubby is the attached laser on the rear of the frame. (See the pics!) Mine has a laser manufactured by Insights, and some of the guns have a laser from Crimson Trace. I don’t know why the difference or the change, but both are effective lasers. The laser is switched on by pressing a little button on the top of it. It isn’t “instinctive” where you grab the gun and the laser turns on, like many of the Crimson Trace lasers do. They have pressure points or small on/off buttons that you don’t hardly notice. Just grip the gun and the laser comes on. Still, this is a nice laser setup, and it allows you to carry the gun in just about any style of holster. (Some laser setups don’t allow this.)

100_6501

The Bodyguard has a nice, black subdued finish on it that seems to help repel the elements, too. As mentioned, there is a stainless steel barrel, but it is inside of a shroud made out of aluminum. This keeps the weight of the gun down a bit. Many S&W snubby revolvers have a barrel that is 1.8” long. This one is 1.9” long. The rubber grips on the gun are nice for absorbing recoil, but they’re not nearly as soft as those made by Hogue or other aftermarket grip makers. Still, it is better than hard wooden grips.

I’ll admit that for a lot of years I was a huge S&W fan but not any more for a lot of reasons. However, this little Bodyguard is one dandy concealed carry handgun. I don’t carry it a lot, and it is not my main carry gun. I carry it in an ankle holster from Blackhawk Products, and the gun rides nicely on the inside of my left ankle/leg. I don’t even know it’s there, mainly because I’ve carried a backup this way for many years. I don’t carry a reload for the Bodyguard, because it is my backup. However, I do carry a spare mag for my main carry gun.

100_6502

I had a good selection of .38 Spl ammo to run through the little Bodyguard. From Black Hills Ammunition, I had their 125-gr JHP +P load, their 148-gr Match HBWC, and their 158-gr CNL Cowboy load. From Buffalo Bore Ammunition, I had their 110-gr Barnes TAC-XP all-copper hollow point and the same load in +P that was designed for short-barreled revolvers, 158-gr Hard Cast Outdoorsman load, and their 125-gr Low Velocity JHP +P –, designed to expand at lower speeds. From Double Tap Ammunition, I had their 148-gr Match Wad Cutter. So, I had a good sampling of ammo to run those this little snubby.

There is some contention, and I’m not going to settle the dispute here, as to how effective any +P ammo is in a little snubby revolver. However, I will say this; when I carry a snubby of any sort, I stoke it with +P ammo, period! I believe the little bit added velocity will help those bullets expand better and penetrate a bit deeper to get the job done.

100_6507

There were no malfunctions with the Bodyguard, other than the laser batteries went dead on me and, of course, in bright sunlight a red dot laser is hard to see at best. Still, I like the intimidation factor of a laser, and it is great for low-light shooting. In all, I fired 300 rounds during my shooting sessions. Firing for accuracy was done at seven yards, which is a fair enough test for this little short barreled revolver. I didn’t use any sort of rest but just fired two-handed. I was able to keep all my shots around the 3-inch mark, and that’s good enough for the intended purpose of this little gun, which is self defense.

I can’t say any of the ammo I tested was really more accurate than any of the other brands or types I tested, not at that short range. I will say though that the Black Hills 158-gr CNL Cowboy load printed a tad bit tighter groups. It was not a big difference, but it was measurable. The Bodyguard was really a lot of fun to shoot, although the +P loads do get your attention after firing several cylinders full. However, in real life, you won’t even notice the recoil because your adrenaline will be pumping.

100_6508

So, if you think that the revolver is dead, think again. It isn’t! There are a lot of different makes and models of revolvers out there that are still good sellers, and they will get the job done. Many women prefer a revolver over a semiauto handgun, for the simplicity of aim and pull the trigger with no safeties to fumble with, no slide to pull back; you just aim and fire, and that is not a bad thing. So, next time you’re in the market for a new handgun, take a close look at some of the revolvers at your local gun shop.

– Senior Product Review Editor, Pat Cascio

Recipe of the Week: Knockwurst With Hot German Potato Salad

Ingredients:

  • 4 large potatoes
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Water
  • 4 slices of bacon, diced
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • ¼ cup vinegar
  • ½ tsp celery seeds
  • 4 knockwurst links
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley

Directions:

  1. Peel and slice potatoes.
  2. Combine with onion in slow cooking pot, then sprinkle with 1 tsp salt and cover with water.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or on high for 2 to 3 hours.
  4. Remove from pot, drain thorougly and return to the pot.
  5. Cook the bacon in a skillet; then stir in flour, sugar, mustard, 1 tsp salt, and pepper, and mix well.
  6. Add the vinegar, 1/4 cup water, and celery seeds.
  7. Cook several minutes or until thickened.
  8. Pour over cooked drained potatoes and top with knockwurst.
  9. Turn the control to high, cover and cook for an additional 30 to 40 minutes or until mixture is hot.
  10. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

o o o

Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!

Letter Re: Moving to Alaska

HJL,

A recent contributor had a great letter about their move to rural Alaska. I wish them the best of luck.

Living in rural Alaska myself, though off the road system, I can only hope they fair well here. My family are in the process of doing the reverse move from Alaska to the Redoubt. Interestingly enough, I had a letter posted on Survivalblog about eight years ago about my move from the city to rural off-road system Alaska.

Alaska has some distinct advantages, mainly the lack of people outside cities and available subsistence in some areas. But everything else is expensive and logistically challenging.

For example, the writer mentioned buying a chain saw for firewood. Unless you are near somewhere to buy parts at a moment’s notice, everyone up here takes two saws into the woods. Parts take days to get and cost more in postage than they are worth. Get used to paying double for stuff.

A recent freighter into the port of Anchorage was a week late due to a longshoreman strike in Washington. All the store shelves across Alaska were looking pretty ragged by the 7-10 day mark. Imagine if they stopped coming. My shelves were stocked, but I get tired of salmon pretty quick any more.

Also mentioned was shipping guns. One option to think about for someone moving either way is to use the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry system. A ride from Whitter AK to Bellingham WA is fairly expensive to take a car, but you never have a border crossing to deal with. So your guns can stay safely packed away and generate no paper trail.

A short look at Alaska news headlines will tell you all about the money problems the state is having with the decline in oil prices. The state has no money. The oil companies are laying off right and left, so a lot of formerly well off people have no money and lots of bills. Things are getting down right tight up here. Fine if you want to disappear and just live off the land, but that’s much, much harder to do than one thinks up here. It take years to get setup right, and even then, you’d better like fish and rhubarb, working long hours with the bugs in the summers, and keeping sane during the other eight months.

Bryan B in AK

Economics and Investing:

Brexit Shows Why Central Planning Won’t Work

o o o

Ex-Barclays traders sentenced to up to six-and-a-half years for Libor rigging. Excerpt: “The sentences come four years after Barclays became the first of 11 powerful banks and brokerages to be slapped with a hefty fine for their role in the rate fixing scandal, sparking a political backlash that forced out former CEO Bob Diamond, an overhaul of Libor rules and the criminal inquiry.”

o o o

An economic riddle: Where are all the construction workers?

o o o

DANGER: The World Is Now On The Verge Of The Largest Destruction Of Wealth In History

o o o

Recent credit card hack is worse than you thought – DSV

o o o

SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Amateur radio – HF go box – P.S.

o o o

They just don’t get it: TIME Suggests Another 9/11 Is Necessary to Re-direct American Anger

o o o

Video commentary from an older Brit on the chaos: We Saved Our Democracy

o o o

The Law Is Dying because Morality Is Dying Technically, morality is what we do, and ethics is what we ought to do, but you get the idea. – B.B.

o o o

Americans urged to ‘buy a gun, get trained, carry it always’ (Note: unrelated auto-starting video on the page.) – W.C.