SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This 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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By mule and helicopter, volunteers deliver aid to Helene victims.

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Daniel Penny’s defense likely to invoke NYC subway as a key ‘witness’ in fatal chokehold trial. JWR’s Comments: In disarmed New York City, good citizens rarely step in to help others in danger. The few who do so are at risk of both prosecution and civil lawsuits from perpetrators who claim to be “victims”. The verdict in  this trial will tell us a lot about sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs in 21st Century New York City.  (I suspect that sheepdogs will still be in legal jeopardy.)

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Long-time reader Chris M. wrote:

“The failure of the currency from the debt is going to be a bleak event.  Save the Republic, save the banks, or save the currency.  Pick any two.  Not even mentioned in the current political contests.  How do you navigate $35 Trillion on the books and $100 +/-Trillion that is off the books?”

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New Jersey hunter kills 770-pound black bear, setting state record: ‘Smartest animal I’ve chased’. (A hat tip to H.L. for the link.)

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Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — October 29, 2024

Today is the birthday of World War II cartoonist Bill Mauldin (born 1921, died January 22, 2003).

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October 29th is also the birthday of fighter pilot Vermont Garrison, an American who fought in three wars– WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. He was born in 1915 and died on February 14th, 1994, in Mountain Home, Idaho.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 115 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Just-In-Time Food Storage – Part 1, by St. Funogas

This article describes a just-In-time food storage plan for preppers.

These are some of the biggest reasons/excuses why some preppers don’t currently have much food storage:

1. I’ll probably never need it.
2. It’s too complicated to figure all the techniques out.
3. It’s too expensive.
4. Where am I going to store it all?
5. It would be much too embarrassing if my family and friends found out!

This article is about taking probabilities into account as things heat up in the world and putting together a last-minute food-storage shopping list to be prepared just in case.

Some of the possibilities in the next six months include: post-election chaos at multiple levels is almost guaranteed, whether by coordinated terrorists and foreign agents who’ve crossed into the US over the past four years, or false-flag events by the powers that be which are then blamed on terrorists. Other possibilities are wider-spread wars in the Middle East, the Ukraine war taking a turn for the worst, possible nuclear wars, hacker infrastructure disruptions, and supply chain disruptions, which we saw the threat of by the recent dock worker’s strike, are easier to pull off than we’d considered. The list of possibilities is longer if you take into account the long list of false-flag events and other deceptions the US government have used to fool We the People. There are plenty of declassified CIA and Defense Department documents to see what’s been planned and/or done in the past and we can rest assured they continue as always.Continue reading“Just-In-Time Food Storage – Part 1, by St. Funogas”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, we focus on American Redoubt region races in the upcoming election. Even more importantly, pray! – JWR

Region-Wide

All of the American Redoubt states allow early voting and mail-in ballots.

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As reported by the left-biased Malheur Enterprise: Measure makes Malheur County ballot to end meetings on Idaho border move.

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In Pacific Northwest, 2 toss-up US House races could determine control of narrowly divided Congress.

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National Weather Service maps show a series of storms lined up across the Pacific Ocean. That will mean copious rain and then fairly heavy snow in the American Redoubt. The serious snow looks like it will arrive starting November 2nd. Get ready!

Idaho

A rank odor: Idaho Proposition 1, Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2024).  JWR’s Comment:  My eldest son, Jonathan, wrote a piece about this, posted by Redoubt News: Prop 1, A Return To The Good Old Days???

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Noncitizen voting amendment to appear on Idaho 2024 ballot.

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Reported back in May: The unlikely California exodus: Idaho becomes a hotspot for Republicans looking to flee the golden state.

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Idaho Presidential Forecast.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”

Preparedness Notes for Monday — October 28, 2024

On October 28, 1640, English King Charles I signed a peace treaty with the Scottish Covenanters, ending the Second Bishops’ War.

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October 28, 1831: Michael Faraday demonstrated his dynamo invention, an electrical generator.

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The last day!  We’ve been running a 2-week-long sale at Elk Creek Company.  Until midnight PST tonight, October 28th, 2024, all of our pre-1899 shotguns have their prices deeply discounted. Most of these shotguns can fire modern 12 gauge 2-1/2″ or 2-3/4″ shotgun shells. Order soon!

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Today’s feature article is a review by SurvivalBlog staffer Tom Christianson.

Swiza D03 Pocket Knife, by Thomas Christianson

With its locking blade, ergonomic shape, and easily gripped scales, the Swiza D03 is an attempt to update the venerable Swiss Army Knife into a modern everyday carry (EDC) knife. Unfortunately, its lack of ambidextrous one-handed-opening and a pocket-clip leave its performance lacking.

For people who prefer a traditional pocket knife to a modern EDC knife, the D03 will be more than adequate. For people like me who prefer the ease of access and deployment provided by a pocket clip and a provision for ambidextrous one-handed opening, the D03 will fail to satisfy.

The D03 had a manufacturer-suggested retail price at the time of this writing of $41.95 and was widely available online for prices approaching $30. Since there are better EDC knife options available in that price range, I do not recommend the D03.Continue reading“Swiza D03 Pocket Knife, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Storage Foods Granola

The following recipe for Storage Foods Granola is from SurvivalBlog reader Angie T..  She notes:  “This for making up bulk quantities of granola. The basic recipe makes 14 cups+ of granola, which is more than 5 pounds. But this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled, if need be.”

Note that this recipe is gluten-free, if you use certified gluten-free rolled oats. (Any oats by themselves are gluten-free, but they must come from a facility that has no cross-contamination.)

DRY BASE Ingredients
  • 8 cups rolled oats (I use the gluten-free type)
  • 1 cup chopped almonds
  • 1/2 cup flax seeds
  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • 1/2 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup coconut (optional)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
Wet Ingredients (first mixed in a separate bowl):

1-1/3 cups of honey. (Pours more easily if is heated)
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
3/4 cup oil (Canola oil works great, but olive oil makes the granola taste salty,)

Final After-Baking Ingredients

2 cups dried fruit  (mix your preference.)

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Combine the dry base in large bowl: oats, flax, quinoa, nuts, seeds, salt, coconut, and cinnamon.
  3. Mix separately: honey, vanilla, and oil.
  4. Mix in the wet mix to the dry base mixture.
  5. Mix thoroughly, spread on large cookie sheets with a parchment liners.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, stirring sometime soon after it has baked for 10 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven and let it sit, but not too long or it can stick to your cookie sheet.
  8. After baking, mix in 2 cups of any dried fruit. (Berries, raisins, crushed dried apple slices, or whatever you prefer. You can use some craisins, but it is better if they are mixed in with another type of fruit, because two pounds of craisins just by themselves create a too-powerful flavor.)
SERVING

Serve with milk, warm or cold.  The milk can be fresh, or reconstituted powdered milk.  (One of our children is lactose intolerant, so hers is served with almond milk.)

STORAGE

Stores well in airtight containers for up to two months. It is best to store it in airtight containers that are no larger than one gallon each.

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Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long-term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic: Predicted population change 2024-2050, according to a UN forecast. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.)

The thumbnail below is click-expandable.

 

 

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Please send your graphic ideas to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — October 27, 2024

On October 27, 1787, the Federalist Papers started appearing in New York newspapers under the pseudonym “Publius”. They were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.

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October 27, 1858 was the birthday of President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. (He died January 6, 1919.)

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Just One Day Left! We are running a 2-week-long sale at Elk Creek Company.  Until October 28th, 2024, all of our pre-1899 shotguns have their prices deeply discounted. Most of these can fire modern 12 gauge 2-1/2″ or 2-3/4″ shotgun shells. No FFL paperwork is required. In most states, we can mail them right to your door. Order yours, soon!

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Today’s feature article was too short to qualify as a writing contest entry.

We are seeking entries for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 115 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

A Home-Made Water Filter, by Richard T.

I recently made my own water filter, using commonly available parts.  It is essentially a low-cost clone of one of the popular Berkey Water Filters. (Those are pictured above.)

The material list and sources for the parts for this water filter are below the description of its construction and use.

The base for this water filter construction is a 4-inch (inside diameter) Schedule 40 white PVC DWV pipe, cut  24 inches long. It is capped top and bottom but only the bottom cap is cemented on. Both caps have a ½” hole in the center. The hole in the bottom cap is for the filter outlet. The hole on the removable top is to prevent suction, a piece of cloth would do, in its place. The filter element is a white candle-style gravity-fed filter, such as used in the popular Berkey water filter. I use a British Berkefield Doulton filter, which is the same diameter and length. The stem goes through the bottom PVC cap and the unit is set on any container of sufficient size that can capture the filtered water.  If you click on the photo of my prototype (at left), it will zoom up in size.

The simplest method is to put a gallon wide mouth jar inside of a 5 gallon bucket with a hole in the lid for the filter to pass. The size of the PVC pipe and the size of the filter are the correct sizes so that it holds one gallon of water at a time. A 2-quart pitcher is a convenient way of accurately filling it up.

The 4” diameter is large enough to get an arm in there to hold the filter in place when installing or removing it and narrow enough so that more of the surface of the filter is in the water. A larger diameter base would spread out the water so that the bottom section of the filter would be getting more use than the upper section. Every so often the filter can be removed and the surface scrubbed clean with a green scrub pad and reinstalled. They can last for years.

Material list with costs, as of October 2024:

1.   4 in. x 2 ft. PVC DWV Sch. 40 Pipe $17.86 (Home Depot)
2.   PVC S&D Cap, 4 in. $3.67 (Home Depot)
3.   8 oz. Regular Clear PVC Cement $7.96 (For potable water) (Home Depot)
4.   Wadoy Water filter compatible with Berkey gravity filter is $49.97 for 4 filters. (Amazon)

About the safety of PVC for use with drinking water:

The Architect Wisdom website asks: “Are PVC pipes safe for drinking water? Answer: PVC pipe has been proven by many European research labs to have excellent resistance to migration (when chemicals are leeched from the pipe into the water or vice versa) which means that it is excellent at preventing microbial growth and therefore low in risk of abnormal smell or taste.”

For Greater Capture Capacity

A five-gallon food-grade HDPE bucket can be used to store water for utilitarian usage. For drinking water, a food-grade material must be used. Such buckets will be marked “NSF” or “Food Grade”. Do not use 5-gallon paint or utility buckets, such as those sold by Home Depot and Lowes. A commonly-available water spigot can be attached by drilling a hole near the bottom of the bucket. The hole in the Gamma Seal spinner lid prevents a vacuum and also allows the filter bucket can be placed on top. A black bucket can be left out in the sun to help attain hot water, but it might take several days for that to happen.

JWR Adds:

For anyone that is not handy with tools, several of our advertisers and one of our writing contest prize donors sell British Berkefeld (“Berkey”) filters, constructed of stainless steel. Though they are fairly expensive, they are built to last a lifetime.

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

JWR’s latest meme:

Meme Text:

The U.S. Minimum Wage in 1965 Was $1.25 Per Hour
The Silver in Five Pre-1965 Quarters ($1.25 Face Value) is Now Worth $32.95.
We Have Been Robbed of Purchasing Power. Make Our Money Silver Again!

News Link:

Silver Prices Rise: A Look at the Current Market Trends

Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

 

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.

For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,

Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;” – Hebrews 3:1-14 (KJV)