Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — September 12, 2023

Twenty years ago, today, on September 12, 2003, country music legend Johnny Cash—whose craggy baritone, simple poetics, hard-won integrity, and advocacy of the dispossessed transformed him into an American icon—died at age 71.

September 12, 1683, the Siege of Vienna ended after a combined force led by John III Sobieski of Poland defeated the Turkish invaders.

Today is the birthday of Richard Jordan Gatling (September 12, 1818 – February 26, 1903) was an American inventor best known for his invention of the Gatling gun, the first successful machine gun.

After nearly 40 years of riding across millions of American TV and movie screens, the cowboy actor William Boyd, best known for his role as Hopalong Cassidy, died on this day in 1972 at the age of 77.

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We are still seeking entries for Round 108 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $840,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 108 ends on September 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.

Hospitality in Exigency: Opening Your Home, by Jonathan Rawles

The tragedies of the wildfires in eastern Washington and on Maui, followed by hurricanes and flooding in California and Florida brought a secondary topic to mind: hospitality in exigency. It’s often alluded to, but it’s worth exploring the practicalities. How can a prepared household effectively support friends and family who have to leave their homes?

If you successfully make your household productive and resilient, it will assuredly become a refuge to others at some point. It’s wise to consider what this might look like now.

Types of Scenario

Let’s start with considering the cases where you might have to offer hospitality to friends or family in difficulty.

In an ideal world, your location is actually a shared retreat, and you’ve worked with your guests to prepare the place in advance. This should be on your mind if you have family living in a high-risk area and foresee the possibility of a future evacuation. In this case, you will know who is coming and an idea of what the circumstances might be. You have abundant opportunity to develop a plan between yourselves. You can preplan the logistics, including providing some storage space for the expected guests to pre-position necessary supplies to minimize the packing they must do in an emergency.

In most situations, it’s more of an expedient matter. You may have a little while to prepare, but unexpected circumstances prompt the need, and there’s been no opportunity to preplan. But with a few days’ notice, there’s some time to make adjustments, pick up supplies, or otherwise prepare.

However, in the case of a swiftly moving disaster, you may have only a few hours of notice or simply have them pull into your driveway unannounced. Hopefully, they will have been able to pack, but they may arrive with only the clothes on their backs.Continue reading“Hospitality in Exigency: Opening Your Home, by Jonathan Rawles”

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 of interest to preppers and survivalists that are located in the American Redoubt region. Today, some news about Adam West Day. (See the Central & Eastern Washington section.)

Idaho

Almost half of Idaho public schools now using See Tell Now! safety tip line.

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One year’s seeds, seven years’ weeds. Herbicide treatments for flowering rush in Lake Pend Oreille.

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Video: Two Hikers on Day Hike Find Hiker Missing Since 2016.

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Ada County task force investigates police shooting of suicidal man near Star.

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No injuries after car crashed into Dollar Tree.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The place of justice is an hallowed place; and therefore not only the bench, but the foot-place; and precincts and purprise thereof, ought to be preserved without scandal and corruption. For certainly grapes (as the Scripture saith) will not be gathered of thorns or thistles; neither can justice yield her fruit with sweetness, amongst the briars and brambles of catching and polling clerks, and ministers. The attendance of courts, is subject to four bad instruments. First, certain persons that are sowers of suits; which make the court swell, and the country pine. The second sort is of those, that engage courts in quarrels of jurisdiction, and are not truly amici curiae, but parasiti curiae, in puffing a court up beyond her bounds, for their own scraps and advantage. The third sort, is of those that may be accounted the left hands of courts; persons that are full of nimble and sinister tricks and shifts, whereby they pervert the plain and direct courses of courts, and bring justice into oblique lines and labyrinths. And the fourth, is the poller and exacter of fees; which justifies the common resemblance of the courts of justice, to the bush whereunto, while the sheep flies for defence in weather, he is sure to lose part of his fleece. On the other side, an ancient clerk, skilful in precedents, wary in proceeding, and understanding in the business of the court, is an excellent finger of a court; and doth many times point the way to the judge himself.” – Francis Bacon

Preparedness Notes for Monday — September 11, 2023

September 11th is of course the anniversary of the 2001 Al Qaeda attacks on the U.S..  But it is also the anniversary of the Benghazi Embassy attacks, in 2012. (Those events were recounted in the Hollywood film 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.) Please remember the sacrifice of J. Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, and CIA (former Navy SEAL) agents Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty. Between them, Woods and Doherty reportedly dropped at least 60 of the attackers, before their position was overwhelmed. Please also remember the spineless worms in Washington, D.C. who decided to not back up the embassy staff when they were in dire need of help. Eventually, they will pay for that. Time wounds all heels.

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Our newest advertiser (in our text ads) operates an interesting trading post website: SimcourTradingPost.com.  Both cash and barter deals are offered. Take a look.  Hopefully, this will flourish!  Post the items (or services) that you’d like to sell or trade, and help that happen.  Thanks! –  JWR

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Today’s feature article is a review written by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.

 

Purely Alpaca Outdoor Adventure Socks, by Thomas Christianson

Purely Alpaca Outdoor Adventure Socks are made with a warm, comfortable, moisture-wicking, odor-resistent blend of alpaca, microfiber, nylon, and lycra. They are machine washable and tumble dryable.

They are priced at $25.95 a pair at the time of this writing from purelyalpaca.com. You may want to think about trying a pair.

The Backstory

My buddy from high school and I have been through a lot together. I was with him when he broke his arm. He was with me when I ricocheted an arrow off a snowman and into the side of my parent’s above-ground swimming pool. I was the best man at his wedding. He was the best man at my wedding. He had a daughter on my birthday. I had a daughter on his birthday. We have quite a bit of shared experience.

A few years ago, my friend began telling me about his wonderful alpaca socks. He said that they were so breathable that he could wear them summer or winter, that they were so odor-resistant that he could wear them a week at a time without laundering, and that they were by far the most comfortable socks that he had ever owned.Continue reading“Purely Alpaca Outdoor Adventure Socks, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: The Easiest Jam or Syrup

The following recipe for Jam or Syrup is from SurvivalBlog reader Mrs. Alaska. She writes:

Fruit jams and syrups are the taste of summer in a jar.

Some jam recipes can sound intimidating, but with only two ingredients, you can make jam.  If it does not gel, then you have fruit syrup.  What is the downside? Give it a try.

Jam requires a bit of patience and attention (low boiling and stirring over 30 minutes or so) and two, three, or four ingredients depending on the fruit.  The easiest fruits have natural pectin ( a jelly-like substance)  and acid (sourness) and just require sugar. That’s it!  Examples of easy, common, jam-making fruit include all citrus, grapes, blackberries, black currants, and, believe it or not, tart apples.      Slightly under-ripe, (tart) fruits are almost foolproof. Other fruits, like stone fruits (peaches, apricots) and strawberries need extra acid (usually lemon juice) and purchased packages of pectin (in the baking aisle).  They are NOT 2 ingredient jams.

SO:  The easiest jam for first-time jam makers is from tart, high-pectin fruits.  Try those above or research the term to find the fruits you favor. (Search “high pectin fruit”)

The first jam I make each year is with haskaps, which are a berry from Japan that I grow in Alaska.  Its taste is between a blackberry and a concord grape.  It has a blue skin and red interior, in a knobby shape like the end of one’s pinkie finger.  This berry also has a high pectin content, which is the jelly-like substance one sees in all citrus, grapes, and some berries.

I dump a gallon of berries into a big pot with ½ a gallon of sugar, and stir often over a medium low flame until the mixture liquefies and thickens.  Many recipes recommend a 1:1 ratio of fruit to sweet, which may make sense with citrus and tart apples but this is too sweet for haskaps and my taste in general.  I encourage new jammers to start with an existing recipe or cut back on the sugar and then taste and adjust to your preference.

Turning fruit juice into jam involves a chemical reaction of the sugar and acid molecules to bind and thicken.  High amounts of sugar or purchased pectin is an easy way to accomplish this, but for my taste, I prefer to simply boil my batch longer, thereby concentrating the flavor as some of the liquid steams off.  How long?  About 30 minutes, depending on how much liquid is in your fruit of choice.  My fruit mixture sheds water, dropping about two inches deeper than its upper line.   You will know that that your fruit liquid will gel when the liquid looks glossy.  First timers: You can measure temperature.  You want about 110 degrees.

BEWARE:  As the liquid heats, it will foam up.  If you have too small a pot, then you will have a hot, sticky mess on your hands.  So make sure that you have about  5 inches of space above your mixture, and keep an eye on the stove, stirring frequently, at a low boil.

When you are finished cooking, pour your hot mixture into hot, clean jars and either pressure can to make them shelf stable, or let them cool and store them in the freezer, long term or refrigerator short term.  Label them frozen, refrigerated or canned for future notice.

NOTE:  If your first batch does not gel, then do not despair!  You have instead created a delicious fruit syrup for pancakes, ice cream, fruit salad, or anything else you wish.  Next time, review what you did and revise.  You can cook it longer or add citric acid — usually in the form of lemon juice, or more closely monitor the temperature.  Either way, you have preserved the taste of summer in a jar.  Rejoice and enjoy.

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Mrs. Alaska blogs at: Alaskauu1.blogspot.com

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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!

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at rising oil and fuel prices. (See the Commodities section.)

Precious Metals:

SurvivalBlog’s Editor-At-Large Michael Z. Williamson suggested this article: Platinum Market on track to see record 1-million ounce deficit in 2023.

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Dave Kranzler, over at Gold-Eagle.com: Gold & Silver Are Facing 2008-Like Conditions.

Economy & Finance:

Moody’s cuts China’s 2024 economic growth forecast, lifts US GDP 2023 expectations.

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Over at the CNN perennial cheering section: America is in a factory boom again. Even a recession may not bring it down this time.

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Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: BRICS Giant Begins Dumping U.S. Treasuries. JWR’s Comment:  China’s holdings of U.S Treasury paper peaked 10 years ago.  Their divestment trend is not a new phenomenon.

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“There Is A Default Coming”: Dave Brat Warns Of Economic Path With McCarthy At Wheel.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — September 10, 2023

On September 10, 1955, the television show Gunsmoke began airing on CBS, and by the time it ended, in 1975, the series was the longest-running western on American television.

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On September 10, 1776, George Washington asked for a spy volunteer. Nathan Hale stepped up to the challenge of an intelligence-gathering mission in New York City. Unfortunately, the British captured and executed him. He is probably best known for his last words before being hanged: “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” He has long been considered an American hero, and in 1985, was officially designated the state hero of Connecticut. It is good for us to remember that every American patriot and hero from the times leading up to and during the American Revolutionary War would have been considered traitors to the crown and would have suffered much the same fate as Hale had America not won her independence.

Some Very Bad Law: The ATF’s New “Engaged In The Business” Rule

I’ve had several readers write to ask me about the ATF’s new 108-Page proposed “Engaged In The Business” rule. On August 31, 2023, the Biden Regime announced that it is attempting to redefine “engaged in the business” of selling firearms. This rulemaking will strongly amplify and greatly expand on the wording of the Gun Control Act of 1968 and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BCSA) of 2022.  The latter provides that, as applied to a dealer in firearms, the term “engaged in the business” means “a person who devotes time, attention, and labor to dealing in firearms as a regular course of trade or business to predominantly earn a profit through the repetitive purchase and resale of firearms.”Continue reading“Some Very Bad Law: The ATF’s New “Engaged In The Business” Rule”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

You know you are getting old when…

The same model as your first home computer is now on display at The Smithsonian Museum

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, provide that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

 

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“ Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.” – John 4: 5-26 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — September 9, 2023

On September 9, 1087, the English king William I (“William the Conqueror”, pictured) died from an injury suffered while attempting to capture the town of Mantes. He was later buried at St. Stephen’s Church.

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On September 9, 1492, the fleet of Christopher Columbus (Cristoforo Colombo / Cristóbal Colón) set sail west.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 108 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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. 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 firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  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 Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  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 $840,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 108 ends on September 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.