James,
After reading about the waterproof Bible, I went to the publishers web site, BardinMarsee.com and discovered that they also manufacture waterproof notebooks. Many times during my military career I have needed to write something while in the rain. These would have been great, but alas they were not available in the 1970s.
These notebooks are available in both top and side spiral, and in the most common sizes, all at an attractive price. Thanks, – Greg L.
New Wyoming Lithium Deposit could Meet all U.S. Demand. JWR’s Comment: Wow! That is a relief. The Powers That Be were about to announce on the P.A. system: “Lithium is no longer available on credit.” (Pardon the inside joke for Blue Blazers.)
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Significant population change in Idaho impacting jobs. (Thanks to R.B.S. for the link.)
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An Idaho news headline: Judge rules extended traffic stop violated rights
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George S. sent this from a Wyoming newspaper: Famed Yellowstone bull elk dies
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H.L. sent: Oregon Teachers Traumatized by Unannounced Shooter Drill. They were crazy to try this in Eastern Oregon. They could have been met with lethal force by an armed teacher, adminstrator, or janitor.
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Also from H.L.: ATF offers $5,000 reward in Red Lodge explosives theft
A revenue-versus-spending chart recently posted by the editors of Zero Hedge shows just how deep a hole our legislators have dug for successive generations. The U.S. Dollar is doomed, folks. It is wise to diversify into practical, durable, and barterable tangibles!
At Zero Hedge: “The Captain” Says Goodbye: The Full Final Edition Of The Privateer. (Thanks to B.B. for the lnk.)
Staples Starts Selling 3D Printers
Items from The Economatrix:
Overhyped Q1 GDP Grows By Only 2.5%, Biggest Miss To Expectations Since 9-1-1
Record 1 Out Of 5 American Households On Food Stamps
Mints, Refineries, Brokerages Out Of Stock – COMEX Gold Inventories Plummet
Carolina Readiness Supply is conducting their second Heritage Life Skills weekend May 17 – 19, 2013, in Waynesville, North Carolina. Classes being offered are: Canning Meat & Butter, Canning Fruits & Vegetables, Soap making, Candle making, Dehydrating, Land Navigation, Reloading, Tactical Radio Communications, Butchering, Quilting, Bread making, Cheese making, plus many morre. The guest speakers will be Dr. Dan Eichenbaum, speaking on the Second Ammendment — Dr. Arthur Bradley, author of Prepper’s Instruction Manual, and Disaster Preparedness for EMP attacks and Solar Flares — “Angry American”, author of Going Home — Dr. William Forstchen, author of One Second After.
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Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) sent: 99 Life Hacks to Make Your Life Easier. (Don’t miss the comments that follow, with other great ideas.)
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Anoone with an interest in large Faraday enclosures should check out this Texas company: TruProtect
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Just as predicted: S. 792: A bill to strengthen the enforcement of background checks with respect to the use of explosive materials
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“Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind [Poll] found that 44% of Republican respondents agreed that an “armed revolution” might be needed in the next few years to defend liberties.”
Harry: I’m sorry doctor, I can’t pay you, I haven’t got any money.
Dr. Strong: Money is one of the first symbols that disappeared.
Tell you what I could use though…
Some ammunition if you can spare it, I have a .45 too you know…
Harry: I only have a few, I can let you have four.
Dr. Strong: Don’t short yourself now.
Harry: That’s alright, The war’s over – we won.
Dr. Strong: Well, ding, ding for us!
– Harry Baldwin (Ray Milland) and Dr. Powell Strong (Willis Bouchey) bartering for medical services rendered in the movie, Panic in Year Zero (1962). (Screenplay by Jay Simms and John Morton, based on Ward Moore’s stories Lot and Lot’s Daughter.)
Today is the last day of the Ready Made Resources 25% off sale on Mountain House canned long term storage foods. Unlike many other Mountain House dealers they actually keep most of their inventory on hand. This means that they are able and willing to “mix and match” varieties in a six-can case, at no extra charge, on request. Get your order in before midnight, Eastern time!
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This is the birthday of Charles A. Lockwood (born 1890, died 7 June, 1967.) Lockwood was a United States Navy Admiral who commanded the Pacific submarine fleet in World War II. In later years, he was a friend of my father, at a deer hunting camp in Mendocino County, California. Lockwood was buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California alongside his wife and his friends Admirals Chester Nimitz, Raymond Spruance, and Richmond Kelly Turner by a special arrangement made many years before they died.
May 6th is also the birthday of Tuvia Bielski. (Born 1906.) You may remember him as the main character in the movie Defiance
I’ve encountered a few folks who don’t realize that slavery still exists in the world. I’m not talking about figurative slavery–like every April 15th, here in the States. Rather, I’m talking about literal contemporary slavery, with kidnapping and a life spent in chains or locked up in a cell or prison-like dormitory every night. Slavery is still commonplace in North Africa, most notably in the Sahel. Wikipedia sums it up: “The [slavery] problem is most severe in the Sahel region (and to a lesser extent the Horn of Africa), along the racial boundary of Arabized Berbers in the north and blacks in the south. This concerns the Sahel states of Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad and Sudan in particular, continuing a centuries-old pattern of hereditary servitude going back to the Muslim conquests.” It is estimated that there are more than 200,000 slaves in Sudan, alone. Many of these slaves are Christian, and virtually all of their slave masters are Muslims.
You will have to look hard to find many mentions of slavery in the politically correct mainstream media, which is still dutifully chanting the “Islam is the religion of Peace” mantra. Most western liberal journalists have conveniently twisted the concept of modern slavery to focus almost entirely on sex slaves in Eastern Europe and in places like Thailand, while ignoring much more blatant slavery in North Africa. To be fair, it is much easier for a journalist to get a picture of a teenage prostitute on a street corner in Bangkok than it is for them to get a picture of slave toiling in field near Al-Fashir. But there still seems to be a lot of willful ignorance and misdirection. Thankfully, we do hear about what is going on in Sudan on CBN, from bloggers like Chuck Holton, and through other Christian media outlets.
How can you help stop modern-day slavery? Please support active resistance in the Sahel region. Just a few brave folks are liberating slaves and teaching villagers how to shoot, so that they can fight off would-be slaver kidnappers. One charitable group that will soon be doing firearms training on the border of South Sudan and Sudan is Christian Reformed Outreach, South Sudan (C.R.O.S.S.) I support and highly recommend their unique ministry. OBTW, they have a few volunteer support positions open, here in the United States that would be ideal for retirees.
Just buying up modern-day slaves and giving them their freedom hasn’t worked. The Islamic slavers simply go and kidnap more of them. The only way to effectively stop armed slaver kidnappers is to train and equip large numbers of armed free men in the border villages. In the modern context, you can “Just Say No” to slavery only with a battle rifle.
Addendum: Here is a recent headline: Sudan Intensifies Arrests, Deportations of Christians: Interrogations include threat to bury ministry group members alive. Please pray for the citizens of both South Sudan and Sudan. – J.W.R.
I’ve always been a fan of western movies, and movies about the Founding of this country – America, and early pioneers. If you watched the movie with Mel Gibson, The Patriot
Columbia River Knife & Tool recently sent me their new Kangee T-Hawk for testing. And, I’ll tell you, this is, without doubt, the most awesome tomahawk I’ve ever tested. It is well-designed and well made. It was designed by Ryan Johnson, a custom blade maker, and CRKT picked-up the design, making it affordable over a custom-made version. What is unique about the Kangee T-Hawk is that it is made from one solid piece of steel, with a curved handle and grip choils along the handle for enhanced gripping power. The handle is covered with glass filled Nylon and had an EDM finish – on it – for a VERY secure hold under any weather conditions.
The Kangee T-Hawk is made out of SK5 Carbon Steel – but it is coated with a black powder coating, to help it resist rust. The overall length of the T-Hawk is 13.74-inches – it has a long reach on it. and it weighs-in at 1-lb 8.4-ounces – not too heavy, and it balances nicely, considering its length. The dimensions of the blade aren’t quite what they appear – CRKT lists the blade as almost 3-inches for the cutting head. However, the top of the blade is also sharpened, as well as the Tanto-style back of the blade – which gives you tremendous slashing and cutting power. One thing you must be aware of, when handling the T-Hawk is that, the top of the blade is sharp – VERY sharp. Many people for some reason, tend to pick-up or grip a tomahawk by the top of the head, instead of the handle – if you do that with the T-Hawk, you will readily slice you hand open, with a nasty wound, that runs deep. No, I didn’t cut myself with it! The T-Hawk also comes with a black Kydex sheath with a MOLLE clip platform, for mounting it on a vest.
The bottom of the handle has three large holes in it, and I honestly don’t see any tactical purpose to this, other than for cosmetics or to lighten the overall weight of the piece – but the holes wouldn’t do much to lighten the load, but they are there just the same. I suppose one could attach a lanyard to one of the holes, and secure the T-Hawk to you hand that way – never a bad idea.
Okay, I had the Kangee T-Hawk for the better part of two months, and I used and abused it just about every way you can imagine. I did a lot of chopping of blackberry vines, and it worked great. I also chopped down some small trees and shrubs around the homestead. However, more than anything, I used the T-Hawk as a throwing hawk – and I threw the T-Hawk hundreds, if not thousands of times, into trees on my property. And, the amazing thing is, without much work, I could make the T-Hawk stick more often than not. When it would stick in a tree (and I missed trees completely a few times – hate to admit it) it would stick either in by the head, or the tip of the head, the top of the tomahawk head or the reverse tip.
The Kangee T-Hawk came hair-popping sharp, too – and I did have to re-sharpen it a few times, mostly do to my total abuse of the blade, but being carbon steel, it was easy to re-sharpen. I also used the T-Hawk for slicing in the in kitchen, while not designed for this type of work it did work – but you have to be very careful how you hold the sharp edge of the head. Chopping was no problem, although it wasn’t designed as an “axe” per se, it could chop with the best hatchets I’ve had. And, it could easily slice though stacked cardboard boxes with ease, due to how sharp it was. And, without any effort, I could burry the tomahawk head deeply into cardboard. The reverse end, with the tanto-style tip would easily penetrate an old-style military steel pot helmet, too.
With the overall length of the Kangee T-Hawk, it really gives you a reach advantage, not offered with many large fighting knives. Plus, the power you would wield by slashing at an enemy – it could easily take an arm or a head off. We are talking one very serious edge weapon here. I also placed the T-Hawk between two bricks and jumped up and down on it – trying my best to bend it – no luck! With all the throwing I did, I was sure, at the very least, that I could break the glass filled Nylon handle scales – no such luck! I probably gave the T-Hawk the most abusive testing I’ve even given any edged weapon, and no matter what I did, to try and destroy it, I failed…very frustrating, to say the least.
If I were going behind enemy lines, this is the edged weapon I’d carry with me. I would have complete faith in the Kangee T-Hawk, to help me survive a hand-to-hand combat situation, or help me survive in the boonies. This is the tomahawk you want on your side or in your BOB when the SHTF. Ryan Johnson also designed the Chogan tomahawk for CRKT, however, I believe the Kangee T-Hawk would make for a better self-defense tool, and one that won’t let you down under survival conditions – no matter what you throw at it. And, like all CRKT tools, it comes with a lifetime warranty against defects in workmanship and materials.
As a testament, to how popular the Kangee T-Hawk is, as of this writing, (Early April, 2013), CRKT is currently sold out. However, they expect another shipment in by the time this article appears in SurvivalBlog. Now, the Kangee T-Hawk doesn’t come cheap, full-retail is $185.00 – however, like many CRKT products, you can find it discounted on many locations.
Special Ops military personnel are learning the benefits of a tomahawk in combat, and for survival situations. If they think that a tomahawk, a well-made one, is worthy of combat and survival, maybe you should consider one for your own survival needs. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio
Traditions Training Cartridges are weighted and built like real cartridges. They include a rubber insert to function as snap caps. Unlike most aluminum snap caps, however, they are heavy and strong enough to properly cycle, without becoming damaged. I recently tested these in 12 gauge, .223 rifle and .45 ACP.
The .45 ACP pack contained 5 cartridges with 6 rubber inserts. They were “loaded” with 230 grain ball projectiles, and apart from their black coating, were almost indistinguishable from live ammo. I cycled these through an Auto Ordnance 1911 clone, through a dozen different magazines with no problems with the cartridges. In fact, they helped me identify two problematic magazines. They fed flawlessly. The hammer drop felt noticeably different due to the rubber primer insert, but there were no issues with the action. They ejected very positively, just like real cartridges.
I tested the pair of 12 gauge cartridges (two in the pack, inserts already in place) in both a side by side ERA coach gun and a Remington 870 riot gun. They held up well to the mechanical ejection, and loaded perfectly.
The two-pack of .223 were tested in an M4 clone. Again, they cycled just like real ammo. I randomly loaded both into a magazine of live ammo to practice stoppage drills. There was no detectable difference in the load part of the cycle, and upon the hammer dropping, they extracted exactly as a dud round should.
These are a professionally made and tough test and training tool I recommend acquiring.
They are available in gauges/calibers of 10 semiauto pistol, 7 revolver, 5 shotgun and an incredible 42 rifle calibers, including most common hunting calibers and several military surplus calibers.
Manufacturer’s suggested retail prices range from $9.98 for a dozen .22 long rifle caliber, to $15.98 for a single .50 BMG (which I very strongly recommend as part of your kit, given the power involved in these rifles).
These feel so realistic, I also strongly recommend paying extra attention to safety. Do not keep them near your live ammo when performing function tests, and inspect carefully before loading. Always have the weapon pointed in a safe direction, and at a safe backstop. NOTE: I was furnished a pack each of .223, 12 gauge and .45 ACP free for evaluation.
Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large)
Sir,
One thing I often hear from folks who live in the suburbs is, “Oh man, you’re so lucky, you can totally take your mountain cabin and make it an armed fortress.”
That’s not exactly true. While I do have a retreat in a rural area, I do still also have neighbors up there. We are on acre+ lots, so there is space. But if I started stringing barbed wire and digging a moat, it would raise a few eyebrows. Not only might I get a visit from the DHS (or the People’s Republic of California equivalent), but my neighbors would have advanced notice that I was stocked up when it all hit the fan.
So what I’ve done is gathered all the materials for that time when fortification will be necessary, and just have it in sheds or stacked discreetly on parts of the property.
Then when the flag goes up, our first few days will be spent erecting the fence and stringing it with barbed wire, setting up the noise-making trip wires on the upper back side, setting up my solar-powered motion sensor lights, etc.
You folks who live in a suburban neighborhood can do the same. Just figure out what defenses you have in mind, get the stuff, and keep it in your garage until the balloon goes up.
I feel bad for anyone who has to make a go of it in a suburb, but you gotta do what you gotta do, I guess. Plus, be grateful it isn’t an urban area. Probably your best bet would be to figure out how you could close off a set area (cul-de-sac or both ends of a street), and get enough material to do the whole area. The plus side there is you’ll have instant allies and people to work with. The down side could be that after a few weeks and hunger starts to set in, they may say, “Hey, if he had all the security equipment ready to go, he probably also stashed away food.” One way to help throw them off the scent would be to now buy clothes from Goodwill that are a little too big for you, so they hang slack like everyone else will be wearing. Another way, if you could afford it, is have extra food for them, too.
Or perhaps a way to go would be to make an encampment of all the properties that touch yours, and leave it at that. Anyone beyond that would be an outsider.
I know there is a lot to think about on that, and I don’t envy you that task. But I’ll close with the original point of this note, and that is to say you can hide security measures in your garage until you need them. Good luck, get prepared and stay safe. – Mountain Man Virgil
Jim:
I just heard from my long-time friend, Gene Sockut, who lives in Israel. Gene was the chief firearms instructor for the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) for 26 years. Even though he’s now in his mid-70s, he’s still very active – he’s a sniper/sniper instructor with the Israel Border Police, and has written several books, and videos and is a much in demand speaker on security matters in Israel. So Gene e-mailed me this morning, and he mentioned they are experiencing ammo shortages in Israel, much like we have here, and when you can find ammo there, it is double and triple the usual price. So, things are bad all over… Make It Count, – Pat Cascio (SurvivalBlog’s Field Gear Editor)
James,
That was an excellent article by George H. on Felling Trees. He mentioned Kevlar Chaps as only being recommended. Were I writing the article I would have advised people to use them as mandatory equipment.
I have never been a "safety nazi", but my dealer would not sell me my new Husky unless I bought these, which cost very little. I now agree with his demand.
He has an old time logger who almost died after cutting his femoral artery without these chaps. New saws of any manufacturer have higher RPM on the bar, and the chain will keep spinning around the bar longer than older saws I have used, making them more likely to be near the body before the chain is fully stopped.
The chaps have saved my artery area at least twice, and saved each of my sons. None of us cut without Kevlar Chaps. The cost is very little given the very possible alternative of death due to bleed out from a femoral artery nick, which has happened to many experienced loggers. Think about it, many of us live in rural areas, who are serviced by volunteer fire departments made up of great people, who may or may not be home when you get in trouble, who may not be able to respond quickly, who may not be in the best physical fitness level, who may not find you quickly, who may not know how to stop such bleeding, etc., and one can see that a femoral cut can kill you quickly. Go get some chaps! – George W.
K.A.F.’s Zucchini Patty Pancakes with Spinach Basil Dressing
Cooking oil spray
2 extra large zucchinis, shredded
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup garbanzo bean (or really any bean flour will work well)
1/8 cup dried minced onion
1 tsp. dried garlic
3 egg whites (if you don’t eat eggs, substitute
1 T Xantham gum or 3 T potato starch for the binder)
For Dressing:
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1/3 cup water or orange juice
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 Tablespoon onion powder
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
6 large leaves fresh spinach or 3 T dried powdered spinach
4 leaves basil
2 leaves parsley
Directions
Heat a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium-high heat.
Stir zucchinis, onion, carrot, garbanzo bean flour, onion, garlic and egg whites together in a bowl until well mixed. Divide zucchini mixture into equal portions and shape into large patties.
Pan-fry zucchini patties in the hot skillet until brown and crispy, about 3 minutes per side.
Place yogurt, water or orange juice, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and spinach, basil, and parsley in a food processor; pulse until mixture is smooth.
Drizzle over zucchini pancakes to serve.
Chef’s Notes:
This recipe can be made doubled and you can cook the patties in advance, for a good quick cold lunch, or reheat the patties as a side dish to a meat. Or cook them as you need them during the week.
Original recipe makes 6 patties. (For my family, I double this recipe.)
Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:
Crispy Traditional Potato Pancakes
Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!
“QE to Infinity, and Beyond!” Here are two interesting articles: Fed Keeps Interest Rates Low, Continues Bond Buying Program and How long will interest rates stay low? JWR’s Comments: The risk of rising interest rates represents a huge unknown. The Federal debt is now just barely manageable only because of artificially low interest rates. If interest rates begin to rise before the public debt is reduced to less than 60% of GDP, then the game is over. At that juncture the debt will be unserviceable and the only means of escape for our government and the Fed banking cartel will be mass inflation. So get out of Dollars and into tangibles (guns, ammunition, silver, et cetera), soon.
Ditch Basel Bank Rules, Just Raise Capital, Vitter Says
Some trivia: The Wikipedia page on The American Redoubt has been updated with a picture of The American Redoubt silver coin. Looks nice.
Items from The Economatrix:
Jim Rogers: ‘Race To Insanity’ Producing ‘Artificial’ Market Gains
Child Hunger Is Exploding In Greece…And 14 Signs That It Is Starting To Happen In America Too
A very detailed new infographic about the prospects for ethnic divisiveness in America, created by a Christian anti-racist: America’s Controlled Demolition.
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A reminder: PRNMED is conducting a three day medical class May 17-19 at the Ohio State University Campus in Caldwell, Ohio. This class will be unique since they will be doing some new scenario-based training. They will also include some new information about “tactical medicine,” and will be using some skill stations to allow for more individual instruction in key areas. Please contact Dave Turner at dturner@prnmed.com, or telephone: (610) 633-2276. Visit www.PRNMED.com for details.
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I heard about a new 100% domestic AK maker that will be well-positioned when the inevitable Federal ban on imported parts sets is announced: Resistance Arms. They are starting out via crowd funding. Once the import bans are announced, the few all-domestic AK makers will build huge backlogs, Panic now, and avoid the rush.
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B.B. recommended: What Should States Do When the Federal Government Usurps Power? Advice From James Madison, Father Of The US Constitution
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Todd Savage of Survival Retreat Consulting wrote to mention that he is looking for a circumspect real estate broker to work with who is located in eastern Washington. By the way, anyone considering a move to The American Redoubt should contact Todd. He knows the region very well and can help you find your optimal retreat.
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File Under Global Warming: Arkansas locations experience record snowfall, low temperatures for May.