The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, we look at Gen Z’s apparent willingness to be surveilled.

Why Gen Z is Learning to Love Big Brother?

Reader H.L. mentioned this, published by The New York Post: Why Gen Z is learning to love Big Brother.

“A Cato Institute survey finds 29% of Americans aged 18 to 29 respond affirmatively when asked, ‘Would you favor or oppose the government installing surveillance cameras in every household to reduce domestic violence, abuse, and other illegal activity?'”

New Chicago Walgreens Has Most Items Locked Up

Walgreens Opens New Anti-Theft Store with Most Items Held Behind Protective Cases and Kiosks.

What Happens When the Competent Opt Out?

Charles Hugh Smith: What Happens When the Competent Opt Out?

Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Government programs didn’t arise because the people demanded them or because the free market was unable to provide needed services. They arose because the politicians found them to be a convenient way to buy votes with other people’s money, a convenient way to enlarge their own power, a convenient way to reward their political cronies, and a convenient way to keep people dependent on government.” – Harry Browne

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — June 7, 2023

On June 7th, 1576, English navigator Martin Frobisher, seeking a Northwest Passage to the Pacific Ocean, departed England, and weeks later he reached Labrador and Baffin Island and discovered the bay that now bears his name.

On June 7th, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia proposed to the Continental Congress a resolution calling for a Declaration of Independence.

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I heard from my #1 Son that they’ve just added a number of new listings across the central US at SurvivalRealty.  A couple of new listings of note:

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 107 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 course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. 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.
  4. 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).
  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 firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. 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)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. 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.
  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 $800,000 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 107 ends on July 31st, 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.

Exiting Babylon – Part 1, by The Watchman

I’ll begin this essay with two quotations from the book of Revelation:

“So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.” – Revelation 17:3-5 (KJV)

 

“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” – Revelation 18:4 (KJV)

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Introduction

The USA is becoming a more uncomfortable place for Christians every day. The moral corruption increases unabated, our institutions are beginning to crumble, and the Christian faith is increasingly under public attack. What are Christian families to do? Perhaps you have been told to trust in God and it will be all right, to stay true to your Christian witness, to pray more, to be sure to vote, or to try your best to be winsome to a culture that is increasingly hostile to you and your God. All of these advices are intended to keep you engaged in and connected to this Babylon in which we live. Could it be that we should instead be taking the command in Revelation 18 seriously and “coming out of her my people?” In this article, I will argue that once a culture has rejected God’s truth and turned instead to His enemy, it is our Christian duty to withdraw from that culture. I will further argue that there is ample evidence that America has crossed that line, as well as offer ideas regarding what “coming out of her” should look like.Continue reading“Exiting Babylon – Part 1, by The Watchman”

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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First up, there is this news item, reported by The Washington Standard: Cop Persecuted by Dept for Exposing ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ Cards for Connected Class.

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While editing today’s feature blog article Exiting Babylon (see Part 1 and Part 2 — up on Thursday), Lily was reminded of the book by Charles Eliot Newbold, “The Harlot Church” and wanted to share it with you. I linked to GoodReads so you can see the book cover. You can find used copies on eBay.

Lily’s Comments: The modern churches of America have been infiltrated by the godless elite and their destructive agendas. There are just too many things wrong with mainstream churches today to remain within them. We should indeed: “Come out of her, my people.” I recommend finding a home church or perhaps a small independent church, with sound doctrine. That may take a lot of searching!

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Reader D.S.V. sent this: US Air Force Trained A Drone With AI To Kill Targets. It Attacked The Operator Instead.

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Reader V.R. had this suggestion, to supplement the advice in the recent Follow The Yellow Brick Road article on “Get Home” route planning:

“I program repeaters along my [get home] routes from frequent destinations in my Handi-Talkie.”

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US Munitions Stockpile Too Low to Defend in War Over Taiwan.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Where, then, is the warrant for the constantly proposed extensions of legislative action?… In a large class of cases, government measures do not remedy the evils they aim at… in another large class, they make these evils worse instead of remedying them… in a third large class, while curing some evils they entail others, and often greater ones; if… public action is continually outdone in efficiency by private action; and if… private action is obliged to make up for the shortcomings of public action… what reason is there for wishing more public administrations? The advocates of such may claim credit for philanthropy, but not for wisdom; unless wisdom is shown by disregarding experience.” – Herbert Spencer

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — June 6, 2023

The 6th of June is remembered for both D-Day and for the birth of Dieudonné Joseph Saive (born 1899.) He was the designer of many well-known firearms including the Browning Hi-Power, the FN49 and co-designer (along with Ernest Vervier) of the very popular FN-FAL, which was issued to the militaries of more than 90 countries.

Also on this day in 1949, George Orwell’s novel of a dystopian future, Nineteen Eighty-Four was published. The novel’s all-seeing leader, known as “Big Brother,” became a universal symbol for intrusive government, an oppressive bureaucracy, and a surveillance state.

And today is the birthday of American gun designer Hugo Borchardt. (June 6, 1844 – May 8, 1924). He was born in Germany. He is best known as the designer of the recoil-operated pistol that bears his name.

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Today’s feature article is a guest piece by former CIA paramilitary officer and author Kim Kipling. (A pseudonym.)

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We are in great need of articles for Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Since there are now just two articles in the queue, you can see yours posted within just a few days.

More than $800,000 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 107 ends on July 31st, 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.

The Patrol Bicycle, by Kim Kipling

No regular reader of SurvivalBlog needs to be encouraged to prepare for an uncertain future. Inspired and instructed by this forum, many of us spend great amounts of time, energy and money making preparations and setting aside tools, commodities, and supplies against the day when they are needed in an emergency, no longer available, or prohibitively expensive. And if you are like me, many of these items fall squarely into the category of “I pray I will never need this.” It is prudent to have them, but times will surely be hard if we ever have to reach for some of our stockpiled items. There is one useful tool, though, that is often overlooked, but which can be regularly used now, and which will pay immediate dividends on the investments necessary to add it to your preparations. I am speaking of a “Patrol Bicycle.”

The bicycle is one of the most efficient forms of transportation ever devised by man. It allows a single rider to travel farther, faster, with a greater load, and to arrive less fatigued than almost any other form of personal transport other than the automobile. It doesn’t eat, doesn’t require daily watering or grooming, it will tolerate very poor conditions with minimal shelter, and it doesn’t bite, kick, or poop. Properly chosen and maintained, it is a relatively inexpensive, highly durable tool. It is a simple machine, easily understood and maintained by the operator. It is inexpensive to operate and maintain. If one stocks a handful of specialized tools, a few spares of consumable items like tires, tubes, chains, and cables, and perhaps a spare wheel or two, it should last the adult user a lifetime and beyond. Parts are readily available, and expertise to repair and adjust it is likewise quite common. (There are many useful reference books and “how-to” guides available, and I would recommend investing in one or more.)Continue reading“The Patrol Bicycle, by Kim Kipling”

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, we focus on a  gender statement by an Idaho high school senior that had school officials nearly postpone a graduation ceremony. PIctured is downtown Kellogg.

Idaho

Redoubt News reports: Kellogg High School Graduation Postponed Over Gender.

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A follow-up: Kellogg High School graduation held ‘without a hitch’ following walkout.

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Police: Boise man uses vehicle to hit two people, one dead.

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Photos: Opening of Dog Pool in Kuna.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Force is always on the side of the governed, the governors have nothing to support them but opinion. It is therefore, on opinion only that government is founded; and this maxim extends to the most despotic and most military governments, as well as to the most free and most popular.” – David Hume, Essays

Panasonic RF-1600 Radio, by Thomas Christianson

The Panasonic RF-1600 is a vintage, six-band radio with many premium features. It delivers great sound.

I found it easy to tune into stations on the FM and AM bands, but had trouble at first finding stations on the other bands. I thought this might be due to a defect in the equipment. Alas, that was not the case. The defect was in the operator, not the equipment. I consulted with a friend, who is an experienced radio operator. He experienced good reception on all of the bands. As is often the case, it is not sufficient to just own good equipment. One must also become proficient in using it.

The Backstory

My mother passed away recently. She is a follower of Jesus Christ who is now safely rejoicing in the presence of the Lord. My family and I miss her a lot, but we don’t feel sorry for her. She is doing well.

No one heads for heaven with a U-Haul full of stuff trailing behind. The stuff all gets left behind here on earth. My wife and my siblings and I were busy for a while getting Mom’s condo ready for the market. That involved sorting through her things and deciding what to keep, what to sell, what to donate, and what to trash.

One of the things I decided to keep was Dad and Mom’s Panasonic RF-1600 radio.

Description

The Panasonic RF-1600 has six bands (AM, MB, SW, FM, Air, and VHF). It tunes to the following frequencies:

  • From 525 to 1605 kHz on AM.
  • From 1.6 to 4.5 MHz on MB.
  • From 5.9 to 18 MHz on SW.
  • From 87 to 108 MHz on FM.
  • From 108 to 136 MHz on Air.
  • From 136 to 174 MHz on VHF.
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Recipe of the Week: Dandelion Skillet-Roast Chicken

The following recipe for Skillet-Roast Chicken is from SurvivalBlog reader H.C.. She says: “This is a variation of a recipe that I found online. I make in the late spring or summertime, when dandelion greens are available.”

Ingredients
  • 8 small bone-in chicken thighs (leave the skin on them)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 bunches of washed dandelion greens.
  • 2 bunches of small carrots
  • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Directions
  1. Pre-heat your oven to 450°F.
  2. Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat.
  3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, to suit your taste.
  4. Add chicken to pan skin-side down and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
  5. While the chicken cooks, trim stems of carrots and wash them.
  6. Add carrots to chicken fat in pan and place chicken, skin-side up, on carrots.
  7. Transfer skillet to oven.
  8. Roast chicken and carrots until chicken is cooked through and carrots are tender — only about 12 minutes.
  9. While chicken is roasting in the oven, wash and trim dandelion greens.
  10. Transfer chicken to serving plates and toss greens with carrots and lemon juice in hot pan until wilted.

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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 some impacts of the raised debt ceiling.

Precious Metals:

Adam Hamilton, at Gold-Eagle.com: Gold’s Fedspeak Pullback.

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Uganda’s ‘huge’ gold discoveries.

Economy & Finance:

Trillion-Dollar Treasury Vacuum Coming for Wall Street Rally.

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FHA Floats New Program To Use Taxpayer Cash To Pay Mortgages Of Delinquent Homeowners.

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Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: Total Farce: Real Spending Under Debt Ceiling Deal Actually Goes Up Next Year.

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Why is 2023’s bank turmoil largely a West Coast thing?

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”