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, some further details on the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment.

Ohio Train Derailment: Separating Fact From Fiction

H.L. sent this, from The New York Times: Ohio Train Derailment: Separating Fact From Fiction. JWR’s Comments:  This article smacks of typical mainstream media tap-dancing and obfuscation. Reading one line in this article made me burst out laughing: “Phosgene smells like freshly cut hay and can cause coughing and wheezing if inhaled.”  Wheezing, indeed! In fact, phosgene was one of the main chemical warfare agents used in the First World War. It is deadly. It can kill healthy people in high-concentration, and those with chronic lung ailments, in low-concentration.  Many of those who survived it in the trenches of France suffered for decades, due to lung damage.

And here is another update: Heavy rain in East Palestine causes dam to overflow.

ATF Pistol Brace and SBR Rule Defies Supreme Court

A new video from attorney Armed Scholar: ATF Short Barreled Rifle & Pistol Brace Rule Defies Supreme Court Authority! Congress Agrees!

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

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — March 8, 2023

March 8th is the birthday of famed revolver shooter, big game hunter, and gun writer Elmer Keith, who co-designed the S&W .44 Magnum and .41 Magnum cartridges. He authored the book Sixguns, which is still considered a standard reference. His fascinating life story is told in his last book, Hell, I was there! A Proto-Redoubter, Keith spent the second half of his life on a ranch near Salmon, Idaho. (Keith was born in 1899 and died February 12, 1984.)

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 105 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. 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).
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  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. 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. 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 105 ends on March 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.

Homeschooling Nuts and Bolts – Part 2, by R.B., EdD.

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)

CURRICULUM—OH MY!

This is a truly scary word for beginning homeschoolers, and it really doesn’t need to be. You are the one who gets to decide what is taught. And you need to do that before you look for instructional materials. That means you should know what you’re aiming at. And you DO know, don’t you? Certainly your list at every level should include:

1. Reading and vocabulary. Instruction in reading can begin very early with some children, while others have to wait for reading readiness to develop. That’s absolutely OK. You will want a phonics approach, but also be aware that reading can involve other skills like pattern recognition. Reading for meaning and reflective reading are also part of the process as readers advance. Most other major subject areas involve reading as well, so look for appropriateness of reading materials in science, social studies, math, religion etc.
2. Mathematics. How often do you use calculus? How about trig? How much math does your student need to learn? Is algebra and geometry enough? (It was enough for me). Do you want math theory or do you want a strong basic skill set for daily work and life? Do you think drill and practice are essential, or just showing how many ways an answer can be achieved?

3. Religion and moral values. Even if you’re not “religious” you cannot ignore that most of the people in the world are, and that their religious beliefs influence or govern their actions. Your curriculum should include basic belief systems world-wide, and certainly materials which reflect your own faith. These materials are often available from local religious entities for free or little charge, and will give you places to access more. But start with a catechism of your own faith, and don’t be afraid to ask your pastor or elder for assistance. Regular catechism instruction and worship experience should be part of your curriculum, and can feed other areas of study, such as expository writing, music, and art. Don’t miss opportunities to “observe” worship of other faith communities.

4. Social studies, including geography, sociology, economics, government, and culture. Can you find Russia and Ukraine on a world map? Do you know the states of the United States? What is communism? These studies are crucial.Continue reading“Homeschooling Nuts and Bolts – Part 2, by R.B., EdD.”

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, over at The Burning Platform: South Africa has collapsed, here’s why. JWR’s Comments:  For many years, I’ve written about “slow slide” scenarios. This is one that is now playing out for the whole world to see. When I traveled with my family to South Africa five years ago, I got to see this first hand. At that time, the power cuts were already a severe nuisance. But now, they’ve become even more frequent. This has driven a lot of small businesses out of business. Shopkeepers simply cannot afford to run generators behind their stores, day after day. The ESKOM power utility is a cesspool of nepotism, with hundreds of “relative of the boss” employees on the payroll for many years who rarely if ever show up for work. In 21st Century South Africa, driving highways is dicey, since there are huge, deep potholes! A lot of auto repair shops do a big business in repairing suspensions and replacing wheels.

South Africa’s now pitiful situation should serve as a warning to us. All sectors of the nation’s infrastructure are now crumbling, and the crime rate is tremendous. And this all started with divisive politics, affirmative action for any business with more than 50 employees (the Employment Equity Act), and widespread corruption. When an employee knows that he cannot be fired from his job, he soon reverts to doing nothing.

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Reader James D. sent the link to this fictional video: Nuclear Armageddon — EAS WW3 Scenario.

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A fantastic video: How America’s Largest Cast Iron Pan Factory Makes Almost Two Million Pans per Month.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“People often ask me how I feel about my invention being used to kill people every day and the AK being a common weapon of ethnic conflicts. I want to make it clear that I created my assault rifle to protect my country. You can blame politicians for its spreading out of control on a global scale.” – Mikhail Kalashnikov

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — March 7, 2023

On March 7, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for the telephone.

March 7, 1707 was the birthday of Stephen Hopkins, (Governor of Rhode Island) one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

And March 7, 1944 was the birthday of Townes Van Zandt, a gifted Texan singer/songwriter. (He died in 1997.)

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 105 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. 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).
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  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. 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. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

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 105 ends on March 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.

Homeschooling Nuts and Bolts – Part 1, by R.B., EdD.

It is common knowledge that American public education is a failure. We have known for years that our students do not measure up to students in other countries, even very poor ones. For decades we have seen national test scores sink, and employers are constantly telling us they cannot hire workers with basic skills. But most parents still believe their local school is excellent and their children are getting a good education.

The schools tell us how good, caring, and professional they are. They have mottos that ooze care and concern that every child should reach his/her potential in every way, to prepare for a happy and successful life. Thus they justify astounding outlays of funds per child, much of which is spent on bloated administrations, bussing to enormous schools with thousands of students, and computerized “teacher proof” curricula designed by leftist ideologues. Along with that come the teachers’ unions, which have supplanted the former concept of the “teaching profession” with labor contracts and super-powerful political lobbies, and teachers are often required or coerced into membership.

School administrators and teachers have become convinced that the children belong to them and not to their parents, and many parents have given over their rights to oversee what their children learn. Indeed, many children eat their meals at school and hardly see their parents at all during the work week. Left-leaning folk who campaign vigorously to be elected to local school boards ignore or silence parents who confront them in public meetings. Examples of school administrators, librarians, and school boards defending educational materials which offend the decency of children and parents have appeared in the media recently, especially since Covid opened the eyes of many parents as to what is actually going on in the schools. Poor scores, high taxes, and indoctrination! These are truly reasons for every parent to seriously consider another education model for their children.Continue reading“Homeschooling Nuts and Bolts – Part 1, by R.B., EdD.”

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, news about several pieces of legislation now pending in the Idaho state legislature. (See the Idaho section.)

Idaho

Bills on guns, militias and immigration introduced in committee.

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Drag performance bill heads to House floor.

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Idaho lawmakers introduce bill to make it a misdemeanor to administer mRNA vaccines.

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Video: Moose charges snowmobile in eastern Idaho.

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Knives, dark clothes and criminology books were seized from home where Idaho student murders suspect was arrested, police log shows.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“At the highest levels of virtually every major religion, the conspiracy to hijack truth and enslave the masses is constantly at work, whether it is Catholicism, Judaism, or Protestantism.” – Pastor Chuck Baldwin

Preparedness Notes for Monday — March 6, 2023

Today is the birthday of Georg Johann Luger (March 6, 1849 – December 22, 1923). He was the Austrian designer of the famous Luger pistol and the now ubiquitous 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge.  Because there are now hundreds of other 9mm pistol designs, the “Luger” name is no longer printed on most 9x19mm ammunition boxes.

March 6th was also the birthday of Leroy Gordon “Gordo” Cooper Jr., born in 1927 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. This U.S. Air Force pilot and astronaut was aboard Mercury 9 and Gemini 5. Cooper had his exploits well documented in Tom Wolfe’s book The Right Stuff, and in the well-done film of the same name. Cooper died at age 77 from heart failure at his home in Ventura, California, October 4, 2004.

Coincidentally, this is also the birthday of Valentina Tereshkova (born 1937), a Soviet cosmonaut and the first woman in space (aboard Vostok 6). She was born in Maslennikovo, USSR.

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I just heard that www.good2goco.com — a family-owned business and one of our former advertisers — has re-launched their U.S. store. Two years ago, they had to shut down temporarily in the U.S. because of the Covid pandemic. Their operation in Canada carried on all through the pandemic very successfully. SurvivalBlog readers in Canada can check out their Canadian store at: www.good2goco.ca. Their United States online store is: www.good2goco.com. They’re re-launching their U.S. online store with 2,000 products and will be adding more each week. They sell Country Living grain mills, Harvest Right freeze dryers, silky hand saws, several lines of long-term storage foods, and much more. Take a look at their videos and their online store.

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

Maglite Flashlights, by Thomas Christianson

I am a flashlight junkie. I love flashlights. I love big flashlights and small flashlights. I love bright flashlights, and flashlights that project a gentle glow. I love flashlights with AAA, AA, C, D, or rechargeable batteries. I love flashlights with polymer cases, rubberized cases, wooden cases, bamboo cases, and metal cases. I love flashlights with standard incandescent, halogen, krypton, xenon, or LED bulbs. I just love flashlights.

Sometimes my addiction causes strains in my relationship with my wife, “Kari.” She says things like, “Do you really need another flashlight?” or “How many flashlights does one man need anyway?”

I try to control my addiction. I have reached the point where if I buy a new flashlight, I get rid of an old one. Or at least I try to. It seems like some of the old ones sneak back in when I am not looking. I guess they miss me.Continue reading“Maglite Flashlights, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Pancakes From Storage Oats

The following recipe for pancakes from storage rolled oats is from SurvivalBlog reader Paul B.

Paul says:  “This recipe makes 8 or 9 pancakes. You might want to double this recipe if you have a large family, or if you like using leftover pancakes for peanut butter roll-ups, like I do. This uses typical storage rolled oats. Or you can substitute oat flour, if you want a more even texture.”

Ingredients
  • ½ cup of whole wheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons of honey
  • 1/3 cup non-fat powdered milk
  • 1 cup rolled oats (or substitute oat flour, for a more even texture)
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
Directions
  1. In a regular-size mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, honey, and powdered milk. Stir until well blended.
  2. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until they are stiff, and then set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine egg yolks, water, oil, and oats. Beat slightly and allow mixture to stand for 5 minutes. Then beat until blended.
  4. Mix in the dry ingredients
  5. Fold in beaten egg whites. You now have a pancake batter and are ready to pan-fry or griddle the cakes.
  6. Depending on the size of pancakes desired, drop 2+ tablespoons of batter onto the griddle or pan. But if you want bigger pancakes, then pour a ¼ cup-measure of batter onto the griddle or pan.
  7. Cook the pancakes until they are full of bubbles on top and the undersides are lightly browned. Spatula-turn them and then brown the other side.
SERVING

Serve with maple syrup or your choice of fruit, applesauce, pearsauce, or jam topping(s).

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Do you have a favorite 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 and slow cooker recipes, and any that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

Some Implications of the Blackstone Default

In lieu of my regular economics & investing column, I’m posting a brief update on the threat to global financial markets from commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) and collateralized loan obligations (CLOs).

Since 2006, I’ve warned SurvivalBlog readers about the systemic risk posed by disappearing counterparties, in the trillion of dollars of notional value in derivatives. If you haven’t yet read my background piece about that, please take the time to do so: Derivatives–The Mystery Man Who’ll Break the Global Bank at Monte Carlo.

Just a week ago, this headline was seen in newspapers around the world: Blackstone Defaults On $562MM CMBS As It Keeps Blocking Investor Withdrawals From $71BN REIT.  With the recent turn in the real estate market, something like this was inevitable. And with any further deterioration of the real estate market, we can expect to see many other mortgage-backed securities bundles and similar derivatives fail, in the coming months.Continue reading“Some Implications of the Blackstone Default”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day

“Affliction comes to us all …not to impoverish, but to enrich us, as the plough enriches the field; to multiply our joy, as the seed, by planting, is multiplied a thousand-fold.” – Henry Ward Beecher