Lessons Learned From a Winter Storm – Part 1, by Michael X.

I have often bugged my wife to let us try a “long weekend without power”. I wanted to test my preps, byt so far she has not taken me up on my offer. However, recently Fate stepped in and gave me what I wanted. I am writing this to document my experience and my analysis of what I need to do to further my readiness.

I have been interested in Prepping for many years. My early introduction to prepping was on this website, and by reading the Patriots novel series by James Wesley, Rawles. Many, many books followed that rounded out my prepping education. My go-to book is “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It”. I also like “The Prepper’s Blueprint” by Tess Pennington. I have the List of Lists and I had thought that I was making progress. But using the preparedness tools and supplies is much different than checking the items off a list.

We live in Northwest Wisconsin in a recreational area popular for fishing, canoeing, ATV riding, and snowmobiling. We bought a small lake cabin about 20 years ago, and then built on to the cabin 10 years later, making it a year-round home. Snow is on the ground about five months a year. The nearest village of 400 souls is four miles away, and a town over 6,000, with services and major retailers, is 25 miles away.

As an aspiring prepper and a civil engineer, when we decided to build a permanent year-round home, and potentially our final retirement home, I designed some elements into the plans that would help us in troubled times, primarily loss of power and thus loss of heating capability. I put in a high-end wood stove in the basement. We put in two LP gas fireplaces that do not need electricity to operate. I added vents from the warm wood stove area to the master bedroom, with an in-wall fan to move the warm air at a higher volume. I designed in a whole-house generator option, with power provided by a large portable generator outside. The house electrical panel uses a master switch to move between commercial power and generator power.Continue reading“Lessons Learned From a Winter Storm – Part 1, by Michael X.”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly column is a collection of short snippets: 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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SurvivalBlog reader Celeste wrote:

“I’ve read several recent articles on hand washing clothes.  All use bar soap as a base and agitate the clothing.  As a long-time [wool] spinner and dyer, I use Orvus (sodium lauryl sulfate) as a base.  It is found in most feed and seed stores and at Tractor Supply.  It is a pure surfactant with no fats or oils like soap. One tub is super concentrated and by mixing just a bit with water, goes a long way.  You can add soda ash, and/or Borax for whites and really dirty clothes.

We were without power for 10 days after Hurricane Michael and we ran the generator for a bit in the morning to pump water.  I would put the previous day’s clothes in a kitty litter bucket of cold soapy water and just let it soak till late afternoon, occasionally swishing my hand to stir around the clothes and liquid.

Soaking for a couple of hours allows the surfactant to loosen up dirt and dissolve oils.  I rub clothes with a bar of Lava [brand soap] on stubborn spots. My favorite method is to just soak over time and rinse. I think it is easier on the clothes and much easier on me.  You can use Orvus as a base for any liquid soap too.

I love reading SurvivalBlog and pick up lots of useful information. Thank you for hosting it.”

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Some great news for Canadian gun onwers! Alberta Takes Back Constitutional Jurisdiction Effective January 1st, 2023. JWR’s Comment: I hope that the other western provinces follow suit.

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Greg sent us this follow-up to Tom Christianson’s “Jeep Cap” review article:

“I researched the NSN.  This NSN was set up in 1975.  The original specification was Mil-C-16472.  Mil-C-16472 was cancelled and replaced by Commercial Item Description (CID) A-A-50369.  A cap per the CID is made of wool, one size fits all. The color shall be Blue Shade 3346.  Its made for the Navy.

It likely had an earlier NSN but I couldn’t find records linking the Mil Spec or an older NSN to the current NSN.  It was an educational search for me.
DLA  Assist Quicksearch is the place to look up government specifications.  It is open to the public.”

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Reader D.S.V. spotted this: National Strategy to Develop Distributed Ledger Technology for Digital ID Tucked into 2023 Defense Budget.

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Radio Hosts Exit After Soros Buys Hispanic Stations. JWR’s Comment:  In the war of words, sadly, the globalist statist-socialist billionaires are winning.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — December 27, 2022

On this day in 1979, the Soviet Union sent 75,000 troops to Afghanistan to enforce the installation of Babrak Karmal as the new leader of the nation. The new government and the imposing Soviet presence, however, had little success in putting down anti-government rebels. Thus began nearly 10 years of an agonizing, destructive, and ultimately fruitless Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan. Death by a thousand cuts.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 104 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 $775,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 104 ends on January 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.

Assessing and Prioritizing Risks, by Francis Marion

One of the most common questions asked by new preppers is “What should I prepare for?”. The easy…and wrong…answer is “everything”. After all, as Frederick the Great said, “He who defends everything, defends nothing”. If one attempts to prepare for everything that can happen…from coastal erosion to Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) to winter weather…one could quickly become overwhelmed. This is why the first steps in preparing should be to assess and prioritize risk.

For background purposes, I spent more than 25 years as a commissioned officer in the United States Army Reserve, including multiple deployments. When planning military training and operations, a formal risk assessment is always a requirement. In addition, I hold a Master of Arts in Emergency and Disaster Management, and I currently work in emergency management, where assessing risk is a significant part of my duties. I say this not to boast, but to offer the reader the context from which I approach this subject, as well as to maximize transparency to the greatest extent possible while maintaining a reasonable level of Operational Security.

Risk is an inherent part of life. Regardless of where one lives, or what one does, we all assume a certain level of risk every day. What is key is developing an accurate assessment of what risks one actually faces, in order to better mitigate and prepare for those risks. And no, mitigation and preparation are not the same thing, although there is certainly some overlap. In short, mitigation includes steps taken to reduce the impact of an event when it occurs, while preparation includes steps taken to respond to an event after it occurs. For example, if one buys a tarp, tape, and nails to cover any windows that might be broken during a windstorm, that’s preparation. If one puts plywood over the windows to reduce the chances of breakage during a windstorm, that’s mitigation.

Purchasing a generator to provide continuity of power during an outage could be considered both mitigation (since it reduces the impact of the power loss) and preparation (since it is engaged as part of the response to the event). Regardless, in order to better focus limited resources when developing mitigation and preparation measures, it is necessary to accurately identify potential hazards, assess risk, and then utilize that analysis to maximize effects in planning.Continue reading“Assessing and Prioritizing Risks, by Francis Marion”

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 some record-breaking low temperatures throughout the Redoubt region.

Idaho

An Idaho Farm Bureau video: Living in Idaho Back Country.

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Arctic air settles into region, dangerously cold conditions.

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Mourning in Moscow: The latest on the investigation into University of Idaho students murdered.

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Video and still photos from the west side of the Tetons: Driving Through the Idaho Countryside.

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Micron will cut 10% of workforce as glut of memory supply hits market; Company reports loss.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The salvation of the common people of every race and of every land from war or servitude must be established on solid foundations and must be guarded by the readiness of all men and women to die rather than submit to tyranny.” – Winston Churchill

Preparedness Notes for Monday — December 26, 2022

On December 26, 2004, the Indian Ocean region Tsunami took more than 250,000 lives.

On December 26th, 1776, after crossing the Delaware River, Washington led his men against Hessian soldiers garrisoned at Trenton. After a brief battle, nearly the entire Hessian force was captured, with negligible losses to the Americans, significantly boosting their flagging morale.

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

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We are still seeking entries for Round 104 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $775,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 104 ends on January 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.

 

Nikwax Wax Cotton Proof, by Thomas Christianson

Norwegians have a saying about weather and clothing: “Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlige klær” (There is no bad weather, just bad clothing). Appropriate clothing allows the wearer to function comfortably and effectively outdoors under a wide range of weather conditions. This makes selecting weather-appropriate clothing an important consideration for those who work and spend leisure time outdoors.

I recently tested Nikwax Wax Cotton Proof. I found that it can significantly enhance the water resistance of certain garments while still allowing them to breathe. This makes those garments much more effective in wet and rainy conditions. A 10-ounce bottle is large enough to treat two garments, and was available for $13.25 a bottle at www.nikwax.com at the time of this writing.

The Backstory

My wife and I went to one of our favorite thrift stores about a year ago. On the shelf we found about two dozen bottles of Nikwax Wax Cotton Proof for the price of one dollar a bottle. That seemed like a great price, but we were not familiar with the product. It was hard to know whether we were getting a great deal or throwing our money away. We finally decided to compromise by buying three bottles. After testing the product, I wish we had bought them all.

For many years, I wore a tightly woven green cotton jacket while working around the property during moderate temperatures. I had treated the jacket with Kiwi Camp Dry, and found it to shed water quite well without sealing in water vapor.

Eventually, the years of rough use began to take their toll. The jacket began to fall apart. I replaced it with another jacket that I had purchased at a thrift store.

The problem with the newer jacket was that it had a looser weave. It did not repel rain as effectively as the older jacket. I decided to see if Nikwax Wax Cotton Proof could help to make the new jacket more water resistant.Continue reading“Nikwax Wax Cotton Proof, by Thomas Christianson”

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. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we examine some planned cryptocurrency regulations. (See the Forex & Cryptos section.)

Precious Metals:

Keith Weiner: The Current Yield Curve Inversion, Explained.

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Kelsey Williams: Gold, Inflation, and The Federal Reserve.

Economy & Finance:

How high will interest rates rise in 2023? Economists, markets are skeptical of Fed hike plan.

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Joe Biden and the Fed Have Completely Ruined the U.S. Economy.

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Harvard Business Review: What Will the Global Economy Look Like in 2023?  Here is a quote from Mihir Desai:

“The pessimistic case is persistent inflation above 5% throughout 2023 because of a wage-price spiral that means that rates have to stay high much longer. Equity markets have been undergoing a valuation reset — in the pessimistic scenario, stocks continue to fall because the prospect of declining corporate earnings and persistently higher rates still hasn’t been fully internalized in prices.”

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At Zero Hedge: Here’s What’s In The ‘Ugliest’ Omnibus Bill Ever.

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Biden’s moronic 2023 budget: More, more, more.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“All just laws are both righteous and good. They are righteous when they inherently accord with the natural law; the commanded action is good in its substance. But being inherently righteous says nothing about their suitability for any given people.” – Stephen Wolfe, The Case for Christian Nationalism

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — December 25, 2022

To those who are celebrating the Advent of our Lord and Savior, the team at SurvivalBlog wishes you a peaceful and meaningful Christmas. And for those who choose to celebrate our Lord through the biblical feasts, stay safe out there. Our prayer is that each and every one of you enjoys the family gathering time and that you stay safe on the roads.

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Today’s guest article is too short to be included in the judging for the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

We are still seeking entries for Round 104. If you have some spare time between Christmas and the New Year, then please write an article and send it in. We all appreciate you sharing your knowledge and hard-earned wisdom. More than $775,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 104 ends on January 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.

Are You Self-Reliant, Self-Sufficent, or Self-Sustaining?, by Mrs. Alaska

One of our goals each year is to decrease our dependency on others by increasing our skills and resources. In the city, it was convenient to pay for services and products. Living remotely, we learn to do many things ourselves or do without. I evaluate aspects of our life on a continuum from dependent to independent:

  • Dependent on others
  • Self-reliant
  • Self-sufficient
  • Self-sustaining

Given recent news reports of coronavirus and the economy, tornadoes, wildfires, and power outages, perhaps readers are applying this sort of rubric to their situations, too.Continue reading“Are You Self-Reliant, Self-Sufficent, or Self-Sustaining?, by Mrs. Alaska”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” – Luke 2:11-14 (KJV)