To Sleep, Perchance to Dream – Part 2, by J.M.

(Continued from Part 1.)

Another platform option to consider are hammocks – I’m not talking about those huge macrame things people have in their backyards, but real camping hammocks from companies like Eagles Nest Outfitters, Hummingbird, Lawson, Dutchware and Warbonnet Outdoors. I may be a bit biased since I transitioned from a ground-dweller to hammocks for backpacking a few years ago, but they can be incredibly comfortable and easy to set up and take down. Depending on how your room is configured you may be able to attach some heavy-duty screw eyes to wall studs and hang multiple hammocks up in the common room, or you could build some inexpensive hammock stands. As with cots, they can be easily taken down and moved when required, but they take up a lot less space when not in use and can also be packed up if you need to go mobile. I highly recommend spending some time on the web site ‘The Ultimate Hang’ to learn more about sleeping in hammocks.

Note that one thing you need to consider with both cots and hammocks is that they typically don’t have any insulation underneath them which makes them a great option for staying cool in warmer weather, but when it gets cold you’ll need to provide some form of insulation on the bottom. This can be a foam mattress in the hammock, something that doesn’t lose warmth when compressed (like a wool blanket) laid underneath the sleeper, or an insulating layer suspended underneath the cot/hammock (usually referred to as an underquilt).Continue reading“To Sleep, Perchance to Dream – Part 2, by J.M.”

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.

—

UPS Further Clamps Down on Firearms Shipments. Here is an excerpt from the article:

“The United Parcel Service (UPS) has followed up its decision to enforce the new Biden administration rule on gun parts a month before it took effect with a new, restrictive firearms shipping policy that could prove troublesome to gunmakers and gun owners.

The new UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service indicates that only licensed dealers, importers, manufacturers, and collectors will be able to ship firearms products or parts via UPS.

“Packages containing firearms (as defined by Title 18, Chapter 44, and Title 26, Chapter 53 of the United States Code) and firearms parts that do not constitute firearms as defined by federal law (together, “Firearms Products”) are accepted for transportation only as a contractual service and only from Shippers who are licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, or licensed collectors (as defined in Title 18, Chapter 44 of the United States Code),” the terms read.”

o  o  o

A new video from Montana-based commentator Matt Christiansen: Facebook Spied On and Sent Private ‘Election Denier’ Messages to the FBI | DOJ Whistleblowers Say.

o  o  o

Dan wrote:

“I enjoyed thoroughly the article What’s in the rest of my bags and why by D.D. in Arizona.  It is usually informative to get an idea of how others are preparing. I do have advice on one of the items mentioned by D.D.: the climbing carabiner.

Mountain climbing equipment is not bad in a jam, but is usually not best-in-class. Climbers have died when their carabineer opened unexpectedly, or simply failed. My advice is to buy a carabiner designed and certified for fall protection. Fall protection equipment is designed to prevent a fall from a person working on top of the side of a structure.

There are different shapes and types, many with a spring-loaded lock which keeps the gate closed. Modern metallurgy has also afforded carabiners construction on lightweight, corrosion-resistant materials. If you plan to buy one carabiner, then buy one you can depend on for a few dollars more.”

o  o  o

Reader D.S.V. spotted this: Covid Vaccine Destroys Natural Immunity, NEJM Study Shows.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I hope we once again have reminded people that man is not free unless government is limited. There’s a clear cause and effect here that is as neat and predictable as a law of physics: As government expands, liberty contracts.” – Ronald Reagan

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — September 20, 2022

On this day in 1519, Magellan left Europe on his voyage of discovery.

On September 20, 1995, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to drop the national 55 MPH speed limit. This allowed the states to again decide their own speed limits, without fear of losing Federal highway funding.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 102 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 LogOX 3-in-1 Forestry MultiTool (a $189 value) and a WoodOx Sling (a $79.95 value), courtesy of LogOx, both made in USA.
  4. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $750,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 102 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.

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream – Part 1, by J.M.

Ahh, waking up fresh and well-rested in the morning to the soft musical chime of your alarm clock, with the beautiful rays of morning sunshine nudging you to start your day after a restful night’s sleep. Okay, so I may be leaning a bit into the fantasy world, but the reality is that sleeping (and waking up, hopefully) are things that everyone reading this has in common. The other thing that pretty much everyone shares is that we all have problems sleeping occasionally – tossing and turning, getting up at oh-dark-thirty and feeling like we’re walking around in a coma the next day. Studies have shown that up to 25% of Americans don’t get a good night’s sleep at least half the time, 90% have bad sleep nights 2-3 times a month, and 20% of adults in the US suffer from sleep apnea. And this is during ‘normal’ times – the stresses you’ll be experiencing in a post-disaster world will probably turn everyone into raging insomniacs until things settle down.

For something that we spend nearly 1/3 of our lives doing and that has such a big impact on our health and ability to function effectively, sleep is a topic that doesn’t seem to garner a lot of attention in the preparedness community. While it may be mentioned in passing when discussing overall preparedness or a sleeping bag might be included as part of a get-home bag (GHB), incorporating formal plans and kit focused on sleep into your preps can make a huge difference in your comfort, health and effectiveness in a survival situation.Continue reading“To Sleep, Perchance to Dream – Part 1, by J.M.”

The American Redoubt Movement is Libeled, Yet Again

This week, in lieu of my regular weekly column about the American Redoubt region, I’m posting my reaction to recent libelous statements that unfairly smeared the American Redoubt political migration movement.

The popular liberal pundit Seth Abramson (with 950,000+ followers) recently tweeted this on Twitter:

“If a civil war starts in the U.S. in the next 5 years, it’ll start in Idaho and be started by the American Redoubters—armed fascists whose leaders have close ties to Trump and who are already openly threatening government officials. I advise Googling “American Redoubt” ASAP.” 

Abramson continued in a long string of Twitter “PS” tweets, the first part of which I’m posting here, as Fair Use quotes, since, like me, most SurvivalBlog readers do not have Twitter accounts:

“Don’t let the first time you read up on the phrase “American Redoubt” be the day you learn Idaho has declared itself no longer part of the U.S. and is policing its borders with hundreds or even thousands of armed Trumpist radicals who refuse to recognize the U.S. government.

For what it’s worth, I’ll note that Donald Trump Jr. has long spent a lot of time in Montana—inside the boundaries of the would-be “American Redoubt.” If Trump is indicted or runs against Biden in 2024 and loses, the odds the Redoubters seek war appear to me to be 1 in 3.

A lot of people talk about leaving the United States because it’s starting to feel like Germany in the 1930s, and while I very much empathize with that talk, I believe it’s too early by far to give up on America. But if I were in Idaho, I would get the hell out—like *now*.

There are many reliable sources in which you can read about what’s happening in Idaho—and you can read PROOF on the Idaho-J6 connection—so the below article is just one. The CNN article up now about armed Idahoans threatening librarians is another.

I don’t say that I believe all sane people should leave Idaho immediately lightly. I believe it. It is hard to see how Idaho remains safe over the next ten years. I am tweeting these things because I think America is safer when we are prepared for plausible eventualities.

If the Trumpists attempt to form it by force of arms, the “American Redoubt” will collapse quickly—for many reasons, e.g. economic, legal, and military. But the destabilization of a large region in America would give domestic terrorism an unparalleled opportunity to thrive.

The nightmare scenario—not one I’m predicting; in fact one I find quite remote—is that Trump and Don Jr. set up a second home base in Montana if Trump is indicted or loses in 2024 and become a magnet for armed insurrectionists to quickly muster in the American Redoubt area.”

So, now Redoubters have been subjected to baseless libel with the tar brush cliché smear of “fascists”.  To be precise, his libelous smear called us “armed fascists.” Well, at least he got the “armed” part right.

I’ve observed that contemporary leftists tend to habitually apply the “fascist” label almost by default to anyone who is to the right of Liz Cheney.
Continue reading“The American Redoubt Movement is Libeled, Yet Again”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“We know that the idea of perfect socialism is an oxymoron. Pursuing utopia throughout the last century has already caused untold human suffering. That’s why the clear goal of a free society must be understood and sought or the vision of the authoritarians will face little resistance and will easily fill the void.

There are precise goals we should work for, even under today’s difficult circumstances. We must legalize freedom to the maximum extent possible:

1. Complete police protection is impossible; therefore we must preserve the right to own weapons in self-defense.

2. In order to maintain economic protection against government debasement of the currency, gold ownership must be preserved — something taken away from the American people during the Great Depression.

3. Adequate retirement protection by the government is limited, if not ultimately impossible. We must allow every citizen the opportunity to control all his or her retirement funds.

4. Government education has clearly failed. We must guarantee the right of families to homeschool or send their kids to private schools and help them with tax credits.

5. Government snooping must be stopped. We must work to protect all our privacy, especially on the Internet, prevent the National ID Card, and stop the development of all government data banks.

6. Federal police functions are unconstitutional and increasingly abusive. We should disarm all federal bureaucrats and return the police function to local authorities.

7. The army was never meant to be used in local policing activities. We must firmly prohibit our presidents from using the military in local law-enforcement operations, which is now being implemented under the guise of fighting terrorism.

8. Foreign military intervention by our presidents in recent years is a costly failure. Foreign military intervention should not be permitted without explicit congressional approval.

9. Competitions in all elections should be guaranteed, and the monopoly powers gained by the two major parties through unfair signature requirements, high fees, and campaign donation controls should be removed. Competitive parties should be allowed in all government-sponsored debates.

10. We must do whatever is possible to help instill a spiritual love for freedom and recognize that our liberties depend on responsible individuals, not the group or the collective or society as a whole. The individual is the building block of a free and prosperous social order.”  – Congressman Ron Paul, from a February, 2004 speech delivered at “Evenings at FEE” in Irvington-on-Hudson, New York.

Preparedness Notes for Monday — September 19, 2022

Mickey Mouse made his screen debut in 1928 (Steamboat Willy at the Colony Theater in New Your City.)

On September 19th, 1778, the Continental Congress passed the first budget of the United States. While the budget may have passed, the states responded poorly to the call for taxes to fund the government, and the government resorted to printing paper money to cover debts. In effect, the first budget was a failure, due in large part to the states not responding to the demands of Congress and the depreciation of fiat paper money. Are we talking about 1778 or 2014 here?

Also on this date in 1796, George Washington addressed the nation in his farewell address as president.

—

There will be a 200 x 300 pixel Red Zone banner ad slot available in SurvivalBlog’s right-hand bar, starting October 1st. So, if you know of a company with products or services that would appeal to SurvivalBlog readers, then please let them know, and point them to our Advertising page.  Thanks!  – JWR

—

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

—

You now have less than two weeks to send in your entry for Round 102 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $750,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 102 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.

 

 

Review: John Deere 110 Lawn and Garden Tractor, by Thomas Christianson

The gasoline-powered internal combustion engine is a wonderful invention. It takes the substantial amount of energy stored up in fossil fuels, and makes it conveniently available for the tasks of daily life. Gasoline engines have probably done more to ease the labors of rural living than any other single invention of the last 200 years.

It is possible that I may live to see the day when gasoline-powered equipment is no longer in common use. If that day comes, it will almost certainly not be due to powerful elites looking out for the best interests of the common man. Instead, it will be due to politically well-connected people sacrificing the best interests of the common man in order to advance their own purposes.

The gasoline-powered device that I use the most often and that saves me the most work is probably the automobile. I use a car pretty much every day to get to work, to get to the store, to visit family and friends, and for a host of other transportation-related needs.

The gasoline-powered device that I probably use second most often and that saves me the second most work is probably the chainsaw. If things go south, and gasoline supplies run out, it will be much, much harder to for me to harvest and process the wood that I need to keep my house warm.

The third place prize for gasoline-powered devices would probably go to my 1974 John Deere 110 lawn and garden tractor. I use it primarily to keep my driveway clear of snow throughout the winter. If things go south, and gasoline supplies run out, I guess there won’t be any need to keep my driveway clear of snow anymore. In the meantime, the old John Deere is an outstanding tool.

The Blower

The Snow Blower that I have mounted on the front of the old 110 is a John Deere Model 37A single-stage snow blower attachment. The blower struggles a bit with really wet snow, particularly if temperatures are below freezing. Under those conditions, the wet snow tends to freeze in the chute, causing it to clog. A coating of Turtle Wax paste wax inside the chute can moderate this problem somewhat, but only partially. So, for times when I find the chute clogging too much, I have a two-stage walk-behind snow blower that I use instead. The blower on the tractor is 36 inches wide and the walk-behind blower is only 24 inches wide, so it takes a bit longer to complete the job using the walk-behind. But for the vast majority of the winter, the snow I am clearing is dry and powdery, and the 37A blower on the 110 tractor clears it quite well.

One advantage of a blower in contrast to a plow is that the blower lifts the snow up and over the edge of the driveway, while the plow packs it tightly along the edge of the driveway. With the plow, the driveway has a tendency to narrow gradually over the course of the winter as the tightly packed snow freezes into a hard wall. With the blower, it is easy to keep the driveway open to its full width the entire winter.Continue reading“Review: John Deere 110 Lawn and Garden Tractor, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Killer Keeper Meatloaf

The following meatloaf recipe is from reader John M.

John says: “Most everybody loves meatloaf. This recipe gets even better the next few days.

Ingredients and Directions

Use a 9 x 12 Pyrex dish or two bread loaf pans. I layer them with aluminum foil, which makes it easy to remove and makes transfer to the fridge a breeze.

Use 2 to 2-1/2 pounds lean burger (you can also  use a combo of ground pork if you want)
6 oz of Mrs Cubbison’s stuffing mix (1/2 box) instead of stove top either will work.

In a large mixing bowl mix together with your hands, the following.
1/2 cup of ketchup
1 and 1/2 cans (14.5-ounce size) of tomato sauce
1 cup whole milk
2 eggs
4 tablespoons salt and pepper
1/ 2 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 finely chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon of brown mustard
1 teaspoon soy sauce

For the topping  mix together the following and spread over the top:

1/2 cup ketchup
2 to 3 tablespoons of your favorite bbq sauce
1 tablespoon of chili powder
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of Italian seasonings
1 teaspoon of brown mustard

The meatloaf should reach a firm texture, and after adding the topping transfer to the oven

Bake at 390 to 410 F. for 90 minutes. Remove from oven and let this sit in the open for about 20 minutes.

The aroma in your house will send the message, “chow is on!”

STORAGE

This stores well if kept refrigerated, for up to five days. It tastes even better than freshly cooked, after a few days.

—

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!

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 Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at the demand for Queen Elizabeth gold and silver coins. (See the Precious Metals section.)

Precious Metals:

QTR: Gold And Silver Are Disappearing From Vaults Worldwide.

And here is another perspective:  London Silver Inventories Continue To Plummet As Metal Exits LBMA Vaults.

o  o  o

Queen Elizabeth’s Death Puts Squeeze On Already Tight Bullion Coin Market. A quote”

“There was an immediate and dramatic surge in demand for gold and silver bullion coins bearing the queen’s effigy upon her passing. According to News.com.au in Australia, ‘Collectors are scrambling to get their hands on coins with Queen Elizabeth’s face as prices skyrocket after her death.’

The owner of a Melbourne coin shop called the demand for coins with the queen’s likeness ‘insane.'”

Economy & Finance:

Posted on September 13th: The biggest Fed rate hike in 40 years? It could be coming next week.

o  o  o

At Zero Hedge: Nomura Is First Bank To Call For 100bps Rate Hike Next Week.

o  o  o

$4,408,452,000,000: Federal Tax Collections Set Record Through August.

o  o  o

Student loan forgiveness plan has a SCOTUS problem.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — September 18, 2022

The 18th of September is Chilean Independence Day. On this day, in 1810, Chile declared independence from Spain.

—

Today we present a guest article by Kelsey Williams, the editor of the highly-recommended Kelsey’s Gold Facts website. The article was selected by JWR. It is reposted with permission.

We are seeking entries for Round 102 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $750,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 102 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.

Default – Deflation – Depression, by Kelsey Williams

Inflation is the primary game plan of governments and central banks. Its effects have left their mark on societies throughout history. As the effects of inflation continue to dominate headlines, financial and economic activity is scrutinized and analyzed with the intent of planning, projecting, and predicting it.

Most people think they understand inflation – they don’t – but for now, let’s look the other way. There is a triple-decker bus coming straight at us.

DEFAULT

Default can happen three different ways:

1) Credit default

2) Bank failures

3) Asset price collapse

Universal credit default happens when individuals, corporations, and countries can no longer sustain the debt they have assumed on a scale that overwhelms ordinary financial and market activity.

This happened in 2008 with education loans, mortgages, and auto loans.  The price of all this non-performing debt sank into a deep hole, until the government and Federal Reserve embarked on a new experiment of making more and cheaper credit available and buying up the non-performing debt.

Bank failures happen when banks violate the reserve requirements set by the Federal Reserve and are unable to meet the ongoing demand for money from their customers.

Bank failures were a common occurrence during the early 1930s and are evidence of the ongoing risks associated with fractional-reserve banking. (see Fractional-Reserve Banking – Elephant In The Room)Continue reading“Default – Deflation – Depression, by Kelsey Williams”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

To share this, you can find it here:

Meme Text:

Why Was Prince Andrew Given The Care Of His Late Mother’s Corgi Dogs?

Because He Had So Much Experience With Grooming