Youth’s Lessons: The Slingshot – Part 1, by J.M.

One of the hallmarks of good preparedness is leveraging lessons of the past to help us prepare for the future. However, as we age we tend to discard a lot of the simpler things we learned earlier in life in favor of more advanced (and typically more complex and expensive) approaches. Weapons are a great example of this – if you’re somewhere in the realm of a ‘seasoned citizen’ there’s a good chance you made and used a slingshot (‘catapult’ or ‘katty’ for those of you in the UK) from a tree branch and inner tube sometime in your youth, but as you’ve grown you’ve most likely shifted your focus to things like expensive firearms, bows and crossbows for hunting, fishing and self-defense. Like many technologies, slingshots have continued to mature in function and capability and today’s slingshot is a significant improvement over what you may remember from your misspent youth. In this article I’ll be discussing modern slingshot technology and how it’s made the transition from childhood toy into a potentially useful and viable component of your preparedness strategy.

Before we get started, some obligatory legal warnings – laws regarding slingshots can be even more convoluted and murky that those that govern firearms. They can vary between and even within towns, counties, states and countries, and in some cases they may or may not fall under the ‘dangerous weapon’ catch-all category, depending on the mood of the law enforcement officer you’re dealing with. I recommend avoiding the advice or information regarding slingshot laws you find in various Internet forums, vendor web sites, etc. and go directly to the town, county, state and/or country law web sites for your locale. A good illustration of this is Massachusetts in the US – most forums and vendor sites list slingshots as prohibited in Massachusetts; however, if you read the actual law, it states that it’s illegal to sell or manufacture a slingshot in Massachusetts – there’s not a single word about possessing one. You can legally go to another state, buy a slingshot, bring it back to Massachusetts and shoot it in your backyard (as long as you do so safely). Laws regarding hunting and fishing with a slingshot tend to add even more confusion – check with your local Fish and Game officers to find out for sure.Continue reading“Youth’s Lessons: The Slingshot – Part 1, by J.M.”

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, an update on the Gabby Petito case..   (See the Wyoming section.)

Idaho

Mayor And AP Stringer Give Sandpoint A Black Eye.

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Idaho Governor Signs Fetal Heartbeat Abortion Ban Bill.

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Idaho school board group joins 21 states severing ties with NSBA after ‘domestic terrorism’ letter to DOJ.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government – lest it comes to dominate our lives and interests.” – Patrick Henry

Preparedness Notes for Monday — March 28, 2022

On this day in 845, a 5,000-man strong fleet of Danish Vikings invaded Frankish lands. They only retreated after besieging Paris and securing a ransom from the Frankish King Charles the Bald. This was part of a series of devastating raids begun by the Vikings in the 790s.

The Vikings were led by a man named “Reginherus” or Ragnar, sometimes linked to the legendary saga figure Ragnar Lodbrok. The Vikings easily overcame defenses set in place by Charlemagne and are known to have attacked the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés just outside the city. Although struck by an outbreak of plague, the Vikings overcame this to return home with their ransom of 7,000 French livres of gold and silver.

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Today, a product review written by our Field Gear Editor, Tom Christianson.

Altus Stealth 28 HTBT Earbuds, by Thomas Christianson

I was recently able to test a pre-production prototype of the soon-to-be-released hearing protection Altus Stealth 28 HTBT Earbuds. The earbuds are scheduled to be released in April, 2022. They offer an attractive form factor that is well designed to provide superior comfort and ease of use. The electronics in the prototype unit that I tested were okay, but could be improved upon. Altus promises better performance in production versions of the unit.

The Backstory

In December of 2021, SurvivalBlog posted my review of the Axil GS Extreme Earbuds. I found them to be excellent earbuds, but a bit pricey, with a manufacturer suggested retail price of $199.99. I was interested in reviewing some less expensive units that would make this technology more accessible to SurvivalbBlog readers. Then an event occurred that forced my hand.

It was a wintery day in mid-February with light snow and temperatures in the mid-teens. It had been almost two months since my wife, “Kari”, and I had last seen our grandchildren. This was much too long by our standards of reckoning. An early January visit had been canceled when Kari and I contracted Covid. A late January visit had been canceled when it did not fit the schedule of my daughter’s family very well. We were hoping that nothing would interfere with this third attempt at a visit.

Our usual dog sitter was out of town when we made our original visit plans in early January, so we made reservations with an alternative. We had now rescheduled our reservations with the dog care alternative a couple of times.

I had made the reservation with the dog care alternative because I had formerly known of it as a “kennel”. Times had changed, and it was now a “Pet Spa and Resort”, with prices to match its new name. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Our hearts were yearning for our grandkids, so we bit the bullet and kept the reservation.

Our beagle, “Tucker”, finds riding in the car to be a very stimulating experience. He proclaims this excitement loudly and often in a classic beagle bay.

Since both Kari and I had previous experience with riding with Tucker in the car, we were both prepared. I was wearing the Axil earbuds, and Kari was wearing a pair of muff-style hearing protection. After Tucker was delivered to the “Spa”, our hearing protection went into the back seat.Continue reading“Altus Stealth 28 HTBT Earbuds, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Debra’s Chickpea and Vegetable Curry

The following recipe for Chickpea and Vegetable Curry was sent to us by Debra from Missouri.  She writes:

“I hope this encourages you to expand your recipe repertoire. Adding new spices and recipes can go a long way to avoiding boredom at mealtime when you are eating from the [storage food] larder.”

Ingredients
  • Chickpeas – either a 15 oz can drain and rinsed, or a heaping one half cup of dried beans soaked overnight and cooked for approximately 1 hour (in unsalted water) if you don’t like or don’t have chickpeas you can use an equal amount of any other protein you desire (chicken, tofu, lamb, fish, etc.).
  • Tomatoes – either a 14 oz can diced tomatoes (do not drain) or 1 ½ cups fresh tomatoes or 1/3 cup of your home dehydrated tomato slices rehydrated by covering with boiling water and letting sit for 15 minutes.
  • Vegetables – 1 cup cut up in small pieces- I used fresh broccoli spears, but use what you have and what you like (suggestions – onions, peas, carrots, cauliflower, asparagus).
  • Milk – 1 ¼ cup – I used coconut milk powder reconstituted, you can use dairy milk, almond milk, any other nut milk or canned coconut milk. Be creative, use what you have.
  • Broth – 1/3 cup, I used vegetable broth, but you can use chicken broth or use a bullion cube in 1/3 cup water (in a pinch you could just use water).
  • Sweetener – 2-3 teaspoons, I used maple syrup because that is what I had. You can use agave nectar, sugar, honey … whatever you have on hand.
  • Oil – I used Coconut (MCT) Oil, but any oil works
  • Spices – You need these to make this taste right – so stock up while you can:
    4-5 cloves of garlic, smashed, skin removed, and chopped finely
    1 tablespoon ginger grated (fresh, paste or frozen) or ¼ teaspoon dry powdered ginger
    1 tablespoon curry powder
    Crushed red pepper – I used ½ teaspoon, but if you need to make it kid friendly just omit, if you like your mouth on fire … dump in what you want to. Optional – if you have fresh jalapenos (or any hot pepper) from your garden you can chop one up and add it
    Salt – to taste at the end
Directions
  1. First prepare your rice or other starch according to the package or recipe instructions, while it is cooking you can make the curry.
  2. Start making the curry:Add your oil to a large skillet and turn on the heat.Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and sauté for a minute until fragrant.Add the curry powder and red pepper flacks, stir for another minute (don’t let this burn).Add the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the milk, simmer over low heat for 6-10 minutes to cook the tomatoes and veggies, stirring occasionally. Test with a fork to make sure you like the texture. If you are using a vegetable that takes longer to cook, make sure to parboil them first.Add the milk and simmer for another 6-10 minutes to thicken to your liking. Don’t worry if you let it get too thick, just add a bit of water or broth and heat through.
SERVING

Here are some options for companion foods and serving:

Serve over rice or another starch dish. Garnish with cilantro, lime wedges.

Rice – Curry is typically served with rice, but you can use any starch you like. My step brother had a bumper crop of sweet potatoes last fall, I have a bushel basket wrapped in newspaper in the garage. I boiled a couple of them, peeled off the skin, cubed them, sauteed them in some oil to get them a bit crispy and served the curry over that.
Naan Bread – another traditional addition (simple to make, lots of recipes out there)
Fresh Cilantro (in season) – this herb is easy to grow in a window pot, garden spot or on your patio. I urge you to get the seeds and plant it soon so you will have it on hand.
Lime – quartered into wedges to serve with the curry to be squeezed on the dish
Chutney – another traditional way to add flavor to the finished dish, lot’s of recipes out there that you can make at home and preserve for later in jars.

Debra’s Remarks on Food STORAGE Creativity

“As you are thinking about topping up or even starting your prepping pantry, I wanted to share an option that uses things typically found in your larder and supplemented by what you can grow in your garden. This recipe is also intended to remind you not to forget to add spices to your preps. The inspiration for this recipe comes from the British WW2 Ministry of Food Leaflet #11 “What’s Left in The Larder” which featured a fish and vegetable curry.

Remember to be creative with your recipes, because in times of scarcity you may not have everything you need. This savory slightly sweet version features chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) instead of fish. Chickpeas are full of protein, carbohydrates and fiber. According to the USDA a one quarter cup serving of chickpeas contains 182 calories, 30 g of carbs, 10 grams of protein, Vitamins C & B6, Iron, Magnesium and Calcium.

PS: Just a word of about kindness, some people are extremely uncomfortable trying new things (my grandsons for example) … if you decide to make this be sure to reduce the measurements to get the correct portions and provide an alternate entrée for your picky eaters.”

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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!

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 rising commodities prices. (See the Commodities section.)

Precious Metals:

First up, at MoneyWeek: These precious metals are dirt cheap – buy now.

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Will Russia Backstop The Ruble With Gold?

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Over at Organic Prepper: We’ve Officially Run Out of Silver.

Economy & Finance:

Recession Indicator: What An Inverted Yield Curve Means For Investors.

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Mortgage rates keep climbing.

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From Qatar’s Gulf Times: Key words for Fed: Inflation, higher rates and recession.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — March 27, 2022

March 27th is the birthday of the late Robert W. Ford (born 1923, died 20 September 2013). He was an amazing man who had a remarkable life. His book, Wind Between The Worlds (an account of experiences in Tibet, captivity by the communist Chinese, and his fight against brainwashing), is highly recommended. It is available for free download.

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Today’s feature article is a product review written by JWR.

Review: The Siege Belt

As the Senior Editor of SurvivalBlog, I don’t have the opportunity to write many product reviews. Most of that fun is reserved for our two Field Gear Editors. But I recently received a sample of a new product that captivated me, so I decided to conduct the review test, myself. It is called The Siege Belt.  It is a new product that is made by the same folks who manufacture the sturdy Siege Stoves. (You probably recall their name, as one of our advertisers.)

Proviso: I’m not an attorney. Do not consider any of the following as legal advice.  Consult an attorney licensed in your state!

Though not marketed as a self-defense tool, the Siege Belt was obviously designed with self-defense in mind. The belt buckle is a slab of metal with considerable heft. The model that I tested has a 1″ wide belt. There is also larger model–with a wider belt — but just the 1″ model is heavy enough that it can be used as a very effective Sap or Sunday Bar. Anyone hit in the head or neck with it is probably going down, with the effect of just one strike.Continue reading“Review: The Siege Belt”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

To share this, you can find it here:https://www.kapwing.com/videos/623b1a07b3ea9f0065858946

Meme Text:

Since When is it No Longer Newsworthy

When A Laptop Belonging to the Son of a Sitting President Holds Evidence of Foreign Bribes and Child Pornography?

News Links:

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

(For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

For our God is a consuming fire.” – Hebrews 12 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — March 26, 2022

On March 26th, 1812 An earthquake now estimated at 7.7 on the Richter scale destroyed 90% of Caracas, Venezuela and killed an estimated 15,000–to-20,000 people.

The Battle of Glorieta Pass began on March 26, 1862. This outcome of this battle ensured that the west stayed with the Union, and denied the Confederacy the gold and silver from the western states. The Confederates were stopped by a very mis-nicknamed unit ( “The Pet Lambs”) – the 1st Colorado Volunteers (officially, the 1st Colorado Infantry) made up of hard rock miners (predominantly Cornish or Welsh), Irish track layers, mountain men, and some mountain cowboys.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 99 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. 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,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  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 $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 99 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.

Handguns For Hard Times – Part 2, by Rufus King

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

Traditional Double Action Pistols

Aside from striker-fired pistols, the traditional double action/single action (“TDA”) pistol has a following. Examples of this design are the SIG P226 and the Beretta M9. With this type of action, the pistol is carried with its exposed hammer in the down position. The first shot is fired with a long, heavy double action trigger pull. After the first shot, the pistol cocks itself, and subsequent shots are fired single action, with a lighter, shorter trigger pull.

Given that the hardest thing about shooting a pistol is learning how to press the trigger to the rear while keeping the sights on target, TDA has never seemed optimal to me. The shooter has to learn two different trigger pulls. It is also necessary, after you are done shooting and prior to re-holstering, to de-cock the pistol, usually by pressing a lever of some type, which process safely lowers the hammer. This extra step needs to be trained and drilled. It is unsafe to holster a TDA pistol like the P226 or M9 with the hammer cocked.

I was once assigned to take a group of court bailiffs to the range for their annual firearms qualification. These guys were a very low-speed group, who did not do any shooting at all other than once per year for the state-mandated qualification. They were issued SIG 229s chambered in .40 S&W. After the first string of fire, I instructed the line to holster. Not a single one of them de-cocked their pistol before holstering. These were certified law enforcement officers who were being paid to carry these guns and if necessary use them to protect the court. I did some on the spot remedial training and got them through the course. I also suggested to the sheriff that he move the department to Glocks, which he eventually did. The incident illustrates one of the downsides to TDA pistols—they are more complex to operate than striker-fired guns.Continue reading“Handguns For Hard Times – Part 2, by Rufus King”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those –or excerpts thereof — in this column, in the Odds ‘n Sods Column, and in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

This past week, I did some organizing in the barn. I also re-built our old sheep pen. That pen is about 800 square feet and is located just behind our sheep shed. We have lambing season rapidly approaching, so it was important to get both the shed and the pen comfortable for our ewes.

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”