Preparedness Notes for Monday — March 14, 2022

This is the birthday of Marlin Perkins. He was the well-known television host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. He was born in 1905 in Carthage. Missouri.

This is also the birthday of fighter ace Major Raoul Lufbery (born 1885). He was shot down and killed in 1918.)

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Today, another product review written by our Field Gear Editor Emeritus, Pat Cascio.

VISM Soft Body Armor, by Pat Cascio

Today, if you’re in law enforcement, military or even private security, body armor is an absolute must-have piece of kit, if you ask me. We are no longer in Kansas, Toto.  It’s a dangerous world out there, and you don’t want to have a target on your chest, especially in law enforcement. Used to be, if you wore body armor under your uniform shirt, many other police officers made fun of you, and said you were paranoid. Gone are those days. Most major police departments now issue and mandate that their officers wear soft body armor. These days, many departments have their officers wear their body armor over their uniform shirt, instead of under it – much more comfortable.

Back in 1982, I was working for a big detective agency back in Chicago, Illinois – and to pick up some extra income, I also worked as a plainclothes store detective in a grocery store – it was a huge chain and it still exists today. I only worked Friday night, Saturday during the day, and Sunday. On average I made about 10 arrests in a weekend – so needless to say, it was a “fun” time – always busy. This store was in a changing neighborhood, and I elected to wear soft body armor under my shirt. Back then, many law enforcement supply houses wouldn’t sell body armor to civilians, so it took a flash of my badge, to prove I was in security work to purchase the armor. Back then, and this is a lot of years ago, this armor cost me $250 – in today’s world, that would probably be triple that cost, or more. And, even today, some locales and states restrict the purchase and use of body armor to law enforcement or security personnel.

I’ve tested several types of soft body armor over the past several years, for our readers, and all of them came through with flying colors – they did as advertised – they stopped bullets. However, today we’re looking at a fairly new soft body armor, and it is one of the thinnest out there, and that makes it highly concealable. Still, the world hasn’t gotten “that” bad, that I strap-on body armor when I am here at my homestead. But I think that time is coming – faster than many folks think it is.Continue reading“VISM Soft Body Armor, by Pat Cascio”

Recipe of the Week: Ron’s Oatmeal Bars

The following oatmeal bar recipe is from blog reader Ron X. It makes an 8″ x 8″ panful. Ron says:  “This recipe is a great way to use some of your storage foods, and a good alternative use for your stored rolled oats, when breakfasts of oatmeal get boring and monotonous.  Use a little less oil, if you prefer your bars crumbly.”

Ingredients

First, mix together:

  • 1/3 c light brown sugar
  • ¼ c white sugar
  • ½ c milk  (or substitute 2 Tbsp powdered milk+ ½ c water)
  • 1 egg  (or substitute 2 ½ Tbsp “whole egg” powder + 2 ½ Tbsp water)
  • 1 Tbsp (or less) of vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Then add:

  • ¾ c wheat flour. (Can be made by double-grinding ½ cup of wheat)
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 ½ c rolled oats
  • ½ c dried fruit, such as raisins, craisins, or chopped dried apricots — or combinations thereof, but not to exceed 1/2 cup.
Directions
  1. Combine first list of ingredients, and mix.
  2. Then add second list of ingredients.
  3. Mix thoroughly.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  5. In a greased 8″×8″ pan, spread the oatmeal bar mixture evenly, to the corners of the pan
  6. Bake at 350 F for about 20 minutes.
  7. Section into individual bars with a butter knife, as the pan cools.

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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-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 tumbling Russian Ruble. (See the Forex & Cryptos section.)

Precious Metals:

Here’s Why US Threats Against Russian Gold Reserves Mean a Monetary Reset Is Imminent.

o  o  o

Video interview: ‘I’ve never seen this kind of volatility’ in gold; Gary Wagner calls for bigger moves ahead.

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Platinum market surplus to fall by 47% in 2022 as demand continues to grow – WPIC.

Economy & Finance:

Joe B. sent us the link to a recent commentary from Tucker Carlson that centers on tech monopolies and inflation: This Is The Biggest Tax Increase in Your Life.

o  o  o

At Zero Hedge: “Credit Is Cracking”. Here is an excerpt:

“In the U.S., investors pulled $5.4 billion from corporate high-grade funds in the biggest weekly exodus since April 2020, according to data from Refinitiv Lipper for the period ended March 9.

Even those safest dollar corporate bonds losing more than 8%, while equivalent euro-denominated debt has lost more than 4.7%, according to Bloomberg index data, but European corporate credit is facing further blows as the ECB – the biggest buyer – prepares for a faster-than-expected exit from the market.”

o  o  o

When Will Fed Raise Rates or Taper?

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At Wolf Street: Alibaba Plunges Below First-Day Closing Price in 2014. Golden Dragon China ETF Plunges Below its 2007 Price.

o  o  o

Goodbye ATMs: Australia is eliminating physical currency, expects to become a ‘cashless society’ by 2031.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Most gun control arguments miss the point. If all control boils [down] fundamentally to force, how can one resist aggression without equal force? How can a truly “free” state exist if the individual citizen is enslaved to the forceful will of individual or organized aggressors? It cannot.” –  Tiffany Madison

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — March 13, 2022

Today is the anniversary of The Great Quebec Blackout. On March 13, 1989, the Hydro-Québec power grid failed after a solar storm — a coronal mass ejection (CME) — struck the Earth’s magnetosphere. The blackout lasted nine hours.

“It was the biggest geomagnetic storm of the Space Age,” says Dr. David Boteler, head of the Space Weather Group at Natural Resources Canada. “March 1989 has become the archetypal disturbance for understanding how solar activity can cause blackouts.”

A much smaller solar storm — but with some great Northern Lights — is due to arrive tomorrow.

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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.

Using 10 Basic Knots – Part 3, by St. Funogas

(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article.)

11. NECK CORD KNOT

This isn’t one of the 10 basic knots but since it’s nearly impossible to untie, it’s useful for tying a cord to hang around your neck for carrying a small ferro rod, hand lens, compass, or anything else small you don’t want to lose. The interesting part is that it’s just two intertwined overhand knots. I don’t know the real name of this knot and it’s not well known but I learned it many decades ago after reading a story in Newsweek about a new knot discovery (Photo 20).

It seems simple to tie but it’s tricky. It’s made with a single cord but two colors are used here to see more clearly what’s happening. Here’s a little mnemonic I use. Bats are nocturnal so “The bats come out at nine, the snake comes out of his hole, goes underneath himself, comes up through the right pretzel, then ties himself in a knot.” Translation: first an overhand knot is made with the loose end coming out of the hole at the 9:00 position (A). Notice how it can be made into a pretzel (B). Next, the snake comes out of its hole (C), goes underneath itself (D), up through the right half of the pretzel (E), then completes its own overhand knot (F). Once it’s that far along, carefully tighten it up. Pull gently (G & H) until the knot begins to form a cross, then pull on opposite arms of the cross until the knot is tight (I), then trim the ends off (J). Notice in the two small photos the decorative sides of the knot, one with a parallel section and the other crossed.Continue reading“Using 10 Basic Knots – Part 3, by St. Funogas”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.

Now the Jew’s feast of tabernacles was at hand.

His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.

For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.

For neither did his brethren believe in him.

Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.

The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.

Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come.

When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.

But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.

Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?

And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.

Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.

Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.

And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.” – John 7 :1-18 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — March 12, 2022

On March 12, 1850 the first US $20 gold piece was issued.

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Today is the birthday of science fiction author Harry Harrison, who is best known for his Deathworld trilogy. (He was born in 1920 and died in 2012.)

—

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.

—

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.

Using 10 Basic Knots – Part 2, by St. Funogas

(Continued from Part 1.)

6. FIGURE-EIGHT KNOT

I use this knot mostly as a “stopper knot” but occasionally for other uses as well. An overhand knot makes a good stopper knot but if it’s too small for the hole size, a figure-eight knot is the next step up. It’s similar to an overhand with one extra loop.

Stopper knots are called that for their use on preventing a rope or cord from passing back out of the hole they’ve been pushed through. I use stopper knots to put handles on various items I make including the gift crate seen in Photo 9.

 

 

 

[PHOTO 9 – Figure-Eight Knot]

7. CLOVE HITCH

The clove hitch (Photo 10) is a knot which has very specific applications compared to most other knots. I use it for two main things around my homestead: hanging the hammock in the shade and tying my solar clothes dryer to the trees it’s suspended between. A clove hitch wraps twice around the tree so it remains snug for however long the rope is there. It has the added benefit of being easy to untie.Continue reading“Using 10 Basic Knots – Part 2, by St. Funogas”

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:

After fighting off a recurring head cold,  I’m back up to full speed and plunging into projects around the Rawles Ranch.

On Thursday and Friday, I took a trip to a gun show, seeking inventory for Elk Creek Company.  I’m finding it increasingly difficult to find affordably-priced pre-1899 antiques.  Bidenflation is with us, in earnest. It is driving up prices across the board.  My advice: Get your wealth out of paper and into tangibles. Those will be our only safe refuge, as inflation rages. Yes, I do expect inflation to worsen!

It looks like I’ll soon be able to put our snowplow in storage.  But I’ll watch the long-range weather forecast before I decide when to switch back to summer tires for our SUV and our pickup.

And now that the snow is coming off, I need to move a large winter accumulation of manure from our corrals.  Fun, fun!

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.

All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.

Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.

The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.

When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.

A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.

A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.

A just weight and balance are the Lord‘s: all the weights of the bag are his work.

It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.

Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.

The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.

In the light of the king’s countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.

How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” – Proverbs 16:1-19 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — March 11, 2022

Today is the birthday of author Douglas Adams (born 1952). He is the author of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Also on this day, the Great Blizzard of ’88 struck the northeastern United States (1888).

March 11th is the birthday of the late actor Anton Yelchin (born 1989, died June 19, 2016). He is remembered for his portrayal of Kyle Reese in Terminator: Salvation, and as Ensign Pavel Checkov, the most recent Star Trek movie series. He died in a freak accident wherein his parked Jeep Grand Cherokee unexpectedly rolled forward on an incline, pinning him to a security fence. He is greatly missed.

Trapper and survivalist Claude Lafayette Dallas, Jr. was born March 11, 1950. The subject of several books and movies, Dallas has had a “colorful” life. He was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the deaths of two game wardens, in Idaho. He served 22 years of a 30-year sentence before being released in 2005. He reportedly now lives in the wilds of Alaska.

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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 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 $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.