The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, we look at the D-Day anniversary celebration.

D-Day + 80 Years

This year will likely be the last major D-Day anniversary with living veterans in attendance. Organizers are going all-out.

The Mount Kilauea Volcano Reawakens

Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: Eruption Alert: Kīlauea Volcano Awakens After Nearly 50 Years, Prompting Increased Safety Warnings.

A pericope:

“The Kīlauea volcano in Hawaii has erupted, marking its first activity in a previously dormant area within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park since December 1974. The eruption began early Monday morning, prompting a swift escalation in alert levels by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). The ground-based hazard alert level was elevated from “watch” to “warning,” and the Aviation Color Code was upgraded from orange to red, signaling significant concerns for both ground and air safety.”

A Texas Neighborhood’s Disannexation

H.L. sent this: How One Texas Neighborhood Seceded From The Democrat-Run City Hall Ruining Their Lives.

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



The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And that the said Constitution be never construed to authorize Congress…to subject the people to unreasonable searches and seizures of their persons, papers or possessions.” – Samuel Adams, Debates of the Massachusetts Convention of 1788



Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — June 5, 2024

On June 5, 1967, the Six-Day War began between Israel and the neighboring Arab states of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria.

On June 5, 1851, Harriet Beecher Stowe published the first installment of Uncle Tom’s Cabin in The National Era. She was the sister of firebrand abolitionist Henry Ward Beecher.

On June 5, 70, Titus and his Roman legions breached the middle wall of Jerusalem. The destruction of Jerusalem began The Great Diaspora.

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 113 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 $2,000.
  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 Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $359 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  5. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. 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).
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  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. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  3. 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)
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 113 ends on July 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.



Deciphering The Liberal Dog Whistles – Part 2, by G.R.

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

‘Rise of Extremism’

Liberals are using a Bulls Eye target to identify those they define as ‘Extremist.’ At the center of the target is Donald Trump, the Alpha Male of the Ultramaga animals. Around him are his former assistants that liberals are trying to eliminate with ‘lawfare’: Guiliani, Bannon, Stone, Navarro, etc. Then come the now incarcerated J6 invaders, and finally comes all 85 million Ultramagas that infest America. Now it is open season for every animal shown on the target, using everything available to quickly eliminate them before the November 2024 election.

A recent article by Media Research Center’s Joseph Vasquez was written “decrying the rise of extremism and violent attempts to overthrow democratic governments,” the letter referenced the ‘Big Lie’ as it demanded a return to previously debunked ‘election-integrity policies.’ Now, the billionaire-funded Free Press “is looking to incorporate global pressure to push Big Tech platforms to re-juice their censorship operations before the 2024 U.S. presidential election.” Vazquez wrote, “However, it appears that its true design is to pressure Big Tech companies to permanently silence speech the left despises. This development is directly in line with Soros’ brand, who has dedicated millions of his ungodly fortune to groups looking to interfere in elections by stifling online speech,” added the associate editor.Continue reading“Deciphering The Liberal Dog Whistles – Part 2, by G.R.”



SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

Reader G.L. wrote to mention:

“For anyone interested in dipping a toe into the ham radio waters, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) annual Field Day this year is the weekend of June 22 & 23. Nearly every ham club in the country will be out in a public park somewhere that weekend, and many will be specifically using off-the-grid setups. These are public events. So if you’re curious about any aspect of ham radio, consider yourself welcome to drop in, introduce yourself, ask questions, see what is involved and (with assistance) actually get on the air and talk to someone. The ARRL has a club finder at http://arrl.org/find-a-club.”

o  o  o

A new and very useful how-to video: DIY Mousetrap-Style Fuze With Time Delayed Ignition For Smoke Devices.

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A great lecture at Hillsdale College by the now elderly “Young Turk” Newt Gingrich: What to Do About the DOJ.

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Reader C.B. wrote:

“I read the Thursday 5/30/2024 blog and recommend referencing a YouTube site. At Perun Defence-Economics, the individual does outstanding military analysis, putting out one video per week, on Sundays. Had a recent update on Ukraine this past Sunday about Kharkiv. He was born in Croatia, and raised in Australia. Based on his location and word pronunciation I suspect that he speaks multiple languages. As a military intel guy, you should find his site really fascinating. Went from about a 5K gaming channel to about 500K on his analysis just since the Ukraine conflict started.  Very dry sense of humor and he kills as a PowerPoint presenter.”

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”





Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — June 4, 2024

Today is the 20th anniversary of the Granby, Colorado armored bulldozer incident on June 4, 2004, where Marvin Heemeyer knocked down several buildings in town. A documentary titled Tread details what happened that day, and the events leading to the rampage. Though often called the “Killdozer” incident, the only one who died that day was Marvin Heemeyer, from a self-inflicted gunshot, after his heavily-modified Komatsu bulldozer became immobilized.

Today is the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, in 1989.

On June 4th, in 1944 United States Navy Task Group 22.3 captured U-505, a German submarine and with it an intact Enigma cypher machine. This was the first time since the USS Peacock seized HMS Nautilus in 1815 that the USN had captured an enemy vessel at sea. The sub, reunited with its periscope a decade ago, is displayed at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 113 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 $2,000.
  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 Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $359 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  5. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. 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).
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  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. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  3. 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)
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 113 ends on July 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.



Deciphering The Liberal Dog Whistles – Part 1, by G.R.

I started writing this two months ago, but every time I thought it was finished some new egregious event would occur that forced me to add or modify the following statements. So, I am shutting off any new additions, knowing there are more to appear. Anyway, there are several words or phrases that liberals bandy about and when we hear them, we should be very wary of. I will list a few of them here and explain what they really mean and how we SurvivalBlog readers can counteract them.

‘Ultra MAGA’

The liberals despise the phrase Make America Great Again, and its acronym (MAGA).  So they developed the term “Ultra MAGA” to make anyone pro-MAGA look extremist. This statement is meant to demonize those who have and will soon eagerly vote for Donald Trump and other conservative down-ballot elected officials. Remember, when leading up to a conflict, it is important for the opposition to make their enemies seem less than human, therefore, Ultra MAGA is a dog whistle to liberals to distance themselves from these types of non-human ‘animals.’ Now liberals are positioned to eagerly participate in the elimination of these useless carbon burners and CO2 makers: the Ultramagas.

How do we counteract this hate? We preppers need to continue speaking “the Truth in Love” as God has clearly said he has placed a veil over their eyes in the end times so that a lie is spoken of as truth while the real truth (the Holy Bible) will be spoken of as a lie. Meantime, the election debates have been announced with liberals moderating both of them. We know that President Trump will not easily “speak the truth in love” so we need to bathe him in prayer that will protect him and his words during these debates. Finally, we should often speak the words “Make America Great Again” into their ears whenever we have discussions of politics or cultural values. I hope that is a loving statement…Continue reading“Deciphering The Liberal Dog Whistles – Part 1, by G.R.”



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 located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, we focus on an unintended consequence of Montana’s real estate boom. (See the Montana section.)

Region-Wide

Montana Versus Idaho Cost of Living in 2024.

o  o  o

A video essay: 13th Oregon County Approves ‘Greater Idaho’ Movement – Secession Gains Momentum.

o  o  o

Confidence soaring for Inland Northwest aerospace industry.

Idaho

Idaho Saloon Under Fire For Celebrating ‘Heterosexual Pride Month’.

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The Military / Industrial Complex Comes to Idaho.

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We all saw this news coming: Chad Daybell sentenced to death in triple murder by Idaho jury.

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Why There’s a Pacific Ocean Port in Idaho. (Thanks to blog reader A.K. for the link.)

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Reader C.B sent us this: Idaho Fly Fisherman Lands State-Record Cutthroat Trout, Kicks It Back into Clark Fork River.

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





Preparedness Notes for Monday — June 3, 2024

On June 3rd, 1539, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto claimed Florida for Spain. And one year later, June 3, 1540, he crossed the Appalachian Mountains. He was the first European to do so.

On June 3, 1781, Jack Jouett rode to warn Thomas Jefferson of British attack.

June 3rd can also be considered the “birthday” of the U.S. Army. (It was established by Congress on June 3rd, 1784.)

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



Minuteman “K” Rocket Stove, by Thomas Christianson

The Minuteman “K” Rocket Stove is an outstanding biomass-fueled stove for grid-down situations or for recreational use. The stove is easy to light and easy to feed. It is easy to remove excess ash from the stove while it is in active use. And the stove provides highly effective heat output that is suitable for use with full-sized cookware.

The stove cost $289.95 at the time of this writing at Minutemanstove.com, including 2 one-pound bags of Maya Stick fatwood fire starter tinder.

If you live in an area that is rich in sticks, twigs, and similar biomass, the “K” stove may provide an excellent grid-down cooking solution.Continue reading“Minuteman “K” Rocket Stove, by Thomas Christianson”



Recipe of the Week: Bayou Nut Trail Mix

The following recipe for Bayou Nut Trail Mix is from SurvivalBlog reader Paul in Louisiana.

Ingredients
  • 1⁄2 cup pecan halves
  • 1⁄2 cup whole raw almonds
  • 1⁄2 cup walnut halves
  • 1⁄4 cup unsalted shelled sunflower seeds
  • 1⁄4 cup unsalted shelled pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tbsp. canola oil
  • 1⁄4 tsp. salt
  • 1⁄4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1⁄4 tsp. chili powder (or less, depending on your taste)
  • 1⁄4 tsp. cumin
  • 1⁄4 tsp. cayenne pepper (or less, depending on your taste)
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Line a lipped cookie sheet with baking parchment.
  3. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir to coat.
  4. Spread the nuts in a single layer on baking sheet
  5. Bake, stirring once every 4 or 5 minutes, until toasted and aromatic.  This usually takes about 12 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven to cool, and re-stir.
STORAGE

Store in an airtight container.

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



SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic shows the highest recorded temperature for each state.

(Graphic courtesy of Reddit, using NOAA data.)

The thumbnail image below is click-expandable.

 

 

 

Please send your graphic ideas to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.



The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Every subject has a right to be secure from all unreasonable searches, and seizures, of his person, his houses, his papers, and all his possessions. All warrants, therefore, are contrary to this right, if the cause or foundation of them be not previously supported by oath or affirmation; and if the order in the warrant to a civil officer, to make search in suspected places, or to arrest one or more suspected persons, or to seize their property, be not accompanied with a special designation of the persons or objects of search, arrest, or seizure: and no warrant ought to be issued but in cases, and with the formalities prescribed by the laws.” – John Adams, Massachusetts Declaration of Rights, Article 14, 1780