Knives Under $50 That I Love – Part 1, by The Novice

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The use of tools is one characteristic that distinguishes mankind from the animals. It may be true that chimpanzees will crack nuts with a stone and that some kinds of crows will use a stick to extract insects from tree bark. But when it comes to making and utilizing tools, human being operate on a level far above the most sophisticated denizens of the animal kingdom.

Perhaps the most widely used tool across cultures and throughout history is the knife. From the flint knives of paleolithic tribes to the laser knives of modern neurosurgeons, knives enable us to cut things with an ease and precision far beyond what can be accomplished with tooth and fingernail.

Under $50

There are many beautiful knives in the world. Pat Cascio highlights many of them in his reviews here at SurvivalBlog. But when I hear how much some of these knives cost, I recoil in horror. If I paid that much for a knife, I would be afraid to use it. (I have a similar perspective about ink pens and watches).

This is partly due to a deeply ingrained habit of thriftiness (or tightfistedness, depending on your perspective). It is also partly due to the fact that I can be hard on my knives at times. It is said that to a man whose only tool is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. I usually carry a knife, and it is almost always the only tool I am carrying. This means that if I need to pry something open, turn a screw, or tap a peg into place, my knife may be pressed into service. Since I use my knives so roughly, perhaps it is best that I have never yet paid more than $50 for a knife.

Known and Loved

In spite of the fact that the knives that I have owned have been inexpensive, some of them have been wonderful tools, winning a place of affection in my heart. I would like to tell you about my favorites.

I will begin with the more recent acquisitions, and work my way backward in time to the oldest of my favorites. This will give you the opportunity to read first about knives that fit more modern tastes before wandering back into the recesses of history.Continue reading“Knives Under $50 That I Love – Part 1, by The Novice”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

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This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies of interest to preppers and survivalists that are located in the American Redoubt region. Today, we focus on the Great Potato Giveaway.   (See the Montana section.)

Region-Wide

Inland northwest farmers’ markets adapting to new coronavirus rules.

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Inland Northwest Ag Report for May 5, 2020

Idaho

A Reminder: The Idaho primary election ballot deadline is just seven days away: May 19th. Get your absentee ballot in soon.  There will be no in-person voting.  And if you are in District 3 (Western Kootenai County), then please vote for Alex Barron for Idaho Senate.

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Bonner County asks court to rule against Sandpoint over gun ban at Festival at Sandpoint

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There are two new (and quite affordable) land listings in Idaho at SurvivalReatly.com that are worthy of mention:

Private Idaho Getaway — 7.88 southern-facing acres near Kamiah, Idaho

and,

Five secluded acres in Clark Fork (near the Montana state line.)

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23 workers at a Kuna meatpacking plant test positive for coronavirus

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“As I pass through my incarnations in every age and race,
I make my proper prostrations to the Gods of the Market Place.
Peering through reverent fingers I watch them flourish and fall,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings, I notice, outlast them all.

We were living in trees when they met us. They showed us each in turn
That Water would certainly wet us, as Fire would certainly burn:
But we found them lacking in Uplift, Vision and Breadth of Mind,
So we left them to teach the Gorillas while we followed the March of Mankind.

We moved as the Spirit listed. They never altered their pace,
Being neither cloud nor wind-borne like the Gods of the Market Place,
But they always caught up with our progress, and presently word would come
That a tribe had been wiped off its icefield, or the lights had gone out in Rome.

With the Hopes that our World is built on they were utterly out of touch,
They denied that the Moon was Stilton; they denied she was even Dutch;
They denied that Wishes were Horses; they denied that a Pig had Wings;
So we worshipped the Gods of the Market Who promised these beautiful things.

When the Cambrian measures were forming, They promised perpetual peace.
They swore, if we gave them our weapons, that the wars of the tribes would cease.
But when we disarmed They sold us and delivered us bound to our foe,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: “Stick to the Devil you know.”

On the first Feminian Sandstones we were promised the Fuller Life
(Which started by loving our neighbour and ended by loving his wife)
Till our women had no more children and the men lost reason and faith,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: “The Wages of Sin is Death.”

In the Carboniferous Epoch we were promised abundance for all,
By robbing selected Peter to pay for collective Paul;
But, though we had plenty of money, there was nothing our money could buy,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: “If you don’t work you die.”

Then the Gods of the Market tumbled, and their smooth-tongued wizards withdrew
And the hearts of the meanest were humbled and began to believe it was true
That All is not Gold that Glitters, and Two and Two make Four
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings limped up to explain it once more.

As it will be in the future, it was at the birth of Man
There are only four things certain since Social Progress began.
That the Dog returns to his Vomit and the Sow returns to her Mire,
And the burnt Fool’s bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the Fire;

And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins
When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins,
As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn,
The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!” – Rudyard Kipling

Preparedness Notes for Monday — May 11, 2020

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On May 11, 1949, the newly-declared nation of Israel was admitted into the United Nations.

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Take advantage of your time in isolation!  Round 88 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. The top three prize packages are amazing! (Just ask any of the 237 people who have already won prizes!) This is not some mere game of chance. Rather, this is a judged writing competition, based on writing skill and knowledge. 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.

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Today we present another product review by our Field Gear Editor, Pat Cascio.

Kershaw CQC-4KXL-D2, by Pat Cascio

Right off the bat, I’ll admit that I’m a huge fan of Ernest Emerson knife designs – all of them. Over the years, I’ve done a number of articles on their factory made knives, as well as some of their knives they had made overseas. I’ve also engaged Emerson in a number of conversations by phone. We both have a similar background, especially in the martial arts, and our love for good cutlery.

One article that I wrote about some folding knives that Emerson had made in China, didn’t exactly please Ernest. I pointed out that of the six samples he sent me for testing and articles had a severe flaw – needless to say, that didn’t sit well with Emerson, but I report my findings, good or bad. There was nothing wrong with the knives or designs at all, the problem was, the handle scales were made out of Zytel (a polymer) and the pocket clips were screwed into the Zytel handle scales – using machine screws – and the screws all pulled out in short order and the pocket clip fell off. Shortly after than Emerson Knives stopped having those knives made. I’m sure Emerson’s original design did not call for machine screws to be used – common sense tells you that, a machine screw is going to pull out of a piece of plastic.

Today, we’re looking at the new Kershaw Knives CQC-4KXL-D2. It is brand-new for this year, and it was designed by Ernest Emerson, and he is one of the best tactical knife designers around – very talented. The “problem” with Emerson Knives, is getting one – they are always in demand – he stopped making custom knives some years ago, and opened a factory to produce his designs. More often than not, whenever I would check his web site, he would be sold out of his many factory knives. So, over the past several years, Emerson collaborated with Kershaw Knives right here in Oregon, to produce some of his designs – keep in mind, most of these knives are a little bit different than those on his web site, but they are still 100% top-notch knives in every respect, and the good news is, they are very inexpensive for the most part. Meaning they are affordable!Continue reading“Kershaw CQC-4KXL-D2, by Pat Cascio”

Recipe of the Week: Beef Mironton

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The following recipe for Beef Mironton is from The New Butterick Cook Book, by Flora Rose, co-head of the School of Home Economics at Cornell University. It was published in 1924. A professional scan of that 724-page out-of-copyright book will be one of the bonus items in the next edition of the waterproof SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick. This 15th Anniversary Edition USB stick should be available for sale in the third week of January, 2021.

Ingredients
  • 6 slices cold (fully cooked) beef
  • 1 cup beef bouillon or 1 cup water mixed with canned tomato sauce
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 6 onions
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons fat
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • Bread crumbs
Directions
  1. Slice the onions and brown them in fat, in a frying-pan.
  2. Add the flour and brown.
  3. Add vinegar
  4. Add bouillon or the water and tomato sauce.
  5. Cook together until slightly thickened, stirring constantly.
  6. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Smother the slices of beef in the saute for a few minutes.
  8. Pour into a baking dish
  9. Sprinkle some bread crumbs over the top and bake for five minutes.

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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

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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 focus on freelancing and the gig economy.

Precious Metals:

Reader H.L. sent this one in:  Silver Coin Premiums Soar: Signal “Alt-Money” Demand As Re-Opening Recovery Hype Fades

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While the gold price consolidates, silver begins to awaken

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Negative interest rates: the next trigger in gold price

Economy & Finance:

Deficit to soar to nearly $4T as economy buckles, CBO says

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At Zero Hedge: Beijing May Dump US Treasuries In Response To US Hostility, Start Its Own QE: Chinese Media

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“Everything Has Been Cancelled”: Class 8 Heavy Duty Truck Orders Crash To 25 Year Low In April

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Also at Wolf Street: Week 7 of the Collapse of the U.S. Labor Market

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — May 10, 2020

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May 10th is the birthday of the late Janis Pinups (born 1925, died 15 June 2007). He was one of the last of the Forest Brothers anti-communist resistance fighters. He came out of hiding, after five decades, to obtain a Latvian passport in 1994, after the collapse of eastern European communism. (He was never issued any communist government identity papers and by necessity lived as a nonexistent ghost during the entire Soviet occupation of Latvia.) The history of the Forest Brothers movement certainly deserves more recognition. Most of these men fought against both the Nazis and the Soviets.

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May 10th is the birthday of the late Col. Jeff Cooper (born 1920, died September 25, 2006).

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May 10, 2021 is the 151st anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad where the golden spike was pounded in Promontory, Utah at the meeting of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads in their railroad building race. Transportation and distribution of goods, even those items shipped from China to the U.S. west coast and carried as far as the Atlantic coast on rail, was a significant accomplishment those 15 decades ago. Since then, our train network has greatly expanded throughout the U.S., and we are still quite dependent upon it for goods today. Though our trains are no longer run on coal, they are now dependent upon electronic systems, which may be EMP vulnerable. This is just one of the many reasons we, as preppers, store necessities and prepare to make our own. We know that even our trains are vulnerable, and without them life would drastically change. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, in 2015 an estimated $623 Billion of goods were transported by train within the United States, not including goods that merely passed through the U.S. from foreign countries with destinations to other foreign countries.

That golden spike was prophetic. There has been a lot of money made in the railroad business and many valuable goods transported across it.

Propaganda and My Prepping – Part 3, by St. Funogas

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

The other big problem I soon discovered with the Thank a Vet program is that it propagates the myth that our military keeps us free. Think back to our childhoods: riding our bikes down to the gravel pit with our Stevens Crackshot .22’s across our backs with a sling, then walking into the little grocery store afterwards to buy some penny candy and nobody calling the police or thinking anything of it. We rode on the floor in the back of the station wagon, or in the front passenger seat of the car and nobody cared if we hooked the seatbelt or not. My dad’s drivers license was just a photoless piece of paper that looked like a fishing license. And nobody confiscated Harry, my pocket knife with the 5” blade, when I boarded the plane to fly home for school after spending the summer with my Grandpa. If our military kept us free, then why weren’t they storming Washington DC and the State Capitols in all the intervening years since my childhood when so many of our rights were legislated away? We’ve lost literally thousands of our freedoms since 1776, and it’s gotten exponentially worse in the past 20 years. How can I buy the argument that our military keeps us free when it’s so crystal clear to me that they don’t?

The Thank a Vet campaign keeps most Americans distracted from having any real discussions about Freedom. Subconsciously people are thinking, “If our military is keeping us free, what’s to discuss? The boogeymen are out there somewhere, not here.” Meanwhile, in real life, our freedoms are rapidly vanishing every time our city councils and state legislatures meet and every time Congress convenes. Too many Americans can’t put two and two together because they’ve bought into the idea that the ONLY way we can lose our freedoms is by some external force that our military is keeping us safe from. Nothing could be further from the truth so we continue to lose our freedoms here at home at an exponentially rapidly increasing pace while we mindlessly stop every vet we see and thank him or her profusely for keeping us free. That propaganda campaign is working very well for individual vets, and I wish them well, but very badly for us as a nation.Continue reading“Propaganda and My Prepping – Part 3, by St. Funogas”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

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SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— 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. Today, we look at labor shortages at meat packing plants.

Some Bad Gun Legislation Before Congress

In addition to the much-publicized H.R. 5717, the U.S. House of representatives will also be considering H.R. 6318 and H.R. 838.  These are “back door” gun rights deprivation bill. Frighteningly, H.R. 838 already has 90 Republican co-sponsors!  Please contact your congresscritters and strongly urge them to oppose these three bills!

New Executive Order on Protecting Power Grids

Just signed by DJT: Executive Order on Securing the United States Bulk-Power System

Coronavirus in Some Asymptomatic Patients Up To 40 Days

Peter forwarded this item: Experts Are Puzzled Over Why the Coronavirus Lingers in Some Asymptomatic Patients For as Long as 40 Days. Here is a snippet:

“With studies showing that asymptomatic patients can transmit the SARS-CoV-2 virus, understanding how the virus leaves the body is among the most urgent mysteries facing researchers as governments in the United States and across the world begin to reopen their economies. Although studies show that the average recovery time from COVID-19 is two weeks, and nearly all patients are virus-free within a month, “less than 1% to 2%, for reasons that we do not know, continue to shed virus after that,” said Hsu Li Yang, a physician specializing in infectious diseases at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore.”

The Lockdowns: Homeschooling Gets a Boost

H.L. sent this: Poll: 52% of Parents View Homeschooling More Favorably Since Coronavirus School Closures. A pericope:

“Among parents participating in the poll, 52 percent said their view of homeschooling was “more favorable,” with 28 percent labeling their opinion as “much more favorable,” and 24 percent stating their view was “somewhat more favorable.”

Of those parents who responded with a “less favorable” opinion of homeschooling, 18 percent said their view was “somewhat less favorable” and 8 percent said it was “much less favorable,” while 22 percent either did not know their view or had no opinion.

When parents were asked “how prepared” they felt to facilitate their children’s online learning, 71 percent said they felt prepared, with 38 percent stating they felt “very prepared” and 33 percent responding they felt “somewhat prepared.””

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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 “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” – James 4: 10-17 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — May 9, 2020

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On May 9th, 1945, Herman Goering– commander in chief of the Luftwaffe, president of the Reichstag, head of the Gestapo, prime minister of Prussia, and Hitler’s designated successor– was taken prisoner by the U.S. Seventh Army in Bavaria. Goering, who was addicted to painkillers due to a wound, was instrumental in creating concentration camps for political enemies. It was Goering who ordered the purging of German Jews from the economy following the Kristallnacht program in 1938, initiating an “Aryanization” policy that confiscated Jewish property and businesses. Tried and convicted at the Nuremberg trials, he was sentenced to hanging, but before he could be executed he committed suicide by swallowing a cyanide tablet he had hidden from his guards.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 88 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of their sun-tracking models, and 10% off the purchase price of any of their other models.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any 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. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  7. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

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 Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  4. 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).
  5. An assortment of products along with a one hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).

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. Naturally Cozy is donating a “Prepper Pack” Menstrual Kit.  This kit contains 18 pads and it comes vacuum sealed for long term storage or slips easily into a bugout bag.  The value of this kit is $220.
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $100 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!

Round 88 ends on May 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.

 

Propaganda and My Prepping – Part 2, by St. Funogas

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(Continued from Part 2.)

Propaganda can also be very damaging to us as individuals, and especially to us as a nation. Advertising = propaganda is ultimately about controlling us. Controlling us so we’ll quit littering, or controlling us so we’ll hand over our money and buy their products instead of the competition’s, or controlling us so we won’t object when they take away more of our freedoms either in the form of raising our taxes again or by passing more laws pushing us towards a more Orwellian future that awaits us.

The term Military Industrial Complex (MIC) was popularized by President Eisenhower in his now-famous Farewell Address in 1961. When a five-star army general is warning us to watch out for the MIC, I have to stand up and take notice. When a politician who knows the deepest, darkest secrets of his country, who is retiring from politics and no longer has to worry about campaign contributions from lobbyists and Big Corporations, is telling me to be wary of the MIC, he has my fullest attention. Today, this is more appropriately referred to as the MICC, the Military Industrial Congressional Complex.

The people who make up the MICC include the executive branch, Congress and all the various money people associated with them (mainly lobbyists and large political donors), defense contractors, and private military contractors, among others. People who are not part of the MICC include the 1.4 million currently active military personnel, nor the millions of retired military folks.

Phrases in our culture like “Just the facts, ma’am,” “rock on,” and “he bought the farm,” originated innocently enough in one region with one person (or author) and eventually spread throughout the entire country. Other phrases such as, “If you see something, say something,” start out as advertising campaigns and eventually become part of our culture and national thinking. Before long, nobody can even remember when or why they began, yet they remain part of our national culture, and often we are the worse for it. “If you see something, say something.” Cui bono? IMO, Big Brother. These types of slogans leave me very uncomfortable and are way too Orwellian for my taste.Continue reading“Propaganda and My Prepping – Part 2, by St. Funogas”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

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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. Note that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in the Comments. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

This past week was very busy for us. The kids helped me pad and pack 10 antique gun orders that were placed with Elk Creek Company. It seems that people are waking up to the significance of no-paperwork pre-1899 cartridge guns. Meanwhile, I was also busy writing and editing, as usual.

We shifted around a bunch of bulk long term storage foods and found that were short a few food grade buckets and Gamma Seal lids.  So I placed those on order.

Outdoors at the ranch, I had to make a few fence repairs. You see, we have a bored two year old bull who likes throwing his weight around. I’m fond of saying that there are a lot of words that you can’t say without including the suffix spoken “bull”. These include: Incorrigible, terrible, intractable, irredeemable, excitable, uncontrollable, unmanageable, incomprehensible, and just plain old trouble. Such is life with a bull. He is actually very friendly, for a bull. But he certainly can do a lot of damage, very quickly, without realizing the trouble he is causing us.  And of course we never turn our backs on him.  “A bull is a bull, is a bull.”

I also got some more firewood and slash cut up, hauled, and stacked. This, with some help from our daughters. I must mention: We didn’t raise them to be Blushing Violets. They are lovely young ladies with all the graces. But they can be sturdy and hard working, when needed.

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”