Preparedness Notes for Thursday – November 29, 2018

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Today is the birthday of Clive Staples (“C.S.”) Lewis, who was born in 1898 and died November 22nd, 1963. He is best known for his Chronicles of Narnia book series.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

This has been another entry for Round 79 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
  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 Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  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 gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  4. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  5. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  6. 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).

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances.

Round 79 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Water Treatment Options: How to Avoid Poisoning From Toxins- Part 1, by AJS

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Long-term survivalists find themselves in many environmental settings, but the common denominator is often the desire to be close to fresh water. A person needs it to drink, cook, bathe, do laundry, perhaps wash prospecting finds, and even fish and swim in as recreation for family members.

Dangers in Raw, Natural Ground Water

In raw, natural ground water there are dangers. These include:

  • chemicals, such as nitrogen and phosphorous from agricultural runoff,
  • microorganisms feeding on pollution that can cause disease,
  • heavy metals, such as mercury and arsenic, which have implications to human health, and
  • toxins caused by algae.

The survivalist does not cause this situation. It is the reality of living on a planet with a lot of people, who are doing a lot of things to make a living.

About Me

Here is a little about me and the information provided in this article. I earned a PhD and am retired from my career. The content in this article is provided as general information only. The ideas expressed are solely my opinion. Such opinion is based upon information I consider to be reliable.

Popular Television Survivalists Not Shown Steps To Clean Water For Indefinite Stay

Popular television programs on survival have given many helpful hints as to how to treat water in an emergency. Bear Grylls Man versus Wild, Dave and Cody Dual Survivor, Ruth and Myke Man, Woman, Wild, and the pioneer of survival shows, Les Stroud Survivorman have informed and entertained. What one of these will do to stay alive one more day until rescued is not the same as what he or she would do for an indefinite stay at that location. Not one of these survivalists has really reported on the magnitude of the problem of finding potable water nor shown the steps needed to clean up natural water in non-emergency settings such as those typified by a person(s) who enters the wilderness with a plan and prior preparation.

Continue reading“Water Treatment Options: How to Avoid Poisoning From Toxins- Part 1, by AJS”

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 “HJL”. One Michigan school is completely full of hockey puckey.

The Army’s Next-Gen Weapons

Reader H.L. suggested this article on the Army’s Next generation squad rifle and pistol. Both weapons are designed specifically to improve on the weaknesses of the existing M16/M4 and the M9. Features of the squad rifle include higher velocity bullets and the ability to penetrate body armor. The M17/M18 pistol incorporates modern proven technology to increase the handling characteristics and the reliablity. We’ve seen how the adoption of the M16 and M9 have created an incredible civilian market for the civilian counerparts – so much so that the AR-15 platform may be the best selling rifle platform of all time. I suspect that the same thing will occur with the new weapon system.

Hijacking Computers

The NSA lost control of some of it’s own hacking tools a bit over a year ago when details were leaked to the public on how they worked. In that time span, patches to the operating system and software were released specifically to combat those vulnerabilities. Sadly, over a year later, many computers are out there that just haven’t been updated at all. Hackers first used these known vulnerabilities to spread ransomware, then moved on to cryptocurrency mining attacks. Now security researchers are suggesting that the UPnProxy vulnerability is being used by hackers to build an even bigger malicious proxy network. Unless you have upgraded the software on all of your vulnerable devices, hackers can reach through your firewall and target unpatched computers. Thanks to G.P. for the link.

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

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday – November 28, 2018

On November 28th, 1520, Magellan finally reached the Pacific Ocean after navigating the dangerous straits on the southern tip of South America that now bear his name. He became the first European explorer to reach the Pacific from the Atlantic.

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We are nearing the end of Round 79 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Make sure you get your article finished up and sent in.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today features another entry for Round 79 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
  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 Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  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 gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  4. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  5. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  6. 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).

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances.

Round 79 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Living the Old Way, by G.T.

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Ever since I was a little boy I dreamed of the life of a mountain man, living the old way. I grew up largely in Central Idaho. Stories of the Rocky Mountain fur trade and the men that forged a life in the wilderness were a big part of my life.

My Time in Service

After high school, I joined the Marine Corps, did five years, received an honorable discharge, joined the Army for another three years, and again was also honorable discharged. During the tail end of my time in service, I was able to study and become an actual participant in historical living and reenactments.

Working As a Cook For An Outfitter

When I was able to make it back to Idaho, I looked for opportunities that might present me with life living skills that correlated with the vision of the mountain man. One of my first jobs was working as a cook for an outfitter, up to 30 some miles into the wilderness on horseback with a pack train. It was just what I was looking for!

One of the things to know about the wilderness in Idaho is that there is no flat ground. Falling under the wilderness area rules, there are also no motorized utensils or vehicles. This restriction includes saws, chainsaws.

Continue reading“Living the Old Way, by G.T.”

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. And it bears mention that most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of JWR. (SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor.) Today’s focus is on investing in M1903 Springfield Rifles. (See the Tangibles Investing section.)

 

Precious Metals:

First up, over at Gold-Eagle: Gold’s Net Gain Of Nothing

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50% Equity Market Drop Won‘t Drive Gold Prices Higher – CrossBorder Capital

 

Economy & Finance:

Government debt at all levels, and personal debt is piling up at an insane rate. A breaking point is sure to come in the next few years. When it does, it won’t be pretty.

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Next, at Zero Hedge: Sweden Is On The Verge Of Going Completely Cashless: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

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And another gem from Tyler Durden: Credit “Death Spiral” Begins As Loan ETF Sees Massive Outflows, Liquidates Quality Paper

 

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:

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Here are JWR’s Recommendations of the Week for various media and tools of interest to SurvivalBlog readers. This week the focus is on illumination items (See the Gear section.)

Books:

Churchill: Walking with Destiny

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Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Cookbook: 500 Everyday Recipes for Beginners and Advanced Users

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Planning to celebrate Hanukkah?  Then learn the real reason for the season:  Maccabee

 

Movies:

The Man Who Would Be King.  From Roger Ebert’s 1975 review:  “John Huston’s “The Man Who Would Be King” is swashbuckling adventure, pure and simple, from the hand of a master. It’s unabashed and thrilling and fun. The movie invites comparison with the great action films like “Gunga Din” and “Mutiny on the Bounty,” and with Huston’s own classic “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”: We get strong characterizations, we get excitement, we even get to laugh every once in a while.” Available on DVD and now on Amazon Prime for the first time.

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Soylent Green. Available on DVD and also on Amazon Prime.

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The Omega Man. Available on DVD and also on Amazon Prime.

 

Continue reading“JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:”

A Compulsion to Disarm: The History of Grabby Governments Since 1026 BC

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In the wake of the 2018 mid-term elections, so-called “gun control” is back in the news. Even though the murder rate in the United States is declining and at a 33-year low, the mass media’s much-heralded “threat of gun violence” has politicians in a frenzy much like those seen in 1968 and 1994. Gun control laws and decrees should be called out for what they really are: Systematic Civilian Disarmament. In Western nations, most such legislation usually starts small, progressing from registration to wholesale confiscation. First one category of weapons is banned, and then another. Gradually, these draconian laws can ramp up to the point where most citizens can’t even possess air rifles and crossbows. To understand the origins of these laws, we need to examine both some psychology and some history.

 

Inherent Compulsions

There is a distinct psychology of humans who gain positions of power. They almost immediately develop a “we/they” outlook on life that can eventually develop into narcissism and paranoia. This is most pronounced in dictators, but even petty bureaucrats display the same sinful tendencies:

  1. The desire to consolidate and accumulate more power.  (In its extreme, totalitarianism and megalomania.)
  2. Fear and dislike of competitors to their power.
  3. A tendency toward corruption and nepotism. (Typically, as a means to consolidate power in an inner circle.)
  4. Belief that laws only apply to “little people.”
  5. A compulsion toward a monopoly of force, that necessitates arming the “we” whilst disarming the “they.”

With that sadly almost universal psychological makeup in mind, let’s move on to some historical examples of governors and governments that have felt compelled to disarm those they rule. They leave arms only in the hands of those that they trust. (These trusted folks are usually called “comrades” (cronies), “bodyguards”, “trained police”, “military professionals”, and “loyal cadres.”)

Many people mistakenly believe that systematic civilian disarmament was an invention of the 20th Century. Here in America, gun restrictions actually got a very early start. The first General Assembly of Virginia met in Jamestown in 1619. There, the settlers enacted more than 30  laws to govern the fledgling colony. One of these laws was a monopoly of force provision that included this wording : “…[t]hat no man do sell or give any Indians any piece, shot, or powder, or any other arms offensive or defensive, upon pain of being held a traitor to the colony and of being hanged as soon as the fact is proved…”  Yes, they had the death penalty for selling a firearm or ammunition to an Indian!

Gun laws were not systematic, widespread, and applicable to the general citizenry until after the Civil War. It was in the late 1860s that such laws got their start at the  state level. In this Reconstruction period in the former Confederate States, state governments sought to keep freed slaves from asserting their rights. These were the first states to systematically ban carrying concealed knives or handguns. Not surprisingly, those inherently racist laws were only selectively enforced, based on skin tone.

Continue reading“A Compulsion to Disarm: The History of Grabby Governments Since 1026 BC”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

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Here is SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt. This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. We also mention companies of interest to preppers that are located in the region. The emphasis this week is on the new $1 million CNC mill at Lone Wolf Distributors.

Region-Wide

I’m repeating a link to a must-watch video. Please send this to any of your conservative friends who feel the need to move away from the liberal coastal states, but can’t decide where to go: What is the American Redoubt?

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UPDATED: Inland NW Winter Outlook. El Niño promises warmer than average weather. JWR Adds:  That is, warmer west of the Continental Divide. On the east side, they’re expecting colder than usual temperatures.

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Economists predict good financial future for Inland Northwest in 2019

 

Idaho

Lone Wolf Distributors in Priest River is a company that is already familiar to many Glock owners. They are one of SurvivalBlog’s affiliate advertisers. The Newport Miner newspaper recently reported that it took two semi-trailers to bring in a new automated horizontal mill to Lone Wolf Distributors. Their latest CNC mill cost in the vicinity of $1 million USD. With that specialized high-volume equipment now available, it is safe to assume that Lone Wolf will branch out into a variety of new milled products. A wider variety of pistol slides? Or registered suppressors, perhaps? They’re not saying yet. Buy knowing the high quality of their existing products, their new CNC offerings should be great.

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The gun vloggers of America had great fun last week, making humorous videos about the limited edition Seekins Precision Thunder Buddy AR-15. They are made in Idaho, of course.

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The Gideons distributed Bibles at an Idaho school. Some parents, residents are upset.

 

Montana

Montana woman reported missing arrested in South Dakota

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Be careful out there on the highways! Family reported missing in Montana found dead in crash

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

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 “HJL”. China’s social credit system is already having an impact on citizens even though it is not fully implemented.

China’s Social Credit System

“Nobody does authoritarianism quite like China.” Paul Joseph Watson has a new video on YouTube that explains China’s new social credit system. The system will be fully implemented by 2020 and every person will have a score that goes up and down based on their behavior. Behavior that leads to deductions in credit will include things like jaywalking, smoking on trains, bad driving, buying to much junk food. having a friend who has a low score, playing to many video games, walking a dog without a leash and much, much more. Apparently, nearly 7 million people have been prevented from buying transportation tickets on trains or airplanes already and the system hasn’t even been properly rolled out yet. There will be over 400,000,000 cameras with facial recognition at the core of the system.

North Korea’s EMP Plans

North Korea has revealed its nuclear EMP attack strategy. Of course, anyone with half a brain and the ability to read news over the last few years would recognize that North Korea never had any plans at all on giving up their nuclear capability. I suspect that the collapse of their testing facility had more to do with their willingness to negotiate than anything else. However, I’m sure there will be a new testing facility online soon. Their standard procedure has been to pretend to go along until they don’t get something that they want and then they throw a temper-tantrum like a small child. Sadly, it’s a small child with the ability to lob nuclear bombs. While South Korea is the revealed target, there is still concern that the country has the capability of attacking the U.S. as well. Thanks to T.Z. for the link.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“Integrity is not a conditional word. It doesn’t blow in the wind or change with the weather. It is your inner image of yourself, and if you look in there and see a man who won’t cheat, then you know he never will. Integrity is not a search for the rewards of integrity. Maybe all you ever get for it is the largest kick in the ass the world can provide. It is not supposed to be a productive asset. Crime pays a lot better. I can bend my own rules way, way over, but there is a place where I finally stop bending them. I can recognize the feeling. I’ve been there a lot of times.
From now on, Lawton Hisp was not going to have a very nice life. They might never come after him, but it just wasn’t going to be very joyous from now on. Happy New Year, Mister Hisp.” – John D. MacDonald, The Turquoise Lament (1973)