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. Steadily, we work on meeting our prepping goals. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities. They also often share their planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, property improvements, 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 the Comments. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

JWR

A week of relatively good weather gave me the chance to complete some barnyard tasks.  In addition to the usual super-duper-pooper-scoopering, I also drained, scrubbed, relocated, and filled two stock tanks very close to reliable frost-free hydrants. Both tanks are adjacent to grounded power outlets. Why? It is now that stock tank heater time of year!

Our large livestock has grown their winter coats, and they are doing well. We still have just a few roosters and turkeys to butcher, but that will probably wait until just before Christmas. (With the exact butcher date depending on the weather.)

I did some hay re-stacking, to make room for the last of our ATVs to fit in the barn. That is perhaps my final “pre-snow” barnyard organizational task for the year.

Just two weeks until the Winter solstice. Then we can watch the daylight hours lengthen. I do enjoy our winters here. But the days near the solstice are insanely short, at our latitude. And winter always seem to last about a month too long!

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

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”. Thankfully the Anchorage Earthquake has not been deadly so far.

EMP Report

Several SurvivalBlog readers wrote in about the new report released by the military on the EMP vulnerability of America. The report suggests that the threat of an attack is significant. While the report is mostly focused on the impact an EMP attack would have on the military, it appears to support the congressional warning that up to 90 percent of the population on the East Coast would die within a year. It’s important to note that those fatality numbers are not directly attributable to the EMP hit itself, but to the failure of infrastructure. Without electricity, transportation, food processing, and healthcare, the mortality rate would be significant. The report suggested that up to 99 nuclear reactors could melt down without the ability to cool them. Failures may include long-term loss of electrical power, sewage, fresh water, banking, landlines, cellular service and vehicles.

Anchorage Earthquake

So far, there have been no loss of life due to the large earthquake centered around the Anchorage area, but the infrastructure has taken a significant hit. There are many homes without power, which is a significant danger since we are moving into winter right now. There is also concern about gas leaks from damaged pipes. The major highways leading in and out of Anchorage are basically cut off (with the exception of one northbound highway). There have been no reports of any major building collapse which is good news. Highway officials are suggesting the damage to the roads and bridges is significant enough that it will take considerable time to repair them.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.” – Genesis 37:9-11 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday – November 30, 2018

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During a White House ceremony attended by James S. Brady, President Bill Clinton signed the Brady handgun-control bill into law. Once again, the U.S. government violated the God-given rights outlined in the U.S. Constitution by requiring a five day waiting period before the purchase could proceed. During the waiting period, the authorities were tasked with performing background checks and either approving or rejecting the purchase.

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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 2, by AJS

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In part 1, we learned that toxins other than mercury cannot be avoided entirely in the drinking water, as some are not removed by screens, activated carbon or silver water filters, or chlorine treatment. Some toxins are even made more toxic by boiling. Furthermore, some toxins cause physical symptoms of poisoning almost immediately. In particular, populations of cyanobacteria (a blue-green algae) may be dominated by a single species or be composed of a variety of species, some of which may not be toxic and some which have been deadly to animals. We learned about the locations, timing, and durations of cyanobacteria blooms, which occur all around the world, though in various conditions and times of the year.

Factors That Increase Cyanotoxin Production (The Biochemistry of Cyanotoxin)

To understand how to neutralize toxin production, it is necessary to study its biochemical makeup. Cyanobacteria are known to produce several bioactive compounds, including cyanotoxins.

Cyanotoxins fall into three broad groups of chemical structure: cyclic peptides, alkaloids, and lipopolysaccharides (LPS).

Cyclic Peptide Toxins (Cyanobacterial Toxins)

Globally, the most frequently found cyanobacterial toxins are the cyclic peptide toxins of the microcystin and nodularin family. They are water soluble and are unable to penetrate directly the lipid membranes of animal, plant, and bacterial cells. Therefore, to elicit their toxic effect, uptake into cells occurs through membrane transporters that otherwise carry essential biochemicals or nutrients. This restricts the target organ range in mammals largely to the liver.

Location, Light, Temperature, and pH

Mass occurrences of neurotoxic cyanobacteria have been reported from North America, Europe, and Australia, where they have caused animal poisonings. Cyanobacteria produce most toxins under conditions that are most favorable for their growth.

Continue reading“Water Treatment Options: How to Avoid Poisoning From Toxins- Part 2, by AJS”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

2

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 antique Winchester rifles. (See the Tangibles Investing section.)

 

Precious Metals:

Gold Bounces As Fed Chair Powell Caves

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Love. Fear. Inflation…A Precious Metals’ Trifecta

 

Economy & Finance:

A fair assessment of America’s present-day financial pickle, by Gary Christenson: The Approaching Storm

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John Mauldin: A Worldwide Debt Default Is A Real Possibility

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At Zero Hedge:  Three More Strikes Against Social Security’s Already-Dismal Batting-Average

 

Stocks & Bonds:

Next, over at Seeking Alpha: Why I’m Selling Tesla Shares

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Treacherous Times for Bond Funds Ahead

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Thursday – November 29, 2018

1

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:

47

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.

o o o

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.

o o o

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

7

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

o  o  o

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:

7

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:”