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. The emphasis today is on net metering.

Idaho (Net Metering)

First up: Idaho Power seeks changes for solar customers. JWR’s Comments: The power utilities don’t like seeing home power meters running backwards.  Doing away with net metering is a slap in the face of thousands of customers. These are folks who each invested tens of thousands of dollars. They did so in anticipation of the equipment gradually paying for itself. Without net metering, their investment would probably be a net loss. Changing the rules in the middle of the game is just disreputable.

o o o

Also in Idaho: Boise neighbors tackle, pin driver after hit-and-run spree

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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”. Venezuela is again making the news with their constitutional assembly.

Your Money — Frozen

Imagine your hard earned money, deposited in a bank and frozen— right when you need to pay your mortgage. Are you prepared for such an eventuality? The European Union states are considering measures which would allow them to temporarily stop people from withdrawing money from their bank accounts to prevent bank runs. The given reason is to keep banks from failing, but it may have the opposite effect. Would you keep your money in a bank that is on the verge of failing? I wouldn’t! If I know my bank is on shaky ground, pffft, I’m gone! Thanks to reader D.S. for the link.

Building a Bridge Over a Creek

One of our favorite vloggers, Wranglerstar has wrapped up his series on building a bridge over a creek that is strong enough to drive a tractor over. It is a nine part series starting on June 29th. If you have a similar problem, you definitely need to watch this series. Note that if it will hold a tractor the size of his, you can drive a car over it as well.

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Springfield Armory’s XDe 9mm, by Pat Cascio

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The newest handgun in the XD line-up of Springfield Armory line-up is the compact XDe 9mm. I’ve been a huge fan of their XD line since the first one came out well over a dozen years ago. I purchased the first one I saw. It was used, and it looked “oh-so-GLOCKish” with a green polymer frame. But it was much more overbuilt than a Glock. And none of the parts will interchange with a Glock either. My first, but not my last, XD functioned with everything except Remington UMC bulk .40 S&W 180-gr FMJ ammo. I had numerous rounds that would not even chamber in that XD. And this isn’t an isolated case, either. Other handguns in 9mm and .45 ACP also had problems with this Remington ammo. I’ve even had primers installed backwards and sideways in this ammo, so I steer completely clear of it, period!

The Springfield Armory XD Line-up

Springfield Armory has a complete line-up in the XD line, starting with the original XD, which was a full-sized handgun. Then, there is the XDm. The “m” supposedly stood for “More”, I guess. Then we hand the XDs, which was a subcompact gun available in 9mm, .40 S&W, and even .45 ACP. The “m” model was also chambered in those calibers, and all were striker-fired, too, because that’s been the trend for quite a few years now. The “m” model has a better feel to it in the grip area than the original XD, and the trigger reset was shorter, too. With the XDs line, the trigger pull was short and a bit stiff, and all guns have the trigger bar safety in the face of the trigger. We also have the XD Mod.2 now, which is a very, very nice gun!

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Recipe of the Week: Squash for Breakfast, by M.R.

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Hang in there. Don’t gag on me. If you like yellow squash, you will love this. These are a low carb version of potato pancakes or potato hash browns. If you know me, I say that these are amazing! It’s much easier to pick squash than dig potatoes. When the squash are making, we are usually overrun with them. I usually cook six strips of bacon and use the grease from those to cook my squash pancakes.

Ingredients

  • 12 cups yellow squash, grated
  • 3 eggs
  • onion powder, to taste
  • flour (enough to make squash stick together; depends on how wet your squash is)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • butter or bacon grease (for pan frying)

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Economics & Investing For Preppers

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Here are the latest 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 registered Class 3 machineguns. (See the Tangibles Investing section, near the end of this column.)

Precious Metals:

Gold Prices Will Be ‘Explosive,’ Just Wait and See – Jim Rogers

o  o  o

As of July 31st, the trend line for spot silver is looking encouraging. I hope that SurvivalBlog readers stocked up when silver was lower. If you didn’t, then buy now, before the next market crisis. (I predict that the next global crisis will send silver soaring to $35+ per ounce.)

Commodities:

Is Big Oil planning its Funeral by ignoring the obvious?

o  o  o

The boom in coffee prices is continuing. As preppers, we need to watch commodities prices closely, to be better able to time our purchases of physical goods, both for our own use and for barter.  This might be our last chance (at least for several years) to stock up on freeze dried coffee at a reasonable price.

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The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“I will accept the rules that you feel necessary to your freedom. I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.” – Robert A. Heinlein, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

Preparedness Notes for Sunday – July 30, 2017

Today we remember the birthday of author Reginald Bretnor. He was born Alfred Reginald Kahn on July 30, 1911, in Vladivostok. He died on July 22, 1992 in Medford, Oregon. In addition to penning many witty science fiction novels and short stories in his characteristic style, he also wrote nonfiction articles for Mel Tappan’s P.S. Letter

Guest Article: The MVT Lite Fight Concept- Part 2, by Max Alexander

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We’ve covered the first two components of the MVT Lite Fight Concept —Lite Hydration Pack (LHP) and plate carrier. However, I haven’t wrapped up my comments relating to plates. Here are my notes:

Ballistic Plates:

  • There is a persistent tomfoolery about steel plates. These are heavy, suffer badly from spalling (ever shot a steel target; you are wearing one). You cannot navigate while wearing them (magnetic compass). In the winter it would be like wearing a refrigerator.
  • Ceramic/hybrid plates are criticized for needing a little more care, like not throwing them off the back of your truck lest they crack (which in itself does not make them ineffective) and for not being as “multi-hit” as steel. I don’t throw my optics or night vision or radios off the back of my truck either.
  • Ceramic/hybrid plates are in fact multi-hit and due to the weight savings are a considerable investment in protection and mobility versus steel.
  • The idea that steel will take so many more hits is a silliness rooted in lack of combat experience. The idea of ballistic plates is to cover vital organs in the event that you are unfortunate enough to take hits. There are plenty of places outside of the plate coverage where you can also get hit and it will wound or kill you. Are you expecting to survive multiple contacts with rounds pinging off your steel plates? If you are lucky enough to defeat a round due to wearing ceramic plates, it does not make the plate suddenly ineffective, and you should consider yourself lucky to walk away. In terms of multiple hits on and near to the plate, if the plate allows you to survive wounded but not killed, consider yourself lucky.
  • You will make your own decisions regarding ballistic plates. Given the whole thrust of this MVT Lite Fight concept, I do not recommend steel plates as an option.
  • One of the reasons to keep a PC with mags on the front is part of the gear concept on the ramp up to full combat conditions – in terms of home invasion or similar scenario you can quickly put on the PC, which will give you ammo to feed your rifle and protection in a CQB environment. This also applies to emergency “stand-to” in the combat environment, where you roll out of bed, don the PC, and grab your rifle to defend the home base. Too much gear and strappage to deal with will slow you down.

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Letter Re: Eclipse TEOTWAWKI

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Hugh,

The coming tsunami of city folk to the small towns of the Redoubt would be a good time to practice your prepping skills. You should be sure to have an extra gas can filled. Keep your water hoses at the ready. Make a grocery run a few days before.

The visitors will arrive in hordes, ill prepared for hot weather, lack of food, water, toilet facilities, gas, or medical facilities. Fights will break out. When some idjit tries to hike down the road for a better viewing spot and trespasses on some retired/unemployed logger’s or rancher’s property and starts a fire to roast weinies or s’mores, and he comes out with a shotgun, what then? When someone’s wife goes into early labor from heat and stress, or somebody’s kid gets hurt, or some old dude has a coronary from heat stress trying to put up the tent and the ambulance can’t get through or is 50 miles down the road on another call what then?

And of course 5 minutes after the eclipse is over they will all want to leave at the same time. I wonder, will folks pull together for the temporary greater good, or will it be me first and the heck with you, I need gas/water/food and I’m takin’ yours. – LE

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”. Venezuela continues to make news as the country continues its slide into oblivion

Stingray Usage

Reader H.L. sent in this article showing that 3G and 4G LTE networks are just as prone to stingray phone tracking due to some recently discovered vulnerabilities. Hackers revealed the findings at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas. They describe a cryptographic flaw in the protocol which allows the devices to connect with the cell operator. It’s a sad day when you realize that your government is in the same class as those hackers.

Food Supply

Americans and Europeans are not the only ones that are unrealistic about the food supply. It also appears that it is a world-wide problem. Reader T.J. sent in this video of a prank in a Brazilian supermarket where there is a “box” and the chef puts a live pig in, turns a crank and sausage comes out the other side. As amusing as all the reactions are, just where do these people who like sausage think it comes from? People are really disconnected from the actual food supply. I completely understand the predictions of mass starvation should the trucks quit rolling.

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The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” Acts 9:1-6 (KJV)

Guest Article: The MVT Lite Fight Concept- Part 1, by Max Alexander

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This is a follow-up contribution to the two gear posts: The Practical Application of Tactical Gear, Load, and Weight Considerations and Gear System: Philosophy, Set Up, Use, Fitness & Mindset. And as such, it should be read in combination with those posts. Notice that I have updated the gear photo from the one that I used in those posts.

There is not a huge difference between the gear displayed. There’s merely a different rifle and Lite Hydration Pack, plus I have added the helmet to the mix for purposes to be explained below. This illustrates the point that this post is not about specific brands of gear but rather the MVT Lite Fight concept that I have been advocating in these various blog posts.

It’s in the Details

In this post, I will be making some detailed comments. This post is specifically about putting all this gear together for wear during combat conditions. We won’t be able to cover the ground in detail about how you will escalate, or combine, or choose items of gear to escalate your everyday carry as a response to increased threats. That was covered in detail in the two linked posts above.  This post is about putting this MVT Lite Fight concept together when the threat is extant, we are conducting combat operations, the hammer already dropped, the balloon went up, and there are possibly bad guys in the wire. You are conducting active home base defense/ground domination activity. This does not mean you lose all flexibility. You still have the option of combining or dropping items, depending on the mission, terrain, duration, distance, and weather.

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