This weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.
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An astute video essay from The Patriot Nurse: How To Prepare For Civil War.
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How a Perfect Storm Sent Church Insurance Rates Skyrocketing.
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An inspiring essay: The Value of an Aged Human Being.
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Reader L.M. wrote, in response to two recent SurvivalBlog articles on trailers:
“A couple of decades ago, I acquired a 12′ utility box (‘service-body’) from a heavy truck dismantler.
These style beds have multiple compartments along each side. Its former vehicle was a tandem axle truck for a utility company. The purchase included the vehicle frame.
I fabricated a bumper-pull hitch using 2″ thick-wall square tube, identical to the material in any standard hitch.
To reduce the potential for theft, I fabricated an extended stinger and receiver on the trailer, so the stinger could be removed by sliding out the hitch-pin, then sliding out the 3′ of stinger.
In appearance, the front of the trailer was identical to any hitch on the rear of any pick-up truck, just reversed.
The foundation vehicle probably had a GVWR in excess of thirty tons, so its frame was substantial.
I fabricated two 10,000-pond axles with electric brakes and 19.5 tires/wheels.
First use, we were up in the woods foraging downed trees.
We loaded the trailer, and I started off. And at the first bump, the hitch popped off the ball. We watched the trailer gracefully trundle down the hill into a gully. We scampered down, and established a rhomba line to unload our wood and get it back to level ground. We winched the trailer back up to the road, re-loaded our precious cargo, and slowly headed home.
In the shop, I immediately torch-cut off the ball-hitch section, and fabricated a ring and pintle. Instead of the failed Oregon-required ‘safety cables’, I visited our local-owned family-operated logger supply for chain rated at 12,000-pounds, plus D-rings rated at 24,000 pounds.
Any time we used that trailer, we solemnly invoked the magic words: “That puppy ain’t going no place!”
With minor modifications, that was also an early ExpeditionTrailer. I fabricated a lumber rack for surfboards, holders for SCUBA tanks, and plenty of water in my five-gallon stainless-steel retired Pepsi© kegs.
We dragged it all over Baja California, and to Central American beaches with our caravan chums.
Did I happen to mention the name of that gulch on our wood-collecting trip? “Skunk Hollar.”
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An essay by Vince Coyner, over at The American Thinker: Freeing America From The Shackles Of Big Government.
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Mike in Alaska wrote:
“The summer was here last week with temps into the mid-80s… and rain like the ocean was falling out of the sky too … evenings are down into the mid-50s and my wife is totally frustrated with the greenhouse garden.
Winter is just a few weeks away now, and I fear that the next election will either be rigged as was the last one, and I’m certain many others, or a black swan event will surpass it and there will not be an election. I pray that almighty God will protect and bless you all richly. I pray the grace of Christ upon your family and all you endeavor to accomplish.”
From the leftist ABC News: Massachusetts governor signs bill cracking down on hard-to-trace ‘ghost guns’. JWR’s Comments: This package of anti-gun legislation is horrendous, making the state the most restrictive in the country. I urge my Massachusets readers: Vote With Your Feet! There is plenty of room, freedom, and opportunity for you in The American Redoubt.
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J.R.G. sent this, regarding the recent article on bugout trailers, by Lodge Pole:
“A great affordable accessory for work & bugout uses. Some additional opinion on covering trailer for elevated tent – protected storage for trailer contents.
Here is a CAD rendering of what a 15’ long cattle panel (5’ ends on bed) dimensions would yield. Two panels overlapped on bed would stiffen it considerably and offer additional items to be tied through panel for even more storage. The cover (dashed line) can have blankets – insulation between panel and outside cover if desired. But I’m not sure how it would stay in place during a highway-speed drive!
A storage tool box above the tongue in front along with a spare tire might also be considered. Also, a scissor jack for faster tire changing, inside the box.”
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Reader L.E. offered these comments on the recent wildfires and the economy:
“A great many people may simply give up and opt out after having their homes, farms and equipment, crops, and animals destroyed by wildfire. There will be fewer deer, elk, antelope et cetera available for subsistence hunting this fall, winter rains will cause mudslides and erosion, silt and ash will clog streams and lakes, reducing edible fish populations. Homeowners/crop insurance having been nonexistent-unaffordable for some, or may be slow in arriving (if you thought Oregon’s unemployment application systems are bad, wait until you have to apply for wildfire assistance) and cattle lost to wildfire cannot be enumerated or replaced easily.
The aging farmer or rancher living on a knife-edge of profit may decide it’s all not worth it anymore and we may see more property being auctioned off. Loans and debts to the John Deere dealership, or the annual debt to Syngenta or whatever seed provider is mandated may come due with no current payback from the farmer, so the dealership lays off a salesman or mechanic, less diesel fuel for the equipment is needed, so the Cenex sells less and lays off one more person, now fewer property taxes are being paid to the state/county, and this disaster dominoes all the way down to the kid who gets laid off who was previously working at the fast food place where the Mexican farm laborers used to stop to get their breakfast sandwiches before heading to the field or factory, so even at the bottom rung the pain is felt.
And this does not even begin to touch homeowners who lose their homes and cars in a wildfire. There are only so many able-bodied construction workers to help rebuild, and the cost of labor, housing on site for the workers, lumber, and associated supplies costs, so if these folks depart from the burned regions and do not return and rebuild, they aren’t going to be Paying that mortgage or those property taxes, or buying groceries or gas, or electricity, or water/sewer, or eating out, so the providers of these services may have to reduce staff. Plus now that there are fewer beef cattle, poultry, hay, corn, wheat, potatoes et cetera available having been lost to the fires, guess what-food prices will rise again this fall.”
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And to round out today’s column, Tom Christianson suggested this: Musket Balls Fired in Early Revolutionary War Battle Unearthed in Concord.
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