This weekly column is a collection of short snippets: 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. We may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.
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We’ll start out today’s column with a caption for the photo, above. It is not a prop from the 1984 John Milius movie Red Dawn. Rather, it is a recent photo from Ukraine, where an immobilized Russian BMP-3 was tagged by a Ukrainian fighter — or perhaps a teen loyalist. Given the global nature of pop culture and movie-viewing, I suppose this was inevitable. Yes, life imitates art. A hat tip to my friend Commander Zero of the Notes From The Bunker blog who posted this photo several days before I did. Oh, and I pseudo-scientifically estimate an 87% chance that you grinned when you saw this photo, and a 71% chance that it made you chuckle.
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Reader F.J. sent us this: Survivalist who faked death to avoid trial is found after six years.
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Well, it is now official, despite our protests: at the ATF website, 364-pages of new bureaucratic “frame or receiver” rules, without any action by congress. We now have just 120 days to lay in our lifetime supply of unserialized 80%-complete rifle and pistol frames. I expect most dealers to sell out within a few days, so jump on what you need, NOW! Apparently, AR uppers will thankfully be grandfathered. They won’t have to be serialized, and they can still be transferred across state lines without going through an FFL. It will still be just AR lowers that are considered “firearms.” However, any newly-produced 80% receivers and frames, or any that are in the hands of an FFL holder for more than a day have to be serialized.
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Mike in Alaska recommended this 27-minute video, by a fellow ham operator: Survival Radio & Emergency Communications Ukraine.
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Lily spotted this news story: A 7-foot-tall robot at Dallas Love Field is watching for unmasked travelers and curbside loiterers.
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A piece by David Deming, over at the Lew Rockwell site: Our Underground Future.
Ivermectin on its way to becoming available without prescription in Tennessee.
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St. Funogas had some comments on recent articles, and a suggestion for a article topic:
“Kudos to P.F. for his recent A Home Perimeter and Defense Model For The Prepared, I only wish it could have been a 5-part series. It would be nice to see more articles along the lines of realistic perimeter defense methods for a TEOTWAWKI world. While there are plenty of articles on home defense, there aren’t too many on the equally important topic of perimeter defense. Several articles along this line from different authors to get different perspectives would be ideal.
Another article I would really like to see is one on using a .22 [rimfire] rifle in perimeter defense, not in close-up situations but more from a distance. I know, it’s a laughable topic for gun aficionados but for many of us, we’ve been shooting .22s since grade school and are not only much more proficient with them, but we also have 35,000 rounds of .22 ammo stacked away and can afford to do a lot of target shooting with them. Most of us recreational shooters have a lot fewer of the larger rounds and many like me have scaled back target practice shooting with them due to the high cost of ammo. Yes, there are 217 reasons why you wouldn’t want to be in a gunfight with a lowly .22, but many of us will be exactly that position once the deer-hunting (poor man’s sniper rifle) ammo runs out. So, how can we be the most effective with a .22 rifle? While it may only give an attacker a major headache, stomach ache, or eliminate his reproductive capability, it would still be better than nothing.
Also, kudos to Pat Cascio for his review articles on firearms. They’re a very useful archived database when one needs the info. When upgrading my 9mm pistol last month I narrowed it down to three models based on the gun shop’s recommendations, then checked Pat’s reviews to make my final decision. He had written reviews on all three of them so it’s a very practical database for SB readers to use when purchasing a firearm of any sort. Thanks, Pat!”
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Mark was the first of several readers to suggest a piece about the World Economic Forum by comedian and political commentator J.P. Sears.
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There are some useful lessons for backcountry travel in arid country in an 18-minite video that was sent to us by SaraSue: Nephew of Indiana couple found in Nevada shares details of their ordeal. SaraSue’s Comments: “I thought this was an important story. The nephew gives the details. Sadly the husband died from dehydration, but his wife survived. There are lessons to be learned from the perils of counting on GPS mapping rather than a physical map, to always having water and snacks with you. Fortunately, the couple were Christians and the husband is with the Lord.”
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Andre suggested this lengthy and fairly credible article published by Popular Mechanics: Inside the Pentagon’s Secret UFO Program. JWR’s Comments: One of the key things that I learned in my years in the intelligence community is: When you hear or read something, first consider the source. And if you doubt the legitimacy of the source, then dig in and determine who is paying them, how much, and from what pot of money. Following the money often tells you much more than following the facts, or following the actors, or from analyzing the metadata or parametric data, or from attempting to pick genuine tidbits out of what might be dezinformatsiya or propaganda.
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This piece at American Partisan is quite useful: Communicate Like A Canary, by Jessie Blaine. (Our thanks to Tim J., for the link.)
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C.M.D. had these observations from his trip to the recent Tulsa Gun Show:
“A couple of observations from last weekend:
- SKS prices between $675 to over $1,000 each
- AK prices starting at $1,000 and up (even for cheap ‘80s imports) – highest price I saw was $8,000 for never fired Norinco in original box
- Most dealers had not relaxed their ammo prices to match recent price reductions/supply increases
- US Silver Eagles [one-ounce U.S. Mint coins] were around $40 each.
- Lots of high-dollar Browning shotguns for sale!
- Lots of WWII firearms, but people were asking top dollar for everything.”
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Reader A. suggested this video: The Incredible Logistics of Grocery Stores.
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Tim in Connecticut wrote:
“I see no way forward for those who are heavily invested in the 401k system as the principle means for their retirement investments. The political class will eventually confiscate those funds and foist upon us an IOU system analogous to the Social Security Ponzi scheme.
They will probably use the upcoming financial meltdown as the means to segue into such a system, while informing citizens that this will be the only way to save the country and besides, they don’t have access to their funds until retirement anyway.”
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From reader C.B.: Microplastics found in lung tissue from live human beings for the first time.
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And, lastly, blog reader A.K. suggested this: Mud season nightmare: A VPR host was stranded for seven hours on a rural road. She barely survived.
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