The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

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 “JWR”. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. Today, we look at rising interest in homeschooling.

Coastal Oregon Preppers React to Pandemic

First up, over at MIT Technology Review: They were waiting for the Big One. Then coronavirus arrived.

Senator Blumenthal Reintroduces Ghost Gun Ban Bill

S.O.G. sent this, about S.3743: Democratic senators introduce bill to ban ‘ghost’ guns amid pandemic. Here is analysis of the bill, by the Guns and Gadgets vlog: The Untraceable Firearms Act of 2020 (No More AR/AK Builds?) Take the time to read the text of the bill.

Oklahoma Now Has the Nation’s First Anti-Red Flag Law

Reader D.S.V. sent us this, at The Truth About Guns: Oklahoma Now Has the Nation’s First Anti-Red Flag Law. I loved this included quote from bill sponsor Jay Steagall:

“I find it impossible for any red-flag law to respect due process or the presumption of innocence until proven guilty,” he said. “I have taken the oath to protect our Constitution seven times throughout my 22 years of service and nine deployments in the military, an oath that I take very seriously. I will not stand idly by and let this freedom be stripped from us.”

JWR’s Comment:  This should be considered model legislation. Please contact your state legisltors, and ask them to clone this bill!

Thousands Defer Plans to Leave the Military During Crisis

From The Associated Press: Thousands defer plans to leave the military during crisis. A tidbit from teh article:

“As of last week, the Army had already exceeded its retention goal of 50,000 soldiers for the fiscal year ending in September, re-enlisting more than 52,000 so far. And the other services have also met or are closer than planned to their target numbers. The influx of people re-enlisting will offset any shortfalls in recruiting, which has been hampered by the outbreak. And that will help the services meet their total required troop levels for the end of the year.”

H.R. 5717: 30% Gun Tax, 50% Ammo Tax, and AR-15 Ban

Our Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio suggested this article, over at The Gun Study web site:  H.R. 5717: 30% Gun Tax, 50% Ammo Tax, and AR-15 Ban. Please contact both of your U.S. Senators and your Representative, and remind them that you oppose this bill and all anti-gun legislation.

More Families Converting to Homeschooling

CBN reports: Homeschool Converts: Poll Shows Vast Number of US Families Might Keep Kids at Home Now. A quote:

“The nationwide lockdowns may lead to a bigger shift in the way American families do school. A new RealClear Opinion Research poll of 2,122 registered voters reveals a big increase in parents who might keep homeschooling their children after the pandemic ends, and many more support having educational choices.

The poll shows that 40 percent of families are more likely to use homeschooling or virtual school education after lockdown restrictions are lifted. And 64 percent support having the choice of a public or private school, according to The American Federation for Children.”

And here is an article on the same theme, at Reason, by John Stossel: Homeschooling Thrives in the Face of Coronavirus. (Thanks to D.S.V., for the link.)

Louisville Police Raid Wrong Home, Kill Homeowner

Reader D.S.V. sent us this troubling news: Plainclothes Louisville Police Raid Wrong Home, Shoot Homeowner Eight Times, Killing Her.

The RCMP’s Botched Response in Nova Scotia

Reader  L.W. sent us this: The Nova Scotia shooting encapsulates all that’s wrong with the RCMP.  A snippet:

“Leather, who started out as a street cop in a regional force outside Toronto, joined the Mounties and became what is known in the force as a ‘carpet cop.’ He moved his way up through federal policing and the corridors of power in Ottawa to be appointed last November as head of operations in Nova Scotia. He was in charge of the police on the ground.”

And reader C.B. sent us a link to a related piece: LEGAL GUN OWNERS ARE SCAPEGOATS: RCMP should have investigated Nova Scotia shooter.

11 Firefighters Injured After L.A. Explosion

And lastly, linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: 11 firefighters injured, multiple buildings damaged after explosion in downtown L.A.

You can send your news tips to JWR. (Either via e-mail of via our Contact form.) Thanks!




26 Comments

  1. I used to ‘ trust ‘ the internet to give me’ factual information.’ That apparently, is no longer the case. Very depressing to read/hear about the ” dog and pony ” show going on in DC,aided by the media. I am aware of very little factual information and must depend on what I can see/hear from other sorces like Survival Blog. This is not the America I grew up in. Is anyone else out there as discouraged as I am????????
    Yampa Smith

    1. Hi Yampa: I guess I’ve gotten used to it, after listening to Rush for a few years. I haven’t trusted the MSM for many, many years. If you have time read “The Rape of the Mind,” the use of media to mislead the public began right after WWII with our “leaders” using the media to influence the public in the direction they wanted us to go. And they use the techniques of the Nazi’s and Communists.

      1. Actually it started before WWI, however a few years later Edward Bernays worked on the Committee for Public Information. He helped the Woodrow Wilson Administration promote the idea that US efforts in World War I were intended to bring democracy to Europe. He was associated with Wilson’s Censorship Board (George Creel). In the 1930’s, Goebbels read and used Bernay’s books in his role with the German Reich .

    2. About that homeschooling survey: There were two separate questions, one about homeschooling (with about 600 polled) and a second more general question about “school choice” that surveyed 2,000-plus.

      So even though it appears a survey of 2,000 showed two-thirds approve of homeschooling, they don’t. They approve of school choice. About 600 were surveyed about home-based education to which 40 percent support it and 30 percent hate it.

      Now you know.

    3. Definitely very discouraged. I saw the direction of the MSM about 12 years ago when they started fawning over Obama the Traitor and started getting my info from carefully selected websites, including SurvivalBlog and the links contained herein. I was raised in a very patriotic family but I have lost confidence that any President can do more than slow the spread of cancerous socialism at this point. I live in one of the most freedom-minded states left in the Union and even here the tide is turning more towards government overreach and nanny-statism. I feel like all my efforts to be self-reliant are meaningless, possibly even dangerous, when some do-gooder or person with a grudge might put my life at risk with an anonymous “tip” that I might have 2 cans of beans instead of the 1 I am permitted.

      1. Did you forget the snow job they pulled when Reagan got caught commiting TREASON by conspiring with Iran to hold the hostages then sent Ollie North to trade drugs for guns to run a illegal war and death squads and surface to air missiles to Afghanistan? The way they fawned all over the CIA drug runners from Mena,Arkansas and inventors of the Arkanside-the Clintons. Tom Fitton is one of the few true journalists left.

    4. I posted this a couple weeks ago. Bears repeating. We were never given the straight scoop.

      The article’s name is “Who decides what is news? (Hint: It’s not journalists.)”. The author is Walter Karp, who wrote quite a lot about things the deep state wanted kept hidden.

      Three articles about him and a short bibliography follow:

      http://web.archive.org/web/20130511183052/http://www.lewrockwell.com/dieteman/dieteman102.html

      http://www.antiwar.com/stromberg/s013100.html

      https://www.thornwalker.com/ditch/empire.htm#backtotext4

      https://www.thornwalker.com/ditch/karp_toc.htm

      Carry on in grace

  2. Interesting educational video of how gun laws are enforced:

    SWAT Team Raids Home, Arrests Former Marine On Weapons Charges In Irvine
    (YouTube Video)
    ONSCENE TV
    May 20, 2020
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97yOXNHZRew
    Duration – 11:15

    “05.20.2020 | 5:56 AM | IRVINE – An FBI SWAT team executed a search warrant and arrested a former Marine on weapons charges, Wednesday morning.”

    No Helicopter evident, I guess they had drone support?

      1. Apparently he dared to exercise his Second Amendment rights inside the borders of the People’s Republic of California. Oh, and his surname is Fong. So apparently the Feds disliked that character, in my novels.

    1. After watching this video [disgusting] of American rights taken… If he lived in any other state this would’ve never happened, my wife and family are now implementing a tactical training regimen into our homesteading progress. We may have to “help” Californians someday, because the fight will surely never come to the Redoubt.

      God Bless….

  3. Speaking of Constitutional Rights- Minnesota governor allows 50 people in restaurants but limits churches to 10
    Note to Claire Wolfe- now it’s time !

    1. Pretty well negates that argument that people are trying to use that limiting church service is ok because they were being treated the same as everyone else, doesn’t it?

  4. Our Oklahoma law is decent. It could be improved upon for those looking to do something similar. We’ve taken a lot of steps getting to where we are.
    A post on the new law over on another “Truth” site had real negative commentary and primarily from people living in places with bad laws. They all claim to be pro 2A but their actions and comments showed otherwise.
    Remember even baby steps are still progress in a direction.

  5. I was actually encouraged by the MIT Tech Review article. It was generally balanced, calm and seemed to make good points about preparedness as a positive community trait. Refreshing, considering what has generally been published by some outlets.

  6. Yeah with unemployment the way it is staying in the military another hitch isn’t a bad idea. It’s good for the military keeping experienced folks too. For those that get out I hope they stay reserve/guard. Active duty always bring a lot to the table in part time units with knowledge of new equipment and other things.

      1. That’s pretty cool!
        There’s things I strive to do like never missing the chance to pet a dog, love my woman or make a child smile

  7. Re:More Families Converting to Homeschooling
    Now, if those without kids and those who choose to homeschool could get free of the burden of school taxes. The only thing I want from my local school district is to plow my road after it snows, which was a condition of the 1/2 acre they demanded as tribute.
    I don’t feel any civic duty to finance the “education” of anyone else’s kids.

    1. Why would the school district plow snow? That is absolutely the job of the Highway/Road district and is paid for everytime you get gas. The Plandemic has made it clear the schools are obsolete,fire 50% of teachers,80% of bureaucrats,bulldoze most buildings and reduce taxes by 75%+. For real education can I recommend “The Great Courses” educational programs.

  8. RE: latest Commie/Demo/Soc/Leftist/Progressive anti-2A proposed legislation….I wonder. Should we really let them be jerking us around at every unconstitutional daydream they have? What was the intent of the Second Amendment? I would venture to guess that we are currently the best armed civilian population in history. Thank you Founders! They gave us the tools, but can’t give us the courage…
    I know it’s not simple – definitely not easy (it wasn’t easy for Nathan Hale and the boys either), but I’m sick of being threatened. It seems every week I get a letter from the NRA begging for money, “or they will TAKE AWAY your gun rights!!!”. Well…let’s see, our courageous Founders gave us the means to say NO! You KNOW that the haters of Freedom will gain the decisive advantage eventually – they’re very persistent! At that time, we must say NO!, or give up what’s left of Freedom forever. Better think!
    Speaking of our Founders, Boston T. Party (Kenneth Royce) wrote, “…They had the soul, but needed better gear. We have the gear, but need stronger soul.” (Boston’s GUn Bible, back cover). Ironically,THEY gave us the gear!
    I know…it’s not simple, it’s not easy. But just maybe, we should start sending a different message than, “please don’t take our guns”. Something like, “We are productive, law-abiding Americans, and want nothing more than to die free in our own beds at 90+. But if you persist in your tyrannical, anti-Constitutional attempts to legislate away basic Freedoms, regretfully, we will be forced to employ the Second Amendment, as intended by our noble Founders. So help us God!”
    Would appreciate a voice…NRA?? GOA???
    Just a thought.

  9. Wyo and the rest should pay for the Homeschooling like Duke Pesta’s or Ron Paul Curriculum.
    Cue Pink Floyd Wall, “We don’t need no indoctrination”. “Teacher, leave those kids alone!”.

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