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 polo shirts and AR-15s.

Slow Earthquakes in Cascadia are Predictable

Reader C.B. spotted this over at Phys.org: Slow earthquakes in Cascadia are predictable.

Armed Couple Fends Off Gate-Smashing Rioters

Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: Armed St. Louis couple who defended their home from angry mob speaks out. JWR’s Comment:  I wonder if he picked that pink polo shirt, so that the rioters would think he was a sensitive AR-15 owner. You know what they say… Guys who are secure in their masculinity, don’t shun wearing pink.

Moldova Shuts Down Bootleg Helicopter Factory

Our Editor-At-Large Mike Williamson sent this: Moldova Shuts Down Bootleg Helicopter Factory

Elk Lives Matter?

Reader D.S.V. suggested this news: Portland Rioters Torch 120-Year-Old Elk Statue. JWR’s Comment: Must have been because of perceived Cervidae Privilege, or something…

A Study of Face Mask Effectiveness

Face mask construction, materials matter for containing coughing, sneezing droplets

Ghislaine Maxwell Arrested

I generally shy away from tabloid headlines, but this is actually newsworthy: Ghislaine Maxwell Arrested, May Be Sent To Same Jail Where Epstein ‘Killed Himself’

Hydroxychloroquine: Fewer COVID-19 Deaths

Another from D.S.V. to be filed under “No Great Surprise”: Study finds COVID-19 patients who took hydroxychloroquine were less likely to die

Biden and Dems Are Set to Abolish the Suburbs

Over at Jim Quinn’s The Burning Platform: Biden and Dems Are Set to Abolish the Suburbs. (A hat tip to H.L. for the link.)

Practical Infrared Images

And yet another from D.S.V.: How Infrared Images Could Be Part of Your Daily Life. JWR’s Comment: As preppers, we should think in terms of checking the insulation of houses, as well as intrusion detection, for retreat security.

Thomas Sowell at 90: Understanding Race and Culture Around the World

Reader H.L. recommended this article at the Capitalism magazine web site: Thomas Sowell at 90: Understanding Race and Culture Around the World

Costco Cutting Senior Shopping Hours

C.B.. sent us this: Costco to cut senior shopping hours to twice a week.

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




34 Comments

  1. At the beginning of this I advised people to get an actual half face or whole face respirator like the ones from 3m or MSA etc. I was told I was nuts (I’m still on my first set of filters) I told people to get a good set of goggles the safety ones and or NIOSH safety wraparound glasses.
    I was shouted down

    Now there have been riots (you don’t need to be in a riot to have to deal with the gas and smoke blowing around you home)

    I made mention of being careful and dressing in a way that keeps your identity yours (respirator mirrored glasses cowboy or other broad brimmed hat long sleeves gloves etc…. (Kinda felt like it went ungraded by most)

    Pointed out that there is several options for full coverage or majority coverage LVL 3 soft armor and again kinda was met as a loon.

    If any one had followed (or was in position to have followed) they would find that they are Infact already prepared for the thermal camera new assault.

    The soft armor works great at messing up those cameras. I have been asked to step off to the side because my heat signatures “weren’t right we need to scan your fore head”

    And I might add that the little bit more padding from the kevlar hat prolly saved my life from that skateboard strike I took.

  2. Elk Lives Matter – [that statue] reminds the liberal snowflake of hunters with guns living and enjoying life. They spend a lot of their hard-earned money from good jobs to accomplish such a hunt. Nice trucks, ATVs, riding mules and horses in scenery that’s breathtaking in clothes that keep ya warm n dry and sometimes even look good. Having friends and companions that’ll help you with a kill and laugh around the nice trailers and tents. Warming your feet against the campfire while relaxing under the stars.
    Happiness is the main thing they can’t stand because they are so miserable never laughing except at someone or the plight of someone.
    Yeah, they hate any symbol of it. So y’all keep up the good work in enjoying life.

  3. “Armed Couple Fends Off Gate-Smashing Rioters“
    What makes the unique is how it scared everyone. It scared America as a whole because it is different. They’ve come to expect the 3%er in full kit playing dress up to brace and pose. This was different.
    This going sideways is how the race/political war starts. You want the Balkans? This is the spark of how to get the Balkans in America.
    Even the “protestors” realized it and backed off pushing everyone out into the street.
    You can nitpick the actions and appearance to death of the couple but internet narcissism is blinding you to the real picture of what happened.

    1. Hey Matt in OK….I do agree with your assessment. Did the couple look like they needs some weapons training? Yes. They did have some good trigger discipline at first, then the Wife lost it, got close, and put her finger on the trigger. The good point you made is while the mob did threaten their lives, they got off the private property and onto the street. It seems the mob only threatens and destroys what cannot defend itself. Would they have stopped the entire mob? Absolutely not, but none of them wanted to take a bullet for the cause either.

      1. It’s worth noting that the street, the sidewalk , the house, the yard all of that were private property that the mob broke into.

        It is a private gated community. That means it’s all private property even the trash in the trash cans are private property.

        The mob only got in by destroying vandalizing and trespassing

    2. Matt in OK,

      Please forgive my ignorance. What do you mean by “the Balkans”? I looked it up real quick but I am not understanding your sentiment. I ask honestly, not out of sarcasm. Just trying to learn from your sentence.

      In general: Personally, I think the couple deserves grace. I can’t imagine the fear they felt in that moment and hope I never have to. I saw a headline that stated the mayor I believe, wanted to press charges on the couple. Can you imagine? A mob breaks down the gate to your road and they are not arrested but you will be for protecting your property???

      1. The Balkan war. I was there in the 90s even before KFOR. It was different in that it wasn’t just one force vs another force. It was political forces vs everyone and religious forces vs everyone. Best way I can describe it is say the republicans rolled into a medium sized town and killed everyone that wasn’t a republican then next week the Catholics rolled in and killed everyone who wasn’t catholic. In the meantime there’s snipers who I’m not even sure worked for anyone but randomly killed just to stir stuff up. I hope I’m not offending anyone naming republicans or Catholics or snipers. I’m just making examples folks can relate to.
        We have multiple political groups, Antifa, BLM, 3%ers, etc etc etc. and then the folks who are just living that will suffer if it goes off.
        Look up “Selco” and read some of his stuff. He’s more articulate than I and is from there.
        I hope that helps you understand where I’m coming from.

        1. Let’s say this group comes into your neighborhood to remove all who don’t agree:
          https://youtu.be/NzRjsVaqREI
          Then next week another opposing group comes in. How many does that leave? How many skilled people are lost? How many families are lost? I saw people who lived beside each other for generations suddenly kill one another. It can happen here. My neighbor is a dem my other is black my other is Jewish but we all get up and do our thing. Wave to each other and life goes on. Now one of these starts killing folks like me at home for nothing guess what’s gonna happen? I gotta act first right?
          This is how close it was with these “protestors” and this couple.

          1. The guy dressed in black head to toe is a full-on Mall Ninja Poster Child. His web gear looks like it is all fresh off the shelf. Not a scuff on it. And note that he is carrying a Gilboa double-barreled AR. That rifle is about as impractical as you can get. They cost about three times as much as a standard AR. What a monumental waste of money! Uniformly jet black blobs make obvious targets. That violates the fundamentals of camouflage — especially in daylight. (As we’ve noted several times in SuvivalBlog, black is not a color found in nature.) In other videos, we see them route-stepping in nice close-interval Napoleonic rows. Where did they learn their field fundamentals? They might just as well be wearing redcoats. If they ever see actual combat, these poseurs will probably obviously not fare very well.

          2. Matt – thank you for sharing this important video.
            Unfortunately, listening to what their “leader” had to say, these folks appear to be hard core racists. The declaration that they have made is unfortunately opposed to just a race, people of lighter skin color than them…. they are opposed not to some bad ideology, but just an entire race. This is very sad to see. They were also instructed to kill anyone pointing a weapon at them.
            I’m not sure why the “leader” is holding two different AR’s together. This also is sad to see as it demonstrates unequivocal lack of intelligence – not even close to understanding how to use the tool.
            They give a “hail” to “grandmaster jake” at about the 12 minute mark — another alarming sign.
            They are also walking down the road, intentionally blocking traffic, making them de facto lawbreakers. Did they apply for a permit to close the road for a demonstration? It didn’t look like it to me.

            At the 19 minute mark we see them intentionally blocking traffic at an intersection.

            Did we see protective groups in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho doing this? No, they were on the sidewalk being law abiding – setting a good example.

            Sadly, this is a terrible example of frustrated people becoming systemically racist. They are not opposing a bad ideology – they are opposing an entire different race. Towards the end of the video – “look at all dem white people gettin’ outta here” celebrating their alienation of another race.
            This group appears just as bad as the KKK.

      2. Hello LSM,

        I could be wrong, but I expect that when “Matt in OK” referred to “the Balkans” he was making reference to the civil war and break-up of Yugoslavia in the 1990’s. In the SurvivalBlog post today, “Is It Time To Worry”, reference was made to books on that subject by Selco Begovic. I hope that helps in case Matt does not see your question.

  4. The face mask is at best a token. It allows governors to mandate that everyone wear them and then as covid-19 spreads they can say that they did everything they could. It allows them to open businesses but you must wear masks. It allows them to point to people who caught covid-19 or died from it and claim it was because those people ignored their brilliant advice to wear a mask. But the masks are worse the useless to prevent the spread of a virus. If you doubt this ask a smoker friend to take a large draw on a cigarette and put on the mask and exhale. Smoke particles are a 1000 times larger than a virus and the mask will filter ZERO smoke. For another great example of how insufficient the mask is use it to filter water from a suspect source. A “good” water filter will filter out 99.999% of virus and your mask will filter out next to zero of virus and bacteria. Would you use this technique to replace your water filters in your BOB?

    1. That’s not true…..

      Look at how people wear the masks. , And not ONE single infection can be traced back to chin
      Induced covid infections!

      That’s 100 % efficacy right there tell ya what!

    2. You can drive a viral freight train through most of the masks seen on people out and about today… It’s unbelievable. I’m not suggesting that these don’t offer some amount of protection from the sheer force of a cough or sneeze, but gosh…these masks are hardly sufficient for the purposes as stated.

    3. One guy,,,,,,i disagree about masks. Have had a no mask no service rule at my trading post since April ,i have had the vires in mid March ,still having problems,know how and when and who , have had to ban three people from all services ,next gas is 70miles of back country

      Oh well who is John Galt?

      1. I don’t have a problem with any business owner requiring masks. They are CYA so they can say they took all necessary steps to prevent the spread. I have no problem with people choosing to wear a mask, they are afraid and I don’t blame them. My problem is with those in the MSM, healthcare and politics telling us it is the only way to prevent the spread. They know that isn’t true and they don’t care. They are just saying the politically correct thing without regard to the harm they cause. Half of all restaurants will be bankrupt by Nov 3rd. Many other businesses will be bankrupt. All because our “experts” seemingly know nothing OR (more likely) are afraid to speak the truth. This virus will run it’s course. Most everyone in the world WILL get it. Masks, social distancing, washing hands, none of that will prevent it. Until 70% or so of everyone gets it the virus is viable and highly contagious. You can wear a mask 24/7 for the next six months but you will get the virus sooner or later.

        It’s too bad that they don’t work. I compare them to those water filters you see on the survival shows where they take dirt/sand and grass and pour the water through it and declare it to be drinkable. We all know that doesn’t work. It will remove the big lump but none of the virus and bacteria. I would imagine that everyone here knows the standard for filtering water adequately to remove pathogens and it isn’t a piece of cloth. They don’t work, they give you a false sense of security but they do not protect you.

  5. RE: The couple defending their home. The video I watched showed a male in the foreground on a cell phone explaining to “someone” that the couple had guns and was asking permision as for what to do. These rioters are not there for social justice they are being told what to do by handlers. When the time is right those handlers will sacrifice the pawns to obtain their agendas. When that happens the “squad leader-with the phone- will send the pawns in and then he will fade back and bug out to save his own _ss. Don’t think a show of guns will make these pawns come to their senses and back off, they have no common sense, they are sheep that will do what they are told, and have been brainwashed to believe they are badass warriors just like their characters in their video games that they have been playing all their lives. You all are lucky that I HATE typing because I could rant all day on this subject, I will close now and go do something productive with my anger and frustration (like split a cord or two of wood). I keep you all in my prayers and pray for our country, I think our way of life will be victorious, but we will have to EARN it, and hopefully appreciate it enough to not allow it to be leached away from us as it has been in the last 20 years. Yours in Christ.

    1. I’m angry too. I’m sick of the mask topic and sick of demonizing the couple who felt they had to stand their ground, regardless of their imperfect technique. And I’m sick of the mob. Its high time I get my butt in gear and go scrub the heck out of something.

  6. VCC, I agree, most of the protesters are puppets with strings being pulled by the NWO fat cats. If the order comes, they will have no problem getting violent and deadly. I think it is only a matter of time before this starts happening, As has been stated many times, owning a gun is only half the solution, train, practice and stock up on ammo and parts.

  7. From JWR,
    “The guy dressed in black head to toe is a full-on Mall Ninja Poster Child. His web gear looks like it is all fresh off the shelf. Not a scuff on it. And note that he is carrying a Gilboa double-barreled AR. That rifle is about as impractical as you can get. They cost about three times as much as a standard AR. What a monumental waste of money! Uniformly jet black blobs make obvious targets. That violates the fundamentals of camouflage — especially in daylight. (As we’ve noted several times in SuvivalBlog, black is not a color found in nature.) In other videos, we see them route-stepping in nice close-interval Napoleonic rows. Where did they learn their field fundamentals? They might just as well be wearing redcoats. If they ever see actual combat, these poseurs will probably obviously not fare very well.”

    JWR,
    I have tremendous respect for you, but I think we would be wise to not underestimate this group. A turn out estimated to be around 300. The black uniforms may not be tactical, but they serve as an intimidation and recruiting tool.
    Comments from a member on AR-15.com;

    “Most of NFAC are veterans of the Marines and Army

    I think the actual leader is an army veteran as well.”

    “I don’t know them from adam, or their stories. But a chunk of those guys have training. It’s obvious if you know how to look.

    You guys better pay attention. Look at this a minute. Forget about the assclowns in their group and look deeper.

    They’re organized

    They have real, effective leadership

    They’re fairly well equipped

    Standardized uniforms- predominantly at least

    Mostly standardized weapons

    A chunk of those guys have military training, I’d bet a few even have combat experience.

    They managed to move a company plus sized element to an objective, in formation no less.

    And some of those weapons were “issued” to some of those guys, so they have resources to equip their people at some level.

    Think about that. That’s more than 95% of the guerrilla elements in the world today have.

    Underestimating a group like that could be a fatal mistake. For all the shit they were talking: that was an exercise. They weren’t actually looking for a fight, not yet at least. They were evaluating their capabilities. And they were breaking in their people.

    If they have financial backing to pay for it, those equipment shortages you guys are hung up on will be rectified in short order.

    These aren’t like those african Gs wearing life preservers. Go on thinking that, and see what happens. These guys are motivated, well equipped, and well led.

    You can bet they’re having an AAR on this operation right now. And they’ll be working on their deficiencies. From the look of things, they probably haven’t gotten to tactical training for some of their group yet. But it’s coming. I’ve seen this movie before, I know how it ends. We did the sane things on active duty.

    Go ahead, laugh them off. Guys, I’m a vet myself. This group here is something we haven’t seen before. I know people with the same background I do when I see them. There’s a lot of that in that group. That’s a bad thing to have to try and fight.

    If the authorities don’t take this group apart, they’ll be a real force to be reckoned with if shit goes sideways.They managed to put fucking company sized element on an objective. I haven’t seen a single militia group pull off anything close to that. Richmond this year was just an unorganized rally. Yeah, there were a lot of people there. But they weren’t organized like that. This is something else entirely. We had better wake up to that reality.”

    Also last night near Atlanta, 60-100 “protesters” vandalized a Georgia Public Safety HQ.
    https://www.cbs46.com/news/photos-georgia-state-patrol-headquarters-vandalized-amid-ongoing-protests/article.

    J&M

    1. J&M I agree with you. A platoon size element is going to give my squad fits if they have command and control.
      I’m actually impressed because I literally can’t get 6 together regularly to do anything. I accept partial blame for it as well because I’m not the easiest guy in the world to get along with (shocker to y’all I know right lol) however I find it hard to believe they are all best buds with no character flaws. They simply believe in what they are doing more than most preparedness folks which makes them the true preparedness folks.
      Uniformity, commonality, command and control, DNC and desire are what I see. And seeing as they see me as their enemy that makes it dangerous.

        1. Yes sir
          Everyone wants to be a gangster till it’s time to do (practice) gangster stuff lol
          We try and do 3 topics per quarterly session. Not just tacticool but all topics. Something along the lines of combat knives, alternate lighting and map features or making hardtack, intersection vehicle safety and homemade candles.

    2. Well after some review and being shown one of them carrying a 22 patterned AR WITH A JAM IN THE CHAMBER at port arms I have to laugh some.

  8. Regarding JWR’s Comment: “As preppers, we should think in terms of checkimg the insulation of houses, as well as intrusion detection, for retreat security.” Yes, all too true. One of the things I’ve done in the past is construction, both new and renovating older homes and I can say from first hand experience that a lot of older homes are not insulated well. Most of the newer ones are, but the older ones leave a bad heat signature. This is something that preppers need to take into account as far as their OPSEC is concerned as well as the extra expense to heat a poorly insulated building. I’ve also done plenty of aerial image classification for the Fed (Department of the Interior) in the past and they now use IR for a lot of environmental management. I still use some satellite images for farm land management (agricultural / horticultural) that I do. IR can reveal a lot that regular visible spectrum light can not.

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