Wednesday: 29 February 2012, Part Three

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

The Games People Play
My wife and I have been playing cards with different groups of people for the last few months. One group is family; another group is friends; and the last group, I'll mention, is neighbors. All of the people in these groups have different backgrounds and interests.

And,

It all started with a deck of cards.

PS.
My Dad always told me that all I needed in a survival kit is a deck of cards. If I got lost, all I needed to do was sit down and start playing solitaire. Sooner than later, someone would come along and tell me how to make a move. ; - )

Link:
Stealth Survival - Survival Entertainment: The Alternate Use for Playing Cards
http://www.stealthsurvival.blogspot.com/2012/02/survival-entertainment-alternate-use.html

Pagat.com - Alphabetical Index of Card Games
http://www.pagat.com/alpha/

Bicycle Playing Cards - Card Game Rules
http://www.bicyclecards.com/card-games/rules


Another Tip ...
From Riverwalker, over at Stealth Survival.

Link:
Stealth Survival - Simple Security Tips: Creating a Safe Environment for You and Your Family
http://www.stealthsurvival.blogspot.com/2012/02/simple-security-tips-creating-safe.html


And Another Tip ...
From Riverwalker, over at Stealth Survival.

Link:
Stealth Survival - Simple Survival Tips: The Flashlight Battery Protector
http://www.stealthsurvival.blogspot.com/2012/02/simple-survival-tips-flashlight-battery.html


PS.
Heck, I should have titled this post "Three Great Ideas from Riverwalker"

Wednesday: 29 February 2012, Part Two

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

Just In Case
I wanted to make sure that you saw the link from that last post.

Link:
Pole Shift Survival Information - Home
http://ps-survival.com/


Homesteading Books
Sharon Astyk writing at Casaubon's Book has an informative article on farming/homesteading books.

As always, borrow the book from your local library, and make sure you read the comments section of the post.

Link:
Casaubon's Book - Triumph of the Generalist: Reading the Farming/Homesteading Encyclopedias
http://scienceblogs.com/casaubonsbook/2012/02/triumph_of_the_generalist_read.php


... and Mrs. Astyk also has ...
A couple of videos for us, too.

Link:
Casaubon's Book - UMASS Permaculture Garden
http://scienceblogs.com/casaubonsbook/2012/02/umass_permaculture_garden.php

Casaubon's Book - It All Comes Down to Compost in the End...
http://scienceblogs.com/casaubonsbook/2012/02/it_all_comes_down_to_compost_i.php

Wednesday: 29 February 2012

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

Privacy
I'm just going to go with a quote and the link.

"On March 1st, Google will implement its new, unified privacy policy, which will affect data Google has collected on you prior to March 1st as well as data it collects on you in the future. Until now, your Google Web History (your Google searches and sites visited) was cordoned off from Google's other products. This protection was especially important because search data can reveal particularly sensitive information about you, including facts about your location, interests, age, sexual orientation, religion, health concerns, and more. If you want to keep Google from combining your Web History with the data they have gathered about you in their other products, such as YouTube or Google Plus, you may want to remove all items from your Web History and stop your Web History from being recorded in the future."

Thanks to Say Uncle for the heads up.

PS.
That's tomorrow!!!

Link:
Electronic Frontier Foundation - How to Remove Your Google Search History Before Google's New Privacy Policy Takes Effect
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/02/how-remove-your-google-search-history-googles-new-privacy-policy-takes-effect


Privacy, Again
It's sad but becoming more true everyday ...

The Police are not our friends. : - (

Thanks to Say Uncle (again) for the heads up.

Link:
Huffington Post - 5 Reasons You Should Never Agree to a Police Search (Even if You Have Nothing to Hide)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-morgan/5-reasons-you-should-neve_b_1292554.html


Doomsday Preppers or How to Waste a Couple of Hours
Folks, I have been watching the show. It has been informative.

Well, on one of the episodes, the folks were talking about preparing for a "pole shift." A pole shift according to the preppers on the show would be catastrophic. The Arctic ice would sweep down to the equator, destroying these United States, Russia, Europe, and Canada; the Antarctic ice would sweep down wiping out Australia, Africa, South America, and New Zealand.

Needless to say, a pole shift is absent from my family's threat analysis, but there is an informative web site called "Pole Shift Survival Information" The site has many informative links.

Check it out.

Link:
Pole Shift Survival Information - Home
http://ps-survival.com/

Weekly Dose of Doom and Gloom

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

We're Overdue
According to an article, I found at io9; our planet has a 'pulse.' This pulse causes the ...

Yeah, you will have to click the link to find out more.

PS.
I included another link, from the Discovery Channel, for a pretty neat mass extinction timeline.

Link:
io9 - The Earth Might have a "pulse" that Causes Extinctions Every 60 Million Years
http://io9.com/5887406/the-earth-might-have-a-pulse-that-causes-extinctions-every-60-million-years

Discovery Channel - Mass Extinctions
http://dsc.discovery.com/earth/wide-angle/mass-extinctions-timeline.html


Oil
There seems to be more going on with the high oil prices then the local and national news have been reporting.

Well, John Robb from Global Guerrillas gives us a quick lowdown on what he knows.

PS.
The alternative title for this blurb was "you ain't seen nothing, yet."

Link:
Global Guerrillas - Oil Disruption is Zooming and Global Panic Awaits
http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2012/02/the-big-squeeze-oil-is-zooming-again.html


Financial
Needless to say, I can't remember who suggested it (Of Two Minds, Financial Armageddon, BlackListed News, or some link from a financial news site, like Daily Finance, Bloomberg, Market Watch, or ...), but it seems Greece is being set-up for failure.

The plan is for Greece to agree to a bailout with deep social service cuts; the ruling party is ousted because the bailout causes too much hardship for the country; the new ruling coalition 'defaults' on their debt; the Greeks get kicked out leave the Euro currency; other countries soon follow, then ... blah, blah, blah, nobody trusts anybody, so ...

Everything stops until we can trust our money, our banks, our debtors, our politicians, our trading partners, our neighbors, our ...


Trust Me on This
Folks, you need to be storing water, food, and if you live in the city, a place in the country to get away from it for a couple of weeks, if needed.

Firearms for Preppers, ... Pro/Cons of the Rifles

Dear Preppers and Survivalists,

The last two articles in this series, I wrote about bolt action rifles and semi-auto rifles. This article is about some of the pros and cons of these rifles.

All of the bolt-action rifles, I listed, are rugged rifles. They were designed by the military to be used by soldiers that had little experience at war. They have survived, for over 100 years, for many reasons. They work, they are relatively simple, and millions were manufactured.


Mosin-Nagant
The Mosin-Nagant rifle design is over 100 years old, and there is a problem with that. The Mosin-Nagant lacks a safe method of expelling gases, if a cartridge is ruptured during shooting. In other words, the hot gases will shoot back into the shooter's (your) hand or face, if there is an accident. Ouch!!!

Another problem with the Mosin-Nagant is its cartridge. The cartridge isn't used by any major country, so you will have to stockpile more ammo.

There are a few great things about the rifle. The rifle and its ammo are inexpensive, so a prepper on a very tight budget can at least afford a military-grade rifle.


Lee-Enfield
Just like the Mosin-Nagant, the Lee-Enfield is a 100 year old design, but the Lee-Enfield has a safe way of expelling gases from a ruptured cartridge case. Just like the Mosin-Nagant, the Lee-Enfield .303 round isn't used by any major military, so you will have to stockpile ammo for this rifle. Lastly, the Lee-Enfield is a little bit more expensive then the Mosin-Nagant.


Mauser M-1898 Rifle
The Mauser '98 rifle, except rifles rebarreled to 7.62 NATO, primarily uses the 8mm cartridge. The 8mm isn't used by any major military power, so you have to stockpile more ammo, again. Plus, certain '98 Mausers are a little bit more expensive then the Lee-Enfield.


Springfield 1903 series Rifle
Just like the first three rifles, the 1903 Springfield rifle uses a cartridge that isn't used by a major military power. The rifles have become collector items, so they are a lot more expensive then any of the other bolt-action rifles mentioned in the previous articles.


CETME/HK-91/PTR-91 Rifle
CETME rifles are inexpensive, HK-91 rifles are very expensive. Magazines for CETMEs are expensive, but the CETME can use inexpensive HK-91 magazines. Almost lastly, CETME will probably need some work from a professional to insure the rifle is reliable. Lastly, the HK-91 messes up the cartridge case making it hard (almost impossible to reload)


FNFAL
Parts are cheap, but magazines have gotten expensive. ($20+) Plus, it's a long rifle, but according to Boston's Gun Bible, it is #2 after the ...


M1A
The M1A is a great rifle, but it has problems. You must cant the magazine to load the rifle. It's expensive, some versions of this rifle are very expensive. Magazines, in the past, can be very expensive, so you will have to make sure you stockpile a lot of M1A magazines, upfront. Lastly, a plus, the M1A uses a cartridge that is used by most major militaries.


AR-15
There is a reason the AR-15 is still used by these United States military. The rifle is easily used by a solider because of the AR-15's ergonomics and light weight. The 5.56 NATO cartridge is a lot smaller and lighter than the 7.62 NATO cartridge, so a person can carry more 5.56 ammo. Plus, parts are plentiful and magazines, too.

but,

The rifle and ammunition has problems. The current ammo (M855) can easily penetrate a person (not wearing body amour), so you use 2 or 3 shoots to finally kill a villain. Plus, it's the 'evil' assault rifle everybody wants to ban, just like the ...


AK-47 series Rifle
The rifle is rugged, designed to be used by peasants, but it has problems. The 7.62X39 cartridge is basically like the Winchester 30-30, so the round has some limitations. The rifle is loose, so it's not as accurate as other rifles. Plus, the folding stock (underfolder wire stock) sucks if you plan to use proper firing techniques. Plus, the 7.62X39 cartridge isn't used by these United States military.

but,

The AK-47 is inexpensive, and it uses 30-round magazines.


SKS
I believe the SKS rifle is the best all around rifle for the urban and suburban prepper. It is inexpensive, and the SKS doesn't need a detachable magazine. Most members of your family will be able to shoot the rifle. Plus, it doesn't need a lot of gear to make it an effective defensive rifle, but it has limitations.

The magazine only holds 10 rounds, The 7.62X39 cartridge doesn't have a lot of distance making it a poor weapon for the rural prepper.


Semi-Auto Vs. Bolt-Action Rifles
I have a bias towards semi-auto rifles because of my military experience. I believe semi-autos are faster in the follow-up shot, and you don't have to get out of your firing position to load another round. Modern magazine fed semi-autos also allow a prepper to reload the weapon a lot faster then a bolt-action rifle.

But,

A bolt-action rifle, especially the Mauser '98 and the Mosin-Nagant, have less parts when compared to most semi-auto. Bolt-action rifles are also not sensitive to ammo. If the ammo goes bang and the bullet will leave the barrel, a bolt-action can shoot it. A semi-auto on the other hand has a limit to what kind of ammo the rifle will properly shoot and function properly.

And,

The bolt-action rifles in 7.62R, .303, and 30.06 are long distance man killers. The semi-autos in 7.62X39 and 5.56 have a limited range.

And,

Semi-autos are usually more expensive then bolt-action rifles. Plus, (except for the SKS) semi-autos need detachable magazines to easily load a cartridge into the rifle, an added expense.

Note:
I have excluded many military-type rifles from this list because I believe rifles like the Israeli Galil, Swiss K-31, Daewoo DR200, Sig Sauer 556, Valmet M76, Mauser 1893 and 1895 series of rifles are either too rare or unsafe because they lack modern safety features.

With that said,

I have provided a brief overview of the military-style rifles available for you and your family to defend yourselves during a disaster, so make sure you do more research and choose a rifle for you and your family's needs.

OK, one last bias.

I believe the typical hunting rifle is inadequate for defensive purposes because the rifle was designed to only be shot, maybe, 20 times a year while a surplus military rifle was designed to be shot a few hundred times in a day.

Now, don't get me wrong. The typical hunting rifle (Savage, Ruger, Winchester, Sako, Marlin, Weatherby, and many others) with a quality scope would make great precision rifles (sniper rifles) for the prepper.

But, honestly ...

Do you have the time to learn all of the skills a sniper needs (camouflage, tracking, stalking, range determination, lead, and ...) to survive?

Wednesday: 22 February 2012, Part Two

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

Sprouting Your Food
Angela, from Food Storage and Survival, is continuing her wonderful, great, and awesome series on sprouting.

Link:
Food Storage and Survival - How To Sprout in a Tray Sprouter
http://foodstorageandsurvival.com/how-to-sprout-in-a-tray-sprouter/

Food Storage and Survival - Sprouting Wheat in a Mason Jar
http://foodstorageandsurvival.com/sprouting-wheat-in-a-mason-jar/

Food Storage and Survival - 7 Ways to Use Sprouted Wheat
http://foodstorageandsurvival.com/7-ways-to-use-sprouted-wheat/

Wednesday: 22 February 2012

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

I Can't Wait for Summer
You are probably starting to hear folks complaining about the cold. I am.

Needless to say, so are the retail store owners. They have started reducing prices on their winter merchandise, so this is a good time to buy winter essentials, cheap.

But,

That's not my point. My point is ...

Today's Survival Show has a guest podcast by "A Grey Man" on alternative heat because winter's not over, yet. Plus, winter weather will be here next year.

Link:
Today Survival Show - Back Up Heat.
http://www.todayssurvival.com/?p=1729


Food, Food, and Food, Again
Bob Mayne from Today's Survival Show has a good podcast about ...

Link:
Today's Survival Show - It’s not too Late to Improve Your Food Storage.
http://www.todayssurvival.com/?p=1726


It's a Site, Not a Blog
Miles Stair has a site called "End Times Report." Some of it is a 'little' weird (to me), but he has a lot of information.

This is one of those sites that you'll want to take a lot of notes.

Link:
End Times Report - Home
http://www.endtimesreport.com/

Weekly Dose of Doom and Gloom

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

Robot Apocalypse
It seems the robot apocalypse isn't going to happen like the movies : - (

Link:
io9 - Robots will Steal Your Job, but that’s Okay: How to Survive the Coming Economic Collapse
http://io9.com/5885512/robots-will-steal-your-job-but-thats-okay-how-to-survive-the-coming-economic-collapse


... Because We Could
Many years ago, I had a chance to watch a movie on scientific ethics. The researchers had a chance to interview some physicians, scientists, and prison guards from Nazi Germany. It was enlightening.

Needless to say, some scientists still aren't thinking through the unintended consequences of their research.

Yeah, yeah, I know. I already mentioned this, before, but it's also happening with autonomous drones.

So,

The robot apocalypse still might happen, just like in the movies.

Link:
Spiegel: Online - Controversy Brews Over Scientists' Creation of Killer Viruses
http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,815782,00.html

and

LA Times - New Drone has No Pilot Anywhere, so Who's Accountable?
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jan/26/business/la-fi-auto-drone-20120126


Lastly,
This will probably be the last "Weekly Dose of Doom and Gloom" because the financial difficulties will probably destroy this country.

but,

No guarantee ; - )

Link:
BlackListed News - A Warning Sign For The World
http://www.blacklistednews.com/A_Warning_Sign_For_The_World_/17959/0/0/0/Y/M.html

Firearms for Preppers, ... Semi-Auto Rifles

Dear Preppers and Survivalists,

Last article, I highlighted the most common military bolt-action rifles from Russia, Great Britain, Germany, and these United States. This article, I will highlight the military-type semi-auto rifles commonly available to the prepper/survivalist.

Prices were found at Gun Broker. Magazine prices were found from various places on the internet.


SKS

SKS Rifle
by
BigBattles, cropped and retouched by Atirador

The SKS rifle was built, primarily, by the soviets and the Communist Chinese. It has a 10 round internal magazine that can be loaded with a stripper clip or individual rounds. The rifle fires the 7.62X39 cartridge, same as the AK-47.

Price: $300 to $500 Magazines: 10 round internal


AK-47 series Rifle

Soviet AK-47, first model variation
by
Cpl. D.A. Haynes

The AK-47, I am writing about is the semi-auto rifle you will most likely find in your nieghbors' hands or the local gun shop. It is a variation of the AKM rifle used by/against every nation on this planet.

Note:
Yeah, yeah, I know it's a little technical, but my point is if you have a "real" AK-47, you better have the $200 federal tax stamp to go with the rifle, or you're going to prison.

The AK-47 series of rifles uses a 30-round magazine. There are some less common (kind'a rare) 20-round magazines for the rifle. The AK-47 rifle fires the 7.62X39 cartridge, just like the SKS rifle.

Price: $475 to $1.000 Magazines: $10 to $20 each




CETME and HK-91

CEMTE B
by
Muretperplagun

Retractable and fixed stock versions of the H&K G3 rifle
by
Edmond Huet, DCB Shooting

The CETME and G-3 are basically older brother (CETME) and younger brother (G-3) The   civilian version of the G-3 is the HK-91. 'Real' HK-91s run in the $2.000+ range. A variation that is less expensive is the PTR-91 rifle. All the rifles use a 20-round magazine.

The CETME can use CETME magazines or inexpensive G-3 magazines (aluminum or steel), but the HK-91 can't use CETME magazines.

Price: CETME $600, HK-91 $1.600+, PTR-91 $1.150 Magazines: CETME $9.00, HK-91 $2.50 each


FN FAL

German G1 Rifle
by
Kevin Murray

Belgian FN FAL
by
Atirador

FN FAL
by
Joe Loong

British L1A1
by
Jan Hrdonka

The FNFAL was used by about 90 nations. With all these countries using the FN FAL there are basically two variations, inch and metric. The inch pattern rifle was used by the British Commonwealth solider, and the metric version was used by everyone else.

The FN FAL fires the 7.62 NATO cartridge and has a 20 round magazine. There are 25 round and 30 round magazines available.

Oh yeah, according to Boston's Gun Bible, the FN FAL is #2 to the ...

Price: $1.000 to $2.000+ Magazines: $15 to $30 each


M1A

M1A Rifle with Bayonet
by
Kafziel

The M1A is the semi-auto version of the M-14 rifle. It uses a 20-round magazine, and it fires the 7.62 NATO cartridge.

Price: $1.500 to $2.500+ Magazines: $20 to $50 each


LAR-8, SR-25, AR-10, and ...

AR-10 T
by
Martin Lotz

These are the bastard 'big' brothers of the AR-15/M-16 series of rifles. They all fire the 7.62 NATO cartridge.

And,

The various rifles are all different and most (if not all) parts are non-interchangeable between each model of rifle. Plus, they all use a different magazine.

So,

They suck for the prepper planning to be able to access a large pool of spare parts and inexpensive magazines like the ...

Price:


AR-15

AR-15 A3 Tactical Carbine
by
Stag1500

The AR-15 rifle is the semi-auto version of the rifle carried by these United States' military, M-16 rifle and M-4 carbine. Parts are plentiful and magazines are inexpensive. Plus, it is an easy to shoot rifle with a light recoil for most shooters.

The fires the 5.56 NATO cartridge. There are 20 and 30-round magazines for the rifle.

Price: $750 to $1.500 Magazines: $10 to $20 each


Mini-14

Ruger Mini-14
by
LWF

The Ruger Mini-14 rifle is, basically, a scaled down version of the M-14. The rifle fires the 5.56 NATO cartridge. Normally, 10-round magazines are provided with the rifle. 20-round magazines are available at $40ish a piece.

Price: $500 to $800 Magazines: $35 to $50 each


M1 Garand

M1 Garand with Three En-bloc clips
by
Curiosandrelics

The M1 Garand is a WWII era rifle. It shoots the 30.06 cartridge, same as the 1903 rifle.


Price: $600 to $1.000 Magazine: Uses an En Bloc Clip $1.00 to $1.50 each



Links:

SKS Rifle

Wikipedia - SKS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SKS


AK-47 Rifle

Wikipedia - AK-47
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AK-47

Wikipedia - AKM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AKM

Wikipedia - WASR series rifles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WASR_series_rifles


CETME/HK-91/PTR-91 Rifle

Wikipedia - CETME
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CETME_rifle

Wikipedia - HK G3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heckler_%26_Koch_G3

Wikipedia - PTR 91F
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PTR_91F


FN FAL Rifle

Wikipedia - FN FAL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_FAL

Wikipedia - L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L1A1_Self-Loading_Rifle


M1A Rifle

Wikipedia - M-14
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M14_rifle

Wikipedia - M1A Rifle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1A_rifle


LAR-8, SR-25, AR-10, and ...

Wikipedia - SR-25
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR-25

Wikipedia - AR-10
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AR-10


AR-15 Rifle

Wikipedia - M-16 Rifle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M16_rifle

Wikipedia - AR-15
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AR-15


Mini-14 Rilfe

Wikipedia - Mini-14
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_14


M1 Garand

Wikipedia - M1 Garand
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1_Garand

Link Dump, 4

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

For what it's worth

io9 - A booklist to get you ready for the economic apocalypse
http://io9.com/5829417/a-booklist-to-get-you-ready-for-the-economic-apocalypse

Billlls Idle Mind - Bringing Someone Along
http://billllsidlemind.blogspot.com/2011/05/bringing-someone-along.html

The Arctic Patriot - Staying Warm: Nuts and Bolts: Sleeping
http://arcticpatriot.blogspot.com/2011/02/staying-warm-nuts-and-bolts-sleeping.html

Accept The Challenge - Homemade MREs
http://www.bisonrma.blogspot.com/2010/03/homemade-mres.html

From Chasing the Crown to Chasing Chickens - Food Storage on $5.00 a week
http://www.chasingthecrowntochasingchickens.blogspot.com/2011/02/food-storage-on-500-week.html

Farm Dreams - Farming, Homesteading, Survival and Prepping Blogs
http://www.farm-dreams.com/page/other-blogs

Wednesday: 15 February 2012, Part Three

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

Food, Food, and More Food ... But How Much?
Food prices are going up, and they will probably go higher as fuel prices increase.

So,

You and your family need to store more food, soon.

But,

How much?

Link:
About.com: Latter-day Saints - Food Storage Calculator
http://lds.about.com/library/bl/faq/blcalculator.htm


But, What Do I Do With All That Food? ... Sprout It!
Angela, over at Food Storage and Survival, has two wonderful articles on using some of your family's long-term food storage by sprouting it.

Link:
Food Storage and Survival - Seven Preparedness Benefits of Sprouting
http://foodstorageandsurvival.com/seven-preparedness-benefits-of-sprouting/

and

Food Storage and Survival - Sprouting Basics: What You’ll Need
http://foodstorageandsurvival.com/sprouting-basics-what-youll-need/

Wednesday: 15 February 2012, Part Two

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

Loose Lips Sink ... Survivalists
The next article, I would like to point out, is from The Survivalist Blog. It's a guest post by E. Evans about OPSEC.

Link:
The Survivalist Blog - Guest Post: Security of Information: Or how not to blow your OPSEC (operational security)
http://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/opsec-operational-security/


You Want Me to Bring ... What?
I like the next article, by Bitsy Pieces for two reasons. First, it's a good start on a list, for friends and family, of what to bring, If they're coming to your house. Second, the list gives you a start on your own list of what you might want to store and/or take with you.

Link:
The Survivalist Blog - Guest Post: Checklist for Refugees Post-SHTF
http://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/checklist-for-refugees-post-shtf/


Tactical Tealight
Lastly, Riverwalker writing at Stealth Survival has a post on ...

Oops, the title gave it away ; - )

P.S.
Make sure to read the comments; there are some good ideas by Riverwalker's readers.

Link:
Stealth Survival - Simple Survival Gear: Tactical Tealights
http://www.stealthsurvival.blogspot.com/2012/02/simple-survival-gear-tactical-tealights.html

Wednesday: 15 February 2012

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

The Devil is in the Details
The how-to article is short and sweet, but doing it may take a few years.

Link:
eHow - How to Live Off 1 Acre of Land
http://www.ehow.com/how_5934505_live-off-acre-land.html


Another Use for Index Cards
It is important to keep a spare set of glasses on hand, just in case, in your bug-out bag. One inexpensive method is to save your old set of glasses every time you get a new pair.

But,

What happens if you can't get to them? They are destroyed? or ...

Link:
io9 - Make a Pair of Glasses from Index Cards
http://io9.com/5545142/make-a-pair-of-glasses-from-index-cards


Did You See That?
Thanks to Say Uncle for the link.

Link:
San Francisco Chronicle - 'Spotting Concealed Weapons and Profiling' is Covered in the Recent Absolute Rights Newsletter
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/02/07/prweb9176132.DTL

Weekly Dose of Doom and Gloom

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

Finances and Shipping
One of the ways you and your family can tell bad weather is coming is by looking at the sky. If the day starts out clear and by nightfall, the sky is very cloudy, it will probably rain, tomorrow.

In financial speak, the cloudy sky is a leading indicator.

Well,

It seems the Baltic Dry Index is declining.

Link:
BlackListed News - Why is Global Shipping Slowing Down so Dramatically?
http://www.blacklistednews.com/Why_Is_Global_Shipping_Slowing_Down_So_Dramatically%3F_/17833/0/0/0/Y/M.html


War and Rumours of War
As rumours of armed intervention in Syria increase, the president calling for war with Iran, and ... we need to remember this quote

"... they didn't recognize their homes when they returned. The vegetation was burnt to the ground, their villages razed."

Link:
Speigel: Online - A Dream Island Littered with Deadly Relics
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,813883,00.html

and

Speigel: Online - Photo Gallery: Revisiting Peleliu's Bloody Past
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-78338.html


Death and Taxes
There's an old joke about death and taxes. Well, it seems it's still true for at least one of them.

Link:
Daily Finance - Why Your 2012 Tax Bill May Jump By $8,000
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/02/03/why-your-2012-tax-bill-may-jump-by-8-000/


Lastly, A Funny, or is It?
From Say Uncle.

Link:
Pinterest.com - 2012 US Government Terrorist Identification Chart
http://pinterest.com/pin/58335757643140400/

Firearms for Preppers, ... Bolt Action Rifles

Dear Preppers and Survivalists,

These articles (here, too) are an overview of the most common military-type firearms available to the prepper/survivalist. I will provide links (in the links section) for more information.

Prices ranges for the rifles, I found at Gun Broker. Price for ammunition was ... later


Mosin-Nagant Rifle

Mosin Nagant series of rifles
by
Antique Military Rifles

From Top to Bottom

1. Model 1891
2. Model 1891 "Dragoon"
3. Model 1907 Carbine
4. Model 1891/30
5. Model 1891/30 with 3.5x PU scope.
6. Model 1938 Carbine
7. Model 1944 Carbine
8. Model 1959 Carbine







The Mosin-Nagant series of rifles have been around for over 100 years. The rifles were primarily manufactured by the Russian and soviets (after they took over). The rifle shoots a 7.62x54mmR cartridge.

Price: $75 to $200

Lee-Enfield Rifle

Lee Enfield Mk I (1903)
by
Armémuseum
(The Swedish Army Museum)

Lee-Enfield Mk III (No 1 Mk 3)
by
Armémuseum
(The Swedish Army Museum)

Lee-Enfield No. 4 Mk.1 (1944)
by
Victor

Lee-Enfield No. 5 MKI "Jungle Carbine
by
www.adamsguns.com

Rifle 7.62mm 2A1 (1966)
by
Commander Zulu

The Lee-Enfield series of rifles have been around for over 100 years, in various configurations. They were manufactured by the British, and some Commonwealth countries, from just before WWI to just after WWII. The rifles shoots .303 cartridges.

There is an exception, the Rifle 7.62mm 2A/2A1. These rifles were made by the Indians, in the 1960s, and the rifle shoots a 7.62 NATO cartridge.

Price: $200 to $500+


Mauser M-1898 Rifle

Mauser M98 Rifle with Bayonet (1905)
by
Vaarok

German Gewehr 98 (1916)
by
Adams Guns

Karabiner 98K in mint condition (1940)
by
Armémuseum
(The Swedish Army Museum)

Yugoslavian M48: version of the German K98
by
Antique Military Rifles

Polish Wz 29: version of the German K98
by
Antique Military Rifles

Spanish FR 8
by
Klewitz-Shotgun

The Mauser 1898 series of rifle were primarily manufactured by the Germans, during WWI and WWII. The M1898 is the most advanced design of the Mauser series of rifles. The German version of the rifle shoots a 8x57mm JS (8mm Mauser) cartridge.

There were some Mauser M1898s that are designed to shoot 7.62 NATO. I know of one rifle the Spanish FR-8. The Israelis converted (rebarreled) their '98 rifles to shoot the 7.62 NATO cartridge.

Price: $250 to $750+


Springfield 1903 and 1903A1 Rifle

Rifle Springfield 1903

Rifle Springfield 1903A1

Rifle Springfield M1903A3

The Springfield 1903 series of rifle was introduced by these United States just before WWI. The rifle shoots the 30-06 Springfield cartridge.

Price: $500 to $1.000+

Note: Sporterized rifles are are a lot cheaper, $300


Links:

Mosin-Nagant Rifle

Wikipedia - Mosin–Nagant
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosin-Nagant


Lee-Enfield Rifle

Wikipedia - Lee-Enfield
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee-Enfield

Wikipedia - Ishapore 2A1 rifle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishapore_2A1_rifle


Mauser M-1898 Rifle

Wikipedia - Mauser: Model 1898
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauser#Model_1898

Wikipedia - FR-8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FR-8


M1903 Springfield Rifle

Wikipedia - M1903 Springfield
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield_1903

Link Dump, 3

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

For what it's worth.

The New Zealand Digital Library Project - Home
http://www.nzdl.org/gsdlmod?a=p&p=home&l=en&w=0

The New Zealand Digital Library Project - Food and Nutrition 2.2
http://www.nzdl.org/gsdlmod?e=d-00000-00---off-0fnl2%2e2--00-0----0-10-0---0---0direct-10---4-------0-1l--11-en-50---20-about---00-0-1-00-0-0-11-1-0utfZz-8-10-0-0-11-1-0utfZz-8-00&a=d&c=fnl2.2&cl=CL1.1

P.S
You're going to need a few hours. The second link is just for A and B. Yeah, only the As and Bs.

Wednesday: 8 February 2012, Part Two

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

Oh Well
Ontario's Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has a couple of publications on ...

Wells!

Link:
Ontario: Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care - Publications: Water Safety
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/pub_watersafe.aspx

P.S.
Yep, you'll want to print this info for your survival bible.

Wednesday: 8 February 2012

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

Bean Recipies and other Links
Marie from Food Storage...A Necessary Adventure has an informative post on some recipes; she found during a blog-hopping session.

P.S.
Did you know, that excess salt could be removed from a still cooking dish by using ...

Yep, y'all will have to read the article to find out ; - )

Link:
Food Storage...A Necessary Adventure - A Bean Recipe--and Lots o' Links--for the Recipe File
http://adventuresinbloggingtoo.blogspot.com/2012/01/bean-recipe-and-lots-o-links-for-recipe.html


Three Methods of Cooking Wheat
You will also want to read this other article by Marie, at Food Storage...A Necessary Adventure, for the three links to different methods of cooking wheat that don't require grinding the wheat!

Link:
Food Storage...A Necessary Adventure - Wheat: A Recipe, and Cooking Options
http://adventuresinbloggingtoo.blogspot.com/2011/06/wheat-recipe-and-cooking-options.html


Lastly,
Preppers are everywhere, including Canada

Link:
Ontario: Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care - Food Safety: Preparing Baby Formula During A Power Failure
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/pub/foodsafe/formula.html

or, the Printable Version
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/pub/foodsafe/pdf/formula.pdf

Weekly Dose of Doom and Gloom

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

Food Prices are Increasing
Marie, at Food Storage...A Necessary Adventure, has a short article on her efforts to purchase ground turkey, at the same price from a few weeks ago.

P.S.
I remember buying ground turkey, from Aldi, for 99¢ a pound a few years ago.

Link:
Food Storage...A Necessary Adventure - Price-wise, things are harder to replace..
http://adventuresinbloggingtoo.blogspot.com/2012/01/price-wise-things-are-harder-to-replace.html

Insurance, not
Sounds reasonable to me. A company buys 'insurance' to offset a possible lose from a Greek default.

But,

What happens when the company offering the 'insurance' doesn't have the cash to pay? or the company they bought insurance from? or the countries offering a(nother) bailout?

Link:
Of Two Minds - When Greece Defaults, the Credit Default Swap Dominoes Fall
http://www.oftwominds.com/blogfeb12/default-dominoes02-12.html


Housing Crisis
It's not what you think.

Link:
Daily Finance - Beyond the Mortgage: The High Costs of Owning a Home
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/07/11/mortgage-home-affordability-hidden-risks/

Friday's Thoughts and Other Stuff

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

Sorry folks, I don't have anything to say this Friday. Plus, I have been working on a couple of articles, with pictures.

Here's some of their titles

Firearms for Preppers, ... Bolt Action Rifles - 11 Feb 2012

Firearms for Preppers, ... Semi-Auto Rifles - 18 Feb 2012

Firearms for Preppers, ... Pro/Cons Rifles - unk

Firearms for Preppers, ... Handguns - unk

Cooking During a Disaster, Part One - unk


Thanks for understanding. SYK

Wednesday: 1 February 2012

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

Emergency Kits
In the American Red Cross' 3 Steps to Preparedness: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed, they suggests, rightly, that you and your family should have an emergency kit, in your vehicle, your home, and your workplace.

They suggest each family at "a minimum, have the basic supplies listed below. Keep supplies in an easy to carry emergency preparedness kit that you can use at home or take with you in case you must evacuate."

For most preppers, the American Red Cross' recommendations would be a good first-step for getting prepared. Needless to say, it's probably the best that most of us could expect from non-prepper family and friends.

Link:
American Red Cross - Prepare Your Home and Family
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d8aaecf214c576bf971e4cfe43181aa0/?vgnextoid=72c51a53f1c37110VgnVCM1000003481a10aRCRD


Threat Analysis
The American Red Cross also has some great resources on specific disasters and how to prepare for them.

Link:
American Red Cross - Preparedness Fast Facts: Emergency-Specific Preparedness Information
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.86f46a12f382290517a8f210b80f78a0/?vgnextoid=92d51a53f1c37110VgnVCM1000003481a10aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default


Household Slow Sand Filter
Kellene Bishop, at Preparedness Pro, has written a two part article (Part One and Part Two) on water filtration facts.

But,

What happens when you water filter breaks, and it's an end of the world scenario?

You build a slow sand filter.

Slow Sand Filter
by
Renewable Energy UK

Link:
Wikipedia - Slow Sand Filter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_sand_filter

Renewable Energy UK - Sand Filters for Greywater
http://www.reuk.co.uk/Sand-Filters-for-Greywater.htm

World Health Organization (WHO) - Slow Sand Filtration
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/ssf9241540370.pdf

Tearfund International Learning Zone - The Household Slow Sand Filter
http://tilz.tearfund.org/Publications/Footsteps+31-40/Footsteps+35/The+household+slow+sand+filter.htm

Surfers Without Borders - Slow Sand Filter
http://www.surferswithoutborders.org/Slow_Sand_Filter.html

Surfers Without Borders - Slow Sand Filter Plans
http://www.surferswithoutborders.org/Slow_Sand_Filter_files/Slow%20Sand%20Filter%20Plans.pdf

PS.
Y'all will want to print the plans from Surfers Without Borders for your Survival Bible.