April 19, 2024

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.

The Great American Gun Divide. JWR’s Comments: Pundits often speak of the cultural divide between “Red States” versus “Blue States”.  But the contrast between Gun-Toting States versus Gun-Hating States is even more pronounced. There are not many other issues that have precipitated such wholesale political migration. Needless to say, if you live in a gun-grabbing state, then vote with your feet!

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I heard about an innovative business-to-consumer site, created by and for conservatives: Public Square.

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Spanish athlete Beatriz Flamini emerges from cave after 500 days — and she did not want to come out.

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Officials sound alarm on carmakers dropping AM radio in new vehicles: ‘Meant for emergencies’.

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Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson spotted this: Visualizing the World’s Plummeting Fertility Rate.

Reader J.E. wrote:

“I appreciate Tunnel Rabbit’s desire to help in charging the Baofeng handheld transmitters. But the solution he described is overly complex. I did some bench tests and no matter if you apply 10 volts DC from the wall supply up to 12.6 volts from a car battery, the charge management chip in the base limits to 6.9 volts at the battery. (I tested with a totally discharged one). So the question is all about thermal management. If you place a 1N4000-series diode in the positive line, that sheds heat off of the charging chip to the diode. When bought in bulk, that is a 2¢ adapter for car-charging.”

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Jack T. mentioned veteran war correspondent Michael Yon’s report: The Invasion is in full swing.

“Roughly 1,500 Chinese a week emerge from the Darien Gap [in Panama] on their way [north to] the U.S.. The DOJ records indicate 58% are granted asylum. South and Central Americans, less than 10%.”

Here is a follow-up, posted by Mike Adams: Photos, video of UN-sponsored human migration camp at Darien Gap where global migrants assemble for transport to the United States.

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Amish Farmer Threatened for Not Giving Up Traditional Farming.

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Pamela Geller: Minneapolis Becomes First Major US City to Allow Broadcast of 5 Islamic Calls to Prayer.

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Supreme Court Hands Victory to Biden, Backs Student Debt PlanJWR’s Comments: The widespread availability of student loans and grants encouraged colleges and universities to make massive tuition increases in the past 20 years. The unspoken here is that this court decision will give them the green light to raise their tuition even higher!

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File under: “Lowest Common Denominator”: ‘Algebra for none’ fails in San Francisco.

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N.J. blacksmith shop opened in 1823. Its power hammers and anvils are still going strong.

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Massive ocean discovered beneath the Earth’s crust containing more water than on the surface.

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Reader Tim J. had these suggestions:

“I’ve been eating a ‘low carb’ diet lately, so that has changed my food storage selections.

I rarely see canned beef, so I bought a few of these,

Butterfield Farms Roast Beef in Beef Broth (12 oz., 4 pk.)
By Butterfield Farms|Item # 980368469|Model # 90128
Current price: $16.78

There were egg shortages this Winter, I was unable to eat eggs for a few weeks, so I bought a few of these,

Big John’s Pickled Eggs (5 lbs.)
By Big John’s|Item # 818306
Current price: $20.98

I got some of the Big John’s version of these, Not Hot, now no-longer listed on the web site,:

Hannah’s Pickled Sausage, Red Hot (128 fl.oz.)
By Conagra — Item # 975749|Model # 612952
CURRENT PRICE: $17.98

The pickled items have a use-by date of about ten months in the future, which will get me through Hurricane season, and most of the Winter.

A couple of months ago, during the egg shortage, they were sold out of pickled eggs and sausage, but had three pallets of pigs feet on the floor…

I drew the line at pickled pigs feet, I just couldn’t do it.  I may regret that later…”

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Reader Mike D. suggested this thought-provoking CGI piece: Beyoned The Reset – Animated Short Film.

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Canada’s assisted suicide guidance for docs: ‘virtual’ assessments, and don’t tell patient’s family.

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And, to end on a positive note: Longer shelf life for insulin has major bearing on global health. A quote:

“This study shows that insulin probably has a considerably longer shelf life at room temperature—up to four times as long as was previously believed. The study also showed that the simple solution, with cooling clay pots, can be helpful when the weather’s at its hottest…”

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