Year: 2017

Letter Re: RS’s Story

Hugh, I read RS’s story with interest in the March 18th entry. It seems like it’s one of those situations that slowly snowballs out of control but thankfully had a happy ending. Personally, I would have called either the police or a tow service from the lodge to get into the “locked” car (although it turned out to be unnecessary), but I am mostly writing to suggest that RS invest in a couple of those FRS radios from the big box store or Amazon. While they don’t get nearly the range advertised, it may have allowed for communication during the …


News From The American Redoubt:

What do you think would happen to you if the government found out that you’d booby-trapped your property with a lethal device and your neighbor’s 14 year old boy and his dog happened upon the device, killing the dog and injuring the boy? You would be crazy to think there would be no jail time there, wouldn’t you? What if it were the government that had planted the boobytrap on public land and didn’t notify anyone? – HJL (Link sent in by reader P.M.) o o o Bonner Co. declares state of emergency after flooding, road washouts. (Warning: Auto-start video.) …


Economics and Investing:

Trump Market Euphoria Impacts Precious Metals Demand: Plummets In West, Surges In East Excerpt: “There seems to be a percentage of the alternative community that are convinced that Trump will actually put the U.S. back to the way it was in the 1960’s. And that is, back to a manufacturing powerhouse with high-paying jobs. While this would be a wonderful thing to do, the continued disintegration of the global oil industry, just won’t allow it to happen.” o o o More impact from the Fed targeting higher interest rates: Gold Price Strengthens As USD Comes Under Fire o o o …


Odds ‘n Sods:

NCRenegade posted this great meme about the release of the first increment of Wikileaks Vault 7: Nothing More To Say… JWR’s Comment: I was amazed to see how quickly the mass media dropped coverage of Wikileaks Vault 7. The implications of the revelations were huge. This was a story much bigger than Watergate, yet it was as if they collectively said: “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.” o o o Worldwide Day of Prayer for the nation of South Africa is scheduled for April 22nd. Please pray for peace, brotherhood, an end to violent crime, and good …


Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as Freedom should not be highly rated.” – Thomas Paine



Cold Steel Extra Large Espada, by Pat Cascio

We get a lot of requests at SurvivalBlog to test and review many products. Unfortunately, due to the sheer volume of these requests, we simply can’t review every product, or we’d have a website full of product reviews each and every day. I personally take as much time as I possibly can with each product I test to make sure I give it a fair test, in that the product does what it is expected to do. When it comes to firearms, I shoot them a lot, and in the case of a handgun I carry it, too. I’m not …


21st Century Tradecraft: Discreet Transport of Documents

I have had many of my consulting clients ask me for advice about how to maintain their privacy. One of their greatest concerns is the interception of e-mails in the now ubiquitous global Surveillance State. The sad truth is there is now no such thing as “secure” e-mail, even when using high level encryption. If a government wants to know what you are communicating and they are willing to invest sufficient time and energy, then they will eventually be able to read your encrypted e-mail. This is known as brute force decryption, wherein massive computing power is dedicated to breaking …


Recipe of the Week: Sweet Potato / Squash Casserole, by Polly in MO

I have served this on Thanksgiving every year for over 21 years. It is my granddaughter’s favorite, and she comments EVERY year at the start of dinner, “Sweet Potato / Squash Casserole! MY FAVORITE. I ate it as a baby on my first Thanksgiving!” Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups mashed butternut squash 1 1/2 cups mashed sweet potato 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup Brown sugar 1/3 cup melted butter (not margarine or spread) 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 tsp vanilla extract Directions: Mix all together. ( I use a hand mixer.) Put in 9×9 baking dish. Sprinkle with topping and bake …


Two Letters Re: Coffee

Hi Sarah, I took great interest in your article about coffee, as I am one who loves a good cup or two of coffee daily. My concerns in a SHFT would also be how do I ensure that coffee would be available. Currently, I keep 10 lbs on hand of whole bean coffee. I do not refrigerate or freeze as I thought that would destroy the flavors. The coffee is in 2.5 lb bags and rotated. I purchased a hand grinder and also bought a French Press, which makes delicious coffee and uses no electricity. My setup is fine for …


Economics and Investing:

Peter Schiff Show (Audio): Ep. 235: Fed Hikes Rates To Feign Confidence. JWR’s Comment: In my estimation, the Fed’s interest rate changes will probably be driven more by their reaction to President Trump’s policies than they are by inflation data. Never forget that the Federal Reserve is a private banking cartel, NOT a Federal Agency. Interest rate hikes are weapons that can be used by the bankers to counter White House policies that they dislike. o o o Demand for physical gold is collapsing – H.L. HJL’s Comment: Gold price and customer demand are not correlating this time around. It’s …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Five Ninth Circuit Judges Issue Rare Dissent Rebuking The Panel In Immigration Ruling – J.A. HJL’s Comment: Interesting to note that the fairly liberal/progressive 9th circuit is writing a scathing dissent to the Hawaii judge’s ruling against Trump’s immigration ban. o o o Denmark on the Brink? – An Interview with Iben Tranholm. Thoughts on Christianity in Europe as Islam seeks to take over. – K.B. o o o The wealthy are going underground as luxury doomsday bunkers sprawl across Kansas. For those with too much disposable income? – DSV o o o “Are You Paranoid Enough?” The dangers of …



Notes for Sunday – March 19, 2017

On March 19, 1649, the House of Commons of England passed an act abolishing the House of Lords, declaring it “useless and dangerous to the people of England”. Perhaps it’s time Americans did the same with our Senate–or better yet return our Senate to its proper role–representing the individual States rather than electing Senators by popular vote. – JWR


Household Basics in TEOTWAWKI- Part 7, by Sarah Latimer

I’m continuing my journey to consider some of the pantry basics (beyond meat, eggs, dairy, grains, fruits, and vegetables) that I will want to have available in the event of TEOTWAWKI. While I am working on a couple of major projects that are proving more difficult than expected, I will write on something this week that is ever so sweet and appealing. We’ve covered other pantry essentials, including baking soda, yeast, vinegar, salt and pepper (and other spices and herbs), and coffee to determine how we will provide them for our families in a TEOTWAWKI scenario. Some of these we …