Month: September 2019

Preparedness Notes for Monday — September 30, 2019

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B-Day! Today, September 30th, 2019, is “B Day”: Baofeng Day. The U.S. sales ban on multi-band Baofeng UV-5R handie-talkies takes effect at midnight tonight. As of October 1st, 2019, it will be illegal to advertise or sell them. But they will still be legal to operate. Only licensed amateurs can operate on their ham bands. However, unlicensed folks can operate with them on their FRS, and MURS bands, if set to low power. Stock up! I recommend getting at least a six pack, ASAP! If those cases of six radios are sold out, then look for other UV-5R variants from …


Springfield Armory XD-S Mod.2, by Pat Cascio

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Compact and sub-compact handguns are all the rage the past couple of years, and we have them in 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP these days. In a sub-compact, I believe it is best to stick with one in 9mm, because you get one or two more rounds in some of the magazines, and it is controllable – more so than the .40 S&W and the .45 ACP. If you can’t control your firearm for follow-up shots, what good is it? I received my Springfield Armory XD-S Mod.2 several months, before they were released to the public, and have enjoyed …


Recipe of the Week: L.M.’s Sweet Potato Soup

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Reader L.M. kindly sent us her Sweet Potato Soup recipe, one of her fall favorites. Ingredients 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion 1 cup roughly chopped carrots 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 pounds yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (can be reduced for low-salt diets) 1 teaspoon black pepper (or less, to taste) 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or less, to taste) 7 cups chicken stock 2 tablespoons salted butter Toppings 1 cup …


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. And it bears mention that most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at investing in Japanese swords. (See the Tangibles Investing section. Precious Metals: Niels Christensen: Gold’s summer rally is just the start – UBS o  o  o About 30 Killed in Landslide at Chad Gold Mine Economy & Finance: At Zero Hedge: The Collapse In Germany …




Food Storage: The Basics, by Pete Thorsen

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More and more people are seeing the common sense in having some stored food on hand in case of emergencies. Many of these people are not preppers but just want to have the peace of mind knowing they have some extra food on hand for “just in case.” The only problem for some is the question of “Where to start?” With food it is an easy start. Well, then again, maybe not so easy after all. If you decide to have food on hand for an emergency then you should think just that one line through some. What kind of …


The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

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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 the Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus. Zimbabwe’s Capitol City Cuts Off Water Supply Reader Tim J. spotted this: Zimbabwe’s capital city cuts off water supply, 2M residents affected. New Oxygen-Tight Food …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — September 28, 2019

On September 28, 1066, William The Conqueror invaded England, landing at Pevensey Bay, Sussex. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 84  of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The more than $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A $3,000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,095 value), A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for …


Still Prepping After All These Years, by Tony T.

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I have written this to encourage others that may be getting weary with the never-ending labors of preparation. I have divided this into four parts: 1. Learning from my family. 2. Adjusting to my own family. 3. Persevering through the years 4. Where we are now. Learning From My Family I’ll start by describing my father and his family. I was raised in a family that by modern standards would be considered preppers, at least by some. Prepping is not universally defined, to my knowledge. Be that as it may, I say we were preppers, but were unaware. It started …


Editors’ Prepping Progress

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To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year. We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in the Comments. Let’s keep busy and be ready! Jim Reports: This week I’ve been traveling out …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent. In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the …


Preparedness Notes for Friday — September 27, 2019

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Your last call! There are just three days left until the U.S. sales ban on multi-band Baofeng UV-5R handie-talkies takes effect. As of October 1st, 2019, it will be illegal to advertise or sell them. But they will still be legal to operate. Only licensed amateur can operate on their ham bands. However, unlicensed folks can operate with them on their FRS, and MURS bands. So get yourself a six pack, ASAP! — This is the Birthday of Samuel Adams (not counting the change in dates due to the change from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar). He was …


Two-Way Radio for Your Retreat, by Tunnel Rabbit

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Around here, in this part of the American Redoubt, everybody and their brother, including Bubba and the Back Woods Boys, may have access to a Baofeng, or an older dusty radio transceiver unit sitting in a box somewhere that was pulled out of their retired logging rig.  It could be CB, or VHF, or a Baofeng.  I know, because for years ‘we’ have promoted their use, and program radios for whomsoever will buy one.  Who knows what’ll happen, so I’ll program it for free, just so they’ll have it for a’ rainy’ day.  Push-to-talk radio may tie a small community …