Month: January 2021

What Would You Do?, by SaraSue

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introductory Disclaimer: Eight years ago I suffered a brain injury.  Prior to that I was a professional in high tech, and had handsomely-paid writing and teaching gigs.  I have several degrees, and held at least a dozen technical certifications in a wide variety of technologies.  Most of what I knew was forgotten, lost, in that moment my brain almost died.  My writing and teaching skills flew out the window.  It’s taken a long time to regain even social skills as I still struggle to string my thoughts together in a coherent way, and command my body to function.  All that …


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. Note that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in the Comments. Let’s keep busy …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife. A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren. The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts. A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue. Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished. Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the …


Preparedness Notes for Friday — January 1, 2021

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Today is the birthday of Jacob Snider (January 1, 1811 – August 18, 1866). He was an American mechanical engineer and inventor. He invented and patented a method of converting existing muzzle-loading rifles into breech-loading rifles, notably the Snider-Enfield. (Pictured.) And, speaking of gun designers, this is also the birthday of John Cantius Garand (January 1, 1888 – February 16, 1974) was born in St. Rémi, Quebec. John Garand designed one of America’s best-known battle rifles, the M1 Garand. General Patton praised Garand’s design, writing to Chief of Ordnance Lt. Gen. Levin H. Campbell, Jr., (January 26, 1945): “The M1 …


Universal Background Checks and Your Privacy

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The prospect of the duo of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris being sworn-in on January 20th does not bode well for American gun owners. Nor does the U.S. Senate runoff election in Georgia on January 5th, 2021. If the two Democrat candidates prevail, then, with Kamala Harris available to break any tie votes, the entire Democrat agenda could be ramrodded through Congress.  (Per the Constitution, as Vice President, Harris would also be the titular President of The Senate.) Democrat control of the Senate is a frightening prospect. In addition to new immigration, tax, student loan payoff, and post-post-post-post facto slavery …


December 2020 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran

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Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, authored by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover gold’s performance, and the factors that affected gold prices. What Did Gold Do in December? First, some end-of-year numbers. Gold set several new all-time highs in 2020, capped by an intraday peak of $2,081.80 an ounce. Gold prices gained 24% for the year, recording the largest annual return in ten years. Spot silver rose 47.6%, also a ten-year high. Precious metals were helped in part by the US …


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. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, a more in-depth look at Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Cryptos: When I last checked, Bitcoin had been bouncing around over $22,000 USD per BTC for more than a week. It topped at $24,500 on Christmas Day. I should note that historically Bitcoin tops out each December, in most years. So I expect …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“The time is now near at hand which must probably determine whether Americans are to be freemen or slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed, and themselves consigned to a state of wretchedness from which no human efforts will deliver them. The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army. Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of brave resistance, or the most abject submission. We have, therefore to resolve to …