Year: 2021

Gear Review: Morisk Waterproof Flashlight/Plasma Lighter, by The Novice

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According to the ancient Greeks, Prometheus lay the foundation of civilization by stealing fire from the gods and giving it to mankind. The mythology of the ancient Greeks does not accurately represent the one true God, His holy character, or His plan of redemption. But the Greeks were remarkably perceptive regarding the role of fire as the foundation of civilization. Heat, light, protection from wild animals, food preparation, the forging of metal tools, and a host of other possibilities all lay hidden within the glow of a tiny flame. Effective fire starting is so foundational to survival, that I try …



The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“Should nothing of our efforts stand No legacy survive Unless the Lord does raise the house In vain its builders strive To you who boast tomorrow’s gain Tell me what is your life A mist that vanishes at dawn All glory be to Christ! All glory be to Christ our king! All glory be to Christ! His rule and reign we’ll ever sing, All glory be to Christ! His will be done His kingdom come On earth as is above Who is Himself our daily bread Praise Him the Lord of love Let living water satisfy The thirsty without price …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — January 9, 2021

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January 9, 1943 was the birthday of gunsmith Paris Theodore, developer of the ASP modifications to the S&W M39 pistol. On this day in 1776, writer Thomas Paine published his pamphlet “Common Sense,” setting forth his arguments in favor of American independence. Although little used today, pamphlets were an important medium for the spread of ideas in the 16th through 19th centuries. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 92 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide …


Surviving the Disaster Golden Hour – Part 5, by J.M.

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(Continued from Part. 5. This concludes the article.) If I’m going to be operating in a rural or wilderness area there are some changes I make to what I bring with me. I lose the Boker tool and the shove knife (since there probably won’t be many doors I need to get through), and I add in an Orion Pocket Rocket Aerial Signal Kit. That gives me 4 signal flares that will go up to 300’ and burn for 6+ seconds, which should significantly increase the odds of being spotted by rescue personnel. As I mentioned previously, when I’m backpacking …


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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“Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon …


Preparedness Notes for Friday — January 8, 2021

January 8th, 1931 was the birthday of Algis Budrys (he died on June 9th, 2008). He was the Lithuanian-American science fiction author who wrote the classic survivalist novel Some Will Not Die. He was also a contributing author for Mel Tappan’s PS Letter. — On this day, in 1835, the U.S. National Debt reached zero for the first and only time. — My #1 Son, Jonathan Rawles, has begun a sale on the Survival Retreats and Relocation book that we co-authored, through January 19th. (It’s all over, after Biden gets in office!) In this sale, Jonathan is offering 10% off …


Surviving the Disaster Golden Hour – Part 4, by J.M.

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(Continued from Part 3.) One piece of kit that almost everyone has with them all the time is a cell phone, and there are a number of ways it can be useful in an emergency: This may sound obvious, but if the situation warrants it and you can safely do so, call for help! If you’re trapped by a fire on the upper floor of a tall building, the 911 operator can usually connect you with emergency personnel on the scene who may be able to rescue you or provide guidance on a safe route for you to take. If …


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, we look at the recent Bitcoin rally. (See the Forex & Cryptos section.) Precious Metals: From Chartist P. Radomski: Despite Signs To The Contrary, Gold At Or Near Top o  o  o Modest gains for gold, silver amid bullish competing assets Economy & Finance: U.S. Companies Face China Tariffs as Exclusions Expire …



Preparedness Notes for Thursday — January 7, 2021

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January 7th, 1963, was the birthday of Senator Rand Paul. — This is also the birthday of Cresson Kearny (born 1914, died December 18, 2003 — And this is also the birthday of Bent Faurschou-Hviid, known as The Flame (born 1921, died October 18, 1944). The Flame was a red-haired Danish resistance fighter in the Holger Danske Group during World War II. His exploits were dramatized in the movie Flame and Citron. — For those who have asked:  The special 15th Anniversary waterproof USB SurvivalBlog archive sticks should be orderable by about  January 15th, and orders will be mailed starting …


Surviving the Disaster Golden Hour – Part 3, by J.M.

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(Continued from Part. 2) Another way to reduce the impact of surprise in an emergency is to be able to detect the potential signs that something may be happening you need to be concerned about before it reaches the critical stage. Outside of sudden events like explosions and earthquakes there are almost always early indicators that something may be going wrong around you. A slight whiff of smoke, the creak and groan of a roof support, wildlife acting strangely or a look of concern on the faces of facility security personnel as they hurry by may be signs that you …


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 Jeep-Size Mahindra Roxor SUVs. 2020 State Population Gainers and Losers Reader H.L. mentioned this over at Zero Hedge:  Which States Saw The Biggest Population Inflows And Outflows In 2020. Seattle …