Preparedness Notes for Monday — September 18, 2023

On September 18, 1812: Great Fire of Moscow burns out after 5 days, 75% of the city was destroyed and 12,000 people were killed. On September 18, 1811, the British East India Company force led by Baron Minto conquers Java, part of the Dutch East Indies, Stamford Raffles appointed lieutenant governor. And on September 18, 1931:  To create a pretext for the invasion of Manchuria, China, a railway explosion is faked by the Japanese. — Today’s feature article is a review by Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.




Browning X-Bolt Speed in 6.5 Creedmoor, by Thomas Christianson

Back in February, I tested Browning’s X-Bolt Speed bolt-action rifle chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. I found it to be light and well-balanced with outstanding fit and finish, moderate recoil, a great trigger, and excellent accuracy. The X-Bolt Speed is not the most inexpensive bolt action rifle on the market, with a manufacturer suggested retail price of $1,379.99 . Due to the high quality of its materials and workmanship, this price represents a good value for the money. Background As I have aged, I have become gradually more sensitive to recoil. This recoil aversion has motivated me to test some potential …




Recipe of the Week: Pam’s Pumpkin Soup

The following recipe for Pam’s Pumpkin Soup is from SurvivalBlog reader Pam C. Ingredients 2 small sweet pumpkins — 2 pumpkins yield about 2 1/4 cups of pumpkin puree 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 medium shallots, diced — 2 shallots yield ~1/4 cup) 3 cloves garlic, minced — 3 cloves yield ~1 1/2 Tbsp) 2 cups vegetable broth (home-made or store-bought) 1 cup canned light coconut milk 2 Tbsp maple syrup or honey 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp black pepper Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking …




Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at inflation and recession fears. (See the Inflation/Deflation Watch section.) Precious Metals: Alasdair Macleod: A brief history of the gold standard. o  o  o At Gold-Eagle.com: Transitory 2.0 Is Coming for Gold. Economy & Finance: Average American household now has $10,170 credit card debt. o  o  o Reader H.L. sent us this: Hedge …