Month: October 2023

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — October 31, 2023

On October 31, 1941, after nearly 15 years of work, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota was completed; the colossal sculpture features the heads of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. (Photo above, by Dean Franklin.) — As Christians, our family does not celebrate the pagan Halloween. Since October 31st is also Reformation Day, that is what we celebrate, here at the Rawles Ranch. — I just heard that Siege Belts has created a new coupon code: “SBLOG” for Survivalblog readers to get $20 off the price of any regularly …


The Importance of Good Record Keeping, by Hollyberry

It is very important to keep accurate records of purchases, insurance polices, banking information, and other useful data. Organizing and maintaining files are not something most people (including myself) like to do but it makes life easier in the end. A little extra time on the front end saves a lot of time on the back end. It’s much easier to be organized than to spend half a day trying to locate one document that you desperately need. If you are lucky enough to find old family journals or family Bibles, read them! They are a wealth of information. The …


SurvivalRealty.com is Expanding!

Jonathan Rawles (my #1 Son) has announced that he has set aside his other career and will now be devoting all of his time to SurvivalRealty.com, and related ventures. This means that he will be able to greatly expand the number of listed properties and have properties listed in the majority of the 50 States. He also plans to make the website a more comprehensive source of information for preparedness-minded families who are planning to relocate. I’ve encouraged Jonathan to write a regular column for SurvivalBlog on retreats and relocation topics. He has already co-authored one book with me (Survival …


SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies of interest to preppers and survivalists that are located in the American Redoubt region. Today, more about Bush Pilots in the Lower 48.  (See the Region-Wide section.) Region-Wide Trent Palmer and his flying buddies finally get the mainstream media attention that they deserve, in Outside magazine: Winging It with the New Backcountry Barnstormers. (A hat tip to H.L., for the …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — October 30, 2023

Henry Tudor, who was crowned King Henry VII on this day in 1485, founded the Tudor dynasty, ended the Wars of the Roses, used his children’s marriages to build alliances, and signed treaties that increased England‘s power. The Soviets detonated Tsar Bomba over Novaya Zemlya island in the Arctic Ocean; the largest nuclear weapon ever set off, it produced the most powerful human-made explosion ever recorded. Orson Welles‘s radio dramatization of H.G. Wells‘s War of the Worlds was broadcast, causing great alarm—though reports of a nationwide panic were unfounded—as some listeners feared a genuine invasion from Mars. October 30th, 1735 …


Three Pairs of Gloves, by Thomas Christainson

Gloves protect hands. When I am cleaning the outside wood boiler, gloves protect my hands from burns. When I am clearing snow, gloves protect my hands from frostbite. When I am using a chainsaw, gloves protect my hands from cuts and scrapes. Overview In recent months, I have had the opportunity to test three different pairs of gloves under a variety of different conditions. Mechanix FastFit Coyote Gloves and Gardenline Heavy Duty Work Gloves protected my hands from abrasion, laceration, and cold. Igloos Men’s Leather Driving Gloves protected my hands primarily from cold. The Mechanix gloves were on sale for …


Recipe of the Week: Storage Oatmeal Pancakes

The following recipe for Oatmeal Pancakes is from SurvivalBlog reader Joanna E.  She writes:  “Do you have more oats than flour in your food storage supplies? No worries!  Make oatmeal pancakes…” Ingredients 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1 cup milk, regular or non-dairy 2 large eggs 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, and some more for cooking 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional) Directions Whisk 1 cup rolled oats and 1 cup milk together in a large bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes for the oats to …


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 the rising price of gold. (See the Precious Metals section.) Precious Metals: Up, up, up: Spot gold jumped to $2007 USD per Troy ounce on Friday, and spot silver followed suit to $23.12 USD per Troy ounce. Seeing precious metals prices this strong in the face of an ostensibly “strong” U.S. Dollar …



Preparedness Notes for Sunday — October 29, 2023

On October 29, 1618, British adventurer and writer Sir Walter Raleigh was executed for treason. — October 29th is also the birthday of fighter pilot Vermont Garrison, an American who fought in three wars– WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. He was born in 1915 and died on February 14th, 1994, in Mountain Home, Idaho. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 109 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 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this …


Thinking About Resilience, by C.H. in Kansas

Introduction I would like to direct this article to new SurvivalBlog readers. Perhaps you were referred here by a friend or coworker. Perhaps you stumbled into SurvivalBlog through an internet search. However you arrived, if you’ve taken the time to poke around, you may be overwhelmed by the abundance of information on preparedness both here and at other sites. As of this writing, the war between Hamas and Israel has entered its third week. The death toll continues to rise. Dead and wounded among the victims—the Israeli citizens and other nationals—number in the thousands. Violent demonstrations against the US have …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:   Meme Text: I Bet He’s Thinking About Other Women Why Can Some Guys Tell a 1/2-Inch Bolt from a 9/16ths, Just By Glancing At It? Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks! Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.  


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — October 28, 2023

On October 28, 1726, Anglo-Irish author Jonathan Swift anonymously published Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World (later called Gulliver’s Travels), a keystone of English literature that helped give birth to the novel form. Today is also concidentally the birthday of several gun designers: Wilhelm Bubits (born October 28, 1954) in Lutzmannsburg, is an Austrian handgun designer and creator of the Caracal Pistol and Steyr Mannlicher M and S model pistols. As a hobby shooter and former police officer, Wilhelm Bubits used his experience and ideas about handguns to advance modern pistol design. Bubits worked for the Glock firearms …