Month: December 2023

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters. — New York Retailers Blast Gov. Hochul After Losing $4.4 Billion to Theft Last Year. o  o  o SaraSue sent us this snippet: “Busy, busy, busy.  I have sold some dairy cows who needed pregnancy checks, disease testing, and a health certificate from the vet in order to move out of state.  One …



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — December 5, 2023

December 5, 1890, Director Fritz Lang—whose films, dealing with fate and man’s inevitable working out of his destiny, are considered masterpieces of visual composition—was born in Vienna. He is best known for the 1927 film Metropolis. — On December 5, 1952, a lethal smog began blanketing London, causing thousands of deaths; the incident prompted passage of the Clean Air Act. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 110 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 …


Preparedness Ponderings, by 3AD Scout

With the current geopolitical situation in the world, I find myself pondering: “What else do I need to do to be better prepared?”   For someone who has been preparing for about four decades, and lives on a small homestead, this is a hard question.  I could stay the normal course and just add a bucket of rice here and a box of ammo there, but times are far from normal and my thoughts are that we should be thinking like today will be our last day to shore up our preps.  Through the course of decades of prepping, I have …


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, we focus on the Yellowstone Geothermal Hot Spot. (See the Region-Wide section.) Region-Wide “Geological hazards” lurking below Yellowstone National Park, data show. (Thanks to reader C.B. for the link.)  Here is a quote: “Advanced geological surface mapping — a process that charts topography in a …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — December 4, 2023

On December 4, 1679, English philosopher and political theorist Thomas Hobbes, who was perhaps best known for his political philosophy, died at age 91. — December 4th is the birthday of Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, (born 1912) an AVG “Flying Tiger” volunteer pilot for the Chinese Nationalist government, WWII Marine Corps aviator, and Medal of Honor recipient. (He died January 11, 1988.) A proto-Redoubter, Pappy Boyington was born in Couer d’Alene, Idaho and was raised in Spokane, Washington. — A Reminder: Jonathan Rawles — my #1 Son who operates SurvivalRealty.com — has mentioned that they have recently revamped their Agent Directory, …


Therma Max Waffle Base Layer, by Thomas Christianson

Recently, I have been testing a Therma Max Waffle Base Layer. I have found it to be warm and comfortable for everyday wear during cold weather. It is one of many excellent modern base layer options. Rodney Dangerfield, The Great Escape, and The Maquis For a couple of hundred years or more, base-layer-like garments in cotton or wool were popular among people who actually had to work outside during cold weather. Of course, they weren’t called a “base layer.” They were called “long johns” or “long underwear.” People wealthy enough to stay inside near the fire were less enthused about …


Recipe of the Week: Southern California Biscuits

The following recipe for Southern California Biscuits is from one of the 11 bonus books that will be included in the upcoming edition of the waterproof SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick:  GOOD HOUSEKEEPING’S BOOK of MENUS, RECIPES, and, HOUSEHOLD DISCOVERIES. (Copyright 1923). This 255-page book has hundreds of recipes. The 2005-2023 SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick should be orderable by January 25, 2024.  These sell out quickly each year, so mark your calendar. Ingredients 2 cupfuls bread flour 4 teaspoonfuls baking-powder 3 tablespoonfuls shortening 1 teaspoonful salt 8 cupfuls milk 2 tablespoonfuls butter or margarine Orange marmalade (for filling) Directions Sift together …


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 examine the recent rally in the gold and silver markets. (See the Precious Metals section.) Precious Metals: Gold prices ignore Powell’s hawkish stance as prices surge to session highs above $2,050.  JWR’s Comment:  Yes, the metals are indeed looking bullish!  I noted these figures, from after-hours trading on Friday evening (December 1st, 2023): Gold …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I believe that a man — a healthy, walking, talking human being — is the ultimate viral biological weapon. A man with strong convictions can spread those convictions to others, in a geometric progression, much like a virus. All that it takes is just one man, one driven man, to awaken a hundred men, and they in turn recruit a thousand, who recruit ten thousand, and then an entire nation. What is needed is awakening to the fact that the people vastly outnumber their oppressors and that they can quickly overthrow them. Once it begins to spread, a truthful idea …


Preparedness Notes for Sunday — December 3, 2023

December 2, 1857 English writer Joseph Conrad, whose notable works included the novel Lord Jim (1900) and the novella Heart of Darkness (1902), was born. On December 3,1775, the first official US flag (the Grand Union Flag) was raised aboard naval vessel USS Alfred. On December 3, 1944, the Greek Civil War broke out in a newly-liberated Greece, between communists and royalists. On December 3,1967, Christiaan Barnard of South Africa performed the first human heart transplant, at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. Today is also the birthday of actor Brendan Fraser (born, 1968.) He often plays “fish out of …


The Watchman – Part 3, by James Durham

(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article.) The Prepper Plan I just finished what I think is a solid 5-year prepper plan. I also then wrote a 5-year prepper supply / equipment plan to support the plan. The 5-year plan is a list of projects that I can think of that needs to be done, and in the order that makes the most sense to me. You can’t do everything in one year. At least I can’t… There is a normal, panic reaction to panic buy and do once it truly dawns on you that there is danger coming …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: Most Presidential First Ladies Have Had a Pet Project or Cause… Ladybird Johnson: Highway Beautification Betty Ford: Breast Cancer Rosalynn Carter: Drugs Abuse Prevention Nancy Reagan: Just Say No To Drugs Barbara Bush: Literacy Michelle Obama: Regular Prostate Exams 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:

“Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down …