Year: 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. — First up, over at The Burning Platform: South Africa has collapsed, here’s why. JWR’s Comments:  For many years, I’ve written about “slow slide” scenarios. This is one that is now playing out for the whole world to see. When I traveled with my family to South Africa five years ago, I got …



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — March 7, 2023

On March 7, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for the telephone. March 7, 1707 was the birthday of Stephen Hopkins, (Governor of Rhode Island) one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. And March 7, 1944 was the birthday of Townes Van Zandt, a gifted Texan singer/songwriter. (He died in 1997.) — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 105 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, …


Homeschooling Nuts and Bolts – Part 1, by R.B., EdD.

It is common knowledge that American public education is a failure. We have known for years that our students do not measure up to students in other countries, even very poor ones. For decades we have seen national test scores sink, and employers are constantly telling us they cannot hire workers with basic skills. But most parents still believe their local school is excellent and their children are getting a good education. The schools tell us how good, caring, and professional they are. They have mottos that ooze care and concern that every child should reach his/her potential in every …


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, news about several pieces of legislation now pending in the Idaho state legislature. (See the Idaho section.) Idaho Bills on guns, militias and immigration introduced in committee. o  o  o Drag performance bill heads to House floor. o  o  o Idaho lawmakers introduce bill to …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — March 6, 2023

Today is the birthday of Georg Johann Luger (March 6, 1849 – December 22, 1923). He was the Austrian designer of the famous Luger pistol and the now ubiquitous 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge.  Because there are now hundreds of other 9mm pistol designs, the “Luger” name is no longer printed on most 9x19mm ammunition boxes. March 6th was also the birthday of Leroy Gordon “Gordo” Cooper Jr., born in 1927 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. This U.S. Air Force pilot and astronaut was aboard Mercury 9 and Gemini 5. Cooper had his exploits well documented in Tom Wolfe’s book The Right Stuff, and …


Maglite Flashlights, by Thomas Christianson

I am a flashlight junkie. I love flashlights. I love big flashlights and small flashlights. I love bright flashlights, and flashlights that project a gentle glow. I love flashlights with AAA, AA, C, D, or rechargeable batteries. I love flashlights with polymer cases, rubberized cases, wooden cases, bamboo cases, and metal cases. I love flashlights with standard incandescent, halogen, krypton, xenon, or LED bulbs. I just love flashlights. Sometimes my addiction causes strains in my relationship with my wife, “Kari.” She says things like, “Do you really need another flashlight?” or “How many flashlights does one man need anyway?” I …


Recipe of the Week: Pancakes From Storage Oats

The following recipe for pancakes from storage rolled oats is from SurvivalBlog reader Paul B. Paul says:  “This recipe makes 8 or 9 pancakes. You might want to double this recipe if you have a large family, or if you like using leftover pancakes for peanut butter roll-ups, like I do. This uses typical storage rolled oats. Or you can substitute oat flour, if you want a more even texture.” Ingredients ½ cup of whole wheat flour 2 teaspoons of baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons of honey 1/3 cup non-fat powdered milk 1 cup rolled oats (or substitute …


Some Implications of the Blackstone Default

In lieu of my regular economics & investing column, I’m posting a brief update on the threat to global financial markets from commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) and collateralized loan obligations (CLOs). Since 2006, I’ve warned SurvivalBlog readers about the systemic risk posed by disappearing counterparties, in the trillion of dollars of notional value in derivatives. If you haven’t yet read my background piece about that, please take the time to do so: Derivatives–The Mystery Man Who’ll Break the Global Bank at Monte Carlo. Just a week ago, this headline was seen in newspapers around the world: Blackstone Defaults On $562MM …



Preparedness Notes for Sunday — March 5, 2023

This is the birthday of Howard Pyle (1853-1911) an influential American book illustrator, painter, and author. He was the mentor of many great American artists including Thornton Oakley, Frank E. Schoonover, Allen Tupper True, and of course his most famous student, N.C. Wyeth. March 5th is also the anniversary of the Boston Massacre. (March 5, 1770. ) It was one of the key precipitating events for our War of Independence. — Well, we knew this was coming… On Friday, I received a writing contest entry that had some telltale marks of being written by an AI.  So, sadly, I had …


A Call to Arms Toward Thriving – Part 2, by PrepperDoc

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Communications If we are left alone, then we can produce capital and transmit ideas and create industry at a far greater restorative rate than the original inventors of the 18th Century, who worked nearly in the dark. The carcasses of the production facilities will still exist. The machines will still be there, and the brilliant minds who know how to run them can still be found. Like any nation coming out of war, we should rapidly move forward to excess capital production. The prepper groups should be leading that charge, using already-cataloged …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: So, Explain This To Me… How Did America Get From Major Church Denominations Shunning Homosexuals To Their Ordaining Them, As Ministers? News Links: First openly gay pastor in Pickerington spreads love, inclusion through faith, community. LGBTQ-Friendly Votes Signal Progressive Shift for Methodists. Nashville’s 1st queer female Lutheran pastor tells LGBTQ faithful, ‘God has not let go of you’, Pope, Anglican, Presbyterian leaders denounce anti-gay laws. Texas megachurch votes to leave United Methodist Church as mainline denomination fractures over LGBT issues. Sorry, Anglicans, There Is No Third Way. United Methodists Lose 1,800 Churches …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God …