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. — Reader Dan D. wrote to mention the amazing selection of kerosene lamp wicks, kerosene heater wicks, Aladdin lamp mantles, and lamp chimneys available from the Miles Stair Wick Shoppe online store. There is a lot of good kerosene lamp and heater reference information available there, too. free of charge. What a great …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“In my life and my world, all of my friends are regular Americans. Everyone I talk to is sick and tired and fed up with being bullied by the left, abused by the left, and disrespected by the left. Our ideas, our policies, and our ways of life have become so far apart that it’s just coming to that point. And the last thing I ever want to see in America is a civil war. No one wants that – at least everyone I know would never want that – but it’s going that direction and we have to do …


Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — February 28, 2023

February 28th is the birthday of famed Swiss investor and economic pundit Marc Faber (born 1946). — 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, this could be worth more than $2000. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value), Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees …


A Medic of Last Resort – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit

Introduction Prepping is ideally a systematic and balanced effort to acquire, in advance, the essential resources, skills and knowledge that make sustaining life on this planet possible after a collapse of a civilization occurs. Many preppers have the resources–that is, supplies and equipment–but do they have the skills and knowledge to make use of them?  Most, including myself, are sorely lacking in  medical knowledge, skills, and resources. Without one of these three (knowledge, skills, and resources) our ability to provide meaningful medical care is diminished. A medical professional could certainly do a better job on this topic than a layman …


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 some reporting funded by the Stiefel Freethought Foundation. (See the Idaho section.) Idaho How big Christian nationalism has come courting in North Idaho. JWR’s Comments: To me, it appears that this article displays some bias. Don’t miss the disclosure note at the …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — February 27, 2023

On February 27th, 1902 Harry ‘Breaker’ Harbord Morant (pictured) was executed in Pretoria. On February 27th, 1900 Felix Hoffman patented acetylsalicylic acid, better known as aspirin. — I just noticed that we’ve now archived more than 37,000 SurvivalBlog articles, columns, and quotes. I started writing the blog in August, 2005. Please let your friends know that the entire SurvivalBlog archive is available free of charge. Subscriptions are entirely voluntary. The archive can be accessed by date, by category, or with our search box. — Today’s feature article was penned by SurvivalBlog Filed Gear Editor Thomas Christianson.


Patching Seahorse Protective Cases, by Thomas Christianson

A number of months ago, I purchased two Seahorse protective cases at a thrift store. Someone had drilled and cut holes into them before making the donation. I recently patched the holes in the cases using J-B Weld and fiberglass fiber tape. I am very pleased with the outcome. Based upon these good results, I would recommend all of the products involved for their usefulness: Seahorse Protective Equipment Cases, J-B Weld Original Formula, and fiberglass fiber tape. Buying the Cases I bought the two Seahorse Protective Equipment Cases at a bin sale at a thrift store outlet. At a bin …


Recipe of the Week:  Broccoli-Chicken-Rice Skillet Casserole

The following recipe for a Broccoli-Chicken-Rice Skillet Casserole with a cheese sauce is from reader H.S.. This recipe serves six adults. Ingredients 3 cups chicken stock (or water) 1 cup brown rice (12 ounces 4 cups (12 oz.) broccoli crowns 2 cups milk 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese 1 cup nonfat or low-fat yogurt (I use the Greek style) 3 cups shredded chicken 1/4 cup bread crumbs 1/4 cup sliced almonds 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste (optional) Directions Bring chicken stock to a boil in a medium pot. Add rice, cover, and …


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. Most of these items are from JWR’s “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective. Today, we look at offshore tax havens and digital nomad visas. (See the Offshore Havens section.) Precious Metals: Could the Silver Price Really Hit US$100 per Ounce? o  o  o At Gold-Eagle.com: Gold Investors Still MIA Economy & Finance: Reader H.L. sent this: Retirees lost 23% of their 401(k) savings in 2022, Fidelity says. o  o  …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“You need not expect to get your book right the first time. Go to work and revamp or rewrite it. God only exhibits his thunder and lightning at intervals, and so they always command attention. These are God’s adjectives. You thunder and lightning too much; the reader ceases to get under the bed, by and by. – Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), in a letter to Orion Clemens, 23 March, 1878


Preparedness Notes for Sunday — February 26, 2023

After being forced to abdicate as French emperor in 1814, Napoleon escaped from exile on the island of Elba this day in 1815. Then, gathering support en route, retook power on his return to Paris on March 20, ushering in the Hundred Days. — Today’s feature article was written by SurvivalBlog’s founder, James Wesley, Rawles (JWR). — We are in need of entries for the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $800,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 105 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember …


Grounds for a National Divorce

The mainstream media has finally caught on to something that has been brewing in America for decades: The deepening divide between two cultures. On one side is the “Blue State” coastal/leftist/authoritarian/atheist/urban culture. And on the other side is the “Red State” inland/conservative/liberty-loving/Christian/rural culture. Back in 2021, we read this headline, from Forbes: America’s Mass Migration Intensifies As ‘Leftugees’ Flee Blue States And Counties For Red. That article included this: “America is on the move like never before. Some would say at a tectonic level and for many the driver is as much political as it is economic. The top five …



The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we …