“The defeat of the enemy . . . . presuppose[s] great physical or moral superiority or else an extremely enterprising spirit. . . . When neither of these is present, the object of military activity can only be one of two kinds: seizing a small or larger piece of enemy territory, or holding one’s own until things take a better turn.” Thus “two kinds of limited war are possible: offensive war with a limited aim, and defensive war.” – Karl Von Clausewitz, On War
On January 17, 1995, a large-scale earthquake struck the Ōsaka-Kōbe (Hanshin) metropolitan area, killing an estimated 6,400 people and causing major damage. 30 years ago today, (January 17, 1994) the 6.7 magnitude Northridge Earthquake struck Los Angeles. It caused about $20 billion in damage and killed 61 people. On January 17, 1920, the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution went into effect, establishing Prohibition. By one account, 286 distilleries, 992 breweries, and more than 300,000 bars and saloons were closed. And today is the anniversary of the Battle of Cowpens in 1781. This small battle was the turning point …
For nearly two decades, SurvivalBlog has featured many excellent articles about ham radio, written by authors who were very knowledgeable about the engineering of radio communication. The following article is far less technical. The intended audience is people who have not explored the value of radio communications because they are not sure why or how they should. Maybe some old amateur radio equipment languishes, dusty and ignored, in a corner of the attic. My husband and I utilize walkie-talkies as well as local, regional, and national radio communications every week at our remote home in Alaska. We have gained friends, …
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. — National Park Service Plans to Remove William Penn Statue From Philadelphia Park. JWR’s Comment: This trend of politically correct historical revisionism has completely escaped the bounds of rationality. While they are at it, they should just as well rename their state “Fettermansylvania”. They could erect a bronze statue of John Fetterman, complete …
“[T]here seems to have been an actual decline in rational thinking. The United States had become a place where entertainers and professional athletes were mistaken for people of importance. They were idolized and treated as leaders; their opinions were sought on everything and they took themselves just as seriously-after all, if an athlete is paid a million or more a year, he knows he is important … so his opinions of foreign affairs and domestic policies must be important, too, even though he proves himself to be ignorant and subliterate every time he opens his mouth.” – Robert A. Heinlein
The Persian Gulf War, triggered by Iraq‘s occupation of Kuwait in August 1990, began on this day in 1991 with a U.S.-led air offensive against Iraq that continued until a cease-fire was declared on February 28. — On January 16, 1556, Charles V, Holy Roman emperor and king of Spain, renounced his claim to Spain. — The Persian Gulf War, triggered by Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait in August 1990, began on this day in 1991 with a U.S.-led air offensive against Iraq that continued until a cease-fire was declared on February 28. — The Space Shuttle Columbia launched from Kennedy …
Back when I was living in New Jersey when reading about ice fishing in the colder states, I would shudder and say “not for me!” Well, now that I live in one of those colder places — Maine — I am one of the crazy people out there on the ice that I used to think were nuts! Ice fishing is fun and gets you outdoors. It feels good to be outdoors and moving around. People may stop by and see what is biting. We can usually spot deer and moose on shore. Eagles are perched in trees near the …
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’s news: Snow and cold weather belatedly returns to the Inland Northwest. Idaho Snow day in Boise!! Kids hit Camel’s Back Park to sled down the hill. o o o Regulators restrict medical license of Idaho health official who spread COVID-19 disinformation. o o o It …
“If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.” – Orson Welles
On January 15, 1919 a storage tank collapsed in Boston, sending more than two million gallons (eight million litres) of molasses flowing through the city’s North End; the Great Molasses Flood, as it became known, caused extensive damage and killed 21 people. This is the anniversary of the 2009 “Miracle On The Hudson” engines-out emergency water landing. And this is the birthday of Dr. Edward Teller who co-invented the H-bomb and worked on the Manhattan Project. He was born January 15, 1908 in Budapest. He died September 9, 2003 (aged 95). — I just heard that Natchez Shooters Supplies (one …
The slightly leaf-shaped blade of the Bear Swipe IV folding knife calls to mind other leaf-shaped blades from ancient history and literature. I like the look of the blade form, and it also makes it easier to get the best angle on certain types of cuts. The assisted-opening, modified-drop-point, saber-grind blade of this Bear-OPS-made knife is 3.25 inches long, razor-sharp and easy to resharpen. It is made of 14C28N Swedish Sandvik steel. The scales of the black and green G10 handle are easy to grip, with a texture that is evocative of unpolished canvas Micarta. The knife has become one …
The following recipe for Potatoes With Savory Sauce is from Good HouseKeeping’s Book of Menus, Recipes, and Household Discoveries (Copyright 1926, now in public domain). That is one of the 11 new bonus books included in the new 2005-2023 edition of the SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick. Ingredients 12 small potatoes 1 teaspoonful chopped chives 4 tablespoonfuls butter Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 teaspoonful chopped parsley 2 tablespoonfuls of grated cheese 1 tablespoonful chopped red or green sweet pepper 1 teaspoonful salt Pepper, to taste Directions Wash potatoes thoroughly and boil in their jackets. Remove skins. Melt the butter, add parsley, …
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 increasing postal rates and provide an update on real estate values, in 2024. (See the Tangibles Investing section.) Precious Metals: Gold and silver have held fairly high prices thusfar in 2024. JWR’s Comments: When I last checked, spot gold was at 2,062.00 USD per Troy ounce, and silver was at $23.41 per …
“That these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown; and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.” – Richard Henry Lee
On January 14th, 1526, the Treaty of Madrid was signed by the Habsburg emperor Charles V (Charles I of Spain — pictured) and his prisoner Francis I, king of France, who had been captured during the Battle of Pavia in February 1525 and held prisoner until the conclusion of the treaty, when he was allowed to return to France. — On January 14th, 1784, the Continental Congress ratified the Second Treaty of Paris, ending the War for Independence. In the document, which was known as the Second Treaty of Paris or the Peace of Paris because the Treaty of Paris …
