Month: January 2024

Overcoming Starvation — Food for Thought, by M.M.

Introductory Disclaimer: What follows are my personal experiences and observations.  This information is for educational purposes only.  Although I am a physician, I am not your physician.  I am not providing you medical advice.  I am not a dietitian or nutritionist.  Before you consider taking any course of action similar to mine, consult with your physician. — Recently I completed a fast lasting 11 days, during which time I consumed zero calories.  I drank water and black coffee but took in no nourishment.  Notably, I never experienced hunger or a significant decline in function.  I lost approximately 25 pounds during …


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. — The Trifectacation of American Politics.  JWR’s Comments:  The process of “The Great Sort” is continuing, as Americans vote with their feet.  This political migration is making “Red” states darker red and “Blue” states darker blue. The illustration at the top of this column shows the 2016 presidential election tally.  More and more …



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — January 2, 2024

On January 2nd, 1492, Granada, home of the Alhambra palace and the seat and final stronghold of the Moorish kingdom in Spain, was surrendered to the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II and Isabella I, ending the Reconquest. — On January 2, 1999, a major snowstorm struck the Midwest, leaving 14 inches of snow in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and 19 inches in Chicago, Illinois, where temperatures plunged to -13 °F (-25 °C); 68 deaths were reported. — January 2nd, 1776 is the anniversary of the first revolutionary flag to be displayed. — Also on this date in 1936, the first night vision electron …


2024 Annual Appeal: The Ten Cent Challenge

I hope that you get at least 10 cents worth of knowledge, entertainment, and motivation each day from SurvivalBlog. It has been posted with fresh content daily, since 2005. In all these years I’ve only missed posting on a few days — most notably in the week after my first wife passed away. I do my best to mention the Ten Cent Challenge editorially only once each year — and this post is it, for 2024. Unlike PBS, we don’t run agonizingly endless pledge drives. But we do depend on voluntary subscriptions to pay the blog’s bills. These expenses include: …


SAR Lessons for Preppers, by H.F.K.

In this article, I will relate some key lessons for preppers that I have learned as a Search And Rescue (SAR) worker and volunteer.  I tell people that we live in a wonderful and fun place, as long as you never forget that the wilderness is always trying to kill you. They think I’m being funny. But s a member of both a county sheriff’s SAR Team and a Mountain Rescue Association-affiliated team, I can tell you that I am being completely serious. Any prepper should approach life very similarly to how they would approach a backcountry hiking trip. The …


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 North Idaho Republicans group. (See the Idaho section.) Idaho The Idaho GOP’s recent changes, as reported by the liberal Idaho Statesman newspaper: Former GOP heads say party needs ‘course correction’ after divisive changes. JWR’s Comments: The truth is that a few …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.” –  Thomas Jefferson


Preparedness Notes for Monday — January 1, 2024

On January 1, 2002  the monetary unit of the European Union, the Euro, was introduced with the issuance of both currency and coins, and by March 2002 it was the sole legal tender of participating member states. — A last-minute news update (posted 6:30 PM Pacific Time, Sunday, December 31, 2023): MAJOR X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: Earth-orbiting satellites have just detected a major X5-class solar flare. It is the strongest flare of Solar Cycle 25 (so far) and the most powerful eruption the sun has produced since the great storms of Sept. 2017. The underlying sunspot is a giant, and it …


Stihl MSE250C Corded Electric Chainsaw, by Thomas Christianson

The Bottom Line, Up Front The Stihl MSE250C corded electric chainsaw is a rugged workhorse of a saw that is well suited for professional or for farm and ranch-level work. Although the unit that I own has an 18 inch bar and chain, I agree with Stihl’s recommendation that this saw is best suited for a 16 inch bar and chain. With a manufacturer-suggested retail price of $629.99 it is relatively expensive for a corded electric chainsaw, but it has the high quality and extreme durability that is worthy of its high price. If you are as hard on corded …


Recipe of the Week: Crock Pot Venison Roast

The following recipe for Crock Pot Venison Roast is from SurvivalBlog reader Ray J. Ingredients 3 pounds venison roast, de-boned 1 large onion, sliced 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon garlic salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix 1 (10.75-ounce) can of condensed cream of mushroom soup Directions Rise a deboned venison roast and place in a crock pot slow cooker. Cover with onion slices. Sprinkle with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce Add garlic salt and pepper, to suit your taste. Stir the onion soup mix and condensed soup 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 look at some economics and investing predictions for 2024. Precious Metals: The Silver Surge: Anticipating Big Moves in 2024 and 2025. o  o  o Gold Is Going To Reach New ALL Time Highs! Will Silver Follow? Economy & Finance: From the biased Biden boosters at Fitch: World Growth to Fall Sharply in 2024 but …