Year: 2024

Recipe of the Week: Patty’s Salad Dressing Bundt Cake

The following simple recipe for Salad Dressing Bundt Cake is from SurvivalBlog reader Patty in Vermont. Note that nearly any mayonnaise-based salad dressing can be used. Ingredients 2 cups flour 1/2 tsp Baking Soda 6 tsp Cocoa Powder 1 cup White Sugar 1 cup Salad Dressing 1 cup Water 1 tsp Vanilla Extract Directions Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Pour batter into a greased Bundt pan. Bake at 375 F. for about one hour. Test with a toothpick, to be sure that the cake is sufficiently baked. SERVING Serve hot or cold. …


SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic shows Continental U.S Railroad Lines, by ownership. (The graphic courtesy of Reddit.  The “ownereship” typo included in the graphic is not ours!) The thumbnail below is click-expandable.       — Please send your graphic ideas to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.



Preparedness Notes for Sunday — September 8, 2024

September 8th, 1966, Star Trek made its television debut on NBC. — On September 8, 1565, the first permanent settlement in what would become the United States of America was formed. (St Augustine, Florida) — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 114 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 …


Hunting in Desperate Times – Part 6, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 5. This concludes the article.) In the ballistic charts that follow, the best zero for each type of ammunition is determined and we can see how much to our advantage it is to determine the actual trajectory of the ammunition and find the zero that makes the best use of it’s flat trajectory. I used the JBM ballistics calculator and the manufacturers data to find out what the true maximum point black range is when using a 24 inch barrel. The following data (and much more) can also be found at the highly-recommended  JBM Ballistic Calculator website. …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: How Can You Tell When You’ve Crossed The Little Oklahoma Gap Between KANSAS and ARKANSAS?  There’s A Lot More AR In ARKANSAS, Toto! 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:

“And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn to …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — September 7, 2024

On September 7 AD 70, the Roman army under General Titus occupied and plundered Jerusalem. Thus began the Great Diaspora. Just as Jesus predicted, all of the walls of the Jerusalem Temple were destroyed and scattered. Only the foundation stones remain. The best- known foundation stones are at the Western Wall, also known as The Wailing Wall. (Pictured.) On September 7, 1876, the Younger Brothers, a group of American outlaws who were often allied with Jesse James, were captured following an unsuccessful bank robbery. Today is the birthday of novelist Taylor Caldwell (born 1900 – August 30, 1985). And September …


Hunting in Desperate Times – Part 5, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 4.) More on the 6.5 Creedmoor In its development, many aspects of the 6.5 Creedmoor were combined to produce a very accurate cartridge. The 6.5×55 barrel twist rate is 7.8:1 and the twist rate for most 6.5CM rifles during its introduction was 8:1. This is ideal for the heavier 140 to 160 grain 6.5mm projectiles that give both of these 6.5 cartridges very desirable ballistic properties and fine accuracy. The long bearing surface of heavy-for-caliber bullets impart stability inside the barrel and outside the barrel as yaw rates are lower and the bullet settles down and could …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem. Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of …


Preparedness Notes for Friday — September 6, 2024

On September 6th, 1915, a prototype tank nicknamed Little Willie rolled off the assembly line in England. Little Willie was far from an overnight success. It weighed 14 tons. The tank often got stuck in trenches. It crawled over most rough terrain at only two miles per hour. Improvements were made to the early prototypes and tanks eventually transformed military battlefields. — September 6th, 1757 was the birthday of Marquis de Lafayette (often known simply as Lafayette), a French aristocrat and military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War. (Sept. 6, 1757 – May 20, 1834) came to America …


Hunting in Desperate Times – Part 4, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 3.) 7×57 Mauser Here is one good 7×57 Mauser load: Federal Power-Shok Jacketed Soft Point 175 Grain 7mm Mauser.  It has a muzzle velocity of 2,390 fps. 6.5×55 Swedish Mauser My preferred roundnose 6.5×55 Swedish Mauser load uses a Hornady 160 grain RN at 2,400 fps. Round nosed bullets are falling into disuse. I was only able to find one manufacturer offering loaded 6.5×55 round nosed soft point ammunition and it was at an excessively high price. Reloaders have either Hornady or Sierra RN bullets to choose from. I have plenty in stock. Brace for sticker shock …


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, another look at pennies and nickels. (See the Base Metals section ad the Commoditoes section.) Precious Metals: When I last checked (Mid-day on Thursday, September 6th): Gold $2,519.20  (Up $9.90) Silver $29.10  (Up $0.65) It seems that the short sellers are losing this fight. The Asian long traders are dominating the global markets. The shorts …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. His heart sank as he thought of the enormous power arrayed against him, the ease with which any Party intellectual would overthrow him in debate, the subtle arguments which he would not be able to understand, much less answer. And yet he was in the right! They were wrong and he was right.” – George Orwell, 1984


Preparedness Notes for Thursday — September 5, 2024

On September 5th, 1781, during the  American War of Independence, the French fleet of 24 ships under Comte de Grasse defeated British forces under Admiral Thomas Graves and Samuel Hood at the Battle of the Chesapeake (aka Battle of the Virginia Capes), thus trappping General Lord Charles Cornwallis. — Today is the birthday of the late comedian Bob Newhart. He was born on September 5th, 1929.  He died on July 18, 2024, at age 94. — On September 5, 1698, Russian Tsar Peter the Great imposed a tax on beards. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for …