Year: 2024

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — December 8, 2024

On December 8, 1864, the Clifton Suspension Bridge, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, was finally opened in Bristol, England, five years after his death. The deck and cables that we see today are replacements, but the footings and towers are original. — Today’s feature article is an open letter by SurvivalBlog Senior Editor, James Wesley, Rawles (JWR). — We are seeking entries for Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $935,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to …


A “Stay Behind” Strategy for Ukraine and Moldova

This article serves as an open letter, primarily to Tulsi Gabbard, President-elect Trump’s Director of National Intelligence (DNI) designee. It would also be of interest to planners in the CIA’s Directorate of Operations (DO). Take note that rather than re-hashing some well-documented historical subjects, I will be relying heavily on quoting the InfoGalactic Wiki. Also, note that this is an article about strategy rather than tactics. – Carborundum With casualties mounting after more than two years of intense fighting in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Army is quite simply losing its war of attrition against the combined Russian ground and air forces. …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: Project Camel Smoke: Step 1: Joe Biden Pardons Hunter Biden. Step 2: Joe Resigns and Kackling Kamala Becomes “The First Female President” Step 3: President Harris Conveniently Pardons Joe Biden News Links: ‘It’s a Sad Statement About Where We Are’: A Pardon Expert Explains Biden’s Decision to Pardon His Son. Joe Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter spurs broader discussion on who else should be granted clemency. Biden weighs pre-emptive pardons for potential targets of Trump’s retribution. Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll …



Preparedness Notes for Saturday — December 7, 2024

On December 7, 1909, inventor Leo Baekeland patented the first thermosetting plastic, Bakelite. This sparked the birth of the plastics industry.  By the 1930s, the majority of tabletop radios had Bakelite cabinets. — On this day in 43 B.C., Roman orator and politician Marcus Tullius Cicero was assassinated in Formiae by soldiers under the command of Mark Antony. — December 7, 1703: The Great Storm of 1703 hit Southern England – thousands were killed, Royal Navy losses included 13 ships and around 1,500 seamen. — On a Sunday morning in 1941, America was caught sleeping. Then there was that September …


The Amazing Vetterli

The title of this article might sound like the marquee sign for a magic act.  But this piece is more like a segment of Ian McCollum’s Forgotten Weapons video series. In the late 1860s, the Swiss inventor and gunmaker Johann-Friedrich Vetterli designed a bolt-action repeating rifle (“Repetiergewehr“) that was a true innovation. With its very large magazine capacity, I consider the Vetterli an 1870s Sturmgewehr predecessor.


Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds …



Preparedness Notes for Friday — December 6, 2024

Today is the birthday of RAF and RCAF fighter ace George Frederick “Buzz” Beurling. (Pictured, at right.) He was born in Verdon, Quebec on December 6, 1921, and died in Rome, Italy, May 20, 1948. There are a few books about him and one worth mentioning is his autobiography Malta Spitfire which he wrote in 1943 during a Victory Bond tour in Canada. He left the RCAF in about April 1944 with 31 kills, most of them during the siege of Malta in the summer of 1942. — Today is also the birthday of “claymation” artist and filmmaker Nick Park …


Improvised Casualty Retrieval and Transport – Part 4, by R.D.J.

(Continued from Part 3. This concludes the article.) HOW TO CARRY A STRETCHER OVER BROKEN GROUND OR RUBBLE, OR UP / DOWN STAIRS, LADDERS, SLOPES – If you have enough people, assemble a minimum of six stretcher bearers and a team leader for even the shortest move- in dark and confined spaces use at least one person to light and / or guide the way – avoid hurry – wear safety helmets and work gloves and protective ‘work’ boots – drape the patient with a heavy blanket if moving / waiting in cold weather and exposed places but leave eyes …


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 sobering look at the National Debt. (See the National Debt and Deficit section.)  Oh, before you jump to the conclusion that I picked an “old” photo of the National Debt Clock…  It is only about four years old.  That is how rapidly the National Debt has blossomed. Precious Metals: Largest gold deposit in the …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Our nation was founded on the basic idea that the people we elect run the government. That isn’t how America functions today. Most legal edicts aren’t laws enacted by Congress but “rules and regulations” promulgated by unelected bureaucrats—tens of thousands of them each year. Most government enforcement decisions and discretionary expenditures aren’t made by the democratically elected president or even his political appointees but by millions of unelected, unappointed civil servants within government agencies who view themselves as immune from firing thanks to civil-service protections This is antidemocratic and antithetical to the Founders’ vision. It imposes massive direct and indirect …


Preparedness Notes for Thursday — December 5, 2024

On December 5, 1408: The Golden Horde, led by Emir Edigu, reached Moscow. — December 5th,1456: An earthquake struck Naples, killing an estimated 35,000 people. — December 5, 1766: Christie’s held their first sale in their permanent saleroom in Pall Mall, London.  The firm is now the world’s largest auction house. — On December 5th, 1964, the first Medal of Honor awarded to a serviceman for action in Vietnam was presented to Captain Roger Donlon, a Special Forces officer. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for …


Improvised Casualty Retrieval and Transport – Part 3, by R.D.J.

(Continued from Part 2.) This log-rolling procedure maintains the patient’s entire body in neutral alignment, minimizing any untoward movement of the spine. (Procedure assumes any upper and lower extremity injuries are already immobilized). Then: 1. Prepare the spine board or stretcher with straps, placing the board next to the patient’s side. The straps are to be positioned for fastening later across the patient’s thorax (chest), just above the iliac crests (hip-bones), thighs, and just above the ankles. Straps or tape may be used to secure the patient’s head and neck to the long board. 2. If you have a cervical …


The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, we look at the scramble in Germany to revitalize their moribund nuclear fallout shelter program. Germany’s Fallout Shelters J.S. sent this, from Euro News: Germany plans to turn …