Year: 2024

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The importance of this article will scarcely be doubted by any persons, who have duly reflected upon the subject. The militia is the natural defence of a free country against sudden foreign invasions, domestic insurrections, and domestic usurpations of power by rulers. It is against sound policy for a free people to keep up large military establishments and standing armies in time of peace, both from the enormous expenses, with which they are attended, and the facile means, which they afford to ambitious and unprincipled rulers, to subvert the government, or trample upon the rights of the people. The right …


Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — May 8, 2024

On May 8, 1792, Congress passed the second portion of the Militia Act, requiring that every free able-bodied white male citizen of the respective States, resident therein, who is or shall be of age eighteen years, and under the age of forty-five years be enrolled in the militia. Six days before, Congress had established the president’s right to call out the militia. The outbreak of Shay’s Rebellion (pictured above) — a protest against taxation and debt prosecution in western Massachusetts in 1786-87, had first convinced many Americans that the federal government should be given the power to put down rebellions …


Income, Net Worth, Inflation, and Opportunities, by K.B. M.D.

We do not like to talk about class in America. We do not like to talk about economic disparities, either. But at least in our own families and faith communities, we need to realize that the issue matters. Our times are changing rapidly, and especially for older people it is difficult to keep up with the cost of living. And I do not just mean in terms of money – the mental shift is probably greater than the changing of our economy. Some of us are old enough to remember the days of candy bought for a penny or a …


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. — FCC fines America’s largest wireless carriers $200 million for selling customer location data. (Thanks to reader C.B. for the link.) o  o  o A Florida television news report: Preppers: Whatever disaster is next, they’re ready. o  o  o A Nanny State Update: Swiss Army Knife Now Available Without the Knife.



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — May 7, 2024

On May 7th, 1997 1997 the science fiction film “The Fifth Element” written and directed by Luc Besson, starring Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich was released. At that time it was the most expensive European film ever made. On May 7, 2020, during the COVID pandemic, US unemployment claims hit 33.3 million or 20% of the workforce, versus 3.5% unemployment two months earlier, which had been a 50-year low. On May 7, 1915, RMS Lusitania was sunk by German submarine off the southern coast of Ireland; 1,198 lives lost. On May 7, 1792 Captain Robert Gray was the first European …


Update: A Worthy Charity in Thailand

An Update: For several years, I have been supporting and recommending a Christian mission school and orphanage in northern Thailand. One of our good friends has volunteered to work onsite there several times in the past three years, so I can vouchsafe that this is a worthy charity with genuine needs.  The orphanage/school Center is called Baan SuFan. (That is Thai for: “Home Of Destiny.”) The school and dormitories are located near Chiang Rai, Thailand, which is fairly near Thailand’s borders with Burma and Laos. This is commonly called The Golden Triangle region. The majority of the Baan SuFan students …


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 located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, coverage of the state-level pushback against the ATF’s new “Engaged In The Business” FFL Rulemaking. Idaho Idaho joins 21-state lawsuit opposing new ATF firearm sale regulations. o  o  o La Grande Hotshot firefighters safe after tree hit fire truck at Little Yamsay Fire. o  o  …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — May 6, 2024

This is the birthday of Maximilien Robespierre, born May 6, 1758. After rising to prominence in the radical Jacobin Club, he dominated the French Republic during the Reign of Terror, overseeing the executions of counter-revolutionary suspects. He was overthrown and executed on July 28, 1794. — On May 6, 1954, English athlete Roger Bannister became the first man to run a sub-4 minute mile, recording 3:59:4 at Iffley Road Track, Oxford. — Today’s feature article is a review written by  SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson. — I had been holding a reserve of 15 of the waterproof 2005-2023 SurvivalBlog …


Sentry Tuf-Cloth Cleaner/Dry Lubricant/Protectant, by Thomas Christianson

Sentry Tuf-Cloth provides a conveniently-packaged, non-toxic, lint-free cloth for cleaning, lubricating, and protecting cutlery, firearms, tools, and other metal objects. It is made in the USA, and is available in vapor barrier foil pouches or in plastic jars in either a standard version or in a marine version that is designed for more corrosive environments. The Tuf-Glide CDLP (clean, dry-lube, protectant) solutions that impregnate the cloth are also available without the cloth in pen applicators or in spray bottles of various sizes. At the time of this writing, the standard and marine Tuf-Cloths in the foil pouch were priced at …


Recipe of the Week: Butter Pecan Pound Cake

The following recipe for Butter Pecan Pound Cake is from SurvivalBlog reader V.F..  To make this properly, you will need a Bundt cake pan. Ingredients For The Cake 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 2 cups granulated sugar 4 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup sour cream Ingredients For The Butter Pecan Filling  1 cup chopped pecans 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 1/2 cup brown sugar  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Ingredients For The Glaze 1 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla …



The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Liberty means to exercise human rights in any manner a person chooses so long as it does not interfere with the exercise of the rights of others. This means, above all else, keeping government out of our lives. Only this path leads to the unleashing of human energies that build civilization, provide security, generate wealth, and protect the people from systematic rights violations. In this sense, only liberty can truly ward off tyranny, the great and eternal foe of mankind.” – Dr. Ron Paul


Preparedness Notes for Sunday — May 5, 2024

On May 5, 1893, The Panic of 1893 caused a large crash on the New York Stock Exchange. May 5th is the birthday of Adrian Carton de Wiart, known as Britain’s “Unstoppable Soldier.” This eccentric Belgian-born soldier served in the Boer War, First World War, and Second World War; was shot in the face, head, stomach, ankle, leg, hip, and ear; survived two plane crashes; tunneled out of a prisoner-of-war camp; and bit off his own fingers when a doctor refused to amputate them. This is also the birthday of Pat Frank (1908-1964). This was the pen name of newspaper …