Year: 2024

Writing Contest Judging Results (Round 115)

We’ve completed the judging for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The judging for this round was very difficult since there were five very informative Hurricane Helene after-action reports and several excellent technical articles. First Prize goes to Soyez Ferme, for Hurricane Milton After Action Review. See: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.  It was posted on October 23-24-25, 2024. His prizes will include: 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 …


An Important Time For Giving, by SaraSue

If anyone has funds to spare, I want to remind SurvivalBlog readers that the communities in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee are still suffering the devastation from Hurricane Helene.  Since our government failed these people, We The People have responded en masse to take care of them.  There are people still living in tents as the snow starts to fall.  Many many people have donated trailers, Buddy heaters, blankets, clothing, and food to help keep these families intact. You may ask why those people are still living in those devastated areas.  Many have no other place, or the funds, …


November, 2024 in Precious Metals, by Everett Millman

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover gold’s performance and silver’s performance and examine the factors that affected the metal prices. WHAT DID GOLD AND SILVER DO IN NOVEMBER? The inevitable finally happened: gold and silver had a down month. Both metals traded slightly lower on November 1st, with silver dipping to $32.40 per troy ounce and gold holding above $2,730/oz. The following week began with modest gains until the wheels fell off on Wednesday, Nov. 6th: gold lost 3% to fall …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: An Important Safety Tip: You Gents Aren’t Camouflaged Unless Your Gear is Camouflaged A Useful Link: SurvivalBlog’s Editor-at-Large Mke Williamson suggested this post on X: Puzzle Piece Camouflage.  Mike says: “Should be even better since there are multiple random layers of interference.” 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:

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — November 30, 2024

On November 30, 1902, Harvey “Kid Curry” Logan, the second-in-command of Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch gang was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment with hard labor. — November 30, 1924: The first photo facsimile is transmitted across the Atlantic by radio. (London to New York City.) — Satirical novelist Jonathan Swift was born on November 30th, 1667. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 115 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 …


Growing Up in a Survivalist Family, by J.W.T.

Growing up, I attributed my father’s penchant for hoarding to having had a Depression-era childhood. We were comfortably middle-class in the 1960s—a three-bedroom, one-bathroom ranch house, a Ford in the driveway, and never hungry—but I heard stories of my parents’ lives in the 1920s and 1930s, especially on Thanksgivings, when my uncles drank too much and reminisced about the old days with my father. My mother still made her own clothes if she didn’t can fruits and vegetables as her mother had, and my father threw nothing out: his old Army camouflage duds, every used nut and bolt, and the …


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 …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob. This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not. I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the …


Preparedness Notes for Friday — November 29, 2024

On November 29, 1847, Cayuse Indians killed missionaries Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, and 12 others at Waiilatpu Mission in Oregon Country — near present-day Walla Walla, Washington. — On November 29, 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie‘s Jacobite army moved into Manchester and occupied Carlisle. — We are running a Black Friday sale at Elk Creek Company. Until Monday, December 2nd, 2024, all of our shotguns and all of our percussion revolvers are greatly reduced. Take a look! —   SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round …


Photovoltaic Power and Prepping – Part 4, by B.S.V.

(Continued from Part 3. This concludes the article.) Question: Will I have power when the grid is down? Question: Can I get net metering with a solar-only system, or do I need storage? Battery size With all the information above, you will be better situated to properly size your storage system. Just be aware that (unless you’re in a totally different socioeconomic class than I) you probably won’t get all the storage you want. I started off with the idea that I wanted to be three-days independent of the grid. When I found the cost of that, I scaled back. …


Economics & Investing For Preppers

Today’s E&I column is a special “Black Friday” edition that highlights some items available on sale for Christmas or Hanukkah gifts, some items for prepping, and many that double as items for tangible investments. The classic investing rule of “buy low and sell high” is immutable. It also applies to tangible investments. Today is the best day of the year to buy many items. But of course, shop responsibly. Avoid debt! Please shop with our banner advertisers first. If they don’t have what you are looking for, then see our Affiliates page.  Thanks, – JWR. — Seed for Security, LLC …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. …We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. …In …


Preparedness Notes for Thursday — November 28, 2024

Happy Thanksgiving! Please give prayers of thanks to God for his providential blessings upon our families and our nation. — On November 28, 1895, America’s first auto race was run, organized by the Chicago Times-Herald. The course was from Chicago to Evanston and back. Six cars raced 55 miles. Frank Duryea won, averaging 7 MPH. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 115 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 …


Photovoltaic Power and Prepping – Part 3, by B.S.V.

(Continued from Part 2.) When it came to setting angles, my installer wanted to install at the U.S. default angle of 20 degrees. That angle serves the most people across the country in most situations. Now, I’m a taller-than average, bigger-than-average guy and wear extra-large gloves, so I know one-size does not fit all. You must consider what is best for you and your goals and not just what may be the rule of thumb. I happened to hear the guys talking about the angle after they had already set the poles in the ground. Like I said, I hadn’t …