Year: 2024

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 the new FinCEN BOI database reporting requirements. (See the Regulation and Taxes section.) Precious Metals: Reuters: Gold to enter 2024 with sights set on record highs. o  o  o Kelsey Williams, at Gold-Eagle.com: You May Get A Higher Gold Price, But… o  o  o 3 Promising Precious Metal Stocks Set to Shine …



Preparedness Notes for Thursday — January 11, 2024

January 11, 1915 was the birthday of Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair “Paddy” Mayne, DSO and Three Bars (died 14 December 1955) was a British Army officer from Newtownards, capped for Ireland and the British Lions at rugby union, lawyer, amateur boxer, and a founding member of the British Special Air Service (SAS). — Today is also the birthday of famed big game hunter and writer Peter Hathaway Capstick (1940-1996.) — I just heard that Ready Made Resources is running a special on L3 Aviation Grade Binocular NVDs with a 10-year warranty! These are full mil-spec White Phosphor, 2300+ min FOM, …


Truth-Based Preparedness – Part 1, by R.M.

Here is my premise: People need to base their preps on correct information that is grounded in truth. The Truth is Out There, Somewhere! Everyone that I know who does any “preparing for the future” has a specific future problem or set of problems in mind. Their plans are determined by their perception of what the threats are, how likely they are to occur, and what they might do to their world. Our perceptions are based on the world as we see it. We see the world through information – filtered by the lens of what and how information and facts …


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 threat that could be posed by feral dog packs. A Future Feral Dog Threat? SurvivalBlog reader Karen B. sent us this from The Los …



Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — January 10, 2024

On January 10, 1901, the first major oil field in Texas was discovered, near Beaumont. — On January 10, 1946, radar signals bouncing off the Moon were detected for the first time. — When I made my annual 10 Cent Challenge appeal, on January 2nd, I had no idea that PayPal had just changed their link codes on December 31st, so most of our PayPal links were broken at that time!  My apologies!  Here are the updated links: You can make a one-time payment of any amount, at the Ten Cent Challenge PayPalMe page. Or subscribe for $3 per month …


How to Process Chickens and Rabbits – Part 2, by Elli O.

(Continued from Part 1.  This concludes the article.) Now for the wings. Separate the wing at the first joint by using your knife, in the same manner as the feet removal. Due to the small amount of meat from the first joint to the tip of the wing, this part can be discarded. Turn the bird around so you can see the neck. There is very little meat on the neck (although it is delicious and quite tender) so the neck can be cut short. You will need to remove the esophagus which can be found in the upper part …


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. — This news from Ohio should come as no surprise: Gun Crimes Fall after Constitutional Carry Laws Adopted, Study Shows. o  o  o A new video from SurvivalBlog’s Editor-At-Large, Mike Williamson: Bjorn Bladeworks Machete. o  o  o Some more wise commentary from Patrice Lewis: 17 things frugal people never buy. o  o  o I …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

” 168. The old question will be asked in this matter of prerogative, “But who shall be judge when this power is made a right use of?”  I answer: Between an executive power in being with such a prerogative and a legislative that depends upon his will for their convening there can be no judge on earth. As there can be none between the legislative and the people should either the executive or the legislative, when they have got the power in their hands, design, or go about to enslave or destroy them, the people have no other remedy in …


Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — January 9, 2024

On January 9, 1839, Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre of France proclaimed his invention of the daguerreotype, the first commercially successful form of photography. — January 9, 1943 was the birthday of gunsmith Paris Theodore, developer of the ASP modifications to the S&W M39 pistol. — On this day in 1776, writer Thomas Paine published his pamphlet “Common Sense,” setting forth his arguments in favor of American independence. Although little used today, pamphlets were an important medium for spreading ideas in the 16th through 19th centuries. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing …


How to Process Chickens and Rabbits – Part 1, by Elli O.

This article won’t change your life. It won’t win any prizes. But it will give you the ability to take a small, live animal and humanely dispatch it then process it for personal consumption. So rather than read this less-than-riveting article, I would suggest you print it and file it away for when the time comes to use it. A little background on my experience with both chickens and rabbits: I started raising layer chickens about 10 years ago and really enjoy the fresh eggs as well as the convenience of retrieving food for our family. After having layers for …


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 look at another tarbrush smear against Redoubters in general and JWR in particular. (See the Region-Wide section.) Region-Wide Bradley Onishi (an outspoken “former Christian Nationalist” and “ex-evangelical minister”) published a book early in 2023 titled Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — January 8, 2024

On January 8, 1815, U.S. General Andrew Jackson defeated Great Britain in the Battle of New Orleans, the final engagement in the War of 1812. On this day in 1997, the principality of Monaco began a yearlong celebration in honour of the 700th anniversary of the rule of the Grimaldi family, who seized power in 1297 and gained firm possession of Monaco in 1419. On January 8, 1997 Mexican criminal Joaquín Guzmán (“El Chapo”), head of the Sinaloa drug cartel, was captured in Los Mochis after escaping prison some six months earlier; he was later extradited to the United States, …