Year: 2024

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — November 24, 2024

On November 24, 1642, Dutch navigator Abel Janszoon Tasman, who sailed from Batavia (Jakarta) to investigate the practicality of a sea passage eastward to Chile and to explore New Guinea, skirted the southern shores of what was later named Tasmania. And on November 24, 1871, the National Rifle Association (NRA) was incorporated in the U.S. — 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 …


Putting Down My Dog, by SaraSue

I had no sooner sent in my positive update to the blog last week than a near catastrophe occurred. I am sharing this, even though it hurts to write about it. I’m doing so because I think it’s important to recognize that country living has pitfalls, as does self-sufficiency. Your preps and relationships become very important and not just for the obvious reasons. In this case, I needed plentiful first aid supplies, a clear head, and neighbors I could call in an Emergency. I will tell you the story. Warning: This is a graphic heart-wrenching story. Please skip over it …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: Don’t Worry, Dad… I Know The Guy That You Need To Appoint As The New ATF Director Ironically, His Name Is Brandon… News Link: San Antonio’s ‘AK-Guy’ and former Congressional candidate is gunning to be Trump’s ATF director. 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! Unchanged: Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — November 23, 2024

On November 23, 1869, the ship clipper Cutty Sark was launched In Dumbarton, Scotland. It was one of the last clippers ever built and the only one still surviving. — And on November 23, 1980, a 7.2-magnitude quake struck southern Italy killing more than 3,000 people. The casualty toll was probably so high because the tremor struck during Sunday night mass, as many residents sat in churches that crumbled in the quake. The quake was centered in Eboli, south of Naples. — Today we present a guest article, from a reader. It was not intended to be part of the …


Thoughts on Retreats: History and Land – Part 5, by Single Farmer

Editor’s Introductory Note: This is the last part of a multi-part article series on retreats written by a Christian farmer who is praying and searching for a wife. Please prayerfully consider all of the topics that he discusses. (Continued from Part 4. This concludes the article.) Solutions: The Journey for Possible Future Retreat Owners It would be nice if there were other easy solutions out there. But for a family man the road of hard work done intelligently will often yield good results over many years. There are some who claim that you cannot save to afford land without a …


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:

“Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at …


Preparedness Notes for Friday — November 22, 2024

On November 22, 1898, construction began on the Simplon tunnel through the Alps, linking Italy and Switzerland; it became the world’s longest railroad tunnel. Pictured above it the tunnel’s south entrance. — Today is the birthday of Adelbert Rinaldo Buffington, a well-known designer of military gun parts and accessories. — Today is remembered as the birthday of the late Eugene M. Stoner. (Born 1922, died April 24, 1997.) He was the designer of the AR-7, AR-10, AR-15, AR-180, the Stoner 63, and several other firearms. — Today we present a guest article, from a reader. It was not intended to …


Thoughts on Retreats: History and Land – Part 4, by Single Farmer

Editor’s Introductory Note: This is part of a multi-part article series on retreats written by a Christian farmer who is praying and searching for a wife. Please prayerfully consider all of the topics that he discusses. — Economics of Land in the 21st Century Arable land is no longer free nor available at reduced cost. As you learned in Part 2, over a hundred million acres of land in our country were sold for some sweat, initiative, and a small filing fee during the main Homestead years from the 1860s to the 1930s. Even earlier, land was available for a …


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 declining natural gas prices. (See the Commodities section.) Precious Metals: Spot gold was at $2,684.50 USD per Troy ounce at mid-day on Thursday. JWR’s Comment: We might see $2,750 gold in the next few days if international tensions over the Ukraine escalation continue. o  o  o Banks Covered Gold & Silver Shorts …



Preparedness Notes for Thursday — November 21, 2024

On this day in 164 BC, during the Maccabean Revolt, the forces of Judas Maccabeus recaptured Jerusalem and rededicated the Second Temple. This event is now commemorated as the Jewish festival Hanukkah, also celebrated by many Messianics. — On November 21, 1916, Britannic, the sister ship to the Titanic, sank in the Aegean Sea, killing 30 people. — Today we present a guest article, from a reader. It was not intended to be part of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog …


Thoughts on Retreats: History and Land – Part 3, by Single Farmer

Editor’s Introductory Note: This is part of a multi-part article series on retreats written by a Christian farmer who is praying and searching for a wife. Please prayerfully consider all of the topics that he discusses. — Economics for Farmers The first lesson that I’d like to address in this installment is that our family is very conservative, economically. We chose to avoid all debt. Yes, it is a choice for most people. Debt is no longer passed down intergenerationally as it was previously in American history. As Christians, we are taught to avoid debt. In Proverbs, we are warned: …


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, some more saber-rattling, in Ukraine. Biden Okays Ukrainian Missile Strikes Inside Russia Several SurvivalBlog readers mentioned this troubling news: Ukraine: US to let Kyiv strike deep inside Russia …