Month: January 2025

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 credit cards and their proper use. (See the Credit Card Use and Credit Card Debt section.) Precious Metals: China’s central bank purchases 10 tonnes of gold in December, analysts say it’s nowhere near done buying.  JWR’s Comments:  Those are just the official numbers on Chinese gold purchases. The word in the Comex …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“A state that denies its citizens their basic rights becomes a danger to its neighbors as well: internal arbitrary rule will be reflected in arbitrary external relations. The suppression of public opinion, the abolition of public competition for power and its public exercise opens the way for the state power to arm itself in any way it sees fit. … A state that does not hesitate to lie to its own people will not hesitate to lie to other states.” – Václav Havel


Preparedness Notes for Thursday — January 16, 2025

On this day in 27 BC, the title Augustus was bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. — The Persian Gulf War, triggered by Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait in August 1990, began on this day in 1991 with a U.S.-led air offensive against Iraq that continued until a cease-fire was declared on February 28, 1991. — The Space Shuttle Columbia launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on January 16th, 2003. STS-107 would explode on re-entry 15 days later, killing all seven of the crew members on board. SurvivalBlog salutes all seven crewmembers: Commander Rick Husband, Pilot …


Gas Checks for .357 Magnum Cast Bullet Loads, by Steve A.

The .357 Magnum revolver cartridge is a favorite with many people for hunting and self-defense. It is a proven performer with a great balance of power and controllability. It is available in handy mid-size revolvers. It is a great trail gun cartridge and easy to reload. I use it as a sidearm to keep on my person when rifle hunting or walking around my property. It is hard to go wrong choosing a .357 Magnum revolver from any of the major manufacturers. Both single-action and double-action revolvers are readily available. The Ruger Blackhawk series of single actions are extremely reliable. …


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 preparedness for severe winter weather. Winter Weather Food Prepping A television news station in Alabama aired this segment: Winter Weather Food Prepping.  JWR’s Comments: Last-minute …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“What then is the spirit of liberty? I cannot define it; I can only tell you my own faith. The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which seeks to understand the minds of other men and women; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which weighs their interest alongside its own without bias; the spirit of liberty remembers that not even a sparrow falls to earth unheeded; the spirit of liberty is the spirit of him who, near two thousand years ago, taught mankind …


Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — January 15, 2025

On January 15, 588 BC the army of Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah’s reign. The siege lasted until July 23, 586 BC. — January 15, 1782: Robert Morris, Superintendent of Finance, recommended to the U.S. Congress the establishment of decimal coinage and a national mint. — Today is also the anniversary of the famed 2009 “Miracle On The Hudson” engines-out emergency water landing. — Sales of the new 2005-2024 SurvivalBlog waterproof archive sticks have been very brisk. One reader ordered 10 of them! For a full list of the included bonus books, see my post …


Year Four Review of My Farm – Part 2, by SaraSue

There is a lot to be thankful for! The Infrastructure After several years of working on the Farm, repairing and replacing this and that, there was one last repair that had to be done.  Well, there are a few, but they aren’t on the critical list.  I was able to have the HVAC system replaced so that the farm house stayed warm when needed, and cool when needed.  A huge blessing.  I had an invisible fence installed around the farm to keep the LGDs home; and “the farm truck”, which is just my little car, needed a lot of maintenance …


SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

Our 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. — Reader D.S.V. was the first of several to mention this news: Boebert Introduces Legislation To Abolish The ATF. o  o  o La Niña has arrived. Here’s what that means.  (Thanks to reader C.B. for the link.) o  o  o Reader Rick V. wrote: “I’ve been reading Thucydides on the Peloponnesian War. The …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“No protracted war can fail to endanger the freedom of a democratic country … it must invariably and immeasurably increase the powers of the civil government; it must almost compulsorily concentrate the direction of all men and the management of all things in the hands of the administration. … All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and the shortest means to accomplish it.” – Alexis de Tocqueville


Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — January 14, 2025

On January 11, 1129, formal approval was given to the organization of the Order of Templars (aka The Knights Templar) at the Council of Troyes. — On January 14th, 1784, the Continental Congress ratified the Second Treaty of Paris, ending the War for Independence. In the document, which was known as the Second Treaty of Paris because the Treaty of Paris was also the name of the agreement that had ended the Seven Years’ War in 1763, Britain officially agreed to recognize the independence of its 13 former colonies as the new United States of America. — Jonathan Rawles (JWR’s …


Year Four Review of My Farm – Part 1, by SaraSue

The new year has begun, and while it was a struggle to manage the farm and family matters last year, I’m feeling good about where things are now.  I had too many animals on the farm of various types, fences that didn’t hold, and learned a lot about the animals’ different needs.  I culled, sold, gave away, and downsized in a big way in some areas and upsized in others.  I was running as fast as I could and that led to exhaustion.  My “farm dreams” were sore in need of a reality check.  But, the good news is, I …


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, news about the Laken Riley Act.  (See the Montana section.) Idaho In the U.S. Senate: New bill aims to restrict transgender athletes from competing in female sports. A pericope: “On Wednesday, U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo of Idaho, along with Alabama Senator Tommy …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Unceasingly, the government and its corporate partners are pushing for a national digital ID system. Local police agencies have already been given access to facial recognition software and databases containing billions of images, the precursor to a digital ID. Eventually, a digital ID will be required to gain access to all aspects of life: government, work, travel, healthcare, financial services, shopping, etc. Before long, biometrics (iris scans, face print, voice, DNA, etc.), will become the de facto digital ID.” – John Whitehead


Preparedness Notes for Monday — January 13, 2025

January 13, 1742:  During the Anglo-Spanish War, the HMS Tyger ran aground on a coral reef near Garden Key, Florida. The wreck was rediscovered 1993, and was firmly identified in 2024. — On January 13, 1842, Dr. William Brydon, a surgeon in the British Army during the First Anglo-Afghan War, became famous for (reputedly) being the sole survivor of an army of 16,500 men when he reached the safety of a garrison in Jalalabad. — On this day in 1912, a state record low temperature of  -40°F (also -40°C), was observed in Oakland, Maryland. — This is also the birthday …