Year: 2025

Preparedness Notes for Friday — June 20, 2025

On June 20th, 1627, Ottoman pirates (“corsairs”) began raids on Icelandic villages. They eventually captured more than 400 people to sell into slavery. — Today marks the Summer solstice. We will have less than four hours of total darkness, at the latitude of the Rawles Ranch. — June 20th is the birthday of Audie L. Murphy. He was born in 1925. He died in a plane crash on May 28, 1971. — A fan of SurvivalBlog is one of the organizers of a real estate raffle for a 32-acre parcel of waterfront land in northwest Montana that looks quite retreat-worthy.  …


A Primer on Backup Power – Part 3, by R.H.

(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article.) 6th Backup Option: A Permanent Mid-Size Solar System This system is advertised as an auto-transfer battery/inverter system that is designed for modular build, which provides the ability to add additional batteries and inverters as your system needs grow. It is a way to start with a solar backup and grow to a full power system in the future. [JWR Adds:  If you plan to eventually expand your system then choose modular, expandable components.  For example, select modular stacking inverters.] As with most systems, these systems are basically composed of a power generation …


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 weakening demand and softening prices for new guns. (See the Commodities section.) Precious Metals: At Currency Thoughts: Singapore Gold Takes Direct Aim at Comex, LBMA. o  o  o Jesse Columbo, at Gold-Eagle.com: A Report on the Bullish Case for Platinum. o  o  o Video: Andrew Maguire – “You’re About to Miss Silver’s …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“There has been one rebellion. That comes to one rebellion in a century and a half for each state. What country before ever existed a century and a half without a rebellion? And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms.” – Thomas Jefferson, Letter to William Smith, Paris, November 13, 1787


Preparedness Notes for Thursday — June 19, 2025

On June 19, 1306, the Earl of Pembroke’s army defeated Robert the Bruce‘s Scottish army at the Battle of Methven. — On June 19, 1991, Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar surrendered to police. — June 19, 1778: Continental Army troops finally left their winter encampment at Valley Forge. — June 19, 1834 was the birthday of Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon, who died on 31 January, 1892. He was a British Particular Baptist preacher. — On June 19, 1914, the Hillcrest Mine Disaster: An explosion at Hillcrest mine, Alberta, killed 189 men in Canada’s worst mining disaster. — On June 19, …


A Primer on Backup Power – Part 2, by R.H.

(Continued from Part 1.) 1st Backup Option: The Portable Engine-driven Generator The portable engine-driven generator is the most common tool for power blackouts. It comes in a range of sizes and features with an accompanying range of prices. Often used on job sites where electric power is absent, these can be bought almost everywhere. It will make a very accessible backup for your fridge and freezer, even on a minimal budget. As is demonstrated by the news stories of generators being sold out, and of their theft during weather-related disasters, you’ll also need to think in terms of security for …


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 increasing risks of a full-scale conflict: World War 3. Russian General Declares: ‘WW3 Has Already Started’ Over at the UK Express: Putin’s general calls …



Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — June 18, 2025

The Battle of Waterloo was fought on June 18, 1815. The army of Napoleon Bonaparte and France was defeated by British forces under the Duke of Wellington and Prussian troops under Field Marshall von Blücher. — June 18, 1178: Five monks at Canterbury reported seeing something exploding on the moon shortly after sunset/ This was the only known observation. — June 18, 1812: The War of 1812 began as the United States declared war against Britain. — June 18th is birthday of Pastor Douglas Wilson. Born in 1953, he is the pastor at Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho and a …


A Primer on Backup Power – Part 1, by R.H.

Introduction Our modern world has been built on the copious use of inexpensive energy. Along with motor vehicles, electricity is the major foundation of modern civilization. Because of electricity, our lives are easier and safer. We do things and live in ways that would amaze our ancestors. My father had told me stories of growing up on the farm without electricity, but it took my own experience to make it click and understand how crucial it is to have a stable source of electric power. It was in 1998, and the power had gone out, again. While our local grid …


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. — Reported on June 9th: Whole Foods’ shelves could get bare as supplier shuts down deliveries after cyberattack. Here is an excerpt: “A major supplier to Whole Foods said it has shut down deliveries after it was hacked – leading to fears of empty store shelves. United Natural Foods, a $31 billion distributor …



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — June 17, 2025

June 17, 1877: Battle of White Bird Canyon: Using terrain to their advantage, the Nez Perce defeated the US Cavalry at White Bird Canyon in the Idaho Territory.  Pictured is their leader, Chief Joseph. — June 17th is the birthday of the late Dean Ing. (June 17, 1931 – July 21, 2020) — On June 17, 1775, the Battle of Bunker Hill began. — June 17th is the birthday of Libertarian economist Harry Browne. (June 17, 1933 – March 1, 2006.) — Some great news:  Both Section 3 of the Hearing Protection Act (HPA) and the SHORT Act were just …


Giving New Life to an Old Rifle Case, by Iowa Dave

Author’s Note: I have been a daily SurvivalBlog reader since 2005, but this is my first article submission. I sincerely appreciate the knowledge and wisdom provided by JWR and all of the other contributors over the years. I’ll start by stating that don’t know anyone associated with Magpul and I have not been compensated by the company in any way. I am simply a long-time customer who appreciates their consistent innovation in the firearms world. In reflecting while writing this article I was amazed by how many of their products I own and how satisfied I have been with those …


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 upcoming summer events in the American Redoubt region. Idaho The Snake River Stampede starts today and runs until June 21st. o  o  o The Modern Homesteading Conference is scheduled for June 27-28 at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds (4056 N Government Way, Coeur d’Alene, …