Starting Life In The Country, by J.E.

Sitting here in the living room with a hot fire in the wood stove and arctic winds blowing the snow across our property, I smile at just how lucky we are. The power has been out for a couple of days, and the snow and ice make driving into town not worth the risk. Just over twenty years ago, we decided life in the city was no longer for us. Now, reflecting on how good we have it, I would like to write my first post and share with those of you considering a move into rural life. The first …


Letter Re: Airport BOB

HJL, What a great list. I happily read this, as I travel frequently. I appreciated the list and agree with the items and responses already listed. I would just like to add a couple comments. LED lights are great, but living in Alaska, where at times we have 20 hours of darkness, I would add buying a head lamp. This is a basic $20 head lamp that slips in a pocket and is great for hands-free light. I also would add that I carry a packet of silver coins along with the cash. I have a length of paracord and …


January in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, by Steven Chochran of Gainsesville Coins where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover the price action of gold and examine the “what” and “why” behind those numbers. What Did Gold Do in January? December 30th saw gold end 8% higher for the year, for the first annual increase since 2012. The trend continued for gold in January, as prices moved upward for nearly the entire month. Starting January (and the year) near $1,152 an ounce, profit-taking and safe haven demand played tug-of-war …


Letter Re: The Economy, Trump and Tax Proposals

HJL: I just attended my insurance agent’s coop annual meeting where a “behavioral economist’ spoke. One of his points is that GDP growth is limited to 1.5% by the available labor, even allowing for the higher percentage that is U-6. He says the gap has narrowed but always present. I look at the change in the tax code to promote repatriation of funds held overseas and a potential repeat of the accelerated cost recovery rules on depreciation that powered the Reagan revitalization along with the convergence of robotic technology and wonder if any jobs would be produced by the wave …


When Every Shred of Privacy is Lost: Take Comfort, by The Recovering Feminist

“Why should we be afraid of one another, since both of us have only God to fear?”[1] (Dietrich Bonhoeffer) There exists a place where man is not allowed to venture. This place is another man’s soul. Humans may experience consensual soul connections but to think that man could determine the end of the soul is another thing altogether. There is a place in every human being that is untouchable. Even if humans are monitored day and night and their actions and words analyzed and predicted, put into a mental prison so-to-speak, and even if somehow technology is able to affect …


Recipe of the Week: Corn Casserole, by MCA

Ingredients: 1 can whole kernel yellow corn, undrained 1 can cream style yellow corn 1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream 2 eggs, beaten 1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix 1 stick butter, melted Directions: Mix all together and pour into large, lightly oiled casserole dish. Bake at 350°F for 55 to 60 minutes. o o o Useful Recipe and Cooking Links: Video: Potted Beef In The 18th Century Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!


Letter Re: Airport BOB

Hugh, I used to be an airline pilot, so I’ve spent plenty of time in airports and hotels. Let your readers know, one inexpensive way to pick up an extra cell phone charger is to ask the front desk at the hotel. Previous guests accidentally leave their chargers, and the hotel stores them in a box. Most guests never return for them (I have left a couple myself), and the hotel either has to give them away or dispose of them. Just ask if you can run through their “box-o-chargers”; every hotel has one. – R from Texas


Letter Re: What is Your Purpose

HJL, This career Special Operations officer and combat veteran was both shaken and touched by MAC’s self-effacing honesty in his writing. Apparently, I’m not quite as alone as I’ve thought, as clearly we’ve walked the same path in many ways. I write “shaken” because he brought home to me a truth about something that has been troubling me for all the many years I’ve been diligently plowing ahead with this “Prepping thing”. I’ve always approached it as a tactical challenge, a battlefield in which one more weapon, one more plan, and one more tool would accomplish the mission. The truth …


Reloading And Accurizing For The 45 Colt Revolver- Part 2, by “Papa Bear”

Reloading The 45 Colt is a great choice for reloading. The size of the 45 Colt cartridge helps to make it an easy one to reload. The cartridge can be easily inspected along every step of the reloading process. Also, the handloader has many component options to produce high quality ammunition at a cost much lower than purchasing factory new ammunition. There are some safety considerations that deserve mentioning before getting into the actual reloading instructions. For some reason, there are many people who find it necessary to load the 45 Colt to pressures WAY above safe limits, even exceeding …


Letter Re: Oregon Snow

Hugh, Many years ago we had a winter in the Spokane area that was threatening to put nearly three feet of snow on our rooftop. Roof rakes sure looked like a lot of work to use, and they raised the question of damage to the roof shingles (though the nicer rakes have wheels). So I hunted for a better solution and found the Roof Razor. This amazing tool makes me laugh every time I use it (which hasn’t been in a while!). For less than $150 I’ve got a tool that can clear my one-story roof of 2+ feet of …


Reloading and Accurizing for the 45 Colt Revolver – Part 1, by “Papa Bear”

The 45 Colt revolver is an excellent weapon with many great characteristics. This big revolver is fun to shoot! It throws a big bullet, around 250 grains, but does not have the snappy punishing recoil of larger magnum handguns. Often referred to as “the original magnum revolver”, the old revolver cartridge was a hit when it was introduced. The heavy lead bullet with large frontal area proved to be big medicine against both game animals and ne’er do wells caught on the wrong end of its muzzle. Being eclipsed by newer and higher velocity magnum cartridges has not diminished the …


Letter Re: Heavy Snowfall in Oregon, Idaho, Alaska is Causing Buildings to Collapse

JWR,It’s a REAL mess here on the Idaho-Oregon border. We have had something like 36″ of snow in the valley since the snowfall began a month ago or so. The problem is that, unlike in previous years, the sun does not come out to warm up the air and melt the snowfall after each passing storm. It has just been accumulating and accumulating. Then we either get a warm up putting a crust on the snow-top or we get rain on top, and then it freezes. My metal roof had at least 24″ of snow and ice on it last …


Airport BOB, by T.H.

I agree that flying is a huge loss of rights, but I can’t afford not to fly.  I’m a college student getting ready to graduate, so I’m busy trying to find a job.  For an interview, I was flown to Dallas the same day they were setting records for snowfall.  As my flight had a connecting leg, home/Denver/Dallas, there was a distinct possibility of getting stuck in Denver and not being able to get to my interview hotel.  These flights were a great and so far safe/easy dry run.  All of this led me to really think about what would I …


Letter Re: Don’t Call Me 4 Eyes

Hi, Your readers who need glasses may want to consider learning how to order glasses at www.zennioptical.com. I first learned of them from an article in The Wall Street Journal a number of years ago. They are reputable, and the waiting period to receive your glasses is about the same as that at retail stores. I typically obtain glasses for about one-third of the cost at retail eye glass stores, and at that price you can afford the spares you want. – A.K.


What Is Your Purpose?, by MAC

So, like most of you, I have gotten very serious about surviving TEOTWAWKI. In fact, it can dominate my thought processes on a daily basis. From the very day I started reading Patriots, I realized that regardless of all the skills I learned in Montana growing up and the extensive survival training I learned in the military, as well as my subjection to countless “no-notice” survival exercises, I didn’t know squat about sustainable or long-term survival. Everything I had learned was focused on the relatively short term, say a few weeks at most. And, you know what? I loved every …