Recipe of the Week: Christmas Cheese Ball, by L.H.

This one is a super simple recipe that has stood the test of time. Everyone was making it in the late 70’s/early 80’s, and we’re still making it and delighting company and get-togethers all these years later. Ingredients: 2 blocks (8 oz. ea.) cream cheese 1 bunch green onions, minced 1 small pkg. (7 oz., or 1/2 of a 16-oz. pkg.) ham lunchmeat, diced small generous dash of Accent (optional) 1/2 c. finely chopped pecans snack crackers Directions: In mixing bowl combine cream cheese, onions, ham lunchmeat bits, and Accent (if using). Mash well with hands or spoons, and shape …


Letter: Hoarding Silver, Gold and Diamonds

Hugh, I remember when I was young and would sit for hours listening to the depression stories that the old people would tell. One thing that stuck in my mind was that the only time that precious metals or stones were worth much was during times of plenty when you could buy products with them. I watched my grandfather open his safe from time to time, and he would show me the gold and diamonds he had in it from years ago. Seems that when urban dwellers who were rich ran out of food, they would come to trade and …


Economics and Investing:

Items from Professor Preponomics: Thanksgiving is a Celebration of Free Enterprise (Mises Institute) 1200 American Works Training Their Foreign Replacements (Breitbart) Why Federal Funds Pay for Empty Flights Out of Maryland and Virginia (Taxpayers for Common Sense) The Price of Copper May Hinge on a Single Precious Resource: Water (Market Watch) Feds Spend $460,809 Watching Preschoolers Outdoors (Washington Free Beacon) Debt Under Obama Up $8T (CNS News) Here Comes the $1 Letter (Business Insider) CoreLogic: Falling House Prices in Sydney and Melbourne Could Open the Way for a Rate Cut (Business Insider) UK Oil Industry ‘to Face a Wave of …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Do our politicians not study history anymore? Do they think that they can flippantly navigate through the dangers without consequence? Does anybody remember the powder-keg of world events that led to World War I? Turkey Blockades Russian Shipping, Black Sea Fleet Completely Cut off o o o Video: 1000W LED Flashlight – Worlds Brightest (90,000 Lumens) – Sent in by T.R. o o o Reader T.Z sent in the link for this neat tool: For those who own a Harvest Right Freeze Dryer, this Flush Kit can greatly simplify the process of flushing the pump and changing the oil. (Video) …



Notes for Sunday – November 29, 2015

Today is the birthday of Clive Staples (“C.S.”) Lewis, who was born in 1898 and died 22 November 1963. o o o 2 more days ’til the release of “Land of Promise”! As tempting as it is to pre-order, holding off until December 1st to order both the trade paperback and the Kindle edition will help with their placement in the Bestseller lists, which in turn will create publicity. Don’t forget, if you have already read a draft copy, please leave a review at Amazon.com (now available on the trade paperback page.)


Change Your Clocks and Change Your Batteries, Water, Et Cetera, by R.C.

This time of year we must change our clocks, fall back or spring forward. As a retired firefighter and EMT, I take this seriously. If your smoke detectors are over 10 years old, please change the unit. This twice a year rotation also offers us a chance to rotate other items we have stored in our preps. It is important to have someone verify that you have rotated your stocks, like a group check off or a family weekend project. Fuel First is the gasoline. Every six months you can dump the 5-gallon containers into your truck. Luckily, I had …


Captain America Is Coming For You!, by N.E.

I found a news article this morning that to the untrained eye seems harmless. However, as I have studied narratives of geopolitics, I felt compelled to send along a note to the reader’s of SurvivalBlog. The comic book character “Captain America” was first released with the goal to influence popular culture of the American youth just prior to World War II to establish a national identity against Nazi Germany. The cover of the first issue of the comic displayed Captain American punching Hilter in the mouth. Why you should be interested in Captain America and his original battle with Nazi …


Letter Re: What’s a Dime Worth?

HJL, The contributor states $4 today will buy: “Now, we ask, when we walk down the aisles of our local grocery store, what’s currently priced for about $4? Let’s start with the staples: Two gallons of milk Two or three loaves of bread Two or three dozen eggs” I am not sure where he is shopping, but it is obvious it is not in the USA. Milk is closer to $4 for ONE gallon, bread (decent bread) is over $3 a loaf, and eggs are selling from $3-6 a dozen depending on organic/ NON Gmo etc he also writes: For …


Economics and Investing:

Target and other online retailers did well, but traditional brick-and-mortar retailers took a pounding this Friday. A chilly Black Friday for some brick-and-mortar retailers o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: Beware of the Sure Thing: Possible Curve Balls for the December Market (Market Watch) U.S. Retailers Hunt for Attacks After Warning on Stealthy Malware (Reuters) Commentary: Take measures to protect your information When Financial Bubbles Burst: Real Estate Values are Plunging in Canadian Heavy Oil Patch (Contra Corner) Interest Rates to Stay Low Longer, Household Debt Remains a Concern – Says the Bank of England (The Telegraph) Glencore’s Oil …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Great news! Ol’ Remus of Yer ol’ Woodpile Report is back to his Fresh Baked Every Tuesday schedule. o o o There has been a politically-correct stink raised over a U.S. Army Aviation unit’s “Crusaders” logo. But as Dr. Bill Warner points out, unlike the hundreds of years of Islamic jihads, the Christian Crusades were short-lived and almost entirely defensive wars. Keep the logo! o o o Obama and his mainstream media co-conspirators wasted no time to show their outrage and scream for more “gun control” after the killing of three people and wounding nine others in and outside of …



Notes for Saturday – November 28, 2015

Three more days ’til the release of “Land of Promise”! Amazon has already listed the paperback version of the novel, but JWR would prefer it if everyone waited until December 1st to place their orders. If you are one of those who have read a draft copy of it, please go ahead and write a review on Amazon. Don’t forget: If you have Amazon Prime, then you’ll get free shipping on your copies of the book. o o o MD Arms is offering 40% off everything and $10 Flat Rate shipping from now through January 15th for the Christmas season! …


What’s a Dime Worth? Bartering with Junk Silver, by H. North

“Brother, can you spare a dime?” is one of the best-known American songs of the Great Depression. The question was commonly asked by drifters hoping to be able to use the dime to buy a meal or two as they wandered the country looking for work. However, that was the 1930’s. Thus, it begs the question: in today’s economy, what’s a dime really worth? Is it still worth just a meal or two? Up until 1965, most American coinage was comprised of 90% silver, which is commonly referred to today as “junk” silver. Starting in 1965, the U.S. Mint diluted …


Letter: Of Batteries and Jumpers

HJL, My truck’s battery was discharged (forgot to unplug something), it was COLD, and I couldn’t find anyone to give me a jump, at least not quickly, and it was about a half mile away. I have 2-gauge jumper cables in the truck. Over a half dozen times these would start other cars being jumped that would barely turn over when the thinner “economy” cables didn’t. I literally just swapped cables and it would start right up. And these, which aren’t that much more expensive, can carry 600 cold-cranking amps over the distance. The typical thin ones make 13.5 volts …