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. Most of these items are from JWR’s “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective. Today, we look at renewed market demand for gold. (See the Precious Metals section.) Precious Metals: Gold demand surged to an 11-year high in 2022 on ‘colossal’ central bank buying. o  o  o The world’s largest silver producing countries in 2022 – report. o  o  o Kelsey Williams, at Gold-Eagle.com: Orderly Markets vs. Chaos. o  o  …



Preparedness Notes for Thursday — February 2, 2023

On February 2, 1887, the first Groundhog Day was held, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. — Update: We are now down to less than 180 SurvivalBlog 2005-2022 archive USB sticks on hand. “Going, going…” There probably won’t be a second batch this year, so get your order in soon. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 105 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 chosen, this could be worth more than $2000. …


Preparedness: Now What? – Part 2, by O.C.

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Into The Pentagon After nine years or so as a defense contractor around the DC area, I was able to secure a job in the Pentagon as a civil servant in the Directorate of Special Access Programs. There I learned about Continuity of Operations/Continuity of Government (COOP/COG) for the first time. It’s fascinating. Although Nancy Pelosi originally claimed that she was not taken to a secure location, she indeed was, based on COOP/COG protocols. I won’t say exactly where, but I think it was [a hardened site] not far from D.C. I …


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, another look at egg smuggling. Border Patrol Now Catching Egg Smugglers First up, over at Alpha News:, this sign of the times: Border police dealing with new smuggling …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Christian Americans should see themselves as under a sort of occupation. Forces largely from outside your communities suppress that natural drive, confirmed by grace, for public religion. The ruling class is hostile to your Christian town, to your Christian people and to your Christian heritage. The occupation universalizes their ideology, forcing your Christianity to exist only in the walls of churches, denying any civil and social ordering to God and to Christ’s kingdom. The top-down and foreign imposition of secularism is evident in Supreme Court decisions, though these are only the tip of the iceberg and most visible to us.” …


Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — February 1, 2023

On February 1st, we recognize the birthday of the late Dr. Gary North, in 1942. North was a prolific writer on economics and Christian Reconstruction. He passed away just less than a year ago, on February 24, 2022.  His more than 50 published books are a lasting legacy. He also assembled a large free online library of books by other godly writers, through his Institute For Christian Economics (ICE). Those free books, totaling 38,000 pages, are all still available online. They are a great resource for homeschoolers and economics students. — We also remember February 1st, 2003, when the Space …


Writing Contest Prize Winners Announced — Round 104

We’ve completed the judging for Round 104 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prize-winning writers are: First Prize First Prize goes to A Grateful Mechanic, for Career Change to a Durable Trade. (Posted on January 24, 2023.) He will receive the following prizes: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value), Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried …


SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This 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. — A video from blog reader A.K.: Build your own Portable Poultry Coop! o  o  o Reader C.B. sent this:  A Concerning Winter Storm Is Coming… o  o  o New Yorkers Moving to Florida in Record Numbers. “More people from New York moved to Florida in 2022 than any year in history, according …



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — January 31, 2023

On this day in 1872, American author Pearl Zane Grey was born. He was best known for his popular adventure western novels, including Riders of the Purple Sage, which was his best-selling book. On January 31, 1606, Guy Fawkes was scheduled for execution for his part in the Gunpowder Plot against Parliament and King James. As he was being marched up the steps to his gallows with his hands bound, he fell, broke his neck, and died, depriving his executioners of any satisfaction. In recent years, Guy Fawkes masks have become a symbol of resistance to big government, worldwide. — …


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 of interest to preppers and survivalists that are located in the American Redoubt region. Today, we focus on some upcoming conservative legislation at the Idaho capitol. Idaho There was some good news included in a strongly-worded e-newsletter from Scott McIntosh of The Idaho Statesman newspaper. It was entitled:  The Idaho Way: Idaho Republican legislators reveal early agenda of fear and …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — January 30, 2023

Retired actor Eugene “Gene” Allen Hackman was born January 30, 1930. He retired from acting, because of stress issues. January 30th is also the birthday of historian Barbara Tuchman (born 1912, died February 6, 1989). She wrote some very engaging history books. And January 30th, 1925 was the birthday of Douglas Engelbart, who invented the computer mouse. — Sales of the latest edition of the SurvivalBlog Archive waterproof USB stick have been more rapid than anticipated.  I now expect them to sell out within 10 days. If you want any, then order them soon! We might not manufacture a second …


Recipe of the Week: Non-GMO Biscuit Mix

The following recipe comes to us from SurvivalBlog reader SaraSue.  It is for a homemade non-GMO biscuit mix powder. It is intended to replace commercially-made mixes such as Bisquick, that could include some genetically modified organism (GMO) grain. SaraSue notes: “If you read the packaging on a box of Bisquick, it will state that there are genetically modified ingredients in it. I purchase non-GMO ingredients from Azure Standard.” Yields: About 25 cups Ingredients One 5-pound bag of non-GMO all-purpose flour. (19 to 20 cups)3¾ cups buttermilk powder⅔ cup baking powder½ cup cane sugar (or organic sugar — this is optional, but …