SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly column is a collection of short snippets: 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. — An interesting vlog from Norwegian commentator Bjorn Andreas Bull-Hansen (pictured): We Will Not Comply. o  o  o Over at The Organic Prepper: How Bob Griswold Used Ham Radio To Save a Man’s Life. o  o  o Our Editor-at-Large Michael Z. Williamson found a site with some great cutaway views of guns. Two examples, …



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — November 1, 2022

November 1st is the birthday of economist Martin A. Armstrong. For many years he was a prisoner of conscience, in part because he refused to turn over his proprietary trading algorithms to Federal prosecutors. After seven years in prison without a trial, the longest Federal incarceration for contempt in American history, Armstrong was finally put on trial in a proceeding that was branded as a sham. He was convicted on securities fraud charges based upon some marginal testimony and given a five-year sentence. He was released from prison in September of 2011. Notably, Armstrong continued to write his economics newsletter …


Building a Garden Dome to Increase Food Security, by K.R.

The pandemic has interrupted supply chains worldwide. Combine this with rising fuel costs, government crackdowns on fertilizer use, and suspiciously frequent fires at food processing plants, and people start talking about reductions in our society’s ability to produce enough food. While it is helpful to be able to store food, real food security comes from being able to grow enough food on your own indefinitely– in all situations. In this climate, and with inflation heating up, my wife and I felt that the best tangible investment we could make was to increase our ability to grow food. We already have …


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 examine electric vehicle charging. (See the Region-Wide section.) Region-Wide A hat tip to H.L. for sending this link: Interactive: EV Charging Stations Across the U.S. Mapped. JWR’s Comments:  Note how few and far between these stations are in much of the American Redoubt. Someone …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — October 31, 2022

As Christians, our family does not celebrate the pagan Halloween. Since October 31st is also Reformation Day, that is what we celebrate, here at the Rawles Ranch. — A special word of thanks to reader C.N., who kindly sent me the gift of a license plate, for my collection. It is an Idaho two digit plate, dated 1960. (My birth year.)  Thank you very much! — Today’s feature article is a review written by Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.


Recipe of the Week: Retreat Beef Stew

The following recipe for Retreat Beef Stew is from SurvivalBlog reader John M.  He says: ‘The best stew I have ever tasted or made in over 50 years of cooking.” Ingredients 3 lbs lean hamburger 4 cups of beef broth 3 cans of diced tomatoes 8 med yellow potatoes 1 diced med onion 4 med carrots 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon A1 steak sauce 6 tablespoons salt (or less, to taste) 4 tablespoons pepper 1 clove of garlic, minced 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning 3 tablespoons of yellow mustard Directions In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown …


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. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at the developing diesel fuel shortage. (See the Commodities section.) Precious Metals: Bill Introduced in Congress to Restore Gold Standard. o  o  o Egon von Greyerz: $2 Quadrillion Debt Precariously Resting On $2 Trillion Gold. Economy & Finance: Is Credit Suisse a Canary in the Financial Industry Coal Mine? o  …



Preparedness Notes for Sunday — October 30, 2022

October 30th, 1735 was the birthday of President John Adams. (Some sources cite his birthdate as October 19, 1735.) He died on July 4, 1826 – just a few hours after the death of Thomas Jefferson. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 103 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. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used …



The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — October 29, 2022

October 29th is the birthday of fighter pilot Vermont Garrison, an American who fought in three wars – WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. He was born in 1915 and died on February 14th, 1994, in Mountain Home, Idaho. — This is also the birthday of World War II cartoonist Bill Mauldin (born 1921, died January 22, 2003). — I just heard that rock-n-roll pianist Jerry Lee Lewis passed away. He will be missed. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 103 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic …