Preparedness Notes for Sunday — December 3, 2023

December 2, 1857 English writer Joseph Conrad, whose notable works included the novel Lord Jim (1900) and the novella Heart of Darkness (1902), was born. On December 3,1775, the first official US flag (the Grand Union Flag) was raised aboard naval vessel USS Alfred. On December 3, 1944, the Greek Civil War broke out in a newly-liberated Greece, between communists and royalists. On December 3,1967, Christiaan Barnard of South Africa performed the first human heart transplant, at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. Today is also the birthday of actor Brendan Fraser (born, 1968.) He often plays “fish out of …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: Most Presidential First Ladies Have Had a Pet Project or Cause… Ladybird Johnson: Highway Beautification Betty Ford: Breast Cancer Rosalynn Carter: Drugs Abuse Prevention Nancy Reagan: Just Say No To Drugs Barbara Bush: Literacy Michelle Obama: Regular Prostate Exams Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks! Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.  


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — December 2, 2023

On December 2, 2001, following revelations of massive accounting fraud, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection; the energy-trading company was once the seventh largest corporation in the United States. — On December 2nd, 1823, what became known as the Monroe Doctrine was declared by President James Monroe to Congress outlining a foreign policy initiative that forbade European interference in the American hemisphere but also asserted U.S. neutrality in regard to future European conflicts. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic …


Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those –or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first month, in the seventh day of the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to bind it, to make it strong to hold the sword. Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong, and that which was broken; and I will cause the …


Preparedness Notes for Friday — December 1, 2023

On December 1st, 1913, the world’s first moving assembly line debuted, used in manufacturing Model Ts at a Ford factory in Highland Park, Michigan; the innovation was the idea of owner Henry Ford, and it revolutionized the auto industry. — Today is the birthday of gun designer Charles Cashman Kelsey, Jr., of DEVEL firearms fame. He was born December 1,1935.  He was murdered in Texas under mysterious circumstances in April, 2003. — This is also the birthday of novelist Rex Stout (1886–1975). Rex Stout was the brother of Ruth Stout, the gardener who wrote about no-till, year-round mulching, organic gardening …


Writing Contest Prize Winners Announced – Round 109

We’ve completed the judging for Round 109 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.  The judging was particularly difficult for this round, because there were so many great articles. Round 108 began on August 1st and ended on September 30, 2023. (The contest is run in rounds that each last two months.) The prize-winning writers for Round 108 are: First Prize First Prize goes to SaraSue, for: Homesteading – A Cautionary Tale, posted on November 10-11-12, 2023. See: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. She will receive the following prizes: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC are providing …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day: 

“Unfortunately, there is a tendency among political elites to distrust the opinions of ordinary people. They are perceived to base their views on dark instincts and unjustified fears, rather than on rational choices. European voters, however, are highly educated, and it is ridiculous to suppose they can be easily fooled or manipulated.” – Geert Wilders


Preparedness Notes for Thursday — November 30, 2023

On November 30th, 1996, a block of gray sandstone known as the Stone of Scone was returned to Scotland, 700 years after it had been taken to England as war booty by King Edward I. — Satirical novelist Jonathan Swift was born on November 30th, 1667. — And on November 30, 1782, Britain and the United States signed the preliminary articles of the Treaty of Paris as part of the Peace of Paris, a collection of treaties concluding the American Revolution. — A very practical new property listing over at SurvivalRealty: Off Grid, 20 Acres, Two Homes, Year Around Access, …


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 Bunker Building Boom. (Pictured is a diagram of an underground bunker from Atlas Shelters.) An Invasive Tick That Can Clone Itself Is Spreading Over …



Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — November 29, 2023

Today is the birthday of writer Clive Staples (“C.S.”) Lewis, who was born in 1898 and died 22 November 1963.  The news of his passing was surely overshadowed by the media attention to JFK’s death, the same day. — We are now seeking entries for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $850,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 110 ends on January 31st, 2024, so get busy …


The 21st Century Geopolitical Chessboard

As we approach the end of 2023, I’ve been assessing world events. In short: The world is an increasingly dangerous place. There are numerous current threats, most notably: The Western debt-based financial system is overextended and nearing a collapse. The rise of the BRICS bloc. Pandemics are being used as weapons to reduce population, control citizenries, and as excuses for a wide range of social engineering projects. Note that Avian Flu is still spreading and a new pneumonia strain broke out in northern China, and it is already jumping national borders. There is also a new canine respiratory illness and …


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. — Far-right anti-Islamist Wilders wins Dutch election, sending shockwaves through Europe. o  o  o How Blue States Work Around SCOTUS to Restrict Gun Rights. o  o  o Fellow American Redoubt resident Commander Zero shared this wisdom on pistol tritium sights: Nuke ’em till they glow. o  o  o Fact-Checkers Are Gaslighting You on …