Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — May 11, 2022

On May 11, 1949, Israel was admitted into the United Nations. — Reader Tracy M. mentioned that Spaceweather.com reported this yesterday: X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: An unusually-magnetized sunspot exploded on May 10th, producing an intense X1.5-class solar flare. Shortwave radio signals were blacked out around the Atlantic Ocean for as much as an hour, and now there’s a chance a CME is heading our way. SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 100 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 …


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. We may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters. — Video from Task & Purpose: US Army OFFICIALLY HAS A NEW PRIMARY WEAPON.  JWR’s Comments:   I concur with most of the description, except for “long barrel life” claim. I suppose the good news is that both the SIG M5 carbine and M50 LMG have quick-change barrels. Methinks the Army will be buying a lot …



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — May 10, 2022

May 10th is the birthday of the late Janis Pinups (born 1925, died 15 June 2007). He was one of the last of the Forest Brothers anti-communist resistance fighters. He came out of hiding, after five decades, to obtain a Latvian passport in 1994, after the collapse of eastern European communism. (He was never issued any communist government identity papers and by necessity lived as a nonexistent ghost during the entire Soviet occupation of Latvia.) The history of the Forest Brothers movement certainly deserves more recognition. May 10, 1972. Top Gun Graduate Randall “Duke” Cunningham and his backseater Wally “Irish” …


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 Redoubt region astronaut Kayla Barron. (See the Eastern Washington section.) Idaho Inmate suspected in string of robberies in Washington, Idaho escapes jail cell. o  o  o Grizzly bear makes a meal of Naples landowner’s livestock. o  o  o Kamiah Fire-Rescue volunteer suffers …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — May 9, 2022

On May 9th, 1945, Herman Goering– commander in chief of the Luftwaffe, president of the Reichstag, head of the Gestapo, prime minister of Prussia, and Hitler’s designated successor– was taken prisoner by the U.S. Seventh Army in Bavaria. Goering, who was addicted to painkillers due to a wound, was instrumental in creating concentration camps for political enemies. It was Goering who ordered the purging of German Jews from the economy following the Kristallnacht program in 1938, initiating an “Aryanization” policy that confiscated Jewish property and businesses. Tried and convicted at the Nuremberg trials, he was sentenced to hanging, but before …


Recipe of the Week: Bean-Potato Breakfast Patties

The following quite flexible recipe for a Bean-Potato Breakfast Patties is from SurvivalBlog reader Richard T.  His introductory notes: “This is a breakfast that was inspired by, but has no recognizable features to, the traditional English breakfast. The objective was not to make an attractive plate, and it isn’t, but to make a breakfast that was high in energy and quick to get to the plate after the initial preparation. It is made in a batch and portioned out in 6-ounce serving patties and frozen. When served it comes out of the freezer and cooked up in a skillet and …


Investing in Unusual Metals

Today, in lieu of or normal “E&I” column, we present a special examination of high dollar value industrial metals and some lesser-known precious metals, authored by SurvivalBlog’s Senior Editor James Wesley, Rawles (JWR). Hopefully, this won’t sound like a high school chemistry lecture. Industrial Metals To begin, I must mention that many metals react with contact with the air, water, or salts. Lanthanum, for example very quickly turns blue, in air. A few — like europium, lithium, magnesium, metallic calcium, sodium, and potassium — can react quite violently and require special handling.  None of those are recommended for metals investors! …



Preparedness Notes for Sunday — May 8, 2022

May 8th is the birthday of missionary and U.S. military intelligence officer John Birch. (Born, 1918, died August 25, 1945.) He is considered by many to be the first American casualty of the Cold War. This is also the birthday of Austrian economist Friedrich Hayek. And today is the 77th anniversary of VE Day, otherwise known as Victory in Europe Day. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 100 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% …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — May 7, 2022

On May 7, 1867 Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel patented dynamite in England. This was the first of three patents that he would receive for the explosive. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 100 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 for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

I have two new memes for you, this week. One posted today, and one on Sunday The latest meme created by JWR: To share this, you can find it here: https://www.kapwing.com/videos/62730ea748db000058ecd22f Meme Text: The New Disinformation Governance Board (DGB) A Lot Like The Old KGB, Except With Trendy TikTok Musical Numbers Links: DHS Creates “Disinformation Governance Board” Resembling Orwell’s “Ministry of Truth” DGB Director Nina Jankowicz Sings on TikTok. KGB Fifth Directorate. Satire: U.S. Ministry of Truth Interrogates Man Who Shared Misinformation.


Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make 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 this column, in …