“Government has three primary functions. It should provide for military defense of the nation. It should enforce contracts between individuals. It should protect citizens from crimes against themselves or their property.” – Milton Friedman
On February 4, 211, Roman Emperor Septimius Severus died in Eboracum (York) in England, leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons, Caracalla and Geta. From his biography: “Septimius Severus was the first Roman Emperor from Africa. He ruled from 193 to 211 AD and is known for having expanded the Roman Empire through military campaigns. Severus began his career in the Roman government, rising through the ranks during a period of political instability. He became emperor in 193 AD, a year known as the Year of the Five Emperors due to its rapid succession of …
Our 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. — Reader H.B. suggested a Facebook reel on how to make your own local topo maps. o o o At our friend Jack Lawson’s website: Do It Yourself! Building a 3500-Watt Portable Battery Bank Solar Power Unit. o o o Here is a free short story based rooted in an ancient legend, with …
“Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.” – Thomas Paine
On February 3, 1863 Samuel Clemens first used the pen name Mark Twain in a Virginia City newspaper, the “Territorial Enterprise“. — And on February 3, 1931, New Zealand’s worst natural disaster, the Hawke’s Bay earthquake, which killed 256 and injurds thousands, devastating Napier and the Hawke’s Bay regio. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: 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), American Gunsmithing Institute …
This weekly column features media 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. Today, a photo of Stanley Lake and McGown Peak, Idaho, in the heart of the Sawtooth Mountain Range. (A 2009 public domain photo by Frank Kovalchek.) American Redoubt News Links Idaho Speaker calls Utah’s proposed refinery tax ‘bull manure’, costing Idaho drivers more at the pump. Does BLM Pulling Montana Grazing Leases For Bison Reclassify Them As Wildlife? Past Convictions Catch Up to Cheyenne Man During Traffic Stop. …
“The left loves the courts. They hate constitutional limited government.” – Dan Bongino
On February 2, 1892, the bottle cap for beverages was patented by US inventor William Painter and is still used today. — On this day in 1974: The F-16 Fighting Falcon flew for the first time. — Today’s feature piece is by SurvivalBlog staffer Tom Chistianson. — We are now seeking entries for Round 123 of our nonfiction writing contest. Round 123 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. In 2023, we …
The following recipes for Jam Pie and a requisite Rich Pie Crust are from SurvivalBlog reader and fellow blogger Jennifer Rader. Jam Pie Ingredients 1 rich single-crust pie shell (see included recipe, below) 1 pint of jelly or jam 1 cup whipping cream 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Directions Spread jam on the hot pie crust. Let cool completely. In a small, chilled bowl, combine cream, sugar, and vanilla. Whip until stiff peaks form. Spread onto cooled jam. Refrigerate the pie for 3 hours before serving. Rich Pie Crust Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/8 teaspoon baking powder …
Today’s graphic: The United States total fertility rate (# of children per woman) in the year 2025, by state. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.) The thumbnail below is click-expandable. — Please send your graphics or graphics links to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.
“…I think that what we need to do is examine the entire Federal Reserve Institution and whether they have been successful… ..You know, if this were the FAA and we were having this many mistakes, we would go back and look at, why has this happened? …So, you know, I think this idea of them not being able to break out of a certain mindset… …all these PhDs over there, I don’t know what they do. I don’t know what they do. This is like Universal Basic Income for academic economists.” – U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, from a July …
On February 1st, we recognize the 1942 birthday of the late Dr. Gary North. North was a prolific writer on Christian Reconstruction and economics topics. He passed away on February 24, 2022. His more than 50 published books are a lasting legacy. He also assembled a 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 Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas and Louisiana as …
We’ve announced the winners of Round 122 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Note to the top three prize winners: Please contact me and let me know your UPS and USPS address(es), for your prizes. Thanks. – JWR The top three prize winners will each receive some great prize packages. The winners for Round 122 are… First Prize Winner: First Prize goes to A.F., for Introducing Your Community to Emergency Preparedness. It was posted January 8-10, 2026. See: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.) He will receive as prizes: A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used …
The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: There are Some Differences Between “Homely” Pretti, and “Pretty” Pretti News Links: It appears MSNBC gave Alex Pretti a tan, a stronger jawline, better teeth, shorter forehead, and a nose job. AI-altered pic of Alex Pretti is being widely circulated after his killing by Border Patrol. 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 …
“Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and …
