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. — I heard from SurvivalBlog reader T.D.H. about a nifty and inexpensive way to efficiently store 30-round AR-15 rifle magazines. By coincidence, the dimensions of small, stackable Sterlite plastic storage crates are perfect to fit 12 of the 30-round PMAGs. These fit tightly in these crates if the magazines are left in their …



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — September 5, 2023

On September 5th, 1836, Sam Houston was elected president of the Republic of Texas. — Ready Made Resources is running a Labor Day Sale on a L3 Commercial Grade with PVS-14 Night Vision Monocular/Weapon sight package with a 10-Year Warranty for $4,299.  In this package, you will get: One L3 Unfilmed White Phosphor Commercial Grade (Unit and Spec Sheet Only), One Wilcox G24 Lite with Dovetail J-Arm, One Bump Helmet, and On Pelican case. You’ll save $310 by buying this package.  Take note that USSOCOM and JSOC have chosen white phosphor tubes as their new standard and are now taking …


Opportunity for Retreat Group Membership in a Secure Bug Out Location

I currently have a consulting client who lives full-time with his family on a highly productive farm in Kansas. He has asked me to use SurvivalBlog to add a family to his retreat group. Unlike the caretaker position (which was a salaried position) posted earlier this year, this is not a paying job, but if you have the qualifications think of your response as the first step toward a potential space for you and your family in a lifeboat which in a collapse scenario could be very important. Imagine if the collapse has occurred and instead of being stuck in …


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 a charging bear incident.  (See the Montana section.) Region-Wide CBS video: The movement to shrink Oregon and expand Idaho. o  o  o ‘Unusually snowy’: Farmers’ Almanac predicts snowy, wet winter for region. o  o  o An un-narrated three-minute CBS video: Nature: The …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — September 4, 2023

On September 4th, 2006 Australian wildlife conservationist and television personality Steve Irwin, who achieved worldwide fame as the exuberant and risk-taking host of The Crocodile Hunter (1992–2006) television series and related documentaries, was killed by a venomous bull stingray. — I noticed several new listings of interest, over at SurvivalRealty.com.  For example: Epic Remote Off-grid Mountain Property — $185,000, Seligman, Arizona 73 Acre Off-Grid Homestead In Santa, Idaho — $1,777,000 — Santa, Idaho Fully off-grid! Easy access! Perfect for self-sufficiency! — $395,000 — Concho, Arizona 30 Acres of Serene Farm and Wooded Hunting Land — $149,999 — Brazil, Indiana Creekside …


Recipe of the Week: Peanut Butter and Jelly Oat Balls

The following recipe for Peanut Butter and Jelly Oat Balls is from SurvivalBlog reader A.S..  It requires no cooking. A.S. notes:  “If you substitute Nutella for the jelly, then you get something that tastes a bit like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.” Ingredients 1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats, divided 1 cup creamy peanut butter 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar 6 teaspoons of jam, jelly, or Nutella chocolate cream Directions Combine 1 cup oats, peanut butter, and confectioners’ sugar until well blended. Shape dough into 1-1/4-inch diameter balls. Flatten the balls into 1/4-inch thick discs. Place 1/2 teaspoon of jam in center of …


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. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at expected crashes in commercial and residential real estate. (See the Tangibles Investing section.) Precious Metals: What To Expect For Gold If We Enter A Deflationary Period. o  o  o Another, at Gold-Eagle.com: Piepenburg, Rule and Rickards Agree: Gold’s Role Rises as Dollar Hegemony Falls. Economy & Finance: Billions of dollars are flowing out …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Our duty to the whole, including the unborn generations, bids us to restrain an unprincipled present-day minority from wasting the heritage of these unborn generations. The movement for the conservation of wildlife and the larger movement for the conservation of all our natural resources are essentially democratic in spirit, purpose, and method.” – Theodore Roosevelt


Preparedness Notes for Sunday — September 3, 2023

On September 3rd, 1609, English navigator Henry Hudson, in a quest for a passage to India on behalf of the Dutch East India Company, sailed into the harbor of present-day New York City and up the river that now bears his name. — I just heard that singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffet passed away, at age 76. He was a great musician and a true American “Character”, in the good sense of the word. Our condolences to his family. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 108 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: How Can the ATF Take the 73-Word Definition of “Engaged In The Business” Established in Law By Congress in 1968 And Expand it to 34,000 Words and Claim that it is Just a “Rulemaking Clarification” Under Chevron Deference? News Links: White House Announcement ATF Proposed Rulemaking Announcement The ATF’s 108-Page Long Proposed Rule 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 …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — September 2, 2023

On September 2nd, 1666, the Great Fire of London began accidentally in the house of the king’s baker; it burned for four days and destroyed a large part of the city, including Old St. Paul’s Cathedral and about 13,000 houses. — On September 2nd, 1945, World War II came to an end as Japanese Foreign Minister Shigemitsu Mamoru and General Umezu Yoshijiro signed Japan’s formal surrender aboard the USS Missouri. — Today’s feature article was too short to qualify as an entry for Round 108 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $840,000 worth of prizes have been awarded …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do, That the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon. And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. And if thou wilt walk before …