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 imminent rockslide threat to Brienz, Switzerland. Steinschlag: Swiss Village Under Threat of Huge Rockslide ‘It is a question of a few days or a …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“All warfare is based on deception. A skilled general must be master of the complementary arts of simulation and dissimulation; while creating shapes to confuse and delude the enemy he conceals his true dispositions and ultimate intent. When capable he feigns incapacity; when near he makes it appear that he is far away; when far away; that he is near. Moving as intangibly as a ghost in the starlight, he is obscure, inaudible. His primary target is the mind of the opposing commander; the victorious situation, a product of his creative imagination. Attacking the mind of the enemy is an …


Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — May 17, 2023

On this day in 1769, George Washington launched a legislative salvo at Great Britain’s fiscal and judicial attempts to maintain its control over the American colonies. He brought a package of non-importation resolutions, drafted by George Mason, before the Virginia House of Burgesses. This initiated a chain of events that led to Britain’s House of Lords demanding that men involved in the extra-legal Massachusetts convention of towns be tried in England. Britain’s plan backfired and created an American identity where before there had been none. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 106 of the SurvivalBlog …


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. — Our Editor-At-Large Michael Z. Williamson was the first of several folks to mention this: Bear and bulletproof travel trailer is ready for the roughest stuff. 0  0  0 Canada’s Gun Confiscation Program in First Phase. o  o  o NASA: We’d Have a 30-Minute Warning Before a Killer Solar Storm Hits Earth. o  …



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — May 16, 2023

Today is the birthday of clarinetist, saxophonist, and bandleader Woody Herman.  (Born 1913, died Oct. 29, 1987.) — On May 16, 1997, Zaire’s president, Mobutu Sese Seko, ended 32 years of dictatorial rule, giving control of the country to rebel forces. — Black Ovis (one of our affiliate advertisers) is running a 25% off Memorial Day sale on Mystery Ranch packs!  This sale ends on the 18th, so order soon. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 106 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists …


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 Idaho’s population growth.   (See the Idaho section.) Idaho Idaho leads the U.S. in child population growth. The kid demographic has shrunk in most states. An excerpt: “The number of adults in Idaho grew by 16 percent since 2017. Boise is getting a …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — May 15, 2023

On May 15,1859, Physical chemist Pierre Curie, co-winner of the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics, (along with his wife, Marie Curie), was born in Paris. Today is also the birthday of Evelyn Ernest Owen (15 May 1915 – 1 April 1949) He was an Australian who developed the Owen submachine gun which was used by the Australian Army in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. On May 15th, 1942, gasoline rationing began in 17 Eastern states as an attempt to help the American war effort during World War II. — Today’s feature is a review by …


Recipe of the Week: Spanikopita

The following recipe for Spanikopita is from SurvivalBlog reader Mrs. Alaska. She writes:  This recipe is adapted from one in the wonderful book, The Boreal Forest, by Beverly Gray. While traditional spanakopita is made with spinach, feta cheese, and phyllo pastry, the fact is that the filling can be made with ANY cookable leafy green (wild or domesticated) and any cheese. The phyllo, too, can be replaced with pie crust (so it would then be a quiche) or topped with biscuits, or spread over puff pastry. For the spanakopita: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together 2 cups of feta …


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. Most of these items are from JWR’s “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective. Today, a closer look at the natural gas and propane markets. (See the Commodities section.) Precious Metals: Silver prices surprise with a 5% selloff, but its structural bull market remains in place – analysts. o  o  o At Gold-Eagle.com: Gold Forecast – Fiscal Crisis and the Next Great Depression by 2030. o  o  o Drainage: China’s …



Preparedness Notes for Sunday — May 14, 2023

May 14th, 1686 was the birthday of Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit, who invented the thermometer. On May 14th, 1948, in Tel Aviv, Jewish Agency Chairman David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the State of Israel, reestablishing the Jewish state after 2000 years. In an afternoon ceremony at the Tel Aviv Art Museum, Ben-Gurion pronounced the words “We hereby proclaim the establishment of the Jewish state in Palestine, to be called Israel,” prompting applause and tears from the crowd gathered at the museum. Ben-Gurion became Israel’s first Prime Minister. — Today’s feature article is too short for consideration as an entry for Round 106 of the …



The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, …