Preparedness Notes for Monday — June 12, 2023

On June 12, 1991, a series of major explosions began inside Mount Pinatubo, a volcano in western Luzon, Philippines—its first eruption in 600 years. — On June 12, 1987, during a visit to the divided German city of Berlin, President Ronald Reagan publicly challenged Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev to “tear down this wall.” — On June 12, 1981, the action-adventure film Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark—directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Harrison Ford—was released in theatres; a huge success, it spawned numerous sequels. The most recent sequel, scheduled for release in late June, is reportedly …


A Special Reminder About Our Writing Contest Rules

Well, it happened again! We’ve been threatened with a lawsuit. This time it was over photo licensing. The use of what appeared to be an unlicensed photo in a 2021 article submitted by a reader resulted in me getting an “unauthorized use” photo licensing bill from Germany for €963 ($1,038 US Dollars) with the threat of a $150,000 USD lawsuit if I failed to pony up the license fee. The photos were provided by the reader/author. Therefore, I need to post a reminder about our writing contest rules. The posted rules clearly state — including some huge bold type: To …


Recipe of the Week: Beef, Turkey, or Chicken Meatballs With Zucchini

The following recipe for Beef, Turkey, or Chicken Meatballs with Zuchinni is from SurvivalBlog reader B.P.. He says: “This recipe is my variation on one that was passed around a couple of years ago. It is one way our family uses part of our summer bounty of Zucchini.” Ingredients For the Meatballs: 2 pounds of your choice of ground beef, turkey, or chicken 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 cloves of garlic, minced 2 large eggs 3 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning Salt and ground black pepper, to taste 2 cups zucchini, finely grated and twice squeeze-drained 1 small red onion, grated …


The Crypto Crackdown Has Begun

Today, in place of my regular column of Economics and Investing news items, I’m concentrating on the nascent crackdown on private cryptocurrency holders. To start, please take a few minutes to read these two articles, and pay particular attention to their tone: Binance.US suspends USD deposits after regulators crackdown. and, SEC’s Gensler Likens Crypto to ‘Fraudsters, Scam Artists, Ponzi Schemes’ of 1920s.



Preparedness Notes for Sunday — June 11, 2023

On June 11, 1742, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria (pictured) decided to make peace with Prussian King Frederick II, ceding almost all of Silesia to him in the Treaty of Breslau, which marked the end of the First Silesian War. — John Wayne, the iconic American film actor, died on June 11th, 1979. While John Wayne is probably best known for his westerns like True Grit, The Shootist, and Fort Apache, we remember him best for his roles in The Alamo and The Green Berets, both of which reflected his patriotic, conservative leanings. — Today’s feature article is a guest …


Silver and the Popping of the Debt Bubble, by Hubert Moolman

We have now moved into an era of rising interest rates that is similar to a period that started in the early 1940s. At the start of this period, the Government Debt to GDP ratio was also around 120%, close to where it eventually topped/popped. Despite high relative debt levels and a rising interest rate environment, the US was in a good position due to the US dollar being the premier world currency as a result of the 1944 Bretton Woods agreement. Instead, the US is currently facing a similarly massive debt liability and a rising interest rates environment, while …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: Remember That “Slow Slide Scenario” That Survivalists Warned Us About, 30 Years Ago? Well, Now We Are Living Through It News Links: ‘Rapidly growing’ homeless encampments spring up near LA’s celebrity-filled Beverly Hills neighborhood – where the median home price is $3.5M. Oakland’s largest homeless encampment razed, 700 tons of trash hauled away. Proposed law to ban homeless camps within 1,000 feet of ‘sensitive areas’. Leaders struggle for solutions as safety remains top concern at San Vicente homeless encampment. And from the ultra-leftist CNN: A huge homeless camp will be cleared after …




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:

“How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the …


Preparedness Notes for Friday — June 9, 2023

Today is the birthday of Jean Alexandre Francois LeMat (1824–1883), is best known for the percussion cap revolver that bears his name. This clever design has a percussion cylinder that rotates around a central 20-gauge shotgun barrel. On June 9, 1940 Norway surrendered to the invading German army, during World War II. The citizenry was then quickly disarmed by the Nazis, so resistance was limited. (The invaders had access to the Norwegian police gun registration lists.) To limit reprisals by the Germans, King Hakkon the 7th also ordered that only Norwegian troops operating from offshore should overtly resist the Nazis. …


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 the ESG scheming of the World Economic Forum (WEF) and other pressure groups. (See the Economy & Finance section.) Precious Metals: Gold ETF demand turns positive in May as investors look for safe-haven assets. o  o  o Rick Mills, at Gold-Eagle.com: Gold Revaluation and the Hidden Motive Behind Central Banks’ Gold Buying. …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Since March 2020, we may have experienced the greatest intrusions on civil liberties in the peacetime history of this country. Executive officials across the country issued emergency decrees on a breathtaking scale. Governors and local leaders imposed lockdown orders forcing people to remain in their homes They shuttered businesses and schools public and private. They closed churches even as they allowed casinos and other favored businesses to carry on. They threatened violators not just with civil penalties but with criminal sanctions too. They surveilled church parking lots, recorded license plates, and issued notices warning that attendance at even outdoor services …