Preparedness Notes for Monday — July 26, 2021

On July 26th, 1931, a swarm of grasshoppers descended on crops throughout the American heartland, devastating millions of acres. Already in the midst of a bad drought, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota suffered tremendously. The swarms were said to be so thick that they blocked out the sun and one could shovel the grasshoppers with a scoop. While America has not seen infestations on such a scale since then, North Africa and parts of the Middle East continue to experience them. — The confirmation of David “Waco” Chipman as Director of the BATFE may come up for a vote before …


Recipe of the Week: Lamb’s Quarters

The following wild greens recipe is from Mrs. Alaska. Many wild greens can be cooked the same way people like to cook spinach: with butter and lemon or garlic or as a creamy concoction. In spring, we enjoy fiddlehead ferns and fireweed shoots.  In early summer, we eat dandelion leaves raw and cooked.  But my favorite wild green is Lamb’s Quarters.  It is chock full of vitamins A, C, K, iron, and calcium.  Unlike many leafy greens, its flavor does not include a bitter or sulfurous component.  It is mild, and almost nutty. This slim plant with grey/green soft leaves, grows …


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. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at labor shortages in the railroad industry. (See the Economy & Finance section.) Precious Metals: Mike in Alaska wrote to mention a free online precious metals price calculator. o  o  o Arkadiusz Sieroń: Gold’s Behavior in Various Parallel Inflation Universes. Economy & Finance: First up, at Wolf Street: After Slashing …



Preparedness Notes for Sunday — July 25, 2021

On this day in 1897, Jack London sailed for the Klondike. While in the Klondike, London began submitting stories to magazines. In 1900, his first collection of stories, The Son of the Wolf, was published. Three years later, his story The Call of the Wild made him famous around the country. London continued to write stories of adventure amid the harsh natural elements. During his 17-year career, he wrote 50 fiction and nonfiction books. He settled in northern California about 1911, having already written most of his best work. London, a heavy drinker, died in 1916. — Today’s feature article …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:   To share this, you can find it here: https://kapwi.ng/c/s8tS8lkh Meme Text: Biden-Harris Administration Statist Logic: It Would Egregiously Violate the 1st Amendment to Have the White House Censor Facebook Posts. But Jen Psaki Says It Is Okay For The White House to “Flag” Facebook Posts and Ask Facebook to Censor Them. Related News Links: https://dailycaller.com/2021/07/20/media-white-house-line-social-media-censorship-jen-psaki-peter-doocy/ and https://spectatorworld.com/topic/joe-biden-digital-serfs-misinformation-jen-psaki-facebook/


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — July 24, 2021

The late Jerry Ahern passed away on this day, July 24th, in 2012. His survivalist novels created an entire genre. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 95 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 $1,095 value), A course certificate from …


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, …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my …


Preparedness Notes for Friday — July 23, 2021

On July 23rd, 1982, outside Santa Clarita, California, actor Vic Morrow (of Combat! fame) and two children were killed when a helicopter crashed onto them while shooting a scene from Twilight Zone: The Movie. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 95 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 …


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. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we further examine the real estate boom in the American Redoubt states. (See the Tangibles Investing section.) Precious Metals: Silver price bounces off support below $25; weakness is overdone – Commerzbank. o  o  o Daan Joubert: Exploring COMEX Gold And Silver. Economy & Finance: At Yahoo Finance: Yield Plunge Stirs Thoughts of …



Preparedness Notes for Thursday — July 22, 2021

July 22nd is the birthday of actor Willem Dafoe (born 1955). Perhaps his best role was in the movie The Hunter, set in Tasmania. — A new listing, over at the SurvivalRealy.com spin-off site: Ultimate Self-Sustained Living: Off-grid earth-sheltered home in Rogue River, Oregon. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 95 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 …


The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— 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. Today, we look at a new round of X-class solar flares. First X-Flare of Solar Cycle 25 Over at Spaecewather: First X-flare of Solar Cycle 25. JWR’s Comments:  The worst of the two recent  flares’ fury was …