Preparedness Notes for Saturday — December 7, 2024

On December 7, 1909, inventor Leo Baekeland patented the first thermosetting plastic, Bakelite. This sparked the birth of the plastics industry.  By the 1930s, the majority of tabletop radios had Bakelite cabinets. — On this day in 43 B.C., Roman orator and politician Marcus Tullius Cicero was assassinated in Formiae by soldiers under the command of Mark Antony. — December 7, 1703: The Great Storm of 1703 hit Southern England – thousands were killed, Royal Navy losses included 13 ships and around 1,500 seamen. — On a Sunday morning in 1941, America was caught sleeping. Then there was that September …


The Amazing Vetterli

The title of this article might sound like the marquee sign for a magic act.  But this piece is more like a segment of Ian McCollum’s Forgotten Weapons video series. In the late 1860s, the Swiss inventor and gunmaker Johann-Friedrich Vetterli designed a bolt-action repeating rifle (“Repetiergewehr“) that was a true innovation. With its very large magazine capacity, I consider the Vetterli an 1870s Sturmgewehr predecessor.



Preparedness Notes for Friday — December 6, 2024

Today is the birthday of RAF and RCAF fighter ace George Frederick “Buzz” Beurling. (Pictured, at right.) He was born in Verdon, Quebec on December 6, 1921, and died in Rome, Italy, May 20, 1948. There are a few books about him and one worth mentioning is his autobiography Malta Spitfire which he wrote in 1943 during a Victory Bond tour in Canada. He left the RCAF in about April 1944 with 31 kills, most of them during the siege of Malta in the summer of 1942. — Today is also the birthday of “claymation” artist and filmmaker Nick Park …


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, another sobering look at the National Debt. (See the National Debt and Deficit section.)  Oh, before you jump to the conclusion that I picked an “old” photo of the National Debt Clock…  It is only about four years old.  That is how rapidly the National Debt has blossomed. Precious Metals: Largest gold deposit in the …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Our nation was founded on the basic idea that the people we elect run the government. That isn’t how America functions today. Most legal edicts aren’t laws enacted by Congress but “rules and regulations” promulgated by unelected bureaucrats—tens of thousands of them each year. Most government enforcement decisions and discretionary expenditures aren’t made by the democratically elected president or even his political appointees but by millions of unelected, unappointed civil servants within government agencies who view themselves as immune from firing thanks to civil-service protections This is antidemocratic and antithetical to the Founders’ vision. It imposes massive direct and indirect …


Preparedness Notes for Thursday — December 5, 2024

On December 5, 1408: The Golden Horde, led by Emir Edigu, reached Moscow. — December 5th,1456: An earthquake struck Naples, killing an estimated 35,000 people. — December 5, 1766: Christie’s held their first sale in their permanent saleroom in Pall Mall, London.  The firm is now the world’s largest auction house. — On December 5th, 1964, the first Medal of Honor awarded to a serviceman for action in Vietnam was presented to Captain Roger Donlon, a Special Forces officer. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for …


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 scramble in Germany to revitalize their moribund nuclear fallout shelter program. Germany’s Fallout Shelters J.S. sent this, from Euro News: Germany plans to turn …



Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — December 4, 2024

On December 4, 1619, 38 colonists from Berkeley Parish, England disembarked in Virginia and gave thanks to God. Considered by many the first Thanksgiving in the Americas. — December 4th is the birthday of Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, (born 1912) an AVG “Flying Tiger” volunteer pilot for the Chinese Nationalist government, WWII Marine Corps aviator, and Medal of Honor recipient. (He died January 11, 1988.) A proto-Redoubter, Pappy Boyington was born in Couer d’Alene, Idaho and he was raised in Spokane, Washington. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The …


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. — Reader Michael R. sent this technology tip: “Here is the ‘Radioactivity Counter’ app on an old Tab A tablet just now, without and with a sample radioactive rock. Clunky and very slow but similar results to the GBC800 Geiger counter that I received from Amazon, yesterday. But the sample should be near …


Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — December 3, 2024

December 3, 1736: Astronomer Anders Celsius took measurements that confirmed Isaac Newton’s theory that Earth was a slight ellipsoid, rather than the previously accepted perfect sphere. — On December 3, 1944, the Greek Civil War broke out in a newly-liberated Greece, between communists and royalists. — Today is “Giving Tuesday”.  Please consider some of the worthy charities linked at our Charity page. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present the first entry for Round 116 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 …


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 located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, news of RCMP agents surveilling  Montana gun shows. (See the Montana section.) Idaho Idaho’s vet shortage remains problematic. o  o  o Another interesting backcountry Tundra Tire flying video. This one is down in the Owyhee country: Secret Backcountry Oasis in Idaho at the 45 Ranch. …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — December 2, 2024

On December 2, 1805, Napoleon defeated the Russians and Austrians at Austerlitz.  The painting is a romanticized rendition by French artist François Gérard, circa 1810. — December 2, 1927: The first Model A Ford sold, for $385.  In paper currency, that would be the equivalent of $6,984.52 in inflated 2024 U.S. Dollars.  But in terms of U.S. gold coins that were still circulating in 1927? $385 divided by $20.67 per ounce = 18.63 ounces of gold. The 2024 value of gold of $2,640 x 18.63 = $49,183.20. — Our Big Sale Ends at Midnight! We’ve been running a Black Friday …