Preparedness Notes for Thursday — August 27, 2020

My latest nonfiction book, titled: The Ultimate Prepper’s Survival Guide was scheduled to be on the shelf in Costco stores beginning yesterday:  Wednesday, August 26th. But I didn’t see any when I stopped by my nearest Costco. Did any SurvivalBlog readers find any on the shelf?  If so, in what cities?  Please let me know in the comments to this post. Thanks! The book will be exclusive to Costco club stores until October 20th, when the general release (worldwide, including all Internet vendors) will be made. — August 27, 1917 was the birthday of American gun designer Robert Hillberg, best …




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 take another look at the urban exodus. U.S. Housing Market Is ‘Booming’, Exceeding Pre-Pandemic Levels Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: U.S. Housing Market Is ‘Booming’, Exceeding Pre-Pandemic Levels.  JWR’s Comment: …




The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Yea, Buddy! We know how successful them public-private partnerships are! Think on the public-private mortgage creation motors, Fannie Mae & Freddie Mack. Both belly-upped in 2008, but not before they had glutted the mortgage market with zillions in soggy, sorry, worthless mortgages. Been under federal government receivership ever since. Or what about another public-private partnership success, the Federal Reserve System? Now in fact it ain’t federal, and it hath no reserve, and there ain’t even much system about it. But like putting lipstick on a sow, they gussied it up in 1913 with a Board of Governors that the president …




Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — August 26, 2020

August 26, 1946 was the official release date of George Orwell’s “Animal Farm.” — On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote was formally adopted into the U.S. Constitution. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 90 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of their sun-tracking models, and 10% off the purchase price of any of their other models. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course …




JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:

Here are JWR’s Recommendations of the Week for various media and tools of interest to SurvivalBlog readers. The focus is usually on emergency communications gear, bug out bag gear, books, and movies–often with a tie-in to disaster preparedness, and links to “how-to” self-sufficiency videos. There are also links to sources for both storage food and storage containers. You will also note an emphasis on history books and historical movies. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This week the focus is on some unusual MRE components and MRE replacements. (See the Gear & Grub section.) Books: Edible Wild …







Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — August 25, 2020

August 25th is a birthday shared by novelist Frederick Forsyth (born 1938), humorist Bret Harte (born 1836), and the late American humorist Patrick F. McManus (born 1933). Forsyth (pictured) was the author of The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil’s Alternative, and many others. McManus was born and raised in Sandpoint, Idaho, so his books could be classified as American Redoubt humor. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 90 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A gift …




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 efforts to stop wolf depredation of cattle. (See the Eastern Washington section.) Region-Wide The current wildfires in California are so huge that they’ve generated a smoky haze that extended to Idaho, Montana, and even Wyoming. This televised map tells the story. o  …




The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Even though I have a dozen or so stripped AR lowers sitting around, I still check pricing and availability. Gotta say…now is the second-worst time to be buying guns, first worst is gonna be November. Even if early-onset dementia victim Biden doesn’t get elected you can still expect gun prices and availability to be wildly unpredictable. What I can predict is that there will be no Trump Slump this time around. Even if Trump wins, the natives are still restless over COVID, race ‘discussions’, and other uncertainties. Now is not the time for complacency.” – Commander Zero, in his Notes …




Preparedness Notes for Monday — August 24, 2020

My latest nonfiction book, titled: The Ultimate Prepper’s Survival Guide should be available in Costco stores beginning on Wednesday, August 26th. That book will be exclusive to Costco club stores until October 20th, when the general release (worldwide, including all Internet vendors) will be made. Note that the editions will vary slightly. They will all be 240 pages and hardcover, but for example, the U.S/Canada edition ($24.99) will measure 10-1/2″ x 11-1/4″, with an interior wire-o binding–so that the pages will lay flat. But the UK/EU edition (£19.12) will measure 7-1/2″ x 9-5/8″ with a more traditional binding. The second …




Recipe of the Week: Chicken Salad

The following chicken salad recipe is from The New Butterick Cook Book, by Flora Rose, co-head of the School of Home Economics at Cornell University. It was published in 1924. A professional scan of that 724-page out-of-copyright book will be one of the many bonus items included in the next edition of the waterproof SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick. This special 15th Anniversary Edition USB stick should be available for sale in the third week of January, 2021. The 14th Edition sold out quickly, so place a reminder in your calendar, if you want one. Ingredients 2 cups diced cooked chicken …




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 the fate of the U.S. Dollar. (See the Forex & Cryptos section.) Precious Metals: We’ll start off today’s column with this piece by Arkadiusz Sieroń: Fed Can Control Yield Curve. But It Can’t Control Gold o  o  o Reader “S.” sent me this note: “Jim, I work at a …




The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The good Lord raised this mighty Republic to be a home for the brave and to flourish as the land of the free-not to stagnate in the swampland of collectivism, not to cringe before the bully of communism. Now, my fellow Americans, the tide has been running against freedom. Our people have followed false prophets. We must, and we shall, return to proven ways– not because they are old, but because they are true. We must, and we shall, set the tide running again in the cause of freedom. And this party, with its every action, every word, every breath, …




Preparedness Notes for Sunday — August 23, 2020

August 23rd is the anniversary of the declaration of the independent state of “Franklin” in Eastern Tennessee — bordering western North Carolina and Virginia — by the settlers there in 1784. Unfortunately, the Continental Congress rejected it, so the state of Franklin never became a reality. — In 1833, Britain abolished slavery in the colonies and 700,000 slaves were freed. I can’t help but wonder; Had Abraham Lincoln allowed the political process to run its course, as it did in England, and slavery was abolished by the will of the people, as it would have been, rather than executive order, …