SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic:  Geography of the Continental United States. (A “cstats1” graphic, courtesy of Reddit.)  This exaggerated view helps to illustrate why The American Redoubt is so redoubtable. The thumbnail below is click-expandable. <<<Insert Thumbnail Image >>       — Please send your graphics or graphics links to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.







Preparedness Notes for Sunday — February 23, 2025

On February 23, 1921 the first US transcontinental air mail flight arrived in New York City from San Francisco. — On February 23, 1945, six Marines from E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines raised the American flag atop Mount Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima. — Today is the anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836). — February 23rd is also the birthday of Captain Isaac Davis (February 23, 1745 – April 19, 1775), a militia officer and gunsmith who commanded a Minute Company in Acton, Massachusetts during the Battle …




JWR’s Meme Of The Week: 

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: So, Explain This to Me In Simple Shiba Doge Terms: How Does a Two-Term Congressmember With a Salary of $174,000 Per Year… Suddenly Have a Net Worth of More Than $9 Million? News Links: Increase in Net Worth of Congressmembers (2014). The Wealth of U.S. Members of Congress: Laying the Foundation (2024). Congress Live Net Worth Tracker. Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks! Permission to repost memes …




The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, …




Preparedness Notes for Saturday — February 22, 2025

On February 22, 303, the first official Roman edict for persecution of Christians was issued by Emperor Diocletian at Nicomedia. This ordered all Christian churches to be closed and scriptures burned. — On February 22, 1797, the Last Invasion of Britain began. It was launched by the French during the Revolutionary Wars. This invasion began near Fishguard, Wales. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 117 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 …




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 …




The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“These are the words of the covenant, which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb. And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to …




Preparedness Notes for Friday — February 21, 2025

On February 21, 1857, the U.S. Congress outlawed foreign currency as legal tender in the US. Pictured is a Spanish 8 Reales silver coin. — February 21, 1937, the League of Nations banned foreign national “volunteers” in the Spanish Civil War. — Because of my two recent cataract surgeries, I won’t be posting much today.  Thanks for your patience. — We are in need of entries for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing …




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 some shortages in the turbulent precious metals markets. Precious Metals: WSJ: Why Dealers Are Flying Gold Bars by Plane From London to New York. o  o  o Mike Gleason, at Gold-Eagle.com: Gold Market Dislocations Spark High Drama in Asia, Europe, and U.S.. Here is an excerpt: “This issue here is obvious. As …







Preparedness Notes for Thursday — February 20, 2025

February 20, 1792: The US postal service was created, charging postage rates of 6-to-12 cents, depending on distance. The first US Postage stamps were not issued until 1847. — Today is the birthday of novelist and screenwriter Richard Matheson (1926–2013). He wrote many sci-fi television scripts. His novella I Am Legend later was adapted into three different movies in the next five decades, and his story Bid Time Return became the charming movie Somewhere In Time. — Because of my recent cataract surgery, I won’t be posting much for the next couple of days.  Thanks for your patience. — We …




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, another look at the rise of A.I. fakery. A.I. Fake Videos are Destroying the Internet Tam of the View From The Porch blog suggested this article: A ‘True …







Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — February 19, 2025

On February 19, 1807, US Vice President Aaron Burr was arrested in Alabama for treason. He was later acquitted. — February 19,1884: The “Enigma Outbreak” of more than 60 tornadoes in Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana reportedly killed over a thousand people. The origin of these nearly simultaneous storms remains enigmatic. — Today’s feature piece is by Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson. — We are in need of entries for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 …