On February 14, 1946, the first general-purpose high-speed electronic digital computer, the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer), was demonstrated to the public by its creators, J. Presper Eckert, Jr., and John W. Mauchly.
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Today, we wish a happy birthday to our Editor-At-Large, Michael Z. Williamson.
It has been several years since we’ve conducted an opinion poll of blog readers.
Because SurvivalBlog has been published for nearly 18 years, we’ve covered a lot of topics. But, obviously, we’ve missed a few, or we need to revisit a few, to get up-to-date and to cover them in greater depth. So, here is my question to readers:
What topics would you like to see covered in SurvivalBlog feature articles, in the coming months?
Here are a few topics that came to mind, when Avalanche Lily and I were brainstorming:
What are your ideas for feature article topics, to add to that list? Please e-mail us your suggestions, and we will post a consolidated list, sometime next week. That list can then be used as a starting point, for anyone that wants to write a piece for the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.
We greatly appreciate it when our readers share their knowledge and experience. That tremendous depth of knowledge is one of the things that sets SurvivalBlog apart from other preparedness blogs.
Many Thanks! – JWR
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 horse-drawn wagon builders, restoration specialists, museums, and some camping rentals.
Idaho Sheep Camp builds traditional Basque sheep wagons.
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Live Out Your 1883 Fantasies at This Incredible Idaho Covered Wagon Park
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I missed seeing this obituary when it was posted late last year: Darlene Madge McManus, 88. The wife of outdoor humor writer Pat McManus, Darlene was the inspiration for the fictional character “Bun.”
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Idaho Dr. Ryan Cole Faces Discipline for Bucking the Covid-19 Narrative.
Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”
“A desire not to butt into other people’s business is at least eighty percent of all human wisdom…and the other twenty percent isn’t very important.” – Robert A. Heinlein
Today is the birthday of General Chuck Yeager (born, 1923), the first man to break the sound barrier. He passed away December 7, 2020.
February 13th is also the birthday of Robert Charles R.C. Sproul (born 1939, died December 14, 2017), a well-respected American Calvinist theologian.
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A special request from JWR: A relative of mine will soon be attending a school that is south of Hamilton, Montana. That relative will need to rent garage space to store a vehicle for about a year. Ideally, it would be a spot with an outlet available for a trickle charger, and that has access year-round, in case that vehicle is needed for an emergency. So, if you, or someone you know, lives within 20 miles of Hamilton and would have a covered parking spot in a garage, carport, shop, or barn available, please let me know, via e-mail. Many thanks!
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Today’s feature article is a review written by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Thomas Christianson.
The Silver Stag Lion is an heirloom quality, primarily handmade, semi-custom knife. It has a razor-sharp three-inch blade made of D2 tool steel and a handle made from naturally-shed deer or elk antler. It is 100% made in these United States.
It is by far the finest knife I have ever carried. At the time of this writing, it was available for $169 from www.silverstag.com. The major drawback of the knife is that it is such a beautiful piece of craftsmanship that I am almost afraid to use it. It seems to deserve a place of honor in a display case rather than hidden in my pocket.
I have been systematically seeking out American-made knives for testing and evaluation. In the course of my search, I ran across Silver Stag knives. I looked through their product line for something with a pocket clip for every day carry (EDC). When I did not find anything, I wrote a note to Silver Stag mentioning that if they ever introduced a knife with a pocket clip, I would be interested in reviewing it.
About a week later, Mr. Brad Smith, founder of Silver Stag Handcrafted Field Gear, replied with information about their lanyard system. It sounded interesting, so I said that I was interested. Mr. Smith then promised to make me a knife the next week, when he was caught up on his Father’s Day orders. Exactly a week later, the knife arrived in my mailbox.Continue reading“Silver Stag Lion, by Thomas Christianson”
The following peanut butter granola recipe is from SurvivalBlog reader Jennifer R. She writes: “This is one of many food storage recipes I’ve posted on the Prep School Daily blog, which focuses on food and medical preparedness.”
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Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven and slow cooker recipes, and any that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!
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. Most of these items are from JWR’s “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective. Today, we look at the continuing stagflation threat. (See the Economy & Finance section.)
Michael Pento, at Gold-Eagle.com: Four Reasons Why The January Rally Will Falter.
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Gold Forecast: Temporary Correction Followed by a Breakout Above $2000.
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Gold Still in Stall, Looks Further to Fall.
Stagflation looms large over developed markets in 2023. Here is an excerpt from the article’s opening:
“‘Recession’, instead of ‘stagflation’, has become the watchword in financial markets at the outset of 2023, as the global economic impact of the substantial interest rate hikes last year take effect in the first half of this year and inflation retreats.
But the threat of stagflation – stagnant growth and high inflation – remains alive and well, particularly in developed countries.
The problem is core inflation.
While we expect headline inflation, which includes fuel and food prices, to fall rapidly over the coming months, we disagree with the market’s view that core inflation will return to central bank target levels of around 2% soon in the developed world. Tight labour markets, sticky services inflation and improving growth dynamics in China are all factors that could keep core inflation rates higher, as economies come under recessionary pressure.”
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From USN&WR: Recession Odds Recede as Labor Market, Economy Show Surprising Strength.
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Britain Avoids Recession by Narrowest Margin During Strikes.
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ING Report: Euro Credit Supply: 2023 Supply forecasts.
“The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won’t.” – Henry Ward Beecher
February 12th is the birthday of theologian and journalist Cotton Mather (1663–1728).
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Today’s feature article was written by our Field Gear Editor Emeritus, Pat Cascio.
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We are still in need of entries for Round 105 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Round 105 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
I won’t mention any names, to protect the innocent. However, I have a long-time friend – he used to be one of my martial arts students more than 30+ years ago. He was a great guy. We consider ourselves brothers – and couldn’t be any closer if we were actual blood brothers. Every now and then, we butt heads on something, but always remain brothers. I no longer teach any martial arts classes or firearms classes – my beat up ol’ body just doesn’t allow it these days. Every now and then, I’ll take a friend out for some shooting and give them some advice to help them improve their skills. I’m no expert in anything – just a student who is still learning things.
My above friend, can be caught carrying a full-sized 9mm handgun most days, along with 4 spare magazines, and I can’t fault him for that, not with the way the world is going these days. However, he usually tucks his pistol into his pants – sans holster – and the four spare magazines – well, he sticks them in his pants pocket – and therein, is a huge problem in my eye. Almost 50 years ago, I carried like that, until one day, when my handgun went flying out of my pants in a scuffle. Luckily, my partner had my back covered, while I executed the arrest, before the perp could get to my pistol before I did. I stopped carrying a handgun without a holster after that. However, I still tucked a spare magazine in my pants pocket – until one day, when I reached for that spare magazine, and when I pulled it out, there was a coin stuck under the first round in the magazine – basically, the spare magazine wasn’t useful, until the “jam” was cleared.Continue reading“Magazine Pouches Are a Must, by Pat Cascio”
The latest meme created by JWR:
Meme Text:
Why Is It That The Bidenistas Belatedly Shot Down A Chinese Spy Balloon,
But They’ve Left The Chinese TikTok Spy App Snooping On Americans, For Years
News Links
“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 these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
These things command and teach.
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” – 1 Timothy 4 (KJV)
I just heard that pop music composer Burt Bacharach passed away, at age 94. For many years, he teamed with lyricist Hal David, who passed away in 2012. They are gone now, but their music lives on.
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Today we present another entry for Round 105 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
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More than $775,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 105 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)
A neighbor recently received a large portion of her financial inheritance from her mother even though she’s still alive and well. I’ve often thought the idea of leaving our wealth to our children when we die is an inefficient system now that people live so much longer than they did a century ago. Typically when older people die nowadays, they pass their wealth on to their children who themselves are already “old,” well-established in life, and who oftentimes have no practical use for the money. I think of how much more practical it would be if we gave our children some of their financial inheritance now, in the form of paying down their mortgage or something similar. That’s what my neighbor’s mother did. She and her daughter and son-in-law had a memorable mortgage-burning party in the backyard. She got to enjoy the experience of her daughter’s overwhelming thanks and gratitude and the tears of joy which she never could have otherwise. I’m sure it was a great bonding experience as well. Paying off a mortgage is in a class of happiness all its own.
There’s an old saying that we don’t own our stuff, it owns us. Being a minimalist for the past 20+ years has allowed me to feel much freer than I did back when a lot of stuff owned me. While I was working in a large city, minimalism allowed me to be more mobile. Since I had so few possessions to move, I was able to move once a year. I took advantage of the rent discounts apartments offered to new move-ins if they’d sign a one-year lease. It never took more than two trips in my SUV to get it all moved. Being a minimalist to that extreme isn’t practical for most people but more useful for college students and those who change location frequently.
While living in a big city so far out of my hick-town element, there was the subconscious psychological benefit of knowing I could easily leave at any time with so few possessions to move. I knew I didn’t want to be there long enough to settle down and buy a home so minimalism was a big help. I also didn’t throw too many lavish dinner parties so living with sparse furnishings was not an issue.
I eventually settled down for good and bought 20 acres of land to pursue my lifelong dream of living a self-reliant lifestyle which, of course, requires buying lots of “stuff.”
Fast forward from my first Swedish death cleaning to the present day.Continue reading“My Swedish Death Cleaning Experience – Part 2, by St. Funogas”
