Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — March 31, 2026

On March 31, 1917, the Danish West Indies were officially ceded to the US for $25 million and renamed the Virgin Islands. Pictured is St. Thomas Island.

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March 31 is the birthday of the late economist Dr. Walter E. Williams, PhD., who was born in 1936. He passed away in 2020. His book American Contempt for Liberty is highly recommended.

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Today we present an article that was too short to qualify as an entry for the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends today, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry for Round 124. 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Monitoring Ship and Aircraft Traffic, by Ohio Galt

I have always been interested monitoring ships and air traffic around the world, especially since 9/11. On that day I was fishing for salmon out of the middle of Lake Michigan, a very clear day and I noticed every jet in the sky was turning into a different direction heading somewhere else. Turning on the Marine radio and started to hear the chatter of what was going on around the country, I finished my sandwich and headed the boat for the harbor.

Since then I have learned of several websites that show real-time movement of ships and airplane around the world. Almost any airplane that can fly above 10,000 feet or with a set number of miles of class A, B, or C airspace will have a transponder providing their position and identification. I’m not a pilot (although it is on my bucket list to get a pilot’s license) so I don’t know the exact rules on transponders but I wanted to point out the ability of the public to monitor planes in the sky. Think of this as Open Source Intelligence (OSINT.)Continue reading“Monitoring Ship and Aircraft Traffic, by Ohio Galt”

SurvivalBlog’s American Redoubt Media of the Week

This weekly column features media 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. The high-resolution thumbnail below is click-expandable.

Redoubt News Links:

Send Your Media Links

Please send your links to media from the American Redoubt region to JWR. Any photos that are posted or re-posted must be uncopyrighted. You can do so either via e-mail or via our Contact form.

Preparedness Notes for Monday — March 30, 2026

On March 30, 240 BC, Halley’s Comet made its first recorded perihelion passage. (Photo courtesy of NASA, from the 1987 comet passage, photographed from Easter Island.)

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March 30, 1856: The Russian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, Great Britain, France, and the Kingdom of Sardinia signed the Treaty of Paris. This ended the Crimean War.

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Today’s feature article is by our Field Gear Editor, Tom Christianson.

Ballistol Multi-Purpose Lubricant, by Thomas Christianson

Ballistol is a gun cleaning oil. If my sources are correct, it is composed of white mineral oil, potassium oleate, ammonium oleate, benzyl alcohol, amyl alcohol, isobytyl alcohol, benzyl acetate, and anethole.

One key characteristic of Ballistol is that it emulsifies with water. This makes it an excellent cleaner for firearms that use black powder or corrosive primers. The best solvent for black powder and the salts left by corrosive primers is hot (almost boiling) water. Ballistol works well in conjunction with that hot water. Ballistol is also non-toxic, and can also be used on wood and leather as well as steel.

In my testing, Ballistol did not protect against corrosion as well as Breakfree CLP. As a result, I would recommend using Ballistol in conjunction with hot water for cleaning the bores of firearms utilizing black powder or corrosive primers. But I would recommend following that cleaning by using Breakfree CLP on those firearms as a lubricant and protectorant. (Note: with black powder firearms, the CLP should be used extremely sparingly inside of chambers and barrels. Oils can contaminate black powder, thus rendering it less effective. Often it is helpful to fire a non-corrosive percussion cap into a chamber prior to loading it in order to burn away any oil that might otherwise contaminate the powder).Continue reading“Ballistol Multi-Purpose Lubricant, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week:

The following recipe for Granny’s Spring Greens Salad is from SurvivalBlog reader Granny M..

Ingredients
  • 8 to 10 cups (around about 1 pound) of mixed greens (mixture of any available lettuces, sprouts, watercress, mesclun, mache, baby arugula, dandelion greens, and/or pea shoots)
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
Directions
  1. Wash and blot dry your greens with a clean dish towel, and place them in a large bowl.
  2. Add the chopped chives.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to suit your taste.
  4. Drizzle over about 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
  5. Toss well, to coat the greens.
  6. Squeeze lemon juice over the greens and toss the greens again.
  7. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if need be.
SERVING

Serve immediately.

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Do you have a well-tested 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 recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic: A map showing the United States and Canada, with comparable latitude locales in Europe overlaid. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.)

The thumbnail below is click-expandable.

 

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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.

The Editors’ Quote Of The Day:

“Between income taxes and employment taxes, capital gains taxes, estate taxes, corporate taxes, property taxes, Social Security taxes, we’re being taxed to death.” – The Late Chuck Norris

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — March 29, 2026

On March 29, 845, a 5,000-strong army of Danish Vikings invaded Frankish lands and only retreated after besieging Paris and securing a ransom from the Frankish King Charles the Bald. This was part of a series of devastating raids begun by the Vikings that began in the 790s. The Vikings were led by a man named “Reginherus” or Ragnar, sometimes linked to the legendary saga figure Ragnar Lodbrok. The Vikings easily overcame defences set in place by Charlemagne and are known to have attacked the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés just outside the city. The Vikings returned home with a ransom of 7,000 French livres of gold and silver.

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March 29, 1638: The first permanent white settlement in Delaware, Fort Christina (now Wilmington), was founded by Swedish Lutherans.

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And on March 29, 2004, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia joined NATO as full members.

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Today feature piece is by JWR.

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We stilll need entries for Round 123 and Round 124 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Notes on Constructing a 12 VDC Fuel Transfer Pump

 

JWR’s Introductory Note: This is an update to a reply to a letter that I posted in SurvivalBlog back in February 2007.  Given the recent spike in gasoline and diesel prices, I thought it would be apropos to re-post it.

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Every well-equipped retreat should have at least one “field expedient” 12 VDC fuel transfer pump. These pump rigs are popular with dirt bike, ATV, and snowmobile enthusiasts. They are very simple to construct. Here are the materials that you will need:

1 – An automobile or truck electric fuel pump. (The least expensive pumps come from automobile wrecking yards.)

2 – Roughly 15-foot lengths of heavy rubber hose–approved for use as fuel line–of the proper diameter for the fittings on the fuel pump.

2 – Stainless steel fuel line clamps. (Such as “Aero-Seal” brand, or similar, that are tightened with a screwdriver.)

15 to 20 ft. – 16 AWG (or heavier) gauge insulated two-conductor wire. (This will be the power cord for the pump.)

1 – “Cigarette Lighter” type male plug, available from any auto parts store, or via eBay. (Again, for the power cord for the pump.)

1 – Roll of black plastic electrician’s tape or better yet, some thermoplastic “heat shrink” tubing.

1 – Scrap of 3/8″ thick (or greater thickness) plywood, measuring roughly 16″ x 16″. (On which to mount the fuel pump.)

The construction method should be self-evident, based on the materials listed above. The pump is mounted in the center of the board. If you’d like, you can add an electrical switch to the power cord for convenience, but make sure that you get a high amperage switch that is rated for DC, and that you position the switch within a couple of feet of the dashboard plug so that the switch is inside your vehicle. That way, there is far less chance of generating a spark inside a gas vapor cloud.

If your vehicle uses an electric fuel pump, then I suggest that you use an identical pump to the one used in your vehicle as the basis for your transfer pump project. (If your vehicle uses an electric fuel pump.) That way, you will have spares on hand, in the event that your vehicle’s fuel pump or any portion of your fuel system’s flexible fuel lines ever fail. If your vehicle uses a mechanical fuel pump or one that is submerged in your fuel tank, then just use a generic 12 VDC fuel pump like the one pictured above. These are widely available via eBay or a wide range of online vendors. Just do a web search on “low-pressure 12V fuel pump.”

By the way, you can also add an “in-line” fuel filter to your fuel transfer pump rig. Following a theme, it is best to use a filter cartridge that is identical to that used in your vehicle. (Always think: “Spares and redundancy, spares and redundancy”, like a mantra.)

The square scrap of plywood will keep the transfer pump out of the mud or snow. It also provides a handy place to mount some large hooks, so that you will have a neat way to coil up the power cord and the fuel transfer hoses, for storage. A 15-foot length of hose should be able to reach any vehicle fuel tank, or even down into an underground tank.

There are commercially-made equivalents to this field fuel pump rig, but they cost more, and they won’t provide you with a spare compatible fuel pump, for if or when your vehicle’s original pump goes Tango Uniform.

Important Provisos:

1.) All of the usual common-sense precautions for handling gasoline and gas cans apply:

  • Use only DOT-approved fuel containers.
  • No sparks.
  • No open flames.
  • Don’t turn on any radio transmitters.
  • Beware of static electricity build-up.

For more details, see this web page on fuel safety basics.

2.) Note that some later-model vehicles have “anti-siphoning” filler necks on their gas tanks. Check for this before you head for the boonies.

3.) Cover any exposed electrical connections with tape or heat shrink tubing, to avoid sparks or shorting.

4.) Transferring fuel with such a rig is best done as a two-man operation: One man inside the vehicle to keep an eye on your vehicle’s gas gauge and flip the switch (or pull the plug), and another man outside to handle the hoses and eyeball the filler necks,

Note: It is not just an expensive waste to spill gas on the ground. It is also toxic and a fire hazard!

By coincidence, soon after I wrote the first draft of my letter reply, I got an e-mail forwarded by Alfie Omega, a regular over at the outstanding Alpha Rubicon website. There, “Pike” has plans for building a very similar fuel transfer pump rig. (I surmise that he had seen the same type that I had.) A couple of nice touches with his design that mine lacked are that the mounting board has a carrying handle slot cut into it at the top-center, and there are hooks mounted all the way around the perimeter of the board, for hose and power cord stowage. But a couple of detractors: His photos show an on-off switch mounted to the board (which, as previously mentioned, could put it in proximity to gas vapors.) And I saw some exposed wiring terminals. If those terminals were touched by a metal object, they could cause a spark.

In conclusion: Plan ahead, design and build your “in-the-field pump” to last, and above all: be safe! –  JWR

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

Re-Watching Die Hard Last Night Reminded Me of What Life Was Like in California, in 1988: Bruce Willis Had Some Hair, Gas Was Affordable, and Two Political Parties Were Vying to Control the Capitol

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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 that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

The Editors’ Quote Of The Day:

“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,

Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.

And when ye come into an house, salute it.

And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” – Matthew 10: 5-22  (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — March 28, 2026

On March 28, 1535, the Cistercian Bloemkamp Abbey (Oldeklooster) in Friesland was attacked and destroyed by a group of millenarian revolutionary Anabaptists.

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March 28, 1774: Britain passed the Coercive Act against Massachusetts.

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Today’s feature article is a guest piece written by our friend and fellow blogger, Patrice Lewis, the Editrix of the highly-recommended Rural Revolution blog.

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We are now seeking entries for Round 124 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.  More than $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. (We have room for one or two articles in Round 123, and any that arrive later will be posted in April.) 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

The Price of Beef, by Patrice Lewis

Editor’s Introductory Note:  This guest article was written by our friend and fellow blogger, Patrice Lewis. Her entertaining and informative Rural Revolution blog has been published several times a week since 2009. We highly recommend bookmarking it. – JWR

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The price of beef has been on everyone’s mind lately. According to the USDA, the average price of beef jumped from $8.40 per pound in March to $10.10 by December 2025.

A number of recent articles reflect these concerns:

We haven’t bought beef in decades since we raise our own, so I wasn’t familiar with what kinds of prices people are facing. So in late February, I stopped at the beef department of our local grocery store … and was appalled.Continue reading“The Price of Beef, by Patrice Lewis”