Year: 2024


Preparedness Notes for Monday — August 26, 2024

On August 26, 1346, at the Battle of Crécy, south of Calais in northern France; Edward III‘s English longbows defeated Philip VI’s army. Period accounts mention that cannons were used for the first time in battle. — August 26, 526, is the officially recorded anniversary of the invention of toilet paper by the Chinese. — August 26, 1946 was the official release date of George Orwell’s “Animal Farm.” — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 114 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum …


Kershaw Link 1776BW, by Thomas Christianson

The Kershaw Link 1776BW is a rugged everyday-carry (EDC) knife. It weighs in at 4.3 ounces and has a 3.25 inch, drop-point, hollow-ground, blackwashed-finish blade made of 420HC steel that is 0.1 inches thick. The assisted-opening blade is reliably deployed via a flipper, and is held open by a liner lock. The glass-filled nylon (GFN) handle provides an excellent grip. The overall length is 7.6 inches. Best of all, the Kershaw Link is made in the USA. The particular model that I tested has been discontinued. A similar model with an olive aluminum handle and a stonewashed-finished, CPM-Magnacut blade is …


Recipe of the Week: Storage Rice and Spicy Red Beans

The following recipe for Storage Rice and Spicy Red Beans is from SurvivalBlog reader Tony D.  He says: “This is a way you can use your storage food supply. Rice plus beans makes a complete protein.” BEans Ingredients 4 cups Dry Red Beans 3 Tablespoons Dried Onions 1 Tablespoon dried minced garlic 1 Tablespoon dried crushed red peppers Water RiCE InGredients 8 Cups of water 4 cups of rice (I prefer Basmati-type) 1/4 teaspoon of salt BEANS Directions Rinse and then soak the beans overnight. Change the water, to “de-gas” the swelled beans. Add the onions, garlic, and pepppers and …


SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic from X/Twitter is a timely meme that has gone viral.  I didn’t create it. (My own meme creations are usually posted on Sundays.) This meme came to me by way of Terry in Idaho.  I’d like to give credit to this meme’s creator, if someone can let me know. The thumbnail image below is click-expandable.         Meme Text: “They’re only Weapons Of War if you try to come and take them…” — Please send your graphic ideas to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“As you know, I left that [Democratic] party in October because it had departed so dramatically from the core values that I grew up with. It had become the party of war, censorship, corruption, big pharma, big tech, big Ag, and big money. When it abandoned democracy by canceling the primary to conceal the cognitive decline of the sitting president, I left the party to run as an independent. The mainstream of American politics and journalism derided my decision. Conventional wisdom said that it would be impossible even to get on the ballot as an independent, because each state imposes …


Preparedness Notes for Sunday — August 25, 2024

On August 25, 1986 Warner Bros. Records released Paul Simon‘s seventh solo album “Graceland”, a blend of pop, African, zydeco, and rock music. It went on to win a Grammy for album of the year, 1987 and sold over 16 million copies. August 25th is also a birthday shared by humorist Bret Harte (born 1836), novelist Frederick Forsyth (born 1938), and the late American humorist Patrick F. McManus (1933-2018). Forsyth 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 …


Field Intelligence Collection – Part 6, by J.M.

(Continued from Part 5. This concludes the article.) Scent and Touch Smells and tactile input generally won’t provide a lot of significant intelligence by themselves, but there may be instances where they could be useful. For example, the smell of smoke can be detected from a long distance away, especially if you’re downwind from the source. If you’re patrolling and you smell smoke, make a note at the location using OsmAnd and include the current wind direction – that way if you don’t have time to check it out immediately it can be added as a ‘to be investigated’ item …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: Did You Know That “WOKE” Is Actually An Acronym? W.O.K.E. Stands For: “We’re Obviously Kamala’s Entourage” News Links: What is woke culture? Is Kamala Harris woke? Harris campaign job seekers have 9 different pronoun options: ‘More pronouns than policy’ Harris says ‘everybody needs to be woke’ in unearthed clip spreading like wildfire on social media 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 …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — August 24, 2024

On August 24th, 1847, Charlotte Brontë finished her manuscript of “Jane Eyre”. — August 24, 1682,  Duke of York, James II awarded the “Three Lower Counties” that form modern-day Delaware to William Penn, ensuring ocean access for his colony of Pennsylvania. — And on August 24th, 410, Rome was overrun by the Visigoths under Alaric I, in an event that symbolized the fall of the Western Roman Empire. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 114 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum …


Field Intelligence Collection – Part 5, by J.M.

(Continued from Part 4.) Another potential standalone camera option is one of those inexpensive infrared night vision cameras. While their primary function is night vision, they can also be used to take pictures during the day. Here’s a sample from a GVDA GD900, which is a compact night vision device with a 12MP sensor and 4X digital zoom that costs around $50:


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:

“Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath …


Preparedness Notes for Friday — August 23, 2024

On August 23, 1305, Scottish patriot William Wallace was executed for high treason by Edward I of England at Smithfield, London. His sentence was particularly barbaric: “That you be drawn on a hurdle to the place of execution where you shall be hanged by the neck and being alive cut down, your privy members shall be cut off and your bowels taken out and burned before you, your head severed from your body and your body divided into four quarters to be disposed of at the King’s pleasure.” — August 23rd is the anniversary of the declaration of the independent …