Year: 2024

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters. — Here is a very useful video, especially for folks who live in gun-deprived states: An Alternative to Cap & Ball For Self-Defense. o  o  o US Coast Guard patrol spots Chinese naval ships off Alaska Island. o  o  o



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — July 16, 2024

On July 16, 1790, Congress declared the city of Washington in the District of Columbia, the permanent capitol of the United States. — July 16th is also the anniversary of the first successful atomic bomb test near Alamogordo, New Mexico in 1945. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 113 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 on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2,000. A Gunsite Academy Three Day …


The Bugout Trailer (BOT), by Tunnel Rabbit

This Bug Out Trailer (BOT) as it is presented here is intended to be a concept rather than a set of building plans.  This is a low-cost structure that only requires only common tools and materials. The photos provided can say more than I could describe in a multi-part article. The BOT can be a single-purpose utility or a multi-purpose platform that is lightweight and inexpensive to build. In essence, it is a modern version of the horse-drawn wagon trailers used beginning around the 1860’s that became the modern RV.  It is an example, of what the Marine Corps advocates: …


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 located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, news coverage of several large wildfires. Idaho Arson investigation ongoing in Army Surplus fire. And here is an interesting Twitter string. Note the mention of the store’s owner as “…a notorious Redoubter” by a liberal who seemed happy to see the store burn. o  o  …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — July 15, 2024

July 15, 1410:  The Battle of Grunwald (First Battle of Tannenburg, Battle of Žalgiris), one of Medieval Europe’s largest battles during the Poland-Lithuanian Teutonic War. Polish King Władysław Jagiełło and Lithuanian Grand Duke Vytautas defeated the Teutonic Ulrich von Jungingen. The painting of the battle (above) was rendered by Jan Matejko. — On July 15, 1799, the Rosetta Stone was found in the Egyptian village of Rosetta by French Captain Pierre-François Bouchard during Napoleon‘s Egyptian Campaign. — Today’s feature article is a review written by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.


Valley GTDB-48 Ditch Bank Blade, by Thomas Christianson

Prologue: The Dacian Wars: 101-102 and 105-106 AD During all of their far-flung campaigns, the Roman Legions had never faced a weapon as fearsome as the Dacian falx (“sickle”). The large falx was a two-handed weapon with a roughly 3-foot blade mounted on a roughly 3 foot handle. The long handle provided a tremendous amount of leverage, giving the weapon enough power to split a legionnaire’s helmet or shield with a single blow. After seeing a large number of Roman corpses with gruesome head wounds, the armorers accompanying the legions adopted a field expedient: they riveted two transverse reinforcing iron …


Recipe of the Week: Chocolate Zucchini or Carrot Cake

The following recipe for Chocolate Zucchini or Carrot Cake is from SurvivalBlog reader Mrs. Alaska. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl: 2.5 c flour ¼ c cocoa powder 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp baking powder 1.5 c sugar or 1 ¼ c honey   Mix the following: Mix ½ c milk with 1 tsp white vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes to sour OR ½ c plain yogurt or sour cream plus water at the end to saturate the batter, if needed.  (I routinely need to add ¼ – 1/3 cup additional water to saturate the batter …


SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic, suggested by reader P.B., shows US Counties by Population Density. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.)       (Note: The graphic above is click-expandable.) It is noteworthy that only 1.52% of Americans live in the dark blue shaded areas. — Please send your graphic ideas 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 — July 14, 2024

July 14 1789: Bastille Day – the French Revolution began with the storming of the Bastille Prison in Paris. It is now celebrated as France’s national day. — On July 14, 1609, The Darien scheme began with five ships, bearing about 1,200 people, departing Leith for the Isthmus of Panama — July 14th is the birthday of Colonel Einar A. Malmstrom. He was born in 1907 and died August 21, 1954 near Great Falls, Montana, in the crash of a T-33 jet. He was a decorated Air Force pilot, a Luft Stalag POW survivor, and test pilot. Malmstrom AFB was …


Why We Do What We Do, by Hollyberry

Thankfully, we are blessed to live in a country where we still have choices to make that impact our lives. It is our job as Christians and citizens to make good decisions that affect us and others. The window of opportunity to have choices is getting narrower, soon it will be closed. Some folks laugh at homesteaders for doing things the hard way. You won’t be laughing later if something happens and you have to fend for yourself. Wake up people, and learn how to provide for yourself and your family. Make good choices. Learn from elders and experienced people …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR, based on an idea suggested by SurvivalBlog reader Andre in Belgium:   Meme Text: Joe, Born in 1878 Joe, Born in 1942 They Have More In Common Than Just Their Given Name 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:

“And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from …