Year: 2025

Granberg G-1012XT 12-Volt Chain Grinder, by Thomas Christianson

The ability to effectively sharpen a chain is one of the most basic foundations for productive chainsaw use. Cutting with a well-sharpened chain is a joy. Trying to cut with a dull chain is a frustrating and soul-rending ordeal. In Greek mythology, a man named Sisyphus was punished in the afterlife for his wickedness. He was eternally compelled to roll a large bolder up a steep hill. Every time he neared the top of the hill, the bolder would slip away and roll back down to the bottom of the hill. His punishment was the frustration of being forever engaged …


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, a news story that described the use of thermal imaging.  (See the Idaho section.) Idaho Thermal imaging drone helps police locate suspect hiding in darkness by riverbank. o  o  o The future of the death penalty hangs in the balance in Idaho. o  o  o …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — February 24, 2025

The artist Winslow Homer was born on March 24, 1836 in Boston, Massachusetts. The illustration above is a detail from Homer’s 1865 painting: “The Veteran in a New Field.” It hangs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. — On February 24, 1905, the Simplon railroad tunnel through the Alps in Switzerland achieved breakthrough after 7-1/2 years of construction. — February 24, 1971:  Algeria nationalized 51 percent of French oil concessions. — Today’s feature is a guest post that is not part of the writing contest. (On Mondays, we normally post a review penned by our Field Gear Editor, Tom Christianson.) — …


My Quest For a Wife, by Single Farmer

I am still looking for a wife. I am offering up to $50,000 to be given as a gift after marriage to the person who introduces me to my spouse and if my wife and I become the parents of two healthy children. This gift is in up to three parts: $18,000 will be given after marriage to you if you provided the introduction and two payments of $16,000 given after the birth of each healthy child up to two. Thus, if I get married because of your introduction and we have two healthy children, then you would receive the …


Recipe of the Week: Simple Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies

The following recipe for Simple Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies is from SurvivalBlog reader Carol in Delaware. Ingredients 1 large egg ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick, very soft — room temperature) ½ cup light brown sugar, packed ¼ cup granulated white sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 ½ cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats (not instant or quick cook type) ¾ cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1/8 cup more semi-sweet chocolate chips to add after baking (or substitute with raisins, walnuts, etc.) Directions Fully preheat oven to 350 degrees …


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 …


Conspiracy Theorists Were Right About Everything, by Brandon Smith

For many years alternative economists and “conspiracy theorists” have argued that, according to the evidence, there has been an organized criminal cabal operating a long-running agenda to exploit and eventually destroy western culture. We have suggested that much of this agenda was being funded with our own tax dollar while using government institutions and NGOs as vehicles for social engineering. In the 20 years since I started work in the liberty movement (or patriot movement), I have seen corruption beyond imagining and it all culminated in 2020-2023 when many of us battled against the imposition of total medical tyranny and …


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 …


The Time to Plan is Now, by Prepping Engineer

The single biggest reason for failure is failure to plan. “When you fail to plan, you plan to fail” Another way to think of this is: planning is being prepared. That is prepping in a nutshell! This is stated in many publications and articles about many subjects. I have experienced this more times than I can remember in my life. What I have noticed the most is the repetition of this error by both people and groups. Sometimes this seems to persist and someone else “helping” them out of the repeat failure to plan. It is a mistake the first …


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 …