Year: 2026

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic is a map showing U.S. Census blocks with no residents. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.) JWR’s Comment: A French journalist once referred to the Rawles Ranch as being in “Une Zone Depopulee Totalment.” Since we are surrounded by National Forest, he was just about right. The thumbnail image below is click-expandable.       — If any SurvivalBlog readers have personally taken or otherwise hold the copyright to a particularly nice landscape photo or other photo of particular interest to preppers that is in a wide horizontal format (to match our blog template) then please send it in as …


Economics & Investing Media of the Week

In Economics & Investing Media of the Week we feature photos, charts, graphs, maps, video links, and news items of interest to preppers. This week, a map showing US Counties by GDP per capita [2022].  JWR’s Comment:  This illustrates the disproportionate economic contribution of oil, natural gas, and mining, in lightly-populated regions. The thumbnail below is click-expandable.       (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.) Economics & Investing Links of Interest $500 a Month Gone: Social Security Hits the Cliff in 2032 — and Congress Already Knows. Diesel Just Hit Its Highest Price in American History, AAA Data Shows — Topping …


The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, Finland readies itself for possible attacks. Finland Holds a Large Civil Defense Exercise AP reporter Emma Burrows: Finland runs Europe’s biggest civil defense exercise since the end of …


SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

Our 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. — US Army declares ’42 is the new 35′ but millennials are outraged as enlistment age changed. JWR’s Comments: For someone who is in a stable civilian career that allows time off for annual training, enlisting (or seeking a commission) in the National Guard or Army Reserve represents a way to secure “double …


SurvivalBlog’s American Redoubt Media of the Week

REDOUBT NEWS LINKS 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. Washington Attorney Bill Kirk: The Untold Consequence of Assault Weapon Bans. Montana FWP encourages caution after Columbia Falls bear attack. Emergency rescue planned for 499 wild horses in Oregon as water sources vanish. Two interesting backcountry flying videos: Soldier Bar 85U Idaho – Badlands Traveler, and, Cabin Creek Idaho in a Badlands Traveler Bushplane. Kennewick Police looking for third suspect in deadly shooting. Indian Relay …


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 …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week: 

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: I Think We Can All Agree That The Pilot Did Not Choose… A Prime Landing Location 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.



Preparedness Notes — September 1, 2026

This Week in History: On September 1, 1255, Königsberg (modern day Kaliningrad) was founded by Teutonic Knights. It was named in honor of the Bohemian King Ottokar II. Pictured is Kaliningrad’s Brandenburg Gate. (Public domain photo by Jan Pešula.) — The 1859 Carrington Event — the largest geomagnetic storm in recorded history began on this day. Richard Carrington and Richard Hodgson made the first observation of a large solar flare. — On September 2, 1666, the Great Fire of London began at 2 am in Pudding Lane. An estimated 80% of London was destroyed. — And on September 4, 1950: …


The AI Threat in Perspective, by Silvertip

In the 1980s, a funny, popular pseudo-AI computer program “Eliza” was a college joke magnet.  A few beers, and then dialed into a dialup Bulletin Board System (BBS) and ask all kinds of suggestive questions, just to see what “Eliza” said.  So, as a Coder, we expanded the Data File, many times over… and Eliza’s answers got more verbose and direct, like Grandma suddenly butting into your life!  That was about the start of the AI revolution, for me.  It was cool, funny, and a half-life of 30 minutes over a dialup system.  Querying a Data file, database of “information” …


MTM Case-Gard “The Bull” Rifle Rest, by Thomas Christianson

“The Bull” Rifle Rest by MTM Case-Gard provides a light, stable, sturdy, and inexpensive base for zeroing firearms and testing ammo. It is easy to assemble and easy to adjust to fit a wide variety of firearms. Over the course of six months of testing, I used the Bull with break-barrel air rifles, semi-automatic rimfire rifles, bolt-action centerfire rifles, semi-automatic centerfire rifles, muzzleloading rifles, and lever-action centerfire rifles. It adjusted well to provide a stable and sturdy rest for every firearm with which I used it. I have used other rests that have had difficulty accommodating rifles that use 30-round …


SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic is a map that shows the courses of the 7,000 tributary rivers that feed into the Mississippi. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.) The thumbnail image below is click-expandable.     — If any SurvivalBlog readers have personally taken or otherwise hold the copyright to a particularly nice landscape photo or other photo of particular interest to preppers that is in a wide horizontal format (to match our blog template) then please send it in as an e-mail attachment, and I will consider posting it as a Graphic of the Week, or as a Top Note photo. I can of …


Economics & Investing Media of the Week

In Economics & Investing Media of the Week we feature photos, charts, graphs, maps, video links, and news items of interest to preppers. Here is an interesting map: Average daily long-haul truck traffic across US highways. The thumbnail below is click-expandable. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.) Economics & Investing Links of Interest Bessent’s Former Mentor Druckenmiller Slams Treasury Bond Buyback Plan. Nvidia Has Become a Banker to the AI Boom, Putting It on Dangerous Ground. US Tungsten Scrap Export Ban Takes Effect As Global Supply Crisis Deepens. Hub Moolman: Silver and the Dow: What is Happening? From the market analyst who …


The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column the emphasis is on China’s latest military technology developments. China’s New Hypersonic Glide Missile At The Telegraph: China’s new hypersonic missile puts US on notice. Here is a …


SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

Our 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. — Reader Dale R. mentioned this news: Army Armaments Center Unveils New Ammo Packaging System.  From the Army news release: “Blending lightweight polymers with a rugged steel shell, the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center’s new SixPAC system marks a groundbreaking leap in small-caliber ammunition packaging, one intended to reshape how soldiers …