Year: 2026


Preparedness Notes — Monday, June 1, 2026

June 1, 1676: The Battle of Öland: Allied Danish-Dutch forces defeated the Swedish navy in the Baltic Sea during the Scanian War (1675–79). The painting above is Claus Møinichen’s “Slaget ved Øland”, on display at the Danish War Museum. — June 1, 1880: The US census reached 50,155,783. — And on June 1, 1861, the US and Confederacy simultaneously stopped their mail interchange. — A reminder that we will be switching SurvivalBlog to weekly postings, tomorrow. Thenceforth, you can look for SurvivalBlog “Fresh Every Tuesday.” — Just one day left! The big sale on all of our blackpowder rifles, all of …


Writing Contest Prize Winners Announced — Round 124 (The Final Round!)

We’ve announced the winners of Round 124 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest, which ended yesterday. This was the final round of the contest. More than $989,000 worth of prizes have been awarded in the 20+ years that we ran the contest. My congratulations to all of the prize winners, over the years. Your articles have been a key part of what makes SurvivalBlog such a valuable reference. Your articles will remain freely available in the SurvivalBlog archives. Note: Please continue to write articles for SurvivalBlog, to share your knowledge and experience. Reader-written articles are a key part of SurvivalBlog. See …


Signal Nomad HT-HD01 Network Bridge, by Thomas Christianson

The Signal Nomad HT-HD01 Network Bridge (aka “HaLow Dongle” or “Field Unit”) can be used to extend a wireless network by as much as a kilometer via the use of access point and end station transmitter/receiver units. These units — typically deployed in pairs — can be used in a remote location equipped with only Starlink or DSL Internet and no cellular coverage in order to extend a wireless signal beyond the range of traditional Wi-Fi. I am not highly skilled in the use of electronic communications devices. But even I was able to quickly and easily connect the Network …


Recipe of the Week:

The following recipe for Enchilada Taco Bake is from SurvivalBlog reader “Sis”. Ingredients And Directions This requires 15-17 corn tortillas. In a large mixing bowl, combine: 1 lb cooked hamburger, 1 onion (diced), 1 pkg. or 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning, 14 ounce can of corn (drained), 15 ounce can of pinto beans (rinsed), 15 ounce can of black beans (rinsed), 10 ounce can red enchilada sauce, 10 ounces rotel tomatoes (or a pint of mild salsa). Mix these ingredients all together. In a 9 x13 baking pan, place some of the hamburger/bean/tomato mixture in the bottom of the pan. …



Preparedness Notes — Sunday, May 31, 2026

May 31, 1930 was the birthday of actor/director/producer Clint Eastwood.  Happy 96th birthday! — On the 31st of May 1970, an earthquake off the coast of Peru caused a substantial section of the north slope of Mt. Huascaran to collapse. The avalanche moved downhill at a speed estimated at 175 to 210 mph. with a mass of roughly 80 million cubic meters of ice, mud, and rock. The avalanche traveled nearly 11 miles, burying the towns of Yungay and Ranrahirca in up to 300 feet of rock and debris. It is estimated that this earthquake and avalanche killed more than …


Bicycles and Their Practical Use in Prepping, by Tunnel Rabbit

To look into the future, we only have to visit the past, and how other cultures adapt to their circumstances. Long ago and far away, I lived just south of Copenhagen, Denmark for a while, and then on the oldest and once largest farm still standing on the Island of Bornholm that was first in Swedish territory, and then Danish territory. The farm had been established in the 1700s. In the end,  I was so immersed in the culture and language that locals did not believe I was an American.  More often than not, given my accent, they thought I …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week: 

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: Is It Ebola Already? I Still Have My Hantavirus Decorations Up 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.


Editors’ Quote

“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be …


Preparedness Notes — Saturday, May 30, 2026

On May 30, 1626, an explosion at the Wanggongchang Gunpowder Factory in Beijing destroyed part of the city and killed and estimated 20,000 people. Pictured above are ancient Chinese cannon, near the Forbidden City. — And on May 30, 1806, future US President Andrew Jackson killed Charles Dickinson in a duel after Dickinson accused Jackson’s wife of bigamy. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 124 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. This is the final round of the contest. There will not be a “Round 125”! — Take Note: Our editorial calendar is now filled …


Preparedness Observations from the Rideshare Driver’s Seat by Guitar George

For the last six years, I have been supplementing my retirement income by working as a rideshare driver. At first, I was a little apprehensive about picking up complete strangers and all of the potential danger that might entail. After almost 20,000 rides, I can honestly say that there was only one experience where I thought my personal safety was at risk and it was relatively minor. Since those early days, rideshare companies have greatly improved their safety tools for both drivers and riders. Although I did not begin driving as an exercise in preparedness, it quickly became one.


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

“For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them. All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. This is an …


Preparedness Notes — Friday, May 29, 2026

On May 29, 1648, King Charles I of England attempted to escape captivity at Carisbrooke Castle, Isle of Wight, for the second time, by hacksawing through a barred window but he was caught in the act. — On this day in 1780, the treatment of Patriot prisoners by British Colonel Banastre Tarleton and his Loyalist troops led to the coining of a phrase that defined British brutality for the rest of the War for Independence: “Tarleton’s Quarter.” Tarleton and his Torries proceeded to shoot any an all Patriots that had surrendered after the fall of Charleston. The Patriots lost 113 …