Year: 2026

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: Even more revelations of rogue AI behavior. Some OpenAI Agents Meddled With U.S. Government Sites The New York Times published this troubling report on September 25th: OpenAI’s Systems …


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 S.J. sent this important antibiotics dosing update: “Mr. Rawles, I came across an interesting trend in internal medicine recently, regarding the standard course and duration of antibiotic therapy.  For years I have recommended to people to stash away in their medical preps an old copy of the Sanford Antimicrobial guide, as …


SurvivalBlog’s American Redoubt Media of the Week

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. This week: Lots of recent videos from the great outdoors of The American Redoubt. (The photo of the Sawtooth Mountains above was taken by Avalanche Lily.) REDOUBT Video LINKS Another video from James & Siana, this time up in the Sawtooth Mountains: British Couple Had No Idea Idaho Looked Like This! Video from Central Washington: Concrete Arrivals 2026 — Fly In.  (It looks like they had a gusty …


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: Edward Snowden Tried to Warn People: Smartphone (ˈsmärt-ˌfōn) (noun): A sophisticated government-controlled surveillance and tracking device that can also be used to make phone calls. News Links: 2015: Edward Snowden interview: ‘Smartphones can be taken over’. 2017: Edward Snowden: How Your Cell Phone Spies on You JWR’s Comments: Lily and I have never owned smartphones. There are cellphones available with removable batteries. That is what we carry, but only when we travel. (Our ranch is outside of cellular coverage.) Note From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the …



Preparedness Notes — September 22, 2026

This Week in History: On September 21, 1893, Frank Duryea drove the first American-made gasoline-propelled vehicle. September 22, 1499: Switzerland became an independent state. September 22, 1656: An all-female jury heard the case of Judith Catchpole, accused of killing her child, and acquitted her in Patuxent County, Maryland. September 23, 1779: John Paul Jones aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard defeated the British frigate HMS Serepis and soon became the United States’ first well-known naval hero. September 24, 1869: The “Black Friday” panic on Wall Street after investors Jay Gould and James Fisk attempted to corner the gold market. — I …


40 Trillion Reasons for Economic Collapse – Part 2, by Single Farmer

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) How did we get here? We are more than 40 trillion dollars in debt. Our streets are not lined with gold and other precious metals, but our nation is decaying around us. We are being invaded. Our military instead of repelling invaders and rounding them up is engaged in foreign adventures around the world contrary to what George Washington said about foreign adventurism and alliances. You can read my 14,000 word essay “Fall of the American Republic” for a detailed look into our likely fall in Parts One and Part Two. I …


Recipe of the Week:

The following recipe for Leftovers Automatic Chicken & Rice is from SurvivalBlog reader Angie T. She writes: “My husband travels a lot for his work, and I don’t like to make elaborate meals for myself when he’s on tehe road. This is a recipe I use in my automatic rice cooker, using chicken leftovers. It is a variation on a recipe that found online. You can also use a traditional stovetop pan for cooking this.” Ingredients 2 cups of your preferred rice (I like Jasmine) 3 cups chicken broth (canned or leftover from your freezer, microwaved back to liquid.) 1/4 …


SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic is a map showing average annual snowfall across the United States, county by county. (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 course credit you by name …


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. Today, a map showing average land value (in USD) across the Lower 48, by ZIP Code. The thumbnail below is click-expandable.       (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.) Economics & Investing Links of Interest The Fed is Raising interest rates. JWR’s Comments: This was the first rate hike green light in three years. It appears that they prefer the possibility of a recession over the certainty of accelerating inflation. But the FOMC is walking a fine line, …


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, a new tick-borne disease with a rapidly-spreading vector. A New Virus in a Tick Invasive to the US. At the “progressive” publication The Hill: New virus detected in …


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 House of Representatives votes to require AM radio in all new cars. From an X post: “Joint statement from Chairman @SenTedCruz and @SenMarkey on the House passage of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act: “This vote sends a clear message to car manufacturers that AM Radio is a lifeline that …


SurvivalBlog’s American Redoubt Media of the Week

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.  Pictured above is Lake Pend-Oreille. REDOUBT NEWS LINKS Last week, I mentioned Quest Kodiak STOL cargo/passenger planes, built in Sandpoint, Idaho.  Here is a video showing numerous Idaho backcountry landings and takeoffs in a Kodiak 100: “Craziest Take Off of My Life” — The Razor Thin Margins of Backcountry Flying. Two new Ambition Strikes videos from Hope, Idaho: Putting a Roof on Our Abandoned Mansion. My favorite comment …


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 …