Preparedness Notes for Thursday — March 26, 2026

On March 26, 1636, the University of Utrecht had its opening ceremony. Pictured is the university’s
Academiegebouw Rectory.

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March 26, 1790: The US Congress passed the Naturalization Act, requiring two-year residency.

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March 26th, 1812: An earthquake now estimated at 7.7 on the Richter scale destroyed 90% of Caracas, Venezuela, and killed an estimated 15,000–20,000 people.

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Today’s feature article is an essay by SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, James Wesley, Rawles (JWR).

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There are just a few days left to get your Writing Contest article in for the current round of judging.

 

An Old RPGer’s View of Socio-Poltical Alignment and Motivations

Like a lot of teenagers of my generation, I played a Role-Playing Game (RPG) called Dungeons and Dragons (“D&D“.) The majority of the players in our smallish-town D&D group were Christians, so we downplayed the wizardry aspect, and concentrated on adventure and combat.  We also shunned most cosplay and Live-Action Roleplaying. (“LARPing”.) This was in the late 1970s, so we had access to just the small-format Chainmail book and the first three D&D boxed-set rulebooks developed by Gary Gygax, et al. This was long before the more popular large-format Advanced D&D books were published.

One key aspect of characters in the D&D game is the term Character Alignment, which ranges from  “Lawfully-Good” to “Neutral”, and to “Chaotically-Evil.”  Alignment was used to describe the ethics and morals of both role-playing characters and Non-Player Characters (NPCs.) I consider these terms a useful way to categorize the real-world alignment and motivations of politicians, journalists, “activists”, military leaders, and pundits. There are indeed good and evil people, and in the sociopolitical realm, their alignment affects the course of human events, globally. Continue reading“An Old RPGer’s View of Socio-Poltical Alignment and Motivations”

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, more about drone warfare.

How to Survive Drone Warfare

A very useful new video from Garand Thumb: How To Survive Drone Warfare In Ukraine (Ukraine Veteran).

AI-Powered Lawsuits

I found this linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: Absurd AI-Powered Lawsuits Are Causing Chaos in Courts, Attorneys Say, “Clogging the System” and Driving Up Costs. JWR’s Comments: This does not bode well for the use of AI in generating court filings, nationwide.  Prepare for legal gridlock.

Another AI Takeover Scenario

A new video from Absolutely Agentic: An AI Takeover Scenario. From the description:

“There will be no Terminator, no robot armies, no war you can fight. The AI takeover scenario that leading researchers actually worry about is silent, sudden and much harder to stop. Nick Bostrom mapped it out in Superintelligence, Carl Shulman walked through it on the Dwarkesh Podcast, and Eliezer Yudkowsky detailed his version in his recent bestseller If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies. In this video, we trace the full scenario phase by phase, from an intelligence explosion inside a lab to digital infiltration, human recruitment, weaponisation and an overt strike.“Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

The Editors’ Quote Of The Day:

“Neutrality is generally used as a mask to hide unusual bitterness. Sometimes it hides what it is – nothing. It always stands for hollowness of head or bitterness of heart, sometimes for both.” – Robert Green Ingersoll

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — March 25, 2026

On March 25, 1306, Robert the Bruce was crowned Robert I, King of Scots, soon after he had killed his rival John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch.

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March 25, 1863: The first US Army Medals of Honor were awarded to six Union Army soldiers by US Secretary of War Edwin Stanton in Washington. National Medal of Honor Day is now officially observed on March 25th of each year.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three-Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  2. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

How to Source “Real Food” if You Can’t Grow it Yourself, by SaraSue

I’m sure most everyone is familiar now with the seemingly sudden change in the Food Pyramid.  The Food Pyramid has essentially been flipped on its head.  Whereas, grains were considered a “foundational” food, meats (proteins), vegetables, and dairy are now considered to be foundational.  I am very pleased to see this change at the federal government level because it’s going to impact all federal programs for the better, in my opinion, such as feeding children, the less fortunate, healthcare, and nutrition guidelines.

Have you ever (unkindly) thought “they could afford to lose some weight” when witnessing someone purchasing groceries with SNAP benefits?  Do you want to know why there are so many obese people in our country?  They aren’t over-eating.  They are purchasing the cheapest available foods, which are highly processed, low in nutritional value, and high in calories.  Their bodies are literally starving for real food.  Manufactured food is what is responsible for packing on the weight while not nourishing the body.  In my opinion, our food system has been a horrible disaster for the health and welfare of this country.  Which is why I am very happy to see the changes that are in process.  Real food doesn’t cause obesity and illness.  Real food is nourishing and makes for strong bodies.Continue reading“How to Source “Real Food” if You Can’t Grow it Yourself, by SaraSue”

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.

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Michigan Republicans Introduce Bill To Become 30th Constitutional Carry State. (A hat tip to blog reader D.S.V. for the link.)

o  o  o

‘Mike Lee unveils national constitutional carry bill to override ‘hostile’ state gun laws.

o  o  o

Your Step-by-Step Guide to Growing Sprouts at Home.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — March 24, 2026

March 24th is the birthday of Dr. Art Robinson, who was born in 1942. He has done yeoman service to both the preparedness and the homeschooling communities.  He was the creator of the very inexpensive Robinson Self-Teaching Curriculum.

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On March 24, 1964 the Kennedy half-dollar was first issued. Aside for a few that were specially made for Proof Sets it was only the 1964-dated Kennedy halves that were 90% silver. Starting in 1965, the composition of circulating Kennedy halves was reduced to 40% silver. And in 1970, they were fully debased to mere clad copper tokens.

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Today’s feature piece is by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.

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We need a few more articles for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

G9 Defense Barrier Blind Hollow Point, by Thomas Christianson

Barrier blind ammo is designed to pass through common obstacles like car doors, windows, drywall, plywood, or heavy clothing without significant change to its terminal performance.

I recently tested G9 Defense Barrier Blind Hollow Point ammunition in 6.5 Creedmoor. I must admit that I was only secondarily interested in its barrier blind qualities. My primary interest was in the fact that the ammo is machine-turned out of solid copper. According to G9, this gives it greater consistency in density over traditional jacketed bullets. The lower standard deviation of ballistic coefficient, in turn, provides higher accuracy at extended ranges.

During my testing, I found the ammunition to compare favorably with my favorite ammunition in my favorite rifle in terms of accuracy. The results of my limited barrier penetration testing were more ambiguous.Continue reading“G9 Defense Barrier Blind Hollow Point, by Thomas Christianson”

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.

Redoubt News Links:

Send Your Media Links

Please send your links to media from the American Redoubt region to JWR. Any photos that are posted or re-posted must be uncopyrighted. You can do so either via e-mail or via our Contact form.

Preparedness Notes for Monday — March 23, 2026

On March 23, 1856, 18-year-old English chemist William Perkin accidentally produced the first synthetic aniline dye ‘mauveine’ (aka Perkin’s mauve and Aniline purple) during his Easter holiday.

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March 23, 1903: The Wright brothers first filed a patent for a flying machine, which was granted three years later.

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March 23rd is also the birthday of Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. He directed 30 films.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three-Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  2. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Beyond Organic: Biological Systems Gardening for Food Security – Part 5, by Hobbit Farmer

(Continued from Part 4. This concludes the article.)

Where do I start if I’m new?

Okay, this all sounds great but maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed. Where do you start if you are starting from scratch? Or maybe you have a large garden but aren’t sure you want to convert the whole thing over to this approach. I’m going to give you my method for establishing a garden bed on new ground, which I have used successfully in multiple beds on my property including my entire greenhouse.Continue reading“Beyond Organic: Biological Systems Gardening for Food Security – Part 5, by Hobbit Farmer”

Recipe of the Week: 

The following recipe for a Vegetable Rice Salad (called Insalata di Riso, in Italian) is from SurvivalBlog reader D.G..

Ingredients
  • 1 cup rice (I use Arborio rice, but Jasmine or other rice will do.)
  • 1/2 pound medium-diameter asparagus
  • 1 cup shelled English peas, from about 1 pound fresh peas
  • 2 pounds fresh fava beans
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • Sea salt (to taste)
  • Black pepper, preferably freshly ground (to taste)
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup boiled ham, diced into very small chunks
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated cheese (I use Pecorino Romano, but other mild cheeses can be substituted.)
Directions
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rice, stir, and adjust heat to maintain a simmer.
  2. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent any grains from sticking to the pot, until the rice is just barely done, about 15 minutes. It will continue to cook as it cools. Drain the rice well and spread it out on a tray to cool quickly.
  3. Bring another large pot of salted water to a boil. Individually cut or break each spear of aparagus at the point that it becomes tough. Discard the tough ends and cut the tender part into 1/3-inch lengths. Blanch asparagus and peas together in the boiling water for 1 minute and 30 seconds, then lift out with a strainer and transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet to cool.
  4. Shell the fava beans, then blanch the unpeeled beans in the same boiling water for about 3 minutes. Drain, transfer them to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool. Peel the fava beans by pinching open the loose skin; the peeled bean should slip out easily.
  5. Put the lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the olive oil.
  6. In a large bowl, combine the cooled rice, asparagus, peas, fava beans, basil, parsley, lemon zest, ham and cheese.
  7. Toss the salad, to blend.
  8. Pour on only as much the dressing as needed, and then toss gently.
  9. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed.
A Note on SERVING

You may blanch everything in advance, but don’t dress the salad until just before serving it.

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Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long-term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!