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, predictions of demographic doom.
The West’s Demographic Math No Longer Adds Up
The left-of-center Politico reports: The West’s Demographic Math No Longer Adds Up. Here is a pericope:
“Modern welfare states rest on an intergenerational bargain. Today’s workers finance pensions and health care for older people, trusting that others will eventually do the same for them.
Low fertility is straining that bargain. Fewer young people are entering the workforce just as large generations approach retirement. Pension reform has already become one of Europe’s most politically difficult issues, and the viability of the Social Security system is a perennial concern in the United States. Those political pressures will continue to intensify as the population ages.”
Flock Cameras Can Track Every Car in America
In The New York Times: Flock Cameras Can Track Every Car in America. Police Love Them. Citizens Don’t.
Deed Fraud is Rampant in Arizona
In Arizona, it may be easier to steal a home than a TV as deed fraud grows.
Hare is an excerpt:
“Deed fraud has become so prevalent in Arizona that bipartisan legislation was passed at the state Capitol in 2026 to crack down. A new Arizona law that took effect in late July makes deed fraud a felony, requires more property owner alerts and better verification of the identities of buyers and sellers.
But some of those protections will take months or longer to get implemented. All must be in place by January 2027.”
Wildfire Fighting’s Future Is Unmanned
Reader Tim J. spotted this: Wildfire Fighting’s Future Is Unmanned: Find The Fire From Orbit, Kill It Before Minute 30. JWR’s Comment: Some of these same technologies could be used in counterinsurgency. So this does not bode well for anyone who plans to play Batman in the Boondocks.
MQ-9 Reaper UAV Inventory Down 25%
As reported by the left-wing Washington Post: U.S. military has lost roughly 25% of its Reaper drones as Iran war depletes arsenal. A quote:
“The U.S. military has lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones during the war with Iran, or roughly 25 percent of its fleet, according to three U.S. officials familiar with the matter.
The Reaper is used to conduct surveillance and targeted strikes, and it can cost between $30 million and $50 million depending on the type of sensors and weapons it carries, according to the Air Force. The potential taxpayer cost of recent losses is over $1.3 billion for that weapon system alone.
The aircraft have seen heavy use around the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping route that has become a major flash point in the conflict — and a key obstacle to negotiating a lasting peace deal. But the drones fly slowly and often at low altitudes, making them relatively easy targets for Iran’s military and its regional proxies in Yemen and Iraq.”
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