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. — In The Los Angeles Times: How Colorado became the unlikely epicenter of American yak ranching. JWR’s Comments:  In the 1990s, we raised ultra-wooly black Tibetan yaks at our ranch near Orofino, Idaho. In 1997, we brought them with us on our temporary move back to California, and the next year we sold …


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. A couple of fun flying videos: Lower Loon Idaho C58 – Backcountry Airstrip landing / takeoff – Badlands Traveler Bushplane. And from the same pilot: Departing Johnson Creek and clearing the Ridge – Badlands Traveler bushplane 3U2. Spokane fire aftermath: Drone footage shows neighborhood in complete ruins after wildfire. JWR’s Comment:  If a jury finds him guilty, I hope that the arsonist serves a very …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: i never use upper-case letters when i write about a.o.c. because she says that she hates capitalism 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 — August 11, 2026

This Week in History: The Sea Battle of Zierikzeen was fought on August 11, 1304, Franco-Holland forces defeated the Flemish fleet. — August 12, 1336 English King Edward III banned wool export to Flanders and later granted a company of merchants a monopoly on selling wool in attempt to maximize taxes. — August 12, 1940: The German Luftwaffe bombed British radar stations, suffering a loss of 31 aircraft. — August 13, 1521: Spanish conquistadors led by Hernán Cortés captures Aztec Emperor Cuauhtémoc in Tenochtitlan. This brought the Aztec Empire to an end. — And on August 14, 1040, King Duncan …


Constructing an Off-Grid Shower, by Ozark Redneck

My wife and I were sitting in the living room last winter, our fireplace insert was cranking out the heat, our spark screen was on, and the Eco-Fan was blowing a mile a minute. She had a glass of wine in her hand, and we were enjoying the moment. We were discussing our preparedness. (Like all couples do — right?) The sun was very active that week, with plenty of solar wind and a moderate CME. She asked, “if the power grid goes down, how are we going to take a shower?” I kind of sputtered, “I have at least …


Recipe of the Week: Dutch Oven Sausage Pasta

The following recipe for Dutch Oven Sausage Pasta is from SurvivalBlog reader R.E.. Note that the spaghetti can go in dry–there is no need to cook it separately first.  This serves four adults. Ingredients 1 pound dry spaghetti (or substitute other dried pasta from your TEOTWAWKI stockpile.) 1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked sausage, thinly sliced. (I use Andouille sausage.) 1 large onion, thinly sliced 3 cups grape tomatoes, cut in halves 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced (or less, to suit your taste) 4½ cups water Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to …


SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week 

Today’s graphic is a map that shows population concentration. Half the American population lives in the red shaded areas. The map is delineated by county lines. (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 …


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. Economics & Investing Links of Interest From the Never-Trumpers at The Hill: Crude oil supplies at 45-year low. Oil Prices Tumble as Traders Price In a Strait of Hormuz Breakthrough. Copper Tops $14,000 as US Stockpiling Drains Global Supply Ahead of Trump’s Tariff Call. The globalist MSN had this: The dollar’s global dominance is starting to slip. This was the tell. Homes are selling below asking in 38 of the 50 biggest U.S. cities—if you can afford …


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 invasive species. Pictured above are the dreaded Zebra Mussels. (A public domain photo by Andres Musta.) The Ongoing  Invasive Species Fight Department of Interior: Invasive Species …


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. — In The WSJ: A Vote on Leaving Canada Is the Gamble of a Lifetime for Alberta’s Leader. The article begins: “Danielle Smith, the premier of this rugged oil-rich province, is regarded as a maverick with a reputation for taking political risks. Now she is embarking on perhaps the biggest gamble of them …


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. New video: Bikers heading to Sturgis stop in tiny eastern Montana town by thousands. (Alzada, Montana.) $2M bail set after arson suspect admits to planning Old Trails Fire, setting 25 other fires since July 2025. Firefighters get a handle on Spokane wildfires as tens of thousands remain evacuated. Spokane man fights flames to save neighborhood during evacuation. Send Your Media Links Please send your links …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week: 

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: It Would Be Illegal To Use A Godora 1-3″ Capacity Heavy Duty Pipe Cutter ( Amazon Item # B0CSJZW2LW ) To Cut The 6061-T6 Aluminum 2.875-Inch Mounting Poles For Flock Cameras, So Do Not Do So! 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.


The Editors’ Quote Of The Week:

“Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness. Let thy mercies come also unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation, according to thy word. So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word. And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments. So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever. And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts. I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed. …


Preparedness Notes — August 4, 2026

This Week in History: On  August 4, 1873, while protecting a railroad survey party in Montana, the US 7th Cavalry, under Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer (pictured), clashed for the first time with the Sioux Indian tribe near the Tongue River, killing one man on each side. — August 6, 1806, the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved. It was described by Voltaire as “in no way holy, nor Roman, nor an empire.” Emperor Francis II renounced his title of Holy Roman Emperor, becoming instead the first Emperor of Austria. — August 4, 1900: An allied expeditionary force, made up of …