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 Ukranian source document on anti-drone tactics. PDF: Ukranian Military Anti-Drone Tactics Our Editor-At-Large Michael Z. Williamson sent us this public domain document, to house on the SurvivalBlog …



Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — April 24, 2024

On April 24, 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched into Earth orbit. Unhindered by the impurities and distortions of Earth’s atmosphere, the 2.4 meter (7.9 feet) aperture telescope has delivered some of the most spectacular images of the far reaches of the Universe. April 24th is the birthday of Carolyn Cole (born 1961), a Pulitzer Prize-winning staff photographer for the Los Angeles Times. This is also the day that the Armenian Genocide began, in 1915. Ottoman (Turk) Muslims slaughtered 1.5 million of their Christian neighbors, intellectuals, and community leaders. The Ottoman government proceeded with multiple phases to round up …


SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This 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. — A Special Request From JWR: I’d like to ask a favor: I’m hoping that there is a SurvivalBlog reader who has a spare full carton of 25 (or perhaps two cartons) of the LONG USPS  “Game and Puzzle” Large Priority Mail boxes.  (See photo, above.) For my Elk Creek Company mailorder biz, …



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — April 23, 2024

On April 23, 1936, singer-songwriter Roy Orbison, known for his soaring voice and for his carefully crafted ballads of loneliness and heartache, was born in Vernon, Texas. — The oldest US public institution, Boston Latin School, was founded on April 23, 1635. — “Shane”, directed by George Stevens and based on the 1949 novel by Jack Schaefer, starring Alan Ladd and Jean Arthur premiered on April 23, 1949. — There are several interesting new retreat property listings over at SurvivalRealty.com. These include: Your Own Private Idaho – Clark Fork. 221 Off-Grid Acres in Western North Carolina. Engineered Lakefront Homestead – …


SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements 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. We also mention companies located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, we focus on a wandering Grizzly. (See the Wyoming section.) Idaho Annual Sheep Crossing: Watch out, it’s a ‘Lambush’. o  o  o Tobacco companies pay Idaho in a multi-million-dollar settlement.


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I mean, my friend, to let you know how deeply I am impressed with a sense of the Importance of Amendments; that the good People may clearly see the distinction, for there is a distinction, between the federal Powers vested in Congress, and the sovereign Authority belonging to the several States, which is the Palladium of the private, and personal rights of the Citizens. I freely protest to you that earnestly wish some Amendments may be judiciously and deliberately made without partial or local considerations—that there may be no uncomfortable Jarrings among the several Powers; that the whole People may …


Preparedness Notes for Monday — April 22, 2024

On April 22, 1889, the Oklahoma land rush began. Today is the birthday of actor Eddie Albert (born Edward Albert Heimberger April 22, 1906.) He died May 26, 2005, at age 99.) For his actions in the battle of Tarawa, he was awarded the Bronze Star with “V” device. Today is the birthday of the late Charles Rankin Bond, Jr., who was born in Dallas on April 22, 1915. (Died, 2009.) He was one of the last of the AVG Flying Tiger pilots. — Going,  going… We are now down to just 30 of the waterproof 2005-2023 SurvivalBlog Archive USB …


SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic depicts U.S. Railroads, By Ownership. (Map graphic courtesy of Reddit and U.S. Department of Transportation.) The thumbnail image below is click-expandable.       — Please send your graphic ideas to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted. Today’s graphic is   (Graphic courtesy of  SurvivalBlog reader _______) (Map graphic courtesy of Reddit.) The thumbnail image below is click-expandable.     — Please send your graphic ideas to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must …



Preparedness Notes for Sunday — April 21, 2024

On April 21, 1918, Manfred, Freiherr (Baron) von Richthofen, Germany’s top flying ace in World War I, was shot down and killed during a battle near Amiens, France. April 21st, 1828, Noah Webster published the first American dictionary. April 21st is Aggie Muster Day, for all Texas A&M graduates. Aggie Muster celebrations/meetings are held as far away as Japan, Germany, and Afghanistan. April 21st was selected as the day to celebrate Muster since that is the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto, where Santa Anna’s army was defeated by the Texian Army led by Sam Houston. — Today’s feature …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: Remember: In The Gospels of Mark and Luke, a Demon-Possessed Man Referred to Himself With The Plural Pronouns “We”, “Us”, and “Legion” News Link: University of Oregon: Understanding Pronouns 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 Day:

“As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — April 20, 2024

On April 20, 1902, Pierre and Marie Curie isolated the radioactive compound radium chloride. On April 20th, 2010, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil platform, leased by BP, killed 11 workers and began spewing an estimated 200 million gallons of crude into the Gulf of Mexico for nearly three months, creating the worst known offshore oil spill. April 20th is also the day that we remember the victims of the Columbine High School tragedy, where two students stormed into a suburban high school in Littleton, Colorado in 1999, at lunchtime with guns and explosives, killing 13 and wounding dozens …