Preparedness Notes for Thursday — April 10, 2025

On April 10, 1841, the New York Tribune began publishing under editor Horace Greeley. — April 10, 1827 was the birthday of General Lew Wallace. He wrote books (author of Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ), sculpted, practiced law, painted, played the violin and made them as well. In the “Battle of Monocacy” he fought alongside 8,000 Union troops against 15,000 Confederates. He was second in command of the Lincoln conspiracy trial as well as principal in the trial of the Commander of Andersonville prison where prisoners had been starved to death. He was U.S. Ambassador to Turkey. And he …




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 further examination of A.I.’s ramifications. Can We Trust Artificial Intelligence? A CalTech Science Exchange article: Can We Trust Artificial Intelligence?  Here is an excerpt: “When people think …







Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — April 9, 2025

On April 9, 1768, John Hancock refused to allow two British customs agents to go below the deck of his ship. This was considered the first act of physical resistance to British authority in the colonies. — April 9, 1869: The Hudson Bay Company ceded its territory to the Commonwealth of Canada. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 118 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could …




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. — A case analysis from “Armed Scholar” Anthony Miranda: Breaking! Supreme Court Decision Strikes Down Machine Gun Possession Law & Charges! DOJ Responds! JWR’s Comments: I am praying that there is a Circuit Split on this issue, so that the Supreme Court will feel obliged to settle this decisively, in light of the …







Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — April 8, 2025

April 8, 217: Roman Emperor Caracalla was assassinated by (and succeeded by) his Praetorian Guard prefect, Marcus Opellius Macrinus. — On April 8, 1913, the 17th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified by Congress, providing for the election of senators by popular vote. — April 8th was the birthday of the late Ian Smith, Prime Minister of Rhodesia. (Born, 1919, died November 20, 2007.) — April 8th is also the anniversary of the death of English experimental gunsmith and author Phillip Luty, in 2011. He was hounded by British authorities for many years. He died of cancer before …




For Preppers With Adolescent Chidren, by D.M.C.

Parents who decide to pursue the survivalist lifestyle do so for many reasons. Some are convinced of a need for self-sufficiency. Others are uncomfortable with the direction in which they see society headed, and may even see a more deliberate lifestyle as beneficial for their children. And, yes, some are on a fantasy trip after watching the latest Mad Max movie. Regardless of the motivation, parents need to remember that they are carrying some other souls along with them…their children. Even the more mature adolescents may not understand the motivation to step out of the old, comfortable life to move …




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, news of the death of a Wyoming Bull Rider. (See the Wyoming section.) Idaho Idaho House and Senate wrap up 2025 legislative session. o  o  o Pocatello: Zoo Idaho opens April 5th.  From the press release: “Zoo Idaho is back for the 2025 season, showcasing …







Preparedness Notes for Monday — April 7, 2025

Gerrit Dou (April 7, 1613 – February 9, 1675) — also known as Gerard Douw or Dow — was a Dutch Golden Age painter.  From the InfoGalactic Wiki: “…[his] small, highly polished paintings are typical of the Leiden fijnschilders. He specialized in genre scenes and is noted for his trompe-l’œil “niche” paintings and candlelit night scenes with strong chiaroscuro. He was a student of Rembrandt. Dou was born in Leiden, where his father was a manufacturer of stained-glass. He studied drawing under Bartholomeus Dolendo, and then trained in the stained-glass workshop of Pieter Couwenhorn. In February 1628, at the age …




Recipe of the Week: Swiss Chard and Walnut Pesto

The following recipe for a Swiss Chard and Walnut Pesto is from SurvivalBlog reader Joanna E.. Ingredients Swiss chard leaves from one large bunch. Remove the stems and set aside. Roughly chop the chard leaves. 1 cup of basil, roughly chopped ½ to ¾ cup olive oil 4 garlic cloves 1 cup walnuts 1 lemon, zested and juiced ½ cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese Salt, to taste Pepper, to taste Directions Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add chard, stirring until leaves are just wilted. Remove from heat and let cool for …