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, another look at the rise of A.I. fakery.

A.I. Fake Videos are Destroying the Internet

Tam of the View From The Porch blog suggested this article: A ‘True Crime’ Documentary Series Has Millions of Views. The Murders Are All AI-Generated. JWR’s Comments: We need to develop greater discernment of the YouTube “Voices”. I think you know the text-to-speech generated authoritative flat American accent voices that I’m talking about.  The ones that are layered over videos or even just AI-gen still images that don’t quite match what is being described.  These A.I.-gen videos are absolutely mindless schlock. Some are easy to spot, but others are more sophisticated–especially those that clone voices. Most of these videos are created just to garner viewer clicks and to sell advertisements. Even the tutorials on how to use AI-gens are AI-generated! The sad truth is that millions of folks have no discernment and will spend hours watching this garbage. At the rate they’re progressing, A.I.-generated videos will soon be the majority of what is served up on YouTube. I suggest that my readers divorce themselves from YouTube and get back to old-school human-written blogs and books. – JWR

West Texas Measles Outbreak is Spreading

NBC News reports: In rural West Texas, a measles outbreak grows with no end in sight.

Russia’s Shadow War Against the West

The Wall Street Journal reports: A New Spy Unit Is Leading Russia’s Shadow War Against the West. JWR’s Comment: The Russian term for active measures is: активные мероприятия.  (Anglicized: “aktivnye meropriyatiya”.)
Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Living in Washington, you can’t take politics too seriously. I draw the line at honesty. I have no time for political hacks who say things they don’t believe because they get paid to.” – Tucker Carlson

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — February 19, 2025

On February 19, 1807, US Vice President Aaron Burr was arrested in Alabama for treason. He was later acquitted.

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February 19,1884: The “Enigma Outbreak” of more than 60 tornadoes in Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana reportedly killed over a thousand people. The origin of these nearly simultaneous storms remains enigmatic.

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

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We are in need of entries for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 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.

OffGrid Faraday Bags, by Thomas Christianson

Faraday bags offer both privacy and protection. They protect sensitive electronic equipment from damage that might arise from EMP or Carrington-like events. They also provide privacy for equipment that can be traced or surveilled electronically. The bags block electromagnetic signals, rendering the equipment untraceable and unreadable as long as it remains encased in the bags.

OffGrid Faraday Bags is a cybersecurity company that makes Faraday bags for a wide range of electronic equipment including mobile phones, tablets, notebook computers, key fobs, passports with RFID chips, and similar items. Their bags are designed for the military, law enforcement, intelligence, and personal security markets.

I recently tested OffGrid’s Premium and Utility bags for mobile phones. I found both bags to be effective at blocking electronic signals. They were also impressively water resistant.Continue reading“OffGrid Faraday Bags, by Thomas Christianson”

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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The hollow-point ban: New Jersey bans safe, effective ammunition.  JWR’s Comments:  The illogic of this legislation is stupendous. New Jersey is largely urbanized, with a high population density, overall. So why are they banning ammo with expanding bullets that rarely penetrate residential and business walls, in favor of FMJ bullets that can penetrate multiple walls? Give those legislators a Darwin Award!

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Our friend Commander Zero of the venerable Notes From The Bunker blog reminded me of the LDS Safely Gathered In storage food recipe web page.  The website hasn’t been updated since 2008, but the recipes are all proven and just about timeless.

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St. Funogas sent this:

“There are two pertinent news items I’ve seen since I submitted the article, “Financial Preps for TEOTWAWKI.”:

DOGE’s first numbers sounded like good news when they announced on X last week, January 28th. The $1 billion per day they’re saving however is a goal, not a current event. Surprisingly, only 4-5% of Uncle Sam’s budget goes to pay salaries so hiring freezes and eliminating DEI departments won’t do much. If the contract buyout is taken up by 5-10% of employees as DOGE predicts, it will only save $23-$46 billion, not $100 billion. It’s important to see the math of their numbers.

Saving $2 trillion dollars per year to balance the budget will have to take a huge painful bite out of every single department. DOGE has already walked back their unrealistic goal from $2 trillion to $1 trillion. And as expected, nothing can happen without a lawsuit so before the horse was even out of the chute a judge stopped the hiring freeze, and Trump had to rescind his executive order freezing federal grants. And the unions have only barely started to howl.  It’s going to be a tough row to hoe with more court challenges ahead.

After I submitted this article, David Stockman, Reagan’s OMB (Office of Management and Budget), published his new book How to Cut $2 Trillion and I got one hot off the press. I highly recommend it. There are lots of numbers so it’s not for everyone. He presents an excellent plan on how to balance the budget, while frequently reminding the reader it won’t be happening any time soon: “To be sure, even this relatively judicious mix [of cuts across the board] is sure to ignite firestorms on the banks of the Potomac like never before.” He should know, he and Reagan tried to make many of these same cuts. Even eliminating wasteful and wasteful agencies will leave them “screaming to high heaven in the swamplands of DC.”

Stockman’s plan to cut $2 trillion out of the budget is to completely eliminate 16 federal agencies such as the Dept of Education and FBI, reduce 9 others by 50% (i.e. IRS, EPA, NASA), and cut all other non-defense programs by 34%. Next, cut the defense budget in half. A full $1.1 trillion savings comes from reducing “entitlement” program dollars and restructuring every program from Social Security and Medicare, to student aid and “welfare.”

It’s clear to see why the federal budget can never be balanced, interest expense will continue to grow exponentially, and why we should all be making our own financial preparations.”

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Wherever the real power in a Government lies, there is the danger of oppression. In our Governments, the real power lies in the majority of the Community, and the invasion of private rights is chiefly to be apprehended, not from the acts of Government contrary to the sense of its constituents, but from acts in which the Government is the mere instrument of the major number of the constituents.” – James Madison, Letters and Other Writings of James Madison, Volume 3

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — February 18, 2025

Today is the birthday of astronaut Theodore Cordy “Ted” Freeman (February 18, 1930 – October 31, 1964.)  He is pictured above with Buzz Aldrin. Ted Freeman and his wife Faith were friends of my mother and father.  Both my father (Donald Robert Rawles) and Ted Freeman were stationed at Bryan Air Force Base in the early 1950s, and they rented houses three blocks apart, in College Station, Texas. Both Ted and my father were born in the same year. The two families often played the card game Bridge together, and Faith and my mother were in a play production together. Oddly, the Freemans named their daughter Faith, and they often referred to her as “Faith, Junior.” (They couldn’t call her “Little Faith”, for fear of “Oh Ye of Little Faith” jokes.)  About ten years later, while training as an astronaut in the Gemini space program, Ted was killed in a catastrophic birdstrike flying accident, while flying a T-38 Talon jet trainer. He was the first casualty of NASA’s manned space program. Fittingly, Ted Freeman’s name is inscribed on a memorial plaque that was left on the moon, by Apollo astronauts. – JWR

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Today’s feature article is from frequent guest author Brandon Smith.

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We need more entries for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 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.

 

Age of Transparency: We Need Mass Surveillance of Governments, by Brandon Smith

In the wake of Donald Trump’s return to the White House there has been an atmosphere of palpable panic among the usual suspects. Establishment bureaucrats are screaming bloody murder in aisles like spoiled toddlers at Walmart after being told they’re not going to get whatever they want from the American taxpayer. These people are long overdue for a spanking and a nap.

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) group has wasted no time in pursuing total transparency of the federal government’s funding operations and I have to say, the reaction from the leftist establishment is even more unhinged than I could have imagined. In the past week, Democrats and activist judges have actually attempted to stop the new head of the Treasury Department, Scott Bessent, from accessing funding allocation records. In other words, the person in charge of the Treasury is not allowed to investigate how the Treasury is spending American tax dollars.Continue reading“Age of Transparency: We Need Mass Surveillance of Governments, by Brandon Smith”

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. In today’s column: Tren de Aragua gang members arrested in Bozeman, Montana.

Region-Wide

Oregon’s Battle for Ideological Identity Heats Up as Eastern Counties Push for Secession.

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Take note that Redoubt News has switched to Substack format.

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California seems to be getting the brunt of the La Niña Atmospheric River. But the Inland Northwest has a fair amount of rain and snow expected in the next two weeks.

Idaho

Illegal guns and drugs lead to Idaho County arrest.

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Kootenai County Sheriff partners with Border Patrol to assist in deportations.

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Wallace, Idaho prepares for Extreme SkiJor, boosting local economy.

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A video about Priest Lake: Jewel of The North — Outdoor Idaho.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Common hedging techniques include shorting stocks, buying put options, writing call options, and various types of leverage and paired transactions. While I do reserve the right to use these tools if and when appropriate, my firm opinion is that the best hedge is buying an appropriately safe and cheap stock.” – Michael Burry

Preparedness Notes for Monday — February 17, 2025

On February 17, 1621, Myles Standish was elected as the first commander of the Plymouth Colony.

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February 17, 1776, the first volume of Edward Gibbon‘s seminal work “The Decline and Fall of Roman Empire” was published.

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USB STICKS UPDATE:  We have nearly completed mailing out all of the SurvivalBlog 205-2025 Waterproof Archive USB sticks. We are taking no more orders this year.  The only stick orders still waiting are a few that were designated in our ordering system as being paid by check. All of those in CONUS paid by PayPal or by credit card have been mailed and should arrive by Friday, February 21st. If we haven’t received your check by March 10, 2025, then your order will be canceled. For anyone who missed out:  Mark your calendars for February 10, 2026. That is when the special 20th Anniversary Edition waterproof archive sticks should be orderable.

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We are seeking entries for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 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.

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Today’s feature article was authored by Tom Christianson, SurvivalBlog’s Field Gear Editor.

Otis FG-750 Tactical Cleaning System, by Thomas Christianson

The Otis FG-750 Tactical Cleaning System is lightweight, compact and versatile. It is suitable for cleaning something with a barrel as small as a .177 caliber pellet gun, a barrel as large as a 12 gauge shotgun, and pretty much anything in between.

A clever system of proprietary patches greatly contributes to the system’s versatility and ease of use. But the slotted tips of the system could easily be pressed into service if necessary with standard gun cleaning patches or even with homemade patches made of cut-up rags.

A small zippered nylon pouch carries the entire system, keeping it neat, organized, and easy to carry for field use.

The system is designed to clean firearms from breech to muzzle. This helps to preserve rifle accuracy while preventing damage to the crown of the barrel.Continue reading“Otis FG-750 Tactical Cleaning System, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Turkey Chili with Black Beans and Vegetables

The following recipe for Turkey Chili with Black Beans and Vegetables is from SurvivalBlog reader H.N.. She says: “The exact proportions of the major ingredients are not important. Use your judgment, to suit your taste.”

Ingredients
  • Ground Turkey –  Can substitute chicken, beef or other ground meat.
  • Bell pepper
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Zucchini or summer squash
  • Whole corn – fresh or frozen
  • Canned black beans – You may substitute most other beans, except Lima Beans
  • Canned crushed tomatoes
  • Chicken broth – Can substitute beef broth, vegetable broth, or just water
  • Spices: chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. You can leave the cayenne out for a mild version of this turkey chili.
  • Cocoa powder (optional)
  • Olive oil (enough to sauté.)
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Pepper (to taste)
Directions
  1. Sauté the onions and peppers in oil. Use a large heavy pot for this, such as a Dutch oven. (If using a slow cooker, you can perform this step in a large skillet if you prefer. If using a pressure cooker, do it directly in the insert using the “sauté” setting.
  2. Add the spices and garlic and sauté them until they are fragrant.
  3. Add the ground turkey and zucchini. Continue to sauté until the turkey is broken apart and fully cooked.
  4. If you are using a crockpot/slow cooker, then transfer everything into it.
  5. Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, black beans, and corn.
  6. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  7. Stir everything together and simmer covered on low for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Then simmer without stirring for another 4 hours on the stovetop. Or, set your slow cooker to low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. (Note: For a  pressure cooker, set it to manual, high, for 20 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes when it’s done. Then, manually release the pressure valve.)
SERVING

Serve with a starch such as corn bread or tortilla chips.

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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!

Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic: Mapping U.S. rivers in proportion to their flow rate. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.)

The thumbnail below is click-expandable.

 

 

 

 

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Please send your graphics or graphics links to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“If you like small government you need to work hard at having a strong national defense that is not so militant. Personal liberty is the purpose of government, to protect liberty – not to run your personal life, not to run the economy, and not to pretend that we can tell the world how they ought to live.” – Former Congressman Dr. Ron Paul