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, the threat to satellites posed by a major solar storm.

A Solar Superstorm Could Wipe Out ‘All Our Satellites’

SurvivalBlog reader Steve A. sent us this, from LiveScience: The next Carrington-level solar superstorm could wipe out ‘all our satellites,’ new simulations reveal.

Banks and Retailers are Running Out of Pennies

From the statist MSN outlet: Banks and retailers are running out of pennies. JWR’s Comments: I predict that most retailers will stop giving change in pennies by 2027, starting first in urban areas. With the relentless onslaught of inflation, nickels will be next.  So we should stockpile nickels, as a hedge. I suggest that you do so before Congress mandates that the U.S. Mint debases the nickel’s composition. (Thankfully, their composition hasn’t changed since 1946.) Also, stack all-copper pre-1981 pennies, but only if you can find sorted ones at face value. (Without a sorting machine, it is not worth the time to hand-sort pennies.)

Avoiding the TPM Chip Mandate for Windows 11

Charlie G. sent this: Why Windows 11 requires a TPM – and how you can get around it. JWR’s Comment:  It is now best to avoid the Windows OS altogether! Alternatives?  See this article at TechRadar: Best alternative to Windows of 2025.

Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The 4th Amendment and the personal rights it secures have a long history. At the very core stands the right of a man to retreat into his own home and there be free from unreasonable governmental intrusion.” – Justice Potter Stewart

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — November 5, 2025

November 5th, 1572: Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe observed a bright new object with the naked eye in the Cassiopeia constellation, which he believed to be a new star but is now known as a supernova, a massive explosion of a dying star.

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November 5th, 1605: King James learned about the Gunpowder Plot. Hence we have Guy Fawkes Day.

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On November 5th, 2009, Army Major Nidal Hassan killed 13 people at Fort Hood. He shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ as he opened fire.  But predictably, the mainstream media cited “no known motive” for the terror attack.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 121 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  2. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  3. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  4. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  5. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is offering a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $970,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 121 ends on November 30th, 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.

From Unprepared to Prepped – A Beginner’s Guide – Part 2, by Mr. Wobbet

(Continued from part 1. This concludes the article.)

As I wandered through my house trying to find the best place to create a second pantry I realized “I have way too much stuff.”

I have been astounded at how much my life has improved by starting to declutter my house. I still have a way to go to get to where I want to be, but even the first step of acknowledging “Yes, there is such a thing as too many spare computers and spare monitors and spare cables” lifts a burden off of me. Opening up space in my home office by ditching stuff that I have a near zero likelihood of ever using again and not filling it up with any other stuff is such a relief.

And decluttering other rooms gave me space to rearrange some things and now I have my emergency pantry where it is not difficult to get to (can’t be hard to get to or that violates the rule of making it part of a holistic routine) and also doesn’t cause stress on my wife.Continue reading“From Unprepared to Prepped – A Beginner’s Guide – Part 2, by Mr. Wobbet”

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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SurvivaBlog’s Editor-At-Large Michael Z. Williamson sent this note on a body armor destructive range test:

“A friend brought some armor plates to our shoot for testing. They were advertised as “US-made” and Level IV.  Turns out they were imported [from China and there was no evidence of an NIJ test].

Both torso plates took double taps of green tip and survived with minimal deformation–maybe 1/8″.  Good. (See photo, above.) But the side plate (not pictured) shattered from a single 9mm.

Also, the plate material is very gypsum-like. Might be chalk with epoxy binder versus actual ceramic.
We could call this Chinese Roulette. Probably you have a Level IV plate, but maybe you don’t.”

o  o  o

Some cogent observations from our friend Tamara K.: THE MOD SQUAD.

o  o  o

There were some very clever ideas in this video: Four Years of Stealth Van Life — This Build Blew My Mind! (CheapRVliving Classic).

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day: 

“There is in every true woman’s heart, a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity, but which kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity.” – Washington Irving

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — November 4, 2025

November 4, 1841: The first emigrant wagon train arrived in California after a five-and-a-half-month, 1,730-mile journey over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, from Missouri. This was the Bartleson–Bidwell Party. John Bidwell’s mansion property (pictured above, before the destructive December, 2024 fire) is now a state park.

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November 4th is the birthday of Medal of Honor recipient John Basilone. He was born in 1916 in Buffalo, New York. The 2025 Basilone Parade was held in Raritan, New Jersey, Sunday, September 21st. Locals should try to attend in 2026, to honor his 110th birthday.

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I just heard that Jase Medical (one of our affiliate advertisers) just added topical Ivermectin to their product line.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 121 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

    1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  1. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  2. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is offering a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $970,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 121 ends on November 30th, 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.

 

From Unprepared to Prepped – A Beginner’s Guide – Part 1, by Mr. Wobbet

Introduction

When thinking of what a “prepper” might look like, I am quite far from your expectations.

I am an avid indoorsman who enjoys watching television and having stuff delivered. I am not a gardener, a camper, a hunter, or an adventurer. I don’t have anything against those things, it’s just not who I am.

But a collection of life events and experiences have convinced me that learning those skills and adopting an attitude of preparedness is important for myself and my family.

Once I made the decision, I had to ask the question of how I get there. I’m definitely not an expert, but I’m smart enough to know that it is not simply a matter of just getting onto my favorite online platform and placing an order and putting the delivery in my garage. And I know enough about myself to know that if I don’t make being prepped a holistic part of my life then it just won’t happen.Continue reading“From Unprepared to Prepped – A Beginner’s Guide – Part 1, by Mr. Wobbet”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

A Special Editor’s Note:  This will be the last regular News From The American Redoubt column.  Because so many news outlets have put their content behind paywalls, it has become increasingly difficult to assemble this column.  It will be replaced by a new weekly item: American Redoubt Media of the Week.  That will typically be photos, video links, or the occasional news item.

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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. Take note in the Wyoming section on the State’s reclassification of bison.

Idaho

A television news report: Seven Men Jailed for Annual Idaho Poaching Trips.

o  o  o

This gets “curiouser and curiouser”: Shoshone County Sheriff Holly Lindsey steps down as Kootenai County investigates off-duty crash.  Both the Kootenai County Sherrif’s Department and the Idaho Attorney General’s office are now investigating.  JWR Asks:  Will this left-winger be handed a Free Pass?

o  o  o

Suspects charged in connection to Michael Vaughan’s disappearance.

o  o  o

Kohberger defense team disputing request to pay additional restitution to victims’ families.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I always consider the settlement of America with reverence and wonder, as the opening of a grand scene and design in providence, for the illumination of the ignorant and the emancipation of the slavish part of mankind all over the earth.” – John Adams

Preparedness Notes for Monday — November 3, 2025

On November 3, 1917, the price of U.S. postage stamps was raised to 3 cents per ounce.

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November 3, 1917: Flooding from a tropical storm killed 84 people in the Winooski River Valley, Vermont. Several flood control dams were eventually constructed, to prevent a similar disaster.

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And November 3, 1987, Gordon Gould was issued US patent US4704583 for the laser, ending his 30-year battle to be credited as the inventor of the laser.

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

Fiocchi CovertX 9mm Ammo, by Thomas Christianson

Fiocchi has released a new ammo designed specifically for use in concealed carry handguns. It features an advanced bullet design consisting of a lead-alloy core with pre-cut serrations and a heavy copper jacket that is tuned for controlled expansion across a wide velocity range. It also utilizes a unique powder formulation designed for reduced muzzle flip, low flash signature, and lower recoil in compact and micro-compact handguns. The nickel-plated brass cases resist corrosion and enhance reliable feeding and extraction.

The new “CovertX” ammo is currently available in .380 Auto, 9mm Luger, .45 ACP, .38 Special +P, and .357 Magnum.

I tested the ammo in 9mm Luger. In my testing, I found the ammo to be more accurate and to expand more reliably than my standard jacketed hollow point test ammo, which is Remington UMC 115 grain JHP.Continue reading“Fiocchi CovertX 9mm Ammo, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week:

The following recipe for Scrambled Eggs With Green Peppers is from The New Butterick Cook Book, copyright 1924, now in the public domain. That is one of the many bonus books included in the 2005-2025 20th Anniversary edition of the waterproof SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick that will be available in February of 2026.

Ingredients
  • 8 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons cream
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 sweet peppers\
  • 3 tablespoons butter or butter substitute
Directions
  1. Beat the eggs slightly, adding the cream, salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the butter or butter substitute, and when hot add the eggs.
  3. As the eggs begin to cook, add the chopped pepper, from which the seeds have been removed. Cook slowly, stirring constantly, until the mass is creamy. Serve with toast points.
  4. One-fourth cup of chopped canned pimientos may be substituted for the pepper. It is often desirable to soften fresh peppers by placing in hot water for five minutes before using them in thls way.

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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!

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week 

Today’s graphic: Hurricane Melissa, striking Jaimaca. (Graphic courtesy of Windy.com.)

The thumbnail below is click-expandable.

Hurricane Melissa

 

 

 

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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: 

“Anyone who thinks hunters are just ‘bloodthirsty morons’ hasn’t looked into hunting. If you wait through long, cold hours in the November woods with a bow in your hands hoping a buck will show, or if you spend days walking in the African bush trailing Cape buffalo while listening to lions roar, you’re sure to learn hunting isn’t about killing.” – Donald Trump, Jr. (Photo by Gage Skidmore.)