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 warning on Ghost Tapping.

The New “Ghost Tapping” Card Scams

Reader C.B. spotted this, at Newsweek: ‘Ghost Tapping’: What to Know About New Scam Warning.

Army to Bring Nuclear Microreactors to Its Bases By 2028

TMZ: Army To Bring Nuclear Microreactors To Its Bases By 2028. A pericope:

“Army installations within the lower 48 states will have operating nuclear microreactors starting in the fall of 2028 if the Army’s Janus program moves forward on schedule. The addition of nuclear power will diversify the energy sources available on military bases and provide a critical enhancement to their resiliency, the Army says.”

AI Models May Be Developing Their Own ‘Survival Drive’

Several readers sent this, from the UK Guardian: AI models may be developing their own ‘survival drive’, researchers say.

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

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — October 29, 2025

October 29, 1929: Stocks crashed on Wall Street. This became known as “Black Tuesday”. This event triggered the Great Depression.

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October 29, 1940: Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson drew the first number – #158 – in the first peacetime military draft in US history.

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October 29th is the birthday of fighter pilot Vermont Garrison, an American who fought in three wars – WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. He was born in 1915 and died on February 14th, 1994, in Mountain Home, Idaho.

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Please pray for the residents of Jamaica and Bermuda enduring Category 5 Hurricane Melissa.

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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.

A Top-10 Prepping List, Multi-Tool Not Included – Part 1, by St. Funogas

A while back, while reading one of my daily economics blogs, I read an article on the top 25 things to have on hand in case the SHTF tomorrow.

It was quickly apparent the author was an armchair prepper at best. Many of the non-negotiable items were overlooked, some items would be good for wilderness survival but not post-SHTF survival, and others were common everyday things we already own such as warm socks. Some of the items were unnecessary gadgets.

Out of curiosity I did a search for other top-10 lists. The ones I found had the same issues. The worst one was a shameless list of the top-75 items every prepper needs which was nothing more than a collection of Amazon links the author would make money on. I saw more than one of those kinds of lists. Many things on the list clearly had nothing to do with survival of any kind other than the financial survival of the author.Continue reading“A Top-10 Prepping List, Multi-Tool Not Included – Part 1, by St. Funogas”

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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Reader C.B. recommended the Pure-Gas.org website. It has a list of gas stations that sell ethanol-free gasoline. JWR’s Comment: This is the correct variety of gas to use for extended storage. Of course, add some PRI-G or Sta-bil. Do not expect any ethanol blend to store well.

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Something published back in 2018, but still relevant: Why the Ozarks is Mecca for Doomsday Preppers.

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From reader H.L.:  Western Civilization Depends on Men and Masculinity.

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How To Tan a Deer Hide.

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Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — October 28, 2025

On October 28, 1628, after a long siege, the Huguenot bulwark at La Rochelle surrendered to Catholic prelate Cardinal Richelieu. A large diaspora of Huguenots (French Calvinist Reformed Protestants) began soon after. They became known as Europe’s first refugees. Facing severe persecution in France and Wallonia, Huguenots arrived in South Africa as early as 1671. By 1692, more than 200 French Huguenots had settled at the Cape of Good Hope. More than 700 Huguenot refugees arrived in Virginia in 1690s. With their wide diaspora, Huguenot surnames are now fairly common in England, Canada, South Africa, Zimbabwe, the United States, and Australia. The majority of Australians with French ancestry are Huguenot descendants. One of Avalanche Lily’s relatives in South Africa has the Huguenot surname Malherbe. – JWR

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And on October 28, 2020, a new coral reef 500 meters (1,640 ft) high, taller than the Empire State Building, was discovered north of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

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Some great news!  The fine folks usaBerkeyFilters.com just bought the Harvest Guard reusable canning lids business. It is great to hear that these important products for preppers and homesteaders will continue to be available.  And, given the solid reputation for customer service at usaBerkeyFilters.com, I’m confident that the quality control, fast shipping, and customer service at Harvest Guard will be held to the highest standards.  Please note that they are offering a special 25%-off coupon code, just until November 5th, 2025.  Enter the code LIDS25 at checkout, to get that special discount.- JWR

Today’s feature piece is by SurvivalBlog staff member Tom Christianson.  He is a full-time church pastor and a part-time writer.

A Knife, A Clip, and a Counterfeit, by Thomas Christianson

The Knife

The Kershaw Leek 1660 OL is an outstanding knife for everyday carry (EDC). It has a shaving-sharp, three-inch, hollow-ground, drop-point blade made out of 14C28N stainless steel with a four-inch, anodized-aluminum handle. The spine of the blade is 0.09 inches thick at its widest point.

The assisted opening mechanism accelerates the blade decisively into engagement with the liner lock with a satisfying snap when the flipper is activated. A tip lock secures the blade whenever it is important to ensure against accidental opening.

The knife is made in the USA, and was on sale for $99.99 at the time of this writing at https://kershaw.kaiusa.com/leek-olive.html

Continue reading“A Knife, A Clip, and a Counterfeit, by Thomas Christianson”

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, reports of a helicopter crash in eastern Montana that was national news. (See the Montana section.)

Idaho

Shoshone County sheriff resigns after off-duty crash. JWR’s Comment:  Something tells me that we haven’t yet been told the whole story about her car crash.

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Don’t trust A.I. for hunting and fishing regulations.

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Murder suspect in custody after overnight manhunt.

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Coeur d’Alene Police and schools crack down on electric bikes and scooters as student injuries rise.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“When I was studying at Purdue, we learned our thermodynamics from an antique steam engine. When I went back in 1964, I found the laboratories packed with the most modern equipment for the study of thermodynamics, some of which had been built by the students themselves.” – Astronaut “Gus” Grissom

Preparedness Notes for Monday — October 27, 2025

On October 27, 1553, Condemned as a heretic, Spanish-born physician and Christian church reformer Michael Servetus was burned at the stake, just outside Geneva.

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October 27, 1702: British troops plundered St Augustine, Florida.

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October 27th 1858: The birthday of President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. He died January 6, 1919.

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Some great news! There are new owners of the famed Harvest Guard company — makers of reusable canning lids. The company is now owned by the same folks who own and operate USA Berkey Filters.  They are generously providing a new prize that was just added to the First Prize package for the SurvivalBlog Nonfiction Writing Contest:  A 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

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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.

Loaves, Fishes, Tree Bark, Seeds, and Knowledge – Part 8, by The Chemical Engineer

(Continued from Part 7. This concludes the article.)

4 – How Much Food Can We Afford To Share With Others?

Now, let’s consider the controversial topic of sharing our limited food resources with a neighborhood group. Think of this option like investing money in start-up companies, high risk for the chance at high rewards but in this case the money is our food and the companies are people that need some of our food to have the strength to work on survival projects with us. I will do my best to outline facts and calculations that will help us to consider our options wisely.

First, this will work best if we have a very deep larder. If we only have a month or two supply of food, we don’t have enough for a Type 2 Emergency (T2E) for our own family and friends let alone to share with others. If we have a 6-month or more supply for ourselves and our own family then we start to have some options.Continue reading“Loaves, Fishes, Tree Bark, Seeds, and Knowledge – Part 8, by The Chemical Engineer”

Recipe of the Week:

The following two-day recipe for Barley and Pork Hocks is from SurvivalBlog reader Richard T.

Equipment: A small cast iron pot, a soup pot, and a rectangular glass cake pan (or a similar pan).

Ingredients

  • Two fresh pork hocks

  • ½ cup of  barley grain

  • ½ cup of white vinegar

  • Cayenne or hot pepper flakes (to taste)

  • Pepper (to taste)

  • Salt (to taste)

Directions

  • Day one: Simmer a couple of fresh pork hocks in ½” of water in a lidded cast iron pot for half a day until the meat can be separated from the bones.

  • Refrigerate overnight. (The extracted bones can be used for bone broth.)

  • Day two: Cook barley, adding enough water, time and heat to bring it to a soft mushy texture. I like to add salt and peppercorns at this time.

  • While the barley is cooking, grind the now-cooled pork hock meat (including the rind) through a meat grinder, such as a Kitchen-Aid meat grinder attachment, through first the large hole plate and secondly the smaller hole plate.

  • While the barley is still hot, add the ground-up pork hock, the white vinegar, and a hefty dash of cayenne or red pepper flakes.

  • Mix thoroughly and spread into a pan to a level 1”, more or less.

  • Refrigerate, and let it gel.

  • Cut into squares and use as a snack or as an additive to a stew, soup, or other dish, or serve it by itself.

STORAGE

Keep refrigerated. it can also be frozen.

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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:  USDA Plant Hardiness Growing Zone Chart. (Graphic courtesy of Oregon State University (OSU) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

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:

“When I go to farms or little towns, I am always surprised at the discontent I find. And New York, too often, has looked across the sea toward Europe. And all of us who turn our eyes away from what we have are missing life.” – Norman Rockwell