As America Soul Searches, The Rest Of The West Is Falling Apart, by Brandon Smith

Editor’s Introductory Note: This perceptive essay was first posted at Brandon Smith’s Alt-Market.us. It is reposted with permission.

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In terms of geopolitics one could argue that allies don’t have to like each other, they just have to provide a mutual benefit that serves the greater purposes of peace. One could also argue that through cultural exchange the good habits of one country could easily influence the bad habits of another, but that kind of influence can also happen in reverse.

Though we might think of American culture as the content driver of the planet, the reality is that our ideals are an exceedingly rare dynamic found in no other society. We provide sanctuary to a fragile ember of free thought in an otherwise gloomy world of globalist oppression. It is something that must be protected at all costs.

Over the years I’ve heard many arguments from ignorant liberals about the grand progressive accomplishments of the European experiment and its centralized system. I’ve been told many times about how much safer Canada and Australia are. How the UK has near zero gun crime and how socialism works so well in Norway and Sweden.

Leftists in the US have long embraced this messaging as gospel and for generations they have told us that we must join the rest of western civilization by sacrificing certain liberties for the sake of future generations. We must become more like our allies in “more civilized” and liberal nations, or be left behind and labeled an “embarrassment”.Continue reading“As America Soul Searches, The Rest Of The West Is Falling Apart, 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. Today, some data on gun ownership rates in the American Redoubt region.  (See the Region-Wide section.)

Region-Wide

Video: US States by Gun Ownership Rate — Comparison. JWR’s Comment:  If Eastern Oregon and Eastern Washington were separate states, they’d both very likely be in the Top 10.

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Some after-action info on the July, 2025 TEOTWAWKI Readiness Exercise (T-REX) is now available at the AMRRON website.

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Bend man killed in wrong-way crash near American Falls, Idaho.

Idaho

Idaho National Guard members to aid ICE with administrative duties.

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Video: Didn’t Expect To Find This While Exploring In The Idaho Wilderness!

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Sole survivor of 2005 Idaho family murder returns to tell her story 20 years later.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“No tears in Heaven, no sorrows given,
All will be glory in that land;
There’ll be no sadness, all will be gladness,
When we shall join that happy band.

Glory is waiting, waiting up yonder,
Where we shall spend an endless day;
There with our Savior, we’ll be forever,
Where no more sorrow can dismay.

Some morning yonder, we’ll cease to ponder
Over things this life has brought to view;
All will be clearer, loved ones be dearer,
In heaven where all will be made new.

Chorus:

No tears, in heaven fair,
No tears up there,
Sorrow and pain will all have flown;
No tears in heaven will be known.”  – No Tears in Heaven
Music and Lyrics by Robert S. Arnold, 1935

Preparedness Notes for Monday — August 11, 2025

August 11, 1904: The Russian fleet in the harbor of Port Arthur, Manchuria, was exposed to artillery on the hill above the harbor; Russian ships attempted escape, but most were forced back into the harbor by Japanese ships.  Russia’s ignominious defeat in 1905 at the hands of the better-equipped and more competently led Japanese Navy has never been forgotten. The Russians had sought a “small victorious war”, but they got themselves trounced.

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On August 11, 1857, N. H. Wolfe and Company, the oldest flour and grain company in New York City, failed. This failure shook investor confidence and began a slow selloff in the market which continued into late August. Several other failures followed, and this cascaded into what was later called the Panic of 1857. Coincidentally, the Rawles family arrived in California by covered wagon in late August of 1857. Thankfully, California’s local economy was less affected by the Panic of 1857 than the eastern states. From the InfoGalactic Wiki: “The early 1850s had great economic prosperity in the United States, stimulated by the large amount of gold mined in the California Gold Rush that greatly expanded the money supply. By the mid-1850s, the amount of gold mined began to decline, causing western bankers and investors to become wary. Eastern banks became cautious with their loans in the eastern US, and some even refused to accept paper currencies issued by western banks.”

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As part of the 20th Anniversary celebration for SurvivalBlog, we are running our biggest sale ever on all of our percussion gun inventory at Elk Creek Company.  (Elk Creek Company is a spin-off venture that helps pay the bills for SurvivalBlog.)  Take note that most of our percussion revolver inventory is hand-selected for the availability of cartridge conversion cylinders. This is particularly important for folks who live in any of the 23 states that have de facto registration on the sales of private party modern (post-1898) cartridge guns.  This sale pricing on our percussion guns will end on Friday, August 15, 2025. Oh, and by the way, if you’d like to pay in pre-1965 “junk” U.S. 90% coins, you can divide your order total by 29.7.

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Today’s feature article is a review written by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.

Camel City Mill Ironside Merino Wool Work Socks, by Thomas Christianson

I recommend Merino wool socks rather than cotton or synthetic socks for field use. Merino wool provides better moisture control, better insulation when wet, and better odor-resistance than cotton or synthetics.

I recently had the opportunity to test four pair of Camel City Mill Ironside Merino Wool Work Socks. They proved to be excellent. The socks were comfortable, durable, warm, they breathed-well, and were order-resistant.

Camel City Mill is one of a half dozen or so American companies that sell outstanding Merino wool socks that are made in the U.S.A. When so much manufacturing has been moved overseas, it is great to know that some of the world’s best Merino wool socks are being made in the United States.Continue reading“Camel City Mill Ironside Merino Wool Work Socks, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Carol’s Zuke Bread

The following recipe for Carol’s Zuke Bread is from SurvivalBlog reader Carol in Delaware. This uses a regular 9×5 loaf pan. The recipe can easily be doubled.

Ingredients
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 lightly packed cups shredded zucchini (shred it just before adding)
  • 2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Butter a standard 9×5 loaf pan and line with a sling of parchment paper if desired, for easy removal.
  3. In a large mixing bowl whisk the eggs, oil, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Whisk well to break up the eggs and get everything well incorporated.
  4. Blend in the baking powder, soda, and salt, so they are mixed in thoroughly, then stir in the flour.
  5. When the flour is almost all incorporated, fold in the zucchini and nuts. Stop mixing as soon as there is no dry flour left and the zucchini is evenly dispersed. Do not over-mix this batter.
  6. Turn the batter into your prepared pan and smooth it out.
  7. Bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out without wet batter on it (moist crumbs are fine.)
  8. Let the bread cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes before turning out of the pan.
SERVING

Serve with warm with butter or cream cheese, after slicing.

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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: A map showing the most frequently occurring natural disasters, by US county. (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.

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — August 10, 2025

On August 10th, 1897, German chemist Felix Hoffmann (pictured) synthesized acetylsalicylic acid. This would later be patented by his company Bayer under the name “Aspirin”.

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August 10th, 1984: Red Dawn, the first PG-13 rated movie, starring Patrick Swayze was released.

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A noteworthy obituary: Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell dead at 97.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 120 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. 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.

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. A $269 retail value survival-ready power package from Solar Power Lifestyle. This includes two Solar Power Lifestyle 25W Portable Solar Panels, plus a $150 gift card to use for any purchase at solarpowerlifestyle.com.
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  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 $960,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 120 ends on September 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.

Scrabble and Prepping – Part 3, by St. Funogas

(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article.)

Our prepping will be easier, and we’ll be more comfortable if the S ever hits the F, if we use all the resources available to us. When stocking up on necessities, we’ll refer to books, articles, YouTubes, and prepping and self-reliance groups. Visiting places like Jamestown, Old Plymouth Colony, and Sturbridge Village, or attending festivals where things are done as they were in pre-technology days, can be fun activities and educational, as well. They not only teach us things and open our minds to the possibilities, but can also inspire some to get excited about learning some of these skills.

When I hear preppers talk about bartering, instead of whiskey and whatnots, I consider what skills I have that would allow me to barter my services for items I want. Something as simple as using my solar panels to recharge cordless items and batteries for my neighbors should be in demand. As a barter item, how about someone with a short-wave radio providing news and hope to the neighborhood? A lot of other skills we have or can develop, could have an equal benefit so it’s a good prepping strategy to learn as many skills as we can.Continue reading“Scrabble and Prepping – Part 3, by St. Funogas”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

For Firefly/Serenity Fans: The Mystery Cause of the Deaths on Miranda Has Been Solved:

They Were Doomscrolling Funny Cat Videos

Video Link:  Serenity: This Whole World’s Dead For No Reason!

News Link: The guilty pleasure of funny cat videos.

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:

“And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.

And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:

For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.” – Luke 21: 7-16 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — August 9, 2025

On August 9, 1666, Rear Admiral Robert Holmes led a raid on the Dutch island of Terschelling, destroying 150 merchant ships in the Vlie estuary, and pillaged the town of West-Terschelling. This raid was later known as “Holmes’s Bonfire”. The event is shown in the painting ‘Holmes’s Bonfire’ by Willem van de Velde the Elder.

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August 9th, 1831 was the birthday of James Paris Lee (August 9, 1831 – February 24, 1904). He was a Scottish-Canadian and later American inventor and arms designer, best known for inventing the bolt action that led to the Lee-Metford and Lee-Enfield series of rifles.

On the same day (August 9th, 1831) the first US steam engine train ran from Albany to Schenectady, New York.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 120 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. 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.

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. A $269 retail value survival-ready power package from Solar Power Lifestyle. This includes two Solar Power Lifestyle 25W Portable Solar Panels, plus a $150 gift card to use for any purchase at solarpowerlifestyle.com.
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  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.

—

More than $960,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 120 ends on September 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.

 

 

Scrabble and Prepping – Part 2, by St. Funogas

(Continued from Part 1.)

SCRABBLE IS A MATH GAME

Just as Scrabble involves math, have we applied enough math to our prepping? Do we know how long a bar of soap lasts or how many calories we need per year per person in our group? Are we just guessing or have we actually marked a tube of toothpaste with a Sharpie when we begin using it and note the date when it’s finished? Have we at least looked it up somewhere to get a rough idea on how long it will last? Do we know how long it takes for a pair of jeans to fall apart? Have we taken into account how much more quickly our clothes will wear out when we switch to a labor-intensive lifestyle?

We have to apply math if we’re going to have an accurate amount of each supply item to get us through the first year.Continue reading“Scrabble and Prepping – Part 2, by St. Funogas”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

To make the daily sheep milking chore easier for Lily, I constructed a cleated 12-inch-wide wooden ramp at the end of our milking stand. With that now in place, the ewes can just walk up the ramp to get to their grain.

We did some huckleberry picking and hiking, early in the week.

Now, Lily’s part of the report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”