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, an update on a 2024 Sandpoint, Idaho arson attack.

Idaho

Idaho Arsonist Gets 15 Years for Torching Lawmaker’s Business. Here is an excerpt:

“On July 4, 2024, the Army Surplus store in Sandpoint, owned by State Rep. Cornel Rasor (R – Westmond), was burned to the ground. Initial rumors were that perhaps a firework had hit the building and started the fire. However, police later said that arson was suspected in the fire.

Meyer was eventually identified as the suspect and arrested. She was initially deemed unfit to stand trial, but after undergoing a court-ordered evaluation at Idaho State Hospital North, it was determined that she was fit to stand trial. Meyer then changed her plea from not guilty to guilty.”

JWR’s Comments: The image above is a still from a video shot by Casey Whalen, courtesy of X/Twitter.

Mr. Rasor’s surplus store in Sandpoint was apparently the inspiration for the fictional “Grogan’s War Surplus” store in the humorous books by the late Patrick McManus.

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Man drives wrong way on Interstate 84 during police chase, arrested after SWAT standoff.

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State claims Kohberger defense is seeking a ‘perpetual continuance’ ahead of murder trial.

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Ryan Lewis wins Ironman 70.3 in Coeur d’Alene.

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

Preparedness Notes for Monday — June 23, 2025

On June 23, 930, the world’s oldest parliament, the Icelandic Parliament — the Alþingi — was established.

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To reiterate and expand on my note posted yesterday: My e-mail inbox has been full of queries from readers about the USAF bomber strikes on Iranian nuclear weapons development sites. Folks want to know if this might mean WW3. For some articles on that topic, see our June 19th Odds ‘n Sods column.  There could indeed be some escalation.  There is certainly the risk of an Iranian sub-critical  “dirty bomb” being detonated, most likely at an American container seaport. And there is a heightened risk of cyber attacks and sleeper cells attacking in American cities, and at critical infrastructure sites all across the country. Our three national power grids are at particular risk, so be ready for extended power outages.  Be vigilant and be armed, folks! – JWR

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We’ve started a one-week sale on all of our pre-1899 sporter rifles at Elk Creek Company. There are some very deep discounts. Order yours, soon.   They can be mailed directly to your doorstep or your P.O. box, in most states.  This sale will end on Monday, June 30th.

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

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We are in need of entries for Round 119 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $960,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 119 ends on July 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.

Smartwool Run Mid Crew Pattern Socks, by Thomas Christianson

Smartwool Run Mid Crew Pattern Socks are outstanding for everyday use and for field wear. They are comfortable, durable, attractive, resist odor, wick moisture away from the skin, and remain pleasant to wear even under extended use. They are also good for running in.

At the time of this writing a pair of these USA-made socks cost $22 .

This pair of socks has become one of my favorites, along with the other Smartwool socks in my drawer. I highly recommend them.Continue reading“Smartwool Run Mid Crew Pattern Socks, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Super Stuffed Zucchini Squash

The following recipe for Super Stuffed Zucchini Squash is from SurvivalBlog reader V.F. , who says: “The exact proportion of ingredients is not crucial — use them in proportions that suit your taste.  An egg is included to bind the breadcrumbs to the other ingredients.”

Ingredients
  • Zucchini, medium-size.
  • 1 large Egg (or two medium eggs)
  • Coarse breadcrumbs (preferably freshly-made.)
  • Parmesan cheese (You can substitute other cheeses, such as Mozzarella.)
  • Minced Garlic (optional, to taste)
  • Cherry tomatoes, chopped
  • Pine nuts (optional)
  • Lemon zest
  • Thyme
  • Oive oil
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
  • Pesto sauce (optional.)
Directions
  1. Wash and slice the raw zucchini lengthwise into halves and hollow out the flesh, leaving “boats” with a 1/4-inch thick rim inside each half. Do not discard the removed flesh.
  2. Prepare the filling. Chop any large pieces of scooped flesh and transfer to a kitchen strainer. Press out any excess moisture, and then add the zucchini flesh to a bowl with the egg, breadcrumbs, cherry tomatoes, thyme, lemon zest, cheese, garlic, pine nuts, and salt. Stir for a minute until everything is well combined.
  3. Preheat your oven to 475°F.
  4. Stuff the zucchini halves. Place the zucchini shells in a baking dish or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle them with olive oil and then spoon in the breadcrumb mixture.
  5. Bake at 475°F oven until the zucchini is tender and the filling is golden brown.  (About 16 to 18 minutes.)
SERVING

Just before serving, you can optionally add some pesto sauce on top. Serve these hot.

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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 Births by Unmarried Women, by State, in the U.S.. (Graphic by  “cookoutenthusiast” 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 — June 22, 2025

On June 22, 1476, the army of Charles the Bold invaded Switzerland. Their first engagement was the Battle of Morat which was fought about 30 kilometers from Bern. The successive Burgundian invasions were successfully repelled by the pike tactics of the well-trained and organized Swiss militias.

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June 22, 1633: Galileo Galilei was coerced by Pope Gregory XV to recant his belief in heliocentrism–that the Earth orbits the Sun. The Vatican did not concede that it was wrong until October 31, 1992.

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And on June 22, 1848, the Barnburners (an anti-slavery party) nominated Martin Van Buren for President.

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My e-mail inbox has been full of queries from readers about the USAF bomber strikes on Iranian nuclear weapons development sites. Folks want to know if this might mean WW3. For some articles on that topic, see our June 19th Odds ‘n Sods column.  There could indeed be some escalation.  There is certainly the risk of an Iranian sub-critical  “dirty bomb” being detonated, most likely at an American container seaport. And there is a heightened risk of cyber attacks and sleeper cells attacking in American cities, and at critical infrastructure sites all across the country.  Be vigilant and be armed, folks! – JWR

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Today’s short feature article is a guest piece by our friend Hubert Moolman. It is not part of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

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More than $960,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 119 ends on July 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.

 

Gold and the US Dollar are Moving Like the 1970s Gold Bull Market, by Hubert Moolman

Just like for silver, every major gold rally since 1971 has been during a time of US dollar decline (i.e., U.S. Dollar Index decline—that is, the US dollar as measured against a basket of major currencies.)

From 1971, the DXY declined from about 120 to around 86 at the gold peak in 1980. From 2001 the DXY declined from about 117 to around 74 at the 2012 gold peak.

During the current gold rally of the 2020s, it will likely be no different. It will likely go from the 2022 high of about 114 to a new all-time low, as it has in both of the previously mentioned rallies.Continue reading“Gold and the US Dollar are Moving Like the 1970s Gold Bull Market, by Hubert Moolman”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

“I Bear Witness That The Army And Me Went And Pillaged…”

Conan The Grammarian Chides: “You Mean ‘The Army And I’, Thou Baseborn Varlet!”

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:

“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” – Romans 12:9-21 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — June 21, 2025

June 21, 1672: Grand Pensionary of Holland Johan de Witt was seriously wounded by a knife-wielding would-be assassin.

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June 21st is the birthday of Rex Applegate (June 21, 1914 – July 14, 1998), author of Kill or Be Killed. He was the friend and mentor of SurvivalBlog’s Field Gear Editor Emeritus, Pat Cascio.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 119 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.

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 119 ends on July 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.

Directional Antennas Improve COMSEC, by Tunnel Rabbit

Editor’s Introductory Note:   For those who are unfamiliar with the term “YagI”,  I’ll preface this article with a bit of history from the InfoGalactic wiki: “A Yagi–Uda antenna, or simply Yagi antenna, is a directional antenna consisting of two or more parallel resonant antenna elements in an end-fire array; these elements are most often metal rods (or discs) acting as half-wave dipoles. Yagi–Uda antennas consist of a single driven element connected to a radio transmitter or receiver (or both) through a transmission line, and additional passive radiators with no electrical connection, usually including one so-called reflector and any number of directors. It was invented in 1926 by Shintaro Uda of Tohoku Imperial University, Japan, with a lesser role played by his instructor, Hidetsugu Yagi.”

To follow up on my last article, Using Military Principles to Improve Civilian Communications, I’d like to discuss a particular type of directional antenna. This is the most practical directional antenna for the common man. This is because a directional antenna is essential equipment — more important than the transceiver itself when pursuing a higher level of Communications Security (COMSEC).

The characteristics of a 3-element Yagi antenna in the UHF band instead of the VHF band as the most important directional antenna that provides the most utility. These are inexpensive and easy to build, and easy to maintain. In comparison, the VHF band is crowded, and a 3-element VHF Yagi is roughly three times larger, and it is relatively cumbersome for a patrol to use.Continue reading“Directional Antennas Improve COMSEC, by Tunnel Rabbit”

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:

I finished the Rawles Ranch Redneck Pool cleaning project on Wedesday. That work took about nine hours, over the course of four days. It is now filled with crystal clear water, and lightly chlorinated.  It should be warmed up to proper swimming temperature by tomorrow afternoon.  That is good timing, since our four grandsons are arriving for a one-week stay, soon.

Today, I’m returning from a long trip to Billings, Montana. On Friday, I attended a gun show there, in the hopes of finding some pre-1899 cartridge guns to replenish our inventory at Elk Creek Company. After searching through the 200-table show, I did find just a couple of cartridge pre-1899ers that were suitable, and affordable. But they are definitely getting more scarce. The law of supply and demand is inescapable.  The two pieces that I came home with were a scarce early Finn-captured M1891 7.62x54r Mosin-Nagant rifle — clearly dated 1897 on the barrel — and an original Remington-made Rolling Block Argentine contract rifle, rechambered in 11mm Mannlicher!

Now, Lily’s part of the report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:

And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:

(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)

That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.

For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.” – Leviticus 18:22-29  (KJV)