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, more war drums warning of WW3.

How Europe Has Been Preparing For a Third World War

Over at The Independent: How Europe has been preparing for WIII – and why Britain isn’t ready. The aricle begins:

“More than 1,500km (900 miles) from London, frenetic activity is underway in the countryside of Poland, Finland, and the Baltic States: bulldozers and diggers are constructing field defences. Anti-tank ditches, tank traps, and pillboxes are being built and installed. In all these countries, laying minefields – even controversial anti-personnel minefields – is under active consideration.

Poland is spending at least €2.5bn (£2.1bn) on its border defence system, including building a sky shield system akin to Israel’s “Iron Dome” to protect its eastern border from a growing threat from Russia.”

Jamie Dimon Warns of WW3

From The Economic Times (of India): The boss of the planet’s biggest bank Jamie Dimon warns World War 3 has already begun and poses more of a risk to humanity than climate change.

Trump Says World War III Risks Have Eased

Trump credits administration for easing World War III risk in Ukraine crisis.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“It is proper to take alarm at the first experiment on our liberties. We hold this prudent jealousy to be the first duty of citizens and one of the noblest characteristics of the late Revolution. The freemen of America did not wait till usurped power had strengthened itself by exercise and entangled the question in precedents. They saw all the consequences in the principle, and they avoided the consequences by denying the principle. We revere this lesson too much … to forget it.” – James Madison.

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — March 19, 2025

March 19, 1882:  The first stone was laid for the Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona, designed by Antoni Gaudí.

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On March 19, 1982, 50 Argentines landed on South Georgia in the Falkland Islands to plant the Argentine flag. They renamed the islands The Malvinas. This precipitated the Argentine army invasion on April 2nd. Despite some significant naval losses and dreadful weather, British Marines re-took the island on April 25th in a well-coordinated ground campaign.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. 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),
  3. 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),
  4. 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.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 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. 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. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. 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. 3Vgear.com is providing an ultimate bug-out bag bundle that includes their 3-day Paratus Bag, a Posse EDC Sling Pack, and a Velox II Tactical Backpack. This prize package has a $289 retail value.
  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 $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.

 

 

Countering Drones – Part 2, by TacOps

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

Current Anti-Drone Applications

As drones have continued to threaten civilian and government spaces, different groups have taken various approaches to down drones in their airspace. Both Ukraine and Russia have adopted a ballistic solution. Using cheap, Turkish-made shotguns has allowed them to supply mass Infantry units with counter-drone capabilities. They have found that #4 buckshot from a 12-gauge shotgun has had the most effectiveness against small drones – the ones dismounted Soldiers are most likely to encounter. However, 12-gauge shotguns have a maximum effective range of only fifty meters.

Shotguns have benefits and drawbacks. On the one hand, this is a relatively cheap and sustainable way to down small drones. Soldiers are easily trained – in mass – to shoot down moving targets. Finally, shotguns are extremely versatile weapons. Equipping Soldiers with buckshot and breaching slugs allows them to down drones, quickly clear trenches, and breach doors with high rates of success.Continue reading“Countering Drones – Part 2, by TacOps”

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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St. Funogas sent this snippet to ponder:

“With all the recent hullabaloo about auditing Fort Knox, let me point out why it’s just one more irrelevant tempest in a teapot to decoy the US public from the more important numbers like the deficit, national debt, and the $1 trillion yearly interest on the debt.

The total reserve isn’t just at Fort Knox so the 147 million ounces you hear mentioned doesn’t include the gold at the Denver Mint and at West Point. The total US reserves is claimed to be 8,133 Troy long tons. Whether it’s all there or not, or whether it’s actually just a bunch of gold-plated Twinkies, it’s not really relevant when put into proper perspective.  So let me put it into perspective.

Here’s what the entire US gold reserve will pay for in 2025 at $3,000/ounce if applied to only one of the following programs:

    • 16 weeks of Social Security and Medicare payments (Medicaid not included)
    • 19 weeks of this year’s deficit spending
    • 41 weeks of interest payments on the national debt
    • 45 weeks of defense spending

How much would each ounce of gold in the US reserve have to be worth to pay for the following items:

    • 2025 Budget — $27,800 / ounce
    • Social Security and Medicare (minus Medicaid) – $9,500 / ounce
    • 2025 budget deficit – $8,400 / ounce
    • Defense – $3,425 / ounce

How many tons of gold would it take (at $3,000/oz) to pay for the following items in the 2025 budget? Keep in mind, that it is estimated the grand total of all gold mined in history is just 215,000 tons.

    • 2025 Budget – 75,750 tons for one single year!
    • Social Security/Medicare – 25,700 tons
    • Budget Deficit – 22,800 tons
    • Interest on Debt – 10,350 tons
    • Defense – 9,300 tons
    • Total National Debt – 379,430 tons

With these numbers putting everything into proper perspective, all of a sudden it is not especially relevant if the US really has those 8,133 tons, or whether it’s partially or totally 100% gold-plated tungsten or Twinkies.  That much gold is pocket change when compared to the annual US budget or the national debt.  One more ‘nothing burger’ to keep us distracted from the important things.”

o  o  o

Coming Soon: The European Digital Identity Wallet. (A hat tip to H.L. for the link.)

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I’m an old-school survivalist – being armed is right up there at the top of the list of things to be ready for. But I also have dang near thirty five years of being that old-school survivalist behind me. In all that time, I have needed to eat far more times than I’ve needed to point a gun at someone. Not saying it won’t happen…simply saying that, statistically, you’ll be more likely to be patting yourself on the back over your food stash than your gun and ammo stash.

In addition to keeping you from, y’know, dying, food has an excellent moral and motivational (Motivatory? Motivary?) effect – as the graphic on the MRE entree says: food is a force multiplier. Well-fed people are going to perform better than starving people. And starving people are desperate people who do desperate things..and doing desperate things is a great way to become someone who doesn’t need food at all…forever. So don’t be a starving person who takes crazy risks out of desperation, and don’t be around starving people who are unpredictable and dangerous.

Having that resource of food also makes you a target. Truly desperate people…people who are cold, who are hungry, who are hopeless, who are watching their loved ones miss meals…are dangerous and unpredictable. Don’t be one of them and don’t let them know you’re there.

Right now we live in a world where people will literally kill you because they want your sneakers, think you cut them off in traffic, or simply want your cellphone. And that’s in a world with 911, electricity, cops, and a somewhat-functioning society. Now imagine what it’ll be like when the only mechanism to keep the foot on the brake pedal of social chaos is whatever you’ve got in your holster or slung over your shoulder.

In a situation like that the person who can sit at home, safe and secure, and not have to venture out into the chaos looking for food and supplies has a tremendous advantage. Exponentially so, if he’s there with his equally well-fed and well-armed family and friends.” – Commander Zero, in his Notes From The Bunker blog

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — March 18, 2025

On March 18, 1314, Jacques de Molay, the 23rd and the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, was burned at the stake by order of King Philip IV of France.

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March 18th is the birthday of novelist John Updike. (He was born in 1932 and died in 2009.)

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It is also the birthday of Luc Besson, director and producer of films such as Nikita and The Fifth Element. He was born in 1959.

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I’ve just made one minor change to our writing contest rules. Here is the revised portion, with the added text highlighted in red:

Plagiarism and AI-Gens are Absolutely Unacceptable!

You must submit only your own original work. Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated text and images are not allowed, because they are often abstractions of copyrighted works. (Note: AI-assisted spelling and grammar suggestions are allowed, but nothing more than that.)

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. 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),
  3. 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),
  4. 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.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 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. 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. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. 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. 3Vgear.com is providing an ultimate bug-out bag bundle that includes their 3-day Paratus Bag, a Posse EDC Sling Pack, and a Velox II Tactical Backpack. This prize package has a $289 retail value.
  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 $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.

 

 

Countering Drones – Part 1, by TacOps

Drones are a hot topic in the news. From drones flying over New Jersey, Coast Guard ships, and other areas, to drone use in Ukraine, these have concerned many people. From the perspective of many in the prepping community, the question is how to prepare for drone attacks in a TEOTWAWKI situation. In this article, I will highlight a brief history of drone use, a background on the overall situation concerning contemporary events with drones, current anti-drone applications, and how to ultimately prepare to counter-drone reconnaissance and/or direct attacks.

A Brief History of Drones

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s), now commonly referred to as drones, are defined as aircraft that do not contain an on-board pilot or crew. They were originally developed during the First World War as a means of delivering high amounts of explosives more accurately than high-flying bombers or generally inaccurate artillery. Britain developed the Aerial Target in 1917, and the United States developed the Kettering Bug in 1918. The Aerial Target was a radio-controlled aircraft packed with explosives; the Kettering Bug was an aerial torpedo, which was the precursor for the modern-day cruise missile. Due to the high cost per use, neither country deployed these weapons operationally during the First World War.Continue reading“Countering Drones – Part 1, by TacOps”

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, news about the pending Idaho immigration bill.  (See the Idaho section.)

Idaho

Idaho House rejects bids to apply to amend U.S. Constitution through convention of states. JWR’s Comments: A Federal Constitutional Convention (“Con-Con”) could be dangerous, since the delegates would be re-writing all of the key terms of the machinations of government on the fly. They could even grant themselves unlimited power. Initiating a Con-Con is something akin to opening Pandora’s Box.

o  o  o

Honduran national sentenced to over 21 years for meth distribution in Idaho.

o  o  o

Idaho immigration bill awaits Governor Brad Little’s signature.

o  o  o

U.S. Marshals Service arrests Bonners Ferry fugitive in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“In recent years it has been suggested that the Second Amendment protects the ‘collective’ right of states to maintain militias, while it does not protect the right of ‘the people’ to keep and bear arms. If anyone entertained this notion in the period during which the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were debated and ratified, it remains one of the most closely guarded secrets of the eighteenth century, for no known writing surviving from the period between 1787 and 1791 states such a thesis.” – Stephen P. Halbrook, That Every Man Be Armed, 1984

Preparedness Notes for Monday — March 17, 2025

John Pettie (17 March 1839 – 21 February 1893) was a painter from Edinburgh, Scotland. His painting Vigil (above) was completed circa 1884. According to the InfoGalactic Wiki, Pettie:  “…spent most of his career in London. He became a member of the Royal Academy in 1866 and a full academician in 1874.

As an enthusiastic amateur musician, he helped the career of the young composer Hamish MacCunn by organising concerts for him in his own studio. MacCunn, who would marry Pettie’s daughter Alison in 1889, also served as a model for many of his paintings and sketches in various distinctive occasions.

John Pettie was born in Edinburgh, the son of Alexander and Alison Pettie. In 1852 the family moved to East Linton, Haddingtonshire. Initially, his father objected to him taking up art as a career, but this was overcome when he saw a portrait by Pettie of the village carrier and his donkey.

When he was sixteen he entered the Trustees Academy in Edinburgh, working under Robert Scott Lauder with William Quiller Orchardson, J. MacWhirter, William McTaggart, Peter Graham (1836–1921), Tom Graham (1840–1906) and George Paul Chalmers. His first exhibits at the Royal Scottish Academy were A Scene from the Fortunes of Nigel, one of the many subjects for which he sought inspiration in the novels of Sir Walter Scott, and two portraits in 1858, followed in 1859 by The Prison. To the Royal Academy in 1860 he sent The Armourers; and the success of this work and What d’ye Lack, Madam? in the following year encouraged him to settle in London (1862), where he joined Orchardson.”

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With the recent rise in the silver market, I  have raised our silver price divisor at Elk Creek Company to a whopping 24.7 times face value. That is the most that we’ve ever allowed for silver, in trade.  Here is how it works:  Just pick out the gun or knife you want, click “Add to Cart”, then take the total (including postage) and divide that by 24.7. So, for example, you choose a Mauser rifle that sells for $425 plus $55 postage.  The total would be $480 if paid by check or credit card.  But if paying in 1964 or earlier circulated U.S. silver coinage (dimes, quarters, or half dollars), then your total would be just $19.43.  That would be rounded down to $19.40. Just be sure to triple bag those coins, put them in a very well-padded sturdy box, and mail it to us, insured.

Here is another example: An Old Timer Schrade Two Blade Folding Knife, priced at $110, plus $15 postage. (Total of $125, divided by  24.7 =  $5.06. When rounded down, that would be just $5.00 face value in 90% silver coins.  So mailing us 20 silver quarters would buy you that knife.)

As you can see from that example, as a nation we have been collectively robbed by both inflation and currency debasement. The real tangible VALUE of a knife or a silver coin has not changed much since 1964. It is the overproduced Federal Reserve Note “dollars” (both paper and digital) that gradually have had less and less purchasing power.

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Today’s feature article was written by SurvivalBlog staffer Tom Christianson.

DA Targets, by Thomas Christianson

Recently I read about an attempt by a couple of politicians to try to convince gun owners in their district that they were “gun guys”. They invited the media to a range event in which they were shooting handguns and AR-15s. But there was a problem. They were shooting steel targets with those AR-15s from only about 10 to 15 yards away. Predictably, shrapnel became an issue. One of the reporters at the event was wounded. The politicians were lucky to get away with just one relatively minor injury. In addition to shooting steel targets with rifles from inappropriately close range, these two gentlemen were firing at targets without a proper backstop, and were not wearing their eye protection correctly.

I do have at least one helpful hint for politicians who are preparing to stage a range publicity event. They should have used DA targets rather than steel targets. Unlike steel, DA targets produce no potentially dangerous shrapnel.

DA Targets produces an innovative line of polymer, self-healing, reactive targets. Their most innovative option is a color change technology. The bullet passing through the target changes the color of the target at the point of impact. This makes it easy for a marksman to see where his shots have struck. After a couple of minutes, the color fades back to the natural background color of the target, allowing the target to be reused.Continue reading“DA Targets, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Alaska Potato Rolls

The following recipe for Alaska Potato Rolls is from SurvivalBlog reader Mike in Alaska.  He says: “Jan at Alaska Flour Company has created a new way to make the potato roll.”

The yield of this recipe is 32 rolls.

Ingredients
  • 1 Tablespoon yeast
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2/3 cup melted butter (10 1/2 Tablespoons)
  • 2 eggs, (room temp)
  • 1 cup prepared mashed potatoes (without salt) -I use instant mashed potatoes
  • 2 1/2 cups of barley flour4 cups of all-purpose flour
Directions
  1. Dissolve yeast in warm water and sugar, about 10 minutes.
  2. Then add salt, butter, eggs, and mashed potatoes. Mix well.
  3. Add the flour, one cup at a time, kneading well in between. You may need anywhere -from 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 cups. Don’t add too much flour. Knead for several minutes, until the dough no longer sticks to the side of the bowl and is smooth and elastic.
  4. Cover and let rise, 1 hour.
  5. Then on a countertop dusted with flour, dump dough out. Divide dough in half.
  6. Roll each half into a large circle. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough like a pizza into 16 triangles. (So with both circles of dough you will have a total of 32 triangles).
  7. From the outside in, roll up the dough into a crescent shape. Lay on a greased cookie sheet and cover with a clean dish towel.
  8. Let rise for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
  9. Bake at 400° F for 12-15 min. Remove when tops are golden brown.
SERVING

Mike says:  “Add fresh butter and either honey or homemade jam …. Oh dear it is soooooo good!”

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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: No hurricane has ever crossed the equator. (Graphic courtesy of “spyalien” at 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:

“In England, an inventor is regarded almost as a crazy man, and in too many instances, invention ends in disappointment and poverty. In America, an inventor is honoured, help is forthcoming, and the exercise of ingenuity, the application of science to the work of man, is there the shortest road to wealth.” – Oscar Wilde