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, we look at the best states to live in, for raising a family.

Conservative States Dominate List of Best Places for Families

Reader D.S.V. suggested this WND article: Study: Conservative states dominate list of best places for families. Here is a quote:

“It is the 2025 Family Structure Index that ranks all 50 states based on three variables: “the percentage of married adults between the ages of 25 to 54, the average number of lifetime births per woman, and the percentage of children aged 15 to 17 who are living with their married parents,” the report explained.

Brad Wilcox, professor of sociology at the University of Virginia and a fellow at the Institute for Family Studies, said the results follow closely conservative political beliefs.

The top 10 states are: Utah, Idaho, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, Kansas, North Dakota, Iowa, Texas, and Minnesota.”

Aggression and Hallucinations Linked to Early Smartphone Use

Reader D.S.V. sent us this: Rising aggression and hallucinations in teenagers is linked to early smartphone use, a new study finds.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I do not think it is an exaggeration to say history is largely a history of inflation, usually inflations engineered by governments for the gain of governments.” – Friedrich August von Hayek

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — February 26, 2025

On February 26, 1797, the Bank of England issued the first £1 note.

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Feb 26, 1993: A truck bomb built by Islamic extremists exploded in the parking garage of the North Tower of New York’s World Trade Center, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000 others.

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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 www.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.

How Much Water? – Part 1, by R.E.

Over the past several years we have experienced significant disruptions to our normal routines of life. In the big cities, the heavy hand of government. The ‘two weeks to flatten the curve’ turned into years with numerous stay home orders, social distancing, lockdowns of churches, face mask ‘requirements’ and ‘vaccination’ mandates. Vaccine passports, at one point it was said were required for travel between provinces and crossing the Canada-US border. Police were pulling people over on the roadways to check whether or not your reason to be out and about was considered ‘essential’. It all culminated in million-person waves of protest starting in Ottawa and spreading across the continent when truckers and farmers were joined with many of us who felt that we had already seen enough.

In that bastion of conservatism, Canada’s Alberta, several Christian pastors were being jailed for daring to open church on Sunday mornings. In Ontario, churches not submitting to the lockdown orders were fined millions of dollars while the locks on church buildings were forcibly changed by police. Eventually, the courts dismissed many charges, while permitting others to stand. Canadians who happened to be in US conservative states were shocked when they returned. Many of those taking the jabs to travel, have suffered severe adverse side effects.

For some, experiencing disruption has been the shut off of access to municipal utilities. The Agenda being followed by municipalities in the US and Canada is driven by the UN and affiliates, and it is demanding that utility meters be replaced with so-called SMART meters. These advanced data collection devices, use radio frequency transmissions to ease the collection of usage information to the agencies collecting billing data. These devices are opaque – they cannot be read like a traditional meter, but instead require a proprietary reader device which only the utilities possess and control.Continue reading“How Much Water? – Part 1, by R.E.”

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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Our Editor-At-Large Michael Z. Williamson mentioned some “less lethal” solid aluminum projectiles for paintball guns. He notes: “They are also available less expensively on Amazon, but this way you support a smaller business.”

o  o  o

Mike Williamson also mentioned:

“The UK has demanded access to the Apple Cloud, and Apple has complied. Note that any info in there that is NOT from UK [users] is still accessible, and can be furnished to other nations’ intel or LEO (including the US) without any warrant or process required, since it would be willingly furnished, not subpoenaed. Remember: The term “Cloud” is merely a name for SOMEONE ELSE’S COMPUTER OR SERVER.  People should make every effort to avoid using cloud storage for anything personal, private, or financial. Companies storing massive records is one thing, though that is still subject to hacks of personal data. Individuals should never use cloud storage if at all possible. For data security: Hard copy is the best. The second best is isolated (disconnected or air-gapped) hard drives or USB sticks. A less secure (but still relatively secure) third choice is to have PCs or mobile devices that are no connected to the Internet.”

o  o  o

Terry in Southern Idaho forwarded this news link of interest: Currently, All U.S. Phones Can Connect to Starlink Satellites for Free. This Will Change in July.

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Reader Gary H. wrote this query:

“I recently opened a bag of oatmeal that had been stored for 5 years in a food-grade mylar bag in a food-grade 5-gallon bucket.  I immediately smelled a metallic odor.  When the oatmeal is prepared it definitely has a metallic taste.  Clearly, that mylar bag which I purchased on Amazon and was advertised as food-grade was not a quality product.  I searched your website for information about this issue and for suggestions for a proven mylar product that does not leach.  However, I did not find any info on this topic.  Do you (or any of your readers) have any suggestions for manufacturers that are proven not to have this problem?  I did seal this and other bags with an iron.  Is it possible that in heating the bag to seal it, that I caused this issue?”

JWR Replies:  This is something that I haven’t ever encountered, so I’m polling the readers for their observations.

o  o  o

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“People from all over the world came to America and assimilated into a single culture rooted in the founding, which is rooted in individual liberty and primacy of citizen over government. Everybody who came here, that’s what drew them.” – Rush Limbaugh

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — February 25, 2025

February 25, 1814: Australia’s first currency – the “holey dollar” introduced, made of Spanish ‘pieces of eight’  (8 Reales) with the centers stamped out and overstamped with a date and “NEW SOUTH WALES”, for the colony of New South Wales.

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

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We are in need of entries for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. 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.

Granberg G-1012XT 12-Volt Chain Grinder, by Thomas Christianson

The ability to effectively sharpen a chain is one of the most basic foundations for productive chainsaw use. Cutting with a well-sharpened chain is a joy. Trying to cut with a dull chain is a frustrating and soul-rending ordeal.

In Greek mythology, a man named Sisyphus was punished in the afterlife for his wickedness. He was eternally compelled to roll a large bolder up a steep hill. Every time he neared the top of the hill, the bolder would slip away and roll back down to the bottom of the hill. His punishment was the frustration of being forever engaged in a difficult job without ever being able to complete it.

If the ancient Greeks had any experience with chainsaws, I think they would have forced Sisyphus to eternally harvest firewood with a dull chain instead. There are few tasks in the known universe that are more joyless exercises in futility.

The Granberg G-1012 12V Precision Grinder is an outstanding tool for sharpening chainsaw chains to factory-new effectiveness. The use of a 12-volt direct current power supply makes the batteries of most motor vehicles into a convenient source of power for the grinder.Continue reading“Granberg G-1012XT 12-Volt Chain Grinder, 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, a news story that described the use of thermal imaging.  (See the Idaho section.)

Idaho

Thermal imaging drone helps police locate suspect hiding in darkness by riverbank.

o  o  o

The future of the death penalty hangs in the balance in Idaho.

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Einkorn.com has announced that they are moving their operations to Sugar City, Idaho. The company is a source for ancient Einkorn wheat and nt Einkorn wheat flour.  Einkorn is much easier to digest, for folks with sensitivity to modern wheat varieties. From their website: “Einkorn is the most primitive form of wheat on Earth. It contains only 14 chromosomes, whereas modern wheat contains 42. Einkorn does not have the D chromosome, which seems to be connected with wheat intolerance in many humans.”

o  o  o

This made national news: Idaho woman forcibly dragged from local Republican town hall by private security.

o  o  o

Idaho school choice tax bill heads to governor’s desk.

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

Preparedness Notes for Monday — February 24, 2025

The artist Winslow Homer was born on March 24, 1836 in Boston, Massachusetts. The illustration above is a detail from Homer’s 1865 painting: “The Veteran in a New Field.” It hangs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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On February 24, 1905, the Simplon railroad tunnel through the Alps in Switzerland achieved breakthrough after 7-1/2 years of construction.

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February 24, 1971:  Algeria nationalized 51 percent of French oil concessions.

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Today’s feature is a guest post that is not part of the writing contest. (On Mondays, we normally post a review penned by our Field Gear Editor, Tom Christianson.)

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We are in need of entries for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. 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.

My Quest For a Wife, by Single Farmer

I am still looking for a wife. I am offering up to $50,000 to be given as a gift after marriage to the person who introduces me to my spouse and if my wife and I become the parents of two healthy children. This gift is in up to three parts: $18,000 will be given after marriage to you if you provided the introduction and two payments of $16,000 given after the birth of each healthy child up to two. Thus, if I get married because of your introduction and we have two healthy children, then you would receive the full $50,000.

That is the largest potential gift that I have ever seen anywhere for helping anyone to find their spouse. I am sure you will have lots of interesting questions and I thought of the answers to plenty of them including giving you some “tips” to help you to find the young woman I have been praying to find.

I ask for your prayers for me to find a quality Christian young woman who is seeking to be married. Next, I ask you to sincerely consider any single young woman that you know who matches the criteria I list and talk to her or her parents. As Christians, we walk by faith, so I am sending this “message in a bottle” again to the readers of SurvivalBlog with the hope that one reader can introduce me to my future spouse.

I know in my heart that there are many young women out there who truly want to be wives and mothers and I only need to find one. My future wife is out there somewhere, so I am trying to find the people who know her among their family or friends.

Since this is a fairly unusual way to find a spouse, I will tell you more about myself and the basic qualities that I am looking for in a potential spouse and answer a few questions that you might have.

Here is the basic criteria that I seek to find in a young woman:

  • Christian
  • Mid 20s to early 30s in age
  • Conservative
  • Wants to be married and have children
  • Single, never married, and does not have children
  • Physically and mentally healthy
  • Average height and normal weight range
  • Non-smoker
  • Good personality
  • Domestic skills such as cooking, or has an interest in learning
  • Lives in the United States

If you know of a young woman, have spoken with her or her family, and they will also be writing in, be sure to also write in, so we know who recommended the young woman first as I suppose that there could be multiple readers who write to us about the same young woman who know her and her family. So, whoever writes me about her first, will be the one who receives my gift.

If you think you might be the young woman I have been praying to find, or you know her in your family or among your friends, could you please tell her so she or her family could e-mail Mr. Rawles writing an introduction? Please write in detail about yourself and your family including your religious beliefs and other interests including hobbies. His address is jamesATrawles.to (Change “AT” to an @ sign) and he will personally handle the initial correspondence.

Here are some “frequently asked questions” that should address any concerns. Please fully read this article and then write to us!Continue reading“My Quest For a Wife, by Single Farmer”

Recipe of the Week: Simple Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies

The following recipe for Simple Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies is from SurvivalBlog reader Carol in Delaware.

Ingredients
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick, very soft — room temperature)
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup granulated white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats (not instant or quick cook type)
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips,
  • 1/8 cup more semi-sweet chocolate chips to add after baking (or substitute with raisins, walnuts, etc.)
Directions
  1. Fully preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line a baking sheet with a silicone mat (SILPAT) or spray with cooking spray like Pam; and set aside.
  2. To a large mixing bowl, add the egg, butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla. With some vigorous effort, mix with a large spoon for about 90 seconds, or until smooth and slightly fluffed.
  3. Add the oats, flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine for about 30 seconds.
  4. Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine for about 30 seconds.
  5. Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, measure the dough and form tapered mounds. Place them on a prepared baking sheet spaced about 2 inches apart. (About a dozen on a large cookie sheet,)
  6. Bake for about 10 to 13 minutes (10 mins for super soft cookies, or longer for more well-done cookies), or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center; don’t overbake — the cookies firm up as they cool.
  7. Immediately after taking the baking sheet out of the oven, add about 5 additional chocolate chips per cookie. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving.
SERVING

Serve with a glass of cold whole milk, of course!

Storage

Baked  cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Ot they will keep in the freezer for up to six months.

Unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days, or in the freezer for up to four months.

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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:  Geography of the Continental United States. (A “cstats1” graphic, courtesy of Reddit.)  This exaggerated view helps to illustrate why The American Redoubt is so redoubtable.

The thumbnail below is click-expandable.

<<<Insert Thumbnail Image >>

Map: CONUS Geography

 

 

 

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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.