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  • newPreparedness Notes for Wednesday — May 31, 2023
    Actor/director/producer Clint Eastwood was born May 31, 1930. — On May 31, 1921, the Tulsa Race Riot destroyed a 35-square block section of the city nicknamed “Black Wall Street.” At least 75 people were killed — mostly black. Some were shot…
    - 22 hours ago 31 May 23, 7:04am -
  • newMore About Elder Care, by Hollyberry
    When I completed my first article about mom’s health emergency, she was progressing fine and on the road back to good health. Two days after submitting the article to SurvivalBlog, my mom crashed hard. One of her  neighbors texted me, and left a v…
    - 22 hours ago 31 May 23, 7:03am -
  • newSurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets
    This 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 w…
    - 22 hours ago 31 May 23, 7:02am -
  • newThe Editors’ Quote of the Day:
    “The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race….It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever-increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete, and w…
    - 22 hours ago 31 May 23, 7:01am -
  • Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — May 30, 2023
    On May 30, 1911, the first Indianapolis 500 automobile race was run in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was won by Ray Harroun in about 6 hours 42 minutes. — Today’s feature article is by SurvivalBlog’s founder and Senior Editor, James Wesley, Rawles…
    - 2 days ago 30 May 23, 7:05am -
  • An Arborist Training Position in Louisville, Kentucky
    I just heard about a job opening for an essentially recession-proof job that might interest a SurvivalBlog reader.  I have been asked by the owner of the company to do the initial review of the resumes that come in: Arborist Training Position Job De…
    - 2 days ago 30 May 23, 7:04am -
  • Skynet May Soon Not Be Fiction: The Coming AI Singularity
    Introductory Note:  This brief article that I wrote may take you several hours to read and digest, because it includes so many links to other articles and also a few videos. Put on a pot of coffee, and set aside some time to work your way through th…
    - 2 days ago 30 May 23, 7:03am -
  • 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 al…
    - 2 days ago 30 May 23, 7:02am -
  • The Editors’ Quote of the Day:
    “The pace of progress in artificial intelligence (I’m not referring to narrow AI) is incredibly fast. Unless you have direct exposure to groups like Deepmind, you have no idea how fast—it is growing at a pace close to exponential. The risk of s…
    - 2 days ago 30 May 23, 7:01am -
  • Preparedness Notes for Monday — May 29, 2023
    Today, Memorial Day, is a day of solemn remembrance in the U.S. of the many who have given their all for our freedoms. We always thank those who are serving in our military and their families who have also made sacrifices, but today most of all we wa…
    - 3 days ago 29 May 23, 7:05am -
  • Buck 110 Slim Hunter, by Tom Christianson
    Back in the days of my youth, when a hunter headed out to the field, he usually carried a fixed-blade sheath knife on his belt. The one serious exception was the Buck 110 folder. Someone carrying a Buck 110 in a leather belt pouch was considered just…
    - 3 days ago 29 May 23, 7:04am -
  • Recipe of the Week: Jen’s DIY Trail Snack Bars
    The following cold-mix recipe for Do-It-Yourself Trail Snack Bars is from SurvivalBlog reader Jen B. She says:  “This recipe requires no heat. It sure beats paying for expensive Lara Bars or Clif Bars, and I have the comfort of knowing exactly wha…
    - 3 days ago 29 May 23, 7:03am -
  • Economics & Investing For Preppers
    Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. Most of these items ar…
    - 3 days ago 29 May 23, 7:02am -
  • The Editors’ Quote of the Day:
    “Political correctness is communist propaganda writ small. In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, not to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the le…
    - 3 days ago 29 May 23, 7:01am -
  • Preparedness Notes for Sunday — May 28, 2023
    On May 28, 1804 Napoleon Bonaparte proclaimed the establishment of the French Empire. — Today is the birthday of the late Major General Victor Joseph Hugo, Jr. (28 May 1931 – 11 May 2020.) — Our feature article for today was selected by JWR. It…
    - 4 days ago 28 May 23, 7:04am -

SHTF Plan

  • newExcess Deaths in Germany Started Appearing After COVID “Vaccines” Were Unleashed, Study Finds
    German researchers compiled a study that looks at the burden of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) mortality in Germany. It shows, simply put, that there were no noticeable excess deaths in the country until after the so-called “vaccines” were unle…
    - 6 hours ago 31 May 23, 10:30pm -
  • newRussia Claims U.S. Is Creating A Bird Flu Pathogen With A 40% Mortality Rate In Humans
    The ruling class of the Russian Federation claims to have found evidence that the United States government is conducting tests at a U.S.-run bio laboratory in Ukraine on avian flu pathogens with a lethality rate of up to 40 percent in humans.
    - 11 hours ago 31 May 23, 5:30pm -
  • newRepublicans Fail on the Debt Ceiling in 2023
    The United States House of Representatives’ passage of the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 is a big Republican failure in addressing the debt ceiling. The debt ceiling would be raised above the current limit of $31 trillion by $1.5 trillion or throu…
    - 16 hours ago 31 May 23, 12:30pm -
  • The Suffering Is Off The Charts
    Things have taken a turn for the worse.  In recent months, economic activity has been dropping all over the nation, and that decline appears to be accelerating.  We just learned that gross domestic income has now fallen for two quarters in a row,…
    - 1 day ago 30 May 23, 10:30pm -
  • Drone Attack On Moscow Prompts Evacuations
    Multiple drones attacked the Russian capital of Moscow on Tuesday morning, damaging several buildings, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has said. The attack prompted Sobyanin to order evacuations.
    - 1 day ago 30 May 23, 5:30pm -
  • Sorry Our Demographic Karma Ran Over Your Economic Dogma
    Your bogus economic dogma of "growth via the wealth effect" created the demographic karma that will bring down the status quo.
    - 2 days ago 30 May 23, 12:30pm -
  • 11yo Boy Calls 911 for Help Protecting His Mom, Cops Show Up and Put a Bullet in His Chest
     In yet another alarming example of the perils associated with dialing 911 for help, an unarmed 11-year-old boy found himself in the midst of a tragically aggressive law enforcement response for doing what he was taught by the system to do. His cour…
    - 2 days ago 29 May 23, 10:30pm -
  • Ukraine Hit By Large Drone Attack
    The Ukrainian regime was hit by one of the "largest Russian drone attacks." The local authorities reported damage to infrastructure and military facilities in several regions.
    - 2 days ago 29 May 23, 5:30pm -
  • U.S. Government Says It Owns Everyone’s THOUGHTS, Calling It “Cognitive Infrastructure”
    The fight is on to hold the United States government responsible for colluding with social media companies to censor Americans’ free speech rights online.
    - 3 days ago 29 May 23, 12:30pm -
  • Taxation as a Weapon against Prosperity
    The Economist magazine in a recent editorial painted a rather positive image of the American economy. After encountering setbacks, the American economy often registers a buoyant recovery. Despite competition from rivals, America has retained her…
    - 3 days ago 28 May 23, 5:00pm -

More Than Just Surviving

  • Invasion of Ukraine – Please Grow a Pair
    Evening folks. Long time no chat as usual, but much like the pandemic, sometimes fuckery of untold proportion unfolds which forces me away from the repetitive rigours of normal life to hammer away at my keyboard. So here we are. Unless you have…
    - 24 Feb 22, 9:41pm -
  • COVID Lessons & Lockdown Life in a Vacuum
    As of last Friday, my little slice of the hemisphere ended the COVID lockdown. I am not sure what sort of reaction I expected. Perhaps a level of jubilance that we managed to get 85% of country vaccinated, or an economic sigh of relief, but fra…
    - 3 Oct 21, 2:15pm -
  • Are Dalstrong Knives Overhyped? Dalstrong Shogun Series X Knife Review
    For my first review of 2021, I figured it would be fun to court controversy by taking a look at Dalstrong knives, Specifically the Shogun Series X 10.25″. Now to some of you sitting at home who haven’t heard of Dalstrong knives and remain b…
    - 13 Jun 21, 11:03am -
  • Lockdown Lucidity: A Prepper Perspective
    As this pandemic stretches to an unforeseeable conclusion, this felt like a good time to drop back in and give you lot an update on my own perspective as a jaded prepper. The current situation here in Portugal is, to put it bluntly, dire. We ha…
    - 24 Jan 21, 4:01pm -
  • Emergency Experience: Forest Fire on My Doorstep
    The interesting thing about forest fires is the powerlessness one feels when placed kissing distance from an inferno. I never really understood the underlying threat of forest fires until 3 days ago, but folks, I learnt that lesson pronto. Firs…
    - 19 Jul 20, 2:29pm -
  • Coronavirus: A (Realist) Prepper’s Perspective on the World Opening Up
    As the world unwinds our collective enforced isolation protocols, it’s good to take stock of the situation at hand and see where this will lead us. The reality is that the economy shutting down until a vaccine is discovered & mass inoculation…
    - 25 May 20, 2:51pm -
  • The Coronavirus Crisis Is Going to Upend Our World in a Way We Can’t Really Fathom
    Figured I was long overdue for an update. With lockdown still in effect, I have no longer have much of an excuse. Isolation is an odd word in our new reality. As a society we have never been so connected. The world is just a click away and it s…
    - 15 Apr 20, 7:15pm -
  • Will the Coronavirus Make Regular People More Prepper Minded?
    If there’s one thing that’s bothering me the absolute most about this pandemic, it’s the uncertainty. The fact that we don’t and can’t know when this will all blow over leaves me a little on edge. And yes, I know that Thomas & I will…
    - 8 Apr 20, 9:29am -
  • Come on Governments, of Course FOMO = Panic Buying; Can’t Stop Human Nature
    As this crisis continues unabated throughout our little blue planet, I find myself growing more and more irritated with the powers that be. Since I have been on lock down for what feels forever (you will understand soon enough America!), I want…
    - 23 Mar 20, 11:43am -
  • Coronavirus Stockpile Tips for Beginners & Why It’s Sensible to Worry
    As this shit show shows no respite, I figured this was a good time to discuss what the girl and I are doing in terms of preparing and what my thoughts are on this developing situation. Stockpiling 101 for Beginners Seems to me that as of a few…
    - 13 Mar 20, 8:24pm -
  • Debunking Coronavirus Myths – Yes, Some Are Completely Idiotic
    On the heels of my no-bullshit Coronavirus explanation article which I recommend you take a quick look at, I feel the need to clarify and debunk some of the nonsense I have seen over the past few weeks. Drinking X Will Kill the Coronavirus Drin…
    - 8 Mar 20, 12:52pm -
  • Coronavirus: A No-Bullshit Explanation of Where We Are Now
    This could get dicey folks. As of 26 minutes ago, we hit over 80,000 confirmed cases of Coronavirus including a disturbing rise in a country adjacent to my own. The spread of this virus has shone a light on the darker impulses of our species fr…
    - 26 Feb 20, 11:19am -
  • Conversation time
    After so many years of blogging (admittedly, not so much recently), its interesting to sit back and muse about what MTJS represents and how the girl and I have evolved along the way, both as people and as content creators. MTJS was created as a…
    - 2 Feb 20, 1:22am -
  • Security Information Overload: From Panic to Apathy & the Remedy
    Security overload leads to apathy. How often do you hear a car alarm go off and roll your eyes hoping the owner would disable the blasted thing before the incoming headache comes a knocking? The primary objection I have to such systems is they…
    - 24 May 19, 12:30pm -
  • On Biased Blogger Reviews & Scribbling Opinions as If They’re Gospel
    Re-reading my past scribbles is always interesting to me, not because I am obsessed with my own written word, but rather because bloggers, by virtue of being given a platform to be highly opinionated, tend to ignore uncomfortable realities when…
    - 15 Apr 19, 5:35pm -
  • Real Talk, What Happened to MTJS
    Blogger burnout is a real thing. I have been scribbling reviews and sharing my thoughts with you all for quite a few years now. It seems it all started off as a way for me to talk about my love for Spydercos and evolved into a great community o…
    - 29 Dec 18, 2:58pm -
  • How Much Is Your Life Worth? SafeGuard Armor Ghost Bullet Proof Vest Review
    Before I get into the meat of this review, I want to structure this away from regurgitating specifications like every other review of this sort and instead spend it musing about what this product represents to so many people the world over. Bul…
    - 11 Oct 18, 11:08am -
  • It’s Strangely Satisfying That What I’ve Stockpiled Has Never Gone to Waste
    This is not exactly relevant to the epitome of prepping at all – I think it’s important to prep even if you end up with waste (though I think it’s good to minimize waste) because I think it’s important to be prepared in case worst-case…
    - 23 Sep 18, 2:34pm -
  • Hazard 4 Grayman Series Patrol Tactical Backpack Review
    Tactical backpacks are always a tricky proposition. Either they make you look like you just got off the set of Rambo or they are jam packed with performance compromises in an effort to pass as a normal pack. The Hazard 4 Grayman Patrol is one…
    - 19 Sep 18, 7:43pm -
  • Yes, We’ve Been AWOL; Here’s Why
    Long time no scribbles my friends. I have been AWOL as of late, but rest assured – we had a good reason! As some of you may have guessed, the girl and I have once again uprooted and made our home in a new country. Some of you may remember tha…
    - 17 Sep 18, 3:02pm -

Blue Collar Prepping

  • Data Recovery
    Not actually Erin.Picture by KJ Photography& is used with permission.Dear readers, if you can't recall the last time you backed up your computer, do it now. (Ask me how I know this.)If you've never backed up your computer before, or don't have the h…
    - 1 day ago 31 May 23, 3:12am -
  • Prepping the Grill
    Now that spring has fully sprung in most of the US,people are looking forward to more outdoor activities, one of which isgrilling. It's always a good idea to have an alternate method of cooking food, and a small grill is an excellent option. Whethe…
    - 5 days ago 26 May 23, 6:52pm -
  • Prepper's Pantry: Ginger
    Unlike many discovered plants, ginger seems tohave been intentionally cultivated around 5,000 years ago. In this case, it wasn't selectively bred to improve certain natural characteristics like garlic was; instead, the hybrid resulted in a serendipi…
    - 13 days ago 18 May 23, 6:50pm -
  • Trekking Poles
    Not actually Erin.Picture by KJ Photography& is used with permission.I recently bought a pair of trekking poles for my nightly mile walks around the neighborhood. The arthritis in my lower back has been a limiting factor when it comes to the amount o…
    - 20 days ago 12 May 23, 2:01am -
  • "May" Rhymes with "Buffet"
    Not actually Erin.Picture by KJ Photography& is used with permission.Cripes, it's been another month between blog posts. I'm really sorry about that; right now I'm in the unenviable position of "not a lot to talk about prepping-wise" and "my house is…
    - 26 days ago 5 May 23, 7:38pm -
  • Prepper's Armory: Reflector Sight
    The ancestor of the modern red dot sight family is thereflex sight, originally called a reflector sight. It's been around forconsiderably longer than most people realize: the reflector sight was originally patented in 1900 by Sir Howard Grubb, a no…
    - 29 days ago 3 May 23, 3:03am -
  • The Sewing Kit
    Sewing, specifically hand sewing, is an indispensable skill that everyone should have. Now, I'm not talking about makingclothes; that's an entirely different level of talent. However, the ability torepair a rip or tear in clothing and equipment (or…
    - 33 days ago 28 Apr 23, 5:58pm -
  • Prepper's Pantry: Potatoes
    Spud, tater, tatie, pirrie, earth apple, the gaffer'sdelight; whatever it's called, the common potato is an extremely versatile andtasty addition to any prepper's pantry.Potatoes are believed to have originated in the area of present-dayPeru and w…
    - 43 days ago 19 Apr 23, 12:52am -
  • Headlamp-to-Headlamp Comparison
    Not actually Erin.Picture by KJ Photography& is used with permission.It's been a hot minute since I've blogged here, hasn't it? I do apologize for that. March was incredibly cruel to me and I needed to practice self-care. You can read about my troubl…
    - 49 days ago 13 Apr 23, 1:21am -
  • Product Review: the $30 Gun Belt
    The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.Way back in January of 2021 I bought a replacement belt to go on my work pants at the recommendation of several good friends. At th…
    - 55 days ago 6 Apr 23, 8:59pm -
  • The S&W FPC Side Folding Carbine
    Earlier this year I heard rumblings that Smith & Wessonwas coming out with a new pistol caliber carbine. As a fan of both the companyand that platform, I was intrigued and eager to hear more. Finally, in late February, the Smith & Wesson M&PFPC (…
    - 57 days ago 5 Apr 23, 3:40am -
  • Misfires and Hangfires and Squibs, oh my!
    While working on a segment for Assorted Calibers Podcast, Irealized that it's likely not all of our listeners there, or our readers here, wouldbe familiar with the three main ammunition failures and how to safely resolvethem.There are overlapping…
    - 70 days ago 22 Mar 23, 5:39pm -
  • Seasonal Allergies
    While it's not yet officially spring where I live, the impending seasonis visible on the horizon. One of the more unfortunate aspects of this time ofyear is the blossoming of a particularly unpleasant, invasive plant species: the Bradford Pear tree…
    - 83 days ago 9 Mar 23, 5:41pm -
  • Gear Stowage
    Not actually Erin.Picture by KJ Photography& is used with permission.No, not storage; stowage, as in "stow your gear". The arrangement of containers, as it were. Cole-Tac Popcorn BagI've talked about my EDC hip pouch and shown all the things I can…
    - 85 days ago 7 Mar 23, 5:55pm -
  • Homemade Soap
    Keeping clean is an essential part of maintaining both physical and mental health. I've taken enough bloodborne pathogen and hazmatclasses that not being able to wash my handsregularly makes me actively uncomfortable. Any of our readers who have be…
    - 89 days ago 3 Mar 23, 7:03pm -
  • Minimal Motorcycle Medical Kit, pt. 2
    The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping. Even though it is "California cold", raining, and I'm not riding very often, now is a good time to go through my various first ai…
    - 98 days ago 22 Feb 23, 9:09pm -
  • Home Shooting Range
    For many years, one of my dreams was to have a shooting range on my property. When my wife and I moved to rural Tennessee in 2017, I was able to start working to realize that dream. The back third of our property slopes up from the basement door on t…
    - 16 Feb 23, 11:26pm -
  • Two Life Hacks
    Not actually Erin.Picture by KJ Photography& is used with permission.I'm going to flying to Utah on Wednesday, so that means posts by other authors may be late because I'm not around to edit them before publishing. It also means this article is going…
    - 14 Feb 23, 1:17am -
  • The RANGE-R Card
    The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping. I needed a way to easily teach an experienced shooter how to estimate how far away objects are, because going over the several dif…
    - 11 Feb 23, 3:15am -
  • Prepper's Toolbox: Adhesives
    Throughout history, humans have needed to attach things to other things, sometimes permanently and sometimes temporarily. While fasteners such as nails, screws, and rivets are all fine choices, there are times when some form of glue is better suited…
    - 8 Feb 23, 8:51pm -
  • Comparing Compasses
    Not actually Erin.Picture by KJ Photography& is used with permission.Over my years as a prepper (and before that, as a Scout) I've accumulated a number of compasses. Some have been good, while others were clearly cheap trash. However, many of them oc…
    - 7 Feb 23, 4:08am -
  • Look For The Helpers
    If any ofour readers have ever been witness to an emergency of some sort, they’veprobably noticed different behaviors from people immediately following theevent. I'm not talking about professionals, like EMS or fire fighters; I meanthe bystande…
    - 6 Feb 23, 3:58am -
  • Guest Post: MSR Dragonfly Review
    by StephenHello intrepid readers! My name is Stephen, and I am a recovering gearhead. My first camping trip was at age six when my family drove 12 hours to the Upper Peninsula and spent a week at various campgrounds there. Between family and Boy Scou…
    - 3 Feb 23, 3:42am -
  • How Many North Poles?
    Not actually Erin.Picture by KJ Photography& is used with permission.You may be surprised to learn that the planet Earth has more than one North Pole.There is the Geographic North Pole, also called the True North Pole, which is the point on the Earth…
    - 1 Feb 23, 2:45am -
  • Car Prepping
    The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.It seems that I occasionally make wise choices that pay off! I don't get to say this very often, but this was one of those times…
    - 27 Jan 23, 7:56pm -

Survival Medicine

  • Survival Medicine Podcast: Bleeding, Ticks and Lyme, Herbal Meds, Dental, More
    In this extended episode of the Survival Medicine Podcast, Joe Alton, MD, FACS, FACOG, and Amy Alton APRN, CNM go into various diverse topics! Dr. Joe Alton discusses bleeding issues in honor of National Stop The Bleed Day, then pivots, as school end…
    - 4 days ago 27 May 23, 9:35pm -
  • Bleeding Control: Pressure and Tourniquets
    In these troubled times, traumatic wounds may be commonplace is scenarios where there is civil unrest or failure to enforce the rule of law. In survival scenarios, daily activities may cause injuries that could be life-threatening. Therefore, the per…
    - 7 days ago 25 May 23, 3:34pm -
  • What You Should Know About Lyme Disease
    In our last article, we discussed general aspects of those tiny but problematic arachnids: ticks. Perhaps the most well-known disease transmitted by ticks is Lyme Disease. Spring and Fall are seasons that ticks are commonly known to bite humans. The…
    - 11 days ago 21 May 23, 2:30pm -
  • All About Ticks
    In situations where people find themselves spending a lot of time outdoors,  they’ll be exposed to all sorts of creatures that want to make a meal of them. I’m not talking about packs of wolves or grizzly bears: In this case, I’m talking about…
    - 12 days ago 19 May 23, 8:57pm -
  • Blood-Clotting Alternatives: Part 2
    For part 1 of this series, click here. One of the most important skills for the family medic to master is the ability to rapidly stop bleeding (also known as “achieving hemostasis”). In survival scenarios, bleeding can occur from various sources:…
    - 16 days ago 16 May 23, 3:08pm -
  • Blood-Clotting Alternatives, Part 1
    One of the most important skills for the family medic to master is the ability to rapidly stop bleeding (also known as “achieving hemostasis”). In survival scenarios, bleeding can occur from various sources; anything from a fall on uneven terrain…
    - 17 days ago 14 May 23, 9:38pm -
  • Survival Medicine Podcast: Osteoarthritis, Tooth Extraction, Medicinal Gardens
      In a survival scenario, the family medic will be called on to care not only for medical issues, but dental as well. Military medics during the Vietnam War reported that they dealt with dental problems almost as often as medical. Therefore, the sur…
    - 28 days ago 3 May 23, 11:36pm -
  • Medical Preparedness For Nuclear War
    (This article was originally published in Backwoods Home Magazine) Given the actions of certain authoritarian regimes in recent times, it stands to reason that the risk of an attack by a nuclear-capable nation may include the detonation of a thermonu…
    - 31 days ago 1 May 23, 2:28pm -
  • Tranq: The Latest Drug Threat
    (This article was originally published in American Thinker) As if we needed more bad news on the drug front: A common livestock sedative, street name “Tranq,” has made its way into other dangerous drugs like fentanyl.  Also called xylazine, Tran…
    - 46 days ago 15 Apr 23, 6:27pm -
  • Video: Chemical Emergencies
      The news has been full of events related to chemical emergencies, including derailment, factory explosions, and even junkyard fires. In this companion video to a previous article, Dr. Joe Alton discusses what you should know about chemical spills,…
    - 48 days ago 14 Apr 23, 3:35pm -