Preparedness Notes — Wednesday, May 27, 2026

On May 27, 1930 Richard G. Drew (pictured) invented cellophane tape. Five years earlier, he had also invented painter’s masking tape.

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On May 27, 1941, the British Navy sank the German battleship Bismarck.

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Also on this date, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney of Maryland issued Ex parte Merryman, challenging the authority of President Abraham Lincoln and the U.S. military to suspend the writ of habeas corpus in Maryland.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 124 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. This is the final round of the contest. There will not be a “Round 125”! 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. 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.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Heaven’s Harvest is providing one of their Original Heirloom Seed Kits (a $139 value.)
  5. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

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. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  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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Take Note: Our editorial calendar is now filled for May. Any articles received will be considered guest articles and not eligible as contest entries.

A Letter To My Younger Self – Part 1, by N.C.

This is an article hypothetically written to my younger self, as if I were just going to start on my path of preparation. These are lessons I spent a couple decades learning. So, this is for you, young man. Things I’ve learned, what I’d do if I were in your shoes:

Social Skills Are the Primary Prepping Skills

Not guns. Not gardening. Not bushcraft. Social skills. Social Skills are the single most important skill you need. It will affect your career and therefore your resources and your preps. It will affect your mate options. It will affect your children. It will affect your sanity itself. You need to be able to get along with other human beings and join a healthy community. And odds are if you’re on this site you struggle a bit with that. At least I know I did as a young man here.Continue reading“A Letter To My Younger Self – Part 1, by N.C.”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

The 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 that Karl Bushby (pictured) was last reported in Nuremberg, 500 miles from Calais, on his way back to Hull, England. He has now walked or swam nearly all the way around the world. He might be done by July 1st, 2026. JWR Asks: Will the French and British authorities let him walk through The Chunnel?

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At Breitbart: Freedom Caucus Cheers House Advancing Privacy Protections Against Data Brokers in Appropriations Bill.

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Reader T.E. sent this, from John Andrew Hildreth: What if we had the representation the Framers of the Constitution designed and intended with 1 representative for every 30,000 Americans? JWR’s Comment: In Hildreth’s map, notice the uniform shading of the American Redoubt region, except for Boise.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote

“Pace yourself in your reading. A little bit every day really adds up. If you read during sporadic reading jags, the fits and starts will not get you anywhere close to the amount of reading you will need to do. It is far better to walk a mile a day than to run five miles every other month. Make time for reading, and make a daily habit of it, even if it is a relatively small daily habit.” – Douglas Wilson

Preparedness Notes — Tuesday, May 26, 2026

On May 26, 1908, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Murdock and their children became the first family to travel across the United States by car, driving from Los Angeles to New York City in a Packard Thirty in 32 days, 5 hours, and 25 minutes.

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Randall Hank Williams (Hank Williams, Jr.) was born May 26, 1949. When not touring, he lives Somewhere in Montana, so he qualifies as a Redoubter. He has a large gun collection that is heavy on Sharps rifles and rifles that have factory letters showing that they were originally shipped to Montana. He also has many very collectible revolvers, just a few of which have been sold at auction. His song A Country Boy Can Survive is practically a survivalist anthem. His father was just 29 when he died. Despite a couple of close calls, Hank Jr. is now well into his golden years, so he may yet live to a ripe old age.

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We are continuing a big sale on all of our blackpowder rifles, all of our pre-1899 cartridge sporter rifles, and selected Mauser rifles at Elk Creek Company. Most of the blackpowder rifles are .50 caliber. There are some very deep discounts, so take a look! This sale will end on Tuesday, June 2nd. Also note that we are now accepting pre-1965 circulated silver coins at a very generous 55 times face value!  That means that a $400 rifle order would be just $7.25 in U.S. silver coins.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 124 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. This is the final round of the contest. There will not be a “Round 125”! 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. 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.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Heaven’s Harvest is providing one of their Original Heirloom Seed Kits (a $139 value.)
  5. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

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. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  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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Take Note: Our editorial calendar is now filled for May. Any articles received will be considered guest articles and not eligible as contest entries.

Prepping on a Dime, by Michael X.

When we started prepping, we did not have the money to buy an old missile silo…or an old mine…or a ready-to-use retreat. We were “stuck” in the city where our jobs were.

Then we retired. We could sell our house and move to the middle of nowhere… From a city near the Twin Cities in Minnesota of over 100,000, my loving wife and I have relocated to a lakeside cottage in northern Wisconsin, a few miles outside a village of about 400 people.

Wisconsin has its own problems. Mostly Madison and Milwaukee. And to a lesser extent, Eau Claire. Those are gun-grabbing, liberal enclaves. But I really don’t care what they are doing. Other than Costco and Sam’s Club, they offer minimal value to my family.

Living in northern Wisconsin has many positives for a couple who wants to be prepared. It also has a few drawbacks. But we have learned to live with them. One of my primary problems is a lack of sources for inexpensive items to be ready for tougher times in my local environment. Our major concern is that our local environment requires addressing the cold climate, a means of heating, of finding water and food. But, isn’t that the problem that we all have?Continue reading“Prepping on a Dime, by Michael X.”

SurvivalBlog’s American Redoubt Media of the Week

This weekly column features media 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. Pictured above is Idaho’s Bogus Basin.  (Photo courtesy of the talented photographer Charles Knowles.)

Redoubt News Links

Send Your Media Links

Please send your links to media from the American Redoubt region to JWR. Any photos that are posted or re-posted must be uncopyrighted. You can do so either via e-mail or via our Contact form.

The Editors’ Quote

“Perfect freedom is reserved for the man who lives by his own work and in that work does what
he wants to do.” – R. G. Collingwood (1889-1943), from ‘Speculum Mentis’ (1924)

Preparedness Notes — Monday, May 25, 2026

On May 25, 1842, Christian Doppler presented his concept, now known as the Doppler Effect (through the changing colors of binary stars), to the Royal Bohemian Society, in Prague.

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And on May 25, 1878: W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan‘s comic opera “H.M.S. Pinafore” premiered in London. It was their first international success.

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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 want to honor those who gave their lives.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 124 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. This is the final round of the contest. There will not be a “Round 125”! 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. 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.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Heaven’s Harvest is providing one of their Original Heirloom Seed Kits (a $139 value.)
  5. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

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. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  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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Take Note: Our editorial calendar is now filled for May. Any articles received will be considered guest articles and not eligible as writing contest entries.

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Also note that we will be switching SuvivalBlog to weekly postings, on June 2nd. Thenceforth, you can look for SurvivalBlog “Fresh Every Tuesday.”

Litt Industries LED Upgrade for Mini Maglite, by Thomas Christianson

The Litt Industries LED Upgrade significantly increases the battery life and brightness of an incandescent Mini Maglite 2 AAA flashlight. With the original xenon bulb, battery life for the flashlight was about 6 hours in my testing. With the LED upgrade, battery life was extended to more than 19 hours. The brightness was also increased from 12 lumens to 61 lumens.

The upgrade is designed, developed, and manufactured in-house in Mesa, Arizona.

At the time of this writing, the upgrade cost $13.99 at littindustries.com. By way of comparison, a brand new Mini Maglite LED 2 AAA flashlight cost $14.99 at maglite.com. This would suggest that the upgrade is not highly cost-effective. Unless the Mini Maglite being upgraded has a great deal of sentimental value, it would probably be a better investment to just replace it with a new LED flashlight. The new flashlight will also produce 100 lumens, in contrast to the 61 lumens of the upgrade.Continue reading“Litt Industries LED Upgrade for Mini Maglite, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week:

The following recipe for Barbecued Hashbrown Scramble is from long-time SurvivalBlog reader and frequent recipe contributor Ellen H.  She says: “The exact proportions of the listed ingredients are not exact. Pick amounts to suit your taste.  This can be cooked at home on a barbecue or over a campfire in a dutch oven or even just in a heavy foil cooking tray.”

Ingredients
  • Ham, diced. (Cooked ham or substitute cooked bacon)
  • Hashbrown potatoes, cubed (fresh or frozen, but thaw them first.
  • 2 or more Eggs
  • Milk –  of any kind.
  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese (or substitute another cheese, to suit your taste.)
  • Tomato, diced.
  • Green Onion, chopped
  • Salt and black pepper, to suit your taste
Directions
  1. Coat a barbecue-safe pan with oil or cooking spray
  2. Pour in the thawed hashbrowns and ham.
  3. In a large bowl, combine eggs with milk (in scrambled-egg proportions) and whisk them well.
  4. Stir in the cheese, green onions, and tomatoes.
  5. Pour that mixture over the hashbrowns and ham.
  6. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
  7. Cover with your dutch oven lid (or foil) and cook on the barbecue (indirect heat) at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
  8. Uncover the pan and cook for an additional 15-35 minutes, until edges look crispy.

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Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this 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 shows that South America larger that many people think. (Graphic courtesy of “vladgrinch” at Reddit.)

The thumbnail image below is click-expandable.

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Please send your graphic ideas 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

“No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned…A man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company.” –  Samuel Johnson, as quoted In James Boswell’s ‘The Life of Samuel Johnson’ (1791) Vol. 1, p. 348.

Preparedness Notes — Sunday, May 24, 2026

On May 24, 1764, Samuel Adams wrote instructions for the Boston Town Meeting opposing the Sugar Act. This laid the groundwork for colonial resistance to taxation without representation.

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May 24, 1962: US astronaut Scott Carpenter aboard Aurora 7 (Mercury-Atlas 7) orbits the Earth three times in a flight just under five hours.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 124 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. This is the final round of the contest. There will not be a “Round 125”! 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. 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.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Heaven’s Harvest is providing one of their Original Heirloom Seed Kits (a $139 value.)
  5. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

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. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  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.

—

Take Note: Our editorial calendar is now filled for May. Any articles received will be considered guest articles and not eligible as writing contest entries.

30 Year Review of My Automotive EDC, by A.J.

This review started because I needed a band aid the other day and rather than dribble through the house, I went to the first aid kit in the minivan.  I was surprised at the amount of empty space in the plastic case, but there were the necessary items to handle the cut. I used a benzo conium wipe (still wet) and a Band-Aid (still sticky) and then started quality checking the kit.

I looked at the contents label and it was printed in 1996 and looking further, the remaining dose of Imodium in the kit had a use by date of 1999 .

The kit is a Johnson & Johnson Camping First Aid Kit and for the products to still be viable after all that time, it was obviously a quality kit.  It appears this particular kit is no longer available under the same name.  Considering its age, I decided to look at the remaining contents and how serviceable they were.Continue reading“30 Year Review of My Automotive EDC, by A.J.”