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SurvivalBlog is dedicated to family preparedness, survival, self-reliance, and self-sufficiency. Are you new to this blog? Be advised that you are jumping in to extant threads. Read "About" first. Then read my "Precepts page." For in-depth study, see the archives. Thanks! - JWRFriday July 25 2008Note from JWR:I heard from a dozen readers that I was recently quoted by WorldNetDaily, in an article about food shortages. (The article misidentifies the location of the Rawles Ranch, but I don't mind keeping people guessing.) Food price jumps and food shortages have a tendency to get into a self-amplifying cycle, during times of crisis. Floods, droughts, and crop failures started the most recent cycle. But in my estimation it will be sharply higher prices for fertilizer and fuel that will exacerbate the problem. The bottom line: Be prepared for considerably higher prices and continued shortages in the next few years. And, as I've previously noted, we can also expect many more civil wars and regional wars in the Third World, where higher food prices have a tremendous impact on the poor. (Since food costs account for the majority of the average annual income there.) Here is request that I got from a journalist: Details magazine (men.style.com) is looking to interview "men under 45 who live in urban or suburban areas who consider themselves survivalists and have begun stockpiling goods and preparing escape plans." Please contact the writer Kayleen Schaefer via e-mail or phone: (212) 630-3869. The deadline is Friday, August 1. All of the usual OPSEC considerations apply. Letter Re: What Preparations Should I Undertake Next?Jim, Thanks so much for your book and all that
you are doing with SurvivalBlog.com.
You truly are a Patriot. JWR Replies: Thanks for your e-mail. I don't have a crystal ball, but things seem to be coming to a head, economically. Some of he most recent evidence of this: Cryptogon reports 8,500 U.S. Banks; Many Will Die Soon. And meanwhile, we read: Wachovia loses $8.9B, cuts 6,350 workers, dividend, and that WaMu isn't trusting cashier's checks from IndyMac Bank. The credit collapse is only going to get worse, and l believe that here in the US it will eventually destroy the residential and commercial real estate markets, the stock market, the "Big Three" automobile manufacturers, the municipal bond market, and many banks. I just can't with certainty say when. As for "final hour" priority purchases, see my background article: The
Desperation Shopping List:
The Seven Critical Items that are Guaranteed to be Stripped From Store Shelves
When You Need Them Most in a Crisis. This article is available
free of charge from Arbogast Publishing, the folks that publish my "Rawles
Gets You Ready" preparedness course. Odds are there won't be a full-scale collapse. More likely, we will probably witness a deep, long depression. Think through the implications of being unemployed or under-employed for a full decade. Consider starting a home-based business with a "depression proof" product or service. As I've stated in the blog before, even in times of double digit inflation, you will still need some cash income to pay your bills. Letter Re: The Importance of Pistol Holster SelectionJames: I always carried
a Surefire [flashlight]-
I've still got my original [Surefire Model] 6P from when they first came
out.
I'm [working] in an office (where guns are banned) now but always have
the 6P on my belt
next
to my cell phone. In
a pinch it can work as an improvised impact tool [employed much like a
Kubotan,] too. (Been there, done that.) I'm lucky in that I'm friends with the local range owner so on a slow day he will shut the lights off on one side of the double range and let some of us do low light (flashlight) shooting. That's something that also is never emphasized enough - most shooting incidents are at night in lousy lighting. If you are planning and thinking ahead you've turned out all the lights in your home/business and (without a gun) done search drills - use the flashlight, learn the 'dark' spots around your place and where you know ahead you will need extra light. More than once in the middle of the day, someplace inside is still dark
and a flashlight can be a life saver. Enough for now, thanks again
and keep up
the excellent work. JWR Replies: It is notable that in many localities and situations where it is illegal to carry a firearm, a knife, or an impact weapon, it is perfectly legal to carry a walking stick, an umbrella, a flashlight, a stiff pocket comb, or a roll of coins. (Some of these can even be carried in the most restrictive environments, like commercial air travel.) All of these mundane objects can be easily explained to authorities. (OBTW, for some details on using an innocuous-looking pocket comb for self defense, see the Split Second Survival DVD, produced by Larry Wick.) In essence, unarmed individuals are at the mercy or their environments, whereas armed individuals at least have the option of defending themselves. I hereby challenge all SurvivalBlog readers to make a solemn commitment to themselves: Never travel anywhere unarmed. Empty-hand martial arts are fine for someone that has years of training. But for the rest of us, the quickest and surest way to stop an assailant is with an effective weapon kept close at hand, following the requisite training. But even just taking rudimentary training and getting into the habit of constantly being armed will put you miles ahead of 90% of the sheeple. To be fully and properly prepared, I strongly recommend that you get the very best firearms and street survival training available, from one of the major training organizations like Front Sight, Gunsite, or Thunder Ranch. Another key factor is situational awareness. Learn the Color Codes of Mental Awareness and consistently apply them to your everyday life. Four Letters Re: Advice on Motorcycles
Jim: If you don't want to mess with mixing gas and oil in a 2-stroke bike engine, try the 4-stroke engine at BikeEngines.com. I've got one and it runs like a champ, at a couple of hundred miles per gallon! Regards, - Hawaiian K.
Dear Jim and Family, Hey Jim: Odds 'n Sods:Frequent content contributor Cheryl N. flagged an article at WorldNetDaily: 1930s Bank Runs Are Back. Speaking of banks, a recent Market Oracle article notes that Wachovia will soon close its wholesale lending unit and henceforth will lend only to bank customers, not brokers. Meanwhile, Bank of America's purchase of Countrywide that supposed to close this quarter may not happen after all. B of A says it will not guarantee the Countrywide debt. o o o The latest from Ultra Nanny State Britannia: Now there are 1,000 laws that will let the state into your home o o o o o o In his most recent e-letter, veteran economist Howard J. Ruff recommends divesting from precious metals exchange traded fund (ETF) investments and substituting physical metals that are held in your personal possession. He cites some shady business practices by Barclays, the owners of the Silver ETF (SLV), in particular, as cause for concern. It seems that there is not nearly 1-for-1 equivalent storage of physical ounces of silver versus electronic shares. I strongly concur that there is no substitute for having tangible precious metals stored securely at home, preferably in a hidden wall or door cache. (Such as a Rawles "Through the Looking Glass" cache.) OBTW, in anticipation of the unlikely event of a home invasion burglary, you should store a smaller quantity of silver coins in a separate cache, so that you can "toss a bone" if the bad guys hold a gun to your head. Thursday July 24 2008Note from JWR:Many thanks for your continuing prayers for The Memsahib. We are praying for a quick and full recovery. The bills for her hospitalization are piling up rapidly, so we'd appreciate your prayers that those needs will be met, as well. Letter Re: UV Light for Sterilizing WaterIn my reading about water purification one of the things that I read about
was ultraviolet (UV)
light purification. I discarded it because I live at a fairly high northern
latitude (lower intensity light) and it is fairly cold here most of the year.
I just noticed something though. Sitting next to me
I have a "halogen gooseneck desk lamp" with a 20 Watt halogen JCD
bulb in it. While looking at the glass piece that sits between the light and
outside world I noticed that it says "UV Filter 001". This
got me to wondering how much UV light this bulb is throwing off, and if it
could be used for water purification (assuming power is present and water is down or contaminated). I wasn't able to find much info
on UV output of halogen bulbs, other then G.E. claims that their bulbs put
out very low amounts of UV. JWR Replies: To sterilize water, it is best to use a light bulb that is optimized for transmitting the UV portion of the light spectrum. As koi fish fanciers discovered a decade ago, UV light does a great job of sterilizing water.It actually does not kill all the bacteria, but it renders them harmless by making them incapable of reproduction. (Typically, folks with koi ponds use a water pump to circulate water in conjunction with a UV light that shines on a clear plexiglas section of water pipe, gradually treating all of the water in the pond. On a smaller scale, the same technology is used with the SteriPen device made for backpackers. (SteriPens are available from SafeCastle, Ready Made Resources, and many other Internet vendors.) Letter Re: Pre-Assembling Charity Food Packets for StorageJim- A Reader's Observations on Preparedness for Hurricane Dolly
Mr. Rawles, Afterwards they were basically notifying the public that the storm had developed
too quickly for a mandatory evacuation of the scope required and you're on
your own (YOYO--something
I’m sure all your readers already know). In
their defense it looks like at the time of this writing that the storm will
hit much
lower than this area maybe even Mexico. That said, I had a flashback to video
from Hurricane Katrina and those school busses sitting there empty. We also
watched the evening newscast at 10 PM Monday night that was live at
the big grocery chain and there were people interviewed that 'thought it was
a good idea to stop and get some extra food and batteries'. On another newscast
one vacationer to the coastal area of South Texas from San Antonio (also considered
South Texas) exclaimed 'this is exciting”. Odds 'n Sods:Courtesy of Eric B.: World warned over killer flu pandemic o o o Reader Bill N. suggests checking out what Schmidt & Bender (a European rifle scope maker) has to say about their pricing and the declining value of the Once-Almighty US Dollar o o o o o o Regional
Banks in Fear of Cash Calls. (A tip of the hat to Cheryl N. for sending
that link.) JWR's comment: The credit crisis is far from over,
and we are just starting to see the effects at consumer banks. It is noteworthy
that the
failure of
IndyMac
will deplete a one-tenth of the $53 billion reserve of the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation.
The FDIC has
a list of some 90 "troubled" lenders, and IndyMac wasn't
even on the list at the time that it failed. Buckle up for an
bumpy ride in the very near future, folks! Hawaiian K. sent us this one: Gold to $1,200? Jim's Quote of the Day:"We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it." - William Faulkner Wednesday July 23 2008Letter Re: Disseminating Local News and Information in a Grid-Down Societal CollapseJames: And we can't rely on the Internet running after a crash, right? So I pose the question to you, Sir. Have you considered this aspect of post-crash survivalism? The printing press, and the ability to print, is a key technology that I don't think we can afford to lose. - Brian in Austin, Texas JWR Replies: As I described in my novel "Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse", I advocate acquiring a couple of used manual typewriters and a used hand-crank mimeograph (stencil duplicator) machine. This is tried-and-true 1880s technology. Because they are considered largely obsolete, mimeographs are incredibly cheap (in fact usually free, if you place a "wanted" ad at Craig's List). Surprisingly, the supplies to operate them are still available. Three Letters Re: Advice on MotorcyclesJames: I just wanted to forward some info re: motorcycle purchase and operation.
I’ve
been riding since ’85, have owned four motorcycles (two Suzuki and
two Harley Davidson), and keep up with current trends/technology of motorcycles.
Here
are some fast facts to consider prior to buying:
Sir, The bike is electric start but still has a kick starter. It is not a speed
demon, probably wouldn't survive too many back flips but all-in-all it is
of good quality. I don't ride it too fast, hardly ever over 55 MPH but
I do ride trails in the hills and it is light and stable with good low RPM torque.
My worst complaint is that there is a lot of vibration (buzz) at speeds of
60
and over. So far the economy has out paced my expectations averaging between
73 and 81 MPG depending on speed and usage. You know I thought long and hard
before buying a bike made in China, but how many of us absolutely hated SKS rifles
before we tried one for fun? If you should choose to share this with your
readers they can get more info at chinariders.net.
Thank
you for your time and best wishes to you and yours. - Walt in Idaho Hi Jim,
On a related note, SF in Hawaii, mentioned two-cycle motorizing kits for bicycles. They get phenomenal mileage, but you will need to carry mixed gasoline. (Just like with a typical chainsaw engine.) And for nearly silent operation, reader Paul D. mentioned a maker of electric motorcycles. These use the new lithium ion battery technology. They have a range of 40 miles with a 2 KWH battery pack. Letter Re: The SurvivalBlog Ten Cent Challenge
Sir, This is a note to follow up on the envelope that I mailed you last week, for my first year of 10 Cent Challenge subscription. (I'm the guy that sent you a stack of 'bout $70 worth of Liberty [Bell "Forever" US] postage stamps and the newspaper clipping on the IndyMac bank run. You were right in your prediction about bank runs!) I just want to let you know how much your blog means to me. I read it almost every day. It is amazing how much practical knowledge you have passed on to us readers. I am very grateful! You've raised my awareness by a mile, and what I've read [in SurvivalBlog] has saved me from making some mega-costly mistakes in my preparedness. Those two things by themselves are more than enough justification for pitching in my ten cents a day. Your economic predictions have been spot on--almost eerie! I like your blog so much that I put a graphical link to SurvivalBlog down at the bottom of my e-mail template, so I can be an Ambassador for SurvivalBlog. I think that your blog is "just right"as a mix of education, motivation, practical and old-time skills, tactical goodies, news summaries, and inspiration. Don't change a thing sir, just keep it coming! Please let the Memsahib know--she is in our prayers for a quick and complete recovery. I know that hospital bills can be insane these days. I hope my subscription helps a bit.- T.G., in northwestern Nevada Odds 'n Sods:Cheryl N. sent us a link to an article over at Stan Deyo's web site that indicates that the freeze-dried storage food shortage is now even more severe than was previously reported: Mountain House Out of #10 Cans Through 2009. Most Mountain House dealers have sold completely out, and a are refusing to take back orders for # 10 cans. Meanwhile, Walton Feed has temporarily suspended taking new Internet orders, presumably so they can catch up on their order backlog. OBTW, the folks at Ready Made Resources tell me that they still have a few #10 cans of Mountain House freeze dried foods "in captivity." Call them immediately, if you want any of the following: Instant White Rice, Beef Teriyaki with Rice, Lasagna with Meat Sauce, Sweet and Sour Pork with Rice, Oriental Style Chicken, Mac and Cheese, Sliced Strawberries, Eggs with Real Bacon, Sweet Peas, Green Beans, or Super Sweet Corn. Their quantities still on hand are extremely limited, so don't hesitate! o o o SF in Hawaii forwarded a good background piece on adenovirus: Emerging Killer Virus Starts Like a Cold, But Kills Many o o o The every cheery Ambrose Evans-Pritchard offers this economic analysis: The global economy is at the point of maximum danger. (Thanks to Trent C. and "Wolf" for the link.) And speaking of bad news, don't miss this commentary by Jim Jubak: The huge threat to the US economy. (Thanks to Micah for finding the latter.) o o o For the next couple of weeks, the folks at SurvivalRing are offering an expanded set of their reference CDs, which includes two extra CDs, and a DVD data disk of their entire file sets. Enter the password "patriot" to get the special discount price. The regular price for their two CD set was $40. For this special, they've knocked off $5 off the price, and they have almost quadrupled the data of PDF and HTML documents. I highly recommend getting a set for your reference library. And even if you decide not to get a set of their CDs, you should still check out their large library of free manuals and other resources. Jim's Quote of the Day:"People kill people for Air Jordan tennis shoes. What do you think they will do for food if they are starving?" - SurvivalBlog Reader DK in Texas Tuesday July 22 2008Letter Re: Advice on Motorcycles
Good Morning: JWR Replies: In a "slow slide" situation where the power grid stays up ("Grid Up") and law and order are maintained, a motorcycle could have great utility. The current high gasoline prices are likely to continue for the foreseeable future, so owning a fuel-efficient motorcycle makes sense for day-to-day commuting and for other purposes. My general preference is for air-cooled medium-displacement engine motorcycles with off road suspensions (a.k.a. "dirt bikes") that have the features to qualify them as "street legal." About 350CC is ideal, but sadly that engine class is no longer available in the US market. (There are, however, lots of used 350 dirt bikes on the market.) Heavier bikes with large displacement engines (500CC, or larger) have inferior fue economy and more importantly are very difficult to get back to an upright position following a mishap in which you "dump" your bike. (The weight limit might be as little as 300CC for someone of small stature with limited upper body strength.) Perhaps the ultimate for preppers would be a Kawasaki KLR 650 diesel/JP8 bike, which is the 611CC civilian equivalent of the M1030 tactical motorcycle.now fielded by the US Army, USMC, and US Air Force, in small numbers. They are a bit heavy (see my preceding proviso), but they are quite sturdy. If you plan to use a motorcycle as a last-ditch "Get Out of Dodge" (G.O.O.D.) vehicle, then I recommend that you conceal any spare fuel cans inside panniers, to reduce the likelihood of being targeted by looters. (Auxiliary cargo racks for dirt bikes are made by ProMoto and are available from CycleBuy.com. Both hard and soft dirt bike cargo panniers are available from Moto-Sport Panniers.) A motorcycle has great mobility advantages to most other vehicles--especially in stalled traffic situations, or for off-road trail riding--but keep in mind that you will also be far more vulnerable to attack than when riding in an enclosed vehicle. (So they'd be a poor choice for a "Grid Down" situation when things get Schumeresque.) As with any other preparedness measure, there are trade-offs. I don't recommend going into debt to buy a motorcycle unless you live in a dry climate and are certain that you will ride it almost daily, commuting. (In that case, the motorcycle will pay for itself in a few years, through gas cost savings.) If you aren't sure that you will end up riding regularly, it is best to borrow of lease a motorcycle for a few months, just to see if you will stick with it. Rather than taking on any new installment debt, I believe that is far better to sell off some non-essentials to finance a dirt/street bike purchase. Do you really need a big screen plasma high definition television, or a Hummel collection, or a Jet-Ski? Re-think your priorities and get practical. Just as with buying a car, it best buy a used motorcycle, to get the most for your money. Just be sure to have it inspected by a qualified motorcycle mechanic before you make a purchase. Letter Re: Advice on Photovoltaic Power Systems
Greetings! I'm a long time reader, first time writer. I have been interested in "off-grid" photovoltaic power systems as a way to generate power should the grid go down. I'm pretty well versed on electricity and concepts, but what name brands would you recommend for the main components (panels, charge controller, batteries and inverter)? Though I have heard of things like Trace, Xantrex, gel battery and pure sine wave, my practical knowledge is limited. I apologize if this has been covered before - point me in the right direction and I'll check the archives. Also, have you ever heard of a dual setup where one could run their house the standard, "on-grid" way and then flip a switch near the breaker box to have all the outlets in the home powered by solar? Keep up the good work! - Josh in Illinois JWR Replies: All of the major brands of monocrystaline weatherproof photovoltaic (PV) panels are essentially comparable in terms of their rated output, service life, glazing strength (impact resistance), and ability to withstand the weather. Most have similar warranties (although some are slightly better). For these reasons, PV panels should be considered a commodity, and as such, the price per watt should be the main determining factor in picking a brand. (Although if you are like me, you might prefer to buy an American-made product.) Batteries are another commodity, at least if buy traditional lead-acid deep cycle ("golf cart" type) batteries. Because of their high shipping weight, I strongly recommend that you buy the batteries for your system from a local dealer, such as your local Interstate Batteries dealer. Be sure to do some comparison pricing before you buy. If the dealer offers a "core" credit and you are buying an entirely new system, be advised that dealers are often not particular about what you provide them for your trade in. (They are essentially just looking for a source of lead plates for recycling.) If their core refund terms are based strictly on battery weight or the combined number of Amp hours capacity, one trick is to ask around locally at venues such as Craig's List, for free used car, truck, and tractor batteries. (Batteries that are so old and sulfated that they will no longer hold a charge.) Part-time mechanics often have a dozen or more such batteries available, free for the taking. Depending on the size of your system, if you have a strong back and aren't afraid to get your hands dirty, this can save you several hundred dollars. As for inverters: Inverter technology varies considerably, depending on maker. The Trace brand inverters are now sold under the Xantrex Technology name, and they still control a large portion of the market. Their major competitor in the US is Outback Power Systems, an up-and-coming company that was started by a group of former Xantrex engineers, following some serious disagreements with the Xantrex corporate management. The Outback brand holds a slight margin in inverter technology. Charge controller technology is still advancing, but all of the major brands are roughly comparable. Just be sure to get a controller that can handle your anticipated needs, even if you eventually add a few panels. Also keep in mind that the more "bells and whistles" on a charge controller equals greater vulnerability to EMP. (They are fairly inexpensive, so it is wise to keep a spare, stored in a Faraday cage enclosure, such as a a steel ammo can.) Ready Made Resources (one of our most loyal advertisers) offers free consulting on alternate power system system siting, load requirements/system sizing, and so forth. Be sure to take advantage of this very generous free service. They can design true "turn key" system for you that will require no upkeep other than periodic battery maintenance. A grid-tied system can be set up to provide "automatic failover""--meaning that there will be no interruption of power to your home or retreat more than at most a few moments, in the event of a power failure.You can also design a system that will allow you to sell power back to your power utility--the much-touted "meter running backwards"--depending on your local laws and power company policies. Letter Re: The Importance of Pistol Holster Selection
I 'lurk' a lot and by doing so, learn a bunch but a discussion came up in
another environment and made me think and I wanted some feedback so here goes... Odds 'n Sods:SF in Hawaii sent this: Top 25 things vanishing from America: #1 -- The family farm o o o SF in Hawaii also found this interesting product with a novel design: The WASP Knife. I haven't had the chance to try one of these, so I'll reserve judgment. The concept certainly seems novel. Note that if you use a compressed air knife in a self-defense situation in which your opponent meets his maker, and if you subsequently meet his heirs in court, then you can expect to have your motives questioned. o o o o o o KT recommended Mayberry's Keep It Simple Survival! blog. Jim's Quote of the Day:“The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.” - Benjamin Franklin Monday July 21 2008Letter Re: Pre-Assembling Charity Food Packets for StorageJWR – JWR Replies: Using separate clear plastic baggies--or better yet mylar bags--within a sealed container is a practicable solution. Distributing whole wheat is only marginally workable, since most folks are used to baking with wheat flour. But this raises two issues: If distributing flour, does the recipient have access to a working baking oven or Dutch Oven? In most disaster situations, that would be a rarity. And, if distributing while wheat, does the recipient have a access to a wheat grinder. Of course you could instruct them to make wheat berries (soaked wheat to eat as hot or cold cereal). But then they must have water available and at least 10 hours to soak the wheat. Because of the much shorter shelf life of flour (versus whole wheat), you might consider packaging the wheat in the form of freshly-ground flour, only on an "as-needed" basis, after the onset of an emergency. Letter Re: Satellite Images and Your G.O.O.D. Route
Hi James, Letter Re: Springfield Armory XD Pistol Accessories
James- JWR Replies: Thanks for your prayers for The Memsahib. We are now hopeful that she will make a complete recovery. I am enthusiastic about the XD pistols. Now that spare parts for the XD pistols are available, they are my top pick for self defense pistols. An important reminder to all SurvivalBlog readers in North America: Front Sight's Gun + Gear + Training special offer (that includes a free XD pistol in your choice of calibers) will be ending soon, so don't hesitate! Odds 'n Sods:I was recently doing a web search on "Asymmetric Warfare" and I came across this interesting article (in PDF) from Military Review magazine in 2001: America's Frontier wars: Lessons for Asymmetric Conflicts. o o o Reader Michael H. suggested this article from Bob Chapman's The International Forecaster: The Formula For Hyperstagflation o o o o o o Pyotr in the Czech Republic wrote me to mention that he was researching custom-built intrusion detection systems for rural retreats, and he found this interesting reference: Perimeter Security Sensor Technologies Handbook. Jim's Quote of the Day:"If ... ...Fannie and Freddie are flat-out taken over entirely by the US government (and remember the Federal Reserve is not the government), then the national debt will roughly double overnight -- which will pound the US dollar down a rat-hole." - James Howard Kunstler Sunday July 20 2008Letter Re: Rampant Inflation in Steel Products
Hey Jim, JWR Replies: Thanks for that cost-saving suggestion. Just keep in mind that "portability" works both ways. It is essential that you secure your vault, box, or chest to a floor or a very sturdy wall, to prevent burglars from hauling off "The Whole Shebang." Be sure to use heavy duty lag bolts! Letter Re: A Reminder to Readers About BotulismI think that the author of "Letter Re: A Reminder to Readers About Botulism" [posted
on July 18th] is a little mistaken about the deadliness of "even a single
small whiff of Botulinum toxin." The video in the link he provided is
a discussion of the effects of weaponized botulism toxin. In the video, it's
stated that
botulism
doesn't make a very good open-air weapon, although it may have potential as
a weapon in enclosed areas or by infecting food.
On the CDC "Botulism > Botulism Associated with Canned Chili Sauce, July 2007 > Questions and Answers" page, they describe the cleanup procedure for suspected or known-contaminated canned food as follows:
While extreme care should be taken to limit exposure to contaminated food, including immediate disposal, wearing rubber gloves, and surface cleanup with bleach, again, the CDC doesn't seem to be advocating the use of a respirator or warning to avoid breathing in "even a single small whiff" of the air from the can. Botulism is dangerous, but a botulism-contaminated food source is unlikely to kill you unless you touch it with an open wound or ingest some of the food. That said, I probably wouldn't try and sniff around a bulging can of bad food; but if I did, and later suspected botulism, I wouldn't be terrified I might die, either. - M.C.P. Odds 'n Sods:Thanks to Eric B. for potting this: Study shows fuel cell cars still 15 years away at best o o o SF in Hawaii forwarded this video link: Jim Rogers Speaks the Truth about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac o o o Wolf sent us this: Merrill Drops After $4.65 Billion Second-Quarter Loss, the same day that Cheryl sent us this: Citigroup posts $2.5B loss, but beats expectations. It seems neither the brokers nor the banksters are faring well in this credit-starved environment. o o o JT flagged this one from The Daily Telegraph: Africa's Oil Boom Shifts Balance of Power Jim's Quote of the Day:"We are not what we know, but what we are willing to learn." - Mary Catherine Bateson Saturday July 19 2008Note from JWR:I'm posting things early today, since we are going in to town where The Memsahib will be seeing the doctors. Thanks for your many e-mails of support and your continuing prayers. Letter Re: The Tomato Rebuild--Machining Technology is Crucial to Modern Society, by Thomas G.Jim, From reloading dies, case feeders, powder measures, primer feeders, cold header
press parts, I have done a lot. So I feel somewhat qualified to shed some light
onto how things are done. I'll start basic, and then work up to complex. Letter Re: PetroMax Kerosene Lanterns
Hi Jim, Odds 'n Sods:Thanks to Cheryl for sending a link to an article that describes how more banks are in trouble. These include: Wachovia (downgraded on the 15th), WaMu, National City Corp., and U.S. Bancorp o o o Eric sent a link to an editorial from The Des Moines Register: Help farmers, consumers: Revive grain reserve o o o o o o John T. sent us a link to an article that is a sign of the times: Pakistani Investors Stone Exchange as Stocks Plunge Jim's Quote of the Day:"If you ever hear a government official come out and say that an institution is fine, you know it's time to get your money out because history shows they're likely lying. Look what happened with Fannie and Freddie. The government said everything was fine right up to the day the US Treasury dropped the biggest government bailout of all time on the American taxpayer. The bill for Fannie, Freddie and the bank failures could cost the taxpayer over $400 billion. (That's your money, of course.)". - Richard Benson in: Is Your Money Safe? Friday July 18 2008Note from JWR:The high bid in the current SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is $500. This auction is for a big mixed lot: a NukAlert radiation detector, donated by KI4U--a $160 value), a DVD of 480 E-books on Alternative Energy (donated by WK Books--a $25 value), and the following package of survival gear all kindly donated by CampingSurvival.com: One case of MREs, one pack of water purifications tablets, a bottle of colloidal silver, a fire starter, a bottle of potassium iodate tablets, an emergency dental kit, a pack of "Shower in a bag" bath wipes, and one messenger bag to pack it in. Letter Re: A Reminder to Readers About Botulism
Jim, Bulging cans with botulism are worse than most think. While bulging cans of food are relatively rare and most everybody knows that any bulging can should be discarded, few know just how seriously dangerous they can become if opened or accidentally ruptured. Botulism is so extremely deadly, it must be suspect in all bulging cans and they must not only be discarded, but put away from anyone else. Botulinum toxin is one of the most lethal substances known to man, as seen in this CDC article. When food is in short supply some will begin buying and using whatever old cans they can find and be eager not to waste anything too, thus many will also be tempted to open suspect bulging cans to better inspect the contents, before just rejecting it, and usually by smelling it. People need to know that even a single small whiff of Botulinum toxin, especially when concentrated and released from a pressurized bulging can, can kill you stone dead in a few paralyzing hours, it's truly that deadly. Please warn people at every opportunity to never fool with any suspect cans and to dispose of them as if a live grenade, where no one will come across them either. - Shane Connor, www.ki4u.com Letter Re: The Cost of Things to Come
We are in a simultaneously deflationary and inflationary situation. Letter Re: The Backwoods Home Magazine Anthologies
Jim, I recently purchased Backwoods Home's "The
Affordable Whole Shebang" offer
which includes printed
anthologies of Backwoods Home starting from year one to the present (13
years) as well as 11 CD-ROMs packed full of information: recipes, alternative
energy,
firearms info, preparedness guide, etc. The CD-ROMs include a partial electronic
anthology of the magazine (years 7-14) for easy portability. Odds 'n Sods:Downturn gains steam as inflation roars ahead o o o o o o Jason M. flagged this: ‘Flying IEDs’ Pose New Iraq Threat. (OBTW, I've had the acronym "UAVIED" in the SurvivalBlog Glossary since August of 2005. Terrorists may soon use radio-controlled planes--from the size of light model planes, on up--packed with explosives.) o o o The International Forecaster anticipates "A Complete and Systemic Breakdown" of the US and world financial systems and economies. (Kudos to Kevin A. for finding that item.) |
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