Month: November 2006

Letter Re: Product Review on MURS Radios

Jim, Hail and well met. – I purchased two of the handheld MURS transceivers from MURS Radios. (A SurvivalBlog advertiser.) First off, they arrived really fast. The shipping only took a few days. They were also packaged very securely. Although you can tell that these radios were used, they do not look abused in any way. I was impressed right off the bat by them. For one thing, they do not feel like a toy in your hand…they have some heft to them. They also came fully charged. In the box along with the radios were the chargers and good …


Odds ‘n Sods:

In response to Tim from Saskatchewan, who asked about the video of the tanker truck BLEVE explosion in Germany that I had mentioned on SurvivalBlog more than a year ago, here it is.    o o o USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Bruce Knight promised Wednesday to keep the national animal identification system (NAIS) a permanently voluntary system. My comment: Yeah, right. Just like they promised the Indians about “permanent” reservation lands: “As long as grass grows and the water flows.”    o o o Redmist flagged this piece: The British Nanny State expands further.



Note From JWR:

The high bid is now at $200 in the latest SurvivalBlog benefit auction, This one is for a big batch of 16 survival/preparedness reference books with a combined value of more than $250, courtesy of the fine folks at Ready Made Resources. Please submit your bid via e-mail. The auction ends on January 15th.


Letter From Rourke Re: Useful Web Site on Nuclear Weapons Targets and Effects

Dear Jim: Here are the main links that I have on my groups for nuclear fallout. These are good links I have compiled over time: Nuclear Blast Effects FAS Page (International) FAS Page (USA) A PBS Web Page Star Destroyer.net Narrative review of effects Nukefix web page Nuclear Fallout Maps for North America (FEMA based) at KI4U and at Richard Fleetwood’s SurvivalRing List of North American Targets (Also at SurvivalRing) Jet Stream Today (for high altitude fallout direction) Regards, – Rourke (Moderator of the Jericho Discussion Group.)


Two Letters Re: Advice on Disaster Communications

Hello, I am somewhat new to your web site. The information I have been able to get from it is wonderful and greatly appreciated. Have you seen the article from World Net Daily [about the DC Emergency Radio Network]? I have not heard of this type of system before. Respectfully, – B.W. JWR Replies: Yes, I saw the article. The DCERN uses the low power FRS band and thus these radios have very short range. I think that the higher power MURS or CB bands would have been a better choice. The system does has some utility. However, except for …


Odds ‘n Sods:

By way of The Energy Bulletin, here’s an interesting article from Australia: Head for the hills – the new survivalists    o o o I heard that JRH Enterprises (one of our most loyal advertisers) is is having a “Black Friday” (Day After Thanksgiving) sale on many preparedness items including night vision gear, gas masks, medical kits, tactical gear, and more. In true “Black Friday” fashion, these specials are available only on Friday, November the 24th.    o o o Israel is reportedly developing a “bionic hornet” micro drone.    o o o Commenting on the recent thread about barter …



Notes From JWR:

Happy Thanksgiving Day! In the United States, today is set aside to give thanks to God for His blessings. Here at the Rawles Ranch we do, indeed, most earnestly. God is provident. Praises to Jehovah Jireh! The high bid is already at $45 in the latest SurvivalBlog benefit auction, This one is for a big batch of survival/preparedness reference books, courtesy of the fine folks at Ready Made Resources. (They are one of our first and most loyal advertisers. Be sure to visit their site and give them some business. BTW, they have additional copies of each of the titles …



Letter Re: Clothes Washing Without Grid Power

Mr R.: Saw the post this morning about the large washing machine at Lehman’s Non-Electric. Great catalogue, and obviously a washer for TEOTWAWKI. Let me give a heads-up to a much smaller, portable washer – the Wonder Clean Pressure Washing Machine. The parent company (Wonder Wash Corporation – Mesa, Arizona) developed this nifty little washer. Add in the load ( weighed ), soap, water, close the top, and turn the handle to revolve the washer barrel for a specified time. By their charts 5 pounds ( max load) would be about 10 shirts or two pairs of jeans It’s not …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Just when we thought that things couldn’t get any worse in Zimbabwe, we opened Cathy Buckle’s latest letter. The inflation rate is now at 1,070 percent per annum. Life expectancies are plummeting. Starvation deaths are increasing. Government mismanagement, nepotism, and corruption are rampant. Cathy’s October and November letters are “must reads.” Please pray for the people of Zimbabwe.   o o o Joe Farah, Editor of WorldNetDaily opines: ‘Jericho’ and ‘Heroes’ TV Series Spark Concern with Civil Defense.    o o o Our friend Kit, author/editor of the delightful Forever Vain blog suggested the following: “I’m not sure if you’ve mentioned …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Great cities, the emblems of Western Civilization, began as a walled defenses against marauding enemies. In a world turned upside-down, they are now our great vulnerability. They are suicidal concentrations of expensive economic, cultural and political assets waiting, exposed, for destruction. The only way to ignore nuclear terrorism will be to “redeploy” preemptively out of the crosshairs. Within years our cities will die – abandoned or incinerated.” – “Flamethrower”, at the FreeRepubliic Forums


Letter Re: 12 VDC Wall Outlets and Power Cord Connections

Jim, For anyone using 12 VDC in their vehicle or home, you should strongly consider using Anderson Power Poles. Compared to the standard cigarette lighter plug, these are far more reliable and safer. (Cigarette lighter plugs have no uniform rating, and can melt if used for high [current] load applications.) These connectors come in ratings from 30 Amps (A) to 350 Amps. The 30A size is the de-facto standard for Ham radio operators now, and the larger sizes are what you see used for things like large battery racks in computer rooms and tow truck jumper cables. They are easy …


Four Letters Re: Prowlers and Lighting

James: The subject of handheld lights is as long as it is wide. Ask 20 people what is best, get 40 answers and recommendations! As with many things, today we live in a great time for flashlight technology. My recommendation is to immerse yourself in www.candlepowerforums.com. Some guys there are truly on the cutting edge of lights. Some of the modified lights are incredible. Have fun and enjoy a winter’s worth of reading. – Straightblast   Jim: Just enjoying a last respite prior to retiring in my mountaintop isolated home and read the letter on Prowlers and Lighting at SurvivalBlog. …