Month: November 2005

Notice–Post Removed: From Fernando in Argentina–On Surviving Argentina’s Slow Slide Collapse

A lengthy letter from Fernando in Buenos Aires was originally posted on SurvivalBlog back on November 8th, but I just removed it.  Why?  Because Fernando just confirmed in an e-mail to me that the copyright to his article has been purchased by John, who operates Frugal Squirrel’s Forum. The letter is still available there. (See: http://www.frugalsquirrels.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=044387;p=0) OBTW, I highly recommend Frugal’s site and forums. Since I have deep respect for copyrights there are no hard feelings on my part. I trust that the folks at Frugal’s will forgive me if I in some way infringed unknowingly by posting what I was …


Two Letters Re: Lessons from the Big Sand Box: Firearms, Gear, and Tactics in Iraq

Jim: I have been meaning to write for a few days and thank you for posting Fernando’s observations from Argentina. I view the slow slide into economic collapse as the greatest threat and the one I am currently preparing for. What prompts me to write now is the post (12 Nov ’05) about experience in Iraq. Having recently returned from Iraq I thought I would add some of my observations that run a bit different. The AR pattern weapons definitely require greater maintenance but preventive maintenance will prevent problems. Five minutes a day is all it takes. The greatest handicap …


Letter Re: Free E-Books “Where There is No Doctor” and “Where There Is No Dentist”

Sir: Thanks for the link to Where There is No Doctor on line but did you know that Where There Is No Dentist is also on line at http://healthwrights.org/books/WTINDentistonline.htm and over books at http://www.healthwrights.org/booksonline.htm.  The Sierra Madre newsletter is at http://www.healthwrights.org/newsletters.htm. Hope this helps and hope you never need these books. – Simon


Letter From Novelist David Crawford Re: “Lights Out” EMP E-Novel: Free Download

Dear Mr. Rawles, Some time ago you mentioned my novel, “Lights Out”, in your blog. It was quite an honor for me to have my humble work discussed on your web site. I wanted to let you and your readers know that “Lights Out” is now finished. It can be read in its entirety at http://www.giltweasel.com/stuff/LightsOut-Current.pdf I plan to edit and improve this first draft and then to pursue publishing. Any constructive criticism and help from anyone will be gladly received at dcrawford@email.com. Thanks again and please keep up the fine work you are doing with your blog. Sincerely, – …



Practical/Tactical Pre-1899 Guns Via the Web, Sans Paper Trail

I often have folks ask me where they can buy guns “without a paper trail.”  This is not a big problem for some of us: Just go to a gun show and buy only from private parties.  But this is a real dilemma for folks in those Blue States with the nasty Schumeresque gun laws. (Like “Kalifornia” and “Neu Jersey.”)  One great alternative is buying shootable cartridge guns that were made in or before 1898. These “pre-1899” guns are outside of Federal jurisdiction, and hence can be shipped across state lines without the usual FFL paperwork. (Consult your state and …


“Where There is No Doctor” Now Available as a Free E-Book

In a recent evening of web surfing, I found that one of my favorite little references Where There is No Doctor by David Werner, is now available as a public domain e-book.  See:  http://www.healthwrights.org/books/WTINDonline.htm This is a very useful no-nonsense book, written for folks living in Third World countries. It has also been translated into Spanish. Since you obviously won’t have access to e-books in the event of a power failure, I highly recommend that you pick up one or more paperback copies. See: http://www.healthwrights.org/publications.htm.  I should mention that the companion volume Where There is No Dentist is also highly recommended.  …


From WorldNetDaily: Border Sheriff Warns “We’re Overwhelmed”–So Expect Terrorist Dirty Bombs

Our friends at WorldNetDaily.com recently ran a chilling article in which Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez, Jr, from a Texas border county warns that  the U.S./Mexico border is a veritable sieve through which a radioactive “dirty bomb” will almost assuredly someday get through. See:  http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47376


Letter from: “Doug Carlton” Re: Discrediting the Lessons from the Big Sand Box: Firearms, Gear, and Tactics in Iraq Letter

Jim: Unless you can actually verify the identity of the author of the “Firearms, Gear, and Tactics in Iraq” e-mail, then it is bogus. I’ve seen it running around the net in several incarnations with different authors attributed to it for some time now. Some reasons to believe it’s bogus without any authentication: The part about the M249 being a POS comes from an early AAR about the invasion. Some USMC units had weapons that were VERY well-used and I know a Marine that went in with his M249 held together with zip ties. The Army, with newer weapons, report …




Lessons from the Big Sand Box: Firearms, Gear, and Tactics in Iraq

We received this letter, ostensibly from a former Marine Corps First Sergeant, supposedly his second-hand assessment of weapons and enemy tactics in Iraq. This letter has subsequently been largely discredited, so I’m only leaving it up for a couple of days as a teaching tool. I’ve added a few notes. Special thanks to to another First Sergeant (1SG White) and to “Doug Carlton” for helping me with those notes. Hello to all my fellow gunners, military buffs, veterans and interested guys. A couple of weekends ago I got to spend time with my son Jordan, who was on his first …


Letter Re: State Boundaries (Expanding on “The State Line Game”)

Hi Jim, Your comments on building a house straddling a state line brought me back to my Navy days in Pensacola, Florida. It may be difficult to build across a state line but not impossible. There is a bar that straddles the state line between Florida and Alabama called – of course – The Floribama. As I recall it, there was a different last call time on opposite sides of the bar as the two states had different alcohol serving times. In any case, if it can be done with a commercial establishment (particularly a bar!) it can be done …


Letter Re: America at the Crossroads

Perhaps it was the camping and outdoor adventures of my youth that led to a desire to be self-sufficient and ultimately to my own “survivalist” attitude, but it’s been more a change in society that has formed the current “survivalist” movement than any of our own individual experiences. Modern society has reached it’s pinnacle, and we are now in a very awkward period when society as we know it will spit and sputter and flare up before it burns out entirely, at least society as we know it. The time of great  achievement has passed and society is now working …