Month: March 2006


Note from JWR:

We are gradually moving all of the existing SurvivalBlog posts into Moveable Type format, so that they will be full searchable archives. Until then, all of the posts up to March 15th will remain available as static archives at our old Archives page. Thanks for your patience! Today we feature another entry in Round 3 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best contest entry will win a four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate. The deadline for entries for Round 3 is March 31, 2006. We have upgraded our ClustrMaps account, so that you can …


The Year Without A Summer (a.k.a. “Eighteen Hundred and Froze to Death” and “The Poverty Year”) By Tim P.

Since moving to Chenango County, New York in 2001, I have tried to do a bit of studying on the history of the area. My father lived in Fulton – North of Syracuse – as a boy and I spent the first 12 years of my life in Rhode Island with trips to the Upstate region for camping, family visits, etc. so I was not completely unfamiliar with the area. However, I had never really studied the history of the region and some of the things that I have found surprised me. I have always been fascinated by the catastrophes …


Letter Re: Advice on Silver Investing?

Jim, I’m just curious to your thoughts on this. Like you, I believe silver is going to gain a lot of momentum in the near future. The wife and I are out of debt and sitting on some paper investments that I’m unable to move out of for various reasons. I’m thinking of taking a home equity loan (our house is paid off) out and purchasing approximately $30,000 in silver and turning around and selling throughout what I feel will be the climb in silver prices. Of course we would pay off the loan but hope to reap the profits …


Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog reader J.K. mentioned that FEMA has a very informative booklet available, “Taking Shelter From The Storm” See: http://www.fema.gov/fima/tsfs02.shtm. This booklet includes case studies and engineering drawing for several different safe room locations. o o o SurvivalBlog reader Overhill spotted this Asian Avian Flu planning guide from Uncle Sugar: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/planguide/ o o o And you thought that the U.S. 1994 “Assault Weapons” ban was dead and buried–or at least “sunsetted”? Guess again. The ultra-liberal wing of the U.S. Senate has re-introduced it, as new legislation. (S. 645) The sponsors are mostly “the usual suspects”: Lautenberg, Corzine, Schumer, Boxer, Kennedy, Durbin, …



Letter Re: Shelf Life of NiMH Batteries?

No one seems to know about storing new NiMH batteries pre-charging for a long term, I wouldn’t try it with testing it for several years first as any chemicals of this type age with time. Here is some specific info on the storage and longevity of NiMH batteries, from Wikipedia and other battery FAQs. They are your best bet for power density and economy for rechargeables, but for really long term storage 5-10 years the single use Lithium type batteries are the best (and are available in AAA, AA, C, D and 9 volt sizes). Disposable alkaline batteries are designed …


Letter Re: Motorcycles as Bug-Out Vehicles

Dear James: Since I am tied to the outer edge of a major metro area for business and family reasons I have been wrestling with an alternative to a car or truck as a bug out vehicle (BOV).I am very worried about an EMP strike sooner or later – it just makes too much sense from an enemy’s point of view, so EMP-proofing is critical in my book. By the way, the Lights Out online novel about an EMP strike is a very good read, and it gets you thinking of many factors that are not obvious at first glance. …


Letter Re: The Vault Room: Preparedness in Tornado Alley, and Beyond

JR- Safes and safe doors are a statement of the times. I have to laugh and gasp when I see those old glass fronted, wood gun cabinets of our grandfathers generation. Today they make good bookshelves or curio cabinets… with that in mind, I would really appreciate it if you could sometime look into finding someone or some firm that makes an affordable "do it yourself" gun safe or a walk in safe door. Lets face it, many of us are on a shoestring budget, long on talent and time but short on money. Short of stumbling upon an absolute …


Odds ‘n Sods

A BBC crew is filming a documentary on life at a Fairhaven Hutterite settlement near Ulm, Montana. See: http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/03/03/news/state/55-hutterite-filming.txt o o o Col. Jeff Cooper’s Commentaries are now available at: http://harris.dvc.org.uk/jeff/ o o o Fox News warns of housing bubble pinprick: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,187831,00.html o o o I just heard from Vic at Safecastle (one of our advertisers) that there has been a rush of large orders for Mountain House freeze dried foods because of Asian Avian Flu preparations. Order fulfillment timetables are now two months out, as many of the Mountain House foods are now out of stock. However, Vic can …



Note From JWR:

Special Thanks to SurvivalBlog reader Doug H. who out of the kindness of his heart utilized some arcane scripting voodoo to add an anchor to each entry in The SurvivalBlog Glossary. Henceforth, clicking on each link to the Glossary will result in a specific entry being displayed. For example, try clicking on: “TEOTWAWKI.” Note that it will take us a while to go back through and retrofit all of the existing Glossary links, to make them properly “targeted.” Thanks for your patience.


The Vault Room: Preparedness in Tornado Alley, and Beyond

The recent string of tornados in the Midwest clearly illustrate that point that every family should have a very sturdy vault/safe room. Just a standard basement will not suffice as a shelter.The following newspaper quote came in the aftermath of a tornado in 2005: “…According to Rizzo, Harold O. Orlofske, 54, who died in the Stoughton tornado, had properly sought safety in the basement of his home but was killed when the chimney collapsed onto him…” (See: USA Today Article) If properly constructed, one room can simultaneously fill several vital roles: Walk-in gun vault, storm shelter, fallout shelter, and panic …


The White House Warns: Time to Stock Up on Food! We Can’t Stop the Advent of the Asian Avian Flu

As ABC news reported: “In a remarkable speech over the weekend, Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt recommended that Americans start storing canned tuna and powdered milk under their beds as the prospect of a deadly bird flu outbreak approaches the United States…” See: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/print?id=1716820


Letter Re: Advice on Long Term Moth-Proof Clothing Storage?

JR- A great deal of discussion regarding emergency kits, bug out bags, and general storage of necessities always dominates survival and preparedness related literature, web sites and blogs. I was wondering if anyone had any knowledge of the best way to pack clothing for long-term storage. Ideally, vacuum sealing of individual items as well as a complete days worth of clothing would be best, however in the absence of a close to anaerobic environment that would keep out moisture as well as most fiber eating insects such as moths from staying alive to eat holes in your clothes, what can …