Month: March 2006

Letter Re: Sources for PAL 9VDC Flashlights and Ultra-Long Life 9VDC

JR, Please let us know more about the 9 volt PAL light, where can we purchase these? Thanks. Also, if a reader is concerned about shelf life of the battery, a very long lasting 9 Volt battery is made that was designed to be used in smoke detectors, it also works in AC-powered alarm clocks that have a battery back up when the power goes out… Sorry, I don’t remember off hand the exact name or what they are called but they are common enough to be purchased at the local Radio Shack…….they cost about $8 a few years ago …


Letter Re: A Second Silver Exchange Traded Fund

Mr. and Mrs. Rawles, I just read this article today and thought it would be of interest to the Survival Blog readers: http://www.resourceinvestor.com/pebble.asp?relid=17672 The gist of it is that a silver backed exchange traded fund (ETF) is quietly being opened in London within the next month. Note, this is NOT the silver ETF that Barclays’ is trying to get past the SEC right now. Upon reading closer one can note that the claim of being “backed” by silver is erroneous – “We buy a security from a third party…and supply the matching contract, and investors won’t have to worry” about …


Letter Re: PTR-91 Clones of HK91 Rifles

I was wanting some info on the PTR-91 Rifle made by JLD Enterprises, I saw this rifle on Atlantic firearms website, but I know nothing about it. Do you or any of the SurvivalBlog readers have any knowledge or opinion as to the worthiness of this rifle. It looks great and I would like to own one but hesitate to fork out that kind of money on an unknown. Thanks, – Steve JWR  Replies:  I can’t comment because I’ve never owned or even shot an PTR-91 clone. Perhaps a SurvivalBlog readers has some first hand experience with them.



Note From JWR:

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Letter Re: More Backup Generator Advice

Hi Jim,. Hurricane season is just around the corner here in Florida and I am getting ready to buy a backup generator for my home. To be better informed, I have gone back and re-read all the past survivalblog entries on generators, so I am pretty much up to speed on it. My last step is to decide what size generator to buy. One additional piece of information that would be helpful to me, and probably others, is to have an idea of how much wattage it takes to run each of the various typical appliances in a home ranging …


Odds ‘n Sods:

The Army Aviator spotted this one for us: The Sun’s next 11-year cycle could be 50 percent stronger. See: http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyid=2006-03-06T204858Z_01_N06327000_RTRUKOC_0_US-SPACE-SUN.xml&rpc=22   o o o This page is very nicely done:  An on-line survival quiz: http://www.spicolisbarleybin.com/games/survival.swf   o o o Walter Jefferies at NoNAIS.org found an article in which the FDA admitted that the measures already in place are enough to protect against BSE. See: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/bsefaq.html



Letter Re: Source for the Full Text of the Web Novel “Lights Out”

Jim,
In your Saturday Blog of March 4th. you responded to a reader asking where to obtain David Crawford’s two fine stories. Your answer for “The Bug-Out” was okay, but your response for “Lights Out” of Frugal Squirrel’s site was not really a good one. Frugal has only about a quarter of David’s story available. The place to go is: a target=”_blank” href=”http://www.giltweasel.com/stuff/LightsOut-Current.pdf”>http://www.giltweasel.com/stuff/LightsOut-Current.pdf This will get a full 600 odd page page PDF. document with the full story plus a title page, table of contents, prolog and epilogue.





Getting a Spouse “On Board” with Preparedness

James Wesley Rawles; I wanted to respond to the letter about how to get your spouse involved in preparedness. For several years I have been working as a preparedness consultant for individuals, families and groups who have an interest in preparing for disasters. I guide each group through a series of exercises to help them decide how prepared they want, choose and can afford to be. I like to start with a discussion to see if everyone is on the same page. Sometimes there are reluctant participants. I note that one usually learns to craw before they walk and walk …


Letter from Michael Z. Williamson Re: Body Armor, Ancient MREs, and Federally Exempt Handguns

Mr Rawles: Thanks for your review of The Weapon. I get a lot of feedback on it, regarding the risks of attack and terrorism. I’m glad to see people thinking about the subject more. Currently, I’m gearing up to do a nonfiction work about medics in combat in the current conflict. If any of the SurvivalBlog readers are or know anyone who is, do please have them contact me. I’ve got approval from the various branches public affairs, and I’m Guard myself. I’ll be treating the subject and troops as they deserve to be, and not looking to misquote for …