Month: October 2006

Two Letters Re: Gas Masks, Fire, and Chlorine Gas

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Jim: Just something I would really like to beat to death, and that’s Chlorine, Fires and Gas masks. I just keep getting this really creepy feeling that there are a lot of folks out there that aren’t clued in on the limitations of gas masks and may kill themselves. First:, grass fires, forest fires and house fires. A gas mask will keep you from choking on the fumes and stop your eyes from watering but it will kill you! The mask will stop the particulate matter that irritates your eyes, throat and lungs but it will not make oxygen where …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Frequent content contributor (and top notch novelist) Michael Z. Williamson mentioned two interesting articles posted over at the Box O’ Truth web site: New tests on pistol shotshells, and will school books stop bullets? (To explain: A candidate for the office of Texas state superintendent of schools recently said that he wants to distribute thick used textbooks to students so they can shield themselves from school shooters.)    o o o London Underground contact surfaces to get anti-flu disinfectant silver spray.    o o o There is currently an interesting thread about walking sticks/staves over at The Claire Files. Yes, …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Freedom isn’t purchased or held indefinitely, it’s more like a loan that’s never paid off. The “payment” is constant vigilance against government encroachment; by our grandfathers, our fathers, and us. If the payments are ignored, the penalty will be collected in blood from our sons and daughters." – Jim Howard, 2003


Notes From JWR:

You may have noticed that the blog page was unavailable for several hours last night. It was at temporary problem at the ISP’s server. (Which is usually rock solid.) It is back up and running this morning. Sorry about the inconvenience. If you know of any potential advertisers for SurvivalBlog, please contact them and encourage them to sign up for a banner ad. Our advertising rates are dirt cheap. Be advised that we sell ad space only to advertisers that offer top quality products and services.


Letter Re: The Apex, North Carolina Fire

A quick comment regarding the Apex fire story suggestions. In Northwest Florida many years ago several chlorine rail cars derailed and leaked in the middle of the night. Residents close to the derailment tried to escape the harmful fumes by getting in their cars and driving off. Unfortunately, the chlorine gas saturation level in the area was too high and most vehicles would not start. Many families perished in their cars. Gas masks are great idea if you have to walk out. Probably the next best thing is to have a ready response kit that will seal openings, doors and …


Letter Re: Source for AAA to D Cell Battery Upsizers/Adapters

Jim, I trust all is well with you and yours. I recently found a source for a battery adapter. There are a lot of products that will take one AA cell and make a D cell battery. I found somebody makes an adapter that uses two size AA cells to make a D cell battery. (Twice as much battery life.) I’ve even seen a reference to some adapters that use three AA batteries. (That would be neat.) I recently received and tested C cell and D cell upsizers. The C cell is the common type, one AA battery makes one …


Odds ‘n Sods:

A grim statistic from France: Thusfar for the year 2006, an average of 112 cars per day have been torched by rioters.     o o o NASA says: The Greenland ice sheet is shrinking fast.    o o o Alaska eskimo villagers living in bird flu’s flight path.  


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“So you think that money is the root of all evil? Money is a tool of exchange, which can’t exist unless there are goods produced and men able to produce them. Money is the material shape of the principle that men who wish to deal with one another must deal by trade and give value for value. Money is not the tool of the moochers, who claim your product by tears, or of the looters, who take it from you by force. Money is made possible only by the men who produce. Is this what you consider evil? . …Not …


Notes from JWR:

Wow! Our unique visits counter just passed the 3?4 million mark. Thanks for making SurvivalBlog such a great success! Because I will be traveling on behalf of a consulting client, I will not be taking any new mail orders from October 24th to November 8th. Thanks for your patience. But of course during this time I will still be making my daily blog posts. (I have never missed a day!)


Two Letters Re: Advice on Ammunition and Precious Metals for Barter?

Jim, I read your post of 10/15 about barter items and the problems with fake gold coins. You wrote: “The other major problem with using gold coins for survival barter, regardless of their weight, is that they will be immediately suspect as counterfeit by the individual on the other side of the table.” You are quite correct, but an easy and affordable solution is available. Please note that I am not a salesman for this product nor affiliated with the company in any way. I am simply someone who has been working on preparedness for 40 years and have found …


Odds ‘n Sods:

From Mish Shedlock’s blog on October 21st, titled “Easy Button”: U.S. house builders scramble to unload their inventory in a collapsing market.    o o o A University of Washington economic geologist counters the Peak Oil theory, asserting that new technology will assure oil supplies that won’t run out for many centuries.    o o o The world–especially the Western United States, the Mediterranean region, and Brazil–will likely suffer more extended droughts, heavy rainfalls and longer heat waves over the next century because of global warming,according to a new study.



Note from JWR:

Please keep spreading the word about SurvivalBlog. If you are a loyal reader, please get yourself a SurvivalBlog bumper sticker or T-shirt. The bumper stickers are great conversation starter on your Unimog, or even just when pinned up on your cubicle wall at work. The T-shirts are likewise a great conversation starter at the range, at gun shows, at your local canned food discount store, or just strolling around town. Thanks!  


Letter Re: Sources for Plumbed-In Reserve Water Tanks?

Jim – Do any SurvivalBlog suppliers have water tanks that can be plumbed into the home water system before passing the water on through to the house as recommended by Joel Skousen? Our Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) home construction is in progress with the basement walls poured and the retaining walls and dividing/shelter wall formed for pour this next week.- D.A.B. JWR Replies: The best tanks to use are standard, off-the-shelf, plastic septic tanks, bought brand new. A good friend of mine bought three 1,700 gallon tanks and had them plumbed “in parallel” and buried in the yard outside of …


Two Letters Re: Military Surplus Gasoline Cans–Questions on Cleaning Procedures and Venting

Hi Jim, I’ve restored older cars as a hobby for about 24 years (Ford is my preference. I was delighted to see [late 1960s vintage] Broncos, F250s and Mustangs in your novel “Patriots”.) I have a suggestion for cleaning older gas cans that works very well for me. Most recently I dealt with a 50,000 mile 1969 Buick Riviera. [JWR Adds: Ah, the roar of a 454! I once owned a 1970 Buick Electra 225. What a ride.] The deceased prior owner had stored the car indoors since 1983. The gas tank was full of vile liquid that at one …