Notes From JWR:

Now that the holidays are over, we are enjoying the quiet season here at the Rawles Ranch. Other than church activities, 4H club meetings, and homeschooling group meetings, there is not a lot that induces us to go into town. This winter we can laugh at the weather. When it is snowing heavily, we just stay home and stoke the woodstove with a couple of extra chunks of red fir. We home school our kids, so there are no worries about school bus schedules. And we are very well provisioned, so we certainly don’t have to go into town for …




Letter Re: Yet Another Article Touting “Mobility” for Survival

Dear Jim: See this piece on Survival Preparedness as: “The Ultimate “Contrarian” Investment for 2007 — Be Prepared” The author knows a lot about economics (excellent web site), but one can certainly critique his “Batman in the Boondocks” or “mobile refugee” survival strategy. Regards, – OSOM JWR Replies: I’m dismayed to see such strategies proposed again and again, usually by folks who have never actually attempted to fill–much less actually shoulder–their “everything that I’ll need” backpack. It is incredibly naive to think that anyone can “head for the hills” with just what you can carry, and survive for an extended …




Letter Re: Survival Retreat Potential of Northwest Florida

Mr. Rawles: I live in south Florida. I would like to know your opinion on having a retreat in northwest Florida, Dixie County to be exact, known as the “least populated county in Florida”. I can’t afford to move out of the state right now and I am concerned about driving through major cities if I had to leave in an emergency from down here. I would like to be able to do it on one tank of gas which would put me about 5 or 6 hours away from where I am now. I already have a small piece …




Two Letters Re: The Novel “Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse”

Jim, I recently received the updated version of “Patriots” a couple days ago. At first I was just going to read the new chapters, but after seeing that you gave it an overall update, I decided to just read the whole thing. So far I have been very impressed. (The two new chapters alone were worth the price of the book.) Not to mention the way everything else was updated. Way to go! You have done a very good job with this new edition, and I have already ordered a few more copies to have on hand as gifts. I …




Odds ‘n Sods:

The RWVA is holding a Rifle Instructor’s Camp in Ramseur, North Carolina, February 18th to 25th. Take advantage of this high quality, very inexpensive training!    o o o Jason in North Idaho mentioned this article: Little-known earthquake is remembered    o o o From Congressman Ron Paul: The World’s Reserve Currency