Month: January 2007

Note from JWR:

There are now just nine days left for you to enter an article in Round 8 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win a valuable four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate. (Worth up to $1,600.) Second prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. I will again be sending out a few complimentary first edition copies (Huntington House edition) of my novel “Patriots” as “honorable mention” awards. If you want a chance to win the contest, start writing …


U.S. Currency Inflation–Is It Time to Knock a Zero Off the Dollar?

There have been many recent press reports about the base metal value of some small denomination U.S. coins now exceeding their face value. (For example 1.66 cents for a pre-1983 copper penny, and 6.65 cents for a U.S. nickel 5 cent piece. The latter may eventually have to be replaced with an aluminum token.) Fearing that they might disappear from circulation, the U.S. Treasury Department recently issued an edict banning the exportation or melting of pennies and nickels. This is a stopgap measure that ignores a much bigger issue: The U.S. currency has suffered from more than 70 years of …


Letter Re: Rail Cars and Run-Flat Tires

Hello James, I was doing some thinking over the past discussions of those that will have to travel a great distance given a major event to get to their retreat. I understand that this is a less than “safe” idea, but under the scenario of an EMP attack, may be a viable option. Since main [automobile traffic] arteries will be clogged, if you have the foresight to plan your Bugout Vehicle (BOV) as an EMP resistant 4×4 Truck or Van, why not modify the undercarriage to accept train rail gear, or better yet, search for an old retired Hy-Rail truck? …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Fed Chief Bernanke warns: Fiscal action needed as America’s citizenry ages    o o o Here is a handy “locator page” for finding an LDS “storage center” (cannery) in your area. The LDS church graciously makes their cannery facilities available to non-Mormons.    o o o House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Creates Global Warming Committee. Gee, Nancy, could you send some of your hot air up here? (We just had a whole week of overnight lows around 10 below zero.)    o o o I just heard that Northern Tool & Equipment (one of our Affiliate advertisers) is offering Free Shipping …



Notes from JWR:

I just noticed that SurvivalBlog is rapidly approaching the milestone of one million unique visits! To highlight this event, I’m offering a special prize to the one-millionth visitor. If you are fortunate enough to be the visitor that witnesses the SurvivalBlog unique visits counter (at the top of the right hand bar) roll over to exactly 1,000,000 visits then take a screen capture of the page and e-mail it to me. Your prize will be two books: an autographed copy of my novel “Patriots” and an autogrpahed copy of my non-fiction book Rawles on Retreats and Relocation. It warmed up …


Letter Re: How to Reply to “When the SHTF, I’m Going Over to Your House”, by Rolf in the Northwest

Jim, I liked Rolf’s idea for a reply to the “I’m coming to your house” comments. I like to say: “If you got in a car wreck, you wouldn’t expect my car insurance to cover it would you? No, of course not, that’s what you have your own car insurance for. If your house burned down, you wouldn’t expect my house insurance to cover it would you? No, of course not, that’s what you have your own house insurance for. So, how would it be any different in a disaster. Do you think my disaster insurance should cover you in …


Letter Re: Survival Biscuits

The history of biscuits started off in Rome around the 3rd Century BC. The word biscuit comes from the Latin bis coctum which means “twice-baked”. Back then, a biscuit was a thin unleavened wafer, quite hard, and with a very low water content – hence the name “twice-baked”. The advantage of the low water content was that the biscuit would have a long shelf-life, because it wouldn’t get moldy. Adding eggs or meat to the biscuit mix increases protein content but it will not last as long. Mixing a complementary proteins (grains with dairy, grains with beans and beans with …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Hawaiian K. suggested a link to the article titled: “No Way Out: A 50% Dollar Devaluation“, by Robert McHugh, Ph.D.     o o o The big “Container load sale” at Survival Enterprises that I mentioned last week is now in high gear. It is all selling fast and strictly “first come – first served.” The prices are less than half of retail. Survival Enterprises can take all major credit cards, PayPal, cash, gold and silver coins, but no checks or money orders. Survival Enterprises has a web page with a running inventory list with prices. (As they sell out an …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

On The Great Plague of London: “And now, after all the breaches on the churches, the ejection of the ministers, and impenitency under all, wars, and plague, and danger of famine began all at once on us. War with the Hollanders, which yet continueth; and the driest winter, and spring, and summer that ever man alive knew, or our forefathers mention of late ages; so that the grounds were burnt like the highways where the cattle should have fed! The meadow grounds, where I lived, bare but four loads of hay, which before bare forty. The plague hath seized on …


Note from JWR:

We now offer a couple of additional payment options for book orders and for 10 Cent Challenge subscriptions: both AlertPay and GearPay. (We prefer AlertPay or GearPay because they don’t share PayPal’s anti-gun political agenda.) In my experience, AlertPay has a frustratingly labyrinthine account set-up procedure, but GearPay seems much quicker and easier to set up. Our AlertPay address is: rawles@usa.net Our GearPay address is: rawles@usa.net Our PayPal address is: rawles@earthlink.net


Letter Re: The Derivatives Bubble

I wanted to say thanks so much for the excellent derivatives article. [“Derivatives–The Mystery Man Who’ll Break the Global Bank at Monte Carlo.”] I speculate in this market and wholly share your opinion about what exists, the ignorance of the implications, and the clear and present danger to the lifestyle of everyone on the planet. Keep up the good work with the blog and with excellent articles such as this. Respectfully, – CMC



Letter Re: Rootkit Protection for Your Computer

Jim, Here is some info on what is presently a freeware application which I can quite-honestly classify as in the “Save Your Bacon” category. (it sure saved my rump, on at least one very significant occasion.) It does its’ job, it is small, and it is freeware. My conscience would bother me no end if I kept this gem to myself; perhaps you and/or the blog might benefit from this goody. – Ben L.


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

Jim: Thank you for response on the mobile survival fantasy. I think it is dangerous for the average Joe to believe that he can be a mountain man. Sure, some can, in some climates and locations with lots of training. Even then it’s dangerous and unpredictable. A twisted ankle can be the end of you. Remember too, those mountain survival stories were from the days when the wildlife in this country was at much higher levels. For most of us it means being cold, wet, tired, hungry and thirsty in the woods and being targets on the streets. (“Nice pack …