Month: August 2007


Temporary and Permanent Obstacles for Retreat Security

At least two or three times a year, I have consulting clients ask me about anti-personnel and anti-vehicular obstacles. In heavily-wooded country, dropping some trees to form an abatis (as shown in this illustration from US Army Field Manual FM 90-7) is a viable expedient. But keep in mind that obstacles often work both ways. they will keep the bad guys out, but also keep you in. That is why my favorite roadblock is a Caterpillar (“Cat”) or similar tracked tractor, parked perpendicular at a narrow spot on a road, with its blade dropped and ignition system disabled. That will …


Letter Re: Ezekiel Mix–a Complete Survival Food

Jim and readers, Many of you that have read the Bible remember Ezekiel in the Old Testament. Ezekiel 4:9 says “Take thou unto thee wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and fitches (spelt), and put them into one vessel and make thee bread thereof.” This diet sustained Ezekiel in the desert for 390 days. A modern day interpretation of the Ezekiel recipe calls for the following: 20 parts wheat, 12 parts Spelt, 4 parts Hulled Barley, 2 parts Hulled Millet, 2 parts lentils, 2 parts Pinto Beans, 1 part Great Northern Beans, 1 part Kidney Beans. Modern Food scientists have found …


Odds ‘n Sods:

I often get questions from folks looking for survival retreat property about the state tax rates (income tax, property (real estate) tax, sales tax, and so forth.) Here is a useful Internet reference at www.BankRate.com. State and local tax rates should be thoroughly researched before you choose a retreat locale.   o o o American home foreclosures leap 93% in a year    o o o The Credit Crunch contagion spreads yet further. We read this from England: Over 8.5 Million will be denied credit as level of debt soars. Can you spell recession?



Note from JWR:

Thanks for making SurvivalBlog such a huge success. Our readership is on track to double by the end of this year. (More than twice the number of visits in December of 2006!) My special thanks to the readers that have shared their knowledge in their letters and articles. Please continue to spread the word about SurvivalBlog to your neighbors, friends, co-workers, and church brethren. Adding a SurvivalBlog graphic link to your web page and/or e-mail footer really helps. Many, many Thanks!


Two Letters Re: Advice on Construction a Hiding Place for Precious Metals in a Home

Jim– Another cache option: In a basement, with exposed floor joists, several options are available: 1) around the rim joist above the concrete foundation, the rim joist usually is on the outboard edge of the concrete foundation, with floor joists sitting on top of the concrete foundation. This in old houses might leave an 18″ gap between the rim joist and the inner face of the basement wall (stone foundations). In newer homes, it might be a foot or so. Free space, easy to conceal with a false front, or a thin insulation board. 2) between the floor joists, especially …


Letter Re: The “Sneaky Uses” Books

Sir: Let me start with a thank you for such an awesome resource! I’ve finally sent my 10 Cent Challenge [voluntary subscription payment.] I didn’t feel right e-mailing you with this until I got it out. Since finding your site (from the link at] Captain Dave’s Survival Center), I’ve been devouring the info here, as well as “Patriots” (read twice, and I’m starting it for the third time) and the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course. I’ve also just finished reading “The Alpha Strategy”–that you recommended in both the blog and in the preparedness course. Tremendously eye opening stuff. You’ve …


Letter Re: Honey Prices Escalating, Just as Predicted

James, Any honey you are purchasing at Costco, Sam’s Club, et cetera is undoubtedly imported from China or South America. We all know about the recalls for Chinese food products that are tainted. South America isn’t any better as they still allow toxic chemicals to be used in their agriculture that have been long banned in the US. I sure wouldn’t want to be storing this honey. Find a local beekeeper and buy your honey [there]. We are small beekeepers in that we have only 10 colonies but probably get more production as we actually take care of our colonies …


Odds ‘n Sods:

The Department of Homeland Security has decreed that propane gas is a “chemical of interest” and will soon require anyone with 7,500 pounds or more of the fuel to register with the agency.   o o o The latest boom: Foreclosures. (OBTW, one of the companies quoted in the article —Foreclosure.com–is one of our Affiliate Advertisers.)    o o o DAV recommended this market analysis and commentary from Jim Willie posted over at Kitco.com: Desperate Measures for USFED


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"A very few–very few–isolated locations around the world, where it was possible to impose a rigid quarantine and where authorities did so ruthlessly, escaped the disease entirely. American Samoa was one such place. There not single person died of influenza. Across a few miles of ocean lay western Samoa, seized from Germany by New Zealand at the start of the war. On September 30, 1918, its population was 38,302, before the steamer Talune brought the disease to the island. A few months later, the population was 29,802. Twenty-two percent of of the population died." – John M. Barry, The Great …


Notes from JWR:

Today, I’m introducing a new SurvivalBlog feature column: “Weekly Survival Real Estate Market Update. This will include general market news, details on recommended retreat locales, and much more. I plan to post it each Friday. It will either be written by Todd Savage (“TS”), or by me (“JWR”.) SurvivalBlog reader Thad L. recently asked me: “How would you describe your novel? I don’t like most books but I like Tom Clancy novels. Is it that sort of novel?” My novel “Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse” is a fast-paced novel, and it does have some “techno-thriller” elements. I did my best …


Book Excerpt–Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse

Geographically distinct units were formed from the Northwest Militia, as planned, late in the April of the fifth year. To avoid confusion amongst the local citizenry that they protected, they designated those at the original retreat as “Todd Gray’s Company” and those at Kevin Lendel’s house as “Michael Nelson’s Company.” The responsibility for patrolling was divided along a line east-west between the retreats. Todd Gray’s Company was to patrol the northern half of the sector, while Michael Nelson’s Company patrolled the southern half. Separate CB channels were assigned to each Company for locals to use to contact either Company. On …


Weekly Survival Real Estate Market Summary

Welcome to the Weekly Survival Real Estate Update. This new column will feature news, statistics, market analysis and opinions. We plan to feature one or two retreat locales each week. Typically, we will report on one locale in the Continental United States and one internationally. Our first full length update will appear next Friday and feature Northwestern Montana and New Zealand, both locales have excellent characteristics and qualities for the retreat shopper. One quick note this week: The Northern Idaho market seems to now be feeling the combined effects of the real estate market crunch and liquidity crunch. Over the …


Odds ‘n Sods:

I heard that the makers of Polar Pure water purifier had a visit from the DEA this week. They have plans to so highly regulate the distribution of iodine crystals that they will soon run the family owned and operated company out of business. (They make just one product.) The DEA said that they will expect retailers to get a photocopy of each buyer’s driver’s license, keep track of the quantities purchased, report “suspicious” purchases (with an as yet-to-be determined threshold) maintain the records for at least two years, and on and on. ll this because iodine has been deemed …