Day: December 6, 2007

Note from JWR:

The high bid is now at $225 in the SurvivalBlog benefit auction, for six items: 1.) a Katadyn Pocket water filter, (with a $200 retail value) 2.) a Watersafe field water test kit ( a $27 retail value), both donated by Ready Made Resources, 3.) A copy of the latest edition of “The Encyclopedia of Country Living” by the late Carla Emery (a $32 retail value) 4.) an autographed copy of my novel“Patriots” (a $23 retail value), 5.) an autographed copy of my nonfiction book “Rawles on Retreats and Relocation” (a $25 retail value), and 6.) a SurvivalBlog Logo Contractor/Operator …


Letter Re: Storing Nails–Important for Preparedness

I was watching a show last night about the Lewis and Clark expedition and something really opened my eyes, Did you know that when the group left a fort or shelter they built they would burn it down when they left do salvage the nails they used. Apparently nails were worth their weight in gold since they were hand made one at a time. This got me to thinking that in the event of TEOTWAWKI or even a couple year collapse that people will still have to build things and repair their homes. So I wondered how many people thought …


Letter Re: Investigating Your Bank’s Level of Derivatives Exposure

Dear James With all of the talk about derivatives blow-ups, I decided to do some research on my bank, as I am concerned about the cash that I have in my personal account, as well as the cash that I use for my business. I first found this Treasury Department PDF and down around page 22, it lists the top 25 banks in the U.S., their assets and their derivatives exposure. I found that my bank is on the top 25 and has a fairly high exposure to derivatives, but nothing like the top 5. At that point, I decided …


Letter Re: Survivalist Matchmaking Services

Mr. Editor: I cannot seem to find the people connection place on your site. Do you still have it? Thank you for the wealth of info you provide. – Carol P. JWR Replies: I recommend three web sites (two paid , and one free) for making connections–whether you are looking to join/form a retreat group, or looking for a spouse. They are: Conservative Match (paid matchmaking service–based on shared conservative political/social views) Liberty Mates (paid matchmaking service–based on shared libertarian views) The Survivalist Groups [“Meet-up”] web page–(a free service courtesy of the folks at SurvivalistBooks.com.If you use this service, then …


Letter Re: Preparedness for Less Than a Worst Case, From an Eastern Urbanite’s Perspective

Jim, I found the following in a letter posted on your blog: “Barring TEOTWAWKI, it seems to me that we are infinitely more likely to face moderately scary scenarios, like Hurricane Katrina and necessary urban evacuation, some urban 1970s-style civil disturbance but nothing like Mogadishu, high-intensity individual criminal acts, a low-order terrorist event nearby and the accompanying panic, or some other situation shy of the worst case scenario.” Do people realize that New Orleans wasn’t far from becoming Mogadishu-like after Hurricane Katrina? Certainly if the water hadn’t flooded the streets it very well could have been much worse. The flood …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Bush to outline 5-year mortgage rate freeze plan. (Don’t miss the reader’s comments below the article.) My comments: Here comes the mega-meddling. Cui bono? And who will bear the cost? I suspect that it will be us, the taxpayers. If so, we will be bailing out someone else’s “I bought a house that I couldn’t afford at the top of the market, and now I can’t sell it” uncontrolled instant gratification and greed. How charming.    o o o In one of his recent DownRange.tv audio podcasts, host Michael Bane (well-known for his “Shooting Gallery” television show on The Outdoor …