Month: December 2007


Notes from JWR:

Congrats to LP, the winner of the latest round of the SurvivalBlog nonfiction writing contest. His article “Preparedness While on Business Travel –What to Pack” wins the grand prize: four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate. (Worth up to $2,000!) Second prize goes to Paul B. for his article “Building a Scout Rifle on a Budget”. His prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. Honorable Mention awards go to “Jerry the Generator Guy” for his article “Home/Retreat Power Generator Noise Reduction” and to Nathaniel for his …


Western Washington — A Retreat Potential and Disaster Assessment, by B.H.

I am writing to you at length today about Western Washington and its retreat potential and Assessment of disaster scenarios. Last year I made a career move that required us to move to Western Washington from Eastern Washington. We moved into what is considered the South Sound area of Western Washington (WWA) this area includes the State capital of Olympia and its bedroom communities of Tumwater and Lacey. Lacey and South East Olympia border the “Argonne Forest” of Fort Lewis. On a side note the 3rd Stryker Brigade is starting to rotate back home—Great job to you all and were …


Letter Re: Updated Nuclear Targets in the United States

The recent post [on nuclear targets] that mentioned the prevailing winds reminded me that Weather Underground posts graphs of historical weather data, including wind direction. Because the chart is for the calendar year, the seasonality of the wind in a different region can be determined. For instance, compare the hot south summer winds in Dallas, with the summer ocean winds in Los Angeles, and the northwest fury in Missoula, Montana. Even Eugene, Oregon and Boise, Idaho, despite being close to the same latitude, have different wind trends. OBTW, if you know the local airport code, you can just alter the …


Letter Re: Security for Unattended Retreats

Technology has so advanced that we are now on the threshold of a new era in security. Off-the-shelf wireless burglar alarms are getting so sophisticated that you no longer need the services of a security company. If your retreat is in an area that has cell phone service, you can get a system that requires no hard line. Look for a GSM [Global System for Mobile Communications] Wireless Security System. GSM is the newer cell phone that uses a card. You don’t have to sign up for service at your retreat location and pay a monthly charge. Simply buy a …


Letter Re: Reactions to Preparedness Course

Jim: What a coincidence. I’m quite certain, that the amazing e-mail that you received from HH happens to be from my very good friend and colleague. HH is a good man that care’s for his family and friends. He cares so much, that he often risks the ridicule and accusations as he mentioned, to try and help inform and consequently protect his loved ones with the gift of information. People are waking up, and I am one of those people. I was the guy that listened to the wisdom HH was resonating, much of that information came from the “Rawles …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Bruce A. found this article about Tamiflu for us: Panel Seeks New Warning on Flu Drug    o o o Frequent contributor Eric S. sent us this from The Australian: Chinese tiger has nothing in tank. The piece begins: “China is running out of fuel. Police are guarding petrol stations in several inland provinces to prevent fights, as shortages of petrol and diesel are causing huge queues of trucks, buses and cars.”    o o o Pete D. sent us a link to a downright scary article on Credit Default Swaps from the Sudden Debt Blog: CDS: Phantom Menace    …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“In six days–less than a week–the world turned upside down. San Francisco became a war zone. Do you know what people do when you tell them they no longer have rights? That an individual is powerless? They fight. It was ludicrous to think mankind would just roll on its back and comply. I saw my neighbors–people I’ve known for years–become bloodthirsty savages. Infected, uninfected, it didn’t matter. We were all driven mad. The survival instinct went ballistic. Food, guns, medicine, blood–it all became priceless. Worth killing for. Those who had became the targets of the had nots. A city of …