Year: 2007

Letter Re: Advice on Storing E85 Ethanol Fuel

Jim: Regarding your statement: :”Even E10 (10% ethanol) blended gasoline is highly hygroscopic and can absorb 50 times more water than traditional non-blended gasoline.” E10 is much more sensitive to the water/alcohol solution separating from the gasoline than E85 is. E10 undergoes separation at around 0.5% water. E85 can absorb about 20% water before separation occurs. – PNG JWR Replies: That is not entirely correct. An explanatory note from the L.U.S.T. Line Report (on Leaking Underground Storage Tanks): “Ethanol will mix with gasoline, but it does so reluctantly. Although gasoline is nonpolar, it can only hold up to 0.2 percent …


Letter Re: HK 416 Gas Piston M16/AR-15 Rifles and Upper Receiver Assemblies

James: Regarding the HK “416” [gas piston operated M16]s. I found a video about them. Do you think that [semi-auto only variants of] these rifles–or at least upper receivers–will be available to civilians any time soon? Also, do you know if they make a .308 [AR-10] version of the gas [piston] operated .223 you linked to? Thanks, – S.F. JWR Replies: As background, I should first explain that standard AR-15s, M16s, M4s and AR-10s use gas tube impingement rather than a gas piston to operate their actions. This blows powder fouling back into the action. Heckler und Koch of Germany …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Hawaiian K. sent us this: More on honeybee CCD, from Der Spiegel. Are genetically modified crops to blame? And Brian H. sent a link to this article from England that was featured in The Drudge Report, which suggests that cellular phone transmissions might be to blame.   o o o From RBS: Sagging Housing Industry hits largest homebuilders   o o o Also from RBS, shades of 1929: The NASD issues a rare warning to investors on excessive stock and bond purchases made on margin   o o o Reader Jim H. mentioned that Sam’s Club membership warehouse stores are …



Notes from JWR:

The mass media is abuzz about the massacre at Virginia Tech, where Cho Seung-Hui, a foreign student used a pair of handguns (9mm and .22 rimfire) to kill 32 unarmed people. The mainstream media pundits are pointing fingers at the college administration that failed to raise an alarm after Cho killed his first two victims, and fled. Two hours later, he killed 30 more students, and then himself. But the issue that the media is failing to ask is: Why were all of his victims unarmed? The answer: Because it was against school policy to have guns on campus, and …


Livestock at Your Retreat, by Samantha

Livestock, while not strictly essential to post-TEOTWAWKI survival, are certainly on the to-have list of the majority of all survival-minded individuals. However, it is also a subject rarely broached within those same circles, and concise, laymen’s term pointers are a hard find. For the most part where the U.S. is concerned, what was once knowledge crucial to the survival of men the world round has now dwindled, in effect, to the level of a hobby. In brief, I’ll cover the three most basic issues which apply to all manner of livestock, and then broach species-specific information. I encourage everyone with …


The Virginia Shootings, Israel, and the Shoah, by David in Israel

Today we see again a senseless shooting in an American city on the same day we observe the remembrance of the Shoah. Sadly an innocent Jew who survived all of these years after being delivered from the Nazi death machine gave his life trying to disarm the attacker. Rumanian-born Prof. Liviu Librescu, 75 was an Israeli citizen and taught engineering at Virginia Tech where the shooting occurred. May his family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. Had Prof. Librescu been in Israel his home perhaps the end of the story would have been different. Israelis carry their …


Odds ‘n Sods:

The high bid in the SurvivalBlog benefit auction is now at $300. This auction is for a scarce pre-1899 Mauser that was arsenal converted to 7.62mm NATO. It has a retail value of $375. The auction ends on May 15th. Just e-mail me your bid. Thanks!   o o o RBS pointed us to this commentary by Dr. Irwin Kellner: End of housing bubble should have been obvious to everyone   o o o $40 Million Worth of MREs Spoiled as FEMA Ran Out of Space    o o o “Hiker” noted this warning issued by John Rubino, about the …



Note from JWR:

We have started a new SurvivalBlog benefit auction. This one is for a scarce pre-1899 Mauser that was arsenal converted to 7.62mm NATO! It has a retail value of $375. The auction ends on May 15th. The opening bid is $50 Just e-mail me your bid. Thanks!


Three Letters Re: Post-TEOTWAWKI Refrigeration Alternatives

Hi Jim, On the subject of refrigerators: I have used a basic model 12 volt DC Adler Barbour Cold Machine marine fridge for 15 years. This is already a 12 volt [DC] machine, so it does away with the need for an [AC] inverter; it is run straight from solar panels via a deep cycle battery bank. When I was building my boat (a.k.a. The Escape Pod) I contracted out the two part polyurethane spray foam insulation job for its steel hull. On that day, I already had my fridge box prepared, and the foam guys sprayed the exterior of …


Letter Re: Is There Any Utility in Bump Firing a Semi-Auto Rifle, for Retreat Defense?

Mr. Rawles: I’ve seen your comments on the pros and cons of registered [Class 3] full autos [in the United States]. But can’t a similar effect be accomplished with a “Tac Trigger” or “Hellfire” [or similar device] for someone like me, who plans to have a marginally-manned retreat? They are banned in California, but here in Arizona, they are legal to own and use. Merci, – G.H. JWR Replies: I don’t consider trigger reset devices particularly effective, because of the way that a shooter has to loosely hold a rifle to get it to bump fire sequentially.This is not conducive …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader H.H. sent us a link to this article with a different view of peak oil at the IBD: Running On Empty? Not Yet   o o o One of the folks over at The Claire Files mentioned the My Fallout Shelter web site. It has some very useful maps on fallout pattern prediction (very scary for easterners!), as well as some free downloadable document on fallout shelter construction.    o o o Not the slightest bit survival or preparedness related, but you gotta love this piece of jet jockey lore, by way of our friend Kit‘s entertaining blog: “ASPEN …