Month: June 2008

Letter Re: An Army Officer’s Observations

Mr Rawles, I found your web site a few months ago and have been pouring through it ever since. This past week, I finished reading the SurvivalBlog archives through the end of 2007. Just six months of archives left 🙂 I also just finished reading your excellent novel, “Patriots” As a fundamentalist Christian who was homeschooled, I truly appreciate your willingness to unabashedly share your faith and your conservative family values through your web site and writings. I am also a West Point graduate who became an Armor officer in 2000, so I really enjoy and relate to your anecdotes …


Letter Re: Potassium Iodide Versus Potassium Iodate for Post-Nuke Thyroid Gland Protection

Jim, I’m doing some preparation research now since I’ll be pretty close to Yucca Mountain when it comes online, which I ultimately expect it to. I recently saw a posting on your blog [from “Cody”] regarding the taking of the thyroid blockers Potassium Iodate [KI] and Potassium Iodide [KIO3] in case of a nuclear event. The person writing you said that Potassium Iodate was superior because it didn’t cause as much stomach irritation as Potassium Iodide. I did a web search on “potassium iodide versus potassium iodate” and came up with these links: Approved Brands Iodide Versus Iodate WHO Guide …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Thanks to Manuel for sending this “.45 ACP versus 400 pound bear” story from the mountains of eastern Oregon: ‘Bears always run away’. OBTW, hammer down on a live cartridge is not a good way to carry a Model 1911 pistol! (There are safety issues in lowering the hammer without causing a negligent discharge, and the pistol carried in “Condition Stupid” is very slow to get into action.) Most bears and two-legged predators are not nearly so polite as to give someone the time to both un-holster and then thumb-cock a M1911 pistol. These pistols are properly carried in “Condition …



Note from JWR:

The high bid in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction. is now at $650. This big auction is for any of you that are gun enthusiasts. It includes 17 items: A four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate, which was kindly donated by Naish Piazza of Front Sight (worth up to $2,000), a $200 gift certificate from Choate Machine and Tool Company (the makers of excellent fiberglass stocks, folding stocks, and shotgun magazine extensions), $450+ worth of full capacity magazines from my personal collection including five scarce original Ruger-made 20 round Mini-14 magazines and five scarce 20 round Beretta M92 magazines, …


Letter Re: Alaska as a Retreat Locale

Although I think there is a lot of mindless drivel on television, I wouldn’t have know about your blog site if I hadn’t watched [the news story on CNN [that mentioned SurvivalBlog] yesterday. I was on the computer all afternoon yesterday reading information you have posted, as well as visiting the sites of some of your advertisers. You are right on your opinion of Alaska, [regarding its unsuitability for most people as a retreat locale]. We live in a coastal fishing community (population under 3,000 year round, double that in the summer when the cannery workers & tourists come to …


Letter Re: Consumer Price Hikes for Food Will Continue

James – I’m a long time reader first time writer. I have been in the food business for 31 years with many companies, over the past 12 months I have had to raise my prices around 27% but my costs have risen 57%. We are afraid to continue passing on the rise because business has already decreased substantially but within the next few months we will be forced to raise our prices another 25% or quit the business. What I am trying to say is that we are at most, only halfway through the food inflation which has already occurred, …


Letter Re: Observations on Real World Pistol Malfunctions and Failures

Mr. Rawles, Bill from Ohio writes: “Most people buy guns and they never shoot them, in fact, last time I heard a statistic regarding firearms usage in the United States, the national average of rounds fired per gun was seven – and that is over the entire lifetime of the owner!” There are about 250 million firearms in the US and about 10 billion rounds of ammunition sold per year. That’s an average of 40 rounds per gun per year. On average, each US resident fires about 2,400 rounds of ammunition in a 72-year lifetime. Assuming a 40-year lifetime for …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Several readers flagged this: US grain reserves reach the bottom of the barrel. Here is a key quote: “The only thing left in the entire CCC inventory will be 2.7 million bushels of wheat which is about enough wheat to make 1?2 of a loaf of bread for each of the 300 million people in America.” Back in mid-April, I told a New York Sun reporter about the massive outflow of US grain, and mentioned that I was surprised that the Bush Administration has not implemented export controls. With these recent figures, I am even more concerned. I believe in …



Note from JWR:

Here is the link to the video clip of the CNN news story on Peak Oil preparedness that I mentioned last week. So much for “fifteen minutes of fame.” This news story mentioned SurvivalBlog for all of about three seconds. Don’t blink, or you’ll miss it.


Letter Re: For Want of a Battery

Mr. Rawles: I was working through my “List of Lists” yesterday, and a thought struck me like a lightning bolt: Without batteries–lots of rechargeable batteries–I’m hosed. There are so many items that I’ll depend on in an emergency that need batteries: My weather radio, Kenwood MURS handhelds (thanks for that suggestion, BTW), starlight scope, and my flashlights. (And thanks also for your suggestion of IR [flashlight] filters). Without [those battery-powered items as] “force multipliers”, I’d be at huge disadvantage to looters, who could be wandering the countryside in droves, if and when it all hits the fan. So, with that …


Two Letters Re: Advice on Backup Power for a Ranch in Western Canada

Hi Jim, Regarding the Canadian who was wondering about wind power versus diesel. The Windmill is a good idea if he uses an Amateur Radio “Crankover” type tower, better than the crank up towers [usually sold for small] windmills. However, there is a caveat: If [the reader in Canada] goes with wind power, then have a spare. If he can [afford to] put up two windmills, then buy three, when he buys them[, which will provide one as a spare]. Even a bird hit on a reasonably modern power generating windmill will cause mucho damage. Just my humble opinion. I …


Letter Re: Observations on Real World Pistol Malfunctions and Failures

Dear James, I’ve mentioned to you before that I’m a affiliate instructor with another major firearms training school. The comments made [by correspondent PPPP] about pistol malfunctions are 100% in line with what we see on our firing lines, as well. We advise our students to run away screaming from any weapon that has ‘target’, ‘match’, ‘custom’, or ‘accurized’ stamped on the side of them. It was [Mikhail] Kalashnikov [the designer of the incredibly robust AK-47] who pointed out to us all that when you have something with moving parts, the parts need room to move! Most custom shop and …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Another bit of agreement on one of my predictions: Surging inflation will stoke riots and conflict between nations, says report    o o o Kory found us this: Antibacterial wipes can spread superbugs: study    o o o Shale sent us this AP news article: DOJ sues Honeywell over faulty bulletproof vests. Zylon is again the culprit. We’ve been warning SurvivalBlog readers for nearly three years to avoid Zylon vests.    o o o The Reuters London bureau reports a common theme on both sides of the Atlantic: Home-grown vegetables grow in popularity. The article begins: Almost 70 years after …