Note from JWR:

We were overwhelmed by the generosity of reader R.C. in Arkansas, who just sent us a gift via PayPal, to help defray the cost of some of The Memsahib’s recent hospitalization. Thank you very much! Most of all, we appreciate your continuing prayers.




Letter Re: Getting Third World Experience to Prepare for More Austere Times

Mr. Rawles, I have been prepping and working on self-reliance for some time now, and starting reading your blog about a year ago. Thank you for your efforts. I am a dentist and would like to mention a training option that may be of interest to some of your readers. Especially medical personal. For the past 11 years I have been a “volunteer” dentist for a week or two at a time in a very poor, Central American country. I am part of team that includes other dentists, medical doctors (MDs), and assistants. I picked this country because of its …




Letter Re Binocular Recommendations

Sir: For our possible retreat security, you’ve written a lot about communications gear, intrusion detection devices (like Dakota Alerts), night vision gear, guns, and even observation post [construction]. But I haven’t seen your recommendations on binoculars. What model/brands [do you] recommend? Thanks, – Ray V. JWR Replies: I generally recommend 7×50 binoculars for retreat security at fixed sites. For patrolling, I prefer 7 power binoculars with smaller objective lenses–perhaps 7×42 or even 7×35, for lighter weight. If your retreat is out in open plains country, you might want more magnification and larger objective lenses. (Perhaps even a large 30×50 monocular …




Letter Re: Survival Fiction Recommendations

Mr. Rawles; I really enjoyed your novel [“Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse”.] It was great, and I was amazed at the quantity of useful facts that you squeezed into a piece of fiction. I’ve read it three time and have given away a copies to a couple of my friends and to my dad. It helped him extract his head from the sand. For that alone, I am very grateful. What other “survival” fiction do you recommend that has any real educational value? (Not just motivational or “what if” situations.) Are there any novels like yours, or perhaps some movies …




Odds ‘n Sods:

Perennial content contributor Cheryl N. found this “must read” MSNBC piece: Credit Crisis Prompts Unprecedented Response. It squares nicely with what I have been writing since the Spring of 2007: The global credit collapse is unprecedented, and will be both deep and prolonged. We are nowhere near the bottom yet!    o o o From The Guardian: Greenspan warns more banks may be bailed out. (A hat tip, again, to Cheryl N. for the link.)    o o o John R. recommended a brief speculative piece on state secession, penned by fellow SurvivalBlog reader Bill Buppert, recently posted over at …




Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Am I optimistic for the long-term? Absolutely not. I still believe we’re due for the mother of all market crashes, and that the U.S. economy is running on borrowed time — and I do mean borrowed. I think most baby boomers are in serious financial trouble, and that oil will climb above $200 a barrel. Inflation will also increase, causing more pain for the poor and middle class.” – Robert Kiyosaki