Year: 2008


Notes from JWR:

Note from JWR: There are just three days left in the current SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction. The high bid is still at $500. This auction is for a big mixed lot: a NukAlert radiation detector, donated by KI4U–a $160 value), a DVD of 480 E-books on Alternative Energy (donated by WK Books–a $25 value), and the following package of survival gear all kindly donated by CampingSurvival.com: One case of MREs, one pack of water purifications tablets, a bottle of colloidal silver, a fire starter, a bottle of potassium iodate tablets, an emergency dental kit, a pack of “Shower in a bag” …


The Golden Horde and the Thin Veneer

3

Because of the urbanization of the U.S. population, if the entire eastern or western power grid goes down for more than a week, the cities will rapidly become unlivable. I foresee that there will be an almost unstoppable chain of events: Power -> water -> food distribution -> law and order -> arson fires -> full scale looting As the comfort level in the cities rapidly drops to nil, there will be a massive involuntary outpouring from the big cities and suburbs into the hinterboonies. This is the phenomenon that my late father, Donald Robert Rawles–a career particle physics research …


Letter Re: Portable Two-Way Radio Recommendations

Sir, Could you or your readers recommend any good two-way re-chargeable hand-held radios that are sold at outdoor places such as Cabela’s? I’m particularly looking for a model that I could use while at University classes while my wife is one mile away at our apartment. Thanks,.- Chad JWR Replies: Reliable communication with a one mile range in a cluttered environment–as I assume yours is, if the city is large enough to host a university–is “iffy” for the typical FRS and GMRS hand-held transceivers on the consumer market. My preference is for the MURS band hand-helds. Not only will you …


Odds ‘n Sods:

You’ll recall that I promised to feature more good news. Here is some potentially good news for the US Dollar from The Financial Times: Dollar at crossroads amid brighter US outlook    o o o Jay in Florida sent an article that should come as no surprise: FDIC Fund Strained by Bank Failures May Have to Raise Premium. If the bank runs continue apace, the FDIC may have to rely on much more: Namely, “The full faith and credit…”    o o o Fitzy in Pennsylvania found this: The bionic exoskeleton future is almost here.    o o o Wars, …



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


Letter Re: Of Bulls and Bears–Some History and a Glimpse at the Future

Dear Mr. Rawles, Thanks for the great blog, and your “Patriots” novel. Reading your site has become a daily routine for me. One thing that I am finding amusing in today’s investment market is this mythical line in the sand of when we are officially in a Bear market. At present the market seems to be fighting to stay just above this line and almost daily some market pundit states how one average or another has “officially’ entered an intraday Bear Market. Few people know, especially those in the investment market, the origins of the terms Bulls and Bears. In …


Letter Re: The Novel The Road is Now in Movie Production

Mr. Rawles, As you seem to enjoy a bit of fiction with your survival preparedness I thought you would be interested to know that Cormac McCarthy’s best-selling and Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “The Road”, is being made into a Hollywood movie. While certainly not the world’s greatest survival fiction it isn’t a bad morality play of the mindset required to survive a pervasive society ending disaster. The movie is set to release in November by John Hillcoat and star Viggo Mortenson, Robert Duvall and Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce and 12-year-old Kodi Smit McPhee. It could be good but the sheeple will …