Notes from JWR:

The third year for SurvivalBlog has come to an end, with continued strong growth in readership in 157 countries. Our stats have tripled in the last 14 months! We’ve logged 400,000+ different readers, and we now have nearly 5,800 archived articles, letters, and quotes–all are available for free download. Since this is New Year’s Day, here is the one and only annual reminder to renew 10 Cent Challenge subscriptions. For the privacy of my readers, I don’t keep records of subscriptions, so I have no way of tracking when any particular subscription has lapsed. I never e-mail our subscribers, bugging/begging …




Letter Re: It’s a Scary World Out There: Fearsome Attack Hens

Jim, I recall awhile back you posted a message that offered humor and a bit of the lighter side of life since we’re inundated with intimidating subject matter. I haven’t seen too many lighter sided anecdotes of late so here’s mine. When I was 20 yrs old, I was a paratrooper and foolhardy scared of nothing. Now, after serving five years as an airborne, ranger, infantryman and 20 years in law enforcement, I’ve learned to respect dangerous situations. Recently, my insurance agent dispatched her part time picture-taker to my residence to snap some pictures of the place to keep records …




Six Letters Re: Home Invasion Robbery Countermeasures–Your Mindset and Architecture

Greetings Mr. Rawles, I read your blog everyday and am learning so much. Thanks for your dedication to helping prepare us for the future. In reference to the recent article on home security, we lived in Argentina for three years and we could all learn from their security measures. The first house we lived in had steel shutters, as did everyone in the neighborhood, and they were all shut at night. The doors have locks that automatically lock when you leave the house. The small front yards usually have tall steel fences with the same height gates. The gates were …




Odds ‘n Sods:

Eric sent us this: Car Market Total Collapse    o o o Mike McD. found two Australian article of interest: Return of the 1950s housewife?, and Jobless heading for 1 million as rate cuts won’t avert pain    o o o The essay Foundations of Crisis, by Doug Casey was recommended by reader “Hiker LT”    o o o Eric L. sent this link: Box O’Truth Tests Elmer Keith-Sytle DumDum Bullets    o o o The latest, from Cheryl: World Markets Suffer Worst Year Ever — Bankruptcies to Hit Record in 2009 — Dr. Doom: Short Treasuries, Buy Hard Assets …




Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear." – Harry S. Truman, August 8, 1950