Letter Re: Advice on Two-Way Radio Communications

Mr. Rawles, I have read “Patriots,” and am finishing up your [“Rawles Gets You Ready”] preparedness course and I have a question: What brand, or type of two-way communication do I look for. I live in Kansas, about as far inland as we can go. I have several family members in the same small town and would like something that we all could communicate with. Ready Made Resources recommends a GMRS system, is that something to consider, or are CBs the answer? I appreciate all that you post on your blog, consequently, I have just purchased the “SurvivalBlog: The Best …




Preparing for Another Battle Rifle Ban, by Michael Z. Williamson

As many people will remember from the last “Assault Weapons” Ban (AWB) [in the US, which was effective from September, 1994 to September, 2004] there was a time window before the law took effect. Once it took effect, however, pre-ban purchased receivers could not legally be built into “assault weapons” unless they were in AW “format” before the ban took effect. So what does one do to get around this? It’s a rather silly technicality, but so are a lot of other legal issues. In this case, your stockpiled receivers need to be in AW “format” before any ban takes …




Letter Re: Survival Gardening: Growing Food During a Second Great Depression

Hi Jim, Regarding the recent article on Survival Gardening, another useful reference is [the book] Gardening When it Counts; Growing Food in Hard Times, by Steve Solomon, 2005, New Society Publishers. This wonderful book is very practical and comprehensive. It contains ratings regarding how difficult particular vegetables are to grow. Root systems, seed quality and selection, homemade organic fertilizer, tool selection and care, composting, irrigation, and pests and diseases are among the many topics covered. The author has decades of experience in growing his own nutritious food, and it shows. Reading this book can help one to avoid many gardening …




Letter Re: The Real Threat is Deflation

Greetings Jim, As always you have such great content on your site – I find myself constantly looking for “tomorrow’s” post today as I end my evening on the West Coast. Regarding the post by David R: ‘The Real Threat Is Deflation’, I’d like to mention a great article over on www.Mises.org called ‘Falling Prices Are The Antidote To Deflation’. Thanks to your guiding me towards studying and understanding the Austrian School of Economics, this web site has become, like yours, one that I seek out with my morning coffee. Another great article recently posted on their web site, and …




Odds ‘n Sods:

Chuck sent this: Zimbabwe unveils Z$100 trillion banknote. (“Inflation was last reported at 231 million percent in July, but the Washington think-tank Cato Institute has estimated it now at 89.7 sextillion percent — a figure expressed with 21 zeroes.”)    o o o I just dropped by the Total Survivalist Libertarian Rantfest blog, after a long absence. I must say that the two Ryans are in fine form. Their blog has both some good informative pieces, plus plenty of their own distinctive brand of humor. Great stuff, guys!    o o o Anne E. recommended this video at the Pioneer …




Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Let a regular army, fully equal to the resources of the country, be formed; and let it be entirely at the devotion of the federal government; still it would not be going too far to say, that the State governments, with the people on their side, would be able to repel the danger. The highest number to which, according to the best computation, a standing army can be carried in any country, does not exceed one hundredth part of the whole number of souls; or one twenty-fifth part of the number able to bear arms. This proportion would not yield, …