Month: January 2009


Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 20 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The contest prizes include: First Prize: The writer of the best contributed article will be awarded two transferable Front Sight  “Gray” Four Day Training Course Certificates. This is an up to $4,000 value! Second Prize: A three day course certificate from OnPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. Third Prize: A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing Round 20 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. …


A Low-Cost Route to Earning a Bachelor’s Degree, by V/Rs

For many, the cost of a college education can be prohibitive; however the necessity of having a degree can be crucial when a job seeker is looking for work. Oftentimes, a college degree is used as a discriminator in the hiring process. Those with years of experience and talent may not even be considered for a position simply because they haven’t “filled in the blocks” required by a human resources department. Even if the degree is in an unrelated field, it is usually enough to get a person through the initial hurdles of the interview process. However, even the costs …


Letter Re: Seattle Area Isolated Because of Flooding

Hello Jim: Well, the weather hits for the Pacific Northwest keep on coming and lessons still need to be learned. As I type this, the entire Western Washington region is cut off. That’s right! All three open passes across the Cascades to the east have been closed due to avalanche and flooding concerns, flooding has cut off I-5 between Portland and the state capitol of Olympia and Western B.C. is cut off from blocked passes in that region. All official roadways have been closed in Western Washington key areas due to flood and washout concerns. The news is reporting that …


Letter Re: The SurvivalistBooks.com Groups Match-Up Page is Back On-Line

Hi James! Happy New Year and a belated Merry Christmas! I’ve just returned from a ‘holiday’ working on my retreat and found that over the holiday break my e-mail server fell over. I have added those messages I could recover to my Groups Listing page – but I know I have lost at least a couple of postings . As a significant number of people access this page [from the link at the Finding Like-Minded People in Your Area page] at your site, [I’d like to] explain what has happened and ask anyone who doesn’t see their listing to resend …


Letter Re: CNN to Air I.O.U.S.A. Today and Tomorrow

James, This coming weekend, CNN will broadcast a program called I.O.U.S.A. It’s a documentary about the United States debt – which is out of control, an expose on just how bad our current economic crisis is. Karen and I believe that becoming educated about what is possibly the biggest problem in our lifetimes – is critical. So we write this email to you today hoping you’ll watch this program and get involved. If we sit idly-by and watch from the sidelines as our Federal Government continues to spend our hard earned tax dollars – in an out of control fashion, …


Odds ‘n Sods:

A SurvivalBlogger in the southeastern US might find this “RV” of interest. I’ve noticed that retired armored trucks don’t get sold on the open market very often–most get re-engined umpteen times and simply passed around between armored transport companies. (Thanks to Chester for the link.)    o o o Trent and FloridaGuy both sent us this: Merrill Lynch predicts $1,150 gold by June    o o o As usual, here’s the latest economic news and commentary from Cheryl, but the first item was suggested by Redclay: Numbers show economy in near free fall — World Stocks Drop as US Unemployment …



Notes from JWR:

Our spin-off web site, SurvivalRealty.com seems to be approaching critical mass. Five new advertisers have been added in just the last few days. Both individual property sellers and real estate agents have caught on to the fact that they need to exploit niche marketing to find buyers for rural properties in the currently depressed real estate market. And for buyers, SurvivalRealty is the best place to find retreat-suitable properties with very motivated sellers. (Prices are falling!) Speaking of which, don’t miss the price reduction on the Cocolalla Ridge Retreats, near Sandpoint, Idaho. Talk about a bargain, and you couldn’t ask …


A Farmer’s Perspective on Combating Crime in South Africa, by Joe Ordinary Voortrekker

Although we in South Africa do not live in a TEOTWAWKI situation, we routinely have to deal with constant attempts to appropriate life, possessions, and freedom that could be good training for a TEOTWAWKI situation. The following are some real life insights as to what and how we handle these regular attempts at property liberation on our homesteads and surrounds. We are fortunate to live well outside of South Africa’s largest city, our community is isolated and not visible from any main road. To a point where people that live in nearby areas do not know where our entry road …


“Show Your Colors”–Recognition Flags for Post-Collapse Travel in Groups?

Jim, Some friends and I were out on a hike several weeks ago with our bug out bags, and we were talking about how we could easily identify non-threatening travelers or [perhaps even] fellow SurvivalBlog blog readers. Maybe a flag of some type? Being able to identify [“friendlies”] would be especially helpful in a TEOTWAWKI situation. I’m just wondering if anyone else had suggested anything along those lines. Thanks, – Steven JWR Replies: Your chances of meeting a fellow SurvivalBlog readers are slim. (There are only about 282,000 SurvivalBlog readers in the US, scattered in a population of more than …


Letter Re: Notes on Using FoodSavers and Other Home Vacuum Packer/Sealers

Hello, Just a quick note about vacuum sealing for the folks who purchased a FoodSaver recently [during the current special $59 sale price offer.] I live in Alaska and grew up using the FoodSaver brand sealer and there are two key things to remember when using them. The first is follow the instructions and allow ample time for the sealing strip to cool down between bags and second never allow moisture into the unit as this will ruin it quickly, we have ruined many this way and when they quit working, had to throw them away and get another. When …


Letter Re: Documentary Film Producer Seeking Interview Subjects

Hello to the Readers of SurvivalBlog: I do hope you’ll consider the following request. I produce documentaries for a company called Engel Entertainment We have been around for more than a dozen years, and have a solid track record producing award-winning and highly rated programming for all of the major broadcasters (the History Channel, the Discovery Channel, PBS, National Geographic, etc.). My most recent film was a two-hour special for History Channel called “Black Blizzard”, about the American Dust Bowl (this is actually re-broadcasting this Friday night, January 9th, at 10 p.m. if you’d like to see a sample of …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Does this sound familiar? Walking Away from the American Dream. FWIW, In August of 2005, I accurately predicted mortgage holders “walking away” from houses and turning in the house keys to their bankers. This has more recently been called “jingle mail”. Also on the economic front, comes these items from The Economatrix: Stock Losses Leave Pensions $400 Billion Short — Martial Law, Financial Bailout, and War — Biggest Rise in US Unemployment in 59 Years — Bank of England Cuts Rates to 300-Year Low — Pink Slips Pile Higher, Recession Worsens — The Fate of Paper Money —    o …