Day: February 24, 2009

Product Review: Shelf Reliance Cansolidator – Addendum, by Michael Z. Williamson

After my successful test of ShelfReliance’s Cansolidator, I acquired their full-size Harvest system that holds up to 600 cans. The Harvest comes in two cartons, a tall heavy one with the metal structure, and a big, double-walled carton with the can racks. The instructions are included, and quite straightforward. One or two pictures weren’t as clear as they could be, but a look at the components straightened everything out. While I was able to put the system together myself, I’d recommend have a second person to assist. It’s not particularly complicated, just large. The steel frame slots together with keyhole …


Letter Re: Christianity and Self-Defense

Mr. Rawles, First of all, thank for providing the incredible resource of Survivalblog. I have only been a reader for a few months, but it has been an eye-opening experience. I was raised in a conservative, Christian home and my father was only a “casual” gun owner. At first, when reading the opinions on your blog, I was skeptical about owning firearms. I had never owned a gun in my life and only shot one a couple times. In actuality, I had never really thought too much about guns. However, after reading your reconciliation of Christianity and self-defense and my …


Letter Re: A Source for Potable Water Storage Tanks

Jim, I enjoy your blog. Recently a few friends and I started to look for potable water storage tanks for long term storage. Most tanks either were not designed for long term storage or the retailer does not have enough information. (Ever since the bottled water cancer scare, the composition of the plastic has taken on a new importance.) Wanted to pass on to you a link to WaterTanks.com, a company that has really been great leading us through the process and willing to sell us 1 or 100 tanks. Our sales rep is James Opferman. We are going to …


Economics and Investing:

Tamara over at the Books, Bikes. & Boomsticks blog mentioned Rick Santelli’s “rant of the year”, amidst cheers from the Chicago Merc trading pits. Stock market slump: Major stock market indexes fall to 1997 levels. Hmmm, let’s see, now adjusting for infaltion,… G.G. sent this: Foreigners Wary of Long-Term U.S. Securities. JWR’s comment: How long will it be before foreign investors start demanding higher rates of return.? Stagflation is coming, folks! I spotted this Wall Street Journal article linked at The Drudge Report: ‘Nationalize’ the Banks, Dr. Doom says a takeover and resale is the market-friendly solution. Several readers sent …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Heather flagged this for us: Sole revival for cobblers. Heather asks: “Perhaps this is a good Depression-proof trade to learn?”   o o o Reader “67” pointed me to HowAutoWork.com, a a site for learning the concepts and terminology of engines and motor vehicles. Knowing how a machine works is crucial to understanding repairs and maintenance. The site has detailed, informative, easy-to-grasp information. I’m bookmarking it for “curriculum enrichment” for my home-schooled kids. This sub-page on engine types is a good starting point.    o o o Several readers sent us thi from Glenn Beck’s site: The Survivors Club Quiz …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

Wir versaufen unser Oma ihr klein Hauschen, Ihr klein Hauschen, Wir versaufen unser Oma ihr klein Hauschen, Und die erste und die zweite Hypothek! – Popular drinking song in the Weimar Republic of Germany, 1922 referring to the runaway inflation of the period Loosely translated: We are drinking up our granny’s little house, Her little house, We are drinking up our granny’s little house, And the first and second mortgage!