Day: May 27, 2009

Notes from JWR:

Would you like to be on NBC’s Today television show? A producer of the show contacted me and asked for some background information on the growth of the preparedness movement, and for help in locating a guest for a taped interview. They are looking for a “typical suburban survivalist” somewhere within 200 miles of New York City, for an interview. E-mail: Josh Weiner of NBC. — Today we present two more entries for Round 22 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. First Prize: A.) A course certificate from OnPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of …


Learning to Cook on a Wood-Fired Stove by Deborah

When my companion and I began our 18-month transition period of moving to and living in the woods, we also began a period of education. We discussed and planned much. We bought books and magazines and took classes on everything from solar collecting to gardening. One subject evaded me: cooking on a wood-burning stove. Every time I saw a magazine that flashed headlines on wood stoves, my hands would tremble in anticipation as I reached for it. However, the wood stoves in question were for heating, not for cooking. Since we were looking at a self-sufficient lifestyle and wood on …


Wood, the Alternative Energy for the Rest of Us, by Bill S.

Solar and wind electric generation systems are affordable and efficient, but there are a many areas of the U.S. where wind systems are not feasible, and few localized areas where solar systems are not feasible. A diesel powered generator with a large underground tank is reliable, but under adverse conditions the tank could run dry. Fortunately there are two systems capable of generating electric power with wood, a fuel readily available in most parts of the country. Gasification is a process of burning wood or other solid biomass in a specialized combustion vessel (basically an upside-down wood stove) that generates …


Letter Re: Questions on EMP Protection

Hello Jim, I recently finished reading [the recently-released novel] One Second After [by William R. Forstchen].The potential realities of this story can grab you. [In the novel] a young girl who dies because her insulin supply deteriorated. Lack of adequate refrigeration degraded the quality and effectiveness of the insulin. I was reviewing some bug out literature and ran across a list of equipment that included a portable 12 VDC cooler unit. This would be great for transporting heat sensitive pharmaceuticals during a move of some distance. My question is this: What effect would an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack have on …



Economics and Investing:

Reader Mike W. sent this: At Estates of the Fabulously Rich, Gilded Era is Going, Going, Gone D.S. recommended the ShadowStats primers series. D.S. comments: “Most folks that read SurvivalBlog are economically savvy – still, the ‘primers’ by John Williams at Shadowstats.com are excellent and help us understand the systematic distortion (okay, bald faced lies) about the real US Economy … I think this may aid folks as the economy ‘sails off the map’ or as flat earth maps stated ‘beware, beyond here lye Dragons’. Hmmm, think there is a correlation between ‘flat earth cartographers’ and today’s sheeple?” From Jack …


Odds ‘n Sods:

There is an excellent thread of discourse in progress over at TMM’s Gulching/Self-Sufficiency Forum titled, Burn a CD with survival and gulching information on it, what would you include?    o o o As you’ve doubtless already heard, the “rogue state” nuclear threat index just increased. I consider “Kim Jong Il ” and “Unstable” synonymous.    o o o Florida Guy sent a news article on the latest manifestation of hoplophobia: New York. proposes new bill to register and track all state ammo sales