Day: July 11, 2009

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 23 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 three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried foods, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. Second Prize: A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $350. Third Prize: A copy of …


Disaster Procedures: A Survival Field Guide, by A.V.

The Relevance of Procedures In a disaster situation many things previously fixed become variable. Communications, supplies, security and many other aspects of civilized society that we often take for granted may quickly become mired down by inefficient or massive use. Equipped as we are with a survival mindset, many still succumb to the environment of pandemonium that evolves: we forget our training, misuse our equipment, and the pace of events overwhelms us. On top of these considerations, many interested in disaster preparation may not have a family or group that is equally well-versed in the nuances of survival situations. Many …


Five Letters Re: How to Build a Deeper Supply of Prescription Medications

Dear Mr. Rawles, Pat C.’s recent post regarding the acquisition of prescription drugs in quantity includes many good thoughts. As a pharmacist of more years than I like to admit, I feel compelled to add to a few of Pat’s points. Pat mentions FDA restrictions on quantities of several types of medications, including some “powerful antibiotics, pain drugs, and highly abused drugs”. I’m unaware of FDA restrictions on dispense quantities of any drugs, except regarding a very small number of drugs with unusually high-risk of adverse reactions. These few drugs would rarely come into play in stocking for calamities. The …


Letter Re: The Latest Special Operations Forces Medical Handbook

Jim, Among the books listed by the recent "favorite books" survey respondents was the US Army Special Forces Medical Handbook (ST31-91B). This book is obsolete and has been supplanted by the Special Operations Forces Medical Handbook. The best summaries as to why the one is obsolete I’ve found are: “That manual is a relic of sentimental and historical interest only, advocating treatments that, if used by today’s medics, would result in disciplinary measures,” wrote Dr. Warner Anderson, a U.S. Army Colonel (ret.) and former associate dean of the Special Warfare Medical Group. “The manual you reference is of great historical …


Economics and Investing:

JHB up in Montana sent this: Banks must brace for credit card pile-up HPD spotted this: Mish’s Global Economic Trend Analysis: Food-Stamps Reach $33.8 Million in April, 5th Consecutive Monthly Record Times must be really bad: Engineering Unemployment Soared in 2Q to 8.6% Reader HH sent us these three items: Economist: FDIC gearing up for bank closures Sales of Silver, Gold Coins Surge Inflation: Expectations and Effects Items from The Economatrix: Economist Declares Train Wreck “Morgan Stanley expert convinced out-of-control budget deficits to drag economy under” Dallas Fed: Inflation Harder to Predict Ron Paul’s Bipartisan Attack on The Fed Shipping …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Ben M. sent this: Did an Ancient Volcano Freeze Earth?    o o o Concern over Ebola virus in pigs; Ebola can cause deadly disease in some forms. A form of Ebola virus has been detected in pigs for the first time, raising concerns it could mutate and pose a new risk to humans. (Thanks to Andrew H. for the link.)From    o o o Cheryl flagged this: Frail Kim Jung-Il May Have Only Months To Live; Youngest Son May Not Be Successor Due To China’s Disagreement


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Welcome to a depression. Not such a bad thing, really. Just a period of adjustment…a time for fixing, re-organizing, downsizing, and mending. There’s a time to every purpose under heaven. This is the time to take stock and shape up. But wait again. It doesn’t feel like a depression. Where are the soup lines? Where are the Okies packing up and moving to California? Where are Ziegfield Girls, the Civilian Conservation Corps and Eleanor Roosevelt? How come this depression’s not in black and white? Well…because this is a 21st century depression. This depression is in living color…and it comes to …