Day: February 20, 2010

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 27 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 assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Luger, 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP ammo, …


Incremental Preparedness: The Good, Better, Best Approach, by Jeff B.

For many, the idea of preparedness seems like an impossible undertaking. The amount of equipment and supplies needed is staggering. When I first came to the realization that I was under prepared, the gap between what I had and where I needed to be was too much for my public servant’s paycheck to bear. I would spend a lot of time discussing preparedness with a group that I would go shooting with, and all of these meetings would always gravitate to “which weapon do you plan for X meters?” or “how many rounds do you think I need for X …


Two Letters Re: The Home Foundry, Metal Casting

Mr. Rawles, First thanks for a great blog. I’ve been a regular reader for a year or so now. I’ve read with interest the entries by Dan in Oklahoma on the home foundry. I learned the foundry trade from my father by helping him in a small bronze foundry. I’ve learned the pattern making trade from my father and by jumping in with both feet and making patterns. I’ve since moved on to my own business casting aluminum parts for the WW2 aircraft restoration industry and hope to add magnesium castings to my capabilities. I have one bone to pick …


Four Letters Re: Survival Fire Safety

Sir, Mr. F. has written a very good article on a subject often neglected by many. As a fire service professional working for one of the largest municipal agencies in the country, I must warn against the use of candles whenever possible. Paranoid? Not after seeing burned up children, loss of property, etc. If you must, please place them well away from any combustible materials, and never carry one when lit. – SplitHoof. JWR Replies: I generally discourage the use of candles, but if and when they are used, my advice is to: 1.) Never let them burn unattended, and …


Economics and Investing:

SurvivalBlog’s “George Gordon” (GG) suggested this article: Five Million Workers to Exhaust Unemployment Benefits by June. Also from GG comes the link to this Seeking Alpha piece: The Municipal Bond Crisis Is About to Begin Yishai sent us a link by way of Glenn Reynolds (at Instapundit): International Monetary Fund to sell another 191 tons of gold. This is panic-driven market manipulation, folks! Items from The Economatrix: Low Inflation Gives Fed Room to Keep Rates Down Fewer People Falling Behind in the Home Loans Stocks Edge Higher as Fed Eases Bank Supports Oil Prices Up 12% in Two Weeks


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Rick V. recommended a piece by Nadia Arumugam in Slate magazine: Expiration dates mean very little.    o o o The Marines are Looking for a Few Good Rounds: Corps to use more lethal ammo in Afghanistan    o o o Travis H. sent us this link: Smuggled guns used in cartel hits. What the liberally-biased CNN journalists don’t mention is that the vast majority of guns used by the drug cartels are either stolen from the Mexican Army, or smuggled in from Mexico’s southern neighbors. Their U.S.-sourced guns are the small minority of what they have, and many …