Day: June 4, 2010

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 29 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will include: 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 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 500 round case of …


Studying TEOTWAWKI: Why the “Smartest Men in the Room” are Worried, by F.S.

The purpose of this article is to lay out the intellectual underpinnings of what I will call the neosurvivalist movement. The target audience is those individuals either beginning, or considering to start, preparations for broad societal emergencies. The intended result is to demonstrate that far from being a fringe or extremist movement, neosurvivalism is rational and has emerged as a natural result of broader social, cultural, and technological circumstances grounded in specific historical and contemporary thinking. This movement goes by many names, including survivalism, prepping, emergency preparedness, and so-called “offgrid” or “resilient communities.” Businesses and governments are likewise investing in …


Letter Re: Two-Legged Snow Mobility

Jim and All: As I got off the plane and headed out from the airport parking garage I realized that actually getting home could be a challenge. The blizzard of February 2007 which was coming to an end had dropped a significant amount of snow and the high winds had been producing white out conditions. A phone call to a friend who lived in my area quickly told me I might have to walk if I plan on getting home. Normally I would have just stayed at a friend or relatives home until the weather lifted and the roads had …


Letter Re: Sea Salt–An Indispensable Commodity for Uncertain Times

Dear Editor: Roxanne with RMR makes a good point about sea salt adding flavor to a TEOTWAWKI diet. As a physician I must caution everyone that the brief mention she makes about iodine being added to “regular salt” is not a minor issue. In my practice I have identified modern day patients who are actually iodine deficient, something most physicians, even most endocrinologists, think can’t happen. A very respected endocrinologist whom I trained under speaks about when he was a child and families in Utah becoming iodine deficient over the course of winter because of their diet. Iodine needs to …


Economics and Investing:

U.S. Inflation to Approach Zimbabwe Level, Faber Says. (Thanks to Brian B. for the link.) Reader Matt in in Tennessee notes that the animated national unemployment map (mentioned before in my blog) has recently been updated to include data from March, 2010. Matt’s comment: “The map grows darker and darker…like a cloud that hints of an impending storm.” Joe K. mentioned that someone is auctioning one million copper pennies on eBay. That’s 7,000 pounds of copper! G.G. sent us this: U.S. Mint’s May gold coin sales reach most since 1999 Courtesy of reader Becky P.: Greece Urged to Give Up …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Abram in Washington State mentioned a comparative nutritional analysis of canned, frozen and fresh fruits and vegetables conducted by the University of Illinois Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition.    o o o F.B.P. pointed out a US Department of Transportation map of truck traffic in the U.S. that can be added to your data set in choosing retreat locales.    o o o Reader RBS flagged this: West Poised for Worst Grasshopper Outbreak in 30 Years