Month: June 2010


Notes from JWR:

The special sale price for the Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course will be discontinued on June 21st. So order yours, soon! — 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 …


How to Get to Your Retreat, by Tony Y.

You have spent large amounts of time and money getting prepared for the day that we all hoped would never come.  You have found a retreat, kept it stocked and have been prepared to leave when TEOTWAWKI strikes.  It’s now here, but have you prepared how to get to your retreat? One of the most critical tasks for survival in TEOTWAWKI is getting to your retreat in a safe and efficient manner.  I was a US Army soldier who completed two year- long tours in Iraq working convoys.  I have written the following for civilians with no military or tactical …


Letter Re: Out of the Wild: The Alaska Experiment Documentary Series

JWR: Thanks for your great work! The following video series is available through Netflix and with a membership can be viewed instantly on your computer. Very good stuff. Normal people in a wilderness survival situation. Shows how important mental attitude is in such a scenario. Here is a description from Netflix: Out of the Wild: The Alaska Experiment (2009 TV-PG 2 discs / 8 episodes) "Deserted in the harsh Alaskan interior, nine outdoor enthusiasts must rely on their resourcefulness to make it back to civilization alive, foraging for food, building makeshift shelters and battling plummeting temperatures along the way. Over …


Letter Re: Fit to Survive, Part Two: All the Other Stuff

Mister Rawles, I really enjoyed reading a fitness article that made sense to me from a prepper’s perspective. But building sensible body mass is important for much more than fight, flight and health reasons. In a collapse situation jobs will be at a premium and equal opportunity hiring will truly be a thing of the past (as will most desk jobs). If you find yourself needing work, you’ll want to be bigger and stronger than the guys around you. Also, it will be apparent to any employer that you are no stranger to toil and self discipline. In short, you’ll …


Economics and Investing:

Joseph C. sent a link to this: Why U.S. debt matters to you Trent H. flagged this: For Some Homeowners in Foreclosure, a Rent-Free Approach. Trent’s comment: “This attitude is astonishing and disappointing. The attitude that ‘the banks are crooks’, and thus its okay to behave similarly is frightening.” From Brian B.: Federal debt tops $13 trillion mark. (And that doesn’t include the massive future obligations like government pensions) Why a ‘new euro’ could be the saviour of the European dream. (Thanks to L.R. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: First-Time Jobless Claims Drop for Second Week Retailers’ Reports …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Jeff B. reminded me about this useful article by Grandpappy: How to Preserve Food for Future Consumption Using Three Simple Old Fashioned Methods.    o o o Phoenix-area hospitals fight highly toxic ‘supergerm’. (Thanks to S.M. for the link.)    o o o Douglas wrote to mention a Guatemalan web site that has downloadable examples of pedal power that can be harnessed which would otherwise require electricity or hand power (which is far more effort). Pretty neat stuff.    o o o Bill M. thought this article would be of interest: Vanishing Farmland: How It’s Destabilizing America’s Food Supply    …



Notes from JWR:

A reminder that the special sale on the Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course ends on June 21st. Get your order in soon! — 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 …


Fit to Survive, Part Two: All the Other Stuff

In Part One of this article (posted on May 16th) I tried to emphasize the importance of strength and what roles it played in survival.  I want to reiterate that strength is the cornerstone of all human physical ability.  The stronger you are the faster you can run, the further you can jump, and the harder you can hit.  However strength is not everything and being satisfied with only developing strength is like only focusing on purchasing guns for your SHTF scenario, it’s very one dimensional.  After a period of time, up to a year, it would be wise to …


Letter Re: The A.N.T.S Network– Institutionalized OPSEC Naivete

James Wesley: Do you want to see a serious breach of operational security (OPSEC)? Then go to the “ANTS Group” web site and click on their map. Zoom in on some of the names and addresses of folks with supplies just waiting to help others. I’m glad to see folks (“ants”) ants willing to help [others], but I’m sorry to see folks getting setting themselves up [as targets] for the [the depredations of the] not so trustworthy or “Golden Horde” (a.k.a. Grasshoppers)! Regards, – M.T. JWR Replies: Thanks for sending that illustration of how not to keep a low profile. …


Economics and Investing:

SurvivalBlog reader H. in Quebec asked me to summarize my view of the current economic situation, and asked what is coming next. In essence, the recession will likely turn into depression that may last for decades. What is ahead? This is what I wrote in early 2008: “The current financial instability is just the beginning. Before this is over, the debt crisis will start an avalanche that will bankrupt countless individual investors, institutional stockholders, hedge funds, stock trading companies, municipalities, banks, S&Ls, and insurance companies. Since the magic money tap will be turned off, both residential and commercial real estate …


Odds ‘n Sods:

“Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course    o o o Thanks to Kevin S. for a heads-up: Signs Point to Administration Plan to Lock Up 13 Million Acres of Federal Land    o o o Reader Lee C. spied this one: Wheat rust: ‘cereal killer’ in Kenya    o o o Bill in New York suggested: 15 Unusual Uses for Baking Soda



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 …