Month: July 2010

Notes from JWR:

Thank God for our Independence and Liberty! — 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 …


A Survival Suburban Homestead:  A Prepper’s Twist on the Homestead Movement – Part 1, by D.M.T.

As a member of the architectural profession, I am acutely aware of the multitude of sustainable issues emerging within our own society and the civilized world in general.  Urban homesteading is beginning to emerge because many people are beginning to come to the realization that there could be a major economic crash, Natural disaster, etc that could result in a disruption or failure in our food distribution chain emerging as directly applicable to many concerns facing many preppers regarding any failure or crises resulting in a disruption or collapse of the food distribution chain. But, urban homesteading is not the …


Letter Re: Sustainable Chicken Farming

Mr. Rawles, I’ve had chickens for about three years now, but in doing some research before I got mine I stumbled on the best source for chicken info: BackyardChickens.com. Now, I hear things all the time about chickens that people will discuss with me that I already knew because I read an in-depth discussion on the subject already on the forum. Also the moderation is very good so the site is kept very family friendly. For instance did you know Apple Cider Vinegar is good for their health? If so did you know you shouldn’t provide it in galvanized containers? …


Letter Re: Jim Rickards Comments on “The Financial Equivalent of the Atomic Bomb”

Hi Mr. Rawles, King World News featured an interview with James Rickards, Senior Managing Director at Omnis, Inc. and Co-Head of the firm’s practice in Threat Finance & Market Intelligence. The audio is linked within, as is the Jim Rickards article it stems from. Here are some excerpts: “There are legitimate concerns over the safety of citizens in the event of a financial collapse in the United States where confidence is lost and the dollar plunges. We are mired in a depression, and the central planners continue to look for solutions to keep the monetary system from completely buckling. In …


Economics and Investing:

Reader M.T. sent us this link: Gerald Celente: The Crash Is Underway H.L. sent this: Fears of Global Slowdown Hammer Stock Market Payback Time – Budget in the Red, Illinois Has Stopped Paying Bills (thanks to B.B. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Obama Says US Economy “Strengthening” Despite Weak Data US Auto Sales Seen Slowing with Recovery in Doubt City Budgets Snuffing 4th of July Fireworks Joint Chiefs Chair Reiterates Debt Is National Security Threat BP Shares Soar on Takeover Talks Greek Austerity Rage Spills Into Athens Streets One Million Protest Italy Austerity Package Crackdown! Is the Massive …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"With hearts fortified with these animating reflections, we most solemnly, before God and the world, declare, that, exerting the utmost energy of those powers, which our beneficent Creator hath graciously bestowed upon us, the arms we have compelled by our enemies to assume, we will, in defiance of every hazard, with unabating firmness and perseverance employ for the preservation of our liberties; being with one mind resolved to die freemen rather than to live as slaves." – Declaration of the Cause and Necessity of Taking Up Arms, July 6, 1775


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 …


The Frontier Diet: The Proven High Speed, Low Drag Travel Foods, by Hambone

As you make your plans to beat feet to a pre-selected retreat site or evacuate your area of operations for a short-term emergency, food has to be part of that planning effort.  As I read through SurvivalBlog site, I see folks posting their ideas.  These ideas fall into some general categories – freeze dried / dehydrated and MRE style meals, with the remainder looking at commercially wet-pack canned or other prepared food.  All have much to offer to a person or family looking ahead and seeing the possibility bad times.  They all have some drawbacks, as does any set of …


Three Letters Re: Surviving A Home Invasion Robbery

Good Day James Wesley, I’ve been learning from your site for years and today became a Ten Cent Challenge subscriber.. Thank You! I too was struck how easily a standard residential entry doors can be opened either by lock “bumping” and even more easily with a stout “kick”. When I retired last June, one of my first projects suggested by my darling wife was to replace all entry doors to our 1959 brick veneer ranch style house with attached garage. We wanted at minimum insulated, solid core, steel doors but also spent quite quite a bit of time looking/considering the …


Economics and Investing:

Chris G. sent us this troubling news article: House Democrats ‘Deem’ Faux $1.1 Trillion Budget ‘as Passed’ Recession cut into employment for half of working adults, study says. (Thanks to frequent content contributor B.B. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: BofE Rate Setter Fears New UK Recession Nearly 1 in 3 First-Quarter Home Sales a Foreclosure Sold at Steep Discount Central Banks Warn of New Crisis if Exit Left Too Late China Slowdown Fears Hit Global Markets It’s Everyone for Themselves After Toronto Failure Europe’s Recovery Falters Double-Dip Recession Warning Signs are Everywhere! Batten Down the Hatches! Payrolls Drop …


Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson found this item: Only a Government Bureaucrat…    o o o The folks at ModernSurvivalOnline.com now have more than 7 gigabytes of articles and manuals available for free download. Check it out. (But as usual for such sites, beware of any documents with unresolved copyright issues.)    o o o M.T,. sent this: U.S. is Unprepared for New Generation of Terror Bombs, Experts Say


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"In every government there necessarily exists a power from which there is no appeal, and which, for that reason, may be formed absolute and uncontrollable. The person or assembly in whom this power resides is called the sovereign or supreme power of the state. With us, the sovereignty of the Union is in the people." – Charles Pinckney, 1788


Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 29 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. This one is too short to qualify for consideration in the judging, but had enough merit to justify posting. (I encourage writers to include greater depth of detail and references.) 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 …


Sustainable Chicken Farming, by Sheila C.

I have been raising chickens for eggs during the past several years, and I would like to share some of the secrets I have learned for long term food production. I like free range eggs, but have found that chickens pose certain conflicts with other necessities that can be quite frustrating. And reproducing chickens can be quite a trick these days. Chickens are a very good source of sustainable food from eggs and meat and also have side benefits, but it’s good to know some of the tricks. I hope this article can help preppers get ready and give a …


Letter Re: A Brief Review of the Movie “Right at Your Door”

James Wesley: I watched the [R-rated] 2006 movie Right at Your Door on a cable movie channel this weekend. [It is also available as a “Watch Instantly” streaming video from Netflix.] The scenario was that there were multiple dirty bombs in Los Angeles– initially thought to be chemical, later revealed to be viral agents. [The film follows the protagonists’s reactions to] real-time self-defense (duct tape and plastic), the chaos of getting to the “retreat” of one’s home, reveals some poor thinking and planning and its consequences, and shows the deadly nature of likely governmental “help” for some victims in such …