Month: July 2010

Living In A Non-Residence, by Scrap Metal Man

I have been reading SurvivalBlog for a few years now, and have noticed that many folks think outside the box on a variety of issues, but when it comes to building or modifying a structure for a retreat – or even a full-time place – they lapse into conventional thinking.  So many times I have come across the words “house”, “cabin”, “home” or even “residence”.   I guess the idea is that we have to “reside” somewhere, and the rest of the world may as well know where that is.  Allow me a chance to share some of my thinking on …


Letter Re: Riots and Civil Unrest in America

Mr. Rawles, I had one more observation to add to B.B. in California’s letter about the 1992 Los Angeles riots. At the time, I was living in Bakersfield, a city a two hour drive from L.A., and I vividly recall watching the news coverage of the events. This was followed by stories of similar, albeit much smaller, incidents of ‘unrest’ in cities as far away from L.A. as Fresno, and Oakland, California. The most alarming thing was this: Each of these cities, indeed, even the city I lived in, had already sent some of the Police Officers (mostly California Highway …


Seven Letters Re: A Doctor’s Thoughts on Antibiotics, Expiration Dates, and TEOTWAWKI

Hi Jim, In response to the letters sent to you regarding my article, the FORTE version of the antibiotics described would be appropriate for full-grown men and all but the most petite women (less than, say, 100 pounds or so). Children would be best served with the 250mg fish antibiotic dose. Frequency of these medications is from 2-4 times a day, depending on the individual drug. The risk of under-dosage would be suboptimal progress in healing. Overdosage often manifests itself as diarrhea.. Treatment length is usually from 5-10 days. A good internet drug index can be found at rxlist.com. If …


Economics and Investing:

Flagged by G.G.: Jim Rogers predicts a new recession in 2012 Also from G.G.: Drip after drip of deflation data I was doing some web wandering, and found this over at Gold Eagle: The Coming Silver Supernova Reader K.S.B. sent a link to a CBO report on the U.S. debt crisis that is a must read. The key word: unsustainable levels of debt. There are some articles discussing the CBO report in The American Spectator and in The New American. John L. mentioned an article about counterfeit silver coins. Frequent content contributor KAF sent this: North Dakota, Alaska lead US …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Remember what I wrote about cross-border threats in my book “Rawles on Retreats and Relocation”? Well here it is, even before TEOTWAWKI, folks: Mexico Drug War Spills into U.S. (A hat tip to B.B., for the link.)    o o o Phil K. sent this item: Power grid upgrades could pose security risks, experts says. And meanwhile, we read: Power grid hacking fear grows as industrial-targeted virus emerges. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.)    o o o National Guard troops to head to border states August 1st. (A hat tip to John B. for the link.)    o o …



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 …


Home Pharmacy Preparedness, by Michael V.

Don’t plan on your pharmacy being open or not looted after Day 1 after the SHTF.  Just like most cops have reported on this site that they will leave their posts to protect their families, pharmacists will do the same.  Most chain pharmacists have no loyalty other than a paycheck, so unlike “One Second After” it would be unlikely that a chain pharmacist would show up to work and risk their life after the SHTF.  Independent pharmacists who own their own store, and have their fortune tied to it have a better chance of being there, armed, with a more …


Two Letters Re: A Doctor’s Thoughts on Antibiotics, Expiration Dates, and TEOTWAWKI

JWR, Regarding the recent post on antibiotics, I would love to hear the good doctor or someone else with relevant knowledge describe how to determine dosage (I’m assuming based on weight), as well as any risks associated with over- or under-dosage. Thanks! – E.W. Sir; I’m a relatively new reader of your excellent site and have learned an incredible amount of valuable information from you and my fellow readers. Thank you for such a wonderful service. I read Dr. Bone’s submission with great interest since the medical issues of a SHTF scenario are a great concern of mine. I’m knowledgeable …


Economics and Investing:

AmEx (American Expatriate) sent us this piece by Charles Hugh Smith: Six Reasons to Expect Slow Economic Growth Ahead G.G. sent this: Hussman: Betting on a Bubble, Bracing for a Fall. GIC (Singapore ) Says World May See Recession Sooner Than Expected. (A hat tip to M.W. for the link.) Phip flagged this from Phil Stock: America is 234 Years Old, and Today it is Finished. Reader Steve K. suggested this news piece: America Now: Friends and Neighbors. NBC’s Ann Curry travels to Ohio to take a personal look inside the lives of families who have lost jobs, homes and …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader R.F.J. recommended this article, over at Instructables: How to Freeze Blueberries. “High in antioxidants, blueberries are considered a ‘super fruit’. In order to reap the health benefits of these tasty little berries all year, while taking advantage of seasonal prices, freezing is an easy way to preserve them.    o o o A short but vicious thunderstorm on Sunday evening left three dead in the Washington, D.C. region. Some residents won’t have electricity restored until Friday. As of Tuesday, there were still 150,000 households without power, most in Montgomery County, Maryland. Montgomery County is one of the richest counties …



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 …


Growing Apples in the Prepper’s Garden, by Whit H.

I am a commercial apple grower in New England and in this article I will explain why the prepper should consider growing apples and how they should do so. Why Grow Apples? As crops go, apple trees are relatively easy to maintain and can be grown almost anywhere. A properly selected apple tree can survive the cold of Canada to the desert heat of the American Southwest. After the first year, an apple tree in the Eastern United States can typically get all the water it needs from rainfall and requires little fertilizer. From planting to harvest, apple trees can …


Book Review: My Empire of Dirt

My Empire of Dirt: How One Man Turned His Big-City Backyard into a Farm by Manny Howard. This book relates the story of a journalist who recently attempted to garden and raise chickens, ducks, and rabbits in his very small Brooklyn backyard. The stated goal and his contract with New York magazine was to raise enough food to eat out of his backyard for one month. While the dysfunction of the marriage and lack of family support is disturbing, the book highlights the grave difficulty of trying to survive in an urban setting by raising livestock and gardening. The deeply …