Day: August 12, 2010

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 30 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 …


Grub, Guns, and Gold!, by Barry P.

I grew up in a home where the parents believed in being prepared. When my dad went back to dental school after working for fifteen years as a biochemist, we lived for three years on the food storage they had acquired. But we didn’t use the food storage during those three years only. We had always enjoyed wonderful whole wheat bread, pancakes, cookies and cakes made from the wheat in our food storage. We learned that this food wasn’t to be used just in case of emergencies. We ate and rotated the items in our storage on a regular basis. …


Letter Re: Advice on G.O.O.D. Bags

Hi there, Do you have an opinion on what is the best G.O.O.D. bag? 1. Waterproof? 2. Backpack? 3. Multiple ways to carry it? 4. Wheels? Thanks and keep up the good work. – KJ JWR Replies: Unless you have a bad back, I’d recommend waterproof whitewater rafting “dry bags” in a backpack configuration, like this one. It is prudent to get them in earth tone colors–or at least spray paint them to tone them down. And, as mentioned before in SurvivalBlog, anyone with a bad back should consider a small wheeled cart or even a wheeled golfing bag.


Economics and Investing:

G.G. suggested this piece by veteran economist Howard J. Ruff: Why Gold and Silver Seem Stuck Also from G.G.: Chorus of QE calls is deafening. Stand by for price inflation, folks! K.T. sent a link to an interview with Gerald Celente: Double Dip Depression Will Lead Us Into War Readers of my novel “Patriots” might find this familiar: Fed Looks to Spur Growth by Buying Government Debt. ( A hat tip to Wade C. for the link.) This is a highly inflationary move! And speaking of inflation: Wal-Mart Prices Are Rising: JP Morgan Study. A 5.8% increase in one month! …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader A.J. wrote to tell me that the classic medical book (circa 1913) book “Materia medica: pharmacology, therapeutics and prescription writing” is now available as a Google book. While some of the techniques are dated (such as the use of some chemicals that in more recent times have been determined to be carcinogens) and the safety standards for some anesthetics (including fire safety) fall short of modern standards, there is still some very useful information.    o o o KAF sent us this: Meet the first man to walk the Amazon. “After 859 days, thousands of miles and “50,000 mosquito …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid "dens of crime" that Dickens loved to paint. It is not even done in concentration camps and labor camps. In those we see its final result. But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried and minuted) by quiet men in clean, carpeted and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voices." – C.S. Lewis. The Screwtape Letters