Day: August 13, 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 …


Effective Partner and Small Team Tactics, by Officer Tackleberry

Please consider the following scenarios: You are sitting at a table in a local restaurant with your family, significant other, and/or friend when a person enters the business and starts shooting. You are shopping with your family at Christmas time and several subjects enter the mall and start shooting. The “Crunch” has happened and it’s now full-blown TEOTWAWKI.   Looters are present and have forced their way into one of the buildings on your homestead.  The 911 system doesn’t work and the area police force is non-existent.   It’s up to you and one other person from your homestead to find the …


Letter Re: Medicinal Herb Gardening-Making Herbal Balms

After reading “Medicinal Herb Gardening” by Mrs. Celena J. I was prompted to write more about making medicinal herbal balms and ointments. They are easily made once you get the hang of it and different ingredients can be used for different applications. My two favorites are Healing Muscle Balm and Rose Balm for the lips and skin. My family and friends also love these two combinations and have found them very effective. Healing Muscle Balm is a combination of infused oils of Arnica, Meadowsweet, and Comfrey leaf. These particular herbs help with reducing the inflammation and alleviating the pain of …


Letter Re: Practice Night Hiking to Get Ready to Bug Out to Your Retreat

Mr. Rawles: A recent letter about reaching a retreat on foot caused me to think back over 20 years to when I was in the Marine Corps and I thought I would share some of what I’ve learned about trying to walk long distances with heavy packs in hostile environments. In the Corps, as you can imagine, we ‘humped’ a lot (for you soldiers or civilians that’s Marine speak for road marching, rucking or hiking) and if I learned anything it was that walking long distances with heavy loads, weapons, communications equipment, water, clothes and food is tough for even …


Cell Phone Outage-Induced Chaos Illustrates an Over-Dependence on Technology

James, The cause of the recent cell phone outage in Kentucky isn’t being stated, but they are appearing to distance themselves from an CME or EMP event. Nevertheless, how much preparedness do most of these AT&T users demonstrate? (This could of course happen with any carrier.) One of my employees who has an AT&T phone said the only number her school age son has to reach her is her cell number, as an example. Why her son can’t have her work number I have no idea. An embedded terrorist cell springing into action and striking a school during such an …


Economics and Investing:

Fortune magazines asks: Is this finally the economic collapse? (Thanks to Jeff L. for the link.) G.G. suggested this article over at Forbes: Collapse In Internet Time. Also from G.G.: America Is ‘Bankrupt Mickey Mouse Economy’: CIO B.B. was the first of several readers to send an article by Laurence Kotlikoff: Is Bankrupt and We Don’t Even Know It? Items from The Economatrix: Major Leading Indicator in Free Fall Stocks Retreat as Fed Grows More Cautious Trade Deficit Widens to $49.9 Billion in June US Dollar Falls to 15-Year Low Against the Yen China’s Industrial Growth Slows, Inflation Jumps Bank …


Odds ‘n Sods:

RBS sent this: ‘Seed ambassadors’ spread the word about saving    o o o Linda Y. was the first of several readers that sent us this news wire article: Scientists find new superbug spreading from India. Linda’s comment: ” While most readers probably looked over this story with an ‘another-cry-wolf’ view, it definitely caught my attention. This is very worrisome. I have seen first hand how the US-300 strain of MRSA can ravage a body in no time. My son came home ill from college and doctors could not figure out what was wrong with him and kept sending us …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"A wild boar stood under a tree, and rubbed his tusks against the trunk. A fox passing by asked him why he thus sharpened his teeth when there was no danger threatening from either huntsman or hound. He replied, "I do it advisedly; for it would never do to have to sharpen my weapons just at the time I ought to be using them." To be well prepared for war is the best guarantee of peace." – The Fables of Aesop, published by Henry Altemus Company, 1899.