Year: 2010

Letter Re: Building a Supply of Long-Burning Candles

Dear James, I recently was walking through Ikea with my wife here in Minneapolis and came upon a candle sale. They are currently having a sale on red 8 inch, Unscented Christmas candles rated at 70 hours for 99 cents. I promptly filled the cart with 40 or about 2,800 hours worth of candlelight for 39 dollars. Not wanting to recommend anything I had not already tried I promptly lit one to see how long it would last and right now it is still burning on hour 85 – will probably be done between 90 and 100 hours. Thought your …


Letter Re: A Bugout Time Saving Tip

Hi Jim, I just wanted to share a quick storage tip and a bugout time saver. I’m currently in a condominium but still working on my preps and keeping my stuff bugout ready. One of the issues I’ve overcome is the need to keep my bugout ready but out of the way. In my condo building we actually have storage areas in the basement (fenced off partitions with personal locks) so that is where 90% of my preps stay. In order to keep these preps bugout ready I’ve organized them into Rubbermaid [lidded storage] tubs that I stack about four …


Economics and Investing:

GG flagged this: State jobless rates on the rise – 43 states reported rising jobless rates in December, reversing signs of improvement Kent B. sent this: Bernanke under pressure Items from The Economatrix: Dr. Gary North: Monetary Base Expansion to Ignite Inflation Not Deflation The Future of Unemployment Benefits in the US Will Obama Respond to US Voter Anger at Lack of Action on Banksters? Greece Debt Default Could Take Eurozone Down With It


Odds ‘n Sods:

CBS News commentator Rebecca Solnit crosses the line into justifying the looter mentality, in this piece of editorial excess: When the Media is the Disaster. (A tip of the hat to reader Bill W. for the link.) A word of warning to Mrs. Solnit: If you advocate looting, then don’t be surprised if someday a group of low lifes comes to loot your house, whether or not you are at home. And when they do, try not to “judge” them! For that matter, don’t be judgmental about their preference for light or dark meat.    o o o I’ve been …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 26 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. 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 HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Luger, 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP ammo, …


Coconut Oil: The Essential Survival Item You Didn’t Know You Needed, by Sarah in Indiana

The more I read, the more I plan, the more I prepare, I find myself thinking, “Boy, I do not want to be caught without my coconut oil.” While many who know me might get a good chuckle from this thought, they wouldn’t be surprised either. In fact, one of my friends jokingly refers to me as the “Coconut Oil Lady”. Not a month goes by without her talking to me about some problem or ailment to which I’ll respond, “Well, you could put some coconut oil on that,”, or, “If you just used some coconut oil…” Dr. Bruce Fife …


Letter Re: An Urban Girly Girl Becomes a Country Girl Wannabe

Dear James, I couldn’t help but resist to write to you as a younger generation female. I am a 28 year girly girl and currently live in Los Angeles, California. My idea of roughing it is staying at the holiday inn. My dad gave me your novel “Patriots” about six months ago and asked me to read it. It sat around collecting dusk, used as a door stop and spider killer for the same amount of time. One day my parents gave me a large Pelican container with many survival items. (the Pelican headquarters is just two blocks away from …


Letter Re: Preparing Your Organization for Disaster

Dear Sir, In response to the excellent article written to aid in students to prepare, I felt it important for parents to make a plan to get children in the event of weather, unrest, terrorist attack. All my children are currently at a private school. The oldest (high school age) carries a note stating that she has permission to "check out" the other two [into his care], signed by me. We also have a password that if she receives via text, email or phone she is to immediately check out the others and follow the directions sent or if nothing …


Economics and Investing:

Bill R. and El Jefe Jeff E. sent us the latest Friday Follies news: Banks shut in Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington. GG sent this Christian Science Monitor piece: China: the world’s next great economic crash Items from The Economatrix: World Bank Sees Risk of Recovery Losing Steam UK: Markets Panicked About Inflationary Spiral UK: Families Face Years of Pain, Says Bank Empty Office Spaces Soar in Downtown Seattle Bank of America Loses $5.2 Billion in Fourth Quarter of 2009 FHA Raises Fees, Tightens Loan Standards 2009 US Airline Revenue: Worst Plunge on Record


Odds ‘n Sods:

Entire Town of Wenden [Arizona] Underwater After Storm. (Thanks to FJR for the link.) Floods don’t happen often in Arizona, but when they do, they often crete some deep drama.    o o o Steve G. and Dane B. both mentioned this LifeHacker article: Use the Universal Edibility Test to Find Food in a Survival Situation. JWR adds this proviso: This “universal” test is not foolproof! It will not \detect many toxins, including micotoxins. And you must consider that the quantity of some plants such as poison hemlock that you ingest in “testing” might be enough to kill you!    …



Note from JWR:

Do you have any favorite quotes that relate to preparedness, survival, self-sufficiency, self-defense, or hard money economics? If so, then please send them via e-mail, and I will likely post them as Quotes of the Day, if they haven’t been used before in SurvivalBlog. Please send only quotes that are properly attributed, and that you’ve checked for authenticity. Many Thanks!


Economics and Investing:

Trent sent us this: Gold is “fairly expensive” could fall to $800 if Fed moves Midas fund manager says. [JWR’s Comment: I’m dubious about a big correction in the near future. I don’t expect interest rates in the US to change radically anytime soon. If anything, they are headed lower, in a desperate attempt to turn the real estate market around, and boost equities. Also note that the funds have continued to be big gold buyers, even after gold topped $1,000 per ounce. There will be some dramatic dips, but gold is still in a bull market. You can quote …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Wisconsin Senate passes bill allowing people to can food without a license. Only high acid foods, and no more than $5,000 worth. (Thanks to GG for the link.)    o o o Reader Art A. wrote: “Some time ago you stated that people would use Google Earth to find things worth stealing. You were right Here is proof: high tech koi thieves.”    o o o A truncated version of my review of the movie “The Road” just ran in The Guardian newspaper in England: The Road to Ruin