Year: 2010

Letter Re: Question on Shelf Life of Water Stored in Bottles

Good Afternoon, Having purchased the The “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, you asked for some feedback. I think the most concise way to put it is that I started out with a list of around 95 questions about preparedness. And that list was growing at the rate of about one question a day. After reading the binder and listening to the audio CD, I am left with precisely one question. The “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course is worth every dime as far as I’m concerned. There is one more “preppie” (no pun intended) spending about $10 a week …


Letter Re: Dealing with Common Addictions–True Readiness for Disasters

Sir: One item not often considered for emergency supplies: Caffeine pills. Many non-Mormons are heavy coffee drinkers. What happens when you’re on bug out, and drinking filtered stream water, instead of your morning Cup O’ Joe? Well, the splitting killer caffeine withdrawal headache, that’s what. Open the package, and gulp down a Vivarin, or No-Doz, and you are back to your cheerful self. With My Regards, – C.Y. JWR Replies: It is a far better thing to break away from coffee, soda pop, cigarette, alcohol, candy, junk food, and drug addictions now, in normal times. Get rid of them one …


Letter Re: Bargain Prices at Wiggy’s

Sir, I hope this e-mail finds you and yours well. I just wanted you to be aware that Wiggy’s here in Grand Junction, Colorado is offering almost 50% off sleeping bags and clothing if picked up in store. I just bought the Lamilite jacket and wow, it is too warm so far. Everyone knows the quality and comfort a Wiggy’s bag can provide in all conditions. I would hope everyone locally takes advantage of this offer. When I was there yesterday they said it would go to the end of the year or until the economy got better….. Please pass …


Economics and Investing:

Brett G. sent this: Fed Warns of 4.25 Million More Foreclosures Through 2012 From Russia Expert, a Gloomy Outlook. (Thanks to Siggy for the link.) P.D. flagged: Tent Cities, Homelessness and Soul-Crushing Despair: The Legacy of Decades of Government Debt and Mismanagement of the Economy Inyokern highlighted this one: Ireland fears civil unrest as bank crisis deepens Items from The Economatrix: Home Prices Will Keep Falling   Job Seekers Find Bias Against Unemployed   Jobless Benefits Cost So Far:  $319 Billion US Banks Insolvent If They Face Loan Losses   What’s Really Behind QE2?   ECB Tightens Screws on Ireland, …


Inflation Watch:

Brace yourself for more high inflation, Mervyn King tells George Osborne. $4.00 Gasoline By The End Of 2010?   Our friend Fred C. sent this: “Riceland brand rice in 50 pound bags at my local Sam’s Club in Arkansas was $13.95 in July. Then it jumped to $14.60 in late September. Last night I noticed that the pallet with Riceland rice bags on it had 25 pound bags instead of 50 pound bags, and they were priced at $8.95 each. (The equivalent of $17.90 per 50 pounds.) Gap, Wal-Mart Clothing Costs Rise on `Terrifying’ Cotton Prices China to subsidize food …


Odds ‘n Sods:

I’m scheduled for a two hour interview on the EMPact Radio podcast on Wednesday. That should be interesting.    o o o Something tells me that there will be some bargain prices soon: Solar Panel Makers Face Supply-Glut `Armageddon’: Chart of Day. Thanks to reader Chris S. for the link.    o o o Seen over at Paratus Familia: A novel concealment holster for women.    o o o J. in the Great White North recommended this five minute video: You Can Eat Dandelion    o o o I just finished reading Jerry and Sharon Ahern’s new sci-fi novel, Written …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“It could unfold very, very quickly. Because deflation is a swing of poverty feedback, it can take awhile to build up. If you try to explain to people what’s coming, because it doesn’t happen instantly, they tend to go back to sleep. The thing they need to understand, however, is that when it does hit a tipping point, a kind of critical mass, then it can unfold exceptionally quickly. Then it’s very much like having the rug pulled out from under your feet. So I tell people all the time, prepare now because it’s better to be two years too …


Note from JWR:

Today we present another two entries for Round 31 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 $795, 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 Fiocchi 9mm …


The Post-SHTF Store, by J.P.C.

So much has been written on preparing solely for survival of TEOTWAWKI. What about after? What about five years after? Granted, if something minor happens and we could overcome it within a month or so, I truly see precious metals quite viable. However, should the whole world fall to its knees and we would be looking at years before any sort of progress could be made, I think material goods would be much more important. This list is not meant to be a final checklist, but rather a starting point that you could adjust, add, or take away from. These …


The Four Levels of Disaster Preparedness Competence, by Todd D.

Using the theory of competence awareness that you can apply to any skill, or knowledge based discipline i.e. cooking, auto repair, etc. I am taking a writers license to make a revision to Dr. Abraham Maslow’s conscious competence theory, and apply the theory to Disaster Preparedness. Unconsciously Incompetent: The UI represents approximately 90% of the population of the nation. Using Hurricane Katrina as an example, hundreds of thousands of people felt it was the role of the government to make sure that individual citizens would have food, water, clothing and shelter. These same people believe under no circumstance, the individual …


Economics and Investing:

Roubini: Debt Nightmare Unfolding in Europe The blame game is on: Bernanke Takes Aim at China Governor Warns Cities May Go Bankrupt. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.) The American Way of Life, As Things Fell Apart, Nobody Paid Much Attention. Items from The Economatrix: How Gold Performs During Periods of Deflation, Disinflation, Runaway Stagflation and Hyperinflation   Debt Collectors Stalking, Publicly Humiliating People Through Facebook   US In Terribly Dangerous Territory, Bond Market May Be Headed Toward Implosion   Gold Investing:  A Bet Against The Idiocy of Money Creation (The Mogambo Guru)   US Home Starts Drop More Than …


Odds ‘n Sods:

I was doing some web wandering and found this: British national builds a ‘tsunami-resistant house,’ powered by solar energy    o o o Reading this synopsis, I would surmise that the script writer for the upcoming “modest budget” guerilla film Remnants must read SurvivalBlog. Watch the latest trailer. Oh, and their clip of “Merle’s Basement” may strike a chord. (Thanks to C.H. for the link.)    o o o Scott F. recommended this web page for some details on suturing: Operational Medicine 2001 Field Medical Service School Student Handbook.    o o o SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson …



Notes from JWR:

I was tickled to see that Glenn Beck interviewed Lisa Bedford “The Survival Mom” on his television show. (Nov. 18, 2010.) Hopefully this will encourage a broader cross-section of America build a food storage program. — Today we present another entry for Round 31 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 $795, and B.) Two cases of Mountain …


Prepping for Kids, by Rose in Minnesota

A Christian homeschooling wife and mother of three, I find that the subject of children isn’t often addressed by survivalists.  Perhaps it goes without saying that we will teach our children the skills they would need to survive in any given situation, but I know how easy it can be to overlook this vital task in the busyness of raising a family. At the other end of the spectrum, I do not want to raise children who are crippled by fear of the world they live in, nor do I want irresponsible sissies dependent on electronic entertainment and happy meals …