Year: 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 …


Letter Re: A Recommended Vehicular G.O.O.D. Kit Packing List

Jim: I developed the following vehicular bug out bag (BOB) or “Get Out of Dodge” (G.O.O.D.) kit packing list. [JWR Adds: There is no “one size fits all” for G.O.O.D. lists. Your own list should be tailored for your personal circumstances. Your age, climate, local terrain, local hydrology, population density, physical fitness, and many other factors will necessitate changes to the following list. There are also vast differences between “what you can carry in your car” versus “what you can carry on your back” lists.]   Food & Water: ­­3 – 10 days of lightweight food _____ MRE (1 = …


Letter Re: FDIC Insider in Illinois Reports Diminishing Bank Merger Possibilities

Mr. Rawles, A close personal friend of mine is a FDIC bank auditor in Illinois. This person gives the final word on whether they will close a bank or not, to put it in simple terms. I’m sorry I cannot provide you with any more credible source other than my word which is based upon our conversations, but I feel it important to share this information with you and with the readers here. A little background: Most failed banks are essentially sold to other banks and some go into receivership. The common maneuver here is to transfer the assets and …


Economics and Investing:

For the “Why am I Not Surprised?” Department: New Steel 5 Pence and 10 Pence Coins a Disaster. SurvivalBlog readers on this side of the Atlantic should still be stocking up on nickels, before a similar switch! (Hat tips to Tod P. and Tony B. for the link.) A good one for USD Index watchers: Deflation Never Had a Chance Michael Pento Says Fed Will Buy Stocks And Real Estate In Its Next Attempt To Create Inflation. (Thanks to Nick J. for the link.) G.G. flagged this: No defence left against double-dip recession, says Nouriel Roubini “SIG” spotted this piece …


Inflation Watch:

Reader Z.D.G. notes: “Our little small town in Texas recently raised our water rates by a whopping 59%. Ouch! Time to get water independence.” Homeless Outraged That $1 Menu at San Francisco McDonald’s Now 50 Cents More Higher taxes and fees ahead in 2011 and beyond: Recession Continues to Batter State Budgets; State Responses Could Slow Recovery


Odds ‘n Sods:

Bicycles offer a lifeline in rural Zambia. Bikes are used for transportation and even grain grinding.    o o o Several readers sent this: Long Island Man Arrested For Defending Home With AK-47. Jeff E. notes: “This guy fired three shots into the dirt to deter several hostile gang members approaching his home and threatening him and his family. And who went to jail? The homeowner. I’m sorry to be so blunt, but only a complete moron would continue to live in New York.”    o o o Joe O. sent this: Our terrifyingly crowded solar system: New video reveals …



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 …


The Second Wave: Survivalist Turned MZBs, by Dave in Florida

For many years I have been working towards self-reliance. I like to use the older term self-reliant simply because I feel “survivalist” doesn’t describe the lifestyle properly. I don’t intend to just “survive” but “thrive” – would that make me a “thrivalist?” Yes, I know that was a bit corny. In all seriousness, let’s assume you are an average Joe living in perilous times. What I have to say is speaking to a revelation I have had over the recent years based on my over confidence and belief that somehow I was different than the average Joe just because I …


Letter Re: Calories and Cross-Country Travel

Traveling in the aftermath of a societal collapse will become more difficult without the use of a motor vehicle, which is why you hopefully live near a water source. It is easy to visualize how after a collapse how one could move around locally. Whether or not what one is planning on doing locally is energy efficient or not, to some degree, will not matter as there is not very much distance that needs to be covered. If however you need to move over long distance how efficient the travel is becomes much more important. Lets look with some detail …


Letter Re: Hiding Livestock and Gardens

Hi, I just wanted to bring up something after reading article about hiding gardens and animals in rural areas, recently linked in SurvivalBlog. Something that people might want to consider, that we have done. We chose to build a barn rather than a house. And I know you can quite often find properties that already have a barn or large outbuilding. We have a 46′ x 60′ pole barn. Within that we framed in about 900+ square feet for our home. The rest is divided up between stalls, a run in area for large animals, and a shop. One of …


Economics and Investing:

SurvivalBlog’s Poet Laureate George Gordon (“G.G.”) sent this: Germans, and a Wave of Swiss Bank Accounts, are Piling into Gold as if it’s a New Crisis The Daily Bell reports: US Fed Gains Power, Loses Credibility? More than 400 US Banks Will Fail: Roubini Reader Sam G. sent us a link to a piece that deconstructs some Orwellian journalism: TIME: Rising Unemployment Rate Is Good News Items from The Economatrix: Seven Steps to Becoming a One-Income Family Despite Hiring, US Unemployment Rate Seems Frozen Stocks Extend September Rally After Jobs Report Heavy in Dollars, China Warns of Depreciation Lehman Brothers …


Inflation Watch:

UN calls special meeting to address food shortages amid predictions of riots; Poor harvests and demand from developing countries could push cost of weekly shop up by 10% Back in January, Turkey’s leaders were claiming that the then 6% annual inflation rate was “temporary“. But now it is back up to nearly 12%. Could a return to the Bad Old Days of 90% annual inflation (like Turks experienced in the mid-1990s) be on the horizon? Modern-day wheelbarrow loads of cash: Could Tiny Somaliland Become the First Cashless Society?


Odds ‘n Sods:

Inyokern wrote to say that he enjoyed this article: The Trouble with Civilization; Ancient cities reveal the vulnerabilities of modern societies    o o o Guatemala mudslides kill at least 38; two buses hit    o o o Jim D. flagged this: Argentines risking all to carry huge wads of cash    o o o Patrice Lewis, the editor of the Rural Revolution blog recently had an excellent post: Don’t come a-knockin at my door. Think OPSEC!!!