Year: 2010

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.


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


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 …


Surreptitious Suburban Survival, by Suburban Survivor

I didn’t start out being a “prepper,” I was born into it…My father was a Command Sergeant Major in the US Army, we lived on many posts and in many cities, and had to travel at a moment’s notice. So, we were always prepared for the most part as a way of life. OPSEC was drilled into us at an early age, strangers asking questions about dad’s job, deployments, etc., were reported and we “army brats,” stuck together like glue on a hot summer day. Mom, kept the home front squared away, and we always had a nice place, warm …


Two Letters Re: Medicinal Herb Gardening

Hello, I’ve been using herbal remedies for over 20 years and wanted to add a few notes to Mrs. Celena J.’s Article: Spearmint and Peppermint are excellent for nausea and gas. Goldenseal is a natural source of insulin and should be used cautiously with hypoglcemics and insulin dependant diabetics. Its also one of the strongest natural antibiotics known to man, and the root is stronger than the plant. Garlic is also a very strong and versatile antibiotic when used fresh. It kills both bacterial and fungal infections and can be used internally and externally as needed. This was my herb …