Day: June 9, 2011

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 35 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round 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 Alpine Aire freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $400 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo , and …


Home Security, Inflation Hedge, and Liquidity, All in One, by Scott in Wisconsin

I’ve been prepping for about five years now, and I thought I’d share a little “trick” I discovered, to cover three very important prepping problems, all at once. We all want a more secure home, of course.  If the SHTF, we may well need to hunker down and be self-sufficient for a while.  But no matter how much stuff we’ve put aside, it’s meaningless if we can’t hang on to it.  So home security is very important. We also want a hedge against inflation, which seems sure to come.  The way the Fed is printing money, and the government is …


Letter Re: On Surviving Hot Climates and Relocation

Mr. Rawles, Thank you for your service to our country.  In the deep south we are presently in the mist of a drought with high heat and humidity. As two-year preppers, my brother and I grow a few acres of vegetables and field corn for livestock that consist of chickens, hogs, milk goats and rabbits. A milk cow is in the planning. My brother is 71 and I am 68 and we were raised on the farm. I left for the air-conditioned work-force many years ago but still spend several hrs a week at manual labor. At my age I am …


Letter Re: Microclimates in the Redoubt States?

Sir: Thank you for your continuing work. 1. How would you suggest we research micro-climates in areas of interest in the American Redoubt? 2. For those of us in the 50-60 age group, single, and raising grandchildren is there a place for us? I don’t believe I have the physical strength/endurance and certainly not knowledge to forge out a place in the “wilderness” at this age. How about the possibility of teaming up with a family who needs a “grandma” and extra pair of hands to help with domestic/garden duties? Yes, I do have skills I could make a living …


Two Letters Re: Extreme Coupon Prepping

Mister Rawles; Someone recently mentioned that some people buy too much stuff with coupons that they can’t possibly use up.  Also there was someone who usually buys “cheap” products like V05 shampoo, etc.  I have been couponing for four years.  My husband is a pastor and we took a lesser-paying church about the time the economy went South.  Then we added a family member.  I prayed and asked the Lord what to do.  We were spending $500-to-$600 each month on groceries with me trying to buy less expensive stuff, cheaper cuts of meat, etc.  I have always lived a frugal …


Economics and Investing:

Fed: Default would be dangerous; Fitch may cut rating. (A hat tip to Sue C. for the link.) The dreaded “D” word is spoken: China warns U.S. debt-default idea is “playing with fire” K.A.F. sent this interview of Peter Schiff: Lack of buyers may force Treasury to boost interest rates Reader J.B.G. spotted this: True Cost of Fannie, Freddie Bailouts: $317 Billion, CBO Says Reason # 4,386,662 to leave the Mickey Mouse State: California taps highest income taxpayers for more revenue. (A hat tip to Tom B. for the link.) B.B. spotted this: Federal Reserve Set to Implode Economy. Also …


Odds ‘n Sods:

The EU Preppers Blog (mostly in German) has some interesting coverage of the current e. coli outbreak.    o o o Solar flare threatens to disrupt Earth’s communications and power. (J.B.G. kindly sent the link.)    o o o Peeved patient proud of penny protest. (Thanks to J.J.H. for the link.)    o o o Frequent content contributor Pierre M. flagged an article from Nanny State California: LAPD seeks tighter regulations on toy guns    o o o SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large sent this humorous video clip: Most Tactical AR-15… EVER! (The scary thing is that some well-intentioned Mall Ninjas …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Disaster is rarely as pervasive as it seems from recorded accounts. The fact of being on the record makes it appear continuous and ubiquitous whereas it is more likely to have been sporadic both in time and place. Besides, persistence of the normal is usually greater than the effect of the disturbance, as we know from our own times. After absorbing the news of today, one expects to face a world consisting entirely of strikes, crimes, power failures, broken water mains, stalled trains, school shutdowns, muggers, drug addicts, neo-Nazis, and rapists. The fact is that one can come home in …