Month: June 2011

Pat’s Product Review: Diamondback .380 ACP Pistol

Diamondback Firearms has only been around a very short time. However, they are rapidly gaining a reputation for producing extremely well-made handguns. At present, Diamondback is only producing a couple of models, one in .380 ACP and the newest in 9mm. There are several different variations on the .380 ACP already. The new 9mm just has one model at present. Make no mistake, I’m not an advocate of the .380 ACP round as my one and only handgun. In today’s society, there are just so many bad guys that are hopped-up on drugs that the .380 ACP, doesn’t have the …


Letter Re: Bookshelf Recommendations

Jim, I looked at your Bookshelf recommendations and I have a few suggestions to add: First, the Combat Lifesaver handbook. I received a stapled back copy of this accompanied with hands on training through the military, prior to my recent deployment to Afghanistan, and it is basically an instruction course format, laid out for providing medical treatment during combat pre-first responders. Second, the Combat Medic Field Reference. It is a combat medics waterproof pocket guide designed to fit into side pocket of trousers. It covers virtually everything a specific medic or group of medics who are rendering aid under combat …


Letter Re: Adjustable Rate Mortgage Rate Resets

Dear JWR: Back in 2009, and even as early as 2007, many dire predictions were made about the massive wave of Alt-A and Option ARMs that were to reset in 2010 and 2011. See this widely-cited chart. (First mentioned in SurvivalBlog in January of 2009, in a link to iTulip.) Like many of you, I braced for impact, and then, nothing. What happened? This happened. Alt-As and ARMs have been resetting, but at very low rates, keeping the level of defaults lower than they would otherwise be. I don’t believe this is a coincidence. The Federal Reserve has been keeping …


Letter Re: The Vancouver Hockey Games Riots

Mr Rawles, I first posted this in a Survival forum I frequent often in response to the widespread, violent riots that broke out in Vancouver after the local hockey team lost in the Stanley Cup playoffs. I just was reading up on it this morning and you got to ask yourself: If your “countrymen” would essentially devolve into barbarian hordes over a stupid game – what do you think they’ll do when they have no food, water, heat, electricity and no government to bail them out or keep them in their place? I was speculating this morning that Vancouver is …


Economics and Investing:

Reader Sue C. sent us this: Don’t Look Now, But Stagflation May be Here KAF flagged this: Economy faces weaker growth, higher prices BG sent this from the WSJ: The Economy is Worse than You Think. Items from The Economatrix: Priced In Gold, The Median Home Price Is Down 80% Many Of Us Won’t Be Able To Retire Until Our 80s Worsening Greek Debt Crisis Sinks Stocks, Euro Late Credit Card Payments Hit Pre-Recession Levels


Odds ‘n Sods:

Are we approaching something like the Maunder Minimum? Sun’s Fading Spots Signal Big Drop in Solar Activity. Come on, make up your minds. Al Gore is dying to know, will it be global warming or a Little Ice Age? Either way, be prepared for multigenerational TEOTWAWKI.    o o os Several readers have written me to mention this study: Freedom in the 50 States. It is an interesting yet slightly flawed study. Since when does perverting the definition of “marriage” constitute a freedom? In their criteria for measuring Paternalism, the authors of the study chose to weight “domestic partnerships” nearly …



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 …


Our Community-Wide SHTF Contingency Plan, by T.M.

We are located in the Southeastern United States. There are nine families in our “block”, with the next neighborhood or community more than two miles away. I refer to it as a block because a major highway runs through it. The only dwellings on the major highway are three houses and one country store. The rest are on a “U” shaped secondary road that starts across from the store on the main highway and ends, back on the main Highway, 1 mile east, at a cross road. We are all contained in one square mile within that “U”. I should …


Letter Re: Storing Hypochlorite Bleach Powder

James: I have a possible solution regarding R.W.L.’s letter specifically the question of storage of dry calcium hypochlorite.  After reading the Forever Preps article I bought a container that is similar to the old-style canning jars with the rubber gasket and snap down lid with the wire bail/lever.  I’ve seen them sold as canister sets for holding flour, sugar, cookies, etc.  It is made of clear glass.  My goal was to find a container with no metal or plastic parts on the inside of the vessel thus no chance of reacting with the chlorine.  I periodically look around the jar …


Letter Re: The Simplicity Challenge

Dear Mr. Rawles, I am a regular reader of Survivalblog.com, and recently saw your recommendation of the book The Simplicity Primer by Patrice Lewis. I purchased the book on Amazon on it Book Bomb day as you suggested, and the book arrived today. When I purchased the book, I thought this would be a great educational tool for my family, so tonight I started what will be a one-year ritual with my wife and two children. Immediately after dinner, I read the first tip out loud to my family. Tonight’s tip is on “Attitude”. We talked about the advice, and …


Two Letters Re: Recommendations on M1 Garand Rifles

Mr. Rawles,   Your reply to S.H. in Georgia letter was spot on about the loads for the M1 Garand. I’ve been shooting an M1 for nearly 40 years, It’s my favorite–truly my weapon of choice. I went through basic training with one and as soon as I could after discharge I bought one. May I suggest:     1. Never shoot any bullet over 168 grain weight. I shoot 155 grain.  2. En Bloc clips can be loaded incorrectly, and if they are the gun will jam. Looking down at the clip, the top-most round should be on the right side. …


Economics and Investing:

PG&E Hit Hard By Antioch Copper Thefts. (Thanks to K.A.F. for the link.) Digging Into the U.S. Budget: What We Spend, and How SurvivalBlog’s G.G. kindly sent three links: Jim Jubak: The Coming Global Financial Crisis Central Bankruptcy: Why QEIII Is Inevitable Number of U.S. Expatriates Continues to Soar Items from The Economatrix: Report Points to Lower Food Prices, More Hiring Mainstream Media Signals Economy Getting Bad Dr. Gary North: The Next Financial Crisis Zombinomics And Volatility


Odds ‘n Sods:

This news clip on Do It Yourself (DIY) arms making is fascinating: Libya rebels make weapons from scraps, (Thanks to KAF for the link.)    o o o House Panel Releases Scathing Report on ‘Fast and Furious’ Gun Operation, Sure to Anger Mexico    o o o David R. suggested this over at The Woodpile Report: Eight things to expect under martial law    o o o Yishai sent this: This USB Pot Charges Your Cell Phone By Excess Heat. Thermo-electric generators (TEGs) have been discussed before in SurvivalBlog. Unfortunately they are suited only to applications where temperatures can be …