Year: 2011

Letter Re: Essential Fats and Oils

Hello Mr. Rawles; It was about a year ago I stated reading SurvivalBlog. Over the course of the year, I have noticed in your advice for preparation not to forget oils. This caused me to remember a Biochemistry Class that brought up the subject of essential dietary oils. These Three oils are required in the diet. Like the essential amino acids they are not manufactured by the body and are need in the diet. These oils are Alpha-Linoleic acid (ALA), Linoleic (LA) and Oleic acids. This writing is meant to be more for introductory information not as a detailed paper. …


Letter Re: Seeking Advice on Household Moves with Firearms and Ammunition

Sir, What advice could you give for moving one’s store of firearms and ammo a considerable distance in a relocation within the continental Unites States?  I am in one of the reasonably free northern New England states and figure that if I can make it through New York state without being stopped I can breathe a relative sigh of relief.  Still, I envision a scenario where the vehicle with the supplies is never left unattended.  And if I had to make this move alone I would consider doing so in a motor home so that I would only have to …


Letter Re: The Coming Shortage of Nickels

Jim,    Your readers might be interested to know that banks [where I live in California] have started charging a fee for rolled U.S [five cent piece] nickels. I’ve been going to Wells Fargo Bank ever since you wrote about the subject, several years ago, gradually obtaining nickels at cost.  Yesterday, I found that they’ve begun charging 7.5% per $100 box.  Another local bank, beginning in March, has started charging 10% per roll of nickels.  Word is getting out: Gresham’s Law is intact. –  Paul B.


Five Letters Re: Food Storage Extremes – Avoiding the Expensive Pitfalls

Dear Mr. Rawles: First, thank you for the service and information you provide – it is invaluable. Secondly, I’d like to respond to John L.’s letter regarding prepping in an urban/suburban location. Despite his condescending tone that immediately set my teeth on edge, I read the piece hoping to learn from it. Sadly, I only learned that John L.’s ideas of preparation do not coincide with mine. At first glance, I’m quite sure that John L would look at me and my situation and right me off as clueless and deluded. I recently lost everything I owned – my house, …


Economics and Investing:

Lynn G. mentioned this disturbing article about the bankrupt city of Vallejo, California: Broke Town, U.S.A. John R. suggested this: Egon von Greyerz: “A Hyperinflationary Deluge Is Imminent”, And Why, Therefore, Bernanke’s Motto Is “Après Nous Le Déluge” Utah House Passes Bill Recognizing Gold, Silver as Legal Tender. (A nice gesture and a good start, but what we need to do is abolish the Federal Reserve and reinstitute a Constitutional bi-metallic currency system for the nation.) Reader C.D.V. sent several inks: Investors Are Seeking Safety in New Harbors: Dollar, Once a Favored Refuge, Loses Ground to Yen, Franc US Standard …


Inflation Watch:

C.D.V. sent this: The Future of Food Prices: What Will Food Cost in 2015. “The current prices in your grocery store don’t presage an approaching storm. But that’s exactly what’s coming, says Bill Lapp, president of Advanced Economic Solutions, a consulting firm in Omaha, Nebraska, and the former chief economist for ConAgra Foods.”  Kory P. sent this update on his local chicken feed prices: Nutrena Premium Layer feed last year was $9.99 per bag Nutrena Premium Layer feed two months ago was $10.79 per bag Nutrena Layer feed (no longer premium) is presently $12.49 per bag World Food Prices Increase …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Kevin S. pointed us to this thread: CME Events, Loss of Electrical Grid, Ground Base Computers, & Satellites    o o o Tam at View From The Porch pointed us to an excellent essay by Oleg Volk: Collective punishment    o o o Mike S. spotted an article about an interesting device: “SiGNa Chemistry Inc. is launching a hydrogen-producing cartridge, the mobile-H2™, that will work with a portable, pocket-sized fuel cell charger to provide instant power for cell phones and other mobile devices. You simply add water to the cartridge, and the device will charge depleted batteries on the go. …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 33 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 round case of 12 Gauge Hornady TAP …


Acorn Pancakes, by Michelle

Everyone likes to talk about gardening and how it will greatly benefit not only your food bill, but also your health with fresh food. That’s great and all, and yes I do garden, but lets face it – a garden is a lot of work. Sure there are ways to make it less work, but in a time and effort spent to food acquired ratio: the scale is heavily tipped to the work spent side. That is only one of the reasons I have been putting my efforts into learning wild edibles: A garden that grows itself, and all I …


Two Letter Re: Our Experiences with Raising Meat Chickens

Mr. Rawles: I had to respond to the article about meat chickens. We have raised laying hens from chicks many times. Last year we too decided to try Cornish Cross chicks. The company we chose only gave “straight run”, so we couldn’t choose their sex. We got 16 and filled out our 25 chick minimum with new laying hens. One died the day after we got them. We brooded them in a large black poly water trough with paper covering the litter in the bottom. And we had a heat lamp over the top. Plus even though it was also …


Two Letters Re: Hunting for Food

Mr. Rawles, I read the recent post on hunting for survival. The author didn’t mention some of the most nourishing parts of the deer, the bone marrow! Full of fat and very tasty, it should be removed from the bone and eaten or mixed with some salt, dried berries and dried meat, pounded into a flour, made into Pemmican, it keeps well and is light to carry and very nutritious. The tongue, head meat, kidneys, heart, liver, spleen, lungs, leg bones with their marrow are also fine to eat or added to stew. When food is short you cannot afford …


Three Letters Re: Food Storage Extremes – Avoiding the Expensive Pitfalls

Jim, Although John L.’s article brings up a lot of interesting points, I think his definition of only two archetypes of persons, the clueless yuppie and the deluded urban survivalist is a little over the top.  I truly hope he was using hyperbole to make a point.  The truth at least from my perspective is that there are a lot of prepared persons that don’t fit either of his stereotypes.  Perhaps it’s because I live in a rural community where most of my neighbors could go weeks to months without a trip for groceries if the need arose.  That just …


Economics and Investing:

“I Get It Now.” A beginners to guide to investing in physical silver. (A hat tip to CRW for the link.) In Price of Farmland, Echoes of Another Boom J.B.G. sent this from from The Daily Mail: Petrol prices could hit £2 a litre if Libya turmoil escalates, warns Government minister. (At the current exchange rate this works out to about $13 USD per gallon.) Items from The Economatrix: As Silver Touches $34.90 US Mint Runs Out Of Bullion Blanks, Halts American Eagle Silver Coin Production   Silver Still In Backwardation / Small Silver Deliveries   China “Attacks The Dollar” …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Frequent content contributor Kevin S. sent this: Vegetable gardening: Raising the bed improves your odds.    o o o Britons! Time to Vote With Your Feet. Court Rules Christian Beliefs Harmful to Children. (Our thanks to J.M.B. for the link.)    o o o Chester sent us a link to a fascinating YouTube clip about a high-power air rifle that was used by the Lewis and Clark expedition. (OBTW, there are some modern high power air rifles. But unless you reside in a country with draconian firearms restrictions, an air rifle should be considered an adjunct rather than the centerpiece …