Year: 2011

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 …


Forever Preps – Preparations You Can Buy Once, and Have Forever, by Andrew D.

As a self-confessed budgeting fanatic, I’ve constrained my prepping budget on a monthly basis where I spend in one month what I made the previous month.  For example, I spend money in February that I earned in January, and so on.  Given the uncertain times, I never want to be “on the hook” with paying for things with “future money”.  So confession out of the way, sometimes it’s hard to know where to start with your preparations.  I know all about the rule of 3, etc., but when it comes down to it, there really are a lot of choices.  …


Letter Re: Storing Spare Vehicle CPUs for EMP Preparedness

JWR,   Thanks for the great blog and everything you do for us.   I was at my local Ford dealer getting some work done and ask the service manager about computer modules for my 2006 F250 diesel. He told there are three different modules; engine, fuel and transmission. I ask how much they cost and he told me “a lot” but they are fairly simple to install, basically unplug the old and plug in the new one. What he told me next I hadn’t thought about and had not read; the computer modules must be programmed to work. Also …


Letter Re: You are Only as Good as Your Equipment

JWR: I had to smile when I saw your comment about Fiskars products yesterday.  A recent experience pushed my Fiskars lopping shears (“loppers”) up to the top of my favorite tool list. During a lull in this ridiculous winter, my kids and I cleared a small area of my land to make room for some fruit trees we’re planting this coming season.  The vast majority of the stuff we cleared was between 1″ to 2″ in diameter. It was not really big enough for firewood, but big enough that it seemed a shame to us to just waste it.  So …


Economics and Investing:

$4 Gasoline? Definitely in California, but Maybe Not for Everyone Else US House Prices to Continue Falling: Economist. [JWR Adds: That is, until mass inflation kicks in, and makes us all millionaires.] Englishmen warned: House prices ‘to fall by 20%’ De Borchgrave: Mideast $400 Oil Imminent With Mideast Upheaval John R. suggested this piece by Bob Chapman: Public debt: unsustainable and simply unpayable Items from The Economatrix: On-going Overnight Short Squeeze Takes Silver to Fresh 31-Year High   Credibility Blown (The Mogambo Guru)   Silver Bankers May Be Sitting On Big Derivatives Losses And The Fed May Be Funding Them …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader B.C. wrote to mention: “It has occurred to me that preparedness should also include how to cook for the crowd that shows up at TEOTWAWKI. I just came across a page with links to recipes for cooking for 20 or more people.”    o o o JRH Enterprises is having a sale on new third generation Pinnacle auto-gated PVS-14 night vision units. All of these have a adjustable gain and a five year warranty.  The standard Gen 3 unit is now on sale for $2,895. And for the first time JRH is putting on sale their upgraded (Gen 3+) version …



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 …


Dairy Goats 101, by Country Lady

For those of you on your retreat property and wanting to add sustainability to your food supply, I present this article to give you an overview of goat-keeping.  Why choose goats?  The advantages of goats are manifold: • Goats are smaller, therefore require less feed, space and fencing than a cow. • Goat milk is less allergenic and more closely resembles human milk than cow milk. • Dairy goats typically produce two quarts to a gallon of milk per day – a usable amount for a family, especially if no refrigeration is available. • Goats kid (give birth) five months …


Letter Re: You are Only as Good as Your Equipment

I am a two-year every day reader of the SurvivalBlog, and going through most of the entries that people write I have noticed that the majority of people believe that in a post SHTF scenario we will be faced with daily battles with marauders trying to take or food and goods. This brings people to the assumption that they must only stock up on only ammunition and firearms. As we all know as readers of this blog that when SHTF we will not have grocery stores or any of the facilities that we take for granted as of today. We …


Letter Re: When Alaskan Salmon is Chinese

Hi, Jim: Every few weeks I buy a couple cases (of 24 cans) of canned wild Alaskan salmon canned by Bumble Bee selling for $1.99 per can (a 14.5oz can), and a quality gold tinted tapered can. Recently it has had a 2015 expiration date. In my estimation, wild salmon is an excellent unadulterated protein source with a lengthy expiration date, especially when compared to canned tuna (with traces of mercury) and canned chicken.    Well, yesterday I went in to the same discount supermarket (the kind of no-frills market where you bag yourself and pay extra for the bag) …


Letter Re: Antibiotics for Serious Wounds

A reader wrote to ask: “Dr. Koelker, you explained what each of the antibiotics is good for, but one major concern was unaddressed. In a TEOTWAWKI situation we may be faced with having to treat gunshot wounds. And just as likely, if not more so, we may need to treat serious lacerations, such as accidents with sharp, dirty tools. I think, as am I, the readers of this blog might be interested to know which antibiotics are the most effective in preventing infections if/when we sustain such wounds.”   Doctor Koelker Replies:  As usual, such answers come in a short …


Economics and Investing:

Thor sent this bit of news on the global food supply: Planet could be ‘unrecognizable’ by 2050, experts say Luis (At Sea) sent us this link to Seeking Alpha: Case-Shiller: Home Price Declines Continue. Luis notes: “Notice that Washington D.C. had the only positive number, and even that was marginal.”   Several Items from Kevin S.: A Tipping Point Is Nearing   Food/Financial Crisis of 2011   The Collapse of America’s Labor Force   Items from The Economatrix: How Much More Demand Can Silver Handle?   Despite Oversupply, US Gasoline Prices Leap   Oil Surges 6% as Libya Tension Intensifies …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Pierre M. sent: CDC: Deadly Superbug “C-Diff” Spreading    o o o Avalanche Lily spotted this: Since D.C.’s handgun ban ended, well-heeled residents have become well armed.    o o o Patricia F. flagged this: Why Does Texas Have Its Own Power Grid?    o o o A reader suggested HP LaserJet Tough Paper for printing key references that might be used in the field. It is not paper. Rather, it is a plastic material that can be laser printed. It is waterproof, so it would be ideal for printing specialized maps and pages for field notebooks.    o o …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"The great virtue of a free market system is that it does not care what color people are; it does not care what their religion is; it only cares whether they can produce something you want to buy. It is the most effective system we have discovered to enable people who hate one another to deal with one another and help one another." – Milton Friedman