Year: 2011

Pickup Bed Liner Coatings for Full Body Paint on Bug Out Vehicles

Jim, I’ve seen a few trucks near my home in in Idaho sporting full body paint jobs using a Rhinoliner type application. I didn’t get any pictures but here is a link to a photo os a Jeep in Arizona with this job done to it. Seems like a good, durable long term solution for scratches and weather damage. Regards, – Jason M. JWR Replies: I agree that it is a durable finish and it also is quite flat, which makes it less reflective. Two potential drawbacks that I can see are: 1.) Until this type of “paint” job become …


Economics and Investing:

Europe could be in worst hour since WW2: Merkel. (Thanks to K.A.F. for the link.) Over at American Thinker: US building firewall to protect against European debt contagion Dollar Teetering on the Abyss William Weytjens: Platinum: The “Cheapest” Precious Metal AmEx suggested this at The Daily Beast: Europe’s Disaster is Headed Our Way Items from The Economatrix: The Banks That Swallowed Europe, Western Civilization Based on Debt Eurozone Sketches Out Stability Plan as Fears Linger Over Greece and Italy Why the Dollar and Euro Collapse are Guaranteed Gerald Celente on Alex Jones Show


Odds ‘n Sods:

R.B.S. sent this: Swapping chicken pox-infected lollipops illegal.    o o o K. & D. recommended this: New urine powered fuel cell in Britain power to the people?    o o o Keeley was the first of several readers to mention this: Copper sword stolen from statue at Lincoln’s Tomb    o o o Nolan sent this article from Canada: Couple retires in Rimbey home built from 30 steel shipping containers    o o o Reader Bill N.was researching windmills and found a maker in Texas that has a short description of how the older generation water-pumping windmills worked. Bill …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"All officers of the law are creatures of it and a creature cannot become bigger than a creator, and whenever an officer undertakes to set himself up as superior to the law or superior to the citizens, whose servant he is, his usefulness as an officer ceases." – Code of Conduct, Texas Rangers, circa 1875, as displayed at the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame, Waco, Texas


Note from JWR:

By coincidence, both Ready Made Resources and Safecastle just started their last 25% off Mountain House sales of the year. Both companies offer free shipping, a wide selection and competitive pricing, so you might want to place your order with the closest company, just for the sake of shipping efficiency. (Ready Made Resources is in Tennessee and Safecastle is in Minnesota. I suppose anyone west of the Rockies should just toss a coin!) Note that because of the large volume of orders expected and the upcoming Christmas shipping rush, please allow up to thirty days for delivery. Both companies are …


Pat’s Product Review: U.S. Tactical Supply

For much of my adult life, I’ve lived in rural areas – and I prefer it that way. Even now, I live halfway between two small towns in Oregon, and I don’t especially enjoy going to town for much of anything. I prefer to do a lot of mail-order shopping for many things I need or want. Over the years, I’ve been disappointed in many mail-order companies, their products and their customer service. I’ve done a lot of mail-order shopping from one particular company for the past 15-years or so, and that company is CDNN Sports and they have excellent …


Letter Re: Proof of Staple Food Price Inflation

Captain Rawles, First, continued thanks for your blog; I regularly read a number of web sites and in my opinion Survivalblog.com is ground zero for preparedness and socio/political/economic intelligence information. Second, I thought I’d pass on some additional proof (as if it wasn’t already obvious) of significant inflation in food prices.   We shop at the local Mormon (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) cannery near Denver for wheat, pasta, nonfat dried milk and other bulk items. For those who didn’t know, the Mormon canneries are open to non-members (at least for now) and the prices for bulk …


Letter Re: Staple Foods Storage By The Numbers

James: I love seeing articles that talk about the nutritional balance in diet.  Paul B.’s “Staple Foods Storage By The Numbers” is a good start, but I want to jump on and point out a few more details.  Daily caloric intake recommendations depend heavily on activity.  Yes, the recommendation is 2,000 calories for an adult male with moderate activity (note – *not* exercise!), and 3,000 us reasonable in a survival situation given the need for hunting, planting, building infrastructures and defenses as well as defending.  However, if your plan is simply to hunker down and depend on your stocked resources, …


Letter Re: Guns and Combatting Home Invasion Robbers

Hello Captain, Greetings from one of your neighbors in the American Redoubt. I couldn’t help but be bemused when I read the article about the elderly couple being beaten and robbed of their gun collection. Not because they got hurt or robbed of course. But because of a couple other points:   She yelled for her husband to "Call 911!" I guess that goes to show that wisdom doesn’t always come with age. Were that scenario to happen at my home, my wife wouldn’t answer the door. And I can’t remember the last time I answered the door without my …


Two Letters Re: Electric Garage Doors as a Point of Entry for Burglars and Home Invaders

Jim – I read with interest Dave in Oregon’s letter. This happened to a friend and co-worker: He had parked his pickup truck on the street, locked. Thieves broke into his truck, accessed the garage via the opener he had above the visor in the truck. Thankfully, this was in the morning when all were home, and the thieves were scared off by family members, but not before they stole his truck. I would also add that many electric openers have a rope attached as a release if the power fails. However with a larger overhead door, say a standard …


Economics and Investing:

SurvivalBlog’s G.G. sent this: Chinese ratings agency threatens US with new debt downgrade C.D.V. sent this: Eurozone collapse ‘will send continent into depression’ G.G. sent this: Too Big to Fail, Too Big to Save: The economic collapse of Italy will destroy the euro. (Nouriel Roubini) Items from The Economatrix: Rate on 30-year Mortgages Below Four Percent for Second Time Big Banks Plead With Customers No to Move Their Money Death of the Euro


Odds ‘n Sods:

Joseph L. sent a news item to file under “Emerging Threats”: Police impersonators carry out string of robberies: Crimes involve robbers posing as plainclothes officers, immigration agents.    o o o Camping Survival (one of our loyal advertisers) has just announced a great new product. It is a combination flashlight, electric firestarter, magnetic tool, and wound cauterizer (The latter by qualified medical personal only.) Since these are just past the prototype stage, the price tag is fairly high.    o o o SurvivalBlog readers in Norway will find this of interest: A paramedic in Norway, offers advanced emergency medical training …



Notes from JWR:

We had some problems with our dedicated server from Friday to Sunday. They are resolved now. The Permalinks and RSS feed should now be working. Thanks for your patience. — Today we present another two entries for Round 37 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 Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in …


Not the End But the Beginning, by Rod in Texas

We all read and see in the media where the world is going. Many debate the “How” of the “end”: Economic collapse, solar flare, pole shift, “Planet X” and so on. I believe we should ignore the “How” and focus on what we as the human race will do “when this happens”, whatever “it” is? Let’s take a minute and think: Certain disasters will necessitate certain supplies, specific preparations, and or survival techniques. If you are like me you’ve dedicated yourself into the world of “The End” then you have most likely done your due diligence and prepared to one …