Year: 2011

I Didn’t Want To Be a Prepper, by Laura Y.

I didn’t want to be a “prepper”.  In fact, when I first starting hearing about survivalists and preparing for TEOTWAWKI,  I thought it was a bit extremist.  I have long been a conservative and Christian, but a skeptic as well.  When my sister-in-law started talking to me about stocking up on things and buying a water filter, I have to admit my initial reaction was not to jump on the bandwagon.  Oh, I followed our state’s recommendation to have two weeks’ worth of water and food on hand for a disaster, but that was about it.  The turning point for …


Letter Re: Multiple Advantages of ICF Construction

Jim: I am considering using Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) for building my next house/retreat back in the United States  for when I feel that it is not longer safe to live abroad.    For a relatively small incremental cost in a new home (3-5%), you have disaster proof, fire resistant, fortified home. I found this brochure (in PDF) that describes some of the advantages of ICF construction.   Best Regards, – AmEx (American Expatriate)


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

Hi Jim, Just a short comment: As I read the piece about preventing home invasion robberies, I thought of another thing most people don’t think too much about regarding this issue. Most people who have electric garage door openers tend to leave the remote on the visor of their vehicle. If the car is left unlocked in the yard or street, it is very simple for a ne’er-do-well to snag the controller and wait until no one is home to invade the garage, Or in some cases when you are home.  I would recommend removing the controller from the visor, …


Economics and Investing:

AmEx sent this: Gold and bonds are all that’s left K.A.F. flagged this: Fed’s Plosser: Additional Stimulus Unnecessary Jeff H. suggested a piece over at the excellent SHTFPlan blog: Fake Silver and Gold Flood Global Markets; 100,000 Coins From A Single Counterfeiter! Damon S. mentioned this piece at the oft-cited Seeking Alpha blog: Prepare For Europe Collapse Before New Year Regulators on Friday closed a bank Georgia, bringing to 88 the number of bank failures in the U.S. this year. (Thanks to G.G. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: 65% Chance of Banking Crisis By End of November How …


Odds ‘n Sods:

The Greatest Truth Never Told #12. The Great Depression Is The Best Case    o o o Motorcycle Powered by Sewage. (Thanks to KAF for the link.)    o o o Spitfire redux: The WWII guns firing after 70 years buried in peat. (Thanks to Hope for the link.)    o o o Reader L.M.W. recommended a recent Day By Day cartoon strip on the Gunwalker scandal.    o o o Ron W. sent us this: Police raid Heckler & Koch in bribery probe


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds …


Note from JWR:

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 #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $300 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo, and …


A Work in Progress, by Defiance

As a family, we have been practicing – and experimenting – for years.  It started with a small garden, which took the place of the kids’ swimming pool when they got older and lost interest.  Our soil is a heavy clay, so after a couple of years of wrestling with the rototiller (it always won the battle), we decided to move up.  Of course, by that I mean raised beds.  So we bought some boards, and nailed them together.  Then we ordered a truckload of top soil, and wheeled it out back one wheelbarrow load at a time.  And since …


A Lifetime of Survivalism, by Allon

I was fifteen years old when the Sylvester Stallone movie, First Blood was released.  I identified with John Rambo in an adolescent way, as I too had many times escaped to the woods near my Appalachian home.  I was raised in a fairly violent household and learned at a young age that rage is only temporary.  If I could just make it to the door, my long legs would carry me to the high grass where all I had to do was fall down to become invisible.  I was afraid to stay out all night when I was in grammar …


Letter Re: Air Wells, Fog Fences, and Dew Ponds–Harvesting Atmospheric Water

Sir I am providing a link to a web page on “Air Wells”–the history of harvesting  atmospheric water, in the form of water vapor, dew ,and fog.  I know this was done in ancient times, and when I was in Europe I went on several tours of old castles, etc.  At one of these sites I saw a odd building on the grounds, and asked what that was used for.  It was used to collect water from the dew in the mornings, there was a cistern inside, and the water dripped from the tile walls and collected in the cistern.  …


Letter Re: Staple Food Storage by the Numbers

Mr. Rawles, The recent article, “Staple Food Storage by the Numbers by Paul B.,” offers good insight into how to calculate for food storage and what foods offer more versus others.  Following his idea, I went to Self magazine’s mentioned web site nutritiondata.self.com to see about other foods I had been planning on storing.  When I looked into the kidney beans information provided by Paul, I noticed that the nutrition data provided in his article was based upon raw red kidney beans.  The problem with uncooked beans is not only the difficulty in eating them, but they are potentially toxic when consumed if …


Economics and Investing:

Roman sent the link to this great piece:  Storing Your Value–Old-School Wealth G.G. flagged this: EUROPAC: We Have Entered The First Of Four Phases That Will Destroy Fiat Money Some Context: How Bad is it in Italy?   The U.S. Dollar Has the Upper Hand Here. [JWR’s Comment: The U.S. Dollar’s relative strength versus the Euro is transitory. In the long run, our debt (as a percentage of GDP) will become all too obvious, and U.S. Treasury debt instruments will be propelled to double-digits yields in order to attract investors. That will be a precursor to an extended period of …


Odds ‘n Sods:

My buddy Pete in Switzerland mentioned a new marketing angle for oral rehydration solutions: Warrior Wound Care.    o o o Clearly, it is not safe to live near the Mexican border! SWAT teams dispatched as gun battle unfolds near Escobares.    o o o Kevin S. sent this: The Darknet Project: netroots activists dream of global mesh network    o o o The left-of center Mother Jones magazine recently posted this: Map: The Nuclear Bombs in Your Backyard. This map helps to confirm that the portions of The American Redoubt that are upwind (West) of Montana’s missile fields are …



Note from JWR:

Notes from JWRs Today marks Armistice Day/Veteran’s Day/Poppy Day/Remembrance Day, observed in many western nations. If you meet a veteran, thank him for his service. — Today we present another entry 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 #10 cans, courtesy of Ready …