Year: 2011

Burning Coal in a Cookstove, by S.G. in New Hampshire

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While remodeling our kitchen several years ago we purchased an antique coal/wood kitchen stove.  This stove was a replacement for a wood-only cook stove that had seen better days. With the economy crumbling and living in New Hampshire where winters can be long and harsh we thought it would be a good idea to have an alternative to our all-electric kitchen.  Power outages are relatively common here as well. Several years ago we lost our power for 8 days due to an ice storm. We have lived in our current home for 33 years. It is a log home several …


Letter Re: Lists of Practical Skills

JWR – I cannot thank you enough for all you do. Thanks to your “List of Lists” and articles I am well on my way…. above the 80% so to speak.  As everyone is, I am limited by finances. So while I pursue the items I need I also wanted to pursue skills. That is the most important anyway. So I was searching the site for a list of practical skills. Skills many times can be practiced without money or with existing gear.  Is there a list of skills on the site? And if not, then what articles would you …


Letter Re: Nationwide EAS Test Failure

Mr Rawles: I had to send along the link to the news article about the failure of the nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) with the observation that I would have bet this wasn’t going to work.   I say that as a retired Air Force avionics technician whose job was maintaining and flying as a crew member on the EC-135A, C, G, H, and L model Airborne Command Post Aircraft.  As well as in an advisory capacity for five years when the job was passed over to the Navy E6B in 1998.  Even on our best days with everyone doing …


Economics and Investing:

Josh flagged this: 100% Chance of Crisis, Worse Than 2008: Jim Rogers M.C. highlighted this headline: The Fall of the Eurozone? Merkel Calls for “New Europe” C.D.V. alerted us to this: Alabama County Votes for Biggest Muni Bankruptcy on Record ($3.14 billion!) M.E.W. sent this piece by “Recovering Venture Capitalist” Bill Freeza: Will Western Civilization Rediscover The Moral Foundations Of Sound Money? Items from The Economatrix: These Five Charts Clearly Show Just How Major — And Depressing — The Current Unemployment Situation Really Is Employers Post Most Job Openings in Three Years Retirement Crisis Closes in On Baby Boomers Progress …


Odds ‘n Sods:

I was recently chided by a fellow blogger, for encouraging people to relocate to a lightly-populated region in the western United States. He mischaracterized my retreat locale recommendations by referring to me as “…some novelist living in Idaho who has completely discounted every state east of the Mississippi as unfit for survival.”  For the record, I have never called the eastern states “unfit for survival”, but I have concluded that one’s statistical chances of surviving a grid-down collapse will be better in regions where the population density is low. I did not include any eastern states in my rankings of …



Note from JWR:

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 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 E.) …


Staple Foods Storage By The Numbers, by Paul B.

Staple Foods Storage By The Numbers, by Paul B. The most basic survival task that every person can do is to begin an emergency food pantry or stockpile or whatever term one wishes to use.  The problem I have always had is in not knowing the quantities of staple foods to store.  I know there are food storage calculators on-line that will give total amounts for various items but they don’t explain how to use those items on a day-to-day basis.  Part of the reason why this is all so problematic for me is that I never really knew that …


Letter Re: An Accountant Sums Up The Greek Debt Quandary

Jim, et al:  I recently read an enlightening ABC Australia news article: Greek Crisis – Migrants getting the blame.  Surprise surprise – the social experiment of open borders and monetary union is not working so well in Greece !   Greece has a population of 11million apparently and there are 1 million illegal immigrants and free loaders. Combine this with a retirement age of 45 there is little wonder the country is in the poo.    Being an accountant, I did a few quick calculations.  Assuming that the population was spread evenly to an average death age of 80 (which …


Letter Re: A Suburban Ghillie Suit Test

I debated about writing this, but in spirit of sharing with your readers the recent usage of a Ghillie suit in a real world situation, with very surprising results. This event occurred as a what to use for the neighborhood halloween, trick or treat crowd, and it was quite a crowd.   We live in a fairly large suburban subdivision on the outskirts of Phoenix. My wife and I have as much fun as the kids who are almost always with parents or a group of adults. My problem was what to “dress up as”, the wife has her ghost outfit, and mine was …


Economics and Investing:

Rick Moran: ‘We are looking straight into the face of a Great Depression’ G.G. sent this news from England: Number of men aged 25-34 living with their parents rockets to 18.6 per cent, the highest level since 1960 At The Daily Bell: Der Spiegel: ‘Consensus Is Growing’ for ECB and IMF Takeover of Euro-Crisis. (And who will provide the support for the IMF? Most likely us–American taxpayers.) Jason Hommel: The Dollar is Done – Deal with It Barclays Says Italy Is Finished: “Mathematically Beyond Point Of No Return” (Thanks to John R. for the link.)) Items from The Economatrix: Gold …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Jeff M. sent us the link to this article with a nifty accompanying video about re-purposed missile silos: Condo at the End of the World.    o o o I heard that Freeze Dry Guy has acquired the entire U. S. Government contract overrun of Long Range Patrol / Cold Weather Ration entrees for 2011. Don’t miss out on this extraordinary deal!    o o o Brad S. suggested this great video: Unconventional Warfare Strategies – Negotiation Skills 101    o o o J.B.G. sent this: Thieves leave deputies riding on the rims    o o o The mainstreaming of …



Note from JWR:

Thanks for all the letters and e-mails about my latest book “Survivors: A Novel of the Coming Collapse”. I’m glad to hear that so many of you enjoyed reading it. I would greatly appreciate some brief reviews on the Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble web sites. Just a paragraph or two would be great, thanks! — 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 …


Surviving TEOTWAWKI With Style, By Susan H.

If I am to survive TEOTWAWKI, then I intend to live in a style to which I’ve become accustomed.  That is, I intend to continue enjoying music, sweets, wine, cups of hot tea in the winter, stories, plays, and humor.  I plan to keep my pets around.  I hope to do so with the full participation of my family, however it evolves over time. I began working on maintaining this style almost 20 years ago, when we moved to a hobby farm in one of those “fly-over” states that has good soil and low population.  The farm is capable of …