Year: 2011

Letter Re: Field-Test Improvements to a Go Bag

James, Excellent article on the Field-Test Improvements to a Go Bag by Todd S.  A couple of suggestions for your readers.  First, as an experienced backpacker, I agree with the assessment about the socks.  Athletic socks just don’t cut it for backpacking.  In fact, no cotton socks will work effectively.  Two moisture-wicking pairs of socks is sufficient for several weeks at least. I have learned, however, that the moisture-wicking performance is lessened with each day of use unless the socks are washed with soap and dried.  The sweat from your feet contain salts and oils that will degrade the performance …


Economics and Investing:

Peter Schiff: Brace for “Abrupt” Dollar Collapse AmEx (American Expat) sent this: Nearly 29% of mortgaged homes underwater, report finds The Entire Global Economy is at The Mercy of Tiny Greece? Items from The Economatrix: Bank Exodus From Euro Zone Sovereign Debt Quickens Consumer Borrowing Up, But Credit Card Use is Down UPS Expects 6% Rise in Holiday Shipments Senate Aims Help at Jobless Vets, Contractors


Odds ‘n Sods:

F.J. suggested this piece at LifeHacker: Build a Mini-Metal Lathe from Broken Power Tools    o o o Here is a review in The New American magazine: James Wesley Rawles’ New Book: “Survivors”    o o o F.J.R. spotted this over at Instructables: Easy Dual Fuel Furnace Burner    o o o I heard that Ready Made Resources now offers a Home Blood Typing Kit, with free shipping. This kit shows both O, A, B, AB and + or – RH. If any members of your family haven’t become blood donors and thus determined their blood type, then it is …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“If you look at the troubles which happened in European countries, this is purely because of the accumulated troubles of the worn out welfare society. I think the labor laws are outdated. The labor laws induce sloth, indolence, rather than hard-working. The incentive system is totally out of whack. Why should, for instance, within [the] euro zone some member’s people have to work to 65, even longer, whereas in some other countries they are happily retiring at 55, languishing on the beach? This is unfair. The welfare system is good for any society to reduce the gap, to help those …


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.) …


How To Find a Bug Out Location Without First Going There, by Jen L.

I live about 30 miles north of Denver, Colorado – where there’s a metropolitan population approaching three million.  I own a 4×4 vehicle, but rarely go to the mountains and decided it was time to find a bug out location without having to go there.  Perhaps I should mention that I’m a 60 year old female, and my husband thinks the whole concept of survival is complete rubbish!  And while I own a GPS, I’m going to show you how to do this for free so you can prepare for a TEOTWAWKI situation. The USGS has maps that are scaled at 1:50,000.  The “New Generation” maps …


The Mayor Bloomberg Puzzler

Here is a puzzler for Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City: What two things do all 15 of these mayors (and former mayors) have in common? Mayor Patricia Christensen – Port St. Lucie, Florida Mayor Will Wynn – Austin, Texas Mayor Sheila Dixon – Baltimore, Maryland Mayor Eddie Perez – Hartford, Connecticut Mayor Gary Becker – Racine, Wisconsin Mayor April Capone Almon – East Haven, Connecticut Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick – Detroit, Michigan Mayor Delle Donna – Guttenberg, New Jersey Mayor Roosevelt F. Dorn, Inglewood, California Mayor Frank Melton – Jackson, Mississippi Mayor Samuel Rivera – Passaic, New Jersey Mayor …


Two Letters Re: Improvised Weapons for Restricted Environments

Dear Mr. Rawles, I have been reading your blog on a daily basis for about a month now and I have been involved in preparing myself and my family for approximately the last year. Today I read Pat Cascio’s review of the CRKT Tao Pen, a brilliant tool, and one that I am sure to purchase soon. My father had a similar pen many years ago, a basic heavy aluminum pen, which he carried wherever he went strictly for the purpose of self defense and much less for the convenience of having his own pen. My father, younger sister, and …


Economics and Investing:

Chris M. suggested this article: The Shadow Superpower–Forget China: the $10 trillion global black market is the world’s fastest growing economy — and its future. Reader A.N. sent this: US wealth gap between young and old is widest ever Also from A.N.: 7-in-10 Blame Economy for Hiring Freeze John R. liked this one: The Municipal Bond Market Is Imploding Items from The Economatrix: Greece’s Prime Minister Survives Confidence Vote “Gigantic Bank Run” Coming, Says Nobel Prize Winner Fed-up Consumers Planning for “Bank Transfer Day” Banks Closed In Nebraska, Utah; Total 2011 Failures 87


Odds ‘n Sods:

Ttabs has done it again with another great ultralight low-altitude flying video, over the north end of the Palouse Hills region, in eastern Washington. Be sure to watch all of it. He jumps a band of mule deer, near the end.    o o o Dr. Bob recently wrote and posted a detailed series of article on vitamins. (Dr. Bob is is one of the few consulting physicians in the U.S. who dispenses antibiotics for disaster preparedness as part of his normal scope of practice. His web site is: SurvivingHealthy.com.)    o o o The Ryans over at Total Survivalist …



Pat’s Product Review: CRKT Tao Pen

Long gone are the days when you could actually carry a pocket knife, or multi-tool on a commercial airline. I remember the day, when you could walk onto a plane, and if you hand a handgun (cased) just hand it to the pilot, who would secure it in the cockpit. When you got to your destination, the pilot would hand your case handgun back to you.   So-called “security” measures started sneaking up on us, at airports, ever so slowly. They started limiting us to pocket knives of a certain blade length and no longer. Then they started banning multi-tools …


Letter Re: 2011 Connecticut Power Outages

JWR; I am 69 year old Connecticut native, grew up on 100 acre farm in Eastern Connecticut during the 40’s and 50’s. [The late October 2011 snowstorm caused a lot of damage and the lengthy power failures upset a lot of people. See: Tempers flare over six days of Connecticut power outages.] I know most of the hardest hit areas, and am also a prepper!  Like most of New England, our state was clear cut during the 1700s and 1800s.  I have seen old photos of our rolling hills with nary a tree to be seen.  As a child on our …


Two Letters Re: Buying Spare Deep Cycle Batteries

Mr. Rawles: I’m a long-time SurvivalBlog reader. There was a recent post about dry batteries and where to buy acid.  I live in rural Ohio, in farm country.  I have had no problem buying battery acid at a local auto parts chain store.  I am always adding to [batteries for] tractors and combines, et cetera.  Never thought of it being hard to get.   Last time I bought it it came in a 6 quart container for around $30. Keep up the great work. – Sheepman Dave James, I frequently get questions regarding long term, reliable, battery backup systems. First some …


Economics and Investing:

Some Words of Advice From Kyle Bass (Guns, Gold, and Nickels–He is definitely our kinda guy.) Charles Hugh Smith chimes in, with guest post over at Zero Hedge: The Collapse Of Our Corrupt, Predatory, Pathological Financial System Is Necessary And Positive. (Thanks to L.M.W. for the link.) Super Committee Can Keep the Change: Dollar Coin Proposal Lacks Momentum Items from The Economatrix: German Economists On Greek Referendum:  “The Euro Zone Could Face Ruin” Federal Reserve Lowers Outlook for US Growth BofA Forecloses on Home Destroyed By Ike