Year: 2011

Pat’s Product Review: ISSC M22 Pistol

I think many of us grew-up, with a .22 caliber rifle of some sort, as our first gun. I still remember getting my first .22 rifle when I was down in Kentucky, back in 1967. My grandmother took me down to Sturgis, Kentucky to visit her sister, whom she hadn’t seen in 40 years. I met all manner of country cousins that I didn’t know I had. I remember walking through the tiny downtown area of Sturgis, and I stopped in the Western Auto store. I was surprised to see that they carried all manner of firearms. I was literally …


Dealing With Ankle Injuries in TEOTWAWKI, by Dr. Bob

The ankle is a frequently injured joint currently with the grid up and will be even more often with the grid down.  Ankles are easily turned, or rolled, with uneven ground, curbs, trees, rocks, etc.  Walking in general and walking in rough terrain are assumed to be more likely in TEOTWAWKI situations.  Almost everyone has had an ankle sprain in their lives, and many people have actually “broken” their ankles.  There will be no local doctor’s office and certainly no X-ray availability without a grid, so how do you take care of an ankle injury and how do you know …


Letter Re: State Defense Force Service as a Preparedness Training Resource

Hi Jim, Thank you for all you do and provide to us readers so selflessly.  May you always have dry powder, socks and a multitude of blessings.  I’m guessing you will probably get quite a few responses to M.K.’s article of State Defense Forces.  I had mixed reactions to it.    First, let me state; I have always had the highest regard for the Military and the servicemen therein.  Our family has had someone in the Military in every generation going back before The Revolution and still do.  We even had a number that served in the early Militias.  So …


Economics and Investing:

Ol’ Remus has posted some great observations on the coming hyperinflation Items from The Economatrix: Economy Grew 2.5% in Q3 as Consumers Rebound Rate On 30-year Fixed Mortgage Falls to 4.10% But meanwhile, we read: Contracts to Buy Homes Fell 4.6% in September. (Let’s face it: The real estate market will be broken for at least 10 years.) BNY Mellon Slaps Fee on Some Depositors The Great Depression 80 Years Later:  Same Culprits, Same Rage Eurozone “Collapsed,” Euro to Vanish FinansInvest CEO Says Gold, Silver and Fraudulent Investor Traps


Odds ‘n Sods:

A profile news story from Toronto, Canada: Survivalists fear currency crash.    o o o Gun turn-in pits Ceasefire against collectors with cash. (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)    o o o B.B. sent this: When Government Knows No Limitation: New DOJ Rules Allow More Intrusive Searches. If you don’t already own a medium-level security (Level 3 or better) paper shredder then you are way behind the power curve.    o o o Two Million Without Power: Heavy Autumn Snowstorm Barrels Across Northeast    o o o Ian R. sent this: 2011’s Incredible Weather Extremes. Ian notes: “If you …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The term ‘assault weapon’ has always been misleading and disingenuous. I have yet to see in all my years a ‘retreat rifle’, a ‘Mexican standoff rifle’, or an ‘advance slowly rifle’. All rifles are capable of inflicting fatal and near fatal wounds. They would be worthless if they weren’t so capable. If some look scarier than others, that would only help in their perceived effectiveness by the enemy and should help shorten the fight. Why would you want it any different? The most dangerous rifle is the one in the hands of a capable rifleman, regardless of type. The most …


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 …


State Defense Force Service as a Preparedness Training Resource, by M.K.

I advocate that you seriously consider incorporating state organized militia service as a key element of a developing or ongoing personal preparedness strategy.  At this time, twenty-two states have some form of active state sanctioned/sponsored militia organization, all of which are incorporated into each of those states’ military organization.  Generally, these state organized militias are collectively referred to as State Defense Forces (SDFs), though the various states refer to their organizations within a narrow range of naming conventions.  Some examples include, the Texas State Guard, Virginia State Defense Force, Ohio Military Reserve, etc. Though state defense forces are official elements …


Thinking Outside the Box, by Karen I.

My father was an engineer at Boeing, and Boeing builds in (or at least they used to) triple redundancy.  Kind of hard to find a hardware store or plane mechanic mid-air over the Atlantic, so you can see why what appears to be over-building really isn’t in the case of an airplane.  You might think that to effect this on the ground you’d need three or more of everything, but that’s not actually the case.  What you need for food, for example, is obviously more than one year’s supply.  You aren’t going to quit eating if you can help it, …


Letter Re: The Ultimate Altoids Tin Survival Kit

Dear SurvivalBloggers: I’d like to thank J.C.R. for his article on the survival kit tins.  I have been meaning to put mine together for a while his article definitely gave me some more things to think about.  However, while I have not completed my tin build, I have been thinking about the different aspects.  I have seen various articles advising that we prepare for what is most likely first (power outage, snowed in for a few days, etc.) up to however far you want to take it (up to a total apocalyptic event).  With this in mind, I feel you …


Economics and Investing:

Wayne G. sent this: Consumer Confidence Tumbles, Home Prices Stagnate Another flagged by veteran SurvivalBlog contributior G.G: All American Bank Fails; 2011 Tally at 85 RBS found this one: Americans ‘Hooked on Government’ as Record Number Get Benefits (Businessweek) Items from The Economatrix: Poll:  Many Boomers Staying Put Amid Bad Economy New-home Sales Tick Up as Builders Slash Prices Savers Protect Your Deposits from Bankrupting Banks and Quantitative Inflation Tomorrow’s EU Summit Meeting Cancelled; Gold and Silver Skyrocket on News We Are Saved Again By More Paper Injection / Gold And Silver Rebound To Score Higher Levels GDP Grew 2.5%, …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Amid the City, Learning to Survive in the Wild. (Thanks to Mary F. for the link.)    o o o Important Safety Tip, Kids: Just like with an AT-4 or LAW, Always Check Your Backblast Area    o o o Tam posted some great commentary on the dark side of biometrics.    o o o Why did a police officer fire gas canister into crowd trying to help injured Iraq veteran? This is the sort of JBT behavior that I warned about.    o o o This map provides yet another good data point in support of the American Redoubt …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” – John 6:39-40 (KJV)


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.) …


The Ultimate Altoids Tin Survival Kit, by J.C.R.

As hunting season begins to kick into high gear here in central North Carolina and I begin to drag out my gear and go over it like a child on Christmas morning, I thought of something.  The thoughts of a basic survival kit came to mind.  As I replayed a situation many years old that could have gone badly, I made up my mind to look seriously into putting together a kit.  Several years ago while deer hunting in eastern North Carolina, me and my hunting buddy wandered off into a marshy swamp and spent all day trying to get …