Year: 2011

How to Defend a Retreat Against Wheeled Vehicle Threats, by B.W. in Pennsylvania

I recently finished JWR’s latest novel “Survivors”and have read it predecessor, “Patriots”. I have realized that there were some things that the retreat owner could do to better prepare the land to prevent or slow down vehicles from entering your ground. Although the offsetting of obstacles works well in funneling, this does not stop vehicles. I think of my own retreat and how I plan on defending it, I thought back to my former MOS when I was in the service. Although I can block the roads into the farms that sit on the lane, there is a power line …


Letter Re: Uses For Discarded Satellite Dishes at a Retreat

Hello Jim, and Readers: Recently I was looking for a way to record some long distance sounds, and thought of a solution for Listening post observation posts.  I discovered  an old Dish Network or Direct TV dish will work fine with a microphone mounted to it. Using a UHF or N type bulkhead RF connector mounted to the point where the old  antenna LNB was mounted I drilled a hole large enough on the front of the antenna mount with a step drill for the base of the  RF connector, and 1/8th holes for the flange mount of the connector, and mounted …


Economics and Investing:

G.G. flagged this: The Austerity Myth: Federal Spending Up 5% This Year Greece Faces ‘Hellish Week’ as Debt Crisis Tests Nation. (Thanks to Alice C. for the link.) Also from Alice: Berlin tempers summit hopes, banks under pressure Items from The Economatrix: 10 Essential Fiscal Charts Demonstrating America’s Disastrous Condition Wall Street Lower As Banks Drag On Germany, Earnings Lowe’s Closes Stores, Lays Off 1,950 Workers


Odds ‘n Sods:

The Great Endarkenment: Detroit struggles to keep lights on: Copper thieves, aging equipment darken blocks in cash-starved city. (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)    o o o Reader R.C. kindly sent this: Automotive ‘black boxes’ raise privacy issues    o o o The Womb to Tomb medicated society: Consider ADHD starting at age four, says doctor group. (thanks to Diana V. for the link.)    o o o John T. sent us this inevitable headline: New crime wave: Cooking Oil Thefts.


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The philosopher Diogenes was eating bread and lentils for supper. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus, who lived comfortably by flattering the king. Said Aristippus, ‘If you would learn to be subservient to the king, you would not have to live on lentils.’ Said Diogenes, ‘Learn to live on lentils, and you will not have to be subservient to the king.’ ” – from “The Song of the Bird” by Anthony de Mello


Note from JWR:

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve just signed another contract with Plume Books (part of the Penguin Books Group.) They are the publisher of my international best-seller “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It”. The new book will be titled: Rawles On Tools For Survival: A Guide to Firearms and Other Tools for Family Preparedness. This book will be released in early 2014, Deo Volente. Now all I have to do is write it. The targeted page count is 384 pages.


Pat’s Product Review: A Retraction on MGI Hydra Modular Rifles

In a previous review, posted in April, 2001, I had posted favorable comments on the MGI “Hydra” modular rifle system. I am withdrawing that positive review, and alerting SurvivalBlog readers to NOT purchase this product. While the sample I wrote up in SurvivalBlog worked flawlessly, I have recently been informed of some serious quality control problems with current-production Hydra rifles. Several SurvivalBlog readers that placed orders have received defective guns. One SurvivalBlog reader, after many months, finally did get a working Hydra. But another SurvivalBlog reader is still waiting. He returned his Hydra before he even took it out of …


Pat’s Product Review: Black Hills Ammunition

Twenty years ago, when I first started writing about guns, I also edited and published a rag called “Police Hot Sheet.” It was a pull-no-punches magazine reviewing firearms, ammo and gear. The very first companies to supply me with their products were Black Hills Ammunition and Taurus Firearms and to this day, both companies keep samples of their products coming my way. Over the past 20 years, I have easily fired hundreds of thousands of rounds of Black Hills Ammunition, and not once did I have a problem with any of their ammo – reloads, factory seconds or their brand-new …


Letter Re: Farmer’s Markets in the American Redoubt?

Sir: I’ve been a follower of SurvivalBlog for some time. We’ve seen this mentioned before: building communities of moral, responsible,  and like-minded citizens (in the Robert Heinlein sense of the word) has strategic advantages. I would go a step further and say this process is, in fact, crucial. I number among the many souls who wish to relocate and become self-sustaining but all to often find ourselves in a serious minority among our immediate circle of relationships, as well as beset by other challenges to overcome. Our particular circumstance may vary: Maybe we’re small business owners in a depressed area, …


Letter Re: Training Opportunities With The Civil Air Patrol

Hello, I recently read the insightful article about a Senior Citizen’s take on prepping. She mentioned that she had her grandson join the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). I am a cadet member of the Civil Air Patrol, and have been for three years. The Civil Air Patrol is the auxiliary of the United States Air Force, and performs Emergency Services, as well as Cadet Programs and Aerospace Education. There are quite a lot of opportunities in CAP; everything from learning to fly, roughing it in the wilderness, and looking for downed aircraft. I strongly recommend the program for anyone interested in …


Economics and Investing:

Some Words of Advice From Kyle Bass (paraphrased): “Buy guns. Buy gold. Buy nickels.” Inevitability of a Crash Goes Mainstream. Reader S.B. in Japan me sent a link to this: A Greater Depression is coming. S.B.’s comment: “Until fairly recently, much of the talk of truly serious economic problems has been in far from mainstream sources. The mainstream media has talked a bit about further recession, but I haven’t seen a single article that clearly stated that it’s coming and there’s nothing we can do about it. That is until I saw this today, linked from The Wall Street Journal‘s web …


Odds ‘n Sods:

F.J. sent us a lesson in caching commonsense (or lack thereof), over at Commander Zero’s excellent blog: Article – Gun, weapons parts found buried in Arlington.    o o o I was asked by a consulting client what would happen if the “Occupy America” protests transition from “acute” to “chronic”. I told him that I think that the outcome might be a lot like the fate of the World War I veterans’ Bonus Army, in the 1930s. (That is, depending on the JBT proclivities of the particular States where the protests are held.) There is an old Japanese proverb: “The …



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.) …


Simple Electronic Devices and Hacks for Every Day Preparations, by Pat in Oregon

Technology is a significant force multiplier in emergency situations.  There are several options I’ve found in my preparations to incorporate electronics into our everyday use and emergency preparations.  Hopefully these ideas will be of use and get others thinking about possibilities.  My goal in utilizing these ‘gadgets’ is to increase availability of resource while decreasing maintenance and effort – all at low cost if possible.  I’d like to share a few of the low-cost options that are simplest to try that we’ve adopted in our preps. I’m an engineer and realize most of the tools I use won’t be appreciated …