Day: January 9, 2012

Notes from JWR:

I’m pleased to announce that the new, greatly-expanded, SurvivalBlog Archive CD 2005-2011 is now available for ordering and immediate shipment. As an improvement to the now discontinued the 2005-2010 edition, this latest edition includes an extra full year of the blog and bonus electronic copies my book “Rawles on Retreats and Relocation” in three formats: PDF, MS-Word, and HTML. That book normally sells in hard copy for $28. The new CD-ROM sells for just $14.95. It is now packed in a DVD case, for extra protection in the mail. The order fulfillment company takes credit card orders. With the SurvivalBlog …


Pat’s Product Review: Buck Knives Hood Hoodlum

It’s nice when a real survivalist designs something, instead of an arm chair commando or wannabe survivalist. The late Ron Hood was well respected in the survival field, as a true expert in wilderness survival techniques. Hood collaborated with Buck Knives (www.bucknives.com) , to come out with the Hood Hoodlum fixed blade survival knife. Unfortunately, about a week after the knife came out, Ron Hood passed away – a loss to us all, and he will be missed.   Ron Hood also spent 20 years teaching accredited college courses on survival skills. Not too many survival instructors I’ve heard of that …


Letter Re: A Reliable Propane Insulin Refrigerator

James: I’d like to suggest one solution for grid-down insulin refrigeration: I have purchased a Dometic RC4000 3 way portable refrigerator for insulin.  It runs by 12 VDC,  120 VAC  and LP gas.  It is an absorption type ammonia system (as used in recreation vehicles) and appears to be a high build quality unit manufactured in Hungary.  It is the size and shape of a large wheeled ice type cooler but with only a small 1 cu ft cooled area.  It is perfectly suitable for long term insulin protection and uses 1 lb of propane a day  =  18 days …


Two Letters Re: Driving, Post-TEOTWAWKI

JWR, I have deployed twice to Afghanistan. [Details deleted, for OPSEC.] I am sure that you realize this and I hope you will share this with your readers. Waiting months after TEOTWAWKI to drive to your retreat is more than foolish, it is suicidal. Anyone driving post-event without an armored vehicle (or with one, just look at the ambush scenes from “Patriots“) will take casualties. Every day in Afghanistan uneducated people with limited training successfully ambush and kill highly trained military personnel driving heavily armed and armored vehicles. Now imagine an ambush that has had months to be perfected, probably …


Economics and Investing:

John R. recommended a podcast interview of Martin Armstrong: Capital Controls Coming In The US Stephen M. sent this: Record Consecutive Treasury Dump From Fed’s Custody Account. [JWR’s Comment: And this comes amidst Eurozone turmoil when U.S. Treasury paper should be seen as a relative safe haven. So this some very bad news!] The fragility of “Just In Time” inventory processes: Global Economy Could Endure Disaster For Only a Week. (Thanks to Steve H. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: The Possibility of $1,000 Silver Before Hyperinflation Factory Orders Rise, But Business Investments Slip Oil Price Stays Around $103 …


Odds ‘n Sods:

The Beast of the Bronx: Three-foot rat ‘found in New York City shoe shop‘. [JWR’s Comment: So what’s next? Enormous killer cockroaches?]    o o o Reader Steve H. mentioned this review of a sturdy battery charger: Joos Orange Solar Charger.    o o o Gregg P. mentioned some free courses offered by way the AMA: CitizenReady.    o o o This one put your Editor into a laugh spasm: The single greatest Amazon product review ever written: “Blood Rayne Arm Blade With Sheath & Adjustable Handle.”    o o o B.B. sent this: As Crop Prices Soar, Iowa Farms …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“When private industry makes a mistake, it gets corrected and goes away. As governments make mistakes, it gets bigger, bigger and bigger and they make more, more and more because as they run out of money, they just ask for more and so they get rewarded for making mistakes. In the meantime that is exactly what we are doing by subsidizing companies which are failing, we have a reverse Darwinism, we’ve got survival of the unfittest, the companies and people that have made terrible mistakes are being rewarded and other people are being punished and being taxed.” – Peter Schiff