Day: November 5, 2012

Notes from JWR:

Our friend Patrice Lewis (of the very entertaining Rural Revolution blog) reminded me that November is National Novel Writing Month. And November will indeed be an intensive writing month for me as I wrap up writing the remaining key passages of Expatriates. In a lucid dream, I finally came up with a method by which the Indonesians could attempt an invasion of Australia. I don’t want to spoil it, so I won’t give you any details. You’ll just have to wait until November of 2013 to find out… — This is the last day of the Ready Made Resources sale …


Pat’s Product Review: Cold Steel Hold Out I

Make no mistake, given my druthers, I’d rather pick a large knife over a smaller knife. Now, you can get by with a smaller knife, but a larger knife can do more chores than most smaller knives can. When it comes to survival, on the streets, in the wilderness or in a SHTF scenario, my choice would be a larger knife for my needs, especially on the mean streets in our country. My long-time friend, Lynn Thompson, who owns Cold Steel is a firm believer in big knives – either folders or fixed blade – and I can’t really find …


Letter Re: Gas Can Pack Boards and Cargo Shelves

Jim: All the recent news stories showing people in New Jersey on foot queuing up at gas stations with red gas cans in hand, reminded me: gas cans are heavy! Did anyone think to put a old fashioned Pack Board in with the rest of the supplies? You know the kind, the one with the lip at the bottom? It would hold a two full gas cans with much less strain than carrying them in your hands. Or, how about taking a small load of fire wood to your relatives’ house? Just a thought. – Dale K. JWR Replies: That is …


Letter Re: Laptop Becomes Oscilloscope and Waveform Generator

Jim: I’d like to tell the readers about an amazingly affordable electronics workbench tool that turns you laptop into an oscilloscope, and a lot more: Analog Discovery. This one card can replace $10,000 worth of other gear. The student version is just $99. See a quick summary of the specifications. I think that this is the Pico scope taken to the next level. This puts AM radio, FM radio, radar, sonar, ultrasound, spread-spectrum radio for secure communications, encryption tools for running secure comms over otherwise insecure channels, high-bandwidth servocontrol of machinery and countless other modern technologies in hands of the …


Three Letters Re: Hurricane Sandy After Action Reports

James: Let me first say we are doing well compared to the rest of the folks here on Long Island , NY . I am no hard core prepper but believe strongly that the need is there. We are in Nassau County and are served by LIPA, the Long Island Power Authority. As I write there are about 300,000 people here without power. Some of the things I have witnessed are very sad indeed and we were blessed to have our power back within two days.   South of where we live along the water the houses have had their …


Three Letters Re: Forget Codes: Using Constructed Languages for Secure Communication

Jim: The article on constructed languages [by Snow Wolf] was fascinating. Just two concerns: An outsider might be able to crack your code based on repeated grammar. As was mentioned in the letter, “sentences follow the common subject-verb-object pattern”. This pattern is predictable and could help a very intelligent decoder. Also your activity can be observed after communication, helping one define terms. Both of these concerns can be mitigated with re-aligning, as mentioned in the letter. So take care not to overlook that step. Finally, if every tip in this article (such as re-aligning and custom grammar) were practiced, and …


Recipe of the Week:

Enola Gay‘s Survival Bars (aka Filled Oatmeal Cookies) My Survival Bars are “Filled Oatmeal Cookies”. They are wonderful “stored foods” cookies, full of fiber and packed with nutrients. They are our cookie of choice for a quick breakfast. They are great if you are out hunting or hiking. They require no fresh ingredients! They are also good! Our neighbor girl says they are the best cookies that I have ever made (and I make a lot of cookies!) I got the recipe from my dear friend “Lady Day”. Here is the recipe. 1 1/2 C. Shortening (or lard or butter) …


Economics and Investing:

The Scariest Jobs Chart Ever. (Thanks to R.D.F. for the link.) Over at The Motley Fool: Three Facts About the Economy That Should Freak You Out Hyperinflation Alert: QE Infinity Is The Only Thing Delaying A Complete Systemic Collapse But Now The Fed Is Out Of Short Dated Bonds Items from The Economatrix: Labor Department “Working Hard” To Ensure Jobs Report Released On Time Firings Highest Since 2010 As Ford To Dow Face Slump Russian Ship Missing With 700 Tons Of Gold Ore Real Fiscal Cliff–Currency And Bond Collapse Food Stamp Creation 75X Greater Than Job Creation Economists Say Jobs …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Dana H. suggested this in The Wall Street Journal: Lessons from the Ultimate Safe Houses    o o o In New York’s Public Housing, Fear Creeps In With the Dark. J.W.R.’s Comment: Now extrapolate this to a situation where there is no natural gas pressure, and no water pressure for the fire hydrants. Oh, and what if there was no prospect of grid power being restored for weeks… Somehow, I think I’ll be much safer here in TUWS.    o o o A Utah Perspective on Sandy (No, not Sandy, Utah, but rather Hurricane Sandy): Caught in the dark: …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"The idea that living within your means is a form of austerity, and not (other than in exceptional circumstances) the elementary moral duty of people of honor, shows that, underlying the economic crisis is a profound moral crisis in western society." – Theodore Dalrymple (A retired prison doctor and psychiatrist, contributing editor of the City Journal and Dietrich Weissman Fellow of the Manhattan Institute.)