Day: November 21, 2012

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 43 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) 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 C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any …


Preparations for a Long-Distance Commuter, by Darin P. in Michigan

Long-distance Commuters face challenges. I average 20 days at work per month.  During those days, I am away from home for 11.5 hours.   Unless the Crunch starts conveniently on a Saturday morning, before I can survive the end of the world as I know it I have to get home.      My daily commute carries me 35 miles each way.  Sometimes while sitting in traffic I’m reminded of real life – and fictional – disaster situations looking a lot like what I face each day; miles and miles of bumper-to-bumper traffic congestion.  The defining difference is this: My traffic jam eventually …


Letter Re: Can You Take To The Sky?

JWR, I have been reading you blog and the letters other people has written for a few weeks now. A friend of mine turned me on to your site. Thank you and everyone else for all you do. I have learned much over the past few weeks and look forward to learning more as time goes on.   I just read the letter post in September by Greg G., Can You Take to the Sky? Greg makes some very valid and interesting points in his letter. Like Greg, I am a licensed pilot. I studied at a local community college …


Economics and Investing:

Some stunning charts: Quantitative addiction and the allure of low interest rates – US paid $454 billion in interest payments alone in 2011. Equity in real estate for households cut in half. Negative Real Interest Rates Continue To Drive The Gold Price Miles in Indiana sent this from Ahead of the Herd: Nickel Mining Like its 1864–Nickel Sulphide Project Pipeline Empty Billions in bearer bonds could be lost due to Hurricane Sandy. (A hat tip to to Linda U. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Greenspan Warns Financial Markets Will Crash If US Can’t Solve Fiscal Cliff Problem Most …


Odds ‘n Sods:

The New York Times gets down and dirty a with prepping issues and the requisite OPSEC: How to Survive Societal Collapse in Suburbia. (The article briefly quotes JWR.)    o o o Scientific American: How Safe Are America’s 2.5 Million Miles of Pipelines?    o o o JRH Enterprises is celebrating their 20th Year in business with a big Black Friday sale that starts Wednesday. The sale includes new Third Generation+ Pinnacle Autogated  Mil Spec PVS-14s with real ITT tubes and a 5 year warranty as low as $2595. And PVS-14 Third Gen + Pinnacle Autogated “Upgraded” monoculars are available …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Even after the elite decamp there’ll be plenty of good eatin’ left on the carcass for the stay-behinds. This hasn’t gone unnoticed by the somewhat less than elite. For one, their toadies in DC have been building Führerbunkers and stocking them with supplies and ammunition for the day when they’re toadies no more. Some of the toady’s toadies have retreats and plans of their own. They keep it quiet, unsurprisingly. Then it’s all against all, a spectre of flag-waving warlords and tribal strong men, of alliances and secessions, of fiefdoms and redoubts and contested regions. Everybody who wants to be …