Year: 2012

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader C.D.V. spotted this: Build a Self-Regulating, Automatic Plant Watering System with a Plastic Bottle and a Tray    o o o Power restored after huge Indian poswer cut. Enormous demand for power, aging grid infrastructure…    o o o Cheryl (aka The Economatrix) suggested this: Create Your Own AR-15 Semi-automatic Pistol At Home Legally    o o o Brett G. mentioned the Short Lane brand chamber adapters, as well as this video: Shooting 9mm from a 12 gauge?    o o o Study shows that water fluordation lowers the intelligence of children. [JWR’s Comment: So General Ripper was right, …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

General Jack D. Ripper: Mandrake, do you realize that in addition to fluoridating water, why, there are studies underway to fluoridate salt, flour, fruit juices, soup, sugar, milk… ice cream. Ice cream, Mandrake, children’s ice cream. Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: [very nervous] Lord, Jack. General Jack D. Ripper: You know when fluoridation first began? Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: I… no, no. I don’t, Jack. General Jack D. Ripper: Nineteen hundred and forty-six. 1946, Mandrake. How does that coincide with your post-war Commie conspiracy, huh? It’s incredibly obvious, isn’t it? A foreign substance is introduced into our precious bodily fluids without …


Writing Contest Prize Winners and a New Prize Announced

We’ve completed the judging for Round 41 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. But first, I’d like to mention that starting with Round 42, we are adding a new prize to the First Prize package: a $200 gift certificate, kindly donated by Shelf Reliance. This certificate is good for the purchase of any of their products. (These include: top quality canned food rotation racks of their own manufacture, Thrive brand storage foods, pre-assembled bug out bags and first aid kits, water filters, tents, sleeping bags, various field gear, PV panels, flashlights, Esbit stoves, Aqua Mira, blast matches, sanitation gear, hatchets, …


T.M.’s Book Review: The Unthinkable

The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes – and Why by Amanda Ripley Crown Publishers, New York, 2008. 266 pages including eight pages of color photos, source notes, bibliography, and a thorough index. ISBN 978-0-307-35289-7 Paperback edition is available at Amazon.com and other booksellers. This is not a psychobabble volume readable by a few academics. The author writes in plain English about a complicated subject that she makes easily understandable. She has interviewed hundreds of survivors, scholars, and scientists to obtain her information. The book is divided into three parts: Denial, Deliberation, and The Decisive Moment. Inside the three parts …


Pat’s Product Review: Masterpiece Arms M11/9 Clone

About this time last year, I did a review for a print publication on the Masterpiece Arms MPA10T – a semiauto only .45ACP MAC-style pistol. The gun was fun to shoot, and worked 100% of the time. The only thing I didn’t care for was the weight of the gun – it was heavy, and a little bit bulky, especially with the 30 round magazine in-place and fully loaded. If you’re interested in a short history of the MAC-style of submachine guns, check out this web page.   When I lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado some years ago, a friend …


Letter Re: A Foot Powered Washing Machine for $40

JWR, I thought this might appeal to the  “low-tech” electricity free oriented people.  Two designers got a $19,500 grant to bring the “GiraDora” into the real world. Designed from seeing the plight of those living in slums in Lima, they wanted to reduce the work load of poverty stricken people earning $4 to $10 a day. They created this. It uses less water than washing by hand! There is some more info here. Respectfully, – Erik K.


Economics and Investing:

Signs of the times: For More Pianos, Last Note Is Thud in the Dump. In a depressed economy, few can afford to have old pianos restored. Oh well, at least a few weary pianos get to go out in a blaze of glory. Items from The Economatrix: Rats at IMF and BIS are Leaving the Ship Heading for a Crash The US Retail Collapse Accelerates CNBC Admits We Are All Slaves to Central Banks Beer:  A Reflection of the World Economy


Odds ‘n Sods:

James K. was the first of several readers to mention this grid collapse calamity: 620 million without power in India after three power grids fail    o o o Pat Cascio sent this article: Obama will ‘evaluate’ bill to ban online munition sales. JWR’s Comments: There are billions of cartridges manufactured each year. For .22 rimfire alone, the number is around 4 billion rounds per year. So with of all these cartridges made, what percentage of them are used in violent crimes? The violent crime rate is 403 per 100,000 people. So we are talking about a lot of decimal …



Note from JWR:

Today we present the last two entries for Round 41 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. All other accepted entries that are still in the queue will roll over into Round 42. (As usual, we got a torrent of entries in the last few days of the month.) 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 …


Maintaining Posture as a Hard Target, by A.K.

As a former Sergeant of Marines, terrorism awareness was second nature.  It was not until I transitioned to civilian life that I realized the average guy doesn’t have a clue what a “Hard Target” is.   A Hard Target is a target that presents the lowest probability of being destroyed or overtaken.  I am breaking it down to three basic sections: 1. You’re self, 2. you’re vehicle and 3. you’re Home.  To start you need to rethink your wardrobe.  You should purchase clothing that helps you blend in. This means no wild colors or clothes that sport expensive name brands or …


Cold Weather Travel and Survival, by Sven J.

If you live in the American Redoubt or any of the Northern US, you deal with a lot of cold winter weather. But all of those folk living in warmer places, you need to take heed too, because cold weather can touch you too in a survival situation. In January 2010, Florida experienced temperatures in the mid-30 degrees Fahrenheit (F) range, cold enough to kill the unprepared individual.   I grew up in Alaska, and spent my childhood and teen years exploring the woods and the mountains, often far from any trails. Winter is actually the optimum time for travel …


Letter Re: Swiss Fallout Shelter Specifications

Dear Mr Rawles: A follow-up to my last letter: Spiez is where the Swiss have their federal testing lab for Civil Defense.  The lab has an english version of its website.  At this link  your readers may acess the list of tested and aprooved components ( for CD shelters) and in a seperate document, the list of aprooval holders.  Interested readers can then with a search engine find the companies who make components of interest one of which is Lunor. This company also has an English version of their web site.  Readers can from there select blast doors, NBC filters,  valves etc.  Spiez …


News From The American Redoubt:

I heard that a new and quite conservative prepper-friendly Baptist church has been planted up in Bozeman, Montana. Calvary Baptist Church, an independent fundamental Baptist church, will be pastored by Philip Brown. According to his newsletter, Brown felt strongly convicted to relocate his family to Montana. He mentioned that some quite providential things fell into place, to make it all happen. See their video introduction.   o o os Reader Joe W. sent this interactive map: Multiple Shootings in the United States. Notice a big hole in this map? There have been almost no multiple shootings in the heavily-armed American …


Economics and Investing:

The Fiscal Times reports: Disability Benefit Program Is Going Broke. (Thanks to G.G. for the link.) Corn prices hit record as crops shrivel Get ready to pay more for your steak Items from The Economatrix: Home Prices:  Bottom Or Bubble? Future Silver Supply More At Risk Than Gold Still Think That Money Market Fund Is “Cash”? 17 Reasons Why Those Hoping for a Recession in 2012 Just Got Their Wish