Year: 2012


Notes from JWR:

We’ve nearly completed setting up our more robust server. Thanks for your patience. Please continue to use (and bookmark) “survivalblog.com” as your primary method to access the blog but make note of our NEW dotted quad address: 70.39.87.131 And, BTW, we are still in need of some mirror server space, both in the United States and offshore. — Today we present another entry for Round 41 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 …


A Little Planning and a Lot of Rehearsing, by Todd S. in Colorado

“A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.”- General George S. Patton. Every general would tell you that planning is necessary, but our perfectly laid plans never end up working the way we think in real life situations with a nearly infinite amount of variables.  As an Army officer, I found Patton’s quote to be very true.  Unless you have all the time in the world, you are not going to be able to create the perfect plan to cover every possible contingency.  But you can certainly prepare for the greatest threats.  In …


Two Letters Re: A Low Cost Source for Powerful Magnets

Hi Jim, Just a quick note about the magnets from microwave ovens letter: Inside the Microwave there is a large capacitor (looks like a metal can with two tabs on the top of the can) – before you poke around inside, make sure that you discharge this by touching a screwdriver (held by the insulating plastic handle) between the 2 tabs – this is like poking in the back of an old television, and the discharge from that cap will knock you for a lulu if it’s holding a residual charge (and it can… for a long time.) If it …


Economics and Investing:

Some effects of bad monetary policy: The war on baby boomers. (Thanks to C. Matt for the link.) V.T.P. sent this: France is selling bonds at a negative interest rate Roubini: My ‘Perfect Storm’ Scenario Ii Unfolding Now. (Kudos to C.D.V. for sending this link.) Items from The Economatrix: As Foreclosures Ramp Up, New Roadblocks Ahead There Will Never Be Enough Jobs in America Again Government Overpaid $14 Billion in Unemployment Benefits US Economy:  Things Could Get Much Worse


Odds ‘n Sods:

I will be the keynote speaker via teleconference at Charlotte PrepCon. This is an event for North Carolina and South Carolina preppers. The conference will be held on July 14, 2012 in Ft. Mill, S.C. (near Charlotte, N.C.) Phone: (800) 704-1862 for details.    o o o Our friend Tam recommended a post over at the Standing Outside Looking In blog about preparing for and coping with flood waters: A Hard Lesson; Survivor Ammunition Storage    o o o Pierre M. sent this news from Florida: Worst TB outbreak in 20 years kept secret. (It is noteworthy that the role …



Notes from JWR:

An appeal from your editor: We’ve recently had another denial of service hacker attack. My apologies for any inconvenience. To make SurvivalBlog more resilient to denial of service attacks or to governmental censorship orders, I am seeking some inexpensive offshore server space. The plan is to “push” data to several mirror sites each night. If you have some server space available, preferably in a country that isn’t buddy-buddy with the U.S. government, then please let me know. Each mirror server must be able to handle the following: 2GB of Storage Space SSH & FTP access 15 Mbps Data Link 5TB …


TEOTWAWKI Blacksmithing for Beginners, by Jodier

For many of you blacksmithing reminds you of your father or grandfather, it takes you back to the smell of the coal forge and the hum of the blower pumping oxygen into the nest of the forge. I’ve met many of people who are interested in blacksmithing, mainly for fun and to make Christmas gifts for their loved ones. Not many of these people actually obtain a forge and anvil and use it. Many of people have their grandfather’s anvil sitting unused in their shed or barn. My father has been blacksmithing for the majority of his life and has …


A Different Kind of Silencer, by K. in Illinois

The topic of obstructive sleep apnea and CPAP machines has been mentioned regularly in SurvivalBlog. These references were mostly related to how an alternate power supply could be used to keep CPAP machines functioning. In a TEOTWAWKI situation or lengthy grid down scenario persons suffering from sleep apnea, especially severe sleep apnea would worsen and probably die without an alternative power source or alternative type of treatment. As a dentist who is a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and treating snoring and sleep apnea for almost 15 years I thought I would give the members some …


Letter Re: The Role of Nickels in a Barter Economy

James Wesley: I understand saving gold and silver for preservation of wealth but I’m not sure of copper pennies or nickel five cent pieces. Gold and silver have been used for thousands of years as stored wealth but I’m not sure I could convince anyone to take pennies and nickels that are made with industrial metals. The copper value of the coin may be greater than the value marked on the coin but who is going to have a desire to gather up copper and nickel over silver or gold? Thanks for the great blog and the help. – Mark …


Letter Re: Effective Germ Fighters

JWR, In his recent SurvivalBlog article, Don H. incorrectly stated that alcohol will not kill MRSA or Staph.  I want to set the record straight on this, as working with bacteria is my career.  Any bacteria that does not form spores will be contact-killed by a 70% Isopropanol (or other alcohol) treatment.  This includes MRSA (and other staph bacteria, as MRSA is Methycillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus).  The only commonly encountered bacteria that will certainly not be killed with alcohol are Clostridium species (the source of botulism [C. botulinum] and gas gangrene [C. perfringens] and Mycobacterium species [M. tuberculosis].  C. difficile is another …


Letter Re: A Low Cost Source for Powerful Magnets

Jim: Several years ago I was looking for some hi power magnets for a project, and found them, inside microwave ovens. Not wanting to get the wife mad, I placed free want ads for junk microwave ovens and got more than I expected.  As a side benefit each oven netted a small bit of aluminum and some copper wire.  Getting to the magnets was almost too easy. DISCLAIMER:  Don’t hurt yourself.  Sharp metal may be encountered, and a bit of electrical knowledge would be helpful.  Do not attempt repair to broken ovens without proper training and equipment to check for …


Economics and Investing:

Several readers have written to ask about the recent slump in precious metals. This can be attributed to the ongoing sovereign debt and derivatives crisis in Europe, where there are wholesale liquidations of everything. Folks are scrambling to raise cash to settle CDO contracts and to meet margin calls. The crisis will keep the price of metals down until perhaps October. It doesn’t mean that the bull market in metals is over. Far from it! Just look at this as a good buying opportunity. Like a Hollywood set, housing inventory looks to be low only because that is what is …


Odds ‘n Sods:

AmEx (American Expat) sent this report: One Year Later: Lessons from Recovery After the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake    o o o Authorities give 41 guns and 100,000 rounds of ammunition back to militia member after he is cleared of conspiring to overthrow government.    o o o New Hampshire enacts jury nullification law. Hopefully this will be the first of many “informed juries” laws, nationwide.    o o o Mike Williamson wrote to mention that the Armed Citizen Alliance (ACA) has announced their first National Armed Citizen Challenge, which will be held September 21-23, 2012, at PASA Park near …