Day: August 20, 2013

Notes from JWR:

Happy birthday to former Congressman Ron Paul. (Born 1935.) I commend Dr. Paul for fighting the good fight for so many years. — Today we present another entry for Round 48 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) 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.) …


Water: PV-Powered Water Pumping and Storage, by A. Haggard H. Rider

All sources of preparedness information stress the importance of water. Without water everything else is put at risk. You cannot drink bullets, beans do not have a lot of moisture and sucking on a bandage will not help. The ideal situation is to have some form of safe running water on your property. But what if you don’t? Hopefully you have a well, but if your electric goes out your pump will not work. A hand pump will work, but it takes a lot of energy to get that water, and then you have the situation of Operational Security (OPSEC) …


Two Letters Re: Extending Your Vehicle’s Driving Range, Without Cost

Hello Mr. Rawles, Some thoughts on the recent post on Pulse and Glide driving (PGD), taking for granted that safety is always more important than fuel economy, and not considering any survivalist aspects: I don’t doubt the core claim made by Steven B. – that his use of PGD has reduced his fuel consumption. I am, however, skeptical about some of the other statements made in support. I note that while my comments are based on my experience as an engineer and physicist, I have not done any tests of PGD versus other driving styles. If an actual automotive engineer …


News From The American Redoubt:

If population density is proportional to relative safety in a societal collapse, then the American Redoubt would fare very well. Note that around 90% of Oregon ‘s population and 80% of Washington‘s population is west of the Cascades, which means outside of the Redoubt. If they were considered separate states (as they really should be), Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon would probably be ranked just above and just below Idaho. Here is the big picture. (That map also makes it clear why I picked the Four Corners Region as one of the locales for “Survivors: A Novel of the Coming …


Economics and Investing:

Reader H.L. sent: China Gobbling Up Wheat, as US Exports to Nation Soar Where the Housing Recovery Is Strongest and Weakest Buy Gold Now That Soros & Paulson Are Done Liquidating, Says Analyst Bill O’Neill Items from The Economatrix: How Bad Can Things Get? Obamacare Rate Calculator The Most Important Number For The Market: 2.75%


Odds ‘n Sods:

Yesterday I mentioned needing Anderson Power Pole adapters for cigarette lighter plugs and jacks. Several readers promptly wrote to tell me about two companies that already make them: Quicksilver Radio and Powerwerx. (The latter has a huge variety of DC power products.)    o o o Here is a small company in Huntersville, North Carolina that was started by a retired Navy man who is now a Christian missionary, to help with his retirement: ThriftyPrepperMall.com    o o o While doing some research for my now nearly complete “Rawles on Tools” book (for Penguin Books, scheduled for release in May …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"A system of capitalism presumes sound money, not fiat money manipulated by a central bank. Capitalism cherishes voluntary contracts and interest rates that are determined by savings, not credit creation by a central bank. It is no coincidence that the century of total war coincided with the century of central banking." – Former Congressman Dr. Ron Paul