Day: August 21, 2013

Notes from JWR:

I was saddened to hear that bestselling novelist Vince Flynn passed away at age 47 after a lengthy battle with prostate cancer. My condolences to his wife and three children. His novel Term Limits was fantastic.  — I heard from Ready Made Resources that during the upgrade of their web site that they had a technical glitch which sidelined their site. It should be back up with 24 hours. If you have any questions, you can call them at (800) 627-3809. (They are taking orders by phone, even during the web outage.) — Today we present another entry for Round …


Prepping From My Purse by S.M. in Arizona

Triple-decker mint brownies are one of my favorite treats.  The base is a thick, chewy brownie.  Next, a layer of green mint filling is spread on the brownie which is then topped off with a thin layer of creamy, chocolate glaze.  When I think of these delicious brownies I think of prepping.  The thick, chewy brownie on the bottom represents the base of my preps.  This is long term, shelf stable food, water, security, sanitation, first aid, communications, and all the other things which are the foundation of being prepared.  This is by far the largest layer.  The mint layer …


Letter Re: Bug Out Strategy Advice

JWR, Thanks so much for your invaluable blog.  I’ve been reading with interest all of the checklists on what to include when bugging out.  But I’ll be 70 years old on my next birthday in January.  So even 40 lbs. on my back is too much for me to travel very far.  That limits what I can carry and how long I can stay viable.  Then I remembered when I was camping in the mountains of eastern Oregon, I saw what some hunters brought with them to bring back their deer.  It was a home made single wheel cart using …


Letter Re: You’ll Need a Fine-Tooth Comb

Hello James, One item that is often overlooked in preparing for a collapse situation – where hair and beards can grow long and so can the interval between showers, is the humble nit and lice comb. So take a look at the Shantys nit and lice comb, and watch their video. (I have no connection whatsoever with this company)   Best Regards, – Andre D. JWR Replies: Reviewing the history of the 20th Century, one could summarize: “War is hell, but it is also lousy.” Whenever people live in close confines, the spread of lice increases dramatically. Just imagine your …


Economics and Investing:

A new CATO Institute study found that a mother in New York State with two children is eligible for $38,004 in welfare benefits–which is greater than the annual salary of a first-year New York school teacher. Note where Idaho falls in the benefits spectrum. (Idaho certainly can’t be faulted for “encouraging multi-generational dependency.” (Thanks to John in Washington for the link.) G.G. sent: $2,001,093,000,000: Fed’s Ownership of U.S. Debt Breaks $2Trillion for First Time. Items from The Economatrix: Stars Aligned For “Serious” Stock Correction Dave Hodges:  Escape From Wall Street Cramer:  Giant Reset Looming For Markets


Odds ‘n Sods:

Colorado Counties Vote on Forming a New State. (If they are successful, I will certainly expand the American Redoubt!)    o o o Anyone who owns a 26.5mm flare gun (either a flare pistol or one of the big RV-85 shoulder-fired flare launchers) should consider getting one of these new ATF-approved goodies: Sub-Caliber Device for .45 Colt or .410 shotshells. Kennesaw Cannon also makes one that shoots .22LR. (Of course consult your state and local laws before ordering either model.) These inserts are sold by a number of Internet/mailorder firms, including Cheaper Than Dirt.    o o o Maine Bill …