Year: 2013

Letter Re: Inexpensive Solar Cookers From Projection Television Lenses

Mr. Rawles, [Since they have been superceded by flat screen HDTV technology, many] old projection-type big screen televisions are being hauled away daily to landfills or “e-waste” collection points. I believe that many preppers who find themselves without sufficient fuel post-Collapse, could benefit from a devices such as the one shown in this video and this video. This easily assembled solar cooker could really stretch the use of precious fuel supplies, and it would cost “peanuts” to construct. Just about all of it could come from salvaged materials. Waiting until after a Collapse to begin searching for the components, however, might be …


Letter Re: Market Prices and the Availability of Goods

Jim, Unfortunately, it has become common for preppers to express outrage at the exorbitant post-Newtown pricing of ammo and certain magazines and firearms. Frequently, the complaints are accompanied by vows and pleas for others not to patronize certain offending retailers after things return to “normal.” Apart from the implicit assumption that things will return to “normal,” I think that this sentiment is way off base. Although I like paying “reasonable” prices as much (and probably more) than the next guy, I find the notion that retailers should not raise prices to meet increased demand both fundamentally flawed, and ultimately dangerous for preppers.    First, we have …


Economics and Investing:

The Cyprus Depositor Legalized Ripoff saga unfolds: Only for the “Rich Ones” with €20,000 in Savings National planning Cyprus-style solution for New Zealand After Cyprus Vote, ECB Says Ready to Offer Liquidity Within Rules Items from The Economatrix: The Young Are Going To Get Screwed-Part 1 Cyprus “Bail-In” Is Rattling Markets Everywhere; Coffee Bean Jitters Why The Cyprus Bail-In Is A Bigger Deal Than You Think


Odds ‘n Sods:

Scientists warn Oregon legislators of cataclysm when earthquake, tsunami strike    o o o Radio Free Redoubt reports: Voice of America tests transmitting on digital mode.    o o o Kerry Voices U.S. Support for NRA-opposed U.N. Arms Treaty. [JWR’s Comment: Can we really trust his sincerity when he states: “We will not support any treaty that would be inconsistent with U.S. law and the rights of American citizens under our Constitution, including the Second Amendment.” Yeah, right. Kerry gives new meaning to the term lip service. Since this treaty would undoubtedly diminish our constitutional right, then why would even …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“If you are taught bitterness and anger, then you will believe you are a victim. You will feel aggrieved and the twin brother of aggrievment is entitlement. So now you think you are owed something and you don’t have to work for it and now you’re on a really bad road to nowhere because there are people who will play to that sense of victimhood, aggreivement and entitlement, and you still won’t have a job.” – Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice


Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 45 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.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 …


Dealing With Mentally Unbalanced Trespassers, by Hearthkeeper

The biggest weakness in preparedness planning is not a forgotten survival item, or too few cartridges.  The invisible weakness is lack of real time experience   It’s one thing to say your going to raise your own food, and maybe you have all the seeds and tools to do it stored away.  But if you have never actually planted a huge garden and tried to live off it your first year is going to be full of failures (see: learning opportunities) that could be potentially deadly in real survival time.  The same goes for every aspect of survival and emergency situation response.  Personally I have always …


Letter Re: Retreat Properties in Southwestern Oregon

James, In response to C.D.’s letter “Advice on Retreat Properties in Southwestern Oregon” found here: I would suggest this person change their retreat property search to just east of “the hill”. Klamath County and Lake County are within driving distance to allow continued work in Medford during the week (if renting in Medford) and travel to the retreat on weekends. I would suggest triangulating a search between Klamath Falls, Lakeview, and Bend (Deschutes County) or Prineville (Crook County). Personally, I set the western edge of the Redoubt at the eastern edge of the Cascades. There are several advantages to these …


Letter Re: Appendicitis and TEOTWAWKI

Regarding the discussion about appendicitis – While it is definitely not something you want to try at home, in 1961, Soviet physician Leonid Rogozov, removed his own appendix. He was the only physician in a Soviet Antarctic expedition station. In the words of a Russian account: “At night, on the 30th of April, 1961, the surgeon was being helped by a mechanical engineer and a meteorologist who were giving him the medical instruments and holding a small mirror at his belly. Laying half bent on the left side, the doctor made a local anesthesia with novocaine solution and made a …


Letter Re: Insulin Dependent Diabetics When TSHTF

Sir, Like so many others, I thank you for all that you and your family do with SurvivalBlog. It is immensely helpful. I just caught up on a bunch of recent posts related to diabetic preps and thought I’d toss in my 2 cents’ worth. For the record: I am a (female) type 1 diabetic, diagnosed at age 13 and currently in my mid-thirties. The info below is based entirely on my own 20+ years of personal experience; I am not in any way a medical or pharmaceutical professional. As always, consult a medical professional if you need advice regarding …


News From The American Redoubt:

The folks at Bison Barrels (near Gillette, Wyoming) also make complete custom rifles.    o o o Of Plowshares and Swords. “We happy farmers of the American Redoubt…”    o o o Some eastern Idaho schools to get gun safes. (Thanks to R.B.S. for the link.)    o o o House clears bill protecting Idaho-made firearms    o o o Black Dog Machine down in Nampa, Idaho is making magazines as fast as they can, without sacrificing quality control. Their web site still shows that they have some of their .22LR magazines for ARs and 10/22s stock.


Economics and Investing:

U.S. Game Changing Renewable – Geothermal Power. Note that the preponderance of the nation’s geothermal potential is in the Rocky Mountain States and the Intermountain West. The American Redoubt just keeps looking better…. Signs of the Times: Food stamps put Rhode Island town on monthly boom-and-bust cycle Could The “Cyprus Fiasco” Occur In The U.S.? Brian S. like this piece by Charles Hugh Smith: The Deeper Meanings of Cyprus A 15% Haircut for Italian depositors? Tyler Durden of Zero Hedge mentioned this quote in a Handelsblatt newspaper article from Commerzbank chief economist Jörg Krämer: “‘So it would make sense, in …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Emergency Essentials is continuing their semi-annual Mountain House Sale.  All Mountain House cans are priced 20-25% off.  The sale is for one week only, ending the night of March 21st at midnight.     o o o D.C. recommended this: An Orwellian America    o o o Pantry Paratus has recently added American-made Chop Rite brand grinders and presses to their catalog. These are made in America and have been since the late 1800s. In fact, if anyone has an old antique Enterprise brand meat grinder, that is the company’s original name and all of the replacement parts and attachments are …



Note from JWR:

Congratulations are in order for Joel Skousen, who by God’s Grace recently walked away from the crash of his Glasair kit plane, in in a forced rough field landing, following a fuel system failure. The crash landing occurred last Tuesday near Spanish Fork, Utah, on the return leg of cross country flight to Las Vegas. Joel was a fighter pilot in the Vietnam era, and has had countless hours of stick time as a private pilot, ever since. He kept a cool head in the incident, and that helped save his life. His plane was thoroughly pranged, but he walked …