Year: 2013

Recipe of the Week:

Mandy’s Dried Fruit Cookies   3/4 C mashed / pureed bananas 1/3 C vegetable oil (the higher the smoke-point the better) 1/8 tsp salt 1/2 C oat bran 1.5 C oatmeal 1.5 C dried fruit in small slices or dice (may be a mix) 1/2 C raw nuts or seeds (may be a mix)   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix bananas, oil & salt together first. Work in bran, then oatmeal. Finally fold in fruit & nuts/seeds. Use a TBS measure or scoop to place dollops of dough on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake 20-25 min. or …


Economics and Investing:

G.G. sent us a link to some clueless punditry from The Economist crowd: More Inflation Is the Cure for the Fed’s Impotence. The Fed is locked in to ZIRP and endless monetization (“Quantitative Easing”) because the service cost on the Treasury debt would be unsustainable if interest rates were to rise. When inflation resumes and interest rates do jump, it will be Game Over. The Dollar will crash, interest rates will run up past 15%, and the economy will stagnate. Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Avent. At this point the Fed is irretrievably stuck until Der Tag, when …


Odds ‘n Sods:

L.M. sent: You’re a SEAL Stranded in Hostile Territory: What’s in Your Survival Kit? JWR Adds: Not mentioned in this article were three items that have been carried by many special operators on selected mission since around 1990: An international telephone calling phone card, a credit card, and a passport. These are musts if an operator walks out of enemy territory to a neutral country where they can then buy a plane ticket home. (Yes, this has been done, but I’m not at liberty to mention the particulars.)    o o o An associate of mine spent hundreds of hours …



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 …


Nursing an Infectious/Infected Patient Post-Collapse, by P.C., RN

Nursing today is a complicated, technological process involving multiple disciplines, technology and advanced fourth generation antibiotics, none of which will be available in a TEOTWAWKI situation.  It stands to reason that we have to prepare ourselves mentally for the fact that none of the equipment or drugs that are such an integral part of medicine and nursing today, will be available for our use.  There will be no antibiotics for chest infections, no IV fluids for dehydration, no advanced medical treatments for wound infections; It will be a return to nursing at the level of the 19th century.  Now that …


Letter Re: The Water Filter Quest

Jim: In the interest of accuracy, I would like to clarify a couple of  statements made by Kevin K. in his response to “The Water Filter Quest” submission. Kevin states: “Another problem with only using mechanical filtration is some viruses are physically impossible to filter out of water (i.e. rotavirus)” ….  ”   I know of at least one mechanical filter on the market that does in-fact filter out all known viruses and is used extensively in Third World missionary operations .  Here is an excerpt from the filter manufacturer’s web site:   “The Sawyer 4 Liter 0.02 Micron Complete Water Purification System is …


Economics and Investing:

Graham Summers: The Fed is Now the Fifth Largest Country in the World B.B. recommended this at Zero Hedge: Stanley Druckenmiller: “We Have An Entitlement Problem” And One Day The Fed’s Hamster Wheel Will Stop America’s Most Miserable Cities 2013 Items from The Economatrix: Why Trouble’s Brewing For The Euro Insolvency, USA Wal-Mart’s “Atrocious” Quarter Reveals A Faltering Economic Recovery


Odds ‘n Sods:

Gaining Momentum: Now 44 Gun Companies Have Stopped Selling to Law Enforcement In Anti-2nd Amendment States. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.)    o o o Wildlife Officials Warn Hunters of Deadly Rabbit Fever    o o o Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) recommended a classic book on planting trees with dynamite. “Kills parasites and fungus, breaks up soil, adds nitrates.”    o o o Video: Law Student “Schools” Policeman on His Gun Rights. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.)



Notes from JWR:

February 23rd is the birthday of Captain Isaac Davis (February 23, 1745 – April 19, 1775), a militia officer and gunsmith who commanded a Minute Company in Acton, Massachusetts, during the Battle of Concord. — Today we present another two entries 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 …


Ammunition Reloading: An Essential Basic Skill, by J.D.F.

When compiling a list of our survival necessities, we end up with a few basic categories: food, fuel, shelter, water, and protection. Stranded in the wilds, or a deserted island, water is the most important. Shelter comes in a close second, followed by fuel for water purification, food preparation, and sanitation, and ending with food for sustenance. If you add a sharpened stick, perhaps topped with a sharp rock, bone, or metal point, you can protect yourself from wild animals, kill or spear game and fish, and most importantly, fend off adversaries intent on taking your necessities for themselves, or …


Letter Re: The Great Ripple

James,  First let me say that I have thoroughly enjoyed reading SurvivalBlog over the years. It has been a source of insight, inspiration and motivation to myself, my friends and most of my family whom I’ve shared it with. A few months ago we watched as Hurricane Sandy hit the upper East Coast from afar. I’m about 200 miles from the Gulf Coast and as any other resident in this area, we keep an eye on the sky during the Hurricane Season. But knowing this was not in our back yard, I didn’t worry. I generally keep everything stocked up …


Two Letters Re: Foundational Documents of the American Republic

Jim, I’m sure many will point out that a list of educational sources should include those who thought the proposed US system would turn into a tyranny: The Anti-Federalist Papers More about the Anti-Federalist Papers, at Constitition.org. It may be seen as a different issue, but the debate between Hamiltonians and the anti-Hamiltonians is also most worthy of study. This leads into the whole question of what was called the American (or National) System of Political Economy, which has been used at times for great development in the US, Germany, and now China. On the other hand, the way it …


Economics and Investing:

Reader B.B. suggested this: Killing the Dollar: G20 & IMF Push for Global Fed, Global Currency The Wal-Mart Indicator: We’re Heading for a Stagflationary Disaster Jeff R. mentioned this story about modern-day alchemy, with folks treating lead like gold: Oklahoma City business offering ‘Cash for Bullets’ amid gun craze Items from The Economatrix: 20 Signs that the US Economy is Heading For Big Trouble in the Months Ahead Is A “Re-Fi Apocalypse” Upon Us? Homebuilding Takes a Breather; Wholesale Prices Up