Year: 2013

Odds ‘n Sods:

Pantry Paratus is offering a free Sport Berkey filtering water bottle with any purchase $150 or more.  This offer is only valid through June 30th.        o o o Maine has become the first state in the nation to pass legislation ordering its grid to be hardened against an electromagnetic pulse. (Thanks to H.L. for the link.)    o o o Over at Ryan and Ryan’s excellent blog: Birdshot For Self Defense?    o o o My old friend Terry sent: Russia Nearing Final Stages For New Assault Rifle In Legendary Kalashnikov Series    o o o What …



Notes from JWR:

This is the birthday of Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon. He was born in 1834 and died in 1892. This British Particular Baptist preacher’s powerful sermons are still widely read, and can now be listened to, as presented by modern orators. — Today we present another entry for Round 47 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 …


850 Miles in 27 Weeks: Experience With Long Distance Walking, by Erik M.

Do you plan to walk to your retreat?  Then read this first. For those who like me, are nearing or over 50 years old and out of shape after years of working a desk and who think that walking or biking to a retreat is an option for them, let me tell you about the last 27 weeks and the 850 miles I’ve covered by walking and biking. In doing so I’m hoping that I can convince you to start now rather then waiting for a situation that forces you to do so. After all, if my retreat were 260 …


Letter Re: Mass Versus Bullets (and Hail Stones and Gamma Radiation)

Hello James, I read your blog every day and enjoy finding information that is useful. Recently a posting discussed the use of the 5.56 mm NATO bullet and its poor performance in penetrating automobiles.   I took notice of this information about the penetrating power or lack of penetrating power of the 5.56 in relation to single and double barriers. We moved onto our five acres of land nine years ago. One of the first building projects was to have a contractor installed tornado shelter set in the ground. Then over the next two years I added a 16’x20’x50” high …


Economics and Investing:

Congressional hearing video: $9,000,000,000,000 Missing From The Federal Reserve. (Why is it that the larger the dollar figure, the less the accountability? Just ask the Boptrotters–some of whom were convicted over sums less than $100–if their scrutiny and punishments were proportional.) Reader Jon S. pointed me to this eloquent essay by Mark Hendrickson, at Forbes: The Pandora’s Box of Progressivism: Positive Law Items from The Economatrix: Consumer Sentiment Slips In June Emergency Manager:  Detroit Will Default on $2.5 Billion it Owes US Wholesale Prices Rise More Than Forecast On Fuel, Food


Odds ‘n Sods:

By way of Mac Slavo’s SHTFPlan blog: September 6, 1984: Ron Paul Warns of Surveillance State    o o o A reader e-mailed me: “I have seen it all, now: Storage Food for Your Cat.” It is amazing what you can buy at Costco. The practicality of car storage food is debatable, but nonetheless Costco can be great. Stocking up on storage food and other items for your family’s survival stockpile at warehouse stores is described in “Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course.” (Now available inexpensively via digital download.)    o o o The aging robot: Arnold Schwarzenegger Signs Up …



Notes from JWR:

Please contact your legislators and insist that they vote against the pending Immigration (Amnesty) Bill. For among other reasons, the Campaign For Liberty warns us that : “…buried deep within the bill are plans to develop a National ID Database of every American citizen, linked with birthdates, Social Security numbers, biometric information – like photos and retinal scans – laying the groundwork for full-scale tracking of every aspect of our lives.” This legislation clearly fails Joe Huffman’s “Jews In The Attic” test, so it must be stopped! — Today is the 60th birthday of Pastor Doug Wilson (born 1953.) He …


Sample Chapter From My Upcoming Novel “Expatriates”

Introductory Note: My upcoming novel opens with a prominent disclaimer that includes: “This is a work of fiction.  All of the events described are imaginary, taking place in the future, and do not represent the world as we know it in the present day. It does not reflect the current geopolitical situation, governmental policies, or the strategic posture of any nation. It is not intended to be commentary on the policies, leadership, goals, strategies, or plans of any nation. This novel is not intended to be predictive of the territorial aspirations tactics of any nation or any planned use of …


News From The American Redoubt:

The ultimate in politically incorrect ammo: Jihawg. (Made in Idaho, of course.)    o o o I recently watched a few episodes of the murder mystery television show Longmire, via Netflix. The show is supposedly set in Wyoming. But the timber just didn’t look right to me. So I did some checking and it turns out that they actually film the show in and around Las Vegas, New Mexico. (Coincidentally, the same town where the original Red Dawn movie was filmed.) And I learned that the leading man (Robert Taylor) is actually an Aussie! (His American accent is flawless.) FWIW, …


Economics and Investing:

I noticed that spot price of silver has gone into its usual summer doldrums. Silver was under $22 per ounce, the last time I checked. Low points like this are an advantageous time to buy. It really doesn’t matter whether you buy pre-1965 junk silver, or one ounce American Redoubt silver coins, or some other sort of bullion silver, if you look at this on a macro scale. In the long run there will simply be a few prescient people with real money, and a much larger number of people who will be holding worthless paper. Yes, be a silver …


Odds ‘n Sods:

I just learned that RepackBox.com has expanded their line to include pistol ammunition boxes. These are made with the same high quality as their rifle ammo boxes, and are ideal for both handloaders and for folks who buy their ammo in bulk, but who want to store it in standard cardboard boxes. (20 rounds for rifle cartridges, and 50 rounds for pistol cartridges.) And BTW, they will also soon be selling brand new, un-issued .50 caliber full mil-spec steel ammo cans. Be sure to check out their web site. As I’ve mentioned before, they sell more than boxes. Their other …



Notes from JWR:

June 17th is the 84th birthday of physicist Dr. Hans Mark (born June 17, 1929.) He and my father became friends at LLNL, back when the facility was known as Lawrence Radiation Laboratory (LRL.) Conversationally, it was often known locally as just “The Rad Lab.” This also the birthday of musician Red Foley. (Born, 1910, died September 19, 1968.) His patriotic song Smoke on the Water topped the music charts for 13 weeks in late 1944 and early 1945, and was on the charts for 24 weeks. That song–which describes the doom of fascist tyrants–would be considered quite politically incorrect, …