Month: January 2014

Notes from HJL:

Today we present another entry for Round 50 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $9,700+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value), 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, Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value), A $300 gift certificate …


Preparing My First Bug-out Bag, by TK4

HJL Adds: TK4, age 13, wrote this as a homeschool project. In this article I am going to teach readers how to prepare a bug-out bag. This 13 year-old has had a bug-out bag for two years, and every year it grows better and better. I have put this article together with five main steps that are essential to any bug-out bag. I have listed the items that I have put into my bag and put them in order of necessity. Survival Essentials Here I am going to list the things that I deem are essential in my bag. However, …


Two Letters Re: Building a Backyard Water Treatment Plant, by J.S.M.

Dear Sir: Regarding “Building a Backyard Water Treatment Plant, by J.S.M.“, I wanted to comment on a couple of errors I saw in the last section on treating surface water with alum. I once worked for a manufacturer of aluminum sulfate and was involved in several trials at municipal water systems. First thing, I would not bother waiting a day for an initial settlement. Once the leaves, twigs, and tadpoles have been removed, you should go ahead and treat the water. It seems paradoxical, but the cleaner the water is when you start, the harder it is to get good …


Letter Re: Tactical Solutions for Preppers, by The Grunt

Dear Editor, In Tactical Solutions for Preppers, by The Grunt I note “The Grunt” makes no analysis of his enemy. I think his tactical solutions are fine if facing a disorganized mob bent on looting. The proposed solutions are passive and do not address the patrolling that will be necessary if facing a more cunning enemy. If an active and sophisticated threat exists in your AO, an active defense/offense may be necessary. Also, I think early in TEOTWAWKI, the enemy will be our hyper-militarized law enforcement that has become a “hammer looking for a nail”. The authorities may view professional …


Letter Re: Glock 27 .40 S&W Pistol

HJL, Regarding Two Letters Re: Gock 27 .40 S&W Pistol, dropping a 9mm conversion barrel into a 40 caliber Glock pistol does NOT make it the same as a factory 9mm Glock. The extractors and ejectors are not the same (anyone can verify this by looking at the Glock parts list), and that makes it a FrankenGlock. This is fine, if you just want to save money shooting 9mm for practice out of your 40. However, if you’re going to stake your life on the gun, please be aware of the differences and make the decision that’s right for you. …


Economics and Investing:

Video: 0% is the Highest Interest Rate the U.S. Economy can Afford – D.D. 2019 U.S. Army budget would eliminate 100,000 Troops – T. An interesting development as many of the emerging markets are faltering simultaneous with one of China’s largest holidays: China’s Central Bank Announces Halt of Cash Transfers – SurvivalBlog reader Fourth-Quarter Earnings Season Another Dud Items from The Economatrix: January 1, 2014 All Americans Will Bail Out The Banks Bundesbank Calls For Capital Levy To Avert Government Bankruptcies World Market Index (Seeing a lot of red ink…)


Odds ‘n Sods:

V.F. sent in this link to an article about an emerging story:TSA Harasses Police Chief – Entire Police Department Fired. o o o More disturbing news about the Constitution Free zones within America’s borders. – A.W. o o o We’ll see how states’ rights work out on this one: South Carolina House Unanimously Passes Legislation to Ban Drones Sent in by B.B. o o o Another reason to consider homeschooling your children: Plan would track students from preschool to workforce – G. P. o o o P.S. sent in this link: Venezuela is headed down fast, 10-year imprisonment for hoarding, …



Notes from HJL:

Our prayers are sent on behalf of those in the Southeast who have been hit by a severe winter storm. WHNT has a story with links to several videos: Alabama EMA: 5 People Died, 23 Injured in Tuesday’s Winter Weather Alabama has been hit the hardest, but other states are suffering as well. It is important to remember that in these states, the temperature generally stays pretty warm and when snow hits, it’s a recipe for black ice. One more reason to always be prepared. Stay safe!


Surviving a Major Ice Storm, by S.C.

HJL Adds: S.C., age 17, wrote this as a homeschool project.   So you hear an ice storm is coming and you’re not prepared, what do you do? This article will show you the ten essentials you need to survive. Back in 2009, Kentucky was hit by a massive ice storm that dumped 2 inches of ice on everything. Consequently we were without power for 8 long days. During the week many people had to leave their homes, because they had no heat, no water, and no food. At the time of the ice storm I was only 13 and …


Six Letters Re: Myths About Income Inequality

Hello Gentlemen, I am as capitalistic as they come and have spent the entirety of my life as the son of a self-employed concrete contractor, then owning and running several of my own businesses. Some of us though are questioning the huge profits rolling out of some of the Wall St. firms due to the QE policy of the Fed. It seems like the scales are getting out of balance because of this policy, and the distribution of wealth is appeasing Wall Street while the POTUS’s policies and regulations discourage middle income entrepreneurs. The top few percent get government bailouts …


Letter: Railroad Bugout

Hi Jim, Here’s an Interesting video from Cambodia, which triggered a series of thoughts on bugging out. You have used railroad tracks and trains in your books to speed along movement away from roads and people. This video shows how anyone who has tracks near them and need an escape route when the roads are blocked could be so very simple. The parts to put this together should be cheap and, depending on location, readily available just to have in the garage as a back up back up plan. I am sure enough readers can also tweek it in such …


Letter: Silica Gel Packets

Jim, Hoping you could answer a quick question. I put two jars full of silica gel packets in a glass jar and set them in a oven at 200 degrees over night to dry them out. I noticed that a couple of the bags broke open and the silica gels were brown. Does that make them non effective. I thought they were white to start with. Thank you and may God’s blessings be upon you and your family. P.S.- I liked your comment on one of your interviews where you stated your prayer is for God to put you in …


Economics and Investing:

B.B. sent in this video preparing for an Economic crash. On that same note, T. sent in this article on holding physical gold rather than paper gold. 7 setbacks for the middle class – H. L. Walmart is cutting more jobs from Sam’s club. – T. G.G. sent this link on on The Big Reset, part 2. Lloyds Banking Group says it has fixed problems that affected Halifax, Lloyds, Bank of Scotland and TSB customers using ATMs and debit cards. – S.R. Items from The Economatrix: TNX Chart: Specter Of Rising Rates HSBC Bank On Verge Of Collapse: Second Major …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Rifles powered by Linux purchased by US Army – R.L.H. I thought it was cool when I learned that many phones were powered by Linux. o o o D.B. sent in this article on Foraging and Looting. It seems clear to me. Foraging is finding what you need from things that really don’t belong to anyone else. Looting is taking something that clearly belongs to someone else. Foraging is OK (except when it’s hoarding) and looting is bad. See? It’s simple. For more on that principle, one only needs to spend some time in the book of Proverbs. o o …