Month: March 2015

PVC Survival Gear: How to Make It – Part 4, by J.H.

PROJECT 5: PVC Survival Staff (Walking Staff, Blow Gun, Frog Gig, Fish Spear, Survival Kit) This is one of my favorite PVC build projects! It’s fun to make and can be made with “attachment” pieces for a multitude of different options. The design example I will be using for this article is more basic than some of my very intricate designs. However, I feel this is the most “user friendly” PVC staff build I can explain. There are more “parts” to this piece of survival equipment than the previous projects. If this seems to be too much and you want …


Letter Re: Water issues

Hello, We have a submersible in a four-inch casing/well. Our well is 125 feet deep. I don’t know what the static level is right now. The well casing sticks up out of ground about 18 inches and has the cap on it, where the electrical goes up into the cap next to the casing. There is a pitless adapter. With the four-inch casing and because of the pitless adapter I don’t think there’s room in the pipe for a manual pump. Is there any other way that we could make a hand pump in our existing well? If not, do …


Economics and Investing:

The Best “Democracy” Money Can Buy: For Every Dollar Spent Influencing US Politics, Corporations Get $760 Back. – J.L. o o o Invest In Food o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Fed’s Rate Hike ‘Baby Steps’ Could Backfire – The author makes a valid point that most don’t consider, but he also apparently doesn’t understand that they can’t raise rates without pricking the bubble. How Low Can They Go? Central Bank Policy Easing in 2015 De-Dollarization Accelerates As More Of Washington’s “Allies” Defect To China-Led Bank The Unraveling Is Gathering Speed


Odds ‘n Sods:

Some still skeptical of beef checkoff changes. – K.W. o o o Rekindling the Flame After the Collapse by Bill Buppert. – T.P. o o o From www.drudgereport.com – Could this ALSO be practice for Martial Law being declared in the U.S.? Realistic military training coming to 7 states… Developing…. – H.L. o o o ICE: 167,527 Criminal Aliens Loose in U.S.A.. – B.B. o o o Will humans be BANNED from driving? Elon Musk says self-driving cars will spell the end of motorists because they are safer. – T.P.



Notes for Thursday – March 19, 2015

Today, we present another entry for Round 57 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of 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), 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, DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hard case to go with …


PVC Survival Gear: How to Make It – Part 3, by J.H.

PROJECT 3: The PVC Quiver As with the PVC bow, there are several different types of PVC quivers that can be made. A really simple, no heat version is as easy as taking 2” diameter Schedule 40 PVC pipe that is 18” in length and filling the bottom 1/4 of the pipe with Great Stuff or another spray foam. This easy quiver can be fashioned to receive a belt, can be set on the ground for target shooting, or modified however you would like to attach it to yourself or your gear. Poke your arrows into the foam or drill …


Letter Re: Little Things WILL Become Big Things, and Food Will Be Everything!, by L.T.

Hugh, I just wanted to say what a great article LT wrote. I have been a long time “back to the earth” guy, and the last few years have had me going at breakneck speed to “fully prepare” and put even more things in place. I am an older parent of three young boys and have felt VERY pressed in the last few years to get our 20 acres in order and get some more resiliency in place for what I see as a very uncertain future. My rural upbringing, military service, outdoor education, and EMT background have given me …


Economics and Investing:

U.S. Treasury Drops a Bombshell Yesterday: “Quicksilver Markets”. – P.K. o o o More QE= More money= More Debt= More Interest/Fee’s= More profit banks= More staff+bonuses= Bigger banks= Bigger fairy tales o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Goldman’s FOMC Post-Mortem – “More Dovish Than Expected” But Hike Coming In September– There is a lot of talk about bad things coming this fall. One thing is for sure, though; if any real rate hike did come in the fall, this economy that is built on cheap money would fall out of bed. Yellen Admits “Market Valuations Are On The High …


Odds ‘n Sods:

So this is what transparency of government looks like: US sets new record for denying, censoring government files. – G.P. o o o Pam was so Big she….. – H.L. o o o This site is a bit alarmist, but the DEFCON level is real. As SurvivalBlog reader R.G points out – The last time we were at DEFCON level 3 was during 9/11. DEFCON Warning System Announced ‘Encounter With Russian Actors’ And ‘US Base Placed On Alert For Possible Incoming’ Last Night As WW3 Heats Up!. – P.S. o o o The Betrayal Papers: And the Press Says Nothing…B.B. …



Notes for Wednesday – March 18, 2015

SurvivalBlog’s Medical Editor is at it again: Three prepper schools in NE Ohio have combined to offer what they are calling: Ultimate Prepper Training 2015 (see http://ultimatepreppertraining.com/) 5 days of jam-packed dawn-to-dusk prepper training Survival Medicine 101 with Doc Cindy of Armageddon Medicine Wilderness Survival Training with Tom Laskowski of Midwest Native Skills Institute Homesteading Skills with Laura Fry of Stone Garden Farm Early Bird discount until 4/1/2015 Class size limited to approximately 25 o o o Another SurvivalBlog reader has let us know that “Windows to our World” is free this week on amazon.com. This book may be of …


PVC Survival Gear: How to Make It – Part 2, by J.H.

PROJECT 2: The PVC Recurve Bow There are several different types of PVC bows that can be made using heat, minimal heat, or no heat. The example I will be using here is a recurve bow, using heat, that has an approximate draw weight of 35 pounds. You can change the draw weight by changing the length or diameter of the PVC pipe you choose. I have built bows with a draw weight of up to 70lbs, and I have seen others that have made bows with a pull exceeding 100lbs. There are variations of this bow. It can be …


Letter Re: Question on generators and EMP

HJL, We have been considering having a whole house generator installed at our house, since we occasionally lose power in our neighborhood for days at a time. Additionally, the threat of an EMP pulse damaging the grid and our being without power for a lengthy period of time is an even greater concern. My question is: is a whole house natural gas powered generator, like a Generac 22kv unit (along with the associated auto switching panel), susceptible to EMP? If so, what would be the best way to protect it? When I ask the electrical contractors bidding on the job, …


Economics and Investing:

Last Time This Happened, Recession Followed… o o o 100,000 Layoffs and Counting: Is this the New Normal? o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Housing Starts Collapse in February– I wish the company tearing up the beautiful field behind my house to put in a neighborhood would read this. Five Things People Will Be Talking About Today – Just some quick tidbits, but China’s Shanghai Composite rising 70% in 12 months is staggering. Janet Yellen Wants to Be a Little Less Predictable – The word patient maybe dropped on Wednesday but I see a rise in rates almost as …