Letter Re: If You Cannot Evacuate

Dear Editor: Re: If You Cannot Evacuate, by B.A.F. Regarding this bit of mis-information… “If someone trying to get into your home is high on Methamphetamines or PCP, he won’t even feel a 9mm and a .40 Smith will only enrage him. The bare minimum I would have is a .38 +P or a .357 Magnum. Jacketed Hollow Points are the order of the day here! A .357 SIG in my opinion is also inadequate in these circumstances. Bottom line: Buy either a .357 Magnum for anyone or a .45 ACP such as a 1911 type semi-auto.” I understand that the …


Economics and Investing:

James C. chimed in with this: Obama Agriculture Secretary: Food Stamps Create Jobs. JWR’s Comment: Oh, yes, and graffiti creates spray paint and spray paint creates teenage angst, and… Items from The Economatrix: Thinking The Unthinkable:  Sell US Treasuries Moody’s Lowers Economic Growth Outlook Former Obama Whitehouse Economist: Unemployment Won’t Drop Below 8% Before End of 2012 US Economy Has Young Americans Downsizing Their Dreams


Odds ‘n Sods:

K.A.F. suggested this blog post: SHTF Rifle    o o o Drew flagged this: How to Get the Most out of your Mil-Dot Reticle    o o o Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) sent this: Defcon Lockpickers Open Card-And-Code Government Locks In Seconds. And speaking of hacking, The Other Steve C. sent this: Five things you probably didn’t know could be hacked.    o o o I recently posted a link to an American Defense Enterprises (ADE) video, by way of Tam’s blog. That video was so roundly criticized for its buffoonery, posing, and insanely unsafe gun handling …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 36 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) 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 B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $300 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo, and E.) …


Do-It-Yourself Water Filtration, by Robert B.

Introduction: I’ve maintained a salt water reef tank for more than 10 years. The following is a improvised method that I used to process water to the point where it was acceptable for use with coral and salt water fish [before it is salinated] . Coral and salt water fish are very sensitive to toxic chemicals, nitrates, nitrites, phosphates, and ammonia in some cases just  .02-20 PPM would be deadly to salt water animals, so filtration quality was key.  Improvised Water Filter Water Filtration and Storage On the run filtration Building a Water Filter Collection and Storage On the run filtration …


A Note of Thanks From Pat Cascio

I would like to say thanks to all the SurvivalBlog readers, who took the time to drop me an e-mail to thank me for my articles and efforts, writing for SurvivalBlog. I personally responded to every one of you who wrote. I’m sorry my responses couldn’t have been longer, but I received more than 100 e-mails from SurvivalBloggers, and it took me quite a while to catch-up to them all. I sincerely appreciated hearing from each and every one of you. I’ve learned that SurvivalBlog readers are usually a very intelligent bunch of folks, not your average run-of-the-mill, gun store …


Letter Re: Ireland Shipwreck Illustrates Some Preparedness Principles

Letter Re: Ireland Shipwreck Illustrates Some Preparedness Principles JWR: This news article: American crew members tell the story of their rescue off West Cork coast illustrates some preparedness principles. There are a lot of lessons in this story: (1) What will you be wearing [or “everyday carrying”] you when you’re tossed into a survival situation? (2) Experienced sailors caught short. Preparedness mindset? [Preparedness oversights] could be fatal. (3) In a group willing to help, but can’t be seen. Flare pens [should be] in an always-worn survival vest. (4) Rescued by Gooferment forces standing by. Who pays for that, and all the other, rescues? …


Letter Re: Prepping for Missionaries and Other Long Term Foreign Workers

Dear Mr. Rawles, I have been following the thread on “Prepping for Missionaries and Other Long Term Foreign Workers.”  My business partner and I have more than one hundred mission trips between us and have been first responders to several of the latest disasters including the Tsunami in Banda Aceh, Hurricane Dean in Jamaica, and the Earthquake in Haiti. Several of the writers and especially P.J.H. has been spot on in their information.  Problems in the mission field or for the foreign worker have a direct correlation to the lack of understanding for the culture of the country where they …


Economics and Investing:

RJK sent this: End Game Approaching in Europe: No Way Out But Debt Restructuring Back to the Future: Gold, JPY, DAX, Paulson – CRASH? Report: Crop losses in Texas top $5 billion. (Thanks to Michael W. for the link.) How to Dig Yourself Out of Credit Card Debt Thanks to Chris S. for spotting this: President Hugo Chavez announced Wednesday he is nationalizing Venezuela’s gold mining industry and intends to bring home $11 billion in gold reserves currently held in U.S. and European banks. Items from The Economatrix: A Big Bounce, Ounce By Ounce, and Gold Takes Off Core Wholesale …


Odds ‘n Sods:

F.G. sent this: Illinois to feed Asian carp to the poor    o o o R.J. asks: "Better than nothing?", in pointing us to this: ThinkGeek : Ultimate Survival Kit in a Water Bottle    o o o In conjunction with National Preparedness Month (in September), Emergency Essentials is giving away one of their "Traditional 2000" Year Supply food storage packages that is worth more than $1,600.    o o o S.T. mentioned this: How to Remove Yourself From People Search Websites.    o o o Fast and Furious’ a prelude to gun registration? (Link courtesy of James C.)


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with [my] whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and [in] the congregation. The works of the LORD [are] great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His work [is] honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD [is] gracious and full of compassion. He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant. He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them …


Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 36 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) 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 B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $300 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo, and E.) …


If You Cannot Evacuate, by B.A.F.

Most of us do not have the funds to purchase and maintain a survival retreat, however there are effective things the ordinary citizen can do to help themselves and their families get through the troubled times ahead. I could write reams on this subject, but for the purposes of this article I will concentrate on a few basics to help your family get started on the path to survival. I have been watching in horror for months as the U.S. government races towards the abyss. The British press truly nailed it when, after the debt ceiling vote was announced, the …


Two Letters Re: Free or Inexpensive E-Books

JWR: I thought that the SurvivalBlog readers could use these: Everyday Foods: A Wartime Cookbook Emergency: Citizens Handbook for Disasters There are many more free e-books in the Kindle store. These are helpful to a newbie such as myself. Good luck and God bless! – NewbieLane James Wesley; I thought that your readers might like to know that Amazon has the Kindle reader edition of the “Pocket Outdoor Survival Guide” by J. Wayne Fears for just .99 cents. Regards, – Chris L.