Letter Re: Low Cost Merino Wool Clothing

Hello, I am very grateful for your web site/books and thought I could add a little something that I have been doing lately. I am a carpenter and usually end up building outside at some point during the winters, so I have tried a lot of different clothing options to stay warm and comfortable. The best solution for me has been Merino wool. It seems to me that since the mid-1990s that there has been a huge push from most retailers and advertisers to support man made synthetic fibers (recycled plastic fleece, polypropylene, acrylic, etc.) as insulating layers of clothing. …


Letter Re: The Psychological Trauma of a Home Burglary

Mr. Editor: Just about nine hours ago, my house was burglarized. My husband, three kids, and the dog is still asleep while I’m anxiously waiting for sunrise. Thank God we were not home but security of home is invaded. I’m scared, nervous, and unsure of the future. I tell myself to be strong for them but body is numbed and jelly-like. My kids and I came home from a school event around 7 P.M. yesterday evening. We all went straight to the kitchen for a snack. The house was at its usual state, toys scattered around, and the living room …


Letter Re: The Plan “B” Map

Sir: Regarding the comment in the The Plan "B" Map article about draining and filtering fire sprinkler systems for emergency drinking water: I’m definitely not an expert, and have only seen a few sprinkler systems purged, but the stuff coming out of those pipes is only loosely defined as “water”. The Fire Tech told me that some buildings have the original water in the fire sprinkler pipes dating back to when the system was installed, so it looks like motor oil coming out of those pipes. My office had the sprinkler system replaced, and it looked and smelled like sewer …


Economics and Investing:

Norman A. was the first of several readers to mention this: Ben Davies – The World Monetary Earthquake. Here is a quote: “Within a single week 25 nations have deliberately slashed the values of their currencies. Nothing quite comparable with this has ever happened before in the history of the world. This world monetary earthquake will carry many lessons.” B.B. sent this: U.S. Mint says it has run out of Buffalo gold coins Fred D. flagged this: Is Gold Going up or is it Just the Dollar Going Down? Job Experts Lose Jobs! (A hat tip to Jim P. for …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Water Use in Southwest Heads for a Day of Reckoning. (Thanks to SurvivalBlog’s Poet Laureate George Gordon for the link.)    o o o Mike the MD mentioned a piece in Backpacker magazine that has some simple but good first aid tips and common sense.    o o o B.B. recommended: GPS and the Police State We Inhabit: Living in Oceania



Note from JWR:

Today we present the final entry for Round 30 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will 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 between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 500 round case …


Filling in the Gaps on Firefighting and Emergency Medicine, by Nate

I’ll be the first to admit this is my first visit to SurvivalBlog, and I only received copy of “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It” yesterday, but I finished reading it yesterday as well. I’ve always had what I like to call a “jack of all trades” mentality, as soon as I begin to feel competent in one skill, I have a strong urge to begin the learning process anew and expand my base of knowledge. I’ve been reading through the articles previously posted, and while extremely helpful and informative, I feel I have …


Letter Re: A Little Insight on Diesel Engines

JWR, I can’t wait to read the sequels to your novel. I’m writing on the topic of pre-electronic ignition diesel trucks — preferably a 1998 model year or older Dodge with the 5.9 Cummins engine. Having serviced and rebuilt several of these engines I am familiar with the design, and it is certainly my favorite. I won’t go into much detail on the 24-valve engine because they may not be of use in the event of an EMP, or a grid-down collapse where diagnostics cannot be performed. (For reference, there is the 12 valve- ’89-’98 5.9 Manual (non computer/electronic) Cummins …


Economics and Investing:

H.H. sent this: European Central Banks Halt Gold Sales Jeff E. was the first of several readers to send this: Banks Keep Failing, No End in Sight From G.G.: Banks Keep Failing, No End in Sight U.S. Economy “Close to a destructive tipping point” Glenn Hubbard Says. (Thanks to John G. for the link.) Merry recommended a Mike Maloney lecture video. Items from The Economatrix: Cold Hard Reality Hits Oregon Supply Squeeze of Physical Gold and Silver May Be Heating Up The Currency Crisis of 2010-2011 A Hazard of Buying Bond Funds Now A Red Alert Threat To The Regime …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Ten signs that the U.S. is Losing it Influence in the Western Hemisphere. (A hat tip to Paul W. for the link.)    o o o More Celebrities Than Ever Are Carrying Firearms. The blatant favoritism in permit issuance is a scandal that has never been fully exposed. New York City has had a long succession of Teflon-coated mayors. The gun permit scandal doesn’t stick where it should!    o o o Bird Flu Simmers. (Thanks to Ken J. for the link.)    o o o J.H. sent this article from the Guardian: Campaign to save Pavlovsk seed bank from …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Most people prefer to believe their leaders are just and fair even in the face of evidence to the contrary, because most people don’t want to admit they don’t have the courage to do anything about it. Most propaganda is not designed to fool the critical thinker but only to give moral cowards an excuse not to think at all.” – Michael Rivero


Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 30 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will 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 between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 500 round case of …


Letter Re: The Survival Mindset–Becoming Part of the Social Ecosystem

Hello James: In many ways, communities behave like biological organisms. They respond to foreign invaders like our bodies respond to the flu virus. They respond to “us” like our bodies respond to “us”. They may not actively nourish teeth, hair or fingernails, but they do not reject them either. One key aspect to creating community is to be visible before the balloon goes up. I run for exercise. I tend to wear the same kinds of outfit every time I run: a swim trunks and a brown tie-dyed shirt. My runs extend 8 miles out. Some Sundays I run home …


Letter Re: Aviation-Style Checklists for Survival, by Andy W.

In the 1940s, the accident rate among aircraft in the United States was horrendous, especially for small private aircraft. Many lives were lost and airplanes mangled due to often preventable causes. By the mid-1950s, the accident rates had dropped by 30-50%, depending on what numbers you look at. What happened to make such a dramatic change? The answer is the prevalent use of checklists for all phases of flight. Every aircraft today, from a tiny Cessna to a giant airliner, has checklist for every procedure from preflight inspection to securing the aircraft after parking. Checklists are important for a few …