Letter Re: El Cheapo Prepping 101

Hello Jim, Just a quick comment about the scavenging for used brass at ranges in “El Cheapo Prepping 101”. In addition to the practical reloading concerns you mention, it’s also important that the prospective “brass forager” knows both the written rules and de facto behavioral norms at the range/club they shoot at. For example, I belong to a club that collects (via clean-up efforts of its members) spent brass from the ranges and the club directors sell it for additional funds used to benefit the club. Taking any brass out of the collection bins is a rule violation that can …


Economics and Investing:

Several readers sent this: Prospects for US Economy Either “Fairly Bad”or “Very Bad” Warns Goldman, Sachs Siggy sent this: Silent Crash: Dow Continues Slide vs. Gold So much for the “buy and hold” strategy: Another prediction that California metro area price peaks won’t return until 2025 I’m adding this blog to my blog roll: Free Market Economics In A Story US Is ‘Practically Owned’ by China: Analyst Items from The Economatrix: IMF Sees Higher Deflation Risk; Fed Mulls More Aid IMF Sees Global Economy Gaining, US Growth Slowing Midnight Grocery Runs Capture Economic Desperation Jobs Crisis Extends to Unemployed, Lawmakers …


Inflation Watch:

Market Ticker notes Uh, Wee Problem Here On Grains… Fed Officials Mull Inflation as a Fix Breakfast Prices are on the Rise Mr. Benson confirms the suspicion that the CPI is a manipulation of numbers. (Thanks to Ty for the link.) An Inflationary Cocktail in the Making Deflation? Both Fedex and UPS are raising their rates. Several readers sent me this: This is Starting to Get Very Real: Agricultural Commodity Prices Have Exploded and Now the Price of Food is Beginning to Rise. Japan faces food pressure from China Coffee Prices – percolating up!


Odds ‘n Sods:

Cause of Mysterious Bee Die-Off Found? (Thanks to KAF for the link.)    o o o You gotta love Texas: Bank Allows Armed Customers.    o o o “FJohn” sent a recommendation for the collapsible Sven-Saw. These are compact enough for your bug out bag.    o o o Vermont, a long-time bastion of the Second Amendment, has expanded First Amendment rights by allowing residents to get custom license plates with Bible verses. (The plaintiff had specified JN36TN plates (a reference to the oft-quoted verse John 3:16), but was denied them by the Vermont DMV. He finally prevailed on appeal, …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 31 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 …


El Cheapo Prepping 101, by Christopher S.

In today’s economy you maybe having a hard time keeping up with the bills let alone preparing for the next Armageddon. Are you sitting in your cheap Wal-Mart chair staring at your computer screen wishing you had a Kifaru pack. Are you wishing you had the money to go to the range even once a year? Let me get out the chalk board and you get your pencil ready. I am about to school you on prepping that will take you to the next level without skimping on the good stuff. First off I would like to explain I am …


Letter Re: A Source for Free Firewood

Hello Jim, Firstly, I would like to thank you for your books and all the information you make available on your blog. The last three years have been very hard on my family and I, but have given us a needed shove to be prepared for what life can throw at us. The information we have gained from you and your site has been invaluable. I thought I would let you know of a free source for firewood. I work for a large pallet company. Every day we bring in many truck loads of broken pallets to be repaired. Pallets …


Letter Re: No Law Enforcement in TEOTWAWKI

Mr Rawles, I’d like to take a few minutes to comment about Ron W.’s article, No Law Enforcement in TEOTWAWKI. He brings up a good point at how truly unprepared most elected officials and government agencies for any kind of real catastrophe. Three summers ago in the jurisdiction where I am an officer we were hit by the severe winds that came from a Gulf of Mexico hurricane. These winds took out the power to more than 80% of the city and township where I patrol. This included the maintenance and service buildings for the city as well as the …


Economics and Investing:

p>KAF sent this: Illinois Pays More Than Mexico as Cash-Strapped States Sell Bonds Overseas For the How Gullible Do They Think We Are? Department: As bailout program expires, Treasury drops price tag to $50 billion and highlights successes. (Thanks to Chad S. for the link.) Florida Congressman Alan Grayson Documents Foreclosure Fraud K. in Montana recommended this: Lear Capital: Origin of Gold vs. Silver Ratio. Chris Martenson recently posted Prediction: Things Will Unravel Faster Than You Think The Incredible Two-Day Jump in US Treasure Debt (The Mogambo Guru) Items from The Economatrix: Weak Economy Has Nations Waging Currency War Consumers …


Odds ‘n Sods:

B.P. suggested a piece over at Box ‘o Truth: Common Rounds Versus Level IIIA Body Armor    o o o I just noticed that the three-part National Geographic documentary “Guns, Germs and Steel” (based on Jared Diamond’s same-titled book) is now available via streaming video to subscribers of Netflix.    o o o SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson sent us another case of “Never bring a knife to a gun fight”. (Warning: This shows graphic violence.) This incident took place in Turkey, and it is narrated by a Turkish American.    o o o Robots Guarding US Nuclear …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“To be a Christian, in an environment like this, makes it even that much more difficult. Because the thinner I get, the hungrier I am, the more unsafe I feel, the weaker I become spiritually. And it’s very difficult to be the Good Samaritan and love they neighbor when you’re starving.” – Jim Armistead, in The Colony, Season 2. (A television show on The Discovery Channel. See the online clip titled “Survivor Reflections”.)


Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 31 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 …


Winter Indoor Gardening – Part 2, by Kate in Colorado

As I’ve been tending the plants that I brought into the house for the start of the winter indoor growing season, I began thinking about some of the other nifty tricks I have learned through experimenting and sometimes failing while learning this skill.  As I said before, this is a skill set that demands practice.  This is especially true if you don’t have a greenhouse or sun room as lighting and temperature swings really effect indoor plants more quickly than gardening in the out of doors. I pay very close attention to solar gain through the windows.  As the sun …


Letter Re: Cartridge Lead Hygiene

Jim, Any serious firearms enthusiast should know the basic makeup of most ammunition normally includes a lead containing primer and projectile and while this does not present an immediately serious hazard per se, anyone planning on handling ammunition and firearms should be mindful of the risk of prolonged exposure to lead components and both pre- and post-TEOTWAWKI, take precautions to protect themselves. As an Army reservist for eight years (doing the occasional field exercise with blank ammunition and the annual range qualification), we would eat our IMP rations after loading hundreds of magazines without a second thought towards washing our …