Notes from JWR:

I noticed that there are now 530+ web sites that have links to SurvivalBlog. My goal is to have at least 1,000 “incoming” links. That would really help SurvivalBlog show up more prominently in search engines like Bing and Google. Couldya, wouldya, please? It just takes a couple of minutes to add a text or graphic link. I even have some nifty graphics and pre-fabbed HTML code available, to make it easy for you. Many thanks! — Today we present another entry for Round 28 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will include: First Prize: …


Map Reading and Land Navigation for G.O.O.D. Planning, by SSG Q.

Having the equipment and skill necessary to travel cross-country can prove to be very beneficial in a number of survival scenarios.  A key component to cross country travel is map reading and orienteering.  The equipment that you will need for this is a map, a lensatic compass, and a US Military Square 5×5 protractor. The first item of equipment that we will cover is maps.  Different maps serve varied purposes.  A map used for navigating cross country will look very different from the maps that you are familiar with for use with travel on highways and paved roads.  For cross …


Letter Re: A Cautionary Tale of the Consequences of the Lean Supply Chain

Dear Mr. Rawles, I have been reading your blog for about a year (sincere thanks for a great job) and have introduced a few dozen folks to its collected wisdom. I pass along this article, from The Telegraph in the United Kingdom, that speaks to the mounting impact/consequences of the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano. For a long time I have had concerns about the practice that manufacturing businesses have adopted for managing their supplies and inventory – namely the employment of Lean Supply Chain (LSC) manufacturing techniques. While companies (nations) reduce expense for maintaining inventory, in the short run, …


Letter Re: A New Survivalist Singles Web Site

Mr. Rawles, I noted with interest (and joined) a new web site for singles “SurvivalistSingles.com“. As a Christian, prepper, mom and grandmother, I find most date sites decidedly unappealing. Perhaps this new site would be of interest to some of your single readers, even if only to network and gain new friends. It is new, and for now, free. You’ll find that SurvivalBlog is mentioned in the questionnaire, as well! Thanks for all you and your readers do to share, enlighten, and teach. – Ruger9mmgal, a Michigan SurvivalBlog reader P.S.: I am not in any way affiliated with the site …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 28 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 HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of …


A Practical, Full Spectrum Suburban Survival Plan, by JIR

Survival planning can be overwhelming and a lot of the advice you get is not practical or compatible with our lifestyles. A lot of us choose, or are forced to live in the crowded East Coast far too close to cities to survive TEOTWAWKI. I dare say, a lot of SurvivalBlog readers live in suburbs just outside medium to large population centers. Many of us have jobs that don’t migrate to small towns and would face a substantial loss of income if we moved away from our livelihoods. Some of us like our current lives and feel that hunkering down …


Five Letters Re: Choosing the Appropriate Handgun for You and Yours

Mr. Rawles, I have a few counterpoints to Officer Tackleberry’s article touting the 9mm and especially the Glock 9mm family of pistols. My daily concealed carry pistol is a Kel-Tec PF9 9mm, so I don’t have any objections to 9mm as a caliber. But I also have a SIG P220 in .45 ACP, and favor it over any high-capacity 9mm full-size pistol. While the author’s anecdotal evidence shows any pistol can be lethal, a .45 ACP, with the right ammunition, is going to be more effective than a 9mm. With an 8 round magazine and one in the chamber, that’s …


Economics and Investing:

By way of the Appenzell Daily Bell: Germans Desperate Over EU, Greece Rogers: Goldman May Fuel 20 Percent Market Tumble. (Out thanks to Brett G. for the link.) GG suggested this Forbes opinion piece: Will Japan Default? The Fox forwarded this: Greek Bailout Is a High-Wire Act. They are starting to use the “D” word. (Default.) Items from The Economatrix: Could Germany Quit Euro Over Greek Crisis? Rivals May Not be Smiling at Goldman Sach’s Predicament Long Bank of Ireland Forced to Sell Off Assets FEMA Faces Own Fiscal Emergency Unemployment Rises in 24 States


Odds ‘n Sods:

RBS sent this from China Daily: Shelters part of long-term civil defense plan    o o o Rick pointed me to HomeFirefightingSystems.com, in Pollock Pines, California. They sell pumps, foam, gel, tanks and equipment that would be appropriate for retreats.    o o o Josh flagged this bit of Hoplophobic Political Correctness stupidity: Student suspended after finger gun incident.    o o o I found this linked at the Drudge Report: Mission Impossible: Escape from Europe. (Read between the lines, vis-a-vis Getting Out of Dodge, in other crises.) Meanwhile, we also read: Get ready for decades of Icelandic fireworks, and …



Notes from JWR:

I just heard from my editor at the Plume Division of Penguin Books that Editorial Paidotribo has purchased the rights to produce a Spanish language edition of my non-fiction book “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It”. — Today we present another entry for Round 28 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 …


Choosing the Appropriate Handgun for You and Yours, by Officer Tackleberry

There are many areas of debate, speculation, opinion and urban legends when it comes to anything involving guns and/or self-defense, with handguns probably being at the top of this list.  I will share my experience, training and research to try to help with this debate. The first thing to consider is what caliber is right for you and your family.  When it comes to establishing a caliber for your family’s security, there seems to be a belief that the .45 is the only way to go, especially in the semi-auto platform.  I couldn’t disagree more with the reasoning for this …


Letter Re: JWR’s List of Lists in an Excel Spreadsheet

Sir, I would like to thank you for your excellent site. I have been steadily working my way through your archives for the past several months now. I have been a prepper for quite a while thanks to my upbringing. However, for me it is more of a serious hobby than anything else. Being in the military and changing duty stations fairly rapidly is not conducive to long term prepping, as has been mentioned before on your site. That does not mean that I cannot plan however. I have attached a “List of Lists” in MS-Excel spreadsheet format. The initial …


Letter Re: U.S. Bank Failures Accelerate in Pace and Increase in Size

James Wesley: On Friday, eight more banks were closed according to this article. I did a little research and found out that so far this year, 50 banks with total assets of approximately $30.4 Billion (you have to add the numbers up in the total assets column) have failed according to this site. By this date last year (April 17, 2009) 25 banks with $12.5 Billion in assets had failed according to the companion site. How’s that “hope and change” working for you? This could be a record year if the pace keeps up. – S.M. Economics and Investing: