Letter Re: Free Local EMS Training

Jim, I would like to let your readers know that there is an opportunity for them to get free medical training in there community, I have just done this and am working on going further. I joined a volunteer fire department (VFD). No, not everyone has to fight fires, in our department only 10% do. In my area we have a mandatory three hours per month that we have to be at the station and [respond to] any calls that come up. So out of this we all get free EMT training and they actually pay us to go do …


Letter Re: Buying a House in Australia?

Dear Mr Rawles, I pray that God may continue pouring His comfort, love and strength upon you and your family in these difficult times. My wife and I will finally settle down in Melbourne, Australia in 2010 after years of relocating internationally due to my work – we finally obtained the Australian resident permit! As a result of all the traveling, we have also had to leave all our savings in banks for all these years. We prefer living in a region to know it well before purchasing property, so we will probably purchase a house sometime in 2010-2011. As …


Letter Re: Best Military Manuals with Field Fortification Designs?

Jim – There is an absolute plethora of military manuals out there. I’m looking for a Listening Post/Observation Post (LP/OP) diagram such as you use in your novel “Patriots”. What manuals would you consider your “must read and own” manuals that would answer this question and others I that haven’t arrived yet? I’m a 10 Cent Challenge subscriber and enjoy your web site and books. Thank you and God Best You, – Brent I. in Louisiana JWR Replies: The basics describing and illustrating one-man and two-man fighting positions (suitable for LP/OPs) with overhead cover can be found in FM 7-8, …


Letter Re: The Pen is Mightier than the Sword

Many people preparing for the inevitable SHTF situation overlook the simple day to day needs of the children. It is easy to forget, especially being pre-occupied with food, water, ammunition and the like. I remember when I was in the army in the late 1980s, we were on a project in Honduras. We would make frequent health and welfare flights into the mountain villages to provide medical assistance and rendering aide were possible. One thing that amazed me was the educational system in the third world. Basically, if the child did not have a pencil and note book, they could …


Letter Re: The Fabric of Our Lives

Mr. Rawles, I am prompted to send along some information that I am hoping will be useful to your readers looking for instruction in spinning and weaving. The Handweaver’s Guild of America has an online list of local guilds as well as a list of Member Artists/Leaders, both of which are rich resources. There are some 454 guild, listed by state. Contacting a nearby guild is a great way to learn about local class opportunities in spinning and weaving. Most of these guilds also have member newsletters that will often list used equipment for sale by members at significant discounts …


Influenza Pandemic Update:

Andre in the EU sent this from Radio Nederland: H1N1 Pandemic Continues. Maryland Reports First Drug Resistant H1N1 Cases Mutated Swine Flu In Baltimore, Maryland. The drug-resistant type… 442 Dead In Ukraine, Nearly Two Million Infected Tamiflu Resistance in Spain and US Georgia H1N1 Tamiflu-Resistance Crosses Tipping Point Transmission of Fit Tamiflu Resistant H1N1 in Maryland CDC: Swine Flu Continues to Decline in US. Worried about second wave after the first of the year.


Influenza Pandemic Update:

Andre in the EU sent this from Radio Nederland: H1N1 Pandemic Continues. Maryland Reports First Drug Resistant H1N1 Cases Mutated Swine Flu In Baltimore, Maryland. The drug-resistant type… 442 Dead In Ukraine, Nearly Two Million Infected Tamiflu Resistance in Spain and US Georgia H1N1 Tamiflu-Resistance Crosses Tipping Point Transmission of Fit Tamiflu Resistant H1N1 in Maryland CDC: Swine Flu Continues to Decline in US. Worried about second wave after the first of the year.


Economics and Investing:

Reader HPD mentioned this article: 24 States Borrow Money To Pay Unemployment Benefits. HPD’s comment: “Don’t worry. The Fed sees signs of recovery… Besides, Barney Frank and Nancy Pelosi are on the scene to fix it. “ Another missive from Dr. Housing Bubble: Wall Street and Housing Neurosis: The Real Cost of California Homeownership. Extreme Foreclosures, Option ARMs, Renting Utility Costs, and Breaking the Financially Twisted Psychology. Noah C. spotted this: Heh, I Thought Dubai Was a Non-Event. Here is a quote: “Refusal to stand-still means there’s an immediate default, which means the [credit default swaps] go boom” Items from …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader “Hope in the Northwest” stumbled across a good basic web site with articles on common health issues, with pictures included. Some useful topics covered are bugs, eye diseases, foot problems, etc. There’s also basic info on treatment for common illnesses.    o o o The Californization of Colorado continues: Colorado State University bans guns on campus. (Thanks to Chad S. for the link.)    o o o The folks at DNS Down announced that they are now giving away their software free of charge, as a public service. Be sure to check it out!    o o o Glade …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The only thing that can stop a bad man with a gun, is a good man with a gun” – Major Lars Laine, a fictional character in the forthcoming sequel to “Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse”, scheduled for release in 2011. The working title is: Veterans: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse. Its storyline will be contemporaneous with that of JWR’s first novel, and will have a few cross-over characters. This novel will be set primarily in the southwestern United States.


Note from JWR:

Tommorrow, December 7th, Americans remember the Imperial Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. On a Sunday morning, 68 years ago, we were the recipients of a well-planned and executed raid. According to an Internet history page: “The attack sank four U.S. Navy battleships (two of which were raised and returned to service later in the war) and damaged four more. The Japanese also sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, and one minelayer, destroyed 188 aircraft, and caused personnel losses of 2,402 killed, and 1,282 wounded.” This day is a reminder that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance. — Today …


Solo Survival in a Societal Collapse?, by Wry Catcher

When it comes to natural and man-made disasters, I’ve seen my share, and each was a learning experience. Although diverse in type, all of them shared a common factor: a dire impact on the human populations they affected. That impact, in turn, led to dangerous encounters with some rough criminals. Some people cannot cope, so they turn to ruthless behavior. Other people are selfish opportunists. While we may have pity for those who can’t cope with the stress of a survival situation, we should nonetheless remain vigilant for those who would do us harm in any way and for any …


Economics and Investing:

More Friday Follies: U.S. Bank Failures Continue Apace. “Cleveland-based AmTrust Bank, with 66 branches and roughly $8 billion in deposits, was closed by regulators Friday, as the ongoing credit crunch continued to claim victims.” Financial institutions urged to make banking accessible UN says global economy will bounce back in 2010. [Again, one for the Economic Humor section.] Items from The Economatrix: Goldman Sachs December Party Ban: No Groups of 12 Or More. So, 10 lords a leaping, nine ladies dancing is totally OK. But if you see 12 bankers — they’d better be banking! Most Americans Not Confident About Financial …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Joe H. mentioned a site with an animated map of global air traffic patterns that was linked once before on SurvivalBlog. Joe’s comments: “Two key things to note are that you can see the ‘sunny side’ and air traffic seems to increase by a factor of five as daylight arrives, and there is not much air traffic routing around Cuba– a hole in the traffic.”    o o o C.B. was the first of several readers to mention this Popular Science article: How to Build a Propane-Fired Metal Forge    o o o Reader Michael G. wrote to mention that …