Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson found an amazing story that illustrates the anarchic situation in Somalia: Somali Pirates Open Up a “Stock Exchange”. Mike pointed out this quote: “Piracy investor Sahra Ibrahim, a 22-year-old divorcee, was lined up with others waiting for her cut of a ransom pay-out after one of the gangs freed a Spanish tuna fishing vessel. ‘I am waiting for my share after I contributed a rocket-propelled grenade for the operation,’ she said, adding that she got the weapon from her ex-husband in alimony. ‘I am really happy and lucky. I have made $75,000 in …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 26 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. 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 Fiocchi 9mm Luger, 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP ammo, …


Pacific Coastal Living and Survival, by K.R.

This essay has been written from my personal experience and that of others. This suggested course of preparedness and action in the event of TEOTWAWKI will not be for everyone. Instead, I address those who live on the coast due to reasons such as; nearness to family, proximity to work, tight finances , or it could simply apply to those who might be caught on or near the coast should the events we prepare for take place. Quite a few years ago while I was working for a floatplane company in S.E. Alaska, two of our float planes returned from …


Letter Re: Another COMSEC Warning on Social Networking Web Services

James, This is a communications security (COMSEC) warning: Readers may wish to think about the networking tools used to communicate between friends and associates – Facebook, Linked-In, Jaiku, Pownce, Yammer, and others – and realize that not only do they pose a serious threat to the security of their personal information, but some of them are now apparently being used to bring new people into the non-secure comms environment by falsifying “invitations” from others to join. While tools such as Outlook, AIM, Yahoo Messenger, Gmail, Hotmail, Flickr, and MySpace should also be used with caution to limit the damage that …


Economics and Investing:

From frequent content contributor GG: Gold acquires new investment aura: The weight of gold coins sold by the US Mint far this year has exceeded the one million ounce mark, up 40% year-on-year Sticker Shock at Pump: Gas Prices Poised to Soar Jeff mentioned this over at Zero Hedge: Is The Fed Facing Margin Calls From European Banks? Knocking off two zeroes. (BTW, don’t gloat, the US Dollar may be next to have a 100-for-1 exchange): North Korea Revalues Currency to Curb Free Trade. (A tip of the hat to SSK for the link.) Trent spotted this: What Recovery? U.S. …


Odds ‘n Sods:

BulletProofME.com (one of most loyal advertisers) is running an Interceptor Body Armor special until December. 23rd: $590 in Small and Extra Large ($830 for Medium or Large), and 20% to 30% off selected Kevlar Helmets. For example: $156 for a Level III-A helmet with the ACH / MICH blunt trauma pad system, and as low as $67 for unused, military contract overrun PASGT helmets.    o o o KT sent this indicative piece on The Guns of Goldman: Arming Goldman With Pistols Against Public.    o o o A SurvivalBlog reader has a launched a business making a line of …



Notes from JWR:

We’ve completed the judging for Round 25 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. And the winner is… First Prize goes to InfoRodeo for “The Dumpster List” posted on October 31st. He will receive: 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.), and C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from …


Ladies’ Needs in TEOTWAWKI–Thinking Beyond Menstrual Supplies, by Jeanan

I’m kind of a weird woman, not really a “girly” girl. I grew up on horseback, helping my Daddy out in his oilfield service company shop (my job was to clean old parts), and playing cowboys and Indians out with my brother. I like my guns and my motorcycle now, and I’ve been preparing for a SHTF scenario for almost a year. My career is also kind of weird, I repair musical instruments. School band instruments, flutes, clarinets, saxophones, that sort of thing. My husband is also an instrument repair technician, and we began our own business about seven years …


Letter Re: The Best Defense Show on The Outdoor Channel

James, I have been soaking up your web site for the last month now with great respect, thank you for this wealth of knowledge. You may or may not be aware of a television show that is on the outdoor channel called “The Best Defense” they have completed their second season earlier this year. The first season was all about personal self defense, awareness, and they reviewed a lot of handguns. The second season is the “survival” series covering topics from HazMat, forest fires, earth quakes, civic unrest, to economic collapse, some group and team development, and they moved into …


David in Israel Re: Distilled Spirits for Barter

James, When I was in the US I stored taxed Everclear and the less expensive off brand of 190 proof grain alcohol in new non-breakable Nalgene laboratory plastic containers since it could be used for festive food/drink or various medical purposes and is still useful as a stove fuel (alcohol stoves only) or primer for kerosene and diesel fuel stoves. Currently I keep a few bottles of methanol poisoned ethanol paint thinner for my ultra light stove and priming the heavy fuels stoves. For those with the cheap hard liquor food grade charcoal filtration will remove the nasty volatile organics …


Two Letters Re: Securing Bedroom Doors Against Home Invaders

James, As a fireman, my point of view may help Dan M. JWR’s reply about home construction is spot on which makes it possible for us to get in and out of rooms to search for victims and escape if egress is blocked. Combining the mentality of preparedness and firefighting has been difficult for me as I would hate to trap anyone in or out of my house in a fire or collapse that would happen before TEOTWAWKI. I know that fires and collapse from an earthquake, flood, or landslide are all qualifying TSHTF events, which is what we are …


Economics and Investing:

GG sent this: Far from being a safe haven, the dollar is the likely source of the next financial crisis Also from GG: We must get ready for a weak-dollar world Items from The Economatrix: UAE to Back Banks Amid Dubai Meltdown Professor Advises Underwater Mortgage Holders to Walk Away From Mortgage (Back in August, 2005, JWR warned us that these walk-aways were coming.) Furious Investors Warn Dubai it Will Never Raise Another Penny How Much Longer Can the Dollar Defy Gravity? South Africa’s Golden Age Coming to An End Senator Opposes Bernanke’s Renomination Few Signposts Mark the Road to …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Jim B. sent a link to a BBC story about a British prisoner of war who smuggled himself into Auschwitz during WWII. It includes some interesting observations on cigarettes as barter items.    o o o Courtesy of Captain Bill and Bayou Renaissance Man, a The Daily Mail piece about a British couple who demonstrated what not to do when your house catches fire.    o o o SurvivalBlog regular Bill Buppert sent a link to a study on the effectiveness of current camouflage patterns. Bill’s comments: “One of the keenest bits of advice is contained in paragraph 4.b. in …