Letter Re: Novel Recommendation–“Solar Flare” by Larry Burkett

Mr. Rawles, I have read your novel Patriots and passed it along to several people that I know. Most of them now own their own copy as well and it has been a big boost in helping them see the need for making preparations for the times ahead. It is with great interest that I have read the recent discussions about solar flares on the blog. The novel that first piqued my interest in survival and preparedness was the book Solar Flare by Strategic Air Command veteran and former NASA employee Larry Burkett. The premise of the novel is an …


Odds ‘n Sods:

KAF sent us this follow-up article about the recent IndyMac bank run and closure: Chuck Schumer, bank killer. OBTW, I stand by my prediction (since 2007) that there will soon be widespread bank failures and runs. The global credit collapse has made them inevitable. JWR’s recommendation: Check up on your bank’s safety rating. Spread out your risk between institutions by opening numerous smaller accounts, and keep extra cash on hand! For many years, I have recommended Weiss Ratings (now part of TheStreet.com) as an information source for judging the safety of banks and insurers, for my consulting clients. Marty Weiss …



Note from JWR:

Wow! We are rapidly approaching the milestone of four million unique visits to SurvivalBlog. Not bad for a “niche” blog. Thanks for helping to make SurvivalBlog such a success. Please continue to spread the word. There is just one day left in the current SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction. The high bid is now at $370. This auction is for two cases (12 cans) of Mountain House freeze dried foods in #10 cans donated by Ready Made Resources, valued at $260, a course certificate for a four-day Bushcraft & Survival Course valued at $550, 25 pounds of green (un-roasted) Colombian Supremo coffee …


Letter Re: Report From an Enthusiastic XD Pistol Shooter

Hi Jim, I recently bought a Glock 21 (.45 ACP). Although the pistol works great, it did not fit my hand well and it tended to point to the right as I brought it up to fire. I have large hands so it was not a “large gun, small hand” problem. I love my Glock 19 and Glock 27 so there is no anti-Glock bias here. For comparison, I bit the bullet and bought a [Springfield Armory] XD Tactical in 45 ACP. Renting a gun is not an option where I live, so if you do not know someone with …


Letter Re: Stocking Level Advice for a Preparedness Newbie

Hi James, My name is Heather. My husband and a couple of friends started discussing your novel “Patriots” and that they wanted to be prepared. I began reading the book to get an idea what my husband was talking about. I found it very interesting and informative, however, being the more logistical minded of us I am at a loss as to where to start. We have four children under the age of 11 and live in downtown Salem, Oregon. We both work so we have some money to begin preparing with, but what do we start with? And if …


Letter Re: The Mil-Spec AR-15 Parts Chart

Jim, Maybe Chris S. misunderstood the AR reference chart that you referenced. I just wanted to defend the comparison link on ARs you posted. It is accurate on the quality. Remember, this list is only for specific models from a particular manufacturer, but is also overall a good gauge of how that manufacturer makes things. If xyz manufacturer properly stakes the carrier key sometimes (as Chris pointed out, his was better than the Bushmaster listed), and not all the time, they aren’t going to get the “X.” This is because they do not consistently or reliably produce quality. I can …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Krys in Idaho spotted this: World Bank’s Zoellick: Food prices high until 2012    o o o Cheryl sent us this troubling article over at The Market Oracle: Fannie and Freddie Credit Implosions Are Too Big to Bail Out    o o o Anyone that owns both an AR-15 and an FN 5.7mm pistol might be interested in the new 5.7 AR upper receiver groups made by FN. Apparently FN is finally now shipping them –unless this seller is marketing vaporware.    o o o Some Deep Schumer: IndyMac ‘Bank run caused by Senator comments’


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Hopefully the FDIC insurance will take care of it. I’m also kind of kicking myself for not taking care of this sooner, sooner as in the last couple of days.” – Alan Sands, a former IndyMac Bank customer; quoted on Friday, July 11, 2008, commenting on how he was unable to draw funds after his bank was closed by Federal regulators in the midst of a bank run.


Note from JWR:

Today, with permission, we present a guest article by economist Richard Daughty (a.k.a. “The Mogambo Guru”). I have been a fan of his columns for many years. He has a hilarious writing style, with articles that are often peppered with The Mogambo Guru’s Gloriously Insightful and Articulate Whilst Jovial Acronyms De Jour (TMGGIAAWJADJ). I should also mention that I unashamedly filched one of his acronyms for my own use, changing it slightly to: Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR).


Banks Are Suffering From Their Own Stupidity, by The Mogambo Guru

The first half of the year is over, and now all those brokerage accounts and retirement accounts will be sending out statements to hapless account holders, and it is bad news in spades. This is why (I assume) the Plunge Protection Team (composed of the Federal Reserve, the Treasury and bank insiders) tried to drive the stock markets up on Monday, June 30 – to make those account statements look not quite as bad, and, hopefully, prevent people from dumping all of their stock and bond holdings in a desperate attempt to save something before the whole idiotic, fiat-currency, unlimited-fractional-banking …


Letter Re: Advice on Relocation–A Reader Concerned About Local Racism

Mr. Rawles: I’m a single mother of an 11-year-old living in rural Colorado, with good food and supply stores. I share a house with another single woman who owns it, in a duplex apartment. We have wood heat and national forest out back. We have no firearms. I have no family and I’m on disability, but I have a registered nurse license and keep it up. I honestly do have a very hard time working a job, but would if I had to and realize it may come to that. I have been disabled since a car accident in 2004. …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Eric flagged this one: Britain urging return to wartime food frugality    o o o In doing research on dry climate gardening, Eric also came across a fascinating gardening technique called “Keyhole Gardening“    o o o SurvivalBlog warned you that this was coming: Fannie, Freddie shares in meltdown on insolvency fears    o o o Nate sent us the link to some commentary by Mark Gilbert at Bloomberg: Granddad, Tell How Capitalism Committed Suicide



Letter Re: Has Family Preparedness in the U.S. Declined Since 9/11/01?

Dear Mr. Rawles, I first learned of your blog site through a New York Times article that ran back in April. Since then, I have spent a lot of time on your excellent site, and have followed many of your suggestions. I think the best you’ve made so far is that people read the book “Boston’s Gun Bible“. Mine is now a well thumbed rag doll, but the amount of knowledge contained within is impressive. My larder and defensive cache are coming along nicely. I want to point out another New York Times article to you: Are You Ready for …