Letter Re: Vehicle Selection in Light of Potential Post-Peak Oil Shortages

Jim, no one seems to be discussing what kind of cars to buy in light of the Peak Oil situation. My reading so far has been to stay away from hybrid cars. My situation is that I have a 2003 4×4 V8 Toyota 4Runner. I commute about 30 miles each way to work and [the price of] gas kills me now. My car weighs 6,000 pounds and I don’t need a vehicle that big to tow myself around-I am single. I expect the gas prices to go up drastically in the next five years. I am considering trading in for …


Letter Re: Mining Claims as Potential Retreat Properties

Sir, I am so happy to have stumbled onto your site today. I have not been on the internet in a very long time (1997 or so). I have been working for a number of mineral exploration/mining companies south of our border on and off since 1998. I will no longer travel outside of the U.S. (unless I’m reactivated by the Army) for work or pleasure. I am going to be 40 this month and I don’t feel like getting shot at any more, at least not for money. I am a former Army Combat Engineer, Electronic Engineer, small business …


Letter Re: Harder Homes and Gardens

Dear Jim, I think before readers spend their hard earned cash on a brick or cinder block structure (thinking it is much safer then stick framed construction) then watching all three parts of this [“Concealment Doesn’t Equal Cover”] video is essential. All [high power] rifles (.223, 7.62×39, .308) and 12 gauge slugs went through normal brick and [hollow] cinder block construction. Just food for thought. – Ryan JWR Replies: I first posted a link to that Dahlgren/Marine Corps training video in SurvivalBlog in December of 2006. There was also a discussion of this topic in July of 2007., following my …


Odds ‘n Sods:

RBS sent us this, from the Dr. Housing Bubble Blog: Southern California Housing Numbers Exposed: The Bottom Falls out of the Housing Market, Again. Pay particular attention to the chart that shows the two year lag between sales drops and price drops. Clearly, the worst is yet to come. I’m still predicting a 50%+ drop in house prices in most California counties. The law of supply and demand is inescapable.    o o o Mark from Michigan alerted me to a great little article over at the SHTF Blog: on constructing secret doors, with links to web pages by folks …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

Dr. Peter Venkman: This city is headed for a disaster of Biblical proportions. Mayor: What do you mean, "Biblical"? Dr Ray Stantz: What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor, real wrath-of-God type stuff. Dr. Peter Venkman: Exactly. Dr Ray Stantz: Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies. Rivers and seas boiling. Dr. Egon Spengler: Forty years of darkness. Earthquakes, volcanoes… Winston Zeddemore: The dead rising from the grave. Dr. Peter Venkman: Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together – mass hysteria! – Ghostbusters, 1984


Self-Sufficiency in Northern Nevada

Over at the Bison Survival Blog (formerly called the Bison Newsletter), editor Jim Dakin recently posted an interesting piece titled “Economics of Self-Sufficiency.” I recommend his blog, although it is with the caveat that there is a lot of foul language posted there, especially in some of the comments posted by readers. For several years, Jim Dakin has advocated the low cost retreating approach of buying an inexpensive piece of land (what he calls “junk land”), and living very frugally, with a large used travel trailer for shelter. Jim Dakin presently lives in Carson City, Nevada, in the rain shadow …


Letter Re: My Preparedness Plans Just Took an Unexpected Turn

Jim: I am home after spending several days in the local Children’s Hospital. In short, my toddler was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after admittance to the ER and subsequent stay in the ICU and diabetes wing. This came as somewhat of a shock but not completely so due in part to a family history of the same. What it has done, however, is caused me to re-evaluate my preps entirely, particularly food and medical. 1) The foods that I have acquired must now be truly accounted for in the carb department. I had never given that any thought for …


Letter Re: AA Cells and Mobile Power

There was a discussion about batteries a few days back on SurvivalBlog. The writer advocated using AA NiMH cells almost exclusively, with adapters for devices requiring C and D cells. While I do agree that this is a good approach for some devices, there is certainly some merit to having full size 10 Amp Hour (10,000 MAH) batteries in high [current] draw or long term use devices. Not only is capacity significantly higher on larger cells, but the maximum safe current draw is higher too. Good NiMH C cells have 2-to-3 times the capacity of AA cells, and NiMH D …


Odds ‘n Sods:

I’ve mentioned bond insurers several times before in the blog. A recent Reuters article, (courtesy of RBS), shows that the mainstream media has finally caught on to some of the broader implications: New York Governor Spitzer warns: Bond insurer woes could become market “tsunami”    o o o HH sent us this: Putin threatens to add the Ukraine to nuclear target list if they join NATO.    o o o I spotted this story linked at Drudge: U.S. will down failed satellite. The article doesn’t do a good job of describing what is planned. If an interceptor hits the satellite …



Notes from JWR:

Congrats to Greg M., the high bidder in our most recent SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction. A new auction begins today. This auction is for three items: a 120 VAC/12 VDC BedFan Personal Cooling System (a $99 retail value), kindly donated by the manufacturer, a Thieves Oil Start Living Kit (a $161 retail value) donated by Ready Made Resources, and a copy of the latest edition of “The Encyclopedia of Country Living” by the late Carla Emery (a $32 retail value). The opening bid is just $50. The auction ends on March 15th. Please e-mail us your bids, in $10 increments. Today’s …


Guest Editorial: The Great Bust of ’08, by Mike Whitney

On January 14, 2008 the FDIC web site began posting the rules for reimbursing depositors in the event of a bank failure. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is required to “determine the total insured amount for each depositor…..as of the day of the failure” and return their money as quickly as possible. The agency is “modernizing its current business processes and procedures for determining deposit insurance coverage in the event of a failure of one of the largest insured depository institutions.” The implication is clear. The FDIC has begun the “death watch” on the many banks which are currently …


Letter Re: Questions on Freezing Canned Foods

Jim, How cold can canned goods get? Near freezing, below freezing (say teens), way below freezing (negative numbers?) I’m also interested to know this for canned butter and canned cheese. Thanks! – Maxx JWR Replies: Freezing generally will not harm the contents of most canned foods, but doing so will put the integrity of the can’s seal at risk. (And, once breached, it then opens up a whole raft of further potential problems, that range from mild (discoloration and oxidation) to severe (botulin poisoning). Reactions to freezing depend on both the can’s construction and the contents of the can. If …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Eric–one of our most prolific content contributors–sent us this: Fed Chairman Bernanke Says Nation’s Business Prospects Have Deteriorated. Methinks we can expect at least one more panic-driven interest rate cut in the US. That will surely mean a weaker US dollar and stronger precious metals prices. Meanwhile, Canada looks likely to tag along. Plan accordingly. If the USD Index drops below 72, watch out!    o o o SF in Hawaii flagged this web link to a Swiss company that has prototyped electric ATVs, scooters, and even ultralight aircraft.    o o o Reader Bill N. suggested a FAS web …