Letter Re: Recommended Sources for Gardening Hand Tools?

JWR, Preparing for our first garden, other than large pot/barrel gardening, next year. Headed down to our local ranch/farm supply store to pick up some gardening tools, e.g., shovel, rake, hoe, pick, etc.; figured they would be a bit cheaper this time of year. But what I found for sale just floored me. I can’t imagine anyone who had real work to do using any of the products available. The shovels had one tiny rivet holding the blade to a skinny wooden handle; it looked like if it were dropped it would break. The other tools had the same appearance. …


Letter Re: The Depression of the 1930s–Why No Societal Collapse?

Jim I run a museum that covers, in part, the Great Depression. In a reply to Steve’s letter about how people may react to a “modern” 1930s type depression, you listed a number of economic, social and cultural differences in America in the two time periods. I might add, or expand on, a few. In the 1930s, many more people lived on farms or gardened. Even in many towns and cities, it was common to have a garden and raise a few animals including chickens, rabbits, pigeons. An enormous difference, then and now, is that the garden seeds then were …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Willa. J. e-mailed me to ask if we have “…now seen the bottom of the stock market?” She went on to ask if it was safe to starting “buying back into the market” as some of the cheering section “analysts” on MSNBC have suggested. Don’t get suckered in! As I mentioned a while back, price to earnings ratios have a lot farther to fall, to match typical recession lows. And since the current slump in not just a typical market cycle manifestation–rather, it was triggered by the worst credit collapse in history–the markets could get hit even worse than …



Note from JWR:

The recent MSNBC article on survivalism has spawned numerous spin-off pieces that have mentioned SurvivalBlog, including one on NPR’s All Things Considered show. The high bid in the current SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is now at $600. This auction is for a mixed lot that includes: 1.) A huge lot of DVDs, CD-ROMs and hard copy nuclear survival/self-sufficiency references (a $300+ value) donated by Richard Fleetwood of www.SurvivalCD.com 2.) A custom-made, fully-stocked EMS Medic Bag from Cajun Safety and Survival (a $212 retail value) 3.) A NukAlert radiation detector donated by at KI4U.com (a $160 retail value) 4.) A case (6 …


Letter Re: The Depression of the 1930s–Why No Societal Collapse?

Hi Jim, I really enjoyed reading your novel “Patriots”. I’ve read a few other books also, like “Lucifer’s Hammer” and I have to admit that they spurred me to buy a 22 LR [rimfire rifle] as a starter. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking of our current situation in this country and it occurs to me that every generation has things going on that is very concerning. But in particular was thinking the Great Depression should have been a good example of things going to h*ll. Yet there was not this great meltdown where people needed to go to …


Letter Re: How to Handle Real Estate Holdings in a Economic Depression

Sir: If the global economy melts down and we experience a “greater depression” or worse. What is the best strategy for real estate that is already owned? I own a primary home and two rental properties in central Virginia but if the SHTF, I’m going to retreat along with numerous family members, to our farm about 25-30 miles from the nearest city. (It has hundreds of acres for growing, and has ample water, etc.) I don’t have substantial equity in any of my three houses and all mortgages 30 year fixed through Bank of America. Is it worth continuing to …


Letter Re: Salt and Other Key Items to Store for Barte

James- I have a tip for my fellow SurvivalBlog readers on salt. Most anyone with a well will probably have a water softener, and as such will know that salt comes in large 20-50 pound bags. We get it for our softener for about $5.00 per 50 lb. bag. Be sure to check the label, and make sure that it is pure sodium chloride, (table salt). Others are Potassium Chloride, the “other” table salt. Watch out for the ones that have additives, of course. Being “rock salt” it’s got large crystals, but you can easily crush or grind it. It’s …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader “Bigbird” spotted this “must read” piece: In Europe, crisis revives old memories. Bigbird’s comment: “It looks like Americans aren’ t the only ones who practice survivalism.”    o o o Bob McC. mentioned this Piece at Fox News: Uses for $700B Bailout Money Keep Changing. Bob’s comment: “The clueless Congress just starting to discover that banksters lied! And they wondered why 3/4ths of American constituents opposed the plan!”    o o o Reader Currie M. sent us this link: The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) Plummeting. Currie’s comments: “I consider this an accurate representation of economic conditions, in real time. …



Notes from JWR:

The high bid in the current SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is now at $560. This auction is for a mixed lot that includes: 1.) A huge lot of DVDs, CD-ROMs and hard copy nuclear survival/self-sufficiency references (a $300+ value) donated by Richard Fleetwood of www.SurvivalCD.com 2.) A custom-made, fully-stocked EMS Medic Bag from Cajun Safety and Survival (a $212 retail value) 3.) A NukAlert radiation detector donated by at KI4U.com (a $160 retail value) 4.) A case (6 cans) of Mountain House freeze dried foods in #10 (96 ounce) cans donated by Ready Made Resources (a $160 value) 5.) An autographed …


Retreat Owner Profile: Mr. Romeo

Retreat: Live-aboard 30-Foot Sailboat Age: One male 34 years old Background: Grew up in small town next to Vandenberg Air Force Base, watching missiles being launched and sometimes blown up [“flight terminated”] over the ocean. I always knew that seeing one missile being launched meant “test” and that two or more mean “imminent death”. Grew up with most “toys” being bought at army surplus stores. My brother and I were the only kids who when we played “war” dressed in full army gear, complete with combat boots, helmet with outer cloth cover stuffed with branches, belt with two canteens, belt …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader MGB recommended this brief but insightful page on outdoor survival: Survival Myths… Debunked    o o o Hawaiian K. sent us a link to a New York Times piece that made my blood boil. It is innocuously titled: So When Will Banks Give Loans? But it would have been better titled: Your Tax Dollars at Work: Expanding a Banking Empire. Read the article carefully. The banksters at JP Morgan Chase plan to spend $25 billion of gifted taxpayer dollars to fund acquisitions of smaller banks.    o o o I just heard that Ready Made Resources now has a …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Using a television without an appropriate licence is a criminal offence. Every day we catch an average of 1,200 people using a TV without a licence. There is no valid excuse for using a television and not having a TV Licence, but some people still try – sometimes with the most ridiculous stories ever heard. Our detection equipment will track down your TV. The fact that our enquiry officers are now so well equipped with the latest technology means that there is virtually no way to avoid detection.” – from the official website of the British Television Licensing Authority, May …


Notes from JWR:

The high bid in the current SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is now at $560. This auction is for a mixed lot that includes: 1.) A huge lot of DVDs, CD-ROMs and hard copy nuclear survival/self-sufficiency references (a $300+ value) donated by Richard Fleetwood of www.SurvivalCD.com 2.) A custom-made, fully-stocked EMS Medic Bag from Cajun Safety and Survival (a $212 retail value) 3.) A NukAlert radiation detector donated by at KI4U.com (a $160 retail value) 4.) A case (6 cans) of Mountain House freeze dried foods in #10 (96 ounce) cans donated by Ready Made Resources (a $160 value) 5.) An autographed …