The ‘Perfect’ Bug Out Vehicle, by Crazy Frenchman

Introduction. Not all of us can quit our jobs and live year-round at a permanent retreat. Yet some of us may be able to afford a semi-permanent retreat (e.g. vacation home), at least partly stocked (a.k.a. main supplies), and located within reasonable ‘travel time’ to the city where we work. As a catastrophic event would unfold, you would bug out ahead of the crowds. Otherwise you could begin by staying in your house, assess the situation, and never actually bug out. If the situation would deteriorate besides all hope, then bugging out would become a sound option. As part of …


Letter Re: Property Taxes and Hyperinflation

Dear Mr. Rawles, It’s been on my mind off-and-on since I read your novel “Patriots”, when the Grays sent in a property tax payment to avoid losing their retreat to tax delinquency. It’s always annoyed me that a landowner has to pay the government to keep land he has bought and paid for. That said, what would keep a local government, starved for cash in just such a situation as “The Crunch”, to raise the taxes on local properties until no-one could pay them? If a landowner pre-paid his taxes for, say, two years in advance, what would stop the …


Odds ‘n Sods:

I found this “must read” piece by economist Jim Willie, posted over at Gold-Eagle: Gold & Math On A Napkin    o o o Eric mentioned a great article on the looming derivatives and hedge fund implosion in The Boston Globe: The black box economy. One tidbit from the article: “Despite the anxiety, nobody is stockpiling canned goods just yet.” Oh, yeah? Speak for yourself. Meanwhile, we also read: Crisis Grips European Hedge Funds. This is just the beginning folks. I’ve warned you before about hedge funds suspending redemptions, and hedge fund collapses. If you have any money in hedge …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Individuality is the aim of political liberty. By leaving to the citizen as much freedom of action and of being as comports with order and the rights of others, the institutions render him truly a free man. He is left to pursue his means of happiness in his own manner.” – James Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851) The American Democrat, 1838



Letter Re: Advice for a Canadian with a “Just One Gun” Budget

Hello SurvivalBlog: I am a Canadian 21 year-old living in rural Nova Scotia looking at purchasing my first gun. I will only have enough money for one in the near future (with ammo stockpiles). I’ve just got my license (we need ’em in Canada, unfortunately), and have $1,000 to spend [on the gun and ammunition, combined]. My budget is extremely limited, but I think that a gun is the most important priority for survival situations. We have a self-sufficient garden, clean water, well, fuel, wood-stoves, and have potato-like Jerusalem Artichokes growing wild all around us. I am looking at a …


Letter Re: I Told You So

Jim: My pessimistic mentor in preparedness frequently says: “I hate being so d*mn right all the time!” I can’t help but wonder if you share the sentiment. I’m beginning to do so! The more I read the current news about market volatility, Peak Oil, and CCD the more I am reminded of the pieces I wrote and you published on SurvivalBlog months ago! The full texts are still available in your archives and the advice is still valid! For new readers and to refresh the memory of others here are a few quotes pulled out of the late in 2006 …


Letter Re: Deciphering HK Magazine Date Codes

Mr. Rawles, I’m confused about the two-letter date codes that are stamped on many [Heckler und Koch] HK [firearms] magazines. How does the date code system work? I’m not asking you this because I’m a collector that’s into arcana or minutiae. It is because I live in [New York,] a state that restricts civilian ownership of mags that were made after September of 1994. By the way, I’ve also got some 40 round [aluminum] alloy HK93 magazines with no markings whatsoever on the mag body, but they do have followers with “78” mold marks. What is the story on those …


Letter Re: Gauging Interest in Dakota Alert MURS Radios

Hi Jim, I am looking to gauge interest from your readers for the Dakota Alert MURS Base and Handheld radios. If there is enough interest in a special group purchase, I can offer the M538-BS MURS base station for $69 (plus shipping) and the M538-HT MURS hand held for $74 (plus shipping). Interested readers can e-mail me if they would like to be part of this group buy. (see the MURS Radio web site.) Thanks! – Rob at Affordable Shortwaves


Odds ‘n Sods:

Wired News is reporting that an Illinois startup is claiming they can make ethanol from most any organic material for around $1 per gallon. Coskata, backed by General Motors and several other investors, uses a process that is bacteria based instead of some of the other available methods. The bacteria processes organic material that is fed into the reactor and secretes ethanol as a waste product. A hat tip to Eric for sending us this link.    o o o Pete found us this one: Gold production halted amid South African energy crisis    o o o Ten-finger Fingerprint Scan …



Four Letters Re: A Honeybee CCD Disaster Soon?–Bee Prepared!

James, Here is a link to a somewhat less pessimistic article on CCD, the current state of affairs with bees, and a likely possible cause. I agree that the consequences of a loss of Apis mellifera would be a severe blow, but I think the reality is not (yet?) quite so dire as a recently linked article predicted. Best Regards, – MP   Jim; Your comments miss the fact that solitary bees, such as the Orchard Mason bee, are roughly 10 times more effective [per capita] as pollinators than honeybees, and are plentiful in most locales. Bumblebees ain’t bad at …


Letter Re: Some Information on LDS Canneries

Jim– The LDS Bishop Storehouse/Cannery list of foods available shows a storage life of 30 years for most properly packaged foods. The Cannery Food Commodities sheet includes this statement: “For longer-term storage, avoid teaching people to ‘store what you eat and eat what you store’.” Think about it: in money terms, you don’t want to dip into the principle. The same is true for emergency food storage. Here’s some sample prices as of December 22, 2007: Hard red wheat $4.75 for a 25# bag (you’ll transfer the wheat to a food-grade bucket; for how-to, check SurvivalBlog archives) Hard white wheat …


Odds ‘n Sods:

US Home Prices Fell in 2007 for First Time in Decades    o o o Eric sent us this piece that squares nicely with my comments yesterday: Central Bankers Confront A New Inflation Calculus    o o o Richard G. sent a link to this recent front page Wall Street Journal article: In a World Short Of Oil, Provisions Must Be Made. Richard’s comment: “While the major media is starting to admit to peak oil, I was somewhat surprised that the WSJ would run this piece about stockpiling food, starting relocalization networks, storing gasoline and propane, buying and storing physical …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou pass through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” – Isaiah 43:1-2