Two Letters Re: Insulin for Diabetics in Event of TEOTWAWKI

Dear Jim, I’m a family physician and my wife has had Type 1 (insulin-dependant) diabetes mellitus since age 9. There’s an inhaled insulin (“Exubera,” manufactured by Pfizer) that offers some promise for long-term storage, as it’s a powder. It was released last winter, so there isn’t much clinical experience with it yet. Problems such as irregular absorption and possible lung injury are still under investigation. Oral insulin therapy may also suffer from irregular absorption and will likely have the same shelf-life issues as injectable insulins. The only practical long-term solution for the insulin-dependant diabetic is to extract injectable insulin from …



Note From JWR:

Ordering deadline extension! Thanks to all of you who ordered my preparedness course. Publisher Jake Stafford just wrote me with good news for those who missed the July 4th deadline: “Jim, Our weekend staffer promised a few of your readers that if they mailed payment postmarked by July 5th due to the July 4th postal holiday, they would qualify for the special pre-publication pricing. Now, to be fair to all, we must hold the window open for everyone for the extra day, including web orders at www.readyfortheworst.com. But that window closes at midnight, Pacific time, July 5th.” For those of …


Letter Re: Insulin for Diabetics in Event of TEOTWAWKI

James: I was wondering what your thoughts on perishable things like insulin might be in a worse case scenario…. as it needs to be refrigerated at all times, and even if you were to get a large supply. How long could it last as it deteriorates quicker than pills…and pills might be easier to manufacture after a bad scenario whereas insulin would be very difficult to make. Diabetics would probably have a limited life in a TEOTWAWKI., right? – CWW JWR Replies: Insulin is indeed a problem for those that envision a long term socioeconomic disruption. However, I challenge the …


Letter Re: A New Global Survival Gear Test Web Site

G’day Jim, Just a quick note to make you and SurvivalBlog readers aware that the newly-established Survival Gear Test web site is currently looking for volunteer gear testers from all over the world. The URL is http://survivalgeartest.phpnet.us/. We aim to become the first port of call for survivalists before making equipment purchases. We are non-profit, no BS and receive no money from manufacturers or retailers. We will provide an unbiased, accurate evaluation of equipment that survivalists from all over the world may wish to acquire, without having to wade through advertising spin. Survival Blog readers interested in submitting reviews of …


Letter Re: An Interesting Extra High Power 12 Gauge Single Shot Shotgun

Dear Jim, I found an article about this custom 3-3/4-inch 12 gauge, with energy exceeding that of a .50 BMG. It has extreme power, for very large game or certain anti-armor applications. It’s legally a shotgun, and easier to reload than rifle cartridges. Also, custom projectiles are easier to make. Some of the conversions are on readily available single shot receivers.One advantage is that the converted shotgun will still shoot all standard 12 gauge shells [of shorter lengths.] – Michael Z. Williamson


Odd ‘n Sods

The World Bank estimates that an Asian Avian Flu pandemic could cost up to $2 Trillion Dollars. That is assuming 70 million deaths worldwide. My personal estimation is that their figure is low, since the pandemic itself won’t be the biggest killer–rather, that will be the economic displacement (if not a full scale economic collapse) that will be induced by the pandemic.    o o o The U.S. personal savings rate goes negative.    o o o Asian Avian Flu most deadly in teens and young adults — an eerie echo of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic      o o …




Letter Re: Recommendations on Hardening a Garage Door?

Mr. Rawles: Hello again from England. The blog is going from strength to strength, keep it up! With regard to the door hardening, I’d suggest a thick layer of ballistic nylon contained in a quilt as defence against chainsaw or reciprocating saw attack. Ballistic nylon is a lot cheaper than Kevlar and works in a similar manner to the laths mentioned in the article, i.e it clogs up chain and reciprocating blades. It would quite possibly foul up a drill attack also, but I have yet to verify this… It would not, of course, stop a projectile attack. Ballistic nylon …


Letter Re: Preparedness Lessons Learned from The K.T. Ordnance BATFE Raid

Jim, I thought I would give you an up-date on my raid. First, I’m not in jail, nor have I been charged with any crime. Everything that can be written has been written at this time.[JWR Adds: For example, see the discussions at the AR15.com Forums, at LibertyPost.org, 1911Forum.com, et cetera. ] In retrospect, there are some things I should have done, but that I didn’t. (I pooh-poohed some of your preparedness ideas, shame on me. Learn from my mistakes.) 1) Did not stash my extra arms and ammo, and now I don’t have them. 2) Should not have been …


Letter From Michael Z. Williamson Re: An EMT’s Advice on BOBs

Dear Jim, I found a link from a fellow writer, who’s a former Naval officer, Ph.D. and EMT as well. It has good advice on bail out bags and some one-liners on survival. While not specifically survival oriented, I also enjoyed some of his astute observations of reality versus entertainment. – Michael Z. Williamson


Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog reader Dr. Sidney Zweibel flagged this article:This war on germs has a silver lining    o o o Jim Jubak of MSN Money Central: The Worst Case Scenario is Not About Us: Think About Inflation, India and China    o o o I have once again expanded the SurvivalBlog Glossary. Let me know via e-mail if you notice anything else that I should have add.


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined." – Patrick Henry, 1778, speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention Reference: The Debates of the Several States, Elliot, vol. 3 (45)


Note From JWR:

Today we present another article for Round 5 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win a valuable four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate. Second prize is a copy of my “big box” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. If you want a chance to win, start writing and e-mail us your article soon. Round 5 ends on July 31st. Tomorrow will be the last day to order my preparedness course at the special introductory price. If you wait until the 5th, the price will jump to …