Consumer Credit in America: Winding Up The Big “No Joy” Buzzer

I recently read a piece in The New York Times, (linked at SHTF Daily) titled Somehow the Spending Doesn’t Stop. The author made some astute observations on consumer spending. But he didn’t go on to analyze some underlying phenomena. I have observed that here was a subtle yet profound shift in the psychology of indebtedness that took place in the late 1990 and early Aughts: Somehow the average American gradually stopped thinking about the total amount that he owes his creditors, and instead started focusing on his minimum monthly payment. Consequently, consumer spending soared. For more than a decade, Americans …


Letter Re: Sterilizing Medical Instruments with a Pressure Cooker

Hi Jim… I noticed and read the letter from “NotDave” on, among other things, the use of a pressure cooker as an expedient sterilizer (autoclave). I would like to expound on what he wrote. First of all I would like to state that he is correct in his statements of time, temp, and pressure. To achieve steam-driven sterility you need to satisfy two requirements…time and temperature. In the medical, and lab/scientific field steam is the prevalent sterilant medium. This is due to the ability of steam to penetrate that which is being sterilized. At 20 psi [(g)auge (psig)] the temp …


Letter Re: Advice on Under-Slab Underground Shelters

Mr Rawles, I was looking at the construction of different areas of my home and trying to think of the best area for a fallout shelter or bunker. I have a basement with access to the area under my garage and under a slab addition. I figure that it would be too dangerous to tunnel under the garage but was wondering if it would be feasible to tunnel under the addition slab. If this were an option I could really have a large bunker area, especially if there is a way to use the garage slab. Thanks, – ART JWR …



Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Perhaps the greatest disservice of Hollywood movies is their cartoonish villains. In real life, I promise you, the devil will look more like Julia Roberts than Snidely Whiplash. Evil does not arrive with a flashing neon sign: MEPHISTOPHELES! LUCIFER! SATAN! FOR ETERNAL DAMNANTION, APPLY HERE! Evil arrives packaged as a winsome movie about a long-legged brunette who manages to marry a rich, handsome bachelor and live happily ever after — all by turning tricks on Hollywood Boulevard! There’s a reason Beelzebub is known as the prince of lies.” – Ann Coulter


Notes from JWR:

The high bid is already at $250 in the SurvivalBlog benefit auction for a brand new Big Berkey water filter, kindly donated by Ready Made Resources. They are one of our most loyal advertisers. The auction ends on August 15th. Just e-mail us your bid. Today we present another article for Round 11 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. (Worth up to $2,000!) Second prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford …


Repairing Gardening Hand Tools, by Christian Souljer

Being able to plant your own vegetables during hard times will be greatly desirable. In order to do this, a preparedness person should have multiple duplicates of commonly used garden tools. Gardening tools such as rakes, hoes, and pitchforks often break at the connection between the handle and the head. The wood becomes aged and with downward pressure/force – the wood can break away and or the tool head can just become loose and fall out. This occurs mostly on older tools where the wood has shrank but can also occur on the cheaper imported garden tools. I recently had …


Letter Re: Advice on a Budget Rifle Battery for Retreat Security

Jim, For those folks residing in the Western U.S., the Big 5 Sporting Goods stores are selling ‘collectable’ Mosin-Nagant 7.62x54R rifles at very good prices; under $200. I don’t know if all the stores have them but a couple of stores in the south Denver metro area have one or two each and they appear to be in acceptable shape. – Ken M. JWR Replies: Thanks for that tip. OBTW, most Big 5 customers don’t realize that the military surplus rifles in the display racks are just examples of their inventory. Each store typically has from three to five more …


Six Letters Re: Proper Lubrication with Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel?

Jim A couple of points on ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD). Back in the 1990s low sulfur was introduced and we had a rash of pumps “wear out” prematurely for the most part these were older and or rotary pumps that were poor performers to begin with. It has been my experience that the “Bosch in inline” pumps tend to be more forgiving. If on road legality is of no concern than a gallon or two of marvel mystery oil will cover your lubricity issue. When I was in the coast guard we had a mixing formula to mix 40 …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader “Ed7B” sent us a link to a page at the Medical Corps web site with an account of an emergency appendectomy in a submarine in WWII – with not a doctor for many miles, and a dearth of proper equipment, tools and drugs. Ed’s comment: “They still managed to get this sailor’s appendix out and have a happy outcome. Pertinent to what people can expect when there is no hospital open, let alone a doctor to be found.” Speaking of preparedness for austere medicine, don’t miss the outstanding Medical Corps training on August 24-25-26 at the Ohio State University …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"This is a delusion about credit. And whereas from the nature of credit it is to be expected that a certain line will divide the view between creditor and debtor, the irrational fact in this case is that for more than 10 years debtors and creditors together have pursued the same deceptions." – Garet Garret, A Bubble that Broke the World


Notes from JWR:

Congratulations to Tom H., the high bidder in the recent SurvivalBlog benefit auction for 10 steel SA-80 magazines. A new auction begins today, for a new-in-the-box “Big Berky” British Berkefeld water filter, kindly donated by Ready Made Resources, one of our most loyal advertisers. This is a high volume ceramic filter with four replaceable 9″ ceramic filter elements in a sturdy polished stainless steel enclosure. We use this same model here at the Rawles Ranch. Big Berkey filters normally sell for $324, plus postage. The opening bid is just $80. (The winning bid includes free shipping in the US.) Please …


Water Considerations for WTSHTF, by Terry M.

When prepping for WTSHTF, many times we focus on how much dehydrated food we have stored. While dehydrated foods can have a very important part in our plans, we have to remember that almost all that food needs water. Water you may not have accounted for in your plans. The following quantity figures were taken straight from the Walton Feed web site, a very popular source of dehydrated foods. Feeding a family of four Breakfast: Pancakes = 2.5 cups water Milk = 1 quart water margarine = 4 Tbsp water egg mix = 3 Tbsp water per egg (4 times) …


Letter Re: Proper Lubrication with Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel?

Jim, I’m wonder if there is someone in the SurvivalBlog readership who has any first hand knowledge about the repercussions of the ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel that is being mandated by our government. I’ve heard that the sulfur content is being reduced from 500ppm down to 15ppm and that the sulfur in the fuel has a lubricating effect on diesel engines, fuel pumps, injectors, etc. The assertion is that this lowered level will significantly increase wear on older non-ultra-low-sulfur fuel designed diesel engines. I understand that many regions of the country can only get this fuel now and that many …


Odds ‘n Sods:

SF in Hawaii mentioned this copy of the US Army Field Manual FM 90-7, housed at the GlobalSecurity.org web site. SF’s comment: “Click on the figures in this manual and you’ll see some good examples of defensive obstacles.”   o o o A Colorado city besieged by copper thieves    o o o I noticed an interesting thread of discussion in progress at The Claire Files forums, on choosing a gun for bear protection, while horseback.