Note From JWR:

We just received two cases of the book The Encyclopedia of Country Living, by Carla Emery. This is the Memsahib’s #1 recommended book! This book is our best selling non-fiction title. It is a “must” for every well-prepared family! (I recommend that you buy at least two copies, because odds are that you will lend yours out, never to return!) We have sold so many of these that we now buy them by the case, directly from the publisher. Brand new condition. Latest (9th) edition, from 2003–still current.) Soft cover. 881 pages. We currently have 18 copies available. $26 each, …


David in Israel Re: Recommendations on Hardening a Garage Door?

Jim: While I worked in the fire service we had entry techniques which make even cinder block easy to penetrate using just hardware store tools. I suggest that the gentleman with a remote shop not even try to secure the front door but rather build within he garage a poured cement or at least cement filled and re-bar reinforced closet/room with a steel or barred door with a high security store lock for all of his tools. A garage door is so easily defeated that only a roll-up security steel door presents any challenge at all. Reinforcing and armoring the …


Letter Re: James Kunstler at Midwest Renewable Energy Fair

Dear Jim: I was also at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association’s (MREA) Energy Fair, just about in the exact center of Wisconsin near Steven’s Point, a week ago. For me, the home tour was the most interesting part. For about $20 they load you on a school bus and take you to 4 local homes that had alternative energy incorporated into them. This included things like solar panels for electricity with a battery bank, heat pumps with in floor hydronic heating systems, soap stone fireplaces (like the Russian design) that burn 2 hours and radiate heat all day (some with …


Letter Re: Another Six Meter Band Propagation “Opening”

Jim: I worked a few stations this evening; one into Montana with my 10 watt transceiver. The 6 meter band has been red hot the last few days. I’ve even heard brief openings allowing hams on the West Coast of the U.S. to chat with folks in Europe. Sometimes the openings start very early in the morning. These are very unusual propagation conditions. OBTW, You have to read this: http://k7xc.tripod.com/ This guy is very funny. His writing style is great. He should start his own blog! Talk about working on a shoe string. Best Regards, – Fred the Valmet-meister


Odds ‘n Sods:

The high bid in the SurvivalBlog benefit auction (for the RWVA Super Shooter’s package is now at $150. Our special thanks to the RWVA and Fred’s M14 Stocks for sponsoring this fund raiser! (The prize is worth $250+.). Please submit your bids via e-mail. This auction ends on the last day of July. OBTW, speaking of the RWVA, they have a Rifle Instructor’s Camp coming up at the end of August in Ramseur, North Carolina. It is a great opportunity for you to learn how to teach others how to shoot like a pro–including your own family members.    o …



Letter Re: Pre-1899 Finnish M39 Mosin Nagant 7.62x54R Rifles and Ammo

Jim, Concerning the Polish 7.62x54r ammo question: I have shot several thousand rounds of it through my PKM machine gun without a single misfire. The accuracy has pleasantly surprised me as well. As yet, I have shot little of it through my MN [Mosin Nagant] bolt rifles but have not had any problems there so far. Czech, Russian, Polish, Chinese have all been fine. The only 54r ammo that has been a consistent problem is the Albanian. Crimp is not done properly making it nearly impossible to load into Russian belts and feed into my PKM and SG-43 Goryunov. It …


Note from JWR:

The high bid in the SurvivalBlog benefit auction (for the RWVA Super Shooter’s package is at $20. Our special thanks to the RWVA and Fred’s M14 Stocks for sponsoring this fund raiser! (The prize is worth $250+.). Please submit your bids via e-mail. This auction ends on the last day of July.


Letter Re: More on Asteroid Impacts

Dear Jim: For those who still think an asteroid impact is nothing to worry about, this was just posted on the Australian survival site forum, http://www.aussurvivalist.com: a 10 inch asteroid just hit the moon with the power of four tons of TNT, making a crater just over 42 feet wide. The event was captured on video. Although it is acknowledged that this would have been unlikely to make it through Earth’s atmosphere, the point is this goes on all the time, and Earth being hit by one that makes it through is just a matter of time. It is also …


Four Letters Re: Solar-Powered Versus Self-Winding Watches

James, If in the market for a solar powered watch, I think that the Casio G-shock “tough solar” is much more durable than the Citizen Eco-drive watch. While G-shocks are readily available in the US, it is important to note that the Japanese domestic market G-shocks are generally superior to the ones they export. Yes, the Japanese save the best stuff for themselves. Higuchi.com is a reliable source for Japanese watches. Regards, – MP   Jim, After all the discussion about the benefits of automatic watches, I have to say several things. I have a lovely Swiss top-brand automatic watch …



Note from JWR:

About half of the cache of 50 books that I recently found at an estate sale have now sold or are pending sale. (The same ones that I first mentioned on June 28th.) There are still some great titles on: preparedness, self-sufficiency, homesteading, gardening, canning, shooting, livestock, recipes, carpentry, outdoor survival, NBC protection, fire protection, offshore relocation, and a few “hard money” investing books. I have reduced the prices on many of the remaining books. See my mail order catalog for details. Please let me know via e-mail which ones that you want me to set aside for you. OBTW, …


Letter Re: Pre-1899 Finnish M39 Mosin Nagant 7.62x54R Rifles and Ammo

Jim, I read your novel, “Patriots” in 2003. It reinforced my survivor beliefs and encouraged me to take additional steps to become more prepared. I also enjoy reading SurvivalBlog.com and visit your site many times each day. Over the last six months I have followed your advice in purchasing three pre-1899 rifles. All three are Finnish M-39 Mosin Nagants chambered for 7.62x54R ammo. I picked up one from AIM Surplus when [it was] first listed in December 2005. It appears to be in very good condition with a 1895 Tula receiver and 1944 SAKO barrel. The other two I purchased …


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 …