Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“You can go out and eat ’em, that’s for sure But there’s nothin’ a home grown tomato won’t cure You can put ’em in a salad, put ’em in a stew You can make your own, very own tomato juice You can eat ’em with eggs, you can eat ’em with gravy You can eat ’em with beans, pinto or navy Put em on the side, put em on the middle Home grown tomatoes on a hot cake griddle. Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes What’d life be without home grown tomatoes There’s only two things that money can’t buy …


Note From JWR:

The high bidder in the latest SurvivalBlog benefit auction was David T. in Texas. He has won a RWVA Super Shooter’s package, including range time, shooting classes, and two shooting jackets. Our special thanks to the RWVA and Fred’s M14 Stocks for sponsoring this fund raiser! OBTW, speaking of the RWVA, they have a Rifle Instructor’s Camp coming up at the end of August in Ramseur, North Carolina–a great opportunity for you to learn how to teach others how to shoot like a pro, including your own family members. A new benefit auction begins today. This one is for a …


Two Letters Re: M1911 Pistol Modifications

Mr. Rawles, I read your post about the rattler and the changes you made to the Colt .45. I’m glad things worked out well and you obviously have a nice touch with your work. I worked for a gunsmith for 5 years and would recommend to your readers that they make one modification at a time, then check for function and reliability. It just saves time if something – this way just one thing – doesn’t function properly. It takes more test ammo, but there is no substitute for reliability.- C.G. in North Carolina Dear Jim, First let me say …


Letter Re: Push or Pull Carts For All-Terrain Hauling

James: Regarding Redmist’s suggestion to use closed-cell polyurethane foam tires, those tires add a bit of weight, and often you are trying to keep the weight down on the load, Slime® sealant is cheap light weight insurance inside your tires, just ask any hardcore ATV rider and they will tell you so. I happen to be in the process of making a hand cart for hauling waterfowl decoys into fields where taking a truck is not allowed, a axle, hubs, wheels and tires from a completely trashed ATV, two pillow block bearings and some serious thought and welding and I’ll …


Preparedness Course Errata: Vitamin B Versus Vitamin D

My apologies for not catching an error in the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course. On page 14, there were references to Vitamin B being fat soluble. Either I mis-spoke, or the transcriber misheard me. Either way, my apologies! To clarify: Vitamin B and Vitamin C are water soluble, so they cannot be over-dosed. The human body just sheds what is not needed, through urination. In contrast, Vitamins A,D, E, and K are fat soluble. The greatest risk of overdosing is with Vitamin D-3. Vitamin D over-dosing happens most often with over-anxious young mothers that mistakenly assume that if one …


Odds ‘n Sods:

In a recent e-mail, SurvivalBlog reader SF in Hawaii mentioned an inexpensive and portable intrusion detection system: Get a few Radio Shack ‘Portable Motion Detector Alarm/Chime‘ devices. (Catalog #49-426.) He noted: “You can place them at key entryways to your retreat. They weigh less than a pound each, can fit in your hand,.run off a 9 volt battery, and emit a very loud alarm sound.”    o o o Michael in England recommends this site regarding nutritional supplements and aging.   o o o SurvivalBlog reader “Bonehead” recommended this site in Australia for the off-road vehicle construction plans. Bonehead notes: …



Note From JWR:

Today we present the final article for Round 5 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. It discusses auxiliary pumps for home water wells, and well buckets. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win a valuable four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate. (Worth up to $1,600.) Second prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, (normally $149) generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. If you want a chance to win Round 6, start writing and e-mail us your article. Round 6 will end on September 30th. Remember that the articles that …


How to Build an Inertial Well Slow Pump for Grid Down Emergencies, by TruthFirst

This article describes how to build an inexpensive, simple, easy to use pump that can pump water out of a residential water well from about 100 feet down. It’s called the “Simple Siphon” pump because its key component is a cleverly designed valve by that same name. (See below). Under ideal conditions it can bring up between 1/2 and 1 gallon per minute. I know this works, because I built and tested one on my own home well. If the power goes out, this pump can get you lifesaving water! Building the Simple Siphon™ Well Pump (SSWP) will require the …


Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog reader “d’Heat” reminded us about http://www.tpub.com, which provides a wide variety of military manuals online, free of charge, with manual CDs available for purchase.    o o o In his Global Economic Trend Analysis blog, Michael “Mish” Shedlock recently quoted real estate market expert Mike Morgan of Morgan Florida. (Scroll down the piece titled “Ghost Housing Market” on July 20, 2006.) SurvivalBlog reader Bill in North Idaho comments: “There is a mountain of data in the article but the most salient point to take home is this: Combine increasing interest rates, a declining dollar and explosive increases in housing …




Letter Re: Advice on Surviving a Dog Attack?

Dear Jim: The New York press recently reported on two pit bull attack on police officers. In the first incident, the companion officers, according to one article, fired 26 rounds in an effort to subdue the attacking animal which they finally did. Your site ran an article on the danger of feral dogs in the case of TEOTWAWKI. What is the best method of dealing with an attacking dog without endangering the life of the person being attacked? – JH JWR Replies: Dogs–domesticated, feral, or wild species–can take a lot of punishment before they are out of the fight. The …


MBR Scope Selection: Trijicon TA-11E Versus Leupold Mark 4 CQ/T

James, My 2006 Ten Cent Challenge contribution is on the way, via snail-mail. Congratulations on “cutting the cord”. I’ve decided against the Trijicon TA-11E ACOG purchase. I interviewed a local who owns one of the Trijicon fiber-optic scopes. It has cracks in the fiber optic element, but the scope still works. I spoke with a Trijicon customer service representative who said: 1. The fiber optic often breaks from stress or impact. The tritium will not power the scope during daylight so the scope is “down” until dim light or the fiber optic is replaced. 2. The company is aware of …


Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog reader JDM mentioned this piece at the Gold-Eagle.com site: The “Amero” to Replace the Dollar?    o o o Bad news for Oil Production: Ghawar Is Dying. This confirms what was posited by Matthew R. Simmons in his book Twilight in the Desert    o o o   ‘MS-13’ is one of the most dangerous gangs in the U.S.