Letter Re: Too Good to Be True? Nationally Advertised Radiation Detector for $60?

Hi James, Just wondering if you have a recommendation for or warning against this surplus (but “brand new condition”) CDV-720 portable radiation detector from the Sportsman’s Guide Catalog: http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=256259 It looks snazzy, but I thought (with the exception of the Kearny Fallout Meter) that viable radiation detectors ran in the hundreds of dollars…? – David in Pleasanton, California (One of your $100 contributors) JWR Replies:  A CDV 720 is a Civil Defense surplus survey meter. If it is truly working, then at $60 it is a bargain. I recommend that you go ahead and order one. When it arrives, immediately …


Letter from Mr. Kilo Re: Medical Training – A Course Review by J.N.

Jim: OK, just my $.02 on the wilderness EMT article… The thing I see that’s missing from this article, and many like it is the focus on practice. I’ve been doing EMS long enough; and run enough calls to know that any EMS certification is a LICENSE TO PRACTICE medicine. People who get the training and don’t use it might be kidding themselves. “The body does well what it does often” — I can’t remember who said that, but it’s true. Most newly-minted EMTs that I work with aren’t worth squat in the field. Not until they have survived their …


Odds ‘n Sods:

One disparate view on Asian Avian flu worth considering as FFTAGFFR: The Threat of an Avian Flu Pandemic is Over-Hyped, by Michael Fumento, JD. See: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/16106.html    o o o Richard Benson comments on the coming Housing Bubble Implosion    o o o A new mumps outbreak in the U.S. Midwest.    o o o A report from Scotland on America’s Cyber War.    o o o SurvivalBlog reader S.F. recommended this great resource: http://www.buildanark.net



Medical Training – A Course Review by J.N.

This past month, I attended a Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician W-EMT class put on by Wilderness Medical Associates at a local university. I can say that this is by far the best survival-oriented medical training I have received to date. This particular class was geared towards those who are already certified at the EMT level. The class was intense, and I learned a lot of things that were never brought up in my regular EMT classes. To start, here is a bit of background on what levels of medical training are out there. Most of these are accessible to the …


Letter Re: New Zealand as a Retreat Locale, and New Zealand vs. U.S. Gun Laws

Dear Mr. Rawles, You wrote the following lumping NZ in with two other countries “The downside in all three countries is that their citizenries are unfairly subjected to draconian gun laws. (At least by American standards.) If you can live with registering all of your guns and some ridiculous restrictions on full capacity magazines, then by all means take a look in New Zealand. By reputation, the real estate firm to consider there is Bayleys”. I would like to clarify a few points. First of all our gun laws are better here than some of your cities and states. There …


Two Notes Re: Inexpensive Fallout Shelter Construction Method?

SurvivalBlog reader J.C.S. recommended a site by a gent that used school buses to build a fallout shelter: http://www.webpal.org/webpal/index.htm Doc at http://www.bigsecrets.cc recommended this site: http://www.undergroundhousing.com/  Doc says: “The author of “The $50 Underground House Book” did not start out to design a livable fallout shelter, but that is what he did.”


Odds n’ Sods:

Rev. R.J. Rushdoony on the Biblical Gold Standard: http://www.chalcedon.edu/articles/article.php?ArticleID=281    o o o JPFO Talkin’ to America recently interviewed Fred of Fred’s M14 Stocks regarding the RWVA Appleseed Project educational program. For downloadable audio, see: www.jpfo.org/talkamerica.htm    o o o A “must read” piece of economic analysis:  “Central Banks, Weimar Germany and Gold” by Richard J. Greene. See: http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials_05/greene033106.html    o o o Interesting article about possible societal responses to terrorism in the USA (written by an ex-SOG(?)commander) : http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/103/essay-security.html    o o o Peak Sugar, Fuel, or Food? http://www.eurotrib.com/story/2006/3/30/174434/223



Odds ‘n Sods:

A professor at the University of Texas proposes that a plague wiping out 90% of Earth’s population would be a good thing. (I’m dubious.) See: http://story.seguingazette.com/drudge.html, and  http://www.sas.org/tcs/weeklyIssues_2006/2006-04-07/feature1p/index.html    o o o I just heard that Ready Made Resources is now offering free shipping on their freeze dried food!    o o o To our U.S. readers: Just enter your zip code in the site below, and it tells you which gas stations have the lowest (and the highest) gasoline prices in your zip code area. It’s updated every evening. Be sure to scroll down after getting a map of …



Letter Re: Out-of-Print Bushcraft Book Now Available Online

James: I just found my way to this site and thought it would be another good source of survival information for your readers, especially as it had been compiled with military rescues in mind at the time. I have no affiliation with the site, author, etc. Just wanted to pass on a link: http://tions.net/CA256EA900408BD5/vwWWW/outdoor~03~000 Here is a snip from the site: “The section is home to an on-line edition of a classic text that is sadly now out of print, ‘The 10 Bushcraft Books’ by Richard Graves. Richard Harry Graves was born 17th July, 1898 (some sources list year of …


Letter from Michael Z. Williamson Re: Black Powder Replica Revolver Cartridge

Jim, Here’s one of at least two commercially available conversions for black powder to cartridge: http://www.kirstkonverter.com By installing one of these cylinders, one is legally manufacturing their own weapon, so no paperwork is involved. [Under the Federal law] as long as the components are shipped separately, it can be mailed to any adult per federal law. Note however, that some states and localities will have differing laws. – Michael Z. Williamson    


Letter Re: Inexpensive Fallout Shelter Construction Method?

Hi Jim, Boy, is your blog the “cream of the crop”! I’ve read it daily, almost from the very beginning, and am always amazed by the breadth of knowledge within. Great job! I fully recognize the need for a suitable fallout shelter for my family in these trying times. By suitable I mean more than just an expedient shelter. We may need to be sealed off for several weeks in a worst case scenario. Don’t get me wrong, an expedient shelter will save lives but may not be the most desirable conditions for a wife and toddler. In doing much …


Odds ‘n Sods:

A professor at the University of Texas proposes that a plague wiping out 90% of Earth’s population would be a good thing. (I’m dubious.) See: http://story.seguingazette.com/drudge.html, and  http://www.sas.org/tcs/weeklyIssues_2006/2006-04-07/feature1p/index.html    o o o I just heard that Ready Made Resources is now offering free shipping on their freeze dried food!    o o o To our U.S. readers: Just enter your zip code in the site below, and it tells you which gas stations have the lowest (and the highest) gasoline prices in your zip code area. It’s updated every evening. Be sure to scroll down after getting a map of …