More on “Harder Homes and Gardens”

To start, I’d recommend the “5-” series Army Engineer Corps manuals. You will find some great ideas there. There was also an anonymously penned small paperback book titled  “Defending Your Retreat” (1978) published by Delta Press. I assume that it is still in print. It includes good descriptions on placement of defensive wire, (both concertina and tanglefoot) and one of the best discussions on the use of flares (trip flares and parachute flares) that I’ve seen in print anywhere. The second half of the book is a reprint from an Engineer Corps field manual. IMO, for a retreat house nothing …


Zimbabwe’s Slow Slide Continues

Mismanaged for many years by a horrendously corrupt and inept communist government, Zimbabwe’s economy is sliding into deeper Schumer. SurvivalBlog reader Lyn recommended this article: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/printpage/0,5942,17457835,00.html The Australian newspaper reports that the mass inflation continues: “A US dollar now costs $Z61,000 at official rates and $Z85,000 on the black market.” The economy continues to decline, along with farm production. Now starvation is a real threat in a country that once fed much of sub-Saharan Africa. To make matters worse, the infrastructure is crumbling–including sewage treatment plants. The Australian reports that there is the risk of disease–with cholera and amoebic dysentery …


Meanwhile, in Liberia…

For some tragicomic relief, SurvivalBlog reader M.Z. recommended this pictorial article: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=414704&page=1 showing the civil war in Liberia. I surmise that a few squads of soldiers that was trained to aim and use fire discipline could clear the city of this riffraff in short order.


Letter Re: On Brass Recycling

The note from "Christian Souljer" in the Pacific Northwest today (Monday) points out the elevated price available when recycling brass. I was talking to Nikki at River Valley Ordnance (http://www.rvow.com) the other day. [She told me that] brass is high now because China is paying top dollar for brass, including the once-fired brass that RVOW would normally buy from the government to remanufacture for us non- government types. Not so long ago, RVOW was able to buy .223 [U.S. military 5.56mm NATO M16 brass] in 5,000 pound lots; Nikki says it looks like the minimums are going up, possibly to …


Letter Re: Motorcycle Vulnerability to EMP?

Dear Mr. Rawles, Do you have any information on the vulnerability of modern motorcycles to an EMP? I do not currently own one, though thinking seriously about buying one (a model with off road capabilities has a lot of potential as a back-up escape vehicle) . The information I’ve read on the web (about EMP and vehicles) is all focused on automobiles. Sincerely, – James K., Peoples Republic of Kalifornia JWR Replies: Sorry, but that is outside of my base of knowledge. Perhaps one of our readers will chime in with some details.


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

Lest we forget: "Yesterday, December 7, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan…As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense…With confidence in our armed forces – with the unbounded determination of our people – we will gain the inevitable triumph – so help us God." – President Franklin D. Roosevelt – December 8,1941


Note from JWR:

Don’t forget to place your order for your SurvivalBlog merchandise soon to be sure to have it in time for Christmas.  A SurvivalBlog logo T-shirt, hat, or bumper sticker is the ultimate conversation starter–one, in fact, that may help you meet important friends–perhaps friends that will save your life.


Hilltop Retreat Locations Versus Hidden Retreats

I often have SurvivalBlog readers and consulting clients ask me about the “ideal” terrain for a rural survival retreat house. I must report that there is no single “best” answer because there are significant trade-offs related to terrain. Castles were situated on hilltops for centuries, for obvious reasons: Enemies had to fight uphill Defenders were able to see approaching armies from a long distance. They were also able to exploit the potential energy of stored boulders and other heavy objects. However, in the context of a modern survival retreat, a commanding position makes hilltop structures hard to miss. The goals …


Letter Re: David in Israel’s Article on Expedient Shelter/Greenhouses

Mr. Rawles, I am an avid gardener, motivated by a belief in producing as much of my own food as I can. There are many, many ways to devise your own greenhouse. Given a situation where you have limited supplies, this gets interesting. Being a cheap Yankee, I don’t like buying much unless I really need to. But sometimes it’s better to pay and have, than to wait for the time to make something you may never have. After researching quite a bit on the topic of greenhouses, I decided to go with a hoop house. (See: http://www.hoophouse.com/) I just …


Letter Re: On Brass Recycling

The note from “Christian Souljer” in the Pacific Northwest today (Monday) points out the elevated price available when recycling brass. I was talking to Nikki at River Valley Ordnance (http://www.rvow.com) the other day. [She told me that] brass is high now because China is paying top dollar for brass, including the once-fired brass that RVOW would normally buy from the government to remanufacture for us non- government types. Not so long ago, RVOW was able to buy .223 [U.S. military 5.56mm NATO M16 brass] in 5,000 pound lots; Nikki says it looks like the minimums are going up, possibly to …


Odds ‘n Sods:

For those of you that read German, consider this interesting web site:  http://www.survival.4u.org  (A lot of the links are to English sites. I hadn’t seen some of these links aggregated anywhere else–for example the ones on meteor strikes ) … If you are looking for some military surplus bargains, see:  http://www.drms.com  (Here is your chance to attend a DRMO auction and pick up, for example, some bales of concertina wire at scrap metal prices.) … There are some interesting surplus dealer links at: http://www.jackwalters.com/links/surplusgoods.html  Some of these guys should be advertising on SurvivalBlog!



In Search of More Correspondents and Profiles

We are seeking additional overseas correspondents and/or Profiles for SurvivalBlog, particularly in dangerous locales, countries with religious persecution, and/or countries with recent insurgencies or economic troubles such as: Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Bolivia, Bosnia, Brazil, China, Columbia, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Haiti, India (preferably someone living in or near the Kashmir), Indonesia, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, New Caledonia, Nigeria, Pakistan, The Philippines, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe. Our readers would benefit from your “lessons learned” and even just hearing about your day-to-day experiences. (How you survived hyperinflation, how you avoided …


David in Israel Re: Tzedaka (Charity) and the Tehillim (Psalms)

Tzedaka The highest level of tzedaka (charity–the same word root for righteousness) is where you never find out who receives and the receiver never finds out who has given. In the holy Temple there was a large box where people would drop off money and the poor would withdraw it was impossible to tell the donors form the receivers. In modern Jewish religious communities a Gamel Chesed (carrier of kindness) will deliver food packages on a regular basis as a family in hard times needs, these families will likely find envelopes of cash appear in coat pockets or under doors …