Letter Re: Advice on West Virginia’s Retreat Potential?

Mr. Rawles, I’m a huge fan of your work, and was pleasantly surprised to come across Survivalblog during the course of my cyber-travels. It has become my new source for survival info. I particularly enjoy your state-by-state retreat potential evaluations. As a lifelong resident of the east coast, and an eight year resident of Virginia, I’m kind of geographically anchored to this section of the country. My family’s here, too. Consequently, I’m rather limited in terms of my choice of retreat locations. I will be graduating from law school (God willing) in May 2006, and hope to do real estate …




State By State – Nevada

Nevada: Population: 2 million. Population Density: 18 per square mile (Rank 13 of JWR’s top 19 states). Area: 110,561 square miles (rank 7 of 50). Average car insurance cost: $937/yr. (rank 7 of 50). Average home insurance cost: $479/yr. (rank 21 of 50). Crime Safety Ranking: 49 of 50. Boston T. Party’s State Firearms Laws Ranking: 76%. Per capita income: $29,506 (15 rank of 50). ACT & SAT Scores Ranking: 25 of 50. Comments: One editor listed in the acknowledgements stubbornly insists that my ranking below is unfair to parts of Nevada. Nevada is really “a tale of two states”: …


The Ghillie Suit–The Ultimate in Camouflage

Back in the 18th century, game wardens in Scotland were engaged in an occasionally deadly game of cat and mouse with poachers. These wardens–called “ghillies” in the local parlance of the day were experts in field craft. To catch a poacher was difficult, so the ghillies would cut tree or bush limbs and cover themselves with them as camouflage while in laying in wait. This was laborious, but worked well. Then a warden whose name is lost in history came up with a clever idea: A camouflage body suit that was made of shredded rags in dull earth-tone and foliage-toned …


Article on Revised U.S. Nuclear Strike Doctrine

The Pentagon has drafted a considerably new strategy on nuclear strike options. See: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/10/AR2005091001053_pf.html This is some serious FFTAGFFR! From the standpoint of national security, it is probably a sound strategy, but in some instances (such as the emerging threat from North Korea), IMO it will raise the risk of a full scale nuclear exchange. Plan accordingly! (If you live in the blast radius or downwind from a potential nuclear target, then it is wise to move.)


Letter Re: Request for Clarification Regarding Diesel Engine Invulnerability to EMP

Jim, I’m no expert but I have some limited knowledge regarding the topic of diesel engines and EMP. What you want is a diesel engine with a mechanical fuel injector pump, not an electronic one. Diesel engines don’t require ignition systems to run, no spark plugs, distributor, etc. and the old ones used a mechanical fuel pump. All you need is a starter to turn the engine over, it runs or fires by the heat generated by the compression stroke. [JWR adds: A glow plug is also needed for the fuel to reach flash point at low ambient temperatures. Some …


Letter Re: Blood Transfusion Equipment Available

I read the letter you posted from “Mr. Lima” about what his friend “W” had told him. Other than knowing your blood type ahead of time, the rest of the letter is wrong. I’m not sure if “Lima” misunderstood “W.” or if “W.” only works in a lab on samples and machines and has never had any patient contact or he just mistook one substance for another after so many years in the lab. FWIW, the laboratories and blood banks in today’s hospitals are two separate and different departments. Short and sweet: EDTA anticoagulated blood can (and mostly likely always …


Letter Re: Koyaanisqatsi–and Getting Back In Balance

James, I debated for four or five weeks about whether or not to write an email to you, as I know that you must receive too many already, and others probably offer information and mine only offers praise and thanks. I finally decided, that everyone could use encouragement and praise, so here goes… I read your novel [Patriots] for the first time many years ago, several times since, and have worked it into my 5-6 book current reading stack. It was my first exposure to another way of viewing the world, and it alone, was responsible for opening my eyes …



State By State – Nebraska

Nebraska: Population: 1.7 million. Population Density: 21.9 per square mile (Rank 12 of JWR’s top 19 states). Area: 77,355 square miles (rank 15 of 50). Average car insurance cost: $649/yr. (rank 42 of 50). Average home insurance cost: $499/yr. (rank 18 of 50). Crime Safety Ranking: 12 of 50. Boston T. Party’s State Firearms Laws Ranking: 64%. Per capita income: $27,630 (rank 26 of 50). ACT & SAT Scores Ranking: 5 of 50. Plusses: Low crime rate. Minuses: Tornado prone (ranked #4 out of top 20 States). Few local firewood sources. JWR’s Combined Retreat Potential Ranking: 11 of 19.


VHF Marine Band and Out of Band (“Freeband”) CB Radio Modifications

Proviso: The following is for informational purposes only. Do not modify radios as described unless it is a dire emergency. (FCC regulations do not permit out of band transmissions except under emergency situations.) One aspect of preparedness that is often overlooked is secure radio communications. As I’ve mentioned in some of my previous blog posts, buying a pair of VHF Marine Band radios makes sense if you live in an area that is both inland from the coast and away from the Great Lakes. You will essentially have a band all to yourself. Another approach to increasing communications security is …



Letter from “Doug Carlton” Re: Budget Survival Firearms

Hi Jim, On Survival battery on a budget: It doesn’t really matter what you have as long as it is of good quality and you know how to use it. For instance, an M1 Garand is certainly a viable rifle, especially in areas where others may not be legal, but it may not be the best rifle for me. For others it might be the best choice over anything else. The key reason is training. My father (drafted for the Korean War in the 50’s) would be much better off with an M1 Garand than a FAL. Why? Because he …


Letter Re: Firearms Laws as Criteria for Retreat Location Selection

Mr. Rawles, I see that when evaluating retreat locations you consider the state’s gun laws. It appears that the more favorable the gun laws, the better the state as a potential retreat. Your site seems concerned primarily with the “SHTF” or “TEOTWAWKI” scenarios. Should either of these come to pass, I don’t see where gun laws would matter one way or the other. Who’s going to enforce them? Regards, – J.G. JWR Replies: I strongly disagree. You still have to live and to train/practice with firearms somewhere in the interim. Why subject yourself to living under bad laws? And what …