Footgear Considerations, by Dagney T.

If you or your readers are contemplating carrying a rucksack [or backpack] of any type for any distance there are three items this old soldier heartily recommends: 1. Compression type Smart Wool Socks 2. Two Toms brand Sport Shield Liquid Roll On. 3. Insoles: Green Super Feet I am still ruck’in these days (an old LC-1 pack frame with 40lbs of weight plates zip tied to it [I am certain I am quite a sight if anyone is up at 04:30 AM]), so I believe I know what I am talking about. Six to ten miles per day. I wish …


Letter Re: Concerns About Idaho

Mr. Rawles, I am leaving Alaska and actively looking for a new home in the American Redoubt. The State of Idaho is (was?) at the top of my list but several recent articles in SurvivalBlog have cause for concern. (The recent item about he Boise gun show cancellation, for example.)   I understand that ‘nothing is perfect’ but can you reassure your readers that Idaho is not being infiltrated by the loony leftists?   Thank You and best regards, – Tom in Alaska JWR Replies: The news item about Boise was posted because it was unusual, and definitely not the norm for …


Economics and Investing:

Tam linked to this interesting piece: The 1970s Cold War Era Home built 26 Feet Underground G.G. flagged this: Consumer agency threatens independence of bankruptcy office Also from G.G.: Is Trenton going the way of Detroit? Poverty in New Jersey reaches 52-year high, new report shows Items from The Economatrix: Real Unemployment Rate Rises To 11.4%, Difference Between Reported And Real Data Rises To Record Record 90.5 Million Out Of Labor Force As Half A Million Drop Out In One Month; Labor Force Participation Rate Plunges To 1978 Levels Guggenheim On The US Jobs Growth “Mirage”


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader J. McC. sent: Small California City Welcome Doomsday Bunkers    o o o For those who are concerned about the privacy of your search engine history, I heard about a company that prides itself on keeping no stinking histories: ixquick.com. So, hoping that their promise is legitimate, I have that set as my browser’s home page, so that I don’t forget to use it. OBTW, friend Dave reminds me: “There is an IXQuick add-on for the Firefox search bar.” It is time to divorce ourselves from Google, folks!    o o o The feds pay for 60 percent of …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 48 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 …


The Family SHTF Operations Manual, by Col. H.

SurvivalBlog provides a wealth of prep-related information. Many here cut and paste critical essays to store as Word documents for safekeeping and later access when crisis times call for it. I suggest going one step further. Build a structured notebook of your family’s prep information, with each topic index tabbed for easy access and available for all family-tribe members to consult when the need arrives. Let this notebook become your family’s SHTF collapse response manual, your SOP for surviving a collapse. People panic and make fatal errors under crisis when they do not have enough information and do not know …


Letter Re: Wool Carding Questions

Jim, I love your blog. Thank you so much for running it in these challenging times. God bless you and your family. It read top to bottom daily. My family and I are now raising meat rabbits since early April: one California buck and 5 does, New Zealand, Rex and SilverFox. We now have 39 kits and the first litter is weaned and growing at an amazing pace. My wife only bought into this idea after I committed to be the butcher and the final product looked like chicken. Deal. Only the parents have names. The kits are all very …


News From The American Redoubt:

My friend Terry H. mentioned that all of the scheduled Boise guns shows have been cancelled, because of an arbitrary new policy mandated by the Ada County Board of Supervisors. They are requiring the local club (Eedahow Long Rifles–that organizes the show) to buy a $5 million liability insurance policy for the shows. That would mean a $40,000 per year insurance premium on a show that generates a net revenue of only $16,000 per year!    o o o Kay G. sent: Idaho wants to manage federal lands, but funding a question. In related news: Wyoming wants other states to …


Economics and Investing:

Reader B.B. sent this “Economic Recovery” Update: Why Is One-Sixth of U.S. on Food Stamps? Another “Economic Recovery” Update: Almost Half of U.S. Births Covered by Medicaid (Thanks to G.G. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Auto Sales Reveal a Recovery That’s Built to Last: AutoNation’s Jackson Jobs Report: The Trend Is More Important Than the Number, Says Saut Quality of August Jobs Added: Absolutely Abysmal


Odds ‘n Sods:

H.L. sent: Venomous Spiders, State-By-State    o o o Commentary from Mac Slavo: Map: Where You Don’t Want to Be When It Hits the Fan    o o o Fascinating: In search of Food Deserts. Be sure to scroll down and see the maps of Wyoming and Montana. FWIW, it is a 25+ mile drive to the nearest grocery store for my family. But it is just a few steps to our well-stocked pantry room and to JASBORR.    o o o Reader C.K. (who lives “on a mountaintop in North Idaho”) wrote to suggest this site: Ethanol Alcohol Fuel …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"The cesspool our government has turned into has neither the honesty nor the will to confront the root of this problem and on it goes, worsening with every passing day, unabated until we finally reach the tipping point when this nation is flat broke, no longer able to send the monthly checks, pick up the abortion bill, provide the food stamps or subsidize housing. So folks, cinch up your saddle and make sure your feet are in the stirrups, because when this thing finally blows, it’s going to be a wild ride." – Charlie Daniels


Note from JWR:

According to my publisher’s schedule, Eric Dove has nearly finished the narration for the unabridged audio book edition of Expatriates: A Novel of the Coming Global Collapse. The hardback, e-book and audiobook will all be released simultaneously on October 1st, 2013. (Please wait until the release day to order your copies.) My previous books were narrated by Dick Hill and Phil Gigante. I’m pleased to report that Eric Dove is in the same league as those narrators. He has a great voice.


Guest Article: Self-Employment as a Form of Preparedness, by S.G.

As the economy in the United States becomes increasingly complex, job opportunities continue to shift toward specialized skills. Employees working at large companies are required to have little or no understanding of how their company operates as a whole. Like any specialized tool, many employees have become useful for only one thing. This presents a real problem for workers who get laid off or fired, because finding another job with a specialized skill set can be a difficult task. A side effect of this problem is an increasing dependence on our interconnected system. Necessities like food and water are expected …


Pat’s Product Review: Cold Steel’s Assegai Spears

I’ll reach social security age later this year – time has flown by in my life. However, my mind is still sharp, and I can remember so much of my childhood, it amazes me at times. If you were a guy, and grew-up in the 1950s and 1960s, you’ll appreciate this memory. I don’t know of any kid on my block, back in Chicago, who didn’t make a “spear” of some sort – usually, we got in big trouble, because we took the kitchen broom and broke the handle off and sharpened (using that term loosely) into a point, and …