Letter Re: Be Prepared to Fortify

Sir, One thing I often hear from folks who live in the suburbs is, “Oh man, you’re so lucky, you can totally take your mountain cabin and make it an armed fortress.”  That’s not exactly true.  While I do have a retreat in a rural area, I do still also have neighbors up there.  We are on acre+ lots, so there is space.  But if I started stringing barbed wire and digging a moat, it would raise a few eyebrows.  Not only might I get a visit from the DHS (or the People’s Republic of California equivalent), but my neighbors …


Letter From Pat Cascio: Ammunition Shortage in Israel

Jim: I just heard from my long-time friend, Gene Sockut, who lives in Israel. Gene was the chief firearms instructor for the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) for 26 years. Even though he’s now in his mid-70s, he’s still very active – he’s a sniper/sniper instructor with the Israel Border Police, and has written several books, and videos and is a much in demand speaker on security matters in Israel. So Gene e-mailed me this morning, and he mentioned they are experiencing ammo shortages in Israel, much like we have here, and when you can find ammo there, it is double …


Letter Re: Kevlar Chainsaw Safety Chaps

James, That was an excellent article by George H. on Felling Trees. He mentioned Kevlar Chaps as only being recommended. Were I writing the article I would have advised people to use them as mandatory equipment. I have never been a "safety nazi", but my dealer would not sell me my new Husky unless I bought these, which cost very little. I now agree with his demand. He has an old time logger who almost died after cutting his femoral artery without these chaps. New saws of any manufacturer have higher RPM on the bar, and the chain will keep spinning around …


Recipe of the Week:

K.A.F.’s Zucchini Patty Pancakes with Spinach Basil Dressing Cooking oil spray 2 extra large zucchinis, shredded 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion 1/2 cup chopped carrot 1/2 cup garbanzo bean (or really any bean flour will work well) 1/8 cup dried minced onion 1 tsp. dried garlic 3 egg whites (if you don’t eat eggs, substitute 1 T Xantham gum or 3 T potato starch for the binder)   For Dressing: 1 cup plain greek yogurt 1/3 cup water or orange juice 1 Tablespoon paprika 1 Tablespoon onion powder 1 Tablespoon garlic powder 6 large leaves fresh spinach or 3 T …


Economics and Investing:

“QE to Infinity, and Beyond!” Here are two interesting articles: Fed Keeps Interest Rates Low, Continues Bond Buying Program and How long will interest rates stay low? JWR’s Comments: The risk of rising interest rates represents a huge unknown. The Federal debt is now just barely manageable only because of artificially low interest rates. If interest rates begin to rise before the public debt is reduced to less than 60% of GDP, then the game is over. At that juncture the debt will be unserviceable and the only means of escape for our government and the Fed banking cartel will …


Odds ‘n Sods:

A very detailed new infographic about the prospects for ethnic divisiveness in America, created by a Christian anti-racist: America’s Controlled Demolition.    o o o A reminder: PRNMED is conducting a three day medical class May 17-19 at the Ohio State University Campus in Caldwell, Ohio. This class will be unique since they will be doing some new scenario-based training. They will also include some new information about “tactical medicine,” and will be using some skill stations to allow for more individual instruction in key areas. Please contact Dave Turner at dturner@prnmed.com, or telephone: (610) 633-2276. Visit www.PRNMED.com for details. …



Note from JWR:

May 5th is the birthday of Pat Frank (1908-1964.) Pat Frank was the pen name of newspaper journalist Harry Hart Frank. His novel Alas, Babylon is a survivalist classic. His personal life was marred by alcoholism, but his writing is admired and still popular, despite the passage of five decades. As an homage to Pat Frank, one of the settings in my upcoming novel Expatriates is Mt. Dora, Florida, which was fictionalized by Pat Frank as “Fort Repose” in Alas, Babylon. — Today we present another entry for Round 46 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this …


Sewing, Mending and Altering Your Clothing After the Ball Drops, Part 2, by Belle

Last summer I wrote an article on dealing with trash at your retreat and recently I wrote Part 1 of this article about sewing.  So I’m going to forego the usual introduction and description of my living style and just jump right into the topic. I began to think about writing this article while watching the television show Jericho.  First of all, let’s just get this out of the way. I know that “Jericho” is a television show. I know that it is fiction.  I know that the conditions depicted are in no way realistic, etc.  It is a television …


Pat’s Product Review: Bardin & Marsee Waterproof Bible

I was recently sent a Bible, a waterproof Bible, for testing for SurvivalBlog. Okay, I have a shelf full of Bibles, I hold several ministerial degrees, including a Doctor Of Divinity Degree, so I use different Bibles for studying God’s word – some versions are easier to understand that others – thus a shelf full of Bibles. When a survival situation comes down, I can’t think of anything more important to have, than having a faith in God, and being a Believer in Jesus Christ – it is a saving faith, and one that has gotten me and my family …


Economics and Investing:

Larry Edelson: Why Gold’s Historic Collapse is Not Over G.G. suggested: this over at Zero Hedge: Treasury Issues Draft Floating Rate Note Term Sheet Incredible! Social Security comes after man for $895 overpayment they made to his mom, 42 Year Later. Items from The Economatrix: 12 Signs The Economy Is Weaker Than You Think US Business Cycle Index Plunges Most In 22 Months Falling Gas Prices Could Boost The Economy


Odds ‘n Sods:

Wisconsin family discovers fully-stocked fallout shelter in their back yard 50 years after it was installed at the height of the Cold War. Note how the military surplus ammo cans saved items that would have otherwise been ruined by the flooding of the bunker. (Thanks to reader Rhonda T. for the link.)    o o o Is the Seasteading concept finally coming to fruition? Reader L.G.C. wrote to mention that some Blueseed ships are scheduled to launch in 2014.    o o o Another one of Mayor Bloomberg’s crime-fighting mayors is in agua caliente: E. Orange council demands mayor Bowser …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now [are ye] light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them]. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from …


Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 46 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 …


Tree Felling, by George H.

Disclaimer: Tree cutting is inherently dangerous with many injuries and fatalities every year, please do you own research and obtain training before trying this on your own. In New England there is extensive woodland and always a need to cut down trees to keep your garden growing and your house from being overrun. This keeps your house warm with the resulting firewood. Cutting down a tree is always risky but there are many ways to reduce this risk using various tools and skills. Never start cutting unless you are well rested, fully alert and all your tools are sharpened and …