Letter Re: The Water Filter Quest

Dear Jim; I can contribute to the water filter research.  I have been a student of the subject for about 45 years depending on where I start counting.  I could tell a lot of great tales about things I have seen out in the world of water but most the people would question my truthfulness making these tales go better around the firepit.    Many people misunderstand Charcoal filters and their usefulness.  In practical terms, they are useful for water that is contaminated with pesticides, complex nasty chemicals, or maybe a tiny bit of Hydrocarbon (Oil, Gasoline) pollution.  If you can taste anything like that, start looking …


Economics and Investing:

US Dollar Collapse? Here Are 9 Ways It Could Happen Half of Detroit property owners don’t pay taxes. (Thanks to J.B.G. for the link.) Meanwhile, in Stockton, California: Some residents struggle to pay property taxes Items from The Economatrix: IMF:  World Economy Could End As We Know It … Christine Lagarde: “2013 Will Be Make Or Break” Waking Dreams End Unpleasantly US Already In Technical Default


Odds ‘n Sods:

Over at Instructables: 10 Minute Oil Lamp    o o o Five aircraft carriers simultaneously in one port! Photo caption: “The first time since WWII that five aircraft carriers were docked together. The nuclear powered USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) are all in port at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, the world’s largest naval station.” Don’t they remember Pearl Harbor?    o o o Camouflage Your AR-15    o o o Texas, Mississippi seek to lure gun and …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 45 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 …


Dispelling Some Homeschooling Myths, by Lori R.

The Boston Tea Party was a terrorist act—or so it is characterized in the 6th grade curriculum widely used in my beloved state of Texas.  The Pledge of Allegiance—in Arabic?   The national anthem—well, some schools have banned it for being “too offensive…”   At least the flag is still there—oh, wait, that’s the Mexican flag…Speaking of flags, let’s design a flag—for a new Socialist country.  Why is patriotism under attack in America’s public school system? Better yet, why are kids under attack in America’s public school system?  Hugs are banned as a form of sexual harassment, yet condoms and STD screenings …


Auction Update: PVS-14 Gen 3+ Night Vision Scope to Benefit C.R.O.S.S. Ministries

CURRENT BID is $3,000 (Bid by Reader D.J.G.) Simply e-mail us your bids. I will post regular updates on the bidding. The final deadline will be Midnight EST on Monday, March 11, 2013. Thanks for your generous bids in support of C.R.O.S.S. Ministries. We are continuing a benefit auction of a brand new AN/PVS-14 Gen 3+ Night Vision Scope. All proceeds (100% of your bid) will be donated to C.R.O.S.S. Ministries. (A very worthy Christian ministry that is sharing the Gospel of Christ in South Sudan. Their outreach method is unique: They are teaching rural villagers tactical marksmanship, water purification, …


Letter Re: The Federal Reserve’s Inauspicious 100th Anniversary

Captain Rawles, The inflation calculator that you linked to is way off. If you punch in five cents it returns $1.16. [JWR Adds: This is because their calculator uses "official" CPI data, which is badly skewed.]   In 1913 it cost five cents for a loaf of bread. I would love to find a store that sells a loaf of bread for $1.16 today.   Being a master of Excel, I played around with this a few months ago. It turns out that a loaf of bread costs about $4.00. An increase from five cents to four dollars is an …


Three Letters Re: How Racially Tolerant is the American Redoubt?

Captain Rawles, I am one of those people that the liberals like to call a racist because I am outspoken about my hatred of the Muslim anti-American criminal in the Whitehouse. In 2000 I voted for Alan Keyes. In 2004 he wasn’t on the ballot so I wrote him in. If Dr. Benjamin Carson decides to run, I will very likely vote for him too. LTC Alan West is one of my heroes. I read the editorials of Walter Williams, Thomas Sowell, and Ellis Washington every week without fail. I consider them to be extremely intelligent and honorable.   If …


Letter Re: Nursing an Infectious/Infected Patient Post-Collapse

James: While the article Nursing an Infectious/Infected Patient Post-Collapse, by P.C., RN, shares some common methods of treatment for general conceptual care of some common childhood diseases of infectious patients, it does not consider that in the treatment of diseases without available treatment of antibiotics, of diseases that are airborne and highly contagious, like Tuberculosis, SARS, Pertussis, or the Blood borne pathogens like Ebola, Active Hepatitis B, C or D, HIV PCP (Pneumocystis Pneumonia) or Ebola. In these cases you do not want an open window to be allowing any escaping infectious droplets. Use of an airflow HEPA filtration system …


News From The American Redoubt:

Here is an interesting new underground storage shelter made by a company on the Montana/Idaho state line: NotaBunker.com. They have a PDF brochure available. They are offering free shipping in a 200 mile radius of Heron, Montana.    o o o The Washington state legislature opting for Full Californication? A 47.5 cent per gallon fuel tax? (More reasons for Washington’s eastern counties to spilt off and form their own state!)    o o o Oregon legislators clone Washington’s bad law: Is Oregon writing the Worst. Gun. Law. Evah? (If this passes, it will be the queue for Oregon’s counties east …


Economics and Investing:

The High Burden of State and Federal Capital Gains Taxes. (California’s new combined rate us a whopping 33%. Ouch!) Report: United States lost 11,630 farms in 2012 What European Recovery? Unemployment at record high and debt only keeps reaching more unsustainable levels. Italy’s Debt to GDP crosses 125 percent. Items from The Economatrix: The Trigger Has Been Pulled, The Crash Has Begun, How Are Things Going To Play Out Are We Headed Toward An Economic Collapse? Preparing For A Financial Armageddon Moody’s Cuts UK Credit Rating One Notch To Aa1 US Consumers Hit By Payroll Taxes, Rising Gas Prices: Up …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Camping Survival is running their semi-annual sale on Mountain House foods. They are offering 25% off #10 cans and kits, and 15% off all pouches. The last day of the sale is March 1st, so order soon!    o o o Several readers sent this: Do you live in a state that still holds high regard for the Second Amendment? (Let the Brady Anti-Gun Organization Help You Choose a Retreat State.)    o o o Nathan Haddad’s legal defense fund has now raised more than $40,000. Please support this worthy cause.    o o o Chinese Hackers Have A Weapon …



Notes from JWR:

Today is the 234th anniversary of the British surrender following the Battle of Vincennes at Fort Sackville in what is now Indiana. This 1779 battle is is notable for at least four reasons: The actions of Colonel Clark and his company-strength unit of men endured considerable hardship in a surprise march across the flooded and frozen Illinois prairie and yet defeated a numerically superior and fortified enemy force with small arms, primarily rifle fire alone; the flatboat carrying artillery support from Fort Pitt/Pittsburgh down the Ohio River and up the Wabash failed to arrive in time for Clark’s attack and …