Notes from JWR:

September 18th is Independence Day in Chile. On this day in 1810, Chile declared independence from España. — Today we present another two entries for Round 42 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, 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 …


Surviving on Reptiles and Amphibians in a Worst Case Scenario, by Misphat

“Do you think you could survive on your own in the Everglades if you had to?” The question rang in my mind as I thought about the implications, logistics and hardship that would be involved. I’m an ecologist specializing in Reptiles and Amphibians – which basically means I spend a ton of time up to my waist in swamp water, catching snakes, alligators and other creeping things all the while being assailed by endless hoards of mosquitoes and deer flies. One tends to learn a few things under these conditions, about these animals and about survival where they live. Now …


Why Prepping is a Good Thing, by P. S. in Virginia

Based on some of the latest articles I have read, I wonder if there is a misunderstanding of prepping or the Preppers themselves. Everyone has their own reasons for prepping, what they consider prepping, prepping for or at what level they can prepare. Not everyone can afford prepping to the levels of others, not everyone has the skill sets as others or can go out and find that perfect piece of property to call their retreat or bug out location (BOL.) For the grannies who buy a few supplies or have found a like-minded social group of preppers where they …


Letter Re: Thrive Foods Available From COSTCO

Mr. Rawles, I just discovered emergency storage food is sold at Costco.com. They have a sale going on right now that bears mentioning in your blog. A year’s supply package of THRIVE food from Shelf Reliance for $1,199.99 including shipping and tax-free. No additional cost for existing Costco members. Non-members can also purchase this but must pay a small surcharge. They quote shipping as 5 to 7 days.  This is the best deal on emergency storage food I’ve found after quite a long search and was the first deal that prompted me to pull the trigger and stock up. Thanks …


News From The American Redoubt:

How crowded is the American Redoubt? To put things in perspective: Delaware measures 2,489 square miles and has about 910,000 residents. Meanwhile, Connecticut is 4,845 square miles and has about 3.5 million residents. But consider Idaho’s two largest counties: Idaho County, Idaho is 8,503 square miles and has 16,267 residents, and Owyhee County, Idaho is 7,696 square miles and has 11,526 residents. Then there is Phillips County, Montana, with 5,212 square miles and 4,253 residents. And how about Sweetwater County, Wyoming? 10,491 square miles (think of it as more than two Connecticuts or three and a half Delawares) yet is …


Economics and Investing:

Does anyone really believe this Pollyanna pie-in-the-sky nonsense now coming from the mainstream media? With QE3, We All Win — Poor and Rich Alike. What balderdash! Let’s face facts, folks: The Federal Reserve has backed itself into a corner. They can’t do anything that will trigger higher interest rates. So the only arrow left in their quiver is monetization (“quantitative easing” is the gentler, sugar-coated name.) Their brilliant plan is to re-inflate the housing bubble by buying up $40 billion per month, indefinitely, in mortgage derivatives using make-believe money. This pure fiat “money” is coming from their Sunshine Pump. I …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Rick in New York mentioned this latest bit of Bloomberg-inspired insanity: New York OKs nation’s first ban on super-sized sugary drinks    o o o Sue C. was the first of several readers to send this: Gun Sales Hinge on Obama Re-Election: Cabela’s, Other Retailers Prepare for Surge in Demand    o o o G.G. forwarded a link to some Slate commentary that confirms my conjecture about the secret cache of Revlon Equave Hydro Nutritive Shampoo: The Biggest Problem With the Post-Apocalyptic Show Revolution: the Women’s Perfect Hair.    o o o R.B.S. sent this news from Oz: Superbugs spread …



Notes from JWR:

Today we celebrate Constitution Day in these United States. — The first post today is from SurvivalBlog’s Back Country Editor, Matthew Stein. It is adapted from his book When Disaster Strikes: A Comprehensive Guide for Emergency Planning and Crisis Survival.


Approaching Fire or Extreme Fire Alert, by Matthew Stein, P.E.

After living in The States off and on for several years, in 2008 Andrew and Mary Hall moved back to their home in Buxton Australia so they could  be closer to their aging parents. It was a modest three bedroom two bath house with exterior walls of “mud brick” (adobe) that helped keep the home’s interior cool during the hot Australian summers. With large eaves, a metal roof, and adobe style mud brick walls, many would consider their home to be reasonably fire resistant, but its construction proved no match for the forces of nature that turned the neighboring towns …


A Book Review by T.M. from Arkansas: The Original Counter-Argument

The Original Counter-Argument: The Founders’ Case Against the Ratification of the Constitution, Adapted for the 21st Century, by Paul Douglas Boyer ISBN: 978-14477450673 Paperback and Kindle Kindle edition available from Amazon.com 298 pages, appendixes, bibliography, nice size print for those of us who wear eyeglasses. Bad news first: there is no index. (Any nonfiction work should always have an index.) How many times have you heard ‘they-he-she violated my rights’? How many times have you wondered just how many rights are in the Bill of Rights? How many citizens have actually read the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the …


Pat’s Product Review: Propper Brand Outdoor Clothing

I have literally lost count of the number of SurvivalBlog readers I’ve heard  from, who asked “what is the best camo pattern…” Well, there is no easy or absolute right answer to this questions. It depends on the terrain, that you’ll be operating in, as to what camo pattern works best. I have always been fond of the old Woodland camo pattern – but it’s getting harder and harder to find this surplus clothing. Without a doubt, I believe the US Army’s ACU gray digital camouflage pattern is one of the worst camo designs to come along. It doesn’t matter what …


Letter Re: To Arms!

Mr Rawles, I must contest the foolish statement made by Mr. Prentice in his essay, To Arms! Prentice’s labeling Unlawful LEO Activity as a credible threat to the life of civilians is borderline absurd.  Yes, there are bad cops in our police forces. That’s nothing new and those officers should be purged as soon as possible and serve time in jail if needed. Bad cops irritate good cops and ruin the good will honest officers struggle daily to build. But there are bad cops because police officers are not super human genetically enhanced automated machines. We are picked from your …


Recipe of the Week:

Adele Davis Low-Sugar Granola This is nutritionist Adelle Davis‘ recipe, that I copied from a magazine in a doctor’s office waiting-room more than 30 years ago, and have since shared with many dozens of people. In a large pan (a shallow roasting pan is good) combine dry ingredients, mixing well: 5 c. regular rolled oats 1 cup chopped almonds 1 cup raw sesame seeds 1 cup raw sunflower seeds 1 cup shredded coconut 1 cup powdered milk (not instant mix) 1 cup soy flour [or wheat flour] 1 cup wheat germ. In a 2 cup measuring cup, combine 1 c. …


Economics and Investing:

Unlimited monetization: Get Ready For An Epic Fiat Currency Avalanche First corn and now wheat: Weather Woes Sow Worry on Wheat. Stock up your larder before prices gallop! (Thanks to U.E. for the link.) John Embry Expects a Silver Price Explosion Driven by Physical Shortage Items from The Economatrix: German Court’s Backing Bailout Fund to Test EU Resolve on Crisis Fed Seen Starting QE3 While Extending Rate Pledge to 2015 Gary North:  Gold Bugs and Anti-Gold Bugs, It’s a Fight for Civilization