Odds ‘n Sods:

Ed O. mentioned that readers in Western Washington may be interested in the Mother Earth News Fair being held at the Puyallup Fairgrounds on 2-3 June 2012. (Wear your SurvivalBlog T-shirt or hat and see who you meet.)    o o o News from an American Redoubt town: Idaho town seeks to lure gun and ammo makers    o o o Reader J.B.G. suggested this article over at Instructables: Make a Yak-Proof Survival Knife    o o o Chris M. liked this ABC News piece: Reduce Dumb Decisions by Thinking in a Foreign Language    o o o Stephen F. …



Note from JWR:

Today we present two more entries for Round 40 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 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for …


Survive or Thrive?, by Sarah M.

It was a bright, sunny day. I found myself scaling Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona with my mom, dad and 5 younger siblings (since I am a homeschooler, I have the privilege to visit some very exciting places in the United States. Such was the case this past March). As my family and I were hiking up the hazardous ‘path’, a few thoughts crowded my brain. What if my eight-year-old brother fell or slipped in this pass? What if my nine-year-old sister falls down this slab of rock or my mom passes out? Would I know how to help them? …


Lessons Learned by J.S.P.

I will begin with a brief introduction. I have been an avid reader of SurvivalBlog for a few years. I have never found a better collection of tips, ideas, and information. Every time I view the blog I learn something new. I was born and raised in the south, spending most of my time outdoors or in church. I grew up hunting, fishing, camping, and learning the value of a hard days work. I had believed that growing up as I did would provide me advantages in disaster situations without really making any in-depth preparations other than the occasional power …


Letter Re: A Week in a Bucket

Mr. Rawles: I just “discovered’ your site and find it interesting and informative – thank you for this great service. I love the idea of A Week in a Bucket by ChemEngineer. It is simple and cheap and low key – three good rules to follow for most things in life. I currently have a few week’s supply of food in cardboard and plastic boxes but really want to move in this direction – I have been thinking about it for some time now. I would love to see a follow up by you or the original poster that addresses the following …


Economics and Investing:

Debt Contagion Ahead! (Conveniently timed for after the U.S. Presidential election.): Citigroup Economists Say Greece To Exit Euro Zone On Jan. 1, 2013. (Thanks to K.A.F. for the link.) From G.G.: Poverty Increasing Among Retirees G.G. sent this: Smith & Wesson booms as firearms owners fear prez crackdown Sean B. flagged this: Vallejo, California, once bankrupt, is now a model for cities in an age of austerity. Buried in the story, not surprisingly, is the revelation that the local sales tax was raised by 1% to a whopping 8.375% to bail out the spendthrift city government. (Only a leftist Washington …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Some great stuff from our blogosphere friend Patrice Lewis: Going Country: Moving Rural for Self-Reliance    o o o James C. suggested this instructional video: Five gallon bucket camp sink.    o o o Reader F.G. sent us another case of form over function: In Reversal, Army Bans High-Performance Rifle Mags. This is the typical boot-polishing “dress-right-dress” garrison mentality. The next thing you know, they’ll ban soldiers buying their own ACOG scopes or supplemental body armor. Talk about institutionalized stupidity! What a far cry from the Vietnam War, where carrying a personally-owned .38 Special or .357 Magnum revolver was not …



Notes from JWR:

I heard about a new web site that deserves prominent mention: PrepareHub.org. It is a spin-off from the popular EMPAct America organization, which has done yeoman service in educating the American people of the risks posed by EMP and large solar flares. PrepareHub is a sort of community web site on nationwide scale. It is intended to be a clearinghouse of ideas on all things preparedness-related. Among other projects they will be offering a comprehensive calendar for preparedness expos and training classes, and a wide range of preparedness products AT COST. (Think of it as prepper “Group Buys” on steroids.) …


Nuclear Reactors Where You Don’t Expect Them, by G.B.

The recent “discovery”of a small nuclear reactor (only 3.1 pounds of weapons grade enriched uranium) in Rochester, New York started my wheels turning. Like most people reading SurvivalBlog I am concerned about what is around me and what harm could befall my family in the event of a TEOTWAWKI situation. Knowledge is power, and in this write up, knowledge about where nuclear power exists will go a long way. I have spent 20+ years in the Navy upholding the Constitution, making my living as a Radioman on nuclear submarines, specifically 688 fast attacks. (I’m looking forward to leaving the East …


Sound Judgment and Reasoning Skills for Preparedness, by Anthony C.

p align=”left”>Judgment, reasoning, decision-making, logic, figuring it out… Call it what you will, the first level of preparation should be your mind. To roughly quote Einstein “the thinking that created the problem is not going to solve the problem”. Computer folks call it “garbage in, garbage out”. There are numerous “rosy paths” that can cause a person to make a poor judgment call. Considering each of these in turn will, I hope, increase your awareness of them in your own decision making, and make you less susceptible to those who would use them to change your actions against your better …


Review of the Self-Reliance Expo in Colorado Springs, Colorado, by L.K.O.

Following two previously-mentioned Self-Reliance Expos in Denver, Colorado (September 16-17, 2011 (see the SurvivalBlog review here) and Salt Lake City, Utah (October 7-8, 2011), the National Self Reliance Organization (NSRO) began it’s 2012 season with another weekend expo in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Returning Vendors This expo again showcased a variety of enthusiastic and friendly survival, self-reliance and preparedness vendors and presenters. Many of the companies there are loyal SurvivalBlog advertisers. I enjoyed meeting many new vendors in person for the first time as well as those who had been at the September expo as well. Among vendors returning to the …


Two Letters Re: Your Get Home Plan

Dear Editor: This is in response to Your Get Home Plan by J.A.F.:  My commute is only one hour by train (about 25 miles.) This is a considerable distance to travel on foot.  I wear a suit while I’m at work, but I commute in jeans, button down shirt and hiking boots.  My suit goes into an Eagle Creek garment folder, and the shirt, pants and jacket come out of the folder looking pretty good, with few, if any, creases.  My dress shoes and belt stay in my office.  I use a CamelBak BFM bag that works year round, as …


Economics and Investing:

G.G. sent this piece by Peter Schiff: Why America Should Declare Bankruptcy Now Writing in Sovereign Man, Simon Black points out that Senator Schumer’s proposed “Expatriation Prevention by Abolishing Tax-Related Incentives for Offshore Tenancy” is written retroactively, for anyone that has expatriated in the past ten years! Perhaps Mr. Schumer missed reading Article 1, Clause 3 in the U.S. Constitution. (Which bars any ex post facto laws.) Jim W. sent us this: Japan is Broke – Highest Debt Ratio of Any Industrialized Nation China Warns Australia to Choose “Godfather” – China or U.S. CDV sent this: Greece: Top Three risks …