Letter Re: James Kunstler at Midwest Renewable Energy Fair

Dear Jim: I was also at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association’s (MREA) Energy Fair, just about in the exact center of Wisconsin near Steven’s Point, a week ago. For me, the home tour was the most interesting part. For about $20 they load you on a school bus and take you to 4 local homes that had alternative energy incorporated into them. This included things like solar panels for electricity with a battery bank, heat pumps with in floor hydronic heating systems, soap stone fireplaces (like the Russian design) that burn 2 hours and radiate heat all day (some with …




Letter Re: More on Asteroid Impacts

Dear Jim: For those who still think an asteroid impact is nothing to worry about, this was just posted on the Australian survival site forum, http://www.aussurvivalist.com: a 10 inch asteroid just hit the moon with the power of four tons of TNT, making a crater just over 42 feet wide. The event was captured on video. Although it is acknowledged that this would have been unlikely to make it through Earth’s atmosphere, the point is this goes on all the time, and Earth being hit by one that makes it through is just a matter of time. It is also …




Three Letters Re: Shocking Facts About Wolves, by Steven UP

Jim, It seems the wolf article has stirred up the animal lovers.The article really does describe the northwest Montana area between Trego and Eureka. Every hunter I talk with tells me how the wolves have destroyed the resident elk herd. And, despite hunter pressure of shoot + shovel + shut up the packs are growing. The second point I want to make is if you take one down do not approach and DO not take the cape. Most are [biochip] tagged and the chips are traceable. So if you pop one, just walk away. Lastly I would not worry about …




Two Letters Re: Shocking Facts About Wolves, by Steven UP

James: Steven UP’s article is self serving. He writes to stir up hysteria and emotions. Much of his “thesis” is pure bunk, conjecture, speculation. I am a former resident of the Upper Peninsula. I was born and raised there and lived in the U.P. for the first 40+ years of my life. While I live in nearby Wisconsin currently, I still regularly visit family and am currently looking for property in the U.P. for my retirement place. I resent this article by someone who has only been in the U.P. less than 15 years. He is writing to try to …




Shocking Facts About Wolves, by Steven UP

It all started when I first moved to the Upper Peninsula [“U.P.”] of Michigan back in the early 1990s. When I first came up here it was paradise. Beaver, ducks, grouse, bears, and lots of deer. What happened over the years to change this paradise is truly remarkable. It is now now almost a wasteland, barren of wild game. What happened? Wolves were planted–200 of them from Minnesota. Okay, all of us that live up here “know” that wolves were planted because the population of wolves skyrocket from 20 to 220 in a single year. One noted wolf biologist even …




Letter Re: Updated Nuclear Weapon Targeting Data?

Hi Jim, A couple of things for you. First, nuclear target data, from www.armscontrolwonk.com Though it’s not nearly as cool as the real thing (much less with the effects computer), a scanned version of the 1977 edition is available online either as a single PDF or broken up by chapters. The 1957 edition is also available. 1977 as a single PDF 1977 divided by chapter 1957 as a single PDF Second… I’ve just received thousands and thousands of pages of new nuke, civil defense, sheltering, Soviet military history, very interesting field manuals and more. The stack is over four feet …




Letter Re: Asian Avian Flu and Waterfowl Migratory Flyways

1) I don’t know if you’ve seen it yet, but there is a map of “Waterfowl Flyways of North America” (put mouse cursor on icon in lower right corner and click to enlarge). This shows the routes that migratory ducks and geese follow when they return to the southern USA in the fall after mingling with Eurasian migratory birds in the subarctic over the summer. 2) That is, the map shows the primary routes along which Avian flu would be transmitted into the USA: a) Coastal bays like the Chesapeake and Delaware on the East Coast and San Francisco on …




Letter Re: Understanding the Terrorist Threat Requires Understanding Their Mindset

Dear James, I witnessed a live presentation from “The Three Ex-Terrorists” several months ago. For those who want to understand the mindset of an Islamic terrorist and the ability to completely change one’s life, their story and insights provide actionable information. One of them killed over 200 people. They have presented to government officials but they are too politically incorrect for the liberal media to do more than very short interviews with. See also www.shoebat.com.- Yorie in Pennsylvania. JWR Replies: Lest anyone think that SurvivalBlog is overtly political or religious, I’m posting Yorie’s letter and links for a reason that …




Two Letters Re: Updated Nuclear Weapon Targeting Data?

Dear Jim, I love your site. This is just a quick note while you are on the subject of the nuclear threat. I have been following Joel Skousen’s World Affairs Brief web site for the past few years and he seems to be of the opinion that this is a threat we should take very seriously. I encourage your readers to check out his article on analysis of strategic threats. I also HIGHLY recommend his books “The Secure Home” and “Strategic Relocation.” I know you’ve mentioned his books before in past articles but it is worth repeating. No preparedness library …




Letter Re: Updated Nuclear Weapon Targeting Data?

Sir: 1) To reiterate the basics, the primary concern with a nuclear attack on the USA is fallout — since the other major effects of nuclear bombs (blast, thermal radiation,etc) are relatively limited in extent. You are probably safe if you are 8+ miles upwind from a nuclear detonation of 1 MT or less, provided you don’t blind yourself by looking directly at the nuclear detonation. Fallout, moreover, is generated by nuclear strikes at ground level. But many nuclear detonations would be made 4000 feet above a target [“air bursts”]– in order to maximize the blast effect — and such …




Letter Re: Great Depression II What Will it Be Like?, by Buckshot

Jim: Kudos to Buckshot for a well written and timely article on a possible next Great Depression. Those who doubt that it could happen again only have to consider present day Zimbabwe, which is suffering over 1200% inflation as I write this. Many good books and articles have been written about the Great Depression, but nothing drills home the brutality of it like a photo album from the period. Warning: This link is not for the squeamish, or those in denial. – Doc at www.bigsecrets.cc




Three Letters Re: Updated Nuclear Weapon Targeting Data?

Jim: Perhaps this will be a good point from which to begin your research: Projected US Casualties and Destruction of US Medical Services From Attacks by Russian Nuclear Forces Regards, – Christian W.   Jim, The short answer is that most of the targeting information on the old 1960s era maps that Bruce Beach incorporated in his book are still valid. Sure, the Russians and the Chinese know what sites are decommissioned and not worth wasting a nuke. Critical infrastructure (dams, oil and gas fields with storage facilities, large grain silos, food distribution warehouses, etc) is targeted by enhanced radiation …




Letter Re: Updated Nuclear Weapon Targeting Data?

Dear Jim: I would like to ask if anyone has done a serious re-calculation of the old 1980s FEMA data, taking into account decommissioned nukes on both sides (US and the former USSR). I’m talking in particular about the Bruce Beach maps that we all know and love. (Hats off to Bruce). The point is many of these targets no longer exist, and many of the missiles that targeted these targets no longer exist. I also worry about a shift from military and industrial targets to civilian population centers, as we essentially saw with the 9/11 attack – directed at …




Letter Re: The Death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi = Increased Threat Level in CONUS?

Hi Jim, [Regarding press reports of the death of Iraqi terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (head of Al-Qaeda in Iraq) in an intelligence-queued a bombing raid on his safe house.] You may have thought of this, but if you were a rabid terrorist leader, with assets it the USA, that were on the alert and ready to go. What better message to send to the infidel enemy than to have your death signal an attack? Make a statement about how long your reach is, and all that. Hit the enemy while he is celebrating. Heads up extra high for a …




Two Letters Re: Great Depression II What Will it Be Like?, by Buckshot

James: I read [Buckshot’s article Great Depression II What Will it Be Like? in] SurvivalBlog on Monday and kinda got depressed. Its really only my mother and me living together and she is very anti-survivalist in nature and ideology. I’m thinking that I could handle four or five raiders, but more then that I would be doomed I could never reload and fire fast enough. My mom wouldn’t help me at all and probably would actually hinder me….what would you do? The other thought was being burned out I have three fire extinguishers but can I fight the fire from …