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« Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday July 4 2009Odds 'n Sods:US Judge Seeks to Ban Internet News Linking. (I guess that they'd better ban news broadcasters from mentioning news headlines, while they are at it...) Food Recall Alert: Dave C. forwarded a DoD bulletin warning that the current MRE Menus 1, 9, 21, and 22 contain a Dairy Shake Powder that is listed in a food recall. "Do not consume MRE and UGR-E Dairy Shake powder, Fortified with Calcium and Vitamin D" o o o The result of sixty years of gun control in the U.K: The most violent country in Europe: Britain is also worse than South Africa and U.S. (Thanks to Keen for the link.) o o o An independent documentary film production company in the UK is seeking intervirew candidates, for an upcomig documentary that will air on Channel 4. The working title is: "Self-Reliance in a Fragile World". The producers say that they are "are keen to speak to individuals and families in the UK who believe that a level of preparedness is increasingly important and have taken action. You might be working towards self sufficiency with perma-culture in case of crop or energy failure or learning bushcraft and survival skills to improve your self reliance. You may have a store of food and water in case you are forced to remain in your home or a rehearsed emergency plan in the event of disaster." Contact: Amy Ruse, Development Producer at Kowalsk Media. Phone: +44(0)20 7882 1021 or e-mai: amy.ruse@kowalskimedia.co.uk o o os Three pieces of saber-rattling news: North Korea Fires Missiles; Launch Toward US Feared -- "Dark Clouds Of Nuclear War" In North Korea -- Impending Missile Launch May Require US Military Action « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday July 3 2009Odds 'n Sods:Several readers wrote to say that The Discovery Channel will debut 'The Colony', a post-pandemic urban survival reality series on July 21. It will be interesting to see how the politically-correct Hollywood crowd will tiptoe around the topic of firearms used for self-defense. I suspect that they'll create the absurd artifice that neither the looters nor the Colony defenders will have guns available. (I noticed that one clip showed a miscreant being ineffectively blasted with a fire extinguisher .As if that would so badly frighten the goblins, that they'd never come back. The folks in Hollywood, it seems, can only relate to guns that shoot blanks. So much for so-called "reality" television.) o o o Meanwhile, NBC is planning to air a new disaster television series, set in Van Nuys, California which will never be on my Retreat Locales list!), called Day One. "In the aftermath of a global event that devastates the world's infrastructures, a small band of survivors strives to rebuild society and unravel the mysteries of why the event took place and what the future has in store. Told from the point of view of an eclectic group of neighbors in a Van Nuys, California apartment building, this journey of survival will show us that hope is found in the smallest of victories and heroes are born every day." o o o A dozen readers mentioned this: Federal agents hunt for guns, one house at a time. Notice that the only apparent gun runner they found (at the end of the article) was a sworn police officer. Also note that the ATF cowboys bemoaned the lack of a firearms sales "database", yet they admit that there is a standing requirement that permanent paperwork (a Form 4473) be kept on file for every transaction. In my estimation, the "US guns flowing to Mexico" issue is a highly politicized sideshow, almost entirely fabricated, and promulgated with the goal of undermining our right to keep and bear arms. o o o Saul G. spotted this linked at The Drudge Report: Ant mega-colony takes over world « Note from JWR: |Main| Odds 'n Sods: » Jim's Quote of the Day:"There is nothing so likely to produce peace as to be well prepared to meet the enemy." - President George Washington « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday July 2 2009Odds 'n Sods:Cheryl sent us a link to a PDF from Brookings: Which Path to Persia: Options for a New American Strategy Toward Iran o o o Reader "MysteryMeat" mentioned this New York Times article: It’s Now Legal to Catch a Raindrop in Colorado o o o SurvivalBlog's Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson recommended two John Campbell (The Arizona Bushman) outdoor survival videos available on YouTube: The Hand Fire Drill and a Field Expedient Bow o o o The folks at Directive21 (one of our newest advertisers) have expanded their product line to include stainless steel Berkey water filter models, including the Travel Berkey, Big Berkey, Royal Berkey, Imperial Berkey, & Crown Berkey. Since they get distributor-level pricing from the manufacturer, these are all being offered at extremely competitive prices. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday July 1 2009Odds 'n Sods:A report on Field Day: Ham radio operators not yielding to future. (Thanks to KAF for the link.) o o o Kevin A. mentioned: The Day that Guns Came to Church in Louisville o o o o o o « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday June 30 2009Odds 'n Sods:There was a good article recently posted over at The Silver Bear Cafe: Help! The Grocery Store Shelves are Empty Andrew D. sent us this video link: Flooded River Destroys Road In Minutes. This illustrates hydraulic power--in this case circumventing an under-engineered culvert. Roughly the same thing happened at our old ranch, where the previous owner's three-foot diameter culvert on the creek was washed out by springtime floodwaters. I replaced it in 1994 with a six-footer, and so far as I know it is still there, and the road above it is still intact. o o o A reader in New Mexico wrote to ask if I prefer grid-tied or standalone photovoltaic (PV) systems. My general preference is for standalone, because they have less vulnerability to EMP. But the new 30% Federal tax credit on grid-tied systems tips the scales in that direction. To the best of my knowledge, there is nothing in the tax code that says that you cannot take the tax credit, but then make the system standalone, at a later date. Oh, and speaking of PVs, don't miss out on the sale price on REC 220 Watt modules from Ready Made Resources. They have an amazing price. o o o o o o R. mentioned this page at the LifeHacker site: Build a Cheaper Backyard Greenhouse. Needless to say, this design is not intended to take a snow load, and hence must be disassembled seasonally. And since PVC eventually degrades and get brittle in sunlight, it is best to paint the tubing (and any connectors, if used), once you've finished constructing the framework. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday June 29 2009Odds 'n Sods:Reader "PD" pointed me to an interesting video segment on Russian survivalists. FG mentioned a great news segment about an 89 year-old woman and her 1964 Comet that she has driven 540,000 miles. FG notes: "She even drove herself alone to her 70th class reunion, a 3,000 mile trip! She also knows how to protect herself on her long journeys. (Check out what she carries in her handbag!)" JWR Adds: This octogenarian demonstrates the virtues of both good preventative maintenance and situational awareness! o o o H.O.F. e-mailed me to mention that all 36 episodes of the post-pandemic societal collapse television series Jeremiah are now available as video streaming "instant plays", from NetFlix subscribers. H.O.F. notes: "The MGM series was filmed in and around Vancouver, Canada, which explains why so many scenes are cold, rainy, and snowy'" And he added this warning: "There is some crude language, violence, and gratuitous bare chests, so this series is not for the kids. Oh yes, it also has a couple of anti-religious rants, but that is to be expected from the denizens of Hollywood." « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday June 28 2009Odds 'n Sods:This has "arbitrary enforcement " written all over it: Alberta police can now seize armoured gang vehicles. o o o A Fraud Bigger Than Madoff "In what could turn out to be the greatest fraud in US history, American authorities have started to investigate the alleged role of senior military officers in the misuse of $125 bn (£88 bn) in a US -directed effort to reconstruct Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein." o o o I tend to downplay American politics in my blog , since I have a worldwide readership. But the recent Democratic Party pushes for both a huge socialized healthcare system and a massive new tax system to "stop global warming" have me at my wit's end. Here were stand, at the begriming of a deep and prolonged economic depression, the National Debt has more than doubled in the past year (to finance the MOAB), and yet the Wizards of Washington want to now run us even deeper into debt and encumber us with a trans-national tax? No Thanks! State secession is looking better, every day. As for the the new Globotax, reader H.S. summed it up nicely: "Instead of 'Cap and Trade', they should call it the: 'Cap and-trade-our-jobs-to-China bill"'. This bill was ramrodded through the House of Representatives before congressmen even had the opportunity to read the final text of the bill. I am thoroughly disgusted. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday June 27 2009Odds 'n Sods:Smith & Wesson Profit Doubles, Beats Street View North Korea Threatens "Fire Shower of Nuclear Retaliation" Against South Korea o o o Reader G.E. recommended a site with some "real world" ballistics data: Ballistics By The Inch. (OBTW, don't miss Box o' Truth and the other web sites that I've bookmarked under the "Ballistics" header at the SurvivalBlog Links page.) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday June 26 2009Odds 'n Sods: From Nanny State Scotland: MSPs get power to fine over climate change North Korea Threatens US as World Anticipates Missile o o o From Cheryl: Plan to protect D.C. from nuke EMP attack o o o Bill Buppert mentioned a controversial video that uses movie clips to illustrate a point: The Four Stages of Revolution: Part 1 (and Part 2) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday June 25 2009Odds 'n Sods:Cheryl flagged this: North Korea's Strong New Threat Reader Kevin A. suggested this piece over at LewRockwell.com: Survival Training: Be Armed, Store Food, Use Real Money, Secede o o o Kevin also noted that his regional newspaper, had a "how to" feature on building rainwater catchment barrels. Kevin's comment: "While it focused more on the possible conservation aspects of using such a device, it's becoming more and more evident that many preparedness tactics are entering the mainstream." « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday June 24 2009Odds 'n Sods:Trent H. forwarded us this: Government Land-Grab Moved Forward o o o The latest canard from Lautenberg, Schumer, & Co.: More than 800 gun buyers on terrorist list. This use of the "no fly" list would be laughable, if they weren't so serious about doing this. First, terrorists don't often buy their guns at gun stores. Second, the No Fly list is horribly mismanaged, has opaque oversight, and results in countless "false positives." Parenthetically, I have an acquaintance that by an accident of birth has nearly the same name as someone on the No Fly list. And, FWIW, it isn't even an Islamic-sounding name! Since he is a Naval Reserve officer that lives in a different state than his unit, he is a frequent flyer. He has told me that he has to allow an extra three hours before each flight for "the usual harassment". He has petitioned to have his name removed from the list, to no avail. Essentially, there is no proper system for redress. Clearly, expanding the use of the TSA's troublesome list as a "No Gun Buy " list would be a travesty. o o o Paul B. and Jasper both sent us the link to this Arizona newspaper article: Survivalism grows popular in Valley Jasper's comment: "Well, I guess there are worse things to be called other than, 'educated professionals (that) understand the huge potential crisis that could come from economic collapse', but who still 'recognize their eccentricity.'" That's funny, I feel well rounded." « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday June 23 2009Odds 'n Sods:From frequent contributor KAF: This gardener grows enough to share o o o Sam L. sent an interesting article about potential catastrophic earthquakes in Southern California o o o Reader Susan K. flagged this: In a St. Paul lab, scientists race to defeat a wheat famine 'time bomb' « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday June 22 2009Odds 'n Sods:Reader Jonathan B. and SurvivalBlog's Editor at Large Mike Williamson both sent this video clip that displays utter stupidity. (I cannot believe that so many people on the firing line acquiesced to being part of this!) o o o Ferdinand recommended a great piece of common sense journalism by Patrice Lewis, over at WND: Calling All Kooks. o o o "Dim Tim" mentioned these YouTube videos: Solar Car and Tractor, and John Howe's Solar Chainsaw. o o o KAF flagged this: Absolutely prefabulous: Eco-living has never looked this good thanks to a new wave of prefabricated palaces « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday June 21 2009Odds 'n Sods:FG sent this: Where to Live in NYC if You Don't Want to be Killed USDA Deliberately Misleading Investors to Hide Looming Food Shortage o o o Bill N. Recommended an interesting CSB video on chemical accidents. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday June 20 2009Odds 'n Sods:North Korea May Fire a Missile at Hawaii "...the South Korean government is bracing for 'all possible scenarios' regarding the nuclear standoff. The independent International Crisis Group think tank, meanwhile, said the North's massive stockpile of chemical weapons is no less serious a threat to the region than its nuclear arsenal. It said the North is believed to have between 2,500 and 5,000 tons of chemical weapons, including mustard gas, phosgene, blood agents and sarin. These weapons can be delivered with ballistic missiles and long-range artillery and are 'sufficient to inflict massive civilian casualties on South Korea.'" o o o Obama Lights North Korea's Fuse o o o « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday June 19 2009Odds 'n Sods:A SurvivalBlog reader in Alaska mentioned some commentary by John Derbyshire in The National Review. Don't miss the last line! o o o Popular Culture Update: Preparedness has migrated from your street to Main Street, to Sesame Street. o o o A reader in Canton, Ohio mentioned a blast-hardened Microwave Repeater Facility for sale in New Philadelphia, Ohio, that might be suitable as a defendable 'bug-in" group retreat. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday June 18 2009Odds 'n Sods:SBC and "Shrike" both sent this piece from an Australian newspaper: Melburnians urged to have Go Bags ready in case of evacuation o o o KAF sent a link to some glimpses of a gentler time: Retrolife. (Seeing that, I couldn't help but think of some of Merle Haggard's song lyrics.) o o o US Battlefield Superiority For Sale To America's Enemies (Thanks to Cheryl, for the link.) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday June 17 2009Odds 'n Sods: Heather H. sent this: A 'time bomb' for world wheat crop Gordon sent a link to a video clip on the enormous Cold War bunker beneath the Greenbriar Hotel. o o o Shelf Reliance (one of our advertisers) is giving away a Harvest 72" food rotation system in a free drawing. Visit the Shelf Reliance blog to enter. The Harvest 72" is valued at $459 and can hold up to 600 o o o Greg C. sent us the link to this Wall Street Journal piece: Imagine Breaking Up The United States o o o Three gun rights articles, first from Paula: Gun Rights Groups Plan State-By-State Revolt, several readers sent this: Twenty-three AGs tell Holder no dice on semi-auto ban renewal and Patrick M. sent this: Montana Gun Law Challenges Federal Powers « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday June 16 2009Odds 'n Sods:Recycled Homes, One Box at a Time o o o Reader Kat C. recommended two books on food storage: Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning: Traditional Techniques Using Salt, Oil, Sugar, Alcohol, Vinegar, Drying, Cold Storage, and Lactic Fermentation o o o The latest from Nanny State Brittannia: Banning "stabbing" kitchen knives. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday June 15 2009Odds 'n Sods:The saber-rattling continues. We read: US Raptors Deployed to Japan, and (some crude gray propaganda from North Korea)Nuclear War Is Kim Jong-il's Game Plan and, US General: North Korea, Iran Joined on Missile Work, and South Korea sends more troops to North Korea border. o o o Glenn Reynolds posted this over at Instapundit: Mark Steyn on William Forstchen’s One Second After. Why worry about an EMP attack? o o o o o o Matt B. recommended this bit of conjecture from the Shenandoah blog: Sarajevo, Ohio. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday June 14 2009Odds 'n Sods:The full length version of this show: Bizarre Foods Survival Special will air on Tuesday, June 16th, at 10 p.m. Eastern/Pacific time, and immediately after (11pm ET) Andrew will be doing a live chat with viewers. o o o F.G. sent this: Round Up Hate-Promoters Now, Before Any More Holocaust Museum Attacks. I don't suppose that there is any point in mentioning the deep irony of this to the author. (After all, the reason that a Holocaust Museum even exists is that some seven decades ago, a national government went along with public demands that certain people be "rounded up.") Now don't get me wrong: the man that perpetrated the attack was obviously a dangerous loon. But I'm not ready to set up a Department of "Pre-Crime" Thought Police, a la Phillip K. Dick's Minority Report o o o I've been amazed at how quickly Microsoft's Bing.com search engine has taken off. Rather than anything special provided by Bing's software, perhaps their success can instead be attributed to Google's Orwellian cookies retention policy and their corrupt "Pay for Rankings" marketing strategy. Google deserves only the quiet, withering death of inattention. For greater web search privacy, use Scroogle.org's "scraper". But regardless, learn how to clear your web browser's history, and clear cache. o o o This confirms one of my long-held assumptions: Some Very Interesting Statistics on Rape Resistance. Teach your daughters to shoot, get them some advanced training, and set them up to carry concealed, daily. (Thanks to SF in Hawaii for the link.) « The Memsahib's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday June 13 2009Odds 'n Sods:A USCCA Video Tip of the Week: Carrying Extra Magazines. o o o Reader T.M.N. sent a link to an article that gives new meaning to the term "efficiency apartment": Man turns closet into living space. The space efficiency achieved is laudable, but that doesn't leave much room for prep logistics. (FWIW, the food storage shelves for my family in JASBORR take up more cubic feet than his "apartment".) o o o Steve in Philly mentioned that a six-part Gunsite video on Tactical Carbine handling and marksmanship is now available on YouTube. (I'm dubious about its copyright status! (So it is best to buy your own copy, on DVD, directly from Gunsite.) o o o A bit of modern wilderness survival lore at Gizmodo, courtesy of SurvivalBlog reader C.S.: SurvivorNerd: How to Start a Fire with Your Cellphone. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday June 12 2009Odds 'n Sods:Florida Guy mentioned an
insightful essay that expands on Anthropologist Jack
Weatherford's
book, Savages
And Civilization: Who Will Survive? o o o Crusher recommended a site with sets of plans and descriptions for a home-made ethanol still. o o o FJ sent: Poor Man’s Guide to Rain Barrels o o o A Nanny State update from Sodom By The Sea: San Francisco Makes it Illegal Not to Recycle « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday June 11 2009Odds 'n Sods:More about the proposed ban on one-hand opening pocket knives. The U.S. Government is Trying to Take Away Your Pocket Knives! Also see this summary comes from WorldNetDaily. The only thing worse than Nanny State meddling in your city, county, or state is the same nonsense promulgated at the Federal level. At least with state-level laws, you have the opportunity to "vote with your feet". After a thousand small abuses, who will go so far as to emigrate? A special note: If this new law "interpretation" is enacted, crossing state lines with one of these knives will be considered a felony. The Federal bureaucracy is accepting comments – written only – that must be received by June 21 before its planned changes could become final.] o o o From Cheryl: Consumer Alert: Recycled Radioactive Metal Contaminates Consumer Products o o o Naiveté and Gullibility: To some, they're not just words--they're a way of life: Now...Go Break The Windows; Crank caller wreaks havoc on Arkansas hotel, duping employees, guests. (Be sure to click on the tab down in the photo section of the article, to view the police report. At times the truth is stranger than fiction.) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday June 10 2009Odds 'n Sods:From my old friend "John Jones": Solar Storm Threat Assessment o o o SurvivalBlog's Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson spotted this video clip. Bobcat wood splitter. Wow! As my dad always said: There's nothing like power tools! o o o Christopher T. flagged this: Texas company offers ethanol mini-refineries The folks at Ready Made Resources, mentioned that they just received a limited supply of genuine made in the U.S.A. stainless steel surgical hemostats. These are not made in Pakistani, (some of which will rust in an autoclave) .Still sealed in original packages $17.95 for a pair, in 5-1/2" and 6-1/2" length. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday June 9 2009Odds 'n Sods:Steve G. sent this: Save Money (and Water!) With Rain Barrels. Coincidentally, F.R. sent this: Set Up a Rain Barrel to Save Money and Water KAF sent this: Real Life Hobbit House o o o Also from Steve G.: Formulas to get rid of insects in your home « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday June 8 2009Odds 'n Sods:KAF found this: Hey Homebuyers, Beware A False Bottom Before You Make That Bid Bob at Ready Made Resources mentioned that they are offering special pricing on their photovoltaic (PV) power systems. They offer systems scaled for all budgets. Since I expect that the Federal 30% tax credit on alternative energy systems will soon be cancelled, I most strongly encourage SurvivalBlog readers to go ahead and install a PV power system soon. o o o I noticed that the 2008 movie Defiance o o o KT mentioned eh good news that Tennessee now has a "Made in..." Federal exemption gun law much like the ones that Montana and Texas have already enacted.
« Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday June 7 2009Odds 'n Sods:Grandpappy (a past prize winner in our writing contest) has posted a timely new article on low-cost ammunition at his site. o o o Not surprisingly, this news story comes from Madison, one of Wisconsin's most liberal meccas: Wisconsin City Cracks Down On Fake Guns. "Madison police are starting to tell children as early as first grade that the fake guns are dangerous and put both the holder and officers in dangerous positions." o o o o o o From KAF: Can We Count on Native Bees to Replace Honeybees? « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday June 6 2009Odds 'n Sods: Several readers mentioned this piece at the Lew Rockwell web site: Preparation,
by
Michael Gaddy Cheryl sent this: Where The Frugal Mommy Bloggers Are o o o « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday June 4 2009Odds 'n Sods:Just one day left! Safecastle's 25% Off Mountain House storage food sale ends tomorrow, June 5th. Members will get a free copy of the novel One Second After by William R. Forstchen if they purchase four or more cases of Mountain House foods. o o o o o o Richard at KT Ordnance mentioned this essay: When Guns Are Outlawed ... Only Government Will Have Guns o o o Marketers Fear Frugality is Here to Stay « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday June 3 2009Odds 'n Sods:Safecastle's semi-annual 25% Off Mountain House storage food sale ends on June 5th. Members will get a free copy of the novel One Second After by William R. Forstchen if they purchase four or more cases of Mountain House foods. o o o Cheryl and Brett both sent this: Study: Global Recession Making World More Violent, Unstable o o o More news from Cousin Kim's Proletarian Paradise of Paranoia: North
Korea Nuke Progress Sign Of "Dark
Future", and North
Korea Preparing to Fire ICBM o o o Reader "OSOM" mentioned that Gary North has just launched a free web site, Deliverance from Debt, to help Christians get out of the debt trap. It would also doubtless be useful for non-Christians. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday June 2 2009Odds 'n Sods: Lorraine sent us a link to an informative video clip on how
to use a Food Saver to vacuum pack mason type jars. The creative part
is in the second half of the video. Don't miss it. The Risk of Coastal "Pop-up" Hurricanes . (Thanks to Roy D. for the link.) o o o Seth sent us a link to an interesting PDF: Freedom Rankings of 50 States « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday June 1 2009Odds 'n Sods:The recent AP wire service article on survivalism certainly has grown some long legs. To date, it has been featured on CBS, ABC, MSNBC, Breitbart, Yahoo News, the Drudge Report, NPR, the Huffington Post, newspapers in more than 40 states, at least a dozen television news web sites, and even overseas in The Jerusalem Post. o o o NOAA Issues New Solar Cycle Prediction. (Thanks to Paul B. for the link.) o o o From reader R.M.: Ideas For Self Sufficient Living During Financially Turbulent Times o o o Jim W., a missionary, recommended a visit to the Basic Utility Vehicle web site « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday May 31 2009Odds 'n Sods:Bill N. sent this great tip: Something Down The Drain? Retrieve it Without a Wrench o o o Safecastle's semi-annual 25% Off Mountain House storage food sale ends on June 5th, so get your order in soon! Buyers will get a free copy of the novel One Second After by William R. Forstchen if they purchase four or more cases of Mountain House foods. o o o From Florida Guy: Mormon lessons in self-reliance can help families survive tough times. JWR Adds: While I'll never see eye-to-eye with the LDS Church doctrinally, I give them nothing but praise for encouraging food storage. They have also been very gracious in opening up access to their canneries to folks that are not LDS members. Kudos! « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday May 30 2009Odds 'n Sods:Cheryl spotted this on a Israeli news site: WWIII Has Started o o o JHB sent is a link to a new variety of self-contained fingertip pulse oximeter. Being able to monitor heart rate and blood oxygen saturation will be crucial, especially if you are handling a trauma case or severe illness case where respiration is shallow and your supply of medical oxygen is scant. o o o In the "signs of the times" department, comes this from Powder Valley: "At this time we are not taking any new backorders for primers that are not listed here. We currently have over 50 million primers on backorder..." « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday May 29 2009Odds 'n Sods:US and South Korea On High Alert After North Korea Renounces Truce o o o Jim Wiseman (a pseudonym), the prepper that was featured in the recent AP wire service article on survivalism was interviewed for three show segments (45 minutes) on the nationally-syndicated Marc Germain Show, and he will soon be be featured on CNBC, as well. o o o Clearly, the preparedness movement seems to have struck a chord with America's collective psyche. Even assorted Greens and left-wingers are jumping on the band wagon, as evidenced by this article from Philadelphia: Survival of the Fittest (not just for white right-wingers anymore). Ditto on popularity in Australia, where we read: Survivalists stock up ready for the worst « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday May 28 2009Odds 'n Sods:Roman suggested an article that ties in nicely with my suggestion of the "Three Ks" concept for recession-proof jobs: The Case for Working With Your Hands o o o Cheryl mentioned this book review: Vaccines: Crossing Immunological Boundaries o o o I recently had an Internet retailer contact me about advertising
on my blog. I made some inquiries, and it turned out that about 60% of their
merchandise
is made
in mainland
China. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday May 27 2009Odds 'n Sods:There is an excellent thread of discourse in progress over at TMM's Gulching/Self-Sufficiency Forum titled, Burn a CD with survival and gulching information on it, what would you include? o o o As you've doubtless already heard, the "rogue state" nuclear threat index just increased. I consider "Kim Jong Il " and "Unstable" synonymous. o o o Florida Guy sent a news article on the latest manifestation of hoplophobia: New York. proposes new bill to register and track all state ammo sales « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday May 26 2009Odds 'n Sods:I was disappointed to see that my novel "Patriots" o o o The Great Ethanol Scam (Thanks to Cheryl for the link.) o o o Farms Downsize With Miniature Cows More sirloin and less soup bone. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday May 25 2009Odds 'n Sods:Brent F. recommneded a site that focuses on Third World technology: How to Make Everything. o o o A Sunset magazine article flagged by reader LRG: Make your own backyard adobe oven o o o William Atkin has posted a very useful guide to sprouting. There is also a PDF available for download. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday May 24 2009Odds 'n Sods: Cattle Rustling on the Rise as US Recession Bites Credit Bill OK'd with Gun Provision o o o With the Economy Tough, the Tough Go Camping o o o America's Poor Are its Most Generous Givers o o o SF in Hawaii mentioned the Local Harvest web site, and their map of family farms. SF's comment: "Thinking about relocating? Take a look at this map. It might be nice to have some small farm neighbors.". « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday May 23 2009Odds 'n Sods:Eric wrote to mention that the Survivalist Groups Listing Page URL has changed. o o o Chris--the editor of the LDS Preparedness manual that I recently
mentioned--wrote to say: "Version 6.00 of the manual is almost complete
and will be released
in June. o o o GG spotted this: Spam sales soar as buyers seek value. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday May 22 2009Odds 'n Sods:Safecastle has announced a 25% Off Mountain House storage food sale that will be running from May 23 to June 5th. As a bonus, you'll also get a free copy of the novel One Second After by William R. Forstchen if you purchase four or more cases of Mountain House foods o o o o o o Peak Phosphorous? GG sent us a link to a summary of a new Scientific American article: Phosphorus: A Looming Crisis. (The full text of the article is not yet available on-line.) o o o Brian H. was the first of several readers to mention this interesting wire service story about new ATMs that dispense gold: Gold To Go. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday May 21 2009Odds 'n Sods:Mark A. sent a link to a
LDS Preparedness Manual in PDF. This is a 222-page
manual
about
food
storage and some other topics. Farming and Hunting magazines among very few to increase advertising revenue. (Thanks to GG for the link.) o o o « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday May 20 2009Odds 'n Sods:Reader RTK recommended a New York Times Op-Ed piece: All Disasters Are Local o o o Here is a link to a brief YouTube segment on how to seal foods in Mylar bags, using a Foodsaver o o o o o o Disaster risk increasing, says UN o o o From Trapper Mike: GPS system 'close to breakdown'; Network of satellites could begin to fail as early as 2010 « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday May 19 2009Odds 'n Sods:EMB suggested this blog piece: Root-cellar plan o o o Thanks to Scott N. for this link: Critics Deride Bill Designed to Keep Weapons Out of Terrorists' Hands o o o JRH Enterprises is running a $2,995 special on new 3rd Generation PVS-14 night vision scopes, with brand-new factory-original image intesifier tubes, complete with certified factory data sheets. If you want the ultimate in retreat security, buy one. Most other dealers sell these same scopes for close to $4,000. You won't regret it! o o os Police: Man said 30,000 bullets were for target practice. Did I miss something,? Where is the "crime " here? OBTW, I suppose that is a good thing that we don' have Massachusetts-mindset cops here in The Unnamed Western State. Otherwise, they'd come and arrest me, too. (If you include all my rimfire ammo, I have this gent beaten, by a wide margin.) Oh, and will somebody please explain to the newspaper nincompoops the difference between a bullet and a cartridge? Their utter nomenclature ignorance nearly drives me to fits of apoplexy. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday May 18 2009Odds 'n Sods:Thanks to Kevin A. for sending this: Navajos largely unscathed by recession. Hmmm... Owning livestock, living self-sufficiently, and living debt free. Does this sound familiar? o o o Cheryl sent us this: NRA Thrives Amid Fears of Heightened Gun-Control Efforts o o o A herd of common sense, from a Cody, Wyoming newspaper: Pioneer spirit needed during tough times.(I was pleased to see that the article quotes my top five states for retreats locales.) o o o KAF sent us links to two interesting pieces on the 1930s: The Great Depression: 'We were all in the same boat', and, The Great Depression through Callie Stanley's eyes « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday May 17 2009Odds 'n Sods:Denny Z. sent us a link to a YouTube clip of a comedy classic: Archie Bunker on Gun Control o o o "John Smith" suggested a You Tube clip of a James Burke "Connections" documentary episode from 1978. Burke's description of the 1965 New York blackout illustrates the interconnections and fragility of urban society. It is rather prophetic. Given our far greater tecnological dependence these days, it some serrious food for thought. o o o Cheryl sent this: Another 1,225,980+ Guns Bought By Americans in April 2009 This number is based on just the background checks by FFL holders--not most private sales, so this is a low number. o o o George M. sent an article from Oregon's Capitol city that illustrates the need for security and situational awareness: Man handcuffed, hit by Taser during Salem coin shop robbery « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday May 16 2009Odds 'n Sods:KAF flagged this article: U.S. Has Plan to Secure Pakistan Nukes if Country Falls to Taliban o o o Jason mentioned that Ammoman is selling brand new original Colt-made 30 round AR-15 magazines for about the same price that most gun show sellers are charging for generic USGI contract magazines. o o o Cheryl saw this video clip and recommended it: Lou Dobbs: Obama Pushing Anti-Gun Treaty « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday May 15 2009Odds 'n Sods:JHB mentioned this article about survivalists in Russia: Survivalists stock up for End of Days o o o SurvivalBlog regular Bill Buppert was recently interviwed for the LewRockwell.com podcast. The topic was state secession. o o o SF in Hawaii mentioned these two sites: Everyone Deserves a Roof and The Bike Trailer Blog (which includes some tariler tents). o o o A trailer for the movie The Road has been released. Gee, this makes SurvivalBlog readers look like relative optimists. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday May 14 2009Odds 'n Sods:Any of our readers living in Norway (and Norwegian ex-pats) will want to bookmark this blog: Ingen fare...Undergangen er skremmende nær! o o o More about Pakistan, the Taliban, and The Bomb: Experts predict Pakistan’s collapse. Speaking of Pakistan, here is a prime example of lack of planning and lack of the survivalist mindset: Pakistan's 'displaced deluge'. Do your best to never be a "refugee " It is just one short step away from "casualty statistic." (Thanks to Ben M. for the second link.) o o o Tamara mentioned that the National
Rifle Association (NRA) is continuing their Free Membership promotional campaign. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday May 13 2009Odds 'n Sods:Cheryl sent this: How Gardening Became Fashionable Again o o o Also courtesy of Cheryl: USA Today Poll: 96% Affirm 2nd Amendment o o o Now that I've successfully met my manuscript deadline with Penguin Books, I can come up for air. For the first time in many weeks, I'll have the time for some quasi-recreational reading. I'm about to begin 7 Deadly Scenarios: A Military Futurist Explores War in the 21st Century. (Yes, I'll post a review.) o o o Mike Williamson (our Editor at Large) mentioned that Survivalblog advertiser
Shelf Reliance now has
a "monthly budget plan"--set up payments with them,
and they'll deliver the goods on your schedule. This is a great way for people
with limited financial resources to build up their emergency food supplies
without having to save up a « Notes from JWR: |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: » Monday May 11 2009Odds 'n Sods:Only in America! The Weaponizers (A hat tip to KAF for the link.) o o o I heard that Midwest Outfitters just received just under one full pallet of 5.56 NATO 55 grain FMJ ("ball"), fresh 2008-production ammo. This ammo is newly-manufactured to military specifications by Bitteroot Valley Ammunition Components in Montana.This is not re-manufactured but made with all new components. The head stamp on this batch is BVAC 08 and the NATO symbol. Right now, just for SurvivalBlog readers they are offering a case of 1,000 rounds for $500 with Free Shipping. At last count, they had only 83 cases left. o o o I heard from Gary up in Montana that clones of the recently-enacted "Made in Montana" guns bill are about to be introduced in the legislatures in Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arizona, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho and Washington. Yee haw! o o o Reader PNG mentioned the DHS Radiation Event Medical Management web site. PNG noted: "The [content of the ] entire site can be downloaded for Windows, Mac, Unix, Linux, etc.:nd a subset of the site can be downloaded for PDAs and many smart phones." « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Odds 'n Sods:Several readers sent the link to this BBC article: Do you need to stock up the bunker? Rawlesians are looking more and more mainstream... o o o The latest from Nanny State Deutschland: German government plans to curb use of guns. (Even paintball, Airsoft, and laser tag sports may be banned!) o o o KAF mentioned this: The Grandson of Vespa will have Four-Stroke Engine. Talk about fuel economy! o o o Also from KAF: Tennessee House OKs Guns in Eateries| « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday May 10 2009Odds 'n Sods:JHB sent this from The Daily Sound. Couple survive Mission Canyon firestorm in bunker o o o 60 Million Armed Patriots...And Counting o o o Ammo Hard to Find as Gun Owners Stock Up (This os hardly a news flash to SurvivalBlog readers) o o o Jesusita Fire Forces Out 30,000 Residents « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday May 9 2009Odds 'n Sods:Reader LRG mentioned an online Directory of Primitive Skills Gatherings and Knap-Ins o o o After a delay, Camping Survival has sealed cases of full mil-spec MREs back in stock. o o o DS alerted us to an interesting follow-up to the "Worst Case Scenario" piece. This has implications that go far beyond just economics! o o o KAF sent a very useful link What is Hardtack and How is it Made? « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday May 7 2009Odds 'n Sods:Rhett mentioned the AOPA "Pinch Hitter" course. (Imagine that you are the passenger in a friend's private plane,when suddenly he suffers a massive heart attack. What will you do?) o o o Some places you have to go well-armed, to share the Gospel. Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition. o o o Eric sent us this: Montana sovereignty bills have national scope o o o Reader Don E. spotted this: Homeland agency pulled back extremism dictionary. Why haven't the biased authors at the DHS been fired? o o o Another item for the "Home invasion robberies thwarted" file: College Student Shoots, Kills Home Invader. (A hat tip to Tamara's View From the Porch blog for the link.) « Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Zero Your Rifle with Just Two Rounds, by Pete C. » Wednesday May 6 2009Odds 'n Sods:From the Dr. Housing Bubble blog: The Paradox of Spendthrifts - Government Offering 0 Percent on I Savings Bonds and Creating Incentives to Spend. Punishing the Prudent and Savers. $115 Trillion in Total U.S. Debt It is nice to see that the spot price of silver has bounced back. I hope that you folks took advantage of the recent dip. (I did!) It may not occur until after inflation kicks in, in the aftermath of overspending on the Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB), but I stand by my long term prediction of $50+ silver. Great Recession’ Will Redefine Full Employment as Jobs Vanish (Thanks to Eric for the link.) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Odds 'n Sods: » Odds 'n Sods:Eric sent this from New Scientist: Regional nuclear war could trigger mass starvation. One billion dead? o o o "Word" forwarded a NRA Institute for Legislative Action bulletin link: BATFE Reform Bill Introduced in U.S. Senate. Please ask you senator to support this much-needed legislation. o o o I heard that the folks at The Old Schoolhouse magazine (on homeschooling), are offering their latest issue (Spring, 2009) for free download. o o o S.H. spotted this from the New York Times: Fearful Brazilians Keep Armored Car Sales Booming « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday May 5 2009Odds 'n Sods:Reader GKD sent this: Pakistan Strife Raises U.S. Doubts on Nuclear Arms o o o Writing at Lew Rockwell.com, SurvivalBlog regular Bill Buppert asks more than just rhetorically: At What Point is a Traitor a Patriot? o o o Ignatius Piazza (of Front Sight) ponders: 40,000 Lives Lost Per Year Must Be Worth It… o o o s Reader Tom W. said that we shouldn't miss the May 4, 2009 "Monty" comic strip. It has SurvivalBlog written all over it! OBTW, about a week ago , I mentioned a Dilbert comic strip with a similar theme. It seems that the survivalist mindset struck a chord in popular culture. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday May 4 2009Odds 'n Sods:Reader Phil B. wrote to warn us about LBW Eyewear, for failure to deliver orders. They are a discount mail order eyeglasses company that was mentioned previously in SurvivalBlog. As it turns out the BBB has LBW Eyewear listed with an "F" rating, with "8 resolved/closed and 8 unresolved/no-answer complaints." Avoid them! OBTW, the Zenni Optical company has a better reputation for reliability and customer service than LBW Eyewear. o o o I just heard from old compadre "Jeff Trasel" that some hoplophobic
do-gooder has proposed
deletion of the Kenneth W. Royce. Wikipedia page. Royce, better known as "Boston
T. Party" has published eight books, and many folks (including me) consider
his book Boston's
Gun Bible o o o KAF sent us a Wall Street Journal link: The Taliban's Atomic Threat o o o Greg C. pointed out this article on the "cleaner, greener" rhetoric of neo-environmentalism: Seeking to Save the Planet, With a Thesaurus « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday May 3 2009Odds 'n Sods: A
back-door multinational gun registration scheme, complete with extradition
for violators. Ron in New York recommended this: When the Power Goes Out, Grab a Gun First o o o Employee Steals $12 Million in Gold From Queens Jeweler. And she high-graded it one piece at a time, over the course of decades. I guess this rules out trying to convince a jury that it was just a brief lapse of judgment. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday May 2 2009Odds 'n Sods:J.O.N. recommended a succinct and well-reasoned piece by one of the folks from The Survival Podcast: Modern Survival Philosophy o o o Rob at MURS Radios mentioned that he is offering an additional $5 discount from your order total if you pay via US Postal Service Money Order (PMO). He makes this discount available because PMOs eliminate the delays for check clearance, and save him the merchant fees charged for credit card transactions. Rob mentioned that he has all his cataloged items in stock and ready to ship. (MURS two-way radios, driveway alert sensors, et cetera.) o o o The latest from Nanny State Nippon: Lithium in water "curbs suicide". « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday May 1 2009Odds 'n Sods:Beth flagged this: Argentina's wheat planting lowest in almost 100 years o o o "John Smith" sent this informative video link: Obama Budget Cuts Visualization o o o The mainstream media catches on to the consequences on the new "Made in Montana" gun law: Montana fires a warning shot over states’ rights (Thanks to Paula for the link.) OBTW, one tip for any SurvivalBlog readers that live up in Montana: Check out Sonju International in Kalispell. Get your order in early. You'll of course need to be a Montana citizen and be able to show a Montana driver's license. They make AR-15 lowers and a nifty AR-10 lower that can accept dirt cheap HK G3 magazines. Under the new Montana law, deliveries can begin after October 1st, with no Form 4473 or FFL! Does all this inspire you to move to Montana? Then talk to Viola Moss. (A Montana real estate agent that advertises on our SurvivalRealty.com spin-off site.) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday April 30 2009Odds 'n Sods: o o o The Scientific American asks: Could Food Shortages Bring Down Civilization? (Hat tip to KAF for the link.) o o o Frank S. sent us: When Did Your County's Jobs Disappear? An interactive map of vanishing employment across the country. o o o I just noticed that Wiggy's is continuing their 25% Off Sale for their sleeping bags. Their FTRSS sleeping bags are fabulous. When I was having back problems, I gave my FTRSS the equivalent of three lifetimes worth of use, and it performed flawlessly. Wiggy's bags are warm, tremendously durable, and American made! « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday April 29 2009Odds 'n Sods:"Hoss" spotted this video segment: Ozark
Mountain man's 'survival garden' gains
worldwide attention. Len Pense shows the SurvivalBlogger mentality, in action. Craig W. sent us a link to a Biogas generator demonstration. OBTW, unless you want to remove your chromosomes from the gene pool, never squirt lighter fluid from a can or bottle onto an active ignition source, as he does in this video! o o o Reader HK sent us this article from a clever gardener up in Alaska: How does your garden grow? Former Iowa resident presents a different way to plant veggies o o o Break out the ice skates! From Modern Maximum back to Maunder Minimum Sunspot Levels? « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday April 28 2009Odds 'n Sods:Rourke sent a link to an article in the Kansas City Star: Some stockpiling to prepare should times turn perilous o o o Thanks to MVR for this: The Geomagnetic Apocalypse — And How to Stop It o o o California Shooting Fair Closes for Lack of Ammo (Thanks to FloridaGuy for the link.) o o o KAF flagged this: Hardtack, Once a Staple of Sailing Ships, Still Prospers in Hawaii. It has great shelf life, especially when vacuum packed. BTW, I believe that the author is mistaken when describing the "joke" origin of the term "Saloon Pilot" The saloon (or salon) is the social cabin of a ship. And pilot refers to pilot rations--food for use aboard ship. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday April 27 2009Odds 'n Sods:Gloria spotted this article on urban survival: Live off the land -- in the city o o o Brian H. mentioned: Striking EDF Power Utility Workers Cut Power to French Homes o o o Courtesy of Cheryl: Basics For The Beginning Gardener o o o When it comes to AR-15 uppers, I thought that I seen it all. There are barreled AR uppers on the market for everything from .22 LR , to 5.45x39 Russian, to 8mm Mauser Belt-Fed, to .50 Browning. But this crossbow upper surprised me. FWIW, there are a lot of things that I'd rather buy for $1,300. (A tip of the hat to Hawaiian K. for the link.) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday April 26 2009Odds 'n Sods:Hawaiian K. spotted this at Wired News: The Great Brazilian Sat-Hack Crackdown o o o Ben M. mentioned that the NTIS is having an unusual clearance sale on some government publications. o o o o o o Be sure to bookmark www.GunBlogs.org. They do a great job of aggregating content from a wide array of firearms blogs. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday April 25 2009Odds 'n Sods:Several readers sent links to articles about a new H1N1-series variant swine flu, including this AP wire service article: Flu epidemic prompts Mexico City to suspend all school, university classes, as strain studied. The death count in Mexico is now up to 61. A follow-up article included this troubling tidbit: "Scientists said the virus combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans in a way researchers have not seen before." If the number of reported cases expands geometrically and the fatality rate is significant, then take the appropriate precautions. Of course, most SurvivalBlog readers already have deep larders and are well prepared to hunker down to avoid casual contact. o o o Speaking of influenza,"Texas Gal in Oregon" recommended a "stay at home" influenza preparedness guide published at the Nez Perce, County, Idaho web site. OBTW, it might be prudent to take the time to re-read my background article on flu self-quarantine and other precautions: Protecting Your Family From an Influenza Pandemic o o o o o o News from Wisconsin: CCRKBA
Calls Milwaukee, Wisconsin Police Chief's Remarks ‘Outrageous’ (Any
bets on whether the police chief « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday April 24 2009Odds 'n Sods:Mat found a great Swiss
Army Knife Forum, devoted to collecting and modifying the Großvater of
all survival tools. The Swiss
Army Knife Commander Zero has some interesting commentary on the current shortage of ammunition, magazines, and primers: 1994 Versus Now. JWR's comment: Commander Zero's observations are spot on. It may be years before manufacturers catch up with demand, and by then, the legislative landscape may have shifted. We may see substantially higher taxes on guns, gun parts, ammo, and reloading components. Never underestimate the ability of politicians to serve themselves a big slice of pie, whenever they see a prosperous market. In my estimation, the greatest gains will be in prices for full capacity (11+ round) magazines, since there is a very high likelihood of a "high capacity" ban. There will still be guns manufactured that can accept full capacity magazines, but only neutered 10 round magazines will be legal to manufacture. The law of supply and demand dictates that magazine prices will rise. (All the buyers of those new guns will want to buy at least one full capacity magazine, and probably several.) It will be 1994 all over again, but this time without a 10 year "Sunset" clause. So it not unrealistic to expect to see 33 round Glock magazines selling for $200+ in just a few years. o o o Yet another journalist has asked for interviews of SurvivalBlog readers. If you live within 60 miles of Nashville, Tennessee, take note: A Religion reporter with The Tennessean would like to talk with you. His emphasis for the article will be on how Christians approach survivalism. Contact: Bob Smietana. Phone: 615-259-8228 Or e-mail: bsmietana@tennessean.com. (The usual OPSEC rules apply...) o o o Allan S. found this Australian web page instructive: The Food "Lifeboat": Food and nutrition considerations in the event of a pandemic or other catastrophe. (Don't forget the Vegemite!) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday April 23 2009Odds 'n Sods:Several items of gun news were sent to us by Cheryl: Firearm Sales Surging Since Obama's Election -- Gun Ownership Growing, Following National Trends -- Shortage of Guns, Ammo Reported o o o Cheryl also mentioned an interesting piece over at Steve Quayle's site: Raising Catfish In A Barrel o o o Some encouraging news: Gary in Montana mentioned that the recently-enacted "Made in Montana" Federal gun law exemption (Montana HB 246), is now being emulated in two other state legislatures: Alaska HB 186 and Texas HB 1863. I expect this trend to continue, especially in southern and western states. In my estimation Wyoming, Idaho, South Dakota, and Utah are the next states most likely to enact similar legislation. o o o Canned Ham, Going Once, Going Twice: The Rise In Grocery Auctions « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday April 22 2009Odds 'n Sods:Even the leftist San Francisco Chronicle couldn't deny the good news
is a recent 9th Circuit Court decision: Citizens
can challenge state, local gun laws. (Thanks to Skip for the link.) And
speaking of guns, don't miss this analysis of current events, over
at Tamara's blog: Some
more ruminations on the ammo shortage. Thanks to KAF for finding this: Gun foes fight over assault weapons. o o o JHB recommended this: Taking a close look at Facebook. JHB's comment: "Don’t be paranoid but you are being watched." o o o FerFAL has published a survival manual based on his experience in Argentina's economic crisis. It is available as a "print on demand" book from Lulu.com. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday April 21 2009Odds 'n Sods:W. in Washington recommended this blog site: Little House in the Suburbs o o o "Goff" sent an item from a Bangor, Maine newspaper: Firepower Fever; Worried about how gun laws might change, some enthusiasts stock up and local suppliers feel the heat o o o Fred the Valmetmeister notes: "The market for [reloading] primers is so scary. Take a look at the auctions at GunBroker.com and go to the reloading section. Look at the auctions for primers! For example: [cases of] 5,000 CCI Large Pistol primers for $340! I now see single boxes [of 1,000 primers selling] for $71 each, not including shipping. Even the prices for small pistol primers are out of sight. This market is insane." o o o « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday April 20 2009Odds 'n Sods:Hawaiian K. sent us the link to a video clip showing the Mexican
Back-Country Improvised Method
of
Tire
Bead Sealing. Don't try this at home! (This method can leave un-burned explosive
gasses
inside your tire, not to mention remove your eyebrows in a flash, even if you
try to be careful!) From Cheryl (aka The Economatrix) Guns: A Better Buy Than Stock o o o Writing in The Washington Times, Ollie North asks: Who are dangerous 'extremists'? (Thanks to KAF for the link.) o o o Our Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson sent us links to two pieces from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) on expected wheat prices: Wheat prices to rise--bad crops in US, China, India, and Consequences of Higher Input Costs and Wheat Prices for U.S. Wheat Producers. Stock up! « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday April 19 2009Odds 'n Sods:Warning: Don't exhale, folks! The new and improved Obama-era EPA has declared carbon dioxide a "greenhouse gas". Next, I suppose they'll declare dihydrogen monoxide "a powerful unregulated universal chemical solvent." o o o Reader KAF flagged this: A cure for [honeybee] colony collapse--New research has proposed both a concrete cause for bee colony collapse disorder, as well as a cure o o o KAF also sent a link to the latest commentary by political pundit Victor Davis Hanson: President of the World--The globe is hearing a deeply pessimistic view of what America was and is. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday April 18 2009Odds 'n Sods:Layoffs
begin at ammo plant. This article illustrates the inherent boneheaded
stupidity of central planning. This decision was made four years ago.But
now, with both civilian and military demand
for ammunition soaring, they are closing a plant. (A tip of the hat to Florida
Guy, for the link.) California: High-Capacity Magazines in the Crosshairs! Senate Bill 776, sponsored by Democrat State Senator Loni Hancock, has been introduced in Sacramento. "The bill has been assigned to the Senate Public Safety Committee and could be heard on Tuesday, April 21 or Tuesday, April 28. Simply put, SB776 would mandate the registration of all magazines capable of holding more than ten rounds of ammunition. The possession of unregistered magazines would be a crime and punishable up to a year in prison. It is critical that California gun owners voice their opposition to SB776." Apparently, the existing law (that prohibited Californians from acquiring 11+ round magazines after December 31, 1999.) What do you want to be that the California legislature is going to mandate a 2-inch long bar-coded sticker on each magazine or "feeding device", and a fee to register each item?. And, BTW, don't bother trying to explain disintegrating link ammunition belts to these pointed-headed no-nothing do-gooders. (Yes, in California, a belt assembled from more that 10 links is considered a "high capacity feeding device.") o o o Jay Sekulow speaks out about pro-life groups being whitewashed as extremists and and potential terrorists in the leaked DHS report:: "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment". That report, that I flagged as gray propaganda, back on April 13th, also tarnished the image of Constitutionalists, gun owners, and returning war veterans. o o o Here is the latest publishing news on my novel "Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse": Amazon com currently has 13,000 copies on order, to keep up with demand. Meanwhile, Barnes & Noble is ordering another 10,000 copies to be ready for a special "front of the store table" promotion, around Father's Day. By April 28th--only three weeks after formal release--there will be 40,000 copies of the Ulysses Press edition in print! (The most recent print order was for another 20,000 copies.) And lastly, it looks like a major New York publishing firm will soon be inking a deal for two sequel novels. Many thanks to everyone for making "Patriots" such a huge success! « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday April 17 2009Odds 'n Sods:Cheryl sent this: It's Possible: Imagine No Phone, Food, Fuel o o o Larry W. notes: Montana's Governor has now signed HB 246 the "Made in Montana" exemption law. It is pretty cool how this law classifies "sound suppressors" as mere "accessories." Presumably, after October 1, 2009, this mean there will be no Federal $200 transfer tax applicable on a Montana-made sound suppressor "accessory" unless or until it is transferred out of Montana! o o o Florida Guy sent this from The Wall Street Journal: Gun and Ammo Sales are Shooting Up « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday April 16 2009Odds 'n Sods: Cheryl sent us two items on the continuing big sales runs on guns, ammunition,
reloading
components,and magazines: The
New US Arms Race: Americans stick
to
their guns as firearms sales soar and Guns
And Ammo Availability Overview. JWR Adds: OBTW, I was pleasantly
surprised to see that
Mr. Herman included
a mention of my novel "Patriots" o o o Reader Rob A. sent some more insanity from Nanny State Britannia: Family of father stabbed to death by three thugs is denied compensation... because he tried to fight back o o o "Snow Hater" sent this: Rampaging Buffalo Killed with a .223 Carbine. Snow Hater's comment: "A St. Joseph, Michigan police officer was able to dispatch a 400 pound buffalo with is AR-15 patrol carbine. It took 12 rounds through the chest and dropped 10 feet from the officer." JWR's comment: Awwww! At just 400 pounds, the poor thing was just a little baby calf! If it had been an adult bull, it might have taken several rounds of .308 to do the job. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday April 15 2009Odds 'n Sods: Jasper sent this from the Sydney Morning Herald: Warning
that Pakistan is in danger of collapse within months. The prospect of a country
armed with nuclear bombs
falling to
Islamic
extremists
is troubling,
to say the least! Cheryl flagged this: Why You Should Carry a Gun o o o HPD sent and item from the Bangor [Maine] Daily News: Woodworker crafts furniture to die for. HPD's comment: "Do-it-yourself funerals at home will be a necessity in a TEOTWAWKI situation." o o o Texas Governor Perry Backs Resolution Affirming Texas’ Sovereignty Under 10th Amendment. (A tip of the ten-gallon cowboy hat to Larry B. for the link.) In other state sovereignty news, Montana's HB 246 (the "made in Montana" exemption gun law, a.k.a. the "Montana Firearms Freedom Act") passed by the Montana House and Senate--now before the Governor for signature. And yet another sovereignty bill passed in Idaho and is awaiting that state's Governor. (Thanks to Larry W. up in Montana for the link.) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday April 14 2009Odds 'n Sods:M.P. suggested a web site that describes an innovative self-watering and water efficient tomato growing system. "It is estimated that this system uses 75% less water than in-ground planting, a potentially huge benefit when the power goes out for good. Plans for building the device are given in both PDF and video format." o o o Signs of the times: Reader Andy H. sent us this excerpt from the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) Bulletin:
o o o KAF spotted this at CNN: Poll: Fewer Americans support stricter gun control laws « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday April 13 2009Odds 'n Sods:Chester sent us the link to his "must watch" video Real Gunfighter Lance Thomas on Justice Files. The lessons to be learned: If you live in a bad neighborhood, then relocate, as soon as possible. But regardless, get the best self defense tools and training that you can afford. o o o Bill Six spotted this: 'Open season' declared on Mason Co. criminals o o o F.R. forwarded a link to a masterful piece of gray propaganda: Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment. Its liberal bias is subtle but is a consistent drumbeat throughout the document. The authors appear to be in the Extremism and Radicalization Branch, Homeland Environment Threat Analysis Division (a cell within the Intelligence & Analysis (I&A) Branch of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)), but I suspect that much of the content was outsourced. The authors made only a few factual errors (such as referring to same-sex marriage as a "radicalizing" issue in the 1990s--it wasn't actually an issue until it was first legislated in Massachusetts in 2001.) But they have obviously fully embraced the innuendos, half truths, and urban mythos promulgated by leftist "watchdog" groups such as the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the Center for New Community, and the Center for Democratic Renewal. It is sad to see public officials either duped by leftist pressure groups, or willingly co-opted because of their own political bias. If the report were actually fair and balanced, then it would have analyzed both the "rightwing" threat and leftists. (Other DHS I&A Branch publications such as the Domestic Extremism Digest have shown far less bias in the past.) But to the authors of this new report, and to those of their ilk, hard core conservatives are "radicals", while assorted hard core left wingers are merely "activists.") The only thing worse than a smear campaign is a subtle smear campaign. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday April 11 2009Odds 'n Sods: DD forwarded this link, from MSN: Five foods that are cheaper to grow From Cheryl: Ammo Shortages Have Police Scrambling for Sufficient Rounds o o o More news for the Whack 'n Stack tally: Armed Ohio couple stops home robbers o o o M.O.B. sent this: Feinstein will not pursue assault weapons ban for now. Is this supposed to give me a warm, fuzzy feeling? Rather, it strikes me more like a "Hitler plans to stop his army's advance at The Sudetenland For Now" sorta news story. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday April 10 2009Odds 'n Sods:For the past month, I've been monitoring a great new open-source intelligence blog that is available to the public. Be sure to bookmark it! o o o Dale Williams, the host of a popular conservative talk radio show in Salt Lake City has started to put his show archives online at Free West Radio. (One of JWR's interviews is archived there.) o o o Cheryl sent this: TWIC--A Backdoor Real ID Card o o o Reader MMJ recommended this article on solar ovens « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday April 9 2009Odds 'n Sods: M.R.L. sent us a link to some
fascinating details on the 1859 Carrington Solar Storm event, and some dire
predictions for future similar events. Rob B. was the first of several SurvivalBlog readers that sent us this: [Low path] Bird flu found on Kentucky poultry farm Expert says strain poses little risk to humans; 20,000 chickens euthanized o o o o o o Feld sent us this: Pelosi pledges compromise on assault weapons ban. Translation from the Inside-The-Beltway Lingo: "Compromise = For now, we only plan to take away some of your God-given rights." I can only ask: What part of "...shall not be infringed" don't the congresscritters understand? « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday April 8 2009Odds 'n Sods:Italy quake toll rises amid hunt for victims o o o Michael H. suggested stockpiliing some candy, as a small supplement to a family food storage program--just as a bit of psychological first aid. (In my experience, hard candy such as lemon drops have the best storage life.) o o o Cheryl (the Economatrix) recommended this article: Survivalists 2.0: Regular people get ready for the worst « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday April 7 2009Odds 'n Sods:Army Fields New [Thermal and Light Amplification] Night Vision Goggles o o o DGT sent this news headline from Nanny State Britannia: Personal web data to be stored for a year, New law forces service providers to record all your calls and emails o o o Tom T. recommended this Bible-based lecture series: The Men's Fraternity. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday April 6 2009Odds 'n Sods:David B. sent this from a Texas newspaper: Dallas-Fort Worth's 'modern survivalists' are ready for layoffs -- or war o o o After an 18 year hiatus, during which prices rose from $700 to $4,000, the Steyr AUG A3 has finally hit the US market in a rail-topped US-made variation. The first few have already been popping up on Buddy's Board and GunBroker.com. My advice: By one or more, if only as an investment. There may be very few sold before another Federal "assault on our rights" ban is enacted, and hence they will likely double in price. o o o Reader SF in Hawaii notes: "With the revelation that the murderer in Binghamton, New York wore a bulletproof vest, expect to see legislation making them illegal for new sales to private citizens. If you haven't done so already, go to BulletProofME.com and get one for every member of your family or survival team." « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday April 5 2009Odds 'n Sods:From Cheryl: 2012 May Bring the Perfect Storm: Solar Flares, Systems Collapse o o o Oni sent us a link to a follow-up story about those $20 gold pieces is Utah: Woman suspected of stealing gold coins arrested. So now the sin count is up to three: A bank teller's covetousness, FDR's grand larceny, and a woman's thievery. o o o Canada Moves to End Gun Control, Calling it an Ineffective Measure Against Crime. (Thanks to KT for the link.) o o o Fitzy in Pennsylvania mentioned this YouTube video clip from a very bright young man in Alaska: Reginald's DEMCAD Show: The Preparation Movement. Please help bring him up to speed. His heart is in the right place. If he e-mails me his address, I'd like to mail him a complimentary copy of my novel. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday April 4 2009Odds 'n Sods:Ah-ha! Just as I suspected: The Myth of 90 Percent: Only a Small Fraction of Guns in Mexico Come From U.S. (Thanks to Ryan at the TSLRF blog for the link.) o o o From Cheryl:: There Was Ammo on These Shelves... o o o Bill N. flagged this: Conservative activists detained and harassed by TSA for merely carrying cash « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday April 3 2009Odds 'n Sods:G.G. was the first of more than ten readers that sent this article from The
Detroit News: To
urban hunter, next meal is scampering by, about a 69-year old retiree who
hunts raccoons for a living in Detroit. Her is a quote: "Today
people got no skill and things is getting worse. What people gonna do? They
gonna eat each other up is what they gonna do." D.S. sent us this link, on how farmers made tools over 100 years ago. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday April 2 2009Odds 'n Sods: Reader MPS in Nevada sent this: The True Queen of Frugal SurvivalBlog's Editor-at-Large, Michael Z. Williamson's latest science fiction
novel, Contact
with Chaos o o o I just heard that Sturm Ruger is now producing 30-round Mini-14 magazines, available to the general public. Ruger's sales of 20-rounders, since they were reintroduced a few months ago, have been very brisk. I expect the 30-rounders will sell out very quickly, and prices will gallop. So stock up! As most Mini-14 owners know, only the factory magazines have sufficient reliability for self-defense shooting. Avoid the aftermarket junk! o o o The latest from Nanny State Britannia: Woman who plays classical music to soothe horses told to get licence « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday April 1 2009Odds 'n Sods:Cheryl (aka The Economatrix) found this: Demand for Ammo is Causing Supply Shortages o o o Tamara, in her View From the Porch blog had some biting criticism of the Flint, Michigan mayor's suggestion that abandonded neighborhoods be cordoned off and denied police and fire department protection o o o Collecting Rain Water is Now Legal in Colorado. (Thanks to John L. for the link.) o o o Damon sent this article: Sen. Kerry makes push for tighter gun control. My question: If these AKs are being bought at American gun shops and gun shows, then why is it that so many of the AKs seized were manufactured as selective fire (full auto)? They are aren't made that way for the US market. Obviously, someone with a poltical agenda is playing games with the statistics. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday March 31 2009Odds 'n Sods:Our Editor at Large, Michael Z. Williamson, sent us a news story of Nanny State Britannia Run Amok. I was dumbfounded by the descriptions of police holding back neighbors that wanted to bring ladders to rescue the family. This is the same country where homeowners have been charged with felonies for defending their own homes from armed intruders. The whole "only trained professionals" mindset infuriates me. It diverges 180 degrees from the Rawlesian Survivalist view. I believe that all adult citizens should be prepared, trained, willing, and able, to act promptly and decisively in emergencies. Seeing this article reminded me to repeat my advice to SurvivalBlog readers in the UK: Take the Gap! Emigrate to the United States or New Zealand, as soon as possible. Living in England is for all intents and purposes a lost cause for preparedness-minded families. In a societal collapse, only criminals and a much smaller number of police will be armed. The majority of the citizenry will be grossly under-armed and hence at the mercy of the thugs. It will be a very dangerous place to live! o o o BeverlyHillbilly was browsing around a earthbag building web site and its blogs, and was captivated. "They claim is that earthbag structures are bullet resistant, highly insulated and very adaptable. This should be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers." o o o "Tanker" notes that it is interesting to see practical articles like this one on freezers showing up on the front page of Marketwatch. o o o Reader F.J. recommended the book The
Scavengers' Manifesto « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday March 30 2009Odds 'n Sods:Semper Cynicus sent us this gem: Chechen soldiers' Flinstonian phone charger. My father's often quoted the old "Dollars to Sweat Ratio". Assuming that hand tools were used, this is obviously a prime example of the "high sweat" end of the scale! o o o I just heard that Ready Made Resources. now has just nine of the Warrior Aid and Litter Kits left on hand. If you need one of these very comprehensive medic kits for your retreat, order it soon! o o o From FloridaGuy: Urban coyote attacks on the rise, alarming residents o o o Thanks to DD for this news article link: Mount Redoubt eruption provides lessons in survival « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday March 29 2009Odds 'n Sods:John C. set this this from Yahoo's Green Home page: Twelve amazing shipping container houses o o o Reader Rick D.sent this about detergent smugglers Spokane residents smuggle suds over green brands o o o From FloridaGuy: More and more city folk are raising chickens o o o Also from FloridaGuy: Toy-gun sales ban advances to Arkansas House. FloridaGuy's comment: "'Your sons will play with dolls.' This is just more nanny-state foolishness." « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday March 28 2009Odds 'n Sods:In the "Why am I Not Surprised?" Department: Clinton targets assault weapons. "US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she'll be arguing for tougher gun controls as part of efforts to help Mexico fight violent drugs cartels." Okay, so let me get this straight: Hitlery says that we should give up our Second Amendment rights in order to stop drug gangs from misusing guns in Mexico. What is next? Giving up our First Amendment rights, in order to stop libel and slander in Canada? (They might use American-made typewriters and bullhorns, dontcha-know...) OBTW, here is the none-too-subtle spin on this invented topic, from CBS. (BTW, I used to call CBS the "Rather Biased network." Dan Rather is gone, but the bias is obviously still there.) o o o And speaking of Mexico: Glenn Beck says Mexico may trigger an American collapse (Hat tip to E.L.) o o o The New California Gold Rush: Modern-day gold diggers party like it's 1849 « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday March 27 2009Odds 'n Sods:Cheryl noticed this over at Steve Quayle's site: Growing Food in Times of Scarcity o o o Thanks to regular content contributor HPD for sending this: America's Abandoned Cities o o o Vasiilly e-mailed me to mention the Still Tasty web site, where there is lots of data on the shelf lives of various foods. o o o Currie sent a link to an interesting PDF at a web site in Canada that describes how to used cooking oil for fuel. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday March 26 2009Odds 'n Sods:Just when you thought that you had all the eventualities covered: Komodo dragons kill Indonesian fisherman. (A hat tip to Tamara's View From The Porch blog, for the link.) o o o I was recently contacted by a producer with GRB Entertainment. She wrote: "We are currently looking for a travel expert/adventurer/survivalist who might be interested in hosting a television series. We need someone who is very outgoing and social while also having knowledge in survivalist skills. They can have a military background or just knowledge in the field and we're preferably looking for a male around the age of 35. They mist be very charismatic with the ability to travel and "survive" or show survival skills in remote locations throughout the world. Camera friendly but knowledgeable in the field." Contact: Anna Stopper. E-mail showrunner09@gmail.com JWR Adds: I'm sure that someone that reads SurvivalBlog will be a perfect match. Serious enquiries only, please. OBTW, I'll provide the hat. o o o FFF sent this: Thrifty shoppers ‘Sold!’ on grocery auctions o o o By popular demand, the folks at Everlasting Seeds (one of our advertisers) have introduced a new Medicinal Herb Garden in a Can product. It is offered either with or without a length of Goldenseal rhizome. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday March 25 2009Odds 'n Sods:Thanks to Cheryl (aka The Economatrix) for sending this: How To Grow Strawberries At Home To Start Your Victory Garden o o o The current huge popularity of gardening books (like the Square
Foot Gardening o o o KT sent this: You and I Can't Buy the Guns Mexican Cartels Own: The Administration is Not Dealing Straight With Us on Mexico's Gun Problem o o o Also courtesy of Cheryl: How to Find Free Stuff « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday March 24 2009Odds 'n Sods:Shades of The
Magnificent Seven o o o JRH Enterprises is running another great sale on brand new AN/PVS-14 (Generation 3) night vision goggles. These are the genuine article! o o o Alaskan volcano Mount Redoubt erupts. To my readers in Alaska and northern Canada: Got plenty of spare air filters for your vehicles? You may need them! ("Panic now, and beat the rush.") o o o The recent tragic death of several Oakland, California police officers illustrates that criminals don't obey gun laws. (The shooter, Lovelle Mixon, was a paroled felon.) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday March 23 2009Odds 'n Sods:Reader Kevin A. notes that the recent "Do it to save Mexico" spin on civilian disarmament proposals is still being touted: California Senator Diane Feinstein Urges Tougher Gun Laws to Prevent Mexico Violence o o o An old friend of mine sent this: EBay's Omidyar: Obama-backing Hamas-talking billionaire in Hawaii, expecting disaster o o o Reader Greg I. mentioned that he just got one of these fashion statements. (See today's Quote of the Day.) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday March 22 2009Odds 'n Sods:Reader Mike S. sent this: Gun sales going ballistic: Fears of regulation, crime spur sales of firearms and ammo. Here is an important paragraph was buried near the end of the article: "One northern Warren County resident found out recently the government is paying attention to such ammunition sales. West said a customer of his recently stocked up on .223-caliber rounds, a caliber often used in assault-style weapons. The customer bought 1,000 rounds a few months ago through a mail order company. Shortly after the purchase, he received a visit from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, whose interest was apparently piqued by a large-scale purchase of that caliber." Think OPSEC, folks, especially if you live in one of the more populous gun-grabbing Nanny States! o o o French-speaking SurvivalBlog readers may be interested in this blog: Réseau de préparation et prévention du Québec. o o o Brett noticed this article: Texas county plans to deal with unthinkable « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday March 21 2009Odds 'n Sods:Several readers sent us this:White House to break ground on 'kitchen garden' SurvivalBlog reader Don W. quipped: "Hey, they already have the guns and the gold. And that Marine [One] helicopter makes one heck of a Get Out of Dodge vehicle." o o o From Markku: FCC raids gang-sponsored pirate radio station in Florida o o o So much for CCW in National Parks: (Thanks to Bill N. for the link.) o o o From reader FloridaGuy: San Diego [California] Police Fear Growing Number of Activists Carrying Guns Openly. California's quirky open carry law dates back to the late 1960s when the Black Panthers marched armed through the California Capitol building. The legislature acted quickly, banning open carry within incorporated areas. Enforcement of the law has been un-even, with some law enforcement officers misinterpreting and over-applying the law, especially in the more populous counties. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday March 20 2009Odds 'n Sods:Hawaiian K. and Chris were the first of several readers to mention an article about statist politics: Who owns Colorado's rainwater? (In Hawaii, where rainwater catchment is the norm, a law like that would probably trigger a revolt.) o o o HPD spotted this: Catastrophic Fall in 2009 Global Food Production o o o Perhaps there are few survival nuggets in a news article on the life of Popcorn Sutton, a moonshiner from Maggie Valley, North Carolina.(A tip of the hat to Matt H., for the link.) Judging from his picture, who would have ever guessed that he was secretly a moonshiner? o o o Markku sent the link to this photo essay: Scenes from the recession. (Don't miss photo #31, "The Gold Party") « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday March 19 2009Odds 'n Sods:Some good news! The US military's "fired brass destruction" policy change turned out to be very short-lived. It has just been reversed. To begin with, the policy change was intended only for military brass that is OCONUS, not in CONUS. (If you have a fast Internet connection, then see this PDF., but was apparently over-applied ) I also got some information from Gary Marbut, president of the Montana Shooting Sports Association (by way of a SurvivalBlog reader up in Montana): "I just received a phone call from the office of U.S. Senator Tester of Montana to inform me that at 5:15 (EST) today [Tuesday, March 17th] a letter cosigned by Senator Tester (D-MT) and Senator Baucus (D-MT) was faxed to the Department of Defense asking DoD to reverse its new policy requiring destruction of fired military cartridge brass. At 5:30, I am told, Tester's office received a fax back from DoD saying that the brass destruction policy IS reversed. Others report to me that they are already seeing evidence of this on the Websites of entities that liquidate surplus DoD commodities. Our thanks go out to Senator Tester and Senator Baucus, and their staff, for getting on this problem promptly and making the reversal happen." o o o Ready Made Resources just got in another small batch of 1000-foot long rolls of WF-16/U (2-pair) commo wire.This type of wire is fairly scarce on the surplus market. It can be used with TA-1s, TA-312s, and the newer TA-1042 (DNVT) digital field telephones. o o o The UK television series Survivors is moving filming location to Birmingham for Season 2. (What is unspoken in the cheery article is that Birmingham is an industrial city with portions in advanced decay, making a good post-apocalyptic backdrop.) o o o "D" found a web site on non-electric cooling and refrigeration. The site also has some solid information on drip irrigation. D.'s comment: "I find it ironic that we teach people in Africa these technologies and yet there is such a paucity of these skills here at home." « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday March 18 2009Odds 'n Sods: Last year, I featured a link to the
captivating website of a retiree that had custom-built a horse-drawn "RV". I
just heard that he had an
unfortunate accident. Prayers,
please. From Cheryl: Many People are Raising Their Own Food to Save o o o Our friend Bob in Tennessee mentioned a piece at the WRSA site, titled: Peggy Noonan Goes Doomer. The article references this article in The Wall Street Journal: There's No Pill for This Kind of Depression o o o Skip flagged this: Gun Advocates Ready for Battle on Federal Assault Weapons Ban « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday March 17 2009Odds 'n Sods:I had this piece from Cheryl slated for the Economics section, but I decided to move it down to Odds 'n Sods since it is related to practical preparedness: Dollars From Dirt: Economy Spurs Home Garden Boom o o o From Paul in Kentucky: World Demand for Safe Drinking Water is Rising, U.N. Warns o o o The Los Angeles Times profiles Neil Strauss, the author of a new book on preparedness: What's new now: He's ready for emergencies. o o o Several readers forwarded me the link to this article on the erosion of free speech « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday March 16 2009Odds 'n Sods:Germ Warfare Guru Goes Free, Why did Malaysia release Al Qaeda's bioweapons expert? (Thanks to DD for the link) o o o The folks at SafeCastle have added four sizes of the eminently practical Bury 'Em Tubes to their product line. Safecastle Royal club members get 20% off, as usual--and shipping is free. o o o N. in Michigan sent this: Gold For Bread - Zimbabwe o o o And to close with a bit of humor, Shopping in Texas? « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday March 15 2009Odds 'n Sods:Given the current ammunition and reloading components shortage in the US, this news couldn't have come at a worse time: "Effective immediately DOD Surplus, LLC, will be implementing new requirements for mutilation of fired shell casings. The new DRMS requirement calls for DOD Surplus personnel to witness the mutilation of the property and sign the Certificate of Destruction. Mutilation of the property can be done at the DRMO, if permitted by the Government, or it may be mutilated at a site chosen by the buyer. Mutilation means that the property will be destroyed to the extent prevents its reuse or reconstruction. DOD Surplus personnel will determine when property has been sufficiently mutilated to meet the requirements of the Government." This means that commercial reloaders will no longer have access to reloadable military surplus brass! o o o I warned you, folks! AR-10 magazines are now pushing $90 each. o o o Reader A.W. sent us two links on nut huskers/shellers: Where to buy one, factory made, and how to make your own (from Instructables) o o o KAF sent this from the Protein Wisdom blog: You'll get my heirloom tomatoes when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday March 14 2009Odds 'n Sods:Kurt sent this: What sells in a recession. Kurt's comment: "Hmmm, canning and freezing supplies up 11.5%. Maybe some of the sheeple are waking up." o o o Simon in England suggested this: "Jericho" gets second life -- as comic book. Meanwhile, there is still talk of a Jericho feature film. (You can read the latest gossip at this fan site.) o o o Responding to my recent mention of creative "bumper attachments" that fit is standard receiver hitch channels, Johnny Utah mentioned this none-too-subtle novelty accessory. o o o « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday March 13 2009Odds 'n Sods:Rob C. sent us a bit of good news: Vehicular open-carry expanded in Utah. o o o HPD forwarded this item from Police State Britannia: Revealed: police databank on thousands of protesters o o o Appleseed shoots are ramping up! There are a huge number of "shoots" scheduled all around the nation, with many on our around Patriot's Day weekend (the weekend of April 19th). For example, Southern Arizona will be hosting its first ever Appleseed Shoot and Rifle Clinic.on April 25th and 26th, in Sierra Vista. The cost is $70 (pre-registered) for a two day rifle clinic and free for all children under 21, women, and active duty military. o o o Two recent news stories: Multiple deaths reported in Alabama shooting spree and After attacks, Europe hurries to tighten gun laws. Hmmm... why is it that when there is a "lone gunman on anti-depressants, run amok", the shooter so often ends up conveniently dead? Cui bono? Any bets on whether or not these events will be used will be used as a pretext to renew the 1994-to-2004 Federal "Assault" weapons and magazine ban? « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday March 12 2009Odds 'n Sods:Utah, Hawaii, Wyoming top 'happiness' poll (a hat tip to Michael H. for the link.) o o o The folks that operate CampingSurvival,com also host an amazing collection of first-hand survival narratives. I found that the one from Hurricane Rita provided a useful glimpse into human nature, en extremis. o o o OSOM mentioned a very good podcast on home defense at LewRockwell.com. o o o Thanks to GG for sending this: Seed companies have a bumper crop of customers « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday March 11 2009Odds 'n Sods:I just noticed that Atlas
Shrugged o o o Garret D. flagged this piece from Time: Another By-Product of the Recession: Ex-Convicts o o o The folks from CampingSurvival.com (one of our loyal advertisers) just launched a completely re-vamped web site. It is very easy to navigate. They have a very broad product line. Check it out! o o o Shawn tagged this: Robber shot and killed with his own gun in Sanpete County « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday March 10 2009Odds 'n Sods:More evidence that survivalism is going mainstream: Can you survive economic crisis?, Booming preparedness industry says Americans are stockpiling. (A tip of the hat to J.W.P. in California, who was the first of several readers to send that link.) o o o KAF sent the link to a captivating article at the Global Guerillas blog on the concept of Fictive Tribes. On an intellectual and philosophical level, Rawlesian survivalists are already a tribe. Sometimes it is something as subtle as a "thumbs up" sign when someone spots your SurvivalBlog hat or T-shirt at a gun show. But often it is something much more. Clearly, we share a transcendent and kindred bond. o o o Our Editor at Large, Mike Williamson, sent this: "I can't help but notice.that the "Homeless" people pictured in this article are particularly well fed. Only in America." o o o Jen dropped us a line: "On my homeschool list, discussion came up as to how much to plant in a garden to supply a family. Someone posted this chart, which I think is useful. It helps to think about growing things this way, and not as 'how many 6packs should I buy from the garden store'." « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday March 9 2009Odds 'n Sods:FloridaGuy sent this data point: Church pastor killed during service o o os Rex mentioned the pending "Food Modernization Act" which makes it a crime to refuse entry to government inspectors if you own "any farm, ranch, orchard, vineyard, aquaculture facility, or confined animal-feeding operation." Rex's comment: I especially like the wording that allows them to conduct monitoring and surveillance of animals, plants, products, or the environment, as appropriate.' I had first assumed this was some sort of nutty Nanny-State bill that would die a quick death, but it has 39 co-sponsors!" o o o Referring to the "official " climate data, Katie in Wyoming wrote to mention: "I talked to my grandmother about our local growing season. We are tucked up right next to the mountains in Buffalo, Wyoming. When I mentioned the number 147 days, she smiled and said, "Plan on 92 and if we get 147 thank God for His grace." o o o Amanda sent us this troubling newspaper article from Canada: Baxter: Product contained live bird flu virus. (This "product" is used to make human vaccines!) « Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday March 8 2009Odds 'n Sods:Adam W. suggested this bit of preparedness humor from Germany: Urban Camouflage o o o Dale B. found this: How safe is your safe deposit box? And speaking of bank boxes, Dale also found in the UK's Sun newspaper: £2.5bn safety deposit box raid o o o Ben in Nevada spotted a good deal on Blackheart AR-15 magazines. o o o Edward K. mentioned a piece over at the Alpha Rubicon site on how to make cloth maps for G.O.O.D. purposes. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday March 7 2009Odds 'n Sods:Luddite Jean, reporting from Nanny State Britannia, tells us that eBay.UK and eBay Ireland are banning most knife sales, starting March 10th. The only exception will be some kitchen cutlery. (But not any sharp, pointy knives, those might be dangerous!) The logic of this move escapes me. Ostensibly, this is being done "...to help further protect our members..." So henceforth, law-abiding Englishmen will have to rely on just ASBOs and harsh language to fend off the yobs. o o o J. in Northern California sent us this link to articles on some huge prisoner releases caused by the state budget crisis: from a Sacramento television news station, and from a newspaper in San Francisco. o o o Are you a doctor? Then this might be of interest: Towers Productions is currently looking for a doctor (a licensed M.D.) to host a new show that is in development. "Ideally, I am looking for a M.D. who enjoys traveling, has survival skills and a charismatic personality. The show will discuss basic health issues in different climates, so a well rounded knowledge of medicine and weather is great. No TV experience is necessary. The show is in development so nothing is set in stone" Contact: Becky Cattie, Casting Director Towers Productions. Phone: 312-993-1550 x 203. E-mail: becky.cattie@towersproductions.com o o o Don W. mentioned this piece that might seem humorous to some SurvivalBlog readers: Urban "Homesteading" in Pasedena « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday March 6 2009Odds 'n Sods:William B. alerted us to an economy story from South Korea that is actually
a preparedness story if you read between the lines: Empty
Containers Clog South Korea’s Busan Port
as Trade Slumps. We can safely conclude that it is just a matter
of time before the price of used CONEX
containers plummets. As previously noted in SurvivalBlog,
CONEXes have potential for aboveground storage, and even conversion into housing.
(On the
latter, just ask any returning
Iraq vet about "CHU" billets.)
OBTW, the ones to look for are they
type made with Corten
(aka "Weathering") steel. Just don't make the mistake of burying a
CONEX without first doing some serious engineering for load bearing and lateral
stresses.
They are not designed
to withstand
the weight of soil on their sides or roofs. (Most of their strength
is in their corners,
for stacking.). The latest essay from Bill Buppert: The Evil That Men Do: Willful Submission To Illegitimate Authority o o o Ben M. found this on: 'No proof' of bee killer theory. o o o Readers have been asking me for more light-hearted news, to counter all the economic gloomage. Well, here you go: The McNugget Emergency « Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday March 5 2009Odds 'n Sods:Christian homeschooling advocates step up their campaign, in a video appeal to have parents take their kids out of public schools: The Call to Dunkirk o o o Reader Jeff B. asked: "Have you addressed ATVs or especially side by side ATVs or even the more recent electric 'Buggys' and their pros/cons?" The Bad Boy Buggy is definitely a viable option for short distance hauling at a retreat with a large photovoltaic, wind, or micro-hydro alternative energy system. And an off-road suspension conversions to a used electric golf cart is a good low-cost alternative. Also, don't miss this article in the SurvivalBlog archives. In that piece, I stressed the need for fuel source versatility. Speaking of which, there are now some Utility ATVs made that burn diesel fuel! o o o Sean M. mentioned a do-it-yourself innovation from a gent in Norway: a rechargeable battery in a photovoltaic cell wrapper . Of course over-charging a battery is a concern, but this is clever. o o o From Cheryl: Obama Lied to Gun Owners « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday March 4 2009Odds 'n Sods:A gent in the Peak
Oil camp recently posted a
very interesting round-up review that compares James Howard Kunstler’s
novel World Made by Hand to several other post-collapse novels,
namely: Parable of the Sower, Lucifer’s
Hammer, The Road, Wolf and Iron, The Long Emergency (also
by Kunstler, non-fiction), and my novel Patriots o o o Upcoming hearings: A new NAIS legislative battle. Please contact your congresscritters if you are opposed to the NAIS universal livestock registration scheme! o o o SurvivalBlog readers in Scandinavia should have an interest in this regional blog: Att Leva Efter 2012 (in Swedish.) It may also be of interest to Swedish ex-pats. o o o Reader D.V. mentioned this from commentator Charles Hugh Smith: Hanging On, or How to Get Through a Depression and Enjoy Life « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday March 3 2009Odds 'n Sods:Rourke sent us this: An Asteroid Near Miss o o o OSOM recommended this review of Joseph Tainter's book The Collapse of Complex Societies. This squares nicely with my views on the complexity and fragility of our modern, highly technological society with long and vulnerable chains of supply. o o o Cheryl sent us this: Food for Guns in Dallas [JWR notes: Perhaps it would be better titled: "Trading Pottage for a Texas Birthright"] o o o Cheryl also flagged this: Nationwide Ammo Shortage Hits US « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday March 2 2009Odds 'n Sods:KAF forwarded this: Depression Cooking Teaches You to Cook Really, Really Cheaply o o o Ben B. sent this: Jim Rogers sees civil unrest in the US o o o A bit of food storage humor, courtesy of reader Larry T.: The "Worst Food Product Ever" May Have Been Found. Is it cheaper in case lots? ;-) o o o Fitzy in Pennsylvania flagged this Lou Dobbs Journal piece on CNN: 2nd Amendment Under Attack « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday March 1 2009Odds 'n Sods:Reader Bill N. asks: "Did you ever wonder what those markings spray-painted on doors by FEMA in New Orleans meant?" This PDF shows the codes. o o o BRB and Jim E. both mentioned a design for a ram (water-powered) water pump, over at the Instructables site. o o o Reader FS had this comment on the Obama administration's call to renew the 1994 gun and magazine ban: "So let's see if I understand this. Because Mexico can't keep it together, American's must disarm. If anything, having a violent and unstable neighbor is reason for our citizens to have more weapons, not less. Did you notice the association being made between grenades, machineguns and our semi-auto rifles? Their propaganda is getting rather transparent." o o o One bit of good news is that the Democrat leadership in both the Senate and House don't yet sound ready to reinstate the 1994 Federal Ban. My gut tells me that they will just wait until the next time some kid on Ritalin "goes postal." .God willing, gun and magazine makers a few more months of production to catch up on their order backlogs. Speaking of which: Sturm Ruger reports that they have built a $48 million order backlog. Some other backlog updates, at last report (some of these figures may be OBE): Rock River Arms: 12+ weeks on lower receivers and "much longer" for complete rifles, CMMG: 15+ weeks. Stag Arms: 20-to-25 weeks. Bushmaster: 16 weeks "and growing". The lists goes on and on. The key question: Can you find what you need to round-out your firearms battery before a new ban is enacted? My advice: Be willing to drive to long distances and dedicate some weekend to attend gun shows in your state. Bring plenty of greenbacks. (Buy "private party", if possible in your state!) Oh yes, and be sure to get plenty of spare top-quality magazines. If there is a ban, 11+ round magazines will become scarce and very expensive in the US. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday February 28 2009Odds 'n Sods:CIA and Pentagon Wonder: Could Mexico Implode? (A hat tip to Darin B. for the link.) o o o MP sent this: Recipes from The Great Depression. o o o Cheryl sent this: EMP Attack: Overlooked Catastrophe o o o Mrs. G. in Montana found a site that he thought would be of interest to the ladies: The Homemaker's Mentor. She notes: "I was looking for directions for dehydrating eggs and found a forum for a group of women who are striving for prepare for their families. Oh and speaking of the distaff viewpoint, also check out Betsy's writings over at Survival Lady. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday February 27 2009Odds 'n Sods:Susan Z. sent us this article about barter from Michael Panzner's blog: Cashless Improvisation o o o F.R. sent this: Brit Couple Saved After 40 Days Lost at Sea o o o The folks at Safecastle mentioned that their big 25% off sale on Mountain House canned long-term storage foods is underway. Safecastle Royal members who buy four cases or more (at 25% off and free shipping of course) get a free 35 gram pouch of CELOX traumatic wound coagulant. If they buy 12 cases or more, they get a CELOX pouch and an Optimus Crux lightweight backpacking stove (see further details at the manufacturer's web site), and they will receive rebate vouchers to use in subsequent transactions. o o o A reader in Hawaii wrote me to ask: "I want to buy a 3 in 1 machine. Does anyone have any experience with them? Perhaps a brand to recommend or stay away from?" JWR Adds: Since I don't have a background in machining, I'm hoping that someone knowledgeable will e-mail me with some recommendations. Up until last year, I probably would have recommended the Shopmaster. But they recently transitioned the new "Patriot" model, which ironically is made in Mainland China! To the best of my knowledge, all the 3-in-1 machines marketed by Harbor Freight are also made in China. Any suggestions, folks? « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday February 26 2009Odds 'n Sods:Reader E.L. recommended a series of five instructional videos available on YouTube. They explains the "why and how" of setting up ALICE web gear . o o o "FFF" suggested this article over at Backwoods Home magazine's web site: Ice Storm 2009: A Cautionary Tale o o o « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday February 25 2009Odds 'n Sods:Thanks to Bryce L. for sending this: Expert: Climate Change Could Mean 'Extended World War'. There is a huge divergence of opinion on this issue. But consider that even if there is no climate change, government over-reaction or misdirected "solutions" could cause some serious problems. o o o This is one of those risks' that I was warning about: Arkansas Times Publishes List of Arkansas State Concealed Carry Holders. (A hat tip to Scotty and Stacie in Arkansas for the link.) o o o Pete in Florida sent the link to this piece by Glenn Beck; We Surround Them - The Unveiling o o o Reader GRB mentioned that Cansolidators and Harvest canned food FIFO storage systems (recently reviewed by SurvivalBlog's Editor at Large, Mike Williamson) are available at a discount at Costco online. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday February 24 2009Odds 'n Sods:Heather flagged this for us: Sole
revival for cobblers. Heather asks: "Perhaps
this is a good Depression-proof trade to learn?" Reader "67" pointed me to HowAutoWork.com, a a site for learning the concepts and terminology of engines and motor vehicles. Knowing how a machine works is crucial to understanding repairs and maintenance. The site has detailed, informative, easy-to-grasp information. I'm bookmarking it for "curriculum enrichment" for my home-schooled kids. This sub-page on engine types is a good starting point. o o o Several readers sent us thi from Glenn Beck's site: The Survivors Club Quiz o o o Brian F. sent this news article from Alaska: If you're packing, flaunt it, group says « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday February 23 2009Odds 'n Sods:Reader S.H. notes: Many good lessons here in this outstanding photo-essay on the recent devastating Australian forest fires. There are definitely some lessons to be learned here in many of the aerial views burned homes and structures about defensible space and the repercussions of not evacuating when you should. Some of these pictures are rather sobering reminders of the power of fire. o o o I heard that for a limited time, Ready Made Resources is offering the Warrior Aid and Litter Kit at 40% off. This medic kit package includes a Talon II 90C folding handle collapsible litter, which normally retails for $560, just by itself. If you've been looking for a "full up" tactical trauma kit at a reasonable price, then this is it! o o o Several readers mentioned that they saw Glenn Beck's recent War Room television special edition on "worst case scenarios" for the near future. The first three segments are available on YouTube. Beck seemed flabbergasted by the two retired military men that spoke in favor of private citizen "Bubbas" standing up for the Constitution. (It was clear that Beck was expecting at least one of them to have a much different response.) OBTW, the show inspired a new discussion thread over at TMM. o o o SMC found this wee bit of Survival humor: Wondermark #491; In which Wendy is prepared « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday February 22 2009Odds 'n Sods:Jeff M. found this: Family of Four Trying to Live on $1,500 for the Year o o o The folks at CampingSurvival.com got creative and put together a fairly complete one year food storage system. including Yoder's canned meats and cheese. All you need to add is some cooking oil, a sprouting kit (or multivitamin tablets) and a couple of tubes of toothpaste! o o o KAF sent us: How to Build a Cold Smoker o o o Our Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson found this: Building a stick welder from an old microwave oven. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday February 21 2009Odds 'n Sods:LRG spotted this: Cave house for sale in Festus, Missouri o o o I just heard about another preparedness blog The Prudent Home. Check it out. o o o Oxy sent this: Scratch
Guadaloupe off the list of possible retreat locales. The JPFO's latest Talkin' to America show features and interview is with Mark Spungin, the author of "Neither Predator nor Prey". Mark's novel is about the reaction by a minute percentage of Wyoming gun owners to a nationwide ban and confiscation of firearms. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday February 20 2009Odds 'n Sods:SF in Hawaii found this fascinating web page about a secret underground ammunition factory built under the noses of British administrators in Palestine: The Ayalon Institute o o o I found these personal accounts captivating: Urban Survival Stories. o o o OSOM sent a link to this two-minute video clip: War Zone Detroit o o o Bob at Ready Made Resources mentioned that between now and March 7th, they can offer 215 watt REC (Norwegian) and Evergreen Solar (American) brand photovoltaic power panels an unprecedented cash price of just $3.75 per watt! (Plus shipping.) This is an amazing price, considering that the prevailing price is around $5 per watt plus shipping. When you consider the state solar power incentives, plus the new Federal tax credit incentive, this makes a PV power system quite affordable. Why buy a gas-guzzling generator with a service life of a few thousand hours, when you could buy PV panels to provide self-sufficient and dirt cheap power, lasting for decades? Call Ready Made Resources at 1(800) 627-3809 for the special pricing. See their web page for specifications. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Thursday February 19 2009Odds 'n Sods:FloridaGuy sent us this: Camera
convicted him but raised battle over privacy Paul A. spotted Las Vegas, Nevada article: Deadly home invasion near Lamb & Las Vegas Blvd. this is reminiscent of the Phoenix news clip that I featured last week. Gee, perhaps I ought to start a running tally. Here's a start: Armed Homeowners 2, Home Invaders: 0 o o o o o o A bit more of our privacy crumbles away: Anonymous Caller? New Service Says, Not Any More (A hat tip to KAF for the link.) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Wednesday February 18 2009Odds 'n Sods:Bob A. sent us a link to a
bit of Climate Change humor to cheer us up in the
midst of all this depression talk. JS sent us this cool link: The supergun that kills from a mile - and the camouflaged crackshots using it against the Taliban o o o KAF flagged this thought-provoking piece in the Effect Measure blog: Fort Detrick stands up by standing down o o o Justice prevails! West Allis man not guilty in open carry gun case. (KAF also sent that link. Thanks!) JWR's suggestion: Mr. Krause set a real Rosa Parks-style precedent. Let's make the next Arbor Day into Open Carry Arbor Day. If hundreds of thousands of Americans all carry holstered pistols while planting trees in their front yards, someone just might take notice. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Much like a muscle that atrophies with disuse, any right that goes unexercised for many years devolves into a privilege, and eventually can even be redefined as a crime. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Tuesday February 17 2009Odds 'n Sods:My old friend Fred the Valmetmeister sent us a "signs of the times" piece: For many Idahoans, better a trailer home than no home o o o I was sad to hear that Mickey Creekmore is ceasing new posts to his blog, in order to concentrate on a new hard-copy newsletter. I wish him the best with his new venture. o o o Greg mentioned a useful table on Firewood Ratings and Information, published by the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory. Greg notes: "With all the "fire" wood down in the recent ice and wind storms this appears to be a helpful link. I see too many people burning the wrong woods or at the wrong time." o o o When we last checked, "Patriots" was ranked #3 in What's Shaking in Buy.com's Entertainment section « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Monday February 16 2009Odds 'n Sods:
FDA Declares
Form of Vitamin
B6 a Drug (a hat tip to JHB for the link) FloridaGuy sent this item from any Indianapolis newspaper: Legal gun owners must give fingerprints to get their stolen guns back from police o o o KAF and Hawaiian K. mentioned this commentary by Dimitri Orlov: Social Collapse Best Practices o o o F.H. flagged this television news item from Las Vegas: Local couple rescued from blizzard during snow machine outing [in Utah].This tale illustrates the importance of proper planning and carrying the right clothing and survival gear. It also underscores the importance of physical fitness as a key aspect of preparedness. The couple was physically incapable of walking out. But ironically, the fact that they were overweight might have helped in their particular situation--since they had to wait for days for rescue, and they foolishly carried no food or water supply. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Sunday February 15 2009Odds 'n Sods:KAF mentioned this post over at the Xavier Thoughts blog: The Sad Necessity of Anonymity o o o Ebola Marburg Case in US Traveler to Uganda (A hat tip to FFF for the link.) o o o Hawaiian K. sent us a link to a web site for a man dubbed "The Human Swiss Army Knife." He regularly carries 1,300 compact survival items in his clothes. o o o A follow-up to this article I mentioned yesterday: Congo town mounts own defense against rebels. Florida Guy sent us a link to a photo montage from the town. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Saturday February 14 2009Odds 'n Sods:J.H.B. sent us the link to this update at the Gun Owners of America (GOA) web site: Firearms Legislation in the 111th Congress. (a good page to bookmark.) Readers should note that H.R. 45 currently has little support (it is not gathering co-sponsors) so at least for the present time please don't expend too much time organizing and letter writing about this bill. o o o John C. sent us this article, which has some implications for survivalists that foresee a breakdown in law and order, and large, organized gangs of looters: Congo town mounts own defense against rebels o o o The WRSA has announced a couple of more sessions of their excellent "Grid Down" Medical course, in Peyton, Colorado, and Clackamas, Oregon. Not only is it excellent training, but you are also very likely to meet fellow SurvivalBlog readers. (Wear your SurvivalBlog hat or T-shirt!) o o o My friend Bob in Tennessee sent this article from Jihad Watch: 35 Jihad Training Compounds on American Soil. Not only is the terrorist threat significant in itself, but so is the possibility of government reaction casting a wide net, perhaps making anyone doing tactical training out in the woods a "terrorist", and possibly arrested for "paramilitary activities." « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Economics and Investing: » Friday February 13 2009Odds 'n Sods:Hawaiian K. flagged a great article at Kevin Kelly's Technium Blog: Amish Hackers o o o SurvivalBlog's Editor at Large Michael
Z. Williamson pointed us to the comments accompanying this
article: Second
Circuit to Second Amendment: Drop Dead.... The article was
informative, but I thought that the comment from "Bruce" was potentially quite
practical: "[I]f you live in a rural area like I do, go out in the woods somewhere
and
dig a
hole. Don't fill it in. We'll call it the 'plausible deniability
hole'. o o o From the JPFO web site: West Allis Wisconsin Open Carry Trial Update. As I've written before: Much like a muscle that atrophies with disuse, any right that goes unexercised for many years devolves into a privilege, and eventually can even be redefined as a crime. o o o For just the next five days, the folks at Midwest Outfitters are giving SurvivalBlog readers first crack at a new batch of Portuguese surplus .308 ball 150 grain ammo in sealed 200 round battle packs or full cases. Something tells me that it won't last long. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Should You Invest in Real Estate? » Thursday February 12 2009Odds 'n Sods:Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles returns to the small screen tomorrow evening. It has been moved to what has been called the Friday night "death slot." There are rumors that the series will canceled. Cue the sad, sweet theme music to Firefly. :-( Meanwhile, there is plenty of buzz about the Terminator 4: Salvation feature film, which should be released on May 22nd. o o o Craig W. flagged this: The (Zimbabwean) Dollar - The Point of No Return. (They've slashed another 12 zeroes!) o o o Thanks to Stephen B. who was the first of several SurvivalBlog readers that sent us this: Mysterious Scientology Project Raises Questions in Wyoming. Hmmm... To update an old saying: "If it walks like a group retreat , and it quacks like a group retreat..." o o o I noticed that spot silver and gold both took substantial jumps yesterday. I stand by my long-term prediction of silver reaching $50 per ounce. Buy on the dips. But course buy your Beans, Bullets, and Band-Aids first. In other investing and economic news, here are some items kindly gathered by Cheryl: GM Cutting 10,000 More Jobs -- EU Banks May Need $32 Trillion Bailout -- RBS, Morgan Stanley and UBS to Axe 6,500 Jobs -- Ron Paul: Collapse of the Dollar -- Stocks Reject Obama's Plan -- Gold Prices Rebound as Stocks Tank « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Alaska as a Retreat Locale » Wednesday February 11 2009Odds 'n Sods:Bullion sales hit record in rush to safety Rory sent us a link to a video clip of a home invasion robbery foiled by an armed and vigilant Tucson homeowner. Given the 1-to-4 defender to attacker ratio, the homeowner did a creditable job. o o o Our thanks to Florida Guy and Scotty who both sent this: Gun dealers experiencing shortages of ammo o o o Some news and commentary, courtesy of The Economatrix: Marc Faber: US Will Default on Debt or Enter Hyperinflation -- California Begins Employee Furloughs, Closing Offices -- Record 19 Million Homes Stood Vacant in 2008 -- GM Investing $1 Billion of Stimulus Money in Brazil Operations -- Port Container Traffic Fell 8% in 2008 -- Bond Market Calls Fed's Bluff as Global Economy Falls Apart -- IMF May Run Out of Cash in Six Months -- WTO Chief Warns of Political Unrest -- Bad Times Brings Back Cattle Rustling -- Senate Passes Economic Recovery Plan -- Stocks Plunge 4.62% on Lack of Specifics in Bailout Plan -- Asian Shares Fall After Obama Says "US Faces Full Blown Crisis" -- Half of China's Toy Factories Close After Slump -- Air Freight Drops as Global Trade Seizes Up -- Nugget by Nugget (The Mogambo Guru) -- US Rail Traffic, Carloadings Tumble -- GE and Citigroup Face Losses on Store Cards -- Iceland is Steamed « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: The Ozarks as a Retreat Locale » Tuesday February 10 2009Odds 'n Sods:The recent fires in Australia with large loss of life and property underscore the need to have defensible space around buildings. There is one factor in the Australian bush fires is not common knowledge in the US: In extremely hot weather, some tree species found in Australia--such as eucalyptus--exude volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are extremely flammable. When the conditions are just right, this can cause a firestorm effect. o o o Chris E. flagged this: Rep. Kanjorski: $550 Billion Disappeared in "Electronic Run on the Banks." A key quote: "[if the Federal reserve had not acted] by two o'clock that afternoon $5.5 trillion would have been drawn out of the money market system of the United States. [This] would have collapsed the entire economy of the United States, and within 24 hours the world economy would have collapsed." o o o Cheryl sent us the following economic news and commentary: 15 Companies that May Not Survive 2009 -- Nissan to Cut 20,000 Jobs -- US Job Losses Hit College Educated -- Bank of England to Issue Grimmest Warning Yet on Economy -- US Treasury to Pump Billions More into Banks -- Grab Your Torch and Pitchforks: Homeowners Protest at Morgan Stanley CEO's Home -- Peter Schiff: this is Just the Beginning -- US Inflation Could Hit 200% -- Silver/Gold Ratio Reversion -- Merrill Lynch: Gold Hysteria Continues, Could Hit $1,500 -- Peace of Mind Comes in Yellow (The Mogambo Guru) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Bloom Where You're Planted » Monday February 9 2009Odds 'n Sods:Bob at Ready Made Resources wrote to tell me that they have just one BP-Solar 190 Watt Solar Module in stock, that a customer had canceled after it already shipped;. (It was re-routed back to RMR but the panel is still brand new.) Because of the circumstances, they are selling this one panel below wholesale cost at $750, plus shipping. (Additional panels are available at RMR's normally-discounted price.) Call RMR during normal business hours (Eastern time) for the special price 1(800) 627-3809. o o o Our friend Art suggested that those interested in a gun-friendly nationwide alternative to Craigslist, should try SwapGiant.com. It's new in most areas. o o o HPD recommended this piece by Mish Shedlock: Employment Cycles During Recessions o o o Rourke mentioned that the French wire service piece on SurvivalBlog is still getting plenty of mileage. Most recently it was picked up by a Jakarta newspaper. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Advice on Shogun Selection--Do I Need a 3-1/2" Chamber? » Sunday February 8 2009Odds 'n Sods:Our Editor at Large (Michael Z. Williamson) sent this evidence that the MOAB will continue to grow, unchecked: A $15,000 gift for home buyers? o o o Reader Leon H. suggested this great video segment: Peter Schiff: Stimulus Bill Will Lead to "Unmitigated Disaster" o o o Bob McC. flagged this: California, Georgia banks are latest to be seized. Bob's comment: "These bank failures were in Southern California and Atlanta, Georgia, no doubt being dragged down by failing real estate, in two of the formerly hottest markets. Is it me, or do the bank failures seem to be coming at a steadier pace now?" o o o Cheryl sent us these: Financial Coup D'Etat -- UK: 38,000 Companies Expected to Go Bust -- Three More US Banks Shut By Regulators « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Alaska as a Retreat Locale » Saturday February 7 2009Odds 'n Sods:Dateline: Nanny State, Hawaii: Now they want to ban pocket knives! What is next, pencils? ("You might put your eye out!") And speaking of over-reaching paternalism, Chad from Colorado spotted this: Schoolteacher Suspended for Facebook Gun Photo. My, how times change! My maternal grandfather, an Army Reserve Major, was a Junior ROTC instructor that taught marksmanship at a California public high school, before his untimely death in 1943. It was not uncommon for students to bring their own rimfire rifles from home to shoot at the high school's indoor shooting range. And nobody blinked an eye... o o o Reader D.S. mentioned a useful resource for diesel vehicle owners.D.S. says: "They have a great frame-by-frame how to tutorials on how to work on your Mercedes and other diesels and have produced a set of DVDs on the many facets of restoring, repairing, maintaining your diesel." o o o o o o In economic news: The
silver rally continues. There's
that "D" word
again: GE
chief warns on US depression threat. (Thanks to several readers, led by John
S., for that link.) Ben
H.
sent
us
this: Worker
Anger Sees
Brown Facing Winter of Discontent. Here is a quote: "They've sold us
down the
river," said
Charles Hilton, 61, an electrician from Hull in northern England who was out
on strike yesterday with local oil-refinery
workers. "We're going to see civil unrest in this country. It's already
started. It will grow unless things are sorted." Cheryl found all these
for
us: Wall
Street Shrugs Off Unemployment Data; Dow Up 200 Points -- States Can't Go
Bankrupt -- Bush
Overpaid Banks in Bailout, Watchdog Says -- Banks Sitting on Inventory Timebomb -- US
Unemployment Expected to Rocket -- UBS
Predicts Gold to Hit $1,000 -- UK
Company Collapses are Up 124% in Three Months -- UK:
Personal Bankruptcies Hit New Record -- Jobless
Claims Surge to 626,000 -- Grim
January for Most US Retailers -- Bill
Gates Sees 3-5 Tough Years -- Biggest
Job Loss Ever for Retail Sector -- News
Corps $6.4 Billion Loss; Cuts Looming -- Jobs
Problems You Don't Know About -- Six Companies Born During Downturns « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Four Letters Re: Preparedness Through Tapping in to the Craig's List Culture » Friday February 6 2009Odds 'n Sods:David V. recommended the latest essay from commentator Charles Hugh Smith's Of Two Minds blog: Pandemic, Drug Resistance and Natural Selection o o As the red ink continues to spread across the globe, here is today's economic news: Some Deep Schumer talk in the UK: Gordon Brown suggests world heading for a 'depression'. SF in Hawaii suggested this: Afshin Rattansi talks to Max Keiser about the Dollar. Max Keiser says: "Free market capitalism in America is dead", and: "The technical strength of the Dollar will be short-lived." Reader H.P.D. sent us a link to Mish Shedlock's latest commentary: The Game is Up. Reader G.G. suggested this essay by David Roche: Blight of capital protectionism will give rise to dollar crisis. And from The Economatrix comes all these items: Circuit City Ripples to Be Felt for Years -- 500,000 More US Jobs Lost in January -- Major UK Retail Investor Collapses -- Now Russia Gets Caught Up in Credit Crunch -- How to Play the Coming Gold Price Jump -- Rising Unemployment Hits 98% of Metro Areas -- Bad News Means Bad News (The Mogambo Guru) -- Riots Around The World Because of Skyrocketing Unemployment o o o Thanks to G.G. for two encouraging news items, first from The Financial Times: Demand for seeds, canning supplies boom, and from The St. Louis Business Journal: Olin Q4 profit triples on ammunition sales. And linked from that article was this: Dealers: Assault rifle sales up; long waiting list for handguns o o o Several readers have written to mention HCR 6, which will hopefully soon be considered by the New Hampshire legislature. I first mentioned it in SurvivalBlog on Monday. The resolution is a step in the right direction, but keep in mind that for now it is only a proposed piece of legislation. Until it is passed and signed by the Governor, it is not much more than the source of conjecture. I hope that the sovereignty reservation movement catches on in other states. I'll continue to publish updates. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Update to Survival Gardening: Growing Food During a Second Great Depression, by H.I.C. » Thursday February 5 2009Odds 'n Sods:SF in Hawaii mentioned this: Australians rule, when ranked for elbow room. But I can be proud of the fact that I live in a part of the US with one of the lowest population densities-- about 5 people per square mile, and most of those are squeezed inside city limits. ("Give me land, lots of land, and the starry skies above...") o o o On the economic front: Pointing the finger of blame at credit derivatives: What Cooked the World's Economy? (Thanks to Charley for the link.) And all these came from Cheryl: The Whole World is Rioting About the Economic Crisis--Why Aren't We? -- Layoffs Spike as Recession Rips Through US -- Most Carmakers' Sales Plunge; Hyundai, Subaru Gain -- Motorola $3.6 Billion Quarterly Loss -- Cutbacks in Consumer Spending Hits UPS (JWR Adds: But for some reason there are still lots of long, skinny boxes getting shipped...) -- UBS to Merge with Wachovia? -- Spain's Downward Spiral Spooks Investors -- Kazakhstan Devalues Currency -- Fitch Cuts Russia's Debt Rating to "BBB" -- Dow Has Fallen 44% in the Past 16 Months -- US Auto Sales Plunge 37% -- Can Countries Really Go Bankrupt? -- It's Not About Change, it's About Personal Survival. JWR Adds: A key quote from that article: "The US Treasury on Wednesday opened the floodgates of government bond issuance, revealing plans for a record debt sale in February and more frequent auctions in the months to come. The announcement came amid growing fears about US government deficits and sent the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rising to 2.95 per cent, up from just over 2 per cent at the end of December." This confirms my prediction that interest rates will have to rise sharply to lure foreign investors to buy US Treasury paper. This is a stagflation precursor, folks! o o o Tamara's Books, Bikes and Boomsticks blog has recently became one of our favorites, filling the void of clever and humorous Schuetzentrix POV that was left when Kit got married and stopped blogging. In a recent post, Tamara mentioned another incredibly useless gadget for the Mall Ninja crowd. What is it about M4geries that attract these gee-gaws, jim-cracks, do-dads? Is it some strange magnetism? Is it those empty handguard rail sections, begging to be filled? Who comes up with such idiotic "accessories", and even more importantly, who is naive enough to actually buy them? o o o The current high bid in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is at $1,460. This auction is for a large mixed lot, which includes:: 1.) A "be ready to barter" box of 36 full-capacity gun magazines, from my personal collection in JASBORR. This box includes: 12 - Used original Bundeswehr contract HK91 (G3) steel 20 round magazines, 6 - Used original Austrian FN-FAL steel 20 round magazines, with cartridge counter holes, 10 - Used AR-15/M16 USGI (all Colt made!) alloy 20 round magazines, 6 - Excellent condition original Glock Model 19 9mm 15 round pistol magazines (early type, with "U" notch), and 2 - New and very scarce original FN (Belgian-made) US M1/M2 Carbine blued steel 30 round magazines (marked "AYP") . All of these magazines are of pre-1994 manufacture (and hence legal to possess in New York.) These magazines have a combined value of approximately $710, in today's market. Note: If you live in a state where full capacity magazines are banned, then you must choose to: refrain from bidding, or designate a recipient in an unrestricted state, or re-donate the magazines for a subsequent auction. 2. ) A brand new-in-box Hot Jaw Bag Sealer and a box of 10 Mylar bags . (Every retreat group should have one these, since they are a tremendous labor saver!) This is a $200 retail value, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. 3.) A huge lot of DVDs, CD-ROMs and hard copy nuclear survival/self-sufficiency references (a $300+ value) donated by Richard Fleetwood of www.SurvivalCD.com 4.) A NukAlert compact radiation detector donated by at KI4U.com (a $160 retail value). 5.) A gift certificate for $100 worth of books, courtesy of Back 40 Books. 6.) A case of 12 cans of recent production nitrogen-packed storage granola (mixed varieties) This is a $96 retail value, courtesy of CampingSurvival.com. Thus, this auction has a combined value in excess of $1,565. This auction ends on February 15th. Please e-mail us your bid. Your bid will be for the entire mixed lot. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Alaska as a Retreat Locale » Wednesday February 4 2009Odds 'n Sods:I just heard that JRH Enterprises (one of our first and most loyal advertisers) has a very limited supply of new, genuine AN/PVS-14 night vision monoculars with Gen III tubes (complete with ITT factory data sheets) on sale for $2,995. o o o Heather H. found this article from El Paso, Texas: Mexico collapse unlikely: Experts say government stable despite mounting border violence. The journalist/pianists in El Paso are obviously standing on the soft pedal! o o o I hope that folks took my advice and stocked up on full capacity magazines. It is amazing watching the prices escalate, much as I predicted. DPMS 19 round AR-10 magazines were $26 just before the election, $40 the week after the election, $65 two weeks ago, and $90 today. o o o More Gloom und Doom news and commentary, courtesy of Cheryl: Senate
GOP Blocks Extra $25 Billion in Stimulus Bill -- Central
Bank Tested as Rouble Hits Floor -- Beijing
Rocked by 26 Million Lost Jobs -- Hitachi
Set for Biggest Japanese Firm Loss -- California
Crisis Deepens; Other States to Follow? -- California
Pension Funds Close to Bankruptcy -- Bailed-Out
BofA Drops $10 Million on Superbowl -- Macy's
Cuts 7,000 Jobs, Slashes Dividends -- Workers
Scramble for Safer Jobs as Layoffs Rise -- Consumer
Spending and Incomes Fall, Savings Rise -- Treasury
Needs to Borrow $493 Billion this Quarter -- The Lag Between Cause and Effect « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Advice on Accurizing a FAL or L1A1 Rifle » Tuesday February 3 2009Odds 'n Sods:Norman in England spotted this: Plight of the Humble Bee o o o KI4U (the NukAlert folks) just announced a 10th Anniversary SurvivalBlog Special: In celebration of our 10th year in business, and gratefulness for the support and encouragement of SurvivalBlog readers, if you order any two of the same products using their online order form and you'll be shipped a third one free. (Buy 2, Get 3). The order form won't reflect it, but type "SurvivalBlog" in the comments section, and you'll be shipped a third extra item for every two you order. This special will be honored up until midnight CST on Sunday evening (February 8th.) Again, be sure to type "SurvivalBlog" into the comments section of the order form. o o o Craig W. suggested this "must read" piece with some alarming charts: We've Only Just Begun? Craig also suggested this editorial by James West: U.S. Debt Default, Dollar Collapse. ("Imminent"???) Here is more de-leveraging news: As economy needs cash, Americans are saving. (I stand by my prediction of two years of deflation, followed by substantial inflation, as the government massive "stimulus" MOAB overspending devalues the currency.) o o o The Economatrix sent all this swell news and commentary: The Next Catastrophe: Pension Funds -- Allstate's Catastrophe Bonds Face Imminent Default -- World Stocks Fall on Poor Earnings, Economic Woes -- Closing Car Dealers Stun Buyers with Liens on Trade-Ins -- Violent Unrest Hits China as Crisis Hits -- Dissent Beginning to Spread Across Russia as Crisis Bites -- US-China Currency War Eclipses Davos, Threatens World -- Don't Rely on Dollar, Putin Warns Davos -- Global Crisis Has Destroyed 40% of World Wealth -- Is it Time to Bail Out of the US? -- Banks Can Americans, Hire Foreign Workers -- Global Food Prices are Rising Fast -- 6 Billion Pounds to be Pumped Into Irish Banks -- Huge Drop in Peso Value -- 46 of 50 States Could File Bankruptcy 2009-2010 (Jim's comment: Note that three of the four excluded states are on my Recommended Retreat Locales list. Any guesses where taxes will increase the most? Can you spell N-a-n-n-y State?) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Lost Tribe Bypassed by History: Ragtag Band of Khmer Families » Monday February 2 2009Odds 'n Sods:
Be advised that the 25% off special on Mountain House and Alpine Aire freeze-dried foods in #10 cans at Ready Made Resources is just a short term sale. This sale ends on February 14th, so be sure to get your order in soon! Ready Made Resource was the very first advertiser to support SurvivalBlog, and they have loyally been with us continuously since our first week of publishing, in 2005. They deserve your business. o o o Bryce pointed out that Newsweek recently had an interesting article on survival in emergency situations titled: What it Takes to Survive. o o o Rob at MURS Radios mentioned that starting in January, Dakota Alert (the makers of my favorite outdoor passive infrared intrusion detection systems) raised their prices up to 12% on some products. Rob has just one more shipment arriving next week at the lower 2008 prices. After this stock is sold, unfortunately, prices will go up. If anyone is interested in "getting in under the wire", please contact him to reserve inventory from this shipment. o o o A couple of economic items, courtesy of Ben M.: Bill for Financial Bailout Seen as High as $7.4 Trillion, and Bank Bailout Could Cost Up to $4 Trillion: Economists. (Obviously, these is quite a divergence of opinion. But to take the liberty of updating a famous saying by Senator Everett Dirksen [best if you apply a strong southern accent]: "A trillion here, and trillion there, and pretty soon, you're talking about real money!") And here is one bit of interesting news, courtesy of Jack B.: Hedge fund to offer shares priced in gold. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: The Weekly Bank Failure Hit Parade » Sunday February 1 2009Odds 'n Sods:B.R.H. sent an item from The Guardian that I suspect was inspired by the remake of the series "Survivors", (which the BBC aired last Fall): Life after the apocalypse. The article begins: "What if the doomsayers are right ... what if society, as we know it, really is about to collapse? Do you have what it takes to make it in a world without electricity and running water? Tanya Gold offers an essential survival guide." There is a fairly lengthy accompanying video clip of the reporter getting trained. B.R.H. commented: "A member of the 'Golden Horde' gets a taste of 'roughing it'. This is not hardcore survivalism, but a puff piece that includes some bushcraft local to the English countryside." o o I noticed Mike Vanderboegh's review the move "Defiance", posted over at the WRSA site. He makes some important points. o o o Chris D. found this one: Oklahoma woman freezes to death in remote Montana cabin. Gee, how many common sense basic preparedness rules did they violate? Only an absolute newcomers to that latitude would think they could get by without laying in several cords of firewood. The story reminds me of a line from my novel: "That winter, they ate the dogs." (And these newbies didn't even have the sense to do that.) Common sense, it seems, is all too uncommon. To earn the title "survivalist", one needs to demonstrate some common sense. o o o The day's economic round-up starting with this "must read" piece:: Roubini Sees Global Gloom After Davos Vindication. (Roubini speaks: “The risk of a near-depression shouldn’t be underestimated.”) And from The Economatrix comes these items: US Set For "Big Bang" Financial Clean-Up -- Caterpillar Sets More Layoffs; Weeks' Total 22,000 -- Stocks Stumble on Economy, Earnings Worries -- Japan's Markets Prepare for Horror Week -- Jobless Rate Full 10% Higher than Reported -- US Economy Sliding Fast; Unsold Goods Piling Up -- $1 Trillion "Bad Bank" Gains Favor o o o The current high bid in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is at $1,400. This auction, which ends on February 15th, is for a large mixed lot, which includes:: 1.) A "be ready to barter" box of 36 full-capacity gun magazines, from my personal collection in JASBORR. This box includes: 12 - Used original Bundeswehr contract HK91 (G3) steel 20 round magazines, 6 - Used original Austrian FN-FAL steel 20 round magazines, with cartridge counter holes, 10 - Used AR-15/M16 USGI (all Colt made!) alloy 20 round magazines, 6 - Excellent condition original Glock Model 19 9mm 15 round pistol magazines (early type, with "U" notch), and 2 - New and very scarce original FN (Belgian-made) US M1/M2 Carbine blued steel 30 round magazines (marked "AYP") . All 36 of these magazines are of pre-1994 manufacture (and hence legal to possess in New York.) These magazines have a combined value of approximately $710, in today's market. Note: If you live in a state where full capacity magazines are banned, then you must choose to: refrain from bidding, or designate a recipient in an unrestricted state, or re-donate the magazines for a subsequent auction. 2. ) A brand new-in-box Hot Jaw Bag Sealer and a box of 10 Mylar bags . (Every retreat group should have one these, since they are a tremendous labor saver!) This is a $200 retail value, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. 3.) A huge lot of DVDs, CD-ROMs and hard copy nuclear survival/self-sufficiency references (a $300+ value) donated by Richard Fleetwood of www.SurvivalCD.com 4.) A NukAlert compact radiation detector donated by at KI4U.com (a $160 retail value). 5.) A gift certificate for $100 worth of books, courtesy of Back 40 Books. 6.) A case of 12 cans of recent production nitrogen-packed storage granola (mixed varieties) This is a $96 retail value, courtesy of CampingSurvival.com. Thus, this auction has a combined value in excess of $1,565. This auction ends on February 15th. Please e-mail us your bid. Your bid will be for the entire mixed lot. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Four Letters Re: More Predictions for 2009, by Roger Wiegand » Saturday January 31 2009Odds 'n Sods:In Texas, they wouldn't call this a "weapons cache", rather they'd describe it as a "a good start at a gun collection": Weapons Cache Found Near Home of Former N.J. Cop (A tip of the hat to Hawaiian K. for the link.) o o o Florida Guy sent us this bit of anticipated news: Zimbabwe abandons its currency. So it seems that that via hyperinflation, Comrade Mugabe and his cronies have effectively fleeced the entire life savings of virtually everyone in that once-prosperous nation. The only value the Zimbabwean dollar now has is as a novelty item for currency collectors. (A crisp new Z$100 Trillion note might fetch a few US Dollars on eBay. But on the streets of Harare, a Z$100 Trillion bill might buy a few cigarettes.) The nation has plunged into utter hopelessness.and despair. o o o In case you missed the announcement, the WRSA is offering their excellent yet inexpensive Grid-Down Medical Course again this year. Classes are scheduled in Lancaster, Pennsylvania - (February 7-8), and Peyton, Colorado (February 27-March 1) o o o Camping Survival (one of our advertisers) is having a big seasonal Blowout Sale. Check out the many bargains, including one of my favorites, Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Castile Soap! o o o Just as I warned you, more hedge fund redemption suspensions: Fortress Blocks Redemptions as Shareholders Lose 96% Since IPO. (A hat tip to Scott N. for that link.) In other economic news, Bank Bailout Could Cost Up to $4 Trillion. And, naturlich, Cheryl sent us another big stack of links: Stocks Extend Slump as Investors Fear Worsening Economy -- Japanese Economy Hit by the "Perfect Storm" -- Honda Shuts UK Factory for Four Months -- Toyota Posts First Net Loss Since 1963 -- A Professional Run on Banks has Begun -- Brown Warns of Void Left by Collapse of Global Financial System -- Gold Rally Fills Vaults with Bullion as Bank Stimulus Increases -- Some Credit Card Companies are Financially Profiling their Customers « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Two Letters Re: More Predictions for 2009, by Roger Wiegand » Friday January 30 2009Odds 'n Sods:"The Survivalist" mentioned this article: More than a million wait in icy darkness across US o o o As most SurvivalBlog readers surely deduced long ago, I am an inveterate scrounger. I scan through Craig's List with the same regularity as the Bald Eagles that cruise up and down The Unnamed River here at the Rawles Ranch do, at this time of year. So I was delighted that while doing some web wandering today, I found a link over at Keep and Bear Arms to this inspirational article: Praxis: Scavenging as a Guerrilla Art Form. o o o Eric flagged this update: Peanut butter recall expanded to two years' worth of products. Here is an FDA web page with a searchable list of hundreds of recalled peanut butter products. o o o The latest huge dose of gloom-'n-doomage from the Economatrix: Global Unemployment Nears 50 Million -- OPEC Warns of More Oil Output Cuts -- BP Sees Further Crash in Oil Demand -- Can the Market Avoid a February Fold? -- George Soros (the Billionaire) Selling Off Sterling -- Europe's Winter of Discontent -- More Job Cuts (Boeing 10,000; Starbucks 6,700, etc.) -- Billions More Needed for Bank Rescues -- Millionaires Crisis Plan: Return to Bartering -- IMF: British Slump will be Worst in Developed World -- Sony's Quarterly Net Profit Tumbled 95% -- Record Number in US Getting Jobless Benefits -- Despair Spreads Amid Mounting Job Losses -- Florida Beans and Corn Destroyed, Potatoes Delayed (Expect higher prices) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Three Letters Re: The Gray Man in the Coming Storm » Thursday January 29 2009Odds 'n Sods:Thanks to Laura H. for this link: California prepares to stop paying bills: Come Feb. 1, tax refunds, welfare checks replaced with IOUs o o o From The Appenzell Daily Bell: U.S. ratchets up pressure on UBS. Banking privacy may indeed be another casualty of the global economic crisis. o o o Bill N. suggested a short article on using the shotgun for defense. o o o More economic news, starting with this from Scott N.: Thousands stuck in property funds as Standard halts exits. (Does this sound familiar? As I've been warning people for two years, hedge fund and insurance redemption suspensions will become increasingly commonplace as the credit market and overall economy continue to deteriorate. Matt L. found this: English Town Establishes New Currency. Luddite Jean in England sent this: Taxes to soar by £20 BILLION per year as IMF warns Britain faces deeper recession than any other country: And from Cheryl (aka The Economatrix): Fed to Leave Interest Rate Near Zero for Some Time -- Postmaster General: Mail Delivery Days May Have to Be Cut -- US Houses Spiraling Down and Down -- Warning Over Collapse of Capital Flows -- Millions of Chinese Set to Lose Jobs -- Senator Warns White House Will "Create Crisis" and "Panic" to Push Stimulus Bill -- Hedging Your Investment Portfolio by Buying Firearms -- Bankers' Fear of Unemployment -- Bad News for Food Eaters (The Mogambo Guru) -- Everybody's Business: Deep in Debt and Now Deep in Worry o o o Craig W. recommended this "Gray Man" Urban Camouflage Gun Bag. (OBTW, I've also seen guitar cases and golf bags used to the same effect.) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Another SurvivalBlogger's Experiences at Front Sight » Wednesday January 28 2009Odds 'n Sods:My mentor Dr. Gary North recommended a video slide show over at iTulip,com. Gary's description: "A Low-Budget, Four-Minute Video Makes the Strongest Case I Have Seen for the Magnitude of This Crisis" o o o The folks at Seed For Security (one of our advertisers) have expanded their web page of free self-sufficiency reference articles. BTW, my philosophy on gardening is to concentrate on non-hybrid plants. the "open pollinated" or "heirloom" varieties. Gain experience gardening with those varieties, and practice harvesting and saving seed. "Buy what you plant,and plant what you buy." o o o Reader T.U. wrote to ask: "What's the big whoop-de-do about derivatives? Isn't the risk all 'notional'?" The risk is real. We are talking about hundreds of trillions of dollars in play. Most derivatives contracts end in a neat "zero sum" transaction. But what if one party goes out of business? The counterparty risk is tremendous. For some background, see the article that I wrote about derivatives back in 2006: Derivatives--The Mystery Man Who'll Break the Global Bank at Monte Carlo. o o o On the lighter side, several readers mentioned this recent Dilbert cartoon. (The previous day's strip is also quite good.) And on the not-so-light side: David Rosenberg, Chief Economist at Merrill Lynch, declares we are in a .depression. (A hat tip to Jim H. for the link to that PDF.) And Laura H. found this Financial Times piece: Nations turn to barter deals to secure food. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| 12 Letters Re: The Gray Man in the Coming Storm » Tuesday January 27 2009Odds 'n Sods:Eric. L. suggested watching this interview with John Williams of ShadowStats. o o o Jim Sinclair mentioned this Daily Mail article in his e-newsletter: Revealed: Day the banks were just three hours from collapse. Ben H. forwarded this very disturbing article: Bernanke Risks "Very Unstable" Markets as He Weighs Buying Bonds. Trent sent us this: Nationalization of U.S. banks gets a new, serious look (From the International Herald Tribune). And then Cheryl forwarded all these bits of news and commentary, starting with a link that was also sent by more than a dozen readers: Iceland's Government Collapse Amid Financial Mess -- Caterpillar to Cut 20,000 Jobs as Profits Fall -- Pfizer to Buy Wyeth for $68 Billion, Cut 8,000 Jobs -- Tens of Thousands More Layoffs Announced -- Sprint Nextel to Eliminate 8,000 Jobs -- Global Growth Outlook to be Slashed, Again -- Flood of Foreclosures: It's Worse than You Think -- Hyperinflation will Begin in China, Doom Dollar -- China Fears Riots Will Spread as Boom Sours -- Britain Facing Return of Three-Day Work-Week -- Regulators Shut Third Bank this Year -- Freddie Wants $35 Billion More, Fannie to Follow -- Downturn Accelerates as it Circles the Globe -- Liquidation Risks Grow as Finance Dries Up -- California Farmers Idle Crops, Veggie Prices May Rise o o o KAF sent us a link to an amazing "big picture" real-time view of world statistics: a "World Clock." « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: An Inexpensive Alternative to HESCO Bastions » Monday January 26 2009Odds 'n Sods:Reader Benjamin H. wanted to remind folks that there are two types of deflation, and to that end he sent us a link to a great piece over ar iTulip: Debt Deflation versus Goods Price Deflation. o o o Pete in New Hampshire sent this news that will be of interest to diabetics: Lifescan is giving away their new One Touch Ultra Slim [blood glucose] meters. Pete writes: " People can always use a back up meter, and free ones are even better. Of course they will need acquire the test strips to go along with it.ia o o o Here is some of the latest economic news: Reader G.G. mentioned that some economists quoted by Financial Week concur with my prediction: Inflation starter? Foreign buyers no longer binging on long-term U.S. debt With financing of deficits in doubt as spending rises, deflation could quickly turn into runaway price increases, say economists Next, thanks to Jeff B. for this: Earnings, economy - here comes 'terrible', The week ahead: Investors gear up for a deluge of weak earnings and the biggest plunge in GDP in 26 years. o o o Trent H. sent us this news of pending legislation from the state with the "Live Free or Die" bravado license plates: The Licensing of Horses in New Hampshire « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Way Points for G.O.O.D. Routes? » Sunday January 25 2009Odds 'n Sods:Just when we thought the economic headlines couldn't get much worse, Mark
P. for spotting this: Downturn
accelerates as it circles the globe: Economies worse off than analysts predicted
just weeks ago. And Paul A. sent this grim deflationary prediction from
Mish Shedlock: Extreme
Leverage In Reverse Portends Global Systemic Crash. Whether the incipient
crash is deflationary, or inflationary, or a whipsaw
of sharp deflation followed by sharp inflation (which is my personal prediction),
you should get
you beans, bullets, and
Band-Aids
together and stand ready! Mike W. sent us this "must read" piece from NASA on Severe Solar Storms, Power Grids, and the Web of Interdependent Systems o o o Trent flagged this: Citigroup, Bank of America May Look ‘Nationalized’. And Cheryl sent us all these items: "Bad Bank," Bad News -- How Big is Britain's Toxic Debt? -- Britain on Brink of Depression -- Lights Go Out Across Britain as Recession Hits Home -- The Fed: Life After Zero -- Shipping Rates Hit Zero as Trade Sinks -- China Prepares for Year of the Slump -- Britain May Seek IMF Bailout -- Fears Confirmed: Recession Fuels Crime Surge -- Iceland Government on Verge of Collapse -- Jobless Claims Surge, Housing Starts Tumble -- Code Red: Economy in Collapse -- JP Morgan Chief Says Worst of the Crisis Still to Come -- Special Forces Rescue Icelandic PM from Furious Credit Crunch Rioters -- Stores Closing in 2009 o o o For the "It Comes as No Surprise to Us" Department, SurvivalBlog reader Florida Guy forwarded this article: Bad Times Spur a Flight to Jobs Viewed as Safe. (FWIW, I've been cautioning about the need for recession-proof income streams for years! It is not too late to launch a home-based business. And it just might turn out to be your ticket to making a good living out in the hinterboonies.) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Two Letters Re: How to Approach Shooting » Saturday January 24 2009Odds 'n Sods:Here is a round-up of grim economic tidings from England: Scotty found this one from The Times of London (online edition): World Agenda: riots in Iceland, Latvia and Bulgaria are a sign of things to come. And Jack B. found this: Britain on the brink of an economic depression, say experts. And still more bad news from the UK, by way of reader G.G.: Confident tone as UK bond sale nears. (They admit that the risk of a government bond auction failing--where the amount of money raised falls short of its target--has increased.) And Luddite Jean sent this: Gordon Brown admits: 'I never saw it coming,' as figures confirm we're in the worst recession for 28 years: (Jean notes: "How on earth a Chancellor of the Exchequer and then Prime Minister didn't see this coming, I'll never know. 18 months ago, I was predicting a sharp downturn and possible recession - family and friends thought I was crazy, but I prepared for it just the same. Now I have a business which is doing well, and should continue to survive through a recession and depression. The goods I hold will be in great demand if we reach TEOTWAWKI. When I found your web site in the latter part of last year, it reassured me that I wasn't the only 'crazy' person on the planet!") Also from Jean: UK 'could run out of money very soon' warns Cameron amid fears of 70s-style IMF bail-out. o o o Evan sent this, as an example of very bad OPSEC: Deadly weapons found in storage unit.With some more details, reader L.D. sent us this link: Man accused of keeping weapons cache in Bellevue [, Washington] storage. Gee, I guess that this shows that skill as a machinist does not necessarily also engender the ability to mark a calendar with a storage contract expiration date. One correction to the television news report: It described the demi-blocks of C4 as "armed and unstable". But there were no blasting caps, fuses or wires visible in the photo. So I think the description was a bit of hyperbole. But regardless, this guy is going to be in deep legal trouble. As I advise my consulting clients: Do NOT risk a long stretch in prison, just for the sake a of gun that shoots faster. Either buy registered Class 3s, or just skip it. You can wiggle your trigger finger nearly as fast as full auto, anyway... o o o Thanks to Mr. Yankee for sending this: As Food Costs Rise, Is Government Being Straight About Inflation? o o o Bill N. mentioned a Thermite emergency fire starter. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Two Letters Re: Advice on Two-Way Radio Communications » Friday January 23 2009Odds 'n Sods:Matt S. recommended this editorial: The United Ponzi States of America o o o It's time to pray for global warming, says Flint Journal columnist John Tomlinson. (Thanks to Rich C. for the link.) o o o The "all things vehicular" web store JCWhitney.com (one of our Affiliate Advertisers) has a special underway for free shipping on orders of $49 or more. This could be a huge savings on heavy items. Use Promo Code SAWBBX8 at check out. This offer is valid only through February 7, 2009. o o o Stephen S. suggested this editorial: If the state can't save us, we need a licence to print our own money. Meanwhile, Ben H. sent this: [UK] Reform plan raises fears of Bank secrecy. The article begins: " The Bank of England will be able to print extra money without having legally to declare it under new plans which will heighten fears that the Government will secretly pump extra cash into the economy." And Cheryl sent us the following bits of news and commentary: Will China Lead the World Into Depression? -- Asian Economic Woes Grow -- Sony Looking at $4 Billion Loss -- Is Britain Facing Bankruptcy? -- Fed Manipulating Market Prices, Gold, Oil and Bonds -- Gold Safe Haven as US and UK Head for Bond Default and Devaluation -- Gold to Gain Through 2012, Morgan Stanley Forecasts -- Jobless Claims Increased Sharply Last Week -- Foodbanks Struggling to Meet Demand « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: The Gray Man in the Coming Storm » Thursday January 22 2009Odds 'n Sods:Dr. K. flagged this for us: Experts, lawmakers concerned that US may be too reliant on drugs from abroad. o o o The folks at Ready Made Resources have added what could best be called "Son of Blast Match" to their product line. This would be a good item to keep in each Bug Out Bag, and they are even small enough to keep on a key chain. o o o Ben L. spotted this: Report: Al Qaeda Group Bungled Test of Unconventional Weapon. In British Football, this is called an "Own Goal" error. o o o There were two very good economic pieces currently at The Appenzell Daily Bell: Britain on edge of bankruptcy? and US losses may reach $3.6 trillion. S.F. in Hawaii recommended this "big picture stock market analysis: Dow Jones Industrials -40% Declines 1885 to 2008. In other economic news, Cheryl; (The Economatrix), sent these items: Recession Rides the Rails -- Railcar Manufacturing Industry in Trouble -- Government Gone Insane (The Mogambo Guru) -- The Endgame -- Bankrupt Consumers -- Biblical Debt Jubilee May Be the Only Answer -- State of Mining: Bad, Could Get Worse -- Oil Falls Below $33 -- Seriously Alarmed (Ambrose Evans-Pritchard) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Recommendation for the Movie "Defiance" » Wednesday January 21 2009Odds 'n Sods:The Wall Street Journal reports on Argentina's coinage shortage: Argentina Is Short of Cash – Literally o o o Down Range TV Names Obama "Gun Salesman of the Year" o o o G.G. flagged this ominous news: America Passes A Milestone! We now have more people employed in government than manufacturing. o o o On the economic front, Jasper sent this: Tony Blankley: Economic crapshoot ahead. Jasper's comment: "Note that this article tries to get across how little we really know about how to break the spiral we're in. When the mainstream media is laying the groundwork for another round of bailouts, you know it can't be good. (See this article: Another Bailout in the Works?, and this one: Roubini: Credit Crisis Losses Could Hit $3.6 Trillion".) To add to all this, Cheryl sent us another glut o' gloom: Obama Inaugurated, Stocks Fall on Bank Worries, Dow Slips Below 8,000 -- Lloyd's Slumps 47%, Investors Flee -- Sterling Dives on Debt Fears -- Second UK Bank Bailout "Plainly Not Enough" -- European Car Industry Faces Collapse -- Hong Kong Stocks Dive, Economic Outlook Dims -- 25% of Retailers May Go Bankrupt -- Pound Slumps to Record Against Yen, Rogers Says UK "Finished" -- Economy Worsening Rapidly « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Advice on Two-Way Radio Communications » Tuesday January 20 2009Odds 'n Sods:The fine folks that operate Everlasting Seeds have announced special pricing for US military veterans, disabled veterans, and especially financially distressed disabled veterans. (Click on the"Veterans" button in their left-hand menu.) Thanks for supporting our veterans in such a tangible way! o o o Eric sent us a link to a list of products containing peanut butter that have been recalled by Kellogg's o o o More economic bad news, starting with three items from Formerly Merry Olde England: RBS loses £28billion in a Year as Darling warns British economy will collapse if second bank bailout fails -- We’re a nation on the brink of going bankrupt -- A terrifying gamble with Britain's future (Thanks to Jean in England for those links.) And these come from Cheryl, starting first with her link to UK news: : Royal Bank Shares Plummet After Biggest Loss in History -- Pint of Beer Cost Rising (So much for deflation!) -- UK: Fifty Jobseekers for Every Vacancy -- US Regulators Close First Banks of 2009 -- VeraSun in Bankruptcy, Puts Seven Plants Up for Auction Due to Credit Freeze(VeraSun is the second largest bio-fuel maker in the US) -- Reviving World Economy Further Away than Ever -- The Recession Crimewave Grows -- Bank Crisis Re-ignites as US Giants Post Massive Losses -- Honda Stops Production for Two More Months -- Money Manager Disappears with $350 Million -- Economic Depression is Inevitable -- Global Economic Demand Collapse, Bonds Next -- Gold Rallies with Stocks -- Buffet Says US in "Economic Pearl Harbor" -- Dark Days for Retail -- The End of Banking as We Know It -- Time to Sell US Treasuries, Biggest Korean Fund Says o o o A recent e-mail from reader J.P. included this Harder Homes and Gardens tidbit: "...a few well placed 30-pound propane tanks in the oak half-cask wine barrel planters, camouflaged with flowers. [To frighten the intestinal contents out of banditos, put a few .308 tracer rounds through the planters. It would be a very poor career decision for a bandito to take cover behind one of these planters.] Priceless." (Of course the usual safety and "check your local laws" provisos apply.) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: The Real Threat is Deflation » Monday January 19 2009Odds 'n Sods:Chuck sent this: Zimbabwe unveils Z$100 trillion banknote. ("Inflation was last reported at 231 million percent in July, but the Washington think-tank Cato Institute has estimated it now at 89.7 sextillion percent -- a figure expressed with 21 zeroes.") o o o I just dropped by the Total Survivalist Libertarian Rantfest blog, after a long absence. I must say that the two Ryans are in fine form. Their blog has both some good informative pieces, plus plenty of their own distinctive brand of humor. Great stuff, guys! o o o Anne E. recommended this video at the Pioneer Living web site about civilian disarmament in England and Australia: Americans Protect Your Gun Rights At All Costs! And here is a great companion piece, that discusses both hunting and gun ownership rights in the UK. o o o More economic news, first from Eric: California controller to suspend tax refunds, welfare checks, student grants (It will be interesting to see what happens when there have been no welfare checks issued for a couple of months...) -- Rescue of U.S. banks hints at nationalization. And from Jack B. comes this link: Monetary union has left half of Europe trapped in depression. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Practicing for High-Stress Shooting Situations » Sunday January 18 2009Odds 'n Sods:George S. found this article: Cold leaves bio-diesel school buses at a standstill o o o Eric L. sent us a link to a recent radio show clip, where economist Peter Schiff is starting to talk like a SurvivalBlogger. o o o Signs of incipient economic depression: America's once insatiable appetite for imported electronic gadgets has waned: Circuit City closing remaining 567 stores. (Thanks to Dan S. for the link.) And "The Divemaster" sent us this NPR news story: Searching for Vital Signs in a Sick Economy o o o Cowboy spotted this: Smith & Wesson sales are Smokin'. Cowboy's comment: "Apparently S&W AR-15s are quite the commodity these days...(tongue firmly implanted in cheek) S&W stock is doing well despite the weak economy? I think it is more accurate to say that S&W stock is doing well because of the poor economy. This is very telling indeed. " « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Colonial New England Community Blockhouses as a Historic Precedent » Saturday January 17 2009Odds 'n Sods:A tip of the hat to Eric for sending this: The other dark meat: Raccoon is making it to the table o o o Heather sent us this: Rice prices 'could rise sharply' o o o Tim L. suggested this article by one of my heroes, Dr. Walter Williams: Congress' Financial Mess. And for more of the Big Picture, see this article at Bob Chapman's The International Forecaster: The Smell Of Panic In The Air For The Economy. (A hat tip to Bryan for the link.) And for other economic news, Cheryl kindly sent us all these items: The U.S. Economy is Being Marched to the Gallows (Predictions of Hyperinflation, Dollar Decline and Civil Unrest) -- Near Panic in Markets Over Fears of Further US Bank Write-Downs -- Merrill Lynch Reports Record $15 Billion 4th Quarter Loss -- Another Fall in US Consumer Prices Sparks Fears of Deflation -- Unsold Cars Pile Up Around the World -- IEA Cuts Oil Demand Forecasts -- CitiGroup Splits in Two - $8.3 Billion Loss -- BofA Gets $138 Billion Bailout After First Loss in 17 Years -- Treasuries Fall on BofA Bailout -- Bailed Out Wall Street Helps Float Obama Inauguration -- Bank of China VP Warns of Fresh Financial Crisis --Bread Misery Index (from The Mogambo Guru, $50 Billion Zimbabwe dollars buys two loaves of bread) o o o The Western Rifle Shooters Association (WRSA) has scheduled another excellent Grid-Down Medical Course. This one will be held in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on February 7th & 8th. If you attend, be sure to wear your SurvivalBlog hat or T-shirt, and you might meet some fellow SurvivalBlog readers! o o o Jason alerted us to this amazing piece by commentator Michelle Malkin: Buy a house, get citizenship?! Yes, it’s true « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: The Real Threat is Deflation » Friday January 16 2009Odds 'n Sods:The Memsahib is now "Happy McHappy" because her annual Murray McMurray poultry catalog just arrived. Along with the obligatory pile of seed catalogs, this annual event is one of the things that keeps our spirits up during the snowy winter months. o o o Eric spotted these articles: Kansas wheat acres continue downward trend and, German bond auctions fail, and, Latvia is shaken by riots over its weak economy o o o More gloomage, courtesy of Cheryl: Crude Tumbles Below $35 -- Fears Grip Banking Sector as Barclay's Cuts 2,100 More Jobs -- FTSE 100 Joins Global Rout of Markets -- UK Jobless Rise 40 in Just One Week -- China Bails Out its Steel and Auto Makers -- Ireland: Drastic Cuts to Prevent Debt Crisis -- Asian Markets Dive as Economy News Darkens -- Banks in Need of Even More Bailout Money -- US Foreclosure Filings Up 81% in 2008 -- Fiscal Situation of 50 States: Combined Budget Gaps Estimated at $350 Billion for 2010 and 2011 -- No Taxation Without Inflation (Mogambo Guru) -- Jim Sinclair: The Unavoidable Face of Hyperinflation (Sinclair writes: "The dollar cannot and will not remain strong, nor can a planetary Weimar experience now be avoided.)". o o o Sean M. flagged this: Solar Jerrycan that purifies water with sunshine « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Four Letters Re: The Thin Blue Line » Thursday January 15 2009Odds 'n Sods:Eric sent us this: Prices for rooftop solar systems fall as supply grows "OffGrid", James S., and KAF were the first of more than 10 readers that flagged this: U.S. military report warns 'sudden collapse' of Mexico is possible. Speaking of emerging threats, Semperfiwife sent this Newsweek piece: Bob Graham talks about the possible nature and likelihood of a WMD terrorist attack over the next few years. o o o From FloridaGuy: Detroit's credit rating downgraded to junk bond status o o o Nick sent this: The New Paranoia: Hedge-Funders Are Bullish on Gold, Guns, and Inflatable Lifeboats o o o The latest economic news and commentary, starting with three items from reader H.H.: "Frightening" Global Downturn -- Pension Crisis Coming -- Really Scary Fed Charts (H.H. comments: "Probably the most unnerving charts I've ever seen. Future hyperinflation seems totally unavoidable now.") And from Cheryl (The Economatrix), comes these: Wall Street Dives on Bank Woes and Grim Retail Sales Data -- Oil Tumbles to $36/Barrel -- Trading in Gold Soars 60% -- S&P May Strip Spain of its AAA Rating -- Chinese Exports Biggest Fall in Decade -- UK Trade Deficit for Months is Record $16 Billion -- World in Mad Rush for Gold Coins -- Shipping Ratest Hit Zero as Trade Sinks -- Ruble Devalued, Gas Dispute Deters Investors -- Deutsche Bank EU4.8 Billion Fourth Quarter Loss -- World Trade Suffers as Oil Price Plunges -- Pandit Prepares Citigroup for Breakup -- 2009: The Largest Economic Train Wreck in History is About to Occur -- Roubini Forecasting 40% Home Mortgage Failure? -- Big Brother's New Target: Tracking All Firearms « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Documentary Film Producer Seeking Interview Subjects » Wednesday January 14 2009Odds 'n Sods:Dave S. flagged this disturbing news: Treasury: Deficit hits new record in just three months o o o Northern
Tool & Equipment o o o Cheryl spotted this: Wisconsin Department of National Resources to Hunters: Hand Over Your Guns on Demand. Cheryl also sent us a fresh batch of economic news and commentary links: Digest: Stocks Shed 4-5%, Gold Dips 2.5%, 7.2% Unemployment -- Russia, China, Brazil and India Looming Collapse in 2009? -- Credit Crisis Solutions that Should Scare You -- US Debt Crisis 2009: What Must Our Creditors Be Thinking? ("Gold should perform nicely in 2009.") -- Bernanke Urges "Strong Measures" to Stabilize Banks -- America: Running on Empty -- Every Breath is Needed (The Mogambo Guru) -- In Fraud We Trust -- Depression Looms -- Citi Shares Fall Despite Talks with Morgan Stanley -- Alert: Mysterious Credit Card Charge May Have Hit Millions of Users -- Stocks End Day Mixed Amid Earnings Anxiety -- Many States' Lotteries Rising in Recession o o o It sounds like this guy might have read the John Ross novel: Unintended Consequences: Judge issues warrant for Schrenker o o o FloridaGuy sent this: Go East, young man? Californians look for the exit « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Home Invasion Robbery Countermeasures--Your Mindset and Architecture » Tuesday January 13 2009Odds 'n Sods:
Eric S. suggested this Washington Post piece: We're Borrowing Like Mad. Can the U.S. Pay It Back? And if that weren't bad enough news, here is the daily glut o' gloom from The Economatrix: Leading Economist Fears Decade of Economic Weakness -- Oil Traders Demand Ships to Store Crude at Sea Before Prices Rebound -- Crude Below $40 as Demand Drops Faster than Supply -- The Bond Bubble is an Accident Waiting to Happen -- UK Auto Workers: Pay Cut or Lose Jobs -- Japan Suicide Hotlines Overburdened in Economic Crisis -- Merkel Makes 44-Billion U-Turn to Save German Economy -- UK Plans $200 Billion Gamble to Restart Mortgage Market -- Money is Dead, Long Live Barter -- UK Government: Recession Will Fuel Race Tensions -- Arizona Treasurer Warns State Running Out of Money o o o SF in Hawaii mentioned this article from Australia: The jobs most at risk in 2009 o o o Kenya: 10 million risk hunger after harvests fail. (Thanks to Danny B. for the link.) o o o Scott N. spotted this Wall Street Journal commentary: 'Atlas Shrugged': From Fiction to Fact in 52 Years. Scott also suggested reviewing CBO Acting Director Robert Sunshine's recent Senate testimony. Scott's comment: "I'm watching this on C-SPAN. Sunshine is testifying on the state of the current recession before a congressional committee, on Thursday, 1/8/09. He states that if this were a typical recession, we'd already be pulling out of it by this time. In the current recession, however, we haven't even hit the worst yet (e.g., here come the Alt-A and Option ARM mortgage defaults in 2009, credit cards after that, collapse of Baltic Dry index, etc.). He's estimating 2014 before we're back to full economic potential. It's a damning report. 'It's not a terribly optimistic forecast,' Sunshine says. Quite the master of understatement. We could use a little bit more sunshine on what going on in Washington, DC. The rest of the CBO Macroeconomic analysis team is not much more optimistic either." JWR Adds: Don't miss the chart early in the video clip that shows the Federal debt ballooning to 400 times the GDP by 2058. For those that would prefer to study the text of Sunshine's report, see this PDF. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Advice on Storing and Recharging Hearing Aid Batteries » Monday January 12 2009Odds 'n Sods:Several readers sent this: Powerful Solar Storm Could Shut Down U.S. for Months. As I've mentioned before: Your most reliable source of power will be a home micro-hydro or photovoltaic power system that is not grid-tied. (Since a grid power connection can couple EMP or EMP-like surges over long distances.) Yes, I realize that there is now a 30% Federal tax credit for new grid-tied alternate energy systems. So my advice is to make the initial installation grid tied, but later disconnect it and make it a stand-alone system after you've received your tax credit and once you are no longer obligated to be grid-tied. Talk to the folks at Ready Made Resources for details. o o o Matt B. recommends this interview with economist Peter Schiff via YouTube. o o o Eric sent us this from The Los Angeles Times: Victory gardens sprout up again; People are borrowing an old wartime concept to lessen the need for mass-produced food, reduce pollution, form communities and save on grocery bills. o o o My own darling Memsahib spotted this NPR news story: City Folk Flock to Raise Small Livestock at Home « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Four Letters Re: A Low-Cost Route to Earning a Bachelor's Degree » Sunday January 11 2009Odds 'n Sods:Perennial content contributor Bill N. sent this: NYPD Eyes Disrupting Cell Phones in Event of Terrorist Attack. So be forewarned that you can't count on cell phone connectivity, in extremis. o o o Check out the Pioneer Living online magazine, they have a lot of useful educational resources. o o o FloridaGuy sent this: Radical cheap: $1,000 homes. (But you have to wonder about the safety of those neighborhoods...) o o o Sam in Illinois mentioned this sign of the times: BATF running out of 4473 Yellow "Record of Sale" Forms. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: CNN to Air I.O.U.S.A. Today and Tomorrow » Saturday January 10 2009Odds 'n Sods:A SurvivalBlogger in the southeastern US might find this "RV" of interest. I've noticed that retired armored trucks don't get sold on the open market very often--most get re-engined umpteen times and simply passed around between armored transport companies. (Thanks to Chester for the link.) o o o Trent and FloridaGuy both sent us this: Merrill Lynch predicts $1,150 gold by June o o o As usual, here's the latest economic news and commentary from Cheryl, but the first item was suggested by Redclay: Numbers show economy in near free fall -- World Stocks Drop as US Unemployment Rate Hits 7.2% -- Oil Falls Below $40 Amid Severe Drop-Off in Energy Use -- NASDAQ Creates Index to Track Bailed-Out Firms -- Wal-Mart Cuts Forecasts as Sales Disappointing -- 2009 Bad Time to Buy Homes as Jobs Vanish -- North Sea Oil Exploration Firm Collapses -- The Outcry is Muted, But Food Crisis Worsens -- Dollar Death Bounce -- Several readers mentioned a WND article about the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008: Is Feb. 10 financial doomsday for thousands?, New law could force companies into ruin, but then Cheryl sent this good news: Update: Thrift Stores Exempt From "Financial Doomsday" -- Lastly, KAF found this: UBS closing U.S. clients' offshore accounts. (So much for Swiss banking privacy. At least there will still be private vault storage. Hint, hint.) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Documentary Film Producer Seeking Interview Subjects » Friday January 9 2009Odds 'n Sods:Does this sound familiar? Walking Away from the American Dream. FWIW, In August of 2005, I accurately predicted mortgage holders "walking away" from houses and turning in the house keys to their bankers. This has more recently been called "jingle mail". Also on the economic front, comes these items from The Economatrix: Stock Losses Leave Pensions $400 Billion Short -- Martial Law, Financial Bailout, and War -- Biggest Rise in US Unemployment in 59 Years -- Bank of England Cuts Rates to 300-Year Low -- Pink Slips Pile Higher, Recession Worsens -- The Fate of Paper Money -- o o o Matt B. sent a YouTube video link about a gent that proves that practice can indeed make perfect, in his case with a slingshot. o o o Tom G. wrote to mention: Northern
Tool & Equipment o o o Several readers sent this WorldNetDaily article link on the proposed renewal of the Federal "assault weapons" [sic] and "high capacity" [sic] magazine ban: Congress' plan would let AG 'ban guns at will' « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Precipitation and Growing Season as Retreat Locale Criteria » Thursday January 8 2009Odds 'n Sods:Susan Z. sent us this bad omen: [Former Bank of England official] Willem Buiter Warns of Massive Dollar Collapse o o o Reader Debby S. flagged this: Terrorists could use 'insect-based' biological weapon o o o o o os How did I miss finding this great blog for so long? Check out Tamara's View From the Porch blog. I just added it to my Blogroll. o o o Luddite Jean in England sent these two news links:: 200 shops a Day to close this year in high street bloodbath, and Cold war! 12 freezing European countries without gas as Russia switches off supply (Jean added this explanatory comment: "Russia has long accused the Ukraine of stealing [natural] gas from the pipeline, and are using this as an excuse. The real reason is purely economic - the price of Urals Crude oil has fallen to $32, and Russia no longer has enough money to run the economy. They are holding Europe to ransom, and demanding higher prices for the gas.") And here is the latest from Cheryl: US Stocks Drop Erasing Most of '09 Gains -- Alcoa to Slash 13,500 Jobs, Reduce Aluminum Output -- India: Trucks Go Off Roads Over Fuel Prices, Food Shortages Feared -- Don't Get Used to Cheap Oil, Analysts Say -- Fed: Economic Woes Will Last Despite Radical Moves -- Chrysler Sales Plummet 53% -- Subaru Posts 2008 Increase in US -- Private Sector Cut 693,000 Jobs in December « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Home Invasion Robbery Countermeasures--Your Mindset and Architecture » Wednesday January 7 2009Odds 'n Sods:Reader J.L. sent this piece describing the impact of a new Federal regulation: "New safety rules for children's clothes have stores in a fit". J.L's comment: The thing that galls me, is that the thrift/resale arena is one of the few bright spots in the economy, and they are some of the few places people can go and get low priced clothes to help them get through this recession." o o o Frequent content contributor Bill N. found a web site with a useful comparison of civilian MRE equivalents. o o o Reader Paul B in Texas found this 60 Minutes television segment linked over at iTulip: The Next Wave of Mortgage Defaults. Paul's comment: "This indicates the real estate market still has four to five years to continue its downward fall. Things are getting worse, not bottoming out!" JWR's comment: The scary thing is that the Alt-A and Option ARM defaults that they mentioned are just a small fraction of the threat posed by the huge overhang of Credit Default Swap (CDS) derivatives. Beware! o o o My old college friend Mike (now back in Iraq for the third time) sent me this article: U.S. Facing Debt Time Bomb. One oddity: This January 3rd piece appears to have been partially spiked. It can no longer be found with a search at The Washington Post web site, nor at the MSNBC site. Where (Mike found it, on January 4th.) I suppose that some editors would prefer to see such sans culottes articles go away quickly. So it took me some searching to find the full text. Luckily, it had been re-posted by several discussion forums. o o o And here is the latest batch of news and commentary from The Economatrix: Obama Plunges Into Pre-Inaugural Talks -- US Millionaires Lose 30% of their Wealth -- McMansion Trend in Real Estate Slows as Economy Slumps -- Billionaire Kills Himself Over Financial Crisis -- Obama Says US Economy is "Very Sick" -- Crunch Puts Car Buyers in Negative Equity Loans -- Beware, Commodity Index Rebalancing Ahead -- Looming Collapse of Russia and China (Marty Weiss) -- Empty Offices are on the Rise -- Barron's: Get Out Now « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Bureaucratic Restrictions on Defensive Wire and Obstacles » Tuesday January 6 2009Odds 'n Sods:Reader Jason in North Idaho mentioned the documentary "Alone in the Wilderness" about Richard Proenneke. Jason notes: "I saw it on on PBS. It was very good documentary." o o o The day's economic news, starting with this from The New York Times, courtesy of Karl K.: The End of the Financial World as We Know It. Next, Jonathan B. sent this: The Economist magazine says its a depression. Allen sent us this sobering piece by the ever-cheery Ambrose Evans-Pritchard of The London Telegraph: Asia needs to fully wake up to the scale of the West's economic crisis. And top all that, come these from Cheryl: China, Crystal Maker Waterford Wedgwood Collapses [JWR Adds: Be advised that this corporate umbrella includes Doulton, the makers of the Big Berky ceramic filter elements. So stock up!] -- Ford's US Sales Drop 32% in December -- Bailout Costs Exceed All American Wars -- US Asks Arab Nations for $300 Billion to Fund Auto Bailout -- Idle Ports Signals Two Bleak Years Ahead in World Trade -- Wall Street Braces for 2009's First Full Week -- Buffet's Berkshire "has nowhere to hide" -- Downturn Stress Impacting Health -- As Recession Deepens, So Does Milk Surplus -- America Shifts to Cheaper Wines, and More of Them o o o Justin M. flagged a piece in The Los Angeles Times that indicates that Asian Avian flus is still a threat: New bird flu cases revive fears of human pandemic « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Acquiring Tire Repair Supplies and Compressors » Monday January 5 2009Odds 'n Sods:Thanks to Lisa for finding this gem: Blacksmith 'a collector of forgotten trades' o o o Joe H. sent us a link to an article from Permaculture magazine about self-sufficient living on the cheap (in England) o o o I read that the latest movie in the Terminator franchise (Terminator 4: Salvation) is scheduled for release on May 22, 2009. Judging from the trailers, it looks like most if not all of the film takes place in the post-Skynet nuked future. This one should be good. o o o The latest flurry of economic news and commentary links from The Economatrix: Bank Bailouts a Failure...And There is No Plan "B" -- Frugal is Cool in Cash-Strapped US -- UK $200 Billion Re-Financing Time Bomb -- UK Banks on Brink of Second Bailout -- UK Banks Defy Brown's Call to Loosen Credit -- BoE to Cut Interest Rates; Savers to Receive Zero Interest -- Jobless in City Park Tent Village -- US Manufacturing Slumps to 1980 Low -- Gulf Cooperation Council to Create New Currency -- Feds Sell Off Failed IndyMac for $13.9 Billion -- Sanderson State Bank Latest Failed Bank -- Oil Prices Rebound as Dollar Slumps -- Store Bankruptcies Can Burn Shoppers -- Will Your Cell Phone Crash in Emergencies? o o o FloridaGuy flagged this: Newark, New Jersey bans barbed wire « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Feed Sacks as Sandbag Substitutes » Sunday January 4 2009Odds 'n Sods:The Releveller wrote to suggest that America's architectural future may lie in China's past: Fujian Tulou. o o o In the "Why am I not surprised?" Department: NASA's Hansen to Obama: Use Global Warming to Redistribute Wealth o o o Chris K. sent a linked to a Wired magazine article with lots of rookie survival comments. Chris noted: "A few sound like they may survive the first couple weeks and [then] become armed and dangerous -- a good reason to move another 100 miles away from the 'blast zone'." o o o More economic cheer from Cheryl: 2008 Humiliating Year for Investors, Outlook for 2009 Grim -- Ten Major Threats Facing US Dollar in 2009 -- In Gold We Trust -- GMAC Bailout a Sign of the Times -- Second-Hand Stores Shine in Weak Retail Market -- 1940s Austerity: Make Do, Waste Not -- Flawed Accounting Methods Hides True Scale of Pension Fund Losses -- Microsoft Announces 15,000 Job Losses -- Economists Warn of Doom and Gloom -- Jobless Who Get Benefits Most Since 1982; 4.5 Million Figure Expected to Grow -- Banker Buys $37 Million Apartment After Getting $25 Million Buying for Doing Virtually Nothing -- How We Went from $42,000 to $6,500 and Lived to Tell About It -- GMAC's $6 Billion Deal Show Why Automakers Need to Head for Chapter 11 -- Ludwig von Mises Institute: The Crisis in 10 Points « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Three Letters Re: The Best College Degrees for the Next Depression? » Saturday January 3 2009Odds 'n Sods:Blacksheep sent us this Army Times article about WoundStat: Army halts use of new anti-blood loss product. (Note: So far as I know, Celox and QuickClot (available from several of our advertisers) are still approved for use in trauma cases.) o o o FloridaGuy sent this "signs of the times" piece from one of the several states teetering on the edge of bankruptcy: California Taxpayers Due Refunds May Get IOUs o o o s This piece by Matt Hardigree was linked once before at SurvivalBlog, but it was so entertaining that it bears repeating: And Now for Something Entirely Different - The Ten Best Post-Apocalyptic Survival Vehicles. (Thanks to Jack B. for the reminder.) o o o "N" sent us the link to this essay on self defense against skyjackers aboard aircraft: Fight Back. Note that the author's mention of carrying a carbon fiber knife would be a felony.So it is best to rely on canes, stiff combs, and ballpoint pens. o o o Eric sent this: Rising desperation as China's exports drop
« Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Safety Note on Modifying Military FMJ Bullets » Friday January 2 2009Odds 'n Sods:Reader Rod McG. recommended this web site: Mappery.com o o o I heard from a gent over at The FALFIles Forums that Dan's Ammo still has some original FN (of Belgium) Browning Hi-Power 13-round 9mm magazines at just under $20 each. These were made for the South African Defense Force (SADF), back in the 1960s, and were recently surplussed. If you own a Hi-Power pistol, my advice is to buy at least eight of these magazines for your own use, and another larger pile for barter. You'll probably be laughing about getting them at this price, this time next year. OBTW, if you hear of any other importers or dealers that still have any full capacity magazines at pre-BHO inauguration sales frenzy prices, let me know the details, and I'll mention them in the blog. o o o A limitless Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB)? Now there is talk of bailing out newspapers! o o o Bill in Wyoming mentioned the current swarm of earthquakes going on under Lake Yellowstone-over 250 since it's beginning on December 26th. The strongest was a [Richter Scale] magnitude 3.8, on December 27th. Some have suggested that this might be a precursor to a massive Yellowstone Super-Caldera eruption. Current updates can be found at the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, as well as links to seismograms and other monitoring adjuncts. o o o I spotted this bit of bureaucratic self-congratulation linked at The Drudge Report: US rescue averted 'financial collapse': Treasury. (This is perhaps a more accurate headline: US rescue delayed 'financial collapse': Realist.) « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Six Letters Re: Home Invasion Robbery Countermeasures--Your Mindset and Architecture » Thursday January 1 2009Odds 'n Sods:Eric sent us this: Car Market Total Collapse o o o Mike McD. found two Australian article of interest: Return of the 1950s housewife?, and Jobless heading for 1 million as rate cuts won't avert pain o o o The essay Foundations of Crisis, by Doug Casey was recommended by reader "Hiker LT" o o o Eric L. sent this link: Box O'Truth Tests Elmer Keith-Sytle DumDum Bulletso o o The latest, from Cheryl: World
Markets Suffer Worst Year Ever -- Bankruptcies
to Hit Record in 2009 -- Dr. Doom: Short Treasuries, Buy Hard
Assets -- Faith
in Markets Cracks Under Losses -- Muni Bond Sales Drying Up as States Face $42 Billion Shortfall « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Two Letters Re: Seeking Advice on Assembling Web Gear » Wednesday December 31 2008Odds 'n Sods:Reader N.L. spotted this useful article at the Backwoods Home magazine web site: Bury a gun and ammo for 15 years. (BTW, I consider a subscription to Backwoods Home magazine for families that are seeking genuine self-sufficiency.) o o o Eric flagged this Wall Street Journal piece: Bumpy Crop: Farming's Sudden Feasts and Famines, As Grain Prices Rise and Fall and Perhaps Rise Again, Growers Struggle to Navigate a New Age of Volatility and High Costs o o o The Werewolf (SurvivalBlog's correspondent in Brazil) must have been thinking about the snow-bound Great White North when he spotted this snow bike and sent us the link. o o o The Economatrix sent all these: Wall Street Makes Gains as GMAC Gets $5 Billion Lifeline -- US Confidence Sinks to Record Lows -- Home Prices in 20 Cities Drop 18% in October Alone -- Holiday Sales Drop to Force Bankruptcies, Closings -- Japan Banks May Get $110 Billion Bailout -- New Thai PM Warns of Shattered Economy -- UK Workers to Face Layoffs and Pay Cuts in 2009 -- Crackdown on Hedge Funds After Madoff -- Celente: Top Trends 2009 -- People Pulling Up to Pawn Shops Today are Driving BMWs and Cadillacs -- Annus Horribilis 2009« Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Seeking Advice on Assembling Web Gear » Tuesday December 30 2008Odds 'n Sods:In the wake of the real estate collapse comes inevitably: Squatters:
The latest real-estate menace. (A
hat tip to Hoffmama.) Several readers sent this: As if Things Weren't Bad Enough, Russian Professor Predicts End of U.S. (Of course, consider the reliability of the source.) o o o David D. mentioned that Farm Show magazine has lots of articles with energy saving ideas, including: "Wood Gas Generator Produces "Free" Power", a Coal-Fired Grain Dryer, Biodiesel Generator Powers Up On Veggie Oil (or Almost Any Oil) , and Manure Furnace Burns All Kinds of Waste. o o o Florida Guy mentioned another Nanny State scheme: Oregon attempts mandatory GPS car tracking of all new autos o o o The latest Glut-'o-Gloom from Cheryl: Kerkorian
Sells Off Remaining Ford Shares -- Oil Surges
on Concerns Mideast Violence will Disrupt Supplies -- Fallout
Begins After Dismal Holiday Season -- Ruble
in Trouble -- 10
Things that Won't Survive the Recession -- Crisis
Batters American Small Businesses -- In
a Recession, Execs Make a Quick Getaway -- Stocks Pull Back Amid Mid-East
Tensions -- Dollar
Rocked by Mid-East Violence -- Wall
Street Faces Record Losses in Last Week of 2008 -- Shoppers Even More Finicky « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Seeking Advice on Assembling Web Gear » Monday December 29 2008Odds 'n Sods:Kurt reminded me that
the US Army's Survival Manual (available for free download in PDF) has
and appendix on Edible and Medicinal Plants. It includes a lot of color photos,
which
makes it a lot easier to identify plants. Some good news, especially for those of us that plan to stock up on winter-formulated gas: South Carolina gasoline hits 91 cents per gallon o o o Robert S. in Las Vegas e-mailed to alert us: "While out shopping for post-Christmas deals yesterday we ran into a great deal on 20# propane cylinders (the standard BBQ size). We have a multi-fuel generator as well as several backup heating and cooking systems that use propane and maybe some of the SurvivalBlog readers do as well. Some of the stores called The Great Indoors are closing and going out of business. I found several palettes of new unfilled 20# propane cylinders on sale for 25% off marked down to $22 each which is a very good price." o o o Thanks to Rich at KT Ordnance in Montana for sending this link that illustrates the depth of the state budget crises: Fire Sale: Minnesota, New York, Massachusetts and Illinois are thinking of selling Toll Roads o o o Doc Gary flagged this one: Hybrid auto as an emergency generator. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Soft Nose Loads for Battle Rifles » Sunday December 28 2008Odds 'n Sods:American Fork [, Utah] Man Is Food Storage Fanatic o o o Rod M. sent us a link to this tongue-in-cheek piece from Australia on the resurgence of survivalism: Where is The Safest Place on Earth? BTW, the article includes mention of our spin-off web site, SurvivalRealty.com o o o Several readers sent this: Mormons prepared for hard times. While I'll never see eye-to-eye with the LDS church doctrinally, I highly commend them for their food storage policy and their extensive cannery and bishop's warehouse infrastructures. o o o Another huge batch of economic news and commentary from
Cheryl: One
Third of US Banks May Fail or Merge In 2009 -- Fed Grants
Request to Make GMAC a Bank Holding Company -- 32,000
UK Realtors Jobs Wiped Out -- Economy
on Knife-Edge as Japan Faces Deflation Fears -- Retailers
Foresee Dire 2009 -- British
GDP Drops Faster than 1940s -- Gas
Prices Drift to 58-Month Low -- Joel Skousen: 2008 in Review -- Financial
Markets and Economic Potpourri December 26, 2008 -- Insolvent Financial
System Signals Higher Gold -- Families
Turning to Insurance Fraud to Beat Credit Crunch -- Economists
Who Called it Right & Predictions for 2009 -- Crackdown
on Bailed-Out Banks (But will the legislation go retroactive?) -- Housing Has its Worst Monthly Price Drop in 20 Years « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Soft Nose Loads for Battle Rifles » Saturday December 27 2008Odds 'n Sods:Frequent contributor Bill N. mentioned an interesting site on off-road driving. Bill's comment: "The guy teaches 4WD recovery procedures and has several articles posted on his web site. I read his one on Hi-Lift jacks and learned some things." o o o KAF was the first of several readers to send us this: Homeland Security forecasts five-year terror threats o o o Justin and Jeff both sent this, from The Wall Street Journal: Fourth Quarter Retail Sales Plummet. o o o Reader Dan. H. mentioned this photovoltaic power system in the San Juan Island archipelago in Washington that includes hydrogen storage tanks and fuel cells. « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Two Letters Re: What Are the Best Magazines for Investment? » Friday December 26 2008Odds 'n Sods:Katie F. suggested this
account of surviving and airliner crash. Several readers mentioned this: "The End of the World As We Know It": An unexpected, thick layer of solar particles inside Earth's magnetic field suggests there are huge breaches in our planet's solar defenses, scientists said. These breaches indicate that during the next period of high solar activity, due to start in 2012, Earth will experience some of the worst solar storms seen in decades. o o o Aaron R. flagged this one: Liquidity Traps versus Inflation Traps o o o From Cheryl: Massive Hedge Fund Redemptions as Investors Flee (just as JWR warned you, back in October of '07) -- Bleak Economic Future Seen in New Data -- Japan Car Production Biggest Drop Since 1967 -- California Budget Deficit Now $42 Billion -- US Retail Traffic Fell 24% Pre-Christmas Weekend -- Where to Find the Absolute Best Post-Christmas Sales « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Bug Out Bag Preparedness Tips From the Mouths of Babes » Thursday December 25 2008Odds 'n Sods:Several readers sent us the link to this Christian Science Monitor article: Survivalist businesses surge in uncertain times. BTW the article mentions both our spin-off web site (SurvivalRealty.com and several of our advertisers. o o o Speaking of retreats, readers FFF and Ben H. both mentioned that the newly-released US Census data might be useful for anyone looking to buy a retreat property: o o o Michael from Texas suggested this: Google Maps Mashup Combines Your Address, Nuclear Blast o o o I wish that I had better news for you for Christmas, but here is some more economic news and commentary, courtesy of Cheryl: Jobless Claims Surge to 26-Year High -- US Economy Shrinks Fastest Since 9-11 -- California Will Run Out of Money in February 2009 -- The Party is Over if Deflation Grips the Economy -- Britain's Slide Toward Recession Accelerates -- Iceland "Like Chernobyl" as Meltdown Shows that Anger Can Boil Over -- US Debt Approaches Insolvency, China Currency Reserves at Risk -- US Calls the Tune as Gold, Silver Plunge (PDF) -- Oil Dips Below $37 on String of Bad Economic News -- Increased Shoplifting is Another Sign of Bad Times -- Housing Crisis Worsens as Economy Weakens « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: What Are the Best Magazines for Investment? » Wednesday December 24 2008Odds 'n Sods:Reader Chris M. sent this from UPS: Global Supply Chains Not Ready for Challenging Times o o o Jim G. sent us a link to a YouTube clip with some timely humor: Sponsor an Executive o o o Eric sent this big batch of economic train wreck news and commentary: Where'd the bailout money from taxpayers go? Shhhh, it's a secret -- Bailed-Out Executives Got $1.6 Billion in 2007 -- Housing crisis worsens as economy weakens -- House-price stabilisation is not imminent -- Banks brace for an ugly 2009 -- Mortgage Re-Defaults Rising With No Sign of Slowing -- Revising Loan Modifications -- Will the Bubble Burst Aspen? -- Downturn hits vacation enclave of New York elite -- Life Without Bubbles -- Another Reason Not to Trust So-Called Economic Experts -- English bailiffs get power to use force on debtors -- Fiscal Insanity Virus Rapidly Spreading the Globe Part 1 (Mish Shedlock). And Cheryl (aka The Economatrix) sent us all these: Dow Falls Fifth Straight Session On Grim Data Reports -- US Home Prices Drop at Near-Depression Pace -- US Property Developers Seek Government Aid -- UK's Brown Wants 27% Interest On Loans to the Poor -- RBS Case Highlights Foreclosure Threat Even When Mortgages Have Been Paid -- Global Jobless to Rise By 25 Million -- New Zealand Recession Deepens -- Champagne Sales Collapse -- Ukraine Crisis Escalates Fears Over Gas Supplies -- Why the US Trade Deficit is Worsening and Dollar Implications -- The Great Stock and Commodities Deleveraging Crash of 2009 -- Belgian Gov't Collapses Over Fortis Bank Selloff -- Growing Signs of Workers' Unrest in China -- Great Depression Plus Hyperinflation -- [US Refiner, Distributor, and Truckstop Chain] Flying J Files for Bankruptcy -- US Army Ready if Downturn Gets Out of Hand -- Four Really, Really Bad Scenarios « Jim's Quote of the Day: |Main| Letter Re: Comparing the Big Three Battle Rifle Chamberings in the United States » Tuesday December 23 2008Odds 'n Sods:Frequent content contributor KAF suggested sci-fi novelist David Brin's nonfiction book "The Transparent Society" as a useful reference when considering retreat OPSEC in this modern era of Google Earth. BTW, its was Brin who authored the novel "The Postman", which Kevin Costner later put on the big screen, with uneven results. o o os Reader Michael H. notes: "[My friend] Art was just reading in an airline magazine article that mentioned in 1960, 1 in 9 people in the US were overweight or obese and we averaged 8.5 hours of sleep daily. Now 2 in 3 are overweight or obese and we average 7 hours of sleep." It sounds like people must be eating large bowls of ice cream while watching the Tonight Show. It goes without saying: Get regular exercise and lose that spare tire if you want to be ready to pull through the coming hard times. o o o o o o SurvivalBlog regular Michael Z. Williamson mentioned Grabi | |
and 
.
has
been released on DVD. This film was based on the book 
by
Nechama Tec.
has
slipped from the 4.5 star rating that it consistently held on Amazon.com for
the past
nine
years,
down to just 4 stars.
The reason? It is obvious that several readers who just don't "get it" when
it
comes
to
the concept of preparedness bought copies of the novel from the racks at their
local bookstores.
Perhaps
they thought that
it
would just be another in the endless parade of Tom Clancy clones--formulaic
"techno
thrillers",
which seem to invariably be set in either New York City, or inside the DC Beltway.
These novels most typically portray the protagonist saving the day just
short
of an economic meltdown, or de-escalating a full-scale armed international
conflict. Perhaps my novel is just a bit too jarring for the psyches of some
readers. They
don't
want
to be confronted
with the prospect of an actual economic meltdown,
or an actual global war, and the nitty-gritty consequences that
will
thence
ensue. The other
group of vocal
critics
are clearly folks that are horrified to see my protagonist characters actually
praying and honoring Christ. Clearly, I've offended someone's sensibilities.
("How
dare
they
repent
and
beseech
God
for
for
guidance,
providence,
and protection?")
Perhaps
actually practicing Christianity is
too
far
removed
from
their
world
view.
Oh, and I must also mention that
a
couple of reviewers that panned the book admitted to never even reading
it. That is hardly fair. Now, I don't claim to
be a literary genius, and I'm not begging for Brownie Points here, but
if
you
have
a
different opinion of the novel, then I'd greatly appreciate seeing your review
posted at
Amazon.com.
Just a paragraph or two from you would balance out the strident voices of the
anti-survivalists and the anti-Christians. Thanks!
a
long-time favorite. If you have an opinion about this proposed deletion (yea
or nay), and if you are an experienced Wiki
editor with an active Wiki user name, then please chime in. (Comments
by anyone without a "high post count" Wiki user name commenting
would actually be counterproductive.) Thanks!
(Schweizer
Offiziersmesser) is a must for each teenager and adult family member. Unlike
a
Leatherman tool, they are light enough for daily pocket carry. The
forum
has some
interesting
information
on outdoor survival
projects such as tin can stoves.
pits two competing groups from
the Freehold of Grainne
(that you'll remember from his novel 
) and Earth against each other during a "first
contact" with
a sentient species in another solar
system. It is now available at Amazon.com. Knowing Mike's previous work, this
promises to be good!
book--presently #23 on Amazon.com), is obviously much more
than
just a seasonal blip. People are clearly getting quite concerned about the
economy.
So
it is
just a display of
good old-fashioned
common
sense
for folks to revert to self-sufficiency mode. I'm glad to see this happen. Two
other popular books that are riding this wave of popularity are: 
: 
by
Ayn Rand has jumped to #62 in the Amazon sales rankings. (Out
of four million+ titles.) Not bad for a 52-year-old novel! Meanwhile,