Month: June 2007

Letter Re: Greenspan, Gold, and the Safe Store of Value

James, While I am sure that this has been covered here before, it demands review. I was searching for information on a “safe store of value” and I came across the following. On or about 1966, Alan Greenspan wrote a lucid note entitled, “Gold and Economic Freedom.” Greenspan’s essay ends with, “This is the shabby secret of the welfare statists’ tirades against gold. Deficit spending is simply a scheme for the confiscation of wealth. Gold stands in the way of this insidious process. It stands as a protector of property rights. If one grasps this, one has no difficulty in …


Three Letters Re: Surplus Interceptor Body Armor (IBA)

James, I noticed the letter you posted about the man who bought his interceptor armor from eBay. Much of the Interceptor [Body] Armor on the market is stolen property. Many times it was stolen through supply [channels] and that is one of the reasons so many troops had to buy their own. On many of the tactical forums you have to be able to produce proof that you bought the interceptor armor legally. The interceptor armor itself is outdated. It is very heavy and bulky. Dragonskin is also not available to civilians. You have to have a end user certificate …


Odds ‘n Sods:

“Yabba-dabba-do!” Hawaiian K. forwarded us a link about some transportation improvisation in Prague. (The intact bark makes me think that this was a prank rather than an economy measure.)   o o o Simon in England sent us this gem from the British press: a serving soldier (Private Christopher Trussler) has been charged with the illegal possession and sale of ammunition in late May. The private’s arrest followed “a three-month investigation.” His arrest followed an operation into the sale of 9mm ammunition in the Chichester area of West Sussex. The Metropolitan Police said the move followed a “proactive intelligence-led investigation …



Note from JWR:

Two issues seem to cause the most lively debate in the SurvivalBlog: climate change and Peak Oil. (On the latter, see the following letters.) There are brilliant minds that that support both sides of these issues. I am a gratified to see that SurvivalBlog readers can debate these topics rationally, without resorting to name calling. The bottom line for you, dear reader: Regardless of where you stand on these issues, be prepared. Even if they turn out to be overblown non-issues, there is no guarantee that government over-reaction might cause just as many problems as the “crises” themselves. And if …


Three Letters Re: Some Good May Come From High Gas Prices

JWR, Again, Michael Williamson brings a bit of fresh air in his letter regarding gas prices. It’s called the free market pricing mechanism and when allowed to operate it would solve most human problems in the most efficient manner. Regards, K Dear Jim, There is a huge difference between reserves (total resource) and the amount of the resource that can be produced each year (production flow rate per unit of time). Both Canada and Venezuela have large reserves of tar sands. However, the annual production of tar sands is limited by production constraints and has a low (but positive) energy …


Forwarded Letter Re: Jericho Shall Return!

The following letter from a CBS executive comes by way of Rourke (Moderator of Yahoo’s Jericho Discussion Group): To the Fans of Jericho: Wow! Over the past few weeks you have put forth an impressive and probably unprecedented display of passion in support of a prime time television series. You got our attention; your emails and collective voice have been heard. As a result, CBS has ordered seven episodes of “Jericho” for mid-season next year. In success, there is the potential for more. But, for there to be more “Jericho,” we will need more viewers. A loyal and passionate community …


Odds ‘n Sods:

There is an interesting thread of discussion on caching in progress over at The Claire Files.   o o o The recent mention of the Kill-a-Watt power meter prompted reader RBS to send us a link to a discount supplier on the Internet.    o o o Peter Schiff comments on the economy, at Gold-Eagle.


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. 9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man." – Proverbs 6:6-11 (KJV)


Letter Re: Some Good May Come From High Gas Prices

Dear Jim, Believe it or not, I find current oil prices encouraging as well as annoying, but with an undertone of warning. At our current domestic US price, it becomes cost effective to exploit the Canadian tar sands. Canada is next door, civilized, and easy to deal with. Their reserves in that form are probably larger than the entire world’s crude supply. Venezuela has an equal amount, and Chavez can’t live forever. The Canadians have gotten production cost down to $15/barrel, but are not yet producing at full speed. It is obvious, however, that growing technology will improve this, and …


Letter Re: Northern Idaho Versus Northwestern Montana as Retreat Locales

James: As a family we all live in Montana. Now our whole family is considering relocating to a larger parcel in different part of NW Montana, or to Priest River area or Bonners Ferry area of Idaho. We have found several suitable parcels. Politically why is Idaho better than Montana? Are the people in Idaho more stable than those in Montana? Strategically why is North Idaho better than northwestern Montana? It seems to me the people in both states are very freedom minded. It also seems to me that the area around the capital of Idaho is becoming very liberal. …


Letter Re: Jericho Fans are Going Nuts Over the TV Series Cancellation

Jim: The decision by CBS to simply cancel Jericho was compounded by how much of a cliffhanger the final episode ended on. Reminiscent of Star Trek and Firefly fans, there has been a steady and growing outcry of loyalist fans. In a show which has been loaded with them, the final episode had the homage to the WWII Battling Bastards of Bastogne, where General Anthony McAuliffe, surrounded and outnumbered, responded to the Germans’ order to surrender with the famous one-word reply: “Nuts.” The grass roots nuts online campaign, which I have contributed to myself, is a clever and tasteful protest …



Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"The more I am acquainted with agricultural affairs, the better I am pleased with them; insomuch, that I can no where find so great satisfaction as in those innocent and useful pursuits. In indulging these feelings, I am led to reflect how much more delightful to an undebauched mind, is the task of making improvements on the earth, than all the vainglory which can be acquired from ravaging it, by the most uninterrupted career of conquests." – George Washington, Letter to Arthur Young, December 4, 1788


Two Letters Re: Constructing a High Efficiency (Low Current Draw) Refrigerator

James: Greetings from the rural Northeast, destination of choice for fleeing urban hordes! I enjoyed the article from Australia a while back on converting a small chest freezer into a low-power refrigerator. I had planned to undertake a project like that this summer. I admired the elegance of the circuit design and the use of a latching relay to lower the power consumption as low as possible. When I read the letter about using a brewer’s thermostat instead, though, I had the same epiphany you did. Your BFO award is certainly appropriate, and I commend Kurt for bringing the idea …