Day: July 18, 2007


Consumer Credit in America: Winding Up The Big “No Joy” Buzzer

I recently read a piece in The New York Times, (linked at SHTF Daily) titled Somehow the Spending Doesn’t Stop. The author made some astute observations on consumer spending. But he didn’t go on to analyze some underlying phenomena. I have observed that here was a subtle yet profound shift in the psychology of indebtedness that took place in the late 1990 and early Aughts: Somehow the average American gradually stopped thinking about the total amount that he owes his creditors, and instead started focusing on his minimum monthly payment. Consequently, consumer spending soared. For more than a decade, Americans …


Letter Re: Sterilizing Medical Instruments with a Pressure Cooker

Hi Jim… I noticed and read the letter from “NotDave” on, among other things, the use of a pressure cooker as an expedient sterilizer (autoclave). I would like to expound on what he wrote. First of all I would like to state that he is correct in his statements of time, temp, and pressure. To achieve steam-driven sterility you need to satisfy two requirements…time and temperature. In the medical, and lab/scientific field steam is the prevalent sterilant medium. This is due to the ability of steam to penetrate that which is being sterilized. At 20 psi [(g)auge (psig)] the temp …


Letter Re: Advice on Under-Slab Underground Shelters

Mr Rawles, I was looking at the construction of different areas of my home and trying to think of the best area for a fallout shelter or bunker. I have a basement with access to the area under my garage and under a slab addition. I figure that it would be too dangerous to tunnel under the garage but was wondering if it would be feasible to tunnel under the addition slab. If this were an option I could really have a large bunker area, especially if there is a way to use the garage slab. Thanks, – ART JWR …



Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Perhaps the greatest disservice of Hollywood movies is their cartoonish villains. In real life, I promise you, the devil will look more like Julia Roberts than Snidely Whiplash. Evil does not arrive with a flashing neon sign: MEPHISTOPHELES! LUCIFER! SATAN! FOR ETERNAL DAMNANTION, APPLY HERE! Evil arrives packaged as a winsome movie about a long-legged brunette who manages to marry a rich, handsome bachelor and live happily ever after — all by turning tricks on Hollywood Boulevard! There’s a reason Beelzebub is known as the prince of lies.” – Ann Coulter