Odds ‘n Sods:

Nine readers all suggested the same article: Barton Biggs’s Tips for Rich: Expect War, Study Blitz, Mind Markets. The article begins: “Insure yourself against war and disaster by buying a remote farm or ranch and stocking it with “seed, fertilizer, canned food, wine, medicine, clothes, etc.” The “etc.” must mean guns, because Biggs is also quoted as stating: “A few rounds [fired] over the approaching brigands’ heads would probably be a compelling persuader that there are easier farms to pillage,” he writes in his new book, “Wealth, War and Wisdom.” Note that this is coming from a well-known fairly mainstream market analyst! When folks of his stature can start making what most would consider alarmist statements without fear of being branded as a “whacko” by the mainstream media, then there is almost assuredly a change in the weather coming.

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Hawaiian K. pointed out this Federal Reserve chart, showing that the Net Free or Borrowed Reserves (NFORBRES) of Depository Institutions just fell off a cliff. Let’s pray that there aren’t any bank runs soon, because the till is empty. It is a jolly good thing that the Fed is handing out so much cheap money these days, so the member banks can list part of these funds as “reserves.”

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For the month of February, Ready Made Resources is offering a 10% discount on all of their food storage packages. Be sure to get your ordering this month, before the inevitable price increases. Wholesale food prices are rising, and most of the storage food canners are no longer re-pricing annually. Most them are now re-pricing “as needed”, without any warning. Stock up during this sale!

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Eric suggested this: Banks’ bad loans hit level of S&L Crisis