Day: January 26, 2009

Note from JWR:

The current high bid in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is at $1,010. 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 …


The Big Roller Coaster is Picking Up Speed

The following are few random observation on current events: 1. Economic News 1A. The recent turn for the worse for Great Britain’s economy has sent shock waves around the globe. I expect this bad news continue, and intensify in the months to come, especially once the full implications of the Credit Default Swap (CDS) derivatives fiasco become known. 1B. It is interesting to see that the COMEX spot silver and spot gold markets are breaking out of their doldrums. Apparently, the big investors have come to realize that there are simultaneous credit market-spawned economic problems in North America, Europe and …


Letter Re: Some Observations on Finland from a Finnish SurvivalBlog Reader

Dear Mr. Rawles, I’m a long-time lurker of SurvivalBlog, but thought I’d pass on some links of interest. For the record, I’ve read your novel [“Patriots“], and I am coming from a “Peaknik” viewpoint. But still have my original copy of “Life After Doomsday“. Currently I’m living in Finland, which has its pros and cons. “Russian bombers over your home” is not a theoretical concept to Finns and they don’t grow enough food for themselves [for a self-sufficient economy.]. A Nordic socialist government with high taxes and cost of living might not be of interest to many SurvivalBlog readers, but …


Handcuffed and Stuffed in a Car Trunk — My Review of OnPoint Tactical’s Urban Escape and Evasion Class, by Mr. Lima

Last Monday night I was seized by eight guys, handcuffed and locked in the trunk of a car. Now I don’t know if you’ve ever been locked in the trunk of a car, but it’s not exactly how most folks want to spend an hour! Luckily this was part of OnPoint Tactical’s Urban Escape and Evasion class and I wasn’t actually getting “rolled up.” Earlier in the day we had spent a considerable amount of time learning how to free ourselves from handcuffs, flexicuff [plastic cable tie cuff]s, duct tape, rope and various other implements that impede personal freedom. We …


Letter Re: An Inexpensive Alternative to HESCO Bastions

Jim Hello! Some time ago, I read a post on SurvivalBlog about the HESCO bastions. Very interesting. I follow another blog here [in Brazil] , and one of the bloggers tell me about the huge fertilizer bags that he uses at his farm. (It is a [large scale] soy bean farm). Each bag is of one of one ton capacity. And he tells me that this bags are thrown away after use. Well, I think it´s a good source of almost free HESCO bastion equivalents. – The Werewolf (SurvivalBlog’s correspondent in Brazil)


Odds ‘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 …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Americans who are in the bottom 10th of income distribution live better today than kings lived in 1800. They have better health care, cheaper entertainment, cheaper books, longer life expectancy, air conditioning, central heating, and much more. This has come as a result of the private property system, the future-orientation of a broad mass of savers, and the willingness of entrepreneurs to invest their time and money to meet the wants of consumers in the future.” – Dr. Gary North