Day: March 16, 2009

Notes from JWR:

In addition to books and DVDs, we now sell a wide variety of preparedness gear through Amazon.com. But please patronize our paying advertisers first. If they don’t have what you are looking for, you can order using the links at our Amazon Preparedness Gear Page. By using the provided links, you’ll help support SurvivalBlog, with sales commissions. Thanks! — Congrats to K.B., the high bidder in our most recent benefit auction. Today we are beginning a new auction. This one is for another large mixed lot that includes 1.) A “be ready to barter” box of 26 full-capacity firearms magazines, …


Letter Re: Wealth Destruction–Real Wealth or Just On-Paper Wealth?

Sir: I followed the link in Thursday’s blog to this I followed this news story: 45 percent of world’s wealth destroyed: Blackstone CEO. It stated: “Between 40 and 45 percent of the world’s wealth has been destroyed in little less than a year and a half.” I don’t see how Schwarzman can be right about that. The factories are still there. the farms are still there. The houses are still there. And there are still warehouses full of everything from Machinery and bar stock to Sponge Bob Squarepants toys.So what has been destroyed are just “on paper” profits, not any …


Letter Re: A Technique for Crossing Barbed-Wire Fences

Mr. Rawles, On foot crossing a barbed wire livestock fence that is stretched tight can be a problem. Stretching the fence with the hands makes a small space. Hanging gear and loose clothing seem to always find a barb to catch. The trick is to make a pair of fence stretcher/stabilizers. Any material can work but light weight metal is the best. The stretching sticks or bars only need to be strong enough to not bend in the middle while under tension. I recommend using two pieces of lightweight metal bar stock about 14 to 16 inches long. Notch each …


Letter Re: Beeswax Candles as an Emergency Heat and Light Source

Hi Jim, Here are a few links for Beeswax survival “cooking” candles. They burn cleaner and longer than paraffin and are also considered safer. (Though they may not be the best choice for burning outdoors in bear country!) Pheylonian Survival Candles Pheylonian eShop Zen Stoves – All Grace, No Slack, Really-Reformed Kris


Economics and Investing:

Inyokern sent this “must read” piece that compares the current collapse with 1929: Surviving the Great Collapse Mike K. spotted this telling news article: A Trashed Economy Foretold, Intake at Landfills Has Been Falling From Joan M.: Canada’s dirty subprime secret Laura H. sent this: Banks scramble to return bailout funds From Ben in Nevada: Dollar Crisis in the Making – Before the stampede


Odds ‘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:

“Money is a mirror of civilization. Throughout history, whenever we find good, reliable noninflated money, we almost always find a strong, healthy civilization. Whenever we find unreliable, inflated money, we almost always find a civilization in decay.” – Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? by Richard J. Maybury, Karl Hess, Kathryn Daniels, and Jane A. Williams