Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 24 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) and C.)A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.) Second Prize: A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret …




Prepare to Garden Like Your Life Depends on It, by Prepared in Maine

So you plan on growing your own food in times of need. Here are some facts to bear in mind: 1) your garden is not just what you have in your tilled yard, greenhouse and cold frame; 2) prepare yourself physically for this way of life and diet; 3) organic gardening/farming will be the only kind of farming in the future; and 4) go native. Local food gathering and native plants are an essential aspect of a long-term, sustainable food supply. What grows in your area that can be eaten or used as a medicine? The most common edible plants …




Letter Re: Bank Walkaways–Banks Intentionally Not Fully Foreclosing?

James Wesley, I just read an ad on Craigslist explaining some sad stories for individuals on “Bank walk aways” . See BankWalkaways.com for more. It appears that [some] banks are intentionally not auctioning off properties foreclosed on and leaving the titles (… legal responsibility, liabilities, etc.) in the original record holder’s name. Down the road these vacant properties are vandalized, looted, burned etc., then the city comes a callin’ for the “homeowner” to fund the repairs / demolition. This is outrageous if this is true! Thanks are hardly enough for the wake up call you’ve given me through your book …




Economics and Investing:

U.S. Government to Loan Brazil’s Petrobras $10 Billion. This supercedes the old offer of $2 billion. Oh, but wait a minute! So if the BHO administration favors offshore drilling in US coastal waters, then why is this money going to Petrobras-Brazil instead of to US companies? Sue C. spotted this one: Dollar Falls to Lowest Versus Euro in 2009 as Stocks Rally And from A.C.: Schiff: Rising Gold Signals Inflation Items from The Economatrix: Gary North: Deflation, Inflation, Stagflation, Mass Inflation, Hyperinflation: Which One Will Get Us First? Obama Says US Still Faces Complex Economic Crisis Federal Reserve Saved Us …




Odds ‘n Sods:

New frugality is the new normal, by necessity; Even if shoppers’ willingness to spend returns, ability likely to be constrained for years    o o o 1,000,000+ Guns Added to American Homes in August    o o o GG flagged this: Rejecting Tech, Some Opting for Human Power    o o o Gary Marbut gets his five minutes of fame on CNN: 2009 HB 246 Montana Made Firearms Bill




Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"By a continuing process of inflation, governments can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizens…. The process engages all the hidden forces of economic law on the side of destruction, and does it in a manner which not one man in a million is able to diagnose." – John Maynard Keynes