Day: October 17, 2009

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 25 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 …


Square Foot Gardening, by N.C. Gardener

Everyone that has food storage should have a garden to supplement it.  For people that don’t have the acreage or live in cities a Square Foot Garden (SFG) is perfect. We need the nutrients and variety that can be provided with fresh fruits and vegetables.   Think how nice it would be to have a tomato sandwich with lettuce or make a small batch of fresh salsa.  Tomatoes, cilantro, salt and onions makes cornmeal go from cornbread to chips and salsa. The SFG web site has all the information you need to build and care for your garden. I also recommend …


Three Letters Re: Perspectives on Roughing It and Covert Car Camping

Hi Jim, That was a great letter from Jolly but I’d like to add a couple of things. Jolly says ‘never, ever’ sleep at an highway rest stop. I guess that depends on where you are. In the last few years Texas has built some absolutely beautiful rest stops with clean bathrooms, vending machines, etc. that are manned 24 hours a day. They encourage sleeping there (better that than fatigued drivers on the road). I asked the people at one if it would be okay to sleep in my car – they replied that yes, it would be perfectly okay …


Two Letters Re: Abandonment of the Dollar is a Premature Rumor

Dear Editor: This civil debate on the status of the Dollar–and thanks, by the by, for keeping things civil on your blog–all comes down to a matter of not “if”, but just “when.” The United States Dollar will soon be dead meat. Finis. See this article: Reckoning Day for US Dollar Coming Next Year. We just need to ask: will the[definitive] end [for the dollar’s dominant reserve status] come in six months, or six years? So, no matter when, I’m hedging by building up my stash of silver and lead. (The kind that goes “bang.”) Since I’m still paying off …


Economics and Investing:

Dollar hit on Fed’s signal of low rates. Meeting minutes show Fed has strong lean to more debt monetization. (Thanks to GG for the link.) Brian H. sent us a link to a piece in Zero Hedge. that quotes Money magazine: “Now 5 institutions hold 97% of the notional value [face amount] and 88% of the market value in derivatives, and they are all basically in the same business and all basically hedge with each other. It is not a true hedge when the other side can’t pay, and history has clearly proven how easy it is for the other …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Nona mentioned that the North Dakota State University Extension Service has plans for everything from bee hives and rabbit hutches to deep well water systems for your house, to vegetable cellars. You can download the 8-1/2″ x 11″ format plans as free PDF files, or order 18″ x 24″ blueprints for $4.    o o o The new AsaMom web site (“A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots”) has been growing at a phenomenal rate, thanks in part to a prominent mention on the Glenn Beck program. Check it out.    o o o SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson spotted …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The right of self-defense is the first law of nature; in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Wherever standing armies are kept up, and when the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any color or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction.” – Henry St. George Tucker, in Blackstone’s 1768 Commentaries on the Laws of England