Year: 2009

Letter Re: Paying Off Debts with Inflated Dollars?

JWR, I understand when you say that hyperinflation will make the price of things go up and up, like a ten dollar or hundred dollar loaf of bread. But what happens to a financed item, specifically the home [that is] mortgaged? Can the lender change the interest rate or the length of loan? What about other financed items like a car loan? If nothing changes then a person would be paying back the loan with inflated dollars, which might be a good thing? Please explain. Thank You, – RenoFlyBoy JWR Replies: To begin: You had asked: ” Can the lender …


Two Letters Re: Barnyard Junk: The Things that You Do and Don’t Need for TEOTWAWKI

Jim: Regarding post on junk: Right on! When I recommend the OAR system for preparedness the O stands for organization. It does no good to have supplies you can’t find or access. I see an awful lot of farmers with yards that look like the municipal landfill. It isn’t safe or healthy. True preparedness requires doing the work of tracking supplies and useage so you don’t find yourself short or waste hours looking for the tool that you know is here…someplace. One of the best features of the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course is the organized inventory lists. For …


Two Letters Re: A Carrington Event Space Storm–A Natural EMP Equivalent

Jim, When looking for places to store sensitive electronics, consider the old-fashioned galvanized steel garbage can. For about a buck a gallon, you can store just about any and all electronics a household might have, safety protected against EPM and other damaging fields. – Jake Stafford, publisher of the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course and loyal SurvivalBlog reader   Sir: Here is another perspective on the problems associated with a Carrington event [, from the Mostly Cajun blog]. Sol assaults Mother Gaia – for real? Regards, – Hunter in Alaska


Economics and Investing:

Alyce at The Motley Fool Goes Doomer: The Four Things You Need. (Thanks to Lynne W. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Credit Union Collapse Signals Depth of Financial Crisis On Wall Street, Talk of Trust and Civil War Marc Faber: It Will All End in Disaster Economic Dirty Bo Goes Off in NY In NY, a Second, Silent 9-1-1 Accidents Can Happen (The Mogambo Guru) The End Game Approaches Ron Paul: Bankruptcy is Economic Stimulus  


Odds ‘n Sods:

John C. set this this from Yahoo’s Green Home page: Twelve amazing shipping container houses    o o o Reader Rick D.sent this about detergent smugglers Spokane residents smuggle suds over green brands    o o o From FloridaGuy: More and more city folk are raising chickens    o o o Also from FloridaGuy: Toy-gun sales ban advances to Arkansas House. FloridaGuy’s comment: “‘Your sons will play with dolls.’ This is just more nanny-state foolishness.”



Note from JWR:

The high bid in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is now at $760. This auction ends on April 15th. It is for a large mixed lot, which includes:: 1.) A Warrior Aid and Litter Kit, donated by Ready Made Resources. This is an advanced medic kit package that includes a Talon II 90C folding handle collapsible litter, which normally retails for $560, just by itself. This truly a “full up” tactical trauma kit! This sophisticated medic kit normally retails for $1,500. 2.) A “be ready to barter” box of 26 full-capacity firearms magazines, from my personal collection in JASBORR. This box …


Letter Re: A Well-Rounded Skillset Requires Both Range-Based and Force-on-Force Training

Jim, I agree with a recent post, Front Sight offers excellent training, and will get the beginning shooter to feel comfortable with their weapon and build in quick and automatic malfunction clearances, but it has shortcomings that all range based training classes share. By default, range based handgun training teaches us: 1) Stand still while you shoot 2) Use two hands when you shoot 3) Focus on the front sight This type of shooting is a very specialized form of shooting. It is perfect when you are: 1) Target/competition shooting 2) Shooting at the edge of your accuracy range from …


Product Review: AmericaStone Knife Sharpener

Several months ago, I received a sample product that languished on the back off my desk, just for the lack of time available to test it. This is a novel sharpening stone design, dubbed the the AmericaStone. It was not until this weekend that I finally had the chance to try it out. And now I’m glad that I finally did. In the modern parlance, it is “way cool“. Let me start by saying that the AmericaStone is the best compact knife sharpener that I’ve ever used. For my test, I used my current primary everyday carry pocketknife, a tanto …


Letter Re: TEOTWAWKI Medicine and Minor Surgery

James, In general, [the recent medical articles are] great stuff to have on your web site. However, it is really best for trained and knowledgeable medical and paramedical people to get involved in medical and surgical issues rather than looking at these as Do-It-Yourself projects! With all due respect to your many readers with far greater mechanical intelligence than I have, the Almighty engineered the body and sustains it in a more complicated manner (beyond human comprehension) than the best human conceived and built retreat plan! As soon as you finish a course of antibiotics, drink yogurt, (fermented) buttermilk, or …


Economics and Investing:

Gerald Celente Predicts Economic Armageddon by 2012. (A hat tip to Reader P.D. for the link.) OBTW, take it as a warning sign if you hear that Gerald Celente has moved from New York to say… Wyoming. From D.V.: Goldman Sachs’s Cohen Predicts More Bad News on Banks Items from The Economatrix: Our New National Currency: The US Fuffle IBM to Cut 5,000 US-based Jobs, Shift Work to Emerging Markets Wall Street Turns Cautious But Logs Third Weekly Advance Failed Bank: Omni National Bank, Atlanta Georgia Lendman: Obama’s Latest “No Banker Left Behind” Scheme “Nobody can be confident that the …


Odds ‘n Sods:

In the “Why am I Not Surprised?” Department: Clinton targets assault weapons. “US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she’ll be arguing for tougher gun controls as part of efforts to help Mexico fight violent drugs cartels.” Okay, so let me get this straight: Hitlery says that we should give up our Second Amendment rights in order to stop drug gangs from misusing guns in Mexico. What is next? Giving up our First Amendment rights, in order to stop libel and slander in Canada? (They might use American-made typewriters and bullhorns, dontcha-know…) OBTW, here is the none-too-subtle spin on this …



Letter Re: A Carrington Event Space Storm–A Natural EMP Equivalent

Jim- New Scientist magazine article recently published an important article titled “Space storm alert: 90 seconds from catastrophe.” The article outlines possible scenarios for the risk of solar storms that could severely damage national grids and vital electrical and electronic systems. The effects would be catastrophic and devolve societies into a desperate survival situation for individuals. One quote from the article: “Over the last few decades, western civilisations have busily sown the seeds of their own destruction. Our modern way of life, with its reliance on technology, has unwittingly exposed us to an extraordinary danger: plasma balls spewed from the …


Letter Re: Barnyard Junk: The Things that You Do and Don’t Need for TEOTWAWKI

Jim Much has been written in all the various books, discussion groups and forums about acquiring the best G.O.O.D. bag, BOVs and medical kits. Much has been said about what garden seeds to get and the best lead delivery systems to have. There’s been endless discussions about setting up the most survivable retreat and packing the maps to help get you there. …But I recall very little talk about what you don’t need. I’ve lived on the family farm all my life. I’ve also spent a great deal of time delivering survival supplies to Indian Reservation all over the US. …