Day: April 24, 2010

Notes from JWR:

I’ve had two readers write me to ask how to pronounce Eyjafjallajökull. One of them noted: “It took me a year just to learn how to pronounce TEOTWAWKI (“Tea-Ought-Walk-ee”), so now I’m expected to learn this?) Chris Taylor of Word Around the Net explains: “Its pronounced ‘Throat warbler mangrove’”. (An homage to Monty Python.) But as for me, I’ve decided just call the Icelandic volcano “Effie.” I think that’s a nice familiar nickname, and it is probably apropos, since we’ll likely be choking on Effie’s gritty bad cooking for several years, or perhaps even a decade or longer. — Today …


Turning the Corner, by F.J.B.

Today there seems to be any number of reasons for the average American to turn the corner towards preparedness and being self-reliant.  Back in 1993, I would have been able to give you just as many reasons based on my observations through the 1980s.  Not surprisingly there are twice as many reasons for the average man to not start around that corner.  The reasons I have heard the most include the cost factor and objections to living so primitively.  Simply put: today’s average American is too poor and soft to endure hardships like camping, physical labor, and no TV.  These …


Letter Re: A New Fungus Among Us

James, I saw this on the net and thought that your readers may not have heard of this yet: Deadly Airborne Fungus Spreading in Northwest. Heads up folks: “A potentially deadly strain of fungus is spreading among animals and people in the northwestern United States and the Canadian province of British Columbia.” “The spore-forming fungus can cause symptoms in people and animals two weeks or more after exposure. They include a cough that lasts for weeks, sharp chest pain, and shortness of breath, headache, fever, nighttime sweats and weight loss.” “The new strain appears to be unusually deadly, with a …


Letter Re: Map Reading and Land Navigation for G.O.O.D. Planning

Jim: Unless I’m mistaken, 1:50,000 scale maps are military only. Civilian topo maps in the US (produced by the USGS) are 1:24,000 scale. If there are any 15 minute quadrangle maps still available they are 1:62,500 scale. Neither are compatible with military grid readers or scales. Here is a source for map scales and protractors available in a variety of scales – print or copy them on transparent material and have at it. Regards, – Flighter


Economics and Investing:

The IRS Goes Clubbin’. This illustrates that taxing officials will show no restraint in their expanding quest for revenue, in the coming years. Flea markets, farmers’ markets, gun shows, and any similar perceived dastardly bastions of free enterprise are doubtless next on their list. (A hat tip to RBS for the link.) Also from RBS: Peak Phosphorus, and Why It Matters, by James Elser and Stuart White. The Grudge Match Over Your 401(k) Items from The Economatrix: US to Shine Light on Derivatives Trading Next Bubble: $600 Trillion? IMF Trims Estimate of Losses From Financial Crisis The Great Debate: Are …


Odds ‘n Sods:

“Hobo Matt” sent us this: Time, Water Running Out for America’s Biggest Aquifer    o o o By way of Tamara over at View From the Porch comes this link: Not Your Typical CCW Class. (JWR’s comment: That makes sense to me!)    o o o Eric S. flagged this piece from The Albuquerque Journal that illustrates how folks can survive in an austere environment: On a Dusty Mesa, No Water or Electricity, but Boundless Space. But of course, without gasoline for vehicles to haul cistern water, they’d be in for some deep drama.