Day: July 6, 2010

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 29 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will include: 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.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 500 round case of …


My G.O.O.D. Vehicle, by Matt M.

In considering my Get Out of Dodge (G.O.O.D.), plans, I decided to focus on determining the proper vehicle to acquire. My first and biggest concern is the fact that I have a large family. While our retreat is little more than a camp site at this time, I have decided to focus this article on the trip there rather than the buildup of the actual retreat. I am not a trained mechanic but I have worked on cars throughout my 22 years of car ownership. I am by no means an expert at anything survival related. I am a student …


Letter Re: Implications of the National Strike in India

Sir, I logged a computer help desk report today after the auto update system deleted my sound card. I was annoyed with my computer and irritated when the India based call-taker misheard what I was saying. He apologised saying he had been on at work very early today. We continued the call and I casually asked what time he had started in the morning. He went on to tell me they had stayed overnight in the office due to a national strike in India. He had started at 5am, it was now 1pm and although he was due to finish …


Economics and Investing:

B.B. spotted this item in The New York Times: Robert Prechter’s Market Forecast Says ‘Take Cover’ Tom J.in Vermont sent this: Davidowitz: US Economy a “Complete Disaster” Thanks to Chris G. for this link: Barack Obama: The great jobs killer “Falcon” suggested this piece by Bob Chapman, who suggests that thing might get downright medieval: Struggling and Faltering to Manage Economic Recovery. Chapman writes: “As a result of this and other failures we are about to experience the worst economic collapse since 1348 [during the Great Plague.]” Items from The Economatrix: Fannie-Freddie Bailout Could Cost Taxpayers $1 Trillion Why Canada’s …


Odds ‘n Sods:

David in Israel wrote to say that he liked a podcast on NPR about the Starfish Prime nuclear tests.    o o o R.P.B. mentioned a brief video about the new “Fortified” home building standard.    o o o F.J. suggested this piece over at Lifehacker: Convert a Regular Bicycle into a Cargo Bike for Gas-Free Grocery Hauling


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

Smokin’ my pipe on the mountings, sniffin’ the mornin’ cool, I climbs in my old brown gaiters along o’ my old brown mule. The monkey can say what our road was — the wild-goat ‘e knows where we passed. Stand easy, you long-eared old darlin’s! Out drag-ropes! With shrapnel! Hold fast — ‘Tss! ‘Tss! For you all love the screw-guns — the screw-guns they all love you! So when we take tea with a few guns, o’ course you will know what to do — hoo! hoo! Jest send in your Chief an’ surrender — it’s worse if you fights …