Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 30 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 …




From Socialist to Survivalist, by an Ex-Canadian

I still have my Canadian citizenship even though I have been married to an American for 15 years and have two “halfer” children, all of whom I drag up north every summer to visit family. As a Canadian I spent most of my life expecting the Government to take care of my essentials (and non-essentials) if I were ever in need or want. After an accident on Government land I had all my outrageous medical needs completely covered. (One aside for those in favor of socialized medicine – real medical emergencies can be expensive and therefore a burden on the …




Letter Re: Using Your Library as a Resource

Hello Mr. Rawles! First off, I wanted to thank you so much for all the information you provide! It has changed my life! The second thing I wanted to mention was about using your libraries as a resource. I just completed courses to become a library director. In these courses we were strongly encouraged to "weed" out all books and materials that had older publication dates than 2000. We were told not to worry about not having any of the "classics" on hand because patrons could always use the inter-library loan system to borrow them from somewhere else. Recently, I …




Economics and Investing:

KAF sent us this: Barney Frank: Abolish Fannie and Freddie California Governor Schwarzenegger Orders Furloughs After Top Court Rules. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: The Horrific Derivatives Bubble that Could Destroy Entire World Financial System The Bond Market Is Signaling Trouble Ahead Oil Falls on Report of Rise in US Supplies US Economy Nears Point of No Return The Only Investment Worth Having




Inflation Watch:

Today I’m launching a new blog column, titled Inflation Watch. It is intended to expose the myth that “there’s no inflation” at present here in the United States and in other First World countries. I’m not sure if this column will become a permanent fixture at SurvivalBlog, but given the recent massive government overspending and monetization, I suspect that I’ll have plenty of material for Inflation Watch.. If you have any present-day personal accounts, or if you spot any news items that show significant inflation, then please e-mail the links to me. These can include details on the shrinking sizes …




Odds ‘n Sods:

Odds ‘n Sods: M.T. and S.M. both sent this: Appleseed Teaching History with Guns.    o o o K.A.F. flagged this item: Egg Recall 2010    o o o M.S. mentioned a mail order source for aluminum powder and iron oxide (thermite components). Of course, check your state and local laws before ordering. Thermite could come in handy someday, for your emergency welding needs. (For a description of some potential uses, see my novel: “Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse“ )




Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Near civil war between town and country was a pervasive feature of this break-down in social order. Large mobs of half-starved and vindictive townsmen descended on villages to seize food from farmers accused of hoarding. The diary of one young woman described the scene at her cousin’s farm: ‘In the cart I saw three slaughtered pigs. The cowshed was drenched in blood. One cow had been slaughtered where it stood and the meat torn from its bones. The monsters had slit the udder of the finest milch cow, so that she had to be put out of her misery immediately. …