Economics and Investing:

Unemployment Rate Rises to 9.6%. That is the official figure from the BLS. But the really telling number is for under-employment. That is buried down in line U-6 in Table A-15. Alternative measures of labor underutilization. And again, that is the official figure. A 2004 article suggested that the real world numbers are probably substantially higher. (Somehow I doubt that this under-reporting has been rectified.) Sue C. sent us this: Bernanke: Shut down banks if they threaten system 120 Days to Go Until the Largest Tax Hikes in History. Items from The Economatrix: Global Collapse of the Fiat Money System: …




Inflation Watch:

Pearl wrote me to mention: “We homeschool and therefore I stock up on supplies when they go on clearance after public school children have started. I still have boxes of Papermate pens left over but couldn’t resist picking up a couple packages when I noticed they were on sale. When I got home I compared the clearance tags… Last year, I purchased boxes of 12 Papermate pens for $.35. This was 30% off the original price of $.50. This year, I purchased packages of 10 Papermate pens (no box) for $.70. These were also 30% off the original price of …




Odds ‘n Sods:

Rourke recommended the Patriot Nurse video blog. Rourke says: “She has done many videos on several survival topics. Check this one out in particular.    o o o “Your Agonizer please, Mister Kyle.”: Inmate-frying microwave pain blaster turret installed in US jail. This news really bothers me on several levels. To start: This isn’t at a prison. It is a County Jail, where I assume a good portion of the population is awaiting trial, and presumed innocent. This sounds like “cruel or unusual punishment”, to me.    o o o I spotted this over at TSLRF: Talk about adrenaline powered …




Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The preparation which Hezekiah prudently made against this storm that threatened him: He took counsel with his princes what he should do, what measures he should take, v. 3. With their advice he provided, 1. That the country should give him a cold reception, for he took care that he should find no water in it (and then his army must perish for thirst), or at least that there should be a scarcity of water, by which his army would be weakened and unfitted for service. A powerful army, if it want water but a few days, will be but …




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 …




How I “Woke Up”, by Lew B.

The biggest reason most of the folks we come across in our daily lives have no idea what is coming (the basic collapse of the American infrastructure) is the fact that they are “still sleeping.”  The iPods, Lady Gaga, American Idol, and You Tube silliness all work well to keep the masses sleeping.  This might be a good thing, in a way.  If nothing else, it buys the rest of us time to continue to prepare.  And if enough people do wake up, it will actually accelerate the inevitable.  But that is okay, since it is going to happen anyway.  …




Letter Re: The Correlation Curse

May I recommend the article titled The Correlation Curse by Howard Hill? Mr. Hill explains in very simple terms why, during a meltdown itself, it is critical to not be in debt. His thesis is simple – during a collapse, the primary asset at the center of the collapse simply cannot be sold so people begin selling everything else to cover their debts. This includes gold, silver and precious metals and is precisely why precious metals will ultimately fall when the final collapse comes. Now the good point is that precious metals will rapidly regain their value on the other …




Economics and Investing:

G.G. sent this from Forbes: Bernanke Out Of Bullets But Not Bombs: Federal Reserve’s ability to buy assets and spark inflation is unlimited. Ambrose Evans-Pritchard reports: Société Générale tells clients how to prepare for ‘global collapse’ G.G. mentioned this guest article posted over at Zero Hedge: A Termite-Riddled House: Treasury Bonds Buried down in the fine print of the New York Times we read that the FDIC is $15.2 billion in the hole. But gee, who’s counting, and who cares, when Uncle Sugar can create unlimited money out of thin air? The Daily Bell asks: Bank Run 2011? (Thanks to …




Inflation Watch:

More about the inflation riots in Mozambique How Hyperinflation Will Happen The Federal Reserve reported that the M2 Money Supply expanded 5.3% in just three months from April 2010 to July 2010. And the M3? Who knows. They stopped compiling that data 2006, after it had become too embarrassing. Meat price surge fuels fears of food inflation News from Bangladesh: Food prices push inflation up again




Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“I think people are beginning to realize that this downturn in the economy has just begun. We are about three years into what will turn out to be a 20 year crisis, with no guarantee what survives. But something will survive, and a new day will dawn on this planet.” – From discussion forum post by The Unrepentant Cowboy (posted at Collapsenet)




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 …




Learning From Living History Interpreters, by D.R.W.

Many times I’ve read on these pages the prognostications of my fellow preppers as to the current direction and ultimate destination of our nation, government and way of life. Of these possible outcomes one of the most common themes that crisscross the apocalyptic visions of the future is the grid-down situation. The author’s often refer to the mid 1800s as a reference point to orient the reader to the reality of what life would be like without the precious electrical current that so directly (and alternately) influences our everyday life. Today we can read about the lives of people living …




Economics and Investing:

Oil Should Be Around $10 a Barrel: Analyst. here is a quote: “I honestly think that if there were no investors using oil as an asset that the price of oil right now would be $10 or $15 or $18, but it wouldn’t be anywhere near where it is,” Beutel said. Jeff Nelson opines at The Street: U.S. Government Prepares for ‘Crisis’. (Thanks to G.G. for the link.) The Death Of Cash? All Over The World Governments Are Banning Large Cash Transactions. Its all about maximizing tax revenue. G.G. suggested this by Martin Hutchinson: Combining the Worst A bellwether event? …







Odds ‘n Sods:

Joshua H. sent a link to a nifty homemade hand crank flashlight, over at Instructables.    o o o In celebration of Labor Day, JRH Enterprises is offering full mil-spec AN/PVS-14 Gen 3+ night vision weapons sight monoculars at a special sale price. These are autogated and complete with soft case, head mount, head mount adapter, operators manual, batteries, lens paper, de-mist shield, sacrificial window, and ITT tube data record, et cetera. The price is just $2,895, which is less than most dealers charge for a standard Gen 3 scope. (As I mentioned before, these are the much more sought-after …