Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 31 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 …




Indoor Winter Vegetable Gardens, by Kate in Colorado

Indoor Winter Vegetable Gardens, by Kate in Colorado The first cool night of the almost changing season gave the squash plants a shiver and they curled their big leaves upon themselves as if to find protection.  I wait for this moment in the eternal gardening cycle to begin preparing my plants and myself for the “indoor” gardening season. You see, I don’t let the thought of thirty degree days or fear of the blowing snow that is Colorado keep me from enjoying the, excuse the pun, fruits of my gardening labor. With the looming price hike in food and the …




Two Letters Re: A Little Insight on Diesel Engines

Two Letters Re: A Little Insight on Diesel Engines Jim: I am prepper, survivalist, as well as a longtime waste vegetable oil (WVO) user. I wasn’t gonna get in this diesel game, except that it saved my life. In 2004 I was in a severe commercial truck accident where I was struck in the fuel tank and rolled three times. When the EMT was cleaning me up, she told me that using diesel fuel had saved my life. If I had been in a company truck that was gas-powered (Top Kick C6500) I would have died in a explosion upon …




Economics and Investing:

Reader Robert A. sent this: How to Make & Use Gold Test Solutions. Robert’s comment: “I recently entered a gold and silver exchange to sell, what I thought was silver, and upon testing discovered that it was a very thick silver plate. Below is a list of solutions used for various testing of gold and silver. I was informed that using the 14 karat gold solution works well for testing silver.” K. in Montana liked this piece over at the Rural Revolution blog: The Economics of Prepping Dan J. flagged this: S&P: $460 Billion Shadow Inventory [of distressed residential properties] …




Odds ‘n Sods:

Readers J.B.G. and T.B. both sent this: Super-rich investors buy gold by ton    o o o Richard S. suggested this interesting–albeit very poorly-titled–article: Self-Aiming Sniper Rifles Coming Next Year    o o o G.G. mentioned that an interview with David Werner, the author of the book, “Where There Is No Doctor”, is available as a podcast at the OffTheGridNews.com web site.