Month: October 2010

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither [shall] fruit [be] in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and [there shall be] no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God [is] my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ [feet], and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.” – Habakkuk 3:17-19 (KJV)


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 …


Furry Friend Today: Food Tomorrow, by T.L.F.

As our population continues to increase and expand, the small towns are now big towns, the rural outskirts of town are vibrant mini-metroplexes and quaint little mountain towns are growing communities. With this progression of population and expansion of where we are choosing to live, the fusing of nature and your home is becoming an everyday occurrence. Drive through your neighborhood and you will see the cute little bunny rabbits sitting in the corners of the lawns. How many bird feeders and birdbaths do you see with a songbird sitting on the edge watching you drive by? Watch for the …


Letter Re: Europe’s Anti-Austerity Protests

JWR: Here are two links to recent news articles: Anti-austerity protests sweep across Europe, and Demonstrators protest spending cuts across Europe. How long until something similar begins to impact the U.S. may be as simple as this. The “hidden from public” depression, camouflaged by government “Robin Hood” programs like Food stamps, EBT cards, extended unemployment, various grants and subsidies, will become increasingly evident when, not if, the Fed slows down and/or stops payments that keep the masses satiated. It certainly can happen if austerity budgets rear their ugly heads and the wheels begin to come off our society. Or hyperinflation …


Economics and Investing

G.G. sent this: Capital controls eyed as global currency wars escalate Reader Danny B. forwarded this: Citi sued by Norwegian central bank Michigan, Florida Lead 34 States With Drop in Household Income Meredith Whitney’s new target: The states David S. suggested this: Politics Versus Gold Items from The Economatrix: World Gripped by “International Currency War” How Realistic is $5,000 Gold? Faber: Accumulate Gold and Keep it as Cash “Gold To Go” Taps into Gold Fever with ATMs Stocks Sizzled in Third Quarter, But Will it Last? Jobless Benefit Applications Drop to 453,000


Odds ‘n Sods

K-Dog mentioned that the U.S. Army is investing more in proper nutrition to aid in recovery from training, under the Soldier Athlete initiative.    o o o Sergio spotted this article: Global Cooling and the New World Order    o o o The folks at Ready Made Resources wrote mention that they have canned clarified butter (ghee) back in stock. Don’t overlook essential fats and oils in your food storage plan!    o o o J.A.M. sent this Science Daily article: Less than half of essential workers willing to report to work during a serious pandemic, study finds    o …



Notes from JWR:

This news story from U.S.A. Today sounds like something out of a novel I once read wrote: More families, friends move in together. They even refer to it as “doubling up.” A hat tip to Jeff S. for sending us the link. — We’ve completed the judging for Round 30 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. And the winners are… First Prize goes to Nomad Medic for the article: Dealing With Diarrhoeal Diseases, which was posted on Sept. 26, 2010. He will receive: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of …


Letter Re: Recommendation for Reunel Truck Bumpers

James Wesley: I live in a part of western Wyoming “where the deer and the antelope play.” Drivers around here often have deer collisions. There are so many collisions that “deer wreck” repairs are the main source of business for the local auto body shops. (And the standing joke here is, you aren’t a real citizen of the state until you’ve had your first deer wreck.) Because of this, it is pretty typical to see heavy-duty brushguard type bumpers on pickups and SUVs all around my region. But I heard from the local body shop that many of these bumpers …


Letter Re: Thoughts on Upcoming Quantitative Easing

Mister Rawles: As many of the SurvivalBlog readers and individuals who are on the inflation/deflation watch have noticed over the weekend is the rumor that the Federal Reserve will begin what is commonly referred to at this point as Quantitative Easing, Round 2 (or “QE2”) , Fed Will Boost Balance Sheet by $500 Billion . Why is this important for the average American? The opening of the novel “Patriots” lays out a scenario where the Federal Reserve begins to buy U.S. Treasury debt which spirals out of control leading to the implosion of the government. There should be warning lights …


Letter Re: Low Cost Merino Wool Clothing

Hello, I am very grateful for your web site/books and thought I could add a little something that I have been doing lately. I am a carpenter and usually end up building outside at some point during the winters, so I have tried a lot of different clothing options to stay warm and comfortable. The best solution for me has been Merino wool. It seems to me that since the mid-1990s that there has been a huge push from most retailers and advertisers to support man made synthetic fibers (recycled plastic fleece, polypropylene, acrylic, etc.) as insulating layers of clothing. …


Letter Re: The Psychological Trauma of a Home Burglary

Mr. Editor: Just about nine hours ago, my house was burglarized. My husband, three kids, and the dog is still asleep while I’m anxiously waiting for sunrise. Thank God we were not home but security of home is invaded. I’m scared, nervous, and unsure of the future. I tell myself to be strong for them but body is numbed and jelly-like. My kids and I came home from a school event around 7 P.M. yesterday evening. We all went straight to the kitchen for a snack. The house was at its usual state, toys scattered around, and the living room …


Letter Re: The Plan “B” Map

Sir: Regarding the comment in the The Plan "B" Map article about draining and filtering fire sprinkler systems for emergency drinking water: I’m definitely not an expert, and have only seen a few sprinkler systems purged, but the stuff coming out of those pipes is only loosely defined as “water”. The Fire Tech told me that some buildings have the original water in the fire sprinkler pipes dating back to when the system was installed, so it looks like motor oil coming out of those pipes. My office had the sprinkler system replaced, and it looked and smelled like sewer …


Economics and Investing:

Norman A. was the first of several readers to mention this: Ben Davies – The World Monetary Earthquake. Here is a quote: “Within a single week 25 nations have deliberately slashed the values of their currencies. Nothing quite comparable with this has ever happened before in the history of the world. This world monetary earthquake will carry many lessons.” B.B. sent this: U.S. Mint says it has run out of Buffalo gold coins Fred D. flagged this: Is Gold Going up or is it Just the Dollar Going Down? Job Experts Lose Jobs! (A hat tip to Jim P. for …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Water Use in Southwest Heads for a Day of Reckoning. (Thanks to SurvivalBlog’s Poet Laureate George Gordon for the link.)    o o o Mike the MD mentioned a piece in Backpacker magazine that has some simple but good first aid tips and common sense.    o o o B.B. recommended: GPS and the Police State We Inhabit: Living in Oceania