Year: 2010

Economics and Investing:

Karen H. sent this indicator that food price inflation is beginning: Wholesale prices rise in March as food costs jump. GG flagged this: Governments Will ‘Bankrupt Us’: Marc Faber Some interesting commentary by our friend Commander Zero: Guns as investments Items from The Economatrix: Are Interest Rate Derivatives a Ticking Time Bomb? Senate Panel Approves Derivatives Reform Bill. And for the inevitable back pedaling, here is press release from a Nebraska Senator’s office on the legislation. (Thanks to M.E. for the latter link). School Districts Around the Country Warn of Deeper Teacher Cuts Job Seekers Too Picky? Demand for US …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Andrew B. suggested this analysis from the folks at Stratfor: Dirty Bombs Revisited: Combating the Hype    o o o Reader Bret F. flagged this: Death of ‘Caveman’ ends an era in Idaho. Oh, and here is a link to a video clip about him: Diggin’ Dugout Dick in Idaho. OBTW, I highly recommend the book Last of the Mountain Men by Harold Peterson, about Sylvan Hart (aka “Buckskin Bill”) who lived up in the River of No Return hinterboonies. Sylvan Hart epitomized true self-sufficiency, and was a genuine character. I would have liked to have met him.    o …


Economics and Investing:

A preview of Things to Come, for the U.S. of A?: Iceland reports record 34 percent inflation Portuguese Five-Year CDS at Record High, Spread Wider. Can you spell D-E-F-A-U-L-T, boys and girls? (Our thanks to Brad F. for the link.) RBS sent this: Forget 10% Unemployment, The Real Job Loss Pain Number is 54% Amy R. sent this: U.S. Food Inflation Spiraling Out of Control Courtesy of frequent content contributor Jeff B.: 10 Cities Facing a Double Whammy of Default Risks Thanks to Mark G. for flagging this: The Housing Crash Has Just Started; Get set for falling prices again. …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 28 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 HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of …


TEOTWAWKI Simplified, by Jim S.

Most people find themselves looking at TEOTWAWKI as some sort of extended outdoorsy jaunt. Some people think of it as hard times. Me, I think it could be both, and then again it could be near mass extinction. But to make any type of sensible decision as to disaster preparation, you have to determine what is truly important. So let me simplify things for those of you all wadded up in bugout vehicles and plans for where to go and what ammo and guns are best to “protect yourself”. First, if you are dead, then you will no longer care. …


Letter Re: You May Not Need to Buy New 12 Volt Batteries

Sir: The recent post on battery rejuvenation touts a $200 unit, but the reality is that electronic battery [pulse] desulfators for 12V batteries are widely available for as little as $25 and they do just as well. (Check eBay for the phrase ‘battery desulfator’ and for more info on units, Google search the term.) The devices I believe originated in the Army decades ago and they operate by taking a little of the battery DC and changing it to AC impulses that break down lead sulfate crystals by hitting them at a resonant frequency of the molecule. This may operate …


Economics and Investing:

Reader RBS sent this: Government goes high-tech to redesign $100 bills. RBS warns that with each currency change, there is the risk of the advent of a blocked currency. “That is where there is one variety of note for Domestic use only and one species for foreign use.” JWR Adds: It is noteworthy that U.S. Postal Service Money Orders are already marked “Valid only in the U.S. and Possessions.” Currency controls are coming, folks! Alasdair sent this: Greek debt crisis gets worse as EU revises figures Items from The Economatrix: If The US Economy Falls Will It Result In A …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Yes, our modern global society is now very inter-twingled: Volcano Ash Cloud Sets Off Global Domino Effect; Lack of Flights Entering, Departing Europe Stalls Africa War Crimes Investigation, Halts Japanese Auto Production. (Thanks to Robert B. for the link.)    o o o Chris Y. suggested this article at Trailspace: Human Waste Disposal in the Backcountry.    o o o I just found a very interesting blog that relates to personal privacy: The TechnoFascismBlog.    o o o Paul D. sent this: Police: 89-Year-Old Fires Gun At Intruder. Commenting on the police kindly reloading the revolver for the old woman, …



Notes from JWR:

I’ve had two readers write me to ask how to pronounce Eyjafjallajökull. One of them noted: “It took me a year just to learn how to pronounce TEOTWAWKI (“Tea-Ought-Walk-ee”), so now I’m expected to learn this?) Chris Taylor of Word Around the Net explains: “Its pronounced ‘Throat warbler mangrove’”. (An homage to Monty Python.) But as for me, I’ve decided just call the Icelandic volcano “Effie.” I think that’s a nice familiar nickname, and it is probably apropos, since we’ll likely be choking on Effie’s gritty bad cooking for several years, or perhaps even a decade or longer. — Today …


Turning the Corner, by F.J.B.

Today there seems to be any number of reasons for the average American to turn the corner towards preparedness and being self-reliant.  Back in 1993, I would have been able to give you just as many reasons based on my observations through the 1980s.  Not surprisingly there are twice as many reasons for the average man to not start around that corner.  The reasons I have heard the most include the cost factor and objections to living so primitively.  Simply put: today’s average American is too poor and soft to endure hardships like camping, physical labor, and no TV.  These …


Letter Re: A New Fungus Among Us

James, I saw this on the net and thought that your readers may not have heard of this yet: Deadly Airborne Fungus Spreading in Northwest. Heads up folks: “A potentially deadly strain of fungus is spreading among animals and people in the northwestern United States and the Canadian province of British Columbia.” “The spore-forming fungus can cause symptoms in people and animals two weeks or more after exposure. They include a cough that lasts for weeks, sharp chest pain, and shortness of breath, headache, fever, nighttime sweats and weight loss.” “The new strain appears to be unusually deadly, with a …


Letter Re: Map Reading and Land Navigation for G.O.O.D. Planning

Jim: Unless I’m mistaken, 1:50,000 scale maps are military only. Civilian topo maps in the US (produced by the USGS) are 1:24,000 scale. If there are any 15 minute quadrangle maps still available they are 1:62,500 scale. Neither are compatible with military grid readers or scales. Here is a source for map scales and protractors available in a variety of scales – print or copy them on transparent material and have at it. Regards, – Flighter


Economics and Investing:

The IRS Goes Clubbin’. This illustrates that taxing officials will show no restraint in their expanding quest for revenue, in the coming years. Flea markets, farmers’ markets, gun shows, and any similar perceived dastardly bastions of free enterprise are doubtless next on their list. (A hat tip to RBS for the link.) Also from RBS: Peak Phosphorus, and Why It Matters, by James Elser and Stuart White. The Grudge Match Over Your 401(k) Items from The Economatrix: US to Shine Light on Derivatives Trading Next Bubble: $600 Trillion? IMF Trims Estimate of Losses From Financial Crisis The Great Debate: Are …