Year: 2011

Letter Re: U.S. Treasury Seeks Input on New Coinage Compositions

Mr. Rawles,   The U.S. Treasury has announced that it is seeking public comment on revised compositions for U.S. coinage. They are seeking comments from us mere citizens about what we think of changing the metal content of coins to even cheaper metals than the copper, zinc and nickel currently used.  I think that all Survival Blog readers should comment – let the Treasury and the rest of The Powers That Be know that we don’t like how they’ve already debased our currency, and we don’t want them to do it to an even greater extent.   Of course, the …


Letter Re: The Real Value of the U.S. Dollar

Dear Mr. Rawles The Inherent Value of U.S. Paper Currency I have recently decided to obey the law–Gresham’s Law and start converting my paper dollars into “Golden Dollars” including the Sacagawea and Presidential Dollars as well as into the Kennedy Half Dollar. I am mostly doing this for symbolic reasons but I have found that it is a way to get people to talk casually about concepts like inflation, fiat currency and fiscal policy without scaring them off. A US dollar weighs 1 gram, on average. From Earth Works Recycling‘s web page we find that paper is worth between 0 …


Letter Re: Advice on Classic Books for Homeschooling

Mr. Rawles, This is in response to Paula S.’s recent letter requesting information on classic books for homeschooling. I just returned from a homeschool convention in Memphis where I was introduced to Memoria Press. They have curricula for parents interesting in providing their children with a classical education. I have looked at the early elementary sets–they include books for the kids to read aloud and other books to be read aloud to the children. You do not have to buy their material to see the list of books that they use–the lists are posted on their web site under each …


Economics and Investing:

  Items from The Economatrix: Quake & Tsunami Blow To Fragile Japanese Economy  Regulators Close Small Banks in Oklahoma and Wisconsin   More People Sought Unemployment Aid Last Month   January Trade Deficit Jumps To $46.3 Billion   21 Signs Of Impending Doom For The 2011 Economy   8 Reasons Why Silver Is The Investment Of The Decade  Q.E. Money Printing Negative Feed Back Loop To Hyper-Inflation Oblivion 


Odds ‘n Sods:

Nicole W. was the first of several readers to send this piece: US farmers fear the return of the Dust Bowl: For years the Ogallala Aquifer, the world’s largest underground body of fresh water, has irrigated thousands of square miles of American farmland. Now it is running dry    o o o Chad S. sent this piece datelined Worchester, Massachusetts: 2,000 rounds of ammo found during traffic stop. Oh, my goodness! They nailed this bad man with “…four counts of possession of a large capacity feeding device, and possession of ammunition without a Firearm Identification Card.” Cue the wailing, teeth-gnashing, …



Note from JWR:

All eyes are on Japan! I just got a link to video of explosion at Fukushima nuclear plant. The Japanese nuclear experts’ conclusion: Meltdown Caused Nuke Plant Explosion. I don’t expect many radio-isotopes to make it to the continental United States, but just in case: Keep your potassium iodate or iodide handy, buy some dehydrated milk, and keep track of radiation levels. Pray hard, folks! — Today we present another two entries for Round 33 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be …


Preparing for the Inevitable Collapse of Society–The Birth of a Prepper, by D.C.

I’m not a skilled writer but I’d like to share my story. I’m currently 35 yrs old and am located in the upper Midwest. There’s no real threat where I live of flooding, hurricanes, forest fires, or earthquakes. My only major concern is a food crisis brought on by a hyperinflation of the dollar, nuclear EMP or a solar flare catastrophe. I work an average of 50 hours per week at a factory. My pay is meager. However – I don’t waste money like most people do (cell phones, cable/satellite, full coverage car payments, dining out, etc, etc)  and so …


Herbal Medicine for Preppers, by Chris S.

Being able to take care of our own medical conditions is very important. Sometimes we can’t get to a doctor, can’t afford it or perhaps there will be a breakdown and there are no doctors available. I’ve found it invaluable to know what to do on my own when out on backpacking trips and an injury or sickness shows up. In cases like this having a good knowledge of herbal medicine and having a few things on hand can mean the difference between agony and wellness or even life and death. I’ve used herbal medicine for over 20 years for …


Three Letters Re: The Earthquake in Japan and its Aftermath

Dear James,   I just wanted to alert you to the possible impact of what is actually happening at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant.  The grid has gone down, and it appears that the emergency diesel generators have failed.  There is apparently no off-site or on-site AC power.  This is very similar to the scenario that I outlined in my article posted last September in SurvivalBlog (except for the precipitating event for my article described an EMP event).  We have a potential disaster worse than Chernobyl in the making.   In fact, even the mainstream media is now taking note.  Here is …


Two Letters Re: Some Woodstove Experience

James: I’d like to suggest to Yvonne with the woodstove that she could mount a half inch thick [steel] plate to the top of her stove to get more cooking area.  The plate could hang out past the edges of the stove to give her more cooking area.  She could bolt or weld it on.  It sounded like she was tight on money, so this would be a cheap and easy fix. – Tim X. Dear Mr. Rawles, Tom in Juneau is correct. Tulikivi soapstone heaters from Finland are the cat’s meow. They are the gold standard for contra-flow masonry …


Economics and Investing:

Five Things Every American Should Do, But Won’t’. John R. suggested this at Zero Hedge: Paul Mylchreest’s Latest Must Read Report: Gresham’s Law Squared – Gearing Up For Game Over Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) suggest a piece by Charles Krauthammer on the Social Security fraud: Et tu, Jack Lew? Items from The Economatrix:  Libya’s Revolt Squeezing World Oil Supplies   The Driver For Gold You’re Not Watching   Unemployment Rate Falls In 24 States, Rises In 10  


Odds ‘n Sods:

Desperation, panic grip Japan after quake    o o o Commentary (via YouTube) from The Patriot Nurse: Who Will Die First When SHTF.    o o o So much for the propaganda that it was “gun shows” that were to blame for guns of U.S. origin getting into the hands of Mexican drug cartels: Indictments released in arrest of Columbus police chief, mayor and trustee in firearms trafficking case. OBTW, SurvivalBlog readers that study history will remember Columbus, New Mexico as a border town that was raided by Francisco “Pancho” Villa’s revolutionary army.


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, [which is] new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of …


Note from JWR:

Please pray for the people of Japan! The magnitude 9.1 earthquake and subsequent tsunamis were terrible events. Today we present another two entries for Round 33 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round 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 $795, and B.) Two cases of Alpine Aire freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $400 value.) C.) A 9-Tray …