Month: April 2012

Economics and Investing:

B.B. spotted this over at Zero Hedge: Sheila Bair’s Modest Proposal To Fix Everything: Hyperinflation John Mauldin on the Greek default: There Will Be Contagion Sue C. sent us this: Analysis: Investors run scared of Spain’s battered banks Also from Sue: Meet Allan Hill, the man who lives In Detroit’s abandoned Packard Auto Plant And from Diana V.: 43% Have Gone Through A Week Without Paying Cash Items from The Economatrix: Consumers Are Spending More, So Sales Are Up US Michigan Consumer Sentiment Decreased 75.7 In April Inflation Outpaces Earnings, Threatens Spending


Odds ‘n Sods:

Micah wrote to suggest a useful mapping resource for choosing retreat locales. With it, you can pinpoint upwind nuclear reactors, (planned, operating, and closed), coal-fired plants, and more. JWR Notes: I did note an error in the location of the decommissioned Trojan nuclear plant. (It is not east of Bend, Oregon, as shown on their map. It is actually near Ranier, Oregon, in the northwest corner of the state. Apparently, their maps default to plotting somewhere near the center of a state if no detailed location is provided.) I must also mention the politics of web site’s creators are quite …



Note from JWR:

Today we are posting another review by SurvivalBlog’s volunteer Field Gear Editor, Pat Cascio. Pat’s main expertise is with knives and firearms, but he is open to reviewing all sorts of products that have applicability to self-sufficient families. If you are a manufacturer or importer with a product that you’d like to submit for Pat’s test and evaluation, please contact him via e-mail.


Pat’s Product Review: Cold Steel Bushman Series Knives

1

I have received many requests to test and evaluate the Cold Steel “Bushman” line of knives that Cold Steel is producing. I’ve been a big fan of Cold Steel products since the very beginning – I’m sold on their products. However, for some strange reason, I never requested anything from the Bushman series of knives.   My friend, Lynn Thompson, who owns and operates Cold Steel, isn’t afraid to back up his products, and does so, in a series of videos on his company web site. On the web site, you will see all manner of Cold Steel products being …


Letter Re: Home Security in Great Britain

Mr. Rawles: First of all, I would just like to say a huge thank you for all the advice, expertise, and survival techniques that you have bought to my attention through your books and your blog. I never realised just how much of a risk our current climate is, and how likely we are to get to a state of “every man for himself” survival. My name is Steve. I am a 21 year old living in the West Midlands county in the heart of Great Britain. I have always had survivalism in my blood, and have always liked to …


Recipe of the Week:

S.A.’s Hearty Bean Soups First, if your family doesn’t feel that a hearty bowl of beans is a meal, you need to start down this path as soon as possible. In my childhood, even though coming from a comfortable, educated home, every single Saturday, while the house was being cleaned and weekly grocery shopping done, a big pot of pinto beans was on the stove simmering away. My parents, both raised during the Great Depression, descendants from Civil War families, had also lived through rationing during WWII. The pinto beans were served with cornbread slathered with butter. My father would …


Economics and Investing:

U.S. Mint production of Nickels (five cent pieces) is up 78%. (Also see this related article: US Mint Circulating Coin Production Shifts to Lower Denominations.) JWR’s Comment: That large an increase can’t be attributable just to collector demand. Obviously, a small but forward-thinking portion of the citizenry is anticipating a debasement, and these wise folks are stockpiling nickels. Methinks the next 18 months could turn out to be a bit of 1963 and 1964 deja vu. Mark my words: Congress will act. Debasement is coming. Get your nickels before the composition change. (That is, before you have to hand sort …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Patrice Lewis, the editor of the excellent Rural Revolution blog has authored a series succinct and concise e-books on practical topics: The Self-Sufficiency Series. These sell for just $1.50 each. They don’t sell hard copy editions, but since most of them are less than 20 pages each you can print out your own reference binder copies at home. (I recommend that you keep backup copies on the memory thumb drive in your Bugout Bag.)    o o o Washington state launches new disaster preparedness web site, campaign. (Our thanks to M.E.S. for the link.)    o o o Reader C.D.V. …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 40 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) 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 C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any …


Predator or Prey: The Single Parent Survival Guide, by Sarah B.

While the majority of single parents are women, men too can be found in this situation. Generally speaking, single women with children are usually on the lower end of the economic spectrum. Let’s face it, poorer young mothers (or fathers) with very young children need to learn survival skills as much as anyone else, and do not have the financial resources to buy all they need.  So what do you do if you are a single woman with a babe-in-arms and two toddlers and have no money? I can tell you what you can’t do, you can’t sit around and …


Letter Re: Firearms and Ammo Demand Increasing in United States

JWR: Just a note about current firearms inventories at the major distributors from a 25 year industry veteran.  A majority of the medium to large size firearms wholesalers are experiencing significant stock shortages and inventories are at a “historic low”.   AR and AK inventories (regardless of manufacture or builder) are drying up very fast.  Most wholesalers are not taking back-orders from dealers on these items until the smoke clears.  Even handgun inventories are starting to get very thin, especially center-fire semi-autos.  The situation on ammo is better, but many industry retail purchasing agents coming out of this year’s SHOT Show …


Economics and Investing:

G.G. mentioned this “must read” piece: How The Country Dies Reader Debbie M. suggested the new PBS television series called America Revealed. Debbie notes that this series unintentionally underscores the complexity and fragility of our long chains of supply and our dependence on grid power. The first episode, “Food Nation“, is now available for free streaming viewing. Kevin S. suggested this: The Unemployment Farce Swiss Bank Accounts: Why Mitt Romney (or an Average Joe) Might Want One Items from The Economatrix: Unemployment Falls Fast In U.S. If Men Get College Degree Mid-Incomers Suffer In Polarized U.S. Job Market Economy Minimum …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Harry L. sent this: FDA wants farmers to get prescriptions for antibiotics used in animals. The FDA/AMA cabal will no doubt start calling the lack of prescription oversight by “loophole” (since we aren’t “trained and licensed professionals”), and hence try to institute “commonsense controls.” Does this sound familiar? I also suspect that large scale producers will be exempted from the prescription requirement, leaving the regulatory burden on the shoulders of small family farmers. (Which might also sound familiar.) If this goes into effect, just wait a few years and it will grow, with bureaucratic inevitability. They’ll be telling vets: “You …