Day: May 4, 2012

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 …


A Beginner’s Guide to Buying Silver on eBay, by Gil G.

When I put some serious thought into purchasing silver as a hedge against the rapid inflation of the US dollar, I was overwhelmed by the complexity of the task. Go to eBay’s web site and type in the search criterion “junk silver” and you will be slammed with about 2,000+ different auctions on an average day advertising everything from “face value” (FV), to Troy weight and standard weight, to vials of silver flakes and silver jewelry from someone’s estate sale.  A little bit of knowledge goes a long way when it comes to buying precious metals, especially if you’re shopping …


Three Letters Re: A Second Look at the Mosin-Nagant Rifle

Mr. Rawles, I am writing in reference to Frog’s post about the Mosin-Nagant rifle. I have owned several Mosin-Nagant rifles myself. They were designed to kill enemies of the Soviet Union. They were not designed to necessarily be the safest rifle around. If you’re not very careful while using a Mosin-Nagant rifle, it can blow up and injure you. I learned that lesson the hard way in 1998. I also learned about the importance of eye and ear protection while shooting as well. No one should ever fire a Mosin (or any firearm) without eye and ear protection. When my Mosin …


Economics and Investing:

When currency isn’t current: Old $50 bill found real, but not before bearer arrested. SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson sent this: Wealthy Americans Queue to Give Up Their Passports C.D.V. suggested this commentary from Jim Powell at Forbes: Obama’s Plan to Seize Control of Our Economy and Our Lives Items from The Economatrix: What if a Collapse Happened and Nobody Noticed? Jobs Growth Seen Rebounding in April Factory Growth Best in 10 Months; Bolsters Outlook Smart Money Banking Big on Gold and Silver to Soar


Odds ‘n Sods:

B.B. sent this from a Buffalo, New York newspaper: ‘Preppers’: Ready for anything. The article mentions Shelf Reliance, Emergency Essentials, and even JWR.    o o o Tip H. sent this article from Wazoo: Yellowstone “Super-Eruption” less super, more frequent than thought    o o o Another WWII fighter plane mystery unearthed: “In March a Polish team out in the Western Desert [of Egypt] came across a P-40 aircraft which had apparently made a forced landing, in which the undercarriage collapsed. The aircraft identity has yet to be confirmed but is believed to be from 260 Squadron RAF and its …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“In addition, inflation should creep higher. Do not be mellowed by the affirmation of a 2% target rate of inflation here in the U.S. or as targeted in six of the G-7 nations. Not suddenly, but over time, gradually higher rates of inflation should be the result of QE policies and zero bound yields that were initiated in late 2008 and which will likely continue for years to come.” – Bill Gross, PIMCO Investment Outlook, May, 2012