Day: May 22, 2012

Note From JWR:

Today we present two more entries 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 …


Leaving Suburbia, by M.J.W.

It all feels so strange – I live, eat, and breathe “prepping.”  Sometimes I look in the mirror and ask “who are you?!”  In trying to remember when the change in me began, it is traceable back to the financial collapse of 2008.  Even before then, I had become very concerned about privacy – or the lack thereof.  In my professional life, I am a security and privacy consultant, so I know a lot about how little security and privacy exists in our networked world.  I understand in minute detail how online access to the most sensitive and confidential information …


Getting The Lead Out, by Charles J.

In my previous SurvivalBlog article, Melting Lead for the Meltdown, I gave a basic explanation of molding bullets. In particular, I described the molding of 200 grain lead semi wad cutters and the 185 grain SWC.   In addition, it was pointed out to stock these up for use as barter if there is a social/economic/political meltdown.  If you cast your own bullets or are thinking about reloading your own ammo, I would urge you to jump in.  It is enjoyable, therapeutic, and practical in the times we live.  Additionally, it is also economical.   I just checked at Wal-Mart for their …


Letter Re: Home Invasion Defensive Planning

James: About a year ago I remember reading a personal account in SurvivalBlog about a home invasion/robbery in Florida that went terribly wrong. I remember thinking it was almost surreal in the way it unfolded and thought things like that only happened in third world countries. It was an eye opening experience and something that made me rethink the way I handled myself in a place I considered to be secure by default. A few months ago my eyes were opened again when someone in one of my coworker’s neighborhood went through a similar experience. I am not trying to …


Economics and Investing:

Commentary from Anthony Wile, Editor of The Daily Bell: If the Euro Ends, So Will the World as We Know It? G.G. flagged this: The Number of Those Working Past 65 is at a Record High John Williams: The Recovery is an Illusion 18 Signs That The Banking Crisis In Europe Has Just Gone From Bad To Worse How big will JPMorgan’s losses be? Reader S.S. in Mississippi pointed me to Wikipedia’s page on Sovereign Debt. The comparison’s of the debt levels of various nations are instructive, especially when seen as a percentage of GDP. By Abandoning the Gold Standard …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Mike A. suggested this very interesting piece: Planning traffic routing in no-notice disasters. The article begins: “Spontaneous evacuations of New York City and Washington, D.C. following the 9/11 terrorist attacks demonstrated that U.S. cities are not prepared to manage the sudden influx of traffic into roads and highways following a no-notice disaster.”    o o o Mike T. sent this: Zithromax (azithromycin): FDA Statement on risk of cardiovascular death    o o o News headline: San Francisco to rename street after Pelosi. JWR’s Comments: Go ahead and call me “stodgy”, but I think they’d be safer waiting until she expires–or …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“According to the Constitution, the Legislature does not have the right to judge the guilt or innocence of a person, be they a citizen or not. According to the Constitution, the Executive [branch] does not have the right to judge the guilt or innocence of a person, be they a citizen or not. According to the Constitution’s separation of powers, only the Judiciary has the right to determine guilt or innocence. Thus, ultimately, only the Judiciary has the right to revoke or deny a citizen’s ability to travel—and only for serious crimes.” – Gonzalo Lira in his April, 2012 essay: …