Year: 2012


Notes from JWR:

This is the birthday of Philip K. Dick (born 1928, died March 2, 1982.) Phillip Dick penned a remarkable number of science fiction novels and novellas that have been adapted into Hollywood movies including Blade Runner, Total Recall, Screamers, Impostor, Minority Report, Paycheck, A Scanner Darkly, Next, and The Adjustment Bureau. Though he had a troubled personal life (with drug abuse and several failed marriages), his captivating books certainly had a knack for envisioning potential futures. — Today we present another entry for Round 44 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) …


Automotive Preparedness by P.D. in Northern Missouri

I am a firm believer that a TEOTWAWKI situation will happen, and in my lifetime.  I consider myself a prepper, and am a daily reader of “prepping articles,” and almost always read about “bug out bags,” or “72-hour kits,” call them what you will.  I also read allot of articles devoted to bug out vehicles.  A bug out vehicle is a great concept, but is only as good as the distance it will take you, or for the length of time that it will last.  I do believe that bugging out is a necessity in prepping for a TEOTWAWKI situation, …


Economics and Investing:

Denninger: The Real Problem With America: Morality M.E.W. sent: How Fed’s next trick will hurt bonds: Another bond-buying program seems likely as the Federal Reserve tries to boost the economy. But long term, it will lead to higher interest rates, inflation and bond market turmoil. Baltic Dry Plunges By Over 8% Overnight, Most Since 2008. (Thanks to Stephen M. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Massive Bank Cyberattack Planned Silver Outlook For 2013 Retail Sales Bounce Back


Odds ‘n Sods:

An interesting near-future novella is free on Kindle for a short time: Coastal Event Memories    o o o Gary North: The Day General Grant Expelled the Jews    o o o Kevin S. sent: How to Rig an FCC Spectrum Auction in Five Easy Steps    o o o I just heard from my editor at Penguin Books that because of strong demand they are printing another 20,000 copies of “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It”. That will bring the total in print to 240,000 copies.


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of …


Notes from JWR:

The tragic mass murder at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut underscores that fact that in 1996 our own congress turned public schools into gun free zones, making them ideal killing grounds for lunatics. (Where they will only find unarmed victims.) Please contact your legislators and encourage them to rescind the Gun Free School Zones Act (reenacted by Congress, Sep. 30, 1996 –P.L. 104-208.) If even a minority of school teachers were armed (as they are in Israel and South Africa) then slaughters like this could be prevented, or at least minimized. — December 15th is Bill of Rights …


Self-Defense and Stress: You are Your Own Last Line of Defense, by Jessica B.

I have seen many articles on Self-Defense. What I have not seen is topics regarding that moment that you find yourself in a stressful, self-defense situation and how to overcome it. I have taught my children from age 4 that you are your own last line of defense. This realization in itself can be pretty stressful. What most people don’t realize is that when attacked you only have ½ a second to react. This may not seem like a lot of time, but I assure you, your life can be ended by what happens in that initial ½ second. People …


Letter Re: Pat’s Product Review: PakLite 9V LED Flashlight

Hi Captain Rawles, I’m a long time SurvivalBlog reader and occasional commenter. Just had to respond to EagerGridlessBeaver with his post and review of the Paklite LED flashlight battery life test (WOW!) and the possibilities for IR use.  If you could afford to purchase numerous of the IR LED models, these same could be sequestered around your property connected to clothespin  type contacts and trip wires.  With a quick scan at night with your NVGs you would know instantly if any of your wires were tripped, with invaders being none-the-wiser if they were without NVGs.  It could provide an alert …


Economics and Investing:

Roubini: Bernanke Just Launched QE5 Will the Real Federal Deficit Please Stand Up? $222 Trillion! KAF sent: 526,421 family farms threatened by new death tax Items from The Economatrix: Gold is a Leading Indicator of Monetary Distress Sales of American Gold Eagles Soar 15 Signs That The Economy Is Rapidly Getting Worse As We Head Into 2013


Odds ‘n Sods:

Meth’s devastating effects: Before and after    o o o Nightmare in Mexico: Friends, family call for the release of ex-Marine jailed in Mexico after trying to declare an antique shotgun. And if this sounds absurd (24″ versus 25″ barrel length), just consider that here in the nominally “free” United States, 17.9″ versus 18″ of barrel length for a shotgun will similarly earn you a long trip to prison on a felony conviction. All gun laws are repressive and repugnant to the Constitution!    o o o Russell S. mentioned: National Prepper Radio Calling Frequencies    o o o Steve …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The Constitution begins with the words ‘We the People’ and the last three words at the end of the Tenth Amendment are ‘to the People’.  So, you see, the Constitution is really all about the People owning a central, national government. Since that is the case, how in the heck did we wind up with the federal government owning us?” – Phillip Marsh, in The Compleat Patriot


Notes from JWR:

The U.S. Mint’s report to the U.S. Congress with firm recommendations for new coin compositions is due to be released today, December 14, 2012. Once Congress acts to debase the nickel (most likely switching to almost worthless stainless steel coin planchets), the window of opportunity will close. This may be our last chance to stock up on real nickels in quantity without any sorting. If you haven’t yet assembled your stack of nickel boxes, then do so NOW! — This is the birthday of Air Force General James Harold “Jimmy” Doolittle, (born in 1896, died September 27, 1993.) — Today …


Europe In The News: Ominous Prospects, by Michael F.

It appears as if there are some new developments going in on the Continent, that unfortunately appear to be old memes being resurrected for the 21st Century. Let’s take a look at the highlights of recent events: Greece continues to have widespread protests and riots as unemployment remains above 25% (25.4%, when measured in August, 2012) and austerity measures continue to be implemented. Spain is in a deep recession, and has been since 2008.  The banking industry in Spain alone could require 60 Billion Euros to remain solvent. Portugal and Italy are in similar straits to Spain and all three are close to emulating the protests, …


Letter Re: Mysterious Lights in North Dakota?

Jim, You recently linked to NightlightMap.com. What is that big huge area of brightness in [ostensibly lightly-populated] Northwest North Dakota? That makes me question the usefulness of that map at all. – Sam D. JWR Replies: Those lights are the main concentration of activity in the Bakken oil fields–see this map.  (See also, these photos.) Reader Rob H. tells me that the dots of light shown are mostly the light of burning off excess wellhead gas. (Plus, presumably: floodlights around drilling rigs, and floodlights around equipment yards, and the light of burning off excess wellhead gas, and floodlights, and the …