Notes from JWR:

Today is the birthday of the late economist and libertarian commentator J. Orlin Grabbe. (Born, 1947, died March 15, 2008.) His online newspaper Laissez Faire City Times had some exceptionally good economic analysis and commentary that really deserves to be compiled into a book. He definitely saw the 2008 global credit collapse coming, early on! — The folks at Survival Cache posted a favorable review of my novel Expatriates. — Today we present another entry for Round 48 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good …




Spice Up Your Food Storage, by Linda P.

As a wife, mother, cook, and gardener, I find that articles on long term food storage, are basic and practical.  But when I study the recommended lists for storage items, I wince at the lack of thought that goes into flavor, texture and variety. This article is dedicated to those nurturing souls who know that in a TEOTWAWKI situation, a delicious meal will be one of the most simple of earthly comforts that we can provide to keep others healthy and happy.   Although basic food may keep you alive, food fatigue can be a real problem. Variety is the spice of life, and in …




Letter Re: Basic Mechanics Skill and Knowing Vehicular Limitations

JWR,  Keep up the good work! Now that everyone knows the woes of removing a tire, does anyone check the spare tire to see if it holds air etc? Most people don’t check the tires on a road trip, let alone daily driving or the condition of the spare tire. I would ask everyone to make sure the spare tire is not only inflated, but holds air for more than a day or two! This should go before the first post: Do you have a proper (working) and weight-rated jack to lift the vehicle, and do you know where to …




News From The American Redoubt:

I heard that Christian war correspondent Chuck Holton has produced a great news segment on The American Redoubt for The 700 Club television show on the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). There are several brief interviews in this segment including one with Todd Savage of SurvivalRetreatConsulting.com. That segment should first air in the next two weeks, and will be repeated for several months.    o o o Reader Doug C. let me know about  Made Right Stoves, an innovative maker of woodstoves in Kalispell, Montana.    o o o John W. sent a link to a nice picture of the Palouse …




Economics and Investing:

The release of the latest anti-counterfeiting edition of the U.S. $100 Federal Reserve Note is scheduled for today. The new bill has lots of pretty gold-colored elements on the right side, but like its predecessors ever since 1963, it has NO gold or silver backing. So this is just the latest in fiat funny money. I’m often asked by readers if they should gradually replace their stored cash when new currency is released. The general answer is yes, since there may come a day when the older bills are repudiated. (After all, what is the point of anti-counterfeiting features if …




Odds ‘n Sods:

How To Make A Super Secret Safe – For Less Than $3    o o o Yet another Kickstarter project… This one is for the Third Atlas Shrugged movie.    o o o Exactly as planned: Connecticut ammo law creates frustration and confusion    o o o I noticed that our SurvivalRealty spin-off site (operated by my #1 Son) has blossomed to more than 145 listings! (Do some zooming in on the map of current listings. It is amazing.)    o o o F.G. sent: New NFL rule forbids Off-Duty Cops from carrying sidearms into stadiums. [JWR’s Comment: A terrorist’s …