Day: October 11, 2013

Notes from JWR:

I heard from my editor at E.P. Dutton that my novel Expatriates hit the New York Times Hardcover Fiction bestsellers list this week at #21. Thanks for making the release such a great success! — Today we present another entry for Round 49 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) 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 …


A Practical Plan for Survival–One Man’s View, by C.L.

When I was very young I would sometime spend rainy days at my grand-mother’s house going through sporting goods catalogs and the Sears catalog making list of items that might be needed during disasters or emergencies. I have no idea why I am wired in such a way that I give a good amount of thought to being prepared. I am no longer a young boy but now I believe making such plans are more important than ever before. The economic situation in our country can only be described as terrifying to anyone who will take the blinders off and …


Letter Re: Where To Park Some Funds?

James Wesley, I read your blog daily for news and inspiration. I just sold my house and have equity that we want to purchase a new home with…debt free, pay cash.We will be looking for a home in Texas, and hope to be settled in in the next 18 months. My question, what do I do with $200,000 in the mean time?  I’m terrified to put our earnings from the sale into a bank. Thanks – Stacy D. JWR Replies: In my opinion silver bullion (pre-1965 “junk” coin bags or 100-ounce serialized Engelhard bars) are your best bet, for an 18 …


Economics and Investing:

Until October 15th the documentary An Inconvenient Tax will be available via streaming to Netflix subscribers. Economics Professor Laurence Kotlikoff: Oh, and By the Way, Our Government Is Totally Broke! A useful primer: Rehypothecation of Collateral G.G. flagged this: Five Alarming Facts About Entitlement Spending Items from The Economatrix: The D Word, again: US default seen as disaster dwarfing Lehman’s fall “Among dozens of money managers, economists, bankers, traders and former government officials, few view such an event as anything but a financial apocalypse.” Peter Schiff Warns of Martial Law Where Did The Gold Go?


Odds ‘n Sods:

Billy R. sent: Portable 12V power supply in an ammo can    o o o James W. liked this: Why use suppressors in combat, illustrated by a “ruined” video    o o o Reader P.W. wrote to ask if any blog readers know who makes the [woodstove chimney-mounted] Baker’s Salute Oven that is sold on the Lehman’s web site. (“They say made in the USA but Lehman’s will not tell me who the manufacturer is.”) A lot of the products sold by Lehman’s come from Amish cottage industries.  Many of these families don’t have telephones, so it might be hard …