Day: November 12, 2013

Notes from JWR:

Today is the birthday of USMC Sergeant Major Daniel Joseph Daly (born 1873, died April 27, 1937.) He was one of only nineteen men (including seven Marines) to twice receive the Medal of Honor. — This is also the birthday of Corporal John Alan Coey (died 19 July 1975.) He was the first American volunteer killed in Rhodesia’s Bush War. — Today we present a guest article from journalist Chuck Holton. SurvivalBlog readers will recognize Chuck’s name from the recent segment that he produced about The American Redoubt, for The 700 Club, on CBN.


My Experience in Expatriating to Panama, by Chuck Holton

Our family moved out of the United States in January of 2013, and so JWR’s novel “Expatriates” has been a particularly interesting read for us.  The kids are enjoying it, too. I want to share some of our experiences as expats which I believe will be helpful for your readers. The water got too hot for us on November 6, 2012.  I’m a reporter for the Christian Broadcasting Network, and was in Detroit covering the election.  What I saw there was the last straw in a long series of insults and injuries.     Detroit is the poster child for …


American Liberty at the Crossroads: Do We Sit By and Watch, or Do We Show Up and Fight?

SurvivalBlog reader B.B. suggested this piece by Mark Steyn: The Drift toward Despotism. And joining the chorus, even more stridently: The Creeping Police State. Soon after sending those links, B.B. sent this brilliant essay from Daren Jonescu: The Progressive Degradation of Freedom. Reading Jonescu’s cogent words crystallized a nascent theory that had been nagging me for a decade. It is this: America’s systemic reaction to the unspeakable horror of the 9/11 attacks was to “protect” ourselves by planting the seeds for a police state that will eventually strangle the freedom that we grew up cherishing. Each incremental step seems toward …


Two Letters Re: Refurbishing Dead Gasoline

Jim, Here are some additional thoughts in regard to the letter, “Refurbishing Dead Gasoline”, from my perspective as an oil refinery chemist:   Gasoline is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, and there are many different flammable materials that can be blended to achieve the desired specifications.   In regard to vapor pressure of U.S. gasoline blends, a mixture resulting in about 15 psi Reid vapor pressure is ideal for winter conditions, and a mixture resulting in about 7 psi Reid vapor pressure is ideal for summer conditions.   The gasoline blend should exhibit enough vapor pressure for ignition to occur …


News From The American Redoubt:

Kyle T. mentioned that he found on Craigslist: “…a complete business for someone to buy in Idaho if they are interested in blacksmithing.  The listing is entitled  “Blacksmith, wheelwright shop complete (Nampa, Idaho)”  Things like this don’t come every day!”    o o o I recently heard some details from a reader about Obadiah’s Woodstoves, in Troy, Montana. They have great prices, a huge selection, and top notch customer service. They sell nationwide.    o o o With friends like this, who needs enemies? New Jersey governor coming to North Idaho.    o o o Although it obviously comes from …


Economics and Investing:

Whopping 932,000 Americans Drop Out Of Labor Force In October; Participation Rate Drops To Fresh 35 Year Low Congress Passes Bill To Remove Derivatives Regulations That Were Just Put In Place Why The U.S. Dollar Is In Trouble Items from The Economatrix: Which America Do You Live In? – 21 Hard To Believe Facts About “Wealthy America” And “Poor America” October Mortgage Purchase Applications Collapse To Decade Lows Congress Sells Out To Wall Street, Again


Odds ‘n Sods:

More bad news from the P.I.: Typhoon that smashed houses to smithereens: Full horror of destruction in Philippines revealed as rescue workers says two thirds of dead are children. We also read: The Chaos After the Super Typhoon. And the president has declared a national calamity amid widespread looting. If you want to help with the relief effort, please don’t send contributions to the bloated, top-heavy charities like the Red Cross. Instead, please send your donations to any of the dozens of small charities that have had a long-established presence in the country.    o o o Reader M.P. in …