Year: 2013

Letter Re: Privatizing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?

Sir, It occurs to me that the sudden desire to “privatize” Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae is simply a way to deploy the wet ink dollars out of the Fed and big banks without overwhelming the money supply. We all know what would happen if those dollars entered the mainstream market place. This just seems to me to be yet another ploy to stall the inevitable, but I haven’t seen anyone else talking about that. Am I missing something? – Big Jon JWR Replies: You are essentially correct. The majority of the U.S. Dollars that have been magically created by …


Letter Re: In-House Storage Lockers or Cabinets?

Captain Rawles, I have a question about military wall lockers. I have searched high and low trying to locate some military wall lockers for gear storage but have been unable to find any as you mentioned in your novel “Patriots”. I was just wondering if you had any ideas where I might be able to find some. Thanks for any help you can give me in this area or any alternatives you can suggest.  Thanks, – Tony from Texas  JWR Replies: Any large steel lockers or cabinets with solid backs and tight-fitting doors will do.  The crucial thing for storing your …


Economics and Investing:

Why we can kiss the US economy goodbye (Wayne Allyn Root) Our friend Tam (over at the great View From The Porch blog) wittily refers to this movie as “Occupy L5”: ‘Elysium’ director Neill Blomkamp, star Matt Damon deny movie has political agenda No Great Surprise Department: U.S. Congress wins relief on Obamacare health plan subsidies. (Congress almost always exempts themselves from their socialist schemes.) Items from The Economatrix: Chain Reaction of Breakdowns in Progress–Dr. Jim Willie Gold Markets Get Strange – Is Economic Danger Near? Job Market Faces New Problem, Hitting One Unlucky Group Really Hard


Odds ‘n Sods:

“How could anyone possibly need more than a 10 round magazine?” Well, for instance: Alaska man kills charging bear with assault rifle    o o o Scarcity inspires creative “reinvention” and “technological disobedience”: Cuba’s DIY Inventions from 30 Years of Isolation. (Thanks to M.R. in Kansas for the link.)    o o o Sun Will Flip Its Magnetic Field Soon. (We are at solar maximum, but it is a relatively weak maximum, for this 11-year cycle But the big Carrington-size flares can happen, regardless.)    o o o H7N9 bird flu in likely China spread between people, researchers find. (Of …



Notes from Avalanche Lily:

Jenny of The Last Frontier blog, who was tragically widowed in 2012 is now Seeking a Husband. Her blog post echoes the theme of what Jim’s late wife Linda (“The Memsahib”) selflessly wrote on her deathbed, in 2009. (See: From The Memsahib: On My Bucket List–Looking for a Wife.) Jenny is a friend of mine. We recently had an unexpected and providential meeting, and have become fast friends. Both Jim and I were widowed, and we were brought together by God’s providence. We’re praying that Jenny finds a new husband, in a similar way. Do you know any single God-fearing …


The Constipated Hordes at TEOTWAWKI: A Pharmacologic Strategy, by Anon, M.D.

In a situation that will be characterized by, among other things, gutted pharmacies and unmanned hospitals, the remaining population at TEOTWAWKI will be required to provide their own medical care and to meet their own pharmacologic needs.  While there have been numerous helpful articles outlining the importance of antibiotics in the context of TEOTWAWKI there has been very little addressing the importance of an overall pharmacologic strategy. Some of you—especially those who take daily prescription medication—have likely considered this problem before.  But perhaps you are young and healthy, unburdened by any medical diagnosis.  There should still be a pharmacologic component …


Five Letters Re: Car-Mageddon: Getting Home in a Disaster

Dear JWR: By way of background, I’m a middle aged woman in reasonable shape.  I go jogging, do pushups and take karate.  I have never been in the military.   Around a month ago I tried ruck marching with my 25 or 30 lb bug out bag (BOB), to see how well I could handle it.  I wore wool Army socks and a pair of boots that I thought were reasonably broken in, and walked laps around a park as fast as I could walk.  The ruck was a civilian backpacker’s external frame pack with a belt.  I carried some …


Economics and Investing:

Derivatives Bubble: The Number One Threat That Our Financial System Is Facing Only 40% Of Federal Student Loan Borrowers Are Currently Making A Payment Items from The Economatrix: Pandemic of Pension Woes Plaguing The Nation 40 Percent Of US Workers Make Less Than What A Full-Time Minimum Wage Worker Made in 1968 Failure to launch into household formation: Record 36 percent of young Americans (18 to 31) living at home with parents. Where is household formation coming from?


Odds ‘n Sods:

Yet another data point, for selecting a retreat locale: How Many Illegal Immigrants Live in Your State?    o o o Reader Craig J. sent this: Popular gun range target blamed for forest fires, called potential bomb source. The “forest fires” claim is a red herring. Chainsaws and off-road motorcycles start dozens of fires on USFS and BLM land each year, yet nobody has suggested banning them. Our congresscritters tend toward free floating anxiety followed by spastic fits of legislation. So all that I can say is: stock up on Tannerite! (If there is an explosive target ban, then there …



Notes from JWR:

Happy birthday to Jerry Pournelle (born 1933.) He, along with Larry Niven authored the survivalist classic Lucifer’s Hammer. He was also a contributing editor to Mel Tappan‘s P.S. Letter. Jerry is also noteworthy for writing a blog long before they were even called blogs. — 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 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 …


Car-Mageddon: Getting Home in a Disaster, by Becky M.

I live in southern California, which means at any moment one of many earthquake faults could decide to slip, a fire could break out, the economy could finally bottom out, an EMP cleverly directed toward Hollywood would finally fix the bad movie plight, or…you get the point.  We all have to live with the annoying little feeling that at any moment TEOTWAWKI could begin.  Lots of preppers will spend thousands of dollars to adequately prepare their house or bugout location, which is awesome.  Some plan to hunker down and ride out the problem in the comfort of their own home, …


Letter Re: Coping with Obstructive Sleep Apnea When There is No Grid Power

Mr. Rawles – I have been living with a CPAP for many years now, and am one of the persons for whom it has worked very well. I also know how bad things can be after not having my CPAP for three days when an airline lost it. After three days I was almost totally non-functional and was ready to lay out the $2,000 out of my own pocket to get a replacement machine. Fortunately my machine was found by the airline. More recently I had 3 nights in 2 months where power outages deprived me of the use of …


Economics and Investing:

Special Note: For any SurvivalBlog readers with pending orders (already paid, but order not received) with Mulligan Mint (a former advertiser : Please e-mail me and let me know: Your name, your order number, the number of ounces ordered, your e-mail address, and the date that you placed your order. I will then do my best to get them to ship you order. (Mulligan Mint claims that they are presently shipping orders.) Matt H. sent this: U.S. gasoline consumption takes a nosedive. G.G. suggested: Pandemic of pension woes is plaguing the nation Items from The Economatrix: Paul Craig Roberts:  Hiding …