Year: 2015

Economics and Investing:

Citibank Buys $1Billion in Gold From Venezuela. Maduro’s cash-strapped regime is so desperate for revenue that they’ve agreed to pawn 1.4 million ounces of gold, which amounts to $714 per ounce. – H.L. o o o The Fed has been horribly wrong about nearly everything they have forecast and most of the policy actions they have taken as both a central bank and a regulator for the past twenty years. o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: U.S. GDP Gained A Sluggish 0.2% In First Quarter 2015 US Homeownership Rate Drops To 1983 Levels: Here’s Why America’s Student Debt Pain …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Bird flu epidemic becoming critical. – B.B. o o o NSA veteran chief fears crippling cyber-attack on Western energy infrastructure. – B.B. o o o Hillary Equates Gun Owners With Terrorists, Says They Are “Prone to Violence.”. – D.S. o o o A SurvivalBlog reader wrote in to tell us that there is a couple giving away their 20 acre goat farm in Alabama to the winner of an essay contest. Their intent is to move to Central America to assist missionaries in establishing goat farms there. There is a news story on it, too. o o o You know …



Notes for Thursday – April 30, 2015

Today is the birthday of sci-fi novelist Larry Niven (born April 30, 1938). Along with Jerry Pournelle, he co-authored the survivalist classic Lucifer’s Hammer. April 30th is also the birthday of Ed Yourdon, who was born in 1944. o o o Today, we present another entry for Round 58 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of 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), A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of …


Survival Blades – Part 2, by R.H.

Glass-breaking is a function about which I keep hearing but don’t fully understand outside a military situation. I assume it refers to evacuating a car after an accident or other emergency. My problem with this is that almost nobody wears their survival knife on the way to and from work. If the knife is in the trunk with your BOB, how is it going to help? In a military scenario, I can see rescuing aircrew from a downed chopper; however, that situation is very different from what we’re likely to face. In the military, you have your gear on your …


Letter Re: Survival Blades

HJL, As far as using (and abusing) knives go, there is at least one company that provides an unconditional guarantee (beyond warranty) on their knives. Busse knives advertises this, and I’ve not heard anywhere that they’ve refused to replace or repair one of their knives regardless of how or under what conditions it failed. I was introduced to their product by a couple of infantry sergeants out on patrol while in Iraq, and they made me a believer. Busse does not have a statement to the effect that they will void the guarantee on their products for any reason. – …


Economics and Investing:

The War on Cash: Transparently Totalitarian. – J.J. o o o The Banksters War on Cash. – T.P. o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Japan Retail Sales Plunge 9.7% in March – What’s funny is in the video he talks about how Japan can deal with the excessive levels of debt, and what is not mentioned is what is most likely and what they are currently pursuing. Inflating away the debt. Video: Santelli Exchange: War on Paper Money? Biggest Inventory Build In History Prevents Total Collapse Of The US Economy – Definitely interesting; did not know the inventory build …


Odds ‘n Sods:

National Guard trains for civil unrest, rioting. – JBG o o o Schlafly warns America ‘may be at a breaking point already’. – B.B. o o o There is no more privacy. Remember that promise from the Radio Shack sales clerk who said they would never sell or give away your data? RadioShack Agrees to Mediation Over Sale of Customer Data – RBS o o o Ham radio attempts to fill communication gaps in Nepal rescue effort. – T.P. o o o Automatic emergency call devices in all new car models from spring 2018



Notes for Wednesday – April 29, 2015

Today, we present another entry for Round 58 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of 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), 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 or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hard case to go with …


Survival Blades – Part 1, by R.H.

I have noticed quite a bit of confusion and hype surrounding the subject of survival blades lately. I have also noted people new to survival and prepping often cannot get simple questions answered due to lack of accurate information from sales clerks and others. I have written this so that newcomers can get some balanced information. Let’s define our terms before we begin. While many readers are preparing for an end of the world scenario, survival situations as I will consider them here happen every day. As I am writing this, most of the nation has been brutalized by a …


Letter Re: Freeze Drier

Hugh – During the time that you evaluated the Harvest Right Freeze Dryer, did you happen to monitor the power consumption? As an off-grid type, voltage, amperage, power factor, and total watts per freeze dry cycle are critical to determine if my available power can support this unit. Also, the length of the full freeze dry cycle is important. Thanks – Roy G. HJL Responds: After evaluating the Harvest Right Freeze Dryer for three months, I found myself very reluctant to send it back. About the time I was mentally figuring ways to extend the evaluation, I decided it was …


Economics and Investing:

What Will Happen to You When the Dollar Collapses?. – H.L. o o o The war on cash; capital controls being imposed everywhere. When “the war on gold” begins, the world as we knew it will have already ended. o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Not Just For Tin Foil Hats—–Worries About Cashless Money And The Coming Correction Gold Surges: World’s ‘Biggest Pawnbroker’ Makes Deal China Is about to Come Clean about How Much Gold It Really Owns– Had posted a similar article to this earlier as well. U.S. Consumer Confidence Sinks in April



Odds ‘n Sods:

Motel 6 Sending Guests’ Personal Info to Police Every Night. – H.L. o o o PSA Contains Bizarre Subliminal Message About “Martial Law”. – RBS o o o Successful Live-Fire Test of EXACTO “Smart” Bullets. Heat seeking / guided missiles are now the size of .50 caliber bullets. – T.P. o o o Genetic testing moves into world of employee health. – D.S. o o o Think that you will escape notice because some on-going turf war will keep attention focused away from you during a crises? Crips and Bloods Call Truce Amidst Baltimore Riot