Year: 2015

The Power of Steam – Part 4, by A.Y.

For problems on the engine itself, visual inspections are again the best way to look for problems. Loose bolts, loose or worn bearings, signs of overheating, and clanking and knocking sounds can attest to problems. Signs of overheated metal on the engine can include scarring, discoloration, scraping sounds, and emitting lots of heat from a bearing while in operation. Overheating on the engine itself can usually be attributed to not enough lubrication, so it must be determined why oil and grease are not getting to the affected part. Some engines have mechanical and hydrostatic lubricators that drive oil to moving …


Letter Re: LE Criticism

HJL, I believe there are a few points being lost in the ongoing debate concerning law enforcement’s attitude towards their job and the public. Time and time again the blanket statement levied in support of law enforcement’s defense is “ Not all cops are bad”. I agree with this wholeheartedly, and I think any sane person would also agree with this. However, as a person who exercises critical thinking, I have to wonder, where are the “good cops”? Where are the whistleblowers? Good cops don’t allow flagrant abuse of police powers, good cops don’t blindly follow, Good cops don’t stand …


Economics and Investing:

How many more working persons can you fit into a household until the entire family cannot afford anything? o o o Is Saudi Arabia Setting The World Up For Major Oil Price Spike? o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Japan Now Holds More U.S. Debt than China – The trend here is interesting… Bets Are Off on ‘Grexit’ as Default Fears Grow Fed’s Fischer Says Fed Can’t Be “On Hold For Ever”, Spooks Bonds & Bullion


Odds ‘n Sods:

Leaked Document From Mayor to Police: Your Paycheck Depends on How Many Tickets You Write. – H.L. o o o ISIS-trained man arrested in U.S., DOJ says. – D.S. o o o California’s Green Drought. How bad policies are compounding the state’s water shortage. – T.P. o o o Judge opens door for cops to storm your home. – D.S. o o o I’ve been reading John Mosby’s blog for a bit now and have watched with interest as he has joined with Forward Observer Magazine. Their focus is Intelligence and they have some very good articles. I think SurvivalBlog …



Notes for Thursday – April 16, 2015

April 16th is the birthday of two notable novelists– J. Neil Schulman and Samuel Youd. Agorist-Libertarian activist J. Neil Schulman (born April 16, 1953) is best known as author of the novel Alongside Night. The late Samuel Youd (born 1922, died February 3, 2012) was the British novelist who was best known for his science fiction writings under the pseudonym John Christopher, including the survivalist novel Death of Grass(titled No Blade of Grass, in the American edition) as well as the Tripods Seriesof young adult sci-fi novel series. A fascinating man, Youd wrote prolifically, using eight pen names. He was …


The Power of Steam – Part 3, by A.Y.

Heating the Water While water management is one of the most important aspects of boiler operation, the other is being able to heat the water. Since the age of the steam engine, wood, coal, and oil have been the three main fuels used to boil the water. Each has their advantages and disadvantages, and this must be considered thoroughly for use at a retreat. In this discussion, oil will not be considered as a fuel; the reason for this is, like gasoline, it can be expensive to constantly replenish, needs large volumes of storage space, and takes refineries to process. …


Letter: Anti-LE Tilt

HJL, On occasion I see an anti-LE tilt to some e-mails submitted to SurvivalBlog. I have to wonder at anyone who is at age 35 trying to break into law enforcement, but that is their choice. It actually sounds like some public defenders I know. Recalling my brother-in-law’s academy adventure, he was @10 weeks into a boot camp style police academy for a prestigious city PD and was ready to quit. Too hard? Not really; it was just that as a former Air Force NCO, he did not think he was being treated in a deferential manner as he was …


Economics and Investing:

Guess who holds even more US debt than China or Japan. – G.G. o o o Ron Paul on CNBC: ‘The whole system is built on fractional reserve banking, accumulation of debt, and malinvestment….Things are very, very fragile.’ o o o From our friends Frank and Fern: Negative Interest is Here o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Why Is WalMart Mysteriously Shuttering Stores Nationwide For “Plumbing Issues”? – Not sure there is really anything to read into or not, but it’s interesting none the less. Greece Running Out of Time as Officials Draw Contingency Plans Draghi’s Deranged Paranormal: European …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Another Showdown? Armed Members of Oath Keepers Group Preparing for Standoff Against BLM. – B.B. o o o Federal court rejects Third Amendment claim against police officers. – T.P. o o o Inventor of Antivirus Sofware: “Encryption Doesn’t Matter In a World Where Anyone Can Plant Software On Your Phone and See What You’re Seeing”. – H.L. o o o Ruskin mailman tries flying to Capitol in gyrocopter to deliver campaign reform message to Congress. – P.M. SurvivalBlog reader T.P. notes that there is no visible “N” number or “Experimental” placard, which are both FAA required for every kit rotorcraft …



Notes for Wednesday – April 15, 2015

April 15th is dreaded, as it is Income Tax Day, in these United States, but it is also Patriot’s Day. 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 three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, …


The Power of Steam – Part 2, by A.Y.

Monitoring and Maintaining the Water Level Remembering the most important thing, which is Do NOT EVER let the water drop below the top of the crown sheet, there are sight glasses mounted on the backhead (rear) of the boiler to monitor the amount of water, and these must be watched constantly. Most boilers have two sight glasses; both are connected to the boiler at the top and bottom and have notches in the glass to help observe how much water is in the boiler. They also have drains on the bottom for cleaning out trash in the sight glass. These …


Letter Re: A Story of Caution in Today’s Police State, by Lebannen

HJL, I appreciate Lebannen’s miltary service, and his desire to serve his community as a local police officer. I do think that it is very, very important to clarify a piece of legal advice that the OP provided in this article. Towards the end of Part 2 of the article the OP states “If the police come to your door and ask you to step outside or open it, you do NOT have to comply. They need a warrant unless an exigent circumstance occurs.” This is patently incorrect in the case of a vehicle stop, and in failing to do …


Economics and Investing:

What Happened When Maine Forced Welfare Recipients To Work For Their Benefits? o o o The Six Too Big To Fail Banks In The U.S. Have 278 TRILLION Dollars Of Exposure To Derivatives. – B.B. o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Q1 GDP Expectations Are Crashing Video: David Morgan – Silver Is Historically Undervalued Video: James Turk Global Collapse with a Golden Backlash Fed Official Warns ‘Flash Crash’ Could Be Repeated