Year: 2015


Notes for Sunday – November 01, 2015

November 1st, 1923, was the birthday of science fiction writer Gordon R. Dickson (born 1923, died January 31, 2001). Many of his novels and short stories, such as Wolf and Iron, have survivalist themes. November 1st is also the birthday of economist Martin A. Armstrong. For many years he was a prisoner of conscience, in part because he refused to turn over his proprietary trading algorithms to Federal prosecutors. After seven years in prison without a trial, the longest Federal incarceration for contempt in American history, Armstrong was finally put on trial in a proceeding that was branded as a …


Two Letters Re: The OTHER Electrical Grid Failure Problem

HJL, I just retired from 24 years of bouncing around the nuclear plants in the U.S. and abroad. For work planning, fire stop penetrations, and OSHA worker safety, every nuclear plant in the world has at least 20 electricians on-site 7/24. During a refueling outage, add 100 to that number. – K.G. o o o Hello Hugh, I read the comments about electricians at nuclear plants and the inability to have more than one or two there in an emergency situation. While I am not disputing that possibility, the entire situation should be told. Electricians are support staff at any …


Economics and Investing:

Just in case you’re curious about what a Republic that hasn’t been bought by Central Bankers looks and smells like…Iceland! Iceland! Iceland! Sent in by GJM o o o Sent in by SurvivalBlog reader RBS: “Tax Expenditures” Are Not “Free Stuff” o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: Citizens Against Government Waste Goes Trick-or-Treating: Reveals a Fiscal House of Horrors (CAGW) Economists Sounding the Alarm about the Risk of a New U.S. Recession (Washington Post) Today’s War Against Deflation to Make Us Poorer (Mises Institute) Rand Paul’s Vow: He’ll Do Everything Within My Power to Stop the Disasterous Budget Deal …


Odds ‘n Sods:

TAP – delete – Enter ….WHAT Second Amendment? A noble sounding concept that will ultimately allow select elites to literally edit their ONLY AVAILABLE ORIGINAL SOURCE document’s troublesome prose with a few quick keystrokes. Orwell’s legal document memory hole just went all-digital. From SurvivalBlog reader T.P. o o o The leaders in George Orwell’s 1984 would be proud: UK Police ‘to be given powers to view everyone’s entire internet history’ – T.P. o o o 77 years ago this week Orson Welles struck terror into the hearts of Americans listening to his live radio broadcast with the classic War of …



Notes for Saturday – October 31, 2015

October 31st is Reformation Day. o o o Today, we present another entry for Round 61 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $1,700 value), A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value), A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, …


Head Up, Eyes Open, by Hondo

By way of introduction, I am a retired cop. For my second career, I now ride the train to work daily. After 28 years in my first career, with command responsibilities for training a very large agency’s officers for many years, I have many habits ingrained as second (or FIRST!) nature. These habits are not always useful, until the SHTF. These habits are “cloaked”, because that’s how they work best, until the SHTF. These habits sometimes, even after all these years, baffle my loved ones. My aim here is to share a few things that may be useful, in light …


Letter Re: The OTHER Electrical Grid Failure Problem

Hugh, As an electrician with over 20 years experience in power generation, I can tell you that there is no way if a massive grid down event takes place, the nuclear reactors in this country will be safe. A failure of the electrical system will not be able to be repaired quickly. You will find one or two electricians working on nights and weekends; the rest are going to be home. Do you think they will leave their families? Most locations have more than one reactor that will be down. And I understand, you have about 4 hours to get …


Economics and Investing:

SurvivalBlog reader H.L. sent in this link showing issues with Deutsche Bank: Deutsche Bank Reports Massive Loss, Will Cut 35,000 Jobs, Exit 10 Countries In Sweeping Overhaul o o o Gold Analogue: Then and Now o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: The US Spends $35 Billion In Global Economic Aid (But Where Does All This Money Really Go?) Fed’s Lacker: Here’s Why I Dissented at Last FOMC Vote – So what we really need is to eliminate central planning including the price of money (interest rates); it is laughable that Lacker believes that the U.S. economy is a bed …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Remember that illegal NSA spy program that Snowden blew the whistle on? Well, now the court says it’s legal for NSA to spy on you because Congress says it’s OK. Sent in by B.B. o o o SurvivalBlog reader K.C. sent in a video link on how to make your own solar panels. Depending on the cells you can pick up, this may be the option you need to get off-grid. o o o Bay County, Florida Sheriff Frank McKeithen is blasting a “secret ballot” vote on Florida open carry. Imagine that! Elected officials voting in secret so you don’t …


Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord. And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed …


Notes for Friday – October 30, 2015

October 30th, 1735 was the birthday of President John Adams. (Other sources cite his birth date as October 19, 1735.) He died on July 4, 1826– just a few hours after the death of Thomas Jefferson. o o o Today, we present another entry for Round 61 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $1,700 value), A Gunsite Academy Three Day …


Digital Communications Capabilities for Prepared Families, by Prairie Dweller

As most preppers know, regardless of where you are on your prepping journey, the ability to communicate is a vital need. We need to communicate with our families, and we need to get information about what’s going on around us. The need for communications, as well as the traditional methods for establishing them, has been well addressed in preparedness circles. What has not been addressed much is what digital communications capabilities have to offer you as a prepper. I have been an amateur and commercial radio operator for many years, and the capabilities of digital communications as compared to voice …


Letter: .40 S&W

Dear Hugh Service caliber semi-automatic handguns are generally considered to be in calibers 9mm, 40 S&W, and .45 ACP. A lot of people really seem to enjoy Monday morning quarterbacking the virtues of these calibers and their theoretical stopping power. Well, everyone should have a hobby. The reality is that any pistol (unless it is maybe the 500 S&W) is far less effective than a rifle. I am not sure who said it first, but a common quote is that the purpose of a pistol is to allow you time to reach your rifle. Recent events (see below) are resulting …