Month: January 2016

Notes for Sunday – January 31, 2016

On January 31st, 1950, President Harry S. Truman publicly announced his decision to support the development of the hydrogen bomb, a weapon theorized to be hundreds of times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on Japan during World War II. Truman called it the “superbomb” in his public announcement. His decision was driven by the discovery that Klaus Fuchs, a top-ranking scientist in the U.S. nuclear program was a spy for the Soviet Union and that the Soviet likely knew everything the U.S. did about building a hydrogen bomb.


January in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, by Steven Cochran of Gainsesville Coins where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover the price action of gold and examine the “what” and “why” behind those numbers. What Did Gold Do in January? Gold started the year around the $1,061 mark and quickly blew that away as stocks worldwide saw the worst start to a year in nearly forever. This caught a record number of speculators short, who had to scramble to cover their bets. By the 7th of January, gold had …


Two Letters Re: Bug Out Boats

Hugh, Anyone considering a bug out boat should take a look at steel hulled sailboats in the 30 to 40 foot range. They offer excellent ballistic protection as well as the structural strength to resist all manner of collision or grounding incidents. Additionally, steel will not burn or be damaged if frozen in place by thick ice. Most of the modern steel boats sail well, are insulated for warmth, and are often equipped with a wood stove. A quick search on sailboatlistings.com will yield some affordable options. Stay safe! – Fixer o o o Hugh, I’m sorry, but I have …


Economics and Investing:

How Do You Know When Your Society Is In The Midst Of Collapse? o o o Unsocial Insecurity: Social Security Fund loses money for the first time since 1983. The new retirement model will have you working until you fall over from a heart attack. o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: US News Are Government Regulators More Virtuous than Everyone Else? (Mises) Excerpt: “One can’t help but notice the central contradiction in this analysis. On the one hand, it is assumed that markets fail because of “normal human weakness.” On the other hand, it is assumed that regulation, which …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Someone has released stabilized and zoomed-in video of the Lavoy Finicum shooting that makes the tragic event a lot more clear. Without correlated audio of the FBI’s gunshots, this video is still inconclusive. But to describe this as evidence of Finicum exiting the vehicle and “charging at” the ambushing officers (as it was described by the FBI) is ludicrous. And the sight of him dropping his hands is just as consistent with reacting to the pain of being hit in the abdomen with bullets as it is with the alleged “reaching for his waist” to draw a handgun. There is …


Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Matthew 6:5-6 (KJV)


Notes for Saturday – January 30, 2016

January 30th is the birthday of historian Barbara Tuchman (born 1912, died February 6, 1989). She wrote some of the most engaging history books JWR ever read. January 30th is also the anniversary of the 1945 Great Raid on Cabanatuan Prison Camp where US Army Rangers and Filipino Guerrillas liberated Allied prisoners. See Rescue At Los Baños, by historian and bestselling author Bruce Henderson. o o o Today, we present another entry for Round 62 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 …


Making a “Last Run” When the SHTF- Part 1, by GMJ

The last-minute grocery and emergency supply shopping run is part of prepper mythology. Whether or not it makes sense to do a “last run” shopping trip is very controversial in the prepper community and has both positive and negative aspects. Whether or not to do so requires considerable forethought and mental preparation. I know some preppers are horrified by the idea of intentionally utilizing a last run to top-off or expand supplies. It’s great to be able to hunker down with a mug of hot buttered rum in front of the fireplace and watch the snow come down or snuggle …


Letter Re: Bug Out Boats

Hi Hugh, First, thank you for providing SurvivalBlog to all your readers. When things finally come to a head in the world today, I have no doubt that the information that you have provided over the years will be responsible for helping countless citizens and saving many lives. I’d like to add my two cents to the article “Bug Out Boats” as well as the comments from your other contributors. My wife and I have been full-time live-aboards in the northeast for over 20 years, and we have gained some hard won knowledge and experience over the years that I …


Economics and Investing:

Items from Mr. Econocobas: Bank of Japan Goes Negative on Interest Rates – NIRP as it is called has now officially spread to Japan, joining most of the Euro zone. Stocks End Up 2% After BOJ Move; Nasdaq Still Posts Worst Month Since ’10 Advance Q4 GDP Data, 0.7% – The video is worth watching and listening to as well; expectations for 2016 GDP is the lowest in many years. Items from Professor Preponomics: US News The Market Doesn’t Solve Problems; People Do (Mises) Excerpt: “The modern state can be defined as the institution that pretends to have the monopoly …


Odds ‘n Sods:

This is a clarion call to Christians to wake up and pay attention. We are in the last days and we are spiritually bankrupt. We need to repent and seek God with all of our hearts. The deception is real. If a Republican is elected, we’re still in the throes of judgment. It will not be peace and prosperity coming to us. Do not be mistaken. Do not sigh a collective sigh of relief and go back to your pleasant daily routines. The days are truly evil. The next president, whether he will be Republican or Democrat, will continue us …


Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes …


Notes for Friday – January 29, 2016

Complete, Unedited Video of Joint FBI and OSP Operation 01/26/2016 – 26 minutes starting with the pursuit and ending with the death of Finicum and the arrest of the others. Warning: graphic content. I see nothing in this video that contradicts Victoria Sharp’s testimony as she saw it. The video is inconclusive, but Finicum did not have a weapon in hand when he was shot. When did the agents fire? Are Finicum’s hand movements a result of being shot? He was shot three times and that certainly coincides with his hand movements. Lest anyone forget, Victoria also makes the claim …


Bug Out Boats, by Budget Boater

As a man of the sea, the topic of using a boat for the purpose of escape and survival seems to be misunderstood in many instances. I can even remember JWR dismissing the idea several times in the past. I can only assume that it comes from lack of knowledge and understanding of the “cruising” community. Recently there has been some discussion about this topic and some questions, so I thought this might be time to shed some experienced light on the subject. First, I will answer the questions posted recently: Question #1: If it’s a true EOTW scenario, establishing …


Letter Re: Bug Out Boats

Hugh, When reading the thread on bug-out boats, I was reminded anew of one of my favorite novels: The Riddle of the Sands. Here’s more about the author: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Erskine_Childers http://www.eldritchpress.org/rec/rs.html You can also get a copy of the book from Gutenberg. As it so happens the book is outside of copyright and so it was one of the first books to be published on the Internet, leading to a nasty lawsuit. The Riddle of The Sands is considered required reading for all serious sailors, particularly those favoring wooden-hulled boats. – R.C.