Month: March 2016


Notes for Thursday – March 24, 2016

March 24th is the birthday of Dr. Art Robinson, who was born in 1942. Also, today, the 14th day of Adar II, starts Purim, the Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman (boo!), who was planning to kill all the Jews. o o o Round 63 of the Writing Contest is coming to a close in only a few short days. Make sure you get your article finished and submitted for this round! o o o Today, we present another entry for Round 63 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of …


A Random Walk Through The Risks of Silicon Valley, by Epaminondas

As a technology executive who has worked extensively with most of the big, high-tech firms (Microsoft, Google, Verizon, Dell, Qualcomm, and more), I thought that it could be helpful to share a perspective on the general role of technology on prepper thinking and planning. This readership is much more sophisticated than most, but the hard fact is that most of us cannot live an independent, off-grid lifestyle for a variety of reasons. Technology is the great enabler and force multiplier that can make it much easier to work remotely, maintain close contact with family and friends while benefiting from the …


Letter Re: Backup Electric Power Design Considerations

Editor, As a full time user of off-grid power I’ve a few quibbles with this article. One is the casual reference to rooftop solar panels. Solar panels get dirty-fast. Solar panels in general are not all that wonderful in generating concentrated energy and dirty panels generate far less than optimal. They need to be cleaned with a soft brush and hose often. In northern parts snow sticks to panels real well and then generate nothing. Unless you have a widows walk installed below the panels, don’t even think about installing them on high roofs. Anything that gets in the way …


Economics and Investing:

Study Finds Public Pension Promises Exceed Ability to Pay – G.G. o o o Reader T.A. submitted this article from Zero Hedge: A Glimpse of Things to Come: Canadian Oil Company Liquidates Hours After Bank Demands Repayment o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: US News Puerto Rico’s Financial Crisis Has Been Brewing for 75 Years (Business Insider) Excerpt: “If Puerto Rico and its bondholders are to receive a bailout, it should at least be accompanied by the long overdue privatization of its New Deal structures.” Puerto Rico’s Slide (Bloomberg QuickTake) Excerpt: “It’s a tale of financial mismanagement, Wall Street …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Rob Moffet posted a new video on how to make a folding multi-fuel camping stove using an old automobile license plate. It’s a nice DIY project. o o o Teacher Killed by Cop in Crosswalk “Assumed Risk” by Crossing Street Excerpt: “NYPD and the city Law Department are fighting a lawsuit filed by the family of a Brooklyn man who was killed in a crosswalk by an on-duty officer, on the grounds that the victim behaved recklessly by crossing the street. … The city’s response to the suit says Coss “knew or should have known in the exercise of due/reasonable …



Notes for Wednesday – March 23, 2016

This is the birthday of Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. o o o Today, we present another entry for Round 63 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 …


Response to Making a Final Run, by Jim Fry

I must confess that I haven’t had a chance to read every single post on “Making a Final Run”. A farm in winter can be a very busy place. So I hope I’m not just repeating someone else. In the main I agree with most posters, a final run is possibly/probably not a good idea, maybe. If you’re talking about a last run to Walmart, then maybe you run the chance of getting into the middle of where you don’t want to be. However, there are lots of other sorts of “final runs”, such as to the bank, the gas …


Two Letters Re: The Long and Short of Bolt Action Rifle Magazines

Mr. Latimer, Thank you to Mr. Rawles for his post with the helpful information. In addition to those noted, the relatively new Mossberg MVP bolt-action rifles chambered in .308 accept magazines from the Springfield M1A. If you already have one of those platforms, you could purchase the other and the magazines will be interchangeable between platforms. – J.L. o o o JWR, Just a few more bolt action rifles that use standard magazines– the Mossberg MVP 308 uses M1A/M14 or AR-10 magazines, and the 5.56 uses an AR-15 magazine. I have both calibers, and they work great and are light …


Economics and Investing:

Silver – a Long-Term Perspective o o o Forbes Yanks a Negative Article on JPMorgan While the Bank Pays for Content – P.M. o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: US News To Oppose Free Trade is to Embrace Violence (Mises) Excerpt: “To oppose free trade, on the other hand, is to engage in the imposition of fines, prison terms, and other sanctions on people for engaging in non-violent exchange.” Bernanke: Negative Interest Rates Could Be “Reasonable” (Washington Examiner) Excerpt: “…in a scenario in which the economy weakened and the Fed had already cut short-term interest rates to zero, a …


Readers’ Recommendations of the Week:

SurvivalBlog reader C.P. recommended the movie Secretariat , based on the greatest racehorse to ever live. It’s a tribute to following your instincts and doing your homework. o o o Reader DMS suggested these faith related movies. If they’re not faith related, they’re a God wink: Bonhoeffer (true story), What if… (Parents only), Moondance Alexander (true story, and Saving Sarah Cain.


Odds ‘n Sods:

From Mike Williamson, SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large: A European state that is doing well Seized cell phones didn’t work this time, but certainly could. Stun guns are protected by the 2nd Amendment. Hopefully they will apply this to other modern weapons. The government apparently has the right to stop you on a whim. o o o Why Putin Wants Syria o o o Why we should fear a cashless world – V.M. o o o Video: Printable magnets. I can think of many uses for such technology. For those short on time, fast forward to the 5.45 mark in the …



Notes for Tuesday – March 22, 2016

This is the birthday of Louis L’Amour. Some of his novels have survival themes, and one of the most notable ones was Last of the Breed. o o o Today, we present another entry for Round 63 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 …