Month: April 2016

Our Solar System Experience, by F. in TX

Back in 2014, my wife and I installed a 9 KW solar system. The system is an off-grid with battery backup. After about 18 months of use we do like the system, despite the cost and complexity of installation. I spent about a year doing research on which type of system best met our needs and settled on a grid tied system with battery backup, since it would give us the ability to use grid or off-grid power. With most grid tied-only systems, you will be outta luck once SHTF; grid-tied-only systems shut down as a safety precaution. The off …


Letter Re: Nullification vs. Article 5 Convention

Hugh, There is no question that our Federal government is spinning out-of-control. Here is an interesting video, about 3 1/2 minutes. I’m not certain about the legality of nullification due to the supremacy clause and if that’s even relevant, but I am also not a constitutional attorney. I certainly like the concept of nullification better. – L.A.


Economics and Investing:

Many Middle-Class Americans Are Living Paycheck to Paycheck – RBS o o o Why Are Bankrupt Oil Companies Still Pumping? o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: A Brief Commentary by Professor Preponomics Property rights are not only enumerated within and protected by the Constitution, they are essential to economic liberty. I hope you will follow the subject of civil forfeiture with attention and interest, and proactively (and with all due respect and civility) communicate with your county and municipal authorities, state legislatures, and members of Congress. Write editorials and post them to your local papers. Vigorously encourage the protection …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Another reason to get your kids out of the corrupt marxist indoctrination system we regularly waste private and public dollars on: Professor Struggling to Write Recommendation for Pro-Gun Student. – W.C. o o o More evidence that Hillary is not only woefully criminal in her endeavors but that there are others willing to do her dirty work. State Department Office Removed Benghazi Files After Congressional Subpoena – B.B. o o o Mark Dice, again showing why our founding fathers set the original governing mechanism up as a Federal Republic rather than a democracy: Americans Sign Petition to Ban Cash – …



Notes for Friday – April 22, 2016

Today is also the birthday of the late Charles Rankin Bond, Jr., born in Dallas on April 22, 1915, who was one of the last of the AVG Flying Tiger pilots. o o o Today, we present another entry for Round 64 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 …


Project Management for Preppers- Part 2, by B.F.

Let’s focus on techniques you can use. Project management is sometimes compared to a three legged stool. The legs are Time, Cost, and Quality. All three need to be kept in balance so that the stool doesn’t fall over. Another way of saying this is that you can have a project good, fast, or cheap; pick any two. There are a lot of tools available for your use, when you want to design a project. Many are computer based, some are free, and some are expensive. Projects and project management has been around for quite a while, even before we …


Letter Re: Half-Dollars as an Investment

Hi Hugh, I was just reading James’ blog on saving nickels again. I have about a year or more’s worth of coins I’ve been saving. My late wife had rolled $10 worth of halves which I’ve saved. Would it be wise to hold onto them? How about Canadian silver coins? Aren’t they mostly silver? HJL’s Comment: The base metal content of half dollars made from 1971 to 2014 is 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel with a current value of less than six cents. Unless you are able to procure coins of high silver content, they are most likely not worth …


Economics and Investing:

Fed Issues An Ominous Warning To JPMorgan Chase And Leaders Flock To Secret Meetings – Submitted by JFJ o o o Sanctions Lifted, Now Iran Wants To Get Paid o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: US News How of Representatives Files Amicus Brief in Support of Judicial Watch Taxpayer Lawsuit to Prevent DC Government from Illegally Spending Taxpayer Money (Judicial Watch) Excerpt: “Regardless of whether it is sound policy for the District of Columbia to have budget autonomy, [the defendants] cannot ignore the law. Yet, they do.” Privatizing the US Postal Service (Cato) Excerpt: “…with the rise of electronic …


Odds ‘n Sods:

This is an interesting concept and it is certainly aesthetically pleasing. I’m not sure I agree with the contents though. Cylindrical Japanese survival kit – J.N. o o o You already knew this, but it was probably government grant money they spent: Why living around nature could make you live longer. – W.A. o o o Sheriff: Without Secure Border Every County Will Be ‘A Border County’ – Sent in by B.B. o o o This has long been a fear, but now there is some hard evidence that it is a reality: Residual drugs in water supply – P.S. …



Notes for Thursday – April 21, 2016

April 21st is Aggie Muster Day, for all Texas A&M Corps of Cadets graduates. Aggie Muster celebrations/meetings are held as far away as Japan, Germany, and Afghanistan. I should mention that Jim’s grandfather (a U.S. Army Cavalry LTC) was an Aggie–something mentioned so often that everyone in his family felt like de facto Aggies, too. Other than the officers that matriculate though West Point, the four institutions that seem to have the greatest ongoing esprit de corps for graduates are Texas A&M, The Citadel, Norwich University, and VMI. Jim felt almost obliged to include an Aggie character in his novels …


Project Management for Preppers- Part 1, by B.F.

Project management is the art of getting things done. “So what?” you may ask, “I have been getting things done all my life!” Well, that’s probably true, but the use of project management techniques can help ensure that you get things done on time and at the cost you allocated for the work. We all have more demands on our time than we have time available to accomplish those demands. Sometimes there are also external factors, such as weather, expiration of permits, and others, that can impact our need to get things done in a timely manner and to get …


Letter Re: Bug Out Bags for Dogs

SurvivalBlog reader K.D. wrote in to question the need for a BOB for a dog in TEOTWAWKI, believing that most dogs will be more of an OPSEC liability than anything else and envisions large packs of roaming dogs fending for themselves as they are abandoned by their owners. HJL’s Comment: While I might agree with your sentiment if it were to apply to the family pet (easily the vast majority of dogs today), it most certainly does not apply to what I would term “working” dogs. Working dogs are readily used by both police and military to handle dangerous situations. …


Economics and Investing:

United abandons ObamaCare in most States – P.S. o o o How Mainstream Econ Promotes Socialism o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: US News Obamacare Latest: Insurers Flee Exchanges, Uninsured Rate Projected to Rise, Co-ops Failing (Townhall) Excerpt: “Let’s take a quick spin through some recent Obamacare-related headlines, shall we?” Another Payout for Obamacare Cronies (Government Waste Fraud and Abuse) Excerpt: “Contemporaneous documents show industry officials terrified they would miss the Obamacare train and eager to lock in favorable terms by sidling up to the negotiating table first.” $1.35B of Counterfeit Goods Seized in 2015 (Washington Examiner) Excerpt: “The …