Year: 2016

News From The American Redoubt:

The Economist (a leftist magazine and web site) did a pretty decent writeup on the American Redoubt featuring JWR. There are a few back-handed compliments, but overall it’s a good article. On the other hand, the comments (367, at last count) are pretty amusing and some are outrageously ill-informed. FYI: No, Idaho is not a “Blue” state. No, JWR has not undergone heart surgery. He is very healthy and active. While not a farmer, he is a rancher, and he most definitely does live inside the American Redoubt. He also coined the term “American Redoubt” in 2011–not “more than 10 …


Economics and Investing:

Wake Up And Smell The Bull Trap! o o o The Consequences Of Big Oil’s Exploding Debt. Big oil has seen its debt load increase tenfold since 2008 as a result of high spending and unstable earnings. o o o Stocks a Screaming Buy in Fed Model That May Never Prove Right o o o The Seven-Year Short o o o SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.


Odds ‘n Sods:

Hillary seemingly freezes up again causing her personal medic/bodyguard to alarm. – H.L. o o o Benghazi families sue Clinton for wrongful death, defamation – B.B. o o o Forward Observer has an interesting article on understanding doctrine. When it comes to intelligence and security, this is an important concept. o o o An hour long video on emerging infectious disease by S. Hatfill M.D., MSc, M. Med. These are diseases that are emerging which have never been seen before in human populations or in areas where they have never been seen before. – Sent in by S.C. o o …


Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Government-to-government foreign aid promotes statism, centralized planning, socialism, dependence, pauperization, inefficiency, and waste. It prolongs the poverty it is designed to cure. Voluntary private investment in private enterprise, on the other hand, promotes capitalism, production, independence, and self-reliance.” – Henry Hazlitt


Notes for Monday – August 08, 2016

August 8th is the birthday of Terry Nation (August 8th, 1930 – March 9th, 1997), who was a Welsh television writer and novelist. Nation wrote two series, Survivors and Blake’s 7, in the 1970s. Survivors was re-made a few years ago. o o o Last week I received word from Cold Steel that they now have less than 900 Rawles XL Voyager knives knives left on hand. This limited edition folding survival/utility knife of my design is now priced at just $69.99 with free shipping for Amazon Prime members. Remember that ALL of the profits from the sale of these …


Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Taurus Model 85 Polymer Protector

My wife and I were forced, by circumstances beyond our control, to move back to the Chicago, IL area in 1982. We stayed until the middle of 1984, at which time we moved to Colorado Springs, CO. While back in Chicago, I went to work for a large private detective agency that I had worked for in the past. I was the manager of the Investigations Division, and I not only supervised a good number of Investigators I also oversaw all the big cases from the many branches we had around the country. I was also the company gunsmith and …


Recipe of the Week: Chicken Marengo

Ingredients: 2½ to 3 ob frying chicken, cut up 1 (1½ oz) package of spaghetti sauce mix ½ cup dry white wine 2 fresh tomatoes, quartered ¼ lb of fresh mushrooms Directions: Place chicken parts in the bottom of a slow-cooking pot. Combine dry spaghetti sauce mix with wine: pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6 or 7 hours. Turn and cook on high for 30 to 40 minutes or until tomatoes are done. Makes 4 to 5 servings. o o o Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please …


Letter Re: Wounding Patterns

Hugh, I agree that the report, “The Profile of Wounding in Civilian Public Mass Shooting Fatalities,” as posted in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, is a bit arcane, but what would you expect? This is supposed to be the raw research methodology and data, and its actually reassuring to me to see that rather than the unsubstantiated claims often made in firearms conversations. I’m not a trauma expert by any means, not in anyone’s wildest imaginations, though I have been trained as a Combat Lifesaver (and have taken other med courses over the years), so I have …


Economics and Investing:

Will the Bubble Pop Even if the Fed Never Raises Rates? “There is no ready-made answer in Austrian business cycle theory (ABCT) to the multi-trillion dollar question now looming over the global economy and markets.” o o o Bond Market’s Big Illusion Revealed as U.S. Yields Turn Negative o o o Gold Price $2,150 Or Bust o o o America added 255,000 jobs in July, but unemployment rate unchanged o o o SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.


Odds ‘n Sods:

Clinton email led to the execution of an Iranian scientist. “The senator said this lapse proves she is not capable of keeping the country safe.” o o o Stories of survival in SHTF: A Surreal Life on the Precipice in Puerto Rico – P.S. o o o Thousands of Roaming Dogs Are Cited as Problem in Poor Areas of Dallas. This may be a consideration after a SHTF for those in urban areas. Stray dogs may form aggressive packs. A weapon may be a necessity. – P.S. o o o 8 Reasons Why Your Child’s Doctor Pushes Vaccines – DSV …




Budget Planning- Part 5, by Sarah Latimer

Cutting Costs- Some Ideas We Have Implemented As I have said before, it is necessary to set priorities and develop a spending plan with your spouse and family in order to utilize your financial resources to achieve life goals. If you have followed along so far, you’ve documented your current income, your fixed expenses, and your flexible expenses. You have begun to consider other sources of income and maybe ways to cut expenses. Hopefully, you have also taken time to get a healthy perspective on money and its roles in your life as well as your spending habits. Have you …


Letter Re: Pat Cascio’s Review of the Springfield Commander Size RO

Hugh, Pat was saying that he wished to change out the recoil spring for a heavier one on the commander size Springfield RO for +P loads. From what I’ve experienced Wilson Combat’s flatwire recoil spring kits for the 4 and 5 inch 1911’s are money well spent. In addition to giving More protection and control they will last considerably longer than conventional springs. Forty thousand rounds or more in comparison to the 5000 round life of conventional springs. Money well spent. – G.M. Pat Cascio comments: Sadly, the ones made by Wilson Combat will not work in the current Springfield …


Economics and Investing:

IRS Increases ‘Marriage Penalty,’ Unmarried Cohabitants To Get Twice The Mortgage Interest Deduction – B.B. o o o Deflation Is Always Good for the Economy o o o A Shocking Story About How One Man Lost $83 Million, Plus China, Gold And U.S. Dollar o o o No End Seen in Global Demand for U.S. Credit: BlackRock’s Rieder o o o SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.