Month: February 2017

Odds ‘n Sods:

What good people will do in a bad economy: Harare residents find ingenious new ways to survive – A.P. o o o Arrests Made Over DC Surveillance Cameras Being Hacked Prior to Trump Inauguration – D.S. o o o NRA Wins Victory as Congress Reverses Obama’s Social Security Gun Grab – DSV o o o Attorney In IRS Office Of Professional Responsibility (Columbia J.D., NYU Tax LL.M., Georgetown Adjunct Tax Prof) Busted For Dealing Crystal Meth – C.P. o o o Donald Trump Threatens to Cancel Berkeley Federal Funds After Riots Shut Down Milo Event – D.B.



Notes for Thursday – February 02, 2017

February 2nd is the birthday of Ayn Rand (born Alisa Zinov’yevna Rosenbaum in 1905, died March 6, 1982). She is of course remembered for her novel Atlas Shrugged, which is considered a Libertarian classic. While I sharply disagree with her views on religion (since she was an atheist), I admire both her skill as a writer and her ability to articulate some core precepts of human liberty. o o o Since the 1,000 SurvivalBlog 2005-2016 Archive USB sticks sold out so quickly, we’ve had to revert to offering it on DVD. It is now orderable here, for just $19.95. o …


Starting Life In The Country, by J.E.

Sitting here in the living room with a hot fire in the wood stove and arctic winds blowing the snow across our property, I smile at just how lucky we are. The power has been out for a couple of days, and the snow and ice make driving into town not worth the risk. Just over twenty years ago, we decided life in the city was no longer for us. Now, reflecting on how good we have it, I would like to write my first post and share with those of you considering a move into rural life. The first …


Letter Re: Airport BOB

HJL, What a great list. I happily read this, as I travel frequently. I appreciated the list and agree with the items and responses already listed. I would just like to add a couple comments. LED lights are great, but living in Alaska, where at times we have 20 hours of darkness, I would add buying a head lamp. This is a basic $20 head lamp that slips in a pocket and is great for hands-free light. I also would add that I carry a packet of silver coins along with the cash. I have a length of paracord and …


Economics and Investing:

The Alternative Fact Of The Cashless Society o o o What Will Happen, How to Prepare For The Imminent Global Economic Collapse 2017 – B.B. o o o Fed Unlikely to Make Its Next Rate Move Wednesday o o o Endowment Gains Aren’t Enough for Schools Facing Rising Expenses o o o SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.


Odds ‘n Sods:

The Chinese counterfeiters are back to their old tricks, producing shoddy fake Cold Steel knives, including some Rawles XL Voyagers. They are definitely fakes, since Cold Steel only made Rawles XL Voyagers with ONE blade style and ONE blade color! Please take a minute to go to the lower right corner of the eBay page and click on “Report Item”, and ask that this seller be banned. Thanks! – JWR o o o A new Tennessee listing at our SurvivalRealty spin-off is captivating, since it is the lowest-priced property that I can recall that includes on-site caves: Secluded Wilder Mountain …



Notes for Wednesday – February 01, 2017

February 1st is the anniversary of the secession of Texas from the United States in 1861. A State Convention considering secession opened in Austin on January 28th, 1861 and on February 1st, by a vote of 166-8, adopted an Ordinance of Secession from the United States. It’s important to note that not all Texans favored this act and the state Governor, Sam Houston, while being loyal to the union, refused offers from President Lincoln to keep him in office and was subsequently deposed as governor. We also remember February 1st, 2003, when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas and …


Round 68 Non-Fiction Writing Contest Winners Announced!

This was a tough contest to judge as there were so many good articles published in Round 68, but decisions have to be made. Any article submitted but not published will automatically be rolled over to Round 69. Without further ado, here are the winners: First prize goes to J.U. for “Prep Your Ride – Part 1”, “Part 2”, and “Part 3” published on January 3rd, 5th, and 6th, 2017. He will receive the following prizes: A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to …


January in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, by Steven Chochran 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? December 30th saw gold end 8% higher for the year, for the first annual increase since 2012. The trend continued for gold in January, as prices moved upward for nearly the entire month. Starting January (and the year) near $1,152 an ounce, profit-taking and safe haven demand played tug-of-war …


Letter Re: The Economy, Trump and Tax Proposals

HJL: I just attended my insurance agent’s coop annual meeting where a “behavioral economist’ spoke. One of his points is that GDP growth is limited to 1.5% by the available labor, even allowing for the higher percentage that is U-6. He says the gap has narrowed but always present. I look at the change in the tax code to promote repatriation of funds held overseas and a potential repeat of the accelerated cost recovery rules on depreciation that powered the Reagan revitalization along with the convergence of robotic technology and wonder if any jobs would be produced by the wave …


Economics and Investing:

Donald Trump Has a Goldman Sachs Problem: Derivatives o o o He’s still at it: The Find Of A Lifetime…120 Silver Half Dollars! o o o Not that there’s any inflation, but . . . o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: When The Rich Become Preppers, It’s Time To Worry o o o SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.


JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:

Books: The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Resistance by Vin Suprynowicz All New Square Foot Gardening, by Mel Bartholomew Movies: Duck Soup The Maltese Falcon Television: Jericho Firefly Music: The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music Rags to Riches the Essential Hits [of Scott Joplin] Instructional Videos: AR-15 Upgrades Overview (from IV8888) Art Of The Tactical Carbine by Chris Costa Podcasts: The Adventure Sports Podcast Wranglerstar: AMAZING Room Transformation Gear: SOG Traction EDC Pocketknife (Under $15!) Harris Bipod Model 1A2 (Adjustable 6” to 9”) Midland Model 75-822 40 Channel CB Handheld Radio


Odds ‘n Sods:

BSA…Living up to only the first two letters. Goodbye, Boy Scouts of America. You spineless cowards. – D.S. Article Excerpt: “So, if I haven’t been clear, here’s how this works: You give the leftist bullies every last thing they want, and in return you get nothing. Whatever you already had, you lose. Those who supported you while you were being attacked, no longer support you. The people who hated you still hate you and the people who loved you now resent you for betraying them. You are now officially in a lose/lose/lose/lose-unto-infinity scenario…But hey, at least the media will write …