Month: March 2017

Letter Re: Coffee

Sarah, I have tried grinding my own coffee and do prefer it. However, buying only a few pounds at a time I found that the beans cost more than buying the ground coffee! That goes for the green coffee beans too. It reminded me of the old Heathkit radios that everyone said you paid for the privilege of putting together. Perhaps they would be cheaper if bought in volumes of 100 or 500 pounds, but I can not afford such a purchase on my own and there is no one in my family, friends or acquaintances who are willing to …


Economics and Investing:

Wall Street Bullish On Oil Prices Despite Saudi Warnings JWR’s Comment: This might be a good time to top off your stored gas, diesel, and home heating oil tanks! o o o Physical precious metals demand is down, in part because of complacency caused by Donald Trump’s election. Another factor is the anticipation of interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve banking cartel. (This has direct correlation to the futures and spot markets.) My advice: Hold for the long term and continue to buy on the dips. Do not be complacent! The Fed could pull the rug out from under …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Sangerville, Maine: Bunker-style home built by survivalists the perfect fit for sustainable duo JWR’s Comment: Folks in the Food Sustainability movement have a lot to learn from Survivalists, and vice versa! o o o The IRS Scandal, Day 1408: Why Won’t The Media Cover It? – The IRS admitted to singling out and targeting conservative groups in 2013, motivated by political animus, yet the media was, is and continues to be disinterested in the whole process. Given the IRS’s broad ranging powers, this is the perfect vehicle to “control” behaviors. o o o Wondering why your friends and neighbors think …



Notes for Friday – March 17, 2017

March 17th is the birthday of novelist Pearl S. Buck, best known for her novel The Good Earth. (Born 1887, died 1973.) This is also the birthday of Józef Franczak (born 1917, died 21 October 1963), who was a Polish Army Corporal who fought in the World War II resistance against the invading Germans. He then carried on after the war, to fight against the occupying Soviets and their Polish communist stooges. Eventually, he was one of the last of the Cursed Soldiers resistance in Poland. His nom de guerre was Lalek. o o o Today, we present an entry …


A Homemade Thermos Cooker, by M.P.

A thermos cooker is an energy saving cooking device. Earlier versions were a vacuum thermos that you placed uncooked food and boiling water into and then sealed it up, and in a few hours you had cooked food. Later versions have a pot that you put your ingredients into and place on your stove; you then bring the contents to a boil and place the pot into an insulated outer pot to hold the heat in and cook the food. Thermos cookers do not speed up cooking times; they only save energy, and in fact cooking times can be significantly …


Letter Re: 80% Lower Router Problems

Hugh, I wanted to add something here. You should not have to keep retightening a router bit after each cut. Having been a woodworker for 25+ years and having used routers to mill aluminum, here are a few safety tips: When inserting bit in collet make sure bit is not bottomed out all the way. Insert bit until it bottoms out and then slightly raise it up about 1/32 or 1/16″. The easy way to do this is to snug collet enough so you can insert bit into collet, and that bit will stay put when you take your hand …


Economics and Investing:

In recognition of the Government’s debasement of the U.S. doller, some states are begining to realize that precious metals are not investments, but act as real money: IT BEGINS…. Idaho & Arizona Pass Bills To Remove “Capital Gains Taxes” On Gold & Silver (SRSrocco Report) o o o Reader H.L. sent in the link to this map that renames American States with the name of the country most closely matching their GDPs. It’s interesting to realize that the U.S. economy is so large that individual states have GDPs larger than many countries. o o o Collapsing pensions will fuel America’s …


Odds ‘n Sods:

I recently bought some “Morale” patches from a small company in Tennessee called MoraleTags.com, and I was quite pleased with the quality of their products and their great service. It is a veteran-owned company. They have a wide assortment of patches, and also sell clever metal hat clips that are laser engraved with logos. (Warning: A few of them are rather crude.) Take a look at their web site. – JWR o o o Showing their support of collectivism and the establishment, a group of retired military leaders are fighting to stop the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act. Apparently, those …



Notes for Thursday – March 16, 2017

Today is the anniversary of the Battle at Pound Gap Kentucky (1862). o o o Today, we present another entry for Round 69 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $15,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: 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 the public. 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 of …


Selecting An Escape Route, by KyoSa D

Everyone has a plan to “Get Out of Dodge” in an emergency. As I teach my self defense and firearms classes, I ask people and they all say, “I’d head up to my cabin” or “I’ll head out west”. The problem is, have you actually considered how you will leave the immediate area of your home or work? Most of the people I hear begin their plan ambiguously. They say, just simply, “I’d leave town”, but they have never done any reconnaissance or real-life consideration of their route. As humans, we are creatures of habit. If I want to leave …


Letter Re: 80% Firearms

Hugh, I recently completed a Complete AR-15 Rifle Kit with PTAC Upper from 80% Arms with their Easy Jig system, and I would like to share a few things from my experience. 80% Arms shipped the kit within just a few days. There were no missing parts or tools. That was my only experience with their customer service, but based on the rapid shipment I would rate them “excellent”. The instructions were quite complete and understandable, but you do need to read them carefully (preferably twice or more) before cutting and then follow them exactly step by step while cutting. …


Economics and Investing:

Another casualty of online shopping: Gander Mountain Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy & Will CLOSE 32 Stores (The Firearm Blog) – T.P. o o o What do these CEOs know that we don’t? (Sovereignman) Excerpt: “My friend’s grandfather once told him that, just prior to the Nazi invasion, the schools in Poland announced they were suspending classes… but only for two weeks, because that’s how long they expected the war to last.” HJL’s Comment: Or in the words of Admiral David Glasgow Farragut (1801-1870) “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” o o o Gold’s Next Leg Down Targets $1156 (Gold Eagle) …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Mike Williamson, SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large, sent in this link to the video “Surviving in the Siberian Wilderness for 70 Years”. We’ve linked to the story of this family before, but it is a good reminder for all those who think that they will survival “alone” when TEOTWAWKI hits. Unless you want to spend every moment of your life scratching for the next breath you take, relationships are incredibly important. o o o Goldman Sachs: Almost One Million H-1B Foreign Workers Hold University-Level Jobs Here – H-1B: Bullying American workers. – D.S. o o o From reader M.P.: I just …