Economics and Investing:

SurvivalBlog reader P.S. sent in a link to the US 2014 wage statistics. Basically: If you’re making $30K, you are in the 51st percentile. In other words, 51% of the U.S. population is making the same or less than you. If you’re making $60K, you are in the 81st percentile. If you’re making $90K, you are in the 90th percentile. If you’re making $125K, you are in the 95th percentile. A 1 percenter would be making $250K or more, putting them in the 99th percentile. There are approximately 1.1M people who made between $250K and $500K in 2014. A 0.1 …


Odds ‘n Sods:

If any SurvivalBlog reader has an e-mail address for the videoblogger “DEMCAD” (Reggie), please let me know. (I lost his address, in a hard drive crash.) Thanks, – JWR o o o SurvivalBlog reader G.P. sent in this link to the Florida Sheriffs Sovereign Citizen Training for Law Enforcement video that contains all-encompassing, inflammatory statements like these: “They will ask ‘What is the reason you are stopping me?’ “ “Their objective is to confuse you, You don’t know their level of commitment, but they are providing you with disinformation in order to distract you to the point where they can …



Notes for Monday – October 26, 2015

October 26th is the anniversary of the death of American-born RLI Trooper Joseph Patrick Byrne, in Rhodesia, in 1978. o o o Today, we present another entry for Round 61 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 …


Recipe of the Week: Pork Stew, by B.W.

Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds fresh cubed pork 4 carrots, chopped 2 onions, chopped 2 ribs celery, chopped 3 to 4 potatoes, peeled and chopped (optional) Red pepper flakes, to taste Directions: Boil meat about 20 minutes in a pot on stove. Put chopped celery, carrots, onions, and potatoes in a 5-quart Dutch oven. Put meat on top of vegetables. Pour in 1 cup of liquid from boiled meat. Put covered Dutch oven in oven and cook at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Check for doneness of vegetables. Put 2 tablespoons oil in frying pan, mix in …


Letter Re: The OTHER Electrical Grid Failure Problem

Hugh, Four hundred forty nuclear reactors are operating worldwide, representing about 14 percent of global electricity generation. Sixty power plants are under construction, and many older plants slated to be decommissioned may be given new operating licenses. Which country has the greatest number of nuclear reactors (want to guess)? We do; in the U.S. there are approximately 100 plants currently operating. Now imagine a map of the United States, taking a ruler and drawing a straight line from the northern border with Canada, which would head south through the edge of Minnesota, continue through the very edge of western Iowa. …


Economics and Investing:

Here is a sobering fact about Millennials, the largest cohort behind baby boomers: half of Millennials are living at home with their parents. Another 28 million Millennials are not in school and are working in jobs that pay $10,000 a year or less: Half of Millennials live at home with parents: The economy still feels like it is in a deep recession for millions of Millennials. And this group is supposedly the group that is going to relaunch the American economy. o o o Items from the Economics Team: Rick Rule, Doug Casey: “Severe But Survivable” Reckoning Ahead For The …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Little did we know…Overstock holds 3 months of food and $10 million in gold to ensure their employees are taken care of in the coming financial collapse. Sent in by G.G. o o o From SurvivalBlog reader GJM: Guns in the hands of law-abiding American citizens—unthinkable mayhem: “very bad” Guns in the hands of Syrian terrorists like ISIL, who want to kill American citizens, put there by the same Emperor who wants to take them from American citizens, paid for by wealth stolen from American citizens—safe, controlled, intelligent: “very good” hmm, Einsteinian Insanity o o o RBS sent in a …



Notes for Sunday – October 25, 2015

Safecastle is now in the last day of their “big Future Essentials Sale” with up to 38% off of 65 varieties of coffee, smoothies, LRRPs, pilot crackers, and more. o o o Today, we present another entry for Round 61 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 …


Letter Re: What We Lack In Training Can Be An Advantage- Part 2

HJL, There was a comment in the article by R.W., “What We Lack in Training Can Be An Advantage“. It is tough to put pen to paper and generate something of value, and I would like to complement their efforts; for the most part I have no issues. However, sometimes what may seem reasonable and practical can in fact be more dangerous. Regarding the use of gas masks for respiratory protection, it stirred some memories from back in the days when I went to NBC School in the Army, from 30+ years ago. One of the things I remember was …


Economics and Investing:

SurvivalBlog reader CPL sent in the link showing IRS inflation adjustments for 2016 taxes. o o o Items from the Economics Team: China Cuts Rates for 6th Time Since November (Fox Business) Reflections on Venezuela’s Economic Miracle (Mises Institute) Hint: Don’t expect a follow up from Salon Wall Street Investment Banks may be about to Lose one of their Best Customers (Business Insider) Hint: Banks have been cashing in on the price of your prescriptions in a big way for a long time! Why China’s Rate Cut Won’t Slow Its Economic Decline (Zero Hedge) Hint: The cake has already been …


Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog reader T.P. sent in a link to some nearly unbelievable footage of a Slovenian police helicopter filming Croatian police officers directing thousands of migrants to Slovenia across the green border and the Sotla River. JWR’s Comment: This Golden Horde actually looks white. (FLIRs typically show heat as white.) o o o Another reason to abandon Facebook: A picture of you from Facebook could be a part of this facial recognition database – as if you didn’t need one already. Sent in by D.S. o o o Bill Whittle again on how Hillary Clinton’s lawlessness gets ignored: Got Law?, sent …



Notes for Saturday – October 24, 2015

October 24th is the anniversary of the firing squad execution of Norwegian traitor Vidkun Quisling, in 1945. His ignominious place in history was to have his surname become a noun. “Quisling” is now a moniker synonymous with treason and alliance with an invading army. Something tells me that the popularity of “Vidkun” as a boys’ natal name in Scandinavia dropped precipitously after about 1942. Ditto for “Adolf” in Germany and “Benito” in Italy, after 1944. o o o I was glad to see that Amazon.com has finally updated their list of my published works, including my soon-to-be-published novel, Land of …