Economics and Investing:

U.S. Treasury Drops a Bombshell Yesterday: “Quicksilver Markets”. – P.K. o o o More QE= More money= More Debt= More Interest/Fee’s= More profit banks= More staff+bonuses= Bigger banks= Bigger fairy tales o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Goldman’s FOMC Post-Mortem – “More Dovish Than Expected” But Hike Coming In September– There is a lot of talk about bad things coming this fall. One thing is for sure, though; if any real rate hike did come in the fall, this economy that is built on cheap money would fall out of bed. Yellen Admits “Market Valuations Are On The High …


Odds ‘n Sods:

So this is what transparency of government looks like: US sets new record for denying, censoring government files. – G.P. o o o Pam was so Big she….. – H.L. o o o This site is a bit alarmist, but the DEFCON level is real. As SurvivalBlog reader R.G points out – The last time we were at DEFCON level 3 was during 9/11. DEFCON Warning System Announced ‘Encounter With Russian Actors’ And ‘US Base Placed On Alert For Possible Incoming’ Last Night As WW3 Heats Up!. – P.S. o o o The Betrayal Papers: And the Press Says Nothing…B.B. …



Notes for Wednesday – March 18, 2015

SurvivalBlog’s Medical Editor is at it again: Three prepper schools in NE Ohio have combined to offer what they are calling: Ultimate Prepper Training 2015 (see http://ultimatepreppertraining.com/) 5 days of jam-packed dawn-to-dusk prepper training Survival Medicine 101 with Doc Cindy of Armageddon Medicine Wilderness Survival Training with Tom Laskowski of Midwest Native Skills Institute Homesteading Skills with Laura Fry of Stone Garden Farm Early Bird discount until 4/1/2015 Class size limited to approximately 25 o o o Another SurvivalBlog reader has let us know that “Windows to our World” is free this week on amazon.com. This book may be of …


Letter Re: Question on generators and EMP

HJL, We have been considering having a whole house generator installed at our house, since we occasionally lose power in our neighborhood for days at a time. Additionally, the threat of an EMP pulse damaging the grid and our being without power for a lengthy period of time is an even greater concern. My question is: is a whole house natural gas powered generator, like a Generac 22kv unit (along with the associated auto switching panel), susceptible to EMP? If so, what would be the best way to protect it? When I ask the electrical contractors bidding on the job, …


Economics and Investing:

Last Time This Happened, Recession Followed… o o o 100,000 Layoffs and Counting: Is this the New Normal? o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Housing Starts Collapse in February– I wish the company tearing up the beautiful field behind my house to put in a neighborhood would read this. Five Things People Will Be Talking About Today – Just some quick tidbits, but China’s Shanghai Composite rising 70% in 12 months is staggering. Janet Yellen Wants to Be a Little Less Predictable – The word patient maybe dropped on Wednesday but I see a rise in rates almost as …



Odds ‘n Sods:

EPA Wants to Monitor How Long Hotel Guests Spend in the Shower. – H.L. o o o EU Plan To Install A Tracking Computer In Every Car – To Tax Miles. – T.P. o o o Alibaba’s Jack Ma Demos Pay-With-Your-Face Technology. – RBS o o o Lawmaker calls for a rebellion against EPA pollution emissions for backyard barbecues. – M.B. o o o Gun Control Group Sets up Fake Store, Shames First-Time Buyers. – T.P.



Notes for Tuesday – March 17, 2015

March 17th is the birthday of Józef Franczak (born 1917, died 21 October 1963), who was a Polish Army Corporal fighting in the World War II resistance against the invading Germans. He then carried on after the war, fighting 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 another entry for Round 57 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A Gunsite Academy Three …


Letter Re: Firearms Philosophy

I’m writing in response to the discussion about the “narrow, but deep” firearms philosophy. I agree with the author of that post: start with your main rifle, buy quality optics, and then slowly expand your collection. There are several advantages to having guns in lots of calibers: There is always ammo to shoot. I remember several years ago, when ammo was really hard to find in my area. There wasn’t a box of .223, .308, 9mm, .45, or even 30-06 to be found, but I saw several leftover boxes of .40 S&W and .243 Winchester. They were there week after …


News From The American Redoubt:

Oregon’s Ban on Raw Milk Advertising Could be Headed for the History Books . – RBS o o o State House votes to restrict surveillance, drones. – D.H. o o o Plan to allow driverless car testing clears Idaho Senate o o o Liberty Meeting in Burley, Idaho on March 19th at 7pm at the King’s Little Theater at 2100 Parke Avenue in Burley. There is no admission charge and the speaker is Arthur R. Thompson, John Birch Society CEO. The topic is “What is the Real Price of Free Trade?”. Come and learn about the “free trade” agreements with …


Economics and Investing:

White House Floats Bankruptcy Process for Some Student Debt. – B.B. o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Currency Wars Threaten Lehman-Style Crisis – This is a good article from, of all places, the Telegraph If Economists Were Right, You Would Have a Raise by Now – It’s amazing to me how so many intelligent people just don’t understand what is happening… Why the Fed Is Setting Markets on a Hair-Trigger – It’s all about the Fed, data, and fundamentals only coming into play if it’s perceived it will affect how the Fed will react Big Question: Will the Federal …


Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog reader D.D. sends us a reminder to use this respite from winter to take an evening, pull the 72-hour bag out of their vehicle, and make sure everything is still as you expect. He did so and discovered that his handheld transmitter was faulty (battery reported charged but would not last), 2/3 of his food was over a year out of date, and most of his meds were over two years “expired”. Also, he still had a 30-pin iPhone connector with his crank charger that won’t work with his newer phone. But, hey, his paracord still looked good! o …