August In Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins.

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover the price action of gold and silver, and we examine the “what” and “why” behind those numbers. The July closing price for precious metals were: Gold: $1280 Silver: $20.38 Platinum: $1456 Palladium: $870 August began on a Friday, with non-farm payrolls coming in far below expectations. Gold jumped $15 to regain the losses taken on July 31, while stocks tanked 2%, as investors moved into dollars. On the 5th, gold saw a $20 jump on …


Scot’s Product Review: Work Sharp

I used to dread sharpening things. Sometimes I would go look for another knife, hoping it would be sharp rather than fixing the one in hand. Other times, I would just make do with the dull one. I’ve sometimes thought that my sharpening phobia might have something to do with how my dad was able to make anything sharp with one of those round axe stones that are coarse on one side and fine on the other with a finger groove around it. He could apply some oil and make short work of most any cutting implement. He passed away, …


Recipe of the Week: Green Tomato Pie, by OkieRanchWife

This is a great way to use green tomatoes on plants that just got hit with a freeze. I found it in an American Heritage Cookbook from 1978. Ingredients: 2 ½ pounds Green Tomatoes ½ cup Sugar 4 tablespoons All Purpose Flour or Wondra Flour 1 ½ teaspoon ground Cinnamon 1 teaspoon grated Lemon Zest ½ teaspoon ground Nutmeg ½ teaspoon ground Allspice ½ teaspoon Sea Salt or Kosher Salt 2 tablespoons Butter Pastry for 2 crust 9 inch pie, homemade or store bought (I cheat and use store bought) Sugar Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dunk green tomatoes …


Letter Re: NRA’s Commercial

Hugh, I am a pastor in eastern Washington. I spent most of the early evening calling every Christian I know to relate an urgent e-mail request I received for prayer originating from northern Iraq, where a team of volunteers were reporting the taking of their city by ISIS. They were witnessing the systematic beheading of children and known Christians. They were asking for God’s help and strength not to run. After exhausting my address book and spending time on my face, I felt that I should go to SurvivalBlog, as I have done daily for some time. When I saw …



Odds ‘n Sods:

By way of Mac Slavo’s excellent blog, comes a link to a thought-provoking piece by Dave Hodges: The Blueprint for World War III. – JWR o o o Here’s an interesting piece over at Todd Savage’s Strategic Relocation blog: Bug out – Bush Pilot Training. – JWR o o o Armed & dangerous: 89-year-old World War II veteran shoots armed robber. – G.G. o o o These are the people that are supposed to be above reproach! Third Florida County Judge in Seven Months Faces DUI Charges. T.P. o o o Charged with driving an unregistered car designed to resemble …



Notes for Sunday – August 31, 2014

Today, we present another entry for Round 54 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,100+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value), A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hardcase to go with your …


Letter Re: EMP

I currently keep my backup mini-iPad in an EMP bag. Do I also need to keep my power supply for it there, too? Thanks – A.B. HJL replies: Yes. In fact, it is probably more important that the charger is in the bag than the ipad. Being an electrical engineer with considerable radio technology experience, I have a perspective that is a bit different than most on the subject. The true danger of EMP is in having antennas or things that act like antennas pick up the electrical energy. If the object in question either has wires or parts that …


Economics and Investing:

How Many Warnings Can You Give? o o o Janet Yellen thinks social media is overvalued o o o Comex Gold Warehouses Filling Up…With Paper o o o A 5-digit Price for Gold Is Not That Far-fetched – Here’s Why o o o The Nail In The Petrodollar Coffin: Gazprom Begins Accepting Payment For Oil In Ruble, Yuan. B.B.


Odds ‘n Sods:

Myth of arctic meltdown. – P.M. o o o The “nanny state” strikes again: Government publishes detailed instructions on how to safely roast marshmallows. – JBG o o o Death of man restrained by NYPD ruled homicide . – T.P. o o o Online posts show ISIS eyeing Mexican border, says law enforcement bulletin. M.B. o o o Government To Regulate Groundwater For 1st Time As California Drought Becomes “Race To The Bottom”. -H.L.



Notes for Saturday – August 30, 2014

August 30, 2014 is the 95th birthday of Joachim Rønneberg, a hero of the Norwegian resistance during World War II. His exploits earned him the War Cross With Sword, Norway’s highest military honor. In April 2013, Rønneberg was presented with a Union Jack during a ceremony at the Special Operations Executive (SOE) monument in London to mark 70 years since the successful Gunnerside heavy water plant sabotage mission. o o o Today, we present another entry for Round 54 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,100+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A Gunsite Academy Three …