Economics and Investing:

Russian Bank Halts All Cash Withdrawals – BR And the Brits’ government isn’t fairing any better than us: Queen down to her last million due to courtiers’ overspending, report finds – GP Restaurant Owners Fight Rise in Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers – L. Items from The Economatrix: Ambrose Evans-Pritchard: World Risks Deflationary Shock As BRICS Puncture Credit Bubbles In A Typhoon, Even Pigs Can Fly (For A While) No, The Plunge In Home Sales Was “Not” Due To Cold Weather Initial Jobless Claims Miss; Back To Levels First Seen 6 Months Ago


Odds ‘n Sods:

We’ve linked to Rural Revolution before, and now Patrice Lewis has another entry at WND worth reading: The burgeoning underground economy o o o This Isn’t Your Average Smash-And-Grab – This One Took Under a Minute, Netted $70K in Stolen Guns and Has the Feds Involved. – K. o o o Startup Thinks Its Battery Will Solve Renewable Energy’s Big Flaw – RBS o o o While not in the US yet, this may be the future of Big Cities: A ban on autos? Major cities consider going carless o o o BR sent in the link to this disturbing …


Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. …


Notes from HJL:

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 to 8, adopted an Ordinance of Secession from the United States. It’s important to note that not all Texans favored this act. Though the state Governor, Sam Houston, was loyal to the union, he refused offers from President Lincoln to keep him in office and was subsequently deposed as governor. February 1st is also the day that the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over …


Four New Prizes for Round 51 Bring the Prize Total to $10,500!

Starting with Round 51, the fine folks at SurvivalBased.com are donating a $500 gift certificate to the Third Place prize winner of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Be sure to visit their web site and check out their full line of preparedness gear, and their blog. Also starting with Round 51, TexasgiBrass.com a is kindly providing a $300 gift certificate for first place and a $150 gift certificate for second place for the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The company sells full military specification once-fired brass for reloaders. Note that even if you don’t reload, this is excellent brass to provide …


Resource Managment – Water, by Z.H.T.

One of the reasons that I love watching movies and reading books, particularly those of the apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic variety, is because I occasionally learn a little tid-bit of useful knowledge that may one day benefit me. One of my favorite movies and novels of this genre is “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy. While it is a fantastically bleak and powerful work, it still provided me a teaching moment that has been invaluable. In one of the opening scenes of the movie, we see that something dire has happened. Though we are never told what it is, we assume that …


Letter Re: Walmart and Augason Emergency Food Supplies

Welcome Hugh, Walmart is carrying Augason Farms in their store and has carried it in our local store for a couple of years. The excellent thing about Augason Farms is their large selection of Certified Gluten Free items, for those of us who need to look for those items. Walmart does not carry many of those in their stores, but they can be ordered through Walmart/Sams. Costco also offers some items online and in stores, often with free shipping. If you sign up at Augason Farm’s website or “friend” them on social media, you’ll see they have a lot of …


Three Letters Re: A Science Based Technique for Seasoning Cast Iron

Dear HJL, Three quick comments about your cast iron seasoning techniques: 1. I don’t think you are abusing your pans. 2. I would suggest not using Canola Oil, since it is the result of genetic modification and “big food” marketing (Canada Oil Low Acid or “CanOLA“. 3. To re-season my cast iron, I generally just cook up a big batch of bacon. Thanks – Mike


Letter: LDS Canneries

With the changes at the LDS canneries, I wanted to share some other sources for bulk wheat and grains. For folks who live and around SW Montana don’t forget that Wheat Montana has it’s own retail store where one can buy 50lb bags or wheat berries and flour. It is located in Three Forks, MT which is in SW part of the state.. Wheat Montana is also the wheat berry supplier for WalMart if you’ve never heard of them. They also sell pre-package six-gallon buckets for long term storage, as well as the buckets, gamma lids, and oxygen absorbers for …


Economics and Investing:

Mike sent in this: The Republican governor of Michigan has proposed using immigrants to revitalize Detroit. 50,000 of them over five years. The Bank of Union, El Reno, OK, Becomes Second Bank Failure of 2014– G.G. And in the middle of winter: Scott Walker pledges millions of dollars to ease propane shortage – M. Items from The Economatrix: Yellen Will Reverse The Taper: Schiff Fed Poised For $10 Billion Taper As Bernanke Bids Adieu Why Millions Of Americans Will Never Retire: How The Prospect Of Retirement Went From A realistic Goal To An Outrageous Dream For Most American Families. Buckle …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Here is a video on the Do’s and Don’ts When Stopped By Police and Carrying a Firearm featuring Massad Ayoob – M.A. o o o G.P. sent in this link on making a paracord pouch for your survival tin. o o o For those interested in ballistics, K. sent in this link to JBM Ballistics. o o o Is Being Self-Sufficient A Threat To Society?J.W. sent in this link on one man’s fight with the Planning & Inspections Department. o o o RC sends in this link from the American Bible Society. The Most and Least Bible-Minded Cities in America. …


Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” Isaiah 26:20,21 (KJV)


Notes from HJL:

Today we present another entry for Round 50 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $9,700+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: 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, Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value), A $300 gift certificate …


Preparing My First Bug-out Bag, by TK4

HJL Adds: TK4, age 13, wrote this as a homeschool project. In this article I am going to teach readers how to prepare a bug-out bag. This 13 year-old has had a bug-out bag for two years, and every year it grows better and better. I have put this article together with five main steps that are essential to any bug-out bag. I have listed the items that I have put into my bag and put them in order of necessity. Survival Essentials Here I am going to list the things that I deem are essential in my bag. However, …


Two Letters Re: Building a Backyard Water Treatment Plant, by J.S.M.

Dear Sir: Regarding “Building a Backyard Water Treatment Plant, by J.S.M.“, I wanted to comment on a couple of errors I saw in the last section on treating surface water with alum. I once worked for a manufacturer of aluminum sulfate and was involved in several trials at municipal water systems. First thing, I would not bother waiting a day for an initial settlement. Once the leaves, twigs, and tadpoles have been removed, you should go ahead and treat the water. It seems paradoxical, but the cleaner the water is when you start, the harder it is to get good …