Economics and Investing:

Federal Reserve Action Will Decide Next Major Move For Gold Prices G.G. flagged this: More Than 750 Banks at Risk of Failure Over Next Two Years, Says Invictus Also from G.G.: Jim Grant says gold, not paper currency, is the future Items from The Economatrix: Jobless Claims Fall, Jobs Market Slowly Healing. [JWR’s Comment: But is this a genuine recovery, or just trickle-down from umpteen billions in bailouts and monetization liquidity? And meanwhile we read: Record 1.2 Million People Fall Out Of Labor Force In One Month, Labor Force Participation Rate Tumbles To Fresh 30 Year Low.] Gold Gallops 11%, …


Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 39 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 …


Survival as a Prerequisite to Thrival, by Mad Mongolian

If a disaster occurs next month, be it economic meltdown, war, or highly infectious pandemic, how prepared are you? The end of the world as we know it has already occurred. One hundred years ago, the west was still being won. The automobile was still a novelty and a competitor for the horse. Orville and Wilbur Wright had created the three axis-control, giving controllable wings to man, making our big planet a little bit smaller. Fifty years ago, manned space flight was still dreamt about by young boys. The Vietnam War and the Cuban Missile Crisis were looming large in …


Letter Re: Canning Food in a Grid-Down World

Dear JWR, Regarding the article Canning Food in a Grid-Down World, by Christine C., I have a question for your readers. I have only pressure canned over bottled gas or electric heat. Is it possible to pressure can over wood heat? I have cooked over wood outdoors. My dad used to cook Christmas ham on a Buck stove in the family room.  I have never had a wood cook stove. Or, am I going to have to stock pile bottled gas for my camp stove? I want to thank Christine for the information about the gasket-less canner brand. I need …


Letter Re: A Combat Gear Primer

Greetings Mr Rawles, “G.I. Jim” recently opined in follow-up to “A Combat Gear Primer” that while effective in stopping bullets, modern body armor will not protect you from blunt force. While true in a general sense, Jim’s comment that blunt force will incapacitate someone is simply untrue. The documented history is clear on this but two individuals immediately come to mind: 1.) Richard Davis, the founder of Second Chance Body Armor, who routinely had himself shot with a .44 Magnum at contact distance to prove the value of his product. He was never incapacitated in any way. 2.) Fast forward …


Economics and Investing:

B.B. sent this from ZeroHedge: Latest Congressional Budget Outlook For 2012-2022 Released, Says Real Unemployment Rate Is 10% Also from B.B.: Soaring Beef Prices Force Shoppers To Find Other Foods F. McC. sent this: CBO REPORT – OMG! Items from The Economatrix: 20 Signs That Europe Is Plunging Into A Full-Blown Economic Depression The Coming Economic Crisis:  This Is A Breakdown Crisis


Odds ‘n Sods:

Kevin S. suggested this: Amateur Radio Glossary: Jargon, Abbreviations and Terminology    o o o Reader Susan N. mentioned a piece where Helen Atthowe, Norris Thomlinson and Tulsey Latoski convey their very experienced opinion on how many acres it takes to feed one person when there are no external inputs.    o o o Yishai sent this alert: Photos: Massive Food Shortage Unfolding in Mexico — Is a Refugee Crisis Imminent?    o o o Loyal content contributor F.G. forwarded this YouTube clip: Mini-drone formation    o o o Reader Matt M. wrote to mention that “Patriot Nurse“–a well-known and …



Note from JWR:

Today we present the first two entries for Round 39 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com …


The Care and Processing of Small Livestock on the Gulf Coast, by Jessica S.

The following are my observations based upon my experience with the care and processing of small livestock, living in a hot and humid climate on the Gulf of Mexico Poultry: Chicks of all species need warmth for their first few weeks, but on the Gulf Coast, and anywhere else with a hot climate, it’s easy to overheat them. If you’re keeping the birds outside, and it’s anything over 80F or so, they probably do not need additional heat from a heat lamp or other source. Generally, I would take away a heat lamp and use a regular incandescent bulb if …


Brain Tanning Basics, by Jared

The art of making usable material out of the skin of animals has been in practice since the beginning of mankind. Hide tanning is one of the oldest skills known to man that is still in practice today. I’m sure that with the economy the way it is anyone who isn’t rich and in their right mind won’t want to pay the going price for quality leather, much less traditionally tanned leather.  Not only is the making of leather an old practice but it was used all over the world and to a certain extent, still is today. Leather can …


Letter Re: England’s New Leisure Class

Sir, Please see this article published by the BBC here in the UK: Family life on benefits.   In this article Raymond (not his real name) makes a number of statements that clearly define why the benefits system here in the UK is flawed. I’ll include my comments:   “Raymond, a former educational software writer, has been jobless since 2001…. The market for my skills dried up 10 years ago – there’s a total lack of work in my area of expertise.” So why has someone with apparent I.T. skills not retrained to something he can do to earn an …


Economics and Investing:

Don’t miss this interview with Jim Sinclair: The Impending Undeclared Default of Five Major US Banks. Sinclair exposes an upcoming decision by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA). He expects some very short-cropped haircuts on CDS derivatives. In this land of smoke and mirrors, it all comes down to terminology. What is a severe credit event euphemistically called, other than default? Sinclair anticipates a writeoff down to thirty cents on the dollar for Greek debt! A collapse in the Euro is coming .Massive bailouts are coming. Some very large banks may go under, or more likely they will be …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Artisanal Wheat On the Rise. The article begins: “Giving factory flour the heave-ho, small farmers from New England to the Northwest are growing long-forgotten varieties of wheat.”    o o o Ready Made Resources has announced a special bonus deal: With the purchase of a Augason four person 1-year dehydrated food package, SurvivalBlog readers will also receive a free stainless steel Big Berkey water filter with two white ceramic filters. As usual, they offer free shipping  and the flexibility of customer-requested substitutions allowed for equally-priced Augason dehydrated food items.    o o o Do any SurvivalBlog readers know of a …