Economics and Investing:

Authoritarian governments start stockpiling food to fight public anger Nearly 11 Percent of US Houses Empty (Thanks to G.G. for the link.) Bank of America dealt another foreclosure blow in Nevada Items from The Economatrix: Energy Stocks Push Indexes Higher   Oil Prices Rise on Egypt Unrest, Brent Tops $100   Consumer Spending Up 0.7% In December   Egypt’s Economy Hurt as Travelers Avoid The Unrest   World Stocks Fall on Egypt Turmoil   Gold Premiums Highest Since 2004; China Stock Up


Odds ‘n Sods:

Detroit Police Department Shooting Video Released. Note that the perp dives head first over the counter to get an advantageous shooting angle. Watching that, something tells me that he might have been high on cocaine or some other illicit drug.    o o o Reader Larry L. mentioned Sail Mail.  Cruisers all over the world send and receive e-mail wirelessly by using a Pactor modem on their SSB ham radios.  It is slow does not allow graphics, but it works!    o o o R.M. let us know that there is an iPhone app that will let you receive rapid …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Jimmy Carter will go down in American history as `the president who lost Iran,’ which during his term went from being a major strategic ally of the United States to being the revolutionary Islamic republic. Barack Obama will be remembered as the president who `lost’ Turkey, Lebanon and Egypt, and during whose tenure America’s alliances in the Middle East crumbled.”- Aluf Benn in the daily Haaretz.


Notes from JWR:

The recent news headlines from Egypt show a similarity to many of the TEOTWAWKI predictions we’ve seen mentioned in SurvivalBlog. In the past three days, we have witnessed: an interruption of communications, chaos and looting on city streets, those who are in-the-know quickly and quietly Getting Out of Dodge, many policemen staying in their stations or even at home to protect their own families, mass prison escapes, neighbors teaming up in ad hoc teams to protect lives and property, and the military either unable or unwilling to step in to stop most crimes. The Egyptian food-price-protests-turned-revolution should be a lesson …


Earthships: Sustainable Living for TEOTWAWKI, by Sgt. P.

How much did the average home owner in the United States pay for utilities last month?  Last Year?  How much will they pay for utilities by the time they pay off their mortgage?  If they averaged $250 per month in utilities, which is below the national average of “$264.33 per month” (Statistic quoted by White Fence) the answer is shocking.  With the average home loan lasting 30 years, without taking into consideration rising costs, utilities would be $90,000!  For that amount of money this homeowner could put one child through a four year-degree at a very nice university.  What if …


Prepared? I Hope So, by C.W. in Arizona

Those of us who wish to be prepared for whatever may lay ahead, are always faced with unique situations and challenges.  Those challenges may include such things as: lack of funds, a difficult location, non-supportive or elderly or disabled family members, your age or stage in life, etc. The list goes on and on. However, is it imperative to find solutions and make plans?  I think so!  While my situation is a little unusual, I count myself as truly blessed to be one of those individuals who knows the time to be prepared is now, rather than later.  I am …


Letter Re: First Aid Kits Are Not Enough

I have been a prepper for a while and I have always regarded my current location in rural West Virginia a safe place for WTSHTF. However I failed to recognize it’s vulnerabilities in the time before that happens. To set the stage I live just west of the Shenandoah Valley, the nearest hospital is 20 miles away over a mountain chain in Virginia, a 45 minute drive during good weather. It had been snowing for two days and this route happened to be closed to all but emergency vehicles. The other hospital was a two hour drive away, again, snowed …


Three Letters Re: Bypassing the Internet Kill Switch

Hello Mr. Rawles! Long time reader here, but had taken a break from most blogs for almost a year as I focused on generating alternative sources of income. I have an important question for you. How will we access the Internet after the government shuts off “the switch“? Would we still have access via dial up possibly? I’m on broadband now and its been a long time since I’ve used dial up service. I’ve used Ubuntu Linux the past 4, almost 5 years now and I know many old dial up modems do not work well in Linux/ (At least …


Letter Re: The Caliber of SurvivalBlog Advertisers

Sir: Just a short note to provide feedback on your advertisers. First, as a retired engineer who always dealt with verifiable data, I am always initially skeptical of product claims and hype. However, since I have, over the years, started buying materiel, I have found that your advertisers provide not only great products, but also outstanding service. I now have come to trust any company I see on SurvivalBlog. Looking back, I have spent approximate $14,000 in the last three years getting my family prepared. From your advertisers, I have purchased books, seeds, food, gear, water filters, barrels, grain mills, …


Economics and Investing:

Egypt and Tunisia usher in the new era of global food revolutions G.G. flagged a piece by veteran investing guru Richard Russell (of Dow Theory fame): The Dollar Has Lost All Stability And Is Ready For A Crash B.B. sent this: Why the Smart Money is Trading Dollar Bills for Hard Assets Items from The Economatrix: All 100 Oz. Bars of Silver Gone in a Matter of Days Davos 2011: Roubini Says G-20 Has Become G-0   America Faces Biggest Deficit in History   Federal Reserve Concerned Over US Job Creation   UK Retailers Cut 10,000 Jobs Last Month   …


Inflation Watch:

Rocky Mountain Power asks for 13.7% rate hike Reader Steve C. pointed us to a blog written by Barry Ritchie, a missionary in Honduras. Ritchie mentions that staple foods like rice and beans have nearly quadrupled just in the past year. Steve’s comment: “Food inflation is most certainly on the rise, and apparently even faster in those areas where folks can even less afford the increase.” The Downsizing of America:  Manufacturers Learn Creative Methods of Repackaging Inflation  


Odds ‘n Sods:

Here is a must read piece by Dr. Gary North on family relocation when war is on the way: Moving How Far Out?    o o o A company is offering a unique “Multi-Lens TEOTWAWKI Vision System“. These unisex eyeglasses includes complete sets of left and right scratch resistant prescription lens ranging in fine diopter increments from – 1.0 up to – 5.0 diopters.    o o o Here it comes, just as I warned: BATFE Study On The Importability Of Certain Shotguns. I believe that it was no coincidence that the ATF document featured a picture of a Saiga 12 shotgun. That is …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“If only I had some grease I could fix some kind of a light,” Ma considered. “We didn’t lack for light when I was a girl, before this newfangled kerosene was ever heard of.”   “That’s so,” said Pa. “These times are too progressive. Everything has changed too fast. Railroads and telegraph and kerosene and coal stoves – they’re good things to have, but trouble is, folks get to depend on ’em.”  – Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Long Winter (Which describes the harsh winter of 1880-1881 in the Dakotas.)


Note from JWR:

Today we present another two entries for Round 32 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) 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 B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 250 round case of 12 Gauge Hornady …


Realistically Raising Chickens for Meat in a Survival Situation, by B.R.

As both an organic, pastured chicken farmer and someone very interested in preparing for any possible future disruption in the food chain, I have given much thought to what it would take to keep my flock going if everything went to heck in a hand basket. Eggs or Meat? Over the past several generations, chickens have been selectively bred to either grow fast and put on lots of meat quickly or crank out eggs like a Pez dispenser. The problem with this specialization of breeds is that it has created fragile, problem prone chickens. The modern breeds require high octane …