“We have no patrol units. There is no one on the streets. We respond to only crimes in progress. We don’t respond to property crimes.” – Ashtabula County, Ohio Deputy Sheriff Ron Fenton, as quoted by Maclean’s, September 22, 2010
On December 19, 1973, American late night talk show host Johnny Carson made a joke that had some far-reaching unintended consequences. In his opening monologue, he quipped: “You know what’s disappearing from the supermarket shelves? Toilet paper. There’s an acute shortage of toilet paper in the United States.” The next morning tens of millions of his viewers went out and each bought dozens of rolls. This buying created a shortage, which lasted several weeks. More than just a bit of trivia, the 1973 toilet paper shortage illustrates the herd-like instincts of consumers, and just how easy it is to create …
Editor’s Note: The following letter, suggested by a SurvivalBlog reader, is reprinted with permission of Backwoods Home magazine–which was one of my favorite print publications, even a decade before they became SurvivalBlog advertiser. Dear Jackie, I have to disagree with your Ask Jackie column answer to Joe Leonetti’s questions about getting started in self-sufficient living in Issue #124 (July/Aug 2010). They missed all the most important points that a “city” person would have to master first. Here are my own suggestions: Joe, forget thinking “self-sufficient” and start thinking “frugal;” if you have the consume-and-spend mindset so prevalent today you’ll need …
Dear Editor: How does T.L.F. (the author of “The Plan “B” Map”) plan to get that bottled water, sports drinks and other suppliers from the dentist office, gym and hobby store? Surely not by breaking and entering or burglary. In the scenarios that are mentioned it is highly unlikely that these kinds of places would be open for regular “legal” business. I hope the author was not advocating looting or taking without paying. That would just add to the chaos and confusion of an already bad situation. I do not want to become one of the Golden Horde. – M.E.P. …
Unemployment Could Remain High Until 2013. JWR Adds: To be more accurate, I would have written: “…Until 2023.” Yale Economist Robert Shiller Warns Seven Years of Economic ‘Bad Times’ in Store for US L.J. sent some more bad news from England: Mortgage lending plummets to 10-year monthly low as housing market remains ‘exceptionally’ weak. From the Wall Street Journal‘s Australian bureau: Silver looks ready to rip. (Thanks to Bob G. for the link.) Russian crop misery spreads to world’s supermarkets. Items from The Economatrix: California Attorney General Asks GMAC to Stop Foreclosures Economy Heading Toward “Catastrophic” Collapse They Are Printing …
The Reality of Inflation Food Inflation: Coming to the USA? Interview: Dr. Marc Faber on the Federal Reserve and Hyperinflation Larry T. sent us this bit of stupidity: In Praise of Inflation. Our Editor at Large Mike Williamson sent this photo link: Those incredible shrinking paper towel packages. Get Ready to Pay More for Tires
Reader Craig K. found a handy web site that gives step-by-step instructions to create a generator out of spare parts that many of us have laying around the shop. It contains links to other important topics as well. o o o RFJ flagged this: Convert Your Bike Into a Cargo Bike with an Old Bike Frame o o o SurvivalBlog readers in southwestern Oregon should check out Umpqua Survival. They are located in Roseburg, Oregon. They have strong expertise is with generators and photovoltaics. They are licensed dealers for both Generac and Kohler generators and they have a …
"When morals are sufficient, law is unnecessary; when morals are insufficient, law is unenforceable." – Emile Durkheim
Today we present another entry for Round 30 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will 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 between $500 and $600, 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 500 round case of …
The recent news of confirmed cases of cholera after the massive flooding in Pakistan highlights a potential threat that anyone could be faced with after a disaster. While cholera has been cited specifically, there are several other diarrhoeal diseases that have similar symptoms and can also kill. These include such pathogens as Rotavirus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi (responsible for Typhoid Fever) and Shigellosis (dysentery). These illnesses are responsible for a huge number of deaths every year. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that there are approximately two billion cases annually. Diarrhoeal diseases account for the deaths of 1.5 …
Sir: The letter about opium poppies (P. Somniferum) had too many oversimplifications for safety. While poppies are easy enough to grow to enjoy the big flowers, it’s not so easy to get good pods or sap, and the quality of the drug depends a good deal on growing conditions, i.e., where you live. There’s a reason why so much opium comes from the middle east, and you may note that the poppies in pictures from the regions are 3′ high at least and lavender, not Chinese red. This doesn’t mean there’s no drug in other poppies – there is – …
B.B. sent this article about the latest $30 Billion expansion to the MOAB: U.S. Bails Out Major Credit Unions Sherman Oaks enters correction phase. $1,200,000 home now selling for $720,000. Tamara (over at the excellent View From The Porch blog) posted a link to an amazing video that shows a labor union hiring minimum wage non-union protestors to picket Wal-Mart for paying minimum wage and being non-union. Warren Buffett: We’re Still in a Recession Despite What Officials Say. (Thanks to Brett G. for the link.) KAF sent this: China Allows Banks to Sell Loans on Interbank Market; 21 Lenders Sign …
Ambrose Evans-Pritchard reports: Global food risk from China-Russia pincer o o o River Chief sent this: Seen At 11: Ready For Anything ‘Preppers’ Are Doing Exactly That In Anticipation Of Doomsday o o o Reader Rod McG. wrote: I don’t know if this is newsworthy or not, but maybe it would be of some use to a “Yuppie Survivalist” who can’t imagine living without their .MP3 tunes: The SABER hand-wind MP3 player. Rod’s comment: “There might not always be a way to trickle-charge your .mp3 player, even if you have cat oil to trade. (A reference to the …
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to …
I would like to put forth an idea that works for me and my family. Following my retirement, I took up my passion and have been guiding fly-fishermen for over twenty years in Canada, Alaska, New Zealand, and the Western States. My previous job had taken me to Africa, Australia, Europe, South and Central America…some forty-six countries in all. I was in the oil exploration business, and virtually all my work was in deserts, mountains, marshes, savannas, jungles, and other inhospitable terrain. I have lived in man-camps, tents, trailers, on board barges and ships, cabins, yurts, skid mounted “dog houses,” …