Letter Re: Hiding Livestock and Gardens

Hi, I just wanted to bring up something after reading article about hiding gardens and animals in rural areas, recently linked in SurvivalBlog. Something that people might want to consider, that we have done. We chose to build a barn rather than a house. And I know you can quite often find properties that already have a barn or large outbuilding. We have a 46′ x 60′ pole barn. Within that we framed in about 900+ square feet for our home. The rest is divided up between stalls, a run in area for large animals, and a shop. One of …


Economics and Investing:

SurvivalBlog’s Poet Laureate George Gordon (“G.G.”) sent this: Germans, and a Wave of Swiss Bank Accounts, are Piling into Gold as if it’s a New Crisis The Daily Bell reports: US Fed Gains Power, Loses Credibility? More than 400 US Banks Will Fail: Roubini Reader Sam G. sent us a link to a piece that deconstructs some Orwellian journalism: TIME: Rising Unemployment Rate Is Good News Items from The Economatrix: Seven Steps to Becoming a One-Income Family Despite Hiring, US Unemployment Rate Seems Frozen Stocks Extend September Rally After Jobs Report Heavy in Dollars, China Warns of Depreciation Lehman Brothers …


Inflation Watch:

UN calls special meeting to address food shortages amid predictions of riots; Poor harvests and demand from developing countries could push cost of weekly shop up by 10% Back in January, Turkey’s leaders were claiming that the then 6% annual inflation rate was “temporary“. But now it is back up to nearly 12%. Could a return to the Bad Old Days of 90% annual inflation (like Turks experienced in the mid-1990s) be on the horizon? Modern-day wheelbarrow loads of cash: Could Tiny Somaliland Become the First Cashless Society?


Odds ‘n Sods:

Inyokern wrote to say that he enjoyed this article: The Trouble with Civilization; Ancient cities reveal the vulnerabilities of modern societies    o o o Guatemala mudslides kill at least 38; two buses hit    o o o Jim D. flagged this: Argentines risking all to carry huge wads of cash    o o o Patrice Lewis, the editor of the Rural Revolution blog recently had an excellent post: Don’t come a-knockin at my door. Think OPSEC!!!



The P6 Preparedness Matrix, by L2L

The P6 Preparedness Matrix (priorities + planning + products + provisions + practices + perspective = preparedness) is at the core of success in life. Each of these aspects are essential if we are to be prepared for what ever may befall us in any area of life; both the normal dailies as well as situations unique or unusual to us including long term survival. Think of a six sided cube. These six aspects frame the P6 Preparedness Matrix and thereby define and appropriately constrain our actions (our preparedness if you will) in any situation. These six aspects, for the …


Notes from JWR:

There have been several new properties listed at our spin-off site, SurvivalRealty.com A couple of these are earth-sheltered homes. If it has been a while since you’ve visited Survival Realty, be sure to check out the new listings! — 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, …


Dirty Medicine, by J.V. in Tacoma, Washington

Everyone of the survival mindset has thought many times over about what tactical items they may need, whether it is in a BoB, in a patrol configuration, or in a secure retreat location.  However with my various talks with numerous survivalists, not too many have given any sort of extensive thought to how to perform some basic medical procedures.  Sure everyone knows that a minor surgical kit might be beneficial or that some Lactated Ringers intravenous solutions would help out.  However many individuals do not actually know how to use these items, at least from my experience. Starting off one …


Letter Re: Survival Tips From a Sarajevo Siege Survivor

Jim: The following is one of those anonymously penned items that keeps getting passed around the Internet. It dates back to the Siege of Sarajevo in the ethnic civil war in the former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s: Experiencing horrible things that can happen in a war – death of parents and friends, hunger and malnutrition, endless freezing, fear, sniper attacks. To prepare… 1. Stockpiling helps, but you never know how long trouble will last, so locate near renewable food sources. 2. Living near a well with a manual pump is like being in Eden. 3. After awhile, even gold …


Economics and Investing:

Some prescient predictions from Matthias Chang: Warning Global Fiat Currency Financial System Collapse By Early 2011 Tony B. sent this piece from PBS: The true cost of the bank bailout Mendo Mary was the first of several readers to mention this: Five Doomsday Scenarios for the U.S. Economy Fortune asks: Should US government debt be rated junk? (Thanks to American Expatriate (AmEx) for the link.) Jon R. suggested this news item: Use of rare earth metals outstripping supply Items from The Economatrix: Low Interest Rates Squeezing Pension Funds Obama Economic Advisor: Turnaround Insufficient Warning Global Fiat Currency Financial System Collapse …


Inflation Watch:

“Inflation fighting”, Hugo? Venezuela introduces Cuba-like food card. This is like something out of Kim Jong-Il‘s playbook. Reader Phil. J. wrote ask: “The news people say that we are in a deflation. What proof do you have that inflation is coming?” First, don’t confuse commodity deflation and currency inflation. In the short term, both can happen simultaneously. This chart from the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank shows that there will be plenty of consumer inflation in the near future. The Federal Reserve more than doubled the money supply in less than two years. Eventually, this rapid expansion is sure to …


Odds ‘n Sods:

B.B. sent a link to this outstanding country music video on YouTube: Never Gonna Stand For This by Teachenor Clark. (BTW, the opening clip castigating “Tea-bagging rednecks” is uber-liberal actress Janeane Garofalo.)    o o o Magistrate Recommends Dismissing States’ Gun Suit. I can foresee this issue going to the Supreme Court. Given the precedent set by the U.S. v. Lopez decision, the States should prevail. In essence, if a gun (or receiver) is manufactured and sold within in a state, then there is no Federal nexus. (It is intrastate rather than interstate commerce.) Ditto for used guns being sold …



Note from JWR:

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 …


Effects of an EMP Attack or Severe Solar Storm on Nuclear Power Plants, by B.Z.

It is with some trepidation that I write this article, since what I write will be controversial and will alarm some members of the public as well as your readers. Some of my colleagues have urged me not to bring this subject into the open or to even discuss it in public. However, I think the topic is important and needs to be brought to the attention of the public. The issue is the effect that an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack, or for that matter, even a great geomagnetic storm created by a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun, …