Economics and Investing:

U.S. Inflation to Approach Zimbabwe Level, Faber Says. (Thanks to Brian B. for the link.) Reader Matt in in Tennessee notes that the animated national unemployment map (mentioned before in my blog) has recently been updated to include data from March, 2010. Matt’s comment: “The map grows darker and darker…like a cloud that hints of an impending storm.” Joe K. mentioned that someone is auctioning one million copper pennies on eBay. That’s 7,000 pounds of copper! G.G. sent us this: U.S. Mint’s May gold coin sales reach most since 1999 Courtesy of reader Becky P.: Greece Urged to Give Up …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Abram in Washington State mentioned a comparative nutritional analysis of canned, frozen and fresh fruits and vegetables conducted by the University of Illinois Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition.    o o o F.B.P. pointed out a US Department of Transportation map of truck traffic in the U.S. that can be added to your data set in choosing retreat locales.    o o o Reader RBS flagged this: West Poised for Worst Grasshopper Outbreak in 30 Years



Notes from JWR:

I am pleased to report that another valuable prize has been added to the assortment for the current round of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest: A complete M17 medical kit with a retail value of $179.95 has been added to the First Prize items, courtesy of JRH Enterprises, one of our most loyal advertisers. Be sure to visit their web site to check out their broad line of preparedness products at great prices. For example, they offer some hard-to-find NBC defense gear and night vision equipment. I thank them again for their long-term generous support of SurvivalBlog. They deserve your …


Lessons in Survival From Rural Afghanistan, by FrmrMarineGrunt

I’ve spent the better part of the last decade in service to our nation. First as a Marine in Iraq and the last three years in Afghanistan as a civilian “security” contractor. And I’ve spent more of the last three years in a very rural valley in north-eastern Afghanistan than at home. In the last year with the birth of our first child, and the destruction of the ideals our country was founded on I found myself thinking more and more about the state of affairs in the world today and began to prepare for TEOTWAWKI. Starting as many beginner …


Letter Re: COSTCO Stores as a Source for Storage Food and Survival Gear

Dear Jim, I’m in no way affiliated with COSTCO but have the store to be an outstanding source for survival gear. The other night I saw in the store, for example: Bottled water, rice, beans, canned foods, soup Waterproof (submersible) 25-liter backpack what would make a good Bug Out Bag Twin pack Motorola 35-mile (max/optimal conditions) FRS/GMRS radios with NOAA weather alerts: $50 — I bought a pair Twin pack LED tactical aluminum flashlights with strobe setting: $20 –I bought several Power Generators (two models) Really good prices on batteries of all types (from AAA to marine) Tarps, storage shelves, …


Letter Re: Selecting Livestock Breeds for Self-Sufficiency

If you have some land for livestock, then give thought to raising animals that will need as little care as possible, and are survivalists themselves. In a TEOTWAWKI situation, you want animals that will need little if any veterinarian care that you cannot provide, that can live and flourish on almost any kind of vegetable matter for food, and will give you multiple benefits for having them around. Our sheep have cleaned the bark off of Juniper trees as well as ate the berries and leaves. They also like the leaves of yucca and have turned some into very small …


Economics and Investing:

Michael H. suggested this article: Is Europe heading for a meltdown? Mervyn King, the Bank of England Governor, summed it up best: “Dealing with a banking crisis was difficult enough,” he said the other week, “but at least there were public-sector balance sheets on to which the problems could be moved. Once you move into sovereign debt, there is no answer; there’s no backstop.” Roubini: World at Risk of Double Dip Recession for Years. (A hat tip to Brett G. for the link). Brett’s comment on article: “Wouldn’t that be called a Depression’?” Thanks to Brian B. for sending this: …


Odds ‘n Sods:

As if there wasn’t already enough “real wrath of God stuff” news in the headlines, Jeff B. sent us this: Tropical Storm Agatha blows a hole in Guatemala City.    o o o Damon S. spotted this: Glitch shows how much US military relies on GPS.    o o o Our Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson sent a link to a photo compilation of the recent floods in Tennessee.    o o o I spotted another review of the novel “One Second After”



Notes from JWR:

The special sale on the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course is now in full swing. The sale runs just three weeks, so don’t delay. Order your copy today! — Today we present the first entry for Round 29 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 …


How to Get Your Spouse to Become Preparedness Minded, by Keith I.

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The most difficult situation to encounter when preparing for survival is getting your spouse on board with you. By using some of my techniques hopefully you will get your spouse to understand that you are truly in touch with reality. Until your spouse is 100% percent committed to survival you will always feel an anchor weighing you down psychologically and financially. The psychological toll is simple- Every time you do something out of the norm, that spouse will sometimes question your sanity and if you are not a psychologically stable person, you may begin to question your own sanity. The …


Three Letters Re: The Un-Secret Garden–Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Grow my Garden

Mr. Rawles, Jason’s good ideas the other day with his “five C’s” for garden safety brought to mind the old-timers who grew up during the Depression. By the time I was growing up, life was comfortable for them. But many of them, elderly by now, would grow large gardens as they always had, producing more food than they could possibly use even after they canned and preserved enough for winter, gave quantities to neighbors, friends, and relatives, and fed some of the excess to livestock. A couple of my relatives even had multiple gardens — one close by the house, …


Economics and Investing:

Reader H.H. recommended a speech by economist Marc Faber, titled Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall, where he talks about what will be the next entity like AIG to fall. At minute 54, he says to buy a house in the middle of nowhere” to avoid the various forms of social unrest he believes is coming. He also recommends, of course, that you buy physical gold as a hedge against inflation. It sounds like he’s now in accord with economist and investing guru Barton Biggs, who has also recommended buying retreat property: “Your safe haven must be self-sufficient and capable of …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Michelle sent us this: Global Cold Wave May Be Looming — This Time, the Science Is Good    o o o Reader RBS suggested some commentary by sci-fi veteran Robert Silverberg that puts all of the Peak Oil punditry in proper perspective: Reflections: The Death of Gallium    o o o I was troubled to see that the erroneous e-mail titled “Wasp Spray…important information” is still circulating, after more than two years. What is described therein is a good way to get sued for every penny that you have, for blinding some goblin. As I’ve mentioned many times in SurvivalBlog, …