Economics and Investing:

Charley S. recommended this R. Taggart Murphy article over at Japan Focus: In the Eye of the Storm: Updating the Economics of Global Turbulence Damon sent this: Burlington Northern’s Tepid Outlook is a Warning Several more readers have suggested that I link to this 30 minute YouTube video: The Dollar Bubble, which was mentioned once before in SurvivalBlog. It features clips of Peter Schiff, Ron Paul, Dr. Marc Faber, Gerald Celente, and Jim Rogers. Items from The Economatrix: Schumer Urges Wall Street Banks to “Get That Money Out There” US Stocks Rise, S&P 500 Reaches 15-Month High on Commodities Berkshire …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Tod sent us this troubling piece of news: First Case of Highly Resistant TB Seen in U.S.    o o o I recently got a chance to see the new movie The Road, based on the same-titled novel by Cormac McCarthy. Do not consider this movie a survival manual, since the tactical mistakes displayed were numerous. Most notably, large campfires were lit at night, in circumstance where it was in fact important to avoid detection. “Cold camps” or at least using small tin can stoves would have been much more appropriate! I don’t want to post any spoilers, so I’ll …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Science has come full-circle, taking a page from the medieval Church by using fear and persecution to silence sceptics. The oppressed have become the oppressors. Given that most professional scientific bodies and peer-reviewed journals have been active accomplices in this scandal, one wonders how many other so called scientific consensuses have been similarly engineered and waiting for their own ClimateGates before truth is known.” – Joanne Nova


Letter Re: Raising Meat Rabbits

Dear Editor: Pam N. wrote an excellent addition to the blog that was posted on December 24th. Their is a couple of points I’d like to add. Be careful keeping rabbits in an area without a lot of ventilation. Rabbit urine puts off an ammonia type smell that evidently can damage their health. We regularly get freezing weather in the winter and then as high as 110 in the summer and our rabbits stay outside all year round. While it’s made very clear on the package not to use it on anything other than cattle, Ivomectrin is very helpful in …


Three Letters Re: Prepping for Fishing in TEOTWAWKI

James, I was thinking about the fishing e-mails and thinking: why are we talking [about using hand-held] rods? In a true TEOTWAWKI situation [where present-day conventions and legalities on sport fishing have gone by the wayside] I don’t want to be standing there for hours trying to catch dinner just like I don’t want to be sitting in a tree stand trying to shoot dinner either. Like hunting, which I tend to agree with you on (you do it all the time by carrying your rifle and being ready at all times — or at least some firearm capable of …


Economics and Investing:

The Other Jim R. mentioned a piece in the SHTFPlan blog: Hyperinflationary Depression – No Way of Avoiding Financial Armageddon Markus suggested this piece over at 321 Gold: An Introspective Look at the Future of America Craig Harris. A recent post from the Dr. Housing Bubble blog: Real Homes of Genius: Culver City Housing Bubble. Housing Shadow Inventory in Action. Countrywide Bank Owned home versus Duplex on Same Block. Foreclosure Holiday. Items from The Economatrix: Geithner: Tight Lending Threatens US Recovery Global Food Crisis 2010 Means Financial Armageddon Bob Chapman: The Credit Crisis is Not Over Global Markets Face Rising …


Odds ‘n Sods:

F.G. spotted this: New high-tech vehicles pose trouble for mechanics. Here is a quote from the article: “As cars become vastly more complicated than models made just a few years ago, Baur is often turning down jobs and referring customers to auto dealer shops. Like many other independent mechanics, he does not have the thousands of dollars to purchase the online manuals and specialized tools needed to fix the computer-controlled machines.” F.G.’s comment: “It sounds like that clean, 1965 Mustang, or 1978 pick-up truck may be a better investment than just being a nice vintage ride. You can still work …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The degree of equality in education that we can reasonably hope to attain, but that should be adequate, is that which excludes all dependence, either forced or voluntary. We shall show how this condition can be easily attained in the present state of human knowledge even by those who can study only for a small number of years in childhood, and then during the rest of their life in their few hours of leisure. We shall prove that, by a suitable choice of syllabus and methods of education, we can teach the citizen everything that he needs to know in …


Two Letters Re: Prepping for Fishing in TEOTWAWKI

James: This is in response to the articles on fishing. Depending on where you are, I would assume that everyone and his relations will be sitting on the bank and hoping for a fish to bite. Fishing is hit or miss, unless you have a boat and have spent a great deal of time on the water, you will starve to death waiting for a fish to bite. You will be sitting exposed and probably looking over your shoulder. I have a better solution and it is one that will work every time it is tried. Assuming you are operating …


Letter Re: Root Cellar Alternatives

Mr. Rawles: Just a quick note. For years my father-in-law used a refrigerator, stripped of motor and coils, buried in the backyard.on it’s back to ‘pit’ his potatoes He would add some straw and store his veggies. The rubber seal was removed as was the [door latch] closure mechanism. A simple handle allowed access with no worry about children getting into trouble. A few holes allowed any water to drain. The local water table is many yards under the surface so that was never a concern. Only about one inch of the refrigerator’s body was above ground. If use of …


Economics and Investing:

The Other Jim R. was the first of several readers to alert us to this article: We’re Screwed! ShadowStats.com founder John Williams explains the risk of hyperinflation. Worst-case scenario? Rioting in the streets and devolution to a bartering system. [Gee, what blog has Mr. Williams been reading?] YRC Has Until Yearend to Corral Bondholders, Avert Bankruptcy. Items from The Economatrix: Retailers Slash Prices After Christmas Shoppers Return to Malls, Looking for Deals Stores Hope Gift Cards Will Give Post-Christmas Lift Credit Crunch: Home Equity Lending Evaporates China Closer to Becoming World’s Second Largest Economy US Removes Caps on Fannie, Freddie …


Odds ‘n Sods:

EMB mentioned this creative housing uses for old water tanks and round grain bins: Annesley’s Art House    o o o Also from EMB: New Panasonic Lithium-Ion Battery to Power Up a House–New Li-Ion Battery Coming from Panasonic in 2011    o o o K.T. sent this humorous Steve Lee music video from Australia: I Like Guns. Visually, you will note that it is orchestrated into a lovely crescendo of shooty goodness.



Letter Re: “Range, Range in the Home”

Sir, I would expect that most readers of SurvivalBlog either are good marksmen already, or desire to be better marksmen. I consider myself to belong to the latter group with skills that place me, at best, in the very modest middle of that category. As the prices of ammunition and reloading components increased during this past year my visits to the range became fewer and fewer while my skills languished accordingly. This is not good for someone who hopes to be better prepared to put meat on the table, or to defend oneself. Not long ago my younger brother was …


Letter Re: Root Cellar Alternatives

Hi Jim, Thank you so much for the wealth of information on your blog. It is encouraging to see so many people working towards self-sufficiency. I was recently introduced to a gardening concept called Square Foot Gardening. There are several advantages to the concept not the least of which are: much less area needed to grow a bounty of fresh veggies, no longer needing to till a large area that only grows plants in a few inch-wide rows, less watering, no weeds, and also no need for numerous gardening tools to tend your crops. A friend used this method last …