Letter Re: Distilled Spirits for Barter

James: First, thanks for the blog useful information is so hard to come by nowadays. With regards to alcohol I would add a few bits First, Everclear 190 is a great addition it any backpack or bail out bag, This wonder bottle has a subject all its own. If for barter purpose you choose booze there is a bit of an OPSEC point to make. Trading liquor has risks especially if you are dealing with someone who may be looking for a lucrative target. Trading a sealed bottle of bourbon or even worse taking said bottle from a visible case …



Economics and Investing:

A recent piece at the Dr. Housing Bubble blog: Shadow Inventory in 10 Prime Southern California Cities. How Pent up Inventory and Option ARMs are the new Front for the California Housing Market. K.T. sent this from Dan Denninger: FDIC Deposit fund had negative $8.2B balance in Third Quarter Jeff B. spotted this: More Evidence Gold is Being Hoarded as Comex Fulfills Gold Contracts with Paper Items from The Economatrix: Where Dubai Leads, Britain Could Soon Follow Lloyds To Suffer Further Job Losses Fears Of Credit Card Crisis As Bank Write-Offs Double Peter Schiff: Bull Market in Gold or BS? …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Brian S. noted that plastic drum liners look like a good way to re-use otherwise sketchy 55 gallon drums for at least storing washing water. Brian’s comment: “I’ve ordered other items from US Plastics before. It is a good place to buy in bulk.”    o o o From Cheryl: At Midnight Last Night (Dec 1st), The UK Ceased To Be A Sovereign State    o o o Frank B. sent us two clever bike trailer building articles at Instructables: Combined cart bike trailer and Shopping Cart Bike Trailer



Notes from JWR:

Do you have any favorite quotes that relate to preparedness, survival, self-sufficiency, or hard money economics? If so, then please send them via e-mail, and I will likely post them as Quotes of the Day, if they haven’t been used before in SurvivalBlog. Please send only quotes that are properly attributed, and that you’ve checked for authenticity. Many Thanks! — Today we present another entry for Round 26 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. 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 …


In Praise of Betadine, by A. Woofer

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In 1940, Reserve Constable Albert Alexander scratched his face.  Accounts differ on whether this occurred while shaving, or an encounter with a rose bush.  In either case, the Constable had a minor scratch  which became infected. What makes Constable Alexander’s story notable, is that his was the first wound infection treated with the then-new antibiotic, penicillin. It almost worked.  When first treated, Constable Alexander improved dramatically, but the hand-purified supply of antibiotic available ran out before the infection was eliminated. The infection returned, and he died from the combined staph and strep infection of the wound.  Welcome to the reality …


Three Letters Re: Securing Bedroom Doors Against Home Invaders

JWR, Blessings on you and your ministry. Regarding securing bedroom doors and walls article: For new construction, it would be acceptable to place a 1/8 inch 4′ by 8′ [plywood] panel behind the drywall. Paneling is built with two or three plys, like plywood. A wall so constructed would be only 1/8 inch thicker, but considerably stronger, and would slow down any intruder. Of course, even this would not stop a bullet. – Jim P. in Texas. James Wesley; I read the recent blurb on securing interior rooms, something I have been working on for a while. Seems to me …


Letter Re: Another COMSEC Warning on Social Networking Web Services

Jim, I worked in Network Security in both the military and civilian sectors for quite a few years. The thing I would recommend is not to use any social networking site. Due to the terrible security embedded in the new web programming technology they are rampant with malicious software that can be downloaded to your computer. Your computer would then be owned by some goon who would use it to attack others and steal your personal info, such as your bank account number, and so forth. But you say, hey I have the newest router, firewall and anti-virus. The companies …


Economics and Investing:

HPD recommended these observations from Mish Shedlock: Virginia Borrows $1.26 Billion to Pay Unemployment Benefits; Detroit Loses $400 Million on $800 Million of Bonds; Detroit’s Easy Solution I’m sure that you’ve noticed the surge in spot silver and gold prices. The last time I checked, spot silver was at $19.26, per ounce, and gold was at $1,212 per ounce! There will likely soon be some profit taking, so be ready to buy on those dips! Chad S. sent these other links: Four Reasons Hyperinflation Hasn¹t Hit the U.S. Economy Yet What’s Worse? Hyperinflation or Deep Recession? National Inflation Association’s 10 …


Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson found an amazing story that illustrates the anarchic situation in Somalia: Somali Pirates Open Up a “Stock Exchange”. Mike pointed out this quote: “Piracy investor Sahra Ibrahim, a 22-year-old divorcee, was lined up with others waiting for her cut of a ransom pay-out after one of the gangs freed a Spanish tuna fishing vessel. ‘I am waiting for my share after I contributed a rocket-propelled grenade for the operation,’ she said, adding that she got the weapon from her ex-husband in alimony. ‘I am really happy and lucky. I have made $75,000 in …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 26 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. 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 HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Luger, 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP ammo, …


Pacific Coastal Living and Survival, by K.R.

This essay has been written from my personal experience and that of others. This suggested course of preparedness and action in the event of TEOTWAWKI will not be for everyone. Instead, I address those who live on the coast due to reasons such as; nearness to family, proximity to work, tight finances , or it could simply apply to those who might be caught on or near the coast should the events we prepare for take place. Quite a few years ago while I was working for a floatplane company in S.E. Alaska, two of our float planes returned from …


Letter Re: Another COMSEC Warning on Social Networking Web Services

James, This is a communications security (COMSEC) warning: Readers may wish to think about the networking tools used to communicate between friends and associates – Facebook, Linked-In, Jaiku, Pownce, Yammer, and others – and realize that not only do they pose a serious threat to the security of their personal information, but some of them are now apparently being used to bring new people into the non-secure comms environment by falsifying “invitations” from others to join. While tools such as Outlook, AIM, Yahoo Messenger, Gmail, Hotmail, Flickr, and MySpace should also be used with caution to limit the damage that …