Economics and Investing:

Reader Steve H,. sent an interesting quote from BHO: “But while our markets are improving, and we appear to have averted global collapse, we know that too many people are still struggling. So we agree that full recovery is still a ways off; that it would be premature to begin winding down our stimulus plans; and that we must sustain our support for those plans to lay the foundation for a strong and lasting recovery. We also agreed that it’s equally important that we return to fiscal sustainability in the midterm after the recovery is completed.” [Emphasis added.] Steve’s comment: …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Readers Chuck and Garnet both sent this link: Potato famine disease striking home gardens in U.S.    o o o Safecastle Royal has added several new interesting products to their line, including a the new extra-large 8″-diameter Bury-‘Em caching tube, the K8 Nuke Safeguard Mini Alarm, and a 12-can variety of pack of Yoder’s canned meats.    o o o Chiming in on the recent discussion of transferring liquid propane between tanks, reader Chris M. mentioned: “Harbor Freight has an item with part #45989 for refilling propane bottles.”    o o o Richard Fleetwood (of SurvivalRing) has announced a new …



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 23 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 foods, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. Second Prize: A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $350. Third Prize: A copy of …


Disaster Procedures: A Survival Field Guide, by A.V.

The Relevance of Procedures In a disaster situation many things previously fixed become variable. Communications, supplies, security and many other aspects of civilized society that we often take for granted may quickly become mired down by inefficient or massive use. Equipped as we are with a survival mindset, many still succumb to the environment of pandemonium that evolves: we forget our training, misuse our equipment, and the pace of events overwhelms us. On top of these considerations, many interested in disaster preparation may not have a family or group that is equally well-versed in the nuances of survival situations. Many …


Five Letters Re: How to Build a Deeper Supply of Prescription Medications

Dear Mr. Rawles, Pat C.’s recent post regarding the acquisition of prescription drugs in quantity includes many good thoughts. As a pharmacist of more years than I like to admit, I feel compelled to add to a few of Pat’s points. Pat mentions FDA restrictions on quantities of several types of medications, including some “powerful antibiotics, pain drugs, and highly abused drugs”. I’m unaware of FDA restrictions on dispense quantities of any drugs, except regarding a very small number of drugs with unusually high-risk of adverse reactions. These few drugs would rarely come into play in stocking for calamities. The …


Letter Re: The Latest Special Operations Forces Medical Handbook

Jim, Among the books listed by the recent "favorite books" survey respondents was the US Army Special Forces Medical Handbook (ST31-91B). This book is obsolete and has been supplanted by the Special Operations Forces Medical Handbook. The best summaries as to why the one is obsolete I’ve found are: “That manual is a relic of sentimental and historical interest only, advocating treatments that, if used by today’s medics, would result in disciplinary measures,” wrote Dr. Warner Anderson, a U.S. Army Colonel (ret.) and former associate dean of the Special Warfare Medical Group. “The manual you reference is of great historical …


Economics and Investing:

JHB up in Montana sent this: Banks must brace for credit card pile-up HPD spotted this: Mish’s Global Economic Trend Analysis: Food-Stamps Reach $33.8 Million in April, 5th Consecutive Monthly Record Times must be really bad: Engineering Unemployment Soared in 2Q to 8.6% Reader HH sent us these three items: Economist: FDIC gearing up for bank closures Sales of Silver, Gold Coins Surge Inflation: Expectations and Effects Items from The Economatrix: Economist Declares Train Wreck “Morgan Stanley expert convinced out-of-control budget deficits to drag economy under” Dallas Fed: Inflation Harder to Predict Ron Paul’s Bipartisan Attack on The Fed Shipping …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Ben M. sent this: Did an Ancient Volcano Freeze Earth?    o o o Concern over Ebola virus in pigs; Ebola can cause deadly disease in some forms. A form of Ebola virus has been detected in pigs for the first time, raising concerns it could mutate and pose a new risk to humans. (Thanks to Andrew H. for the link.)From    o o o Cheryl flagged this: Frail Kim Jung-Il May Have Only Months To Live; Youngest Son May Not Be Successor Due To China’s Disagreement


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Welcome to a depression. Not such a bad thing, really. Just a period of adjustment…a time for fixing, re-organizing, downsizing, and mending. There’s a time to every purpose under heaven. This is the time to take stock and shape up. But wait again. It doesn’t feel like a depression. Where are the soup lines? Where are the Okies packing up and moving to California? Where are Ziegfield Girls, the Civilian Conservation Corps and Eleanor Roosevelt? How come this depression’s not in black and white? Well…because this is a 21st century depression. This depression is in living color…and it comes to …


Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 23 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 foods, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. Second Prize: A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $350. Third Prize: A copy of …


How to Build a Deeper Supply of Prescription Medications, by Pat C.

Most well-prepared individuals with chronic health conditions want to keep a deep supply of medications on hand, in the event of disaster that would disrupt normal chains of supply. Medical insurance plans typically have a 30-day limit on the amount of medication that can be obtained at one time. There are various reasons for these limitations – medical complications, FDA regulations, and cost-containment by your insurance company. However, there are ways to get around these limits and build a deeper stock of meds as part of your survival planning. Multiple Scripts Ask your physician to write several prescriptions, each of …


Letter Re: Net Producer-Net Consumer Equations for Self-Sufficiency: Getting Out of the Pit

James, Adding to the understanding of yesterday’s fine article “Net Producer-Net Consumer Equations for Self-Sufficiency: Getting Out of the Pit”, there is some serious historical data that your readers should be aware of. The Ludwig von Mises Institute has posted a book called “When Money Dies” on the experiences of the hyperinflation of the Weimar [Republic of Germany], which reads like headlines out of today’s newspapers. Remembering that history never repeats, it always rhymes, many of the underlying themes — the differences between country and city — will likely be similar. Because governments also have access to the same historical …


Influenza Pandemic Update:

Argentine Businesses Hit By Swine Flu Swine Flu Vaccine Likely to Be Ready in Mid-October Swine Flu on Main US Afghan Base Canada: Tamiflu Resistance In Saskatchewan Jonesy sent us these last two flu items: Tamiflu Resistance in San Francisco “The case suggests swine flu – a form of influenza Type A, subtype H1N1 – is capable of not only developing drug resistance but also spreading between humans in that resistant form, said Dr. Arthur Reingold, professor at UC Berkeley School of Public Health.” “[The] patients in Japan and in Denmark were taking Tamiflu prophylactically [as a preventive measure], said …


Economics and Investing:

GG flagged this Forbes article: Nouriel Roubini: “Brown Manure, Not Green Shoots” Several items from Reader DD: Buffet’s wants another stimulus GM on the road again Another retailer bites the dust Oil speculators under pressure Hawaiian K. sent word of a grim statistic: Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) Fell 0.6 Percent in May from April Items from The Economatrix: US Apartment Vacancies at Historic High 565,000 New Jobless Claims “Lowest new claims since January” However, “Continuing claims, meanwhile, unexpectedly jumped to a record-high.” Retailers Report Weak June Sales Goldman Sachs Loses Its Grip on its Doomsday Machine Nation’s Banks to …