Economics and Investing:

Reader Eric S. spotted this: CIT debt swap could cost U.S. more than $1.8 billion By way of Market Oracle, Damon found these two links: News From 1930 and Zero Hedge discusses railroad carloading statistics. Items from The Economatrix: Jim Willie: Systemic Failure Approaches. “Numerous sustaining forces will contribute toward the inexorable path to systemic failure. It will begin with the relapse failure of the US banking system. Citigroup is facing real bankruptcy, whose numerous segments are underwater and growing worse. Bank of America is in a death spiral, whose CEO Ken Lewis departs amidst political and shareholder legal pressures. …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader FG flagged this news story from Texas: Soldier who stole night vision goggles sentenced. ” FG’s comment: Be very careful about any “super deals” on US mil spec night vision gear. It may be stolen Government issue.”    o o o Reader Bill D. spotted an interesting two-part article yesterday on “The Brussels Journal” web site dealing with the downfall of Bronze-Age civilization and some of the implications for our own times. Bill’s comment: “It’s very heavy on the ancient history but very much worth a read.”    o o o FG mentioned this article on cyber terrorism, from …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Nature is cruel and dynamic. It is a daily massacre for the lame and the newborn. Vicious spasms of violence red in tooth and claw tempered by turns of weather that can kill and nourish in the same pastoral event. Most importantly, nature is capricious in the most practical sense: the complexity is so immense as to be almost incomprehensible to human cognition. Complexity theory has tried to capture the distillate of what appears to be random phenomenon but is actually a spontaneous order much like economic market forces. Which brings us to the cruelest joke of all on the …


Notes from JWR:

I’m scheduled to be guest on the Laura Ingraham syndicated talk radio show tomorrow (Monday, October 5th), to discuss preparedness topics, from 11:15 AM to 11:45 AM Eastern Time (8:15 AM to 8:45 AM Pacific Time.) She is heard on more than 300 radio stations, on XM Radio, and on the Internet in both live streaming and podcasts. —  Today we present Part 2 of a lengthy entry for Round 25 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 …


Travel Security, by CapnRick in Argentina (Part 2 of 2)

What Survival type Are You? Survivors of violent events have been studied extensively. Their faith in God, family and friends seems to head the list of essentials for survival, and survivors were successful at “rewiring” their attitudes to adapt to harsh–even inhumane–circumstances. And, they survived, while many others failed to adjust and survive. [I concur with the Glenn Beck and the Survivor’s Club that] there are distinct personality types of survivors. These are as follows: Fighter Thinker Realist Connector Believer It is important that each reader think about and analyze their feelings about each of these approaches to survival, come …


Two Letters Re: Applying For a Non-Resident Concealed Carry Weapons Permit/License

James: That was a very good article on by “Sgt. Survival” on CCWs. Just one minor correction ion the portion that mentioned Nevada The cost of the permit is $100.25 for five years. The training must also take place within the county where you will be applying for the permit. You can take the course anywhere in the state, regardless of whether you are a resident or non-resident. If you are a resident, you must apply in the county where you reside. My wife and I are CCW instructors and have signed off people from other counties just fine. They …


Economics and Investing:

World Bank could run out of money ‘within 12 months’. (Thanks to Chris H. for the link.) Don W. flagged a New York Times piece: Too Rich to Worry? Not in This Downturn. JWR’s comment: When even the uber-wealthy feel the pinch, then it is clear that this is not just a typical market cycle-triggered recession! Items from The Economatrix: Stocks Fall Following Disappointing Jobs Report [Official] Jobless Rate Reaches 9.8% in September Jobs Data Sends Oil Prices Tumbling Below $70 Banks Have Us Flying Blind on Depth of Losses Banks With 20% Unpaid Loans at 18-Year High Amid Recovery …


Odds ‘n Sods:

A reader in Florida mentioned a full-service homeschooling support group: Family Tree Private School.    o o o Larry W. flagged this Der Spiegel article: Russian Weapons Industry: Kalashnikov Manufacturer Faces Bankruptcy    o o o Ban Handguns? US Supreme Court Taking New Look. JWR’s comment: The outcome of this case may be significant for SurvivalBlog readers that live in gun-deprived states like New Jersey and California. If the Supremes hold that individual states can restrict the right to keep and bear arms, then that should be time to vote with your feet, and move to a gun-friendly state.    …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

If liberty is not maintained with regard to education, there is no use trying to maintain it in any other sphere. If you give the bureaucrats the children, you might as well give them everything else…. No we do not want a federal Department of Education; and we do not want, in any form whatever, the slavery that a federal department of Education would bring.” – J. Gresham Machen in Education, Christianity, and the State


Note from JWR:

Today we present Part 1 of a lengthy entry for Round 25 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Part 2 will be posted tomorrow. 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.) and C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.) Second Prize: A …


Economics and Investing:

Greg L. suggested this Housing Storm piece: Is it too early to declare mortgage modifications a complete failure? Reader HPD mentioned this commentary by Mish Shedlock: Collectively, Economists Are A Perpetually Optimistic Lot Ukraine’s Naftogaz indicates default on bonds (Thanks to Danny S. for the link.) The latest installment of the now predictable FDIC Friday Evening Follies: Three more banks go down. (Hat tip to Bill R. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Wall Street Money Rains on Senate, Especially Schumer Governments Dip Deeper Into Alcohol-Tax Well Shoppers Cash in on E-Coupons Job Seekers Exceed Openings by Record “Great …



Notes from JWR:

The demand for my new nonfiction book has been so strong that Penguin Books has increased their printing orders twice in the past 48 hours. They now expect to have a total of 50,000 copies in print by the middle of October. Amazon.com has ordered so many copies that they’ve been able to drop their retail price to just $9.35 each. — Today we present the first entry for Round 25 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 …


Applying For a Non-Resident Concealed Carry Weapons Permit/License, by Sgt. Survival

For millions of law-abiding gun owners, the ability to legally carry a concealed firearm is available to them in the form of a Concealed Carry Weapon Permit/License issued by their home state. However, for millions of other gun owners, that right is either severely restricted by “May Issue” states (like California, New York, New Jersey and several others) or flat-out impossible in the two remaining “Non-Issue” states, Illinois and Wisconsin. It is in the latter that I find myself. Due to work and family commitments, I have spent most of my life entrenched in that bastion of liberalism, just outside …


Letter Re: Putting the Fats Back Into Non-Fat Powdered Milk

In regards to the letter on powdered milk, the method described in the web site works, but does not produce milk that tastes very good (depending on the oil used). Growing up all over the world we often were in places where tuberculosis (TB) was endemic in the cattle populations. As a result you could not drink milk but could drink/eat yogurt based products (the process of conversion to yogurt will kill off the TB). Of course to this day I always test positive for TB because I ate the yogurt — even though I don’t have it — as …