Odds ‘n Sods:

Jack B. recommended a very interesting series of video clips from a seminar presented by economist Don McAlvany.    o o o Today is the last day for BulletProofME.com’s special sale on Interceptor Body Armor and Kevlar helmets, just for SurvivalBlog readers.    o o o Facing a soaring trade deficit and 25% annual currency inflation, the government of Vietnam has just banned gold imports. I guess that Vietnam’s bureaucrats failed Econ 101.The citizenry rushing toward the stability of gold isn’t the cause of economic trouble. Rather, it is a symptom of a horribly mismanaged currency. In the absence of …




Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"With respect to our rights, and the acts of the British government contravening those rights, there was but one opinion on this side of the water. All American whigs thought alike on these subjects. When forced, therefore, to resort to arms for redress, an appeal to the tribunal of the world was deemed proper for our justification. This was the object of the Declaration of Independence. Not to find out new principles, or new arguments, never before thought of, not merely to say things which had never been said before; but to place before mankind the common sense of the …




Letter Re: The Reactive Culture, or 20 Years of Greater Depression

Dear Jim, America, and modern industrial democracy, is a reactive culture. We wait for disaster to strike, then we talk about it, vote, and throw money at it until it goes away. That’s what we’ve been doing since the deficit spending initiated by FDR, socialist that he was. Now we’ve reached the end of deficit spending, having exported our jobs, currency, and control of our economy overseas and become a great big lazy balloon floating over the glass recycling bin at the local dump. Gasoline, food, and other essentials are in a tight 18% inflationary spiral and the public is …




Letter Re: Advice on Getting Started in Precious Metals Investing

Jim, Your reader TheOtherRyan wrote asking about how to get started in precious metals investing, especially the challenge of purchasing only a small amount each month. First, Ryan is wise to realize that you want to buy in small amounts, and not wait until a big “buy,” which might be at an unlucky price spike. Investors call the process of buying a little each month with a disciplined approach “averaging in.” It means you’re buying more on the months when the price is low than when the price is high, lowering your average total cost. Unfortunately, it can be difficult …




Two Letters Re: The Five Minute Bank Run

Dear Mr. Rawles, Read the letter from W.D. in Texas with great interest. I have been a recent visitor to your blog and read the postings on the banking system with great interest – and shared them with immediate family. As a Florida resident, even though in the less vulnerable northeastern part of the state, it is prudent to be ready for adverse weather as the ATMs and banks could be closed in an emergency. Good luck trying to get cash at that point in time. I strongly suspect that most people nationwide have about as much cash on hand …




Odds ‘n Sods:

Russ in Georgia sent an article link from Israel that reminds us that the threat of bulldozers should be considered when planning for defending your retreat. It doesn’t take much welding know-how for a miscreant to add a few armoring plates to a Cat. With this in mind, have you laid in a small supply of AP ammo? Let me clarify about the Federal law here in the US: There are no Federal restrictions on most “rifle” AP ammunition, but things get complicated for ammo that can also be fired through some pistols. Pre-ban manufactured AP “pistol” ammo is legal …







Letter Re: Feedback on Training at Front Sight

Dear James, Just wanted to say thank you for letting your readers know about the Front Sight Gun + Gear + Training special offer. My husband and I attended the four-day defensive handgun and the one-day CCW courses last week, and are expecting delivery of the [Springfield Armory] XD40 [pistol]s we used during the courses, in two days. Neither of us had any real experience with guns before the course. To be honest, when I read your book and in reading your blog, I always skimmed through or skipped the “gun sections” altogether. Well, the course was a blast (pun …




Ten Letters Re: Help With a Non-Preparedness Minded Spouse

JWR’s Introductory Note: The recent reply to a an e-mail from Trevor by The Memsahib inspired ten replies. Note that many of these were written by wives with non-prepper husbands! The final letter comes from a family that had their house nd barn blown away by a hurricane. Some sobering stuff. Mr. Rawles, You are truly blessed with your wife’s level of discernment and ability to communicate!. I would like to share our similar situation. Understand that I am an old Girl Scout whose former leaders took us camping from New Mexico to Old Mexico and from the beaches to …




Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Ben M. recommended a BBC article on the international banking crisis. They talk about UBS, announcing further losses on top of their $37 Billion worth of losses that were already announced. A key quote: “We haven’t hit the bottom yet,” warned Zhang Xiuqi, from Guotai Junan Securities.    o o o Eric found this article: Ethanol-free gas outlets growing daily. Eric’s comment: “Having just hoisted six 5-gallon gerry cans into the e-85 vehicle I drive – as I’m rotating my storage fuel – this article is making me concerned. Guess we’ll see in the next few days.”    o …




Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"There is nothing which doth more agreeably concern the Senses, than in the depth of Winter to behold the Fruits so fair, and so good, yea better, than when you first did gather them…….You will taste your fruit with infinite more gust and contentment, than in the Summer itself, when their great abundance, and variety, rather cloy you than become agreeable. For this reason therefore it is, that we essay to teach you the most expedite, and certain means how to conserve them all the WInter, even so long, as till the New shall incite you to quit the Old." …




Note from JWR:

Please continue to spread the word about SurvivalBlog. There are still a lot of preparedness-minded folks that have not yet heard about the blog. Links in your e-mail footer and/or at your web page or blog page would be greatly appreciated!




Letter Re: Advice on Communications Scanners

Dear James, I was talking to my neighbor today and he showed me his Uniden Bear Tracker 800 scanner, a now discontinued model. That got me to thinking that I probably should get one for emergencies. But the thing is I don’t know what you should look for in a police scanner. Also I’m on a budget and I’m not willing to spend more than $100 on a scanner, but most cost quite a bit. That’s why I’m looking for a reasonably priced scanner, though I’m having problems finding one. Any recommendations or help would be gladly accepted. Regards, – …




Letter Re: Simulation of Pandemic Influenza – Preparedness Implications

Jim, I appreciate everything that you and your readers are doing to help change the mindset of people around the world. I was reviewing the May/June issue of a health care trade magazine that contained a report on a simulation carried out in Philadelphia at the start of this year dealing with pandemic influenza. While much of the discussion was relevant only to health insurers, the scenario that served as the simulation is detailed below. Readers can draw their own conclusions of the type of things that they should prepare for. The following is exerted from: Raymond, A.G. (2008). Pandemic …




Letter Re: Ammo Types and Storage Ratios for a Precision .308 Rifle

James I have a friend wanting my advice. He has a Glock [Model] 22 [.40 S&W] , an AR-15 [5.56mm NATO], a Ruger 10/.22 [rimfire] and a Remington 700 VTR [bolt action .308]. He has 5,000 rounds for the Glock, 10,000 rounds for the AR and 6,000 rounds for the 10/.22. He has no .308 semi-auto rifle and [says that he has] no plans to acquire one. He wants to lay in a supply of around 2,000 rounds for the Remington 700 VTR. It shoots under 1/2 MOA with 168 grain Federal Gold Medal Match, and around 1 to 1-1/2 …