Odds ‘n Sods:

The latest news and commentary gleanings from our economic editor: Despite $143 Billion Bailout, AIG May Be Tottering Towards Collapse — Global Financial Crisis Drives EU Toward Recession — Auto Sales Worst Since 1992 — US Manufacturing Shrinks to 26-year Low — Battered Global Markets End October With Worst Losses Ever — Global Financial Matrix Disintegrates — HBOS, RSS to Reveal Massive Asset Losses — Brits Hoarding Cash? — International Trade Slowed ‘Savagely” By Credit Crisis — The Financial Next Shoe To Drop — Blue Mountain Capital Freezes Withdrawals From Its $3.1 Billion Hedge Fund — Bernanke Push For Lower …



Note from JWR:

Today (Tuesday) is the last day to take advantage of the 33 percent off pre-election sale for the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course. The sale ends at midnight tonight, Eastern time. Don’t miss out! Our first post today comes from my darling wife. She is now home from a lengthy stay in the hospital, but is still is need of your prayers. Please pray for a complete recovery and restoration of her full vigor. There is so much in this mortal life that we’d like to accomplish together. Please pray that she will be given the years that needs …


From The Memsahib: Buyer Beware When Purchasing Livestock

While most of my livestock purchases over the years have been satisfactory, I have found that buying livestock can be full of pitfalls. I will share some of my mistakes in hopes you can learn from them. I have found livestock sellers may not outright lie to buyers but they often do not volunteer important information. So it is very important that you get a detailed book for each type of livestock you plan to purchase and do some research, so you’ll know exactly what questions to ask. Make certain the book has a chapter about choosing healthy stock. The …


Five Letters Re: Prisons and Other Institutions Amidst a Societal Collapse?

Mr. Rawles- I just finished reading the letter sent in by the correctional officer regarding his prison’s security infrastructure and keeping the prisoners in during a SHTF scenario. I think he’s missing an important element regarding keeping prisoners in the prison: He assumes the prisoners will be attempting to get over or under the fences unaided. Prisoners have families and social connections on the outside. During a true SHTF breakdown, some of those outsiders will take risks on behalf of their incarcerated loved ones. The fences that should be an obstacle could be breached with a vehicle from the outside …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Robert C. alerted us to “a real life synopsis of what happened post-Hurricane Katrina from folks who witnessed it.”    o o o Where will the Dow bottom? This was recently posted at The Trader Blog: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly – Three Scenarios For The Stock Market    o o o We warned you about the precipitous drop in overseas shipping long before the mainstream media picked up on it: Investors shun Greek debt as shipping crisis deepens. The article begins: “Freight rates for shipping are crashing at the fastest pace ever recorded as banks shut off …



Notes from JWR:

I was quoted extensively in a recent article at Forbes.com, titled Surviving The Apocalypse. BTW, both the article and the “In Pictures” sidebar slide show was remarkably free of errors. Sometimes journalists manage to get things right. Tomorrow is the last day of the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course pre-election 33% off sale. Don’t miss out! Today we present another entry for Round 19 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The contest prizes include: First Prize: The writer of the best contributed article will be awarded two transferable Front Sight  “Gray” Four Day Training Course Certificates. This is an …


Adapt to Survive, by Elizabeth B.

You are incredibly mistaken if you think you can store up enough to see you through bad times. You are wrong, dead wrong. When I say store up, I’m talking, food, provisions, tools, barter equipment, and whatever. The key to survival will be adaptation, just like in nature. Those who survive will be those who can readily adapt to a changing environment. I know many of you are sitting on little mountains of barrels, cans, packages and feel like you have an edge. Simply put, you will not be able to squirrel away enough. What happens when the stash runs …


Letter Re: When Unprepared Folks Show Up on Your Doorstep

Mr. Rawles; With the current state of the country more and more people have been stepping up their preparedness. The question I get asked most is what to do with the people who say they will be over when everything falls apart. I know you have addressed this in the past, but it is something people need to think through with the current state we are in. With my preparedness consulting I have had story after story from preparing people of family, friends and people who know they are preparing, but do not prepare themselves saying they will be there …


Letter Re: Useful References on Metalworking

I recommend two books to help our readers understand metalworking. They might never need these, but they’re at least useful for understanding what’s involved:. 1. Wayne Goddard’s $50 Knife Shop 2. The Modern Blacksmith And if you want to go a step further, there’s a nice compendium called “Useful Farm Implements”, though I suspect we’ll just focus on more immediate books like “Gardening When It Counts” though I personally recommend not using animal protein powder as a soil and feed amendment [as recommended in that book]. Prions, ya know? On a more personal note, I remain stunned that the economic …


Letter Re: The CDC’s Suggestions on Preparing for Future Flu Pandemics

Mr Rawles: My sister-in-law works for one of the large food bakeries. They make a well-known cracker that is purchased by a large portion of the US population every day. She manages health and safety for a number of their bakeries and recently attended a conference on pandemics hosted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC is holding these conferences for companies producing staple foodstuffs as they say it isn’t “if” we will see a flu pandemic but “when”. The conference was a real eye-opener for my sister-in-law. The CDC says that we will either have a flu …


Odds ‘n Sods:

More gloomage from Cheryl, our Economic Editor: Germans Freeze £21 Billion in Property Fund (“Nearly €30bn of German property funds were frozen between Tuesday and Friday last week in what industry experts fear could foreshadow a UK commercial real estate collapse.”) — The Federal Reserve is Inflating at 341% Per Annum — Cash Was King, Now Gold Is God — Fed Interest Rate Cut May End Up Making Matters Worse (“The Federal Open Market Committee’s half-point cut in its Federal Funds target does not address the leverage and credit issues in the banking system.”) — Gold, Faith And Credit (The …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"The liberties of our country, the freedoms of our civil constitution are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors: they purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood, and transmitted them to us with care and diligence. It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or be cheated out of …