Letter Re: The “Invention Nation” Documentary Television Series

Jim, I don’t know if this has been posted here or not. I have finished watching a series on the Science Channel called “Invention Nation“. The show primarily feature inventors who are inventing ways to “go green”. Many of these inventions and ideas fit in perfectly with being self-sufficient. Some of the topics are; used cooking oil for diesel engines, solar power technology, passive solar for heating homes and water, bicycle generators, etc… The series will rerun starting in March and may be worth a look for the preparedness minded. See the Invention Nation web site. Thanks to you and …


Letter Re: The EconomicIndicators.gov Web Site

James, It looks like the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Indicators web site now will continue to operate and they are going to enhance the site to boot. Here is the recently updated notice from their web site: The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) has decided to continue the economicindicators.gov web site. Featuring the economic releases from ESA’s Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the site was started by this Administration in 2002 to give greater awareness to these economic statistics. ESA initially planned to discontinue the service due to cost concerns but given …


Letter Re: Sizing a Retreat AC Power Generator

Mr. Rawles: In attempting to size an emergency generator for my home, I have run across some interesting questions that I hope you and/or your other readers will be able to help me with. I lived through the blizzards of the 1990s here in the southern West Virginia coal camps, and I will never forget us and all of our neighbors being without power and unable to get out of our own driveways for 23+ days in 1993. It marked the very beginnings of my awakening to the necessity of being properly prepared. With that in mind, I am attempting …


Letter Re: Lessons from Brazil, Circa the Late 1990s

James, I was chatting with a friend of mine who lives in Sao Paulo, Brazil and we got to talking about their economy. What really caught my attention was what life was like about the time they went their economic collapse, I think he said around 1998. Brazil had several years of increasing inflation and finally reached 50% per month! At that rate people were paid weekly instead of monthly and everyone would convert paychecks to hard goods and consumables. I told him there would be riots in the streets and marches on the White House if we ever had …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Daniel K. recommended an essay about dependence on grid power, posted over at the Jeff Rense site: Worst Drug On Earth Stops In 8 Milliseconds    o o o Freddie Mac posts $2.5 Billion Loss in Fourth Quarter of 2007    o o o I just heard that “The Armchair Survivalist” weekly Internet radio show is expanding to shortwave, on WWCR, starting tonight. Kurt covers some interesting topics and he has some great guests. He also still operates Survival Enterprises (that you may remember as a former SurvivalBlog advertiser). They sell a variety of storage foods and gear at …



Note from JWR:

After more than 10 years of searching, it now appears that a movie production company wants to buy my “Pulling Through” screenplay. I hope to be posting more news about this development sometime in the next two weeks.Stay tuned.


Letter Re: How/Where Can I Learn About Fiber Arts?

Dear Memsahib: In your biography, I noticed that you wrote: “I also have taught Fiber Arts. I can shear a sheep, angora goat, or angora rabbit and wash, card, dye, spin, knit, weave, (and/or felt) the wool into socks, mittens, a hat, scarf, or a sweater.” Speaking for those who happen to have a small herd of Angora goats, but no practical knowledge of shearing or weaving/knitting, to say nothing about “wash – card – dye – spin,” are there any books you can recommend? Or perhaps, alternatively, a DVD? Thanks, – Pete M. The Memsahib Replies: I think hands-on …


Two Letters Re: Are Simultaneous Inflation and Deflation Possible?

Jim, We are clearly experiencing deflation, as bad debt and derivatives unwind. At the same time there appears to be massive inflation by the Fed, or else where did the three Trillion for Iraq come from? The only “X factor” now is the money multiplier. Reserve requirements are now [effectively] zero. A good video (Flash required). But now eliminate the reserve component, [and its] Zimbabwe dollars ahoy. Here is some scary stuff, directly from the Fed. And here is an explanation similar to what I had wanted to write about the “Its the Economy Stupid” with Clinton and Greenspan – …


Weekly Survival Real Estate Market Update

Retreat Caretakers, the Good, Bad and the Ugly Recently I had the honor of reviewing a spectacular working retreat somewhere in Idaho. The owner, whom resides out of state, was present to give me a tour over the grounds covering hundreds of acres filled with multiple springs, ponds and varied terrain that would leave most of the readers here coveting thy neighbors retreat. I suppose I’m guilty as I write this update as well. Thank God for His grace. The intention of this weeks update is to briefly explore the idea of retaining a full time caretaker at one’s retreat, …


Odds ‘n Sods:

I recently heard from three different storage food vendors that they are getting deluged with orders. Apparently, the recent economic news and reports of grain shortages have worked together to cause people to suddenly want to lay in a supply of long term storage food. Both Mountain House and Alpen Aire now have orders backed up 45 to 60 days. Many storage food vendors have run out of stock, so expect to wait at least two months for shipment. I only expect the order backlogs to increase in coming months, so don’t dawdle. Prices are also likely to increase, since …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” – C. S. Lewis


Are Simultaneous Inflation and Deflation Possible?

I often have friends and clients ask me how I can talk about inflation and deflation in the same breath. They’ve asked: “But I thought that inflation and deflation were contradictory. How do you think that we could experience both inflation and deflation at the same time?” Let me explain, starting with a bit of background: The fractional reserve banking system, based on usury, creates money. Here is a simplified example: Each time you deposit a $1,000 at your local bank, the bank then lends nearly all of that money out to someone else, charging interest. The bank holds just …


Letter Re: Building a Kalashnikov at Home

Dear Jim, As you know, it’s legal in America to build your own standard firearm for personal use [by manufacturing your own receiver.] One of the best ways to get a discreet, legal, off-paper SHTF rifle is an imported de-milled Kalashnikov (AK) kit, with a new, home-built receiver. Take a look at this web site. His heat treating and machine and tool instructions are accurate. This is the best site I’ve seen on the subject. I was able to tear down a Romanian kit and assemble a working AK in about 8 hours. Beginners will likely need a couple of …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Billy S. found this piece: Is Zimbabwe-style Inflation Coming to America? $500,000 for a cigarette?    o o o Courtesy of our friend Eric comes this from The Seattle Times: Wheat Hits Record on US Inventory Report    o o o PMac found us a “Fun little list of Dream BOVs“    o o o John S. suggested the economic commentary in video clip of Glenn Beck’s interview of Jonah Goldberg, the author of the book “Liberal Fascism”