Odds ‘n Sods:

Now mainstream journalists are starting to use the “D” word: Depression risk might force U.S. to buy assets. Thanks to Eric for finding that. OBTW, he also spotted this from Reuters: Dozens of U.S. banks will fail by 2010    o o o Don’t miss Charles Hugh Smith’s latest economics essay (posted February 13th) “System Instability, Redundancy and the Domino Effect “.    o o o The Other Ben L. forwarded this: Global demand lifts grain prices, gobbles supplies.    o o o Mike in Malaysia says “File this under… ‘Not good for the world’”: Pakistani nuclear scientists ‘abducted’



Notes from JWR:

It is gratifying to see that there are now so many SurvivalBlog readers all over the planet. Our readership growth in Europe has been phenomenal. I do have one question: Why is there now a 30-to-299 SurvivalBlog reader cluster way out in Siberia, just north of the Mongolian border? It looks too far east to be the Baikonur Cosmodrome (Tyuratam), but it is apparently somewhere on the Trans-Siberian railway route. Perhaps just some bored knob-turners at a far-flung Russian SIGINT site? Oh well, I guess that I should just be content that there are so many SurvivalBlog dots on the …


The Big Picture — Grid Up Versus Grid Down–Oil, Soil, and Water

Before selecting retreat locale, It is crucial that you decide on your own worst case scenario. A location that is well-suited to surviving a “slow-slide” grid up scenario (a la the deflationary depression of the 1930s) might not necessarily be well suited to a grid down situations. As stated in my post on August 15, 2005, a grid down situation will likely cause a sudden onset variation of TEOTWAWKI with a concomitant mass exodus from the big cities resulting in chaos on a scale heretofore never seen in modern memory. My own personal “best case” scenario is an economic depression, …


Letter Re: Keeping a Low Profile is Crucial for Preparedness

James, I have to disagree with some of C.D.’s measures listed in his letter (i.e. using Scroogle and Zone Alarm) and refer your readership to the best article I’ve yet seen on the great difficulty in online anonymity: The Ugly Truth About Online Anonymity Also note comment on the linked article 12 – even if all else could be secured, the moment you behave according to your established surfing profile, you’ll be spotted. Kind Regards, – J. in Kyrgyzstan JWR Replies: I have my own perspective about online activities: Do the best that you can to cover your cyber trail, …


Letter Re: SurvivalBlog Has the Edge in Reporting Some News Stories

Dear Jim, I’ve been following your web-site for a while now and am amazed how you and your members chime in with very news worthy items sometimes weeks before the mainstream media starts covering them. One latest point would be the CountryWide Equity Line suspension finally made our local evening news last night.[It was mentioned in SurvivalBlog on February 5th.] I was stunned to read today in The Wall Street Journal that coal prices, which once were steadily priced in the $20 per metric ton range began trading in the $40 to $60 range from mid-2003 to mid- 2007, then …


Odds ‘n Sods:

I-Told-You-So Department: The U.S. Mint just announced that they will soon be changing the alloying ratios for U.S. five cent pieces (“nickels”.) Back in November of last year, I warned readers to stock up. The Mint’s announcement was vague, but I wouldn’t surprised to see the “new” nickels made with just traces of copper and nickel. It will probably be just be another zinc token. In effect, 2008 will be your last year to stock up on rolls of nickels that still have the long-standing alloy ratio. Once the new pseudo-nickels start circulating side-by-side with the old ones, it will …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

Burnett: I was told that it might be possible to rent your boat–we need to get up river. Rambo: Where? Burnett: Into Burma. Rambo: Burma is a war zone. Burnett: Up the Salween river is our best alternative. Rambo: I can’t help you out. Burnett: Please, it will help change people’s lives. Rambo: Are you bringing in any weapons? Burnett: Of course not. Rambo: You’re not changin’ anything. – from the trailer to John Rambo, 2008


Letter Re: The More Naive Peakniks Need to Learn to Exercise OPSEC

Dear Jim: I found an interesting article about local Peak Oil preppers. It illustrates to a “T” the naivete of some of the Peak Oil crowd you have mentioned previously. In the article (“Oil crisis ahead? ‘Peakniks’ build for future”) there is a good balanced coverage of the problem. Featured is a local architectural engineer who is building a sustainable home called “FoodWaterShelter”. His full name, the street he is building on, his current neighborhood, his wife’s occupation, etc., etc., are all put out for public consumption. Heck, he is even in a photo. It took under a minute to …


Letter Re: Keeping a Low Profile is Crucial for Preparedness

James, To amplify on the excellent recent letter from SoCal titled “Keeping a Low Profile is Crucial for Preparedness”, I have some suggestions that all of us SurvivalBlog readers should implement to keep a low profile in our online activities. Anonymizer and Comprehensive Risk Solutions (both mentioned in the letter) are great ideas. They are cheap insurance. I can also recommend a few other measures, to wit: 1.) Use the Scroogle Scraper for web searches. This allows you to use Google through an intermediary site. That way Google cannot create a profile on your searches. On background: Google is notorious …


Letter Re: Advice on .223 and .308 Semi-Auto Rifles and Optics?

Jim, I’ve decided to finally purchase an AR-15 type .223. I’ve decided on a DPMS Lo-Pro 16 for my .223 carbine. I’m looking into a Mueller lighted-reticle scope, in the area of 2-10×40 or so. Mueller has prices that are quite decent, given the quality, and the reviews I’ve read. I also have a friend with a Mueller setup on his AR-15. For a .308, I’ve looked over many of the FN-FAL and G3 type rifles and their clones, but an AR-type platform has been highly recommended to me: The Rock River Arms LAR-8. It uses the AR-15 design from …


Letter Re: Comment on the Planned U.S. “Economic Stimulus” Tax Rebate

Jim, Not directly related to survival but more aligned with money management, please note that the Bush administration’s tax rebate is in fact an advance on 2008’s tax refund, and most or all of it will be deducted from taxpayers’ refund within a year. So if one spends it, plan to be short that amount next year. Be sure to thank most of your current crop of presidential candidates for supporting this fraud. – Bruce F.


Odds ‘n Sods:

One of our readers that works as a locksmith and welder in Denver, Colorado reports: “I thought you might want to know, that a year ago I would open houses for foreclosure investors, and that market was only about 5% to 10% of my business. Now it is 70% to 90% of my business.”    o o o Reader D.C. recommended an article that has some implication for any readers that own an unattended retreat: Keeping Track From Afar. My personal preference is for a service called uControl Home Security. (They are one of our former advertisers.)    o o …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“There’s something cool about the thought of being totally off the power grid. It’s a psychological thing. I could rationalize being off the grid by saying it would come in handy if the rest of the world runs out of energy. But realistically, the big worry in that case wouldn’t be powering my iPod so much as not getting eaten by cannibals.” – Cartoonist Scott Adams.


Note from JWR:

Today we welcome back one of our original advertisers: Wiggy’s, in Grand Junction, Colorado. They make outstanding quality sleeping bags, clothing, and other outdoor gear. They are one of the four remaining true American-made sleeping bag manufacturers. (Nearly all of their competitors have moved their production offshore.) I love their products. We have five Wiggy’s FTRSS sleeping bags and four Wiggy’s Lamilite ground pads here at the Rawles Ranch. Most of these are now more than 15 years old, and still quite serviceable. They are truly built to last.