“We like market research because it provides certainty – a score, a prediction; if someone asks us why we made the decision we did, we can point to a number. But the truth is that for the most important decisions, there can be no certainty.” – Malcolm Gladwell
On April 15, 1989, a small group of students initiated a pro-democracy protest on Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The death of reformer Hu Yaobang triggered the demonstrations, which grew in size and were brutally dispersed in the Tiananmen Square Massacre on June 4. April 15th is traditionally Tax Day, but I prefer to remember it as Roy Clark‘s birthday. He was born April 15, 1933. April 15th, 1912, is the anniversary of the sinking of the “unsinkable” Titanic. 1,517 people lost their lives on the maiden voyage. As research into the incident has progressed over the last 100 years, it …
The following simple recipe for “Poverty Soup” — a hamburger-vegetable soup is from SurvivalBlog reader F.C.. It serves four adults. To save money, home-grown tomatoes and vegetables can be used instead, if you are a veggie gardener. Ingredients 1 to 1-1/2 lbs of ground beef (or venison, or ground turkey) 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes and green chilies (or Rotel) 16 oz. package of frozen mixed vegetables 6-8 potatoes, peeled and diced to spoon size 1 small onion diced, or equivalent in dehydrated onion flakes. 6 beef bouillon cubes 8 cups water Salt, to taste Pepper to taste Directions …
Today’s graphic is a map that shows States with the Highest and Lowest Per Capita State Income Taxes. Note that this map uses data from 2015. Taxes have increased substantially since then, but the relative differences between the states are still about the same. (Graphic courtesy of Maptitude / Caliper.com.) The thumbnail image below is click-expandable, for detailed viewing. — Please send your graphic ideas to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.
“We have a system that increasingly taxes work and subsidizes nonwork.” – Milton Friedman
On April 14, 1902, James Cash Penney opened his first store, The Golden Rule Store, in Kemmerer, Wyoming. His enterprise eventually grew into a large chain of J.C. Penney stores. — On this day in 1865, just after the effective end of the American Civil War, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth while attending a production at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., and died the next morning. — On April 14, 1828 Noah Webster published An American Dictionary of the English Language; based on the principle that word usage should evolve from the spoken language, the …
The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: The Clowns in D.C. Claim That The Federal Budget is “Sustainable” With One Trillion Dollars in New Debt Added Every 100 Days. And $870 Billion Just in Interest Payments in 2024 News Links: The U.S. national debt is rising by $1 trillion about every 100 days. Interest Costs on The National Debt. For comparison, the planned combined U.S. Military budget for 2024 is $842 billion — which is less than the national debt interest payments that will be made in 2024. — Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just …
“And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him. And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way …
On April 13, 1943, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial was dedicated in East Potomac Park on the south bank of the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C.. Jefferson was born April 13, 1743. (He died on July 4, 1826 just a few hours before the death of John Adams. How patriotic of both of them to pass away on the Fourth of July.) — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 112 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC are providing a store-wide 10% …
“Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not. Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide them into corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan. Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it. So the children went in and possessed …
On April 12, 1861, Fort Sumter, one of the few military installations in the South still in Federal hands, came under fire from Confederate guns in Charleston, South Carolina, thus initiating the American Civil War. April 12th is the birthday of the late novelist Tom Clancy. (Born 1947, died October 1, 2013). It was Clancy who almost single-handedly created the modern techno-thriller genre, with his first novel, The Hunt For Red October. Coincidentally, Tom Clancy’s first literary agent is now my agent, Robert Gottlieb. — Joshua at Ready Made Resources wrote to mention: “For the month of April, anyone placing …
Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at California’s $20 minimum wage law. (See the Economy & Finance section.) Precious Metals: Despite some profit-taking, the precious metals bull market is looking more solid with every passing week. At last glance, on Thursday evening, 11 April: Gold: $2,400.40, up 1.76% for the day. Another all-time high. Silver $28.95, up 2.01% for …
“No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth.” – Plato
On April 11, 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria confirmed the March Laws, which formed the foundation of the modern state of Hungary. Pictured is Buda Castle, in Hungary. (Creative Commons photo by Costel Slincu.) — Lieutenant Colonel George Vincent Fosbery VC (11 April 1832 – 8 May 1907) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was also a designer and inventor of firearms including the famous Webley-Fosbery revolver and the Paradox Gun. — Even …
SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, and examination of the advent of government surveillance cameras on private property. Government Cameras Hidden on Private Property Reader Robert W. mentioned this piece at AgWeb: Government Cameras …
