Letter Re: Lessons From The Polar Vortex Invasion

Dear Mr. Rawles, This week has been a wake-up call for me. Living in the Deep South, I have never worried too much about being too cold. We have made quilts and have had many quilts passed down to us when my wife and I married. We had more quilts given to us when our daughter was born. But, our electric heat pump loses its efficiencies when the temperature is below freezing. Using natural gas is not cheap and the price varies based on the economic principals of supply and demand. We have never had to worry about our pets …


Economics and Investing:

C.J.A. spotted this news: One Week Into 2014, UK Royal Mint Runs Out Of Gold Coins North Carolina Sheriff Swaps Out 2 Vintage Tommy Guns for 88 new ARs. (Thanks to T.P. for the link.) Dr. Paul Craig Roberts-U.S. Markets Rigged by its Own Authorities–It Blows the Mind Items from The Economatrix: Doug Casey: “We’re Really Close To The Edge Of The Precipice” A The Prepper Podcast: Three Warning Signs That A Financial Crash Is Imminent Here Is The Most Frightening Prediction For 2014


Odds ‘n Sods:

Outbreak of ‘nightmare bacteria’ in Illinois stirs worry. (Thanks to C.D.V. for the link.)    o o o Mexican Vigilante Gunmen Disarm Local Police So They Can Rid Town of Feared Drug Cartel. (A hat tip to H.L. for the link.)    o o o California Gun Law Paves the Way for Confiscation: Starting in 2014, the state will keep a list of every gun owner and the specific guns each person buys. (This explains the rush to buy long guns before December 31st.)    o o o Huge Solar Flare Delays Private Rocket Launch to Space Station until Thursday. …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"What is the meaning of a gold standard and a redeemable currency?  It represents integrity.  It insures the people’s control over the government’s use of the public purse.  It is the best guarantee against the socialization of a nation.  It enables a people to keep the government and banks in check.  It prevents currency expansion from getting ever farther out of bounds until it becomes worthless.  It tends to force standards of honesty on government and bank officials.  It is the symbol of a free society and an honorable government.  It is a necessary prerequisite to economic health.  It is …


Notes from JWR:

January 8th is the birthday of the late Algis Budrys (born 1931, died June 9, 2008.) He was the Lithuanian-American science fiction author who wrote the classic survivalist novel Some Will Not Die. — Today we present another entry for Round 50 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $9,700+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted …


Maintaining Good Morale, by Audax

If you take prepping seriously, you’ve probably stored up quite the array of supplies—or are at least working diligently at it.  You may have even downloaded the Excel spreadsheet found on Survival Blog, and if you’re like me, you might have been slightly overwhelmed at first, at the number of things that are necessary in order to really become self-sufficient in the case of a SHTF scenario.  For those of us who are actively preparing for whatever may come, prepping is a never-ending exercise in gathering, training and building.  In between all of these prepping activities, however, sometimes we forget …


Who Shall Protect Us?, by Shepard Humphries

Imagine you and your family are asleep in your home and at 2am you hear a downstairs glass window breaking.  You hear voices laughing and cursing, saying that they are going to F-Up you and your family.  Based on the historical length of violent encounters, you know that this whole violent situation will likely be over in 1 to 3 minutes. This is not a pleasant scenario, but I am setting the stage for you to do a mental exercise.  I will not give you solutions; rather you will.  As Gavin DeBecker describes in his must-read book, “The Gift of …


Economics and Investing:

From SurvivalBlog’s Poet Laureate G.G.: U.S. Mint’s Silver Coin Sales Hit Record High Jim Rickards: Gold: Declining Prices Versus Skyrocketing Demand Items from The Economatrix: Going Under: Over One Million Lose Unemployment Benefits – Will Hit Five Million By End of 2014 Comparing The Inflated Cost Of Living Today From 1938 to 2013: How The US Dollar Has Lost Incredible Purchasing Power Since 1938 “The Biggest Redistribution Of Wealth From The Middle Class And Poor To The Rich Ever” Explained…


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Pierre M. sent: Break Up: Will California splinter into six states? Voters, Congress could soon decide. [JWR’s Comments: Looking at the way their proposed state lines are drawn, it would appear that three of the new states would be libertarian/conservative while the other three would be statist/liberal. California’s present two senate seats are currently held by ultra-liberals. They would be succeeded by 12 senators — and presumably that would mean six libertarians/conservatives and six statists/liberals.] While the plan might seem like giving inordinate political power to the populace of what is now the single state of California, this fragmentation …



Notes from JWR:

For those who are waiting, be advised that the updated and expanded SurvivalBlog 2005-2013 Archive DVD should be available for ordering before the end of January. It will include even more bonus content than previous editions. — Today is the birthday of several notables: Senator Rand Paul (born 1963), Cresson Kearny (born 1914, died December 18, 2003), and Bent Faurschou-Hviid (born 1921, died October 18, 1944.) “The Flame” was a red-haired Danish resistance fighter in the Holger Danske Group during World War II. His exploits were dramatized in the movie Flame and Citron. — Today we present another entry for …


Building Your Own No-FFL AR From an 80% Complete Receiver, by Nomad

We live in very uncertain times. For some people, myself included, those times of uncertainty include anything from some financial hardship, to total economic ruin. In knowing this simple truth, I am inspired to share my knowledge and expertise concerning firearms preparedness: in particular, the AR-15 platform and a truly inexpensive option to owning one that is on-par with buying a much less versatile bolt-action rifle. For many of us struggling to make ends meet, an entry-level AR-15 is priced far beyond anything we can hope to afford. Starting at around $800 before background checks, taxes and licensing fees, the …


Letter Re: Diabetics in Disaster

Mr Rawles, I read Meir L.’s “Diabetics in Disaster,” and I found the post very thorough and informative. I just wanted to add a few tips: 1) Cinnamon and Cranberries are a natural way to lower your blood sugar level. Additionally, there is an over the counter supplement called Cinnergen that is a mix of the two in a liquid form. 2) Remember artificial sweetener. Coffee and tea can be bitter and undrinkable without sugar. Also, growing sorghum is a great alternative to sugar, and it can be replaced after the SHTF. Read more at The Mother Earth News and …


News From The American Redoubt:

I heard about a company in Rexburg, Idaho with a clever spin on working around magazine capacity restrictions: Maghack.com. (Note: Folks who live in self-defense oppressed states should consult their state and local before ordering.)    o o o Meanwhile, in Wyoming, the law of averages catches up with them: Woman shot at Lowe’s after gun drops from holster. (Or at least, that was their story…)    o o o Idaho’s version of “reindeer” more elusive than ever    o o o New Year Likely To Bring More ‘Megaload’ Fights


Economics and Investing:

The latest video from Peter Schiff: We Have A Phony Economic Recovery More hilarious commentary from Richard Daughty: Cosmically Timeless Mogambo Monetary And Investment Wisdom (CTMMAIW) H.L. sent: Portugal’s Baby Bust Is A Stark Sign Of Hard Times Items from The Economatrix: How Will The Economy Improve In 2014 If Almost Everyone Has Less Money To Spend? The Great Income Divide: IRS Data Shows 50 Percent Of Households Make Less Than $35,000 Per Year. Top 10 Percent Pay 68 Percent Of Income Taxes. Market Crash In the Works: “A Canary May Have Just Keeled Over”