Odds ‘n Sods:

Don’t try this at home: How to jumpstart a car’s battery with AK47s. (Thanks to Mike Williamson for the link.)    o o o Reader S.O.L. spotted this warning of a potential power grid collapse in The Los Angeles Times: Power struggle: Green energy versus a grid that’s not ready    o o o Gwok’s Gulch? Mysterious China-themed ‘city’ proposed in New York’s Catskills. (Thanks to Pierre for the link.)    o o o The Tehama County Board of Supervisors voted 4 to 1 to place the Declaration and Petition to withdraw from the State of California on the June …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"An Avidity to punish is always dangerous to liberty. It leads men to stretch, to misinterpret, and to misapply even the best of laws. He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he a establishes a precedent that will reach to himself." – Thomas Paine (1795)



A Conversation with a TEOTWAWKI Survivor, by Rachel M.

It’s not every day I get the chance to visit with a TEOTWAWKI survivor – but when I do, I listen up. That opportunity presented itself yesterday, when I was privileged to interview Paul. An individual of small frame yet sizeable strength of mind and determination, Paul experienced the end of the world he knew and lived to help create a new one. Not only did he survive the collapse, but he proved to be a key leader and connector in his community as it struggled through the extended period of political upheaval, economic failure, widespread violence, and nefarious pillaging. …


Two Letters Re: Storing Whiskey For Barter

Mr. Rawles, The letter from Tom R. raised the question of stockpiling alcohol for trade.  While I have no moral opposition to alcohol consumption, and even keep a stock of wine and spirits for my own use, there are some practical drawbacks to stocking alcohol for barter.   First, unless a person has unlimited funds and storage space, it seems foolhardy to stock quantities of items which will not be used or consumed (precious metals excepted) in the normal course of daily post-SHTF activities.   A more rational course of action would be to stock quantities that would be used within the …


Economics and Investing:

The Twenty First Century Abolitionist Project: Slavery and Taxation by Bill Buppert John Mauldin: The Same People Who Brought Us The Great Financial Crisis Have Created A Dangerous New Paradigm: The Arsonists Are Running The Fire Brigade Puerto Rico, with at least $70 billion in debt, confronts a rising economic misery Items from The Economatrix: Wow – The Holiday Shopping Season Is Off To A Horrible Start The Average American Is Broke And Buying Things They Cannot Afford With Debt Again. Debt Based Consumer Financing Again Filling The Gap Of A Shrinking Middle Class. 15 Signs That We Are Near …


Odds ‘n Sods:

PrepperPress has kindly expanded their book giveaway for the SurvivalBlog Writing Contest to 24 books with the addition of the latest novel in Joe Nobody’s Holding Their Own series. (Volume VI: Bishop’s Song.)    o o o Brad S. suggested this: Allen West: EPA Engaging in Backdoor Gun Control    o o o Camping Survival is continuing their Mountain House storage food sale which ends December 8th. They are offering 25% off cases of #10 cans, 25% off cases of retort pouches and 15% off buckets. The sale is for full cases only.  They are only selling stock on hand, but …



Notes from JWR:

Today is the birthday of SurvivalBlog’s Back Country Editor, Mat Stein. This is also the birthday of Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, (born 1912) an AVG “Flying Tiger” volunteer pilot for the Chinese Nationalist government, WWII Marine Corps aviator, and Medal of Honor recipient. (He died January 11, 1988.) A proto-Redoubter, Pappy Boyington was born in Couer d’Alene Idaho and was raised in Spokane, Washington. The airport in Couer d’Alene is named in his honor. — Today we present another entry for Round 50 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $9,400+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) …


Our Daily Bread, by S.W.M.

Wheat, bread and wheat products are a staple among a majority of preppers. Yet improperly prepared bread can be problematic. Celiac disease and gluten intolerance is increasingly more common among Americans. Commercial breads are known to spike blood sugars after eating it, then causing blood sugars to crash, leaving the eater hungry and fatigued. This is a particular problem with diabetics. In a majority of diets bread is often one of the first items either restricted in the diet or removed altogether, due to its contribution to weight gain. From the internet post Naturally Leavened Bread by Jacques de Langre …


Letter Re: Using Pocket Hand Warmers for Storing Food in HDPE Buckets

Jim, A typical small chemical hand warmer packet [that employs an oxidation process] absorbs about 1.25 grams of O². (This was calculated from weighing on a lab scale.) So at 32 grams per mole for O² or 22.4 liters at standard temperature and pressure that is 32/22.4=1.4286 grams of O² per liter. Assuming O² in the air at 20%, a 5 gallon bucket (18.92 liters) would contain 1.4286 x 18.92 x 20% = 5.4 grams of O² It would take roughly 4 packets to absorb the O² in a 5 gallon HDPE bucket at 1.25 grams per packet if the …


Economics and Investing:

Which Currency Is Up Over 9000% This Year and Sells for Almost as Much as an Ounce of Gold? Easy money? $3 trillion headache on the way for corporations. (A hat tip to H.L. for the link.) Greg P. sent: RBS admits decades of IT neglect after systems crash Items from The Economatrix: The New American Retirement Nightmare: Many Americans Find They Are Completely Unprepared For Retirement “We Are Playing Economic Russian Roulette” David Stockman Fears “Panic” When The “Lunatic” Fed “Loses Control”


Odds ‘n Sods:

The Adelphi University Center for Health Innovation national poll reveals that nearly half of U.S. adults do not have the resources and plans in place in the event of disaster.    o o o G.G. suggested: Decaying area of Detroit being transformed into the ‘world’s largest urban farm’    o o o Farmer builds a house for just £150 using materials he found in skips… and the current tenant pays their rent in milk.    o o o Defiant 76-year-old woman dies in shootout with gang of three who tried to rob her of bingo money



Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 50 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $9,400+ 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 for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) …