Economics and Investing:

Michael W. sent the latest coin debasement news: Stivers losing patience with reluctance to change change And speaking of nickels: The Nickel-Hoarding Billionaire. Here is a key quote: “‘Not gold futures. You need physical gold,’ Bass declared to Lewis. When the author asked Bass what investment advice he would offer to his mother, the reply was a blunt ‘Guns and gold.’ Want to invest like one of the most successful hedge fund managers of the 21st century? You might not be able to afford gold, but anyone who buys firearms, ammo and nickels at face value will be doing a …


Odds ‘n Sods:

More X Class solar flares soon?    o o o Water War Ahead? Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) sent us this: U.S., Mexico: The Decline of the Colorado River    o o o Peter H. was the first of several readers to send me a link to the developers of a backcountry tablet called Earl: A waterproof, e-ink, solar powered tablet with built in weather sensors, MURS, GMRS, and FRS radio, plus AM/FM/shortwave. It has GPS and preloaded topo maps for US, Canada, and Mexico. Here is a preliminary review. (Thanks to G.G. for the latter link.)    …



Notes from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 46 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The 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.) D.) a $300 …


America’s Sheeple Have Been Shifted into a Smaller Corral, With No Commotion

Consider the implications of some recent events in America: The entire city of Boston is locked down under the equivalent of martial law, and house-to-house searches are conducted in one neighborhood without warrants. No uproar. No publicized post facto inquiries. John Corzine is not prosecuted for stealing more than a billion dollars from farmers and ranchers at MF Global. Nary a peep from the mainstream media. An Out-of-state “Marketplace Fairness Act” sales tax bill is ramrodded through the Senate. No uproar. The Fast and Furious scandal results in NO high-level dismissals from the BATFE or Justice Department, even though it …


How I Spent $55 to Study for Two Ham Licenses, Pass the Exams, and Buy a Transceiver, by Allen C.

Until recently I thought of ham radio much like a boat or swimming pool.  Having known amateur radio operators most of my life, I saw it as something that was better to have a friend with one than expend the time and expense myself.  One of the first things I did after purchasing my retreat land was obtain the addresses of licensees in my area from the FCC database and plot them on a map just in case I need to seek their assistance later.  Having acreage in a secluded community deep in the wooded mountains of Appalachia means cell …


Letter Re: Selecting a Prepper’s Firearms

JWR, In response to the letter about swapping out devices that use button batteries, I would point out that some EOTech holographic sights use standard AA batteries, that are easily recharged. The EOTech 512 is an example. These sights are robust, easy to use and stay calibrated through heavy use.  Combined with the Sanyo Eneloop AA batteries the EOTech sight would be useful for many years to anyone with a solar battery charger. The Eneloop batteries can be recharged over 1,500 times and unlike other rechargeables, they maintain 75% of their charge after three years of storage. While the EOTech …


Economics and Investing:

Derivatives warning from Bill Fleckenstein: Markets Could Be On The Verge Of A ‘Blowup’ Thanks To Japan. (Thanks to B.R.G. for the link.) Andrew in England forwarded a link to some more claptrap from the Wall Street cheering section: Why Doomsters Who Predict The Collapse Of Money Are Wrong. These pundidiots see nothing wrong with tripling the money supply in less than three years. Someday they will wish they learned how to sprout beans. And here is an opposing view: Author Dmitry Orlov on why he believes the U.S. is on the brink of collapse…and how to survive it. (SurvivalBlog’s …


Odds ‘n Sods:

John E. sent this disturbing news: Pentagon Unilaterally Grants Itself Authority Over ‘Civil Disturbances’    o o o Seed for Security is now offering a free Garden Security Collection with every order $75 or more. This collection features six generous packets of high protein, calorie dense, easy to grow, open pollinated vegetable seeds. This offer is for a limited time.    o o o Buddy mentioned this: Homeowner wounds suspect during shoot-out in SW Houston. (Summary: A home invasion robber forces a homeowner into his closet. But this is the closet where he keeps his guns. Predictable outcome ensues.)    …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The price of gold is headed for extinction. I for one don’t believe that the price of gold is headed for five digits. Long before that might happen, permanent backwardation would shut down the gold futures markets. Gold could no longer be purchased at any price. Gold would only be available through barter. World trade is facing an avalanche-like transformation flattening out monetary economy into barter economy. Practically all economists, financial writers and market analysts have missed this possible scenario. They don’t see the greatest economic contraction ever staring them in the face. They don’t see the coming tsunami of …


Notes from JWR:

This is the last day of Camping Survival’s Mountain House Sale. They are offering Mountain House nitrogen-packed cans at 25% off and pouches and long term storage HDPE buckets at 15% off. Order before midnight eastern time tonight. (May 15, 2013.) — Today we present another entry for Round 46 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The 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 …


Simple Portable Stoves, by Carolyn P.

The survivalist movement is growing at great rate today.  You only have to read some of the articles posted in this blog to know that.  But with all the fancy accruements available today some of the more fun and lowly survival items are overlooked.  Among them: The hobo and emergency pocket stoves. These are so much fun to make, and so easy.  I remember first seeing them in an ancient tiny camping book from the 1960’s.  The book itself was a hoot.  When I cracked the book open the faded and almost crunchy yellowed pages revealed what I thought was …


Letter Re: Selecting a Prepper’s Firearms

James Wesley, I have found red dot scopes to be real helpful, and great for target shooting and plinking.  The problem of course are the [button] batteries. I have a cheap red dot on one of my [Ruger] 10/22 fun plinking gun.  Everyone loves it.  However, too Many times I have left the sight turned on only to have a useless device atop my rifle. I have spent much money on the special “photo type” batteries for these illuminated scopes (with and without reticles). Those scopes that have a regular reticle and the option of illumination is not as catastrophic …


Update on Chris Duane, SBSS, and Mulligan Mint

On Monday (May 13, 2013) I did my best to intervene and help mediate between Chris Duane and the Mulligan Mint to get them back to the bargaining table. I even suggested some potential terms of agreement. But they are still deadlocked. I’m afraid that this won’t be resolved until their controversy goes to formal mediation or to court. This is a very sad situation. I was hoping that they’d be willing to quickly settle this like gentlemen, but the rhetoric (at least on one side) has become so vitriolic that I don’t foresee an amicable resolution anytime soon. The …


Economics and Investing:

Reader F.G. sent: Ruger to Open Third Plant – Expansion for New Guns B.B. mentioned this by Lord Monckton: The Dollar and the USA are Toast Federal Reserve ZIRP has essentially destroyed household income growth: Households headed by those 45 to 54 see their real household income growth drop by 16 percent from 1999. Items from The Economatrix: Over at Mac Slavo’s excellent SHTFPlan blog: The Mathematical Reality Is We Are Losing Over 600,000 Jobs Per Month That Have Been Hidden From View Generation J(obless):  A Quarter Of The Planet’s Youth Is Neither Working Nor Studying Visualizing the Collapse of …