Penny and Nickel Debasement Bill Introduced in U.S. Congress

Reader Joe K. sent this news link: Bill Seeks Steel Cents, Nickels, Dimes, and Quarters. Note that the bill’s main sponsors are from Ohio, which is a steel manufacturing state. But this legislation is more than just grandstanding. Unlike similar legislation in previous sessions of congress, this new bill will probably gain traction in the current congress, since the government has now been losing money with the seigniorage costs of pennies and nickels for many years. Well, I’ve been warning you since 2009, folks. While this bill is still in committee, I suspect that a coinage composition change will take …


Letter Re: Prepping, World-Wide?

Mr. Rawles; I had a conversation with a friend and the question came up: “I wonder how the rest of the world is on prepping or is it mostly just the US?” Can you shed some light on that by any chance? Thanks, – P.W. JWR Replies: Preparedness is indeed catching on, globally. Just look at the visits map for SurvivalBlog. (We have had visits from 200 countries!) Granted, survivalism is primarily a phenomenon of the English-speaking world, but there is also considerable interest in France, Germany, Russia, Japan, and in the Scandinavian countries. And there probably would be greater …


Economics and Investing:

Reader C.D.V. suggested this article: Spain Is Beyond Doomed: The Two Scariest Unemployment Charts Ever M.E.W. sent: Run on Guns: AR-15s Sales Soar. JWR’s Comment: A modern battle rifle is a great example of a practical, barterable tangible investment. You can only shoot a bad guy with a Krugerrand with the aid of a sling shot, and that constitutes a very inefficient use of resources. M.M. sent this ominous news from Canada: Conservative 2013 Budget May Allow Banks to Confiscate Customer’s Deposits Items from The Economatrix: Jim Rogers:  Every Government Debasing Their Currency, Gold Going Much Higher The Global Economy …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader C.W. forwarded some very scary news: Perhaps just one mutation away from fast transmission human to human transmission? H7N9 Carries Genes from Rare H9N2, H7N3, H4N9, H11N9 Bird Flu Viruses. Here is a quote: “This finding implies that H7N9 viruses have partially acquired human receptor-binding specificity. All of the H7N9 human isolates examined contained a lysine residue at position 627 in the PB2 protein. It is well known that this lysine residue contributes to the replication and transmission of avian influenza viruses in mammalian hosts. It is likely that the acquisition of this lysine in H7N9 viruses during their …



Notes from JWR:

Today is the birthday of science fiction novelist Larry Niven. (Born, 1938.) Along with Jerry Pournelle, he co-authored the survivalist classic Lucifer’s Hammer. April 30th is also the birthday of futurist and computer industry writer Ed Yourdon. (Born, 1944.) — 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. …


Sewing, Mending and Altering Your Clothing After the Ball Drops, by Belle

My husband, children and I live in a largely off-grid community in the desert southwest.  We live on forty acres with solar power, a water well and water catchment.  We garden and live with chickens and are adding skills to our new life style all of the time.  My husband does not like for me to be too specific, but I outlined some of our lifestyle changes in an article on trash in July 2012. This article is about clothing.  It is about sewing and mending and altering.  I know you’d rather read about AR-15’s, but IMHO, clothing is going …


Letter Re: One Year Food Supply at COSTCO

James, What is you opinion of the “30,144 Total Servings 4-people 1-year Emergency Food Kit” now at the COSTCO website? Are the shelf lifes realistic? (Are they really long term storage kinds of foods?) What can you tell me about the company that makes them? Are they legit? Is this price realistic? I appreciate your sage counsel. Thanks, -Walt G. JWR Replies: The THRIVE brand foods are packaged by Shelf Reliance, a very reputable company that has been a SurvivalBlog advertiser for many years. Unlike many of their competitors, they do their nitrogen packing under controlled conditions. (Tests have shown …


Letter Re: Building Cabins on a Shoestring Budget

Dear CPT Rawles, This letter is provided as a reply to your reader who wrote in about “Building Cabins on a Shoestring Budget”. There are two viewpoints to this reply, one from the vantage point of an architect with a couple dozen years of real world design and construction experience as though one of my clients was cabin builder whom I was trying to advise, solely for a cost effective, build – as-you-go, off grid home solution. The second vantage point is that of a fellow prepper, former Army National Guard Infantry Lieutenant, and in my present role as an …


News From The American Redoubt:

Now it’s Oregon Senate’s turn to vote on gun laws. If the ban on private party gun sales is enacted, it may prove to be “The last straw” and trigger a partition of the conservative counties east of the Cascades.    o o o Errant gunshot’s shrapnel wounds two men at Idaho gun show.    o o o Ban Idaho! (Thanks to Ben H. for the link.)    o o o There are still several pro-gun pieces of legislation pending in Montana, including permitless concealed carry. Montanans should contract their representatives, to encourage the passage of these bills. The Wyoming/Arizona/Alaska/Vermont-style …


Economics and Investing:

This confirms my assertion: The Spot Price of Precious Metals Is Becoming Irrelevant Pete H. sent this from Paul Farrell: 10 investing rules for the coming bond crash The drawn out impact of quantitative easing on real estate: Japanese real estate continues to struggle while Bank of Japan expands monetary base. JWR’s Comment: Back in the 1930s, folk comedian Will Rogers was famous for saying: “Buy land: They ain’t making any more of it.” The modern-day corollary is: “Avoid Dollars: They can make as many of them as they want to.” Items from The Economatrix: Jim Willie: Physical Gold Premiums …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Stopping the Common Core curriculum freight train    o o o A clever new product with a seven year shelf life: New Ovaeasy Pop and Cook Eggs at CampingSurvival.com. You can order them here.    o o o Today Marcus Hook Pennsylvania Mayor James “Jay” Schiliro is scheduled to get his first day in court. He is one of many hypocritical members of Mayors Against Illegal Guns who is in serious trouble with the law. In his case it was providing alcohol to someone under 21, attempted homosexual seduction, and unlawful imprisonment, at gunpoint. Mayor Bloomberg certainly has collected a …



Notes from JWR:

Ready Made Resources just started a 25% off sale on Mountain House canned long term storage foods. Check it out! — The volatility in the precious metals markets is continuing, with some dramatic intra-day swings in spot prices. My long-standing advice has been “buy on a dip day”, but perhaps presently it should be: buy on a dip hour. Once silver resumes its bull charge–past $30 and then the $40 per troy ounce, you will be glad that you “bought low.” OBTW, sales have been very strong for the new American Redoubt .999 fine silver coin. These very attractive 1-ounce …


Pat’s Product Review: Ruger SR556E

I’ve always been a big fan of Ruger firearms – all of them! There’s many reasons for my liking Ruger firearms, first of all, I find their firearms robust, strong and well-designed. Ruger doesn’t simply copy some other designs for the most part – instead, they are innovators in many ways. I still remember when the first Ruger P-85 9mm handguns came out, and everyone thought they wouldn’t last because they were made from “investment casting” aluminum frames- Ruger proved everyone wrong.   A few years ago, I tested the Ruger SR556 piston-driven AR-style rifle, and loved it. Everyone was …