Letter Re: Four State Constitutional Amendments Renouncing Obamacare

Mr. Rawles, An interesting subtext in the latest elections is the that five states had amendments on the ballots, that attempt to prevent anyone from being required to purchase health care coverage such as Obamacare.   The measures passed in four of these states: Alabama, Missouri, Montana, and Wyoming.   A similar amendment failed to pass in Florida.   While generally a moot point as Federal law trumps (remember the Civil War, anyone)…this is an interesting perspective on the mood in some states. – R.T. JWR Replies: It is not surprising that two of those four states are in The American …


Economics and Investing:

New coinage composition: Cents action or delay? (Note that December 13, 2012 is the deadline for the report on the new minting recommendations.) Schrader: Farmland Values Remain Strong Across Spectrum of Quality and Location Argentines Prepare for Huge Anti-Government March Some interesting reading on legal tender paper currencies versus the Constitution: The Dollar, Revisited. Items from The Economatrix: German Calls For Gold Repatriation Intensify As Fed Refuses To Allow Inspection Hathaway:  Gold Set Up To Super-Surge To New All-Time Highs Investors Fear More Than Just A “Fiscal Cliff” McDonald’s Sales Drops For First Time Since 2003


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader M.E.W. suggested this essay by Dean Kalahar: America Has Sown the Seeds Of Its Own Demise    o o o How nice of them to wait until after the election to mention this: After Obama win, U.S. backs new U.N. arms treaty talks    o o o More legal trouble for Sheila Dixon, one of Mikey Bloomberg’s cabal of gun-grabbing, graft-greedy mayors: Former mayor charged with probation violation. (Thanks to G.G. for the link.) She called the charges “a setback”. (Coming up $15,000 short may nullify her sweetheart deal with the court, which had allowed her to keep her …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, [is] therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through …


Notes from JWR:

Today’s article is about the frustrations with the issuance procedures for concealed carry permits. It prompts me to make this introductory comment: Whenever someone must buy a license or pay a fee to exercise a right, then it is something less than a right. It is in fact a mere privilege, subject to the whim of petty bureaucrats. Fundamental rights are not abstract tokens that are given or sold by other men. They are in fact primary liberties bestowed upon us by God, our maker. Rights are not substantially secured by asking, “Mother may I?” of any government agency. Rights …


Experience with a Restrictive State Pistol Permit Process, by U.C.

First, I live in South Eastern Connecticut not by choice but due to my military obligations. Second, the day I get out of the military will be the last day I live here. I am heading back out West which is where I lived before I joined the military. Third, I survived Sandy just fine. I ensured I had 4G coverage before the storm: Generator, Gas, Grub and Gallons of water. I guess you could add Guns and make it 5G coverage. On to what I am writing about, the pistol permit process in a liberal / restrictive state. Here …


A Cottage Industry Suggestion: Holsters and Slings

It is well-reported that America is a land of 312 million people and somewhere between 310 million and 320 million guns. (There is no firm figure, because thankfully only a small fraction of Americans live in locales with gun registration.) Of those, there are about 80 million handguns in circulation. And of that 80 million, I would venture an educated guess that there are less than 50 million holsters, to match. This is because most handgun owners are not regular handgun carriers. The most lopsided “gun-to-holster” ratios are with .22 rimfire handguns, and large-frame, long-barreled revolvers. I suspect that perhaps …


Economics and Investing:

Yishai spotted this: Congratulations, Democrats: More Than 45 Companies Go Galt, Announce Mass Layoffs Peter Schiff: Another Stock Market Crash Looming: Get Out of The Stock Market NOW!! Peter Schiff: Much Bigger Collapse Is Coming, Worse Than Europe More charming news: Obama May Levy Carbon Tax to Cut U.S. Deficit, HSBC Says Why gun stocks soared after Obama’s win–In a repeat of 2008, traders anticipated an increase in firearm sales after the election. Items from The Economatrix: “Massive” Surge in Retail Purchases of Silver and Gold Gold Set for Longest Winning Run in Two Months on Obama Win Upbeat Consumers …


Odds ‘n Sods:

College Park man fights to keep vegetable garden in front yard. (Our thanks to frequent contributor H.L. for sending the link.)    o o o Is Pakistan’s Paranoia Pushing it Into a Nuclear War with India?    o o o Commercial airliner crash? Yes, it does matter where you sit. (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)    o o o Camping Survival has posted an instructional video on how to roast green coffee beans at home.    o o o Man-Eating Leopard Devours 15. (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because [there is] no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.” – Hosea 4:1-3 (KJV)


Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 43 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, 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 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any …


Visits to a LDS Cannery, by Mrs. R.L.B.

This is a little like a “how I spent my summer vacation” story, as I spent mine learning how to can the #10 cans of dried food at a local Latter Day Saints (Mormon) cannery.  The canneries are also referred to as Home Storage Centers.  I have to say up front, I have heard that different canneries may differ in policy regarding non-Mormons using their facilities, but I had the most wonderful experience in Reno with the good people of their cannery.  God bless them for welcoming me with open arms.    Let me explain briefly the “summer vacation” comment.  My …


Three Letters Re: Durable Paper For Printing Maps and Crucial Documents

JWR- Never mind the high tech paper that is bound to help increase a corporations quarterly profit margin and deplete your limited prepping budget…. Here is my input.   Tyvek used to make  various sized mailing envelopes and has replaced the old tan manila envelopes in many cases will work as a waterproof paper.  Granted you might need to use a sharpie or other permanent ink pen, but you can get these Tyvek’s  free of charge or close to it in many cases…If the outside of the envelope contains printing of some kind, turn it inside out and cut the paper …


Letter Re: Armed To The Teeth: Essential Survival Contingency

James, Unfortunately, I have to take issue with the recent article Armed To The Teeth: Essential Survival Contingency. [ In it, Michael S. puts undue weight on firearms.]  I would argue that this is a foolish and dangerously short-sighted view of preparedness.  Michael references his military experience as justification for this view without mentioning that an entire army stood behind him with a sophisticated logistics machine to provide resupply on a regular basis.  Of course bullets matter more than beans over short durations when you know more supplies are coming soon.  You can’t count on that in TEOTWAWKI.   Don’t get …


Two Letters Re: Hurricane Sandy After Action Reports

Sir: I am an 18 year old guy in a family of 8 in a suburban home 10 miles from the nearest city in central New Jersey.   We knew it was coming a week in advance. So did just about everyone in the tri-state area. There was no hiding the fact. Even with a looming election, Hurricane Sandy got “saturation media coverage”. Terms like “superstorm” , “catastrophic”, and “unprecedented” were being used in almost every Hurricane Sandy story. This storm was supposed to bring catastrophic damage to New Jersey and New York, with moderate rain, high winds, and an …