Economics and Investing:

This hardly comes as news to most SurvivalBlog readers: Fed: Americans’ wealth dropped 40 percent. Stepping back to look at the big picture, we must ask: Cui bono? The banksters certainly haven’t lost much money, since the government obligingly bailed them out with taxpayer funds. Greek Blackouts Risked As Power Companies’ Cash Runs Out: Energy. (Thanks to Dennis M. for the link.) Who really benefits from credit derivatives? Tyler Durden of Zero Hedge: The ‘Big Reset’ Is Coming: Here Is What To Do The more the government tries to “fix” things, the more that it fouls things up: China tariffs …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Pierre M. recommended Rural Heritage magazine.    o o o The book X-Events: The Collapse of Everything by John L. Casti will be released today. I recently received a review copy and I can vouchsafe that it is a book worth reading. Casti is a great author, and while a couple of the scenarios are far-fetched (such as “gray goo”), many of them will be of great interest to SurvivalBlog readers. Here is a summary: “X-Events provides a provocative tour of the catastrophic outlier scenarios that could quickly send us crashing back to the preindustrial age: global financial “black swans”; …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"In politics, few talents are as richly rewarded as the ability to convince parasites that they are victims. Welfare states on both sides of the Atlantic have discovered that largesse to losers does not reduce their hostility to society, but only increases it. Far from producing gratitude, generosity is seen as an admission of guilt, and the reparations as inadequate compensation for injustices – leading to worsening behavior by the recipients." – Dr. Thomas Sowell


Notes from JWR:

Founders: A Novel of the Coming Collapse will be released in just three months (on September 25, 2012.) I just noticed that someone has already kindly created a Wikipedia page for the novel. OBTW, please wait until the release date to order your copy. Thanks! To answer the folks who’ve been writing to ask me about the storyline: I can say this, without revealing any spoilers: Founders is contemporaneous with both Patriots and Survivors. It is set primarily in Kentucky and Tennessee. There are also sub-plots for Ken and Terry Layton’s cross-country epic journey (in detail.) There is also a …


L.K.O.’s Product Review: PocketPanel 6 Watt Portable Solar USB Phone Charger and Cinch Power CP505S Power Pack

In early January 2012, I began thoroughly testing the Pocket Panel: 6 Watt Portable Solar USB Phone Charger and the Cinch Power: CP505S Power Pack (USB Battery). These two products team up to make a compact, lightweight, portable power solution for USB powered devices such as cell phones, GPSes, digital cameras, bluetooth headsets, games, PDAs, MP3/MP4 players or small LED lamps. After a review of the individual components, I’ll summarize some quick system tests. Pocket Panel: 6 Watt Portable Solar USB Phone Charger The PocketPanel photovoltaic solar charger is rated at 6 Watts and 1.2 Amps. Reviews on the company’s …


Pat’s Product Review: New Ammo Offerings From Buffalo Bore

For the past several months, Tim Sundles, who runs Buffalo Bore Ammunition has buried me in some of his newest ammunition offerings. Somehow, I think he doesn’t like me. He just keeps coming up with more and more new loads for hunters and for self-defense use, for me to test. Seriously, I don’t know of any ammunition company, that is as innovative as Buffalo Bore is. Some of the big name ammo companies might come up with a couple new loads each year – if that. Most are content to sit back on their past accomplishments – not Tim Sundles!   …


Letter Re: Development of Montana and Idaho Economies

Jim: Can you give me your thoughts on Montana and Idaho for business development, state of the state’s employment, state government’s interest in business development, general thoughts on state and personal wealth, state budget woes if any? I’m wondering would the government mentality in Montana would be inclined towards establishing world and nationally recognized things in some city center that would increase employment, tourism and their standing? (I’m thinking about Crystal Bridges Museum in Arkansas, Buffalo Bill Center in Cody, Wyoming., and even that odd Rock n-Roll Museum in Seattle. Things like that…. Do they already think that way? Would there …


Letter Re: Cashing Out of a Company Retirement

JWR, I would like to solicit an opinion from you, and maybe get some feedback from other SurvivalBlog readers should you elect to respond.  I was recently laid off from my job, and I will be pulling out my retirement savings from their troubled retirement fund.  I had already planned to move it into silver to protect it from the inevitable future crash.  I am well aware of all the conventional wisdom regarding retirement planning, but I am considering putting this money towards purchasing land that will move my family and me much closer to my goal of off-grid self-sufficiency.  …


Letter Re: Curious Postal and Common Carrier Drivers

James Wesley: I was wondering if you could pose the question of “mail-order stuff” to the UPS or Fed-Ex drivers that read SurvivalBlog. Have they been told to “see something-say something”? Thanks, – Ed S. JWR Replies: I haven’t heard anything definitive on that topic in recent years. I’d appreciate UPS and FedEx drivers chiming in. FWIW, I should mention that David Koresh (of Waco) first came to the attention of the BATF because a UPS driver reported seeing “grenade casings” protruding from a ripped cardboard box that was sent to the Waco church address.  Well, those were actually inert …


Recipe of the Week:

Brad’s Budget Artisan Bread   In the spirit of sharing, I thought I would offer a recipe for bread that high-end bakeries charge a lot of money. You will need the following reusable items (and after these purchases sit is very inexpensive): Baking (aka Pizza) Stone Pizza Peel (The thing you slide pizza into an oven with, but you could use the back or a sheet pan if you flour or corn meal it well so the dough can slide off easily) Food grade container or tub with a lid (not air tight, but so it will keep stuff out) …


Economics and Investing:

R.C. sent this: Ready or Not, Stagflation Is Here Reader Sue C. suggested this: Insight: In Greece, a Painful Return to Country Roots Peter S. spotted this piece by Mish Shedlock: Monopoly Money vs. Bernanke Money, is There a Difference? Argentina loses a third of its dollar deposits. (Thanks to Pierre M. for the link.) G.G. flagged this: CBO: Federal debt to double in 15 years–Fiscal challenges worst since WWII Also from G.G.: Regulators close four banks in four states; makes 28 US bank failures so far this year Items from The Economatrix: US Factory Orders Post Surprise Fall in …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Pantry Paratus has announced a discounted bonus package for buyers of All American Pressure Canners. For just $25, with the purchase of an All American Pressure Canner they will include their new “Pantry Paratus Canning Starter Kit”(a $62.90 value) that has the following in it: • 1 Box Tattler Reusable Canning Lids–Wide Mouth • 1 Box Tattler Reusable Canning Lids–Regular • 1 Package of canning labels • 1 Canning chart magnet • 1 6 piece Canning Essentials Tool Set • 1 Set, JarBOX tote Note that this offer expires on June 15th, 2012, so order soon.    o o o …



Notes from JWR:

I just heard that Bob Chapman passed away, from pancreatic cancer. Bob will be remembered as the publisher of the excellent International Forecaster newsletter. He worked tirelessly as a market analyst since 1967, producing his newsletter twice a week. His wisdom will be greatly missed. Earlier in life, Bob was Army Intelligence officer who worked primarily in counterintelligence. Radio talk show host Vincent Finelli summed up the loss of Bob Chapman quite aptly, when he wrote: “Bob Chapman dispelled the lies, exposed the corruption, named the names, and is our hero of the truth.” I also heard that The International …


Marksmanship Basics and Beyond, by Evan W.

In a TEOTWAWKI situation, the ability to shoot accurately from a distance could be the difference between eating healthy high protein game, and not eating at all, or it could be the difference between protecting your loved ones, and being raided and attacked by bandits. Beyond just being able to shoot accurately, learning to be a marksman teaches focus, patience, determination, and consistency – valuable skills for any survivalist and in any survival situation. In marksmanship, the goal is to minimize the input of your body on the firing action of the gun. Imagine that you are relaxing your muscles …