Category: Current Events & Politics

Preparing for Another Battle Rifle Ban, by Michael Z. Williamson

As many people will remember from the last “Assault Weapons” Ban (AWB) [in the US, which was effective from September, 1994 to September, 2004] there was a time window before the law took effect. Once it took effect, however, pre-ban purchased receivers could not legally be built into “assault weapons” unless they were in AW “format” before the ban took effect. So what does one do to get around this? It’s a rather silly technicality, but so are a lot of other legal issues. In this case, your stockpiled receivers need to be in AW “format” before any ban takes …


Letter Re: The Real Threat is Deflation

Greetings Jim, As always you have such great content on your site – I find myself constantly looking for “tomorrow’s” post today as I end my evening on the West Coast. Regarding the post by David R: ‘The Real Threat Is Deflation’, I’d like to mention a great article over on www.Mises.org called ‘Falling Prices Are The Antidote To Deflation’. Thanks to your guiding me towards studying and understanding the Austrian School of Economics, this web site has become, like yours, one that I seek out with my morning coffee. Another great article recently posted on their web site, and …


Two Letters Re: The Thin Blue Line

Jim: On the topic of SHTF scenarios like [the Post-Rodney King Verdict riots in] Los Angeles and Hurricane Katrina, YouTube has many videos detailing this that your readers might find are worth revisiting. It’s one thing to talk about it, another to actually see it all again: Los Angeles Riots, Looting, and a Gunfight in Koreatown LA Riots – Korean Store Owners Prepare for Showdown Hurricane Katrina New Orleans, 08/28/2005 Massive Evacuation Hurricane Katrina Looters, A Few of Them Were Police Officers After Hurricane Katrina, Desperation at the Convention Center Regards, – The Survivalist   James, I remain very skeptical …


The Inauguration Factor: What Will Happen to Battle Rifle and Magazine Prices in 2009 and Beyond?

There is much conjecture in shooting publications and online forums about BHO‘s upcoming inauguration. Some (myself included) have predicted that the new Administration will unleash a flurry of executive orders in their first few week. Among these will likely be a ban on semi-automatic firearms and so-called “high capacity” magazines. This may be followed soon after by the permanent re-enactment of the 1994-to-2004 Federal “Assault weapons” ban. Alas, probably too late, HK plans to build and sell their “416”-style uber-railed MR556 and MR762 rifles in the United States. The scheduled release date is “sometime in late 2009” That is the …


Letter Re: The Real Threat is Deflation

Mr. Rawles, I greatly respect your advice and columns on most matters yet I continue to see people like yourself claiming we are facing an inflationary holocaust. People in the inflationary camp point to the size of the Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB) or the rate or printing as if that number alone meant something. You cannot take that number alone, sir, but must measure it against the value of assets that have been destroyed by the deflation going on around you. The total inflationary pulse from Europe, Japan, and the US thus far is approximately $7.5 trillion as best …


Four Letters Re: The Thin Blue Line

JWR, [In his article “The Thin Blue Line”,] Deputy W. makes a very good observation about the tipping point when law enforcement retreats to protect their own families. This situation has occurred twice in recent history here in the U.S., during the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles in 1992 and most recently in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina. I lived through the riots in L.A., as well as two earthquakes and would like to share some of what I learned from this experience. The fact I want to impress on SurvivalBlog readers is that they will …


Inflation, Taxes, and Self-Sufficiency

I recently received an e-mail from T.F. in Utah, who quipped: “They tell us that inflation is now non-existent. Well, how many years of deflation will it take to get prices back to where they once were? It is noteworthy that the average annual property tax on a house on a city lot now exceeds the entire land purchase price and construction cost of a comparable square footage house, in 1890.” Inflation is indeed insidious. And its has implications that are far-reaching. For example, consider the following: Creeping tax increases one of the reasons that it is now nearly impossible …


Letter Re: Documentary Film Producer Seeking Interview Subjects

Dear SurvivalBlog Readers: I can’t thank you all enough for the numerous responses to my earlier posting. It’s a pleasure meeting you all and reading about your different approaches to survival and a preparedness mentality. I have been doing my best to respond to all of your emails, but wanted to let you know if you haven’t heard back from me directly, it is not due to a lack of interest, but more the logistics of responding to the volume! I have read through all of the emails that have come my way and encourage those who haven’t responded but …


The Thin Blue Line, by Deputy W.

The “Thin Blue Line”. It describes something much greater than the title of a second rate movie. It describes the thin blue line of civilian law enforcement officers that is the only thing that separates America from utter chaos. It is not too difficult to imagine what would happen if that thin blue line were to disappear or become overwhelmed. A scary thought indeed, but one that you are already thinking about since you are reading SurvivalBlog. Yet, we are alarmingly close to just such a scenario. As most readers of SurvivalBlog know, our modern Western society is extremely complex, …


Letter Re: Seattle Area Isolated Because of Flooding

Hello Jim: Well, the weather hits for the Pacific Northwest keep on coming and lessons still need to be learned. As I type this, the entire Western Washington region is cut off. That’s right! All three open passes across the Cascades to the east have been closed due to avalanche and flooding concerns, flooding has cut off I-5 between Portland and the state capitol of Olympia and Western B.C. is cut off from blocked passes in that region. All official roadways have been closed in Western Washington key areas due to flood and washout concerns. The news is reporting that …


Letter Re: CNN to Air I.O.U.S.A. Today and Tomorrow

James, This coming weekend, CNN will broadcast a program called I.O.U.S.A. It’s a documentary about the United States debt – which is out of control, an expose on just how bad our current economic crisis is. Karen and I believe that becoming educated about what is possibly the biggest problem in our lifetimes – is critical. So we write this email to you today hoping you’ll watch this program and get involved. If we sit idly-by and watch from the sidelines as our Federal Government continues to spend our hard earned tax dollars – in an out of control fashion, …


Letter Re: Documentary Film Producer Seeking Interview Subjects

Hello to the Readers of SurvivalBlog: I do hope you’ll consider the following request. I produce documentaries for a company called Engel Entertainment We have been around for more than a dozen years, and have a solid track record producing award-winning and highly rated programming for all of the major broadcasters (the History Channel, the Discovery Channel, PBS, National Geographic, etc.). My most recent film was a two-hour special for History Channel called “Black Blizzard”, about the American Dust Bowl (this is actually re-broadcasting this Friday night, January 9th, at 10 p.m. if you’d like to see a sample of …


Letter Re: Observations on Preparedness from a Gulf Coast Hurricane Veteran

Mr. Rawles, I just wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed your site. I had no idea that there were whole survivalist communities out there until I stumbled on a link by accident. In fact, I didn’t really know that I fit into that category myself. My wife and I live on the Gulf Coast and we discovered the hard way during Hurricane Rita that a bag of trail mix and a bottle of water, was not preparing to evacuate. Eighteen hours in traffic in a hundred and fifty mile traffic jam taught us to find the …


Our 2009 Predictions, by Roger Wiegand

We think we now have enough data from both the fundamentals and technicals to make some serious forecasts and predictions for 2009. While 2008 was a nasty year when lots of things imploded, they are far from being repaired. Treasury Secretary Paulson told us this week there are no more surprises, which tells me we haven’t even discovered but a small portion of this monster derivative mess. His ripping-off of the taxpayers to the tune of $700 billion is only a warm-up. However, the larger question for traders and investors is what could happen next and when. In the following …


Letter Re: The U.S. Expatriation Exit Tax

Hi JWR, Here’s another one for your readers. I’d heard of this “exit tax” a few months ago and it was completely ignored by the mainstream media (MSM). At first blush, it doesn’t appear to impact most people, i.e. only those over $4 million USD net worth for couples who renounce U.S. citizenship and leave. However, we all know how well the alternative minimum tax (AMT)–the so-called millionaire’s tax–worked out. It was supposed to affect only several hundred tax “scofflaws”, and now because of inflation, millions of citizens are affected. A few years of 50% inflation will put most professional …