Category: Current Events & Politics

Letter Re: Late Corn Planting in the American Midwest Does Not Bode Well

Mr. Rawles, Greetings from the occupied territory of Coloradostan.  I am a long time reader and first time responder to the blog. I am an agricultural economist and read Woody’s perspective with interest, as I am sure many did. I just examined USDA’s crop progress report from this afternoon. Much progress was made in the 18 primary corn producing states. We are now 71 percent planted versus the previous five year average(which is skewed by last years data) of 79 percent. Woody’s home state of Ohio, about which he’s was particularly alarmed is now 74 percent planted vs. 58 percent …


Letter Re: Late Corn Planting in the American Midwest Does Not Bode Well

Sir: As a retired corn farmer, I find it quite interesting that the Fed’s USDA is still keeping to it’s hard-and-fast immutable “projections” of 97.3 million acres of corn being planted this year. Just like building a house, call the Fed’s number the “planned” or projected blueprint idea. But now let’s look at the “as built” story. Here, where the “rubber meets the road,” or I should say “where the planter tucks in the actual corn seed,’ the “actual” or real situation is quite another story due to very late corn plantings, if at all. The surprise is that the …


Letter Re: Stocking Up on 12 Gauge Shotshells

James, To follow up on a recent letter: Yes, stock up on shotgun shells! The availability of shotgun shells here locally (northern Gulf Coast) seems to have improved in some stores-but by no means all retail outlets- in recent weeks. For a while there wasn’t much to be found. Shells that were available generally had a high price or were of a variety that fell outside the range of everyday use (i.e. high-priced shells loaded with tungsten or steel shot.) If a person needs shotshells and you can find a good product that meets your needs, then I suggest you …


Letter Re: Stocking Up on 12 Gauge Shotshells

JWR,  I am struck by the continued availability of a variety of 12 gauge during this severe ammo shortage.  As we all know, the 12 gauge is probably one of the most versatile and powerful firearms we can have in a survival battery, or even just to have around during normal times.  I live in Houston, Texas and can’t vouch for the rest of the country but I see plenty of 12 Gauge ammo everywhere I go.  The Bass Pro Shops flyer I just got even has Federal target loads in it for $6.49 per box of 25, that’s 26 cents …


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 …


Voodoo in the 21st Century: Evil Guns and Other Absurd Notions

A recurring theme in western journalism, academia, and collectivist politics is the quaint notion that firearms are intrinsically evil. That is, that they have a will of their own, that somehow inspires their owners to murder and mayhem. I liken this nonsensical belief to voodoo. The “guns are evil” viewpoint was encapsulated by social psychologist Leonard Berkowitz when he wrote: “Guns not only permit violence, they can stimulate it as well. The finger pulls the trigger, but the trigger may also be pulling the finger.” I am astounded that something like that can be earnestly said or written in modern …


Modern Slavery Must End!

I’ve encountered a few folks who don’t realize that slavery still exists in the world. I’m not talking about figurative slavery–like every April 15th, here in the States. Rather, I’m talking about literal contemporary slavery, with kidnapping and a life spent in chains or locked up in a cell or prison-like dormitory every night. Slavery is still commonplace in North Africa, most notably in the Sahel. Wikipedia sums it up: “The [slavery] problem is most severe in the Sahel region (and to a lesser extent the Horn of Africa), along the racial boundary of Arabized Berbers in the north and …


Letter From Pat Cascio: Ammunition Shortage in Israel

Jim: I just heard from my long-time friend, Gene Sockut, who lives in Israel. Gene was the chief firearms instructor for the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) for 26 years. Even though he’s now in his mid-70s, he’s still very active – he’s a sniper/sniper instructor with the Israel Border Police, and has written several books, and videos and is a much in demand speaker on security matters in Israel. So Gene e-mailed me this morning, and he mentioned they are experiencing ammo shortages in Israel, much like we have here, and when you can find ammo there, it is double …


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 …


Letter Re: CCW Permit Holders are The Good Guys

JWR, One topic that has come up recently is that license holders are more law-abiding than the general population, presumably because they’ve undergone background checks by the state.    The reality is that this has been shown in multiple case reviews.   A 2011 study in Texas concluded that CCW/CCL permit holders generally do not use guns to commit crimes and they commit crimes of any nature much less frequently than the general population of Texas.   According to an article by the Beaufort Observer concerning the study:  “The Texas Department of Public Safety published a list of crimes committed in …


My Five-Step Plan to Ban Guns in the US Within 10 Years, by Jason H.

I currently provide consulting services to major global corporations. One effective way to do battle with a competitor is to place yourself in their shoes and plan out your own demise – exactly what I will do here today. Below is my concise strategy to completely ban firearms in the US within 10 years. I am not alone here, rest assured there are many groups that have paid tidy sums to have the same roadmap developed and are currently rolling it out in a very deliberate manner. Step 1 – Divide to conquer. We know there were not enough votes …


Letter Re: Jurisdictional Issues and Modern Statutory Law

Dear Sir: Many are dismayed by the recent Colorado law restricting firearms. But a cursory reading shows that the law only applies to “persons liable” and not the people at large. Regarding any new law, tax or regulation, remember to ask servant government: [ ] Whose endowed rights are being secured by this ? [ ] How and when did I give consent to be bound by this ? [ ] What privilege is the subject of this tax ? Because the Declaration of Independence states that Job #1 = secure rights, and Job #2 = govern those who consent. …


Colorado’s New Law on Private Firearms Transfer, by Attorney Timothy J. Priebe

On March 10, 2013, the Governor of Colorado signed into law three new statutes that pertain to gun and magazine owners throughout the state. In this post, I will address the addition of C.R.S. 18-12-112, having to do with “Private Firearms Transfer”. No reader should consider this post to be legal advice for themselves or anyone else. My intent is to educate you on the law and for you to make your own decisions.  On and after July 1, 2013, a person who is not a licensed gun dealer, before they transfer or attempt to transfer possession of a firearm …


Here Come the First of the Executive Actions

Just as I warned SurvivalBlog readers, it appears that the BHO Administration is taking executive action on firearms importation. Take a few minutes to read this: After Senate setback, Obama quietly moving forward with gun regulation. Here is the key portion of the article: “The Importation of Defense Articles and Defense Services — U.S. Munitions Import List references executive orders, amends ATF regulations and clarifies Attorney General authority “to designate defense articles and defense services as part of the statutory USML for purposes of permanent import controls,” among other clauses specified in heavy legalese requiring commensurate analysis to identify just …