Category: Odds ‘n Sods

Joe. P. picked up (via The Drudge Report) an interesting article about the ongoing oil drama that predicts crude oil at perhaps $100 per barrel    o o o Stephen in Iraq flagged this one: Morgan Stanley Profit Drops After Losses on LBO Loan    o o o After seeing my recent reference in the blog about the implications of the declining dollar, reader S.K. e-mailed me to mention that CDNN Sports recently received a large shipment of both Kahles scopes and binoculars, which are made in the Swarovski plant. Luckily, the pricing was set before the recent dollar exchange …

Thanks to RBS for sending this: U.S. Home Foreclosures Soar in August, Up 36 Percent From July, and Prepare for prolonged turmoil, says US Treasury Secretary. A comment from RBS: “Once again, we have to go aboard to get any [substantive] economic news.”    o o o Chuck, Joe, and Nathaniel all forwarded us this one: Fears of dollar collapse as Saudis take fright. The article begins: “Saudi Arabia has refused to cut interest rates in lockstep with the US Federal Reserve for the first time, signaling that the oil-rich Gulf kingdom is preparing to break the dollar currency peg …

The Fed blinks. From Bloomberg: Federal Reserve Lowers Rate to 4.75 Percent, First Cut Since 2003. This rate cut can only spell further weakness in the dollar versus foreign currencies. If the Fed has misjudged the patience and charity of the international financial community (and I think that they have), then be ready for a full scale dollar crisis in the next few months. OBTW, did you notice that spot silver jumped to $13 per ounce and gold to $724 in after-hours New York trading? I told you so…    o o o RBS sent us this: Fears grow for …

Frequent content contributor SJC suggested this article by Michael Panzner: The Time to Panic is When Those in Charge Say “Don’t Panic”. JWR’s comment:The bank run that Mr. Panzner mentioned (at Northern Rock–a mortgage lender in England) could very well spread to other banks primarily associated with mortgage lending, and then in a worst case, if a fevered bank run ensues, all banks. Here in the States, the public’s trust in the FDIC and FSLIC insurance will probably slow any bank runs, but the end result may be long delays before deposits can all be paid out, and even lengthier …

Goldman’s “Global Alpha” Hedge Fund reportedly suffers a 22.7% Loss in One Month      o o o Alphie sent us this link: Ron Paul gets a rare chance to spotlight his views–GOP maverick: yes on gold standard, no on empire-building    o o o Reader “StealthNeighbor” suggested this article from Stratfor: The Biofuel Backlash    o o o RBS flagged this one: FEMA hijacks Midwest broadcast signals with mistaken presidential alert

Our friend Tim forwarded this: Welcome to Stockton, California: Foreclosure Capitol USA    o o o Stephen in Iraq sent us this piece: Not so Corny: Fuel Shortages May Hurt Corn Harvesting    o o o DAV suggested this article on Somalia: The Rule of Law without the State

 Reader E.L. recommended the Flu Wiki web site for anyone with an interest in researching Asian Avian Flu.   o o o “Cowboy255” pointed us to this tongue-in-cheek British documentary on US survivalists that appears to have been made back in the 1990s.    o o o By way of SHTF Daily: Discount window loans surge to $3.16 billion a day

I’m currently reading the book “Fighting the Current: There and Back” by Jared Jellison. It is the true story of two ordinary guys who embarked on an adventure of a lifetime, as they paddled across America in canoes. This journey was a tremendous test of endurance that took two and a half years and covered 8,000 miles. Oh and, speaking of long treks, I should again mention Karl Bushby’s on-foot expedition. If and when completed, it will cover 37,000 miles.    o o o From SHTF Daily: The R-word surfaces on Wall Street. Personally, I use the D words: Depression …

The US Dollar Index has sagged below 80 for the past four trading days. When I last checked, it was at 79.42. (It currently takes a whopping $1.39 to buy a Euro.) As previously mentioned in SurvivalBlog, this dollar weakness is a red flag. Obviously the international currency market sees lower interest rates ahead in the US. Be prepared for a full scale dollar crisis in the near future. Have you diversified into tangibles? (Gold, guns, and ground.) OBTW, have you noticed that the spot price of gold is now over $700 per ounce? On a related note: Oil hit …

Inyokern mentioned: Trouble in southern Mexico continues with EPR blowing up a number of oil and gas pipelines.    o o o Quaesiveris sent us the link to this WorldNetDaily article: Warning says Iranian SCUD could do $771 billion damage–U.S. Rep.: ‘Rogue regimes, terrorists know about EMP, are working to acquire weapon’    o o o Reader RBS sent us two interesting links: From Bits of News: Economy in Bigger Trouble than Reported and from the BBC: US home woes ‘near-perfect storm’    o o o The WRSA has another high power rifle shooting clinic scheduled. This one is in …

Russell mentioned that The History Channel has started a news series: Mega Disasters.    o o o Kyle D. pointed us to this piece: The Western War Against Barbed Wire    o o o Reader Jon D. recommends the 1997 Reader’s Digest book: Back to Basics–How to Learn and Enjoy Traditional American Skills. (ISBN 0-89577-086-5). Jon notes: “Over 450 pages packed with diagrams and knowledge covering everything from building an outhouse to candle making.” Even though it is out of print, used copies can often be found through Amazon.com or on dreaded eBay.

Walt suggested this from the New York Times: Virus Suspected as Cause of U.S. Honeybee Deaths. The article begins: “New research suggests a virus may be causing the puzzling collapse of honey-bee colonies across the U.S. that has hurt commercial beekeepers and farmers who rely on these bees to pollinate crops. A team of scientists said it has found a strong association between a pathogen known as Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus, or IAPV, and the deaths of billions of honey- bees in the U.S. The identification of the virus may even suggest a way to fixing the problem: breeding bees …

From The Independent (by way of SHTF Daily): Jeremy Warner’s Outlook: Fed in danger of overreacting to crisis    o o o A friend in Afghanistan mentioned Afterworld–an unusual computer animated quasi-survivalist Internet video series.    o o o Jason in North Idaho recommended the Rocky Mountain Moggers (Unimog) page

Michael H. forwarded a link to some sobering analysis of the US credit market implosion and its global reach: The Predicted Financial Storm Has Arrived.    o o o Frequent contributor Stephen in Iraq pointed out this article: Danger: Steep drop ahead–Even if the credit crunch passes without a major catastrophe, the prices of stocks, bonds and real estate have a long way to fall.    o o o SurvivalBlog reader “Rightcoast” recommends the new anthology of post-apocalyptic fiction titled Wastelands, from Night Shade Books, January 2008). It is available for pre-order. The authors include M. Rickert, Cory Doctorow, and …

Ben L. bookmarked this article for us: Tool heaven full to the brim. Ben’s comment: “Hundreds of thousands of [traditional hand] tools. I can see the lines full of SurvivalBlog readers forming now.”   o o o From The Guardian: The looming food crisis–Land that was once used to grow food is increasingly being turned over to biofuels. This may help us to fight global warming – but it is driving up food prices throughout the world and making life increasingly hard in developing countries. Add in water shortages, natural disasters and an ever-rising population, and what you have is …