Category: Odds ‘n Sods

Odds ‘n Sods:

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 …


Odds ‘n Sods:

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


Odds ‘n Sods:

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 …


Odds ‘n Sods:

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 …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader “Trickdog” suggested this MSNBC article: The New Money Pit–It started with subprime mortgages. Now owners of McMansions are defaulting, and the effects of the housing bust are beginning to ripple through the economy.   o o o s I generally soft pedal any mention of our Affiliate advertisers, since I prefer to spotlight our paying advertisers. (The ones that you see over in the scrolling banners). But once in a while, an Affiliate puts on a sale that is so attractive that it bears special mention, like this one from TracFone: you can get a reconditioned Motorola phone and …


Odds ‘n Sods:

By way of SHTF Daily: Economist eyes home value dive: Others skeptical of 50 percent decline   o o o Any readers looking for knives or Leatherman tools should be sure to check out Knife Off. They have a big inventory–including brand names like Cold Steel and Kershaw–at very competitive prices. For localities where they are legal (and in compliance with Federal law), Knife Off also offers Smith and Wesson brand automatic knives (from their new “Extreme Ops” line) at the best prices I’ve ever seen. (Consult your state and local laws before ordering.)    o o o Jason in …


Odds ‘n Sods:

From The New York Times: Few Expect a Panacea in a Rate Cut by the Fed   o o o The folks at Guardians of Jericho are gearing up for the Jericho Convention (“Jerichon”) in Oakley, Kansas the weekend of September 14th to 16th. I’d like to be there but I have a commitment for some on-site consulting that weekend. If you attend, be sure to look for folks wearing SurvivalBlog T-Shirts. I’ve heard that there will be at least a half a dozen blog readers there, including frequent SurvivalBlog contributor Rourke.    o o o RBS mentioned this article …


Odds ‘n Sods:

AVS sent us this from Snopes.com, confirming an “urban legend” as factual: Tampons are indeed used as wound dressings in Iraq.   o o o Ed L. suggested this piece from Bill Fleckenstein at MSN Money Central: Central banks are stealing from the average citizen    o o o Subprime Crisis: Can It Happen In Britain, Too?


Odds ‘n Sods:

Another attack by Al Qaeda on the United States is “inevitable”, the head of the National Counter Terrorism Center says.   o o o One of the folks over at The Claire File Forums pointed out the Our Cool House web site, describing the construction of an earth-bermed a super-energy efficient house.    o o o Sid C. forwarded this link to a humorous video clip: Some survival retreats in Texas will not have a shortage of venison.


Odds ‘n Sods:

As mentioned in The Drudge Report, a pronouncement has come from the Jackson Hole, Wyoming, conclave: Fed Acts to Limit Credit Crisis Fallout. Meanwhile, we read: Bush Outlines Aid for Mortgage Holders. I don’t think anything that they do at this point will stop the debt bubble from bursting. This just the beginning of a huge financial debacle that will play out in the months and years to come. As I’ve said before, the macroeconomic implications are huge. I should also mention that I’m presently waiting for the other shoe to drop: commercial real estate. There were lots of foolish …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Chuck G. pointed out this article: USAGOLD’s Top 25 Quotes on the Credit Crisis of ‘O7   o o o Our friend Peter in Switzerland sent us the link to some field trials of the Beta CMAG (100 round double snail drum for M16, M4, and M249 SAW) in Iraq. This confirms my earlier observations when testing Betas here at the Rawles Ranch. My biggest complaint about the Beta mag is not jamming problems (which typically are minimal if it is kept clean and properly lubricated.) The biggest drawbacks are its weight and noise. When loaded, the drums have an …


Odds ‘n Sods:

From Money and Markets, (by way of SHTF Daily), Marty Weiss provides this sage analysis of the real estate market and the liquidity crisis: Final Warning!   o o o Stephen C. in Iraq mentioned this piece from The Economist: The agonies of agflation: “As oil prices stay high, wheat prices hit an all-time peak of over $7.50 a bushel for December delivery at the end of trading in Chicago on Thursday August 23rd.”   o o o I just heard about a blog dedicated to “Survival, Preparedness, News, and Resources” vis-a-vis the Asian Avian Flu: Bird Flu (H5N1) Daily


Odds ‘n Sods:

DAV mentioned this story that might portend a market change: Russian government takes over gold mining sector   o o o Some analysis from Steve Schifferes of BBC News: Financial crises: Lessons from history. I disagree that government intervention is the best solution. Inevitably “market intervention” ends up being a wealth transfer from one group of citizens to another, to the detriment of the former, and to the benefit of the latter. In the context of the current liquidity crisis, “intervention” will probably be in the form of loan guarantees which will put taxpayers on the hook for hundreds of …


Odds ‘n Sods:

“Dancing Barefoot” sent us this: H5N1 Asian Avian Flu Now in Germany: “Tests have found that birds at a poultry farm in southern Germany died of the H5N1 strain of bird flu, and some 160,000 birds were being slaughtered as a precaution, authorities said.”   o o o I heard from Vic at Safecastle that Mountain House freeze dried storage food prices are going up substantially on September 1st. OBTW, they still have some 7 Day Just in Case Kits of Mountain House foods (in handy pouches) on sale for just $100 postage paid. Get your Mountain House orders in …


Odds ‘n Sods:

From France24 (by way of SHTF Daily): Analysts mull contagion from US property market woes. We also read in ChannelNewsAsia: The German state of Saxony has decided to sell the Landesbank Sachsen (SachsenLB), which has been hard hit by the US sub-prime crisis   o o o DAV mentioned Michael J. Panzner’s Financial Armageddon blog. I was pleased to see that Michael is really digging ito the current liquidity crisis and astutely focusing on derivatives. (That will surely be “the other shoe to drop.” ) I was also delighted to see that he has a link to SurvivalBlog in his …