Category: Odds ‘n Sods

There is an interesting thread in progress titled: “Popular Mechanics new take on Heinlein’s skill list“, over at The Mental Militia Forums (formerly called the Claire Files Forums.) I agree with the consensus view there. Parenthetically, I’m glad that I’m raising our kids out in the hinterboonies in a largely self-sufficient lifestyle with plenty of “do it yourself”–mostly by economic necessity but partly by choice. A boy should know how to build a field fence just as well as a web page.    o o o From Bloomberg: U.S. New-Home Sales Drop, Prices Fall Most Since 1970    o o …

I was doing some web surfing and stumbled across this video clip on American Gun Owners. I haven’t yet seen the book on which it is based, but the video is remarkably unbiased. I think that it would be a good introduction to the American “gun culture” for SurvivalBlog readers that live in countries that restrict firearms ownership.    o o o A Financial Sense editorial by Eric Englund: From Prime to Sub-Prime: America’s Mortgage Meltdown Has Just Begun    o o o The WRSA has a high power rifle shooting clinic scheduled for October 6-7 in Brookings, Oregon. These …

From The Independent: Only £4.4m left to protect UK’s bank deposits    o o o There is an interesting topic posted over at The Mental Militia Forums (formerly called The Claire Files), about the tremendous gains in the price of Rhodium in the past five years. Obviously, somebody made a lot of money. (FYI, it wasn’t me. I was very conservatively invested in silver and gold.)    o o o Pets being slaughtered in meat-starved Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is now truly in crisis. 80% unemployment. An average life expectancy of just 37 years. The inflation rate is continuing to increase–some analysts …

US Dollar Trades Near Record Low Against Euro Before Durable Goods. When I checked last, the US Dollar Index was down to 78.56. Some analysts suggest 75 or perhaps even 72 as the next support level.   o o o Dr. Gary North asks: Has the Fed Lost Control Over Money?    o o o From The Boston Herald, by way of SHTF Daily: Despite Fed cuts, mortgage rates rise    o o o Stephen in Iraq sent us this: Subprime Panic Freezes $40 Billion of Canadian Commercial Paper

Tim P., “C3”, and AAP all mentioned this article about a former Titan missile base for sale, near Moses Lake, Washington.    o o o For the “In Case You’ve Been Wondering Department”: The List of Foreign Governments that Hold US Debt. As Senator Everett Dirksen put it so aptly many years ago: “A billion here, and a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talkin’ about real money!”    o o o An emerging threat in the long term: China Build’s World’s Largest Navy. OBTW, the current news about the scrap iron and steel shortage–since China is buying everything in …

 Hawaiian K. forwarded us this piece from Mineweb: $3,400 Gold – pipe dream or possibility?   o o o Treasury Secretary Paulson tells U.S. Congress current debt ceiling will be hit on Oct. 1    o o o From MSN Money: What the big banks aren’t telling you — yet    o o o An editorial from The Financial Times: The Bank loses a game of chicken. From the same publication, we also read: Ease of FOREX swaps vanishes in rush for cash

From The International Herald Tribune, via our friends at SHTF Daily: Dollar hits bottom, and then falls again    o o o Dave Duffy, the editor of Backwoods Home magazine (one of our favorites) offers some very useful Recommendations for Handling/Storage of Specific Fruits and Vegetables:in his latest e-newsletter. If you don’t already have a subscription to the magazine, then I highly recommend it.    o o o “The Fox” sent us a link to a CNN video clip with more about Zimbabwe’s black market and hyperinflation    o o o Frequent contributor RBS recommended this eye-opening primer from Financial …

Peter D. recommended a great article on CDOs and their impact on the world economy, written from the perspective of a market insider.    o o o Stephen in Iraq set us this: Canada’s Dollar Nears Parity on U.S. Weakness, Commodity Surge    o o o Thank to Dave R. and Bruce A., who both sent us this: International credit derivatives expert asserts that the current credit crunch is just the beginning. A big bear is looming.    o o o Take a look at this delightful web site and sporadically-written blog by a lady that is a SurvivalBlog reader: …

According to Bill Bonner, editor of The Daily Reckoning, house price over-valuation is not unique to the US. In the U.K., Bonner said, house prices are 20% overvalued. He opines that Britain is one of the three most vulnerable to a house price crash/correction (after New Zealand and Denmark).    o o o By way of SHTF Daily come this article from Australia: US rate cut decried as ‘socialism for Wall Street’    o o o Reader Dave F. told us about an interesting new bullpup stock available for M1A and M14 rifles. If they provide a decent trigger pull …

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