Category: Odds ‘n Sods

Chuck the Welding Wizard introduced me to an amazing publication, called the Encyclopedia of “Made it Myself ” Ideas. (30th Anniversary Edition, published by the folks at Farm Show Magazine). It has a wealth of knowledge on farm machinery modifications and outlandish inventions, some of which will doubtless prove useful at a retreat. It is available through http://www.farmshow.com. While you are at it, I recommend that you get their collection of magazine back issues on CD-ROM–less than $40 for 30 years of back issues.    o o o Former Federal Reserve Chairman Al Greenspan says that he regrets “irrational exuberance” …

Poll says 6 out of 10 Americans consider the income tax unfair.    o o o An interesting pre-Y2K diary at the Survival-Center web site.    o o o Commentary from market strategist Emanuel Balarie (quoted at Gold-Eagle.com): “$600 Gold: We Have Only Just Begun“    o o o I wish you all a joyous Easter, as we celebrate the resurrection of our Passover Lamb, Christ Jesus.

For those of you that own .223 AK-47s, I just noticed that the folks at K-VAR got in a batch of those nifty Bulgarian “clear” plastic AK magazines. Tell them that Jim Rawles at SurvivalBlog sent you.    o o o DEA Agent shoots himself in the foot during lecture–stupidity caught on tape    o o o The markets were closed yesterday for Good Friday, but the New York Access (“after hours”) Market was open, and the commercial traders bid spot silver up to $12.91 per ounce! With silver consistently holding over $12.70 and the launch of two silver ETFs …

A bad omen for the U.S. stock market?    o o o Mike the Blacksmith pointed us to this interview with Dr. Michael Osterholm of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy about H5N Asian Avian Flu.    o o o Middle East expert Ken Timmerman (one of my associates from my days with Defense Electronics magazine) reports on the “Big George” attack plan for war with Iran

The Army Aviator mentioned this great article by Bob Carter in England about the global warming issue.    o o o SurvivalBlog reader “KYPD” mentioned that Mel Tappan’s book Survival Guns is now back in print. You can get a copy at Delta Press for only $24.95. Delta Press also has many other very handy books such as “Nuclear War Survival Skills”, “Where There Is No Doctor”, Where There Is No Dentist”, “Ditch Medicine” and other hard to find titles.    o o o Of interest to home schoolers–and anyone else interested in U.S. history: The story of the Gadsen …

SurvivalBlog reader R.H. forwarded us a link to an accurate summation of the illegal immigration situation in the U.S. by Cinnamon Stillwell.    o o o I just stumbled across a downloadable version of Mel Tappan’s book, “Tappan on Survival.” It is a “must read” for anyone who is serious about preparedness.    o o o SurvivalBlog reader “Merlin” mentioned that the documentary series “Victory at Sea” has recently been spotted on sale in WalMart DVD “dump bins” for only $5.50 for the entire series. That series is one of my favorite documentaries. (I included it my list of recommend …

Cathy Buckle’s recent letters from Zimbabwe are “must reads.”  Have you ever considered the prospect of hyperinflation in the future?  Some folks are living through it in Zimbabwe right now. Here are two brief quotes from Cathy’s letters in March: “In March 2005 a loaf of bread was four thousand eight hundred dollars. In March 2006 that same loaf is sixty six thousand dollars. Unless something dramatic happens in the next few weeks and assuming prices continue to rise at their present rate, a loaf of bread in March 2007 will be nine hundred and eight thousand [Zimbabwean] dollars. Imagine, …

The Mogambo Guru (Richard Daughty) thinks that the “Two Trillion in Fresh Cash rumor is unfounded.    o o o From the London Telegraph: British Government Makes Secret Preparations for “Waves” of Asian Avian Flu Pandemic Exceeding Six Months    o o o I just heard that Gun Parts Guy is having a big clearance sale on some assorted FAL and L1A1 parts. (Carriers, slings, top covers, carry handles, scope mounts, flash hiders, sights, et cetera.) Please mention SurvivalBlog if you place an order. The sale ends on April 17th.    o o o Bush Administration Contingency Plans for War …

The $44 Trillion Mountain of Debt    o o o SurvivalBlog reader RBS recommended a site with some very revealing reading on what your bank might consider a “red flag”, at the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering InfoBase.    o o o Does anyone have anything more substantial than “a confidential source” or “According to our sources in the U.S. Treasury” about the rumors swirling around Washington D.C. that the Federal Reserve is printing an extra Two Trillion U.S. Dollars in cash? (Also repeated at OSS.net.)  These kind of rumors drive me crazy.  In the past …

SurvivalBlog reader S.H. mentioned a Big Listing of Shelter Manufacturers–All different types, in ground (steel and fiberglass), above ground, and inside safe room retrofit types:    o o o Ireland’s Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas (ASPO) has their Newsletter #64 (April, 2006) now available. The newsletter is not yet transcribed for best online viewing, but you can download the PDF file directly: http://www.peakoil.ie/downloads/…200604.pdf    o o o An interesting article on Asian Avian Flu and Your Cat    o o o Wow! Take a look at the 30 Day and Six Month Gold and Silver spot …

An object lesson in inflation: Take a look at the 5 billion (millard) Mark note from the Weimar Republic, and ponder it. Hyperinflation has happened before, and it will happen again.  It is a risk in any country where the currency is not freely redeemable from the national treasury in specie.    o o o SurvivalBlog reader J.N. sent a link to a site with free PDFs of many military medical manuals. Also, a PDF for anyone wanting to know more about wound healing and suturing:    o o o On the lighter side: Our friend Chuck says, “Regarding Gold… …

One disparate view on Asian Avian flu worth considering as FFTAGFFR: The Threat of an Avian Flu Pandemic is Over-Hyped, by Michael Fumento, JD. See: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/16106.html    o o o Richard Benson comments on the coming Housing Bubble Implosion    o o o A new mumps outbreak in the U.S. Midwest.    o o o A report from Scotland on America’s Cyber War.    o o o SurvivalBlog reader S.F. recommended this great resource: http://www.buildanark.net

Rev. R.J. Rushdoony on the Biblical Gold Standard: http://www.chalcedon.edu/articles/article.php?ArticleID=281    o o o JPFO Talkin’ to America recently interviewed Fred of Fred’s M14 Stocks regarding the RWVA Appleseed Project educational program. For downloadable audio, see: www.jpfo.org/talkamerica.htm    o o o A “must read” piece of economic analysis:  “Central Banks, Weimar Germany and Gold” by Richard J. Greene. See: http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials_05/greene033106.html    o o o Interesting article about possible societal responses to terrorism in the USA (written by an ex-SOG(?)commander) : http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/103/essay-security.html    o o o Peak Sugar, Fuel, or Food? http://www.eurotrib.com/story/2006/3/30/174434/223

A professor at the University of Texas proposes that a plague wiping out 90% of Earth’s population would be a good thing. (I’m dubious.) See: http://story.seguingazette.com/drudge.html, and  http://www.sas.org/tcs/weeklyIssues_2006/2006-04-07/feature1p/index.html    o o o I just heard that Ready Made Resources is now offering free shipping on their freeze dried food!    o o o To our U.S. readers: Just enter your zip code in the site below, and it tells you which gas stations have the lowest (and the highest) gasoline prices in your zip code area. It’s updated every evening. Be sure to scroll down after getting a map of …

A professor at the University of Texas proposes that a plague wiping out 90% of Earth’s population would be a good thing. (I’m dubious.) See: http://story.seguingazette.com/drudge.html, and  http://www.sas.org/tcs/weeklyIssues_2006/2006-04-07/feature1p/index.html    o o o I just heard that Ready Made Resources is now offering free shipping on their freeze dried food!    o o o To our U.S. readers: Just enter your zip code in the site below, and it tells you which gas stations have the lowest (and the highest) gasoline prices in your zip code area. It’s updated every evening. Be sure to scroll down after getting a map of …