Odds ‘n Sods:

P.R. suggested an article in Home Power magazine on hydropower basics.

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A reminder that the Western Rifle Shooter’s Association (WRSA)’s first event scheduled for 2008 is a two day defensive handgun course, in Brookings, Oregon on March 15 & 16. The WRSA offers high quality training for very little money, so be sure to take advantage of it!

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Remember what I’ve been saying about lenders reverting to saying “No”? And do your remember my predictions on municipal bonds and their insurers” Here are a couple of recent snippets from Bill Bonner, over at The Daily Reckoning that confirm my conclusions: “Bankruptcy filings rose 18% in February. One of the big mortgage lenders, Thornburg, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, defaulted on a $320 million loan. Investors sold the stock. Just a week ago, it was a $12 stock. Now it’s a $3 stock. Everything is getting ‘marked to meltdown,’ says the Wall Street Journal. Lenders approach a new loan as they might come upon the rim of an active volcano…worried that it might blow up in their faces at any minute. Yields on auction rate financing for municipalities and hospitals have almost doubled. And when the auctions fail, they can really explode. That’s why the Port Authority found itself paying a 20% rate on money it needed.”

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TL in New York City wrote us via snail mail to ask for a recommended vendor for NBC masks and spare filters. I highly recommend JRH Enterprises. I have been doing business with them for nearly 15 years, and they have been a SurvivalBlog advertiser since shortly after the blog was launched in September of Aught Five.