Odds ‘n Sods:

Several readers sent me this: Unpaid utility bills soar as economy sags

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Reader Al C. sent this: Economist: Housing slump may exceed [The Great] Depression

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Inyokern found this article: The Peak Oil Crisis: The Case for 2008

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Reader “Redclay” forwarded us an excerpt from the latest bulletin from the US CMP (formerly–and more familiarly to some of us dinosaurs–called the DCM Program), which included this: “During the past 60 days we have experienced a ten-fold increase in orders for [Greek military surplus] HXP .30-06 ammunition. This activity has significantly reduced our inventory. To ensure that the current inventory last another few years, effective immediately we are establishing an individual maximum purchase limit of ten cases of .30-06 HXP.” It sounds like folks are doing some serious stocking up. Note that there are eligibility requirements to buy guns, gun parts, and ammunition from the CMP, but they are not difficult–at least for preppers that don’t mind having a slightly elevated public profile.