Wyoming: Proposed bill allows lion trapping
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Santa Claus sighting leads to Post Falls arrest
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What is wrong with Spokane… never mind. – T.Z.
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It is perhaps a little early to announce, but the viewpoints of the Republican candidate for governor up in Montana seem like a good fit for the American Redoubt: Greg Gianforte. – JWR
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Western Rifle Shooters Association – Malheur Link Dump – B.B.
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Feds foresee $30 trillion debt, blame looming tax hikes and Obamacare – G.G.
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America Will Spend More on Taxes than Food, Clothing, and Housing Combined (Graphic). So much for the land of the free. We are all serfs now. – H.L
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Items from Professor Preponomics:
US News
The Fed Passes the Buck: Blame Oil and China (Mises) This is a highly recommended reading and an outstanding discussion of money supply inflation. Excerpt: “What many people today call inflation or deflation is no longer the great increase or decrease in the supply of money, but its inexorable consequences, the general tendency toward a rise or a fall in commodity prices and wage rates.”
Saudis “Will Not Destroy the US Shale Industry” (The Telegraph) An interesting story about investment strategy, the changing landscape of oil industry technology, the possible future of U.S. shale and more… Excerpt: “groups with deep pockets such as Blackstone and Carlyle will take over the infrastructure when the distressed assets are cheap enough, and bide their time until the oil cycle turns.”
Failed Talks Raise Specter of Biggest Default in Puerto Rico Crisis (New York Times) There comes a time when debt is simply too great to be repaid and creditor losses are both imminent and unavoidable. Excerpt: “Negotiations to restructure roughly $9 billion of the debt of Puerto Rico’s power company collapsed late Friday, raising the prospect of the biggest default yet in Puerto Rico’s deepening debt crisis.”
International News
Saudi Aramco Chairman Says IPO Could Be Open to International Markets: Arabiya TV (Reuters) Oil. Oil. More oil. Excerpt: “An initial public offering of Saudi Aramco, the world’s biggest oil company, could be on the local or international markets but would not include Saudi energy reserves….”
Saudi Arabia Seeks Foreign Non-Oil Investors as Crude Slumps (Reuters) Excerpt: “Saudi Arabia aims to at least double annual inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) over the next 10 years by focusing on new sectors such as mining, health care and information technology….”
Japan: The World’s 3rd Largest Economy is Sliding – Badly (Business Insider) The Japanese economy is struggling. Excerpt: “Given its track record for surprising markets, along with signals from the European Central Bank that it too may loosen monetary policy in the months ahead, a further expansion to the Japanese central bank’s stimulus program cannot be ruled out given mounting disinflationary pressures at present.”
Norway’s Biggest Bank Calls for Country to Stop Using Cash (International Business Times) Excerpt: “Today, there is approximately 50 billion kroner in circulation and [the country’s central bank] Norges Bank can only account for 40 percent of its use. That means that 60 percent of money usage is outside of any control.” The article continues… “There are so many dangers and disadvantages associated with cash, we have concluded that it should be phased out….”
Personal Economics and Household Finance
16 Things People Do When They Start the Debt Snowball (Dave Ramsey) Excerpt: “Making the decision to eliminate debt from your life is one of the smartest things you can do for yourself and your family. When it gets difficult and you doubt yourself, stay the course and find encouragement by reading and listening to others who have been where you are today. Your debt-free scream is closer than you think!”
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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.
For those who thought that 3D Printing and the Ghost Gunner milling machine were cool, this is simply amazing: The Pour Freedom-15 AR-15 100 Percent Lower Receiver Mold Kit
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It’s the X-Files – for real! 20 Dead, 200 Hospitalized After Reports US Lab “Leaks” Deadly Virus In Ukraine – W.C.
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SurvivalBlog reader B.B. sent in this link to an article by Dean Weingarten profiling misconduct by Connecticut State police. Every person with a smart phone is capable of being a reporter and there is no room for misconduct. Law enforcement’s job is hard enough without this kind of garbage from within its ranks. No one should be above the law.
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Grand jury indicts pro-life investigator behind baby part videos, clears Planned Parenthood. – RBS
I’ll be waiting with bated breath for the prosecution to explain how this can be the result. I do not believe that the end can justify the means, but for no charges to be filed against planned parenthood at all? The worst holocaust of all times continues unabated.
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So you are enjoying all this fresh snow on the ground? Feeling that childhood urge to eat some? Is It Safe? We Asked Scientists from NPR. Sent in by RBS.
“Taxes are not levied for the benefit of the taxed.” – Robert Heinlein
On January 25th, 1995, the world was minutes from nuclear annihilation. Russia’s early-warning defense radar detected an unexpected missile launch near Norway and calculated that they only had minutes before impact on Moscow. Russian President Boris Yeltsin, the defense minister, and the chief of staff were informed of the missile launch and the nuclear command systems were switched to combat mode and the nuclear suitcases were activated for the first time in the history of the Soviet-made system. Five minutes after launch Russian command determined that the missile’s impact point would be outside Russia’s borders and three minutes after that the determination was made that the missile launch was most likely not part of a surprise nuclear strike by Western nuclear submarines (only minutes before a counter-launch decision had to be reached). Later, it was revealed that the missile was carrying scientific instruments and Norway had notified 35 countries, including Russia, of the exact details of the launch, nine days before. The Russian Defense Ministry had neglected to inform the on-duty personnel at the early-warning center of the launch.
Anyone who has followed my knife articles for the past 23+ years will know that I’m just not a big fan of little folding knives. However, sometimes smaller is better for certain applications. Under other conditions, bigger knives are called for. I remember when I was 11 or 12 years old the local hardware store in my neighborhood had a shipment of pocket knives coming in. To be sure, back in those days, almost every kid carried some kind of pocket knife. Sadly, that’s not true today. If caught with a knife in school, it’s a one year suspension in most schools across the country and a possible criminal charge brought against a kid. What a shame!
Now, you have to understand how the “old” neighborhoods operate in the big cities. Everyone knows everyone else and all their kids. Back then, the hardware store was simply called Simon’s because that was the owner’s name. Simon knew all of the kids in the area and went to school with our parents, as did some of the employees who worked in Simon’s store. I don’t know if this corner hardware store still exists back in Chicago, but I would like to hope so. Many of us kids would oftentimes just spend hours in there, just “hanging” out or studying all the tools, and Simon never once chased any of us out of his store. Go ahead and try that today, if you’re a kid, in any of the big box hardware-type stores; security will be all over you.
Okay, where was I? Oh, yeah. Simon’s hardware store ordered in some pocket knives, and none of us, including Simon himself, knew what the knives even looked like other than knowing he had a good selection coming to choose from. Many of us kids pre-paid for our knives ahead of time, and like some of the other kids in the “hood” we would visit and hang out at the hardware almost daily while waiting for those knives to come in. What seemed like many weeks, was probably only a few days – maybe a week at most – before the knives came in. I spotted the one I wanted; it was the largest (longest blade) of the selection, and several other kids also picked this one. It had a genuine imitation pearl handle. The knife was long; the blade was probably four inches in length and very narrow. It wasn’t until later on that I learned it was called a “fruit knife” because it was used for cutting fruit off of trees. Still, to me, it was a monster of a folding knife and one that could be used to take on the world. It was great back then, letting our imaginations take us to wherever we wanted to go. To be child-like again…
So, since that time, my brain has been etched with wanting big folding knives, and to my way of thinking a perfect folding knife has a blade 3.5–4.0 inches in length. It’s perfect for many chores around the homestead, and the blade is long enough to inflict some damage if forced to use it for self-defense purposes. So, I readily admit to my bias for longer blades on folding knives. That’s just me, I guess.
I’m one of those people who doesn’t especially like surprises, unless Publisher’s Clearing House showed up at my front door with a check for ten million bucks. Those kinds of surprises, I like. However, most surprises aren’t my thing. Long time friend Thomas Welk, who does the PR/marketing for Kershaw Knives and their Zero Tolerance line of knives, sent me the new ZT 0900 folder. Wouldn’t you know it; it’s a small one. The blade is only 2.7 inches long and made out of S35VN steel– one of the newest super-stainless steels.
I have to admit, I was a little disappointed when I opened the box. Well, I thought it was a big folder. It came in a big box, but a smallish folder fell out of the box. Then again, maybe this wasn’t such a “small” folder after all. This little 0900 from Zero Tolerance is one brute; we are talking tank tough. It has titanium handle scales, and this stuff is lighter and stronger than steel. The knife also has a frame lock with a hardened steel insert that helps keep the blade secured in the handle when not in use. It is a manual opening folder; however, it has a “flipper” on the blade, a nice large flipper, that is easy to hit with your index finger. And, to top it all off, it has the KVT ball-bearing system that makes the blade pivot like it’s in butter. We are talking super -smooth. It might be the smoothest opening folder I’ve handled, just might be!
There is also a reversible pocket clip for easy pocket carry, and the knife rides just perfectly in the pocket– not too low and not too high that it sticks out like a sore thumb. The blade is stonewashed for a nice subdued finish. Excellent! Its closed length is 3.9 inches, and opened the knife is 6.6 inches with a weight of 4.3 oz, which is a bit heavier than I thought it was. To be sure, it’s made in the USA!
Overall, the 0900 has a rather “boring” look to it. It’s nothing fancy. The titanium handle scales are dull looking, with a little sculpting to them. Then again, we are talking about a little knife that is build like a tank. It’s not meant to be a work of art for the eye but a work of art for the user to use under any extreme conditions.
Zero Tolerance knives are designed especially for those in the military and law enforcement. They are designed and manufactured for hard use, simple as that. These aren’t knives meant to be held and admired for their beautiful looks. No! They are meant for folks who want hard-working knives that won’t let them down.
If you’ll notice in the pictures with this article, the 0900 isn’t a little folder, in the respect that many think of “little”. It is only “little” by the length of the blade, nothing more. This knife has a wide blade, and the handle actually fits my hand nicely. It surprised me, because it is a smallish folder. The 0900 was designed by custom knife maker Les George, who has worked with ZT on a few other of his designs.
I think what surprised me more than anything on the 0900 is the KVT ball-bearing system that the blade runs on. I actually thought that, when I used the flipper to open the blade, it was an assisted-opening folder. I had to try it several times to realize that this wasn’t an assisted-opening blade. It did take a little bit of effort to press down on the flipper; it’s actually on the bottom rear of the blade. However, when closed, the flipper is on the top rear of the blade, sorta! You simply press down on the flipper with your index finger and the blade just “flies” out of the handle scales. It’s just something you have to experience to really appreciate. It did have me fooled for a little while, thinking it was an assisted-opening folder, but it is NOT! When you push the frame lock out of the way, so you can close the blade, you’ll feel how smoothly the blade runs on those KVT ball-bearings.
The top rear of the blade has what I call “friction” grooves on it, for thumb placement, when holding the knife in the fencing position, which is one of the most common types of grips used for many cutting chores. When the blade is opened, the flipper acts as a guard, so your fingers can’t slip up onto the blade. There is also a groove in the handle scales, where my index finger just naturally laid in.
The ZT 0900 was put to the test around my digs cutting blackberry vines, and it easily sliced right through them, which is something many short blade folders can’t do. The blades are long enough to really slice easily; the 0900 had no problems. Cardboard was cut until I was bored. The same goes for cutting hemp rope, and I’m now out. I have to get a new supply. Poly rope, which is always a tough thing to easily slice through, was no match for the 0900. Some kitchen testing was done by my wife, who used the 0900 as something of a paring knife to slice veggies and the like. She liked it for the most part but thought it was a bit heavy for a paring knife. I reminded her that it wasn’t a paring knife!
Many jurisdictions have restrictions on the length of a knife blade that you can carry in your pocket; many areas only allow you to carry a folding knife in your pocket with a blade three inches in length or shorter. The ZR 0900 fits the bill perfectly. However, you will believe the knife has a bigger blade than it does, because of the width of the blade and the overall appearance of the knife. It looks bigger than it is for the most part, and when you put it to work for your cutting chores you’ll believe you have a folder with a longer blade than it is.
With this “little” ZT 0900 folder, I’m starting to change my thinking on little folders with short blades. Thanks, Zero Tolerance. You are starting to rid me of my bias against folding knives with blades less than 3.5 inches, See, even an old dog can learn new tricks. Check out the 0900. I think you’ll like it. Full retail is $240, but you are getting custom quality knives from Zero Toleranace.
– Senior Product Review Editor, Pat Cascio
Ingredients:
Directions:
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Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:
SurvivalBlog Reader J.C. sent in the link to this Video of making bread without kneading it: Bake A Sandwich Loaf With No Machine and Without Touching The Dough
Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!
HJL,
Regarding bug-out boat power generation, I just wanted to add that there is a tow-behind unit that generates power while under sail from the water flow.
I’ve always thought a sailboat in warm waters would be a pretty nice escape, especially Cats with their low draw and excellent access, much more living space, and top speeds.
However, there are a couple concerns:
HJL: Anybody?
Items from Mr. Econocobas:
Norway’s Biggest Bank Demands Cash Ban – This call for capital controls is not likely to go away; hedge yourself to the best of your ability.
The Markets Are Backing Central Bankers Into a Corner – As you are well aware, and plenty of folks have been saying for a long while, QE and other central bank interventions are a monetary roach motel. You can never check out.
Items from Professor Preponomics:
US News
Waste-O-Meter: GOP Lawmakers Create Meter to Target “Wasteful” Government Spending (The Providence Journal) In an attempt to tackle the problem of “out of sight, out of mind”, lawmakers are creating a constant visual reminder intended to keep the matter of wasteful government spending at the forefront of constituent thinking! Excerpt: “…we have constructed a visual reminder for citizens and for our policy makers. The Waste-O-Meter is a giant thermometer which will track the instances of waste in government. Every two weeks, we intend to add to the thermometer as we uncover more examples of wasteful spending….”
Government Spending is Out of Control (Rand Paul News) Excerpt: “What frustrates me the most about Washington’s penchant for spending $7 million a minute is that there is clearly hundreds of millions dollars worth of pork barrel spending that should be removed from our list of expenditures. For example, we recently spent taxpayer money on everything from a $104 million subsidy for millionaires to live in public housing to $850,000 on foreign made-for-T.V. cricket league in Afghanistan. I cannot imagine that anyone living outside the beltway would support such wasteful expenditures.”
International News
Desperate in Davos: Policymakers Struggle for Answers (Reuters) Excerpt: “Beneath the veneer of can-do optimism at the World Economic Forum, however, was a creeping concern that the politicians, diplomats and central bankers who flock each year to this gathering of the global elite are at the mercy of geopolitical and economic forces beyond their control.”
IMF Say… Brazil Recession Deepening with Three Lost Years (Bloomberg) Excerpt: “Brazil won’t return to growth until at least 2018 after two years of recession and one of stagnation, marking the first time in over a century that Latin America’s largest economy fails to expand for that long…”
Rising Debt in Emerging Markets Poses Global Threat(Wall Street Journal) Excerpt: “After years of powering the global economy, emerging markets are caught between fading growth and tighter lending conditions, squeezing their private sectors, which had borrowed heavily during an era of low rates.The fallout from any debt defaults can spread fast: Foreign banks have lent $3.6 trillion to companies in emerging markets, and foreign investors hold, on average, 25% of local debt in developing economies.” Note: The Wall Street Journal requires subscription access to some content.
Profit Warnings Hit Crisis Highs as Market Turmoil Wracks UK (The Telegraph) Excerpt: “Profit warnings have rocketed to their highest levels since the financial crisis amid growing market fears that the global economy is on the brink of a major new downturn.”
The Periodic Table of Commodity Returns (Visual Capitalist) Excerpt: “At the beginning of each year, U.S. Global Investors puts out a fantastic visualization called the Periodic Table of Commodity Returns. This year’s version has an interactive design that allows users to sort returns by various categories including returns, volatility, and other groupings. For those keeping score, 2015 was a historically bad year for commodities in almost every regard.”
Personal Economics and Household Finance
Keys to Preventing Tax Identity Theft (Clark Howard) Spoiler Alert: File early! Excerpt: “During the last few years, crooks have been stealing people’s Social Security numbers and then filing false returns as though they were those people. The crooks typically claim low income and high deductions and file electronically. Then when you go to legitimately file your return, it’s rejected by the IRS because somebody else already filed as you!”
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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.
Zika virus, a wolf in sheep’s clothing A virus that has no vaccine and no specific treatment is on the rise and prevention appears to be the only real option. The mosquito-borne virus is actually a minor illness that resembles a light case of the flu except when it holds a nasty surprise. – D.S.
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No idea what you’re going to do when TEOTWAWKI is here and there is no GPS? How about doing the same thing that Native Americans did for hundreds of years: Native American GPS – T.Z.
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Flint Residents Told That Their Children Could Be Taken Away If They Don’t Pay For City’s Poison Water. Let me get this straight – The government is responsible for the quality of the water delivered, mandates that it be purchased and used, but it is unsafe to use. If you don’t pay your water bill for this substandard, poisoned water, the city threatens to foreclose on your home and take your children away? It’s time to move! – D.S.
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From the Desk of Mike Williamson, SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large: The NRA seems to be the only organization that has actually tested the Armatix iP1, the Not-So-Smart Gun.
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The Sundance Film Festival Trains Its Sights on the Gun Debate – T.P.
“The future of human liberty … means the future of civilization.” – Henry Haslitt
January 24 is the birthday of Tamara K., the editor of the View From The Porch blog. This is also the birthday of René Barjavel (born 1911, died November 24, 1985). This prescient French science fiction author wrote several books with survivalist themes, including Ravage, which was titled Ashes, Ashes in its English translation.
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Today is the day we move to our new server! We expect a few hiccups along the way in the move but hope to be stable by tonight.
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Don’t forget that we are nearing the end of Round 62 of the Writing Contest. There are many fantastic prizes with a total combined value of nearly $12,000. A $245 gift certificate from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs is just one of them. Check them all out and get busy writing.
As more and more prepper books and articles are written to address the issue of what one should do in order to have a viable bug out plan, most primarily focus on having a physical location, such as a cabin or small house in a remote area within reasonable driving distance of your present home. Somewhat surprisingly, far less attention has been given to the alternative idea of having a bug out boat to use for the same purpose. Once carefully examined, a “proper” boat will have certain advantages over a remote physical location, not the least of which is less cost and the ability to move on quickly to safer location if necessary.
A quick scan of related postings and articles suggest that others do give some credibility to the idea of a bug out boat but tend to offer examples that are relatively impractical. For example, one writer recommends a trailerable motorboat in a range of 20’ to 25’ in length. While this may provide a quick means of escape, it affords no suitable longer-term accommodation, at least for any more than a few days. That is, unless it provides the means of safer transit to a remote cabin by avoiding clogged or dangerous public roads. In another You Tube video, the serious owner of a 45’ luxury motor yacht extolls its virtues as the ideal bug out boat. It truly is a large, comfortable, well-equipped floating condo with every possible creature comfort. However, it is propelled by huge twin Caterpiller diesel engines, which literally guzzle fuel. It has substantial fuel tanks that would probably keep a family quite happy and comfortable for at least a few weeks, but then what do they do when diesel fuel in any quantity is no longer available. At that point, you have a huge, immobile floating barge that cannot readily move anywhere, plus you’ve also lost all systems dependent upon a diesel-fueled generator, such as lighting, air-conditioning (cooling and heating), refrigeration, running water, electric flush toilets, et cetera. That’s not a great choice if you have to escape a chaotic urban scene for more than a few weeks. I also suspect that a large, luxury yacht would make a highly visible and attractive target for any water-borne looters.
While these writers do make a fair case for bug out boats, none I have found actually describe what the “proper” bug out boat might actually look like. So, from personal experience as an owner of both, I will suggest two very viable options for consideration. In my opinion, the most ideal bug out boat will be a sailing catamaran, such as the popular Gemini 105MC– a 34-foot cruising cat with a 14-foot beam, capable of floating in 18” of water with a small, diesel auxiliary engine. It can go almost anywhere, including remote shallows where most other boats cannot. The Gemini has the advantage of both efficient sail power and economical diesel propulsion. However, when considering the prospect of longer-term occupancy, I believe its biggest advantage is the exceptional amount of living and storage space. It comfortably sleeps six persons in three separate staterooms and two more on its convertible settee. There is a private head with shower and a well-equipped galley. There’s an abundance of breathing room inside and lots of open, walkable deck space outside, essential to avoiding “cabin fever”. As a bug out boat, the Gemini can sail most anywhere, as long there’s at least six to seven knots of wind. Under power alone, with two built-in 18-gallon tanks, it burns about 1.5 gph at 6+ knots (7.2 mph), providing a range of 170 miles, which is easily increased to more than 300 miles by carrying an additional 30 gallons of diesel in its rear lazarettes. All of the lighting systems, instruments, VHF radio, and pressurized fresh water system run off a 12-volt battery bank, which is maintained daily by a 125 watt solar panel. The battery bank will also power computers and cell phones indefinitely, assuming service is available. A second solar panel can easily be added to double charging capacity. Two such solar panels will operate the 12-volt refrigerator/freezer. Another option is to carry a compact Honda EU2000i generator with a nominal supply of gasoline. The Gemini’s are equipped with a propane range and stove top. Two twenty-gallon propane tanks will last for five or six weeks, or even longer if used sparingly.
My second choice would be a smaller, semi-displacement trawler, such as the Nordic Tug 32, which I also presently own. These are economical, single diesel engine boats with a sizable fuel capacity affording significant cruising range. For example, the Nordic Tug has a 200-gallon fuel tank and room to carry an additional 50 gallons of diesel. At six to seven knots cruising speed, it uses about two gallons per hour and provides a cruising range of 700-800 miles. Since you may only travel 20-30 miles to your pre-selected anchorage hideaway, you will have a substantial reserve of fuel. The 5kw diesel generator can be run for two hours as needed to recharge the battery bank. This will consume less than two gallons per recharge. The Nordic Tug sleeps four persons comfortably and is of the highest quality construction. Other small trawlers in this same category are manufactured by Ranger Tug and American Tug, and there are several others in the 30-35’ range as well.
Lastly, there is a caveat I must address when recommending a bug out boat in lieu of a cozy cabin in the woods and that is cold weather, meaning long stretches of sub-freezing temperatures, heavy wind-driven snow, and frozen over lakes and rivers. It would be a challenge to live comfortably and warmly on either boat in such winter conditions. Both boats do have factory-option diesel heaters, and I’ve seen Nordic Tugs with small, coal or wood-burning fireplaces mounted in the salon area. If you live in a northern climate and if SHTF should occur in the winter, chances are that your boat would be dry-docked and bubble-wrapped in plastic. So, generally speaking, the cozy cabin retreat probably makes more sense in higher latitudes subject to extreme winter weather. Conversely, if SHTF happens in a more favorable season, just head south to warmer weather as winter approaches. I believe there is a strong case to be made for a bug out boat, if you do not reside in the frigid north.
Also, don’t forget that these boats are a whole lot of fun even if SHTF never happens.
It is very possible to grow potatoes from true pollinated seeds. I have been doing it for years. Potato seeds store for a long time, if kept dry. Enough seed to plant a large garden can fit into a small seed packet. Something like 85% of commercial varieties are sterile and thus don’t produce seeds. On my farm I have chosen to only grow varieties of potatoes that routinely produce seeds, and I store the seeds from them even if I most commonly grow from clones.
Regards, J the farmer.
Nearly $8 trillion wiped off world stocks in January, U.S. recession chances rising: BAML – B.B.
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Items from Mr. Econocobas:
David Stockman- 700 Days In No Man’s Land – Why They Can’t Keep It Up
Items from Professor Preponomics:
US News
Moody’s Puts 175 Energy and Mining Companies on Downgrade Watch (Financial Times) Excerpt: “Several of the world’s biggest oil and gas groups— including Royal Dutch Shell, Total and Chesapeake Energy— are among 175 energy and mining companies at risk of rating downgrades following a collapse in crude and other commodities markets….”
Bonner: The Entire Recovery is One Giant Myth (Business Insider) Some analysts and commentators believe consumer driven activity will save the day and that the worst is over for the manufacturing sector; it seems reasonable, however, to question the underlying fundamentals and to consider whether or not (or to what degree) consumer support is sustainable. This article does just that… Excerpt: “We don’t know whether it will get uglier now… or further down the road. But sooner or later, markets will retest the myths that support today’s asset prices. They will begin by asking questions: Are stocks too expensive? Can investors repay their debt? Is the economy capable of real growth? Can a small bunch of PhD economists with no market or business experience really manage the entire world’s economy?”
International News
When Russia’s Money Runs Out, the “Real Trouble Starts” (CNBC) Excerpt: “I don’t think you can underestimate how bad the situation in Russia is right now, you’ve got oil below any measure where the budget can survive and you’ve got sanctions from the West. Russia is in what I’d call a real serious economic crisis….”
There’s a Worrisome Shift in the Way the Most Powerful People in the World are Talking about China (Business Insider) Excerpt: “China faces a falling currency that it is spending billions to keep stable, and massive companies in sectors that used to drive growth getting swallowed by debt and buried by overcapacity. The Chinese government has said it has plans to combat these problems, but the plans are yet to be made public.”
IMF: Venezuela Inflation to Surpass 700%(AP) Excerpt: “…Venezuela’s economic troubles are leading to widespread shortages and “exacting a tragic toll”. Zero Hedge is also reporting: This is What the Death of a Nation Looks Like Warning: ZH article commentary may contain bad language and/or inappropriate avatar images.
Brazil: Economy Shed 1.5M Jobs in 2015 (New York Times) Excerpt: “Earlier this week, the International Monetary Fund said the recession affecting Latin America’s biggest country will continue in 2016 with output contracting 3.5 percent.”
Davos Leaders Fear “Brexit” May Be Deathknell for EU (The Telegraph) Excerpt: “Europe’s leaders have issued a passionate plea for Britain to remain in the European Union, fearing that Brexit could set off a disastrous chain of events at a time of existential crisis for the EU project.”
Personal Economics and Household Finance
11 Ways to Save on Your Water Heating Bill (Frugal Living) Install a timer. Stop the leaks. Insulate your pipes…and more! This is a list of excellent reminders and ideas.
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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.
