Six Wristwatches for Survivalists, by Pat Cascio

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I’ve always been a real stickler for being on-time, for everything – and I’ve been wearing a watch since I was a child. I believe I can count on one hand, the number of times I’ve ever been late for work, and at that, there was usually a good reason for being late. At that, my tardiness was only a few minutes being late from my scheduled starting time, with one exception. Back in 1976, I was briefly driving a dump truck for a living. The prior evening, some buddies and I went out drinking – I stopped drinking shortly after this and haven’t touched a drop since then. Anyway, we tied on a good one and I overslept, and it wasn’t until my boss called and woke me up – I was late that morning by more than an hour.

With reference to the above, I became a born again Christian, on August 17, 1977, and I stopped drinking immediately that very day – and never looked back. I didn’t have to go through any rehab programs or anything like that – it was simply the power of the Lord, that gave me the strength to stop drinking. My short testimony, if you will.

I couldn’t tell you the number of different watches I’ve owned over the years. However some were cheap models, and some – some of my current watches – are more expensive versions. Back in the say, I often wore a Timex – the old television commercials would say: “They take a lickin’ and keep on tickin…” And, to be sure, there were and still are decent watches.

If you’ll look at the photo at the top of this article, you will six different watches pictured. They are: Casio (no relation and spelled differently than my family name) a Pro Trek, followed by a Luminox, Seiko, another Casio, Swiss Army and lastly, an old no-name military-style watch. Prices range from $400 down to $10 – depends on what your bank account can handle and your needs.Continue reading“Six Wristwatches for Survivalists, by Pat Cascio”

Recipe of the Week: Broiled Venison Steak

The following recipe for Broiled Venison Steak is from The New Butterick Cook Book, by Flora Rose, co-head of the School of Home Economics at Cornell University. It was published in 1924. A professional scan of that 724-page out-of-copyright book will be one of the many bonus items included in the next edition of the waterproof SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick. This special 15th Anniversary Edition USB stick should be available for sale in the third week of January, 2021. The 14th Edition sold out quickly, so place a reminder in your calendar, if you want one.

Ingredients
  • Venison steak
  • Salt
  • Paprika
  • Butter or butter substitute
  • Currant jelly
  • Possibly olive oil and lemon-juice
Directions
  1. Clean the meat carefully.
  2. This requires about three minutes more time for broiling than beefsteak.
  3. If strong meat, then marinate in olive oil and lemon-juice for two hours before cooking.
  4. Drain without wiping.
  5. Broil over clear, hot coals, turning often to avoid scorching.
SERVING

Serve on a very hot platter. Sprinkle with salt and paprika and spread both sides with a mixture of butter or butter substitute and currant jelly, allowing hall as much jelly as fat.

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Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven and slow cooker recipes, and any that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

Economics & Investing For Preppers

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Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at the presidential election’s effects on the markets.

Precious Metals:

Central Banks Sell Gold for First Time in a Decade

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Gold Price Forecast: Next Surge To Follow US Election

Budgets & Public Debt:

Reader H.L. sent us this: The Fed’s Balance Sheet May Be Headed to $40–$50 Trillion

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In The Wall Street Journal: U.S. States Face Biggest Cash Crisis Since the Great Depression

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Charting America’s Debt: $27 Trillion and Counting

Economy & Finance:

At Zero Hedge: Von Greyerz: “Get Ready For The Biggest Collapse In Human History”

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Hotels: Occupancy Rate Declined 31.7% Year-over-year

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At Wolf Street: High Times in the Plague Year: Booze & Cannabis Retailers Shine

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — November 1, 2020

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Today is the 101st birthday of Canadian test pilot Russell Bannock. (Pictured at left.)

After entering the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), Bannock received his pilot’s wings in 1940 and was appointed as an instructor at Trenton, Ontario. Later he was posted to Royal Air Force Ferry Command from June to August 1942. In September 1942, Bannock became chief instructor with the Flying Instructor School at Arnprior in Ontario. Bannock’s request for overseas service was granted in 1944 and he joined 60 OTU based in RAF High Ercall, England.

In June 1944, Bannock was then transferred to No. 418 Squadron RCAF, flying intruder missions over Europe with the de Havilland Mosquito Mk. VI fighter-bomber. He quickly proved adept at this type of operation and achieved his first victories. In October 1944, he was promoted to Wing Commander and took command of the squadron. Bannock also flew ‘Diver’ operations against the German V-1 “flying bombs” launched against London and southern England. On one mission he shot down four V-1s in one hour. A bar to his Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) was added for his missions against the V-1s.

Bannock was transferred to No. 406 Squadron RCAF in November 1944 as commanding officer, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). By April 1945, Bannock had destroyed 11 enemy aircraft (including 2 on the ground), 4 damaged in the air and 19.5 V-1s destroyed. Bannock became Director of Operations, RCAF Overseas Headquarters, in London in May 1945 until September 1945 when he attended the Royal Air Force Staff College. Retiring from the RCAF in 1946, Bannock joined the de Havilland Canada Aircraft Company as chief test pilot, flying prototypes like the Beaver and various short take-off and landing aircraft. In 1950 Bannock became Director of Military Sales and later Vice President and President from 1976 to 1978. In 1968 he formed his own consulting business, Bannock Aerospace Ltd.

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November 1st, 1923 was the birthday of science fiction writer Gordon R. Dickson (born 1923, died January 31, 2001). Many of his novels and short stories, such as Wolf and Iron, have survivalist themes.

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I just heard that actor Sean Connery passed away, at 90 years of age. He was quite a guy. Most folks remember him as James Bond, but I most enjoyed his role in The Man Who Would Be King, and his Oscar-winning role in The Untouchables.  I loved that “The Chicago Way” speech.

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Today we present the monthly precious metals market analysis, written by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins.  I may not have pointed this out before, but I can vouch that is a firm with a solid reputation for customer service, prompt shipments, and competitive pricing. I recommend them.

October 2020 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran

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Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover gold’s performance, and the factors that affected gold prices.

What Did Gold Do in October?

Gold was range-bound between $1,890 and $1,930 in October, until it suffered big COVID-related losses the last three days of the month. Spot gold fell from an October 27 close of $1,907 to an $1,867 close on the 29th. Even this $40 drop did not move the average spot gold price in October more than a dollar, from $1,902 to $1,901 an ounce.
Silver moved in a two-dollar range between $23 and $25 (as of October 29), averaging $24.19 an ounce.
Stimulus talks between Nancy Pelosi and the White House were the lever that moved all markets this month. When markets thought a stimulus deal was near, stocks and gold rose, and the dollar weakened. When talks broke down, markets moved in the opposite direction.
Stocks and gold mostly ignored rising COVID infections until the end of the month. Sharply spiking cases and hospitals rapidly running out of ICU rooms hit both US and European markets at the same time. The massive selloff on Wall St saw gold prices plummet, as traders sold bullion to cover margin calls on short positions.
The first estimate of third quarter GDP came in at 33.1%, compared to the -31.7% drop in the second quarter. This news reversed early losses in the stock market, and sent the dollar sharply higher. The combination pushed gold solidly into negative territory for the month.

Factors Affecting Gold This Month

STIMULUS
The on-again, off-again stimulus talks between Nancy Pelosi and the White House were the major factor moving all markets until the explosion of COVID cases in the last week of the month. Corporate America would of course love more bailouts, so a second stimulus bill would be good for stocks.
A new stimulus deal would require more deficit spending. This would require the government to sell more Treasury bonds, which would push yields higher, and deepen negative real interest rates. This would improve the attractiveness of gold. More deficit spending would also weaken the dollar, which helps gold prices internationally.

The failure to pass a stimulus bill pushes stock prices lower as companies lose money and lay off workers. The government wouldn’t have to sell more Treasuries, which would promote a stronger dollar.
This dynamic has had gold moving the same direction as the stock market.
Political games eventually killed any hope for a stimulus bill before the election. Since the stock market was doing so well, neither side saw a stimulus bill as necessary, especially if it made the other party look good ahead of the election.Continue reading“October 2020 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.

And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,

Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:

And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?

He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?

Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.

Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. –  Matthew 17 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — October 31, 2020

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As Christians, our family does not celebrate the pagan Halloween. Since October 31st is also Reformation Day, that is what we celebrate, here at the Rawles Ranch.

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The Clock is Ticking: The big Pre-Election Sale at Elk Creek Company will end in just three days. Consider this: Pre-1899 guns are the last bastion of firearms ownership privacy, since they are entirely outside of Federal jurisdiction. These are guns that you can buy and that you can later simply hand to your children or grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or whomever, across state lines, with no paperwork whatsoever. (Whether it is a gift, sale, or trade.) Most of the guns in our inventory are both collectible and practical shooters. If the Democrats prevail, then the current rush of sales will probably turn into absolute panic buying. So, don’t hesitate. Order soon!

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Amazon.com is now advertising that they will have another batch of my latest book The Ultimate Prepper’s Survival Guide on or about November 14th. (They’ve been sold out since October 21st.) They are now taking orders for their second batch of the First Printing. This may be their last batch until the Second Printing arrives January or February, so don’t hesitate to place an order for your gift copies.

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Round 91 of our nonfiction writing contest ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Guest Post: The Tripwire, by D. van Oort & J.F.A. Davidson

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Editor’s Introductory Note: The following essay on censorship was posted nearly 20 years ago, in The Resister. I miss that site. This article is re-posted with permission.  – JWR

“How we burned in the prison camps later thinking: What would things have been like if every security operative, when he went out at night to make an arrest, had been uncertain whether he would return alive?”– Alexander Solzhenitzyn, The Gulag Archipelago

What would be the tripwire resulting in open rebellion? Examining the Bill of Rights, and considering existing laws only, and not failed attempts, you will find that every clause has been violated to one degree or another.

Documenting those violations would fill volumes, and it is important to remember that only government can violate the exercise of unalienable individual rights and claim immunity from retribution. We omit martial law or public suspension of the Constitution as a tripwire. The overnight installation of dictatorship obviously would qualify as “the tripwire,” but is not likely to occur. What has occurred, what is occurring, is the implementation of every aspect of such dictatorship without an overt declaration. The Constitution is being killed by attrition. The Communist Manifesto is being installed by accretion. Any suggestion that martial law is the tripwire leads us to the question: what aspect of martial law justifies the first shot?

For much the same reason, we will leave out mass executions of the Waco variety. For one thing, they are composite abuses of numerous individual rights. Yet, among those abuses, the real tripwire may exist. For another, those events are shrouded in a fog of obfuscation and outright lies. Any rebellion must be based on extremely hard and known facts. Similarly, no rebellion will succeed if its fundamental reasons for occurring are not explicitly identified. Those reasons cannot be explicitly identified if, in place of their identification, we simply point to a composite such as Waco and say, “See, that’s why; figure it out.” Any suggestion that more Wacos, in and of themselves, would be the tripwire, simply leads us back again to the question: what aspect of them justifies rebellion?

For the same reasons, we leave out a detailed account of Ayn Rand’s identification of the four essential characteristics of tyranny. She identified them quite correctly, but together they are just another composite from which we must choose precipitating causes. These characteristics are: one-party rule, executions without trial for political offenses, expropriation or nationalization of private property, and “above all,” censorship.Continue reading“Guest Post: The Tripwire, by D. van Oort & J.F.A. Davidson”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

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To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year. Note that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in the Comments. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

This past week we harvested one deer. It is now hanging in the barn. I prefer to let a deer season for about a week if the temperature stays below 50 degrees, before butchering them.  But this week, I had to wait for the temperature to rise above freezing for a few days!

We spent a couple of days helping a friend and his family move, to begin a long-term caretaking position at a large retreat. Each round trip was five hours of driving.  Our fully-enclosed three-horse trailer has once again proven its versatility and worth. The weather was fairly cooperative. But my back is really feeling the wear and tear. This sort of thing was so much easier when I was 30, than it is now, at 60 years of age.

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.

It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.

Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the Lord.

Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.

Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.

Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good.

Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?

It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head.

The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.” – Proverbs 20

(KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — October 30, 2020

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October 30th, 1735 was the birthday of President John Adams. (Other sources cite his birthdate as October 19, 1735.) He died on July 4, 1826–just a few hours after the death of Thomas Jefferson.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 91 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (a $1,100 value),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  7. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, that have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  4. Naturally Cozy is donating a “Prepper Pack” Menstrual Kit.  This kit contains 18 pads and it comes vacuum-sealed for long term storage or slips easily into a bugout bag.  The value of this kit is $220.
  5. An assortment of products along with a one-hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  4. A transferable $150 purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Round 91 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Making Dosa – Indian Fermented Bread, by E.P.

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Dosa is a fermented bread from the southern region of India. I eat dosa daily, and I can tell a difference in my well-being if I don’t have my daily dose of dosa. I started eating dosa after I met my wife of almost 30 years. Her parents are from northwestern India. Although she was born and raised outside of India, in a country where South Indians are more common. I am an American with ancestry from Europe and Scandinavia.

Dosa dough is normally made in a machine called a wet grinder. It can also be made in a blender, but doing so creates an inferior product for two reasons. First, a blender mixes too much air into the dough. Second, a wet grinder mashes the grain, whereas a blender cuts the grain with its blades, resulting in a less fibrous dough. A wet grinder has round granite roller stones that rotate in a pan with a granite stone bottom and a stainless steel side, and the grain is mashed between the heavy stones and the bottom of the pan.

We have two Astra wet grinders, one with two granite stones and one with three. My wife’s sister in India bought them for us many years ago. She ordered the first one with three stones and a 110-volt motor since we were going to be using it in the U.S. It worked fine for a short time until one day when I was using it, it started spewing heavy black smoke out of the motor. I shut it off, pulled the plug, and ran outside with it before it burned the house down. It burned the countertop, leaving a big black spot where the grinder had been setting. I took it apart and discovered that the motor was actually a 220-volt motor, but a second starting capacitor had been put on that it so it would start on 110 volts. This made the motor run hot until it eventually burned up.

My sister-in-law bought us a second one, identical to the first, except that it has two stones instead of three, and it has the standard 220-volt motor. Since it came with the British style plug used in India I had to cut it off and replace it with an American plug, available from Home Depot, commonly used on 220-volt electric clothes dryers. It runs just fine on 60 Hz American power, although electrical power in India is 50 Hz.Continue reading“Making Dosa – Indian Fermented Bread, by E.P.”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

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Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at the poor long-term prospects for private cryptocurrencies. (See the Forex & Cryptos section.)

Precious Metals:

Silver price to push above $30 an ounce in 2021 despite short-term turbulence – Metals Focus.

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Jim Curry: Key Message for Gold & U.S. Stocks

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SBTV: Gold Outperformed Buffett and the Stock Market

Economy & Finance:

At Zero Hedge: US Manufacturing Disappoints In Early October PMI Data As Election Anxiety Builds

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Union: Remington Arms, oldest U.S. gunmaker, terminates 585 employees at birthplace

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At Wolf Street: Fed Assets Eke Out New Record for First Time Since June 10. But Repos, Dollar Liquidity Swaps, SPVs Mothballed

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And another from Wolf: Jingle Mail Haunts Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities as Property Values Get Slashed Below Loan Amounts

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”