Friday Five for October 12, 2012

There was lots of interesting stories from which to choose for this week’s Friday Five from PreppingToSurvive. Here’s what topped our list: Goldenrod may be a nuisance to allergy sufferers but it has some great medical value, IMF warns of deepening global slump, and a novice’s guide to concealed carry, among others.

The Medicinal Uses of Goldenrod

For years, allergy suffers have dreaded and bemoaned the time of year when Goldenrod blooms. (Considered a common weed in North America, goldenrod is a prized addition to many gardens in Europe.) For most people, the plant’s pollen wreaks havoc on their eyes, noise and throat. Yet, few people know that the weed has been harvested for years to treat urinary track ailments such as kidney stones and bladder inflammation. Of course, you’ll want to do your own research before trying it. From UrbanPrepperChick.

IMF Warns of “Alarmingly High” Risk to Global Economy

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) this week warned of an increasing likelihood of a deeper global slump in the next two years. The U.S. and European economies sparked the concerns. The U.S. economy is growing at a weaker than expected rate of just 2.2 percent while the 17-country Eurozone is contracting at 0.4 percent. Both of these figures are worse than previously expected. From Bloomberg.

Guide to Concealed Carry

As more and more people file for concealed carry permits around the U.S., the next question is how to best carry in a concealed manner. Antonio of The Art of Manliness outlines four steps to making your concealed carry weapon both practical (easy to draw) and stylish (out of sight). From ArtOfManliness.

An Important Questions for Preppers? Why Do You Want to Survive?

Preppers and survivalists are often so busy preparing for the worst while hoping for the best that we sometimes forget to ask a very fundamental question: why do we want to survive the end of the world as we know it? In this Activist Post article, Dan and Sheila Gendron pose that question and discuss some rationale behind potential answers. From Activist Post.

Former TARP Official: Another Financial Crisis is Coming

According to Neil Barofsky, former Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the U.S. is rapidly heading for another financial crisis. According the Barofsky, the TARP fund was a giant failure despite claims to the contrary. When asked if another crisis is coming, Barofsky commented “I think it’s inevitable,” he said on the sidelines of the conference. “Our current economic system, our financial system, is unsustainable.” From The Wall Street Journal.