Today we present two more entries for Round 40 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 40 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

DISCLAIMER:  I am not a medical professional.  All advice given in this article should be discussed with your doctor before attempting to use them.  Please be cautious that all plants that you use have been properly identified before using them medically.

After a societal collapse, no matter the cause, store bought medicine will disappear.  If you are like my wife and I you have stored up medicines along with your food, water, and all the rest.  However, if the collapse will be long term then sooner or later you are going to run out of medicine.  About a year ago, after moving to the small town our retreat is in to start farming and setting up agriculturally, my wife and I began a discussion as to how we could supplement and even replace our medical supplies as they begin to run short and eventually run out.

The answer was surprisingly simple; plant-based medicines or herbal medicine.  Nature is our medicine cabinet!  Most of the pharmaceutical-grade medicines we have today are based off of plants and plant derivatives, so why not take it one step back in the process to the plants themselves.  Anyone who has begun a study of herbal medicines has heard the story about foxglove and how it was prescribed by herbalists in the past to help treat heart conditions.  Unsurprisingly, when modern science began studying this herb they discovered it contained a medicine that they extracted called digitalis.  Digitalis has been prescribed for decades for patients with heart conditions.

One of the things that my wife and I discovered as we began our quest into herbal medicines is that (unless you live in very cold or very hot climates) we are quite surrounded by medicines.  Not only medicines but vitamin supplements in plant form.  For example, we are surrounded in our area by red or crimson clover, a plant that was introduced to the United States as a cattle feed which has spread like wildfire and is now found in 43 of the 50 states.    The flowers of red clover are what gives the plant its name and are also where most of your medical and vitamins are located in the plant itself.   Red clover can be used as a tea or can be converted to a salve.  As a tea it acts as a mild sedative and also loosens phlegm so is excellent when you have a cold.  It is high in Vitamin C and niacin.  Also it contains the minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium, and chromium.   In ointment form it can be used to treat psoriasis and eczema.  

My wife and I spent this past weekend picking an entire bowl of the flowers.  The flowers can be dried for use in teas later, which is what we are doing.  You can also make a tea with it as soon as you pick it.  You boil your water, dump it on top of the flowers,  wait 30 minutes to steep, add honey and drink!  What could be simpler?  That is just one of hundreds of plants that we have identified in our area.

How Do I Get Started?

First:  Identify potential health problems you may face after a collapse.  Does someone in your family have asthma?  Then you would probably want to identify herbs in your area that can be used to treat asthma.  Worried that you will not have anything to treat a fever with once the Tylenol runs out?  Red clover is great for reducing fevers and has anti-viral qualities. 

Second:  Identify plants in your area.  This is as simple as starting with what you know.  My wife and I know without a doubt that the clover growing in our area is red or crimson clover.  We had questions about other types of plants so we went online to help identify them.  There are great resources out there that make this easy.  An example is:  RealTimeRendering.com.  If you cannot figure out what a plant is after searching in books or online, get in contact with a botanist at a local university.  If they don’t know they will help you find out and are usually extremely helpful.
Third:  Look up the medicinal uses for the herbs you have identified.  Sometimes the results will be disappointing and there is little or no value in harvesting the plant, such as the musk thistles that are abundant in the area where we live.  Other times you will hit a gold mine of medicinal uses, such as what we discovered with the abundant red or crimson clover.  Check out multiple sites and books to insure that you are getting proper information.

Fourth:  Find out what you have to do in order to extract or use the medicine.  Sometimes it is as simple as making a tea.  At this point, I feel I must give this warning:  BE CAREFUL OF INGESTING ANYTHING.  Please make 100% sure that you have positively identified a plant before using it as a medicine.  You want to help your family and poisoning yourself (or even them) by rushing or guessing will help no one.   Other times they are best used in poultices, salves, and in other types of applications.  Read up on the medicinal uses then look up how to make these online.

Fifth:  Be mindful that herbs will naturally reproduce themselves annually and that you should pick them fresh every year.  One of the herbal remedies I will give below (yellow dock) has a shelf life of about six months but can be harvested in the spring and in the fall so this is not a problem at all.  Just remember that herbs medicinal qualities will expire after a certain amount of time.

Sixth:  Compile all of your findings and share them with your group.  This will also give you a great deal of bartering power after a collapse PLUS would be an excellent form of charity that you could use to increase your reputation in your community.   Not to mention the simple fact that sharing your medical knowledge would be a very Christian thing to do!

Example of a herbal remedy:  Yellow Dock Tonic
There is a plant known as Yellow Dock (you can look up pictures of it on Google Images) that grows on the side of roads and in open pastures.  Since there are two different methods for harvesting and preparing this plant depending on whether it is spring or fall, I will tell you how to harvest and prepare this now.  The seeding part of this plant can be harvested in the fall after drying and used as flour.  The medicinal part of this plant lies below ground. 
Yellow Dock is a great medicinal herb with multiple uses, something you should seek in your medicinal plants.  It can be added to many other mixtures and remedies, such as the red clover tea.  A few of the many medicinal uses of Yellow Dock include, cough medicine, liver detox, digestive aid, gout remedy,  headache remedy,  depression remedy,  skin treatments for itching and eruptions (boils, poison ivy, psoriasis, etc.),  bowel infections as well as treating peptic ulcers.

Preparing Yellow Dock in the Spring:  To use this plant medicinally you need to grab a shovel and dig out the root system.  The root system of Yellow Dock is usually very well established and can go as far as twelve inches below the surface.  After you dig out the root you will notice that the roots are carrot like in appearance (but not color).  The top of the root system near the stem will be tough and barky.  You want to cut right above this hard bark portion of the roots near the stem.  The top half of this plant can be fed to your livestock (in moderation).  Our goats love them.
The roots should be washed over and over until all the dirt has been removed.    After this cut up the roots into ¼” sections and pile these up.  When you get to the top of the root that is difficult to cut with a knife you can stop and discard this section.  Once you have a nice pile (about 1 lbs or more) of the roots you can begin boiling water.  Place the roots into another pot that has a cover.  This pot should be small enough that your roots fill it almost to the top with a half an inch to an inch to spare.

Once your water has boiled, pour it on top of the Yellow Dock roots to where it is just barely covering them.  At this point, place the top on the pot and go do something else for an hour.  While you are waiting you can prepare a strainer and whatever you wish to place the root extract into.  My wife and I used an old vinegar bottle to place our tonic into.  The excess went into a mason jar.
After your hour is up, fill your tonic bottle halfway by passing the golden brown liquid extract through a strainer to remove any root parts.  Let it cool for a while.  Place the remainder of your extract into another bottle, also straining.  At this point you can throw the roots in your pot onto your compost heap as you have extracted all you can get from them.  Warm (not boil) some apple cider vinegar and pour into your tonic bottle.  Take a couple of teaspoons of this every day.  Remember to not overdo it as the mixture you have is pretty potent.

The foregoing is just one of many herbal remedies that you can concoct.  My wife and I have tried the two remedies recommended in the above article so speak from experience that they do work.  You may find that you have plants unique to your area with great medicinal uses!   In a collapse situation you will need any advantages you can get so start learning about herbal medicines today.
Final Words:  I can talk for a long time about herbal medicines but I urge you to get out there and start learning all of this yourself.  This post should give you a good idea of what to do and I sincerely hope that a few people out there will take it seriously.  God Bless and stay healthy!

Cycling has many facets that could attract people preparing for the time when the comforts we have been so accustom to are no longer available. Pick your scenario for the drastic change in our future and a bicycle might be able to handle some of the chores that a computer controlled fossil fuel vehicle may no longer be capable of. If the family car is incapacitated, how will you get from point A to point B?

But one can't expect to just shell out some money on a human powered urban assault vehicle, and one day just pick it up and head out towards the burning horizon as if it’s a normal evening sunset. I’m going to attempt to write this article to the person who’s looking to add this option by doing research, making wise purchases, testing equipment, and training properly, just like any other prepping should be done.

You’d think silly of me if I bought a firearm for self-defense, loaded the one magazine provided with ammunition I bought from a yard sale, placed it under my pillow, and then expected it (or me) to instantly be ready to fend off anything more than a girl scout ringing the doorbell with a wagon full of cookies. If you consider this a viable threat, I apologize for making light of it, and you might want to talk to somebody about that. But I digress. You should have done your research, talked the poor guy behind the counter at the local gun store into insanity, purchased a firearm and accessories based on your intended use, and budgeted for ammunition to test and train for the moment of truth. Cycling is no different, except for the slinging of lead and the fact that training is much, much cheaper. You should do the research, buy from a local bike shop (can’t stress this enough, as a working relationship with a good bike shop will pay for itself), and train, train, train.

This should lead to a high confidence level that you and your bicycle can reach its planned destination while carrying the gear necessary for the trip. Confidence will come from not only the tested gear, but the change in physical health that the training is going to afford you. I’m not going to assume you have already put in the amount of seat time it takes to get those sit bones in tune for a day of cycling past the no longer gas guzzling modern dinosaurs stuck on the road after TSHTF. To get there, you’ll need to add cycling to your current physical training routine. If a physical training plan doesn’t exist, cycling is the perfect place to start.

Cycling Out Scenarios

Immediate bug out
For us who are still looking for that perfect land to wait out the Apocalypse, we still consider abandoning our current digs for better ones immediately upon realizing that the grid is down and ain’t coming back soon. Walking doesn’t get us very far, and we’ve got to carry everything we need on our backs. It goes without saying that if this isn’t something you have trained for, you might still be able to look back and see your own mailbox before you decide where you’re making camp for the night.

Forced bug out
All but the most fortified and mega-stocked castle-on-a-hill should have a bug out scenario at least in the realm of possibility, or have graves already dug. By the time stores run out, and the angry mobs have eaten each other, cycling can give you that 100+ mile range when the fuel pumps have run dry, and your Hummer is out of commission. You’ve got your maps and have contacted a community with your short wave radio; but how do you get there carrying what you need for the trip when cars are incapacitated and roads are impassable? Your cycle choice and training can step up to the challenge.

Cycling home
Many people who have prepared their suburban homes for disaster work in more urban areas due to the higher paying jobs. For them, being at work when the news gets bad is a concern. Trying to get out of a densely populated area in a car on limited road space due to everyone else trying to do the same might become problematic. If getting home by car is no longer an option, cycling can be a much faster alternative to hoofing it. A ten mile commute on back roads via bike is a 45 minute ride with limited training vs. half of a day. 35 to 50 miles and more is possible in the same time it would take to walk. With no impact on your joints from the ride, you might be of some good when you get there to bunker down and defend your home.

Shelter in Place
You might think in this scenario that a bike would be useless, but I’d like to argue the point. Exercise will still be important no matter where you find security. A cycle trainer can turn your outdoor bike into an indoor gym. Even if you’re 10 feet under concrete avoiding the nuclear winter, you won’t have to have memorized your favorite 90 minute exercise DVD to get in a good workout. You’re gonna want to keep that heart in good shape for when you pop the hatch and greet the new world. Also consider the power you’re generating with that spinning wheel. That could run a generator that keeps batteries charged or run small appliances. With a little ingenuity, this energy can be used in a number of ways. Hook it to a water pump normally run by a drill and you can move stored non-potable water up to a tank on the roof to flush the last working toilet in existence. This might be a topic for another paper.

Bike Choices

Road
Road bikes are very specialized machines for exactly what they’re named for; the road. If your plan includes pavement from point A to point B, and you train for the situation, a road bike can get you home in a hurry while your coworkers are stuck on clogged roads. I mention training due to the fact that these speed demons are to be ridden bent over and don’t have any creature comforts. 100 psi tire pressures, a rigid architecture, and a seat hard enough to deflect incoming artillery make for an uncomfortable ride if you aren’t prepared for it. The component sets are built for speed, not abuse. I’m not saying they are particularly fragile, just designed for the road. That being said, if you pick up road cycling as a hobby, you won’t blink at a 25 or 30 mile ride for fun, much less as a way home in an emergency.

Mountain
A mountain bike might seem like a better choice, and for most initially riding one is a lot easier. If you’re G.O.O.D plan is off the side of a mountain into the valley below, you can stop reading here and buy a downhill special. If crossing numerous unimproved sections of land is in order, this is your choice mode of transportation. But these bikes can be very inefficient on the road and can drain your energy much faster. Your level of comfort and durability go way up, and if the distance isn’t a factor, a mountain bike might be your choice. A general rule is the more suspension travel the more energy will be robbed from each rotation of the pedals. Also, picking an aggressive tread pattern increases the rolling resistance you’ll experience. Much like the road bike, if you’ve trained for it, this type of bike can do the miles.

Hybrid
The type of bike I ride is what’s considered a hybrid. This is a broad category. They can range from dual suspension to a rigid frame and forks. From a wider (not mountain wide) tire with 60 psi, to a slim road tire with 100+ psi. Many sport a flat style handle bar. It is the most identifiable feature, and a huge difference between it and the road bike. The other difference is that they usually sit more upright, making it a more familiar ride to beginners. Thinner tires and less suspension separate it from the mountain bikes. Commuter bikes fall into this category, and have some features that are attractive to someone who’s looking for all-weather reliability. Commuters don’t take days off just because the weather turns on them, and neither will you in an emergency situation. They can have better component sets, sealed bearings, and disc brakes for better performance in inclement weather. Hybrid and commuter bikes are often drilled out in places specifically designed for mounting racks for bags. This isn’t mandatory but will facilitate mounting these later.

As mentioned, tires for these semi-thin rimmed machines range from slick and stiff to knobbed and squishy. Depending on your planned route, road tires give you much less rolling resistance and more miles for your efforts. The tradeoff is in traction on any (and I mean any) dirt or gravel covered terrain. Also, durability is not their strong suit. If you do run road tires, you have to be careful of any debris or deformity in the road. Fortunately, there’s a whole sport based on good rolling and high traction tires. Cyclocross tires are perfect for both on and off road. They might not save you in an extreme downhill situation, but for general on and off road use, cyclocross tires are worth looking at.

Bug Out Cycling Gear

Safety
As with most of this paper, this is practical information for every cyclist, regardless of the situation. Number one: Do not ride a bike without a helmet. Bike helmets are very lightweight, and you won’t even notice it two minutes into a ride. Note: Cycling helmets are good for one impact. Get a new one if it ends up saving your skull from impact. Number 2: Lights should be used when cycling in any type of traffic or on public accessible roads. Unless you determine your bug out a “blackout situation”, a blinking red light to the rear and a blinking white light to the front should be flashing at all times. Work gloves and safety glasses are part of my B.O.B., and the ones I’ve selected to get me through Armageddon are just fine for commuting or escaping an urban disaster to get home. Glasses will help keep you in control if something hits you in the face. The gloves have a padded palm to give some comfort from leaning on the bars for prolonged periods of time. I have cycling gloves, but my mechanic style gloves get the call if I’m loading up my 72 hour bag and heading for safer ground.

Pedals/Shoes
Pedals come in three main flavors: platform, clips, or clipless. I’m going to eliminate clips altogether. I consider them the most dangerous of the three, and the least effective. I’m going to recommend cycling shoes and clipless pedals, because they put a lot more of your power to the ground and are safer than any other type of pedal. I’m not sure most who don’t use them would agree, but the ones who do will never, ever go back. If you plan on doing a “century” (cycle slang for 100 miles in a day), or just toolin’ around town, clipless pedals are head and shoulders above your other options. Conversely; platform pedals (the ones you’re used to from when you were a kid on your Huffy) offer you a shoe alternative that most clipless pedals don’t. The answer can be clipless pedals with a platform around them. That way, if you have to ride without your bike shoes, you can do so effectively. It’s the win/win situation we’re all looking for. They are available from different manufacturers.

Shoes for road bikes are once again designed only for riding, and walking in them can be kind of like walking in swim fins and sound like tap shoes. Shoes designed for mountain biking use the same pedal attachment (cleat) as the road shoes, but are designed to put your foot down when you need to, and walk around much better. When buying this combination, keep in mind that the cleat comes with the pedals, and not the shoes. There are a few different types of pedals with their own style cleat. Which of these styles is better is another subject for another paper. Most are great designs, but your familiarity with them is much more important than which one might have a slight advantage on the other. The cleat that comes with your pedals should bolt on to the bottom of whatever shoe you buy. If you buy both from a cycle shop (always recommended), they should make the whole shootin’ match work for you.

Self-Defense
If you are going to be out before the angry hordes are done looting and haven’t finished eating the majority of their own population, you can be a target for them. Much like settlers heading West, you’ll need a way of confronting the onslaught. Although you are going to want to give most of the carrying burden to the mechanical beast, some things might be better carried on your person. In fact, you might want to consider having to ditch the bike altogether if the scenario calls for it. Sure, this is a last resort, but so might have been bugging out in the first place. One thing I won’t be strapping on to my cycle is my primary firearm. This, a hydration system, and some other basic survival gear will be attached to me. I’ve worn plenty of MOLLE style vests in the past, and one that carries my sidearm cross draw in a retention holster is getting the call for this mission. Add some pouches for reloads and other must have stuff in just in case plan “C” is called into play. The rest can find room on the bike. Keep in mind that most panniers (a set of side bags) are designed to be removed quickly and have some sort of carrying handle. Loaded appropriately, and you could escape a situation quickly with quite a bit of your gear and leave behind the bike.

Other Gear
Two other parts of your body that touch the cycle the majority of the time are your hands and your derriere. Gloves we covered, so we’ll deal with your sit bones now. You can buy seats with as much padding as you’d like, then add a gel cover to it, and even find a seat post with a little shock absorber in it, but there’s no replacement for seat time. They have seats out there that look like the came off a tractor, but they’ll still more than likely hurt your butt at first. Seat time, measured in minutes, not miles, will make this pain bearable. I prefer to just log the seat time with the saddle that came with the bike. I pay good money (not too much money) for good bikes, and I find the seat that came on it plenty good for me. Cycling pants have a pad built in to them, and they are effective. Cycling pants are also shaped for being bent at the waist, making them comfortable for long rides, but not necessary option for your journey. You can wear them under loose fitting clothing so that you have your pocket knife right where you normally wear it. My tactical shorts usually ride over of mine.

Carrying Gear

Racks
This is the metal frame that attaches to your bikes frame, forks, or both. Racks are available in many different sizes and carrying styles. Some are clip-on, and some bolt on to the bike. I’m not a fan of the clip-on, and wouldn’t trust them in a heavy carry or rough terrain situation to lug what might be equipment and supplies that prolong my life. Some only carry loads on top, some on the sides, and some both. This is going to be a personal choice based on how much each person can carry safely for the distance and terrain they must cover. A general rule is that you’d rack and pack the rear of the bike first, then the front as needed. I have done both, and prefer to rack the front first. I don’t even notice moderate loads on the front of my commuter bike, and prefer the ride of the weight low and forward on my bike. I had to look for specific racks that work with disc brakes with my last purchase, as my newest cycle is equipped with them. Suspension laden cycles will have some restrictions on what racks they can accommodate. Again, a good cycle shop will be able to help you with selection, as well as proper installation.

Bags/Panniers
I’ll tell you right off the bat these things can get downright expensive. But like with most things, you get what you pay for. Since I’m guessing you’ll be (as I will) moving the heavier, if not all of, your B.O.B. to the bags, the light duty bags are not what you’re looking for. Water containers can be affixed directly to the racks if you wish. Practice riding with all the extra weight in its place before the need arises. The higher you make your center of gravity, the more unstable your ride will be. The other nugget I’ll share is that I prefer to buy the racks and bags from the same manufacturer. Not necessarily the same place, as shopping around can save you some dough. As mentioned before, many panniers slip on and lock to the racks for quick on and off convenience. A slight difference in design between the racks and the bags can lead to relying on duct tape (once again) to arrive with what you departed with. There are plenty of options of where you want to put bags, too. Handlebar, trunk, sides, seat, and frame bags are a few of the choices. I have a seat bag with an extra tube and the tools to change it, along with a cycling multi-tool. I prefer these items to be out separate so that I don’t have to look for it when needed. Changing a flat on a bike is very fast with some practice. Looking for the tools can take as long as fixing the flat if you have to dig for the stuff.

Trailers
Why not a bugout bag (B.O.B.) for your B.O.B.? Google up the B.O.B. (Beast of Burden, in this case) cycle trailer and I think you’ll be impressed. I’ve personally talked with people who have crossed the country pulling these things loaded down with gear, and they praise them. The only complaint is that they’re so popular that replacement parts can be hard to come by. Their single wheel design and slim profile make them very agile, able to scoot through small places (like between abandoned cars) and down narrow trails. This is the only individual product endorsement I’m including in this paper. I’m currently experimenting with a two wheeled trailer I picked up second hand. The primary use for the trailer will be our pet, which we’ve prepped for on all the levels in which we’ve prepped for ourselves. But I will also be testing this for the carrying of supplies. Water will be placed low and flat of the bottom of the cargo area. Other cargo will be placed around, and our small dog will be strapped in and sitting up in the middle. If you have a small child, this is also an option. I’m going to suggest, nay demand, the same safety equipment for the young passenger (helmet) and the same lights on the rear and far left and right of the trailer. A flag also accompanies most trailers for visibility.

Bike Maintenance and Repair

Professional Maintenance
After riding your bike the first hundred miles or so, it's time to take it back to the cycle shop for adjustments. I wouldn’t try this if you elected to buy from an individual or a big box store. New cables stretch and derailleurs will need tweaking. This is a service many bike shops offer for free. Unless you really want to learn a new skill (discussed later), I'd leave adjustments to the pros at the shop. They aren’t often necessary after initially tightening everything up. Just have it done occasionally and you’ll be ready when the ball drops.

Home Maintenance
Home maintenance is not too tedious. Cleaning and lubricating the chain is something you should do as necessary. A device to do this is about the only tool I have that is cycle specific. Keeping the bike clean, especially if you take it off road, is important to prevent unnecessary corrosion.

Repair
As for maintenance, I’d leave almost anything more complicating than flats to the cycle shop. One reason for this is the shop's mechanic can spot other things you might have missed that are askew with your scoot whilst repairing whatever it is you drug it in for. That is unless you’ve done your homework in cycle repair and equipped your tool arsenal with cycle specific implements. That being said, cycle repair could be a post catastrophic vocation that might be in demand. If you do choose to develop this skill set, it might be a bartering tool with others who now realize that a bike is their best transportation option. You might just find yourself fixing old bikes and trading/selling them, effectively starting your own “The Day After” bike shop as an income stream while saving time and money now by tuning your own.

Parts
Again, as long as you keep your bike in good working order, even if the cycle shop falls within the quarantine area, you should be able to get where you’re going on your well maintained bicycle. Tubes and the few tools you’ll need to change a road side flat are a must. A chain is a key component that can break without any real sign of abuse. An extra one might be a good idea along with a chain tool. Chain tools are small and fairly self-explanatory, and come as part of cycle-specific multi-tools. Stocking up on spare parts can be part of your plan if you’re considering the after world bike shop we previously mentioned.

Replacement
Some parts will need to be replaced, much like a car. Unlike a car that has a check engine light, sometimes bicycle problems don’t present symptoms as fast and can easily be missed. Having an inoperative bike can make your five mile bug out plan change drastically, and make a 50 mile bug out nearly impossible. Tire wear is more obvious, and you’ll be looking at them more than most other parts. Tubes, unless you really are lucky, will be replaced because of occasional flats before they wear out. The less obvious parts are the chain and coated brake cables.

Testing Your Gear
Just as with the waterproof matches, the dehydrated mac and cheese, and the portable water filter you bought for your B.O.B., every piece of prepper gear must be tested. Not only for operability, but for the confidence you need to carry this gear in to TEOTWAWKI. Your bike is no exception. Find the weak links, and squash them. You have to know that when this piece of equipment is supposed to get you home (or where you’re going to call home) that when you lean on the pedals, it’ll project itself forward just like it’s designed to do.

Cycling Lifestyle

Cycle shops
A good cycle shop will pay for itself in professional advice, proper fitting you to a bike, proper mounting accessories to your machine, and continual tuning. Picking a bike off the shelf of a super store is a recipe for disaster. I wouldn’t buy a bike from a box store as a present for a total stranger; much less trust my plans for the future to one. As with any good gun shop, you should feel comfortable asking questions about gear. If they don’t have the time to answer them, then Google up another bike store in your area until you find one that does. Make sure the owner and employees are cyclists. Their real life experiences with gear will be your first test, but not your last. It should be obvious that they’re cyclists, by the display of their own bikes in the shop. Ask them why they picked the gear they run, and then learn from their answers. They’ll also most likely be your first clue to where the good cycling clubs meet.

Cycling clubs
A lot of what we do as preppers is enhanced by like-minded people, and cycling is no exception. Getting into a cycling club can make your whole experience better. There’s seat time, and then there’s seat time combined with a little healthy competition and camaraderie. There are usually ability groups to match all levels, so you don’t have to be able to do 20 miles at 20 MPH on day one. But you will improve quicker than you think if you work at it.

If you really want to be prepared to bike thru the now third world country at the end of your driveway, take up a discipline called cyclocross. Cyclocross racing is a fairly new sport, but is catching on quickly as it brings the other types of racing together in a strange and fun environment. This type of event invites inclement weather, provides terrain that varies from road to mud, includes obstacles that will force you to carry your bike, and will abuse your body (as much as you want). It takes place on a closed course designed to tax your cycling skills as much as your endurance. The events can be more about finishing than time, and more about fun than trophies. You’ll better know what your body will put out, and what your gear will put up with in this kind of situation. Consider it the cycling equivalent to practical shooting.

Cycle commuting
If your plan includes cycling home from work, what better way to know how it'll go than riding to work? I know there are those commutes that just aren’t feasible, but don't count out 10 or 15 miles one way until you know what you're capable of. Commuting every day isn’t necessary. Maybe you save it for casual Friday. Your attention to detail is different on a bike, and this gives you the best view of what you'll experience when it's time to get home under adverse conditions. I’m not going into a tactical discussion here, but you’ll want to take note of choke points and back routes that will provide better cover or concealment. It also feels good to pass a few gas stations knowing you're not shelling out your hard earned money just to get to work. Plan your commutes by picking roads that are safe to ride on.  Skip roads that don't offer you the room you need to bail out. You are considered a vehicle, and you have some right of way, but don't put yourself in a situation where you're trying to explain this to a Paramedic in the back of an ambulance. Review the cycling laws in your state, but realize you might be the only one out there who has. You will be able to pack almost anything you’d normally haul to work in the panniers that will carry your survival gear. My smaller front bags are all I usually need, and I’m much more prepared to work after getting the blood moving on a quick ride to work.

Healthy Lifestyle
Whether a quadruple bypass is in your past, or in your future, you won’t be overly welcome in a post-apocalyptic community if the procedure is imminent. Starting a physical training routine with cycling is easy and fun for almost anyone. After the initial investment, training is basically free and is as convenient as taking an afternoon bike ride. If the great outdoors doesn’t present many opportunities for pleasant riding, many indoor options are available. Adding cycling to a routine is a great idea if your joints are getting a little older. Even if you’re in above average physical shape, cross training on a bike is a great idea to change up your workout. Find a local spin class and see how fast you get into shape for miles of road. As preppers, if physical conditioning isn’t part of a routine, we won’t last long in the times we’re prepping for.

Conclusion
I’m hoping that by now you’re looking at this topic from a broader prospective by looking at the benefits of adding cycling to your lifestyle both before and after TEOTWAWKI. Most of the things I’ve mentioned here shouldn’t surprise you, but I hope were worth reading one more time. A few things worth repeating: You get what you pay for. Seat time, measured in minutes, not miles, is everything. Test all your equipment and strategies as with all survival gear. A great cycle shop will prove indispensable the same way a good gun store is for that type of gear. Last, a cycling lifestyle will benefit in more ways than one. If you live ten years longer because your heart doesn’t have to work as hard, you might just get to shoot some zombies that you would have missed if you flat line before they get here. Happy cycling.

Hi Jim,
To follow up on the recent letter on Commercial Storage Space Thievery, I had a very similar experience with my storage locker.  I have a locker from Public Storage in Saratoga, California and had the very same thing happen.  I checked out my unit one night and another lock was on the unit.  I had the Sheriff come by and they did the usual.  The problem I am having presently is the insurance company hasn't really done much and its been three months [since I discovered the theft.]  I had all the receipts from Amazon.com and Costco.com so that isn't the problem.  They keep dragging their feet while I still pay for insurance on the unit.  To add injury to insult, Public Storage just raised my rent. Best Regards, - Martin in California

Mr. Rawles and Steve S.:
I am a Resident Manager of a storage facility.  Many of my tenants are preppers.  We have not had any trouble in the seven years that I have been manager.
 
The secret to having a secured facility is to ask questions.  Here are some tips on selecting a safe place for your preps
 
1.        Does the manager live on property and is the resident close to the gate.
2.       Security – what form does it take
3.       Are the camera recording 24/7 or are they for show
4.       Entry into the facility – coded box and log
5.       Own lock – case hardened – round locks are the best as it takes a long time to cut and usually requires some type of cutting tool
6.       Limited Gate hours – 24 hour facility is just asking for trouble.  Thieves come in the night
7.       Fencing – easy or hard to climb
8.       More than one gate – how is the second one monitored
9.       Does the facility have alarms on the doors – newer places  have this. 
10.   Not a lot of corridors as the turning can keep someone from seeing
11.   Neighborhood/location –ask local police if there is a history of trouble. 
12.   How long has the manager been in charge – long term managers are usually the ones that have a secure facility. 
 
When putting preps/guns or such make sure it does not look like you are placing important items inside the unit.  If you are going to be out of the area find a family member or friend that you trust and have them check the unit at least once a month.  Units that are visited by the people who rent them are less like to have trouble.
 
If you, personally, don’t feel comfortable then do not rent there. 
 
Yes, both myself and my security/maintenance guy are preppers and we have learned many good lessons from this web site
 
Thank you for all you have taught us. - Texgalatheart

James,
I was dismayed to read Steve S.’s letter about thieves chopping locks off of multiple storage units. Like Steve, I chose a gated facility with cameras. However, there is an additional layer of security available at some storage facilities that your readers may wish to know about. The facility I chose has individually coded entry alarms. When I visit the facility, I must swipe an uniquely coded electronic key in order to open the gate. That key is coded to my individual storage units. If I do not unlock and open either of my specific storage units within ten minutes or so after entering the gate, an alarm goes off. Similarly, if either of my units are unlocked and opened without me first entering the gate, an alarm goes off.
 
Obviously one pays a price for the additional security (my facility also has on-site resident managers). However, my facility always has a waiting list so the price must be right (it was for me!). Just thought folks might want to know this technology is available and commercially feasible for storage facilities to implement! - David in Pleasanton

Dear Field Gear Editor:
I respectfully disagree with the use of the  Deep Concealed Carry Holster for most people who carry concealed firearms.  Gun fights happen in seconds and taking the time to rip open a shirt and cross draw may not be fast enough to survive.  However, anyone carrying a concealed  firearm should be well versed  in the concept of situational awareness and be prepared well in advanced that the use of a weapon may be needed.  Another problem with a cross draw in a highly stressful situation is the heightened possibility of muzzle flashing  someone other that the threat.  
 
I prefer and regularly use a Milt Sparks Versa Max 2 or Summer Special 2  inside the waistband holster,  tucked slightly behind the hip.  This allows for a fast draw with the muzzle pointing at the threat and the concealment is excellent.   The other day I carried a full size 1911 for the day, wearing a T-shirt and loose un-tucked patterned shirt.   I passed several police officers, private security and many people, and not one person appeared to notice I was carrying a weapon.  I have in the past used only a T-shirt to conceal my 1911 using the Versa Max 2 with no issues, however the T-shirt needs to be on the larger size. Pat made a very good point  in that it does take time for the body to get accustomed to a holster.  There are those who do like a shoulder holster and for those who do,  the Deep Concealed Carry Holster may work well for you.  I believe a majority of the concealed carry users would be better off using a inside the waistband holster, tucked slightly behind the hip, like the Milt Sparks Versa Max 2.
 
Disclaimer,  I do not work for or represent any company or person involved in any aspect of the firearms business.  - Florida Dave

The latest coinage debasement news, this time from The Philippines: Coin hoarding soon a crime? JWR's Comment: With orchestrated currency inflation there comes the inevitable day when seigniorage costs advance to unacceptable levels, and the metallic value of any given coin greatly exceeds its face value. Rather than doing the honest thing--knocking a few zeroes off their paper currency--governments often resort to bans on coin melting and coin exportation. Anti-hoarding laws are much less common in First World countries as there are typically no limitations on the amount of a currency that someone holds in an ostensibly "sound" currency regime. The root of the problem is inflation. Honest money, pegged to--and redeemable on demand for--specie, is the solution. Debasement and the laws that go along with it, are just stopgap measures, designed to perpetuate larcenous governments. I use the word larcenous because inflation is a covert method of robbing us of the buying power of our savings. Currency inflation is effectively a hidden form of taxation.

B.B. sent this: Greek Depositors Withdrew $898 Million From Banks Monday

From J.B.G.: Moody‘s Investors Service has downgraded 26 Italian banks

Items from The Economatrix:

Jim Rogers:  Get Out of Stocks; Buy Gold, Silver and Agriculture

The Long-term Case For Commodities

A reminder that a Self Reliance Expo will be held in Colorado Springs, Colorado on May 18th and 19th. There should be a half dozen SurvivalBlog advertisers with booths there.

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AmEx sent this: Science Journal Could Give Recipe For Deadly Avian Flu Virus

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Kevin S. sent a link to an interesting fringe Libertarian "Second Realm" manifesto. ("Crypto-Anarchy, Tradecraft, TAZ and Counterculture.") Coincidentally, Kevin also sent this piece from The Von Mises Institute: The Philosophy of Ownership

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Grace mentioned this over at Mac Slavo's SHTFPlan blog: Emergency Preparedness: How Horrific Will it Be for the Non-Prepper?

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Ol' Remus has posted an astute essay on partisan guerilla warfare.

"This world is an uncertain realm filled with danger. Honor undermined by the pursuit of power. Freedom sacrificed when the wear are oppressed by the strong. But there are those who oppose these powerful forces; who dedicate their life to truth, honor, and freedom. These men are known as Musketeers". - Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers, serialized March to July, 1844.

Today we present two more entries for Round 40 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 40 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Food Storage has been talked and written at length, but equally important are the logistics of Food Usage when it comes time to break out that food and begin using it. To store the food that way that it will be used, I’ll put “A Week in a Bucket”. It takes some meal-planning and some smaller packages to be able to store “A Week in a Bucket”; but when it comes time to use these pre-planned, balanced diets, opening one bucket at a time is much preferred to opening a bucket of beans, a bucket of rice, a bucket of canned chicken, canned beef… you get the idea… plus it is easier to inventory as well as easier to “grab-and-go/ take a week” for shorter stints in case of temporary evacuation or trips to “the country”.

Those who store 45 pounds of wheat (or oats, or beans, etc) in mylar lined 5 gallon buckets may get very tired of that wheat (or whatever) before it gets used up or may not have a large enough pantry if several different buckets need to be opened at the same time to provide balanced meals at the point of use. I certainly do not want open food containers all around attracting bugs and rodents if I can pre-plan to get meal-sized portions into mylar and into the buckets, then open them when I need them. Then discard (or reuse) the mylar bags. For me, being a big fan of portion-sized packaging, I consider these “Week in a Bucket” kits to be like a “mega-MRE” with one bucket being opened at a time for an entire week. The “Week in a Bucket” also brings purchasing this food back to a manageable exercise instead of a daunting bulk-food acquisition and storage task. A “Week in a Bucket” can be assembled every week or two, or as often as finances allow, then put on the shelf… and rotated out because we all eat what we store and store what we eat, don’t we? Of course we do.

I have found that I can do some advance menu planning and get an entire week of meals for two (2) people or as many as four (4) people in one 5 gallon bucket depending on what is chosen for the menu and how it is packaged… cans, vacuum-sealed mylar bags, dehydrated portions, etc. So, a years worth of Food Storage will take up 52 of these 5 gallon sealed buckets… which is a little more than a single 40’ by 48” pallet that is 4 layers tall, three buckets wide by 4 buckets long (with 4 left buckets on top). Planning a menu is not difficult, but getting agreement on the menu is time consuming and takes some nutrition knowledge. One way to look at it is the way that my Mother planned menus, “This is what I am fixing, you can choose to eat it or not”, but a more agreeable method would be to get the group together and decide on a menu plan before the food is purchased and before it is placed in the buckets. Depending on your level of patience, somewhere in the middle may be the most realistic menu planning method. In any case, each bucket will have a variety of foods and will be readily marked on the outside for identification purposes. If you choose to cheat and open next weeks bucket because you like the jars of cinnamon applesauce better than mixing up the Jello pudding in this week’s bucket, well, you have a conscience… you can live with it.

1. It is helpful to paste a list on the outside of each bucket telling exactly what is inside each of them, and the proposed week number. What I am going for is essentially like an MRE for 2-4 people for a week, in a single bucket. Example:
1. WEEK 1

1. BREAKFAST FOR A WEEK:
1. 1 Box/ Bag Grape Nuts (or other choice) Cereal
2. 1 unopened Plastic squeeze Bottle Honey
3. 1 Box Powdered Milk
4. 1 Box Powdered Eggs
5. 15-18 Envelopes Instant Oatmeal
6. 5# Hard Red Wheat (For grinding/ flour for a loaf or two of bread or biscuits). Add an envelope of yeast/ baking soda and other bread making ingredients, depending on your preferred whole wheat bread recipe.
7. Don’t forget the little bottle of multiple vitamins and the extra dietary fiber pills or Metamucil (or equal).
2. LUNCH FOR A WEEK:
1. 1-2 Box Saltine Crackers
2. 10-14 Cans assorted Condensed Soup or 14 envelopes Knorr (or equal) assorted dried soup mix
3. 3-7 cans SPAM or DAK ham or equal sandwich/ seasoning meat, or envelopes of dried meats (to be reconstituted with water).
4. 1 small jar peanut butter (with the bread made when the bucket was first opened)
5. 1 small jar grape jelly
6. 1 small can canned cheese or jar of Cheez Whiz or equivalent.
3. DINNER FOR A WEEK:
1. 3-4 boxes pasta, or hamburger helper, or bagged pasta meals (like Lipton or equal)
2. 3-4 cans pasta sauce
3. 6-10-12 cans tuna/ chicken/ beef/ salmon or cans of beef stew
4. 4-6-8-12 cans green beans, peas, spinach, mixed veggies, or corn or dried varieties of these (to be reconstituted with water)
5. 1-2 pound bag dried beans and bouillon cubes, dried onions, dried tomatoes, etc depending on your favorite bean recipe.
6. 1-2 pounds bags of rice.
7. 5-10 envelopes of Dried Mashed Potatoes (add water and heat)
8. 4-6 envelopes of dried chili mix.
9. 4-6 envelopes dried Gravy Mix (add water and heat)
10. 10-12 cans assorted fruit or envelopes of dried fruit (to be reconstituted with water)
11. 5-10 envelopes assorted pudding or gelatin mix for desserts (mix with water and heat, then let cool).
12. Throw in some paper plates and bowls and plastic cutlery, and you have a week-long picnic in a bucket.

2. Try for about four(4) to six (6) different weekly menus that can substitute different cereals, different soups, add the packaged red beans and rice instead of pastas, add macaroni and cheese in place of mashed potatoes, and be creative with the canned meats (like making fried salmon cakes). Hamburger helper comes in many flavors, bagged pasta meals as well, so do not forget those “pre-packaged” meals (and meat can be from canned or dried sources, or fresh. Also, do not forget seasonings like Tabasco, salt and pepper, garlic and onion powder or even Montreal Steak Seasoning and A-1, Asian or Mexican seasonings add spice to anything and break the monotony.
3. The labor efficiency and space efficiency of only having one bucket open at a time, per week, shows itself by taking up much less room than having 6 or 7 buckets open at once, and the probability of attracting critters or infestations is less with only one open at a time, especially if the mylar bags are sized for a single meal at a time or if we buy the prepackaged dried pasta meals or Hamburger helper (or equal) varieties.
4. Again, after the menus are planned, getting the ingredients is as simple as adding a week’s worth to your grocery list and putting it aside as soon as the groceries are unpacked. No more quizzical looks from piling multiple cases of canned goods in your cart all at once, just buy them an extra week at a time and nobody will be the wiser. OPSEC counts.
5. Keep in mind the utility of being able to “grab a week” in one hand and skedaddle (that is a southern term for evacuate) for a short term relocation in case of acute threat where staying in the present location is not possible, say for a short-term chemical spill or gas leak, “fill in your own short term emergency here”, etc. It is also easy to pick up a bucket for a week-long camping trip to a nice alternate vacation location, if you so desire. It is also handy to have these kits assembled in case of “running out of paycheck before running out of month” situations.
6. You notice that this plan does not include water, but much has been made of water storage as well as water filtering and catchment/ supplies already. The minimum is one gallon per day per person, and to sanitize it, add two (2) or three (3) drops of liquid chlorine bleach or equivalent per liter (quart) and let it sit for 30 minutes. A little more bleach if the water is still cloudy, or any other alternative treatments like UV disinfection if you like that. I am a chlorine bleach fan, personally.
7. Okay, so how about the extra fresh things to round out the “Week in a Bucket”? We all need fresh vegetables or “greens”, so become familiar with what grows in your area and add that to the plan. Watercress, wild onions, dandelion leaves, even those cattails, duckweed, and other gathered greens will come in very handy… and are not in the buckets. We can all grow lettuce and arugula and onions beginning in March, and we can pack bean and broccoli and radish seeds to sprout for added greens.
8. We have fruit trees and/ or nut trees someplace close, right? If not, find some or plant some. Fresh Apples, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Pecans, Hickory Nuts, even Walnuts will all be a welcome addition when the time comes. Find and use them now, since there is no need in being forced to learn new skills when we can learn them beforehand.
9. Salt blocks to pull in wild game, of course! No need to stalk and track if the fresh game will come to you. And, learn to dress these animals too… without wasting parts. Use as much of the game as you can. It is the right thing to do.
10. Compound Bow and arrows for silent harvesting, maybe even an air gun for squirrels, rabbits, doves or pigeons? That is handy.
11. Casting nets for bodies of water… yes please, I’ll take a couple if there is a suitable pond or lake nearby… and learn to use them. Or, use hook and line… or even use the compound bow for fishing. That takes some experience and practice, but that is what we like to do. Fish traps in flowing water…if it was good for the Native Americans it can be good for us.

“A Week in a Bucket” is in essence the step between individual MREs and bulk/ mass storage, and possibly will work better for your situation. Give it some thought and evaluate its utility and advantages for yourself.

Location is the most important thing to consider when developing a plan for long-term habitation in a TEOTWAWKI setting. Of primary concern are Community, Safety, Water, Food, Sustainability, and Natural Resources. It is absolutely imperative to find a locale with a well or fresh water spring. You will need fertile ground that is within distance of easy irrigation. The safest places will be those that are away from major highways and population centers; however, these small rural communities are typically suspicious of outsiders. You will need certain natural resources available as well to guarantee you are not reliant on trading or the good will of your neighbors to survive.

My plan involves getting back to the family farm in East Texas and away from the chaos that is going to ensue in the Dallas-Fort Worth area where I currently live. I have multiple routes highlighted on maps to get to my destination with detours marked for crossing major highways along the route. I have insured that I have enough fuel to reach my destination along with enough of a buffer in case I spend an extended period of time in traffic or want to help a stranded motorist who is out of fuel. I will never take main roads like an Interstate unless I am 100% sure that I am leaving ahead of the horde and even then I know that it is a risky proposition because those are the routes that will either fall under tight government control, or more likely, will have “survival of the fittest areas” where those who are not prepared prey on those who have anything of worth. I have all of my survival gear and supplies staged in specific areas to allow for rapid loading and a timely departure. My SUV has a roof rack, trailer hitch cargo carrier and enough space to carry my wife, kids, and all of my necessary supplies along with the family picture albums.

In selecting a location for your retreat there are several considerations to take into account. First, Who are your neighbors going to be? It is all well and good to select a remote location in a farming community to set up your retreat but these communities are typically very close knit and do not trust or welcome outsiders quickly. You should insure that you have a solid relationship with at least one and preferably multiple families in the area you have chosen so you can integrate seamlessly into the community. You will have to bring skills or goods that will enable you to be accepted in the community as an equal in the long-term survival quotient. Expect that you will have to pitch in and work hard with the rest of the community in one of several areas like food production, land and home maintenance, as well as security. Just because you bring enough food for yourself does not mean that you will be able to opt-out of the hard work necessary to support an agrarian community. If you are accepted into the community there will be plenty of people who will be willing to show you how to do any number of things since areas like this tend to have numerous older individuals who will have grown up as subsistence farmers. These people will be familiar with making clothes, caring for livestock, gardening, canning, trapping, hunting, and fixing just about anything with some bailing twine and duct tape. Just do not expect that you will be able to show up in a rural community with a truckload of gear and convince them that you will be an asset. Even in a community that you have someone to vouch for you expect to spend at least a year proving that you can be a worthwhile addition to their group.

Second, you need to consider how safe is the location you desire. You will want to be away from highways that will have any traffic. An excellent choice is a Farm to Market Road at least one to two miles away from the nearest highway. Most houses have been built close to the road and this is not an ideal situation since you will want to have a location that is not obviously inhabited if there is traffic on your road. Try to find a location that is out of sight and hearing, don’t want someone walking by to hear you chopping firewood, and close to where your garden will be located to maximize your ability to keep your home and garden safe with the minimum amount of security resources.

Third, you need to find land that will be able to support the members of your family for an extended period of time. Things to consider when choosing a location are: fresh water and arable land. Is there a source of unpolluted, fresh water on the property that can be accessed by digging a well? Is there a stream on the property that can have water diverted for gardening irrigation? Is there a pond on the property that can be stocked with fish? Are there trees on the property that will keep you supplied with firewood and lumber for building? You will need a clean source of water that you have easy access to that can keep your family supplied with a sufficient amount water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and washing.  Also, take into consideration the number of livestock that you will need and check with the local agriculture office to see the recommended acreage per cow, horse, etc… If you can find a location with a creek on the property it will be very advantageous in keeping your livestock watered and your garden irrigated. When you go to lay out your garden choose land that is downhill from the water source so your irrigation channel will be fed without additional effort. Another advantage of a running water source is the ability to build a dam to create a pond. Having a pond for raising fish and as a large storage location for water in case of drought could be vital to your survival. Not only are trees useful for the firewood and building supplies that can be taken from them but it is also an excellent buffer to shield your home and garden from the sight of people that might pass by. Wild game also tends to be more plentiful in forested areas and that will supplement your fish, livestock and garden. Trapping small game is an excellent source of daily meat and will not require extensive time spent on hunting or drying large game meat, so make sure that you have traps to lay out on game trails.

Fourth, dedicate some time to retrofitting your home to the standards that were in use before electricity, running water, and central heat and air conditioning came along. This means building an outhouse downhill in the direction your well water is flowing and far enough down that the bacteria will not enter the ground water that flows into the well. You will want large windows with screens to capture any breeze during the summer months and shutters to cover the windows in the winter months to preserve as much heat as possible. If possible, it would be ideal to have a windmill that can be used to charge a battery bank to provide power to convenience appliances and perhaps to power an exhaust fan that will keep your house cooler in the summer months. My philosophy is that if having one of a certain item is good having two is even better. Spare parts for your important machinery will pay for itself many times over. An enclosed wood-burning firebox will help you to use your firewood judiciously while still heating your home. Since propane is very inexpensive it would be a great idea to buy a very large propane tank and get it filled so you can add a nozzle to recharge cooking and lantern tanks for yourself and as a trade good. A root cellar is perfect for storing food and other temperature sensitive items in a cool location. Since you will need to have a steady supply of vegetables you might want to build a greenhouse to supplement your canned vegetables from your garden with fresh vegetables. It will also allow you grow other plants that may not be suited to your location. This will enable you to grow exotics that other people are unprepared to grow like tea, coffee, or cocoa, which will give you little tastes of luxuries that will dwindle quickly. Also, consider growing medicinal plants that can replace the current dependence on prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

These are some of the main points that you will need to consider in choosing and preparing your retreat. This is by no means a complete list of what will be needed but it is intended to get you thinking about more than just the stuff you will need to buy but how to create a place with as many comforts as can be provided with the limited resources that will be available. There are so many things that need to be prepared for a long-term survival situation you could write a book about it.

Several readers have written me to mention the trailer for the upcoming NBC (US television network) post grid-collapse TEOTWAWKI series: Revolution. ("After 15 years of darkness, an unlikely group sets out to save the world.") The four-minute trailer was interesting. Watching it felt like a count the memes and homages contest. Predictably, "militias" are made out to be the bad guys. There are far too many reminders of both S.M. Stirling's Dies the Fire sci-fi novel series and the movie The Postman in the trailer for me to think that NBC's screen writers hadn't been influenced by them.

The editors of io9 describe the show:

"In this footage, a mysterious blackout knocks out the world's power grid and renders all of civilization's car batteries completely kaput. Some sort of über-electromagnetic pulse, perhaps? Anyway, the scenes then fast-forward 15 years. The globe has taken a turn for The Postman, but at least we have Giancarlo Esposito as Gustavo Fring, Wasteland Warlord. NBC executives, you really should be calling this show Gustavo Fring: Wasteland Warlord, as I would panel every surface of my house with flat-screen televisions to watch that. (The title Revolution sort of evokes a new brand of antiperspirant or low-calorie carbonated limeade.) Quibbles with nomenclature aside, this could be fun, not unlike The Road [except] with no cannibals and more swashbuckling. "

And here's a synopsis from NBC's web site:

"Our entire way of life depends on electricity. So what would happen if it just stopped working? Well, one day, like a switch turned off, the world is suddenly thrust back into the dark ages. Planes fall from the sky, hospitals shut down, and communication is impossible. And without any modern technology, who can tell us why? Now, 15 years later, life is back to what it once was long before the industrial revolution: families living in quiet cul-de-sacs, and when the sun goes down lanterns and candles are lit. Life is slower and sweeter. Or is it? On the fringes of small farming communities, danger lurks. And a young woman's life is dramatically changed when a local militia arrives and kills her father, who mysteriously – and unbeknownst to her – had something to do with the blackout. This brutal encounter sets her and two unlikely companions off on a daring coming-of-age journey to find answers about the past in the hopes of reclaiming the future."

Well, at least they got our dependency on electricity right.

So how would The Hollywood Reporter sum up this show? Perhaps: "Fifteen years in the future, Dies The Fire meets The Postman, gets Lost on The Road, engages in some Hunger Games short range archery and some Crouching Dragon swordplay." Bows and swords, are de rigueur you see, because combat up close and personal seems quasi-chivalrous and it has a higher quotient for drama than getting drilled through the chest at 300 meters. I assume that the scriptwriters will employ either the premise that cartridge ammunition has been expended or that 15 year old ammunition is no longer reliable. (For the record, I'm presently in the middle of a batch of .30-06 from the Lake City Arsenal, vintage 1942. Every round still goes bang, and it is still quite accurate.)

One thing is almost certain: With the combined effects of Revolution and The Hunger Games, there is bound to be a nationwide shortage of light draw-weight archery equipment before next Christmas, as nearly every teenage girl in the country sets aside her iBook and picks up a recurve bow.

According to the NBC network's official web site for the series, it will begin airing in the Fall Season of 2012, on Monday evenings at 10 p.m. ET/PT.)

Sir:
I enjoy your blog and support you in a small way with the 10 Cent Challenge.  After reading your response to the Battery-Powered House Interior Lighting letter, I want to add some information that I learned at a FAA seminar that I attended.  The FAA is now endorsing blue or green lighting in the cockpit of all aircraft (general aviation and commercial).  The green and/or blue takes less energy output for the eyes to see details.  Also, red lighting can be seen from further away than blue/green (red is used to designate towers and tall buildings at night, where blue is used for taxiway lights because it stands out less at a distance).  I would strongly advise the use of controlled blue or green lights for interior lighting and keep the bulbs/LEDs out of direct line of sight of windows.  - Carl

JWR:
I wanted to add a few tips.

We recently purchased a set of low-voltage,solar-powered LED string lights from a Target chain store.  They are similar to Christmas lights, but the bulbs are of various shapes/designs (we opted for a set that looked like little snow globes or disco balls.)

These lights don't have any sort of connector (12 VDC nor 110 VAC.)  Instead, they only have a small solar panel, that's [directly] attached to a sealed battery pack.

During our first camping/outing with the lights, we read the instructions, which said that they required five hours of full sunlight before they would be ready for use.  (We had arrived at our campsite about an hour before sunset, so we had no hope that they would work...)

Much to our surprise, they worked perfectly.  Initially, their light source seems pretty weak.  But, as the skies grow dark,and your eyes adjust, they actually begin to seem pretty bright.   We strung them above/around the opening of our tent, and they functioned like some sort of "street light" of sorts (making entry/exit of our tent safe & sure.

We attempted to sleep with the lights still on, to see how long they would last.  (A mistake.)   At 2 a.m., they were still so bright, that we were having trouble sleeping.  So, I turned them off.

The next day, we angled the solar panel to face the sun.  (The panel/battery has a clip,which we attached to an external tent pole on our dome-style tent.)  We then departed for the day (which turned out to be a windy day.)

When we returned,the little solar panel had spun on the pole (due to the winds,) and was now face-down in the tent (instead of facing the sunshine.)  We still had an hour of sunlight before sunset, so there was still hope...

After sunset, when we turned the lights on, they (again) worked like champs.  We wondered, though, if they would still hold-up as long as the night prior?...

About an hour later, as we were building our campfire, they died...  (We assumed they just didn't get enough sunlight, and we were regretting that they didn't have a 12-volt plug or alligator clips.)

Later, however, as the fire dimmed, the little lights sprung back to life!!!

Go figure -- they also have a built-in light sensor/switch.  They automatically turn off, when there is sufficient light (to save their battery.)   We had light from them all night (again.)

I have been disappointed by so many "solar yard/path lights" in the past.  I almost didn't buy these.  But, their LED functionality got the best of me -- and I'm so very glad that I bought them!

Granted, they are not "high beams."  These are essentially "super" night lights (or minimalist emergency lighting.)
They are enough light to "get the job done" -- and not much more.  But, they are kind of cute, too!
As outdoor lights, they are also water-resistant.  As low-voltage, they are also safe to the touch (even if/when wet.)

This essentially-free lighting was enough for 90% of our tasks in/around our tent and camp site.  Only a few times did we need to turn on a lantern, or flashlight for specialized tasks (like cutting in our kitchen area.)

On that note, this was also the first time we tried using one of the new LED-style Coleman lanterns.  We still brought our Coleman-fueled lanterns, as well as our propane lanterns along, too.  We are life-long campers,and Coleman-powered lamps just seem to be as natural as S'Mores over a camp fire.  But, the sensitive mantles, and glass lenses, plus the Coleman white-fuel cans, and the propane bottles, and the small funnels, and such add up to a lot of possible "points-of-failure."  I was pleasantly-surprised by the amount of zero effort light that our new battery-powered LED Coleman lanterns provided!

One of them was powered via a pack of four D-cell batteries.   The other had an integrated battery pack, which you could wall-charge (or hand-crank!!!)  I'm somewhat sorry to say, that our old-school lanterns will be moved to the bottom/back shelves of our garage now -- because we now favor the newer, lighter-weight, easier & safer to operate LED lanterns.

We have also purchased a roll-up solar panel to charge any/all of our batteries, too.

Granted, there isn't always a sunny sky.  But, one full charge of these little lights, seems to last for multiple nights.

We also bought a hand-crank handheld LED flashlight, too.  Again, it's not as powerful as our Mag-Lites. (I think someone on the Moon could see our Mag-Lites!)   But, they are much lighter and a quick crank of the handle for 30-60 seconds or so, provides us with hours of lighting.  (Whereas dead batteries in the Mag-Lites provides zero light.)

Peace & Preparedness, - J.H.

James:
Another option that has worked well for me is the use of marine-type [low votage DC lighting in the house.

I have a LED chart light set up as a reading light on the back of the head board that I use day to day for my reading and as a bed side lamp. It is powered off of a deep cycle battery in a battery box under the bed. (Yes batteries make hydrogen gas while charging and anyone who is not a big boy and understands this should probably not do it.)

This combo will run many days without a charge and makes a great bed side light as well. One of these days I am going to run the numbers and see exactly how many hours this thing will run, but the battery is so ridiculously over-sized for this application I have not bothered yet. - S.D. in W.V.

Dear JWR:
The writer about traditional projectile weapons seems to have missed the most used feather for fletching arrows.  The best ever used that I am aware of is the turkey feather.
They are known to stop 12Ga. birdshot pretty successfully.  That is why turkey loads are more powerful, and contain larger shot sizes. Lesser pellets flatten out and fall off the bird.
Good fletching.  The American Indians then used a fiber (perhaps of hemp?)  to wind them to the shaft of the arrow, after splitting and shaping, of course. Not sure if there was any other kind of adhesive used at that point...wouldn't be surprised.  The American Indians (at least in my area)  used fairly low-power bows.  They used shafts of reeds for arrows, and this was made up for by using obsidian or flint arrowheads. We still can't make a blade sharper than a properly knapped piece of flint. Another skill to learn!  

Thanks for keeping all this going! - Sid C.

Several readers sent this: Merkel tells Greece to back cuts or face euro exit Here is a sobering quote: "What will prevail are armed gangs with Kalashnikovs and which one has the greatest number of Kalashnikovs will count … we will end up in civil war."

G.G. sent this: 49% of Americans saving zilch for retirement

Also from G.G.: 50-State Small Business Tax Friendliness Survey

Michael H. spotted this: California facing higher $16 billion shortfall.

Items from The Economatrix:

Stocks Close Down 1% on Bank, Europe Worries

Gold Drops to 4.5-month Low as Euro Sinks

Oil Falls as Greece, China Feed Economic Worry

S&P 500 Down for 4th Day of Five

Texas 11-year-old shoots back at home invasion robbers. (Thanks to Randy in Maine for the link.)

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My recent interview on The SGT Report video blog has now been archived.

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Prepper Central reviews the RIBZ Front Pack

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A recommmnended post, over at Modern Survival Online: Imagine for a Moment – The Reality of an EMP Event Part One

"It is not the goal of the Fed or the politicians to pump up the prices of real economic goods of any description. Since "inflation" is conventionally held to be rising prices of the essential goods which make or break real economies, the prices of these essential goods must be held down by any and all means. And foremost amongst these goods is anything that can or has been used as a medium of exchange in the past. Gold (and to a lesser but still considerable extent, Silver) are the curse of all interventionists. They are the alternative to the command economy and the eternal brake on the accumulation of the political power which those who command the economy lust after." - Bill Buckler, Gold This Week, April 7, 2012

Our mid-year 25%-off sale on the SurvivalBlog Archive CD-ROM ends on May 31st. The latest six-year compilation includes as a bonus my nonfiction book "Rawles on Retreats and Relocation" in digital format. (In hard copy, that book sells for $28.) At the sale price, the CD-ROM is just $11.25 and the Digital Download is just $7.50. Be sure to order your copy before the sale ends.

Back in the day, when I lived in Chicago, I worked as a Private Investigator for a lot of years. I usually carried either my S&W Model 686 4" barrel revolver, or my Ruger Security Six 4" barrel revolver - both .357 Magnum guns, plus a couple spare speed loaders. I found that I could more easily conceal those big revolvers in shoulder holsters instead of belt holsters under my suit jacket. I also packed some kind of .38 Special snubby revolver in an ankle holster as a back-up. Unlike the police, I couldn't call for back-up if something went south, so having a back-up gun was reassuring, to say the least.
 
Whenever I worked late night stake-outs, I'd wear one of my big revolvers in a belt holster when I was in casual dress - it worked well for me. Still, concealing big revolvers was a challenge back then - in the 1970s and 1980s - we didn't have the great holster selections back then, that we have today, so we made due as best we could with what we had.
 
Today, I rarely wear a shoulder holster for some reason. I don't know why, I always found them comfortable - after a two-week break-in period - just like it is with most new holster - you're body has to get used to 'em. These days, I can usually be found wearing my main gun on some sort of belt holster and my back-up gun, still resides in an ankle holster.
 
I received a "shoulder" holster from Deep Conceal, LLC for test and evaluation, and to report my findings to SurvivalBlog readers. Now, the Deep Conceal carry holster isn't your typical shoulder holster, as I found out when I opened the brown envelope it was mailed to me in. I didn't think there was a holster of any sort in this mailing envelope. I was more than a little surprised when I found a neatly packaged concealed carry shoulder holster inside.
 
My Deep Concealed holster is a light-weight (to be sure) shoulder holster, but this isn't the type of shoulder holster that you wear on top of your clothing. Instead, it is worn under your dress shirt, or even under a loose-fitting T-shirt. The gun is carried comfortably under one arm, at slightly below chest level, and on the other side, there is room for spare mags - and you should always pack a spare magazine or two for any gun you carry. The shoulder straps and belly band straps (there are two for the belly) are made out of elastic for a very comfortable fit. Plus, the holster comes in either white or black, and in various sizes to fit you and various handguns.
 
My usual attire these days consists of a T-shirt, cargo pants and hiking shoes. I think the last time I wore a suit was when my oldest daughter graduated from college 10 or 11 years ago. Hey, what can I say? I live in the boonies, and most folks around here wear T-shirts and jeans - I like cargo pants - it's a very casual area when it comes to wearing whatever clothes you want. During the summer months, I wear an outer, button-down shirt (never buttoned) over my T-shirt, with my concealed handgun on my belt, covered by the buttoned-down shirt. I used to wear a photographer's vest, but it became well known that folks who wear those are packing heat, so I stopped wearing mine and switched to a button-down shirt in the summer months. In the cooler months, I, of course, wear a jacket to cover my handgun.
 
There are times, when I wish I didn't have to wear a button-down shirt over my T-shirt, enter the Deep Concealed Carry Holster. With a loose fitting T-shirt (mine are), I can wear this holster under my T-shirt, next to my skin (and it is comfortable and didn't chafe my skin), and no one would be the wiser that I was packing a handgun under my un-tucked T-shirt.
 
Now, one thing about the Deep Concealed Carry Holster is, you can't do a fast-draw from it. It's gonna either be under your shirt or under your T-shirt, and you can't get to the gun as rapidly as you'd like. Now, don't think this is necessarily a bad thing - if trouble is coming, you should always be at least, in Condition Yellow, and be prepared for it. So, you should have gun in-hand if at all possible. I've only had to pull my gun a few times when trouble presented itself, and every time, I didn't have to fast-draw my firearm...my gun was already in-hand.  At one point in my life, I worked for an alarm company - on the day shift, I installed alarms. On the night shift, I answered alarms. Hundreds of times, there were verifiable break-ins, and we had to go into the buildings to see if someone was in there. Needless to say, I went in, gun in hand . Sometimes the Chicago PD officers would go in with me, other times, they said they would stay outside "to catch anyone coming out..." Yeah, right!!! So, my gun was already in my hand whenever I entered a building that was broken into. And, quite often, due to the nature of silent alarms, I caught burglars. I wouldn't go into one of those buildings with my gun still holstered. I knew there was possible trouble and hence I was prepared for it.
 
Many women carry their firearms off-body, my wife and oldest daughter included, and I think that is a big mistake. It's too easy to lay your purse down, forget it in the car or "whatever" and your firearm won't be nearby when you need it. The Deep Concealed Carry Holster is a great option for women - you can carry your handgun on your body, under a blouse or T-shirt, and no one would be none the wiser, that you were packing - neat idea. I know, there have been several similar holsters on the market, but the Deep Concealed Carry Holster is probably the best of the breed - especially when it comes to comfort.
 
You need to give any holster a good two-week wear time, for your body to get used to it. I've found, that even when I replace an older holster with a newer one, of the same make and model, I still need a break-in period of a couple weeks for the holster to become a better fit for my gun and against my body. And, so it is with the Deep Concealed Carry Holster - give it a try, and give it a fair two-week trial period, and you'll really enjoy it. I can usually be "caught" carrying one of my Glock 23 handguns these days, simply because I like the light-weight, total reliability, and the power of the .40 S&W round - I find it a great compromise for my needs, with a spare magazine. The test holster worked perfectly for my Glock 23. I don't think I'd care to carry a 6" barrel large-framed .44 Magnum in this holster, and it wasn't designed for this. This holster is designed for everyday carry guns that most people chose to carry - not big hunting handguns.
 
The price varies on the Deep Concealed line, depending on holster size and body size. But you can get them between $43.95 and $46.95 to fit many guns. Check out their web site for a complete listing of holsters for guns to fit you and your handgun. It's a good (deep concealed carry) holster - perfected!

James Wesley:
We have frequent power outages.  We bought a [deep cycle] marine battery from Bass Pro Shops that was intended use with a trolling motor.  We keep this battery continuously trickle-charged.   A small inverter from Radio Shack provides 120 VAC for three strings of white LED Christmas lights attached to the uppermost part of the most important wall.  A charged trolling motor battery will keep these efficient lights on for a very long time.  All we have to do is to plug the lights into the inverter socket. Very safe. - Anonymous

JWR Replies: It would be much more efficient to buy strings of DC LED Christmas lights. This is because going from DC to AC and back to DC is inefficient and adds an unnecessary layer of complexity. (You never know when an inverter will fail.) BTW, if you buy the LED strings in red and/or blue, then they will preserve your night vision when you step outside. (Blue seems to provide the most useful light for kitchen tasks and reading with minimal eye sstrain.) You can also build a fairly efficient dimming switch. As previously mentioned in SurvivalBlog, adding a DC-to-DC charging tray for smaller batteries will prove invaluable.

JWR,
Not to share my misery, but this is a warning to anyone that has items in a climate-controlled rental storage unit.  My unit was hit and no one knows when it and all the others were hit until one guy noticed some items missing and filed a police report.  The facility owners chopped off all the locks to all of their climate-controlled units and put their own locks on it.  Then they started calling the owners and verified what was in each unit.
 
Here is what happened: The robbers chopped the locks off, burglarized many items, and then placed their own locks on the doors, so that nobody knew that they had been burglarized. 

Since I was living overseas, I had thought that a gated community unit along with the cameras would be a safe way to store my materials.  I was told that their has been a rash of burglaries of these units, with several located in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Obviously I was wrong and am at ground zero again.  Of course the law enforcement probably won't catch them.  I have all the serial numbers of all my weapons, which I will provide them.  I did have some insurance, but I will never again have the quality of guns that I had with that stash.
 
I really don't know what to do. An idiot would start over and do the same thing again. This is a quandary, since I plan to continue to be overseas for many more years. - Steve S.

Dear Jim,
In reference to the recently mentioned "housing bottom" article: Most of the articles we've read from the various real estate analysts say that housing prices haven't actually hit bottom yet because the peak of the adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) resets aren't done until January, though most are done by this August. Throw in financial inertia, as homeowners balk at their new mortgage rate in the face of their home having lost half its value in many cases due to the economy and the prior bubble, and we should expect a surge of foreclosures over the next 18 months. People will either walk away with jingle mail or they'll stop paying and live rent free while waiting for eviction and pay off their credit cards and student loans so bankruptcy is essentially painless when it happens. A hit on your credit rating is largely a non-issue for Cynics and Stoics who buy with cash in the first place. The turnover of evictions/foreclosures in the various neighborhoods surrounding cities that haven't hit bottom yet or are struggling through the Great Recession. Someone will buy that house, predicting an increase in value, not realizing that its a Free Market, and the more interest rates rise, the lower price people can pay for the house itself. This drives housing prices even lower, causing a new surge of foreclosures as the underwater mortgages stop making sense yet again. Rinse and repeat through another cycle of foreclosures and resales. This could go on for years before the true value of the house is actually reached.
 
Oh, and it gets worse. As wages continue to fall, and unemployment keeps rising, income available for a mortgage drops, meaning housing prices must keep falling till we hit the legal bottom limit for wages against food prices for all the family members relying on that one breadwinner. How does $19,000 sound for a nice 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom place in the San Francisco Bay Area suburbs? 20% discount for gold...
 
Best, - InyoKern

Dear SurvivalBloggers:
For all who are called to the American Redoubt: Secure your food and preserve your freedom of action!

If you don't have a place to grow your own healthy food, support those who do. Go in for shares. Help them every way you can. Growing all your own food now may not be economically viable, but secure sources of food are your lifeline in the future. Our goal should be not only to survive, but to thrive!

My brother and I were born and raised in the American Redoubt and grew up living the life of “preppers” and “survivalists” out of financial and environmental necessity. We did not realize our lifestyle was unusual until going off on scholarships to boarding school on the east coast and college in the south. In these uncertain times, we have come back home to our wild mountains, to make the preparations that need to be made. As our father, New Ordinance, says, “I want to turn the lights back on. As I see it, we are here not only to survive the approaching vicissitudes but to preserve the ‘arts of civilization’ and pass the torch to the next generation so that a new civilization can emerge from the detritus of the old to fulfill the original promise and destiny of America.” (From “The Secret Weapon,” Copyright © 2012 New Ordinance)

Speaking as a member of my generation, this is a daunting responsibility. How does one take that first step in the fabled journey of a thousand miles? Our family has begun with the foundation of all civilizations, a reliable food supply. “Food is the sine qua non of all weapons, for he who controls the food supply controls the fate of nations and individuals…. Come what may, a long-term food supply allows the development of the resistance and foments new strategies that are outside the control mechanism. We play our own game, not the adversary's game.” (From “The Secret Weapon,” Copyright © 2012 New Ordinance)

We have been engaged in small scale agriculture for a number of years, searching for crops and agricultural methods that can feed communities across the American Redoubt without a descent into subsistence farming and feudal agriculture. Corn is the easiest grain to cultivate and harvest by hand, easier by far than the cereal grains. Our family has discovered this from real, personal experience. In a world of increasing gluten intolerance and fatal health consequences, corn is also one of the best alternatives for gluten intolerant preppers, like myself and my father. But almost all strains of corn have been contaminated by the genetically engineered Franken-corn that dominates the bread-basket of America. All, that is, except Painted Mountain Corn. What is Painted Mountain Corn?

Simply put, it’s a corn that grows where no other corn can survive. Bred to withstand the harsh climate and short growing season of southwestern Montana, we’ve found that it’s the only corn that will grow and reliably produce at elevations above 5,000 feet in the northern Rocky Mountains. Bred from a variety of semi-extinct western Indian corns, Painted Mountain Corn represents a gene pool with 1,000 years of selection for reliable production in the arid and nutrient-poor soils of the western United States. It is high in anti-oxidants and soft starches and has been tested with protein as high as 13%, which is comparable to hard red winter wheat.

Painted Mountain Corn is GMO-free, open pollinated, and non-hybrid, so you can save your own seed. It is the life’s work of Dave Christensen and the Seed We Need project. Consider giving a donation to his work.

Our family discovered Painted Mountain Corn three years ago and realized that this is the perfect grain for small-scale, independent farmers in the American Redoubt. However, the seed is expensive and difficult to find, and the few seed companies who carry it have very limited supplies and sell out quickly. That is what led us to start growing our family’s crop for seed, and to begin what we call The Painted Mountain Corn Project.

The Painted Mountain Corn Project has two goals. First, to spread Painted Mountain Corn across the inter-mountain west. Second, to feed the American Redoubt.

Grow your own organic GMO-free corn as a basic component of your food storage program, an annual component of your daily food consumption plan and as a source of income in sharing the seed with your neighbors and your community.

Disclosure: We are a small family Painted Mountain Corn seed business, growing and selling the seed online and at gun shows across Montana. We have a small supply of Painted Mountain Corn seed still available for planting this spring. While we love and grow Painted Mountain Corn, we have no affiliation or endorsement from Dave Christensen or the Seed We Need project.

For more about our family and our experiences with small scale grain raising in the American Redoubt, visit our web site.

- Chief (A 23 year-old female physicist, farmer and writer)

Angela in Eastern Oregon's Stuffed Green Pepper Soup:
 
1 Lb ground Italian Sausage or 1 can LTS Ground Beef
8 Cups of Boiling Water
1 1/2 Cups White Rice
3 tbls dehydrated Onion Flakes
1 tbls dehydrated diced carrots
1/4 cup dehydrated Celery
1/2 cup dehydrated Green & Red Pepper Flakes
3 tbls Dehydrated tomato powder, add water until it has a paste consistency.
2 tbls Beef Bouillon
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
 
In skillet brown the Italian Sausage (breaking into bite sized pieces), some will want to drain of the excess grease but I do not as it is tasty and needed in the right situation. In a large stock pot bring your water to a good rolling boil.  Add the rice, onion, celery, carrot, green and red peppers along with the tomato powder that you have rehydrated. Let cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the Italian sausage, beef bullion, cayenne flakes and garlic powder. Continue to cook at a low simmer for 30 minutes.
 
I serve this with a good crusty bread and a bit of goat cheese for spreading.

Chef's Notes:
As a kid my grandma used to make stuffed green peppers and I have to admit they were not my favorite thing. Luckily our taste buds mature as we do and now it is a family favorite. Making the individual peppers is time consuming and some seem to go to waste. But when I make Stuffed Green Pepper Soup all that is left is a pot to scrub! Enjoy!

Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:

Campfire Cooking

Backpacking Meal Recipes

Do you have a favorite recipe that you have tested extensively? Then please e-mail it to us for posting. Thanks!

G.G. sent this: 'High Inflation Causes Societies to Disintegrate'

Thanks to Jeff W. for this one: Greece Exit, Euro-Zone Collapse, Spain and Portugal Will Follow Within Six Months

Facebook Co-Founder Saverin Gives Up U.S. Citizenship Before IPO. (OBTW , the earlier report of Michelle Bachmann earning Swiss citizenship has already been overcome by events. She has declined it.)

Chartist analyst Willem Weytjens predicts: 20 Years From Now: Gold @ $12,000 & Silver @ $1,000?

Another from G.G.: Regulators Close Florida Bank; Failure Toll Rises to 23 in 2012

Items from The Economatrix:

Drop In Jobless Claims Eases Labor Market Fears

Gold Hits 2012 Low as Gold Miners Show Signs of Reversal

Poll Shows Americans' Pessimism on Economy Growing

Producer Prices U.S. Decrease for First Time in Four Months

Five Steps To Counter $4 Per Gallon

SurvivalBlog's Pat Cascio sent this: After the Quake, Japanese Shop for Survival

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A reminder that another Self Reliance Expo will be held in Colorado Springs, Colorado, May 18-19, 2012. There will be more than 64 training classes, including a suturing class. (That one always has overflow attendance.) Karen Hood will be the keynote speaker. There are lots of interesting panel discussions including Women in Prepping -- a five woman panel. There will be a half dozen SurvivalBlog advertisers there including The Appleseed Project. SurvivalBlog's Central Rockies Regional Editor ("L.K.O.") will be attending.

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Geoff S. spotted this: Radioactive man? Milford resident pulled over by state police

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Some bad legislation: Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs to Introduce "Stop Shoot First Laws" Amendment

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Reader Lee M. suggested this: Power outage maps for all 50 states plus as many other countries as I can find

"My investing model is ABCD: Anything Bernanke Cannot Destroy: flashlight batteries, canned beans, bottled water, gold, a cabin in the mountains." - David Stockman, in a May, 2012 interview

Today we present two more entries for Round 40 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 40 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

I decided to begin approaching the problem of surviving a possible collapse from the perspective of after it happened rather than before. And unless there is some extraordinary and unlikely event that sweeps this nation, one commodity that will certainly be depleted is firearm ammunition. There will be no running up to Wal-Mart or you local gunsmith shop to purchase more. Exotic and uncommon calibers will virtually disappear; whereas the more common will be in high demand. Trade and barter will eventually ensue to replenish to some extent expended rounds; but, that will come from an ever-diminishing original supply. With time, some remanufacturing may take place. Reloading from also lessening stocks of powder, primer, cases and slugs will occur.

So my K.I.S.S. mind-set led me to investigate the more original launched projectile weapon. The good old bow and arrow. After dusting off several old recurve bows I had buried in closet depths and locating some usable bowstrings for them, I turned my attention to a small cache of equally dated arrows I'd found stored with those bows. The shafts were still straight, even on the wooden ones. The nocks fine; albeit, the inexpensive target plastic ones were a bit brittle from having just dried out as the compounds used had lost their plasticizers due to slow evaporation. Worse, the plastic fletching had felt that same effect turning the feathers into crumbling stripes of color glued to the side of the shafts. Even some equally old aluminum shafted arrows with more flexible rubber fletching had fallen prey to the same issue. "When had I last used these?" was my question. Time passes - it had been over 25 years by my recollection.

Forgetting that I was thinking survival post-event, I ran up to my local sporting goods store and was amazed at the current prices for new arrows. I was even more surprised when I visited three of my local infamous Wal-Marts and found only one arrow in stock between them. Inquiring from a sales clerk what was up with that, I learned that "for some reason, we can't keep arrows in stock, they are sold out by the end of the day that they are put on the shelf". I guess I wasn't the only person who'd made the mental leap towards an alternative projectile in my area. Looking about the Internet, I found that the best volume price for a quick cheap wooden target arrow restock was through AllCourtSports.  At $138 delivered, not a bad deal. Almost immediate gratification, and the arrows arrived in good shape, were fairly true and shoot well.

But what about those old arrows laying about? In days to come, my new arrows were surely going to suffer the same fate as those. Add in breakage, loss and deformation, I quickly realized I'd better check out the old skills of making them; or at least, remaking them. So, along with some 17,000 other folks, I watched some videos on YouTube seeing the 'from scratch' art of manufacturing primitive arrows. Some 30 or so videos burned into my eyes later, I'd gleaned the basics. You need a shaft that is straight (or you are able to straighten it), you need a nock cut or fastened onto one end, a point or arrowhead on the other, if you're feeling especially aesthetic you can add your own distinctive 'cresting' - bands of color or paint in general and last, you need to fletch it.

Virtually all arrows I know of only have 3 feathers or vanes. The one perpendicularly mounted to the nock cut/slot called the cock feather and the other two called the shaft feathers mounted around the shaft at 120 degree intervals of the circle. What could be simpler? Just slice and sand off the old fletching and re-glue some new feathers! And after watching the videos, I'd seen just how 'simple' it was to take a feather found or acquired in some manner, slice it along the main vein, trim, glue and tie it onto the shaft. Did I hear, "yeah, right"? Well whoever you are, you've been to this point and know that those fellows are adepts and quite good at what they are doing. The small matter of practical experience and an intimate knowledge with feathers, hoof glues and the patience of Job.

Needless to say, my initial experiments went a bit to the S portion of SHTF. I quickly learned that all feathers are not created equal. Some feathers slice fairly well along the quill/calamus - some don't, some feathers have a disturbing tendency to lose their barbs and vanes just falling apart, and all natural feathers have this real exasperating quality of attracting any glue within 20' and turning that neatly cut and sized portion of a feather into a glob of plumaceous mess. Did I mention patience? And let's not even go into the need for having three exactly shaped and weighted feathers. Just suffice it to say, that is a 'must'.

Quickly deciding that hoof glue was not for me, I upgraded my technique to using modern adhesives. I found the best one to be Loctite Stik' n Seal Outdoor/Exteriores for Metal, Ceramic, Wood, Glass, Rubber, Leather, Manmade & Plastics.  pn.@ upc - o 79340 23782 7, component IDH# 1415813. It has exactly the qualities I'd found I wanted. A fairly quick 5 minutes provided a good gripping tack set to where the new feather/vane will not fall off. Yet, you can still reposition it for over an hour. That same repositioning is crucial to get the 120 degree angle as close to correct as can be between the the three feathers. It, the sealant allows you to bend the bond, yet hold the feather without coming off the shaft to achieve a feather true perpendicular to the axis of the shaft installation. It can be easily applied in the exact stream/extruded size you need to follow the glue side of the feather along the quill and doesn't flow hardly at all once the vane/feather is stuck to the shaft. Finally, the adhesive works equally well with wood, plastic, aluminum and yes - real feathers.

After trying over a dozen caulks, glues, epoxies - all I can say is a 'Thanks' to Mr. Loctite. One small tube is enough for over 50 complete re-fletches. And the biggest benefit I hate to admit, is that if you forget to recap the tube between feathers - the tube doesn't harden. Only a tiny bit at the opening skins over with extremely little loss of adhesive.

The material for the feathers, once I'd made the mental shift from solely 'found in nature' materials in my mind, was the next big decision. After trying feathers found from my local bird population ranging from crows (not too bad actually those), to doves, blue-jays (I really like the color, but splitting them is almost impossible), woodpeckers, cranes, herons, vultures (probably the best natural feather I tried - but those fellows aren't real sociable and their feathers if found are pretty ragged), blackbirds, orioles and even some ducks that have given up on the concept of migration that live around my home year-round; finally I had to come to the realization that feathers are just inferior to manmade materials in terms of uniformity, workability and durability. So I started seeking the best material that I could find that was common and either free or inexpensive.

After carefully removing a couple of remaining still intact plastic/rubber feathers from a couple of my surviving arrows cache I created a template onto a bit of poster board for tracing to any material I decided on. The uniformity issue was now solved. But what material? I needed something thin, weatherproof, easy to shape, flat, pliable enough to bend slightly in an instant as the arrow passed by the bow's arrow rest and recover/return to its needed shape for straight flight. Obviously any paper product wouldn't suffice. Nor would splints of wood, metal or any other hard material. I was beginning to see why feathers had been used for millennia, only to be supplanted by modern plastics once invented. Having already had my share of fun and games with the local avian population offerings, I looked to plastic.

Plastic seems to come in the thickness required by me in either too stiff or too soft of qualities. I tried many. From packaging materials such as vacuum box/wrap used for electronics to containers such as detergent bottles and jugs. None were quite right. Too heavy, too rigid, a tendency to deform or take on a bend that wouldn't be convinced to uncurl. About to give up and while preparing some carrots at dinner time one evening during this experimental period, I looked down at the plastic cutting mat/counter protector I was using at the time. You've undoubtedly at least seen one of these. Approximately 12" x 18" plastic sheets that do not let a knife cut through them easily and perfect for a quick cutting surface on top of you kitchen counter. They are sold in packages of 2 to 10. Not a one-use disposable item; rather, a longer term usage item that usually lasts around 2-3 months or so before you finally score through the plastic during use. Cheap, available anywhere - and best, I had some. They are just the right thickness; however, the issue with as the feathers brush by the bow' arrow rest still remained. A small, minor deflection that was unpredictable and unoffsetable kept happening when I tried the material. New material, that is. About a week later, once again chopping up some onions on an older plastic cutting sheet, I noticed it was time at last to replace the 6 month plus old mat I was using (my apologies Julia Child, but I hate to cook and don't wear out my utensils very fast). I saw a small slice hole had gone through. As I went to the cupboard to get a new mat out of a package there and about to toss out the old mat into the recycle bin - the thought 'recycle' just set off the bells of innovation.

I don't know if anyone has ever really noticed that as a one of those cutting mats get used, etched, marred and worn, they get softer, more pliable, more bendable. So much so that they can easily break along the scored lines. Just like the vanes on a bird's feather do. The only real difference is that nature provides the microscopic barbs that allow the feather to reassemble/rehook-up to a usable flying mechanism. But, the etches and scratches in the plastic mat after being well-used create the closest material I've found that mimics the natural feather. It is just the right 'softness', has the ability to bend in a small wave/curve and recover its original flatness.

The pass-by the arrow rest issue was solved when I tested this worn plastic on an arrow shaft. I found that by selecting material from the area of the mat that had been most used, I'd discovered a free, previously thrown out material that makes for a perfect fletching substitute for natural feathers. All that remained was to cut out some 39 feathers for the 13 shafts I had saved, glue them on and carefully position them, mark/color the cock feather red with a permanent marker and find that I now had the means and method to easily replace the fletching on my old wood and aluminum arrow shafts. It takes about 5 minutes per feather - apply glue to the quill, place the cock feather, wait 5, apply the first shaft feather, wait 5, apply the final shaft feather - rotating the shaft so that each feather is upright at the time of its installation.

I'd say that the one question some friends of mine have asked most was just how did I get the 120 angle right? And without using some elaborate geometric protractor method or something like that?

Whether you remove the old remaining fletching or are starting fresh with a new shaft, the first step is to either re-nock or observe the nock on the shaft. We all know that the nock slips over the bowstring. The cock feather is always the first feather to be repositioned on the shaft. Exactly perpendicular to the nock cut-out. Okay, now how to know where to place the shaft feathers? Especially if the original line of the cleaned-off feathers is missing or on a new shaft has never there at all? The answer is in the nock. Literally. The nock bisects the diameter of the shaft. But it is not a perfect diameter line. It has a width. That width is just slightly more at the bottom of the cut - the bottom of the 'U'. That 'U', the side of that 'U' (there is a reason I keep writing the capital letter) on the side away from the cock feather, due to the diameter of the shaft, the size and proportion of the needed bowstring cut-out size is almost exactly 120 degrees 'around the circle. All a person has to do is draw a pencil line using the 'U' side mentioned to the arrow shaft and that is the point where the nock-most rear of the vane/feather line starts. Keeping the shaft feathers parallel to the first applied cock feather will ensure that the you form the perfect 3 vane triangular arrangement you need. No math, no drafting tools - nothing more that a tiny pencil line or knife score/nick. And as I mentioned above when discussing the adhesive, any minor resetting or nudging can come after the initial first tack.

I found that it is best to create some jig to hold the arrow shaft in place, to keep it from rolling while allowing for the feathers to not touch the work surface below. All feathers/vanes are mounted/glued so that they are standing straight up along the glue line. Glue is best applied to the feather quill, not the arrow shaft. The scratches and etches in the plastic also allow for minor bending and adjustment to the feather during adhesion to the shaft.

All in all, once I figured out the process and the materials, the actual job of re-fletching the arrows worked out to about 30 minutes apiece start to a finished product. A good way to spend some time just rediscovering that our ancestors were far more patient and noticed a lot more than I did at first.

I am a deputy sheriff in Louisiana and patrol primarily on the night shift. A few nights ago my shift was alerted that the main city in our parish was under a complete "black out", meaning a total loss of ALL electricity. The reason for the blackout was unknown but the repercussions were great. The power stayed out for a mere hour and a half, but that was all it took to cause  chaos all throughout the city. In this hour and a half multiple shootings occurred, multiple wrecks occurred on the highways and city streets, and multiple stores and businesses were broken into and looted due to security systems malfunctioning. All within that small hour and a half. It really shows how fragile the order in our cities hangs in the balance. People who would probably have been watching television or engaging in other peaceful activities, were gathering in the streets starting fights. All because the lights and tv turned off. Wow. Only a handful of people had nothing to worry about because they were prepared with a few necessities such as: flashlights, food, water, protection (I.e.  Rifle, handgun, or shotgun). 

I am writing this to remind you of the importance of being prepared for a "lights out" situation like this. This type of thing happens all the time and can happen in your area  anytime. These are some minimum guidelines for what you need on hand in a two to three week blackout scenario. It doesn't matter how much food and water you have if you can't see it. It doesn't matter how many guns and and ammo you have if you can't see to shoot them. And it certainly doesn't matter how many great flashlights, lamps, and lanterns you have if you don't have food, water, and defense because looters can walk  straight into your home and take anything and everything they please (including your life)!

I will be so bold as to say if the blackout had continued throughout the night it would have escalated into an all-out riot. You might say "no way! Not in America! This isn't Europe!". Yes, in America, small town America. People have become so dependent on electricity and have been brainwashed into a "welfare mentality" meaning everything is somehow " owed" to them to the point that when something breaks their cycle, I.e. a "blackout" they will do anything necessary to "get (by force)" what they want. More commonly known as "looting". You will start to see this type of thing happening more and more in the near future because history always repeats itself. Look what happened in New Orleans, Louisiana  after Hurricane Katrina. A large storm causes long term power loss and flooding. And because no one stocks more than a day or two worth of food what do they do? They take what they want; by killing, looting, and plundering. Civil neighborhoods turned into all out war zones! Very few people were prepared for what occurred. It was several days until order was semi restored and weeks until it was fully restored. This is very close to home, and it could happen to you at any moment! Don't be a pacifist. Understand me when I tell you this is the real deal.

  As a well informed survival minded individual there are a few things you should have prepared for the event of a " Total blackout".

1) Light:

I recommend  having a couple different forms of light on hand for such a situation.

A) Low light.

If living in a well populated area you don't want to bring attention to your house. So you will want to keep a lantern ( oil, kerosene, or battery powered) or candles to be able to move freely within your dwelling without being spotted easily. A low light can be spotted short at short range but with draw much less attention then a generator lighting the whole house. While a generator can be very useful, using it can mark you as a target for looters. I personally like "crank" lanterns that you simply crank to recharge. Oil and kerosene lamps burn long hours on small amounts of fuel and are highly efficient. Also keep two or three small headlights on hand, they make lots of things much easier when your hands are free.  

B) High intensity light

I recommend a high powered light small enough to be easily handheld in order to use with a handgun. LED lights use very little battery while providing a very bright beam. My personal favorite is the Streamlight \Strion (rechargeable AC or DC voltage). It lasts up to eight hours and is highly dependable. It can be fixed to a  rifle, shotgun, or used free with a handgun. A very bright light is highly useful in a tactical situation. A concentrated beam will blind attackers momentarily and provide a easily followed field of vision allowing for faster target acquisition. Don't go without this! If you can't identify your target then you may end up shooting your neighbor. There are multiple lights similar to the Streamlight Strion on the market ranging from forty to one hundred dollars that are just as capable. 

 C) Batteries

If using battery powered light keep enough batteries on hand to run them for two weeks. Rechargeable batteries will save you money in the long run, but are highly expensive.  Although you can use an DC car charger to charge them in your vehicle. I would suggest having several "shake" flashlights on hand. They last a good length of time off of two minutes of shaking.

2) A one month supply of food.

While I personally advise several months supply,  but you should have at least a months supply for a blackout situation. I recommend easily stored, long lasting foods such as MRE's and canned goods for your months supply. Try to keep some of your supply in easily transportable containers in case there is a need to bug out with little or no time to pack. There is a few tricks to keeping food in your freezer good for a few days. Put several bottles of water in your freezer filled not quite to the brim. These will freeze  keeping most of your food in the "safe zone" for  two to three days.

3) A large supply of water.

Water can be easily stored in 5 gallon bottles lining your garage or basement. Between cooking and drinking I would  have no less than twenty,  five gallon bottles. I also highly recommend having  some sort of water filtration system for when your supply dwindles to supply you water from natural sources .

4) Home defense.

    A) firearms

I recommend a pump 12 gauge shotgun, two .40 caliber handguns, And an assault rifle, which will be highly useful in many situations including the event of "bugging out". I would stress the need for regular practice with your home defense firearms. You need to be proficient with each one. Under pressure you are only as good as your training! "Practice makes perfect" rings very true when it comes to this. Take any "home defense" courses possible. A shotgun in skilled hands is one of the most effective weapons in home defense. A handgun will be very useful as a secondary weapon. And a high capacity assault rifle ( Such as an AK-47, AR-15, or Mini-14) will save your life in a firefight. You don't want to be out-gunned!

    B)  Ammunition.

I recommend 00 buckshot for 12 gauge, and hollow point ammunition for handguns. With a minimum of three magazines, and 500 rounds per firearm. Remember, this is merely the minimum of what you should have. I would recommend 5,000 per firearm and ten magazines for each as a for more adequate supply . Keep your ammo in a dry place in airtight containers where it is easily accessible.

    C)  A plan. 

When looters come pounding on your door you can call 9-11,  but don't expect a quick response if any due to the high call volume. Block doors and windows with heavy furniture or appliances, but keep in mind you need a quick escape route, I.e. a window or side door. Have Bug Out Bags ready for the event of riots or fire. Have at least $250 cash in hand,  seeing that credit or debit cards will get you nothing with the power off.  

Lastly, keep in mind that roads may be blocked, so use a vehicle that can drive off road if needed in the event of a bug out (SUV or Truck). Map several routes out of the city. I recommend using GPS as long as the system is working. This will make detours much more effective when roads are impassible. Have a destination pre-planned that is not in the city. A friend or relative in the country is ideal if you don't have a preplanned bug out destination. 

These are some rough guidelines that may help you be more prepared for a blackout situation. Keep in mind that ice storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and thunderstorms can potentially cause this scenario. Don't be naive, be prepared!

Note: this is targeting people who live in urban areas, as country people tend to have most of the things on my list in stock and are used to power outages. These are minimal guidelines for mere survival, I would strongly suggest more food, water, and defense (guns and ammo) than listed. Good luck!

JWR Adds: Be sure to see the many articles in the SurvivalBlog archives that discuss tritium sights and light amplification ("starlight") night vision equipment.

Dear Mr Rawles,
I've been reading your archives. I loved the December, 2011 SurvivalBlog article titled Barter, Post-TEOTWAWKI: The Micro Store. This one is a natural for me.  One way that I have been collecting barterable items is at yard/garage/estate sales.  Estate sales in particular are excellent for the micro store collection.  You hit the kitchen area and get current food items for your own stores and then the bathroom for bandages and sample size items such as soap, shampoo, shaving gel, toothpaste and so forth.  I’m not talking about items used but items never opened; I have even found various supplements also never opened.  I told my sister the nurse that if TSHTF I have a small hospital for her.  Leg brace boots are also really very cheap and can come in very handy.  

One item I have seen a ton of is sewing supply; I am partial to those heavy duty needle packs that are bound to come in handy for patching up heavier gear, am looking for upholstery thread that would go well with those kits, or dental floss can used if needed.  As far as cigarettes, I can get those at half the cost from Indian tribe stores, I have placed individual packs in Seal-a-Meal bags and vacuum packed them and placed them in the freezer, also did that with cigars I picked up at a yard sale.  I don’t smoke but know that if a smoker is desperate enough, anything will do 

Another item that I think is very handy are those small pouches of seasonings, they have become quite expensive at a grocery store, up to $1.89 each. At estate and garage sales I pay a quarter or less for them. If you have potatoes, pasta or rice, one packet of flavoring will go a long way.  I do plan to get some of those little bottles of liquor that are sold on air flights, those are an excellent idea.  Going on to the garage area is great for fishing gear and tools.  I have come home with prepper items along with a few collectibles to sell on eBay.  The profit from what I sell on eBay covers the cost of my prepper item purchases. 

I was curious however, about my plan to move from Washington to Idaho. When I do find a small town to live in, wouldn’t those people already be prepper-minded thus making a micro store a moot point?  Just wondering.  My husband said we could just set up shop to an area that was not prepper-minded and sell/barter there.

Keep up this wonderful work and call me, - Prepper on the cheap.
   
JWR Replies: Don't worry about the lack of a barter market in a region with more predominant preparedness and self-sufficiency. Even there, you will find plenty of people that are not well prepared, or those who have overlooked some items that they will need. The sure bets will be expendable items like soap, tape, detergent, lubricants (especially two-stroke fuel-mixing oil), common caliber ammunition, salt, seeds, various liquid fuels, adhesives, batteries, flat earth tone camouflaging paints, and so forth.

G.G. flagged this: One in Three Young U.S. Workers Are Underemployed

John Williams: The Real Unemployment Rate: 22%−Not 8.1%--The coming fiscal cliff: hyperinflation on track for 2014

The wrecking ball of hidden inflation and Fed based strategies – food inflation far outpacing overall inflation and eating away at the purchasing power of 46,000,000 Americans on food stamps.

Jim Willie: Gold Cover Clause Guidance

Items from The Economatrix:

Anti-Gold Propaganda Push, Gold Cover Clause For Enabling Competing New Currencies

The Fed, Wall Street Prepare To Unleash Crisis 2.0

Faber Sees Crash Like in 1987 if US Stocks Climb Higher

The Economy Is Muddling Along a Cliff's Edge

More about vertical gardens.

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Reader Rhonda T. mentioned an interactive map on privileges for homosexuals.  Why is this appropriate to mention in SurvivalBlog? She explains: "Since this topic is often inversely related to a state's depth of religious conviction, its also a good (if inverse) indicator of conservative states--which might help someone in their relocation decision.  You know, us 'God and Guns' folks". JWR's Comment: Once again, the American Redoubt states had a good showing, but it is clear that Oregon and Washington have succumbed to California-style political correctness.

   o o o

Perhaps we were wise to move our server to Sweden: The FBI took -- and mysteriously returned -- their server. Here's their story . (Thanks to Karen D. for the link.)

   o o o

Veteran SurvivalBlog contributor K.A.F. sent us this: Washington state health officials declare whooping cough epidemic, seek CDC help as cases soar

   o o o

The Southern Agrarian has a review of the Bison hand pump. There is also a post showing the installation of the pump in tandem with a submersible electric pump.

"Let us speak courteously, deal fairly, and keep ourselves armed and ready." - President Theodore Roosevelt, San Francisco, California , May 13, 1903

Today we present two more entries for Round 40 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 40 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

For most preppers, the action plan for a TEOTWAWKI scenario can be neatly categorized into basically one of two categories:  Bug in or Bug out.  Many people live in rural areas with sufficient security and provisions to be able to go to ground in the event of a disaster and ride out the storm.  “Sufficient” security might include bunkers, shooters, stockpiles of ammunition and weapons, spare parts, etc.  “Sufficient” provisions might be enough food to get the defense force and extended family of the principal through to the harvest, and enough seeds to ensure that the harvest will feed the crew indefinitely.  For many rural preppers, this scenario is an attainable goal.  For many urban preppers, however, this goal could never be realistically accomplished.  For that reason, we have to consider the possibility of bugging out.
There are some relatively standard considerations that almost anybody with a functional brain housing group would think through prior to bugging out.  Where am I going to get fuel?  What type of vehicle do I need?  How much food and water should I be taking with me?  Where am I going?  These are the basics of bugging out, and many of the conversations I see around the topic within the forums are geared towards that end.  These are great considerations, and they need to be considered as a bare minimum before attempting a bug out.  But, having experienced moving through combat zones for most of my adult life, I’d like to offer some other considerations that may not be so obvious.

As a caveat, these considerations are based upon several assumptions.  First, we are assuming that the power grid is down.  Second, we are assuming that the domestic security situation has degraded to the point that the police are no longer capable of providing safety and order (if they ever were capable to begin with).  Therefore, based upon those two assumptions, we have to further assume that traveling is a very dangerous activity.  People will be looking for targets of opportunity for any chance of finding food, water, or supplies. 
Here are some not-so-obvious considerations for bugging out based upon those assumptions:
What are my primary and alternate routes going to look like?  Yes, I said “alternate route.”  While it may be expedient to travel along paved roads to arrive at your bug out location, it may not be realistic.  There are several reasons why traveling along paved roads may not be the best idea you’ve ever had (remembering that we are assuming the security situation has degraded significantly):

1. Paved roads are highly visible.  Traveling along paved roads will draw attention, particularly in a scenario where practically all vehicular traffic has ceased because of fuel shortages and security concerns.  Doing so may expose you to bands of roving thieves and other not-so-friendly types. 
2. Bridges and overpasses make excellent choke points.  This means there is only one direction that you can travel, and it also means that you are in an extremely weak position to defend against a well-planned ambush.  It’s worth saying that if I weren’t a prepper who was working towards building supplies for my family, and the apocalyptic disaster happened upon me, I would probably use this method to feed my family.  A good ambush can be executed with a few well-placed individuals given the correct terrain.  An overpass or a bridge is the correct terrain.  It’s best just to avoid them.
3. Roads may be impassable.  Think about a scenario where traffic was so bad that sat in their cars for days and didn’t move.  Many would eventually just leave the cars in the middle of the road and head home.  Remember, we’re talking about an urban situation here.  You might not even be able to fit your bug out vehicle down those roads. 
4. Some people are capable of making shots at 500+ meters.  If you were driving down the side of a major highway, your enemies would be able to see you from far enough away that you would never hear the bullet that killed you.  There is relatively little cover and concealment on highways. (Obviously it is hard to drive through cover and concealment.) 

Since your primary route was probably a highway, I’d like to challenge you to come up with an alternate plan.  Let’s try it on foot this time, through the woods if possible, or at a bare minimum through back streets where ambushes would be less likely.  If you’re a smart cookie, as many of you are, the thought of reaching your bug out location on foot will immediately trigger several other considerations.  Here’s a small list of things to think about:

1. How will I navigate?  Since we are assuming the power grid is down, you probably won’t have a charge on your fancy little GPS system (if the satellites are still functional).  You’re going to need a good, old-fashioned map and compass to get where you’re going.  Do you know how use land navigation techniques?  You’d better start thinking about taking a class. 
2. How much food and water can you carry on your person?  This might necessitate changing your overall bug out location. 
3. How good is the cover and concealment along your alternate route?  Will it provide sufficient concealment for your needs, or do you need to augment your concealment through camouflage clothing?  What type of camouflage is most effective in your environment?
4. How much private property are you going to need to cross to arrive at your location?  Can you detour through a publicly owned National forest or other location where you are less likely to run into the security forces of other private citizens?  Remember, trespassing during a major disaster might get you shot repeatedly.

Where are my en-route safe havens?  “What the heck is a safe haven?” you may be asking.  Think Custer’s Last Stand.  Where are you going to go when the stuff hits the fan right in the middle of your trip to the bug out location? 
For obvious reasons, I recommend having as many safe havens built into your route as possible.  One safe haven for every mile or two would be ideal.  They need to be thoroughly discussed, known by all members of the travel party, and visibly marked on all of the maps (of which everyone should have a copy).  A good safe haven will offer limited entry access, ballistic protection, cover, and concealment.  Concrete buildings work great.  Bathrooms within concrete buildings work even better (there is only one door in, the doors can typically be locked from the inside, and they are usually made out of concrete).  In a pinch, a thick grove of trees can serve as a great safe haven as it offers the bare minimum of ballistic protection, cover, and concealment.  You get the idea.  Here are a few additional things to consider about safe havens:

1. Public buildings such as fire stations and park buildings are less likely to be defended by gun-toting militia members.  You might even run into a friendly fireman who has medical knowledge if you’re lucky, but most likely all government operations will have ceased by this point.  If you choose to utilize someone else’s property for a safe haven, you need to be prepared to fight for it.  This might not be the best idea, considering you might be getting chased at the time.  Even Hitler couldn’t win a two front war.  Think about it.
2. You need a running password.  In the event that your group is split up, everyone will have directions to rendezvous at the closest safe haven.  The first person to arrive will secure the location and wait.  If other members of the group are inbound in a hurry, they need to have some way to communicate that they are secure and not under duress.  I suggest sign/countersign.  It can be as simple as a number combination.  For instance, let’s say our number combination was seven.   I might challenge the runner with the number “Four.”  The runner would reply with a verbal “Three” and, since those two numbers add up to seven, I would know that all is well and not feel compelled to shoot my friend.
3. Ideally, a safe haven would not be too far off of your route.  It’s best if they lie along your route so that everyone knows where they are and how to get there.  The fewer the barriers between your route and your safe haven, the more quickly you can travel there when SHTF.  For instance, a river between your route and your safe haven could be disastrous. 

Do I need geocaches of critical supplies?  Since we’re now on foot, we obviously can’t carry as much as we would like.  We might need extra food, supplies, medical kits, ammunition, and more.  Since we can’t reasonably carry them with us, we have no choice to but to store them along our route.  I suggest planning en-route waypoints where critical resupply caches can be pre-positioned.  I would bury them if at all possible, on uncontested land (like somewhere deep within a national forest).  Mark them on your map, and then build the waypoints into your route.  If you get there and don’t need the supplies, leave them alone.  You never know when you might come back through. 

Obviously, you would need to develop some way of storing your cache in such a way that your supplies would not be ruined.  You have to keep it dry and serviceable despite weather and potentially having been buries for a long time.  Also, you need to think of a way to mark the cache so that it’s obvious to you but won’t cause cousin Earl from the local farm to dig up your supplies out of curiosity. 
As a general rule, I recommend one geo cache for each day of foot travel required to reach your bug out location.  Of course, many people will label me paranoid and crazy for even suggesting the practice, but then I guess I am a bit batty. 

I hope this article has helped someone think of a few extra considerations about bugging out that might save their life if TEOTWAWKI ever actually happens.  As always, any prepping is better than no prepping, so take it one step at a time and do it over time as you become able.  You’ll never regret being prepared. 

It is very regrettable that more often than not, those who prepare for surviving the future are viewed by society as being isolationist, separatists, and downright anti-social. Sure, this can be blamed on the media, propaganda, and perhaps a few loose cannons out there, but it's also in part because many "preppers" do fall prey to a fearful "bunker" mindset. Sometimes even removing themselves from society at large. I wonder if more people would see the value of advanced preparation if they witnessed more preppers offering positive contributions to the general welfare of others in their community, state, and nation? Certainly many are providing such benefits to the communities in which they live, but could we do better...?

For our family, getting started with such changes necessitated a change of thinking. We had to first see that the value in getting more involved with people when a more fearful response seems appropriate at a times. We've had to learn to ignore the knee-jerk, fearful, run-and-hide reactions in favor of a more sound-minded approach. So setting aside fear, we've come to some conclusions that we believe would be beneficial to every family in every community. Like most wisdom we've learned, our journey into this understanding began with the words of wisdom found in the Scriptures. If you're not a person of faith, please don't stop reading - this is for you too!

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." - Ecclesiastes 4:12

King Solomon, the attributed author of the above scripture verse, was reputed to to be the wisest person to ever live. In his profound wisdom, Solomon understood the simple truth that there is great advantage to doing things together.

We live during a time when such wisdom appears to be on the decline. Along with what should be common sense - advance preparation for the unexpected - many in our communities have also lost touch with the value that achieving together is better than failing alone. This wrong thinking can often infiltrate even the most prepared survivalist mind. It's easy to think of every possible tool, supply, or scenario, and so easily forget this concept. 

Many Americans pride themselves on a rugged individualism. Certainly it's good for an individual to be personally prepared and equipped to endure difficult times and challenges. There are times when such individualism is appropriate. However, there are also times when this is not at all appropriate. If I'm lost in the woods, being rugged, prepared and self-reliant is good. I need those to take care of myself. However, if my wife or children were to be lost in the woods with me, I must lay aside my individualism to a degree in order to provide the best possible outcome for them as well. Caring only about myself isn't going to profit them very much.

It's often said that the survivalist is the eternal optimist. This is said because it is the survivalist who plans for and expects to prevail in future difficult times. Yet despite such optimism, one of the chief challenges of the survivalist's preparations is the understanding that such preparations take quite a bit of time, energy, and resources. 

Enter Solomon's wisdom. 

We must be like Solomon (Ecclesiastes 3) and understand that with different seasons in life comes the need to adapt, change, and set aside some of our natural tendencies. Though not without it's own challenges, we've discovered that nearly every part of preparing our minds, body, and shelters for the future is easier and more rewarding when done with other like-minded families or individuals.

Nearly every part of preparing to thrive and survive in the future is far more achievable when endeavored together with trustworthy friends, family, and neighbors.  As Solomon so aptly puts it... "One may be overpowered" - that is, one person and one family can indeed be prepared for the future, but unfortunately, they can also be easily overpowered. Consider for a moment the well-prepared family seeking to stave off masses of hungry, frantic, and unprepared people. This would be difficult alone and could result in loss, injury or death. 

It's easy to see the value of being with others in the midst of an emergency, but consider for a moment the value of working with others before -  to prepare for an emergency.  Left to our own person or family, we'll offer experience lack - lack of finances, time, energy, resources, attitude, or ideas. While more people doesn't always mean less lack, there's a better-than-average chance that more people to help will help, not hurt.. We lose jobs, get sick, get busy, and lose heart. Sometimes, even getting started in preparing is overwhelming. How is it then that we can hope to survive in future bleak times? These and many other reasons should cause is to consider the wisdom and benefits of preparing for the future together with others.

In our own experience, we're finding it quite enriching to engage other like-minded families in our plans to prepare for an uncertain future. This not only holds hope for future benefit, but makes life quite a bit more enjoyable today as well! Every day brings with it new ideas, extra help, and new motivation. Each new challenge is met with access to more resources, knowledge, and information.  It's a great joy to discover that a friend already owns a needed resource, or is willing to lend a hand with some heavy lifting. Perhaps best of all has been the camaraderie in this often-lonely journey. Not only are our own plans for the future becoming more solid and well-defined, but each person in our family is becoming personally fortified by the formation of meaningful and enduring relationships - from the youngest to the oldest. There's a deep sense of satisfaction and strength in working with others. Every passing day we grow more and more confident that we can accomplish what we've set out to do. 

This is also helpful on many other levels. We're benefiting from the diversity of personalities, the sharing of ideas, and the value of fellowship. We're also resting easier with the expectation that we'll endure future hardships together with others we can count on. We're no longer "Surv I valists",  but "Survival US ts" and man, is there a difference! When hard times come, we're not likely to be overpowered no matter if those hard times be an enemy, fatigue, tragedy, or even our own attitude. Whatever comes our way, we'll not be quickly broken. Our defense is stronger!

It's especially interesting that Solomon notes that a cord of three strands cannot be quickly broken. Many would assume that Solomon is implying three braided or twisted strands. Three individual strands would certainly be stronger than one, however, three braided strands would usually offer even more strength. To do this, there needs to be some involvement or "braiding" of the strands. For our family, this translates into us spending as much time and energy on these relationships as we do in readiness preparation. We get together, we get to know one another better. We are trusting our lives and future with one another. Why? Because these relationships - and all our relationships ARE the future. Why do we hope to survive future hardship if not to enjoy the world that we'll eventually live in? These relationships are the purpose that we want to endure beyond the next disaster or calamity. We hope for a safe and abundant future for ourselves and our loved ones on the other side of the whatever calamity might come upon us. No, this isn't what most sheeple think of when they hear "survivalists", but it's our view that survivalists do what they do because  people matter and are worth the effort.

We've often discovered that getting others involved with us is hard at times. You know, braided rope is usually stronger than twisted rope for one reason - friction. Braiding usually creates the most friction between each strand in a rope and this friction  adds additional strength. So it can be in relationships! Honestly, the more we get to know others,  the more we encounter relational "friction". Like many, sometimes this causes us to not desire the help of others. Ahhhhh... we must remember Solomon's advice. Friction between people  is a natural and normal part of functioning as a team. So we don't lose heart. We solidify in our minds these truths. We resolve to embrace friction, because it's our differences, not our similarities that give us strength. After all, if two of us are the same, one of us is unnecessary. We continue to find that it's not the people that are just like us that provide the best opportunity for working together, but those we didn't expect. Remember this as you venture onward.

We hope you'll take some time to consider what kind of "cord" you're building. Can it endure hardship, or is it overcome easily? Consider the wise words of Solomon... Consider your cordage! Braid some more strands to your cord and better prepare yourself and your family for what lies ahead. Share your knowledge with others and invite them into your plans and preparations. In doing so, you'll find strength, encouragement, hope and the best possible chance of surviving the future.

The mainstream media is abuzz with stories about JPMorgan's $2 Billion in trading losses in just the past six weeks. Here some typical coverage: JPMorgan Hit by ‘Egregious’ Trading Loss of $2 Billion. The culprit? It was derivatives.

Ah yes, those pesky derivatives. Ich habe es Ihnen gesagt (way back in 2006.)

I won't re-hash the details of the JP Morgan debacle that have come to light, because they have already been spelled out by many journalists. The best analysis that I've found thusfar came from the editors of Zero Hedge, in this piece: The "World's Largest Prop Trading Desk" Just Went Bust. The facts are all there. There is also some good commentary at Fierce Finance: JPMorgan "hedges" look like prop bets.

What are the implications of this mayhem? They are all bad, especially for Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS), Credit Default Swaps (CDSes) and other collateralized debt obligation (CDO) derivatives. The band of fools in JPMorgan's Chief Investment Office (CIO) were buying up CDOs at the same time wiser heads in the banking world were avoiding them like proverbial hot potatoes. It is noteworthy that most of these derivatives were purchased after the 2008 credit crisis. In the greedy eyes of the JP Morgan derivatives trading staff, buying this paper after it had taken a 20% haircut appeared to be a bargain. To compound their problems, not only they take on CDS contracts, but they created additional hedges around those derivatives. This is like taking a bet on a bet. What idiots. There is lots of conjecture about what was really going on in Morgan's CIO. Was it all a hedge on inflation that went awry, because deflation lingered longer than expected? It may be weeks before the cognoscenti speak and we learn the full story. But one thing is certain: There is a fine line between hedging and proprietary ("prop") trading, and the CIO appears to have crossed the line. And their hedges were big enough that they shifted the landscape of the entire CDS market. (They have hundreds of billions of dollars in derivative contracts in play at any given time. The counterparty risk is huge.)

The world of derivatives is a wilderness of mirrors. There are far more reflections (or vehicles) than there are real assets. There are synthetic CDOs--these are collateralized debt obligations (CDO) that are based on credit default swaps (CDSs) rather than physical debt securities. There are passive CDOs, and managed CDOs. (Those CDOs were what caused the huge writedowns of both Citigroup and Merrill Lynch.) There are Structured Investment Vehicles (SIVs), Super SIVs, and SIV-lites, all created by packaging multiple CDOs. SIVs are vehicles that allow banks to borrow short and lend long. There are variable interest entities (VIEs)--one of the favorites of the now-defunct Enron Corporation. Then there are Qualified SPEs (Special Purpose Entities or QSPEs) and Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) which are entirely new corporate entities--usually set up offshore--just for the purpose of handling SIVs and various CDOs. Ask presidential candidate Mitt Romney to explain these, since he is an expert. But then, he might not want to talk about it. So instead, read Moorad Choudhry's book "Structured Credit Products: Credit Derivatives and Synthetic Securitisation."

There is nothing quite like buying into a falling market. On Wall Street, they call that "catching a falling knife." Many of the Credit Default Swaps that the JPMorgan CIO was trading were investment grade corporate bonds. But some, no doubt, were tied to real estate--the notorious residential mortgage backed securities (RMBSes). With so many foreclosures now hitting the market, the bottom for residential real estate in the United States is still nowhere in sight. And RMBSes are the main "assets" underlying most of those CDOs. In this amorphous era of the Fed's Zero Interest Rate Policy (ZIRP), the practice of borrowing short and lending long can't go on for much longer. At some point, interest rates will rise, and there will be blood in the streets. We must also consider that JP Morgan isn't the only trading firm holding this stinky paper. There are probably lots of others that pursued similar hedging strategies. But because of its size, JPMorgan got all the recent publicity. I suspect that the full extent of the losses--especially those by other banking and hedge firms--have not yet been reported.

The bottom line, predictably, is that it is the American Taxpayers who are the ultimate guarantors for the losses caused by their folly. In the millennial era, the banksters consistently bet big, knowing that if they lose, then there will always be another bailout. They have a the certain knowledge that they have the Federal government in their back pocket. (The lack of a criminal indictment of MF Global Chairman Jon Corzine was clear evidence of that.) The "Too Big to Fail" mantra is now so engrained that the bankers feel invulnerable. This is one reason that the derivatives casino has grown tremendously. Of course they are willing to gamble when it is a "heads I win, and tails you lose" proposition! Banks that have their losses guaranteed by the government (and ultimately, by our tax dollars) shouldn’t be sitting at a casino table, slurping down liquor. But in effect, that is just where they are.

What will be the end result of JPMorgan's huge losses in derivatives? Just a wait a few months. We likely hear post facto that there was a quiet bailout, measured in billions. The Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB) is alive and well.

Kevin S. sent this: Fed clears China's first US bank takeover

Faber Sees '87-Type Crash if U.S. Stocks Rise Without QE3

Andre sent this: Banks prepare for the return of the drachma

From G.G.: Postal Service quarterly loss widens to $3.2 billion

Items from The Economatrix:

Housing Bottom?  Fannie Mae Won't Seek Tax Dollars

Wages Bolster Spending as Americans as Americans Extend Hours

US March Wholesale Inventories Rise 0.3%, Sales Climb 0.5%

Home Prices Rise in Half of U.S. Cities as Markets Stabilize

Avoid Social Breakdown. Become Resilient. (Thanks to Kevin S. for the link.)

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Over at Global Guerillas: Big Twitter is Here

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Reader S. R. mentioned that there are some school teacher positions open in a retreat-worthy region: Navajo Public Schools. S.R. describes Jackson County, Oklahoma: "...a nice rural area with
good well water at about 10-to-30 foot depth, a long growing season, and that produces wheat, Cotton, Peanuts, and Beef." They are looking to hire a Computer teacher, Secondary Special Ed teacher and likely a Foreign Language teacher.

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Ed. M. recommended an essay on ballistic home defense over at Oleg Volk's site: Riots vs. pogroms. "Modern homes are not built as fortresses. They are only as strong as the people defending them." OBTW, the photo of the man holding the antique riotgun is none other than SurvivalBlog's own Editor at Large, Michael Z. Williamson.

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Some Canadian provinces attempt to create "back door" gun registries.

"The CDS [credit default swap] is probably the most important instrument in finance. What [the advent of the] CDS did is lay-off all the risk of highly leveraged institutions - and that's what banks are, highly leveraged - on stable American and international institutions." - Alan Greenspan, former Federal Reserve Chairman, May 2006

Today we present two more entries for Round 40 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 40 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

After a few camping trips where I learned the hard way about preparing for local wildlife I started thinking about the bugs in my bug out plan and I'm not talking about technical flaws.  Previously I had focused much of my attention on what kind of gear to pack, how to provide food and water, and various routes to travel.  A trip to the Rockies, part of the AT and a few southeastern US adventures later I realized that people weren't the only hostile forces I might encounter and I didn't have much prepared to deal with the critters I might encounter.
 
Preparing for wildlife became a new priority for me when I reached an epiphany after visiting my sister in the southwest this summer.  While we have all seen the massive fires sweeping across the southwest, most of us have been fortunate enough to avoid their destruction.  Animals, however have had much of their habitat destroyed by the fires and as a result these animals have been forced out of the burning forests and into more populated (and better protected by fire suppression efforts) areas.  When the fires approached her town, so did many of the animals trying to escape the flames.  While my sister at most sees a coyote every now and then, the occasional scorpion and rarely a snake, all of these animals were prevalent throughout her neighborhood.  I admittedly have an irrational fear of snakes, but seeing so many in an area where I never saw one before made me a bit paranoid and hesitant to walk quickly without deliberately looking where I was stepping.  As we hurried to get things ready and get out of town I came to the realization that this may be just what we face in a TEOTWAWKI situation and I would need to be prepared to deal with it  In a disaster situation animals will be just as confused as humans and with widespread destruction animals may be out of their "normal" habitats.  With this soft awakening to the additional challenges I might face in a disaster, I began to take some of my camping experiences (and failures) and applying them to my bug out plan. 
 
My primary method of avoiding unnecessary wildlife is to properly select a campsite.  While this may seem easy for those of us used to hiking in state parks where there are designated camping areas mostly clear of brush with pre-dug fire pits, in the wild this can prove to be significantly more difficult.  If possible, I try to elevate myself off of the bare ground, if only by a few inches.  This not only provides some insulation in the winter from the cold but also helps to keep some of the bugs away.  I also try to clear the ground around where I will be camping.  Most snakes (so I'm told by my friends who actually like snakes) will avoid crossing clear ground if there is brush or concealment through which they can travel.  I will try to find a good branch and rake away the leaves and other cover, pick up the sticks and rocks and have several feet around where I will be camping.  Before clearing the site, I try to find a site that is not in a dry creek bed, is level and doesn't appear to be close to a game trail.  I realize that in a survival situation the campsite selection will be a compromise between concealment and comfort.  In the case of concealment at night, those wondering around will typically look at the ground (think about stumbling around in the dark or walking at night with a flashlight)  you will focus where you are going and rarely look up.  If you can safely get up high in a tree and sleep there, this offers great protection from the ground critters and helps you avoid discovery.  I have laid logs between a forked branch and tied the logs down with paracord to keep everything secure.  This took a while, so when making camp be sure to start early to avoid working at night where your flashlight may give you away.  I further took a spare carabiner and clipped my belt to the lashed log assembly while I slept to avoid rolling off in the middle of the night.  A few tricks I learned to quickly cut the cross member logs to size was to find longer logs of the appropriate thickness, stick the long log between two trees growing close together, or a tree with a fork near the base, and then use the leverage of the fork holding one end and me pushing the other end of the log to break it to size.  This avoids needing to have an axe or saw and works great to manage the size of firewood.  The sound of a branch snapping is also less indicative of human activity when compared to the distinctive sound of chopping or sawing.
 
Another ritual I always follow while camping is to avoid the triangle of death.  While this isn't always necessary, I still do it to ensure my safety and peace of mind.  The triangle of death is something I learned in the Rockies while working to keep bears away from my supplies.  The triangle is formed between where you suspend your food in the trees, the fire pit where you cook and where you store your dishes.  If you make camp inside (or very close to) this triangle, you have the highest chance of encountering any bear, critter or person investigating the smells of this area.  I always take note of what can be smelled and ensure that those items are not on me or near me when I am sleeping.  This includes things like film (has animal-based adhesive), deodorant, snacks I may carry in my pockets, Chapstik, medicines, stove fuel, duct tape, water bottles you drink out of while eating and even your survival knife if you used it to butcher game.  If you have a change of clothes available, I always cook and eat in one set and sleep in another set to fully minimize the smell.  I also don't apply any deodorant, powder, Chapstik or other smelly substance after 3 p.m.  While this is not a hard rule, if you do this, the substance will likely absorb or lose its scent by the time you are sleeping.
 
If it smells I string it in a tree (old feed sacks and paracord work great for this).  If I ate out of it, I always wash it before going to sleep and leave it either in a tree or by the fire pit (this goes for stoves and fuel too).  While I thankfully have only had raccoons invade the triangle, I am hyper vigilant to avoid being woken up by something much more menacing.  Additionally I only eat right by where I cook and I never take food into my tent if I have one.  I try to stay 20 feet or more away from the triangle, and often build a secondary fire for where I sleep for warmth.  While this may separate you from you gear, you can consider camouflaging it with branches, a camo poncho to shroud items you place in the tree and by avoiding unnatural colors such as stark white, orange  and other bright colors.
 
If I am trying to conceal my fire, I will dig a Dakota fire pit.  I learned this configuration in Scouts and it is essentially two pits, one large to hold the fire, and a second smaller one to draw out the smoke.  A small tunnel connects the two to provide airflow.  Dig the pit deep enough to keep the fuel and the flames below the top edge of the larger pit.  This keeps the flames shrouded while allowing you to cook and heat yourself under cover.  If you need to sit a pot over the fire, the recessed flames allow you to easily place logs over the pit to support the pot.  I try to soak the logs so they don't burn through and spill my food into the fire.  If i need to reflect more heat, I will stack logs to make a lean to which will reflect the heat and keep me warm while I sleep.  If you can't dig a pit due to rock or hard soil, I usually try to find a fallen tree or large log and build the fire in the hole where the tree fell or against the large log with more logs stacked up around it to conceal some of the flame.  These areas near the fallen trees may be wet, so i will place bark, branches and other dry (even green) items in the pit as a base on which to build the fire.  While smoke is visible during the day, it is much more difficult to see at night so the primary concealment should be focused on the flames.  If visibility is not a concern, animals, including snakes, don't like fire.  If I am trying to keep them away then I try to gather four times as much wood as I think I need and will usually end up going through most of it.  In my experience you can never have too much firewood.
 
After you have a good camp set up and a good night's rest, you will likely need to move on the next morning.  If you took your boots off (I usually do to make sure my feet dry out) be sure to shake them out.  A trick I learned is to stretch your sock over the top of your boot and this will keep critters out while still allowing everything to dry.  I've found everything from millipedes to frogs in my boots so be sure not to ruin your escape by being in a hurry.  When going on foot, your feet are your wheels and you won't get very far with a flat.  To allow my boots to further dry I typically try to have a pair of "camp shoes" with me.  While this does add some weight, I have found my Teva type sandals or croc type shoes to work best depending on terrain.  The crocs are a bit more difficult to walk in but weigh very little while the sandals allow me to hike in them if my boots should be destroyed.  I generally prefer the sandals but have had success with both.  As a general rule though, I never go barefoot or sock footed anywhere (even in creeks) and I try to keep my feet as dry as possible.  I generally safety pin my extra pair of socks on my bag and let them air out and dry in the sun while I continue to hike.  If my feet become too sweaty, I take off my boots, change socks, and let them air out a few minutes.  Wet feet are unhappy feet and if you don't dry them out they literally rot away. 
 
Apart from that bit of foot maintenance be sure to watch out for the smaller bugs when getting up every day.  I had the unfortunate experience of waking up one morning covered in ticks.  I picked 58 off of me and itched like crazy for a week.  Hiking in the south I also encountered every southerner's favorite itch to scratch, chiggers.  Without any anti itch medicine I had to do a bit of improvisation to stop the itching.  I have found that petroleum jelly will work, as will fingernail polish if you have it (I didn't).  In a pinch, if you can find some clay soil and make a paste out of it, smearing the clay over the chiggers will smother them almost as well as the nail polish but you will have to reapply the paste as it dries out and cracks off.  Nothing beats a good pair of tweezers to get those tiny seed ticks off, just be sure to get them off as soon as possible to avoid the spread of any disease.  As a critter first aid kit, I carry a venom extractor (great for wasps and snakes) a pair of tweezers, a small container of petroleum jelly, some antihistamine, and alcohol wipes.  The petroleum jelly doubles as a great fire starter, blister bandage and lubricant.
 
Wherever you go, take some time to study the local wildlife before you go out.  This goes for preparation with your BOB as well.  A small guide can come in handy and help you understand which creepie crawlies are edible and which ones are better left alone.  Further, if you study, you can avoid certain areas in your routes known to house certain animals (mountain lions come to mind) and you can determine how to appropriately hike.  By this I mean whether you should be concerned with proceeding too quietly and surprising a bear or whether you should be using your hiking stick to probe in front of you for snakes or other painful surprises.  Knowing the wildlife in your area will come down to more than looking at territorial range maps found in the field guide.  While those various shades of red flowing down in a sweeping arc can give you a general idea of what you might find in your travels, you will have to be more specific if you want to really understand the animals in your area.  This will not only help avoid wasting your time hunting for an animal which isn't there but also help you stay out of trouble should you encounter an animal on your hunt much larger than what you were anticipating.  You will have to make critical decisions while out hiking involving the local wildlife.  While that fat and juicy timber rattler would make a great meal, if you don't have any experience with snakes trying to kill it might not be the best idea while you are bugging out.  If you aren't sure if a particular frog is safe to eat, it may be better to look for another source of food.  An Apache foot snare can hold an animal very well if properly constructed but once the animal is held, you will still have to dispatch it.  If you can't do it safely from a distance, it would be unwise to get close to an angry and injured deer trying to stick it with your knife or bash it with a log.  You should know what you are hunting for and how that animal can potentially hurt you.  After you successfully kill an animal, be mindful of where you kill it and clean it.  Be sure to clean it far away from camp and bury the waste if possible to minimize attracting animals.  If you accidentally spill something in camp when you are cooking or preparing the animal, urine will help to mask the smell of the animal (or any other spilled food) and avoid attracting additional predators. 
 
Be sure to keep the bugs out of your bug out bag by shaking out all of your equipment and being aware of what is around you and which bugs can ruin your day, especially if you have any allergies.  I realized the hard way that preparation involves being prepared for the animals, insects and other wildlife you may encounter on your journey.  As the Scouts say, be prepared.  Victory loves preparation.

I am a victim. I am a spectator. I am luck incarnate. You would think based on my chosen career for over twenty years as a US Navy SEAL that I would be the poster boy of preparedness. You would think that now retired from the military and currently a security professional that I would have stockpiled food, weapons and supplies in preparation for the next Hurricane Katrina, 9/11 or other mass casualty causing disaster. Instead, like so many others I have assumed luck is on my side. I have assumed that because I have lived a life on the edge, constantly under the stress of death as the alternative to mission success that I am impervious to harm. I have stood by so many times like a spectator and watched as others suffered through earthquakes, tsunamis or terrorist attacks with little concern that it could be me next.

Sad and Disgusted
I have tragically lost well over twenty friends, teammates and compatriots [in combat and in training accidents] and still I didn’t feel the overwhelming need to prepare. I have become self reliant and so used to working with a team that has my back that little phases me now. I believed my self to be Mr. Lucky, to be luck incarnate.

That was until I had a family. I don’t mean the twentieth century kind of family, a wife, two dogs and a condo. I mean a real family, a lovely wife and two precious young sons and all that comes with it. A family that whether they know it or not relies on me to protect them. That regardless how liberal we have become the man of the house is still supposed to check on every bump in the night. I am now that guy, that husband, that dad the one who must be able to tell between a spider that will kill you and one that catches flies or stink bugs for us during summer. I have to be able to do more than recite my favorite sports team’s season stats or what new “app” we can get for our phones. My wife is a foodie and intent on buying some land and doing some small scale farming, perfect, I have the best kind of supportive and understanding wife. I have a 6 year old son who has to convince the neighborhood kids to play outside for more than 10 minutes, during spring and fall let alone winter. He knows how to shoot a traditional recurve bow and skies better than most adults. My youngest son is only 9 months old but he’s stout, strong and totally engaged with his environment and radiates confidence that belies his months. I have been blessed with the perfect supportive family. Several years ago it became apparent to me I can no longer afford to be a spectator, a victim and luck is not a preparedness plan.

No matter how perfect my family appears to be and is it is no SEAL Team assault element, nor do I want them to be. But, it has become clear that my family needs guidance, training and nurturing in reference to disaster preparedness. Any parent knows that a well thought out plan can easily go awry when you infuse young children into the mix. It is one thing for me to be self reliant, for my wife and me to discuss our future on a farm, it’s another thing to get small children to find the “fun” in preparedness planning, to become self-reliant themselves. It’s even more difficult to have them become willing team players in what seems to them an arbitrary endeavor. Ironically it was my 6 year old who has given me the greatest inspiration. At 3 years old he would yell out, as he sat snuggly in his car seat what we would later call “waypoints”. My son had, through a game we would play developed the, sometimes eerie ability to identify landmarks (buildings, towers, parks, ponds, restaurants, playgrounds, etc) and could tell you where we were in relation to home or other important establishments. As the “point man” for many years in SEAL platoons, forever being oriented was of the utmost importance not only to me, but to my teammates and to mission accomplishment. My son had clearly picked up this innate interest in knowing where he was either from me, his mom or he had it instinctively. But, where he got it from was unimportant to me. What was important was that I wanted to encourage him to refine this talent and use it as a stepping stone to discover other similar talents.

This is where the trouble started and where a major life lesson took place for me. How do I make disaster, death and mayhem look attractive and not scary to a child? How do I relate my oldest son’s love of the outdoors, chess and legos to hunting, self-defense and problem solving? Ok, admittedly that makes it sound pretty easy. In fact in the beginning it was pretty easy because where ever I went my son went. Whatever I did my son wanted to try which is the reason my son has been skiing for four years and he’s only 6. But, as he got older and the challenges or maybe the learning curve got steeper I found myself struggling to make it happen. The crazy thing is I have a background in education. Albeit it was training SEAL candidates, but I spent nearly 6 years of my life trying relate, convey and transfer life saving skills to what amounted to a bunch of kids. How then did it not come naturally when it came to working with my own son? That’s what this article is about, how to teach your kids essential life skills.

Being Oriented
In the remainder of this article I will go through the concepts and steps that I believe to be essential to nurturing our children’s natural desire to protect one another and their family and to be generally safe in daily life. The concepts are more child psychology and motivational methods than direct practical preparedness steps, but I believe them to be imperative to our children’s complete understanding of why they must prepare. The steps on the other hand are…

The first word in any parents training vocabulary should be encourage. We have all experienced that parent that believes he or she must instill drive in his or her children. That children need to be pushed from time to time or in some cases all the time. Encourage is the optimal way to build a lasting interest in, well pretty much anything. This seems like a very obvious concept but as my own experience has shown me, our best intentions to encourage can often wane as we the parent see our children lose interest in something, get distracted or even rebel against the activity altogether. I have a tendency to come in a little too intense when my son shows interest in something I believe to be highly beneficial. For example, my son showed considerable interest in wanting to learn how to shoot a bow and arrow. Great I thought he will take down his first white tail by the time he’s 8. I had it all mapped out. I went out and bought all the gear. Set up a 10 meter range in the backyard. For the first week he was into it, again it was easy. I didn’t have to do anything but say lets go shoot and he was ready. But, the interest soon subsided and out of frustration seeing my dream of a 7 year old taking down the families Thanksgiving turkey fading I started to use poor tactics. It was my amazing wife who reminded me of our family values, that we would never be derogatory with our children. If they showed an interest in something we would support and encourage them. The only steadfast rule we had was that if our sons started something they would see it through. For example if my eldest wanted to play soccer he would play the season not quit halfway through. If he didn’t want to play soccer again the next season so be it. And so it went with archery. I backed off, relaxed a little and when he did want to got out back and shoot I was full of encouragement and took the opportunity to connect with my son as much as pass on skills.

The next concept I believe to be essential to raising self-reliant, confident and skilled children is appreciation. I always like to say appreciation over compliance. If our children learn to appreciate how important being prepared for a home invasion or a fire is they are much more likely to act appropriately. By contrast, if a child has been taught to be compliant with the rules of what to do in case of a fire the compliant child will generally be devoid of freewill. Freewill you say? Yes freewill, I want my children to be problem solvers. I don’t want them to freeze when mom and dad are incapacitated and my oldest son needs to get his little brother out of a second story bedroom that’s on fire. My oldest has always wanted to know “why”. Once again he has taught me some valuable lessons by way of continually challenging me to help him understand how things work. He would sooner jump off a bridge than be immediately compliant on most anything especially if he doesn’t understand the importance of the task. I am sure he is not the only 6 year old that fits this mold. But, I am positive that it presents some unique challenges when trying to teach a child something that we as adults believe to be so intuitive. To promote appreciation be willing to “work with” your child. My wife is the queen of analogies. She can relate most any idea to an example, to illustrate an idea. I lack this skill, but I have worked to develop it. It’s just as important to help my sons appreciate how they can be of considerable assistance in even the most mundane things, like taking out the trash or peeling the carrots. It is even more important to show them how they are integral to the safety of their family. Think of ways to help your children see the importance of being an active part of planning, preparing, and getting through a stressful, life threatening situation. Your child’s appreciation and understanding of his/her role in your family, to problem solve and think on their feet may save your life.

The third and final concept of my philosophy towards teaching our children preparedness and self-sufficiency is for us as parents to be less objective oriented. Children, especially young children are experience oriented. That experiencing may take place at the beginning of an outing or lesson, at the middle or towards the end. For example, there is a 50 acre nature preserve two blocks away from my family’s house. My oldest son has dubbed this forested area the “spooky woods”. Although the woods have never scared him, from the age of 3 they have reminded him of the many fairy tells his mom and I read to him. It seemed to him that all fairytales took place in scary forests. My son and I have spent hours exploring the woods. A couple times I tried to plan and organized an outing with clear objectives (i.e. build a debris hut, a wood bridge over the creek, a solar still to collect water). I soon realized my first mistake was to plan anything, to organize anything. What I wanted to do was of little concern to my young son once he found a dead raccoon to poke with a stick, a frozen creek to throw rocks through or if he just wanted to sit and pick the bark off some deadfall. What I learned from this was to be ready. I learned to carry a pack with the makings of a bow drill fire starter or a snare. I became less interested in learning a specific skill, meeting an objective or making a particular destination and more about the experience. I allowed my son to drive where we went and what we saw and experienced. I stayed open enough to use the opportunities my son presented me to pass on knowledge. On one outing we were discussing the merits of being observant. I wasn’t using any specific examples from our outing, just relaying the idea of stopping every so often and taking a real look around. I was trying to extol the ideal that you miss a lot when you put your head down and just follow the trail. Within 15 minutes of the end of our conversation my son spies what he thinks looks like the tip of a spear poking out of the fall leaf pack. As he digs through the leaves he finds the right antler of an 8 pointer. My sons still proud of that find and reminds me often how he used his superior observation skills to find such a treasure. The other amazing attribute of this concept is that for us as parents being less objective oriented is much less stressful, much more peaceful and once again affords the us to connect with our children on a much more intimate and personal level.

It’s probably comes as no surprise to any of the readers that orientation is vital to survival, preparedness and sustainability among many other things. The following are

Steps to Orientation

- Start with learning land marks and their importance – situation awareness
- Fun with maps
- Give them the tools to navigation
- Observation drills
- Relate to other activities
- Travel

Hi James, 
Thank you for SurvivalBlog. It's an incredible resource. I thought you and your readers mind find this interesting:

There is a man that lives with his family on his 24 acre parcel of forested mountain in Vermont, completely off the grid using hydro-electric and solar for power and a natural spring for water. He builds everything himself, including his house and workshop. His land is mostly accessible only on foot (though he has cleared a road — by hand). This guy is building a giant mechanical robot. Seriously. But the best part is that all of this is documented in his dozens of videos on YouTube. His intelligence, humor, self-reliance, and creativity make the videos very instructional and entertaining. I stumbled across him a message board.  His progress through the years and the story of what eventually happens to him is quite fascinating.

All the best, - Alex C.

Mr. Rawles;
When my first child was born, the wife of my husband's boss gave me 7 bags of clothes her then 5 year old had out grown.  She said, "I know you don't need these right now, but you will be amazed how quickly he will grow."  Two years later, when my daughter was born, she gave me 3 bags of girls clothes.  Those clothes were a Godsend.  Every time I found they had outgrown what was in their drawers, I remembered that I had more stored in the garage.  10 years later, I have 2 more kids, and no extra bags of clothes hiding away, and life is much more expensive.  I have made a practice of gifting a large box of second hand clothes up to size 2T and 3T to new moms who I know will not be offended by used clothes.  I always include something handmade, especially for that baby also.  But, I know from experience how helpful it is to have the future stored and waiting.

I live in Michigan.  I have no cherries, pears or peaches on my trees.  I may have 5 to 10 apples on each tree where the blossoms were hidden under the leaves, if I'm lucky. I am adding blueberries, blackberries, hazelnuts and walnut trees to the mix.  Anything to provide a variety of food and increase my chances for a crop of some kind. 

Thank you for your articles, I have enjoyed your blog site for several years. - Kimberly in Michigan

F.G. sent this: Postal Service: Will keep rural post offices open

Michael A. sent this: Liberty Dollars may be subject to seizure.
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AmEx (American Expat) spotted this: Dutch With Food Aid Shows New Economic Reality Engulfing Europe

Items from The Economatrix:

The Countdown To The Break Up Of The Euro Has Officially Begun

Economic Alert:  If You're Not Worried Yet, You Should Be

Analyst:  US Still Headed For Recession

Oil Falls To Near $97 Amid Weak US, Europe Demand

Reach out and touch someone: U.S. military snipers are changing warfare. (A hat tip to James K. for sending the link.)

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G.G. flagged this tale of a Polar Pure's "precursor chemical" woes: “Collateral damage.” How the DEA defines your business, your freedom, and your life.

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From Kevin S.: Researchers discover cell phone hackers can track your location without your knowledge

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Also from Kevin: Private Drone Wars

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Another ultralight flying video from TTabs: Dry Falls Washington - Trike Flying. His description of the terrain: Only understanding the cataclysmic events that happened here at Dry Falls State Park in Washington State can you fully appreciate the topography of this area. The land now sits parched and desolate but once was home to the largest falls in the world - 10 times longer than Niagara Falls and nearly twice as high. Massive vortices from torrential currents scoured potholes unlike anything in the world. Boulders the size of large buildings were swept away as far as the Pacific Ocean.

"At some point, you have to stop running and turn around and face whoever wants you dead. The hard thing is finding the courage to do it." - Suzanne Collins, in "Catching Fire" (Book Two of the The Hunger Games series)

Today we present another entry for Round 40 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 40 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

As a former United States Air Force Readiness Troop (formerly known as "Disaster Preparedness" and, I think, now known as "Emergency Management"), AFSC 3E9X1, part of the Disaster Response Force within Civil Engineering Squadron's "Prime BEEF" (Base Emergency Engineer Force), and having trained heavily with RED HORSE, I was exposed to quite the gamut of "Full-Spectrum Threat Response Plans". I could go on ad nauseam about the myriad of tasks and responsibilities affiliated with this career field, but I wont. Specifically, this is about the process of performing a Risk Assessment and Hazard Analysis.

I'm sure as many experts in their own fields can relate: when consulting with clients, many times they are confronted with a mentality involving those wanting to be spoon-fed instructions and to simply have someone tell them how to do things. This isn't a healthy paradigm for learning, as it fails to take into account the varied circumstances and different types of need which exists between individuals. We have to assess our own situations, capabilities and thusly fulfill our own particular needs. As the line goes, "Give a man a fish, and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and feed him for a lifetime." What I'm going to attempt with this article is to assist in determining our needs based on a fairly simple process and subsequently attempt to safeguard the fulfillment of those needs.

Now, before I get into the meat and potatoes of this process, let me preface this by stating that my current method is far-removed from the standard I learned in the USAF. Though, let me point out this was the fundamental foundation which I've built upon, streamlined and adapted to my own needs. That being said, your results may vary.

First, before we can analyze any potential hazards that could stem from exposure to any one risk, we must first assess the risk itself. Risk is not just an engrossing board game that often tests one's patience with their family/friends, it is something we do every day, mostly on a subconscious level. When you cross the street, you look both ways (I would hope). Even if there are no vehicles on the road, there could be, the potential is there. Hence the risk and the need to look both ways. That's an example of a simple risk assessment.

When we want to bring our conscious minds into the decision-making paradigm, it takes on a bit more of a "brainstorming" format. The keystone of the Risk Assessment is identifying risk. Some risks are easy to identify and often very obvious. Others, as I'm about ready to get into, are asymmetric and seemingly random. One must use reason, as while mathematically we are all at risk of having a meteor plow through the ceiling and strike us dead, it's not within likelihood to consider it as a "reasonable" risk.

The first step in Risk Assessment is first look at your setting (or potential setting if brainstorming future potential risks). Where you are, where are you going, what is likely going on around you, what the weather is like and even the motivations of people around you. Here is where a lot of imagination comes into play as well as mental role-playing. Get a pen and paper and start jotting down adjectives/nouns to describe the likely setting.

For example, if I were going on a cross-country road trip this summer, I would list something like this:

High Gas Prices
Heat
Rain
Traffic
Construction Work
Late night driving
Desert Route
Older vehicle
   -Broken A/C
   -Bald Tires
   -No Spare Tire
No vacancy in motels
   -Sleeping at rest stop in vehicle
   -Driving straight through the night without sleep
Speed Traps
   -Minimal Insurance Coverage
   -Out-of-State Tags

This is just a quick and dirty brainstorm of potential settings encountered on a trip such as this, but one could apply this method to any daily activity, whether it be indoors or out, mobile or static. The more you do it the more you can quickly turn your brain into the powerful difference engine that it is and do it more in your head and on the fly--even doing it quickly in the middle of a constantly changing situation. We'll get more into that later.

Now that we've outlined the basic setting we'd likely encounter in our scenario, we can identify the risks associated with it. At first glance, we can just scan down the list, and let the potential risks pop in our heads when we read each line. "High Gas Prices" might make you think "Potentially insufficient funding for trip costs", just as we see "Heat" and might combine that with "Older Vehicle" and think "potential engine overheating" or even "potential dehydration" when also combined with "Broken A/C" and "Desert Route". Now we're jiving with identifying actual risks. Jot these thoughts down. These are actual risks.

Once you've identified the risks, we can now finalize our "risk" step by assessing them all. There is no precise mathematical formula for this, so it takes a lot of logic, reasoning and common sense. I would go through this new list of identified risks and number them in the order of their priority/severity/probability. Once you've considered the severity/likely exposure to each risk, you've successfully assessed them. Now we're simply seeing how likely each identified risk is, and how much each might impact our situation if things go worst-case.

A quick side-note on "worst-case". Sometimes we hate to think this way but even if it's extremely unlikely that something could go so wrong, if you plan for it going that wrong, then even if/when something happens and it is likely less severe, you'll be more than ready for it because you've already considered/factored in something far worse.

Now that we've assessed (prioritized) our risks, we're going to analyze the hazards each one could potentially expose us to (starting with the highest-priority risk). While looking at the areas which generated the most severe risk, we can derive any number of hazards that come along with it.

This process can take a little longer, and a little more in-depth consideration. We've already identified the risk of traveling through a desert route in an old vehicle in the summer without working air-conditioning. If we were to attempt to mitigate that risk and not drive through any deserts, we'd potentially increase the risk of running out of trip funds in paying high-gas prices by increasing miles driven. This is merely weighing the risks of one vs. the other.

Every action has some consequence, just like every identified risk has a hazard that needs analyzing. In the setting brainstorming phase, we saw the potential to drive without sleeping through the night. One of the risks that could incur would be impaired driving or falling asleep at the wheel. The hazards that could stem from that risk would be swerving off the road, hitting an animal (not reacting in time), rear-ending another vehicle, etc.

Basically, when analyzing a hazard, you're simply looking at any and all worst-case scenarios each risk can lead to. To simply, we'll revisit the crossing-the-road example. Crossing the road is the act. Potentially crossing in front of the path of moving vehicles on that road are the risk. Getting struck by a vehicle and being injured or killed is the hazard.

Now, let us return to the topic of doing this process ad hoc or on the fly. It takes practice in a more formalized setting to "tune" your thought-patterns into it but you'll pick up on it quickly. The more you use this in your prepping brainstorming, the more efficient it can be accomplished. You'll know you've "got it" when you can process the risks/hazards at your present time and location and project forward in likely future settings, compartmentalizing contingency plans A, B, C. etc. off the top of your head. But even doing this as simply an exercise can help prioritize your needs and your loved-ones' needs and incorporate those needs into your contingency plans.

To maximize survival, do everything you can to plan to avoid threats to the fulfillment of those needs. This process can be applied to anything. From walking outside to get the mail or planning another moon landing. Consider everything.

Remember that once you've established a baseline Risk Assessment and Hazard Analysis, you can move on to mitigating risks by planning around them. It really is a risk-vs.-reward type of thinking. If the risk is too great for any potential reward/benefit, try to work around another way. If the other way is too implausible, then you might have to move on to taking the risk and then focus on minimizing hazards (by planning for them--in fact by even expecting them).

Things can get dicey, because planning for and minimizing potential hazards can be both time consuming (training) and expensive (gear/logistics). Just like anything valuable to us (goods or services), prepping is paramount. In its essence, prepping is hinged upon specific goods (stored food, medical supplies, firearms/ammo, water purification, spare ___(fill-in-the-blank)___, etc.) and services (medical training, firearms training, martial arts training, etc.).

Prepping in both material and mindset is valuable not only because of the exponential increase in survivability in contingency situations, but in all the time and resources (i.e. money) spent in its pursuits. It is an investment. An investment in our future and likely the futures of those we hold dear. determine your needs, and protect the continuing fulfillment of those needs accordingly by considering all the angles you can possibly imagine. Use your imagination, be creative. Brainstorm, bounce ideas around with others who share your concerns.

Don't be afraid to streamline or alter this process to suit your own needs. Or to think of something entirely new. That sort of thing is what leads to innovation, after all. Don't lead people blindly or follow people blindly. Innovation comes from creative individual need-fulfillment. Learn from each other. Teach each other. Share anecdotes, they may open someone else's eyes to risks and hazards they never considered before--and hopefully they may do the same for you.

As always: Keep your ear to the ground, an eye to the sky, your bayonet sharp and your powder dry.

Hi James,

At about 12:30 UTC this morning Sunspot 11476 flared at the M4.7 level thereafter remaining at an elevated emission state. As of just a few minutes ago it re-flared, peaking to M1.8. Last night's read at Solen.info gave the area as 1100 SM and noted significant complexity at at least two points within the spot. This morning's HMIB from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) platform has in the leading spot a section in which very high positive and negative magnetic gradients are immediately adjacent to each other with strong intermixing occurring. This is almost always a sign that further high-grade flaring will follow. Looks like the next 24 hours will be "interesting."

Extreme close-up examination of the HMIB (magnetic gradient) of  the leading segment of 11476 shows a very high gradient area of negative polarity strongly infiltrating an equally high magnitude area of positive polarity effectively placing the very strongest +/- zones in extremely close proximity to each other. This circumstance forms a basis for high magnitude (X-Class to high X-Class) solar flare activity. I expect the next 6-12 hours will tell the tale.

Update 00:10 AM EST Thursday, May 10th:

11476 is closing in on it's maximum geoeffective position at this time. The current estimation for it to be along the polar meridian is about ~18 hrs. Concurrently, the spot has grown to over 1100 SM (in NOAA's estimation, I'm sure that Solen.info will be listing a larger size at the midnight report) and maintains a complex magnetic configuration, even NOAA has acknowledged it as "BGD", Beta-Gamma-Delta, the most complex type of solar magnetic configuration observed. In addition, the most recent HMIB from SDO, when closely examined, indicates that a segment of the lead spot has an area within it where an extremely strong gradient exists between positive and negative polarity fields. It therefore goes without saying that at this time a very high potential for X-flaring exists regardless of the official line given. (NOAA is abysmally slow at evaluating spot state.) Be assured, this spot merits significant attention - as much or more than any we've monitored thus far in this solar cycle. - J. Boston

Mr. Rawles,
While searching around the Internet for camouflage, I came across this web site for Milsim (Airsoft) gamers that has a lot of fairly inexpensive new clothing and tactical items and is searchable by camo pattern.  They have an inexpensive version of Multicam I'm looking at, as well as a number of items in your oft-mentioned British DPM pattern.  I haven't ordered from them yet, so can't speak to their service or quality.
 
Thanks, - Brian  in Colorado

A.K.H. sent this: Testimony cites savings from using steel: House holds hearing on future of coin production. JWR Urges: Get your nickels, soon!

Michele Bachmann claims Swiss citizenship. It is always nice to have a Plan B.

Mayo downgrades JPMorgan

Items from The Economatrix:

Baby Boomers:  "A Gray Wave," Now Permanently Jobless

Gas Prices Falling:  Next Stop $3 A Gallon?

Oil Falls For 5th Day, Down 2%

Please continue to pray for the fledgling nation of South Sudan. They are now confronted with brewing civil unrest at home, and war with their parent nation, Sudan.

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Andrew in England sent this bit of Nanny State Nuttery News: US Self-Defence Expert Barred From Britain. (Nanny says: We mustn't hit back, children.)

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How Do Gardener has posted a complete Planting Guide for Tomatoes that includes state-specific varieties, planting dates, days to harvest, nutrition facts, fertilizing, watering, insect and disease control information.

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Reader Tim J. sent this one: Safety silos: Normal or Nuts? (Scroll forward to 1:16 for the doomsday prep discussion. The psychologist's response is surprisingly supportive.)

"The best things in history are accomplished by people who get tired of being shoved around." - Robert A. Heinlein