Note from JWR: Today's SurvivalBlog posts will exceed your
Recommended Daily Allowance of Gloom 'n Doom.
You've all read the news stories, so I'll be brief: Things are very Schumeresque in New Orleans and Biloxi. The damage is much more severe than was experienced with Hurricane Camille back in 1969. Perhaps as many as one million people will become refugees. The Lake Pontchartrain levee breach (currently 200 feet wide) may mean that there will be 20+ feet of water in much of Nah-Lens. Hopefully the breach can be repaired before that happens. There won't be a full death count for several weeks. One official said that the death toll will be "much higher than Camille" (which claimed 200 lives.)
As of Monday night, more than 37,000 people were in American Red Cross shelters,
and that number is rising as people are plucked off their rooftops. Nearly
5 million people, in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida are without
utility power, and power won't be restored in some areas for more than
a month. (Hmmm.... I guess its time to crank up those generators that
people "wasted" their money on in anticipation of Y2K.)
Most of the oil refineries and LNG terminals on the Gulf Coast are offline,
so some pundits are predicting gasoline prices to spike over $3.00 per gallon.
For some detailed news stories, see World
Net Daily
There is currently no effective law enforcement and hence beau
coup looting,
despite the fact that there is hip-deep water to wade through to get to most
stores. Even a few police officers were seen engaged in looting. Officials
are predicting a "worst case" situation vis-a-vis sanitation. Gee,
this situation sounds like something out of one of those paranoid whacko survivalist novels.
Apparently many families were trapped in their attics and had to chop their
way out to their roofs with axes. One clever gent didn't have an axe but did have
a shotgun, so he blasted his way out of his attic. (I award him bonus points
for creativity.)
Again, I'd appreciate hearing some brief first hand accounts from SurvivalBlog
readers that are in the affected area.
Please continue keep all of the folks in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi,
and surrounding states in your prayers!
Like being inside a tribal reservation, owning land that is within a National Forest is another problem. An “inholder” of property within a National Forest or other government land may find himself subject to seasonal road restrictions. “De-roading” contracts started with the Clinton administration, but sadly the process is continuing. There might also be restrictions on land use, agriculture, pasturing, hunting, shooting and so forth. My recommendation is to avoid buying land that inside of a National Forest, or that is in vulnerable a strip of land between National Forest tracts--land that might be designated a "wildlife corridor" and hence either seized un Eminent Domain, or made subject to restrictions.
The following piece of fiction that I penned is just one of example
of what might happen sometime in the near future:
At 8:15 A.M. on May 1st, an 18-wheel tractor/trailer backed up to one of the
hundreds of roll-up doors at the primary Wal-Mart merchandise distribution
center in Benton, Arkansas. (It is the largest of Wal-Mart’s 40 distribution
centers.) On the trailer was a typical 53-foot long steel transoceanic shipping “continental
express” (CONEX) container. It arrived scarcely unnoticed because hundreds
of them arrived at the distribution center every day. Inside the CONEX, a 1,800-gallon
tank that formerly held propane was welded to the floor. Just seconds after
the container’s double doors were swung open; there were a pair of powerful
explosions. First, nine hundred linear feet of Primacord PETN detonating cord
glued together in six thicknesses along the upper edges of the CONEX peeled
back the top of the container as if it had been opened by an enormous can opener.
Two seconds later, a low-order explosive ruptured a main seam on the propane
tank. The tank was filled with liquid GD nerve gas (Soviet Army surplus) with
the consistency of motor oil. More than half of the liquid GD nerve gas was
thrown into a vapor cloud by the explosion. A small part of the cloud was blown
into the building. The rest was pushed up into a brownish-tinged mushroom cloud
that towered 250 feet high.
Within a minute, everyone in the 380,000 square foot Wal-Mart distribution
center was either dead or dying. The cloud expanded horizontally, and was carried
by the spring breeze through residential sections of eastern Benton and then
to the Little Rock suburbs of Bauxite, Bryant, and Sardis. The wind was traveling
due east that day, so the nerve gas cloud headed toward the small town of East
End, Arkansas rather than downtown Little Rock, where the death toll would
have been an order of magnitude greater. Almost everyone in the path of the
cloud died within minutes of exposure.
The GD solution is semi-persistent, meaning that several days of exposure to
sunlight will cause it to break down and become harmless. Just one droplet
the size of the head of a pin on exposed skin is enough to cause violent convulsions.
Two or three droplets are enough to cause death. Parts of the vapor cloud made
it all the way to Stuttgart, Arkansas, 60 miles east of Benton, and caused
155 deaths there. Before the first day is over, 12,000 people are dead.
At the time of the explosion, hundreds of cars were passing through Benton,
primarily folks on their daily commute to Little Rock. Most of these cars made
it to their destinations, or upon hearing the news of the explosion, the drivers
took alternate routes home. The contaminated exteriors of these cars eventually
ended up in six different Arkansas counties. For the next three days, they
caused more than 300 additional deaths, as drivers and passengers touched contaminated
body panels, gas tank lids, and door handles.
Central Arkansas was immediately declared a disaster zone by the Governor.
Full-scale panic swept through Little Rock and all of the cities east of Benton,
then to the Mississippi River, and beyond. Thousands tried to flee the area.
This caused a massive traffic snarl that lasted for a full week. Hundreds of
cars were stuck in traffic for so long that they ran out of gas. The drivers
abandoned their cars, with many still left standing in the freeway lanes. This
made the traffic even worse.
A small fire was started by the original explosion. With nobody left alive
in the building to fight it, the fire slowly grew and eventually burned the
entire Wal-Mart distribution center to the ground.
Five days after the initial explosion, while U.S. Army Chemical Decontamination
teams from Fort McClellan, Alabama were picking through the charred rubble,
a time delayed explosive at the front end of the cargo container threw a fresh
cloud of GD vapor--one-third as large as the first--into the air. The winds
had by now shifted to the northeast, directly toward Little Rock. This time
it killed less than 400 people--mostly looters in Little Rock, which was still
evacuated.
Wal-Mart had been the world’s largest retailer. Two months later the
corporation no longer existed. More than one million direct employees were
put out of work, as well as 600,000 additional people that were indirectly
dependent on Wal-Mart. This included employees of manufacturers of products
sold primarily through Wal-Marts as well as contract truck drivers, mechanics,
jobbers, box makers, and so forth. The day after the explosion, the price of
Wal-Mart stock dropped to $1.27 per share. Within three weeks, virtually every
Wal-Mart store in North America had empty shelves. And within another week
they all locked their doors. Wal-Mart stock had dropped to 2 cents per share
and was de-listed. Nearly all the corporate management had nearly all been
killed and the inventory coming into the country available to sell had slowed
to a trickle.
The total loss of life was 13,942, with an additional 22,000 people hospitalized.
Some were hospitalized as far east as coastal North Carolina, suffering from
hysterical reactions.
Initially, all containerized cargo traffic crossing the U.S. borders was halted.
This caused the idling of the Big Three auto manufacturers due to lack of parts,
since more than 20% or more of the parts for “American” cars were
actually sourced abroad. A few weeks later, container traffic resumed when
it was assumed that the Benton attack was an isolated terrorist incident. The
flow of containers was greatly slowed, due to elaborate chemical agent detection
procedures, which began with chemical agent reconnaissance teams inserted by
helicopter onto cargo ships when they were more than 50 miles offshore. With
added security restrictions, container cargo terminals developed huge backlogs.
Perishable cargoes were ruined, costing additional hundreds of millions of
dollars.
On June 20th, just as commerce was starting to get back to normal, another
explosion occurred; this time, at the sprawling China Overseas Shipping Company
(COSCO) terminal in Long Beach California. A “dirty bomb”, consisting
of 800-pounds of powdered spent nuclear reactor fuel rods and seven cubic yards
of powdered talc propelled by a 650 pound low-order explosive, shredded a 40-foot
CONEX container, and sent a large uranium/talc dust cloud into the air. (It
was preceded moments before by a “roof ripper”, just like the previous
Benton blast.) Initial news reports assumed that it was another chemical agent
attack. But after no deaths were reported, it was quickly termed a dud. Hours
later, when a FEMA disaster response team leader noticed that his radiation
exposure film badge had turned black, it was realized that a “dirty bomb” had
been detonated. As this news flashed through the media, a huge panic ensued.
The prevailing winds carried the dust cloud across Lakewood, Bellflower, Downey,
and East Los Angeles. Measurable concentrations went as far as Alhambra and
Pasadena. Almost two million people were in its path. The vast majority of
the heavy uranium dust settled in Long Beach and Lakewood, but the psychological
impact of the much lighter talc was tremendous, since it was carried as far
as the San Gabriel Mountains. Like the Benton event, the COSCO container explosion
caused mass panic--this time all through Southern California and even adjoining
western Arizona. With the far greater population density of the L.A. Basin,
the panic was monumental. The traffic gridlock extended through 24 California
counties. More than 300 motorists stranded without gasoline or water died of
exposure in the deserts of California, southern Nevada, and Arizona.
An estimated 212 people in Southern California died of stress-induced heart
attacks. The total loss of life in the second attack was 3,000 in the first
year (2,500 from radiation sickness), with 38,000 people hospitalized. (Far
more hospitalized with hysteria than from actual radiation sickness.) An estimated
5,000 people died in the next three years due to long-term health effects,
such as complications of radiation sickness, cancer, leukemia, eating disorders,
and various infections exacerbated by weakened immune systems.
The initial economic cost of the two container explosions was at least $650
billion. Long-term costs were incalculable: international trade was disrupted
for decades and a large urban region was rendered uninhabitable.
No terrorist group ever took credit for the pair of CONEX explosions. An aging
White House defense affairs adviser (an off-and-on veteran inside the Beltway
since the Nixon era) ordered tersely: “Round up the usual suspects.” That
set the wheels in motion. More than 40,000 people were killed and 65,000 injured
during the next two years in a massive campaign of “retaliatory” heavy
bomber and cruise missile strikes in Pakistan, Jordan, Lebanon, and scattered
targets in North Africa...
In the stark reality of this new Century, two distinct target structures
must be considered when considering retreat locales: ”World War Three” targets
and terrorist targets. Some of these target lists overlap. You will have to
decide for yourself which of these is the more likely--or any substantial risk
at all--as you evaluate your relocation priorities.
I authored a feature article entitled: “High Technology Terrorism” which
was published in Defense Electronics magazine. (January 1990 issue, page 74.)
It is one of more than 30 of my feature articles for that magazine. In it,
I surmised that international terrorist groups can and eventually will use
high technology weapons. These include everything from build-it-yourself nuclear
weapons, to EMP generators, or even liquefied metal embrittlement chemicals
to sabotage structures or commercial aircraft.
Potential Terrorist Targets
It is difficult to accurately predict potential terrorist targets in North
America, much less to rank them. But it is possible to make some logical assumptions.
While it is difficult to apply traditional logic to analyses of a terrorist’s
illogical and irrational thought processes, some fairly safe assumptions are
possible. Some potential targets are almost purely symbolic, like the Statue
of Liberty and Mount Rushmore. Others would certainly be envisioned as having
the “Biggest Bang for the Dinar.” These would include seaports
and major population centers.
Certainly the most vulnerable targets are New York City and Washington, D.C.
Al Qaeda has hit them before, and they’ll surely try to hit them again
if they can. Just before this book was readied for press, Al Qaeda’s
Number Two man bragged to the media that the organization possesses “several” suitcase-size
nuclear weapons. Other large American cities must surely be likely targets.
If you are living in a metropolitan area with more than 500,000 people, it
is at risk. Weighing the odds is an interesting armchair academic exercise
today. From an actuarial standpoint, the odds of staying in Dallas, Phoenix,
or Seattle are fairly good. But what if you are wrong? Even if you are outside
the blast radius and survive, what are your chances of “Getting out of
Dodge”, ex post facto? Also, consider what will happen to the value of
real estate in a radioactively contaminated area. The losses will run in the
billions of dollars, even with just a low yield nuclear ground burst. Think
about it. Then pray about it. If you then feel convicted to mitigate the risk,
then move to a relatively safe lightly populated area that isn’t down
wind, and do it soon.
In my opinion, the targets at the greatest risk of terrorist attacks
in North America are liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas
(LPG) terminals, situated primarily on the Gulf Coast. Most are located
right on sea coasts and have tremendous explosive potential. Take a little
time to do some web research on the two biggest natural gas explosions in the
past 60 years:
Cleveland, Ohio in 1944 (128 killed, 435 injured)
Skikda LNG Complex, Algeria in 2004 (30 killed, 70 injured)
Consider that the cargo capacity of a typical LNG tanker is 23 times the volume
that was stored in Cleveland, and that the capacity of a typical LNG
terminal is 75 to 100 times that stored in Cleveland!
You don’t want to live anywhere near them. And even if you live far away,
you will still feel the effect. The destruction of two major terminals would
reduce natural gas capacity to the extent that it would cripple our national
economy for perhaps a decade.
If just two U.S. LNG or LPG terminals were destroyed by terrorists within the
span of year it would surely cripple our nation’s gas supply system.
This is just one of several reasons that you should buy the biggest propane
tank that you can afford, (and allowed by local zoning), and always keep it
at least 60% filled.
Water Supplies
Municipal water supplies are another “big bang for the Dinar” target.
Many of these water supply system have multiple points of entry for contamination,
most of which are not adequately guarded. This is just another reason to avoid
living in a major municipal region.
Psychological Targets
In addition to physical infrastructure, terrorists might concentrate on psychological
targets, for mass media attention and a heightened sense of terror. You can
compile your own list of potential psychological targets in your region.
This list should include nuclear power plants and medical isotope reactors.
(The risk of an actual containment breach by a terrorist bomb is minimal,
but they remain potent psychological targets, nonetheless.) Also include
soft targets such as major universities, hospitals, sports stadiums, and
major tourist attractions such as Seattle’s Space Needle.
The preceding are my predictions. In March of 2005, a disaster preparedness
office in Hawaii inadvertently
released a hush-hush “what if" terrorism scenario list that had
been recently published by the Department of Homeland Security. It was
surprisingly frank and very frightening.
Hello Jim.
I loved Patriots and have read it four times. You managed to combine a lot
of great advice with an interesting story. I'm really enjoying the blog
as well. In one of the postings you were discussing knives. I wanted to
suggest you take a look at Lone
Wolf Knives. It's a small company that works with a number of well
known knife designers to produce a very high quality product. I particularly
like a Butch Valloton designed knife, the Val-Matic. It's a very stealthy
liner lock that uses the scales as a release mechanism. Gives you the best
of both worlds in that it combines fully automatic opening with manual
features and shows no outward signs of it's automatic capabilities. Here's
a link to the web page describing the knife. Keep up the good work.
God bless you and your family. -M.G
JWR's Reply: Consult your state and local laws before ordering any automatic knife! BTW, I will have several specific knife maker/model recommendations in upcoming blog posts.
"Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things falls apart; the centre cannot hold;
mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, ..." - W.B. Yeats
Note from JWR: I just added live gold,
silver, platinum, palladium and rhodium price quotations to my Investing page.
Indian (for those readers overseas: U.S. Native American aboriginal) reservation
boundaries can be another important criteria for selecting your retreat locale.
In recent years, tribal governments in the U.S. have started flexing their
muscles. When living inside the boundaries of an Indian reservation you will
face an extra layer of bureaucracy, taxes (or “fees” or “permits”),
law enforcement, and potentially a myriad of restrictions. You will also lack
the ability to recover damages in the case of accidents in many instances.
Real estate agents will often try to down play the significance of being "on
the reservation", but do some detailed research for yourself before you
buy! In essence, when you buy property inside a reservation you only have whatever
property rights that are granted to you by the tribe. This varies widely. These
rights can be withdrawn at any time and you will have no recourse except though
a tribal court that may have a bias.
A regular SurvivalBlog contributor sent me the URL for a
company called RealPower. They make a truck frame-mounted power take-off
(PTO) genset for GMC/Chevrolet
pickups. (If you have a 2001 to early 2004 GMC or Chevy truck with an Allison
1000 automatic transmission, then you have a PTO gear. Note: From March 1
through late 2004 Chevrolet and GMC pickup trucks were not built with PTO. After
January 1, 2005, PTO became optional.) Obviously these are not designed for
continuous duty, but if you have the budget for a spare generator, then this
might be a viable option. My first question: What RPM range is required when
the genset is under load?
Proviso: I have not had the opportunity to do research on either the technology
of the company's reputation. Perhaps one our readers has some first hand experience
with a RealPower genset and can enlighten us.
Why Gender Matters: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know about the
Emerging Science of Sex Differences. by Leonard Sax, M.D., Ph.D.
During the years that I was growing up, parents were told that boys and girls
were the same. Supposedly it was only the stereotypical way the children were
treated that made girls bad at math and boys aggressive. If children were treated
just the same, girls would excel at the sciences and boys would be able to
express their feelings. In Why Gender Matters, Leonard Sax, using
20 years of research documents how sex differences are significant and profound.
I found this book fascinating and I would recommend it to all teachers and
parents, especially to parents with children that are having difficulty in
school. I learned that boys do not hear as well as girls. Many boys have difficulty
hearing their soft spoken female teachers and are labeled as having Attention
Deficit Disorder (ADD). In the majority of the cases a diagnosis of ADD is
made by the teacher--not a doctor!
One study cited showed that newborn girls were pre-wired to be attracted to
faces while boys were twice as likely to prefer a moving object. A study of
the cells that make up male and female eyes showed a profound difference. Female
eyes are best adapted to detect color and texture while males eyes are best
adapted to detect location, direction, and speed.
In the chapter entitled “School” Dr. Sax shows how gender-blind
education is harmful to girls as well as boys. He states, “there is no
difference in what girls and boys can learn. But there are big differences
in the best way to teach them.” Then he goes on to give examples of how
teaching methods can be used to best teach boys and girls.
Because of the difference between the male and female brain and the difference
in there stages of development girls and boys should be disciplined differently.
Dr. Sax lays out age appropriate and gender appropriate methods. Three chapters
in this book are about Drugs, Sex, and Homosexuality. A bit of it is graphic.
But even though the topics are disturbing and the material shocking, I still
feel the information in these chapter was worth reading to understand the culture
of today’s youth and the pressures they are likely to experience from
their peers. I found this book at our local library. If your library does not
have it, you can likely get it through inter-library loan. I especially recommend
this book to parents, and I wish it was required reading for teachers!
I won't belabor this point. Either folks were prepared, or they weren't.
Apparently, most weren't and are now suffering. You've read the news stories.
Those of you that own televisions have doubtless seen the news coverage. There
is a concise compendium
on Yahoo that summarizes the effects of the storm. I'd appreciate
hearing some first hand accounts from SurvivalBlog readers that are
in the affected area. Please keep the folks in Louisiana
and Mississippi in your prayers!
The Church of Latter Saints (commonly called the Mormons) and I will never come to agreement doctrinally. (Their doctrinal books refer to Christ as a spirit brother of Lucifer, and one of a pantheon of gods. It is hard to bridge a doctrinal divide that deep!) But I will give them credit for requiring their church members to lay in a substantially deep larder. There are some great food storage tips and some useful recipes for cooking with food storage at this LDS web site.
Jim,
Iodine crystals for disinfecting water are available as a trade product
called "Polar Pure" from most of the regular backpacking supply places
such as REI. It comes in a small bottle with a screened top, you fill it, shake
it, and then decant a capful or two of the supersaturated solution into your
water. The bottle has full instructions and also a thermometer so you know
how long the water should sit before use. The cost was about $8 or so, last
time I bought any. - "Doc"
JWR's Reply: A highly recommended product! One little three ounce bottle can treat up to 2,000 quarts of water. I recommend that you buy one for each of your G.O.O.D. kits. Warning: The wire screen at the top of the bottle is there for a reason. Ingesting iodine crystals can be deadly!
Polar Pure is sold by Nitro-Pak, Campmor, Great
Outdoors Depot, and several other Internet vendors. I recommend that
you stock up before the Nanny State decides that the only use for iodine
crystals is for cooking up methamphetamines.
Hi Jim and Memsahib:
I think this site has valuable information for your readers as well as offering
a Field Medicine School open to all who wish to attend. A three day course
is around $325. The school is taught by veterans based on U.S. Navy Combat
Medicine skills. It would be difficult to find another school filled with
high-caliber cadre as well versed in this area anywhere. This link takes
you to the curriculum site. Curriculum - Emergency Medicine - Medical Information http://www.medicalcorps.org/curriculum.htm
Keep up the great job! - "F1"
"You have never lived
'til you have almost died.
And for those that fight for it,
Life has a flavor that the protected will never know."
- Anonymous quote penned on the wall of a USMC hooch at Khe Sahn, RVN
Note From JWR: Wow! 20,000+ unique visits and 451,700 page
hits in just 24 days! Not bad for a newborn baby blog. Please keep spreading
the word. Brief posts to your favorite blogs or to discussion forums/bulletin
boards about SurvivalBlog.com would be greatly appreciated!
I very rarely post lengthy excerpts from other sources. However, I am essentially
forced to in this case. You see, this
prematurely archived article was posted at The
Australian newspaper website for just a few hours, earlier today. (Actually
late afternoon on the 28th in the U.S., due to the time difference and being
on the other side of the International Date Line). It was briefly on their "The
World" page--one of their main pages. But it now shows up only in
their archives. No explanation was given why it has mysteriously disappeared
from their "The World" page. It appears to have been at least partially
spiked. A tip of the hat to SurvivalBlog reader "Mr. Coffee" for
alerting us to this story. I have made some edits for the sake of brevity and
to avoid running afoul of "fair use" legalities.
Headline: Dumping of US Dollar Could Trigger 'Economic
September 11'
There is a potentially fatal flaw at the heart of the global economy: the
strong possibility of financial meltdown following a collapse of confidence
in the greenback, Clyde Prestowitz
tells Bruce Stannard
29 August 2005
THE nightmare scenario that haunts global strategist Clyde Prestowitz is an
economic September 11 -- a worldwide financial panic triggered by a sudden
massive sell-off of US dollars that would lead inexorably to the collapse of
economies around the world. If that happens, Prestowitz predicts: "It
would make the Great Depression of the 1930s look like a walk in the park." Australia
would be sucked into the vortex of such a recession, which would cause great
hardship throughout the world, he warns. Prestowitz is not a doomsayer, neither
is he alone in his views. As president of the Economic Strategy Institute,
a Washington think tank, he is in regular contact with the most influential
US business leaders, several of whom -- Warren Buffet and George Soros included
-- have taken steps to hedge their currency positions against the possibility
of a cataclysmic plunge in the greenback. "Right now," he says, "we
have a situation in which the US is running huge trade deficits -- about $US650
billion ($766 billion) in 2004 -- which are financed by borrowings from the
central banks of Asia -- mainly the Chinese and the Japanese. All the world's
central banks are chock-full of US dollars -- they're holding many more dollars
than they really want. They're holding those dollars because at the moment
there's no great alternative and also because the global economy depends on
US consumption. If they dump the dollar and the dollar collapses, then the
whole global economy is in trouble.
[Snipped for brevity]
"It doesn't take any great stretch of the imagination to see what could happen if one of these central bank managers decides to dump dollars. We had a situation recently when a mid-level official at the Central Bank of Korea used the word 'diversification'. It was a throwaway remark at some obscure lunch, but there was instantaneous overreaction. The US stock market fell by 100 points in 15 minutes because the implication was that South Korea might be shifting out of US dollars. "So picture this: you have a quiet day in the market and maybe some smart MBA at the Central Bank of Chile or someplace looks at his portfolio and says, 'I got too many dollars here. I'm gonna dump $10 billion'. So he dumps his dollars and suddenly the market thinks, 'My god, this is it!' Of course, the first guy out is OK, but you sure as hell can't afford to be the last guy out. "You would then see an immediate cascade effect -- a world financial panic on a scale that would dwarf the Great Depression of the 1930s." Prestowitz says the panic could be started by something as simple as a hedge-fund miscalculation. "We had exactly that scenario in the US recently," he points out, "when a big hedge fund called Long Term Capital Management went belly-up. These guys were pros. They had two Nobel prize-winning economists writing their trading algorithms, and their traders were the creme de la creme among New York bond traders. "They made a big bet -- a trillion dollars leveraged 20 to one, and they blew it. They went belly-up. That threatened to bring down the whole system so US Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan had to organise a bail-out through the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. "Now consider this: there are currently 8000 hedge funds in the US alone. Every day $6 trillion of derivative instruments trade on international markets. If there are four people in the world who understand those trades, I'd be surprised. So the potential for another disaster is not insignificant. This is why Warren Buffet, chairman of investment giant Berkshire Hathaway, is betting $US21 billion against the dollar. This is why currency speculator and hedge fund manager George Soros has also made a big bet against the dollar. "Soros is one of the greatest currency speculators of all time. He was the guy who broke the British pound in the early 1990s by betting $US10 billion it would fall. He made a quick billion when it did. In 2002, he warned that the greenback was in danger of losing a third of its value.
[Snipped for brevity]
If the dollar started to melt down, the results could be really nasty. A 1930s-style
global depression is not out of the question."
To underscore the point that he is not alone in this, Prestowitz cites Paul
Volcker, head of the Federal Reserve before Greenspan, who has said publicly
there is a 75 per cent chance of a dollar crash in the next five years. "No
wonder people look at this and say, 'Holy cow!'," he says. "No one
knows for sure what will happen, but clearly the global markets could implode
very quickly. The lack of an alternative to the dollar is the only reason it
hasn't taken a big fall already." Prestowitz, formerly a trade adviser
and negotiator for former US president Ronald Reagan, believes the US will
continue to be the world's most powerful economy for the foreseeable future.
But he foreshadows an inexorable decline, a trend that is likely to continue "depending
on the way we play our cards".
[Snipped for brevity]
"America's global hegemony is already under challenge, and that challenge is going to become more and more evident as the extent of the relative US economic decline becomes evident. Right now, the US dollar is probably 40 per cent overvalued versus the Japanese yen or the Chinese renminbi. How's the US going to look as a global power when the dollar is at 50 per cent of its current value?"
JWR's Comment: Hmmm... I wonder why they spiked this story, post facto? I'm curious to know if this story made it into print in the hard copy edition of the newspaper. Chalk this one up to FFTAGFFR, folks!
“Homeowners Associations [HOAs] are the classic definition of a tyranny.
HOAs are a level of government, with the power to tax, legislate, judge, and
punish its citizens.”
- Michael Reardon, as quoted at: http://www.ahrc.com
To continue my train of thought on Criteria for Choosing Your Retreat Locale...
You will gain several advantages if you live outside of city limits. You will
avoid city taxes. You will most likely be on well or spring water instead of
city water. In many cities because of zoning laws it is illegal to drill your
own water well--since the utility companies want to maintain their monopoly.
Operating a home business generally requires a city business license and a
visit from the fire marshal. And of course, it is illegal to discharge a firearm
inside city limits in most jurisdictions.
It is essential to look ahead to eventual growth. If your new “country” place
is on fairly level ground and just a mile outside city limits, odds are that
it will be inside city limits in a few years! Do some prognostication
on the 'line of march" of the advancing phalanxes of "Ticky Tacky
Houses", and plan accordingly.
Avoid states or counties with restrictive zoning laws. Zoning laws and homeowner’s
association (HOA) restrictions may restrict the style of home that you build,
the number and type of outbuildings, limits on “for profit” agriculture
and the size of garden plots, livestock raising, timber harvesting, operation
of a home-based businesses, pond and road construction, and hunting or target
shooting on your own land.
Those Dreaded CC&Rs
Unless you buy in a pro-gun covenant community, beware of buying a house or
land with “covenants, conditions, and restrictions" (CC&Rs.)
These are contractual agreements that affect the use of the land. CC&Rs
are typically mandated in “planned communities” where the developer
or the homeowner’s association (HOA) makes it conditional on owning a
home that specific appearance standards be maintained. They can be fairly benign,
such as delimiting the colors houses can be painted. In some cases, CC&Rs
can be outrageously totalitarian. Some do not allow a car that is more than
five years old to be parked in view of the street, or do not allow visiting
relatives to park an RV in your driveway or on the street in front of your
house.
A “private gated community” might outwardly seem like a safe place
to buy a house, but there are some serious potential drawbacks. A planned community
with typical restrictions can present an uphill battle for preparedness provisions.
At the very least, it makes preparedness much more expensive. In spite of all
the disadvantages, some readers may be able to afford both preparedness and
luxury, and may wish for the professional networking and social environment
that attracts others to luxury gated communities. A private, gated community
has obvious superficial advantages in security, in that outsiders are conspicuous.
Residents tend to be more aware of those who are out of place. Such communities,
at their best may function like small towns and enjoy some of their advantages.
(But good luck finding a welding shop or plumber in Pinecrest Estates!) Some
gated communities can be more social and insular, so that neighbors
tend to be better acquainted than in ordinary neighborhoods. At the very least,
members will begin with an “us” mentality as any crisis approaches.
See Mr. & Mrs. Bravo's profile at the Profiles page
for more on this subject. BTW, I also owe thanks to Mr. Bravo for his contribution
to this blog post.
Homeowners in typical gated communities often fit the helpless model of urbanites.
However, a community in one of the small-government, low-tax, gun-friendly
states is more likely to attract conservatives who share the principles held
by survivalists. The retired California executive might not seem like the ideal
preparedness neighbor, until you learn that he picked Utah because he is a
shooting enthusiast, and is already well ahead of you in preparedness provisions.
Even the “ranchette” or “dualie pickup” mindset can
be a good start, as owners probably have at least some preparedness inclinations,
perhaps without even yet realizing it. If you can, imagine the guys at a neighborhood
barbecue boasting about who has the largest propane tank or the best-equipped
shop. You get the idea.
Gated communities in such suitable Western states may have a significant number
of part-time residents. These occasional residents may already be thinking
of their mountain home as a crisis retreat, and some may be especially receptive
to programs that enhance the security of their “retreat” when away,
and which keep it secure prior to their arrival in a crisis. Some such homes
can be expected to remain unclaimed by their owners, and may at least be a
last resort to shelter others in need. (With prior consent, naturally.) The
collective mindset and character of an existing community should be evaluated
before purchasing, to assess whether there is hope for the community to function
in a crisis. Meet people, learn about the community “culture,” and
decide for yourself. If you are considering a purchase in a new development,
ask yourself if you are prepared to be a leader, to educate others, and to
set an example without standing out as an oddball. As times change, association
rules can be changed, and this takes a leader. Ideally, one influential individual
will eventually convince some neighbors of the importance of preparedness.
They too have already selected a good geographic region. To avoid marking yourself
as the “neighborhood survivalist” (leading not only to social embarrassment,
but also to the hordes at your door in a true crisis) start slowly.
Most who pay the premium for a gated community are already quite security conscious.
Initiate seminars in security and crisis communication. Foster the “neighborhood
watch” mindset. It can later morph into a neighborhood watch on
steroids, if necessary, to meet changing conditions. Your neighbors
will probably have invested thousands in security systems, and perhaps much
more in “safe rooms” or “panic rooms”. Many may be
interested in further enhancing their security. A seminar on earthquake/flood/fire
preparedness may be welcome, and the discussions should help identify those
receptive to much more diligent preparedness. Others may be interested in an
expert guest speaker on firearms selection and tactics for home security. Listen
to the questions and discussions to identify those with the best potential.
Create a “security” subcommittee packed with the right people,
and begin to make palatable recommendations to the community board. (This avoids
the “lone crackpot” appearance.) Keep in mind that the best prepared
and wisest neighbors will not be quick to talk about their provisions, so take
the time to get to know your neighbors, just as if you were in a small rural
town.
Some communities may have restrictions that are not onerous to preparations,
but which require creativity. Private wells may be prohibited, but rainwater
recovery is a viable alternative. Where visible propane tanks are prohibited,
buried tanks may be acceptable--and desirable for other reasons. Solar systems
may be purchased but left uninstalled until a crisis is imminent. This is not
ideal, as anyone who has set up such a system knows. Consider getting a self-contained
trailer-mounted system that sits in a spare garage bay. A proviso: If you roll
it out in your driveway for use during a crisis be sure to put it up on blocks
and remove the wheels to make the trailer more difficult to steal. Outbuildings
may not be allowed, but large basement spaces provide a good alternative, although
at a significant cost.
While gated communities adjacent to big cities in problematic areas like Chicago
and Atlanta will never be viable, there are attractive communities in the Intermountain
West that are well removed from these risks. For those who insist on the amenities
of a planned community, and who can afford them without compromising on preparedness
essentials, these bedroom communities may be found within an hour’s drive
of cities like Bend, Oregon, Reno, Nevada, Salt Lake City, Utah, and others
throughout the West. For the rest of us who face real-world financial constraints,
we are much better off finding a home where we are not asked to pay extra for
preparedness constraints that are difficult or expensive to overcome. The greatest
mistake is to overspend on a home, perpetually deferring prepared provisions.
Is living in a gated community right for you? Give it some serious thought,
and do your research. Experience has shown that a typical homeowners association
tends to be organized and operated by a busybody retiree with a Hitler complex
and nothing better to do than make everyone else’s lives miserable. But
of course YMMV.
Covenant Communities
The flip side to commercially-developed “gated communities” is
the prospect of finding (or forming) a Covenant Community with like-minded
survivalists. In the late 1990s, the Mormon survivalist leader and highly decorated
war hero Bo Gritz formed one such community. It is called Almost Heaven,
near Kamiah, Idaho. It has had mixed results, since a good portion of those
buying land there were concerned about the Y2K date
rollover computer crisis. When Y2K thankfully turned out to be a non-event,
many of those landowners moved on.
I will discuss Covenant Communities more in upcoming blog posts. In the meantime,
if you have any experience with a Covenant Community, I'd appreciate getting
your e-mailed comments to incorporate in those upcoming posts.
Hi Jim,
I agree with our mutual friend "Doug Carlton" on the subject of using
an under-the-hood powered welder. I used to sell them when I had my metal fabrication
business but they don't work with all alternators. They are portable and work
great but you need to have your engine at a high RPM to operate. If you are
in a retreat, I would recommend a generator because it will also power the
air compressor you will need if you have a plasma cutter along with the cutter.
The compressor can also be used for pneumatic tools. I don't know the fuel
consumption difference between using the under the hood unit versus a generator.
- "Dan Fong"
Jim:
On the question of the 40 cal Beretta, I can recommend the multiple trade in
40 S&W Glocks that are out there. CDNN and AIM
Surplus are now stocking police trade-in Glock 22s and 23s at reasonable
prices and they throw in high cap magazines.
BTW, I mostly carry a Glock 26 or 17, because I know what a good 9mm round
can do. Load it with the Ranger 127 grain hollow points and you have nearly
the power of a .357 SIG, but without the problems. - L.K.
Watch the news for the next few days to pick up good stories from the citizens
of New Orleans as they bug out in the face of possible 20 ft flooding in
what appears to be a direct hit from Hurricane Katrina. This is as always
a reminder for the wise survivor that the following will likely apply in
a survival bugout situation:
1-carry a weapon if you can, but remember your weapon will not solve most survival
issues.
2-If your gear is not with you at work or vehicle it is around 50% likely you
will not have it if you need it.
3-Never let your fuel tank drop below half.
4-Cary cash and maybe a spare credit card sealed in plastic on your person
sealing it may help you remember it is an emergency reserve.
4-Ham radio stays up when most other forms of communication go down.
5-A good 12VDC-to-120VAC (or 220VAC in some countries) inverter will allow
you to charge batteries phones and run small power tools if your car is the
only power source
6-Keep photocopies of important documents in sealed packages.
7-A bicycle (folding bike is ideal) is a good item to keep in your trunk.
JWR Adds: A regular reader of SurvivalBlog tells us that he will be deploying to the "ground zero" of hurricane"K" as part of a special multi-jurisdictional team. We hope to get a first hand after action report from him upon his return.
"For it's 'guns this' and 'guns that', and 'chuck 'em out, the brutes',
But they're the 'Savior of our loved ones' when the thugs begin to loot."
- Rudyard Kipling , Tommy Atkins
Note from Jim: I'd appreciate your reviews of this blog on RateItAll.com.
I've noticed that a lot of reviewers there tend to "shoot from the lip",
so it would be nice to see some balance from people that are actually familiar with
SurvivalBlog. Thanks!
Disclaimer: The laws, regulations, and case citations contained
within this blog do not constitute legal advice. Laws change frequently. Consult
a lawyer if you have legal questions. If you choose to act upon the details
cited here without doing your own research, you do so at your own risk.
Because most survivalists are gun owners, gun control laws should be considered
a key factor when deciding where you plan to relocate. Do some research. Ideally,
you are looking for a state that allows vehicular and “on the hip” open
carry, with non-discretionary concealed carry permits, and with non-regulated
private party firearms transactions. (No “paper trail.”) In a subsequent
blog post I will include some data on various state gun laws that was kindly
provided to me by the gent who writes under the pen name Boston T. Party. See
my review of his excellent book "Boston's Gun Bible" at my Bookshelf page.
The worst states to for a gun owner to live in are of course the “Locked
up and Unloaded” States such as Neu Jersey and Kalifornia. According
to the NRA-ILA, under California law, to legally have an unloaded handgun in
your car outside of a locked container you must be going to or from
a shooting range, to or from a gun show, or on a hunting trip. Otherwise, they
must be both unloaded and locked in a case or in the vehicle's locked trunk.
(See California Penal Code sec. 12025 and 12026 for details.) I suppose that
means that if you want to carry an unloaded handgun in your car and don't want
to have to spend extra time both having to take the time to get it out of a
locked case AND then loading it, you should always carry a pair of earmuffs,
some shooting glasses, and some targets in your car... “But officer,
I was planning to go to the range after work!”
Some states require no permit for concealed carry. Currently, just Alaska,
Vermont and New Hampshire are in this category. (The New Hampshire law is pending,
as of this writing.) A few other relatively gun-friendly states such as Idaho
allow open carry virtually anywhere and concealed carry without a permit only
outside of incorporated areas.
For updates on gun laws in various states, see the Gun
Owners of America (GOA) and the The
National Rifle Association (NRA) web sites.
Laws on owning and carrying edged weapons vary widely from state to state
and even between smaller jurisdictions within states. Most of these laws will
only be an issue for someone that is a serious knife aficionado. In California,
(as of this writing) you can carry a single edged knife as long as it is not
concealed. Double-edged knives can be owned but not carried. Carrying any concealed
knife, other than a folding single edged knife is a felony. Keep in mind that
most rifle bayonets are classified as double-edged knives.
Automatic ("switchblade") knives are legal to own in a few states,
but not most. (They sadly got a bad reputation due to some Hollywood movies.
In actuality they are a useful tool.) Further, some states allow possession
of automatic knives in a collection, but not pocket carry on the street. This
is the case in (as of this writing) Montana, Texas, and Wyoming. For current
details on various state laws, see:
http://www.amatecon.com/switchblade.html
With the recent profusion of new folding knife designs—many of which
can be opened with one hand—there are practical alternatives to automatic
knives, assuming that they are restricted in your state. I generally prefer
liner lock and axis lock designs with half serrated tanto style blades. I buy
knives in medium price ranges, from makers like Columbia
River Knife and Tool (CRKT). Avoid any of the low-end brands and anything
made in China! Also, since pocket knives often get lost in the field, you might
think twice about buying a $600 custom knife. Frankly, I'd rather buy 15+ CRKTs
for the same amount of money, but YMMV.
I look forward to getting e-mails from some of you folks with extensive knife
field use experience for your specific recommendations.
Hi Jim,
First I want to thank you for all the work you have done over the years to
help the shorter sighted people like myself get into the survival mindset.
If and when there is a collapse you probably will have saved thousands
of lives. I first read The Gray Nineties online, and have been somewhat
prepared since that time, mainly with bug out bag to get home, and short
term (1 month) supplies. I am now in a financial position where I can start
purchasing bulk food (i.e. – wheat), and store it, however I would
not know what to do with it. Is there a good place I could find on the
internet for explicit instructions, or a detailed book? (I’m not
a chef, so it would have to be a "For Dummies" guide.) If I’m
going to store bulk goods like wheat, I want to be able to use them on
a weekly basis so that they don’t go to waste, and so that I can
learn the preparation needed for meal making. Thanks! - Scott
JWR's Reply: It is very wise to use your storage food on
a day to day basis. Not only will you be rotating it, but just as importantly
you will learn how to use it in cooking. There are thousands of "Tommy
Tacticals" out there that have no clue about how to cook with their
storage food. I even know of one poor soul that had 2,400 pounds of
nitrogen packed hard red winter wheat but no wheat grinder until someone kindly
(and quietly) pointed out his oversight.
What to do with all that wheat, rice, corn, and beans? For the wheat and corn,
I recommend that you get a Country Living grain mill (available from ReadyMadeResources.com and
several other Internet vendors). Motorizing kits are available, or if you are
handy with tools you can build your own for less money. If you want to mainly
grind by hand, be sure to get the optional "power bar" handle extension
for extra leverage.
IMO, the best books on cooking with storage food are Making the Best of
Basics and Cookin' with Home Storage. Be sure sure to get the
latest edition of each. Since we have chickens, I prefer to make egg breads.
I also have a weakness for corn bread, which is a partial--albeit lame--excuse
for the extra 10 pounds that I pack around. Stock up on the other items that
you'll need to bake bread: vegetable oil, salt, yeast (buy it in the large
jars--the little packets are way over-priced), and honey (or sugar). Wheat
stores for 20+ years, and honey and sugar store indefinitely. Sadly, the
yeast will have be discarded every three years. The oil will have to be rotated
as well, but at least it can be burned after it has gone rancid. (See my
previous blog posts on diesel fuel alternatives.)
Hi Jim,
I enjoyed seeing "Dan Fong's" letter, since I haven't had contact
with him in ages. It was great to see he's still kicking. It's good to see
that
you're getting sponsors as well. His plasma cutter topic is on target. One
thing people might look at instead of a generator, or as a back-up to the one
they have, is a welder with integral genset.
Most portable welders are also generators, and being portable you can take
it to a work site. Even an under-hood welder, like the kind that many serious
4x4 vehicles have, can be used as a generator (though not as efficient as one
designed to produce power to begin with). In many ways they are a better back-up
than just a back-up generator. You gain a useful tool, rather than paying for
a spare generator that will just sit and do nothing for you until you need
it. They also are more likely to be maintained and in running condition through
normal use when you need to press it into service as a generator. It just depends
on your power plan. If you're running a full power plant, then multiple generators
are a better way to go. If you're using a generator to just run lights and
a pump, then a self-powered welder would provide both a tool and an alternate
source of power.
I still own the 20 gauge 870 that originally belonged to your Memsahib. It
has never failed to impress anyone who's shot it. Everyone that shoots it asks
if I'll sell it to them. Training is the most important thing with the shotgun.
While hunting in some areas will help with shotgun use, combat shotgunning
is very different than hunting with one, and unlike the semi-auto rifle, most
people don't have a background with the shotty in the military. Most people
that have been in the Army/USMC can handle a semi-auto rifle decently, but
unless they've used a shotgun in their service, it's a whole new thing. As
with anything, training is far more important than which shotgun,
or what you have mounted on it. If you can afford a cheap shotgun and a combat
shotgun class, you'll be far better armed than buying an expensive shotgun
and no training. There isn't a three-gun match I go to that pumpgun users will
short stroke [the action], or have various other problems. The auto guys rarely
have a problem. In classes, it's the same thing. One class a buddy of mine
went to had to divide the scoring between autos and pumps because all the pump
guys were scoring so low. There was a visible dividing line between the performance
of the autos and pumps. This was in a class where most people had minimal training
and experience with a shotgun. What I'm getting at is I don't agree that the
pumpgun is more reliable because the key reliability factor is the user.
Now, I've seen shooters that are highly trained with a pump go against the
autos just fine. To be able to do that though requires a lot of trigger time,
and a lot of slugs and pellets down range. Yeah, it sounds so easy that all
you need to do is rack the pumpgun, but reality is different than concept. [JWR
adds: Especially when shooting prone!] Go to any tactical match that
has a shotgun stage and watch the people operating under the stress of the
match. Short stroking is pretty common with the pump even when the user has
experience. The most important thing is to get training. The pump isn't more
reliable in the hands of a novice. Don't get sucked into the pattern that many
newbie survivalists do and buy guns and gear to make up for lack of skill.That
doesn't work. You are better off buying a used Sears shotgun from a newspaper
ad and paying for a training class, than buying a fancy Bennelli and thinking
that you are all set. It's not what you use, it's how you use it. - "Doug
Carlton"
1.) Welding: I'm no welder by an stretch of the imagination but there's a
neat light to medium welder that runs on 24 VDC. I first saw it from SnapOn
Tools for ~$500. Now it's available from other folks for less money. What's
neat is the Trace inverters run on 24VDC and so do my vehicles. Just a thought.
I did a stairway with it and repaired a cracked alternator bracket and battery
support.
2.) 12 Gauge: I've been using those neat military shell holders. Each pouch holds 12 shells and has web gear clips in the back. Two pouches on each side, and you've got 48 shells handy and available.
3.) Radiac: I have a full set of CD meters and Dosimeters. I also picked up
a German Dosimeter set from Steve at Major
Surplus N Survival
For WTSHTF, I also got a Radiacmeter IM-179/U Military Gamma Dose Rate Meter
(Issued, Certified) Code: 110449 for heavy radiation conditions. It's about
the size of two packs of cigarettes.
For daily monitoring I have used a DIGILERT 50 for about 6 years now. Runs on a nine volt battery for about 9 or 10 months. It also has the monitoring and recording software available which works great. All available from S.E. International. It reports Alpha, Beta and Gamma radiation. Good high level operation. has digital readout, user adjustable alarm settings, and Total Count mode. There is also pretty sophisticated monitoring software that goes with it. It runs continuously in the background with little load on the computer. Then, of course, I also carry a NukAlert.
Hi Jim,
This is my first time to your blog since my bud, Rod, set me up with a copy
of your book (Patriots).
I have now read entirely through it in about two weeks. I have a question.
When I was in the military, I was instructed by a weapons instructor to
always lubricate any weapons that I was going to store before casing the
item for long periods of time. My father, who was a Marine (two tours in
Vietnam) also suggested this. He said I needed to clean and over-oil the
weapon before long term storage. The question is this: is this information
true and, if so, don't we have a responsibility to others here to inform
them accordingly. I noticed in your book that there was no mention of this
practice and I'm surethat a scenario exists where some will store weapons
at their retreats for use at a later time. Please advise on your site.
Thanks, Fred in Georgia.
JWR's Reply: First, rifles and pistols should not be
stored in non-breathing heavy gun cases for more than a day or two. . Those
are designed for transport only. Even a well-oiled gun will eventually rust
if stored in a gun case, sometimes in the matter of just a few days in a damp
climate. They are best stored oiled but loose in a gun vault, with an electric
Golden Rod dehumidifier operating at all times. Silica gel desiccant crystals
also work well to keep the humidity low in a gun vault. BTW, you can usually
get large bags of silica gel free for the asking if you phone around. Call
your local piano store. All of the pianos that are imported from Japan come
with a large bag of silica gel, usually with hanging straps. To reactivate
a used silica gel bag, just leave it in an oven set to 180 degrees, overnight.That
will drive out any accumulated moisture.
For long term storage, the bore, chamber, and the face of the bolt should all
be well-greased with RIG or the
good old U.S. military surplus "Grease, Rifle" As we used to say: "Hey!
Pass the Grease Comma Rifle!" All of the other metal parts should
be lubricated with medium weight oil. (BTW, don't use WD-40
or other lightweight aerosol lubes. They evaporate too quickly and afterwards
leave no effective corrosion protection.) Lastly, be sure to label any gun
that has been greased with a prominent "WARNING: GREASE IN BORE AND CHAMBER!" tag
firmly attached. (Firing a gun with grease still in the bore can be dangerous.)
The best water purifier for general carry is Iodine crystals. Carry them
in a 35mm can, add water, shake and pour into the canteen.
They last, like forever. But, because of drug manufacturing freaks, I can't
find anybody still selling Iodine crystals. Any ideas?
JWR's Reply: Unfortunately I don't know any sources. Sadly,
most of the hobbyist chemical supply houses are a thing of the past, along
with true hobbyist electronics stores. Perhaps someone reading this blog knows
a good source for Iodine crystals.
The iodine crystal method works well. A few large crystals will practically
last a lifetime. However, be VERY careful not to accidentally
ingest even a small iodine crystal as they can be fatally toxic. With large
crystals, an old fashioned tea strainer (cage type ) works well, in my experience.
" ...arms...discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and
preserve order in the world as well as property. ...Horrid mischief would ensue
were [the law-abiding] deprived the use of them."
- Thomas Paine.
Note from JWR: I just added two more profiles for Mr. Lima, and Mr. Coffee. (The latter is a lengthy one, from an American ex-pat living in Costa Rica.) I consider them both "must " reading.
I have a comment on your recommendation concerning the "Dr. November" Profile. In
addition to buying an oxyacetylene rig, I would add a plasma cutter.
They are far superior to the gas rig and they run on compressed air and electricity.
An air compressor and a generator will run these units. They cut faster and
cleaner than a torch. The only consumables are the tip/electrode and cup
which run ~$6-$8 a set but they last a long time. I would use the torch on
structural steel that is thicker than 3/8" but wouldn't waste the gas
on thinner material. An arc welder is good for most stuff assuming that you
have the correct rods that have been correctly stored. This needs electricity
to run but I wouldn't recommend it for smaller applications due to you might
end up burning through the work. Again, the main focus is to minimize gas
usage. If you are worried about rod storage, you might consider a MIG welder
which uses gas and wire.
My personal favorite are welders built by Miller. This is like the best handgun
argument where everyone has an opinion and preference. My reason for liking
Miller is that I have burned up power supplies with other brands due to the
amount and speed at which I was welding. Some of the well known brands were
using Al instead of Cu wiring and I guess I was burning them out. The welding
supply store used to send me samples units to try out, but I favor the Miller
brand. They have an over-temp protection feature that automatically shuts the
system down before you damage the system. In addition to this there is support
equipment that needs to be factored into using welding equipment that a lot
of people tend to ignore. Enough on this subject. - "Dan Fong"
[JWR's note: Some of the readers of my novel Patriots will remember the Dan Fong character. Dan Fong is the pseudonym of a real life individual that I have known since college. He is an industrial designer, gardener, inveterate gun nut, beer brewer, aviation enthusiast, and barbecuing expert. (Your basic 21st Century Renaissance Man.) And yes, he really does have a tendency to say: "Oh Maaaaan!"]
The folks at The Daily Reckoning mentioned yesterday vis-a-vis the Housing Bubble: "...What a run it has been. The Center for Economic and Policy Research reports that the housing market added $5 trillion in 'bubble wealth' to the American economy, an amount equal to $70,000 for a family of four. That is the fraudulent money that has sustained Americans at a standard of living they cannot really afford. It is the source of the illusion that the U.S. economy is growing and healthy. It was psuedo-wealth, an asset that really didn't exist. Too bad so many people spent it. "House Party, Finally Over?" asks the Financial Times. We don't know the answer. Maybe it is over today. Maybe it will be over tomorrow. Our advice to readers: Don't be the last ones to leave."
Set aside a weekend afternoon to read Bill Bonner's book "Financial Reckoning Day", or if you are lousy cheapskate at least go through the archives at The Daily Reckoning web site. Their site has a wealth of information on general economics and the inevitable precious metals commentary. They have an excellent free daily e-mail newsletter.)
Some of our readers have been very kind to add their input about goats. I
appreciate your comments. First, The Goatlady recommends Nubian Goats to make
goat butter:
"I have raised goats for many years and the cream does rise
to the top just not in the quantities one gets from cow's milk. The
richer the milk the more cream hence the Nubian popularity as a diary
goat. Nubians have the most butterfat in their milk for making butter.
But more importantly, Nubian milk is the very best for making hard
cheeses i.e. cheddar, swiss, etc. Very difficult to make hard cheese
with other breeds of goat's milk as so much is needed. I also have
a friend who regularly makes goat butter and sells it locally. It can
be done but, again, it depends of the breed of goat and quality of
the milk." You are absolutely correct in that goats are the perfect survival/homestead
animal. They are sooo versatile and productive needing very little
in the way of outside feed, if at all. The nice things about Nubians
are their non-aggressive personality and the fact that they cross real
well with the Boer meat goat and usually have twins at each kidding
which give quick buildup of a herd and/or good trade products. The
wethers (castrated males) of this cross are big chested and necked
and train very well for packing (BOBs)
and easily train to plow and cultivate and also are very capable of
pulling carts and small wagons. Since they live for 18-20 years and
the does are still producing milk all that time, it's an excellent
investment at any time. But it is a responsibility also. You need to
milk twice a day just like cows although if you let the kids stay on
the does you can skip one milking a day, but in a WTSHTF situation
who is going anywhere, anyway!. -Goatlady
Next, " Z" appreciates the smaller size and foraging ability of
goats:
"Had a few thoughts on that myself. ...You can feed them on ....plants
that a cow wont eat. They're smaller and easier to transport (and conceal).
They're smarter then a cow..and when it's time to butcher, it's a smaller
job..and a smaller animal...so you don't have to worry about where to put
all the meat, how to store all the meat for your merry band of outlaws...
just slaughter what you need, keep the rest on the hoof. ...All this came
to me when I was watching them eat brush along the side of the road one day.
If the sheet hits the fan.... goats are my choice for a survival animal.
Goats, the survivalist/militia man/guerilla fighter's friend." -"Z"
Dear James:
I have been searching for a good quality 20 Gauge shotgun for home/retreat
defense. I very much value your opinion and would like to know what make
and model you would recommend. Also do you recommend a semi-auto or double
barrel? What "extras" and accessories do you feel are the best?
- Dr. Sidney Zweibel, Columbia P&S
JWR's Reply:
In general, I much recommend a 12 gauge over a 20, unless you are very small-statured.
12 gauge shells are much easier to find (both now and post-TEOTWAWKI), and
they pack more of a wallop on the receiving end. There are also a lot of exotic
shoyshell loadings available (such as CS tear gas) that are only available
for 12 gauge.
I prefer pump actions. I would recommend a Remington Model 870 pump action.
They come with 26" or 28" "bird" length barrels standard
from the factory. OBTW, the Memsahib has owned both the Rem. 870 and Rem. 1100,
both 20 gauge. Both were the "youth" models with short stocks. (The
Memsahib is 5'2" and weighs just 95 pounds.) She prefers the semi-auto
action of the 1100, but it is generally agreed that they have reliability problems.
John Satterwaite (the exhibition shooter) was quoted by a mutual friend as
saying that he has three Model 1100s--"One to shoot, one as a spare, and
one in the shop for repairs." The Model 870 pump action, by comparison,
is bomb proof. So if you opt for an 1100, get a LOT of spare parts!
In terms of accessories, I recommend that you get:
An 18 inch or 20 inch "riot" length spare barrel, threaded for choke
tubes.
A full set of "Rem choke" screw-in choke tubes (including an Extra
Full Choke tube for shooting rabbits or perched birds at maximum range)
An Uncle Mikes' brand shell holder (The type with a Velcro closure flap)
An extra long sling (I prefer the M60 padded slings)
Locking quick detachable (QD) sling swivels. (The Uncle Mikes' brand works
fine.)
Sling swivels. (TOP mount a QD stud on the stock, and side mount in the swivel
in the front so that the shotgun won't flip upside down when carrying it assault
style)
Choate brand magazine extension tube. (The end of a 6 or 7 round tube will
be parallel with the muzzle of your gun's riot length barrel.)
Some voluminous pouches to carry spare shells for your basic combat load. (Shotshells
are very bulky.)
I've got this on all of my computers, and printed out (several copies). I picked up on it back in 1996. I figured it was easier to give you a URL as opposed to attaching a doc. I sent this down to Fort Sam Houston [home of the U.S. Army Medical Corps] and they said it was straight and accurate. See: http://www.uhuh.com/reports/harris/book.htm It's from 1996 but it's very good.- The Army Aviator
James:
After reading about your Chernobyl experience and fears I have two tips. First
first aid kit or drinking water tabs are not safe to take as a substitute
for proper thyroid blocking Potassium Iodide or Iodate. If you are stuck
without the proper Iodide or Iodate there
is research indicating that 8 ml of 2% iodine (iodine tincture, Betadine,
etc) solution painted onto the forearm or abdomen two hours before exposure
will be absorbed and give a blocking initial dose. DO NOT SWALLOW IODINE
SINCE IT IS POISONOUS IF INGESTED. IT MUST ONLY BE APPLIED TO SKIN!!!
You can buy crystalline KI powder if you feel that buying iodide tablets is
too expensive, but the solution must then be diluted, masked, or encapsulated
as it is horribly bitter when eaten/drunk straight.
A person must have a way of measuring radiation, a proper Geiger counter is
best, preferably one designed to measure high level radiation as most non civil
defenseor military will only measure very low dose. The CD models
are available cheap and often include a low dose counter, a high dose
counter and 8 dosimeter pens with a dosimeter calibrator. I personally keep
a Nukalert keychain scintillator counter (always on for 10 years) and a pocket
dosimeter in my bag along with some KI. If you haven't the funds for a Geiger
counter a dosimeter can be made which will allow you to seek a lower radiation
area. The page http://www.ki4u.com/free_book/s60p792.htm gives
instructions based on a design in the children's science book "Build It
Yourself Science Laboratory" from 1963 by Raymond Barrett. This device
is a hack job to be used by the unprepared in emergencies only, it doesn't
easily give you a real read on the radiation just that it is present but is
better than no detector.
Protecting food from radionuclides is best accomplished through green housing
and filtering water. Water filters are cheaply available now in the micron
level, a heavy metals filter would impart more protection. Ground water will
be one of your lowest concern for radionuclides though.
Greenhousing is cheap and easy if you are already used to gardening. It can
make your garden output explode! UV resistant plastic sheet, mounted on heavy
PVC pipe frame with several poles sunk into the ground for support make an
excellent greenhouse. Lay perforated hose under the rows for growing and connect
to a water source. Cover the ground with plastic to minimize weeds and water
loss leaving small holes for the baby plants to grow through. As your vine
type plants grow, hang rope for them to climb and help them twist around these
ropes. You will massively increase your season, save water the Israeli way
(we feed all of Europe from desert greenhouses) and protect your food from
all kinds of contamination that drops from the air. Compost all your organic
waste and save it for next year before you lay your new plastic sheet onto
the ground.
JWR's Comment: The Kearney Fallout Meter (see: Nuclear War Survival Skills--available for free download) is another "quick and dirty" design. However, keep in mind that any improvised fallout meter is a poor substitute for a proper dosimeter, rate meter, and Geiger counter commercially built to NRC specifications. Buy a set! Someday you'll be glad that you did. Guru says: "Poor Prior Planning Produces Pitifully Poor Performance" (P7) OBTW, Nukalerts are available from ReadyMadeResources.com and several other Internet vendors.
"...nuclear warfare is not necessary to cause a breakdown of our society. You take a large city like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago-- their water supply comes from hundreds of miles away . Any interruption of that, or food, or power for any period of time and you're going to have riots in the streets. Our society is so fragile, so dependent on the interworking of things to provide us with goods and services, that you don't need nuclear warfare to fragment us any more than the Romans did for their eventual downfall." - Gene Roddenberry
With the growing nuclear threats from China, North Korea, and assorted Muslim
terrorist groups, it is important to get prepared for surviving radioactive
fallout. At the minimum, I think that there is a very high likelihood that
at least one sub-critical mass radioactive "dirty bomb" will be be
set off within the continental U.S. sometime in the next 10 years. Near term
worst case: One or more of them go off on September 11th. (Two weeks from now.)
Plan accordingly. Study the prevailing wind patterns. Get a copy of Nuclear
War Survival Skills. (It is available for free download from the good folks
at the Oregon Institute of Science
and Medicine, so you have no excuse not to have a copy on your
bookshelf!)
If you have a big budget build yourself a fully equipped blast shelter with
HEPA filters. But even if you budget is austere, you should at least buy some
potassium iodate (KI) tablets for thyroid protection. The thyroid gland is
the most susceptible part of the human body to radiation. Thyroid damage or
cancer can result even in a low level radiation event (such as what Western
Europeans were exposed to when Chernobyl melted down in 1985). OBTW, I was
TDY in West Germany at the time, and did not have KI available.
I knew enough not to drink fresh milk, but I still felt very vulnerable.
Potassium iodate works by saturating the thyroid gland so that radioactive isotopes will not accumulate. (Thus minimizing thyroid damage.) Do not take KI until just after you have heard of a radioactive release upwind. Long term use of KI can actually cause thyroid damage! KI tablets are available from ReadyMadeResources.com and several other Internet vendors.
At times I hear from folks that are concerned about raising their own food
during a WTSHTF situation. I have
heard, it will be a tremendous amount of work, there will be no seed to put
out, there will be no fertilizer to feed the plants, we’ll use up all
the nutrients in the soil and will need to leave it lay fallow for a year and
other concerns and worries.
If you don’t mind I’d like to address some of those issues. Abigail
and I have been using our current garden since 1982. Over those 23 years we
may have used a total of 200 lbs of commercial fertilizer on the garden. For
instance last fall I worked in about 20 lbs of 12-12-12 before I broadcast
the entire garden in wheat. Most years I do not use any commercial fertilizer
at all but I thought it might help get the wheat off to a good start.
While we don’t use much commercial fertilizer we do give the garden a
yearly addition of organic material. Either a couple of inches of manure or
if that is not available at least 6” of leaves that we have raked from
under the trees seems to do the job. This year we plowed down wheat planted
in the fall to make “green manure.” All this organic material encourages
and supports a nice colony of earthworms and night crawlers. These guests in
turn work the organic material into the soil as they pass through, aerating
the soil as they go on their merry way. As an example this year, our sweet
corn is in excess of 9 feet tall, and many of the ears are 12 inches long.
All this with a minimum of commercial fertilizer and never a fallow year.
Now on to the issue of finding seed. When I bought the seed wheat for our garden
it came in a 50 pound bag. Half went on the garden the other half filled a
sealed 5-gallon bucket. As this wheat was already covered with insecticide
it should be viable for years. This fall I believe I’ll do the same but
in either oats or spelt.
Another preparation that we make is to go to the different stores that sell
garden seed and buy up the individual packages at 50% to 80% off. I then vacuum
seal them, date and set them back for use “someday.” [JWR's
note: Store gardening seeds in your refrigerator. The germination rate will
drop off with time, but old seed is better than no seed!] We
live in a farming community and many of our close neighbors are grain farmers.
I am sure that they would be willing to sell us either seed corn or ear corn
that we could shell and plant. Now some will say that using a hybrid ear corn
for seed is doomed to failure and will not produce. In my experience it may
not produce as well as the original but it will indeed produce. So while we
may not be able to run to the store to buy seed, there are ways to prepare
or make do.
Heritage (or "Heirloom"/ open pollinated seeds) should be in everyone’s
cupboard as these will produce the same plant, generation after generation,
however we need to be remember that the hybrids were designed to either out
produce, store better, be more insect or draught resistance or have more flavor
than the original seed. My advice would be to use the hybrid seed the first
generation, and then if you have open pollinated seeds plan to go 50-50 the
next year. Just be certain to keep the different varieties separated so that
the 2nd generation hybrids do not “pollute” the true bloods.
The point is... Go out and do it now, whatever it may be, while our failures
are merely educational and our successes bring us satisfaction. Do not wait
until the time has come that the difference between failure and success is
a full tummy for your children and yourself.
Mr. Rawles-
Thanks for your comments on the avian flu. Just in case you missed it, there
is a very interesting article
in the Washington Post today about a renowned flu scientist and his
thoughts on a possible pandemic. In his words, it is inevitable
that one of these strains will mutate into humans and "blow up".
FYI, the current H5N1 strain has a 58% mortality rate in humans. Unfortunately
registration with the Washington Post is required to view the article,
but it is free.
- "Some Call Me Tim"
Sir:
Just saw your new blog posting on sales taxes in various states. Colorado's
overall sales tax is 2.9 percent, however our state allows locality taxes
(called 'Home Rule'), For instance: Denver city/county imposes a 3.5% tax
in addition, it goes up to 4% for food/liquor that is for immediate consumption
and 5.5% for rental cars. There are also special district taxes, like the
Scientific and Cultural Facilities tax and the Regional Transportation
tax. These taxes cross municipal boundaries as established by special election.
In Denver, for instance the overall tax rate is about 8 percent, 2.9 to the
state, 3.5 to the city/county and the rest are special district taxes. A
few rural areas do not have additional taxes and pay only 2.9% , but
some counties bump that by a percent or two, as well as special tax districts
assessments.
When buying major items for sales tax purposes, the rule is that unless they
deliver it to you, you pay the rate where the store existed - no you can't
deliver it yourself. One of the few exceptions to this is your car, where you
pay the rate of your address of record. I, for instance, have my retreat property
in SW Colorado and use it for vehicle registration purposes.
So, it might be better to remove Colorado from the Very Low Sales Tax category
as even if you do live in a 2.9 percent area, you'll probably be paying the
full rate at the store in the bigger cities.
- J. H. in Aurora, Colorado
Jim,
States with no personal income taxes have begun to impose them in hidden forms,
starting in Nevada. I don't know if it is intentional or not, but the way
Nevada has done it has managed to make everyone miss the fact that it now
has an income tax, however hidden or indirect it may be. While there is
no direct state income tax (in which the tax is withheld from individual
paychecks, or personal filing is required,) the state has indirectly imposed
a personal income tax in the form of a "payroll" tax, arguably
imposed on employers, charged on the amount paid to all employees. However,
this makes it a hidden income tax that is figured into the cost of hiring;
as such, the pay rate to individual workers is lowered by that much. The
effect is that workers take home the same amount of pay as if they had
a "personal income tax" withheld from their checks, but without
seeing any entries making the deduction visible on their pay stubs. Taxing
has been described as "the art of plucking feathers from a goose without
its knowledge." For a state to put a personal income tax in place
in a way that workers don't see it directly coming from their checks is
a masterful way of doing that very thing. But just because a tax is not
seen doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. -"M." in Nevada
Hi Guys,
Even if those who are skeptical read your blog, they will come back for more.
I am very impressed and moreover grateful!
Quick comment on G.O.O.D. Diesel Variants: You have pointed out the great benefits
to Diesel power plants,...it is very important to know that you are looking
at a SUBSTANTIAL weight increase on the front axle [versus gas engines]. This
should be known not only for adjusting the way you execute a maneuver, but
the huge disadvantage that you will have in soft, or bottomless soil, (i.e.-
sand/mud). If not weighted sufficiently equally on both axles, you will find
yourself spinning circles around the front end that has just dropped in. I
recommend the widest tires you can fit on the front end to help out anyway
possible. Also, diesels operate at a much lower RPM than gasoline engines.
When stuck, Low Range or Low Gear will not sufficiently "clean out" the
tread lugs. So [briefly] put it in High gear and let the sufficient torque
spin the tires and work up a higher speed at the wheel if necessary to get "un-stuck."
Forever Grateful, - The Wanderer
Mr. Rawles,
I would like to suggest a few links for anyone wanting to know more about Cummins
engine equipped trucks. They are:
http://dodgeram.org/support_pgs/diesel_ix.htm
http://turbodieselregister.com/BuyersGuide3.htm
http://dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/Facts/epa_changes.htm
These links will give everyone a good feel for the differences in these trucks.
To summarize them, the Cummins Turbo
Diesel engine placed in Dodge Ram trucks starting in the 1991 model year went
through 4 phases to the present day.
Generation I engines were all 12-valve direct mechanical injection engines
with a turbo charger. Generation II engines were
introduced when the body style changed in 1994. The Gen. II engines were essentially
the same as the Gen I except the
injection pump was changed for higher output. Mid-way through the 1998 model
year, Dodge changed to a 24-valve
electronically controlled engine (You can tell the difference by looking at
the door-mounted data plates--and the distinctive sound of the engine.) These
are the Gen III engines. The fuels system on the Gen III engines is weak due
to a faulty transfer pump design causing premature failure of the injection
pump. This is very expensive to replace. (I know from personal experience.)
The engines changed once again in 2003 when the newest body style came out.
These Gen IV engines are much quieter than their predecessors but they are
also electronically controlled.
Transmissions in the Gen I and early Gen II trucks were mechanical, and many
of the Cummins trucks had manual
transmissions. The Gen II trucks used a NV4500 5-speed manual transmission,
and this tranny continued to be used
through the 2003 model year. Beginning in mid-2001 Dodge introduced the NV5600
6-speed manual behind their 24-valve high-output engines. These trannies can
be retrofitted to the 12-valve trucks and offers a nice gear split with the
extra gear. These manual transmissions feature a PTO access
panel on the passenger side of the housing for running equipment if desired.
The transfer case was a constant, the NV241HD manually-shifted transfer case.
This t-case features a 2.72:1 low
range, and coupled with the granny low of the transmission offers some really
great [ low] crawl speeds for off-roading. The front axle in 4x4 models was
typically the Dana 60 and the rear axle was the Dana 70 (single wheel 2500
models) or the Dana 80 (dual wheel 3500 models.) A limited slip rear axle was
offered as an option.
Over the years, power levels steadily rose, and turbo chargers changed slightly,
but all-in-all they are extremely reliable, very fuel efficient, and much sought
after. Finding a 12-valve Cummins truck in decent condition is next to impossible
in my area, and I imagine the same holds true elsewhere. - B.B. in Louisiana
Hi James, First of all, chalk me up as another Patriots fan.
It truly is the definitive work on preparing for just about anything. When
I found out that you had started the blog, I was ecstatic!
I found this site on
wind power today, and thought you might be interested. Scroll down about
halfway and look for the section on home built wind power. They detail building
an alternator from scratch, carving your own blades, and control circuitry.
I don't have a retreat or anything like it just yet (I'm stuck in the city
with a 300-1000 mile bugout WTSHTF), but if I did [find a place] with good
wind, I'd start looking here. Thanks again for all of the great information
you've passed on through the years - Steve
"The value of a thing is what that thing will bring." - Legal Maxim
Sales tax is another important issue if you are setting up a retreat. This
generally entails buying a lot of “big ticket” items, such as an
AC/DC power generator, photovoltaics, tractors, 4WD vehicles,
guns, ammunition, storage food, wood stoves, propane tanks, propane appliances,
and so forth. Sales tax can be minimized if you buy via mail order, but that
creates a paper trail, which IMO should
be avoided. In some circumstances you can travel to an adjoining state with
low (or no) sales tax to make major purchases. Keep a low profile when
making major purchases--especially ammunition. Pay with cash and don’t
leave your name or phone number.
NO Sales Tax:
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon.
Very Low Sales Tax (4% or less):
Alabama, Georgia, Colorado (higher in some cities/counties), Hawaii, Louisiana,
South Dakota, and Wyoming.
Low Sales Tax (4.1% to 5%):
Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North
Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Moderate Sales tax (5.1% to 6%):
Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan,
Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and West Virginia.
High to Severe Sales tax (6.1% or higher):
California, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, Rhode Island,
Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.
Many folks have discovered how to play the state line jumping game: Living
near a state line to take advantage of a lower tax or other advantage in one
or more adjoining states.
For example, you can live in the Idaho panhandle (very low property tax, car
registration, and car insurance), work in eastern Washington (no income tax),
make your day-to-day purchases in Idaho (5% sales tax) and your major purchases
(trucks, wood stoves, generators, gun vaults, appliances, et cetera) in Montana
or Oregon--both of which have no sales tax.
Note: Many states assess a sales tax when you register a vehicle that is
purchased out of state. This can often be avoided legally by keeping it registered
out of state for at least one year before taking it back to your high tax state.
Another possibility is to live and work in southern Washington (no income tax
and fairly low property taxes), but shop in Oregon—where there is a high
property tax but no sales tax.
See: http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/ind_inc.html for
detailed information on the tax rates in various states.
I should add that these discussions skirt around a more core issue: the scale of government in each state. Some states have big, pretentious, intrusive governments that love to get involved in every aspect of your life. My advice is to avoid living in any of these Nanny States. As time goes on, they are only going to get worse.
The bottom line: If you live in a state with severe taxes, then vote with your feet!
Jim;
Alan T. Hagan has written for Backwoods
Home magazine and a couple of other periodicals, and has written a book.
He is a genuinely a nice guy who loves to spread the word about preparedness.
He's very approachable and may make a good candidate for your Profiles page.
See: http://athagan.members.atlantic.net/PFSFAQ/PFSFAQ-1.html
Just passing it on. Thanks for the mention,
- Johnny a.k.a. swampthing
JWR's Reply: Mr. Hagan has a great reputation in preparedness circles, and deservedly so. His Q&A on food storage is a veritable standard reference.
Self-winding watches--I had one of the Russian self winders and it was built like a T-34 tank. You really can't go wrong with one. Higher-end watches, like Seiko, etc. are available from places like Sportsman's Guide, Overstock.com, and E-Bay. Regards, - "Doug Carlton"
Another reader, Jeff, writes:
These things are built like a tank. You can find models from $79 to about $250. Here
is a typical model. Excellent in every way and new production. Something
to consider. - Jeff
Jim
The blog is great! and your book was a valuable purchase many years ago. I
am a watch collector and seller, for many years, and have owned & used
...a BUNCH!
In evaluating a long-term need, and factoring in some use in rugged circumstances,
I would highly recommend a better quality timepiece. The brands you mentioned,
were made cheaply and sold cheaply. They have little water resistance, cheap
plastic crystals, and mechanisms not made for sustained abuse - such as exposure
to elements, or certainly not a combat environment. There are some excellent
alternatives, at a reasonable cost. A Swiss made movement is highly recommended,
in a stainless steel case, with a sapphire crystal, and screwdown crown. Examples
of personal recommendation for a "best value" would be (see these
current eBay auctions) :
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ollech-Wajs-CAribbean-200-military-watch-sapphire_W0QQitemZ5025672396QQcategoryZ31387QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I have bought items from Howard and he is a class act, though several other
sources are available.
Tritium hands and markers,
sapphire crystal and a robust waterproof case down to 330 feet or more,
all for in the $300-400 range. Readers might also consider other excellent
Swiss brands such as Sandoz, Eterna, Nivada, Aquastar, Enicar, Vulcain
and more, are reasonable and have most of the characteristics available
for long-term rugged use. I would recommend "diver" style cases,
with superior water resistance and sapphire or mineral glass crystals
and tritium or super luminova.
Don't buy....repeat do NOT buy Quartz watches...most watches require specific
tools to open properly and replace a battery...a quartz is not a serious survival
watch, any where, any time. Don't be tempted by the ridiculously over-priced "special
forces, commando, seal etc" junk asian watches!
Also consider a manual wind watch with some/all of the characteristics - a
la a bolt action versus automatic rifles, a manual wind watch has less to go
wrong. Again, Swiss only. For those who can upgrade, an Omega is probably,
dollar-for-dollar, a best buy. I have owned many Rolexes, and they are great,
but aren't any tougher, or work much better than a Ollech & Wajs (O&W),
as above. Rolex movements are all "chronometers", meaning they have
to be tested to run +- 2 seconds a day. The others mentioned will run +-20
seconds a day, often better. Rolex and other upscale brands, have all their
movements "super tuned" and the costs reflect that.
To service every few years, an O&W, Vulcain etc would be @ $50. A full
Rolex service is @$200. I wouldn't spend a penny on the cheap Russian watches.
As important as time keeping & awareness is and certainly will be in bad
times, this is not an area I would trust to a brass plated case with poor water
resistance, and questionable time-keeping expectations.
My personal out-the-door-with-hellhounds-on-my-trail watch, is a Swiss manual
wind dive alarm, good to 1000 feet water depth, sapphire crystal, and heavy
steel band. The alarm can be a valuable feature when under stress, and able
to only grab bits of sleep, and other circumstances. - "Wound up in Texas"
Mr. Rawles:
In this article you state that "...large crash bars in the front, a removable
cable cutter post that is as tall as your truck's cab," Do you mean BRUSH
GUARDS, because I cannot find any large crash bars! Can you help?
JWR's Reply:
To my way of thinking, a proper "crash bar" for a truck is just a
very heavy duty bumper + brush guard with the addition of
an extra piece of heavy steel stock welded on vertically (parallel with the
radiator) in the center of the brush guard. It should extend from the bottom
of the brush guard (or grille trim, whichever is lower) to a height where its
top end is parallel with the top of your truck's hood. (BTW, I don't recommend
extending anything below your front grille trim, because it would
degrade the "approach angle" of you truck. That could cause a nasty
hang up when crossing narrow gullies off road.) A piece of very heavy gauge
(Schedule 80) 4" diameter pipe works fine as the actual impact-dealing/bearing "crash
bar". (So does a section of railroad track, but IMHO that is a bit too
obvious for pre-TEOTWAWKI times.) Your local welding shop should be able to
handle the welding mod for you.
OBTW, I believe that the cable cutter should be removable (bolted on rather
than welded on), because, again, they look incongruous under pre-TEOTWAWKI
circumstances.)
"Necessity is the excuse for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of the tyrant and the creed of the slave." - William Pitt, 1763
Note from Jim: I'm delighted that in just over two weeks
this blog has had more than 15,000 unique accesses and a whopping 346,200
page hits. We also now have two advertisers, and a couple of more waiting
in the wings. Please continue to spread the word. In particular, I'd appreciate
it if you could make brief mention of SurvivalBlog.com on any forums, blogs,
or bulletin boards that you frequent. Many Thanks!
Taxes are another important consideration when choosing the state where you plan to live/retreat. Take a close look at property, income, and sales taxes before you decide where you might like to relocate. Car registration fees are another factor worth considering, especially if you have several vehicles. (In some states registration fees are a piddling administrative fee, while in some of the more populous Nanny States they are a big revenue source.)
If you are retired or nearing retirement age and middle class, property
taxes will likely be more important to you than income taxes. Conversely,
if you are in an upper income tax bracket or are middle class but still in
your prime earnings years then income tax will be a prime concern. I've assembled
some figures, gleaned from my research. Sorry that some of the following
figures are a bit dated...
States with NO personal income tax include:
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington
and Wyoming.
Note: New Hampshire and Tennessee do tax interest and dividend income. It
is also notable that Washington has a business tax of 2-3% of gross business
revenues, so business owners should beware.
States with low to moderate income taxes:
Arizona and Idaho.
States with high income taxes:
California, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Oregon.
States with the lowest property taxes (per capita, annually):
Alabama: $210
New Mexico: $283
Kentucky: $286
Arkansas: $321
Louisiana: $324
States with highest property taxes (per capita, annually):
New Jersey: $1,591
New Hampshire: $1,555
Connecticut: $1,500
New York: $1,329
Rhode Island: $1,233
Source: The Tax Foundation, based on Commerce Department and Census statistics.
Note: While sales and income taxes can be reduced by effective planning and
clever behavior (lawfully, of course), property taxes are different. As The
Sopranos mobster said: “Them you gotta pay.”
The Total Tax Burden (Property taxes, income taxes, and sales taxes combined--expressed
in terms of taxes as a percentage of income, as of 2002):
The Best:
Alaska: 6.3%
New Hampshire: 7.6%
Tennessee: 8.3%
Colorado: 8.4%
South Dakota: 8.9%
The Worst:
Maine: 13.6%
New York: 12.9%
Wisconsin: 11.9%
Vermont: 11.7%
Hawaii: 11.6%
Note: Includes state and local taxes including property and sales tax, excise
tax and some business taxes. You may pay even more if your income is considerably
higher than average, or if you live in a city or county within the state
with high property taxes. Source: The Tax Foundation, based on 1997 data
from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
A good friend sent the following e-mail excerpt from a young gent who is
now a Lance Corporal, in the USMC. (When he sent the e-maile was a PFC on
his first
deployment. It poignantly underscores the importance of the phrase Use
Enough Gun!
"I've never been more disgusted with a weapon than I am with
the M16. The accuracy is great and I'm comfortable with the operation
of it but beyond that it's worthless.
A couple weeks ago we had reports of a different squad in our platoon taking
contact from two gunmen. They returned fire and swore up and down that they
hit multiple times but both guys got away. Within 30 minutes we received
a call from the hospital that they received two gunshot wound patients: One
had suffered 28 wounds and the other 10. Both were still alive. This doesn't
even seem like a bad joke to me. It's pretty much tragic. There are so many
stories, especially from the Force Recon guys, of the .223 costing Marines
their lives. When is something going to be done about this? How many Marines
and soldiers have to die before someone will decide that maybe it'd be a
good idea to get a better system? Next time I come out here, I'm bringing
at least a couple magazines of ballistic-tipped ammo or something..."
JWR's Comment: Unless you live in Alaska, the majority of your defensive rifle battery should be chambered in .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO). I only consider .223 (a.k.a. 5.56mm NATO) useful as a transitional training round for youngsters, or perhaps as a tertiary cartridge for arming elderly or disabled retreat residents. Period.
A tip of the hat to Claire Wolfe's Blog, for mentioning the non-fiction BBC television series Tales from the Green Valley. It follows historians and archaeologists as they recreate farm life from the age of the Stuarts. They wear the clothes, eat the food and use the tools, skills and technology of the 1620s. There are some valuable lessons learned from these exercises.
1.) Jim:
GM diesel models 1994 or later have an electronic injection pump, and are
vulnerable to EMP. Some models made before 1994 will have an electronic
glow plug controller which can be easily bypassed. From what I can gather
GM also went to "electronic" transmissions around 1994. Before
then most diesels had th350 or th400 transmissions. Some pre-1994 GM
trucks also had th700r4 transmissions that had minimal electronics, and
can be rebuilt with the electronics bypassed. Of course anything with
a manual transmission should be safe. I believe most light diesels follow
the same timeline because of EPA smog regulations that were implemented
at the time. - C.G
2.) I just had to replace the glow plug relay in my 1982 Mercedes 300SD,
and took the old one apart and found some transistors in the turn-on
timing circuit. These may get fried, but I can always put a pushbutton
on the dash to simplify the circuit. - A Marine Corps Reader
3.) Hi,
I can only speak for Fords, of which I own a 1988 F250 Diesel. The early
80's to 1994 ford In-Direct Injection (IDI) 6.9L and 7.3L diesels,
actually an International motor, have no computers. Everything, and I mean
everything, is mechanical in these motors (even the fuel pump). In
1989, Ford went to a 4 speed automatic transmission that is computer operated,
and that is the only computer in the truck. Of course, there
are electronic components in the truck: Glow Plugs, Alternator, Gauges, etc,
but the truck would keep on running and driving even if it took an
EMP hit. If the glow plug controller goes out, it might be a little hard
to start on cold days. Losing the electronic starter would cause
problems too. After 1994, the Ford diesels are called PowerStroke, and they
have computers controlling the motor.
My '88 F250 4x4 Diesel is my G.O.O.D. vehicle for good reason! - "Analog"
Jim:
Here's some of my views on some of the questions you've had in your
letters about the Beretta M92/96 series. My experience with the gun, after
use in the Army and use and ownership in the civilian world is they work
as well as any gun out there. People get entirely too territorial about handguns,
similar to the way people used to put some mystical significance to their
sword they would be carrying in feudal times. The fact is that you really
aren't any less or better armed with nearly any of the current crop of service
pistols from any of the makers. FOR THE ARMY the M9 is fine, but notice I
said FOR THE ARMY. Too many people put too much significance on what the
Big Army uses instead of looking at what they themselves need. Just because
the Army uses the M9 or M11 (SIG P228), or some police department uses Glocks,
or some instructor uses a M1911A1 doesn't make it THE BEST FOR YOU in your
individual situation. What matters is buying a quality gun that fits your
needs. Too many people go nuts over the latest gadget, kit, or weapon they
see on an internet picture of troops in combat and instantly want that item
because that must be what's needed. But even in Iraq the situation is different
than what we'd experience here in the USA, even if the same type of war was
going on. People need to take a long hard look at what they need, and gear
up for those needs, not someone else's. That covers everything from
guns, calibers, ammo, to uniforms and radios and even food. Survival is all
about your personal needs.
On the 92/96 conversions--The 92/96 conversions were originally sold by Beretta
as a set on a common frame. The factory would actually fit both top halves
to the one frame, and insure that they worked. The CDNN offering is worth
buying IMO, but there is a very small chance it might not be reliable on
a standard 9mm frame. There's no drama in getting it to work right either,
but no one should buy one and store it "just in case they need a .40" and
not first test it out extensively to wring out any problems before it is
needed. The low cost, and the flexibility it adds is worth the price, and
99% of the time these will work fine out of the box. Just make sure that
the people with the 1% get them running before they need
them.
On ball versus JHP ammo--ANY
handgun is marginal at best for stopping power compared to a rifle. The only
virtue of a sidearm is it's portability. So when it's possible, JHPs should
be used regardless of caliber. The "one box method" is a good one
for weeding out early ammo purchases, but in general no gun should be relied
upon unless the user has shot at least 500 rounds out of it without failure
of any kind. 500 rounds is not much of anything in real terms, just ten boxes
of ammo. Most of today's quality pistols will easily shoot several thousands
without any problem, and most will digest tens of thousands easily. While
I understand that you meant that one box just to weed out incompatible ammo,
someone might think one box is all you need to shoot to test for serious
use. Once you find one box that does run through the gun, they need to run
another 9 boxes at least through it to make sure it works before really having
confidence in that gun/ammo combination. FMJ is attractive from a price standpoint,
and that IS and important consideration. We've all been in a position where
we had more needs than money, and just can't run down to the store and buy
2500 rounds of JHPs or a new P220 for them to go in. So again you have to
use your own judgment. If your only handgun will only feed FMJ and you can't
afford one that will, or mods to
yours to make it feed different bull;et shapes, then buying FMJ as an interim
plan isn't a bad way to go. It's far less effective than JHP, but a jammed
gun is far less effective than one that's spitting out ball every time. Ammo
is never a waste, since you can use it for barter later, or practice now.
It will buy you time to find out what JHP works and time to buy it. It's
NOT the optimum solution by any stretch. Any time you take the "cheap
way" over the "best way", then you're losing something and
cutting corners, but the reality of life in the real world is you sometimes
have to do that. Just view it like driving your car on an emergency "doughnut" spare.
You can still move, but it's not the best solution to needing the right tire.
Speaking of tires, on bullets bouncing off of tires--This is a well known
phenomena. So well known that many PD's won't shoot at truck tires. The U.S.
Army first used stacks of tires in the early MOUT training
days (i.e. "tire houses") and found out that bullets and grenade
fragments bouncing off of them were a serious danger. Serious enough that
the Army does not use them any longer , and neither does anyone else that
has any sense for that matter. They were used for only a couple years, and
quickly dropped because too many people actually got shot by rounds that
were bouncing around. Shooting at tires of any kind is a dangerous thing
to do!
On U.S.G.I. Beretta magazines not working--The problem with them is the government
went cheap and bought essentially aftermarket mags. Gee, any lesson there?
All the bad mags are marked Checkmate Industries, or CMI. Since they've been
recalled, they may start popping up on the surplus market. Again, just because
it's "U.S.G.I." doesn't
mean it's the best way to go. Sometimes it is surplus for a reason. OBTW,
the later Checkmate mags actually have different tolerances and supposedly
work. Also BTW, "MDS" marked mags are actually a Beretta factory
product. Beretta owns MDS and that's the factory that they use to make all
their mags. Buy what you want, but this is a good case of where "U.S.G.I." might
not always be the best route to take. - Doug Carlton
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