SurvivalBlog.com

Note From JWR: Special Thanks to SurvivalBlog reader Doug H. who out of the kindness of his heart utilized some arcane scripting voodoo to add an anchor to each entry in The SurvivalBlog Glossary. Henceforth, clicking on each link to the Glossary will result in a specific entry being displayed. For example, try clicking on: "TEOTWAWKI." Note that it will take us a while to go back through and retrofit all of the existing Glossary links, to make them properly "targeted." Thanks for your patience.

The Vault Room: Preparedness in Tornado Alley, and Beyond

The recent string of tornados in the Midwest clearly illustrate that point that every family should have a very sturdy vault/safe room. Just a standard basement will not suffice as a shelter. The following newspaper quote came in the aftermath of a tornado in 2005: "...According to Rizzo, Harold O. Orlofske, 54, who died in the Stoughton tornado, had properly sought safety in the basement of his home but was killed when the chimney collapsed onto him..." (See: http://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/2005-08-23-tornado-warnings_x.htm?csp=34)

If properly constructed, one room can simultaneously fill several vital roles: Walk-in gun vault, storm shelter, fallout shelter, and panic room. By planning ahead and with only a bit more expense, you can also devise a hidden entrance to your shelter. An example of a well executed under-garage shelter was built by SurvivalBlog reader Rourke. (The gent that moderates the Yahoo Survival Retreat and Secure Home Forum) Don't miss Rourke's shelter/vault construction photos at: http://tinyurl.com/np82e.

There are lots of vendors that construct either basement or above ground safe/shelters. But beware: There are a lot of designs that cut corners. Some reputable vendors include: Gaffco (in New York, New York), Ready Made Resources (one of our loyal advertisers, in Tellico Plains, Tennessee), Remagen Safe Rooms (in Monteagle, Tennessee), SafeCastle (another one of our loyal advertisers, in Minnesota), StormSafeRoom.com (in Tulsa, Oklahoma), and USStormShelters.com (in Decatur, Texas).

If you want to have the work done by a local contractor, vault doors are also available separately from a variety of firms. For example: Chief's Security and Safes (in Dallas, Texas), Fort Knox (sold through distributors throughout the U.S.), Oregon Trail Safe Company (in Hermiston, Oregon), and Rhino Safe (in Caldwell, Idaho).

The White House Warns: Time to Stock Up on Food! We Can't Stop the Advent of the Asian Avian Flu

As ABC news reported: "In a remarkable speech over the weekend, Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt recommended that Americans start storing canned tuna and powdered milk under their beds as the prospect of a deadly bird flu outbreak approaches the United States..." See: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/print?id=1716820

Letter Re: Advice on Long Term Moth-Proof Clothing Storage?

JR-
A great deal of discussion regarding emergency kits, bug out bags, and general storage of necessities always dominates survival and preparedness related literature, web sites and blogs. I was wondering if anyone had any knowledge of the best way to pack clothing for long-term storage. Ideally, vacuum sealing of individual items as well as a complete days worth of clothing would be best, however in the absence of a close to anaerobic environment that would keep out moisture as well as most fiber eating insects such as moths from staying alive to eat holes in your clothes, what can be done to kill or neutralize insects from destroying clothing? Not everyone can afford a vacuum sealer and the costly bags that are necessary. Maybe there is a method to use common good quality garbage bags and "zip lock" bags for success. Are common mothballs sufficient to render insects dead? if so how many etc, Do any readers have any suggestions or old fashioned methods that would be helpful? Are there any Homemakers who might be able to render advice, Are there any web sites dedicated to this topic, Maybe a military Tech Manual dealing with warehousing of items might be available? I think this topic is worth exploring. Thanks, - Boosters

The Memsahib Replies: We have tried several brands of commercially-made vacuum storage bags over the years, and have been disappointed by all of them. Nothing bigger that the small Food Saver bags (which we use for socks and other small articles of clothing) seems to hold its seal for a long period of time. Either the plastic breaks down and the bags develop splits, or they get punctured with handling, or the various sealing mechanisms don't retain their airtight integrity. :-( Do any SurvivalBlog readers know of a brand that really works for long term storage?

Letter Re: Asian Avian Flu, Storage Food, and the Current Bulk Ammo Shortage

Mr. Rawles,
Katie bar the door, get your beans and bullets, now. Driving into work I heard the supreme potentate Sean Hannity himself say that he had a stockpile of food as well as a separate broadcast facility closer to his house with generator back-up and its own satellite feed for when “times got bad.” His caller was giving Sean the Mormon guide to foodstuff stocking per adult per year. I don’t know what the lead in for this discussion was about, it might have been Asian Avian flu or the Iran situation, but I thought it was interesting that a national audience heard a national commentator state he had a stockpile in place and thought it was a good idea. I bet Sam’s Club will be overrun tomorrow morning.

Speaking of Bird Flu, I am a nurse in an ER in Texas and we (Doctors/Nurses) just had to complete an internal continuing education course on how to contend with a flu pandemic. After finishing the course we (nurses) came to the conclusion that when this transpires there will not be enough supplies/medication/respirators/positive pressure rooms to go around. It will be beyond most humans’ comprehension how fast the medical infrastructure as we know it will crumble.

A side note on the ammunition threads that have popped up lately. I have the great fortune of living near Cabela’s, Cheaper Than Dirt and numerous Academy Sporting Good stores. Academy has virtually NO handgun ammunition on the shelf in any store. The clerk told me there would be none in the foreseeable future because their warehouses have none. Cheaper Than Dirt has NO 7.62 [NATO] on the shelf and has had none for the last two months. I was at Cabela’s last week and they had the handgun ammo and .223 but I could not find 7.62. The local gun show in Dallas this past weekend did have all types of ammo and that situation was taken advantage of, believe me. I would advise stocking up ASAP, guns/ammo sales are skyrocketing. R.S., RN

Odds 'n Sods:

o o o

I just heard that Ready Made Resources has received some scarce late issue digital TA -1042A/U U.S. military field telephones, brand new in the box. This is the current issue type requires a four conductor wire (or two runs of standard WD-1 commo wire.) The good news is that you can talk in full duplex! Any 12 volt power source works fine: a car battery, motorcycle battery, or a pair of lantern batteries. You can talk point-to-point with these without having go through a switchboard. They have just a few pairs available, so don't hesitate.

Bill Bonner, editor of The Daily Reckoning cites an ominous piece that ran in The Wall Street Journal: “More than $2 trillion of U.S. mortgage debt, or about a quarter of all mortgage loans outstanding, comes up for interest-rate resets in 2006 and 2007,” reports the WSJ this morning. “...some borrowers will have trouble meeting the higher payments and may be forced to sell their homes or could lose their homes to foreclosures.”

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"Thou [art] my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God. Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope. Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.
Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit [is] falsehood. Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth [like] dross: therefore I love thy testimonies." - Psalm 119:114-119 (KJV)

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Note from JWR: We are still in need of more advertisers so that we will be able to make ends meet when SurvivalBlog becomes my primary source of income, starting in April. If you know of any potential advertisers, please call or send them an e-mail, and encourage them to get a banner ad. These ads start at just $55 per month. That is dirt cheap advertising.

SurvivalBlog Now Hosts Free Downloadable Shooting Targets and Target Logs for Your PC Printer!

As a public service in support of military, police, and citizen marksmanship, SurvivalBlog.com is pleased to provide web site space for The Target Tracker System^© (TTS) and The Target Tracker System - Law Enforcement^© (TTSLE). Just click on the Free Targets / Logs button in our top bar and then click on the links for the .zip files. Our sincere thanks to DBG, who donated these products as a fundraising vehicle for SurvivalBlog!

David in Israel Re: A Winter Crossing

While living on the dry side of the state of Oregon [eastern Oregon] while in college, my bugout plan always included heading to one of two prepped positions one a cramped remote cabin and some buckets of food and gear the other a friend who had well prepared but was too close to a highway. Circumstances would have dictated which to go to. In winter, my plan was to ski and sled in my gear. Without the assistance of a massive snow plowing network, much of the northern United States would be locked-in, once winter arrived. Almost all logging roads and highways would be closed until the snow melts. This seasonal closure can actually work for your retreat, by providing cheap security--filtering to just a tiny number of Sno-cats and snowmobiles with any possible access. I will leave discussion of snowmobiles, sleighs, and dog teams to an expert.

What you need:
Skis & Ski climbing (skins and/or wax and klister)
Boots
Sled
Collapsible shovel
Sleeping gear
High calorie foods
Powerful stove

You must become comfortable with your gear experience is the best way. I started with surplus Ramer bindings and upgraded to Silveretta 300s using military double chamber touring skis. Some prefer Telemark bindings over the randonee bindings. I stayed with the double chamber to take advantage of using climbing wax,
turning was not a major concern since I was not planning to be a sport user. I bought about 10 sets of military synthetic Ramer brand strap on skins at $5 a pair and
converted several to sticky on. There may be much better gear on the market now see if you can rent from a shop before you buy. Plastic mountaineering boots are warm comfortable and you can carry several liners if they get wet, assuming that you are sleeping warm you can take the liners into your sleeping bag. A mountaineering boot is designed for crampon use or direct walking on rock and ice for extended periods of time almost all have a hiking boot type vibram sole. While they are not the ideal for sport skiing control, a randonee binding is designed to fit this type of boot.

Your sled can be anything from a long kids sled and rope (better if you put PVC pipe extenders to a belt for downhill control) to expensive rescue or military models the better the sled the longer the life and usually easier to control in a downhill mode. [JWR Adds: For a team of four or more people, the large U.S. Army "Ahkio" sled is excellent. They can occasionally be found at DRMO auctions at military posts like Sierra Army Depot; California; Fort Carson, Colorado; Fort Drum, New York; and Fort Greeley, Alaska.]

The packable snow shovel a back country skiers friend dig you a nice burrow into the snow so you stay cozy no matter how cold it gets, digs out avalanche victims, and helps make igloo blocks. Be careful and build a safe snow cave. If you like snow caves a Goretex bivvy bag is a good way to keep your sleeping bag dry, don't forget an insulating layer (foam, thermarest, pine boughs, cardboard, etc). If you prefer a tent be sure it is a true four season tent, designed to withstand heavy snow and wind.
High calorie foods with lots of fats and protein are important in winter ops both for warmth and endurance. High protein and fat diets will require much higher water intake to metabolize. A Camelbak worn over your belly and sipped regularly is ideal. BTW, a gulp of olive oil before bed raises your body temp a little to
digest keeping you warm at night. Water generation in a snow-covered environment is harder than it sounds. Forget eating snow it is water negative once you calculate the calories required for your body to melt and heat it. Consider it a worthless junk food. To melt snow you must carry a pot and a proper stove. The MSR series especially the XGK are made for blasting snow into water in a few minutes and they burn like an F-14's engine ready for a carrier catapult launch! Use large stainless steel camp set pot if possible because there is a potential for dry spots at first and aluminum may burn, adding melted water helps spread the heat much faster.

An Aside: Bunny Socks
As almost nobody packs enough wool socks to last forever remember that rabbit skin after it is washed and tanned can be worn with the fur side to the feet, to winterize a pair of boots--especially in the absence of proper socks. These also make inner moccasins for your outer leathers if you have to make your own boots.

Letter Re: Home Dehydrating and Home Vacuum Packing

Sir:
As a "very long time" survivalist, I read everything I can get. I also enjoy your website as it is the most informative one out there! Now for my problem: I was diagnosed with what is called Celiac Sprue. This is a horrible allergy to anything that contains Gluten, such as wheat, barley, and rye. What this means is that if I were to eat anything that contained Gluten I will come down with extremely bad cramps, diarrhea, nausea, and fever. Basically, It feels like I have the flu but ten times worse. As you can see this makes buying large bulk items for long term storage difficult and costly. My question to all is this: Can I get a dehydrator and an automatic sealer and vacuum to make my own MREs? I am talking about things like Thai noodles (various flavors, all Gluten free), hydrate and cook them and then turn around and use a dehydrator to make them dehydrated, or, just seal them in a pouch minus the air and use them as long term pre-packaged/MRE type food? Does anybody have any experience in doing just this? Thanks, - Thunderchief

JWR Replies: Home dehydrators are very useful! Over the years, we have used ours for everything from drying venison jerky and apples, to "reanimating" silica gel rust preventative packets. Dehydrators easy to find used for reasonable prices, via a newspaper "want" ad, or a localized web service like Craig's List. Dehydrators are a bit bulky to buy via mail order, so try to find a local source first.) If purchased new, they can be quite expensive. The one that we use at the Rawles Ranch is an Excalibur brand, with a variable temperature control. They are very sturdy and typically have lots of trays, so they can hold a lot. Ours is circa 1980, and still going strong, with no maintenance. They require AC power, so in anticipation of he grid going down, you should already have a backup solar dehydrator, or at least all of the materials that you will need to fabricate one, after TSHTF. (See: http://www.standardtimes.com/daily/08-02/08-31-02/c02li087.htm and http://www.pathtofreedom.com/pathproject/offthegrid/solarfooddryer.shtml, and http://www.herbdatanz.com/sia4_dehydration_apparatus.htm. OBTW, rolls of window screen are great to keep on hand at a retreat, just on general principle. For build ing a dehydrator, a spring house, or a meat house, they will prove invaluable!) You can use the trays from your Excalibur in a properly dimensioned DIY solar dehydrator if you don't get it too hot.

As for a vacuum sealer, the brand that we like and have used for more than 10 years--is the Tilia Foodsaver Compact. Yep, it the one that you've seen on those late night "infomercials." They really do work, both for evacuating and sealing plastic bags, and for evacuating Mason-type jars. To save money, it is probably best to buy one of these used, through eBay. Just be sure that the seller guarantees it against being DOA. Test it thoroughly, immediately after you buy it. Be advised that they are only designed to seal one particular thickness of plastic bags, and they have a limited maximum width.You should shop around for bags and bag material on the Internet as prices vary dramatically!

Odds 'n Sods:

Mr. Bravo mentioned that prices are falling on lithium batteries for Surefire (and similar) high-performance flashlights and lasers. The batteries do not have to be expensive (up to $10 each at the camera department!) There are many discount online sources that sell them in bulk for not much more than a dollar a piece. Even Surefire sells them for under $2 per battery. See: http://www.surefire.com

I've received several positive e-mails from readers who have bought traps, snares, and gill nets from Buckshot's Camp. Now that Mr and Mrs. Buckshot have completed their move, they have cleared up their backlog of orders. So if you were waiting because of their move, there is no more need to hesitate. Get your orders in. Start studying their instructional DVDs, and try out their gear this Spring. Pound for pound and dollar for dollar, I can't think of any other survival preparation that can do more to ensure that you can feed your family in a long term emergency. Don't overlook this aspect of your training and preparedness!

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?"
- William Butler Yeats

Monday, March 13, 2006

A SurvivalBlog Reader at Front Sight, by The Wanderer

Where to begin? I have to preface this letter by thanking you for making me aware of Front Sight Resorts. I had heard of it before, but had not understood the value that waits, nor the reality of the training. This is the best investment I have made.
I decided to take a Four Day Defensive Handgun class at Front Sight. I found myself second-guessing my investment of both money and time away from work/family. The concern of the investment ended as soon as I met the staff. Talk about Qualified! Let's say Over Qualified. I don't want to get into details as it would not be coming from a professional that is trained to teach like only the professionals at Front Sight can do.
I would say that I started the course with "an appreciation" and "hobbyist" type handgun shooter mentality. I can guarantee that I had fired less than 1,500 rounds through a handgun before heading to the course.
In the course, constructed of lecture, tactical, hands on, and firing type curriculum, we went through approximately 850 rounds of ammo bringing my totals to a modest 2,350 rounds ever fired through a handgun of which I had only fired 150 rounds through the weapon/tool that I took to the course before enrolling! (As a side note, I very much give you the advice of taking a Glock brand handgun for this course simply for maximum benefit). Other type handguns were very specific on how you perform tactics and safety. It freed up time to focus on the training and not be distracted by the numerous operations of other type handguns such as Berettas. (You can rent a gun while there as well.)
The days are very intense, not information overload, but information sponge! This is priceless instruction. I can guarantee that my instructors were the perfect marriage for any type learning, thus giving you maximum retention. I felt that I had received my "money's worth" in the first two days. In enrolling in the four day course, I soon realized that if you make the commitment to go to Front Sight, make it a full commitment and go for four days. I went from basics to Professional by staying the additional two days.
Here are some tips for when you go, (not if you go).
1. Flush your pride down the toilet before you attend
2. Focus on the reason you are there
3. Realize that everything you learn WILL benefit you and your loved ones
4. Use your ears, not your mouth while there
5. Realize that there are only a handful of professionals at the course. (The instructors, not you)
6. YOU WILL MAKE HUGE GAINS in knowledge, tactics, and marksmanship.
7. Just because Las Vegas is close does not mean you go there while in training!
8. Every night's sleep is too short. You wake up practicing, you think about what you've learned, you anticipate the next day. There is no time for partying!
9. Plan scientific meals. (I took current Issue MREs) for lunch. The energy this provided me gave me an advantage in retention and ability.
10. Dry Practice EVERY night.
11. Set a goal, achieve it or surpass it as I did.
12. You may feel intimidated by your peers, (So What). Will you not feel intimidated by a potential assailant? Our group ranged from the basic service type jobs to Doctors, Attorneys, SWAT Team Members, Policemen, EMTs, and Housewives.
13. Every student is one more person that may save your life some day, give them respect, give them advice, take their advice. We all have the same goals!
14. Many students were returning students, (some on their fourth visit to this particular course. Some came from as far away as New York). Thus giving relevance to obtaining a membership in which you can attend specific classes as many times as you like for the rest of your life.
15. Practice Perfect Practice. I did this at a speed in which I was slower than everyone else, but on testing day, the speed came naturally as the technique was perfected. I was awarded "Distinguished Graduate" on my first course to Front Sight, performing at 90% or more in the tactics and shooting tests. I believe there were four others awarded likewise. Some of the Distinguished Graduates were returning students during our week.
16. Block out distractions. (Make a plan, and have someone cover your job, family life, etc. for you). I did not take my cell phone to Front Sight ever. I saw many getting distracted and missing valuable information for whatever reason.
17. Make a commitment towards ongoing practice/ training. You could be a Rambo one day, and a bumbling idiot the next. Learn, practice = retention.

I would love to give specifics, as these are countless. But in doing so, I could be poisoning the well. Go there with an open mind; be ready to change your techniques. You will come away with more benefit in just a few days than you could possibly ever imagine. I now have a confidence that I have never felt before, and best of all; I feel that I owe it to my family. I know that I will be there for them. - The Wanderer

David in Israel on Flashlights and Batteries

For a non tactical flashlight (momentary/click button on bottom) I prefer the Underwater Kinetics flashlight. These use four size AA batteries.They are widely used as firefighter helmet lights and survive well, even in fire/ground abuse environments. I try to keep everything standardized to AA and have a large stock of NiMH and lithium-ion rechargeables around. For long term kit storage the comments about 9 VDC lithium is right on, AA lithium batteries are also available in the camera section and can be expected to last much longer in storage than alkalines. I try to avoid CR-123 tactical and laser gear as both the rechargeable and disposable cells are quite expensive.

JWR Adds: Underwater Kinetics also makes some very rugged Pelican-style hard cases.

Letter Re: Shelf Life of NiMH Batteries?

JWR,
There have been a few posts about batteries lately and a question I have been unable to find an answer to is:

Do Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries have a limited storage life before they are put into service (receive their first electric charge)? It would be nice to know if I can buy a quantity and store them away until needed. I've not seen this addressed anywhere and maybe you know or one of your readers knows the answer. Regards, - Keith

JWR Replies: That goes beyond my base of knowledge. Would any readers care to chime in on this one?

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent." - President Calvin Coolidge

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Note from JWR: Please help boost the worldwide readership of SurvivalBlog. We now have readers in 40+ countries! (See: http://clustrmaps.com/counter/maps.php?url=http://www.SurvivalBlog.com ) Please tell all of your friends and relatives that live overseas about the blog, especially ex-pats, and deployed military service members. And for those of you in the corporate world, please tell your co-workers that are at off-shore centers. Thanks!

Letter From David in Israel Re: Fire Protection for Log Homes

James,
In response to The Army Aviator: Sodium silicate a.k.a. waterglass might be able to make wood water resistant. I would treat a shingle and then test it with a blow torch.

I am a big proponent of Barricade gel which is the same dry gel which is in baby diapers. (See: http://www.barricadegel.com/ ) It was available in a home protection kit and is probably the next best thing to a house-sized fire shelter but for a much lower price. The only problem is that Barricade needs to be sprayed on around 24 hours before the flames come. Otherwise it will dry out and become less effective. - David

Letter Re: Seeking Advice on 27 Year Old Storage Food

Jim,
I apologize if you've already covered this in previous archives - I searched several, but not all, of your blog archives. I did see your comment, "Wheat stores for 20+ years..." I have a LOT of wheat purchased in 1979 after reading Howard Ruff's "How to Prosper During the Coming Bad Years." I have other items - Navy and other types of beans. It is by Neo-Life, "NEST" storage, "Nitro-Guard" protection - it was stored in #10 cans purged with with nitrogen. So it is all 25+ years old. I have been storing this stuff in my basement, which is cool and mostly dry, on 2x4's up off the floor. I keep the humidity below 40% with a de-humidifier. My question is, have these items lost enough of their nutrition value to where it would be a waste of time trying to use them? My wife wants to throw it all out, and I probably will, unless you someone can point me to a source that would say this stuff is probably still good to use. Surprisingly, "Google" has failed me this time - I spent several hours looking for an answer, to no avail (I have used Google for literally hundreds of searches and it almost always gets the information I need.) What do you think? - Mike from Chicago

JWR Replies: Some items like salt will store for centuries as long as they are not contaminated by the rust or decay of their containers. If stored dry, hard red winter wheat still retains 98% of it nutritive value after 20 years. Ditto for sugar or honey. Most dehydrated foods, (such as rice, beans, TVP, and the ubiquitous Neo-Life Stroganoff) will have lost too much nutritive value to be useful after 27 years, even if they were nitrogen packed. They might still be palatable, but unless you are dieting, what is the use of eating them if they have lost 90% of their nutritive value? My advice: If in doubt, throw it out. Ideally, you should continuously rotate your storage food to avoid such waste. If nothing else, mark the cans/cases of your subsequent batches of storage food, so that you can religiously use the oldest lots first.

One tidbit of trivia for you: Some wheat that was found in an Egyptian pharaoh's tomb. A small fraction of it still sprouted after 2,600 years. If you have any canned gardening seeds, try them out. The sprouting yields will be low, but there could be some marginal utility there. Just don't expend too much effort tilling and tending those those rows in your garden! BTW, the same logic applies to canned sprouting seeds.

Letter Re: Advice on When to Sell Silver?

Dear Mr. Rawles,
I read on The Claire Files that you think silver will be going to $40 an ounce. My spouse and I can't agree when we should sell our 8,000 ounces of silver. I think we should hang on to it all until it gets to $20 and ounce then sell. But my spouse thinks we should start selling now. What do you think? By the way, we purchased most of it at $5 an ounce in the form of 100 ounce bars. We also have about a bag and a half of "junk" silver dimes.- F.L.

JWR Replies: First, you need to distinguish between a core holding (for barter), and what you bought for investment purposes. My advice is to sell your family core holding--perhaps 800 to 1,500 ounces--only as a last resort. As for the rest, be dispassionate about selling it. Don't try to time the top of the market. Since spot silver is currently at around $9.80/oz., (and it was recently $10.18) so it is has essentially doubled since you bought it. At present, you could sell half of it and recoup your original investment, and still be sitting on 4,000 ounces at essentially no cost. (BTW, don't forget to consider both taxes and the "opportunity cost" of missing out on the interest that you would have otherwise earned in a dollar-denominated investment during he same years that you held the silver.)

There is an old saying on Wall Street: "Bulls make money, and bears make money, but pigs get slaughtered." If you wait until silver hits some magic/arbitrary number, you might miss the peak, and hence get slaughtered when the metals go back into a bear market cycle. That is what happened to a lot of folks, back around 1981. When silver ran up past $35 an ounce, they decided to hold on "a little while longer." Oink oink. Big mistake. They should have gradually averaged their way out, during the second half of the the run-up.

Based on my assumption that you have 80 bars (100 ounce bars) that had a purchase cost of $500 each, here is my specific advice on when to sell:

Core holding: (All of your circulated "junk" coin bags.) Hold and don't sell unless you are in desperate need.

Silver exceeds $20 per ounce (4x cost): Sell another 8 bars. ($16,000.) This gets you past your "break even" point on your original investment. Everything past this will be gravy.

Even if silver crashes after passing $20 per ounce, you will still have recouped your original investment and have 48 bars (4,800 ounces) of silver remaining. But if silver runs up past $40 per ounce, you will have $197,600 in cash. Not bad for a $40,000 investment!.

Odds 'n Sods:

I'm down in Reno this weekend for the The Big Reno Show. Quite a gun show! All quality gear--no flea market Schumer. I dropped by the table run by Darryl Holland (of Holland's of Oregon), and sent him home a Browning A-Bolt bolt action rifle for "the usual" treatment: I have him thread the muzzles of all of our hunting rifles with 1/2" x 28 threads for a Holland's muzzle brake. The same threads can also be used for Smith Enterprise Vortex flash hiders. This way the rifles can serve double duty as tactical guns. I highly recommend that you do likewise. OBTW, I also highly recommend all of Darryl Holland's gunsmithing services and videos. And I also have his cheek rest stock pouches on five of the rifles up at the ranch.

SurvivalBlog reader Steve H. recommends this source for inexpensive 9 VDC Lithium batteries ($2.50 each), and numerous others in all sizes and types. http://www.cheapbatteries.com

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"We’re advising our clients to put everything they’ve got into canned foods and shotguns.”- The Brain Gremlin, Gremlins 2

Saturday, March 11, 2006

Letter Re: Question on "Dried" Foods Versus "Dehydrated" Storage Foods

Jim,
Is there any difference between dried food and dehydrated food, and if there is, what is the difference? - G.P.

JWR Replies: I'm glad that you asked that, because it is often a point of confusion. Although semantically they mean the same thing, the difference is that "dehydrated" storage foods typically are dried to a greater extent than typical dried foods--such as the raisins and other dried fruits that are sold at your local grocery store. However, due to their lower moisture content and because they are usually sold in sealed, nitrogen-packed, cans makes them store for several years instead of just a few months. Also, don't forget that "dehydrated" is far different than freeze drying, which can result in even longer storage life, particularly if canned.

Letter Re: Alternative to Creosote for Preserving Wood?

James:
I have taken a leave and am now caught back up on the blog. I was away and talked to my wife every night and she always stated that I must be going crazy not reading SurvivalBlog every night! She was right! Upon returning home, did I return my calls, e-mails, or mail first,.hardly, it was a crash course of GBID (get back into Dodge) mentally by reading what I had missed on Survivalblog. A few topics have arisen that I wanted to comment on (FWIW).

FENCING/CREOSOTE/TELEPHONE POLES-
I have had the benefit of picking the pocket of an old timer that owns and operates a saw mill. He states that the unique properties of White Oak offer a huge resistance to insects and rot. He gives a 15 year "warranty" on 4" diameter and larger posts. He claims to get 25 years out of a 6" post. Both buried in the ground with no topical treatment process. He recommended adding gravel at the base and around the post for added longevity.
He also mentioned that longer lengths are getting harder to get, (i.e.- 16 feet). The disadvantage is the hardness of the item. In a cattle/livestock operation he almost instantly recommended the soft wood poplar or cottonwood as good (give/take) type fences. Not hard and brittle, but fairly resilient.
I know that utility companies are pulling out the "evil" creosote poles and replacing with green treated or chromated copper arsenate (CCA) impregnated posts. These are very inadequate comparably. Talk to your local utilities. Ask if you can get on the list to receive these used poles for next to nothing or free. You may have to sign a waiver that you will not hold the company responsible if you use these for structural purposes, (i.e.- Morton building), etc.
I personally can attest that the worst part of these poles is the part that is highest in the air. You can typically get four very heavy duty corner posts out of each pole. Not to mention the copper staples and wire that is still attached to them for reclaiming at the steel yard.
Another thought just came to mind. In the event of TEOTWAWKI, communication lines would likely be down. If running long strands of hardwire, (such as field phones, intercoms, etc.) Why not use ultimate caution and attach your wire to the "worthless" utility company poles until a later time when you can "trench" in your wire? You may be able to connect to a neighbor or a far end of your property without the labor of digging a lengthy trench to bury the wire in. This could get you up and running very quickly rather than weeks of excavation. Safety would have to be a must, instead of using a ladder that you can reach up to the danger height of electrical wire contact, dedicate a short ladder that gets your communication wire just above reaching height without the inherent dangers of contacting the power lines. This suggestion of course is a last recourse and is intended to be of benefit to you in the event of a GRID DOWN situation where the power lines would likely have been rendered inert. Please use your head.

SURVIVAL GAME-
A fellow blog reader mentioned something about a survival game. I have purchased one and am not giving it my recommendation yet, but would be interested in knowing if the information is in fact accurate and applicable. The name of the game is: "The Worst-Case Scenario Game" by University Games. It has approximately 600 questions that are noteworthy if accurate. My family very much enjoys playing the game, however we find more enjoyment in just reading the cards as almost no one scores well. (This is a good thing as we are learning from it). Even the repeat questions are a good thing. I would recommend separating the cards into four equal groups. Wrap a rubber band around each of the four. Put three bundles of cards into a Ziploc baggie, and concentrate on the first group. It may prove more retention if the same card is asked twice at some point. This keeps things interesting for all age groups.

THE RECENT INTERNET DISCUSSIONS ON MULCH-
I have read varying opinions on the reality of the warnings about landscaping mulch coming from the disease and termite infested regions of New Orleans, or other such disaster affected areas. A person would be ignorant to think that micro-organisms could not exist in a plastic bag that is placed in the sun for weeks and delivered across the U.S.A. Last time I opened a bag of mulch, it was soaked with condensation, (prime breeding grounds for disease in my opinion). What the extent of these organisms are, would be, or could be, are open for discussion. I don't know if termites could survive the packaging/processing, but it IS possible in my opinion (i.e.- tears in bags). This cause for concern should follow right into purchasing vehicles, appliances, furniture, or any used home furnishings that may emerge from disaster areas. Do the research, eBay can be great, ask for a copy of the title or registration, and verify that this vehicle was not registered in those regions.

Again, wishes of success during your transition into full time blogging. It is a selfish wish along with a supportive wish. The practical information I receive does not have a dollar amount on it. Thank You! - The Wanderer

Letter Re: PTR-91 Clones of HK91 Rifles, and Set Trigger Modification

Mr. Rawles:
In answer to the question from Steve (posted on March 9, 2006, the PTR-91 clone is considered one of the best on the market, I have original 1980s versions of the factory HK91s and I think that they compare well.
Williams Trigger Specialties provides a modification I would highly recommend. I have the set "paddle" trigger on all of my HKs and the work is excellent and the results are amazing - a crisp set trigger breaking at 4 pounds. Lower than the 5 to 6 pounds advertised. Worth every penny. Their site: http://www.williamstriggers.com/page4.htm They state: "WTS PSG1 style trigger modification is also available for your factory HK or factory JLD PTR, for $200.00 + $14.00 return Shipping/Handling/Insurance. Your lower receiver is required for this work. Because of questionable trigger parts quality, no other clones trigger assemblies are acceptable." - Wotan

Odds 'n Sods:

Rourke mentioned this cool site about hidden storage and passageways. (Best viewed with a broadband connection.) See: http://www.hiddenpassageway.com/

SurvivalBlog reader "gman" recommends this source for inexpensive 9VDC lithium batteries ($2.50 each), and numerous others in all sizes and types.
www.cheapbatteries.com

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the Government's purposes are beneficent. Men born to freedom are naturally alert to repel invasion of their liberty by evil-minded rulers. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding."- Justice Louis D. Brandeis, U.S. Supreme Court Judge. Source: Justice Louis D. Brandeis, dissenting, Olmstead v. United States,
277 US 479 (1928)

Friday, March 10, 2006

Note from JWR: Don't forget to send you entries for the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best contest entry will win a "Gray" (first-timers) four day course certificate at Front Sight. (An up to $2,000 value!) The deadline for entries for Round 3 is March 31, 2006.

Right Out the Window, by Rourke

Windows give you natural light and solar heat gain, but they are also the most strategically vulnerable part of your home or retreat and largest source of heat loss in conventional construction. The R value (measuring insulation or resistance to heat flow, the higher the more insulting something is http://rvalue.net ) may be an incomplete, and “apples to oranges” number as pointed out by David South of Monolithic Domes http://www.monolithicdome.com/plan_design/rfairy/ but, for my purposes here it does give us a reasonably quantitative basis for comparison. Remember, the higher the R number, the higher the degree of insulation. Here in Wisconsin, builders now try and reach R [insulation] values of 29 for exterior walls, and R40 for attics. People tend to take notice if those numbers are much lower, such as a wall in an old house which is ONLY R12. Yet, people don’t seem to even notice or care that their windows, even the “high efficiency” double casement windows, are but a mere R2 or maybe R3. That, and the transparency of glass for both light and infrared heat, serves to work against you especially if faced with dangerous temperature extremes (survival situations). In the summer, when you want to cool your home, light comes pouring in, quickly heating your home since the thermal mass it shines on is usually inadequate to absorb the energy without heating up substantially. At night, the reverse happens, and the heat goes pouring out of your home through your windows. The other big downside to windows is their vulnerability. Obviously they are easy to break through, unless you use very expensive Lexan or Plexiglas products. Worse, particularly during high winds, tornados, and hurricanes, projectiles coming through non-tempered glass can create a highly dangerous sharp shower of glass for anyone in the line of fire far worse than the original projectile. The rest of this article is to suggest some simple solutions to mitigate the problems of having windows, and to provide numerous links to expose you to some of the products and ideas out there on the topic.
We can start by talking about high efficiency windows, but R numbers are so low, even for the good ones, that it becomes a minor factor against other things you can do. First, at least make sure you windows have tight air seals, no drafts. That exceeds even the low R value of windows problem, especially in high winds. We just want to have to worry about solar and infra red heat gain and losses http://www.humboldt.edu/~ges7/windows.htm so grab some plastic, tape, weather stripping, caulk, and maybe that 3M product you apply and seal with a hair dryer http://besttop.ru/cat495374 and get those windows sealed up tight before you consider anything else.
To keep the warmth out, there are exterior screens http://www.rollac.com/screen.html. A great inexpensive source for items including sunlight controls is http://www.growersupply.com/. Order the catalog, it is so full of great stuff and also goes over using water as thermal mass. This link has been on SurvivalBlog before, and for good reason, get it. There is also such thing as a blast curtain safety drape: http://www.safetydrape.com/options.php#gallery
To improve cold weather energy efficiency, keep the heat in, consider adding triple honeycomb cell pull shades one the inside, giving you a R value gain of R3.3 to 3.8 (the numbers are cumulative, you can add them, i.e. window R2 + honeycomb R3.5= R5.5) A good source is http://www.smithandnoble.com and more specifically the honeycombs here: http://tinyurl.com/3ybq8. Two more European solutions are between the window models: http://www.swissshade.com/fauser_complete_system.htm and exterior roll downs http://www.betterhaus.com/ , or see a US model on the subject for hurricane protection: http://www.rollac.com/shutters.html.
For exterior storm protection, there are new windows made to take greater punishment, and after Katrina this has become a growing market. One example is Silverline’s Weather Stopper series: http://www.silverlinewindows.com/index.cfm. Another shatter guarding product, perhaps even more extreme is http://www.shattergard.com/home.html or from 3M http://www.tropictint.net/commercial.html. Although the idea of fabric is usually to block the sun, a new breed of hurricane fabric shutters for external window protection now exists http://steelframehousing.org/specialty%20products/fabric_shutters.htm
Then there are good old fashion window shutters. This is a decorative step up from your 5/8” Oriented Strand Board (OSB) plywood. If you plan to go the way of plywood though, at least build your frame in such a way that attachment will be solid and quick to do. The extra consideration here is to insulate your shutter (or plywood) if possible, in addition to making them strong enough to do the job. This is another area where there are many new choices with recent high hurricane years http://www.stormshutters.com/, http://www.windshutters.com/, http://www.floridashuttersinc.com/ and don’t forget a good set of hinges http://www.hardwaresource.com/ . Also there are accordion shutters for the inside http://www.roll-a-way.com/products/products.html#Accordion
Alternatives to windows all together include products such as solatube http://www.solatube.com/residential.php or the more extreme idea of “piping” in light, without the heat, concentrated by a collector dish through fiber optics http://pesn.com/2005/07/27/9600139_Fiber_Optics_Bring_Sun_Indoors/ .
So don’t let your window to the world be a gateway for heat loss, unwanted solar gain, or the very unwanted point of uninvited entry. As a closing thought, consider also a quality periscope before you go peeking your face out in the window: http://www.telescopes.com/products/Sportscope_Zoom_4x-9x_Periscope_18172.html This is no toy, it works great. - Rourke website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/survivalretreat/

Letter from The Army Aviator Re: PAL Lights, NiMH 9VDC Batteries, and Fire Protection for Log Homes

Jim:
I've been really busy lately, which is good. A fair bit of information from your great blog parallels my experiences and here's some hopefully helpful information which I have gleaned:
1) PAL lights: Have several and always been pleased with them. [See: http://www.buckshotscamp.com/Flashlight-PALight-Sales.htm]
I found a great rechargeable 9 volt NiMH high capacity battery. Wow, they really do have JUICE! Once fully charged several times, they outlive any non-rechargeable battery I've found and they work well with solar charging.
One 9V NiMH 250mAh Rectangular NiMH Rechargeable Battery ---Ultrahigh capacity
http://www.batteryspace.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1995
(BTW, I have purchased a lot of NiMH batteries from these people and always been pleased.)
Also, with NiMH rechargeable batteries, you have to cycle them several times before they achieve full capacity. My first experience with them was disappointing. I thought "Darn, I had hoped these would be better than this." But after several charges, they really came to life.
2) Regarding "Buckshot on: What do Canadian Bush Pilots Carry?": When I was flying oil exploration in northern Maine and southern Quebec during the the winter, I had a pair of snowshoes and a reliable 30-30 lever action carbine strapped to the engine mounts. Fortunately, the engine never quit. Had it quit, I would have been wishing for Buckshot's list. However, the 30-30 met the need more than once.

Here's a request for advice: My house is old, old cedar logs and with another round of drought apparently coming around, I'm looking at fire protection. When we were kids, we used waterglass to fireproof stuff and I wonder if I could soak my log house with waterglass? Any comments will be appreciated. What the heck is waterglass anyway? - The Army Aviator

Odds 'n Sods:

Late last year, a buck goat reportedly attacked Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe. This was during a gas station stop while the presidential motorcade was en route to the mountain resort of Nyanga. The attack injured Mugabe's scrotum and lower bowel. Apparently, the local livestock has more gumption than the local populace. The citizens of Zimbabwe should learn from this goat.

I just heard that George at The Pre-1899 Specialist just got in another small batch of pre-1899 Turkish contract 8 x57 Oberndorf Model 1893 Mausers. He says that these are in the nicest condition 1893s that he's ever seen. (Far better than the "beater" Turks that Sportsman's Guide is currently selling for $299 each.) George's prices will range from $199 to $425 each, depending on wood, bore, and bluing condition. Each comes with a bayonet and scabbard. Many of these are collector grade. Here is your chance to buy a Federally-exempt (no-FFL) Mauser with no stinkin' paperwork! (Consult you State and local laws before ordering.)

Jim's Quote of the Day:

“So this is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause." - Padmé Amidala, Star Wars Episode III, Revenge of the Sith

Thursday, March 9, 2006

Letter from Sweden Re: Public Anxiety Over Asian Avian Flu

Hi Jim!
Long time no answer. Sorry about that! I've been reading you blog for a while now, and find features like the Claire Files Forum very readable and useful. The Retreat Areas, Profiles and Survival Guns sections are my favourites! You guys have been doing a great work putting you blog together.

Right now here in Scandinavia there is a lots of focus in the media on AAV H5N1 Birds are flying north and bringing the virus with them! And many are really afraid of mutation of that virus! And local authorities have not readiness enough if something happens. Here a couple a weeks ago some people called the cops (I was monitoring my scanner) of some dead birds in a pond, police arrived, they called fire department, they called county health and it ended with the military came and take care of the dead animals. Guess how many curious people wanted to see what is going on??? Just in case its good to be prepared, at least know what to do if something breaks out! Take care and keep on blogging! Cheers - Jan

Letter Re: Sources for PAL 9VDC Flashlights and Ultra-Long Life 9VDC Batteries

JR,
Please let us know more about the 9 volt PAL light, where can we purchase these? Thanks. Also, if a reader is concerned about shelf life of the battery, a very long lasting 9 Volt battery is made that was designed to be used in smoke detectors, it also works in AC-powered alarm clocks that have a battery back up when the power goes out... Sorry, I don't remember off hand the exact name or what they are called but they are common enough to be purchased at the local Radio Shack.......they cost about $8 a few years ago when I was working for a TV station, we used them a great deal in wireless microphones etc. - R.B.S.

JWR Replies: The PAL lights are sturdy little flashlights that are rectangular--just a bit bigger than a 9 volt battery. They have a VERY long life. They are available from Buckshot's Camp and several other vendors, for less than $20. See: http://www.buckshotscamp.com/Flashlight-PALight-Sales.htm The ultra long life lithium 9 VDC batteries that you mentioned are available from many electronics and hardware stores. For our readers that live out in the boonies, they are also available via mail order from Newark Electronics. Newark's order # for the lithium battery is: 291-735. They are $8.19 each. (Yikes! Hopefully they are a bit less expensive at your local Radio Shack.) See: http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:HUs3OCPlOTAJ:www.newark.com/product-details/text/mcm

Letter Re: A Second Silver Exchange Traded Fund

Mr. and Mrs. Rawles,
I just read this article today and thought it would be of interest to the Survival Blog readers: http://www.resourceinvestor.com/pebble.asp?relid=17672

The gist of it is that a silver backed exchange traded fund (ETF) is quietly being opened in London within the next month. Note, this is NOT the silver ETF that Barclays' is trying to get past the SEC right now. Upon reading closer one can note that the claim of being "backed" by silver is erroneous - “We buy a security from a third party…and supply the matching contract, and investors won’t have to worry” about the physical quantity, said Tuckwell. Therefore, the silver ETF in London will not be physically backed by the underlying commodity, while taking silver out of the market, but the performance of the fund would remain linked to the silver price.

Either way, for good or ill, it seemed that this was relevant information to the blog readers. Sincerely, -LBTP

Letter Re: PTR-91 Clones of HK91 Rifles

I was wanting some info on the PTR-91 Rifle made by JLD Enterprises, I saw this rifle on Atlantic firearms website, but I know nothing about it. Do you or any of the SurvivalBlog readers have any knowledge or opinion as to the worthiness of this rifle. It looks great and I would like to own one but hesitate to fork out that kind of money on an unknown. Thanks, - Steve

JWR Replies: I can't comment because I've never owned or even shot an PTR-91 clone. Perhaps a SurvivalBlog readers has some first hand experience with them.

#2 Son's Quote of the Day:

"With one foot on the land and one foot in industry, America is safe." - Henry Ford, circa WWII.

Wednesday, March 8, 2006

Note From JWR: Thanks for your patience while we get set up with the Moveable Type blog tool, templates, and archiving.

Letter Re: More Backup Generator Advice

Hi Jim,.
Hurricane season is just around the corner here in Florida and I am getting ready to buy a backup generator for my home. To be better informed, I have gone back and re-read all the past survivalblog entries on generators, so I am pretty much up to speed on it. My last step is to decide what size generator to buy. One additional piece of information that would be helpful to me, and probably others, is to have an idea of how much wattage it takes to run each of the various typical appliances in a home ranging from light bulbs up to air conditioners. That way I can then decide on what size generator to get based on which appliances my family members think they can/cannot do without verses how much we can afford to pay for a generator. Thanks so much, and God bless. - Joe.

JWR Replies: I consider a backup generator a "must " for any family that is dependent upon grid power. I won't be repetitious. (See my Wednesday, January 4, 2006 post in the SurvivalBlog Archives, as well as the follow-up posts during the next few days.) Instead, I will post three useful links on gensets that I've bookmarked in the past few months:

Odds n' Sods:

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"Uh... Strangers... I hate this. Do they want to share what they got or take what you got? Do you say 'hi' or do you blow them away?" - Kevin Costner, The Postman

Tuesday, March 7, 2006

Buckshot on: What do Canadian Bush Pilots Carry?

I think everyone would agree when it comes to wilderness survival, the Canadian Bush pilots have a history of incredible survival stories.We should apply some "lessons learned" are then apply them to required gear to carry.

I did some research into Canada's required bush pilot survival gear. Because I was told the gill net requirements said the net had to be 1.5 inch mesh. Thinking, here we go again-- how do they measure the net? There are two different ways they measure gill nets. The way we measure our gill nets is from the top knot to the bottom knot this is 2.5 inch mesh but if the Canadian rules says 1.5 inch they might be talking about the other way you measure gill nets: That is from the top knot to the side knot then our net is a 1.5 inch mesh. You would think that there would be one standard way to measure nets but that would be too easy.

Here is the basic list for Canadian Bush Pilots:
Food with at least 10,000 calories per person
Cooking utensils
Matches
Stove and fuel
Compass
Axe of at least 2 1/2 pounds
Saw
Snare wire
Fishing equipment (tackle and nets)
Mosquito nets and repellent
Tents, wing covers or orange signal panels
Sleeping bags
Signal mirror
Distress signals
First aid kit
Survival manual

Believe me, we have sold lots of gear to bush pilots in Canada, Alaska, and the Lower 48. If I was a bush pilot, this is what I would carry:

Letter Re: Survival and Self Reliance Studies Institute Web Site

Hi Jim,
Wasn't sure if you were aware that MEG has come back online with an updated website to the Rocky Mountain Survival Group (RMSG). His new site is... Survival and Self Reliance Studies Institute: http://www.ssrsi.org

Glad to see him back. Just found him again week before last. Keep up the good work on SurvivalBlog. It's one of my favorites. - Richard Fleetwood
http://www.survivalring.org - The Big Site
http://www.survivalring.org/wordpress - My Personal Blog
http://members.aol.com/rafleet - My original Blast Shelter Site (moving to http://www.theblastshelter.com )

Letter Re: Source for the Full Text of the Web Novel "Lights Out"

Jim,
In your Saturday Blog of March 4th. you responded to a reader asking where to obtain David Crawford's two fine stories. Your answer for "The Bug-Out" was okay, but your response for "Lights Out" of Frugal Squirrel's site was not really a good one. Frugal has only about a quarter of David's story available. The place to go is: http://www.giltweasel.com/stuff/LightsOut-Current.pdf This will get a full 600 odd page page PDF. document with the full story plus a title page, table of contents, prolog and epilogue.
Hope that everyone who reads this enjoys it as much as I did. Best Regards, - Wise Tioga

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them." - Mark Twain

Monday, March 6, 2006

Note from #1 Son: Does anyone know of any Blogger templates that are compatible with Internet Explorer? (For some reason, our blog pages display fine in Netscape and Firefox, but our side bar gets "stacked" beneath everything else when it is displayed in some versions of I.E. Arrrgh!) Any suggestions, folks?

Letter Re: Getting a Spouse "On Board" with Preparedness (SAs: Survival Mindset, Disaster Preparedness)

James Wesley Rawles;
I wanted to respond to the letter about how to get your spouse involved in preparedness. For several years I have been working as a preparedness consultant for individuals, families and groups who have an interest in preparing for disasters. I guide each group through a series of exercises to help them decide how prepared they want, choose and can afford to be.
I like to start with a discussion to see if everyone is on the same page. Sometimes there are reluctant participants.
I note that one usually learns to craw before they walk and walk before they run, so there is a learning curve one follows in life and in preparedness there is also a learning curve. The reluctant participants are in their crawling or earlier stage and time needs to be given for them to learn to crawl, Possibly to walk, and possibly to run. They may never get past the crawling stage, but the opportunity to learn is being given and it is their choice on how far they want to take it.
So lets start with crawling.
Those of you that have people you care for and are not all that interested in preparing for disasters need to encourage them to learn about possible disasters that can affect them. The basics of preparing is fairly common for all types of disasters with specialization for specific disaster events to be done after you learn to walk. You need to be patient with them. It has been said that one of the hardest things to do in life is to watch someone else learn what you already know/do. You can turn them off if you are too enthusiastic, talk over their head, overwhelm them with information. You have to let them learn at their pace and make their own decisions. You can provide them with information and encouragement to get them started.
So, what information would you provide them?
How about what types of disaster can occur that would affect them?
Set this up as a discussion, have a pad of paper handy to jot down all the possibilities. Brain storm (anything that comes to mind no questions asked you will sort through it later) all the possibilities all of you can think of. Here are some examples, earthquake, tornados, hurricanes, brush fires, floods, train derailment, power outage, loss of job, loss of insurance, pandemic, chemical spill at local factory, propane facility next door catches fire, Nuclear power plant you are down wind from, Truck drivers strike, Terrorist attack, Nuclear, Biological,Chemical and Explosive (NBCE), economic meltdown, going through the tribulation, martial law, dictatorship, gun confiscation/ownership ban.
OK, now you got a list of possible disasters, be they man made or natural. Now determine how much of a risk you are in for each of the mentioned disasters. This may take several days to several weeks to determine. You may have to assign people to research each disaster
and have several meetings to determine the risk you are in for each.
So lets take earthquake for the example. You live in Ohio and there have been several small earth quakes in your life time. That does not sound like much of a risk and then you do some research and find that two of the strongest earth quakes in US history took place due to the new Madrid fault and you are in the affected area. Stories of the time talk of the ground rolling like waves on the sea, whole forest laid over, rivers that ran backward for days . You also learn of the damage projected for the next new New Madrid Fault quake through your local Emergency Management Agency (or Office of Emergency Preparedness) also known as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and see you are at significant risk for damage ( your home is brick and they project high probability of brick homes suffering major damage including collapse in your area) and a prediction that the next big one could occur by 2040.
When you get all your information together you meet as a group and discuss all the findings. You then come to a consensus of how much of a risk you are in for each disaster.
The group decides there is significant risk for several of the disasters.
They then discuss the possible affects each disaster will have on them.
Again lets take the earthquake. The New Madrid lets go and it disrupts (destroys) all infrastructure within a 10 state area. Whole cities are believed destroyed cities like Memphis, Tennessee and St. Louis, Missouri. are mentioned.
Your home is brick and suffers major damage (i.e. Cracked walls, house leaning, no sewer, water, and electricity.)
What are you going to do?
Again brainstorm out what you are going to do.
Doing this for every listed disaster will again take time.
I have tinkered with the idea of developing a board or role playing as a learning tool. Play out what your group would do in each of these disasters. It would be educational and practical. Maybe Rawles can develop it as part of his blog.
After you discuss all this ask the question.
Do you think you should be prepared for disasters?
I have yet to get NO for the answer.
You are now in agreement you need to prepare, but now the question is how prepared should you be?
The two extremes of preparedness is 1) Do nothing to prepare and 2) The End of World As We Know It.
It is up to the group to decide how prepared they would like to be. I like to use Red Cross Preparedness hand outs for the basic (low end) preparedness i.e. Three day kit , short term preparedness (two weeks or less) and the novel Patriots for the TEOTWAWKI end of preparedness.
I believe in Patriots as a educational/resource tool so much I bought several cases of them from the publisher before they went out of business. I still have several cases left and can offer them to Blog readers if Jim Rawles doesn’t mind.
This may take the group several days or weeks again to read through the material and do their own research.
The group gets together and we discuss what they have researched.
They then decide how prepared they want to be.
Their decision then determines their plan of action.
This can be easier said than done when strong minded people are involved or there is major differenced in opinion. I do not have a good solution to this as it is up to the group, not me, to make the decisions.
At this stage of preparedness everyone should be “walking”.
I hope you note this takes time.
I have seen groups go through this process in one evening or weekend, but they already knew they were going to prepare.
Pending on the groups decision I would guide them in developing a plan of action. The groups found out once they had gotten through the planning stage and were pointed to suppliers of preparedness items they could go on their own. It was just to this point they needed help.
As to when one would be running. If they keep to the plan after two or more years. I have seen groups lose interest or just fall apart in the two to three year range, so if they stay together for more then three years are on target with their plans (which are amendable) and continue to prepare and learn they are up and running.
I mentioned earlier that the basics of disaster preparedness are fairly common, food clothing, shelter, Medical issues, Three Day Kit (Get Out Of Dodge), Disaster plan. This works good for the reluctant/unbelieving people as they can see the need to prepare and if they are not into the TEOTWAWKI scenarios their preparedness is still leaned in that direction and hopefully in time they will get the picture, if this is the picture you are striving for. Something I like about taking this approach is you should not get caught up in the Y2K type scenarios where you prepare for one scenario (specific date) and if it does not occur you think preparedness is for the birds and dump all you preparedness stuff. You will be preparing for disasters no matter what the cause and when they occur. Preparedness should be a life time commitment.
The specializing for specific disaster events may include protection from radiation, biological,chemical events. I am sure there are other events you will have to specialize for, but this gives you the awareness you need to seek them out and prepare as you see fit.
I have had groups learn their ability to prepare as they want to be limited by their means , so you will need to be aware of this in your planning. Some folks could only get enough together for Get Out of Dodge Kits and firearms for the family, but it is better than nothing.
I like to use Red Cross hand outs on preparing for disasters. They are available for download on the Internet and they cover your basic disaster plan. They are also a neutral organization. The preparedness information is a simple way to get others to think about preparedness. Hopefully they will prepare even if it is just the two week supply of materials and a three day kit, this might save you from having to defend yourself from them and create some allies in defending the neighborhood and bartering with. I have recommended people get their hand outs and put them in their three day kits, so they can either pull them out as a reference or if stopped by authorities just mention you are following your disaster plan you put together with the handouts to hopefully blend in with the other refugees.
Something I have done for family members is give them preparedness items as gifts, birthdays, Christmas, etc. These include first aid and three day kits for all the cars, Baygen radios and flash lights, power inverters, books on disaster preparedness, self defense items. Hopefully this shows you care about them, gives them something to think about and you can get into discussion on more involved preparedness issues. Remember, It is better to go slowly and let them determine what they are comfortable with than turn them off by overwhelming them with information and your beliefs in preparedness. - R.A.

Letter from Michael Z. Williamson Re: Body Armor, Ancient MREs, and Federally Exempt Handguns

Mr Rawles:
Thanks for your review of The Weapon. I get a lot of feedback on it, regarding the risks of attack and terrorism. I'm glad to see people thinking about the subject more.
Currently, I'm gearing up to do a nonfiction work about medics in combat in the current conflict. If any of the SurvivalBlog readers are or know anyone who is, do please have them contact me. I've got approval from the various branches public affairs, and I'm Guard myself. I'll be treating the subject and troops as they deserve to be, and not looking to misquote for headlines. This is an anecdotal history.
It's true that soft body armor will stop 12 gauge slug and .44 magnum rounds. However, there's an asterisk here. The armor can deform up to THREE INCHES from a 12 gauge slug. The blunt trauma itself can be lethal under those circumstances.
One of the common complaints of the Interceptor Body Armor is shoulder chafing and pinching of the abdomen when lying prone. My wife just returned from a year on active duty, and didn't have this problem. She ordered her armor a size large and it had enough extra space to disperse the load. This also offers a gap against the above mentioned blunt trauma. Of course, it also increases carried weight. There is no free lunch.
www.theboxotruth.com covers a lot of comparison shoots of different weapons in different media. One important note is the myth that a .308 "turns cover into concealment." If the material is timber, sandbags or brick, this is pretty much not true. There are ballistic reasons for this, but they're lengthy. The test shots are shown. On sandbags, both 7.62 NATO and 5.56 penetrate 5 inches or so and STOP. 5.56mm will penetrate 12" of pine and still have energy to spare. Upshot: bullets kill, and you want hard cover and lots of it for yourself, and a target that isn't in hard cover.
I cleaned out an old BOB last month that had been in three vehicles over 20 years. I ate some MREs packaged in 1980-1983. The applesauce had turned brown and wasn't interesting, so I tossed it, but I believe it was still safe. All other components were edible and tasty. I can't speak as to the remaining nutritional value, but I suffered no ill effects. These MREs had cycled seasonally from well over 100 degrees down to sub zero. It seems as long as the packages aren't swelling, the contents are safe.
Another option for firearms with no paperwork are black powder reproductions with aftermarket cylinders. The 1858 and 1860 models, among others by Uberti, Pietta and Ruger, can be equipped with a .45 Long Colt cylinder (or .38 Special). www.taylorsfirearms.com is one source of these. It has to be removed, opened and manually extracted/loaded, but you get 6 completely legal shots with no paperwork. Price for a revolver and extra cylinder runs around $400. I also think it wouldn't be too hard to load black powder into a small plastic pouch made from sandwich bag polyethylene, sealed with epoxy. A single dessicant pellet might be a good idea. Such a load would last several weeks at least in the weapon, possibly years. The percussion cap should have enough power to puncture the plastic and ignite the propellant. Again, completely legal and paperwork free, if labor intensive. I will attempt to conduct a range test shortly. I expect cleaning the cylinder will be a bit of a chore, but it's a good idea to have spares anyway. Best wishes, and keep your powder dry. - Mike

#1 Son's Quote of the Day

"It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him." - J. R. R. Tolkien

Sunday, March 5, 2006

Note from JWR: We were hoping to provide searchable archives and RSS feeds. However, because of difficulties in getting our revised blog template (created in Blogger) to display properly in some versions of Internet Explorer, we have temporarily switched back to the old blog format (using Dreamweaver.) Firefox and Netscape worked fine, but the glitches in I.E. thusfar elude us. Once we get the bugs worked out, we will switch back to Blogger or perhaps another piece of blogging software.

Today we feature another entry in Round 3 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best contest entry will win a four day course certificate at Front Sight. The deadline for entries for Round 3 is March 31, 2006.

Making a Living in a Rural Environment, by JD (SAs: Self-Employment, Telecommuting, Small Town Psychology, Taxes)

If there were one factor that prevents people from living at their retreat more than any other, I would guess it to be employment. This isn't surprising, as the very qualities that make a particular locale ideal for a retreat -- rural, small population, away from major cities -- also make it far less likely to find employment there. What little employment is available is often snapped up by locals who have been around far longer than any Johnny-come-lately carpetbaggers (and rightly so!)
When my family moved to our tiny town from our fairly large city, I knew from Day 1 not to expect to find a job locally. Not only would it be difficult for the reasons listed above, but frankly, I would be more of an asset to the community if I brought in employment of my own. Working for yourself can be very scary, but there are ways to mitigate the risks involved. First, of course, is figuring out what you can do. Not infrequently, you can continue to do exactly what you're doing right now.
Much office work for example -- from data entry to technical support to accounting -- can be done from nearly any location. Your employer may be
willing to let you telecommute; this is particularly true if your current employer considers you a valuable asset (in other words, if you *haven't*
been just doing the bare minimum for them over the last 10 years!)
An additional temptation to throw to your current employer: offer to become a contractor. This will save your employer a great deal in benefits and paperwork, and may make it worth the risk for him/her to try you as a telecommuter. There can also be tax benefits for you (talk to your CPA.)
It needn't be an ultimatum or otherwise confrontational. Simply say, "I have the opportunity to move somewhere I've always wanted to live. But I value my relationship with (your company) and want to know if perhaps there's something we can work out." Again, if you've been a valuable employee in the past, your employer may prefer to work things out with you rather than take the risk (and expense) of hiring a new employee. On the other hand, what if you don't have an office job, or your employer won't compromise? Well, rural environments are always in need of basic services. If you've got experience as a backhoe operator, construction
worker, plumber, vet, lawyer, electrician or similar, you won't have any difficulties developing a client base. Low-investment service companies are
best, simply because you won't have to tie too much of your assets up in equipment or inventory.
If you're still stuck, you might need to change careers to something that can translate to your retreat locale. Consider taking a night class or two (real estate, perhaps?) each semester at your local community college. It might take you years to earn a degree, but so what? After all, if you don't do it, in five years you'll simply be exactly where you are now, saying, "Gosh, I wish I had a skill that would let me earn money while living at my retreat." (For those who want to earn a living farming: it can be done, but not easily. Farmers make very little income for the amount of work they do. If you do want to live off your homestead, I'd recommend finding a niche
market, like selling organic herbs, produce, eggs or honey. Health-conscious consumers generally have very little problem paying a premium for quality
products.)
A word of warning, however: regardless of your business, it can take up to a year to develop a local following. The first year my computer repair business was open, I had perhaps a total of three local clients. But after that year, it was as though I had passed some secret probation, and locals began regularly using my services. So either have enough money to get through a year without any business, or make sure you bring some clients with you (as in contracting with your former employer).
Incidentally, rural life tends to move more slowly than urban life. In many ways this is a good thing, but it has its drawbacks. For example, we often
find it difficult to get quotes for jobs we need done. Companies can take days or weeks to call us back when we leave messages. Take advantage of
this. If you act professionally, courteously, and are prompt and fair with your prices, you'll soon have more business than you can handle.
Network, network, network. Local advertising of your business or service is fine, but people prefer word-of-mouth referral. This is best achieved by
finding the most upstanding local citizens you can, and offering them your services at a discount, or as a free trial. If you can get a few community
leaders to refer others to you, you're golden. Speaking of networking, you may want to look into partnering with larger companies. Computer service technicians, for example, can get certified with certain computer companies, resulting in warranty-work referrals. If you do small engine repair, get certified with chainsaw or lawnmower companies, and so on. Once you're an authorized repair technician (and there's a good chance you'll be the only one within a hundred miles), these companies will
refer their warranty work to you. Result: good income and a good opportunity to build your name within the community.
Finally, before you start (and I can't stress this enough), set up an appointment with a CPA or tax lawyer and discuss the prospective business. It probably won't be cheap, but it is definitely worth it. You'll be able to discuss the pros and cons of incorporating (inc. or LLC) versus a sole proprietorship, look at the tax advantages and disadvantages, and so on. Ask your CPA/Lawyer to help you set up your accounting books (I recommend Quickbooks or Peachtree) to make tax time as painless as possible. (Don't forget, contractors need to submit estimated taxes on a quarterly basis - failure to do so can result in penalties). I hope this helps you realize that achieving your dream of living at your retreat year-round isn't as impossible as you might have thought. Good luck! - JD

Letter Re: Why "Invest" In Gold or Silver? (SAs: Contrarian Investing, Retirement Planning, Gold, Silver, Bullion, Precious Metals, Barter)

Letter Re: Alternative to Creosote for Preserving Wood? (SAs: Practical Skills, Wood Preservation, Creosote, Asphalt Emulsion)

Hello Mr. Rawles,
Had a question that you might be able to answer. Looking to do some preserving of wood that will be stuck in the ground. I used to work for a telephone pole repair company. We used a very plastic Creosote and Tar paper ( keeps dirt from soaking up the creosote ). I have been trying to figure out a way to create an alternative to creosote. The best I can think of is used motor oil and soap ( gas and soap being napalm ) this seemed logical to me. Wondered if you had any thought. Also other uses for used oil might be a good topic. Thanks much, - E.B. in N. Idaho

JWR Replies: The best alternative to creosote that I have found is a product called asphalt emulsion. It goes on like thick paint. It is a bit messy, but works great.
If your local hardware store doesn't have any in stock, they can order it for you. It usually comes in five gallon pails.

The Recent "Opening" of the 6 Meter Band (SAs: Amateur Radio. 6 Meter Band, SSB)

The first two weeks of February were spectacular for us hams working the 6 meter band. From my home in Northern California, I worked all western states using only 10 watts on an Icom IC-560. No power amplifier was needed. One QSO [two way conversation] that I did lasted for 30 minutes to a gentleman right outside of Tombstone Arizona on 52.525 Mhz FM [mode]. What was so unusual about this, is that is was not in SSB mode. The QSO was nearly as good as a local 2 meter simplex contact. The gentleman was using an Alinco FM-only mobile radio with 20 watts into a ground plane antenna. Signals from as far away as Chicago were coming in on some of the days on 50.125 Mhz SSB. There is a reason 6 meters is know as the "magic band." I filled up three pages of contacts from Canada to New Mexico and all states in between. Some contact were to mobile stations. One in Twin Falls, Idaho to a gentleman driving his truck. The most popular [6 meter] rig seems to be the Icom 706. Openings like this make me glad to be a ham and enjoy the unique 6 meter band then any other band. It was an extremely thrilling few weeks.
Best Regards, - Fred The Valmet-meister

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"I used to visit and revisit it a dozen times a day, and stand in deep contemplation over my vegetable progeny with a love that nobody could share or conceive of who had never taken part in the process of creation. It was one of the most bewitching sights in the world to observe a hill of beans thrusting aside the soil, or a rose of early peas just peeping forth sufficiently to trace a line of delicate green." - Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mosses from and Old Manse

Saturday, March 4, 2006

Note From JWR: Please continue to spread the word about SurvivalBlog. Please mention the blog whenever you call in to talk radio shows or when you are on podcasts. Thanks!

Letter Re: "Group Standard" Firearms Standardization (SAs: Retreat Security, Survival Guns, Standardization, HK-91s, CETMES, AR-15s, Mini-14s, L1A1s, M1911, XDs)

James,
I live in the Pacific Northwest, in an urban area and in the event of TEOTWAWKI, my wife and I will most likely bug out and retreat to a friend's ranch just outside our urban growth boundary. The location is not ideal, but better than us attempting to retreat in place. The ranch is somewhat hidden and has a few acres of cleared fields around the house. My friend is retired and his immediate family will probably reside there too. He's got a large house and there will be eight adults and two children living together. I'm a firearms collector and shooter and have a decent collection of defensive and hunting tools, a la Dan Fong [a well-armed character in the novel Patriots], but I don't have enough duplicates to outfit the group with a "standard". I was thinking of outfitting the group with one defensive pistol and battle rifle or carbine per person and a shotgun per couple, regardless of their current personal firearms battery. I figure my outlay could range from ~$13K to ~$40K, or the price of a compact to mid-size car depending on make and "best" or "no-frills" features selection. As this is a major expense that will compete with my food and medical supply acquisition, I'd like to know your thoughts on firearms acquisition in relation to other necessities.
1. What is your thoughts on the ratio of battle rifles to carbines? In your book, you left the selection to the individual retreat member.
2. Should I acquire the "best" weapons I can afford and make due with "adequate" food and medical provisions? Or do I acquire "no-frills", reliable firearms and splurge on food and medical supplies?
3. What are your thoughts on some of the "no-frills" firearms suppliers and makes out there like the Rock Island, Springfield or Charles Daly M1911 .45 pistols, Bushmaster, Stag AR-15 5.56mm or CETME .308 cal rifles and Mossberg 590 or Maverick 12 gauge pump shotguns?
Thanks, - Collector

JWR Replies: Standardization of defensive weapons is a worthy goal. As previousl\y stated in this blog and in my other writings, standardization results in commonality of training, commonality of magazines, commonality of stored ammunition, and commonality of spare parts. It is a "win-win" in many ways!

1. For defending a fixed location, your should standardize with .308 Winchester for your rifles. The only advantage of .223 is that the rifles weigh less and you can carry more ammunition. These are only meaningful factors for long distance patrols. If weight is not an issue, why not standardize with a full-power cartridge? Since a CETME can be purchased for less than the cost of an AR-15 clone or about the same as a Ruger Mini-14, and magazines for CETMEs are far less expensive (under $3 each), I would forego buying any .223s and buy all .308 CETMEs. Here at the Rawles Ranch we have nine .308s (mostly L1A1s) and just one .223. (It is an "M4gery" that I built on a pre-ban receiver.) The latter is strictly a transitional training gun for our children. I don't consider it a serious man-stopping rifle. I think that you should only get .223s for any of your group members that are under 16 or that are too frail to handle the weight and recoil of a .308.

2.) I recommend buying "no frills" guns to start. Balanced purchasing is important. What good is a full-up defensive battery if you only have a few weeks of food storage and scant first aid supplies? You can always upgrade later.

3.) I think that the following "group standard" should make sense: CETME .308 rifles (one per adult), Mossberg 590s (one for each two or three adults), and Springfield Armory .45 ACP M1911 clones (one per adult), will make a fully adequate no frills battery. A few years down the road, as your budget permits, you can transition to more top of the line guns such as HK-91s and perhaps Springfield Armory XD .45 ACPs or stainless steel original Colt or Kimber M1911s.

Odds 'n Sods:

I heard that there are now just two slots left open for the Tactical Lifesaver course. It will be held on April 15-16, 2006, in Douglas, Georgia. A Iraq war vet Physician's Assistant (PA) will teach you a lot of skills that the American Red Cross doesn't. (Such as: how to prep an intravenous infusion, how to insert and orthopharyngeal airway, wound debridement, suturing, how to treat a sucking chest wound, and much more.) Don't hesitate. This course will be sold out, soon! See: http://www.survivalreportblog.com/Tactical_Lifesaver_Course.html

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"Since printing paper money is nothing short of counterfeiting, the issuer of the international currency must always be the country with the military might to guarantee control over the system. This magnificent scheme seems the perfect system for obtaining perpetual wealth for the country that issues the de facto world currency. The one problem, however, is that such a system destroys the character of the counterfeiting nation's people--just as was the case when gold was the currency and it was obtained by conquering other nations. And this destroys the incentive to save and produce, while encouraging debt and runaway welfare.

The artificial demand for our dollar, along with our military might, places us in the unique position to 'rule' the world without productive work or savings, and without limits on consumer spending or deficits. The problem is, it can't last.

Price inflation is raising its ugly head, and the NASDAQ bubble-- generated by easy money-- has burst. The housing bubble likewise created is deflating. Gold prices have doubled, and federal spending is out of sight with zero political will to rein it in. The trade deficit last year was over $728 billion. A $2 trillion war is raging, and plans are being laid to expand the war into Iran and possibly Syria. The only restraining force will be the world's rejection of the dollar. It's bound to come and create conditions worse than 1979-1980, which required 21% interest rates to correct." - Texas Congressman Ron Paul, February, 2006

Friday, March 3, 2006

Note from JWR: If you know of any potential advertisers for SurvivalBlog, please give them a call or drop them a line to encourage them. I need to find about 20 more advertisers if I'm going to be able to put bread on the table when I quit my day job and take up writing SurvivalBlog full time. (Starting next month.) And needless to say, a few more "10 Cent Challenge" contributions would also be greatly appreciated.

Today we feature another entry in Round 3 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. This article is a first hand report about a Revolutionary War Veterans Association (RWVA) shoot in Ramseur, North Carolina. The writer of the best contest entry will win a four day course certificate at Front Sight. The deadline for entries for Round 3 in the writing contest is March 31, 2006.

Impressions Following My Return From a RWVA Appleseed Shoot (SAs: Marksmanship, High Power Rifle Shooting, RWVA)

An organized rifle-shooting event can be intimidating to anyone who has never participated before. I’ll cover my experience as a newbie at this first Appleseed Shoot in several categories: First Timers Pre-shoot Preparation, What to Expect Upon Arrival, Lessons Learned, and What is the Next Step? My experience and what I took away from the shoot, and lastly, Regrets.
First Timer Pre-Shoot Preparation: Remember what the title of the shoot implies, Appleseed. The purpose of the shoot is to plant the seeds of knowledge into those that have never before been formally trained in rifle marksmanship skills. This is not a competition, but a formal instructional course and the only person one is competing with is oneself, not the person beside you on the firing line.
Equipment: Regardless of the type rifle you choose to take, check the function of the weapon. Make sure your rifle, especially if it has been sitting in the closet for a long time, is cleaned and in good working order. If possible, go to a range and casually put ammo down range to make sure that it is functionally reliable. This will not guarantee you won’t have problems, but it makes sure you start off with no unknown problems. If your rifle has a mechanical problem or potential problem with a magazine you can fix it before you are at the shoot. Naturally, use known good magazines if you use detachable magazines. As for your equipment, from safety equipment to weapon and accouterments, double-check their condition. If you aren’t a regular match shooter you will need a mat to lay on. One fellow had a really good idea of using an exercise mat. You don’t need to run out and get a fancy shooting mat. My wife used two military surplus ground pads.
Ammo: I took at least 200 rounds of ammo for each rifle for the single day I attended. I didn’t use all of my ammo for reasons I’ll get into later. But one can figure 200 rounds should get you through the entire basic course on the first day. There was daylight enough left so that those who chose to could go to the second range in Ramseur and engage the pop up targets. This naturally will require more ammo. But I was advised that 200 should do the first timer for the instructional phase of the first day. If you plan to attend both days, and I strongly urge you to do so, then figure your total at about 300 rounds as a good ‘guestimate’. It is better to leave the range with ammo to spare than to run out and become a spectator. Rifle marksmanship is not a spectator sport. One very important point about ammo; be sure it is all the same type and manufacturer. One fellow shooter was having problems with groupings and he discovered that he was using mixed types of ammo on the same stripper clips. So make sure your ammo is consistent in quality, type and manufacturer. But you don’t buy match grade ammo. For this class good surplus, but reliable, "ball" ammo will do you quite well.
You: If you are like most of us you aren’t going to run any Olympic marathons. If I tried, I would just fall apart. But you should do some simple things before going to the shoot. To maximize your efforts, as well as preventing undue stress on your body do some simple things to prepare you for a day of physical activity. You will be prone a lot. And you will be getting up and down from prone as well as from the sitting position…a lot. If you can not get into a prone position, or sitting position easily then start limbering up now by practicing some each day. You don’t have to train like a football player, but simply preparing your body for repeatedly getting up and down off the ground will make you more comfortable and not as tired by the end of the day. Fess up gang, we are all couch potatoes to a greater or lesser extent, and we shouldn’t be. But comforts being as they are, it is difficult to get motivated to exercise. I am guilty as charged.
How long before the shoot to prepare: This depends on the individual person. If you have a ‘Minute Man’ setup, which most of us don’t then make your equipment checks at least a weekend before you attend the Appleseed Shoot. This will give you time to gather the equipment, if you are like me, that you have stuffed in various places or moved around. I suggest to function check weapons in plenty of time ahead to make sure if you find out something needs repair you can get it fixed well beforehand. Gather your ‘to go’ equipment in one place and make sure your ammo is included along with any cleaning materials. Be set so that when it is time to go all you have to do is get the weapons out of their storage place and the rest of your gear and walk out the door.
BTW if you don’t have a little plastic empty chamber flag, it would be a good idea to stop by a gun store and pick up one for each weapon you take. These flags help the range officers to immediately recognize that a weapon is made safe. At Ramseur they did not require them, but my wife and I used one just for safety's sake. Now the other locations for the Appleseed shoots may or may not require them. But I like them when in the company of strangers. It’s good etiquette.
What to expect upon arrival: Each shoot location may vary a bit in procedure, but you can expect the following: Expect to be met by a bunch of very helpful range officers. My wife and I were greeted in the parking lot when we pulled up by a fellow with earphone on in ‘Mickey Mouse’ position and a big grin. He directed us to the location to check in and we were shown to our positions on the line. Because our arrival was a bit later than we wanted a position with my wife and I side by side was not available. This actually works out a lot better and if you and your spouse are attending then try to separate. If you and your spouse are together then one has the tendency to ask questions of the other. So by separating, each spouse is independent to ask questions to the range officers, and figure things out for themselves. My wife commented on the way back home that she figured out what to do without asking me. She said this with a lot of pride, not that I am a whiz kid, but she gained a greater confidence in her abilities than if I had been beside her. And the same will apply if you have kids going with you. It is a liberating experience when you learn on your own, or follow the instructions given and get the results the instructor says you will get.
You will be given instructional handouts that will help you when you leave to review the main points that are covered during the class.
Lessons Learned:What you learn is how to shoot ‘by the numbers’. This is taught as a way of organizing your mind as to what you have to do to make a good shot. And although I have been shooting for years there was a lot of ‘numbers’ I skipped. After all I was shooting for fun. But this is a different type of shooting. It is fun, but it is structured. And that structure, if you continue to practice, becomes second nature. And when it becomes second nature you become more accurate and you don’t have to ‘think’ about how to make a good shot, you do it naturally and consistently. You will learn all the shooting positions of standing, prone, sitting, etc. And there is more to it than just plopping down on the ground. You will learn techniques that will help your body absorb recoil in a manner that your follow up shots are faster and more accurate. That is what you need to learn to do, make each shot count. ‘Spray and pray’ will not cut it when your life depends on it, whether you are putting meat on the table or eradicating two legged vermin trying to harm you or your loved ones. You will learn how to properly use the AQT (Army Qualification Target) to measure your skill level and where you need to make changes to your shooting technique so you can improve. You will learn what muscles and bones are strongest to absorb recoil and how to best utilize your anatomy. You will learn enough, if you take everything to heart, to teach others to be better at shooting. You will learn how to coach someone else through using certain drills to spot when a person is doing something to cause them to flinch, buck, or jerk the trigger (and you will learn what these terms mean). You will find out how accurate you are from 100 yards to 400 yards, and you will be surprised. There is a lot more that you will learn at the Appleseed shoot that is too long to go into here. But the instruction is concise and to the point and taught by example. And you will probably easily learn more than I did. Each person absorbs information in different ways and different amounts. I still find myself remembering something by it just ‘popping’ into my head as I write this.
What is the Next Step?: So you have finished the Appleseed shoot. Now what? OK the next step is simply this. Practice what you have learned. Set a schedule, once a month, twice a month; whatever your schedule and just do it! When you get home, reread your handouts. The ‘dry fire’ drills the instructors took you through should be practiced three times a week. What? You mean I have to practice this ‘by the numbers’ shooting? You bet your sweet butt-stock. That is the only way you will become a Rifleman. That is the only way to hone your skills so that when the time comes, and it is no longer an ‘if’, you can defend yourself, your family and loved ones, and possibly our Republic. The harder you train to shoot today, the easier it will be to fend for yourself tomorrow.
The next step is to take what you have learned and teach it to your family and friends. You will have the handouts, and you can use them to help others. After that get together and if at all possible contact RWVA and make arrangements for formal Appleseed shoots in your area. Believe me, it will be a lot of work but this is a must to do. I have already taken two others through the numbers. Now there are two other potential riflemen coming online.
My Experience and What I Took Away From the Appleseed Shoot: I took away what I expected; better techniques to focus the mental aspects of shooting as well as the physical. There are mental aspects that are too often overlooked or ignored. A rifleman must be able to maintain a level of concentration to make each shot count, as well as faster follow up shots. I mentioned earlier that I did not consume my full 200 rounds of ammo. One of the best lessons I learned was how to quickly clear a jammed weapon and proceed with the next shot. I had made my pre-shoot check of my rifle the day before. Everything worked just fine. However, during the shoot I began to experience FTF (Failure to Feed) incidents. I changed magazines, all to no avail. I had taken five magazines in case a magazine was damaged or failed. I was getting the same failures, or a FTE (Failure To Eject). As the shoot progressed at each set of AQT setups the problem became more pronounced. By the end of the day my semi auto rifle had become a large capacity bolt action. It fired and ejected but didn’t strip a round from the magazine. With each shot, under time restrictions, I became more fatigued with each operation of the charging handle. Do I count my experience as negative because everyone else was blasting away and I was dropping the magazine, clearing the weapon, reinserting the magazine, pull the charging handle, refocus on my sight picture and firing? Nope. I got so that I could clear and fire pretty quickly. I did not stop. And I would have rather had that happen during training than a situation where my life depended on it. Make no mistake. This does happen during combat. Knowing how to quickly clear a weapon and fire is an important skill. And that is why I left the range with more ammo than my wife. At a lot of shoots you are allowed alibis for weapons malfunctions, etc. But I did not claim any alibis because in combat you won’t get any, so why should I claim that which would not apply in a real life situation? Just as important as the technical aspects of placing accurate rounds on paper, is what I learned that is intangible. There is a stirring in this land that is just starting. While there I got the distinct feeling of what it was probably like in the very early years of the founding of this Republic. Virtually every person there, men and women (daughters and wives), seemed to understand that they were there for a very vital purpose. It seemed to me that everyone knew, at some level, that this country is headed for some very serious problems in the not too distant future and they must be as ready as possible to rise to the patriot’s call. At a lot of matches or organized shoots there is usually a casual air, a competitive yet casual approach to the task at hand. But from the instructors to the newbies it appeared that everyone was focused to teach or learn as much as possible and that the sands were slipping quickly through the hourglass.
While we took a short lunch break I got into several conversations, and listened a lot. How shall I put this? Let’s just say that there is more problems at our southern border than we are being told. One interesting statement was that Mexico’s President visited Austin, Tx. During his visit he congratulated the Austin P.D. on not prosecuting illegals! Now many Texans may have known this, but how many outside of Austin Texas, or Texas Itself, had heard such statements? That was not the only revealing conversation. All there were aware that in all likelihood when the next president takes offices our current Civil Rights situation will change, and not for the better.
There were participants from many states. We had future riflemen from as far away as California in addition to the state of Texas! Yes a participant had driven from California to N.C. to attend. And I call that a true desire to learn! This fellow was totally awed by the fact that we could own and shoot weapons such as FN-FAL, AR-15, AK-47 and other rifles now banned in his state. He walked down the line asking what, to him, was unfamiliar rifles were when he didn’t recognize a particular rifle. Think of it. An American, born and bred, didn’t recognize what most of us consider as a common rifle! That does not bode well for all of us. And this is yet another lesson I, and more importantly my wife, took away. Real, tangible evidence, that those of us who have known for years that our Bill of Rights are being systematically dismantled; piece by piece. That is why it is so important to take someone with you, especially if he has any doubts about what is going on in this country. So make it a trip for rifle training, and you will expose him to what is happening in the political landscape.
One last thing I carried away from my time there. I tucked into my shirt pocket one ticket for a CMP M1 Garand! This shoot will qualify as a marksmanship event, along with a membership to a CMP club, to order one of the best implements of battle ever devised by Man. And an associate membership to RWVA will fill the club membership if you aren’t already a member of one. Also as a side note, there are some very good things coming from the CMP program in the near future. And to answer the unasked question, yes my wife out scored me. (I hear you chuckling in the background, Memsahib). Well, my rifle was failing.
Regrets: My regret is that I wasn’t there for the full two-day course. I had prior commitments for the following day and couldn’t attend. But the second day further reinforces the first day’s instruction and builds better skills. The second regret was that because I miscalculated how long it would take to drive, we arrived later and missed the very beginning. At the start you are taken through the methods of sighting in a rifle. This is a seemingly simple task, but as part of the continuity of the course it is an important component. You also get some pre-shoot time to meet others you will be shooting with. So when you go to the shoot, make sure you don’t miss anything they have to offer.
Conclusion: The Appleseed shoot is the biggest bang for the money (pun intended) I have seen in a long time. The cost for two days of very attentive instruction is very good. Unless you live close to one of the shoots, you will probably spend more on gas to get there or trivial things during a month’s time. One thing I want to really stress: Even if you have a disability, no matter what, you can do this. The gang at Ramseur helped one fellow who obviously had some mobility problems. He couldn’t get into the prone position and could only shoot standing. One of the range officers provided him a bench to shoot from. So there he was, with the rest of the cadre of shooters, sending rounds down range. If this guy can do it, anyone can do it. So if you have bad feet, think you are too old, or don’t think you can get up and down to the positions then you had better think again. Tell them when you pre-register of any problems and you will be accommodated, and you can help to make America one rifleman richer. And we are going to need all the true American riflemen that we can muster. - The Rabid One

Letter Re: Why "Invest" In Gold or Silver? (SAs: Contrarian Investing, Retirement Planning, Gold, Silver, Bullion, Precious Metals, Barter)

Mr. Rawles,
I have been a reader of your blog for about a month now and as some one who believes in being prepared for any situation. I have found a lot of your comments very useful.
I am confused though about your suggestions to invest in gold and silver. I am just learning about these things so hopefully you can help clear up my confusion.
If you look at the track record for gold and silver over the long run these assets have just kept up with inflation. Over the same historical time period the stock market has been a much better investment. Most certified financial planners I have read and talked to recommend no more than 5% of this asset class in any investment portfolio and never hard assets such as coins, bars, etc. With the buy premium on hard assets the return is even less.
If these assets are going to go up in the future any where near as much as you have stated then why would the anyone or any company holding these assets sell them now? Why would they not hold on until a higher peak? So why would I want to buy these assets now when they are so high? I just wonder if gold is such a great future investment why are so many will to sell it to us now?
As far as having these hard assets in case of TEOTWAWKI what purpose would they serve? As an exchange token to make barter easier? How and who would set their value? Would there even be any intrinsic value to gold and silver after such an event? If you come to me to buy my surplus of bread why would I exchange them for your gold or silver instead of the shoes I really need? And if bread (or any item) is in short supply and I have excess and you have none and want some then a bar of your gold or a bag of your silver coins may not last you very long. What am I missing? Regards, - W.F.

Re:
>....Over the same historical time period the stock market has been a much better investment.

Looking at the past 50 to 100 years, the current bull market in precious metals is a bit of an anomaly. The precious metals, in general, are not an "investment" per se. Rather, they are more like insurance. They are insurance against the destruction of the U.S. dollar. With the exception of the present day--which again is anomalous--people can expect to buy precious metals with no firm hope of a "return." Rather, they can be expected to just keep up with the rate of inflation. I recommend that every family have a core (non-speculative) holding of 5 to 10% of their net worth in precious metals. Yes, that is ultra-conservative. Yes, your investment will likely be "non-productive." But at least you'll have the ultimate in safety--even when greenbacks are used for kindling. In the long term, that is the fate of every paper currency that is not fully redeemable in specie. Again, think of it an insurance--not an investment vehicle.

If these assets are going to go up in the future any where near as much as you have stated then why would the anyone or any company holding these assets sell them now? Why would they not hold on until a higher peak? So why would I want to buy these assets now when they are so high? I just wonder if gold is such a great future investment why are so many will[ing] to sell it to us now?

There are buyers and sellers in every market--bull, bear, or bust. People choose to liquidate investments for many different reasons: for example, to pay medical bills, to finance a college education, to buy a house, or to re-invest in another asset. How long someone holds on to a particular asset cannot be predicted. Simply stated: If there are more sellers than buyers at any given time, then prices go down, and vice versa.

We are just in the opening stage of a bull market, so don't feel that you've missed the boat. I strongly recommend that if you own any metals that you hold on until the market goes into the final phases of the bull cycle. In the nascent run-up, that probably means tops of around $90 silver and $2,500 gold. That equates to a 9X gain for silver and a 4.4X rise for gold over current spot prices. I'm not kidding. In this bull, I think that silver will outperform gold considerably. For one well-informed concurring opinion on this subject, see Edgar Steele's commentary titled "Peak Silver", at: http://www.conspiracypenpal.com/columns/peak.htm

>As far as having these hard assets in case of TEOTWAWKI what purpose would they serve? As an exchange token to make barter easier? How and who would set their value?

Precious metals will have their greatest utility as a recognized store of value to facilitate barter, in the latter stages of a post-collapse economy, as regular commerce starts to resume. Before that, you can only expect canned foods and common caliber ammunition to be accepted in barter. The free market will determine their value, as it always has. If there is a full scale dollar crisis, you can expect gold to zoom up past $4,000 per ounce. If the dollar is completely wiped out, the old dollars will probably be declared worthless, and a new currency unit will be established, most likely pegged to gold. OBTW, silver took a nice jump yesterday, to around $10.20 per ounce. See: http://www.kitco.com/charts/livesilver.html
Buy on the dips!

Two Letters Re: Getting a Spouse "On Board" with Preparedness (SAs: Survival Mindset, Disaster Preparedness)

Jim -
Your post for today brings up the topic of the spouse that goes fetal versus choosing to cope with the world's ugliness. Please open up the forum to hear how other people go their wife to the game! Maybe someone has a great technique that I haven't thought of! - D.A.B.

Mr. Rawles:
I can certainly relate. My spouse doesn't show much interest in preparedness either-but in our case-my spouse is my husband. He acts like my preparedness ideas and actions are just a goofy hobby. Any ideas on why a man would be in "denial"? -L.B.

Odds 'n Sods:

SurvivalBlog reader Michael Z. Williamson (the sci-fi author) recommends the Goliath Expedition: http://goliath.mail2web.com -- Karl Bushby's amazing web journal. As Mike put it, this sporadically posted blog is written by "a nutcase British former Paratrooper who is walking 36,000 miles around the Americans and Eurasia. His journal and photos offer some interesting insights on travel in emergencies, and kit. The experienced reader will also spot several critical mistakes he's making along the way--cheap nylon tent instead of canvas, incautious with blades, lack of experience with draft animals and bikes, etc. There's a wealth of information here."

Jim's Quote of the Day:

“... of the liberty of conscience in matters of religious faith, of speech and of the press; of the trail by jury of the vicinage in civil and criminal cases; of the benefit of the writ of habeas corpus; of the right to keep and bear arms... If these rights are well defined, and secured against encroachment, it is impossible that government should ever degenerate into tyranny." - James Monroe

Thursday, March 2, 2006

Note From JWR: The latest update to our ClusrtrMap shows that there are now SurvivalBlog readers in at least 35 countries. Please keep spreading the word, especially to your friends or relatives that live in inimical and/or economically unstable countries such as Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Bolivia, Botswana, Columbia, Cote D'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, The Philippines, The Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, or any of the "Stans." Also, consider mentioning this blog to anyone that lives in a severe climate, such as Greenland, Iceland, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, or Tibet. We are actively seeking foreign correspondents in any of the aforementioned countries.

Letter Re: Including Physically/Mentally Impaired Children/Adults in Retreat Planning?

Jim;
Have not seen the following subject touched upon in this or any other survival/preparedness forum/blog. What are your thoughts?

I recently finished reading David Crawford’s short story "The Bug-Out" and like his novel "Light's Out" it was a well crafted, entertaining and enjoyable read for a piece of fiction. More importantly it like the novel is also a fine educational tool on how to and how not to prepare for WTSHTF. Both of these stories should be required reading for anyone interested in survival and preparedness issues.

The two points that really got my attention in “The Bug-Out” were: 1.) That although Joe had the best of intentions and had done some basic prepping in the past, he had allowed things to slide and WTSHTF, he was well behind the curve and 2.) It did not seem to me that neither his kids or more importantly his wife were really on-board with the whole survival/preparedness thing.

Had everything been up to snuff it seems to me that they could have “Gotten out of Dodge” a full two hours sooner and quite possibly lived to make it to the farm. Now, I’m sure that was the whole point of David’s fine story but have all of you fully digested that point and taken it to heart in your own situations?

The story also put me in mind of a situation that I experienced a couple of years ago. I journeyed back to southeastern New Hampshire where I grew up, to visit my sister. While there, a couple that was part of our old high school gang set up a get-together for myself and twelve or thirteen other couples who were all part of our group. While sitting around and chatting about life then and now we got onto the subject of Survival, Preparedness, WTSHTF and TEOTWAWKI. This subject consumed the better part of the next three or four hours and I came away with some interesting and somewhat disturbing points (that I hadn’t thought of before).

Two couples declined to participate in this discussion and left saying that the rest of us were all crazy and that the whole Survival/Preparedness was just so much BS and that there was never going to be any WTSHTF or TEOTWAWKI. For their sake ,hope they are right, but if not, they are going to die. Too bad!

The remaining eleven couples were all in one stage or another of Preparedness Preparation. It was quite interesting to note that three of the eleven families were ram-rodded by the wife as opposed to the husband and that those groups were three of the top five in how well prepared they were.

What was also interesting to me was the fact that of the other seven couples who were less well prepared or not prepared at all, the major stumbling block was the lack of interest on the part of the wife and to a lesser extent lack of interest on the part of their kids.

Another point of contention was the fact that three of the remaining six groups had serious problems with a similar subject. What to do about/with physically/mentally impaired children/adults in the family.

There were either aged parents in a nursing home or autistic children in a special needs school/home. In all three cases the wife would absolutely not hear of abandoning the children/parents while the husband held that during a TEOTWAWKI situation they could not deal with the associated problems/dangers that taking these family members along would generate.

Thankfully I have never had to face these issues and I’m not sure what I’d do or how I would respond if faced with the same situation.

My purpose here is to ask if any of the Blog readers have experience with either of these two problem and if so, how did you handle them or how would you handle them??

Do you believe that including physically/mentally impaired children/adults on a Bug-Out would be smart or even safe? - Wise Tioga

JWR Replies: I believe that including physically/mentally impaired children/adults in retreat planning is a moral obligation. As a Christian, I would never consider doing otherwise. Adding a year's worth of food storage is a relatively inexpensive proposition, if it is done as part of a bulk (group) purchase. So there is no need to be Machiavellian Just make your "life boat" a bit bigger.

As the old saying goes, "You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your relatives." Certainly it would be unwise to build a survival group chosen from among new acquaintances that includes anyone that has a major health issue. Can you imagine, for example, the trauma of watching a diabetic go into a coma and die, for want of insulin? But as for family, it is your duty to provide for and to protect your own, come what may. As previously mentioned in SurvivalBlog, although seemingly a burden, elderly people may turn out to be a great asset, given their long lifetimes of experience. What is between their ears may be much more important than extra muscle. Likewise, your brother or cousin who is the parent of an autistic or retarded child might turn out to be a crucial member of your group.

The challenges of caring for an elderly or disabled family member create an even greater imperative to live at your retreat year-round. Otherwise "getting settled" at a retreat will be enormously more stressful. If you have the job flexibility to do so, make the move to your intended retreat ASAP. Most of all, pray for God's guidance, providence, and protection. I do, daily.

Letter Re: Recommendations on Body Armor? (SAs: Body Armor, Body Armor Classifications, Flak Vests)

Dear James:
J.H. is absolutely correct in that you should avoid body armor with Zylon, and that most of the "big name" brands in Body Armor have put out Zylon models. Some Point Blank production was only 20% Zylon, but it's just not worth taking the chance. For any vest you should check out the manufacturer's website, and then if there is any question of Zylon, get a confirmation in writing of the ballistic fibers used.
The recommendation to buy only NEW armor is not always the best advice, though. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has tested 10 year old USED Body Armor and found it tested as good as new, see
http://bulletproofme.com/How_Good_is_Police_Surplus.shtml
This applies to Aramid, i.e., Kevlar or Twaron vests, and NOT Zylon, of course. We have tested 10 to 25 year old aramid ballistic panels (some in bad condition) and they have always stopped the common pistol threats, including the standard test rounds of 9mm FMJ, and .357 Magnum at +P velocities
Ballistic protection levels explained at:
http://bulletproofme.com/Ballistic_Protection_Levels.shtml
So, buy the best protection you can afford. But get a used vest, rather than no vest at all. It's like poker...
One vest and one gun, beats NO vest and two guns!
The point about the practicality of concealable vests over Tactical Body Armor is very well taken. Better 50% protection that you are wearing 100% of the time, than 100% protection left at home in the closet! The best vest for you is the one you are actually wearing when shot!
For guard duty in a crisis, nothing beats the turtle-shell feeling of a Tactical Vest and Rifle Plates - though it is a good idea to cover it up with a jacket. But make the concealable vest the first priority.
One of the questions we are most often asked is which ballistic protection level to get: Level II-A, Level II or Level III-A, from thinnest to thickest. Again, often less is more. Better the Level II-A or Level II that you can easily conceal and are wearing, rather than the Level III-A at home in the closet. Level III-As stop more of the uncommon threats like 9mm sub-machine-gun and .44 Magnum, but this is a very small percentage of the threats on the street. The real advantage of the thicker Level III-A vest is more blunt trauma protection - possibly letting you return fire more effectively.
We have an in-depth, generic Guide to Selecting Body Armor for those who want to learn more:
http://bulletproofme.com/How_to_Select_Body_Armor.shtml Yours truly - Nick Taylor, BulletProofME.com Body Armor

Letter Re: Our Grid-Up Bug Out -- January 22nd Through February 4th, 2006 by Larry in Kansas (SAs: Disaster Preparedness, Retreat Planning, Grid-Up Bug Out, Retreat Group Dynamics, Survival Mindset, Retreat Logistics, Logistics Pre-Positioning, CONEXes)

Jim:
Larry is to be congratulated for taking the initiative. In years past I have bugged out on numerous occasions just to "be sure." I have never felt jilted for doing that. It is ALWAYS good practice and you always learn something.

Larry may want to investigate buying a 20 foot or 40 foot (depending on his size needs) Sealand (CONEX) container and having it placed on his retreat property.

This will allow him to ditch the rental storage shed (saving probably $30-50. per month. In two years or so you will "break even" on the cost of the container) and give him a possible shelter to use if he needs to live at the retreat prior to having a normal dwelling built. He can pre-position his supplies in the back of the container and build living quarters in the front of it. The walls can be insulated, windows and doors even put in if he is so inclined. This would give him a relatively low cost ($1,000 to 1,500.) way to pre-position his supplies and have emergency living quarters if needed.

If he's worried about his supplies being looted I'd suggest putting them all in the back of the container, then buying a few dozen straw bales and building a wall of straw bales right at the front of the container. Someone opens the door and sees hay bales from the floor to ceiling 2 layers deep. I would assume someone is about to move horses or cows on the property and is stockpiling hay. He will have to weigh the risk of breaking over the risk of having to run all over the countryside retrieving supplies from storage lockers. This would also allow truly one trip- right to the retreat. Allowing him to get his family immediately out of harm's way. In my opinion their is just as much chance of having the sealand container broken into on the property as their is the storage shed broken into, probably more risk of the latter being broken into, especially after civil unrest.

Larry is to be commended for being a doer and taking the initiative. He has learned many lessons that others will not learn until the day comes. - Mr. Lima

Letter Re: Sources For Sand Bags? (SAs: Retreat Architecture, Retreat Security, Ballistic Protection, Sand Bags)

Hi Jim,
Do you know a good place to buy sand bags? Here in Florida there is plenty of sand, but I need to buy some sand bags to put it in. Thanks. Joe

JWR Replies: In the U.S. there are several good sources, but prices vary widely, so shop around. (From as much as $3.75 each in small quantities to as little as 38 cents each if you buy in lots of 1000.) For example, see:

OBTW, be sure to buy the later variety synthetic (such as polypropylene) sand bags. The early burlap (or "Hessian") ones tend to rot and rip out too quickly. The latest and greatest mil-spec bags use Linear Low-Density PolyEthylene (LLDPE) or Polyethylene film laminated with a third layer of molten polyethylene. These have the best UV protection (and hence the longest useful life out in the elements), but are the most expensive. Even the standard military polypropylene bags will last two to three years in full sun, and much longer if painted or kept in the shade.

Letter Re: Safecastle's Pricing on Mountain House Freeze Dried Foods (SAs: Disaster Preparedness, Provisioning, Freeze Dried Foods, MREs, Bulk Storage Foods)

Mr. Rawles,
I just wanted to let you know about the smokin' deal I got on Mountain House foods from Vic at SafeCastle. I bought a 150-can kit for HALF of what I would have paid buying directly from Mountain House. I just had to tell him I was a SurvivalBlog reader. If anyone is looking for Mountain House food, March is the month to buy. I don't have any connection with Vic or his business. I just wanted to pass on the info. Thanks, - Rich in Louisiana

JWR Replies: Thanks for your letter. I'm always glad to hear affirmation that I've chosen the right advertisers.

It is worth mentioning that Vic, owner of Safecastle (one of our loyal advertisers) is giving a substantial discount to SurvivalBlog readers off of his already well-discounted prices on Mountain House bulk buys, just for the month of March. After that, prices go back to normal, so if you are looking to build your stocks of long-term storage food, contact Vic. Here is a link to his 150-can deal--which he'll discount even further for you:
http://cgi.ebay.com/150-Mountain-House-10-cans-Nearly-1800-Servings_W0QQitemZ8745771598QQcategoryZ106996QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

Letter Re: REI's Members-Only Sale (SAs: Field Gear, Water Filters, Packs)

Jim:
Thought your readers might benefit from this deal: I just noticed that REI has a special member's only '20% off 1 item' sale right now...no shipping charges too if you pick it up at your local store. Excludes their pricey mountain bikes, boats, GPS or ELBs. But that still means a big discount on many top quality high buck survival items like Katadyn water filters, MSR MIOX purifiers, lightweight tarp shelters, Bug-Out packs, ETON hand crank radios, Thule and Yakima roof racks. Their sale ends 4/02/06.
http://www.rei.com/rei/coupons/member_reward.jsp?cm_re=lq*lq*member_rewards_coupon&vcat=REI_HP_LD - Gman

Odds 'n Sods:

SurvivalBlog reader Lyn recommends: http://www.boatuscom/goodoldboat/pressure.htm ("A link about pressure cooking, good for newbies, that has a section at the end on how to make a water distiller using a pressure cooker. Also, 15 pounds of pressure is the minimum needed to sterilize hospital equipment. Plus of course food cooks quicker, saving fuel.")

o o o

I'm pleased to see that the Firefox browser has become so popular. The Secret Squirrels tell me that it is much more secure than either Netscape or Microsoft Internet Explorer. Here at the Rawles Ranch we are glad that we made the switch to Firefox. We hope that you will consider doing likewise. Hey, it's free, so you have no excuse. See: http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/

Jim's Quote of the Day:

“A rifle without ammunition is a club, unless an attached bayonet upgrades it to a spear.” - Rourke

Wednesday, March 1, 2006

Note From JWR: The following non-fiction article describes an abortive grid-up bug out made by a SurvivalBlog reader, in response to several articles (thankfully erroneous) that were posted on www.arcticbeacon.com between January 22 and January 26, 2006. The author's experience is not unique. Several of my friends bugged out to their retreats in late 1999, only to return to the Big City early in 2000, when Y2K turned out to be a non-event. I also have an aquaintance--incidentally upon whom the John Thomas Rourke character in Jerry Ahern's The Survivor paperback book series was based--who bugged out to a retreat in a remote region of Northern California immediately after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1980. He was convinced that it was the first stage of WWIII. Hindsight is indeed 20/20, and it is easy to say "He was a Chicken Little." But the essential truth is that it is better to bug out early than it is to hesitate and be trapped in the metropolis like the sheeple. The following piece teaches some valuable lessons.

Although this was a case of "false alarm", it is still quite instructive.You will note that Larry mentions that he did not have room in his vehicles to bring all of his supplies with him. I cannot emphasize this enough: It is crucial to both do a "practice load" and to pre-position the majority of your supplies at your intended retreat. You may have only one trip Outta Dodge, when the balloon really does go up.

Our Grid-Up Bug Out -- January 22nd Through February 4th, 2006 by Larry in Kansas (SAs: Disaster Preparedness, Retreat Planning, Grid-Up Bug Out, Retreat Group Dynamics, Survival Mindset, Retreat Logistics, Logistics Pre-Positioning)

On January 22nd my wife had been on the web site www.arcticbeacon.com and ran across the following article http://www.arcticbeacon.com/22-Jan-2006.html. The article covers a nuclear attack and a financial collapse in America within 90 days. (sometime in March of 2006). This got our attention, BIG TIME. On January 25 the following article was posted on Arcticbeacon http://www.arcticbeacon.com/25-Jan-2006.html. An attack was imminent in 9 days for Texas City-Houston area. On January 26 the following article was posted http://www.arcticbeacon.com/26-Jan-2006b.html. Houston police running nuclear disaster drills. I did my best to checkout the articles and the sources, however, I felt really pressed for time so the decision to bug out was made on January 26. I realize that this might not seem like a lot of good intel, however, since Kansas City was mentioned as a possible target and since we live close to Kansas City, so it really wasn’t that hard of a decision. Also, we have been watching the U.S. economy (see the novel by Jim Rawles Patriots), gold and silver, the stock markets, dollars and Euros ( especially dollar reserves vs. euro in other countries), oil and gas, open borders, U.S. and world politics, Iran and Syria, North Korea, etc. We went into “Condition Red”. Because the “advanced warning“ calculated the possible deed to be accomplished on February 1st or 3rd we decided to bug out to our Rally Point (RP) on the next Monday, January 30. I didn’t want us to be trapped in a major city if the balloon went up. I envisioned martial law would be used and traveling would be suspended. I also envisioned road blocks everywhere to stop any more “terrorists” still out there roaming around looking for more targets. Lots of “shoot first and don’t ask any questions.“ This also gave us time to “calmly” pack the vehicles. Even while being highly motivated, at times, we suffered from severe brain deadness. I found you really need a clear cut list of the items to take. You need to have them bagged, boxed and tagged so there is no searching and second guessing yourself. You need to know what goes where in which vehicle. I don’t like to say this but I believe thinking about this while doing it causes haste. Your lists and bug out plan(s) have to be already worked out. I can only imagine what it would have been like if the balloon had already gone up. Remember that the time you take loading your vehicle(s) only takes away your bug out time or put another way, your window of opportunity is closing.

FAMILY/FRIENDS/WORK/SCHOOL--We informed a limited number of family members and friends of the situation. We had to treat this like a medical triage situation. Certain people would be told and the decision to leave was up to them. Others would not be told since we know them and it would have opened a whole new can of worms we didn’t want or need to deal with at that time. My older son and family who lives in the fallout path east of Texas City-Houston area agreed to come to the RP. My two middle kids, 18 year old daughter and 23 year old son, live close to us and after some discussion they also agreed to go. I left the decision up to them since they are of age. Our 16 year old son didn’t have a choice. The good thing about all these family members is that they are mostly on board with the survival mindset and are aware of what is happening in the world around them. I couldn’t imagine the stress if they weren’t. Two survival friends were also informed, however, they decided they would shelter in place if the balloon went up. We wished each other the best of luck.
The previous Christmas I had given my middle kids Bug Out Bags or B.O.B.s as they are always referred to. I got lots of strange looks from them but they smiled and made me feel good. Two weeks before the Bug Out and before the articles at Arcticbeacon.com I was getting this uneasy feeling that they needed to have their B.O.B.s accessible and ready to go. Of course the B.O.B.s weren’t ready so I badgered them until they put them back together. It took them a week. They were ready when I called them about the Bug Out. They did really well.
We decided that a little “white lie” would be used on our employers and schools. A family illness/emergency had happened to my parents and we have to go to see them . It could possibly be a week but we’re not sure. Not very original but effective. I know it was wrong to do this, however, for the OPSEC of the bug out it was needed. This did come back to haunt my middle son. When he had gotten back from the bug out he was fired from his job. Two edged sword. He has since landed another job. This is something that everyone will have to consider for their bug out plan and whether it is a GRID-UP or GRID-DOWN bug out. Both of which are going to be totally different.

PRE-POSITIONING of SUPPLIES--We decided it was time to preposition as many supplies as possible during this time. We took most of our storage food, 1⁄2 of our MRE’s, 3⁄4 of our ammo (in military ammo cans), two rifles in cosmolene, medical supplies, 3⁄4 of our vitamins, miscellaneous fuels (butane, kerosene and lamp oil), shelves, all the camping equipment, reference books, extra clothes and shoes, miscellaneous house supplies, extra garden tools, TA-1 field phones and wire, kerosene heater, 3⁄4 of our candles and lamps and about 1⁄2 of our seeds. Other items we brought but didn’t put into storage was 40 gallons of treated gasoline (get the military gas cans not the plastic ones they aren‘t as tough), 30 gallons of drinking water, generator, 2 cycle weed eater, 2 cycle chain saw with extras, 2 cycle oil, two tubs of power tools and hand tools (with nails and screws), all my rifles and pistols with mags and ammo. cleaning kits and tools, weapons spare parts, 4 cases of bottled water and several food tubs. We really like those plastic tubs. To help in this effort we rented a 6’ x 12’ covered trailer. It took us a while to get it because they only had one attendant . If your going this route to transport stuff make sure you have a proper hitch (class 1, 2or3) and electrical hook ups. It makes it that much easier and saves time. Time you might not have. One other suggestion, buy a covered trailer (all metal/aluminum). Remember, it has to be sized for your vehicles towing capacity. Also paint it a subdued color. The orange and white of the trailer we had really sticks out. You don’t want people to see what you have and covering with a tarp doesn’t hide everything and you can’t lock it up. Anyway, when we got there we were the only customer, however, by the time we left there were 10 customers waiting (it took them 30 min). I tried to imagine how it would be if the balloon had already gone up and everyone was freaking out.
Since our RP is 30 minutes from the retreat and that we still don’t have a storage barn built on the retreat we rented a storage shed closer to our RP. All of our supplies were put into the storage shed. More items will be put there in the very near future

CONVOY-- For the purpose of this report I will call my convoy Group 1 (Chevy 4WD with camper top and trailer, Ford Windstar and Ford Explorer (4WD) and my oldest son from down south Group 2 (Dodge mini van). Group 1 was on the road by 11 a.m. Monday, January 30 like we had planned. The trip to the RP should take 4 hours. My middle son and daughter in his van, my wife in her SUV and my step-son and I in my truck/trailer. We used FRS radios to communicate with each other. It was good practice for everyone. We had cell phones but they aren’t as handy for close communication. We had plenty of batteries for all the radios with lots of spares. Rechargeable batteries with a solar charger will be used next time. The cell phone came in handy when calling Group 2 for progress updates. I had split some of the rifles and pistols between the 3 vehicles. At the current time we traveled on “Condition yellow”. This meant all weapons were in their gun case or gun rug, locked and unloaded. If the balloon had gone up while we were on the road we would have gone to “Condition Red” and we would have locked and loaded. I don’t think the MZBs (mad zombie bikers) would have been out yet, however, you never know. As an acquaintance once told me “better safe than sorry”. Group 2 had no firearms and this greatly concerned me and there was nothing I could do about it. We prayed nothing would happen and that they would arrive at the RP safe. They arrived safe, in fact beating us to the RP.
Now, driving with the trailer was ok but it liked to skittle around a bit. Anyone who has pulled a trailer knows this. I could only travel between 55 and 65 mph. So Group 1 had to basically go as fast as me. Or, you’re only as fast as your slowest member. The trip took us 6 hours -vs.-the regular 4 hours. I believe that is because when you add more vehicles and people you will stop more often for eating, bathroom breaks, etc. Group 1 followed the primary route. This was all done on major highways through cities and towns. These are also choke points if something were to happen. I had two other routes picked out. These would have taken a lot longer but would be safer than the major refugee routes. My mistake was I only had one set of maps. I will make map sets for everyone here real soon. We also had $1,000 in cash and our barter silver. We also brought our house, property, vehicle and personal papers along in a fire proof safe. Very good things to have to prove ownership etc.
later on.

BUG OUT GEAR-- Everyone in Group 1 one had their own B.O.B.s. Ours are equipped for less than a week. Along with the B.O.Bs three of us had our combat loads. These were kept close to us in the vehicles. Group 2 had no B.O.B.s or combat loads. My older son is working to put his families together.

WEAPONS and TARGET SHOOTING-- We went to the retreat to get some target shooting in. I also wanted to see how the rifles (FAL, AKs, SKS, AR-180B, M1 Carbine), ammo and mags worked with sustained fire. I have to take 2 rifles to the gunsmith for adjustment. Also found out that the 20 round detachable SKS mags I had don’t work well. The only ones that did work were the original 10 round mag and 5 round detachable mags. I also spent quality time with my sons about rifle and pistol function and safety. I covered proper sight picture while acquiring targets. Everyone did well. Shot a lot of ammo.

TIME TO GO HOME-- If nothing had happened by Saturday, February 4th we had decided that day would be the day we would all head back to our homes and lives. So Saturday morning we all loaded up the vehicles and said our good-byes (hugs and kisses). The trip back for Group 1 seemed to go faster. Group 2 made it back in the same amount of time it took to get there. Everyone got home safe and sound.

IN CONCLUSION--We stayed a week at the RP (hotel).The plan was, if the balloon went up, to stay there as long as the credit card would last. We would than go and gather up the supplies from the storage shed and move out to the property and set up camp. In hindsight I don’t think that was the best of plans, however, at the time it was the only plan. Now that we have pre-positioned supplies, we will go straight to the retreat. Hopefully the Powers That Be will hold off long enough so we can get the storage building built on the retreat and then the house.

I found that our Bug Out was good for the following reasons:
Got to spend a lot of quality time with the grandkids.
We all got to spend quality time with each other (kind of a mini family reunion).
Pre-positioning of supplies at the now RP #2.
The retreat is now RP #1.
Reduced our bug out time.
Everyone knows how to get to RP #1 & 2. Still need to make maps for all.
Answered some of my own question and concerns about my firearms.
Need to get more military metal gas cans.
Had good weapons familiarization “training” with most of the shooters in the family. The women didn’t shoot. They spent time visiting neighbors. (We’ll work on the shooting later).
Dealt with some retreat issues that really needed dealing with.
“Better safe than sorry” is great, however, it seemed like a toss up at times. Second guessing myself caused some hesitation about bugging out. Just have to deal with that.
Since everyone, except the children, knew this was a possible SHTF scenario everyone kept their cool and didn‘t scare the kiddies.
Reinforced the thinking that children (babies and pre-teens) have to be really kept occupied during a bug out. Everyone has to chip in and help and they did. Even the teenagers (surprising). An adult(s) needs to be a cruise director for the bug out. The little toys, games etc we bought before the bug out paid off. It would have been a long week if we hadn’t have made some plans. Not everything worked out, so, have plan B, C, D…!
This event has pushed us to get the storage shed built at the retreat ASAP.
The emotional side of the bug out is very stressful for people. As I said before, have as much of your supplies tagged and know where it all will go in your bug out vehicles. Have a plan for the GRID -UP and GRID-DOWN bugout. Remember to eat well and drink lots of fluids. Don’t forget to take your prescription meds if you have them.
Try and get at least 30 days supply of prescription meds above your usual monthly supply. More if possible. I’m researching the homeopathic way for my prescription drugs.

OPSEC is very important. Everyone that is part of the bug out needs to understand this perfectly. If you have time before the bug out load your vehicles at night. If you have a garage, pull the back of the vehicle into the garage door and load from the privacy of the garage. Shop for the extra things you need anytime but load at night. Neighbors do watch what is going on and they will come ask questions. If they do just tell them your little “white lie“. Just remember that the more “white lies “ you use the harder it will be to keep up with them all. Making trips during the year will help as they will see this trip as nothing out of the norm. Wear civilian clothes. Don’t wear camos. This will scare the neighbors seeing several people next door running around in camos. Plenty of time to change later if you really need to. Once we got to the RP we had informed other family that we were on a one week vacation with the grand kids and all. That really wasn’t telling a “white lie.” I'm writing this on February 14th which is way after the fact and nothing has blown up and no one is glowing…yet. Thank God it was a false alarm this time. Everyone made it home safe and sound. The financial cost of this bug out was substantial. I won't discuss it here because it can really vary per individual or group. All in all it was money well spent and the lessons learned are priceless.

Letter Re: Recommended Truck Modifications? (SAs: 4WDs, Vehicle Modifications, EMP, EMP Protection, Diesel Engines, Winches, Come-Alongs, Hi-Lift Jacks, Pioneer Tools, NVGs, Infrared)

Dear Jim:
I recently purchased a 1991 Ford F350 diesel truck. I had read previously on the Blog site of your recommendations on how best to outfit G.O.O.D. vehicles. Unfortunately I have been unable to find that post. I would appreciate it if you would re-post that information. Also I have a few other questions concerning this topic if you don't mind.

1.) What type of winch do you suggest? Manufacturer, size & power, etc.

2.) Is it necessary to EMP-proof the glow plug switch? And, if so, how is that to be done?

3.) Do you suggest light assemblies on the roof of the cab or elsewhere on the truck?

I appreciate all of your excellent knowledge. Hodu L'Yahweh ke tov, (Give thanks to Yahweh for He is good.) - Dr. Sidney Zweibel

I'm glad to hear that you bought a diesel truck. Hopefully it is a four wheel drive. Since it is a 1991 model, odds are that it does not have electronic fuel handling. (Which is a good thing, in the event of EMP.) But it is best to double check that. In answer to your questions:

1.) I generally don't recommend electric winches. They look useful and very manly, but from a practical standpoint they usually turn into big, heavy, expensive truck ornaments that rarely get used. A power takeoff (PTO) winch is much more practical. But even those rarely get used. I have found that if and when you do need a winch, the winch will often be on the wrong end of your vehicle. (I'm reminded of the old line about the statistical chances of the peanut butter side of the bread landing face down on the carpet...) With about the same total weight and about the same expense of buying one electric winch with 75 feet of cable, you can buy the following: 4-Tow hooks (one for each bumper corner--install these only if you already have heavy duty bumpers, such as those made my Reunel), 2-Dayton come-alongs (a.k.a. ratchet cable hoists) , 2-25 foot tow chains, 1-50 foot tow strap, 1-snatch block, 2-padded tree "chokers", 1-48 inch Sheepherder (Hi-Lift) jack, 1-Shovel, and 1-Axe). Granted, using come-alongs is not as fast as some operations with an electric winch, but the preceding list provides much more versatility at getting your vehicle out of a ditch, as well as handling umpteen other tasks.

2.) EMP-proofing any particular model goes beyond my expertise. It is probably best to have an experienced diesel mechanic show you how to bypass the glow plug switch with a clip lead from your battery's positive terminal. Keep that clip lead in your glove box at all times.

3.) For day-to-day (pre-Schumer) off-road use, a couple of forward-facing roof-mounted KC lights might prove useful. One or two more, facing aft, would also be useful. Just don't overboard. I must emphasize, however, that the only lights that I recommend adding for post-TEOTWAWKI use are infrared floodlights (such as these ones, made in Australia), for driving with your headlights off while wearing night vision goggles. (One proviso: Keep your speed down to single digits when doing so, since NVGs do not provide good depth perception! Driving in these conditions takes a lot of practice.)

Letter Re: Economic Survival on the Personal Level (SAs: Personal Preparedness, Job Hunting, Economic Collapse, Second Income, Practical Skills)

Hi JWR,
Keep up the good work as always. I thought I'd share a couple of ideas that I've had.

A "money" emergency, ranging from losing your job temporarily to a full-scale depression is one of the most likely things to happen to all of us. I know you've talked about this before, but I'd like to share a few things. I would advise anyone to get at least one marketable backup skill or trade. The local community college is vast resource for learning practical skills. Here are some possibilities:
-Auto Mechanics. Think of this for self-sufficiency and employment. People gotta get to work! A couple of semesters will prepare you for an entry level job, 1-2 years to be a full-fledged mechanic. I have saved probably $10,000 over the years by working on my own vehicles.
-Welding. You can get the basics for repairs and maintenance work in one semester. Plan on 2 or 3 semesters if you want to get certified for structural or pipeline work. With our current energy situation, pipeline welders are in high demand, and can make $100K/year in some situations.
-CAD/CAM. This is operating and programming the automated equipment that manufactures virtually all machined goods and items. The class I'm in has a board full of job listings, starting at $13/hr and going up to more than $30 for experienced people. In 1-2 semesters, you could easily qualify for one of those jobs. Amazingly, my college offered this as an accelerated, full time program that only takes one semester, and available free by applying at the unemployment office. Can you believe that there were no takers?
-Music. I think this one is often overlooked. If you're inclined in this area, think about learning an easily-transported instrument like guitar, harmonica, keyboard, etc. In hard times, people want to be cheered up. If you ever end up in a refugee camp or jail, you have immediate value to offer.
-Truck driving/equipment operating. I recently read a white paper from the grocery industry about dealing with bird flu. They cited truck drivers as one of the most critical and hard to replace resources. Getting training and upgrading your licenses seems like a good idea. From the article on Katrina evacuations, it sounds like DOT regulations would typically get relaxed in any emergency, so a basic commercial license might get you quick work, or permission to drive a bus or truck with needed relief supplies.
Your training and education are something that no economic collapse can rob you of. Even if you only take 1 class in another trade, it could mean the difference between getting hired to sweep up the floors and getting an "assistant mechanic" or other, better-paying job.
Also, working on your job and social skills is important. You should spend an hour making a new resume every few months, even if you are happy with your job. It's a good way to see where you're weak and think about what new skills, certifications, etc you might want for your current line of work.
Getting work in hard times means you have to hustle. I have a friend who lives in Las Vegas and has been a salesman for every imaginable product. He says that he has gotten more jobs by waiting until the end of the interview when they ask if you have any questions. He asks [presumptive] things like "Are the cokes in the hallway free, where are the time cards, what time do people start on Mondays?" He then just shows up the next day ready to start. He says that this works 9 out of 10 times for any job they need filled right now. - JN.

Odds 'n Sods:

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"If their economy is destroyed, they will be busy with their own affairs rather than enslaving the weak peoples. It is very important to concentrate on hitting the U.S. economy through all possible means." - Osama bin Laden, Dec. 21, 2001

For other previous SurvivalBlog posts, see the Archives

These are Archives. Current SurvivalBlog posts are on the SurvivalBlog Home Page.

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

The Vault Room: Preparedness in Tornado Alley, and Beyond

The White House Warns: Time to Stock Up on Food! We Can't Stop the Advent of the Asian Avian Flu

Letter Re: Advice on Long Term Moth-Proof Clothing Storage?

Letter Re: Asian Avian Flu, Storage Food, and the Current Bulk Ammo Shortage

Odds 'n Sods:

Jim's Quote of the Day:

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

SurvivalBlog Now Hosts Free Downloadable Shooting Targets and Target Logs for Your PC Printer!

David in Israel Re: A Winter Crossing

Letter Re: Home Dehydrating and Home Vacuum Packing

Odds 'n Sods:

Jim's Quote of the Day:

Monday, March 13, 2006

A SurvivalBlog Reader at Front Sight, by The Wanderer

David in Israel on Flashlights and Batteries

Letter Re: Shelf Life of NiMH Batteries?

Jim's Quote of the Day:

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Letter From David in Israel Re: Fire Protection for Log Homes

Letter Re: Seeking Advice on 27 Year Old Storage Food

Letter Re: Advice on When to Sell Silver?

Odds 'n Sods:

Jim's Quote of the Day:

Saturday, March 11, 2006

Letter Re: Question on "Dried" Foods Versus "Dehydrated" Storage Foods

Letter Re: Alternative to Creosote for Preserving Wood?

Letter Re: PTR-91 Clones of HK91 Rifles, and Set Trigger Modification

Odds 'n Sods:

Jim's Quote of the Day:

Friday, March 10, 2006

Right Out the Window, by Rourke

Letter from The Army Aviator Re: PAL Lights, NiMH 9VDC Batteries, and Fire Protection for Log Homes

Odds 'n Sods:

Jim's Quote of the Day:

Thursday, March 9, 2006

Letter from Sweden Re: Public Anxiety Over Asian Avian Flu

Letter Re: Sources for PAL 9VDC Flashlights and Ultra-Long Life 9VDC Batteries

Letter Re: A Second Silver Exchange Traded Fund

Letter Re: PTR-91 Clones of HK91 Rifles

#2 Son's Quote of the Day:

Wednesday, March 8, 2006

Letter Re: More Backup Generator Advice

Odds n' Sods:

Jim's Quote of the Day:

Tuesday, March 7, 2006

Buckshot on: What do Canadian Bush Pilots Carry?

Letter Re: Survival and Self Reliance Studies Institute Web Site

Letter Re: Source for the Full Text of the Web Novel "Lights Out"

Jim's Quote of the Day:

Monday, March 6, 2006

Letter Re: Getting a Spouse "On Board" with Preparedness (SAs: Survival Mindset, Disaster Preparedness)

Letter from Michael Z. Williamson Re: Body Armor, Ancient MREs, and Federally Exempt Handguns

#1 Son's Quote of the Day

Sunday, March 5, 2006

Making a Living in a Rural Environment, by JD (SAs: Self-Employment, Telecommuting, Small Town Psychology, Taxes)

Letter Re: Why "Invest" In Gold or Silver? (SAs: Contrarian Investing, Retirement Planning, Gold, Silver, Bullion, Precious Metals, Barter)

Letter Re: Alternative to Creosote for Preserving Wood? (SAs: Practical Skills, Wood Preservation, Creosote, Asphalt Emulsion)

The Recent "Opening" of the 6 Meter Band (SAs: Amateur Radio. 6 Meter Band, SSB)

Jim's Quote of the Day:

Saturday, March 4, 2006

Letter Re: "Group Standard" Firearms Standardization (SAs: Retreat Security, Survival Guns, Standardization, HK-91s, CETMES, AR-15s, Mini-14s, L1A1s, M1911, XDs)

Odds 'n Sods:

Jim's Quote of the Day:

Friday, March 3, 2006

Impressions Following My Return From a RWVA Appleseed Shoot (SAs: Marksmanship, High Power Rifle Shooting, RWVA)

Letter Re: Why "Invest" In Gold or Silver? (SAs: Contrarian Investing, Retirement Planning, Gold, Silver, Bullion, Precious Metals, Barter)

Two Letters Re: Getting a Spouse "On Board" with Preparedness (SAs: Survival Mindset, Disaster Preparedness)

Odds 'n Sods:

Jim's Quote of the Day:

Thursday, March 2, 2006

Letter Re: Including Physically/Mentally Impaired Children/Adults in Retreat Planning?

Letter Re: Recommendations on Body Armor? (SAs: Body Armor, Body Armor Classifications, Flak Vests)

Letter Re: Our Grid-Up Bug Out -- January 22nd Through February 4th, 2006 by Larry in Kansas (SAs: Disaster Preparedness, Retreat Planning, Grid-Up Bug Out, Retreat Group Dynamics, Survival Mindset, Retreat Logistics, Logistics Pre-Positioning, CONEXes)

Letter Re: Sources For Sand Bags? (SAs: Retreat Architecture, Retreat Security, Ballistic Protection, Sand Bags)

Letter Re: Safecastle's Pricing on Mountain House Freeze Dried Foods (SAs: Disaster Preparedness, Provisioning, Freeze Dried Foods, MREs, Bulk Storage Foods)

Letter Re: REI's Members-Only Sale (SAs: Field Gear, Water Filters, Packs)

Odds 'n Sods:

Jim's Quote of the Day: