A lengthy letter from Fernando in Buenos Aires was originally posted on SurvivalBlog back on November 8th, but I just removed it. Why? Because Fernando just confirmed in an e-mail to me that the copyright to his article has been purchased by John, who operates Frugal Squirrel's Forum. The letter is still available there. (See: http://www.frugalsquirrels.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=044387;p=0) OBTW, I highly recommend Frugal's site and forums. Since I have deep respect for copyrights there are no hard feelings on my part. I trust that the folks at Frugal's will forgive me if I in some way infringed unknowingly by posting what I was sent.
Jim:
I have been meaning to write for a few days and thank you for posting
Fernando's observations from Argentina. I view the slow slide into
economic collapse as the greatest threat and the one I am currently
preparing for.
What prompts me to write now is the post (12 Nov
'05) about experience in Iraq. Having recently returned
from Iraq I thought I
would add some of my observations that run a bit different.
The AR pattern weapons definitely require greater maintenance but
preventive maintenance will prevent problems. Five minutes a day
is all it takes.
The greatest handicap is the lack of penetration with the 5.56mm,
for home owners it is a plus for soldiers a definite disadvantage.
M249 [SAW] is overly complex
and some of the problems relate to all the add on crap like short barrels
and collapsible stocks. Some soldiers
try
to use it as a 19 pound SMG and
that is not the right application.
Our M9s [U.S. Military issue version of the Beretta M92 9mm handgun]
were not functioning well and I think it relates to bad magazines. We
had
few
in my unit and
I
never
did any
shooting
with
them
so I
have little to add.
M240 [MMG], M2 [HMG],
and M14 [MBR] all are above reproach, they all work exactly as soldiers
should expect, this nation owes a great thanks to John Browning
and
Mr. Garand, they have kept the lowly grunt a step ahead of the rest
for some time now.
I have no direct experience with the M24 [U.S. Army issue sniper rifle]
or M40 [U.S.M.C. issue sniper rifle] but I have always had good service
out of the Remington 700. As a
side
note
some
of
Carlos
Hathcock's contemporaries exceeded his number of kills, I believe
two other marines had more confirmed kills and the title (in Vietnam)
would
go to the Army, Adelbert Waldron had 109 confirmed kills.
The MK-19 [crew-served automatic 40 mm grenade launcher] is a great
weapon for the open battlefield but it has some definite limitations
in the
city,
arming
range can
place
friendly
forces
in danger and the potential for collateral damage restricts it use
some.
Our new body armor is the real savior in this conflict, that and
our advances in medical science. The IBA [Interceptor Body Armor]
saved
my hide in an unlikely way but that is another story for another
day. The base
armor
is about
six pounds (dependant on size) ant the plates are another six pounds
each--one front and one back.
Thermal [sights], night vision ["Starlight"
scopes] and FLIR [aircraft
cameras] allow us a tremendous advantage over the enemy. Even though
they have
heard
about our night vision gear
they seem to not understand or believe it I guess. We saw the enemy
move around in the dark obviously believing that if they couldn't
see us we couldn't see them. A side benefit is that it's monochromatic,
grainy image creates a bit of psychological distance between us and
the enemy. It is easier for a soldier to shoot at that green, slightly
fuzzy figure. It is easier to convince yourself that what you are
punching
a hole in is not a real person, that it is some complex video game.
Many of the RPG rounds fired at us failed
to detonate, maybe over 20% in some months. Fine system and I wish
we would adopt something similar
but it seems to suffer from poor quality control in it's ammunition.
Thankfully the Arabs have never developed a tradition of marksmanship.
If they had the shooting skills of the Chechens we would have had
some serious problems over there. So far I have not seen much that
impresses
me when it comes to their fighting prowess.
The indirect fire threat is, I believe, a bit overstated. We were
subject to indirect fire attacks daily, sometimes several times a
day. I never
saw any evidence of the enemy adjusting fire and in fact I think
they usually stopped dropping rounds down the tube before the first
round
hit. They have reason to be afraid or our counter battery radar.
Rarely were friendly forces allowed to return fire (with artillery)
but we
always had our aviation up waiting for something like that to run
down (the AC-130 is a wonder to behold), same with patrols running
around.
After I took a look at the data I stopped worrying about rounds landing
on the FOB. Our base
was several kilometers in each direction and they only seemed able
to land
them inside the perimeter about 60% of the
time. If the first wasn't a threat to you the next three wouldn't
cause any problems either (unless the baseplate shifted as rounds
were fired).
After while I stopped reacting to IDF that
was not danger close with the first impact. This did cause me some
trouble, some folks up the
chain did not appreciate my lack of action when rounds came in.
IEDs were the big threat but thankfully
they are still in the early stages of learning how to use the stuff.
Not to say they aren't having
considerable success, they are, but they don't (yet) have the sophistication
that many around the world have shown. Several times they tried without
success to build fuel flame expedients (FFEs)
or shaped charges or explosive formed projectiles (EFPs).
Once or twice they did it right but more often than not they failed.
After a few failed attempts they
would stop trying and go back to the basic blast type devices. Since
they have a large quantity of prepared explosive devices (mines,
arty rounds, gravity bombs, rocket and missile warheads) and bulk
explosives
they have little incentive to learn how to build better devices.
With hard targets they just build them bigger. Initiating the charge
is
often done by cell phone and I suspect this makes it hard for the
enemy to time things right, many times IEDs
would detonate too soon or too late to do much damage.
Thankfully the only group in country who can fight are the Kurds
and they are on our side. The Iraqi National Guard and the Iraqi
Police
are getting better but the turnover is high, many leave after one
or two paydays and their leadership is sometimes lacking. Progress
is
being made but it is slow going.
I left Iraq in March so some of my experiences may be a bit dated,
but that was what I saw. - Jake
And here is another, from a gent that is currently in Iraq:
Mr. Rawles--
I received the same e-mail from my old TmSgt and sent him
back a few of my own observations from over here. To clarify I've
been
here
as
a private contractor for the last two years and used quite a few
of the weapons in question. Mainly because I've worked mainly in Army
controlled areas I wasn't too sure how far off I was though in regards
to Marine Corps armament.
I also though that the items about the SAW (M249) sounded recycled.
Having carried one in the early 1990s while in the military I
had
come
to realize their reworked improvements. I had sent him pictures from
a year ago with me working in a sandstorm with one.
I don't think I know of anyone using a pistol at all let alone commonly
though I'm sure that it has happened in some instances, and the
biggest problem with them is the weak magazine springs. Magazines
for 92Fs
built during the last 10 years for the military suffered from the
lack of quality competition during the Clinton gun ban period.
Even a partially loaded
magazine would fail to feed after just a few days
left in that state.
The 1911 is more of a status symbol over here. Not issued but captured
and definitely not worn by a common soldier unless he wants to
face UCMJ action. It seems that some SOF and higher up officer types
do
sport them though. Finding ammunition for them is hard enough that
practicing to any real worth is next to impossible.
Most troops doing active patrolling and not staying inside the wire
all the time have M4s. Active use of the M16 is more from the early
stages of the invasion. This however is more of an Army observation
of mine and caused me to hesitate when applying it to the Marine
Corps. Despite this the M4s and M16s performed equally well (it has
the same action
anyway) and the only clear advantage of the M4 was its size.
The 5.56 round in the hands of the insurgents is more of a bugaboo
to me than 7.62x39. With various ammo we consistently penetrate
steel plating that stops the 7.62 cold. While the 7.62x54 penetrates
as
well as .308 both require specialized platforms that typical insurgents
don't carry. If I had to be shot I would prefer it to come from
an AK. [JWR adds: I've heard first hand
that there were opiates and other drugs found when the Iraqi insurgents
were cleaned
out of Fallujah.]
As far as reported opiate use, its hard to imagine people that refuse
nicotine, coffee, shaving, and who fast for a month every year,
indulging in narcotics. Insurgents are of a more zealous bent than
even your
standard Iraqi. This blurb sounded almost recycled from Vietnam.
M14s can be found in M21 configuration with designated marksmen
or snipers but I have seen no bulk re-issue, even with SOF.
The M240 is mounted over here but mainly because there aren't a
lot of foot patrols. In light infantry units it replaced the M60
several
years ago, but again I wasn't sure about the Marine Corps.
Baghdad insurgents are mostly Sunni, Shia leaders like Al Sadr
and Al Sistani have put a tight rein on their respective militias,
the Mahdi army and the Badr brigade. According to locals that I talked
to,
many insurgents lived in Fallujah (Sunni territory) and traveled
to Baghdad's Sunni areas to stage attacks on both Shia and Coalition
forces. With the realization that they could actually come to power,
the Shias are hoarding their forces for our eventual withdrawal
and not getting them chewed up by the Coalition as they did in
April
of
'04. Still, fighting between Shias and Sunnis, while under-reported
is fierce. An example, for a while Sunnis had been targeting Shia
mullahs, then fourteen Sunni mullahs were kidnapped and found dead.
Their discovery was reported in the news but what wasn't added
was that they had been killed via a power drill to the head. Shortly
after this the Sunni leadership called for a general agreement not
to target
religious leadership. This was relayed to me by an Iraqi gentleman
who I was working with in the Karada district of Baghdad this summer.
Checking the page I see that you've already made some corrections,
think I'll throw my two cents in anyway.
Take care and be safe. - Chuck.
Sir:
Thanks for the link to Where There is No Doctor on line
but did you know that Where There Is No Dentist is also
on line at http://healthwrights.org/books/WTINDentistonline.htm and
over books at http://www.healthwrights.org/booksonline.htm. The
Sierra Madre newsletter is at http://www.healthwrights.org/newsletters.htm.
Hope this helps and hope you never need these books. - Simon
Dear Mr. Rawles,
Some time ago you mentioned my novel, "Lights Out", in your
blog. It was quite an honor for me to have my humble work discussed
on your web site.
I wanted to let you and your readers know that "Lights Out" is now finished.
It can be read in its entirety at http://www.giltweasel.com/stuff/LightsOut-Current.pdf I
plan to edit and improve this first draft and then to pursue publishing.
Any constructive criticism and help from anyone will be gladly received at
dcrawford@email.com. Thanks
again and please keep up the fine work you are doing with your blog.
Sincerely, -
David Crawford
Dr. Rudi Gunn: "Hold on, how do I cross the border? I never took survival training."
Dirk Pitt: "Consider this your course, Rudi..."
Al Giordino (interrupting): "...It's kind of pass/fail, which
I was told is easier."
- from the action-adventure film Sahara (2005)
I often have folks ask me where they can buy guns "without a paper trail." This is not a big problem for some of us: Just go to a gun show and buy only from private parties. But this is a real dilemma for folks in those Blue States with the nasty Schumeresque gun laws. (Like "Kalifornia" and "Neu Jersey.") One great alternative is buying shootable cartridge guns that were made in or before 1898. These "pre-1899" guns are outside of Federal jurisdiction, and hence can be shipped across state lines without the usual FFL paperwork. (Consult your state and local laws before placing an order.) You can read my FAQ on Pre-1899 guns for some details.
One of our SurvivalBlog advertisers, The Pre-1899 Specialist has a great selection of hand-picked and custom re-built pre-1899 rifles. Another good source is Dennis Kroh at Empire Arms, but I've noticed that most of his potentially practical/tactical guns sell out very quickly. For pre-1899 revolvers, try either Jim Supica, who runs The Arm Chair Gun Show or The Pre-1899 Specialist for a smaller albeit more unusual selection.
I also occasionally notice some nice pre-1899 rifles and handguns at the Internet gun auction sites such as AuctionArms.com and GunBroker.com. For example, take a look at these current AuctionArms auctions:
A Swedish Mauser Model 1896 (6.5 x55) made in 1898 (very rare): http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=7050839
A Mosin Nagant Finnish (re-work) 7.62 x 54R: http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=7068842A Model 1895 (Chilean Contract) Ludwig Loewe Mauser Model 1895 7 x57: http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=7066061
Although the auction prices tend to run high, if you are persistent
you can find some bargains that are also Federally
exempt.
In a recent evening of web surfing, I found that one of my favorite little references Where There is No Doctor by David Werner, is now available as a public domain e-book. See:
http://www.healthwrights.org/books/WTINDonline.htm
This is a very useful no-nonsense book, written for folks
living in Third World countries. It has also been translated
into Spanish. Since you obviously won't have access to e-books in
the event of a power failure, I highly recommend that you pick up
one or more paperback copies. See: http://www.healthwrights.org/publications.htm. I
should mention that the companion volume Where There is No Dentist is
also highly recommended. I've observed that used
copies of both books are often offered for sale at Amazon.com or on
eBay.
Our friends at WorldNetDaily.com recently ran a chilling article in which Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez, Jr, from a Texas border county warns that the U.S./Mexico border is a veritable sieve through which a radioactive "dirty bomb" will almost assuredly someday get through. See: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47376
Jim:
Unless you can actually verify the identity of the author of the "Firearms,
Gear, and Tactics in Iraq" e-mail, then it is bogus.
I've seen it running around the net in several incarnations with different
authors
attributed
to it for some time now. Some reasons to believe it's bogus without
any authentication: The part about the M249 being a POS comes
from an early AAR about
the invasion. Some USMC units had weapons that were VERY well-used
and
I know a Marine
that went in with his M249 held together with zip
ties.
The
Army, with newer weapons, report no failures. The USMC has replaced
the worn out POSs that should have been condemned years ago. The M249
in Marine service now works great. Go figure how a new gun will work
better than one that's deadlined. Since this gripe in the e-mail is
almost a copy-paste from the original Marine AAR that I've read (from
the USMC itself and not 18th hand in a chain e-mail) it raises a stink
right off the bat on this e-mail.
The son is supposed to be in the USMC. The USMC doesn't use the M24
sniper system. They use the M40A3. The M24 is based on a long action
so it can
take the .300 WM, but the Army (which is the only service using the
M24) isn't using any in that caliber.
The new body armor isn't six pounds. It's more like 15--or20 if you
add all the c**p. I've also noticed that your version has several differences
than the couple that I've seen. Caliber and enemy weapons are referred
to exactly the same, but with different calibers and even different
weapons. That alone brings it's validity into question. If it's a real
e-mail from a Marine,why has it been altered from version to version?
Especially when these alterations were made to correct glaring faults
in previous versions. There's an almost endless supply of reasons to
call "Bulls**t!" on this e-mail. Like most good lies, it has many truths
in there to make it more believable. You can explain some of the inconsistencies
with reality as the "straw
view"
that a rifleman may have, or possibly seeing Army units with M14s
and M24s. But when you see parts that have been obviously lifted from
other sources, and seen the same basic e-mail for a couple times, with
things changed, it becomes an internet urban myth. It may make for
good reading if you simply WANT to believe truths/lies that support
an opinion that someone might hold, but if you're looking for truth
it's not in this e-mail. It's like any useful observation. Once people
start changing things to make it more dramatic, correct glaring flaws
that
have been brought up with it in the past, or somehow show support for
a particular position they have it's worthless. Not to bust your chops,
but information is useless if it's coming from a
worthless source. Even if some of that information is good, there's
no way to trust it. - Doug Carlton
JWR Replies: Your points are well taken. I should have vetted the letter before posting it. I'll leave your letter up for a couple of days as a teaching tool, along with the original post, so that readers will have a point of reference for your comments. Then I'll zap them so that the original letter doesn't get taken out of context and re-posted by someone else. OBTW, I would greatly appreciate a first hand honest-to-goodness "I seen it with my own two eyes" weapons/tactics AAR from someone who is either currently in-theater, or who has recently returned.
"A man's got to know his limitations." - John Milius Producer/Director of The Wind and The Lion, Red Dawn, and Farewell to the King
Note from JWR: Just 17 days left in our non-fiction
writing contest. E-mail us your entries soon!
We received this letter, ostensibly from a former Marine Corps
First Sergeant, supposedly his second-hand assessment of weapons
and enemy tactics
in
Iraq. This letter has subsequently been largely discredited, so I'm
only leaving it up for a couple of days as a teaching tool. I've
added a few notes. Special thanks to to another First Sergeant (1SG
White)
and
to "Doug
Carlton"
for
helping
me with
those
notes.
Hello to all my fellow gunners, military buffs, veterans and interested
guys. A couple of weekends ago I got to spend time with my son Jordan,
who was on his first leave since returning from Iraq. He is well
(a little thin), and already bored. He will be returning to Iraq
for a second tour in early '06 and has already re-enlisted early
for
4 more years. He loves
the Marine Corps and is actually looking forward to returning to
Iraq. Jordan spent 7 months at "Camp Blue Diamond" in Ramadi
(a.k.a.: Fort Apache. He saw and did a lot and the following is what
he told
me about weapons, equipment, tactics and other miscellaneous info which
may be of interest to you. Nothing herein is by any means classified.
No politics here,
just a Marine with his own opinions:
U.S. Weapons and Equipment
1) The M16 rifle: Thumbs down. Chronic jamming problems with the talcum
powder-like sand over there. The sand is everywhere. Jordan says you
feel filthy just two minutes after coming out of the shower. The M4
carbine version is more popular because it's lighter and shorter,
but it also
has jamming problems. They like the ability to mount the various
optical
sights and weapons lights on the Picattiny rails, but the weapon
itself is not great in a desert environment. They all hate the 5.56mm
(.223) round. Poor penetration on the cinder block structures common
over there and even torso hits cannot be reliably counted on to put
the enemy down. Fun fact: Random autopsies on dead insurgents shows
a high level of opiate use.
2) The M249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) .223 caiber.belt/magazine
fed light machine gun. Big thumbs down. Universally considered a piece
of s**t.
Chronic jamming problems, most of which require partial disassembly.
(That's great fun in the middle of a firefight.)
3) The M9 Beretta 9mm: Mixed
bag.
Good gun, performs well in desert environment; but they all hate the
9mm cartridge. The use of handguns for self-defense is actually fairly
common. Same old story on the 9mm: Bad guys hit multiple times and
still in the fight.
4) Mossberg 12ga. Military shotgun: Works well, used frequently for
clearing houses to good effect.
5) The M240 Machine Gun: 7.62 NATO (.308) cal. belt fed machine gun,
developed to replace the old M-60. Thumbs up. Accurate, reliable, and
the 7.62 round puts 'em down.
Originally developed as a vehicle mounted weapon, more and more are
being dismounted and taken into the field by infantry. The
7.62 round chews up the structure
over there. [JWR
adds: According to what I've read, they are not being
dismounted in any large numbers--rather, it is the version
made at the factory with the bipod, buttstock, and carrying handle
that
have
been
added
to unit TO&Es.]
6) The M2 .50 cal heavy machine gun: Thumbs way, way up. "Ma Deuce" is still worth her considerable weight in gold. The ultimate fight stopper, puts them in the dirt every time. The most coveted weapon in-theater.
7) The .45 pistol: Thumbs up. Still the best pistol round out there.
Everybody authorized to carry a sidearm is trying to get their hands
on one. With few exceptions, can reliably be expected to put 'em down
with a torso hit. The special ops guys (who are doing most of the pistol
work) use the HK military model and supposedly love it. The old
government model [M1911] .45s are being re-issued en masse. [JWR adds: According
to what I've read, the venerable M1911 .45 ACP are only issued in small numbers. I
wish
that
they
were issued en-masse.]
8) The M14: Thumbs up. They are being re-issued in bulk, mostly in
a modified version to Special Ops guys. Modifications include lightweight
Kevlar stocks and low power red dot or ACOG sights. Very reliable in
the sandy
environment, and they love the 7.62 NATO round.
9) The Barrett .50 caliber [.50 BMG] sniper rifle: Thumbs way up.
Spectacular range and accuracy and hits like a freight train. Used
frequently to
take
out vehicle suicide bombers (we actually stop a lot of them) and barricaded
enemy. Definitely here to stay. [JWR adds: According
to what I've read, they are primarily used by EOD teams
for blowing up suspected land mines and IEDs,
rather than against moving vehicles. The latter is the job usually
handled by the M2 .50 BMG.]
10) The M24 sniper rifle: Thumbs up. Mostly in .308 but some in .300
Win Mag. Heavily modified Remington 700s. Great performance. Snipers
have been used heavily to great effect. Rumor has it that a Marine
sniper on his third tour in Anbar province has actually exceeded Carlos
Hathcock's record for confirmed kills with OVER 100. [JWR adds: The
Army uses the M24. The marines use the M40. I believe that he
may be mistaken about either being issued in 300 Win Mag. Perhaps
somebody with "boots on the ground" in OIF can
correct me if I'm wrong about this.]
11) The new body armor: Thumbs up. Relatively light at approximately
six pounds and can reliably be expected to soak up small shrapnel and
even will
stop an AK-47 round. The bad news: Hot as s**t to wear, almost unbearable
in the summer heat (which averages over 120 degrees). Also, the enemy
now goes for head shots whenever possible. All the bullshit
about the "old" body armor making our guys vulnerable to
the IEDs was a non-starter. The IED explosions are enormous and body
armor doesn't make any difference at all in most cases. [JWR
adds: The weight of a full Interceptor armor system is
more like 20 pounds.)
12) Night Vision and Infrared Equipment: Thumbs way up. Spectacular
performance. Our guys see in the dark and own the night, period. Very
little enemy action after evening prayers. More and more enemy being
whacked at night during movement by our hunter-killer teams. We've
all seen the videos.
13) Lights: Thumbs up. Most of the weapon mounted and personal lights
are Surefires, and the troops love 'em. Invaluable for night urban
operations. Jordan carried a $34 Surefire G2 on a neck lanyard and
loved it.
I cant help but notice that most of the good fighting weapons and ordnance
are 50 or more years old!!! With all our technology, it's the WWII
and Vietnam era weapons that everybody wants!!! The infantry fighting
is frequent, up close and brutal. No quarter is given or shown.
Bad
Guy Weapons and Equipment:
1) Mostly AK-47s. The entire country is an arsenal. Works better in
the desert than the M16 and the 7.62 x 39mm Russian round kills reliably.
PKM
belt fed light machine guns are also common and effective. Luckily,
the enemy mostly shoots like s**t. Undisciplined "spray and pray" type
fire. However, they are seeing more and more precision weapons, especially
sniper rifles. (Iran, again) Fun fact: Captured enemy have apparently
marveled at the marksmanship of our guys and how hard they fight. They
are apparently told in Jihad school that the Americans rely solely
on technology, and can be easily beaten in close quarters combat for
their lack of toughness. Let's just say they know better now.
2) The RPG: Probably the infantry weapon most feared by our guys. Simple, reliable and as common as dog leavings. The enemy responded to our up-armored Humvees by aiming at the windshields, often at point blank range. Still killing a lot of our guys.
3) The IED: The biggest
killer of all. Can be anything from old Soviet anti-armor mines to
jury rigged artillery shells. A lot found in Jordan's area were in
abandoned cars. The enemy would take two or three 155mm artillery
shells and
wire them together. [Note from JWR: I think that he
meant to write 130mm or 152mm (Russian). The 155mm is a U.S. artillery
round, and the Iraqi insurgents wouldn't have access to those.] Most
were detonated
by cell
phone, and the explosions are
enormous. You're
not
safe in
any vehicle, even an M1 tank. Driving is by far the most dangerous
thing our guys do over there. Lately, they are much more sophisticated "shaped
charges" (Iranian) specifically designed to penetrate armor. Fact:
Most of the ready made IEDs are supplied by Iran, who is also providing
terrorists (Hezbollah types) to train the insurgents in their use and
tactics. That's why the attacks have been so deadly lately. Their concealment
methods are ingenious, the latest being shape charges in Styrofoam
containers spray painted to look like the cinder blocks that litter
all
Iraqi roads. We find about 40% before they detonate, and the bomb disposal
guys are unsung heroes of this war.
4) Mortars and rockets: Very prevalent. The Soviet era 122mm rockets
(with an 18 km range) are becoming more prevalent. One of Jordan's NCOs
lost a leg to one. These weapons cause a lot of damage "inside
the wire". Jordan's base was hit almost daily his entire time
there by mortar and rocket fire, often at night to disrupt sleep patterns
and to cause fatigue (It did). More of a psychological weapon than
anything else. The enemy mortar teams would jump out of vehicles, fire
a few rounds, and then haul a** in a matter of seconds.
5) Bad guy technology: Simple yet effective. Most communication is
by cell and satellite phones, and also by email on laptops. They use
handheld GPS units for
navigation and "Google earth" for
overhead views of our positions. Their weapons are good, if not fancy,
and prevalent. Their explosives and bomb technology is TOP OF THE LINE.
Night vision is rare. They are very careless with their equipment and
the captured GPS units and laptops are treasure troves of intel
when captured.
Who are the bad guys?: Most of the carnage is caused by the Zarqawi
Al Qaeda group. They operate mostly in Anbar province (Fallujah and
Ramadi). These are mostly "foreigners", non-Iraqi Sunni Arab
Jihadists from all over the\ Muslim world (and Europe). Most enter
Iraq through Syria (with, of course, the knowledge and complicity of
the Syrian government), and then travel down the "rat line" which
is the trail of towns along the Euphrates River that we've been hitting
hard for the last few months.
Some are virtually untrained young Jihadists that often end up as suicide
bombers or in "sacrifice squads". Most, however,
are hard core terrorists from all the usual suspects (Al Qaeda, Hezbollah,
Hamas etc.) These are the guys running around murdering civilians en
masse and cutting heads off. The Chechens (many of whom are Caucasian),
are supposedly the most ruthless and the best fighters. (they have
been
fighting the Russians for years). In the Baghdad area and south, most
of the insurgents are Iranian inspired (and led) Iraqi Shiites. The
Iranian Shia have been very adept at infiltrating the Iraqi local governments,
the police forces, and the Army. The have had a massive spy and agitator
network there since the Iran-Iraq war in the early 80's. Most of the
Saddam loyalists were killed, captured or gave up long ago.
Bad Guy Tactics:
When they are engaged on an infantry level they get their asses kicked
every time. Brave, but stupid. Suicidal Banzai-type charges were very
common earlier in the war and still occur. They will literally sacrifice
8-10 man teams in suicide squads by sending them screaming and firing
AKs and RPGs directly at our bases just to probe the defenses. They
get mowed down like grass every time. (See the M2 and M240, above).
Jordan's base was hit like this often. When engaged, they have a tendency
to flee to the same building, probably for what they think
will be a glorious last stand. Instead, we call in air and that's the
end of that more often than not. These hole-ups are referred to as
Alpha Whiskey Romeo's (Allah's Waiting Room). We have the laser guided
ground-air thing down to a science. The fast movers, mostly Marine
F-18s, are taking an ever increasing toll on the enemy. When caught
out in the open, the helicopter gunships and AC-130 Spectre gunships
cut them to ribbons with cannon and rocket fire, especially at night.
Interestingly, artillery is hardly used at all. Fun fact: The enemy
death toll is
supposedly between 45-50 thousand. That is why we're
seeing less and less infantry attacks and more IED, suicide bomber
activity. The new strategy is simple: attrition.
The insurgent tactic most frustrating is their use of civilian non-combatants
as cover. They know we do all we can to avoid civilian casualties and
therefore schools, hospitals and especially Mosques are locations
where they meet, stage for attacks, cache weapons and ammo and flee
to when engaged. They have absolutely no regard whatsoever for civilian
casualties. They will terrorize locals and murder without hesitation
anyone believed to be sympathetic to the Americans or the new Iraqi
government. Kidnapping of family members (especially children) is
common to influence people they are trying to influence but cannot
reach, such as local government. officials, clerics, tribal leaders,
etc.). The first thing our guys are told is "don't get captured."
They know that if captured they will be tortured and beheaded on the
Internet. Zarqawi openly offers bounties for anyone who brings him
a live American serviceman. This motivates the criminal element who
otherwise
don't
give a s**t about the war. A lot of the beheading victims were actually
kidnapped by common criminals and sold to Zarqawi. As such, for our
guys, every fight is to the death. Surrender is not an option. The
Iraqi's are a mixed bag. Some fight well, others aren't worth a s**t.
Most do okay with American support. Finding leaders is hard, but they
are getting better. It is widely viewed that Zarqawi's use of suicide
bombers, en masse, against the civilian population was a serious tactical
mistake. Many Iraqi's were galvanized and the caliber of recruits in
the Army and the police forces went up, along with their motivation.
It also led to an exponential increase in good intel because the Iraqi's
are sick of the insurgent attacks against civilians.
The Kurds are solidly pro-American and fearless fighters. According
to Jordan, morale among our guys is very high. They not only believe
they are winning, but that they are winning decisively. They are stunned
and dismayed by what they see in the American press, whom they almost
universally view as against them. The embedded reporters are despised
and distrusted. They are inflicting casualties at a rate of 20-1 and
then see s**t like "Are we losing in Iraq" on
TV and the print media. For the most part, they are satisfied with
their equipment, food and leadership. Bottom line though, and they
all say this, there are not enough guys there to drive the final stake
through the heart of the insurgency, primarily because there aren't
enough troops in-theater to shut down the borders with Iran and Syria.
The Iranians and the Syrians just can't stand the thought of Iraq being
an American ally (with, of course, permanent US bases there).
JWR Replies: The foregoing letter has been largely discredited. DO NOT repost it!
Sir:
Here in Washington State we had a small farm which straddled a section line. The county redistricted precincts along that line, and I found our [occupied] house in one precinct and the old house in the other. Out of curiosity I called the county auditor and asked in which precinct I should register to vote. The answer was that in the final analysis, your bedroom determined the location of your legal residence. I thought that was interesting! - David in Washington
Perhaps it was the camping and outdoor adventures of my youth that
led to a desire to be self-sufficient and ultimately to my
own "survivalist" attitude, but it's been more a change
in society that has formed the current "survivalist" movement
than any of our own individual experiences. Modern society has reached
it's pinnacle, and we are now in a very awkward period when society
as we know it will spit and sputter and flare up before it burns
out entirely, at least society as we know it. The time of great achievement
has passed and society is now working to "reclaim" many
great works. As an example the Hoover Dam would never be built today because
American society no longer has the will to take on great projects.
People are choosing sides; the earth worshipers versus the Christians,
the
Socialists
versus the Constitutionalists,
and the Muslims against everyone. There is no clear path for American society,
but one thing is for sure: our future is not bright. There are too many factions
tearing at the fabric that was a great American society, no longer are we united
in any common cause. Are we fighting for liberty and freedom or are we fighting
to be an imperialist power? Are we spreading democracy and justice
around the world or are we responsible for spreading abortion rights
and homosexual "marriage"? Are we outsourcing
to spread healthy economic development worldwide or are we simply exploiting
slave labor? One thing for sure: we are choosing sides. The recent
events following
Hurricane Katrina demonstrate the tenuous thread by which the fabric of our
society hangs, many amongst us are looking for any excuse to revolt.
Society no longer has any common purpose.
I know that I have chosen sides and I am comfortable with my choices. I have
friends and family that are aware of what is going on around them and understand
the issues. amongst friends here, that I know. You are reading this because
you are uncomfortable with many of these issues. You know that
rampant consumerism and the "disposable" society cannot go on forever.
You are reading this because it is too late to do anything about this at
the ballot box.
Something somewhere inside you has been telling you that the answer is not
in a Spotted Owl or an X-Box, but somewhere else. Where do we go from here?
I'm not sure! I do know we are going to be the ones that can form
a new society, we are the ones that want a return to Constitutional government.
I
have no idea what any of the other factions of our society wants, but I know
it is not that. You know that I don't support slavery, nor do I think that
blacks are 2/3rds. of person, nor do I want to legalize cocaine, but I can't
tell many people that because they have already chosen sides and refuse
to listen. Many have chosen sides by simply stating they will not chose
sides,
to not be involved. You and I are simply an ignored part of the population
that cannot be bought with government handouts, farm subsidies, or promises
for
a zero pollution automobile. We aren't lobbying to remove all references to
God from society or for homosexual adoption of children. We aren't begging
for a new five hundred million dollar bridge to service fifty people and we
aren't asking for a new courthouse with English Walnut paneling. I don't know
what to do other than my duty as a citizen; write letters, call my representatives,
be informed and responsible for myself. I don't think society
as we know it now can be fixed, but we are obligated to try. Our current government
has largely been formed to service the bureaucracy and pander to fringe special
interests, rather than provide a very limited framework in which all of society
can operate. Change at this point is meaningless. Reform? Out of the question.
Are you armed with knowledge? Are you prepared for disaster? You are ahead
of 90% of the population if you are reading this. You care or you wouldn't
vote, you wouldn't write legislators, and you would not participate. Participation
here helps those that will stand with you in difficult times. Whatever the
future
holds we will be there, we will have a common purpose and we will share high
ideals. We will share the burden and overcome the hardships together. We will
not blindly follow the mainstream into the abyss, but rather prepare to build
a society that is once again tempered with truth and justice. - A. Friend
"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt
James:
About some of the subjects addressed by Fernando in Argentina: For
a while people were really into getting body armor here [in Israel].
It was
popular
during the start of the intifada, but the problem was the
bad guys mostly used rifles so you had to use the mega-heavy ceramic
chest/back
plates. Nobody uses them anymore,
I suppose
they might come out of the closet if things heat up again.
We can also legally get snap in shoulder stocks for handgun here. I believe they are an NFA item with $200 transfer tax with background investigation in America. It is amazing what these do for aiming, but they fit into your pack when the gun is on your belt. The rail station security guards carry them slung like a rifle.
JWR Replies: David is correct that most pistol stocks
are unfortunately banned in the U.S., and are subject to a Federal
transfer tax. There are, however, a few exceptions in the ATF's interpretation
of the U.S. law for some antique and Curio/Relic pistols, most
notably C.96 Broomhandle Mausers, Lugers, and Browning Hi-Powers. In
most cases the stock must either be an original, or an exact replica.
And BTW, I concur that they do wonders for long range pistol accuracy. I
once owned an Inglis (Canadian) Hi-Power with a tangent rear sight
and shoulder stock/holster. With the sight set for 200 yards,
I was able to hit an 18" diameter tractor disk roughly every-other
shot
at 220
yards.
That would have been very difficult otherwise--except perhaps if when
shooting prone.
Dear Jim:
Well, I'm back from my trip to Front
Sight and I believe that it was very informative.
Some of the things I learned I would like to share with you and your readers:.
1. There were several policemen in the class and they, along with the
instructor, do NOT recommend using a sling on a shotgun for home
defense.
2. One cop was using Federal Tactical buckshot and was getting the
best groupings and patterns on his targets.
3. The lecture on the color-code of awareness is vital to understand.
4. They really stress being able to load your shotgun WITHOUT looking at
either your shotshells or your weapon.
5. They also emphasize doing "tactical reloads" as frequently as
possible. (That is, if you shoot two, reload two if you shoot one then reload
one.)
6. The simulator scenario at "Shotgun Canyon" was very revealing
as to learning to break the habit of "tunnel-vision" in a scenario
of multiple targets and assailants. They teach to scan in all directions
and to differentiate between cover and concealment.
7. One of the hardest things for me, at first, was to learn how to sling
the weapon muzzle down.(Don't ask.)
OBTW, I used one of the school's Remington 870 pump actions. Surprisingly
I did not experience any soreness in my shoulder after firing approximately
150 rounds.
But I did sustain a minor cut on my left hand when I pinched it on the foreend
pump. Oh well, a little blood kinda adds to the realism don't you think? Baruch
HaShem Yahweh, - Dr. Sidney Zweibel, Columbia P&S
Mr. Rawles:
All the talk about snares and traps and hunting...
You'd better inform people about the proper precautions concerning
RABIES
in wild
game.
- Tamara
JWR Replies: Yes, you are right. There are risks involved with hunting and trapping. But there are also risks involved with walking down a city street, or buying potato salad at your local delicatessen, or picking berries in bear country. As with anything else in life you need to weigh cost/benefit ratios, and learn to take appropriate precautions.
Here are some basic precautions about hunting, trapping, and handling raw meat:
Always wash your hands very thoroughly after gutting, skinning, butchering, or otherwise handling any raw meat--store bought, home raised, or taken in the field. Never touch your hands to your mouth, eyes, or nose until after that washing.
Use great care not to cut yourself or your helper(s) while handling raw meat.
Use separate, designated, and preferably color coded cutting boards for meat versus all fruits, vegetables, and other foods.
Be careful not to pick up ticks from wild game. I carry an aerosol can of "Off" insect repellent whenever I hunt. I spray my arms and legs before reaching down to bleed out a deer or elk. Then right after that, I spray the entire carcass thoroughly and wait a full ten minutes before dragging it about 20 feet and then gutting it out. (BTW, I've found that that same ten minutes is a good chance to sit down and thank God for His blessings.) Lyme disease is widespread. Odds are that deer ticks and brush ticks will be carrying it.
Don't trap skunks for food unless you are absolutely desperate or starving. Rabies is endemic in both striped and spotted North American skunk populations.
Tularemia is is endemic in wild rabbits. The old sayings about inspecting rabbit livers for abnormalities is just an Old Wives' Tale. (It is not a reliable indicator of Tularemia infection.) However, if you do see white cyst-like spots on a rabbit liver, then the rabbit is almost certainly infected, and and should be discarded.
Cook all meat--regardless of its source--very thoroughly. And then be careful not to cut the cooked meat with the same dirty knife that you used before cooking.
Never hunt any animal that its not acting alert and lively. If you find that an animal that you've shoot looks like it is in poor health, leave it lay for the scavengers.
A little common sense goes a long way. (OBTW, the encyclopedia references above are courtesy of Wikipedia.)
This book is full of ideas and know how on wilderness survival/medicine. I would like to share my find with others. It is called "Wilderness Medicine"(4th edition.) It was written by Paul S. Auerbach, M.D. and is essentially a text book about 1500 pages. Its somewhat spendy but worth it. I have provided a link if you are interested. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0323009506/002-0312643-5760820?v=glance&n=283155&v=glance . Thanks for your book (Patriots) and the great web site. - Josh
Hello,
Well I thought I would write a quick note concerning the shooting
of 9mm [Parabellum] in a Glock 23 after you've changed the
barrel. Some say that it will work most of the time. Why would
you ever
do something
to a
firearm which only works most of the time? It is not only
very stupid it is also unsafe, one of the reasons being the different
ejectors
between a 9mm and a 40 S&W. I for one know that the time I
needed the firearm the most it would not work. Please,
if you want to shoot a 9mm Glock then buy a 9mm Glock. I am a Glock
armorer and
yes I own
several Glocks but I don't try to do things
with my guns that they we not designed to do. I have a 12 pound short
handled hammer that I can use to drive a square peg into a round
hole--but that doesn't make it right. - The Mailman
Note from JWR: We've now surpassed more than
three million page hits! Many thanks,
folks. I appreciate your continued word-of-mouth publicity
for SurvivalBlog.
Note from JWR: The following Armistice Day piece comes to us from USMC Captain Gary Bourland, who is one of my regular www.AnySoldier.com contacts. He is stationed near Fallujah, Iraq. OBTW, if you don't already send letters and cards through the AnySoldier.com's web page contact list, I highly recommend it. Just one word of warning: It is habit forming.
Blog Readers:
Although many of you already display your strong support for the military,
this year, stop for just a couple minutes and really think what Veterans
day is about. Think about the families that were affected and the lives
it changed. Somewhere there is a quite veteran that probably goes unrecognized
most of the time but inside themselves on Veterans Day, “they” will
know that the day is special.
When I was a Platoon Commander and had about 45 Marines under my command
we occasionally had a few that had disciplinary problems. That year
I got a little creative and instead of prosecuting them under the Uniform
Code Of Military Justice (UCMJ) the military legal system, I decided
to offer them another option that wouldn’t reflect on their records.
I directed them along with myself to meet me at 0600 in their USMC
Service Alpha uniform (Green coat & green pants like worn by Jack
Nicholson in the movie “A Few Good Men”) in front
of the barracks. Not going into details, they took the offer. We drove
a quiet
hot hour to a Veteran’s Hospital. Clenching Marine bumper stickers
and posters and American flags. We had no agenda. We looked each other
over and began our mission, No time limit, no schedule, about surprising
someone. The nurses immediately took us to see some rough and tuff
warriors and told us you must see General Richardson. As you entered
his conservative room there was a tired warrior with oxygen in his
nose,
family picture of his grandkids on his nightstand and the Stars & Stripes
on the wall, orientated correctly. The nurse said “General, the
Marines are here”. He said “You guys here to get me outta
here?” I said "Yep I got your shoes let's GO!" He couldn’t
move from his bed but he enjoyed the offer. Along with him and several
other gentlemen the Marines sat and mainly listened as warriors from
Normandy on through the wars told their story but surprisingly were
so interested in the young Marine's story and reinforced how proud
they were of the young men sitting with them in their impeccable uniforms.
I could barely sit there and watch as these gentlemen hooked to all
kinds of contraptions had a glow in their face and tried to sit up
in their beds to shake young warriors hands. I felt pretty dang humble.
One gentleman in a wheel chair dressed in his Sundays best asked one
of the Marines, “where does a rusty old Marine find one of those
Eagle Globe and Anchor tie clasps”? (These are worn with this
type of uniform by Marines). The Marine looked down at his own tie
clasp and said you mean like this one, as he clasped it on the gentleman’s
tie. The guy just through his arms around the Marine and gave him a
big bear hug. Money can’t buy you feelings like that.
All of the Marines left the hospital a little different that
day. It was a quiet ride back to the base and no one really said anything
but everyone was thinking the same thing. We were all very proud to
be associated with the gentlemen we just visited with and very appreciative
that “they” did what they did for their country. The other
364 days of the year will probably be the same as any other day as
the nurse stated “these guys don’t get many visitors”,
but that Veterans Day was different for all of us.
If you don’t participate or witness any parades or anything this
year for Veterans Day, take a look and the Stars & Stripes in your
neighborhood and remember that blood has been shed for our flag time
and time again and when the Nation calls on its service members we
will answer, so help us God. Semper Fidelis, - Capt. Gary Bourland
Jim:
It should be pointed out that AVGAS should NEVER be used in a car or
truck engine or for that matter anything powered by similar engines.
This fuel will destroy an automobile engine in short order. Will also
clog the catalytic converter as your other writer stated.
I only recommend getting Jet-A [JP4--to be used in lieu of water clear
kerosene] from an airport, not 100LL [100 octane leaded "avgas"].
Get yourself a battery operated pump or hand
pump
for this
purpose
and
allow a stand
off of at least 4 to six inches [distancing the pump drawing inlet
from the bottom of the tank] if you have doubts about water or dirt.
You may
be able to provide your
own
barrels
for
use
by the
airport
staff. This would allow you to simply exchange them periodically. As
with anything that is obtained in this manner, "CAUTION" is
paramount! Long Life, - Overhill
I’ve been looking for a U.S. Survival site to take the lead and looks like you are it. John has done a great job with http://www.aussurvivalist.com and Jim Benson keeps the torch of the original ASG thinking alive with http://www.modernsurvival.net, otherwise Yahoo groups has been the best place to hang out – but now this is this site and I wish you all the best. Love what I see so far. The “Survivalist” movement is going to make a comeback in the next 4-to-6 years IMHO, and it looks like you are going to be a real leader in that. You can do a lot of good with this site. I hope it works out well for you. Tough to make a dime off survivalists ;-) - Rick in WI
JWR Replies: Thanks for the compliment, but I consider SurvivalBlog.com just one of many useful Internet resources on survival and preparedness. I stand humble and small in the shadow of those many excellent and much longer-lived survival sites including the following, which are mentioned (along with many others) at my Links page:
Alpha-Rubicon
Frugal Squirrel's Page
Captain Dave's Page
Survival Ring (Richard Fleetwood)
Jim:
As usual, excellent comments about [making] a clean cut from the grid.
As for me, I am fully self contained in the country with a Trace
Inverter/Charger
in a Genverter setup. My day to day electricity is from a dual fuel
generator which is powered by propane stored in six 1000 gallon surplus
tanks. I also have a windmill, windmill tower and solar cells pre wired.
HOWEVER, the windmill and solar cells are stored in a well grounded CONEX.
( and BTW the windmill is heavy as he*l on the alternator end and takes
a heavy gin pole to mount it.) I don't think we'll see EMP but
just in case I figure it's worth the extra cost of fuel to assure the
windmill and solar survive. Of course
I have two matching windmills and spare blades.as well as a matching
Trace. "Two is one, and one is none." Best regards to you
and the Memsahib. - The Army Aviator
James:
My 1988 Ford F-250 pickup runs fine on a 50/50 mixture of E85 and
regular gasoline. I can run E85, but it will not start using just E85,
it just won't fire.
- CRZ
JWR Replies: The only vehicles that seem to
do very well running the E85 ethanol blend are those that have been
specifically designed for it. This is because they include an electronic sensor
to detect
the relative flash point of the fuel. This adjusts the
fuel/air mixture "on the fly", even if you pump your tank full of
regular unleaded gasoline, or all E85, or anything in between. (Most
likely this will be dictated by what is less expensive on any given
day.) Yes,
I know this is an electronic sensor,
so there tradeoff is between fuel flexibility and EMP protection. Chalk
this up as more evidence that "There Ain't no such thing as a free
lunch." (TANSTAAFL.)
The inelegant solution to this quandary is simply to have two utility
vehicles at your retreat: One that is modern and multi-fuel capable,
and another that is single fuel but that uses a bomb proof old fashioned
electrical system. (Either
a traditional diesel, or a gas engine with a traditional points/condenser ignition
system and no electronic fuel injection.)
I'm confident that E85 compatible rigs will become more commonplace in the next few years, as Detroit's engineers get some common sense in Post-Katrina/Post-fuel price shock America. But for now, finding an E85-compatible vehicle can be difficult and time consuming. For survival use, the ones that look the most promising to me are:
2004 Ford Explorers with 4.0 liter engines.
2005-2006 GMC/Chevrolet Suburbans, Tahoes, Yukons, and 2500HD Pickups with 5.3 liter Vortec engines.
1998-2003 Dodge Caravans with 3.3 liter engines. (Yes, I know that they have marginal ground clearance and towing capacity, but they do make a 4WD version, and Caravans get 20 MPG, which is important these days.)
As stated in previous posts about alternate fuel vehicles, you must look closely at the vehicle specifications of a prospective purchase before you buy. (A buyer's guide in PDF is available for download from the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition.) In many cases it is just selected "fleet purchase" vehicles that can run on E85, so you have to look at specifications right down to a particular digit in the VIN number to be sure. Some vehicles have a special sticker inside the gas cap door, indicating that they are E85 compatible.
"If you can read this, thank a teacher! If you are reading this in English, thank a Veteran!" - Bumper sticker seen in Great Falls, Montana
A friend once
told me back in the late 1990s: "I am not a survivalist." I
replied,
"Oh
really? Why
do you get up every morning and go to work? Because
you love working here so much?" He answered: "No, I come to work to
feed and shelter my family." I then quipped; "Oh, so in order to survive
you work, so you
are
a survivalist
too." He cracked a smile and said that I had a good point! By the
same token you have house, life, car and health insurance, right? Why?
Do you plan on having your car stolen, your house burning down,
a tragic illness, or do you plan on dying today? Ah, no, you say, that
is for just in case. That in essence is what a survivalist
is: He or she thinks that
a disaster
might happen that stops the flow of food, gas, heating
oil, etc. Can it happen? Sure, no one has to look any farther then
down south [to the Gulf Coast]
right now to see that America is not immune from disaster.
What can you do? Lots.
There was a movie that came out in 1996
called The
Trigger Effect. Don't
waste your money renting it--it is a typical nonsense "The Government
Saves the Day" movie. But one great scene in the movie was at
the gun store.
The lead character
is trying to buy a shotgun and trades his Rolex watch worth thousands
for a $200 pump shotgun. The guy complains that his watch is worth
thousands of dollars and the gun shop owner replies: "You waited
for a disaster to buy the shotgun, so you pay top price." This
was a movie, in real life what if the gun shop was robbed, closed forever,
or the
National
Guard took all the store's inventory. Then, the gun
shop owner would reply: "You waited for the disaster, now
it is too late!"
Being prepared for a disaster like a hurricane, snow storm, or power
outage is a good "mini test" to see where you are. But what
would you do if
we started into deep recession, depression, or economic collapse? My
Dad use
to say that a recession is when your neighbor is out of work.
A depression
is when you are out of work.
I decided at a young age to learn to live
off the land. I started trying wilderness survival following the survival
books making homemade dead fall traps. As a friend pointed out, the
Native Americans soon learned to trap more
beaver with real iron traps and caught a lot more animals then they
ever did with
dead falls. Homemade wire snares and dead falls will take some animals but with
real
traps
and professional
grade self-locking snares you will be armed with top notch equipment that will
greatly increase your chances of catching something to eat. Comparing wire snares
and dead falls to real traps and snares is like comparing deer hunting with a
high power pellet gun to hunting with a scoped 30-06. The guy with the pellet
gun might get
a deer, but the guy with the .30-06 can get almost any deer he sees within range.
A recent e-mail comment I received was: "I hold you and your videos
on
high.
I
learned a lot from your videos and your snares are great and greatly priced.
I use to
mess
around with the "homemade" kind from Boy Scouts and survival books,
but the real ones blow these away."
By the same token you don't want to be too late putting in supply of snares.
I have written previously to SurvivalBlog on the subject of how many traps and
snares to
put
away,
covering
feral
dog
control and food
gathering, but what about predator control? Here is a very interesting e-mail:
"I
helped out on my buddies farm where foxes, coyotes, coydogs, and weasels were
eating his chickens, ducks, and pigeons. They even ran off with a few of his
piglets. His terrier was no match, and after a bad fight, he asked me to help.
I set up the snares like in the video (survival snaring ), and I placed them
at every entrance spot they were coming into. Out of the dozen snares I had,
medium, I set ten and got four foxes and five coyotes in two weeks. I just keep
moving
the snares to fresh paths, and they worked."
Now if TEOTWAWKI happens you are
not going to be able to go down and buy replacement chickens, pigs, or calves.
You are going to have to protect them yourself. Setting
the snares is easy once you learn how. Snaring is not rocket science. A few tricks
to learn, and you are in business. I have several farmers/ranchers that re-order
snares every year from us. How many? One rancher uses three dozen a year
for coyotes to protect his sheep. Another buys one-to-two dozen each year. Another
buys
five
dozen every other year. I have talked to several farmers and ranchers on the
phone about protecting chickens from foxes, raccoons, coyotes and even skunks.If
you are worried about wild dogs, then 10 dozen medium snares is cheap insurance.
Like any disaster, it better to have too many on hand
then it is to wait
until it is too late and you can't order more. - Buckshot
JWR Replies: I
may be biased, but I think that Buckshot's
Camp is the best place to buy traps, snares and scents. His prices certainly
are competitive. If you have the chance to buy bunch of used conibear traps
for bargain prices at a farm auction, great! But most likely you won't.
Even if you do, be sure to get Buckshot's
instructional
DVDs. They are an absolute "must."
Here is another suggested barter/charity item list. Keep them coming!
Mr. Rawles:
My barter "box" contains
the following:
Toothbrushes
Travel size toothpaste
Travel size soap and shampoo (hotel size)
Matches and lighters
Aspirin
Coffee
Salt
Band aids
Razors (disposable kind)
Dish soap
Sewing supplies (needles, thread, buttons)
- K. in FL
Mr. Rawles--just wanted to drop a quick note about storage barrels. We live down the road from a juice factory and they would probably give the barrels away if they had to. Last time I bought a couple, the steel barrels were a buck (with lids and compression rings...the steel barrels were also lined) and the plastic ones were five dollars. Don't know how many juice factories are out there, but it sure beats paying the high prices the "survival food" companies charge for the same barrels. I'm sure there are other good sources for cheap food grade barrels, too. Still enjoying the blog and many thanks for all your work. - Peter R.
Hi
Jim,
Your comments on building a house straddling a state line brought
me back to my Navy days in Pensacola, Florida. It may be difficult
to
build across a state
line but not impossible. There is a bar that straddles the state line between
Florida and Alabama called - of course - The Floribama. As I recall it, there
was a different last call time on opposite sides of the bar as the two states
had different alcohol serving times. In any case, if it can be done with a commercial
establishment (particularly a bar!) it can be done with a house. I also seem
to recall an article in National Geographic a few years back where they featured
a bar/restaurant that straddled the border between Canada and the US. I even
recall a picture of a pool table with the border line drawn across it. Somehow
I doubt its still in business but I do recall seeing the images. In any case,
it has been done. - "Some Call me Tim"
Sir:
With all the talk recently on EMP issues,
I wonder if a solar system or wind generator less vulnerable or just as vulnerable
to
EMP to the grid. What
type
of additional
protection could/should
be incorporated in to alternative energy designed systems? Keep
up the terrific work on the blog. It's the first thing I read every
morning. - D.
JWR Replies: All modern circuitry that employs microchips is at risk. However, the greatest risk is to systems that are connected to grid power. This is because the power grid will work like a giant antenna to collect EMP. Assuming that you are out in the hinterboonies (well away from potential nuclear targets), then an independent, truly off grid, solar, wind, or microhydro power system is not likely to be affected by EMP. Here, I should mention that I recommend that you resist the urge to "sell back" your excess power to your local power utility, for three reasons. 1.) If you don't decisively "cut the cord", then you are opening a window of invulnerability to EMP. (By the aforementioned grid connectivity.) 2.) You are targeting your PV panels for confiscation by grabby bureaucrats in the event of some "crisis" or in a slow slide scenario. 3.) You make yourself vulnerable to your human nature. If you ever have a problem with your PV, wind, or microhydro system, or when your battery bank starts to get old and sulfated, then you might someday be tempted to revert to using grid power "just for a little while", and then the repairs to your system will never get done.(BTW, I've seen the latter happen, even with wealthy retreat owners.)
Zener diodes can be used to isolate components, but the only 100% foolproof protection is to keep key spares in a Faraday cage. The component at greatest risk in alternative power system is the modern microprocessor-based battery charge controller. They are fairly simple to bypass if yours ever gets fried by EMP, but since they typically cost less than $200 it is probably best to buy a "just in case" spare charge controller and tuck it away in an ammo can.
Our friends over at The Daily Reckoning report that The International Herald Tribune recently ran an article under the headline: "High Home Prices Drive California Exodus." In my opinion the Bubble is about ready to pop. I'm not the only one that holds this opinion. There are lots of others. I predict that the price declines will be greatest in the suburbs in coastal cities. Perhaps dramatic declines. But I also believe that good productive agricultural land will hold most of its value, even as urban and suburban real estate prices crater. To explain: Farming in America has become so efficient that crop prices have been depressed for decades. This has kept the price of farm ground down--at least in terms of what it can actually produce. Yes, this land is much more expensive than it was in the 1970s, but in real terms, it is still "dirt cheap."
The real losers in the post real estate bubble era will be the
poor deluded souls who bought rental properties on speculation near
the top of the market. The bubble is likely to burst long before rents
ever
ratchet up enough to put
those investors
into
the
black. They will be stuck with assets that will suffer down-ratcheting
value, with no hope of selling them at a profit for perhaps decades,
and
taking in rents that don't cover their financed debt plus the upkeep.
As real
estate prices go down, renters will ask for even lower rents. The
owners of these rentals will be faced with either selling them at a
deep loss,
or continuing to rent them with a negative cash flow.
"I am prepared for the worst, but hope for the best." - Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconfield, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and twice British Prime Minister
I'd like to expand on a topic that I mentioned briefly in a SurvivalBlog post on August 25, 2005: "The State Line Game." Many folks have discovered how to play the state line jumping game: Living near a state line to take advantage of a lower tax or other advantage in one or more adjoining states. For example, you can live in the Idaho panhandle (very low property tax, car registration, and car insurance), work in eastern Washington (no income tax), make your day-to-day purchases in Idaho (5% sales tax) and your major purchases (trucks, wood stoves, generators, gun vaults, appliances, et cetera) in Montana or Oregon--both of which have no sales tax. Many SurvivalBlog readers have found themselves at the stage of life where they are considering strategic relocation. If you look at the tax burdens in various states (See: http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/taxesbystate2005/index.html), then you can take the opportunity afforded by relocation to "vote with your feet."
Let's continue this line of reasoning a bit further. In many instances, state lines are defined by rivers or the summits of mountain ranges, but in others, the line is more or less arbitrarily set on level ground. The latter opens up a fascinating possibility: Owning contiguous parcels on both sides of a state line. Imagine living in a small house in a state with no (or low) personal income tax but high property taxes and expensive car registration. You could also own an adjoining much larger parcel land and other assets (garage, vehicles, barn, shop, livestock, a second home) on the other side of the state line, literally a stone's throw away. Or how about a mobile home that you could move slightly, if and when regulations becomes too onerous at the opposing end of your property.
Now on to something that at first blush might seem absurd, so I'll label this as an intellectual exercise: It might be possible to build a house that physically straddles a state line. That is sure to get the tax assessors scratching their heads! Consider the possibilities of a house with with a large main "wing" in a low property tax state, and another smaller wing--perhaps connected by a covered walkway or greenhouse--in a state where you can take advantage of the differing income taxes, sales taxes, or other regulations. (The latter could include gun laws, home schooling laws, cost of car registration/insurance, cost of hunting tags, et cetera.) If you operate a home based business, the presence or absence of a sales tax could make a big difference. Your state of "residence" would be based on the wing where your bedroom and home office is located. You might want your children to legally be residents of the adjoining state, because of home schooling law disparities or to avoid the high cost of "out of state" college tuition. Another disparity is in hunting regulations and the length of hunting seasons: If deer season ends earlier on one end of your property than the other, then you could simply reposition your livestock salt blocks. Here is an even more absurd abstraction: A state line that bisects your dining room table: "Please pass--I mean--Interstate Commerce the mashed potatoes." The practicalities of getting permits to build a bi-state house might be insurmountable, but it remains an captivating prospect. Think though the many of possibilities--even of just living near a state line,. Consider the following factors:
States that have no state income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Two others, New Hampshire and Tennessee, tax only dividend and interest income. (For detail on state income tax rates, see: http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/ind_inc.html .)
States with no state level general sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. For details, see: http://www.retirementliving.com/RLtaxes.html
States with very low county and local property (real estate) taxes: These vary widely, depending on the city and county. For details, see: http://www.retirementliving.com/RLtaxes.html
States with differing firearms laws. See the book Boston's Gun Bible for details. If you don't already own a copy of this "must read" book, then contact. Fred's M14 Stocks. As of this writing, Fred is currently offering a great three book package deal: one copy of my novel Patriots +one copy of Matthew Bracken's novel Enemies Foreign and Domestic + one copy of Boston's Gun Bible, all for $50. OBTW, please mention SurvivalBlog, regardless of where you buy your books.
As I previously posted, one possibility is to live and work in southern
Washington (no income tax and fairly low property taxes), but shop
in Oregon, where there is a high property tax but no sales tax. Unfortunately
the two states are divided by the Columbia River. Perhaps you
could buy land east of the point where the river turns north and the
border reverts to an arbitrary line. But there aren't many opportunities
to take advantage of the sales tax difference at that end of the state!
Another possibility is to buy a ranch straddling the Montana/Wyoming
state line, since Montana has no sales tax and Wyoming has no income
tax. And both have great gun laws. (Not the best of climates there,
however!)
See: http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/ind_inc.html for
detailed information on the tax rates in various states.
A reminder that the foregoing discussions skirt around a more core issue: the scale of government in each state. Some states have big, pretentious, intrusive governments that love to get involved in every aspect of your life. My advice is to avoid living in any of these Nanny States. As time goes on, they are only going to get worse.
The bottom line: If you live in a state with severe taxes or gun laws, then vote with your feet! I'd appreciate your comments on the foregoing. Perhaps you have considered a novel way to take advantage of tax disparities. Just drop me an e-mail. OBTW, I plan to also post this to The Claire Files. This should inspire all of the Libertarians there into a spirited string of discussion. They seem to particularly enjoy this sort of food for thought and grounds for further research. (FFTAGFFR.)
Jim:
On the
avgas issue, you might
remind your readers that avgas has a LOT of lead in
it (more
than high-test leaded car gas ever did).
100 octane Low-lead avgas still has twice as much lead as leaded
car gas did. If you use leaded gas in a car with a catalytic converter
(like most cars these days) you will ruin the converter in less
time than it takes you to empty the gas tank. One of two alternatives
will happen, the converter will become completely plugged and your
car won't run at all because of the back pressure, or you'll get
terrible performance. And, if you have mandatory smog inspections
in your state, look at a repair bill starting at around $750 to
replace
the converter. (They aren't cheap, even used). Also, the waste
fuel drums at airports (at least the ones I go to) also have waste
oil
in them, and usually water. Be careful! - Dr. November
"When I was crossing the border into Canada, they asked if I had any firearms with me. I said, "Well, what do you need?" - Steven Wright
In 1965 in Watts, they shouted "Burn baby, burn!" In France,
I suppose that the North African teenagers are shouting "Brûlure
de bébé,
de brûlure!" (Pardon my French.) More than 1,400
cars burned on Sunday night alone. The rioting has spread to
300 cities,
and now
there
are
concerns
that the rioting could spread to Germany and other countries with large
Arab immigrant populations. It remains to be seen if the motivation
for this French Intifada is purely economic, or if radical
Islam is partly to blame. See:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4414684.stm and:
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/11/07/D8DNMVOO3.html
France went through the traumatic civil war in Algeria decades ago,
but apparently didn't learn anything from it. They foolishly brought
Algeria home with them, in the form of a large, widely dispersed,
largely Islamic, and chronically economically depressed Arab underclass.
Hopefully the Bush administration will learn something from this.
Note from JWR: A lengthy letter from "Fernando" in Buenos Aires, Argentina was originally posted here, but I removed it once I learned that the copyright was purchased by John, who operates Frugal Squirrel's Forum. Ther letter is still avaialble there. (See: http://www.frugalsquirrels.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=044387;p=0) OBTW, I highly recommend Frugal's site and forums.
Mr. Rawles;
I am the manager of a county airport in the South. Which leads me to a piece
of
information that I want to pass on to you.
Each day we are required by our brand Quality Control people to draw a sample
of
fuel
from each of our tanks and refuelers. The purpose is to check for contaminates.
Once
that is done that fuel is poured into a waste drum that has to be disposed of
later. We have both 100 low lead for prop planes and Jet-A. Jet-A is a high quality
kerosene that works well in diesel engines and in kerosene lamps and heaters.
Most larger airports have recovery tanks on their fuel systems that allow them
to save this fuel, but some of the smaller airports simply have to call an oil
recycler and have it hauled away. For those who are good scrounges and are willing
to approach people on such matters this might be a source of fuel for off road
use. I would advise the precaution of running this fuel through a filter prior
to adding it to a tank since some times an old barrel is used for holding this
fuel till pick up. I would request that the "no attribution rule" be
applied here.
As for ethanol: I have a book in my library titled Making it on the Farm. This
little book covers in great detail how to build a still and make your own fuel.
I got mine several years ago from Buffalo Creek Press in Cleburne, Texas. Thanks
again and keep up the good work. Long Life, - Name Withheld By Request
"There are very few problems around a ranch that cannot be solved with pallets, bailing twine, an Aught Six, duct tape, a Leatherman Tool, or 80% dynamite." - James Wesley, Rawles
My paternal grandfather, Ernest Everett Rawles (1897-1985), was a
largely self-educated man. Coming from a pioneer family (his father
and grandfather came out west by covered wagon in 1857), he had a
profoundly practical outlook on life. Ernest grew up on a 6,000 acre
sheep ranch near
Boonville,
in Mendocino County, California. There, he lived life at its
basics: The change of the seasons, hunting and trapping, hard work
in foul
weather,
lambing,
shearing, and the constant state of war with the predators that annually
killed dozens and sometimes hundreds of lambs. It was hard life, but
it had its satisfactions. The
following are some brief
quotes
drawn from
his oral history:
"I liked growing up on the ranch. We ran livestock on the land, and
cut quite a bit of timber. We had horses, cattle, pigs, and Merino
sheep. Lots of sheep. Two or three thousand at a time were run by
the various members of the family. [To protect the sheep] we had
to contend with the coyotes, mountain lions, and bear."
"People had their jealousies, just like they do today, but for
strangers passing through, people were a lot more hospitable. Visitors
would
often drop by unannounced and uninvited. People would come in from
the coast, sometimes they'd come into the house when no one was at
home [expecting our return later in the day]. Of
course my dad was a politician [so he knew a lot of people.] I
can remember
we'd come home after a trip in the buggy, and there'd be a barn
full of horses, and the chores done, and dinner on the table. That
was
just the way they did things in those days. They generally brought
their provisions with them. If they didn't, then on the way back
they'd bring provisions. People were more cooperative [back then.]"
"Boonville was a very isolated community until about the 1920s. One young fellah wanted some adventure, so he got on a tan oak bark wagon, and went over to Largo, which is on the Northwestern Pacific Railroad. He went down as far as Cloverdale. Then he got on a train, and went back up to Ukiah. From there, he hitched a ride back home. That's a triangle of about 30 by 30 [miles.] When he got home, he said, 'By gosh if the world is as big the other way as the way I went, she's a whopper.' That's about as some of the people got in those days. They hardly got on the other side of the hill."
"You've got to understand that we had a big ranch but we only got money once or twice a year out of it. The money wasn't very free. All the money you got was in gold coin. I remember I was nearly fifteen or sixteen years old before I saw much paper money. It was all gold and silver. They didn't have any greenbacks that I remember. My dad would take the wool and mutton to sell, and he'd come back with some tobacco sacks full of twenty-dollar gold pieces. He used to drive three or four-hundred head of sheep down to Cloverdale. They only brought about $2 a head. A big four horse load of wool taken over to Ukiah would pay for the groceries and clothes for the next winter. That was the big trip of the year, when I was a boy. That was when the money came in. That was the way that we used to get paid for things. Gold and silver coins. As kids, they used to let us play with the gold coins now and again. That was quite a celebration."
"We used to go work in the hop fields. We got paid one cent a pound for picking hops. You'd work your tail off to strip a hundred pounds. If you worked long, long hours--get out there at daylight, and head home at dark, you'd pick about 125 pounds. Finally, they paid us a cent and quarter. [$0.0125 per pound.]"
"We used to say that if you saved just ten percent of what you earned, you'd never go to the poor house. That's one of the first lessons I learned, and I've tried to do something along that line since. And I've never gone to the poor house."
I emphasize versatility in survival planning, particularly in the area of alternate fuels. I have mentioned in several previous SurvivalBlog posts that prefer diesel-engine cars, trucks, tractors, and ATVs because they can be run alternatively on either biodiesel and home heating oil. For those of you readers in the Corn Belt, you might also consider buying a gasoline engine vehicles that is compatible with Ethanol. (Ethyl Alcohol or "corn gas."). The most versatile (but rare) will run on 100% ethanol (E100). But many will run on a 85% ethanol/15% gasoline blend (E85).General Motors of Brazil makes large numbers of E100 vehicles, because E100 is the dominant fuel in that market. (Where it is produced locally from sugar cane.)
There are a wide range of current and recent production E85 ethanol compatible vehicles, from makers including
• Daimler Chrysler
• Ford
• General Motors
• Isuzu
• Mazda
• Mercedes
• Mercury
• Nissan
Note that many of these are only available as special "fleet purchase" vehicles, so you may have to hunt for a fleet trade-in.
For some good background on E85, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E85.
Many U.S.gas stations already use E85 ethanol compatible pumps and tanks. See: http://www.pei.org/e85/.
Be sure to look closely at the vehicle specifications of a prospective purchase before you buy. (A buyer's guide in PDF is available for download from the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition.) In many cases you have to look at specifications right down to a particular digit in the VIN number to be sure. OBTW, some vehicles have a special sticker inside the gas cap door, indicating that they are E85 compatible. That is the quickest --but not surest--way to check when you a wandering around a car dealership lot. Since big four wheel drive vehicles are currently slow sellers, just putting the word out at a couple of local dealerships that you are looking for a used 4WD that is E85 compatible is almost certain to get some commission-only salesmen motivated to doing some legwork on your behalf.
The bottom line: If you can get get an E85 ethanol compatible vehicle for the same price or slightly more than one that is gasoline-only, then why not get that extra versatility? Some day, post TETOWAWKI, that versatility may make difference between a vehicle that is still viable/mobile and a very expensive immobile lawn ornament.
OBTW, distilling your own ethanol is not rocket science. (Just ask anyone who has lived in the Ozarks.) I will cover "at home" ethanol fuel distilling in an upcoming post.
Everybody's referring to 55 gallon barrels. I can't lift something as heavy as a 55 gallon barrel full of fuel. I've always bought the steel 17 gallon barrels for fuel. I CAN pick up one of those full of fuel (if I have too) :-[ They have the same size holes on top as the 55 gallon barrels and they will stand up in the back of a Bronco or Blazer. Regards and please keep up the great work! - The Army Aviator
"That's human nature. Nobody does anything until it's too late." - Michael Crichton, Prey
Note from JWR: Many of the widely read blogs have a featured "Blog of the Week" or at least a fairly lengthy "blog roll." Please recommend SurvivalBlog to the editors of those Blogs. Just a brief e-mail to the editors of the various popular blogs, such as James Lileks, Little Green Footballs, Hugh Hewitt, Instapundit, Michelle Malkin, The Belmont Club, Blogs of War, Bill O'Reilly, et cetera--would go a long way toward increasing the readership of SurvivalBlog. Many thanks in advance!
I'm not the first to observe that the upcoming scheduled departure of Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan will have some substantial effect on monetary policy and the economy. The man anointed for the top slot is Ben Bernanke, a Federal Reserve governor and chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. Just who is this man, and how is how likely to change the Fed's policies? The best indicators are probably some of the statements that Bernanke has made in speeches in recent years. These include:
"Like gold, U.S. dollars have value only to the extent that they are strictly limited in supply. But the U.S. government has a technology, called a printing press (or, today, its electronic equivalent), that allows it to produce as many U.S. dollars as it wishes at essentially no cost. By increasing the number of U.S. dollars in circulation, or even by credibly threatening to do so, the U.S. government can also reduce the value of a dollar in terms of goods and services, which is equivalent to raising the prices in dollars of those goods and services. We conclude that, under a paper-money system, a determined government can always generate higher spending and hence positive inflation."
and,
"Each of the policy options I have discussed so far involves the Fed's acting on its own. In practice, the effectiveness of anti-deflation policy could be significantly enhanced by cooperation between the monetary and fiscal authorities. A broad-based tax cut, for example, accommodated by a program of open-market purchases to alleviate any tendency for interest rates to increase, would almost certainly be an effective stimulant to consumption and hence to prices. Even if households decided not to increase consumption but instead re-balanced their portfolios by using their extra cash to acquire real and financial assets, the resulting increase in asset values would lower the cost of capital and improve the balance sheet positions of potential borrowers. A money-financed tax cut is essentially equivalent to Milton Friedman's famous 'helicopter drop' of money."
and,
"Although the Federal Reserve does not have an explicit numerical target range for measured inflation, FOMC behavior and rhetoric have suggested to many observers that the Committee does have an implicit preferred range for inflation. Most relevant here, the bottom of that preferred range clearly seems to be a value greater than zero measured inflation, at least 1% per year or so."
and,
"The essence of constrained discretion is the central role of a commitment to price stability. Not only does such a commitment enhance efficiency, employment, and economic growth in the long run, but -- by providing an anchor for inflation expectations -- it also improves the ability of central banks to stabilize the real economy in the short run as well. An important and interesting implication is that, under a properly designed and implemented monetary policy regime, the key social objectives of price stability and maximum employment tend to be mutually reinforcing rather than competing goals."
and lastly, on asset bubbles:
"[I]t's extraordinarily difficult for the central bank to know in advance or even after the fact whether or not there's been a bubble... The central bank should focus the use of its single macroeconomic instrument, the short term interest rate, on price and output stability. It is rarely, if ever, advisable for the central bank to use its interest rate instrument to try to target or control asset price movements, thereby implicitly imposing its view of the proper level of asset prices on financial markets."
As we transition from the "Mr. Magoo" Greenspan era, to the "Helicopter Ben" Bernanke era, be prepared for some changes. Bernanke appears predisposed toward easy money policies and inflating his way out of problems. We should anticipate a more rapid rate of inflation for the dollar. That could be bearish for the dollar's rate of exchange with many foreign currencies. The dollar index may very well resume its five year slide. Meanwhile, look for a boost in the prices of gold and silver, which have traditionally been hedges against weak paper currencies. Don't worry about those Black Helicopters. Instead, watch the skies for Federal Reserve helicopters.
As an architect for the last 30 years or so, I have been applying
some important lessons learned in college that have an eerie resemblance
to the survival mindset of those of us who think we just might be in
for some hard times, and much sooner than we think. Let me explain.On
the very first day of class, on my very first day of college back in
the 1970s, I found myself in a design class with other new
students who knew absolutely nothing about the profession or business
of architecture. But we were there to learn, and our first assignment
was to design and build a ‘Survival House for an Egg’,
or SHEG for short. The rules were simple: design pure survival for
a fresh chicken egg, no restrictions on materials used, no weight limits
or minimums, the SHEG could be any size or shape provided it cleanly
fit into an 8” x 8” x 8” box, the SHEG would be subjected
to a severe external stressing event (to be determined on test day),
it had to be opened by someone other than yourself, after testing,
using only a matt knife, could be any color, style or texture, and
the project was 30% of your final semester grade. It was also pass/fail, ‘A’ or ‘F’.
No teamwork allowed, you’re on your own. Each student will present
one SHEG for testing in one week at 1:15pm, rain or shine. No class
until then. No more questions. Good luck. The professor then went on
vacation, I think. The goal was made clear. We were to design and construct
a house for an egg to survive unbroken through an unknown catastrophic
event. Easy enough.
We all complained about it. “How can I design for an unknown?” we
asked. Isn’t design meant to be for planning, for known occurrences,
with foresight and thought? Isn’t that what we’re here
for, to be taught how to know what to plan for? All good questions,
indeed. Many classmates assumed a weight-applied stress from the top.
Some assumed a violent shaking, and a few others a sudden impact. But
they were all really, totally inappropriate assumptions for this assignment.
This job was for one thing, and one thing only: get that egg to the
other side of its impending Armeggeddon. (Sorry).
Many of us worked day and night, testing and retesting for something,
we knew not what. Some of the new students made friends quickly. Others
kept to themselves, me included, and just plugged away on our SHEG’s.
Then test day came. We were all nervously waiting with our designs
and our futures in hand. The professor arrived looking tanned and well
fed. We were asked to walk up the stairwell and place our designs on
the north parapet wall of the buildings’ roof and stand beside
our SHEG’s. The stress event our designs were to withstand would
be a baseball bat hitting the SHEG off the parapet, seven stories high,
and onto the empty asphalt parking lot below. A judge on the ground
would open each SHEG as it rested, determining whether the egg was
intact or not. The judge would then crack the egg to be sure no hard
boiled cheaters were among us. Your neighbor previous in line will
hit your
SHEG off the wall. No one touches their SHEG from here on out. Then
it started to rain. The professor hit the first one. WHAM. Off went
someone’s desperate attempt at survival design into scrambled
oblivion. Then another. And another. It was terrible. The professor
was laughing. After 30 student tries, not one had yet passed. Then
someone succeeded. Everyone cheered. Another round of failures, then
it was my turn. I mumbled a silent prayer. My neighbor in line gleefully
grabbed the bat, wanting desperately to send my SHEG off the edge in
a yellow splat of frustration, just as his had done not one minute
earlier. Off it went, down and down, then BANG. The judge opened my
SHEG and
discovered an intact egg. I had passed. Life was good. I was only one
of three success stories that dark day. Three out of 72 students. There
were many tears and much gnashing of teeth. Many of my fellow classmates
claimed their SHEG’s were hit harder than someone else’s. “Not
fair!”, they cried. Some couldn’t believe they really got
an ‘F’ for the project (their very first academic failure,
in many cases). One student made it to the ground with an intact egg,
but the judge could not open the SHEG with the knife, so he failed.
Several others failed because they missed the deadline to present their
design by just minutes. A few just gave up in total frustration and
did not submit any design at all.
You probably are wondering what miracle material or ingenious new packaging
design I used for my success. As my classmates’ designs were
flying to pieces on the pavement, as the paper-mache was dissolving
in the rain, as the high tech plastic spheres with spring loaded shock
absorbers and half-chewed bubble gum cushioning were splattered into
oblivion, my SHEG survived. I just used a basic cut-in-half cardboard
shoe box packed as full of simple, basic saran wrap as I could possibly
make it, then I wrapped it all in duct tape. Mission accomplished.
Survival.
And oh, the lessons learned. They keep coming back to me in spades,
almost with every decision I make now. If you can envision the egg
as you and your family, think about this:
1. You really only need a fairly limited space to protect your egg.
You can spend a lot of money, or not, but make sure you cover the basics
very deep, and pack very well.
2. Your egg is all you have. If it breaks, you fail.
3. Use mostly locally obtained and inexpensive materials to the best
of your ability.
4. At least show up to the party with something. You never know, you
might get lucky.
5. Your neighbor will probably be glad to see you fail, so pack your
egg as tight and failure proof as you can. And his basics will probably
not be your basics, so keep your basics hidden from view.
6. It will rain.
7. There will probably always be some fat guy standing close by laughing
at you.
8. Say your prayers.
9. Whatever hits you will most likely not be planned for, so pack the
basics deep.
10. Survival is pass / fail.
11. Teamwork is OK, but ultimately your egg is your responsibility.
12. Life is not fair. Some of us get hit harder than others.
13. If your egg breaks, it will not be pretty, so pack the basics deep.
14. Duct tape is good.
15. Don’t pack so well that the rescuers can’t get in to
save the egg, because it may not be the end of the world yet.
16. No matter how well you plan and build things, someone can always,
always get to your egg and crack it if they really want to (if they
have the right tools).
17. Don’t hard boil your life. It’s too short and the stress
can kill you. Simplify.
18. Terrible can always get worse.
"Let us remind ourselves again that the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution should be referred to as the Statute of Liberty." - Col. Jeff Cooper
I have just updated my free FAQ on Pre-1899 guns. By popular demand, it now includes links for free download in JPEG format my query letter to the BATF, as well as the BATF's reply. See: http://www.rawles.to/Pre-1899_FAQ.html. Several of my other FAQs are available at the same web site.
The Times of London reports that planners in the British Government are anticipating shutting down or curtailing traffic on their Underground system, and detailing dedicated security for health care workers, in the event of an influenza pandemic. See: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0%2C%2C25149-1853843%2C00.html Just some food for thought and ground for further research (FFTAGFFR.)
Hey there! Congratulations on the site. There is not a day that goes by that I do not read it. As such, I just thought that I would tell you to check out the following website... http://stores.ebay.com/The-Barrel-Company (The Barrel Company, out of Nevada). After checking it out, if you desire, you may want to put it out on your website. I get all of my 55 gallon steel and water barrels from this site. I provide you with this information not because I have any personal relationship with this company but simply because you can get CHEAP, HIGH QUALITY barrels from here. Originally, I purchased new barrels from this site, but then began purchasing their used ones. Due to the price, it was just as easy to clean the barrels myself. In terms of the steel barrels, I found these to be great upon receipt. Again, I clean them but find that the 55 gallon steel barrels need very little cleaning due to the fact that the food products were in a bag liner. To date I have purchased ten 55 Gallon Plastic Water Barrels and three 55 gallon steel drums. No complaints what so ever. Again, this is simply food for thought and I thought that you may like to pass this information on to others through your website if you find it helpful. (Note: If purchasing used drums that it is important that you clean them). Take care and continue the good work! - "Mc"
Jim,
I can't remember if you covered this scenario in your Patriots book
so here's a thought. In a SHTF or a TEOTWAWKI and we are giving away
Charity to a small refugee group with OPSEC being
done. The refugees move on in their quest for a better place and run
into a "foraging
group" of folks. A"foraging group" will most likely
want to know where the little band of refugees got some of their new
stuff. Any ammo that was given in charity more than likely will be
liberated from the refugees along with pretty much everything else
they have of value. In an effort to save their own skins the refugees
will more than likely tell the foragers where they got this stuff from.
They will probably all be killed anyway. That's my point of this email.
We have just created a very potential future threat to our retreat
and it's inhabitants.
Suggestions:
If you have to give out charity [during a "worst case" situation
with widespread lawlessness] I would suggest no charity be given anywhere
near your retreat. Have a predetermined
spot
away
from
the
retreat. Then, with the appropriate warnings as you gave in your book,
send them on their way. Waiting till they are out of sight before
moving back to the retreat. It sure seems like a big effort.
Handing out charity in front of your property is simpler but really
bad OPSEC. That's a NO-NO in my thinking. Another idea is to not hand
out charity at all to passing refugees. This will be difficult to do.
You might not even see any if your retreat
is off the natural drift lines of refugees. If you do see refugees
and they haven't seen you then just let them pass and be gone. Charity
with your neighbors should be easier since they should be part of
your retreats OPSEC anyway. If not, it's a good way to bring them into
the
fold. Mutual support will make it more secure for everyone in question.
- Larry in Kansas
Jim,
The first source I would use for replacement pistol barrels (not just
for Glock)
is http://www.kkmprecision.com/index.asp.
Kevin’s company produces
arguably the most accurate barrels available, and that is only a part of
his superior capabilities as a firearms designer and manufacturer who is
well regarded at the highest levels of military purchasing. He actually
produces some of the specialty pistol barrels that are retailed under other
brands. Go to the source for the best value. I know him personally
as a good and honest man, and BTW I would also consider him my first choice
for a custom rifle. -Mr.
Bravo
"Liberals, it has been said, are generous with other peoples' money, except when it comes to questions of national survival when they prefer to be generous with other people's freedom and security." - William F. Buckley, Jr.
Very special thanks to "Wise Tioga", who out of the goodness of his heart laboriously converted my data on 19 western states into a handy Excel (.xls format) spreadsheet. He has even added some more data on home schooling and home birth regulations. I have posted it as a sub-page to the Retreat Areas static page. (Just click on the Retreat Areas button in our home page top button bar.)
James-
The latest Mother Earth News (#212) has an article on building a home
from earth-filled bags. Looks like a cheap, fast way to build a home
with good protection against attacks with weaponry. Might also be a
good plan for a secondary place to serve as an emergency shelter against
radiation. Or as a way to build up an existing area in a cellar as
a Safe Room. - B.B. in Hawaii
Jim,
Been a long time reader of your site. Just wanted to drop you a note
to say there is an article up on Treknologies.com that fits Survivalblog's
content. It's all about different methods of ignition sources that
people should be aware. Good info for those building survival packs.
The direct link is http://www.treknologies.com/archives/2005/11/portable_igniti.php Keep
up the good work Jim! - J.G.
Sir:
A question was posted on your site about the ability to use a Glock
23 with a 9mm barrel. It has been my (limited) experience that all
that is needed to shoot the gun in 9mm is a replacement barrel and
a 9mm magazine. I first heard of this from a friend of mine who is
a part time gun writer. I was skeptical but, given the source, I gave
it a try. I am not a Glock fan but my then girlfriend was. She shot
her Glock 23 more as a 9mm than as a .40 because it was cheaper. In
her experience the gun was fully reliable in 9mm. She used .40 for
carry and in the home but most of her practice was 9mm. I would guess
that in the time we were dating she fired 2,200-2,500 rounds of 9mm
and only 300-350 .40. All without any failures. I believe the barrel
was made by FAC (Federal Arms Corporation). To avoid any confusion
she used the orange Glock magazines in 9mm so she wouldn't confuse
the 9mm mags with the .40 mags. - Jake
Hi Jim,
Enjoy the blog immensely. Read it every day. Regarding barrels for conversion
from one model of Glock to another (i.e. .40 S&W model 23 to 9mm model
19), there are a number of manufacturers of barrels for such purposes. Topglock
(http://www.topglock.com/catalog/barrels.htm)
sells conversion barrels from several manufacturers. Federal Arms also makes
them, but I don't know if they sell directly or only through dealers. As
I recall, from what I have picked up from the web, no change in slide or
extractor is necessary for the conversion. The original .40 S&W mags
will work for the 9mm, most of the time. But if I was going in harms' way,
I'd order the mags for the same size 9mm Glock to use in the .40 S&W. I'm
sure the staff at Topglock or Lone Wolf Distributors (http://www.lonewolfdist.com/products.asp?prod=4&curRecIdx=1#Barrel%20Access
ories) could answer any questions people have. Thanks for the site, -
Jim H.
Jim:
There are barrels available to convert .40 to 9mm, but they are
NOT 100% reliable. Bar-Sto and Jarvis make them [JWR adds:
So do Federal Arms and Olympic Arms], various places like
Glockmeister carry them. You simply replace the barrel but use the
same slide, and this is
the cause for it not being 100%. There are ejector/extractor issues.
These are okay to train with but not to fight with. To convert to 9mm
with
full Glock reliability requires you to simple swap slides with a 9mm
gun. Thus the 23 can shoot both 40 stock and 9mm. The M23 frame is
essentially the same as the M19, just beefed up to handle .40 cal. The
downside is price, since a complete 9mm slide costs as much as the
used trade-in
Glock 19s
now. This same "trick" is available for Beretta,
SIGs and others. Drop a Beretta 92 slide on a 96 and you have a convertible
gun, in fact Beretta sold this combo at one time. DO NOT take
a 9mm frame and drop a .40 slide on it. It will function but it (the
9mm frame)
isn't beefed up enough to handle the .40. Almost forgot, .40 cal mags
hold 9mm with no modification. Back in the High-cap magazine ban days
[Sept. 1994 to Sept. 2004], you could always take a 10 round 40 cal
mag and put 9mm in it to have a 12-13 round "high cap", it
functions fine in every case I have tried. HTH, - Mike, M.D.
in MO
James:
Just read Radiation Protection Factors for Dummies - by L.H. on your blog. These
types of articles always talk about shielding of radiation. Is there any substance
that REFLECTS radiation instead of absorbing it?
JWR Replies: It has been nearly 20 years since I took the Army NBC Defense Officer's course, so forgive me if any of the following betrays my faulty memory: Any of the materials described will reflect or absorb alpha or beta radiation, and absorb highly energetic gamma rays. Because they are a ray (think of it as a flash from a flash bulb, or the beam from an x-ray machine), virtually nothing will reflect gamma rays. Once gamma rays have been stopped by shielding, they are no longer a threat. But the gamma ray emitter--typically a fallout dust particle, continues to emit gamma for a very long time.
Alpha radiation has a very short effective range and is rapidly attenuated
by passage through the air. That makes it a non-issue for your survival
planning. Beta has longer range, but just
a sheet of cardboard will stop beta radiation. (Beta radiation mainly causes
injury to the skin that looks much like a sunburn--commonly called
"beta burns.") It is mainly the gamma radiation that
you have to worry about. That requires a lot of
thick shielding. (You need mass--any mass--and
a lot of it!) Fallout dust itself continues to emit alpha, beta, and
gamma
rays for many, many months.
That is
why, assuming
that you will be
using
a shielding-improved basement type
shelter, that
it is important to close and seal your house windows after the
blast wave(s) passes. If they are shattered by the blast wave, you
should cover
the
broken windows
with
sheet plastic
and tape seal them before taking shelter in your basement
shelter, during the brief time available in the "King's
X." (The short period between
the blast/shock wave and the time that the fallout dust begins to settle.)
After shelter emergence, it is possible to decontaminate your roof
and sidewalks by hosing the fallout dust away (while wearing the proper
protective gear, naturlich), but it will be almost impossible
to decontaminate the interior of your house if it has been coated with
fallout dust. Read the book Nuclear
War Survival Skills--available for free download from the Oregon
Institute of Science and Medicine web site, for details.
"One of these days, one of these (rogue) governments fabricates one or two nuclear weapons, and gives them to a terrorist group…The group brings one of these bombs into Baltimore by boat, and drives another one up to Pittsburgh. And then the message comes into the White House. Adjust your policy in the Middle East, or on Tuesday you lose Baltimore, and on Wednesday you lose Pittsburgh. Tuesday comes and we lose Baltimore. What does the U.S. do?" - Ambassador Robert Galucci, Former U.S. Arms Negotiator, Dean of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service
Note from JWR: Don't forget to send your entries for the SurvivalBlog writing contest. The prize is a transferable four day course certificate, good for any course at Front Sight. OBTW, I recently heard from Naish Piazza that the prices for all of the Front Sight courses will be increasing by 25% in 2006, so this will make the contest prize even more valuable--as much as $2,000 for a four day course. Oh, by the same token, you might want to buy some course certificates or a Front Sight membership to beat the price increases. (And BTW, check out their new "Lifetime Challenge First Family Membership.")
Please submit your non-fiction articles via e-mail by the end of November to be considered for the contest.
Thanks to Kirsten over at the Survival/Gulching
Forum at The
Claire Files for mentioning the Native Seeds/SEARCH seed bank.
See: http://www.nativeseeds.org/.
Here is a quote about their specialized heirloom seeds for desert
environments:
"Today, the Native Seeds/SEARCH seed bank houses approximately 2,000
different accessions of traditional crops grown by Apache, Chemehuevi,
Cocopah, Gila River Pima, Guarijio, Havasupai, Hopi, Maricopa, Mayo,
Mojave, Mountain Pima, Navajo, Paiute, Puebloan, Tarahumara, Tohono
O'odham and Yaqui farmers. Over one-half of the collections are comprised
of the three sisters -- corn, bean, and squash. An additional 48 species
of crops and wild crop relatives wait in frozen storage, including
amaranth, tepary bean, chile, cotton, devil's claw,
gourds, melon, sunflowers, tobacco, teosinte, watermelon and wild beans."
In a survival situation you must clear the military mindset from your head, since you are not backed by 300 million citizen western economy and trillions of dollars in supplies. Walking about the land with a AR-15 and BDUs could be one of the best ways to be shot on sight. To the causal observer you will be instantly branded as both clearly dangerous as well as covered in priceless gear. What is the "gray man"? The gray man mode operates much like a spy, a recon team, or a sniper does. If the gray man is noticed he has lost much of the game. His best tactic is hiding in plain sight, while letting others be noticed. Tactically speaking, gray man is used when you are outnumbered and when a straight fight would be foolish. Dress is important, a fine suit may say rich, BDUs say maybe I may be armed, raggy means maybe I am homeless and likely desperate. Attitude is important, avoiding eye contact without being obvious is a good idea, aggressiveness will be taken as a challenge, stay cool but not so cool as to be cocky. The best gray man is exactly who people expect to see in a given setting: a UPS man in an office, or a mailman or meter reader walking through your neighborhood. Gray man works best when there are other people around to take up the attention of trouble makers. Let the hysterical woman or the angry man take the attention of the terrorist. Don't let them even worry so much that they bother to search you. If you are carrying a weapon, then gladly surrender your wallet if asked, to avoid being searched and hence disarmed. What I am trying to get across is that in a survival situation you are not the big man, rather go to guerrilla mode wait until the battle can be fought on your terms,--sort of like when the police get a hostage taker in the middle of the night when he is less vigilant--and then escape. Assess the setting you are in. By blending in you will have a better chance of tipping the odds on a superior enemy and living to tell the story.
Mr. Rawles,
I read somewhere that there was a .40 S&W to 9mm conversion barrel
for a Model 23 Glock. This would not only save me the cost of another
pistol, but would give me more versatility with a pistol I am familiar
and comfortable with. I assume the barrel would have to be slightly
thicker in overall diameter than a standard Glock 9mm barrel to fit
a 23 slide. I have been unable to find this conversion barrel. Do you
know anything about it? (I realize that a 9mm magazine must also be
used.) Thanks for a great web site. - C.G. in N.C.
JWR Replies: As I recall, to convert a Glock Model
23 .40
S&W
to 9mm (in effect turning it into a Model 19) requires a M19 conversion
barrel,
a M19 slide, and even a different ejector. Magazines are not an issue.
According to SurvivalBlog reader C.T., a M23 (.40 S&W) magazine will
reliably feed
9mm cartridges
just fine, without modification. (Although the baseplate markings
might be confusing, in the heat of battle.) Perhaps one of the SurvivalBlog
readers that is a Glock aficionado can e-mail me
the details on conversion barrels, and I will post them. In
the interim, you might nose around a bit at my favorite Glock site:
Scott Greenbaum's Glock FAQ page: http://www.glockfaq.com/guide.htm
Thanks for the great blog. I read it every day. There is a free docudrama "that illustrates the threat poised by vulnerable nuclear weapons and materials around the world" on DVD. You can get it at: www.lastbestchance.org It is quite interesting. - Lynne B.
Jim:
See these sites:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/01/shipping_contai.php (Site
with some info on how containers can be used for living.)
and, http://www.containerhouse.com/ (Site
with interesting pictures of container conversions, including door
systems.) Regards, - B.A.
Jim:
You might be interested in this site about CONEX containers: http://www.undergroundcontainer.com/ Keep
up the good work! - J.F.
"At the end of the 17th century, Marshal Vauban, a French military engineer, developed modern fortification to its pinnacle, refining siege warfare without fundamentally altering it: ditches would be dug; walls would be protected by glacis; and bastions would enfilade an attacker. He was also a master of planning sieges themselves. Before Vauban, sieges had been somewhat slapdash operations. Vauban refined besieging to a science with a methodical process that, if uninterrupted, would break even the strongest fortifications. Examples of Vauban-style fortresses in North America include Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, Fort Ticonderoga in New York State, and La Citadelle in Quebec City." - From The Wikipedia entry on "Siege"
Note from JWR: Because of the unenthusiastic response, I've
decided
to discontinue our experiment at running classified ads on SurvivalBlog. :-( But
of course our very successful display (scrolling banner) ads are still available.)
Several of the recent letters on barter and charity items mentioned motor oil and chain saw fuel mixing oil. That reminded me about a subject that I've meant to address on the blog: key considerations of oil and lubricant storage. It is important to think through all of your oil and lubricant needs--everything from motor oil and transmission fluid to firearms lube. Figure out what you use in a three year period, and stock up. Then anticipate what you might need for barter and charity, and stock up even more. Because most families do not store any substantial quantity of oils and lubricants, they will make an ideal barter item in a long term Crunch.
Safe storage for your oil and lubricants is essential. I recommend that you build a separate, dedicated, locking steel storage shed to store all of your flammables. Think in terms of a stubby CONEX that is well-removed from your other retreat buildings. Aside for a very small supply for day-to-day use, nearly all of your flammables should be stored in the outside shed: kerosene, fuel canisters (propane, stove fuel, et cetera), lighter fluid, gas cans, paint cans, bore cleaner, various automotive/tractor fluids, paint thinner, chemical degreasers, decontamination fluids, and oils of all descriptions. If you store any powder, primers, or blasting caps, or fuse in this same shed, it is important that you store them inside separate ammo cans with tight-fitting rubber seals. Otherwise, the lubricant vapors will deaden them.
For your long term "TEOTWAWKI" oil storage, I recommend that you store at least a few cases of non-detergent motor oil. This is because detergent motor oils only store well for a couple of years. In contrast, non-detergent motor oil store almost indefinitely. Look carefully at the label before you buy. (These days, even most inexpensive brands of motor oil contain detergents.)
For firearms lubrication, I generally prefer the Break Free CLP brand. In a post-TEOTWAWKI environment, your guns will be your constant companions in all sorts of weather. So it is important to store gun cleaning and lubrication supplies in quantity.
Important Side Note: If you live in a region with cold winters, then you will also want to store special low temperature dry film lubes such as Dri-Slide, BP-2000, or Moly-coat (molybdenum disulfide) for your firearms. Otherwise, you might have a gun literally freeze up on you. As American G.I.s in Korea found more than a half century ago, this can be more than just embarrassing when someone is shooting at you! If the temperature drops below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, you should scrupulously de-lubricate your battle rifles (with a degreaser such as Chem Tool) and re-lubricate them with a dry film lubricant. Repeat this process whenever a weapon gets wet. (Keep in mind that rapid temperature differences will cause a rifle to "sweat". You should probably plan to do things Alaska style and leave your rifles out in your chilly mud/coat room rather than bringing them into heated rooms. When standing LP/OP duty or patrolling, cycle your rifle's action several times during the night to insure that the action still functions properly
Oil filters are more important to store than motor oil. The myth of the obligatory 3,000 mile oil change has been perpetrated by the "30 minute oil change" industry, because they like to see their customers frequently. (Read: $$$) In fact, in the modern era of multi-weight detergent oils, oil changes are grossly over-done! Unless a car engine is older and starting to grind metal, then your motor oil will usually have a much longer life than 3,000 miles. And just because motor oil is dark does not necessarily indicate that it needs to be changed. Many commercial fleet vehicles get no oils changes at all--just new filters installed, and the same oil put back in. Back in the 1980s the U.S.Army instituted the Army Oil Analysis Program (AOAP.) Under AOAP, oil samples are periodically mailed to a centralized lab. Unless the lab detects a drop in viscosity, suspended metals particles, or contamination for any particular vehicle's oil, they direct units to re-use the oil and merely change filters. (By the way, this program has saved the U.S. taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in the past 20 years.)
Another tangential note: Part of keeping your hand tools in proper condition is oiling them to prevent rust. It is a good idea to keep a steel bucket with a tight-fitting metal lid, half-filled with sand that is soaked in used motor oil (Don't use wood shavings or anything else that is flammable!) After tasks like splitting wood or spading the garden, be sure brush off any clinging soil, re-sharpen your tools, and then plunge them into the oily sand and swish them around to give them light coat of oil will. This will greatly extend the serviceable life of your hand tools!
Mr. Rawles:
Today one of the honchos at [name deleted], a major east coast Medical
Center where my wife works told her that a epidemiology research group
has finished a modeling study that predicts, based on the mutation rate
of the Avian Flu, that sometime within 18 months it
will become transferable in human-to-human contact. (Whereas now
it goes only from birds to humans.)
- "Mr. Not For Attribution"
Here is the second increment of responses to our barter/charity items poll. Please keep them coming, and I will post subsequent increments in the days to come. Many thanks!
Teresa
suggests:
Having recently survived in central Louisiana (the place
where all the Katrina and Rita people evacuated too) I have
paid attention to what items disappeared from store shelves first.
This is a list from my area...
Baby formula
Baby Food
Diapers
Gas Cans
Ammo and guns --the Wal-Marts in the area refused to sell any guns
or ammo once the levees broke. This freaked everyone out so the hunting
stores and
pawn shops ran out and were out for a while)
canned food--esp chili and soups
propane camping stoves
little propane bottles
sleeping bags
tents
OBTW, we are still experiencing shortages of ammo, large bags of
rice, beans etc.
"TFA303" suggests:
Baby Formula. It stores for 2-to-3 years, and if the mother of a newborn
is sick or dies in childbirth (probably much more common in TEOTWAWKI
environment) could be a life saver for the baby. Soy-base formula
would be best, as any baby
can take soy, but not all babies can take milk-based formula.
I would probably consider this a charity item rather than a barter
item.
"Lone Gunman in Texas" suggests:
wristwatches - Swiss automatic or manual winding (NO quartz/battery
powered) - How important will it be for having a good concept of time???
Can you/your group coordinate various functions and actions without
synchronized time coordinates among the group?
Clocks - windup only - electric and quartz could be useless - Good
small Swiss windup 8 day clocks are cheap(don't waste $$ on the Asian
JUNK) - how about an alarm? What physical stress will any of us be
under, which may dictate limited
sleep periods, and an alarm would be needed to get someone back on
duty!
MREs would have value for barter and for charity
Small water filters , such as Katadyn and Berkey
Sport bottles, for individual carry in a backpack
Salt - in all forms and types - not only for seasoning, but for meat
preservation--salt blocks for livestock and wild game lure,
large bags of rock salt, stock salt, etc
Multi-function belt & pocket tools, such as Leatherman etc - small
handy and invaluable (again, don't WASTE $$ on cheap Asian copies!)
Eye glasses and reading glasses - even the magnifier type from the
dollar stores (and can be bought online auctions in bulk & mix
of magnification). Also sunglasses.
Plexiglas for window replacement
etc
Heavy plastic film - cheap and in rolls
Sun block and moisturizers and makeup!
Does everyone have a "disguise kit"? a wig, a fake beard,
etc - how valuable might it be to have the ability to disguise yourself
for certain occasions and activities?
Tarps - all kinds and sizes
Band aids and bandaging materials and gauze
Scissors & Razors - all types/kinds/sizes & (men may neglect
shaving but ladies will INSIST on an ability to do feminine shaving!)
Sewing repair kits - a variety of needles and thread
Coffee and Liquor
"SEG" suggests:
First, I need to mention that no ammo or guns will be traded, except
to known and trusted associates. Don't want to arm a potential enemy.
Some items that I keep in addition to what others have suggested, include:
wooden clothes pins
vise-grip pliers
nails, wood screws, hasp and padlocks, etc.
soap of all kinds, especially antibiotic hand soap
Ziplock freezer bags, assorted sizes
back packs
trash bags, assorted sizes, plastic sheeting rolls
alcohol, medicinal and drinking
plastic containers - trash cans, tubs, bottles, etc.
insect repellant and bug bite soothers
poison ivy soother
gloves
plastic plates, bowls, cups, flatware
fly swatter, fly ribbon, mouse traps, bug spray
plastic wrap, alum foil, wax paper
tape - electrical, duct, strapping
zip ties
spices, especially salt, sugar, and honey
planting seeds
Note: My supply is limited, so I don't intend to be the community store,
but rather to have something useful to offer for something I might need.
"Mr. Yankee" suggests:
Not much to add to the barter poll except to reinforce what has already
been said. My barter plan is to stock shelf stable goods for my own
family, friends, and neighbors to use.
I stock nothing specifically for barter, but I would be more than willing
to share what I have in exchange for something I need (even labor).
My rule of thumb for charity when it is clear that we will not be resupplied
any time soon is to feed anyone in need a hot meal and a bit for the road.
After that any adult will be required to contribute toward the homestead
if they want more. Bartering what they have for my supplies that I can spare
is
fine, but so too is working for them. Here in the north country there will
never be enough stove length firewood on hand for the next winter (no matter
how much is already cut).
Regarding Firearms and Ammo:
I store multiple rifles to share with those I trust, but I would be very
hesitant to trade any firearms or ammo away to anyone outside my trusted
friends and
neighbors.
Gasoline, toilet paper, and over the counter medicines: will be high demand.
But, I doubt we'll have more of them on hand than we are planning to use.
I'm not sure I'd be willing to part with them either. I think these will
be the
primary items that I can barter for anything I find my home in need of.
The items most likely to share with those in need are those on hand which
store and travel well.
Likely trades are:
Soap of all kinds (bar soap, hand soap, laundry soap),
Other hygiene products - dental floss, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo
Tea and coffee,
insecticides (ant traps, flea bombs, flea powders, mosquito repellant, garden
spray, etc.) - if the crisis lasts more than a year these will be incredibly
useful during the second summer.
Aluminum foil - a lot of people will be figuring out how to cook on campfires,
fireplaces and woodstoves. [JWR adds: Aluminum foil is also great for
making solar ovens. A
piece of glass scrounged from a picture frame will suffice for the oven's top
pane.]
I've run across some interesting news stories on the Internet in the past few days...
President Bush's recent Asian Avian Flu speech:
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2005/11/1/120104.shtml
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/11/01/D8DJLB180.html
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/11/01/D8DJPD9O0.html
H5 Asian Avian flu virus (but thankfully not the dreaded H5N1 Strain)
has been found in wild birds in Canada:
http://www.breitbart.com/news/na/051031210450.5y8rg6u2.html
Some interesting commentary by Jason Hommel on the emerging silver
shortage:
http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials_05/hommel102505.html
On the absurd heights of the Housing Bubble. How about buying a small, run
down, flat top house in a bad neighborhood for only $1.2 Million?:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9870962/
"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. What I can do, I should do. And what I should do, by the grace of God, I will do." - Edward Everett Hale
Here is the first increment of responses to our barter/charity items poll. These have been received in just the first 24 hours of the poll. BTW, please keep them coming, and I will post subsequent increments in the days to come. Many thanks! There are some real gems here, so read closely:
B.A. suggests:
Sealed bags / canisters of handi-wipes
Matches / lighters
Knives [think Mora skinners here]
2-cycle oil and chainsaw files and chains
Kerosene and wicks
Watch-caps / stocking caps
New socks and underwear [especially for children]
Common caliber ammo [.22LR being tops]
Small bolt-action .22LR rifles [CZ Scout is great for younger shooters],
as are the many different training rifles that are mil-surp now.
Shotgun shells
Hand lotions
Condoms
Toilet paper, toilet paper, toilet paper
Fresh water
Conibear traps...if society turns to a more grain holding [storing
corn, wheat, soybeans] and consuming society, I look for the rat population
to explode in most areas.
Handkerchiefs
Hard candy
Salt
Sugar
Sewing needles and sturdy thread
Fishing lines / rod-reel combos
Plastic 5 gallon buckets
Leather gloves
M.O. suggests:
Wheat
Oats
Rice
Honey
Seeds
Hand tools, like shovel, drill, saw
Books
Bible
Knowledge
J.K. in the PRK suggests:
12 gauge ammo
Toothbrushes
C.W. suggests:
Hoes and other gardening tools
Non-hybrid seeds
Chlorine to treat water
Shoe repair
Gun repair
Blacksmithing
Medical care
Outdoor Guy suggests:
Soap
Shampoo
"Col. Jack D. Ripper" suggests:
Grain alcohol
(“Everclear” or
equivalent 190 proof ethanol)
For salt, those of us with water
softeners have hundreds of pounds of salt pellets on hand at a given
time. Rub two together
for
flavoring food, dissolve for brining, etc.
C.R.Z. suggests:
Paperback books, novels, etc for entertainment
How-To Books (especially organic gardening manuals)
Primers (sealed in a ammo can)
Suture Needles
Knife sharpening stones
Medical Supplies (gauze, antibiotics, bandaging material, and BIRTHING SUPPLIES)
DKN suggests:
After an event like Katrina, some better items for charity might
be:
Clothing: Shirts, hats, socks, shoes/boots (Dollar stores are great)
Personal items: Toothbrush/toothpaste, chapstick, soap, washcloth,
handi-wipes, tampons, toilet paper, etc.
Containers: small bags with straps (book bags, etc), water bottles.
Maybe even maps of the area? When I worked for the Sheriff's department,
I as working a traffic accident (Southern California) We had an
intersection closed in a residential area. I was so surprised at
the amount of
people who only knew ONE way to get to their house!
Steven in North Idaho suggests:
Condensed or dried Milk, Sugar, Flour, Tea, Coffee. Aspirin, children's
cold medicine, Antibiotics, (a parent will give their life
to save their child's life, at least I would.) Then comes larger
food
items. Then comes first aid stuff, including water purification.
Then fire starting materials. Then ammo. I would never give a gun
to anyone
I don't know. To much chance of it coming back on me later. A heck
of a note to get shot with your own gun. In the mean time, I'll
just keep my powder dry.
L.H. suggests:
Tylenol
Ibuprofen
GySgt J.D. suggests:
CR-123 batteries for SureFire lights
Larry in Kansas suggests:
Vitamins
Minerals
First aid items
Liquor- 1 pint bottles
Cigarettes and cigars- sealed in vacuum sealed bags
Canning lids- different sizes
Canning jars- different sizes(this can be a bulky item for storage)
.22 cal long rifle rimfire ammo
.177 cal pellets for air rifle(s)
Comfort foods-deserts
Crayons
Coloring books
Small games( auto travel type)
Cooking spices
Salt packets
Pepper packets
Salt 1 pound containers
Fishing hooks
Fishing weights
Candles
Kitchen matches
Hurricane lamps
Hurricane lamp glass , wicks and wick holder
Oil for hurricane lamps
Clothing
M.S. suggests:
matches
shoe laces
can opener (manual)
medical supplies
hygiene supplies (toothpaste, soap, detergent, toothbrushes, shampoo,
toilet paper, bleach)
lighter flints
lighter fluid
batteries
clothes pins
clothes line
playing cards
canning supplies
cold medications
Note: As a rule we have decided against trading ammunition as a security
precaution. Another rule is that when bartering we will not do it at
our home. We will find a neutral location where we can employ as much
security as possible to prevent someone from finding out where we live.
S.W. suggests:
Chunks of magnesium, to help start fires.
Small bottles of iodine, to purify filtered water.
Small packets of fish hooks, one can dig worms anywhere and with some
monofilament can fish practically anywhere. Also lures can be fabricated
that will use your fish hooks. Today they are cheap, perhaps one day
they will be valuable.
Cheap compasses. It can be used for navigating, also it is a morale
booster.
Snares
"Mr. Whiskey" suggests:
My barter items are divided into two groups: 1) Short term / Charity
for the early days probably out to 6 months after a disaster for immediate
needs, goodwill and helping people stay alive for another day. Then
I have group 2) Long term / Profit potential (for me) traded with the
folks who were smart or lucky enough to make it during the early days,
and now have settled in a place (maybe even on my place), and really
need some things that no one can make.
Group 1:
Canned foodstuffs (for the pervasive hunger).
Bar soap, wash cloths, toothpaste and brushes (everyone will want to
feel clean again)
Toilet paper (a rare item to be found because everyone will know its
utility)
Hand and face lotion (no one will be used to the harsh conditions).
Disposable razors and shaving cream (what would a man give to be clean
shaven?).
Tampons (no one is quite ready yet for the old way alternatives).
Bibles, New Testaments (many potential converts in the age of disasters).
Dental floss (when you just can’t get that bit of ‘possum
gristle out of the teeth).
Group 2:
Lotions and lip balms (everyone spends more time outside working now)
Fingernail and toenail clippers (who thought about packing these in
the BOB?)
Warm gloves/hats (by now, everything is starting to wear out).
Long underwear (virtually no survivor from the cities will have this
item).
Bar soap, laundry soap (people have settled in, and soap of all kind
will be rare).
Fragrance (what a delight if you really, really stink).
Hasps and padlocks with multiple keys (people now realize the benefit
of security)
Kid’s shoes (adults can wear theirs for many years, but a growing
10 year old will be in agony in short order, and you need all those
younger kids to work pretty hard. We stock 3 steel barrels with 130
pair of leather work shoes and boots from kid’s sizes 3 thru
adult size 13. Bought them at Goodwill over a period of several years,
but they are all in very good shape, all of very good quality – though
used – and not one pair cost more than $3.95).
AA batteries (their batteries will be long gone, but they will still
hold on to the lights)
Survival Guides. I have pre-printed in mass quantities outlining basic
how-to for people who really have no idea about the longer term survival
they are in. Some of the topics covered are outhouse building, old
way feminine hygiene, bartering techniques, herbal remedies, cooking
over fire, maintaining your old clothing and shoes, pulling a tooth,
setting a snare and so on.
Barter Services for any time:
Haircutting
Sock Darning
Charging service with a hand-cranked generator for all their rechargeables
they will still have with them.
Heated shower (solar or wood) with privacy screens and secluded changing
area.
Dr. A.L.O. suggests:
Used centerfire rifles chambered in .270, .30-30, .30.06, .308
Used rimfire guns chambered in .22
Pre-1965 silver coins
Small hand tools (Hammers, pliers, screwdrivers, etc.)
Small flashlights
Batteries (C&D sizes)
J.K. in Florida suggests:
Pri-G think of all the stale gasoline 1 year or 4 years into a battle
and this stuff will take old gas in the bottom of cars, cans, gas stations
and bring it to life. I understand (according to the Pri web site)
that this can take 11 year old gasoline and restore it to factory specs.
I will be getting a case of this. OBTW, I also use Pri-D (for
diesel fuel.)
Michael in Oz suggests:
Funny I was thinking about this and then you
actually ask for items. With all the talk of gold and silver, and
then tangibles for value and barter, I was thinking of Lead as an item
to have a nice stock
of.
It is cheap compared to gold and silver but still expensive enough
to warrant some thought.
It stores well
Rolls of lead flashing other than flashing roofs etc can be used
for
Sinkers, Projectiles,
Other items that come to mind to stock/store on a retreat-- i.e. if
you have room like a storage shed
Star pickets
Rolls of wire
OLD Picks, shovels, axes, hoes etc now nearly worthless from garage
sale etc and with a bit of oil will store fine. These items will
be vital post grid down.
Larry in Casper, Wyoming suggests:
Toilet paper
toothpaste
chocolate
coffee
tea
R.S. suggests:
Here are the rules for ideal barter supplies (adapted from Joel Skousen's writings):
1. High demand. If no one wants it, no one wants it.
2. Difficult to manufacture on your own
3. Durable for long-term storage
4. Can be easily divided up into smaller quantities
5. Authenticity and quality is easily recognizable.
Here's the list of supplies I have on hand for barter
(again, this list is taken from Joel Skousen's 10 Packs for Survival):
• Liquid detergent
• Laundry detergent
• Rubbing alcohol
• Bleach
• Toothbrushes
• Razor blades
• Toilet paper
• Aluminum foil
• Writing paper, typing paper,
• Pens, Pencils, erasers
• Shoelaces, string, cord, rope
• Fishing line
• Insect repellent
• Water repellent
• Paint, varnish
• Matches
• Watches
• Tape
• Light bulbs
• Needles, thread, zippers, buttons
• Bolts, screws, nails
• Aspirin, vitamins, other drugs
• Seeds, grain, sugar,
• Coffee, liquor, cigarettes
• Antibiotics, burn ointments
• Safety pins
• Manual can opener
• Knives
• Canning jars, lids, rings
• Shoes, boots, socks, nylon stockings
• Underwear
• Winter clothes
• Coats
• Blankets
• Hand guns, rifles,ammunition, cleaning gear
• Fuels (all types)
• Quarts of multi-viscosity motor oil
• Antifreeze
• Wire
• Glues
"RF Burns" suggests:
30-06
7.62x39
.22 LR
9mm
#10 cans of sugar/salt
sugar substitutes (sweet n low, etc)
can openers
toilet paper
knives (hunting, skinning, functional knives)
flour
sewing supplies
Dr. Sidney Zweibel suggests:
first aid supplies - bandages, etc.
water purification chemicals - especially iodine crystals (last forever)
inexpensive pocket knives, and small sharpening stones. I get them
as giveaways at conferences and they go into a box for future need.
plastic containers of all sorts - Glad ziplock brand as an example
sheet music books
Coleman fuel, mantles, and other spare parts to fix these devices (as
long as the tanks hold pressure, they can be fixed. There are replacement
tanks, too)
mechanical fasteners - nails, screws (especially drywall), nuts, bolts,
etc. - in large quantities they're incredibly cheap to buy.
Other hardware items like chain, wire rope and fasteners, etc.
cheap tools - for example, I have 'my tools' in my rollaway tool chest.
Then we have my wifes' tools in her rollaway (Yes, she has her own.)
Then we have the tools to loan to neighbors (decent quality and we
expect to get them back), and finally the tools I let our kids play
with, in decreasing order of quality.
Hand tools like saws, drills and bits, files, wire brushes, etc of
all types
off the shelf reading glasses, protective eyewear like goggles,
dust masks (or N95 masks)
inexpensive 'how to' books, pamphlets, and guides - or the ability
to print them as needed
light bulbs (12 and 120 v)
inexpensive cooking and eating ware and utensils
ripstop plastic tarps (the blue ones)
synthetic blankets
soap, hand, dish and laundry types, bleach, shampoo, etc.
toothpaste and toothbrushes, dental floss (quite useful in BOB's too)
OTC medications - keep sealed in the refrigerator
old plastic bottles that water, fruit juices or soft drinks came in
- can be canteens, glasses, containers for whatever
Sugar
Canned shortening (Crisco)
razor blades, razors, single-edged razor blades (for box cutters, etc)
scissors of various types and qualities
fingernail clippers
knitting yarn (synthetic), needles, basic directions and patterns
paper products, including feminine hygiene products and infant products
(cloth diapers, pins, ointments and unguents, powder, bottles, etc)
batteries - AA, D, AAA, C in that order, maybe cheap flashlights to
use them. The batteries last quite a long time in the freezer.
candle wax, candle wicks, candle forms, candle making instructions
inexpensive leather work gloves
old (semi-worn out) shoes and boots (clean them, wax them and wrap
them in plastic bags for storage)
dried spice related items - onion flakes, garlic, etc. Small bottles
of flavorings (lemon extract, etc)
hand gardening tools - shovels, rakes, axes, hatchets, bow/limb saws,
pry bars - buy by the pound at garage/farm sales
board games (Monopoly, Scrabble, etc)
paperback books of whatever type
small AM/FM radios, even if battery powered - wire for antennas
FRS/GMRS or CB radios, working of course
hand compasses (orienteering type), maps of everywhere
reference books like the almanac,
coffee and tea
coffee filters
coffee percolators (the old style kind)
plastic bags (even recycled they're handy)
cardboard boxes
small tins (we save the tins that Altoids mints come in, when we buy
them)
solar powered calculators
office supplies - all sorts, but especially things like ledger paper
that have been replaced by computers, and permanent markers
hand powered can openers
canning supplies - jars, rings, lids (lots of lids, they're the only
part that can't be reused), canners and pressure cookers (fix them
up first)
Dr. November suggests:
Used centerfire rifles chambered in .270, .30-30, .30.06, .308
Used rimfire guns chambered in .22
Pre-1965 silver coins
Small hand tools (Hammers, pliers, screwdrivers, etc.)
Small flashlights
Batteries (C&D sizes)
One our readers recommended the documentary: The Next Plague, about the Asian Avian Flu threat. This show is currently in the repeat cycle on The History Channel. It features interviews with WHO officials and Dr. Michael Osterholm. You are probably already familiar with many of the details contained therein, but if noting else, it serves as media substantiation that the Asian Avian Flu threat is real.(Just in case you have any friends/neighbors/relatives that won't believe what you say until they "see it on television."
Hi Jim.
Your survival blog is wonderful! Reading it every day has already helped me
become more constantly focused and working on preparedness. I have recently
made some overtures about forming a retreat group to a few family members
who are like minded with me on preparedness. One suggested topic for your
survival blog that would be helpful to me, and probably many others, is a
discussion on the number of people necessary to operate a retreat in a TEOTWAWKI situation. You did speak on that in Patriots,
which was very helpful. Some questions are: (1) Is there a minimum, optimum,
and maximum number of people? (2) What are the considerations that go into
the decision as to the number of people? (3) What are the differences in
the organizational requirements for the various sizes of retreat groups?
(4) Are there differences in the necessary leadership style of the leader
of a small group verses a large group? Thank you very much. - Joe.
JWR Replies:
(1) Is there a minimum, optimum, and maximum number of people?
That all depends on the situation! If you are close to an urban area during a worst-case grid down situation, then it might take 50 or more people to defend a retreat. Under less demanding circumstances and in a more remote area that is well removed from likely lines of drift, then perhaps just two or three families occupying contiguous parcels (with mutually supporting fields of fire) might suffice. But in general (given foreseeable TEOTWAWKI exigencies), if affordability of floor space at your retreat is not a constraint, then I would recommend a group with a minimum of six adults, an optimum of 10 adults, and a maximum of 30 adults. (Anything larger is likely to lose cohesiveness, especially with weak leadership/organization.) Keep in mind that manpower planning and limits are considerably different for a group that will be occupying a cluster of buildings (analogous to a tribal village) versus a group that is all living under one roof!
(2) What are the considerations that go into the decision as to the number of people?
IMO, you should consider:
a.) Severity of circumstances that you anticipate. (Grid up versus grid down, level of lawlessness, and so forth)
b.) Duration of crisis. (Until order and commerce are restored, or in the event of Nuclear, Biological, or Chemical (NBC) events, when it will be safe to emerge)
c.) Geographic isolation of your retreat. (The closer that you are to population centers and lines of drift, the larger your security contingent.)
d.) Floor space/accommodations of your retreat.(Cramped quarters are both unhealthy and stressful.)
d.) Climate. (Smaller groups are dictated in more severe climate zones with short growing seasons)
e.) Group homogeneity. (For example, groups composed of all members of the same church denomination might be more cohesive and capable of larger aggregations.)
f.) Financial resources of the group. (This relates to "depth of larder"--more wealthy groups can provide more ample food storage and hence more mouths to feed.)
g.) Acreage and water available for cultivation. In northern climes, consider the available square footage of greenhouse space.
(3) What are the differences in the organizational requirements for the various sizes of retreat groups?
Unity of leadership (having one recognized leader or a "village council") is essential, regardless of group size. In groups of 20 or more, it may be necessary to delegate authority and to specialize responsibilities. (In small groups, most members will wear "many hats", whereas in larger groups some members will have nearly full time responsibilities--cook, logistician, armorer, security coordinator, and so forth)
(4) Are there differences in the necessary leadership style of the leader of a small group versus a large group?
IMO, the same principles and styles of leadership apply, regardless of group size. Some people have leadership talent, and some don't. (If you've ever taken ROTC or OCS courses, then you'll know what I mean.) Not surprisingly, many of the people who do well as leaders in "peacetime" (such as corporate managers and mayors) may not be able to cope mentally or emotionally WTSHTF. That is why I recommend that military combat veterans (commissioned officers or NCOs) be put in charge of retreat security. They've been forged in fire, and there are very few substitutes for that sort of real world on-the-job training.
Hi Sir,
Sorry I haven't been writing much. Since the elections my schedule's been a
bit out of kilter.
Speaking of the elections... My platoon was guarding a polling place the week
leading up to the big day. I hear it was a success elsewhere, but here in scenic
Ar Ramadi it was a bust. My polling station received three voters, one of whom
was disqualified as a raving lunatic who just wandered in. AFAIK ~200
people voted here, with ~190 of 'em being the Shiite poll workers who don't
live here. This city just loves Saddam. I hope they execute him soon; maybe
they'd get the idea he isn't coming back.
Did finally see a little action. Guy took a potshot at my truck with an RPG.
Went about a foot and a half high. They use a technique called "turkey
peeking" where they pop out from around a corner, shoot more or less without
aiming, then de-*ss the AO as fast
as they can. They're far more concerned with getting away than with hitting
us. Usually. The genius who took the poke at us stuck his head back around
the corner and got a burst of .50 cal through the building for his trouble.
I miss the ~1500 rounds we had with the 240, but Ma Deuce has her charms. Oh,
and the M240G is a medium MG, not light as you indicated when I wrote in awhile
back. The M249 SAW is the LMG
of the family. [Sorry, that was my mistake. When you wrote M240
I was thinking M249. I just went back and corrected that.- JWR]
Getting behind on the Bible study I've been doing with my wife. Discouraging.
On the plus side, I met another Christian! It's funny, I found out he's a believer
after he saw the article I'm working on to submit to your writing contest.
We got to talking; turns out he's a survivalist too!
Better sign off for now. Haven't been able to call the little woman for too
long, and a phone just opened up. Keep up the good work, and God bless. - John
Hi to all:
We at Camp Eggers are embarking on a bold mission for Combined Forces
Command - Afghanistan (CFC-A), Office of Security Cooperation - Afghanistan
(OSC-A), and Task Force Phoenix - all of which are located in the capital
city of Kabul, Afghanistan.
Please help us meet our goal to put a Christmas Stocking in the
hands of each military service member and civilian attached to the military
forces in Kabul, Afghanistan this Christmas. There are approximately
1,200 personnel in the three commands listed above. We are asking for
small donations (money orders) to be sent by November 24th to allow
us time to purchase Christmas goodies along with a Christmas
card in every stocking. We think that the money could better be used
to purchase the goodies in country rather than pay the additional cost
to ship the goodies overseas. However, any goodies sent will help as
well. Please get your neighbors, co-workers, churches, civic groups
involved if you can. Thanks in advance. - Daniel Ward
Please send all correspondence to:
Daniel Ward
CFC-A, CJ5
APO AE 09356
JWR Adds: Daniel Ward is one of my regular "Any Soldier" support contacts. I can attest that this is a legitimate request from an actual soldier with "boots on the ground" in Afghanistan--not some Internet scammer. You can find Daniel Ward listed on www.AnySoldier.Com with current updates. Be sure to read the www.AnySoldier.Com FAQ before sending any cards, money orders, or packages. I realize that opinion is partly divided among readers about the efficacy of the current Iraq/Afghanistan administration policy, but nearly all of us agree that we should support our troops.
"But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there." Deuteronomy 12:10-11 (KJV)
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The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.