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SurvivalBlog is dedicated to family preparedness, survival, self-reliance, and self-sufficiency. Are you new to this blog? Be advised that you are jumping in to extant threads. Read "About" first. Then read my "Precepts page." For in-depth study, see the archives. Thanks! - JWRFriday November 20 2009Note from JWR:The special sale on the "Rawles Gets You Ready" family preparedness course is in full swing. There are just a handful of copies of the bonus book still available. (A free copy of my latest nonfiction book, "How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It".) Today (Friday) is the last day to order to get your bonus book. By the time Saturday's blog goes up this evening, the free books will no longer be available. Letter Re: Short Term Survival or Long Term Self-Sufficiency?
Hi James, I have to take issue with your blog though. It focuses on survival in the short term (maximum five years after collapse). It does not give direction for how to proceed from there, how to thrive, how to rebuild society (or rather, how to build a better society). Surviving the collapse on modern medicine only to die from disease when it runs out is pointless. Surviving only to find that your gene pool is too small to survive into the coming centuries, or that you don’t have enough books or ways to copy them (or write new ones), and thus pass knowledge on... It makes a mockery of survival. Short term focus is what got us into this mess. Let’s have some longer term articles on what we should do to lay the foundations for our children and grandchildren, and more distant descendants, to thrive. Also, I do not see any articles on how to disappear from view of satellites, or other high-tech surveillance equipment, or how to fight against a modern army. I know it might sound ridiculous, and it is a conspiracy theory (and those are nowadays automatically disreputable), but I do not think that we are in this mess entirely by accident. The constriction of our seed supply to a few large corporations is deliberate. That there exist doomsday shelters with high technology for the elite is known. Might there not be at least some deliberate engineering of the current crisis? And, if so, might it not be with a view to facilitating control by the elite? A reduced world population would be easier to control. One desperate for food, shelter, medicine etc. would do some presently inconceivable things – such as surrendering freedom in exchange for those “necessities”. I am speaking here of the Mark of the Beast: subdermal microchips. We might find ourselves fighting against much nastier groups than mere marauders. If I am correct, much of that situation will be out of our hands anyway – it’s the Lord’s battle. But that doesn’t mean we can just sit back and say “I don’t have to do anything.” Regards, - David in South Africa JWR Replies: I think that you drew a conclusion about SurvivalBlog without digging very deeply. If you take the time to work your way back through the SurvivalBlog Archives (now nearly 8,000 archived posts), you will indeed find a large number of posts that discuss long term self sufficiency. These articles and letters cover steam power, home-made fuels, photovoltaics, micro-hydro power systems, home-grown herbal medicines, low tech do-it-yourself architecture (including rammed earth, adobe bricks, discarded tire Earhships), blacksmithing, home chemistry, farming, aquaculture, wood and coal heating, saddle and draft horses, primitive weapons, leather working, community organizing, gravity-flow water systems, traditional carpentry (without power tools), and much, much more. For discussions specifically about long term scenarios, be sure to use the search word "multigenerational." To provide some ideas on how to fight against a modern army, I wrote "Patriots:
A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse" Letter Re: Converting Precious Metals ETFs to Physical Metals
Dear CPT Rawles, JWR Replies: I also have a Gold IRA (also set up through Swiss America), and I highly recommend them. But given your age, I recommend that you get that gold in your own hands, at the first opportunity! Too many things can go wrong with warehousing, not the least of which is a change of government policy. In a severe economic crisis, all IRAs might become centralized (read: stolen) by the Federal government disappearing into some amorphous (and actually non-existent) "trust fund", just as they have done with our Social Security "contributions". We "contributed", all right! Six Letters Re: Oral Rehydration Solutions
Jim, Sir: When the bad bacteria builds up like that and your body can't get rid of it, the bad bacteria begins to poison you (as it did her). She couldn't eat or drink anything without throwing up because her stomach was no longer in a condition to absorb any water or nutrients. She suffered from severe dehydration and malnutrition. Her condition [Clostridium difficile] is commonly referred to as "C-Diff". She was in the hospital for a week and a half and is slowly recovering now. So, if you get diarrhea after taking antibiotics, it may be best to just let nature "run" its course. Just be sure to drink lots of fluids. - Daron in San Diego, California
Jim, The salts are packaged in little foil sachets. When mixed with water, each sachet produces one liter of oral rehydration solution. They can be purchased in bulk from a company called Jianis Brothers either by the carton (125 sachets) or by the case (5 cartons = 625 sachets). I don't recall how much I paid but I believe the unit price was around 50 or 60 cents per sachet - much less expensive than Pedialyte. The sachets are convenient, compact and durable and I believe they would make a great little barter item if the need should ever arise. The web site of The Rehydration Project contains a wealth of information on dehydration due to illness as well as treatment using oral rehydration therapy: Contact information for Jianis Brothers is also available on the same site. Sincerely, - Michael in California
Dear Mr. Rawles, 1. As the poster mentioned, loperamide (aka, Imodium) is available over-the-counter (without a prescription) in the same strength as the old prescription product. This effective anti-diarrheal is not considered an opioid, and does not appear on the DEA's Controlled Substance list, as does diphenoxylate/atropine (aka Lomotil - Schedule V). Be aware that individual states can add drugs to their own controlled substance list, but I don't know of any that have done so with loperamide. The dosing depends on recurrence of diarrhea episodes, but take no more than 8 tablets (16mg) per 24 hours period. 2. The bismuth subsalicylate-containing anti-diarrheals, such as Pepto-Bismol and Kaopectate and their generics, contain an active ingredient similar to aspirin, and in quantity, can have a similar effect on bleeding (inhibits platelet function). Therefore, be sure to stay under the daily maximum dosage of 8 30ml (1oz.) doses. Also, if you have any ongoing bleeding problem, such as active gastric ulcers, shy away from these products. Thank you for all you do! Best Wishes, - S.H. in Georgia Sir, In my travels there have been times when I have lost 20 lbs. in a few days time due to the effects of diarrhea. I've had it so bad that the Air Force took a C-141 out of service to decontaminate it. And my travels started when I was three years old (42 years ago now) so I have lots of practice in dealing with this issue. Outside of the US and Western Europe you have to assume that the water supply is contaminated and you will come down with something at some point. I've reached the point where I routinely add purification tablets to even bottled water in some countries. First and foremost, if diarrhea is not caused by a virus then usually it is caused by a bacterial bloom in the body. When you travel from one area to another the normal flora and fauna in the body change to match what is local to the environment. As a result the balance of the flora and fauna in the body gets out of whack and you end up with the common traveler's diarrhea. If you have not drunk/eaten food in your home environment that was not processed/packaged/etc. etc. then you can get the same effect the first time you eat natural foods (farmer's market ...). A low dose of a sulfa drug usually is enough to take care of this problem. (Sulfa drugs are usually over the counter in most countries outside of the US.) In the US the doctor will normally prescribe Ciprofloxacin. Living and working in Turkey I learned to say "Streptomagma var mu?" or "Do you have Streptomagma (a sulfa drug)" -- and the same phrase will work across the near east (from Turkey through Afghanistan). For viral infections (or protozoa) you just have to suffer unless you can get your hands on prescription only drugs. Nitroimidazoles seem to have the best effect on Giardia but when I've taken them in the past (seven Giardia infections to date) they are rough on the body. Hence oral rehydration is probably the best route unless you have a severe case of it. Amoebic dysentery is also common in many parts of the world -- and is almost untreatable and you have to suffer with it for years after your initial infection. Again oral rehydration (and having a wee bit more than 7% body fat) helps the most. One of the better oral rehydration products out there is Ceralyte. Gatorade and other sports drinks usually are too much sugar and the wrong types of salts for long term oral rehydration (such as during an attack of Giardia which I have now had several times). You will also find Crystal Lite (and the store brand generic equivalents) makes a sugar free rehydration mix. My preference for these two routes comes down to portability and long storage life. (I mentioned that I carry several packets of rehydration powder with me in my travel kit.) I also lean towards using the Crystal Lite mix as I have a tendency at my age to pack on pounds even with a vigorous workout schedule.
I just wanted to pass this on. Dried blackberry leaf can be found at any online herbal store like www.MountainRoseHerbs.com [in Oregon] and a one pound bag is very inexpensive, around $8. Id suggest that interested people buy two bags and tincture them up right away with any 80 proof vodka to have it on hand when needed. Though it can be made into a tea or decoction, I prefer to tincture for long term storage. All the best to you and yours and God Bless. - Karen F. in Colorado Letter Re: Parabolic Dish ShoutcastingMr. Rawles, Economics and Investing:Jesse sent this: Short-Term Economic Boost from Fiscal Stimulus Outweighed by Long-Term Output Loss Also from Jesse: Why the Stock Market Should Crash From reader HPD: Bank Regulators "Reign of Terror" on Small Business Loans Items from The Economatrix: Stimulus Watch: Did the White House downplay errors in rush to take credit for job data? Odds 'n Sods: We've had a tough deer and elk season here at the Rawles Ranch. Thusfar, we've filled just two deer tags, and haven't yet got an elk. The season has been difficult because there have been two hard winters in succession with deep snow that have taken their toll on the herds. The local wolf population seems to be increasing as well, and their depredations have been obvious. (And so are their big piles of scat that we see all-too frequently when we are out in the woods!) After they've cleaned out the deer, I suspect they'll move on to consuming domestic sheep, dogs, cats, and perhaps even unarmed people. BTW, a bumper sticker is now popular in our region: "Too Many Wolves! Smoke a Pack a Day" o o o Walt H. was the first of several readers that wrote to mention a deadly home invasion robbery in Utah that had "prepper with bad OPSEC" written all over it: Neighbor describes a horrifying scenario in man's slaying in Payson. o o o Damon sent this article link illustrating another close call: Meteor illuminates the Utah sky Jim's Quote of the Day:"The new danger was that when the peasants finally refused to deliver produce to the towns, the towns would go and fetch it. It had happened in Austria during the blockade. It had happened in the Ruhr and the Rhineland under the provocation of French militarism and enforced idleness. Now there were reports from Saxony -unoccupied Germany -- that bands of several hundred townspeople at a time had taken to riding out into the countryside on bicycles to confiscate what they needed. Anna Eisenmenger's diary included a first-hand account of the plunder of Linz and its neighbourhood in Austria -- the place which Hitler regarded as his home town. She transcribed a letter from her daughter who had been staying there for a few weeks with cousins who ran a small farm with eight cows, two horses, twelve pigs and the usual poultry: I had driven with Uncle and Aunt to church at Linz. The nearer we approached the more crowded became the usually deserted high road. All kinds of odd-looking individuals met us. One man wearing three hats, one set on top of the other, and at least two coats, excited our amusement … We met people drawing carts piled high with tinned foods of every description … A man and a woman were seated in a ditch by the side of the road and, without the least embarrassment, were changing their very ragged garments for quite new ones. 'Hurry up', the woman shouted to us, 'or there'll be nothing left!' We did not understand this remark until we passed the first plundered shops. Peaceful Linz looked as if it had been visited by an earthquake. Furniture smashed beyond recognition littered the pavements. But not only provision shops, inns, cafes, and drapers' shops had been looted. Jewellers and watchmakers, too, had been unable to defend their wares. We saw that the inn at which Uncle and Aunt usually stopped after Mass was completely devastated. The old innkeeper caught sight of us and hurried up, almost in tears. He could not open his inn because all the furniture had been smashed and all the provisions stolen; and he strongly advised my uncle to drive home, since the ringleaders of the mob were inciting their followers to ransack the neighbourhood." - When Money Dies (1975), as recently quoted in Bison Survival Blog Thursday November 19 2009Letter Re: Oral Rehydration SolutionsSir: My questions to you are: what about prescription antidiarrheals? And what should I store for re-hydration? Thanks for your great blog and books. The number of lives that you will save, by encouraging people to get really and truly prepared will go beyond counting! Sincerely, - H.F.I. in St. Louis JWR Replies: OTC antidiarrheals are usual sufficient in all but the most severe cases. Most of the prescription antidiarrheals are opium-based so they are on the controlled list. As my late wife learned in the last few weeks of her life, heavy opium-based pain medicines slow down the gastrointestinal tract dramatically. (And in fact, many pain patients have to take stool softeners like colase and laxatives like docusate and senna, to keep their bowels moving.) Because of their scheduled drug legal status, it would be almost impossible to get opium-based drugs by prescription from your friendly local doctor to keep on hand for contingencies. However, some of opium-derived meds to keep in mind for disaster situations include diphenoxylate (with atropine) and the industrial strength version loperamide (a synthetic opioid). Because of their side effects, and obviously because some of them are addicting, these meds are reserved for only the most severe cases of diarrhea As you noted, and has been previously discussed in SurvivalBlog Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORSes) are very important to keep on hand. Every family should storing a few bottles of Pedialyte (or better yet, one of its many commercial equivalents, which are identically-formulated and often self for about 40% less). It is vitally important to know how to make your own ORSes. This is described in detail in the "Rawles Gets You Ready" family preparedness course. Seven Letters Re: Getting a Christian Wife Involved With Preparedness Dear Mr. Rawles, As a side note, my husband and I "came together" on our preps about two years ago while watching the television show Jericho If "L.K." thinks such a show might interest his wife, it might be worth a shot. Best wishes, - M.K. Mr. Rawles, Mr. Rawles, For L.K. in Boise: Our preps have gotten us through very personal hard times. I wouldn't want to be without them. Have your wife read Proverbs 31. We have a duty to be prepared so we can look after our husbands, children, and others who come into our lives. God Bless, - Bonnie S. Dear Mr. Rawles, While I was on Temporary Duty (TDY), I met and began chatting with an older gentleman. We talked about scouting, firearms, reloading etc. I mentioned my dream alone in a mountain cabin and that's when my life changed. This gentleman educated me that my dream was a good one but flawed. He told me that I needed friends to watch my back, which would allow me to sleep in that cabin. He also recommended that I read this novel called "Patriots". I immediately after work, found a book store and purchased it. I devoured that book in three days. I'm currently reading:
[Once I started reading the novel,] I was so excited that I called my wife and began explaining the different chapters to her. She was interested probably due to my excitement as I explained. Once I returned home, I begged he to read the book. She was hesitate so I begged her to just read the first chapter. She agreed. I quietly watched her as she began to read and her eye brows began to raise and lower. First Chapter completed, she continued until she finished. My wife's outlook changed that day also. We live in base housing so we plan to rent a garden plot in the spring for a garden, I'm slowly stocking up on ammo and we plan to can what we grow. To sum it up. I was able to get mt Christian wife involved with Preparedness by begging her to read your novel "Patriots". Thank You Mr. Rawles, I'm eternally indebted to you for opening my eyes. Very Respectfully, - T.S. Wichita, Kansas Hi, James: Influenza Pandemic Update:Radio Nederland reports: Ukraine paralysed by "superflu" Receptor Binding Domain Change D225G Confirmed in Ukraine Economics and Investing:Tom B suggested this from WorldNetDaily: $120 Trillion in Derivatives. “They are privatizing the profits and socializing the losses.” Evi recommended this: Glenn Beck comments on a dollar collapse and global government. Items from The Economatrix: Stock Market Falls as Home Construction Slows Odds 'n Sods:Reader Chris B. wrote to mention that a software update glitch caused him to lose all of the address book data on his Blackberry. He wanted to remind folks to periodically write down (or upload and print out) all of the phone numbers, addresses, and e-mail addresses that you keep stored on hand-held devices. Chris wrote: "I felt pretty sheepish, using my laptop to e-mail everyone for their cell phone numbers because I don't know them and didn't have the foresight to write them down." Nothing beats a hard copy backup! o o o Gun Sales Shoot Up Amid America's Fear of Rising Crime and Terrorism o o o Cheryl mentioned some Free Downloadable Survival Books o o o Don't miss out on the special two-week 25% off sale on canned Mountain House foods that runs through the end of November, at Ready Made Resources. For even greater savings, they are offering free shipping on full (unbroken) cases lots. But because of the higher handling costs, if you "mix and match" cans within cases, shipping will be charged. Jim's Quote of the Day:"It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable." - Jean-Baptiste Poquelin Molière Wednesday November 18 2009Letter Re: Getting a Christian Wife Involved With PreparednessMr. Rawles, Do you have any advice? I know there are probably many folks in the same situation that could use some encouragement. JWR Replies: You need to talk with and pray with your wife about God's purpose for your mortal lives. Although our lives are brief in the grand scheme of things, they can and should be used for God's glory. (That is our Great Commission.) I can think of no better Christian witness than being well-prepared and hence being in the position to share copious Christian charity in a time of crisis or catastrophe. The bottom line is that you can't share the gospel when you are room temperature. You also need to think in terms of your progeny. Parents have responsibility to protect and provide for their children. That is Biblically mandated. And on a longer time scale, it would serve God to pass on Christian values to future generations. But that can only happen if your children survive to have children of their own. Parenthetically, I'd like to mention that I'm a descendant of Dr. Rowland Taylor (who's life and death is described in Foxe's Book of Martyrs.) He was burned at the stake for holding to the inerrancy of the Bible. He died singing hymns, amidst the flames. Part of Taylor's legacy is not just in that book, but also in the witness of his descendants, like me. Ask your wife: What will be your legacy? The certain fact is that our lives matter, in many ways, and some of these may not be apparent until after we've left this mortal life. Letter Re: Parabolic Dish Shoutcasting
Mr. Rawles: Can you help me find the reference I am recalling? I want to toy with such an apparatus, and am looking for guidance. Thanks! JWR Replies: The letter you mentioned was posted in SurvivalBlog, way back in November, 2005. Since 90% of the blog's current readership came on board in the interim, I'll re-post it, in full, below: Letter Re: HF Radios and "Shoutcasting" Parabolic Dish CommunicationsDish Communications Jim: Shoutcasting Local Networks OBTW, the web page cited above states that the units could regularly communicate over 400 miles. Not quite accurate! From Colorado, I regularly talk to San Francisco, San Diego, Maine, and Georgia [the U.S. state]--all from this little radio which fits in a flight bag. It is 20 watts and has a 10 foot vertical whip antenna powered by a 28 volt, 7 amp battery which I can (and do) recharge with solar cells. And it's about the same size as the venerable PRC-77! Best Regards, - The Army Aviator JWR Adds: Please note that this letter was first posted at a point in the sunspot cycle,when HF propagation was still good. But since sunspot numbers are presently "scraping bottom", HF is now "deader than disco." I'm confident that this pitiful propagation situation will turn around in a few years, but for now, it is a good time to just accumulate bargain HF equipment, as hams give up on HF, in desperation. (In many cases selling their HF gear at "desperation" prices.) Letter Re: Converting Precious Metals ETFs to Physical Metals
Jim, JWR Replies: Since starting SurvivalBlog in 2005, several times I've mentioned that Gold Eagle IRAs are available through Swiss America. I set up one of these accounts through them in the late 1990s, and have held it ever since. My largest contributions to the account were made in 2000 and 2001, which was when gold dipped to a 20 year low. While not as absolutely safe as gold in your hands, these gold warehousing IRAs are a great way to shelter dollar-denominated funds that are presently parked in 401(k)s and IRAs. In most cases you can roll these over into a gold IRA without taking a tax hit! Economics and Investing:GG sent us this editorial by Nouriel Roubini: The worst is yet to come: Unemployed Americans should hunker down for more job losses. Jeff B. spotted: Taxpayers on hook as some bailed-out firms prove frail; With CIT in bankruptcy, U.S. is faulted for investing in weakened companies As Needlenose Ned Ryerson said (repeatedly): "Watch out! The next step's a doooozy." (For some background, see: Dollar Falls to 15-Month Low as Fed’s Support Draws Skepticism.) Meanwhile, at the risk of mixing movie metaphors, it's Hi-Yo Silver, Away! Items from The Economatrix: Stocks Post Modest Gains on Rise in Commodities Odds 'n Sods:Bobbi-Sue spot what must surely be our cue to stock up before some hefty retail price increases: Rice to Return 100% as Typhoons, Drought Roil Asians o o o Chalk up one minor victory for personal liberty: Airport rules changed after Ron Paul aide detained. (A hat tip to HPD for the link.) o o o Straycat sent us this: Death Valley Bones May Solve Mystery of Missing German Tourists. The Cat's Comment: "First rule of survival; Be prepared! Second rule; Don't do anything stupid! " o o o '2012' Movie Tops Box Office, Pulls in $225M Worldwide. (Thanks to KAF for the link.) o o o CampingSurvival.com has announced that they’re giving away a free Nukalert every month! Jim's Quote of the Day:"The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it." - Theodore Roosevelt Tuesday November 17 2009Note from JWR:Today we present another entry for Round 25 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner's choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) and C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.) Second Prize: A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $350. Third Prize: A copy of my "Rawles Gets You Ready" preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing. Round 25 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. Lessons Leaned from a Wildfire Evacuation, by Daniel in Montana
It was a gorgeous Saturday night, Sept. in Montana's mountains the weather was hanging onto summer's 70 degree temperatures, warm and dry. Working all day at the hospital and finishing some of my home preparedness projects gave me a satisfaction and sense of accomplishment. Time to relax, I sat down, put my feet up and was sipping my week's end treat, a cold beer. I phoned my friend, “Brett” to finalize our plans to butcher a few of his farm animals tomorrow. He was finishing a Bible reading with his boys and was putting them to bed, and would call me back in a few minutes. It was quite strange, as soon as I hung up, the phone immediately rang. It wasn't Brett, it was “Eric.” His voice had a tone and panic I'd never heard before. Through his hollering and shouting I gathered a forest fire had just erupted a mile from his home. He was pleading for me to get to his parents' home and tell them he is being evacuated! He was about to loose his house, horses, tools, everything. His call ended any type of relaxing for this Saturday night. Eric and I have been friends for years. We live about 30 miles from each other. His parents and I are only 5 miles apart. He was unable to phone them. They have discontinued their land line, living tucked away on the side of a hill, far in the country and far from cell service. We of like minds prefer it that way don't we? My job in the health center was to train staff to respond to emergencies. We prepared for heart attacks, missing children, chemical spills, the usual. I am also a martial art's instructor and former fighter. Eric's call had ignited my fight or flight response dumping adrenaline into my body. My mind was racing, hundreds of thoughts and ideas all at once. I had just let my guard down. It was my time to relax, but my friend needed help. His request, and my urgency was to notify his parents, get people to the scene! “Should I ride my Harley”? It would be quicker than my truck, but the thought of being in a smoky fire on a motorcycle wasn't appealing. I'd ridden it before during a bad fire season a few years ago, the memory of the smoke stinging my eyes and my lungs burning made my decision easy. I ran to my truck. Oh adrenaline, how amazing you are..more thoughts flooded my mind, simultaneous, in a moment, “grab my boots, Carhartts, jacket, chain saw and Pulaski to fight the fire. I'll need my cell phone and lights, No, don't waste time get going! Hurry! I can always come back for my gear. It's only a few miles. Got to get to his parents! The fire was at least 30 miles from my home. My two daughters were safe, my wife was out for the night, the animals were all in their pens, go now, go fast!” I blasted off in my truck. My mission, my friend's request was clear, notify his parents. I took off wearing a pair of worn out sneakers, blue jeans and a T-shirt, no wallet, no ID, no phone. I raced my pick up to Eric's parents' home. “I can come back for my gear” disappoints me to this day. Completing my mission caused another families' Saturday night to change quickly, crying, disbelief and shock. It took them an eternity to accept this, get dressed and get on the road to help Eric. I followed them at 80 mph for the next 30 miles. Of course, we got stopped for speeding but the considerate officer knew of the fire situation and let us go, no ticket. I hope he reads this. I'd like to thank him. As the miles passed, the outline of the mountain tops were easily seen glowing a dull red. Smoke was now thick from the burning trees. I shut the truck's air vents. As we turned off the main highway I was suddenly cut off by a frantic heard of deer, several horses and a few dogs. They were crisscrossing the old road running wild. The fire was spreading quickly. I wondered, what I was getting into? This isn't safe. This really happening!” My friend needed help, there was no hesitation, only my commitment. The country dirt roads were not made for the traffic created from fire and pumper trucks, pick ups and trailers. The dust from the vehicles choked any attempts at normal breathing. I wrapped a bandanna around my nose and mouth but they were already dry and burning. It was quite dark but the glow from the fire and headlights created an eerie radiance. Any form of light was now encased in an evil combination of smoke and dust. Nothing was seen clear. Nothing was for certain. My Saturday had changed so quickly I couldn't keep up. My thoughts drifted to how valuable my gear would have been. Great planning and preparedness on my part. I never drove back to gather my equipment. I even have it organized for this type of grab and go situation. Wondering if the extra time spent would have been worth it? Saving those few minutes and racing off could prove costly. My instincts told me to drive my truck. My gas tank was rarely below ¾ full, and true to my nature, I'd even topped it off after work. I had a full tank, (no wallet). I always stocked my first aide bag, pistol, extra mags, leather work gloves, 120 ft. of rope, jumper cables and a spot light in my truck. I plugged in the spot light, holstered my pistol, put on my gloves, grabbed the first aid bag and rope and set them on the front seat. I lit up the spot light and in this smoky confusion of animals, firefighters, trucks, trailers and flashing lights, I found Eric. He was standing in a grass field, sweating, dirty and holding two of his five horses. I jumped out. Eric was in shock, my friend and brother needed help and lots of it! I used my 120 foot rope and several of us banded together forming a human fence. We were able to coral two more frightened horses. It took several attempts and over an hour to trailer those two. We roped off others and tied them to the trailer Like us, they were scared. confused and running on adrenaline One horse, was cut and bleeding bad. Her chest and legs sliced open, looked like she tangled with barb wire. I released my right hand from the rope and rested it on my pistol, assessing her, wondering? One lady was standing alone in the middle of the dirt road, trucks and trailers driving around her. I grabbed my first aide bag and went to her. She was stiff, didn't speak, didn't answer my questions. I checked her, no signs of injury, B/P and 02 sats were within normal limits, pulse was racing, whose wasn't? No cuts or bruises, shock. I drove her down two miles to the small country town, Lakeside where others had gathered by the Red Cross station and were sharing information and horror stories. I could hear conversations of those who needed to get gas at this time of night, without success. Most stations were closed and the one that was open was choked with long lines, and taking credit cards only. Beautiful 350 Turbo powered Cummings trucks sitting, going nowhere, without fuel. Frustrated drivers, swearing, pounding their fists on their hoods as the fire threatened their homes. One lady was standing in shorts and a tank top, great for the warmth of the day but more than exposed to numerous dangers in this situation. Her home was directly in the fire's path. She had called the police prior to attempting to go to her home. They told her not to worry she would not be evacuated. By the time she got home, the fire had changed directions and she was not permitted to go near her home. Eric had made several phone calls and other friends arrived. Some were quite prepared, some not. With his friends there to help him, all Eric could do was stand in disbelief, mumbling, “I've lost everything. I've lost everything.” I held both his arms, looked him square in the face and reassured him he hadn't lost everything. “There still is time. Look, your house is right here, the fire's still up on the mountain top. What can we get out of it? What's first?” He didn't answer. He ran off to get a chain saw. What are his priorities? What did he want out of his home? If his house did burn down what is important to him? We may only have this one chance. How can I help? What do I get for him? birth certificates, insurance papers, cash, guns? Where is all this? Then amongst all the fear and shock, unexpectedly, an angel gently touched my arm. It was Eric's mom. She was a calm in all this confusion. Her and Eric's dad are older, not in the prime of health and took a little longer to find us. His dad, Charles may not be in his youth but he sure proved his efficiency on the front end loader. Charles took up his position on Eric's loader and immediately started pushing over smaller trees and brush, dragging them away from the house and work shop. He was also building 10 ft high mounds of dirt around the house at the same time. He was amazing! Efficient, productive, we were making gains now! We were on the offensive! We rallied behind their calm wisdom and experience. All too sudden, it was quite, very quiet. The front end loader stalled while dragging a tree and wouldn't start. After several attempts to restart it, the battery died. At this moment I felt the weight of the Red Sea crash in on me. I felt the fatigue. I was exhausted. I couldn't breath. My knees, ankles and feet were throbbing, the past few hours walking, running and tripping in unfamiliar fields and dirt roads had taken its toll. My boots were now worth millions. “My boots, my gear, Wish I would have....wait! I always carry jumper cables in my truck! I hobbled to it and eased into the front seat. Shifting and pushing the clutch sent waves of pain through my battered ankles and legs. I drove through the field right up to the Bobcat and popped open my hood. Charles had been trying to restart it and grabbed my jumper cables. In a few short minutes, we had her running again! Guess I wasn't that sore after all and Charles didn't seem quite as old. As I moved my truck out of Charles' path, the headlights caught an outline of Eric at the base of a tree. He found his chainsaw and had started to cut down the larger trees close to his home and shop. Charles could push them away from the house once they were on the ground and the fire would not have any fuel. Great idea. Eric was halfway through a 60 ft. Tamarack and found his chainsaw had no fuel either. He ran out of gas and had none stored. Vehicles, people and animals all racing in the glowing dark and now a 60 ft. pine tree ready to come down at any time. We had an experienced logger, a Stihl chain saw but no fuel. This was very dangerous and we created it. Tired, thirsty and frustrated, I lit up the tree with my spot light and parked my truck sideways on the dirt road blocking any traffic from the North. Others stood on the South side and stopped any flow from their direction. Charles inched the Bobcat closer and closer and was able to push over the 60 ft. danger without incident. We all sighed in relief. The whole night was filled with events like this, success mixed with failure. You never experienced any one emotion for more than a few minutes. The burning fire created a constant urgency in everything we did. The eerie backdrop of a mountain glowing red with an uncontrolled fire wouldn't let us rest. Time changed that night. It would slow and pause for a moment, then by the time you blinked the smoke out of your eyes and it sped up creating situations and forcing immediate decisions throughout the night. There were times when I was watching all this unfold, far away from the fire, danger and confusion. There were times I was in the middle of everything, eyes stinging, scared, tired, wanting to do more for my friend. Lessons learned: I'd like to thank Mr. Rawles and your blog page. I've been a regular for almost two years now. It has been very valuable to read it and your books. You have given sound advice and enhanced my sense of preparedness. Because of your mission people were better off in a Montana wild fire. I hope and pray similar situations never come again but I feel it is only a matter of time. When the next one occurs, I will be even better prepared and will react with more efficiency thanks to you and others like us. Since I initially started writing this our weather has changed. In a 48 hour period it has gone from sunny and 70 to 4 inches of snow, icy roads cold, and minus 4 degrees at night. God Bless us all. - Daniel in Montana Two Letters Re: Long Term Food Storage Package Now Sold at COSTCOHi Jim, You've probably already seen this storage food now sold by COSTCO but it was news to me. Is that a sign of the times or what? In Him, - Karen H.
Letter Re: Converting Precious Metals ETFs to Physical Metals
Jim, I don't own shares of bulk food companies, I own bulk food. That is what will feed me and mine. If you believe in the metals and want to store your value for the long haul then buy the metal itself. So the question now is as it should be, How do I get the most metal for my money? I am sure most who may be reading this do not trust the system as it is, so stop using it. First, stop putting cash into it. A matching 401(k) is the only reason I still play along, for now, its free money. Next take out what you don't want others (gov) to have access to or know about. Whatever you leave in the system (401(k), IRA, etc.), apply to ETFs and or mining stocks. Based on your investing time line and plan for TEOTWAWKI, your metal will be far more valuable than any dollar amount in any account. It will be hard enough just to cash out your accounts when TSHTF. The way I see it as a 31 year old, the Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Pension fund systems will not be available to me when the government let's me "retire". My company just this week told us that my age/time in service group will not be given health care benefits after retirement, so that just gives more credence to the impending need for self reliance. I believe in precious metals as a store of wealth over time. I also believe precious metals are a great investment at this time. In the Fall of 2008, I took a 50% loan out against my 401k (the most I could take without closing my account). The day I got the check I went to the store and spent 100% on silver bullion. The remaining half of the account is in silver and gold mining companies. From that time until now, my stocks are up more than my bullion, both though are moving up. Personally, I chose to keep my 401(k) account open and at a minimum as my company matches 5%. I continue to manage my account in "speculative" mining stocks. There are many people out there who believe in precious metals for the right reasons. If you are involved in ETFs and your not a hedge fund manager, read your prospectus. If you don't get out of them after that re-read it. Any penalty or tax that you pay to the system so that you can own the same thing in its natural form should be another eye opener to things going on around us all. Stay away from ETFs, buy physical metal and be prepared. God bless, - K.A. in Ohio Economics and Investing:GG suggested this commentary by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard: China has now become the biggest risk to the world economy Reader "Gravy" sent a link to an interesting animated map on changes in unemployment rates. Mr. D. sent a link to a National Pravda Radio news story: Joshua Kosman, Predicting The Next Credit Crisis. And on a similar note, GG sent this from The New York Post: Book: Spike in PE-owned firm defaults ahead Items from The Economatrix: Irish Government to Pay Immigrants to Go Home Odds 'n Sods:Ryan (not one of the one of the Ryans of TSLRF fame) sent this news item from a southern Idaho newspaper: Driggs boy shoots bear on family's porch. Ryan's comment: "This is great. Hope my daughter turns out like this". Speaking of bears in Idaho, my old college roommate e-mailed me the link to this archived picture from the Colt Firearms collection.That was lucky shot. (Needless to say, .32 ACP is not a reliable stopper for predators of either the two-legged or four-legged varieties! Here at the ranch, we regularly carry .45 ACPs in the woods, and feel just barely sufficiently armed.) I heard from a reader that as of January 1st, in California and Washington it will be illegal to balance car and truck wheels with lead weights.This might present an opportunity for anyone in California or Washington to acquire some scrap lead for various post-TEOTWAWKI projects. Just ask your local tire shop what they plan to do with their bins of old weights, and offer them a nominal sum for what they have left. You might get a real bargain. o o o K.L. in Alaska suggested this article from England: Organic GM alternative considered. K.L's comment: "Apparently there's a move afoot to re-brand genetically engineered seeds o o o Lawrence in West Virginia let me know that the mail order catalog/Internet company Sportsman's Guide got another batch of pre-1899 Chilean contract Mausers, that they are selling sans papiere for $299. That is a fair price, these days.They have them in both 7x57 Mauser, and arsenal conversions to 7.62mm NATO. The latter are safe to shoot with standard 7.62mm NATO ball, but NOT with commercially loaded .308 Winchester soft nose, since it has substantially higher chamber pressure! If you want to shoot soft nose through these, then work up a mild hand load. Or, using a .30 caliber bullet puller collet and a reloading press, carefully pull the bullets from loaded standard 7.62mm NATO ball cartridges and re-seat soft nose 150 grain spitzer bullets. (This is how some high power rifle target shooters make "Mexican Match.") By the way, for some details on the legalities of pre-1899 guns, read my Pre-1889 Cartridge Guns FAQ. Jim's Quote of the Day:"It is a cruel thought that, when we feel ourselves standing on the firmest ground in every respect, the cursed arts of our secret enemies, combining with other causes, should effect, by depreciating our money, what the open arms of a powerful enemy could not." - Thomas Jefferson Monday November 16 2009Notes from JWR:Update: There have been a large volume of orders received for the 33%-off sale for the "Rawles Gets You Ready" family preparedness course. I just heard from Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing, that they've already used up about half of their available supply of copies of "How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It". So order your course soon, if you want to get one of the free bonus books! --- I noticed that we've surpassed 12 million unique visits, and we're about to reach the milestone of 8,000 archived articles, letters, and quotes for SurvivalBlog. Please let your friends know about SurvivalBlog, especially that all of the archives are available free of charge. We don't charge any fees, or have any "special member access areas". Our Ten Cent Challenge subscriptions are entirely voluntary! A link to SurvivalBlog in your e-mail footer or in your web page would be greatly appreciated! Oh, and please mention that you read SurvivalBlog when you write your obligatory annual Christmas letter. Many Thanks! Over-Planning: Get Thine Act Together!
I occasionally hear from consulting clients that get stuck in the rut of "over -planning". They do so much planning for training, and planning for stocking up, that they never seem to get around to doing either! Lengthy "to do" lists are worthless if they never get implemented. This sometimes reaches absurd lengths, as illustrated by one of my clients that showed me a spreadsheet on his laptop PC, in which he not only compared prices from various vendors for ammunition, but also tracked the changes in their prices, over the course of two years. I asked him: "Well, when did you buy, and how much did you buy?" His reply: "Well, none yet, actually, but I've found the best sources, and I've logged their price increases, shown in dollar prices here, and in percentage terms, here. Look here: This company has increased it prices by 12% less than these others. Now look at this column: their prices are up an average of only 21% since this time last year." So, while he was busy fiddling with his spreadsheets, the purchasing power of his money went down by more than 20%. He would have been ahead by at least 20+ percent, if he had just bought ammo a year earlier. But instead, he sat idly by and watched the value of his dollars melt. And these were dollars kept in a typical bank account, perhaps earning only 2% interest. (If he had invested precious metals, then he would have at least stayed ahead of the price increases on ammo.) The foregoing instructs an important point: Avoid infinite planning cycles, and get started with some concrete steps at preparedness. Clip some coupons and go to you local discount grocery store or "Big Box " store, and actually lay in some supplies, when prices are favorable, of course. If you are not sure exactly what you should buy, or about the shelf lives of various foods, or how to repackage them in oxygen-free sturdy containers, then get a copy of the "Rawles Gets You Ready" family preparedness course. The bottom line is that a good plan today beats a perfect plan, tomorrow. Or, as we often used to quote in the US Army: "Better is the enemy of good enough." From David in Israel: Off Grid Alternatives to Utility-Supplied ElectricityJames The appliances you own for on grid use are not efficient. They are built to be inexpensive or if you are better off durable, even the fancy electrical appliances out of Europe with the Energy Star are in reality a big waste of power once you are paying by the off grid watt for solar panels and battery banks. There is no reason a normal family shouldn't consider an off grid option for their home. Even in a national emergency and societal breakdown it is very rare for supplies of diesel fuel, gasoline, kerosene, and LP gas to be unavailable for long periods at some price. Dryer - Enemy number one especially in a large family, a solar clothes dryer is under $5 at nearly every hardware store, ask for a clothesline. Folding indoor drying racks are very popular in Israel. Even in winter indoor drying can be assisted by using a fan, it will also keep the air humidified. After trying the above and finding you just can't make it there are LP gas heated clothes dryers, but these still need mains power for the drum motor. Oven/Stovetop - There is no reason to use electrical power for cooking. Excellent caterer grade ovens and stoves are available at most appliance stores which run totally on gas. Some may use an electrical ignition or thermostat but nearly all can be retrofitted either with a piezoelectric (no battery needed) spark starter or can just be lit with a match avoiding the danger of the old style pilot light since they now are equipped with a thermal safety. Most people find they actually prefer gas once they are used to it as it is a more even heat. We have had good success using MSR camping kerosene burners when the gas to our home was unavailable for a few weeks. Hot Water - Nearly any off grid home will benefit from the addition of a solar collector in addition to a well-insulated gas water heater. Think about turning down the thermostat or using a secondary gas instant heating system and low flow shower heads to stretch your hot water supply. Heating - Most stores and contractors can provide a wide variety of wood, pellet, gas, kerosene, or oil-fueled stoves and furnaces and space heaters. Insulation is key to keeping your alternative heat system from breaking your bank account. Power Tools - Some older large shop tools can be powered by a PTO shaft or belt system. The possibilities from a gas motor, to steam, to hydro and beyond are limited only by your imagination. Water pressure - In many areas there is not enough wind for a windmill to keep a water tower full so an electrical or gas pump might work better once all factors are evaluated. If your retreat is located below the summit of the hill it would probably be much easier to install a pool or cistern on the summit to provide pressure for firefighting operations even if your pump is destroyed, for every foot of elevation .433 pounds of water pressure is required for filling your tower or cistern and this pressure is returned when water is used in your home or property. Anyone living in a wilderness area should have in addition to a gravity fed water system of at least 1,500 gallons and a 300 gpm capacity, and at least one portable reservoir. There are portable swimming pools that are the same as US Forest Service uses for firefighting, and a gas powered portable pump for emergency firefighting. Descending water can be run reverse through some pumps generating electricity making it a very effective and inexpensive way to store electrical power once your battery banks are full. Refrigeration - Most readers if their inventory their refrigerator will find mostly leftovers or things which actually will last until consumption without refrigeration. There are high quality kerosene and LP gas powered absorption refrigerators, some with secondary mains power optional, available from a few suppliers even in the US. For those with the skills required to build and test a system which can withstand 250 psi anhydrous ammonia, copying the old Crosley Icy-Ball chest refrigerator-freezer is a thrifty option. Since anti-drug manufacturing laws make obtaining anhydrous ammonia difficult, an icy-ball can be built with drains on the absorptive water side to self distill ammonia from cleaning solution. A warning: Ammonia is a dangerous respiratory irritant and any homemade system should be used with caution and kept and recharged outside in case of leakage. One DIY design includes a shutoff valve to keep the ammonia from reabsorbing until the valve is opened allowing it to be stored in a charged condition. Before refrigeration people would buy eggs and milk fresh in the city or if they could have chickens and a cow or goat would produce their own. A chicken is easily consumed by even a small family once cooked, in less than a day. A water evaporation cooler cabinet is another very cheap option for keeping food. Lighting - Gas mantle lighting once found in most urban homes is not difficult to implement using either camping lamps and piped gas or better yet certified indoor lamps. While in college I worked in a gun and camping shop which sold a reverse fitting for refilling disposable Coleman LP gas cartridges from the older non-tip over shutoff bulk tanks making camp lights highly practical for hanging. It must be remembered that gas lighting presents an increased fire hazard so precautions including avoiding clutter and considering the floor and wall surface must be taken into account. Battery powered florescent and LED lights and LED nightlights are also useful for reading and small tinkering. Metal halide lighting is much more power friendly than incandescent if large areas require illumination for security purposes. Communications - Your radio communications system should have a redundant battery bank and power supply should your services be required in an emergency. It should be remembered the operating rule of just as much power as required and the usage of low power consumption modes like CW. Tube systems are notoriously wasteful of power and tubes have limited life so these should be kept as backup systems in most cases. Only power up satellite Internet systems after you have typed up all the e-mails and set them up to send immediately after going online. There are offline viewers which will call up all the web sites you normally visit and grab them all for later viewing. Television sets, satellite receivers, and large stereo systems are wasteful of electrical power if left on. A small notebook computer for occasional movies and an MP3 player for music will save many valuable watts. Unplug or employ a disconnect switch [or power strip with switch] on all electronics unless they are in use. This will protect them from power surges in addition to eliminating sleep-state power draw. [Also know as a "phantom load."] Telephone - If your retreat can obtain telephone service a secondary redundant system connecting you to selected neighbors can be set up in some areas by ordering an old style alarm or bell line to one central home, this is usually cheaper than a line with actual telephone service, and should work in most telephone systems even if the central office with its redundant power goes offline but the wires are still intact. The Telephone company will either splice the wire pairs at the neighborhood box or at the closest central office, officially only for alarm systems, it is possible to set up anything from long run Ethernet or simple voice lines with an old style "everybody rings" party line. This will not save off grid watts but is a good way to add redundancy to your retreat. Safety - Install at least two combo carbon monoxide sensing smoke alarms in your home in addition to a smoke alarm in every occupied room. In these alarms, install long life lithium batteries and check on the first of the month and every time you change to or from daylight savings. DO NOT use rechargeable batteries for your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms! Due to the higher fire risk using flame-based alternatives to electricity I even more strongly recommend installation of fire sprinklers in all rooms, flame hoods over all cooking surfaces with automatic sprinklers that have a manual activation, and at least two standpipe and hose cabinets with 100 gpm gravity flow minimum per standpipe, ABC-rated fire extinguisher, gloves, goggles, and Nomex face shroud. Install outdoor standpipes and stocked hose locker for wildfires, a charged mobile phone for 911 (BTW, you need not have an active calling plan to use a cell phone to call 911 in the USA) and if you have to retreat from interior firefighting. Most importantly have an evacuation and rendezvous family accounting plan and volunteer with the local volunteer fire department, learn when the fire is just too big to fight by yourself. With an engineering eye it is often possible to reduce your home or retreat electrical requirements to an inexpensive few hundred watts once alternatives are considered. Shalom, - David in Israel Letter Re: A Bulk-Buying Solution--Form a Buyer's Club
Hi Jim, My aim was to make the buying club available to other nearby preppers strictly for bulk orders of long-term storage items but so far I have been the only one to use it. The great advantage I see in a buying club is that it permits large purchases that would seriously raise eyebrows in a grocery store if they even permitted you to clean them out of the items you sought. (Some stores at least have threshold policies.) It meets the needs of procrastinators who finally decide that now is the time to stock the bunker. Also, the supplier's wholesale warehouse would not be mobbed as early as grocery stores would after TSHTF because few consumers would even know about it. A downside of the co-op approach would be curious close-by neighbors witnessing you receiving scores of bags, buckets, and boxes, possibly coming over for a nosy visit while you are unloading. This has not been a problem in my location due to my long driveway but would present OPSEC concerns to many. Members of a buying club club who pick up their orders at the drop-off point might benefit from unloading their vehicle while the neighbors are gone or asleep. Another potential downside is that authorities or criminals could seize the bulk supplier's membership list in a search for "hoarders" of food supplies, an excellent reason for creating off-site caches. - Jim McC. JWR Replies: Thanks for that suggestion. Two more caveats: Depending on your locale, you might need both a business license and liability insurance. We now live in a very litigious society. It is sad but true, someone that merely strains their back while on your property might file a lawsuit. So if you decide to operate with liability insurance, I recommend that you do not open up the organization to anyone except your relatives and trusted friends. Letter Re: Converting Precious Metals ETFs to Physical MetalsMr. Rawles, JWR Replies: Sorry, but I don't know of any way to avoid the tax hit with cashing out an ETF. Perhaps a SurvivalBlog reader with a background in a tax law knows a way, and can comment. FWIW, I've never recommended ETFs. Rather, I 've always said: "tangibles, tangibles, tangibles". To me, in the context of precious metals that means owning the physical metal and holding in your own hands. I recommend that all of your future precious metals purchases be done that way, to eventually minimize you paper or "synthetic" metals holdings, Influenza Pandemic Update:CDC Now Says There are Likely 4,000 Swine Flu Deaths in the US. This is 4x what they had been reporting. Cheryl sent this article auto-translation link: Belarusian doctors: "Swine flu triggers a deadly form of pneumonia disease" ...and this data from the Ukrainian Ministry of Health. Cheryl also did some digging and found this: Norway: 300,000 Infected. Doubling of cases has occurred, they are watching for the hemorrhagic pneumonia that occurred in Ukraine Economics and Investing:Jonas sent this: GLD ETF Warning, Tungsten-Filled Fake Gold Bars GG flagged this: China: Loose US Policy, Weak USD Creating Speculation From Pamela E.: Arrogant Fed hasn't learned a thing Items from The Economatrix: White House Aims to Cut Deficit with Unspent TARP Money Odds 'n Sods:Yishai spotted a link to New Scientist, posted by Glenn Reynolds, over at Instapundit: Mini ice age took hold of Europe in months o o o Steve S. mentioned a recent article in The Detroit News that briefly quotes JWR: Apocalypse now: Armageddon scenarios reach fever pitch o o o SurvivalBlog's British-born Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson mentioned this incredible news story from Nanny State Britannia: Find a gun, go to jail. o o o o o o Ken M. suggested some short videos on how to escape from "zip tie" handcuffs. Ken's comment: "This might come in handy if you are ever in a hostage situation." Jim's Quote of the Day:"I, for one, do not trust Congress to be in charge of monetary policy. But I do not argue that the Federal Reserve System should maintain its independence from the Federal government. I maintain that it should be made completely independent of the Federal government: cut loose and left to fend for itself, just as the Second Bank of the United States was in 1836. It went bust. I am not so naive as to imagine that this will happen in my lifetime, short of a true social collapse in which several million people die because of the collapse of the division of labor due to hyperinflation. I do not expect this to happen. But I can dream [of such a catastrophe]." - Dr. Gary North Sunday November 15 2009Note from JWR:A special two-week 25% off sale on canned Mountain House foods began this morning (Sunday, November 15th) at Ready Made Resources. (One of our most loyal advertisers.) For even greater savings, they are offering free shipping on full (unbroken) cases lots. But because of the higher handling costs, if you "mix and match" cans within cases, shipping will be charged. Letter Re: Legality of "Law Enforcement Only" Marked Full-Capacity Magazines?
Hello, JWR Replies: Your drum magazine was produced sometime between 1994 and 2004, during a time when production for civilian sales was banned in the US. But that restriction marking became null and void after the 1994 "Assault Weapons" Ban's sunset clause went into effect, in September, 2004. Except for residents of New York (where a separate state ban was enacted) and a few other hoplophobic localities, you should not be concerned. However, it is possible that magazine might be a source of confusion if a new full-capacity magazine production ban is ever enacted. Save your receipt, so that you can prove when it was purchased. And to avoid all ambiguity, you might eventually want to trade it off to someone in law enforcement or the military, for another one that is unmarked. Letter Re: Home Hot Water Heater Tanks as an Emergency Water Source?Dear Jim, JWR Replies: Yes, the water in your home's hot water heater is a good source of emergency water, if your utility water is ever disrupted. (Or, if you are on a private well, and you don't have access to a backup generator that can power your well pump.) You can drain the water from the hot water heater, using a standard garden hose (or the cut-off stub of a garden hose), that has the female hose fitting. OBTW, it is a good idea to drain the rusty sludge out of the bottom of your hot water heater at least once per year. Not only will this mean that you will have cleaner water available from the tank in the event of an emergency, but it will also extend the life of an electric hot water heater. (Typically, the bottom electric heating element will burn out, once the sludge level eventually works it's way up to the bottom element.) Two Letters Re: Wound Irrigation in Austere EnvironmentsHello James,
Wound care in the Third World is almost always a problem. It seems that you never have all the supplies you need. Antibiotics and even antiseptics are scarce. Repack the wound with sugar twice a day and the results are amazing. - Jon Economics and Investing:GG mentioned this in The Wall Street Journal: Widest-ever October budget deficit (more than all of 2006) More Friday Follies, with the link also courtesy of GG: Bank failure toll reaches 123; Regulators close two Florida banks and on in California, costing the FDIC $986.4 million. Gold will stay above $1,000 an ounce forever, says Swiss Dr. Doom. (Thanks to Laura H for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Drop in US Energy Use Drags Stocks Lower Odds 'n Sods:Cheryl (aka The Economatrix) mentioned that Sun Tzu's Art of War (Sonshi's translation, not the Giles edition) free on-line. Be sure to check out the Strategy Course. o o o I found this linked at The Drudge Report (a very good news aggregation page that I scan at least once a week): Asteroid passes just 8,700 miles from Earth - with only 15 hours warning o o o Also from Drudge: Cuba orders extreme measures to cut energy use. An energy saving tip for Papa Fidel: You could save half a million watts, if you just pull the plug on the Schumer that spews forth from La Voz de la Propagandistas. o o o Cheryl spotted this article: Survival School: Why More Americans Are Learning To Pick Locks, Bust Out Of Handcuffs, And Avoid Surveillance Jim's Quote of the Day:"The righteous cried [out], and the Lord heard, And delivered them out of all their troubles." - Psalm 34:17 Saturday November 14 2009Note from JWR:Today we present another entry for Round 25 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner's choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) and C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.) Second Prize: A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $350. Third Prize: A copy of my "Rawles Gets You Ready" preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing. Round 25 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. Fire Suppression for the Present, and for Post-TEOTWAWKI, by Keith H.In the various TEOTWAWKI scenarios there will probably be no organized fire companies to help out the survivors with timely a fire suppression response. Here are some simple and low cost solutions that individuals can do to suppress and fight fires that are type A fires such as paper, cardboard, wood, cloth, plastics etc. Do not fight other fire types with water . Search engine “fire extinguisher types” to learn more. [JWR Adds: You should keep at least two 10+ pound A-B-C fire extinguishers in your home, for fighting grease, chemical, and electrical fires.] In many homes there is currently water under pressure from some supply. This can be accessed for fire suppression by various means if one takes the time to plan and practically tie into it. One of those coiled snake type 25 foot or 50 foot ½ inch or ¾ inch diameter (preferred size) garden hoses can be attached to a Y splitter ball valve from the cold water line that feeds the washing machine. You turn it on by flipping on the ball valve spigot and uncoiling the hose to move throughout the home as needed to fight the fire. A handy person could put such a hose line anywhere in the home that water can be plumbed into such as a main hallway closet or corner area of a room on any floor. I would recommend a quality brass 90 degree ball valve as the main shut off at the end of the hard line plumbing where the flexible garden hose is connected. This prevents those nasty slow leaks from the cheaper plastic or pot metal valves. A good quality spray valve with various spray patterns works well on the business end of the coiled hose and can very effectively give either a strong stream or various short wider spray patterns. It is not the power or volume of a real fire hose but can work well if the fire is caught in time. The key to water fire fighting is a spray or mist to quickly lower the heat and wet potential fuels. Always have working smoke detectors throughout the home and practice fire drills regularly including both coordinated fire fighting and evacuating the home. If you and the family members can get some volunteer fire training now or study fire fighting techniques from books or online this will be a big benefit later in times of crisis. You will also want a crook staff shaped metal tube sprayer with a long metal handle. They are normally purchased to water high-hanging planters. They can be bought or made from pipe with a bending jig. It can be used for those times that fire suppression (the Molotov cocktails threat?) is needed out a window against the side of the house while maintaining some protective cover from behind a wall inside. With a well or pressurized tank system you can add extra storage capacity by plumbing in extra pressure tanks with other valve splitters and “no leak” metal mesh covered washer hoses. The tanks can be located anywhere in the home plumbing cold water lines. Just make sure they do not freeze. This gives an added benefit of keeping your pump from cycling too much with a small tank. In an off grid or grid down scenario hook up a potable Shurflo brand or similar 12 volt pump powered off of deep cycle batteries. They are available from farm or Do-It-Yourself stores. The water can be stored in 55 gallon or similar drums and then drafted out and used to pressurize the house system by back feeding a washer spigot. These pumps usually have a 30/50 lb on off type switch built into them like a regular 120/240 volt AC water pump. The older water type fire extinguishers which are air charged are ideal to have but they are few and far between with the modern move to and versatility of dry powder. If you have an older fire extinguisher that has a metal valve base assembly and pressure gauge you may still be in business. Those small dial pressure gauges on the side generally have a 1/8 inch NPT port which they are threaded into. You can get older spent fire extinguishers (cottage industry job potential?) from a local fire extinguisher service company. There is usually at least one of these businesses in an area. The fire codes call for many models to be rotated out of service on time intervals or discontinued due to changes in powder formulas and such. Make friends with the owner as I have done and you can probably get all you want as they usually have to pay to haul them away because it is not worth their time to dissemble them as various scrap types. To convert them you first make sure they are completely empty. Sometimes they leak gas or air propellant and are still partially full of powder. Squeeze the handle in a safe area outside where you do not mind killing grass or weeds. The powder kills yards dead in concentrations. Avoid breathing it as it is a slight irritant. (A twenty pound dry extinguisher also puts out a white cloud bigger than three military AN M8 HC smoke grenades and is just as irritating, for future reference). If no propellant gas is inside you can carefully unscrew the small dial pressure gauge off the metal valve base with a set of slip joint or water pump pliers. This will reveal a small port hole that goes down into the main extinguisher tank. Get some 1/8 inch NPT / Schrader Tank valves from an auto parts store such as NAPA tank valve numbers NTH 90294 or NTH 90290 (about $2 each). It is a male 1/8 inch NPT and Schrader (automobile tire) valve on the other end. The 1/8 inch NPT end of the valve can be screwed into the port hole with some pipe dope or Teflon pipe thread (be careful not to close over the end) and you now have a way to recharge the fire extinguisher. You can take an air hose and partially recharge the tank from an air compressor and use it till it is empty or safely trigger the sprayer to make sure all the powder is out. Then take a valve cap with core tool such as NAPA part NTH 90188 ($2.39) or a valve tool NAPA part NTH 90344 (about $2.22) and remove the core which will allow the water to be forced into the tank and the air to come out. Water can be forced back into the spray hose end. To fill it simply use a garden hose and duct tape or a hose to hose with a screw pipe band clamp or any other standardized coupling designs you may devise. The tricky part is getting the right amount of water to air mixture in the tank. Most of the old water extinguishers had a mark on the side about ¾ way up the tank side to fill them to when you removed the top. They had the luxury of being designed with a total top removable valve assembly with a big gasket seal which allowed water to be poured into by sight and the valve assembly being resealed by hand or with slip joint or water pump pliers. The valves on powder extinguishers are not practical to fill this way. This filling process will be a trial and error on your part with your specific size and style of extinguisher. The key is to weigh the extinguisher when empty and each time you fill it and charge it with an air compressor. Most air tank compressors fill to about 100 to 125 lbs pressure. You may have to fill and charge it a few times until you get the right amount of air and water so they both run out at the same time. You usually want a little extra air pressure when the water runs out to make sure the water is all delivered under pressure. Once you have the right water/air mix write the tank empty and full weights and air charge pressure on the side of the extinguisher in marker or stamped on a brass key tag attached to the pull pin chain. This weight method of filling is similar to what is used on 20 lb propane tank fills. Check it regularly with a high pressure hand tire gauge to make sure it is still charged properly. It is also advisable to paint over or remove the old fire ratings on the extinguisher and visibly mark the extinguisher in some manner such as a big blue stripe or bold letters H2O or WATER on the side so someone does not grab it to use it on an electrical or grease fire. If you are real handy and have the time you can always plumb in a room by room sprinkler system that is automated (lower fire premiums) or one that just takes a ball valve to turn on when fire is discovered. Remember that if the fire is too big or smoke too thick it is not worth your life to fight for a house. A house is just a structure. Good and prepared people make it a home. Good luck and keep the faith. Letter Re: An Alternative to COSTCO for Storage Foods
Dear Mr. Rawles, My point to this e-mail is that I have a suggestion for an alternative to big box stores like COSTCO, etc. My husband is a commercial beekeeper and buys large quantities of granulated sugar to feed his bees in early spring and late fall when there is no honey flow. Stores like The Restaurant Depot are an amazing deal. If you have one in your area, membership is free. The only requirement is that you have proof that you are a business. It doesn't matter what kind of business you are. This place is food storage heaven! 100 pound sacks of rice, beans, flour, corn meal, etc! It's much cheaper than COSTCO! Plus other shoppers don't look at you like your insane when you are buying enough rice and beans to feed an army. But we still have a good time messing with people in the store. Many thanks and prayers for you and your family, - Tricia H. JWR Replies: Thanks for that suggestion. As I described in "Rawles Gets You Ready" family preparedness course, I have found that COSTCO, Sam's Club, and similar "Big Box" stores are a great place to stock up on bulk food that you can re-package yourself. (Typically done with 5- or 6-gallon food grade HDPE buckets. Commercial vendors like the one that you mentioned are a great option, but their selection seems to be much smaller, and the condiments that they sell are in either ridiculously large or small containers. (Such as one gallon bottles of mayonnaise, relish, ketchup, and mustard, or itty-bitty single-serving packets) Another option that I mentioned in the preparedness course is ethnic food stores. You'll often find the very best prices on rice there, and they do such a large volume of rice sale, that their inventory is usually very fresh. Seven Letters Re: How Can I Make and Store Dog Food?
Mr. Rawles, Sir,
Jim, If you look at the ingredients on cheap dog food, it sounds almost identical to my grandfather's recipe. - Jon Jim. Evenings The vet says the blood work is superb and all is well. He has actually added some of my items to his personal hunting dogs diet. These are 100 lb American bulldogs. I'll never buy the "poison in the bag" [commercial dog food] again. Peace, - Mr. Orchid in Costa Rica
Mr. Editor,
Economics and Investing:Ben M. mentioned a recent Wall Street Journal article: World Tries to Buck Up Dollar B.B. sent us the link to a television segment with Peter Schiff, in which he suggested gold might rise to $5,000 per ounce. "There is not top [for gold], because there is no foreseeable bottom for the dollar." GG suggested this: China facing risk of debt-fueled crash Items from The Economatrix: Odds 'n Sods:Reader "Sharp Shepherd" highlighted this article: Rental Goats Clear Brush Better, Beat Cosmonauts in Space Race o o o Bridget sent this, about the ever-encroaching Nanny State Britannia: Every phone call, email and internet click stored by 'state spying' databases o o o The folks at Directive 21 (one of our advertisers) are having a special on Royal Berkey water purification systems. The regular price is $275, but for a limited time they are $262.50. The sale will end when their small on-hand stock of the filters runs out, so don't hesitate. OBTW, because of state certification issues, none of the Berkey filter systems or replacement filters can be shipped to any California addresses after January 1st. Jim's Quote of the Day:Nothing is more certain than that a general profligacy and corruption of manners make a people ripe for destruction. A good form of government may hold the rotten materials together for some time, but beyond a certain pitch, even the best constitution will be ineffectual, and slavery must ensue. - John Witherspoon, The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men, 1776 Friday November 13 2009Letter Re: How Can I Make and Store Dog Food?James, JWR Replies: Dog food--as we now know it--didn't become popular until after World War II. Dogs didn't starve before then, although their diets were not nearly as uniform as they are in the present day. In the old days dogs were just fed table scraps, butcher scraps, and the occasional excess milk and eggs (in judicious quantities, of course, to avoid making a dog vomit.) Most dogs can revert to this traditional diet, especially if the transition is made gradually, over the course of a couple of weeks. Here is an illustration: Two decades ago, The Memsahib and I temporarily foster-homed a "rescue" Great Dane that at first refused to any dog dog food unless it had fried beef livers mixed in with it. Transitioning that pampered pooch took more than a month. My first attempt at having it just going "cold turkey" was a failure, as the dog starved itself for three days. Bad idea! So then I decided to just gradually reduce the amount of beef liver that it got each day. By the third week, it was down to just a bit of beef liver juices. I simultaneously tapered its daily ration by 30%, to increase the dog's appetite. Finally, after a month, the dog was on a pure diet of moistened dry dog food, and was soon back to a full ration. There are are several recipes for "do it yourself" dog food on the Internet, but in my estimation, that is only a stopgap, for true preparedness. There is no way to store enough dog food for a couple of large dogs for an extended disaster situation unless you have a huge budget. And unless you live in a permafrost zone, this would also require a huge backup generator and a couple of chest freezers. That just isn't practical for most of us. You really need to be ready to transition your dog to a traditional diet. This necessitates keeping a two month supply of your dog's currently-used food on hand, to effect a diet transition. In warm climates, rancidity can be a problem, so if possible store two-thirds of this supply in a food grade plastic bag, in your freezer and rotate it, just as you do your other frozen foods. Using the worst cuts left over from our from deer and elk butchering, (such as the strips from between ribs, and pieces from near the knee joint that are too sinewy to include in our elk-burger and Bambi-burger), I have made "dog jerky". This is made just like any jerky for human consumption but with a bit less salty brine, and no fancy seasonings. As with our other jerky, it is dried in our old workhorse nine-tray Excalibur dehydrator. If you will be feeding a dog jerked dry meats that are lean (such as venison or rabbit), then don't neglect adding essential fats and oils. You should do so only shortly before they are used. (Again, to minimize risk of rancidity.) OBTW, some of my dehydrator recommendations as well as some important notes on fats and oils are included in my "Rawles Gets You Ready" family preparedness course. Most of our stored cooking oil here at the ranch is in the form of frozen olive oil, and a bit of coconut oil. We've never had problem with plastic oil bottles rupturing, when frozen. Most of our stored fats are in the form of butter, again, frozen in our chest freezer. But we plan to experiment with using some canned New Zealand butter, next year. (That is available from several SurvivalBlog advertisers, at a surprisingly affordable price, considering that it is shipped from the other side of the planet.) When times get Schumeresque, I plan to transition our dogs to a diet of table scraps, dog jerky, and butcher scraps. This will be supplemented with small amounts of excess milk and eggs from the barnyard. Oh, and one word of warning: Never let a dog watch you break eggs and put them over its food. Dogs are intelligent! Crack the eggs, whisk them, and pour them over the dog's food, while the dog is in another room. You do not want to train your doge to become an egg thief! Wound Irrigation in Austere Environments
TEOTWAWKI will result in a lot of wounds, including not just lacerations but scrapes and burns as well. These will happen regardless of if the injury is the result of a disaster or if post-crash efforts lead to injury. This is bad enough, but you could be in even more trouble if infection sets into one of these wounds. Influenza Pandemic Update:Andre sent this from Radio Nederland: Madagascar! Slovakia closes borders with flu-hit Ukraine Bobbi-Sue mentioned that respected surgeon and fiction author Robin Cook thinks a mix of avian and swine flu could be the next global plague on the scale of the Black Death. In a piece in Foreign Policy magazine, he details why. Belarus Has 1/4 Million Swine Flu Cases US Pandemic Options Include Crippling Home Modems WHO Silence On Ukraine Sequences Raise Pandemic Concerns "In the days post shipment, cases in Ukraine have quadrupled to over 1 million and the reported fatalities have grown from 30 to 174. The clinical presentation of 90 of the fatalities was classical H1N1 linked hemorrhagic pneumonia, which led to the "total destruction" of both lungs. These fatal cases were hospitalized 3-7 days after disease onset, highlighting the rapid progression of the infection in a large number of patients, suggesting genetic changes in the H1N1 virus." Economics and Investing:Reader O.J.W. spotted this: Why the price of gold is rising Ryan mentioned this: Report: 10 states face looming budget disasters Jason H. and "Oxy" were the first of dozen readers to mention this article: Peak Gold? Barrick shuts hedge book as world gold supply runs out Items from The Economatrix: Fed Officials Warn Weak Recovery Won't Spur Jobs Odds 'n Sods:D.F. in Michigan's Upper Peninsula suggested this solar homesteading and woodworking web site: ManyTracks o o o Jimmy suggested a YouTube clip on inexpensive heat and light: A Common Man's Grease Lamp. It uses Australian beeswax and petroleum jelly mix, sold under the brand name Murray's Beeswax. Buy a jar for each of your survival kits. OBTW, it will likely melt in a hot car trunk, so be sure to store each jar in two thicknesses of Ziploc bags. Or, if you live in a hot climate, perhaps re-pack your supply in a small water-tight container with an o-ring seal, like a Pelican micro case o o o Another State (Ohio) Introduces Firearms Freedom Act, similar to those enacted in Tennessee and Montana. o o o SurvivalBlog's Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson sent this: Power for U.S. From Russia’s Old Nuclear Weapons Jim's Quote of the Day:"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint." - Isaiah 40:31 |
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. (The last third of my novel describes modern resistance warfare, in fairly good detail.) 
.) 
. We had seen some episodes in passing earlier in our marriage, but I finally rented the DVDs at one point to see what all the hubbub was about. Lesson learned: despite the Hollywood "angle", we learned a lot and more importantly found out that we were each quietly prepping without mentioning it to the other. He has his specialties and interests and I have mine, and both of us were silently tackling them. Ahhh, the fun of two very independent newlyweds finally figuring each other out. <Chuckle>. I admitted I'd been stocking the pantry for more than just a rainy day and he admitted his interest in gear wasn't just so we could try out camping sometime. We later found that his interest in things mechanical and my interest in topics "green" worked out quite nicely when he mentioned a preference for diesel engines and I brought up biodiesel - oh, the topics we've covered since. 
by James Howard Kunstler
[by
Pat Frank] about 10 years ago. Since then i've read just about every book on the subject I can get hold of. I ran across your novel 
rather than water containing bacitracin, a common antibiotic. Researchers from SUNY-Buffalo also showed that straight tap water was just as effective as sterile saline irrigation in preventing infections in lacerations closed in their emergency room. [JWR Adds: Castile soap is multi-purpose, and a has a long shelf life. Stock up. watch for it a discount stores, or find discount Internet vendors. Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Castile soap is a standby, here ate the ranch.]
. (That is somethimg that I already carry my tinder and matches in, as part of my outdoor survival kit.) Stock up before the US Dollar slips further against the Aussie Dollar.
