Monday April 14 2008
Notes from JWR:
A SurvivalBlog reader in Iraq e-mailed me to mention that the Wikipedia page "James Wesley Rawles" has been proposed for deletion. If you have experience with Wikipedia and have an opinion one way or the other, then please post your comments. (Needless to say, I can't comment there personally, or it would be a conflict of interest.) If you do post, please be civil!
The high bid in the current SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction (which tomorrow night) is now at $260. This auction is for four items: a MURS Alert Base station, a MURS Alert Hand-held transceiver, an earbud, and a Kaito KA-1102 AM/FM/Shortwave. These radios were kindly donated by the owner of Affordable Shortwaves and MURS Radios. If you aren't familiar with the Dakota Alert infrared perimeter security system, take a few minute to look at the Dakota Alert web site. These alarms are very reliable and versatile. I often recommend them to my consulting clients--especially those that plan to have lightly-manned retreats. You can easily set up multiple detector/transmitter sensors to provide 360 degree perimeter security for a large area. Instead of just a generic alarm, they will let you know which sensor was tripped, via a computer-generated voice message to a radio that you can carry on your belt. (Such as "Alert, Zone Two.") The same radio can be used for point-to-point voice communications, on the little-used MURS band. The three radios have a retail value of $210, plus shipping. The auction ends at midnight tomorrow (April 15th). Please e-mail us your bids, in $10 increments.
Letter Re: The Importance of Acquiring and Learning to Use Traditional Tools
Jim,
For those readers that have livestock they need to prepare for the day when hydrocarbon fuel may not be available for tractors. I would suggest a buck rake and a pull-behind sickle mower that a horse could pull. It beats cutting hay by hand. These items can often be picked up at farm and ranch auctions. Enough hay can be put up for a few cows, horses and sheep for the winter months when snow may cover grazing ground.
I would recommend a treadle sewing machine. Clothes will need to be mended and taken care of until society gets back on its feet and power is restored. Make sure you have extra needles, bobbins, thread and a couple of belts. In an ideal situation a family should also have an extra treadle machine that is capable of doing leather work for shoes and horse tack.
I would recommend a selection of sharpening stones and at least one black oil stone for straight razors. A selection of saw sets for properly setting teethe of regular hand saws and two man cross cut saws. A good felling saw should be picked up also.
If thing stay bad long enough, traditional hand tools will be a must. A good crosscut saw is nearly as quick as a chain saw. Axes with good steel are capable of [being sharpened for] shaving. These are just some thoughts that I have not noticed on your site. - Clyde
Letter Re: Advice on Post-WTSHTF Weather Forecasting and Barometers
Sir:
I just realized that if the Schumer impacts the oscillator that we won't have a clue about upcoming weather without the National Weather Service. Being able to predict future weather will be very important for gardening, hay cutting, and on and on. What do you recommend? A barometer? Thx, - Barry
JWR Replies: A barometer is indeed the most important forecasting tool. Luckily, they are fairly easy to find in second hand stores. Make sure that you get one with a finely-gradated scale and with a proper elevation offset adjustment in the back. (If you live at high elevation--such as Colorado--be advised that not all barometers have adjustments that go that high!) If you want a new barometer, there are several models available from Wind & Weather (one of our affiliate advertisers). From now until the end of May, they have a special SurvivalBlog $15 discount on any purchase over $100. Use coupon code "WSAS".
OBTW, be sure refer to the recent discussion in SurvivalBlog about do-it-yourself forecasting, including sky-reading.
Letter Re: Getting Physical with Silver Futures Contracts
Jim,
Congratulations on the continuing success of your blog site.
I think your readers would like some information regarding physical delivery of silver from futures contracts. I've never done this, or even known anyone who has, but it seems rational nowadays. One question I have is what type of mark or assay comes with, say, a 1,000 ounce delivery.
I also think many readers are interested in questions of how to plan "getting tangible" with their retirement accounts, by which I mean no paper. I know I have to think about this quite seriously. Felicitations, - Patrick (an American Ex-Pat in Asia)
JWR Replies: There are of course humorous apocryphal stories about a futures trader finding 100 "live lean hogs" left on his doorstep. But be advised that most futures and options markets are entirely "cash settled", so you can't take physical delivery even if you want to. Ask your broker if your particular market allows the alternative of physical delivery. Odds are that it doesn't.
As for "getting physical" with retirement accounts, if you don't want to take the tax and withdrawal penalty of cashing out, I strongly recommend rolling over IRA and 401(k) accounts into Gold American Eagle vault storage IRA accounts available through Swiss America Trading Corp. I have had one of these accounts since the early 1990s, starting when I first worked in the corporate world. At the time, my co-workers thought that I was crazy. But I had the last laugh, in the long run. In the Spring of 2000, when I worked as a technical writer for Oracle Corporation, I was buying one ounce Gold Eagles for my Gold IRA at around $290 per ounce. Meanwhile, many of my co-workers were enthusiastically buying Oracle stock at around $40 per share (split adjusted) through the employee stock purchase plan (ESPP). Oracle now sells for around $19.50 per share. But their loss is even worse when you consider inflation.
Letter Re: Using Dry Chlorine for Water Treatment
Jim::
To answer Steve W.'s question: "How much dry chlorine would be needed to make a one gallon batch of standard 5.25% chlorine bleach?":
In the conversion of dry hypochlorite to liquid (bleach), since all the percentages are by weight, it is easy to calculate the amount needed to reconstitute 5.25% hypochlorite bleach. Since dry is about 55% active, it should be diluted roughly 10-fold by weight (one pound to 10 pounds water). So, you would need 8/10 pound or about 12 ounces per gallon of reconstituted liquid bleach. Then the standard formulas could be applied for the final mixing with water for sanitizing.
Safety Warning: Be very careful when mixing dry hypochlorite with water, add it slowly and watch for overheating and beware of splashing. Wearing goggles for eye protection is mandatory! Cheers. - JB in Nashville
Odds 'n Sods:
Frank in Arizona wrote to ask me how much longer Front Sight's "Get a Gun" training and gear package offer will still be available. From what I've heard, it won't be very long, since Front Sight is running this promotion at near their cost. Don't dawdle on this and miss out, folks! I can't think of a better purpose for your upcoming Federal tax "economic stimulus" check. Those checks (for up to $1,200 per married couple) will be mailed out starting in May, so you might want to employ your credit card, in advance! If Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer only knew what you were planning to do with that check!
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Neil G. found this: Food Crisis Looms in Bangladesh.
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Reader David A. mentioned a new personal digital radiation monitor. It is the Ludlum's Model 25. David notes: "The range for the Model 25 is .01mR/hr to 1999 R/hr, it is the size of a cell phone, making it perfect for anyone who wants to know when to evacuate or head to a shelter. There is a maximum allowed dose timer to 50R. The unit costs $495."
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G-7 Signals Concern on Dollar's Slide, Weaker Growth (Speaking of which, watch the US Dollar Index closely in coming weeks. As I've mentioned before, analysts note that 72 is currently the magic number. If the USD Index cannot hold 72, then we can expect more market turmoil, and substantially higher precious metals prices.)
Jim's Quote of the Day:
"I'm proud to pay taxes in the United States; the only thing is, I could be just as proud for half the money." - Arthur Godfrey
Sunday April 13 2008
Notes from JWR:
Today, after church, I plan to do some target shooting with my kids. I guess I'm just a conservative dinosaur, "clinging to guns and religion."
Be sure to take a look at the many new listings at SurvivalRealty.com, particularly in Idaho and North Carolina.
Letter Re: Scottish Highland: The Ideal Choice for Survival Beef Cattle
Yesterday, as I sat up in the warm spring sunshine in one of our hilltop pastures watching a newborn Scottish Highland calf interact with its mother, my thoughts drifted back to all the reasons behind our initial decision to choose this breed ten years ago. Given our experience since then, I have to conclude that it was an excellent decision, and one which I think would benefit your readers.
We raise registered Scottish Highland cattle because we like the qualities of this breed over all others. Esthetically, they are impressive, with long, shaggy hair and sweeping horns. While those horns can be intimidating, as a breed they are gentle and intelligent (well, for cows…). For quality of beef we find them to be unmatched: Excellent flavor, very little fat, tender, and juicy. Highlands have demonstrably low levels of cholesterol, for those of us who need to be careful. Highlands are an old breed, the oldest registered breed, and have had their genetics left largely unchanged for the past several thousand years
While the aesthetics and taste are important, more desirable as a long-term source of food are the breed’s bovine characteristics. Most significant, in my mind, is how little care they require. These beasts are built for self reliance and independence. They are extremely resistant to diseases. Their thick coat and thick hide protect them from weather, insects, and injury. The long hair over their eyes provides a very welcome relief from flies in the summer. And those thick, lush, hairy hides make incredible rugs and bed-covers on cold winter nights. We do a lot of winter camping and stay toasty warm under one, with no sleeping bags needed.
Their calves are born small, so they rarely need assistance in birthing and they rarely lose a calf. To date we’ve never had to pull a calf, and our herd has numbered as many as 45.
Equally important is the breed’s ability to forage. Like any cow, they prefer lush grass in the summer, and hay in the winter. But in times of drought or blizzards, they will eat just about anything. In fact, some Highland owners rent out their cattle to folks who want to clear the briars and brush from their woods. These are tough, resilient animals. Another plus is that they don’t require great fencing (we don’t use any electric fence). They show little interest in getting out of their pasture. They will if the fence is down (e.g., when a tree has fallen over it), but they typically wander back in on their own.
A bonus for folks who live in or near wilderness areas are the horns. Though they never use the horns in their own dominance struggles (they merely push heads), the horns are formidable weapons against predators. When coyotes enter our pasture, the alarm is sounded, and the mommas form a circle, facing out, with their babies safely in the middle (like musk oxen). The coyotes steer a wide course around them. It’s an impressive sight.
Our cattle are raised as naturally as possible. They have free-range access to lush pastures and clear creek and spring water. They do not require and are given no commercial feed supplements of any kind (i.e., no need to worry about contamination from feed containing animal byproducts or unknown chemicals). They are not given growth hormones, or antibiotics as a feed supplement. They are completely grass fed except for small amounts of rolled corn used for training. Routine feeding of grain to cattle is a waste of money; it merely produces fat. And, research suggests that exclusively grass-fed beef contains elevated levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a natural anticarcinogen, and markedly lower saturated fat levels. Feedlot beef (which is what one gets in a supermarket) is not grass fed, and those cattle are given large quantities of grains and chemical feed supplements.
With advantages come disadvantages: Highlands are a slow-growing breed. While most commercial breeds go to market in a year and a half, Highlands take an extra year. The same is true of breeding age—Highlands are bred at age 2-1/2, while other breeds are done at age 1-1/2. This is why you don’t see huge herds of Highlands in the beef growing states. But countering this slower growth is the fact that Highlands will continue breeding well into their teens. An acquaintance of ours recently had a calf born to a 19-year-old cow.
In sum, I don’t believe there is a better choice of breed for folks who want to have some beef cattle around. We had Angus prior to the Highlands. There’s no comparison. These cattle are ideal for rugged wilderness areas with mountainous climates prone to severe storms. But they also do well in warmer climates, with breeders throughout the American South. Where to find them? There are breeders in nearly every state. Go online to the American Highland Cattle Association. When shopping, deal with folks who raise and sell beef cattle, as opposed to those interested in show animals. The latter will cost 2-4 times as much as the former. And they taste the same. - Jack A.
Letter Re: A Severe Storm Provides a Valuable Lesson
Hi Jim,
I'm a long time reader. I wanted to relate to you a recent experience I had, which may be of value to SurvivalBlog readers. I live in a state that is prone to tornados and severe weather. We recently had
a storm tear through our area, causing several million dollars in damage across much of the state, my neighborhood notwithstanding. My wife and I went to bed Wednesday evening, expecting only scattered thunderstorms. What we awoke to at 3:30am was much, much more than a thunderstorm. As I looked out our bedroom's open window, I saw and heard wind and rain, the likes of which I've never witnessed in all my 45 years. I nudged my wife and simply said "closet". Now, she knows her husband as the guy who, instead of going for shelter, he usually goes outside to observe and satisfy his unbridled curiosty. When she heard me say "closet", she knew it was serious.
Within four minutes, we were hunkered down in the closet, with everything we needed, including our surplus Kevlar helmets (the wife no longer thinks I'm nuts for making that purchase). I thought we were going to lose the house.
We lost only trees and fences, but we learned a very valuable lesson. We were very ill prepared for that experience. Now, I pride myself on being one of the better prepared families in my neighborhood, if not the best prepared, but four minutes is unacceptable. We now have in place a setup that puts us in the closet with everything we need in under thirty seconds (assuming the cat can be efficiently herded).
This got me to thinking; What if we had to actually bug out and leave our home? Are we prepared? I know that I'm still extremely unprepared for such an event, so that plan is now underway.
My point is this. Never, ever, under any circumstances, should we underestimate the need to be prepared for an emergency. My experience that night could have been much worse (60 hours later we got our electric power back, but we were very well prepared to go very long lengths of time without power), so I was lucky this time. You've devoted your life to hammering this home for your readers, so I thank you, once again, for the wisdom you provide. Now, it has become very real for me to actually heed that wisdom and put it into practice. A year's supply of food means nothing to me, if its scattered over a square mile of my neighborhood. Thanks, Jim, and thank you once again for SurvivalBlog.com. God Bless, - HHH
JWR Replies: Thanks for relating that experience. Anyone living in Hurricane or Tornado country should invest in a reinforced shelter, if it is financially feasible. Ideally, it should be designed to also serve as a security vault ("gun vault") and as a fallout shelter. One of our advertisers, Safecastle, has extensive experience in building such shelters. These are usually-equipped with gun-vault type doors, that open inward. If you live in an area with a high water table, they can be constructed aboveground. If you can afford to build an entire house that is highly storm resistant, then you might consider building a monolithic dome home. One monolithic dome home contractor in the Midwest that I recommend is Bill Fraley of Global Dome Builders. Phone: (715) 926-3668.
Letter Re: Advice on Home School Curriculum Resources
Dear Editor:
We are fed up with the public schools. At the end of the current school year, we plan to pull our children out of public school and homeschool them. What curriculum do you recommend? Thanks, - W.J.
The Memsahib Replies: It is difficult to recommend just one brand or type of curriculum. There are many different learning styles as well different teaching styles. We really like using materials that have a Christian perspective such as Alpha Omega . We use the Alpha Omega course books as our core curriculum. But, I also enjoy pulling in other resources to reinforce concepts, or for enrichment. We suggest that you join your local homeschooling group as soon as possible. Often homeschooling groups have used curriculum sales in May. You will have the chance to talk with the other parents and see first hand some of the materials that are out there. We can't overemphasize the importance of getting plugged-in with other homeschoolers in your area as soon as possible. These groups will be an important resource for learning all the local opportunities for co-op classes, field trips, and social activities. They'll also know the local school district and state requirements for homeschooling. They can be a real source of encouragement for new homeschoolers. (OBTW, for those of you who are using Alpha Omega like us, please consider purchasing the curriculum using the link in our scrolling ad bar to support SurvivalBlog. Thanks!)
Odds 'n Sods:
More fallout from the global liquidity crisis: GE Plunges as Profit Misses Estimates, Forecast Cut, and Airlines Face New Cash Challenge, and G7 Economic Powers Endorse Plan to Try to Avert Financial Crises. There will be far, far more fallout in the months to come, as the numerous industries and even national governments are starved for cash.
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Rick M. suggested an excellent article by attorney Ellen Brown: Credit Default Swaps: Derivative Disaster Du Jour. Her article keys in nicely with the background piece that I wrote more than two years ago: Derivatives--The Mystery Man Who'll Break the Global Bank at Monte Carlo. I stand by what I wrote back then. Here is a snippet from my article: "The risks, in absolute terms, are incalculable. Don't forget that directly or indirectly, central ("state") banks and national governments themselves are now inextricably tied to the derivatives trading universe. They are not just "dabbling in derivatives". Rather, they are in derivatives up to their necks. If and when the global derivatives bubble ever pops, it may topple not just trading companies like Goldman Sachs, or corporations like GM, Daimler-Chrysler, or RCA, but entire nations. I'm not kidding."
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From The Jerusalem Post: UK Paper: Iran Building 6,000 Kilometer Range Missile.
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A reader sent me some photos of an automated parking garage used by a car factory in Germany. I was curious about the photos, so I confirmed their authenticity at Snopes. I just hope that this design never gets used for public parking garages. They'd strand a lot of motorists in the event of a power failure.
Jim's Quote of the Day:
"To force a man to pay for the violation of his own liberty is indeed an addition of insult to injury. " - Benjamin Tucker, Instead of a Book
Saturday April 12 2008
Notes from JWR:
We are pleased to welcome APack--our newest advertiser. They make excellent MRE-equivalent civilian storage foods.
Today we present another article for Round 16 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win two valuable four day "gray" transferable Front Sight course certificates. (Worth up to $4,000!) Second prize is a copy of my "Rawles Gets You Ready" preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. Round 16 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entries. Remember that articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.
Your Vehicle and TEOTWAWKI, by TD
I have seen some (sort of) like minded people who are actually driving around in brand new vehicles. This would not be so bad if they were even in the least bit mechanically inclined, but they’re not. So on top of, they can’t fix it themselves, they haven’t even begun to buy the extras they will need when the SHTF. I honestly think that if you can’t lift the hood of your car and name at least ten components, you are in over your head.
The first thing I learned was get a Chilton's Manual for your year, make and model vehicle. Open it and look at it, take the time to actually read it. If your vehicle requires you to disconnect the transmission or pull the motor to give it a tune up, then you need to get a lot more than basic tools and spend at least three times the amount for parts that you would have to on an older vehicle.
On newer cars if you don’t maintain them, they will run badly or not at all (newer cars sensors or a clogged catalytic converter). Carburetors are easier to rebuild and repair then fuel injection units, shocks and struts are much easier in older cars and trucks, there is no fuel relay in older vehicles Those built before the mid-1970s have no computer on board and have little or no emissions control equipment, the list goes on.
I had brought up in an earlier submission the fact most people can barely check their oil in their cars and I think that this topic needs more. Your car isn’t going to run forever, it will not even make it a few months after TEOTWAWKI if it’s a newer vehicle and you have no clue. Minor problems turn into major repairs when people don’t know enough to even notice early warnings.
I drive nothing new, I prefer 1970s models (or older) to anything else on the road. Why you ask? Well first off, get into an accident in an older vehicle you see less damage to an older one than in a newer one. Newer cars and trucks are made differently. Some [have body panels that] are made of a plastic that will pop back out after an accident. Not bad right? Well not bad if the frame isn’t damaged, if it is then oh well, it gets repaired and the frame is usually weakened at that spot. With some cars and trucks the motor will drop and go under the car in a collision, then you need a new one and the body (they are made that way so you don’t end up with the motor in your lap) is still damaged. Older cars handle the abuse better and are more tolerant of missed oil changes and tune ups.
To set things up for your newer vehicle, just go to the dealer or a parts place and ask them for prices on: oil filters, O2 and other sensors, fuel filters (and how many your car has), starter, alternator, belts, hoses, distributor cap, wires, plugs, rotor and tranny filter, for starters. Then go ask your mechanic how many billable hours each of those items takes to replace (some will take about 1/3 of the time, others will take every minute of it). Then look at your Chilton’s Manual and see just what a pain it’s going to be and what specialty tools you need to buy. If your car needs the transmission unhooked while you work on some of this, then you need a tranny jack. Instead of a lift you may be able to use ramps, but be prepared it could even call for the use of a hoist.
Unless you have a fully stocked and capable garage at your retreat and you’re a mechanic, you need to buy an older vehicle. An older usable vehicle can cost as little as $500 and as much as $15,000. It really depends on what will suit your needs. A $500 dollar vehicle is going to need some work and the $15,000 one is asking people to look closer at you. Nondescript is what you need, something that will cause no one to notice you at all, not now or later.
Is there a certain type of vehicle in your area that seems more available? If there is then I would look at that one, because you will have the chance to buy parts and whole vehicles cheap. One of the vehicles I had as a kid I wish there was more of them still around, the Subaru Brat, cheap, easy, go anywhere and hard to kill, they are hard to find cheap now. Look at the local junk yards and see is they have parts for older vehicles (some only carry newer parts), that may be the biggest problem for some vehicles is the lack of good used parts. Call your local car and truck clubs there is no better way to get good deals on parts than from a member. Look in back yards as you go driving, you never know what you’ll see.
Once you decide on your retreat vehicle you should try to acquire: a parts car/truck, motor and tranny, rear and front ends, gears for them, heads and head gaskets, radiators, carbs, starters, alternators, rebuild kits, tune up parts, wheel bearings, calipers, brake lines, tire repair kit, extra rims and tires, valve stems, distributor shaft and bearings, soldering iron, solder, good hand tools, block and tackle or hoist, ramps, floor jack, line bender, breaker bar, air compressor or hand pump, multi meter and a few larger than normal sockets. Also if you need specialty tools get them now and learn how to use them. [JWR Adds: Most newer vehicles have electronic ignitions, but some of them can be retrofitted to a traditional coil and rotor. Ask your mechanic.]
Get your whole group out there and teach them the basics. If the person who does the major repairs is the only one that knows anything about the vehicles, what happens if they are not right there? As a woman, if I break down on the side of some road and can’t fix my vehicle quickly and on my own the next person who stops could be the wrong one and most states will not allow the police to help in any way except to call a tow truck. I have had to change tires, fix my headlights, run a rope from my throttle arm in through my window, drive on a rim, push my car after the drive shaft let go and sit on the radiator support to try to adjust the distributor after the bearings went bad, hold the shifter together after the bolt snapped (standard) and I can usually find a way to get me car home.
Even now I see people drive around unprepared for even the smallest emergency. Make sure that your car has: a medical bag, road flares, small [explosion proof] gas can, spare tire, jack and four-way lug wrench, flashlight, utility knife, chain, jumper cables, non-perishable snacks, water and some sort of weapon. Most states will not allow you to carry a loaded gun, so get a huge Maglite that can double as a weapon or keep a tire iron handy. The way things are today it is better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it.
Letter Re: Advice on the Most Versatile Bicycle for Schumeresque Scenarios
Mr. Rawles,
I need to snag bikes for my wife and myself. We are both young and relatively fit, but we live in [Washington,] DC and take [the] metro [subway system] everywhere. We [presently] don't have bikes, and I have no knowledge about them. The [SurvivalBlog] section on guns was helpful, I was wondering if y'all had something on the most versatile bikes, by price point. Thanks. - Jordan H.
JWR Replies: These days, I generally recommend folding bicycles. Prices have come down substantially, so they are not much more expensive than standard bicycles.They are also just a s robust as most mountain bikes. The latest generation of folding bikes are quit versatile. When folded, they can fit in an apartment closet, or in the trunk of a car.And, depending on your local laws, when folded they can also be carried onboard most trains and busses. (Using an opaque carrying case seems to remove most objections.) The Montague Paratrooper bike is an excellent choice.
For Get Out of Dodge (G.O.O.D.) purposes, you might want to get panniers and perhaps cargo trailers for both bikes. Detachable pannier bags can be kept pre-packed as G.O.O.D. kits, and clipped on very quickly.
Odds 'n Sods:
I recently got an e-mail from reader Terrence G., who claimed that the national debt figure was "meaningless" because the Federal Government could merely "create" money, at will. But I have a dose of reality: That debt is real, it is increasingly held by foreigners, and debts must be repaid. Worst of all, it is growing at an alarming rate (See: The National Debt Clock.) OBTW, after you are done reading the rest of today's blog, hit "reload" at that same site, and see how much debt our nation has accumulated in just those few minutes. Someday, our grandchildren will surely want to throttle us!
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You will recall that I predicted sharply higher municipal bond rates in 2008. Here is a news story from Alabama about the first of what I predict will be a wave of muni bond crises across the US. (A hat tip to DV for sending us the link.) OBTW, just wait until foreign holders of US Treasuries smell blood in the water and demand similarly high rates.
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Michael W. sent this article link: Survivalism Goes Mainstream As Middle Class And Wealthy Fear Breakdown Of Society
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The Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB) grows larger: Senate passes housing relief bill
Jim's Quote of the Day:
"Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome." - Isaac Asimov
Friday April 11 2008
Note from JWR:
Today we present another article for Round 16 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win two valuable four day "gray" transferable Front Sight course certificates. (Worth up to $4,000!) Second prize is a copy of my "Rawles Gets You Ready" preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. Round 16 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entries. Remember that articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.
The ABCs of WTSHTF, by Mark B.
The ABCs of When the Schumer Hits the Fan (WTSHTF.) aren’t what you have prepared, acquired or stowed but even more basic in the preparation processes that we sometimes take for granted.
The A is the ability to learn, to adapt and to try. No matter how many classes we take or how much we have stored away there is the potential that we might have missed something or prepared for one scenario and ended up with another. We may be in the middle of TEOTWAWKI and not be fully ready but guess what, we aren’t scheduling it. Ability is not only applying something that we’ve learned but troubleshooting or working through something that we don’t have a clue about. We may not get it right the first time that we try something new but we have the ability to learn from our mistakes and go back to try again. We have the ability to learn from others mistakes and we have the ability to make changes or corrections that work for our scenario.
The B is the brains that we have to reason with to store our morals our life lessons and the memories that make us who we are. The best tool that we have at our disposal is our brain. So many people in day to day life just go on auto pilot and don’t think about what they can do to improve how they do something. In my line of work I hear that “I’ve done it that way for 20 years”. My response is that you’ve been doing it wrong for 20 years. We just get in the habit of doing things a certain way. We eat our meals at the same time even if we aren’t hungry just because it is the time we are conditioned to eat. We go to bed at a certain time and we get up at a certain time. As a culture we have stopped utilizing what we were born with. In my opinion that is a large part of why we are where we are today. The sheep just keep waiting for someone to lead them or fall prey to the ones that use their brains without the use of morals. If we just think about what we are about to do instead of just doing it we can prevent personal injury or emotional pain. A simple example would be when a loved one has done something that upset you and you just respond without thinking of how it would affect them or why they did it the way they did. The words are already spoken; you can’t take them back, or you’re cutting something with a knife and slice your finger or hand because you didn’t think about what you were doing. We should try to learn and practice as much as possible so it will at least be familiar if not second nature but if we haven’t seen or done it before it is still doable because we can reason and solve problems. The human race has faced challenges for thousands of years and we have always improved because we have the ability to think.
The C stands for two things, first is choice. Most of the dialog that I’ve seen on SurvivalBlog shows that we have made a choice to not be led into a place where we no longer have a choice. We all are at different stages in the process but our choice is to survive whatever we are dealt. The choice is yours for all situations, you may not be able to control the overall aspect but you make the choice of how you let it affect you. Have you ever been driving and had someone cut you off? You don’t have control over the other driver but you do have the ability to make the choice of letting the incident infuriate you or brushing the whole situation off. We all make choices of whom if anyone will be invited into our confidence or where our retreat will be. We make the choice of what type of armament we will utilize or the type of food we will store or grow. Some things are dependent on location or availability but it is still a choice. Our choices are a large part of what makes us who we are. The choice to have faith, the choice to be ready, and the choice to have morals are some choices that most of us here have made. Remember that no matter what the influences are the final choice is the one that you make. Right, wrong or indifferent it’s the choice that you will have to live with.
The second C is composure, always maintain your composure. If you keep your wits about you then you stand a better chance of surviving the situation. When you lose your composure you lose your ability to reason and react rationally. In an emergency situation time is critical and if you remain calm you will have a higher probability of doing it right the first time. In an emergency situation maintaining your composure could mean the difference between life and death. I don’t mean you have to become cold or callous but you can deal with your emotions after the situation subsides. If you don’t maintain your composure you might not get that chance.
I would like to thank my brothers in arms from all the services; they have helped me learn these lessons and have given me the opportunity to use what I was born with and strived to refine it and help it grow.
Remember that we started out without clothes and shelter. We started out without the ability to communicate over great distances without traveling them. We can now travel and communicate in space or around the planet all because we use our ability, our brains and by the choices that we make.
In my opinion we should absolutely continue to learn, store and prepare. We should choose who we will coexist with before, during and after the coming collapse, we should do that even if the collapse doesn’t come during our lifetime. We should continue to grow as an individual and as a group. We should not over analyze the solution to whatever problem we face. We should not assume failure if we missed something or we didn’t get the opportunity to get everything that we wanted. We should be thankful for what we have. We should remember how far we have come. We should use our brain to think the solution through. We should use our ability to reason and we should stay calm to prevail.
I have learned a great deal since I started reading SurvivalBlog and utilizing the links and resources available here. It has provoked the thought process of things that I hadn’t thought of or had a different approach about something.
There are many things that the survivalist practices that have become a lost art so to speak such as canning and the ability to survive without modern conveniences. We are in a society that does not know how to function without cell phones and computers but I can remember when we didn’t have them. We communicated either by land line telephone or my goodness how archaic, snail mail. Farther back in our history there was the Pony Express and even couriers.
[The author of the] Heartbreak Ridge [screenplay (James Carabatsos)] stated it best:" Improvise, adapt and overcome."
Letter Re: Caustic Chlorine Troubles, and Using Dry Chlorine for Water Treatment
Dear Jim:
As you know, ordinary chlorine bleach is an item with a multitude of potential uses in survival situations. In addition to its common use in the laundry to brighten our whites, it can also purify drinking water and serve as a general disinfectant to sanitize food preparation areas and control the spread of disease causing bacteria.
Liquid chlorine bleach, however, is inconvenient to store. Only about 5.25% - 7.5% of each eight pound gallon is active sodium (or calcium) hypochlorite; the rest is just water. Yet because of the potency of its active ingredient, and the flimsiness of typical plastic bleach bottles, it poses a constant risk to everything stored near it.
One potential solution is to store concentrated dry chlorine granules; commonly available as swimming pool shock treatment. Available in a wide variety of sizes, swimming pool shock treatment typically contains from 50% - 60% active calcium hypochlorite, making it much lighter in weight and 10 times as concentrated as liquid bleach, but not susceptible to spilling and leaking risks. Theoretically, it should be possible to make your own chlorine bleach by simply combining the proper amount of water and dry granules.
I quickly discovered, however, that storing dry chlorine poses hazards of its own. Initially, I purchased two 1 pound plastic bags of swimming pool shock treatment and stored them in a small closet along with a variety of other preparedness items. The granules generated a strong chlorine smell in the closet, but when access was needed, opening the door for a minute or two would reduce the small to a tolerable level.
About a year later, however, I went to reorganize the closet, and was startled to find many things badly corroded by fumes from the granules. Several storage tins were badly rusted, some 200-hour emergency candles in tins were nearly rusted clear through, and the steel ends of some batteries were also corroded.
Surprisingly, even some lightweight cardboard boxes were so badly degraded that they virtually disintegrated when handled, and a 10-page document (about emergency water) which had been printed on our computer's inkjet printer was virtually erased!
To combat these problems, I bought a fresh supply of (HTH brand $3.35/lb. at Wal-Mart) chlorine granules and stored them in an all-glass canister with a glass top, rubber ring, and spring wire snap latch ($4.44 at Wal-Mart) . That has solved my storage problem.
In an article on emergency water purification, in addition to the old 10 drops of bleach per gallon of clear water or 20 drops per gallon of cloudy formula; I found this recipe for using granular pool chlorine:
For use in purifying drinking water, first prepare a stock solution of one heaping teaspoon of granules dissolved in two gallons of water. This may then be mixed at the rate of 1 part
stock solution to 100 parts water for disinfection purposes. That would equal: 1 quart for 25 gallons, 6 1/2 ounces for five gallons, or 2 Tbsp. per gallon.
Jim, I wish you could help me find out: How much dry chlorine would be needed to make a one gallon batch of standard 5.25% chlorine bleach? I haven't been able to find that information anywhere! These HTH granules are 54% calcium hypochlorite. Perhaps you or one of your chemistry-savvy readers could figure-out the correct formula. Sincerely, - Steve W
JWR Replies:
It is best to keep your sodium hypochlorate in powdered form until just before it is used. Once it is put in solution, it weakens over time. This can create confusion about its remaining concentration when it is eventually used to treat water. Back in June of 2007, SurvivalBlog reader Terry M. kindly provided some useful details on treating water with both commonly available forms of hypochlorate powder. Perhaps some readers would care to chime in about the dry measure required for making each gallon of liquid bleach. (I'm not a chemist!)
Odds 'n Sods:
I was glad to see that gold touched $940 per ounce yesterday morning. The fact that it did so, just one day after announcement of a 403 ton IMF gold sale was quite encouraging. At this point, I don't think the central banks will be able to stop the precious metals bull market without doing something drastic. The banksters will start to get nervous once gold passes $1,200 USD per ounce. And at $1,580 (which roughly equals €1,000 Euros per ounce), they will get truly desperate. At that point, both the Dollar and the Euro will be recognized as the toilet paper that they truly are. If gold gets that high, look for some desperate measures. These could include: more gold sales and leasing (the central banks hold nearly 40,000 tons!), increases in margin requirements on the COMEX, restrictions on taking physical delivery of futures contracts by all but industrial users, changes in tax laws that would tax gold while it is held (rather than just when it is sold), and perhaps even FDR-style restrictions on private ownership of gold bullion. There could be some sharp declines, but look at those dips as buying opportunities, since we are still in a primary bull market cycle, and it will likely continue for at least five more years.
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RBS found us this: California real estate--nowhere near the bottom yet.
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Celebrate April 19th with Appleseed! The Appleseed Project is celebrating the 233rd anniversary of “the shot heard round the world” by sponsoring 14 weekend marksmanship classes simultaneously, all across this great nation, from Florida to California
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Despite their massive vote-rigging, Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF won only 97 seats in the House of Assembly, versus 110 for the opposition. "Former Communist" dictator Robert Mugabe is dragging his feet about leaving power. Hopefully the hyperinflation-ravaged country will be spared an inter-tribal civil war. (Mugabe and his supporters are from the majority Mashona tribe, while the opposition was organized by the minority Ndebele tribe, with a stronghold in Matabeleland.) The economy is a total shambles. Clearly, Comrade Mugabe and his henchmen are doomed to lose power. It is not "if", but "when."
Jim's Quote of the Day:
"If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't stupidity get us out? - Will Rogers
Thursday April 10 2008
Note from JWR:
After more than two years without a change, we recently increased our advertising rates by an average of 20%. The good news is that our readership has more than quadrupled in the past two years, so our advertisers are still gettng a real bargain. (Especially when you consider that some other blogs with readership of the same scale charge up to $1,500 for banner ad!)
When shopping for preparedness gear, please patronize our paid advertisers first. If they don't have what you need, then check out our Affiliate advertisers, such as Nitro-Pak, Lehman's, and Northern Tool . With any of our advertisers, please mention where you saw their ad. Thanks!
Time For Retreat Logistics Stage Two--The Soft Items
If you are a regular SurvivalBlog reader, the odds are that you already have the majority of your key logistics squared away, like food storage, tools, guns, communications gear. So now it is time to stock up on "soft" and perishable items. These include over the counter medications, vitamins, chemical light sticks, matches, paper products, cleansers, spices, liquid fuels, and so forth.
You need to exercise caution when stockpiling soft items, for several reasons:
1.) Shelf Life and Deterioration. Some items like pharmaceuticals, batteries, and chemical light sticks are best stored in a refrigerator. Keep in mind that items like matches are vulnerable to humidity. (BTW, do not store matches in Mason type glass jars! Resist the urge, or else you'll inadvertently make a glass shrapnel bomb! Instead, use a vacuum sealer, such as the Tilia FoodSaver sealers sold by Ready Made Resources. This is also a great way to keep rubber bands (including elastrator bands) from deteriorating. Exposure to sunlight, or heat, or moisture can all be deleterious to soft goods.
2.) Bulkiness. Paper products like paper towels, toilet paper, and paper napkins are extremely bulky, per dollar value. If you have limited storage space then you will need to budget that space carefully.
3.) Flammability. You should think of your stored paper products as house fire tinder, and your stored liquid fuels as potential fire accelerants and explosives. One mistake that that I've heard mentioned is storing numerous gasoline cans at home, in an attached garage. Most garages have a hot water heater, often fired by natural gas or propane. Uh oh! Store gas cans, oil-based paint cans, and bulk lubricants only in a well-ventilated outbuilding that is well-removed from your residence. Be sure to check your state and local fire code for permissible limits.
4.) OPSEC risk. The aforementioned bulk of stored paper products also makes them obtrusive to casual observers. This present s an OPSEC risk. If you have 500 rolls of toilet paper and paper towels in your garage, someone is likely to notice. OBTW, one item that I've stored as a potential barter item is sheet plywood. Those extra plywood sheets, if properly positioned can keep prying eyes away from your stockpiles.
5.) Abundance-Inspired Waste. Human nature dictates that when something is scarce, it is used frugally, but when it is abundant, it tends to get used more wastefully. I've seen this happen with my children, in target practice with .22 rimfire ammunition. If they know that they have just 50 rounds apiece available for a shooting session, they make every shot count. But if there is a full "brick" of ammo sitting there, it soon starts to sound like a day at Knob Creek.
In his book The Alpha Strategy, John Pugsley mentioned some friends that "invested" in stocking their own home wine cellar. They determined that it would be less expensive to buy wine by the case. But they soon had so much wine that they got in the habit of having a bottle with dinner almost every evening. So even though the per-bottle cost decreased, their monthly expense on wine actually doubled! OBTW Pugsley's The Alpha Strategy is highly recommended. It is available for free download, but I recommend also picking up a used copy, for reference. They are often available through Amazon.com for less than $5.
Letter Re: Don't Delay Dental Work and Elective Surgery!
Mr. Rawles and Fellow SurvivalBlog Readers-
I am recovering today from having oral surgery yesterday. It was not a tooth that was in pain but one that could give me trouble at any inopportune time. As a family we have been getting all our dental, vision including extra glasses and contacts, and other various health concerns taken care of now. After everything hits the fan or even during this coming economic crisis, getting good medical care may be a challenge. I wouldn't want to imagine having the dental work I had done yesterday performed as a "do it yourself" job. Don't procrastinate getting even a chronic ingrown toenail fixed! Things will be hard enough without extra health concerns. - Mt. Momma
Letter Re: Implications of High Grain Prices for Livestock Owners -- Stock Up!
Dear JWR,
The prices for wheat and soy and orchard grass crop seed have risen 40% in our region this spring. And that is the farm supply co-op pricing. The N and Phos. fertilizer is pretty well matching this increase. Lime is only 20% higher than last fall. Most of the larger crop farmers (200 acres or more) in our eastern central area (which 5 years ago used to be primarily tobacco fields) are now counting on a moderate to large profit in return because these edible cash crops are being currently negotiated and purchased in bulk to be shipped to China (soy) and Egypt (wheat). The corn crops grown locally are being sold for US bio-fuel production.
Heads up! If you have large farm animals and poultry, put up a one year reserve of feed grains and feed hay or fodder now, if you can find it for a reasonable bulk purchase price and get busy breaking ground on that fallow pasture land and start planting your own rotational plots of grasses for hay, forage and feed grains! I am perplexed to how many people are selling off completely or drastically reducing the numbers of their large farm animals now at a time that they should bare caution in their reflexive reactions. Consider that this may not be the best resolution as a result of the price increases of the grains.
This is the time to ride the grain increase out until they can become self sufficient in their own home grown supply and to stock up on seed. The prices will only get much higher in a year. If they can just hold out until their own grains come on line, the inflationary prices to come will make the value of those animals worth triple or quadruple their price in the short coming years. Trying to buy new livestock is not going to get cheaper either. Now is not the time to be selling off your extra edible or working farm animals. This is a time to hold and make yourselves busy as self sufficient farmers. We're now in this for the long haul! Think for the long term future, not just for today. - KAF
Odds 'n Sods:
RBS flagged this: Food Prices Soar as Farmers Bail on Corn.
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Horton suggested some good commentary by Aubie Baltin, posted over at Gold-Eagle: A Time for Reflection
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Ready Made Resources now sellsan inexpensive and lightweight solar oven that works quite well. The stove with shipping (in the US) is just $44.95
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Bill from Ohio kindly sent us a plethora of recent news article links related to the world's now scant food supplies:
Food riots in Haiti: BBC article and YouTube video.
Rising prices around the world
Rice price hits Philippines poor
Asians hit by rice pinch
World food shortages to stay: riots at risk
India and Africa urge a re-think of biofuels
New Zealand food prices demand food strategy
Jim's Quote of the Day:
"We maintain [privately-owned] arms largely because we seek to prevent violence. Those that wish to disarm us do so that they may perpetrate it with impunity." - R. Murray
Wednesday April 9 2008
Notes from JWR:
Naish Piazza very graciously just sent me a double-helping of Front Sight course certificates. So the writer of the best non-fiction article for SurvivalBlog's non-fiction writing contest will now win two of the valuable four day "gray" transferable Front Sight course certificates. (So this top prize is now worth up to $4,000!) Second prize is a copy of my "Rawles Gets You Ready" preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. Round 16 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entries. Remember that articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.
Here is the latest writing contest entry:
Working Dogs and Horses in Bug Out and Retreat Planning, by TD
I have adopted many animals over the years and come to realize that sometimes you do get great things for free, other times you get hurt. How do you pick the right animals for you and your family? Do you get an animal just to suit one purpose or do you get a mutt that will hopefully fit the bill? How do you choose the right one?
Dogs
For dogs, first talk to someone who has the breed of dog you are most interested in and find out about inherent defects and temperament problems. If you have kids or grandkids make sure the dogs are safe to have around them. Unless you get your dog trained, try not to get a very dominant breed, they will sometimes fight the alpha for the position and it can really damage both you and the dog. Remember the police departments stay away from females for patrol dog work for a reason--they do have a tendency to be flighty when in season. Decide early if you are going to alter or not, as when the grid goes down, you may lose the option.
A good dog, there are many, but not enough people that know how to pick the one that suits. I have seen many animals go to the shelter because they got too big, didn’t house break well, were hard to train, stubborn or was brought in and treated like a child, then along came a child and the dog got jealous. Many a hunting dog has been turned out due to being gun shy or lost due to poor training. Down here, some people have no clue where their coon hound is for days or weeks.
Remember that a pet is a pet and a working dog needs to be a working dog. No coddling, no sneaking treats. The family or group needs to be on board totally. It doesn’t take long to undo any training. Most states do have laws that might hinder your keeping your dog outside at all times, only suggestion is to build a really nice dog house that is insulated or move to a less oppressive state.
I have also learned that there is no replacing good training for any dog. Considering the link from S. Africa that was mentioned on the blog, it would be a good idea to train your dog not to take food from anyone but you. Not barking to reveal location, staying down until attacking, and hold and release are important now and later. If you want your guard dog to not get you sued now, you need to do bite work with an experienced trainer. You need them perimeter trained so they will not leave your property for anything unless you ask it. Protect your investment.
If you do not live full time at your retreat, make your animals bug out bags and make at least one trial run before the big day. Stock your retreat with dog food (watch the expiration dates, when dog food goes bad your dog will get sick and have the runs for days). You must also consider extra water for the animals, write down how much each animal drinks per day and that will give an idea of what to prepare. If you have three weeks of water for you, you need it for them too. If your dog stresses out, make sure you have a caloric supplement on hand. If they get car sick, give them motion sickness pills (made for humans, works on animals, too). Buy a muzzle, if the dog gets hurt you’ll be thankful you have one.
Your dog's essentials: at least two leashes, crate, muzzle, nail clippers, food for the move, water for the move, collapsible bowls for food and water, first aid kit and medicines. Put index cards in your dog's bug out bag, so that if it’s something less than TEOTWAWKI you can write down info on your dog and yourself, so if you get sent someplace other than your retreat, you will be able to get your dog back. This was a nightmare after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and now we have serious problems with feral animals and the population in general, because owners failed to identify their dogs or themselves. We won’t even mention the ones left with little or no food and water because no one in Louisiana or Mississippi believed that it could happen (even though it had happened before, in 1918).
Horses
Now for horses, if you think you’re going to need one in the future, the time to learn about them is now. The day in the life of a horse owner: 6 am and time to feed (2 sections of hay if no grass is available and grain if you need it), water and turn out (unless you have just pasture, in that case you need to check your horse over well to make sure he didn’t run himself through in the night), muck stalls. Been 8 weeks the horse needs a trim (unless you have a farrier close by, this means you do it), depending on where you live he may need new shoes. So you pick out all 4 hooves and get out the frog trimmer and the [hoof] rasp (a big file) and don’t trim too far or you’ll be walking for the next four or more weeks. Brushing your horse may seem like fun for him (it is) but it also gives you time to look him over for injuries or disease. If he has no cover he can get rain rot (fungus) and cause you to have to bathe him. Smell the hoof as you clean, if it smells funky it is hoof rot (thrush) and needs to be tended to (bleach mixture or Thrush X).
If you have never broken a horse to ride, don’t start when you’re 40, buy a well broken horse so you can learn more and not get killed in the process. Riding a green horse is more about the work you do on the ground, before you ever get on the horse. Breaking to ride isn’t just getting on and praying. It’s about trust and having the horse know you aren’t going to hurt him. Unless you’re huge you can’t bully a horse and not get hurt. One simple rule for horses is – once you have control of the head the body follows. John Lyons does a wonderful training seminar and it is available on DVDs, if you’re bent on going start to finish do it that way.
Make sure your horse ground ties (stops when the reins are dropped and stays), work him over plastic, use him to haul deer out of the woods and work him so that you can fire a gun near him. Do that by starting with a cap gun in the same pen as the horse after he sees it. Then work your way up. Do it until he acts as if it’s nothing with the cap gun, then move to a .22.
The horse should reside full time at your retreat or at a full care facility near it. The horse will probably weigh in at 1,000 pounds plus and not something you want to stress yourself or him over trying to move a huge distance when there is a problem. There are going to be a lot of people trying to get out or get in and to wait last minute with a large animal, is just asking for trouble.
A horse bug out bag is a tough one, hay for the ride and water, first aid kit with an extra halter and a few leads. Wrap his legs before you leave, so he won’t damage them in the trailer. Bring a good hunk of cloth because if it gets bad, cover the horses’ eyes and he will calm down. Make sure your retreat is stocked with hay and grain, medicines you may need and buckets. - TD
Letter Re: Cashing Out of a Retirement Fund and Buying a Retreat Without a Tax Bite?
Mr, Rawles,
Greeting from Kentucky. I read your page very often, and have been doing so even more so lately. I read the articles, and your concerns of what is going on, and what you think will happen in the future of this great country. I try to look around and see my daily routine with family, church, work and normal everyday activities and say "no, no this can't be happening." Just look around! Everybody is so oblivious, everything continues as it always has, I don't see the worry on anybody's faces, much less in their actions. So I keep trying to tell myself, it "won't happen to me!" But deep in my heart, and with all the articles I have read here, and now these things/stories are starting to end up in the mainstream news if you watch for them, I can not fool myself any longer. I agree it is just around the corner.
I read your advice about getting into tangibles. I have tried very hard to save, and save, and be a investor for "the long haul". I want to take out and invest in that piece of land somewhere, but how do I get my hard earned years of Army Flight Officer pay that I dutifully put away, and all the 401(k) items, and other investment tools liquidated to be able to invest in a retreat property without getting whacked by the tax man?
I no longer store away as much as I use to, but spend that available cash on other tangibles you have so often mentioned. Gold, silver, ammo, and other supplies that will be hard to get when it all goes. But my biggest purchase evades me because of the taxman shadow looming over me. I have three growing teenage kids, and a strong 20+ year marriage, I can't just pack up and head for the hills. But I want to be prepared to do it. Any hint of some advice? Thanks, - Zed
JWR Replies: Life is full of compromises. If you plan on staying in Kentucky after your ETS (I assume that you are at Fort Campbell), then you might look for retreat-worthy properties in Montgomery County with shallow wells or better yet with gravity-fed spring water--but still in reasonable commute distance to your duty station.
In today's dead real estate market, sellers are desperate, so you might get a seller to agree to sell you a purchase option on a house on acreage with a monthly lease. This agreement would credit the lease payments to the purchase price. This protects you three ways: 1.) If the dollar starts to inflate, you will have a locked-in purchase price, and 2.) If you move (PCS, or decide to settle elsewhere after ETS), all you are out is the cost of the option, and what you paid on the lease.3.) If house and land prices collapse, you can simply not exercise the option, and buy another property elsewhere.
Regardless, you should roll your 401(k) into a Gold IRA. (Talk to Swiss America.) There is no tax hit for a simple rollover.
If gold zooms up past $2,500 per ounce, and the economy simultaneously flashes the master warning light and starts to autorotate, you then pay the penalties and cash out part or all of the gold IRA and exercise your land purchase option with gold or cash.
This is not a perfect solution, but it is something that will provide you a safe haven, yet you won't have to take a tax hit. YMMV.
More About Front Sight's New "Get a Gun" Training and Gear Offer
Naish Piazza, the director of Front Sight sent me some of the frequently asked questions about the "Get a Gun" training and gear package offer that I mentioned in SurvivalBlog last week.
1.) What kind of Springfield Armory XD Pistol is given away in this offer?
A Standard Model 4" Barrel XD in your choice of 9mm, .40 S&W, or .45 ACP. The perfect balance for good gun handling, power, speed and concealability.
2.) Is it 4 days or 5 days of training at Front Sight?
You attend Front Sight's flagship Four Day Defensive Handgun Course, the course everyone raves about and then stay one extra day for Front Sight 30 State Concealed Weapon Permit Course so you can get more advanced concealed carry training and walk away with everything you need, certificates, fingerprints, and photos to secure CCWs in Florida, Nevada, and Utah. With reciprocity laws, these three permits allow you to carry concealed in over 30 states!
3.) When do I have to attend the course?
The certificate you received from Front Sight has no expiration date so you can use it at any time in the future. Even when Front Sight's courses increase in price, your certificate is inflation proof and will allow you to attend at no extra charge.
4.) How often does Front Sight offer this course?
Front Sight offers their Four Day defensive Handgun course and 30 State Concealed Weapon Permit Course at least twice per month, every month except July and August.
5.) What days of the week are the courses held? If taking the full five days, the courses start on Friday and ends on Tuesday, so you don't have to miss an entire week of work, just a couple of days.
6.) Can I purchase the ammunition I need at Front Sight?
Yes. You can either bring factory new ammunition with you or purchase it from Front Sight's pro shop.
7.) How far away is lodging?
Most students stay at one of three hotels within a 20 minute drive from Front Sight's world-class 550 acre training facility. Hotel rates range from $40 per night to $75 per night.
8.) How do I get to Front Sight?
It is easy and inexpensive. Simply fly to Las Vegas, Nevada, rent a car, and drive to Pahrump. Front Sight is a 45 minutes drive from Las Vegas or 20 minute drive from Pahrump. Las Vegas is one of the least expensive cities in the world to fly into from just about anywhere in the US.
9.) How long do I have to take advantage of Front Sight's offer?
Not long. The US Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) members have already surpassed the original number of guns and courses Dr. Piazza set aside for them. I was able to get him to extend the offer but he only did so with the understanding that he could stop it at any time with 48 hours notice, so take advantage of it immediately.
10.) Where can I get more information about Front Sight and their courses?
Go to Front Sight's web site and click on the link, Front Sight Experience A-Z for answers to most if not all of your questions.
Well, I hope this answers most of your questions about this offer. Don't forget, Dr. Piazza can end this promotion with very little warning. If you're thinking of taking advantage of this great deal, then now is the time to take action.
Letter Re: Sign of the Times--An Ambulance Service Shuts Down
Howdy;
My name is Ed and I am a paramedic in central Mississippi. Last month a private ambulance service shut down with only eight hours notice that they would stop operations, leaving 26 counties without 911 Emergency Medical Service (EMS). Other local providers and services were able to help provide coverage. But this is difficult with increasing fuel cost, the ongoing War on Terror and overseas deployments, shortages of personnel and lack of payments from medicare and medicaid and people without any coverage. These are all are driving the remaining ambulance providers out of business. Be safe out there! - Ed
Odds 'n Sods:
The magic credit tap is turned off: Citigroup, Wells Fargo May Loan Less After Downgrades Meanwhile, we read: Fed members worried about deep recession
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A reader mentioned that Cme Brew is offering a special "stock up" price of $168 (plus shipping) for 50 pounds of current crop, gourmet Arabica coffee beans for home roasting. These beans will store for up to three years. They also have bulk teas in 1 kilo (2.2 lbs.) glass lined, heat sealed bags. Chun Mee, and Special Gunpowder "Temple of Heaven" green teas are $22 per kilo, plus shipping. Each kilo will make about 400-to-500 six ounce servings. Larger orders can qualify for deeper discounts. Tell Charlie at Cme Brew that you heard about it at SurvivalBlog. Phone: 1-800-567-6238
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Bill N. found a forum discussion string that has given him yet another reason to buy older vehicles.
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The folks at ARF-com are all abuzz about possible US production of Steyr AUG-A3s in the near future. If I had to carry a .233, then the AUG would be my choice, mit Trijicon ACOG. (But of course, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool .308 fan. We mainly have L1A1s here at the Rawles Ranch.)
Jim's Quote of the Day:
"A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn't happen." - Winston Churchill
Tuesday April 8 2008
Notes from JWR:
I dislike the way that the New York Times often posts articles as a teaser for only the first 24 hours of publication, and then requires a registered "free" subscription. (Grumble, grumble.) If the NYT site link stops working, then here is a site that has re-posted Sunday's "Duck and Cover: It’s the New Survivalism" article, although it is sans the original links.
Letter Re: Horse Breeding Now, and in the Future
Jim,
I wanted your opinion on something. I raise Quarter horses, mostly show prospects and have done this for a lifetime. I own the stallion, I do the breeding of my own mares and ship [straws of frozen] semen all over the country for others. I also train outside horses for a living. As you well know the horse economy like everything else is going down the tubes. I have been down sizing for the past three years as the Holy Spirit has prompted [my string] going [down] from 60 to 30. I did not breed any of my mares back this year and my focus is continuing to downsize. I know the job these horses were bred for is no longer going to be available. They will be needing a new job. My question to you is, do you think there would be a market through SurvivalBlog for any of my stock? I breed for good minds, great bones and of course movement (which I understand would not matter to a survivalist) disposition and beauty. These are hearty horses, I believe they could make great work horses, pack horses or just about anything you asked them to be. I think the catch for the horses I would have available would be the fact that some are untrained 2 and 3 year olds. I'm madly working on breaking this last big group, but I can only ride so many a day.
It is just a passing idea. This is my web site if you want to take a peek at what I have. Thanks for your time and honesty. God Bless, - Merry
JWR Replies: In the short term, it might be a good idea to reduce your breeding stock, but in the long term, your brood mares may make you wealthy. I'm sure that some SurvivalBlog readers will be contacting you, particularly looking for mares.
One of the biggest concerns for horse owners, at present, is the high price of feed. The global grain shortage has pushed up feed prices tremendously. Because grain prices will remain high, I expect hay prices to stay high, in sympathy. (Markets are all about supply and demand.) It didn't help that last spring and summer were dry in the western US, and most hay growers only got one marketable cutting. This pushed hay prices up to insane prices. This prompted many cattlemen and horse breeders to thin their herds.
In the long term, however, high fuel prices and spot shortages will likely cause a resurgent interest in working horses. This is most likely in regions with lush pasture and plentiful hay. In the arid west, where hay is a product of circular irrigation, working horses probably won't make quite so strong a comeback.
In a post-Peak Oil collapse, horse breeding stock--for both draft horses and saddle horses--would be like gold.
My advice: If you don't have extensive pastures and own your own hay ground and hence buy a lot of hay each year, then thin your string of brood mares down to just your very best couple of dozen, for the next few years. However, maintain your ranch infrastructure, so that you can "ramp up" to larger production, if need be. Do not sell off any pasture ground, hay ground, stock panels, or haying equipment! Also, hang on to every saddle and piece of tack that you own. In fact, if you have the chance to buy more tack (as the horse market continues to crash), and you have a secure storage space that will keep it safe from mold and mice, then invest in more tack. Doing so will take advantage of the fire sale prices on tack that we will no doubt see for the next few years. To amplify on our previous exchange of e-mail: You can breed horses, but you can't breed tack. In a few years, all those new horse buyers will be screaming for saddles and tack! Buy low and sell high.
One ironic situation we may see in the next decade: All over rural America, there are antique horse-drawn hay mowers that are now rusting away as yard ornaments. I predict that many of them will be oiled up and pressed into service. Hopefully, they won't be too far gone.
Letter Re: Retreat Livestock Guardians
Hello,
This is in response to TDs’ article on Retreat Livestock Guardians. My wife and I left the computer industry about 10 years ago and established our little retreat in N.E. Texas. We have 60 acres with a stream, couple of livestock ponds, well, and a cistern. We presently have as livestock: Boer goats, horses, donkeys – (both standard and what is called Giant), pigs, ducks, and chickens. And of course several cats. Cats keep the snakes, tarantulas, rodents, and other small nuisances away from the house and barns.
Why I am writing is because when we moved out here from Dallas, all the local livestock producers were just going on and on about the Great Pyrenees as guardian animals. So, when we purchased our first set of goats, (20 females and 1 male), we built two pens for them. One for birthing, and one for the male to reside with the females until time for birthing.
What I found out about the Pyrenees [breed] was absolutely true. The one we acquired from another established breeder became part of the herd, and was every bit as described by TD in his article, except for one thing. These animals bark at anything and everything. Especially at night. When our first one was a puppy, I was really impressed with her, because she bonded with the animal and family right off. Was very quiet, and was very little maintenance. Until she turned about a year old. Then the barking started. And never stopped. If a leaf was blown across the pasture at night, that animal went off like an air raid siren. Wife thought if we got her a mate, that that might reduce the barking. So, we acquired a male from another breeder, this one the same age as our female. Well, then we had two alarms going off every night at anything. Armadillos, possums, skunks, squirrels, deer, and I mean anything that moves at night, these two sounded off. And they are quite large, male approximately – 90 pounds, female approximately – 75 pounds, and quite loud.
Even though we enjoyed the personalities and the great job these two did with the herds, when trying to have a retreat where the main entrance and most of the acreage is concealed and not very recognizable from the road, the noise these two made could be heard literally for about a mile. So even though they performed to expectations, for the purpose of our retreat, they were a liability. I also checked with other livestock producers in the area that had these animals, and found out that this is the norm and not the exception. All of these livestock guardian dogs have a tendency to be excessively loud at night. And that is just unacceptable for the operation and purpose of this retreat. So now the donkeys are fulfilling that obligation. The two standard donkeys are in with the horses. And the two giants are in with the goats.
I have got to say, I am very, very satisfied with the results. I have watched the two standard donkeys go after a couple of coyotes with absolutely not fear at all. Ears laid back and not a sound. Just full speed ahead, then both in a coordinated attack run off any and all predators. The two giants, since they are in the pens with the goats, have not yet had to demonstrate their abilities, because watching through night vision goggles, I have just watched the predators emerge from the tree lines, take one look at the donkeys, and fade back into the woods. Guess they already had altercations with their kind before.
One thing that I was worried about, was what I had heard about donkey braying at all hours. Both daytime and nighttime. I have not found that to be the case. So far, the only time these animals bray, is at feeding time. And then, only somewhat quietly. Really no louder than the ducks. On a side note: You want a good nighttime early warning system- Ducks. Normal varmints, coons, skunks, possums, whatever can wander all around and the ducks will not emit any noise unless they try to get into the pen that the ducks are locked up in every night. But let anything larger, or not normally supposed to be around that time of night show up…. And those ducks are alerting everyone and everything. Wife and I are really attuned to sleeping peacefully throughout the night, subconsciously filtering out all the normal nocturnal noises until the ducks go off. Then I up and out the door in a flash, armed and looking for the cause of the alarm.
This is not to say we are not looking for some sort of canine. I do believe that one is a necessity, but we just have to find the right breed. One thing we have been talking about, to suite the needs out here is a type of dog I had before joining the Marine Corps. It was called a Basenji. This breed is a descendent of African wild dog that does not have the capability of barking. The one I had was always silent unless growling or a kind of whimper when feeding time was at hand. The dog actually prevented a burglary of my apartment one night. I was asleep in the back bedroom, and the dog must have heard the perp quietly knock out a pane of glass next to the front door. You know how apartments are not really made for security. Anyway I was woke up by a loud yell of someone in pain. I dressed and turned on the lights in the living room, and sitting by the window was that little Basenji with quite a bit of blood around his mouth and on the surrounding windowsills. Apparently, as the perp reached through to try to unlock the door, the little do just waited until the perfect opportunity, and latched on. Let me tell you, for a relatively little animal, about 45 pounds, the dog has quite a set of jaws on him. These dogs are known for clamping down on an extremity and not letting go. Not just a bite and release. Now as far as little children, these little dogs just love them. They will endure just about anything from children. Very loyal animals and very quick learners. Obedient and smart. Now, how they will do out here [at our ranch] I don’t know yet. But it looks like we are going to give one a try and see how it works.
Anyway, just wanted to put in my two cents worth in about the dogs in a retreat environment. The livestock guard dogs, in a non-SHTF environment, like the Pyrenees are absolutely wonderful, and exactly as described by TD. But – When you do not want your location to be compromised by unnecessary and excessive barking, maybe an alternative is needed. Respectfully, - B.W.
Odds 'n Sods:
Remember how I predicted that the global credit crisis would spawn a wave of forced buy-outs, mergers, acquisitions, and liquidations? Here is news of another one: Washington Mutual close to $5 billion deal with TPG, others. Be prepared for more mergers, many of which will be cases of "strange bedfellows" involving credit unions, pension funds, and perhaps even cities (municipal bonds). Derivatives contract defaults will indeed force some very odd partnerships and salvage operations. If managers' only options are bankruptcy or buying out the counterparty to a derivative, then guess which they will choose?
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Frequent contributor KAF found this story abut a high speed successor to the Internet: 'The Grid' Could Soon Make the Internet Obsolete. FWIW, I think that "The Grid" was a poor choice of names, since it will cause confusion vis-a-vis the power grid. I think that "The Matrix" would be a better moniker.
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Craig suggested an article posted at The Folsom Telegraph: The Banking 'Crisis' ...It's a Big Club and You Ain't In It
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Spot gold and silver seem to be resuming their bull charge, as expected. There will undoubtedly be a few more scary dips, but consider those buying opportunities in what is otherwise a secular bull market. Meanwhile, we read: Gasoline Prices Add to Record Gains. and Experts Predict Imminent Oil Squeeze. There are two was of looking at these events: A bull market in commodities, or a bear market in the US Dollar. But either way, the place you need to be is out of dollars! Speaking of silver, see: Fuel for thought: Quarter-a-gallon gas special makes cents
Jim's Quote of the Day:
"Information is the oxygen of the modern age. It seeps through the walls topped by barbed wire, it wafts across the electrified borders." - President Ronald Reagan
Monday April 7 2008
Notes from JWR:
Thanks for all the many positive comments about the New York Times article (Sunday, April 6, 2008), titled "Duck and Cover: It's the New Survivalism", where I was quoted. The article has helped generate lots of extra first-time visits to SurvivalBlog. (An amazing 12,003 unique visits on Sunday, which is usually our slowest day of the week!) To all you newbies that want a quick start: Read the "About" page, and then read my first few weeks of posts from 2005, starting at the bottom of the page and working your way up.
The high bid in the current SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction lot is now at $230. This auction is for four items: a MURS Alert Base station, a MURS Alert Hand-held transceiver, an earbud, and a Kaito KA-1102 AM/FM/Shortwave. These radios were kindly donated by the owner of Affordable Shortwaves and MURS Radios. If you aren't familiar with the Dakota Alert infrared perimeter security system, take a few minute to look at the Dakota Alert web site. These alarms are very reliable and versatile. I often recommend them to my consulting clients--especially those that plan to have lightly-manned retreats. You can easily set up multiple detector/transmitter sensors to provide 360 degree perimeter security for a large area. Instead of just a generic alarm, they will let you know which sensor was tripped, via a computer-generated voice message to a radio that you can carry on your belt. (Such as "Alert, Zone Two.") The same radio can be used for point-to-point voice communications, on the little-used MURS band. The three radios have a retail value of $210, plus shipping. The auction ends on April 15th. Please e-mail us your bids, in $10 increments.
Letter Re: Some Garden Plot Surprises Revealed Beneath Receding Snow
Mr. Editor:
This spring is turning into a "yard and garden" wake up call. This winter is the first one I can remember in 29 years of owning this property where there was so much snow that the ground has been completely covered since the beginning of December until now [(early April)]. I still have shady spots with 18 to 24" today. It is melting but it going to take a while. The piles by my driveway will be there until June. But [as the snow has receded] the thing we are finding is that the rabbits, mice and other rodents have trashed our yard and gardens like never before.
The rabbits--[the ones] that the dog did not catch--ate darn near anything above the snow. They have made a mess of my raspberries, blueberries and grapes to the point where I don't know if the plants will survive or will have to be replaced. Thank goodness I have 48" fencing around my cherry and apple trees. Oh, and as far as the dog is concerned, we have a Bernese Mountain Dog. The snow was too deep for her to run and to catch many rabbits anyway.
The mice had an "under the snow tunnel system " made and they ate all my wife's tulip bulbs, and all her other ornamental bulbs. They are my chives, parsley, basil, sage etc.They have holes all over the yard. They even ate the phlox. We didn't see the damage until now, and the hawks didn't see the mice, because they were under the snow.
My point here is that as our climate changes, we need to be expecting nature to adjust and not always for human benefit. If the Schumer Hits the Fan (SHTF) perhaps some of our best laid plans will be destroyed by the other living things on the planet that need to eat in the winter. - Carl R.
Three Letters Re: Advanced Medical Care and Transport After TEOTWAWKI
James,
[Regarding the letter from DS in Wisconsin:] Maybe and I mean maybe there would be someone to care for a injured or sick member of your retreat group or a doctor or nurse to look at them, probably not. If you have the gas to get them there. If you can leave enough security at the retreat and enough security to take with you. Remember, this is The End of the World as we Know It (TEOTWAWKI). There are several books that should be in a medical library you might already have them: Where There is No Doctor, Where There is No Dentist, and Emergency War Surgery. There are more, but to me these are the first books that I would choose. Your training would be one of the best barter jobs I can think of. You can't call it practicing medicine without a license. You would be a Healer or Doctor for your area. Remember this is not the world as it was. I don’t think enough people put enough emphasis on medical [training and supplies] for there preparations. I truly don’t mean the foregoing to sound mean. - Lee (Once a Marine, always a Marine)
Dear JWR:
I felt (along with protracted pushing from my wife) that a response to the honest and logical questions raised by DS in Wisconsin was warranted. This is coming from a long term preparer who is a practicing anesthesiologist with internal medicine training and the husband of a “retired” ER/ICU RN. If we are talking about a scenario where transportation is problematic, one needs to look in the mirror and determine if you are able and willing to do what needs to be done. While training and experience are crucial, the idea of limiting one’s actions based on whether or not it is within an individual’s “licensed” scope of practice is problematic. In a survival situation, one should do what he/she is capable of doing and let the legal dust settle out later (i.e. Good Samaritan Laws, etc.). I can honestly say that in the absence of a fully stocked and staffed Operating Room (OR), anybody with a little training, and preferably a little experience, could perform 90+% of the “medical” interventions I could perform.
During the American Civil War, a good example of an era prior to “modern” medicine with large displaced populations, the vast majority of deaths (including military units) was from infections and communicable diseases. Actual combat deaths were a significant minority. Above all else, sanitation alone, has contributed the most to increasing the life expectancy of humans. This is where I have a major problem with the idea promoted in the article by Keith in Minnesota (The Home Chicken Flock for Self-Reliance) where he suggests building immunity by constant exposure to pathogens. You do not need an MD or RN license to practice good sanitation or isolation from communicable diseases.
In the same vein as sanitation, preventive medicine is a strong contributor to life expectancy, and is more crucial now before TEOTWAWKI. If you have a gallbladder which is acting up or a problematic tooth, you should get those things addressed now while “licensed” professionals have fully stocked offices and ORs. Given the upcoming elections (and global conditions such as food shortages), your time frame for addressing these issues should likely be within 9-to-12 months.
Finally, let me address the core issue raised by DS in Wisconsin, namely the occurrence of major injury or illness in bad times. This is where a crucial paradigm shift in thought has to occur in people with medical/nursing training and/or experience. Most people in the health care community see a major injury and immediately think “ship it” to somebody or someplace else to deal with the problem. In the OR (frequently the “final common pathway” for these problems), for better or worse, we have a very fatalistic viewpoint imposed on us. Some injuries and illnesses are simply not survivable and we have accepted the fact that there will be some losses. This is a very hard thing to come to grips with while maintaining stable mental health. In my own personal case, I find comfort in the fact that I can (usually) say that I did everything I was capable of doing in the situation. Hindsight and after-action evaluation may find some deficiency, but this process should be viewed as a learning tool rather than finger pointing. Pathologic depression and protracted feelings of guilt take a major toll on healthcare providers in “critical care” areas such as ER, ICU and OR. It is difficult to explain, but there is a particular serenity in being able to accept that despite the fact that mistakes were made, one did the best he could in the heat of battle. This paradigm shift will be very difficult for many in the healthcare field. I think it would be difficult to accept that my efforts were not optimal because of some self imposed limitation such as “scope of practice”, but others may find comfort in this view. I would simply implore you to try and do everything you are capable of doing.
In the case of major injury or illness, the largest improvement in survivability will come from stopping bleeding and replacing lost intravascular volume. If major organ damage is done (such as liver, heart or brain), one has to accept that death is a likely outcome, even in the best of times (with fully stocked and staffed ORs). The problem is that there is nobody to “ship it” to, and the implications that has on the mental health of the person providing care. Apart from this, it is the rare injury, where bleeding has been stopped and intravascular fluids replaced, where immediate survival is not possible. In the case of a self limited illness like Salmonella poisoning, continued supportive care with fluid replacement will likely be all that is possible, and probably all that is necessary. For wounds and other injuries, limiting infection and supportive care will again likely be all that is possible (and likely all that is necessary). Keeping a wound clean and removing devitalized tissue is something any person (healthcare provider or not) should be capable of doing with training. One does not need to go digging for the bullet (as in Hollywood lore). In the OR, bullet removal is usually incidental to following the tract of the bullet to repair damage, not specifically to find it.
As far as material preparation, as a healthcare provider, I would suggest a stock of items which will help with these two critical areas, namely stopping bleeding and replacing lost intravascular fluid. Clean bandage material with or without a pro-coagulant (such as Quick Clot) applied with pressure will likely be all that is necessary (or possible) to stop most bleeding. An ability to provide intravascular fluid resuscitation such as an IV catheter and tubing with IV fluid (either prepackaged or home made) would put you in the top tier of being able to provide emergency medical care in a crisis. A simple battlefield surgical kit (although common household items such as scissors and tweezers will suffice) will provide the ability to keep a wound clean. If your neighbor knows that you have an RN or MD after your name, I promise you that people will come seeking help in bad times. It will be up to you to decide if you can provide it or turn them away. For your own mental health, I suggest you think about this prior to a time of crisis. - NC Bluedog
Dear JWR,
If I am interpreting D. in Wisconsin's questions correctly, then they need to be addressed separately:
The first question is being posed as a licensed healthcare provider. Are you exempt from legal liability in TEOTWAWKI situations for intervening in a person’s emergent situation to render healthcare or aid and/or transporting them to a facility as the books that are referenced suggest to do? The current Good Samaritan laws, (see definition), and their facts lie in which state of the US or Canadian province you are practicing in. Notice that I said practicing in. If you are visiting or vacationing another state or country, you had best look up this law’s application for where you’re going. In October/2000, the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act (CASA) was added to the Federal Good Samaritan Law. It requires an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to be located in all Federal buildings. There is no comprehensive US Federal Good Samaritan Law as of yet which details a reciprocity for your healthcare actions or coverage in your rendering licensed assistance to a victim of injury or accident. See this site for a detailed list of the US States and their individual Good Samaritan Law. Study it carefully. Each different state has its own standards, limitations and exceptions. One consistent issue however, that is often confusing in it’s liability of risk, is whether or not you have been a previous or ongoing provider of this person’s healthcare. Meaning, if you are their routine Physician Assistant, Nurse Practitioner or MD, that perhaps you best consider the diagnosis of why you are intervening on an emergent basis and expecting the Good Samaritan Law to provide you with protection? Is it for a different diagnosis? Like an electrocution or lake drowning or cardiac arrest or gunshot wound? Hopefully, however, even if it is for the recurrent diagnoses but with a new emergent reason, like a diabetic crisis, or a difficult child birthing, that you’ve treated before in the past that you will still make the decision to intervene and treat them for the condition, based on your scope of experience and practice skills. Don’t rely on the Good Samaritan Law to be your decision basis to help. Only you as an individual can make that difficult decision for yourself. In the TEOTWAWKI scenarios in some very rural areas or seasons, if you are the accessible to transport to “medical person”, then you are it!
The second question that is asked is specifically about transport issues. This has been a test case scenario for lawyers of Hurricane Katrina victims requiring emergency intervention in Louisiana and Mississippi . Since that lesson, there is still no proposed Federal intervention of the Good Samaritan Law. I say that we do not need to federalize good moral practice. If more people will just do what must be done in obvious emergencies or accidents and stop looking for the government or the lawyers to decide for them what is best, then we’ll be able to truly practice what is best for them and for our medical professions. Look up the bible’s definition of what it means of being a Good Samaritan. Ask yourself, Why would you in a TEOTWAWKI situation, transport that emergent someone who needs assistance immediately, and is the intervention needed either not possible to do, or not wise to do, because it’s over your head and experience and skill level. However, even after you consider all of these answers, if you are the best or only one that is available, then it’s you! You’re it. Do your honest best and pray and be willing to accept some losses and your own human weaknesses.
In summary, get your medical certifications up to date, if you’re retired, consider reallocating your license to volunteer practice status. You should already know current CPR practices, which according to the AMA have recently been revised to advocate no more mouth to mouth required for arrest cases and know how to use an AED. But, the true moral to this whole story is, “Nosce te ipsum!” Know Thyself! Know your limitations. Now, not later is the time to acquire the skills and supplies and medications you will need to be the best you can be to offer medical assistance in a TEOTWAWKI situation for your family, friends, community, or if you chose to hang that shingle out of your retreat as the “Doctor is In”. And if you chose to assist as a licensed medical person, it is your personal responsibility to have the qualifications to back your actions! I hope this information helps us all when the time arises, and it will. - KBF
Odds 'n Sods:
Our friend Michael Bane, a gun writer and video producer (of Down Range TV and "Shooting Gallery" on The Outdoor Channel) now has short review segments on Ruger's new polymer frame SR9 and LCP .380 pistols. The latter, weighing only 9.4 ounces looks like a cross between a Seecamp and a Kel-Tec. I'm not a fan of the pipsqueak .380 ACP (9mm Kurz) cartridge, but a gun that is close at hand at all times is vastly superior to grasping at air when trouble arrives. Concealed carry is, after all, a compromise. If I was expecting trouble, I'd be carrying a .308 battle rifle--not any any sort of handgun. Be sure to check out Michael's many blog articles and videos.
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Frequent content contributor RBS found this archive of useful solar cooking articles.
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Reader MGB suggested the "Trapped in Your Home" calculator page. After having read about modern tanning and leather preservative chemicals, I cannot concur with their mention of leather clothing and furniture as emergency food sources.
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Some commentary from Jim Jubak: Market 'reforms' a gift to Wall Street. His mention of the lack of regulation on derivatives contracts is right on target.
Jim's Quote of the Day:
"So that this nation may long endure, I urge you to follow in the hallowed footsteps of the great disobedience of history that freed exiles, founded religions, defeated tyrants, and yes, in the hands of an aroused rabble in arms and a few great men, by God's grace, built this country." - The Late Charlton Heston, from a speech to the Harvard Law School Forum, February 16, 1999
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