Monday June 16 2008
Note from JWR:

Congrats to Matthew B., the high bidder in the recent SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction. Today we begin a new auction. This one is for two cases (12 cans) of Mountain House freeze dried foods in #10 cans donated by Ready Made Resources, a course certificate for a four-day Bushcraft & Survival Course valued at $550, 25 pounds of green (unroasted) Colombian Supremo coffee courtesy of www.cmebrew.com, and a set of 1,600 U.S. Military Manuals, Government Manuals, and Civil Defense Manuals, Firearm Manuals on two CD-ROM disks. The opening bid is just $50. Details on this new auction will be posted soon.


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Letter Re: Recommendations on Body Armor

Mr. Rawles:
I've seen your advice on guns and commo gear, but what do you recommend for bulletproof vests? Should I have one for concealment, and a separate [heavier] one for a stand-up fight in the worst case? Or is there a compromise thickness? Also, what do the [NIJ vest rating] "Levels" stand for, exactly? Thank Ye Much, - Arnie V.
JWR Replies: I forwarded your questions to Nick at BullterProofME.com, since his knowledge of body armor dwarfs my own. Here is his response:

Dear Arnie:
Your questions are very well put. The most basic question of Body Armor is - do I need to stop rifle fire or pistol fire? It's all a tradeoff of weight and concealability versus protection.

Soft concealable vests (e.g., Kevlar) will NOT stop rifle fire, but are rated Level II-A or Level II for standard handgun threats, or Level III-A for more exotic pistol threats such as 9mm sub-machine-gun or .44 Magnum. Weight is only 3 to 6 lbs. (1.4 to 2.7 kg.) generally.

Rigid Rifle Plates are rated Level III to stop lead core .308 Full Metal Jacket (NATO 7.62 x 51mm), or Level IV to stop steel core .30-06 Armor-Piercing (AP). Rifle Plates, are generally 10" by 12" (25 by 30 cm.) and will add 7 to 18 lbs. to a vest, depending on the type chosen, as you need a pair for Front and Back protection, .

For technical details on the NIJ ratings, see the ballistic ratings chart.

Tactical Body Armor, e.g., the Interceptor vest we are running a special on is roughly twice the weight of a concealable, torso protection vest at 10 lbs. (4.5 kg.), but twice the coverage area with extended torso protection, plus neck and groin protection. But then you add the weight of Rifle Plates!

Here's a quick and dirty guide as to how armor can be configured - click the links for example photos:

1. Concealable Vest for pistol protection on the torso e.g., 4 lbs. (1.8 kg.)

2. Concealable vest with Rifle Plate Pockets and Level IV Rifle Plates Front & Back, and pistol protection all around, e.g., ~16.5 lb. (7.5 kg.) - this would be "concealable under a jacket"

3. Level IV Stand-Alone Rifle Plates in a Rifle Plates Carrier for rifle protection only on the Front & Back, ~15 lbs. (6.8 kg.) - this would be "concealable under a jacket". Level III Ultra-light Polyethylene plates would be just 7 lbs. (3.2 kg.)

4. Overt Tactical Body Armor for pistol and sub-machine-gun protection, ~10 lbs. (4.5 kg.) (without Rifle Plates)
- "concealable under a jacket" if neck and Groin Protection taken off.

5. Overt Tactical Body Armor with Level IV Ceramic Rifle Plates, e.g., 22.5 lbs. (10.2 kg.) (You can also add side Rifle Plates)

For running around town to protect against street crime, a concealable vest makes the most sense as handguns are the most common threat. Just as important, being concealable, light, and easy to wear, it will be worn more often. As we say - the best vest for you is the one you actually have on when being shot at! (As opposed to a heavier vest left at home in the closet.) We spend a lot of time talking folks out of concealable Level III-A vests for more concealable Level II vests that are easier to hide under light clothing.

For continuous use in a low threat environment, it might even make sense to forgo the vest and use a ballistic insert to make a Ballistic Backpack or Briefcase. A briefcase or backpack will usually be around, rather than a vest that won't always be worn because of heat buildup, or clothing choices.

For high threat situations, e.g., glass breaking at 3 o'-clock in the morning, or standing guard in a Hurricane Katrina style disaster, maximum protection in both coverage area and protection level makes the most sense. Hence Tactical Body Armor with Rifle Plates, and maybe even Side Rifle Plates. The extended coverage and rifle protection gives you a much "warmer and fuzzier" feeling when you are in a real "two-way range" situation!

So, if you can afford it, both a concealable torso vest, and an extended coverage Tactical vest with Rifle Plates is the optimal solution. Just as pistols and rifles serve different purposes with different capabilities - it's always a tradeoff between convenience and weight vs. protection.

If your budget dictates one or the other, go with what fits your circumstances most often. Discreet, concealed wear all day in low threat areas, or overt Tactical armor for shorter duration, high risk situations.

If you need to split the difference, you might want to consider a modular Rifle Plates Carrier to upgrade your concealable vest with rifle protection. Going the other way, you can strip down an Interceptor vest, removing the neck and groin components for a torso vest concealable under a light jacket. Yours truly - Nick, Manager, BulletProofME.com

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Letter Re: Request for Investing Advice

Mr. Rawles:
After reading "Patriots" last year, much like Mr. H., I was decidedly ready to act, but largely unprepared logistically. It can be overwhelming and the feeling that “I had a long way to go” was ever present (it still is and I suspect always will be as my education never ends). I'd just like to remind the author to not worry, you’ll get the stuff; you’ve already taken the first step and done something. But preparedness is more than material, the mindset is most important. Start to live right, be frugal, be healthy. Don’t be reliant on outside institutions. Grind that grain, learn to eat and use whole foods. You’ll not only be saving money in this inflationary environment as you prepare, you’ll also enjoy health benefits and be doing your family service by breaking them out of the consumerist mentality that inundates us all and welcoming them into a life of self sufficiency. Most importantly by being a good, guiding father and husband.

Once you get your mind right and start thinking, you’ll learn to set priorities and focus on certain aspects of preparedness individually. Over time you will accumulate materials and skills necessary to not only survive in TEOTWAWKI, but to thrive in everyday life.

Last year I submitted an article called What if The Schumer Doesn't Hit The Fan? - Reasons to Prepare Anyway. I stand by my writing but have learned a lot since and think we are ever closer to rough times.

In less than one year, I’ve accumulated most importantly a wealth of knowledge, but also several months worth of grain and dried food for my family, a grain mill of course, defense items, several books, communication equipment, a generator, a modest gasoline supply, first aid supplies, a pocket water filter and several other items. We also now raise backyard chickens, expanded our garden, increased savings (the most difficult part by far), and I am finally working on starting a small dog training business.

Since deciding to really prepare, it’s amazing how far I’ve come, but I was also amazed at how receptive my wife and kids have been and how much we were either already doing or mentally prepared to do which mesh well with a preparedness lifestyle. Things like home schooling, camping, eliminating debt, learning to do without. I still have a long way to go but I am proud of our accomplishments and enjoying the lifestyle change.

In closing, I'd like to say it's awesome how many people's lives you are changing. Thank you, Mr. Rawles for all you do. - MB

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Odds 'n Sods:

Larry in Cincinnati spotted this sobering Banking Times article: Central bank body warns of Great Depression. Gee, have they been reading SurvivalBlog?

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Jack B. flagged this from Scotland: Petrol supplies dwindling as tanker drivers' strike fuels panic buying

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If you are wealthy and want to own the ultimate "Get Out of Dodge" vehicle, I noticed that there is an U.S. Army/ARVN configuration Cadillac Gage V-100 Commando wheeled armored personnel carrier listed for sale at Dave Uhrig's site. It make the up-armored Ferret Mark 4 that I once owned look wimpy, by comparison. (My Ferret only had seats for two, and a single M1919A4 belt-fed .30 caliber in the turret.)

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Five Ways to Survive Any Disaster--Survival researcher Amanda Ripley explains how to get through the next earthquake/hurricane/plane crash/terrorist attack. A good article, from Mother Jones magazine of all places! This illustrates that survivalism increasingly knows no politics. ( A hat tip to "OSOM", for the link.)

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Jim's Quote of the Day:

"Government is good at one thing: It knows how to break your legs, hand you a crutch, and say, 'See, if it weren't for the government, you wouldn't be able to walk.'" - Harry Browne, April 11, 2002

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Sunday June 15 2008
Note from JWR:

The SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction ends tonight (Sunday, June 15th), at midnight, eastern time. The high bid is now at $1,110. This big auction is for any of you that are gun enthusiasts. It includes 17 items: A four day "gray" transferable Front Sight course certificate, which was kindly donated by Naish Piazza of Front Sight (worth up to $2,000), a $200 gift certificate from Choate Machine and Tool Company (the makers of excellent fiberglass stocks, folding stocks, and shotgun magazine extensions), $450+ worth of full capacity magazines from my personal collection including five scarce original Ruger-made 20 round Mini-14 magazines and five scarce 20 round Beretta M92 magazines, and an autographed copy of the book "Boston's Gun Bible." The total value of this 17 item auction lot is $2,700! (See the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction page for details on exactly what is included.) Note: Because this auction includes full capacity magazines, no bids will be accepted from outside of the US or from a resident of any state with magazine restrictions. Please e-mail us your bids, in $10 increments. Place your bid soon! Today, with permission, we present a guest article by Mike Morgan:

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Florida at the Precipice of Depression, by Mike Morgan, J.D., CRS, GRI

I was going to call this "Banks March Us Into Depression," or maybe more fitting is . . . "Complete Collapse of US Banking System." Folks, that is what we are looking at. I don't see any way around it. What we're seeing here in Florida, is your crystal ball. And what happens here, is coming to a town near you . . . soon.

This past week I didn't write anything, because what I am seeing unravel is disturbing to the point I had to question what I was seeing and hearing. So I decided to take as much time as I needed to digest it all, and then put something together for you. So here goes . . .

I could prepare volumes of spread sheets with Bernankesque numbers. I could talk about commodity prices and oil and Third World politics and a dozen other metrics that all lead to the same conclusion. But let me give you a ground zero look. That's what I do best. I will leave the manipulation of the numbers to the folks on Wall Street that do it best. The same folks that have created the precipice they will soon push us off.

I spend a great deal of time dealing with Asset Managers hired by banks stuck with REOs. So as not to re-hash the events leading to the housing crisis, I will not discuss the free-money policies of the past, and I will not discuss the absolute lack of accountability in making the bad loans of the past. Let's just deal with how the banks are attempting to recover.

Unfortunately, banks are not making a realistic effort to address the crisis. That may be because they cannot. As the banks and builders have announced write down after write down, my mantra has been . . . and continues to be: not enough, not enough, not enough. I still believe that. The builders and the banks have underestimated the magnitude of the problem, and they continue to do so. Analysts continue to look at the rear-view mirror and attempt to manipulate numbers based misguided historical assumptions. The NAR and the economists continue to twist the numbers, lie and then slip in prior-month adjustments without actually comparing apples to apples. But that is another article. The bankers and the fat cats on Wall Street sit back and watch the carnival, collecting fees from everyone they can snooker.

I have recently started turning away REO properties from banks and asset managers, even though hundreds of thousands of real estate agents nationwide are lined up waiting for these listings. I made the decision because we have reached a point where these listings are costing us money, and the asset managers are squeezing harder and harder . . . because they can. There are great asset managers and there are incompetent ones. The majority fall into the incompetent bucket, but we eliminate them quickly. The banks, on the other hand, continue to throw away money with the bucket of incompetent managers. It seems like the mortgage brokers that pushed funny money for the last six years are now starting asset management companies. We still work with a number of asset managers and banks directly, but the list of asset managers is growing smaller as properties fail to sell. When that happens, properties are bundled up and sold in bulk or at auction. This puts further downward pressure on markets because of lower prices and the inventory was not absorbed . . . it just changed hands.

Banks cannot afford to take 50-75% hits on mortgages, and that is exactly what is happening. The precipice is here, and we are on it. Recent reports about home sales rebounding are insignificant, because no one is accurately describing the growing inventory build-up. Banks simply don't have the margins to deal with this crisis. And for that reason, we will see massive bank failures and this will snowball into a complete economic meltdown. If you have an argument against this scenario, I'd love to debate you on a live conference call. We deal with the banks. We know what is going on before the numbers show up at the Fed or any analysts desks. We deal with the public, so we hear the desperation at all levels. I listen to grown men cry about how to explain to their families that they are losing everything. I listen to people that I fear are on the verge of suicide. I read about people committing crimes simply to put food on the table. Spend a week with me, and you'll understand why there is no feasible way to avoid a Depression.

The banks will fail, just as they failed in 1929 . . . but worse because this time some of this leverage is as high as 40:1. Insurance? Where is that going to come from? There is no insurance that can cover the cost of the coming bank failure, unless we just print more money. We are two generations removed from 1929. I am talking about Biblical 40 year generations. And when you look at who we were in 1929 and who we are now, you'll realize just how ugly it is going to be. In 1929 there was a stronger base of family values. There was a work ethic that we don't see today. The generation from 1929 - 1969 grew up with a totally different set of values than the generation from 1969 - 2009. The first generation worked their way out of the Depression. Today's generation doesn't understand work. We only understand creative financing and how to live off the next generation. And sadly, that is where we are today. We are at the precipice, and we are going to push our children over the edge because we lived so far above our means and ignored all of the warning signs. We lived just like the Romans in their final days.

Harsh? Like I said, spend one week with me, and you will go home with a new outlook about life, people and the crisis that is unfolding. You will go home with a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach. Guaranteed.

Just Florida? No, but Florida is your crystal ball.

The next generation? I would like to think we will eventually build ourselves out of this Depression with nuclear plants, solar and wind farms, seawater desalinization plants new roads and bridges and state of the art cars and trucks. Unfortunately, who is going to get their hands dirty? For those that study history, how would we manage a WPA with today's generation? It will be a much tougher recovery, because we have lost the fundamentals that made us the greatest country in the world.

Conference Call: I am going to hold a conference call on June 26th. If you would like to join the call, please e-mail me.

Note: If interested in additional information, visit my institutional web site at www.Morgan-Florida.org or my institutional blog or our consumer web site. If you would like to be added to our distribution list, please e-mail me. Since I originally wrote this piece, I have received hundreds of e-mails and comments. Unfortunately, I can't possibly respond to all of them. If you would like to receive my articles, I can add you to my Quick Notes distribution list. Just e-mail me. You can also read prior articles at my web site and on the left hand side you can sort through prior posts by title and date. Thank You all for the nice comments and e-mails. I encourage everyone to email this piece to your Congressman and Senators. The links for e-mailing them are here: House and Senate.

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Letter Re: E85 Ethanol Compatible Vehicles

Sir;
I saw 85% Ethanol (E85) for the first time around me at a gas station for $3.49. Plus or minus the lost gas mileage, I will still be paying the same per mile. If I should choose to equip my vehicles with something like FlexTek, which is an electronic module that changes how long the fuel injectors fire, do you think it would be worth it? In other words, do you think ethanol will go up or down compared to gasoline? If the gap continues to separate to more than 50 cents difference, E85 becomes a real option, do you think this is possible?

You are about the only person I can think of with a broad enough spectrum of knowledge to even make an educated guess. Thanks, Andrew D.

JWR Replies: In the new fuel price paradigm, having at least one E85-compatible vehicle is certainly wise. These "Flex Fuel" Vehicles (FFVs) have fuel tanks and fuel lines designed to handle alcohol as well as ignition systems that automatically sense the flash point of the fuel, and compensate accordingly. (Hence, they can run on unleaded gasoline, E85, or any mixture of the two.) I have been recommending buying E85-compatible vehicles in SurvivalBlog since September of 2005. Rather than doing a conversion, which will void most manufacturer's engine warranties and can even require a gas tank replacement for older vehicles, I generally recommend simply waiting until the next time you replace a vehicle. Finding a FFV is getting easier with each passing year, since they are getting produced in greater numbers by nearly all of the major car and truck makers. The best way to find one is to do a used vehicle search at Edmunds.com, and include the phrase "Flex Fuel" or "FFV".

It is difficult to predict what will happen with fuel prices. Even given general trends, taxation is a "wild card" that is impossible to predict. But it is just plain common sense to buy the most flexible vehicles and and generators available, especially when getting that flexibility doesn't cost much more than buying standard single-fuel engines.

If the price of regular gas rises above $4.50 per gallon (and it likely will), I suspect that E85 ethanol will remain under $3.60 per gallon in the Midwest, making it quite cost effective. (Although E85 has a 100 to 105 octane rating, a FFV burning E85 gets 28% fewer miles per gallon than when burning unleaded gasoline.)

As always, regardless of the make and model you choose, I am not in favor of buying factory new cars and trucks. There are huge cost savings in buying a vehicle with 20,000 to 35,000 miles on the odometer.

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Letter Re: For Want of Battery

Hello Jim,
To follow up on your recent post, I just wanted to let readers of the blog know that Northern Tool & Equipment is having a sale on their solar panels right now. All-Battery.com is also having a major sale on battery chargers and some other items as well. These can be significant savings for anyone needing these items. - Jeff in Ohio

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Odds 'n Sods:

RBS sent us the link to an editorial posted at Numismaster: U.S. May Be on Brink of Financial Crisis

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There are just two weeks left in BulletProofME.com's special sale on Interceptor Body Armor and Kevlar helmets, just for SurvivalBlog readers. They only rarely offer prices this low, so don't miss out!

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Mary R. mentioned this news story from New Zealand: Four weeks until power cuts

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"If Americans feel they are being pick-pocketed by inflation, they should take a look overseas" writes Richard Benson in With Inflation There's No Free Lunch. His chart comparing this past year's inflation rate for 24 nations is informative. (A hat tip to Kevin A. for the link.)

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Jim's Quote of the Day:

"The plans of the diligent surely lead to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty surely to poverty." - Proverbs 21:5, NKJV

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Saturday June 14 2008
Note from JWR:

The SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction ends tomorrow (Sunday, June 15th.) The high bid is now at $920. This big auction is for any of you that are gun enthusiasts. It includes 17 items: A four day "gray" transferable Front Sight course certificate, which was kindly donated by Naish Piazza of Front Sight (worth up to $2,000), a $200 gift certificate from Choate Machine and Tool Company (the makers of excellent fiberglass stocks, folding stocks, and shotgun magazine extensions), $450+ worth of full capacity magazines from my personal collection including five scarce original Ruger-made 20 round Mini-14 magazines and five scarce 20 round Beretta M92 magazines, and an autographed copy of the book "Boston's Gun Bible." The total value of this 17 item auction lot is $2,700! (See the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction page for details on exactly what is included.) Note: Because this auction includes full capacity magazines, no bids will be accepted from outside of the US or from a resident of any state with magazine restrictions. Please e-mail us your bids, in $10 increments. Place your bid soon!

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Two Letters Re: Some Observations on Recent Flooding in the US Midwest

James,
I got this from a friend in Indiana:
All is well at our house but the town is suffering. Here are a few comments for your edification.
- Small rivers come up fast with 10 inches of rainfall. Unknown to me, but if I had delayed another 30 minutes in going home, I would not have been with my family where I was needed.
- This was the first time other than snow events when I could not leave town. All roads underwater, including interstates and state highways.
- My Chevy 4WD pickup will go through deeper water than most cars. Don't purchase any used cars from Indiana for awhile.
- The portable generator worked great. With smart load management I could essentially run the entire house including frig, freezer, microwave, geothermal air conditioning, and lights. Total power off time was 12 hours with less that 6 hours of generator run time. Now I want to have more fuel on hand. A quieter generator would have been a plus.
- When the power went off and it was expected to be off for the duration of this emergency, we all immediately took showers to use the available hot water. Sometime later the city water pressure went way down but not completely off. Toilets remained operational.
- The hospital was flooded and will be closed for an indeterminate length of time. All patients were evacuated. Plan your medical emergencies accordingly.
- I'm in the market for a battery powered AM/FM radio with headphone jack so I can listen to local news without disturbing others during the night. Local radio seems to be the best source of information. Cable went off line. The weather band radio was useful as they routinely give river level conditions.
- The middle school and later the high school were opened for those seeking shelter. I'd rather sleep in the woods.
- My brother lives 30 miles away but works here. He was stranded and spent the night with us. He appreciated the hot shower, clean bed, dinner, etc. He's now thinking that a bug out kit would be a good thing. He would have slept in his truck rather than go to the shelter. Drinking water would have been his first issue.
- Cell phone communications stayed up but were overloaded. Too many folks use them for non-essential communications. Same for 911 calls. I don't have a good work around but will give this some thought.
- There was no car or pedestrian traffic in our subdivision during the night. I anticipate this would change if the situation had stretched for several days. With no street lights or city ambient lighting, night vision [equipment] would have been helpful.
- The headlamp on a headband really makes the odd jobs in the dark much easier to manage. LED flashlights are a good thing. Surefire [flashlight]s were kept in reserve.
The town is in clean up mode now. Thanks and Best Wishes, - Bill N.

Mr. Rawles

Hello from a long time reader. Thanks for all the info. I thought I could give everyone a heads up on what is happening in the new Wisconsin wetlands. First off it is amazing how foolish people act when a disaster strikes. There a literally hundreds of people walking around in backed up sewer water which is waist deep. Without even shoes? People think that if they drive their sports car fast enough through the water they can make it. People who live within sight of a river are on television saying how shocked they are. Didn't it ever occur to anyone that if you live within 20 feet of a body of water it might rise someday?

My house is fine, on a hill in the higher part of town. Our Bug Out Location (B.O.L.) is fine too, just called and got the"okay" word. It is nice to know which ways to take out of town in the event of a flood for next time. Make a note of this it might come in handy. People are helping each other sand bag their homes and businesses. I wonder how long people will work together if food were to not be trucked in. It was funny to watch my neighbors load groceries into their house in the pouring rain. Preps come in handy on a rainy day, literally.

There has been lots of damage around all of Wisconsin, I had to take an alternate route to work as they shutdown a few of the lower roads. Seeing the damage first hand is sad and at the same time I think is good for people because it makes them realize how quickly everything can be lost. Coming home from my in-laws' house, I had a man hole cover blow off two feet from my truck, due to the water pressure. The next day there was an article in the local paper on how one woman's SUV was totaled because she wasn't so lucky.

Now I'm just waiting wondering if I will have a job, if the d**n on Phantom Lake goes, so does the building that I work at. - Bill C. in Wisconsin

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From David in Israel Re: Some Preparedness Implications of Rapidly Escalating Fuel Prices

James
We are all seeing the rise in fuel prices affecting food prices. I would like the readers to do a acres of farm to miles traveled evaluation of their plans when planning for a world with sparse petro-fuels.
The current option is to ignore the prices and continue to fuel large SUVs and pickup trucks even for for "pick me up milk" runs.
A fuel efficient car or motorcycle makes more sense depending on the number of passengers travelling.

Bio-diesel or ethanol from your field rarely makes sense for anything other than a few very important drives per year or towing a harvester, the effort to farm these crops are better fed to work animals and
human workers. Although if you really only make these few drives it might even out considering you make one or two batches of fuel and garage the truck the rest of the year, no daily feeding of a huge hungry beast.

Horses and oxen are very useful on a large post-petroleum farm, replacing the tractor and truck, but you need to feed that large living muscle mass even in the dead of winter when there is little
important(to your survival bottom line) travel or work. It is important to remember that even into the steam age before bicycles and automobiles reduced the number of work animals around half of the US farm output went into the mouths of work and transportation animals. Even if you are able to graze in the fair months of the year most Americans in the northern
states need to have plans to safely mow and store large amounts of hay and grains to feed your livestock. A donkey or mule is smaller and must pull a smaller plow or load but in the off months they are
a smaller idle eater and need less exercise to stay healthy and content .

The last stop in labor is the human body, around the world many poorer peoples use themselves as farming machines. You will see a man pulling a plow with his wife or child steering. A bicycle converts muscle energy many times over saving calories and time for longer range travel, as long as the bicycle can be maintained. The trick with human energy is we don't slaughter ourselves if times get tight, and we can still do useful work even in winter when most work animals are idle eaters. This is why the farm family has always rejoiced in another new baby, not only was it filling the command to be fruitful and multiply but it was another helping hand.(Have you ever noticed that the more religious families even in urban areas often have many children?)

On the plus calorie side chickens, goats, sheep and larger free grazed food animals add calories to your bottom line by metabolizing insects, kitchen scraps, and cellulose like grass into food that humans can easily consume. We need not say that the beast deal is gathered fruits, honey, netted fish, and hunted or tapped nutrition which require tiny amounts of exertion compared to the calories obtained.
Shalom, - David in Israel

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Odds 'n Sods:

Eric sent us this one: Man Retrofits Freezer to Make an Ultra-Efficient Fridge

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Courtesy of Bob from Minnesota: BIO5 Researcher Identifies Cities at Risk for Bioterrorism. Generally, this is yet another piece of confirmation for my preferences in the SurvivalBlog Recommended Retreat Areas page.

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Frank S. flagged this: Too Much Money: Inflation Goes Global

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Carl H. found this MakerFaire video on making crystal iodine from potassium iodide. This, BTW, ties in to the DEA restrictions on Polar Pure crystals--previously mentioned in SurvivalBlog

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Jim's Quote of the Day:

I remember hearing:

How high's the water, mama?
Two feet high and risin'
How high's the water, papa?
Two feet high and risin'

We can make it to the road in a homemade boat
That's the only thing we got left that'll float
It's already over all the wheat and the oats,
Two feet high and risin'

How high's the water, mama?
Three feet high and risin'
How high's the water, papa?
Three feet high and risin'

Well, the hives are gone,
I've lost my bees
The chickens are sleepin'
In the willow trees
Cow's in water up past her knees,
Three feet high and risin'

How high's the water, mama?
Four feet high and risin'
How high's the water, papa?
Four feet high and risin'

Hey, come look through the window pane,
The bus is comin', gonna take us to the train
Looks like we'll be blessed with a little more rain,
Four feet high and risin'

How high's the water, mama?
Five feet high and risin'
How high's the water, papa?
Five feet high and risin'

Well, the rails are washed out north of town
We gotta head for higher ground
We can't come back till the water comes down,
Five feet high and risin'

Well, it's five feet high and risin'

- Johnny Cash, Five Feet High and Rising

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Friday June 13 2008
Note from JWR:

Please mention SurvivalBlog whenever you call in to a talk radio show or a podcast where they are discussing preparedness. Thanks!

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Some Preparedness Implications of Rapidly Escalating Fuel Prices

The recent jump in fuel prices are going to have some far reaching effects on our economy. There is speculation that crude oil may soon spike to $150 to $170 per barrel. As prepared individuals, we need to adapt our plans, accordingly. It is noteworthy that many of us long hence foresaw these dark days, and installed underground fuel tanks, bought alternate fuel vehicles, multi-fuel generators, and at least one vehicle just for the sake of fuel economy. (If you look at the Retreat Owner Profiles--most of which were written in late 2005 and early 2006--you will see a remarkable number of fuel-efficient "secondary" vehicles.) SurvivalBlog readers plan ahead, and it shows.

In a recent issue of The Daily Reckoning, Bill Bonner wrote: "Just on Thursday and Friday of last week, wholesale gasoline prices went up 33 cents. No typo. That’s 33 cents, in two days. So let’s round it out and add another $500 to the annual gasoline bill to operate one average automobile in the US of A. If you are a two-car household, make that number $1,000. Just from a two-day spike. And that does not count the impact on diesel (killing trucking and agriculture) and jet fuel (killing airlines)."

Effectively, the recent price jumps will be like inflationary snorts of cocaine. Sooner or later, the higher cost of fuel will be "passed through" to consumers. Can you imagine what will happen to the retail price of just about everything if and when the price of gas tops $5.50 per gallon? Transportation cost increases are significant, but will impact some product prices more than others. The heavier and bulkier the item, or the farther it must travel (all the way from raw material to your doorstep) the greater the impact of the fuel price jumps. (One hint: If you've been planning to buy a gun vault, then buy it soon, and do so locally, from inventory that your dealer already has on hand. If you delay, it will likely cost $200 more, this time next year.) What will happen to Fed-Ex , UPS, and US Postal Service rates next year? It won't be pretty. OBTW, if you are thinking about setting up a home-based mail order business, then you'd had better consider focusing on small and lightweight products, such as used DVDs.

Think through what the fuel prices will do for various product prices and availability (think: spot shortages), and who they will affect life at your retreat.

I predict that there will be a long lag time while the price of propane catches up to the prices of other fuels. The cost of electricity will also lag behind, especially in regions that have predominately hydroelectric power. In the long run, however, prices will undoubtedly catch up. Exploit this lag time to build up the alternative energy potential of your retreat. Think through you options, do some comparison pricing, and then get busy. (Consider the merits and drawbacks of photovoltaics, wind, micro-hydro, bio-gas, biodiesel, geothermal, wood-fired steam/co-generation, and so forth.)

Vehicles

If you are planning to buy additional vehicles for your retreat, consider the following:

One of your vehicles should be a very fuel-efficient runabout. (Something like a used Geo Metro or Toyota Corolla--but for serious preparedness planning avoid the high cost and complexity of a hybrid.) If you need four wheel drive, consider buying a used Subaru. Notably, Subaru all-wheel-drive cars are the most popular cars with America's contract rural mail carriers. Also consider getting a mo-ped or motorcycle for handling some of your errands in the current pre-Schumeresque times.

Look for a fleet surplus propane-powered pickup. (Utility companies often use these. Watch for auction announcements.) If you could get one that is 4WD, that would be ideal. But even if you can't find one that is 4WD, one option is finding a 4WD of the same year and the same maker as your 2WD propane-engine truck, and then combining parts to create a "Frankentruck." Not only would this be great mechanical experience, but it will leave you with another nearly complete vehicle to cannibalize for spare parts. Another option, albeit more expensive, is converting an existing 4WD to propane. Because Propane tanks are large, this is best accomplished with a 4WD pickup. (I have seen pairs of 47-gallon capacity "torpedo tanks" installed above the wheel wells in a pickup box. This allows nearly full use of the pickup bed space.) Since a propane conversion will likely void a warranty, it is best done with an older vehicle that is "out of warranty". Speaking of propane, don't miss the recent piece by FerFAL, (SurvivalBlog's correspondent in Argentina), posted at his personal blog site: Alternative fuel for your car. It describes a gaz naturel comprimé (GNC) conversion done on his Korean import car.

Own at least one E85-compatible "Flex Fuel" vehicle (FFV).

If your budget allows it, consider getting an electric vehicle. (Several times in SurvivalBlog, I've mentioned Bad Boy Buggy electric ATVs as well as ATV suspension conversions for electric golf carts.) An electric ATV makes an ideal "at the retreat " utility vehicle, particularly for someone that has a large alternate power system with a battery bank.

Here is one vehicle possibility that might at first seem counterintuitive: There will probably be thousands of used recreational vehicles (RVs) hitting the market in the next few years--some for pennies on the dollar. Budget-minded preppers might consider buying an older RV to live in, while building their retreats. Just keep in mind that the resale value will likely drop to nearly nothing if gas prices continue to escalate, so only buy one if you can truly get it dirt cheap.

Horse Power

For the really long term, learn as much as you can about horses, and change your purchasing plans is this approach matches your needs and the pasture carrying capacity of your retreat. There is a lot to this: horsemanship, hay cutting (preferably horse-powered), hay storage, pasture fencing, a barn, tack, veterinary supplies, and so forth. Here at the Rawles Ranch, our saddle horse Money Pit may soon have some new friends in the pasture.

Hay and grain prices have been sky high for a full year now, so this has pushed the price of horses down tremendously. At present, in much of the western US, good saddle saddle horses are literally being given away. Just ask around. If you are not yet an experienced rider, then limit your search to older, gentle "bomb proof" mares or geldings. If you have plenty of pasture and hay ground, take advantage of the current low prices for horses. Buy them while they're cheap. Watch your newspaper classified ads and Craig's List for horses as as well as tack, hay mowers, and a horse trailer. In addition to saddle horse, think in terms of working horses. So while you are searching for saddles, also look for wagons, buck boards, horse collars, long reins, log chains, and other work horse tack.

Fuel Storage

Storing extra fuel is a natural for family preparedness. If you use propane, consider buying a larger tank. That fuel will be like money in the bank. Ditto for gasoline and diesel fuel. (See the SurvivalBlog archives for details on fuel stabilizers and and antibacterial additives. (The latter is for diesel. Yes, bacteria will actually grow in diesel fuel.) What size tank(s)? The bigger, the better. That way you can buy during occasional dips in the market as well as have a reserve that will help ride through any spot shortages. Consult you local fire code for any limits where you live. I generally prefer underground tanks, for both OPSEC and fire safety.

Generators

Needless to say, flexibility will be your goal with your backup generator(s). Various diesel generator and tri-fuel generators have already been discussed at length in SurvivalBlog. Despite its current high price tag, diesel is still a viable fuel for standby generators. Keep in mind that you can legally burn less expensive off-road (untaxed) diesel, biodiesel, and even home heating oil in your diesel genset. (Of course consult your state and local laws before doing so.)

Retreat Locales

Higher fuel costs will likely change the way the at you look at your retreat, and where it is located. If you are retired, self-employed, or if you telecommute, the impact won't be nearly so great. You can simply adapt your lifestyle to make trips into town less often. But if you have a daily job "in town", then the impact could be substantial. The whole concept of "public transportation" is foreign to folks that live in places like Wyoming or the Dakotas. Even carpooling can be difficult for people that live in lightly populated areas. OBTW, speaking of carpooling, I predict that both carpooling and ride sharing will undergo a great resurgence in the next few years. The information networking power of the Internet will undoubtedly be put to full use in matching drivers/riders and destinations. The carpooling networking sites like SpaceShare and eRideShare will probably become very popular.

Remote properties will seem even more remote when gas tops $5 per gallon. This has both positive and negative implications. The good news is that it will make remote properties more affordable and will also make them less likely to fall prey to "commuter criminals" and looters. But the bad news is if you are trapped in a corporate job and must commute to work. Ditto for farmers and ranchers that must get what they produce to market.

If you have not yet bought a retreat, then you might want to make the new fuel cost paradigm a more important part of your locale selection process. As I've mentioned before in SurvivalBlog, if you do some concerted searching, you might be ale to find a piece of land with a low-volume natural gas well, or a surface coal seam. Another possibility is finding a property with a large year-round stream and sufficient change in elevation ("fall") allowing installation of a micro-hydro system. If you are an adherent to Peak Oil theory, then you might consider buying a retreat that is close to a community in a truck farming region--someplace that can expected to be self-sufficient in the event of chronic gas and diesel shortages. There are of course security trade-offs, so such a decision might be a momentous one to make. (Since most survivalists value having "elbow room".)

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Letter Re: Neighbors and Friends are Failing to Adapt and Prepare for New Threats

Mr. Rawles:
I stumbled upon your blog site last month and it was the equivalent of a "reboot" in terms of my own thinking about how to adapt to the conditions surrounding "Peak Oil" and Global Warming. I'm grateful for your web site and efforts. I commend your honesty. I envy your faith.

In the past months local and national events highlight the scope of the trouble we now all face. I'm afraid the direction is irreversible. To list a few, gasoline and diesel prices have climbed to new heights, both global and local weather conditions indicate a promise of drought and large scale crop collapse, and our infantile and narcissistic population is in grave denial. I would add this denial is paired with ignorance - as most people in American are unfamiliar with grave or harsh living conditions, nor do they care to learn about adapting to them. "Oh, that's not going to happen here."

As I urge those in my closest circle to begin to prepare for a number of increasingly bad scenarios - I am met with interest, curiosity, indifference and some ridicule. I am the family "kook". My wife reminds me; "Jeremiah." (This was discussed in the book, "Night" by Elie Weisel.)

People are not ready to think about what is coming. For example, in response to a Craig's List ad I posted for a car pool rider (to share my commute.) I've received zero interest. A local news channel did a story on my ad and interviewed me for the story. The article included my comments about "Peak" and a "Long Emergency." No takers. At the YMCA, where I train regularly, most men I speak to feel there is no global warming and either don't know what Peak Oil is or feel the best solution is to bomb another country that has oil. I think to myself: these are the folks I'll be defending my home against. Finally, when I suggested to my parents the need for spare supplies in their vacation house - my suggested list brought denials, anger and ridicule. They can't even begin to think of survival scenarios or WTSHTF. (Their home is a McMansion built on some nice farmland - which I see has having great agricultural value in the future, provided there is adequate rain.)

James H. Kunstler, who wrote the book "The Long Emergency" recently spoke at our school auditorium. Only 20 or so people attended, and few had questions indicating any understanding of how violent these events may actually become. Another professor recently lectured at an area college on the same topic - and spelled it all out. He planned to bug out in advance. A local news paper carried the story. Perhaps this shows some progress? I commended the writer by e-mail.

To adapt, I began to prepare for the worst; I'm reading more about the subject, making no assumptions, stocking food, water and key equipment. I intend to train my 12 year-old to soon have familiarity with all weapons in our home (.22 rimfires, 12 gauge, and 9mm pistols.) Given our home location, its defensibility, and our firepower - I'm unsure as to how long we can make it - especially if civil unrest or military response is too strong, but I'm committed to dedicating resources to the cause - to do what I can for as long as I can and to educating those around me who will listen (this is tricky.)

From speaking with others on the same page, many are overwhelmed. I am too, but I always remind them that they can do a little every week. Underscored here also is that resources such as the bogus tax stimulus checks can be used to build food and supply stocks. I keep a purchase list ready - which will go against my fake tax give back. Grocery runs always include "extras" that will store well.

On a final note, although I'm dedicated to "hoping for the best and preparing for the worst," I find it very difficult to bring my wife and only child into some of these scenarios. My wife is a great life partner and understands this situation very well - but some of this remains unspeakable. Further, I caution great care as to how to work with children on these matters. It is worse than the movie, "I Am Legend" because the "infected" will be real and much more plentiful, and the survival resources few. Camping and "activities" build the skill sets and offer the instructional opportunities, as someone already posted.

Thanks again for what you do, - Jon

JWR Replies: You are correct. Pollyanna denial is rampant. You aren't the only one that encounters it.

Don't worry about ridicule. Noah was considered a "kook". So were the Jews that emigrated from Germany in the mid-1930s. Most of them survived, while those that didn't ended up in the camps and many of them were subsequently victims of Nazi genocide.

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Odds 'n Sods:

Matt in Texas suggested this piece: Kobyashi Maru. Matt's comment: "This should help make it clear that the Federal Reserve is between a rock and a hard place. No matter what decision is made on the discount rate...we are toast."

o o o

Thanks to David F for sending this: Two dead in Europe fuel protests. David notes: "For those who think food riots and fuel shortages are limited to the Third World, I think this article might bring things home a bit. This is hoarding, boycotts, people dying, [all] because of oil. Could the US be next?"

o o o

Flood news from the Midwest: Downtown flooding 'devastating and unbelievable' say onlookers. And meanwhile we read: Corn hits record, soy rallies as floods expand

o o o

I just noticed that following news of some short term "strength" in the US Dollar, the spot price of silver has been pushed down below $16.40 per ounce. Dips like these are a great buying opportunity!

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Jim's Quote of the Day:

"Never mistake motion for action." - Ernest Hemingway

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Thursday June 12 2008
Note from JWR:

There are just three days left in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction. is now at $650. The high bid is now at $810. This big auction is for any of you that are gun enthusiasts. It includes 17 items: A four day "gray" transferable Front Sight course certificate, which was kindly donated by Naish Piazza of Front Sight (worth up to $2,000), a $200 gift certificate from Choate Machine and Tool Company (the makers of excellent fiberglass stocks, folding stocks, and shotgun magazine extensions), $450+ worth of full capacity magazines from my personal collection including five scarce original Ruger-made 20 round Mini-14 magazines and five scarce 20 round Beretta M92 magazines, and an autographed copy of the book "Boston's Gun Bible." The total value of this 17 item auction lot is $2,700! (See the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction page for details on exactly what is included.) Note: Because this auction includes full capacity magazines, no bids will be accepted from outside of the US or from a resident of any state with magazine restrictions. Please e-mail us your bids, in $10 increments. The auction ends on Sunday, June 15th.

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Two Letters Re: Request for Investing Advice

Hello Jim,
First off, thanks for an excellent book/resource in your novel "Patriots". I read it in the last week and it has had a profound effect on me. I also felt the writing was quite good, being entertaining and educational at the same time. Thanks for it!

After reading your book (and listening to my brother, who has been talking about TEOTWAWKI for some time now), I did finally do some things to prepare in the last week, but I wonder what the next step is for me.

First off, I invested about $80 to make some shelving in a storage closet downstairs that had previously been filled with junk.

Then I went to the local Wal-Mart and bought canned and dry goods: about six each of peas, corn, refried beans, tuna, pinto beans, stove top stuffing, rice, ramen, breakfast cereal, and so forth. I made sure to only buy stuff that we would eat anyway. I guess I’m not quite sure to buy whole grain and a mill, because truthfully unless we get to TEOTWAWKI, there’s no way we would use that stuff. Anyway, total cost for all this food was around $180, and it filled about 2/3rds of my shelves (the [shopping] cart was full though). I figure this is a good start, and now I feel if there was a “run on the grocery store” we would still be able to live for one to two months.

I also have lots of guns of varying calibers, including 8 rifles and 5 handguns, and probably 500 rounds of ammo total, approximately 300 of these are cartridges for my 9mm Glock which I just purchased new a few months ago.

Based on my brother’s advice, I did buy 12 one-ounce gold coins within the last year, and have those here in my house. After having read your book, I did go trade one of those coins for silver the other day, so I now have approximately $900 in silver as well.

I have decided to allocate all of my tax “stimulus” check towards preparing for the future. Our stimulus was approximately $700 (I made too much money to get the full amount), so I have about $400 left. So here’s the question: What do I spend this $400 on? More silver? More food? More ammo? I assume your opinion is that the price of all of these is going to continue to go up, but I hate to buy ammo when I see how doggone expensive it is now!

One more question: Between my wife and me we have a substantial sum invested in retirement funds, mostly in low-load mutual funds through Vanguard. I am wondering about taking a portion of this money and putting into a money-market account so that when/if the stock market crashes I will retain some value. However, I am also aware that inflation would eat this money alive, if we get into heavy inflation. I would be interested in your opinion on this question as well. Thanks, - Mr. H. in Wyoming

JWR Replies: Your tax stimulus check is probably best spent on additional useful tangibles such as food, first aid supplies, and ammo. Despite what appears to be the high price tag, the price of ammunition will likely continue to go up. Don't think of it as ammo going up in price. It is more a function of the dollar going down in purchasing power.

With the recent collapse of the credit market, US stocks are now quite precarious. The dearth of credit is shutting down the economy. But regardless of whether or not there is a stock market crash or if US companies continue to limp along, US stocks certainly won't have the same returns that they did in years past. So it is best to divest yourself of nearly all of your stocks and stock mutual funds. IMHO, the only stocks that are presently worth holding are in the energy sector and precious metals mining, and even then those should be the minority of your full portfolio.

At the present time, after paying off any outstanding consumer debt (such as car loans or credit cards) I'd recommend that you then reinvest the remainder of your mutual fund divestiture, as follows:

40% in inflation indexed US treasuries (TIPS),
20% in a global currency fund (to minimize your dollar exposure),
10% in additional food storage and various preparedness gear (first aid, communications, et cetera.)
10% in money market account
10% in silver mining and energy stocks
10% in barterable tangibles (as I've described in my blog--things like guns, common caliber ammo, and full capacity magazines)

However, your priorities my differ so you might want to adjust those ratios. The important thing is insulating yourself from inflation, and a the likely collapse of both the stock market and the US dollar in foreign exchange. Because of the global credit collapse, we are on the verge of a depression that could be as bad or worse than that of the 1930s. Be ready. Get out of stocks and minimize your US Dollar exposure.

If and when inflation jumps to double digits, even TIPS won't be a safe investment (since government figures under-state inflation). At that point you should then sell your TIPS and close you money market account. Invest that more heavily into tangibles--both barterables and retreat-worthy land. By that time, the real estate market will be in cardiac arrest, so there will be some genuine bargains. Living in Wyoming, you might consider some of the locales I mention in my book "Rawles on Retreats and Relocation", such as The Big Horn Basin, and the Star Valley. Look for properties with good topsoil and plenty of water. Be sure to buy land that is on defendable terrain and that is well-removed from any major highway.

Good Morning Mr. Rawles,
I found SurvivalBlog about a year ago have been hooked since, [your novel] "Patriots" was inspiring and awesome.

I would like your opinion regarding 401(k) retirement funds. I am 49 years old and have a fair amount of 401(k) funding, I understand any early withdrawal would result in about 30% tax and loss. I know you don't have a crystal ball but would 70% not be better then a 100% loss in a situation of a full economic collapse. I know these are very hypothetical questions but I have come to respect your opinions, and could fast-track my preparedness if I cashed out early. - John V.


JWR Replies: First, ask your company if they offer a "Self-directed 401(k)" option. If so, you can put your money in a contrarian ("bear") stock (and stock shorting) fund, and some energy and silver mining stocks.

Is there any chance of rolling over your 401(k) into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA)? If so, you can get a US Gold Eagle IRA. (The folks at Swiss America can set one up for you.) I have heard of some people "trapped" in very limited 401(k)s that have switched to independent contractor status, changed jobs, or even gone so far as to briefly quit their jobs and then get re-hired, just to free up their 401(k) funds to accomplish a rollover without penalties. (Some of these approaches, of course, would require having a sympathetic boss.)

If none of those approaches will work in your situation, then at least re-direct your 401(k) out of stocks and stock mutual funds and into a money market fund. (Most corporate retirement fund plans allow at least a small portfolio "menu" of investment approaches.) But I would not recommend doing anything so radical as taking a 70% loss.

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Letter Re: What is a "Gray" Front Sight Course Certificate?


JWR –
Is the Front Sight certificate [offered in the current auction, and available as writing contest prizes] good for the course that includes the “free” pistol? Also, you keep mentioning “gray” certificates but not all of us know what that means! Thanks, - MDR

JWR Replies: The "gray" course certificate is for one person to attend one Front Sight four day course (or for two people to attend a two day course.) The certificates printed on gray paper are transferable, but are "introductory", meaning that they can't be used by someone that has already attended a Front Sight course. The four day courses are normally $2,000.

Front Sight's current "Get a Gun" training and gear package offer (including a Springfield Armory XD pistol) is a separate offering. But that also includes a gray course certificate, which makes the offer a real bargain!

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Letter Re: Bulk Storage Grain Now Available in New Zealand

Dear JWR,
You have rightly pointed out in the past that New Zealand is a good location for surviving a world crisis. New Zealand has less than half the average population density of the USA (39/sq mi. versus 80/sq mi.), there are just 1.3 million people in our largest city and many regions are blessed with wonderful conditions for horticulture.
Of course there are downsides to New Zealand's isolation during normal times. The United States of America is a large marketplace with over 300 million people - you can have supplies for any niche need delivered to your door. Over here, often the airfreight on specialized survival goods from the US costs more than the goods themselves! And unless you can fill a shipping container, you can forget about purchasing any heavy goods.

I'm writing to let your readers know that there is a new company offering bulk storage wheat and rice in New Zealand. Our product is packed into mylar bags and the oxygen is removed, leaving a partial vacuum with a nitrogen atmosphere. The bags are protected by a heavy duty HDPE pail with sealing lid, for durability and a secondary oxygen barrier.
Wheat stored in this way has the potential to last 20 years or more, and white rice for 10 years or more.

I'm a survivalist who has got into business, not a businessman who has got into survival - I regularly use a grain mill to turn my own product into delicious wholemeal breads at home. I would like to invite your readers to view our Enduring Supplies Limited web site. As an introductory offer, I will offer Survivalblog readers a 10% discount on whole pallet orders and a 5% discount on smaller orders placed in the next two weeks (finishing Friday 27th June). I look forward to hearing from some like minded 'locals'. Kind Regards, - Craig (a 10 Cent Challenge subscriber)

JWR Replies: I wish you the best with your business. It will certainly fill what has been a chronic need.

OBTW, you mentioned New Zealand's population density. The stats that I have seen list North Island's density as 27.5 per square kilometer, compared to just 6.7 per square kilometer on South Island. There is no doubt where I'd recommend our Kiwi (and Kiwi wannabe) readers live: the farming and ranching country on South Island.

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Odds 'n Sods:

Our friend Michael Panzner of the Financial Armageddon blog just linked to this key article: Crisis shifts to regional lenders. This shows that the global credit collapse is s far from over!

o o o

Larry W. flagged this piece by Jim Sinclair: Total Notional Value of Derivatives Outstanding Surpasses One Quadrillion Dollars. That is a lot of zeros! BTW, I think that Sinclair's figures are high, since among other things, credit derivatives are actually dropping rapidly in their notional aggregate value. This is inevitable as the global credit market is continuing to contract. But regardless, the risk posed by derivatives is still enormous The recent Bear Stearns bailout is indicative of the extreme measures that could be required, when a counterparty suddenly ceases to exist.

o o o

Bob H. spotted a safety alert article that describes in detail a threat posed by the "The Meth Head Next Door": Anhydrous ammonia and propane cylinders

o o o

Pain at the Pump: It’s Time to Start Thinking About $7 a Gallon Gasoline. Meanwhile, we read: An ominous warning that the rapid rise in oil prices has only just begun

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Jim's Quote of the Day:

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United Stated where men were free." - President Ronald Reagan

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Wednesday June 11 2008
Letter Re: An Army Officer's Observations

Mr Rawles,
I found your web site a few months ago and have been pouring through it ever since. This past week, I finished reading the SurvivalBlog archives through the end of 2007. Just six months of archives left :) I also just finished reading your excellent novel, "Patriots"

As a fundamentalist Christian who was homeschooled, I truly appreciate your willingness to unabashedly share your faith and your conservative family values through your web site and writings.

I am also a West Point graduate who became an Armor officer in 2000, so I really enjoy and relate to your anecdotes and descriptions (and military jargon & acronyms) of your personal Military Intelligence experience, as well as the fictional experiences of "Doug Carlton". Your descriptions of M1A1 tanks, Fort Knox, Advanced Camp (Camp Buckner for me), et cetera. are all spot on. Your description of tankers, down to the details about being chronically horrible on security, was exactly correct. I well remember getting a CS [tear gas] canister thrown into our perimeter at [National Training Center] NTC by the [Observer Controller] OC because we were all asleep. We received a briefing on the vulnerabilities of Abrams tanks at the Armor Captain's Career Course and, in light of that, I found your discussion of the matter in "Patriots" very interesting. As a note of interest, since the Iraq War, the training in the Armor CCC seems to place renewed importance on urban warfare and especially on combined operations with Infantry. In fact, I believe Armor and Infantry CCCs have combined now to form a single "Maneuver Captain's Career Course".

After my platoon leader time, I worked in the Fort Knox Garrison S3 shop as a planner for two years at Fort Knox's Emergency Operations Center, working on their contingency operations plans for everything from earthquakes to terrorists attacks. I took advantage of my time there in taking a lot of FEMA online courses, getting my amateur radio license, and taking a lot of civilian and military training in [Search and Rescue] SAR. That being the case, I absolutely loved the Fort Knox aspects of the plot in "Patriots" and wish to heck that I had your book during my time there to pass around to the other guys. My time there was also the point in my life when I realized that a lot can go wrong in this world and I'd better have a plan to prepare for it.

Wanting some change, I later became a Civil Affairs officer with deployments to Iraq and West Africa. Civil Affairs just became it's own branch in 2006 as the Army recognizes that "civilians on the battlefield" play an enormous role in low intensity conflicts like Iraq. The civilian dimension, both as potential OPFOR and BLUFOR, is being studied and analyzed in depth in today's Army, as it should be. However, it is terrifying to contemplate a "Patriots" type of scenario where that scrutiny, analysis, and subsequent operations would be turned towards our own populace. Double ditto for all things related to the new branch of Psychological Operations

After reading survivalblog, I've been re-examining my military experiences, especially my time in Iraq and West Africa from the survivalist viewpoint. I don't want to make this e-mail into a book, so I'll only mention a few things for now: In many of the Medical Civic Action Programs (MEDCAP) that we conducted in Africa, one of the hugely popular items was adaptive eyewear. Essentially, they are adjustable glasses where the user can modify the power of each lens to his or her needs. It works through fluid-filled lenses. You can checkout their web site at http://www.adaptive-eyecare.com/index.htm . I'm not affiliated with them, by the way, but I have handed out a lot of these things. They look like the Army BCGs, so they aren't pretty but they are effective. I went to a village last year where they told me their number one medical need was eye care. Actually, it appeared as though a large percent of the elderly people had cataracts which we couldn't fix obviously, but the adjustable glasses were a hot item for many others. I thought about it when I read some of the previous posts about eye care and about barter items. How many people would have lost or broken their glasses after a few years of TEOTWAWKI? Or their prescription changes? Glasses might be a popular barter item, but who wants to stock every prescription imaginable? These glasses can be adjusted from +6 to -6 Diopters.

The only catch is... I think this company mostly sells their glasses in bulk to NGO-type organizations for use in third world countries, so I have no idea if they are available to the normal person here in these united States. However, now that you know they're out there, you might keep a watch out for something like it. This is an example of something that is probably not currently marketable in a developed country because of lack of need. However, that could quickly change if TSHTF. I think I heard that the glasses were about $10 or $12 each, but they were trying to bring the costs down. Also, I'm no eye doctor, but I surmised that one of the reasons for the surprisingly high number of cataract and eye problems in these places is that they go through their whole life living outdoors without sunglasses or eye protection. Granted, we were in or near the Sahara Desert, where conditions are unusually harsh, but the lesson I took away is that sunglasses and eye protection are essential, especially if spending a lot of time in harsh-sun environments or anywhere there isn't an eye doctor.

On another note of interest, probably the number one ailment by far we saw were bowel problems, probably related to unsanitary conditions and unpurified water. There were also always a sizable number of people who had dental problems who were hugely grateful when our dentist pulled their problem teeth. As you've mentioned before, having a dental kit and knowing how to pull teeth doesn't sound too exciting now but if the time came when you needed it, you sure would be thankful that you could. Our dentist made it look so easy, pulling people's teeth while they sat on an Army cot or the back of a pickup, that I asked him to pull my wisdom teeth. He wouldn't do it, though, saying that there's a big difference in pulling out a malnourished person's tooth and pulling out a McDonald's fed American's teeth. Plus, he didn't want the liability in case of complications. My wisdom teeth weren't a problem for me, but I went ahead and got them pulled when I got back from the deployment. I figured it was better to get that out of the way now rather than wait until TEOTWAWKI when I'd be sitting on the back of a pickup while some goon is putting a pair of pliers in my mouth.

One huge "mistake" that we made was our method of handing out some giveaways during our MEDCAPs. Be careful of your how you hand out charity! We gave out bolts of cloth (the cloth had pro-American prints on them) to the women of one village and within a few hours, we had near-riot conditions. Several people were injured and nearly suffocated and/or trampled, the local police grew, shall we say, heavy-handed, and we shut down all operations. Your advice of giving out charity from a distance and using an intermediary like the church is exactly correct. Another lesson is that bolts of cloth are another really popular item for people who have to make their own clothes.

Thank you for all you do. My 10 Cent Challenge contribution will be forthcoming. God bless you and your family. Respectfully, - The Kansan

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Letter Re: Potassium Iodide Versus Potassium Iodate for Post-Nuke Thyroid Gland Protection

Jim,
I'm doing some preparation research now since I'll be pretty close to Yucca Mountain when it comes online, which I ultimately expect it to. I recently saw a posting on your blog [from "Cody"] regarding the taking of the thyroid blockers Potassium Iodate [KI] and Potassium Iodide [KIO3] in case of a nuclear event. The person writing you said that Potassium Iodate was superior because it didn't cause as much stomach irritation as Potassium Iodide. I did a web search on "potassium iodide versus potassium iodate" and came up with these links:
Approved Brands
Iodide Versus Iodate
WHO Guide to Radiation Prophylaxis (PDF)

I did as was suggested and searched for Potassium Iodate as being FDA approved and couldn't find it. Also, the World Health Organization actually does say that Potassium Iodate actually causes more stomach irritation, not less (see page 17 of the third link I included)- " KI is the preferred alternative, since KIO3 has the disadvantage of being a stronger intestinal irritant". That directly contradicts what Cody claimed in his letter. I just wanted to pass this along to get the accurate info out.
Take care, - Bill in Las Vegas

JWR Replies: Thanks for finding that piece of information! OBTW, living in Las Vegas, I think that you should be even more concerned about Las Vegas as the potential target of a terrorist nuclear "dirty bomb" than you are about the Yucca Mountain storage facility, or the vehicles transporting nuclear waste to it.

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Odds 'n Sods:

Thanks to Manuel for sending this ".45 ACP versus 400 pound bear" story from the mountains of eastern Oregon: ‘Bears always run away'. OBTW, hammer down on a live cartridge is not a good way to carry a Model 1911 pistol! (There are safety issues in lowering the hammer without causing a negligent discharge, and the pistol carried in "Condition Stupid" is very slow to get into action.) Most bears and two-legged predators are not nearly so polite as to give someone the time to both un-holster and then thumb-cock a M1911 pistol. These pistols are properly carried in "Condition One" (a.k.a. "cocked and locked".) I hope that the reporter just got that part of the story wrong. Oh and BTW, somebody must also educate the reporter on the difference between a "clip" and a magazine.

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Several readers sent us this chilling Daily Mail article: Nine meals from anarchy - how Britain is facing a very real food crisis

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A reminder that the WRSA has another Practical Medicine course scheduled, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, June 20 to June 22. This is excellent, very affordable training that is taught by an Emergency Room doctor with many years of practical experience. The course is subtitled: "Field Expedient Medical Care for Outdoorsmen in Austere Environments."

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Jack in Texas notes that the US is not the only country that is top-heavy with accumulated debt. He sent this Korea Times link: Household Debts Hit All-Time High of W640 Trillion

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Jim's Quote of the Day:

"All you need for happiness is a good gun, a good horse, and a good wife." - Daniel Boone

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Tuesday June 10 2008
Note from JWR:

The high bid in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction. is now at $650. This big auction is for any of you that are gun enthusiasts. It includes 17 items: A four day "gray" transferable Front Sight course certificate, which was kindly donated by Naish Piazza of Front Sight (worth up to $2,000), a $200 gift certificate from Choate Machine and Tool Company (the makers of excellent fiberglass stocks, folding stocks, and shotgun magazine extensions), $450+ worth of full capacity magazines from my personal collection including five scarce original Ruger-made 20 round Mini-14 magazines and five scarce 20 round Beretta M92 magazines, and an autographed copy of the book "Boston's Gun Bible." The total value of this 17 item auction lot is $2,700! (See the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction page for details on exactly what is included.) Note: Because this auction includes full capacity magazines, no bids will be accepted from outside of the US or from a resident of any state with magazine restrictions. Please e-mail us your bids, in $10 increments. The auction ends on June 15th.

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Letter Re: Alaska as a Retreat Locale

Although I think there is a lot of mindless drivel on television, I wouldn't have know about your blog site if I hadn't watched [the news story on CNN [that mentioned SurvivalBlog] yesterday. I was on the computer all afternoon yesterday reading information you have posted, as well as visiting the sites of some of your advertisers.

You are right on your opinion of Alaska, [regarding its unsuitability for most people as a retreat locale]. We live in a coastal fishing community (population under 3,000 year round, double that in the summer when the cannery workers & tourists come to town) and are not connected to the road system. Everything comes in by plane or water (barge and ferry). We have one gas station and have heard that gas just went to $5.42 per gallon and diesel is over $6 per gallon.(You know how gas stations have signs out with their prices on them? Not here - they're the only game in town, so they don't have to post prices. If you need gas you have to go see them eventually. Bread is $4.99 a loaf, a two pound block of Tillamook cheese is over $16.00 and a 32 oz. jar of Best Foods mayonnaise is $7.65 in one of the stores here. (We have three small grocery stores here, two of which are owned by a local person and the other by a Canadian company). We sometimes have to wait weeks for car parts, etc. to come in and some items are prohibited to ship from the lower 48, like ammo. We have a very short growing season and not much in the way of top soil (lots of muskeg) so raising our own veggies is difficult.On the plus side, we have one freezer full of seafood and another full of moose, as well as some I have canned.

I feel fortunate to have grown up learning from my grandmother who told me stories of raising six kids on a farm with no electricity or running water and what it was like to go through the Depression. (when they cleaned the soot out of kerosene lantern chimneys they'd save it and use it to polish their Sunday shoes). I learned to can from my mom and our family always had a frugal mindset. I worked in a health food store years ago and began to learn about whole grains, etc. as well as wild plants for medicine and food. Five years ago we moved to Alaska and I began to learn more about wilderness survival due to our remote location and travel by bush plane.

In my spare time I taught myself some skills that may come in handy, such as soap making. Skills are learned over a lifetime and it is an ongoing process.Also, there is a wealth of information rolling around in the heads of older people - all you have to do is ask them.

We will be returning to the Outside soon and your advice on locations will hopefully come in handy (we will have to settle in a location according to my husband's employment).

We have some of the skills we need, have been stocking up for a while, but have a ways to go.

I will be a frequent visitor to your site now that I know it's there. Thanks for the wealth of information. - Lonnie in Alaska

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Letter Re: Consumer Price Hikes for Food Will Continue

James –
I'm a long time reader first time writer. I have been in the food business for 31 years with many companies, over the past 12 months I have had to raise my prices around 27% but my costs have risen 57%. We are afraid to continue passing on the rise because business has already decreased substantially but within the next few months we will be forced to raise our prices another 25% or quit the business. What I am trying to say is that we are at most, only halfway through the food inflation which has already occurred, as to the future it is entirely possible that it could continue unabated. The difference between now and the inflation of the 1980s is demand. In the 1980s we suffered transportation and fuel cost crisis, we are currently have those same issues combined with demand exceeding supply for many items. - JPG

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Letter Re: Observations on Real World Pistol Malfunctions and Failures

Mr. Rawles,

Bill from Ohio writes: "Most people buy guns and they never shoot them, in fact, last time I heard a statistic regarding firearms usage in the United States, the national average of rounds fired per gun was seven - and that is over the entire lifetime of the owner!" There are about 250 million firearms in the US and about 10 billion rounds of ammunition sold per year. That's an average of 40 rounds per gun per year. On average, each US resident fires about 2,400 rounds of ammunition in a 72-year lifetime. Assuming a 40-year lifetime for a gun, that's roughly 1,600 rounds per firearm.
So "seven" is off by more than two orders of magnitude. It should have been obvious that this figure was seriously unrealistic. - PNG

JWR Replies: You are correct that Bill from Ohio's figure of an average of seven rounds was erroneously low. However, there are several qualifiers that I would add to your analysis of the 8 to 10 billion small arms cartridges produced in the US each year:

First, there are serious shooters and there are casual shooters. The serious variety ("target shooters") consume far more ammunition than most others, who fire very few cartridges through their guns.

Second, more ammunition is produced each year than is fired. This is purely anecdotal evidence, but I personally know several SurvivalBlog readers that only fire 20 to 50 rounds of centerfire per year and perhaps two or three times as many rimfire cartridges, yet they have 30,000+ rounds (including rimfire ammo) stored in their basements.

Third, not all ammunition is produced for the civilian market. The military Lake City Arsenal, for example, produces nearly 1.5 billion round per year, and only a tiny percentage of that is eventually fired by civilians.

Fourth, not all ammunition is produced for the domestic market. I recently saw a statistic of $3.1 billion worth of ammunition commercially exported by the US in 2005--not counting foreign military sales (FMS) programs. Assuming an average of 28 cents per cartridge, that equates to close to one billion rounds (perhaps 1/8th of US annual production) in exports. Offsetting that of course are ammunition imports, but US exports of ammunition far exceed imports.

Fifth, I believe that the oft-cited estimate of 250 million guns in the US is a low estimate. I think that the actual figure is closer to 400 million.

Together, all of these factors radically push down the number of rounds fired in centerfire guns that are purchased by casual shooters. There are quite a few guns sold that never get fired at all. These are the so-called "desk drawer" guns and "safe queen" guns. It is surprising to see how many guns described as "new in box", "like new in box", or "test fired only" that are advertised on the secondary market. (The listings at GunBroker.com and GunsAmerica.com are indicative.) Granted, there is no logical support for Bill from Ohio's figure, but I would assert that it was not off by nearly as large a margin as you suggest.

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Odds 'n Sods:

Several readers flagged this: US grain reserves reach the bottom of the barrel. Here is a key quote: "The only thing left in the entire CCC inventory will be 2.7 million bushels of wheat which is about enough wheat to make 1⁄2 of a loaf of bread for each of the 300 million people in America.” Back in mid-April, I told a New York Sun reporter about the massive outflow of US grain, and mentioned that I was surprised that the Bush Administration has not implemented export controls. With these recent figures, I am even more concerned. I believe in free markets, but I'm a realist. At some point in the near future, the Bush Administration is likely to step in and stop the hemorrhaging wheat from the US. If you haven't done so already, stock up on hard red winter wheat as soon as possible. By this time next year, wheat prices will likely double again.

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Israeli minister says alternatives to attack on Iran running out. (A hat tip to SJC, for sending that link.) Be ready for the full implications of war with Iran, if and when it comes. We can expect dramatically spiking oil prices (and shortages) and possibly some acts of terrorism by sleeper agents inside our borders. There will also likely be a spike in the price of gold. (Gutsy investors might consider selling a portion of their gold holdings at that time, and then buying back in, on a subsequent dip. As they say on Wall Street: "Buy on the rumor, sell on the news.") Secondarily, there will likely be diplomatic discord with any countries with extensive economic ties with Iran, such as France.

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This CNN article on survivalism last month continues to gain attention, as it gets picked up by other new outlets: Survivalists get ready for global meltdown

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You might have noticed that last week Standard & Poors belatedly downgraded three of the big brokerage stocks. They now carry ratings that are nearly "junk." The ostensibly "neutral and unbiased" S&P of course should have done this nearly a year ago, but there has been plenty of collusion going on. In my estimation the entire financial world is still in the early stages of a meltdown, which was precipitated by the credit collapse last summer. It is just happening in slow motion. The bottom is still nowhere in sight. I stand by my predictions, particularly for the hedge funds. In a collapsing credit environment, they are nearly all doomed. With each passing quarter, they may fall like dominoes.

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Jim's Quote of the Day:

"If America forgets where she came from, if the people lose sight of what brought them along, if she listens to the deniers and mockers, then will begin the rot and dissolution." - Carl Sandburg, American writer (1878-1967)

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Monday June 9 2008
Note from JWR:

Here is the link to the video clip of the CNN news story on Peak Oil preparedness that I mentioned last week. So much for "fifteen minutes of fame." This news story mentioned SurvivalBlog for all of about three seconds. Don't blink, or you'll miss it.

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Letter Re: For Want of a Battery

Mr. Rawles:
I was working through my "List of Lists" yesterday, and a thought struck me like a lightning bolt: Without batteries--lots of rechargeable batteries--I'm hosed. There are so many items that I'll depend on in an emergency that need batteries: My weather radio, Kenwood MURS handhelds (thanks for that suggestion, BTW), starlight scope, and my flashlights. (And thanks also for your suggestion of IR [flashlight] filters). Without [those battery-powered items as] "force multipliers", I'd be at huge disadvantage to looters, who could be wandering the countryside in droves, if and when it all hits the fan. So, with that realization, I'm investing in a small [photovoltaic] solar panel [for battery charging], and a boatload of NiMH batteries. Do you still recommend All-Battery [as a supplier]? And who sells a small panel--say 5 to 10 watts--that is reliable and weather-tight?

The battery situation reminds me of that old poem: "For want of a nail, the shoe was lost..." Thanks In Advance, - George L.


JWR Replies: Yes, All-Battery.com is an excellent source. If you can afford to, buy a triple or quadruple set for each piece of gear that takes batteries. (Even if you don't use them all yourself, the extra batteries will be ideal to keep on hand for barter and charity.) You are correct in mentioning the NiMH low self-discharge (LSD) technology (such as the Sanyo Eneloop). It is currently the most reliable rechargeable battery on the market.

As I've mentioned in the blog before, if you cannot afford a large battery bank of deep cycle batteries, then at least buy a "jump pack" 12 VDC gel cell unit. These are available with either110 VAC (US/Canada) and 220 VAC (UK) utility power charging cords. You can then plug in a 12VDC "smart" battery charging tray (using a DC power cord with cigarette lighter plug.) That is far more efficient than using an AC inverter and then a DC transformer (like those in most home battery chargers) That way you are just changing one DC voltage to another DC voltage--instead of a DC inverted -to-AC-and-transformed-back-to-DC proposition. (Which is very inefficient.)

To keep your "jump pack" charged, I recommend the small PV panels available from Northern Tool & Equipment--one of our Affiliate Advertisers. Once you are at Northern Tool's web site, search on Item # 339973.

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Two Letters Re: Advice on Backup Power for a Ranch in Western Canada

Hi Jim,
Regarding the Canadian who was wondering about wind power versus diesel. The Windmill is a good idea if he uses an Amateur Radio "Crankover" type tower, better than the crank up towers [usually sold for small] windmills. However, there is a caveat: If [the reader in Canada] goes with wind power, then have a spare. If he can [afford to] put up two windmills, then buy three, when he buys them[, which will provide one as a spare]. Even a bird hit on a reasonably modern power generating windmill will cause mucho damage. Just my humble opinion.

I had L-16 battery problems at the ranch this year for the first time in 10 years. Then I figured out the -60 F temps for nine nights was likely the cause. Oh well, stuff happens, corrective actions are underway. Regards, - The Army Aviator


Dear Jim,
Things have changed a bit [in recent years on wind generator reliability]. Yes, old school turbines with folding vanes are a pain, but there is a wind unit on the market that is darn near bullet-proof (in fact, I came up with a mod for that too.) They have been flown in hurricanes and are being used in Iraq, where high gusts and debilitating dust are the norm, never mind broiling heat. They keep ticking over, no problems and turn out juice in slow to screaming wind. They are the Hornet Series [from Hydrogen Appliances]

Essentially, they took a standard wind genny and beefed it up, almost to Russian-type specs. They just built everything another 20-50% thicker, wider, etc. then they had to. They are little beasts.
For any maintenance issues that might come up (rare) the best bet is to install them on a tip up tower. They can be lowered and raised with a come along or horses or whatever if necessary. Regards, - Mosby

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Letter Re: Observations on Real World Pistol Malfunctions and Failures

Dear James,
I've mentioned to you before that I'm a affiliate instructor with another major firearms training school. The comments made [by correspondent PPPP] about pistol malfunctions are 100% in line with what we see on our firing lines, as well.

We advise our students to run away screaming from any weapon that has 'target', 'match', 'custom', or 'accurized' stamped on the side of them. It was [Mikhail] Kalashnikov [the designer of the incredibly robust AK-47] who pointed out to us all that when you have something with moving parts, the parts need room to move! Most custom shop and high dollar pistols are temperamental beasts that react very poorly to heat and dirt. We see the $1,200+ [Model] 1911 choke and seize up all the time once the guns get hot. Most people buy guns and they never shoot them, in fact, last time I heard a statistic regarding firearms usage in the United States, the national average of rounds fired per gun was seven - and that is over the entire lifetime of the owner! Manufacturers sell guns that they bet will never see hard use, and usually they win that bet. And the tight, 'accurate' 1911s lead that pack. This is why it is imperative that every reader of your blog get out to the range and run their guns for real!

Yes, professional schools are expensive and the cost of ammunition is getting ridiculous, but at risk of sounding like a cheap slogan, how much is your life worth? Going out for two or three days of intense training will put your weapons and accessories through the use and abuse you will need to truly decide what works and what needs a second look, as well as teaching you a host of valuable skills.

Standing in a booth at the local indoor range, picking your gun up off of a table, and firing when you choose to at a static piece of paper, is at best an exercise in marksmanship. You haven't been training for real until things start breaking. We announce at the beginning of every class, that it is our sincerest hope, that everything our students brought with them - every gun, every holster, every magazine - breaks! If it sucks, we want to find that out now, not when innocent life is on the line. We run the gear and the students hard because that is the only way to truly test things, and it's the best way to build the confidence of the operator. [JWR Adds: And it is in grungy conditions that's the best place to learn to do stoppage clearance drills. If you can clear a Type 2 stoppage when your gun is filthy, when your arms are tired, and when you are under stress, then odds are that you can later do the same in combat. Fine motor skills are sharply degraded when you are under stress. Train like you will fight, repetitively!]

Things that I would add to the list of bad ideas:

1.) 8-round magazines for the 1911. I've seen few that finish two days of training without blowing apart. Usually the floor plate dislodges from the base of the magazine, leaving the student standing there with a pistol gummed up with loose rounds, a follower and a spring clogging the ejection port, and a magazine body that they can't get out of the well. [JWR Adds: The only brands of 8-round M1911 magazine that I have fond that good strength and longevity are original Colt brand, and MetalForm brand. And coincidentally, Colt now buys all of their .45 ACP M1911 magazines from MetalForm, under contract. (These are manufactured for Colt by MetalForm, using Colt "rampant stallion" stamped floorplates, and sold in Colt packages.)

2.) Recoil buffers - get these out of your life! Get them out of your pistols and get them out of your rifles! They never fail to disintegrate under heavy use, rendering the weapon useless until disassembled and cleaned out.

3.) Extended this, and enlarged that. Don't modify guns with oversized slide stops or extended mag release buttons, mercury guide rods or rubber grip sleeves, etc... There's one bit of wisdom that I learned the hard way years ago: There is nothing you can buy, bolt, glue or screw to a gun that will align your sights and press your trigger for you. You cannot spend money on things to make you shoot better, regardless of what our modern American mindset tells us. Marksmanship comes from proper technique and proper practice, and good old fashioned work. Obviously there are some issues like sharp edges and [S&W] J-frame [size] grips that are too small for a shooter's hands, but serious equipment issues are hardly what the majority of add-ons sold in the Brownell's catalog are aimed at. Save your money and spend it on training!

Lastly, I agree with every recommendation the writer mentioned. 'De-horning', or removing the sharpe edges off of carry guns, is highly recommended and something I have done to all of my concealment guns! And de-cocking the SIG [pistol]s before re-holster is mandatory on our range - as a matter of fact, we teach that the pistol be de-cocked every time the trigger finger breaks contact with the trigger and returns to register. This way, the trigger is reset to the position that the trigger finger is used to finding it every time it enters the trigger guard. That applies to all of the de-cocker equipped pistols - [such as] H&K USPs, Beretta 92s, Walther PPKs, et cetera.

The instructor who wrote the letter that you posted is obviously one of the good ones, and anyone within range of him would be well served by attending his course! - Bill from Ohio

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Odds 'n Sods:

Another bit of agreement on one of my predictions: Surging inflation will stoke riots and conflict between nations, says report

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Kory found us this: Antibacterial wipes can spread superbugs: study

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Shale sent us this AP news article: DOJ sues Honeywell over faulty bulletproof vests. Zylon is again the culprit. We've been warning SurvivalBlog readers for nearly three years to avoid Zylon vests.

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The Reuters London bureau reports a common theme on both sides of the Atlantic: Home-grown vegetables grow in popularity. The article begins: Almost 70 years after Britons were urged to Dig For Victory to produce hearty home-grown food to help the war effort, domestic horticulture is coming back.

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Jim's Quote of the Day:

"For the want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for the want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for the want of a horse the rider was lost, being overtaken and slain by the enemy, all for the want of care about a horseshoe nail." - Benjamin Franklin

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