Today is the birthday of Carlos Hathcock (Born 1942, died February 23, 1999.) He was a United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant sniper with a service record of 93 confirmed kills.
This is also the birthday of my lifelong friend, Brad C. I miss seeing you, pal.
Some time ago, I did a review on SurvivalBlog about the Ruger 10/22 Takedown (TD) .22 LR rifle. I fell in love with my sample. I liked the idea of a .22 LR rifle, that could easily be taken apart, and put back together in a few seconds. I also liked the case that Ruger ships the rifle in - very nice, and you can carry the 10/22 Takedown rifle, with a brick or two of .22 LR ammo, half a dozen magazines, a scope and some clothes for the weekend. Not a bad combination, and whenever I travel more than 25-miles from home, I toss the 10/22 Takedown in my rig - just in case something happens and I have to hoof it home in an emergency.
However, I don't always need the heavy-duty case that the 10/22 Takedown comes in. And, I looked around, but there really wasn't anything available, other than a full-sized long gun case - which defeats the purpose of having a rifle that you can take apart, making it into a smaller package. SurvivalBlog reader Wayne W. e-mailed me and told me about the Skinner Sights TD Case that Andy Larsson, the owner of Skinner Sights, is producing for the 10/22 Takedown. And the Skinner gun case is much thinner, trimmer and doesn't take-up much room at all, yet it still protects the 10/22 Takedown rifle. Wayne W. told me that I'd better not get my sample, before he got the one he ordered - not to worry, Wayne W. got his order before I got mine.
The Skinner Sights 10/22 TD case is flat and compact. However, when I got my sample, I saw that it opened from both ends, with a secure clasp. I was more than a bit concerned that, when I took the 10/22 down into two-pieces, that they would rub against one another, causing scratches on my sample. Not to fear, Andy Larsson, very cleverly designed a method wherein, when you place the barrel assembly in one end of the bag, and the receiver in the other end of the bag, they do not touch - they are in separate compartments - although it appeared to me, that they were one in the same compartments. Neat idea, Andy - job well-done!
I used to own a standard cab pickup truck and found if I filled-up an overnight bag, and tried to stuff it behind the seat in my pick-up, it wouldn't fit - too fat. Such is the case with the factory bag that the 10/22 comes in - you can't fit it behind the seat of your pick-up truck - too fat! With the Skinner Sights 10/22 TD Case, you can easily store your 10/22 Take Down rifle behind the front seat of your pick-up truck - out of sight, so no one sees it. You can also toss a brick or two of .22 LR ammo - assuming you can find any these days, because of this ammo drought - in your glove box, or under the front seat of your pick-up, along with some extra 25-magazines - again, assuming you can find any - Ruger 10/22 25-round magazines are hard to come by these days.
Also, in a previous article, I reported on the Skinner Sights front and rear sight combination that Andy Larsson sells, as a replacement to the factory provided sights on a 10/22. While there is nothing "wrong" with the sights that come on a 10/22, there is always room for improvement, and with my aged eyes, I want every advantage I can get, and by replacing the factory sights on my 10/22 Takedown rifle, with the sights that Skinner Sights has, I greatly improved my hit ratio with the 10/22.
What Skinner Sights came up with is a shortened version of their standard rear hooded sight, that works nicely on the 10/22 Takedown rifle - it doesn't hang over the joint where the barrel and receiver join together - like the original Skinner Sight would do. I want to mention, too, that - all Skinner Sights are hand-made, you are getting a cheap, mass-produced sight set-up. Andy Larsson takes great pride in designing and manufacturing his sights here in the USA.
Skinner Sights came out with the barrel mount sight that clears the take down mechanism, and does not contact the stock during assembly. The hooded rear sights is slick and provides an amazing sight picture - one that is much easier for me to see. And, others how shot my 10/22 Takedown rifle agreed with my findings. Additionally, the 10/22 Barrel Mount rear sight, ships with a .125-inch aperture installed - 5 different aperture sizes are available - and given the uniformity of common ammunition and barrel dimension, this aperture works great. A front comes bundled in the package, too.
By having both the front and rear sights mounted on the barrel, instead of one on the barrel and one on the receiver, insures repeatability when disassembling and re-assembling the 10/22 Takedown rifle. While I never had any problems with my factory sights staying zeroed on the 10/22 Takedown, things might loosen-up, if you took the rifle apart and put it back together hundreds of times, and you might have to make some sight adjustments. With the Skinner Sights Ruger 10/22 TD Sights, you have no worries about your zero changing, no matter how many times you might take your 10/22 Takedown apart and put it back together - the zero isn't going to change on you.
The Skinner Sights 10/22 sights are $62 in blue, $63 in brass and $65 in stainless steel. Not bad at all, considering these sights are hand-made and not mass-produced. The Skinner Sights 10/22 TD case is only $49 and comes in either black or dark green - your choice of colors. I want to thank SurvivalBlog reader, Wayne W. for alerting me to these products. As if often the case, I get alerted to a lot of new products by SurvivalBlog readers. You are a very intelligent bunch of folks. And, I appreciate all the help you give me in my quest for new products, or products I might have overlooked or not been aware of. I can't be all over the Internet and through factory catalogs each day, trying to find products to write about - not enough hours in the day.
So, if you're looking for a slimmer carrying case for your Ruger 10/22 Takedown rifle, and you want some better sights to go on that gun, check out the Skinner Sights web site for more information. - SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio
Sir:
As a retired corn farmer, I find it quite interesting that the Fed's USDA is still keeping to it's hard-and-fast immutable "projections" of 97.3 million acres of corn being planted this year. Just like building a house, call the Fed's number the "planned" or projected blueprint idea.
But now let's look at the "as built" story. Here, where the "rubber meets the road," or I should say "where the planter tucks in the actual corn seed,' the "actual" or real situation is quite another story due to very late corn plantings, if at all. The surprise is that the market has not yet reacted much.
Last Monday USDA reported that only 12% of the nation's corn crop was in as of Sunday night (12 May 2013.) This should have shocked the markets--but didn't. As of today, US corn planting is up to 28%, but a far cry from the "fast planting" of last year which stood at 85% [on the same date] one year ago.
Western states show significant delayed corn planting because of wet soils.
With long corn crop maturation days here in Ohio's Corn Belt, common wisdom is that if you don't have your seed in by May 10th, you may as well forget it (or switch to planting soybean.) Here we are almost the middle of May and very little corn is planted and the media and markets seem to say: "Ho-hum...nothing to see here, move along folks." This is not good; we are not being told or shown the truth that a nation can rely and act upon.
Maybe this all just doesn't matter; maybe all the corn will eventually get in, maybe we'll have excellent weather and no drought or natural disasters, maybe insects and diseases won't affect the corn, maybe the price at harvest will be just ducky. "Maybe" is the operative word here and that word ain't even good a notion as "close enough" like when you play horseshoes or toss hand grenades.
My thanks to Marlin Clark, commodity trader at "Market Monitor" on pages A6-A7 in Ohio's "Farm and Dairy" newspaper, issue of 16 May 2013, for is alert on this same subject..
Thoughtfully submitted, - Woody in Ohio
JWR Replies: Thanks for that early news tip. SurvivalBlog readers should consider themselves forewarned. This would be a good juncture to buy few more super pails of whole corn and cornmeal. Be sure to buy them before prices jump!
Hi Jim,
The reader who contributed the food saver storage bag post gave a lot of great ideas. I would like to add my experience with Food Saver and how I solved some serious problems with the vacuum system itself. Nine years ago I started a serious food storage program. Life is full of trials and errors, and lots of lessons learned from other's trials and errors. I made the move into dehydrating foods, primarily beef and vegetables for long term storage.
I bought Cabela's large dehydrator after researching everything out there that I could afford. It has performed marvelously after I made a couple modifications to it and fixed the problems that others complained about. I also bought the Game Saver Food Saver, which of it self is an okay machine. The glaring flaw is the food saver bag itself. First they are way too thin at around 2 mills and very expensive, plus they are not mylar, which is needed to prevent oxygen penetration. Any thing that I stored in them that had sharp points vis-a-vis jerky strips, dehydrated peppers etc. would perforate the bag and lose the seal. I also had many other items lose the seal-----frozen meat that touched some sharp point in the freezer like another bag's pointed corner would make a pin hole and fill up with air.
Vacuum sealing is a must for preppers, So this had to be remedied. The answer came from Sorbent Systems in Los Angeles. They sell a large selection of heavy duty 6 mil mylar bags and a very cheap vacuum machine that uses a snorkel to suck out the air. You cannot use this vacuum on wet foods without putting a piece of paper towel along the inside of the edge to be sealed to absorb any liquid. They periodically have specials. They will once in a while discount overrun items that were special ordered by a large customer. 6 years ago a bought a bunch of military green gun-sized bags that must have been run for the government. They actually called to confirm my order and asked what I was going to do with the green bags. My pat answer for questions like this is: "You never know."
Another source for the commercial grade bags and oxygen absorbers is USA Emergency Supply. They have great prices and a flat $4.99 shipping fee no matter how big the order is. I have bought over 3,000 bags from these two companies. I don't use the fill up the bucket method. I store everything in the vacuumed bags with oxygen absorbers and then put the bags in the buckets. I store multiple bags per bucket. So you don't get as much weight per bucket but as you use your food you are opening smaller packs and can also use them to trade or charitably help others without having to pass on a whole bucket. I hope this helps others skip the mistakes I learned the hard way. Keep the info flowing. Regards, - Jim W.
Chris M.'s Vegetarian Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup
I think that my Mom originally got this recipe from a Pat Robertson/CBN publication. I ate a lot of it without upsetting my blood sugar.
And there was enough methane to run a small motorbike.
She hit the nail on the head when she said that no matter what you do with these ingredients or similar ones, you won't go wrong.
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Vegetarian Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup diced onion
4 large cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cup packed chopped kale
1 14 oz can of Italian –style diced tomatoes
1 14 oz. can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 14 oz. can of sliced carrots, drained
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and
cook 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add broth, kale and
tomatoes and cover and cook 5 minutes or until kale is tender. Add
beans and carrots and heat thoroughly.
Serve hot. Top with crunchy croutons and grated Pecorino Romano Cheese.
Chef's Notes:
These are my Mom's comments on her variations:
I have copied the recipe just as it appeared in the newspaper. Of course I did it my way. I used a large can of tomatoes (28oz. or so) and I don’t think they were the Italian style. I used either peeled or
chunks or whatever was on the shelf. I used chicken broth and probably 2 cups instead of four because I used the large can of tomatoes. Also I used fresh carrots and sautéed them with the onion. You would need to cook a little longer. Whatever you do I don’t think you could go wrong.
In doing the kale don’t forget to cut off the large stems of the kale.
Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:
Kale Recipes
Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!
Deepcaster: Biggest Bubble About to Burst
Sending up the test balloon: The Cashless Society Arrives in Africa. The “Multipurpose” Biometric National Identity Smart Card
Doug Casey on Conspiracies, Gold and the Continuing 'Greater Depression' of the World's Economies
Items from The Economatrix:
Fed's Plosser: We've Dug Ourselves A Very Large Hole
There are several captivating new property listings at our SurvivalRealty.com spin-off site There is even an off-grid house in Chile's Atacama desert. You will note that many of the former listings have been removed in the past month because of recent sales. SurvivalRealty has now had four years of proven success in bringing many retreat buyers and sellers together. The ads cost just $30 per month, and there are no sales commissions charged!
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Ready Made Resources has announced that anyone who buys an AN/PVS-14 night vision scope from them will not only receive the free weapons mount and shuttered eye relief, ($190 value) but we will also include a free box of infrared chemical light sticks. (A $30 value.)
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F.G. suggested a piece over at the Weapons Man blog: A Formation of Liberators. OBTW, I began drafting the fourth sequel to my novel Patriots and titled it Liberators, about a year ago. I first announced the book's title in my blog almost a year ago. I'm suspect that the naming of the new 3D printed pistol was purely coincidental. But now that the 21st Century Liberator pistol has been designed and proven, I can't resist depicting the tactical employment of one or more of them in the storyline of the novel (a la 20th Century Liberator pistols, just 'cause... Vive la Maquisards!
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Freeze Dry Guy has announced a special sale on Mountain House Freeze Dried Eggs with a 25 to 30 year shelf life. This is a densely-packed product that normally retails for $359 a case. The Egg Mix with Butter Flavor--228 1⁄2 Cup Servings--is priced at $249, with free shipping to CONUS. This sale ends May 31st, so order soon. Phone: (866) 404-3663.
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Consider the ramifications: 54 Colorado County Sheriffs Sue Over State’s New Gun Control Measures and the New York State Sheriffs Association protests many SAFE Act provisions. And at least one sheriff has pledged to not enforce it. (Then came the predictable whining statist response: "You can't pick and choose what laws you will enforce..." I'm sure that the German Polizeipräsidenten were told the same thing, back around 1938.)
"I've previously pointed out that there is no longer 'law' as such, in the United States any more. Everything about the 'nation', which is no longer, properly speaking, even a nation anymore, is fraudulent, from its 'money' to its system of 'justice'. Even something as simple and basic as openly fighting a 'war' is now beyond its bloated, cancerous make-believe structure.
I wouldn't call the present system a dictatorship myself. Dictatorships are more open and direct. It is better described as a simulatorship, which is to say, rule by pretense. It is reminiscent of the latter days of the Soviet empire, when the Russian people pretended to work and the Soviet government pretended to pay them. In the latter days of the US empire, the federal government pretends its actions are within the limits set by the U.S. Constitution and the American people pretend to believe them.
If a corporate entity is too big to fail or too big to jail, then logic dictates it must be cut down to a size that permits both. Remember, corporations are not capitalism, they are creations of government and if they can't reasonably be imprisoned, they can certainly be 'executed.' And if real American people can be 'legally' executed at the order of the president, then can there really be any doubt that artificial American people are also liable to termination on command as well?" - Vox Day
May 19th is the birthday of Frank Luke Jr. (born, 1897, died September 29, 1918). He was an Army Air Service fighter pilot of World War I, who was second only to Captain Eddie Rickenbacker in aerial victory scores. (18 versus Rickenbacker's 26.) Frank Luke was the first aviator to receive the Medal of Honor. Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, is named after him. (Luke AFB is one of the locales in my novel "Survivors".)
An observation: The generation that fought the Second World War is now often called The Greatest Generation. These were mostly men who were born between 1910 and 1924. But I believe that an even a greater generation was of those men who were born between 1880 and 1905. They were born in the days of the horse and buggy and the telegraph. But many of them lived long enough to die in the era of jet aircraft, television, sturmgewehr, nuclear power, nuclear weapons, early computers, and moon landings. Some of these men fought in both World Wars--often serving as junior officers in WWI and then as senior officers in WWII. In my estimation it is the capacity to adapt to rapid change that in part defines truly great men. This generation included both visionaries and men of action like Arthur Pink, Ludwig von Mises, Henry Hazlitt, Joseph Schumpeter, Billy Mitchell (an early airpower advocate), Jimmy Doolittle, George Patton, William J. Donovan, Raymond Spruance, Charles Lockwood, Hyman G. Rickover (America's longest-serving military man,) Harry Day, Jimmy Buckley, and Ernest Hemingway. Sadly, a few of them like Frank Luke died too young too reach their full potential.
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Today we present another entry for Round 46 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner's choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225.
Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300 and 10 TAPCO polymer magazines (5 AR and 5 AK) courtesy of Armageddon Armory, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).
Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.
Round 46 ends on May 31st so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
Late spring and early summer are the times to buy the Seal A Meal or Foodsaver machines. They are both made by the same parent company and can be found at any major grocery or department store in the kitchenware section-the Seal A Meal is the less expensive version that can be found for under $30 on sale, and the bags to go with it will cost you about the same again. You can make this a game or a family activity like an assembly line, just have all your items stacked in little piles, and start sealing--it's actually fun to use it-I feel like a squirrel storing up nuts for the winter. See below for the myriad uses I have made of my unit. These also make wonderful gifts to your church for emergencies if they are given food items that may go stale.
1-Batteries-as we all know, moisture and air are the enemies of batteries, buy in bulk when they are on sale and seal them up airtight and watertight and keep them in your fridge.
2-Ammo--seal up your ammo/bullets in their boxes in individual sealing bags labeled with the date of purchase, that way if you have to ford any bodies of water (rivers, swamps, canals etc) or are caught in deluges, your extra ammo will stay nice and dry and untarnished.
3-Precious Metals--your silver coins and bars and gold coins and bars can be portioned out and individually sealed in similarly valued amounts. I haven't tried burying them to see how long it would take the heavy plastic to degrade but it should be good for a few months at least, unless rodents get into it or its in very wet or alkaline earth--you could try burying them inside a jar or can. One good side effect is that vacuum sealed items do not clink and clank as they are packed solidly together so they make no noise when carried.
Medicines-I sealed up individual pouches containing baby aspirin, Pepto Bismol chewable tablets, chloraseptic cough lozenges (the heavy duty ones that really numb your throat), over the counter allergy pills like generic claritin, sinus pain and pressure pills, Lanacane or Neosporin cream for insect bites and scrapes, insect repellant wipes, tooth and gum numbing gel for toothaches, moisturizing eyewash to help with dust, soot and gunpowder grit, small jars of Vicks and Noxema and aloe sunburn gel, and advil or tylenol. I also throw in a small bottle of Thompson Labs Fish Mox Forte which is the same as human grade 500 mg amoxicillin (antibiotics) that you can buy online without a prescription (it's a shame we cannot locate a family preparedness-friendly doctor who would be willing to give out prescriptions for tranquilizers or anti-anxiety meds for those individuals who will undoubtedly freak out big time after a week of no gas and no grocery deliveries). If you put together several of these as your finances allow, they make great trading items. You can also add condoms, or bag them up separately, as after the existing supply of condoms and birth control pills goes away, expect a flood of pregnancies as nature tries to naturally replenish the ranks. You can also bag up your medicinal marijuana separately if you anticipate needing it later.
Clothing Repair Kits--needles, thread in 4 basic colors, small scissors from the dollar store, buttons in half inch and three-quarter inch sizes (these are standard waistband and shirt front sizes, if the button holes are too big you can sew the holes partially shut so the buttons will not come unbuttoned.
Surgical Kit-a basic surgical kit containing over the counter items such as tweezers, silk suture thread and suture needles, a couple pairs nitrile gloves, gauze and medical tape, a couple surgical masks if you can obtain them, wound clotting powder or gauze saturated with same (expensive but may save a life), small bottle of silver solution or betadine wound area disinfectant, a small X-Acto knife, and a basic pair of dental pliers for extractions. Salt could also be included for rinsing mouths after extractions.
Children's books and small toys--bag up a couple of those old beanie babies and some Lego or Playmobile toys and a few standard children's books, they can be a great comfort and distraction to anxious small ones.
Fire Strikes and Sharpening Stones (and small pocketknives)--these are messy to carry loose in your bag but sealing them up minimizes the marks and grit, worth their weight in gold if unable to obtain later. I also buy the multi packs of bic lighters when they are on sale and keep a few in every location along with several cheap flashlights that I test semi-annually and replace batteries if needed.
Coffee, Tea bags, Creamer and Sugar packets--I bag up sets that include a small bag of good brand ground coffee, a couple dozen individual sugar packets and some individual creamer packets, and do the same with tea bags. Don't combine coffee and tea as one will absorb the smell of the other. You can buy the individual packets in bulk from any restaurant supply store or from www.minimus.biz.
Newborn Gift Sets--use a larger size seal a meal bag that you can make yourself from the endless roll you can buy, you can cut it to any size, seal one end, fill it, and seal the other end. About half a dozen good thick cloth diapers, a few diaper pins, a baby bottle with nipple, a few packets of powdered infant formula and a flannelette baby gown will be a welcome gift for all those unprepared mothers with babies.
Sugar, Salt, Seasoning Packets--I buy the cheap seasonings when on sale for .99 cents, I get Lite Salt, Coarse Ground Pepper, Dried Onion Flakes, Cinnamon, and I buy the individual packets of salt and sugar online and throw in a big handful of those. You can add vanilla extract and garlic powder as well if you enjoy those flavors. I also include the strips of 6 quick rising yeast packets for "just in case". You can also throw in a couple packets of jerky seasonings or rubs if you make your own jerky. I also like to add a packet or two of uncle dan's dill dip as a seasoning for fish.
Important ID Papers--open your passport so the page with your photo is visible, then right below is, put your drivers license face out so it's visible, the on the reverse side, put your birth certificate face out so the details can be seen, that way you can show it without having to remove the documents.
Jerked Meats-you can seal up your own venison or salmon jerky, it will last for quite a while.
Local Honey--Honey has been known to last indefinitely if well preserved, I get local organic honey at the farmers market in glass jars, and then wrap the jars in bubble wrap and seal them up. Glass will break if dropped or clinked against something so make sure to bubble wrap the jar well.
Dried Fruits and Nuts-I especially like pecans and cashews so I buy cans of those and portion them out in seal a meal bags--they have the good fats in them. I also like dried cherries and strawberries and papaya, a spear or two of dried papaya every week will make your poop the consistency of mush and you will never be constipated-stands to reason, papaya is a natural tenderizer that breaks down food fibers. You can get a large bag for under $2 in the bulk foods section of any major grocery store
Photo Albums--if you are going to seal up any kind of paper goods they have to have stiff corners as the sealing process will crumple them all up otherwise.
Clothesline rope and clothespins--good to have for when you get to where you are going. Any good man can build the end supports for the clothesline and attach the rope for you--may take a pie or two to persuade him though.
Emergency Toilet Paper--as we all know, TP is a very fragile item if not stored properly and the most desirable in an emergency. The sealing process will flatten the roll but you can bend the internal paper tube back into shape once you open the bag. I bag up one roll per bag and throw a couple in your car trunk. Also to put it delicately, tampons and menstrual pads pack up easily and would be a great comfort to a female who may be embarrassed when her period begins. [JWR Adds: They also make good wound dressings.]
Clothing--a pair of clean socks, a pair of gloves and a clean pair of underpants can make a world of difference when yours are soaking wet and smelly. I keep a bagged set in the trunk-doesn't take up much room.
Laundry detergent--I pre-measure 2 heaping cups of powder type laundry detergent and seal it up. I do not like the liquid as the lids on the jugs are not tight and the liquid will leak out all over your other goods. One bag should be good for a small load of heavily soiled clothing when hand washing in a bucket or washtub if you don't have access to a motor driven washer. This way the powder is protected from absorbing water and spillage.
Soap and Washcloth--seal up a bar of your favorite soap and a washcloth or small hand towel. I make up several of these and keep one at work, one in the trunk, one in the go-bag at home--you never know where you will be when the smoke, dirt etc, will land on you. Throw in a handful of individual wet wipes if you like.
Make your own Breakfast and Lunch packets--I buy the boxes of high fiber oatmeal packets when on sale, and bag up 8 at a time--if watered down, that is enough for a family of 4 to have a nutritious breakfast for a couple days. I also make up emergency group lunch packets by combining 2 cups of instant rice with an envelope of the cheap brown gravy mix. You can do the same with stuffing mix or instant mashed potatoes, the goal is to get as many carbohydrates into you as possible if you are on the march and these items will not create much of a cooking smell to attract predators.
I will not mention liquor or cigarettes as those are wants, not needs, And if your adrenaline is pumping hard you won't need any further stimulation.
Another suggestion: Once the SHTF, if you are near other humans and will be cooking anything that has a smell, like baking bread or frying meat or making coffee, wait until full dark, and keep lights from being seen. That way another person may smell what you are cooking but will not be able to see the smoke or follow the scent exactly.
And one closing suggestion: Every time you have an empty mineral water bottle or juice bottle, rinse and fill with water and add a couple drops of food grade hydrogen peroxide, and cap tightly and put up on the top closet shelf or under the sink, there's always a little room, and the worst that will happen is in a year you may need to empty and refill them. As a test, try going for 8 hours without drinking any liquid and you will appreciate the necessity of having clean drinking water on hand.
JWR,
I
thought you might be interested in this new mapping tool. It is much faster than Google Earth. Is there nowhere to hide?
After opening the link to Showmystreet.com, type in the address you want slowly, letter by letter, space by space, and watch where it takes you, incrementally.
It located our home in the whole world after just seven strokes of the keys. - Rip
The Slow, Agonizing Death Of The American Worker
IRS tax exemption/Obamacare exec got $103,390 in bonuses
Treasury Knew of I.R.S. Inquiry in 2012, Official Says
Items from The Economatrix:
These 20 Charts Show That The US Jobs Market Continue To Be A Huge Mess
The Price Of Copper And 11 Other Recession Indicators That Are Flashing Red
Reader John C. recommended the wool Boreal Shirts made by Lester River Bushcraft. These are very sturdy, American-made, and in a color that blends in well in many environments.
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Stand by for some revelations about another one of Mikey Bloomberg's "crime-fighting" mayors: Federal investigation of Pittsburgh police reaches Ravenstahl's office. How many dirty mayors will it take before Mayors Against Illegal Guns loses any remaining shred of credibility? Meanwhile we read: Gov. Cuomo proposes anti-corruption bill that would ban convicted bribers from state business. Gee, if they can't stop their many corrupt mayors from taking bribes, then perhaps they can stop companies from offering bribes. Oh, and in other news, thrice-convicted former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is still whining, but that is hardly a news flash.
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Laura D. suggested: Making fuel donuts with shredded paper and water.
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Jeff H. sent: The mass exodus of Christians from the Muslim world
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New Yorker reveals Aaron Swartz-inspired system to protect sources
"And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." - Luke 4:14-19 (KJV)
Today is the birthday of Daniel B. Wesson (of Smith and Wesson fame) born in 1825.
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Today we present another entry for Round 46 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner's choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225.
Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300 and 10 TAPCO polymer magazines (5 AR and 5 AK) courtesy of Armageddon Armory, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).
Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.
Round 46 ends on May 31st so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
To any avid gun collector, this may seem to be old news. For those of you that this isn't old news, it may save your life. You should take great care in your personal protection firearm and the ammunition you have loaded in it.
If you are like me, shooting your firearms is a hobby that has had to take a back seat because of today's economy and political climate. For many years, it was nothing to go out and shoot a thousand rounds of ammunition for fun. It wasn't even that long ago! I remember back in around 2006-2007, I could go to Wal-Mart and buy all the .45 ACP ammo I wanted for $12 a box of 50 rounds. But today is a different day. You can scarcely find .45 ammo. And if you can, you are limited to 1 box a day and you will pay $26 for it. Period. And that will be for cheap ammo.
But, to the point, I am not even talking about shooting cheap ammunition.
Collecting firearms has finally become a reality to me...or it had...and despite the relatively high prices and scarcity of quality firearms, I am still fortunate enough to be able to buy a little here and there. Yet, despite having a little extra money to buy the gun itself, being able to go about and pop off 500 rounds isn't feasible for me. As a result, I did something that I hear is very common--and dangerous--these days:
I buy the gun, 50 rounds of inexpensive ammo, and 20 rounds of good defense rounds. I go to the range and shoot the 50 rounds to make sure the gun runs, than I stick the premium rounds in it, stick in in the holster, and call it a day.
Believe it or not, this is a life-threatening mistake.
This past weekend, the rain was beating down outside which caused all of my family outdoors activity to be canceled. Desperate for something to do, I decided to clean all of my pistols. In particular, I was cleaning two of my carry pistols, a Taurus PT-145 Millennium Pro .45 ACP and a Taurus TCP .380.
As I was saying, both of these guns are recent purchases, both within the last year. I had put less than 50 rounds of ammo through each of them. I had put ZERO self defense rounds through them. Both are loaded with Hornady Critical Defense for self protection.
Now, quoting from their web site:
"The patented Flex Tip® technology used in Critical Defense® ammunition eliminates the clogging and inconsistency that often plagues hollow point bullets. ?"
They make a fantastic round, but despite the claims, when I finished up reassembling each gun, I cycled a few rounds through it. Guess what. They jammed. Both guns. Multiple times.
I picked up my Springfield Armory 1911, which has had a good bit of work in massaging the feed ramp and it had zero problems feeding the rounds.
Okay. So, now what? Well, racking the slide to check for feeding problems isn't exactly exact, so there is only one thing to do to verify whether or not your firearm will feed the self defense rounds: Go fire it. Now, I know that's easier said than done. A box of 20 rounds for any common caliber is going to cost you $25 dollars. And you really need to shoot several boxes through it. $100 is a lot of money to most people, not to mention the time to go out and do it. But, it's a necessary thing. Your life depends on it.
I have hinted around at it, and surely you have figured it out by now. If you haven't, consider the situation (heaven forbid it actually happen, but in today's world, you better be ready) where you have to defend yourself and others against an assailant. You pull the gun out, take aim, get a shot off. Maybe it hits. Maybe it doesn't. In either case, you should always shoot until the mag is empty. But, to your surprise, the spent casing ejects and the next round hangs on the feed ramp. It takes about three seconds, best case, to dislodge and reload. What do you think will happen in those three seconds? Anything. And that's the point.
I am as cheap as the next person, but this reality really hit home for me. Why? Because I have to think of myself and others I protect....and, what about my wife who also carries. What will she do if her gun hangs up? Cheap or not, money is a stupid reason to get yourself or a loved one shot, especially if $100 is what you "saved".
The question you may have is "why does it jam up?"
First off, I want to shake off a common misconception. A gun hanging up hollow points isn't a sign of a defective gun. Take the 1911, for example. The 1911 is one, if not the most, sought after handguns. It is one of the most popular handguns on the planet. It helped win two World Wars. It's still used by many armies. It is a favorite of gun collectors everywhere. But, it was also designed to shoot full metal jacket ("ball") round-nosed ammunition. You go buy a nice 1911 and try and cycle hollow point ammo through it and more often than not, a 1911 will have issues. Let's be honest, even 90% feeding success ratio isn't going to make any one feel good in a live fire situation.
These feed ramps, and the mating surface to them, are all made on different machines by different operators. Because of this, some of the pieces don't mate up just perfectly. Sometimes there are tool marks from the machining processes. Maybe there are some imperfections due to what-have-you. While many gun companies out there do their due diligence and spend the extra time working on these finer points, the cost is passed on to the consumer. You. So, if you are like me and you are staring at the gun case wondering if you should get a Smith & Wesson or a Taurus, keep in mind that one of the reasons (other than the name) that one cost more than the other is usually the fit and finish. I know that's an over used phrase, but it's accurate in this case. Are the surfaces matched perfectly? Are the surfaces cleaned and massaged? Maybe. Maybe not.
So, you go out and you shoot up a bunch of expensive ammo. The gun hangs up. Now what? Well, this is the crux of this post, really.
You have several options:
So, in summation: Don't buy a gun and just try it out with ball, then throw fancy hollowpoint ammo in it and assume that it will function. It's a dangerous proposition that may have a bad ending. Know how your gun will function in all situations and take steps to rectify any potential issues. It could save your life. And saving your life is worth a lot more than saving a few dollars.
James,
To follow up on a recent letter: Yes, stock up on shotgun shells! The availability of shotgun shells here locally (northern Gulf Coast) seems to have improved in some stores-but by no means all retail outlets- in recent weeks. For a while there wasn't much to be found. Shells that were available generally had a high price or were of a variety that fell outside the range of everyday use (i.e. high-priced shells loaded with tungsten or steel shot.) If a person needs shotshells and you can find a good product that meets your needs, then I suggest you buy them by the case. If you don't, then your only regret will be not buying them when you had the opportunity. - J.B. and Co.
Two evidences of the consequences of shifting to round-the-clock AR-15 production: Brand New AR-15 Bolt Disintegrates, Owner Not Happy and, by way of a link from Tam's blog, we read: Supply sorta meeting demand...
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R.B.S. sent a link to a fantastic un-narrated documentary video: The Phillips Brothers Mill: a steam powered wooden box factory. His comments: "One of the better videos I've seen. I think you will enjoy it. Lots of ways to get hurt, burned, or dismembered here! Not OSHA approved." BTW, not shown is their rough-cut sawmill, also on the property.
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Frequent content contributor Jim W. recommended: Fifteen "Must-Have" Downloads
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Also from Jim, this from Project Gutenberg: Deadfalls and Snares, skinning, trapping, etc.
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Just for fun: Space Oddity
"And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask [help] of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.
And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,
And said, O LORD God of our fathers, [art] not thou God in heaven? and rulest [not] thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand [is there not] power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?
[Art] not thou our God, [who] didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?
And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,
If, [when] evil cometh upon us, [as] the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name [is] in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help." - 2 Chronicles 20:4-9 (KJV)
We are pleased to welcome two new advertisers to SurvivalBlog: Fisch Instruments of South Africa, and novelist John Heatherly. Both had been on our advertising waiting list for more than two years.
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Today we present another entry for Round 46 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner's choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225.
Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300 and 10 TAPCO polymer magazines (5 AR and 5 AK) courtesy of Armageddon Armory, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).
Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.
Round 46 ends on May 31st so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
H7N9: What should I do?
As of the recent date of writing this article, the CDC does not have any new or special recommendations for the U.S. public at this time regarding H7N9. There is currently no vaccine to prevent H7N9. CDC will keep you updated. If you live outside of the U.S., search the WHO web site often. Stay informed.
Since H7N9 is not spreading easily from person to person at this time, CDC does not recommend that people delay or cancel trips to China. The World Health Organization also is watching this situation closely and does not recommend any travel restrictions.
CDC advises travelers to China to take some common sense precautions, like not touching birds or other animals and washing hands
often. Poultry and poultry products should be fully update its advice for travelers if the situation in guidance is available at Avian Flu (H7N9) in China.
cooked. CDC will China changes. This
The foregoing content is provided and maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Okay, I'm on notice, but What should I be doing now to get prepared?
Here are some Helpful thoughts and actions to consider being taken now, to assist your families in being prepared for this next epidemic in the making.
In our home, we are preparing for this H7N9 virus, and getting a two month jumpstart on our normal farm and home routines schedule. One of those ramped up to today instead of waiting until July, is making my family's annual batch of Sambucus nigra Elderberry Tincture, now.
But what is that, and why use that? So glad you asked!
We use it routinely as a supplement, because consuming Elderberry Tincture made with Sambucus nigra elderberries, is an effective alternative to Western pharmaco-medicine. This supplement has shown very positive results in preventing virus's from clinging to the body's healthy cells and aiding the passage of the virus out of the body, all naturally! The commercially made product, marketed as Sambucol, blunts the haemaglutinin spikes on the outside of viruses and stops them from entering cells where they reproduce, causing the cell to explode and allows the virus to continue invading the body. Also, in vitro study, its results has also shown Sambucol to be effective in increasing the production of four inflammatory cytokines, which are effective in boasting your body's immunity, suggesting that the intake of this supplement may have an immuno-stimulatory effect and therefore be worth taking all year round to prevent flu and other viral disease.
Besides, with all this research findings to prove its effectiveness, my maternal Yugoslavian Great-Great Grandmother made Elderberry Tincture for her family and passed on these recipes for us to use and bless US Centers for others with good health for future generations. There are many clinical research trials on the product called Sambucus available on the web for you to additionally search and read more for yourself. Here are a couple: Read what the Israeli research says! 99% EFFECTIVE!
"Retroscreen Virology, a leading British medical research institute associated to Queen Mary College, University of London, announced that Sambucol was at least 99% effective against the avian flu virus, H5N1, and in cell cultures significantly neutralized the infectivity of the virus."
Great! So Can I make my own? and, if so, How do I make my own? Again, glad you asked! YES!
How to make Homemade Sambucus nigra, Elderberry Tincture
Note: Not recommended for administration to Children or alcoholics, due to the high alcohol content.
Materials and Ingredients needed:
6 pint mason jars with lids and ring bands 1 1/2 lbs. of Sambucus nigra, Elderberries 2 fifth bottles of any inexpensive brand, unflavored 80 proof vodka
Order or buy the dried elderberries from a reliable health food store, or from an online source. Herbalcom.com is an inexpensive
source to consider. Amazon.com also has several suppliers available.
Fill a large stainless steel stock pot 1/2 full of potable water, and bring the water to a boil. Carefully submerge all 6 pint sized mason jars, lids, and ring bands, and one stainless steel serving spoon in the boiling water, and set your timer to boil for 15 minutes. Turn off your heat source. Carefully remove the jars with clean tongs, pour off any water in them and lightly shake off
the lids and band rings of water, and allow these to cool to room temperature on a fresh clean towel, with all flat surfaces facing up, to dry.
Using the sterilized spoon, scoop straight into the mylar bag they are packaged in and fill each of the cooled sterilized jars with elderberries up to the 1/3rd full mark. Set the berry filled jars aside.
Now pour the 80 proof vodka into the jars to fill up the jars remaining 2/3rd space, to near totally full. Leave a sparse 1/8th inch head space at the top of the jar unfilled.
Then seal up the jars, by placing on the clean lids and apply the band rings snugly. Place them gently in a cabinet or, on a shelf that is out of any source of direct light and also away from any heat source. They will stay here for 14 days. You can keep the berries in the jars for longer, but 14 days will be the minimum adequate time for the berries to finish soaking in the vodka. Take the jars in hand and once a day shake up the jars contents very well. During this osmotic process that is taking place over the 14 days, the elderberries will be taking up the alcohol and successively extracting off the berries medicinal anti-viral properties into the liquid, to give you a quality finished product of tincture of the berries.
After 14 or more days, (but never longer than 21 days), use a sieve strainer to separate the berries from the juice caught into a clean bowl. Press down on the berries in the sieve strainer with your spoon, to get all of the juice from them into the bowl of tincture.
Finally, pour your filtered elderberry tincture back into the jars and place the rinsed clean lids back on and tighten the ring bands well. Label the jars with contents and date. There is no need to heat or pressure seal the jars like you would in canning. In fact, a heating process used on this tincture would kill the anti-viral properties of it. Your tincture should keep for storage and use for a few years, as long as it is stored in a cool, dry location. The vodka is also the long term preservative medium in this recipe. You now have your own homemade Elderberry tincture to begin using.
Okay, now while that recipe is being turned into usable tincture, you may want to also create this temporary use syrup, which has a "no wait time", to consume it for some protection of boasting your immunity with a ready-made homemade supplement. It will get you through an unexpected "viral flu attack" season, or again, through the period of time while waiting for the more anti-viral potent tincture to age for use.
Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Note: can be considered for use of children over 24 months of age. Raw Honey should never be administered to children under the age of 2 years.
2 cups dried Sambucus nigra elderberries 1 quart of boiling water 1/4 cup raw honey 1/4 lemon juice
Put the elderberries in a non-reactive metal or glass saucepan, add the boiling water and cover the pan and leave it out on the stove or counter to soak overnight. The next day, low simmer the berries for 30 minutes, set aside to cool a little, then put the mixture in a food processor or blend them.
Once blended well, add the honey and lemon juice. Cool, then pour into a clean mason jar or dark glass bottle. Store this in the refrigerator and use the syrup daily.
Here, I offer other important considerations to take to help boost and prepare the human body's immune system in protecting it from viruses, and other physical and logistical preparations to make and consider for your family to do now, don't dawdle!
1. Adults, and teens, start taking 2000 UI per day (one pill) of Vitamin D3, and extra Vit C. consumption.
Note: The Fat soluble vitamins, which are vitamins A,D,E & K can be toxic to your body organs if you take dosages past the recommended daily allowances.
2. Begin to increase that dosage US, to 4000 UI per day (two pills) of Vitamin D3, only for the duration of the epidemic.
3. Also start taking one tablespoon of Elderberry Tincture, per day and continue to do so, or make the Elderberry syrup and begin using it now, and until the viral epidemic is cleared by the CDC or becomes non-life threatening in the your region.
4. Note: There is a non-alcoholic version of Sambcus available for small children, Nature's Answer Sambucus nigra Black Elder Berry Extract Kids Formula, just look for Sambucus nigra at your local health store, or order some online now. Don't wait until the virus is reported in the US, because it will become scarce or totally unavailable when the virus starts spreading to our country's geographical direction.
5. Prepare to not leave your home once the virus has entered into your geographical region. Consider enforcing a rule in your own homes, of no outside human contact, other than with those staying quarantined inside of your own household or property gate. Consider options for your work outside of the home. Consider having any normal prescheduled farm or home need deliveries of animal feed, fuel, hay, or supplies done now, instead of later.
A self imposed protective quarantine or closing off your property to others is strongly advised if this virus becomes epidemic and deadly. Bookmark and Check your state dept. of health and the CDC web sites daily to see where the virus is being transmitted from and moving to, so you will know to effectuate this protective quarantine of your family.
6. Do not handle mail or packages delivered by the mail carriers or from delivery carriers during this self imposed quarantine.
7. Dehydration is caused due to loss of body fluids by high fever and sweating, in loss of respiratory secretions associated with respiratory infections, with nausea, which causes vomiting and with diarrhea, which are all showing to be significant symptoms of this virus, that can quickly become life threatening if you are not prepared to immediately counter their effects of the body and actively treat them. Children and infants have much less body mass, and if they develop any of these symptoms and continue having them excessively for prolonged periods, over 4 hours, you should seek emergent medical help.
For the whole family's use, have extra potable water stored for use, store Pedialyte, Extra Formula, Gatorade powders, Tylenol,(acetaminophen), Aspirin and otc anti-diarrheals and remember to get on hand extra of any medications you are already prescribed to take if the Virus jumps from Asia to the routinely. Procure and store several boxes of disposable nitrile gloves, kleenex tissues, extra toilet paper, disposable towels, disposable eating utensils and plates and large garbage type plastic bags for trash disposal use.
8. Stay Home and away from crowds of people. If you must absolutely go out into the general public due to emergency needs which cannot be met at home during this epidemic, you will need to wear N95 masks and gloves at all times, with long sleeves and long pants, cover your body up as much as possible, as this flu is transmitted by human contact on any surface contact made by carriers of this virus. Don't hug, kiss, or shake hands. Disrobe immediately upon returning to your home from the outside world, disrobe in the garage or carport, and then bag up your soiled clothes. Discard the disposable mask and then take off and dispose of the gloves, into a bag lined lidded bucket placed outside of your home. Wash your clothing separately from others in your household, in hot soapy water and wash your face and hands, better yet, go take a hot shower, wash your hair, and add the towels you use to the washing machine with your dirty clothing. Don't forget to disinfect your car wheel, and mobile phone, and seats and floor board and mats.
Again, make sure you have ample supplies that you will need to use, on hand in your home, your vehicles, at your work place, as well as ample food stocks and water set aside in every number of the locations you may decide you need to move from or go to.
9. Make provisions for bagging up or burning your household trash. Do not handle your curb-side waste containers that have been handled by contracted disposal companies.
10. Take special precautions to wash your hands often during the day with soap and water, before and after going shopping for your food at the grocery, wipe off cans and packaging before you bring them into your home from your vehicle. Wash up after handling any produce or food imported from other outside countries, and after handling any food preparation tools. Especially be cautious after touching any live animals. Do not let your pets have free run outside of your property gates. Use meticulous washing after using public restrooms. Use a paper towel to touch a public restroom door to exit it. Wash surface areas with diluted bleach water mixed at a 10:1 ratio in a spray bottle. Don't forget to wipe down your phone receiver often and computer mouse and keyboard.
I am a holistic medicine-practicing RN, and wife to a MD. I have No affiliations with any companies mentioned in this article other than purchasing some of their quality products for our home use, nor have I merited by any free products or compensation for the recommendations of their products. Also, you are responsible for what you consume into your own body, thus I am not advocating intake of any substance to which you have not thoroughly researched for yourself. As with any human consumption, allergies to substances need to be heeded and avoided in the ingredients noted in any of these recipes, if you are known to have allergic food reactions. Dosages of alternative products made yourself need to be titrated individually and according to the
products used and to your body weight and age.
I pray that this information will be fruitful to you and will assist you and your family, in being prepared for the next coming epidemic.
GodSpeed to your Health Preparations and May HE Bless you and Shelter your family with Protections from this Deadly Disease!
JWR,
I am struck by the continued availability of a variety of 12 gauge during this severe ammo shortage. As we all know, the 12 gauge is probably one of the most versatile and powerful firearms we can have in a survival battery, or even just to have around during normal times. I live in Houston, Texas and can't vouch for the rest of the country but I see plenty of 12 Gauge ammo everywhere I go. The Bass Pro Shops flyer I just got even has Federal target loads in it for $6.49 per box of 25, that's 26 cents per round! With 9mm, .223, and the like hovering around an average of $1 per round, this seems like a steal, by comparison. Anyway, all the sporting good stores used to have plenty of sales on a variety of ammo, but now the only thing anyone seems to have enough of to even bother advertising is the 12 Gauge. Yes, maybe some 20 gauge and .410 as well. My point is: like-minded individuals should take this opportunity to make sure they are fully stocked with all flavors of shotshells. Just six months ago it seemed absurd to think that we would now have a hard time finding .22 Long Rifle ammo. Most would say we have not entered TEOTWAWKI as of yet, but the bare ammo shelves at the store make me wonder. Even my 12 year old son is taken aback by the continued sight of these bare shelves. Could the shotgun shells be gone in the next six months? What a scary sight that would be. - David O.
Michael W. sent the latest coin debasement news: Stivers losing patience with reluctance to change change
And speaking of nickels: The Nickel-Hoarding Billionaire. Here is a key quote: "'Not gold futures. You need physical gold,' Bass declared to Lewis. When the author asked Bass what investment advice he would offer to his mother, the reply was a blunt 'Guns and gold.' Want to invest like one of the most successful hedge fund managers of the 21st century? You might not be able to afford gold, but anyone who buys firearms, ammo and nickels at face value will be doing a dead-on Kyle Bass impersonation." (Thanks to Diana for the link.)
Reader Jim W. sent: Orders for gold go unfilled in Asia. Jim W.'s comment: Why is the [formally-published spot] price plummeting when there is so little for delivery?
J.B.G. sent: Feds Seize Bitcoin Account for 'Unlicensed Money Transferring'
As always, government-mandated price controls lead to shortages: Venezuela hopes to wipe out toilet paper shortage by importing 50m rolls. (Thanks to A.S. for the link.)
Items from The Economatrix:
Bernanke Sees Important Risks In Wholesale Funding
US Posts Widest Monthly Surplus Since 2008 On Revenue. [JWR's Comment: Gee... Could those trillions of dollars created out of thin air and pumped into the system via MBS derivatives to triple the money supply somehow be a factor?]
Water War Ahead? Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog's Editor at Large) sent us this: U.S., Mexico: The Decline of the Colorado River
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Peter H. was the first of several readers to send me a link to the developers of a backcountry tablet called Earl: A waterproof, e-ink, solar powered tablet with built in weather sensors, MURS, GMRS, and FRS radio, plus AM/FM/shortwave. It has GPS and preloaded topo maps for US, Canada, and Mexico. Here is a preliminary review. (Thanks to G.G. for the latter link.)
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Jim W. sent an item of interest to readers in North Carolina: Stumpies Custom Guns
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Tom of Camping Survival made this video: Interview with Chuck Fenwick, supplier of KIO3
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Another from Jim W.: Colorado Gun Rights Groups Aim to Recall State Lawmakers
"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." - Thomas Jefferson
Today we present another entry for Round 46 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner's choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225.
Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300 and 10 TAPCO polymer magazines (5 AR and 5 AK) courtesy of Armageddon Armory, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).
Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.
Round 46 ends on May 31st so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
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But first, some commentary from your editor:
Consider the implications of some recent events in America:
So much for enjoying "The most ethical and transparent administration in history."
Eleven years ago, when the Department of Homeland Security was formed, were were promised that it would merely be an umbrella organization that would just coordinate the activities of existing agencies, and have no policing powers of of it own. Well, look at what it has become. With more than 230,000 employees, DHS is now the third largest Cabinet-level Federal department. DHS now has legions of cyber sniffers, blue-gloved crotch gropers, and asset seizers. I suspect that internal DHS checkpoints will be coming soon.
The worst sort of tyranny is the sort that isn't even recognized by those who suffer beneath it's yoke.
Can't folks see how the nooses are being tightened around our necks? Don't they recognize the collusion of the mass media? Where is the outrage? Where are the protests? I've concluded that the America's rams got elastratred by the Public School system years ago, and now there are just a bunch of useless wethers. This is pathetic. If this continues, American liberty and free enterprise will end with just a few plaintive cries of "baa." The sheep have eagerly followed a bucket of grain. Welcome to the slaughterhouse--or at least to the anteroom. - J.W.R.
Until recently I thought of ham radio much like a boat or swimming pool. Having known amateur radio operators most of my life, I saw it as something that was better to have a friend with one than expend the time and expense myself. One of the first things I did after purchasing my retreat land was obtain the addresses of licensees in my area from the FCC database and plot them on a map just in case I need to seek their assistance later. Having acreage in a secluded community deep in the wooded mountains of Appalachia means cell phone service is not available. In the interest of OPSEC, I personally dragged all the materials over the mountain and through the woods to single-handedly build our retreat. When I was assembling and setting the rafters for the cathedral ceiling and installing the plywood sheeting and metal roof, my wife became concerned I might fall and become injured (despite a safety rope and harness). Unable to self-rescue by hiking or crawling out, if I were seriously injured on Friday, my wife not expecting me back to civilization until Sunday evening would not know to send the neighbors looking for me. It finally occurred to me that even without a license, a 2 meter handhold radio would allow me to call for help because of the emergency operation provision.
I remembered reading in a discussion group that I could purchase a dual-band Baofeng UV5RA Ham Two Way Radio for a paltry $39.98 including shipping. Despite what I read in discussion groups, it took about two minutes per channel to manually program the radio using the instructions I found here. A quick search of an online repeater directory netted a number of nearby repeaters with backup power and/or auto-patch. Like a fire extinguisher one hopes to never need, what I had previously considered a potentially expensive hobby became an inexpensive and practical solution to a real and existing threat.
If I wanted to use the repeater for anything other than a true emergency (specifically thinking about the autopatch), I would need to be licensed. A few more Internet searches netted a local exam and a free pdf study guide. I had a couple speaking engagements that week so penciled in the two weeks immediately proceeding the exam to prepare. I get up earlier than my family and my wife likes me to be there when she watches television in the evenings so I have a laptop on a side table to surf the web during those times. Those were my best (and only) opportunities to study.
Early on day one I pulled up the study guide and started reading. One thing six years of college taught me was that when preparing for a specific goal (in this case passing a test) one is well advised to get the best mental picture of that goal. I did this by taking a practice exam. I soon discovered that what I learned in the study guide did not always match any test answer. The study guide, for example, taught me to repeat "EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY, EMEGENCY" three times followed by my call sign if I needed to break into a conversation in the event of an emergency. Unfortunately, that was not one of the multiple-choice answers. I was pleasantly surprised how well I had done on the practice test with very little study. I previously worked in public safety, had a great high school science teacher, and am no stranger to a soldering iron so maybe that helped, but by the end of day one I was consistently passing the Technician practice tests. What was I to do with the remaining thirteen days of study time? I thought perhaps the site I chose did not contain questions similar to all those on the test so before heading off to bed I did some additional Internet research. I was surprised to find the FCC publishes the question pool in advance and that virtually every test site has the entire test pool. While I currently have no interest in doing anything other than using the handheld from my retreat, not knowing what the future holds or even if there could be an event that might make it difficult to advance to a higher license later, I decided to use the remaining thirteen days of study time to start preparing for the General license exam.
I clicked on the link to generate a General license practice test to find both bad news and good. As I expected, there was a lot less crossover knowledge on the General license practice test than at the Technician level. The good news was that several of the questions (or at least concepts) appeared on both exams meaning I did not have to learn as much new information as I expected. Having made a study plan, executed that plan, and measured the results it was time to make improvements. My goal during this two week period was to prepare for the exam. It was not to become proficient in ham radio. There is more to be learned attending club meetings, Hamfests and through an Elmer (mentor) than by reading a book. I spent the first half of day two studying online flash cards at www.HamExam.org. At first I did not try to answer any questions. I only hit the <Submit> button to bring up the correct answer which I then associated with the question by memorizing the answer, learning the underlying concept, or differentiating it mnemonically from the other answers. It appears because I was not answering questions they were being reintroduced along with those randomly selected from the test pool. Once I started recognizing questions I could answer I switched to answering the flash card questions I remembered and focusing on the answers to the questions I got wrong. That evening I started taking the General license practice tests and continually passing them on the same web site. Be warned, however, that once you sign up for an account the site reintroduces questions on which you do poorly to improve your knowledge. This makes test scores drop and no longer an indicator of your expectation of passing. Take a few free tests at paid sites like www.HamRadioLicenseExam.com. I considered preparing for the Extra exam next and took a look at the question pool, but with only twelve days of constantly interrupted time left, I decided to prepare for the Extra exam after I passed the Technician and General exams.
I left early for the half hour drive on test day, but was still a few minutes late for the exam because the directions I had were very poor. I arrived apologetically with my driver's license and passport which they didn't want to see and after filling out a license application exchanged $15 for the Technician question booklet and answer sheet. I read the questions carefully, but only skimmed the answers until I found the one I remembered from the practice exams. A few minutes later I handed in my exam which was quickly graded by one of the four volunteer examiners. The grading grid corresponding to my test version was placed over top and with the nod of a head I was assured that I had passed the Technician exam. There is only one sitting fee for the day so there was no extra charge for the General license exam which was noticeably harder. Unable to remember the Google Voice telephone number I was using, I had to turn my cell phone back on to retrieve the number for the General exam answer sheet which prompted one examiner to ask why I was on my phone during the exam. If you go that route (it's free), make sure to write the number on a scrap of paper because you have to provide it several times on various forms. Another nod of approval along with a comment that I had missed four and I was off to the restroom while they finished my license application form. They invited me to take the Extra exam next, but I declined. I think they wanted to see if I could pass all three in one hour. I had not even looked at that question pool. When I got home www.HamExam.org confirmed I would have only gotten about half right. In all I was in the testing building for forty minutes which is about as long as it took to drive home since I now knew the way.
Although I will be taking the Extra exam at the local club meeting next month to see if I can pass it, I do not know that I will go any further into ham radio. Some of those radios cost more than my 1989 F250. For only $55 I have exceeded my goal. Not only do I have a portable radio that is programmed with transmit, receive, and PL codes for local 2 meter, 70 cm, and emergency responder repeaters, but because I forward the free Google Voice number to my wife's cell phone before I leave for the retreat I can use the repeater auto-patch to make a local call right to her cell phone which would otherwise be long distance. The radio also acts a a scanner for the frequencies it covers, has a flashlight/flashing beacon, and even picks up commercial FM broadcasts so I can listen to music at night. It can be programmed for FRS, GMRS, and MURS frequencies, but does not meet the idiot proof requirements for certification under FCC Part 95 for those bands. Besides, even the low power setting is twice that allowed on FRS. Nevertheless, I am ordering a N9TAX Slim Jim antenna from 2wayelectronix.com so I can better broadcast to all my bubble pack FRS/GMRS radios in the event the FCC ceases to exist.
In closing I want to say do not be discouraged if you need to study a little longer. I had eighteen years of public education which was focused on the ability to pass tests. Learn the correct answers to the questions, get licensed, then join a local club if want to actually learn to do more than make emergency calls. - 73
JWR,
In response to the letter about swapping out devices that use button batteries, I would point out that some EOTech holographic sights use standard AA batteries, that are easily recharged. The EOTech 512
Combined with the Sanyo Eneloop AA batteries the EOTech sight would be useful for many years to anyone with a solar battery charger. The Eneloop batteries can be recharged over 1,500 times and unlike other rechargeables, they maintain 75% of their charge after three years of storage. While the EOTech doesn't have the ambient light intake or tritium sights of the mentioned Trijicon, it is an option that folks should explore as they compare options. Just my humble opinion. - Ohio Shawn
Derivatives warning from Bill Fleckenstein: Markets Could Be On The Verge Of A 'Blowup' Thanks To Japan. (Thanks to B.R.G. for the link.)
Andrew in England forwarded a link to some more claptrap from the Wall Street cheering section: Why Doomsters Who Predict The Collapse Of Money Are Wrong. These pundidiots see nothing wrong with tripling the money supply in less than three years. Someday they will wish they learned how to sprout beans.
And here is an opposing view: Author Dmitry Orlov on why he believes the U.S. is on the brink of collapse...and how to survive it. (SurvivalBlog's G.G. sent the link.)
The Horrible "Mileage Tax GPS Tracking Device" argument surfaces in Florida. (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)
Steve Forbes: Fed Sinking Real Economy; Calls QE's "Titanics"
Items from The Economatrix:
World Bank Whistle-blower: “Precious Metals To Serve As An Underpinning For Paper Currencies”
JPM Eligible Vault Gold Drops To Fresh Record Low. [JWR's Comment: Any futures contract buyers who believe that they will reliably be able to demand delivery in physical gold or silver are fools. Nothing trumps holding precious metals in your personal possession.]
JPMorgan Client's Demanding Their Gold...Endgame Near
John E. sent this disturbing news: Pentagon Unilaterally Grants Itself Authority Over ‘Civil Disturbances'
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Seed for Security is now offering a free Garden Security Collection with every order $75 or more. This collection features six generous packets of high protein, calorie dense, easy to grow, open pollinated vegetable seeds. This offer is for a limited time.
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Buddy mentioned this: Homeowner wounds suspect during shoot-out in SW Houston. (Summary: A home invasion robber forces a homeowner into his closet. But this is the closet where he keeps his guns. Predictable outcome ensues.)
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Pantry Paratus has posted a new infographic: Food Security-- Land, Water, & Energy
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H.L. sent: Now we pull out our own teeth: Boom in DIY dental kits as patients cannot afford NHS fees
"The price of gold is headed for extinction. I for one don't believe that the price of gold is headed for five digits. Long before that might happen, permanent backwardation would shut down the gold futures markets. Gold could no longer be purchased at any price. Gold would only be available through barter. World trade is facing an avalanche-like transformation flattening out monetary economy into barter economy. Practically all economists, financial writers and market analysts have missed this possible scenario. They don't see the greatest economic contraction ever staring them in the face. They don't see the coming tsunami of unemployment. Very few see deflation as indicated by the progressive disappearance of cash gold. It never occurred to Bernanke that the new Federal Reserve notes he is printing galore could also go to purchase physical gold, causing the gold basis to shrink. Once the gold basis goes permanently negative, the total U.S. debt, all $16 trillion of it, will not be worth one ounce of gold. That will pull the rug from underneath the international monetary system. Barter is the ultimate in deflation, and that is what the world economy is getting." - Antal Fekete, in a Daily Bell interview
This is the last day of Camping Survival's Mountain House Sale. They are offering Mountain House nitrogen-packed cans at 25% off and pouches and long term storage HDPE buckets at 15% off. Order before midnight eastern time tonight. (May 15, 2013.)
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Today we present another entry for Round 46 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner's choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225.
Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300 and 10 TAPCO polymer magazines (5 AR and 5 AK) courtesy of Armageddon Armory, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).
Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.
Round 46 ends on May 31st so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
The survivalist movement is growing at great rate today. You only have to read some of the articles posted in this blog to know that. But with all the fancy accruements available today some of the more fun and lowly survival items are overlooked. Among them: The hobo and emergency pocket stoves.
These are so much fun to make, and so easy. I remember first seeing them in an ancient tiny camping book from the 1960’s. The book itself was a hoot. When I cracked the book open the faded and almost crunchy yellowed pages revealed what I thought was an amazing thing: a complete recipe section with everything from biscuits to roast beef, puddings, jams, and eggs, and all off it made by can stoves, can cooking implements, and can ovens.
There are several basic designs of the hobo stove. If you are cooking for multiple people and really want to test out complicated recipes, go for the large industrial sized cans. You can go all out and use metal cutters, hole punchers, and even a saw to make things nice, but I’ve also found that a rock and a nail or screw works just as well. With whatever tools you decide to use, there is a basic design among hobo stoves. First off, cut the top and bottom off the can. A can opener is great, but use what you have on hand as needed. Remove the two steel discs for a later use. Cut a door in the bottom of the can, in a square, and flip it up. It now looks like a little house with an awning over a door. Puncture holes around the top of your stove so the fire can breathe. If you want to cook a pot on the top take a wire hanger, straighten it, and thread the pieces of wire through the top holes to make a place for your pot to rest.
Now you are ready to build your fire. Please clear a safe area, free from extra debris. You can use whatever you like to build your fire. For a medium sized can a good fire should take about six to eight minutes to boil water. Your imagination is up to you as to what you would like to cook. My personal favorite is eggs. Missing a ladle? No problem. Take the leftover can top (or bottom); use a rock to bend it into a ladle shape, notch a stick, then thrust the “ladle” into the stick. Wa-la, you go yourself a ladle.
This basic hobo stove design is of the most simple. I’ve seen people do all sorts of different variations and they all have their merits. One variation is to use a wire hanger to make handles and attach them to the top of the can, omitting cutting the bottom out. Punch holes in this design on both levels of the stove, top and bottom. The advantage is that in case an emergency, provided you have heavy gloves, you could take your stove and run. However, the stove itself will be very hot and a safety hazard.
If it is windy consider building a fire screen attachment. For this example, start with the biggest size can for the bottom stove section. You may want to make bigger holes for this design. If you are down to basic equipment: i.e. a rock and nails, for example, try and find a sturdy piece of metal to widen the holes. Now take your smaller sized can. The best fit would be for the medium can to balance nicely on the larger bottom can, seamlessly, within the seams. Think of balancing a standard 15-ounce can of beans on top of a larger pasta sauce can. It would be an ideal fit. If that’s not possible line the two cans with tin foil when setting up the fire. Take the medium sized can to make the fire screen. Cut off the top and bottoms as well. Instead of holes this time cut a “V” notch in the can, the point of the V pointing down.
Now things are getting exciting and it’s time to build your fire in the lower can. For this design it’s okay to add bigger branches. The fire may reach all the way up through the screen with the V in it. Experiment with air flow to make your liquid burn faster. After the water is boiling an added egg should take about four minutes. If using a larger cooking device it may take a little longer.
Now let’s look at emergency pocket stoves. These are great devices, easy to make, tiny, and there are a bunch of different types you can make with materials easily found around your house. They are super inexpensive, and, therefore, disposable.
My favorite device is one that seems at first far too easy and simple to make. Literally just tear or cut 10-30 sheets of a paper towel into circles that just peek out from under whatever you want to heat up. It could be a soda can, a tin of vegetables, or even a coffee pot. Find a smooth fireproof surface. The top of an uncut can would be fine. Soak the paper towel sheets in91% Isopropyl alcohol. 70% may work directly and it should be "salted out." Fuels that float on water are not recommended. A ring of blue flame should surround the pot and then the pot should begin heating up. If the fuel burns up before the desired temperature is reached, no problem. Just remove the pot, replenish the fuel and put the pot back on followed by relighting.
Please be absolutely sure to replenish the fuel only after the flame is extinguished.
There are some very good web sites to examine this process step by step. Another favorite of mine is made from small tins, such as pet food and tuna cans. Take the smaller tin and puncture holes all around the top. Remove the top of the larger tin. Cut a hole in the bottom and remove, as best you can, with what materials you have at hand, enough of a hole so that you still have a perimeter existing around the sides of the can. For example, if you have a tuna can, make the hole about the size of a half-dollar. Now cut holes in the bottom of the can, the edge opposite of the hole. Next, take the small tin and place it upside down inside the large one. If you have it, take aluminum muffler tape to go around the can and split it up the middle. However, this isn’t strictly needed. Now, put a layer of fiberglass into the can so it’s loosely filled. The fiberglass will hold its shape after the first burn and it makes a reusable wick. Please note that you should use only alcohol based fuels. Gasoline could easily blow up if using fiberglass.
I’ve seen some pretty awesome “penny stoves,” that look spectacular but are somewhat short of practicality. They are are easy to make, but in an outdoor situation they fall short, due to wind factors and the length of time spent building one. It also worries me that online directions on how to make them always are sure to say that they may explode and kill you. Needless to say they are not my favorite.
The last idea I’ll leave you with is a mini grill made of a circular mint or candy tin. Take the bottom part of the tin (the belly), and remove a large circle out of the bottom. You can get professional and find the old fan part of a computer for the bottom grill, or go old school and fashion a grill from a coat hanger. You will need one grill to hold charcoal on the bottom and one for the top. Hold the grills in place by wedging them in, or, for a more pro look, use screws. Your mini grill will resemble a typical rounded grill. Create legs from either screws, additional lengths of wire hangers, or anything metal. If windy you will need a fire break for this grill, made of folded tin foil or whatever you can find to screen it. The advantage is that you don’t need an alcohol fuel, just a piece of charcoal.
All in all, it’s easy to make and prepare emergency stoves for just plain fun, camping and as cooking devices. Man’s ingenuity is endless and these simple designs can easily be mucked around with to create imaginative stoves best for your particular environment. The local weather, time of year, and altitude should all be considered in your personal designs, and also what materials you have on hand. Some of these designs are perfect if you find yourself in a disaster situation, and even if you decide on more professional equipment for your survival stash, I’d recommend practicing making these devices. No matter what the scenario, most disasters, natural or man-made, are inherently dangerous, and one of the number one dangers to us is lack of fresh water and possible contaminated water.
These simple and effective designs could very well save your life and the lives of your friends and family! I hope you have enjoyed reading about them.
James Wesley,
I have found red dot scopes to be real helpful, and great for target shooting and plinking. The problem of course are the [button] batteries. I have a cheap red dot on one of my [Ruger] 10/22 fun plinking gun. Everyone loves it. However, too Many times I have left the sight turned on only to have a useless device atop my rifle. I have spent much money on the special "photo type" batteries for these illuminated scopes (with and without reticles). Those scopes that have a regular reticle and the option of illumination is not as catastrophic as a red dot with a dead battery and no quick back up iron sights. I have added Trijicon RMR Dual-Illuminated Sight (Ruggedized Miniature Reflex) to two of my survival rifles. The illumination of the dot is done with with ambient light and has tritium illumination for low light/night conditions. The great thing is the the ambient illumination will last forever. It is always there - no switches, no batteries, no problem. In a TEOTWAWKI situation this is what you want. If you are on watch at night or low light the tritium illumination is always there when you need it. Yes they are expensive ~$500, well worth the investment, they are built rugged and solidly reliable. This could be your life depending on this device, how much is that worth? Do you want to bet your life on a $39 piece of junk? You get what you pay for. Yes the tritium will degrade, that will be anywhere from 5 to 15 years depending on who you talk to and how good your eyes are. However the daytime function will always be there. The sights can always be returned Trijicon and the tritium replaced for a fee. the choice if color is amber or green - no red, I have no problem with the amber. As time goes on how much have you spent on these expensive batteries? Something to consider. I have no association with Trijicon or any financial interest, just a satisfied customer. - Richie in New York City
JWR Replies: Most people don't realize it, but most disposable button batteries can be recharged. And even better for preppers, there are very compact photovoltaic button battery chargers available. Just be advised that these are not automatically regulated, so you have to keep track of the number of hours that they are charging in full sunlight.
On Monday (May 13, 2013) I did my best to intervene and help mediate between Chris Duane and the Mulligan Mint to get them back to the bargaining table. I even suggested some potential terms of agreement. But they are still deadlocked. I'm afraid that this won't be resolved until their controversy goes to formal mediation or to court. This is a very sad situation. I was hoping that they'd be willing to quickly settle this like gentlemen, but the rhetoric (at least on one side) has become so vitriolic that I don't foresee an amicable resolution anytime soon. The latest news is that today Mulligan Mint is pressing forward with the re-launch of the SBSS coins, without Chris Duane's involvement. (They are wisely setting aside 50% of the profits from current sales for Chris Duane in an escrow account.) Because Mulligan Mint is using Duane's SBSS name without his permission, I decided not to be involved in promoting the re-launch. I can sympathize with both parties, and I can see that they both have some valid arguments. Please pray that Chris Duane and the Mulligan Mint are able to mend fences and reach mutually agreeable terms to making a clean break.
Meanwhile, Mulligan Mint is still reliably producing and shipping the American Redoubt .999 silver coins. This is entirely detached from the much-publicized Duane/Mulligan Mint fray. (To explain: Chris Duane backed away from the Redoubt coin project a week before the launch, and at that time he was apologetic and encouraged me to contact Mulligan Mint, to go ahead get the coin into production quickly. Silver was under $23.10 per ounce, and there was no time to dawdle.) I'm pleased to report that the mint is in full production and fully caught up with orders. The biggest delay is just in waiting for customer checks to clear. I have been promised that shipping delays won't exceed four weeks, and presently the delay is much less than that. Rest assured that the American Redoubt coin project is not at all entangled with the legal battle between Chris Duane and Mulligan Mint. But again, please pray that an amicable resolution of their disagreement can be reached.
Next, I'd like to warn readers about getting overly idealistic when buying silver. I must remind you that privately-minted silver coins are not numismatic coins, and should never be considered a numismatic investment. With a few exceptions, low minting numbers, limited strikes, minting errors, obscure minting variations, and so forth are essentially meaningless in the world of bullion silver, in the long term. Yes, proof coins are pretty and make nice gifts. But when you are buying silver, I recommend that you simply buy genuine silver, and stack it deep. Ten years from now, when you go to trade or sell today's "rarity", it will probably be treated no differently than a battered "Christmas, 1987" Santa logo silver round from some no-name mint. So always consider that fact when shopping for silver bullion coins or bars. Never pay excessive premiums when your goal is to acquire bullion to preserve your net worth. Seeing the recent bids on the silver round auctions on eBay makes me scratch my head, and ask: "What herb have these auction bidders been smoking?"
Lastly, I need to reiterate the point that the published New York and London spot and futures prices for metals have become meaningless. Currently, most coin shops are charging $10 to $12 per ounce over spot on silver, and the premiums paid on eBay are even higher. The spot prices have become so grossly manipulated by short-selling investors that they no longer reflect reality. The real price of silver is what most dealers are actually willing to sell it for. And as I'm writing this, that is around $33 to $35 per ounce. So forget the "official" price of silver. So after you have stacked up your storage food and ammo, stack up some silver. Someday, you will be glad that you did!Reader F.G. sent: Ruger to Open Third Plant – Expansion for New Guns
B.B. mentioned this by Lord Monckton: The Dollar and the USA are Toast
Items from The Economatrix:
Over at Mac Slavo's excellent SHTFPlan blog: The Mathematical Reality Is We Are Losing Over 600,000 Jobs Per Month That Have Been Hidden From View
Generation J(obless): A Quarter Of The Planet's Youth Is Neither Working Nor Studying
Reader Jeff H. wrote to suggest this instructional video: Arc Welding with Three Car Batteries
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"Excessive Force" doesn't begin to describe... Dramatic helicopter shootout and car chase in Rio de Janeiro. (A hat tip to Ol' Remus for the link.)
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F.G. suggested: Used AK Buyer's Checklist
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Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog's Editor at Large) found this link: Why Vultures Devoured Hiker's Body in Minutes
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As if on cue... Two days ago I asked rhetorically,: "Is a magazine capacity of 16 rounds inherently more evil, criminal or sinister than a capacity of 15 rounds?" And then came yesterday's news headline: New York Man Arrested for Having Two Extra Bullets, Violating State's Seven Bullet Cap. This is just as arbitrary as Mayor Bloomberg's ban on high capacity soda cups, but has much more serious implications. (Thanks to reader J.B.G. for the article link.)
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I wonder what Joe Dassin would say, if he saw his favorite boulevard now? 'The Champs Elysee is a battlefield': Riots on the streets of Paris as thugs hijack David Beckham's team's open-top bus title celebrations.
"Above all, stay alive. You have no idea how important you are. This is John Connor. If you are listening to this, you are the resistance." - Christian Bale as John Connor, in the movie Terminator: Salvation (Screenplay by John Brancato, Michael Ferris, Paul Haggis, Shawn Ryan, and Jonathan Nolan.)
Today we present another entry for Round 46 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner's choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225.
Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300 and 10 TAPCO polymer magazines (5 AR and 5 AK) courtesy of Armageddon Armory, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).
Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.
Round 46 ends on May 31st so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
Over the years our lifestyle of self-production has morphed from simply producing more of our own needs into an active learning, training experience for the whole family. Our children have grown up working alongside us in the garden, enjoying our late-night “canning parties”, and lately helping to raise and pursue large animals for our consumption. This last year our gardening has taken on a greater academic angle with more experimentation and trying new things. We’ve done a fair amount of foraging in the mountains around our place, and we were wondering how our ‘domestic’ garden varieties would fair in the wild. This is how our guerrilla garden began.
We already knew from years of experience with deer and elk in our garden that corn and other vegetables are a wildlife favorite, so we decided to see how potatoes might fair in various circumstances. The internet is full of advice and experience, but our own personal efforts have been invaluable to teach what is possible and what is successful. We chose potatoes also because of their valuable payoff in volume and nutrition for any emergency scenario.
Last spring we decided to see how potatoes would do in various conditions. With lots of our favorites still in cold-storage from the winter, we had plenty of our favorite seed potatoes – Purple (“All Blue”), Reds, and Yukon Golds. We decided on three main locations: 1) normal conditions in our regular, groomed garden; 2) ‘new’ garden conditions in land we recently cleared; and 3) rustic gardening in the wild parts of the hills around us. We hoped each of these areas could teach us new things about growing one of our favorite foods.
In
our regular garden, we planted over 50 potato plants to use as a control and also to experiment with things like using straw, dirt mounds, and even bucket systems we’d read about to help increase yields. We varied the planting distances between plants, monitored watering, and even measured the effect of damaging the main plants might have on potato yields.
Adjacent to our regular garden we recently cleared out pine and fir trees to expand the regular garden plot. This soil had not been cultivated or fertilized in any way – we simply mowed the grass and weeds, then did a rough tilling of the soil for us to plant in. We wanted to see how suitable our ‘native’ ground might be for growing in short notice. In this area we planted another 50 plants.
Our third location was chosen to see how potatoes might fair in the mountains of western Oregon. Most of the land here is accessible by logging roads, and with so much space to use we were curious how the plants would fare. First, we contacted local county and state Agricultural resources to make sure there was no legal issue with us planting domestic plants in the wild. Also, we scoped out where noxious weed spraying might occur. Finally, we decided on 4 different locations in the hills near where we often target practice or roam. We chose these locations to provide different growing conditions – on top of an exposed hillside, in a small ravine, alongside a logging road, and in a small open meadow. Would the animals find the plants? Would they get adequate moisture and sun? Was the soil suitable? Lots of questions.
Our Experimental Conditions
In our regular garden we experimented with X condition to see how they would affect yields: mounding dirt around the plants; piling straw around the plants; enclosing a plant in straw and a bucket; spacing between plants; and ‘damage’ to the main plant when it flowered. Each of these factors was chosen based on what we had read of others doing. We varied the spacing between plants from 12 inches to 2.5 feet. Some plants we regularly raked up dirt up to 12 inches high around the base of the plant as it grew, while others didn’t get mounded dirt. We piled thick straw around some plants to see if they would grow potatoes in the straw, and if that helped hold heat, moisture, etc to promote potato production. For 2 plants, we cut the bottoms out of 5 gallon buckets and placed the bucket around the plant as it was large enough to “see out” of the bucket. Within the bucket around the plant we filled the space with straw. One group of plants we regularly watered, while others we left to the elements. I had read that if a plant was damaged around the time it flowered, it would put more ‘effort’ into the tubers, so we munched up some of the plants to ‘simulate’ crushing or deer damage, to see if it produced more potatoes. Yield results for these plants in our regular garden area were most dramatic and clear between different conditions.
In the rough “new” area we planted, we simply rototilled the ground and planted the potato starts. Some parts of this area had many roots left from the trees we removed, and even 3 stumps of considerable size. About half of this area started growing field grass aggressively after our planting. We also added straw and dirt mounding to some of these plants. We did not give extra watering to the plants in this area. We were mainly interested in seeing how the soil and conditions would do for potatoes. In an extended emergency, would it be possible for us to till up yard or pasture and get a suitable crop at harvest in the first year to help our family? Without extra fertilizer or watering, is growing our own food realistic? How important is our efforts to remove grass and weeds in land we want to garden? Lots of questions we hoped to answer for very little effort or work. Big ramifications though for what we might find – especially if our dinner depended on this ground.
For the potatoes we planted out in the wild, the only “experimental” factor we added was to put an old tire around one of the potato plants to see if the tire would ‘warm’ the plant and encourage any noticeable yield improvement. We found the tire along the logging road so it was a last minute idea to try. Using what was available to learn something new. We planted seed in a barren, clay bank, marshy wet soil, and even in dirt with a lot of ‘riprap’ rocks from the logging road. Interestingly, the results in the wild were all pretty much the same, though we learned a lot from it.
I should say that the best part of all of this was not eating the results, but the fun we had. We all had a great time planting, brainstorming and researching, and of course digging up the goods. Our many children’s ages range from 5 to 19 and each of them was eager to get out and check the plants. When checking on the plants in the woods, we often used the occasion to target practice, look for new mushrooming areas, or scout deer – it was always a great outing. Learning life skills and enjoying this great world God has given us is always better (and more educational) when it is a fun time. One of my sons was quite surprised when he realized he could use our experiments as a science project – he thought it was all just for fun.
Our Results
We regularly checked on and monitored the plants – noting any early deaths, plant growth, and observations. The weather last summer was moderate, and relatively mild with regular rainfall and no dramatic heat stretches. Good conditions for experimentation. We carefully made notes and when digging the potatoes weighed the results from each plant. None of our efforts were statistically defined, though we tried to randomize as much as possible. Not truly scientific, but close enough for us!
Most of our insights were from the regular garden area, with all its variations. We measured the yields to the closest ounce, but I won’t bore you with the number details. The Red potatoes yielded much higher than the Purple or Golds. This was expected. We also observed that mice and mold preferred Reds over the other two. The Red potatoes were still green and vigorous into September, while both the Purple and Gold plants were dying off or dead before mid-August. These are all considerations for emergency conditions when our dinner might be on the line. Red potatoes produced 5.5 to 6.5 lbs of potatoes on average; Purples put out 3.2 lbs each; Golds averaged 1.8 lbs. Most of our experimentation was on the Reds, which is part of the greater range in average.
In our regular garden, the two most significant factors affecting potato yields were sun and dirt mounding. The amount of sun the plants received was easily seen in the yields. Mounding dirt vs. unmounded plants was even more dramatic – more than 30% more potatoes (by weight) was produced by plants that had dirt mounded around them. The mounding also helped keep the weeds at bay so this might have been a factor. We will always mound our plants after this experiment!
The straw around the potatoes had no significant effect on increasing the amount of potatoes, but actually had a large NEGATIVE effect in that the potatoes grown in the straw had much more mold and losses to mice. Most potatoes had some damage and many were lost because of the mold and rodents, whereas those plants without straw had little or no damage. As I mentioned, the Reds were much preferred by the rodents over the Purple or Golds.
The only noticeable effect that spacing had on the plants seemed to be related to the amount of sun. plants close together but on the south side of the patch still had high yields, as did the plants spaced out more but not on the south (sunny) side. Greater spacing also helped us to mound and keep the weeds out.
Those plants that had the extra watering did seem to have better yields, but it was not significant or really noticeable. Not to say watering isn’t important for the potatoes, but perhaps the mild year we had was wet enough. We don’t think that extra watering (unless a dry season) is worth the extra effort.
The damaged plants we crushed or munched up branches on showed no real difference in potato yield than undamaged plants. The mounding and sunlight was still the overwhelming factor on these plants.
The plants with a bucket around them had lower yields than their peers. No rodent damage but I suspect the buckets decreased the sunlight available to the plants. All of the potatoes were in the dirt and none of them in the straw. With all the ideas on the internet about stacking tires or boxes around the plant as it grows, I figured there would be something too it, but it didn’t pan out for us. This shows the value of trying it for yourself, in your own local circumstances!
One final note on the results in our regular garden area was interesting – we planted just the “eye” growth from a Gold potato to see if it would grow to a plant, and indeed it did. This eye start was about 2 inches long and we broke it off the potato before potting, then transferred to the garden. It grew, but only produced 0.25 lbs of potatoes whereas the other Gold plants around it were producing 1.5 to 2.8 lbs. It did something, but not much. At least something to consider if you don’t have enough seed potatoes to plant a large chunk of seed potato with the eye on it.
In the new, “unworked” garden area, we saw similar results, though yields were smaller than in the tended and fertilized area. Average Purple and Gold yields were 1.5 to 2.75 lbs per plant, and the Reds averaged 3.5 lbs each. This is about 40-60% less than the same averages from the “normal” garden, taking into account the experimental variables we were using. This is dramatic, but still encouraging. Two to three pounds of potatoes from a plant in native soil would be a big deal in a year of famine or emergency. With so many of our neighbors without gardens, it would be a big help if they had this option to grow potatoes without having a couple years to cultivate the soil.
Again, the amount of sunlight and dirt mounding demonstrated a big boost to yields. As the quality of the garden area decreases, we would recommend spacing the plants more and mounding them. Of course, fertilizing and other factors will also have dramatic increases to yields as the resources are found.
Also, those plants we put straw around showed much more rodent and mold damage. Maybe we had moldy straw that also encouraged these losses- something to consider. The amount of tree roots still in the soil also showed a negative impact – the 10 plants in this area (some of which had straw) showed about 10% fewer potatoes than adjacent ones.
The last observation from this unworked garden area was the impact that field grass and weeds had. The plants in the areas where grass and weeds were thick (and left intentionally) still grew and produced potatoes, but were ~25% lower yields than the other plants in this area. These plants put out 0.5 to 1.5lbs each, depending on other factors (mounding, straw, etc.). Even the kids could see the value at harvest from weeding during the season.
The results from our final area of study – the real Guerrilla arden of the mountains, was disappointing. We had hoped to hide our little seed potatoes in the waysides and remote mountains, then later in the year find a bounty to meet out need if we ever had to flee to the hills. But any data is valuable data, and we had fun. None of these plants produced more than a few small potatoes, of just an ounce or two. Each plant had a potato though!
First, we learned how tough and aggressive the native grasses and blackberries are compared to our gentile, domesticated potatoes. The native plants shot up, took all the sunlight, and in many cases buried our poor potatoes to flounder in their shadows. Without human help to fight off the competition, the potatoes won’t have a chance.
Next, we saw the importance of marking or mapping our plants – we were unable to find many of them! We tried to use rocks, logs, or natural markers to help us find our plants but on return trips our success rate was low – we found less than half of the plants by the end of the year. It is truly a jungle out there! When the plants were green and growing they were easier to locate and identify. In September they were shriveled enough to make it hard to find them, and more difficult to positively ID them.
That tire we tried on one of the plants? Well, someone needed it more than we did – it just up and disappeared, and we couldn’t locate the plant it was marking.
Elk do seem to like to nibble potatoes, though they didn’t completely eat them gone. Turns out we planted some of our potatoes on the hillside where 4-6 elk regularly bed down (we confirmed the beds several times) and while they nibbled the plants, they didn’t outright eat them. They might have been curious and then lost interest after the taste.
Our final observation on growing potatoes in the wild – no matter how “out of the way” you think you are, someone, usually on an ATV or 4 wheel drive will find your little potatoes! We lost a patch that was way back in a ravine to at least two ATVs – they went in there and did "cookies" [turns] on top of the potatoes! I don’t think they saw them and did it intentionally, but it made us laugh to think of how we thought we were so inconspicuous. People really are everywhere.
Which raises a point about us trying potatoes. We knew corn would not do well in the wild, because of wildlife but also because it is fairly recognizable. When considering a garden for public or wild lands, it is best to chose something inconspicuous that another gardener might recognize, but not the general public. Other than wildlife, people are the next big threat to growing in the wild. Potatoes are both highly nutritious and inconspicuous.
For years we have been experimenting with our fruit trees, grape vines, chicken raising, and now potatoes. Trying new things, and trying new ideas on old things adds a great spice to gardening and enriches our fun with the children. It stimulates their creativity and natural curiosity and keeps them in the garden working longer! It also helped us temper our thoughts that life in the mountains under difficult conditions would be simpler by growing a garden. If hard times come, it would be better to have food cache’ed that to hope those potatoes are out there for our stew pot. And our personal experiences have confirmed what Abraham Lincoln said, “Don’t trust everything you read on the Internet.”
This year we’ve decided to try pole beans and zucchini in our 2013 Guerrilla Gardening. Pole beans might stand a chance in the wild if they can climb up and out of the cover, and zucchini grows like crazy in town, maybe it will have a chance. Both have high nutritional values, and are relatively inconspicuous. We are excited. Our gardening experiments have been a huge success. Many of the results were unexpected and helpful, and the time together invaluable. What will you try in your Guerrilla Garden this year?
Sir:
In her recent article on repurposing material by sewing, Penny Pincher said: "The Army poncho liner is nothing more than a thin quilt with a head hole in the middle. It’s camo lightweight nylon with thin polyfil for batting, a few strings at the corners, and bound on the edges. You could make something similar. If you didn’t mind the extra weight, you could use some thin wool, maybe in two layers, and sandwich that between nylon to make it ride smoother."
I made something similar last spring, but with nylon on only one side. I like carrying a wool blanket rather than a sleeping bag when motorcycle camping. Heavy wool blankets get very hot -- in part due to the nap of the wool directly against the skin. So I took an old olive drab blanket (washing it first to shrink as much as possible) and sewed a similarly sized piece of dark brown thin nylon to one side of it. After "quilting" the two pieces together by simply running it through the sewing machine a few times in both directions, I bound the four edges with canvas left over from an old couch, tan khaki in color. Now I have an extremely durable blanket/quilt (in woodland camo colors) that doesn't get unbearably hot in the summer, but which can be reversed to make the most of wool's insulative properties when required.
Because I started out with the largest surplus blanket I could find and pre-shrunk it, and because nylon and wool are both water repellent, I was able to sleep soundly with only my blanket in a solid drizzle while camping this winter in Mississippi. And the whole thing rolls up to about the diameter of a surplus closed-cell foam pad, and it's only about half the length of those pads. So far it's been used for motorcycle camping, as a ground pad for rifle practice, as my bedding while at the station where I'm an EMT, and as an occasional play tent for my toddler. Very durable, only been washed once, and looks brand new. - J.D.C. in Mississippi
Dear Jim,
I have been a welder, machinist, engineer, and someone interested in self-reliance for many years. I read the recent discussion on SurvivalBlog of post-SHTF welding with interest.
I do not disagree that thermite could be made from scrap yard materials (done it, with aluminum filings and black sand (magnetite) from the river), but it would require a custom-made refractory mold for each joint. IMHO two other forms of welding would be much more practical.
Forge welding was the only available process up into the 1800s, and requires only anvil, hammer, fire of coke or charcoal and forced air. Borax or other flux is very helpful on steel, as opposed to wrought iron. Common salt would probably work, too, but avoid the chlorine fumes.
Electric arc welding is infinitely faster and more flexible, and not out of reach post-SHTF.
Engine-driven welding machines are common, and can of course be used as designed as long as their fuels, usually gasoline or Diesel oil, are available.
Gasoline engines can also be run on wood-gas, natural gas, propane, manure gas, with suitable carburetion; Diesels of course on vegetable or waste petroleum oils.
A steam engine burning wood, or a water-wheel, could run a generator welder just as effectively as a modern internal combustion engine, with suitable belting or gearing to provide the right rotational speed.
A medium-size off-grid solar electric power system will also run some small welding machines for limited duty cycles.
Many types of finely compounded welding rods are used today for specific purposes. However, a DC welding machine can be used to weld with coat-hanger or most other types of plain bare steel wire. It is much more difficult to control the arc, and the properties of the weld joint will not be as good, but will be usable for many purposes by a skilled welder. Nor is it out of the realm of possibility to make coated electrodes with better properties, as for instance the coating on one of the most common and most useful modern (E6010) electrodes could be closely approximated with wrapping of newspaper soaked in waterglass, or probably salt or soda mixed with powdered sand.
However I will leave you with a major caveat: If you are not a skilled welder now, then do not expect to do yourself any good by taking up the craft with improvised materials after SHTF.
One of the biggest income-enhancers for the general repair welder like myself, is the guy who buys himself his own welding machine. Fixing it after it was fixed wrong the first time, costs a lot more than doing it right the first time.
As with all skills you may wish you had in an emergency, do not wait for the emergency to acquire them.
Thanks for your service, Mr. Rawles! - Ben F.
The historic flying legacy of Ontario [Oregon]'s Merle Maine. What an amazing collection! (Thanks to R.B.S. for the link.)
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Jim W. sent: Wolves vs Lion Hounds: Attacks Rising in Montana and Idaho
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Governor Otter invites firearms, ammunition makers to Idaho. (A hat tip to Rich B. for the link.)
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Jim W. sent us yet another good reason for the partition of eastern Washington: Attention Florida CWPs: Washington State is no longer reciprocal.
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A workshop in Wilsall, Montana will address "drought-proofing" farms and ranches and increasing soil fertility, June 5-9, 2013. More that 80 hours of instruction. Participants will learn about multiple proven technologies and strategies for farms and ranches that increase profitability, maximize water harvesting, minimize inputs, increase forage yield and build soil. This workshop is being organized by Cloud Nine Farm in Wilsall, Montana and Broken Ground in Bozeman, Montana. For more information, see: www.MontanaWholeFarmFertility.com or call Karen Erbe at: (406) 600-7881.
Prof. Paul Caron: The Deepening IRS Scandal
Intrinsic Value and the Final Battle for Silver
H.L. suggested: Argentina's Modest Proposal: Buy Bonds or Go to Jail
Items from The Economatrix:
Where Is The Recovery? A Higher Percentage of Americans Had Jobs Three Years Ago
Bullet blitz: Demand from public, government leaves ammo shelves empty. (Of course those of you who heeded the advice in SurvivalBlog and stocked up before last December are now sitting pretty.)
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Tomorrow is the last day of Camping Survival's Mountain House Sale. They are offering Mountain House nitrogen-packed cans at 25% off and pouches and long term storage HDPE buckets at 15% off. Order soon!
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Reader M.V.R. spotted this: Use These Secret NSA Google Search Tips to Become Your Own Spy Agency
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Jeff H. mentioned: Mothers Milk: Grow Your Own Vinegar
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Los Angeles Wants To Confiscate Legal 10+ Round Magazines. Here are a couple of quotes from the article: "The city of Los Angeles has filed a proposed ordinance that would allow police to confiscate legally owned magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. Thanks to a motion by Councilman Paul Krekorian of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee."
and,
"The unconstitutional law would ban possession of magazines under a nuisance law. They’re talking about property that was grandfathered for a reason."
JWR's Comment: That sounds a lot like an uncompensated "taking" (theft) to me! It also flies in the face of California's State Preemption law (53071 GC) that restricts counties and cities from enacting firearm regulations. I must repeat that I encourage gun owners to move out of that Mickey Mouse State, as soon an possible.
"You may hand us over to the executioner, but in three months' time our disgusted and harried people will bring you to book and drag you alive through the dirt in the streets!" - Field Marshal Erwin von Witzleben (One of the Valkyrie bomb plot leaders), August 7, 1944
Today is the birthday of firearms engineer Theodor Koch (born 1905, died 1976.) Koch, along with Edmund Heckler and Alex Seidel salvaged tooling from the bombed-out Mauser factory at Oberndorf, and with it founded Heckler und Koch. OBTW, Koch is not spoken: "Kock." Rather, it is correctly rendered in a deep register: "Cohke-hh".)
--
Reader H.C. kindly wrote to remind me to mention this: Most folks have probably heard that Google Reader is scheduled to go off into the sunset on July 1st, 2013. So if you use it to access any RSS feeds (including ours), then get yourself set up with an alternate RSS reader, before then. (There are plenty of others available.)
A recurring theme in western journalism, academia, and collectivist politics is the quaint notion that firearms are intrinsically evil. That is, that they have a will of their own, that somehow inspires their owners to murder and mayhem. I liken this nonsensical belief to voodoo.
The "guns are evil" viewpoint was encapsulated by social psychologist Leonard Berkowitz when he wrote: “Guns not only permit violence, they can stimulate it as well. The finger pulls the trigger, but the trigger may also be pulling the finger.” I am astounded that something like that can be earnestly said or written in modern times, and not immediately get shouted down. This statement betrays an outlook that is not much different than that of a practitioner of Voodoo. And to see this espoused by some with a nomen appendage like "Ph.D." makes it even more absurd. (Leonard Berkowitz was awarded a Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Michigan in 1951. But apparently U. of M.'s doctoral program did not include courses in logic. And his study of what he called "the weapons effect" was conducted quite unscientifically.) Just imagine if he or one of his academic cohort were to proclaim: "Typewriters not only permit libel, they can stimulate it as well. The fingers tap the keys, but the keys may also be pulling the finger toward the keyboard by an unseen force, stimulating libel.” Any psychologist who trots out such nonsense needs to consult a psychiatrist.
I have a few questions for Dr. Berkowitz and his peers:
1.) What is the mechanical difference between a "target pistol" and a "murder weapon"?
2.) What is a "Nazi Luger"? Can a Luger pistol join the National Socialist party, and share their hatred of perceived Untermenschen and wish to exterminate them? By the same token, what is a "Communist AK-47"?
3.) How many people have been killed by guns without someone physically pulling the trigger? And in any very rare exception to the norm, was it a mechanical defect or negligent handling at fault, or did the gun really wish to do harm and "go off by itself."?
4.) Why have gun makers been sued for wrongful death because of murders committed with their products? (If a gun does indeed consistently fire a bullet at high velocity when the safety mechanism is disengaged and the trigger is pulled, then isn't that device working just as designed?)
5.) What, pray tell, is the distinguishing characteristics of an "assault" rifle, and what differentiates it from a "hunting" rifle? Does the attachment of a black plastic buttstock make a gun in any way more wicked, murderous, or bent on assault than attaching a pretty wooden stock?
6.) Is a magazine capacity of 16 rounds inherently more evil, criminal or sinister than a capacity of 15 rounds? (This was threshold that the geniuses in the Colorado legislature recently declared, complete with jail term penalties. OBTW, Canada set the threshold of evil at a mere five rounds, for semiautomatic long guns.)
Let step back and look at these tools logically and dispassionately: A firearm cartridge can be thought of as a simple single-use internal combustion engine, with a piston that does not reciprocate. Instead, it takes a one-way flight. The engine housing is a brass cartridge case, and the "vehicle" is the entire gun. The pistons as are called bullets. The fuel for these engines (gunpowder) creates the expanding gasses that drive the pistons. Cartridge firearms are compact vehicles for change that have shaped modern history. The righteousness of their use is entirely up to their users, since like any other tool they can be used both for good or for ill. A firearm is just a tool with no volition. A rifle is no different than a claw hammer. To wit: A hammer can be used to build a house, or it can be used to bash in someone’s skull—the choice of uses is entirely up to the owner. A bulldozer can used to build roads, or to destroy houses. A rifle can be used to drill holes in paper targets, or to dispatch a marauding bear, or to murder your fellow man. Again, the choice of uses is entirely up to the user. But, alas, even though it is the 21st Century, we are still dealing with voodoo-like superstition. If you get angry or drunk and you then use your Chrysler car to run over a neighbor's child, should your neighbor then launch an organization called "The Coalition to Ban Chryslers," to punish all Chrysler owners?
I am also opposed to all so-called “gun control” laws because they are a form of prior restraint. The gun grabbers presuppose ill-intent on the part of law-abiding citizens and even the guns themselves. I find these laws akin to the concept of “pre-crime”—a term coined by science fiction novelist Phillip K. Dick, in his novel Minority Report. (It was later turned into a movie, starring Tom Cruise.)
If a firearm is used by a criminal or psychopath with evil intentions, then it is a tool for evil. But if it is used for good (to defend life and property), then it is a tool for good. A firearm by itself has no sentience, no volition, no moral force, and no politics. The proper term for this is an adiaphorous object--something that is neither good nor evil. A firearm is simply a cleverly-designed construction of metal, wood, and plastic in the form of a precision tool. Granted, a firearms magnifies the reach of a man's volition. But so does a long bow, and so does a telephone and the Internet. But to deride the tool itself instead of someone who abuses it is profoundly illogical and superstitious.
So why do they disparage the tool and not the one who wrongly wields it? Why isn't gasoline seen as evil, since Julio Gonzalez used it to kill 87 people at the Happy Land Club in his murderous arson, in 1990? And why aren't there calls to ban nitrogen fertilizer, since Timothy McVeigh used it to kill 168 people in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995? And shouldn't Boeing brand jet aircraft be banned, since they were used to take nearly 3,000 innocent lives on September 11, 2001? And aren't pressure cookers now the weapon of choice of Islamic terrorists?
Ever since the invention accurate rifled firearms, the course of human history has been set by the men who wield them. For someone to exclude themselves or seek to disenfranchise others from owning or carrying them is the most absurdly illogical and downright suicidal attitude imaginable. It is obvious that so-called "Gun Control" laws have nothing to do with the criminal misuse of guns, since criminals ignore all laws, by definition. Only honest, law-abiding citizens obey these laws. Rather, these laws are just about control--namely people control. Dictators cannot dictate unless they have unarmed subjects.
Here it is, in quintessence: You are either a man with a gun, or you are mere human cattle for the slaughter. The choice is yours. I prefer to be armed and vigilant rather than being at the mercy of some would-be slave master. There is no notch in my ear.
Because they are such useful tools, our founding fathers recognized the great importance of safeguarding our ownership, carry, and free use of arms. Like the printing press, they were specifically protected by the Bill of Rights. These enumerated rights should be taken at face value and not misconstrued. The Second Amendment is about protecting your right to go deer hunting the same way that the First Amendment is about protecting your right to publish poetry.
Conclusion
Please speak up when you see someone preaching voodoo gun hatred. Violence involving firearms is actually down 39% in the U.S. since 1993. But anti-gun rhetoric has recently been increasing. All of the "evil gun" talk is nothing more than an unfounded irrational fear and loathing that has no place in a modern society that recognizes facts and logic. Anyone who engages in this rhetoric should be immediately suspect. Odds are that they are halophantae with a hidden agenda. While they rail against an inanimate tool, I suspect that they are actually plotting against the liberty of a group of people with whom they disagree. They want to disarm you, so that they (or their hired armed thugs) will have a monopoly on force. And if the history of the 20th century taught us anything, it is that a monopoly on force inevitably leads to genocide. - JWR
A thoughtful EMT wrote me to ask:
Dr. Koelker:
What effect could you have on blood sugar for a diabetic (type 1) through blood transfusions? I am a paramedic, and our field treatment for high blood sugar is IV fluids until the hospital can give them insulin to lower the blood sugar. In a SHTF scenario, there is no hospital. The thought process got me thinking though....My questions are these:
1) What, if any effect could you have on lowering blood sugar through transfusions? i.e., basically finding a non-diabetic donor match, and swapping a couple pints of blood...the non-diabetic can process any sugar, and the diabetic gets blood sugar lowered by dilution.
2) Could you time a high sugar meal for the non-diabetic to manipulate the blood you were donating? Could you get enough glucose and insulin transfused to affect the diabetic’s intracellular glucose?
3) If the science and idea are valid, would it be able to have any appreciable effects or would you be re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic?
The idea intrigues me, because blood transfusion gear can store a lot longer than insulin.
Thank you- Eli
Here is my reply:
Excellent questions, Eli. I’ve pondered the possibility myself and will offer my preliminary conclusions.
First, theoretically, the answer is yes, it could work.
For example, in a scenario where, say, identical twins would essentially share the same pancreas, IV lines could be connected in a continuous system, allowing the diabetic’s blood to enter the non-diabetic’s system, with the “treated” blood being returned in equal amounts from the non-diabetic to the diabetic.
This is not quite the same as swapping a couple pints of blood, as I’ll address below.
Eli’s preliminary questions raise several more:
1. Who is a suitably-matched donor?
2. Would a non-diabetic be the best donor?
3. How much blood would need to be transfused?
4. How long would this arrangement work?
5. Should the non-diabetic receive blood back in return?
6. Should serum be used instead of blood?
7. Could the blood be administered via a different route?
8. Could non-human blood be used?
9. Could God have left us a simpler answer for treating diabetes Type 1 than we’ve discovered to date?
To begin with the end, I believe #9 above could well be true. Though science has investigated pancreatic transplantation, islet cell transplants, stem cell manipulation, and other high-tech options, no simple solutions have been found, but they yet may be out there.
And so, at TEOTWAWKI, what to do?
(Before I go on, let me say don’t miss the March 13, 2013 SurvivalBlog article by AERC regarding Insulin Dependent Diabetics. The author offers many excellent suggestions along with personal experience as a diabetic.)
But the question remains: what to do if no insulin is available? Would transfusion work?
A few calculations will help explain: In the non-diabetic, serum insulin levels average <30 microUnits/ml (that’s 0.000030 Units/ml), or 0.003 Units per liter of blood or serum. (In a type 2 diabetic with insulin resistance, the serum insulin level may actually be higher than normal.) If a type 1 diabetic requires 24 units of insulin/per day, that’s 1 unit/hour, or 0.0427 Units per minute, if my number-crunching is correct (and let me know if it’s not). The calculations are actually quite complex, in part due to the half-life of insulin, along with multiple other factors.
To simplify the computation enormously, if it takes a serum insulin level of around 10 microU/ml to metabolize a serum glucose level of 100 mg/dL, it would take about 5 times that much insulin (or non-diabetic blood) to regulate a serum glucose level of 500. To treat a diabetic’s blood sugar of 1000 could require all the insulin within a non-diabetic’s circulatory system – and clearly you can’t donate all your blood multiple times a day (except in the shared-pancreas arrangement described above).
If a diabetic’s blood glucose level of 900 were suddenly diluted 50:50 with a non-diabetic’s blood (which isn’t really possible), this would decrease the level to around 400 mg/dL to start, then perhaps 50 points further due to transfused insulin . . . but only for a very short time, on the order of hours at best. And in order to administer this much blood, an equal amount would have to be removed via blood-letting.
Given an unlimited blood supply and ICU-level nursing, perhaps this could be accomplished, but considering factors likely to be present at TEOTWAWKI, the challenges appear to be insurmountable.
Additionally, to answer a few more of my own questions above:
1. In the identical twins shared-pancreas scenario, with blood going in and out of each person, blood typing is not a problem. However, for others to share blood back and forth, both the diabetic and non-diabetic would need to be compatible to both donate and receive blood. Simple ABO/Rh typing does not prevent all transfusion reactions, and of course even correct typing does not eliminate the possibility of infection or fluid overload. Still, in a life-or-death situation, with a supply of insulin expected to be available shortly, it could be considered. (Make sure to obtain a blood donation compatibility chart if you would consider transfusion for any reason. You’ll either need to know everyone’s blood type ahead of time, or learn how to crossmatch it yourself.)
2. Theoretically a normal weight or an overweight person, even a mild Type 2 diabetic with insulin resistance, could serve as the donor.
3. Serum alone is not likely to work because transfusion alone is not really feasible. The only way I see transfusion working is the shared-pancreas scenario already described.
Next, what about non-human blood?
Animal-to-human blood transfusions have been tried hundreds of years ago, but were often fatal, and assuredly would be fatal using large volumes of blood.
But could the insulin within, say, a gallon of cow blood be put to use some other way?
Theoretically, maybe so. The blood would need to be centrifuged promptly to remove the cells, since the blood cells themselves remain metabolically active until they begin to break down. The serum could be further concentrated by evaporation at room temperatures (with careful attention to sterile technique). The resulting insulin-containing liquid should not be given intravenously but might be effective via a rectal infusion, high in the anus (see Oral Insulin (Swallowed) and Rectal Insulin Suppository for Diabetics by T.R. Shantha, MD, PhD, FACA).
Although insulin does not degrade when given rectally as it does when given orally, absorption is a potential problem. Although some insulin is absorbed rectally, I can find no answer to whether bovine insulin would be – but it might work.
Another possibility would be an enema of blenderized bovine (cow) pancreas, though the pancreatic enzymes might irritate or even perforate the colon – perhaps a reader would like to try this experiment on rats or rabbits before trying it on themselves. Allergic reactions are also a concern.
The earliest treatment of hypothyroid patients involved implanting (not transplanting) sheep thyroid tissue into a patient. Surprisingly, it worked. So could the same idea work with insulin-dependent diabetes? Again, I don’t know, and again the pancreatic enzymes could be a problem. But it might work, to a degree. Perhaps a curious reader would be interested in trying this experiment on their diabetic pet. Answers simply cannot be obtained without experiments (some of which end badly for the subject).
Transdermal insulin use has also been studied, but requires ultrasound or iontophoresis for transport through the skin. Could a slurry of pancreas be used on the skin? We just don’t know – I doubt it’s been tried. The pancreatic enzymes may irritate the skin. Alternatively, the same enzymes may aid insulin absorption. Insulin itself has some deleterious effects when applied topically. But if the choice is death or experimentation, necessity becomes the mother of invention.
In summary, the analogy of re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic is probably valid regarding using transfusion to lower blood sugar, but if I had a child with Type 1 diabetes, I’d be motivated enough to start experimenting, maybe even learn how to follow Banting’s recipe for insulin. And I’d do some hard praying about stem cells – the answer to a new pancreas lies within our bodies; how to unleash it is the only question.
About the Author: Dr. Cynthia Koelker is SurvivalBlog's Medical Editor. her web site is www.ArmageddonMedicine.net.
At Home In Dogwood Mudhole, Volume One: Nothing That Eats
By Franklin Sanders
Copyright: 2012
ISBN 978-1-938817-06-9
Although there is a long standing link at JWR's Investing page to his Moneychanger web site, not every SurvivalBlog reader may know of Franklin Sanders. His stories will either have an air of familiarity or yearning to follow in his footsteps. Christian, father of seven, farmer, historian, husband, outlaw, and reenactor are all facets to this interesting man.
This is first of three planned books. It solidly weighs in with a hefty 379 pages. There’s something nice about picking up a paperback that is well made. There are also a Kindle, ePub, and pdf versions available for those who like the weightless version.
Franklin Sanders wrote the Moneychanger Newsletter every month. In it, he included a section about his personal life. In putting this book together he made a conscience decision to print what he wrote at the time. This is a unique perspective in that most writers would use their notes as a basis and then write history, often years or decades later, as viewed from today. Ask a six year old to what happened to him that day and it might include a story about monsters in the closet. That same writer at twenty-six would likely not tell the tale for fear of looking silly. As you read the book you will get a sense of truthfulness you would not normally expect from someone writing about himself.
Franklin’s Christian beliefs run deep. One could say that he is exuberant in his faith and it shows in his writings. To some, the interspersed Biblical references and quotes may be off-putting, but it is key part of who Franklin is. In no way do these times come off as condescending or preaching which makes for a pleasant read.
Another thing that makes this book a pleasant read is the way it is laid out. The sections are headed by the month and year it was published. The length may be a page or a few pages long. Franklin’s writing style is straightforward and easy to read. This combined with monthly sections will have the reader flying along through the adventures.
One interesting thread through the book relates to the Y2K bug. For the younger readers, Y2K or year 2000 bug was a crisis in the late 1990s relating to computer programs in their ability to understand the difference between 2-digit year abbreviation (such as 00) versus 4-digit (such as 2000.) Possible catastrophes included all bank account information being lost to public utilities being turned off. There always tends to be a looming danger in the near future and it is interesting to see how the Sanders family dealt with this example.
Franklin is an interesting man and that reflects in his monthly sections. One month may have you reading about a sow and her piglets, touring America, or the Civil War, I mean, the War of Northern Aggression reenactment as he plays a Southerner. There is always something of interest to read about.
The move to country life or homesteading has become more poplar in the last decade as many people realize the substantial benefits of this lifestyle. The Sanders Family began this journey almost 15 years ago. Like many fish-out-of-water tales, this book has plenty of humorous episodes as they relearn what most of our great-grandparents would have thought as being common sense. Read what he does with 2,000 pounds of Y2K rice for a good chuckle.
W. C Fields, American actor and comedian (1880-1946), was once quoted as saying "Never work with children or animals."The folly of both is bound to drive any sane person crazy when you are trying to get things done on time. Both surround the Sanders. As I am sure Franklin has said to himself many times that God never gives us more than we can handle. Weather it is children that move back home,
horses that bolt off with heavy equipment, pigs refusing to be corralled, or disappearing chickens there were plenty of challenges facing this homesteader.
For the life of me, ever since I was a little boy, who regularly carried some kind of folding knife, could I understand how a "switchblade" knife (read: automatic opening knife) is any more dangerous than any other knife. Somehow, I think we have Hollywood to thank for this nonsense going back many, many years, where they portrayed gang members using a switchblade to intimidate or kill someone. How on earth one can justify how a folding knife opens, to how lethal it is, is beyond my comprehension. I've said this many times in the past in my knife articles, and that is, I can draw my folding knife from my pocket, and open it faster, with a flick of my wrist, than I can an automatic folder. On an automatic folder, you have to index the knife and then find the sweet spot - the button - on the handle and then press it to open the knife. Still, I like automatic folders - and not because they open faster - they don't - at least not for me.
Many states ban the mere possession of an automatic opening knife - even if you keep it in your home. In my home state of Oregon, where automatic folders are made, and where they are legal to carry, many, many police officers mistakenly believe that an automatic opening folder is illegal. Ignorance is bliss!
Almost a year ago, I received the H&K Entourage automatic opening folder - a "switchblade" for testing. I never carried this knife, but kept it on my desk, and it was used almost daily for opening FedEx and UPS packages, as well as other chores around the house and homestead. To be honest, I had completely forgotten that I received this knife for testing for an article on SurvivalBlog - I just kept on using the knife daily, and it slipped my mind that I was to write this article about the knife - until I found the paperwork in a pile of papers on my desk from Benchmade Knives - who makes the H&K "Entourage." So, I figured I'd best get this article written.
First of all, it is a testament to how useful the Entourage was for daily chores around the house. Yes, it is faster opening, when I picked it up off my desk - as opposed to having to dig into my pants pocket to get my regular folding knife out to use all the time. The Entourage was just "there" all the time for me. What we have is a 3.74-inch 440C stainless steel blade, with a Rockwell hardness of 58-60 - and this is a bit hard, but the edge stays sharp a good long time - only problems I've ever encountered with 440C stainless steel is, it takes some work to get the edge back to hair-popping sharpness. However, I don't let my knife get very dull to start with. Unless I'm doing an intentionally destructive test, I keep a keen edge on my knives at all times.
The handle scales are made out of 6061-T6 anodized black aluminum. And, I should mention that, the blade on the Entourage is a Tanto style, which is one of my favorites. There is also a pocket clip on the handle scales, should you elect to carry the Entourage in your pants pocket. My sample had the plain edge, but you can also get a partially serrated edge, and those serrations really help out when cutting cardboard or rope.
There are friction points on the top and butt of the handle scales, that greatly aid in getting a secure grip on the knife in many different styles of knife fighting holds. And, there is a very slight upward angle on the front top of the handle scales for proper thumb placement in the fencing grip. On the bottom front of the handle scales, there are also friction points for proper placement of your index finger in the fencing grip. Closed length of the Entourage is 4.70-inches and opened it is 8.44-inches and it weighs-in at 4.50-ounces--not too heavy and not too light.
The button used for opening the Entourage is large enough that you can easily make contact with it with your right thumb, and there is an enhanced spring design for improved and faster opening times of the blade. I found my sample had the front pivot pin just a tad too tight, and it only took about half a turn with a Torx head driver, to get the tension a bit looser and more to my own liking. The blade seemed a bit slow springing out of the handle scales - but now it is perfect. And, during almost a year of testing and daily use, I never once had to re-adjust the tension on the front pivot pin.
I liked the black anodized handle scales, there were also grooves milled into the handle scales for a more secure grip. With the blackened blade, the knife has a very "tactical" look to it - very cool! On the top of the Entourage's handle scales, you will also find a sliding safety button - to lock the blade solidly open or closed - making this a virtual "fixed" blade folder in the locked open position.
I've mentioned this before, but thought I'd mention it again, for new SurvivalBlog readers. Some Preppers mistakenly believe that all survival situations call for bugging out to the boonies - such is not the case. If you live in the big city, you are more apt to need survival tools on a daily basis, and one tool I find useful on a daily basis is a folding knife. The Entourage isn't a wilderness survival knife - it's not designed or meant for that type of use, However, if you life in a big city, having a very well made Every Day Carry (EDC) folder is a handy thing to have. I just read a report this morning, about a group of more than 100 teens, who went on a rampage in downtown Chicago - my birth town, and people were attacked by this group. There is such a thing as disparity of force - which means basically, if you are outnumbered, you can use more force to fend off your attackers. In this case, when you are faced with multiple attackers, you would be justified in using a knife to defend yourself with.
The Entourage would make an outstanding EDC folder, it's well-made, strong, and it is priced at $170 - which is a very good price for a Benchmade produced knife. And, if you are into collecting logo knives, the H&K line is very collectible. I played with my Entourage for almost a year, and the blade was opened and closed thousands of times, and there wasn't a sign of the button or spring failing or working loose. Check out an Entourage, if you can legally own one in your locale or state. I think you'll be pleased with the Entourage. - SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio
James Wesley;
I'm worried about keeping farm machinery operating, in a long-term TEOTWAWKI whammy. Some of my equipment is horse-drawn and a full century old. God forbid we go through a multi-generational scenario like you've talked about. How will we repair broken metal, or cast metal, or join metal ('cept drilling and nuts and bolts)? Obviously arc welding is out, unless someone has a huge solar battery bank, and I'm not at that Pay Grade. (I live almost paycheck to paycheck, other than a seasonal bump when I sell hay each year.) And gas welding will be non-functional once the available welding gas supplies run out. I also saw the SurvivalBlog piece on the giant fresnel lens solar oven (for aluminum casting) but beyond that I'm stumped. What am I missing? Thanks for your time, - Rod C.
JWR Replies: Missing? In a word: Thermite. (The formerly patented trade name was "Thermit.") Thermite welding is a simple process that just employs a mixture of iron oxide powder and aluminum powder to create what my high school teacher called "a vigorous exothermic reaction." It is most commonly used to join railroad tracks, using specialized molds and tooling. (Thermited tracks don't have that traditional "clickety-clack" sound.) The only fairly exotic material needed is magnesium ribbon, to ignite the mixture. An Aside: My #1 Son found that a Blast Match or Sparkie fire starter (both sold by several of our advertisers) works just fine as an igniter, just by itself.
The iron oxide and aluminum powders needed for thermite welding can even be produced locally, albeit very laboriously, with materials from your local automobile wrecking yard. (Hint: Look for aluminum "Mag" wheels.) Welding with thermite can be tricky: If you use too little or if you don't contain the "puddle" properly, then you don't get a good weld. If you use too much, then you destroy the parent metal. Practice a lot now with scrap metal so that you don't make costly mistakes, later.
Warning! All the usual safety provisos for welding apply, and then some! Thermite burns at thousands of degrees and looking directly at the reaction can cause permanently-blinding retinal burns. You'll need welding goggles. Since a thermite reaction creates its own oxygen, unless you have a Class D fire extinguisher there is basically no effective way to fight a thermite fire. (Without a Class D extinguisher you have to just wait until it burns out--although cooling it with a CO2 extinguisher helps a bit.) Also, keep in mind that if a glob of burning thermite contacts water or even just mud, it can cause an instantaneous steam explosion that will throw burning thermite in all directions. Also, using finely-ground thermite powder, or any sort of expanding gas containment can also cause thermite explosions, so use extreme caution. And if you aren't wearing welding clothes and dark welding goggles when igniting thermite, then you are foolish. After mixing or otherwise handling loose thermite powder be sure to thoroughly wash your hands before using it. (Setting your thermite-powdered hands on fire would be a Very Bad Thing.)
Thermite has many other clever uses, as described, in my novel Patriots. (The Mythbusters guys demonstrate overkill.)
Reprints of two old thermite welding references now that are now in the public domain are available from Amazon.com. They are:
Thermit Welding Process 1914
by Richard N. Hart
and
Thermit Welding (A series of articles revealing the art and science of welding)
by Ethan Vial
Thermite welding is also briefly described in the free Kindle e-book: Oxy-Acetylene Welding and Cutting Electric, Forge and Thermit Welding together with related methods and materials used in metal working and the oxygen process, by Harold P. Manly.
An inexpensive source for iron oxide powder, aluminum powder, and magnesium ribbon with excellent customer service is AlphaChemicals.com. They have been a SurvivalBlog advertiser since early 2011, and I must mention that I have had ZERO complaints about the company, since then. They have satisfied thousands of SurvivalBlog-reader customers. AlphaChem now packages most of their iron oxide powder and aluminum powder in resealable heavy duty mylar pouches. This keeps everything neat and dry. They double package and discreetly ship via UPS in boxes that just have one small blue "ORM-D" safety label. (The binary components are not classified as pyrotechnics until after you mix the component powders yourself.)
Because of its weight, any casting equipment (molds, crucibles, refiner's sand, etc.) is best found locally, from an industrial supply company, or better yet used, via Craigslist. And of course terra cotta clay pots are available at garage sales or your local garden supply store.
Lastly, keep in mind that if you are planning to cast metal with Thermite, then wet sand or damp clay processes cannot be used. (See my previous warning about instantaneous steam explosions.) Your molds must be quite dry!
Jim:
I'm writing in response to: Selecting a Prepper's Firearms, by Frog.
First I can say that I like the idea of adding a Bushnell red dot to a few of my 'tools' - I wanted to add one with out getting stuff that would fail, and have been unwilling to buy anything overly expensive due to today's crazy market with it's inflated prices. Red dot scope for say a 10-22 with a folding stock would be perfect match. (and it's around $100) - totally good call.
I only see a few issues with selection of firearms like the glock pistols and Remington 870 ( I have one - love it too.) - just one thing about Glocks I didn't like, and it might very well be my fault because they were my first reloads back a few years ago...- these are great accurate shooting pistols with stock factory ammo. I gave my reloads (that worked great in my Ruger P95DC) to a friend to shoot when he ran out of ammo, his Glock choked on them, badly enough that my friend had trouble clearing the ammo with out the aid of my leatherman. That was not a good day, for him...glad we were only putting holes in paper.
It is just worth mentioning that some pistols have tight tolerances, and reloaded ammo might cause issues... When times are bad, reloads might be more prevalent might not work in them as well as stock factory ammo. Almost all ammo has a warning on it saying not to use reloaded ammo.
Being as it was one of my early loads before I started using a 'case' gauge, it could have been all me... reloaders might want to take note and invest in case gauges to prevent that same issue...you pop a finished round in the case gauge to test the brass for fit... if it fits in the gauge it should work in anything standard for what your testing. This should be one of the last steps before storing rounds you've reloaded up for use.
I started loading ammo back in 2003 or 2004- and like I said even if his Glock didn't like reloads my used Ruger would eat them all day. This issue is why I have gauges for 9mm, .223, .308, .30-06 - and anything else I'm planning on loading I would plan on buying now, before things get bad...I'm not saying don't buy a Glock, or one pistol is better then another, any pistol is better then no pistol at all - I'm just saying be aware that some pistols and rifles are finicky in what you can use in them. How you use that information is your call - like be prepared and have a good supply of stock ammo, and only feed it stock ammo if you already know reloads might have issues. You should take the time now in good times to figure out will your selected defense weapon work with reloads, because in the future... (Ah you got me... ammo is already scarce!) you'll want to know.
[JWR Adds: Glocks are notoriously temperamental with cast lead bullets and copper washed lead bullets in reloads, and the occasional expensive and potentially dangerous "Glock Ka-Boom" can be expected with their use.]
The other note is the first thing a guy/gal should do when buying an 870 is get an aluminum tube replacement for that little plastic piece that pushes the shells up in the shell holder... the plastic ones wear out at the worst times- so that is worth mentioning too. Someone I know gave me this advice when I got my 870 home defense shotgun. Good advice is worth repeating.
And finally, sure! - if I could afford a PTR91 with lots of cheap mags I'd have purchased one already... that weapon was close to $2,000 before the prices inflated, it's probably way out of my price range now. Get what ever you can get, learn how it works, practice with it, take care of it well.- Fitzy in Pennsylvania
Dear Editor:
I used to be much more of a seamstress than I am now, but I’m getting back into it as I can’t find clothes I like (modern women’s pants all want to fall off my butt) and I am sewing my own gear to save money. This article will focus on repurposing fabric items that are worn out or that you don’t want anymore, into other fabric items that are more useful for a SHTF situation.
Don’t throw out old clothes, even if they’re stained or otherwise unwearable. Even clean old underwear can be repurposed into rags or stuffing for pillows. You can take the hook and eye parts of old bras, and use them in other underwear projects or for mending. You can remove the zippers, elastic, buttons, etc. of old clothes, and keep them for future projects. You can even save good strong thread if you are careful deconstructing something.
If you want to dye something that is a natural fiber a different color, you can learn about plant dyes, or there is a kind of dye called procion dye. The mordant (fixer) for that kind of dye is washing soda, which you can buy at the grocery store in the laundry soap aisle. This dye is the kind that people who make tie-dyes use, it comes in all different colors including earth tones – you can make your own camo if need be that way, out of your existing clothes. I used to get mine at Dharma Trading Co. which is online, but there may be other sellers. To conserve dye, it is much more economical to squirt or spray the dye onto your garment than to vat-dye it, unless you are doing a really big batch all the same color.
If you find elastic eventually wears out and becomes unavailable, you can make drawstrings instead out of strips of fabric and modify your clothes to accept drawstrings.
You can make socks out of old sweaters or sweatshirts. You don’t even need to know how to knit, if you can cut and sew it so it doesn’t unravel. (I recommend zigzag stitch). Or in a pinch you can wrap a rag around your foot and stuff it in a shoe like that, but why not have something that is shaped like a sock?
Old pants legs with minimal sewing can make good bags, pouches, aprons, pillows, book covers, gaiters, or panels for bodices. They could even be made into hammocks or cots if you have enough of them, which if bedbugs take over the world or if you end up being nomadic, you’ll be getting rid of your mattresses eventually anyway. One thing I haven’t seen yet is a denim plate carrier. One might fasten a 550 steel target to the inside of the bib of a pair of overalls, as an improvised rifle plate. (but pad the inside of the steel too).
You can make tactical gear or smaller bags out of old luggage you cut apart. Many suitcases are made from Cordura. You can save the straps from knapsacks to use for webbing or slings. Even outdoor upholstery fabric remnants would work, but to get Cordura, the “real thing”, without ordering it, look to the luggage at the thrift store.
You can also hide clothes or gear by making them into cushions. How about a “bolster-holster” for your rifle? How about a piece of web gear that is reversible? One minute it’s a purse or satchel or pillow, the next it’s your vest. How many sets of clothes can you stuff into a seat cushion?
Back to quilts for a second, the Army poncho liner is nothing more than a thin quilt with a head hole in the middle. It’s camo lightweight nylon with thin polyfil for batting, a few strings at the corners, and bound on the edges. You could make something similar. If you didn’t mind the extra weight, you could use some thin wool, maybe in two layers, and sandwich that between nylon to make it ride smoother. It would probably be a lot warmer than polyfil, although if you were running around it might get too hot.
If you don’t have a pattern, you can make your own shirt and dress patterns by draping cheap fabric on a dress dummy or a person and pinning it, drawing on it, adding to it, cutting it, etc. You can sew a mock-up and then take it apart and there’s your pattern, only made of fabric instead of tissue paper. And of course, once you are done with the pattern you can reuse the fabric.
You can make yourself a custom dress dummy by wearing an old T-shirt and wrapping your torso with duct tape, cutting your way out of it and taping the cut back together, then stuffing it. I suppose if you stuff it with heavy enough stuff, you could also chain it to a door frame and use it as a punching bag when you get frustrated trying to drape cheap fabric on it (just make sure the pins are all out).
Last but not least, it might be slow, but you can always hand sew clothes if you don’t have a machine. Sometimes I find my machine can’t handle real thick things, and all at the same time I had 3 or 4 projects that would have required a walking foot machine, which is an industrial sewing machine designed for thick fabric, where the presser foot goes up and down with every stitch. Instead of looking for a walking foot machine, which is expensive, I hand sewed what I needed to, and made due. You can also hand baste things like quilts, to hold them together before you quilt them for real. It keeps the layers from migrating too much. - Penny Pincher
S.A.'s Canned Chicken Recipe
A well-tested recipe adapted from another Air Force wife at England AFB, Louisiana, a base now long-closed. Even picky eaters like this one.
If things do ever go as predicted, knowing how up use your stores efficiently and effectively will be important. The current way of eating with a separate large meat serving, servings of vegetables piled on a plate might become a memory. Cooks will revert to traditional peasant and poor people foods that stretch ingredients, such as soups and casseroles. (Don't worry, in my home we are never without homemade soups, a pot of beans, and casseroles in the fridge. This is how I was raised.)
Are you using your canned chicken stores? Those chickens take some getting used to, but it is possible to cook with them and mask the tinned flavor and stringy texture. It's like canned tuna: very different from the fresh product, but with a good recipe can be made palatable. Learn to cook with your stores now in order to be happier in an uncertain future.
The following cold salad recipe is easy, tasty, and uses few ingredients.
Chicken Rice-a-Roni Salad
(a pasta dish using a bit of chicken)
serves 10-12
1 box Chicken Rice-a-Roni
1 13 oz can of chicken (like those from Sam's Club or Wal-mart)
6 green onions
1bell pepper
1 bunch of celery (as many ribs as you like. I use five ribs, since I like celery.)
1medium jar marinated artichoke hearts
Mayonnaise
Butter
Drain artichoke marinade into a bowl.
Open chicken can, drain, give can juice to the dog, rinse, break chicken pieces up with your fingers. Cover with marinade, stir to cover and coat the chicken well, and let sit while you prep the other ingredients.
Cook Rice-a-Roni according to package. (Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet, add Rice-a-Roni and brown vermicelli pasta pieces until golden. Add 2.5 cups of water, the seasoning packet, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, cook 15-20 minutes until rice is tender.) Allow to cool.
Dice the green onions, bell pepper, and celery. Put the chicken and marinade mixture in a small electric chopper and pulse in batches until not so stringy. Do not turn this into a purée, it should still have some texture. (This step could be done manually with a knife or other piece of kitchen equipment.)
In a large bowl, mix the cooled Rice-A-Roni, chicken and marinade, onions, celery, bell pepper, and artichokes. Stir well. Add mayonnaise as needed to flavor and bind. You may or may not need much or any, depending on the size of the marinated artichoke jar you used. Cover and refrigerate this the night before to allow flavors to meld.
Chef's Notes:
This is a good and flavorful bad times recipe which can utilize a small can of chicken; fresh, dehydrated, or freeze dried vegetables; pasta/rice package; and a jar of marinated artichokes. Omitting the mayonnaise would make this a good grid down recipe as you probably have bell pepper and onions from your own garden.
Some might not like the sodium load, but we don't eat this daily. This recipe is just another defense against appetite fatigue.
Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:
Start With Canned Chicken--Quick and Easy Recipes
Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!
The latest talk on Wall Street is that the Federal Reserve, in coordination with the U.S. Treasury plans to "taper off" from their Quantitative Easing MBS derivatives purchases. But this chart tells the real story.: St. Louis Adjusted Monetary Base (AMBNS) Chart. Do you want the truth? The Fed is about as likely to successfully "taper off" of QE about as well as your local junkie is to "taper off" of crack cocaine.
David Roche: Another Crisis Coming, Worse Than the Last. (Thanks to M.E.W. for the link.)
B.B. sent this predictable news: Square Drops All Firearm and Ammunition Retailers. One good alternative: Platinum Payment System.
Items from The Economatrix:
What an Internet Sales Tax Will Cost You
New Rule Signals Kiss of Death for Pensions
Somehow I missed this well-written review article when it was first posted by Commander Zero, three years ago: Review – Allied Armament X-91 drum magazine. By the way, I don't consider HK drum magazines a cost-efficient use of your funds. Why? Because presently, for the price of just one of these 50-round drums, you can buy more than 200 of the ubiquitous 20 round alloy magazines. There is great utility in redundancy.
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F.G. mentioned a great piece in Backwoods Home: Keeping food cold: solutions to refrigeration when electricity is scarce
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Wednesday is the last day of Camping Survival's Mountain House Sale. They are offering Mountain House nitrogen-packed cans at 25% off and pouches and long term storage HDPE buckets at 15% off. Place your order soon!
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FWIW, I'm looking forward to seeing Ender's Game much more than I am seeing the umpteenth Star Trek movie. Even if the movie captures only a fraction of the epic novel, then it will still be great.
"The march of Providence is so slow and our desires so impatient; the work of progress so immense and our means of aiding it so feeble; the life of humanity is so long, that of the individual so brief, that we often see only the ebb of the advancing wave and are thus discouraged. It is history that teaches us to hope." - General Robert E. Lee
