There are huge implications to society if this forecast is even partially correct. Men Without Work. – P.S.
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As Heavy-Truck Sales Go, So Goes the Economy – G.G.
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44 Percent Hike in Taxes Covers Obama-Era Debt – B.B.
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8M Americans Paid $1.7 Billion For Not Having Obamacare – B.B.
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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.
At Senate hearing, US State Department refuses to say how many Syrians in next year’s flow – B.B.
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Refugees from all 50 states in DC today lobbying for more $$$ and more refugees – B.B.
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Secret Report: Terrorists Running Wild Within U.S. Borders – V.E.
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Solar storm heading towards Earth threatening to break your Sky TV and mobile phones – G.G.
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Used Coffee Grounds Can Clean Contaminated Water – S.B. – D.S.
“The economy is not governed with the bottom half in mind.” – William Greider
Today, we present another entry for Round 66 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:
First Prize:
Second Prize:
Third Prize:
Round 66 ends on September 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.
I am a one year oral cancer survivor. I survived a 13 hour operation that included removing my lower right jaw and replacing it with the tip of my shoulder blade. My operation is called a lateral neck dissection, and it sounds nicer than it felt! The lining of my cheek received a living tissue transplant from the same shoulder area. I had a tracheotomy and couldn’t speak. During the “cut, burn, and poison” treatment, I was connected to a feeding tube for four months. Months of treatment and physical therapy have helped me survive, but I am still discovering what my “new normal” will be.
How does my “new normal” relate to prepping? “New normal” is a term the cancer community gives to how well a cancer survivor functions in life compared to their original abilities. Let’s look at my experience and see if we can draw some similarities to prepping. First, let us look at expectations.
My cancer came on me quickly and unexpectedly. That sounds similar to how the experience Preppers are preparing for is expected to come also– quickly and with little or no warning. I had a few weeks to prepare for a planned easy removal of a cancerous sore inside my cheek that was the size of a pencil’s eraser. I studied every article and video available, and I knew what to expect from this operation. The plan was that doctors would take a piece of my forearm tissue to provide tissue and artery replacement. I didn’t count on the team of doctors stepping out of the operating room and gaining permission from Nancy to remove my jaw because cancer had spread like a wildfire out of control. The result was that I woke up with the very things I was told not to expect. I couldn’t speak because of a tracheotomy. I had a feeding tube, a different donor site for tissue, a longer hospital stay, and a bigger struggle than I was expecting. As preppers we should be prepared. However, realize that you might wake up one day and all of your preps are not going to match the tragedy unfolding in front of you. How will you respond? Will you listen to the new diagnosis and respond to a revised plan, or will you go negative because things are not working according to your plan? It is good and Godly to prepare but also to approach calamity with a discerning eye and adjust to the “new normal”!
If you read the Internet or actually talk to cancer survivors, you soon find they learned early on to have no or few expectations. Read the Internet or actually talk to Preppers and you may experience too many preconceived notions as to what the future dilemmas in life will be. A cancer patient’s day is filled with doctor visits, hospital stays, and medical tests. Ask a room full of medical staffers to predict your results, estimate your length of stay, or pre-plan your treatment, and you will get a room full of differing answers. Our mind tries to grasp at all of the “grey” issues and sort them into black and white pigeon holes. You must lower expectations, live in the moment, and reactively respond to current situations as they occur. Experience is the only teacher that quizzes us first and then gives us the answer. Prepping should be an outline that must be revised from time to time to match the present state of conditions.
Now let’s discuss your ability to respond to the “new normal” state of conditions. Let’s say you’re well prepared but out of shape. How well will you survive exposed to the elements or the arduous task of just getting by in a world without structure? My operation was followed by a four week recovery at home before starting my seven week regimen of chemotherapy and radiation. Again, this was another unexpected addition to my treatment that I was told I wouldn’t need before my cancer was seen during my operation. You stashed your preps, but they are unobtainable. How well have you practiced your simple survival skills in order to get by with little to no resources? I knew these four weeks were an opportunity to build my strength before the rigorous treatment schedule. I walked to get in shape. My first walk was to the end of my driveway. Every day I doubled my distance until I was walking three miles. Physical fitness was key to my surviving treatment, but it also killed me more than once. During treatment I kept up a pretty rigorous training program, but as chemotherapy coursed through my body and radiation accumulated in dosage my white cell count diminished and I walked myself into infections and stays at the hospital in isolation. Once I came home to recover, I was in isolation due to risk of infection. I refused to adjust to another “new normal” situation and modify my physical activity. Do you know to recognize your body’s signs of distress like dehydration, hyperthermia, and heat exhaustion? My house has more than a few recreational distractions, and the isolation was almost more than I could handle. I wonder how many Preppers will unlock the door to their subterranean bug out bunker too early and walk into the remnants of a plague borne demise due to lack of human contact?
Let’s say that you survived the initial WROL, EMP strike, plague, et cetera, and now you are aware of the “new normal”. Your preps are in place, but you have an accident and now you are disabled. I used to hunt, but my shoulder is so disabled that I cannot climb a tree stand or withstand the recoil of a shotgun. I am revising my weapon of choice and might switch to a crossbow with a cocking winch. I already have a blind, so I will use that instead of the tree stand. In your disabled state, can you fire your weapons one handed and accurately hit a target with your weak hand? I can, but I won’t gamble that I can hunt like that. What if your dominant shooting eye is injured? You survived, you are healthy, or are you? Are you truly functional in this “new normal” condition? How do you know? I suggest you employ SWOT.
SWOT is an acronym for Strength, Opportunity, Weakness, and Threat. Months after my surgery and while I was recovering, an unscrupulous tree cutter left my suburban backyard a mountain of brush and full length felled trees and just walked away. I am so bull headed that I took it upon myself to clean up this mess. I bought a small electric chain saw that was too heavy for me to pick up. I sat myself down in the brushpile and threw the saw as high as I could. No matter where it landed, I cut brush. When I was too tired to saw, I stacked brush and burned. I was still suffering a loss of balance and would fall throughout the day, but I kept going. Soon I built up enough strength to use a gas powered 20-inch chain saw. Then, I started milling large 24-inch diameter logs with a beam machine. Does that sound impressive? It was until I fooled myself into thinking I could move 15-foot long logs across my yard and stack four foot logs four high. I now have a bicep tear, collar bone tear, and shoulder tear, and I am going back to a surgeon because ultrasound guided large mass cortisone shots failed. If I had reviewed SWOT, I most definitely would have stopped at clearing brush and brought in a saw mill to finish clearing the logs. My point is that you must not let your expectations determine the outcome. You must constantly revise your plans using SWOT. SWOT is great for comparisons. If you plot a chart with a column for each comparison, you can quickly assess which action to take. Keep it simple and you can review SWOT in your mind.
My ability to function is quite remarkable in spite of what I have experienced. I would not wish my cancer journey on another person. At the same time, I would not want to give up my new understanding of love and life if it meant not having cancer. Once things go bad, I hope you can use your end of the world scenario for a better purpose. Do not waste it. You may find everyday tasks are much harder, but if you adapt you might gain a deeper appreciation for life and those around you. Life might not be as bad as you planned for, and you might see the best in people if you are looking for it. You will develop a new community, based around your hardships and your blessings. There was a saying in WWII that there were no atheists in foxholes. I can tell you from my own experience that God and the power of prayer is alive and strong in the rooms of cancer patients!
HJL,
I read the article on combustible gases. You have to be very careful with the cheap conversion kits to propane for generators; almost every one of the cheap ones do not have a device to cut off the propane if the engine stops. Like loss of spark or low oil, it will keep pouring propane into the Gen set. I have been a mechanic since 1967, and these cheap kits are very dangerous. I have seen several cause explosions. – B.L.
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Sir,
I just finished reading the post about different kinds of gas and saw some information I would like to correct:
Natural gas at your home is in the 4-ounce pressure range not 7 pounds. Propane used in the same way is 7-ounces.
Most propane is produced from the removal of natural gas not crude oil. Butane is also recovered in this same process.
Butane has no vapor pressure below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. This is why pure butane is no longer used for home use, as the tanks must be buried and that is not done today.
The BTU of the gases is based on the number of carbon chains in the molecule.
The orifice in the appliance must be matched to the type of gas being used. Today, this would be either natural gas or propane.
One of the uses of butane is in cigarette lighters. If you are in cold weather and it won’t light, hold it in your hand until it warms up and it will. Remember butane has no vapor pressure below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. – R.E.
Economic Growth Requires More Than Low Interest Rates
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Bill Fleckenstein On The Recent Weakness In The Gold, Silver & Mining Share Markets
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WTO Slashes Global Trade Forecast by 39% Since April: “Wake-Up Call” Says WTO Director
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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.
Cookin’ with Home Storage by Vicki Tate
Raising a Calf for Beef by Phyllis Hobson
Wolf And Iron by Gordon Dickson
Shane (IMHO, the best western film ever made)
Man awarded payout for leaving school illiterate becomes self-confessed crook – A.S.
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Is it possible to make private all of your computers, smartphones, data and communications and still remain digitally connected? Down the rabbit hole, part 1: Making my life private and secure. – D.B.
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Missing Afghans Raise Terrorism Fears – B.B.
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Sheriff David Clarke: ‘Being Scared Is Not Enough,’ Get a Gun to ‘Fight Back’ – P.S.
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“So many men and women have fought and died for the freedoms we enjoy as Americans… those freedoms don’t come free.” Thomas J. Kinsman, United States Army, Medal of Honor.
This is the birthday of Samuel Adams (not counting the change in dates due to the change from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar). He was an American statesman, political philosopher, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
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Today, we present another entry for Round 66 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:
First Prize:
Second Prize:
Third Prize:
Round 66 ends on September 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.
I would like to add some more thoughts to the discussion of Alaska as a potential area for survival relocation. There are many drawbacks to Alaska that should be addressed, but ultimately I do believe Alaska can be an excellent and advantageous survival area for some people.
I was born in Alaska and left when I was 17 for military service. I spent nine years in the lower 48, living in New England, Washington State, and North Dakota, with plenty of travels to all the in-between parts of the U.S. and a few trips to foreign countries. I’ve since returned to Alaska, and I am happy to be here from both the preparedness and quality of life standpoints.
One of the first questions people ask me about Alaska is how bad are the winters? This is not a good question, because Alaska is such a large state that it really is many different places, rather than one place.
The lifestyles of Alaskans are varied, depending upon the region.
I’ll begin with the Arctic Region. This is where the stereotype of Alaska as a place of parka clad Inuits, polar bears, and igloos comes from. It also has the major oil fields, where many Alaskans work, though very few live there when off hitch from their oil jobs. This area is probably a non-starter for most survivalists. The only towns are native villages where newcomers are not welcome. These villages also have high rates of alcoholism and crime. Additionally, little private land is available for sale.
The Western Region is also fairly harsh, but there are a few “white man towns”, like Dillingham and Nome, where an outsider could move to. Many of these town are located next to rich salmon and other fish stocks that could very viably support the small populations in case of restricted food supplies. There is also enough timber in most parts of this region to serve as a viable energy source. Winters in this area, especially, away from the coast, can be extremely cold. Negative 50 degrees Fahrenheit (ambient, not windchill) are the norm and not the exception. Packaged food is extremely expensive there, with ***canned soda***amazon.com/Sprite-Soda-Soft-Drink-24/dp/B01C2EK0PG/ref=pd_bxgy_325_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=FEW4H7Q0Z0E74RFST66X costing up to $2.50 per can. This area is not accessible by road. The economy is driven by government, fishing, and some mining.
The Southwestern Region includes Kodiak, the Alaska Peninsula, and the Aleutian Islands. Kodiak and the Alaska Peninsula are similar enough to the Western Region to be viable. The Aleutian Islands should be ruled out completely. They require imported fuel, and all population centers are either commercial or Native Alaskan. This area is not accessible by road. This area’s economy is driven by fishing, tourism, and government.
The Interior Region includes the state’s second largest city, Fairbanks, as well as part of the Yukon River and its many tributaries, all of which are rich in salmon runs. This region has towns that a new family could assimilate into, as well as timber for fuel and the possibility of farming certain hardy crops, such as potatoes, carrots, cabbages, and onions. It would be easy to acquire land in this area for a decent price that was far away from any ravaging hordes. Summers tend to be fairly hot by Alaskan standards, sometimes reaching the 90s, but with cold winters where -40F is not a cause for comment. This area is accessible by the road system, so food is priced fairly reasonably. Economic activities are oilfield transportation and staging, colleges, military, and mining. Communication systems in Alaska are actually very good, so if you’re lucky enough to do most of your work through the Internet, rural living wouldn’t be a problem at all.
The Southcentral Region has the state’s largest city, Anchorage. Anchorage is like our own little piece of Los Angeles. I would avoid living or working in this city, if possible. A major earthquake would turn it into a nightmare in seconds. Besides that, there are pervasive drugs and rampant crime, just like almost any other city in the U.S. these days. Other parts of the Southcentral Region are much more promising, however. Winters in this area tend to be much more mild in coastal areas. Negative temperatures, while possible, are fairly rare and don’t last too long. Of course, as you move inland, the climate is much more similar to the Interior region. Summers are fairly cool, but this area can support hardy crops, including world record size cabbages, and it has many salmon streams. Many of the towns in the Southcentral region are located on the road system, so food and fuel are affordable. I believe that this area has the most potential for the aspiring Alaskan survivalist. While a life that is mostly similar to the lower 48 can be maintained, there is almost infinite potential for remote bug out locations, with land available for cabins and many places to hide. The economy in this area is based on residence for oil workers who are on days off, military, and some farming, fishing, and drilling/mining.
Last is the Southeast Region, which includes the state’s third largest city and the capitol, Juneau. Only three towns in this area are accessible by road: Hyder, Haines, and Skagway. The economy relies on fishing, and winters tend to be a slightly colder version of what you would experience in Western Washington. There is potential to do some real farming in this area, although the lack of flat land may present a problem. There is real potential for a bug out location accessible by boat here.
Here are the advantages I see to living in Alaska in the Interior, South Central, Southeast, and a few select areas in the other regions:
I should briefly mention that it is mostly a myth that people are paid to live in Alaska. It is true that each Alaskan resident receives a check, usually about $1200/year from invested money from taxes on the oil companies. This is part of our “Permanent Fund” program. Since recent budget shortfalls, there is talk of doing away with these payments.
There are several disadvantage to Alaska that I must discuss, but all of them are surmountable with proper mindset, preparation, and planning.
Alaska’s economy relies on oil, meaning that there can be ups and downs. Correlated to this is the very large state government, which relies on revenues from oil taxes. This means that the state is hit twice in down times, with both oil workers and state workers being laid off. Like anywhere else, this threat can be countered with thrift, frugality, and recession proofing wherever possible. Short of a complete economic collapse, there will still be dollars to be had in Alaska.
Food could become a major problem in case of economic or natural catastrophe. Contrary to what you might think, game is fairly scarce in our arctic and sub-arctic climates. Fish populations could very well collapse if put under the stress of feeding thousands of people. Farming in this area will be possible but probably insufficient for all caloric needs. However, these will all be factors no matter where you live. That is why I believe a larder as deep as you can afford is an absolute must. Thankfully, the most important staples are inexpensive and nonperishable, like wheat berries, sugar, rice, and salt. These supplies will be a vital bridge to the next phase, whether that is self sufficiency or the end of the crisis.
The powerful earthquakes that rock Alaska every few years could also be an issue. While these may seriously affect our major population centers, such as Anchorage, a person in a rural area who is properly prepared will likely be unscathed. For this reason I will always try to live as close to work as possible, but I think that should go without saying for any prepper.
The long, cold winters and their accompanying darkness could be a problem for some people. However, if I have learned anything from working on oil rigs during one of coldest winters in living memory in North Dakota, it is that these things are largely a matter of mind over matter, assuming you are properly equipped, of course.
Transportation can be difficult in Alaska, with so much land and so few roads. Anyone who comes here should plan on buying a 4-WD vehicle and an ATV, as well as the fuel supplies to go with them. For people with the funds, a boat and even a bush plane would be ideal. As always, no matter where you live, the ability to carry large loads on your back over rugged terrain could be the difference between life and death.
Hopefully this gives everyone a picture of what relocating to Alaska would be like. It certainly has its hardships, but there are many advantages for the more adventurous prepper. It deserves a second look, if for no other reason than to take a trip to one of the country’s most beautiful states. If you’ll be a good neighbor, I look forward to seeing you up here!
Dear Hugh,
In response to D.H.’s questions on gas, I offer my thoughts. Generally, I would tell anyone to use the gas specifically recommended for the equipment they intend to use. Trying to keep it simple about the different gases, an explanation of the differences follows.
The first difference between the gases is chemical makeup. Propane has three carbons atoms (and hydrogen atoms) in the molecule. Butane has four carbons, and so does its isomer iso-butane. Butane is arranged in a four carbon chain, while Iso-butane has a center carbon, with the other three carbons coming off like spokes, and they have different flash points. Natural gas is a combination of methane (one carbon) and many of these other gases. Propane, methane, and butane are all derived from natural gas through a process called fractional distillation that takes advantage of each chemical’s flash points to separate them and remove impurities. Natural gas is brought up from the earth in different ways, but it gets purified first before market. CNG is compressed natural gas, highly pressurized, and somewhat expensive to store. It is probably the least practical, because of the storage tank costs. Aside from chemical differences and molecular structural differences, these gases have different flash points. Flash point refers to the lowest temperature at which the chemical may burn. The lower the flash point, the more hazardous the gas. So, in regards to the question about putting propane (a lower flash point) into a butane lighter (higher flash point), it would be more hazardous. Would you really want to do that at a time when medical assistance might be less available? Yes, in a few automobiles there are some fuels that can be used diversely, but I stress the importance of having the manufacturer’s recommendations. I bought a new gas stove about four years back and had to order one built specifically for liquid propane over natural gas. Liquid propane from a tank is at a higher pressure than natural gas, so there is a slight difference in the parts. (They each require a different orifice.) Conversion kits for stoves are usually available to switch from natural gas to propane.
I advise against blanket statements about crossing fuels for this and that. I believe a better way to go is to purchase equipment that uses the same fuels and are practical for you to store. For instance, you could have a diesel tank that can fuel your truck, tractor, and generator all the same. Diesel is great because it has a higher (safer) flash point. Or, you could have a large liquid propane tank that will power a propane generator, refrigerator, dryer, heater, et cetera. (You should know that some portable propane heaters will get gummed up regulators if you leave the hose connected while not in use. Source: Mr Buddy Heater, response from company in Amazon reviews; see footnote.) Line up your equipment for the same fuel and get a large tank for it. We chose two different fuels and tanks that will power two banks of equipment. Make sure you own/purchase your tank, don’t rent one, and review safety recommendations for how far the tank should be from the house. Don’t forget to put away some chainsaw gas/oil mix, if you plan to heat with a wood stove. I do not claim to be a fuel expert, BUT I have had practical hands-on experience with fuel in work and have a good working knowledge of flash points. With my experience, I would not use fuels against manufacturer’s design, and I strongly recommend against anyone else doing it. Here is a link to a chart of some fuels and flashpoints.
Footnote:
Response from Mr. Heater:
When you connect any of our Buddy model heaters to a remote propane tank, that tank can have over 120 PSI of pressure inside it. This high pressure in the rubber hose connected to the heater can squeeze a plasticizer or an oil out of the rubber in the hose and once it gets into the heater it is trapped and will plug up the tubes and cause the heater to be an unreliable unit. We came up with a fuel filter to prevent this oily substance from getting into the heater when using a high pressure hose. The hose manufacturers came up with a hose that doesn’t have the plasticizers in it so NO filter is needed (our part number for this plasticizer hose is F273704). But the draw back with this hose is with no plasticizers in the rubber it causes the hose to be very stiff especially in cold weather. So you don’t need the filter but you have to work with a hose that doesn’t like to straighten out or is more difficult to work with because of this stiffness. As far as the hose with the quick coupler, this is only available to be used on the Big Buddy MH18B heaters. The Big Buddy has two built in regulators but also has a male quick coupler built-in that by-passes these two regulators so if you have a regulated propane supply like in an RV or your house, you can use our hose to connect to this low pressure source (all low pressure is less than 1/2 PSI of pressure). We also have a hose for the Big Buddy that has the quick coupler connection to the heater and a regulator at the connection to the propane tank, like on a barbeque grill. Because the regulator is mounted directly to the propane tank it reduces the very high 110 PSI of pressure from the tank to the low 1/2 PSI pressure. Because this pressure is so low it will not be able to squeeze out the oily plasticizers from the rubber in the hose and does not need a fuel filter. – Bradford Austin
– Mrs RLB
These statistics show how the Redoubt shapes up in terms of where creative people live in the USA: Redoubt Home to More Creatives Than Rest of USA – K.G.
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Max Velocity Tactical has opened a new training facility in Spokane, Washington. If you live in the area (or would just like to try their new facility) you may be interested in their first class (Combat Rifle Skills with an optional Night Firing).
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The Liberal/Progressives hit Missoula: Missoula approves background check ordinance, votes 8-4
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Global debt climbs towards fresh high as companies and countries keep on borrowing – G.G.
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Bank of Japan Tries Another Way to Spur Inflation – G.G.
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Inside OPEC: What Does Each Member Want?. As OPEC members gather in Algiers, it is worth noting that the cartel is internally divided and that a joint solution remains a long shot.
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The Economics of Hillary Clinton
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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.
