Notes for Wednesday – April 20, 2016

On April 20th, 2010, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil platform, leased by BP, killed 11 workers and began spewing an estimated 200 million gallons of crude into the Gulf of Mexico for nearly three months, creating the worst known offshore oil spill.

April 20th is also the day that we remember the victims of the Columbine High School tragedy, where two students stormed into a suburban high school in Littleton, Colorado in 1999, at lunch time with guns and explosives, killing 13 and wounding dozens more in what was, at the time, the nation’s deadliest school shooting.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 64 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $1,700 value),
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical 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,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package (enough for two families of four) plus seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate (a $325 retail value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating an AquaBrick water filtration kit with a retail value of $250, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  3. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  4. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  5. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  6. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  7. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  8. Safecastle is providing a package of 10 LifeStraws (a $200 value)
  9. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A $245 gift certificate from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  3. 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,
  4. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 64 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.

Bug Out Bags for Dogs, by James from upstate NY

Bugging out is a plan during a disaster situation for most preppers, and most spend numerous hours planning out what items to put into their B.O.B (bug out bag). In the area of prepping, it seems that the natural focus in on having a bug out bag. You can picture in your mind the last disaster, whether it be natural or man-made, that you watched unfold on your nightly news and then envision you and your family leaving ahead of the undoubtedly numerous people who waited too long. Having a bug out bag for you and your family members is only logical.

Now if you are a responsible owner of the more than 137. 2 million pet dogs in America, then you’ve probably thought of the logistics of caring for your dogs’ needs in an emergency bug out situation. A logical solution would be a bug out bag for your dog. These bags/packs are capable of most if not all of your dog’s needs. With a bug out bag for your dog, you can ensure your dog is as prepared in any disaster situation as you are. If the dog is not large enough, then you will need to make an allotment in your own bug out bag. If the dog is large enough, then there are numerous bags/packs on the market, depending on whether you want a more tactical set up, like the One Tigris tactical MOLLE dog vest or the Caliberdog K-9 tactical MOLLE vest, both of which allow you to purchase MOLLE pouches to customize your pet’s vest, or a more urban saddlebag type pack, such as the Ruffwear pack or the Mountainsmith model, which comes in three sizes up to approximately 32 liters. Saddlebag type packs usually consist of two or more large pockets or saddlebags. These saddlebags will usually have zippers or some other form of fasteners and can even be waterproof. Either way, the larger the dog the larger the bag/pack, therefore the more stuff you can fit in them.

Before purchasing a bag/pack, you will have to measure your dog. To do this, you will need a tape measure. Measure the circumference of the dog’s chest to determine the size of the tactical vest or saddlebag type bag or pack. Once you have purchased the bag or pack, you will need to fit it on the dog. To do so, place the middle of the backpack or bag on your dog’s back. The straps will fit around the waist and chest of your dog. Clamp the plastic buckle, which looks like a small seatbelt, in the middle of the dog’s chest. Make sure there is no fur caught in the buckle. Adjust the strap coming out of the plastic buckle to tighten the bag or pack. Pull the strap until you can snugly fit your pinkie finger in between your dog’s chest and the buckle. This will allow enough room for the dog to move and to breathe, all while keeping the pack from slipping off. Repeat the above with the other strap and buckle on the rear of the dog.

Now that you have purchased a bag or pack and properly fitted it on your dog, it’s time to fill the bag or pack with what supplies your dog will need. Let’s take a look at the basic prepping items you would need in a bug out bag– food, water, shelter, and of course protection. Most of the items are the same for a bug out bag for your dog. A word of caution: be sure to keep your dog’s bag or pack weight as evenly distributed as possible.

Water and Food

First, let’s cover water and food. When packing water, it depends on the breed of your pet, but the rule of thumb is one half gallon per pet per day. Water storage is all about preference. There are numerous types of bladders, canteens, or water bottles on the market. When packing water, consider using several containers so that you may adjust the distribution of water as it is consumed. Again, with the topic of food, it’s about preference. Some will want to try all sorts of combinations of things to reduce weight, but remember if your dog is not used to the food then you run the risk of the pet getting an upset stomach resulting in digestive issues. So, go with the old standby kibble. Pack about three days’ worth of food, much the same as you would in your own bag or pack. Again, as you did with the water, consider dividing the food into several meal-size portions for easier weight distribution. Another consideration is to pack two or more tubes, depending on the size of your dog, of Nutri-Cal concentrated dog food. This is a good source of food for a sick dog that won’t eat. Giving one teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight will help keep your dog alive, if you run out of food or as a supplement to help stretch your dog’s food supply. This is a good standby to have. One tube will keep a small dog well fed without any additional food source for approximately four to five days. To go with the water and food, you’re going to want to include a collapsible bowl. As with bags and packs, there are many varieties on the market.

Shelter, Clothing, Protection, and Hygiene

We will not cover shelter, as your dog will most likely be with you in your shelter. The topic of clothing is relatively easy for most dogs, but in some special cases it may require that you pack or outfit your dog with a sweater or in extreme situations a jacket. Another consideration is a relatively new product on the market called a Thundershirt. A Thundershirt applies gentle constant pressure, similar to swaddling an infant. It is used for all types of anxiety, fear, and over excitement. Protection will also be disregarded, as it is not really needed. However, a few things that do need to be added to the bag or pack are a leash, muzzle, nail clippers, and doggie waste bags. In place of doggie waste bags, you could just include several Ziploc baggies. Ziploc baggies prior to being used for waste disposal can be used for other purposes as well. These are all things necessary for your pet’s safety and hygiene.

Safety

Speaking of safety, let’s cover a few safety additions for the dog’s bag or pack. Every bug out bag needs a first aid kit. You have one in your bag, so why wouldn’t your dog have one in their own. Like bags or packs or collapsible bowls, there are numerous first aid kits on the market such as the Alcott Explorer. Some people will prefer to make their own first aid kit instead of purchasing one. If you choose to build one, then there are a few things you should include: scissors, several gauze pads or medical cotton squares, alcohol wipes, instant cold compress (cold mud works in a pinch), medical and adhesive tape, tweezers, a small tube of antiseptic cream, 10 to 20 cotton balls, vet wrap (like an Ace bandage for animals and it sticks to itself, which is very handy), 12-hour emergency bright sticks. (Hang one on your dog at night.) Be sure to pack these items in Ziploc baggies to water proof them. Also, If your pet is on any special medication, it is important to keep a supply of medication in the bag or pack, much the same as you would for yourself. In areas where poisonous snakes are, it is also recommended that you include a snake bite kit. Also, in a disaster situation, the terrain could get rough so throw in a set of doggie booties. Most animals do not like things on their feet, so be sure to occasionally place them on your dog’s feet for familiarity.

Comfort and Options

Lastly come the optional things or comfort items. You could pack some treats or even a toy, whether it be a chew toy or similar type toy in the dog’s bag or pack. A bug out scenario is very stressful on you as well as your dog, so they will appreciate a treat or toy at the end of the day. You may want to include a few extra items in your dog’s bag or pack, such as a tie out approximately 10 to 15 feet, for making sure your pooch does not wander off. A leash, which not only will provide you with the ability to maintain control over your dog, could also be used to tie your dog out at night. A muzzle would be useful in case you encounter other dogs. Also, be sure to include an “admin pouch” (a Ziploc bag containing your dog’s vaccination records, their name, and pertinent identifying information). You could also include, if room is available, some redundant items like a compass, a small flashlight with extra batteries, water purification tablets, 16-hour hand warmers, and a mylar blanket. Last, but not least, several companies make a collapsible canvas dog crate. While this is an option, it also should be stated that they are bulky and weigh a substantial amount, so it may not be a consideration for many.

Much like you would do with your bag or pack, take your dog along with his bag or pack out into the great outdoors and give the bag or pack a test run. Practice your survival tactics and make minor adjustments to this bag or pack as you may see fit.

Letter Re: Comments on Savage Bolt Action Rifles

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The Savage I tested has a detachable magazine, and in the past Savage Arms has had some problems with these types of magazines simply falling out of a gun. I believe that Savage got it right with the AXIS II XP that I tested for this article. I had no problems with the magazine falling out of the gun. However, you are comparing apples to oranges when you talk about the Savage rifles with the built-in magazine. I have never had a problem with any Savage rifle with a built-in magazine in loading all the rounds into it without any problems. If you are having problems with the “runners” being sharp, might I suggest taking a piece of steel wool or extra-fine emery paper and with a few swipes take the sharpness off the edges?

I don’t know of any “paid testers” that are on the Savage payroll, and if Savage employees are reporting everything is fine and dandy when they know there is a problem, they are doing an injustice to their employer. Quite honestly, when I first started writing about firearms, back in the early 1990s, I believed that gun writers were paid by the gun companies to say good things about their products. If that is the case, I missed the boat. No gun company has ever offered me any incentive to say good things about their firearms. It’s quite the contrary; I have been threatened with a lawsuit by a major gun company in the past because of an article I wrote on one of their firearms, and I did give them three tries to repair a gun I had. They failed. Obviously, I must have been correct in my findings. That gun hasn’t been in the line-up for many years now.

We can discuss the merits of the push-feed over the Mauser claw feed in bolt action guns until the cows come home. Both are proven methods, and if someone prefers one type of feed over another, I have no problem with that. If the push-feed wasn’t reliable, the gun makers wouldn’t produce them. I refuse to get into a debate over which method is more reliable. The debate has no end, and we are all entitled to our positions on these things.

I can only report on the guns that I test for my articles, and the Savage AXIS II XP had no serious flaws. If it did, I would have reported my findings. I have no vested interest in Savage Arms or any other gun maker; I simply report my testing results on one particular sample, and in this case, it was a gift. It wasn’t received from the factory, so I didn’t have a “ringer” of any sort.

According to the Savage Arms website, they have been building guns since 1894. If their guns had so many problems, they would have been out of business many years ago. To be sure, every gun maker eventually drops the ball on a new design. The Remington Model 710 comes to mind, and they make every attempt to correct any glaring design faults. When that can’t be done, the gun maker will drop that design and move on to a new and improved version. Some gun makers will make an attempt to deny there is a design flaw and will do everything in their power to hide it, to wit the Remington Model 700 and the trigger flaw that sometimes leads to the gun firing if dropped. It took a lot of years for Remington to admit this problem (after some law suits) and recall the guns for a fix. Other gun makers jump right on the bandwagon when there is a problem and readily admit it and correct it.

Thanks for taking the time to write…

Pat Cascio

Economics and Investing:

Items from Mr. Econocobas:

Silver Heads for a Bull Market as Prices Rally to 10-Month High

“This Will All Blow Up In The Fed’s Face,” Schiff Warns

Peter Schiff: The Winter of Discontent

Items from Professor Preponomics:

US News

Pensions for Public Servants to Force Government Failures (My Gov Cost) Excerpt: “The problem is surprisingly simple: States and cities overestimate returns on their pension fund investments, while systematically underfunding them.”

Peabody Declares Bankruptcy, Could Leave Clean-Up Costs to Taxpayers (Taxpayers for Common Sense) Excerpt: “The company has a total of $2 billion in outstanding mine clean-up or reclamation liabilities, $1.4 billion of which is held in unsecured “self-bonds.” PBS News Hour is also following the story: Nation’s Largest Coal Mining Company Files for Bankruptcy Protection

Congress Hits Brakes on Puerto Rico Debt Crisis Bill (Fox News) Excerpt: “…the committee soon canceled a vote set for Thursday amid internal divisions – even as the island’s leaders warned it might have to default on an upcoming bond payment without help. “

International News

Deutsche Bank Settles US Gold, Silver Price-Fixing Litigation (Reuters) Excerpt: “The plaintiffs accused Deutsche Bank of conspiring with Bank of Nova Scotia, Barclays Plc, HSBC Holdings Plc and Societe Generale to manipulate prices of gold, gold futures and options, and gold derivatives….”

The Big Four Banks Have a $3 Billion Exposure to Recent Corporate Collapses (Business Insider) Excerpt: “Australia’s big four banks have an exposure of more than $3 billion from a handful of recent high profile corporate collapses.”

Policymakers Fret as Storm Clouds Gather Over World Economy (Reuters) Excerpt: “World financial leaders sounded a sour note on the global economy on Thursday, pointing to Britain’s possible exit from the European Union as a serious threat alongside China’s bumpy growth path and dissent over interest rates in the euro zone….”

China’s Economy Could Be In More Trouble Than We Think (Business Insider) Excerpt: “Which is precisely where things stop making sense: rail freight volume plunges 10.5% in 2015, and the economy still increases 6.9%? I mean, come on.”

Personal Economics and Household Finance

9 Money-Saving Tips to Help You Avoid Overspending (Clark Howard)

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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Readers’ Recommendations of the Week:

SurvivalBlog reader T.D. writes in: “My family and I love watching the Hallmark Channel show, When Calls The Heart. It’s full of cheesy humor, Christian themes, and a fantastic old-time feel. Some may think it campy, but our whole family loves the show, and I’d imagine that many of your readers would enjoy it, as well.”

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Faith-based movies recommended by DMS: Moondance Alexander, A Matter of Faith (evolution vs creationism), 90 Minutes in Heaven (true story), Alone Yet Not Alone (true story). Expecting a Miracle (hard to remember in these times. People south of our border have faith, love, and God too).

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Reader C.C. states: Andrew J. Bacevich was, until his recent retirement, a history professor at Boston College. But he was more than an ivory tower history professor. He graduated from West Point (USMA) and later Princeton with a Ph.D. in International Studies. …Oh yea, after 23 years he also retired as a colonel from the US Army prior to his Boston College gig. One very smart guy.

He is well published (check Amazon for his other books) and brings an amazing insight to his historical writing(s) and analysis. Bacevich’s observations on U.S. “militarism” are unparalleled.

His most recent book was published on April 5th, 2016.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Readers in North Idaho, take note: On Thursday April 21st, there will be a free Jordan Page concert, sponsored by My Patriot Supply. It will be held from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m., at the Sandpoint Events Center, 102 S. Euclid, Sandpoint, Idaho. Jordan Page is a lyrical American artist known as a leading voice of liberty, who performs a mixture of rock and folk music that has captivated American audiences. This free event is open to all ages, and it is a family friendly concert; My Patriot Supply will be handing out a free sample of their Macaroni and Cheese product.

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Obama Allots $19 Mil to Register Immigrant Voters – B.B.

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Your phone number is all a hacker needs to read texts, listen to calls and track you – Submitted by P.S.

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Surging Gun Sales Created Nearly 25,000 Jobs in 2015 – H.L.

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We Have A Thug Culture Problem, Not A Gun Problem – B.B.

Notes for Tuesday – April 19, 2016

April 19th marks the multiple anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord, known as “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World”. This first battle, leading to our nation’s independence, was the then-dictator’s (United Kingdom King George III’s) failed attempt at “gun control”– an act being carried out in too many parts of our USA right now. This first gun control of the colonies was a failure, because of the will and determination of a small part of the population (about 3% actually fought for our independence actively, with many others supporting) to stand up to an oppressive, controlling government (England). Without the sacrifice by those few Patriots, we could very well still be “British subjects” rather than independent citizens.

It also marks the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising against the Nazis in 1943, the BATF’s costly raid on the Branch Davidian Church in Waco, the gun turret explosion on the USS Iowa in 1989, the capture of the Boston Marathon bomber in 2013, and very sadly also the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.

April 19th is also the birthday of novelist Ralph Peters. Coincidentally, Ralph and JWR both have the same literary agent, Robert Gottlieb.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 64 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $1,700 value),
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical 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,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package (enough for two families of four) plus seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate (a $325 retail value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating an AquaBrick water filtration kit with a retail value of $250, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  3. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  4. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  5. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  6. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  7. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  8. Safecastle is providing a package of 10 LifeStraws (a $200 value)
  9. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A $245 gift certificate from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  3. 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,
  4. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 64 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 Side of the Road Is Not Just for Emergencies, by B.A.

I see many people on the side of the road. Many times it is as simple as a flat. Other times it is something that the driver cannot fix. What many people do not know is that your car is designed to shut down automatically should certain things go out of tolerance. This is to prevent damage to your engine or vehicle. Many of us are pre-programmed, too, to think that the car is a special device for which only a select few of us can open the hood and work our magic.

That is not the truth. Sure, if you decide to fill your oil reservoir with water you will void your warranty. What most people never do is read the owner’s manual. It has a list of all the proper fluids for your car and tells you whether to put Dextron II or III in your transmission or if 15W30 or 15W20 is for your crankcase. The different brands of oil will not hurt; that is your choice, but the weights of the oils make a big difference. Do not use non-specified oils in your vehicule. For example, should you use motor oil in your brake reservoir, it will expand the seals and you will not come to any kind of stop except painful. Lucky for us, the dipsticks on the vehicle generally have the proper oil marked on them.

Sometimes you just need to check the levels and top them up. Of course, before you do that or start your engine, you should check to see if there is a puddle underneath your engine. If it looks like you have just oiled the ground, leave it for a shop. But a lot of the time, it is neglect that has let your levels go down. I have seen this day in and day out, where smart people bring their cars into the shop complaining. Then, when I check the levels they are very far down and thousands of miles past the last oil change. There is a reason you change your oil and filters every so often. Once the oil filter is plugged, it just bypasses and the crud sits in the oil and starts to burn ever so slightly. As the time passes, more and more oil burns off till the crankcase gets low. This happens with new engines too, so keep up your maintenance.

More often than not your brakes or clutch will never need topping up or touching at all. You can do more damage than not, if you have no idea what you are doing. If you do, pump the peddles several times to get the fluids back pushing in the lines.

For checking oil levels, all you need is a clean rag and a long reach funnel. Your transmission will require specific oil and specific steps to check it, as most vehicles have their own methods. Only do this if you know your steps, as overfilling can damage it. The same is true for your power steering. If you let your car warm up when it is cold for a few minutes, you will have less problems with your power steering. The biggest problems with the power steering comes from the people who just start their cars and take off. The cold fluid creates too much back pressure on the lines and they leak. Warming up your car is a good idea any time, but give it an extra few minutes in the cold.

Your radiator is a special thing. You can severely burn yourself if you open a rad cap too fast and it is hot. So open it slowly. Most newer vehicles have separate reservoirs; however, even if it looks empty, the pressure inside could be very high and when you pop it you can get splashed, and that is a burn you do not need. Again, try to match the fluid you put in there to the recommended type. Universal works fine though and in an emergency water will work well. I once had to put a case of beer into my radiator when I broke down on a remote road and repaired a line that split and had nothing else to put in. It got me home. I have also used bars leaks in the bottle to plug pin holes or ground black pepper to do the same. Just do not run your heater, as it will plug up your heater core badly. When the cooling fins were split or punctured, I used my vise grips to fold them over and stop the free flow of coolant, this will ruin it and you will not get a core exchange, but I am talking emergency field repairs not shop proper.

In my emergency stuff, I keep tie wire and duct tape. It works for many things.

Next I am going to tell you something I was told years ago and had to do it myself. I had a main line split of my radiator, and being away from a shop I wiped everything down so it was dry as I could make it. Then I wrapped it heavily in duct tape six inches past the split. Then I wrapped it in tie wire up and down past the break. Then I wrapped it in duct tape again. I filled the radiator to see if it would hold. Then, when it did, I went home. What could be worse; I was already broken down?

You have a spare tire and check the air levels, right? Those cheap little donuts are not made to go long distances and need very high pressures. What do you do? I keep a little 12-volt compressor that will go up to 80 lbs. It may take awhile, but having one can mean the difference. You should know where your jack is and how to use it and where your spare is and how to get it out. Many times the low air alarms on new cars just mean low air, so keep your tires up on pressure. I do not have any aluminum rims on anything I own. Steel rims tend to not buckle or split the same. Yes, they rust and look uncool. However, while the rust is outside, it tends to not go inside. Aluminum rims oxidize along the edge, and it goes all the way through inside and lets air out.

Should you get a nail or something in your tire and you do not run it off the rim, a simple $10 patch kit that you can put in your pocket can get you back on the road. Pull the nail, ream the hole, plug the hole, and then trim the plug. Fill your tire and check for a leak. Just spit on it. If new bubbles form, try again. I managed to talk a non-technical person through this kind of tire repair over the phone.

A wise accounting teacher once told me, “When your sled don’t start, it’s usually fuel or fire.” That also goes for your car. Many times you will have corrosion on battery posts or even loose clamps. You can pull them off and scrape them clean or sandpaper to get a better contact. Better contact means better voltage and also better charging when your car is running. I have found many problems that are traced back to loose cables on starters and battery clamps, even on new vehicles.

In older vehicles, the distributor can become a problem. Sometimes it’s moisture sometimes it’s corrosion. With moisture, you can spray WD-40 inside then dry it out or use brake cleaner. Wipe it clean and let it dry, as you do not want anything flammable in there. With the corrosion, you can scrape the contact points with your knife or sand paper. They should be shiny. Just like the points on your spark plugs. If you do not know, leave these alone.

While we are talking electrical, I should mention lights. Many people like to add after-market lights. Don’t. The electrical system in your car or truck was made with a certain amount of load in mind. When you cut into wires, you are making potential shorts in the lines. As well, unless you are sealing the joints, you are leaving things open to new corrosion that can cause problems as well. Leave that stuff to people who know what they are doing.

Regarding fan belts, unless you find those adjustable emergency ones, you are better off finding a real spare at an auto parts store. Usually it does not take a rocket scientist to change one. Again, it pays to read your manual for how to weave it. However, your vehicule should have a diagram on the frame under the hood. I like to check mine for cracks or shiny spots. If you have strings hanging from your belt, change it before you loose it. Your engine will not stay running without one. I do know a woman who used her nylons tied tight to jimmy rig a fix till she got into town.

I worked in a major retailer auto shop for a while, and it was a very enlightening experience along with a lifelong habit of trying to fix my own. I do not say that all of this is what you should do. I do think that you should be ready to help yourself, because not always does help come. If you have to help yourself you should be ready to do the minimum.

Things I keep in my car:

There are many things you can add. These are not get out of dodge stuff but things I keep as my car’s emergency kit. What you add to take care of yourself is up to you, but I think that you should be prepared to take care of your car, as it is an important part of many people’s bug out plans. As a member of your team, don’t let it let you down.

Letter Re: Comment on Savage

Mr. C,

I’ve enjoyed your reviews and was interested in your recent Savage rifle review. While Savage has some things going for its offerings, one big weakness (well, two– the other is their denial of the first) is their built-in magazine in the Savage M11. Two sharp runners are presented when the bolt comes back. To load cartridges, the cartridge must be precisely placed between the two runners and pressed down to enter the magazine. The runners are sharp and fairly inflexible, but the real issue on loading is if the loader misses the runners and the cartridge goes past the entry point to the magazine, it lodges in the left side of the receiver between the runners and the left side of the receiver. Since most rifles are scoped, a low-lying scope or rail is over the receiver opening and that prevents easy access to the lodged cartridge. Solution: turn the rifle on its side and shake the cartridge loose, possibly dropping it into snow, mud, grass, et cetera. Now figure your fingers are large, cold, or numb and you can see that precise manipulation is problematic.

I wrote Savage about this glaring weakness in their rifle and got back the standard blah blah about how we tested it and it’s wonderful since our paid testers said so. Ruger (M77), Winchester (M70), and many other working rifles have Mauser type followers but not Savage, and I wondered if they have learned anything that improves this problem with the rifle you just tested.

Economics and Investing:

Hungary Issues Sovereign Bonds Denominated In Yuan: Another Nail In US Reserve Currency Status? – G.G.

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‘Danger is rapidly building,’ wealthy flee cities – DSV

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Items from Professor Preponomics:

US News

Why Regulators Think JPMorgan is Still Too Big to Fail (Washington Examiner) Excerpt: “They also said that the bank would have difficulty winding down its books of derivatives during a failure.”

House Passes Bill to Add Section to Bankruptcy Code for Banks (Washington Examiner) Excerpt: “The legislation ‘ensures that shareholders and creditors, not taxpayers, bear the losses related to the failure of a financial company…'”

Video: The History of Credit Cards (Visual Capitalist) Excerpt: “Bank of America took this idea and ran with it, forever changing the history of credit cards. They launched the “BankAmericard” in Fresno, California, by sending it out to all 60,000 residents at once.”

Minimum Wage Activists Should Look to Puerto Rico for Clues to the Future (National Review) An excellent review. Excerpt: “The only historical examples close to the California and New York minimum-wage experiments are the unfortunate experiences of Puerto Rico…”

Four Reasons Why Government Spending is Even Worse than Taxes (Mises) Excerpt: “…it’s not the taxes that are the worst part of the tax-and-spend equation. What the government does with the money — once it has it — is actually worse, and it’s more damaging both politically and economically.”

International News

Industry Says Derivatives Rules Need Tweaking to Spot Risks Better (CNBC) Excerpt: “Regulators won’t get a clear picture of risks in the $550 trillion derivatives market until they prune trade reporting rules…”

World Faces “Lost Year” as Policymakers Sleepwalk Toward Fresh Crisis, Warns IMF (The Telegraph) Excerpt: “In its bluntest warning to date on the costs of policy inaction, the IMF said “financial and economic stagnation” could take hold unless governments prevented a “pernicious feedback loop of fragile confidence, weaker growth, low inflation and rising debt burdens” from forming.”

Personal Economics and Household Finance

Why Americans are Some of the World’s Worst Savers (Market Watch) Excerpt: “Global Finance compared 25 different countries that are members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development…”

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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Odds ‘n Sods:

MtH wrote in: “It is asking a lot to watch this whole documentary that I stumbled on regarding Waco…remember back in 1993 when we had our presidential pervert and his felonious ‘mate’ (I’m being extremely kind), who is now expected to be our next president.

It presents a very thoughtful fact-based approach to the Fed’s (mis)handling of the Waco incident. If you fast forward to around minute 1:34 (94 minutes into the documentary), you will see even more damning information on our expected next president.

If you have about two hours and don’t mind becoming even more upset with those that rule over you…”

HJL’s Comment: I took the two hours and watched the entire video. It was published in 1999, but its complaints are still valid. Most disturbing was the realization that certain factions of the U.S. military have no qualms about firing on U.S. citizens. It’s as if it is Germany in 1939 all over again. Demonize a group of people so they are seen as less than human, then it’s no big deal to treat them as non-humans. If you think that members of the peace officers law enforcement and the military won’t shoot at you, you better study history!

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Videos from Radio Free Redoubt:

Comms with the KX3 – In the field with John Jacob Schmidt (March 2016) Part 1 & Part 2
Apparently these comms videos generated as many questions about the coffee maker as they did the comms: Optimus Nova Stove Review by JJS

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G.G. sent this link with more evidence of the Nanny State run amok: Scotland: Airgun owners given six months to licence weapons

JWR’s Comment: Here is one of the most telling quotes from the article: “…air weapons caused anti-social behaviour…” (From this presumed causal relationship, we must also presume that those dreaded assault spoons cause gorging on Nutella.)

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In Texas on April 23: Emergency Preparation Supplies Sales Tax Holiday – Pay cash and you’re home free!

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Kalashnikov USA’s New AK-Alfa Rifle – Thanks for the import ban. It was all they needed to innovate a really good product. Sent in by RBS

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“I’m tired of being considered some kind of criminal or dangerous throwback for no other reason than that I value, exercise, and defend my rights under the first ten Amendments to the United States Constitution. “ – L. Neil Smith