Crises Preparation- Part 2, by B1

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Home Security

Your home should appear shabby, as if you are poor or struggling. (Think of a “redneck trailer park”; no offense is intended.) People living in urban areas will be at a much higher risk for criminal activity. If you look organized and secure, you will be a target for theft, looting, et cetera.

You don’t want to directly or indirectly advertise your stockpile or your plan to anyone outside your trusted circle. When you’re doing your shopping for supplies, do it at night. Neighbors see more than you think. When you store (hide) your stockpile, do it in a place other than the “obvious” places. Store in places like the crawl space under the house, in your washer and dryer (with no electricity, you won’t be using these), and attic. Just use your imagination on this. When robbers come, they will look in obvious places like the basement, safe room, cabinets, et cetera. In a functioning society, 90% of all B&E’s robberies are done by someone who knows you or knows of you. The less you tell and show people, the more secure you and your supplies will be.

Weapons

People have asked me about guns for home protection. In my opinion, a 12-gauge pump shotgun is your best choice for an all-around (hunting, survival, and home defense) gun. There are a few rules to remember about a gun. Do not pull it, unless you plan on using it. Once you have raised that gun, you have just escalated the situation to a point that cannot easily be defused. Be prepared to shoot if you pull out your weapon. Unlike in the movies, walls, doors, and even car doors will not stop a bullet. If you shoot at a target in your house, think about who is on the other side of the wall behind that target. Chances are that the bullet will pass through the target and wall and hit the person in the other room. Know your target and what is beyond it. The bullet will most likely not stop at your target. If you decide you need a firearm, now is the time to decide what type you need and how much ammo you need to stockpile. This depends on what you predict your needs to be and what the gun will be used for. For a shotgun, you have a wide selection of shells to choose from. (Shotguns use shells not bullets.) Know your firearms and their capabilities. The same goes for pistols, rifles and shotguns. Each have their peculiarities and limitations. Whatever you decide, you need to know the weapon intimately and what ammunition is best for your needs. Ammo sells quickly. If something happens, it will be hard to get what you need. Now is the time to have it, before you need it.

Archery is another weapon option. Unlike bullets, arrows are reusable and do not draw attention when shot, because they are quiet. If you have a bow or crossbow, be sure to use the proper length arrows to match your bow’s draw length so that you don’t harm yourself. Unlike in the movies, most crossbows and compound bows cannot shoot a wooden arrow. The sling bow (a sling shot that shoots arrows) is perfect for small game and can even be pressed into home defense, if needed. The sling bow requires little skill to shoot and one can learn to shoot them accurately pretty quick with practice. They are also inexpensive, at about $25 at Sportmansguide.com. They can shoot any arrow that is to your draw length.

Outside Perimeter

Look normal or even cluttered and chaotic. Tall walls, fences, and barb wire around a house is an invitation to a criminal. It is obvious you are protecting something– something these criminals think they want or need. Instead, plant thorn bushes, rows on rows of roses, holly, raspberries, or other type of thorn bushes. Even boards with nails through them, buried just under the service of the ground where the nails are protruding and cannot be easily seen, give a solid surface for the nails to stick in someone’s foot. Locks only keep honest people honest. Have wood or other items for barricades on doors and windows. Again, a washer and dryer would make a good barricade behind a door at night. Board up your ground level windows, but do not completely cover them; you will need the daylight. If they are completely boarded, this provides another invitation to criminals. A few pieces of wood across the inside of the window will keep people from climbing in, and you can still open the window for air. Have heavy duty plastic on hand to cover windows that may get broken. Obviously, you will need a staple gun to hang the plastic. You will not want to leave your house any more than needed. The more you go in and out of your house, the more likely you will fall victim to a crime or lead criminals back to your home.

Interior Mobility and Security

Keep the inside of your home clutter free. Memorize where everything (furniture, food, flashlights, and so forth) is located. Practice moving through your house in pitch black conditions. You know your house better than any intruder and can use this to your advantage. Have plans in place for any possible situation you can think of, and make sure everyone knows their part of the plan. At all times there should be someone in your group awake 24/7 for security. This should be part of your plan.

Leadership

If you are faced by a group (gang) of people that mean to harm you, the leader of this group should be your first target. Have one leader in your group. This is not a dictatorship but a leadership. Pick your leader wisely, and remember just because someone has the ability to be a leader, that does not make them a leader. Being the “man of the house” or head of a household does not necessarily make you a leader. Being the most experienced does not make you the leader either. The most Godly person in your group should be the leader, bottom line. Truthfully, no mature or honest person ever seeks to be the leader. Only prideful people seek leadership, titles, et cetera becaise it gives them a sense of importance. True leaders get to that position because the group/team want them there. Among my family and friends, I feel I have the most experience for a crisis situation in survival and security. Does this make the good choice for leadership in a crisis? No. I have friends who are more Godly than me, and I will gladly submit to their leadership when the time comes. No matter how much training, experience, and knowledge I have for a crisis, I am nothing without God, and this goes for everyone out there. Being a leader is not about ability but about responsibility. Who do you trust to protect you and look out for your best interests? The members of the group need to follow the leader without hesitation or question. There must be loyalty and discipline. Otherwise, your group will fall apart. However, as I said at the beginning of this letter, our first and foremost preparation should be with Jesus.

First aid, Hygiene, Health

Obviously, medical help in a crisis situation will be limited or costly. Because of the social infrastructure breakdown, there will be more diseases and germs. Things to have on hand include bandages, quickclot (for serious injuries), splint material, suture kits for stitches, first aid cream, bee sting kits, basic medicines (pain killers, Tylenol, allergy, and cold meds), diarrhea meds (which will happen and can dehydrate a person). Think of the accidents, emergency room, and doctor visits you have made in the past year in a normal life. This could triple in a crisis situation. Everyone’s needs will be different, based on your family’s needs.

Women’s feminine needs are something else to consider for you guys who have a woman (or women) in the house. A crisis is stressful enough, so do not forget their needs during your preparation. Cleanliness is far more important to a woman than to a man. Keep your woman happy and comfortable; a happy wife is a happy life! Even if it means stocking up on razors and shaving gel so your wife can shave her legs, if it makes her feel more comfortable and clean, then buy that stuff.

I have acid reflux. Yes, I will have meds for that on hand. If you or family members are on a prescription med, what will you do? Most of these are filled 30-90 days. Is there an alternative you could take or can you get extra now, just in case? Could you do without it? Do you have addictions to drugs (nonprescription, tobacco, et cetera)? Will this be stockpiled? Is buying this more important than buying food that will keep you alive? This might be a good time to consider quitting. Oh, my. Those who know me, know I use snuff. “Wow!” is all I can think of right now to say. However, do I want to be going through withdrawal when my family is depending on me to keep them safe? No!

Take first aid classes or buy a first aid book to have on hand if you have no first aid skills. We all know how to put a bandaid on and apply first aid cream to a boo boo, but how many of us can treat a sucking chest wound (hole in the chest), a broken bone (resetting the bone), or other traumatic injuries. Keep in mind that infection will be your biggest risk at this time.

Get in shape by starting to exercise and eat healthy. Multivitamins would be helpful to keep you healthy. Build your immune system. The saying “only the strong will survive” is very true. The healthier you are, the better chance you will have at survival.

Have bleach and/or anti-bacteria soap on hand. Hand wipes are good to have. Without hot water (remember, there’s no electricity), it will be hard to sanitize things. Sanitation will be a big issue. A small amount of bleach in a bucket of water will kill all the germs and make the water safe for cleaning dishes et cetera. Also, think where would you use the bathroom. The toilet will not work if you have no water. If you live in the country and are on septic, you could build an outhouse directly over the lid to the septic tank. Note: unwaxed dental floss, which is awesome stuff, is used many times in the military. This stuff is super strong and great for making snares/traps to catch food and stitching clothing and even a person, if needed. This stuff is good to have on hand.

It would also be wise to do any doctor appointments now before the DL. Get a physical, dental work, eye exam, and glasses/contacts, et cetera. This could help you prevent unplanned medical issues six months from now. This may not be a good time to get pregnant. If you are sexually active and still at childbearing age, be thinking of what measures you are willing to take to prevent a pregnancy.

Another health concern, though not urgent, is your diet. Our bodies are accustomed to eating a certain way and preparing our foods a certain way now. However, when you have a dramatic change to your diet, it will upset your digestive system. Even the portions we eat now are more than we need to sustain us for a day. Start a diet now by slowly reducing the amount you eat at a time and the types of foods you eat. Start eating foods that you may not have access to during a crisis but things you would have in a stockpile. When I went overseas with the military, the first thing we would do upon coming home was hit a buffet. I would be sick for days, because my body was not used to this kind of food. The same thing would happen when people would send me treats while I was overseas. I would eat them and be sick.

Letter Re: A Real Neat Prepper Trick

Hugh,

My wife and I have been looking at ranch style houses right now, mostly to see the floor plans and what works and doesn’t. We came across one where the previous owner got an old slide top bar cooler. He removed the cooling system and put a system of copper tubing inside of it and then connected it to the water inlet to his home. Whenever a water spigot, shower, dishwasher were used in the house the water first flowed through the pipes in the old cooler. He used it to store his vegetables that he grew in the greenhouse. Here, in Alaska, most water from the tap is around 47 degrees or cooler. You could do this to an upright or chest freezer. – oldalaskan

Economics and Investing:

Big Trouble Ahead For Copper Is Good For Silver

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The Boomer Retirement Meme Is A Big Lie – Sent in by B.B.

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Items from Professor Preponomics:

US News

Charting the Automation Potential of US Jobs (Visual Capitalist) Excerpt: “In last week’s Chart of the Week, we noted that 1.3 million industrial robots would be installed between 2015 and 2018, and this would more than double the stock of active robots around the world.”

Automation is Killing these Jobs (Fox News Business) Excerpt: “We all love technology. In most cases, it helps make life easier but it also comes at a price.”

The Age of Autonomous Robots is Upon Us (Fortune) Excerpt: “Why now? The reason is simple: timing. Advancements in the robotics industry that have been building for decades are converging.”

International News

Panama Papers: Mossack Fonseca Leak Reveals Elite’s Tax Havens (BBC News) Excerpt: “Eleven million documents held by the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca have been passed to German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, which then shared them with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.” The Guardian is also following this developing story… The Panama Papers: How the World’s Rich and Famous Hide Their Money Offshore as is Reuters… World Leaders Deny Wrongdoing as “Panama Papers” Reveal Offshore Wealth

Vladimir Putin, His Close Friends, and the $2bn in Offshore Tax Havens (The Telegraph) Excerpt: “A St Petersburg concert cellist has been revealed as the lynchpin in an elaborate financial empire that manages billions of dollars apparently connected to Vladimir Putin….”

Self-Driving Cars to Hospital Robots: Automation Will Change Life and Work (The Guardian) Excerpt: “From automated manufacturing to software that does complex legal work, business is adapting to the robot economy.”

IMF Officials Struggling to EU Nations Over Greece Debt Relief (Market Watch) Excerpt: “Look, you Mrs. Merkel you face a question, you have to think about what is more costly: to go ahead without the IMF…or to pick the debt relief that we think that Greece needs in order to keep us on board,” Mr. Thomsen tells his colleagues, according to the WikiLeaks transcript.” …and the denial of the report follows with this from Reuters: IMF Denies Threat to Pull Out of Greek Bailout

Personal Economics and Household Finance

65 Tips to Save Money through Self-Reliance(Mother Earth News) Excerpt: “Frankly, our consumer culture pressures many of us to live above our means. The good news is that making a personal and household commitment to a more frugal lifestyle can be a fulfilling, healthy choice — and the following tips to save money can start you on that journey.” Note: This is an older article but filled with great ideas!

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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:

The nanny state strikes again: Education Texas School Bans Parents From Walking Children Onto and From School Property — and Principal Is ‘Threatening to Arrest’ Those Who Try – D.S.

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While we are on the subject of Marxist Indoctrination/Re-education Facilities public schools: 10 Ridiculous Instances Of Zero Tolerance In Schools – Sent in by DSV.

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If you travel by air, you may want to think twice about using these airports. Did you know that 297 U.S. airports do NOT screen employees before work on a daily basis…not even Muslim employees. Of course, I’m finding it difficult to come up with even a single case where the TSA has actually stopped a terrorist action. – B.B.

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Rent To Criminals — Or Else. The wording of the documents leaves much as vague and while it makes some exceptions, it is difficult to know for sure what they are. Do you really have to rent to the convicted child molester? – B.B.

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The assault on the first amendment: Federal Judge Goes after Shauna Cox’s Rights of Free Speech: Warns Her not to Speak Publicly about Oregon Standoff – RBS

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” – 2 Kings 5:11-14 (KJV)

Notes for Friday – April 08, 2016

April 8th is the birthday of the late Ian Smith, Prime Minister of Rhodesia (born, 1919, died November 20, 2007).

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Reader DSV sent in this fantastic news: BREAKING: Mississippi To Join “Constitutional Carry” Wave

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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)

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.

Crises Preparation- Part 1, by B1

Editors Note: B1 has generously submitted a letter that he sent to his family and loved ones with suggestions for the coming crises.

It is impossible to fully plan for the unknown. There is so much information to cover and so many variables and possibilities, that there is no way I can cover them all. For this same reason, this letter may also jump around a bit. Upon many requests and questions I have received over the past several years, and more so in the past couple months, I am writing this letter for your reference. I hope this will help you organize and plan what you need to do for yourself and your family to be prepared in a crisis.

Personally, I believe something bad is coming to America and that it will devastate the way we are accustomed to living. My belief is based on Biblical knowledge and study, as well as worldly knowledge, study, and research. I believe it will be a total economic crash, and I believe it can happen as early as the middle of September 2015. I know there are many who do not believe this way, and that is fine. Even if it does not happen and life goes on as usual, does it hurt to be ready for an emergency crisis? Disasters come in many forms– natural (tornadoes, floods, hurricanes), terrorism, and economics.

There is no way I can go into step-by-step detail as to what you should do to be prepared. Everyone has individual needs, budgets, et cetera. This letter will hopefully be enough information for you to develop your own plan. I will base everything off the worst case scenario I can think of, so you can be better prepared for a smaller crisis.

The Priority

First, and of utmost importance, to survive any crisis you need God. If you are not a Christian and do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, all your preparation will be like the man who built his house on the sand; it will not last, and you will have a very hard time surviving the crisis, not to mention hell and damnation, which would be a lot worse than any crisis you face on earth. If, as a Christian, you are not prepared, your struggles will hinder your ability to minister and help others. I have Christian friends who choose to believe God will provide for their needs and have chosen not to prepare. My response to them is: “There is no doubt in my mind that God will provide for our needs. However, we should remember that God did not build the ark for Noah. Instead, He provided the tools and trees and means for Noah to build the ark.”

I was reminded of a joke my brother-in-law, Mark, told me a few days ago. A man was on his house roof in a flooded area; the flood waters were rising. A rescue boat came by, and someone on the boat asked him to jump in because they were there to evacuate him. The man stated, “God will take care of me, and I am staying put waiting on Him.” A few hours later, a second boat came by to rescue him. However, the man’s answer was the same. The flood waters continued to rise. When the waters were touching the man’s feet as he sat on the peak of the roof, a helicopter came by and offered to save the man. Again, he declined their help and claimed God would save him. When the flood waters rose so high the man began to drown, he cried out to God and asked, “Where were you when I needed you?” God replied “I sent two boats and a helicopter to save you. Why didn’t you accept my help?”

For many of you, this letter may be God’s way of providing you with help and provision. If you are not a Christian, this would be a good time for you to evaluate your life and make a decision for Christ. I urge you to repent of your sins and let Christ into your heart and life now. Let Him become your Lord. Either way, I urge you to share this letter and message with your family and friends before it is too late.

You are probably wondering what kind of crisis we are facing and how bad can it get? The worst case scenario is a total economic crash in which the American currency no longer exists. Close your eyes and imagine what this means. Envision, in your mind, the total collapse of everything we know. Banks close without warning; ATM’s and credit cards will no longer work, and all the money in your account is gone. America’s infrastructure is gone. Imagine there is no fire and rescue, no police/law enforcement, no electricity, no water (even on a well, because there is no electricity to pump the water), no gas for heat, and no ability to go to the store to buy what we need. Think about how bad it was for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Now, imagine that same crisis on a national scale. There would be total chaos and lawlessness. Every home in America will be effected. America’s electric grid is based on 1980’s technology. Like most companies, it has been poorly maintained. Since the 80’s, America’s population has dramatically increased, and we require more electricity. If the grid fails, it would take a long time to repair it. If the economy crashes, there will be no money to pay our civil workers (police and fire departents) and no money to keep the utilities (natural gas, electricity, even gasoline) running. We will be faced with hyperinflation, and the only money available is what we have on our person. Without power and without any social structure, crime would increase to 100% over night. If this happens in September, we would be facing the winter season without heat. A crisis like this could last months, even years. Are you prepared?

Why would a national crisis be so bad right now? Americans have become spoiled and dependent on our government to provide us with what we need. For reasons I previously stated, this could be worse than the Great Depression. I say this, because back then people were still somewhat self-reliant. They could grow gardens, live off the land, and live simple lives. The Amish are the best modern example I can think of as to how we need to become in order to survive.

So, now that we know the worst case scenario, let’s work on some kind of plan for our families and friends. You need to have as much cash on hand as you can afford, in small bills for easy trading. Money will work for a short time during an economic crash, because a great number of Americans believe our government will fix everything and provide us with what we need. Keep in mind, the government does not care about you as an individual. At this very moment they are stockpiling emergency food supplies, body bags, ammunition, guns, et cetera. Why would the government start stockpiling these items in such large quantities? Because they know something bad is coming. All the information about the government mentioned in this letter can be found on the Internet. Eventually your money will be worthless, and that is why stockpiling some items is necessary.

If something happens this fall, you will need to plan for a winter survival. I suggest at least si months’ worth of supplies for you and your immediate (or even extended) household. You should sit down with your family to discuss the possible crisis and decide what everyone’s responsibility will be. There will be no room for moochers or freeloaders, and they will come. As a reference point, I will use September 13th as the deadline for your preparations to be completed. I am not saying anything will happen on this date. However, in order to make an effective plan you need a deadline to work from.

From this point in the letter, all preparation plans are based on the DL (deadline). This may require a great deal of sacrifice on your budget and life. Best case scenario: If nothing happens, whatever you have bought or prepared for now will be less that you have to spend at the store later. You will be prepared for any other possible crisis, and you will have a peace of mind that you and your family are safe.

Vehicles

Your vehicles need to be up to date on service, including oil, tune up, brakes, tires, et cetera. From this point forward, you should not let your gas tank get below half full. You may also want to have gasoline on hand in containers that would be easily portable in case you needed to leave. Non-ethanol gas has a longer shelf life than the regular gas you purchase, and it is good for containers. Put some form of fuel stabilizer in it to keep it fresh longer. (Yes, gas can go bad.) Keep the necessary tools on hand to fix things on your car and maybe even a repair manual for if something does go bad on your vehicle. When you park your vehicle, make it inoperable so it can’t be stolen. A simple kill switch hidden in the dash connected to the starter will do this. If someone other than you or a family member tries to take the vehicle, it won’t start and they won’t know to look for a kill switch. Keep your vehicle parked close to the house for security and a quick getaway if needed.

Letter Re: Backup Electric Power Design Considerations

HJL, I believe R.V. and Expat are referring to AC Coupled inverters. I’ve installed hundreds of offgrid solar systems from 300 to 30,000 watts and I have never used an AC coupled system for an offgrid install. Mainly because it requires more fancy equipment and customization. I don’t feel it gives my customers a good value; it is more complex and less durable. That’s not to say there are not scenarios where it may be the better choice, especially if you are grid tied and net metering. If your readers are interested in the technology, search for “AC Coupled Battery Backup” on the Internet. If I had to go AC coupled with batteries, I would choose a combination of Outback, SMA, or Enphase. If you are looking for a durable offgrid system, 99% of the time, DC coupled is the better choice…for now. – K.K.

Economics and Investing:

Items from Mr. Econocobas:

Obama Administration Pushes Banks to Make Home Loans to People with Weaker Credit – This is both stupid, and desperate….

Venezuela Orders Long Weekends to Stave Off Power Crisis

U.S. Braces for Worst Earnings Season Since 2009 Crisis: Chart

Items from Professor Preponomics:

A Brief Commentary from Professor Preponomics

Currency valuation is a topic of great interest among economists and is both simultaneously simple (within the framework of free market exchange) and complex (especially when economic engineering is involved). Included here are a selection of articles that make for interesting reading and some variation in points of view. In today’s news and resource review, the Personal Economics and Household Finance section includes a couple of links that may be helpful to readers hoping to learn more about currency exchange and valuation.

US News

Currency Wars, the Devaluation Delusion (Cato) Excerpt: “So, if devaluations fail to deliver more trade and higher GDP growth rates, what do they deliver? Well, one thing devaluations deliver is inflation.”

Bucking the Trend (The Economist) Excerpt: “An exchange rate is the relative price of two currencies, so the dollar’s recent decline reflects more than just Fed policy.” We’re Nearing a Major Turning Point in the Currency Wars (Daily Reckoning) Excerpt: “Right now, the most powerful indication and warning is coming from what I call “Yellen’s Conundrum.”

International News

Two Birds, One Yuan as China Gets Both Weak and Strong Currency (Bloomberg) Excerpt: “China’s exchange-rate strategy has implications far beyond its own borders.”

Following the Mugabe Model: Spot the Difference (The Economist) Excerpt: “The Venezuelan government spends like Father Christmas after too much eggnog, subsidizing everything from rural homes to rice. It cannot pay its bills, especially since the oil price collapsed, so it prints money.”

Personal Economics and Household Finance

Foreign Exchange (The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics)

The Pros and Cons of a Strong Dollar (Investopedia)

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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:

Meet the survivalists hoarding bee pollen and preparing for apocalypse – DMS

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It’s not enough to promote the belittling of human life, now this: Walking Dead TV Series – Programming the Public for Martial Law – Sent in by T.P.

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Reader G.P. sent in the link to this nifty device for storing your tools. Pretty great if your GOOD vehicle is a Jeep. Rampage Trail Can Locking Toolbox w Compartments

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Either he never learns or this is intentional. Either way, chances are good we will see these two again and they will cost more American lives: Obama Releases Two al-Qaeda Bomb Experts from Gitmo to Senegal – Sent in by B.B.

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Kevlar or plastic? New armor lighter, provides same protection – G.P.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“The man who goes afoot, prepared to camp anywhere and in any weather, is the most independent fellow on earth.” – Horace Kephart, Camping and Woodcraft, 1917

Notes for Thursday – April 07, 2016

April 7th is the birthday of Colonel Bob Denard (born 1929, died October 13, 2007). He had an amazing life as a mercenary, including four attempted coups in the Comoros.

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SurvivalBlog welcomes American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) as a contest sponsor with a $300 certificate that can be used for any of their DVD courses in gunsmithing or other trade skills including welding, machining, electrical, carpentry, masonry, locksmithing and plumbing.

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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.

When You Get Here, by B.A.

I call this article “When You Get Here” for those whom are planning on moving or relocating to a rural area. It does have some hopeful connotation, as not everyone will be planning nor will everyone who is planning make it. Realistically you should be out of the cities already. Unfortunately, going off of census data from 1996 to 2014 the average U.S. urban population has been climbing from 78% to 81%. For Canada, it was 78% and now 82%. That just means there are more people in resource poor areas.

However, let’s assume that you are going to be moved properly, or by God’s grace you manage to get out in time. You are now new to an area, with your own prejudices and erroneous thoughts and behavior. You’re now mixed in with locals, who have their own prejudices, thoughts, and behavior as well as the benefit of numbers, rightly or wrongly possibly opposed to you and yours. This is not saying that all small communities are closed societies; it’s just that you must remember you are an outsider. If you think that being shunned online is bad, wait until you say something about somebody’s second cousin at the store. I come from rural living, and I will tell you that even though most people from the city think Deliverance was reality TV, the real reality is that most rural people have an attitude of “live and let live”. They do not give two flips what you do in your own time or home. Sure, they will talk among themselves, but when it comes down to it they would rather not get involved in your life. Do not take it personally. You might be interesting for a while, but unless you build a bunker or go waving a gun you will fade into the background soon enough.

If you insist that you know better, that will get around. Having new ideas is great. Most people love to try new things. Just be humble, if nobody adopts or listens to your ideas. Maybe it is that they have their own ways that have worked for generations and they do not see a reason to change, or more than likely they do not have the money to try. Realize that a lot of the time “new” means “new to you”, not “new from the store”. Also, flashing new toys around will just alienate you. We all know guys who sold their place in the city and moved to the country and bought all new stuff and love to show it off. They do not get very far. As a bonus, it just tells everyone who it is who has the nice things to take.

Listen to the locals. A good place is coffee row; all small towns have one somewhere. It is a good way to build rapport, as well as learn things about the area and the people. Again, do not tell them how to live their lives. You are the outsider. Many outsiders stay outsiders in the country, much like ex-patriots do in other countries. In a way, you are an immigrant. Sometimes the outsiders have large enough groups of friends that they are fine. Just remember that it is different rather than backwards or behind the times.

You can volunteer. People like that. However, like in the city, there will be people who take advantage of that and quite often you will hear that you can afford it anyways. Many people from the countryside see city people as monied. I know this is not true, but too many dry pavement cowboys seem to prove this point. Flashing cash is just as bad in the country as in the city. The only difference is that we most likely will not mug you. We’ll just ask you to buy dinner or coffee or whatever every time you are around.

Most likely you will not be friends with a real farmer. They are too busy trying to keep things afloat to be bothered with you, unless you are selling them something or buying something from them. Smaller hobby farmers or semi-retired people are great people to have as friends. You can learn a lot more from them than any chat group, and usually they will love to have an extra hand or just to show you how things are really done. Just be careful of getting sucked into the morning coffee break. When it becomes lunch, you know you are talking too long.

As for helping, remember that you know nothing. This is especially important if you are coming to somebody out of the blue in a bad situation. Follow instructions. You may have a fantasy of taking some post apocalyptic role of guarding a farm or business with a fancy rifle, but more than likely if you come begging you are going to be doing the work that the farmer does not want to do himself. Too proud to fork manure? Move along. Think you will move up in a week? This is not a McJob. My best advice for TEOTWAWKI is to buy yourself and your family work gloves. Stock up, and buy insulated ones too. Water will still need to be pulled out of the dugout with pails in the winter. Unless you have your own place, if you take charity you will be earning it, if you are healthy.

If you are one of those guys who always has a hangnail or a sprained whatever, good luck. You will grow out of that, because if you don’t nobody is going to work for you.

Always, always, always keep your word. This is not the city. You cannot go two blocks over and find new friends. Everybody knows your personal worth. Many times you will hear somebody say “We’ll see” or “I’ll try”. Only say you will be there if you will be. If somebody is waiting for help on the side of the road, they need you there when you say. People die every year because they are waiting. Also, always pay what you say. This is not the city.

The rural churches are more involved than those in the cities, too, even the youth groups. This, from experience, has more to do with there being less to do in the country than piety. Please do not think it is this simplistic. Many churches will more than welcome you and you will find the pastors or priests more than willing to talk with you and be involved in your life, unlike in more urban areas, where you might find them to be more interested in the revolving door and the collection plate.

We still have drug problems and alcohol. I would simply suggest staying away from bars when you try to make friends. Go to church, the local restaurant, or auction. At the auction, get a number and look over the stuff for sale. You are not obligated to buy something. People do like to talk though. You may even find stuff that you need cheap. From time and time again, in my experience, for every once-in-a-lifetime $5 deal you are going to find too many things that go at retail prices. I believe this is because there are many people moving to the country and buying up the small items. The ones I personally dislike are the ones who come from the city to buy the quaint country folk items and then they take them back to the city to only sit on a shelf.

In my area, we have many people who are coming from the U.S.. Quite a few are moving away from what they see as American tyranny. Many of them have been trying and succeeding to fit in. We also have people from Europe and Africa who are doing well, too. If you come to the countryside, it is easier for you to assimilate to us than for you to change the region to your norms. While I read over and over about people being upset that foreigners are moving into their country and trying to live the exact same way that they were running away from and thus ruining the new country, it is very important to remember that the cultural differences between the city and country are large as well. The breath of fresh air may have a tinge of bovine fertilizer occasionally, but you moved here. If you want to build a town house in the country and be surrounded by other townhouses, stay in the city. If you want to export the citt’s problems to the country, stay in the city. We may have a village idiot, but he’s our idiot. Leave him be. His cousin might just be the mayor. Thank you for your time.

Letter Re: The Sole Purpose of the 2nd Amendment

Hugh,

What Prepper Jane said in this piece, I’ve been trying to tell my more brainwashed, left-leaning acquaintances for years; both symbolically and practically, rescinding our right to bear arms would open the gates for the rest of our rights to be either abridged or eliminated completely. It would also make it easy for TPTB to label those who didn’t “go along with the program” as “outlaws”, “domestic terrorists”, and “enemies of the state”. If our public indoctrination centers (…er… schools) had been teaching fact over the years, this would be a hard sell. Alas, instead of reading and learning from history books, most American kids these days are reading “Heather Has Two Mommies”. Anyone with eyes can see that “gun” control has nothing to do with “safety”. If it did, TPTB would go after the existing criminals instead of creating a whole new class of them by drawing yet another “red line “, – Pete H.

Economics and Investing:

Fort Knox Paradox – “If the Bullion Depository still contains over 147 million ounces of gold, why not audit it, prove the existence of the gold, and eliminate speculation?”

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19 Facts That Prove Things In America Are Worse Than They Were Six Months Ago

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Items from Professor Preponomics:

US News

From Regulating Uber to Subsidizing It (Government Waste Fraud and Abuse) Excerpt: “This misguided year-long initiative has a budget of $500,000 and will cover 20 percent of each fare for rides within the city’s limits and 25 percent of each fare for rides that start or end at mass transit stations.”

How Bureaucrats Think (My Gov Cost) Excerpt: “…in the public sector, government bureaucrats apparently cannot tolerate providing that level of service, even when they use the same technologies.”

Farm Subsidies: Milking Taxpayers (The Economist) Excerpt: “THE father of Major Major, a character in Catch 22, a novel by Joseph Heller, makes a good living not growing alfalfa. “The more alfalfa he did not grow, the more money the government gave him, and he spent every penny he didn’t earn on new land to increase the amount of alfalfa he did not produce.” Note: This is an older article but well worth reading.

Privatize the USPS (Downsizing the Federal Government) Excerpt: “Furthermore, the USPS borrows from the U.S. Treasury at subsidized interest rates, pays no federal or state taxes, is excluded from local zoning laws, and has the power of eminent domain. But even with these advantages, the USPS loses money because Congress prevents it from cutting costs. Congress blocks the company from closing unneeded post office locations, and it has blocked plans to end Saturday delivery.”

International News

Middle-Class Families “Resentful” as Government Takes Record £4.6bn Inheritance Tax Bill (The Telegraph) Excerpt: “It said more people have been hit by inheritance tax this year because of sharply rising house prices. Average year-on-year house price growth accelerated to 5.7pc last year with the average home now worth more than £200,000….”

Britain Abandoning Global Warming Taxes and Subsidies (The Daily Caller) Excerpt: “Great Britain slashed its generous subsidies for solar power Friday and is under immense pressure to end its carbon tax as industry threatens to leave the country.”

Personal Economics and Household Finance

39 Low-Effort Ways to Save Up to $9,340.67 this Year (Cheap Recipe Blog) Available through Amazon!

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